Giants Call Up Hard-throwing Right-hander Reyes Moronta

NEW YORK -- Three years ago, facing a roster crunch and playing in New York, the Giants called up Jarrett Parker and little-known Matt Duffy from nearby Double-A Richmond. They took advantage of that short flight again Wednesday, adding right-hander Reyes Moronta a day after Mark Melancon was put on the DL. 

Moronta was the only 40-man pitcher at Double-A, and he's likely just here for a day. But Bruce Bochy smiled and conceded that sometimes the player has other plans. Duffy certainly did. He never went back down, and with a fastball that tickles triple digits and a big-league caliber slider, Moronta has the stuff to make a big impression. 

Moronta, 24, had 17 strikeouts in 11 1/3 innings for the Flying Squirrels. He struck out 93 in San Jose last year in just 59 innings. 

"He looks like (Jean) Machi a little bit and he has a similar fastball, with a little different angle," Bochy said. "He's a very intense guy. That's the report on him. Sometimes you've got to get him to back off a little. He's definitely a guy we think a lot of. That's why he's on the roster, and that's why he's here."

Moronta got the news after his game last night and flew in this morning. He said this means a lot to him, and he was the first Giant to put on his full uniform Wednesday morning. 

"He's excited," Bochy said. "He's a good kid."

--- Brandon Crawford will get to Citi Field today and fly home with the team. He is expected to start tomorrow night at home, although he has to be checked by trainers one last time. Denard Span played five innings for San Jose last night and felt fine. He'll play seven today.

--- With Posey at first today, Bochy opted against the Brandon Belt in left plan. Belt is hitless in his last 17 at-bats. He has 25 walks, fourth in the NL, but he's also up to 41 strikeouts. 

"Brandon, over his career, he's one of those guys who can be streaky," Bochy said. "He'll tell you his homers come in bunches. Whenever he gets in one of these funks he's usually a little late (on the fastball). Whether it's his setup or getting the front foot down, however you want to say it, that's his adjustment. He is a guy who will walk a lot. He's patient, he's a guy who walks a lot by letting the ball travel and seeing it more. There's a fine line there between catching it out front and letting it travel."

The bottom line: Belt is working deep counts pretty much every plate appearance, but when pitchers get two strikes on him they feel way too comfortable just throwing a heater past his bat, even if they don't have a good fastball. Bochy has in the past given Belt two or three days to clear his head and mechanics when he's slumping like this. He said that's probably not the case this time. Belt is expected back tomorrow. 

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