SF Giants Press Clips Tuesday, March 14, 2017

San Francisco Chronicle ’s absence means more work for Giants’ backups John Shea

SURPRISE, Ariz. — Life without Buster Posey continues for the Giants’ . It could be a while before they get their All-Star catcher back. “Hopefully,” said. Not that Samardzija doesn’t like having Posey around. He’s just rooting for Posey and to play deep into the World Classic. The Americans advanced past the first round, meaning Posey and Crawford will continue suiting up for the United States at least through Saturday.

Meantime, backup catcher Nick Hundley is getting extra work with the pitching staff, probably a good thing for the newcomer who signed a one-year deal in January. On Monday night, he caught Samardzija for the first time. The right-hander worked his pitch count to 76 but gave up seven runs (five earned) on eight hits and two walks in 32/3 against the Rangers.

“It’s always good to work out those kinks,” Samardzija said. “It’s good to have him back there so he can know what I shake (off pitches) to, what we’re on the same page with, getting a better idea of what we throw.”

It was Samardzija’s fourth start. He has thrown to Posey twice and Trevor Brown once. His ERA is 9.82.

1

“Overall, it felt good. I was strong until the end,” Samardzija said. “You always care about results. It’s not the defining factor in , but obviously you want to have good days. I think we were really close.”

The big hit was Carlos Gomez ’s grand slam in the second . Samardzija fell behind 3-0 before throwing two called strikes. Gomez took the next pitch over the right-field wall. In an earlier at-bat, Samardzija struck out Gomez on a 3-2 slider, one of his four .

There should be plenty of time for Posey to refamiliarize himself with the staff. Even if the U.S. advances to the final game, March 21 in Los Angeles, the Giants will have another week of exhibitions in Arizona and three against the A’s in the Bay Area.

“The good thing about Buster,” Samardzija said, “is he doesn’t need all that much work to be back to where he needs to be with his pitchers.”

Roster trimming: The Giants cut 12 players, optioning infielder Miguel Gomez and pitchers Kyle Crick , Ian Gardeck , Chase Johnson , Reyes Moronta and Daniel Slania . They also reassigned infielder Ryder Jones , catchers Aramis Garcia and Matt Winn , and Wynton Bernard , Steven Duggar and Austin Slater . John Shea is The San Francisco Chronicle’s national baseball writer. Email: [email protected] Twitter: @JohnSheaHey

Rangers 7, Giants 1 Notable: Michael Morse exited after two plate appearances because his wife was in a minor automobile accident. said after the game that she was fine. … In the left-field competition, Mac Williamson went 2-for-4 one day after went 3-for-3. ... Leadoff man Denard Span stole his first base and got his second hit, a double. He scored the Giants’ only run on ’s first-inning single. ...The Rangers’ first two runs were unearned after shortstop Jimmy Rollins ’ error. ... Reliever , who is overcoming elbow inflammation, threw to hitters Monday and will make his Cactus League debut as early as Friday. Quotable: “I wouldn’t have sat out here without that screen.”

2

— Bochy on a screen that was placed in front of the coaches during the game, permitting them to sit in their usual spot outside the dugout. Surprise Stadium is where coach Jose Alguacil sustained multiple injuries when hit in the face by a foul ball March 4. Tuesday’s game: Giants at Indians, at Goodyear, Ariz., 1:05 p.m.

San Francisco Chronicle Giants’ getting his offensive groove back John Shea

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The ball was hit high in the Arizona sky, and no fewer than three Giants defenders drifted behind second base and were in range of making the catch.

Shortstop Jimmy Rollins called for it.

So did second baseman Joe Panik.

As they looked up and extended their gloves, they bumped into each other. Panik, because he’s taller, caught the ball.

At that point, Panik drew a line on the ground with his foot and told Rollins to stay on his side.

Jokingly, of course.

It was a gag Brandon Crawford once played on a younger Panik, who was paying it forward to Rollins, 12 years his elder.

“Craw called me off and he’s, like, ‘Listen, you don’t cross that line,’” Panik said. “So I was having a little fun with Jimmy.”

These days, Panik is so comfortable in his own skin and in his own role that he can mess with a 17-year veteran who has been an MVP and won four Gold Glove awards. Rollins, for his part, is cool with it.

3

After his bummer of a finish in 2016, Panik is in good spirits this spring and in a nice groove. His concussion, caused from a beaning by then-Tampa Bay Matt Moore, not only shelved him a month but made it difficult to rebound once he returned in late July.

Panik hit .215 his final 57 regular-season games but produced in the Division Series, going 6-for- 10. After the series loss to the Cubs, he rested several weeks before returning to baseball conditioning. He worked with his brother, Paul, the batting coach at Iona College in New York, to revive his mechanics.

Despite going 0-for-4 against the Royals on Monday, Panik is making good contact in spring training with eight hits — and several line-drive outs — and two strikeouts in 27 at-bats and seems determined to play like it’s 2014 or 2015.

He batted .305 and .312 those seasons.

“I’m not going to let my second half of last year define me as a ballplayer,” said Panik, who finished last season hitting .239. “This spring, I’ve been feeling good. I’ve been feeling like myself.”

Panik’s injury was one reason the Giants, a majors-best 57-33 at the All-Star break, weren’t the same in the second half (30-42). A healthy and productive Panik in 2017 would figure to be a difference-maker.

He hasn’t gotten much spring training work with Crawford, whose United States squad advanced to the second round of the , but has been enjoying opportunities as Rollins’ double-play partner.

Panik, 26, actually has helped Rollins, 38, adjust to a new life as a utilityman. The three-time All- Star shortstop and 2007 MVP with the Phillies is playing some games at second and eventually will get a look at third.

Panik, who was raised in New York a Yankees fan, recalled seeing Rollins when attending a

4 game in Philadelphia with a couple of buddies his senior year in high school.

“I don’t want to make him feel old, but it’s pretty cool because I watched him growing up,” Panik said. “He’s very calm, very smooth out there. The transition from my eyes is going pretty well.”

Turning double plays is far different as a second baseman, from positioning to footwork to arm angles to avoiding the runner. Panik has been a valuable resource for Rollins.

“When nobody’s on base, everything looks normal,” Rollins said. “You get a runner on first, you’re split way over toward the middle for the , it feels like there’s a Grand Canyon between you and the first baseman.”

