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Home , Bruce Bochy, Christian Arroyo, Conor Gillaspie, Fred Lewis, Gary Brown (baseball), Gerry Davis (outfielder)

SF Giants Press Clips Friday, March 17, 2017

San Francisco Chronicle Giants’ : next piece of homegrown infield? John Shea

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The Giants love .

Theirs is one of the best in , . Their second baseman was drafted as a and converted in the minors, .

They drafted as a shortstop and taught him to play third base as a big-leaguer.

Last summer, they traded for Eduardo Nuñez, who had played mostly shortstop during his career but played third after Duffy was traded to Tampa Bay.

Heck, even played shortstop in college.

No wonder the Giants’ top hitting prospect is a shortstop. Not that Christian Arroyo is targeted to play the position in the big leagues, not with Mr. Crawford in the house.

Arroyo, who’s 21 going on 30, is the team’s of the future, and we’re not talking the distant future. It’s not unrealistic to imagine Arroyo playing third on in 2018, so long as he continues to excel on the fast track.

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“For me, they stressed the value of versatility,” Arroyo said at his Scottsdale Stadium locker. “Staying versatile is going to be huge.”

Arroyo was the Giants’ top draft pick in 2013 — he was salutatorian at Hernando High School in Brooksville, Fla. — and he signed after turning down a scholarship from , where he would have studied architectural engineering.

He’s plenty smart enough to realize his ticket to the big leagues might not be at his No. 1 position, and he’s perfectly fine with that.

“If you move around, I think it’s a little easier to move from short to other positions than from other positions to short,” Arroyo said, and he’d get no argument from Panik or Duffy.

Unlike Duffy, Arroyo’s good friend who predominantly played short in the minors, Arroyo already is moving around the infield. Last season at -A Richmond, he got 48 starts at short, 48 at third and 19 at second.

More of the same is expected this season at -A Sacramento, though third will be the focus.

“He’s already capable of handling all three positions,” general Bobby Evans said. “It’s really about getting his at-bats and facing higher-level pitching.”

With Crawford and Panik around long term, the only potential opening will be at third, where Nuñez is in a contract year. He could leave as a free agent after the season, creating a spot for Arroyo.

Then again, Nuñez has unique value on a team lacking team speed. He stole 40 bases last season and handled third nicely late in the year, at least until his hamstring injury that opened the door for ’s magnificent Division Series.

Arroyo must show progress, and the Giants must be willing to move on from Nuñez. That’s a long way off, and there’s always the possibility Arroyo could be sought by other teams at the

2 deadline — it wouldn’t be the first time.

Meantime, Arroyo will be one of the youngest players in the as he was in the Eastern League last year when he .274 with a .316 on-base percentage, three homers and 49 RBIs.

Not overly impressive numbers, but darned good for someone three years out of high school. It’s a tough hitters’ league, and Richmond has a tough hitters’ park. Arroyo’s 36 doubles ranked third in the league, and he’s expected to add pop as he physically matures.

“The front office guys were telling me power is the last tool to come for a high school guy and not to worry about it, just stay with my approach,” Arroyo said.

“I talked with Sabes () during the season, and he told me, ‘Get on base, swing at strikes and hit hard line drives to gaps.’ I said, ‘Yes, sir.’ I kind of kept that approach all year.”

Evans didn’t rule out Arroyo playing in this year, under the right circumstances, but the emphasis is succeeding at the Triple-A level.

“The front office guys know what they’re doing,” Arroyo said. “They’re going to try to bring me along at whatever rate they want.”

Spoken like a true shortstop destined to be a former shortstop.

John Shea is The San Francisco Chronicle’s national baseball writer. Email: [email protected] Twitter: @JohnSheaHey

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Starts at third base — the first of his minor-league career — for Christian Arroyo at Double-A last season. He also spent time at shortstop and second base.

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San Francisco Chronicle Giants’ making roster decisions tough John Shea

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Michael Morse is hitting as if he wants to play ball all summer. Morse, who was invited to by team officials at ’s wedding, is making a serious at the Opening Day roster. Morse’s latest hits were an RBI double in the sixth inning and tie-breaking in the eighth in Wednesday’s 7-4 win over the Angels. Afterward, Morse spoke highly of the Giants’ talent and team chemistry, which he said reminded him of the championship season of 2014, to which he mightily contributed.

“Hopefully, I’ll be around to check it out,” he said. “If not, I’ll catch the team when they’re in .”

Morse, whose carefree attitude seems to be a benefit, has gotten more productive by the week and remains in the running for a bench role. He entered at first base Wednesday and still is waiting for his first assignment in left field, which is expected soon.

“Early on, I felt great. I was just missing the ball,” Morse said. “By being relaxed and trusting my abilities and knowing I was just a click away, it really helped. Now I’m getting the results.”

Pence would love to see Morse make the team.

“It’s been good times having him around,” Pence said. “He’s got that RBI presence. When he steps in the box, the game can change. We’ve seen it quite a bit. Even his BPs fire me up. It’s a spectacle.”

Cain’s next: , competing for the final rotation spot, will bring a 9.58 ERA to the mound when making his fifth appearance Friday. “For all Cain’s done and all he’s accomplished,” general manager Bobby Evans said, “you’d love for him to finish with the Giants strong this year and see where it takes him.” Ty Blach , who’s in competition with Cain, pitched in relief Wednesday and gave up hits to his first five batters before retiring the final six men he faced. His ERA is 5.56.

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John Shea is The San Francisco Chronicle’s national baseball writer.

