by
Greek Giant
The Giants lost both of their split squad games yesterday. I am always a bit nervous when they perform well in Spring Training. I prefer losses in a weird way. They temper my expectations and make me feel like our boys are keeping their cards close to the vest and just waiting for the real season to start.
Mac Williamson had two hits against the Angels and is hitting a crisp .333. Tyler Beede pitched two innings without allowing a run.
I will post the line up for today’s game against the A’s once I complete my other duties and once it is made public.
There is banter that somehow, someway Jimmy Rollins is a frontrunner for a backup infield position and Kelby Tomlinson, who still has options, might start the year in Sacramento. I say PHLOEEY to that! It’s time for us to send letters and tweets to Evans and CO: Enough with the washed-up veteran fetishizing already! Youth is a good thing! It’s not a crime in baseball to be inexperienced!
Go Giants!
GG’s rallying cry: “Enough with washed-up veterans!” Breckeroni approves.
So I player plays his whole life and due to the fact that every 365 days – one is another year older and because of that “he” automatically garners the label “washed up”?
🙂
We’re never going to agree on Rollins, ClutchUp. I’m sorry. We’re just not.
OK – unless you were a Rollins relative through marriage (tee hee)
– “We got to get J-Roll going” (Bochy, April, May, June, 2017)
Personally, I don’t think KT is inexperienced.
No, he’s not.
I should have put “inexperienced” in quotes…
At least washed up veterans are better than sweaty, stinky veterans
[Groan]
Some folks upvote. Others groan
No, I contend those were surreptitious groans.
the upvote, you hold out
I may give you an up vote, but it won’t be until after this thread has hit the archives.
I’m gonna Ed McMahon your posts all day, by the way
[Groan]
I’m just wondering if any of this is based upon keeping control over the younger players longer. As many have mentioned, it’s not as though this farm system is bursting with MLB prospects.
Just a thought…
KT is going to be 27 in June. He’s getting past the “younger players” line. If we’re talking Arroyo (still just 21), yes. They’re not going to rush him, partly because he is so young, and partly because you don’t want him hitting free agency when he’s 27.
Kelby has earned a legit shot to make the team. He gave us two solid months at the end of 2015, when Panik went down. He performed well enough last year, and stepped into an OF void and immediately performed. He has strong defensive skills, plus-plus speed, and has shown the ability to put good swings on MLB pitchers. Stop wasting our time with these end of the road guys! Believe in your players!
Yes, but he’s not old and past his prime. That’s what Rollins has going for him, and it’s going to be hard for Tomlinson to overcome.
Maybe he can get a fake AARP card
It’s tough. Would-be young professors wish I’d hang ’em up, too, but I’m not going anywhere.
If you have time this AM, post your 25-Man list from Sunday. I missed it.
Just trying to make some sense of this craziness 🙂
I’m not sure this was very well thought out.
Oh well. My apologies…
I didn’t mean you, KIR! I meant Evans didn’t think this through. My apologies…
No worries 🙂
I felt bad about my lack of clarity. I’ve been out running errands and dodging potholes for hours and didn’t know or I would have corrected my statement long before now.
I’m not convinced Evans had a cohesive plan behind inviting these older NRIs to camp. He’s at a wedding and gets nostalgic and tells Morse: Call me. Was Evans a big fan of Rollins growing up? Who was it Evans brought in to give him a showcase? The whole situation seems thrown together.
Like I mentioned, “no worries”. You/I have had a great rapport and as Forrest Gump would say, “and that’s all I have to say about that”. 🙂
Mac will be 27 in June and Parker already 28. These are not young players and it’s nervous to see posts or writers speak about “twichy” AB and not looking “comfortable” in the field.
That’s what we should be hearing about 21-22 years “kids”.
No surprise that a kid considered a top prospect like Arroyo would look better at the plate and on the field. The other three were ever top prospects, both before the draft and in the minors.
They actually are bursting with MLB talent, with other MLB teams Beede , Blach, Blackburn, would be in rotation , Duvall would have been on team full time in 2015, Giants management not into giving young players a chance unless they have no other choice .
When do the cuts start? I suppose it’s OK to keep a bunch of guys for another week or two, to get a look and to eat innings.
I think you are right … some of the minor league contracts have dates in them for letting the players seek other teams.
Don’t forget that many won’t leave until minor league camp starts.
And that will take away many of the Prospects that are not being considered for the MLB right? Aramis Garcia, Coonrod, Black, Duggar, etc. … but the Vets seem to have a date where they can choose too IIRC.
Hopefully not “August”
Ha ha … It will be interesting to see if the Vet-Pref will be tempered this year after poor results with McGehee and others given “their shot” but all coming up short since 2012.
Is Bochy still Manager?
Old Managers are not Old Dogs … they can learn new tricks.
Nevin have any influence there as an Old Friend? I bet Flann did.
Suede Goats.
With the WBC happening, maybe later, rather than sooner.
Two more Warriors losses, and I start cutting myself
Caught the end of the Dubs/Bulls game last night, just before watching my OKC Thunder put up a come-from-ahead loss to Portland (up by seven w/less than five minutes to go…Portland goes on a 15-0 run. Ballgame). Warriors will adjust to playing without KD for awhile, but they looked out of sync last night. They’ll figure it out, but probably won’t keep the #1 seed, IMHO.
The best thing they have going f or them is Kerr….the guy has been through it all as a player, so can speak to the troops from a place of experience.
The guys are human, and the Splash Brothers looked mentally affected by the KD loss, and thus a bit physically affected as well.
This team is a better underdog than frontrunner, so I agree with your take
My biggest concern is that even before KD’s injury, they hadn’t figured out how to win close games consistently enough–largely, I’m sure, because they didn’t have too many. The last two losses were both winnable, but instead of going with what had kept them in the games–good defense, driving to the basket–Steph and/or Klay reverted in crunch time to outside shots, even though they were both ice cold from distance.
That is the Coaches job and he is not doing a good job, I disagree with Matthew, the Warriors are getting killed in close games and that is when the Coach should make the difference .
I’m certain that Coach Kerr isn’t telling Steph/Klay to throw up a 28-footer early in the shot clock when what they need is a good solid possession and a score, not a quick miss and no chance at a rebound. What’s he supposed to do, run out on the floor and tackle them?
I tried from Recliner Central last night…to no avail
Me too. 🙁
Draw up some plays, in close Games like game 7 of the finals when they can not buy an outside shot, do not sit on your hands and just say it is a make are miss league, draw up a play and go inside ,if you miss you might draw a foul and go to the line, instead of throwing up a prayer 30 footer when you have not made a 3 all game .
So Washington didn’t play good enough for us to just tip our hats?
Perspective, PJ…and read Lefty’s post.
For anyone to think Kerr is not doing a good job isn’t too good at observation. Coaches coach, players play…and his two key scorers have looked very bad the last two games once KD was lost.
He has the luxury to try combinations now with no KD, and he will.
I keep saying that too — that the best thing they have going for them is Kerr. But I don’t see Kerr doing much coaching. I see the players looking “out of sync” and I wonder, why isn’t Kerr getting them more together? Give them a little more structure. What happened to all the great in-bounds plays they used to run? I see excessive ball movement and eventually a bad pass/turnover. Or, I see quick shots with no hope of a rebound. I’m so spoiled by this team!
Was just thinking… Has anyone passed on the URL for this site to the FO? If not, we need to get the email addresses of several there to awaken their senses.
OK, I’m a card-carrying scientist, but I think there’s a limit to the type of things we should be looking at with our research dollars. For example, there’s this headline…
“How to monitor urine in pools, by testing sweetness”
Sometimes we may go a little further than necessary.
Walter Payton peed in pools?
My friend posted that on Facebook. She has a pool AND twin toddlers, and now she’s grossed out.
There used to be an old trick we used in pools (ours and others’) whereby we put an “indicator” in the pool and when anyone pee’d it would show up as a brilliant magenta cloud emerging from their swimwear.
That’s what chlorine is for.
That’s not entirely true. Cl and HCl are used as antibacterials and used in tandem to balance the pH of pool water. Urine still has the effect of “sweetening” pool water and is relatively unaffected by chlorine itself.
Well, all I know is that there isn’t a public pool anywhere in the world that doesn’t contain urine.
If you want to use the minimal amount of antimicrobial treatment, knowing how much pee, on average, is an important parameter to understand.
You can’t coddle your immune system. Embrace the urine.
Most urine does not contain microorganisms. It is usually a sign of infection in the human being tested.
It’s not the urine, as much as the bioload the number of bodies it dictates were in the pool provide.
Eggs get coddled.
The Alou family has the market cornered on urine.
Indeed. Even private pools.
“PHLOEEY,” indeed.
GG, that’s a great pic in your story. How can one not love the defensive side of baseball.
DRS in 2016
Pagan … -6
Parker … -2
Mac … +4
I think 1 DRS is a similar value to 3 hits.
Well, fellow Slappy, some here most certainly do not
Their loss.
I was wondering if anyone else here follows Tim Flannery’s tweets. His re-tweets just crack me up sometimes. I guess he has a lot more time on his hands nowadays.
He’s pretty funny, and I think there’s some drunk-tweeting going on sometimes, too.
Do you really think Flann drinks?
I KNOW he does because I’ve read his tweets! He’s posted pictures of him with drinks.
The season doesn’t start for another month. Spring Training is definitely too long, but I remember when the NFL played six preseason games and a 14 game regular season. That was worse.
I was watching/reading a piece from a Statcast tweet on Waino and the re-birth of his curveball. As he talked about the curve, I read this, “He was encouraged by the velocity on his fastball, which he’s usually not throwing this hard so early in spring…” I immediately wondered how many veteran pitchers are of the same inclination as they work up to the real season. It might explain why a SF vet looks so ineffective with HIS fastball.
Good article, nonetheless.
I don’t know how many here are interested in throwing curveballs* or teaching how to throw a curveball, BUT if you are, look at Adam’s little tips on holding the ball and especially on the different follow-through he uses to accentuate the final rotation of his wrist/arm which, in turn, causes a harder break on the ball. The altered follow-through was educational since pitchers always try to make every pitch look alike, but the follow through can, and should change.
*If you have no interest in technical baseball, feel free to move right along.
Jon Heyman does regular “round-ups” of what’s going on with each team. In his last two, regarding the Giants, he’s focused on what’s (not) going on with Tim Lincecum, who hasn’t pitched for the Giants since June 2015. This time, he added a brief comment about Aaron Hill. And that’s it.
Lazy and uninterested, compared to his write-ups of other teams.
https://www.fanragsports.com/mlb/inside-baseball-jon-heyman-predicting-harpers-market-early/
Funny how life works: Heyman looks exactly like this terrible CIO that cost me a ton of revenue and client relations I had built a few years back. We finally fired him. Digging out of that hole took a very long time.
