by
Greek Giant
Tonight’s Game: Giants (34-56, no that’s not a typo! That’s really the Giants record!) Vs Padres (38-50) at Tony Gwynn Field, 7:10 PM
Johnny Cueto (6-7, 4.51) Vs Clayton Richard (5-8, 4.66)
Madbum’s coming back tomorrow night.
Matt Cain moves to the bullpen.
Pablo Sandoval was DFA’d by the Red Sox.
Brian Sabean was remarkably frank and blunt in a recent interview with Andrew Baggarly.
And you thought the All Star Break would be boring.
Five Questions
- How long will the Giants stick with Matt Moore in the second half if he does not improve?
- Will Johnny Cueto be a Giant on August 1, 2017?
- Who will be the Giants’ hottest hitter in the second half?
- Is Denard Span back as the Giant starting center fielder for good?
- What are the ramifications of the injuries to Austin Slater and Christian Arroyo regarding their 2018 seasons?
;
Pablo has no one to blame but himself. He was one of the most beloved Giants and he threw it away. Great talent with a rock head.
blame for …. ? He ate. He slept. He got paid. Guessing hes happy
Exactly! He’s about to get paid majorly for a few more years.
He’s goooood!
and he has enough money for his brother to steal and maybe still leave some for Pablo.
Probably content but I doubt happy. His career is ruined; everything he did for us in 6+ years will be overshadowed by this epic failure with Boston. Sad, really.
It seems that way now because it’s fresh, but every year that goes by the things that will be remembered are the playoff heroics. Nobody talks about Steve Carlton’s last several seasons, or Griffey’s post-Mariners career. If a player has them, and remains clean off the field, achievements will always be remembered more strongly. Sandoval: bad Red Sox 3B will be remembered in Boston, but everywhere else it will be Sandoval: 3 HR in one WS game
What does #4 mean?
Cueto needs to shine. After Sonny Gray, he has potential to be best rotation arm available. Can still fetch that much needed CF talent that can displace Span in CF.
#3 Brandon Belt, naturally and fitting and all that.
Brandon Belt should not, nor may not, end the year in a Giants uniform.
Related Articles
Giants executive Brian Sabean reacts to this season’s ‘total ineptitude’
Q&A with Giants executive Brian Sabean: ‘We’ve forgotten how to win’
Bumgarner: “I’m ready to help contribute, like I should’ve been doing this whole time”
Giants’ Johnny Cueto acknowledged that missing spring training has affected him
Buster Posey ponders a lost year before Giants swept by Marlins in 11 innings
But the very notion of the Giants re-signing Sandoval is so ludicrous I hardly believe I’m writing about it.
Instead, as a Giants fan, you might take this moment to thank your lucky stars that the team didn’t sign Sandoval to a similar contract after the 2014 World Series. Except the two sides never really came close after the team’s initial three-year, $40 million offer in the previous spring was deemed so low that negotiations never got serious again.
Sandoval was so checked out of San Francisco that he was telling people at the World Series parade that he was leaving for good (while trying to sneak bottles of hard alcohol out of the hospitality room onto the City Hall stage).
I disagree, it’s a business and sometimes you have to move forward.
Once Belt is dealt, Sandoval would he a great option as a 1B till the next young 1B is ready.
You really know the game.
I do, and the Giants could do worse than Sandoval as a one year bridge to someone else.
They are already going to lose 100 games with Belt, think they’ll be that much worse with Sandoval?
I’m not saying its more than a 1 years solution, even if only a platoon.
And much cheaper.
Which do you like best, his low average, poor defense, three year track record of poor performance, or is it the total package that appeals to you?
As a platoon LH bat to platoon at 1B for very little money. He is absolutely an option.
I would not be surprised the Yankees haven’t already called him, with their RF porch and need for a 1B.
Did you ever see Carter play 1B for them? He led to two losses I saw (and I don’t see many Yankee games).
And Sandoval would not get asked to play 3B which is much harder to do than 1B.
As a bridge to whom?
who cares?! It’s a 100 loss team WITH Belt. It’s not as if he’s carrying the team anywhere.
In a couple of years Shaw may be ready or anyone else they can find cheap as a FA.
Shaw is surely more valuable in LF, right? I’m sure they’ll be able to find the next Klesko, Ortmeier, Niekro or corpse-of-Aurilia off of FA though.
How do you know Shaw is more valuable in LF? Or if he is even a cable LF in the pros? At least he’s come up as a 1B, much easier to play.
Why don’t you research Mitch Moreland and his stats and his contracts. Giants can absolutely find someone like that.
Because if someone can play a capable LF, it’s more valuable to a team than someone playing a capable 1B?
Can’t wait for the Giants to hit the market for someone with a sub-.800 OPS while playing in small AL East parks. Those kinds of players will be available, because those kinds of players aren’t very good. Oh sure, there are lottery tickets that pay off every year. Rays and A’s signed Morrison and Alonso on the cheap and they’ve worked out great. Moreland puts up about 1 WAR per 600 AB. Sorry I’m not too excited about the Giants finding someone like that.
I think they can find someone who can give them 60-70% of Belt’s production at a fraction of his contract. And again, they will have a couple of years to figure it out before they are a PO type team anyways. By then Buster may be playing 1B more often.
They *could* find someone like that, but I guess it all boils down to me not having faith in a) their ability to suss out a player like that, and b) that player wanting to sign in SF.
But this isn’t dominoes, is it.
Melky departed * Sandoval is not returning.
Effie says: Giants Org. must be racist.
“must be”?!?
Naturally Baggs has proof about the Little Bottles ….
Sooner or later one should stop flogging a dead horse, or an ex Red Sox.
I remember that story (telling peeps at the parade that he was leaving, and his only good friends on the team were Bochy and Pence). It seems that the Giants got “the best” out of the Panda.
The Boston papers say Sandoval’s sorry glove work at 3B, not his speed, is what was the deciding factor.
Regarding #2, now that Pineda needs TJS, the Giants need to make a deal happen with the Yankees.
posting same time!
I’ve mentioned the Yankees many times, now the timing just makes it more plausible.
Yankees Pineda needs TJ surgery. That just ups the ante on Cueto.
He’s be a perfect Yankee and will make him a absolute hero in the NY Dominican community, who already appreciate him.
I can see this happening.
Five Questions
1) How long will the Giants stick with Matt Moore in the second half if he does not improve?
* He will not miss a start the rest of the season unless injured
2) Will Johnny Cueto be a Giant on August 1, 2017?
* Doubtful
3) Who will be the Giants’ hottest hitter in the second half?
* Hunter Pence
4) Is Denard Span back as the Giant starting center fielder for good?
* Yes
5) What are the ramifications of the injuries to Austin Slater and Christian Arroyo regarding their 2018 seasons?
* Arroyo will be fine. Slater may be out all of 2018
Trump hires Ty Cobb as a new member of his legal team.
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/07/trump-ty-cobb-lawyer.html
Spikes High for Ty
Ty did love to threaten injury to guys who dared to get in the way of 2B.
OLD but nevertheless this Umpire should have been banned for this stunt
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2639434-umpire-appears-to-cover-home-plate-with-dirt-waits-to-see-if-runner-touches-it
1. If he does not turn around his game, Moore will be shut down fort he season September 1 but the Ginats will later extend his contract for 2018.
2. Yes
3. Belt
4. For 2017 but maybe not 2018.
5. Slater has had a unfortunately an injury that alters his future career while Arroyo has had injuries that have delayed his career. Arroyo will be in much the position of 2017 ST in 2018 ST, he needs to prove himself for opening day assignment to MLB. Slater will not be ready to fully participate in ST 2018 and will lack the same mobility and speed and remain injury prone.
Japan’s pregame BP and Day Off BP is still way ahead of other leagues including MLB
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/232f0607b977486d0247160eb7fc4ac84eed6b73c11981bca14c24a1e5df09c0.jpg
1) September 1
2) Yes.
3) Joe Panik
4) Yes. There is nobody else. ☹️
5) I think both will fully recover and be ready for ST 2018.
1. All season. He’s not getting traded, the season is nothing but a test for 2018
2. Probably. It depends on the options for the Yankees. So, either here or NY
3. Brandon Crawford
4. No…”for bad”.
5. Arroyo is no issue. Slater concerns me a great deal
SI predicts Giants trade MadBum to Cubs. They’d have to close the GG Bridge if that happens.
Setting aside the local impact, it wouldn’t be a bad trade on paper. But I’m not sure the Giants FO is good enough to work with Epstein on a deal and not get taken to the cleaners.
Probably published pre Quintana
I believe Sabean when he says Bumgarner is not a player that the Giants will trade.
Whether that is fixed is uncertain.
However, MadBum has a favorable contract from the teams perspective and is likely to be much more expensive and probably 5 years on extension.
No other Giant pitcher save Juan Marichal has had a longer sustained high performance than Bumgarner.
High priced signings of free agent pitchers have just about always included years when the pitcher is no longer performing at a high level; examples are Cain, Zito, Lincecum for the Giants.
Whether MadBums injury of 2017 has an enduring impact is still open to question. Shoulders are tricky injuries.
MadBum is one player that could bring in genuine talent in a trade so a trade timed now is not that irrational.
I don’t see nor want a Bumgarner trade (now)
If MadBum is traded then, as the Chief said in “Little Big Man” said: “It’s a good day for dying!” Except that Chief was ready to die happy. The GG Bridge attendees will not sport such good moods.
Interesting, but I don’t think the Cubs have the prospects left to make that trade, even if the Giants were open to moving Bumgarner.
Well, they named names: Ian Happ, Eloy Jimenez, and Dylan Cease.
…but then this has become old already as Jimenez was part of the Quintana trade. So this whole thing becomes kind of a non starter all the way around. But most interesting is the suggestion is that the SFG might be willing to trade MadBum at all.
Cubs looking at sonny gray though
That along with Quintana just might be the cure to their apparent, extended WS hangover.
Brewers better be prepared to answer the bell the Cubs are ringing.
By the time the dust settles, the guy that probably gets moved is Cory Gearrin. Good situational RHP that can get a ground ball. Maybe Span as well if he keeps hitting. I’m not counting on much more than that.
Would be nice if Gearrin could fetch something but just doesn’t have the track record. He nasty though. Poor man’s Neshek
Good description. We all know the one piece they might move that brings the biggest haul is Belt but I don’t think they’ll move him. The one thing intriguing about Belt to another team would be the on base percentage. The Yanks could bat him second right in front of the big boppers and Belt would bop a few of his own. Sounds like they like Bour.
Tbose were the guys they traded for Quintana.
It was done prior to the Quintana trade, and was a typical SI “throw out unlikely scenarios for clicks”.
1. All season because his second half will be more like his 2016 with the Giants.
2. No. He’s a gamer by nature and wants a contender.
3. Brandon Crawford
4. I can only copy “No … for bad” from Matthew
5. Slater’s whole career is in jeopardy if Clutch is right about the nature of the injury. Arroyo injury is not career threatening so he’ll come back. No prob. Obviously Slater’s year is done.
1. All season. Giants didn’t acquire Moore to dangle him in and out of the rotation.
2. Depends on how aggressive the Yankees are in trying to add Pineda’s replacement.
3. I actually think Belt. He’ll be motivated to finish out the season strong and set career-high marks
4. Huh
5. Both of them are probably done for the season but both should bounce back from their respective injuries.
The Yankees have a serious need for a 1B too, with RF power. Belt’s pop flys clear that fence.
It sounds like they’re more interested in Justin Bour of the Marlins.
Bour is certainly cheaper, but I don’t buy the gains that he’s made this season. Still, cheaper.
I don’t buy Bour either. In 14 fewer games than 2016 he has 5 more HR and 8 more RBI. HR Derby only adds to the hype but not the reality.
Sometimes guys figure it out when they’re 29, and maybe he’s made some legit changes that have lead to his babip jump and other improvements…but his peripherals don’t seem like they’re lining up with his improvements. Add his bad glove and poor speed? Just doesn’t seem like a sustainably “difference maker” player.
Babip is Sabermetric’s most fickle stat so it is easy to overvalue. WAR is the lazy man’s easy stat (hence mine) but it rarely disappoints. Over his career Belt’s average season has been a +3 WAR and Bour’s just +1 with this year overloading that +1. That’s why I wouldn’t find Bour underbidding surprising.
The reality is that although this has been his best season, he displayed very good power the previous two seasons as well.
If only he didn’t need to run fast or make great catches. Your focus is on his offense which is a TWG site bias but it’s a wrong bias.
Could be. But Bour is a defensive liability. And who on the Yankees has any WS experience.
This site tends to undervalue the defensive side of the game.
I still wonder if the eye surgery didn’t effect Sandoval’s game a lot more than is talked about.
He’s also had foot injuries, and missed all of last year with a shoulder injury. It might be more than just being a chubster.
He had no problem seeing his dinner plate.
You caused a belly laugh with that one.
The Yanks opposition can’t put a guy in the fourth row of the porch.
It’s worse than the Crawford Boxes in Houston.
Those boxes in Houston apparently are very expensive. Must be aimed at restaurant goers. Personally, I think Rainforest Cafe restaurants are too pricey.
Very few of Belt’s HRs go down the RF line.
But at AT&T the problem isn’t how far a ball is struck, it’s how high. Right field is where homers go to die at sky high walls. At Yankee Stadium even if you’re not counting the short porch, New Yankee Stadium is a bandbox.
We saw two games in Yankee Stadium last summer and were expecting to see some fireworks from Belt and Crawford. Nope.
The Red Sox are looking for a 3B now lin and Marrero, who they see as temporary. Nunez, maybe.
Nunez .299 BA does beckon but his neutral WAR (+0.1) does not. Sometimes a team might favor one set of numbers over another depending on areas of perceived team strength and weakness.
NFL strike being discussed. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2721012-how-the-nfl-is-cheating-rookies-out-of-millions-of-dollars?utm_source=cnn.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=editorial
There are too many players and careers are too short for most of them to be able to afford a long strike, which is why the players in the most lucrative sport have, by far, the worst labor agreement of the major sports.
Padre PreGame Notes
http://mlb.mlb.com/documents/6/3/0/242108630/Padres_Game_Notes_July_14_2017_vs._SF_ua98vlpx.pdf
******
This guy Clayton Richard always gets the CY Young treatment from our hitters.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clayton_Richard
What I got from the Sabean article was the current season has flat lined and he’s put up the ‘Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter’ sign. Totally focused on next season. Where’s the positive thought energy that the Giants can still turn this thing around? WTF. Until we are mathematically eliminated, we’re still in this thing. 😀
I can imagine Captain Crawfish Joe of the Titanic furiously bailing buckets of water overboard while imploring “hey everyone, until we’re completely under water, we’re still in this thing.
