Joey Bart should not start the season with the Giants - a podcast by Locked on Podcast Network, Ben Kaspick

On today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick talks about why Joey Bart should not be thrust into the major leagues to start the 2020 season. Bart's only played 22 games above A-ball, and questions remain about his hit tool and plate discipline. The Giants are not in a position to risk harming the development of their top prospects for short-term gains. And while they're not allowed to say it, service time absolutely should be a consideration. Players called up after just about a week of MLB games this year will leave teams an extra year of control over their prospects. The advantage of having Bart for a week on the MLB roster (which may not even be an advantage if they believe he needs more developmental time) is not worth losing an entire year of club control. And what if the 2020 season gets cancelled midway through? It's another example of a lose-lose for Farhan Zaidi and the Giants: If they don't start the season with Bart, fans are frustrated. If they do start the season with Bart, some fans will be frustrated by the loss of team control. Thus, they should do what they think is the right call, which is having Bart start the season on the alternate site squad. Which is exactly what they'll do.
Also discussed on today's show is the FanGraphs positional power rankings at second base. Headlined by Mauricio Dubón, who made an impressive catch in center field on Wednesday and is being viewed by management as a utility player who will see time at premium positions like short and center, the Giants rank 27th in MLB at the keystone according to the rankings. However, Ben argues, a young player with upside like Dubón has the potential to outperform the rankings. Ben also notes the impressive major league-caliber depth behind Dubón, including Yolmer Sánchez, Donovan Solano, and Wilmer Flores.
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