SF Giants Press Clips Wednesday, June 14, 2017

San Francisco Chronicle Giants shut down again, reach 40 losses Henry Schulman Tuesday was the night that all the fans who had Warriors tunnel vision plopped onto the sofa, cracked open a beverage, flipped to the Giants’ game and said, “Let’s see how the boys are doing this year.” Followed by, “Their record is what now?” That’s 26-40. The Giants achieved a defeat total they did not reach last year until July 24 with an 8-1 loss to the Royals at AT&T Park. Lord knows the Giants have been shut down by all manner of pitchers this year. Lefty, righty. Top of the rotation, bottom of the rotation. Fat kids, skinny kids, even kids with chicken pox. So it’s hard to blame the luck of the draw. Still, they came home for a brief tour through the American League Central and have faced three starters in four games sporting ERAs in the twos. Their run output against Ervin Santana, Jose Berrios and Jason Vargas: three in 211/3 innings. Vargas is the best of the bunch, ranked second in the league with a 2.18 ERA coming into Tuesday, and he had little trouble suppressing the Giants in the first of two games against the Royals. Vargas five-hit the Giants over seven innings. Buster Posey had two, including a double that led to the Giants’ lone run. Austin Slater, who keeps impressing, singled twice off Vargas. Eduardo Nuñez doubled to extend the majors’ longest on-base streak to 27 games. The box score from this blase exercise says Ty Blach allowed seven runs, but that’s horse feathers. He was bled for 10 hits over 51/3 innings, the baseball equivalent of a quarterback who throws six picks, four off his receivers’ hands. “It’s hard to believe he gave up seven runs,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “He had good stuff. “They placed balls out of our reach three or four times. It’s a shame, because Ty threw the ball well tonight.”

The third inning was worst of all. The Royals loaded the bases on a single under Brandon Belt’s glove, a blooper off second baseman Aaron Hill’s glove and a bunt by Vargas that became a hit when Nuñez did not charge it and Blach could not reach it. Rookie Jorge Bonifacio then ripped a two-run single under Blach’s glove into center to score the only two runs Kansas City would need. Even Whit Merrifield’s triple off Cory Gearrin that scored the final three runs charged to Blach was a flyball to right that got past a diving Hunter Pence, who was playing the gap. “A couple of bad bounces and you don’t make pitches when you have to. That’s going to humble you in a hurry,” Blach said. “It’s one of those things where you’ve got to come back out in five days and go again. You’ve got to flush it.” On Sunday, Bochy held a pregame meeting in which he reminded the Giants how many good players occupied the room, and he implored them to play up to their pedigrees. They then took the field against the Twins and scored 13 runs. The Giants had a rare day off at home Monday. Several players attended the Warriors’ clincher. All year, the Warriors provided a reminder that crispness and execution win games. The Giants have lacked that this season. Defensively, they are not catching balls they usually reach. The pitchers are not hitting spots they usually hit, and the offense is not doing the little things that made this team a champion three times over. Better plays by Belt and Nuñez in the third inning, and this might’ve been a different game. “It’s a game of inches, and we’re not quite getting to some of these balls,” Bochy said. “You’ve got to attribute it to bad luck for the most part. You’d like to think you’d make some of these plays.” San Francisco Giants Giants expect news on Hunter Strickland’s suspension Wednesday Henry Schulman The Giants expect to learn Wednesday whether Major League Baseball will reduce Hunter Strickland’s six-game suspension and reduce his $2,500 fine for plunking Bryce Harper of the Nationals on Memorial Day. Strickland had his appeal hearing at AT&T Park on Tuesday. It lasted two hours “and it felt like it,” Strickland said. Lawyers for the league and players’ association attended, with MLB disciplinarian Joe Torre watching via video hookup from Boston. The sides examined video of the incident and discussed comparable cases. Harper initially got four games for charging the mound, reduced to three in a settlement. The league was not inclined to settle with Strickland because it deemed his actions more egregious. Strickland expressed some contrition during the hearing.

“I said I regret putting my team in this position, and I regret that kids were in position that they had to see it,” Strickland said. Manager Bruce Bochy hoped the league would render the decision Tuesday so he could plan bullpen use accordingly. Strickland pitched a scoreless eighth inning Tuesday. The Giants have eight relievers and a four-man bench. They plan no roster moves when Strickland serves his time. That means stretching a seven-man bullpen for a four-game series at Coors Field. The only upcoming move is Conor Gillaspie’s return from the disabled list as soon as this weekend. Gillaspie has not played since May 10 because of back spasms and is scheduled for two final rehab games for Triple-A Sacramento on Wednesday and Thursday. The Giants will swap Gillaspie with a position player, as they’ll play a man short with Strickland suspended. Draft continues: For the first time since 2007, the Giants used their top three picks on high school players. After picking Puerto Rican outfielder Heliot Ramos and Arizona infielder Jacob Gonzalez with their two picks Monday, they added Utah pitcher Seth Corry on Tuesday with their third pick. Their final seven picks on Day 2 were collegians. Eighth-rounder John Gavin, a left-handed pitcher from Cal State Fullerton, attended St. Francis High. San Francisco Chronicle World Series hero Luis Gonzalez: Son in ‘good hands’ with Giants Henry Schulman Luis and Christine Gonzalez took a family photo with their kids at home in Scottsdale, Ariz., on Monday night. Christine wore a Giants cap, as did triplets Megan, Jacob and Alyssa. Luis? He went cap-less. "We're a divided family now," the retired 19-year major-leaguer laughingly said by phone Tuesday. "I still work in the Diamondbacks front office." Jacob Gonzalez soon will work for the Giants, who selected him with their second pick in the 2017 amateur draft. The 6-foot-4 third baseman hit .489 for Chaparral High and, like first-rounder Heliot Ramos from Puerto Rico, have some pop. Both hit balls into the bleachers at AT&T Park during recent draft workouts. Luis Gonzalez said the family was overjoyed that the Giants picked Jacob even though papa played for the division-rival Diamondbacks for eight seasons, hit the walkoff single that won Game 7 of the 2001 World Series and works for Arizona as a special assistant. "It's a great organization from top to bottom and they're very big on homegrown talent," Gonzalez said of the Giants. "I'm leaving my son in good hands.

"Every year he's gotten bigger and stronger. I've seen how much time and work he's put in, and he's done it all himself. He doesn't go around telling people who his dad is. He wants to earn everything he gets and it will be the same in the Giants organization." Like any son of a big-leaguer, Jacob spent a lot of time in big-league parks when he was small, including AT&T. "Every time I've go to that ballpark it has a special feeling to it," he said. "It's always sold out and the atmosphere is crazy because they have the best fans in baseball." While some analysts project Gonzalez as a first baseman, he and his dad said they believe Jacob can stay at third. Luis Gonzalez fancied himself a "blue collar" player who had to prove a lot of people wrong along the way and believes his son will do the same in an organization with a history of drafting similar players. The Gonzalez family might be divided, but Jacob predicts his Arizona friends will not be. "I know my dad will have to deal with it at work," he said. "I'm sure all of my friends are going to be Giants fans." Draft, day two: With their first three picks the Giants went heavy on toolsy high school players who will not provide quick fixes but could strengthen the farm system down the road by adding the kind of players they have lacked. The Giants used their top three picks on high schoolers for the first time since John Barr was hired to run the draft in 2008. They did the year before when they picked pitchers Madison Bumgarner and Tim Alderson and outfielder Wendell Fairley. You can read my story about Ramos here. The 17-year-old is a center fielder with pop, but obviously very raw at 17. Ramos and Gonzalez are both right-handed hitters (Luis Gonzalez batted left), which plays better for power at AT&T Park. The Giants used their third pick on Utah high school left-hander Seth Corry then finally went the college route over their final seven picks of the day, starting with Garrett Cave, a right-hander from the University of Tampa. General manager Bobby Evans said the top of the draft pool favored high school players. It did in 2014, too, when a lot of high schoolers went off the board, thus reducing the pool of potential college juniors at the top of the draft this year. Picks five through 10 were college players, too. In order: Right-hander Jason Bahr (Central Florida), center fielder Bryce Johnson (Sam Houston State), right-hander Logan Harasta (Buffalo), left-hander John Gavin (Cal State Fullerton by way of Mountain View's St. Francis High, right-hander Aaron Phillips (St. Bonaventure) and catcher Rob Calabrese (Illinois-Chicago)