“Captain. We’re taking on a lot of water.”
“We’ll start drilling holes to drain the water.”
I have a sense that you’re about as nice a guy as is possible.
Or to quote Chuck Tanner “as long as we’re not four back with three games to go, we’ve got a shot”….
1-Always
2-No
3-JoPan
4-Mostly
5-Less AB’s
I have changed my mind back and forth on Nunez as a permanent Giant. It is true that they have not have someone like him who can attack the next base from a dead stop like he does from Home to 1st, 1st to 2nd, 1st to third, 2nd to third, 2nd to home or even first to home. We’ve had Andres Torres and or Darren Ford, Gary Brown and even Pagan when his Want-To wires were not crossed up. But having said that – if that is his mode of play – then he really cannot stay on the field to any degree so his impact is felt by the opposition.
#trade
Giants Pre-Game Notes
http://mlb.mlb.com/documents/5/8/2/242115582/07.14.17_at_SD_Game_Notes_ti0tojo9.pdf
This Date in Giants History: July 14, 2005
Defeating their historical arch rivals, the Giants became the first team to win 10,000 games as a franchise edging the Dodgers in Los Angeles, 4 – 3…the Giants, who started as the New York Gothams in 1883, had posted a 10,000-8,511 record during the club’s 123 seasons in the National League.
7/14 @Padres lineup vs SF
Margot CF
Asuaje 2B
Myers 1B
Pirela LF
Spangenberg 3B
Blash RF
Aybar SS
Hedges C
Richard P
This is like Dr. Suess, Whoville
Who is Pirela?
I don’t know but I noticed his name in the box score for the first time late last week, he batted third and went 1 for 3 with a solo homer. Guessing a recent call up..
That may be a Peruvian case of the clap
Span CF
Nuñez 3B
Belt 1B
Posey C
Pence RF
Crawford SS
Hernandez LF
Panik 2B
Cueto RHP
Panik hitting lower than Gorkys? SMH
just another head shaker from melon head. i really hope he’s gone by spring..
Worked out OK – no???
Just making sure Crawford has some lineup protection…
you should change your name to mr sarc….oh, never mind
Advil or Aleve works wonders when we SMH too much.
Or either Prop 215. Very effective, for some.
Remember Jones, Slater as 7,8? It is Bruce’s theory to protect the weaker hitter, as well as having a hitter who can clear the pitcher’s spot at the end of an inning. The thing that sort of bugs me is Cueto starting, he and his presumably still existing blister could have used two more days off?
Yup, just extending the lineup.
And that is a bit curious. If they intend to keep Cueto for the long haul, they certainly wouldn’t be wise to push him until he’s fully healthy.
Other teams in 2017 may see Cueto a risk for 2017 with no guarantee for the future if he performs well because Cueto may opt out.
If Cueto performs poorly an acquiring team, the team would be on the hook for the remainder of Cueto’s contract.
I am back to the point where Cueto stays with the Giants in 2017 and does not opt out because his season continues to decline.
The plus may be that Cueto probably has more good seasons in the future but is expensive.
I’m with you there. It just doesn’t seem very smart to trade Cueto now when his value is quite possibly at its absolute lowest. Seems like Cueto will opt in as well.
Just throw a gem, Johnny. Trade winds rustling the cotton of scouts in stands.
Ryan, someone’s been slipping grandiloquence pills in your coffee the last few weeks!
Just doggerel on my part. Hard to parse the pulchritudes of baseball ⚾
Doggerel. Or dogmatic?
Who could forget the great metal dog band, “Dogmatica”?
Ah, isn’t there a game coming up. Buehler, uh Lon?
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/a08f171ba64648988f1e8dd01d3c11ce6e2eb8dff966f0bc62bb8d6fd918d292.png
I understand, but the order isn’t from best to worst. Never is.
Why do peeps even think that way – that because so and so has a better average – they should bat before or below so and so?
Worked out OK – no?
Noonie!
That would look better with Nunez instead of Span at 1 and Panik instead of Nunez at 2 with Hernandez at 8 and Span at 7 to get Crawford better pitches. This arrangement also takes better advantage of the what speed there is in the Giant’s lineup. But what do I know?
More than you think but less than there is to know.
I’m pretty sure you are the one who said this a few days ago: I spend part of the year waiting for the next baseball season, and the rest of the year waiting for the next baseball game.
That seems very wise to me, indeed.
That was me but I am not sure whether your post is an insult?
The statement has been my reality for over 50 years.
I do have to say that season 2017 has got me down as much and as unique as any of the 58 seasons I have been a Giants fan.
Hoona makes a good point about Nunez and lead off coming off a hamstring injury but then why bat Nunez 2 today (also a speed slot) and why not bat Nunez 1 and Span lower earlier in season 2017?
Because Bochy has this notion that “speedy” CFs have to bat leadoff. He has no other place in the lineup for them.
It was the same case with Andres Torres, Angel Pagan, and Gregor Blanco.
Torres, Pagan, and Blanco were all better lead off hitters than Span has been as a Giant.
I wish Bochy would retire as it looks like his time has passed and he is stuck in a mlb past.
I do appreciate the good times and the 3 WSs brought by Bochy.
And it’s ironic because he makes almost no use of the speed he has.
No insult! I’m pretty much the same way. I used to think it was just waiting for the next season, but now an off-day or the ASG break seems like too long before the next game.
This year’s ASG break was the easiest to digest for many years, in fact, I probably needed the time off after that horrid Miami series. But I’m back to happy the game is only 2.5 hours away!
Cool!
May the 2017 AS break be as tranformative for the Giant’s performance as was the 2016 AS break.
May the players, FO, and fans be of benefit and the last 162 games be a blip in time.
Amen.
His first game back from a nagging hamstring injury, you’re gonna bat him leadoff? If anything, Nunez should be batting lower in the order until he’s right
I assume he’s healthy. There’s really no reason for him to play at all if he isn’t
Pav reported that he’s still not 100%.
Team has played guys hurt before, and this time they may be desperate to get him on the field well before the trade deadline to showcase him. Of course, putting him on the field hurt would likely lead to a pretty lousy showcase so…this plan already sounds bad.
I like your lineup much better than the one we’re trotting out. I hate Panik at 8.
Panik at 2 and on the field for every game available is my druthers.
Yup. Joe is very healthy this year and we need his zone at 2. I also want him in the lineup every day. I would put Span at 7 or 8. He doesn’t get enough BB to help set the table so he really is the softest .284 in the league. With the rest of the lineup I would not quibble.
Span is fine with bat. There is no juggling of lineup that can save this team.
I’ve heard several people say about various Giants this year, that they’re batting “the softest [AVG] in the league. I think I’m confused as to what it means. What are you trying to say? His power is just a hair below league average, he’s hitting above average overall.
To me “soft” implies the timeliness of the hitting – AVG, OBP, OPS – all good but RBI and runs scored and runners advanced below what expected (“average”) with the stats.
Nebulous and anecdotal term.
For his opportunities, Span’s numbers are above average this year. When I think of a flashy batting average with no substance I think of DJ LeMahieu or Ian Desmond or Caleb Joseph. Especially DJ though. So many of those Coors guys are total mirages.
DJ is a heck of a player though. Desmond had his days.
Sitting out the last week of a season to guarantee you keep a batting title will never scream “heck of a player” to me.
There was that. But he sure as heck picks it at 2B.
Coors inflates offensive players and deflates pitchers to the degree that I think shortens and ruins their careers.
Back in April he raised his average 100 points against the Giants at AT&T in one series and broke Parker’s shoulder. Guy looks good to me.
.655 career OPS away from Coors, .842 at Coors, .334 BA at home on the career, .266 on the road. Coors mirage.
I like a more discriminating zone at 1. Span walks once every 4 games. Gee, maybe Belt should be at 1 with a BB every 1.6 games. An extreme argument I agree but however we do it we need our table setters to set that table. Span’s average is very good but actually I want Panik at 1. Panik isn’t a serious BB getter but haven’t you noticed that even when he makes an out the pitcher has to throw him 6 or 7 pitches? If a tough pitch is in the zone, Panik will either foul it off or put it in play if he swings. A generalization, yes, but I think a true one.
I don’t care who is pitching, no way should Gorkys be hitting ahead of Panik. Furthermore, send Gomez back to the minors so he can play everyday and get another legitimate OF on the 25-man. I’d even settle for BJ Upton…No I wouldn’t!
Span is back in cf. Did you decipher Greeks question?
¡Sí Señor!
Good lineup.
Great seats, eh Buddy?
Future MLB Umpire Hiring Outlook
http://www.closecallsports.com/2017/07/future-mlb-hiring-outlook-at-break.html
#7 of the yanks vs #24 of the giants. HR derby from 1959.talk about different times..
https://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailconfirm?k=xeb3TnmKjmdYQO-S12y0FZz4XPk
From Wrigley Field…
… Los Angeles. Now that was a real derby.
How about when the Cubs did Spring Training at Catalina Island.
@BallsInTheWater
I watched a movie on the history of Catalina Island when I was at the Harbor Nautical Museum in Santa Barbara. a few weeks back. They had a big piece on Wrigley as the owner of the Island and the Cubs spring training. I never new that.
http://blogs.dailybreeze.com/history/2009/06/24/spring-training-with-the-cubs-on-catalina-island/
Beauty worked a few summers at the cafe’ at the isthmus on the island…..got to meet a few fun folks ( John Wayne, Rod Stewart, Natalie and Robert before the oops). Wrigley had bought the island, and SI had a great story about the swim race he hosted back in the late 20’s ( I think?)
Waved to all you Sacramentans passing through on way south. Another hot one, how about that?
Before Pregame today The Bochorator had the position players – pitchers – coaching staff and training staff STRIP down and get the Stench Hosed OFF from the so called First Half.
Mike Murphy – Amy G – Baggs – TWG and Alex Pavlovic got a pass but Henry Schulman made many cover their eyes.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/64bb02012d07f1fe84a85772b02f3532488faba8f43bc2b01205fa611b14fa07.jpg
“Those Were The Days” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJ50n9lhvE0
https://i.imgur.com/sWRtxzB.png
Our long national all-star break is almost over.
Less than 2 hours.
Hallelujah. Can I get a witness? Listening to some games on radio back east.
And the march to 50 games back begins. Enjoy the slide…..
Surf Maui trivia for today: When was the last perfect game pitched against the Giants and who pitched it?
Whatchu talkin’ ’bout, Willis?
Nobody
You are correct Bro
Mike Kessler
518 428-0444
Board Certified Medical
Malpractice (American Board of
Professional Liability Attorneys)
Board of Directors,
NY Academy of Trial Lawyers
Selected for Best Lawyers in America
Selected for NY Superlawyers
Wow was that a mistake, Mike.
Whoops
The best lawyer you hope you’ll never need.
Don’t jinx tonight’s game.
Despaigne? LMAO
Does anyone think Pablo gets yet another chance to play at the MLB level? Maybe if he *really* gets in shape (225-230 lbs.), then has a strong winter league season someone takes a flyer.
The good news for Pablo is that any team signing him only has to pay the minimum salary for the next two years.
He comes cheap, so he’ll clearly get a chance if he wants one
It is hard to imagine he wants one, as he gets $45 million more for doing nothing. We can’t really tell what the players are actually like, but he doesn’t give any impression of wanting to play baseball, at least to me.
of course he does
Depends on his attitude after coming back from injury. I can see him being complacent and not caring to return to the MLB.
Anyone who can hit 3 HRs in WS game (2 off of ‘unhittable’ pitcher) gets Another chance, if he can still hold a bat. Especially at basically no cost.
The Giants have fallen so far that NBCBA is sticking with Elmer Kozimor as the pregame host
He works Friday and Saturdays on the pregame, has done it all year
How can new optimism begin when the same bone-headed moves are made with sending Mac down and thinking Hernandez is the best option instead?
It’s refreshing to hear other all-stars speak so highly of Buster.
What do they know? They don’t comment here like some of the real experts on TWG.
you mean the same TWGers that mocked him for batting 4th in the ASG?
Those same ones?
Has anyone noticed a change in their MLB.TV site?
They are doing the wave at Fenway.
I’m a grumpy, unfun, crotchety old f#*k, but they should NEVER do the wave at Fenway
Teddy Ballgame is rolling over in his grave. SMH
Either that, or some fan in “Weekend At Bernie”-ing his floppy lifeless corpse in his wave
Oh that’s bad. They probably can’t help themselves because they’re so happy they won’t have to see fat Panda manning 3B anymore.
How about his cryogenically stored head? One of these days they’re got to be able to sew that onto some kid’s shoulders.
Yikes I forgot about that. Didn’t his son pass and his daughter took care of that?
“the magic number is four”
Beer run before the game! Am thinking a 22 of Drake’s Denoginizer. Just want my highway weary noggin to be washed over with a little of the comfortably numb. I think that stuff comes out of San Leandro.
Yes. They also have a joint in Oakland
No denog but got ipa. Their robusto porter is good
The Lefty family has invaded Petco! https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/1c638302c0918647396cc40c69314e8c6e8ed5cfd40e582ceb18151fad54d714.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/b41e1458acdaffae95d81c9605d8125cda6f714139dfc6534e6c24655c8170e6.jpg
If this gets ugly for any reason, remember the Omni is right across the street.
Good luck to Nunez. Holding my breath he doesn’t get injured again.
Well, history shows you won’t hold it long enough to pass out before he gets hurt
Taking bets on how many times he’ll be on the DL for the rest of the season.
The 2B stepped on his left thigh on the play at 2nd.
Good example today on why Panik is better for a 2 spot hitter.
Panik sees more pitches than Nunez.
Both do make contact and have low K rates.
Yeah Buster!!
That was a hell of an AB by Pence. SMH
Top of the first…game 1 post break…a NEW Brownie record!!!!
You stalking me, dude?
Perhaps
I stalk the SF Giants so if you should be in the vicinity so be it your perception.
Oh yeah, dude?
Huh?
Don’t mind me I am just goofing off.
But I do stalk the Giants as a fan.
No worries. Cheers!!
I think veteran pride might kick in here his weekend. Giants Nation in attendance, make it AT&T South, folks.
Strikes 2 and 3: high cheese, slider in the dirt…. : (
Let’s go Cueto!
Nnnnnnnnnooonie!
LOL. He hits like a Red Sox.
Careful…
Nice! 2nd half off to good start.
Yep. We really needed that shut down inning there. Psyches’ can be fragile things.
1 inning down, 620 to go?
double Brandons, nice.
