by
GreekGiant
The New Hypnotist Is Suddenly on the Hotseat
Well that new hypnotist sure didn’t accomplish much in her first game. In another pitcher’s duel, the Giants and Johnny Cueto were vanquished by the Cubs behind John Lester’s 8 shutout innings. Johnny Cueto and Jon Lester both pitched extraordinary games. The Giants second ace was stellar allowing only 3 hits and 1 run in 8 innings of work. Unfortunately the run he allowed proved to be the game-winning home run by Javier Baez as Jon Lester overpowered and humiliated the Giants hitters. The score was 1-0 but it wasn’t that close. That felt like a 10-0 game once the Cubs got their lone run. The Giants bats were that quiet. Their hits were weak affairs. Their outs were weaker. Despite getting lead-off runners on in the first 3 of 4 innings, the Giants kept hurting themselves with questionable execution on the bases. Gorkys Hernandez was thrown out trying to steal in the first and Conor Gillaspie was picked off in the third.
Johnny Cueto Was Amazing
Johnny Cueto, unitl the 8th, was more impressive than Jon Lester. The Cubs has only 2 hits through 7 innings and looked completely flummoxed at the plate. Cueto was pumping his fastball by the Cubs sluggers after tantalizing them with change-ups and sliders down in the zone. His game plan was excellent, his poise superb. It was clear from the first inning on that Cueto was using his off-speed pitches to set up his fastball. Buster Posey’s pitch calling was in sync with Cueto the whole game. I don’t recall the powerful Dominican ever shaking off Captain America.
The game looked like it would be decided by the bullpen until the fateful 3-2 fastball that eased over the plate and rose to a comfortable level that collided violently with Baez’s powerful stroke.
Eduardo Nunez Is Not Healthy
There is not much to say about this game really. Jon Lester was simply too good. Great defense by Kelby Tomlinson and Gorkys Hernandez thwarted any Cubs hope at a rally. Buster Posey’s ninth inning double was for naught. After Aroldis Chapman came in to pitch the ninth Gorkys Hernandez struck out on a questionable check swing. Replays showed he did not commit. Bochy made a bold move to pinch hit Eduardo Nunez for Brandon Belt, the next hitter. Nunez hit a weak grounder to second that looked like he would be able to leg out for a base hit but unfortunately our starting third baseman was hobbling down the line and thrown out easily as he is still suffering from his hamstring pull.
It is a curious decision to allow Nunez on the roster if he cannot utilize one of his most important weapons as a baseball player: his speed. I was not thrilled with the idea of pinch hitting for Brandon Belt though I understand the thinking if Nunez is healthy. Clearly he is not and based on that at-bat he may not recover this postseason should the Giants advance.
Platooning Span and Panik
The starting lineup was a surprise with both Denard Span and Joe Panik being benched in favor of Gorkys Hernandez and Kelby Tomlinson, respectively. Bochy was playing for hitting match-ups and willing to sacrifice defense at second base. It turns out neither starter could hit much while the defensive play from both was stellar. I can live with the Span-Hernandez platoon though I prefer the experience of Denard Span in a postseason game, especially since his bat has come alive in the past ten days. With regards to Joe Panik my take is that he is too good a player to ever sit. His defense, scrappy play and leadership should never be on the bench unless there are other circumstances. Perhaps he is not 100% after his concussion earlier in the year? I think the risks and downsides far out-weight the potential benefits with platooning Joey Baseball. I also suspect it might create some tension among the players, particularly in light of how recently Bochy decided to start benching Panik. We all know he has been struggling at the plate but it is strangely un-Bochy like to lose faith in one of his starters so quickly.
Overall the game was a scintillating and suspenseful affair that lived up to its billing as a battle between two strong teams with opposite postseason histories. The Giants played spectacular defense with a stunning catch at the warning track by Gorkys Hernandez and a special play by Kelby Tomlinson in particular. This makes six straight one-run games between the Cubs and Giants. Clearly these two teams have the best starting pitching staffs in baseball. It appears the games will come down to execution on the base-paths, defense and which lineup will play with depth and power from top to bottom.
The Giants will have to find ways to create runs at Wrigley if they want to win this series, averaging less than two runs per game in their last 5 contests in Chicago. While tomorrow’s game is not a must-win, the Giants will prefer to avoid going down 0-2 in a best of 5 series. A win tomorrow and they re-take momentum.
Breckeroni says don’t rely on the umps to make up for terrible baserunning and lack of hitting.
Breckeroni is a wise man.
Let’s hope the Giants listen to Breckeroni.
Anything can happen but against this Cubs staff being the 9th best NL run producer almost feels like dead last. Smardge is going up against another Cubs 2.X ERA pitcher. Fasten your seat belt.
We really need to make sh&t happen tomorrow. I hate the Cubs so damn much. It’s almost as much about beating them as it is winning another title.
well folks. great game. shit result.
we will be back.
zen, breathe,hypnosis and meditation..,.
and boooze.
Gotcha on the last one.
Esa, Neña.
I need to watch some “NYPD Blue” to calm my ass down.
Raiders of the Lost Arc here.
Interesting choice. Probably my fave as a kiddo. Such a historical feel.
Probably binge watch all four since sleep won’t be an option.
This game made me mad, Savvie.
Turn it up to eleven and get after it.
Nah…Southern Tier Warlock and NYPD Blue. Gonna try to calm down. I have a gig tomorrow night that starts an hour before the game, so there’s also that…geez.
Physical Graffiti disc two…
Oh my that is sublime stuff. That’s the medicine, Broe Elliott.
Sounds like the Giants hitters.
They need some Indy Jones bad ass about them.
Those damn hitters need some Bum and Cueto bad ass about them! Come on!! Absolutely no juice what. So. Ever.
No shit. Hitters need some Cueto/Bum sized coconuts.
They ain’t got split peas right now.
Ouch.
Yep. That bad.
This was a great game, but the Giants didn’t get the calls or the breaks. I think they played well and with guts, but the Cubs pitcher was good too.
If only there had been a runner on base when Buster faced Chapman. Gorkys got gypped, then Nunez…
Why was Nunez batting if he couldn’t run at full speed?
First AB in weeks and he faces 102. But he put up a bit of a fight. So did Gorkys.
So he could either hit a HR on make an out.
Or make it down to first on a stand up double.
Yeah, it is sad that he was the power off the bench. Almost as sad as the corners not having any power.
That Nunez AB was baffling. It’s almost like Bochy wanted to use him later in the series and figured the best way to get him up to speed with major league pitching was Chapman. Rough rehab. Good AB though, except for the running part.
Why push it when he was easily out. Save the effort for when there’s a chance.
I found this quite interesting. The last time the Giants lost a Game 1, was the 2012 Division Series against the Reds. Johnny Cueto started for the Reds, but left the game with a groin injury.
Seems like a good omen there. So we’ll be just fine.
You’re fast GG. How do you do it? Editor breathing down your neck?
hes gg. come on:)
I just viscerally do no like the Cubs or their fans or their Fox sports marketing team.
You mean marketing team/announcers?
Koz, the reason Kelby didn’t make those plays 2 years ago is that he wasn’t called up until 2015.
Cubs know if they lose one game at home, G’s can finish it with Bum and Moore. I really like are chances in those two games. So if they lose tomorrow, I’m still expecting a rematch of game 1.
funny how you always talk tough but have nothing to say
That comment doesn’t seem pertinent to the game.
no but this dude always talk tough with no backing facts.
the Giants lost because of the very reason they were underdogs going into the game – they just don’t have the hitting.
Posey and Pence did what they could, but with no real help from Belt, Pagan, Crawford, they got what they deserved.
This comment seems more pertinent to the game
How was that comment “talking tough” ?
Great game. Baseball is a game of inches, as we saw tonight.
Wonder if it will be sunnier tomorrow
Nunez can’t run. Shouldn’t be on roster. Belt should have hit.
Completely agree. Nunez should absolutely not be on this roster, he clearly can’t run.
If he can’t run he is not that valuable. Speed is a huge part of his game. If he could run that play at first would have been very close.
Obviously they were hoping for a base hit to the outfield or a walk.and then run for him..The mistake was when he swung at ball 4.
Who is the best on the team at drawing walks? Hint it is not Nunez?
First ask a “snark-free” question , and I will consider the proper rely.
this game was not lost because of Nunez’ AB.
Of course not, but he can’t run. He has no value if he’s so gimpy that he has to jog around the bases. The bench is diminished with him on it and not being healthy enough to run.
Every manager has done that. Nunez had a better to hit a ball to the outfield than Belt. IMO.
Bochy is no doubt the only MLB manager who pinch hits for the guy that was, overall, the teams best hitter during the season. As we all know, Belt also had the highest OBP on the team, by far. and hit the most home runs. If it wasn’t Belt, that wouldn’t have happened. I don’t think you’ll ever see him hitting for Pence.
“If it wasn’t Belt, that wouldn’t have happened. ”
What are you saying there?That Bochy “did it” to Belt and wouldn’t “do ” it to Pence? From your comment it would appear that you are saying that Bochy has in for Belt.Explain.
So thankful I didn’t have to listen to Joe Buck, maybe the #1 think that kept me calm. The 1st couple innings were disappointing w/ guys on but hey Lester is good. Can’t get used to Busters near HRs, they will forever disappoint. Good game, glad GH was in. Maybe KT is better at the plate if he had more playing time during the season. Suede Goats. Big test tomorrow for the Shark.
In my opinion it was a great game. Couple of inches here, couple of inches there and the result would have been exactly opposite. What upset me most is that we didn’t get a chance to take a close look at Gorkys’ check swing. I don’t believe there was no suitable camera angle to capture it.
Not challengeable I assume, but it does seem we wuz robbd
They showed it on CSNBA post game with Flan. Check swing. Probably a FS1/MLB directive not to replay ump F-ups.
Well, now I have a valid reason to feel robbed.
yup, should’ve went to extra innings
They showed the side angle on FS1 and the idiot announcer stayed mute. It wasn’t even close. He just said it is hard to hold up on 102. No S, but what he forgot to say is he did a great job and did check his swing.
