McCovey Chronicles - Ryan Vogelsong's broken handWe want to continue to create opportunities for payroll flexibility.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/50879/mcc-fav.png2013-05-26T22:46:54-07:00http://www.mccoveychronicles.com/rss/stream/41147732013-05-26T22:46:54-07:002013-05-26T22:46:54-07:00Mike Kickham starting Tuesday
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<figcaption>Rich Pilling</figcaption>
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<p>The Mike Kickham era begins. Also, unless he's really, really good, the Mike Kickham ERA. </p> <p>There were a lot of reasonable options to replace Ryan Vogelsong, but there wasn't a perfect one. Chad Gaudin is helping out as a reliever. Chris Heston was on the 40-man, but he was struggling. Mike Kickham wasn't on the 40-man, and he could use some work on his command. Nick Noonan isn't a pitcher. Bugs Raymond has been dead for over 100 years. So on and so on. Imperfect options, all.</p>
<p>But the Giants are going with the best one available, calling up Mike Kickham.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p>LHP Michael Kickham will start for the <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23SFGiants">#SFGiants</a> on Tuesday at Oakland. He'll be making his Major League debut.</p>
— San Francisco Giants (@SFGiants) <a href="https://twitter.com/SFGiants/status/338809631226867712">May 27, 2013</a>
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Shoot, wait. Michael. Michael Kickham. I think I failed the first part of the introduction. Though his Twitter handle is @mikekickham41, so maybe we're cool. We should probably get a nickname going so we don't have to deal with it. I suggest <a target="_blank" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Kickham">The Revolutionary</a>, though that would make for a pretty lousy hat and/or stuffed animal. </p>
<p>His minor-league stats:</p>
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<th style="background-color: #ddd; border: 1px solid #aaa; padding: 2px;" class="tooltip sort_default_asc show_partial_when_sorting" align="left" data-stat="year_ID">Year</th>
<th style="background-color: #ddd; border: 1px solid #aaa; padding: 2px;" tip="Player’s age at midnight of June 30th of that year" class="tooltip sort_default_asc show_partial_when_sorting" align="center" data-stat="age">Age</th>
<th style="background-color: #ddd; border: 1px solid #aaa; padding: 2px;" tip="<b>Classification of League</b><br>Classifications have changed over time but have generally ranged from<br>AAA to AA to A and then Short-Season or Rookie and B, C, D, etc." class="tooltip sort_default_asc" align="center" data-stat="level">Lev</th>
<th style="background-color: #ddd; border: 1px solid #aaa; padding: 2px;" tip="<b>9 * ER / IP</b><br>For recent years, leaders need 1 IP<br>per team game played.<br>Bold indicates lowest ERA using current stats<br><span class=glimmer>Gold</span> means awarded ERA title at end of year." class="tooltip sort_default_asc hide_non_quals" align="center" data-stat="earned_run_avg">ERA</th>
<th style="background-color: #ddd; border: 1px solid #aaa; padding: 2px;" tip="Innings Pitched" class="tooltip" align="center" data-stat="IP">IP</th>
<th style="background-color: #ddd; border: 1px solid #aaa; padding: 2px;" tip="Hits/Hits Allowed" class="tooltip" align="center" data-stat="H">H</th>
<th style="background-color: #ddd; border: 1px solid #aaa; padding: 2px;" tip="Home Runs Hit/Allowed" class="tooltip" align="center" data-stat="HR">HR</th>
<th style="background-color: #ddd; border: 1px solid #aaa; padding: 2px;" tip="Bases on Balls/Walks" class="tooltip" align="center" data-stat="BB">BB</th>
<th style="background-color: #ddd; border: 1px solid #aaa; padding: 2px;" tip="Strikeouts" class="tooltip" align="center" data-stat="SO">SO</th>
<th style="background-color: #ddd; border: 1px solid #aaa; padding: 2px;" tip="<b>9 x BB / IP</b><br>For recent years, leaders need 1 IP<br>per team game played" class="tooltip sort_default_asc hide_non_quals" align="center" data-stat="bases_on_balls_per_nine">BB/9</th>
<th style="background-color: #ddd; border: 1px solid #aaa; padding: 2px;" tip="<b>9 x SO / IP</b><br>For recent years, leaders need 1 IP<br>per team game played" class="tooltip hide_non_quals" align="center" data-stat="strikeouts_per_nine">SO/9</th>
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<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " csk="2010.01"><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/league.cgi?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=Share&utm_campaign=ShareTool&year=2010">2010</a></td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " csk="21.01" align="right">21</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " csk="130.0000">Rk</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">11.57</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">2.1</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">4</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">0</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">2</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">3</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">7.7</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">11.6</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">1.50</td>
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<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " csk="2011.02"><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/league.cgi?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=Share&utm_campaign=ShareTool&year=2011">2011</a></td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " csk="22.02" align="right">22</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " csk="80.0000">A</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">4.11</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">111.2</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">112</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">9</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">37</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">103</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">3.0</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">8.3</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">2.78</td>