Brandy²
Atta babe Gorkys. Playing to the strength of our team. The ol’ punch n judy approach.
There goes Matty’s love child, Gorkys the magnificient!!
You stalking me, dude?
Tit for tat.
Big fan of tits…not much into tats
Bad throw saved by the third baseman there
Geez Johnny…
Wo
A Cueto “sacrifice” RBI. Love it.
It kept the 2nd half score-in-every-inning streak alive.
Picket fence would be sweet.
Maybe the “I am Fenwick” Southwest army can slice up the “Unstoppable today” Southwest singer
Pablo would have had it!
LOL.
The No Trade Opt In Cueto push continues on
😨😳💩😬
Definitely.
None idea.
What is that one symbol?
Chocolate dorito
yumm
The only one I know is the steaming pile one
Might be better in the long run. A good year by Cueto next season, combined with another bad year from the team, would give them a chance to get a much better haul for him at next year’s trading deadline. The opt out would no longer be a factor.
Good point.
Agreed
Atta babe Malloy
Pence wasn’t getting anyone out with a throw like that. Wtf…
The guy running at 6’5 WAS FLYING also
Speed + weak throw = run scored.
Chronic unorthodox throwing motion and batting mechanics,
WHERE WERE his coaches when he was 14 yrs old?
That whole spine issue means he could probably never throw traditionally
Probably hit the ball real hard so knowing youth coaches, they left him alone.
Yeah, that was bad.
Cueto missing ST due to his Papi really caught up with him.
No excuses that was a long time ago, and he was throwing at the Giants DR camp vs prospects, before he came to Arizona .
Not an excuse, just a fact. His 2017 Boiler is much thicker than his 2016 gut
Peter takes no prisoners
Take that pitch BB9
Among the many things the 2017 Giants are horrible at, base running is one.
Bunch of Rubens
I blame Nevin.
Duffy is close to resuming baseball activities. The surgery to remove the calcium deposit on his heel may have actually been effective.
http://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/rays-matt-duffy-close-to-resuming-baseball-activities/
He stayed on. These umps are terrible
Noonie is 50/50 out of control at times
Well that’s a shame.
Meet the 2nd half.
Same as the first half.
Won’t get fooled again!
Wait…didn’t you just say how great it was going?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8_nRkCJx9o
Listening to Bochy on KNBR pre-game, and anybody hoping to see Parker or Mac better not get their hopes up. Flem asked Bochy if we can count on any call-ups and Bochy said “I hope not. If you see any of those guys, Parker, Williamson, it means we’re having a bad 2nd half.” WOW. Bochy still thinks he’s playing for wins this season, and the current roster is the one to get them there. Hasn’t figured out how lost this season is, no interest in seeing what any of those guys can do. You know, only if they’re REALLY losing will we see them. Right now we’re only 2nd worst team in MLB. But if we REALLY start losing, we might see some guys.
💩💩💩
Yummy
🔥🔥🔥🍻🍻🍻
👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
you do realize he has to say things like that don’t you. The Giants always have to say the right things PR wise.
what do you expect, “oh we’ll call anyone up while we are losing, seeing what works”
You can’t really assume that right?
The answer he gave was essentially “We’re still curious about how many wins Gork can get us.” I don’t see any way that his answer is “the right thing PR wise”. His answer was terrible! Even Fleming was surprised. This wasn’t generic “I think this team is much better than we’ve played. We may see those guys but I think this team as assembled should do much better in the 2nd half.” That’s shiny happy PR spin. His answer came off clueless about the last several months.
They are going to lose 100 games, no real way to spin it to make fans happy.
So therefore why care what he says?
I care what he says because there’s no way he’s going anywhere, and he sounds like the absolute worst man for the team’s next several years every time he opens his mouth. It’s a completely lost season, and the things he says really make it sound like this is the first of many completely lost seasons.
Bingo! The Giants are a mess and void of premium talent, we all have to accept that.
And do you think that talent will come from a minor league system considered in the bottom 5 in the league? Highly doubtful.
New talent will need to come in via trades, to infuse the system with young talent from elsewhere.
And do you think Bochy is the man to oversee any part of this?
do you think any manager would make a difference?
It’s a talent question and a front office question, not a manager issue.
Unless big changes come, whatever talent the org puts on the field in the next few years will still be weak.
It wouldn’t matter if Bochy is manager or not, could be you or Micky Mouse.
Newsflash: Three rings had earned Bochy at least a few more seasons.
Because this isn’t the type of progressive thinking this team needs to get back to where they want to be.
Sorry to break it to you but progressive needs to come from the top down in an organization, not from the manager.
And Progressive is something the Giants are not.
Who says it has to come from top down and managers can’t think that way?
When the manager keeps fielding questions as if the team is playing well when they’re actually not, how do you think that parlays in the clubhouse?
He’s one of the main culprits these past two season for creating a culture that’s made losing excusable and acceptable
Who says it has to come from top down and managers can’t think that way?
When the manager keeps fielding questions as if the team is playing well when they’re actually not, how do you think that plays in the clubhouse?
He’s one of the main culprits these past two season for creating a culture that’s made losing excusable and acceptable
LOL you actually think it’s Bochy’s fault.
You actually think the Giants roster is a PO caliber roster don’t you?
And that a bottom feeder farm system going on almost 5 years is right up there with the best in the league right?
So somehow it’s Bochy that is causing them to play “down” in level.
You’re funny.
But I’m sure he didn’t mention Gorkys, did he?
Nothing said (especially over the next two weeks) is meant to be taken literally.
How do you not take “I hope we don’t have to call up Williamson and Parker, because that means we’re doing terrible” literally? How is that supposed to be read?
What I mean is this: they are in a 2 week period where Evans is on the phone 24/7 and whatever Bochy says is deception. Everything. So, I really don’t like listen anyway, but especially right before the deadline.
Yeah, if Bochy wasn’t publicly deceptive on a 3 minute local radio interview, the other teams might start thinking the Giants are a bad team in sell mode.
Eric, I’m not trying to get into a rabbit hole argument, but it’s been my experience that they are all full of shit publicly. I base that off of years of listening to deception. Just my take.
He could have given an acceptable PR answer without taking a big ole Bochy dump on Williamson and Parker.
Is Eric Ritz popping off?
popping off left and right! lol
More mouse turd. How ironic
No longer the right man for the job.
Correct
Who, Parker or Williamson?
Big Lid size 9
You the king of the Bochy fan club, does he let you touch his big Hat , where all those brains are under .
Pay attention. No, I’m not. But I don’t freak out over every statement.
He has his two big Sluggers in LF, Gorkys and Kelby, with that Power who needs Stanton ,Larry Krueger, the Great Hall of Famer knows talent when he sees it, The Giants may never lose another game !
Cueto’s location is going to be a problem
Yes
He needs to relocate to the bench…Long Man Cain is warming up
Mr. DRS!!!!
That was awful. I’m IN. Span out of CF
Horrible
Must have been the bright sunshine -)
lmao
No closing speed, coach.
-scout
BURRISS GOLDY
Emmanuel would have had that.
Took you awhile to see, huh? Dude is a really bad defender.
If this keeps happening, this should put Cueto one step closer to Yankee Stadium:
http://www.espn.com/mlb/recap?gameId=370714102
Cashman said the Dreds would have to go
oh damn forgot about that.
He better pitch gooder
Preach 🙏
The local media are starting to circle like a pack of wolves. The early surge made and the Judge rise got everyone excited. However, the recent nosedive has everyone antsy. Locals clamoring for improvements.
The Red Sox are the better overall team, but when a team has the the Yankees hitting, all they need is to bring in the right mix of pitching and it could get them close.
DP ball
He got hot with El Paso.
Duh!
Hall of Famer
http://www.knbr.com/2017/07/13/why-brandon-belt-probably-isnt-one-of-the-giants-untouchables-at-the-trade-deadline/
Man it would suck for me to see Belt on the Yankees because I’d have to hear about him on the news constantly, but at least he wouldn’t be a Giant anymore.
I think we’re all sick of watching good players who play well for the Giants.
yes, please keep believing the talent that’s currently on the team will rise to the promised land again and that Belt is the answer.
I like how you believe that Belt has great trade value, and that the Giants *should* be able to find someone who can produce “60-70% of what Belt produces”, while also thinking Belt is terrible. Sure got my fingers crossed that they can find someone on the cheap who can be 60% of terrible!
no one has the answers right away, but the Giants do have to 1) get younger and 2) cut payroll.
100 losses and a 189M payroll dictates thus.
TO’s guy two for two
All Star, Bochy is going to prove small ball is what corner Outfielders are all about, who needs Power like all the other 29 MLB teams have, you got to think outside the box, only the Great Bochy has the Baseball smarts to do this .
Gonna be a long 3 months if you get this worked up over every line up.
The quote” any more call ups” Bochy ” I hope not”, he thinks having two LF with combined 0 HRs is the way to go !,I want Shaw to get a long try out !
He will…
Not with Bochy in charge, the future is now, and Shaw is the future in LF, no other manager in MLB would start Gorkys are Kelby in LF , Ever !
Relax…you’ll see.
Slater won the job, but got hurt. Arroyo got a chance, but couldn’t hit. Shaw is next
How many 29 teams with mucho HRs are going to postseason
What are the Giants doing, not going to Post Season , that is for sure !
Blach = Richard, more or less?
What??? No.
younger
Richard is throwing 94 in this game, Blach 91 on a good day .
Johnny ran like one of his ponies!
Span ran like one of his turtles.
my guy no run scored ooops
Damn, Cueto actually beat out a Double Play LOL. Play of the year!!
JC bad bunt loation
We’re through 4 innings and the starting OF is 2 for 7. Both hits from Gorkys.
It’s easy to pick on Gorkys when he doesn’t get a hit because he makes for an easy target on this blog. But the real problem on this team are Span and Pence. Span doesn’t know how to win and Pence has forgotten how to win.
span is here for awhile
Terrible mistake by Evans. One of many.
Pence’s body, not his heart.
I question his heart when he makes almost no adjustments at the plate for an entire season, and continue to make mental errors on defense.
Cueto out of breath
Big inning here
There are no big innings left in 2017.
Big inning for SD. Cueto is sucking wind.
lol
big for Diego
Auto-argument was turned on
Hoo Kayres anymore?
I’m watching for “I love baseball” reasons. And for “It don’t matter to me, I love the Giants” reasons
Me too, bro.
Yes there are! These games against the Padres are big in the reverse standings!
Then they’re doing great. Like I’ve said, they’re going to have to step it up if they hope to catch the Phillies.
Dang, Phillies lost tonight. We can only hope to keep up.
Arizona lost.
Colorado lost.
That’s a start.
You are a riot !
No, it isn’t. All that matters is somehow upending the Dodgers
Nobody’s trading for this.
He’d be big in Japan
He’d be big anywhere… by at least 40 pounds.
Eff
Phatt pitch
Big. Out. Cueto. Giants still in this. Cueto on pace to throw 182 1/3 pitches.
Tonight?
I’m thinking about the epic haul when they deal both Bumgarner and returned to form Cueto at the 2018 deadline.
You sound like me as a child.
You were an obnoxious child? I can’t imagine.
What do you think they should do about Bumgarner?
Give it up. They aren’t doing the 5 yr rebuild plan.
Give what up? Thinking realistically? Sorry, but I’ll leave that to others.
Consistent factor when the Giants play the Padres: Marginal major leaguers are going to wear out the Giants. Cueto has no answers for the 6-8 hitters.
The Giants are the Marginal MLB players , you seem to under estimate the talent on other teams and over estimate the talent on the Giants, the Padres have a better record for a reason .
You angry, bro?
Not at all, Livfreedi has the same stick in every game , how can the Giants be losing to these guys, the are Minor leaguers .
Padres actually one of the only teams in baseball with a worse offense than SF.
SLG%= NO
That whopping 9 point lead in SLG% has lead them to 42 runs less than the Giants. But..but..how? They have Home Run hitters!!!
Giants have played 2 more games, so not as bad as it looks .
3.93 Runs per game vs. 3.54 RPG is a pretty big gap.
How disrespectful to Cain! Who’s the damn long man, Bruce?!?!
Good point
WTF?
Didn’t know noodle arms could be contagious.
Ain’t no outfield quite like Team Black and Orange Howitzers
Why did Pence have to get that, anyway? Span on his break?
It’s a stark realization when you view it in person how tremendously bad Span is as a defender, huh? Slow, bad jumps. Baaaaad arm. If he plays CF in 2018 it will not be good
SO bad
He will, if your hero has anything to say about it .
Jesus has input?! Sweet
Tim Tebow for Johnny Cueto!
They should take whatever they can get just to get rid of him and his contract.
Gray sure shut down Tribe 2nite.
💵 💵💵⚾⚾⚾
Tell Brownie. He’s the A’s fan
Beefy Giants Fan Night at Petco
LEFT FIELD IS SOLVED!!!!!!
Best outfielder on the team, and it’s not close
span doesnt get that
For that matter, who the hell is Span?
Gomez? Who the hell is Gomez?
Someone that reminds Bochy of Pablo
A guy that was hitting .320 with some pop in Richmond, I thought you were a Giants fan .
Flip that sarcasm detector switch to “On” .
Sorry, Pete, I’ve been away.
Kontos warming up. 😡💩
No one trolls Lefty like the Greek Gigolo!!!
Gasoline 🔥 🔥🔥
YOu mean the guy who was responsible for 3 of the 5 losses before the ASB?
💩💩💩
OK, That one I know.
Spandemption!
The Span-shank Redemption.
Get busy living, Span
Right.
Lefty, are you breathing into a brown paper bag? Hang in there!!!
Don’t worry. 4 is the magic number.
The Clean Greek!
When Flemming gushes, it sounds so much better than Krukow hype. Almost made me like Kontos right there.
Padres need to stay with these unififorms. Love em!!
Agree.
It’s an updated version of their originals. I remember it well–1969 was the 12-team league and Eastern/Western divisions.
The won the NL in ’84 with that look, but the yellow and brown was never a winning look!
I’m in the minority: I liked it.
I loved the Astros ’70s-’80s rainbow uniforms, so there’s no accounting for my taste!
Posey! Just like a clean-up hitter should!
Atta babe Buster.
Love it Buster. That’s our All-star!
“I’m Peter Johnson, and I approve this message”
One is enough, I think.
Baseball question – so if the hitter steps out and ump calls time but the pitcher is in the motion of throwing and the ball hits the batter. Does he take his base?
Nope
No. Seen it happen. But when a pitcher starts his motion and goes towards the plate, it’s BS that umpires grant time and even more so chicken s*** that the batter asks for it. I’d hit him.
