SF Giants Press Clips Saturday, March 4, 2017

San Francisco Chronicle Giants’ Posey returns from sore neck to start busy weekend Henry Shulman

MESA, Ariz. — was in a fun mood Friday morning when he went all Maxwell Smart on reporters who asked if it would be interesting to face longtime batterymate Sergio Romo and that Frisbee in a later round of the World Baseball Classic. “It would be a chess match, for sure,” Posey said, “just because I feel I know his tendencies and he probably knows that I know his tendencies. So it would be a matter of me trying to figure out if he’s still going to pitch to those tendencies or if he’s going to go away from those tendencies, or if he thinks that I might. ... I know he might go away from his tendencies.”

“Does that help?” he asked.

Once Posey emerged from the Cone of Silence (which was not working properly), he explained that the “old-man neck” stiffness that sidelined him for two games was better and he outlined his busy plans for the weekend to make up for lost time before leaving for the tournament Monday.

He started by catching five innings and going 0-for-2 with a walk in Friday’s 6-1 loss to the A’s. Posey plans to be the DH in Saturday’s road game against the Royals and catch in Sunday’s home game against Kansas City.

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That could provide Posey as many as 10 plate appearances in three games to add to the four he had before Friday.

“When I’ve been in there I’ve felt good,” Posey said. “I haven’t felt like I’m fatiguing. This will be a good gauge, playing three days in a row.”

Posey remains hitless and will have little time to prepare for the international competition. The U.S. team’s first game in pool play comes Friday against Colombia. Posey could add at-bats in exhibitions against the Twins on Wednesday and Red Sox on Thursday.

Posey could be away from the Giants for as little as a week, in the unlikely event the U.S. fails to advance out of its pool. If it reaches the final game, Posey would not return before March 23, 10 days before the regular-season at Arizona.

Giants will lose their catcher for as long as 2½ weeks. Jeff Samardzija, who started Friday, said that’s unusual, but not a concern because the pitchers know Posey and vice versa.

“The good thing is all of us guys threw to him last year, obviously () and Bum even longer than that,” Samardzija said. “We just look forward to him representing the country well and coming back healthy. Hopefully he’ll have fun.”

Sharp Shark: Samardzija looked the best of any starter thus far in 22/3 excellent innings. “He was really good,” manager said. “Buster said the same thing.”

Samardzija allowed an opposite-field solo homer on a 2-0 fastball to Yonder Alonso, the only one of the 10 batters he faced to hit the ball hard. Samardzija had no walks and three .

“It was pretty surprising the way (the ball) was coming out there from the beginning,” Samardzija said. “We worked all our pitches in. As a whole, I’m really happy with getting ahead in the count and putting guys away. For spring training, it’s a good outing.”

Cueto update: Johnny Cueto was flying to Arizona on Friday and was scheduled to land in the

2 late afternoon. He will take his physical and meet with the staff Saturday. Briefly: , also headed to the WBC, is 2-for-14, but for seven innings he had the Giants’ only hit, a hard grounder in the second inning that hit third base and landed in left field. ... With spring training nearly three weeks along and still so many games left, Bochy canceled workouts and batting practice for those who made the trip to face the A’s, hoping they would be fresh. It did not work. The Giants had three hits.

San Francisco Chronicle The WBC: Expand your mind and enjoy Bruce Jenkins

A great event is about to unfold, although some critics prefer other descriptions, such as “wasteful” and “ill-timed.” It’s the World Baseball Classic, a world in which the United States barely fits — and it’s no problem at all.

