Q & A with SF Farm Director Fred Stanley

Giants Farm Director Fred Stanley talks about current MLB Giants and what the SJ Giants lineup looks like for 2011. C'mon Down Gary Brown, Chris Dominguez,. Ryan Cavan Ryan Lollis, and Luke Anders

over 1 year ago nvsfg 54 comments 4 recs |

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Vindication!

LOL. I can be a real jerk sometimes.

Whether it’s Tommy Joseph or Hector Sanchez. We haven’t really decided. We’re waiting to see how that plays out in spring training, but one of those two will be there.

As I projected as far back as last October, most likely only one of the 2010 Augusta catchers will be promoted to SJ. My prediction is that Tommy Boy’s star power will earn him the spot, unless he totally falls on his face in spring training, and that Hector will start the season in Augusta again.

"There ain’t much to being a ballplayer, if you’re a ballplayer." - Honus Wagner

by Fla-Giant on Jan 27, 2011 9:40 PM PST reply actions

The bigger part of that comment is

Tommy Joseph, still viewed as a catcher. That’s a pretty big thing.

"The knowledge of the game is inversely proportional to the price of the seat." ---Bill Veeck. •Check out the new look of SFDugout.com•

by BruteSentiment on Jan 27, 2011 10:26 PM PST up reply actions

He only took it up two years ago after all. Might as well give him a chance to see if he can grow into it. I always hold to the notion that you should keep players at their defensive position of greatest value as long as you possibly can.

MY DAD WAS WRONG!
MY BOY NEEDS TO THROW HARDER!

by Roger on Jan 28, 2011 5:34 AM PST up reply actions

I totally agree with that. If Joseph is going to have any postion at all, it’s going to be catcher.

"There ain’t much to being a ballplayer, if you’re a ballplayer." - Honus Wagner

by Fla-Giant on Jan 28, 2011 8:11 AM PST up reply actions

Bobby Mariano?

Brandon Belt, my goodness, nobody expected him to put those kind of numbers up as a first-year player. He came out of the Texas program where his primary power, and what he was able to do to get drafted, was to hit the ball to the opposite field. Now, all of a sudden, Bobby Mariano and that group made a few adjustments on him and, boom, he took off.

Who the hell is Bobby Mariano, and why isn’t he working his magic with all of our hitters?

"There ain’t much to being a ballplayer, if you’re a ballplayer." - Honus Wagner

by Fla-Giant on Jan 27, 2011 9:44 PM PST reply actions

Partially answering my own question:

Bobby Mariano is the Giants’ minor league Roving Hitting Instructor, and he’s been on the job since at least the 2009 season.

http://www.examiner.com/san-jose-giants-in-san-jose/the-bird-men-of-san-jose

"There ain’t much to being a ballplayer, if you’re a ballplayer." - Honus Wagner

by Fla-Giant on Jan 27, 2011 9:46 PM PST up reply actions

Also...

From the 2010 Media Guide (retyped):

Bob Mariano, Coordinator, Minor League Hitting Instruction

Returns for 6th season with San Francisco organization in 2010, marking his 31st year in professional baseball…last season spent time with Giants, teaming with Carney Lansford to help SF’s offense…prior to joining Giants in 2005, most recently worked with Los Angeles Dodgers system, serving as minor league hitting coordinator from 2002-04 and manager at single-A Vero Beach in 2001…also served as minor league manager and hitting instructor/coordinator with Baltimore Orioles (1985-86), New York Yankees (1988-92), Milwaukee Brewers (1993-96) and Arizona Diamondbacks (1997-2000) organizations during his coaching career…his managerial campaigns include 1987 with Italian Baseball Federation Anzio, 1987 at Australian Baseball Federation Newport, 1995 at single-A Stockton, 1997 at triple-A Tucson and in 2001 at Vero Beach…former infielder and outfielder logged 7 seasons in minors with Yankees (1980-82) and Orioles (1983-86), originally signing with New York as non-drafted free agent…resides in Phoenix, AZ…

Thank you Edgar Renteria, for hitting the ball three feet higher.

by tobias on Jan 31, 2011 12:19 AM PST up reply actions

I imagine he'll be spending a lot of time with Parker & Krill

"You think someone that big would be more well endowed" Aubrey Huff's mother on Pat Burrell
I thought he was going to punch me and I was totally accepting of it. I was planning a reason to thank him if he did." Brian Wilson on Buster Posey
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by Gobroks on Jan 28, 2011 12:56 AM PST via mobile up reply actions

Mostly because it’s not magic — it’s the player’s individual athleticism. That’s the key element in changing, or improving, mechanics.

