San Francisco Giants Spring Training Preview: Relief Pitchers

The San Francisco Giants still have some questions to answer in their bullpen. As we head into Spring Training, it is important to take a look at each position to see who will make the team, who is fighting for a spot on the Opening Day roster, and who is being invited for experience.

The San Francisco Giants bullpen received the majority of the criticism in 2016 for the team’s struggles in the second half of the season and in the playoffs. After a complete game from Madison Bumgarner in the National League Wild Card game, the bullpen struggled against the eventual World Series champion Chicago Cubs.

In the final game of the postseason, Matt Moore pitched eight strong innings and left the game with a 3-run lead. The collective struggles of the bullpen throughout the year were showcased in that ninth inning that seemed inevitable.

With Santiago Casilla losing his job as the closer, manager Bruce Bochy tried to finish the game by committee.  One after another, pitchers struggled to get outs.

Javier Lopez, one of the most consistent left-handed specialists in baseball history, walked a left-handed hitter. Sergio Romo, who for years was the team’s closer as well as lethal in the postseason, gave up big hits to the heart of the Cubs order.

The biggest splash of the offseason was in the bullpen, with the signing of Mark Melancon to a 4-year contract. Bringing Melancon in to be the team’s closer ended the tenures of former closers Casilla and Romo. They have since signed with the Oakland Athletics and Los Angeles Dodgers respectively.

Lopez has since announced his retirement, so he is not an option in the Giants bullpen this year either.

With no other big additions, many familiar faces will be shaping the 2017 bullpen.

Set in Stone … barring injury, trade or drop off in performance:

• George Kontos
• Derek Law
• Mark Melancon
• Will Smith
• Hunter Strickland

Bruce Bochy likes to go into a season with a minimum of 11 pitchers, and usually 12. It will not be surprising if this season is no different. Kontos, Law, Smith and Strickland are the closest things to a sure thing to join Melancon as we can get heading into 2017.

It was crystal clear that with the struggles of the bullpen last year and the three veteran free agents not being re-signed, that the replacements for the pen were actually going to be more set roles for the young pitchers that remain.

George Kontos

Kontos has been with the Giants for five seasons, winning two World Series rings. Last season Kontos appeared in 57 games and pitched 53.1 innings. His 2.53 ERA was second on the team to Law’s 2.13 and his 1.163 WHIP was third in the bullpen behind Law and Strickland.

Derek Law

Law not only had the best ERA among the Giants relief pitchers, but he also led the team with a 2.53 FIP, 0.964 WHIP and 193 ERA+. Law looked to be the Giants future closer as he rose through the minor leagues, but Tommy John surgery hurt his progress. Now, after being the most consistent Giants reliever in 2016, Law may end up being a long term answer alongside Melancon at the end of the Giants pen.

Mark Melancon

Melancon nearly became a Giant at the trade deadline, but signed with the team in the offseason to be the team’s closer. He has earned 168 saves since 2011 for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Washington Nationals. After last year’s deadline that saw him traded to Washington, Melancon saved 17 games while maintaining a 1.82 ERA, 2.07 FIP, 0.809 WHIP and 232 ERA+.

Will Smith

Smith was acquired at the trade deadline from the Milwaukee Brewers. He only pitched 18.1 innings with the Giants in 2016, but he pitched well, earning a 2.95 ERA and 1.78 FIP.

Hunter Strickland

Strickland led all relief pitchers in appearances in 2016 with 72 appearances as well as innings pitched out of the bullpen with 61.

Who Will Earn the Final Rose?

• Carlos Alvarado (Non Roster Invitee)
• Jose Dominguez (NRI)
• Cory Gearrin
• Roberto Gomez (NRI)
• Bryan Morris (NRI)
• Steven Okert
• Josh Osich
• Neil Ramirez (NRI)
• Matt Reynolds (NRI)
• Michael Roth (NRI)
• Kraig Sitton (NRI)

Ryan Vogelsong earned the final roster spot as a non roster invitee in 2011. He went on to pitch in the All-Star game that season and help the Giants win two more World Series championships in 2012 and 2014. While non roster invitees rarely make that kind of impact on a team, it is possible that one of the many pitchers brought in do find their way onto the Opening Day roster.

