Kuzul

Missing any time is frustrating to Matt Cain, but the San Francisco Giants are making good use of a little understood MLB rule in order to minimize that lost time. Cain’s finger laceration will only cost the minimum time due to the Giants’ use of the “retroactive” provision of the disabled list rules.

Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle had the scoop that Cain cut himself when trying to cut sandwiches into “fancy little triangles.” He dropped the knife and (get this) tried to catch it. That didn’t work out well, leaving him with a nasty cut on his index finger.

The cut didn’t require stitches, but sources tell me that the Giants medical staff did use several techniques, including adhesives and protective coverings to help the cut heal quickly and properly. Things were looking good up to Monday, when, in the pregame warm-up, Cain felt like the cut was going to “pop open.”

The Giants decided to skip him and did so in part because they understood the retroactive provision. Essentially, the rule allows a team to backdate a DL stint to the day after the player’s last appearance. Cain was able to be backdated to April 25th, which makes his effective DL stint only a few days.

Cain is scheduled to pitch this weekend in Los Angeles and will be eligible to come off the DL on Friday. If the finger has healed up, he’ll come off the DL and make the start. The Giants will “shadow” him, meaning they’ll have a long man ready in the pen in case the finger becomes a problem. This does limit the pen slightly for a few days, but is the smart move.

Yusmeiro Petit took both starts in Cain’s absence and is likely to be the shadow. Petit‘s place as the de facto swingman is another smart usage of roster spots and skills by the Giants. The Giants also recalled Jake Dunning when placing Cain on the DL, giving them another arm that could be used as a long relief arm or as an emergency starter.

In the long term, the fancy little triangles won’t cost Matt Cain much time, and it shouldn’t cause any issues once the laceration is healed enough to pitch. On and off the field, the Giants have worked to minimize an injury, showing others just how this should work.  

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April has been good for the San Francisco Giants. They finished the month with a record of 17-11, in first place in the NL West.

The Los Angeles Dodgers and Colorado Rockies are hot on the Giants’ heels as they trail by only a half game and one game, respectively.

The Giants head out on the road for a tough 10-game road trip that will take them to Atlanta, Pittsburgh and Los Angeles. When they return home, they immediately face the Braves again, then the Miami Marlins.

In total, the Giants will play 17 straight games with no days off or travel days. It was important for the Giants to get off to a good start in April and they have. May will be a much tougher month.

The Giants had several excellent contributions and a few disappointments over their first 28 games. Let’s take a closer look at who were the biggest winners and losers for the month of April.

Note: All individual player stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

Begin Slideshow

Those San Francisco Giants fans who were hoping to see Matt Cain take the mound Tuesday against the San Diego Padres will be sorely disappointed. 

The team’s official Twitter page updated supporters on the condition of the former All-Star:

San Francisco Chronicle reporter John Shea had Cain’s thoughts on the injury:

Alex Pavlovic of the San Jose Mercury News explains how the injury occurred:

Matt Cain was scratched from his scheduled start against the San Diego Padres on Tuesday night after cutting the tip of his right index finger while making a sandwich in the clubhouse kitchen. The cut, which happened after batting practice, didn’t require stitches, but kept Cain from taking the mound because it occurred at a spot where Cain releases pitches from his hand.

San Francisco held a narrow lead in the National League West standings coming into action Tuesday, but Cain has disappointed in the early going. He is yet to register a win in his five starts and has already given up five home runs in 31 innings of work. His ERA checks in at 4.35, which is nearly an entire run higher than his career mark of 3.37.

Missing a start for a cut on his finger may seem like a drastic measure to take, but something like that can certainly impact Cain’s grip on the baseball and his subsequent control. Considering it is only April and he has struggled thus far, it is probably in the team’s best interest to ensure that its righty is entirely healthy before his next start.

Check back for more updates.

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The Arizona Diamondbacks are off to one of the club’s worst starts in franchise history, starting 2-7 for the first time since 2003.

