San Francisco Giants: Five Positives Moving Forward
By Johanna Bear
The Rookies
Sep 27, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants right fielder
Jarrett Parker
(47) hits a single during the second inning of the game against the Oakland Athletics at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports
One of the unintentional positive side effects of all the injuries that key Giants’ players sustained this season was the opportunity that was presented to the rookies coming up from Triple A.
Between Matt Duffy who entrenched himself in the Rookie of the Year conversation and took over the hot corner from former World Series MVP Pablo Sandoval, Jarrett Parker who announced his arrival with a three home run game against the A’s, Trevor Brown whose two RBI double ended up being a key part of the Giants 3-2 win over the Dodgers that extended their season, and Kelby Tomlinson who took over second base for Joe Panik and provided stellar offensive and defensive moments throughout the season, the future in the Bay Area is certainly bright.
These unexpected heroes turned into human highlight reels, adding spectacular catches, tremendous offensive performances, and much needed energy to an otherwise struggling team. They provided Bochy with more versatility off the bench and in the lineup and will most likely feature prominently next year as well.
It is a huge help for the front office to know that if a key player goes down next year there are capable options within the Giants’ farm system, and with Aoki and Marlon Byrd‘s options still up in the air, either Parker or fellow rookie outfielder Mac Williamson might potentially get some starts in 2016.
Though the Giants will not be in the postseason this year, there are plenty of positives going into next season, and plenty of reasons to think that their incredible even-year pattern may continue to defy all odds.
Next: For San Francisco Giants, Heart Was the Name of the Game