To major-league teams, the WBC is a threat, an annoyance and a distraction. There’s a constant fear of someone getting hurt, and the team — supposedly a country at its very best — never looks quite right. Those fears are entirely justified, by the way. Imagine the likes of Mike Trout , , Madison Bumgarner , , Josh Donaldson , Jake Arrieta or Noah Syndergaard getting seriously injured in a springtime event against China or Australia. The residue: None of those players will appear for the U.S. If you can’t get interested in a team featuring Nolan Arenado , Paul Goldschmidt , Brandon Crawford , Buster Posey , Chris Archer and Daniel Murphy , just look elsewhere — because that’s the entire point. Everywhere else in the world, this is a very big deal. Here at the 3-Dot Lounge, not a minute of action will be missed involving Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Mexico, Japan, Venezuela or the Netherlands. Stock the semifinals with any four of those teams, and it’s a dream scenario. There are assorted regrets. , a long-standing legend for his feats with the Venezuelan team, will concentrate on winning back his third-base job with the Red Sox. Cuba refuses to send its defectors-turned-MLB stars, leaving Yoenis Céspedes ’ younger brother, Yoelkis , as perhaps its most intriguing player (he’s 19, built like an NFL running back

3 and is known for his tremendous throwing arm). The noble Ichiro Suzuki has played his last international game for Japan. And there’s a 22-year-old Japanese superstar named Shohei Otani who reportedly threw 100 mph-plus fastballs as a and hit .322 with 22 homers for the Nippon-Ham Fighters last year. Alas, Otani, originally on Japan’s roster, won’t play because of an ankle injury, so it’s a grand opportunity lost. Not a bother, for there’s so much else going on. The Dutch team is one of eternal fascination, thanks largely to the Netherlands’ Caribbean constituent countries of Aruba and Curacao. Four years ago, its WBC team unveiled infielders Xander Bogaerts, Andrelton Simmons , Jonathan Schoop and Jurickson Profar . They all return, along with yet another top infielder ( Didi Gregorius ), a power-hitting legend on the international scene ( Wladimir Balentien of Curacao) and knighted manager Sir Hensley “Bam- Bam” Meulens , who takes great pride in this brief departure from the Giants’ coaching staff. Its delightful to imagine Sergio Romo hearing the roars of a home-country crowd as he stares down Puerto Rico’s Carlos Correa , and Javier Baez during the first round of games in Jalisco, Mexico. The Dominican Republic’s “heart of the order” never really ends with Jose Bautista , Adrian Beltre , Robinson Cano , Nelson Cruz , and Carlos Santana available. The D.R. reliever asked to a theatrical gem by Johnny Cueto — should he join the WBC after the first round — just might be his old teammate, Santiago Casilla . Venezuela looks typically magnificent with , Jose Altuve , Carlos Gonzalez , Felix Hernandez and many others, managed by Hall of Fame-bound Omar Vizquel . For the U.S., action starts in Miami with the four-team Group C (including Canada, Colombia and the Dominican) March 9-13. Perhaps the WBC doesn’t sound like much. Invest a bit of time, and you may feel differently.

Spice it up New 49ers general manager John Lynch says he’s in favor of resurrecting the annual exhibition game against the Raiders. Absolutely. We’d love to see the NFL take it a step further and make it a staple on the regular-season schedule as long as the team stays in Oakland ... For those pondering a 49ers quarterback landscape without Colin Kaepernick but adding rookie Davis Webb from the draft: Not a chance for Kaepernick nostalgia. Never forget that Webb had great receivers and a pass-crazy offense at Cal, but he has a beautiful touch and throws a great long ball ... So I’m vacationing in Hawaii, checking our the local Oceanic Cable, and there’s an option

4 to subscribe to the Pac-12 Networks — a luxury not enjoyed by DirecTV customers. At least somebody does it right ... Sorry to see KNBR eliminate its periodic sports updates, citing fans’ obsession with cell phones but apparently forgetting that a lot of people listen while driving. Truth be told, those interludes did need some work. It’s not an “update” when your lead items are “49ers took a tough loss yesterday” or “big game for the Warriors tonight.” ... Word out of Tampa Bay is that beloved ex-Giant has recovered steadily from his surgically repaired Achilles tendon but may not be ready for Opening Day ... Nice to hear Duane Kuiper and Mike Krukow back on the air (for Giants-Dodgers on Wednesday), especially when Kuiper drops those gentle reminders to : Don’t defy the shifts, use them to your advantage ... When Scott Ostler joined The Chronicle in 1992, it seemed like some sort of miracle. He had put himself in the company of an old Los Angeles Times colleague, Jim Murray , as the greatest humorists in sportswriting. Murray’s passing left Scott alone in that category, far ahead of the field, and he just picked up his 14th California Sportswriter of the Year award. Those voters have good taste.