Oh yeah, it was totally obvious that they saw it that it was the wrong call and they just stayed silent. If this would have been the Cubs they would said something.
preach
It’s called, baseball.
lt looked to be 50-50.
don’t subscribe to FS1 or whichever ridiculous no name cable outlet that MLB decided to showcase their post-season big games on — listening to Ray Woodson on KNBR and they were saying the same thing about the bad camera angles, rough broadcasting on this fox surgate
I can’t believe how close that Baez BOMB came to settling into Pagan’s glove. Great game indeed.
Good Night all.
Tomorrow’s another one!
Good job on the ground there Surf.
Surf runs all over the ground!
Pence needs to be better than this if the Giants are serious about winning it all, let alone advance out of DS. He can’t be going 0-4, 0-5, 1-4 on an infield hit, with 2 to 4 LOB every game.
Giants have just 20 hits in last five games against the Cubs. (Alex P)
this team just does not hit well enough, period.
the tough thing is that tonight Cueto did exactly what he needed to do.
it’s almost impossible to expect every starter here on out to pitch a shutout just to give us a chance to win.
This team is not that different than the ones that won rings (but maybe that little difference is enough). Tonight they threw away their margin of error.
It may look like that on paper, but they do not hit for power enough to make up for any other hitting deficiencies. They just do not.
exactly — what the heck has happened to him in the last 2 weeks ???
The Cubs did not win this game. The Giants lost it. Let me explain:
•Giants left base runners in scoring position at second and third, and at second, and failed to get a productive out in the second. That is a negative 4. A weak steal attempt and a back door. That’s a negative 2. Now we have -6.
•Cubs got lucky on one pitch out of 121 by Cueto. I don’t know how to score that ineptness but will call it a positive 1.
•Minus the 1 positive from our negative 6 and we’re still up in the negative side by 5. Therefore our negative production out did there positive production and thus giving us the loss. Cubs didn’t win this. Giants (excluding Cueto) lost this.
I agree the baserunning / behavior on the bases was terrible and that eliminated some chances early on. The Giants had more chances overall but didn’t use them.
Yep. Cubs never got a runner to third. We had way more chances.
They did get one runner to 3rd. Cueto got the ground out to end the inning.
Bull shit. Lester beat them Good game.
Big time, Chef. Great game.
Lester might win the Cy Young. If you’re going to give Bumgarner credit for beating the Mets, you have to give Lester the same credit. There was no shame in that loss.
Exactly
If Smardzija puts one in hot dog Baez’s ribs tomorrow, I’m okay with that.
Why?
Shite.
I do think that this team is not that much different from the 2014 team. In all their post season runs they walked a fine line of being on the right side of clutch hitting and opportunities used with great pitching going along. This is how they won again the wild card game and this time agains the Cubs it was the Cubs doing it. However, the Giants weren’t far away from it. The question is if this post season will continue to go as the 2nd half went or are there more post season heros. I am really concerned about Pence. Without him doing some serious timely hitting I am not sure they stand a chance. Overall I am ok with losing 1:0. It was a great game and the Cubs are a good team.
As the one-time and original Humm Baby, Roger Craig, once said, “Don’t get your dauber down.”
It’s easy to nitpick the little things the Giants couldn’t quite do to manufacture runs, but it could have easily been Cubs fans talking about how the Cubs couldn’t do anything to stop Cueto. That’s just the nature of a pitching duel. Time to dust this one off and come out hungry tomorrow.
Good post.
Truly. Those cubbie fans in the 9th inning look like they’d just gotten a reprieve from the governor.
There #8 hitter dinged one for their only stinking run. Same as our #8 did it to the Mets. But we were on the wrong side of the 8 ball tonight. No good thing about it. Giants lost. Period. Doesn’t mean you have to like that it was a close game.
2 things…. GG;s margaritas look yummie ! and I hated that Joe Maddon called bochy a cowboy — really ??? the bochy is a lot of things but I would not stick that label on him — a case of the pot calling the kettle black ????
As much as the loss stings and it’s tough to go down 0-1 in a 5 game series, as a baseball fan I simply love good old fashioned pitching duels.
It’s really comes down to a simple thing of who blinks first on the mound, the two pitchers control the game 100% everyone else on the field are just reacting to everything the two pitchers do. It’s a thing of beauty. Neither of the two pitchers deserved to lose that game but the way they were going at it, that’s how it was going to be. Cueto tried to quick pitch Baez, which tends to speed up the bat and the pitch was over the middle and that was the blink.
Yes, the Giants made 2 big outs on the base paths which could have been the difference but who’s to say Lester doesn’t get out of those jams anyways. The way he was pitching, I don’t doubt it.
Now we need Samardzija to continue his and the rotation’s late season revival and get a split. Which is important for so many reasons, including the fact that I drew NLDS Game #4 from my season ticket group ; )
Let’s get em tomorrow!
Yeah i too thought Cueto tried to quick pitch Baez on that HR. The Giants are down 1, and it’s a drag, but they are awfully tough to beat in these crucial games and i still like their chances.
Mets and Cubs didn’t hit our guys either. 4 great pitchers, 2 great games.
Same game. First one to falter loses. EOS.
the cubs did to us what we did to the mets. lucky today wasn’t an elimination game. kelby made two very good plays. gorkys sure can eat up some real estate. the cubs are beatable. we just have to do it. buster should have scored on pagan’s hit to zobrist. the play was right in front of him. why did he almost come to a stop, approaching 2nd base? just terrible. sometimes he’s evil knievel on the bases, other times he’s my grandfather.
Because he would have been hung up between 2nd and 3rd if Zobrist had kept the ball in front of him.
Precisely
Your assessment of his base running is entirely wrong. You think Roberto is wrong? You are way wronger.
with a night’s sleep, albeit fitful, behind me, maybe i overreacted. i had just finished watching the game, and i was pissed. it was a great game, and if we can get tonight’s game, i have no doubt the cubs can be had.
I kinda figured it was an emotional response; most everyone here gets how the game should be played.
we were out last night, and i didn’t start watching the game until midnight. by 2 in the morning when the game ended, i was over tired, and very cranky. poor excuse, and to blame buster, after the game he played, on both sides of the ball, was idiotic.
He was timing it in case Zobrist trapped it. That’s all
There is zero question that in order to go deep into the playoffs, Pence BB9 Craw and Pagan are gonna have to get hot and carry this team. Now is not the time to go back to being totally ineffective. This is the time of year when baseball is viewed at its best. And in order to assure success, these guys have to get it done. Now. No other options are available.
Smarge will need run support the most of our 4 aces. Our hitters, led by Pence BB9 Craw and Pagan, need to deliver. Now. Posey will be fine. The rest of the order will be fine. Hitting is contagious. Let’s get it going
Ay de mi! Los Gigantes perdieron.
Who is pitching tomorrow, I forgott
Samardijon
Up early or up late?
I fell asleep on my couch at like 10 and woke up at 4.
Is that french?
I can’t stop my gut feeling that we let one slip awaY today. Cueto pitched maybe better than ive ever seen him. He was on fire and it’s unfortunate we couldn’t pull this one out. Chicago hadn’t played a meaningful game in a month. We aren’t done yet but I feel like we missed a fantastic opportinity
That’s the way I saw it too. Cubs fans were ready to panic.
What a great opportunity wasted. Cueto was a magician.
There have been a lot of complaints about the bullpen, but the problem all year has been hitting. That’s why we have no comeback wins and that’s why we’ve had so many close losses. I’m OK with the lack of power, but on top of that this team can’t manufacture runs either. That’s a bad combination.
Yep. Bad baserunning, lack of situational hitting–and they were worse against Lester than they were against Syndergaard, and that’s saying something. At least they fought hard in their ABs in NY and got Thor’s pitch count up.
This was a golden opportunity to steal a game. Cueto pitched his heart out
Good morning all. We still have 4 more games, if we generate some runs, to get the three we need to advance. Just saw this week’s SI magazine which already anointed the Cubs as the WS Champs on the cover. There’s the Giants locker room material.
Let’s get the split and head home.
I wonder how many more home runs our guys would score if the Giants could put a basket around the OF walls of AT$T?
Taking the season series with the Giants and last night’s game together, I’m not all that impressed with the Cubs. They have great pitching, yes. Really great. But their hitting can be shut down, and if they faced a team that could actually hit (e.g., the Dodgers), they might have a tough time.
Good pitching always shuts down good hitting? Tell that to all the aces who’ve been less than dominant over the past 72 hours–Scherzer, Kershaw, Price, Porcello, Hamels, and Darvish. It’s possible for good postseason teams to hit the other team’s aces. We’re just not used to seeing that because we’ve had Bumgarner.
That said, last night was a reality check. The Giants aren’t going to go very far if they keep hitting like the second-half Giants. Their pitching has given up one run in 17 postseason innings and only 7 hits–and it still hasn’t been enough.
If you shut down Bryant and Rizzo, you can certainly beat them …
Yep. Now, next year when Schwarber’s back–that’s a different story.
Perhaps…but he’s an AL DH in waiting…
More thoughts on the ninth inning:
–Total bummer about that awful check swing call on Gorkys. Would have been ball four and he would have scored on Posey’s double.
–I didn’t like pinch-hitting for Belt with a rusty, hobbled Nunez. Nunez swung at ball four before making an out. I bet Belt wouldn’t have. Nunez was moving very badly up the line, too. He doesn’t look close to game ready.
–Bochy took out Belt and Posey in that inning. I’m not sure what he thought would have happened next if they’d managed to tie the game. Panik at second, Kelby at third, Gillaspie at first, Brown catching, I guess? Not much of a recipe for extra-inning success on the road–two of your best hitters out and a much weaker defense. Seemed like Bochy panicked a bit there after the late HR.
I don’t think Posey would have swung first pitch if Gorky was on.
I was more bummed Posey didn’t hit it out. I think he thought he got it.
