by
GreekGiant
This one was for MadBum!
In a ho-hum NLDS game 3 that nobody will remember in two days, the indomitable Giants of San Francisco vanquished the Chicago Cubs 6-5 in 13 innings to push the heavily-favored North Siders one game closer to elimination. Joe Panik’s double off the wall in the bottom of the 13th inning drove home Brandon Crawford who lead off the inning with a double of his own.
There is so much to write about this memorable, incredible, unbelievable, epic, suspenseful and thrilling game that it will be simpler for me to make a bulleted list of items rather than trying to make a narrative out of it.
The List of Destiny
- Madison Bumgarner was not sharp. He could not put hitters away. In the second inning with two outs and two on, no score, and a 1-2 count to Jake Arrieta, The Giants ace threw a fat fastball above the belt that Arrieta powered into the left-field bleachers. That was the 5th RBI and second homer by Cubs pitchers in the series. MadBum would give up more hits in the inning. While he threw 43 pitches, he managed to avoid further damage, pitching valiantly to keep the game at 3-0. He hung tough to pitch two more innings and keep the Cubs from piling on. MadBum’s performance was not dominant but it was gritty, tough, and incredibly inspiring.
- Denard Span had a huge game with a sensational catch, a double and a triple igniting rallies and scoring two runs. After a largely un-remarkable regular season, Span is proving to be a gamer and a fighter, the type of player you want in a baseball death-match against a heavily-favored opponent.
- Conor Gillaspie, with a lifetime batting average against left-handed relievers of .179, pulverized a 103 MPH fastball from Aroldis Chapman to triple and drive in two runs that gave the Giants their first lead in the series in the bottom of the 8th inning.
- Sergio Romo gave up a wall-scraper two-run home run to Kris Bryant, who had an exceptional game, with one out in the 9th inning that squashed the spirits of Giants fans waiting to celebrate their first victory in the series and tied the game.
- Buster Posey, who punished baseballs left, right, and center all night, drilled a ball down the right field line in the bottom of the ninth inning with one out and Brandon Belt on first. Belt was running all the way and for a few hopeful breath-taking seconds it looked like the Giants were going to win it until Albert Almora, Jr. made the catch of his life and doubled Belt off first base ending the inning, the rally, and perhaps any optimism of Giants fans.
- Ty Blach pitched two shutout innings for the win and needed a double-play to escape trouble in the top of the 13th inning.
- Brandon Crawford lead off the bottom of the 13th inning with a double. Joe Panik was next up. Many schools of baseball logic dictates a sacrifice bunt to move the winning run to third with one out. But Bruce Bochy made the call of his life electing to let Panik hit away against left-hander Mike Montgomery who had thrown over 50 pitches in the longest relief appearance of his career at that point. With the pitcher’s spot in the hole and Blanco on deck, it was suprising that Maddon did not walk Panik. On the third pitch Joey Baseball mutilated a high fastball off the wall in Right field sending Brandon Crawford home with the winning run and giving the Giants their first win of the series in a game for the ages that nobody will ever forget.
That was a game destined to enter the lore of Giants playoff classics for so many reasons. Let’s begin with the story line of the Giants narrowly-escaping an embarrassing sweep at the hands of the upstart Cubs. This was the tenth elimination game in a row won by the Giants, a Major League record and certainly one of the most memorable. Between the horrible umpiring, unconscionable review that failed to over-turn a call at first that went against the Giants, and the general pro-Cubs bias in the media, the Giants were basically an after-thought most of the game. They were bit performers sharing the stage to the leading men from Chicago.
Bruce Bochy Out-Manages Joe Maddon
The chess match between Joe Maddon and Bruce Bochy ended up a checkmate for the San Francisco manager after the Chicago skipper depleted his relief corps and bench. His gamble to pitch Chapman, his closer, with nobody out in the 8th inning backfired. Maddon was liberal with his use of relief pitchers throughout the 7th, 8th, and 9th innings which meant that there was only one Cub pitcher available after Montgomery. How ironic that Bochy, the manager who never met a late-game relief match up he didn’t like, had more arms available in the bullpen than Maddon. This was a crucial part of the game that would eventually turn in the Giants favor.
Giants Baseball + October = Unforgettable Drama
This game had everything a baseball fan, a sports fan could ever dream of: epic homers, amazing catches, clutch hits, triple digit fastballs, a raucous crowd, lead-changes, comebacks, a historic story line and much much more. The suspense was ridiculously entertaining. The plot-lines were many. If anyone ever tells you baseball is boring just make them watch this game. Only baseball could provide such scintillating drama and compelling story lines worthy of William Shakespeare and Alfred Hitchcock both.
I am writing this on four hours sleep so I will refrain from going into further detail about the Giants lack of aggressive base-running that may have cost them at least two runs or the continued media and officiating bias that is embarrassingly pro-Cubs. This was one of the biggest Giants wins of the year and certainly since last Wednesday’s Wild Card game.
A Championship Pedigree
One of the most gratifying aspects of this game for me was how the Giants did not give up and fought with everything they had, even with all the set-backs and adversity, with their season on the line! Bruce Bochy, Brian Sabean and Robert Evans, indeed the entire Giants organization, have created a culture of perseverance and relentless pursuit of victory, regardless of the moment or the player. The Giants may not have the biggest numbers, the pitcher with the best fastball, the hitters with the most home runs, but they have a will to win, a quiet confidence and a championship pedigree that is already legendary and something all fans should be proud of.
I am still in a bit of disbelief. I need to catch a nap because all the fun begins again to night with Matt Moore on the mound in game four, pitching to bring the Giants one step closer to the NLCS.
Two down and ten to go.
Breckeroni claims he goes by JP now.
https://twitter.com/IamCodyRoss/status/785732547753877504
Maddon paniked and sent in Chapman for a 6 out save.
I bet it really chapped his ass too.
What a game….. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/85b000798bd571d9df96c28d6cef23d4f4e77dab853975ad573e546249571c13.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/dfac9021d7e29344dfe1610918027340cf53dab07c3a4a547c02692d668e5592.jpg
Some moments to remember. In no particular order….. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/38fda61b9abeaa9276a0cec3b9a3443aad0c2783c07b641a603bc92cc58497a9.jpg
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/fb98569ad49ad79a138a073695a437dc1443e92a36d35f81982f57037e759d42.jpg
AUBREY HUFF twitter:
@aubrey_huff
That a baby @bcraw35 come on @SFGiants let’s end this so I can go to bed!
AUBREY HUFF @aubrey_huff
Thank you @JoePanik #notdoneyet #beliEVEN
Absolutely everybody contributed in one way or another.
That was a B.A.L.L.G.A.M.E.
( Did I spell that right?)
Your man Span included.
I can’t even make a list of the heroes tonight, too many of them.
GNight, Surf.
Just copy the names in the scorecard maybe.
Good night
Epic comeback. Epic game. You can’t make this shit up. These guys are incredible.
Pretty interesting to go back and read this Baggarly article about Gillaspie back in February, knowing what we know so far about this post-season.
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/giants/2016/02/21/conor-gillaspie/
SWEET! GIANTS!! Asleep at 3:15 AM EDT, alarm goes off at 5:30 AM, gotta get up and pack Mrs. TF breakfast and lunch and see her off to work. As soon as she’s out the door, back to sleep and dream about my Giants. What a game!
You’re a gamer.
What’s the general mood in Cubs nation?
PANIK!
Many heroes but I think Span was the biggest. They were down 3-0, Bumgarner was hanging on by his fingernails, no one else was hitting, it looked like they might go down without much of a fight, and he got a double and a triple to get them back in it.
Span and Bumgarner kept them in the game, enabled the later heroes to rise and do their thing.
Gillaspie also made a great play against Soler in the 3rd, it would have been big trouble if he didn’t.
Great point. I was watching replays this morning and think the same.
We’ll see you tonight!
No more loony platoons. Same soup. The guys that drive with the clutch get to go out and do it again – and then again back in Chicago vs. Lester.
—
Matt Moore, biggest start of your life tonight, how do you feel?
Conor Gillaspie, the blog was probably reverting back to mentions of a cast iron glove at third and then you totally save their bacon. What do you say to that?
Denard Span, you’re a winner, aren’t you?
This roster was described as “very flawed”. Surely that’s an overstatement, but can you find one single flaw in the constitution of this team’s heart?
Have a great day. We’ll see you tonight!
Baseball is so strange: Conor must have bought a new glove? He was my first choice to go when the mid-season reserve IF glut was ready to clear out. The guys made us proud last night.
Brilliant foresight by Bochy for keeping Conor on the team even after the Nunez acquisition and after Adrianza returned. Recall that many on this blog wanted him cut.
I always liked his style and his hitting in particular, going back to 2011. I don’t remember his cup of coffee in 2008.
We weren’t privy to the work he and Woty were putting in. I think many things we say are subject to revision since NONE of us are inside on what’s really happening. All we have is indirect evidence and conjecture.
If you noticed, i was playing the role of Pollyanna Finch the entire time!
I didn’t say a word about CG’s error. I figured he’d earned a pass.
You’re right, it all came down to what he does “next” and he came through.
Not just that . He made a really great play to lead off the 3rd, there would have been another run there if he hadn’t because the next 2 guys got hits.
When a guy works as hard as Conor to overcome a horrible rep (when in his 1st few years) about attitude and skills (recall his history at 3rd with White Sox) and does this, well, he deserves every prop he gets. Thanks to Woty for putting in the effort with this kid.
He deserves what he’s earned.
Nice.
Besides the Giants bats coming alive, the other good thing about last night is that we finally poked some holes in the Cubs bullpen, including Chapman.
Chapman looked very hittable and walkable Friday.
Right on Giants, nice way to start the day. I konked out after the bottom of the ninth when Posey’s drive to right was caught. I still can’t believe that outfielder was there, thought they typically pinch the gap at AT&T. Oh well, I guess that play is seriously water under the bridge as well as the suspicious non reversal earlier in the game.
There was just no way I could stay up for that one being on the East Coast. Too bad. Plus my DVR didn’t work. Bummed that I couldn’t watch.
I’m a weenie; I’m on the west coast.
Glad to see Panik get in the groove. That last hit looked like an easy swing and the ball went so far. Much further than any ball hit by Pence or Belt who looked like they also crushed their’s. Panik has easy power.
I see that the box score shows the Cubs used a bunch of pitchers for one batter or just partial innings (till the last guy) and the Giants used their relievers for full or multiple innings. Did they trade managers last night, that Cubs box looks like Bochy was calling the shots.