Panik knows the drill. He was drafted as a shortstop and was moved to second as a minor- leaguer. Smart move. He won his first Gold Glove last season despite starting just 118 games.

Now, he’s returning to form offensively, which hasn’t gone unnoticed among teammates, including the fellow who beaned him last summer.

“Joe’s such an awesome guy,” said Moore, who was traded to the Giants on Aug. 1. “He didn’t try to make me feel bad about it — though they asked if I was going to apologize 30 seconds after I walked in (after the trade); it was a teasing moment, all in good fun. To see what he’s done in this camp is very impressive. I’m glad he’s on our side.”

5

San Jose Mercury News With Posey at WBC, Nick Hundley catching on quickly with Giants’ pitching staff Carl Steward

SURPRISE, Ariz. — It’s a wonderful thing for the Giants that Buster Posey is playing in the World Baseball Classic. It may be even more wonderful for Nick Hundley that Posey’s off at the WBC doing his patriotic thing.

The Giants’ new No. 2 catcher has been getting almost all of Posey’s No. 1 duty since he departed March 6, and it’s allowed Hundley to accelerate his knowledge and comfort level with the pitching staff, particularly the starting rotation.

Hundley has already caught three times, Matt Cain and Matt Moore twice, debuted with Johnny Cueto on Saturday and finally completed his first round with the starting staff by catching Jeff Samardzija Monday night against the Texas Rangers.

Hundley has also re-familiarized himself with closer , whom he hadn’t caught for 12 years — since they were teammates at the University of Arizona way back in 2005. They’ve been longtime close friends, even taking part in each other’s weddings over the years, but they hadn’t formed their own union on a major league diamond.

“Catching him again has been awesome,” Hundley said. “It was like we never left Sancet Field down in Tucson.”

But Melancon was the only player Hundley really knew when he first walked into the Giants clubhouse in mid-February. Hence, he’s had to speed up the meet-and-greet process, and go to even greater lengths to learn the pitchers, even though he’s faced many of them during a nine- year career, eight of them playing in the West. But it’s a little different getting a read on them from behind the plate, and vice versa for the pitcher from the mound.

“It’s my job to put these guys in position where they’re comfortable with me,” Hundley said. “These guys have had a lot of success for a long time, so there’s work to do on both ends. I pick their brains as much as I can and watch a lot of video, then catch them in live action and see when and why their shaking off and what they want to do.

“I’m getting a lot of action, for sure, but I feel like I’m getting a lot of value out of it, too. These reps are really important.”

You could count on one hand how many times somebody other than Posey caught Bumgarner last year, but the ace left-hander said having an 33-year-old vet like Hundley stepping in while Buster is away has gone very well.

“We seem to be catching on to each other relatively easy,” Bumgarner said. “We’ve done quite a bit of talking. It’s easier with somebody who’s been around, seen the league, and he’s also seen quite a bit of me. It just speeds up the learning curve.”

6

“It’s always good to work out those kinks now,” added Samardzija following his first stint with Hundley. “He’ll get a better idea about me the more we throw and it should go a little more seamlessly. The good thing about Nick is he’s very inquisitive and he wants to learn.”

Manager Bruce Bochy agreed that it’s almost been a blessing that Posey has been gone so that Hundley can assimilate himself in short order.

“It’s made it easier for him to catch everybody,” Bochy said. “But either way, he was going to get a lot of time. I want Nick to know the staff, and he’s getting that box checked off.”

Hundley said that his first experience catching Cueto, who can be a challenge with his assortment of windups, quick pitches and hesitation moves, went smoothly.

“You just have to prepared and get used to the timing of it,” he said. “But once he gets in a rhythm, it’s fine. With starters, it’s a little bit easier because you get to see around 30 pitches warming up. The other day was the first time I’d caught him, but I got a good feel for him just working in the pen.”

—

Samardzija had a rough early go of it in his fourth spring outing, giving up six runs (four earned) in the first two innings including a grand slam to Carlos Gomez in a 7-1 loss to the Rangers. But the right-hander threw 76 pitches over four innings and finished strong over the final two, striking out three hitters.

“I felt good, I threw some good pitches, but the ball was up in the zone and I got behind in the count,” Samardzija said. “I couldn’t really work to my out pitches battling there. But I was strong to the end, and I like how I finished. The stuff was there, I just needed a little more consistency in my delivery.”

Bochy said after the game he has been hearing through the grapevine that the USA team may keep the same WBC roster for subsequent rounds, which would rule out both Samardzija and Melancon being later player pool additions.

—

Right-handed reliever Will Smith threw a live batting practice session Monday afternoon in Scottsdale and if he rebounds well from that, he’s hoping to see his first game action Friday or Saturday. Bochy confirmed that’s likely. Smith was set back by elbow inflammation early in camp.

—

7

Michael Morse had to leave the game in the third inning because his wife Jessica was involved in a minor traffic accident back in Scottsdale. She was unhurt, according to Bochy.

—

The Giants made 12 roster trims to reduce their camp count to 47. Optioned were pitchers Kyle Crick, Ian Gardeck, Chase Johnson, Reyes Moronta, Daniel Slania and infielder Miguel Gomez. Non-roster players reassigned were outfielders Steven Duggar, Wynton Bernard and Austin Slater, catchers Aramis Garcia and Matt Winn and infielder Ryder Jones.

MLB.com Samardzija touched for grand slam vs. Rangers T.R. Sullivan

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Carlos Gomez hit a grand slam and Yu Darvish allowed just one run in 3 1/3 innings in the Rangers' 7-1 victory over the Giants at Surprise Stadium on Monday. Giants starter Jeff Samardzija allowed seven runs, five earned, in 3 2/3 innings and now has a 9.82 ERA after three outings. He gave up three straight singles to Will Middlebrooks ,Brett Hayes and Doug Bernier to start the second, and Gomez followed with a fly ball that cleared the right-field wall for his second of the spring. Full Game Coverage

"I thought he hit a ball that was an out, and it got out of the park," Samardzija said. "That was the difference in the day right there." Darvish threw 63 pitches, including 28 in the first inning when a leadoff walk to Denard Span , Span's stolen base and a single by Hunter Pence drove home a run. Darvish settled down from there and used a crackling slider to strike out six on the night. He allowed four hits and walked one.