Giants 7, Angels 4 Notable: made a couple of intriguing lineup moves, batting eighth and moving Eduardo Nuñez into the 2 hole. The Giants faced lefty Tyler Skaggs , and Bochy inserted his usual second hitter, Joe Panik (who swings left- handed), in the seventh spot and said it’s something he’ll further consider. ... , competing for the left-field job, doubled in four at-bats. ... Tim Federowicz has hit four consecutive doubles. ... Steven Okert threw another scoreless inning and maintained his 0.00 ERA through five outings. Quotable: “I’m happy that he’s here. I’m sure that he’s very proud of seeing me, even in this environment. I just know he’s happy.” — Johnny Cueto on his father, Domingo , who watched his son pitch at the Giants’ minor- league complex Thursday: No game.

San Francisco Chronicle Madison Bumgarner, Johnny Cueto on different path to season John Shea

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The Giants’ aces were in separate places for different showcases.

While Madison Bumgarner was pitching six scoreless innings in front of a packed crowd at Scottsdale Stadium on Wednesday, Johnny Cueto quietly threw 32/3 shutout innings in front of a few dozen folks at the Giants’ minor-league complex.

It’s the beauty of spring training. It doesn’t matter which path to the regular season is taken so long as you get there in good health and in a good groove.

“Really, all it comes down to is getting your arm in shape to throw 100-plus pitches and making sure everything’s starting to get sharp,” Bumgarner said after shutting down an Angels lineup featuring Mike Trout and .

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“Results here don’t really matter one way or another. Just as long as guys are ready and feeling good. It’s a plus but not that big a plus to be throwing well this time of year. But it don’t hurt.”

The plan for Bumgarner, in his fifth start, was to throw five innings or 80 pitches, but he was so efficient that the Giants ended his stint after 70. His previous start lasted four innings, and there was no reason at this point to leap to seven.

Cueto’s path is slower after he arrived late to spring training because of his father’s health issues. Wednesday’s was just his second outing, and he faced a group of Arizona Triple-A players at the Field in Indian School Park, 2 miles from Scottsdale Stadium.

“I’m a little bit off. I still need to pitch a little bit more,” Cueto said through interpreter Erwin Higueros after throwing 54 pitches, allowing two hits, striking out three and hitting a batter.

There was progress on each diamond, not only because Bumgarner got his first swings and Cueto did his first shimmies.

Bumgarner surrendered one hit and issued one walk. Cueto threw all his pitches for the first time. In his first outing, he threw his fastball and . On Wednesday, he mixed in his curve and cutter.

“The first inning, I was opening up too much,” Cueto said. “From the second inning on, I felt my pitches coming to life a lot better.”

Cueto was far more creative this time, using his back-to-the-plate windup many times, a few quick pitches and even two shimmies. One came on his final pitch, and the tiny gathering — which included his father, Domingo, 71, who’s watching his son pitch as a big-leaguer for the first time — appreciated it.

As did the many minor-leaguers who dropped by to study the intracies of the two-time All-Star.

“It’s big when you see a lot of prospects who are watching you and trying to learn from you,” Cueto said. “I felt good being around the kids.”

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Because he hasn’t built up his workload, Cueto isn’t pitching for the Dominican Republic in the ’s second round, saying, “I’m sorry. I would like to represent my country. I hope they understand why.”

At the same time, he’s not ruling himself out of the semifinals and final next week.

“If the third round comes around and they need me,” Cueto said, “then I’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”

As for Bumgarner’s first spring training at-bats, in the 8 spot in the lineup, he was 0-for-2 with two , one that ended with his bat flying into the crowd along the third-base line.

“Pretty not very good,” he said.

San Jose Mercury News Looking back at the Giants’ high outfield draft picks since 2000, most of which went sour Carl Steward

A breakdown of the Giants have selected in the first three rounds of the June amateur draft since the club moved to AT&T Park in 2000 and details on how many games and starts they had in the majors: Name, Yr. drafted Draft Rd SF Years SF Games Played OF Starts (2003) 2 (63) 2007-12 503 258

Fred Lewis (2002) 2 (66) 2006-09 326 214

Todd Linden (2001) 1-s (41) 2003-07 270 79

John Bowker (2004) 3 (100) 2008-10 183 46

Dan Ortmeier (2002) 3 (97) 2005-08 124 33

Jarrett Parker (2010) 2 (74) 2015- 84 39

Mac Williamson (2012) 3 (115) 2015- 64 35

Roger Kieschnick (2008) 3 (82) 2013 38 21

Gary Brown (2010) 1 (24) 2014 7 1

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Wendell Fairley (2007) 1 (29) — 0 0

Eddie Martinez-Esteve (2004) 2 (70) — 0 0

Dylan Davis (2014) 3 (87) Still in system

Bryan Reynolds (2016) 2 (59) Still in system

Heath Quinn (2016) 3 (95) Still in system

San Jose Mercury News Giants may be on verge of ending long homegrown drought Carl Steward

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — That the Giants are intent on going with a homegrown starting left fielder in 2017 is nothing short of a significant event. If it works out long term, it will be nothing short of a historic one.

Whether or Mac Williamson realize it, and neither seems the type to wade through yellowing back issues of , one of them could become the first highly drafted homegrown outfield fixture for the Giants since the club moved to AT&T Park in 2000.

Moreover, one of them could break a veritable curse that has derailed dozens of high Giants outfield picks who failed to achieve that dream dating as far back as the early 1980s. For all the success the club has had nurturing its own drafted , and infielders to the big leagues in recent years, picking and developing outfield prospects hasn’t gone nearly as well.

ADVERTISING It hasn’t been for lack of trying. Baseball operations executive vice Brian Sabean, who is beginning his 25th year with the club, understands “the curse” better than anyone. In his 18 years as general manager, he made numerous attempts through his scouting and development staffs to break it.

