San Francisco Giants - 2052 and beyond...

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International Amateurs

We just completed our monthly private practice with many young international amateur free agents who we hope can aid our club in the coming years. It was great to meet the players in-person and get to know them better, and I was able to improve my scouting assessment on all invitees.

None of the players exceeded my previous expectations.

However, a few invitees left me disappointed as they did not appear to match my previous assessment, although they may still end up being future stars:

Alejandro Villegas, 16 year-old C out of Dominican Republic
Alejandro Villegas is a big 6-foot-6 , 215-pound catcher from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He should be good at knowing when to swing and when not to swing. He displays some contact ability, with potential to be a .240 hitter. Villegas has the chance to fashion a major-league career as a bench player.

Juan Vega, 16 year-old LF out of Nicaragua
Juan Vega is a big 6-foot-5 , 200-pound left fielder from Jalapa, Nicaragua. He projects to have an elite eye. His towering presence at the plate is real and he projects to send many pitches into the bleacher seats. He has consistent average to above average bat speed. Vega is projected to be an elite starting left fielder.

Development Lab

Frank Calleja has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working hard with staff to improve his outfield defense.

• Outfield arm rating improves by 5
• Outfield range rating improves by <5
• Outfield error rating improves by 5



Rule 5 Draft Trades & 42-man Changes

It was the busiest pre-Rule 5 period since Stewart took over the Giants as a few AAAA players moved on to help address team needs. First out of the door was RHP Jorge Rodrguez, a 2047 International Amateur signing with a good route to the Major Leagues, but whose below average movement never fit the Stewart mould. In return, and showing the high opinion others had of Rodrguez, the Giants receive LHP Bobby Height. Height is covering from a torn elbow ligament, making this trade a risk for the Giants, but Height was the #8th ranked prospect in all of baseball, with a potential plus – average -plus-plus make up and a four-pitch arsenal, three of which are already Major League grade. Height is 25 so the Giants will have to find room for him this season.

Next was the acquisition of a starting Catcher for next season. Jim Clarke is a 5-time All Star with two years left on his 8-year contract with the Road Warriors, both years at $28.4m. The Giants salary space makes this less of a risk than for most teams and with a plus glove, paired with an average contact and power profile with a plus eye.

Finally, the Giants swapped an average 1B for an average 2B, sending Mike Marez to the White Sox for Joe Chambers.

While the Giants added several players to the 40-man they did lose 2B Mike Martz and picked up a potential back up Catcher, Dane Cook being a Stewart draft pick from his Royals tenure, picking him in the 10th round of the 2047 draft.

Pre-Draft Trades

Tuesday, December 7th , 2055
Traded 25-year old minor league RHP Jorge Rodrguez to the Houston Astros, getting 25-year old minor league LHP Bobby Height in return.
Placed SP Bobby Height on the secondary (40-man) roster.
Friday, December 17th , 2055
Traded 26-year old minor league 1B C.J. Ost to the Columbus Road Warriors, getting 33-year old C Jim Clarke in return.
Placed C Jim Clarke on the active roster.
Placed CL Dan Namken on the secondary (40-man) roster.
Placed 3B Luis Morales on the secondary (40-man) roster.
Placed 2B Beau Wartel on the secondary (40-man) roster.
Placed SP Kymani Devezin on the secondary (40-man) roster.
Traded 24-year old minor league 1B Mike Marez to the Chicago White Sox, getting 24-year old minor league 2B Joe Chambers in return.
Placed 2B Joe Chambers on the secondary (40-man) roster.
RP Nate Brodt was designated for assignment and placed on waivers.
RP Greg Hyder was designated for assignment and placed on waivers.
Placed LF Mike Moffitt on the secondary (40-man) roster.
contract.
Friday, December 24th , 2055
Lost 2B Mike Martz in the Rule 5 Draft to the Texas Rangers.
Drafted C Dane Cook in the 2055 Rule 5 Draft (Round 1, Pick 30, 30th overall Pick) from the Chicago Cubs.

42-man Roster Additions

Placed SP Juan Dorame on the secondary (40-man) roster.
Placed 3B Nelson Loera on the secondary (40-man) roster.
Placed SP Bobby Height on the secondary (40-man) roster.
Placed C Jim Clarke on the active roster.
Placed CL Dan Namken on the secondary (40-man) roster.
Placed 3B Luis Morales on the secondary (40-man) roster.
Placed 2B Beau Wartel on the secondary (40-man) roster.
Placed SP Kymani Devezin on the secondary (40-man) roster.
Placed 2B Joe Chambers on the secondary (40-man) roster.
RP Nate Brodt was designated for assignment and placed on waivers.
RP Greg Hyder was designated for assignment and placed on waivers.
Placed LF Mike Moffitt on the secondary (40-man) roster.

