Spring training is in full swing for the San Francisco Giants; just like any spring training for any team, there are always questions that must be answered. San Francisco has many questions that need to be answered in spring training. It may be hard for them to compete with the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL West, but strange things can happen in baseball.
Is Marco Luciano Ready to Be the Everyday Shortstop?
The Giants moved on from long-time shortstop Brandon Crawford, who played 13 years with the Giants and won two World Series rings. Marco Luciano is penciled in to be Crawford’s replacement. Luciano is the 39th-ranked prospect in MLB.com’s MLB Pipeline.
Luciano had 39 at-bats last season with the Giants and had nine hits. He struck out 38% of the time in the big leagues. Few players have more bat speed than Luciano. He has the plus-raw to power in all fields. He’ll use the entire field and work his share of walks, but he’s also an extremely aggressive hitter whose plate discipline has wavered as he has rushed through the Minors. He hit left-handed pitching well lefties but struggled against breaking balls from righties last season. He must improve chasing change-ups out of the strike zone.
Spring training will be critical for Luciano; he must get off to a good start and show the ability to be patient and make contact at the plate.
Will Jung Hoo Lee‘s Numbers Translate in the MLB?
The Giants signed South Korean MVP Jung Hoo Lee to a six-year $113 million contract in free agency. Lee is not known for his power, but he hit for average in the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO). The outfielder has batted over .300 every season in the KBO and owns a lifetime batting average of .340, including a high of .360 in 2021. A fractured left ankle ended his 2023 season after 86 games, slashing .318/.406/.455 with six home runs and 45 RBIs.
He debuted in 2017 at 18 for the Nexen/Kiwoom Heroes, going straight from high school to hit .318 and winning the league’s Rookie of the Year award. Lee’s best season came in 2022 when he won KBO MVP honors, hitting .349/.421/.575 with a career-high 23 home runs in 142 games and more than twice as many walks (66) as strikeouts (32).
Lee’s ability to make contact with the ball should make his transition to the MLB easier. According to Espn.com, over the past two seasons, Lee struck out just 5.4% of the time compared to the KBO average of 18.2% and MLB average of 22.7% in 2023.
Lee is also good in the outfield and should be the Giants best outfielder. His defense will translate, but it will be interesting to see if the hitting will against MLB pitching.
Will the Giants Sign Another Big Name Free Agent?
San Francisco has been linked with outfielder Cody Bellinger, third baseman Matt Chapman, and starting pitcher Blake Snell. All three would make the Giants a better team.
Chapman is an outstanding third-baseman. Although he has struggled at the plate, he could add a little pop to the Giantrs’ lineup. Bellinger hit 39 home for the Chicago Cubs last season and would add much-needed power to the Giants. Snell was the NL CY Young the previous season. If he joined Logan Webb, it give San Francisco a nice one-two punch. Remember, good pitching stops good hitting.
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