That’s why I was asking. I would let one fly at the batter.
Yup…free shot!
I hate that that umpires grant time so easily to favor the batter.
Yup. Krukow said that’s what he did, wouldn’t be considered a hit-by-pitch.
And that would also be your opinion if one of the Giants’ hitters asked for time and then got drilled?
Gonna dish it, gotta eat it.
Kontos is perfect tonight!
Now you’ve done it.
Kontos dealing.
He doesn’t fool me.
Ha.
I’m with you. He got six outs Boch, get him outta there!
He’s fool’s gold tonight.
Gorkys el fuego! 🙂 Or whatever the Spanish is for HOT!
Tierra del Fuego
Hellooooooooo.
Sign Gorky for 4 more years!!!
Don’t put it past them.
Stop!!!
Trade him for Tebow!
Yes!!! Now you’re talking!!
🔥🔥🔥🔥Gorkys
En fuego.
Thank you for the proper Spanish wording! 🙂
Is that actually right? I heard a few weeks ago that “en fuego,” though commonly recognized, is not correct. I think you’re supposed to use a different preposition. I’ve never studied Spanish so I’m not sure.
I only know a few Spanish words, so I figured you were more right than me!
Atta babe Gorkys!
I want a Margot. 😥😢
We got Span. Don’t need him.
Kidder? I had a crush
Make a trade? Kimbrel I do believe.
“WHY THE HELL IS GORKYS BATTING 7TH?!?!”
Bruce glances at the blog, and drops the mic.
Yes, he’s a genius for leading this team to an insurmountable 34-56 record
Can’t take a joke?! Run with my Gorkys fever!!!!!
FIRE BOCHY!!!
Gorkys bring the FLAME
He should be hitting third!
He will be tomorrow.
For Sacramento.
Should be batting 1st, what were you thinking Bruce ?
Boom
He’s a hungry player who needs everyday time.
I use to love Jack n The Box tacos. Now they make me sick!!
Tube food.
Epic 2am drunk cuisine
Been there…
…done that.
I still can’t believe San Diego lost the Chargers. What a travesty!! NFL should be ashamed.
FIRE SPAN!
Not tacking on there might come back and bite them when it’s all said and done.
Great at bat Span.
Span. Rollover right side ground ball #300 this season, this one for two.
Span, Pence and Cain. Dying in our hands.
Giants Way
I heart San Diego Ball Girls
Giants need to get with the times.
It’s not Woke!
But they can get old men from Milpitas to pay big bucks to do it! #RevenueSteamz
Yeah, that one was my dream girl, circa age 16-18.
What’s my excuse for circa age 57-59?
This may sound ageist of me but I just prefer any athletic person who can run after a ball without making everyone wait for them while they struggle to run after the ball.
Guys!! I really like our bullpen for next year.
Yep. Especially Dyson. Getting their grooming in this year.
Seriously !! It has potential to be lights out!
Bochy seems impatient when he micro manages a bullpen that don’t understand what he’s trying to do. But I like these guys and Law needs to grow up and he could be good too.
Don’t forget Will Smith will be back, dude was really good down the stretch last year, a lefty who got out righties.
I meant Smith not Moore.
You think Law is in the bullpen next season?
No! With the return of Smith Strickland, Mekancon and Dyson. We should set!!! Now get some hitters and sign an arm.
Lefty buying drinks for HerGuys Kontos and Strickland after the game
It’s the Padres
C’mon, Grumpy McSecondhalfmagic!
Still have a better record than the Giants.
And a bottle of wine for Bochy for putting those 2 in the game tonight while she’s there. 🙂
Lefty would want a case for putting her through that kind of torture!
This team needs another front line starter and an outfielder with pop and we can contend next year. No doubt in my mind. Maybe 2 outfielders cause Pence is terrible. Do not count on Slater. Go get 2 outfielders!!
This game is over! No way Dyson gives it up.
I reserve the right to blame you…
Hector moving solidly into Pablo physique territory.
…and if not for Melancon would be hitting .087
I’m radio-only tonight, was that change-up to strike out Hector as good as Lincecum’s?
Ready for extras Lefty?
FIRE PACMAN!!
Do you remember torture?
This isn’t it.
You mean the wonderful torture of 2010? No, this DEFINITELY isn’t it. This was just two shaky teams staggering to the finish line of a game.
What do you think about Dyson’s execution?
I’m in favor of it
Nothing may be as annoying as the Krukow Open Base Garbage
Uh oh. Bad Dyson returns!
Shout out to Span, who didn’t bring in that insurance run
So 2016-17 if they blow this.
Don’t let me down Dyson! You piece of garbage!!
Krukow, that was not a bad miss, had a open base, the guy is something !
Ha ha ha, it is still the 2017 season. Wtf is Posey still calling the slider Dyson has little control over?
Don’t fucking shake off Posey
Thank you Lord! 🙂
Sweet. That was effin intense. Big win.
It was intense! Giants and Padres fans loud, both cheering for opposite results!
I told you guys! No problem!!!
Dyson just had to make it a tad interesting.
He’s fine!!
Take him over Melancon anytime.
At least they’ll be out of Melancon’s contract in 2021
Yeah, it’s so pleasurable to wait out 4 years … LOL.
Melancon in the 8th.
What do you want for your entertainment dollar, anyway?
True.
The game didn’t lack for drama. Couldn’t see it but box score told the story.
LOL, right after Dyson almost blew the save opportunity, Krukow: “Right now, you got a confident closer..”
He was like the Giants are on a 20 game winning streak .
Better to be on a one-game winning streak than to start the 2nd half as miserably as we ended the 1st half!
This is what Rags taught Dyson to get his confidence back:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DIETlxquzY
We use that all the time. One of us just says “I’m good enough…” and the other one just chuckles.
Big win for this Club, what is Krukow smoking !
Ha!!!
Considering how we lost the first game after the all star break last year, he was probably referring to all the ghosts that have haunted us since. But, baby steps.
Wasn’t the first game after the ASB last season the Casilla balk-off?
It was the ugly off.
Second game, I think.
The Who paraphrase: Start of the 2nd half…NOT the same as the first half.
Dyson thought he was pitching with Texas….or the 2016 Giants bullpen.
Yeah that was a shaky-ass save. Phew!!
Guys! Melachon is hurt. He’s going to be great next year. We have 2 front line closers. Our bullpen is gonna be filthy next year.
I wouldn’t be surprised if this forearm thing with Melancon turns into TJ surgery and he misses all of 2018 as well. Dyson looks like a keeper, Will Smith will come back strong, but maybe not at first? Derek Law has more to prove. Strickland and Kontos? Might be time to move on.
Relievers are fungible, and there always seems to be arms available and/or in development, so we’ll see. I remain somewhat skeptical.
MyHitting1.000InTheSecondHalfGuy!
Riding the Gorkys train!
Gorkys ain’t gonna be better for us than tonight. Enjoy the SHORT train ride.
Matthew, my Brother–I enjoy your ongoing support of your guy Gorkys, but no matter how well he plays he’s a band-aid on an open wound. I guess we’re gonna be here for awhile, so might as well get behind him and hope he contributes.
Maybe the DFA of Pablo today may be a positive omen the Giants need in the 2nd half. HAHAHA
Yep, it lit a fire under them, reminded everybody, “this could happen to you!”
Krukows got sunshine on a cloudy day. Carries it in his back pocket.
He tells Karl the Fog to go slagg off.
He sees a diamond in a lump of coal.
In the end MIke’s a fanboy so let him over-celebrate a one-game winning streak.
He was the same when he played. He played on a lot of lousy teams like this one so he knows the drill. It’s how he is.
Sometimes Krukow’s sunshine bit gets old but if he wasn’t that way he wouldn’t be Krukow.
Miguel Gomez living up to that Pablo comparison at the plate. IIRC, in 3 of his 4 plate appearances, he has swung at the 1st pitch, and in the other one he swung at the 5th pitch (the tying single last Sunday).
5 runs but 14 hits? A lot of lost opportunities.
Same old same old , they haven’t had it since the ASB least season
Yup but they won! A really shaky win over a bad team but a win nonetheless. Since they’ve lost a lot of these types of games, I’ll take it.
I had to miss this game because of a movie-watching obligation with friends. Love the final result because we’ve been losing too many games of this type this year. I see we had a very shaky Dyson close. He’ll be fine and has had a few good outings lately.
Gorkys is slowly but surely becoming a major leaguer but, alas, his .248 average comes with almost zero “pop” … only 8 doubles and zero HR. Gorkys is 29 and I think he’s given us about all that we could hope to get from him. Defensively he’s okay but not spectacular. It’s scary how bad our MiLB OF situation is if Gorkys is considered on the highest rung of readiness on our MiLB OF ladder.
Still, a win is a win is a win.
Wow Gorkys 4 for 4 and now hitting better than Crawford and Belt and tied in average with Pence.
He really isn’t hitting nearly better than Craw and Belt. That .248 has come with zero pop but, hell, enjoy the one game spree!!
In many ways, I’m disappointed in last night’s game.
Fighting it out with the… Padres? Geez!
This is a team that is keeping all of their many Rule 5 picks for the season.
If we can’t blow these jokers away, we’re not very good despite winning last night.
I’m not happy nor relieved. I’m just not ready for enthusiasm.
I’m still depressed.
Note: Rule 5 acquisitions are the discards/cuts of other teams.
Two bad teams staggering toward the 9th inning finish line!
I had a social obligation and couldn’t watch the game but I tell you we’ve LOST most of these types of games this year. I’d rather celebrate a shaky win than try to miik a moral victory out of a shaky loss.
Especially since that place, that team, started the nightmare last year!
Never go and be superstitious after a win. It’s a W no matter how unstable it was.
One reason the Giants are going to lose 100 games and the Dodgers are going to win over 100 games:
– The GIants count on and pay Belt like a middle of the order guy, and while his 16/45/.245 look great on a team with weak bats, on another teams those numbers would be merely a footnote.
– Puig hit two HRs last night, both to take the lead in the game, and is now at 18/47/.254, BATTING IN THE THE 8TH SPOT.
Who do you think is more of to a sure thing to get 25-30HR this season?
What does that say about Posey with his 11 HRs and 27 RBI, and he has batter 4th all year, Belt has batted 2nd, to 7th this year .
I see your point but take tow things from it.
1) it means the team sucks
2) Posey is not going anywhere, no matter what stats you throw out
Yes the team sucks, and I never said Posey was going any where, the point was stop picking on Belt, on a bad team he is having a decent year, so is Posey. The Giants are so weak and thin the only way they would have made the playoffs this year is career years from 8 players, instead they got normal years from Posey and Belt, and well below average years from the rest of the roster, except maybe Blach and the Shark .
They weren’t going to make the PO. They may not for another 3-5 years.
Get ready for a bumpy ride.
Good morning. The perfect 2nd half continues. As far as I know, the NL West follows the same playoff rules as the California League: the team with the best record in the first half and the team with the best record in the 2nd half make the playoffs; with a Wild Card or two thrown in the mix, IIRC. Thank goodness. I could be wrong, I could check this on the Gore’s web, but it just feels right.
Have a great Saturday. No need to feel saturnine, the Giants are perfect in half number two.
You use an astrological term to define our feelings? Geez, Ry.
Has a doctor had a good look at your —- lately?
I do NOT have hemorrhoids!
I was thinking along the lines of the teleoscopy procedure.
Telomeres?
Or misspelling ?
Speaking of Cal League…
The giants fall to 38-54 with a 2-7 loss to Quakes.
Bryan Reynolds 2 for 5, 2B, K – .298 avg. Not sure which is more disappointing: that he only has 5 HRs in Cal League or that he’s only stolen one base. I thought some speed was in his tool bag.
Ryan Howard 2 for 4, BB, K – .322 avg (Duffy-esque)
Ronnie Jebavy 1 for 5, 2B, 2 K – .262 avg ( 4 Ks the other night, K problem persists, promotion unlikely)
Aramis Garcia 1 for 5 – .274 avg., .829 OPS (hard to get excited over these #’s from 24 y.o. 2014 draftee in Cal League)
Richmond with a win, moving to 37-52
CJ “Move me up” Hinojosa 1 for 3, 2BB – that’s a .374 OBP for those of you keeping track at home.
Slade Heathcott 1 for 3, BB, K – ..266 (c’mon dude, Big Top needs CFers, bad, pick it up!)
Fresh Herb went 6, 5 hits, 3 BB, 3 ER allowed and 3 Ks.
Beedah picked up the win for the 36-55 Rivercats with a very Beedah-like performance;
5 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, BB, 4 K – 5.12 ERA. Can give the benefit of doubt, pitching at Salt Lake, but overall his #’s are more Strattonesque than Blackburn or Blach at AAA.
D Law, DJ Snelten, and Tyler Rogers had no problem containing offense in Joseph Smith’s backyard.
Chris Shaw 0 for 3, hat trick – .299 avg
Parker 1 for 4, BB, K – .193 avg
Williamson 0 for 3, BB – .235 avg
This has been a minor league report.
Has anyone thought seriously about balls lately?
JC thinks they’re tighter.
Things never are what they seam to be.
Cute, but not informative.
Good luck finding the information you are looking for.
Thanks, Commish. Just what I expected.
Thank you for your late entry into speculative theater. Slightly lower seams, slightly tighter wrap on balls, warmer, more humid weather?
What about the source of leather? Has that changed? Are new balls less hygroscopic and more inelastic based on some principle of source material?
Now you’re thinking like an intelligent observer. Good.
Maybe SABR should run some sort of independent experiment. You know, analyze the balls and compare to older balls.
Better test the rubber core too. How as global warming effected properties of latex?
Now we’re cooking, professor.
Don’t act like a Luddite, I know you aren’t one.
Also have to take a logical approach. How likely is the league to try to pull a fast one on an object that should be easily examined? Enough alteration to make a difference in HRs and blisters, but not readily detectable by measurements.
How could you possibly know they’re not “readily detectable”? Have you seen lab notes? Why do you think they were looking seriously at surface characteristics? Are you aware of testing protocols? Me neither.
while we’re at it, we’re gonna have to test the skin characteristics of the athletes
The yarn. Baseballs not spinning yarns like they used to. Maybe We’re not great again.
I was thinking specifically about surface characteristics. Maybe more abrasive? I think even you might be able to see some differences in your little lab if you looked.
You need to read more, this has been written about all year .
So, your answer is yes? Me too.
supposedly within league tolerances, but toward the tighter seam threshold.
