Andrew Susac: Cause and effect?

Is Andrew Susac reading this stuff?

Yesterday we commented on the possibility Trevor Brown could supplant Susac as Buster Posey’s primary back-up, citing on-air comment from Dave Flemming, which he attributed to Bruce Bochy, which in turn probably came via Dark Helmet’s father's brother's nephew's cousin's former roommate.

The speculation was based, in part, on Susac’s lack of performance at the plate in a 2015 campaign hampered by wrist and thumb ailments. But apparently, as he told MLB Giants beat writer Chris Haft, his swing is just fine.

 

Susac takes the easy route home

Susac’s three-run blast to the left-center alley was part of his four-RBI day and one of the few Giants highlights in a meaningless 8-7 loss to a Milwaukee split squad yesterday. Kyle Blanks, hoping to find a spot on the Giants’ 25-man roster, also went deep in the contest.

San Francisco actually belted out 13 hits in the contest but it was pitching that was suspect. Jake Peavy, likely to be the Giants fifth starter in what one could assume will be his final campaign in Orange and Black, kept throwing fastballs that weren’t and ended up surrendering six runs over 1 2/3 frames in his spring debut.

 

Peavy looks like he's in pain, even when he's not

Peavy allowed nine of 14 hitters to reach base, allowing six hits.

 "It was a good workout but I didn't hit my locations," Peavy told the Associated Press. "Results wise, I don't think it gets any worse than that." He said there was no reason to use anything else. "All my other pitches work off the fastball. I want to keep throwing it and get that honed in. I tried to throw it where it was supposed to be but it got more of the plate than it needed."

Hard to argue with that kind of assessment. Of course, the list of pitchers who got shelled during spring training only to have solid seasons is neither brief nor surprising. There’s a reason team play four weeks of games before taking the field in a meaningful situation. If you made long-term decisions based on spring results, Todd Wellmeyer would still have a job and Madison Bumgarner wouldn’t.

Forensic re-enactment of Peavy's 2015 season

Milwaukee got to Peavy for four runs in the first, lowlighted by Chris Carter’s two-run shot. Susac’s long-ball tied the game in the fifth, but a two-run double surrendered by Josh Osich in the eighth was the difference.

The good news on the Peavy front, and we need some, is that he’s supposedly healthy. Last spring he injured his back overthrowing to compensate for a perceived lack of velocity. He ended up making just two starts before heading to the DL, where he rehabbed until early July.

BTW, Denard Span also saw his first action as a Giant and went 0-for2 as the team’s designated hitter.

The Giants will give it another go today with Bumgarner, already designated the Opening Day starter (duh?) taking the ball against Cincinnati.