Sunday, August 28, 2005
Giants Getting Younger
The sorely-needed youth movement continues in the City as Michael Tucker has been traded to the Phillies for 19-year-old minor-league pitcher Kelvin Pichardo, and 20-year-old Matt Cain has been called up and will take his place in the starting rotation on Monday for the Giants against Colorado.
The Giants continue to get better looks at their young players with recent moves. Jason Ellison should get more time in the outfield, and Noah Lowry has become the second-most senior man in the rotation, what with Brett Tomko's recent move to the bullpen. Look at this rotation: Schmidt, Lowry, Cain, Hennessey and Correia. We like this prospect a lot better than we did a rotation with Tomko and Rueter. At least future-wise.
The book on Cain:
The Giants continue to get better looks at their young players with recent moves. Jason Ellison should get more time in the outfield, and Noah Lowry has become the second-most senior man in the rotation, what with Brett Tomko's recent move to the bullpen. Look at this rotation: Schmidt, Lowry, Cain, Hennessey and Correia. We like this prospect a lot better than we did a rotation with Tomko and Rueter. At least future-wise.
The book on Cain:
"Before I even saw him, I was alerted to the fact that this guy can really throw," said Giants manager Felipe Alou. "He's a very aggressive young guy. And then when I saw the guy throw, I knew that he was going to be here."
A year ago, Cain tore through Class A and Double-A with a record of 13-5 and a 2.67 ERA. He led all Giants Minor Leaguers with 161 strikeouts and his ERA and wins total were tops in the system as well. Following the season, he was named the organizational Player of the Year by USA Today.
Beginning this season in Triple-A, he was 10-5 with a 4.39 ERA before Monday's promotion. Cain allowed 118 hits in 145 2/3 innings and his 176 strikeouts were 43 more than the next most in the Pacific Coast League.