Rule 5 Draft Transactions

Friday, December 24th , 2055
Lost 2B Mike Martz in the Rule 5 Draft to the Texas Rangers.
Drafted C Dane Cook in the 2055 Rule 5 Draft (Round 1, Pick 30, 30th overall Pick) from the Chicago Cubs.

Transactions

Sunday, December 5th , 2055
Signed international amateur 1B Luis Tapia out of Dominican Republic to a minor league contract.
Thursday, December 16th , 2055
Signed international amateur SP Sergio Caraballo out of Venezuela to a minor league contract.
Tuesday, December 21st , 2055
Signed international amateur RP Alexis Esparza out of Dominican Republic to a minor league contract.

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International Amateurs

We just completed our monthly private practice with many young international amateur free agents who we hope can aid our club in the coming years. It was great to meet the players in-person and get to know them better, and I was able to improve my scouting assessment on all invitees.

In fact some of the players impressed me, since they showcased a higher potential than I had previously expected from them:

Juan Espinosa, 16 year-old RHP out of Dominican Republic
Lean and athletic, Juan Espinosa hails from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He mixes in a curveball with his primary fastball. Both are currently raw but should develop to quality offerings. His stuff should play well above average once he's finished developing. And he has great command of his pitches that he'll rarely give up a long-ball. Espinosa should have no problem coming into close situations and getting out of jams.

However, a few invitees left me disappointed as they did not appear to match my previous assessment, although they may still end up being future stars:

Juan Vega, 16 year-old LF out of Nicaragua
Juan Vega is a big 6-foot-5 , 200-pound left fielder from Jalapa, Nicaragua. He projects to have an impeccable eye at the dish. He has plus raw power potential and has the chance to be a run producer. He has an ok swing. He isn't a phenom, but he could be a decent contact hitter with a .250 batting average. Scouts project Vega to fill a key role for a contending team in the big leagues.

Daniel Morales, 16 year-old LF out of Dominican Republic
Daniel Morales is a long, lean athletic left fielder who was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He shows contact potential which should translate into an above average batting average. He has an above average power ceiling. He can draw a walk and get pitches to hit by laying off the bad stuff. He should expect to draw 60 walks each year. Scouts project Morales to fill a key role for a contending team in the big leagues.

Hall of Fame

There is both celebration and heartbreak as one new name is added to the list in Cooperstown. Ismael Betancur is on 75.3% of ballots in his third year and is named to the Hall of Fame. Betancur is the Pirates first Hall of Fame electee since the start of the save, and first since Billy Southworth in 2008. There are now nine teams left without a Hall of Fame star since the start of the save, one of which is the San Francisco Giants. Betancur doesn’t have incredible numbers but 487 HR, 1426 RBI, a .298 AVE and a .928 OPS mean this is not a case of best in a poor pool.

One man desperately unluck to miss out is CF Jackson Merrill. Merrill was on his last year on the ballot and was named on 74.8% on ballots to cruelly miss out but that is the standard of the Hall of Fame with plenty of very good players not taking the walk to Cooperstown. Edgar Mir is still threatening to join the group, polling 71.9% this year, with seven more chances.





Financial Update

As we get closer to the start of the season, I have reviewed the team's financial state as of this moment.
As a reminder, you have $290,000,000 available for the total team expenses for the season.

Transactions

The Giants secure their top target from the International Amateur market, CF Alejandro Villareal joining from the Dominican Republic and, even at 16, he will start his Giants career in the DSL.

There were two major league moves, both coming on January 23rd as SP Julio Rangel signs a one-year deal worth $14.5m and Ben Thomas is traded. While he is fragile, the LHP Rangel is armed with plus stuff and movement, paired with average control. His five pitches are headlined by a plus-plus fastball and slider. Ben Thomas had been overtaken by potential utility infielders and so the chance to acquire two prospects from the White Sox was gladly taken. Neither SS Arturo Candanoza nor RP Danny Crouther project as stars but both have enough upside for a chance in the Giants minor league system.

Tuesday, January 18th , 2056
Signed international amateur CF Alejandro Villarreal out of Dominican Republic to a minor league contract with a $4,750,000 signing bonus.
Promoted international complex member CF Alejandro Villarreal to Rookie League San Francisco (DSL).
Sunday, January 23rd , 2056
Signed free agent SP Julio Rangel to a 1-year contract worth a total of $14,500,000.
Traded 27-year old 3B Ben Thomas to the Chicago White Sox, getting 18-year old minor league SS Arturo Candanoza and 24-year old minor league RHP Danny Crouther in return. 

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Development Lab

Ethan Chafer has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working with staff to generate more batspeed and homerun power.

Tim Custer has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working with staff to improve his two-strike approach.

Luis Burgos has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working with staff to improve his pitch control.