I HATE when we get the late game. Accidentally fell asleep when they were trailing 3-2 in the 8th. To that time, was hoping for a comeback, but prepared for the worst. Was woken up at 3:30am to the post-post-post game show. I’m a zombie today
Just think of the zombies that lived and died 12 times in the 5 innings you missed!!!
Epic, expected October Giants baseball, brother
#StillBreathingStillFighting
#EvenYear
Interesting decision re Pagan. Sounds like he’s doubtful for tonight or even for a Game 5. If they replace him on the roster and they advance, he can’t play in the next round.
I think I’d replace him (with Parker, I guess). No guarantee Pagan could even play in the next round, and you have to try to get there. They already have Nunez taking a bench spot and he can hardly do anything right now.
Those are tough calls and I did not realize you lose the player for the next series too. But neither one can play, there is no tomorrow, so they have to replace them both. AE has some speed and covers the IF; Parker sounds fine too. Gorkys starts tonight.
Yeah, it’s a disincentive to play games with your roster/DL if, for example, someone just isn’t hitting.
I also wonder if they could take a pitcher off the roster and add Parker or Adrianza. They went 13 innings last night and still had four guys left in the bullpen. But there’s probably some rule prohibiting that.
From the radio game obsdervations it sure sounds like Nunez cannot even run yet so he would be a legit DL and hope he is okay for the WS only. Pagan must be close to better unless it is a return of the pain/injury that took him out before. I hope he is honest about it and does not cost the team by going out at 50% and missing a flyball.
You would think Giants fans, especially fans of this team, would believe, no not believe, but expect miracles more than anyone. Did anyone not believe the Giants would come back and make a game of it last night?
I absolutely thought they would. It was huge that Bum held them at 3.
That was courageous of Bum. It really was a gutsy and brave, tough performance on his part. Our pen did great too, not withstanding Romo’s little hiccup…
I gave up entirely and im not ashamed to admit it! This team has HUGE issues with scoring runs and im now jaded until i see otherwise.
You JUST saw “otherwise” , Slikk!
Huge. Grinding. Mentally strong.
Also as mentioned below, Span’s hits slowly chipped away and kept it close and within range.
Yes…a few of us did…honestly. Read back.
We all know you hung in there the entire time with positivity Matthew know one needs to read past comments.
And many caved in
From the time Arrieta homered in the 2nd until the time Baez struck out in the 3rd I was pretty pessimistic. Bumgarner was just falling apart and they were already down 3 runs. When Baez struck out I was like hmm, Gillaspie makes a great play to lead off the inning, they don’t send Zobrist in against Blanco’s feeble arm, Baez whiffs, momentum is switching a little.
To be honest, I thought the Giants would come back at some point before the game was over. I didn’t know if they would win, however.
That they got to Chapman didn’t really surprise me. I wasn’t even particularly surprised about Romo giving it up.
However, during games, a lot of us stress the pessimism as a protective measure.
Yes.
I did not believe. How could I? Ever since they got swept by the Padres to open the 2nd haf they had not performed like a playoff caliber team. Championship blood or not. To put it bluntly… they stunk!
I’m not enjoying my toasted crow this morning; it’s tough and gamey. But worth every disgusting bite in the wake of last night’s ccomeback.
My 40 years of fandom has bred into me the expectation of failure – too many cold nights at Candlestick I guess. You’d think 3 rings would have cured me, but alas, like Eyore, I always fear the worst when victory hangs in the balance. Boy would I love a good old fashioned SFG blowout. But I guess if it ain’t torture, it ain’t the Giants. Cheers!
watched the 1st 12, then had to go to sleep. got up early to see my guy JP12 come through. his swing is looking better, and better. he’s done sitting against lefties, right boch? when CG got his hit off chapman, i was yelling.. CONOR FKN GILLASPIE!!, CONOR FKN GILLASPIE!! when romo gave it up in the 9th, i was yelling something else. the walk to fowler was the one thing he couldn’t do. he knows that. to his credit, he got 6 big outs after that. i look for him to close a big one before the parade.
madbum must mean warrior in some other language. he’ll be tough to beat in his next start vs wash, or his relief appearance in game 5. law, strick9, smith, and blach, #whatajob. something is terribly wrong with the replay system, if they didn’t “conclusively” think that rizzo’s foot was not in contact with first base.
the cubs deserve credit for the game, as well. bryant is a beast. i sure loved it though when maddon’s moves backfired on him. a 6 out save?..not in our house tough guy. there is only one team on the field that has championship blood coursing through their veins, and only one melon headed manager with 3 rings. if the boys from the team by the bay can pull out another win tonight, you can be sure that billy goat is going to be whinnying his fool head off.
I’m still processing the end of that game. The Giants still had four more arms in the bullpen: Lopez, one of their greatest postseason heroes, Casilla, who was their closer until three weeks ago, Kontos, who’s been with the team since 2012, and Samardzija, their pricey free agent signing.
And who pitched the 12th and 13th innings? A rookie with a month of major league experience. Ty Blach.
Ponder that one!
(Also, ponder that they probably could have gotten by with one or two fewer pitchers for this round and had more bench players… Oh, and thank you Joe Maddon for pitching to Panik and not leaving it up to Blanco, who was hitless on the night, and the pitcher’s spot. Not that Ty “Two Hits Off Kershaw” Blach is such a terrible choice.)
That’s because Bochy only uses his vets.
Blach feels like the pitcher version of Duffy. Bochy just likes him, and there you have it.
great call about blach and duffy. spot on..
Bochy was heavily criticized for not going to Duffy earlier.
Duffy made the team in 2015 out of spring training (exposing Adrianza to waivers) and then took over 3B by mid-May. I was convinced that was all Bochy. Casey McGehee was who the front office wanted, and they traded for him and paid him $5 mil. I’m still surprised they traded Duffy considering how much Bochy liked him.
Giants have brought up a lot of can do type middle infielders in the last 6 years: Gillaspie, Crawford, Panik, Duffy, Tomlinson. In general they aren’t monster hitters but they have all been tremendous gamers. It’s hard to give up on someone like that.
I remember they traded Gillaspie because Panda was at third, I’m glad they got him back. Craw and Panik are of course fixtures where they are. Gotta find a place for Tomlinson and also find a way to get Duffy back: we did it before (Andres Torres trade.)
They traded him because he was a PITA that thought he deserved to play in his draft year. Plus he had the world’s worst attitude.
BUT… he always could hit.
I actually thought the automatic call-up was written in so he could be guaranteed lifetime health care under the MLB players pension. I’m not joking.
he had to have been out-voted by sabes and evans. as much as we all love duffy, and are sad he’s gone, that trade may end up being one of the teams best ever. tonight will be moores biggest start ever. let’s see what he’s got.
It was a good trade. No other way to get someone like Moore on the team.
Thanks for expanding on what I said. But if I wasn’t clear- Bochy WAS heavily criticized because he didn’t replace Casey earlier.
And Law
MyGuy™
Yes, Yes, Yes!
This is a game that transcends baseball and will be a permanent part of Giants lore. So many unfathomable things… How about Gillaspie crushing a 103 MPH fastball off Chapman!!!!!!
That was unbelievable. I was afraid it was party over when Maddon brought Chapman in during the 8th–I’d hoped we’d have three more outs before seeing him. I can’t argue with Maddon’s strategy there, either. Same thing Francona did in two games vs the Red Sox, bringing Miller in early. Just didn’t work out for Maddon this time.
I agree with you. Maddon went all in to finish the series but Gillaspie had yet another monster hit in a tough situation against a tough pitcher. He is a cold-blooded killer with fastballs…. If I am the Cubs I don’t pitch him any fastball for a strike the rest of the series.
KNBR was laughing at Maddon this morning for bringing in Chapman when he did, but it was the right call. It obviously just didn’t work out.
Actually the fastball was 101 mph. Gillaspie’s hit was 103 mph.
Well that changes everything! I’m not that impressed by the hit after that factoid…Thanks for the clarification.
Cueto was ready
It was his ‘throw day’
Well, if it wasn’t, today certainly is.
Wonder if Boch was giving him some big time exposure for a start in Chicago.
i love the way a reporter asked bum if buster called for the fastball that arietta hit out, he said (to paraphrase), i think so, but it doesn’t matter, that’s what i wanted to throw, why wouldn’t i?…like he would ever throw buster under the bus. that reporter will have to try a different locker room, if he wants to hear teammates sniping at one another. not here pal..
Maybe one of those locker rooms Trump likes to hang out in.
Yes and the damn reporter would of ran with his little quote! Reporters can sometimes be sheet starters.
Sometimes?? Those Picked-Last Non-Athletic Twinkie Eaters live for starting sheet
Quit talking about Ratto.
Refresh your browsers for the updated, complete story for last night’s game.
🙂 Raucous crows or crowds
raucous crows
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D15HPy4x73g
Fixed! Thanks Clutch.
If we can somehow win tonight i dont know how but if we can do it i really feel like we will win the gm 5 in chicago!
Great post GG
More props to Romo for settling down after the HR in that inning and the tenth.
I was going to say, overall, our pen did well. Romo’s biggest sin was the leadoff walk to Fowler.
…aided by an absurd ball called on 2-2 to Fowler that was a strike all night
Good point.
When you have to overcome a complete umpiring crew AND the review crew in New York, plus the most successful team in Major League Baseball, you have accomplished something to be proud of.
This did not go according to MLB’s plan. Not yet. This ain’t over.
Yup. Umpiring and review crew were shameful, downright corrupt last night. I’m serious when I write that the Giants need to look into it. The Rizzo call at first was a joke and so were many others. The catch by Span, the double play review in the 13th…
The bad calls at the plate giving more pitches to guys that were OUT. Hell yes there was a script.
That too…
The double play review. Just waking up from a food induced coma? Demands to “try another camera angle” to see if we can all him safe. Everyone in New York suddenly losing their reading glasses?
It was particularly telling when Ross was headed down the dugout stairs and the umps were still standing around with their headphones on.
And the Fox guys kept calling him out. Guess they didn’t read the memo.
The truth is… I fully expected the call at 1st was going to be reversed and claim Belt’s foot was off. I thought they’d never go off script, but they did.
I think they looked at the play for 15 minutes just praying they could come up with something justify overturning the call (he was clearly out). If that had been Rizzo at first the review would have taken 15 seconds.