So, in an example of ridiculous mental connections only I can justify, Heyman is on my naughty list.
Could be worse. You could be the boss of the schmoe who screwed up the Oscars and damaged your international brand.
They both got whacked, ne?
The KATOH system of player evaluation takes players who have succeeded to various degrees and evaluates what parameters or metrics were predictive of that success by deconstructing at each level of performance (A, AA, AAA for instance) what metrics predicted that outcome. Then, after that validation across literally thousands of players, goes back and evaluates new prospects with those validated criteria. It turns out to be correct about 70% of the time. Its looked at the current crop of prospects and has generated top 100 lists, with scouting input added in as a factor. But there is a list of KATOH favorites who aren’t scouting favorites. Two Giants rookies are on that list.
https://i.imgur.com/2BHH58U.png
The extended article.
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-2017-all-katoh-team/
Matt Gage. He’s a lefty starter who had a fine season for Richmond. Didn’t even get a spring invite and we never talk about him. But there he is on the list.
The scouts don’t seem to rate him highly, but he gets the job done.
MyGuy™ Scouting System spotted him … Here are the 2016 Results
1 Derek Law 3.04 to 1.67; Richmond to MLB
2 Phil Bickford 1.52 to 2.33; S/K to San Jose [to Milwaukee]
3 Tyler Cyr 3.79 to 1.97; Augusta to San Jose
4 Sean Coonrod 2.28 to 2.26; Augusta to Richmond
5 Grant Watson 3.40 to 2.85; S/K to Augusta
6 Tyler Beede 3.08 to 2.22; all at Richmond
7 Michael Agosta 2.71 to 1.99; all at San Jose
8 Jake Dunning 4.19 to 3.14; all at Sac
9 Ty Blach 2.82 to 2.22; all at Sac [not enough IP in MLB]
10 Matt Gage 2.82 to 2.34; all at Richmond
You ought to relook at your rankings, LOL, with the KATOH parameters.
http://www.hardballtimes.com/katoh-forecasting-a-hitters-major-league-performance-with-minor-league-stats/
Does it give a number we can compare from year to year? Like a “score” for 2015 that can be compared to 2016 to generate a % of improvement?
Absolutely, although each level of minor league ball may/does have slightly different parameters.
I like your thinking, but remember that KATOH is a PROJECTION system and we calculate a metric based on actual results. So I’m not sure how we can replace MyGuy with KATOH.
But look at what it’s based on.
sorry to be dense but what is your point?
The model from which KATOH is constructed is a variance decomposition of all stats/metrics available on players over ~30 years. All that did was tell you what numbers to choose.
If you are telling me to use KATOH to choose which metrics to use for every level of MyGuy, that is crazy. I doubt anybody wants to make MyGuy more complicated in order to make it more accurate. People should just use KATOH to pick their guys.
The KATOH ‘study’ dictates which metrics to use at each level. What you do with ‘your guy’ is your business. I just wondered how Haak’s rank order would look with a different spyglass. The metrics taht turn out to be important by level.
https://i.imgur.com/eES10W9.png
Thanks for clearing that up. You are right; we have to compare results.
Hey, you want to get in the My25ManGuy™ bid? Make a prediction and I will include you.
no thanks
FYI: MyGuy™ Score is a combo of WHIP and ERA.
KATOH is usually more primitive metrics like %K.
Three if you count Mejia.
LOL.
Dang … you are not supposed to notice that. If Nunez plays well this year, all will be forgotten.
Nunez, if he delivers ~ 1 WAR a year through his contract will make the trade a wash. Last year, he delivered about 2.7 WAR. I optimistic about buyer’s remorse not being an issue.
Not that I do. Just sayin’.
MyGuy™ J-Greg!
Yesterday his line was typical 1 IP 1 H 1 BB 1 K but 0 R
He’s got that tall guy magic and tilt at 6’7″.
This kid is a senior in high school, has never played in an actual football game, but is receiving scholarship offers from all of the major schools. Talk about a freak athlete…
http://www.espn.com/college-football/recruiting/story/_/id/18546993/how-17-year-old-australian-giant-no-football-experience-became-recruiting-sensation
6-foot-9, weighs 394 pounds” with speed and agility? Right to the Pros.
Bumble Bees playing soccer.
http://www.biographic.com/posts/sto/lens-of-time-bumper-bees
Should we start an over/under on how many HR’s Samardzija allows this year in the regular season? Say, 30?
He’s a pretty steady 10-11% HR/FB, or 1/9 innings. So ~200 innings means, on average, 20-30.
He was pitching much better the last 6 weeks of the season once he was throwing both the curve and the slider
Yep, and per the article the other day, he has his splitter back after it went AWOL for two years.
Aren’t Ragg’s guys wonderful?
which article?
http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/02/27/giants-notes-no-split-decision-for-jeff-samardzija-more-hits-for-christian-arroyo-etc/
thanks
But the splitter wasn’t particularly good. The curve was
The question, is he really dumb as a box of rocks, or can he learn from experience.
That is my worry. Don’t pass this along, but I’m afraid Smarge is a bit of a football player out there.
29 in 2015, 24 in 2016.
Yeah, but you’d think GB rate would influence it, it doesn’t. To me that indicates he’s getting clobbered on mistakes in location.
trending positive!
19 in 2017
I wonder what his HR numbers looked like with Posey receiving him?
18 with Posey, 9 with Brown. But three times as many PAs against with Posey, too.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/split.fcgi?id=samarje01&year=2016&t=p#all_catch
Very nice, Doc.
So Posey catching cut the rate by ~ 50%. That says it all, pretty much.
That = 27 , I thought he only gave up 24 .
Typo. I edited it. 18 with Posey, 6 with Brown.
So we’re back to dumb as a box of rocks.
For both catchers, it was 1 HR for every 34.6 PAs.
That sounds like a “proof” to me.
I thought Brown was pretty good , better in the 1st half when he was hitting better .
Posey loves calling the high fastball, and has been burned by the long ball many times on that pitch, even in 0-2 counts .
The pitcher is expected to pitch to the target. It’s not simply a high fastball, as you know. It’s a fastball set up by prior pitch selection to specific place, high in the zone. Samardzija just can’t hit a target. When he was cooing, Cain is the guy who could execute that pitch to perfection. Bumgarner can, from time to time, as well.
He better hit 19 if he wants to win some games, the Giants regulars are not hitting a lick in spring training .
I share your concerns, Brother
Is that a linear trend? Is it locational, temporal or WAG?
The only thing that WAG’s around here is Louis the rally Dog…this was scientific
Ergo, 19 in 2017! Easy!!
Is there a way to TURN OFF the “feature” that highlights all the comments of a person when one hovers over their avatar?
I’m sick of it!
Why are you hovering over our avatars? Creeper.
It isn’t on purpose. I have a wandering wayword cursor.
I’ll bet you drive a windowless white van
and he lives in the van, down by the river.
Under a bridge.
Hey, now. What did I do to you? I’m afraid you’ve all lost the context.
That’s what they all say .
It’s the nascent troll indicator on other sites using Disqus.
I DON’T CARE WHAT IT IS. I JUST WANT TO TURN IT OFF.
(Sorry for shouting.)
How do you spell ‘shit out of luck’?
I’m not sure I ever have.
Ouch.
Giants make the softest contact of any MLB team , dribblers and pop ups that barely reach the infield .
Uppercut swings??
No, not much bat speed on the team are strength, Dave Kingman’s pop ups would hit the moon.
It’s not bat speed, IMO, it’s lousy contact.
Same was true when they won 3 world series. I’ll take it.
Seeing Blanco in a Damondbacks uni is sad….
I’d use a down-arrow, but you might take it wrong.
I’m happy for him. He’s got another chance to play in the MLB.
Me too. I’m sad for me
I think the crawl on MLB Network just said Price is having surgery after consulting with Andrews….
Never mind …” NOT to undergo surgery”
Here’s the story.
David Price doesn’t need elbow surgery, Red Sox announce. https://t.co/cd9SPZXYOl
Parker and Mac both 0-2 today. Each drew a walk and struck out. Both are hitting .286. JP has the upper hand with 2 homers and 7 ribbies.
So, Beckham has the upper hand on the job?
Lol
GG said: “There is banter that somehow, someway Jimmy Rollins is a front-runner for a backup infield position and Kelby Tomlinson, who still has options, might start the year in Sacramento. I say PHLOEEY to that! It’s time for us to send letters and tweets to Evans and CO: Enough with the washed-up veteran fetishizing already! Youth is a good thing! It’s not a crime in baseball to be inexperienced!
* Not sure cards or tweets matter when the guys in charge are making tons of coin AND they have the entire Investor group behind them. Like Flan said, there are 29 non roster invites in camp….
If Rollins can fulfill a late off the bench switch-hitting role – now knowing every pitching staff in both leagues – he would excel. Kelby is younger and maybe a better fielder but with Wotus giving location about hitters at the plate – it appears that it is a flip of the coin. This is not really about Kelby vs Jimmy.
Next we’ll be asked to tweet Jimmy to please walk away…. 🙂
It’s about two utility infielder spots. Which belong to Kelby Tomlinson and Conor Gillaspie.
That is fair but the term “belong” to is fleeting in pro sports.
Hopefully. But then what about hwang?
I’m not expecting him to make the team. Not yet. I think he’s got work to do to learn the MLB game. I don’t think Hwang will opt out.
Hmm..so if Rollins can do the job, he will be good. I take it all back. You really are an expert.
No the other way around. If he is any good – he would fill “the job” aka “the role”.
Mallory you made me laugh.
The concern is that he will get the job, regardless of whether he can do the job.
Others MORE baseball savvy than you and I will determine the answer.
Why do you think Rollins would be good? He hasn’t been good for several years and he’s 38 years old. It is not a coin flip between him and 26-year-old Kelby, who has a career .300 BA in his 300 or so plate appearances. Rollins has a career .260 BA and has not come near that number in years.
Others know more than you or me/I.
In support of Tomlinson, as a bench player the guy is hitting .400 as a pinch hitter and a .478 OBP. Granted this is a small sample size at 23 PA but still, king of goes with the average and what is needed. The only reason he does not make it is Options, fielding, power
Michael Roth buying his bus ticket this inning. MILB contract last November, with a camp invitation. Took all the suspense out of this one.
OFF TOPIC GM John Lynch
http://www.sfgate.com/49ers/article/49ers-GM-Lynch-raves-about-draft-s-QB-class-10973299.php
This is funny! Posey was asked about facing Romo.
Buster Posey: “It would be a chess match for sure, just because I feel like I know his tendencies and he probably knows that I know his tendencies. So it would be a matter of me trying to figure out if he’s still going to pitch to those tendencies or if he’s going to go away from those tendencies, or if he thinks that I might … I know he might go away from his tendencies, so that he sticks with his tendencies. Does that help?”