And Pence is a mess right now.
Pence IS a mess. That’s a BIG problem. Really the last two years have been a huge letdown with him. Through 2014 he was an ironman, made the All-Star team that year, and was very good in the postseason. Since then it’s been injuries or ineffectiveness. I’m officially worried about what the next two years are going to be like.
Pence is “streaky”. When he’s scuffling , it makes people say “Pence IS a mess”… He becomes not a mess overnight quite often.
Today would be a good day for that.
When I saw Posey on the bench I said the same thing too, great now we’re going to have Brown in there for extras. We need Posey’s bat to win.
But you cant get to those problems unless you solve the problem at hand, which is getting a run off of Chapman. Which if happens, I think strikes a huge mental blow to the Cubs, their great big acquisition / weapon neutralized in Game 1. It’s akin to what happened with Verlander in Game 1 in 2012, he was “unbeatable” right? It knocked the Tigers for a loop. The same might have happened with the Cubs.
I dont think it was a panic but more of Bochy managing with urgency. With two outs and Pence up, he’s not likely to hit one out in that wind blowing across from left so he needed someone who could score on a base hit. We all know how important game 1 is in a 5 game series and Bochy did too. Its the exact opposite of the way Showalter managed the other night.
The next innings problems are only problems if you get there.
No, it’s all true, and it says more about what a weak bench the Giants have than anything.
Yup..and a move that some Belt fans freaked on made sense to me (note – I am a Belt fan)
Brandon Belt against a 102 MPH fastball from a lefty? Not good. Bochy simply thought Nunez could catch one. Nunez is the furthest thing from “disciplined to the strike zone”, but he CAN catch one…didn’t happen. No big deal.
But Belt against Chapman is a much higher risk
My counter to that is that Chapman didn’t know where the ball was going and no one is better at working a walk than Belt. Nunez hadn’t had an AB in almost two weeks. Chapman DID walk Gorkys (except for the idiot 1B umpire), should have walked Nunez (he fouled off ball four), and gave up a screaming double to Posey. He was gettable.
I wouldn’t say I freaked about the Belt move–I understood it–but I didn’t like it and still don’t. Mainly because Nunez was rusty and is always impatient.
Strange ninth inning decisions all the way around by Bochy. But you do have to run for Posey there. No question. I would not have pinch hit for Belt. I would not have sat Panik either.
tie the game and worry about the other crap later, especially on the road Dr
It’s a good problem to have. The alternative being game over . Lots of guys can play 1st. In a pinch.
Nunez at bat wasn’t all that bad.
This is what it’s like in other teams’ media markets.
Here’s a love note to David Price: “He is killing the Red Sox….Frankly, I wish we saw more self-loathing.” (Heck, why not just suggest Price drown himself in the Charles River to save the Sox big $$?)
https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports
From Nick Cafardo: The Red Sox’s “young stars have stage fright” and “have let the team down.” (And yes, he does grudgingly grant as an aside that Corey Kluber and Andrew Miller are, you know, pretty good pitchers. Still.)
https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports
Just out of left field, but… it seems like you took last night’s loss pretty well.
What are you gonna do? Zero runs is zero runs. Cueto pitched great.
I’m just trying to be realistic. This is a team that didn’t hit, like, at all, for the whole second half. Is it really going to magically be different in the playoffs against the best pitching staff in MLB? They got some magic pixie dust in the wild card game with Conor’s HR. Maybe they’ll get more and maybe they won’t. But they are who they are.
There ya go.
(I knew you weren’t crazy)
(Back at ya)
It was a great game between two very good teams. All of Joe’s tricks will only work once. This ain’t over.
Yeah, I didn’t get it at the time, but Rizzo went to the dugout to get a different glove so he could play second in that trick pickoff play. I didn’t know that it’s an actual rule that you can’t wear a first baseman’s glove if you’re not playing first base. It also was the first time in 33 years that a lefty thrower played 2B, even for one out. The last one was Don Mattingly.
It wasn’t a trick play, just bad base running by Conor. That cannot happen in a game of that magnitude. You have to always be aware on the bases and the first base coach has to be ready for that type of stuff.
It was definitely a trick play that they worked on in Spring Training. C’mon.
It was a set play. They pitched out to Cueto so he couldn’t get the bunt down and threw behind Conor. I agree that Conor and the 1B coach didn’t look great, but the Cubs played them.
Maddon will outsmart the opposition and himself with his need to be creative.
David Price and Clayton Kershaw are exhibits A and B as to the sheer genius, historical precedent, and otherworldliness of Madbum and why we should not take it for granted. We are witnessing baseball immortality. Price has mental issue going on. His stuff is still very very good. Clayton Kershaw has been better than Price but he was not great yesterday. The Dodgers bullpen saved him. Read that last line and contemplate it…
That column about Price was brutal. His teams are 0-9 in postseason games he starts. 0-9! Didn’t he actually end up in the bullpen with Toronto last year?
Yeah, I watched most of the Dodger game, and Kershaw didn’t look good at all. He was lucky that Scherzer gave him such a head start, and the bullpen did save him/them.
One thing sticks out in my mind from the game. First pitch strikes. If pitchers love to get them, why isn’t the team swinging on them early in a game? It may be the best pitch a batter sees.
Agree.
But it is a double edged sword…when we did that on Kershaw; when NY did it on Bum…it played into their hands.
So, swing….but you had better make very solid contact.
Yes, it is a double-edged sword and that’s why I said early. You do give up the pitch-count strategy though. I think selected guys only should go for 1st pitch.
I think early in the game it’s important to make the pitcher work. 5-6 pitches per plate appearance, maybe a couple of 8-9 pitches ABs, and we see the benefit of that later in the game.
I am so impressed by Cueto. I thought maybe he had potential for being injured or figured out. I think he had an average year with the Royals after he got traded last year. But everything I’ve seen with the Giants is one of the game’s best. And he seems to relish big games like last night.
I hope he doesn’t opt out. He’s a great 1 2 punch with Bum.
It’s been a head-scratcher all year to me why he was such a bargain item on the free agent market last winter. If you actually look at his stats over the last 5-6 years, not just a couple months with KC, he’s been one of the best pitchers in baseball. A 20-game winner in 2014, ERAs in the 2s many seasons.
It wasn’t a head-scratcher. The other GMs were worried about his elbow. His was injured and not throwing many fastballs the past two years. The Giants took a gamble the other GMs did not. It was a good move. He is a sensational pitcher, teammate and competitor. I believe the Giants will win the World Series this year because of him, Bum, Smarge and Moore. I believe will find a way to beat the Cubs and then dominate the rest of the way because our bats are going to wake up…
Well, he threw a complete game two-hitter in the World Series after a full season, so his elbow couldn’t have been THAT scary. And anyway, you have massive medical reports before a big contract like that is signed.
I suspect the Giants will get two great years from him and then he’ll opt out, which doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll leave–but he might get tired of losing 1-0 or even winning 1-0 (he’s done both of those several times this year). If the Giants want to keep him beyond 2017, they’d better build a better team next year.
I DO think he likes it here, though.
Yes. But I couldn’t blame him if he thought a team like the Red Sox or the Cubs or (shudder) the Dodgers with their young hitters might be more appealing for the next few years.
The Giants need to plan for both contingencies. This is why it was so key that they picked up Moore and that Samardzija has bounced back so well. The two scenarios for the 2018 rotation:
A: Bum, Cueto, Samardzija, Moore, Blach or Beede
B: Bum, Samardzija, Moore, Beede, Blach
While A is obviously better, B isn’t that bad–and it’s a lot younger. There’s something to be said for not paying for Cueto’s mid-30s years.
B is huge drop from A, and that would concern me. While right now we have two aces and 2 solid 4 and one wild card, the latter gives you an ace, 2 #4s and 2 maybe.
Of course most here overvalue Shark and while Moore is solid he is a 3 at best.
I think keeping him will come down to money, like everything does. The Giants will have to decide what type of risk they want to take and it will depend on what they have going on in the farm with people like Beede. Cueto sure has been a revelation. You are right, they have medical reports and such but I still think teams were gun-shy after the spotty season he had last year.
I think they were gun-shy but maybe shouldn’t have been. Our gain, though, for sure.
The calmness of Bum in big games is amazing. Like Montana.
He’s terrific. I too though that maybe last year’s 2nd half signaled the demise of Johnny C. But no, he’s just a natural NL pitcher and is one heck of an athlete, with a terrific arm, and a fantastic mind for reading hitters. Stick around Johnny!
Tough loss in a tight game, but it was game 1.
Greek, I totally disagree …it didn’t feel anything like “10-0” to me. It was a close battle the whole way. Baseball can be a game of little breaks, and last night went the Cubs way. Yes, the Giants helped it along in a couple of ways, but not the end of the world.
As for all of us railing against any specific guy for at bats in one game, or even a stretch: relax! Someone said “what’s wrong with Pence??” Nothing. He’s being Hunter. “We can’t win unless these specific guys get going”….ummm…the reason the Giants have so much continued success is because they have a flatter roster of everyday performers rather than rely on a few “spike” guys. Pitch well. Defend well. Score enough. They just didn’t score enough last night…
They are facing a very talented Cubs team. They can still beat them. No need to over analyze the “stars”. Just get a couple of key hits.
Briefly – I did think Gorkys trying to steal a couple of pitches after having his ankle rolled was not smart. I did think Hayes and Gillaspie being surprised by the pickoff was bad. I didn’t think “Buster forgot how many outs”… He was pacing his steps in case Zobrist trapped the ball.
Smack the ball against Hendricks and make them think headed to SF.
Exactly.
I think there is too much analysis over what was a good old fashioned pitchers duel between two of the top starters in baseball.
I wrote it below, but pitchers duels generally come down to who blinks first on the mound. Its really that simple.
You’re right, the announcer got it wrong, from Posey’s view, right in front of him, it was just going to be a clean single with no chance to advance to third. He knew how many outs there were.