Most likely just a confluence of factors. A perfect storm of balls, launch angles, more consistent bat speed, more heaters down the pipe, poor pitching, warmer weather, more humidity…
Perhaps the bats are to blame as well. Add lighter, more inelastic collision bats or more dense thundersticks and voila, perfect storm.
He’s talking more about the blister issue than the HR surge .
there seems to be pretty good correlation
Think about over-stretching cowhide and what it might do to the surface characteristics of the ball. Making a ball tighter might be something these guys are NOT checking.
That would be quite an oversight, no?
Yes. I think an oversight is quite possible.
Don’t they have committees for this kind of thing?
Have an Evian.
Riiiiight.
Beauty’s friend went away and got a face lift. For some reason, your post reminded me of her friend….it’s an interesting and uncomfortable look
And, although it may not cause blisters, it is still “uncomfortable”. right?
Hope her name’s not Alice. And that she’s not married to a Jackie Gleason type, to the moon. Outta here.
They all look the same after a mug lift with the frozen look and thick lips!! My lips are naturally thick lol and i love them lolol!
Test proof and neck swell factor proof drugs. The New clear and/or the crime..er creme.
A growing controversy
MLB: Look at these amazing record-breaking performances! Cody Bellinger’s rookie year is better than Ted Williams! Uh, right.
Sounds serious. Maybe get that checked by a specialist.
Well, it was a W! Several good things happpened. Saw Buster’s homer. That thing was nailed. Saw Gorkys with the solid double for his 4th hit. Saw Span’s lousy GIDP to kill the 8th. Then saw Dyson in the 9th. He hung in there and cashed in the win but just barely.
It felt a little bit like the USMNT beating Martinique 3-2. Nice to have the win, but if it’s this hard to beat Martinique, what will they look like against a solid European team?
Skweez: just make sure to remember that the Gold Cup squad is the B and C team trying out for the final spot or 2 on the WC roster. No Josi. No Bradley. No Clint. No Zuni. No Brooks. No Howard….Dr. Evil Guzan has hands like Dan Uggla. So, just take it as an exhibition.
Thanks. I thought Gold Cup was World Cup qualifier. No? Oh well. The logic still holds doesn’t it?
In a way. When I watched the guys he was trying out, there’s no flow because it’s such an odd collection of dudes. Omar Gonzales looks terrible in central defense, but he’s having to cover wide for guys that aren’t elite outside backs…so, I wouldn’t put much if any weight on results. Mexico is doing the same thing, while the smaller countries sent their best.
One thing that really stood out to me last night, besides how badly poor Johnny was struggling, was the difference between a good or even competent CF and…what we have.
Very lively crowd in the house–got pretty raucous in the bottom on the ninth there. Plenty of Orange and Black in the park and walking around the Gaslamp (and some Warriors gear, but I’m assuming also Giants fans). Most frequent jerseys seen?–Posey, Bumgarner–and Lincecum.
How can we find the next Margot?
Our only hope is Cueto.
Seems like Johnny had some basis for his poor performance.
Yes, and I figured so at the time, when he came out after four innings–I thought “Blisters” and hoped it wasn’t anything worse than that. He was struggling from the jump–poor command and no finish on his pitches. He did well to keep them close, down 2-3 when he came out.
Every year when they release jersey’s sold totals, Posey has been in the top 5 since 2010, Lincecum was in the top 5 for about a 8 year stretch too, Bum has only been high on that list in the last 3 years .
Funny thing. My kids knew I was a Posey fan for a couple of years before 2010. They bought me Buster jersey for Christmas after that 1st Series win. It was a Series version. I’ve never worn it. Not my kind of fandom. I appreciate the gift, but never told them I haven’t worn it.
Now, an original Timmy 55? I just might wear one of those. Probably not, though. But I would be tempted.
I’m with you, I received a Lincecum 55 a few years ago and never wore it once, only wear my own. Problem is my last name is the same as a Bay Area sports star so unless I’m playing with my team (like today) people will ask me why I have a basketball players name on my baseball jersey.
I have a similar POV. I only wear jerseys/uniforms for teams I’m either playing on or coaching (and hardly ever that, luckily). That’s just the way I grew up. Nobody’s fault; just the way it is.
I like wearing Giants t-shirts, much cheaper than jerseys. Ones that I own are Jason Schmidt, Freddie Lewis, Matt Cain, Gregor Blanco, and Joe Panik. The Lewis one now seems pretty odd to me. Unfortunately the Blanco one developed holes right around the time he left the team. Fortunately the Panik one is of high quality manufacture, so I can use it for many years to come.
All the others are generic, or for division, league, world championships.
T-shirts are totally different.
Yes, we enjoyed meeting you and Mrs. Kaepernick at the River Cats game!
Silly girl, I said basketball, you met Mrs. Igudala.
Timmy is always gonna be represented. It’s a good thing. Yes it is, Efrain–don’t go there. I mentioned on 6/21 (when I posted from Giants/Braves game at Suntrust in ATL), I saw a lot of Crawford jerseys as well. I think Craw has moved firmly into iconic status as well.
CF–yeah, we’ve seen some very good CF play…from teams we’ve played recently. Enciarte and Margot stick out, but it’s not just them. Then there’s us–with Span and Gorkys, the two WORST defensive OFs in the league. Sigh…
Sorry… I gotta keep this up… and you have reasons for lumping Gorkys in, but he is MUCH better than Span out there
He is. Gorkys is playing like a hungry, motivated guy who knows he’s getting a shot against all odds and actually has some confidence. It was striking last night.
Gorkys has outlasted Marrero, Williamson, Hill, Nunez, Ruggiano, and a cast of dozens whose names I no longer remember. And I think Bochy kept the right one. Parker deserves a decent look, and I think we’ll see Shaw, but G. Hernandez might indeed be that Blanco-type reserve outfielder in 2018 (the role he theoretically had this year).
I’m really happy Gorkys got to enjoy a 4-hit day in the bigs, no matter what the future holds, that’s pretty cool.
I was startled by Eric’s report last night, from listening to the Bochy radio show, that we shouldn’t expect to see Parker or Williamson because “if we do, that means we’re having a bad second half.”
We’ve talked about Williamson, and it’s clear Bochy has no use for him. Schulman even said so. But Parker? He was the Opening Day LF, and he ran into a wall and broke his collarbone to save Matt Moore. I’ve never been high on Parker’s chances to stick, but I’d hope he still deserves a chance to come back and play for the Giants this year, assuming he can get healthy.
Exactly. Parker seemed to be making a bit of progress as camp ended. And he ran into the wall for us! When he’s OK, he should get a look-see, just for that. It is not like we have outfielders to spare, anyway. (I’m concerned about Slater’s 2018 chances).
(Justifiably.)
OK, OK–I’ll stop picking on Gorkys! He has played better and Span/Pence are declining rapidly. Matthew’s description is spot on. Our OF really is the sinkhole to the foundation of this team.
I really like the idea of trading Pence to the Astros where he could be 4th/5th OF, platoon DH, PH, and veteran presence on an Astros team as close to a World Series in 2017 and 2018 as they have ever been.
Pence had a good run early in career in Houston, is from Texas, and evidently he and his wife have a business in Texas. He might be willing to go and be in a place in the American league for some productive baseball at the end of his career.
The Astros are loaded with minor league talent and their MLB team is mostly young players too.
“And we never saw the outfield sinkhole coming!”–said no one on this blog, ever.
Baseball is not a meritocracy anywhere but on the field, by and large, and even then you can’t include the umpires
His interview with Jon Miller was telling. He’s a nice young man trying to be successful for his wife and kids. Gotta respect that.
I remember he had a blog post around Opening Day on the Giants’ website about how thrilled he was to finally make an Opening Day roster. It was nice.
Petco Park posts “Fun Facts” about every hitter during their ABs. One for Gorkys I saw last night was that he was in three (3) Futures Games as a young prospect, the first one 10 years ago when he was only 20. I was surprised to see that anyone would be in the Future Game three times, but it definitely shows that at one point he was a prized prospect with some noticeable tools.
I saw one Crawford jersey. Maybe a Panik jersey. That was it. I was wearing the Lincecum no-hitter t-shirt since it was four years + one day since he did that at Petco Park. I saw a LOT of Lincecum jerseys and shirseys, and when you consider it’s over two years since he last threw a pitch in a Giants uniform, I thought it was interesting.
It was just startling to see the much-maligned Gorkys (and I’ve maligned him, too) so obviously outplay both Pence and Span. Besides the 4 for 4, he made a nice running catch down the LF line. Span is just awful out there with his jumps (or lack thereof), and what happened to Pence’s arm?
That one play where there was a sharply hit line drive single, pretty much right at Span…Pence was cheating towards CF, ran over right next to Span and fielded it, and the runner kept right on going on stretched a single to a double. No way should it have been anything but one base, but it was clear the guy knew from the crack of the bat that neither Pence nor Span could throw him out–and it wasn’t even close at second.
OK, back from the chiropractor and I need to riff a bit on the Span/Pence defense situation as I see it:
I didn’t watch Denard closely in his years in Minny or Washington, but I assume his body allowed his baseball instincts to make him a good outfielder. I now see a body that doesn’t allow that.
I’m not sure what you saw in person in Atlanta, but seeing these guys in person allows observations that TV doesn’t: how do they react at the pitch? What is their first step like? How is their burst on fighter balls? What is their route?
Span’s is slow and terrible. And, sadly, this season, so is Pence. Hunter’s body ( and I think eyesight) has betrayed him. Now, don’t get me wrong, many aging veterans can overcome some physical deterioration through smarts. Neither Span or Pence can do that.
Gorkys is not a great outfielder. He’s a singles hitter who may well have hit his high mark. He’s a markedly better all around outfielder than Pence and Span, and his arm is much better ( he has less refined instincts and makes Mental throwing errors too often). He’s not the long term answer. But…
This outfield, mostly because of Span, Pence and the failed plan of Mac and Parker, is one of the core reasons why this team has fallen apart. Way, way too many routine fly balls are doubles and triples. Pitchers then heave an extra 15, 20, or 40 pitches early in their outing.
At the plate, Span does look better. Occasional power, better average. But NOT a good leadoff threat, and too many at bats given away. Pence can’t see, or st least that’s all I can figure. He has always been fooled by off speed, but now he’s bailing like a bee hive unleashed on him.
So, our outfield is tremendously bad in the field. They hit with little to no power, the LF experiment crashed. The best OF is our 5th guy who was supposed to be a utility benchwarmer.
So, lump Gorkys in, but at least he can be decent while pulling minimum wage. The 2 high paid veterans are a disaster.
BOOM. Nice post
Dead on, especially the OF defense effect on pitching.
Y’all sounded great on Buster’s HR, and the ninth inning “Let’s Go Giants” chat. Way to represent!
Our CF is trash but the thing that baffles me about the Gs is they seem to show too much patience sometimes with guys when its obviously not working! Why is this i wonder?
Big contract…veteran respect. How long did they stick with Angel Pagan out there, and he was dreadful, too–and then they replaced him with a guy who’s just as bad or worse. At least Angel could occasionally outrun a ball, even when he got bad jumps.
I said in another post that Span’s defense is worse than his hitting is good. Span is definitely slower than Pagan. I don’t think pitchers are too afraid of a leadoff guy with a 4 SB, 3 CS line this late in the season. Pagan got pitchers thinking he’d go.
Of course he has no business leading off, except …. Bochy.
Panik’s my guy for the leadoff spot. He works deep counts and even if he makes an out you need to throw 6/7 pitches to earn that out.
Gorkys is one of these experiments that’s not working. If an OF’er is in the farms at 29 he’s not MLB caliber. I think Gorkys has given as much as he can to the G’s and it’s not enough. He’s a weak slap hitter with so-so defensive skills. If he’s really better than all the other OF’ers we’ve got in AA/AAA then we’re in bigger trouble than I thought.
Dyson was extremely disappointing. Lucky to get out of that. After baffling Sanchez, he made bad pitch after bad pitch.
Did Span fk up again – or was it the contrast with the Pads’ kid in CF?
Has anyone considered the possibility that both Putin and Trump both have Asperger’s Syndrome?
Just a thought. Carry on.
I’m pretty sure that late in the Obama years, a CIA assessment as to that being Putin’s diagnosis kind of leaked out, and then got kind of buried, since why insult another country’s leader like that? But it explains a lot.
Trump is just a morally depraved idiot. I’m not sure there’s a technical term for that, and why beat around the bush anyway?
The diagnosis I recall is ‘malignant narcissist.’
… AKA, major fkg asshole.
This sums it up nicely and raises a few questions regarding the the FO/Bochy: adaptable or obsolete? Can they blow it up or do they need to be part of the purge? To those who still think they have the talent right now, read it and weep….or just dismiss as fake whatever….
http://www.espn.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/81268/giants-must-take-wrecking-ball-to-lineup-at-trade-deadline
This is Pete’s type of article. Congrats. Who knows, maybe Pete’s the real oracle here.
I’m the opposite philosophy of Pete’s “wrecking ball”. Doing nothing at the trade deadline would be preferable. We have too little to sell for “wrecking ball” even to be carry-out-able.
Wrecking ball no, but management has to take off the blinders and realize changes need to be made. You cannot start 2018 with Span and Pence occupying two of the OF spots. Move one of them now for whatever you can get. Span worth more. Pull the trigger. We’re gonna need another starter, and it doesn’t appear that Beede is ready. Get him up here and find out.
Changes have to be made. No reason to wait.
Pence has had a fairly serious dropoff in BA and power this year (in HR and doubles). He’s going to be 35 next year so what could he bring in a trade? Very little. Span’s defense is worse than his batting is good. I think MLB teams know this so he’d also bring little. As for the other tradable pieces, well, they’re in the team core and you need to keep fan faves or AT&T will lead the league in no-shows AND Giants losses.
If this guy has any credible point ( and, to me, it’s grossly overstated and simplistic), the wrecking ball is needed for the stadium, based on design and difficulty to hit home runs in comparison to other parks.
Writers like this tend to jump ship onto new trends way too quick.
Yes, and “blow the team up” is one trend I’d like to stop. The writer’s article would decimate the team of fan favorites and if we had a bunch of unfamiliars out there what incentive would there be to show up at AT&T at all?
I’m not buying it either.
But wait … if the writer is correct, then being an outlier should be an even BIGGER advantage,. The other teams would not play as well there … except we know this isn’t the case. I think his premise is wrong: The NATURE of the game has not changed. The chosen strategy of an overwhelmingly number of teams has changed. The Giants were caught not having adjusted, perhaps. But you win by being the exception … Moneyball still wins
I wouldn’t dismiss it, nor would I entirely buy the argument. The Giants had the best record in baseball just 12 months ago and ended up in the playoffs. It’s hard to argue that the game has changed so dramatically in one year.
