Friday, July 31, 2015

Giants Get Top Target Leake to 'Impact' Rotation


Mike Leake

#45, SP, San Francisco
Mike Leake
  • Height: 
    5-10
  • Weight: 
    190
  • Bats: 
    R
  • Throws: 
    R
  • Born: 
    November 12, 1987
  • Birth Place: 
    San Diego, California
  • College: 
    Arizona State
  • Draft: 
    2009 1ˢᵗ round (8ᵗʰ pick) by the Cincinnati Reds
  • W
    9
  • L
    5
  • ERA
    3.56
  • K
    90
  • BB
    34






The Giants get "their" man. They were likely never in the mix for Hamels and while Price would have been very, very nice in reality he too was a little rich for the Giants tastes.

from csnbayarea.com via Bleacher Report:
Giants Get Top Target Leake to 'Impact' Rotation
Leake will be a free agent at the end of the season, but some in the organization have talked in the past of getting him in a Giants uniform and hoping he falls in love with the franchise and the city. A similar approach worked with Hunter Pence, who passed up a chance at free agency in 2013 and instead signed a five-year deal with the Giants. Regardless of how the deadline played out, Leake was going to be a target in the offseason. 
Found via Team Stream by Bleacher Report.

Sent from my iPhone

 Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reports that the Giants have agreed to a deal with the Reds for Mike Leake.
Advice: The Reds will receive minor leaguers Keury Mella and Adam Duvall in return. The Giants get the rotation help that they so desperately coveted without having to sacrifice their entire future. It's also a huge win for Mike Leake, who gets to pitch in his home state while moving from one of the top offensive parks in the league to a pitcher's paradise in San Francisco.
MoreJon Heyman on Twitter

Leake should fit in well and give the Giants a little bit of a "recruiting" advantage. Leake benefits by going from a hitters paradise to a pitching friendly, defensive oriented team. Classic Win - Win scenario.

The Broken Down Gang ( the Giants starting rotation ) gets a needed boost. Leake gives the Giants three solid and steady starters along with Bumgarner and Heston. Now if one, maybe two guys can up their game from a list that includes Matt Cain, Jake Peavy, Tim Lincecum, Tim Hudson and Ryan Vogelsong, the Giants improved their chances to make a serious stretch run and playoff push. One of two solid efforts out of five options. Not too much to ask for.
P.S. - To date: Bumgarner 11-5, Heston 11-5, Leake 9-5. Top three starters are winning 2/3 of games started. They should eat up 96 of 162 starts, giving you  64-32 mark in those games. If the #4 and #5 starters can just give you a .500 record, 33-33 in the remaining 66 starts, you finish 97-65. And actually the final two starts should go to your #1 and #2 starters, but it doesn't change the final mark unless you assume #1 and #2 win both versus a split by the mid-bottom of the rotation. So there you go.
BTW: Mella is a solid prospect, I'm not sure he is the #1 prospect in the chain even though MLB Prospect Pipeline does, but I am glad the cost was not two pitching prospects. The fact that Duvall was the second guy in makes this deal a relative bargain, even though Leake is considered a "rental". He is a rental, but with the option to buy.  This is a solid deal on all fronts for the Giants.

Duvall is not even a prospect anymore due to his age. Duffy has a head-lock on the position for now anyway. So he goes to the Reds and sits behind Joey Votto and Todd Frazier. Good Luck with that.

Duvall's experience illustrates the old saw "When opportunity knocks, you better answer the damn door". Don't hide behind the curtains and act like your not home or treat Opportunity like a bill collector or your good for nothing cousin or something.

Do what Matt Duffy did, seize the opportunity. Carpe Opportunity!!! That's why Matt Duffy is still a Giant and Adam Duvall is not. Lesson learned.

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Giants Top Minor League Prospects

  • 1. Joey Bart 6-2, 215 C Power arm and a power bat, playing a premium defensive position. Good catch and throw skills.
  • 2. Heliot Ramos 6-2, 185 OF Potential high-ceiling player the Giants have been looking for. Great bat speed, early returns were impressive.
  • 3. Chris Shaw 6-3. 230 1B Lefty power bat, limited defensively to 1B, Matt Adams comp?
  • 4. Tyler Beede 6-4, 215 RHP from Vanderbilt projects as top of the rotation starter when he works out his command/control issues. When he misses, he misses by a bunch.
  • 5. Stephen Duggar 6-1, 170 CF Another toolsy, under-achieving OF in the Gary Brown mold, hoping for better results.
  • 6. Sandro Fabian 6-0, 180 OF Dominican signee from 2014, shows some pop in his bat. Below average arm and lack of speed should push him towards LF.
  • 7. Aramis Garcia 6-2, 220 C from Florida INTL projects as a good bat behind the dish with enough defensive skill to play there long-term
  • 8. Heath Quinn 6-2, 190 OF Strong hitter, makes contact with improving approach at the plate. Returns from hamate bone injury.
  • 9. Garrett Williams 6-1, 205 LHP Former Oklahoma standout, Giants prototype, low-ceiling, high-floor prospect.
  • 10. Shaun Anderson 6-4, 225 RHP Large frame, 3.36 K/BB rate. Can start or relieve
  • 11. Jacob Gonzalez 6-3, 190 3B Good pedigree, impressive bat for HS prospect.
  • 12. Seth Corry 6-2 195 LHP Highly regard HS pick. Was mentioned as possible chip in high profile trades.
  • 13. C.J. Hinojosa 5-10, 175 SS Scrappy IF prospect in the mold of Kelby Tomlinson, just gets it done.
  • 14. Garett Cave 6-4, 200 RHP He misses a lot of bats and at times, the plate. 13 K/9 an 5 B/9. Wild thing.

2019 MLB Draft - Top HS Draft Prospects

  • 1. Bobby Witt, Jr. 6-1,185 SS Colleyville Heritage HS (TX) Oklahoma commit. Outstanding defensive SS who can hit. 6.4 speed in 60 yd. Touched 97 on mound. Son of former major leaguer. Five tool potential.
  • 2. Riley Greene 6-2, 190 OF Haggerty HS (FL) Florida commit.Best HS hitting prospect. LH bat with good eye, plate discipline and developing power.
  • 3. C.J. Abrams 6-2, 180 SS Blessed Trinity HS (GA) High-ceiling athlete. 70 speed with plus arm. Hitting needs to develop as he matures. Alabama commit.
  • 4. Reece Hinds 6-4, 210 SS Niceville HS (FL) Power bat, committed to LSU. Plus arm, solid enough bat to move to 3B down the road. 98MPH arm.
  • 5. Daniel Espino 6-3, 200 RHP Georgia Premier Academy (GA) LSU commit. Touches 98 on FB with wipe out SL.

2019 MLB Draft - Top College Draft Prospects

  • 1. Adley Rutschman C Oregon State Plus defender with great arm. Excellent receiver plus a switch hitter with some pop in the bat.
  • 2. Shea Langliers C Baylor Excelent throw and catch skills with good pop time. Quick bat, uses all fields approach with some pop.
  • 3. Zack Thompson 6-2 LHP Kentucky Missed time with an elbow issue. FB up to 95 with plenty of secondary stuff.
  • 4. Matt Wallner 6-5 OF Southern Miss Run producing bat plus mid to upper 90's FB closer. Power bat from the left side, athletic for size.
  • 5. Nick Lodolo LHP TCU Tall LHP, 95MPH FB and solid breaking stuff.