Tuesday's game: The Giants offense certainly has underperformed against all types of starters. By the same token they have had bad luck drawing the best of their opponents' rotations. For the third time in four games Tuesday night they will face a sub-3.00 starter, Kansas City left-hander Jason Vargas, whose ERA is actually down to 2.18. It's only a two-game series. The Giants had a 60 percent chance of missing him. Vargas shut them out over seven innings in a 2-0 victory at Kansas City on April 19, Madison Bumgarner's last start. Ty Blach (fifth round, 2012) will attempt to overcome his first loss in seven starts. Joe Panik, as hinted, will get one more night to rest his sprained left thumb. Aaron HIll will start at second base. Otherwise, the other lefty hitters are back. Conor Gillaspie will play two more rehab games for Triple-A Sacramento, at Las Vegas, before he is activated as early as this weekend in Denver. San Jose Mercury News Blach runs into hard luck as Royals trounce Giants Paul Gackle SAN FRANCISCO — Ty Blach is discovering just how thin the margins of error can be in the Majors. After posting a 1.87 ERA in his first five home starts while filling in for the injured Madison Bumgarner in the Giants rotation, Blach took one on the chin against the Kansas City Royals at AT&T Park Tuesday, surrendering seven earned runs over 5 2/3 innings of work in an 8-1 loss. Although he gave up 10 hits, the crooked numbers painted a distorted picture of Blach’s performance in the 2014 World Series rematch at China Basin. “It’s a shame because Ty threw the ball well tonight, he really did. The numbers are not indicative of how he threw,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “It’s one of those nights. It’s baseball.” After Lorenzo Cain and Eric Hosmer led off the sixth with singles, Blach nearly escaped the six-run inning unscathed after he fanned Salvador Perez and induced a ground ball from Mike Moustakas. But the inning-ending double play eluded Blach by mere inches as a sliding Brandon Crawford failed to scoop Moustakas’ bouncer, allowing the runners to reach safely at all three bases. Alcides Escobar, who entered the game with a .180 batting average, brought in two runs on the next pitch, ripping a hard grounder down the right field line to give the Royals a 4-1 lead. “It felt good, I felt strong,” Blach said, reflecting on his 86-pitch outing. “It felt like I was locating pretty well, just a few unlucky bounces here or there. That’s the way it goes.” After he intentionally walked Alex Gordon to load up the bases, and then struck out pitcher Jason Vargas, Blach (4-4) wound up being on the hook for three more runs when reliever Cory Gearrin allowed

Whit Merrifield to clear the bases with a triple off a flare to right that was just out of the reach of a diving Hunter Pence. “It’s a game of inches and we’re just not quite getting to some of these balls,” Bochy said. “Some of them, you’d like to think we’re going to come up with the play, but mostly it’s just bad luck. We’re just not quite there.” By coughing up the three-run triple, Gearrin has now allowed 12 of the 19 runners he’s inherited this season to score. Jorge Bonifacio capped off the Royals six-run inning by driving in Merrifield with a blooper to center. Blach also ran into some hard luck in the third after Escobar led off by singling with a seeing-eye grounder through the right side of the infield and Gordon reached with a blooper off the tip of second baseman Aaron Hill’s glove. After that, Vargas loaded up the bases with a perfectly placed bunt in between the pitcher’s mound and third base. Third baseman Eduardo Nunez didn’t help Blach out on the play by retreating to the base instead of charging the ball and trying to get the out at first. After Merrifield popped out, Bonifacio brought in a pair of runs with a line drive up the middle, giving the Royals a 2-1 lead. After stringing together five-straight quality starts, Blach is 0-2 with a 9.26 ERA in his last two outings. But the 26-year-old lefty isn’t concerned about the prospect that Major League hitters might be starting to figure him out. “Teams are putting together good at bats, they’re competing. That’s the big leagues, that’s what you’d expect,” he said. “You’ve got to be able to go out there and make pitches.” As Blach suffered through a series of unfortunate events, Vargas (9-3) showed the Giants (26-40) why he’s posted the second-lowest ERA (2.10) in baseball this season. The Giants collected just one earned run on five hits over seven innings against the Royals ace, failing to build off the momentum of their season-high 13 runs and 17 hits on Sunday. “Just remarkable command,” Bochy said, reflecting on Vargas’ career year in the Royals rotation. “It’s just hard for the hitters to get the barrel on it because he changes speeds so well. You can’t sit on one pitch with him because he’s got three pitches and he changes speeds.” The Giants opened the scoring in the second after Buster Posey doubled to the left field corner, advanced on a ground out and scored on a sacrifice fly to center from Crawford. Posey, who smacked three doubles on Sunday, went 2 for 3, improving his batting average to .408 over his last 13 games. Rookie Austin Slater also went 2 for 3 on the night, giving him a .357 batting average since he made his Major League debut with the Giants on June 2.

“He’s done a nice job in that eight hole and that’s a big spot,” Bochy said. “You think, well, you’re putting a guy there because he may not be as strong a hitter, but that can turn the order around so many times. “It’s good to see him swing the bat the way he is.” NOTES — Nunez doubled in the sixth, reaching base in his 27th-consecutive game, which is the longest active streak in the Majors. San Jose Mercury News Giants select hometown southpaw headed to Omaha for CWS VYTAS MAZEIKA John Gavin must still be pinching himself after a lifelong dream turned into reality Tuesday afternoon when the San Francisco Giants took a hometown kid in the eighth round of the 2017 MLB Draft. “It was first shock and then I started yelling and jumping up and down, and then I actually kind of broke down and started crying,” Gavin said during a conference call with the media. “I mean, this has literally been a dream of mine since I was 5 years old to get drafted by the San Francisco Giants. … “And I still don’t believe that this is actually happening.” The 21-year-old remembers watching a Giants-Dodgers game from the stands at AT&T Park as a second-grader. He skipped school at St. Francis High in Mountain View as a sophomore to attend the Giants’ parade after their 2012 World Series title. Then, as a freshman at Cal State Fullerton, he watched Madison Bumgarner step out of the bullpen to toss five shutout innings of relief to clinch Game 7 of the 2014 World Series, while the rest of his teammates at Fullerton rooted against the Giants. “There is so many memories and it is absolutely incredible that this is happening,” Gavin said. “I’m wearing a Madison Bumgarner jersey as we speak right now,” he added. “That was one of the first things I did. It was hanging in my room and I had to put it on.” The 6-foot-6, 230-pound left-handed pitcher, who is slotted for a $154,200 signing bonus as the 246th overall pick, was by himself watching streaming coverage of the draft on MLB.com, but the feed was lagging. That’s why Gavin was confused when he was contacted by Cory Vanderhook, the director of baseball operations at Fullerton. “He just sent me a text saying Giants with a bunch of exclamation points and I had no idea what that meant,” said Gavin, who went in the 39th round of the 2014 MLB Draft to the Milwaukee Brewers, but

did not sign. “And then I saw that the Giants had the next pick and I thought, ‘No way possible.’ I turn it up and I see my name get called and the emotions that I just said came through. And that was that.” The story gets better. Cal State Fullerton (39-22) departs for Omaha, Neb., on Thursday morning to participate in the College World Series for the 18th time in program history. A big reason the Titans are one of eight NCAA Division I teams still playing is the hulking southpaw. He struck out 10 over seven strong innings in Sunken Diamond to beat Stanford at its NCAA Regional on the first weekend of June, then eight days later threw his first complete-game shutout at Long Beach State in an elimination game of that Super Regional. “It feels almost like every childhood dream that I’ve had has been coming true, becoming a reality in a matter of 14, 15 days,” said Gavin, who also made the trip to Omaha as a freshman in 2015. “I mean, I’m just so excited. I’m so fortunate for these last 14 days. I have so many people to thank that I can’t even begin to start and it is just an unbelievable feeling that I’m having right now and I’m just trying to enjoy the ride.” Fourteen picks earlier in the MLB Draft, his former batterymate at St. Francis was also taken in the eighth round. Tim Susnara, a 6-1, 195-pound catcher at Oregon, went to the Los Angeles Angels at 232nd overall. “I was looking for his name the whole entire day and I’m really pumped for him,” Gavin said. “Jason Dietrich, my old pitching coach and now his current (assistant) coach, thought it was so ironic that me and Timmy got drafted in the same round and right around the same time. I mean, him and I are what I’d like to think best friends. We stay in contact frequently and just talk the game and talk about life.” Gavin began playing against Susnara in the travel ball circuit at roughly the age of 11 or 12. They gravitated toward each other as freshmen at St. Francis and were both called up to varsity as sophomores. “It was awesome, where him and I would just be on the same wave length almost every single time we came out,” Gavin said. “He’s a big reason of where I am today and I tell him a bunch. Can’t thank him enough for everything he’s done for me and I miss him.” Gavin brings a three-pitch repertoire to the mound, with a fastball that sits at 89-92 mph, but he can ramp it up if necessary. His out-pitch is a change-up, with the ability to also keep hitters off balance with a slider. He’s solidified the No. 2 spot on the rotation for the Titans, who needed him most after dropping the opener of a best-of-three Super Regional against their Big West rival.