San Jose Mercury News Giants notes: Trevor Brown embraces chance to grow as a catcher, Jeff Samardzija sharp, etc. Andrew Baggarly

MESA, Ariz. – As Buster Posey prepares to depart Giants camp for the World Baseball Classic, the innings behind the plate are about to pick up for backup catchers Nick Hundley and Trevor Brown.

It’s more a collaboration than a competition. Hundley has a guaranteed contract and is on the team. Brown’s only hope to make the opening day roster is if the Giants decide to carry a third catcher – a luxury that Manager Bruce Bochy covets every spring but seemingly never can afford.

The Giants had plans to increase Brown’s versatility, but they have too many other non-roster infielders in camp. So he’s been taking ground balls at second and third on his own time, just in case.

ADVERTISING Brown knows he almost certainly will begin the season at Triple-A Sacramento, but he sees the positives in that assignment. He’s never had the chance to catch advanced pitching on an everyday basis, and his receiving skills can only get better.

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“When you move up to Triple-A and the big leagues, it’s a big step to catch pitchers who have that additional movement and velocity,” Brown said. “I’m definitely more comfortable with it now. It’s something I worked at in the offseason.”

The next step is to work on his pitch framing skills, and Posey is one of the best in the league. Brown, Hundley and Posey spent a chunk of time the other day during drills talking about framing pitches to a catcher’s glove side, and how to present curveballs down and away to make them look a little better to an umpire.

“Veteran umpires, they know,” Brown said. “If your glove moves, it’s not a strike. I know people quantify that, and I’m not sure how they do it. But it can definitely change an at-bat. There’s a world of difference between a 2-1 count and a 1-2 count.”

Here’s something that is easier to quantify: Brown threw out all three runners who tried to steal against him on Thursday against the Angels. They were the first three opportunities he had of the spring to throw out runners. He was especially pleased that all three came with no outs and a runner at first base.

“Sure, it gives me a confidence boost,” Brown said. “It’s nice to help the pitcher out, too. That’s so huge. You’re helping them work a much easier inning.”

Brown knows he cannot knock Hundley off the roster. Oddly enough, though, he knocked Hundley out of action for a week in an April 18 game at Coors Field last season. Brown fouled a ball straight back off the Rockies’ Jake McGee and it hit Hundley’s mask with such force that it flew off.

Hundley was diagnosed with a mild concussion and spent a week on the disabled list.

“Yeah, it’s not fun,” Hundley said. “Obviously, I’d rather get hit in the ribs or the extremities, but it’s a job hazard. You have to reassess all the time. And thankfully that one wasn’t too bad.”

Brown understands it’s a serious matter. He has had four concussions in his career.

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Jeff Samardzija has worked with Posey in both his spring starts, and they made a solid pair while the right-hander pitched 2 2/3 sharp innings against the A’s in Friday’s 6-1 exhibition loss at HoHoKam Stadium. Yonder Alonso hit a solo , but Samardzija struck out three and didn’t walk a batter.

“Shark was really good, and Buster said the same thing,” Bochy said. “The ne ball carried out to left, but he threw very well. He mixed it up well. That’s a good day for him.”

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Not only did Samardzija’s fastball have movement, but he spotted it to both sides of the plate.

“I was pretty surprised with the way the ball was coming out of my hand,” he said. “I’m not even upset about that (home run). It was a 2-0 heater and he back-spun it.”

What did Samardzija think about Posey leaving camp for a couple weeks?

“Anyone but Buster, you might be a little worried,” he said. “But he’s such a pro. He’ll be ready, and so will we.”

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The Giants have lost six consecutive exhibition games, and Bochy joked that bench coach brought the team no luck on his birthday. … Brandon Crawford doubled off the third base bag for one of the Giants’ three hits. … First baseman Chris Marrero worked a walk and hit a 400-foot out. He continues to make the loudest contact in camp. …

MLB.com Slania hopes to build off strong 2016 season Chris Haft

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Dan Slania 's 6-foot-5, 275-pound frame makes him impossible to overlook in the Giants' clubhouse. More importantly, his performance has also commanded attention.