Sabean offers no excuses, and confesses he’s a bit vexed that there hasn’t been a breakthrough during his long tenure, particularly since John Barr took over the scouting department 10 years ago and drafted so many pitchers, infielders and catchers that have flourished.

“I wish I had a deeper insight or a better way to explain it,” Sabean said. “It’s just been a drought, simple as that.”

Indeed, , Wendell Fairley and were all first-rounders that fizzled.

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Linden and Fairley are out of baseball — Fairley never made it past Double-A even though he was drafted ahead of Miami’s , among others — while one-time center fielder of the future Brown spent 2016 playing independent ball with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs.

The club had somewhat better luck in the second round with and Nate Schierholtz, but Schierholtz made just 258 starts for the Giants over six years and Lewis just 218 starts over four seasons. After stints in Japan and in the minors with Washington and Detroit, Schierholtz is still looking for a job in 2017 at age 32.

Roger Kieschnick was a notable third-rounder in 2007, taken a round before shortstop mainstay Brandon Crawford. But after 21 starts with the Giants in 2013 and a brief fling with the , Kieschnick was last seen toiling in the .

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• Looking back at the Giants’ high outfield draft picks since 2000, most of which went sour Along the way, there have been so many more swings and misses. was the last Giants draft pick to start in the outfield on Opening Day — way back in 2010. He made just 17 subsequent starts that year, hit .207 and was traded at mid-season to Pittsburgh. At least the Giants made a terrific swap for him, landing lefty Javier Lopez.

The long dry spell has been particularly confounding considering the Giants at one time churned out quality outfielders like pizzas, starting with the greatest all-around outfielder of all- time, . Once the club arrived in San Francisco, there was a steady stream of talent from the Giants’ system such as the Alou brothers, Bobby Bonds, Garry Matthews, Garry Maddox, George Foster, Jack Clark, Rob Deer and Chili Davis.

Hence, it’s a mystery that the last Giants outfield draft pick who became a full-time starter for more than one season was Marvin Benard, a 50th round pick. That’s right, 50th, way back in 1992. Benard played in 891 games for the Giants, 585 of them starts, between 1995 and 2003. No Giants outfield prospect since has come remotely close to that.

“I wish I knew what the magic bullet was,” said Sabean. “But sometimes it depends on when you’re picking and what the board looks like. For so many years, we were pitching-centric in the draft. Then came the position players (in the infield). But the next wave might be more balanced — in theory we hope — than any other group we’ve had.”

Translation: The Giants believe they finally have their own outfielders coming, and that goes beyond just Parker and Williamson.

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The club’s top two picks in the 2016 amateur draft, Bryan Reynolds and Heath Quinn, were outfielders. In addition to Williamson and Parker, the club also had two more of their own drafted outfielders, Austin Slater and Steven Duggar, in their spring training major-league camp. Another outfield prospect, 2014 third-round choice Dylan Davis, hit 26 home runs in ball last season and shows promise.

There are no guarantees with any of them, of course. Giants scouting director John Barr admitted identifying, drafting and developing outfielders can be tricky business, but a lot of it comes down to timing and a little bit of luck.

“To find everyday major league players at any position is difficult,” Barr said. “I think the fact that we’ve had success at some of the other positions has made it look like we haven’t been able to do it in the outfield. But it hasn’t been for the lack of intent.”

The Giants thought they had their future center fielder in Brown but he simply didn’t hit well enough once he moved to the higher minor league levels. Kieschnick, Barr said, appeared to be well on his way to a big-league career but a severe 2012 shoulder injury running into an outfield wall derailed his climb.

“You’re going to have guys that don’t come to fruition,” Barr said. “It hasn’t been purposely done, but now I think we have some of the best group of outfielders that we’ve had in awhile.”

Beyond Parker and Williamson, Sabean and the Giants’ development staff are exceedingly high on Duggar, who was a sixth-round draft pick out of Clemson less than two years ago. After two quick stops in Class A in 2015, he hit .321 at Double-A Richmond last year. In short, he’s flying through the system.

“For some reason, although not all the time, outfielders tend to be a work in progress,” Sabean said. “Having said that, somebody like Duggar, two years removed from the draft, is all of a sudden a five-tool player and certainly has every bit the look of a starting center fielder. To this point, as crazy as it sounds, he’s coming fast.”

Acknowledging that most of the Giants’ highly drafted prospects since simply haven’t panned out, general manager Bobby Evans believes there are a number of factors that have played into the club’s inability to deliver major-league quality outfielders that stick.

The first is need. It should be remembered that the Giants not only had the same left fielder for the better part of 15 years, , he was also the best outfielder in the game. In many of Bonds’ years, he was complemented by strong veterans such as Ellis Burks, Marquis Grissom, Reggie Sanders and . Developing outfielders simply wasn’t a big priority.

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After Bonds departed, the Giants made trades for players such as Angel Pagan and Hunter Pence and subsequently signed them to long-term extensions, which perpetuated the pattern in the outfield, and they also had success with one-year stopgap players such as , and that further blocked opportunity for up-and-comers.

“There are things that you do that de-emphasize young players at those outfield positions,” Evans said. “At the same time, I still think you should require opportunity for these guys to break through. It may be an area where we haven’t emphasized it as much because we’ve had other options from other sources.”

“I just think it’s harder to patient sometimes with outfielders because there are so many other alternatives in terms of the free agent market and trades,” Evans continued. “I think the horizon looks bright for the outfield opportunities but we still have to be patient and give them long looks.”

A development that may have changed the Giants’ thinking with Williamson and Parker was the case of , who was traded to Cincinnati in July of 2015 for veteran starter Mike Leake, who only spent two months with the club. Duvall, given a chance in left field with the talent-strapped Reds, not only hit 33 home runs and drove in 104 runs in 2016, he was a Gold Glove finalist.