MY DAD WAS WRONG!
MY BOY NEEDS TO THROW HARDER!

by Roger on Jan 28, 2011 5:36 AM PST up reply actions

Now it’s my turn to point out that that part of my post was facetious. Obviously, there’s no magic wand and every minor league hitting instructor is going to have more failures than successes. You can only work with the raw materials that you are given and, let’s face it, Sabes, Stanley, and Tidrow haven’t provided the Giants system with decent raw materials (in terms of hitters) until just the past 5 years.

The main thrust was to try to find out how long Mariano has been in the system in order to try to understand which players he can be associated with.

"There ain’t much to being a ballplayer, if you’re a ballplayer." - Honus Wagner

by Fla-Giant on Jan 28, 2011 7:59 AM PST up reply actions

Ehire Adrianza...repeating San Jose

I still don’t get the love with him.

I am interested in seeing how Luke Anders does. He’s old, but if Mariano is all he’s cracked up to be, Anders has a lot of talent to unlock.

Good read.

"The knowledge of the game is inversely proportional to the price of the seat." ---Bill Veeck. •Check out the new look of SFDugout.com•

by BruteSentiment on Jan 27, 2011 10:31 PM PST reply actions

Anders is basically a lock for SJ. He’s not a very good prospect IMO, but it’s not like there’s much competition for him at 1B at that level. Unless AnVil miraculously gets exonerated, guys like Brice Cutspec and Danny Brock ann’t going to be pushing Anders to the bench.

I also think that Adrainza will start in Richmond, but it is possible that the Giants will try to increase his confidence with the bat by letting him play the first month, or so, in SJ before promoting him.

"There ain’t much to being a ballplayer, if you’re a ballplayer." - Honus Wagner

by Fla-Giant on Jan 28, 2011 8:05 AM PST up reply actions

the only way I see Ehire repeating San Jose is if Brandon Crawford repeats Richmond, which I doubt. They couldn’t justify swapping them, or jumping Ehire to Fresno. Having them both in Richmond would likely necessitate benching Noonan and keeping Culberson at 3rd (or playing Crawford there and Culberson at 2nd). But either way, I don’t think the org wants to move Crawford off SS unless they have to, which they don’t at this point.

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by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 28, 2011 10:12 AM PST up reply actions

It would seem like Crawford would lose any value he has left if he were playing

any position but short.

"Do you smell that Kenny? That's hard news. Notice the lack of fornicating horses."

by Cody_ransom on Jan 28, 2011 10:14 AM PST up reply actions

Adrianza isn't going to look like a prospect if he's playing Richmond.

But I guess at some point he has to be put in that crucible.

But I would expect some horrific numbers from him, something like .240/.290/.310.

"Do you smell that Kenny? That's hard news. Notice the lack of fornicating horses."

by Cody_ransom on Jan 28, 2011 10:13 AM PST up reply actions

That looks optimistic to me. Going from A+ to AA is big, and he’s going from hitter-friendly to pitcher-friendly. If his OPS only drops by 80 points, considering age, he jumps up a few spots on the prospect list. I’d say a .500 OPS is more likely (.200/.260/.240).

Ain't no Posey like a Buster Posey cause a Buster Posey don't stop...hitting.

Giants baseball: We're stupid enough to WIN that (TM)

by quincy0191 on Jan 30, 2011 2:09 AM PST up reply actions

I was trying to be optimistic.

Crawford would look like ARod by comparison.

"Do you smell that Kenny? That's hard news. Notice the lack of fornicating horses."

by Cody_ransom on Jan 31, 2011 9:06 AM PST up reply actions

FWIW that would be right in line with Omar Vizquel’s age 21 stats in AA. Hard to tell exactly, because walks and OBP aren’t available (at least on BR, could check the Cube if I was less lazy). As a 22 year old in AAA, Omar put up a .214/.313/.286 line, can’t imagine the howling that would take place here over valuing such a player highly.

Of course, comparisons to extraordinary development lines are always some degree of worthless, but I think paying too much attention to a defensive player’s meagre offensive development can lead to faulty judgements. Adrianza isn’t Bocock, and Bocock himself (like your eponymous Cody Ransom, who I just saw signed by somebody last week) will probably keep bobbing up to the majors every now and then for the next few years.