Dan Namken has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working with staff to improve his secondary pitch.

Dan Caines has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working with staff to improve his secondary pitch.

• No noticeable changes.

Greg Ward has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working hard with staff to improve his secondary pitch.

• Potential cutter stuff improves by <5
• Current cutter stuff improves by <5

Pete Lamar has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working hard with staff to improve his pitch control.

• Current control rating improves by <5

Jahsiiyah Garza has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working hard with staff to improve his secondary pitch.

• Potential sinker stuff improves by <5
• Current sinker stuff improves by <5

Alejandro Soto has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working hard with staff to generate more batspeed and homerun power.

• Current power rating improves by <5

Tyrese Yeboah has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working hard with staff to improve his two-strike approach.

• Current avoid k's rating improves by 5

Kymani Devezin has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working hard with staff to increase his pitch movement.

• Potential movement rating improves by 5
• Current movement rating improves by 5

Spring Training Promotions

The Giants continue the policy of a wider group of players in Spring Training, and expand it with 16 non-roster invites to start the Spring.

Thursday, February 24th , 2056
Purchased the contract of 1B Alejandro Soto from Triple A Sacramento.
Purchased the contract of SP Juan Dorame from Triple A Sacramento.
Purchased the contract of SS Jovaugh McCarron from Triple A Sacramento.
Purchased the contract of CL Dan Namken from Triple A Sacramento.
Purchased the contract of 3B Luis Morales from Triple A Sacramento.
Purchased the contract of LF Mike Moffitt from Triple A Sacramento.
Purchased the contract of 2B Beau Wartel from Triple A Sacramento.
Purchased the contract of 3B Nelson Loera from Triple A Sacramento.
Purchased the contract of SP Kymani Devezin from Triple A Sacramento.
Purchased the contract of 2B Joe Chambers from Double A Richmond.
Invited non-roster 3B Alexis Vargas to Spring Training camp.
Invited non-roster 2B Joe Walls to Spring Training camp.
Invited non-roster CF J.J. Zeman to Spring Training camp.
Invited non-roster RF Gregorio Garza to Spring Training camp.
Invited non-roster 1B Edgar Estrada to Spring Training camp.
Invited non-roster LF Zach Krouse to Spring Training camp.
Invited non-roster SP Jahsiiyah Garza to Spring Training camp.
Invited non-roster SP Ha-joon Kim to Spring Training camp.
Invited non-roster SP Amari Pappillion to Spring Training camp.
Invited non-roster RP Robby Przybyla to Spring Training camp.
Invited non-roster SP Chris Varrone to Spring Training camp.
Invited non-roster RP Nate Brodt to Spring Training camp.
Invited non-roster RP Greg Hyder to Spring Training camp.
Invited non-roster RP Juan Laureano to Spring Training camp.
Invited non-roster SP River Petric to Spring Training camp.
Invited non-roster RP Juan Velarde to Spring Training camp.

Transactions

Former Giant C Juan Ramos signed a one-year, $7.1m deal with Cleveland which was $2m less than the player option he declined with the Giants and was still generally poorly received by the media. However, both the fans and the Giants clubhouse were disappointed to see the popular captain depart.

Wednesday, February 2nd , 2056
Signed international amateur SP Ignacio Huertas out of Venezuela to a minor league contract.

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Spring Training

It is a challenging Spring performance wise for the Giants as they go 10-14, with only the Diamondbacks performing worse in the National League.

The first round of Spring cuts was mostly non-roster invites although 2050 6th round pick 1B Luis Morales, 2051 1st rounder 2B Beau Wartel, 2051 2nd rounder Jovaugh McCarron, and 2051 11th round RP Kymani Devezin were all players added to the 40-man in the offseason who failed to do enough to stick around for the last two weeks of the Spring.

Development Lab

Gregorio Garza has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working with staff to improve his outfield defense.

• No noticeable changes (poor).

Juan Mendoza has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working with staff to generate more batspeed and homerun power.

Steve Boyd has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working with staff to improve his infield defense.

Nelson Loera has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working with staff to improve his infield defense.

Joe Chambers has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working with staff to improve his infield defense.

Jovaugh McCarron has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working with staff to improve his infield defense.

Beau Wartel has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working with staff to improve his infield defense.

Luis Morales has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working with staff to improve his infield defense.

• No noticeable changes.

Joe Walls has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working hard with staff to improve his infield defense.

• Infield arm rating improves by 5
• Infield range rating improves by <5
• Infield error rating improves by <5
• Turn doubleplay rating improves by 5

J.J. Zeman has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working hard with staff to improve his outfield defense.

• Outfield arm rating improves by <5
• Outfield range rating improves by <5
• Outfield error rating improves by <5

Tyrese Yeboah has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he

• Outfield arm rating improves by <5
• Outfield range rating improves by <5
• Outfield error rating improves by <5

Luis Gamez has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working hard with staff to improve his outfield defense.