“You have to give Duvall credit, particularly for what he did in left field,” said Evans. “We saw very little of him in the outfield, but seeing what he accomplished there does remind all of us that we need to be patient with these guys and sometimes they just need the opportunity.”

That opportunity, Evans said, is now.

“We have really solid players at every position, so it’s a perfect time to break in a young player because they aren’t needed to carry the lineup,” Evans said. “So if you can hit on these two guys or even just one of them, it makes your club so much stronger. We lacked power last year, and we could have that power right under our nose in both guys.”

To be sure, for a franchise with an outfield legacy dating back to Mays, the Giants are way overdue for a homegrown breakthrough.

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MLB.com Roster spots tough to come by in Giants camp Chris Haft

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Competition for vacancies on the Giants' Opening Day roster has met expectations. That is, jobs will be won instead of being handed to the guy who screwed up the least.

The primary left-field candidates -- Jarrett Parker and Mac Williamson -- have performed admirably. At least one Major League-worthy reliever, possibly more, appears destined to begin the season at Triple-A Sacramento. And San Francisco's bench, which has been largely barren in recent years, likely will include players who are capable of starting. • Spring Training: Info | Tickets | Schedule | Gear "I've never seen so many talented people in one camp," said first baseman/outfielder Michael Morse , whose professional career began in 2000. Referring to the final roster cuts, Morse added, "I feel like it's going to be a hard decision for them. They can take anybody and it's the right decision." Here's a revised version of the Giants' projected 25-man active roster, which differs slightly from the one published as Spring Training started : Catcher (2): Buster Posey , Nick Hundley A right-handed batter, Hundley frequently will function as a pinch-hitter. He hit .314 off left- handers in the previous two seasons. First base (1): Through Thursday's scheduled off-day, Belt had compiled a slash line of .310/.364/.655. San Francisco would be euphoric if he could merely come close to duplicating such production during the regular season. Second base (1): Joe Panik Panik has made better contact than his .286 batting average indicates. The reigning Gold Glove Award winner also is playing solid defense. A second career All-Star selection could be in store for him. Third base (1): Eduardo Nunez In Wednesday's exhibition against the Angels, Nunez made a breathtaking diving stop to initiate a and scored the Giants' first run after doubling and stealing third. Eligible for free agency after this season, Nunez could spur himself to maintain this dynamic level of play all year.

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Shortstop (1): Brandon Crawford Not much more can be said about Crawford, who ranks among the game's best all-around performers at his position. Winning the past two NL Gold Glove Awards, receiving the 2015 NL Silver Slugger Award and earning two All-Star selections reflect his skills. Utility (2): Conor Gillaspie , Aaron Hill was originally named as a probable choice for one of these spots. But though Tomlinson is batting .333, the more experienced Hill, who's hitting .320, appears to be a fit for this role. Tomlinson has a Minor League option remaining, so San Francisco doesn't have to worry about losing him through waivers if it tries to send him to the Minors. Gillaspie, who plays primarily third base, lacks the defensive versatility that manager Bruce Bochy seeks. But since last postseason, Gillaspie's left-handed bat has been too noisy to ignore. The Giants could have the unpleasant task of saying goodbye to Jimmy Rollins -- a borderline Hall of Famer-- and , a veteran who's a much-needed source of humor. Judging players on Spring Training performance can be risky, but neither Rollins (.130) nor Beckham (.208) has thrived offensively. Third baseman Jae-gyun Hwang probably will begin the year at Triple-A, but he has made an overwhelmingly positive impression and should find his way to San Francisco at some juncture. Outfield (5): Parker, Morse, , Hunter Pence , Gorkys Hernandez No changes here since the initial prognostications. But much has happened since then. Williamson (.324) has out-hit Parker (.313). But Parker's improved savvy overall, demonstrated by his seven walks, could make a difference. Morse (.304) will stick around as long as he keeps hitting. Starting pitchers (5): Madison Bumgarner , Johnny Cueto , , , Ty Blach General manager Bobby Evans fired a warning shot in Matt Cain 's direction with his remarks in a radio interview earlier this week. If Cain doesn't improve in his final Cactus League starts, the Giants might find a way to get him in extended Spring Training in the hope that he'll recover a representative sampling of his stuff. Meanwhile, Blach will occupy the fifth-starter's spot, though likely will pitch in a San Francisco uniform at some point during 2017. Relief pitchers (7): Mark Melancon , , , Derek Law , Cory Gearrin , Steven Okert , Will Smith To repeat what was written in this space a month ago: This contingent is far from set. Okert, who has been unscored upon in five outings, may already have clinched a job. Left-hander Josh Osich has pitched capably but might be one of several who'll have to wait their turn. Gearrin

13 has a 9.00 ERA but is out of Minor League options. Albert Suarez will join the mix if the Giants decide they need a legitimate long reliever. The glut could be eased somewhat if Smith (elbow) begins the season on the disabled list.

MLB.com Efficiency allows Bumgarner to stretch Chris Haft

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Madison Bumgarner 's pitching line dazzled everybody except himself. San Francisco's Opening Day starter worked six innings, an unusually high total for this juncture of Spring Training, in Wednesday's 7-4 Cactus League victory over the . Bumgarner allowed one hit, Nolan Fontana 's third-inning single. Bumgarner's efficiency with his pitches -- he threw approximately 70 -- enabled him to record quick outs, such as the popup he induced from Yunel Escobar on the game's first delivery. This, in turn, kept Bumgarner in the game longer. Full Game Coverage

"You look at a game like today's and you think he's ready," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "But he needs a couple of more outings."

Bumgarner will require those performances to increase his pitch limit past 100, the typical starter's benchmark.