Question, I probably missed this a while back; was Williamson truly injured or was the 60 day DL deal just a case of roster manipulation?
Well, they left him in AZ at their rehab facility, so that suggests truly injured. They could have just sent him home, right?
But since you brought him up: It doesn’t speak much for the future of LF if Mac and Parker, the co-heirs apparent, couldn’t even beat out Gorkys and Blanco (who’s had an awful year) for postseason roster spots. I see a free agent signing or a trade to fill LF.
Every other injured guy is in the dugout…..hmmm
Who else is injured? I think Mac’s the only guy on the DL except for poor forgotten Chris Heston.
Put a different way: every other non-rostered guy.
Yeah. Now maybe he really is injured and maybe it is absolutely in his and the team’s best interests for him to be rehabbing in AZ right now. I’m not a doctor and I don’t know about his quad injury.
BUT–if they see him as possibly a substantial part of the team’s future, you’d also think the experience of going through the postseason, even from the DL, would be formative and useful for him. The fact that he’s not there at least suggests the possibility that they don’t see him that way. Seems like they have trainers, massage therapists, and equipment adequate for rehabbing a leg injury with the team.
Quad injuries are really tough to put behind you. The quad is huge with four muscles in the group (and is what you use to stand), it can be really tricky to fully heal.
I was going to ask about that, the bubble guys on the roster, I have not seen it yet. Someone posted Brisbee’s speculation that Parker would make it in place of rusty Blanco but I said it would be Blanco. He’s going to have a tough time helping, not hitting and Bochy is not doing any defensive replacements in the outfield these days. So, no one on the bench who could pop one out?
I thought he’d go with Blanco, too. If Parker had hit this September like he did last September, different story. But he really did nothing to distinguish himself, so you might as well have Blanco for pinch-running, bunting (which he’s great at), or double-switches.
If you think that Mac was truly injured why do you also think that he should be on the postseason roster?
As for Blanco/Parker/Gorkys- you said that Gorkys was a “done deal” or words to that effect, and the last spot was between Parker and Blanco-you chose Blanco in a tough call.
No, I was unclear. I guess what I meant is that it’s no sure thing Mac would have made the roster even if he had been healthy, considering he was what, 1-for-September? I think Gorkys and Blanco were the right choices, but I also think the way Mac and Parker disappeared in September to the point that maybe neither would have made a playoff roster suggests that they’re not Plan A for next year in LF.
Roster manipulation is my vote.
Mac got so buried he lost his timing, was a lost cause at the plate.
Going with true injury and that Mac is probably an injury prone baseball athlete. But hey, maybe next year 600 ABs and 33 HRs for the Toronto Blue Jays :-
I have expanded the recap considerably. Refresh your browsers. Today is a new day and I sense a victory for our boys.
I think the 2B platoon is appropriate. Tomlinson didn’t hit anything last night but probably stood a better chance against Lester than Panik. I like Panik, what a rock at second base but offensively he’s been mostly a bust this season and the team is so starved for offense Kelby looks like the better option to me (against lefties).
And Kelby made two excellent plays at 2B last night and a sensational one last week against the Dodgers. I think KT gets a bad rap for his defense. He’s very athletic, and if he gets enough reps at a position, he’ll be fine.
He has come a very long way in one calendar year defensively. Those plays last night were fantastic.
His real success was last year when he took to 2B and played very well at a position we really needed to play solid D.
One other thing. Not very many can play with BCraw in the DP. He did very well where others failed.
Well, it took him time last year…surf and I were at the Wrigley series and he was visibly uncomfortable, and couldn’t make two plays that changed two different games. That was August…he then started making big strides.
Last night, he continued to show his defense belongs at this level.
Remember though, that series in Wrigley you saw was just a couple days after Kelby was called up for his major league debut when Panik was injured. It’s not surprising he was jittery. I remember Panik himself having some growing pains as a new rookie and Duffy, too. But KT got better with each week that went by last year filling in for Panik. Wotus really is a magician with those young infielders, and it even looks like Nunez and Gillaspie have both upped their defensive games.
As I’ve mentioned, I’ve seen Kelby play SS and 3B in various games in Sacramento, and I think he’s actually smoother on the left side and has a very strong arm. And he did great in that one emergency start in LF in May. He’s a good athlete and seems quite coachable.
I gotta disagree on where the two stood relative to one another at call up defensively. Panik was MUCH better from the outset.
I gotta agree on his natural athleticism.
Revisionist
Not whatsoever. Felt that way then. Saw it then. It’s cool to disagree, but I’m not revising anything
The Giants need to pull an Ian Desmond and put Kelby in left next year. What an athlete and I think he will turn into a decent hitter.
Either that or get Ian Desmond himself!
Hmm…whither Ian Desmond. He will be overpaid and given too many years, because that’s the way free agency seems to work.
IMHO, Giants should let Parker and Williamson battle it out for LF, and sign a strong fourth OF. Also, Kelby and Ehire (if he’s still in the mix) have to be able to play some OF.
We need a power hitter in LF! What is the matter with you people?
“Kelby in left next year.”
Do you really think that’s happening?
I think you’re wrong about Nuñez, he broke out of the box strong, but there was none chance he was going to beat it out. He was smart (and probably under instructions not to push the inevitable) and pulled up when he saw his chances.
Unlikely, if he cannot go all out then he should not play. A big part of his success is using his speed. No way do you not run all out on that play in the ninth in a game you are losing by one run.. No way.
Right, and I don’t see how he plays 3B effectively if he’s that hampered, either.
right
Look at it again.
Greek, he’s on the roster because he CAN play. He didn’t bust out on a routine grounder because it clearly wasn’t worth the risk..think of it this way: when Pagan was doing that regularly as he nursed his hamstring back to full health, you understood why he chose HIS spots, right?
Same thing here.
Right on all counts.
I’m with you on this, totally. It’s like the way Cueto does it…Nunez was preserving. That’s all.
I think they can hit Hendricks. They beat him at AT & T his year, their career records are good against him (except for Pagan)–it’s up to the Shark to keep ’em in it.
Yeah, GG, I too still find it hard to believe that Joe Panik is getting platooned in the playoffs. Just doesn’t seem like a Bochy move and Joe hit over .300 in his first 650 MLB ABs and popped 10 HRs this year. Another thing, he does not have have a LHP split differential – career average a bit higher vs. lefties. It’s strange and it must be attributable to some some deficit post-consussion in how he picks up the ball out of the pitchers hand.
Strange days. But nice defense by Kelby. He saved at least one run by making slick pickups on balls to his left.
I think it was partly because Nunez is injured and Bochy felt that he had no choice but to play Gillaspie at 3B last night. (I think KT could play 3B just fine, and I probably would have put him there and kept Panik at 2B, but whatever.)
Anyway, with Gillaspie, Belt, and Crawford already in the lineup, the only ways to get more righties in against one of the game’s better lefty starters was to take out Span and Panik.
” think KT could play 3B just fine, and I probably would have put him there and kept Panik at 2B, but whatever”
Maybe KT could play 3rd well, but lacking evidence either way, I don’t see why he should have been out there.
Well, it was between Panik and Gillaspie as to who was getting benched vs the lefty Lester. Gillaspie obviously had the huge hit in the Wild Card game, so I have no problem with him being out there, but overall, Panik’s a much better hitter vs lefties than Gillaspie is. IMO, KT’s at least as capable of playing a solid 3B as Gillaspie is, and probably a lot more capable with reps/experience. My evidence for that is the eye test, having seen KT play 3B in Sacramento.
Nunez obviously is not healthy enough to play, or more accurately to use his total skills package. I question including him on the 25-man for this series.
We had some chances. Tonight, when those once again surface, take advantage!
That’s my guess because Panik is just such a heart and soul type of all around great player and I am not accepting him being platooned very well.
Me neither. I know our guy, Steve K, doesn’t like this business one bit.
not even a little, but KT did a nice job defensively..
So it seems that KT HAS to play- unless it’s for Panik. Funny that the run he saved rates only an aside in your comment. I like both guys but if you wanted to see KT do anything but pitch hit in this series, it’s at second base against Lester,
“Joey Baseball” will be in there for at least the next two games, he can help make sure that Lester never pitches again this year.
KT is a nice asset coming off the bench as a pinch hitter/pinch runner. Nice plays at 2B. Plays that Joe Panik also makes.
Actually, if you have watched Joe’s defense lately, the only negative has been on plays just like the one that KT made. He has not been able to keep the ball in the infield as he had been earlier. Maybe lost just a tad of his initial spring.
I guess I’ll have to take your word for it. Joe played some GG caliber 2B last year.
Yes, you should my word for it.
Still reeling from last night. Tough one to take and such a great performance by Cueto. But I guess I shouldn’t have expected the Giants to go 12-0 this postseason…losses will happen.
Here’s to the bats waking up and Shark to shut up the Wrigley crowd!
Hendricks has an ungodly low ERA at home – as did Lester among others, which it seems was a result of prevailing winds blowing in most of the year. But this isn’t the regular season any more, Dorothy, and the Giants are rolling out the get-it-done lineup (the 5 run top of the first all started with a 10 pinch AB, base on balls by Denard Span…)
Span
Belt
Posey
Pence
Crawford
Pagan
Panik
Gillaspie
Samardzija
I am hoping we have a Mike Leake type game vs Hebdricks circa 2012 nlds GM 3
you were up early this morning. Running your own business at all hours?
Kind of, sort of. But its getting late early now so I’ll see you on the other side.
PS i think i meant NLDS game 4 where we touched up Leake
Highly charged politics aside, this statement about Bill is probably true. What a world! What a nation! Our founding fathers turning in their graves (but maybe Thomas Jefferson was a randy dude when he wasn’t penning Hall of Fame documents).
‘When the Post story broke, Trump released a statement saying, “This was locker-room banter, a private conversation that took place many years ago. Bill Clinton has said far worse to me on the golf course — not even close. I apologize if anyone was offended.”’
https://www.scribd.com/doc/316341058/Donald-Trump-Jeffrey-Epstein-Rape-Lawsuit-and-Affidavits
Then there’s this.
