by
Greek Giant
The Giants beat Team Puerto Rico in dramatic fashion yesterday with a walkoff 2-run homer by Chris Marrero, a former first round draft pick (by the Walgreens) who is still on the good side of 30 even though he was drafted 9 years ago. This offseason, apart from the excellent acquisition of Mark Melancon in free agency, the Giants seemed a little too fetishy with those once great, but now nobody wants you types like Jimmy Rollins and Aaron Hill. Even more inexplicable is the acquisition of players who were never great, never even much good, and way past their “best buy” date.
Let’s see how things are playing out so far. Michael Morse was 3-for-14 going into Wednesday’s game, in which he homered. Justin Ruggiano, the former Marlins outfielder, was 1-for-15. The famous Jimmy Rollins was 2-for-14 and potential backup catcher Tim Federowicz is 0-for-8. Infielder Gordon Beckham is a cool 4-for-13. Aaron Hill is 5-for-15 in the Cactus League and has shown some versatility in the infield.
Meh.
That’s my summation so far. More interestingly is the rise of Chris Marrero. The unheralded outfielder looks like the second coming of Henry Aaron so far. His consistency represents an interesting conundrum for Bochy and CO. If Marrero makes the big league team the Giants may elect to have Mac Williamson start the season in Sacramento, dashing my hopes and those of Lefty for Mac’s emergence into a true star…
Breckeroni told me to link Schulman’s article on the “oldsters” since it ties into this new post.
http://www.sfchronicle.com/giants/article/Giants-oldsters-such-as-Morse-struggling-as-10990081.php?t=260809b3ea&cmpid=twitter-premium
It would be a big help if someone evaluated the defense these guys play as well. Tell Breck to pass it along.
Breck says once he’s done evaluating his spray charts he’ll turn his attention to the defense.
Good because Morse reminds me way to much of Vlad Guerrero in RF a few years ago with the Rangers here at AT&T.
I think this sentence appropriately confused me. I almost feel like PJ hijacked your account.
You don’t recall Guerrero stiff legging ground balls in RF and chasing one between his legs and stumbling.
Ah. Yes, I do.
As well as Baggerly’s:
http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/03/09/sizing-up-giants-roster-decisions-at-the-midpoint-of-spring-training/
I’ve never understood the rationale behind the local writers all addressing the same topic. It occurs too often to be coincidence, so they obviously must have some kind of group chat about what they’re going to write about. But, again, i don’t get it. You’d think that kind of chat would cause them to write different columns, not the same.
I ran into Baggs and Hank at O’Hare in 2012…they were in a layover after a Cincy series…they were sitting together and typing away.
Of course, I interrupted….but later, I read their pieces. Same subject matter.
I sat behind the three of them last year in AZ… Birds of a feather: https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/3dd87db68299dd64d3a2a11a8d8950339d15503f514dd19c3dd0c364183ecd63.jpg
To be fair, if I had their job, I’d sit with the guys who had the same job too.
p.s. Something missing from that photo is a woman Giants beat reporter. Maybe someday.
Janie McCauley MLB beat writer assigned to the Giants. REALLY good person. Covers ALL West Coast Team Sports https://twitter.com/JanieMcCAP https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/cf80f51de7b28479859cb56b553b43f4da650308939ba2e3675eac57922694f8.jpg
The A’s have a real keeper in Susan Slusser married to our very own Daniel Brown.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/5b71d734c71142289c1bb6eca1089517cd157fce5d55a03b5befc125caaf5195.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/bfaa1b4d483b1a6b112c453cfc90350644a3a072673cafdba4c84d91f9e2f914.jpg
Isn’t Janie an AP sports writer who covers multiple teams/sports?
The Giants need their own version of Susan Slusser.
Pssst.
What are we whispering about?
I think CU said that about 15 mins. ago.
Yours says 9 min
It sounded like you were scolding him. Didn’t want you to get in trouble.
On the other hand, he could have edited his ATF
I was going to say, Don’t bawl me out. But then realized I’m not sure how you spell it. I know bawl is to cry. Not sure of the other use.
after the fact
Hmmm…. Isn’t there a difference between being an AP Sports Writer and an MLB beat writer? I’ve just never seen any articles by Janie McCauley on SF MLB page. She’s not in Scottsdale that I’m aware of, but then perhaps Chris Haft isn’t there either.
I wish we could have Susan Slusser on the Giants beat. But that’s not possible because Dan Brown works for the Merc and covers the Giants at times.
See, I knew I was going to get into trouble. I was just pulling tails. I would never get on you seriously, since you’re mostly right when you comment. I was just being Froggy The Gremlin. But then there isn’t a soul that will get that reference. Don’t hate me, I’m sorry.
What are you’re talking about, Bapah? There’s nothing to apologize for. Seriously. “Pssst” was funny.
Nothing could be finer than to be in Carolina in the morning….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoJJcixSfjo
Did you chicken out?
Correct – she is like Chris Haft but she is really really good, fair and impartial.
Slusser is very loyal to the A’s. Good for her. She broke down barriers with this http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/8559110/susan-slusser-becomes-first-woman-head-bbwaa
I bet she is heading way up the ML baseball ranks. Although Amy Trask is as good a NFL person – be it man or women and her departure from the Raiders threw her off a bit but not for long. http://justblogbaby.com/
http://ktla.com/2017/02/03/former-raiders-ceo-amy-trask-on-reflections-of-an-nfl-career/
https://twitter.com/amytrask?lang=en
Makes no sense to me and never will. Reminds me of my grandmother and her sister when I was young. When they had us over for dinner they’d both make the same food. Not just the main course, mind you, but side dishes, too. Her sister was pretty much deaf so my grandmother would steer everyone to the food she made, claiming its superiority. When her sister said, “What?” my grandmother would say, “Nothing.” I need to implement that into a script.
They’re sportswriter. They can’t usually spell creative or unique.
Way way way early to evaluate the veteran signees but it’s never too early to trash Sabean, Evans, and Bochy.
BTW, there are never enough prospects to fill out the Sacramento squad,so veteran players are used to help populate that roster and provide some counsel to the kids.
And aren’t there some players who were never great, never even much good, and way past their “best buy” date?
Vogey comes to mind as the best example.
This is a very robust post.
Robust-inticy is a must in the Scott household.
The thing with Marrero is he’s not actually an outfielder. He’s never played in the OF at the major league level. He’s played some corner OF in the minors, but he’s mainly a 1B.
Not sure quite how that fits. Are you going to give a starting or bench OF job to a guy who’s not really an OF?
On the other hand, a certain minor leaguer was considered non-playable as a 3B and then, after being traded, was a Gold Glove finalist in LF in his rookie year. I won’t mention his name because it upsets people. The bottom line is that if you think the bat is going to play, you try to find a spot for it.
No sweat, we’ll get over it in decade or two.
And I du vall-ue your opinion.
Thanks for not speaking the Unspeakable. [I used it last thread with Ef to argue the Giants had developed an OF since Chilli Davis.]
Yes, it’s Duvall. He had a run. The data.
https://i.imgur.com/ELdTGX8.png
You really love these graphs. What do they prove? Every player’s season has ups and downs. This wasn’t a mystery unlocked by the beloved Fangraphs.
Dan Gladden actually
Should be added to Wiki:
Adam Duvall of the Cincinnati Reds, who according to many “Together We’re Giants” blog participants, was a 1B turned All-Star OF that Giants Management “Should have never traded for Mike Leake”. Because of the frustration/anger generated by this trade, nearly every “Together We’re Giants” blog participant dares not utter his name, and refers to him instead with such expressions as “You-Know-Who” and “He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named”.
Hey Doc. Are you and Mr. Lefty in town? I`m going to the Cleveland game Friday. I hear that somewhere in Old Town the Bloody Marys are mandatory before the game.
At this point in time for the Giants, everyone who is not an established major leaguer at some non-outfield position is by definition a potential corner outfielder.
This needs to be a dgg/Lefty dominated response thread!
GG speaks for me. With one difference. My one-word paragraph/summation would be: Blah.
Careful – there might be a Montana family member 20 years from now – of high ML caliber – trying to hold on to his starting “dgg” family starting position in a ML lineup :-)))
He just lost his first tooth. If he’s in ST in 20 years, he will only be 25 then. Whereas Jimmy Rollins is almost 40.
I think Jimmy just lost all his uppers. Such is the life of a 39 yr old has been wash-up.
🙂
It appears that the Cincy player in the background is doing that old Salsa rendition of “Get me Off the Field”
So this an off day? Why? Get this misery over with. Here’s my idea: there are about 5 spots up for grabs and maybe 10 players with any chance of getting those 5 spots. Can the rest of them and play this out with 30 guys . I am asking for twenty bucks for 5 percent equity in my idea. So who wants to ride the pine with me?
Team Canada needs a line change….
They have too many teeth for hockey
I actually like the Warriors bench this year but one could also look at those occasion last year where Mo Buckets and “We Be Champions Barbosa” entered the game and in 11 or 18 minutes scored 21 points between them.
