The San Francisco Giants are readying to kick Spring Training into full swing, meaning there's plenty of intrigue to be had as the team finalizes its roster plans over the next month and a half. We're here to break down some of the juiciest news tidbits from the beginning of the team's 2016 stay in Scottsdale, Arizona with our SF Giants News & Rumors Roundup For February 17th.
Only Depth Spots Remain As Question Marks
The Giants head into Spring Training with a roster that's virtually prepackaged and ready to go for the 2016 MLB season, with only two spots on the 25-man projected to be up for grabs at the present juncture -- backup catcher and fifth outfielder.
Behind the plate, Andrew Susac is the out-of-the-gate favorite to replace Hector Sanchez (now with the White Sox) behind perennial MVP candidate Buster Posey. However, Susac's September wrist surgery and a sharp dip in both batting average and slugging percentage in 2015 from his rookie season has opened the door for 24-year-old challenger Trevor Brown.
Per Alex Pavlovic of CS Bay Area, Brown "impressed last September with his approach and ability to handle a veteran staff. Brown has played infield in the past, too, and spring training might be a good time to see if he still has that versatility."
If Brown streaks out of the gate in March, we could have a full-blown showdown for one of the final two roster spots. More SF Giants news and rumors inside Chat Sports' iPhone and Android apps!
As for the outfield, there are a glut of both 2015 roster call-ups and Spring invitees who'll be looking to join the fray behind Hunter Pence, Denard Span, Angel Pagan and Gregor Blanco. Jarrett Parker is our pick right now, especially with him riding the momentum of a .347 average and six home runs in just 49 MLB at-bats last season.
Everything is subject to change, obviously, especially if Kelby Tomlinson and Ehire Adrianza struggle this spring and can't separate themselves as prohibitive favorites for the backup infielder slots. However, it's the team's depth behind the plate and in the outfield that'll be under the spotlight -- two open competitions in a spring seemingly bereft of real upheaval.
SF Unlikely To Make Another International Splash
The SF Giants' offseason spending spree has reportedly pushed them to the far reaches of their payroll limit, meaning that any signing from here on out would likely to be a complementary, depth-based move.
With that being said, the Giants likely won't rock the boat on the international scene as the season goes on.
Per Alex Pavlovic:
"The Giants haven't ruled out adding depth, but they're pretty much tapped out budget-wise. They also don't expect any more splashes on the international front."
One reason for taking a more conservative tact is the fact the team landed two big-money starters in Jeff Samardzija and Johnny Cueto -- a best-case offseason scenario which both set the rotation and limited the team's need/ability to hand out lucrative multi-year contracts elsewhere.
Buster Posey Putting Down Roots In Bay
The Giants star catcher and his wife, Kristen, purchased a house in the East Bay last year and it'll only be a matter of time before it serves as his family's year-round home.
"Yeah, we're getting close," Posey told Tim Kawkami in an appearance on "The TK Show". Get the latest Buster Posey news inside the Chat Sports Android and iPhone apps!
"Our kids (twins, born in August 2011) are getting to the point where they're going to be starting kindergarten in about a year and a half," Posey added. "So we're still going back to Georgia a good amount of time there with family.
"But once our kids start school, we'll be here permanently. We couldn't be more excited. My wife loves the area."
Posey is entering his seventh full season in the Majors -- all with the Giants.
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