How they concluded that Rizzo stayed on the bag earlier in the game is beyond me. Even all the Cubs fans were hanging their heads after they showed the replay on the big board — total f’n joke.
You smelling Conspiracy in your morning coffee?
Hell, yes!
Watch the 9th inning 2-2 pitch to Fowler (called a ball), and then the 2-2 pitch to Gillaspie in the 10th (called a strike) to see just one example of the bias that’s going on.
What i can’t figure out is if it’s an innocent subliminal form of hoping.
In the case of NY replay? Simply absurd , and it puts a stain on MLB
Chicago Cubs lost a game last night so let the flags fly at half staff!
Oh heck Clutch checked in let me clean up my act here!!
Who wants to platoon Joe Panik now?!
not me.
Not for the moment, Panik is too hot. But remember Kelby has been fielding well as well as hitting well. I wouldn’t rule out starting him against Lester.
No way Jose! Panik has to start every game from here on in. If they bench him Bochy is going to get an angry letter from me!
He already got a cargo of 4 letters words from Venice for benching Joey Baseball.
Bravo!
He sat in game 1 because he wasn’t hitting lefties . Then KT went toes up at the plate and now that Joe broke out, he will sit no more.
KT has looked lost at the plate in this series.
One of the endearing things about this bunch:
In the post game interview, Panik kept calling Gillaspie “kid”.
still in chi-town this morn? if so, how’s the mood?
No, I work out of Cali – my confidants tell me that most of those wusses didn’t even stay up to watch.
If anyone has been “born again” It’s Mr. Happy. Kudos, Kid.
I heard Joe refer to Blach as “a tough kid.” I believe Blach is also a bit older (maybe a month or two) than Panik is.
It’s all based on WS years. By that standard, he is a kid.
I think Joe has probably brought the cliche riddled interview to a new level. He really strings them together so that they have a subtlety not seen in many postgame interviews.
Blach and DLaw were both fantastic last night and should easily be part of a great future here. What great performances under extreme pressure.
Blach will be our fifth starter next year. Put it in writing. You are correct. The pen was great except for Romo’s hiccup. But Romo bounced back nicely too.
Bum
Cueto
Moore
Smarge
Blach
A very good pro rotation.
Cain to the pen? Curb?
Matty ain’t done yet. He’ll be healthy next year, then Wheel Sea.
Will Smith was great, too. He should get used more.
I’ll go further: If we start a game on Saturday, I’d give the ball to Blach. Bum needs a little time off and Blach clearly has no problems with pitching at the highest levels of competition.
I would agree if it’s the Dodgers, because they’re really weak against lefties. If it’s the Nationals, I’d try to figure out if Samardzija can throw the curve the first time through the order. If he can, he’ll be okay, if he can’t, he shouldn’t start.
Will not happen. To even have this discussion the Giants still have two tough wins to go..
Yes, of course. However, Bum needs to skip a day, or more. His velocity is way down. And I wouldn’t put Smardge out there.
But we can talk about it more on Friday if the Giants are still in the hunt by then.
Smith looked like a beast out there.
Up and at work, like I said. Very little sleep but the combination of Columbus Day yesterday and Yom Kippur starting tonight means it’s relatively quiet.
Thanks Greek for saying a lot that I would have said. There’s a few more things I would add while I have the time.
1. All these newbies with the team have two unforgettable victories to look back on. That includes vets who came here (Cueto, Smardge) but also new guys like Blach, Law, etc. I’m happy for them. BTW, Conor played on the team in 2012 so I assume he already has a ring.
2. Everyone contributed and even when they screwed up they got it right. Bum gave up the HR, but managed to gut out several more innings with a fastball that could barely top 90. Romo gave up a HR, but managed two complete innings in relief.
3. The relief guys: Law, Strick, Romo, Will Smith, Blach: In general, superb.
4. The lineup got it done and didn’t quit, and their leader was Span. Those two runs while marking time were huge.
I am totally satisfied with this season now. We also got revenge on Arrieta, the umps, the NY review umps, the major media, and so on. It’s all house money from here on out.
Have a great day, folks.
One of your very best posts ever, IMO.
GG, thank you for giving up your sleep and your time to keep this thing going.
When Craw and Panik turned the DP in the T13 it had to be spot on perfect. Craw with the firm underhand to JP and Panik with the cannon to first. Panik stood in there as he made the throw.
Then Craw and Panik again in the B13. Crazy how tight those guys are.
Belt saved the DP.
Yes. Belt keeping that toe wedged into the side of the bag was key, especially given how heavily it was scrutinized afterwards.
A view from the North Side: http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/rosenblog/ct-anthony-rizzo-cubs-giants-nlds-rosenbloom-20161011-column.html
Makes our beat guys look soft. But he nailed it.
Our beat guys are soft. They are lackies because they cannot criticize the Giants. That’s why the independent writers like us are more fun to read.
We tell it like it is. Never tell’em what you think they want to hear.
Beat writers have to tread a a fine line-as you know. Anyone who expects them to be trashing the players is just not in touch with the reality of the job. Baggs has often crossed that line,
Sounded kind of bitter. LOL.
At least he admitted that the Rizzo play that got Gillaspie out was BS.
Brutal. But if you want to see brutal, take a trip over to the Boston Globe.
I bet. That’s my next stop at lunch. What a huge upset that Indians-Red Sox series was! Unbelievable sweep by Cleveland and sweet revenge for Francona.
We think the Giants’ offense has been anemic, but the Red Sox scored 7 runs in the whole SERIES. The Giants scored six last night! (OK, it took ’em 13 innings to get #6, but they did it!).
They were an early season pick of mine that I nearly gave up on when Boston looked so invincible.
Jayson Stark put the hex on em. 😉
Let’s talk about tonight’s game. The Giants need to re-focus quickly and be ready for the Cubs. Matt Moore, are you listening? We need you tonight big guy. The Cubs are vulnerable with Lackey on the mound and with the second game in a row at Willie Mays Field. We need to score first and put pressure on the Cubs pitchers right away. Our pen should be ok. The Cub pen may be a tad tired…
Romo and Law both went two innings and neither pitched a lot in back to back games. Strickland and Smith should be good to go. I don’t really trust Gearrin. I guess Kontos should be fine although he threw about 70 warm-up pitches last night. He got up at least 4 times to warm up.
This goes to the point that Maddon used up too many of his players, including pitchers.
That’s part of why they lost last night and part of why their pen should be short handed tonight.
Gearrin is not on the roster, I wish he was I trust him more then Kontos .
I think I would have left off Casilla — I can’t see them pitching him in a close game. The Giants better get John Lackey out tonight. I recall that he is a pretty poor hitter.
I don’t believe that Gearrin is on the roster.
I think it’s great that Craw and Panik got big hits. We’ve talked a lot about Pence, Posey, and Belt, but Craw hadn’t done much either. Good to have him going.
Now if we can get some pop from Pence we are in business. Lost in last night and in this series is Posey’s hot bat. He is swinging it well.
You can always count on Posey. He may not be healthy, but he can slice, dunk, and dive to get hits. His hit that was caught in the 9th was a thing of beauty.
A friend sent me this last night:
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/6d8894a71030fc9e5db7786fc8ec7d023dcc7c2f7452a3a8f5ef0c5871f676a9.jpg
Is he/she on the field? Or is your friend Pagan?
She was sitting in the front row, next to the camera wells. She is connected…
A great ballgame with ups and downs all over the place. How can anyone hit a 103 mph fastball? How did that Cubs RFer catch Posey’s bid for hero of the game? How did MadBum manage to keep it together when he didn’t have his good stuff and gave up a HR to a pitcher (you just know Bum had to be PO’d at that).
But another question I have is about the umpiring — it was really terrible last night. Now, I am not a conspiracy nut, but you know that the commisioner’s office is not happy with a Cleveland – Toronto matchup, and I will bet they think that the only thing left that will save the ratings is to have the “lovable” Cubs in the playoffs.
I just hope the Giants can manage to overcome this obstacle.
He gave up the HR because he threw a 3rd (identical) FB to a good hitting pitcher.
New York: out
Boston: out
Dallas: out
LA: one game from being out
Yeah, Chicago’s their last hope of having a big media market left in the postseason unless the Dodgers rally.
How would you feel as a fan if your closer was Chapman? He’s a headcase. I would be, dare I say, drinking as much as a Giants fan watching Casilla close.
Or Familia: Would you trade 51 regular season saves and one HR allowed for three blown saves in the World Series and losing the Wild Card game by giving up a HR to Conor Gillaspie?
For that matter, Kenley Jensen blew the game up for the Dodgers yesterday.
Maybe the closer is not over-rated after all! Especially in the postseason.
It’s like with your starting pitchers. There is so much more pressure in the post season. And some step up and others let the situation get to them. It’s hard to predict how players perform before they are actually in the situation.
The playoffs is where closers go to die. Romo had what I believe to be only the second “blownie” in our postseason games since we started our run.EDIT- i meant other team’s closers Ours have been nails.
Crow for breakfast, my favorite! Sigh
With two quail eggs over easy.
Have 10 portions.
Well good morning. We are still alive. After a game like this it’s so much fun to read everything about it in the morning and reflect on everything that happened. Nice write up GG! The only thing I like to add: law’s cheerleading and his rally towel. I am sure he will have it with him for the rest of this post season. I wonder if he went to sleep with it last night.
I am off today. Have an app in the early afternoon, then it’s off to the game with Mr. GGF. Last night we both screamed when the game was over. Then 5 seconds later we looked at each other and screamed again that we are going to the game! We are so excited!
I was going to write about that earlier, but I’ve written too much already. I’m happy you brought it up. He made my Favorite Players list earlier this year.
Every play off year there are some players in the dugout that are particularly animated and cheering everyone on. Pence has been one of them. But he seems weirdly non animated this year off the field from what we are seeing. I am glad Derek stepped up.
He just needs to get excited once in a while.
Wonderful GGF. Have a great time at the game and bring us home a victory!
I will cheer my best!
Phenomenal write-up by Jeff Passan:
https://sports.yahoo.com/news/the-never-say-die-giants-stretched-their-amazing-elimination-game-win-streak-to-10-100310573.html
“like they’re 25 creepy playoff mutants”
That was good. So was “Twinkie-in-nuclear-fallout San Francisco Giants.”
There were a couple. I like how he writes. I’m currently into his book, “The Arm”.
DAN WHITE!!!
What’s really great is that the “doubts” are now creeping in to the Chicago brains. I just love self-doubt when it creeps in to the minds of the enemy.
