This week I have a matched pair to last week’s group of player interviews from my west coast swing. Where we had hitters in last week’s group, this week it’s the arms. I speak with one of the true break out stars of this season, left-hander Luis de la Torre, one of the hardest throwers in the Giants’ organization, right-hander Liam Simon, and the team’s 7th round pick in 2024, lefty Greg Farone, who is putting the finishing touches on a very strong first season of pro ball.

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Kerry Crowley and I discuss the Giants’ recent power surge, whether this current incarnation of the team is what we should have expected all along or just a September chimera, and what to hope for in this final month. We also indulge in a little bit of looking forward to the off-season to come, because we just can’t help ourselves!

Enjoy!

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I put quite a number of player interviews in the can on my trip to the west coast affiliates last week, and I’ll roll them out over the next couple of weeks. First up, I have a trio of hitters — two trade acquisitions who have just gotten their first taste of action in the Giants’ organization this month, and a high school draftee in his second season. Nate Furman and Parks Harber talk about the unique situation of being traded while rehabbing injuries, as well as their approach to hitting. Furman is one of best contact hitters in the minors, and Harber owns some of the most intriguing hit data in the minors, including a howling 90th percentile Exit Velocity above 108 mph. Lastly, I spoke to Walker Martin about how he used his difficult first season as a learning opportunity, leading to a much improved second year in the system.

All three of these guys were thoughtful and articulate, and gave some great insights into their personal growth process.

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For this week’s podcast, I’m joined by a couple of members of the Richmond Flying Squirrels who have traveled some long roads to get to where they are now. First we have Aruban native, Dayson Croes, who has hit ball everywhere he’s every played, but had to go through tiny colleges, Indy ball north or the border, and international competition to get the chance to play pro ball. And once again, he’s hitting the ball all over the field. Marques Johnson hasn’t had that long or circuitous a road, but from a SoCal JuCO to college to draft to trade to injury, he’s kept working at his craft and is making a name for himself in the upper minors.

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Kerry Crowley and I sift through the aftermath of the trade deadline, talk about our hopes for the rest of the year, and maybe starter to side-eye the coming winter.

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Finishing up my tour of the affiliate broadcasters, I get to talk ball with Trey Wilson with the tape recorder going for once! Trey and I talk about trade deadlines in the minor leagues, the challenge and quality of the Eastern League, and the Squirrels’ hopes for making a spirited run in the second half to try to grab a playoff spot. And along the way, we talk a few players as well! It’s always great to chat Eastern League baseball with Trey!

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After many scheduling conflicts that precluded us talking at happier times, Kerry Crowley and I come together to pick over the sorry spectacle that this Giants’ team has become, hazard a few guesses at trade deadline behavior, and respond live on air to a deal being made! What more could you ask for?

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We had a little reunion of former Eugene outfielders last week in Richmond, when the Portland Sea Dogs came to town. I was able to talk to Scott Bandura, who was just settling in from his recent promotion to Double-A, and Portland outfielder, James Tibbs III about the crazy month he’s had adjusting to a new organization, a new league, new teammates, and a new time zone! Bandura talks about the impact that COVID had on his baseball journey, and why he thinks the best is still to come for him, while Tibbs gives some real insight into the human side of the game, and how difficult these transitions can be for players.

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The great Jim Callis joins me to talk about the Giants most recent draft class, and how it fits in with a farm system that has really turned over a surprising amount the past two years. Come for the draft talk….stay for a whole lot of conversation about what a dude Jhonny Level is!

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Alex Pavlovic, the long-time Giants’ beat reporter for CSN Sports Bay Area, and now the author of The Franchise: San Francisco Giants: A Curated History of the Orange and Black, which you can find at your local (or non-local) bookstore as of today. Go get it!

Alex and I talk about the Giants’ checkered history of player development before delving into the current state of affairs with the Giants’ farm system that Buster Posey inherited. Alex talks about how he thinks Posey and Randy Winn are assessing the state of the farm and what changes they are likely to institute going forward, before we get into the current Giants roster and the trials that young players like Hayden Birdsong and Landen Roupp are encountering as they navigate their first full MLB seasons.

As I head out to the Dominican Republic for a week of DSL action, I’m celebrating by offering 25% off There R Giants’ subscriptions for one year (annual or monthly). It’s a great time to become a There R Giants’ subscriber, and check out my first-hand observations of the DSL squads and hopefully plenty of video footage of young Josuar Gonzalez.

There R Giants is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rogermunter.substack.com/subscribe