After having an off-day on April 7, the D’Backs begin a three-game series at the San Francisco Giants on April 8. The Giants have already beaten the D’Backs three times after playing a four-game series last week.

Although the offense has provided plenty of runs, the Diamondbacks need a boost from their pitching staff.  The club has a collective 6.15 ERA and Wade Miley is the only pitcher with a crooked number in the win column.

It is early but this is a crucial series for the Diamondbacks. Pitching is going to play a vital role in the club’s attempt to win its first series of the season.

Trevor Cahill vs. Tim Hudson

The first of the three-game series will feature Trevor Cahill and Tim Hudson taking the mound against each other for the second time this season.

It was Cahill’s best start of the season so far. Unfortunately, it was also the same game that the offense was shut out for the first and only time this season. This chart shows the numbers for both pitchers during the April 2 matchup.

Cahill is going to need another strong performance for Arizona to come away with the win. The Giants have scored the fourth-most runs and have the third-best slugging percentage in Major League Baseball.

Plus, Hudson has a career 8-1 record and 1.99 ERA against the Diamondbacks.

Bronson Arroyo vs. Tim Lincecum

Wednesday’s matchup will be more favorable for the Diamondbacks.

Bronson Arroyo has pitched well throughout his career against the Giants, although he lasted just 4.1 innings on April 3 after hitting the 82-pitch mark. He missed most of spring training with a sore back and should have a longer leash for his second start.

Tim Lincecum has not fared well against the current Arizona offense. Most notably, Paul Goldschmidt has hit six homers off Lincecum in 23 career at-bats. The fifth home run can be seen in the video.

This chart shows the success of three Diamondbacks against Lincecum.

For the Diamondbacks, allowing Arroyo to lift his pitch count will be the difference.

Randall Delgado vs. Ryan Vogelsong

The final game of the three-game series also leans in favor of the Diamondbacks.

Randall Delgado has given up just two runs in three career starts against the Giants while holding the current roster to a .193 batting average over 18.2 innings.

Ryan Vogelsong has not had the same success against the Diamondbacks. Only Mark Trumbo and Cliff Pennington have failed to record a hit against Vogelsong in 11 combined at-bats. The rest of the offense has a collective .306 batting average.

Vogelsong’s inability to keep Arizona hitters off base gives Delgado the advantage. It is a good opportunity for the 24-year-old to get his first win of the season.

Given the pitching matchups, the Diamondbacks have an opportunity to win their first series of the season. It is also an opportunity for the rotation to gain some confidence moving forward.

All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com and ESPN.com

You can follow Trey on Twitter @treydwarren

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The Los Angeles Dodgers have to be growing tired of Madison Bumgarner, don’t you think?

The San Francisco Giants lefty ace turned out a solid performance on Saturday afternoon, allowing two runs over 6.1 strong innings as San Francisco prevailed 7-2 over Los Angeles for its fifth win in the season’s first six games.

The performance didn’t come as much of a surprise, considering MadBum’s historically exceptional success against the Dodgers, particularly at Chavez Ravine. With a 1.86 ERA and five wins in seven starts at Dodger Stadium heading into the game, Bumgarner simply picked up right where he left off.

It certainly wasn’t the left-hander’s best outing against Los Angeles, but he did an excellent job of pitching out of a few tricky spots. Indeed, the Dodgers failed to capitalize on a two-out double by shortstop Hanley Ramirez in the first inning, and first baseman Adrian Gonzalez’s double to lead off the fourth also proved harmless.

Bumgarner certainly came out firing, but he also got plenty of help from his offense. The Giants, already second in the majors in runs scored heading into the game, hit three home runs, including a huge three-run blast by Pablo Sandoval in the fifth inning. Buster Posey and Michael Morse each added solo shots as well.

The victory didn’t come easy—until the fifth inning, that is. In the first, Ramirez ensured there would be no repeat of Friday’s first-inning fiasco for the Dodgers, turning a would-be single by Hunter Pence into a double play that took the Giants out of the inning.

