Randy Winn on WBC and Giants Prospects Getting More Spring ABs

0:00When you really need care, you need 24-7 access to a care team, not a maze of paperwork from a third party. Every day, America's hospitals and health systems show up for you. Navigating healthcare can fuel overwhelming. But you can count on real doctors, real nurses, real people, providing quality around the clock care when you need it most. They're in your corner. In communities across America, your neighbors, your lifelines, right beside you holding your hand and helping find answers. That's what putting patients first actually means. Learn more at strengthinhealthcare.org. Brought to you by the Coalition to Strength in America's Health Care. Now back to Merthand Marcus on the sports leader streaming live on these sports leader.com and KNBR. The sports leader app, Merthand Marcus is sponsored by Big Allot. Grab a mug at tea proudly. Well, there's only one way to end 80s Friday. Don't you forget about 80s Friday. This is it. Your fist in the air, Judd Nelson style, because we're walking off 80s Friday. This is it. No more.

1:00We'll see you in the fall, because 90s, then O.O. And then, Reggae Fridays for baseball season start three weeks from two days. So double tap to the heart, point to the sky 80s Friday. Well done, everybody. Good finishing one. Do we have Randy Winn on the Oomeguest Line? We got him. Awesome. Great to talk to Randy Winn anytime. Randy, you're amazing, man. What you do for the Giants Community Fund is incredible. All while trying to help the Giants win a World Series. So, come on, Randy. How are you? Hey, what's up, Randy? Hey, good morning, guys. Thanks for having me on. How you doing? You're busy. You flew in from some far away place and made it to the last Giants Community Fund board meeting. That's the kind of guy you are. Yes, I was, I can't remember if that was just blind luck or if I planned that, but I was just home. For a couple of days here before like our full minor league camp starts, which we got physicals today. And yeah, so I was home for a couple of days was able to attend the board meeting.

2:05So I'll you via Zoom, so that was nice. And yeah, that's, you know, like humor. I love being a part of it and we do a lot of really cool stuff there. It's amazing. And the Playball lunch is coming up March 24th. Everybody still have a chance to might be a table left. I don't know, but just go sfgans.com or pardon me, giantscommunityfund.org and see if you can sponsor a table or buy a ticket to the Playball lunch, which will be at. So we'll look forward to that very much. All right, Randy, big picture now. Let's go. What's your contact been with the club this spring? What's your read slash evaluation of how the spring is going? Well, I mean, I'm with the big club fairly often, especially early before our full minor league camp starts. You know, I really want to see how some of our young players play, how they look coming out of the offseason. How do they look in front of a big league crowd and a big league uniform? How are they reacting facing big league pitching? So I sneak over there quite a bit able to watch a lot of the games, watch some of workouts, but then, you know, also have my eye.

3:11We've got, you know, our January camp and many camp also going on simultaneously. So I'm constantly bouncing between minor league and big league spring training. But major league spring training has been fun. Obviously, there's a lot of energy in the air with the new manager, new staff. Tony's been great. So I think there's just, you know, not only looking at a brand new season, which everybody has hope and everybody's side of four. But then, you know, we've got the excitement of having a new manager as well. Yeah, Randy, one of the biggest stories in baseball right now is the world baseball classic with Logan Webb, representing Team USA against Brazil today as USA starts tournament play. But talk to us about some of the negatives and positives of having players represent their countries for the Giants organization. I mean, the easy negatives are players not being there for Tony Vitelo, but also talk about maybe how this provides some opportunities for some of the younger players trying to get some more A B's more innings pitched. Yeah, I'm a little bit biased. I love the world baseball classic. I was able to participate in the very first one and play for Team USA.

4:13So this event definitely has a special place in my heart. Actually quick side story, Team USA practice at our minor league facility and got a chance to catch up with the coaches where I'm my age. That's where all my peers are, but, but see in Michael Young and that holiday, two guys that were on that team with me was was really, really cool. I guess from a front office perspective, injury is kind of the biggest, you know, knock on wood potential negative for this thing. Obviously with all the players that, you know, their jobs, their contracts are to play for whichever team that they're with, you know, we're talking about Logan Web, you know, we're hoping that he's, you know, making 30 plus starts for us and starting opening day. That's the priority. Our teams a little bit different when you have a new manager and new staff, you obviously want to develop that bond that camaraderie. The players want to get to know the manager, the manager wants to get to know the player. So this event kind of puts a monkey wrench in that. But on the positive side, you mentioned it. We get to see a lot of the young players, the bowdavits and the parts harvors, the Nate Furman's some of the names that pop up as guys that have played well in our minor league system.