The mastodonic right-hander has steadily improved since the middle of last season, when he switched from relieving to starting. The Giants believed in Slania's ability enough to protect him on the 40-man roster. Having pitched at three levels last year ( Advanced, Double-A and Triple-A), Slania appears poised to take the next career step.

"He's a kid who can adapt and make changes as he goes," said Double-A Richmond pitching coach Steve Kline, a former Giants reliever. "He's not afraid to try things. He works hard the whole time and takes his job seriously. He's a breath of fresh air."

Kline nicknamed Slania "Mr. Incredible," because the 24-year-old's physical dimensions invite comparisons to the Disney cartoon superhero. Though "incredible" might be a slightly extreme description of Slania's 2016 ascent, "remarkable" isn't too far off.

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Slania began last year by recording a 5.32 ERA in 17 relief appearances with Richmond. Moved to the rotation, he compiled a 1.48 ERA in 10 starts.

Elevated to Triple-A for a July 31 start against Salt Lake City, Slania yielded one run and two hits while lasting seven innings for Sacramento. He went to Class A Advanced San Jose for five starts, before finishing the season back with Sacramento for another start, which he won with six innings of one-run ball against Fresno.

Drafted in the fifth round of the 2013 Draft out of the University of Notre Dame, Slania attributed his turnaround to establishing command of his off-speed pitches, a task that grew easier as a starter.

"It allowed me to work counts," said Slania, who struck out 111 and walked 35 in 119 2/3 innings in 2016. "Instead of being a thrower, I became a pitcher."

Slania possesses a balanced four-pitch repertoire, featuring a fastball, split-finger,curveball and slider. He said he relies on his fastball when he needs to get an out, but it's several other pitches that have impressed those around him. "That split-finger, it can get hard to catch sometimes," Giants catcher said. "It has a pretty vicious drop."

"His slider comes in harder, with late break," Kline said.

Slania's big body helps him impart force and movement on his pitches. "Being able to drive off the mound and push forward, and being able to get that downward action, that's what I use my size for," said Slania, the Giants' No. 21 prospect per MLBPipeline.com. "That helps out more than anything."

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MLB.com Samardzija solid in second spring staert vs. A’s Jane Lee

MESA, Ariz. -- The A's handed the Bay rival Giants their sixth consecutive loss, with help from solo homers by Ryon Healy and Yonder Alonso , in a 6-1 win at Hohokam Stadium on Friday afternoon. A's right-hander Kendall Graveman went two innings in his second Cactus League start, working around two baserunners in the second inning for a scoreless outing. Full Game Coverage Giants starter Jeff Samardzija was responsible for Alonso's second-inning home run, an opposite-field shot to left, but allowed just one other hit and struck out three in his 2 2/3 innings.

"In Spring Training, you're going to go in there and attack, and try to avoid the walks," Samardzija said. "As a whole, I'm really happy with getting ahead in the count and putting guys away. No walks, so for Spring Training, it's a good outing." Daniel Gossett , Oakland's No. 7 prospect per MLBPipeline.com, did his part with two scoreless innings, weaving his way through a Major League regular-heavy Giants lineup with ease. San Francisco was held to three total hits.

"I'll tell you what, he's really impressing," A's manager said of Gossett. "He's throwing the ball over the plate. They basically have their A-team out there, too. Our reports were really good on him. He comes as advertised." A's non-roster outfielder Kenny Wilson added a three-run shot in the seventh. Giants up next: Clayton Blackburn , who has had one strong outing and a subpar performance this spring, will start Saturday against the Royals in Surprise at 12:05 p.m. PT. Blackburn threw two scoreless innings on Feb. 24 against Cincinnati, then yielded three runs in two innings Monday against the Reds. Right-hander Kyle Crick also is scheduled to pitch. Athletics up next: Center fielder Rajai Davis will be in the leadoff spot Saturday when the A's welcome in his former Indians team for a 12:05 p.m. PT matchup at Hohokam Stadium. Left- hander gets the start for Oakland, his second this spring.