DWest is somebody most teams covet but he and the Numbered Zero Rook don’t cover Mo and the Barb at least on their good nights….
Nobody hustles like Robinson Cano!
Good Night Allen! https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/073c26f742e563b96c5a62bbb34b939d248db897922474aee9ab3a2b4d0bf0d0.jpg
The veteran signees
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~tnsmith/oldpics/jenkinsdanwade.jpg
Which one is you?
Oh, don’t tell me. It is my latest, MyChefMikeGuy™.
I am going for the kid on the far right with his hands backwards.
They are all Chef Mike’s Guys. Just spot us 100 runs and we will keep it darn close.
Mike’s more a bib overall kinda guy.
Actually I’m dressed just as you all imagine me to be clothed – boxer shorts and a dirty singlet. One slipper,and a sock on the other foot. I haven’t shaved in a week. If I put on the other slipper, I’m in my wedding clothes.
This is laugh-out-loud funny, Mike!
Fetishy?
Henry Aaron, really? That’s taking it just a bit too far.
Also, no chance in hell Mac ever becomes a star, but then who is to say every Giants player is a star. Not every guy on the team has to be one. We won 3 rings with only a handful of “stars” and a bunch or role players.
If Parker or Mac or any of these retreads on the roster are even passable and provide decent production, it’s a win.
But star? C’mon let’s be serious.
Henry Aaron? Nah. I’d go with Mel Ott. Chris will be a HOFer one day. He’s the real deal.
Better watch it. Efrain will be spreading this around as though you’re making a serious prediction.
You are right on Mac but I think you misread GG’s reference to Hank Aaron. He was calling Marrero’s first two weeks here like an Aaron impression; not that we could be an Aaron for any future stretch.
A player who has always been in the same system can not be called a retread. Just a correction as to Mac’s status.Efrain might want to call him a cruddy excuse for a real ballplayer, but he’s not a retread.
Mac has options. He deserves better, but will probably find himself in west Sac.
Randy Elliott
reading comprehension is the key here
If you entertain the premise that the double is a better, although imperfect, measure of ‘power’. Duvall vs Belt, raw data.
https://i.imgur.com/aHRR8ev.png
https://i.imgur.com/pD4Odp8.png
You’re trolling TO
No, I’m just interested in the elements of ‘power’ hitting and how it pays off. I have felt for a while that a line drive doubles hitter can express the power he has by focusing on contact instead of HR. As I’ve said before, HRs are low probability events.
Trolling TO, LOL. You invest a lot more significance in his comments than I do. I will give him this though, he directed me to Duvall as an example.
I wish I had the software I used to have access to. That’s a discrete impulse train. I’ve never heard of anyone looking at this sort of data with the tools of discrete signal analysis. That would be interesting and maybe fun if you weight the signals with the wOBA coefficients and display all hit types. Ahh, but not to be, at least from me. Baseball is such a rich, textured game.
Doubles are far better than home runs. Singles are even better doubles. But give me a slowly hit groundball to the second baseman…the best.
OPS+ is a real stat and Belt’s is better than Long Ball’s- and Belt won’t be out of the bigs in about 3 years,.
He hit another of those lucky home runs today.
I never said that he was lucky or didn’t have big time power. What I have said is that he has had his 15 minutes. We could have used him last year, however. Darn.
Besides, those home runs are so aggressive and full of testosterone. A double is much more polite and won’t do nearly as much damage to the other team’s self-esteem.
See, TO, you’ve already evolved beyond any need for a therapy dog.
I love that ad where the system is breached and the General has to provide his password before the lockdown.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXU93BnLhbw
Had to say that. It makes me laugh even thinking about it. OK, I’m weird.
That ad is hilarious. Wonder if any generals in the current administration feel the same way.
This emotional support dog thing is getting out of hand.
What’s that?
They are dogs that people take everywhere with them, including places where dogs are not normally allowed, because they are viewed similarly to guide dogs for the blind.
Oh, Snowflake Pups basically?
Yes. I think the number people who are legitimately emotionally disabled to the point that they need their dogs with them at all times is microscopically small. My daughter was just telling me about some guy whose dog pees in her gym every day.
Given a certain fellow on here, I’m inspired to start a new business: Blog Dogs.
Want in?
What made you think about that? Just wondering. BTW,the piss stink will dissipate faster in the gym than in the house..
I’ve been seeing these dogs everywhere, and then my daughter told me her story.
You can get one of those vests on the Internet, easy.
I think they’re about as hard to get as a medical marijuana card.
Pretty much.
Barf. I mean Bark. Hate them. Restaurants No!
Spring Training rookie here. I heard about the mandatory Bloody Mary before spring training games in Old Town. Does anybody have the straight scoop on that important matter? I`ll be at Friday`s game vs Cleveland…yes, the front row.
I’ll be there, too!
Are you and Mr. Lefty up for a pre-game Bloody Mary? I`m Sec 108 row H Seat 7…Posey shirt. Either at the park or in Old Town.
We’re flying in tomorrow morning and barely getting there in time for the game…but maybe I can try to say hi at the park! We’re in Sec 304, Row 2, seats 7-8. I’m wearing a Bumgarner spring training shirt from last year and a 2014 World Series cap.
Great. See you there.
Texas Lefty is gonna be pretty pissed at the Spurs….
Together We’re Spurs better get ready.
spurs going to lose to OKC. thanks TF. 2 game lead for #1 seed for dubs. i still think they can hang on. not many agree..
Agree with you there, steve k. We’re both in the minority.
Someone was talking about the Giants tendency to throw the high FB earlier. He had a point, the Giants are near to top in mlb.
https://i.imgur.com/2mi2Csp.png
I think they’d be higher still if it was just starters.
Great home park to work upstairs. Challenge hitters to hit it out to right. Few operate better upstairs than Bumgarner. Matt Moore is effective up there. Cueto does whatever he wants with the ball. I’m pretty sure Melancon is dedicated towards working his cutter downstairs.
TWG Scouts @Scottsdale Plus
In honor of International Women’s Day [week] we have DrLefty and standardstarboard at the games this weekend. Plus “ss” will be there Monday and Tuesday too.
Thank you ladies.
Send them your questions and watch for their quips and comments.
A gender revelation. Did not know standardstarboard is a woman mariner. Most excellent. The women of the blog are strong indeed.
And she is my one convert to Cold Brew coffee.
Does everyone understand I brew it cold and drink it hot?
Soak the coarse grind in cold water for 24-hours; filter drain it for a concentrate you have for putting into hot water.
Any idea what she sails?
She can answer but I think OurGirls™ have both sides of the ship covered right? [left?]
Dr. Port it is, then
Just remember, RRR, Red Right Returning.
Giant Homegrown OF’ers
Chilli Davis – 1981
Marvin Bernard – 1995
Pedro Feliz – 2001 [Yes, ironically he came up as an OF and was switched to 3B; a reversal of He Whom Shall Not Be Named]
One per decade [ouch!]… so as I wrote yesterday Efrain … whir doo!
Parker? Mac? Slater? Duggar [2018] … ?
Dan Gladden came up as an outfielder in the Giants system, he went on to have decent career, I always thought they should have held on to him longer but it worked out for him, a WS championship or maybe two with the Twins.
Noted … 11 years.
One old video I have is the 1991 WS where Dan was brilliant for the Twins.
My new “toy”, to trim the outfield grass. Gave it a test run yesterday, evening, then it was time to get a small rubber band around the baby bull calf’s testicles and eartag the first two calves of spring. 2 down, one to go.
http://moreoutdoor4u.com/images/products/detail/sep.jpg
Hard to beat those big wheels; four-wheel mowing around here;
Burn pile today training my five-year-old grandson the fine art of diesel, propane torches and road flares. Many downed redwood ‘widow makers’ to drag over and throw in once it gets going.
Got to supplement the tractor and the mower. Lucky grandson to be able to share burn pile day with grandpa. Last burn piles we’ve had was able to get em going with match, newspaper, and kindling, but we don’t live in a rainforest. We are due for another burn, but always have to check if it’s a “burn day”.
Do you mind if I ask how you mow larger areas? I have about a half acre of grass, and it’s so crushingly humid in the summers that I use a garden tractor. The old one is on its last legs. I’ve been looking at Husqvarnna, but mostly because that name is so cool.
Don’t mind at all. Something like this, 8n with bush hog:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DqGfTw3pHc
I was afraid your level of equipment would be too elevated for my measly half acre of lawn. But that’s a cool toy!
I occasionally drive over a garter snake, and sometimes a toad, but the bunnies all manage to get away, and I try to miss the slower moving things.
Oh my. The poor snake and toad.
I think most of the toads get away, and I have been known to stop and carry them into the woods to make sure. The snakes are very hard to see. Maybe I’ll have fewer of them now that I’ve had the crab apple tree cut down?
I was able to mow my lawn last Saturday, the grass was pretty thick, and sure enough a very pretty garter snake (I assume that was the variety) slithered quickly just in front of the mower. I’m one of those save the spiders and snakes kind of guystuff, and would have felt terrible if I had chopped him up. I was able to grab him and put him in the garden area, hope to see him around again.