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<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " csk="2012.03"><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/league.cgi?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=Share&utm_campaign=ShareTool&year=2012">2012</a></td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " csk="23.03" align="right">23</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " csk="60.0000">AA</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">3.05</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">150.2</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">119</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">8</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">75</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">137</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">4.5</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">8.2</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">1.83</td>
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<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " csk="2013.04"><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/league.cgi?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=Share&utm_campaign=ShareTool&year=2013">2013</a></td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " csk="24.04" align="right">24</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " csk="50.0000">AAA</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">4.33</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">54.0</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">58</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">4</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">22</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">54</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">3.7</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">9.0</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">2.45</td>
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<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; background-color: #ddd; font-weight: bold; font-size: 0.9em;" colspan="2">4 Seasons</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; background-color: #ddd; font-weight: bold; font-size: 0.9em;"></td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; background-color: #ddd; font-weight: bold; font-size: 0.9em;" align="right">3.70</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; background-color: #ddd; font-weight: bold; font-size: 0.9em;" align="right">318.2</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; background-color: #ddd; font-weight: bold; font-size: 0.9em;" align="right">293</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; background-color: #ddd; font-weight: bold; font-size: 0.9em;" align="right">21</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; background-color: #ddd; font-weight: bold; font-size: 0.9em;" align="right">136</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; background-color: #ddd; font-weight: bold; font-size: 0.9em;" align="right">297</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; background-color: #ddd; font-weight: bold; font-size: 0.9em;" align="right">3.8</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; background-color: #ddd; font-weight: bold; font-size: 0.9em;" align="right">8.4</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; background-color: #ddd; font-weight: bold; font-size: 0.9em;" align="right">2.18</td>
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<p><br>John Sickels tabbed him as a <a href="http://www.minorleagueball.com/2012/3/9/2857906/four-breakout-candidates-for-2012" target="new">possible breakout prospect</a> last year:</p>
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<p>A sixth round pick in 2010 from Missouri State University, Kickham is a physical 6-4, 220 pound lefty with a low-90s fastball. He also has a slider, curveball, and changeup, with the slider being the best of his secondary pitches.</p>
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<p>He'll walk some folks. I don't think that's really up for debate. But he's pretty good at keeping the ball in the yard, and he can get a strikeout. I'm really looking forward to watching him.</p>
<p>Also, he had some sweet, sweet locks back in 2010:</p>
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<p><br>Oh, he's going to get the business from Crawford if he tries that again. There can be only one. </p>
https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/2013/5/26/4369266/mike-kickham-starting-giantsGrant Brisbee2013-05-21T09:58:53-07:002013-05-21T09:58:53-07:00Searching for Vogelsong's replacement
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<figcaption>Rich Pilling</figcaption>
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<p>In which we continue waiting for Boof.</p> <p>Barry Zito was injured in 2011, you know. You'll read a lot of talk about how the Giants haven't had a hurt pitcher since Trevor Wilson went on the DL with a pulled dimple, but it wasn't that long ago that Zito missed significant time with a foot injury. Of course, his replacement stuck in the rotation, made the All-Star team, and won two games in the NLCS, so everything most certainly worked out for the best, but Zito was injured once upon a time.</p>
<p>Maybe everything will work out that well again!</p>
<p>Probably not. Still, the Giants have to find a replacement for Ryan Vogelsong, who broke his hand on Shane Victorino's sternum. Which is what I tell myself because, good lord, what was that swing, man?</p>
<p>A list of potential replacements, with the pros and cons:</p>