Exactly … an early SF lead tonight and a sense grows that the 2-0 advantage could be gone. It puts them back on equal footing for a Sudden Death where, while confident at home, it has to be more uncomfortable for them than the Giants.
I fully expect our boys to put a major whippin’ on the enemy tonight. Then. On the other hand, this could be the last game for them. I’m good either way. Just didn’t want an O-fer.
Do you also love the smell of napalm in the morning?
It…it smells like …Victory!
That was a pretty good exchange we just had there.
Until you ruined it.
Some things are best left unsaid.
He’s just jealous. He’s a writer, ya know…
I’m a hack. You two are beautiful.
You are a hack. But you are also beautiful.
Angie, Angie
When will those clouds all disappear?
Angie, Angie
Where will it lead us from here?
With no lovin’ in our souls and no money in our coats
You can’t say we’re satisfied
But Angie, Angie
You can’t say we never tried
Angie, you’re beautiful
But ain’t it time to say goodbye
I take my words back. You are a brilliant writer. That is good stuff.
Just came up with it. Now quiet down so i can work on the second verse.
Oops. Sorry. Carry on, my wayward deer. Now THAT is some poetry right there.
Angie – by the Rolling Stones. You must be an over 65 yo for sure. Like me.
45. But i golf like a 65 yo. With a rock in his shoe.
What’s golf?
A walk, ruined.
LOL.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXRExocnpUw
I think you should stay out of this. Go smoke a Crush or something…
I thought the Cubs started swinging for the fences after the 9th inning. It seemed everyone wanted to get that big knock to put them ahead
I’m just awake finally and still kinda groggy… sorry for repeating if someone has already posted this link to a good ESPN wrap-up:
http://www.espn.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/74971/what-we-learned-the-giants-are-alive-the-indians-sweep-and-big-papis-career-is-over
From their article:
“Gillaspie had never seen a 100 mph pitch in the majors before turning on Chapman’s 102 mph fastball for a go-ahead triple. He’s a career .203 hitter against lefties; Chapman has held lefties to a .122 mark in his career. Not only was that hit unlikely, but Brandon Crawford followed with an RBI single and Joe Panik walked. Three straight lefties to reach base. As blogger Grant Brisbee pointed out, only 12 lefties had reached base all season against Chapman. Postseason baseball is not like regular-season baseball.”
That right there is some serious “Even Year Bullshit” of Ishikawaian proportions.
“Ishikawaian.”
Brilliant word usage. Deer is getting more jealous of the expert wordplay on this blog.
Ci puoi scommettere, fratello !
Fratello! I like that word. I can’t believe I lived through that epic affair, mi fratello. Shades of “The Iliad,” or “The Odyssey.” And it’s not over yet!!
You can bet it for sure. Cockroaches are hard to kill.
…if they can be killed, at all. Don’t give up on alternate universes. We still have String Theory. We still have “Branes”.
Not only, but “brains” too…
Mine was short for membranes, that are short for alternate universes in String Theory. I was getting too esoteric.
I love the obscure, though.
D-branes or P-branes ? The multiverse.
BTW, a “ombra” (=shade) in Venice is what you call a glass of wine. Hence the saying “to go for shades” (= andar per ombre) means to make a tour of the wine-bars…
Thank you, kind sir. I went to a local Italian market last week and got some great imported provolone, fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, hot capicola, the works…so good.
Derived from “Rossian”
A few thoughts as I lie here recovering from a 12 Sierra Nevada, 27 Camel Crush evening:
— Awesome that Ty Blach got the win last night. His first ML victory comes vs LA and Kershaw on the final homestand and then he secures his first postseason win last night. Way to start your carreer, kid.
— You’d think that Montgomery is probably done for tonight after going four innings last night. That could be big.
— Despite the win I’m still infuriated about the umpiring last night. On Gillaspie’s ball they literally looked at it and looked at it and convinced one another that it was inconclusive, by golly. Fine. But on the Ross DP grounder, it was abundantly clear that he was out, that the ball beat him to the base and that Belt kept his big canoe on the bag. But they looked at it. And looked at it some more. Then took a two minute break so they could really focus on taking two more minutes looking at it. I was yelling so loud i had four people telling me i needed to quiet down. I don’t think I’m embellishing or overstating when I say that it was very apparent the replay guys back East were determined to find a way to call him safe but finally determined they couldn’t get away with it. Absolutely nauseating. And bodes well for tonight, don’t you think?
Don’t forget the very first AB of the game. That POS got four strikes to get his way on base. I knew it was happening from that very point. We were in a “fix” and I truly believed we were in for a very tough night.
Absolutely bodes well, because no matter how hard MLB and its goon umpires try their best to give every close call to the Cubs, even with irrefutable replay evidence, the Giants are the cockroaches that nobody wants to see, that makes everything messy, and that nobody can kill.
montgomery was also up and down a few times earlier in the game. he’s toast for tonight. chapman also threw about 25 pitches. he’ll be available, but after buster almost took him deep on friday, and CG last night, a bit of doubt may be creeping up. #lacucarachas!!
It would seem there entire bullpen is in a bit of disarray now.
Looks like MLB might show a replay later this AM. Not that this group missed anything.
Yuba City Mojo!
Tonight: So this was #10 elimination wins in a row, made up of:
1. The last 3 in CIN in 2012
2. The last 3 against STL in 2012
3. The 2014 WC
4. Game #7 vs KC
5. The 2016 WC
6. Last night
I have to say that last night was the most satisfying, recognizing that a “Game #7” is not really an elimination game, it’s the last game of the World Series!
In last night’s win, they won at home and had to come back. Most of the others were on the road, and several of them were actually blowouts, even if they didn’t seem like it at the time (e.g., 2014 WC).
Regardless of which Moore shows up — and I think we get good Moore — I am confident we will score runs. We have more rested guys in our pen, also. So I am seeing a win. Which means white knuckles on Thursday. But you never know.
Games 6-7 vs St.L in 2012 were at home, plus last night. The other seven were on the road, which is really something.
Closest/tensest ones:
–Game 3 in Cincinnati, 2012 (Giants won 2-1 in extras)
–last night
–last week’s wild card game
–Game 7 of the 2014 World Series
–Game 5 in Cincinnati in 2012 (got a big lead but struggled to hold it)
Right, but again some of those games weren’t really close. For example, 6 & 7 against STL in 2012 were not actually that close, Game 7 was 8-1, I think. I mean: At the time it felt close. 😉
The reason I would give the nod to this one over 2012 WC is because we scored the winner on an error by Scott Rolen, it was at home, it was a walkoff, and the comeback in the 8th inning was stupendous.
The three Cincinnati games were terrific and so was Game 5 versus STL: maybe Zito’s greatest game. But road games aren’t as good as home games ……
Also, I don’t think offhand the other elimination games involved comebacks, except maybe one run. We led in almost all of them, IIRC.
This one had more ups and downs. Have we ever gotten a lead, given it up, then won it in any of those elimination games?
I don’t think so. I think the first CIN game we were down 1-0 for like one inning. Then tied until we won.
Game 2, Pagan hit a HR to start the game and we were up like 8-3 in the late innings.
Game 3, that was the Buster Grand Slam game.
Game 5, STL, we were never behind.
Game 6, Vogelsong at home, I don’t think we were ever behind. Ditto Game 7 (Scutaro in the Rain Game).
Both WC games were shutouts by Bumgarner so we were never behind.
Game #7 we were never behind.
Game #7 has a special place as the Archetypal Bumgarner Appearance but last night was unique.
game 5 in cinci, 2012..what do i remember? ah yes…”posey knew it, hanigan knew it, and 40,000+ knew it”.
Best gif ever!
I still can’t believe I lived through last night. This close to an aneurysm. TO wasn’t far off in his worry for my personal being. I was ready to bust a brain vein.
Most effusive SF Giant praise ever by Jim Rome. To quote JR: “Chicago, you had your shot to place daggar in their heart, on a night MadBum was not himself. Good luck with that Chicago”.
*Dave Roberts choice today: Opie.
Are they really throwing Kershaw today?
Yep, just heard it on the radio.
Lefty…how are we still alive after that? That actually may be the most satisfying Giants win I have ever seen. Of course eclipsing the riveting WC game of a week ago lol.
It was exhausting. It was pushing midnight here, and we both fell right into bed. We had the postgame wrap on sleep timer on the radio and fell asleep long before it ended. So mentally and emotionally draining–but it ended well, didn’t it?
Oh my yes, it did.
That’s fairly shocking. I don’t see it ending well.
If it doesn’t, I actually would feel bad for Kershaw–he’d have to wear it, again. Not his fault the front office wouldn’t pay for Greinke/Price/Cueto, etc.
Opie is welcome here if he can live with being a #3.
mock it all you want, they really have no other choice. Giants would do the same if they had no viable top ace after Bum in a similar situation.
Question: if this thing goes to game 5 on Thurday, would you throw Cueto? Would Bum be ready to come in in case of any issues?
Yes and yes. Cueto starts and Bum is available. And how exactly did i mock it? Don’t be dramatic, E. It’s too early.
Cueto all the way. He has way more than earned that kind of big game trust. Plus the Cubs, aside from a Baez basket shot, looked clueless against him in Game one. JC all the way!!!
Where is the Urias love, E?
oh I like the kid but he is exactly that, a kid.
you have to go with your top gun here, I bet Kershaw wants it that way
I’m laughing, someone actually admits to listening to Rome. You must be bored.
🙂
Dear Head Nut: Beggars can’t be choosy in Canuck territory. Actually Rome has “gotten better”. Not so much “rack em”. etc. I am also guilty of listening to After Hours with Amy Lawrence – Scott Ferrall on the Bench (formerly of KNBR) – Cass Centeno who hosted a KNBR sports show – The Sports Babe National Show – and Sports Byline USA with Ron Barr.
Guilty as charged!
Greg Hardy NFL joke to MMA joke
So was it just a bad night for Bum or is he tiring? Will he be available if this series goes 5? I say no. Go with the bullpen guys.
I say he is available in game 5, has to be. Maybe not five innings available but he would go out there for a-2 innings. Hopefully it would not get to that.
You would obviously want him to start the Nats series.
Again, I wouldn’t pitch him until they find why velocity is down. Otherwise you are just settting him up.
This isn’t rocket surgery.
Who would you suggest in place of a HOF gutsy competitor? I get he had the audacity to allow 3 whole runs….