“I knew what I had to do once the last out of Game 1 ended,” Gavin said. “And I think my parents were joking with me that was probably the first time in my 21-year existence that I actually didn’t finish my dinner. They said I looked locked in and ready to go.” After scattering seven hits and two walks over nine scoreless innings, while striking out five, his ERA in three starts against Long Beach State lowered to 0.42. For the season, Gavin is 8-2 with a 2.67 ERA, with 89 strikeouts over 101 innings. He won’t pitch Saturday against No. 1 Oregon State (54-4) in the opening game of the College World Series, but at some point in Omaha expect to see the left-hander on the big stage. “These big games are what I live for, what I dream of,” Gavin said. Then it’s a matter of negotiating a contract with the Giants, which has a minor league affiliate that plays home games at San Jose Municipal Stadium. It’s a locale quite familiar to Gavin, who as a junior at St. Francis tossed a one-hitter against West Catholic Athletic League rival Serra in the 2013 Central Coast Section Division I championship game at San Jose Muni. “Hopefully soon here I can make it to the High A team in San Jose,” Gavin said, “where I made the last out of the CCS championship game — and I can play there for a little bit.” After all, his sights are set on AT&T Park. San Jose Mercury News Warriors’ championship triggers memories for struggling Giants: ‘You want that again’ Paul Gackle SAN FRANCISCO — Buster Posey couldn’t help but to reflect on brighter days at China Basin as he watched the Warriors clinch their second NBA title in three years. With a scheduled day off, the Giants catcher actually got to watch Game 5 of the NBA Finals from home Monday night and it triggered memories of his team’s run to three World Series championships in five years. It also stirred up his hunger to win another ring. “When you see stuff like that on TV, for sure, that’s what you think about,” Posey said. “We’re all very competitive, so you want that again. You want to win while you’re able to play.” What memories flashed through Posey’s head as the confetti came raining down at Oracle Arena? “Obviously, we clinched on the road all three times, but I still have very vivid memories of being back here the morning of the parade and the excitement of the city,” he said. “It was really cool.”

The all-star catcher said he appreciates the Warriors ability to keep the competitive fire burning in the wake of all the success they’ve had over the last couple of years. He reminded him of his drive on the diamond. “I have a unique perspective because I understand how hard it is to stay at the top once you’ve won,” Posey said. “Everyone’s gunning for you all the time and those guys seem hungry still.” Outfielder Denard Span said the Warriors run to the title gave him a glimpse of just how exciting it would be to go on a World Series run with the Giants. Span said he experienced a similar buzz at AT&T Park when he faced the Giants as a member of the Washington Nationals during the 2014 National League Division Series. “That is the reason why I came here, to be honest,” Span said. “The fans are very passionate. There’s something different about this place, just the organization and the fans, it’s unlike any other place where I’ve played. “I think other key free agents in other sports and leagues see that, and say, hey, what’s going on in San Francisco? What’s going on in the Bay Area? That must be a pretty cool place.” Outfielder Hunter Pence described himself as, “super thrilled,” to see the Warriors win another NBA title. He’s met Kevin Durant, Steph Curry and Draymond Green and believes they’re, “outstanding people.” “It’s inspiring,” Pence said. “They’re one of the best basketball teams to ever play. “From the bit of time that I’ve spent with them, they’re outstanding people. You see the work they do in the community and then they show up to the games and get the job done. They’re just all great guys.” San Jose Mercury News Why Giants’ Strickland regrets brawl with Nationals’ Harper Paul Gackle SAN FRANCISCO — As Hunter Strickland awaits a ruling from Major League Baseball on the appeal of his six-game suspension, he’s received plenty of time to reflect on his decision to plunk Washington Nationals slugger Bryce Harper with a 98 mph fastball on Memorial Day. The Giants reliever told the league during his appeal hearing Tuesday that he regrets the role he played in the incident. “I regret putting my team in that position,” Strickland said, recounting his hearing to reporters. “I regret that the kids watching had to see it.” Strickland said his hearing with MLB Chief Baseball Officer Joe Torre via Skype lasted roughly two hours. The Major League Baseball Players Association lawyer that represented Strickland made a case for reducing his suspension by comparing it to similar cases with less severe punishments. “They played all the videos and I explained my thoughts of it,” Strickland said. “Then, the lawyers go back and forth, and then they presented different cases throughout the course of the years.”

At this point, it’s unclear when baseball will reach a decision on Strickland’s appeal, but the Giants hope it’s sooner than later. “We’d just like to get the news as soon as possible,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “I’ll be honest, I’m hoping to get some news today (Tuesday) because with the day off (Monday), we’re fresh in the bullpen, so it would allow us to use guys how we want to and keep things in order as much as possible the next two days before we hit Colorado.” The Giants cannot replace Strickland on the roster while he’s suspended, so the team will play with a seven-man bullpen once it hits. With just four position players on the roster right now, the Giants aren’t in a position to recall a reliever from Triple-A Sacramento to replace Strickland in the bullpen. “We really can’t send a position player down because we’re down to four there,” Bochy said. “So we’ll just keep the club as it is.” In the meantime, if the Giants don’t get a response from Major League Baseball Tuesday, Bochy will try to get Strickland some work against the Kansas City Royals at AT&T Park to keep the rest of the bullpen as fresh as possible. “If it’s not today, then you’ll probably see him pitch tonight,” Bochy said. — Joe Panik will return to the Giants lineup for the second game of their two-game set with the Royals at AT&T Park Wednesday afternoon. Bochy said Panik, who missed the Giants series with the Minnesota Twins over the weekend with a sprained left thumb, is, “full go.” “He’s going to use today as a day to do all of his baseball activities: take ground balls, bp, but he’s full go,” the Giants manager said. “He could have started, but I just wanted to give him a day to get back into the fold of things.” — Conor Gillaspie will continue his minor league rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Sacramento in Las Vegas Wednesday. Gillaspie has been sidelined since May 11 with back spasms. The 29-year-old infielder went 1 for 5 in two games with the River Cats over the weekend. “He’s healthy. He just needs some more at bats,” Bochy said. — Bochy likes the potential for baseball’s lightest-hitting team to hit a few more home runs down the road. The Giants selected high schoolers with their first two picks in Monday’s MLB Draft and both players caught Bochy’s eye on video.

The team drafted Puerto Rican outfielder Heliot Ramos with their top pick (No. 19) and third baseman Jacob Gonzalez (No. 58) in the second round. Gonzalez, who is completing his senior year at Chaparral High School in Arizona, is the son of former-Arizona Diamondbacks slugger Luis Gonzalez. “Solid mechanics. Of course, he’s got a dad that’s working with him, so that’s to be expected,” Bochy said, referring to Gonzalez. “They have good balance, both of them. You can see the power potential there in both of them.” The Giants have hit the fewest home runs (49) in the majors this season. MLB.com Giants select lefty Corry in Round 3 of Draft Chris Haft SAN FRANCISCO -- The Giants stuck with youth at the outset of Tuesday's third round of the 2017 MLB Draft by selecting left-hander Seth Corry from Lone Peak High School in Highland, Utah. Corry became the third consecutive high school player the Giants drafted, following outfielder Heliot Ramos and third baseman Jacob Gonzalez, their first- and second-round choices, respectively, on Monday. The Draft concludes on Wednesday, with exclusive coverage of Rounds 11-40 beginning on MLB.com at 9 a.m. PT. The last time the Giants chose high schoolers with their first three picks was 2007, when they grabbed left-hander Madison Bumgarner, right-hander Tim Alderson, outfielder Wendell Fairley and infielder Nick Noonan with their top four selections. Round 3, 96th overall: Seth Corry, LHP, Lone Peak (Utah) High School Corry posted a 1.90 ERA and struck out 97 batters in 52 innings as a senior at Lone Peak, for whom he played outfield when he didn't pitch. Corry, who has committed to attending Brigham Young University, is said to possess above-average breaking stuff and complements that with a fastball that hovers in the 90-92 mph range. His 6-foot-2, 195-pound stature makes it easy to project him in any role on a pitching staff. Round 4, 126th overall: Garrett Cave, RHP, University of Tampa The Giants dipped into the college ranks to select right-hander Garrett Cave from Tampa, a Division II school. Cave started and relieved at Florida International University before transferring, reportedly so he could start full-time. In 18 appearances this year for Tampa, including nine starts, Cave finished 5-2 with a 4.23 ERA. He struck out 84 and walked 32 in 61 2/3 innings.