Tendentious of him to say so.
Yogi Posey or Buster Berra?
What’s not to understand?
Posey is actually less colorless than he might appear
Yes. Sometimes he comes across as bland in interviews, but he’s reportedly quite funny in the clubhouse.
“European Union lawmakers voted on Thursday to deny U.S. travelers visa-free access to all EU member states.”
“That means that American travelers, so used to (relatively) easy access to other countries, will have a harder time crossing borders than a Mexican passport holder.”
I know it’s going to be tough, but somehow I’m going to survive.
Contrary to your opinion, nothing is really about you.
Everyone is going to survive. How many trips to Europe will you be making this year?
I don’t think survival was the issue.
Just reporting the facts. You can make the political statements.
Actually, my daughter-in-law will make 8-10 this year for work and she and my son are both going to Italy in 2 months for a wedding and vacation. Have you even ever been? No wonder you aren’t interested.
The citizens of only a handful of EU nations are required to obtain visas before coming to the US. If the rest want to make a political statement that’s going to cost them tourism dollars, it’s unfortunate but they can go right ahead. US policies should be decided by Americans, which is one of the battles going on currently.
And a sound and well thought out policy it is, too. It’s only the beginning of a senseless backlash by both parties.
And here’s the rub. It wasn’t decided by Americans. It was decided by our current government, or at least a part of it.
Those who make decisions, including the current government, are elected by the people. It’s a system that, while not perfect, has worked pretty well for nearly 250 years. The EU isn’t even 25 years old and is already cracking.
I think you recall who won the popular vote. And it was against her, of all people.
IF that’s so, we’ll be the worse for it.
LOL. I think it’s safe to say US policies have been decided by US citizens for hundreds of years.
And exactly why we should pay no attention to this outside attempt to influence decisions.
Now you’re an isolationist?
Not at all. It’s important to be a good neighbor, but your own come first.
It’s precisely why we should take all the impacts of policy into account. This an impact. You may weight it differently than others, but to ignore the additive impact of this reaction to White House bombast is foolish. No country goes it alone and succeeds for very long.
right? what an imbecile.
He’s probably never been, you know the who they don’t speak American and eat weird food kinda thing. Probably assumes most Europeans are gay too.
That’s how my kind thinks, right?
Actually most americans don’t even know what america’s policy towards immigrants and tourists even is. For example i learned a lot when i helped my ex-wife get a green card.
Of course you’ll make a political statement out of it. Why would someone like you even care, though?
Please. You posted this as a political statement. And who is someone like me?
I posted it as a fact and current event. I suppose you would like to choose what news you want to hear.
No one here is that dumb. There’s plenty of news out there. What else do you want to report?
I think I did.
It’s not a political statement. It’s a pain-in-the-ass if you travel much to Europe. And it didn’t have to happen.
Glad i have an israeli passport.
***Off-Topic***
The Buss brothers tried an end-around on their sister, Jeannie…and wrestle control of the Lakers away from her.
http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/la-sp-buss-lakers-20170303-story.html
LOL. What topic.
The opener seems so far away but actually times like this are not far away.
Pizza before the game https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/bfa27bd22b7e5aaea38f126cfd80656cb1b49155e0220419135d88618e462ab5.jpg
Home-made pasta over the weekend https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/ab0bedbcab4d200945fb75c3e1cddc88e4ce8029e53c0e4cefe9fd9cd5296a1f.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/6d71cf7560cc04ae548ec87fdd277ad37405f096e13900cb4a58b9b6a5812a8c.jpg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgrBn072lMU
Im diggin’ today’s Word Of The Day:
PHLOEEY is vastly underrated. I’m so glad GG found such a perfect usage
Maybe a KA in front of it
Tyler Beede handles himself well on audio only interview
http://www.loveofthegameproductions.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/tylerbeede022516.mp3
Good Night Allen https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/d59d70e1e6d5fac5b2e239ca3f63694222c1c71fd9c02f4f341220fbd0085b83.jpg
I’ll talk to you tomorrow!
It is bizarre that Rollins would be given any kind of chance … are they really going to let a small spring sample size outweigh two seasons of awfulness, considering all the options? That one would be a head scratch.
Yes
I wanna see more of Hwang. I see more potential from him than guys like Morse and Rollins.
What has Brown got in common with Morse and Rollins?
It has more do to with a roster spot than anything else. Brown will more than likely start in AAA with Hundley as the backup to Posey, unless there’s a reason why it makes sense to carry 3 catchers to start the season.
I agree 100%.
Apropos of nothing, but Jeff Sessions is the spitting image of the banjo player on the porch from the movie “Deliverance.”
speaking of Bluegrass, check this out
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yckGkBAobJA
Sweet! Thanks
Trevor Brown is also a pretty close match.
White Sox let go Brett Lawrie……way things are going it would not surprise me one bit to see him in Giants camp soon.
So Johnny Cueto has arrived in Scottsdale…almost three weeks late.
Wonder how the team really feels about this. Not to question his care for his father, but it sounds like pops is “old and ailing” but not “dying”–in other words, a chronic situation but not a crisis. If Johnny is really his only caregiver, it also seems like he could either have arranged for someone to hold down the fort and/or started the passport/visa process for his father in a timely manner.
Love Johnny, and hopefully it’s no big deal for him getting ready for the season, but–just saying. Three weeks late is a lot. And they’re paying him a lot of money.
Krukow reported JC has been working out and pitching off a mound since ST started. With an investment like him I doubt the Giants have let him just take time off; they must be engaged with a coach/trainer down there with him.
He is a vet; ST is too long … seems like the best scenario for being absent as he has been. Being given family time [even mismanaged as I agree) if you want it is the Giants Way.
Yes, he’s been pitching to youngsters in the Giants’ Dominican academy. And yes, he’s a vet and ST is long…but it’s long for everyone, right?
I’ve been in a supervisory position for some years, and I’ve had many teachers with young children. Unlike elementary or high school, universities don’t have substitute teachers on call. One of the things I’ve told them is “You can anticipate that they’re going to get sick sometimes. You need Plan A (who’s your backup care for your kids if you have class that day) and Plan B (who’s your substitute teacher if you can’t find backup child care). You’ve taken on a responsibility, and yes, your children are important, but so are your students. You need to plan ahead for such contingencies, which are foreseeable.”
I’d say “elderly father in another country from where you work and no one else to take care of him” is also a foreseeable problem to solve. I’m sure Johnny did what he could to get himself ready. I’m just saying maybe he could have planned better.
You should run HR for the Giants! No messin’ around on the Doc’s watch….
I just can see both sides. Last year one of my teachers, the only child and sole caregiver of her elderly widowed father, twice took sudden, extended leaves. He was dying of cancer. The second time, he’d actually died right after New Year’s, but she took four weeks of leave at the beginning of the quarter to deal with grief and the funeral. We all understood. We rallied around, organized meals, chipped in for flowers and a gift card for a massage after he passed, went to the funeral. Numerous teachers jumped in and took over her classes and grading on top of their own full loads. The department paid almost $3000 in sub fees for her leaves.
We did the right thing–but it was incredibly disruptive and stressful for many of us (including her students, who lost their instructor suddenly and for weeks at a time). And here’s the thing–she knew for awhile (well over a year before all of this happened) that he was terminal and that the day would come when she’d need to be with him and not at work. She made no contingency plans. If she’d just communicated with me before the school year started so we had backup plans ready to go, it would have made things so much easier–including for her, because she’s a dedicated teacher and was freaking out about her students while we were scrambling with no notice to get her classes covered.
Life happens to all of us, and there are plenty of things you can’t plan for–but for the ones you can, I think you have to do your part to make sure your responsibilities are covered.
Yup. I hear ya. I think many folks have experienced those same issues, and I can recall feeling a tad guilty when I had those “Dude…you KNEW” thoughts when there would be some “surprise” that wasn’t.
On the flip side, I have been blessed with peers steeping in for me when Beauty called them a couple years back to say “uh, he won’t be in for awhile….”
I would bet that the fact that Johnny is so established led to his decision making, and that he knows that he has earned the rope. As you, I hope his family is OK and I selfishly hope he goes 23-5 with a 2.11.
Teammates don’t spend energy wondering if it was on the up and up. Felipe on the phone…
I’m not saying it wasn’t on the up and up. Just not very good planning. That’s different from lying.
Aside: Coffee Clatch update. Cappuccinos 5 days in a row. I’m in heaven. Finally! my machine is fixed.
Good to hear; I was about to send you Care Packages.
BoringBlackCoffeeGuy™ is me.
Me too with the Boring Black Coffee. I treat myself to capps and lattes when I’m traveling. But I have wished for them at home, too.
I have an old machine that I finally got fixed (after many many moons). Good used machines can be found occasionally on Craigslist. Look for a la Pavoni. I had to for missing parts.
Dear BBCG,
One thing I miss is the variety a brewed pot brings. Not all beans make good espressos. Actually, most single bean grinds are rather disappointing and blends rule.
Amen
I don’t know what his father’s med condition is but I helped care for my folks during their final years, even after they went into assisted living. And there were times when their health took a turn for the worse and the doctor’s weren’t sure if they would pull out of it and I know me and my sisters wanted to be there monitoring the situation until they stabilized.
He’s apparently well enough to travel to AZ with Johnny. The holdup was that dad’s passport was expired and he needed a new one and then a visa. That’s what took weeks.
I heard there was an initial visa denial issue. I wonder if there was any truth in that.
I think it was that his passport was expired–guess they didn’t realize until it suddenly became an issue.
That’s pretty dumb (to let your pport expire).
I don’t get the passport visa issues for any baseball player. Like they didn’t know they were going to spring training?
This time it was for his dad, but it did seem like Casilla had a visa issue practically every spring, didn’t it?
I think it had to do with the variety of names he was known by.
And that was before…well, you know.
The temporary work visas have been complicated for years, and it’s gotten worse recently.
Much has been written about how he has been following a team regiment in the Giants Domincan camp, throwing and pitching against batters.
I think Cueto is one of those guys folks should not worry about, he is a pro and has been extremely successful with any organization he has pitched for, no matter the city, the park, weather, etc.
He was supposed to go to the WBC this week but now he is going to hold back, perhaps go in a later if the team and he agree it’s plausible.
Customary
Customary, like Bonds taking up 1/2 the locker room?
See quote from Baggs (above) it explains a little about the delay.
Brisbee on being late, and the WBC:
http://www.mccoveychronicles.com/2017/3/3/14702030/johnny-cueto-world-baseball-classic
“I don’t begrudge anyone from participating in the WBC and showing off their national pride. It’s just that pitchers are finely tuned sports cars, and an extra month of meaningful games are giant sand dunes for them to speed through. You want to avoid it if you can.”