5:26They're getting a chance to play Victor Barracotto. Another guy is having a great spring, not a name that's really been on the radar, but it's a chance for not only fans, but. Some of our front office and the staff to get to know some of these young players and hopefully the future giants. I got a Randy win vice president, a player developer for the San Francisco Giants, and of course, forever giant who roamed that right field area with the arches and the wind and all that. I have to ask you at jungle Lee into the second year, but let's be honest, Randy, everybody's in love with a prospect, a prospect who hits balls far and deep. Bryce Eldridge, what stands out to you about his development? What are you seeing? Well, I think the thing that stands out to me is the kid. You know, we really challenged him last year to let's call it not get caught up in prospect type and really focus on the things that we're going to make him a long time major leaker. And he took to those. He did tons of early work. I saw a lot of improvement in him both offensively and defensively.

6:31You know, we challenged him to come out there and get better and there were no complaints. Like he wants to be good. He wants to get better. So for me, like that's the biggest thing it stands out is kind of the kid in the heart and the want to listen and learn and become a better player. Randy, for me, to be honest, it's hard not to have prospect hype right now after the spring breakout rosters were released yesterday for the Giants. Bryce Eldridge will be playing in that game, but two other big time prospects that Giants fans really don't know yet because they were just international signings. Talk to us about Luis Hernandez, Joe Sorkins, all this and give us a bit of a preview before we see some of these guys in this upcoming showcase game. As Murphy knows, you know, the one thing that's the hardest thing to overcome is hype, you know, when there are expectations. But as talented as these kids are, it's hard to stay away from those things. Joshua Gonzalez got a kid that we signed last year had a very good season for us in the Dominican summer league, stole 30 plus bases in a very short and season.

7:36Has the ability to impact the game on both sides really good base runner switch hitter was it was more profiles is more of a line drive hitter, but you know, he does have some power if you look at some of the off metrics on hard hit balls hits a lot of balls hard. Just a really exciting player exciting defender and you know, we're really excited to see what he does in his first or in his in this next season. I was going to say his first full season, but this next season, Luis Hernandez obviously has gotten a lot of hype and press based on his signing bonus, but a really mature kid works really hard, very fundamentally sound. You don't say that too much about 16 17 year olds, but really, really fundamentally sound when you watch him feel ground balls run the bases plays like an older player. He plays a lot older than his age.

8:36So those are some of the intangibles, but really good hitter short compact swing understands the process of hitting and how to take in a bat and has a really good kind of right center approach short swing ball jumps off his bat. Has the ability to play short stuff just like Joshua, so so two kids that are very exciting that have a whole lot of of baseball in their future, and I think it's going to be exciting for giants fans to watch them grow. It is for sure and about I know, Randy, you're big on patients, right? You you you don't want the hype train to leave the station yet, right? If I could control it, I train would never leave the station, but I know that's not a reality. I just know from watching tons of players come up through the minor leagues and try to have success at the big leagues and and then also try to fill the role the shoes as the next Barry bonds or the next King Griffey Jr. or the next 10 Lensacom. Those are big shoes to fill and you know, if you're out there and you're trying to hit sliders and cutters and 98 mile in our fastballs or trying to get Aaron judge out.

9:44And then you know, people are telling you are asking me why are you doing this or why aren't you doing this or you know, you're supposed to be 10 Lensacom. That's that's really hard to to compete and live up to that. So I'm very sensitive that but that these kids are super talented. We are very excited about them and they're getting a lot of pressure and for good reason. Every day excessive delays and denials from big insurers keep patients from accessing the care they need and when carers urgent these delays can be disastrous. These practices cost billions in wasteful spending driving up costs for American families. But while big insurers put up barriers, America's hospitals and health systems are in your corner, navigating endless reviews and appeals to get you the care you need when you need it most. It's time to curb these harmful practices and put the focus back on patients brought to you by the coalition to strengthen America's health care. The NFL draft presented by Bud Light is coming to Pittsburgh and it's your chance to witness the future of the game for free from April 23rd to April 25th. Behold the energy of the NFL draft see the Vince Lombardi trophy and Super Bowl rings meet NFL players and legends enjoy interactive games and live music performances and be there as the future of the NFL takes center stage.

10:57The NFL draft starts April 23rd register for free entry at NFL calm slash draft access today. Randy is a patient man and a rational man in an impatient world and an irrational world. It's a bad mix, Randy. You know fit in modern society. Hey outfield your spot. So I mean everybody likes on paper, you know, Elliott Ramos can hit for sure. We'd like to see improved defense and left Harrison Bader. I mean plus plus everybody knows he's one of the best defensive centerfielders in the game. And then Jung Hulley and Wright may be a more natural position for him and all that that said behind them seems like it's wide open. And I can throw six names at you from the right side of the plate, Luis Mato's and Gerrara in Carnazion. And the left side of the plate will Brennan and Drew Gilbert and and we threw Vick Barricodo on the right side. I mean, any number of names here that are vying for these outfields, Ross Grant McCray, one of my favorites. So can you give us a scouting report? Do you think a couple of people have taken the lead in that race?