This whole subthread feeds off the claim that (a) Bumgarner should be “available” for Game 5 (if it is played) and (b) he should definitely make every start, on time.
I don’t think that’s a smart idea.
Yes, he only allowed three runs, but he threw over 100 pitches in 5 innings. Why? Because he couldn’t throw his fastball because they’d tag it and get base hits, and if he threw his secondary pitches they would walk or have long at bats. And, no, this wasn’t an umpiring conspiracy, either. I had Gameday going all night.
The lack of velocity to his fastball suggests he’s either (1) tired, or (2) has a mechanical problem (as he did in 2012, where he missed a start). I’m simply suggesting they try to fix that. I don’t want my best pitcher a sitting duck in Game 5 throwing 90 mph fastballs to these guys.
MadBum did not have his good stuff and his velocity was down, but aside from the big hit by Arrrieta, somehow he gritted though 5 innings without giving anything else up. I say that in context it was one of his finest, guttiest performances ever.
Good call.
I wouldn’t use Bumgarner until you find out why his velocity is down. Is it mechanics, fatigue, or both?
Sorry, Madison but you’re done for the year until we figure out why your velocity is down.
That should go over well.
Remember what he was like in 2012? Case closed.
He’s obviously our best pitcher but what’s the point in over-using him if he isn’t effective? Guts only takes you so far.
I’d point out the ridiculousness of what you’re saying but you closed the case.
In other words, you want to put him out there in Game #5, even though he can barely clear 90 on the radar gun?
Velocity is ONLY ONE of multiple factors.
Elaborate.
Location, command and control.
He had command of his fastball, it was simply too slow. It was late Lincecum vintage.
The curve, offspeed, and sliders are harder to control in the first place, and many of those were out of the strike zone, as in fact they are designed to be.
And that’s why his pitch count was so high.
Who said that? Cueto gets Game Five. MadBum would be available. You’re overthinking this.
Or underthinking. One of the two.
Remember 2012? They skipped a start because he was having problems. Clearly, he is struggling, for some reason.
3 runs in a game is far from ineffective. It was one pitch that resulted in 3 runs that cost him…No, he wasn’t lights out. But he must pitch every 4th remaining game at minimum for this team to have a chance at all
He gave up 3 runs, but that wasn’t the real problem. The real problem is that it took him 100 pitches to go 5 innings. Plus, he had to throw mostly secondary pitches that put more stress on the arm, because his fastball was too slow.
We haven’t gotten to a Saturday game with the Nats – yet – and maybe we won’t, but I’d like to know what’s going on with his arm before he blows it out against them.
You’re relentless. The umpire had a lot to do with the pitch-count.
He has been good and generally consistent with the occasional Gem of a game. I do not know if it is he is tired from the innings logged or just that he is a very very good pitcher but for now outside of his post season heroics 2 years ago, he is not a hall of fame pitcher quite yet.
Since August , 8 of 11 or 12 games he allowed 3 or more runs. At the end of the season he allowed 3 or more runs in 4 of the final 5 starts. He is basically an upper 2’s to a low 3’s ERA pitcher in a pitchers park. You put him against a good lineup and runs can be scored and hits are made.
I am too tired to read all the comments (went to bed at 2, 7 week old in the house) but curious if anyone asked the question of how will the Giants respond after last night? Does it give them the momentum to come out strong tonight or will the offensive lull carry over. Would love for them to come out hammering, put the game away early and put all the pressure back on to Chi. But that may just be wishful thinking.
That’s not the Giants MO. More torture is in store for us fans. Yay!
Have faith in the O&BCs.
After winning the first elimination game in CIN in 2012, they came back strong and dominated. The same after the first elimination game against STL (Zito in STL game). I expect the same here, but who knows.
Three of the elimination games were one shots: Game #7, 2014 and 2016 WC. The only extended sequence of elimination wins were against CIN and STL in 2012 (6 in all). If we respond tonight as we did then, I expect the Giants should win.
Baseball is built on wishful thinking fans like us. Wish away
I wonder how many fans missed the last ferry to Vallejo?
It was a nice comeback win for the Giants. They came back, blew the lead and eventually won on solid hits by Crawford and Panik. There was good pitching on both sides and not so good on both sides. There were some great plays made by both teams.
Bring on the next game, I hope it as entertaining as the last game.
May the Cubs put away the pesky Giants once and for all.
Last night reminded me of why I’m a Giants fan. When Panik’s ball left his bat I knew it was over but a much more subdued celebration in my house. Midnight is not time to wake the neighbors. I did listen to a few interviews afterwards and what struck me is the class of these guys. They all talked about the other guy on the team who did something. All my wife said was “Giants baseball……Torture”. That never gets old. Tiring at midnight but never old.
The Cubs are asking themselves today, ‘what do we have to do to kill these guys’.
To launch neutron bombs?
Los Cucarachas…..
Dodgers panicking by bringing Kershaw on short rest. They are reducing their chances to win two games– which is all that is important– by not having him at full rest for game 5.
Can’t see them getting through a 7 games series with their starting P.
The Giants basically did it with Bumgarner and tape in 2014, but that may have been a once in a lifetime thing.
Yeah but Bum got normal rest for all of those starts except his relief role in Game 7……..
The entire NLDS was done with tape then, because Bumgarner was not effective.
NLCS was also mostly tape. Bum totally dominated the WS however.
If they slot Blach for Smardge I think they have a great (if lefty heavy) front four; more than sufficient.
One can say Blach is too green but he’s 25, and Bum started playoff games at 21, so, why not?
Seems they have done this in the past and it has not worked out well — who would be the team’s fourth starter though?
Doesnt matter– goal is to win two games– not just one. So why reduce your chances in both games by pitching him on short rest– especially coming off a back injury?
I don’t disagree with you — but I guess the plan would be to pitch Rich Hill on short rest too — three man rotation??
It would have been Urias. And it probably should be Urias. Every year they get tempted to start Kershaw on short rest, and then they do it, and then they leave him in too long, and then they go home. Not sure how many times it has to happen until they realize they’re doing it wrong, but I’m okay with it 🙂
It does sound like a mistake to bring Kershaw back at this point. But, I’m not a Dodger fan.
I think Opie asked for it.
Fun to read everyone’s comments. What a ballgame! These guys are just amazing, and I can’t even begin to tell you how much I love Brandon Crawford and Joe Panik! So many great stories, that Ty Blach’s amazing contribution can get overlooked. How about it for a young guy being thrown into that ballgame? Then, getting that groundball DP with two guys on? That was a quite an outing for the young man!
Blach is starting to become a force. What a stage to do it on.
Carte Blache?
Just recovering from last night’s game. 108 years (so far) of losing will start to weigh on the Cubs players. Let’s see how they handle the pressure now that are not waltzing through the playoffs. My guess is that the weight of expectations will cause them to start doubting themselves if we can get ahead of them and the pressure of their history will creep in. See e.g. Bartman, S.
BTW Steve Bartman got as many outs for the Cubs as Chapman did last night. Also important to remember that Chapman has been closing games in Cincinnati, and not in the playoffs– He looked more like Casilla last night that an a
l star closer.
Not to mention that he was bailed out by Porter in the first game!
I heard Bartman used to coach Kontos and his brother.
Puig .000.
The Giants overcame two of their biggest weaknesses last night. Closing out a game, and base running. I’m not sure I agree with the commentators on Belt taking off so hard. That was a sign of trying to do a little to much. I’m not throw Belt under the bus, base running has been a problem all year that reared it head in game one. They also overcame the horrific umpiring crew of both the field and NY.
Belt did exactly the right thing.
100%
with 2 outs, fer sure
one
oops, my bad. still the right thing
Belt has to make sure he scores there. On that ball, stats show that as a double more than 75% of the time.
Belt running was the absolute correct thing to do. He has to try and score on a hit into the corner for the win. If not for a fantastic defensive play, he would have ended the game and it is a different discussion.
You’re way off on that.
one thing amazing to me is that with Lopez warmed up– he allowed Strickland(and I think Law) to face lefties in key situations. This was not commented on but it shows that he is not a robot
John Lackey was 6 for 63 this year at the plate — hopefully Moore can get the pitcher out tonight. The pitchers have done the most damage in the series — I think they have driven in 6 of the 11 runs by the Cubs. Key to the game — don’t let Lackey beat you at the plate.
Mad Dog Russo just SCORCHED Maddon and Arrieta…he also RIPPED the Cubs for their over-the-top celebration on a “meaningless 2nd inning home run…it wasn’t a game 7 winner! It wasn’t a World Series game! WHO CARES???”
Where can I hear this, or a podcast of it?
You can probably google it later. Usually takes some time for it to post.
it was just on MLB Network on a show called High Heat.I’m not sure if they slap it up on their website or not, Brother…
You said it better! Thanks.
Did you hear his take down of Arrieta regarding “You won’t give a home town discount? You want multiple Cy Young’s? Then, you know what you do if you’re that guy?? You hand the ball to Chapman in the 9th with a 3-0 lead”
My girl Amy Lawrence
http://amylawrence.radio.cbssports.com/
I said that as well right after that happened. It was like they won it all. Seriously. Lol. I guess that’s what happens when you’re used to 108 years of failure.
That celebration was like a bunch of young frat boys that don’t know any better.
Especially RIZZO. Have you ever seen a punk more sure of himself?? In the 2nd inning??
Baez is the one that still bugs me.
OH my yes, but there’s a whole SLEW of em in that cocky ass dugout lol.
I want someone to earhole him. I wish Cain had made the Postseason roster just for the job.
If he had the command to do so, he’d be on the roster 😉
Touche! But I was more referring to the fact he did what was necessary to Holiday in Game Seven for Scutaro. He knows the job, and knows how to do it.
You gotta love Russell stepping into that pitch as well. After he shoulda been called out on strikes. That’s ok, though. Cockroaches don’t care.
Romo had a few words for him.
More than that. Romo got in his head.
Dude celebrated a double into an out. That challenge meant something even if they didn’t win that particular game
Russo taking Arrieta to task big-time on High Heat.
“You think you’re so great? Hand the ball to Chapman in the bottom of the ninth, with a lead.”
Love it!
I like the way Blach has pitched. He should have a real good shot at the 5th starter next year if Cain is not the Cain of old. I do find that the way he walks around on the mound is odd with a broad stance, it reminds me of a a little kid walking with a poopy diaper on
He is the fifth starter. PERIOD.
