Photo provided by Junior Giants, from Lake Tahoe News (http://www.laketahoenews.net/2016/03/junior-giants-taking-a-swing-at-slt-youth/)
by
Greek Giant
Before we get into all the hot stove talk and fantasy roster building Let’s examine the Junior Giants. The Junior Giants is:
“a free, non-competitive and coed baseball program for youth ages 5-18. Working together with local agencies, families and volunteers, Junior Giants reaches into communities and offers youth a chance to learn the basics of baseball during the summer while also discovering the importance of essential life skills.”
-Junior Giants Website
This is a good cause folks. The Giants, like all teams, have a strong philanthropy arm. The Junior Giants program was established in 1994 and now serves over 25,000 kids in more than 90 leagues. That’s pretty impressive. That’s worthy of our support. The next time you see the Giants auctioning off game-worn wristbands or selling cheesy bobbleheads for the Junior Giants, go ahead and contribute.
I love that photo of the little guys and gals shaking hands!
It reminds me of one of the most important rituals after every Little League game: the handshake between opposing teams. In the NHL the opposing teams ceremoniously line up and offer each other congratulations at the conclusion of each playoff series. I think I may start a petition for baseball to do the same at the end of every regular season series. It would be a nice gesture for our youth to witness.
I believe no sport is more closely aligned with youth and kids than baseball. This is why the Junior Giants is a great program and one that will likely impact the lives of kids far beyond their youthful days into adulthood.
When my family moved from Canada to West Palm Beach, Florida when I was 7 my earliest memory is my dad taking me to sign up for Little League baseball. I was used to playing hockey so I did not know which end of a baseball bat was up. I fell in love with the game immediately thanks to my disciplinarian coach, Mr. Boyd, who taught us the fundamental skills and the importance of playing as a team to win. Those were memories that have stayed with me to this day.
For the comment threads I request a set of comments about your days playing Little League baseball, softball or any other sport. If you did not play, share with us your memories of your children playing.
Breckeroni has donated about 12 mitts to Junior Giant. JoBu has donated zero.
Flock Jobu, do it yourself!
Somehow I can’t visualize Jerry driving around with Donald?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UM-Q_zpuJGU
Fun ‘tool’ for looking at every MLB club over time, and how it ranked relative to the rest of the league.
http://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/complete-history-of-mlb/#
I still have very vivid memories of my first home run, which came off the little league version of a hanging curveball, and the best curveball I ever threw, which broke three feet (or so it seemed to me) and dropped right in there for strike three. I also remember the day some poor kid accidentally stepped in front of a classmate who was swinging a bat, got hit in the head and died. Awful for everyone involved.
A HR at any level is fun and a very good feeling.
Our LL coach used to put the ball at the end of a saw horse and not a batting T. You either kept your eye on the ball and cultivated a level swing, or numb hands.
I might borrow THAT drill
I had a “step in the bucket” problem…so Coach Bummy put a 2 x 4 with exposed nails sticking up behind me…I was miraculously cured….it was the tough coaching method of the day
Coach Bummy was a mans-man. Today his drill would have to lose the nails. Mummys would be complaining about his abusive teaching drills.
I remember the first HR I hit. A high as the light standards flyball that dropped about a foot beyond the left centerfield fence. Plenty of backspin!
Love your last sentence!
I was an ignorant 10 year old, what did I know. 😉
I will never forget my first (or any other one) home run. Was ten as well, dead center, and the second of back to back shots. Barely made it. Still remember the pitcher too but I can’t remember half the things you wife said to me yesterday.
I moved up a league after that year (Pony I seem to remember) where I learned friendship meant nothing. I hit, in my first game, against a school chum, Johnny B., and he just blew it by me. He had a whip like delivery, they called him blacksnake. My baseball dreams ended that year, he went on to get a full ride to Rice University a few years later. He was ‘clocked’ at 19-20 years old with a 93-94 mph fastball by this new fangled radar thing. LOL, he got bounced his sophomore year when he bragged to a coach/teammates over a beer(s) about how much money he’d made betting on SWC baseball games. Ah well talent isn’t everything.
Opposite for me. In Babe Ruth when I was 15 my buddy and I were going to pitch against each other. We agreed before the game to lay it in there for each other and try to hit homers. We were playing at Carlmont HS, very few homers hit there and none by either of us so we were basically talking to hear our heads rattle. Sure enough, top of the first he threw a meatball and I hit a home run! I was stunned, so unexpected. I tried to reciprocate but he lined out. My family saw him this past weekend in Phoenix and we recounted the story to my wife and sons (along with a few other more tawdry stories).
Johnny hit me a couple of times during the year. We had a nervous relationship. I crowded the plate, he didn’t like it. I was determined, but so was he. I didn’t get a hit off him all year, but then almost no one did.
I also played at Carlmont. Terrible weather every time. Wind blowing out?
Not really. The field has been re-done twice but it has always “sat in a little bit of a valley type bowl.
Now the Belmont Sports Complex, Hillsdale HS and Fields in Foster City = the wind was blowing OUT.
No wind that I can remember that day but I did hit it out in the short porch in center on the lower field (before it was converted to softball). In high school I hit a bunch on the hill in practice but my only game homer was on the road.
Minus 5 metal bat but your still a champion.
PONY = Protect Our Nations Youth
Time to make 11/2 a National holiday for the day when hell finally froze over.
So you heard the news- 5 million people took to the streets because they thought that the parade was for free pizza.
Papa Johns score 4 and get a free Pizza…..
Nice post GG, enjoy the change in direction! Unlike some on this forum I haven’t had too much time on the diamond but did spend a few seasons (4 maybe?) playing some 2nd base and corner OF. Unfortunately the memory that sticks out the most for me was not a great one. When I was around 10 years old had a playoff game, down a couple runs, in a season in which I was actually one of the better players, and I struck out looking to end the game with 2 guys on 🙁 I believe it was the first time that I faced a left handed pitcher and was totally thrown off.
I’ve been out for a little so not sure if this post by Baggs was shared:
http://www.mercurynews.com/2016/11/03/giants-enter-offseason-in-search-of-bullpen-help-intrigued-by-former-royals-closer-greg-holland/
Evans states that they are certainly interested in Greg Holland, and one other interesting comment:
“I will say that I did note how little some guys got used. It was clear a number of good arms in the bullpen did not see a lot of action. As much as you saw the frequency of some, there was infrequency of others”
Gotta be talking about Will Smith.
More evidence that Evans isn’t the biggest Bochy fan.
It’s certainly clear based on the end of season press conference in which Evans said there’s talent in the bullpen and now this comment that there is disagreement to how Bochy used the pen, that it wasn’t simply a lack of a closer. Question now is if Bochy sees it that way.
If next season doesn’t go well, I’m not sure that Bochy gets a “3 in 5” pass.
When coaches start getting the ax, it’s usually a hint to the manager- you could be next. But they would never fire Bochy, they would either give him an office upstairs or convince him to retire.
In any case, he will always be remembered as the greatest manager in San Francisco Giants history-like it or not.
I wonder if there might be more to the heart issue than is known publicly.
That will be the ‘excuse’ one way or the other…..
Reason.
I felt like Steve Kerr’s health problems affected his decision-making in the playoffs. Maybe Bochy’s did, too. Who knows?
It’s a consideration. It’s, of course, an open question how important a one.
Can one imply a Evans-Sabean frictional fan relationship too?
Who knows? But there is certainly evidence of some friction among the parties. I’m sure it’s nothing winning can’t cure, but if they don’t…
And let’s not forget that both Baggs and Alex reported that the relievers were basically unhappy with how they were used, which Evans would know about.
Not sucking for a good chunk of the 2nd half might relieve a bit of their angst. Contrary to popular opinion, it wasn’t Casilla alone that made them the worst pen in the NL.
That’s definitely true. The bullpen as a whole stunk but I do agree with Bobby that there are some talented arms there. Let’s see if it comes to fruition with an “elite” closer (hopefully!) holding down the 9th.
I hope so. Even though Melacon is ranked 3-4 among those who are FA, I like his style.
Maybe Gearrin, too. Gearrin looked as sharp as anyone by the end of the year, and even Alex criticized Bochy for not putting him on the postseason roster. Evans might even have been talking about Kontos, who always seemed pretty far down the depth chart.
But yeah, definitely Will Smith. Evans traded a lot to get him, and it had to fry him to sit in that suite at AT & T while Bochy let Lopez walk Rizzo and Romo, who’d blown a save and pitched two innings the night before, basically toss the season away. By the time Bochy finally went to Smith, the damage was done.
I know it chapped my arse….
Yep. I was screaming (in my living room and on here) in real time: “No. NO. This is all wrong!”
Ughhh. It was awful. Biggest trauma since Game 6 of the 2002 World Series.
Your gift for hyperbole is a wonder, but things like Posey going down rate just a bit higher in my book.
Hyperbole? Can you think of another Giants fan moment since Game 6 in 2002 that was worse? I guess Posey’s injury, but that was different.
Rizzo was 4/11 against Smith. single, 2 doubles, 1 HR and 3 BB. I wasn’t here in 2002, so that’s your burden to bear, I guess.
It doesn’t intrigue you that Rizzo has Smith’s number.
I still would have taken my chances. I KNEW Lopez would walk him. As Lopez was coming in from the bullpen, I said “He’s going to walk Rizzo.” There was a 100% chance Lopez was going to walk Rizzo. I bet Rizzo’s batting average vs Smith isn’t 1.000.
That’s your narrative, be honest. I don’t want to litigate your pet theory again, all I say is look at the numbers. We were fresh out of high probability options, I think.
Well, I agree that we’ll never see eye-to-eye on the narrative. But it’s telling that Bobby Evans seemed to feel that Bochy mishandled the bullpen assets he did have and was willing to be somewhat candid about it. Evans usually says pretty much nothing, so it’s telling.
I don’t have a clue what Evans thinks, beyond he’s damn glad he didn’t have to make that call, and he’s tired of fan grief over it and the pen. Even when Evans says something, it’s content free. My guess, Bochy followed Righetti’s lead about what the bullpen situation was.
Any grousing had to be about his use of Casilla because it impacted the rest of the pen.The “kid relievers”, Kontos, Lopez, and Suarez had nothing to bitch about, so It gets down to Romo (that’s a given) and either Smith or Gearrin, or both. I would put my money on Romo and Gearrin.
Yes except romo pitched 2 innings the day before and gearrin wasn’t on the roster.
It’s .370+.
And that’s going to get the cubs 3 runs against smith?
Think of the circumstances not knowing the outcome.
I knew lopez would walk rizzo when i realized law was coming into the game. Rizzo had been swinging at low and outside pitches out of the zone all series but finally stopped in his first at bat in game 4. It was obvious that after game 3 bochy had meditated on romo’s failure and rizzo’s pitch selection and decided he would match up lopez against rizzo no matter what. He didn’t even notice that rizzo had stopped biting.
You should have scampered out and bought a LOTTO ticket then
Lopez has been bad all year, Smith was their best reliever. I still would have gone with Smith.
But in any case, it’s not just Smith and the Cubs. Evans’ statement was a blanket statement. Like Lefty said, they gave up a lot to get him. And he was basically used like a second LOOGY.
I suggest someone ask Gardner, Righetti, and Bochy about developing a bullpen asset. Better yet, why get an ‘asset’ that needs developing mid season.
(a) rizzo couldn’t have tied up the game alone no matter how much he owned smith, and (b) bochy didn’t use smith in save situations no matter who had whose number. This just wasn’t a factor.