MY DAD WAS WRONG!
MY BOY NEEDS TO THROW HARDER!

by Roger on Jan 31, 2011 9:47 AM PST up reply actions

Reading into this year and the quip in the BA prospect handbook

It seems like Jarrett Parker is probably gonna start the year at Augusta. Which…Ugh

by Gobroks on Jan 28, 2011 12:55 AM PST via mobile reply actions

I think there’s more than a 50/50 chance that he starts in SJ. Unless he totally lays an egg in spring training, he has the advanced tools that the Giants like to see showcased in SJ (as Stanley admits, the Giants love to get their hirgh-profile prospects to SJ). I think that the argument can also be made that, for a hitter with Parker’s experience, the Cal League is actually an easier assignment than the Sally.

"There ain’t much to being a ballplayer, if you’re a ballplayer." - Honus Wagner

by Fla-Giant on Jan 28, 2011 8:10 AM PST up reply actions

Yeah that line in the prospect handbook really threw me off

Typo, maybe?

by Gobroks on Jan 28, 2011 9:39 AM PST via mobile up reply actions

What was the exact quote?

"There ain’t much to being a ballplayer, if you’re a ballplayer." - Honus Wagner

by Fla-Giant on Jan 28, 2011 12:40 PM PST up reply actions

“He should start out at Augusta in 2011”

by Gobroks on Jan 28, 2011 5:11 PM PST up reply actions

I read that to be just a prediction, not a judgment on where the Giants should start him.

"There ain’t much to being a ballplayer, if you’re a ballplayer." - Honus Wagner

by Fla-Giant on Jan 28, 2011 10:52 PM PST up reply actions

But I’m assuming Baggs is making that prediction based on people he’s talked to in the org

by Gobroks on Jan 28, 2011 11:00 PM PST up reply actions

I doubt it...

He had to write that stuff what – 2 months ago? I think they wait until spring before deciding.

"Don't trust anyone under the age of 30" - Brian Sabean

by Smotheredinhugs on Jan 29, 2011 9:30 AM PST up reply actions

They make the final decisions in ST but they’re mocking out depth charts for the various levels in Nov and Dec, as implied in the linked Q&a.

MY DAD WAS WRONG!
MY BOY NEEDS TO THROW HARDER!

by Roger on Jan 29, 2011 3:57 PM PST up reply actions

I don’t know — seems like they’d want both Brown and Parker playing CF, since that’s both of their greatest skills. And putting Brown in SJ and Parker in Augusta is a pretty simple way to do that.

MY DAD WAS WRONG!
MY BOY NEEDS TO THROW HARDER!

by Roger on Jan 28, 2011 2:00 PM PST up reply actions

Over Chuckie Jones though?

Or do you see him starting in EST + SK

by Gobroks on Jan 28, 2011 5:12 PM PST up reply actions

Chuckle in RF, RafRod in LF, Lofton 4th OF.

MY DAD WAS WRONG!
MY BOY NEEDS TO THROW HARDER!

by Roger on Jan 28, 2011 6:04 PM PST up reply actions

I'm not sure they would move Chuckie that quick

Still, I guess we’ll see how it plays out

by Gobroks on Jan 28, 2011 6:22 PM PST up reply actions

Well theyll have 6 starting CF candidates for 3 levels. Somebody will have to move or sit. Why would you think they’d be more willing to move Parker than Jones? They clearly can’t move Brown.

MY DAD WAS WRONG!
MY BOY NEEDS TO THROW HARDER!

by Roger on Jan 28, 2011 7:11 PM PST up reply actions

I imagine they'll want Parker to move quickly and so they'll assign to A+ and give him the occasional CF start

Although, if it was up to me I might try Brown at 2B

by Gobroks on Jan 28, 2011 8:05 PM PST up reply actions

We don’t have to look far for the precendence of the Giants having 2 CFs in SJ. They did it in 2010 with JCP and Frankie Pegs. I’m sure the Giants would have preferred for Frakie to get all his starts in CF last season, but they obviously felt that it was more important for both him and JCP to be playing in the Cal League. I think the same will hold true for Parker and Brown.

There is no question about both of their abilities to play great defense in CF right now, and I don’t see it as being too detrimental to Parker’s development if he plays RF mostly in 2011. In fact, it could be beneficial for him in the long run to see the game from a different angle and get inside the head of a RF for a while. The question mark about Parker (and Brown) is the bat, and that’s really what the Giants want to see him work on in 2011.

