Join Sam as he covers the SF Giants Summer Camp Training LIVE from Oracle Park. Each day’s post updates live in real-time and is meant to be something between a tweet and an article – the brevity and timeliness of a tweet combined with the analysis and organization of a blog post.
Live Stream
Opt-imus Prime
- Yes, that’s a Transformers pun, but I thought it necessary we try to stay positive as big news broke this morning out of Giants camp: 3-time World Series Catcher Buster Posey will be opting out of the 2020 season.
- In a surprise 9am Zoom call with reporters, Posey announced that due to two identical twins girls he’s adopting being born prematurely, he won’t be playing this season.
- Highest Profile Players to Opt-out (so far):
- 1) Buster Posey
- 2) David Price
- 3) Felix Hernandez
- 4) Ryan Zimmerman
- 5) Ian Desmond/Nick Markakis
- Posey was slated to be the Opening Day catcher (a position he’s held every year since 2011). This begs the question as to who will fill in:
Oracle Park Playlist
- Today’s Oracle Park Playlist
- 1) Taki Taki – DJ Snake Feat. Selena Gomez
- 2) Dura – Daddy Yankee
- 3) Yo No Se Manana – Luis Enrique
- 4) Tusa – KAROL G & Nicki Minaj
- 5) Echame La Culpa – Luis Fonsi & Demi Lovato
Zoom Clips
- Yesterday’s Scrimmage MVP Darin Ruf on the Oracle Park atmosphere [1:09]
- Veteran Outfielder Hunter Pence on the DH coming to the National League
- President of Baseball Operations Farhan Zaidi and Manager Gabe Kapler on Tyler Heineman or a Platoon replacing Buster Posey
KBO Cutouts Come to Oracle
- Ok, so technically the Rakuten Monkeys of the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL, located in Taiwan) were the first to announce cardboard/robot fans in the stands. But the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) also adopted the policy as well and have done it more consistently since the CPBL allowed fans back in.
- The Giants announced on Tuesday that “Oracle Park will not be empty when the 2020 Giants team behind the 60-game regular season” – they are introducing the “Giants Fan Cutout Program”
- Cutouts will be free for season ticket members and $99 for the general public.
- Giants celebrities and Forever Giants (Metallica, Carlos Santana, Tony Bennett, Jimmy Garoppolo, Joe Montana) will be seated in cardboard form throughout the ballpark
Across the Bay
- The cross-Bay rivals announced they will be using Excite Ball Park (home of the San Jose Giants) “as an alternative training site for the 2020 season”
- All players not on the active roster or taxi squad are assigned to the alternative training site and will report to San Jose this weekend.
- All practices and baseball-related activities by the A’s in San Jose are closed to the public and media
- I don’t want to get hopes up, but here’s what the mini-scoreboards will look like when the Giants play their exhibition game(s) vs the A’s:
Simulated Game
- FINALLY, we don’t have a modified batting practice but instead a “real” simulated game! Fake crowd noise was used for the first two half innings, but it turned out to be quite loud and annoying (at least personally), and music was switched back on in place
- Top 1st
- Cueto pitching against Slater, Solano, Pence, and Wilson
- Solano singles, Pence grounds into a double play shortly after. Note that pence didn’t run to first as he’s still dealing with foot/leg issues.
- Bottom 2nd
- Menez pitching against Duggar, Crawford, Longoria, Tromp
- Crawford walks, takes second on a ball in the dirt (something Kapler emphasized he wants his guys doing this year), and then stole on Giants Catching Prospect Joey Bart.
- Longoria went deep (2 run bomb) to center field. The center field fence is moved in this year due to the new bullpens, but that probably wouldn’t have made a difference with this homer.
- Top 2
- Cueto pitching against Rickard, Bart, Bailey, and Wilson
- Joey Rickard hits a double down the right-field line. It’d most likely be a single in a regular game as McCarthy wasn’t hustling because people stretching in the right-field corner.
- Austin Slater with a nice diving play at first, but a drop from Cueto allows Rickard to score.
Gabe Kapler Zoom Notes
- Kapler mentioned the news of Posey’s opt-out this morning made its way around camp, players were happy for him and his family
- Look for the Giants to use players in various positions, especially Joe McCarthy and Alex Dickerson at first base
- “I think the teams that are the healthiest are going to have an edge” -Gabe Kapler
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