Great guest post BTW, love those great offensive games with a few bombs in them.
Thank you, and I’m very glad your snake got away.
King snakes are my favorites. Often mistaken for their evil twin.
Is your SD neighborhood good snake country?
We only see them seldom unless we visit a friend with a sunny property.
Well, not so many at the beach, but up in the hills where I am, occasionally.
As a kid, there were many in the hills around LA where I grew up.
I killed my first (six rattles) with a shovel in our front yard when I was 10.
Rattlers, King Snakes … the adventurous side of Laid Back California life for us kids that grew up here.
I am reaching the Tipping Point on reasons to go to SD and a coffee shop with you is on the list. Thanks for your posts and answers here.
Are we all aware of how King snakes do in Rattle snakes? It’s interesting to watch.
Not to mention spotted butterfly
This will be a busy burn pile spring for me… the PG&E contract tree crews have made another couple passes through the ‘hood this winter, dropping beetle killed pines that threaten their wires. Which adds to the 6-8 of my own I’ll be felling soon. Tons of slash on the ground as a result. Rather spend the time snowshoeing in the high country, but slash work is good work.
We get cut off on April 30.
You all get all the time you want right?
Call it “training” and check the wind and go?
Better than a weed whacker??
Probably the equivalent of three weed whackers on steroids. Think of McGwire, Sosa, and Bonds pelting the stands.
I thought you were going to show the Bullettes.
Ouch
Loved Gladden and Hrbek and Gaetti and Chili Davis and Kirby and Frankie V…
Gladden didn’t have the most excellent seasons during those two championships seasons, but the rings made everything all better, I’m sure.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/gladdda01.shtml
He and Hacman had issues
They had best start hitting on some of these OF prospects soon. Reynolds might be their best bet.
This is a strange thing. When I was a boy, there was Mays and McCovey and so many Alous it was hard to keep track, Matthews, …
The organization must think it is easier to trade for an OF, so that concentrating on pitching and recently some good young IF is smarter.
That is the deeper question that makes this only half of the story.
They have focused on pitchers whom they use to trade for missing pieces like OF. [To go back; a Mark Davis for a Kevin Mitchell}
I jest, of course, about “too many Alous”: Matty, Felipe, Jose and it felt really good later when Moises came along. What a family.
You mean Jesus not Jose.
Pretty sure they had a game with an “All Alou Outfield”.
But they also never won a WS; finished Second Place five years in a row in the 60’s to scar all us young Giants fans … healed three times recently, of course.
There was nothing quite like the pre-at bat Jesus Alou Neck Exercise practice he employed
Right up there with “Baseball Brothers”:
Waners, DiMaggios [record three made the MLB], Deans, … others?
Sadly Seagers today.
Arenado
We hope … another MyGuy™ hot pick. Looks like he is big in my ClubHouseFactor™ after reading here of his brother.
I was going to mention the Alous but also Mathews, Maddox, and Henderson in the 1950s and 1970s.
Oh yeah BST.
I was starting with Chili because Efrain said we had none since him in ’81. In his defense he may have qualified that with any “all-star” OF and that is still true. But here are three MLB level that stuck around well.
I edited the above from 1950s to 1960s – one should proof read.
Also Jack Clark played outfield (and was AS and MVP candidate) for Giants and then was 1B with Cards.
BTW is Osich or Okert MyGuy?
Okert was your pick.
Where did Darren Lewis come from? I enjoyed his smooth CF and sneaky offense back in the day! 🙂
I thought of him too but he was drafted and developed by Oakland. Played one year for them and then came to the Giants.
Uh oh. The 49ers are signing my guy Matt Barkley. Now I’m conflicted.
Yes but now he can’t play against the only team he has a win against. That was the only 49ers game I saw last season, he did look good in that one.
Small sample size. He only has a handful of starts in the NFL and those were for a very bad team. I assume he’s the backup anyway.
You mentioned listening to Murph and Mac on the way you work the other day. I prefer The Game on my commute but OMG is that morning show football centric. Even in the off-season it is the number one topic every day. Warriors are number two and you’d hardly know that baseball season is approaching much less that the station is actually the flagship for an MLB team.
I can’t get The Game here in Davis. Usually I go to campus a bit later, so more typically I listen to Gary and Larry. But it’s not much of a commute, really. I live four miles from my office!
Thanks, rubbing in the four mile commute to the guy with a 38 mile commute…though not today, I am off. Loaded question from my wife; “would you like for me to call in sick or would rather have the day off by yourself?” Now Efrain thinks I’m a dummy but I’m not that dumb, I gave the correct answer.
Enjoy your spring training trip and travel safe.
Thanks, and enjoy your day off with your wife!
Are you still here?
Boarding flight in Sac now
Yay
Just don’t mention the shoe-bomb to anyone.
I have a 50 mile commute, but I actually kind of enjoy it. There’s no traffic and Howard Stern makes the time go by quickly.
Their wattage (The Game) is less than that of KNBR. I too, can’t get The Game in Sacramento. The Warriors must have received a sweet deal to leave KNBR.
They have an app, but I only use it for Greg Papa.
This guy is a baller…and this is a nice piece
https://www.theplayerstribune.com/nolan-arenado-world-baseball-classic-team-usa/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Mar%2010%20AM&utm_content=Mar%2010%20AM+CID_e44dac065c1f0d0d02285f65a66786ba&utm_source=newsletter&utm_term=Why%20the%20World%20Baseball%20Classic%20Is%20Awesome
Great story. I’m going to have a different view of Arenado now, broader than just “nemesis”. And I like his quote “Baseball is our national pastime, and the U.S. has never won this tournament. That’s gotta change, and we’re going to do all we can to make it happen.”
It could very well be that what would make America warm up to this tournament is at least getting to the final.
Plus, great fun to be reminded about Crawford’s super game last year!
Nolan Arenado: “In 2009, I went to see South Korea play against Venezuela in a WBC semifinal at Dodger Stadium. I was a senior in high school at the time… What I recall most from that game, though, was being blown away by the entire atmosphere. The energy in that stadium was just unreal. The fans were crazy intense, and they were almost evenly split — half were pulling for Venezuela and half were rooting for South Korea.
The colors in the stands were unlike anything I’d ever seen at a baseball game. Huge sections of the stadium were baby blue for South Korea. Then there were other parts of the stadium with lots of yellow, red and blue. It was so cool to see two very different cultures go at it both on the baseball field and in the stands.”
Mario the dogger fan got “spaced”?
I replied: “Any doggers on the USA Team we can root for?”
Make Love not War, man.
Carl Steward is in Arizona! He’s the Giants beat reporter for the next 5 days. Will we find links to his stories on his Twitter timeline? I don’t know where else to find them.
Carl always has an interesting perspective.
The Mercury News now combines all its Giants stories on this page,
http://www.mercurynews.com/sports/san-francisco-giants/
but until you click on any item, you often don’t know who it is written by.
He also usually posts on mercurynews.com/sports, dgg
Carl is one of the senior stalwarts of his profession http://www.mercurynews.com/author/carl-steward/
Rerun: Brisbee’s got an entertaining post on S/T competition:
http://www.mccoveychronicle…
This jumped out:
“Fifth starter
Ty Blach — 6⅔ IP, 1 R, 0 BB, 5 K, 1.35 ERA
Matt Cain — 7⅓ IP, 7 R, 1 BB, 3 K, 7.36 ERA
You know how this race is going. You also know that the Giants might not care.”
Do ya think?
I think they care, PPV…It’s likely a hearty debate throughout the organization
All I have to say is that if Cain picks up where’s he left off the last several years I hope they don’t ride it out until June. It’s not fair to the team and, in a way, it’s not fair to Cain because it will further tarnish his heroic Giants legacy. The Giants brass can speak of loyalty all they want, but I still believe it’s because they still fail to grasp the concept of a sunk cost. The one owner who did, Neukom, jettisoned Rowand and Tejada and the owners then gave him the boot.
He actually got booted before those decisions, IIRC. Regardless, It was the right thing to do. I think your premise is correct. The roadblock? Evans and Sabean, me thinks…
I think the roadblock is the ownership group….
You’re right. Baer and above. You would think we’d learn by watching what other teams do. You know, work in your younger (cheaper) players.
He stepped down as controlling owner after the end of the 2011 season, which means I think those moves were made by him before he stepped down. Ironically, he was replaced by Baer, who while effective in other areas, is not one who seems to understand a sunk cost. Or, at least refuses to acknowledge it. My understanding was the rumblings from the other owners behind Neukom’s ouster were attributed to him jettisoning Rowand and Tejada. I can just picture the other owners furious about Rowand and Tejada cashing huge checks on their couch…even though they were unequivocally the correct moves from a baseball operations standpoint.
If Cain can’t sustain a credible performance level by mid May, they stand a chance of having him boo’ed in a game. I’d speculate that’s a place the Giants organization doesn’t really want to go.
If he can’t do the job, the booing will start long before mid-May.
Are you happy about that prospect?
