SF Giants: Three Takeaways from the Colorado Rockies Series

SF Giants: Three Takeaways From the Rockies Series

2. Anthony DeSclafani is off to a strong start

Anthony DeSclafani has strung together a pair of strong starts, including one against a stout San Diego Padres lineup. When the Giants signed him to a one-year, $6 million contract, he was coming off of an injury-riddled, subpar season.

In nine appearances, he had registered a 7.22 ERA, 6.10 FIP, 1.69 WHIP, and a 1.56 SO/W ratio across 33.2 frames with the Cincinnati Reds. If this profile sounds familiar, it is the type of gamble the Giants have been taking since Farhan Zaidi took over as team president of baseball operations.

In the case of DeSclafani, a change of scenery may be all that he needed. The right-handed hurler has yielded a fly ball in 35.9 percent of his batted ball events in seven seasons, which is not an ideal profile if you play in a hitter-friendly home ballpark. It just so happens that DeSclafani pitched half of his games in the hitter-friendly confines of the Great American Ball Park.

On the road, the 30-year has posted a 3.58 ERA, but he has struggled to the tune of a 4.94 ERA at home, most of which took place with the Reds.

On Sunday, DeSclafani authored a strong start against the Rockies. Across six frames, he yielded six hits and one walk with eight strikeouts. There was some traffic on the bases, but he was able to pitch out of jams.

Plus, he executed a nice, sacrifice bunt, and it feels like forever since the last time the Giants were able to execute a good bunt.

On the year, he has posted a 0.82 ERA in two starts. He will not get a revenge game against the Reds, who come into town on Monday, but he will get a revenge game against the Miami Marlins later this week. DeSclafani was drafted in the sixth round of the 2011 draft by the Toronto Blue Jays, but he was shipped to the Marlins in 2012 and he debuted for them in 2014.

SF Giants: Three Takeaways From the Rockies Series

3. The defense has been sound

When the 2020 season got underway, the Giants did not look prepared on defense. Part of that was a product of the season in which they played. Spring training is six weeks for a reason and that reason is to get pitchers, hitters, and position players the repetitions that they need.

The 2020 season had a three-week camp leading up to the start of the year, and it looked like that was not enough time for Giants infielders. Interestingly, Giants manager Gabe Kapler took some of the responsibility for this on a recent pregame show on KNBR by saying that he felt he did not get players who play multiple positions the work that they needed.

In Spring Training in 2021, Mauricio Dubón moved around from center field to shortstop to third base. Similarly, LaMonte Wade Jr. saw time at all three outfield positions as well as first base. The Giants look more prepared this season and the proof is in the results.

There were not many spectacular plays against the Rockies, but they made all of the routine plays. In the three-game series, the Giants did not commit an error. Key infielders such as Donovan Solano and Wilmer Flores look more sure-handed than they did a year ago.

On the other hand, the Giants saw first-hand a total breakdown of defense and communication when Brandon Belt was able to steal a bag off of Rockies starter Germán Márquez because the defensive shift left second base exposed. He swiped the bag without a throw.

The Giants were probably better with the glove than what we saw in 2020, but a 60-game did not necessarily allow them to progress to the mean. It seems that they are doing it at the start of 2021.