San Francisco Giants Three Standouts: Game 21, 3-14

The San Francisco Giants had a couple relief pitchers stand out in different ways, as well as a “debuting” shortstop in Wednesday’s game.

The San Francisco Giants were back at Peoria Sports Complex on Wednesday, facing the hosting Seattle Mariners. The Mariners used a late rally to complete a 5-4 comeback, handing the Giants their second straight loss.

Here are three players who stood out from Wednesday’s game:

1 – Chase d’Arnaud

d’Arnaud has made a huge push for the role of utility infielder this spring, playing a great brand of baseball in Arizona. With him making that push, the Giants will soon have a decision to make but d’Arnaud still had to pass a test.

If he’s going to make the opening day roster, d’Arnaud needs to prove that he can still play shortstop. He got the start on Wednesday at the position, his first this spring, and looked just fine playing the position. He had a couple chances in the early innings, ranging to his left both times and completing both plays. He started an inning-ending double play in the first with a perfect feed to second base.

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Should he make the roster, d’Arnaud would have to be the primary understudy at shortstop, since that most likely means that Kelby Tomlinson is optioned. This was a good first test, and he looked perfectly comfortable handing the position.

2 – Derek Law

Law was the first man out of the bullpen on Wednesday night, and didn’t have a great time on the mound. After retiring the first batter he faced in the fourth inning, he allowed three straight singles as the Mariners took a 2-1 lead.

The Giants scored two to take the lead in the top of fifth, and Law was given another chance to work on his stuff. The inning started well enough with a strikeout looking, but Law fell behind 2-0 to Mitch Haniger and left a meatball over the middle of the plate. Haniger didn’t miss, launching a solo home run to dead center that tied the game. He retired one more batter, and finished his outing allowing four hits and two runs in 1.1 innings.

The putaway pitches are just not there on a consistent basis for Law at this point. Many of the same problems that haunted him last season seem to have continued in spring, and if it doesn’t change, the Giants will have to make a decision. Do they keep Law because of the potential, or keep someone else because they offer a better option?

3 – Josh Osich

While Law continues to struggle, Osich continues to look like a reinvented pitcher. He was stellar in his 2.1-inning outing Wednesday night, getting consistent soft contact on groundballs or pop-ups in foul territory. He didn’t allow a walk again.

Osich did again what has made him such an intriguing player this exhibition season. He continued to pound the strikezone, forging his way ahead in the count time after time. When he did fall behind, like a 3-0 count against Taylor Motter, he fought his way back and didn’t give the batter a free pass (Motter did collect a base hit just over the shortstop’s head in a 3-2 count, however).

Next: Three Standouts from Game 19

Through six appearances, Osich has still not allowed a run while throwing seven innings. He’s struck out seven, but most importantly, has only issued one walk. His control has been a huge issue the past two seasons, but with the way he’s throwing right now, it seems like a no-brainer that he should be on the opening day roster.

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