<p><b>Chad Gaudin</b><br><i>Pro</i>: He's already here. Knows where the break-room fridge is. And he has tons of starting experience, with 75 career starts. He's <a target="new" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/split.cgi?id=gaudich01&year=Career&t=p#sprel_extra">pretty much the same pitcher regardless of his role</a>.</p>
<p><i>Con</i>: Bruce Bochy seemed reticent to call Gaudin the frontrunner, mostly because he likes Gaudin's rubber arm in the bullpen. He threw 3.1 innings and 72 pitches in Toronto, and I'm guessing he's the only reliever Bochy would do that with. Plus, I'm still curious about his potential to emerge as a late-inning option.</p>
<p><b>Michael Kickham</b><br><i>Pro</i>: He's an upper-level pitching prospect, at least as far as the Giants are concerned. This could be a secret audition, too, as the Giants might need to fill three rotation openings next year, and an in-house option taking one of the spots would allow them to spend more on the other guys.</p>
<p>Also, he's on kind of a roll:</p>
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<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">5</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; "><a target="_blank" title="MILB.com boxscore for game" href="http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=Share&utm_campaign=ShareTool&t=g_box&did=milb&gid=2013_04_28_freaaa_renaaa_1">2013-04-28</a></td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; "><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/team.cgi?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=Share&utm_campaign=ShareTool&id=f945aded">Reno Aces</a></td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">5.1</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">11</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">6</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">0</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">7</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">1</td>
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<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">6</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; "><a target="_blank" title="MILB.com boxscore for game" href="http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=Share&utm_campaign=ShareTool&t=g_box&did=milb&gid=2013_05_03_cspaaa_freaaa_1">2013-05-03</a></td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; "><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/team.cgi?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=Share&utm_campaign=ShareTool&id=7ddeb610">Colorado Springs Sky Sox</a></td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">7.1</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">4</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">0</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">1</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">8</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">0</td>
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<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">7</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; "><a target="_blank" title="MILB.com boxscore for game" href="http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=Share&utm_campaign=ShareTool&t=g_box&did=milb&gid=2013_05_08_freaaa_nasaaa_1">2013-05-08</a></td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; "><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/team.cgi?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=Share&utm_campaign=ShareTool&id=202018bd">Nashville Sounds</a></td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">6.2</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">6</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">3</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">0</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">7</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">0</td>
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<tr data-row="7">
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">8</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; "><a target="_blank" title="MILB.com boxscore for game" href="http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=Share&utm_campaign=ShareTool&t=g_box&did=milb&gid=2013_05_13_freaaa_mrbaaa_1">2013-05-13</a></td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; "><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/team.cgi?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=Share&utm_campaign=ShareTool&id=86ebdaaf">Memphis Redbirds</a></td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">5.1</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">6</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">2</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">3</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">2</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">0</td>
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<tr data-row="8">
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">9</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; "><a target="_blank" title="MILB.com boxscore for game" href="http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=Share&utm_campaign=ShareTool&t=g_box&did=milb&gid=2013_05_18_nozaaa_freaaa_1">2013-05-18</a></td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; "><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/team.cgi?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=Share&utm_campaign=ShareTool&id=84402856">New Orleans Zephyrs</a></td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">6.1</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">4</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">0</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">2</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">8</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; " align="right">0</td>