He was 4-11 against Smith, with 2 doubles and a home run. In other words, nothing close to Jake Lamb’s numbers against Casilla. Kris Bryant led off that ninth inning. He’d faced Smith six times, and had managed a walk and 5 strikeouts.
He’d also struck out Rizzo four times.
Evans has already said that they will be offering Kontos new contract.
“By the time Bochy finally went to Smith, the damage was done.” Not quite.
But the first mistake was having Law start the inning. He was still way hyper.
Right–I meant that maybe Evans thinks Kontos should have been used more. We were speculating on who, in addition to Will Smith, he might have been talking about.
Kontos certainly should be used in more high-leverage situations. Send him out for 3 batters or so and tell him to throw nothing but cutters and sliders, just forget the fastball.
Not just hyper, he’d pitched 2 innings the day before.
In terms of how he was throwing (aside from the stats), gearrin in september was the best month of any giant reliever all year. He was awesome. Bochy just wasn’t paying attention.
You might look at Smith’s numbers against Chicago. Maybe it’ll bank your coals a bit.
You said that before, but it was also worth noting that Smith looked great against the Cubs just the night before–3 up, 3 down, 9 pitches. And in general, he’d been on a roll as much as anyone in that bullpen. I think that matters more in a short playoff series than his career numbers over a few years.
The matchup was bad. Rizzo hits Smith well. Before the event in question, none of us knew that.
IMO,there were only 2 ways to go for the ninth- let Moore go until a runner gets on or give Smith a clean inning and let him close it out- with no one throwing in the pen. I would vote for the latter option.
LOL. If it would have been up to me (thank goodness it wasn’t), I’d have stayed with Moore, but I see your point.
I agree although i would have gone with the former option.
Either would have been far better than what actually happened.
#hindsight
With a 3-run lead you let the fact that one batter has hit smith well convince you to go with lawlopezromo when law and romo pitched 2 innings the day before?
The entire issue is did he see Smith as an option, all I’ve sought to do is offer a thought process that would lead Bochy to the decision. It may have been in different folks judgement the wrong decision, but Smith wasn’t as obvious perhaps in retrospect as many first thought.
He had been ignoring smith as a high-leverage option since august, no matter how well he pitched. There’s no reason to think there was some special reason in the nlds. There was some general problem with smith in bochy’s mind. God only knows what it was.
It doesn’t get much better than what Smith did from August 20th until the end of the season: 13 2/3 innings, four hits, no runs and 20 strikeouts.
Actually Gearrin was even better in September, although he did mess up in the Sept. 25 game (2 hits in 3 batters). Other than that, in 8 games he pitches 6.1 innings he struck out 12, walked 1, and game up only 3 hits. And for the month he had 10% line drives and 10% hard-hit. He was completely unhittable.
Can you now please explain Bochy’s decision to let Casilla face Jake Lamb? I’m sure that also has a perfectly rational explanation, since Bochy is a genius and would never make a bad decision.
Ask Bochy.
——–> that memory was over as soon as it happened….
So- what “others” would there be?
Smith is the obvious one but gearrin was also great in september, he was striking out 2 batters an inning.
The “GD” Greek Giant chose a Great Theme. Baseball more than any other sport resembles LIFE. Baseball is not always fair as is Life. You can do things almost perfect on the Baseball Diamond and still lose to ones opponent – Same in Life.
LIFE SKILLS = Accountability, Adaptability, Adjustment, Assertiveness, Character, Courage, Competitiveness, Confidence, Composure, Dignity, Determination, Ethics, Endurance, Goal Setting, Honor, Humility, Humor, Integrity, Loyalty, Leadership, Obedience, Passion, Patience, Resolve, Self discipline, Self control, Sportsmanship, Time management skills, Teamwork, Strength (mental & physical).
These are all imposing words and phrases but what parent wouldn’t want his child to grow up and live by them?
Most sports activities inherently teach such attributes as teamwork and determination. But baseball is unique in that it often mirrors life itself. The great length of baseball seasons and the mere fact that failure is an innate part of the game offer coaches and parents opportunities to teach many more of life’s admirable virtues and skills.
I sense a speech from Terrence Mann of “Field of Dreams” coming on.
!!!!! 🙂
TO’s scary add-on story about the wayward bat swing reminded me of a much-less tragic, yet still disturbing baseball incident…
We had total freedom to play baseball at recess at Columbia Elementary. The yard duty lady was Pablo-esque and usually stayed over by the 4-square and tetherball uncool’s. John Mager was hitting semi’s (remember those hard rubber non-hardballs?) and a group of guys were out playing 3-flies-up. Me, Brian, Ward, Jim and Bobby Heldstab.
This wasn’t little pop ups…it was nice 150′ fly balls. Midway through the game, one wayward fly snuck through our mitts and smacked Bobby square in the nose. Mind you, this was 50 years ago and I can clearly remember the slap/smack sound and the immediate morbid screams from Bobby, and the splayed out nose he sported while blood sprayed everywhere.
If i recall, I barfed a few minutes later. We were “caring” for Bobby, meaning making him use his own shirt to cover his nose (I remember the shirt…stripped brown, green, white. ruined forever)..and listen to him scream…and scream. More scared than hurt, I think (then again, it was his nose, and it probably hurt like Hell). Mrs. Thompson waddled out to the field, probably thinking it was no big deal…took her forever.
They magically fixed his nose at the doctors office. But he had black eyes for 3 weeks.
I was playing CF and came racing in for a shallow pop-up. At the same time, the shortstop was running out. In non-Pagan fashion, I dove for the ball and went nose first into the shortstop’s knee. I don’t think I lost consciousness, but my nose was broken and now shaped kind of like the letter “L.” I stayed in the game for a couple more innings, until dizziness, nausea and a cold sweat convinced me to have my mom take me to the hospital. It was kind of fun. I was at basketball camp when it started a couple days later, with some kind of metal guard taped over my nose.
Tough Mopho…
Maybe it affected my future thinking? One of my favorite playground basketball games was played while bleeding profusely from an elbow that a big dude landed to the top of my head.
You and I are more alike that we think – street ball with the brothers at Sherwood Park in college.. I caught an intentional elbow in the mouth that pissed me off and I kept playing…I got home with impressive swelling, and had to go to the dentist the next day to secure some chiclets
Which is an example of why I can stand professional athletes who don’t go all out.
TO, you’re a card.
Hardly any of them do for the entire 162
Yes it sure did
Thanks TO and Matt … good genre for a Guest Blog: Childhood basball injuries. Makes me feel young again and “Three Flies Up” does not get said enough these days.
I broke my finger pushing another kid out of the way to get a foul ball. Does that Count?
YES
Three flys up in 1974 was called Chinese Fly ball on 11th ave :-/
We also played “500” getting points for fly balls (100), one hoppers (75), two hoppers (50) and anything less that you fielded cleanly (25). If you made an error, of course, you had to subtract those points.
Someone mentioned it already but can see Nevin being a Bochy guy, so seeing him occupy one of the 2 base coach slots. Anyone better than Roberto Kelly at 3rd? Anybody but Sonny Jackson too?
RIP or Wendal Kim
One of my friends (a guy who is a bandwagon Cubs fan) shared Arrieta’s old naked sports illustrated photo shoot and it showed up on my feed. My friend is being temporarily unfollowed. That fake beard (and personality) of his still ruins it all. 👎🏼
90% of the people who show up at most ballgames are what you’d call a bandwagon fan. To me, that’s a good thing.
Late to this party, but great memories from LL. Our 11 and 12-year old teams finished in third place, but lots of friendships grew from those teams. Our 12-year old all-star team went all the way to the regional semi-finals. The genesis of my love for baseball.
Best years of our lives, perhaps. It was a heated rivalry between our Phillies and the Yankees. The Yanks had their ace, Floyd, and some bangers. We had the two Ryan’s on the hill and a solid lineup. Ultimately the Yankees took first and as 2nd place, we headed to the city tournament which we ultimately won. Later that summer in All-Stars, we practiced hard and raided the snack stand afterwards. We didn’t get too far in the the District tourney, which felt like a disappointment because we had some players, but we did beat a city rival and I picked up a win in relief. I threw two pitches for the W. I was called upon with traffic on the bases, and was able to jam one of their sluggers, got a come backer, and threw him out. We scored in the bottom of the inning to break the tie.
We won the league when I was 12 and I made the All-Star team.
Then we got No-Hit by Randy Teague of our crosstown rivals; he had a curve none of us had seen before and could not get far enough up in the box to beat it. I quit that next year because I had gotten HBP twice and got afraid to bat. Glad you guys got to go farther along.
Wally Bunker no hit us
That is a Claim to Fame!
MyGuy just faded as an athelete as other distractions came along in our High School years. Sad story for me growing up in one town until I left home at 18; lots on long time friends that went into the Wilderness.
Had to face:
Wally Bunker from Capuchino
Bunker was 19 and 5 his rookie year with BALTO
Dean Joost and Guy Lockhart from Mills
Keith Comstock of former San Carlos HS
Bob McClure from Terra Nova HS
“We” would counter with Fred Caviglia, Pete Cocconi and Danny Frisella
A bunker full of great baseball names.
Is that THE Keith Comstock?
Mavericks is 18 feet plus today.
Surfs up, dude. Wish that meant another storm system was headed our way.
I heard a chance of rain Sunday. Last December Mavericks had those 90 foot high sets for a few days.
Played Babe Ruth League In Staten Island NY in late sixties. Coach was an Oriole scout named Tom Law. He had scouted quite a few Orioles including Terry Crowley, older brother of our third baseman Bobby. I played second and while I was one of the youngest players in the league I hit fairly well throughout the season. Much to my surprise at seasons end Coach Law sat me down and offered me a contract for I believe Class C ball somewhere down South. As I was a minor he asked me to speak with my parents about it. My dad was a NYPD Sargeant and immediately made a bee line to coach at the next game and gave him a few choice words of wisdom. I dropped in the batting order after that and moved on to play for my high school the following year. Coach was close with Chick and I believe George Genovese who were also Staten Islanders. He must of been on commission!!!
William “Moonlight” Henri … You came close to a dream. Good memory. Did your dad ever regret that?
He was a tough cop and wanted me to follow in his footsteps. I ended up running a psychiatric hospital…. He always said I could have been high up in NYPD….
You did make our world safer in your own way so I hope he appreciated that on some level. In our world we need both NYPD and psychiatric hospitals; they work hand-in-hand. Did your kids play ball? Did you coach?
Thanks! I worked my way up in the hospital over 33 years, last 8 years as CEO. He finally relented when I was appointed CEO and admitted I may have made the right choice. He was a great cop for 38 years and was on them Serpico Commission so he also made the right decision. Daughter was a very good high school distance runner. Turned down eleven full athletic scholarships to attend art school. Like father, like daughter.
Glad you got to a good place as a family.
My son went to art school and is making a living so it is possible. He makes his real money in video game art [computer graphics animation].
OK folks, indulge me for a bit here. I want to tell you about our experience in the father & son tournament down in Phoenix last week. It’s part of the national MSBL (mens senior baseball league) world series of tournaments held every October and November in the Phoenix area. All of the games are played at the MLB stadiums and spring training complexes. In the father & son division there were dozens of teams from all over the country. My older son (25) who lives in Minneapolis and plays in the league over there and I decided to do it this year. We ended up on a team of players from scattered locations, Idaho, Fresno, Nebraska, Seattle, and elsewhere. I’ll post some pics below.
