Giants call up infielder Joe Panik from Triple-A | CSN Bay Area

No apologies necessary given Brandon Hicks' offensive struggles. This is a sensible move that happens to carry a ready made, snappy headline.  Hopefully, Panik grabs the opportunity pending Scutaro's return. Scutaro is returning, right? He's been sighted in the cage taking his hacks, so if he is to return, we should know in the next week or so. Same with Brandon Belt. We'll see which way Pagan goes, but an epidural for the back is normally not a great sign.  Need to get the lineup solidified and ready for the second half. Congrats and best of luck to Joe Panik. It would be good for the organization to add another home-grown bat to the lineup, the Giants have had much better luck with the collegiate bats than the higher ceiling guys.



from CSB Bay Area:

Giants call up infielder Joe Panik from Triple-A | CSN Bay Area:

PHOENIX -- After losing nine of their last 10, the Giants will make a Panik move Saturday.

Sorry. Just the one time, we promise. 

The Giants will purchase the contract of infielder Joe Panik, one of their better prospects in a lean system, before the first pitch Saturday at Chase Field. Corresponding moves will follow, but as of this hour, the team wasn’t prepared to put outfielder Angel Pagan on the disabled list because of his back issue. 

Panik, 23, was hitting .321/.382/.447 with five home runs in 72 games playing second base for Triple-A Fresno. A first-round pick (29th overall) in 2011 out of St. John’s University, Panik was coming off two seasons that ranged from lukewarm to an outright struggle at Single-A San Jose and Double-A Richmond, so club officials wanted to give him a chance to enjoy sustained success at Triple-A this year. 

But the Giants received positive internal evaluations from several scouts that trailed Fresno in recent days, and the club certainly has a need at second base where Brandon Hicks’ home runs have disappeared amid a deluge of strikeouts. Hicks is hitting .172 while Joaquin Arias (.181 with zero extra-base hits in 83 at-bats) has been a total non-factor and Ehire Adrianza (.250 slugging percentage) hasn’t hit enough to merit confidence as an everyday player.

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