"In the first inning I threw a lot of pitches but that could happen in an actual game," Darvish said. "My goal was to throw whatever was working today. Even with runners on base, I just battled through it. Physically I feel really good. It's going really well. Every time I go out there, I feel better each time out." Elvis Andrus had two doubles in three at-bats in his second Cactus League game. Mac Williamson had two hits for the Giants and is hitting .333 for the spring in his bid to win a job in

8 left field. Dillon Gee , one of the Rangers' candidates for the fifth spot in the rotation, was impressive with three scoreless innings. He allowed two hits and struck out one while lowering his ERA to 1.29 for the spring. Giants Up Next: Having split their previous two games against the Cleveland Indians, the Giants will confront the American League champions one final time in a 1:05 p.m. PT encounter at Goodyear. Right-hander Albert Suarez , striving to secure a long-relief role, will start for San Francisco, live on MLB.TV. Rangers Up Next: The Rangers continue to look hard at Joey Gallo and he will be in the lineup when they play the D-backs at 3:05 p.m. CT in Scottsdale. Gallo, who has two home runs this spring, will play third base and bat cleanup. The game can be seen live on MLB.TV.

MLB.com Marrero hoping to seize opportunity with Giants Chris Haft

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- History has proven that Chris Marrero 's apparent long-shot attempt to make the Giants' roster is less inconceivable than it might seem at first glance. At 28, Marrero would be categorized as a late bloomer if he suddenly began thriving in the Majors. He'd have plenty of company. Dodgers didn't exceed 500 plate appearances in a season until last year at age 31. Raul Ibanez initially reached that standard at age 30 as he amassed 305 home runs and 1,207 RBIs during 19 Major League seasons. Among the Giants, first baseman-outfielder Michael Morse comes closest to fitting the description, having recorded his best season (.303, 31 homers, 95 RBIs) at age 29. Full Game Coverage

"Some guys just figure it out a little later, like Michael Morse," Marrero said Monday before the Giants' Cactus League exhibition against the Texas Rangers. "He figured it out later on in his career. ... If I could follow in his steps and bloom late like he has, I'll be fine."

Or, as Morse said, "I always thought of it as, there's two bus stops when it comes to baseball. There's one you can catch when you're young, but if you miss that, maybe you can catch the next one when you're a little older."

9

Marrero must continue to display power to sustain his chances of breaking camp with the Giants. He entered Monday with three home runs and eight RBIs, tied with Jae-gyun Hwang for the team lead in both categories during the Cactus League schedule. Marrero's totals don't count a walk-off homer he hit last Wednesday to defeat Puerto Rico's World Baseball Classic squad in an exhibition game. A right-handed batter, Marrero also leads the Giants with nine strikeouts.

"He has an attack mentality," assistant hitting coach Steve Decker said. "He accelerates on the breaking ball, which is good to see. He's an aggressive hitter. He's not just feeling for the ball. Those guys will go through periods of striking out, but when they're hot, they can really do a lot of damage."

Marrero has chased similar opportunities through 11 professional seasons. Washington drafted him in the first round (15th overall) in 2006, but injuries and the Nationals' reserve of talent prevented him from gaining a foothold in the Majors. He played 39 games for the Nats in parts of 2011 and 2013, representing his lone big league activity. By contrast, Marrero has appeared in 1,083 Minor League games.

Morse, who established himself with Washington during that span, witnessed Marrero's struggles.

"I thought he had all the tools," Morse said. "I thought he was gifted, but he just hasn't had that shot yet. I think he's at that age right now where he's going to get an opportunity somewhere and he has to make the most of it."

Last year, Marrero appeared to be on the brink of creating an opportunity for himself when he accumulated 23 homers and 71 RBIs for Boston's Triple-A Pawtucket affiliate. But the Red Sox never called.

"They were in first place," Marrero said. "They didn't need any more hitters."

10

MLB.com Melancon, Shark not expected to join Team USA Chris Haft

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Giants right-handers Mark Melancon and Jeff Samardzija apparently will not be added to the United States squad for the next round of the World Baseball Classic, San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said Monday.

Melancon, the Giants' $62 million closer, and Samardzija, their No. 4 starter, were included among six pitchers on the Team USA designated pitcher pool, making them eligible to participate in the WBC's second round. Full Game Coverage However, Bochy said after the Giants' 7-1 Cactus League loss to Texas, "from what I understand, they're not making any changes. That's not definite, but that's what I'm hearing. I haven't talked to anybody." Making his fourth Cactus League start, Samardzija allowed seven runs (five earned) and eight hits in 3 2/3 innings. The biggest hit belonged to Carlos Gomez , who lofted an opposite-field grand slam to right.

"I thought he hit a ball that was an out, and it got out of the park. That was the difference in the day right there," Samardzija said. Well-guarded: The Giants made their initial visit to Surprise Stadium since first-base coach Jose Alguacil was struck in the face by a foul ball while sitting in a folding chair at the backstop during a March 4 exhibition against Kansas City.

Coaches and managers resumed their habit of fleeing the crowded dugouts to perch against the backstop, dangerously close to foul-ball range. Except most of the danger was gone.

Bochy, joined by a couple of coaches, sat against the backstop next to the dugout steps as usual. This time, however, they were shielded by a tightly woven netted screen that's typically used in batting practice, usually to protect players from batted balls while they're stationed at bases to take throws.

"I wouldn't have sat out here without that screen," Bochy said. More moves: The Giants trimmed their spring roster to 47 by sending 12 players to Minor

11

League camp in moves announced after Monday's game. Optioned were infielder Miguel Gomez and right-handers Kyle Crick , Ian Gardeck , Chase Johnson , Reyes Moronta and Dan Slania . Reassigned were outfielders Wynton Bernard , Steven Duggar and Austin Slater , catchers Aramis Garcia and Matt Winn and infielder Ryder Jones . • Left-hander Will Smith tested his inflamed elbow by throwing live batting practice to teammates and could be ready to make his first Cactus League appearance as early as Friday if he avoids physical setbacks. • Michael Morse left the game in the third inning to be with his wife, Jessica, who was involved in a minor automobile accident. Bochy said Jessica Morse was unharmed.