It’s just the way it is. If the Giants ignore Cain’s recent track record and just hand him the job, and he then shows that nothing has changed, the booing will be well deserved. And I think the boos will be directed more at the organization’s decision making process than Cain personally.
Is that yes or no… or I don’t care?
Already, the new Statcast Catch Probability thing is fun to watch. I wish I knew how to get that tweet in here.
Pepto anyone?
“NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has found that the black hole at the center of our Milky Way galaxy ate its last big meal about 6 million years ago, when it consumed a large clump of infalling gas. After the meal, the engorged black hole burped out a colossal bubble of gas weighing the equivalent of millions of suns, which now billows above and below our galaxy’s center.”
So, based on the smells, can you tell if it was garlic shrimp?
Had a hint of bean. Not sure of strain.
Here’s some “cosmic ravioli” for you.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/10/science/nasa-cassini-saturn-moon-pan.html
I thought it looked more like a Gnocchi
What’s the word on Shaw? I can’t recall any talk at ST this year.
Pshaw
He is in Minor league camp, was not invited to MLB camp .
He wasn’t invited to ML camp was he? I haven’t heard any mention of him at all, and I would have noticed, since he is My Man Shaw.
Learning about when Obstruction occurs and when to call and why they sometimes do not – even after umpires “point” to designate they “have obstruction”
http://www.closecallsports.com/2017/03/tmacs-teachable-moments-observing.html
Two ‘One of a Kind” hurlers kick it off today. I have a fondness for both of them. (for totally different reasons)
Made it for first pitch–and met standardstarboard in line! https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/6b279e0aff195d8c556ba9ef8e7f091831a4381efadc025e67df9b74c5676fde.jpg
Groupie.
Have a great time, professor. I’m living vicariously through you! Let Mac know we’re big fans, if you get a chance. Oh, and a fist bump for our boy BB9! Enjoy.
Clever of you to pick a Bumgarner start, so far in advance.
Nice. Enjoy your time down there.
Great seats. We usually sit on the other side of home plate, all the way back under the awning. The shade helps with the heat and keeping the beer from getting too warm. Enjoy the games down there!
We’re in the shade all three games. We’ve learned!
Are we gonna get a game report? I couldn’t open up MLB.com so followed on Gameday. I reckon your boy Bend-it’s error cost Bum 2 unERs. And Marrero is still raking.
Ugh
AT 1pm California time http://www.csnbayarea.com/
So glad my OKC Thunder could help the Dubs by beating the Spurs last night. We really needed a W, since we’d lost four straight games. Great home win–not just Westbrook, but significant contributions all through the rotation. Taj Gibson is a great addition; a quality NBA veteran Big who will augment Adams and Kanter. Doug McDermott (McBuckets) could solve our season-long three-point drought. Thunder had a shot at the #4 seed, but now more likely looking at 5-6 at best. Spurs are good. And deep. Saturday should be a great game.
I meant to thank you last night…..
These guys announcing don’t know squat about Bauer. He may be “quirky” but he’s a hell of a lot smarter than these two combined. Why wouldn’t people like this do their homework?
lazy?
Maybe. Here’s an article (one of many) that describes some of Bauer’s ideas. Note, a lot of people pay attention to them. There’s also his involvement with Driveline Baseball.
http://www.hardballtimes.com/tht-live/trevor-bauers-mechanics-training-and-need-to-be-left-alone/
Just a side note: Trevor was a physics major at Uptown Cookie. He’s made a career studying how to throw a baseball. (and not get hurt)
with an IQ of 170, he may be worth paying attention to..
Man, that qualifies as really low hanging fruit, comparing Bauer to announcers.
Apparently he is still an awkward teammate and still does his ‘look at me’ pregame routine.
And then there is the drone gizmo …
I don’t for a second believe it’s a “look at me” routine.
Really – I think he’s fortunate to be with Tito at this point in his life
http://m.mlb.com/cutfour/2016/07/19/190539652/trevor-bauer-got-his-drone-stuck-in-a-tree
Jerry DiPoto thought quite a bit of him. He just ran into a bunch of Neanderthals in AZ when Jerry left. Not everyone is as backward as those tools.
He is and has always been a free spirit. I like that. He will sojourn on and compete. I like guys who compete because no player can guarantee result(s) – can only take care of three things.
1- How hard we play
2- How smart we play
3- How well we play together
* Unless named John Montefusco and or Babe Ruth or Mike Morse 🙂
You mean by awkward that he knows what he has to do and if someone’s too ignorant and “old school” that he doesn’t give a crap? Well, that’s right, Lon.
Bleacher Report Chimes In – http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2697101-san-francisco-giants-5-players-in-serious-danger-of-being-cut-or-demoted
Their guess is as good as any. Interesting POV.
tip o the hat to the dwarf planet
For PJ’s health, I sure hope Buster and Brandon get a few hits today….
It must be so cool to put on a uniform that says “USA” across the chest. What an accomplishment.
Mr. Doubleplay
As bad as he must be, I wonder how he’s done so well and received all those awards? We must be rewarding mediocrity to an extent we never have before.
He has a habit of taking pitches down the middle and getting behind and swinging at bad pitches the eat him up and he hits into doubleplays, because if he hits the ball on the ground it is a double play with a man on 1st, because he is so slow .
OK, Coach. Whatever you say. Or in this case, Huh? Whatever you actually said.
You know nothing , look it up he hits into way to many double plays.
‘Twas ever thus, yet he keeps performing to an exceptional degree.
Getting worse at the plate every year, older, lose bat speed, and legs get heavier every year.
I think you need another team. Catch ya later.
You might make a case he’s plateaued, but getting worse every year is just a false statement.
https://i.imgur.com/h4Bm5Df.png
I was talking about Posey
You’re not going to find that comforting either.
https://i.imgur.com/D8qK6xM.png
Walks do not do it for me, I am a SLG% guy !
You’d make a great Brewers fan. wOBA encompasses slugging as a component as well.
Posey Slugging since 2012 = .549/.450/.490/.470/.434
Posey OPS since 2012= .957/.821/.854/.849/.796
Posey OPS+ since 2012 =171/134/143/133/112
Posey HR since 2012= 24/15/22/19/14
Those look like diminishing productivity at the plate….
Oh please. You can do better than wOBA’s ugly step sister, OPS.
You love your walks !
No I love baseball…. all its component parts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XMkhbFA4os
Posey was certainly not exceptional at the plate in 2016.
Posey is one of the most important players in Giants history and probably the most important since the franchise moved to SF. He is always and forever a Giants icon and he’s one of my all time favorites if he goes 0-for the rest of his career. Despite PJ’s less than tactful approach at pointing out his flaws, he *did* have a pretty down year last year. His OPS+ was 24 points below his career average and his slugging was .434. Even if this is his new career norm he’s still, with his D, an all star level catcher. I’m cautiously optimistic he’ll bounce back closer to the elite offensive player he’s historically been, but there has to be a little concern. He’s 30 years old with a lot of mileage. I really liked the Hundley signing because now the Giants have a legit, proven MLB catcher to give him some needed rest. We should all hope, and even expect, a bounce back performance offensively. But let’s not pretend like there’s zero cause for concern.
I’m not worried yet.
My worry is negligible and was lessened by the addition of Hundley. But his second half performance last year is fresh enough in my mind that I’m not entirely worry free.
Nope, Barry was the most important. He was the reason they were able to build the new ball park.
Agree to disagree there. Barry was one of the all time greats. Posey is responsible for three rings. Bonds was robbed of one by Dusty in 2002, but bottom line is the rings mean more. The park was going to be built regardless. The MLB owners were not going to let the Giants leave SF and Magowan was the driving force behind the park.
Barry could have caught that ball in left that landed in front of him, or picked it up and saved a base, as I recall. Not blameless in that collapse
It was built BECAUSE of Bonds and the money he generated. Why don’t you take a moment to look up the attendance at the Stick PRE and POST Bonds, plus the added money made when the team got better and the HR quest started.
You can make a statement a stadium was going to be built, but it may not have been what is now ATT.
Your lack of respect and knowledge of the situation is embarrassing.
It’s called ggogle, take a moment some time to really dig deep before you pop off.
Well, there was that Willie Mays guy.
POST of this whole last week.
Crawford with another little league popup , wow these guys look awful at the plate .
It’s sort of why they have ST, isn’t it.
Peter is in mid season form. Dude wakes up ready to hit
He’s sincere, just misinformed.
He could fall out of bed and make a derisive comment before he hit the floor.
PJ
Hitters only have.004 to make up their minds. Their minds are already at I am swinging. So the only decision they have left is NO I won’t swing at this. When you and I played we could take our stride step, pick our noses, reach into our back pocket for seeds and still swing the bat.
With filth secondary pitches and 100+ FB with extremely LATE run at the end – you make everything sound so simple.
Someday I will invite you and I to walk all around the fields escorted by hitting guru Gary Davenport and you might see the difference.
Now I await your witty reply.
Columbia hitters having no problem hitting .
Tremendous insights
MLB players aren’t judged by the “you and I” standard, but it’s still too early to be placing much significance on these ABs.
