Giants middle relief pitcher Cory Gearrin remembers what it was like being surrounded by a top-notch closer. From 2011-13, Gearrin broke into the league next to Craig Kimbrel down in Atlanta.
Gearrin hopped on Tuesday morning with KNBR 1050’s The Audible to give his thoughts on why Mark Melancon’s arrival reminds him of his former All-Star teammate.
“This is something we knew was kind of coming down the pipeline. Everybody was anxious for this point to come,” Gearrin said. “From a bullpen standpoint, obviously Craig in Atlanta, it just brings a sense of calm to the bullpen and the game, kinda when you know what you are getting. As a member of the bullpen, I’m really looking forward to this next year, bringing in a guy of that caliber who you know what you are going to get.”
Kevin Frandsen, a co-host of the show and longtime MLB infielder, pointed out that Gearrin could have a lot to gain from Melancon’s arrival. San Francisco really doesn’t have a slinger like Gearrin, who makes it a point to pitch inside and intimidate hitters. With the ninth inning now all mapped out, the Giants can create firmer roles for other pitchers.
“I do take a lot of pride in my game,” Gearrin said. “That’s one of the reasons I wanted to come to San Francisco was how (Bruce) Bochy has used (Sergio) Romo and (Javier) Lopez. He really understands how to get the most out of guys. One one of the things Mark’s going to bring is stability to give Boch that flexibility and be able to put guys in situations consistently. For me, that’s my game. Sinking the ball, cutting the ball, giving guys a different look.
“(Bochy) will get to know what situations our guys are comfortable in. Whether it’s earlier in the game, later in the game, if they can handle multi-inning, or more shorter stints. What Boch and (Dave Righetti) do really well in San Francisco, is they get to know the guys. And they have a really good feel, not just statistically what everyone can figure out, but having a feel for the individual people.”
Last season, Gearrin appeared in 56 games with a 4.28 ERA and 45 strikeouts.