• Outfield arm rating improves by <5
• Outfield range rating improves by 5
• Outfield error rating improves by <5

Transactions

Scouting Director Batista came up fronts on his trip to Venezuela, finding CF Jesus Montoya who profiles as a plus OF, with plus power and an 80+ eye. He will start in the International Complex as his contact skills are still short of the required level for the DSL.

There were two solid prospect promotions from the International Complex as 2054 Scouting Discovery SP David Salazar was promoted, along with 2055 International Amateur SS Frank Camarena.

Thursday, March 2nd , 2056
Signed international amateur CF Jesus Montoya out of Venezuela to a minor league contract.
Thursday, March 16th , 2056
Optioned 1B Luis Morales to Triple A Sacramento.
Assigned 1B Edgar Estrada from Spring Training camp to Double A Richmond.
Optioned 2B Beau Wartel to Triple A Sacramento.
Assigned 3B Alexis Vargas from Spring Training camp to Triple A Sacramento.
Optioned SS Jovaugh McCarron to Triple A Sacramento.
Assigned CF J.J. Zeman from Spring Training camp to Triple A Sacramento.
Assigned LF Zach Krouse from Spring Training camp to Triple A Sacramento.
Assigned RF Gregorio Garza from Spring Training camp to Triple A Sacramento.
Assigned SP Chris Varrone from Spring Training camp to Triple A Sacramento.
Assigned SP River Petric from Spring Training camp to Triple A Sacramento.
Assigned SP Ha-joon Kim from Spring Training camp to Triple A Sacramento.
Assigned RP Juan Laureano from Spring Training camp to Triple A Sacramento.
Assigned SP Jahsiiyah Garza from Spring Training camp to Triple A Sacramento.
Assigned RP Juan Velarde from Spring Training camp to Triple A Sacramento.
Assigned RP Robby Przybyla from Spring Training camp to Triple A Sacramento.
Optioned RP Kymani Devezin to Triple A Sacramento.
Assigned SP Amari Pappillion from Spring Training camp to Triple A Sacramento.
Thursday, March 30th , 2056
Promoted international complex member SS Frank Camarena to Rookie League San Francisco (DSL).
Promoted international complex member SP David Salazar to Rookie League San Francisco (DSL). 

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Major League Predictions

The Giants and the Mets are both predicted to win 100 games, with the Giants clinching the best NL record by 1 G. Neither team is predicted to face much competition from their division, and even the Reds are predicted to win the Central by 3 G. Andy Frederick is predicted to be amongst the leagues top pitchers, an outcome Stewart is all in favour of, but finds somewhat unlikely.



Over in the American League, the Royals are predicted to once again have the best record in the American League, and baseball, although the Giants will join them as a 102- win team. They will run away with the Central, led by two of the top three hitters in Mike Gronkiewicz and Biagio Torrisi, while the Red Sox will win the East and the Astros will hold off the Angels by 2 G in what is predicted to be the tightest division in baseball.



Opening Day Lineup

There are several new faces as the Giants close up camp and head back to the Bay. It’s an all new Catching corps as off season acquisition Jim Clarke is joined by Rule 5 draftee Dane Cook, who did enough to send Ernie Mapes down to AAA.

None of the young infielder trio of Alejandro Soto, Joe Chambers, and Joe Walls seem like the finished article yet so will head to Sacramento to play everyday while the Giants added Nelson Serrano to the roster for some INF utility.

Mike Moffitt and Steve Freese are the two OF to miss out, Moffitt heading to Sacramento while Freese, out of options, heads to St Louis with LHP Jorge Trinidad for a trio of prospects.

The Giants still look a little light in LH bats, but managed to overcome that for a World Series title in 2055 so will be hoping for a similar outcome.



Spring Training Final Roster Cuts

C Ernie Mapes was designated for assignment and placed on waivers.
Optioned 1B Alejandro Soto to Triple A Sacramento.
Optioned 2B Joe Chambers to Double A Richmond.
Assigned 2B Joe Walls from Spring Training camp to Triple A Sacramento.
Purchased the contract of 3B Nelson Serrano from Triple A Sacramento.
Optioned LF Mike Moffitt to Triple A Sacramento.
Traded 26-year old CF Steve Freese and 23-year old minor league LHP Jorge Trinidad to the St. Louis Cardinals, getting 23-year old minor league RF Norris Gilberds, 23-year old minor league LHP Savion Ebanks, and 25-year old minor league RHP Hayden Ackary in return.

Opening Day Pitching Battery

There are no surprises on the pitching side as Nate Brodt, Nate Hudson, and Greg Hyder are joined by young prospect Dan Namken in being sent to Sacramento to open the season. They will all have expectations to be back in the big leagues at some point in the season although some of the younger arms in AAA may have something to say about that.