However, if it’s true that power is the thing in MLB like 3-pointers are in the NBA, then the Giants should (a) absolutely not trade Belt, who’s currently their best power hitter (b) considering trading Panik, who’s valuable but will never be a power hitter and (c) give lengthy opportunities to anyone in their system who has potential to be a good power hitter–Shaw, Parker, Williamson, Quinn in San Jose, Ramos–and (d) have a drafting strategy in the coming years that prioritizes power rather than contact hitting.
Interesting read; thanks for sharing.
I don’t think power can be like 3 pointers. You always have a pitcher with a ball who dictates the action. In basketball, the rules make it pretty darned to defend a shooter on a team with more than 1. Shooters have gotten better, and here we are. Pitchers can learn to pitch to launch-angle robots and hacks. Will they? Who knows? On the other hand, if baseball thinks it’s best future lies in a game of 3 outcomes, if it continues to move fences in, if it continues to allow unlimited relief pitchers and DL rules to supplement that strategy, and continues to use livelier balls, then who cares. The game will be dull and none of it matters.
This writer did not do enough homework to provide an article with insight.
The Giants as put together specifically the non-trade contracts and lack of near mlb talent in the system do not lend to a “wrecking ball” approach to team reconstruction.
Also as long as the Giants play half their games in ATT, HRs are not going to be as important as for most teams. Yes, the Giants need more power including 2B and 3B and more HRs would also be a plus but less runs are going to be score in San Francisco without a park modification. The analysis is like making a claim about MLB offense based upon games played in Coors Field.
It would be a grave mistake to blow up the Giants now and strip the franchise of the core group of major league players. That said a worthy goal is to reduce the age of the starting rotation and I can see trading Bumgarner and Cueto for quality, near sure mlb ready prospects but maybe niot for a season or two when some younger pitchers are on the team to step into their places.
IMO Sabean, Bochy. Evans, et al are past their primes and new minds are needed and a major restructure of the team under their reign is too likely to fail.
You know, baseball on Saturday morning with TWG is a beautiful thing. I’m sorry I’ve got to do errands and chores now. Carry on!
Giants baseball at 5 today? Sure….why not? At least it’s on a Saturday.
San Diego is hoping to get the fans to stick around and spend money in the Gaslamp district after the game. Not a bad deal.
It’s actually a great marketing plan. You can start the party early, then finish your day at the yard, or go to Petco for a ballgame, then evening party in the Gaslamp. What’s not to like?
We are heading up to La Jolla for a nice lunch on the water and a little window shopping. Back in time for the game, then a late bite (or hotel restaurant has good small plates and cocktails) afterwards. Life is not hard here.
There’s a couple of little spots on Mission Bay as well as La Jolla.
We’re going to George’s Ocean Tavern. Went there the last time I was at a conference at UCSD and really enjoyed the rooftop vibe and casual atmosphere. We’ve also eaten at George’s Moderne, the fine-dining place below, but I liked the Tavern better.
The early start if you’re driving in
So, Cueto looks to be shut down and off the trade market…Cain likely only missing the one start. Unless you folks think Beede or Suarez get a shot.
Well, Johnny was shaky again last night but they didn’t let Johnny continue and fall apart. So maybe they are saving him for next year. Just maybe.
I think he’s naturally off the trade market because of the blisters, and it has forced SF to “save” him for next year. He has Evans by the balls, and will opt in.
So you think cat’s out of the bag about his blisters so his sale value’s been diminished? If anything has diminished his sale value it’s his mediocre year .. which continued last night.
Even if he was perfectly healthy and pitching like he did last season, it was still going to be complicated to trade him because of his contract provisions. Add that he’s been unhealthy/ineffective, and I think it’s pretty close to impossible. IF a team wants him regardless, it would just be a salary dump, present and future, for the Giants.
I think so, and I’m not unhappy about that. Going into last season and this one, their #1 best asset was that lefty-righty stud tandem at the top of the rotation. Get both Bum and Cueto totally healthy for next year, and that’s still valuable. It’s not easy to find one, let alone two, pitchers of that caliber. HRs aren’t everything. Pitching still matters.
Yup..and if Marge can continue his gritty success, all this staff needs is Moore to pop his dome out of the orofice and pitch to expectations. Between Blach and a few kids, the 5th slot would be solid.
I’m less concerned about the starting staff. My big shining light of concern is the outfield
In my happy place, Moore has a nice second half, the Giants trade him in the winter, and Andrew Suarez takes his spot:
Bum
Cueto
Samardzija
Blach
Suarez or Beede
Not bad–good mix of styles, too. Set for a couple years between experience and young upside.
At this point Suarez is a better prospect than Beede who had had an underwhelming year at AAA in 2017.
I don’t know about that. Beede had an outstanding year in Richmond last year. I’ve watched a lot of his games since he turned pro, and I think he’s the whole package–power, offspeed pitches, improving command, developing poise. From what I’ve observed–and I actually met him in Sacramento a couple of months ago–he also is a great kid with tremendous makeup. I don’t know why he’s been up and down in AAA this year, but I still believe in him.
We saw Suarez in his first AAA start several weeks ago. He looks very talented. But I’m not ready to say he’s a better prospect than Beede. But why choose? Be great if the Giants hit on BOTH of them!
That would be tremendous!
Hence Sabean’s take from Baggs Q&A.
“If we’re not pitching this year and we don’t have the messiah coming from (the minors), or know yet how (prospects Tyler Beede or Andrew Suarez) could be plugged in next year, you still have to have enough pitching to compete. I’m still a firm believer, in the National League especially, your fortunes start with your starting pitching. So you have to somehow get the innings, and you have to map out who’s going to do that.”
Don’t forget Samardzija. Not a bad #3
Sorry missed Matty’s comment.
Yep …. because they are going to figure out how to pitch to the hackers. Then baseball either will be dreadfully boring, or they’ll start playing the whole game again
Cant they essentially push an opt in by shelving him? Then his value cannot be restored?
We’ll, that’s basically the result of this injury to me. Untradeable and makes the opt in a no-brained from Cueto’s perspective
So it looks like we’re left with opt in or out. To which do we pray for?
I don’t even know if Cueto knows which way he’s opting? He could hint that he’d love to go to a contender yet some guys like to be a big fish in a little pond like the current Giants. So who’s the real Johnny. I think the real Johnny is a gamer that wants another shot at glory.
I think the real Johnny (or the real anyone) knows that a guaranteed $84 million over the next four years–not to mention throwing to the best catcher in baseball and pitching in packed houses at the best pitchers’ park in baseball–is a pretty damn good bird-in-the-hand to have.
If he opted-in I wouldn’t be slightly disappointed. He’s having a tough year but this guy is gritty and battle tested. If he reverts back to the Cueto of 2016 he’d be a REALLY big “bird-in-the-hand”. Seems, though, like all the writer’s rumors lean to opt-out.
It’s an assumption because so far pitchers always DO opt out–with one exception, that I’ll mention in a minute. Greinke, Sabathia, etc.–if you have the opt-out, why not use it–you can even come back to the same team for more money/years if you like where you are.
The exception is James Shields, who had a dreadful season the year he could opt out, so he said no thanks, I’ll just play out my nice contract.
For Cueto to opt out, he’d have to have pretty good certainty that he could do better than what he’d get if he finished his deal with the Giants: $21 mil for the next four years, a fifth year team option with a buyout. $21 mil per for a 32-year-old is ace money. Cueto is not pitching like an ace this year. If his opt-out had been last year, it would have been a no-brainer. Now it’s not–especially if the blisters limit him in the second half from proving that he’s still worth ace money.
I’m good with “in” … I can dismiss a blister year as an aberration
Agree
So, besides Marcus Stroman and Cueto, how many other pitchers have complained about the baseballs being wound tighter and the seams aren’t raised and do those pitchers other than Stroman and Cueto developed blisters?
Price, Syndergaard, Arrieta…and I’m forgetting a couple. Google “blisters and pitchers”–there are a couple current articles on the topic.
Brisbee had a link:
https://theringer.com/mlb-pitching-blister-increase-baseballs-d585997d1857
I am mixed regards Cueto but favor “in”. He likely has several more highly productive seasons (and it is pointless to wear him down or risk injury in 2017).
I was put off early in the season when a writer said Cueto wanted to go elsewhere.
I am all for more Latins on the team — it is part of SF Giants history with Marichal, Cepeda, the Alous — and more winning. Maybe a 2nd DSL team?
Prospect watchers think the Giants need a second DSL team and a second AZL team. Apparently they have an unusually low number of rookie league teams compared to other organizations.
I have pointed out the Giants of rookie league teams several times her at TWG. About 2/3s the teams have 3 or 4. The Dodgers have four. The Yankees have five. The Padres have two in the AZL.
Lots more entry level and foreign players and career hungry players to sort through and stock the higher minors.
A culture of winning at all levels of the Giants organization is a good thing which requires more better players.
Requires more better scouts and and more better developers.
IMO it is time for the Giants to do a redo of the most of the front office and minor league system and that is what is necessary for an expanded minor league system with a culture of winning. bottom to top.
Same logic with Bum. No real reason to pitch him at all
I hope MadBum does good this evening.
What will be the scenario if he comes back with 3 or 4 poor starts?
I am all for a slow recovery period (and looking at young pitching) but that is not what is happening.
They have practically no young pitching.
Beede, both Suarez for a start but you are correct slim pickings.
Beede has been disappointing. We’ll see how Suarez does.
I said elsewhere in this thread that Beede has been disappointing in 2017.
Unless you factor in the nature of the beast, the nature of the game and the fact that without throwing a pitch the game was intended to be and is built on failure and how you handle it. Anybody can feel good when all things are perfect.
Blisters on the rise in all of MLB and has been chronicled by writers. Seams? Maybe the ball goes back to 2016 architecture and the blisters start going away.
Actually it was 2015, but good point. Pitchers are starting to notice the chnages in breaking ball characteristics lately to. In particular cut FBs aren’t snapping in the hands of users. It resembles a hanging slider, and goes about as far when hit too.
Needs to be in, because they will need a starter otherwise, so why not him?
Indeed, why not him.
Nah. They’ll put Cain back in the rotation, and that’s probably the best choice. Suarez has only been in AAA for a few weeks (Andrew, that is; Albert just got back there a couple days ago). Beede still needs work. If there’s another injury, though, wouldn’t be surprised to see one of them.
It really is amazing how things have gone this year. Injuries and suckitude have derailed their season? Normally you’d (1) trade off assets to re-stock and (2) play your best prospects to evaluate for the future.
So as to (1), their two valuable free agents were Cueto and Nunez–both injured. Nunez didn’t look right to me last night, especially after he tried to steal third (Belt fouled the pitch off) and he gingerly got up and walked slowly back to second. After that, he was not running out infield grounders. I think it would be hard to convince a buying team that Nunez is healthy to where they’d give up anything of note.
As to (2), their most intriguing prospects, Arroyo, Slater, and Duggar, are all dealing with serious injuries. Duggar is rejoining San Jose, I read, and they hope to get him to Sacramento quickly, but the fact is he’s missed over half a season of development, and Slater and Arroyo are missing the second half.
It’s just a perfect storm of hopelessness right now, which probably means the Giants will be really good in 2018.
Yep. Even years rock!
I remember after the disappointing 2011 season, nobody really thought the 2012 Giants were going to be much. They’d had a historically inept offense in 2011, and all they did to tweak the team–in a year when the free agent sluggers include Pujols, Fielder, Beltran, etc.–was trade for Melky Cabrera and Angel Pagan and sign a minor league free agent named Gregor Blanco. Yeah, the pitching was great, but Brian Wilson already had a sore arm. More mediocrity seemed in store.
It didn’t take much for the ill-fitting parts of 2011 to turn into a 94-game winner in 2012–and that was even with unexpected setbacks like Freddy Sanchez missing the whole season, Brian Wilson out after a week, and Tim Lincecum having the worst year of his career.
Sometimes teams will come together and surprise you.
Good points because they also show how fickle this game is year to year. We’ve got an epidemic of guys having low years in one respect or another but if they all turned high at once, who knows what 2018 could bring? Personally, because of our OF/pitching situations I’m thinking this rosy scenario could end up just bringing us to .500.
I’ve done the math. Everyone was six years younger in 2012 than they will be in 2018.
Calculator?
You had me at “Nah” …. said Helen Hunt to Jack Nicholson …
Can’t imagine how someone can deal with 3 blisters.
So 110 losses possible?
Back to the ESPN Sweet Spot “take a wrecking ball to the Giants” article. There is some usefulness there–he’s right that a modern NBA team can’t ignore three-point shooting and that a modern MLB team can’t ignore home runs–but there are some false analogies, too.
Take the Warriors this year. They have two of the best three-point shooters in NBA history, but they were not successful because they were a “three-point-shooting team.” In fact, several other teams, like Houston and Cleveland, shot more 3s at a higher rate.
The Warriors had their sharpshooters, of course, but they were the total package: an outstanding defensive team, an outstanding passing team, good at scoring in the paint (because those shooters drew the opposing defense), and even this year good at free throws. That made them transcendently good, but they were not ALL about the threes.
How does this apply to MLB? You need power. You also need pitching and defense. You need it all. The Dodgers have it all, and that’s why they’re in first place. The Giants don’t need to stop caring about pitching and defense (that’s the false analogy). Defense helps pitching, and run prevention wins games, too. But they need to adapt their contact hitting philosophy, in drafting, developing, and coaching, to have more of a balance.
It’s interesting that Belt has always seemed like he’s out of step with the Panik/Crawford/Posey/Duffy type model, but he’s actually the prototype hitter that the ESPN writer describes, with the true/three-outcomes stats. The fact that Belt seems like an oddball to some fans and even some within the organization says more about the Giants than it does about Belt himself.
ESPN analysis, are, for the most part, a mile wide and an inch deep. They have simple minds, and think simple thoughts. As you suggest power is important, but not at the exclusion of everything else.
The other point is park factors. The Astros can have mashers. So can the Rockies. Other NL West teams need to build to their parks, and the Dodgers have to play a number of games in SF and SD. For that matter, Dodger Stadium, while not SF, isn’t really homer-happy either.
True. If you look at Dodger stadium though, there it’s a night/day issue as opposed to AT&T. I suspect there is an entirely different set of park factors for Chavez before 7PM vs after.
There’s no good reason not to get rid of the dumb, gimmicky triples alley.
So true but I’d proceed to rebuild all of RF. The walls are a zillion feet high.