"There ain’t much to being a ballplayer, if you’re a ballplayer." - Honus Wagner

by Fla-Giant on Jan 28, 2011 11:02 PM PST up reply actions

I guess I discounted the notion of Briwn and Parker switching off a la JCP and Pegs because Browns arm wouldn’t allow him to play RF. Still seems like Brown in SJ and Parker in Augusta makes the most sense.

MY DAD WAS WRONG!
MY BOY NEEDS TO THROW HARDER!

by Roger on Jan 29, 2011 3:55 PM PST up reply actions

This

Ain't no Posey like a Buster Posey cause a Buster Posey don't stop...hitting.

Giants baseball: We're stupid enough to WIN that (TM)

by quincy0191 on Jan 30, 2011 2:13 AM PST up reply actions

I didn’t mean that they would share CF to the extent that JCP and Pegs did in 2010. If the Giants do have Brown and Parker both in SJ, I would expect that Brown would get at least 80% of the starts in CF.

"There ain’t much to being a ballplayer, if you’re a ballplayer." - Honus Wagner

by Fla-Giant on Feb 2, 2011 10:13 AM PST up reply actions

Dunno why you'd do that

Brown’s already a plus plus defender in CF, which is just as valuable as 2B by Fangraphs’ positional weights. And we’ve got plenty of middle infield prospects (Culberson, Noonan, Crawford, Adrianza), so there’s no guarantee of an opening. I’d say there’s a good chance Noonan goes back to SJ, with Burriss in Fresno and Culberson in Richmond, so Brown would have to be in Augusta to play second, and that seems like a waste of time. 3B or LF/RF might make more sense, but he doesn’t seem suited to 3B (wastes his range, questions about the arm) and LF/RF is a complete waste of a plus plus CF defender.

Ain't no Posey like a Buster Posey cause a Buster Posey don't stop...hitting.

Giants baseball: We're stupid enough to WIN that (TM)

by quincy0191 on Jan 30, 2011 2:17 AM PST up reply actions

Hmm for some reason I thought 2B was more valuable than CF

But since their equal, it does make more sense to keep him at CF

by Gobroks on Jan 30, 2011 10:05 PM PST up reply actions

Not to mention the fact that moving him to 2B negates almost entirely Brown’s #1 asset – his plus, plus speed.

"There ain’t much to being a ballplayer, if you’re a ballplayer." - Honus Wagner

by Fla-Giant on Feb 2, 2011 10:14 AM PST up reply actions

Personally

I like Gobroks’ idea for Chuckie better. Kid’s only 18 (17?); the Giants don’t need to be in a hurry to promote him. If he can play CF, which sounds possible, he should.

Ain't no Posey like a Buster Posey cause a Buster Posey don't stop...hitting.

Giants baseball: We're stupid enough to WIN that (TM)

by quincy0191 on Jan 30, 2011 2:19 AM PST up reply actions

I wouldn’t call starting a guy who will be 18.8 years old at the start of the season, and has a full season of starting in a rookie league, as being “in a hurry to promote him.”

They did it previously with Culbie, Noonan, Fairley, and Tommy Joseph (who had no prior pro experience), to name recent examples. They even did it with AnVil when he was a full year younger than Chuckie will be this season. The key here is that you want these young kids to start in a full season league to see how they handle playing 140+ games in a season. If Jones falters, they can always drop him back to Salem when their season starts in June. It’s just a total waste to have him stagnating in Scottsdale from April through June and not facing in-game live pitching and roaming the outfield in games that count.

"There ain’t much to being a ballplayer, if you’re a ballplayer." - Honus Wagner

by Fla-Giant on Jan 31, 2011 9:42 PM PST up reply actions

Anyone have a particular opinion on Dan Burkart ? I am assuming that he will end up in Augusta. With a very small sample size at the lowest professional level THT has his MLE at .273/ .367 / .366 with a wOBA of .334 and WAR of 0.8 . They rated his defense at a negative (0.8) for the questions surrounding his arm I would guess. In my opinion he is seems like he is flying under the radar right now, and as with Joseph his value seems to be primarily based on the fact that he is a catcher.

Your thoughts ?

