To say the Giants’ left fielders have struggled to open the 2017 season would be putting it mildly. Those playing the position in the season’s opening series, notably Jarrett Parker and Chris Marrero, went a combined 0-for-17 with 10 strikeouts in the four-game series.
One of the Giants who did impress was utility infielder Aaron Hill, who homered in his first start as a Giant on Thursday. After starting the game at 2nd base, the veteran Hill was also thrown into left field midway through Thursday’s game for just the second time in his career.
San Francisco broadcaster Mike Krukow belives that Hill in left something we may see with regularity moving forward, especially if the likes of Parker and Marrero continue to struggle.
“If he’s swinging the bat, and they’re scoring runs and he’s putting runs on the board, you bet you’re going to see him more,” Krukow told Murph and Mac Friday morning. “His at-bats yesterday were fantastic. He hit the home run, hit a line drive and then he walked. Everything he did at the plate was pretty good.”
The only issue is whether or not Hill is good enough defensively to play in left with consistency. Krukow says despite a couple hiccups on Thursday, he believes Hill can get the job done.
“The plays in question in left field, you know it was his second time out there ever. One was a sinking line drive – he had it – and then it rolled and kind’ve flipped out of his web. The other ball just got over his head. You know I’ve never played outfield in any level of professional baseball. Kuip said the one thing when you’re an infielder and you go to the outfield, the hardest thing to do is come in on a ball, so you play deep, and you’re just not comfortable. What we saw in spring training, he didn’t get a lot of hard plays, but what he got to he caught, he’s got a good arm, and given the history with what the Giants have done with Travis Ishikawa and Mike Morse, he has more range than both of those guys. You would hope on a day he goes to play left field, most of his plays would be routine, but I do think he’s going to be out there, especially if he’s swinging the bat.”
Listen to the full interview below.