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MLB.com Posey returns to action, prepares for Classic Chris Haft

MESA, Ariz. -- As expected, Giants catcher Buster Posey shrugged off his neck stiffness and returned to the lineup Friday as he resumed preparing to represent the United States at the World Baseball Classic. Posey, who entered Friday with only four plate appearances this spring, nearly doubled that total in the Giants' 6-1 loss to the A's . He went 0-for-2 with a walk, as he is hitless in five at-bats so far. His neck issue sidelined him Wednesday -- when he was scratched from the lineup before a game against the Dodgers -- and again on Thursday.

"I had 'old-man neck' for a couple of days," Posey joked. Posey intends to get three plate appearances in each of the next two games, before he and Brandon Crawford head for Florida to join the rest of the U.S. squad for the Classic.

"Really, I'm going to end up being only one game short of what the original plan was," said Posey, who plans on serving as a designated hitter Saturday and catching at least five innings Sunday.

CSNbayarea.com Giants spring training day 19 Alex Pavlovic

MESA, Ariz. — The Giants haven’t done much right over the past week. They’ve lost six straight after opening the spring 3-0. They made six errors in a home game on Thursday. On Friday, they had three hits in a 6-1 loss to the A’s.

But there was a positive to take away from the game. With the exception of one pitch, Jeff Samardzija was sharp in 2 2/3 innings. In his second outing of the spring, Samardzija struck out three, allowing his lone run on a Yonder Alonso homer.

“Shark was really good,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “Buster said the same thing. The one ball carried out to left but he threw the ball very well. He mixed it up well. That’s a good day for him.”

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Samardzija was just as happy as his manager.

“I was pretty surprised with the way the ball was coming out of my hand,” he said. “I’m not even upset about that (homer). It was a 2-0 count and he got a heater and back-spun it out.”

Samardzija’s next start will be a bit different. He has thrown to Buster Posey both times out, but Posey will fly to Florida on Monday to take part in the World Baseball Classic.

“I can’t say it’s ever happened to me before,” Samardzija said his catcher leaving for a few weeks. “But I don’t think it’s an issue. Anyone but Buster, you might be a little worried, but he’s such a pro. He’ll be ready.”

ICYMI : Posey had missed two straight games with a stiff neck, but he said this morning that he’s feeling much better and he plans to play three straight this weekend. Posey caught five innings Friday and got three plate appearances, going 0-for-2 with a walk.

THROWBACK : It’s combine weekend, which led to some post-start discussion with Samardzija about the end of his football career. Samardzija never went to the combine, instead signing with the Cubs, but he surely would have done well. He said he hasn’t run the 40 since his sophomore year of college, when he posted a 4.53. Pretty strong for a 6-foot-5 wide receiver. By comparison, only three running backs at this year’s combine beat that time by more than a tenth of a second. Christian McCaffrey, the explosive Stanford back, ran a 4.48.

STOCK RISING: Players who were at Thursday’s road game said Chris Marrero had a deep fly ball that was hit even harder than his homer. The wind caught that one. Marrero crushed another deep out in his first at-bat Friday. He’s certainly swinging the hottest bat right now of the bench candidates. Marrero started at first base. One of his replacements, Ryder Jones, made the play of the day with a scoop of a brutal short-hop.

QUOTABLE : “We had a strap-it-on day, that didn’t work. It’s Ronny’s (Ron Wotus) birthday. That didn’t work.” — Bochy on his team losing six straight.

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CSNbayarea.com Posey feeling better, facing heavy workload in upcoming WBC Alex Pavlovic

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Several Giants veterans looked at the lineup Friday morning and noted that a start could mean an off day Saturday, when the Giants visit Surprise Stadium. Buster Posey is taking the longest trip in the Cactus League on purpose.

After missing two days with a stiff neck, Posey was in Friday’s lineup for a game against the A’s. He plans to start Saturday and Sunday, too, to make up for plate appearances and innings lost to the minor ailment. Posey, who will fly to Florida on Monday to start preparing for the World Baseball Classic, has just four plate appearances this spring.

