Less than a week before the season starts, there is still some question as to the last bullpen spot will go to. This brings us to the latest episode of Who'll Make It?, hosted by Burt Reynolds doing the voice for the glowing cube from Anterias.
It doesn't even fit the subject, story, or format, but I just can't get enough of that picture. The cube's daughter could stop time, you know. That'd come in handy for an aging team.
The lesser charges like Brandon Villafuerte, Brandon Puffer, Matt "Brandon" Kinney, and Jeremy Fikac have been (or soon will be) dispatched to Fresno, or whatever soylent green fate the team has planned for them, leaving some clear frontrunners. Al Levine hasn't given up a run this spring, and also collected three wins to go with his two saves. Shiny, shiny, meaningless stats, but you know it counts for something in the eyes of the front office. Tyler Walker has a 6.30 ERA this spring, which is unfortunate. Walker has only allowed 12 baserunners in ten innings, and has struck out nine, which is much better than the ERA would indicate.
To be fair, even as statistically-challenged as the Giants are, they aren't making these decisions based on ten spring innings. They're watching the pitchers do their thing on the side, at practice, and during the games. It seems that Walker is a better bet than Levine. Walker is able to go multiple innings, features a glimmer of strikeout ability, and has more upside. Levine has fashioned together a nice past six years even though he is unable to strike anyone out, but his decline will be quick and ugly. Either would be acceptable at the back end of a bullpen, ignoring that's where Matt Herges and Jason Christiansen should be as well.
Jeff Fassero might make the team too, only after a mosquito that bit him was found encased in amber, but the Giants wouldn't go with three lefties. I hope. Ick. Now that the choice has been narrowed, who would you go for?