Round 5, 156th overall: Jason Bahr, RHP, University of Central Florida Bahr actually didn't play collegiate baseball in 2016. Not only was he a walk-on, but he simply didn't see eye-to-eye with the previous coach, who cut him. So Bahr got a job as a lifeguard. But he remained interested enough in baseball to play in the Florida Collegiate Summer League, a six-team wood bat league. Meanwhile, UCF underwent a coaching change, bringing in Greg Lovelady. Ryan Klosterman, a holdover assistant coach, advised Lovelady that Bahr could help the team. After all, Bahr stood 6-foot-5 and was capable of throwing in the mid-90s. Lovelady welcomed back Bahr -- as a full-fledged member of the team, not as a walk-on this time. Bahr responded by recording a 2.97 ERA in 24 appearances, including five starts. He struck out 98 and walked 15 in 60 2/3 innings. Opponents hit .191 off him. Round 6, 186th overall: Bryce Johnson, CF, Sam Houston State Johnson improved his slash line incrementally but steadily during three collegiate seasons. At the end of his junior season, he owned a .330 batting average, .418 on-base percentage and .409 slugging percentage. Johnson's mobility was reflected in his runs total. He scored 147 runs in 184 games, proving that getting around the bases wasn't an issue. He also stole 69 bases in 88 tries during his college career. Round 7, 216th overall: Logan Harasta, RHP, University of Buffalo Having established himself as a top reliever last year as a sophomore, Harasta continued to develop this season. Physically imposing at 6-foot-7 and 235 pounds, Harasta recorded a 3.63 ERA in 21 appearances. He struck out 50 and walked 26 in 34 2/3 innings. Harasta was primarily a starter as a freshman in 2015, and he made the Mid-American Conference's All-Academic team as a sophomore. Round 8, 246th overall: John Gavin, LHP, Cal State Fullerton Gavin rooted for the Giants while being raised in nearby San Jose, and graduating from St. Francis High School in Mountain View. Primarily a starter for three seasons with Fullerton, Gavin posted an 8-2 record with a 2.67 ERA in 17 games (16 starts). He struck out 89 batters in 101 innings. Gavin helped Fullerton qualify for the College World Series for the second time in three years. The Titans will open the competition by facing Oregon State on Saturday. The Brewers drafted Gavin in the 39th round in 2014, but he didn't sign. Round 9, 276th overall: Aaron Phillips, RHP, St. Bonaventure University Phillips still has a thing or two to learn about command, as his 45 walks in 100 2/3 innings this season demonstrated. He also struck out 90 and limited opponents to a .214 batting average, reflecting his potential.

Phillips was named a finalist for the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award. He hit .251 with 26 RBIs in 48 games as a part-time first baseman. Round 10, 306th overall: Rob Calabrese, C, University of Illinois-Chicago Calabrese improved dramatically this season. He hit .216 in 25 games as a sophomore in 2016, then surged this year to record a slash line of .353/.425/.583 in 56 games. A resident of Staten Island, N.Y., Calabrese was rewarded for his effort by being named Horizon League Player of the Year. MLB.com Cueto set to oppose former team in Royals Alex Simon Giants right-hander Johnny Cueto will face the Royals on Wednesday afternoon in San Francisco for the first time since he won a World Series championship with them in 2015. Cueto was traded from the Reds to the Royals on July 26, 2015, and made 13 starts for Kansas City in the regular season and four in the postseason. He threw a complete game in Game 2 of the 2015 World Series, giving up one run on two hits to the Mets, helping the Royals win their first World Series in 30 years. Cueto signed with San Francisco that offseason and went 18-5 with a 2.79 ERA in 2016. This year, he's 5-5 with a 4.33 ERA. He's 1-3 in his last five starts, only once pitching into the seventh. While he remembers the good times of his stint with the Royals, he's treating Wednesday like any other start. "I'm proud to have been a part of that team," Cueto said. "I still have friends there, but when we talked [in April when the teams met in Kansas City], I didn't think I was going to pitch against them. But it's just another team, and I'm going to go out there and do my best." Right-hander Jason Hammel will get the start for the Royals. After finishing the first two months of the season with a 1-6 record and a 6.18 ERA, he's thrown well in June. In his last two starts, he's gone 13 2/3 innings, giving up four runs on nine hits and no walks while striking out 11. He threw 6 2/3 innings in beating the Indians on June 3 and kept the Astros in check for seven innings Thursday, allowing a single run on four hits. Hammel said a change to his set position has been a big factor. "I made the adjustment to get more square with my shoulders," Hammel said. "Last year, I made the adjustment to close up my shoulders because normally I fly open so much. So I was basically trying to give myself more time, but it made it too long to catch up with my back side. I started getting too comfortable with it and I was missing too much arm side. So we opened it back up." Hammel's ground-ball rate of 35.2 percent is seventh lowest this season among pitchers with at least 200 batted balls against them. It's also a career low for the veteran righty, coming in under his 40 percent mark from 2014. Things to know about this game

• Giants second baseman Joe Panik (sprained left thumb) missed his fourth straight start Tuesday but is expected to return to the lineup Wedensday. • Giants outfielder Denard Span hasn't hit Hammel much, but he's made it count when he does. He's 2-for-22 lifetime against Hammel, but the two hits are a double and a triple. • Cueto and Hammel have faced off once before, with Cueto's Reds beating Hammel's Cubs, 5-4, in 10 innings on June 12, 2015, in Chicago. Interestingly, both got a hit off the other, with Cueto going 1-for-3 while pitching seven innings and Hammel going 1-for-2 in five innings. San Francisco Giants Giants see Royals pull away in 6th inning Alex Espinoza and Jerry Flanagan SAN FRANCISCO -- The Royals used a six-run sixth-inning rally to support Jason Vargas, who won his fourth straight start in Tuesday's 8-1 victory over the Giants at AT&T Park. The veteran southpaw made quick work of the San Francisco lineup, allowing five hits and a walk while striking out six over seven innings. Vargas (9-3) maintained his hold on MLB's second-lowest ERA (2.10) while joining Dallas Keuchel and Clayton Kershaw as the Majors' lone nine-game winners. "Vintage Vargy," Royals pitching coach Dave Eiland said. "Changed speeds, commanded the zone." Added Royals manager Ned Yost, "Vargy was excellent. He was sharp. On the attack. Kept his pitch count down." Whit Merrifield and Jorge Bonifacio recorded three RBIs apiece for the Royals, who racked up 15 hits and won their third straight contest. Giants southpaw Ty Blach was charged with seven runs in his 5 2/3 innings, as he gave up 10 hits and a walk while striking out four. Though the Royals weren't hitting the ball hard consistently against Blach, it marked his second straight start of giving up at least five runs. "That's just baseball," Blach said. "A couple of bad bounces and then you don't make pitches when you have to, it's going to humble you in a hurry." MOMENTS THAT MATTERED So close, yet so far: Merrifield highlighted Kansas City's six-run barrage in the sixth with a three-run triple down the right-field line. Giants right fielder Hunter Pence made a sliding attempt to catch the high fly ball but it landed just inches away from his glove and bounced to the wall, allowing the bases to clear and Merrifield to reach third. According to Statcast™, Merrifield's triple only had a 4 percent chance of being a hit when it left his bat. "It was one of those that you don't hit very well," Merrifield said, "but you know it's in a good spot. It just started dying. Those are beautiful when they happen. It was in a big moment, too." Bad bounces: The Giants were stung by some close plays in the third inning that led to a couple of early runs for the Royals. Alcides Escobar led off the frame with a single that bounced past Giants first

