The Giants have promoted 2015 first-round pick Chris Shaw from Double-A to Triple-A, and as Alex Pavlovic of CSN Bay Area writes, the former first baseman will continue his work in left field following the latest promotion. Giants GM Bobby Evans spoke to reporters about Shaw’s impressive run in Double-A (.301/.390/.511, six homers, 10 doubles) and stated that Shaw was simply “ready for the next challenge.” Pavlovic notes that although Shaw is the more highly regarded prospect, fellow minor league outfielder Austin Slater is probably ahead of him in the pecking order when it comes to a potential MLB promotion. Shaw doesn’t need to be added to the 40-man roster this year in order to be protected from the Rule 5 Draft, but Slater, who is hitting .313/.376/.435 in 40 Triple-A games, does. As for Shaw’s ability to handle the outfield despite his considerable 6’4″, 235-pound frame, Evans noted that Shaw played nearly 100 games in the outfield in college and added that the team wants to see if he can get comfortable in left field. That, of course, is perhaps the Giants’ greatest position of need at the Major League level, and Shaw is blocked at first base by Brandon Belt.
More on the Giants…
- Right-hander Johnny Cueto was hit hard again in yesterday’s start, and he revealed after the game that he’s been pitching through a pair of blisters on his right hand, writes MLB.com’s Chris Haft. Cueto has one blister on his index finger and another on his middle finger, though he wouldn’t point to that issue as the source of his 2017 struggles. “I’m getting hit,” Cueto said bluntly, noting that the blisters are “not an excuse.” To this point there’s been no talk of a quick stint on the 10-day DL for Cueto to allow his fingers to heal up, though other pitchers around the league (e.g. Rich Hill, Aaron Sanchez) have required multiple absences due to blister troubles.
- Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News writes that the Giants are giving Kelby Tomlinson continued work in center field with their Triple-A affiliate as hope that he can emerge as a center field alternative on the big league roster. Presently, Gorkys Hernandez and Justin Ruggiano are the team’s only other options beyond starter Denard Span, but neither has provided much in the way of offense. Ruggiano has displayed some pop but is hitting .244/.273/.415, while Hernandez has posted a woeful .160/.248/.213 batting line through 106 plate appearances.
- Baggarly also notes that Korean star Jae-gyun Hwang is hitting fairly well in Triple-A and is likely to receive a call-up before the July 1 opt-out provision in his contract. Both Evans and manager Bruce Bochy have suggested that they hope to see what they have in Hwang eventually, per Baggarly. Hwang has hit for a respectable average and displayed some power thus far while seeing time at both infield corners and in left field. However, his 32-to-5 K/BB ratio suggests that his approach still needs some refinement. Through 168 plate appearances, he’s hitting .280/.298/.435 with three homers, 12 doubles and a pair of triples.
The Chris Shaw you have currently linked to is the far less impressive Chris Shaw from BAL.
Would love to see the giants to trade Nunez to open a spot in left for Davis/ Slater.
If the giants call up hwang I bet Hernandez gets cut.
Two problems. Núñez has virtually no trade value after his slow start and there’s no way they would cut one of the few viable CF options on the roster to bring up a strict 3B. It’s also hard to see how Gillaspie and Hwang both fit into the same roster when they seem like ostensibly similarly skilled players.
I meant Shaw in the first sentence. But Yeah I totally forgot about Gillaspie your right good call!
Let me go on, like I blister in the sun
Can the Giants send down Arroyo for more refinement, move Nunez back to 3B, and call up Hwang? This makes a lot of sense. Arroyo is batting like .200
Send the whole team down!
Arroyo doesn’t have enough at bats to read into his BA yet. He can go 10-for his next 20 and he BA would be 350. Look into the numbers better
I’m of the opinion the Giants should be trade deadline sellers and retool for the next few years. Therefore, they should send down Arroyo for more seasoning and get Nunez back to the infield to boost his trade value. I think playing LF is hurting his trade value.
I think everyone but Posey, Bum, Belt, Crawford and any important minor leaguer should be on the table – even Panik and Moore should be considered if they can get something back for them. If someone is willing to take on the Shark and Pence contracts, then great. If the Giants sell off and can get 2-3 prospects from the Top 100 prospects list then that would bode well for the next few years.
