San Francisco Giants: Five Spring Training Disappointments

Spring Training is always filled with hope and optimism for all 30 major-league clubs, but there’re always disappointments that come along with it–including in the San Francisco Giants’ 2018 camp.

The Giants were poised to escape the Cactus League fully healthy and ready to tackle on their Los Angeles Dodger-heavy April, but injuries to key pitchers have prompted some concern.

First, No. 3 starter and innings-eater Jeff Samardzija went down, and then Madison Bumgarner broke a finger in his pitching hand during his final tuneup.

And now, their high-paid closer Mark Melancon may start the season on the disabled list.

And then there were some who did not have a good spring, hurting their chances of contributing to the big club in 2018.

Here are five disappointments this Spring Training:

Jarrett Parker

With the Giants searching for a power-hitting outfielder for several years, they hoped Parker would be the answer. But despite ample chances, Parker’s inconsistencies at the plate ultimately doomed him.

In 2015, his debut season, he hit three home runs against the Oakland A’s in September. But the next year, he only hit .236 with five home runs in 127 at-bats. Last year, while showing small stretches of success, he hit .247 with four home runs in 166 bats–but with only a .294 on-base percentage.

Those inconsistencies continued this spring training. In 41 at-bats, he hit only .220 with three home runs. And he struck out 20 times, nearly half of his at-bats.

Since Parker was out-of-options, the Giants may have put him on the roster if it wasn’t for his bad outfield defense, dropping routine fly balls and looking lost out there at times this spring. Since the Giants were ranked last in outfield defense last year, the Giants could not afford a defensive liability in the outfield, even if he had potential with the bat.

Plus, with a crowded outfield already featuring solid bats in Hunter Pence, Andrew McCutchen, and Austin Jackson–along with plus defenders Steven Duggar, Gregor Blanco, and Gorkys Hernandez–the Giants could not wait for the 29-year-old to blossom any longer.

They designated him for assignment this week, meaning any team can claim him off waivers.

His best chance to prove his worth was last season, but he broke his clavicle as he crashed into the wall in April.

There’s always a chance Parker could clear waivers and be assigned to AAA Sacramento.

Manager Bruce Bochy told the San Francisco Chronicle’s John Shea he hopes Parker will be back with the team at some point.

Jeff Samardzija

After Samardzija posted a very strong strikeout-to-walk ratio of almost nine last year, the Giants were optimistic he would have a good 2018 season as the No. 3 starter.

But then the first wave of the bad-news-comes-in-threes came to the Giants’ pitching staff.

As Samardzija was ready to follow up his strong 2017 season–albeit his 4.42 ERA was a bit high–the Giants announced last week he would open the season on the disabled list with a pectoral strain. He won’t be back until at least mid-April.

But the good news is, he’s expected to play catch Wednesday and is optimistic he could come back soon.

Samardzija told NBC Sports Bay Area:

“I want to pitch. I don’t enjoy watching. It doesn’t sit right with me.”

This is the 32-year-old’s first stint on the disabled list in his career. Coupled with the injury, Samardzija was having a terrible spring, plagued by the same problems he’s suffered throughout his career.

In four spring training starts (11 innings), he had a 10.64 ERA and a 2.18 WHIP. More concerning are the six home runs he gave up and the .347 average against him.

He also gave up 17 hits. Home runs allowed was a big issue last year for Samardzija. He gave up a career-high 30 and continued that trend this spring.

So although he had the high strikeout-to-walk-ratio, when Samardzija did get hit–he got hit hard.

Samardzija had been working on his curveball and changeup during camp, so we’ll see how he does when he comes back in mid-to-late April.

Madison Bumgarner’s Injury

When he pitched, Bumgarner had a fabulous spring.The Giants’ ace was ready to be one of the successes of the 2018 camp. He had gotten through spring training with a 3.43 ERA, blowing away hitters as he struck out 30 in 21 innings.

The Giants and the baseball world were ready for Bumgarner vs. Clayton Kershaw on Opening Day at Dodger Stadium. But then–a freak injury.

In a game against the Kansas City Royals last Friday, Bumgarner got hit on his pinky finger by a Whit Merrifield line drive. An MRI showed the finger was broken, and the Giants would be without their ace for at least six-to-eight weeks.

This came at a terrible time for the Giants, as they face the Dodgers 10 times in their first 19 games.

Given how their terrible start last year led to 98 losses, the Giants need to have a good start to establish last year as a thing of the past.

Bumgarner told the San Jose Mercury News:  

“It’s tough, but I can handle it and these guys can handle it. I think I’ll be fine but it’s obviously not what I was expecting out of my last start, but it’s what happens and now I’ve got to deal with it.”

What makes this more disappointing is he missed half of last season, separating his shoulder during a dirt bike accident. While Bumgarner was not a disappointment on the field this spring, his absence, again, is what’s disappointing.

Furthermore, he was expected to pitch three times against the Dodgers in April. Ty Blach will pitch in place of Bumgarner on Opening Day.

Mark Melancon

The Giants paid Mark Melancon to be the finisher they did not have in 2016–and that’s what ultimately doomed them in the National League Division Series against the Chicago Cubs that year.

But 2017 did not pan out for Melancon, and the four-year, $62 million deal was starting to look like a wash.

It started on Opening Day against the Diamondbacks. As the Giants were looking to establish their closing woes as nothing more than a 2016 memory, he blew his first save chance of 2017.

Then, the Giants learned he was suffering from a forearm injury.

When he did pitch last year, Melancon posted a 4.50 ERA in 30 innings pitched. He was only 11-for-16 in save chances and had a 1.43 WHIP.

Hardly stats for a top closer in the National League, which he was in 2016.

But 2018 isn’t off to the best start either for the 33-year-old.

After he tried to pitch his second game in a row last week, the final test for a reliever before the season starts, Melancon reported he didn’t feel quite right.

Now, there’s speculation that he will start the season on the disabled list. The exact nature of the injury is not known. As it was, Melancon was having a poor spring, aside from showing some good stuff, posting a 5.79 ERA in 4 2/3 innings pitched. But not all is lost.

Next: 18 Questions for the Giants 2018 season

There’s a possibility he could still be ready to go Thursday at Dodger Stadium.

Manager, Bruce Bochy told the San Francisco Chronicle.

“We’re hoping he’s all good to go Thursday. We don’t know at this point, right now, if that will be the case.”

Still, even the threat of injury is a disappointment for Giants fans who want assurance the game will end in victory when San Francisco has a ninth-inning lead.