Oh I’m sure there’s more where that came from. I was just given pause to reflect on Bill and other powerful men in high positions.
Recall how Jimmy Carter got in trouble for Playboy interview he did prior to 1980 election ? Something about how he had desired of other women and struggled to tame those desires…
JFK and Bobby were probably animals. Ted too. In Cadillac Desert, the head of the Bureau of Reclamation in the 50’s & 60’s was characterized as quite an insatiable beast – making advances on married women of men in his department and then boasting to those same guys.
Men are animals, what can you say?
Way to rev things up, Cuz!
don’t get revved so easily
Not me, goofball.
goofball lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol
Dude, I know you rev your choppah ! 😉
If it wasn’t for the guitar love, you know you’d have a Harley!
i love your comebacks finch lol. your great at reflecting things
a master of quasi-apologies.
So yeah, Thomas Jefferson fathered a daughter by one of his slaves.
Just from a linguistic point of view: “I apologize if anyone was offended” is a classic NON-apology because it essentially puts it on the hearer (IF they were offended).
“I’m sorry if your feelings were hurt”
– another goodie from the vault
Great point. The non-apology apology needs to be banned outright. It is the ultimate show of cowardice. The next thing that needs to be banned in politics is women standing by their men in press conferences when they men offer their sad confessionals….
Anybody we know running for office?
Gino, take a nap.
The left handed closer poses interesting challenges. Bochy may have used Span or Panik for Gorkys or not pinch for Belt if it was a righty. And with Nunez hurt his righty options are limited.
If You vote for Donald J Trump you must not of ever had a mother!
Tom Tolbert yesterday on twitter.
Remember The Razor?
“Angels fly because they take themselves lightly”
Sure do
or a daughter
Bingo
or a grandmother or sister or an aunt or a female cousin or girl friend or friend who is a girl — i am so sick of the way men speak about women and think they have the almighty right to say whatever they want whenever they want and to whomever they want and then try to excuse it as locker room talk or some other ridiculous explanation – we are half the damn population – DEAL WITH IT !!! [ok off my soap box – but i have been wanting to say that for the past 24 hours]
one could say the woes of humankind and planet earth are a result of the dramatic imbalances of the male and female energy patterns. the way we subjugate “mother nature” …
or we could just say that men and boys need to grow up and treat girls and women with the respect and courtesy that any human being should rightfully expect at home – in the workplace – in public and in private – it is 2016 and we are damn tired of this behavior
I did early voting this morning. And, yes, I have a mother, even though she is a Cubs fan.
Yesterday we saw that Cueto is big game clutch. Today we’ll see if that’s true of Shark.
And Cueto was often a big game bust.
Shark just strikes me as a non big game guy. I hope im totally off here but he gives me no confidence even though he’s pitched swell lately. Our hitting is weak sauce to say the least! We cant score against soso pitching or even mediocre pitching! Dont get me started on great pitching lol. and our hitting sucks !!!!
Throw it all out the door Slik. Anything can happen! Shark has been on top of his game and the park is playing big.
ok
I’m not sure he’s had any “big games” to measure against…maybe a couple in a different lifetime
Haiti. Is there a more God forsaken puzzle piece of topography in the Western Hemisphere? The other half of the island isn’t paradise, but is developed and is the hot bed for some of the best baseball talents in the world. Although not Haitian born, I believe Touki Toussaint, drafted by the Diamondbacks in the 1st round and later traded to the Braves, is the only Haitian minor league talent (as far as I know). A dividing line on the map and two different worlds. God have mercy on this beleaguered tract of land in the Caribbean sea, and may aid come to ease the suffering.
Prey for Haiti like you prayed for France!
not you in particular.
they speak French in Haiti.
I don’t want to take anything away from the way Samardzija has been pitching lately. He’s been great but they shouldn’t be expecting a shutout outing from the Shark. The last time Samardzija pitched at Wrigley, he lasted 4 innings. Giants got away with not having to use their bullpen up to this point but this has the feel of a bullpen game. Giants need to score early and often.
My pick to click: Belt.
Shark aint shutting out know one just like you stated lol. He may pitch well but it wont be a masterpiece.
Well, the bullpen should be nice and rested. Blach and Moore went 8 innings each last weekend. Bum and Cueto both went the distance!
Good choice – Hendricks does not feature the pedigree of fastball to attack the holes in Belt’s swing. If he leaves soft stuff over the plate, look for Belt to hook one in the corner with runners on . Belt may also walk three times tonight.
Span having a nice game is big time key! If he can get his ass on base consistently with Belt in his proper spot the #2 hole then that will do wonders for the team!! We have trouble scoring runs so getting speed onto the paths will help because god knows we cant hit dingers!
Maybe Bochy should cancel BP again. Worked the last time he did it. Anything to win.
Or have Sabean give a rousing speech in the clubhouse. I hear it’s been effective for Belt and was for pitchers in years past.
Slightly off topic, but… I always thought that in this day and age baseball teams needed to add 2 more experts to their already huge staffs — a therapist (female is preferred since so many ball players have issues with demanding dads) and an eye doctor (correct term too hard for me to spell). I’m glad to see the Giants have added the first on my list — and if you want to call the therapist a hypnotist, that’s OK.
Now they need to get an eye doctor to check the vision of the players at least on a bimonthly basis. Acuity of vision is so important in BB. For example, Joe Panik — Does a concussion affect your vision?
Take a look at UltimEyes©, It did wonders for hitters at UCR.
I’m no dr, but it does’t make much sense it’s related to his concussion. He returned from that and put up a splendid Aug (.862 ops) that included 3 hrs and 17 walks. He was seeing the ball just fine then.
First we replace faulty ligaments in the elbows, now we replace faulty lenses in the eyeballs.
We’re gonna build the better ballplayer.
& Let them juice to maintain their fortitude.
I disagree with the host about Kelby getting a postseason start, he had never had one, he earned one, and his defense was fine. We all remember how important Panik was in the later part of 2014 but he has to make adjustments in his hitting.
Figure on Span and Panik today and see if it makes a difference.
Players like Kelby and Gillaspie will never get the playing time they deserve. They aren’t quite good enough to start on this team, but they are good hitters.
Bruce played the Stats. Panik and Span suck against lefties. Gorky and Kelby had far better numbers. When the righty is in, he goes back to the normal lineup
He has two normal LUs, As we’ve see,.
If Gorkys had scored in the first Bochy would look like a genius.
Let Obama make the same statements as Trump makes and i guarantee ya they’d want his head cut off and castrated.
Town hall audience question:
Mr Trump, I’m very attracted to your wife. Would it offend you if I grabbed her by the ………?
The filters were porous that night…
I’m confused about these “undecided” voters they’re getting for this town hall. These have to be the two most famous/notorious candidates in the history of US presidential elections. They’ve been well-known for DECADES. And the choice couldn’t be more distinct.
Who, at this point, could possibly be “undecided”? (I get it if they’re deciding about not voting at all or about a third-party candidate, but between Trump and Clinton? Really?!)
I wonder what would happen if Kaine and Pence went rogue. How many votes would they get on their own?
Apparently RNC leaders are meeting in DC right this minute to discuss what to do if Trump’s not the candidate. Meanwhile, Trump was quoted as saying “I won’t withdraw. I’ve never withdrawn in my life.” (You can’t make this stuff up, and obviously–he’s the Paterfamilias!)
As for the other side, I still think wistfully about Joe Biden…I love him.
“”I won’t withdraw. I’ve never withdrawn in my life.”
Yep, this one is just too easy. I won’t do it. I’m better that.
Yeah it’s baffling to me.
To me, Trump vs Clinton is like watching the Dodgers playing themselves in the World Series.
I’m staying with baseball.
I know it seems obvious, but I think what some miss is the anti-Clinton feelings. I know those who believe in her probably don’t get it. Please understand I totally get the disgust over Trump. He isn’t viable.
She rubs many of us the wrong way. There IS history that we find a different, much different, version of disgusting. People are undecided because they truly dislike both
Two worst candidates on the planet. If I prayed, i would pray for this country. Instead, I might meditate for us all. Heads they win, tails we lose.
Ohhhhhhhhhmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
This latest Trump shit has absolutely nothing to do with the other candidate.
I don’t know the latest Trump shit. I checked out of the media coverage for this race a long time ago. Did he single handedly try and succeed in instigating a pointless war in Libya or something.
I have a lease on a cave in the Philippines just in case Trump won. Now that’s over for him, I’ll see if you can take over the lease.
Gracias, amigo
Yes it does. He’s blaming bill C for this.
Ommmmmmmmmmmmm…
You are pulling a Trump here, The non-apology apology .This doesn’t have shit to do with Hillary,
The Donald just hung his own ass in the town square,.
The question was about undecided, Michael. I was explaining how someone could be…don’t get sensitive over an innocuous comment
I addressed what you said.
Folks allow for quite a bit of political commentary on this blog. You seem incredibly thin skinned if it goes against your grain. I truly respect you, but maybe ignore my vanilla responses to others that you get so aghast after reading….I am truly not trying to rile you up, but I obviously do.m
I do not like Trump. I do not like Hillary. End of story.
“. End of story” Not for you to say.
The asshole bragged about sexual assault .Yeah,that goes against my grain.As it should anybody.You treat it like ” yeah, that wasn’t nice but lets move on to Hillary…”
You have a hair trigger…again, I’ll slow it down for you:
When I discussed with Lefty my theory for “undecided”, it had NOTHING to do with Trump. Nothing. Got it? You see, some people believe she is a crooked, lying, dangerous person. Her. By herself. That’s it. You may not. That’s cool. But, why don’t you take chill and step back and allow for people to maybe kinda think a tiny bit different that the almighty chef?
OK, Pal?
I get everything you say. And I give you a big time break on most of it.
BTW, you have a habit of not reading your own posts. You should try it.
Now if you want to talk of dangerous politicians, Trump would launch a nuclear attack because his steak was over done.