I wonder if they’d consider Shaw at 3rd at least while he’s still young… get him in the lineup and transition him to 1B as Belt starts to decline.
I have been saying for years now that the Giants are going to be in trouble soon….not many great options in the minors and all of their minor league affiliations are just as bad the MLB version….most in last or near last place….nowhere to turn….aging OF and they lack depth….I seen this coming….they are in terrible shape….
it isn’t as bad as you make it out – the reason the giants don’t have as many options are low and no draft picks over the last few years but the big upside is that there isn’t a lot of aging contracts after a year or 2 – if cueto opts out then your high priced salaries are mainly just samardzija, posey and an upcoming payout to bum (who aren’t the issue on the team) . Pence will befalling off soon.
They have a pretty good track record of turning relatively unheralded minor leaguers into big league starters and even All-Stars: out of Belt, Crawford and Panik, only the latter was a first round draft pick, and even he had the pundits scratching their heads. They’re not going to draft more Poseys, Lincecums or Bumgarners while the major league team is still successful.
Winning at the minor league level is nice, but not imperative. Having a handful of prospects at each level is more important than whether or not they win.
For years? Like 2010-2014?
In each of their WS years they were underdogs in fact they backed into the playoffs one of those years so it’s not like they were a dominant team to begin with….never the best team in playoffs or even their own division as they won WS as wild card team I think 2 times or maybe all 3….they are the luckiest franchise in all of professional sports… very few stars but yet best the loaded Reds at the time and Phillies and Rangers and Tigers and Cardinals all of whom were better teams but the Giants get the lucky hits by scrubs to win the WS….that they were lucky to be in…in the 1st place….yes they have chemistry but on paper they are maybe top 15 team….at least during their run….not anymore….more like bottom 10….but don’t worry they will sign a scrub and he will turn into a superhero at some point this season….Cody Ross….Connor Gillespie….Travis Ishakawa….to name a few….so yes I have been saying for years now that the Giants are in trouble because they have no depth….no real impact players in the minors and possibly the worst OF in the MLB….Jeff Samardzija is no where near worth the 18 million he will make next season….I think the Padres are doing it right with their rebuild….it will be s long haul for the Giants though….argue all u want but with the Rockies and Dbacks getting better and the Dodgers always being good and the Padres rebuilding….the Giants are in for a long haul and have yet to start any kind of rebuild….with no real prospects ready to step up….just saying….oh and save the arguments because we each have our own opinions and yours will not change mine….only time will tell but u will see that they are in trouble soon….at least most of the losing teams have top prospects ready to step up….the Giants winning years was mostly luck not talent so it’s not like they were dominant and have a crap farm system….they were lucky and have a crap farm….if they didn’t have Bochy they wouldn’t have won 1 of those WS….he is like another BB….Bill Belichick in football….knows how to win….Bochy won with the Padres….for heavens sake….he is the reason they won any of those WS….
Best case scenario for Giants is to move Posey to 1B….Belt to LF…this prolongs Posey’s career and fills their huge hole in LF….then sign a cheap defensive catcher….they upgrade offense and defense because Posey’s numbers at 1B will certainly be better without the stress behind the plate….then they try to trade samardzija to a contender for 2 prospects and maybe trade Crawford as well because he will net them a pretty nice haul….put Arroyo at SS and oh look…I just upgraded the team and supplied the farm system with a few players….they won’t get anything for Cain or Pence so they are stuck with them….but even after those moves they are still in trouble….no stable 3B option and they still have an aging CF and RF….I think the Padres….Twins and White Sox to name a few are on the right track….the Giants not so much….
Giants are not going to be training Crawford.
It makes sense because they have Arroyo and Crawford will help replenish the farm….along with Samardzija if they can find a desperate enough team to take an over paid #3 starter…..
No teams going to take on Sharks contract! Same with Hunter Pence. They don’t need to blow it ALL up. We need Cueto to start performing. I’m sure he will opt out come winter time. He’s a guy that could yield us a QUALITY return. Teams like the Sox, Nationals, Yankees etc. have STACKED systems and could afford to give up high ranking talent