Mrs PS35 flew down with me last Wednesday and met my son and we stayed in Mesa. Our first game Thursday was at Hohokam Stadium, spring home of the A’s (formerly of the Cubs). OMG, the fields are so nice, I swear I’d eat dinner off of them, everyone one we played on was perfect, I didn’t see a single bad hop in four games. It was pretty darn warm and humid, they said it was about 10 degrees above normal in the desert. Even though we started with and evening and night game I was sweating like crazy and exhausted when we finished at midnight. I had been nursing a strained biceps tendon in my non-throwing elbow, injured it while hitting about five weeks earlier. Couldn’t hit in the interim, not sure how it would hold up. It did, thankfully, but I was rusty and took an oh for six in the first two games. Meanwhile my son picked me up, he just raked, had four hits including a double to the fence and a couple of other loud outs.
BTW, our second game that night was at the Angels complex in Tempe. Another perfect field. I played right field, made a nice running catch on a slicing shot toward the line and everyone thought I was the bomb. Sure enough I got another almost identical ball hit that way, ran over and the ball clanked off my mitt and they scored two runs. Tough play for an old guy, the extra bummer; my son was pitching.
On Friday we had a morning and afternoon game out in Goodyear at the Indians facility. Turns out it’s right next to the Reds place, right on the same street. Spring training junkies would know that but it was my first time. Anyway, our hodgepodge team was not very good, we lost both and were out of the tournament. With the scheduling the way it was, we played four full games (well, one cut short to seven innings because we got mercy killed) in 24 hours. That’s a bit overboard, especially for the dads.
Anyway, I found my hitting stroke, hit three straight line drive hits and ended up 3 for 11. My son got blanked on Friday and ended up about four for eleven. The bonus; my younger son (22) ended up 1 for 2. He came down mid day Friday just to be with the family, we were short on sons relative to dads (due to an injury) so he suited up and played the last game. It was so cool, all three of us in the outfield Ala the Alou Brothers. And we all caught at least one fly ball.
I pitched three innings in the last game (mop up duty). One inning my older son caught me so that was special as well. I threw pretty well and was one out away from completing three innings and only one run when some young guy around 20, clearly not respecting his elders, launched a two run home run off me over the left field fence. Almost hit one of the old United 757’s parked in in the plane boneyard out back.
It was interesting to see the difference between the sons and dads. My son raked off of the kids (of course they threw much harder) and could not stay back against the slower fathers and could not hit them at all. I was the opposite, all of my hits were off of other dads and the younger guys were just too fast for me, a couple were throwing 85 or so and I could not catch up, even lost one of my favorite bats, the kids split that sucker nearly in half.
Funny, by the last game we were a beaten bunch, obviously not going to win a game and my younger son shows up all bright eyed and bushy tailed, big smile and pumped up. Then our pitcher gave up a ten spot in the first inning, I think we lost that one 25-0. Nevertheless it was a blast and we’ll plan to do it again next year, will just have to plan earlier so we can get on a formed team from my league.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/be72f0e8e33d842df6825eb3d9b21a150df62352673f2379d38187ca48e62024.jpg
This is the three of us after the last game. Older son, PS35, younger son. Did I forget to tell you? We were the Giants!
Older son pitching.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/1d5fcdd6ab866ab576f498447b228ff05590196f68ebe1149a6d03fd0bee5bfc.jpg
Younger son locked and loaded to hit a Texas Leaguer to center field.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/e659c4f37f929c25c4d8ac4351d94b455d6c0cbf61f04ab2fbe4b270030c5f9f.jpg
This is the old man here, my Buster Posey bent arm swing in action, line drive to left on this pitch (nice job by Mrs PS35). Same pitch from a kid though would hit about four inches above my hands no doubt.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/a904e5a822974a556bb43d06df50fb25ee1517983535d7d946360ee8608370a0.jpg
How incredibly cool…WOW…thanks so much for sharing. One of my regrets is my health is keeping me from playing, or ever experiencing this kind of joy-of-a-lifetime experience.
Matt there were some dads on our team whose health should have kept them from playing. How do you like my green A’s batting helmet with my Giants gray uni?
Well, that was a bit Beltran-ish, but we’ll let it slide
thanks for sharing PS. what a great family trip!
Is that Billy Hayes coaching third base?
LOL, yeah, now that I think about it that guy does kinda remind me of Billy Hayes.
Love this pic with the airliners in the back!
Me too. You ever fly on Extra Large Airlines? Who names and airline after a shirt size anyway.
Well I think my old arm is wearing out. Tender elbow all season. Didn’t subside even when I shut it down for a month due to the other injury. Pain at every turn. Might ND up with you on the permanent DL.
At least you got this awesome trip in. So happy for you that you got to experience this with your boys. You raised em right, pops. Thank you for this Featured Comment of the Day!! Loved all the details. I can just imagine those games. I wonder if I knew any of the older Fresno players. I might have played with one or two several years ago.
The Fresno dad’s name was Jim, don’t know his last name, not much to go on. Possible though, my brother who plays in Spokane has played with my teammate from that area, small world.
I think it was a MSL team/games I used to watch on weekends here in Davis a while ago. Just great games. Lots of fun.
Hohokam Park with an attendance of maybe 23, lol.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/fdd788e551af4bb9ff0734beb52fe75f80b65c7783e266e1780f1e0cd820585b.png
I counted 25
Awesome. You guys are awesome!
Aubrey Huff’s tell-all memoir is about to come out. From the Kickstarter connection, it looks he’s self-publishing it and trying to raise money to do so.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/aubreyhuff/baseball-junkie
Getting published sure is getting harder – my sis has a fantastic fiction novel and the battle is tough. I hope it works for Aubrey. I know many fans have bitter memories, but this guy had a tough life mist of the way….
Lots of good writers self-publish. No shame in that. But raising money from fans when he’s made generational wealth as an athlete? What’s up with that?
Yeah, I do wonder…hope he didn’t blow his last $22mil. I know Baubi’s travel and self tanner costs a lot, but….
I wish him well, too, but the guy’s got a screw loose. Remember when he was going to make a comeback and play in the 2016 All-Star Game? He’d work out at a gym by Petco Park and visualize playing in the game there. 39 years old. And that weird tweet he sent to Steve Kerr? And this book thing IS odd, the way he’s going about it…
On the other hand, he earned some points with me calling out Pablo Sandoval after Pablo went to the Red Sox and was badmouthing the Giants.
IIRC, his dad was murdered…and I know he isn’t the only kid who had a parent murdered…but that has to leave a mark that I can’t even imagine. I also watched his journeyman career until he caught lightning in that Giants bottle…lifetime pass from me!
I’m actually a bit surprised some publisher didn’t pick the project up. The father murdered, the up-and-down career leading to a championship, the anxiety issues…it’s a pretty interesting story, as they go.
The guy had some excellent seasons, much beyond journeyman.
“Good”, yes…”excellent” in 2010. He had the misfortune if being on lots of really bad teams
.311 with 32 HRs, 84 XBHs and 107 RBIs in 2003, .304 with 32, 82 and 108 in 2008, .297 with 29, 56 and 104 in 2004. So 2010 was bout his third best season.
Was he just DH in those years? I discount that in my biased NL mind
In 2003 and 2004, he DH’d about 20% of the time. In 2008, it was about 2/3 of the time.
Cobb Parallel?
Ty Cobb’s dad was murdered by his mother; don’t know about Huff.
Only one WS so he does not make the Giants Iwo Jima Statue but always gets a Pass.
The guys missed games for mental issues, so I don’t think strange behavior is too surprising.
I think that I had read he had had panic attacks . I do know that he was a delightful man. It wasn’t his fault that he was offered the big bucks- and took it.Who wouldn’t ? 2010 alone makes him a great Giant in my book. May the thong live forever..
He blew it all on his wifes body building competitions…
He’s trying to raise $5,000 on Kickstarter. A man who earned $57 million playing baseball. SMH.
yeah, 5K is basically a bar tab for these guys….
Just over 40 million people watched game 7 of the WS. The most since game 7 of the Twins Braves in 1991 (?), when slightly over 50 million people tuned in.
The way the first 6 games went , the 1991 WS 7th game was bound to a ratings bonanza. And what a game to see. Good weather and thrilling games can be more important than marquee teams for the ratings. This year we had the sad sack series, it was not very well played , but this time it was all about the match up.
Dream team getting blown out by the lakers? Gonna pace themselves this year I guess.
I think you nailed it…they wore down last year and they seem uninterested in some stretches this year as if they think they will be able to just turn it on. The defensive effort in general is embarrassing. Klay drives me nuts. His guy just blew by him about 10 times
The dude even stopped to let Klay catch up and blew by him again, That kind of cruelty is just not called for…
…I’d like your opinion on the Bay Area Gumby Shoulders Champion. I think Klay stole the crown from Brandon.
And I thought that it was GUMMY shoulders.Yuck.
At no time should Kevin Durant ever be third in shots taken for a half.
Klay and Steph are 1-30 on 3’s at Staples over their last few games.
Less cowbell. I need less cowbell
Klay and Steph 0-13 on 3s tonight till Klay made one just now. Warriors still down by 15, mid 3rd, despite a 9-2 run now.
Durant and Green were excellent. Curry had a bad shooting night, but at least his second half effort level was good. Thompson was horrible, but I don’t expect that to last. But the most disturbing thing is that, at least in the early going, Iguodloa looks like he got old.
Iggy’s been old for a few years, the juggernaut the has been the Dubs for 2 years has help mask that. No surprise to anyone who has followed his career AND his wear and tear over the past few seasons.
he can still help, but much less than any casual observer could have expected.
Maybe a casual observer like you forgot that he was the finals MVP in 2015.
I’m reluctantly wondering if they should have kept Bogut and traded Iguodala instead–two paths to the same salary cap number.
I agree across the board.
Admittedly, Klay has been “that guy” for me, and as this season starts, he is lost. Totally lost. I can’t tell if the Durant effect – totally well worth it – has affected him most? But the pouting Klay is back. I saw his guy just blow right past him 10 times. I saw him totally unaware of a guy lurking behind him on the boards and swoop in…I saw him go Gumby Shoulders over and over.
Of course, it goes deeper: the biggest loss in the roster changes is Bogut. The interior defense and rebounding is tragically bad. I’m worried about Kerr’s energy to fix it, and the roster even having a solution.
But, it’s 7 games in and I’ve been telling everyone to give it 20 games. So, maybe I should give it 20 games.
Daily pictures from overseas. – Dancing in Burano – by Johannes Hjorth https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/e756aae601889ec671720bafa18aef5b9bee2cba69a67aaeb08add98963aab7f.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/d6c4f1a91d50eb6666420f0a66e86f8e768f725a75e2f32687a484d2c0bc6dca.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/f095b7c812089de8f599a5e5dad6a7c81831adb7fd817acf2452969fb8047fbb.jpg
Good California Morning to you.
Lots of Serenity in this picture … a good Off Season Day beginner.
Thx Haak.
Baseball Prospectus’s comments on the Giants signing Josh Johnson. After noting that only one guy, lefty reliever Jonny Venters, has been known to have three TJ procedures, they make this rather odd comment:
“Johnson is a cipher three years out from his aborted stint in Toronto’s rotation. So it’s on to the Giants, a team with no reputation for rebuilding the careers of tortured starting pitchers. Of course, it only takes one success to build that reputation, and San Francisco isn’t calling on the big righty to fill any particular void. He’s a wild card flyer coming in on a minor-league deal.”