Bochy’s task this spring is to find a role for Cain and his $20M. If Evans doesn’t find a closer, we may have it….
Three lefties in the rotation is an awesome factor as well.
If you play the odds, with more right handed hitters in the league, more right handed pitchers is the ticket. You need the lefties for the different hitters perspective for the righties
Fair enough. But I think the quality of Bum, Moore, and hopefully Blach adds some serious rotation wrinkles in between Cueto and Samarge. Lotta diversity in that rotation.
Blach is ripe bait for as closer……
Jus’ sayin’….
I am of your train of thought. I would keep him, but I could see him in a package this winter.
Hard to say with Bochy as the manager. You know how he likes to give every opportunity to the vet. In 2010 Bumgarner was given a shot later in the season over Zito but Bruce was not 100% Bum. In the first round he pitched in 2 games, as a starter lasting 4 and in the 6th game as a reliever. That is not the solid this kid is the guy that he turned into.
Blach- even money
Suarez- 5 to 2
Beede-9 to 2
He is pretty good in the replay booth — maybe they can share him with the Niners and split the cost.
A win tonight will be great, but a Dodger loss and watching their season end before ours regardless will be better.
Go get’em Dusty.
Kershaw on short rest historically has been very hittable.
Over reaction on Roberts to my train of thought. I would have saved Opie for Game 5.
Boom. Post of the last 15 minutes. Dusty beating LA – IN – LA – PRICELESS
Ssory_doc – Cody Ross was on the alternate KNBR station a.m. radio 1050. Good listen as Cody_the_forever_Giant_ Ross speaks about the Giants. He used the word “we” and “not on our watch”.
Tremendous insights on Conor Gillaspie both on and off the field. It would be super if “you-know-who-you-are” would give it a listen. Conor had moments of scuffling early in the season, his range, arm slot and throwing arm were called into question. His footspeed was denounced by those same anti-Conor experts and by an large he was denigrated down to his soul. But that’s OK, *they’re* all on the Conor Gillaspie band wagon now.
Listen to more here: https://audioboom.com/boos/5151790-10-11-cody-ross-tells-us-why-it-is-so-tough-to-knock-the-giants-out?t=0
I’m not privy to what’s going on inside. All I have is history. Someone knew there was real potential there and it wasn’t me.
When one listens to Gillaspie speak – especially if one has been involved in any level of baseball – one hears – him say – that he has no glorified answer or spiffy-glitsy reason for why he has had recent success. But he does let people know that it is all about the PROCESS. Those times when nobody can see him and others – down in the bowels of the batting cages be it on the road or at home – + during live BP – when as a professional journeyman/utility player/pinch hitter – one has been taught and mentored to “trust your hands” and be confident in ones approach.
Before any game a player can control: * How Smart he plays * How Hard He Plays * and * How Well He Plays with his Teammates*. As a hitter the O N L Y things controllable are “Can I put a good swing on a good pitch”. That seems so simple to many but obviously this means you need the ability and confidence to pick out a good pitch in .004 or less time and then ones confidence and dedication to the process (there is that word again) has to reign supreme.
This sounds obvious but since there is one opposing playing squatting behind you (F2) and 8 defensive players strategically placed standing in front of you – it is clear that the so called inventors and statisticians of baseball ‘got it right’ – when they called a 30% success rate for hitters in baseball – .300 – versus 30%. No other sport on the planet starts with the ball in the defenses hands. No other sport can you do everything almost perfect as a hitter and yet fail.
Conor may “revert to form” in 2017 but at least for now he is Cody-Pat-the-Bat-Travis-Mike Morse-Fredddy-Theriot and Scoots as far as memorable high lights go.
SUPER BOOM!
Conor strikes me as an extremely bright guy and an introvert. He might be a good organizational guy some day after his playing days are over.
It’s tough being a fan since we aren’t privy to so very much of what happens behind the scenes. What I remember is Conor leaving the Angels and the enormous “Whew” that accompanied his departure. He garnered vocal criticism again in Chicago with accompanying references to his concrete glove and the large number of boots I saw with my own eyes.
So, how would I know who this player was? All we ever get is second-hand at best. If the kid has become a clubhouse favorite, I think it’s great. I love clubhouse favorites because those are the guys I like to pick for my own teams. I hate to knock players, but the ones I do are seldom “great guys” or good teammates. That he isn’t a cancer, is wonderful news; that he’s a great guy is even more a “whew” I’m aboard.
I was guilty of that and my apologies to Mr. Gillaspie. His swing is just vicious. The D is still suspect, but man…that swing. Level, quick, devastating. Just ask Aroldis Chapman.
There was very good reason to wonder why he lasted the year. Nobody saw this coming.
That sweet, smooth swing led quite a few to rightly predict it was in there, though.
He trusted the *process*.
Except Conor, his teammates, his ex-teammates, his Milb coaches, his former Milb teammates, Paul Konerko, his college coaches at Wichita State and his coaches in the Cape Cod league where he was named MVP and his brother Casey Gillaspie who was drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays.
He trusted the *process*.
The White Sox didn’t see it coming. Good for the Giants sticking it out — he has proven me wrong a thousand times over.
Two opposites can be equally true and so you are correct. However his White Sox experience also led him to be mentored by an Old Salt name Paul Konerko who helped reinforce in Conor what it means to be a pro, how to eat right, how to get your work in. Conor also had moments where in 2013 and 2014he played/started 134 games and 130 games – with 13/7 HR’s – 100/131 hits – and batted .245/.282. His defense has improved because he made 26 errors in 2014 and 13 errors in 2014.
Yes, everyone knew. Baseball is just one big, happy family where everyone loves everyone else and knows that everyone will be successful.
But he is a really good hitter, though! Sometimes it takes the patience of Job (Bochy, Wotus) to get it to click, and boy is it clickin’.
Always liked him, though. He can hit. I remember being yelled at for saying that in late August.
Sorry if this has been posted:
http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/page/playoffs16_giantseliminationgamesstreak/san-francisco-giants-refuse-lose-elimination-games
I like Stark. Very even handed in my opinion. Has always gushed about the resiliency of the Giants. I remember his articles during the Royals series talking about they used a ground game to score runs.
Thanks for linking…I like Stark, too.
I also love to read the insane comments. I’m not a Facebook guy, and seeing the mental imbalance of the folks commenting via Facebook reinforces my decision to stay away
The ESPN comments are the worst. Must be the only place those animals show up.
Just noticed after watching the Gillaspie bomb for the 76th time, that the pitch was 102 mph. Conor’s triple was hit 103.3 mph. Numbers don’t lie…
He’s a great fastball hitter. Amazing he does it without gloves.
Yeah you can’t get one by him. That swing is lethal.
How great is it that Lackey of all pitchers is trying to close out tonight. Unfortunately none of these current players carries the pain of us fans from 2002.
I would love redemption, but we got that from Lackey in 2014. Tonight, he’s an experienced vet that the stage will not be too big for. That makes him dangerous.
And as memory serves, he pitched decent in 2014, but we still got him.
Giants got four runs off him in 2014 and won in the 10th innings. The Cardinals got 4 runs off Hudson.
All 4 runs were in the 1st inning, then he shut the Giants out, he also pitched very good in Chicago vs the Giants in the game Casilia blew in the 9th .
I am glad first run innings are not discounted or they might have lost the game. Bumgarner pitched a shutout last night except for the second inning.
Perhaps that’s a good thing. They approach it with ice water in their veins and business as usual.
A chronicle of Fangraphs throwing the ‘book’ out the window, and just shaking their collective heads in wonder at Giants post season baseball.
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/all-10-times-the-cubs-giants-game-appeared-over/
Who’s idea was it to have that cartoon car jut out in LF?
Ask JT about it. It cost him a HR in a playoff game.
“Quirky” aspect of the fence line or it changes the game with a random placement?
Follow the Cheveron money for your answer.
Didn’t Jeff Kent say he’d take a chainsaw to it if if ever cost him an HR?
“they’re already working on the conor gillaspie statue, outside of the ballpark”. ok, that was a good line.
I would agree. Had me cracking up.
Anyone else expecting cockroach costumes at the game tonight?
Larry Baer just put in a rush order — $30 a pop.
Damn I paid 35 dollars for mine but it was delivered to my door 🙂
Now Russo is tearing apart a Cubs beat writer who is making every excuse in the world….high theater
Is this KNBR?
ESPN
You are messing with me, methinks.
Nope. High Heat on ESPN.
I have it on now. They’re talking about college football.
So you ruined that, too.
You’re starting to become the bur in the saddle.
The bee in your bonnet? Sorry, I’m gonna go back to sleep.
The fly in the ointment.
The sand in the VAGsgersian.
Wow, read some comments from last night.Again, wow.
Anyway-ABOUT last night
*Real nice job by Ty- with some stellar defense behind him.
*That Romo recovered after blowing the save was HUGE.
*Span came up big- as he often did down the stretch
*Anyone catch Javy’s WTF moment when Bochy let Law pitch to Rizzo?
*More later, sorry.
So I guess Romo’s recovery ensures he’s not out as closer yet right? What was the pitch that Bryant hit? A slider that didn’t move as much as expected, or a fastball that he tried to sneak in for strike 2?
Romo’s recovery was vital. pitching those 2 innings might make him unavailable for tonight but shows the heart of a champion. And it gave Bochy so many more arrows in the quiver come the 12 and 13th.
Tonight, you have to expect Casilla and Javier: they are fresh.
I expect it to be Law tonight or Strickland.
Problem is, Law pitched two innings and then spent six more twirling that rally towel.
There are other arms that can and should close besides Casilla, who would be best in 6th – 8th inning role.
Big time.
Great job by Romo in only blowing the save.
The game featured two blown saves, one by each team.
They don’t have an ideal closer situation right now. But I doubt Bochy is going to change again. I believe it was a slider that got too much of the plate.
Yup, the pitch was flat, and fat.
flaat
p.s. of course it likely has to be someone else tonight, but maybe they won’t need a closer
Which is Romo’s problem. He allowed 5 HRs in just 30 regular season innings. Otherwise, his numbers were very good.
And the walk before the homer killed him
Up. Too high in the zone and in a hair.
Cubs Pre Game Notes out already
http://mlb.mlb.com/documents/9/5/6/205762956/October_11_NLDS_G4_SF_ioeiu3p9.pdf
Perfect Baseball Day on 10/11/2016: Dodgers are eliminated and Matt Moore pitches the Giants to a Game 5 in Chicago. Cocky young Cubs start to grip…
Amen
Beep, Beep.
http://i2.wp.com/usatftw.files.wordpress.com/2016/10/usp_mlb__nlds-chicago_cubs_at_san_francisco_giants_85905948.jpg?w=1000&ssl=1
I was disappointed Gregor didn’t go all Juan Perez and climb the wall for it.