baseman Brandon Belt, before Alex Gordon reached on a bloop single that nicked off the glove of second baseman Aaron Hill in shallow right. Once Vargas' bunt rolled past Blach to load the bases, Bonifacio laced a two-run single up the middle to make the Giants pay. "It's a game of inches," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "We're just not quite getting to some of these balls. I think you've got to attribute bad luck to it for the most part. Some of them, you'd think we're going to come up with a play. Most of it is just bad luck. It's just not quite there. Tonight was one of those." Added Bonifacio, "I felt pretty good tonight. I was looking fastball there and he hung a slider and I got a good swing on it. I've been in a little slump but felt good tonight." QUOTABLE "It's hard to believe he gave up those runs. He had good stuff. They placed the ball just out of reach three or four times there. It's a shame because Ty threw the ball well tonight, he really did. The numbers are not indicative of how he threw." -- Bochy, on Blach SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS Vargas became the fourth Royals pitcher since 1974 to record a bunt single, joining Danny Duffy, Ervin Santana and Odalis Perez. WHAT'S NEXT Royals: Right-hander Jason Hammel (2-6, 5.43 ERA) tak es the mound for the Royals on Wednesday at 2:45 p.m. CT. Hammel continued his recent surge with a strong outing against Houston on Thursday -- seven innings, four hits, one run, zero walks, four strikeouts. Giants: Johnny Cueto (5-5 4.33 ERA) will face the Royals on Wednesday at 12:45 p.m. PT for the first time since winning the 2015 World Series with Kansas City. The veteran right-hander has a 3.55 ERA in five starts at AT&T Park this year compared to a 4.88 ERA in eight road outings. MLB.com Lifelong fan thrilled to be drafted by Giants Chris Haft SAN FRANCISCO -- Cal State Fullerton left-hander John Gavin was a few picks behind as he followed Tuesday's installment of the MLB Draft. His excitement soared when he received a text message from Cory Vanderhook, Fullerton's director of baseball operations. The text read simply, "Giants," followed by what Gavin described as "a bunch of exclamation points." Life became one great big exclamation point for Gavin minutes later when the Giants drafted him in the eighth round. It just so happens that Gavin, a 6-foot-6, 230-pound junior majoring in communications, is a lifelong Giants fan who was born in San Francisco, grew up in San Jose and deepened his Bay Area roots by graduating from Mountain View's St. Francis High School. The Draft concludes Wednesday, with exclusive coverage of Rounds 11-40 beginning on MLB.com at 9 a.m. PT.

Gavin ran the gamut of emotions as it sank in that his favorite baseball team had given him a chance to play professionally. "It was first, shock," said Gavin, who confessed to wearing a Madison Bumgarner jersey as he spoke to reporters on a conference call. "Then I started yelling and jumping up and down. And then I actually broke down and started crying. I mean, this has been a dream of mine since I was 5 years old. ... I still don't believe that this is actually happening." It did, and for good reason. Gavin maintained admirable consistency for the Titans while helping them reach the College World Series twice in three years. He finished 7-3 with a 3.66 ERA as a freshman, 6-3 with a save and a team-leading 2.09 ERA as a sophomore, then 8-2, 2.67 with 89 strikeouts in 101 innings this season. Gavin's repertoire includes a fastball that travels at about 89-92 mph and can touch 94, a slider and a changeup which he considered his out pitch. Should Gavin sign with San Francisco (Milwaukee drafted him in the 39th round in 2014 but he opted for college), he'll get the opportunity to personally add to his collection of treasured Giants-related events. He recalled attending a Giants-Dodgers game as a second-grader, reveling in the thrill of the 2010 World Series triumph, skipping school to attend the 2012 World Series parade and defying his teammates, who he said rooted unanimously for the Royals, when San Francisco won the 2014 Series. "There are so many memories," he said. "It is absolutely incredible that this is happening." NBC Sports Bay Area GIANTS CONTINUE BIZARRE TREND OF FALLING FLAT AFTER OFFENSE-FILLED WINS Alex Pavlovic SAN FRANCISCO — Ty Blach was sitting at his locker when the clubhouse opened Tuesday, his eyes focused on a spot a few feet in front of him. When reporters asked him about a tough-luck night, Blach said it’s just one of those things. “You’ve got to flush it,” he said. Unfortunately for the Giants, they’ve made a habit of flushing the wrong results. An 8-1 loss to the Royals on Tuesday continued a remarkable and baffling stretch. The Giants have scored 46 runs in their past five wins. In the five games that followed those wins, they have scored a total — TOTAL — of six runs. Sure, they faced one of the American League’s hottest starters — Jason Vargas — but this run of ineptitude includes all comers. They have lost to Ervin Santana and Tanner Roark in those five games, but also to Ben Lively and Tyler Anderson. The Giants scored 13 runs on Sunday and came back 48 hours later with a familiar performance. Blach was on the wrong end of this one, getting charged with seven earned on a night he was BABIPed to death. The Royals placed a few balls well, took advantage of some sloppy San Francisco defense, and came up with hard-hit balls when needed.

“That’s hard to believe he gave up those runs,” manager Bruce Bochy said of Blach’s line. “They placed the ball just out of reach three to four times. It’s a shame because Ty threw the ball well.” Blach said he would try to shake it off. He does not believe there’s a book out on him. It was just a weird night. “This game can humble you in a hurry,” he said. --- An opinion on those “cheap” hits. The Giants have given up a lot of flares in recent weeks, but watching day in and day out, it sure seems like a fair amount of that can be placed on the players in the field. Two of the singles in the two-run third should have been outs, and that’s on infielders. Hunter Pence couldn’t quite come up with a three-run triple. The new advanced defense metrics are great, but sometimes you don’t need them. Watching this team every night it’s pretty clear, the defense is a step slower than it was a year ago, and that’s responsible for a lot of these balls that are dropping in. --- Let’s take a minute to talk about inherited runners. Cory Gearrin entered with the bases loaded and got a fly ball to deep right that could have been an out. It went for a triple. There was some bad luck involved there, but the result is part of an uglier trend. The Giants bullpen has allowed 37 percent of inherited runner to score, third-worst in the majors. It’s particularly glaring because of how much of an emphasis that has been in recent years. The bullpen led the majors each of the last two seasons, allowing just 22 percent of inherited runner to score last season and 21 percent in 2015. Gearrin has allowed 12 of 19 inherited runner to score, putting him in a tie for second. Heath Hembree, who could have been part of this bullpen, has cashed in a major league-leading 13 of 23 inherited runners. --- The math is the math. The Giants are now 14 1/2 games behind the Dodgers and Rockies and 14 games behind the Diamondbacks. When the draft is over, the front office will have to confront what comes next. NBC Sports Bay Area GIANTS NOTES: BOCHY IMPRESSED BY TOP PICKS; INTRIGUING LEFT-HANDER EARNS PROMOTION Alex Pavlovic SAN FRANCISCO — Bruce Bochy spent most of his night off watching the Warriors, but he carved out a few minutes Monday to check out clips of two players who hope to one day help clinch another championship for the Bay Area. Bochy said he was impressed by what he saw of Heliot Ramos and Jacob Gonzalez, the organization’s top two picks in the the MLB draft, noting that both show the potential to hit for plenty of power. “These two are impressive kids,” Bochy said. Ramos, a 17-year-old, is the highest-drafted player out of Puerto Rico since the Astros took Carlos Correa first overall in 2012. He’s listed at 6-foot-2, 185 pounds and the Giants believe he can be a true center fielder. Ramos was a Rawlings-Perfect Game first-team All-American and he participated in the

