The Giants have optioned right-hander Shaun Anderson and outfielder Steven Duggar to Triple-A Sacramento, Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic was among those to report. President of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi said neither player positioned himself in spring training to make the Giants’ Opening Day roster, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle relays.
The 25-year-old Anderson got off to a respectable start as a rookie last season, but he was battered in the second half, leading to a 5.44 ERA/4.77 FIP across 96 innings. Anderson managed uninspiring strikeout and walk numbers along the way, fanning 6.56 per nine with 3.56 BB/9. While Anderson still entered the spring hoping to grab a spot in the Giants’ bullpen, he’ll have to earn his way back via the minors in 2020, if a baseball season even occurs.
Duggar, 26, endured a rough 2019 season, in part because of left shoulder issues. He wound up with a meek .234/.278/.341 batting line in 281 plate appearances, thereby offsetting quality numbers in center and right (plus-6 Defensive Runs Saved, 5 Outs Above Average, plus-1.2 Ultimate Zone Rating). As someone who was a well-regarded prospect during his younger days, perhaps Duggar will eventually emerge as the Giants’ answer in center. In the near term, though, they could turn to offseason minor league signing Billy Hamilton up the middle.
The season will 100% occur. No way will it will be cancelled as it will lead to serious service time issues.
You think service time is driving the decision?
well the players association is a large part of the equation, so it absolutely will
I think the state of the pandemic, public health and public confidence will drive the decision. When will hoards of people be willing to enter a stadium with 40,000 other people again? THAT will drive the decision. No point having a baseball game if no one but a handful of deniers will show up.
I think there’s a pretty large difference between driving and a factor that would have to be dealt with. Service time isn’t driving anything. That would be a complication that would need to be sorted out. If it’s not possible to play baseball without spreading the disease they aren’t going to because of service time. I think most people would consider that to be pretty ridiculous.
It is a strong possibility that there will be games with no fans. There will be a strong desire by the league and the owners to do that.
No but its a number of factors as to why they won’t cancel a season.
I hope they don’t but I don’t think it will happen until people are comfortable gathering in large crowds again. Unless they go with games in empty stadiums.
Service time issues? We are experiencing the biggest global catastrophe since world war 2 . A deadly virus that spreads like wildfire and you think service time or MLBPA will drive restarting a baseball season that will entail gatherings of 35,00 – 50,00 Americans in 15 different locations across the country on a nightly basis
True dat
You must be a Giants fan. Only a Giants fan would type that .
The only fan base in baseball w/ fans that discard hard data and projections in favor of their preferred ,institutionalized, collective belief in Magic or sometimes fandom caca
I mean, it’s the same fanbase that will argue that Bonds never took steroids because he never tested positive for PEDS
Dude, don’t try to speak for giants fans. Ur just a whiny fan of who knows what team that for whatever God only knows reason posts whine after whine comment on giants stories.
No giants fan that I know, and there are tons of em, has ever argued that bonds never took steroids cuz he never tested positive. I’ll tell you what they do say and it’s this: there are several hall of famers that never tested positive for peds…and obviously used them. Piazza, Ivan Rodriguez, bagwell, and likely others AND there are 2 managers that won titles with teAms that had players that used them. Larussa and torre. AND there’s a former commish that’s in the hall of fame that allowed RAMPANT ped use to bring fans back after a strike that drove them away.
Bonds just joined the crowd.
Righty specialist, lol
Don’t feed the troll, his girl left him for a Giants fan and he’s never gotten over it
ABStract, I’m going against my own advice by responding to it/him.
Yeah, the Bay Area (tech/science center of the world) is all about not believing facts and overindulging in religion and mystical bullcrap…
Could you sound any more idiotic?
(That’s your cue)
Notice how rightyspecialist had one totally sensible comment, then immediately shifted gears to his childish hatred and obvious jealousy of the Giants franchise. Its comical and I find it refreshing.
With politicians trying (or at least pretending) to play nice right now, it’s nice to know that that a pandemic of biblical proportions cant stop rightys bitterness and rage towards a baseball franchise.
My guess, his dad who deserted him when he was a child what a Gigantes fan. Perhaps it was Barry Bonds! Hahaha
Lunatic
I really don’t think the Giants really care. It maybe better for the season to be cancelled. The Giants are clearly not on the path to being better and at any stage of rebuilding the team. First off, maybe Zaidi should be cut. His sabremetric is clearly not working… Fact being never trust an ex-Dudger executive!
Anderson just had a severe case of the gopher ball. Dugger really hit like a pitcher.
This means we get to see Billy Hamilton figure out once again that he can’t steal first.
Ha, thus far in his career he is Willie Mays Hays.
Billy Hamilton is a terrible option for the Giants. His career OBP is BELOW .300, he can’t hit, and his glove just isn’t that important on a team that has many more problems. And it’s a team that can plug Yaz and Dubon in CF.
Billy Hamilton needs to be hunting at least twice a game, then tell him run like crazy on the base paths like Rickey did. A blunt single and stolen base is as good as a double all day long. Plus it helps the batters behind him to get more fastballs.
hunting blunts… auto-correct was not your friend on that comment, stubby66!!
The Reds had Billy focusing on hitting the ball on the ground. The Giants developmental team sat down with him and offered statistical proof that he is a much more productive player when he hits line drives, and so they are working with him with that focus in mind. Perfect ballpark for him in SF if he can turn it around, good luck to him.
Hamilton can’t hit and his defensive numbers are wonky . He’s terrible
Just like you only better!
Actually, I’d say righty is more wanky, than wonky. Wanky people act like wankers. Hence wanky. Someone who does things right handed are righties.
So without getting into details, we can just say one thing he does shows he wankies righty
Um, what?
what do you mean? his defensive and base-stealing numbers are what keep him around
his defensive numbers and speed are what keep him around
Billy Hamilton 29 Years
Austin Slater 28 Years
Duggar 26 Years
At this point I much rather bet and invest on Billy Hamilton than one of our AAAAs who struggles to chew gum and walk simultaneously
@twardog: Very true. He would be a nice weapon in that ballpark, think of how many close games the Giants play. That being said he does need to hit more in order to merit a spot. He may receive a spot based on the potential the front office/ coaching staff see in him. This extra down time might save him from getting cut if he can make improvements at the plate.
I agree I’d rather see Hamilton – it just speaks volumes about how bad the drafting of OF was by the previous regime.
And a lot of the idiotic fan base pined for Duggar and Shaw.
BasesLoaded:
Using age is very misleading in your comparison. Duggar and Slater have appeared in 290 games combined. Hamilton has played nearly 3 times as many games with 809.
At least there is a glimmer of hope that Duggar and Slater might develop further and become more productive. Hamilton has proved he is not good, and is not going to get any better. If he can’t shove improvement with 809 games it’s doubtful he’ll ever be productive.
In fact, he’s been worse every year since the 2016 season. Hoping he will suddenly become good is similar to the definition of insanity.
tward09:
Base-stealing numbers?.His speed is wasted because he can’t get on base with enough regularity. His SBs have been in decline since 2017, with all of 22 last season. His runs scored is far below what it should be for someone with his speed. It was 41 last season, and he’s never been in the top 10 in RS.
I’m all in favor of superior defense, but it should come with a minimum of hitting. Hamilton doesn’t provide that. As weany a bat as Duggar possesses, I’d still take him, with his career 74 OPS+ over Hamilton and his career 68 OPS+.
Hamilton has proven he’s not good. Duggar, though I’m pessimistic, still hasn’t had enough time to prove he isn’t good the way Hamilton has.
Well, now he will have more time to go back to the TV show with his family………….