SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- As Giants pitchers and catchers reported to Scottsdale Stadium on Tuesday, pods of construction workers streamed around the facility diligently putting the finishing touches on a $50.6 million renovation aimed at upgrading the second-oldest ballpark in the Cactus League.
The new 40,000-square foot building off Osborn Road includes a brand new clubhouse for players and coaches, along with a weight room, an event space, a training room, a float tank and a third-floor lounge with ping pong tables and a view of the training fields. The new facility still features some ties to the past, most notably a corner booth from the steakhouse Don and Charlie’s, a beloved Scottsdale institution that closed last spring.
Construction workers are still working to clear out the concourses and erect signs around the ballpark, but Giants senior managing director Jon Knorpp said the facility is already “100 percent functional.”
“We’ve had a great partnership with the city of Scottsdale,” Knorpp said. “We reached a point with our Minor League and Major League facilities where we were just so far behind the curve of the competition and the curve of what the modern facility demands. We had to make some significant changes.”
Construction was well underway by the time Gabe Kapler was hired to manage the Giants in November, but the first-year skipper said he’s thrilled with the design and layout of the facilities, noting that the shared spaces will be key in fostering a sense of collaboration among players and team personnel.
“Our coaches room has medical and strength and conditioning in the locker room, so everybody's together,” Kapler said. “We've actually spaced out the lockers, so that we do begin to collaborate and have more open discussions instead of having a medical discussion over here, a strength and conditioning discussion over here and a coaching discussion over here. We're actually having those conversations together because they all impact one another. The design of the clubhouse space reflects those values.”
Kapler’s own office includes a standing desk and dry-erase boards where he can schedule out his days and make other notes. He intends to have an open-door policy, inviting players and coaches alike to come through and initiate discussions on a regular basis.
“Both in Oracle [Park] and here in this office, we want to set up spaces that feel like people want to come in and sit down and have a conversation,” Kapler said.
Bochy headed to Bay Area Hall of Fame
Former Giants manager Bruce Bochy and A’s great Rickey Henderson were among the five Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame inductees for 2020 announced on Tuesday. Bochy, who led the Giants to three World Series titles over his 13-year tenure in San Francisco, stepped down from his post last season, though he remains in the organization as a special advisor.
Dickerson debuts No. 12
Outfielder Alex Dickerson found a new jersey number waiting for him when he arrived at his locker at Scottsdale Stadium on Tuesday. After handing over his old No. 8 to Hunter Pence, Dickerson will now wear No. 12, the number he used in high school and college.
Dickerson said he was happy to return the number to Pence, who rejoined the Giants on a one-year, $3 million deal last week. Pence offered to compensate Dickerson with a Rolex, which is standard practice, but Dickerson turned him down, as he doesn’t wear watches.
Latest on backup catcher competition
Catchers Tyler Heineman and Rob Brantly, two non-roster invitees, are the front-runners to compete for a chance to back up Buster Posey this season. The Giants lost one potential backup option on Thursday, when Aramís García underwent surgery to repair the labrum in his right hip. García is expected to miss six to eight months, putting his entire 2020 campaign in jeopardy.
“I think you guys know we're looking to create an environment of competition throughout camp, both in practice and for playing time,” Kapler said. “Obviously, it's a blow to lose García. It's also an opportunity for somebody to step up and take control of that backup position.”