Giants notes: Murphy’s absence opens doors for others in camp originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — As Sam Huff started to round the bases on Saturday, he heard a familiar low grumble.
Huff’s homer in the Cactus League opener came against his former Texas Rangers teammates, and he could pick out Bruce Bochy’s voice as he jogged past the home dugout at Surprise Stadium. With each passing day, the odds increase that Huff soon might settle into a clubhouse where Bochy won three of his four rings.
The Giants announced on Monday morning that backup catcher Tom Murphy had an epidural on a mid-back disk herniation and will miss several weeks. It seems likely at this point that Murphy, who played just 13 games last season, starts the year on the IL, leaving newcomers vying to be Patrick Bailey’s backup.
Huff is the only other catcher on the 40-man roster other than Bailey and Murphy, and he is out of options. The 27-year-old is a former top-100 prospect who has shown an intriguing set of tools this spring. He was interesting even before Murphy got hurt.
The other leading candidate to replace Murphy is veteran Max Stassi, who has 10 years of big-league experience and has long impressed manager Bob Melvin with his soft hands behind the plate and ability to handle a staff. Stassi has dealt with hip injuries in recent years, but he’s healthy right now.
Stassi is not on the 40-man roster, but the Giants wouldn’t have too hard a time finding a spot. If Huff is the choice at the end of camp, the organization would love to have Stassi in Triple-A, and that should be appealing to the veteran, too. The Yuba City native would have the opportunity to play close to home.
Lighting It Up
Right-hander Joel Peguero shocked coaches by hitting 101 mph in his first bullpen session last week. On Saturday, Peguero started 94-96, but once he threw a strike, he ramped things up in a big way. Peguero hit triple digits four times and topped out at 101.7 mph, the hardest pitch thrown in any spring game Saturday.
A day later, Melvin called Peguero “kind of the talk of camp.” The 27-year-old has an inconsistent track record in the minors and was in Double-A last year, but he was a priority sign for the front office in the offseason as the non-roster invitee list was being put together. The key, Melvin said, will be throwing strikes with his breaking ball.
“You see guys kind of filter over to him when he throws a (bullpen session),” Melvin said. “It’s…