|
|
| Record 15 Former Giants Reach Majors In 2008 |
|
By Joe Ritzo 10/3/2008
128 Former San Jose Giants Have Now Played In The Major Leagues
Pablo Sandoval, along with Ryan
Rohlinger, made the jump from San
Jose to San Francisco this season
(photo by Chris Talley) |
A record 15 former San Jose Giants debuted in the major leagues during the 2008 regular season headlined by catcher/infielder Pablo Sandoval and relief pitcher Sergio Romo. Sandoval and Romo both made immediate impacts during their rookie major league seasons with San Francisco and are expected to play key roles with the Giants once the 2009 campaign begins. Additionally, Sandoval and third baseman Ryan Rohlinger made the meteoric rise through the farm system as the two players began the season with San Jose before finishing in “The Show.”
The 15 former San Jose Giants that debuted in the majors surpasses the previous team record of 11 players set in 1996. During that year, the likes of Bill Mueller, Doug Mirabelli and Jacob Cruz ascended to the major leagues.
Sandoval and Romo, both members of the 2007 California League championship club in San Jose, were two of the biggest reasons why the San Francisco Giants finished strong during the months of August and September after the club struggled over the first two-thirds of the season. Sandoval took the National League by storm hitting an eye-catching .345 with 10 doubles, three home runs and 24 RBI’s over 41 games played. The versatile 22-year old was San Jose’s Offensive Player of the Year in 2007, but returned to the Cal League this year so that he could work with manager and former big league catcher Steve Decker on his defense behind the plate. Sandoval would make tremendous strides defensively in the first half of ’08 while also leading the league in hitting to earn a mid-season promotion to Double-A Connecticut.
With Connecticut, Sandoval continued to turn heads with his offensive output and it wasn’t long before the native Venezuelan found himself in San Francisco. Sandoval continued to hit at the major league level while playing more first and third base as opposed to catching. And early word from the San Francisco front office has indicated the first base position will be Sandoval’s to lose when the club opens spring training next February.
Romo was initially promoted to San Francisco from Connecticut in late-June and posted respectable numbers during his first stint in the majors with a 4.41 ERA over 16 relief appearances. Then after a short stay in Fresno during a portion of August, Romo once again was in San Francisco and this time, it appears he’s there to stay.
Sergio Romo worked 17 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings
of relief in San Francisco to finish the season
(photo by Damon Tarver) |
Romo returned to the big-league Giants on August 16 and put forth a remarkable run that saw the 25-year old right-hander not allow a run for the remainder of the season. Romo worked 17 2/3 innings during that span with just four hits allowed, four walks and 17 strikeouts. He earned a pair of victories while also holding the opposition to a paltry .073 batting average.
Romo was arguably the top relief pitcher in the California League during the second half of 2007 to help the San Jose Giants to the title, but even his minor league numbers can’t compare to what he accomplished over the final 1 1/2 months of the ’08 season. The Southern California native quickly assumed the role of set-up man in the San Francisco bullpen, often pitching the eighth inning in front of all-star closer Brian Wilson. And while there will be many questions regarding the 2009 Giants bullpen once spring training begins, Sergio Romo’s inclusion should not be one of them.
While Sandoval’s rise to the majors and his success there certainly made Bay Area headlines during the late-summer, the accomplishments of Rohlinger should not go unnoticed. To make the jump from San Jose to San Francisco during the same season is an incredibly unique feat. Rohlinger, like Sandoval, was a key member of San Jose’s team during the first half en route to a Northern Division title. Both players were promoted to Connecticut in late-June before moving to San Francisco together in mid-August. Rohlinger didn’t enjoy the same amount of success as Sandoval at the highest level, but still remains a big part of the organization’s future.
Rohlinger made seven starts at third base with the Giants (all in August) and played in 21 games overall. The 24-year old hit just .094 (3-for-32) with a double, triple and two RBI’s. While third base remains a hotly contested position for San Francisco, Rohlinger figures to be an unlikely candidate to make the major league squad out of spring training next year. The University of Oklahoma product could find himself in Triple-A Fresno where he’d garner valuable everyday playing time at the hot corner.