Under Armour All-America Game at Wrigley Field last summer, going 3 for 3 with a homer, triple and four RBI. Bochy noted how physically imposing Ramos is even on video. “For a 17-year-old kid, that’s pretty impressive,” Bochy said. “He has good size, a good body for a 17-year-old. I’m excited about him.” The other player chosen Monday is someone from a family Bochy knows well. Luis Gonzalez spent years terrorizing the National League West and his son expects to sign with the Giants quickly. “He has solid mechanics and of course he’s got a dad that’s been working with him on that,” Bochy said. “He showed good balance.” Gonzalez, a third baseman, hit .489 as a senior at Chaparral High in Scottsdale, with 14 doubles and seven homers. He was also a Rawlings first-team All-American. The Giants had eight more picks on Tuesday and they’ll wrap up the draft today. Of Tuesday’s picks, six are pitchers, one is a catcher, and one is listed as a center fielder. St. Francis (Mountain View) alum John Gavin was selected in the eighth round. The others from Day 2: Lone Peak High left-hander Seth Corry (third round), University of Tampa righty Garrett Cave (fourth), Central Florida righty Jason Bahr (fifth), Sam Houston State center fielder Bryce Johnson (sixth), University of Buffalo righty Logan Harasta (seventh), St. Bonaventure right-hander Aaron Phillips (ninth) and University of Illinois-Chicago catcher Rob Calabrese. --- There was big news with a prospect much closer to the big leagues. Andrew Suarez, a left-handed starter, was promoted to Triple-A after posting a 2.96 ERA in 11 Double-A starts. Suarez, a second-rounder in 2015, struck out 55 in 67 innings and walked just 15. Suarez is the top left-handed starter in the system and is generally considered one of the top three pitching prospects the Giants have. He was in camp this spring and struggled a bit, but the Giants believe he has a bright future. “I saw some of his games last year at Richmond and I really like this kid,” Bochy said. “He has a good, hard slider and good movement on his fastball … I really like him.” The Giants like to give players a full season in Triple-A, but it's possible Suarez pushes the envelope and gets a look later this year if the Giants -- through trade or injury -- end up with a hole in their rotation. He has an advanced approach -- I've heard him compared to Ty Blach -- and there's not a whole lot in his way at Triple-A. Tyler Beede is the top pitching prospect there, but he has struggled of late. He gave up five homers in his start Tuesday night. NBC Sports Bay Area INSTANT ANALYSIS: FIVE TAKEAWAYS FROM GIANTS' 8-1 LOSS TO ROYALS Alex Pavlovic SAN FRANCISCO — If you thought the Giants would get a spark from Monday night’s action across the bridge, well …

Coming off their best offensive performance of the season, and an off day, the Giants again came out flat. Jason Vargas and the Royals dominated at AT&T Park, winning 8-1. If you haven’t looked at the standings in a while, we should note that the Giants are now 14 1/2 games behind the Rockies and Dodgers, and 14 behind the Diamondbacks. Here are five things to know from a quiet night at the yard ... —- Buster Posey’s double in the second was the 200th of his career. He’s the 24th player in franchise history to reach 200 doubles, but he has a long way to go. Willie Mays holds the record at 504. —- The two-run rally by the Royals in the third very easily could have been a 1-2-3 inning. Alcides Escobar’s single to right could have been ruled an error on Brandon Belt, and Alex Gordon followed with a flare that just missed Aaron Hill’s outstretched glove. Jason Vargas reached when his bunt found no-man’s land near third. It was that kind of night for Ty Blach, who gave up a two-run single to Jorge Bonifacio later in the inning. —- Blach was charged with seven earned runs, the second-highest total of his career. The BABIP Gods were unkind to him, but all those runs count, and that’s 12 earned over his past two starts. His ERA has jumped a full run in that span. —- There was a shark in the cove. I'm running out of steam here, don't judge me. —- Hunter Strickland, usually a setup man, pitched the eighth with the Giants trailing by seven runs. Bruce Bochy planned to use him no matter what since Strickland’s suspension likely starts Wednesday. Santa Rosa Press Democrat Giants lose to Royals 8-1 MICHAEL WAGAMAN SAN FRANCISCO — Alcides Escobar hit a two-run double as part of a six-run sixth inning and the Kansas City Royals beat the San Francisco Giants 8-1 on Tuesday night. Jorge Bonifacio drove in three runs and snapped an 0-for-13 drought, Alex Gordon added two hits and two runs, while Whit Merrifield had a bases-loaded triple to help Kansas City to a win in its first appearance at AT&T Park since the 2014 World Series. Jason Vargas (9-3) allowed one run over seven innings to outpitch Ty Blach in a battle of left-handers. Vargas gave up five hits with six strikeouts and one walk for his fourth straight win overall and second against the Giants this season. Buster Posey had two hits and scored San Francisco’s run. The Giants have lost 10 of 14. Escobar, whose leadoff single in the third sparked a two-run rally, broke the game open with a bases-loaded double off Blach (4-4) in the sixth. After Gordon was intentionally walked and Vargas struck out, Merrifield lofted a fly ball that landed past sliding right fielder Hunter Pence near the foul line to put the Royals up 7-1. Bonifacio followed with an RBI single.

That was more than enough for Vargas, who pitched seven scoreless innings to beat the Giants in Kansas City on April 19. Coming off its best offensive game of the season two days earlier, San Francisco struggled against Vargas and reliever Travis Wood. The Giants were limited to five hits and scored their only run on a sacrifice fly after Posey doubled leading off the second. Blach allowed seven runs and 10 hits over 5⅓ innings. He struck out four and walked one. TRAINER’S ROOM Royals: LHP Danny Duffy (right oblique strain) threw 20 pitches in a bullpen session Monday and came out of it with no lingering pain. Duffy has been out since May 29. Giants: With a left-hander pitching, 2B Joe Panik was given an additional day off to rest his sprained left thumb. Aaron Hill started in Panik’s place. UP NEXT Royals: RHP Jason Hammel (2-6, 5.43) pitches in the finale of this two-game series. Hammel is winless in his previous eight road starts dating to 2016. Giants: RHP Johnny Cueto (5-5, 4.33) faces his former team for the first time since signing with San Francisco after helping Kansas City to the 2015 World Series. San Francisco Examiner Ty Blach’s bid for a quality night against the Royals derailed in the sixth Jacob Palmer AT&T PARK — Ty Blach was well on his way to a quality start. The San Francisco Giants lefty cruised into the sixth inning without giving up much hard contact to the Kansas City Royals. Then, Blach’s luck turned. “It’s a shame because Ty really threw the ball well, he really did,” Bruce Bochy said. A leadoff single by Lorenzo Cain was followed by a slap-single and an infield hit to load the bases. Alcides Escobar then drove a ball toward the line in right field. Hunter Pence tried to make a sliding catch but ended up nowhere near making the play and all three runners scored. With how the Giants offense has been performing this year, that was more than enough to ensure a win for the visitors, 8-1. It was the 17th time this season San Francisco was limited to one run or fewer, the worst such mark in baseball.

Blach left the game with the bases loaded and Cory Gearrin allowed the Royals to clear them on a triple and a single to the first two batters he faced. So, what appeared to be Blach’s seventh quality start ended up being the third time he’s allowed five or more earned runs in an outing. On the other side, Kansas City starter Jason Vargas pitched seven innings, allowing one run on five hits and a walk. He struck out six as the San Francisco hitters struggled to square up his pitches. The loss drops the Giants to 26-40 on the season and 14-17 at home. They sit 14.5 games behind the Colorado Rockies in the standings. Strickland awaits his fate Before the game, Hunter Strickland had a hearing with Major League Baseball about his pending suspension for throwing at Washington Nationals star Bryce Harper on Memorial Day. The Giants were hoping to know the determination of Joe Torre, the league’s top cop, before the game. But with that not being resolved in time, Bruce Bochy decided to throw Strickland before he inevitably is shut down for a stretch of time. When the punishment comes down, the Giants will remain a pitcher short as Bochy said he doesn’t expect to make a roster move to compensate for Strickland being removed from contention. With The First Pick Jeff Samardzija Cleaned Up by Picking MLB over NFL Jon Dove Jeff Samardzija was a two-sport star at Notre Dame, but was probably more known for his success on the football field. The fact is that college baseball just doesn’t draw the same type of attention as college football. There was a general consensus that Samardzija had enough NFL talent to be a long-time starter and potential 2nd round pick. He featured a combination of good size, speed and aggressiveness. His style of play would fit in nicely with the type of receivers the NFL covets in today’s NFL. Samardzija was also seen as a high-end MLB talent with the potential to develop into an Ace pitcher. However, MLB teams weren’t sure that baseball was his passion which made the possibility of him sticking with football realistic. This fear resulted in Samardzija slipping to the 5th round of the MLB draft where he was selected by the Chicago Cubs. Things took a drastic turn when the Cubs offered Samardzija a huge signing bonus of $7.25 million. He rightfully jumped on the chance to make that type of guaranteed money. It’s a decision that has continued to pay off.