You just had to poke the bear, didn’t you.
I was attempting to poke a marmot
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/0eec7fbf531cafdf4f018ff33f80c8aac27da236cbe4677e850287e0351260ef.jpg
We were held hostage today https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/ef5bfe97a308c1ffabff66d5e751a2e74ef5725477fa875f2abb38c7e3c68528.jpg
Posey with another double play ball , but with no one on base .
And another fat pitch from you … PJ stop it.
What ? You want me to sugar coat his at bats !!
Until Posey abandons his quest to be a power hitter, and puts back in that perfect swing he had, he’ll spend a lot of time hitting DP and ground outs to SS. But IMO, it’s not talent decline, but a conscious attempt hit hit with more power. He’s hard headed.
Most power hitters strikeout a lot and pop out a lot, not ground out .
Maybe, but Posey is a hitter with power, not a power hitter. IMO, they are quiet different things.
I’m sorry to let the facts intrude on your argument, but Posey’s GDP totals have been remarkably consistent; 19,15,16,17 and 18, over the past five years, with his highest total coming in his MVP 2012 season.
Thank you? But the issue was simply GDPs, but where the ball goes on his GB outs. You might be edified (or not) by his spray diagrams.
I rely solely on graphs.
And, you’ve always thought he was soft and or overrated….
Picks up Mic
No, my objection is to the fans who believe him to be so soft that they attribute every slump to him being “exhausted.”
I sure hope he doesn’t slump much this season because even if he hits poorly he will stay in the middle of the order.
That’s usually because the manager says it
I don’t think so.
Med staff decides day offs
Similarly, the manager does little to reduce the DP opportunities. He thinks Posey is a power hitter, too
WAIT you mean he grounded to SS hitting off a tee? Oh shit I thought somebody was pitching to him trying to get him out.
Sorry Peter.
Not at all but quit making comments that leave you open to ridicule. You cannot hit a DP ball with no one on base … period.
The game was invented with hitters losing the battle 70% of the time.
Drops mic
If you dropped the mic after that comment, it must’ve been due to clumsiness.
No it was because I knew it would bring you to make a comment.
He was stimulating you to exercise your ennui muscle.
Guys really need to do a better job of getting on for him to maximize those DP’s.
That was a tayler made 1 too .
I’d like to meet his tayler
I used to have the hots for Tayler Dayne.
That’s because she’ll always love you.
I have a Tayler Maid driver
Goddamn shame is what it was.
Thankfully, all the other USA hitters are picking……oh, wait…oops.
No one has a hit!!!!!!
They hit bullets to CF, to bad Marlins park is like 430 to CF
Peter ate a Snickers!!!!
Wrapper and all.
BCRAW first hit for team USA
Hope the Giants have Tito Polo on their radar. Amazing catch in the early innings.
Good Nite Allen.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/adbd726d7f80111dc41a7dd5d4eb83caea2cd41fe6bba41288f4732d1c26d34a.jpg
Pass ball strikeout RBI?
No RBI
I’m out of practice, RTI.
I was the jinx, stopped watching WBC, and they hit, went to Warriors pre game .
The Jinx, starring Peter “The Rock”
Johnson.
F*#k…the Warriors are doomed!
No Kawhi tomorrow night. I guess OKC gave him a concussion.
He got smacked across his nose late in 3rd qtr, never got back in.
What’s up with Pop’s nose?
Skin cancer in the past .
Looked like maybe a growth was removed? I hope it’s not serious. Great coach, good guy.
Looked it up. Had a basal cell carcinoma removed.
Do not worry, can not watch the game, like DR. Lefty I live in Kings area, so blacked out for Warriors games on CSN Bayarea.
Wow…sorry. That’s not cool. But, selfishly, I’m glad we’ll avoid the Jinx!
Buster flew out…worked thru that pesky 6-3 issue
Scottsdale, Day 1: Packed house, very warm day (thank God we were in the shade). We sat down about 10 minutes before first pitch, so our split-second timing was perfect (landed, grabbed a cab, dumped the bags at the hotel, raced to the park).
The game was entertaining but it was still a disappointing loss of a winnable game.
The good: Bum looked sharp. Belt’s HR was a monster that would have been out to R-C in AT & T, too. Marrero can hit. Kelby’s a sparkplug–he hustles and he hits. Hwang looks like a sparkplug, too–great energy, not the smoothest glove I ever saw.
The bad: The relief pitching was awful. Melancon gave up a bloop single, hit a guy, walked a guy on a 3-2 pitch, and then struck out the next two guys. It was ugly but it got the job done. Albert Suarez was bad. Sam Coonrod hit two guys. Derek Law looked filthy and had two outs, nobody on and then walked a guy and gave up two hits and two runs, ending up as the losing pitcher after the Giants had scrapped back to tie the game before his inning. The Giants had the tying run on third with no one out in the B9 and the next three guys struck out.
Go ahead and cut Beckham, Morse, and Blanks. Not happening.
We had postgame margaritas at The Mission and are headed out to dinner soon.
When do the serious LU parings start?
When Posey and Crawford return?
That makes sense.
I’m concerned that even after the atrocity that was the 2016 Giants bullpen, Bobby E. only made one move to try and improve it this past offseason.
You get an A on that report, Dr.
Now you see why KT has been and forevery will be MyGuy since I saw him that first spring? Kid hustles and is fully engaged in what’s happening around him. And I though his footwork around the bag turning 2 (he was playing short at the time) was really, really good. Contrast that to the way Parker comported himself in ST, and that’s why he’s a forever NotMyGuy. 😉
For our viewing pleasure tomorrow, Team USA vs the DR overlapping with the Dubs vs San Antonio. And I suppose my family will want to eat dinner, too.
What is it with families wanting dinner EVERY SINGLE NIGHT?
Seriously!
It’s just ST but Span @ .063 is a tad worrisome. The he’s recovering from hip surgery excuse won’t cut it this year.
His first AB was, you’ll never believe this, a 4-3 grounder. I sighed.
4-3: The Aubrey Huff memorial scorecard notation.
By design?
No, just like Posey grounders are not by design, just slow bat speed .
Historical y Span starts glacially slow. So, to some degree, it isn’t unexpected. But with his marginal defense, I wouldn’t expect sole ownership of CF, especially if the Giants get off to a slow start
Good thing they don’t seem to have another centerfielder.
good thing that tentative OF defense didn’t cost team USA
Matty needs to learn that this normal play for BCraw.
He despises the Giants…I swear. Hid voice drips with disdain
I don’t hear it. I know he’s an As fan, but I don’t really hear it. I don’t care for him all that much, so I wish I did. Smoltzy sounds pretty even keeled.
Smoot’s is fantastic
He’s the reason I switched over from MLB-TV
The MLB Network coverage is much better than the MLB-TV coverage.
Nice game. Colombia 🇨🇴 should be proud of their effort, even in a loss.
I would be frightened to run my fingers through Crawford’s hair. Looks like he hasn’t washed it since his MLB debut in 2011.
Hey, Bryce Harper spells like PJ. Pavs tweet
Edit: The Warriors will not make it out of the FIRST round.
Loooong ugly road trip…tired legs, tired minds. Hang in there
Steph looks incredibly gassed. You can tell he doesn’t have his legs with the jumpers. Awful refereeing at the end, too.
So I guess Kerr’s giving the big FU to the league tomorrow and sitting everyone for a nationally televised showdown game. I say good for Coach.
Yup… the league deserves that after this schedule. I can’t stand that pencil neck commissioner
The league may deserve it, but the fans who spent hundreds of dollars to go to the game don’t. That’s on the league, too, but when you realize how ridiculously expensive it is to attend an NBA game, you feel for people who probably made their plans months ago and got hosed at the last minute. Some of those fans are surely “Road Warriors” who were looking forward to seeing Steph, Klay, and Dray, and now they get McCaw, McAdoo, and McGee, the Big Mac Attack.
Bad day. Giants lose. Warriors lose. Team USA wins. 😡😩😖😣
BCraw looked slick.
I’m just sick at the idea of Samardzija and Melancon joining Team USA. It’s bad enough Crawford and Posey are there and that Cueto might join the DR team later. The Cubs and Dodgers aren’t having their most important players go to the WBC. This is terrible.
Die, Team USA. The sooner, the better.
That’s funny. During the game I was sorta hoping Colombia would actually win in the end.
Loser !!!
BS, normally I like you , but that tweet is a Joke, GO TO RUSSIA!!!!
I’m a Giants fan. Not a fake tournament team fan.
You do not like the USA!!
Your a loser, not fake for the Latin Teams, and fans , and not to me, need pride , I never root against the USA !
Whoa…that’s a gun rack post. Easy, PJ
Play baseball, I am more worried about Posey costing the USA with his double plays hit into , then getting hurt, he would play either way, couple games for the USA not going to hurt him !
That walk was pretty important in the 10th, wasn’t it.
He’s not ready offensively yet, though.
MiLB celebrates our new reality!
http://ftw.usatoday.com/2017/03/minor-league-team-erie-seawolves-alternative-facts-night-game-tigers-affiliate
This is some truly funny shit.