Spring Training Final Cuts

Optioned RP Dan Namken to Triple A Sacramento.
RP Nate Brodt was designated for assignment and placed on waivers.
Optioned RP Nate Hudson to Triple A Sacramento.
RP Greg Hyder was designated for assignment and placed on waivers.

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San Francisco Top 20 Prospects

The Giants only have one top 50, and four Top 100 prospects at the start of the 2056 season, but they do have twelve in the top 200 so the depth is there. Four of the top ten are opening the season in Sacramento, three pitchers who will expect to make their debuts this season plus Beau Wartel who is maybe a little further behind.



MLB Top 20 Prospects

With only one prospect above A+, the White Sox LHP Stephon Gattison who will open the season in the big leagues, it is a very young top 20 prospects in 2056.



MLB Farm Systems

The Giants move up to 21st in the rankings but are still lighter on quality prospects than in recent years and they will hope that this summer’s draft brings in some quality young players to bolster the top end of the farm. They are in a stronger position than Stewart’s former team as the Royals are down in 28th with only one Top 100 prospect in their system.

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xMLB Standings

As April concludes in the 2056 MLB season, several division races are already heating up. The Royals (22–7) and Angels (21–7) have surged to commanding leads in the AL Central and West, respectively, while the AL East remains gridlocked, with Boston and Tampa Bay tied at 16–13. The Orioles, meanwhile, are in freefall at 7–20. In the NL, Washington (18–9) leads a competitive East, though the Giants (19–10) have quietly emerged as one of the league’s most balanced and dangerous teams. Cincinnati (17–12) holds the NL Central lead, while Milwaukee hovers at .500. With May approaching, the league is split between dominant frontrunners and tightly packed middle tiers—setting the stage for breakout performances, regression tests, and the first real signs of separation. The Giants, clearly, are in the thick of it.



San Francisco Results

The San Francisco Giants wrapped up April 2056 with a commanding 19–10 record, built on consistent series success and dominant performances. They opened the month by sweeping the Padres in a four-game home set, outscoring San Diego 38–6. A road trip to Los Angeles followed, where they took two of three from the Dodgers, including a 13–3 blowout. Against Washington, they won two of three at home, bouncing back after a shutout loss to take the final game. A tough Florida swing saw them drop two of three to Tampa Bay and Miami, struggling with back-to-back defeats against the Marlins. They rebounded to split a four-game home series with Arizona, capped by a 10–5 Saturday slugfest. The final week featured a three-game set against the Mets, which they swept with tight, well-pitched wins. Closing the month, they hosted Pittsburgh and dropped two of three, but did have a Saturday shut-out. Overall, the Giants won five of nine series, showcasing depth, resilience, and early-season dominance.



San Francisco Stats



The balanced performance is shown by the 3rd most runs scored and least runs allowed by the squad over the first month while defensive levels have been high, as have strikeouts by the pitchers and home runs by the batters.



It’s a very mixed bag amongst the positional player with the new Catching pair excelling, but injury callups Nelson Serrano and Jadon Notice really struggling. Gianvito Heaton led the team with a 170 wRC+, 10 HRs in the month an incredible start to the season but only good enough for 3rd on the NL list.



The Starting Rotation has been incredible, save for trade acquisition Bobby Height’s performances. Andy Frederick leads the group in WAR, and Juan Montoya in FIP-, while Pete Lamar is quietly impressive in both categories.

In the bullpen, new arrival Julio Rangel (134 FIP-) has struggled, as has Rickey Martino (75% SV), but Josh O’Neal is justifying his extension with his strong start to the season.

Transactions & Injuries

The Giants lost Joel Hudson to two IL stints, once for an oblique strain and once to a fractured hand, an injury he is still recovering from. They also lost RF Frank Calleja to a hip strain that will rule him out for 5-6 weeks while SP Juan Montoya herniated a disc in his back and missed two weeks. So a troubled start to the season which the Giants hope isn’t a portent of things to come. Those injuries do give chances to some younger players, with 2051 2nd round pick SS Jovaugh McCarron earning his first call up and Bobby Height moving into the rotation on his return from injury.

Scouting Director Batista did return from Venezuela with a potential star, 1B Ismael Bautista going straight to the DSL despite his young age.