But that would only delay the Giants’ scoring effort, as Brandon Crawford’s RBI groundout in the second made Dodgers starter Paul Maholm pay for his leadoff walk to Morse to begin the inning.

Morse followed that up with a go-ahead solo shot on the first pitch of the fourth inning, but that would only be a prelude to the offensive explosion in the following inning.

Oddly enough, Bumgarner started the rally with an opposite-field knock. Then, after Angel Pagan’s single through the left side and a Pence flyout, Maholm tried to sneak an 84 mph changeup past Sandoval on the inner half.

That pitch would prove to be Maholm’s last of the afternoon, with Sandoval—hitting from the right side—depositing the ball over the left field fence to give the Giants a 5-1 lead. 

That proved to be all the Giants would need, thanks to Bumgarner’s masterful performance. Generally a groundout-inducing pitcher, MadBum only got several such outs that way in the game, but it didn’t really matter. For the most part, the Dodgers didn’t do much when they put the ball in the air, and Bumgarner added 10 strikeouts to help his cause, dominating the order from top to bottom.

That included Dodgers leadoff hitter Yasiel Puig, who homered off Bumgarner in the first meeting between the two last season. Since then, however, Bumgarner has held the distinct edge.

On paper, Puig fared well against MadBum—he went 1-for-3. But that one hit was erased via a pickoff, and a pair of weak flyouts accounted for the other two outs.

Then, when Santiago Casilla came in to face Puig with the bases loaded and one out, the latter got jammed and only managed a shallow flyout that didn’t bring in a run. Pence then took care of the rest:

Giants fans are undoubtedly pleased with the solid pitching performance, but the offense was what really stood out on Saturday. The three homers aside, the Giants totaled 11 hits overall, in addition to six bases on balls. It was the third consecutive game in which San Francisco scored seven runs or more.

For all the talk about how the Giants would struggle to put up runs this season, they’ve been doing a pretty good job in that regard, especially with two outs. San Francisco came into the game hitting a ridiculous .536 (15-for-28) with runners in scoring position and two outs, best in the majors, and Pagan continued that trend with a two-out RBI double in the sixth.

The three homers didn’t hurt either.

The Giants will look to continue their winning ways in the series finale on Sunday. Matt Cain will face Zack Greinke as San Francisco looks for the series sweep.

All statistics courtesy of FanGraphs.

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With the finalization of Bruce Bochy’s 25-man roster, it’s time to take a look at where the San Francisco Giants’ top prospects landed following the all-important decision. Only a few lucky youngsters cracked San Francisco’s 2014 big league squad, with the majority of the top talents sent back to the minor leagues to continue to hone their skills.

With that being said, let’s take a look at where the Giants’ top 10 prospects stand at the beginning of the 2014 season and what we can expect from them in the future.

Ranking Criteria

For the sake of consistency, these rankings follow MLB.com’s top 20 list of Giants prospects. While there’s no real consensus about the team’s actual top 10 prospects, MLB.com’s compilation is the most recently updated list from a reputable source, and it should provide a good overall look at the best young players in the organization.

Notable Exceptions: Heath Hembree (No. 11), Joe Panik (No. 14), Gary Brown (No. 16), Michael Kickham (No. 17)

10. Derek Law, RP

Bats/Throws: R/R

Drafted: Fourth round of 2011 draft

Age: 23

ETA: 2014

There was quite a bit of speculation that Law would make the big league club right out of spring training thanks to his strong overall performance. However, the 23-year-old will instead start the season at Double-A Richmond, with a chance to make it to the majors later on.

On paper, Law wasn’t dazzling this spring, posting a 4.50 ERA in six innings of work. But he only allowed one run in his first 4.2 innings, showcasing a low-to-mid 90s fastball and a nice sinker that’s particularly tough to track because of Law’s deceptive motion.

The right-hander does have a pretty unconventional delivery, but it doesn’t impede his ability to throw strikes. He posted a ridiculous 45/1 strikeout-to-walk ratio (that isn’t a typo) at High-A ball last year, which helped him post a minuscule 0.82 WHIP along with 11 saves. He projects as a solid setup man in the majors.