I'm a Giants Fan, but I'll always be rooting for Matt Downs
Where is Dan Burkhart going to play ?

by nvsfg on Jan 28, 2011 11:36 AM PST reply actions

I’m on record as predicting that Burkhart will end up in SJ sharing the catching/DH duties with Joseph (or Hector Sanchez if the Giants decide to keep TJ in Augusta). I’m basing that on my assertion that Burkhart is the 2nd most complete defensive catcher in the system (behind only Jax), and that the Giants will want a proven signal caller and steady hand to pair with their most promising pitchers. TJ and Hector are just too green to trust with the development of the entire high-powered, but relatively inexperienced, SJ pitching staff.

Jeff Arnold is another possibiltiy to start at SJ. He has a better throwing arm than Burkhart, and is comparable to him defensively, but he doesn’t have the pitch-calling experience or hitting ability of Burkhart. I expect that it will be TJ/Burkhart in SJ and Hector/Arnold in Augusta, but I also wouldn’t be too surprised if either one of the competeing pairs (TJ vs. Hector or Burkhart vs. Arnold) was flipped.

"There ain’t much to being a ballplayer, if you’re a ballplayer." - Honus Wagner

by Fla-Giant on Jan 28, 2011 12:39 PM PST up reply actions

TJ and Hector caught Wheeler and Bucardo last year in Augusta. That’s two of three top pitching prospects.

Ain't no Posey like a Buster Posey cause a Buster Posey don't stop...hitting.

Giants baseball: We're stupid enough to WIN that (TM)

by quincy0191 on Jan 30, 2011 2:12 AM PST up reply actions

I don’t really have much of a feel for Burkhart as a catcher because I really didn’t get to see him play much though I do recall he hit the ball pretty well.

I will go on record though that Arnold is the best defensive catcher I’ve seen come through SK and I’ve been a season ticket holder since 01 for what that’s worth. Good range behind the plate and a monster arm that if the pitcher gives him half a chance he’ll throw out any and all baserunners. The bat needs work.

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by RichH on Jan 28, 2011 2:19 PM PST up reply actions

Cavan

You’ll be surprised how far Cavan hits the ball for a little guy.

It looks like Stanley is now on record as confirming that Cavan’s new-found power in Augusta was not just a 1 year fluke.

"There ain’t much to being a ballplayer, if you’re a ballplayer." - Honus Wagner

by Fla-Giant on Jan 28, 2011 12:46 PM PST reply actions

Wasn't that always his strength?

Ha slugged over .500 his first at S-K and in college.

"Don't trust anyone under the age of 30" - Brian Sabean

by Smotheredinhugs on Jan 29, 2011 9:44 AM PST up reply actions

The SJ pitching staff

It was interesting to me that he singled out Jake Dunning very early on as a possible starter in SJ. The Giants must really be impressed with him for that type of a promotion.

He also mentioned Chris Gloor and Jose Valdez as SJ pitchers. It wasn’t clear if he meant them as possible starters or that they would remain relievers. It would be sweet if either of them could make the jump to the starting rotation in 2011, but it would be nothing special to see them in the SJ pen when you consider their ages and the fact that they both pitched in Augusta in 2010.

"There ain’t much to being a ballplayer, if you’re a ballplayer." - Honus Wagner

by Fla-Giant on Jan 28, 2011 12:52 PM PST reply actions

Haven't they always intended to move Valdez to the rotation?

I think that was the speculation back in 2007. They wanted to refine his mechanics and let his body fill out in the pen, then move him to the rotation, but then he had Tommy John in 2008. He’ll still only be 22 this year – still a youngin’.

"Don't trust anyone under the age of 30" - Brian Sabean

by Smotheredinhugs on Jan 29, 2011 10:05 AM PST reply actions

Thanks for posting this

and thanks to our minor league mavens who monitor this stuff closely for commenting. You guys discuss more than argue and it’s really helpful to a fan like myself who doesn’t follow the minor leagues enough, yet knows this is the future of the Giants in today’s whacked major league salary situation.

"It's too LATE to stop now!" - John Lee Hooker

by Rolfyboy on Jan 29, 2011 1:43 PM PST reply actions

There are some experts in the thread and

I am not among them. I watch,read as much as I can and listen to these guys. Once the season starts make sure you look on the left hand side of the frony page for “They Might Be Giants” by Steve S. He does a recap/box score of sorts for all of the Giants Mi:B teams. It’s a great source of information about these team in one place.

I'm a Giants Fan, but I'll always be rooting for Matt Downs
Where is Dan Burkhart going to play ?

by nvsfg on Jan 29, 2011 10:25 PM PST up reply actions