Who the Heck is Eric Hacker of the Fresno Grizzlies?

Thankfully for Giants fans, Todd Wellemeyer proved that he wasn't a complete failure last night as he pitched seven innings in the Giants' 6-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies (which is always a nice victory to have).

However, despite the solid performance against the defending NL Champs, there are still a lot of questions concerning Wellemeyer and the fifth spot in the rotation.

If you look at his numbers so far, they haven't been good. In his first four starts, Wellemeyer hasn't shown much control, as evidenced by his 14 walks in 21.1 innings pitched. He has an ERA currently of 6.33 and a FIP of 6.83. Also, the velocity simply hasn't been there on his pitches. He throws his fastball over 67 percent of the time, but it only has an average velocity of 89.4 MPH (the slowest of his career so far).

Granted, fastball velocity isn't everything. But when you're giving up more flyballs than groundballs (he has a 0.72 GB/FB ratio) and hitters are making a lot of contact against you (he has an 84.2 percent contact rate), then you're not doing a lot to prove that you're worth a spot in the rotation.

Is Wellemeyer capable of turning things around? He could, but I think it's safe to say it's only a matter of time before somebody replaces Wellemeyer in the starting rotation.

Now, who is that candidate?

So far, there have been two popular names: Madison Bumgarner and Kevin Pucetas.

In terms of the former, Bumgarner was the odds-on favorite to be the Giants' starting pitcher (I even went out on a limb and said he was the Giants' only option). Then Spring Training happened, he got shellacked and his velocity hovered under 90 MPH. By the end of Spring Training, Bumgarner's stock took a bigger hit than Halle Berry's after she did the movie "Catwoman."

Bumgarner has turned it around after a poor Spring Training and a poor first two starts with the Girzzlies (apparently, his velocity is back in the 90's again). Unfortunately, Bumgarner could use more time in the Pacific Coast League, and considering the fact he's only 20-years-old, there is no need to rush him.

The second option, Pucetas, like Wellemeyer, had a solid Spring. However, like Wellemeyer, that hasn't necessarily translated into a solid April in 2010. Despite a 1-1 record and a 3.98 ERA, Pucetas has a WHIP of 1.72 and he doesn't have the strikeout numbers to back it up (only 10 strikeouts in 20.1 IP). If anything, Giants fans are looking at another Joe Martinez/Ryan Sadowski with Pucetas. There is some potential that he could have a good couple of starts. Yet once Major League hitters have seen him a few times, he probably will get batted around, simply because his stuff isn't all that great.

Who do the Giants go with should Wellemeyer be an extreme detriment to the starting rotation?

How about Eric Hacker?

Chances are, Hacker's name is about as familiar with Giants fans as Bree Olson is with Christian activists (I would show you a picture of her, but I couldn't find anything tame).

Well, Giants fans should know about Hacker because he is the  best pitcher currently in Fresno. In four starts, he is 4-0 with a 1.25 ERA, a 0.88 WHIP and has 24 strikeouts in 21.2 IP.

It doesn't matter if you don't know his name or not. Those numbers are impressive.

However, is Hacker's a hot start a flash in the pan? Or is it an indicator of things to come?

It's tough to tell at this point. There just isn't enough information at the Major League level to determine whether or not he could be a surprise No. 5 starter for the Giants.

Despite being 27 years old, Hacker has only one stint in the Major Leagues: a three inning sample with the Pirates last year. In three games with the Bucs, he allowed four hits, two earned runs, two walks and struck out one. His fastball averaged 90.1 MPH and he threw a slider along with a curve ball (though 34.8 percent of his pitches were indeterminable, which may be a sign he has another pitch).

Hence, the numbers aren't great for Hacker. That being said, his minor league numbers are pretty interesting.

His control has seemed to be off and on throughout his minor league career. Formerly in the New York Yankees' system, Hacker posted solid K/BB ratios in 2007 in Single-A (3.00), 2008 in Advanced Single-A and Double-A (3.44 and 3.00, respectively) and in 2009 in Triple-A (3.00).