Picture indicates Andrew Bogut or Kevin Durant should have been playing left!
ESPN on the Giants. http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/page/playoffs16_giantseliminationgamesstreak/san-francisco-giants-refuse-lose-elimination-games
Anybody catch Pete Rose’s comments about Chapman last night, just after the game ended? He was saying that Chapman didn’t do it in New York, didn’t do it in Cincinnati, and he’s not going to do it with the Cubs, and Joe Maddon is stupid for thinking Chapman’s going to get it done. Anyone else hear that?
Yup; and, as much as it pains me to watch/listen, A-Roid makes a purty good analist.
Yes, I know that’s not how you spell it; either of them.
A-Rod is a great analyst. He’s really good.
Love the anal-ist part.
OMG is all I can say. What an incredible, amazing, rollercoaster and bad ass game that was. So blessed to have been there.
Let’s go Giants!!!!!!
So many Fav moments but Law getting rally towel from fan and using it in dugout, epic!
It took Matthew to open my eyes wide open about Matt Vasgersian. I mean Vasgersian’s resume is impressive in many regards but I think he is now “Back Wall Matt” meaning he is tapped out.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Vasgersian
What a shame that a man like John Smoltz has to be paired with BackWallMatt. Vasgersian’s pathetic in game interview with Matt Moore should be the poster interview on how not to conduct one. A maudlin and consoling Vasgersian was pandering to Moore about “I hope you get a chance to throw tomorrow” among other biased and slanted remarks.
The fact that Vasgersian started as a play-by-play announcer / sportscaster with the Chicago Cubs Rookie league affiliate in Huntington, West Virginia makes me long for Jack Buck and all his known flaws.
Vasgersian’s HR call on Bryant’s game tying HR reminded me of Minnie Mouse screaming at Mickey and then when he had a chance on Paniks blast over the head of the Cubs outfielder – Vasgersian tried to emulate Buck with the Ishikawa HR…..(pathetic call)
***********************
Here is an old 1987 video of Jeffrey Leonard catching the final regular season out and “our” announcer calls John Kruks ball “a little looper to left” WTF
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_a3jkMl6Mo
6:45 on the dial = Will Clark https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ur1nCjiZxN8
I finally have the chance to root specifically against Kaepernick, while rooting against the 49ers in general. It should be good times.
Malloy stays consistent. Calls Sully Sullenberger – definitely NOT a hero for saving 155 people aboard. Instead TO says Sullenberger 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.
Stay classy TO and thank you for what you do on a daily basis for protecting the residents of San Jose.
You’re a strange guy, which is very entertaining. Don’t ever change.
There are more than 6,000 miles between Venice and San Jose. PHEEEEEWWWWWWW……
Maybe we can find common ground in the fact that both cities have cats?
Personally I don’t give a d*** for cats. No common ground possible. Ever and forever. End of trasmission.
Sorry. I’d formed a different impression from your unforgettable “Cats of Venice” series. I’m heartbroken at the thought we’re not going to be friends.
Would contrition help? My heart goes out to you, figuratively speaking.
Over the course of my life, I’ve learned to deal with disappointments like this. Sure, it may be a few years before I can fully get over the fact that the Italian guy and I can’t be friends, but I’m confident that there will eventually come a time when I can finally put the pain behind me and start to truly live again.
Just avoid Italy, although you may ultimately need a priest ministrations, if not a bail bondsman.
Can’t report here what’s my impression of you. Gentlemanship forbids.
What? No!
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/7df5f1028990918c588b9a6a56ed0be0f9cab0ad3d78e0d4fb454ce4336fc77c.jpg
He’s a Trumpster. He views the feline world somewhat differently than you I fear.
That was for the constable (the sheriff) only, of course. “Ad usum comitis stabuli”. I love latin.
LOL. Football is such a controversial sport.
Stupid move. Guy gets hurt and 49ers are on the hook financially. On the bright side, short-term memory 49er fans will remember why he wasn’t starting after a few quarters.
It is a dangerous move financially, but they almost have to do it. Otherwise, they’d risk even more fan scorn for looking like they care more about $$ than winning. The move might also have something to do organizational politics.
They have money. They aren’t spending it to improve the team. I will have NO sympathy for them if this risk backfires.
That building isn’t interested in building a team to win. It’s to build a product to make the most money they can.
I understand they have been restructuring his contract just for this purpose.
I don’t think it will help the team much. They basically do not have a ground game and their receivers are old and not very good.
However, Kap should be good for running out the clock. He’s mastered taking a knee.
I don’t think re-structuring has happened, but it might have (today) and I didn’t see the announcement.
Remember the first part of Jon Millers call when Marquis Grissom hit the ball over ARZ’s David Dellucci in the infamous Ruben Rivera game? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spx9ZeSYVTU
So I think Jon almost duplicated his passionate announcers emotion last night when Gillaspie’s ball went over the head of the Cubs RF Albert Almora.
http://www.knbr.com/2016/10/11/jon-miller-calls-gillapsies-latest-late-inning-heroics/
Hear is the excitement in Spanish
http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/94951848/v1205446783/?c_id=mlb
Here is page 2 of my scorebook from last night.
Also I wore my Champion Blood t shirt which I also wore to the Wildcard game against the Mets. Don’t worry– dirty or not I’m wearing it tonight.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/5566460b41087cc3826d0a4a409609a823fabf9539aaa49e65a21b2ae739ca1a.jpg
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/a2f1a76f096b051c0bb00204dca467ca4540366facc8c41c2d0179d344a72e07.jpg
Awesome!
Great line in Bruce Jenkins story about last night:
“As they ponder their fate, Cubs fans won’t be so concerned with Panik or any of the late-game developments. They’ll be dwelling on just one name, the third baseman who wears No. 21 for the Giants. They’ll spell it Connor Gillespie, but get it right: That’s Conor Gillaspie, whose two-run triple off Aroldis Chapman sent the crowd into a frenzy.
Read More at:
http://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/article/Giants-keep-dream-alive-with-13-inning-win-9961736.php
Chris Bryant is a beast. I agree with Pete Rose. Walk the dude!!
A little Brisbee poetry [re the Cubs] while we wait to throw up again:
“And yet I don’t envy them. I don’t envy the weight of the monkey on their back. It’s 400 pounds, and it’s a chain smoker with a hacking cough. They have to look across the field and see a geyser of magical bullshit shooting up into the heavens. It stinks. It gets everywhere. It’s oddly speckled with glitter? But mostly it stinks and gets everywhere.”
http://www.mccoveychronicles.com/2016/10/11/13240368/giants-cubs-13-innings-playoffs-i-dont-even-know
Good schtuff. 400 pound chain smoking monkey on their back indeed. Lets make it difficult
A-rod is a great analyst. He speaks with knowledge and wisdom. Who would have thunk it.
Word
Matt Moore on pitching at home and about Joe Maddon
http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/94951848/v1205004283/?query=conor%2Bgillaspie
I’d say Conor has jurisdiction over Chapman’s FB:
bailiwick
BEY-luh-wik
noun
1. a person’s area of skill, knowledge, authority, or work: to confine suggestions to one’s own bailiwick.
2. the district within which a bailie or bailiff has jurisdiction.
……….
Did you see the whole game last night, Clutch? If you were watching closely, you saw Cubs 2b Baez take the opportunity (twice) to hard-tag Joe Panik. Panik, of course, slapped a hard tag on Baez’s face earlier in the series, not long after the Giants threw him up and in, right? I just thought it was funny that Baez got his chance for a little payback and put a little extra into it. Thought you probably noticed it too.
Soewhat lost in last night’s heroics was the game that Denard Span had. A double, a triple and two runs scored and a great catch in centerfield. He has had a bunch of key hits this season.
It wasn’t lost on me, of course.
I need help with my meat loaf. Can you dress it up with bacon?
I was going to say Mike saw this as a possibility, but he seems to already said it. 😉
Ok, so Bochy was in HOF form last night, agreed. One question: Why PH Nunez when the best hope is a single, followed immediately by burning another guy to pinch run? MadBum could have swung for himself, with a lot more upside.
Nunez hit 16 HRs this year, he is no singles hitter .
So you see him as a HR threat? I guess I wasn’t seeing him that way.
You know…a little part of me thinks Nunez is sandbagging. I know he wants to play, but both time he’s hit…it’s been a ground out and he ran slow up the line. What if he already knew he was out, so he let’s the Cubs think he can’t run at all?
It’s what we said in his last AB. I’d put it at 98%
He smoked one to left on Saturday.
Yesterday I commented that I just wanted to see the Giants play baseball again today. Thanks Giants.
Listen to the Posey interview with Pedro Gomez. Speakers/headphones needed
http://www.espn.com/espnradio/play?id=17768286
Posey dropping a “Belcher” got on. WTF?
Brandon Belt aka The Belcher
And “Joey” obviously with the big hit there at the end” JOEY??? Got to love Buster.
Bad Italian food?
What happened to 2hole? I don’t seem anywhere around here lately? He sure was quiet after the game!
LMAO – Your 3 sentences should be a “Featured Comment”
He was around being very conciliatory and almost pleasant. He still wants the Cubs to win this so he must die. At least, figuratively.
Yes, he went from his stupid trolling to trying to ingratiate himself around here again. He’s slowly catching on that he hasn’t been relevant around here for awhile.
What I don’t understand is why he hangs around a Giants blog when he is a Cubs fan. Is our blog cooler than theirs?
GG, this blog is cooler than any blog on any subject ever.
POTD!!
Careful BB, flattery will get you everywhere. Did you send me a guest post?
Careful yourself. You get full credit and more for the time and effort and love you’ve shown to save this blog from the demise Baggs didn’t seem to care about. A true act of grace. But the beauty and power of this blog is from the baseball fans who feel safe posting here. It’s useful to remind each other what an usual public space this is, and deep gratitude to you George for retaining it and actually making it better. I have little to say, but I sure enjoy reading and learning at TogetherWereGiants.
Btw – How is Bleacher Mom doing?
She’s old. But she watched Pagan’s wall scraper in the Ty Blach game from 6 seats away. Almost lost an arm from the high 5’s everyone gave her.