Sunday, April 2nd , 2056
SS Joel Hudson was injured while running the bases. The Diagnosis: oblique strain. He's expected to miss about 2-3 weeks.
Purchased the contract of SS Jovaugh McCarron from Triple A Sacramento.
Thursday, April 6th , 2056
Signed international amateur SP Alfredo Castro out of Venezuela to a minor league contract.
Friday, April 7th , 2056
Optioned SP Juan Dorame to Triple A Sacramento.
Sunday, April 9th , 2056
Sent RP Bobby Height to Triple A Sacramento for injury rehab.
Saturday, April 15th , 2056
Signed international amateur SP Juan Membrila out of Dominican Republic to a minor league contract.
RF Frank Calleja was injured while running the bases. The Diagnosis: severe hip strain. He's expected to miss about 5-6 weeks.
Placed LF Jadon Notice on the secondary (40-man) roster.
Sunday, April 16th , 2056
Optioned SS Jovaugh McCarron to Triple A Sacramento.
Activated SS Joel Hudson from the injured list.
SS Joel Hudson was injured while running the bases. The diagnosis is not yet known.
SP Juan Montoya was injured while pitching. The Diagnosis: herniated disc (back). He's expected to miss about 2 weeks.
Purchased the contract of SP Bobby Height from Triple A Sacramento.
Monday, April 17th , 2056
Signed international amateur 1B Ismael Bautista out of Venezuela to a minor league contract.
Tuesday, April 18th , 2056
SS Joel Hudson diagnosed with a fractured hand, will miss 5 weeks.
Purchased the contract of SS Jovaugh McCarron from Triple A Sacramento.

Minor League News

Jamie LaFerney put together a good April to earn the Northwest League Batter of the Month prize. A virtual unknown, he made the most of his chance to prove to Eugene officials that he belongs on the big league roster.

The Emeralds first baseman posted a .398 batting average with 9 home runs, 21 RBIs and 19 runs scored.

Beau Wartel, the Sacramento second baseman, certainly made a name for himself this past month. He banged out a .370 batting average with 37 hits, 5 home runs, 16 RBIs and scored 15 times.

That kind of hitting earned him the Pacific Coast League Batter of the Month honors for April.

The Pacific Coast League scribes have picked April's Pitcher of the Month and have given the trophy to Kymani Devezin of Sacramento. He was devastating on the mound last month with a standout 4-0 mark.

The River Cats star hurler made 6 starts with a 2.33 ERA and surrendered 30 hits in 38.2 innings. He struck out 40 and walked 9.

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MLB Standings

The MLB standings reveal separation in several divisions. The Los Angeles Angels (38–17) and Washington Nationals (37–17) lead their leagues with dominant .685+ winning percentages, both riding multi-game win streaks. In the AL Central, the Kansas City Royals (37–20) and Columbus Road Warriors (36–20) are locked in a tight race, just a game apart. The AL East is less congested, with Tampa Bay three games up on Boston, while Baltimore are joined in the cellar by the New York Yankees.

In the NL West, Arizona (34–21) holds a narrow lead, but the San Francisco Giants are right on their heels. The NL Central is paced by Cincinnati (33–24), while Los Angeles and St. Louis are struggling, both under .360. With May underway, contenders are emerging—and pressure is mounting.



San Francisco Results

In May 2056, the San Francisco Giants navigated a demanding slate with mixed results across nine series. They opened poorly, dropping 2 of 3 from Boston, including a tight 4–3 defeat. A road trip to Philadelphia yielded a split, with a 9-5 victory offset by a narrow loss. The Giants were then swept Colorado in a sickly three-game roadtrip, outscored by the Rockies 20–15.

Momentum switched against Cincinnati, taking two of three at home including a 1-0 shutout. The Dodgers series was one for the fans, a home sweep, including a shutout and a one-run victory. They rebounded by sweeping Pittsburgh in convincing fashion, capped by a 7–0 shutout. The Giants then won three series in a row by winning the final game, defeating the Rockies at home before taking down the Pirates and the Mets on a six-game road trip. The Giants came home to end the month but dropped a series to the Phillies, getting shutout in the series decider.

Overall, the Giants went 15-13 in May, showing resilience and flashes of dominance, especially at home.



San Francisco Stats





Gianvito Heaton continued his hot hitting for a second month, earning the Batter of the Month Award after hitting 12 home runs, 27 RBIs, 24 runs scored and a .419 on-base percentage with a .333 average. That helped offset tough months for C Jim Clarke, 3B Steve Boyd, and SS Joel Hudson, while 1B Juan Magana managed a 192 wRC+.



Andy Frederick continues to hit preseason predictions, a 47 FIP- giving him 2.5 WAR for the season already. Pete Lamar struggled but the rest of the rotation was elite, if not quite at Frederick’s level, Juan Montoya having his own 1 WAR month.

Mike Grudzinski, Rickey Martino, and Josh Medaris all had tough months out of the bullpen, with Martino losing his closer role with another month below 80% as a save rate. Rickey Eggett took over and was perfect in his one opportunity.

Transactions & Injuries

The return of Joel Hudson and a waiver wire acquisition strengthened the infield while Frank Calleja suffered another injury during his injury rehab and will miss another month. Nate Morris is a high level infield glove with a serviceable bat that should provide some regular relief for the starting positional players for the Giants.