Unfortunately, the FIP hasn't really corresponded. While his FIP was solid in 2007 (3.54) and 2008 (2.90 and 2.87, respectively), that was far from the case in 2009 (5.26 in Triple-A), during his last stint with the Yankees organization

After he was traded to Pittsburgh for Romulo Sanchez, Hacker was sent to Pittsburgh's Triple-A organization and performed well. While his K/BB ratio wasn't spectacular (1.78), his FIP was solid at 3.85, and he was named International League Player of the Week during the week ending August 9th.

What can Giants fans expect from Hacker? Like I said, it's tough to tell, but he certainly is an interesting candidate to replace WellemeyerBABIP numbers over his career (it has only been under .310 twice: in 2007 in Single-A and in 2008 in Double-A), so it is possible Hacker could be a decent, end-of-the-rotation pitcher at the Major League level should he get lucky and have a good defense behind him.

At this point, Wellemeyer is the man in the fifth spot for now. As the season progresses though, don't be surprised if Hacker becomes a much more enticing option than Pucetas or Bumgarner, especially as he continues to pitch well in Fresno.

With Sadowski Demoted, Who Should the Giants Look to at the Five Spot?

Joe Martinez (above) and Kevin Pucetas, both pitchers who have pitched at Fresno this year, are good candidates to replace Ryan Sadowski in the rotation.

From Bleacher Report

After coming back home from AT&T Park from the Giants game on Saturday, I was carousing on my Twitter and stumbled upon this very intriguing Tweet from the San Francisco Giants' account:

"Who do you think will be the fifth starter: Justin Miller, Joe Martinez, Kevin Pucetas or Madison Bumgarner?"

With Ryan Sadowski officially getting demoted back to Fresno Saturday, and with Jonathan Sanchez firmly entrenched in the rotation with Randy Johnson on the 60-day DL, the question of who should fill the fifth-spot in the rotation is intriguing.

I have raised the question before, but that was before I knew the Big Unit's injury was as serious as it was.

In response to that question, I would automatically eliminate two names from that list:

Justin Miller and Madison Bumgarner.

In my mind, Miller has found a role on this Giants team as their long-innings reliever. There is no one else on this team that can fulfill that role in the bullpen. Every other pitcher in the pen is suited for one-inning work, two at the tops. To thrust Miller in the rotation now would leave the Giants severely handicapped in the long-relief department, and that is always a concern with guys like Zito and Sanchez in the rotation, guys who are capable of getting blown up in four or less innings.

Furthermore, Miller has always been a mediocre starter. He doesn't have a great fastball, and he is a "junk" pitcher, plain and simple. He's great for a few innings, but once he would hit the fourth or fifth inning, hitter would be able to adapt to his pitches rather easily. Miller has found a great role on this team for his set of pitching skills, and I am hard-pressed to believe that manager Bruce Bochy would deviate from his strengths now after succeeding in this role the entire season.

As for Bumgarner, I love this kid. I breathed a sigh of relief that he wasn't even considered in any trade deadline deals this past week. He is on the cusp of something special, and he was somebody the Giants couldn't lose, no matter who was available on the market (same thing goes for Buster Posey).

That being said, I don't think there is any point in rushing him up to the majors now (An according to recent reports, Bochy feels the same way as he has announced that Bumgarner won't be considered just yet for the fifth spot).

Let him dominate a little more in the minors and see what he can do in Spring Training next year. If he has a great outing in Spring Training, then give him the fifth spot in the rotation next season (which will probably be open when Randy Johnson most likely retires next season).

I just don't want the Giants to hurt this kid's confidence before he is ready for the Major League level, and with the Giants competing for the Wild Card spot, we aren't really in the position to bring up guys just for the sake of getting them Major League experience. He is only 19, and he still has a lot to work on as a pitcher. If he was out of college, and 22 or 23, then I would feel differently. However, because of his youth, I think he could benefit from finishing the years in the minors and getting a chance to start next season.

So, that basically leaves the Giants with two options: Kevin Pucetas or Joe Martinez, who has been sidelined most of the year after getting hit in the head with a ball on April 9.

I have been eager to see Pucetas get a call-up, simply because of his performance at the minor league level this season.

At 10-2 with a 3.30 ERA and 1.22 WHIP, Pucetas certainly has made a case this year for a callup. He was actually supposed to get the callup earlier after Jonathan Sanchez was sent to the bullpen, but because he pitched the day before the scheduled start against Milwaukee, the Giants opted to go with Sadowski instead.

