I've always been a fan of Kelby Tomlinson. I think he could really be an asset for the Giants with regular playing time. Unfortunately for him, Brandon Belt, Joe Panik, Brandon Crawford and (presumably) Christian Arroyo have the infield on lockdown for years to come. I noticed that Kelby got some playing time in center field down in Triple-A. Are the Giants in the process of converting him to an outfielder?
-- Austin H., Minneapolis
I doubt that Tomlinson will undergo a full conversion to the outfield, but I'm sure that the Giants would like to see him sharpen his skills in that area (and, yes, he played five games in center field for Sacramento earlier this year). The Giants could use a true handyman or two, particularly if Eduardo Nunez defects to another team through free agency after this season. Tomlinson could prove especially useful in a "super-utility" role.
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I'm so glad I haven't seen the knives out for Bobby Evans. As Brian Sabean said early in his tenure as general manager, "I am not an idiot." Sabean, Evans and crew have a major organizational shifting program going on, and I'm hoping for insights on their progress.
-- Steve D., Tucson
Evans hasn't completely escaped criticism, but I believe many fans and media realize that heaping all the blame for the Giants' performance upon him is entirely unfair. As I've pointed out before, many decisions regarding personnel and philosophy are arrived at as an organization, not by just one person. It was wise of you to cite the Sabean example. Things turned out fairly well under his watch, didn't they? Maintaining perspective is essential. Give Evans a chance
After 77 years of being a Giants fan, enough is enough. Angel Pagan -- a player of known quality -- was not signed and was replaced with rookies who didn't pan out. I told my wife that they would be 30 games behind by the All-Star break. Being that she watches the Rockies and is a fan of theirs, I watch their games. I want to always be a Giants fan, but what has transpired this year makes one wonder what they are thinking, though I was really happy with bringing in Nick Hundley.
-- Bob C., Waldport, Ore.
Then again, I can't fault many fans for losing their patience, particularly fans such as Bob here. I opted to present Bob's thoughts because I've been hearing from him since I began covering the Giants for MLB.com 10 years ago and because as a retired Marine who speaks with no nonsense, he deserves to be heard. When somebody who has rooted for the same team for 77 years finally gives up, it's a sad day.
Neither Cory Gearrin nor Hunter Strickland has developed into a consistent setup man. Despite good stuff, neither of them throws quality strikes consistently enough. How frustrated is management? Do you think there is interest in moving on from any of these players yet?
-- Gregory S., San Jose
I hate to dismay you even more. But given the stuff you mentioned that each pitcher possesses, along with the inescapable fact that we're essentially seeing tryouts for 2018, Gearrin and Strickland likely will continue to receive chances to establish themselves.