Pitching wise, the Giants welcomed back Juan Montoya, sending Bobby Height into the bullpen while Dan Caines will miss two months, opening up a slot for 2048 Scouting Discovery Juan Dorame who had been added to the 40-man roster this past offseason.

Tuesday, May 2nd , 2056
Optioned RP Greg Brinson to Triple A Sacramento.
Placed SP Juan Montoya on the active roster.
Wednesday, May 3rd , 2056
3B Nate Morris was claimed off waivers from Los Angeles.
3B Nelson Serrano was designated for assignment and placed on waivers.
Placed 3B Nate Morris on the active roster.
Monday, May 15th , 2056
SP Andy Frederick was injured while pitching. The diagnosis is not yet known.
Saturday, May 20th , 2056
SP Andy Frederick diagnosed with a dead arm, will miss one week.
Sunday, May 21st , 2056
Optioned SS Jovaugh McCarron to Triple A Sacramento.
Activated SS Joel Hudson from the injured list.
Monday, May 22nd , 2056
Sent RF Frank Calleja to Triple A Sacramento for injury rehab.
Thursday, May 25th , 2056
RF Frank Calleja diagnosed with knee tendinitis, will miss 4 weeks.
Saturday, May 27th , 2056
RP Dan Caines was injured while pitching. The Diagnosis: rotator cuff inflammation. He's expected to miss about 2 months.
Purchased the contract of SP Juan Dorame from Triple A Sacramento.

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Owner Goals



Team Record:
I know I said you didn't have to hit the postseason this year but if you push the team a bit harder during the latter part of the year, maybe we can eke our way in. Once we get in, we have as good a chance as anyone. Do your best to get it done.

Improve team stats:
I can't be upset with a team that's 5th in On-Base PCT. I hope that the team can keep up this pace the rest of the season.

Extend your player:
I know it's hard to talk extension early with some guys, but I was hoping that Ernesto Pantoja would have been an exception. Keep the dialog open with him and try to get him signed as soon as you can.

Build your farm:
We've upgraded the prospect pool on the team from 2055. But there's still a lot of work to do before I read a news story in the United States Observer about "San Francisco's top-6 minor league system."

Improve your intl. amateur finds:
You're letting too much international talent fall into other hands. Please redouble your efforts.

During our time working together, I have been happy with your progress towards the goals I have set out for you. Considering your current and past successes, I am delighted with your overall performance. It's important to have success on-field and in the boardroom, and you seem to be on that path.

The final evaluation towards these goals will come at the end of the season. Good luck in the second half!

Prospect Update

San Francisco Prospects



MLB Farm Systems

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MLB Standings

As of July 1, 2056, several clear contenders have emerged while others are clinging to hope.

In the AL East, Tampa Bay and Boston are deadlocked at 42–40, with Toronto just 2½ games back in a tightly packed race. The AL Central is led by the Columbus Road Warriors (51–31), narrowly ahead of Kansas City, while Cleveland sits at .512 and the White Sox and Tigers trail further. The AL West is dominated by the Los Angeles Angels (52–29), holding a nine-game cushion over Houston.

In the NL, Washington (52–29) remains the class of the East despite a recent 3–7 skid, with the Mets a distant second. Cincinnati (49–34) controls the Central, while Milwaukee hangs around eight games back. The NL West features the San Francisco Giants (51–32) in command, fending off Arizona’s challenge. With three months to play, division leaders are solidifying, but several races—especially in the AL East—are far from decided.



San Francisco Results

In June 2056, the Giants opened with a home set against the Yankees, dropping the opener in extras before taking the next two (2–1). They then swept three in Arizona, capped by a 10‑inning slugfest. A trip to Texas followed, winning the first but losing the next two (1–2). Back home, they swept Houston in three tight games. Against the Angels, they lost the opener but rebounded to win the next two, including an 10‑inning thriller (2–1).

On the road in Chicago, they took the first two before a blowout loss (2–1), then stumbled in St. Louis, getting swept in three. Returning home, they beat the Cubs twice, lost narrowly, then clinched the series victory (3–1). They closed June strong versus the Dodgers, winning the series opener in extras.

Overall: 17–9 with six series wins and just one sweep suffered.



San Francisco Stats





Ernesto Pantoja had a blistering month, with a 202 wRC+, which included 10 HR and 22 RBI. Gianvito Heaton continues to have an All-Star, and potential MVP, season as he runs his WAR to 2.2 on the season while David Rojo led the team with 23 RBI. Juan Mendoza had a very disappointing month, as did Ernie Chafer – Chafer and Jadon Notice are fighting to keep their spots once Frank Calleja returns.



