Get Ready, Giants Fans. Youth Movement Is Here.
By David Taub, Senior Reporter
Published 6 years ago on
September 4, 2018
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The Giants’ championship window is now closed.
After winning three World Series titles between 2010-2014, and optimism to compete the other years (even if the record didn’t reflect that), it’s over now. And whether Giants Manager Bruce Bochy will admit it or not, the team is in a youth movement.
Opinion
David Taub
Veterans Sputter
Jackson never panned out, with the Giants trading him in July. McCutchen provided some productivity (relative to his teammates), with a.772 OPS and 15 homers. But signaling that qualifying for the playoffs is a goal out of reach, the Giants dealt him to the Yankees on Aug. 31 at the trade deadline.Optimism on the pitching front crash landed. The Giants hoped veterans Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija would return to form. They’ve spent more time on the disabled list than they have on the mound.
Even Madison Bumgarner seems off. He began the year with a broken hand, the second year in a row he missed time because of a freak injury. Since his return, he’s shown flashes of his old self, but there is something missing.
Take a look at the box scores. It’s filled with youth: Dereck Rodriguez, Andrew Suarez, Austin Slater and Steven Duggar. They are the future, and there are even more youngsters the Giants will see in September. This is a glimpse of the Giants in years to come, even if Bochy won’t outright say so.
“These are things we’ll talk about when the season is over. It’s what we do, take a look and evaluate and make decisions on what we think is best to do,” Bochy said recently.
Is Shaw the Future?
Take the example of Chris Shaw. Albeit a small sample size, he has one hit — a home run Monday against Colorado — in seven at-bats, with five strikeouts. At Triple-A Sacramento, Shaw hit 24 HR, with .813 OPS.Bochy says that Shaw needs time to adjust.
“When McCutchen was traded, this opened up a spot for (Shaw) to get some playing time. We wanted him to be himself. It’s hard to hit Major League pitching, trust me. When you start telling a lot of things at a hitter right away, you’re going to confuse him a little bit. Just be yourself go out there and let it go,” the Giants manager said.
The Giants already improved on 2017’s dismal 64 win season this year. But, fans and the front office never fully threw in the towel.
But now, the Giants are in an era of rebuilding. Seemingly, the only untouchables are Posey and Bumgarner. As evidenced by the McCutchen trade, minor league prospects are a better alternative than aging veterans.
Giants fans, beware! It may take a while to return to the championship glory days.
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Curiosity drives David Taub.
The award-winning journalist might be shy, but feels mighty with a recorder in his hand. He doesn't see it his job to "hold public officials accountable," but does see it to provide readers (and voters) the information needed to make intelligent choices.
Taub has been honored with several writing awards from the California News Publishers Association. He's just happy to have his stories read.
Joining GV Wire in 2016, Taub covers politics, government and elections, mainly in the Fresno/Clovis area. He also writes columns about local eateries (Appetite for Fresno), pro wrestling (Off the Bottom Rope), and media (Media Man).
Prior to joining the online news source, Taub worked as a radio producer for KMJ and PowerTalk 96.7 in Fresno. He also worked as an assignment editor for KCOY-TV in Santa Maria, California, and KSEE-TV in Fresno. He has also worked behind the scenes for several sports broadcasts, including the NCAA basketball tournament, and the Super Bowl.
When not spending time with his family, Taub loves to officially score Fresno Grizzlies games.
Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Taub is a die-hard Giants and 49ers fan. He graduated from the University of Michigan with dual degrees in communications and political science. Go Blue!
You can contact David at 559-492-4037 or at Send an Email
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