"Really, all it comes down to is your arm being in shape to throw 100-plus pitches and making sure everything's starting to get this sharp," said Bumgarner, who owns a 2.81 ERA in five Cactus League appearances. "The results here don't matter one way or another. As long as we can have our guys ready and feeling good, that's all you can ask for.

"But it is a plus to be throwing well at this time of year. It definitely don't hurt."

Nevertheless, Bumgarner remained aware that he lasted four innings in his previous start last Friday against Cleveland. The two-inning increase in activity sufficed.

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"You probably don't really want to have a bigger jump than that," he said.

MLB.com Cueto hopes to join WBC ’17 if DR advances Chris Haft

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Giants right-hander Johnny Cueto still could pitch in the World Baseball Classic if the Dominican Republic advances to the tournament finals.

After facing a team of Arizona Diamondbacks farmhands in a Minor League exhibition game Wednesday, Cueto told a pool reporter that performing in the Classic remains a possibility if the Dominicans advance to the Championship Round in Los Angeles.

"If the third round comes around and they need me, then I'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Cueto said through interpreter Erwin Higueros.

Cueto could not join the Dominican team when the tournament began because he was still building arm strength. His arrival at Giants camp was stalled by delays in obtaining travel documentation for his father, Domingo. Cueto intended to provide optimum care for his father, who was ill, by bringing him to the United States.

Cueto pitched two innings against Cincinnati last Saturday, then worked 3 2/3 shutout innings Wednesday while yielding two hits and striking out three. He threw 53 pitches.

"I know I need to pitch more," Cueto said. "I'm physically ready. My arm is not ready. They know if I don't go, they'll understand why. I would like to go. I know they'd like me to be there, but ... I'm sorry. I would like to represent my country." The Dominican Republic dropped its first game in Pool F action to Puerto Rico, 3-1, on Tuesday. The Dominicans face Venezuela on Thursday (10 p.m. ET on MLB.TV and MLB Network ) and wrap up pool play against the U.S. on Saturday. If D.R. finishes in the top two of Pool F, it will advance to the semifinals at on March 20-21.

Asked if he believed he was progressing toward his initial regular-season start, which likely will

15 be April 4 at Arizona, Cueto said, "I'm a little bit off. I still need to pitch a little bit more. Today I was letting everything out, throwing all my pitches." The World Baseball Classic runs through March 22. In the U.S., games air live exclusively in English on MLB Network and on an authenticated basis via MLBNetwork.com/watch , while ESPN Deportes and WatchESPN provide the exclusive Spanish-language coverage. MLB.TV Premium subscribers in the U.S. have access to watch every tournament game live on any of the streaming service's 400-plus supported devices. The tournament is being distributed internationally across all forms of television, internet, mobile and radio in territories excluding the U.S., Puerto Rico and Japan. Get tickets for games in 's and the Championship Round at Dodger Stadium, while complete coverage -- including schedules, video, stats and gear -- is available at WorldBaseballClassic.com .

CSNbayarea.com Giant spring training day 31 Alex Pavlovic

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The Giants had Madison Bumgarner set for four or five innings on Wednesday. The ace blew right past that in one of the most efficient outings you’ll see in a Cactus League game.

Bumgarner allowed just one hit over six scoreless innings and he worked so quickly that the Giants actually had to come up short of his scheduled pitch count. As he hit the 70-pitch mark, Bumgarner had already thrown six innings and taken two at-bats.

“Every time out it’s a little better, a little better,” he said. “Today was by far the best. I’m pretty happy with where I’m at.”

If Bumgarner looks this sharp on March 15, what will he do until the April 2 opener? Perhaps, he’ll turn to his other on-field passion. Bumgarner was 0-for-2 as the first Giants pitcher to hit this spring, striking out twice and throwing his bat into the stands down the third-base line on one swing. How did he grade the first day in the batter’s box?

“Pretty not very good,” he said.

Manager Bruce Bochy had Bumgarner hitting eighth, and he said it’s something he’ll look at in the regular season if the Giants have multiple speedy leadoff types in the lineup. That process will ramp up in the coming weeks, as pitchers take more and more at-bats and start to get back into the flow. On the mound, Bochy doesn’t need to see much more.

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“That’s just a great outing for him,” Bochy said. “He pounded the strike zone and had everything going. You look at an outing like today and you think he’s ready, but he needs a couple more outings. He’ll tell you that.”

CUETO WATCH : Over at the minor league facility, Johnny Cueto also looked to be near regular season form. Making his second appearance of the spring, Cueto allowed two hits and struck out three in 3 2/3 innings. He threw 53 pitches.

Cueto still has not fully ruled out a WBC cameo. There’s a small chance that he joins the Dominican Republic team for the final round.

LINEUP CHANGE? Bochy had Eduardo Nuñez hitting second and Joe Panik seventh against lefty Tyler Skaggs, and he said the staff is talking about that as an option for real games.

“Nuney, you saw what he did today,” Bochy said.

Nuñez manufactured the first run of the day, doubling in the sixth and stealing third ahead of an RBI groundout by Mac Williamson. He hit righties better last season, but his .751 OPS was still way ahead of Panik’s .596.

HIGHLIGHT REEL : Nuñez and Panik teamed up for a nifty double play to end the third inning. Nuñez snagged Yunel Escobar’s grounder and made a tricky overhand throw from the ground to Panik, who hung in on the bag and made a strong throw to first. They’ll have easier opportunities later this spring. Bochy said he’s going to get Nuñez a few starts at shortstop.

STARTER WATCH: Ty Blach’s first inning out of the bullpen was a nightmare: Five straight hits and four Angels runs. Bochy seemed more interested in what happened next. Blach came out for the eighth and cruised.

