UPDATE 6 10 p.m. The Giants have reached the point where the questions isn t why they brought a certain player to San Francisco but why not
Take manager Bruce Bochy s quote on Kensuke Tanaka s promotion from Fresno to play left field after a career at second base.
We re struggling against right handers and he was swinging as well as anybody down there so why not him Bochy said.
Tanaka will play in left field and bat second tonight. Buster Posey is off. Marco Scutaro not Brandon Belt is hitting third.
With newly signed Jeff Francouer a few days away from promotion too it s fairly clear that Andres Torres will lose the most playing time. Torres was not meant to play every day. He was signed to be a platoon outfielder against left handed pitching. When he faces them he does well. When he faces righties he struggles. Torres also can play 20 solid games in left field then play one inning like the sixth Monday night and look like he s never been at the position before.
He s still going to be in the mix Bochy said of Torres. I think it worked out well when we had Angel Pagan in center field. We used both Gregor (Blanco) and Torres in left. When you have a player like Torres he s a better player when we re able to use him like that.
That doesn t mean his time is going to be cut out. You ll see him play against left handers. We ll see how it goes with Tanaka. Right now we need a spark in this lineup.
Tanaka admitted through interpreter Taira Uematsu that he was surprised to get phone calls this morning from coaches and team officials telling him he was coming to San Francisco but at the same time said he felt ready to be here.
Moreover he said he felt comfortable in left field despite playing only nine games there in Fresno. He went outside with outfield coach Roberto Kelly this afternoon to work on left field at ATT Park. Bochy said he does not expect Tanaka to play any second base here. The club wants him to concentrate on outfield work.
I played left field a few years ago (in Japan) so I think I ll be ready Tanaka said. I was ready to play anywhere even before I came to the States.
Tanaka said his goal was not just to reach the majors but to stay. His presence in San Francisco hardly seemed likely when he failed to hit or field during spring training but he admitted he was flustered by a different baseball style and environment.
A couple of other notes
The Giants DFA d Cole Gillespie. Since he has not been outrighted to the minors before the Giants have the right to send him to Fresno regardless of his wishes if he clears waivers. The Giants could try to trade him. Buster Posey on Monday became the first Giants catcher with five hits in a game since Doug Mirabelli in 2000.The lineup
Blanco CF Tanaka LF Scutaro 2B Sandoval 3B Pence RF Belt 1B Crawford SS Quiroz C Zito PORIGINAL POST I honestly did not think we would see Kensuke Tanaka in a Giants uniform this season as a second baseman much less an outfielder. He struggled so badly at the plate in spring training and made so many errors.
But the Giants felt the need to do something and Tanaka actually rebounded and played fairly well for Triple A Fresno. So today the club purchased his contract and designated Cole Gillespie for assignment.
The Giants also placed Hector Sanchez on the disabled list with recurring shoulder issues and recalled pitcher Mike Kickham. Sanchez has had shoulder troubles since winter ball. I guess they decided to play the DL card so they could add a 13th pitcher after Monday night s 16 inning affair.
Finally the Giants officially announced Jeff Francouer s signing to a minor league deal. The outfielder will report to Fresno tonight and be called up to the bigs as soon as he can get some innings in left field. I m guessing right after the All Star break.
Tanaka played nine games in the outfield at Fresno. The 32 year old played a few games in the outfield for the Nippon Ham Fighters but not since 2006.
My guess is that Tanaka will be asked to lead off some. It s become clear that Angel Pagan s loss has had a bigger impact on the offense than folks suspected it would. The Giants need somebody to get on base atop the lineup and Tanaka always was a good on base guy in Japan. In Fresno he hit .330 with a .392 on base percentage.
He puts the ball in play. He walked 29 times against 25 strikeouts in 304 plate appearances at Fresno.
The big leagues aren t Fresno of course. The Giants have not had much success getting any offense from their minor league callups this year. That includes Gillespie who got a seven at bat tryout with the Giants and did not get a hit.
Gillespie will be put on outright waivers. If he clears the Giants have the right to send him back to Fresno as a nonroster player.
Still no lineup. The players were told they did not have to arrive until 5 15 p.m. after Monday night s late game. Many are here though.
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