USAtoday.com World Baseball Classic: Breaking down the second roud in San Diego Jorge Ortiz

After a first round packed with thrilling games and a sprinkle of controversy, the Western Hemisphere half of the World Baseball Classic moves on to San Diego’s Petco Park, where four teams will play a round-robin to determine two semifinalists. USA TODAY Sports’ Jorge L. Ortiz breaks down the bracket:

Dominican Republic

How they got here : Won Pool C with a 3-0 record

What went right : Dominican hitters swung the bat well, even if did take them several innings to get going at times. They produced 26 runs in the first round, 11 from the eighth inning on. Jeurys Familia, confirmed as the closer, has been untouchable in his three appearances, and fellow relievers Dellin Betances and Alex Colome have combined to give up one hit and zero runs in 4 1/3 innings. The club in general is riding a wave of confidence, not to mention an 11-game winning streak.

Cause for concern : The Dominicans didn’t exactly run away with their pool. They trailed the U.S. most of the game and needed a sensational play at the plate by catcher Welington Castillo to survive against Colombia. The stakes get higher and the opposition possibly tougher now, and nothing but a spot in the finals will suffice for the DR.

12

Additions : Veteran right-hander Ervin Santana is moving into the rotation in place of Wily Peralta, but general manager Moises Alou told USA TODAY Sports that Carlos Martinez will still start against Puerto Rico on Tuesday.

Outlook : Hot-hitting Puerto Rico presents a big challenge right off the bat, but the Dominicans’ history of success against their Caribbean neighbors – they beat Puerto Rico three times in the 2013 WBC, including the final – adds to their swagger. Bringing in Santana boosts their rotation considerably. Until further notice, the DR is favored to advance to the semis.

MORE WBC:

World Baseball Classic, and its glorious imperfection, looks here to stay

Weird 11th-inning tiebreaker works for World Baseball Classic - but never for MLB

Israel, darlings of World Baseball Classic, vows to keep 'emotional' run going

Puerto Rico

How they got here : Won Pool D with a 3-0 record

What went right : Puerto Rican hitters hammered just about every pitcher put in front of them, piling up 29 runs in three lopsided victories and never scoring fewer than nine. The dynamic trio of Francisco Lindor, Carlos Correa and Javier Baez combined for five home runs. Puerto Rico also got excellent starts from Seth Lugo and Jorge Lopez.

Cause for concern : Other than making sure their relatives are in a safe area of the ballpark, the Puerto Ricans haven’t had much to worry about. It’s hard to find many flaws when you outscore the opposition 29-7, including a mercy-rule win over Venezuela. Perhaps the one concern is Puerto Rico hasn’t been tested – Mexico

13 played it close until surrendering a four-inning ninth in a 9-4 loss – but so far it has been the tournament’s most impressive team.

Additions : Tampa Bay Rays prospect Jose de Leon may join the club in San Diego and possibly start against the DR on Tuesday, when Lugo will have only three days of rest.

Outlook : It’s hard to imagine the Puerto Rican offense keeping up this pace, but the club is well balanced and has outstanding leadership from catcher Yadier Molina and DH Carlos Beltran, both playing in their fourth WBC. If the pitching holds up, they will be a tough out.

USA

How they got here : Advanced from Pool C with a 2-1 record

What went right : The starting pitching was outstanding, with , and combining to throw 12 2/3 innings of five-hit, scoreless ball. The tight win over Colombia and the crushing loss to the Dominican Republic provided valuable experience for the previously uninitiated U.S. players about the passion and intensity these games engender. They won’t encounter an opposing crowd as raucous as they dealt with Saturday at Marlins Park, and will likely draw the most support the rest of the way. Lefty hitters , Brandon Crawford and have been swinging hot bats.

Cause for concern : The potent U.S. lineup hasn’t gotten untracked yet, with the likes of , and all batting below .150, although the latter hit a three-run homer Sunday. The bigger question may be whether the bullpen can deliver extended effective stretches, a necessity when the starters are limited by pitch counts. , and Mychal Givens coughed up a total of nine runs in four innings over the first three games.

Additions : The ’ will join the U.S. and start Wednesday’s game against Venezuela or Italy. Former Rays teammate is under consideration for a later game.

Outlook : Team USA bounced back nicely from the Saturday loss to the Dominican Republic, in which the Americans blew a five-run lead, and put away Canada in an 8-0 rout the next day. With Tuesday off, they have a chance to adjust to the three-hour time change, and they may be starting to peak at the right time.

14

Venezuela

How they got here: Advanced from Pool D with a 2-2 record after a 4-3 win over Italy in the tiebreaker game.

What went right: After the embarrassing 11-0 loss to Puerto Rico, Venezuela engaged in two wild games, outlasting Italy 11-10 and losing to Mexico 11-9, yet barely squeaking into a tiebreaker. Martin Prado (.583 batting average) has been on a tear, and the rest of the lineup features three former batting champions in Miguel Cabrera, Jose Altuve and Carlos Gonzalez.

Cause for concern : It’s hard to overestimate the impact of losing catcher Salvador Perez for the rest of the tournament due to a knee injury. The pitching staff struggled even before he was hurt and doesn’t figure to do better in his absence. Starters Felix Hernandez, Martin Perez and failed to pitch more than 3 1/3 innings, and the last two gave up a total of nine runs.

Additions: To be determined.

Outlook: Venezuela has no business advancing with that pitching staff, but the club has a collection of major league stars and, given a fresh slate, it could make life difficult for any opponent.

SI.com The curious case of Cutch: Tom Verducci

BRADENTON, Fla.—Regarding the worst, most mystifying season of his career, Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen made a startling admission to me: He lost his nerve to run.

Slumps are the viral illnesses of a hitter. They strike without warning or known cause and run their course, be they days, weeks or, in McCutchen’s case last year, five months. They happen. But perhaps most alarming about McCutchen’s 2016 season was the poor body language from one of baseball’s best and most exciting base runners.

Save Now On Alive!® Get Your Coupon For Any

15

Alive!® Multi-Vitamin FeelAlive.com

McCutchen didn’t try to steal bases very often, and when he did, he was thrown out more times (seven) than he was successful (six). Just three years earlier, in his MVP-winning season of 2013, McCutchen had advanced from first base to third base on nearly half the singles his teammates hit. He did so only 17% of the time last year—just five times all season. He went first-to-third less than slow-footed and 173 other players.

How could McCutchen, with short leads and poor jumps, show such bad body language on the bases? As he revealed to me recently, it was because his slump at the plate so wore on him mentally.