I’m ok with that because I think the walls look nice and add character, but if you hit a ball 420 feet, it ought to be a home run.
The RF walls DO contribute to much of the aesthetic uniqueness of AT&T but you can’t get high liners over those damned walls. Only towering shots reach those seats.
Why don’t they just convert Pebble Beach to a putt putt course? It’s unique and well worth preserving.
Yet Puig, their 8th hitter AND A GUY THEY REALLY DONT RELY ON will hit about 25/85/250.
There you have it.
Giants are done for about 3-4 seasons unless they really redo a great deal of the org/team.
Should be humanly impossible but when the fly ball HUNG up for awhile longer it gave Cespy a chance to get behind the ball and ‘come through the ball’.
https://www.mlb.com/video/statcast-cespedes-96-mph-throw/c-1605291283?tid=73955164
Good late morning all. Myself and Mrs. Crawnik headed to the lovely foothills of Tuolomne County today for some fun. Will catch MadBum dominating the Friars tonight as we make it two straight to the start the “second season”. Lefty, hope you’re having a blast down there. Have a Sculpin or a Ballast Point for me!
Yumm, and Slurp https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/e862e80dbe5d0562bc426edb540bc71baf37093a5f16d7bdb7f6dbd370f0674d.jpg
God resides in Yosemite when he has some free time on his hands ..
Funny number. Bumgarner has thrown about 3 times as many pitches on the road this year than at home, ~100 to ~300. He has really been starved of any ‘home cooking’. Kershaw, just for comparison, has thrown about 50% more at home. ~1100 at home vs about 800 on the road. He’s lived off home cookin.
Where do you guys head when you do that? It’s been so long since I’ve gone home that I have no idea where the fun hangouts are
Sorry. Was on the road. Black Oak Casino. They have a killer sports bar below the gaming.
For TO’s Video Library https://www.mlb.com/video/hernandezs-four-hit-game/c-1607554483?tid=8878828
One of the best quotes of the night….”Jose Alguacil was hollering to Johnny in two different languages to ‘get back’ to the bag.”
https://www.mlb.com/video/cuetos-rbi-single/c-1605580783?tid=6479266
Are people really thinking the Giants will be contenders next season?
We are thinking they could be. It’s up to the players who should be in their primes to rediscover their games, and of course it’s up to the FO to make baseball moves instead of marketing decisions. Right now, any team playing .500 is in the playoffs, right?
I hope the organization is thinking more realistically.
The alternative is almost nothing. If the talent is gone from these players in their normal prime years, then they cant be traded and the team has to eat 9 figures worth of contracts … all without many prospects. So what would “realistically” look like? Not arguing, just wondering.
What I don’t want to see is the team making moves like they’re just a player away, like signing some expensive free agent outfielder who is in his 30s.
Correct
So ONLY 20 year olds with no game experience are on your list?
They better call upon you then for better advice.
They should ask you. After all, Davenport was your neighbor, so you just have special knowledge. Of course, you don’t seem to have too many actual opinions, but maybe you could develop some.
What opinion(s) would you like or make you happy. I tend to like to guess as to what the Giants will do versus what fans would do or versus what fans would like to happen. One is much more important than the other and shows great breadth of acumen. Yep Branson Drive/San Mateo Village/San Mateo 94403.
I think the Giants as contenders in 2018 is conceivable.
Some returns to previous form.
Adds from free agents.
Returning in injured players.
Several minor leaguers having success at MLB.
Better managing.
Lots of teams historically in MLB have gone worst to first and vice versa …
Sure they have, but that’s the exception. The optimistic, IMO, norm is 3 years, while bad management can triple that time frame. You can pick your pony, but a long shot is still a long shot.
IMO, no matter whether it’s the long or short time frame, they aren’t going to do it without becoming substantially more reliant on 21st century analytical tools than they currently are. When normalized to their competitors they’ve proven they can neither draft nor develop as well as their competitors.
If your starting pitching is solid, you can do it in one
The odds of that being a norm is slim and none. With the Giants, the most generous you can grade is a solid ‘C’. Plus, the pipeline seems empty of legitimate ace material. IMO, nothing is going to rescue the Giants from having to play real three dimensional baseball.
Of course it’s a C this season.
But, honestly… think about this:
Bumgarner – still young, strong and incredibly talented
Cueto – suffering blisters and having an off year. Is he going to be the 2016 or 2017? You and I don’t know
Samardzija – you think he’s a lunkhead, but he is arguably one of the most solid #3 in the league
Moore – the key. If he can get his shit together, who knows
Blach or whoever – be .500
I’m not saying “likely”, but “slim and none” is too dismissive
With the exception of Bumgarner, perhaps, but I’m dubious of the rest. I hope you’re right, but head says no, while heart hopes so. One of the best split stats to get a read on a pitchers is 3rd time through the order numbers, and this staff isn’t sterling there.
Apparently this guy is at the top of his game
http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/sf/team/frontoffice_bios/goldfarb_yeshayah.jsp
http://www.jweekly.com/2010/11/05/unknown-hero-helps-make-giants-world-series-champions/
Saber numbers don’t allow for career bad years.
I’m not talking about ‘saber numbers’ even a little bit. They just, IMO, stink at breaking a player down and coaching his skill set to an optimum. The game is coming around to subsetting elements of a players performance to metrics that give he and his coaches elements of his game to work on he or they may not even recognize.
I think their performances suck but how do you eliminate the factor that the position player up at the plate has 8 defenders with gloves out in front of him trying to catch a ball off the bat and one other player squatting behind him also trying to beat that hitter.
How many times have we seen hitters JUST STAY ALIVE By barely fouling off a pitch and then winning the game with some type of bloop hit.
CU, you can’t fix it if you don’t know it’s broken, or what is broken. Baseball isn’t a swing, it’s the sum total of a months or seasons swing. You can’t manage a raw skill’s development when your differentiating good and bad on something like hitting where .260 is average and .300 is excellent. That difference is the difference in maybe 4 swings out of as many as 400 in 100 ABs. The event is not the process that gets you to the event.
There is no doubt we can contend next year. But these things need to happen.
— get an outfielder with pop. I suggest 2 outfielders.
— sign another frontline starter.
— bullpen will be great when everyone is healthy.
Lineup
Someone with speed
Panik
Posey
Someone with pop!
Belt
Pence
Crawford
Arrorryo
Who, and how much more guaranteed money do you think they should give to players in their 30s? Your scenario has $30 million (Pence and Span) sitting on the bench. They need to get younger, not older.
I’m just telling you what they need to contend. Managements job is to see the flaws and fix them with smart moves. Right now .. They are not being smart.
They’ve been smart enough to win three World Series. That era is over. It’s not nearly as simple as saying add someone with pop and add someone with speed. Here’s the upcoming free agent list. Who should they sign?
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/08/2017-18-mlb-free-agent-list.html
Let’s see where they stand after the trade deadline. They have 2 hall of famers and a good infield core. I think this team is underperforming and will have a strong second half.
I’m wondering if they might panic on Cueto and give him away for next to nothing, just to avoid being on the hook for his contract. I hope not.
I think they shoujd try to keep him. Unless they get something juicy for him.
The best thing they could do is to do nothing. They need to find out if guys like Shaw, Slater, Duggar and Arroyo are really players. They absolutely do not need to give Bochy any more veterans that he can use to block those guys. In fact, they absolutely do not need Bochy, but they’re not going to fire him and he may be too stubborn to leave on his own.
Slater is done for 2 years. I agree with this but we have to trade someone. Who do you want to trade?
I’m very much in favor of trades, but only if they believe they’re receiving good value in return. I wouldn’t trade anyone just for the sake of making a trade. For me, value would be the only consideration. Everyone would be a possibility. As I’ve said, with the agreement of no one, I’d definitely look to trade Bumgarner, assuming he returns and pitches like himself.
If Bumgarner is still with the Giants in 2020, he’ll be turning 30 and have 11 big league seasons under his belt, although the first two were not full seasons. That’s a lot of mileage. If he’s still pitching well at the time, he’ll get a 6-7 year deal for somewhere around $250 million. We’ve seen Zito and Cain. We’ve seen what happened to Lincecum. Sure, Bumgarner seems to be part Superman and maybe he could be the exception, but what are the odds? Not great, I submit.
So the other alternatives are to lose him to another team and get a draft pick in return, or trade him for a Chris Sale-like haul. Even if Bumgarner pitched well throughout a huge free agent deal, the young talent they might be able to acquire by trading him might still end up being more valuable.
So MLB historically has only had valued rosters of 25 guys from 19 to 29 ?
They will have a hard time trading anybody, Nunez is tradable but can not stay healthy, Cueto the same plus an opt out are a opt in for 84 Million . Melancon is untradable with his health, performance , and his contract, Belt makes 17.2 Million a year for the next 4 years at a position with lots of depth and with guys making way less, like Alfonzo of the A’s .
What is the difference between a Veteran who is good vs a Veteran who is no good. Which exact age would that be?
You will know it when you see them play , for some it is 31, for some it is 38 .
Agreed. Span has aged rather rapidly.
Great response.
So it is MORE when you SEE them play with our own eye balls vs their running game day stats?
No, the stats back it up, for example, Hank Aaron and Eddie Mathews were the stars of The Braves in the late 50s and early 60s, Matthews was a star at an early age, set records for HRs for his young age, but by his Early 30s he was pretty much done and Aaron was great into his late 30s .
There is wild variability from player to player. I took Clutch’s question to mean “When do average MLB players end their prime years”. If bbref would/could calculate it, I bet that the prime years end at 33 or 34. I think the vast majority of 35 and over start their fade.
I’d peg age 33 or 34 as the ages when the knee in the performance curve is reached (the end of the “prime” years).
BS. Whether entering, or exiting, he’ll be a part of the ‘return’ or fix. This fetish is going to damage you if you don’t get a handle on it.
Wish I could be as rosy as you, Pac, but asking for two high quality OF and another frontline starter is not a wish list that Santa can fulfill. You want 3 high impact players at just the right positions on the field to fall into our laps. Ain’t been happening from the minors and other MLB teams don’t just want to give away top talent.
If we didn’t have so many guys all having bummer/injured years AT THE SAME TIME we might be able to answer your question with more objectivity. We’re certainly not a .385 team in principle. Do I think we’re good enough to be real contenders? No. People point to 2016 but we only got to the playoffs by virtue of a freakishly good first half. The second half humbled us right into … this year.
Blow the shit up:
http://www.espn.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/81268/giants-must-take-wrecking-ball-to-lineup-at-trade-deadline
http://es.pn/2tqJRpZ
Most of this blog and the Giants front office are in denial about this, they come back with what about the 2012 Giants that were last in MLB in HRs and won it all, yes I guess it is possible, if you have at least 4 starting Pitchers having close to great years, a shut down bullpen, 4 or 5 position players having career years, 3 of them hitting 0ver.336, and having enough team speed to lead MLB in triples . That is a small margin of error. The current Giants have pretty much none of that .
Blow the Sept up !!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkwK7xfu8yw
You know, I’ve never seen an episode. Maybe Netflix gets it in years to come and I’ll take a look.
The books are even better, but it’s one heck of a show. Unparalleled production for a TV series. And the music is incredible. Great organ work,eh? A little Phillip Glass-esque.
Can’t wait for tomorrow!!
Diamondbacks interested in JD Martinez. That would make for one explosive lineup. Not many orgs with thinner farm systems than Giants and DBacks are one of them. Should be interesting to see if they can pull that off.
People here rant about Player X being terrible, the worst signing, generational wealth, wrong lineup, bad jump, no closing speed – but what really bothers fanatics (those who only root for one team most of the time) is that the majority of those players *performances* – are below par for the fanatic’s benefit.
Whoever defended that player ‘won the moment’ etc. If the local player succeeds = ‘he won that at bat/moment’.
Last night Span was one for five with one RBI. His one RBI was the so called game winner since the Padres never tied the game after Span’s Rbi.
Ground out unassisted 3U
Ground out 4-3
Ground out 6U
Single to RF (Ground Ball); Hernandez Scores;
Panik to 3B – (Ball bounced over head of Padre first baseman by a matter of inches.)
Ground Ball Double Play: 2B-SS-1B
Game before all star break – extra inning loss – Span goes Two for Six.
Fly ball: LF
Fly ball: CF (Deep CF)
Single to 3B (Bunt to Short 3B Line)
Double to RF (Fly Ball to Deep CF-RF); Gillaspie Scores
Flyball: RF (Deep CF-RF)
Flyball: LF (Deep LF-CF)
Some balls put into play become outs by a matter of inches
Some balls put into play become hits by a matter of inches
Some balls are caught due to great position w/good first step
Some balls fall in due to bad first steps + poor first read.
That’s why you want large sample numbers. It all comes out in the wash then.
Am I allowed to title this year The Season Of Lost Monents?
What should we choose as a Sound Track ?
I checked in to see if you guys were talking about this. Perhaps you already have. Surely the Giants will not bring back Pablo Sandoval. In what universe would that make any sense for our team during this difficult awful year, or in any year for that matter?
Probably not …
Alex sums it up:
Alex Pavlovic 1 hr ago:
Sandoval spent a year planning exit, left under bad terms, ripped the organization, got bad at baseball, now reportedly wants to return?
….And also denied that was him on the plane heading out of SFO to Boston….
I’d welcome him back with open arms! Of course, if I couldn’t reach all the way around him, I’d say, “Pablo, you know I love you like a son, but you’ve got to lose about 100 pounds and get rid of that leech brother of yours and publicly apologize to everyone on this team and all the fans, agree to an interview with the Greek Giant, post regularly on the TWG blog, and a few other demands I’ll have from the fake GMs on the blog and various Facebook sites.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the National Governors Association:
“Canada is a confident, creative, resourceful and resource-rich nation. We are a wealthy and influential country by world standards. But we are also a country of 35 million people living next door to one roughly 10 times our size and the world’s only superpower. My father, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, once compared this to sleeping next to an elephant. While you, my American friends, may be an elephant, Canada is no mouse. More like a moose — strong and peaceable but still massively outweighed.”
Am I going to have to read this about 3 times to get it? Or should I read The Mouse That Roared again?
When you’re right, you’re right. Justin Trudeau can be subtle. I thought you would enjoy the shout out!
Surely Sandoval is not coming back. Arroyo is now on the verge of taking that spot, instead of being “in the future” when Sandoval’s contract renewal was going on. And 3B is a bit of a strength position now, considering Hwang and Nunez and Gillaspie all do their best there.
But I’m happy as a clam to see you coming back (once in a while, anyway).