Two of MyBenchGuys™ are in the lineup for the road game in Surprise (the beat writers HATE going there)–Ruggiano and Hill. Sadly, Jimmy Rollins, one of MyGetLostGuys™, is leading off and playing SS.
Clayton Blackburn with the start!
I thought Buster was going to catch today. Guess not.
He was in the same lineup I just saw. Was he scratched?
DH
Ah. Well, he needs ABs more than time in the squat.
I thought I’d heard him say he was going to get a good workout this weekend and was catching today. I hope he doesn’t hurt himself further during this little side trip.
NO, they said he was going to catch Friday and DH Saturday, and that is exactly what he is doing .
Thanks. My memory sucks lately.
I thought the same as Bapah. Thanks for setting us straight. I just wish “No” wasn’t capitalized, Peter. It sounds like you’re shouting, when I know you’re not.
I read and listened to people say Posey would catch Friday and DH Saturday, so I thought it was obvious, your favorite Alex probably wrote about it as well, so yes I was shocked it was a big surprise that Posey was DHing in Surpriise today .
He might be
Bapah seemed to be yelling and panicking, why is Posey not catching today, when he was never scheduled to catch today, so yes I was !
I didn’t hear or read “yelling or panicking.” Disappointment maybe. Sorry to hear you were actually shouting. That’s disappointing.
I will go to Hell , for that one, MRs Perfect .
Come on Peter. It’s too early for this. Let’s change the subject. How is your day going?
always taking the high road. pure class, deeg
The plan was for him to DH today all along !
I expect he’ll get more than his fair share of catching time at the WBC.
Good use of the GuyTags™.
Playing him is the. best way to say “We are giving you a chance JR early so when we call you in and say you won’t make it you can get your name out there to other teams.” The proof of that will be he does start to get skipped more or pulled earlier. We was one of MyBenchGuys™ but many here have convinced me KT is just too impressive to leave off again.
I wish I could believe that, but I’m very afraid that another 38-year-old washed-up has-been is going to take a job from a more deserving and capable younger player. I saw Bochy and Sabean do it in 2011 with Tejada/Cabrera vs. Crawford, and I could see them doing it again.
Even if you’re right, why do they owe him a chance to showcase himself for other teams? He has no history with the Giants except for publicly saying how much he hated them as a kid. He’s taking playing time from other guys they could be looking at.
two things of note on your reply:
1) I doubt the Giants are “showcasing” anyone for other teams. They have nothing to gain from that action. Perhaps one of their long time players, say if Cain had trade value, and they preferred he had the opportunity somewhere else out of respect, by they owe JR squat. They must think he can help.
2) While I understand the Tejada/Cabrera analogy with Crawford, I’m taking a stab here and assuming the Giants had to think at one point Crawford was the SS of the future and were waiting. They thought wrong in thinking the vets could help bridge the gap better. Tomlinson, while a nice player, is NOT Crawford. He is not going to be a starter on the Giants nor any other team. Nice bench role player, but can’t compare him to one of the best SS in the NL, an All star, etc.
I agree–it’s not the same thing. It’s more the general principle of “vet far past his prime” vs. “young guy” that I’m objecting to. Not meaning to compare Crawford to Tomlinson in particular. Honestly, if they kept Aaron Hill and sent KT to AAA, I’d be disappointed, but I’d think that was better than Rollins. Hill at least still has been a viable baseball player in recent years. Rollins is 38 and hasn’t had a decent season in years. Nor has he ever played anywhere but SS, making his viability as a utility INF dubious, even if he could still hit, which he can’t. Hill, on the other hand, has played three IF positions extensively and even has some RH pop.
I see your point, but you have to agree that a guy like that, and any young Giants INF can learn from both Rollins and Hill.
Hell, Rollins has forgotten more about playing SS than most of those guys will ever see in their ML careers.
But if Rollins makes the team, there won’t be any “young Giants infielder.” It’s not like Crawford needs mentoring. And Panik’s won a Gold Glove at 2B.
How about “Depth” value?
If JR proves MLB worthy then you have him on the bench with KT in Sac playing everyday as a fantastic back-up.
If you keep KT then he starts once a week and you have Hinojosa in Sac as an Unknown back-up.
Buying that?
I’m not buying it. I think Rollins was washed up two years ago. I think any ABs or reps wasted on him would hurt the team. The man is 38. He was cut from his last team in June. He hit in the .220s last year and the year before. The last time he even cleared .260 was 2010.
I really have nothing against the guy. I’m honestly bewildered why anyone would think he could help the Giants at this late stage of his career. They’re a veteran team, not a young team. They don’t need his “veteran presence.” They DO need a young, athletic, gritty-hitting speedster like Kelby Tomlinson and/or a versatile bench threat like Hill or an intriguing option like Hwang. But they don’t need Jimmy Rollins.
So Hill might be the one who bumps KT under the same Deorh Argument. If KT is on the team who is at AAA for depth?
Hinojosa, Hwang
But not JR’s fault
It’s kind of his fault. I don’t think they threw a sack over his head and kidnapped him.
Surprise is one of the nicer Spring Teaining venues. We saw the Arizona Fall League All-Star game in 2013 in addition to Giants v. Rangers and Royals.
Maybe so, but several players have openly criticized having to go there. Maybe it’s the drive they don’t like.
I do a 100-mile round trip from home to work 5 days a week, with traffic. I enjoy the drive, and I don’t make $5 million a year.
Good point.
Whoa.
Yeah, apparently it’s 45 minutes crawling along on surface streets. There are a few Phoenix-area parks like that–the access just isn’t very good.
We try to avoid the surface streets as much as possible, but sometimes that’s not the case.
We went out to the White Sox/Dodgers park in Glendale one time. That’s a bit of schlep. And I remember the Brewers’ park was hard to get to. You were crawling in traffic, stuck at lights forever…not much fun when you’re trying to get to a game.
Yeah. North Phoenix (Maryvale), where the Brewers train, is a nice park, but in a run down section of town.
Agreed–once you got there, nice park, and you could still get good seats for a decent price.
That whole area is a pain. They even have Interstate Parking Lots there.
It’s a HUGE drive. Feels like half-way to Vegas.
sadly?
Chortle
There are just two things I feel strongly about. The rest I can live with.
1) I don’t want Cain to be the fifth starter.
2) I don’t want Jimmy Rollins to make the team.
The rest–Mac, Kelby, the bullpen choices–I can roll with. Those are the only two I care about.
Emotions: Laundry vs Name on the Back. We differ immensely because I am a SF Giant Fan. I would root for them if Jake Arrieta was pitching for them. Utley was “washed up” but helped the LAD’s a ton in timely appearances.
If one is a player – coach – staff member – admin or clubhouse towel boy:
The name on the front of the jersey represents who you play for, the name on the back of the jersey represents who raised you. Do them both justice.
If one is a fan – it should go without saying. Doubtful it can be diced up into tiny morsels of the T.E.A.M.
Rollins isn’t on the team yet. If he makes the team, I’ll root for him. Right now I’m rooting for him not to make the team and rooting FOR other people to do so.
Appreciate the clarification….but I am not sure anymore.
“MyGetLostGuys™” – I’m gonna use that one later.
Good morning. How is everyone doing?
I had an itch to be entertained by some baseball on the TV last nite and so added MLBN to the package for around 6.50/mon. Not too shabby, perhaps I’ll get the chance to watch something other than Grapefruit League replays.
So, are spring training results going to start carrying some significance, or are we still a week away from when we can actually hang some weight on pitches, swings, plays in the field? The rust should be off, the process should get serious. Then there’s that WBC thing that’s about to kickoff. There should be some games televised on MLBN that carry some sort of nationalistic pride.
https://www.fast-growing-trees.com/images/D/Ruby-Red-Grapefruit-2-450w.jpg
https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/grid_builder/imr/crop16_9/F505B662-1DD8-B71B-0B69B1A3BD3FBB5D.jpg?width=950&quality=90&mode=crop
Yes.
Yay! Welcome back!
In truth, was he ever gone?
Welllllll….
Ryan’s back! A sure sign of spring!
Cows are about to calve. At least one of them anyway. We’re on watch and fingers crossed that we go three for three with healthy calves. Lolium multiflorum is on its way as well. Must be spring. Plenty of blossoms in the valley below. My stone fruit trees have swelling blossoms as well. Plenty o’ garden work to be done!
Do you make bread with it? You have a mill? Or is it a feedstock?
Lolium multiflorum = Ryegrass, right? Your new avatar?
Where’s Scout Finch?
Burriss
Goldstein
I renewed my subscription this week – it cost $112 – could’ve sworn it was $149 last year.
There’s still a MiLB add-on to consider
Nah – that’s too much baseball.
I recently subscribed to The New Yorker, The LA Times, and I really should make that donation to my local NPR carrier. Times like this, it’s important to have thoughtful analysis. I’ll do my best to decide the veracity of the news.
Efrain mentioned below about Brett Lawrie being released (and I can’t rule out the Giants signing him, seeing as they seem to want All The Infielders), but I saw this item from MLB Trade Rumors. I didn’t know about the arbitration/salary guarantee. This means that guys like Gearrin (for example) aren’t as sure things as maybe it seemed.
“In a surprising move, the White Sox announced on Friday that they’ve requested release waivers on infielder Brett Lawrie. Assuming Lawrie clears waivers — a fair bet, given his $3.5MM salary for the 2017 season — he’ll become a free agent upon clearing in 48 hours. The Sox, it should be noted, won’t be on the hook for the entirety of that salary. Arbitration contracts aren’t fully guaranteed until Opening Day, so the Sox will only be on the hook for about one-sixth of that salary (30 days’ termination pay) — or about $574K.”
Tattoos got in the way
Maybe the Warriors should sign him, then. Matt Barnes has plenty. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
Welcome back Footy. Apologies if lineup has been posted earlier. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/ad0d6d168926cac8492c4977115981d168b52dda49841558b9743cedc53a93a4.jpg
Thanks for lineup, Crawnik. I imagine at least one game is on KNBR, right? Nothing like baseball in the background while doing some work, even if the game doesn’t count – can still hear the crack of the bat.
Baseball on the radio. All is right with the world.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C5eHf7RVMAA_QrS.jpg
Here.
You’re good. Thank you as well. Per your question below: grazing purposes only. A sign of healthy pasture to see it grow. Wild oats too.
There’s something about the sight and smell of Spring grasses that are hard to beat. Beet?
Yes, KNBR today, 12:05.
I’ve got yard work to do myself today. Have a good day everyone!
It’s hard for me to ignore that Trump didn’t make the allegations he made this morning on Twitter. Bill Kristol isn’t ignoring the allegations.
Bill Kristol 3hr ago:
1. This morning’s tweets are nothing like Trump’s attacks on the media, or even his general complaints about the intelligence community.