11:57I think I think that race is too early to call. I don't think that there's necessarily a favorite. You know, there were guys that have been here, been on the roster, have had some success. You think of Mato, so he was a player of the week, was that last year, the year before. You know, Drew Gilbert came in, brought a lot of energy in Carnazion. Everybody's really excited about the potential power that he could bring. Grant McCray's head stretches of being really, really good. Well, Brennan has played well in the big leagues, not with us, but with other ball clubs. So it's going to be a race, and I have a feeling that one's going to come down to the, I think two things. One, roster construction, you know, do you need a lefty? Do you need a righty? Do you need someone to play center? What happens with the DAH spot? Is it a rotate? Are they going to look for someone who's going to play there every day? Do they need infield depth, outfield depth? So I think as we get into spring, the roster construction is going to play into it. And then also I think that the biggest part is who's going to, who's playing the best?

13:00And I think it's too early to call on both of those. Randy, I'm sure you've been asked a bunch of questions about the Giants bullpen going into the season. When we're down in Scottsdale, we talked to Justin message about the opportunity for a lot of these young arms, whether that be in the starting rotation or in the bullpen. Seems like you guys have a group of young guys that had the potential to be starters, but could also contribute in the bullpen. Guys like Carson Wisdenheim, Blake Tidwell, Trevor McDonald, even Hayden Bird song. So what have been some of your takeaways from some of those younger arms and the opportunities that are getting in the spring? Yeah, all those guys that you mentioned profile out starters as far as kind of development looks at it. But they definitely could go into the bullpen and have some success. We saw that last year in Hayden Bird song. He puts really, really well out of the bullpen. So if you look at our bullpen on paper, there seems to be some openings and some opportunities. And I think all of those guys are going to be in consideration. I think once again, like I mentioned about the outfield, if somebody is pitching really, really well, it's going to be hard for Tony in the front office to keep them off the team.

14:04All those guys have at least one plus plus big league weapon that can get hitters out. And I think when you're thinking about people in short stents, that's that's very exciting. Now long term, you know, they could potentially go back to being starters or that could because that's the way they profile out. But in the short term, there is a world. There is a place where potentially one of those guys could make the team as a reliever. And then also it's nice to have options. And I think when you look at a roster, you know, there's a lot of guys that, you know, you look at and say, I feel very comfortable in him as a major league option. Ready before I let you go, just everybody's favorite spring training guy, not Tony V. We like Tony V and he's doing good. He seems to be it's Ron Washington. It's Ron Washington. He's just stealing the show as he does everywhere. Do you have a Ron Washington story? Had you known him before? Did you have a great incident with him or experience with him in Scottsdale? You can relate.

15:04This is a g-rated show, isn't it? I cannot tell my lost story. He's cut down on the squaring a little bit. He said, yeah. But I will say this. I did not know Ron Washington personally. I knew him from across the field just to say hello and passing. I've really enjoyed spending some time around him. You know, obviously he's had some health concerns. He's doing fantastic right now. The energy that he brings, the baseball wisdom, the baseball knowledge, the baseball history is just phenomenal. We gathered the coaches during the winter meetings this year and his passion for the game was palpable. When he talked about winning and losing and developing players and working, I was ready to start the season right there. I just give you a sense of how passionate loss is. I can't say word for word what he said in his speeches. But they were motivating their passion. He loves the game.

16:07He loves being around players and he has a real passion for the infield and the work that it takes to be a very, very good major league infielder. So great. You know, we did our interviews. We set up on the third floor of the brand new clubhouse. We built a couple of years ago, not the one you trained in, but that new building. We were on the third floor, which is sort of an open space. And Ron Washington came to do the interview with his Fungo. He brought the Fungo. You never know when there's some work that might need to be done. You might have hit a few play a little pepper with me and Marcus up there. Yeah. Randy, great catching up. Just love talking about the club. Love talking about the organization. And we appreciate you sharing your thoughts. Well, have a great Friday and a great weekend, Randy. All right. Thanks, guys. Appreciate it. Yeah. Randy, when good stuff, man, I don't know, Bryce Eldridge, you know, too early to call on the outfield. It is too early. It's three weeks away, but it's a, that's a big one. Those six names going for two spots, probably. So we're going to have to start handicap in that. Yeah. I mean, that's the biggest competition right now in the roster outside of the bullpen from a position player standpoint.

17:08Yeah, it's all about who's going to make the roster as that fourth or a fifth outfielder if they keep multiple. All right. Let's get out of here. One last shot. We're going to go on the other side. We'll shout out for the SF Glenns. We'll say, hey, to them, and then we'll hang it up for an 80s Friday and handed over to Papa and Silver with who's in today's a JD again for with Greg Silver on these sports.