By the time his contract with the San Francisco Giants ends in 2020, Samardzija will have earned a total of $127,675,000 million. He’ll only be 35 years old when this contract ends which is rarely the end of a pitcher’s career. It’s especially true for someone who has been as durable as Samardzija. He wouldn’t have come close to earning that type of money if he had stuck with football. Eddie Royal and Jordy Nelson are two optimistic comparisons for what Samardzija could’ve earned. Both were 2nd round picks in the draft Samardzija would have be available. Nelson has enjoyed a highly successful NFL career and has earned a total of $46,004,813 million in his career. He could finish with $56,254,813 million if he gets to the end of his current contract. Of course, the NFL is very different than the MLB in that their contracts are not guaranteed. Royal has earned a total of $27,453,557 million throughout his career. He’s currently on the free agent market after being released by the Chicago Bears. His career has been marred by injuries and thus hampered his earning power. Samardzija’s baseball earnings are over $43 million more than both Nelson’s and Royal’s combined. It’s obvious he made the right decision and is set up for life as far as money is concerned. This shows the type of decisions facing two-sport athletes. They are making these choices at a very young age and have a major impact on their lives. Around The Fog Horn What the 2017 MLB Draft Means for the San Francisco Giants Jake Mastroianni There was a clear goal for the San Francisco Giants in the 2017 MLB Draft, and I’m not sure it’s the direction they should be taking. With their first three picks in the 2017 MLB Draft, the San Francisco Giants selected high school players. There is certainly nothing wrong with taking high school players. They usually have the most upside in the draft, but they also come with the most risk. There just isn’t enough evidence to show how they’ll develop against big league players. It’s typically much safer to draft college players who have proven they can get it done at a higher level. The Giants have done that in the past, but for some reason they changed up their philosophy this year. To me, that can only mean one thing, it’s time for a rebuild. If the Giants’ front office thought we were still in a window to win now, they would have drafted a college pitcher or hitter that could help the team in 2-3 years. With drafting high school players, that tells me they are looking to buildi a core for the future.

Power Bats Another takeaway from the early picks in the MLB Draft is that they are looking for power. Their first two picks, Heliot Ramos and Jacob Gonzalez, are both projected to be power guys. Both guys are also right-handed, so it’s clear the San Francisco Giants wanted some right-handed power for the future. That’s certainly the way the game is going, and it is definitely something the San Francisco Giants needed. I’m not saying this is a bad direction for the San Francisco Giants, but it’s definitely telling for the direction of the team. They are certainly not playing up to expectations in 2017, so it may be time to start over and rebuild. With taking three high school kids in the first 100 picks, you’re hoping you hit a home run and find a real star. Hopefully that’s the case for the San Francisco Giants in this MLB Draft. For the future of the team, I certainly hope that’s the case because they passed up on a lot of college arms and bats that could have helped this team in the short term. Call To The Pen San Francisco Giants History: Steve Finley Joins 300-300 Club David Hill The 300-300 club is a testament to a player’s longevity with both power and speed. On this day in 2006, San Francisco Giants outfielder Steve Finley became the sixth member of that prestigious fraternity. Each year, we will see players show solid power and speed. They will hit around 30 to 40 homers, while stealing double digit bases. Every once in a while, there will be a player who either joins the 30-30 club, or comes close to those totals. However, more often than not, those players lose their speed over their careers, or the power goes away. In rare instances, there are those players who can retain both their power and speed throughout their career. Over the course of major league history, five players had managed to hit 300 homers and steal 300 bases. On this day in 2006, San Francisco Giants outfielder Steve Finley became the sixth member of that club. Sitting on 299 homers, Finley did not wait long to make history. Leading off against Claudio Vargas and the Arizona Diamondbacks, Finley launched the 2-2 offering to right for a home run. The Giants continued to pile on to the Diamondbacks afterwards, taking an 11-4 victory. Interestingly enough, when Finley joined the 300-300 club, he became the second player to do so within a week. Just four days previously, Reggie Sanders became a member of the 300-300 club while playing for the Kansas City Royals. Finley was also the fifth member of the club with ties to the Giants, as

Sanders, Bobby Bonds, Willie Mays, and Barry Bonds all were a part of the organization. Carlos Beltran, who would join the group in 2012, also played for the Giants. Finley ended his career linked to Mays in another way. He was the only other player to finish his career with 300 homers, 425 doubles, 125 triples, and 300 stolen bases, joining the all time great at that level of power and speed. Yet, Finley only received four votes for the Hall of Fame in 2013, falling off the ballot. An underrated player, Steve Finley had a solid career, showing impressive power and speed. On this day in 2006, the San Francisco Giants outfielder became the sixth member of the 300-300 club. CBS Sports Giants' Bryan Morris: Coming into midseason form RotoWire Staff Morris has given up seven runs and struck out 14 in 17.1 innings of work this season. In his first season in San Francisco, Morris has shown he's capable of a middle innings role. His WHIP is 1.27, down from the 1.42 and 1.48 he's had the last two seasons with Miami. The former first round pick also has a FIP of 2.97, on pace for a career best. He's stuck behind some proven veterans in the bullpen, so his workload doesn't appear to be on the rise anytime soon, but the season is starting to come together nicely for the right-handed pitcher. CBS Sports Giants' Ty Blach: Roughed up by Giants RotoWire Staff Blach (4-4) allowed seven runs on 10 hits and a walk over 5.2 innings during Tuesday's 8-1 loss to the Royals. He struck out four. Though he was far from sharp Tuesday, Blach's performance wasn't as miserable as his final line would suggest. He was the victim of several soft-contact hits and would've finished the night with only four earned runs to his name if reliever Cory Gearrin had been able to retire Whit Merrifield for the final out of the sixth inning. Instead, Gearrin allowed a bases-clearing triple which brought Blach's earned run total to a season-high seven runs. The forgettable performance raised the 26-year-old's ERA from 3.64 to 4.24 on the year. He'll look to right the ship during his next outing against the Rockies at Coors Field on Sunday. CBS Sports Giants' Conor Gillaspie: Nearing return RotoWire Staff Gillaspie (back) is fully healthy but will remain with Triple-A Sacramento for the time being in order to receive additional at-bats, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Gillaspie hasn't appeared in a major-league game since May 10, so the Giants will give the third baseman plenty of time to get his rhythm back during his minor-league rehab assignment. Gillaspie is currently 4-for-20 at the plate during his assignment, but should return to the majors sooner than later. CBS Sports Giants' Joe Panik: Will play Wednesday RotoWire Staff Manager Bruce Bochy reported Tuesday that Panik (thumb) will be in the starting lineup for Wednesday's game against the Royals, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. With Tuesday's absence, Panik will have missed four consecutive games due to his sprained thumb. Fortunately for the Giants and Panik's concerned fantasy owners, it appears that the thumb is on the mend as the second baseman will return to action Wednesday. KNBR.com Bad luck, bad timing contribute to Giants’ blowout loss Kerry Crowley SAN FRANCISCO–On Friday night, the Giants ran into Minnesota Twins’ right-hander Ervin Santana. On Tuesday evening, San Francisco squared off against Kansas City Royals’ left-hander Jason Vargas. Together, the duo has 25 seasons of Major League experience under their belt, and just one All-Star Game appearance. In most seasons, facing Santana and Vargas four days apart from one another is a rather routine task for a Major League club. But 2017 isn’t most seasons. On Friday, Santana tossed his third complete game shutout of the year against San Francisco, lowering his earned run average to 2.20, nearly 1.2 points lower than his career-best mark of 3.38, which came in 2016. On Tuesday, Vargas threw seven innings of one-run ball against the Giants, and dropped his ERA to 2.10, more than 1.6 points lower than his career-best mark of 3.71, set back in 2014. For a Giants’ offense that began its two-game set with the Royals with the third-lowest batting average in the Major Leagues, facing Vargas just days after staring down Santana was hardly the medicine Dr. Bruce Bochy ordered. “Just remarkable command, that changeup they can sit on it and they’d have a hard time with it,” Bochy said, when asked why Vargas has been so successful. “It just, it’s like slows down on the way. The second time there and they just have a hard time staying back on it. He even mixes in a good breaking ball but the fastball he can work in and out with it with the great command he has and it’s just hard for the hitters to get the barrel on it because he changes speeds so well, you know. You can’t sit on one pitch with him because he’s got three pitches and he changes speed on them.”