Tremendous!
MyInnerMyGuy™ keeps looking at former Giants.
Heston’s line starting the game today versus some Cubs: 3 IP, 2 H, 2 K, 0 R. I am hoping he does well really since he has been one of OurGuys longer than he has been a MarinerGuy. I do not mind if he ends up being “one that got away” but then I think the Giants will fill his shoes here very soon.
I was noticing that line at the bottom of the screen. Hope he thrives. Just whobwas that player to be named later?
I think it was Jimmy Rollins.
Just giving Lefty some heartburn with her AZ tamale.
Har-de-fookin’-har, Haak.
(I’m not ‘hacked’ at you here.)
I wish him well. He seems like a nice young guy who paid his dues and then some.
The Giants treated him poorly and offloaded him stupidly. If he’s valuable enough to be in a major league rotation, they should have gotten more than a “Player to Be Named Later” for him. I remember they were frantically trying to trade him at the last minute after cutting him from the 40. Bad planning.
I’m disappointed in the Giants right now. I don’t think they’ve handled their business well for the last couple of years. Duvall’s an example, losing Joe Biagini for no reason, and this Heston thing. I watched Kelby Tomlinson today, and that guy deserves to be on the Giants’ roster. He’s hitting .353 for the spring and he just makes things happen. Yet for some reason he probably won’t be.
It’s very disappointing.
It did seem strange since he was very productive in an MLB uniform, even having the no-hitter vs. the Mets. I do not recall what injury he had but maybe they misjudged that?
Some of the higher end ball players here can address this but it does seems all you can do is make yourself be noticed by your on-field play. If management has a different view/direction then someone else will notice and give you a chance … Heston is getting that chance; KT is making himself be noticed and someone will ask for him if the Giants freeze him out. A time can come when the Kids will be favored again but yes, trending in a bad direction in the recent past.
But Spring is for hoping, so keep some hope and cheer for YourGuy KT so that he hears you. He probably needs a lift this Spring.
Heston had an oblique strain in June while pitching in the Sacramento rotation. They immediately put him on the 60-day DL, even though obliques are usually 4-6 weeks, not 60 days. I guess they needed the 40-man spot and he wasn’t in their plans. He was back pitching for Sacramento in August, but no September call-up.
This was after they’d converted him to a middle reliever to give the rotation spots to Cain and Peavy, who were horrific. They sent Heston to the minors after four games. When Cain got injured in May, they gave the rotation spot to Albert Suarez rather than calling Heston up.
They just didn’t want him. So I hope he gets a better shot somewhere else.
He had zero experience as a reliever, irrc. So he failed, and they shipped him out.
Now they want to do the same with Blach, apparently. No bueno. #teamBlach
Thanks for the great history here. You make a compelling case that somehow they gave up on him and it does seems strange.
These are some of the moves I question Bobby E about: giving up on younger players but letting aging vets battle it out on minor league contacts for a job with the big club.
I’m afraid KT might meet the same fate as Heston.
Thx for that tidbit Haak.
I hope he wins 20 this year.
Tomorrow is a split-squad day, and Johnny Cueto will start the home game (yay!) and go an inning or two, followed by Cain. Meanwhile, Blach will start the road game.
Anyone else think that’s a little odd? If Cain’s the frontrunner, shouldn’t he be getting the start in the road game, not mopping up after Cueto? Or do the Giants really think the loyal fans at Scottsdale Stadium are dying to see Matt Cain?
Note to Mr. Baer: We’re not. We’re #TeamBlach now. I speak for all 12,000 of us who will be there tomorrow. You can trust me.
I love the WBC and am proud that several good Giants players are representing their countries. It is an honor to them, and to the Giants too. Of course we want them back healthy, but there’s no guarantee the players go injury free in regular ST either (cf Pence and the stupid baby Cub pitcher).
Here’s an introduction to the Dutch team, led by Sir Bam Bam: http://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2017/03/11/baseball/talented-youthful-dutch-squad-no-longer-secret/#.WMP4iY7F4r8
In 2013, a bunch of Giants players went to the WBC for various countries. All but one of them ended up on the DL before June that year. Maybe it’s coincidence, but maybe it’s also too much exertion and competition at a time players are usually ramping up slowly, making them more vulnerable to injuries.
2013 was the worst year the Giants have had since 2008 and still their only losing season since then. They had to have a huge September push to finish tied for third instead of the NL West cellar. It was one of the worse championship “defenses” in MLB history.
We can disagree, but I care more about the Giants having a good season this year. A lot more.
Ken Rosenthal has an article about how MLB teams are not “all in” for the WBC, to the detriment of Team USA. Maybe that’s it for me: If Bryce Harper, Mike Trout, Kris Bryant, Jon Lester, Clayton Kershaw, etc. were on Team USA, it would be a level playing field. But the Giants are taking risks with some of their best players, and other teams are not. And while that might make us “proud” as Giants fans, that will be cold comfort in October if selfish teams like the Dodgers, Cubs, and Red Sox are in the tournament and our guys are not.
http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/mlb-clubs-perpetuate-idea-that-u-s-players-dont-care-about-world-baseball-classic-031117
Good point. Funny how the all allstar cubbies are no where to be found on team USA.
Haven’t paid much attention to this tournament in the past, but since MLBN is sharing it, I found last night’s game compelling. Those Colombian minor leaguers were all heart against a basic collection of all stars.
I think every team should contribute a legitimate starter to team USA for atleast 2 games, just as every team is given representation on the All Star team. Spead the risk and reward.
The Columbian starter, Quintana, is no slouch. Did I see Edgar Renteria on the coaching staff?
That was part of Rosenthal’s point: Quintana went six dominant innings, while Archer was pulled after four because of restrictions from the Rays. It almost led to a major upset.
A major upset wouldn’t even require the star caliber of Quintana. Some AAA arm or perhaps a veteran like Yusmeiro Petit could pitch a great ballgame, keeping the stars of the Stars and Stripes and their non-grooved swings of spring off balance for 5-6 innings. Then a patchwork pen with a couple of hot arms could hold a lead.
The story of Team USA not being all-in, and hobbled by some restrictions on their stars is no revelation. They’re happy to win and they want to win, but it seems much easier to see that the other “nations” are all-in. Their fans are quite enthusiastic as well.
Javier Baez is on Team Puerto Rico, but that’s about it, I think.
So Baez playing for Puerto Rico or Gonzalez for Mexico doesn’t count? It only counts as selfish in your mind if a team allows its players to play for USA. That makes no sense at all.
I mentioned below that Baez is playing for PR. But I wouldn’t say either he or AGon are the biggest stars on the Cubs or Dodgers. Where’s Kris Bryant? Where’s Lester? Where’s Cory Seager? Where’s Kershaw?
Posey and Crawford are the two best position players on the Giants. Cueto, if he goes to a later round, is one of their aces. Melancon’s their highly paid closer. They’re expecting 200 innings out of Samardzija. The Giants are taking A LOT more risks in the WBC than their strongest NL rivals, and I’m just saying I don’t like it. I’m entitled to that opinion.
Ken Rosenthal: “The blame goes to clubs like the Rays, who contribute to the perception that U.S. cares less about the WBC than other countries by setting greater restrictions on the use of American players and in some cases discouraging them to participate.”
Lefty, I think all of your points -and concerns – are valid.
To me : I honestly don’t give the tournament a great deal if thought, but then I watch the games, and I get that familiar fan-excitement. I can’t help it. Seeing the love and excitement of the fans from their respective countries; seeing the amazing natural competitiveness of these players; contrary to anything Bow Tie writes, seeing the utter joy when the players react to a win…and, then feeling the pride as I see a kid like Crawford with “USA” across his chest. And imagining what emotions that sparks within him…
So, it may be a bit contrived. It may be risky. It may be ill timed. But, it’s a cool tournament in the sport I love the most.
I like the major leagues because they bring the world’s best players together.
Nationalism is one of the most negative forces in the world today. I can’t get behind a tournament that celebrates it right now. For me the Olympics are different because, even though there are national teams, it’s the very best athletes in their respective sports going for records and meaningful victories. The WBC is a half-step above an exhibition game. Not worth it, IMO.
“Nationalism is one of the most negative forces in the world today”… NOT on a playing field. These are the EXACT methods to break down ugly nationalism barriers. It’s baseball, not trade negotiations.
Here, think Test Match between Pakistan and India.
I’m with you about the nationalism thing. ‘Patriotism is the last refuge of scoundrels,’ or something like that. I avoid the Olympics because of the medal-counting.
Like the US, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan are all gearing up for their pro league seasons right now and thus face the same issues of not wanting to push too hard. My feeling was that something like pitch count limits or total innings played could be set to make the tournament effort akin to ST.
Sgbssfg has an excellent idea below, to rotate different pitchers through the tournament.
I’ve known a guy from England and a guy from Australia for about 20 years. They live a few blocks apart, and hang out together all the time. It is really great fun to listen to them every time the next Ashes Test nears.
Can you remind us of who got DL’d in 2013? Gracias.
