Insider Alex Pavlovic talked with Giants manager Gabe Kapler about how much the team missed Buster Posey’s leadership this past season and what his expectations are for the veteran catcher in 2021.
The Giants had their eyes on pitcher Anthony DeSclafani for a while now, so when the pitcher signed a one-year deal with the team in December, he fit the mold perfectly.
“I think DeSclafani definitely is an interesting arm, he’s kind of a name that our analysts have thrown around for what seems like a year now,” Giants coordinator of pitching sciences Matt Daniels said on Balk Talk.
“So when we signed him, I wasn’t surprised, I think there’s a lot of interesting traits about him that I think our major league staff could mold and yeah, I’m really looking forward to seeing what he does this year. I think he’s got a lot of really good tools that we can get some value out of hopefully.”
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
DeSclafani was excited to become a Giant, which made the addition that much better. And the Giants intend on making him that much better as well.
“No matter who the person is, we try to reach their genetic ceiling,” Daniels said.
DeSclafani’s fastball and sinker top out around 95 mph, but it’s his pitching movement that has proven to be above average. Across six years with the Miami Marlins and Cincinnati Reds, he owns a career 4.29 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP.
Daniels says one of the more exciting things about his job is the problem-solving aspect, something the Giants have been utilizing in their recent years.
San Francisco Giants
Find the latest San Francisco Giants news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Bay Area and California.
The Giants enjoy courting the undervalued pitchers and making adjustments. It’s what they did with Drew Smyly last season, where he added on velocity and turned his successful Giants campaign into an $11 million deal with the Atlanta Braves back in November.
RELATED: Giants top outfield prospect Ramos invited to big league camp
If the Giants can replicate their work with Smyly with DeSclafani, and Daniels believes they can, Giants fans should be very excited about what's to come for the right-hander.