In case you wiped the trauma from your memory, the Giants blew a seven-run lead Sunday at Kansas City and lost 11-10. Really, it was a terrible day for the entire bullpen and underscored that Giants Manager Bruce Bochy needed a different choice or two.
He got one Tuesday.
The club designated Vinnie Chulk for assignment and purchased the contract of Sergio Romo from Double-A Connecticut. Chulk got the news today from Bochy and Brian Sabean. While he wasn’t exactly surprised, he said he didn’t expect it, either.
“You don’t see something like this coming,” Chulk said. “I thought my fastball was getting better, especially my fastball away. I thought I was getting ready to go on a good run. I might have to do it with another team now.”
Chulk noted that his ERA was under 3.00 just a few weeks ago; he’s right. It was 2.92 on May 31. But in six games in June, he allowed 12 hits (.353 BAA) and nine earned runs in seven innings. The biggest problem is that the Giants didn’t feel they could trust him with the lead. In his final appearance Sunday , he gave up a scorching liner to Jose Guillen and then hung a pitch to Mike Aviles for the game-tying double.
So now, Romo.
He is a 25-year-old native of Brawley in Imperial County and went to Mesa State in Grand Junction, Colo. If you went to many games at Single-A San Jose last year, you probably saw Romo at his best. He had an incredible year as a late reliever, strriking out 106 and walking only 15 in 66 1/3 innings.
Looking at those numbers, you’d think he throws gas. But he’s a command pitcher with a lot of deception and works off his high 80s fastball with a slurve and changeup. This season, the 5-foot-11 pitcher is 1-3 with a 4.00 ERA and 11 saves for Connecticut. He noticed that Double-A hitters are less likely to miss a hanging slurve, but he is a strike thrower and that’s exactly what Bochy wants. He has walked seven and struck out 30 in 27 innings.
“I’m a contact guy,” Romo said. “I’ve just been fortunate to miss some bats. I don’t throw hard and I don’t try to throw hard. I just try to stay within myself. I understand I’m not a plus fastball guy. I’ll take a ground ball, a pop out, anything.”
It can’t be easy to get from Brawley, Calif., to Cleveland in one day, but Romo’s father, Frank, managed to do it. He’s an engineer for an irrigation company.
“When he called and told me he was here in Cleveland, I was so surprised,” Romo said.
What happens to Chulk now?
The Giants have 10 days to trade, waive or release him. He could be outrighted to the minors if he clears waivers. The Giants will look to trade him, but Bochy still believes Chulk has value and it wouldn’t be the worst thing if he ends up going to Fresno.
“We feel Vinnie could be back here,” Bochy said. “I want what is best for Vinnie. If there’s something in the major leagues, we wish him the best.”
Said Chulk: “I was in a different role this year but I can’t excuse myself. My fastball was not getting it done. They had an issue with that.”
By the way, assuming Chulk is gone, the Giants now have nothing to show for trading Jeremy Accardo to the Toronto Blue Jays. They got Chulk and Shea Hillenbrand in that deal.
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