San Francisco Giants vs Sacramento River Cats Game Preview

Everyone understands that the outcome of the game tomorrow between the San Francisco Giants and their Triple-A affiliate, Sacramento River Cats, is unimportant. What is important is that both teams make it through the exhibition game healthy and confident that they will both be ready to compete for a championship.

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For the first time in a very long time, the San Francisco Giants went into spring training with very few questions. Luckily for the Sacramento River Cats, that means that many of the players who were sent down are quality ballplayers who would most likely make the roster of a lot of Major League teams.

The sold-out game tomorrow is at 6:05pm, televised locally in Sacramento on CW 31 and available on KNBR 680, and is mainly a showcase for the fans to see the parent team. The last time the River Cats appeared on local television was back in 2012. The affiliation between the organizations was recently extended through the year 2020.

Extending the synergy to your minor league affiliates is imperative if a franchise wants long-lasting success. Having coaches who teach the same principles that the players will value all the way up, means that the big league coaches don’t have to rectify any bad habits either physically or mentally. Most of the players growing up within the organization have been drafted by the Giants, and therefore never developed a bond with another team.

What this means is that the players who play for the Giants have most likely played along side their teammate at one point or another, which leads to the ultimate goal which is to create chemistry both on and off the field. That chemistry is not always found on teams who continually trade away prospects for veterans, or vice versa.

Players want to play for teams that embrace their culture, and the River Cats have taken the marriage with the Giants and ran with it. They were already one of the class organizations in all of the Minor Leagues, and with the added benefit of being related to a top-notch team like the Giants has put them over the edge.

It doesn’t hurt to play your minor league games in a world-class park like Raley Field in a thriving city like Sacramento either.

So now on to the game and what to watch.

The players in the River Cats uniforms will be looking to impress their future coaches and teammates, while the Giants will be ironing out any last minute kinks that they may still have.

If you are planning on attending the game, it would be wise to arrive early to ensure that you are not stuck in traffic and unable to see the first pitch. The gates are scheduled to open at 4:00 pm, with a Golden 1 Fan Fest on Ballpark Drive starting at 3:00 pm. All of the pertinent information on the game can be found here.

Next: New To The Rivalry Pt. 4

Around the Foghorn will be on the scene to take in the sights and sounds from Raley Field.

Here’s hoping for a great night, and a momentous season for both the San Francisco Giants and Sacramento River Cats.