2. Trump is now making a pretty specific allegation. Either it’s true, in which case we’ll soon learn what the evidence was or wasn’t…
3. …that was used to justify the wiretapping. If it’s not true, then…words fail me.
He simply can’t handle a few days of relative normalcy. Chaos is his comfort zone and unfortunately it’s all by design. Most everything we can’t stand about him is probably, in one form or another, by design. His cadence and restrictive use of diction in speech is also by design. Believe me, he’s a tremendous disaster. The worst in the history of US Presidents (apologies to Andrew Jackson and Andrew Johnson and Richard Nixon and whoever else stakes a claim).
I started re-reading All the President’s Men last night. I’m not sure with Trump it’s calculated or by design. I think it could be worse than that.
Amazing how that book and “1984” have vaulted back into popularity.
My coping mechanism has been listening to 60s folk music–protest as art. I find it somehow soothing and a reminder that turbulent times have come and gone before.
All the President’s Men is my new coping mechanism. I’ll try 60s folk music too.
“The times, they are a’ changin’…” Peter, Paul, & Mary on a loop, and just the sound of Pete Seeger’s voice is calming.
my friend from Brazil’s father came to town and he brought him Animal Farm (in poruguese I assume)
I taught that book to international grad students at USC when I was there. They always found the political themes fascinating.
“All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others.”
That’s how our founding fathers felt too. I’m glad we don’t have a hogs. A guy at work has really gotten into hogs and likes to update me. He bought a couple for his kids to raise for 4H and FFA. I hate to tell him what’s coming for the farm.
Nothing like some light reading at bed time 🙂
I’ve been reading One River by Wade Davis – about ethnobotany in Amazonia. Excellent read and “mind-altering”.
Good history there.
There’s no reason not to believe a guy who changes identities every couple of days, but I am glad you’re back. Did you realize the world wasn’t coming to an end and it’s still ok to enjoy baseball?
You mean Arnie wasn’t really fired?
(He’s off his meds this morning.)
This is interesting.
“Sometime soon, there is going to be a new version of Wins Above Replacement available, and its goal, aside from encapsulating a player’s value into one tidy number, is simple: Don’t be scary. The plan does not involve dumbing down the metric that serves as the flashpoint between those who yearn for a catch-all and those who lament it. On the contrary, as with almost everything it does, Major League Baseball Advanced Media wants to make it so smart people can’t help but like it.”
From Jeff Passan.
Thank you for a baseball post
My pleasure. Let me find the reference.
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/statcast-wants-to-change-how-were-consuming-baseball-games-160500812.html
Statcast is cool.
I DO love the last sentence.
Here, let me repurpose the Orwell quote:
“All prospective utility infielders are equal, but Jimmy Rollins is more equal than others.”
Baseball!
And Bochy’s other pet, Beckham, also in the lineup. SMH
LOL. But given the narrative structure of human thought/reasoning, even this mistake will end up reinforcing the narrative of a ‘pet’. And so it goes.
THAT cracked me up. Thanks, Doc
Here’s something else to look forward to.
SABR Analytics Conference in Phoenix next week. It would be over my head, but might be fun to eavesdrop on.
There is little there we haven’t at least touched on here. The statistics aren’t that formidable. If the physics guy is there, he may show the flyball data from Minute Maid that sort of sends backspin to the grave as a HR strategy.
Hey, here’s a new one for you.
http://m.mlb.com/news/article/217802340/statcast-introduces-catch-probability-for-2017/
Catch probability.
THIS…
is mind-boggling.
“Last year, Statcast tracked 1,435,241 pitches, followed 328,405 balls in play and spit out 53,380,301 metrics – a fraction of its capabilities. Statcast cameras track players at 30 frames per second and assign each an X/Y coordinate relative to his place on the field. On a day with a full slate of games, the system produces 21 million X/Y coordinates for player positioning alone. Over the course of a full season, that’s 4 billion data points.”
So cloud storage is good for something, after all?
I’m a bit of a Luddite I guess, as ERA and BA and RBI stats still mean more to me than UZI and WAR and all the other aggressive new values.
They’re going to make it more palatable. At least, that’s their goal. There will always be what they call “nuggets of nerdery” but I think it’s a wonderful new thing. It’s the reason I’ve been getting Statcast Tweets from the beginning. It’s great entertainment even if I don’t get everything about it.
Luddite’s unite!
Ever read Neil Postman? I used to read his thoughts on Technocracy.
You have a much more catholic reading list than me. I never heard of this guy before! Or else I’m a total goofball, as besides my usual mystery novels, I’m working my way through history and biographies from Meiji Japan. Maybe a way of escape from the present?
It’s also why I liked the bit with Waino yesterday. Even if you’re not interested in teaching the finer points of pitching, it’s fun to know what goes into this sport. Even Al Leiter seemed to learn something listening to Wainwright.
I saw one of these in storage at work yesterday. It amazes me how quickly things move into obsolescence. Suppose Big Baseball Data moves pro scouts into that same state of obsolescence and decay?
https://eshop.macsales.com/static_pages/superdrive/imgs/prod_powermac_g4.jpg
Nope. Eyeballs will always count, given they’re the right eyeballs.
An early G4! We’ve retired all our G5’s, finally, within the last year.
Most serious analytics types who I’ve read admit that the ‘big data’ side of baseball can only reveal, at best, ~60% of what’s going on.
I don’t know about that. Did you read the article? I thought it was very good.
BTW did you know all that about BAM? I thought the whole thing was very enlightening.
I’ve seen them before, but the nonlinearity of the game forecloses on historical data ever telling the entire story. I suppose it’s possible that more sophisticated modelling beyond regression analysis might yield more insight, but so far, I haven’t read/seen anything super convincing.
I thought what they said about the PXP info would be pretty enlightening. Fielding sticks out, but so do the things they’re measuring about hitting and pitching just not quite yet. I’ll be interested in what they do with WAR.
Defensive metrics do lag way behind those of offense, so their might be considerable to be learned there.
A.J. Ellis was scratched from the Team USA WBC roster due to hamstring issues. I hope they get a replacement catcher. I assume they have at least one other besides Buster, but I wouldn’t want Buster overworked.
Ug, they must right? My feat is that as well.
Speaking of injury news, I sure was glad to hear that David Price isn’t going under the knife (at least not now). I’m a big Price fan and hope he can get past this issue and keep logging those innings. Madison Bumgarner has surpassed 200 IP seven years in a row (including his rookie season which combined minor league efforts). It would sure be nice to see him keep on trucking, but would be miraculous if his string approaches 10 straight.
We love all Vandy guys.
Agreed. Price is a class act, and I never like seeing any pitcher go down with TJ. Big sigh of relief for Red Sox Nation, for sure.
I know I’m seen as the type to see things half empty, but the first two weeks of ST are substantiating my initial thinking that the Giants just do not have enough hitting on the team, not on the 25, the 40 nor the bunch they have in camp.
One of the main reasons they have brought in this motley crew of Morse, Marrero, et al. Like many have said, they have caught lightning in a bottle before with the likes of Cody Ross, but more often then not it just fizzles out.
I’ve said it before, but the top 4 are going to carry a great deal of burden this season. They will need to stay fresh as they will be pitching in a lot of low scoring games.
One thought, that will necessitate a 13 man staff, would be to mimic what the Cubs are thinking of doing and that is rotating their 5th pitcher in the rotation. I saw that weeks ago and was surprised no one here mentioned it for the team.
It would be a great way to get two guys we like really involved: Balch and Beede. Why?
– Allows the team to “try” Cain briefly (assuming he makes it out of ST) and be able to move on quicker than say last year when he was a full time starter. This give the team a quicker out.
– Allows Blach to get his starts in the bigs and not be yanked around pen and rotation and SF and Sacto.
– Allows the team to gain the infusion of youth it desperately needs.
– The team can could utilize Blach / Beede as need be depending on the schedule, the opponents, etc.
– Yes, I realize the pen would have to be working on all cylinders to make this work, and right now that is not a sure thing. Somehow Suarez would need to be involved.
Thoughts?
It’s March 4th.
That’s my thought
Amen
I don’t think they need to “try” Cain if he’s going to groove 86-MPH fastballs.
I also don’t want to see a 13-man pitching staff. They need a real bench, and they actually have enough options to have one. If they just do the right thing and put Blach in the rotation, they’ll have five innings-eaters.
Last year’s bench at the start of the year: Brown, Adrianza, Tomlinson, and Blanco.
This year’s bench, potentially: Hundley, Hill, Gillaspie, Ruggiano or Marrero, Tomlinson.
That’s much, much better, if they clear out the clutter (Rollins, Beckham, and–sorry–Morse).
I do not like the 13 man rotation either and agree we have better bench options.
But, again it was my train of thought, maybe it would be best to not expect the top 4 to go deep every game, keep them stronger for the long season. Having Beede and Blach in there would be great to play the R/L odds, plus perhaps during period of many games actually go to a 6 man rotation.
I also don’t like the idea of a 13 man rotation. You probably would still need at least six relievers, leaving only six spots for position players. I don’t claim to be an expert, but I don’t see that as being a very balanced roster.
Gearrin looked like a pretty good left fielder that one time last year.
Yet another OF in the mix!
The only caveat I see is that many starters don’t eat quite as many innings in the first month of the season. For this reason alone, I see an extra pitcher as being insurance. After an increase in “innings appetite” losing one pitcher for a bench player makes much more sense.
Good pitchers eat innings in April. Cueto averaged over 7 a start last April, Samardzija averaged over 6, and Bum was at almost 6 (remember, he started the season with the flu and didn’t really click until about his third start). Peavy didn’t even average 5, and Cain was barely over 5.
The Giants haven’t had a good rotation since 2012. They theoretically have one now, plus a lockdown closer. They should be able to get by with 12 pitchers…should be…
But all three of them went downhill serious in the middle of the season because they had been used too much.
Last year was a disaster. Bumgarner, Cueto, and Samardzija were all overused the first 2-3 and were exhausted by summer and it showed.
Don’t forget Hwang and the bat flips.
Hwang has said he’ll go to AAA, so I’m guessing that’s where he’ll go. Probably good for him to get ABs there, at least for awhile. But I’m intrigued by him, for sure.
Thanks, Doc. Hope Hwang can shine in AAA and will get a call-up sometime this season.
I sorta like Hwang.
Spot on, professor. That bench answers our long standing cry for an MLB experienced bench. And Kelby should be there Opening Day. He’s earned it.
Oh, and for the record, I’m over my Cain respect thing, especially vs. Blach. This young pitcher is deserving of a legit shot at #5 starter.
Might also add the “clear the dead wood” thing should apply to the bullpen. Work the younger (cheaper) pitchers into the mix.
Hey TF62 … I missed your My25ManGuy™ entry.