Pagan, Affeldt, Casilla, Vogelsong, Sandoval. Romo was the only one who wasn’t.
Vogelsong’s injury was from a HBP that can’t be connected to WBC participation. All of the others were injuries that could have been caused by early overwork following a long and stressful postseason the year before.
Gracias!
Prove WBC made them get hurt, no proof at all, you just make s up!
You need to learn when to dial it back.
Profar looks poised for a breakout, much as Gregorious experienced his MLB breakout.
Carlos Correa looks to be on the verge of something monstrous and stupendous. Will Puerto Rico roll right through the WBC? My goodness.
Thoughts and prayers to Rockies’ starting pitcher Chad Bettis, a 14-game winner last year, who announced that he’s taking a leave for chemotherapy for his testicular cancer, which has metastasized.
The Rox are scrambling to fill two rotation spots now. Bettis was supposed to lead the staff. Their top replacement is out with an oblique injury.
You know who pitches well in Colorado? Denver-area native Ty Blach.
Tough pitcher, tough human being. Godspeed to Bettis and to all battling any form of cancer.
http://www.purplerow.com/2017/3/10/14885890/colorado-rockies-chad-bettis-cancer-update-chemotherapy
Testicular cancer is one that doesn’t usually spread. Scary stuff.
Didn’t it almost kill Lance Armstrong?
What do they have that’s interesting – CarGo?
I’m telling you, Blach will come back to haunt us, just like Terry Mulholland.
I think Blach goes nowhere, but the Giants definitely have starting pitcher surplus at the upper minors.
Another bit of possible collateral damage: Young Twins pitcher Trevor May, who pitched quite well in an exhibition against Team USA a few days ago, tore his UCL in doing so. And yes, young pitchers get hurt in spring training all the time, but you can’t tell me that May, who was competing for a rotation spot, wasn’t incredibly amped and throwing maybe harder than he should have.
Could be a good break for Vogey, though.
Couldn’t any young pitcher competing for a rotation spot overdo things in spring no matter where he’s pitching?
Yes, and I said that, too. But there has to be extra adrenaline facing a team of USA All-Stars–at a point in spring where players and especially pitchers are ramping up slowly.
It could have happened while he was throwing a bullpen. But it didn’t.
Look at what Nolan Arenado did last night diving to 1st.
**** happens!
Which could happen anywhere, anytime.
I don’t think you dive headfirst into 1B during a March 9 game in the Cactus League. I remember the Dodgers lost Hanley Ramirez for a couple months in 2013 when he dove for a ball at SS in the WBC and broke his finger. That might explain why there’s so little Dodger participation this year.
Not usually in a ST game. I don’t think he would have done the same dive in ST.
Okay, well I guess the only answer is to cancel the WBC or withdraw all USA players from the WBC and watch the tournament fail for lack of participation.
Or make it another time of the year. Oct. or Nov. would work for me. That’s mid-summer in some places.
Injured?
Buster Posey, who, the last time I checked was the face of MLB (and will probably be Commissioner one day) talked about how come he’s participating in the WBC: “One of the draws to me is, I love baseball, and I’ve loved it for a long time. We can play a unique role as ambassadors and spread the game. Who’s to say there’s not a kid in China who will fall in love with baseball by watching this tournament? That’s a draw for me — maybe spreading the game to other places.”
How do I give this two up-votes?
One for the kid in China bit, and the other for Buster-as-Commish idea which is dead brill.
I think you just did.
Hopefully his ambassadorship doesn’t hurt the team that’s owed his first loyalty and his best efforts.
The Giants supported Crawford’s and Posey’s participation in the WBC, Lefty. They’ve given the go-ahead to Melancon and Samardzija to be added to the player pools in later rounds. Cueto and the Giants are evaluating his possible participation in later rounds. The last thing the world needs right now is more selfishness.
Again, I’d feel better about it if other top teams and players were sharing the risk.
And I’m guessing the Giants green-lighted their players’ desire to play in the WBC, but I’m wondering with how much enthusiasm (not that it matters). It’s clear that other teams either told their guys no or restricted them (as with Chris Archer last night).
If a player gets injured while playing in this side tournament is the team still on the hook to pay him? I would assume so and am therefore a bit shocked that they allow guys on huge contracts to play.
I’m sure they do have to pay them. There aren’t too many huge-contract guys on Team USA, but there are some (Stanton, Posey, Crawford).
Of the top-five finishers in last year’s Cy Young balloting for both leagues, all Americans, exactly zero are on Team USA. Max Scherzer would have been, but he’s not fully recovered from a stress fracture on his pitching hand. The last two NL MVPs (Bryant and Harper) and ROYs (Seager and Bryant) are not on Team USA. The current AL MVP (Trout) is not, either.
There’s this modern phenomenon called insurance riders which every team has taken out on their participating players.
Ok, thanks, was not aware of that.
The Rangers had an insurance policy for Prince Fielder. It didn’t cover the entire unwise contract, but paid a sizable chunk in the millions.
And how!
Did you know
…that asparagus is related to yucca and agave?
When you look closely at their flowering stalk, you can see how. I received the 20 UC-157 crowns on the doorstep yesterday. I have plenty of work to do to give them a safe and nutritious home for the next however many years.
https://maxpull-gdvuch3veo.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yucca-flower-stalk.jpg
http://www.islandpacket.com/latest-news/b0wfxp/picture33007431/ALTERNATES/FREE_640/1uW11s.So.9.jpeg
http://www.harvesttotable.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Asparagus-spears-in-spring2.jpg
You’re certainly doing your part, Ryan, for the earth and all things green.
the main project of the day is build a tiered plant stand on the deck, and in the sun, for my honey’s agave and aloe collection – and for her birthday. I imagine I’ll have the game on the radio today and some WBC in the evening.
But I will get to the bottom-wired, raised bed for the asparagus sometime this weekend. Am filling a water tank to water the bull who I have been keeping away from the back fence where he was investigating the neighbor’s brahmas and leaning the fence. Need to remedy that. The ground was saturated, so the posts and the fence pretty much went with his lean. And I want to run my new wheeled trimmer and knock down tall grasses here and there. Should be a fun weekend. Hope your weekend is just as much fun!
You are quite industrious Ryan. I’m going to change a cat litter box, screw in a light bulb, and go to baseball practice. Oh, and spray some Roundup, then call it a day. That’s about the extent of my handiness around the house.
Baseball practice is serious business. Have a good practice. And remember to somehow get a hold of me if you happen to visit the Fig Garden store on a weekend. I sure wouldn’t mind hitting the cages and “having a catch”.
I will for sure.
Who needs the rest of the internet when we can learn so many cool things right here?
Wow.
If you eat a Yucca, does it make your pee smell funny?
More importantly, if people eat Peeps-flavored Oreos, does it really turn their saliva and poop hot pink, or is that just an urban myth?
And yes, there really ARE Peeps-flavored Oreos. Shudderrrrr
Forget Peep-flavored Oreos…I want Oreo-Flavored Peeps.
Ok I give up – what are Peeps?
Easter candy. Baby chick-shaped marshmallows covered in brightly colored sugar.
Disgusting Easter-themed marshmallow candy, shaped like baby chicks and with revolting colors and flavors.
Now you say disgusting, and I say yummy. You must not eat them before Easter, when they are fresh. 🙂
Wash it down with a shot of tequila? Glug!
Every year the Washington post features dioramas made of Peeps. Some are genius.
People explode them in microwaves and make videos of them, too.
http://thefw.com/peeps-in-the-microwave-videos/
That’s pure genius. My kids and I did that with one of those “jumbo” marshmallows once.
Wow thanks for that! I liked the final vid – 10 ways to kill a peep. That Cirrilo kid is twisted.
(Mi Esposa thinks we are too.)
It’ll make your #2 look like a #3 i think!
OMG, I hate that ad!!
I crack up whenever i hear it lolololol its the way she says it…..ya know the delivery!!
You laugh. I just change the station.
ok im sorry but its just a commercial lol
There are a lot of ads that cause me to change the station…that one, the Kars for kids, the Jeep “I love you California,” several others. Lot of songs make me automatically change it, too. I’m quick on the change button! (You’d think I have a long commute, but I’m in the car all of 6 minutes haha.)
Hubs turns off the car radio was a disgusted poke at the power button whenever the Kars-4-Kids jingle comes on. One of these days he’s going to break the radio.
I’m with him. That thing is so annoying. Just because we referenced it, I’m sure at least 50% of us now have it stuck in our heads. Sorry, folks. Let’s talk about some other song instead. Take Me Out to the Ball Game maybe. Get that stuck in your head instead. 🙂
They run that ad on a lot of different stations. That charity must spend 80% of its revenue on radio ads. Rich Uncles apparently pays $1999 for each 30 second ad on KNBR, KGO, etc. That’s got to “add” up for Kars for Kids.
Schulman called them out last year because apparently the money they raise goes for scholarships to send kids to private Jewish schools. Schulman’s Jewish, and he’s offended by the deception.