“What I like about it is the next inning he goes out and really has a solid inning,” Bochy said. “He didn’t let it fluster him.”

In the race for the No. 5 spot — which has tightened up quite a bit — Blach didn’t do himself any favors Wednesday, but he certainly showed some mettle.

STOCK RISING: Michael Morse crushed a double off the left-center wall that was about two feet from being a homer and he later added a tie-breaking single. His spring average is up to .304 with a 1.016 OPS, and he’s moving well at first base.

“Mo is swinging it well,” Bochy said. “He’s really seeing the ball well. It’s evident he worked hard to come in and try to make the club.”

Another couple of weeks like this might do it. After a slow start, Morse has five hits in his past three games, including two homers.

“Early on, everything was there but I was just missing off the end of the bat,” he said. “Now I’m seeing the ball deeper and getting it on the barrel more.”

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ESPN.com Michael Pineda learned English the hard way Andrew Marchand

TAMPA, Fla. -- When starter Michael Pineda applied pine tar to his neck at three years ago, he might as well have added a "Kick Me" sign. The oddity of the event, combined with the enormity of the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry, pushed his ejection -- and 10-game suspension -- beyond sports, making it a topic on shows like "Good Morning America." It seemed like everyone took a shot at Pineda.

Many played Pineda as a one-dimensional figure, glossing over the fact that he was a young Dominican ballplayer still trying to figure out a foreign language and culture. What really brought Pineda to that embarrassing night in Boston is much more complicated.

MORE BEISBOL LIFE Béisbol Life is ESPN's season-long look at how the game and Latino culture intersect.

More from Béisbol Life: • Introducing Béisbol Life / Bienvenidos a Béisbol Life • Julio Urias on his MLB experience / Julio Urias y su experiencia en MLB • podcast with Pedro Gomez Today, Pineda points the finger squarely at himself, just as he did in an awkward press gaggle after the game, conducted in English, a language he is still learning. He doesn't blame the language barrier or the culture or his coaches. It was his fault, he says.

That doesn't mean facing two dozen reporters in a cramped Fenway clubhouse, struggling to explain himself, was easy.

"The hardest thing for me is when the media uses big words because I don't know those words," Pineda says. "I didn't understand the questions."

It is not so much that Pineda could have saved himself -- he repeatedly said he was trying to get a better grip -- but he could have been less petrified and more nuanced in his defense. The press -- which itself could have more Spanish speakers -- is not faultless, either.

As for why and how the pine tar found its way to Pineda's neck in the first place, well, others have their theories. Yankees GM Brian Cashman shares a tale, never heard before, of a teammate telling Pineda, between the first and second innings in the visitors clubhouse, that the pine tar wasn't visible.

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Manager and pitching coach , meanwhile, assert the finer points of the pine-tar rule were fully communicated to Pineda after a hubbub in an earlier start, when he was spotted using the substance. But the Yankees wouldn't clarify if the message was delivered in English or in Spanish.

CC Sabathia, the veteran leader of the Yankees and a mentor to Pineda, says he feels he let down Pineda by not giving him better advice on how to improve his grip in cold weather. "If he were an English-speaking player that wouldn't have happened -- 1,000 percent," Sabathia says. "Just for the fact, it is easy to say, 'Don't put that on your neck.' Or, 'If you need to get a grip, use this.' It is hard to have a conversation about different things when the language barrier is there."

As the Yankees' DH that night, Carlos Beltran saw the episode unfold firsthand and says it inspired him to further push the players' association to require teams to employ a Spanish interpreter in every clubhouse. Teammates like Beltran, Sabathia and Ivan Nova say they were proud of how Pineda tried to answer post-ejection questions in English, how he searched for the right words. "The hard thing for me was sometimes you want to explain everything," Pineda says, "and I don't know how to explain everything."

"If he were an English-speaking player that wouldn't have happened -- 1,000 percent. Just for the fact, it is easy to say, 'Don't put that on your neck.' Or, 'If you need to get a grip, use this.' It is hard to have a conversation about different things when the language barrier is there."

CC Sabathia Now 28, Pineda is in a different place. He insists on not leaning on an interpreter, now provided by the team, while conducting interviews in English. He's not taking any classes, but unlike when he was coming up through the ' system, he has made it a point to seek out American players who don't speak Spanish, to challenge himself. "I love that," Pineda says.

At his locker, when he doesn't understand something, he looks to Sabathia and reliever Dellin Betances, unafraid to ask for help. "I say, 'Dellin, how do you say this?' " His English is still imperfect, but it's improving, and he has found more comfort in his surroundings.

"You understand what is going on," Pineda says. "In your heart, you feel great because you

19 understand what is going on. You understand what you have to do."

Sabathia says he thinks this might be the year the ultratalented Pineda wins a Cy Young Award. If Pineda -- who was just 5-12 with a 5.82 ERA last season -- can put it together, his comfort level could play a role.

"When you are on the mound, it doesn't matter if you speak English or not, you have to throw the ball," Pineda says with a big laugh, showing a freedom with the language that wasn't present a few years ago. "When you are on the mound, you need to make a pitch."

While the incident in Boston might be what Pineda is best known for, there's a lot more to him. He has grown in his time with the Yankees, learning the language, understanding the culture and making the difficult transition that is a rite of MLB passage for many Latin American-born players.

The journey from the Dominican Republic to the major leagues can be a lonely one. And a delayed effort to learn English didn't help Pineda when he put on the pinstripes after a trade from Seattle. AP Photo/Matt Slocum GROWING UP IN Yaguate, an hour from Santo Domingo, Pineda loved school. His favorite subject was math. English wasn't offered.

If he weren't a player, Pineda says he thinks he'd probably be a teacher -- if not arithmetic, maybe music. One of his pastimes is playing the tambora, a Dominican drum.