With the All-Star Game approaching in less than a month, both Santana and Vargas are on track to represent the American League. As for the Giants’ only catcher Buster Posey, who had two of the team’s five hits off Vargas on Tuesday, appears locked into a spot. After Tuesday’s loss, San Francisco fell 14 games below .500, and now sits 14.0 games back of the first-place Colorado Rockies and Los Angeles Dodgers, the teams tied atop the National League West. If the Giants’ four-game set with the Rockies in Denver this weekend goes South, it could be time for general manager Bobby Evans to admit defeat. Blach’s battle The Giants countered Vargas with a left-hander of their own, Ty Blach, who came into Tuesday’s game two starts removed from his first career shutout against the Philadelphia Phillies. Armed with a 1.75 ERA in five home starts this season, Blach came into AT&T Park with the confidence to match Vargas, and for the first two innings, he delivered. But in the top of the third inning, a trio of softly-hit singles including a well-placed bunt off the bat of Vargas loaded the bases, and Blach surrendered the Giants’ early 1-0 advantage. “Yeah I felt good, I felt strong, I felt like I was locating pretty well, just a few unlucky bounces here or there and that’s the way it goes,” Blach said after his outing. Bochy was frustrated that Blach’s night ended the way it did, especially considering Blach pitched much better than his final line indicated. Even though the Creighton product allowed 10 hits, the Royals took advantage of a handful of defensive miscues in the second inning, and in their six-run sixth inning that broke the game wide open. “It’s one of those things where you’ve got to know that you’ve got to come back out there in five days and go again so you just try to flush it and learn from the things that have happened and go out there and try to get them in five days,” Blach said. Slater on a roll Less than two weeks ago, Giants’ manager Bruce Bochy called the team’s left field position a “black hole.” Since that time, it’s been nothing but sunshine. Even though the team’s offense has struggled, rookie Austin Slater has become a force at the plate, compiling his third consecutive multi-hit game in Tuesday’s loss. After finishing a home run shy of the cycle in the Giants’ 13-8 win over the Twins on Sunday, Slater continues to show a mature approach at the plate. In the bottom of the seventh, Slater took a Vargas breaking ball and slammed it into the right center field gap, keeping his hands back and showing poise on a pitch most rookies –and many veterans– have a tough time handling.

Bochy said hitting in the eighth slot has aided Slater’s development, and he compared his early success to the success shortstop Brandon Crawford found when he was first called up to the Major Leagues. “Similar to when Craw came up, it helped Craw, it kind of taught him how to hit, how to think as a hitter but no, Slater is doing a nice job in that eight-hole,” Bochy said. “That’s a big spot. You think, well, you’re putting a guy there because he may not be as strong of a hitter but that can turn the order around and he did a good job tonight.” Dyson deals a scoreless frame Bochy said aside from Slater’s two-hit night, the scoreless frame new reliever Sam Dyson tossed in the top of the ninth inning was the silver lining for the Giants in their loss. Dyson pitched in the ninth inning of Sunday’s victory over Minnesota, but faced five hitters without recording an out. Dyson was a victim of bad luck, as he allowed an infield hit to one Twins batter and allowed another to reach on an error by Buster Posey, but after posting a 10.80 ERA in 17 appearances with the Rangers this season, it was hardly the introduction Dyson was hoping for. On Tuesday, Dyson allowed a leadoff double to Royals’ catcher Salvador Perez, but set down three straight Kansas City hitters to finish off the night. “You look at a silver lining, along with Slater’s at-bats, I thought Dyson had a good inning,” Bochy said. “Yeah, he gave up the leadoff double, but settled down and you know, he got the next three hitters. Good for him, he just needs some work so we’re going to find our spots and get him worked into some higher-leverage situations.” KNBR.com Scuffling Giants blown out at home by Royals Kerry Crowley Exactly five years to the day from Matt Cain throwing the 22nd perfect game in Major League Baseball history, the San Francisco Giants took the field behind an up-and-coming starter who has dominated at AT&T Park this season. To expect left-hander Ty Blach to recapture some of the magic Cain conjured up on June 13, 2012 would have been asking for the moon, but with Blach on the hill, the Giants liked their chances. It just so happens, the Kansas City Royals liked theirs too. On the strength of a six-run top of the sixth inning and the left arm of starting pitcher Jason Vargas, Kansas City peppered the playing surface at AT&T Park with 15 base hits and kept the Giants’ offense at bay in a 8-1 romp. A game after San Francisco set season-highs with 13 runs and 17 hits in a come-from-behind victory over the Minnesota Twins, Vargas put handcuffs around the wrists of Giants’ hitters, limiting them to five hits in 7.0 innings of work.

“This team is known for putting the ball in play, and sometimes when you put the ball in play, good things happen, and that’s what happened for them tonight,” Giants’ manager Bruce Bochy said. Vargas out-dueled Blach, who had been spectacular at AT&T Park this season, entering Tuesday evening’s contest with a 1.75 earned run average in five home starts. Runs have been hard to come by for visiting lineups, so it only figures that the Royals needed a stroke of good luck to take an early lead. Wins have been hard to come by for the Giants too, so it only figures the Royals didn’t need much help to break the game open. With San Francisco ahead 1-0, Kansas City shortstop Alcides Escobar led off the top half of the third inning by poking a hard-hit single under the glove of the normally sure-handed Brandon Belt at first base. Even though Escobar was rewarded with a base hit, it’s a play Belt normally makes, and one that would prove costly shortly thereafter. Left fielder Alex Gordon followed Escobar with weaker contact, but he too reached on a single as a short fly ball in right field plopped in and out of the mitt of Giants’ second baseman Aaron Hill. Had starting second baseman Joe Panik been in the game, perhaps Panik, who possesses superior range and softer hands, would have made the play, but again, that’s not the way the season has unfolded for the Giants. With runners on first and second and no one out, Vargas pushed a bunt up the third base line that split the distance between Blach and third baseman Eduardo Nunez. A ball under the glove of Belt, a ball off the glove of Hill and a ball past the glove of Blach and the Royals were in business. Even though Blach was able to induce a foul popout from leadoff hitter Whit Merrifield –who coincidentally boasts one of the best names in baseball– the Royals turned soft contact into hard results. Right fielder Jorge Bonifacio laced a one-out single back up the box to late Escobar and Gordon, and give the Royals a 2-1 lead. Blach limited the damage by yielding a harmless flyout to center fielder Lorenzo Cain and punching out first baseman Eric Hosmer for the second time in two innings, but a six-run top of the sixth inning proved to be Blach’s –and the Giants’– undoing. “The first two runs, you saw how that inning developed,” Bochy said. “Groundball, Belt couldn’t quite get to, then a little blooper off the tip of Aaron’s glove and the bunt, but the big inning is what killed us.” Back-to-back singles from Cain and Hosmer turned into two more Royals’ runs on an Escobar double, and Merrifield broke the game open with a two-run triple that trickled past right fielder Hunter Pence later in the inning.

“That’s just baseball,” Blach said. “A couple of bad bounces and then you don’t make pitches when you have to, it’s going to humble you in a hurry.” Five years ago, it was Giants’ right fielder Gregor Blanco traversing past Triples’ Alley to make a headlong dive in the top of the seventh inning that preserved Cain’s perfecto. On Monday, Pence attempted a full-length dive in an effort to simply keep San Francisco in the game, and his layout wound up costing the Giants a couple of more runs. It wouldn’t matter, though, as San Francisco’s hitters never found their stride against Vargas, a 12th year veteran enjoying a renaissance year in Kansas City. Four days after 13th-year Twins’ right-hander Ervin Santana tossed his third complete game shutout of the season against San Francisco, Vargas acted as if his left arm was a steak knife as he carved through the Giants’ lineup. Vargas entered the night with the second-best earned run average among American League starters, and he looked every bit the part of a pitcher enjoying a career year against Bochy’s ball club. Offensive highlights were few and far between for a scuffling San Francisco club, which received multi-hit games from catcher Buster Posey and rookie left fielder Austin Slater and not much else. The seven earned runs Blach allowed Tuesday evening belie how well he actually pitched, but Royals’ hitters made the most of the balls they put in play and a Giants’ defense that lacked range failed to help its pitcher out. “It’s hard to believe he (Blach) gave up those runs,” Bochy said. “He had good stuff, you know they placed the ball just out of reach what three to four times there and it’s a shame because Ty threw the ball well tonight, he really did. The numbers are not indicative of how he threw and you know we just couldn’t make a couple of plays there.” With the loss, San Francisco dropped to 26-40 on the season as the team now sits 14.0 games back of the Colorado Rockies and Los Angeles Dodgers, who are tied atop the National League West.