“When I’ve been in the game, I’ve felt good,” he said. “I haven’t felt fatigued, so that’s a positive sign.”

Posey said the neck issue probably came from a bad night’s sleep.

“It was old man neck,” the 29-year-old said.

It’s likely that Johnny Cueto will officially pull out of at least the first round of the WBC on Saturday. That means he won’t face Posey and Brandon Crawford when Team USA faces the Dominican Republic on March 11.

“It would have been fun, but if it’s not going to work out, it’s not going to work out,” Posey said.

Posey could still face longtime teammate Sergio Romo at some point. Romo will pitch for Team Mexico.

“It would be a chess match for sure,” Posey said, before mentioning the word “tendencies” about eight different ways. In this case, that translates to “slider,” but to be ready for it Posey will need more at-bats. Thus, the three-game slate this weekend, and a trip to west side of the desert.

“Surprise!” he said, smiling. “I am.”

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ESPN.com Don’t look for Yoenis Cespedes to blend in this season Buster Olney

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Yoenis Cespedes is incapable of subtlety. He is someone who will show up on the first day of spring training at the wheel of a glittering custom-made car, and then in another the next day, and then another, and another -- a mechanic's dream -- before closing out the parade of rides on a buckskin horse. The Home Run Derby is baseball's test of relentless brawn -- big guys swinging as hard and as often as they possibly can over three hours -- so naturally Cespedes has won the event. Twice.

His best throws are never coach-approved and cutoff man high, but rather parabolic fireworks that leave gawking baserunners sprawled on the ground in disbelief.

So as Cespedes has rejoined his teammates this spring after a winter of devotion to weight training, it figures that the words teammates use to describe the newly constructed outfielder complement his legacy of shock and awe. Monster. Beast. Huge.

"Unbelievable," Mets hitting coach Kevin Long said the other day, as he relayed Cespedes feats of strength from the weight room. "Incredible."

Yoenis Cespedes hit his first home run of spring training on Thursday. Jasen Vinlove/USA TODAY Sports It’s as if someone melted muscle and then poured it into a Mets uniform. The most prominent feature of Cespedes’ new-built strength is around his neck -- his trapezius muscles, extending from the tops of his shoulders. But Long and players who have shared the weight room with him this spring talk about how strong his back and legs are after months of training.

Cespedes has lifted 1,000 pounds in a bear squat, others in the organization report -- maxing out the available weight the Mets possess for the machine. The team has a device that measures hand strength to 200 pounds per square inch.

"He does that no problem," Long said. "Like it’s nothing."

Last spring, Cespedes arrived at the Mets’ camp in good shape, but probably a little heavier than he was during the 2015 , with enough of a gut to catch the attention of a teammate who knows something about bellies. Bartolo Colon good-naturedly teased Cespedes in Spanish about being as chunky as the pitcher, and Cespedes retorted that power requires

13 some bulk. Since the end of last season, Cespedes’ body has changed; his habits have changed. He loves golf and has played a lot, but he has traded at least some of that time for an increased focus on weight training. A high-ranking baseball official believes the Mets' four-year, $110 million investment in Cespedes has provided peace of mind for him, guaranteeing stability for a player who had bounced from Oakland to Boston to Detroit to New York in a year's time. This might be why Cespedes has seemed more invested in those around him this spring, more intent on leading, more vocal. In the first batting practice sessions of spring, he nudged young players, teammates say, cajoling them to pick up the pace, to work a little harder. But because Cespedes is someone who will always draw attention -- especially this spring, with his staggering power -- teammates can't help but look. In late February, Long recalled, there was a group of players doing work in the indoor cages, and when Cespedes stepped in for his swings, Long said, "Everything stopped. Everybody stopped. To watch him."

Cespedes' increased strength won't mean anything, of course, unless he translates it into power, as he did Thursday when he clubbed his first homer of the spring -- not down the line, nor a business-as-usual shot to left-center field. Cespedes' home run went to straightaway center field, over the batter’s eye -- a big, big fly, a place only reachable for the uncommon. Of course. With the expectation of more superhuman feats to follow in the summer ahead.

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