Snell praises Giants for treating him well: ‘They care a lot’

Snell praises Giants for treating him well: ‘They care a lot’ originally appeared in NBC Sports Bay Area

Giants pitcher Blake Snell made headlines last month while recovering from a groin injury, suggesting possible frustration with how the team was handling its return timeline.

Snell’s comments to Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle alluded that the Giants were pressuring him to return before he was fully healthy.

“I still don’t feel like myself,” Snell told Rubin. “It’s just, ‘We need you. We need you. We need you.’ It’s not like ‘let’s hit him’ and I have to deal with it.”

San Francisco Manager Bob Melvin downplayed Snell’s comments then attributing them to his frustration dealing with injuries and poor performance early in the season.

When the reigning Cy Young Award winner returned from the IL on Tuesday, he had your best start as a giant: Five shutout innings, allowing just one hit. This immediate success after a month-long absence suggests that his rehabilitation has gone well, perhaps better than expected.

The upward trend around Snell continued again on Wednesday when he appeared in high spirits during an interview with Giants broadcasters Duane Kuiper and Mike Krukow in the second inning of San Francisco’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays.

In addition to several praises for the city of San Francisco – except for the traffic – Snell was very complimentary of the Giants’ organization and team, appearing to backtrack on his previous statements about the team.

“I was treated very well here and I really enjoyed my time here,” Snell said, before diving deeper into his observations about the Giants. “They care a lot. They want to win, but I think they care a lot about the players — the training staff, the travel, just the team in general.”

While Snell originally appeared to accuse the team of prioritizing wins over player health, Wednesday’s comments hinted at a change of tone in the balance of the two between the Giants.

Snell is also very familiar with different members of the organization, which he says has helped him establish himself. Melvin was Snell’s coach the last two seasons with the San Diego Padres, and several members of Melvin’s staff moved to San Francisco this off-season as well.

Finally, Giants pitcher Alex Cobb mentored Snell as a rookie when the two were Tampa Bay Rays teammates nearly a decade ago, so their reunion is another benefit.

“There are a lot of things to like about being here,” concluded the left-handed star.

Giants fans hope a more positive Snell off the field will lead to a continued progression to Cy Young-caliber form on the mound. If so, the talented starter will have plenty of time to become more familiar with the Bay Area.

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