Do you not understand that I also think Trump is an unmitigated disaster?
I want Gregg Popvich for President
I don’t think anyone who isn’t comatose could possibly miss the anti-Clinton feelings. For me, though, I’d vote for anyone who isn’t Trump. Including YOU. (Maybe especially you.)
Like I said, if someone is saying “I’m sitting this out,” or “Gary Johnson,” I get that. But this debate is between Trump and Clinton, so I assume the “undecided” at this town hall are deciding between those two. And that, after all these months, I truly do not get.
I think all of us here ought to write in Greek Giant. He’s a hero!
I’m decided. I’m not voting for either of them.
That’s a bit of a scam, in my opinion. One way to play the Iowa Caucus game (something that I am all too sadly familiar with, as it has a year long duration) is to never commit to anyone out loud: you get candidate visits, people phoning you, etc. etc.
Like my guy Julian Assange said, its like choosing between Cholera or Gonorrhea. Its not easy to narrow it down. They both have so many terrible qualities to pick from.
Assange actually gave a lady VD in Sweden.
And that reflects what about him?? Whispers she was CIA. He still can’t leave the Ecuador embassy because of it
It reflects he has personal familiarity with his choice of metaphors. Assange is no hero of mine. They say cuy (guinea pig), an Ecuadorian delicacy is an acquired taste.
Well, at least you are being a good American. We have been told to believe he is selfish and evil so he must be
You just copped the easy way out. Go to Sweden and face trial.
He will if they promise no extradition
Sweden is a neutral country. He wants a blank check. That’s just silly.
Not so much these days. You think he doesn’t want to put that behind him. Its pretty much the sole reason why he is living in an embassy. I believe he has invited the swedish investigators to come to him
I am actually more surprised by people that are confident in their choice at thismoment
I’d say more people are confident in their NOT choice.
Could be right. How efficient is our democratic system. We couldn’t find two people out of 300 million that people are enthusiastic about instead of resorting to which person I hate the least. I thought we were supposed to evolve.
Look, this is about Trump’s comments, nothing else. Is it even within your skill set to address that without switching gears?
Nobody is switching gears but you. I responded to a comment that had little to nothing to do with what Trump may have said ( i seriously don’t know because I don’t watch Mainstream American News anymore). SO why would I address what Trump said??
My man, are you ready for some anarcho-syndicalism? (whatever that really means – does State of Jefferson qualify?)
😉
Whoa, had to look that one up. Sounds interesting but probably not my cup of tea. Will have to delve into that later when I have some time. I am closer to an An-Cap person but prefer Minarchism above that…Try not to hate me for it 😉
just dropping some of our guy Noam Chomsky on ya. He’s pretty smart too 🙂
No problem. We all can concur that our leaders are institutionalized and the institution is broken, outdated, or just unable to negotiate the scale of human problems amidst diminishing resources and overpopulation. This is all seems the evolution of things. What’s next ?
For sure, we concur. I think we need to have more political parties and even better no political parties. We need viable competition in ideas in our political process. Everybody should be independent and let’s call lobbyists and lobbying what it really is – legalized corruption, pay for play.
Right now the political process has been captured. It is completely dysfunctional in so many ways. To get to the bottom line, we need politicians that are willing to look out for what is best for America, not best for their backers and we need to reward the ones that take this view and punish severely the ones that don’t
That had Noam written all over it and very smart indeed
It’s also about the opinion many have that both candidates are terrible.
Johnson voters. It’s starting to occur to them, they’re wasting their vote and memories of Nader in Florida, 2000 are surfacing.
I would guess that a lot of “undecided” voters include single issue voters who can’t stand the candidate the most closely aligns with their views on the topic. For example, our immigration system that basically allows whoever shows up or overstays their visa determine who gets to stay here would be more inclined to support Trump but he’s not fit to be president so then they are stuck with Clinton who is kryptonite to many people.
wonder if they will get much of a TV audience since the pack is playing the SNF game but of course now with this latest craziness maybe folks will tune in — i’m with lefty — who could possibly still be “undecided” after what 20 months of this never ending campaign cycle : (
The debates are entertaining and actually should be good viewing for people who are undecided. But its no surprise the debate is being held the same day and time as a nationally televised game. Most of them have. Clinton has nothing to gain from the debates can only lose.
Just like the Bernie Sanders Clinton debates were kept relatively hush hush from Joe Six Pack. Can’t let people think outside pre defined acceptable opinions given to us by the political class
As you know, Clinton will now be the next President of the United States. She can now take a vacation until election day The biggest concern now is what Trump and his core will do now that he’s toast. And that’s a legit thing to worry about.He has already emboldened the wackos with his suggestion that Clinton’s body guards drop their guns. Those “people” take that shit seriously.
Clinton will win for sure. That I have no doubt about. She couldn’t have handpicked better opposition.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/bill-clinton-called-donald-trump-ahead-of-republicans-2016-launch/2015/08/05/e2b30bb8-3ae3-11e5-b3ac-8a79bc44e5e2_story.html
I’m already planning on a nap so I can stay up for SNL, and I’m already making popcorn for the debate.
Kate McKinnon for president! She’s great ! The gals of SNL have the boys whooped.
Extra butter because one of the SNL cast is going to nail it big time.
Lol
Nipple
But Trump says them, and everyone loves him? Really?
Got a good one here. Read today a couple back east was getting married with a wedding party of about 500. Almost half DT supporters and the other half HC. Totally tore the wedding apart. Disruption and chaos was so thick that police were called in. Wedding was canceled. Unbelievable.
The only mfs that love Donald J are then nitwit A holes that no nothing about politics or our country.
DT talk being excused as locker room banter. But my guess is privileged silver spooners have never been in a locker room.
Agreed
The two moderate republican governors on the ballot will have a big effect on the outcome. Trump’s immigration ideas will/can win him some of the middle voting bloc. It’ll be a close race.
The statistical models of Nate Silver’s fivethirtyeight and the NYT’s the Upshot have Clinton winning in an electoral college landslide. Nate hasn’t been close to wrong since he’s been doing this.
The Brexit movement was successful in big part due to exploiting the immigration card. People thought brexit would not pass but it did.
Trump died the moment the tape surfaced.
No problem. Roll out another cyborg that looks just like the old one.
The rhetoric he’s been using since he started his presidential run has been low brow and it hasn’t hurt him with his base. He is going get some middle voters to his side. A low turnout and people throwing their votes away are all variables that play to Trump. The law and order stuff and his immigration proposals appeal to a lot of people.
Clinton has more scenarios to win on the EC board but Trump’s blunt simplicity appeals to a lot of voters.
Even after this latest stuff, you still believe that? I doubt that he survives another few days. We’re looking at Clinton/Pence.
How cool is this? http://tinyurl.com/j8xz9gl
It’s to the point that I really can’t stand Bochy. Only Bochy would have pinch hit for his OBP and HR leader, and it only happened because it was Belt.
You are more a Belt fan than a Giants fan. Bochy is one of the best managers in the game and one of the best ever.
One of the best in the game? He has been, but he wasn’t this year. One of the best ever? No way.
Being in the Hall of Fame = one of the best ever. And majority of baseball experts believe is HOF for sureeee. Sorry dude, keep hating
Thanks for your permission. Don’t think it isn’t appreciated.
Its always nice to be appreciated
Slightly over .500 winning percentage impresses you .
Bruce Bochy impresses me. I know what he has done with his teams in San Diego and what he has done here after the front office pushed the reset button with full force. He is extremely smart, extremely well thought out, and wouldn’t want another manager.
You can join every single other fan base in both leagues in disliking their manager. That is what the vocal fans do. Its a game of failure, you can nitpick all day long in hindsight. And you are very good at that, rarely do you take a consistent position that is logical. You just like to come in after something went wrong and loudly recommend doing the opposite even if you advocated the opposite in your last diatribe. Sorry had to get it off my chest.
You’ve heard the man speak, and you saw what he did with Casilla this year, and your description is “extremely smart?” Interesting.
You don’t think Boch is smart?
Maybe when compared to other managers, but I think it’s a pretty shallow pool.
I would say he is smarter than 99 percent of the population. That is just my opinion but I feel pretty strongly about it. Very intelligent.
He reads the book, and follows it, very predictable
No dude, he is an independent thinker.
Lefty vs righty, righty vs lefty , even if hitters have reverse splits, very predictable .
Lefty vs Righty is a real thing. They are a huge part of the game. He doesn’t do it literally every time, but if you can get a platoon advantage you are simply tipping the odds in your favor.
Will Smith was a classic reverse split pitcher when the Giants got him , but Bochy would constantly only bring him in to face lefties and yank him when a righty came up .
Smith has worse numbers vs RHB for his career
last 2 years not, and that is more recent , so more important .
LOnger sample more important
Cain and Peavy have great careers, should they start then, who cares about the recent past .
Is Will Smith at the end of his career. Why do you want him to face RHH so badly. He hasn’t impressed me all that much. i very much doubt he would get RHH out at a better clip than LHH with the stuff he has been featuring in a Giants uni
You might want to click on to his game log, he has been the Giants best reliever for over a month, you need to pay attention more
I am well aware he has had good results recently. That doesn’t change how i feel or what i said.
That’s really funny. I have to upvote your for that.
It really can’t be that funny. Would love to see him play Chess with you or Poker or anything strategy based
Stratego!
Bochy is very predictable, he is the easiest Manager to read ever, if he has good players he is a genius, if not he is nothing special, look how he used the bullpen this year, how did that work out, from a manager that was a great bullpen manager, in the past he had great bullpens, this year he had to think more .
He completely overachieved in San Diego by quite a bit. Giants were never favored to win a single postseason series in the 3 World Championships they won with the good players they had.
NEWS FLASH PJ! If you have good players your manager will always look like a genuis.
Kaboom!!! Well stated
I like Belt but he wasn’t going to do anything there.
This team can’t score runs. That’s all.