It’s awfully hot here and I’m working on several projects, which includes taking care of two lawns. The in-town lawn is mostly yellow and I’m not sure our lovely Virginia Creeper all along the fence will make it past this hot, dry spell. Some of the leaves have already turned red, their fall color!
Probably normal temps for July here, but almost no rain, so I haven’t needed to use bug repellent on my walks. We planted trees on the circle of land enclosed by our side street, so I’m watering the two closest to my home a lot. More water goes the rhododendron and wych hazel. We have a lot of that Virginia Creeper here, it is native, and it seems OK in the shade of my woods. The farmers will be wanting rain on their corn pretty desperately.
Apologies to those who don’t like the lawn and weather reports from MT and IA!
There’s supposed to be a thunderstorm this afternoon. I’m praying for rain, lots of rain. With minimal lightning.
I dig em. Always watering something round these parts. I’d hate to bore you with details but maybe I’ll send a picture of some tomatoes and melons and okra and stuff.
As for the Giants, word is that some Giants people have spoken behind the scenes about the possibility, and they suggest it could be a consideration – though officially, they aren’t talking about it. Asked Saturday about a possible Panda reunion, Giants GM Bobby Evans would only say, “I can’t get into speculation one way or other on a player under contract elsewhere.”
Well, as it turns out, Sandoval not a year after that interview fired that agent, Gustavo Vasquez (and also, not insignificantly, his older brother Michael Sandoval, who worked with Vasquez). And now he wants to go back to the Giants.
It would be a good idea, in my opinion, for the organization to ask the players who were around in the Sandoval years for their thoughts, before doing this. It remains my opinion that there’s no good reason to do this, as the Giants need to get Arroyo/Hwang young.
Oh you mean Hwang who is 29 yrs old?
Did you know Pablo is only 30? And he’s had way more success in the majors then these guys may ever.
This is from Jon Heyman’s rumor story, right?
Howdy. Who says we live in sensible times? The universe spins and spins, hopefully without a Sandoval return…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2jPdb4kJ8M
Which home grown Giant Player would get or does get a special dispensation similar to David Wright of the Mets – for his inability to return to his great form of yesteryear?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Wright
* Cain ?
Wright is making lots of Money for hardly playing the last 3 are 4 years, is that what you mean .
Cain beaned Wright in 2009, so there’s a connection.
Pablo Sandoval would like to return to the Giants: mlbtraderumors.com/2017/07/pablo-…
That is why they are called rumors …
Mic drop
You can sign Pablo and put him at first after you trade Belt for prospects. That would be an even swap for a bat or a possible upgrade at the bat.
If Rudy T – could and did forgive Kermit W – then anything among mortal humans is possible between PS48 and the Giants Front Office.
http://www.chron.com/sports/rockets/article/Rudy-T-Washington-move-beyond-The-Punch-2111356.php
I don’t see forgiveness as the issue. Pablo Sandoval “got bad at baseball” while he’s been away. The Giants do not need a reclamation project. And where would they put him? Third base is covered.
Well his harsh words would need to be forgiven as Baggs has talked about but if he could EVER get down to the weight he was at San Jose – hitters of his ilk don’t wake up one day and forget how to hit. But like you said third base is covered. I don’t think it is covered by Nunez however, mostly Arroyo and Jones.
1B LH platoon option when Belt is traded.
Pablo is no longer a MLB 3B option, but he could play 1B decently.
How about 10 months on Jenny Craig and 2 months binge-eating back home?
dgg! Good to hear from you!
Hope all is well with you and your family tf62!
Played basketball 3 years ahead of Kermit in college
Steph and Father Dell with Aaron Rodgers and others having fun at the Lake
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/5770c61c359fe22e9ccc3c3cfa590cb7c953e832177b9a382bda791c23b20116.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/add6dab38407e97863113ec5e2db448e04bd708c259062af1322ade7b225352c.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/21f775b408fdee60b004a7584fd12680b7ba0b07cd8addf594305818459a5d7e.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/cb2382a3908ee17cba90c748d9472d1bbbdcb2ec334b759dcce66d2f037622c8.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/445024c47411f4921762d41c5e5366ad39fe57fa6ada91c9b735f040c19f38e4.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/292914191649141027ced720e310bc4611b192be98ddaf11e659ea8bd24a20bc.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/3fb5d1f5a50f53079afd9ce08a94067981ce9f691a8c7371e38d8a74a695853c.jpg
Does the Home Plate Umpire on the 3-2 pitch with two outs have the Plums to ring up the Padre batter if he did not swing the wood?
http://m.mlb.com/video/v1607584483/sfsd-dyson-retires-blash-with-bases-loaded-for-save/?game_pk=491443&partnerId=ed-11696098-55341579#
Living through the uncertainty of Pablo’s next stop – heck, well we’ve lived through this 2014 gaffe by Blanco that hit the ground and *skimmed* to the base of the fence, and then Juan Perez reaches to pick it up and instead it rolls about 8 feet away from him and THEN Perez short hops Crawford ….. Had that ball rolled further away from Perez than it did – The KC third base coach starts up Gordon and he scores easily.
http://m.mlb.com/news/article/100059012/statcast-royals-alex-gordon-stops-at-third-in-ninth-in-game-7/
Yup, we almost got done in by “The Fumbled Fumble”. The play gave me weird psychedelic effects because it seemed like Gordon took forever to reach third.
They say a Batter/Runners double-triple or Inside the park HR is made possible by the route he runs the first thirty feet. When I watched Gordon out of the box and again now – he’s running speed is what it is because his eyes picked up Blanco coming in for the catch. He then had to semi-restart and then again as he heads into 2nd he chops his steps rounding the bag and again up grades his foot speed tempo in order to get to third. And – as he approached third his mind and body were not on the same page IMO.
It was a complex double blunder that appeared to take forever mainly because the camera’s were focused on it and NOT on Gordon’s running. Gordon’s running was only flashed upon or bottom-of-screen when he was between 2B and 3B. But poor Gordon had two major decision points. After Blanco’s muff, was it going to skitter far enough to get a double? Then after the Perez muff was it going to skitter far enough to get a triple? These decisions made a major change in Gordon’s MOMENTUM between bases.
Yet I bet to this day in KC Gordon’s running is called into question on that play. “He could’ve tied the 7th game!!” However, due to camera underemphasis of his run, you didn’t see his momentum changes, starts and restarts. Of course, if Gordon had ESP and knew how the play would unfold in advance he’d have gotten an HR maybe without even a slide. I’m glad we won but I feel sorry knowing that Gordon will always be remembered for his slow trip to third. Blanco and Perez will be totally forgotten but not Gordon.
Baggarly said the same thing as I did, only better.
http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/07/15/if-pablo-sandoval-truly-wants-to-be-a-giant-again-heres-how-it-could-happen/
Good schtuff.
Your stuff was pretty good, too!
I like this. All Sandoval has to do is make a strong commitment to hard work, playing in the minors forever with no guarantee to make the team, delayed gratification, good nutrition, not overeating, and losing weight. Fat chance.
Fat chance? Did you say fat chance?
Should they trade him?
https://twitter.com/jonmorosi/status/886331655157403649
NO! OK, what’s the package? Shark has been our best starter for the past 6-8 weeks. What’s the offer?
Not sure, but considering what the White Sox got for Jose Quintana, Giants could acquire one of their top prospects.
Quintana’s track record is a lot better than Samsrdzija’s .
That’s your opinion
Conceivable to walk out of a trade for Samardzija with one of CFers Derek Fisher or Teoscar Hernandez and an MLB ready pitching prospect, one of their big arms.
Any trade package including Derek Fisher and Joe Musgrove would be ideal for the Giants. But that’s highly unlikely for just Samardzija.
Musgrove should be gettable. Should ask for Martes and work from there.
No that is a fact. Quintana has a career 3.51 ERA and Samardzija has a 4.09. This year both have similar ERA’s with Quintana at a 4.49 vs Samardzija at 4.58 however Samardzija plays in the most favorable pitchers park.
http://www.espn.com/mlb/stats/parkfactor
Career ERA’s , Career WAR, were teammates Pitching in the same home ball park, results much better for Quintana than for Samardzija, do not let facts get in the way of your good story .
Wait, they can’t trade Samardzija, I just finally learned how to spell his name.
Smardzija since the start of May is 4 and 6 with a 3.84 ERA and 3 no decisions. In the 3 no decisions the Giants are 2-1. The Giants are basically 6-7 in Smardzija starts. For a team some 20 games plus under 500, that is pretty good. As a front line pitcher, that is not the numbers you would like to see.
Interesting. That’s a farm system you want to do business with. Bobby, take all calls. Be shrewd.
OF COURSE THEY SHOULD.
Question: Why should / would they keep him, how is that in best interest of the team?
They need some semblance of major league talent in that starting rotation.
For what? I’m just asking, since we know the team as is will not compete for a PS position for a few years perhaps. Why stay with overpriced veterans when the goal should be to get leaner, younger and cheaper.
Depends on who they’re willing to give up. I would like to give this current roster a longer look with a healthy MadBum, healthy Will Smith, and a healthy OF because this team is better than their record indicates.
Wow, just wow !
so much about this team tells us it’s not enough. You actually think that the difference between a 100 loss season is a healthy Bum and Smith and MAYBE another outfielder?
So who is this outfielder?
And given the amount of money this team is already on the books for, HOW are they going to pay this OF?
I know you don’t want to hear this, but this Giants era is over, time to move on. Posey should be the only constant, everyone else should be expendable.
Again, that’s why it depends on who the Astros are willing to give up. Like it or not, Samardzija’s been our best SP this season.
If Astros are giving up pennies for a dollar, are the Giants really benefitting from that?
Any trade depends on what you get back. Of course they should listen on Samardzija, but they shouldn’t trade him just to make a trade.
It’s virtually the same roster that held the best record at the break last year. You think my point has no basis? THis team certainly still has that in them, you don’t just suddenly lose that winning edge. That’s why it’s worth giving this team a longer look.
They’re only few months removed from winning 7 of 10 games to make the playoffs, and only 3 years removed from winning it all.
Hoona, we are 3 or 4 outfielders away from “good”. Your other points are fine. But, it’s literally much too late for Span and Pence to have “health” make a difference. And this Slater injury us a big, big deal…there’s no one else that can be remotely counted on
OF just needs to be adequate. Doesn’t need to be an all-world talent roaming around in CF. Span just has that noodle arm reputation around the league now, which is hard to erase and Pence hasn’t been healthy or motivated all year. Span is the problem but Pence when motivated and healthy is a more than capable RFer.
Doesn’t need to be a complete overhaul of the entire roster, it just needs some tweaks here and there, and needs more depth.
I’ve said this before- Giants have achieved more with less in the past.
Nowhere near “less” in the OF…I am staunch in the belief that this OF defense is absolutely destroying this team and these pitchers.
Some on here and the Giants brass are trying to tell people the Giants will be contenders in 2018, with Starting Pitching being the strength of the team, so if they trade the Shark for prospects, that would make that claim a joke, even if it is anyway .
who knows what they will do. But they need to infuse their farm with more talent and quick. Shark could bring them a package.
The Astros have the #11 prospect on Baseball America’s list, Kyle Tucker, a 20 year-old right fielder who’s hitting about .290 this season with 17 HRs. He’s split the season between A and AA, and has done equally well in both places. Not sure Samardzija could pry him loose.
They also have another rightfielder, Derek Fisher, who’s 23 and ranked #54. He’s hitting .300 with 19 HRs and a .923 OPS in Fresno (AAA). If you prefer pitching, they have two pitchers who are ranked in the top 50.
Derek Fisher is the player I’m interested in. He’d be a nice pickup, and their top two pitching prospects, Francis Martes and David Paulino, have been called up and made spot starts this year but I’m not sold on either of them. Both of them seem to lack control. Joe Musgrove would be a better get than any of their top pitching prospects.
Franklin Perez, a 19 year-old starter ranked #32, who is having a nice season in AA.
good research
Possible
If they can’t get one or more of the Astros’ very top prospects, they have no reason to make the trade.
exactamundo – but Parker would be untouchable.
errr, Tucker
No
Maybe the beginning of R&R. First recorded in 1949 by Fats Domino.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PxJeYkRUXI
How about Blueberry Hill?
Not in 1949, when he first recorded this tune.
Been a while since one of these days…
https://twitter.com/PavlovicNBCS/status/886337620342591488
And, the lineup just got longer, too.
That’s a good blog argument. Should Mad Bum bat 5th?
You’re right, we could really get our teeth into that question. My answer is give him a game to get his eye back in a bit. What would you say to then putting Bum at 8th, and Nunez/Span as the 9/1 double leadoffs?
Permutations!
His SLG% is higher than the #5 hitter, the #6 hitter and the #7 hitter combined .
Kyle Schwarber is really on the market for young pitching from the Cubs.
We already have OFers with Schwarber’s defensive skills.
But, if power is a legitimate goal, no one on the team or in MiLB for the Giants has that. I’m not so much as selling him as asking the question, what do the Giants think. LF is still a desert here, with rain way over the horizon. It’s sort of a put up or shut up deal for the Giants.
Half of our games are in a very big outfield, and there’s Colorado too. Fielding is important. Schwarber spent 11 days with the Iowa Cubs to try to find his bat, I haven’t paid much attention to his hitting after his return to the big Cubs. His hitting might be a bit suspect too – very young player, after all.
True, but as a hypothetical, it’s a sensible proposition. LOL, Duvall rule. The Cubs LF situation is a bit like out 3b situation, multiple candidates.
Getting a clean up hitter, with HR power at home, seems like a dream. The Oracle is busy at work figuring out how to turn Samardzija into OF prospects down below. He might be on a better track.
LOL. OK. I’ll help you keep an eye on that great idea.
BTW, Schwarber hit .343 with an RC+ of 199 in his short Iowa stint.
Yes. He got a lot of ink in my local paper. Said all the right things about wanting to regain his hitting stroke, and the need to listen to his coaching. Put some butts into the stadium, too, I’m sure. But today I can’t think of hearing anything about his hitting after returning to MLB, which some in these parts think was influenced by wanting to show case him for trades. I am quite certain he’s available.
He’s been up, and hasn’t shown much in 50-60 ABs. Nice article in FG about him. He’s something of a victim of film analysis that found his swing holes. One might say he’s where TO’s D-man was in his first year with the Reds and second half last year.
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/kyle-schwarber-is-not-bad-at-baseball/
The roster move to activate Bumgarner turned out to be Cueto to the DL.
Golly Gee. Is this a metaphor for the season?
New post: http://fe0.84e.myftpupload.com/pregame/happy-bumgarner-day/