Arroyo, Beede, Slater, Parker still are question marks for Giants

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Building a team is about understanding what you have, what you need and what you can acquire. By now, the Giants hoped to have more information on Christian Arroyo, Tyler Beede, Austin Slater and Jarrett Parker through their competition in winter ball and the Arizona Fall League.

Instead, they all got hurt, or in Parker’s case, got sick, setting back the front office’s evaluation ahead of the winter meetings.

Parker got an eye infection that prevented him from going to the Dominican. Slater did not heal enough from a September sports hernia to take his spot there. Arroyo also was to play in the Dominican but aggravated his fractured hand before playing a game and needed surgery to insert a stabilizing plate. Beede’s Fall League effort was delayed by the groin injury that ended his season.

“Those at-bats and innings in winter ball are an advantage, and it’s an advantage lost when you see those guys get hurt,” general manager Bobby Evans said.

Where do these players standing going into 2018?

The Giants have seen Parker for 382 plate appearances over three seasons and have a good idea of his abilities. Beede, who pitched 16 Fall League innings once he was ready, will be in the same boat this spring as last, having to compete for the fifth rotation spot (if he is not traded).

The Giants view Slater as a fourth or fifth outfielder, mostly likely a corner guy. They remain high on Arroyo, but their search for a third baseman at the winter meetings demonstrates they are not prepared to hand him a job he might have owned by now had he not gotten hurt.

This has been a bad year for the Giants health-wise, younger and older players alike.

“It is unusual,” Evans said. “We’ve always seen injuries over time, but it does seem the degree of injuries and the quantity to key guys have been suffocating.”

Scout’s honor: For the second year in a row, a Giants scout is one of three to be honored at the winter meetings at an annual Scouts of the Year dinner. Last year it was senior adviser Ed Creech. On Wednesday, area scout Todd “Tiny” Thomas will get the award. Among his finds to reach the majors in 30 years of scouting were Bill Mueller and Brandon Belt.