The only concern with Pucetas is his stuff (his K-rating is a 61 on The Baseball Cube). There are a lot of camps and fans that feel Pucetas doesn't exactly have the stuff to succeed at the major league level.

Pucetas simply isn't a strikeout pitcher, as evidenced by only having 74 strikeouts in 128 IP. He doesn't have the fastball to get guys out like Tim Lincecum.

However, we have seen pitchers been successful at the Major League level without the greatest of stuff (Greg Maddux rings a bell). Furthermore, the Giants are not expecting Pucetas to be a centerpiece of this rotation, but rather a fill-in until (or if) Johnson gets healthy and returns to the rotation.

Pucetas is certainly capable of fulfilling that role, even if the best case scenario for him may be Mark Gardner.

Stuff isn't too much of an issue with Martinez as it is for Pucetas. While he is by no means a strikeout pitcher, his propensity for a K is a lot more likely than Pucetas (The Baseball Cube give him a K-rating of 82).

In Fresno this season, Martinez has a 2.93 ERA, a 1.12 WHIP and 16 strikeouts in 27.2 IP. Last year in Double-A, his stats were impressive, as he had a 2.49 ERA, a 1.14 WHIP and a 112 SO in 148 IP.

The main advantage Martinez has over Pucetas though is that he has pitched at the Major League level this season, something Pucetas hasn't done in his four-year career in baseball.

Martinez's stats with Giants aren't great by any measure. In two games, he has a 6.75 ERA, and a 1.87 WHIP in 2.2 IP.

Granted, those are only two appearances, so you can't really judge them that concretely.

At the same time however, there is a concern with Martinez that goes beyond his statline at the Major League level this season.

Can Martinez come back after getting plunked in the head with a baseball?

That kind of incident has derailed pitchers' career in the past. Granted, Martinez didn't have much of a Major League career before getting hit by Mike Cameron with a ball, but no doubt it will effect him whenever he takes the mound for the Giants anytime soon.

Can Martinez get fully comfortable on the mound again? Can he get the confidence to pitch where he's not thinking about the line drive coming at him?

It isn't easy. I'm sure Martinez is capable of overcoming his tragic accident in April, but for anyone who's played baseball can attest, it can be tough to get back in the groove after getting hit in the head with a baseball.

It's like quitting smoking or chewing tobacco. No matter how hard you try, you will be reminded on a constant basis of what happened, and those constant memories will make it tough to move on.

It will be interesting to see who Bochy fills in the fifth spot. As of now, the favorite seems to be Martinez simply because of his Major League experience (even though it isn't much), but Pucetas certainly shouldn't be ruled out. He has certainly paid his dues at Fresno, and deserves a shot to at least pitch at the Major League level this season, even if it is only as a spot starter.

Whoever the Giants go with, they can't afford to keep rotating starters that can't get the job done. If this was like last year, when the Giants were out of it going into August, then I would have no problem and would be open to seeing as many guys starting as possible.

Yet the Giants are in the thick of a playoff race, and they need stability, especially in their rotation, to continue to have a shot at the Wild Card.

Sadowski! Sanchez! Pucetas! A three-way dance for the Giants' fifth rotation spot!

Who will the last rotation spot. Will it be Ryan Sadowski? Jonathan Sanchez? Kevin Pucetas? Not even ECW commentator Joey Styles knows for sure.

From Bleacher Report

Who knows if Randy Johnson will be healthy for the remainder of the season. At 45 years of age, it isn't a foregone conclusion that he will come back from the shoulder injury he suffered in his last start against the Houston Astros on July 5

Johnson has never really suffered from an injury like this before, so it is certainly possible that this shoulder injury may derail and perhaps end his illustrious career by the end of the season.

However, if Johnson does come back from this shoulder injury (let's hope that the MRI goes well on Monday) and is able to work back in the rotation, that leaves the Giants with a dilemma:

Who is best suited for the fifth spot in the rotation?

Do the Giants go with the Jonathan Sanchez, the inconsistent, hard-throwing lefty who threw a no-hitter on July 10?

Do they go with Ryan Sadowski, who followed up two great starts with three rather forgettable ones?

Or do they go with the unknown commodity in Kevin Pucetas, who has shone in Fresno, but hasn't proved anything yet at the Major League level?