9. Mac Williamson, OF

Bats/Throws: R/R

Drafted: 3rd round of 2012 draft

Age: 23

ETA: 2016

In an organization filled with pitching prospects, Williamson is one of the better hitters in the Giants system. Taken in the third round in 2012, the young outfielder hasn’t disappointed, putting up solid numbers across the board at the lower levels in of the minors.

Williamson actually used to be a catcher in high school, and Wake Forest recruited him as a pitcher, but the Giants converted him to the outfield upon drafting him, and he’s stuck in right field ever since. As you might have guessed based on his prior positions, one of Williamson’s primary assets is his plus arm, but he also carries plenty of pop in his bat.

“Mac” hit 25 home runs in 136 games (597 PAs) at High-A last year to go along with 89 RBI and a .292 batting average. He has a decent eye at the plate (51 walks, .375 OBP), but his plate discipline could still use some work, as evidenced by his alarming 132 Ks.

Williamson will start the year in Single-A, as he still has some developing to do, but he could be in the Giants outfield as early as 2015, with a more realistic arrival time of 2016.

8. Clayton Blackburn, SP

Bats/Throws: L/R

Drafted: 16th round of 2011 draft 

Age: 21

ETA: 2015

Blackburn’s greatest asset is his overall repertoire, as opposed to just one dominant pitch. He has a nice breaking ball that, according to MLB.com, can act as a 12-to-6 or a slurve. His fastball sits in the low 90s, and he also features a serviceable slider and solid changeup.

The right-hander also has plus control, walking just 1.7 batters per nine over his minor league career. His command, as he consistently pounds the lower half, is what allows him to get by with unspectacular stuff.

Projecting Blackburn’s career is tough because he hasn’t really established just how good he can be. While his tools indicate he’s destined to be a solid bottom-of-the-rotation starter, the right-hander has also shown consistent strikeout ability while also keeping batters off base (1.00 career WHIP) at the lower levels. We’ll learn a lot about Blackburn at Double-A in 2014.

7. Chris Stratton, SP

Bats/Throws: R/R

Drafted: 1st round of 2012 draft

Age: 23

ETA: 2015

The right-hander out of Mississippi State has lived up to his billing after being taken 20th overall in the 2012 draft. In 22 starts at Single-A last season, Stratton went 9-3 with a 3.27 ERA. While his control leaves something to be desired (47 walks in 132 innings), Stratton has the frame (6’3″) and command to eventually become a solid starter in the majors.

Like Blackburn, Stratton doesn’t have a fastball that can blow hitters away, but his ability to locate it down in the zone is what makes him tough. The right-hander is particularly adept at working his heater on both sides of the plate, and he complements that pitch with a nice slider.

Overall, Stratton projects as a solid middle-of-the-rotation starter. He doesn’t have tons of upside, but with his good mechanics and plus command, Stratton should see the majors before the end of 2015.

6. Ty Blach, SP

Bats/Throws: R/L

Drafted: 5th round of 2012 draft

Age: 23

ETA: 2015

Possibly the most underrated prospect in the Giants organization, Blach put himself on the map last season by posting the best ERA in the California League, a High-A league that’s notoriously hitter-friendly.

Much of that success is attributable to Blach‘s fantastic control (1.2 BB/9 in 2013), which is arguably his greatest asset on the mound. He also does a good job of keeping the ball in the park, surrendering an average of 0.6 HR/9 last season.

As far as his repertoire goes, Blach certainly doesn’t have a blazing fastball, but he commands it very well, and the pitch has some late sink to it. The left-hander also features a good changeup, and his overall four-pitch repertoire is nothing to sneeze at.

Putting up impressive numbers like he did in the California League, in his first professional season no less, has really allowed Blach to establish himself as a prospect to watch. Like many of the other top pitchers in the Giants organization, he should reach the majors in 2015.

