Barry Tompkins: Giants are sick, wounded, and overmatched

Paging Doctor Pierce….Doctor Hawkeye Pierce. I don’t know if the good TV doctor played by Alan Alda is still operating a MASH unit, but if he is, he’s needed here aboard ship.

There’s plenty of locker space available in the Giants’ Oracle Park clubhouse. But the training room is so jam packed the medical staff has had to have tape, gauze, Tylenol and muscle balms delivered by DoorDash.

A player who shows up with a headache can’t get an appointment ’til July. The big league roster is so thin one of the “Ball Dudes” has been sent to the bullpen. The major league team clubhouse has been such a revolving door that when a new player shows up, the back of his uniform just says “Occupant.”

It’s the first time in memory that being called up from the minor leagues is a demotion.

The Giants’ minor league system is so depleted the Single-A roster is composed of players from the El Segundo Little League World Championship team.

Players are being promoted in the Giants’ farm system not because they are putting up eye-popping stats, but because they have a pulse and all their body parts are in reasonable working order.

Shohei Ohtani’s majestic home run Tuesday night measured roughly the same length as all the Giant home runs this year laid end-to-end.

The injured list right now includes seven of the 13 position players the Giants had on the roster nine days ago, and a couple of pitchers who just wanted a little company.

So now we’re looking at a bunch of young faces all of whom should probably be honing their skills as a River Cat instead of looking over their heads watching Ohtani hit a ball so far that the seagulls had to scatter. It’s not their fault.

Luis Matos has had his moments as a Giant. In fact, he took away a Dodgers’ home run Wednesday night. But he’s 21 years old and will not only make a play like that, but also bungle a fly ball as he did on Tuesday night, resulting in a three-base error.

Marco Luciano is still one of the team’s top prospects. But he’s only played 32 games above the Double-A level. Bret Wisely might have a chance – but probably not yet. Blake Sobel has an upside – but may fall into that category of jack of all trades, master of none.

Casey Schmidt and Heliot Ramos, are two young players on the cusp. They’re the playground bullies at Sacramento, but beating up the El Paso Chihuahua’s is a tad easier than, lets say the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Then there’s the IL – and some legit concerns.

The jury is still out on the seriousness of Jung Hoo Lee’s dislocated shoulder. He’s getting a second opinion on Monday.

Patrick Bailey’s concussion issue is serious. Two IL stints virtually back to back does not bode well when you play the position he does. I have no doubt part of Buster Posey’s decision to leave the game had to do with repetitive concussions.

Jorge Soler has had no luck whatsoever as a Giant. He’s been stagnant at the plate and, in his first batting practice since his injury, he plunked himself in the head with a ball that careened off the top of the back stop. It was the hardest contact he’s made all year.

Austin Slater, too, has run into more walls than he has pitches he can hit. It’s been a tough, tough year for the hometown team.

The big picture is bleak. Consider that the Giants have played 125 games since July 1 of last year. They have scored three runs or less in 71 of those games. The Dodgers score more runs than that in batting practice.

Yes, but how about our pitching staff? That should carry us. On paper, yes. But in reality with four “aces” currently on the IL and the staff that is available being consistently inconsistent, the team is currently clinging to the 26th spot in Major League Baseball’s team standing. Only slightly worse than the 22nd position the team holds in batting.

Add to that the lack of production of Farhan Zaidi’s offseason acquisitions and what you’ve got here is a whole lot of nice guys with disabled bodies watching a squadron of nice guys who really don’t belong here yet.

The one thing that the Giants have gotten right this year is their team slogan, “Nothing like it!”

I think we can all agree on that.

Clark’s debut was impressive

And finally — did you happen to watch Caitlin Clark’s debut game as a professional in the WNBA?

It proved a couple of undeniable facts. The first is that Caitlin Clark can play. She had 20 points in a game that I’m sure she would agree was sub-par for her. And frankly, that’s what impressed me.

The level of play in the WNBA has skyrocketed seemingly in just the last couple of years. The way the Connecticut Sun defended Clark was a clinic. They bodied her up and made her not forget she wasn’t playing a kid’s game anymore.

Their “help” defense on her was right out of the coaching handbook. And they made her earn every one of her 20 points. They also forced her into 10 turnovers. I doubt she’s had 10 turnovers since she was in the womb. For Caitlin Clark to get 20 in game one, against that sort of defense – despite the ten turnovers – is damned impressive.

I know I’ve mentioned this before, but right now – in its own way – the WNBA is a better show than the NBA. At the moment the NBA is all about unheard of skills, in-your-face tactics on both ends of the floor, intimidation, and posturing. It’s still a team game, but the machismo for me sometimes gets in the way of appreciating the game at its highest levels.

The WNBA is just a better watch right now.

Barry Tompkins is a 40-year network television sportscaster and a San Francisco native.  Email him at barrytompkins1@gmail.com.