In some ways, it is the kind of position battle that is similar to an old-school, three-way dance for the title during the glory years of Extreme Championship Wrestling.

All three guys are certainly different, and certainly have their respective talents. Yet like the old ECW wrestlers, each starting pitcher has the kind of flaws that have kept them from being truly great.

Sanchez is similar to a Lance Storm. He has achieved some success at the next level (as evidenced by the no-hitter), and his skill-set is undeniable. However, his consistency and his struggling mental makeup have prevented him from being a real key cog in this rotation (much like Storm never had the mental fortitude or charisma to be a real serious impact star in ECW).

With a 3-9 record this year, and a 4.92 ERA, no baseball experts or fans are going to be confusing him with top of the rotation aces Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain anytime soon.

Ryan Sadowski is similar to a Tommy Dreamer. When you judge him on looks and skill-set alone he isn't all the impressive. Furthermore, his stats at any level haven't been that awesome either (in Fresno this season, Sadowski was 5-2 with a 4.11 ERA) similar to how Dreamer never really got a lot of titles in his tenure as ECW headliner.

Like Dreamer did for so many years during ECW's existence though, for two straight starts, Sadowski showed something that went beyond physical skills. He dominated and endeared to the fans with his excellent pitching outings that had people asking themselves "Where the heck did this kid come from?" People started to be alright with Sanchez being regulated to bullpen duty because "We have this kid Sadowski."

Unfortunately, in his last three starts, Sadowski's physical skills and past has caught up with him (as it did for Dreamer during his last couple of years in ECW). Sadowski has gotten shelled and struggled with his control, especially in his last two outings.

Now, Giants fans wonder if Sadowski' two strong pitching performances against Milwaukee and Houston were just flashes in the pan, and not indicative of a bright future like the once thought.

As for Pucetas, one could liken him to Rhyno. Pucetas has been excellent this season in Fresno with a 10-2 record, 3.26 ERA and 1.21 WHIP (and would have been called up earlier instead of Sadowski had he not pitched the day before the scheduled start against Milwaukee).

Pucetas, however, hasn't played at the Major League level and many wonder if he can be successful beyond Triple-A. Stuff-wise, he isn't all that great (according to the Baseball Cube, Pucetas has a K-rating of 61, which stems from only having 70 strikeouts in 121.1 innings pitched).

Rhyno proved himself at the ECW level, but not without some criticism that is eerily similar to Pucetas.

Many wrestling fans wonder how truly great he was as a wrestler, for most of the wrestlers he beat in the twilight years of ECW wouldn't have lasted in ECW's heyday.

Unfortunately, Rhyno never got the opportunity to prove that he was up there in legacy with guys like Dreamer, the Sandman and Raven. ECW folded shortly after he won the title, and he was an afterthought in the WWE.

A similar fate could happen to Pucetas. He has only excelled against Triple-A competition, and with guys like Cain, Lincecum and Zito instilled firmly in the rotation, Pucetas might not get much of a shot starting at the next level (even though with Sadowski struggling it is plausible to think he will be coming up to San Francisco real soon).

So now that we know which pitchers resemble which wrestlers, who will win this lethal and cutthroat three-way dance for the Giants last spot in the rotation with a NL Wild Card spot on the line?

To be perfectly honest, it could be anyone.

If you have to point to anyone, you have to narrow down the race between Pucetas and Sanchez.

Sanchez obviously has the advantage in terms of the feat achieved earlier this year and stuff-wise. At the same time, if Pucetas can come up and have an impact if called up, the Giants will be hard-pressed to keep him out of the rotation if he is piling up wins during this crucial playoff race with Colorado.

Then again, Pucetas has to prove it at the next level. Sanchez has done it somewhat. Sadowski has done it somewhat. Pucetas, on the other hand, can't say that.

It will definitely be an interesting week for the Giants. Not only will they be dealing with the unpredictability of what GM Brian Sabean will do at the trade deadline, but they will also be dealing with this very crucial rotation situation should Johnson return soon.

Whoever wins, this is clear: they need someone to have an impact and help get the Giants back on the winning track.

In the words of Joey Styles, the three-way dance between Sanchez, Sadowski and Pucetas certainly will "be...EXTREME!"