The Giants pitchers are beaten up but are still performing well – Andy Frederick with another high quality month with 5 GS and a 64 FIP- while Juan Montoya and Jorge Ramirez are equally as effective. Behind that is more challenging with Pete Lamar and Bobby Height struggling.

In the bullpen, Rickey Eggett leaned into his elevation to closer as the reigning NL Reliever of the Year won Pitcher of the Month honours for his 2-0 record, 8 saves (100%), 18 strikeouts and an ERA of 0.77 over 11.2 innings.

Only Julio Rangel was worse that league average in FIP- although with injuries the Giants may be in the market for some relief depth.

Transactions & Injuries

The Giants lost Gerg Ward for the season with a torn flexor tendon, and then Juan Dorme for 4-5 weeks with elbow tendinitis in a bad week for Giants pitchers. In better news Frank Calleja is back on injury rehab in Sacramento and, while Josh Medaris was injured in the last game of the month, an injury to Andy Frederick was less severe than first feared and he is likely to only miss one start.

Friday, June 2nd , 2056
Signed international amateur 2B Andres Magana out of Dominican Republic to a minor league contract.
Sunday, June 4th , 2056
SP Greg Ward was injured while pitching. The diagnosis is not yet known.
Tuesday, June 6th , 2056
SP Greg Ward diagnosed with a torn flexor tendon in his elbow, will miss 11 months.
Purchased the contract of RP Dan Namken from Triple A Sacramento.
Saturday, June 10th , 2056
SP Juan Dorame was injured while pitching. The diagnosis is not yet known.
Tuesday, June 13th , 2056
SP Juan Dorame diagnosed with elbow tendinitis, will miss 4-5 weeks.
Purchased the contract of RP Nate Brodt from Triple A Sacramento.
Saturday, June 17th , 2056
Signed international amateur SP Frank Flores out of Venezuela to a minor league contract.
Saturday, June 24th , 2056
Sent RF Frank Calleja to Triple A Sacramento for injury rehab.
Monday, June 26th , 2056
Signed international amateur C Frank Ramos out of Dominican Republic to a minor league contract.
Wednesday, June 28th , 2056
SP Andy Frederick was injured while pitching. The Diagnosis: forearm stiffness. He's expected to miss about one week.
RP Josh Medaris was injured while pitching. The diagnosis is not yet known.

Minor League News

David Yepiz of the San Francisco (DSL) Giants Orange recorded a .614 batting average in June. His hitting spree racked up the Dominican Rookie League Batter of the Month award for his trophy case.

The San Francisco (DSL) center fielder battered opposing pitchers all month, accumulating 6 home runs, 37 RBIs and scoring 23 runs.

Jamie LaFerney of the Eugene Emeralds had a field day with Northwest League pitchers last month and was crowned the Batter of the Month as a result.

During June he compiled a .386 batting average, drove in 25 runs and scored 25 times. He also managed to pick up 19 walks to post a .509 on-base percentage.

This season, LaFerney is batting .360 with 62 RBIs, 61 runs scored and 27 home runs. 

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2056 Draft

With the best record in baseball in 2055, the Giants have the 30th, and last, pick in the first round of the 2056 draft. In a shift from the last 20 years of drafting,and proving you can text an old dog new tricks, Stewart has acquired a new draft system – couresy of OOTP Forum poster Hoolix – and so is excited to see what benefits a more complex player evaluation matrix can provide.

The first player of the new system, used in conjunction with Stewart’s core drafting stance on college players ahead of high schoolers and no low work ethic players, is 3B Steve Carter, a 22-year olf out of Cameron University. While requiring some work on his glove, Carter has above average speed, and projects to have above average contact skills, with average power, and a plus-plus eye to make for an interesting package.



The rest of the bonus pool round selection were as follows:

• Round 1 (Suppl.) - RF Sergio Galindo, age 22 out of college (University of Northern Colorado; Greeley, CO)
• Round 2 - C Rod Hicks, age 18 out of high school
• Round 3 - 2B Andres Villa, age 18 out of high school
• Round 4 - SS Mike Milczarski, age 18 out of high school
• Round 5 - SP Josh Dineen, age 18 out of high school

In addition to Carter and Galindo, the Giants signed three further college players, all of whom will go straight to A ball for the remainder of the season:

• Round 9 - SP Mitch Clark, age 22 out of college (University of Kentucky; Lexington, KY)
• Round 12 - SS Jeremy Felice, age 22 out of college (UC Irvine; Irvine, CA)
• Round 20 - CF Steve Richardson, age 22 out of college (Cal Poly SLO; San Luis Obispo, CA)

The Giants strong financial position allowed them to target some high bonus demand players after the 5th round, playing bonuses to an extra two players:

• Round 6 - Arturo Morles, age 17 out of high school
• Round 11 - C Zion Etienne, age 18 out of high school

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