5. Christian Arroyo, SS

Bats/Throws: R/R

Drafted: 1st round of 2013 draft

Age: 18

ETA: 2017

The Giants’ first-round pick last year, Arroyo came straight out of high school, and he didn’t disappoint in his stint in rookie ball, posting a .326 batting average and an .898 OPS.

What’s most exciting about Arroyo is his offensive potential, which is unusually high for a middle infielder. His bat speed is especially impressive, translating into fantastic gap-hitting ability. In 184 at-bats in the minors last season, Arroyo had 18 doubles and five triples—meaning those extra base hits could become home runs as he gets stronger.

Arroyo still has some work to do with his fielding, and he has plenty of developing to do overall, so Giants fans who are anxious to see a top hitting prospect make it through the farm system will have to wait a few more years. But if Arroyo keeps hitting like he did in 2013, it’ll certainly be worth the wait.

4. Andrew Susac, C

Bats/Throws: R/R

Drafted: 2nd round of 2011 draft

Age: 24

ETA: 2014

Susac was viewed as a bit of a disappointment over his first couple of seasons in the minors, batting .249 with alarmingly high strikeout totals.

That changed quickly after the young catcher batted .360 with a .987 OPS in the Arizona Fall League, then put up impressive numbers (.263/.391/.526) at spring training this year.

Susac‘s greatest asset is undoubtedly his power, but he also has a good eye at the plate, with a 13.5 BB% last year (per FanGraphs). Add in his solid (but unspectacular) defensive ability, and he projects to be a starting catcher in the majors, perhaps allowing Buster Posey to eventually move to first base.

Susac has shown an ability to handle pitching at high levels—he played at Double-A last season, in addition to his experience in the fall league and at spring training. If he can continue to put up good numbers in 2014, it’s not outside the realm of possibility to see Susac grabbing some big league at-bats late in 2014.

3. Adalberto Mejia, SP

Bats/Throws: L/L

Drafted: Signed Mar. 18, 2011 out of the Dominican Republic

Age: 20

ETA: 2015

The 6’3″ left-hander made the leap from High-A to Triple-A last season after the Giants realized he had no trouble handling the offense-favoring California League in 2013. Mejia only got a small taste of Triple-A (five innings), but he’ll likely have a shot to return there after beginning the season at Double-A this year.

Mejia’s presence on the mound gives him an advantage, but his repertoire is what really makes him tough. His fastball isn‘t particularly quick, sitting in the low 90s, but it has plenty of movement to it, and the left-hander also locates it well. Mejia’s best secondary pitch is his slider, which has a good speed differential from his fastball and breaks hard when it’s “on.”

Look for Mejia to appear in the majors in 2015, where he should settle in nicely as a solid middle-of-the-rotation starter.

2. Edwin Escobar, SP

Bats/Throws: L/L

Drafted: Acquired from Texas in 2010

Age: 21

ETA: 2014

Escobar impressed everyone in the Giants organization this spring, putting up some dominant outings in his time with the club before being sent down to the minors.

While the left-hander will likely appear in the majors later in the season, the Giants could have to call him up earlier than they would prefer if Ryan Vogelsong struggles. Indeed, Escobar could be the most logical choice to replace Vogey should the latter continue to get battered around like he did this spring.

Admittedly, Yusmeiro Petit is probably a more likely replacement candidate, but given Escobar‘s upside and his ability to pitch at high levels, there’s no reason to pass him up. In that case, Giants fans should familiarize themselves with Escobar in case he sees regular time in the majors.

Should the Giants need to call on Escobar this year, they’ll have a pitcher whose arsenal speaks for itself. Just ask Jeff Arnold, his catcher at times during spring training and in the minors. Arnold spoke to the San Jose Mercury News‘ Alex Pavlovic this spring about Escobar:

He’s a left-handed guy who can run it up to 96. The thing that stands out about Escobar is the way he changes speeds on his fastball, which proves that he’s got a great feel for pitching. He can still command it if he takes 5-6 MPH off. His secondary stuff is still a work in progress but I think his changeup is probably his best secondary pitch right now. Once he gets more confidence in his secondary stuff, you’ll see more of it. But if he can get away with throwing fastballs and hitting spots, I’m sure he’ll stick with that.

