San Francisco Giants Spring Training Report: Position Battles, Other Notes

Mar 6, 2015; Surprise, AZ, USA; Detailed view as a San Francisco Giants batter keeps his foot in the batters box between pitches against the Texas Rangers during a spring training baseball game at Surprise Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The first week of Spring Training games are in the books, and the San Francisco Giants are 2-5 after the first set of contests. The record isn’t very pretty, but Spring Training isn’t about winning. It’s about figuring out what you have with certain players, and the Giants have a good deal of young players to work with.

There are four position battles for the Giants, one at each level of the field. The backup catcher’s job is not secure for anyone. The last infielder’s spot is a free for all. With Hunter Pence‘s injury, there are now two Opening Day roster spots available for outfielders. Finally, the seventh man in the bullpen is a dogfight between five experienced and talented pitchers.

It’s still extremely early in the Spring, but for each of those guys competing for jobs, every at-bat and defensive attempt is valuable. Here’s how each battle stands after one week.