“The mental side of that was big,” McCutchen said. “That came with it, with not hitting. Not being on base as much as I am. The times I was on base, I didn’t want to ruin it. Like I said, that’s the mental side of it. I got on? Awesome. Okay, let’s steal this base. Ah … I haven’t been over here for a while. It’s been a couple of games. Last thing I need is to get a bad jump and get thrown out .

“So I was thinking about all the negatives as opposed to thinking about being able to use my speed to get to the next bag. A lot of times I would just say, ‘Ah, I’ll just take it easy because I just want to give [Gregory] Polanco that hole, or I want him to take a swing, I want him to hit, and there’s two outs, I don’t want to be thrown out for the third out. So I’ll just hang out.’ I would say stuff like that. I’m a guy who has a .400 on base percentage. I’m a guy who gets on base. So when I get that opportunity I’ll take that next bag. I was barely at .300 last year, so that takes a toll on myself. It takes a toll on the mental side. A lot of times it becomes a little harder. I’m just not getting on base enough to run.”

The curious case of Andrew McCutchen is one of the great mysteries of this 2017 season. This is a story of when good players go bad.

Will McCutchen bounce back? How could one of the most dynamic, reliable and best

16 players in baseball, in his age-29 season, suddenly look so woeful last year? What kind of a future does he have in Pittsburgh, after the Pirates shopped him on the trade market all winter, unceremoniously demoted him from centerfield to rightfield for this season and will take calls on him every day until the July 31 trade deadline to end what once looked like one of the best franchise/player marriages in the game?

“It doesn’t bother me. It’s a business,” McCutchen said about his uncertain future in Pittsburgh. “I’m still here. I’m in the big leagues. A lot of times we have expectations of something, and a lot times those expectations don’t end the way we want them to, and you take a detour route sometimes. That’s all I did. But I know I have a destination, and [that route] is still going to lead me to my destination. This year I’m just kind of sitting in the driver’s seat, following the signs, knowing I’m going to get there eventually.”

It hardly sounded like an eager renewal of marriage vows. McCutchen is signed for this season at $14 million. The Pirates have a club option on him for next season at $14.5 million. His stay with Pittsburgh, the team that drafted him with the No. 11 pick in the 2005 draft, may come to an end before the season does if he's traded.

The idea of a contract extension is outlandish. Why? Start with this: The Pirates are the only franchise in baseball that never has a signed a player for more than $60 million in guaranteed salary. The biggest investment the franchise has ever made in a player went to catcher Jason Kendall 17 years ago , when they signed him to a $60 million extension. You also don’t move your franchise player out of his natural position and dangle him on the trade market if you’re looking to keep him long term.

So the Pirates hope for their sake and for his trade value that McCutchen bounces back in the first half of this season. We’ll get an early indication of his skills starting this week, when he plays for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic.

“I’m getting myself in game shape: stealing bases, running the bases, going from first to third,” McCutchen said. “I need to be doing all those now. I can’t be waiting to do that. I jumped at the opportunity to play [in the WBC]. I’m looking forward to going. I’m ready to go—ready to get after it.”

17

What happened to McCutchen last season? Did he lose his explosiveness? Was he secretly hurt? Did he get stale playing in Pittsburgh as the team continues to churn through young players and second-tier free agents?

Let’s dismiss something first: He wasn’t hurt last year. McCutchen did play through a thumb injury briefly in midseason, but by then he was deep into his funk. When I asked him about reports I heard that he played through a hip injury—he happened to be receiving pre-game heat treatment on his back as I spoke with him—McCutchen said they were not true.

“No,” he said. “Hey, my 60% is better than anything. Playing hurt and playing injured are two different things. We’re going to have those things that don’t feel too good, but if you can do it, you do it. The last thing I want is to lay my head on the pillow and say, ‘I could have played, I could have done more.’ If I’m not physically able to get out there, then I won’t be out there. But if I’m capable, I will be.”

ADVERTISING inRead invented by Teads

So what happened? McCutchen posted career-worst rates for strikeouts (21.2%) and walks (10.2). His slash-line numbers also hit bottom (.256/.336/.430). He didn’t hit the ball nearly as hard in 2016 (90.3 mph average exit velocity, ranking 61st) as he did in '15 (91.3, good for 23rd). He hit the lowest ground-ball rate of his career, and his batting average on those grounders dropped from .315 in his career entering the season to .254.

“It started in spring training,” said one teammate. “He hit some bombs, like nine of them. It looked like he was trying to be the man, to supply the power for the team. But that’s not really his game. His game is slashing line drives.”

A heavy rotational hitter, McCutchen was late to the baseball, sapping his power and leading to more swings-and-misses. His defense deteriorated in centerfield, even though manager Clint Hurdle boasted in midseason that McCutchen was playing “the best centerfield of his career, without a doubt.” It was a lie, and the team knew it. The team had used analytics to convince McCutchen to play a deeper centerfield last year, but the move

18 backfired. According to Fangraphs' Defensive Runs Saved statistic, McCutchen was far worse in 2016 (-28 runs) than he had been the year before (-8).

By the end of July, with McCutchen looking lost with a .241 batting average and a .719 OPS, Hurdle benched him for a series against the Braves to give him a break. From that point on he hit .284 and posted an .852 OPS, not far from his .298 and .844 career marks entering the season. Yet there were other signs that this was not simply a case of somebody hitting the ball hard but having bad luck. McCutchen had 22 infield hits in 2014 but only 11 last year. He popped up to the infield 24 times—more than the double the 10 he hit in the previous year.

“A lot of times when you talk about the swing, in order to have the swing that you want, or when you’re putting out a swing that you don’t want, a lot of times it doesn’t have to do with the swing itself,” McCutchen said. “A lot of times it has to do with the mental side of it. And it has a lot to do with the physical side, as far as your preparation, your setup, all those things.

“If I’m going to shoot a free throw and my legs are stiff and I’m missing, it has nothing to do with my shot. It has more to do with because I’m stiff. I need to be a little more flexible in my legs to be able to get myself in position to make a better shot. In baseball, maybe it has nothing to do with my swing. Maybe it’s my setup that’s making me take that swing, and if I want to get deeper than that, what am I thinking about? So these are just small things I had to adjust, and I had to make those adjustments throughout the season. I definitely had more time to meditate on it in the off-season. It’s all for better, though.”

Over/under: Which MLB teams will beat or fall short of their 2017 expectations?