At the very least, Giants fans will see Escobar in a big league uniform at some point this year, starting role or not.

1. Kyle Crick, SP

Bats/Throws: R/R

Drafted: 1st round of the 2011 draft 

Age: 21

ETA: 2015

The crown jewel of the Giants’ farm system, Crick has some seriously nasty stuff, giving him the potential to develop into a bona fide ace if he can harness his control a bit.

Crick suffered from an oblique strain last season, but he still managed to strike out 95 batters in 68.2 innings of work, to go along with a 1.57 ERA. The right-hander sports a blazing fastball to go along with a hard slider, both of which serve as legitimate swing-and-miss pitches. Arnold, again per the Mercury News‘ Pavlovic, had plenty to say about Crick as well:

Crick is an overpowering guy. He can really challenge guys with his fastball and a lot of them can’t catch up to it at this point in time. His changeup really improved last year and now he’s just going to work on getting more consistency with his breaking ball, so hitters can’t really sit on one pitch and he can keep them guessing. (Swings on the fastball) are really just late. His fastball doesn’t move a ton but it gets on you quick. He’s one of those guys that can kind of get away with pitching up in the zone because of the velocity of his fastball. We’ll see if that translates to the upper levels.

If Crick can continue to improve his control while further developing his changeup and avoiding injury, there won’t be much preventing him from joining the Giants’ slew of aces in the majors. Barring an unexpected turn of events, Crick is a future No. 1 starter.

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During a rare season when the San Francisco Giants‘ starting rotation struggled as a whole, finishing with the seventh-highest ERA (4.37) in baseball in 2013, Buster Posey‘s decline in production went relatively unnoticed. 

Maybe it’s because Posey was still pretty good, posting an .821 OPS with 15 homers, 34 doubles and 72 RBIs in 148 games while ranking 20th in NL MVP voting. But as Barry Bloom of MLB.com pointed out, the bar has been set extremely high for Posey, and his manager knows it.

“I think it’s fair to say that Buster had a little bit of down year,” said Bruce Bochy, who has managed the team since. “Not a real bad year.”

In the same number of games and only 15 more plate appearances in 2012, Posey had a .957 OPS with 24 homers, 39 doubles and 102 RBIs. He also won the NL batting title and was nearly unstoppable down the stretch.

Over the final three months of that 2012 season, Posey posted an unbelievable .371/.448/.618 slash line. His team had a one-game division lead at the beginning of that stretch. Eighty-three games and 50 victories later, the Giants had won the NL West by eight games and never slowed down upon entering the playoffs, winning their second World Series championship in three years. 

So while the Giants’ starting rotation has been a stable force for years, ranking third (3.54), second (3.28) and sixth (3.73) in ERA from 2010-2012, respectively, a Buster Posey-led offense has been the difference-maker in taking the team to a championship-caliber level. 

The pitching staff was still great in 2011 when the team finished eight games behind first-place Arizona. But Posey had yet to heat up, posting a .756 OPS in 45 games when he sustained a season-ending leg injury during a home-plate collision. The Giants finished near the bottom of every important offensive category, including runs scored (29th in baseball). 

They finished as a middle-of-the-pack offense in 2010. But until Posey was called up from the minors in late May, they were a mediocre hitting team without much of an identity. As he did in 2012, the eventual NL Rookie of the Year, carried his team for the final three months of the regular season with a .913 OPS, 17 homers and 57 RBIs. 

At the beginning of that three-month span, the Giants were 40-37 and 5.5 out in the division. They went on to win 52 of their last 85 games and overtook the San Diego Padres late in the season. 

Noticing a trend? Posey is capable of carrying the Giants and making them a World Series contender. If last season’s pitching struggles weren’t a fluke and those continue into 2014, they’ll need him to return to his MVP-caliber form, or else, it could be another long season. 