I KNOW you are forever treasuring these moments. Good job BB.
She’s a good lady Clutch, but not such a good mother. 4th commandment.
As a typical Cubs fan, he doesn’t really know much about baseball. Even though it doesn’t seem so sometimes (during debate), there’s a lot of baseball knowledge here, no matter whom you’re a fan of. I learn a lot here, even from TO, LOL. He’s a moth, this is a candle.
Love your last two sentences. I am laughing out loud
Do ya think? ;o)
So I am going to eventually write a serious article about this phenomenon but for tight now I want a short post: The Red Sox got swept, the Dodgers are in trouble, the Rangers are done. What do they all have in common? They all won their divisions easily and cruised, rested and lost their edge come playoff time. I wrote last week that it was a big mistake for Dave Roberts to treat the last series against the Giants as a dress rehearsal. I believe strongly that teams lose their mental and physical edge when they stop playing for something. It is the manager’s job to balance the need for rest with maintaining the discipline and competitiveness of a season. We have seen so many teams lose quietly in the playoffs after getting in easily and taking their foot off the gas.
Good point
Uh – 2012 Tigers! :o)
But the Indians and Nationals won their divisions more easily than the Red Sox and Dodgers.
This is what happens to teams the are not toughened up in the regular season by one run victories and a pennant race:
From Mr. Gasper in the Boston Globe:
“That’s why the Red Sox went from regular-season overachievers to playoff underachievers, from division champs to playoff disappointments. No one expected October to end so soon for the Sox. It’s a difficult lesson for exciting young players like Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr., and Xander Bogaerts. They’ll be back here. Ortiz will not.
Playoff baseball is like an X-ray. It shows you what is underneath the surface. It reveals hardball hairline fractures. The Sox got exposed. They were 30-11 in blowout games, which baseball reference.com defines as games decided by five-plus runs. They were 20-24 in one-run games and lost two more in the postseason.
Their lineup, which scored the most runs in baseball during the regular season, couldn’t muster a single inning in the series where they scored more than one run.
The Sox batted a meager .214 in this series. They got zero runs batted in from Betts, Bogaerts, Bradley Jr. and Dustin Pedroia, somewhat disadvantaged by batting lead-off. Those four players batted a combined .181 (8 for 44) with two extra-base hits. Throw in Ortiz hitting .111, and too much of the Boston lineup was idle.
The Sox were 78-15 in the regular season when they scored five or more runs. They couldn’t reach that mark in this series.”
Read the full article: http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/redsox/2016/10/10/gasper/BzsC0IpzP7sqGzAtGUCTbP/story.html?p1=Article_Recirculation_Pos7
Heh, this is funny – this picture popped up on my “on this day” facebook feed as something I shared 4 years ago. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/f9453c3be7a001e671a33b3bdd22ab9c627f58becab805e02a4b17c334c70b3f.jpg
i used to be totally against Rose getting into the HOF. But if he wears what he did last night, come on down. Lord Almighty.
The man has style. I really like his analyses too, especially when he described Javier Baez as “cadillacing” around the bases… old school baseball talk that reminds me of my little league coach.
He was laying into Roberts for equivocating on who the starter would be. I actually think Roberts was in a tough spot though, with the lost game.
Interesting. Roberts made a mistake, a classic rookie manager mistake by over-reacting after a loss. Doesn’t he realize he needs to win two games and pitching Kershaw, on short rest after a prolonged DL stint is a bad idea? Who pitches afterwards? Hill on 3 days? If I am the Nationals I am licking my chops. I say the Walgreens win today.
it is always day to day in the postseason. He’s using his best pitcher to try to stave off elimination.You worry about tomorrow tomorrow.
Bum, yeah – but not Opie – he’s creaky, and has a bad history of pitching on short rest.
Starting Kershaw is too big of a risk. Not a fan of the team, but why would Roberts risk him so early in the playoffs? Using Bum on the 3rd day of the last possible game of the season made sense, this doesn’t.
It’s more of an admission about Arias than a complement to Kershaw. Film and scouting have had their way with Arias.
I think that the default assumption is that Roberts is an idiot.
Agreed. He has two must win games. No need to go with Kershaw on short rest in game 4.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rFc5csmUVo
Alpha Beta Markets and Allen Hamel and Suzanne Somers would have been proud of Rose’s O Brother Where Art Thou get up.
Joe Maddon got a little cute but we were also trying to lure him here when he was at Tampa bay and our Big Melon was getting skewered. Do I still think he is a premiere Skipper. I do but he’s lucky he has Theo’s full support – and lucky that the 108 year starving Goat and Fans bought in 100%
“Deep thoughts, cheap shots & bon mots”
* Subbing Albert Almora for Heyward was huge. Almora is a righthanded OF and Heyward is lefthanded. Maybe Heyward does not catch Poseys ball in the RF corner but I believe Heyward also catches Gillaspies ball that got over Almora’s back hand attempt. We all remember Heywards fabulous early season catch at Willie Mays Field ala Blanco in Cains Perfect Game.
* The Home Run celebration in Inning two was without a doubt a tad much. Some Cub, where and who I don’t know should have reminded the orgasmic dugout to “act like weve been here before” , but then that is hard to do when you …..
* Chapman brought in with runners on base and no outs? Diva closers do not enjoy those moments.. He throws 21 pitches/14 strikes and K’s Hunter before Conor goes 3 bagger, Craw goes single up the middle and “Joey” Panik walks to bring Papa Maddon out to grab ‘zee’ ball and hand it to Grimm.
* I was not thrilled that it looked like Blanco “mailed in” his at bat vs Grimm. 3-1 count, runners at 3rd and 2nd and a dribbler to Rizzo. #LoveYouAnywayGregor. Had he been able to Bochy would have hit Gorky’s for Blanco instead of Strickland IMO
* Talking to PrimeTimeDonna from her ground level ushers station she said “all the experts around her” said Belt gacked on Busters line drive down the RF line. Kevin Frandsen said Belt “made the proper read”, but Almora made a tremendous catch.
* Somewhere I heard Jeff Kent growling about the top of the Chevron Car….so I am wondering does a taller Pagan, a much taller Mac Williamson come closer to Bryant’s HR Wall scraper?
* Y’all had to know that minus the walk off – Santiago was gonna pitch. Kudos to Romo for getting back on the saddle and I concur that Bum holding the line at 3 runs and giving Boch 5 innings deserves a “game ball”.
Great post Clutch!! Spot on!! You forgot about MLB Umps desperately trying to give the Cubs the win.
Pac: I had a brain freeze. Even Carlos Gomez (who BB25 detested) came on the 1050 version of KNBR and uttered the words of so many here: “WHY even have replay”
https://audioboom.com/boos/5152270-10-11-pedro-gomez-gets-us-ready-for-moore-lackey-tonight?t=0
What I saw and what most normal baseball people (UMPS) look for is “daylight” – so then I saw about 4 inches of daylight from Rizzo’s foot and the first base bag, #Putrid.
Not in my section — most thought Belt’s gamble was the right call. If he doesn’t go then it is up to Pence to hit an extra base hit with 2 outs.
Totally agree!
Yep, Maddon is pretty lucky. If it wasn’t for those 102 wins this season and a track record of success, they’d toss him right out. I can’t believe how lucky some people are.
I guess Sullenberger got lucky also according to you.
Hey TO – find the word “lucky” in my post?!?? HaHa – nice try Malloy.
Yes. It’s in the first paragraph. Twice.
Where did he say that? Do you live to drop Baby Ruth’s in the pool?
great points all. i was thinking last night that heyward probably makes that catch, if he’s out there in the 8th. talk about a gut punch. i’m convinced that maddon makes some of his unconventional moves, just to remind everyone what a genius he is. chapman getting the last 6 outs? that’s a big ask for any reliever, and now some thoughts have to be creeping into his head. this is the 2nd time he’s been hit hard.
i love those bon mots. i like them with strawberry preserves with my java in the morning.
Funny comment from the Chronicles McCovey, whether you fault Maddon or not:
Montgomery sure seemed to have their number
And
Chapman for an additional inning makes sense to me, too. You have this
wounded Terminator you thought you had killed coming at you. Do you
throw everything at it, or adhere to protocol? The Giants must have
looked like some hideous revenant that you thought dead, fulfilling a
prophecy that gave you nightmares all year. I can’t fault Maddon here.
http://www.mccoveychronicles.com/2016/10/11/13240368/giants-cubs-13-innings-playoffs-i-dont-even-know#398598033
“hideous revenant” – Bravo!
“Geyser of shit coming out of the other dugout” ain’t bad either! :o)
Line ups are out!
Per Pavs: Bochy’s cockroaches: Span CF, Belt 1B, Posey C, Pence RF, Crawford SS, Gillaspie 3B, Panik 2B, Blanco LF, Moore LHP.
I wish it was Gorky over Blanco.
Same soup
Lineup today. I wish Gorky would play left over Blanco.
You already said that
did you see the sac bunt that gregor put down last nite? that was a thing of beauty. gorkys has a much bigger upside, as well as a much bigger downside. blanco has been there, done that, and has the T shirt. oh, and 2 big, shiny rings. sticking with a solid vet is the right thing to do here.
95.7 The Game – Please say it is not true…. Chad – Joe and Lo has been changed to Joe, Lo, and Dibs.
Dan Dibbley….Arrrraahhhhhggggg
Can someone remind me how injured players work with the playoff rosters? If Pagan is truly to hurt to go in this elimination game, couldn’t they remove him for Parker? Or does that mean he has to sit another series?
7. A post-season eligible player who is injured during a post-season series (LDS, LCS, or World Series) can (with the approval of the MLB Commssioner) be replaced during the series by another player, but the injured player is ineligible to be reinstated to his club’s Active List (25-man roster) for the balance of that series and the next series (LCS or World Series). Also, a pitcher must replace a pitcher and a position player must replace a position player. However, it is NOT necessary for a catcher to replace a catcher, an infielder to replace an infielder, or an outfielder to replace an outfielder.
refresh
http://www.thecubreporter.com/book/export/html/3549
Yep thought so, thanks Cluch
If I’m not mistaken he’d have to sit until the WS
Kerhsaw already down 1-0 and only 1 out with 18 pitches in the first.
27 through the first!
You got to figure they won’t throw much more than 100 pitches on short rest. If the Nationals keep grinding out ABs it could be a short start.
Wow, that’s not looking good for the Bums… Very exciting stuff…
That pesky pitch count thing….watch out, Clayton
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