Yaguate is the kind of small town where everyone knows everyone else, Pineda says. He uses words like "poor" and "humble" to describe his upbringing, but adds there was always food on the table.

Pineda started playing baseball as soon as he could walk, his first bat a Dominican staple -- a broomstick. In that way, he was a typical kid. But Pineda had talent.

In the Dominican, players are recruited at a very young age by buscones , who are street agents and managers. The kids are picked because they have skills buscones want to turn quickly into profit. They're trained for tryouts to catch the eye of an MLB scout and take home a fortune.

Regiments are built around baseball, and little else. There's no training about how to order food in English, setting up a checking account or signing a lease. They're honed to win the lottery.

"They don't know anything," said Melissa Hernandez, the Yankees' lead teacher for Latino

20 players. "Back in the D.R., we have a big issue with education. The buscones or the managers, back in the D.R., they pull them out of their families very young, 9 or 10, 11; 90 percent of the time they don't care about their education. They flunk out of school at a very young age. The learning is very low. The standard for them is to play baseball. They try and get them to sign as fast as they can so they get their money back for what they spent. Education is not important for them."

Pineda's schooling stopped at 16 when he signed with the Mariners for $35,000. Like many others, he flew to the United States with an 0-2 count, not knowing the language or the culture. It didn't stop him.

Just five years later, as a rookie, he threw a scoreless inning in the 2011 All-Star Game.

By the time he was 23, Pineda had made his first million. He takes great pride knowing his dad, a welder, and his mom, a hair stylist, will never have to work again. He loves the example he set for his four younger siblings, including 19-year-old Ramon Francisco Pineda, who recently signed with the . By the end of this year, Pineda will have made nearly $15 million. He has been an inconsistent pitcher, going 32-37 with a 3.99 ERA. But if he lives up to his talent, he could cash in further as a free agent.

Pineda has navigated the challenges for Latino players that go well beyond mastering a changeup. Even simple tasks, like ordering off a restaurant menu, can become something more. Often, players eat at the same fast-food joint seven days a week just to avoid embarrassment or awkward encounters at unfamiliar places. Many suffer in silence, their confidence shaken. When that humiliation bubbles out into the public, it can become a spectacle.

This is where the 6-foot-7, 260-pound Pineda stood in 2014.

Watching Pineda struggle to field questions from reporters after his pine-tar ejection inspired then-teammate Carlos Beltran to push the players' association to require teams to employ a Spanish interpreter in every clubhouse. Jared Wickerham/Getty Images PINEDA ENTERED THAT fateful April 2014 night at Fenway with a 1.00 ERA in three starts. Masahiro Tanaka was the Yankees' marquee, $175 million signing that winter, but it was Pineda -- with his Yankees cap cocked to the side and his gyrations on the mound -- who had been their most impressive pitcher in spring training and over the first month of the regular season. It was significant Pineda was on the mound at all, let alone excelling on it. The Mariners had

21 traded Pineda to the Yankees after his All-Star 2011 season. It was an old-fashioned blockbuster, as Seattle swapped Pineda for the Yankees' top catching prospect at the time, Jesus Montero. The first question Cashman asked after acquiring Pineda: "Does he speak English?" "The ones that seem to have the ability to command the language have a higher instance of having success than the ones who don't ever -- they seem to fall by the wayside with their tools," Cashman says.

With Seattle, Pineda had never truly applied himself to learning English. Though the Mariners had offered classes three times a week in the minors, Pineda didn't arrive in the Bronx with much of a vocabulary.

"I didn't learn anything," Pineda says.

Like many young players, Pineda stayed within his clique, speaking Spanish exclusively until he made it to the majors in 2011 in Seattle. He says he attended the classes three days a week but learned nothing.

"When you are nervous in your head, you never learn," Pineda says. "I was nervous."

Pineda says he told the Seattle media he wanted to speak in English with them, realizing its importance for his development.

"I said, 'If I make mistake, fine,' " Pineda says. "Everyone knows I'm not an American guy."

But one season of making an effort to learn the language can't fully prepare a player for New York. Being a Yankee is different. In 2012, during his initial spring training in Tampa, Pineda looked intimidated in the clubhouse. When a Yankees starter throws a simple bullpen session in the spring, there are at least eight reporters ready to ask how it went. Pineda's eyes would grow as big as in front of the group. He would attempt to speak English, but it was uncomfortable for both sides.

His velocity also had not been there all spring, which left a lingering thought that the Yankees might have acquired damaged goods. Questions about his fastball did not make his transition any easier. Then, before he threw a regular-season pitch for the Yankees, Pineda had shoulder surgery, a procedure that many times robs a pitcher of his throwing motion forever. After the long two-year road back, Pineda looked as good as new.

Then it all unraveled in Boston.

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"The hardest thing for me is when the media uses big words because I don't know those words. I didn't understand the questions."

Michael Pineda After Pineda gave up two runs and four hits in the first inning, including RBI singles by Dustin Pedroia and A.J. Pierzynski, he decided he needed a better grip on the baseball. In a start earlier in the month at against the Red Sox, NESN cameras and Twitter had spotted Pineda using pine tar, and fans criticized Boston manager for not pointing to Rule 8.02, which says a player can't use a foreign substance on the ball. The mark on Pineda's palm was obvious, but after the game, Girardi and Pineda acted blind to it. It was the beginning of the awkwardness. Heading into Fenway, Girardi and Rotshchild say it was communicated to Pineda that pine tar was illegal, though Pineda knew pitchers use it on cold nights.

"Like any pitcher, he had seen guys with pine tar," Rothschild says. "He put it in a place that was conspicuous."

