Shift happens. pic.twitter.com/MoBW4J1qHa
— Kerry Crowley (@KO_Crowley) March 6, 2020
PHOENIX, Ariz. — Some of the same advanced analytics that Kevin Gausman has enjoyed in his brief time with the Giants wound up with the starting pitcher sprinting his way right into the ground.
Justin Smoak hit the fastball, and Gausman knew immediately the highlight reels he could be entering. The Giants had four defenders spread around the outfield, third-baseman Mauricio Dubon suddenly in left-center, alongside right-center-fielder Billy Hamilton. Yolmer Sanchez and Donovan Solano occupied the right side of the infield and shallow right field.
Gausman was alone when the pop-up was lazily lofted between shortstop and third base. This was his time to be on “SportsCenter.”
“I was trying to make a top-10 play,” said the 29-year-old, who said he couldn’t remember ever using a four-outfielder set in the past. “Now I’m probably a not-top-10 play.”
Gausman tripped and took a few seconds with his face pressed against the grass, figuring he would become a GIF. He was in good spirits, laughing it off, the first unwitting victim of this year’s regime trying, more than ever, to position its players just right.
Giants pitchers have worked on pop-ups to the left side for this reason. And Gausman was ready, Gabe Kapler giving him a heads-up about the extreme shift before the game began. Gausman pointed out that if a runner’s on first base in that situation, he has to be ready to cover third if the runner steals second. The Giants will pride themselves on being ready.
Gausman was mentally, and he’ll have time to be physically. Back on the mound, the righty looked nearly ready, the only run coming after that Smoak accidental single in the first, the Brewers slugger scoring on a bloop from Keston Hiura.
Gausman looked smooth hitting 96 mph, extended himself to three innings allowing just those two hits and striking out one. It was the first run he’s given up this spring, which has been comfortable for him. He mentioned the Edgertronic camera and Rapsodo, part of the advanced technology the Giants can offer flier pitchers like himself.
And then there are the shifts, which he understands and is not complaining about. They just might make him look silly every once in a while.
“You like it when it works for you,” Gausman said. “You don’t like it when it doesn’t.”
Other takeaways from the Giants’ 5-5 tie against the Brewers at American Family Fields of Phoenix on Friday:
— Joe McCarthy, who was not cut this morning as 17 others were, went to the plate twice — batting out of the cleanup hole — and seemed to appreciate his state in Giants camp. The outfielder worked a walk in the second then blasted a home run to right in the fourth, now 4-for-11 with three walks in major league spring training.
— Jaylin Davis went 0-for-3, each out a strikeout. The outfielder, for whom the Giants have such high hopes, is 3-for-19 with 12 strikeouts.
— Joey Bart was thrown out after arguing a called third strike in the ninth inning.
— With no outs and runners on second and third in the second, Tyler Heineman could not get a run in, lofting a fly to too-shallow right field. Heineman, fighting with Rob Brantly for the backup-catcher job, went 0-for-3 and is 2-for-13 with two walks. Brantly is 4-for-16 with a double and a walk.
— The Giants continue to be aggressive on the bases, Dubon turning a bloop into a double and Yolmer Sanchez advancing to second on a flyball to deep left-center.
— Dubon, getting his first look at third, threw too high for first-baseman Wilmer Flores, pulling him off the bag for an error.
— Trevor Gott, who has struggled with his control thus far, struck out two but allowed a home run to Hiura.