No kidding. Not surprising, their ads are heavy on jingle and light on what the charity does. You get a vacation voucher and a tax deduction and no idea where the proceeds go to.
Even before I knew that piece of information, I used to say I’d rather set my old car on fire than donate it to them, just because of the commercials. I have, however, donated a car to Junior Giants (Vida Blue and now Duane Kuiper commercials), and it worked just like they said: someone came and got it, the paperwork was a breeze, and I got the tax deduction.
I gave my last clunker to Make a Wish foundation, same thing, it was a breeze. My older son was driving in a storm in MN, lost control and ended up in a snow bank. All the snow in the engine area shorted out the electrical system and the car was too old to invest more money in.
We had a Make-a-Wish kid and his family on our flight here yesterday. The gate agent announced that his “wish” was to go to Giants spring training. We all applauded as they boarded first.
There’s also the NPR donation program.
All TWGers in Scottsdale be happy. You’re in sunny warm weather watching Giants baseball. Just think, you could be here, where snow and ice reign in early March, where it’s 21°F at the moment, with grey looks-like-more-snow cloudy skies. Oh, and did I mention the furnace went out this week? That was a chilly 36+ hours waiting for the new inducer motor to be shipped and installed.
Ugh. We’ve had a pretty rough winter in CA (for us, anyway), but that’s worse. 21 degrees in March!
My temp is 25, with a dusting of snow last night. Spring for us northerners is an entirely theoretical concept: pitchers and catchers day might mean spring in AZ, but we’ll only see true signs of spring like robins and maybe some buds and so forth when the Giants head north for the Bay Series.
You think you have it bad? I have to put up with 72º and sunny all day.
Ouch deeg, hope you’re warm now.
It’s a bit chilly here this a.m. – only 75* F!
https://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/getForecast?query=20.604445600000002,-105.2365432&MR=1
A vicarious March for you.
Klay, Steph, Dray, and Andre out versus San Antonio tonight hahaha take that schedule makers since you wanna see GS play on prime time so damn much!
Bravo to Kerr. He even told everybody right after the game. Media knew. Lacob to open wallet.
I still think it’s pretty rough on the paying customers.
I can understand any frustration from the fans tonight. I took my daughter to the Warriors-Wizards game last week and know she would have been really upset if her favorite player (Curry, of course!) wasn’t playing. But, I give Kerr all the props in the world for doing what’s best for the team and players’ heath in the long run (and even more if there’s a hint of a middle finger to the league for the schedule).
I agree that Kerr’s doing the right thing. This is on the league for the schedule. I still feel bad for the fans.
Which is STILL completely the fault of Silver.
Kerr didn’t make the schedule. The goal is the playoffs
Agreed.
If you get the chance, read the article in today’s WSJ on the Warriors birthday cake tradition. Yet another glimpse into what a cool workplace environment they have created….
Thanks. They do a lot of things right, for sure.
A Hardship maybe but the greater evil is the NBA Corporate for 82 games a year in the regular season ++++ into June.
Kerr’s only concern is the health of his players. Had they beat MinnySoda they were all sitting as they are now after a loss.
A reset will get em goin you heard it here 1st!
I hope this works, the NBA schedule is nuts. Road teams playing on a back to back against a rested home team is the dumbest. You would think the league would want to schedule games fairly and to try to put out the best product. Fitz said the last four times the Warriors have played in San Antonio it was part of a back to back. I’ve always thought they should do what MLB used to do with regard to road trips. Do it geographically. GS, Sac, LAC, and LAL travel East and play Boston, Brooklyn, NY, and PHI, rotate the games and no back to backs. Fans get better games and flying around crazily as the Warriors did on this last stretch can be greatly cut down.
Good morning Mr. Slikk. Hope your coffee is great. I’m back in for a 2nd cup.
It twaz! Raisen bran on the horizon then off to Santa Rosa to meet a chick for the 1st time! Bubble guts!
I have no cheesy advice. Be your Slikk self and have fun.
I’m done trying to defend the WBC. As I said below, I guess the only answer is to cancel the WBC or withdraw all USA players from the WBC and watch the tournament fail for lack of participation.
I wonder how many players would still want to play if it happened at the end of the MLB season. I doubt the enthusiasm would be that great after just finishing a long season.
A lot of veteran players think spring training is boring and lasts too long, so it’s probably fun for them to have an excuse to miss some of it, and look “patriotic,” as a bonus!
How about October?
Non-Play-Off-All-Stars? Consolation prize?
I like that but make it November (after playoffs as they are enough of a spectacle)
And in Australia / So. Hemisphere sites so families that go have some “vacation-like” fun after the long season.
I disagree. Many players don’t watch the playoffs at all. I think it is the true test for those that have just played a full season. Will their nationalistic tendencies truly come to the fore if they hurt all over?
I was thinking of following the $$$ … MLB wants a focus on Playoffs and then something in November to keep some ratings up. Does the MLB control the WBC? If so, they will not allow an October competition.
Just after the WS.
Exactly.
Problem solved.
Want to take on Whirled Peas now?
Lot of players love playing it , and they are not lazy, they play harder in longer in WBC games then in pre season games , you are a joke !
Yes, they play harder and longer, and that’s exactly why I don’t like it. But I can disagree with you without calling you names or suggesting you move to another country. Just saying.
Why? what is your problem with the WBC, I do not get it, players still playing baseball just like they do in Cactus League games .
Where did I say that I have a problem with the WBC?
Done defending it. maybe I miss understood, and you were defending it , and most on this blog hate it for no reason at all .
I was trying to defend the WBC, Peter, but like I said, I’m done trying.
Yes , I am sorry for making a mistake on your other post .
That’s okay, Peter. My comment revealed my frustration. Since it’s been a frustrating morning on here, I’m off to more pleasant things, such as shoveling snow!
I’m sorry that I contributed to your frustration, dgg. My own concern is partly for the Giants and mostly because I think a lot of the evil in the world and in this country right now is due to nationalism. I just can’t get behind it at this moment in time. I prefer being a citizen/fan of the whole world and ALL of its people.
Anyway, have a good day, and I’m going off to cheer on world citizen Johnny Cueto!
So, you think the WBC contributes to that problem? I see it as a way to get closer to the exact hope you shared here. If there is anything that unite states and breaks down barriers better than sports, do share. ( Music is another example).
I think it’s a huge stretch to say that the WBC is in any way related to global or national evil
I can’t say any more without breaking blog rules.
I don’t hate it PJ. I have no interest in it but I don’t hate it.
You should have interest , it is great baseball, the DR team have a team of All Stars and play with great emotion, the best players in the world playing high level baseball what is not to like !
I love baseball, just no time to invest in anything new above the Giants and (to a much lesser extent) the A’s.
Today’s L/U, from Brisbee:
https://twitter.com/SFGiants/status/840280371572817921?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Got the left side covered, Lefty! Glug!!
That was yesterday’s lineup. 🙂
Damn!
Shlomo slides and comes up a foot short.
That’s pretty good. If I were to channel your woodworking spirit, what would I subconsciously set to build? A canoe, a bassinet, a GoT inspired crossbow? But seriously, what are you working on these days?
A teak desk for grandson.
Mastering brightwork has its benefits.
Shlomo did a face-plant!
Split-squad today. Cueto’s starting the home game, Blach the road game.
Are you and the Crooner a split-squad as a result?
Nope, just at the home game (Cueto). We like to stay in Old Town and walk to the games. The last few years we haven’t even bothered getting a car.
Interesting article about how the Giants have hired Bob Tewksbury, former major league pitcher and now a credentialed counselor in sports psychology, as a mental performance coach. Quotes from Mac Williamson about being bounced back and forth last season and even from Madison Bumgarner, who’s been known to display a bit of temper.
I also thought it was cool that they mentioned John Smoltz “raising eyebrows” as a young pitcher for saying he’d consulted a sports psychologist. I’m a big fan of Smoltz, now a Hall of Famer and an excellent TV analyst.
http://www.sfchronicle.com/giants/shea/article/Giants-deal-with-players-mental-performance-10994752.php?t=61d415856f&cmpid=twitter-premium
I read Jamie Moyer’s book about his success with Harvey Dorfman. Bought 2 copies so I could loan one out. Great stuff!! AND only a dollar!
The Giants have a sleep coach. I expect them to use a variety of resources to help their players do their best.
I could use a sleep coach!
Didn’t you mean…? I could use sleep, Coach.
Both!
They need a traveling yoga teacher.
Me! I need per diem though.
Wow–LaMarcus Aldridge out indefinitely with a (minor) heart arrhythmia.
This Dubs/Spurs battle for the top seed is turning into a war of attrition.
I blame the WBC !!
Good one, PJ!
Rollins, Morse and Beckham will start in place of Steph, Klay and Draymond.
That brought the heartiest PJ-induced laugh I’ve ever had…
I’m PJ’s unofficial joke psychologist!
The Loser Is In
5 cents.
Dude, the sun is still above the yardarm!
ME TOO
Must say, I’m loving this blog today. Good exchanges, a few obscure references and some real life. Welcome back, baseball.
Look, I just wanted to talk to him…
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