Neither Girardi nor Rothschild would say if the messages were conveyed in Spanish. The Yankees did not have a full-time interpreter at the time, as it was not yet mandated by .

The way Cashman understands it, Pineda had an accomplice, and not a very good one.

Between the first and second innings, Pineda stepped out of the road dugout, walked up the dank Fenway Park hallway and entered the clubhouse, where it is said he applied the pine tar. Neither Girardi nor any of his coaches say they saw him between innings, their attention firmly on the Yankees' at-bats. Nobody, they say, advised him to be so brazen.

"There is a backstory," Cashman says. "It sounded like one of his teammates said, 'Yeah, you are good.' Our coaches allegedly didn't know anything about it. That is why I was mad after the game because -- forgetting just him -- that is the responsibility of our manager, our coaching staff, his teammates, because anyone in plain day could see it. I was getting calls from the stands from some people. You could spot it from a distance.

Yankees right-hander Michael Pineda admitted to using pine tar on the baseball during the second inning of Wednesday's 5-1 loss to the Red Sox at Fenway Park, but said he did it not to cheat, rather to ensure he did not hit anyone with an errant pitch. "Maybe in the darker spot of a clubhouse, a teammate was like, 'Yeah, you are good.' I won't

23 give the teammate up, but I heard a story of who it was. It sounded like somebody needed to get their eyes checked."

Pineda denies there was an accomplice.

After two outs in the second inning, Farrell asked plate umpire Gerry Davis to check Pineda for pine tar. Davis slowly walked out to the mound. joined in from short, a sly smile on his face. Davis checked Pineda's glove, then his hand. He found nothing. Davis asked Pineda to turn around. Davis wiped the back of Pineda's neck, looked at his index finger and tossed Pineda from the game. Pineda looked embarrassed as he slowly left the mound. Girardi, his arms folded, jogged out from the dugout, but mounted little argument.

"Even to this day, I can't tell you why," Girardi says. "The competitiveness comes out. In all walks of life, young people think they are invincible."

Girardi adds: "I definitely think there could have been a misunderstanding."

After the game, Pineda stood dejectedly, answering in his limited English, saying he didn't want to hit anybody, so he used the pine tar for a better grip. Pineda was asked why he put it in such an obvious place. He took a deep breath and didn't answer the question, again saying he didn't want to hit anyone. He was asked if he knew it was illegal. Again, he said he didn't want to hit anyone.

He was trying. "I give him a lot of credit," Nova says.

Beltran watched from a nearby locker.

"For me, that was one of the reasons I approached the players' association for the translator," Beltran says. "It was real, real tough. It was tough for everybody. You guys are trying to ask the questions. He is just trying to answer the questions. Maybe you feel like he didn't answer the questions. It is a complete misunderstanding from both places."

Beginning last season, every major league team is required to have a Spanish-speaking interpreter.

Yankees teammates like CC Sabathia, right, and Dellin Betances have been a huge resource for Pineda as he works to become more bilingual. Jonathan Dyer/USA TODAY Sports PUERTO-RICAN BORN Beltran has served as liaison for teammates like Pineda. Many times after a manager held a team meeting, Beltran would sidle up next to some of his Latino

24 teammates and ask them if they grasped the message.

"I've been in a lot of meetings," Beltran says. "Important meetings, where managers have talked about something important, and a lot of guys have no clue what is going on. Sometimes, I go to them and I say, 'Hey, man, you understand what they are talking about?' 'A little bit.' That little bit means they didn't understand everything. I try to explain it to them."

The Yankees, with an assist from Pineda, are trying to speed up this process. They hired Joe Perez, a former Tampa high school principal, to be their education coordinator. Perez is developing a curriculum that not only teaches English but prepares the players for just being able to navigate everyday life. The names change, but tales of difficulty remain the same for these young players. Pineda has a message because he has been there.

"It is hard," he says.

Perez tells a story from Staten Island, home of the Yankees' short-season minor league affiliate team. After a game last season, a 19-year-old Dominican player needed to go to Walmart to buy groceries.

"It is very difficult. It is not only for baseball, it is for life. If you don't have English, you don't have communication."

Michael Pineda Perez and another Yankees official offered to drive him. The young man, Perez said, didn't speak much English. The teenager had just moved up from the Yankees' training facility in Tampa, where he had grown accustomed to using the swipe method with his credit card. When he checked out, the credit card machine was a chip reader, which called for inserting, not swiping.

"The cashier had a long day," Perez says. "So he swipes his card and she starts to yell at him, because the chip reader works."

"If you could have seen the look on his face," Perez says. "He was petrified."

It was a "pine tar" moment, just not in front of nearly 40,000 fans, television cameras and social media.

Who better to help relate to this young man than Pineda?

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In January, the Yankees held their Captain's Camp, where they bring in top prospects for big league orientation. Stars like Jeter and are often the headliners, but other players counsel the kids as well. This year, Pineda was among them. Gary Denbo, the Yankees' vice president of player development, had Pineda speak in both Spanish and English. "It was a developing skill when we got him," Cashman says. "He was not someone who was fluent. He spoke a little. Obviously, his natural language is Spanish. Since that time, he is now fluent in Spanish and English."

Pineda later helped put together a video for the players at the Yankees' Dominican Academy, where the teenagers go after they're signed. He opened up about many of his experiences -- from his pine-tar incident to his DUI while rehabbing his shoulder in Tampa to his English.

"He made a big deal about learning and taking advantage of everything that is given to you," Hernandez says.

Pineda has been through a lot since he left Yaguate 12 years ago. The pine-tar incident is what he is most known for, but now, he is trying to become a teacher.

"It is very difficult," Pineda says. "It is not only for baseball, it is for life. If you don't have English, you don't have communication."

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