If the 27 year-old’s Opening Day performance during the team’s come-from-behind 9-8 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks is any indication—Posey went 2-for-5 with a tie-breaking two-run homer in the top of the ninth inning—the Giants have a chance to form a new identity in 2014 that is much more focused on the team’s hitting prowess.

With a solid lineup full of veteran players who are capable of having big seasons, including Michael Morse, Angel Pagan, Hunter Pence and Pablo Sandoval, and an emerging star in first baseman Brandon Belt, who had a .915 OPS in the second half of 2013 and went 3-for-5 with a homer in his 2014 debut, the Giants have the potential to be a great offense. 

And it’s a good thing because it’s really hard to know what they’re going to get from Matt Cain, who had a down season in 2013, or Tim Lincecum, who went from Cy Young to bust to solid, yet unspectacular, all within the last few seasons, or Tim Hudson, who is returning from ankle surgery at age 38, or Ryan Vogelsong, who had a 5.73 ERA in 2013 and didn’t show any signs of turning things around this spring (19 IP, 19 ER, 33 H). 

Posey can’t do it by himself. But the other 24 guys on the roster can’t do it without another MVP-like performance from Posey.

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It’s safe to say for the San Francisco Giants, everything looks different now than it did at the beginning of spring training.

Mark Minicozzi became a household name among Giants fans before getting optioned to the minors. Brandon Hicks has completely changed the infield battle. Ryan Vogelsong has worried many with his performance, but the other pitchers have quieted many critics.

Oh, and we have learned that Marco Scutaro’s back is worse than it seemed.

But what does that mean for the position battles?

Begin Slideshow

The Giants System Check video offers a quick overview of the team’s farm system, addressing its strengths and weaknesses and how it can improve moving forward. The video also provides a breakdown of the Giants’ top prospects for 2014, pitchers Kyle Crick, Edwin Escobar and Chris Stratton, including each player’s ETA in the major leagues and potential long-term role within the organization.

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As spring progresses and players settle into their roles on the baseball diamond, the San Francisco Giants have already learned a lot about their team’s potential.  The starting pitching, including newcomer Tim Hudson, has been solid, and several players are stepping up their game in hopes of either solidifying their starting spot or earning a roster spot altogether.

On the mound, right-hander Tim Lincecum is silencing critics who say his best years are behind him.  In just over nine innings pitched, Lincecum has posted a solid 1.93 ERA and a 1-0 record.  Right-hander Matt Cain, last season’s Opening Day starter, also appears to have returned to form, not allowing a run and surrendering only one hit in eight innings pitched.

After struggling in his first few starts, right-hander Ryan Vogelsong rebounded for an excellent start Thursday against the Texas Rangers, only allowing one run in five innings.

With the projected five-man rotation performing well, up-and-comers are also making a name for themselves.  In a matchup against the Los Angeles Dodgers and ace Clayton Kershaw, 21-year-old Edwin Escobar pitched well against the perennial Cy Young candidate.

Catcher Buster Posey is having a banner spring training.  Currently, the slugger is batting .450 with a home run and six RBI.  Utility infielder Joaquin Arias has also enjoyed success at the plate, cementing his role as the go-to infielder off the bench.  Arias is batting .391 in nine games thus far.

In the outfield, new addition Mike Morse has displayed his power already, though it has not been reflected in his numbers.  Morse was robbed of not one, but two home runs in a February game against the Oakland Athletics by outfielder Josh Reddick.

Shortstop Ehire Adrianza is turning heads as well.  He has already smashed two home runs, a double and a triple, making a case for himself as a second utility infielder for the Giants.

However, he has competition from shortstop Brandon Hicks, who is on a hot streak at the plate.  In a contest against the Dodgers, Hicks slammed a two-run home run off Clayton Kershaw.  After a slow start, Hicks has now recorded five doubles along with a home run to complement a .318 average.

As the spring months chug along, the Giants will keep their eyes on their higher performers.  There’s more action to come in the upcoming weeks before Opening Day.

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