Carlos Alvarado

Alvarado pitched for three teams in the Giants farm system in 2016, ending up with the Richmond Flying Squirrels. He did not allow a run with the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes or San Jose Giants over 11 appearances and 12 innings pitched. In 19.1 innings in Richmond, Alvarado maintained a 2.79 ERA and 0.67 WHIP.

Jose Dominguez

Dominguez has pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Tampa Bay Rays and San Diego Padres in the last four seasons. In 34 appearances in San Diego last year, Dominguez earned a 5.05 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP.

Cory Gearrin

Gearrin is the most likely of the group to make the 2017 team among right-handed pitchers. He recently signed a new deal with the Giants along with shortstop Ehire Adrianza. Although, as we saw with Adrianza, that doesn’t guarantee a spot on the roster. If Gearrin doesn’t make the team, it also means the loss of one of the team’s left fielders.

Roberto Gomez

Gomez pitched five seasons in the Tampa Bay Rays organization from 2010-2014. He was released by the Montgomery Biscuits on October 8, 2014 and did not sign with anyone again until he was assigned to the Aguilas Cibaenas on Nov. 7, 2016. This winter he struck out 16 batters and gave up 16 hits over 16 innings for Aguilas Cibaenas.

Bryan Morris

Morris made his major league debut in 2012 with the Pittsburgh Pirates and has spent the last three seasons with the Miami Marlins. After a total of 106 appearances in 2014 and 2015, Morris only appeared in 24 games in 2016. He did maintain a 3.06 ERA over 17.2 innings but had a 6.49 FIP as well.

Steven Okert

Okert has moved up the Giants farm system through the bullpen. In 2014, he converted 24 of 26 save opportunities for San Jose and Richmond. Throughout his minor league career he has maintained a 3.01 ERA and never had an ERA higher than 3.82 in any season. As a September call up in 2016, Okert maintained a 3.21 ERA over 16 appearances and 14 innings pitched during the pennant race.

Josh Osich

Osich’s numbers were outstanding in 2015, earning an ERA of 2.20 along with 1.116 WHIP over 35 appearances and 28.2 innings pitched. However, his 2016 numbers were not good as injuries played a huge role in his performance. Osich earned a 4.71 ERA and 1.376 WHIP over 59 appearances and 36.1 innings pitched. If he comes into Spring Training looking like he did in 2015, he will make the Opening Day roster.

Neil Ramirez

Ramirez began his major league career in 2014 with the Chicago Cubs and has also pitched for the Milwaukee Brewers and Minnesota Twins. His numbers in 2014 were outstanding with a 1.44 ERA over 50 appearances and 43.2 innings pitched. Injuries cut short his 2015 to just 19 appearances and he has struggled ever since. The former first round pick of the Texas Rangers in 2007 is being given another chance to turn his career around.

Matt Reynolds

Reynolds pitched for the Giants in 2016, posting a 7.50 ERA in eight relief appearances. However, he was originally signed by the Giants last season because he had 20 scoreless appearances in Double and Triple-A for Richmond and the Sacramento River Cats. Over six major league seasons with the Colorado Rockies, Arizona Diamondbacks and Giants, Reynolds has a career ERA of 3.80 in 221 relief appearances and 173 innings.

Michael Roth

Roth began his major league career in 2013 with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and pitched last season for the Texas Rangers. In 36 major league innings pitched in his career, he had earned a ERA of 8.50. The 26-year-old left-hander was a former ninth round pick of the Angels in 2012.

Kraig Sitton

Sitton is a former seventh round pick of the Colorado Rockies in the 2010 amateur draft. After pitching through Double-A in the Rockies organization, he joined the Mariners in 2016. He pitched for their Triple-A affiliate, the Tacoma Rainiers. Sitton earned a 2.93 ERA and 1.14 WHIP over 35 appearances and 43 innings pitched. The 28-year-old left-hander is another minor league free agent option if farm hands like Okert and Osich struggle.