He might have drawn a walk. Chapman wasn’t especially “on” with his command that whole inning. Belt is the best at drawing walks since Bonds.
He might have walked, and he might have been called on a third strike looking, that Home Plate Umpire wasn’t particularly consistent.
I’m mostly worried about what that futile effort did to Nunez’ hammy.
I like Belt too, but it was the right move to make. Belt doesn’t hit high velocity fastballs too well and it was a L-L matchup. Hard to think Belt would’ve done much more than draw a walk in that situation.
You can guess at what Belt would’ve done. We know what a hobbled Nunez did.
Belt is 0-4 with 3 strike outs against Chapman.
Small sample size theater .
I guess 4 ABs tells the whole story?
Well events from 3 months ago sure don’t.
CC…Bochy has no faith in Belt. It’s proven fact. Why send a hobbled guy to the plate and not your HR leader. Just odd.
And OBP leader, when a base runner is needed.
LOL. It’s the second half, check the splits. Last time I looked, Span was the 2nd half HR leader.
Pagan, get your facts straight !
Well, there you go. Thank you.
U sound angry like me.
In his last 96 PAs to end the season, when the post season was on the line, Belt hit .325/.458/.571/1.030.
#’s against Kershaw may be representative as well – that power lefty notion.
Actually he does hit high Velocity fastballs, what about the 405 ft blast vs Thor the other night, his HR in the 2012 NLCS , both those pitches were in the high 90s, he is a great low fastball hitter !
Do your homework , before you post, Belt actually hits lefties better then righties, you just get your opinion from Bochy resting him vs some lefties, Bochy is not good at reading splits .
I’m just saying what Bochy might have been thinking in that situation. Who knew Nunez was still hobbled on that hamstring that he injured in the Colorado series?
Bochy knew !
If Bochy didn’t know, that’s Bochy’s fault.
Away, Belt is hitting .242 against LHP. The reverse split is only true at AT&T over the entire season. In the second half Belt is only hitting .241 total. So BaseballFaxs rules your comment deceptive and misleading. You are consistent.
If you don’t believe in Belt then move him. You got to put faith in BB9. If it wasn’t for him. We don’t get passed Nationals in 2014.
But it wasn’t Bochy who lost this game. It was the Giants failure to score runs, bad base running and clutch hitting. Pence is KILLING THIS TEAM right now. Love you P but he needs to be moved down in the order.
And the Cubs doing what they had to do….
Incorrect Mr Pete Malloy
Panik and Span sat because of the exact same Lefty/Lefty issue. Belt’s OBP and HR leading stats happened during the regular season. This is a new season. What if it had gone extra’s tied 1-1 with Brown now catching the pen due to running for Buster. That ALSO was the proper move.
If it had gone extra innings, they would’ve been without Belt and Posey. I’m not sure what your point was there, but I’m also often unsure whether you actually have a point at all.
If you could not type ‘but I’m often unsure whether you actually have a point at all’ – your posts would be cut in half. I wrote what I know and know what I wrote.
The fact that you can’t deal with it is on you.
Regardless of sport or real life – your commenting methodology is the same no matter what the topic.
http://www.sanjoseinside.com/2016/03/08/activists-urge-council-to-appeal-officer-whites-reinstatement/#comment-1633262
But often it’s pretty tough for others to know what you wrote.
You = http://www.sanjoseinside.com/2015/06/05/parents-of-mentally-unstable-woman-shot-by-san-jose-police-criticize-report-clearing-officer/#comment-1579741
Me=http://fe0.84e.myftpupload.com/2016-postseason/n-l-d-s-game-1-preview-giants-face-cubs-with-history-at-stake-begin-second-stage-of-title-quest/#comment-2939190632
I didn’t know you were such a fan, or stalker, or maybe a combination of both.
My neighbor works for San Jose PD. She told me about you. No stalking involved.
Keep trying Malloy…
You’re following me on other sites and supposedly asking a neighbor about me. What would you call it?
No, she told me about the sites and who was who including their various nom de plumes. Big Giant Fan living on a street with big Giant fans. I never brought you up. She brought you up and told me about the sites.
Similar to your love of your favorite media star. When people site episodes of his reprehensible behavior – you support him and say anybody who doesn’t must be stalking or obsessed. Yeah right Malloy
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/video-shows-sportscaster-on-bizarre-rant-over-colleagues-script/
http://insider.foxnews.com/2016/05/25/kron-sportscaster-gary-radnich-calls-out-co-anchor-during-live-broadcast
http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/KRON-sportscaster-rails-against-anchor-live-on-7940295.php
What’s my first name?
Pfftt, that’s easy. “The”
Come on. I was trying to see if he really knew, which he doesn’t. Now you gave it away.
First names are not as important as *Bingo* ones last name….
Eddie Garcia has that Greg Suhr ‘look’ to him.
I think Phillip White might be a hero of yours but he drops names way to easy….as far as who is who in the department. Phil was at Menlo College coaching hoops when I was helping with baseball. Loose lips.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/04acddc23a31ee431d26a6e064629a0e9a305a44a83978b9bf1278244419a82a.jpg
No, it’s Larry, he’s the Oracle guy, right?
Darryl, or maybe the other brother, uh, what was it again?
Darrell.
You don’t know what it is? Because she knows what it is….
Nice try… She was able to point to your name on this document…
http://transparentcalifornia.com/salaries/san-jose/
Wow, who knew; Jose Uribe works for SJPD.
LMAO
Do you also have my colonoscopy results? Actually, I don’t think there is a neighbor, I don’t think you know my name, and I bet you don’t even realize how weird you’re sounding.
I “hear” you have nothing to worry about regarding those results. Good Luck going forward. Keep that part of the system flushed and active.
Clint Eastwood to direct hero pilot Captain Sully’s biopic
I agree the guy made a great landing, but he was saving himself as much as anyone else. Sitting in the front of the plane, he likely would’ve been the first to die. He didn’t put himself at any added risk to save others. It wasn’t like running into a burning building. Great pilot, yes. Hero? Not as much.
Ha…yes, I said that. Do you have a scrapbook filled with my comments?
No but PSI might
POSTGAME NOTES: Petit finally finds perfection, and keeps going; The change that
Pete Malloy Formerly_PSI
You made the prediction that current Lincecum, after two poor seasons, wouldn’t be as good as Hall of Famer Greg Maddux? Brilliant! No one else could have seen that but you! You should give yourself yet another round of applause. We are all truly fortunate to have the benefit of your brilliance.
They for the most part, actually happened in the 1st half of the regular season.
Keep saying the same thing, then see below how Belt ended the season.
You’re the one preaching small sample size. My point is statistics just don’t tell as much about Belt on any given night as his in game performance. Chapman would have eaten his lunch, IMO.
Bumgarner hitting in his BP group before yesterdays game
https://www.facebook.com/Giants/videos/10153889017836828/
Pence is KILLING THIS TEAM right now and needs to be moved down in the order.
Nahhh, he’s a threat. Maybe tonight is the night he runs into one with the bases drunk.
hey pal. isn’t your mom’s 3rd treatment this week? is it tomorrow, or tuesday? you heading down to la la land? was just thinking about you.
Might be hurting the team:
Pence and Kelby both hit balls heading to centerfield that Lester intercepted,
So he can kill them in the 7 spot?
Biggest game of the year because if the Giants win I love our chances with Bum and Moore at home. Don’t want to go back to chi for game 5.
Regardless of the outcome, that was one great ballgame, IMO, last night.
I could agree if I wasn’t such a sore loser. Cueto pitched his coconuts off and lost. He throws 121 pitches and 1 is bad. 1 out of 121 and you get the loss. That hurts.
Losing is nooo fun, but shortly baseball will be done for the year. Savor what we have, and hope for a long October.
I’ll second that serene observation.
A classic.
Amen. Nats/Dodgers was a nail biter too. Good stuff. NL showing the AL what’s up for the most part.
What time are the Evils playing the Nots today?
was gonna ask TF62 how his weather is and what the case may be in DC area – last I checked, rain through the afternoon.
I tracked it on GameDay at a wedding rehersal di9nner with about 8 other Giants fans asking me what was happening. Today is the wedding and I have just a minute to see comments from you all.
Five one-run games in a row with Cubbies means we can beat them just as easy as missing it by one. I think it is a good sign. But a win tonight will really prove this theory.
In a five game series, about all you wish for is a split in their house. There is a tissue paper of difference between these two teams.
That was a great game.
I get why Boch had to PR for Buster. If the game went to extra innings, well, we’ve had the little guys step up and get it before. Still a crap shoot.
So if we’d tied the game, Connor goes to first, KT to third and Panik enters?
One loss. All hell breaks loose on the blog. TO thinks Bochy is a bad manager again. People are fighting!
Go Giants?
True that. I am going dark until the game. Its been real and its been fun.
Zero dark thirty Doughnut.
Starting Gorky last night was a stroke of genius. No way Span catches that ball. I would have let Belt hit
IDK, Nunez in his condition was not a good option, Belt generally can’t catch up to 95 never mind 102. Chapman was all over the place with his location, was hoping Belt could draw a walk the best option? Maybe, sure underscores the weakness of the bench doesn’t it?
Might want to look at the tape from the wild card game, and the 98 mph Fastball he hit 405 feet, he kills the low fastball, both his career post season HRs were off fastballs over 94 mph, the 1st won off of Jason Mott was on a 98 mph fastball .
I like Belt, not close to being a basher, but that one was an exception, not the norm. Chapman would have been a hope for a walk at best.
Facts lose to reputation on this blog, you would be shocked at how many career HRs he has hit on 95 + fastballs, he has ownage over Andrew Cashner for example who throws 95+ .
Not even thinking about reputation, can’t remember how many times I saw him swing through fastballs right down Broadway this season. I didn’t see as much action this season as others here, maybe I was unlucky and just saw the misses.
The high ones, he crushes low fastballs, and when he is in a slump he looks bad, but when he is hot he looks great, and people tend to remember his slumps
His slumps last way longer then his hot streaks! Probably twice as long.