OK, first of all, I’m sure the Giants have no thought of JJ being a starter after three TJs. But: “no reputation for rebuilding the careers of tortured starting pitchers”? Does the name Ryan Vogelsong ring a bell?
For Whom the Bell Rings (ehm..Tolls, sorry)?
Another reason I question these Prospect-type writers; at least have someone who knows the team you are writing about give you a quick correction of this kind of remark. Any Giants fan could have pointed this out to the author. It’s okay that you do not know all the background on 30 teams but please get minimally educated before you publish.
It’s an odd comment. The Giants are usually given props as being a good organization for pitchers. Besides Vogelsong, the guys who came to be known as the bullpen Core Four consisted of (a) an undersized 29th round draft pick who went to four different colleges and had one pitch, a slider; (b) a reject from the A’s with a shady history of having lied about his name and age; (c) a failed starter dumped by the lowly Royals to the Rockies because he needed a “fresh start” and (d) a LOOGY who had a ring because he’d ridden the 2007 Red Sox bus, not because he especially contributed (he had a decent year but pitched rarely and poorly in that postseason). Those four guys went on to win three rings and make lots of money, as did Vogelsong (two rings for him). Now, the Core Four aren’t starters, but they’re a pretty good resume for a pitching coach.
I suppose the counterevidence would be the underwhelming career of Barry Zito as a Giant and the staff’s inability to “fix” Lincecum or Cain.
I think that you are being a smidge hard on Javy. LH hitters have batted .202 off him (since has has been here), he’s had a good record at stranding inherited runners, all in all, he’s been a very good “role pitcher”. His walk totals are rather high but that comes with the territory when his deal is to get guys to swing at “bad” pitches. He appears done now , but I’d call him a darn good Giant.
Javy’s been an outstanding Giant. My point (and for all of them) was that he wasn’t all that special before he was on the Giants. Decent, but not a devastating weapon like he has been when properly deployed. When the Giants traded for him in 2010, it was like “Who? I thought we needed a BAT.” They traded John Bowker and Joe Martinez–so basically nothing –for him.
IIRC, they went out and got Lopez in 2010 because the two incumbent lefties, Runzler and Affeldt, had both gotten injured during July. If that hadn’t happened, they might not have bothered. But the rest is history, as they say.
Once again your memory on Giants moves is amazing.
I hope you also use that Uber Memory for things like the Gettysburg Address and the Sermon on the Mount or such.
[FYI: I reached out to Allen’s family circle to get the okay on using one of his pictures. It also struck me that if we send his widow and two sons a button by December 20 then they get them for the first annivesary of his death. If this all works out it may warrant a blog article here and you could start working on that as you sat with Allen for a game right?]
I met Allen twice–once at AT & T and once at Raley Field (River Cats). Both in July 2015. Great idea for an article in his honor.
My mom used to have us memorize all kinds of things when we were kids: The books of the Bible in order, the Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes (but not the whole SOTM). Also all the state capitols, which I still know flawlessly today (this comes in handy on Trivia Crack). Maybe that’s why I have such a good memory!
I rebelled and stopped at all the forms of the verb ‘to be’.
As Lefty said- the Core Four were not starting pitchers. So I don’t see how the writer’s comment is so out of line if we can come up just one exception . There might be more than that, but in recent history I can’t think of any.
Noted but that one exception is an awfully big one.
Vogey’s best years and his post-season work that really contributed.
My comment in no way discounted Vogey’s work. in fact I guess you could say that he disproves the writer’s comment since he’s been resurrected about a dozen times 😉
Can’t keep the guy down.
After this year’s eye damage he really is the poster boy for baseball resurrections.
You could maaaaaybe say Tim Hudson. When the Giants signed him, he was recuperating from that horrible ankle injury. He then made the 2014 All-Star team and won a World Series with them. But it’s stretching a point.
CC, Bapah, and 610nm: the title sounds basic , but the content sounds compelling – Why The Wheel Is Round by Steven Vogel was reviewed in today’s WSJ. He’s a professor of biology at Duke. This line caught my attention most, as we consider how we got where we are in technology: “the dazzling diversity of the living world too easily disguises the fact that evolutionary process faces constraints far more severe than anything impeding human designers”. Lots of other good curiosities as well.
You’ll enjoy this. https://www.quantamagazine.org/20161103-richard-lenski-interview-evolution/
I did! Thank you very much…
We should hire CC. Not only does he curate great stuff for us all to read, but thanks to him I knew to buy tickets for Bill Maher in Sacramento earlier this year and caught a great JetBlue sale right when I needed plane tickets. “Blog Concierge,” maybe? It’s awesome.
Yes ma’am, can I get your car or would you prefer a taxi?
So what I really want is to try out one of those services that will deliver ingredients and instructions for dinners–you know, meal preparation kits. But there are so many of them, and I want a GOOD one. Have you come across any reviews of such, or have you or Mrs. CC tried them?
That’s not in my/our target zone. But I have a very good friend who’s a VC in Palo Alto who may move in those circles. But his wife is a gourmet chef, so he only eats out on the road. Checking….
No personal recommendation, but K&K’s finest is checking further.
http://homebistro.dinewise.com/
Try Blue Apron. They really seem to have that fighting spirit.
http://nypost.com/2016/10/11/blue-aprons-busy-new-jersey-facility-a-real-fight-club/
Good grief. OK, cross THAT one off the list.
That issue also has a nice/interesting article on quantum cognition as well.
Nice day in the desert for Ryder Jones yesterday: 2 for 3 with a 3 run homer; also drew a walk. His 4 RBIs gave the Scorpions an early let which they held on to for an 8 to 3 win. Aramis Garcia, at DH, took an 0 for 3 but managed an RBI on a groundout, I assume. PerSpeier and sons were making plays all over the field and smoking line drives into every nook and cranny of the ballpark.
Recently traded for Cameron Maybin, Victor Alcantara, is still pitching with the Scorpions and gave up a couple of runs in relief. Yankees top pitching prospect, James Kaprielian pitched 5 innings of one run ball.
—
Indians interested in retaining the services of Rajai Davis.
Red Sox and Royals set to join Giants and Royals in front row of Greg Holland showcase. He’s got to love what San Francisco has to offer. A huge yard, with damp air, a winning team with no incumbent closer. He could certainly take a one year deal in order to make out like a bandit next winter, but that wily agent of his is probably pushing for a larger deal this winter.
How old is Holland?
Half your age! Okay, a little more than half as he turns 31 in about 2 weeks.
Thanks, 40
Hey nineteen!
She thinks I’m crazy but I’m just growing old.
Prediction as you noted: Boras’ demands will keep Holland from SF.
I usually like gambles like this but it seems the only thing essential for SF is a Closer with No Questions. [Even #67 and #68]. Another good RP otherwise seems to just crowd the field.
No way that I would give any closer more than a 3 year contract- which means that we wouldn’t get an “elite” closer. And that’s fine with me- if he looks in his showcase, I’d go for Holland and a guy who *could* close. Then they fight it out with Smith, Law, and Strickland.
How do you like The Big Funk, Brad Ziegler?
Get Tyler Rogers up here and you could have Big Funk and Little Funk ala the Waner Bros.
Great old school Pirates reference!!
Haak watched ’em play.
I think of a guy like Jansen as The Big Funk. Or the biggest Big Funk of all- Dick Radatz . Ziggy would be say, the mini-Funk. I wouldn’t be opposed to him, as a situational reliever.
I’d throw money and years at Kenley Jansen. He’s still under 30 and it would help the Giants AND hurt the Dodgers. One wonders how loyal he’s feeling toward the Dodgers. They’ve displaced him a couple times, signing guys like League and Wilson, and they almost traded for Chapman before Jansen’s contract year. If I’m him, I haven’t forgotten any of that.
How about 3 years, $45 million for Melancon if we don’t get Jansen?
I would do that in a minute, but I bet these top-shelf closers all get at least 4-5 years.
While that may be the case (4-5 year deal), Giants could make the 4th year an option year.
If they don’t want him, they could do that.
think it will def take a 4th year.
With all the dodger pitching holes and money I bet they go big to keep Jansen but I like your idea. That ClubhouseFactor™ could work against the dodgers and make a lower offer from the Giants just what KJ wants.
I can’t imagine he’d have any loyalty to them. They’ve tried to replace him -in fact DID replace him – more than once.
He should lose 55 pounds
For some reason I keep forgetting about Boras and his lecherous ways.
“…and Rangers”
Since I don’t watch much basketball until Ground Hog Day, I have a few questions: is Curry a flopper, and if so, is he good at it?
Zaza Pachulia? That’s all I’ve got on that one.
I read something to the effect that Kerr was going to let his guys lose some games early- on purpose. They were good at that last night, I hear. Klay was said to be very good at being purposely bad.
Curry is somewhat a flopper, and no, I wouldn’t say he’s especially good at it. Whether he’s flopping or whether he’s legitimately clobbered, he doesn’t seem to get the calls, and that’s been a thing for a couple years now. You get the sense that the refs feel he’s had the cheat codes and doesn’t need any extra help. I remember that one shot against New Orleans in the playoffs a couple years ago that tied the game and put it into overtime. He was clearly fouled on the shot, and later the referee actually said that he would have called it if Steph had missed it. But either you’re fouled or you’re not, and that free throw would have won the game in regulation (the Dubs won anyway).
Watching the playoffs the last couple years, it usually seems iffy as to who initiated the contact. He does seem to have a knack of getting a little hip or shoulder into the defender as he blows by. But I’d agree that he doesn’t get the calls that other great players get.
I just read an article from a Dodger blog speculating on the Dodgers’ free agents and whether they’ll return. The only guys they think will be back are Jansen and Turner and maybe Utley (one-year deal). Rich Hill is rumored to prefer an East Coast destination (back to Boston, maybe?). They expect guys like Brett Anderson, Blanton and Howell to sign elsewhere.
Scott Kazmir has an opt-out, but it sounds unlikely that he’ll use it. He had a bad year and has $32 mil coming from the Dodgers if he stays. Even in a bad market for free agent pitchers, can he do better than that? Carlos Ruiz has an option, but the Dodgers have a young guy, Austin Barnes, whom they want to be Grandal’s backup for next year. Speculation is that the Dodgers will pick up Ruiz’s option and then trade him.
I’d have to agree that Turner will sign back with the Dodgers. He turned his career around there. Jansen? As I said below, maybe his sense of loyalty to them is limited. He’ll probably go wherever the most money is. Maybe that’s LA, but maybe not.
Turner — back to the dodgers — 32 yo, microfracture surgery on knee 2015 and the draft pick…..not much of a market for him cause of the loss of a draft pick and age..
Hill —gone — LA is pretty hideous if you haven’t grown up there…and he’s from the east coast..born in boston….yankees or red socks maybe??
Jansen— I’m guessing gone….worth a draft pick comp and 29 yo…loads of suitors my guess..Hopefully one will be the Giants…
Jansen is actually slotted above Chapman by a lot of experts. Wonder if the Dodgers go after Chapman?
I think I agree. That mid 90’s cutter, and the consistency with the cutter just seems a better way of navigating the best hitters vs 99-103 straight stuff.
Of their 13 GMs, there’s probably more than one that thinks it would be cute to collect the draft pick for Jansen then to go out and sign Melancon plus another. Yankees may want Chapman back, so the pundits say.
