SF Giants announce surprising name will take the ball in spring opener

The SF Giants announced that pitcher Landen Roupp will take the ball in the team's Cactus League opener on February 22nd against the Texas Rangers. Does this somewhat surprising choice mean anything for the team's rotation?

Many would assume that staff ace Logan Webb would get the nod for the opening of any sort of Giants season, even if these are just exhibition games. Yet, it is not always the ace of the team who takes the ball in the first game of spring training.

Perhaps because Webb is now a seasoned veteran with six big league seasons under his belt, the team wants to be safer with him in games that do not count. Webb has been a workhorse the last few seasons, leading all of MLB in innings pitched each of the last two seasons. There is no need to rush Webb early in spring.

SF Giants will give Landen Roupp the ball in the spring opener

The decision to give Roupp the ball first is an interesting one, though. The young right-hander impressed last season in spring training so much that he made the Opening Day roster despite having never pitched at the Triple-A level.

He struggled initially in the big leagues as a reliever, but later in the season when the Giants used him as a starter he looked very solid and definitely earned the chance to compete for the fifth spot in the team's rotation.

Three of his four starts were great last year. In his first three times starting the game on the mound for the team he went five innings and allowed two earned runs or less in each appearance. His last start was much rougher as he gave up six earned runs in 3 and 2/3 innings. If he can build upon what he showed in those three solid starts then he could be a dark horse candidate to make the rotation.

The top two favorites competing for the fifth spot in the rotation are Kyle Harrison and Hayden Birdsong, but Roupp should not be slept on. He showed he has what it takes to be a starter last year and if he has a strong spring there is a very real chance he will either be in the rotation or will be the team's long reliever to start the season.

We should probably not read too much into him being the starter of the team's first spring training game, but it does provide him the opportunity to make a good first impression as he competes for a spot on the team.