Repost it here and that will make a clean 24 of us in on this.
If Morse and JRoll are healthy. They’ll break camp with the club while Kelby and Mac take ABs in Sactown.
Preserve inventory….
Oh, I think Mac’s going to AAA regardless. Still have hopes for Kelby. He brings something the others don’t: speed and versatility. Plus he’s been a solid major league hitter in his 300 plate appearances.
But I would still rather have Hill and Ruggiano than Rollins and Morse.
I don’t think Tomlinson has much of a chance. The way they dealt with him last season, after he’d done so well in 2015, and the number of players they brought in this season who can fill the same role, are pretty clear indicators of how they view him, unfortunately.
I know. Bummer.
Tomlinson was actually platooning with Panik at the end of last season, he started game 1 of the NLDS vs. Lester, remember? But I am still pessimistic about his chances.
I don’t think Conor is guarenteed anything. And I think Hill tells you that.
Unless something bad happens, Giants will be right there with the Dodgers in the West. They’ll be up there among the Dodgers, the Nationals, and the Mets eyeing a meeting with the Cubs in the playoffs. Cardinals, Rockies, and Pirates have ambitions too.
Who says the Cubs will make it back to the POs? 😉
It appears you have something to rag on them about so here goes:
Win 60
Lose 60
Figure out what to do with the other 42
Get INTO the postseason.
Compare that to OTHER teams who appear on the surface to be “more ready” – have more HR power – have better starting pitching etc.
100-62 “might” just do it.
Speaking of cactus league, my wife and I visited the Desert Garden at the Huntington Library last weekend. She astounds me with her expertise of agave and aloe species and varieties. She has a nice collection going at home. That library is truly astounding. It would take many visits to appreciate most of it.
http://www.rwongphoto.com/RW7243_web.jpg
That place is really beautiful.
Do you have any agave on the homestead? Have a large pressure cooker? I’ll come for a tasting.
No Agave tequilana, Senor. Lo siento.
but we have a couple of those in the foreground, Agave parryi var. truncata, and several other species.
Try your hand at ‘pulque’.
http://www.npr.org/2016/12/28/507208613/hipsters-in-mexico-city-revive-ancient-fermented-drink
Feels like snot, tastes like medicine. Will make your head ache.
I loved it. If you actually like the taste of tequila, it’s good. It reminded me more of coconut milk in it’s consistency. I first had it with chili relleno in Juarez old town market in the late 60s, then again years later in Cozumel. It was great.
Since most pulque is not store bought there is a wide degree of variation.
True. Made fresh is a requirement. Maybe I was lucky, eating with ‘just folks’.
I just noticed the URL. Is that wrong spelt wrong? Or a photo by R. Wong?
I assume the latter.
aka Burriss Finklestein Goldstein Finchie Scout
I’m sorry to keep throwing these quotes up, but this one is a pretty good example of why an unbiased eye is good for evaluating players.
“Catch probability is a single number, presented in percent form and based on just two measurements: the distance an outfielder runs and the time a batted ball is in the air. In the Sloan presentation, they show Matt Kemp taking a circuitous 65-foot route to a ball that hangs in the air for 4.3 seconds and making a diving catch. It looked tough. In reality, it’s a routine flyout, caught 75 percent of the time. The slide that shows Billy Hamilton, on the other hand, has hit covering 71 feet in 3.7 seconds and flying to glove a ball tracked down just 7 percent of the time.
My guess is that most people thought Kemp made the more spectacular play.
It was part of the Rihanna courtship ritual, perhaps?
That’s an encapsulative quote.
This from Baggs makes much more sense of it now re: Cueto.
“Cueto said his father had pre-stroke symptoms and kidney issues. Wasn’t recognizing people. Was hospitalized 10 days. Much better now.”
Here’s the article on Cueto from SJMN
http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/03/04/giants-johnny-cueto-grateful-for-fathers-health-support-from-team-officials/
Johnny Cueto: “So it [father’s condition] was pretty serious, and because I am the head of the family, I felt that I needed to stay there just to make sure that nothing worse happened to him. If I was to report when I was supposed to report, and something did happen to my dad, then it would have been worse to go back, taking into account the distance. I talked to the general manager, the manager, the pitching coach, and got their blessing to stay behind and take care of the family, as long as I did my workout at the academy.”
He doesn’t appear to have blown things off because of his dad. I hope he doesn’t decide to pitch for the DR, though. I want him “aces” this year.
Hope the Professor gets a chance to read the Cueto quote.
Here’s an interesting chart on outfield play by Statcast. I’d like to have a complete chart with all players.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/955bea3c29d2992f03b0740f8c594c2d203ab159c28829f55e5e4c6a426b3e8c.png
Look where everybody’s favorite Carlos sits. Melky is a bit of a surprise too.
Here’s video of the two catches I mentioned earlier.
http://m.mlb.com/news/article/217802340/statcast-introduces-catch-probability-for-2017/
The article is pretty interesting too.
Is there any way to determine which dot is Span or Pence?
All of MLB must surely be more dots than we see here, so our two might not be included.
That’s what I was hoping. The chart is from Fangraphs, so somewhere in their library, maybe.
One thing it points out is deficiencies in McCutcheon’s scouting report.
I just found this Query Sheet by Statcast. Maybe you can figure out how to use it.
https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/statcast_search
That’s work…just tell us which circles are Span and Pence, Science Guy
I can’t even tell you which quadrant they’re in. I’ll bet Hunter gets pretty good jumps though.
By the way, it’s Bapah Nigh, the Science Guy.
Yes, I know he spells it Nye.
As a first blush, it’s interesting. But without the variance per person, it’s hardto evaluate. Some studies use points/dots of different size to indicate that feature of the data. The amount of overlap sticks out then. All these sort of analysis discard the fact the variance isn’t constant among players, positioning, reading the pitch, etc. They still have a ways to go, IMO. They are fun to look at though.
Yes they do. Read the article.
http://m.mlb.com/news/article/217802340/statcast-introduces-catch-probability-for-2017/
Giants problem is not defense, it is offense, some on here will learn someday, maybe !
Maybe some here will learn to understand baseball (all of it) and not just the simplistic parts of the game.
Your a Joke !
Dude, I know you get mad when people criticize your spelling, but you would be taken a bit more seriously if you stopped butchering it.
YOU’RE…..YOU’RE…..”YOU ARE”
Now if we could just get YOU to stop holding your camera sideways. Or maybe it’s your monitor.
PJ, don’t be rude. Think, if people didn’t read your stuff, they wouldn’t find fault with your spelling. As one of the wold’s worst spellers, I sympathize.
Trouble IS… I’m not sure you did it on purpose.
I use to laugh hard with Ricky Ricardo would tell Lucy that he had a Yoke for her…
It seemed to me, perhaps mistakenly, that the probabilities we calculated off the means, the variances were all assumed to be similar and that the data was normally distributed. How much of that, if any, is true is not clear, at least to me. But no mind, it’s good stuff you can learn from.
Wait. They specifically mention both positioning AND reading the pitch (jump) in their measurements. Look at when they start their analyses.
“For each of those two data points, there are important specifics to point out. First, we’re using “Distance Needed,” not actual “Distance Covered,” and that’s because a fielder who runs a poor route and artificially adds more feet to his path shouldn’t get extra credit. Second, we’re starting the clock at the pitcher’s release, not the point of batted ball contact, and we’re calling that Opportunity Time. Why? Because we’ve seen great fielders like Kevin Kiermaier specifically talk about reading the catcher’s signs to anticipate where the pitch will be and get a head start in that direction. That’s a skill, and that deserves credit.”
It’s not that, they don’t give you the s^2 from each measure, just the mean.
Nice four innings for Blackburn and Crick.
I wish Crick could somehow get his control problems under “control”.
No walks, 2 Ks today. Still a 0.00 ERA for spring. Confidence is as important as anything for him right now.
I agree. I’m hoping he’s turned a corner. His velo is still good. Wheel Sea.
That would be great of Crick could become a dependable 7th or 8th inning guy.
I have paid attention to Crick for years for him to settle into a positive groove to no avail.
I am all for Crick to head to SF direct from ST.
It won’t happen, but his velo is still good and his mechanics are improved. Consistency is his bugaboo. He’ll go to Sacto.
I know. That is way wishful thinking on my part.
You are likely 100% sir.
He’s still young–just turned 24. Still time for him to figure it out. That would be an awesome turnaround.
Bapah has to flip it, but my apple didn’t fall far from the Crazy Fan Tree. I couldn’t get him up early back in the day for much, but up at 4:30 today to watch his guys play to a draw….https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/e602956739c9bb867763d33c1519712f1a6b6c8f5153d361ca82b273b5ac3c84.jpg
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/e27d64115a9b9c76e5fd87d3120c6893f57fa94663abac9b479eb83082d39394.jpg
He takes after his mom, I presume?
sans beard, of course.
If you mean mom’s his favorite parent, absolutely! Wait…
If you’ll remember, I had to straighten up your wife once. So I already know the answer.
Footskie: The Twinkies Miguel Sano is built like Air Force 1.
(2 bombs today)
Marerro to LF??? They’re giving this kid every chance.
He can hit, and they need offense, surprise, surprise .
Yes, the game IS in Surprise.
Yes I know, that’s why I posted it like that, just like when I posted it was no Surprise to me that Posey was DHing today .
Erwin Higueros reported that instead of Johnny Baseball laying in bed listening to Barry White or sauntering around town with his horse – he has been diligently been participating in Parkour.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEs9zmF-Fwk
Okert definitely in the lead for that second lefty spot in the bullpen.
Let’s hope. I’ve been on board his ship since last year.
Osich certainly seems problematic at this point.
I still think he’ll be in the mix this year, just not early.
Hears hoping he can learn where the strike zone is.
I watched him pitch in Scottsdale and play catch with Kontos. Both seem to have caught the same bug.
Kontos and Osich both seem slider happy too, so maybe it’s a wide spectrum infection?
Both have exceedingly strong arms. I mentioned it when I was there. But…let’s see how ST goes.
There something a remember running across about the quality of a slider dropping off on successive likelihood a pitcher will hang one on a batting tee. Basically 1 slider is optimal, 2 in a row is chancy, 3 in a row is just stupid.
Well, watching them throw, I’d say they both need to work more on their fastball placement. Or maybe their cutter.
..and sequencing, and count management.
Kontos shouldn’t be throwing his fastball at all. Just cutters and sliders. They’re both great pitches.
Osich doesn’t have a slider. He doesn’t even have a pitch that looks like a slider.
Can’t recall whether I had Okert or Osich on my 25Guy lineup for Haak.
I was Okert all the way. He finished the year strong, and Osich was a mess last season.
I think that was my conclusion as well but sometimes I tend to contrarian and wishful thinker at worse.