A lot have folks have wondered how Chapman would age with a long contract. His ineffectiveness without 100+ was a cautionary note to a lot of organizations.
should see the slider ratio increase, but with his mechanics and length, he’ll probably be throwing mid to high 90’s for awhile.
and speaking of this Chapman fellah, how badly do the Cubs want him back?
That will be interesting to see how Theo plays the title defense.
Would it be a fair assumption that because Jansen was a catcher for so long,
maybe he could have less wear and tear on the arm??
It’s a good question. In fact, I don’t know. Add to that question, did catching add to his leg strength and enable his ‘explosive’ ball release off the mound?
I have read that the Dodgers, who almost traded for Chapman, are still interested in him.
He fits the glam mold LA seems to covet.
Chapman is the epitome of “stuff” ( let’s set aside his off the field issue)….
He proves that there is a tremendous difference between 98 MPH and 103. I still believe Maddon overused him, but I think Maddon knew he was and knew that the stuff would likely prevail anyway. It kinda didn’t.
If NOT overused, he just blows guys away.
But I like Jansen better. Jansen has a natural cut that will last. At some point, Chapman’s 103 may fade at a faster rate than Jansen, because the cut will enhance as the MPH slightly fade.
If LA gets Chapman, let’s get Jansen. It will be a lovely chapter in which the Dodgers play the role of Boris Badinoff. Foiled again
Actually that was Snidely Whiplash.
I like your thinking, Natasha!
Dear Klay,
Since you’ve started off clanking your way through the first 6 games of the season, I thought I’d give you some words of wisdom that clearly has worked for me: Whenever I get into one of my notorious slumps, you know, foul ball, foul ball, strike three, and I so much want to go Gumby, I take my thoughts to a much better place, my incredible defense. Works for me. My shoulders straighten up, my head stops looking down, and I stop talking to myself immediately. Hope this helps.
Sincerely,
BB9
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0dMYEJEOEg
Looking at the three top closer free agents, I have to say Melancon looks like the best. For relievers in general, WPA/Shutdowns/Meltdowns over an extended period of time are the best measures of overall quality, and Melancon is just way ahead of Chapman and Jansen.
2013-16 stats:
WPA SD MD
Melancon 13.25 152 23
Chapman 9.21 129 25
Jansen 8.98 128 28
2015-16 stats:
Melancon 8.25 79 9
Chapman 5.31 61 12
Jansen 4.14 60 13
Did you notice how Casilla compared?
I wonder if his stats would help us be more objective or they just confirm our doubts of him?
Here are Casilla’s stats:
2013
2014
2015
2016
That’s some incredible stuff right there!
Could have been MyGuy decades ago https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/21765989a7e3e8767e134139cb03f369ddb6d6bb6cb2e3ad194964de6a2f4fda.jpg
I like Melancon and think he’s underrated compared to all the rave over Chapman.
Get Melancon and build on young, reliable relievers to shore up that bullpen. I can get with Melancon, Law, Kontos and Smith. Everyone else….not so much.
And Gearrin.
For me it Melancon or Rosary Beads….
So we’re off to Sonoma today to see…Jeremy Affeldt. Really. He’s speaking at a charity event in Rohnert Park at the Doubletree, which is literally right across the street from where our daughter, an SSU student, lives. So we’re going, treating our daughter and her BF, and staying over at the hotel tonight. Brunch in Sonoma on the way back tomorrow to finish the little getaway. The event includes dinner, an auction, a talk by Jeremy, and a meet-and-greet with him. When I realized where the event was and checked with Lefty Jr and her BF that neither had to work tonight, it seemed like it was meant to be.
Going by the CIA in St. Helena?
Not this time. We’re going to eat at a great place on the square in Sonoma.
Eat lots of bread.
They just found a Cotati HS student dead off of campus
They found him buried on the SSU campus a couple days ago. Lefty Jr was texting me. She was a little freaked out.
I think we are about to set unrealistic expectations for whichever closer the Giants either sign or use. It will be a pitchforkian day next spring when a game is lost with our new closer on the bump.
Chris Haft opined a few days ago in a “Mailbox” article on the sfgiants.com site that either Law or Strickland could be a perfectly fine closer and the Giants could save their $$ to throw at a bat/outfielder. He said he thinks Law has both the stuff and “the guts” to be a closer and his health is the only question mark. He said don’t give up on Strickland, either.
I know we all have our opinions about this and all things bullpen, but Haft DOES watch the team everyday…I know Alex has a very high opinion of Law, in particular.
Evans, as a PR man, will be forced to do something, however irrelevant to the issue, or the reality of baseball norms.
I agree that in terms of acquisitions the outfield should be a higher priority and I agree about Law, he’s got great promise, but they shouldn’t risk blowing out his arm. Keep his load moderate for a while. Smith and Gearrin should get a shot at closer before Strickland. Strickland never showed the sustained excellence over time that Smith and Gearrin showed for periods of time last year.
People’s memories of Strickland are clouded. I, too like Gearrin and Smith…and they may well get shots at it (I also agree about Law, but for a different reason: he seems way overly excitable and skittish to me). Strickland showed decent evolution last season with breaking pitches, and once he has a two-seam, he will be elite
He has a 2 seam. He just has no idea where it’s going some days.
There just wasn’t an extended period of time last year when Strickland looked like he had the stuff to be a closer. Smith was great the last 6 weeks. Gearrin was great between the Cubs’ series in May and the A’s series when he was already injured, floundered a week until they put him on the DL for 6 weeks, then took another week and a half to pull himself together after coming back from the DL, but the last month of the season he was fantastic again. It was just incredible that Bochy left him off the postseason roster.
One of the reasons Smith looked good was how and where he was used.
Care to elaborate?
See above. Smith arrived here with a 10+ ERA. How he was used created the ‘creature’ everyone thinks was the magic unicorn. LOL aside. Had Rizzo tagged him for a HR, Evans would have been crucified for his sorry trade. Monday morning is always the safest time for telling, insightful analysis, LOL.
Sorry, no idea of what you’re talking about.
No matter. In the greater scheme of things, what difference does it make.
You should have seen Law in Fenway, facing Big Papi and Hanley Ramirez (who had already hit three HRs in the game). He was whatever the opposite of skittish is.
…maybe you’re overthinking the Rally Towel thing he was doing in the last two games? I actually thought it was nice seeing someone show some youthful spark. And he did throw two scoreless innings in Game 3.
His pitching in game 3 didn’t fill me with confidence. He managed to pitch through Gillaspie’s error and I think that’s why people didn’t notice he just wasn’t throwing that well.
Two scoreless innings is two scoreless innings, and pitching through an error is not nothing. The Cubs are a good team and it was a high-stress situation. Law stepped up to the challenge.
He got through but he just didn’t look good, to me at least. Remember the Cubs only hit .200 for the whole series, they weren’t exactly a hitting machine.
But I agree that I don’t think skittishness is his problem. His arm just wasn’t full strength.
Funny thing was that Strickland was actually throwing great the last week of the season and in the nlds–once it became clear that he wasn’t going to be the closer–and noone even noticed with all the other drama.
Yes. They should stick with the bullpen they have. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Is it broke as bad as it looked, or was it operator error? I wonder…
Good point, but they have to do something substantial. They can’t afford the PR nightmare, or the reaction of the rest of the players, if they stand pat and the same thing happens.
The Giants had 30 blown saves. Here’s how that breaks down:
Casilla: 9
Strickland: 5
Gearrin: 4
Lopez: 3
Osich: 3
Kontos: 2
Okert: 1
Law: 1
Nathan: 1
Smith: 1
Of course, “blown save” doesn’t always mean “in the ninth inning” or even a loss. They also lost 9 games when they entered the ninth inning with a lead, but 7 of those involved Casilla, who won’t be back.
The number of blown saves was deceptive because the Giants’ bullpen pitched in the most close games by far of any team in the majors, their gmLI was an absurd 1.38, that’s one of the highest in history:
http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=rel&lg=all&qual=0&type=3&season=2016&month=0&season1=2016&ind=0&team=0,ts&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&sort=9,d
They had to protect small leads a huge amount and they didn’t actually do that bad. They had 138 Shutdowns, #10 best in the majors:
http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=rel&lg=all&qual=0&type=3&season=2016&month=0&season1=2016&ind=0&team=0,ts&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&sort=14,d
Their 93 Meltdowns was the 3rd worst:
http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=rel&lg=all&qual=0&type=3&season=2016&month=0&season1=2016&ind=0&team=0,ts&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&sort=15,d
But a lot of this was that they so many really high-leverage situations.
There was very serious operator error. It may have been broken also, but it was difficult to tell. Smith had better stats than miller, chapman, or melancon the last 6 weeks of the season but bochy didn’t notice.
I just looked up Smith’s stats. He only pitched 18 innings (26 games) after being traded to the Giants.
Look them up starting August 20:
http://www.espn.com/mlb/player/gamelog/_/id/31549/will-smith
Wow. Only 8.1 innings in the entire month of September (as Casilla and others melted down repeatedly). So many outings with just one or two batters. Yeeeeesh, no one wonder Evans was making some pointed comments about talented relievers being underused.
Actually 8.2 innings, 2 hits, no runs, and 14 Ks. And the last 5 games in August 4.1 more innings, 2 hits, no runs, and 6Ks. And Bochy couldn’t care less.
The eye test on Smith IMHO was that he was a bit nervous joining a contender and stumbled a bit at first. That got him halfway into Bochy’s doghouse, and Bochy started seeing him as another LOOGY when he was actually another Affeldt.
I’d like to see Evans tell Bochy no 13-man staffs, then challenge him to make it 11-man (six man bullpen), add another bench player, and give those guys consistent playing time.
That was my general impression also. But I think it’s also possible that Bochy wasn’t so enthusiastic about getting Smith in a trade in the first place, he felt like management forced him into it, so he was predisposed to take a negative view on Smith. But that’s just a guess. Clearly there was some problem.
LOL. You’re stuck in a chicken and egg conundrum. It’s a heck of a more likely scenario that Smith’s number were a consequence of how he was used than a sudden burst of undiscovered talent. Why do I say that, data.
https://i.imgur.com/w1TOkhf.png
What’s your point? How was he used differently and how did that affect his stats? Looks to me like it took a few weeks to settle in with his new team and then he was great.
You can’t logically take exception to the use of pitcher when the statistic driving that POV is created by the judgement of the person who’s decision you are questioning.
Can’t make any sense of that. Please try explaining again.
If the manager created the unicorn by himself, you have to yield to his judgement on his use. Otherwise the unicorn is a mystical creature.
So Bochy somehow used him for 6 weeks so that he wouldn’t allow a single run and less than a hit every 2 innings? How did he manage that?
Picked his situational exposure and put him spots, against hitters where he could succeed, IMO. Whatever they saw in Smith as a Brewer, it wasn’t as a closer, or even an Affeldt. I’m not pretending to explain the decisions made in that game, but I do contend there were reasons, good reasons the decisions made, were made. If my opinion were solicited from my tried and true position of an ignorant fan, I would have left Moore in.