McCutchen did look more like his old self after his benching, especially in September and October (.287/.373/.513). Here’s what I noticed: He changed his setup. Early in the season, he set up with the bat resting on his shoulder and raised it as soon as the pitcher began his delivery. In September, he waited with the bat off his shoulder and rocked his hands slightly

19 to create some rhythm as he waited.

“There were some adjustments I made throughout the season,” he said. "I was able to have a decent September, and I was able to take that into the off-season.”

McCutchen did take a two-week break in the off-season to travel to Europe, visiting Rome, Florence, Siena, Venice and Paris. But his first order of business was to get his explosiveness back, training at IMG in Bradenton.

“I got with some trainers and said, ‘This is what I need to do: I need to get stronger, I need to get quicker,’” he said. “A lot of stuff that I needed this off-season was a lot of explosive workouts to get myself back to where I know I can be on the base paths and my breaks in the outfield—just working on my first two steps, because that’s the difference between safe or out, the difference between making a play in the outfield or missing one.”

So does McCutchen look any better this spring? In five games, he has hit .308/.286/.462 with one stolen base and no homers, but that's too small of a sample to be meaningful. In his own mind, however, McCutchen knows he’s better than last year, and better even from his strong September finish.

“I’ve learned from September," he said. "I learned from the season. I was better before spring training even started, before I even swung a bat, before I even met all my teammates. I was already in a better place.

“Even, say, if I didn’t have a great September, I would walk away from that situation a lot better because you’re going to grow through that. You’re going to take it one of two ways: Either you take it as a bad thing, or you take some good out of that bad to make yourself a better hitter, and that’s what I did. When things are going great, great. When they’re not so good, I know how to handle it and make that adjustment as soon as possible.

“I knew coming out here I was going to be all right, that I was going to be good. I’m going to be better than I have been. So I’m just looking forward to going out there and keep pushing, keep learning and adjusting, and having a lot of fun doing it.”

20

ESPN.com Most important jobs up for grabs in spring training Buster Olney

An undercurrent of frustration exists among team staffers these days as they wait for their players to return from service in the World Baseball Classic. Decisions about roster spots and starting spots must be made soon, but some candidates are playing for WBC teams, while others are competing against depleted lineups and pitching staffs in exhibition games. The most informed decisions are not possible in the current context.

"You spend all winter putting together a team," said one evaluator, "and then you don’t get to see them on the field together. It’s a little ..."

His voice trailed off without adding the last pejorative. He meant to say: frustrating or aggravating or nuts.

All teams must cope with the same challenge as they build their rosters for Opening Day of the 2017 season, and circumstances push evaluators toward the governing dynamics that mostly steer decisions this time of year: money and experience.

Some of the most notable jobs up for grabs:

Dodgers' No. 4 and No. 5 spots in rotation

Three spots are accounted for among manager Dave Roberts’ starting pitchers: , newly paid Rich Hill and Kenta Maeda. The Dodgers seem to have as many candidates for those final two rotation spots as the University of Kentucky has assistant basketball coaches -- lots and lots. Brandon McCarthy has looked good so far this spring, overcoming the surprising case of the yips that seemed to overcome him last year. With McCarthy in Year 3 of his four- year, $48 million deal, the Dodgers will probably give him a full shot to re-establish himself, so long as he’s healthy. The same is true with Hyun-Jin Ryu, who turns 30 in a couple of weeks. He is owed $15.7 million for 2017 and 2018, after making just one appearance the past couple of years. If he’s throwing well, it makes sense for the Dodgers to capitalize on his value and hope that he can get back to being the type of pitcher he was in 2013 and '14, when he had a 3.15 ERA in 56 starts. By employing McCarthy and Ryu in the rotation early in the season, the Dodgers could slow- play Julio Urias in April and May. The promising left-hander, so vital to the pitching staff last year, will work under an innings restriction in 2017. If the Dodgers hold him back early in the season, he will be freed to pitch more later in the season, as the inevitable injuries manifest.

21

Scott Kazmir has had hip trouble this spring and may start the year on the disabled list. is also in the mix to start, work out of the bullpen or become a trade chip. The Dodgers needed 15 pitchers to make starts last season, so they will not give away starting pitching. Tigers’ center fielder

With less than three weeks to go until Opening Day, the competition for the spot is wide open. Sources say the Tigers don’t have a strong idea yet of who will be their center fielder, only that their general priority is defense. JaCoby Jones has had a good spring so far, but he has less than 100 games above Double-A and the Tigers might prefer to return him to the minors. Tyler Collins has been nursing a minor injury. Mikie Mahtook hasn’t hit well this spring -- he started 2-for-27 -- but has had most of his at-bats against right-handers, and the team’s evaluators want to see him with more at-bats against left-handers. Veteran Anthony Gose is viewed as a solid defender, and Alex Presley and Juan Perez are also in the mix, along with Andrew Romine, who has played well in the field. It’s also possible that the solution will be found in the trade market: The Tigers intend to evaluate opportunities that develop as other teams make center fielders available via trade or waivers.

Matt Cain has a 5.70 ERA in 34 games over the past two seasons. Kyle Terada/USA TODAY Sports Giants' No. 5 starter

The Giants will owe Matt Cain $28.5 million for his 2017 salary and a buyout of his 2018 option, so they are prepared to open the season with Cain filling the final spot in their rotation to see if he can provide some return for their investment. Cain has really struggled the last two seasons, with a 5.70 ERA in 34 games, and his numbers this spring are ugly: 16 hits and 12 runs in 10 1/3 innings. So Giants staffers are keeping open minds about reversing course and turning to Ty Blach, the 26-year-old lefty who won a pivotal game against the Dodgers in September. Even if Cain opens the year as the No. 5 starter, the Giants probably won’t wait long to make a change if he gets hit around in his early starts. Yankees’ back end of rotation

Masahiro Tanaka, CC Sabathia and Michael Pineda will lead the rotation. The Yankees will need to identify the last two starters from a group that includes Adam Warren, Luis Cessa, Luis Severino, Chad Green and Bryan Mitchell. Warren and Cessa might be the front-runners halfway through camp, but the Yankees would love for two of the candidates to assert themselves and seize the opportunity. If that doesn’t happen, they could opt for experience. A factor that gives the Yankees a lot of flexibility in choosing among the candidates: They all

22 have options remaining to be sent to the minor leagues.