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<p>Does that list start with the game after he was torched for six runs and 11 hits? Yes. Yes, it does. But he's been striking Triple-A hitters out lately, and that counts for something.</p>
<p><i>Con</i>: He would be a little wild and unrefined, most likely. Usually when the minor-league pitchers with a BB/9 rate around 4.0 come up, they have a touch of the Jonathan Sanchezes. Kickham is also not on the 40-man roster.</p>
<p><b>Chris Heston</b><br><i>Pro</i>: Heston is on the 40-man roster, and he had a 2.24 ERA in Double-A last year. He's supposed to be polished, with command of all of his pitches.</p>
<p><i>Con</i>: PCL hitters have been polishing the pitches to a nice, shiny finish, too, sending them right back up the box all season. He didn't allow an earned run in his last start, but in his other eight starts, he allowed three runs in six of them, five in one, and seven in another. His control and command haven't been as sharp as they were last year.</p>
<p><b>Shane Loux</b><br><i>Pro: </i>Probably has a uniform already</p>
<p><i>Con</i>: Quite literally the most boring option. None of these guys are especially great options, but at least some of them are interesting. LOUX is probably an acronym on some sort of French sabermetric site that means "replacement player."</p>
<p><b>Justin Fitzgerald<br></b><i>Pro</i>: The kids are all talking about <i>The Great Gatsby</i> these days, and Fitzgerald might be a way to "leverage" that kind of "buzz." He also pitched his way out of Richmond with six solid starts, and<strike> he's </strike> most certainly not on the 40-man roster.</p>
<p><i>Con</i>: He's 27, with one start above Double-A, and his minor-league record isn't that impressive apart from his fast start this year.</p>
<p><b>Yusmerio Petit</b><br><i>Pro: </i>Also has a uniform already. Fascinating case study, as he's the only known enemy of strikeout-to-walk ratios found in the wild.</p>
<p><i>Con</i>: Pretty bad! If you're looking for pitchers with a chance to be good, Petit has had several of those, and none of them have worked. He's also been shelled in Fresno.</p>
<p><b>Boof Bonser</b><br><i>Pro</i>: I would get 5,391 e-mails and tweets, which would be delightful. And as a replacement for Ryan Vogelsong, there would be a delicious kind of symmetry behind it.</p>
<p><i>Con</i>: He hasn't been good in Triple-A, and he's recovering from serious injuries. Plus, he's not on the 40-man roster.</p>
<p><b>Kurt Ainsworth</b><br><i>Pro</i>: Hey, if we're talking about a replacement for Vogelsong on a day Jerome Williams has a scheduled start, let's think inside the box. He's still involved with baseball, you know. Kind of.</p>
<p> </p>
<center> <iframe width="480" height="360" src="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/TkwYW4s2lEU?rel=0" frameborder="0"></iframe> </center>
<p><br>Making bats, breaking bats, same thing! I'm sure he has a few good years left in him.</p>
<p><i>Con</i>: What a ridiculous suggestion! How dare you!</p>
<p>Okay, guilty. But never forget this simple fact: You can't invent a more ridiculous suggestion than Ryan Vogelsong in the first place. There will never be a fill-in like that again, and it's a shame that it's his injury that's making us look through the replacement options.</p>
<p>Give me Kickham if you're looking for an opinion. Gaudin is kind of a known quantity as a starter, and that known quantity isn't much better than what I'd expect from Kickham. I'm assuming Eric Surkamp can go on the 60-day DL to make room, though the Giants are always a little weird with those moves.</p>
https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/2013/5/21/4351930/ryan-vogelsong-replacementGrant Brisbee2013-05-20T22:03:08-07:002013-05-20T22:03:08-07:00Ryan Vogelsong hit by pitch, fractures hand
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/RjKkpDQ4vOu7aIzNuvyPa4TmYS8=/0x142:4000x2809/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/13423359/169146416.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Thearon W. Henderson</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Giants right-hander could miss six weeks</p> <p>Ryan Vogelsong was having his best start of the year, dang it. There's no good reason why that should make this worse -- as if another bad start would have made us say, "Smell you later and thanks for Detroit!" -- but it does make it worse. Vogelsong was having his best start, and now he's broken.</p>
<p>Vogelsong is out indefinitely with a fractured right hand, which he broke swinging on a fastball that tailed in on him. When hitters get hit on the hand by a pitch, you'll usually see the trainer out there for a few minutes and the hitter give the hand the ol' squeeze test for a while. Dave Groeschner was on the field for about 30 seconds before he took Vogelsong back in the clubhouse. That's right about when optimism went out for a pack of smokes and never came back.</p>
<p>Mike Krukow said about six weeks on the broadcast, and while that was an educated guess, it jibes with <a target="new" href="http://www.baseballnation.com/2012/7/25/3187530/jp-arencibia-injury-blue-jays">the other</a> fractured hands <a target="new" href="http://www.pinstripedbible.com/2013/4/26/4272804/yankees-injury-francisco-cervelli-fractures-hand-surgery-six-weeks">I could rustle up</a>.</p>
<p>It felt like Vogelsong was back, dang it. I know it was just one game, but it felt like he was the old new old Vogelsong again for the first time this season. But it's either Chad Gaudin or Mike Kickham time for the next month-and-a-half, with an outside chance of Chris Heston. Kickham isn't on the 40-man roster, though it shouldn't be too difficult to clear some room. There's time to figure that out. Tonight's reserved for saying things like "Dammit, Vogelsong."</p>
<p><i>Update: <a href="https://twitter.com/nicolevogelsong/statuses/336706349104766976">two fractures</a>, dislocated pinky, surgery, and six weeks. Dammit.</i></p>
https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/2013/5/20/4350696/ryan-vogelsong-injury-fractured-hand-giantsGrant Brisbee