The Rays saw Wade Davis as a starter, what’s your point? Do you have any evidence that they intentionally only sent Smith in in against batters who he could get out? Let’s see, starting Aug. 20 (Mets) they sent him in against d’Arnaud, Ruggiano, de Aza, Bruce, and Reyes, they went 1/4 against him and 4/12 against other Giants pitchers that day, on Aug. 23 (Dodgers), they sent him to pitch to Seager, Turner, Gonzalez, and Grandal (doesn’t sound too easy to get out to me), they went 0/4 against him but 8/12 against other Giant pitchers, on Aug. 24 (Dodgers), they sent him in to pitch to Grandal, Reddick, and Pederson, they went 1/3 against him and 0/5 against other Giant pitchers, on Aug. 27 (Braves) he pitches against Freeman, Kemp, and Markakis, they go 0/3 against him and 2/9 against other Giant pitchers, on Aug. 28 he pitches against Inciarte, Garcia, Freeman, and Kemp, they go 0/3 with a walk against him and 3/10 against other Giants pitchers, on Sept. 1 (Cubs), he pitches to Rizzo, Zobrist, and Heyward, they go 0/2 against him with a walk and 2/9 against other Giant pitchers…
This goes on for another 12 games, 8 innings, 2 hits, and no runs, but I think we get the general idea. Looks to me like far from pitching to weak hitters, Smith mostly faced the strongest hitters on the other team.
That’s not at all what I said. He was used where he could be most successful, not where the situation was risk free. You should read this article, and though it is seemingly not related, it gets to the same issue, albeit on another team, in terms of process.
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/how-the-indians-built-the-game-plans-that-nearly-won-it-all/
Why could he be more successful in those situations than as a closer?
(I have read that article)
You’re right. He was used poorly.
Usually you’re so sharp witted, bad day?
Both things equally true. I realky think a little trust would go a long way…
How many free agent closers have ever worked out? Seems to be closers are usually unearthed from within the system or through trades where a guy is converted from another role.
Yep. Cody Allen of the Indians is a great example. 23rd-round draft pick unearthed from the system to become an excellent closer. Brian Wilson and Sergio Romo were hardly blue-chippers, either. If anything, Law is more of a prospect because he was a ninth-round draft pick; anything top 10 is pretty good for a reliever.
Benitez horror?
At last.
Haft is an idiot, and i bet deep down inside you agree.
Do you run into him at the monthly meetings?
no, but nighty I’m sure you guys pal around
I personally would have given Strickland the ball in the ninth clean and lived with it either way. With Law and Romo unavailable in my mind. I would have had Smith first on call. (Tying run at the plate, LH batter). Afterall, he was one guy down there that had a postseason save. (2014)
Montero would love the Giants, where vets play, no matter what.
http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/17973532/chicago-cubs-catcher-miguel-montero-critical-manager-joe-maddon-role-team-postseason
Hope peace has been restored around Peter Pan Av. and Bambi Lne. East San Jose is like a war zone for quite awhile.
So that’s the other side. If a manager lets a rookie play, even if he’s the better choice, he risks the veteran going on the radio and mouthing off, and/or making trouble in the clubhouse. That’s why Sabean had to trade Bengie Molina in 2010, even though keeping him might have resulted in better roster depth. That’s how Aaron Rowand chirped his way into a DFA.
Yeah, all vets bring is a big mouth. LOL. You can’t believe that.
I didn’t say that. I’m just acknowledging that a manager can be in a tough spot no matter what they decide. Maddon made the decision about catchers in the postseason that he thought was best for the team, and his team won the championship. But here’s Montero all butthurt about it, making it about himself. He should collect his ring and his World Series bonus and be grateful.
In contrast, you have guys like Casey McGehee (lost his job to a rookie and went out of his way to be supportive of Duffy) or Peavy and Hudson (taken out of the rotation and went out of their way to say they supported whatever’s best for the team).
Perhaps response 2 was more measured and thoughtful than response 1. 😉
And with Rowand it wasn’t even a rookie. It was simply a case of isuckitis. He played the “I’m a $12MM a year guy, a (former) all-star, and I should get more ABs” card. Tejada’s selfishness was even worse. That 2011 season…ugh.
The Cubs did fine, despite Montero’s hurt feelings.
After what happened last yr, I can’t see G’s going into next year with “we think Law or Strickland or Cain or fill in the blank can do the job’. They have to get someone proven with Law et al there as possible fall back options.
Unfortunately, I think that Evans is being influenced by fan sentiment and that’s never a good thing.
Influenced in which direction?
That’s for me to say and you to find out.
Susan Slusser on Bob Meyer http://www.sfchronicle.com/warriors/article/Warriors-GM-Bob-Myers-finds-hope-in-loved-one-s-10594128.php?t=d9663f88d1&cmpid=twitter-premium
Factoid. The pennant winning game for the NY Giants in 1951 when Thompson hit the famous HR was not a sellout. About 35,000 fans were present, and the Polo Grounds seated 55,000.
Indians decline option on Coco Crisp; Cespedes declines option with Mets; Dexter Fowler declines option with Cubs. There is suddenly a ton of impact bats in the outfield market.
Note: Cespedes is reportedly seeking a 5-year deal.
Wonder why Cespedes had his agent drop the “No to the West Coast” line out there, but they do seem adamant.
Covelli would have been a nice piece in 2011–ish. He sees himself as a CF and he is no longer a CF or an impact bat.
I see Coco as an Angel Pagan-type player that can still contribute for a contending club. I think he played LF for the Indians in the playoffs if I’m not mistaken. Could be a nice add for any club IMO. Could start for an injured player (Pence) or impact the game off the bench with his speed and occasional pop.
Maybe as a 5th OFer
He’s a tuff competitor. Also a pie-thrower, ne?
Tony Plush
Kenny Lofton
Johnny Damon
Mickey Rivers: the ultimate pie-thrower.
…and impact the game with an arm that would make Pagan and Span look like they have a cannon.
5 years? Egads…
Fowler, huh? Hmmm. Check out his career hitting vs kershaw.
Mr. Bill Maher https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbULaQzrb8Y
Picking on the mentally handicapped shouldn’t be glorified… Of course you should say that about either candidate
How Long does Beer last ? https://twitter.com/GraceJohnso/status/794042007501045760
I had a can of Billy Beer for about 10 years. When I opened it, it didn’t smell bad or anything but I didn’t dare drink it. Poured it out and have the can somewhere, I think.
The next 3 days are going to be filled with lies and exaggerations from both sides. Promise me we will remain friends and promise me you will try not to post links of these things. Let’s keep things mostly baseball until Armagaeddon ’16
OK.
Mostly baseball rules!
It’s about time they started lying and exaggerating!
You’re right. All the hysterical rumors, the fake Twitter accounts…we ARE talking about free agency kicking off on Tuesday, right?! 😏👍🏻⚾️⚾️⚾️
I am preparing for the Oracle to put a damper on any moves Evans may make. Also I just saw a Car Bumper Sticker for Michelle Obama POTUS 2020. The Canucks are truly in (not) the know.
I’m sure that will stop any political talk here.
Armagaeddon 2017, you mean?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gov-martin-omalley/go-all-out-for-hillary_b_12813550.html
Mostly baseball por favor. Go Giants!
Thanks. I generally base all of my life decisions on what Gov. Martin O’Malley thinks.
So who would it be?
He is a devotee of Kenesaw Mountain Landis
I see you heeded my advice.
Sergio DOES like the Oracle a lot. Might he end up pitching for Bob Melvin?
https://www.facebook.com/Giants/videos/10153965560011828/
It doesn’t take anything more than a little bad luck to turn a shutdown closer into a guy who we want driven out of town on a fast boat to nowhere.
BTW, the Giants have a narrow path to get to the .270 BA that they’ll need to win the crown.
When was Casilla a shutdown closer?
I didn’t say that he was. I was referring to any elite closer that we might get.
“Bad luck,” huh?
Read my response to Oracle.
Or not.
You didn’t say “Please.”
Just kidding. Got it.
Baseball has a lot of luck in it either way …
The advanced scouting that almost got the Indians the brass ring. Pretty detailed look at an excellent coaching staff and how they ready a team for post season play.
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/how-the-indians-built-the-game-plans-that-nearly-won-it-all/
We’ll be eating late on Tuesday. I’m covering all the bases on the menu.Home cooking or getaway day fare.
I have food planned, too. Bubbly in case things go well. Other stuff in case they don’t.
Thoughts on Kyle Blanks.
Can’t stay healthy
End of story, huh?
He’s not a smallish guy.
Move on, already. There is a plethora of other guys we could pursue.
I’ve moved on, you should try it. It was just a silly joke in answer to a silly question.
Shrek with glove and bat
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
I’ve got our interior decorator hard at work gussying up our cave in the Philippines
Room for more?
Regardless of the result, I think I may have trouble holding down my lunch.
Born in San Fran Cisco – throws pies – knows how to discretely give the middle finger.
Nyjer Morgan aka T_PLush plays for Pericos de Puebla and is available for a couple of rosin bags. (not Seth)
Pass on Tiny Flush, thank you very much.
🙂
How about Andy Kaufman?
“Here I come, to save the day!”…that was a great SNL routine.
MY original MyGuy …
Just spoke with JC. He’s living in San Jose and still “working out”. Local kid made good for a short-while.
http://m.mlb.com/video/v24146869/?query=justin%2Bchristian
http://m.mlb.com/video/v19385361/?query=justin%2Bchristian
http://m.mlb.com/video/v18919545/?query=justin%2Bchristian
He fooled the dogger Great One on the call so that says something too.
Reminds me that even the guys that “cannot cut it” [“AAAA”] at the MLB level are elite people of skill in the world wide pool of ball players. May he recover well from missing his dream; it cannot be easy.
Here’s a question about the election that could apply to a voter on either side of the aisle-would you vote for the candidate of your choice but deny doing it?
Speaking of elections and stuff, my town is not really a town.We’re just a bunch people living here. So we don’t have a Mayor or any police department. A person from the county sheriff’s office just drops in to see if there is any rioting in the streets. The only rioting that I’ve seen here was when Bochy let Casilla pitch to Lamb
No. I’d vote for the candidate of my choice, admit doing it, and not worry what anyone else thought. If others were so concerned that my choice was different than theirs that they became hurt and offended, I would enjoy it. And I’m glad your non-town saves rioting for situations that are truly outrageous.
So out with it- you wrote in Harbaugh, didn’t you?
I left that part of the ballot blank. I really showed the politicians.
Sounds like a vote for Johnson…
Not the brightest bulb on the porch .
MaryJane Watson tends to have that effect on people.
Just for sake of argument, neithet was the Gipper. I think history looks kindly on those 8 years.
By contrast Jimmy Carter is damn near a genius. History not so kind….
Jus’ sayin’
Was not expecting to see this while channel surfing and landing on SNL after binge watching Westworld. I guess I’m kind of glad the Giants were never invited to give lap dances to dead grannies?
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/chicago-cubs-play-strippers-saturday-night-live-skit-article-1.2860288
Starting to warm a little to going after holland. But the sfgiants article casually saying that hernandez starts in cf next year, as though this is the most normal thing in the world, is alarming. Is this really how to prioritize?
And I thought Amsterdam was cold this time of year.
such a weisenheimer….g’morn my friend
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NePvCT4itTs
G’morning Capt’n Steve. I know this voice. It’s a good one.
On my way down south I listened to Bob Dylan’s Live Rolling Thunder Revue, disc one. Hard Rain Gonna Fall and Isis are very strong versions! Both electrified.
here’s one i bet you haven’t heard in a while..”we’re idiots babe. it’s a wonder we can even feed ourselves”
https://vimeo.com/20729562
I think Chris Haft literally forgot about Denard Span.
Who could blame him? Not a memorable first year.
