How SF Giants could finally join the stolen basic festival

Scottsdale, Arizona – Before the 2023 season, Major League Baseball instituted several rules with the intention of revitalizing the race game: limited choices, field clocks, larger bases. The changes worked. Attempts have increased. The flights are, in fact, back.

The giants have not yet joined the revolution of the stolen base. This season could finally change.

“I think it starts upwards. It starts from the front office and what they have communicated all the offseason: you must play for free and not be afraid of being thrown away, “said Tyler Fitzgerald. “Once you are afraid of being thrown, you just don’t want to fly. You are afraid. Everything I heard about the front office and coache personnel this year is: “Hey, we’re going to go. If you are thrown often, then we will have a word. In the meantime, let’s stay aggressive and put some pressure on people. »»

In the past two seasons, no team has stolen fewer bases than the Giants. This lack of aggression is not a recent phenomenon.

This millenniumSan Francisco died last in interceptions. The last giant to slide at least 30 bags in a single season was Dave Roberts, the Los Angeles Dodgers manager in 2007. Since then, only the Giants and the Detroit Tigers are the only teams that have not had a player steal at least 30 bases in a season. This sequence is not as sadly as their race without a 30 home striker, but it is not however ideal.

The Giants, who stole nine bases out of 12 attempts this spring, have staff to add more stolen bases to their offensive repertoire. One of its most sporting units in recent years’s planned departure range in recent years, titled by Fitzgerald, Matt Chapman and Jung Hoo Lee. From this group, no one can burn rubber like the new Giants’ second goal player.

Fitzgerald, who stole 17 bases out of 21 attempts last season, is one of the fastest players in the league, ranking in the 100th centile sprint speed. The average sprint speed of 27 years of 30.0 feet per second has tied five for the third best brand in the League with Elly de la Cruz, Jonatan Clase, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Victor Scott II. Only Johan Rojas des Phillies (30.1 feet / s) and the Bobby Witt Jr. of the Royals (30.5 feet / s) had faster sprint speeds.

Despite these wheels, Fitzgerald has never been a super high volume base as a professional. The giants drafted Fitzgerald in 2019, but Fitzgerald did not attempt at least 30 interceptions in a single season before 2023. He succeeded when he took off (71 for 82), but quite conservative compared to his speed. Fitzgerald’s light, however, is often green.

The giants could also benefit if Adames and Chapman continue to push the limits. Last season, Adames and Chapman highlighted the flight match for the first time in their career in the major league. Their totals from year to year jump both from the page:

Chapman
2017: 0 SB, 1 CS
2018: 1 SB, 2 CS
2019: 1 SB, 1 CS
2020: 0 SB, 0 CS
2021: 3 SB, 2 CS
2022: 2 SB, 2 CS
2023: 4 SB, 2 CS
2024: 15 SB, 2 CS

Adames
2018: 6 SB, 5 CS
2019: 4 SB, 2 CS
2020: 2 SB, 1 CS
2021: 5 SB, 4 CS
2022: 8 SB, 3 CS
2023: 5 SB, 3 CS
2024: 21 SB, 4 CS

“It was really fun to do and implement this in my game,” said Adames. “I’m going to continue trying this year and see what’s going on.”

If Adames and Chapman exploited their stolen basic potential last year, then Lee stands out as a candidate to do this this year. Although it has a speed higher than average, Lee was never a basic base in volume in the KBO, its career in career being 13 interceptions in 2019. Lee only tried five interceptions in 37 games last season, a conservatism which was due in part to Lee undergoing an ankle surgery in 2023. With Lee’s legs in a good place, the giants would like to see it.

“He wants to steal more bases,” said manager Bob Melvin. “It is very aware that this is something we need to do a little more. There were also things with injury involved with the ankle. Regarding his legs, he is probably as good as a place as he was. »»

With Lee, Heliot Ramos would like to steal at least 20 bases after having slipped six bags out of seven attempts last season, and Grant McCray should also have an impact on the stolen basic numbers of San Francisco – whether he will align the opening day in fourth survival or not. McCray, which has three interceptions this spring, has always been aggressive on the basics, totaling 133 interceptions out of 171 attempts among minors and going 5 for 5 on attempts in the majors.

“We have no guys who will fly 60 or 70 bases, but if we could steal bases when we need it and when it is there for us, I think it’s huge because it changes the game,” said Chapman.