Yes, most players do have longer slumps then hot streaks, Pence might be worse then Belt in that way, because he swings at everything when he is in a slump .
I agree. But Belts seem to go on forever my goodness.
You may have missed the 66 extra base hits, 104 walks and nearly .400 OBP.
I know his stats, doesn’t make him a good candidate for success against a flamethrower such as Chapman. I wouldn’t have lifted him for an ailing Nunez though.
Other than Posey, what Giant has had good success against Chapman?
Nunez actually walked on the first 3-2 count but due to Chapman and the moron first base ump had to swing at it and foul it back, and then he grounded out.
To be honest, I’m sick of it.
The elections? Me too. Just hope this blog doesn’t start fighting like the campaign sides do.
I didn’t say bad, and my opinion hasn’t changed any.
That’s for sure.
Debate = Fighting, everybody should be robots, that is no fun .
lmao because his one way bent on anything in life is the same same
The blog is definitely in rare form today.
In comparison to other fan bases this is nothing.
My frustrations are not physical performances. They’re the mental and fundamental mistakes.
Home?
Johnny Q was just fantastic last night.
He was so beyond fantastic. He looked so crisp and electric. Especially his first three inning I seriously thought he had perfect game stuff.
He’ll get another chance this series.
Quest?
Game called in DC?
1pm tomorrow
Good. I can watch that…
Late last night Via Sirius/KNBR bout 130 am my time and 1030am KNBR SF time a caller named “Scott from Marin” called in saying “I played baseball and have watched it for 45 years and Buster clearly forgot how many outs there were”. Host and Board Operator let him vent and then dumped the call. The exact facts that he brought up were the exact facts that make “Scott in Marin” completely doltish.
Pagan swung at a 3-1 pitch – With two outs a runner at first base is running on contact. With a 3-2 count a runner at first base has been taught how to get a better “on contact” jump. That is if the batter starts his hands/swing on 3-2 – then R1 gets an even better jump than “bat hitting ball”.
Buster had the Pagan hump-back line drive to Zobrist right in front of him. In fact the Pagan hard-big swing – but ball not reacting the same – fooled Zobrist.
As Buster approached the second base bag he started chopping his steps (“breaking down his steps”) so that he could stutter step (Big Papi used the same technique the other night when he left the box – ran to first and headed for second – by the way 8 sec flat, best home to second time of the year).
Flannery has mentioned many times: “Our two smartest base runners are Crawford and Buster.
So Buster did all of the above and when he saw the ball behind Zobrist, cut the base properly, picked up speed and headed for third base.
Scoring there was a figment of fans imagination (like Alex Gordon)
The big moment almost reached fruition if Crawford had been able to coax a ball over Addison Russell head because Posey and Pagan both score easily moving on contact.
Crawford’s 6-3 out was on 0-2 but was the 5th pitch of the at bat because before grounding out he fouled two pitches back
You’re my hero i hv to meetcha 1 day.
Mo-my-brotha-from-another. That will happen. As George Zimmer says: I guarantee it.
Sounds good! Id pick that brain of yours with baseball chat until you asked me to change subjects. Your ball knowledge is unparalleled!
I can delve into other sports but baseball – like you was my first sport of choice.
Then Hoops and NFL
I can barely spell hockey and soccer
Same here baseball basketball then football. I cant name any footballers anymore damn. My interest has dwindled for years now. But i do like seeing the Raiduhs do well
Possible things in Shark’s favor tonight:
1. Should be comfortable in that park.
2. His biggest issue is HRs. If the wind is blowing in maybe those long drives will turn into flyball outs.
3. He has been pitching really well lately. Hopefully he’s fixed whatever led to a streak of bad starts in the middle of the season.
Should of been cozy the last time he pitched there but he was not!
True but maybe the wind was blowing out??
4) a bunch of pissed off Giants hitters who know they need to score when they get men on base.
Last night i felt like tipping over the chest board just like I use to do when my bro and i were kids and he would be whipping my ass in chess! Im a bad loser and i need intervention.
My latina friend Marrianne tried her best to console me last night by telling me the Gs will definately win tonights game! So im going with that.
isn’t it Latina?
You’re exactly right!!!
Hopefully, you got some good loving.
Dont i seem very happy today Brown ?
Awesome dude
Lol
I know better! Thanks
Public Service Note
ICYDK for some.
THEN and THAN
then
[th en]
adverb
1.
at that time:
Prices were lower then.
2.
immediately or soon afterward:
The rain stopped and then started again.
3.
next in order of time:
We ate, then we started home.
4.
at the same time:
At first the water seemed blue, then gray.
5.
next in order of place:
Standing beside Charlie is my uncle, then my cousin, then my brother.
6.
in addition; besides; also:
I love my job, and then it pays so well.
7.
in that case; as a consequence; in those circumstances:
If you’re sick, then you should stay in bed.
adjective
9.
being; being such; existing or being at the time indicated:
the then prime minister.
noun
10.
that time:
We have not been back since then. Till then, farewell.
Idioms
11.
but then, but on the other hand:
I found their conversation very dull, but then I have different tastes.
12.
then and there, at that precise time and place; at once; on the spot:
I started to pack my things right then and there.
Also, there and then.
———————————
than
[th an, th en; unstressed th uh n, uh n]
conjunction
1.
(used, as after comparative adjectives and adverbs, to introduce the second member of an unequal comparison):
She’s taller than I am.
2.
(used after some adverbs and adjectives expressing choice or diversity, such as other, otherwise, else, anywhere, or different, to introduce an alternative or denote a difference in kind, place, style, identity, etc.):
I had no choice other than that. You won’t find such freedom anywhere else than in this country.
3.
(used to introduce the rejected choice in expressions of preference):
I’d rather walk than drive there.
4.
except; other than:
We had no choice than to return home.
5.
when:
We had barely arrived than we had to leave again.
preposition
6.
in relation to; by comparison with (usually followed by a pronoun in the objective case):
He is a person than whom I can imagine no one more courteous.
Origin of than Expand
Old English
900before 900; Middle English, Old English than (ne) than, then, when, variant (in special senses) of thonne then; cognate with German dann then, denn than, Dutch dan then, than
Can be confused
than, then (see usage note at the current entry)
Usage note
Whether than is to be followed by the objective or subjective case of a pronoun is much discussed in usage guides. When, as a conjunction, than introduces a subordinate clause, the case of any pronouns following than is determined by their function in that clause: He is younger than I am. I like her better than I like him.When than is followed only by a pronoun or pronouns, with no verb expressed, the usual advice for determining the case is to form a clause mentally after than to see whether the pronoun would be a subject or an object. Thus, the sentences He was more upset than I and She gave him more sympathy than I are to be understood, respectively, as He was more upset than I was and She gave him more sympathy than I gave him. In the second sentence, the use of the objective case after than (She gave him more sympathy than me) would produce a different meaning ( She gave him more sympathy than she gave me). This method of determining the case of pronouns after than is generally employed in formal speech and writing.
Than occurs as a preposition in the old and well-established construction than whom : a musician than whom none is more expressive.In informal, especially uneducated, speech and writing, than is usually treated as a preposition and followed by the objective case of the pronoun: He is younger than me. She plays better poker than him, but you play even better than her.
Adam and Eve saw Spot chase Jane down the hill. Jack then chased Jill up and over the hill until the
to – two -too of them were hungry for lunch. Jack and Jill put out the lunch but Spot at the lunch.
http://grammarist.com/usage/than-then/
Yes I was being both condescending and helpful. I shouldn’t concern myself with literacy, it’s a blog, already.
For TotalFan62 and GG’s reading enjoyment
http://tinyurl.com/Pagan-Knew-Ball-Would-BlowBack
John Shea on Last Night at Wrigley
http://tinyurl.com/Wrigley-Field-for-SF-Giants
Shark over Moore http://tinyurl.com/The-Big-Shark-versus-Matty-M
When I first saw Baggs starting lineup and Subs – I thought that the Giants had added a right handed position player named Tom Linson.
https://twitter.com/extrabaggs/status/784844451214524416
I hate saying tonight is a must win but i think it falls into that category. Winning three in a row just seems like too much, given i expect these games to all be close-knit affairs. But… if we can win tonight i really like our chances to take the series. Im also juggling hand grenades and straight razors right now though so my thoughts are probably pretty jumbled.
Dammit if Chitown wins the whole baseball world will lose their collective minds.
Last night was the opportunity to get any lead.
It’s doesn’t look good bro
I know ! Cant hit with men on or off the base paths. Tired of hearing about Busters catcherss legs hell all catchers hv catchers legs. I’m worried but if we lose I’ll still sleep well.
My Volunteers getting their butts kicked down in College Station, TX. 21-7, A&M nearing halftime.
Isn’t this Tennessee’s recipe for victory though?
Yeeaah, I’m not buying any of that sheet. They’re getting outplayed, and they’re losing more players to injury. Can’t count on more second half comebacks.
I think you just guaranteed a win. Well done. Now do the same for the Giants.
Bobby Dinero weighs in on the Donald
(Horse’s head on the bed at Trump Tower by tomorrow morning.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2016/10/08/robert-de-niro-goes-off-on-donald-trump-id-like-to-punch-him-in-the-face/
Headed to my gig, which begins an hour before game time. Hoping I can catch the end, and a happy one at that.
Good luck, Orange and Black. Let’s knot this series up and bring it back to the Golden City By the Bay.
It will take a Shark miracle, other than that it does not look good
So, you’re feeling positive?
Nope. Last night was the slight opening
C’mon, E. We can win tonight. And if we do we’ll carry all the momentum back to SF.
Are you married into Peter’s family on the “wives” side of the family? 🙂
If you have cable or satellite but not MLB Network, they’re making the game tonight free on all systems.
how so?
Hope they give us Mondays, too.
New Post: http://fe0.84e.myftpupload.com/2016-postseason/n-l-d-s-game-2-giants-look-for-series-split-momentum-and-perhaps-a-run-vs-cubs-at-wrigley/