Giants 7, Rangers 7
APRIL 1, 2022•ASSOCIATED PRESS
Brandon Crawford - Breaks out of spring slumpCrawford went 3-for-4 with a home run, a double and three RBI in Thursday's 13-2 win over the Rockies.
ImpactCrawford had gone 0-for-10 across his first four Cactus League games, but there was never any real concern he'd get on track. The shortstop had a career year at 34 years old last season, posting a .298/.373/.522 slash line with 24 homers, 90 RBI, 79 runs scored and 11 stolen bases in 138 games. Given his age and a career-best .334 BABIP fueling his offense last season, it's fair to expect noticeable regression in 2022. That said, he's likely to play almost every day since he's excellent defensively, and he should hit in the heart of the order.
APRIL 1, 2022•ROTOWIRE
Alex Wood - Looking good in springWood has allowed just two runs on seven hits and a walk with 10 strikeouts in 10 innings across three Cactus League starts.
ImpactWood allowed his first runs of the spring in Thursday's 13-2 win over the Rockies. The right-hander enjoyed a bounce-back campaign in pitcher-friendly Oracle Park last season, going 10-4 with a 3.83 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 152:39 K:BB across 138.2 innings. He's still more likely to end up toward the back of the Giants' rotation, but he's a solid and budget-friendly source of strikeouts. Regression shouldn't be much of a factor -- his 3.47 FIP last season suggests he was slightly unlucky, and it was in line with his previous work before his two-year slump in 2019 and 2020. Wood should be fine as long as he can avoid injury absences.
APRIL 1, 2022•ROTOWIRE
A name of their own: Hanks to toss 1st pitch for Guardians
Tom Hanks will launch a new era of Cleveland baseballAPRIL 1, 2022•ASSOCIATED PRESS
Blackmon back atop the Colorado order, where he set records
The most prolific leadoff hitter in Colorado Rockies' history, Charlie Blackmon, will return to the top of the order this season, a spot he knows wellAPRIL 1, 2022•ASSOCIATED PRESS
'Zero percent worry' as Kuhl continues prepSCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Some experiments, like the one Rockies right-hander Chad Kuhl attempted in the first inning of Thursday afternoon’s 13-...
APRIL 1, 2022•MLB.COM
Alex Cobb - Velocity up this springMultiple scouts have heard that Cobb, whose fastball averaged 93 mph last season, is hitting 97 mph this spring, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN.com.
ImpactCobb's four-seamer and sinker each topped out at 95 mph last season, so if he has indeed added a couple ticks to his fastball, he could be in for a career year. The 34-year-old righty was excellent across 93.1 innings last season with the Angels, logging a career-high 16.5 K-BB% and a 53.3 GB%. If he can build back up to the 150-plus innings he logged in 2017 and 2018, Cobb could be one of the best fantasy values on the pitching side this year.
MARCH 31, 2022•ROTOWIRE