Giants' left fielder

San Francisco has some veterans who are getting evaluated for duty in left field, including Mike Morse, Justin Ruggiano, Chris Marrero, Aaron Hill and Gordon Beckham. In the end, the competition may come down to the choice that manager Bruce Bochy spoke about in the winter: left-handed hitting Jarrett Parker, who is 28 years old and had a .358 on-base percentage in 127 at-bats last year, or the powerful Mac Williamson, who is 26 years old and had six homers in 112 at-bats in 2016. The choice might come down to the fact that Parker cannot be sent back to the minors without passing through waivers, and Williamson still can. Because teams prefer to maintain as much flexibility as possible with the maintenance of their rosters, this factor may work in favor of Parker.

Cubs' No. 5 spot in rotation

Because of how much work Jon Lester and Jake Arrieta have logged the last two years, and because John Lackey is 38 years old and has logged nearly 3,000 innings in his career, the Cubs’ front office intends to build in rest for the top of the rotation during the 2017 season. So whether the No. 5 starter turns out to be Mike Montgomery, Eddie Butler or Brett Anderson, it figures that the Cubs will find a way to keep as much experienced starting pitching in the organization as possible; all three will probably be needed to make starts during the year. Montgomery has gotten good results so far, starting three games, walking two and striking out six in four innings. Anderson has not, with nine hits and four runs allowed in five innings. Butler’s performance has been intriguing to some evaluators in his first season out of the Rockies organization, and the Cubs have a long history of helping pitchers who have struggled elsewhere, most notably Arrieta.

Royals' second baseman

The Royals have a range of options at this spot, including Christian Colon, one of the heroes in 2015; Whit Merrifield, who had 332 plate appearances in the big leagues last season; and Cheslor Cuthbert, who mostly played third base last season in the absence of Mike Moustakas. Raul Mondesi Jr. is intriguing to the staff because he is probably the best defender of the candidates, and he possesses game-changing speed. In the minors and majors last year, he stole 33 bases in 35 attempts. The Royals aren’t sure whether the 21-year-old will be able to hit enough to win the job. So far this spring, it’s been all good -- Mondesi is hitting over .400. The

23

Royals might prefer to keep Merrifield in more of a utility role.

ESPN.com Players facing make-or-break season David Schoenfield

I'm calling this a list of make-or-break seasons, although I'm using that in broad terms. For some guys, yes, their careers as starters may be on the line. For others, it's about taking their games to the next level or simply holding on to their current roles.

No matter how you label it, these are some of the more intriguing players to watch in 2017.

EDITOR'S PICKS • The breakout hitters no one else is expecting From a center fielder ready to be known for more than his glove to a sweet-swinging shortstop who could win MVP, all signs point to these seven players posting better-than-expected stats.

• MLB spring training 2017 Follow all the action and news from the Cactus and Grapefruit leagues in Arizona and , respectively. Archie Bradley, P, Arizona Diamondbacks Age: 24 2016: 5.02 ERA, 141 2/3 IP, 154 H, 67 BB, 143 SO, 1.0 WAR

Bradley's season had some bright spots, mostly notably striking out more than a batter per inning. He also made 33 starts and pitched 180 innings between Triple-A and the majors. With Arizona, however, he was still too hittable -- batters hit .308 and slugged .503 against his fastball -- and he still walked too many guys, his problem throughout his minor league career. He's just 24, but for him to reach that top-of-the-rotation potential he flashed when he was a top-10 prospect in the game, he needs to throw more strikes and command the fastball. Is this a bad time to mention he allowed six runs in 1 1/3 innings on March 7? He did bounce back with better results Sunday, with no walks -- although he gave up five hits and three runs -- in four innings.

Prediction: He's a little better than last year, lowering his ERA to 4.50, then appears on this list again.

Nick Castellanos, 3B,

24

Age: 25 2016: .285/.331/.496, 18 HR, 28 BB, 111 SO, 1.6 WAR

On the surface, Castellanos had a breakout season, despite a hand injury that limited him to 110 games. Let me quote Tony Blengino, however, from his hitter contact report at FanGraphs: "He's one of the weaker ground ball strikers in the game. That fly ball rate simply isn't sustainable over the long haul. His K/BB profile is bad, and hasn't been getting better with time. On balance, what do we have here? Players who hit their fly balls harder than their liners and their liners harder than their grounders are usually old players on their way out. This scares me about his long-term future."

On top of that, Castellanos remains a below-average defender at third base. The Tigers don't have anybody better right now, and with Victor Martinez under contract for two more seasons, you can't move him to DH or first base just yet. But unless that K/BB ratio improves, I'm skeptical he'll get better at the plate. Prediction: His triple-slash numbers regress a bit, although with a full season he hits 25 home runs.

Corey Dickerson, OF/DH, Tampa Bay Rays Age: 27 2016: .245/.293/.469, 24 HR, 33 BB, 134 SO, 1.5 WAR

Dickerson showed his power can play outside Coors Field, but he didn't show he's a .300 hitter outside Coors Field. The Rays acquired Colby Rasmus and Mallex Smith in the offseason -- both much better defensive outfielders -- so Dickerson probably slots primarily at DH. If he can't hit lefties (.589 OPS in 2016) and can't improve that walk rate, a platoon DH with a sub-.300 OBP isn't the type of player today's front offices are clamoring to get on their rosters. Prediction: By the end of the season, Rasmus and Smith end up playing regularly in the outfield with Kevin Kiermaier, and Dickerson is traded in July. Avisail Garcia, RF, Age: 25 2016: .245/.307/.385, 12 HR, 34 BB, 115 SO, 0.8 WAR

I never liked Garcia as a prospect, and his career has unfolded pretty much as I expected: not enough power, not enough walks, not enough defense. Not much of anything really. He doesn't turn 26 until June, so we can at least cut him some slack there. On most teams, he's a backup outfielder or Triple-A fodder, but the White Sox are so thin in the outfield that Garcia will apparently get another chance to play. Frankly, I don't get it. He had 32 extra-base hits in 553 at-bats in 2015, 32 in 413 at-bats in 2016. Nobody is calling him "Mini Miggy" any longer.

25

Prediction: He sucks up 500 at-bats and still stinks. The White Sox non-tender him in the offseason.