Hopefully they are not as confused between themselves given names and being a LH relief specialists as me and maybe many other SFG fans
They even look a bit alike!
Fried Okert. That’s one of my “Magnificent Seven” to make the team.
My25ManGuy™ votes are 9 for Osich and 16 for Okert so our scouting was good.
I think a straw vote last season favored Osich.
He entered the last week of 2015 with a sub-2.00 ERA. He can pitch in the MLB.
I hope that the SF Giants have all their 6 game losing streaks for 2017 out of their system
Losing streaks suck and always seem longer than winning streaks.
Don’t mind a few losses early in ST as long as the team is working on getting rid of the rust and working out the kinks. If it’s the regular season/POs, that’s a different story.
I don’t even like practicing losing streaks but ST is better than in season.
I mind that none of the regulars are hitting in a perfect hitting environment, and those same regulars did not hit much in the 2nd half of last season .
Gee, what do you think’s wrong?
Not enough talent , not enough bat speed, bad coaching, you pick one .
Naw, you’re the expert.
Yeah I am, I say a little of all three, to many ground balls in my opinion , Posey for example when he hits the ball in the air good things happen, today line drive single to left , before that grounded into double plays twice, and grounded out twice with nobody on, in other 4 balls he put in play in spring .
Only five games in. The sky isn’t falling.
10 games
Thanks — 10 games actually, but I’m still not worried until the real games start on April 2nd.
Giants will go 15-18 in ST, followed by a 15-5 start to the regular season.
Who got hit? Missed it
Nevermind
Jose Alguacil…took a ball to the head.
Uh oh….hope he’s OK
Sounds scary.
Need a FBC
That stands for 1st base coach.
Does anyone remember, is Cueto a fast starter or does he take a while to get his feet under him.
Last year they “slow played” him in spring training because he’d pitched through the World Series with KC, and he still pitched great in the early season. He should be fine.
The NFL – NBA (Matt Barnes ++ – and MLB is fraught with bad actors but something has gone terribly wrong in some of our HS institutions on vetting women and men who have contact with 14-18 year olds. SMH
http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/article136272503.html
http://nypost.com/2017/03/02/woman-accused-of-having-sex-with-three-high-school-athletes/
If only there had been similar problems when I was in high school.
Why are u being an ahole and dragging Barnes’ name into this post? Has nothing to do with anything he has done close to this.
A slappystick performance
From Schulman: #SFGiants have hit a hitting lull. They have six hits and one run over 16 innings the past two days.
Me: They’ve also committed 8 errors in last 4 games.
I guess it’s time for Capri Suns, orange wedges and 3 days off?
Not both.
Just reading the tweets about Jose being airlifted. Too bad they weren’t in Scottsdale. The hospital is right across the street.
For Orange;
AKA 610nm
https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/player?player_id=452655&pos=8&player_type=batter
https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/player?player_id=452254&pos=RF&player_type=batter&season=2016&tab=defense_tab#
Pence
I believe both are manipulatable
I’m just looking. Does it seem to you that Hunter is not that much better a defender than Denard? I think that’s what I’m getting from the “defensive chart” plots. Bottom most one seems easiest to understand.
To me, it looks like there were more catchable hits in Span’s range than there were for Hunter. Other than that I can’t figure how to interpret them. I tried de-normalizing them and it seemed to make more sense. It looks like Span’s range is greater.
I wish we had that other data on jump and closing speed. Hits normalized look to favor Pence. So many more for Span and many that were closer.
Fangraphs’ stats have Pence with a much better UZR rating than Span: http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=of&stats=fld&lg=all&qual=0&type=1&season=2016&month=0&season1=2016&ind=0&team=30&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0
Justifiably. I think he’s a much better OFer. Just trying to make sense of these charts (which are interesting in their own right).
I saw a guy wearing a plain tee shirt today with a simple message:
6
4
+ 3
——
2
Took me a few seconds since it was out of context but…
Prayers as Giants coach airlifted to hospital after foul ball strikes him in face
Jose Alguacil never had a chance to avoid the foul tip that struck him in the face.
http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/03/04/giants-coach-airlifted-to-a-phoenix-hospital-after-struck-in-face-by-foul-ball/
Cueto http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/03/04/giants-johnny-cueto-grateful-for-fathers-health-support-from-team-officials/
Was he sitting behind the catcher?
Close. Behind the on deck circle.
Good night Allen https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/902fa4b8f2ece013fc21752ea761f1aa6c1791dfe9a8e932e9374ffd939ed4c1.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/9d335ba89d9a7ac365da52453148d6d29f3875c93d79736fec90ab2c87b76831.jpg
Stanford looks at trolling, who, when,and why. Don’t fear, an AI is on the way.
http://theconversation.com/our-experiments-taught-us-why-people-troll-72798
That’s all well and good, but I’m not sure what trolling is and what the limits are. I wish there had been examples. I’m sure some are very obvious, but where is the line between trolling and sarcasm? Any study like this must have accepted parameters; what are they?
Does anybody have the latest? This is all I have.
“Surgeons were repairing a fractured nose and a deep facial laceration, a Giants official said. Alguacil also was diagnosed with several small fractures in his left eye socket..”
It was an unfortunate accident, but he’s going to be fine.
Surgery’s over and was successful, and Agui’s in recovery.
Were any vision problems mentioned? Any mention of recovery time?
I was wondering if he’ll resume in time for the season. Then there’s the old bugaboo of concussion problems.
No news about that yet.
Let’s hope he gets to start the season. he knows so many of these guys from Richmond and Sacramento.
Joe Panik kept playing with post-concussive symptoms last year which he admitted later was not a smart thing for him to do. I wouldn’t want Jose starting the season if he’s not ready and I hope he doesn’t push himself if he is diagnosed with a concussion.
Boch said he didn’t lose consciousness.
You can not lose consciousness and still be dx with a concussion (mild TBI).
Thanks. Appreciate your expertise.
I hope I didn’t offend you. I didn’t mean to.
Glad he is alright. He was treated at St. Joseph’s Hospital, same joint that I was born in.
North Carolina vs. my Dukies. Great basketball game.
Watch for news from our own RobDeer …. my notes say he is at the ST for the next three games. Hey RD …
1) Does anyone else look capable of CF except Span and Gorkys?
2) Local news on Alguacil?
3) MyGuy™ J-Greg … What is his FB MPH?
Just today and tomorrow. I’ll keep you posted. I’m also severely hungover so bear with me.
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/d5/fe/54/d5fe5419adeab2b17ee005b9d663481a.jpg
That pretty much captures it.
LOL. I hope the worm was tasty.
Deshutes IPA and Herradurra anejo. Quite a few.
Thanks for the update.
Lefty picks things up on the 10th; we are In The Blind then for four days. Have to count one MyHacks™ like Baggs, Pavs and Schu.
From Agui himself this morning.
https://twitter.com/agui13jose/status/838399832985198593
Was perusing list of pitchers and avg. velocities and among the fastest pitches, Syndergaard has two near the top at 98mph or above, his 4-seam FB and his sinker. Ranked 5th and 8th among all pitchers.
Hardly seems fair.
Down the list a bit is Hunter Strickland with his 4-seam FB. still in the top 22.
Good Sunday morning all. Here is today’s lineup vs. Royals. Can we score some runs today?
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/028abb9ec3a9e9345e88315198833b08a08c8ed99bbe58916205205d2d2c60c7.jpg
I like this lineup except for Beckham batting 9th.
He should be in the cleanup spot.
Can we have a game without errors?
Yesterday, only gave up 2 runs, on a walk and a Homerun, and still lost 2-0, hard to win when you do not hit, that’s why sometimes teams give up a little defense for better offense at certain postions on the field , mostly corner outfielders and infielders .
Do these count?
No, but are you telling me , that Giant hitters are not trying to hit in these games, just want to look over matched at the plate, so they can go into the season as big under dogs, I do not think so.
I KNOW you’ve played the game so here goes. ANYTIME one team is competing with another team – the results are NOT with the players at hand. It is all about WHO failures the least amount of times.
Winning and Losing are Impostors. It is the competition that matters – OR –
If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’
Very close to a regular season lineup*…I guess Bruce is getting tired of it, too.
(* One beckception)
One Bumception. Is it a reasonable facsimile?
The regulars are the ones hitting the worst, Posey ,Belt, and Crawford have a combined 4 or maybe 5 hits so far .
I’m heading out to the game in a bit. I guarantee some runs today. I’m thinking 7. Gonna wear my “No Slappies” t-shirt.
i’d rather see JP12 hitting 2nd, and nunez 6th..looking for a huge year from JP12#futureHOF’er…
Experimenting with the LHP
Please stop with the Gordon Beckham nonsense. Please.
Watching highlights of old WBC’s serves to remind me how terrifically annoying Matt Vasgersian is as a play by play announcer
Not you’re Cup O Tea, Ehh?
I hate horribly fake excitement, coupled with octave jumps. Let the game tell the story. Enhance it, but get out of the way, Little Squeaky
Santa Maria!! Elite PBP announcers need not resort to that level of “excitement”.
True, but the bigger story here is that you were watching highlights of old WBCs. But you are a soccer fan, so…
Man City had already dispatched Sunderland…I was killing time waiting to watch Cespedes destroy the T Shirt Thief
Interesting story on Alguacil’s injury and surgery.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/04/sports/baseball/san-francisco-giants-jose-alguacil-coach-foul-ball.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fbaseball&action=click&contentCollection=baseball®ion=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=4&pgtype=sectionfront
Seen on Twitter:
Yoenis Cespedes just hit one so far off Mike Leake, Cardinals outfielders didn’t even flinch.
Yep.
Does the RiverCats marketing staff read TWG??
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/5a67fb9e43bfb0867c16677fdf51a8ffc22902e4b015646b0a44b4513ce77a2c.png
Haak’s been hacked.
My thoughts exactly!
Amateurs … no Nifty deadline lingo or pun-filled email.
Okay, they have a better prize though.
No way!! The TWG prize is the BEST!!
Posey and Pence both K on breaking pitches down. Strand Nunez at 2nd.
On the positive side, Craw and Joe look good. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/935d31793ba5c8ccaf54f8637e7ba129b972e9b1f83a03193e738d99a32f5099.jpg
Have no friggin idea why that pic is sideways. I blame Mateo.
In the immortal words of B Weezy…you’re welcome
I have the same pic-problem … let me know if you figure it out.
What seats were you in? My tix seem close to that.
125 row E. Best seats available when we bought them. Pretty good.
128 Row 8 for us … thanks for the game points today.
We can’t score a run. The season is doomed. Bum coughed one up in the 2nd, back out for the 3rd.
1-2-3 for Bum. Just made Hosmer look silly on a high fastball.
Just saw the replay of that K of Hosmer by Bum… up and in FB, Hosmer looked ridiculous trying to hit it. Thanks for the in-game reports, RD !