Emmanuel Burriss hit .283 in his rookie major league season
and could start full-time at shortstop next year
(photo by Damon Tarver) |
10 other former San Jose Giants debuted in San Francisco this season, including: IF Brian Bocock, IF/OF John Bowker, IF Emmanuel Burriss, IF Travis Denker, P Geno Espineli, P Alex Hinshaw, C Steve Holm, OF Brian Horwitz, P Osiris Matos and OF Clay Timpner.
Bocock, Burriss, Denker and Matos all played on the ’07 championship team in San Jose. Burriss spent most of this past season in San Francisco and is a strong candidate to earn the starting nod at shortstop next year. The former supplemental first round draft pick hit a solid .283 with six doubles, one home run, 18 RBI’s and 13 stolen bases over 240 at-bats in his rookie major league season. Burriss became an everyday player at the two middle infield positions during August and early-September before going down with an oblique injury. The speedster though made a late return to the Giants lineup in full health and will now play in the Arizona Fall League in an attempt to further show the San Francisco brass that he’s ready to take a leading role on the Giants infield.
Bowker spent most of the year in the major leagues and while undergoing some rocky moments at times, impressed overall with a .255 average, 10 homers and 43 RBI’s in 326 at-bats. Barring any trades or offseason free agent signings, Bowker figures to battle with Sandoval and Travis Ishikawa for playing time at first base next season. The ’05 and ’06 San Jose Giant can also play corner outfield.
Bocock surprised many with his inclusion on San Francisco’s opening day roster. The shortstop was asked to fill-in for the injured Omar Vizquel and played stellar defense during his time in the major leagues. Bocock though, who was optioned to Fresno in early-May, did struggle offensively with a .143 batting average in 77 at-bats.
Brian Bocock, a member of San Jose's 2007
championship team, was San Francisco's
opening day starter at shortstop
(photo by Damon Tarver) |
Denker hit .243 with a home run in 37 AB’s during a mid-season stint with San Francisco. Holm, a San Jose Giant in 2004 and 2006, served as back-up catcher to Bengie Molina throughout much of the year. The 28-year old minor league veteran made a nice contribution after hitting .262 with nine doubles and a home run in 84 at-bats. Holm has an excellent chance to make the major league team in 2009, especially if Sandoval earns the starting nod at first base and thus leaves the back-up catching position open.
Hinshaw put up solid numbers with the Giants after a mid-May promotion from Fresno. The 2006 California League All-Star was 2-1 with a 3.40 ERA over 48 relief appearances. The southpaw struck out 47 batters in just 39 2/3 innings while limiting the opposition to a .220 batting average. With numbers like that, Hinshaw should remain a key member of the San Francisco bullpen going forward.
Espineli and Matos both bounced back-and-forth between the major and minor leagues during 2008. Espineli, who played on the 2005 San Jose championship squad, was 2-0 with a 5.06 ERA in 15 games. Matos, who never actually pitched in a regular season game with San Jose, but still made a significant contribution during the 2007 playoff run, compiled a 1-2 record and 4.79 ERA in 20 relief appearances. Both relievers figure to be fighting hard for spots in San Francisco’s bullpen during the upcoming spring training.
Finally, Horwitz and Timpner – two key members of the ’05 championship team – also debuted in the major leagues this year. Horwitz hit .222 with two homers in 36 at-bats over a one-month stint in “The Show” while Timpner played in just two games during April as a roster fill-in. The former San Jose center fielder was hitless in two at-bats before returning to Fresno. Both Horwitz and Timpner are no longer on the 40-man roster, so they’ll likely have to begin 2009 at the minor league level.
Two other former San Jose Giants debuted in the major leagues this season in Baltimore Orioles relief pitchers Alberto Castillo and Alfredo Simon. Castillo appeared in 28 games with Baltimore and was 1-0 with a 3.81 ERA. The 33-year old left-hander pitched for San Jose in 1997 before he traded to the New York Yankees. Castillo has played for seven different organizations while also spending six years in Independent leagues. Simon, a San Jose Giant in 2004 and 2006, recorded a 6.23 ERA over 13 innings with Baltimore after a September call-up.
A total of 128 former San Jose Giants have now played in the major leagues during the 21-year history of the team. Additionally, a remarkable 25 former San Jose Giants played in San Francisco this season.
|
|
 |
 |
| |
|