Live BP ended yesterday as today saw a shift towards normal pre-game drills, infield, and coach’s BP.
The day began with a baserunning meeting followed by routine infield practice. The regular infield drills are the best to watch as the ball moves around the diamond quickly and without stopping from position to position. The Giants generally take infield once a series in the regular season and I highly recommend getting to a game early to watch it. The ball goes around the horn, gets hit deep in the hole, and gets rolled to practice charging and fielding bunts. You also get a chance to take a ton of photos as long as you are able to keep up with the movement. All the infielders looked pretty decent. Freddy had a couple balls get stuck in the glove during the transfer and Tejada beefed charging a ball but besides that everybody looked up to season form.
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Coach’s BP is also preferred to watch if you like the long ball; during live BP there’s not very many home runs. The second round of hitters put on a show. This group consisted of Pablo, Torres, Fontenot, and Brandon Belt. Belt got to practice with the regulars today, but more on that later.
Torres swing is looking real nice. Hitting balls to the gaps, launching bombs, going back up the middle. Pablo also impressed me today with the power and control from both sides. They sprayed the ball across the field. Fontenot looked to be what you would expect from a small middle infielder in BP… until the final round.
The last round was 2 pitches and all the hitters swung from the left side. Pablo started out by crushing 2 balls in to Salty’s Pavilion in RF. I am pretty sure he may have destroyed a couple of the plastic tables/chairs out there. Those 2 blasts were like saying, “Yup, what now?”
Torres had the answer as he got in to the box with his 35 inch lumber. “Boom! Boom!” Lazer show. To shots to RF as well, his dinged up the railing i believe from the clank sound after they landed. I’m thinking to myself, “hah, matched.”
Mike Fontenot grabs a bat and steps in. I think everyone considered the little home run derby over once Torres walked to the back of the cage, everyone was wrong. “BOOM! BOOM!.” Fontenot absolutely destroys 2 balls near the roof of Salty’s. Everyone was cheering. It was quite a sight.
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As I mentioned earlier, Brandon Belt finally got to see the main field and practice with the regulars. I have had the blessing of watching Brandon take BP all Fall in the AFL and the mechanics/bat speed isn’t new to my eyes. Brandon has the potential to be a great MLB player at the plate and in the field. The media made it a point to watch him take some swings and he didn’t disappoint. While he may not have ben part of the home run derby, he was routine dropping balls in both gaps. He stays back on every pitch, has quick hands, and follows through the ball in such a smooth motion. Pay attention this Spring to see how they use him and what he can do.
He also got to take some ground balls at 1b after BP and was greeted there by none other than Bruce Bochy. I couldn’t hear what they were talking about but Boch was there the entire time. It was great to see him invest some personal attention to Belt, hopefully that will continue over the next month.
CLICK PHOTOS for full gallery.