JoeP leadoff line drive single. Blog favorite Beckham at the plate.
And singles!! Lefty groans.
Two run single for Posey on a classic go the other way Buster swing.
Nice Mac!
Muscled it out to right-center.
Melancon on the hill. Can he extend his consecutive outs to 12?
Jinxed the hell outta that.
You’re not yourself today.
First time in awhile I didn’t have a beer at a ballgame.
You took one for the team; could’t risk missing a pitch by a trip to the WC.
That sounds better than being so hungover I couldn’t even think about drinking.
Compazine cocktail time.
Mac’s big fly was not a hanger, my friends. Not a hanger. 🙂
MyGuy√oting™ has Mac and Parker dead even at 14 votes each. For those of us on Mac this is a nice sign after Parker’s fast start.
I missed it! Glug!!
Bottom’s up, Paul. Never too late. Kruk repeated it several times…almost like he wanted to make sure we heard it.
Span!
Didn’t think he’d make the catch. Nice play.
Melancon escapes a bases loaded one out jam with a DP. Great break on the ball by Craw.
Alex Pavlovic 1hr ago:
First round of spring cuts: Hinojosa, Alvarado, Querecuto, Andrew Suarez reassigned. Black optioned to Triple-A.
Hinojosa finished at S/K in 2015 and jumped to finish at San Jose last year. He is not going to be seen in the MLB.
“Kelby’s Back Up”? If Kelby makes the 25-Man (and Rollins, Hill and Beckham will be gone if so) and Craw or Panik go on the DL then Arroyo has a shot to come up. Tough for KT but if that is the case he may stay on the Bench and see Arroyo get the starting role.
Much needed clean inning for Osich. Two groundouts to Hwang, now in at 3rd.
Very needed: MyGuy√oting™ is running 9 for Osich and 16 for Okert… with one TWG’er picking them both!
Haak, do we have any casualties with the first round of cuts? I would think not.
Good question.
No, even though our “scouts” picked 19 different players to fill just 7 spots.
Two pitchers: Slania and Hernandez may be the first to fall but Wheel Sea.
Would that be me?
I just checked and yes, it is you; accomplished by putting Will Smith on the DL and therefore a quite logical move. It puts you in a great spot to be the only one to get this right. I mentioned it to explain 25 votes from 24 people.
…or to be completely wrong!
Because you live Life On The Edge right?
Did Hwang field them cleanly? MyGuy√oting™
Hwang has five supporters in MyGuy so he is being monitored.
Yeah. Looked smooth. And made a diving stop in the 9th which saved a run.
Thanks, RobDeer!
Kyle Blanks at the plate. Forgot he was even in camp.
You ain’t no slumpbuster
But Buster had two hits!!
Two “slaps”
Why doesn’t he get more ink? Of course, there he is at .100, so …..
And at the other game, Dubs lead by 8, with 10 minutes to go in the 4 th.
3-8 in Spring Training. Season over!
The streak is over, Dubs win.
Just back from attending the open house at Raley Field in Sacramento. Enjoyed hanging out with Mr. & Mrs. Crawnik. Got geared up for the new season, too.
Pretty soon we’ll have to pick a date for the TWG night out at a River Cats game.
Spring training cant end quickly enough, if only for the horrible jerseys. White numbers? Little League time.
Luckily it does not end now, so the Giants can get the bats going , if it ended now they would be in trouble, and most of the Giants starting rotation is not close to looking ready either.
I wouldn’t worry about the starting rotation, notably the top 4, they are all vets and know what it it takes.
You should worry about the bats, I don’t think the Giants are going to have a very good offensive year. They most likely will be middle of the pack (in the teens).
The pitching will have to do the heavy lifting. Pray Melancon has a monster year.
Belts bat is going, 6 K’s in 15 plate appearances.
I can’t stand this dirty ahole. Most likely he’ll play in the league, but believe you me he will get his ass kicked either by his a team mate or an opposing player:
http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/18825812/duke-blue-devils-grayson-allen-gets-technical-foul-elbowing-north-carolina-tar-heels-brandon-robinson
he’s a dirty POS and should have been suspended for the entire season. i’d love to see him get his ass kicked. coach k is complicit as well.
The way you guys are talking about this basketball player reminds me how I feel about certain people in certain positions of power tweaking and twerping with their twitter account, but that is neither here nor there.
Best to have an 8 game losing streak in February/March than August, right?. And hey, all the pitchers are healthy for the most part and we still have our health, for the most part. And …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-Y3KfJs6T0
Maybe, just maybe, we’re projecting or displacing or whatever psychologists call it. Grayson Allen as a metaphor.
It’s temporary, and I’d be willing to bet that your day-to-day life hasn’t changed a bit.
Day to day, the changes are more apt to be subtle, certainly not drastic for me. But I am more engrossed in developments and historical trends than I otherwise might have been. Also, I can’t speak for everyone, and neither can you. But keep on with your platitudes, maybe you’re right, maybe none of this matters anyway.
Leave Rachel Dolezal alone
wish i still had my health. don’t take it for granted, pal.
Allen obviously has issues, he had no business leading with that elbow so high but that defender is quite the actor, he was hit on the side of the face and sold it like he got hit in the nose. How the ref called a foul on him is beyond me. You guys are right, Allen needs to sit for a long time, he’s going on hurt someone before long.
Totally agree. That’s a bad kid and the NBA will be worse off when he gets there.
Someone needs to go all Kermit Washington on him and rearrange his face. “Welcome to the NBA, punk.”
Guest Post- Michael Scott ” Travels with Big Country Mike”
This week I semi-tossed a baseball for the cats. They totally didn’t get it. Then I checked the pond for piranhas. There weren’t any. Then I realized that I had forgotten about my wife, I had left her behind when I embarked on my trek to the end of the yard. She hadn’t been able to eat or go to the bathroom for 2 days. She wasn’t real happy. I won’t be traveling this week.
There you are. Glad you checked in.
You can check in any time you like, but…
But what, Peckerhead ?
No one wants you to Check Out … that is where Foots was going. He is just a softy with dirty fingernails and splinters.
We might as well get that 20 game losing streak out of the way now.
I’ve secretly wire-tapped your kitchen to find the secrets of your saucepan. Mmmmm, California cuisine…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYRNGXwSeng
Maybe a mole instead.
“A lot of people were shocked – and amused – over the weekend when news leaked that White House press secretary Sean Spicer had called an “emergency meeting” of his staff. When Spicer’s subordinates arrived at his west wing office, they were reportedly directed to place their cell phones (both government-provided and personal) in a basket so a White House lawyer could check for evidence that they had been leaking to reporters – perhaps through the use of encrypted messaging apps.”
‘”You don’t have to allow this search – but you don’t have to work here, either.’ Going forward, any White House employee who wants to leak – and is too dumb to get a burner phone for that purpose to leave at home—probably should get fired anyway.”
I found a problem with Kelby at MLB.
Arroyo would be the Sac SS.
Therefore, if Panik or Crawford went down for anything, Arroyo would be called up and Kelby would still be on the Bench.
I hope I am forgetting something; I am sure I will find out here.
I think Arroyo’s going to be the 3B in Sac. They have that spot all ticketed for him in 2018. Hinojosa will probably be the SS.
I don’t think Arroyo’s getting called up in 2017 before September unless (a) he’s hitting so much they can’t keep him in the minors or (b) there’s a catastrophic fail among their MLB options (Nunez, Gillaspie, Hill, etc.).
Hinojosa has been sent down already.
I think he is actually too low level.
Was he as Sac last year?
Started the year in SJ, finished it in Richmond. 2015 draftee.
I heard that Bochy told KT to lose weight this winter, so Kelby showed up in the best shape of Carl Edwards Jr.’s life.
I’ve been wondering where you were, Mike. Good to hear from you.
It’s a jungle out back.
Since I can’t go anywhere else, I might as well stay with you folks. It’s better than nothing, I suppose. GNight all.
I was happy to see that Ray Black’s been assigned to Sacramento. Looking forward to seeing him up close this year.
You will have to enter that Opening Day L/U contest in Sac.
It does seems like a good year to see some good Prospects.
Here in SJ we do get some early looks at guys to watch and Ritzo is good at podcasts to inform. Do the RiverCats have a podcast department?
Do you recall how old he is?
Maybe he can stay healthier this year in the Central Valley.
One WBC game is in the books and it’s an upset. Israel defeats Korea in ten, 2-1. Korea sure could have used Hwang. Israel could have used Hank Greenberg and Sandy Koufax, but they still got the job done behind gamers like Sam Fuld, Zach Borenstein, and stingy moundsmanship from Jason Marquis and Josh Zeid.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuSyAYAYinY
Nice sound; Thoughtful words.
It looks like he made his Exit recently?
he just passed in january. he was only 61 (i’m 61, hence the “only”). he wrote and performed so many beautiful songs, like this one, and nobody knows who he was. it’s a shame. here’s another..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4-8WxKHTXY
Thanks … Being a “Roger Maris” also, of course, this is “only” 61.
#9 still holds the single season HR record in my book. not that anyone read or cares about my book..
damn…
Really nice, stevie. East-coaster?
yes..born in jersey…
Eternal dam-nation, fire and brimstone, silt and sediment…
(water storage, human behavior, Cadillac of deserts)
http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-sac-skelton-silt-california-dams-20170306-story.htmlc
Is Shafer your big man-made water source?
Have you felt the restrictions on water at your ranch? If so, tell me if you are getting word of changes.
More useless information.
In perusing the highest velocity pitches thrown last year (all of which are Chapman’s) they show the batter, date and result. The only batter to appear more than twice (one other) for the highest velocity pitches was Brandon Belt with 5 (104.9 – 104.2 mph). I’m wondering what Chapman sees in Belt that he doesn’t see in other hitters.
KT at 3rd today. The other 8? Yawn.
Anti Pence, you love your slap hitters, and KT is not that great with the glove, goes against everything you believe in !
So nice to hear from you this morning. I love Pence, it just didn’t fit the narrative.
From My25ManGuy√oting™ we have 19 players in the running to make the MLB team.
Here are my abbreviations of my grid tracking the 19:
GH… KT… Mac… JP… Hwa… Rugg… Os… Ok… Bla… Srz… Ger… Cain… JR… Mar… Mor… Hill plus the Other Hernandez, Brown and Slania.
Gang, You all need to check the home page once in a while for new posts. I am not always able to comment when I post a new one.
Move the party here: http://fe0.84e.myftpupload.com/2017-giants-offseason-news/610nm-guest-post-the-game-ill-never-forget/
Yes, it’s a shame someone doesn’t speak up now and then. If I wander off the thread I lose several posts, so I don’t do it unless somebody says something. i just hit reload and don’t try to check the TWG site.