[Giants]

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1713312328[/url]']

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Superb call. MLB analyst and former MLB pitcher Dan Plesac called Imanaga the most polished Japanese pitcher. He hasn't given up an earned run in three starts and 15 innings, and he's struck out 16, with a 0.717 WHIP. He's the first Cubs pitcher in 115 years to have a 0.00 ERA in his first three starts. And his deal is not all that different from Hicks, 4 years/$53 million. Farhan missed on that one.

"He's the most polished" - MLB analyst weighs in on Shota Imanaga's pitching prowess and incredible start with Cubs

Shota Imanaga Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More | Baseball-Reference.com

Thanks.  However, since we have no idea whether Imanaga was interested in signing with SF, we really don’t know if Zaidi missed out at all.  You can only sign the guys who want to play for you.  Hicks was interested because the Giants offered him something no one else did - a chance to start.  So far, the Hicks deal looks pretty good.

Back in January, Pavlovic reported that the Giants weren't interested in Imanaga...they viewed him as a #4 or #5 starter. I read another article claiming he didn't have great stuff. I liked him personally, but strangely they don't listen to me...  ;)

MLB news: Giants reportedly had limited interest in Shōta Imanaga - McCovey Chronicles

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Giants won today behind Keaton Winn (1-3), Doval got his third save. Stanford's Erik Miller looked great, no hits or walks in his inning. His ERA continues to drop. 

Jung Hoo Lee has a nine game hitting streak, batted third today, 2 for 4. He's hitting .270/.317/.338, and stole a base today. Estrada had two hits, one a double. Soler went 2 for 3 with a run scored.

Bailey (.286) stole his first base, and threw out Chisholm, a very fast runner. 

Giants had two DPs, neither involving Chapman.

Slater was 0 for 3, but hit the ball hard twice. Giants were 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position. Yeesh.

I still contend that dumping Yaz and Slater is the right course of action. It is time to give Meckler (LH) and Ramos (RH)  or Matos (RH) a season long shot at proving they are major leaguers.

Works for me. Yaz looks particularly overmatched. He was terrific in 2019, was one of the best in the league in 2020 (COVID year), finished 8th in MVP vote. Last three years, his strikeout rate has been slowly ticking up until it took a big jump this year. I think his fade started in the playoffs against the Dodgers. He hit 25 HRs in 2021 but went 0 for 13 in the playoffs. And he's 33. At least Slater is only 31. His batting averages have improved each of the last three years to .270 last year. Yaz was .224, .213 and .233. Slater's at league average OBP, and his at bats look good, he's not overmatched. But I'd switch out Yaz for Matos tomorrow.

The problem with that is they would then have a couple RH.  If they move Yaz, they to replace him with a LH.  Either move Meckler in and Yaz out or Matos/Ramos in and Slater out (or move both Yaz and Slater out).

[Giants]

1713402825[/url]']

1713382074[/url]']

1713379043[/url]']

1713312328[/url]']

[/url]']

Superb call. MLB analyst and former MLB pitcher Dan Plesac called Imanaga the most polished Japanese pitcher. He hasn't given up an earned run in three starts and 15 innings, and he's struck out 16, with a 0.717 WHIP. He's the first Cubs pitcher in 115 years to have a 0.00 ERA in his first three starts. And his deal is not all that different from Hicks, 4 years/$53 million. Farhan missed on that one.

"He's the most polished" - MLB analyst weighs in on Shota Imanaga's pitching prowess and incredible start with Cubs

Shota Imanaga Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More | Baseball-Reference.com

Thanks.  However, since we have no idea whether Imanaga was interested in signing with SF, we really don’t know if Zaidi missed out at all.  You can only sign the guys who want to play for you.  Hicks was interested because the Giants offered him something no one else did - a chance to start.  So far, the Hicks deal looks pretty good.

Back in January, Pavlovic reported that the Giants weren't interested in Imanaga...they viewed him as a #4 or #5 starter. I read another article claiming he didn't have great stuff. I liked him personally, but strangely they don't listen to me...  ;)

MLB news: Giants reportedly had limited interest in Shōta Imanaga - McCovey Chronicles

---

Giants won today behind Keaton Winn (1-3), Doval got his third save. Stanford's Erik Miller looked great, no hits or walks in his inning. His ERA continues to drop. 

Jung Hoo Lee has a nine game hitting streak, batted third today, 2 for 4. He's hitting .270/.317/.338, and stole a base today. Estrada had two hits, one a double. Soler went 2 for 3 with a run scored.

Bailey (.286) stole his first base, and threw out Chisholm, a very fast runner. 

Giants had two DPs, neither involving Chapman.

Slater was 0 for 3, but hit the ball hard twice. Giants were 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position. Yeesh.

I still contend that dumping Yaz and Slater is the right course of action. It is time to give Meckler (LH) and Ramos (RH)  or Matos (RH) a season long shot at proving they are major leaguers.

Works for me. Yaz looks particularly overmatched. He was terrific in 2019, was one of the best in the league in 2020 (COVID year), finished 8th in MVP vote. Last three years, his strikeout rate has been slowly ticking up until it took a big jump this year. I think his fade started in the playoffs against the Dodgers. He hit 25 HRs in 2021 but went 0 for 13 in the playoffs. And he's 33. At least Slater is only 31. His batting averages have improved each of the last three years to .270 last year. Yaz was .224, .213 and .233. Slater's at league average OBP, and his at bats look good, he's not overmatched. But I'd switch out Yaz for Matos tomorrow.

The problem with that is they would then have a couple RH.  If they move Yaz, they to replace him with a LH.  Either move Meckler in and Yaz out or Matos/Ramos in and Slater out (or move both Yaz and Slater out).