Eric Hosmer, 1B, Age: 27 2016: .266/.328/.433, 25 HR, 57 BB, 132 SO, 1.0 WAR

This is a different type of make-or-break player, as Hosmer is obviously an established major leaguer. As he heads into free agency, however, he needs to prove he's worthy of the $100 million-plus contract that agent Scott Boras will undoubtedly seek. Hosmer hit a career-high 25 home runs last year, but it came with a drop in his OBP and a rise in his strikeouts. He has yet to show he can hit for a high average and produce power. He has real power, but his problem: He simply hits too many ground balls. Only Howie Kendrick had a higher rate of ground balls among regulars last season. Unless Hosmer can retool his swing and add more loft, he'll remain a second-tier first baseman. Prediction: He doesn't get a $100 million contract.

Joe Kelly, P, Age: 28 2016: 5.18 ERA, 40 IP, 44 H, 24 BB, 48 SO, minus-0.2 WAR

The Cardinals and then the Red Sox had lusty dreams about Kelly's potential as a starter because of his mid-90s sinking fastball, but while he showed glimpses of hope, he was never able to develop any consistency with his secondary pitches. After posting a 4.82 ERA as a starter in 2015, Kelly had an 8.46 ERA in his first six starts of 2016. Shipped to the minors, he returned as a reliever, pumping upper-90s gas and allowing two runs over 17 2/3 innings with 21 strikeouts. He has a chance to be a dominant reliever -- assuming the Red Sox aren't tempted to put him back in the rotation.

Prediction: He remains in the bullpen, turns into a multi-inning relief weapon with a sub-2.50 ERA, and the Red Sox have the best bullpen in the AL with Craig Kimbrel, Kelly and Tyler Thornburg. Jimmy Nelson, P, Age: 27 2016: 4.62 ERA, 179 1/3 IP, 186 H, 86 BB, 140 SO, 0.4 WAR

Nelson has two full seasons in the majors now, and he led the majors last year in walks and hit batters (tied with Chris Sale). He has the same control problems as Bradley, but without Bradley's rate, so he has to prove he's going to be part of Milwaukee's future and not

26 just a placeholder until prospects such as Josh Hader emerge. Nelson's consistency remains a huge issue as he had eight starts in which he allowed six-plus runs and pitched five innings or fewer. Prediction: He is who we thought he is. More of the same.

Martin Perez, P, Texas Rangers Age: 25 2016: 4.39 ERA, 198 2/3 IP, 205 H, 76 BB, 103 SO, 1.8 WAR

He has appeared in parts of five big league seasons and still doesn't turn 26 until April.

I've always liked watching him pitch and have envisioned some good things for his future, but it's hard to look past that poor strikeout rate. Yes, he gets a lot of ground balls with that sinker and changeup, but it's almost impossible to succeed in this era striking out fewer than five men per nine (let alone walking 3.4 guys per nine).

Prediction: He improves his strikeout rate a bit, but the overall results remain about the same.

Michael Pineda, P, Age: 28 2016: 4.82 ERA, 175 2/3 IP, 184 H, 53 BB, 207 SO, 1.2 WAR

Pineda has just three-plus seasons in the majors, but he's an impending free agent after missing two full seasons early in his career. You know the story here: great strikeout rate, bad hit rate. In the Baseball-Reference version of WAR, which is based on runs allowed, he was a below- average pitcher. In the FanGraphs version of WAR, he was a top-25 starter worth 3.2 WAR.

But this is two seasons in a row in which his ERA was a run higher than his FIP. When he gets to two strikes, he has that wipeout slider, but too often he leaves fat fastballs in the middle of the zone and gives up way too much hard contact. Pineda's career isn't on the line or anything, but he has to show he's more than a guy who racks up K's like an ace but gives up a runs like a No. 4 starter.

Prediction: He improves the fastball command, cuts down on the home runs and extra-base hits, wins 22 games, the Cy Young Award and Game 7 of the World Series. (Just seeing if Yankees fans are paying attention.)

Yasiel Puig, RF, Age: 26

27

2016: .263/.323/.416, 11 HR, 24 BB, 74 SO, 1.4 WAR

Right? The Dodgers can't keep waiting forever on him to find his 2013-14 level of production. His OPS has declined three years in a row, even as offense has increased around the game. He hit off-speed stuff well his first two seasons, but has been more susceptible the past two years. His numbers are still good against inside fastballs, but poor against fastballs away. As everyone has suggested, this appears to be more about approach and adjustments than a decline in skill. He probably doesn't hit the ball in the air enough to be a 25-homer guy, but I'm not quite ready to give up on some of the potential here.

Prediction: I'd like to say he makes the necessary adjustments, but I think he ends up with a slash line similar to the one above and then gets traded in the offseason.

Justin Smoak, 1B, Age: 30 2016: .217/.314/.391, 14 HR, 40 BB, 112 SO, minus-0.4 WAR

This one cracks me up. Smoak is still getting opportunities? Just recently Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said Smoak is the team's preference to play regularly at first base. Now, maybe that's just something a GM says. After all, Smoak has nearly 3,000 plate appearances in the majors and his career wRC-plus remains below average. Not below average for a first baseman, below-average for all hitters. He's not good, and he's not young.

Yet, here he is, still in the majors. Jeff Sullivan even wrote a piece outlining possible optimism for Smoak. He looked at things like Smoak's exit velocity, launch angles and contact rates, and the most similar hitter was Freddie Freeman. The second-most comparable was Mark Trumbo. Kris Bryant was further down the list. It's a list of mostly good hitters plus Justin Smoak. Something doesn't add up there. When he makes contact, Smoak simply doesn't drive the ball. In Seattle, he was known as the king of the warning-track fly ball. Anyway, I'm not expecting a breakout, and I suspect this may be the last we see of Smoak as a regular or semiregular. Prediction: Steve Pearce plays more games at first base.

Kolten Wong, 2B, St. Louis Cardinals Age: 26 2016: .240/.327/.355, 5 HR, 34 BB, 52 SO, 1.5 WAR

I thought Wong might be an All-Star by now. Instead, he has gone backwards. It didn't help the way he was handled in 2016: He spent time in Triple-A, spent a few misguided weeks in center

28 field even though he's a plus defender at second base and seemed lost at the plate much of the season. He did improve his walk rate, and he has contact ability and has shown pop in the past for a smaller player. I still think there's some upside here, but the Cardinals have other options at second base if Mike Matheny's patience wears thin.

Prediction: I think he rediscovers his bat and holds on to the second-base job, although he won't turn into an All-Star-level player.

29