Be that as it may, I bet he had more plate appearances and played in more games than anyone on the team…BRB, I’m going to look it up.
Span did indeed have the most plate appearances, maybe 10-20 more than Belt or Crawford. He didn’t play the most games, though–Crawford, Belt, and Posey played more.
That maybe saying more about Bochy than Span…
I’m just saying that it would make it hard for Chris Haft to forget him! It’s offseason for Haft, too…
Interesting. Hadn’t even seen any rumor to that effect. I could see Gorkys platooning in CF, but more likely competing for the 4th or 5th OF spot. I’m sure that we’ll hear more about this- real soon.Haft is pretty much a mouth piece for Sabean, so maybe something is in the works.But in any case, Hernandez certainly doesn’t have the track record to be handed the job,
Gorkys did a nice job down the stretch and really sold his ability as a 4th/5th OF, like you said.
That said, they could very well find a different CF backup that they like better than Gorkys and put Gorkys back in Sacramento if he’ll except that gracious offer.
i like Gorkys a lot but we have to get real about it, he’s a .200 hitter and the last time he played CF for any length of time, he had a -6 DRS.
Chef, do you suppose folks that bitch and moan about the Denard Span signing are aware that in 940 plate appearance from 2014 to 2015 he hit .302?
…and then he had hip surgery and signed with the Giants and hit nowhere near .302. What’s your point? Does it make Angels fans feel better being reminded how great Tim Lincecum used to be for the Giants?
I can’t find the article now, Lefty I think referred to it.
I searched for the article earlier this morning and couldn’t find it.
It’s on the website,Not really an article about it, Haft just speculated about what the opening day LU might be.
Thanks, Mike. That sounds a bit different then.
Did not bump into Kenley Jansen and his agent on my way past Dodger Stadium yesterday. No signs of Deer grazing along the 5 either. What I did see on the tele was everyone’s favorite red head, especially Matthew, Tormund Giantsbane, aka Juiceton Turner at the Santa Anita racetrack among other “celebs”. He must love LA and is probably staying put. That’s a hunch, put it in charcoal on the sidewalk.
But sure is nice to see momma. She’s doing pretty darn well and is a “tough old broad” like the oncologist said. I fixed her up a quick chicken pasta that was in a cancer recipe book and she said she really liked it even though her taste buds are compromised because I made it with love. You better believe it!
Out east on 10, the Fall League All-Star transpired with the West (non-Giants) beating up the East. Chris Stratton started and set down the first four batters he faced but the remainder of that 2nd inning was all downhill as he ceded 4 ER, 4 H, and BB with a K. Looks like Tyler Rogers came in and sat down the two batters he faced with one K. No other Giants in the box score. For the West, the Rays Brent Honeywell K’d five in his two innings of work and the Red Sox Michale Kopech K’d three. That duo held the East hitless for four frames. Dodgers prospect Willie Calhoun took home MVP honors batting 3 for 3 with a HR. Calhoun hit 27 HRs at AA this year, so might be seeing him at Chavez Ravine in the not too distant future even though his defensive grades are not strong at second base.
That’s the report from the Southern California and Arizona deserts.
It’s true. My favorite redheads are Justin Turner and Amy Adams
not ginger? oh, you must be a mary ann guy, like me..
Mary Ann, and it’s not close👍🏻
Amy’s a dye job. Now, the ringlets of a young Kidman…. But I’m starting to show my age.
Hubba hubba for AA
Good to hear that your mother is doing well.
What is going on with Chris Stratton, do you think?
He’s just OK. C+ caliber prospect. The stuff does not excite, totally location dependent.
Glad momma is doing fine. no one cares more then momma!!
Hearing Jeremy Affeldt speak last night was an intense experience and not at all what I expected. It was a fundraiser for a local organization (in Rohnert Park, Sonoma County) that’s trying to reach out and mentor teenagers who are struggling. He talked about the anxiety and pressure that Millennials feel to measure up.
The most interesting part of the talk for me as a Giants fan was his characterization of the professional athlete: “We don’t trust anyone”–media, fans, GM, sometimes manager/coaches (he went on a negative riff about pitching coaches that kind of shocked me). He talked about the pressure they feel to perform and that’s why they take drugs/cheat, abuse alcohol, and cross lines to domestic violence. He also said that at one point in 2013, his wife kicked him out–he inferred that it was because he was so controlling and harsh with her and the kids–and some good counseling put them back together. He brought it back to the focus of the event by talking about the intensely negative effects of criticism and shaming that come at kids from everywhere–parents, coaches, teachers–and that’s why they need mentors and safe spaces who will let them be themselves.
It was not, as I said, what I expected. I thought it would be more positive and rah-rah. It was, frankly, a little dark. But it was articulate, passionate, and inspiring. And people bid a LOT of money at the auction for Affeldt jerseys and a Bonds-signed baseball (I personally got the bid for that up to $500 before dropping out!).
Interesting…. Do you think the pitching coaches dig was saying something about Rags or just the guys that almost ran him out of baseball in KC?
Probably not Rags because part of the riff was about coaches whose pitching resume wasn’t even as good as the guys they’re trying to coach. Rags was a very accomplished major league pitcher, so I’m guessing he has the street cred. Also makes you wonder how hitters feel about Bam Bam, who didn’t exactly set the world on fire as a major league player.
Whereas someone like Barry Lamar Bonds, who happens to be available…..
It’s tough…some of the absolute best “do” way better than they can teach, and some of the marginal are great coaches.
Ted Williams comes to mind. His book is the definitive volume on how to hit, his record speaks for itself. Horrible hitting coach. He never understood why everyone couldn’t be Ted Williams…
I remember George Brett had a brief stint as hitting coach for the Royals, and IIRC, it was a disaster.
Not to discount their gifts, but I think many of the greats struggle with explaining how, as well as simply not understanding why others can’t master things that were “natural” to them.
I think that’s true even outside of sports. I remember some of my grad school professors who were absolutely brilliant, groundbreaking scholars and researchers, and in the classroom–yikes. Incoherent and incomprehensible.
“We don’t trust anyone”? That’s sad. A sharp contrast to what Jeremy said at his retirement ceremony.
It was kind of sad. Like I said, a little dark. I hope he’s doing OK.
He also gave a little insight on players and fans: When fans b**ch at them for not signing enough autographs and say something like “I pay your salary,” Jeremy’s internal response is “No, you don’t. TV does.”
He sounds angry and perhaps bitter? I don’t understand.
It was surprising to me, too. He’s a very good speaker and he brought his message home at the end, but how he got there was not what I’d expected. Most of the audience was local church people (it’s a church-based community center he was fundraising for), and I bet they heard more than they bargained for.
Sounds like it.
Jeremy just spent most of his adult life grinding every day to be the best at something that few can do while thousands were doing the same to steal his job away, and where coaches opinions sometimes were the deciding factor…through it all he had criticism heaped on him. Now that he’s past it, he’s probably reflecting.
I wonder what fans said to him this year as he strode through the plaza for CSN ” Bochy’s an idiot!” , “Casilla choked again!” Etc…I’ll bet it made him sad. I’ll bet he was now another step closer to hear the anger and illogical nature of many fans…
Is it really surprising?
Yes, I find it surprising that he would say things like that in a public speech. It’s sad that he feels that way.
Do you some of it maybe from missing the limelight? I know from reading other athletes comments a lot of them struggle when the cheers are gone.
I should say that our party of four (me, my husband, our college student daughter and her boyfriend) had a nice chat with him and even got a nice photo. He was friendly and charming and very approachable. I just saw him just now in the hotel lobby and he recognized me and said a friendly hello.
As I’ve mentioned, we met him in our Scottsdale hotel last March and rode an elevator with him, and he was very friendly then.
I’ve thought for a long time that Affeldt is maybe the most thoughtful, complicated, and interesting personality on the team, it’d be really interesting to hear what he thinks about things.
I know there are times on here that I play traffic cop about the things we say about all of the above…and Jeremy was probably much more eloquent than I will ever be able to be. Could any of us imagine what we would feel like if people constantly criticized in the manner that fans and some media do? And, we are criticizing the absolute best on the planet…the “worst” of which are beyond our comprehension of how good they are
I read an interview with Aubrey Huff yesterday about his new book, and he said some similar things about the crushing pressure they feel to please everyone. Huff said he gets it that no one feels sorry for them with all the money they make and getting to play a game they love for a living, but he said for him the grind was so grueling that for the last few years, it took all the joy out of it for him. (He did, however, say very nice things about Giants fans and how they accepted him and loved him immediately.)
Nah, I stood in the box against someone with Major League stuff. I couldn’t have touched the ball with an oar…
Social media has ruined everything. If it went away completely, none of the positives would makeup for the negatives.
Yes…the Giants have some young arms that can potentially be a closer…but not in 2017. If you think this team didn’t go into each 9th inning (when they were leading) holding their breath and “gripping” because of the bullpen’s inability to close out a game…you’re kidding yourself. Promoting an existing bullpen pitcher in the closer role will only continue that feeling going into the 2017 season…and this team needs to feel like they’ll rock-and-roll from the onset…so they can focus on winning the division and on to the WS.
This team needs to exhaust every opportunity (and I’m not talking “kicking the tires”) to get a legit closer. I want Melancon, but if it’s Holland…than so be it. Any FA closer that comes here will have the financial stability to know that they are here for awhile and they can teach the Laws and Stricklands of the world how to become a better “lights out” guy (and eventually a closer). Do you think with Casilla’s “between the ears” and Romo’s “deal”…that they were good mentors/teachers for the young guys? Now insert Melancon or Holland…infinitely better role models for a closer and young bullpen guys.
Yes…the Giants need to add pop and a LF, but I’d rather go into the season with a Matt Holiday/Parker or Matt Holiday/Williamson LF solution *and* a “lights out” closer, than a guy like Fowler and some “tea leaves” to help solve the closer role. Then in 2018, Mac or Parker can be the full-time LF and the Giants can go out and get a new CF.
That’s a great point about a new closer being a mentor to the younger guys and hopefully building a great bullpen that will last for years. Neither Casilla nor Romo seem to have the “mentor” type personality. Affeldt did and Javy Lopez apparently does (the Willie Mac Award), but they’ll both be gone.
I’ve read that Melancon is supposed to be a great clubhouse guy and personality-wise would be a great fit with the Giants. I hope they can land him.
Grant Brisbee wants Melancon and Jansen, and made fun of himself for this $180-million wish.
Re: Greg Holland, Brisbee wrote:
“The trick is that a) every team’s gonna want him, too, and b) he’s not coming over on a minor-league deal. Holland will still be expensive, even if less expensive than the typical elite closer. The Giants will have to love what they see at his showcase, and even then, they might be scared away at the financial guarantees he’s looking for.”
Yeah, too big a gamble on 2 Tjs. Break glass type option if you miss on Melancon.
The Giants are going to be up against the Red Sox, the Yankees, the Rangers, etc., for Melancon. I’m hoping Mark really, really wants to play for San Francisco.
I wonder if Bochy damaged his reputation a bit with FA relief pitchers with his skittish decision making this season.
Of course not. Bruce Bochy is very well regarded. Jeremy Afieldt at his retirement ceremony to Bochy: “You’re one of the greatest leaders of men that I have ever met.”
Specific to relievers? Where some of his long term players openly mocked or questioned him? Where the fraternity of players are close? Of course, Bochy is that great leader….but I don’t think he’s untouchable when it comes to bullpen reputation.
Yes, specific to relievers.
