Darin Ruf’s loud bat is making a play for a roster spot in San Francisco, per John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle. Ruff, 33, made major-league appearances for five consecutive seasons for the Philadelphia Phillies from 2012 to 2016, totaling 833 plate appearances. He was mostly used as a pinch-hitting option off the bench while seeing time at first base and in both outfield corners. The Giants are pretty settled at first base with veteran Brandon Belt, but there’s room for Ruf to make a play for an outfield spot where Michael Yastrzemski, Alex Dickerson, Austin Slater, Joey Rickard, Joe McCarthy, and Hunter Pence are his top competition.
- Pence, of course, will line up as the regular designated hitter, assuming he can stay healthy. After missing some workouts due to pain in his right foot, Pence underwent an MRI but results returned nothing more serious than inflammation, per Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle. He’s not expected to miss a significant amount of time. The fan favorite returned to the Giants this year just in time to resume his role as a designated hitter, a role in which he thrived last season for the Texas Rangers. Pence enjoyed a real resurgence in 2019, making the All-Star team and hitting .297/.358/.552. the 36-year-old outfielder was limited to 83 games, however, and it’s safe to assume he’ll be a part-time player moving forward. That should leave plenty of at-bats for a crowded veteran infield or any of the names above to snag some extra ABs from the DH slot.
- In preparation for a hectic season, Giants manager Gabe Kapler is encouraging players to cultivate as much flexibility as possible, per Kerry Crowley of the Mercury News. Joe McCarthy is spending more time at first, Yastrzemski, Austin Slater and others are seeing time in centerfield, and former Brewer Mauricio Dubon has moved all over the diamond, from second to center to right to first. When Dubon was acquired from the Brewers, there was some question as to exactly where he’d fit in, given the veterans stocked in the Giants’ infield. Well, the answer is anywhere and everywhere.
I’m no GM but doesn’t seem like the most sure fire way to put Dubon in a position to succeed. Has there ever been a young player at his stage in their development who benefited from bouncing all over the Diamond and never knowing from one day to the next where or if they will play?
I think that’s an old school way of thinking. If he’s smart enough to excel at multiple positions let him. I do think it could take away from his bat though.
It’s kinda a Dodger thing: they move them all round, Kiké Hernández for instance. Works well.
Without toonder moving around is a good way to stay in the lineup
Javier Baez, Kris Bryant, Craig Biggio had gold gloves at two positions. It’s certainly possible.
Craig Biggio won four gold gloves at second base, and zero at any other position.
You might wanna fact check before you post next time.
Baez and Bryant have not won a single gold glove.
Your too dumb to post!
ever heard of Ben Zobrist? Chris Taylor is also a swiss army knife for the Dodgers.
Did you guys read what the original poster said? He said a young player at this stage in his development (the guy only has 30 MLB games), he’s not talking about a guy with three seasons under his belt who is now filling in multiple positions.
Zobrist only played SS his first three seasons, his fourth season was split between OF and 2b with one game at 3b.
Chris Taylor played only SS his first season, 231 of 252 innings his second season were at SS, and not until his third season did he start playing other positions as much as he did SS.
Just looking at this Frisco Roster. Wow , I’m not sure if there’s a worse roster in the National League.
I’m excited about Dubon. Keep his bat in the lineup!
Dubon is the future!
I hate to burst your bubble but Dubon certainly is not the future. He profiles as a utility player. There is a reason Stearns traded him.
As good a utility guy as you can find, good attitude, still young, good arm, good wheels, good glove, good eye, still 25.
So he’ll never be an All Star, at 25 yo he’ll be around a while.
(26 in a week or so)
Stearns wanted Pomeranz who had been lights out in relief.
You gotta give something to get something.
Neither is a big WAR
If he profiles as a utility player that might figure out how to hit, I’ll take that all day.
Pomeranz had been in the pen for a week. He did not have that much trade value. The Brewers were betting on his peripherals
Dubon probably doesn’t have the Avg potential that we all thought Panik had, but definitely has more pop and speed, if he can hit .280 with 12 to 15 HRs steal some bases and play defense for the next 8 years at 2B I call that a major win. We’ll see if that happens, but the potential is there.
Ruf’s bat has more bark than bite
Still might as well try him out. He was outstanding in a three year stretch over in the KBO.
He was even better at drawing walks and avoiding strikeouts last year with an 80:87 BB/K rate.
I wonder if Yastrzemski has a nickname.
Probably just Yaz.
Easier to spell.
I’ve seen him called “Yaz Jr.,” though that’s inaccurate.
His father was named Carl Michael Yastrzemski Jr but went by Mike his whole life so it is accurate to call him Jr. I don’t personally know the family. However, Wikipedia is pretty handy
My grandparents knew Carl’s parents, sometime around 1940, when Carl was a youngster.
I bet there are some stories. I wonder how long that family went with a Yaz nickname. IE when it first came into usage
i used to watch his dad in the minors growing up and he went by mike
As I stated. Thank you
Yaz the Younger
His nickname will soon be 4A Guy. He’s not a starter at the MLB level. He’s maybe a 4th OF on a mediocre team. He had a decent year last year. But he won’t be able to repeat that. He’s a career minor leaguer
Like Clint Frazier????
Frazier is a former first round pick ( 3rd overall) that is only 25 years old. Yaz is a career minor league guy that is in his age 30 season. Frazier could be a 4A guy. But he projects much higher. Yaz, is kinda already a 4A guy
36th round vs 1st round pick. That should tell you everything you need to know. If he was this special player you claim he is, he would be a starter somewhere or with the Yankees.
@Dubs, you call yourself a Giants fan, with fans like you, who needs dodger fans? You criticize every player on the roster every post you make. You’re going to say you’re a realist, but a realist would realize that a guy given a chance for the first time in his career succeeded and could be a capable starter for the next few years. He also maybe had his career year last year and won’t be as successful again, but instead of giving him that chance to prove himself you’re going to knock him because he didn’t make it as a 22 year old prospect.
27rings, Your team has nothing going on that you have to come into a Giants thread and type a bunch of nonsense?
cool to see Ruf back
As soon as Belt goes on a tear —- TRADE HIM!!!!
because he is bound to go into a slump where he looks for ball 4
No Trade Clause, he gets to name 10 teams to say no.
let him name them now
One, he probably has them named. Two, he probably has contending teams listed as no rebuilding/tanking team is going to trade for him. This would basically mean if he was to be traded, it would likely be from a contender and he would have to say if he would like to go there or not. Thee, not many contenders need a first baseman, especially not one that is coming off an injury filled season.
Data, do you know what it takes to trade someone who makes a lot of many and is just coming off a current injury and an injury plagued season?
That’s not a rhetorical question. I’d like to hear your solution
No mention of Jaylin Davis? Thought Gabe was high on him.
Joe McCarthy is thought of too highly in this article as well. Hasn’t really proven anything in his minor league career.
Pablo is your top choice for DH…..mainly for the left side….he improved from the right side last year
I think Darin Ruf is an excellent bat added to this team. I can see him platooning with Belt, with Pence, and in left.
What an awful pile of players
indeed
Giants under Kapler will win less games than last year. I am 100% confident of this prediction.
considering there’s only a possibility of 60 games to play, not really that bold of a prediction.
Phillies and fans will find out he was only part of their problems the biggest problem is the Phillies are just don’t good or talented compared to the contenders
you honestly dont know how bad he and his position coaches were. hint – really, really bad
I think he sucks as a manager I also don’t think a manager can single handily torpedo a great or even good team ! Phillies just aren’t that good they didn’t underachiever their talent level