I don’t think anyone’s untouchable. Look at Francona–two championships and “broke the curse” for the Red Sox–and run out of town after a disappointing season in 2011 amid rumors/evidence that he’d lost the team. And he was and is a great manager.
That said, I think a stud closer might enjoy coming to be the “savior” for the Giants–whose need was painfully evident–and Righetti’s still a pretty good selling point. He predates Bochy with the Giants.
A disappointing season? Yeah, pretty much.
The only one that we know openly mocked him was Romo. Everything else is speculation.
Yeah, Casilla didn’t show him up publicly whatsoever. I’m speculating
That’s not even close to mocking him. And Casilla apologized and it was accepted. Romo did his dancing weasel bit TWICE.
Oh, that made it ALL go away.
It showed, as did his subsequent behavior, that he was a good man who lost it in the heat of the moment.
Chef, I hope you know we can see things differently….Casilla spent much of the rest of the season defiant about his role , in specific to reporters , as you know. That, quite frankly, is a show of disrespect to Bochy in my eyes. Casilla was far from one incident that he apologized and moved on from….
“Chef, I hope you know we can see things differently”
Again, why do you persist in going on and on with that? Of course we see things differently sometimes. And you know what- I have given you permission to disagree.
Anyway-he be leaving now, so maybe in a few years you can stop maligning a good man.
I have mixed feelings about Casilla’s sobbing in the clubhouse after Game 4 and getting Carl Steward to write a sympathetic piece (and angry rant about the nasty Giants fans who made Casilla cry). On the one hand, I do feel a bit sorry for Casilla and how the year played out for him. I can appreciate how upset he must have been.
On the other hand, EVERYONE was upset. Crawford made a key error. Romo and Lopez, also longtime postseason heroes and free-agents-to-be, didn’t come through this one last time. The whole team was devastated about being knocked out of the playoffs. So I took issue with Casilla choosing to make that moment about himself and his grievances about how he was (not) used.
Probably best for everyone concerned that he moves on now.
I’m guessing Bochy hasn’t hurt his reputation nationally, only within the Giants circle if anything.
Red Sox have Kimbrell, Yanks have Bestances…. Don’t believe everything an agent leaks in the press.
This didn’t come from an agent.
Who was the writer who agreed with me on the closer situation? That we can fill the job with internal options. Lefty referenced it, and not disapprovingly
I don’t remember the writer, but it would be interesting to find. I agree with KIR however. I don’t think it will work for the Giants to try and fill the job with internal options. I look at it this way: Last year, get the starters in the offseason. This year, get a closer or two.
In principle there is a much greater need to deal with the outfield situation with external deals. In practice bochy has made it clear that he doesn’t have the patience and/or imagination to make the most of the existing bullpen resources even with another year or experience, so unless they’re willing to fire bochy, they have no choice but to get him the relievers he wants.
That would be a Giants move…like last year with Casilla…”Let’s hope that this will work out and not do anything. We can always try (and probably fail) to get someone at the trade deadline.”
It’s not the same at all. Casilla actually had a pretty good year in 2015. There was no question that he would be closer this year.We all know that it did not turn out too well but now it’s just a knee jerk reaction to that failure.
Not in comparison to 2014. He may have had 38 saves in 2015, but his ERA ballooned up (1.70 -> 2.79), HRs allowed went up 100%, and his WHIP did too (0.857 -> 1.276).
They had a reclamation project that paid off as an 8th inning guy and a closer for 1 WS run. There was nothing on his baseball card to support he was going to be this long-term dominant closer guy and 2015 was starting bring reality back into the equation. The Giants hoped that he would get back to 2014 form…he didn’t…and that’s why they scrambled to get a closer at the last trade deadline.
Plenty of fans were nervous about Casilla closing in 2016 (“eye test” alone was enough) and I recall plenty of conversations on GE about that. Anyone that didn’t have concerns had their head in the sand.
Well, that doesn’t refute what I said ( A “pretty good year”) and it doesn’t refute that he was considered to be the closer going into this year. They weren’t scrambling to find one then .The rest of your comment doesn’t have anything to do with I said.
As to acquiring an elite closer for 2017 and beyond, Holland just might be a cautionary tale. And the deadline trades this year drove the prices right through the roof for this winter. With a better offense and a closer who was just “pretty good”, we’ll be fine.
Just my opinion, as is yours, of course.
What happened last year with the Giants bullpen makes me appreciate what the Core 4 were able to do for such a long, glorious time.
Yep…but I have to say the “Core 4” has lost some luster in my eyes.
There’s a “Core 4” bobblehead set…and as much as I know their history in the Giants success…there is nothing in me that would want to celebrate Sergio Romo and Santiago Casilla right now. Maybe that will change with time, but both guys…in my opinion…didn’t behave like “good Giants” this past season. A little too much “I’m entitled” behavior going on. Javy didn’t even sniff the antics of the other two.
I disagree about romo. Bochy drove the relievers crazy with his constant switching which was completely beyond reason. Just look at other teams, no one has done anything like that for years. It sank the team, bochy deserved to be callef on it, and romo was right to do it.
It was Chris Haft in a “Mailbox” feature (answering questions from fans) on the Giants MLB site. He said that he thought Law has the “stuff and the guts” to be a closer and not to rule out Strickland, either. He implied that it might not be the worst idea to use their $$$ to go after a bat instead.
Alex Pavlovic also has a very high opinion of Law and has since early on.
And many of us have a high opinion of Strickland, as well.
Strickland has had two very nice seasons for the Giants after that 2014 postseason tire fire (for him, not the team). Whether he has (or will have) the temperament to be a ninth-inning guy–I’m not convinced. But I’m quite certain he can be a very valuable core piece of the bullpen.
Strickland’s career stats (2014-16): 2.64 ERA, 0.989 WHIP, ERA+ 151, K/9 8.7, HR/9 0.6. His walk rate and WHIP ticked up a bit this year over last, but his numbers are still quite good. Overall he’s had an excellent big league career so far.
Neither of them of are locks to be a top flight closer, but they are both worth the look,as is Smith.Forgetting about Casilla, who we all know imploded last year, the difference between an “elite” closer and a competent one ain’t worth what it would take to get the big names..
IMO.
Closer plus somehow getting a professional #3 hitter and smooth sailing to the title.
” somehow getting a professional #3 hitter”
Instead of ?
On the topic of Lefty’s post about Jeremy Affeldt…the lowest lifetime LD%+Hard% in high-leverage situations of any pitcher since leverage statistics started being kept (14.6%+21.2%=35.8%) is guess who?
http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=pit&lg=all&qual=100&type=2&season=2016&month=26&season1=2002&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&sort=5,a
The guy was just an awesome clutch performer.
Only two appearances behind Mariano Rivera for the most consecutive scoreless postseason outings in major league history.
I was desperately wanting him in game 4….. Something tells me Bochy was too.
2016…Game #4 of NLDS…it’s Affeldt’s fault 🙂
Then he should have gone with Will Smith.
I wish he’d gone with Will Smith too.
A lot of us feel that way. But Bochy would never have had Affeldt start the inning. Maybe he would have used him instead of Javy.
And rivera is right behind affeldt for lowest ld%+hard% in highlev situations in the regular season.
He might have been the leader in Blog DFAs. Folks can be a tad excited when things go amiss 😉
That’s a gross exaggeration, IMHO.
Really … I DFA’ed the Chef more than that guy.
Hey, I’m sorry that I said that you saw the Waner brothers play. But that’s no cause to be a meanie.
Hey I missed your Poison pen aimed at me and the Waners.
Now I am really going to get mean.
What part 😉
Don’t know why you got a bug up your arse about me, but really you should get over it.
Did anyone else notice the absence of “Marlins Man” from the World Series? I did, and commented on it when we were watching Game 7. Well, yesterday I heard why. He made a written statement, saying he’d received “hundreds of death threats” and “thousands of hate mails” from Cleveland fans after attending the NBA Finals, apparently egged on by a couple of Cleveland radio stations. So he didn’t feel safe attending the World Series–“It only takes one whacko to ruin my life.”
Meanwhile, Cleveland fans are still, five months later, trolling Ayesha Curry’s Twitter. Someone tweeted to her last night that she’d tried one of the recipes in Ayesha’s new cookbook and posted a picture of the dish (looked great, BTW). Half the replies to that Tweet were “3-1” “L” (for “loser/loss”) and “Steph went 0-10 on threes last night.” Good grief–get a life.
I liked the Cleveland Indians team, but I can’t say I’m sorry that angry bunch of sore winners in their fan base got a stomach punch.
Lebron is still mocking, too…you would think this self proclaimed chosen one would be above such petty actions.
I just don’t quite understand such bitterness after WINNING. It seems counterintuitive to me.
Lebron calls it the high road.
Should have read further, guess great minds have great memories.
Doesn’t seem such a high rooooooooad to most of us, huh?
LeBron has always struck me as very insecure.
Remember when he “took the high road?”
When everyone around you treats you as something so special because of basketball skills, you apparently can be numb to human decency – in some cases. Lebron is exhibit A
What a mix life is.
I expect that Ayesha has an admin to screen out idiots so she does not have to even see such crap.
Hopefully, our TWGers will let go of Game 4, 9th inning, too. One way or another, it gets litigated seemingly every post.
i agree!
30-Day Rehab coming to an end?
One can only hope
Well, we all have to move on because what other choice do we have, but it’s still relevant until such time as the Giants fix their bullpen, which is obviously a priority. It wasn’t just the ninth inning of Game 4. That was a microcosm of the whole season.
Good luck with that. The ninth inning was just the last in a long series of bad Bochy decisions in 2016 that had a negative impact on the team’s chances. There’s evidence that his performance became an issue with the players. It’s an issue that may have carryover into 2017. It’s relevant.
Bullpen woes as it relates to the Giants is a relevant issue. To re-litigate the 9th inning in particular over and over is beating a dead horse and tiresome.
Dr I’d like to apologize to you for my stupidity the other day and also to the gentlemen making the comment about Zobrist! I cannot remember his name to save my life . I hope that you’ll accept my apology and im truly sorry about my outburst.You’ve always been nothing but respectful to me.
Thank you, Slikk. I’m happy to put it behind us if you are. I shouldn’t have responded so angrily, either. I’ll admit to being a bit protective of Alvise after what happened to Allen last year. Anyway, thanks again.
Thanks for accepting my apology and id also like to apologize to Alvise.
I don’t know if you saw it, but he apologized a day or two ago for stirring things up in the first place.
No i did not, i decided to stay off for awhile just to cool things down but he need not apologize he didnt do anything wrong.
Yea team! Seriously glad to see those apologies from Slikk, Lefty, and Alvise. We’re all Giants fans, good people and part of a very special community. Good stuff.
I went to Game 6 of the NBA Finals in 2015 and I thought Cavs fans were despicable. I’ve been to Indians games and I think those fans are great.
I do think in general baseball fans are better than any other sport. I would never take my kid to a football game and maybe not a NBA game in an opposing stadium. No reason to see violence or hear obscenities.
I couldn’t believe the filth they put on Ayesha’s Twitter after the Finals. OK, she brought it on herself with that outburst about Game 6 being “rigged,” but nobody deserves the stuff–disgusting photoshopped porn, obscenities, threats–people aimed at her. This is a 27-year-old young wife and mother. It was horrifying.
New Post: http://fe0.84e.myftpupload.com/guest-posts/matthew-guest-post-baseball-the-giants-and-me/