by
Greek Giant
Ervin Santana, the second coming of Pedro Martinez, Madduxed the Giants last night in an Orange Friday notable for how its dominant pitching performance. Throwing a Maddux (a complete game shutout in less than 100 pitches) is one of the more impressive feats in baseball, indeed in all of sports. Last night the Giants had no chance against Santana’s slider. Matt Moore was typically Matt Moore and at this stage of the season with an ERA around 5, it might be time to simply accept Matty Mo for the pitcher he is (an agonizingly inconsistent pitcher who is prone to disastrous losses of control and the big hit) and not fantasize for the pitcher he isn’t (an ace-like lefty).
There was not much to cheer about last night apart from Aaron Hill’s triple.
Move along, nothing to see here. Ervin Santana might win the Cy Young in the AL this season and there is no shame in getting humbled by the ghost of Pedro Martinez.
Breckeroni says she missed the TWG gang, but–talking about the last few Giants games and last night’s Warriors game? Eh, not so much.
The recess was well timed
Dubs are fine. Better they win it at home and rock the Oracle and their fans.
Giants? Yeesh.
It was expected:
1) highly motivated opponent
2) they exerted a TON of effort to win #3
3) NBA Whistle Blisters (22 FT in the first quarter set the tone)
4) Kylie and Lebron were incredible
Dubs are better. Cavs are tougher…now we get to see if the Dubs have matured and grown after last season. They all have some demons to exorcise
That was one of the worst exhibitions of officiating I’ve ever seen in any sport. That confusion about whether or not Dray was ejected–unbelievable. Since when does an NBA game last longer than a Giants game?
I fully expect the same in #5…my theory on the Dray is they knew they were exposing themselves to game fixing even more if THAT play got Dray ejected, and simply revised history.
This is much like last year…if you can slow the game and create tons of stops, the Warriors are denied their flow. They did the same in #3, but the Dubs won anyway.
I am praying that Danny Crawford is crew chief for 5. If not, this series can literally get stolen away.
Also…in my book Zaza gets one more chance, and then he gets Bogutted. The benefits he bring are being destroyed by the disasters he’s creating.
Zaza has been awful, just awful. It’s agonizing watching him commit offensive fouls, not get rebounds and foul Kyrie and Lebron driving down the lane as they score. Kerr needs to play McGee more and then go small. And that was the worst officiating display I’ve ever seen. An absolutely embarrassing first quarter with one team on pace to shoot ONE HUNDRED free throws. But this year is different. I think the Warriors pull away in Game 5 and win convincingly.
Its funny. I honestly thought that the Warriors were going to come back to win the entire game, regardless of how far down they were. It wasn’t until like 3 minutes left that it finally felt over.
Cavs had to play a perfect game, at full speed. That’s basically what it takes to win against this team. Hard to see them sustaining that in Game 5.
I believe they’re fine, too. I must admit to being a tad triggered by last night’s game, though…the refs…the loss of composure…the hostile crowd…
However, I see no scenario in which Draymond gets suspended for Game 5–Zaza possibly, but not that likely–so at least that much will be different.
I think I’m here! I think I’m here!
I have missed TWG big time! Love talking baseball with y’all.
the boys are back. thanks greek…hi doc. why exactly was panik sitting after hitting a HR his last game?
https://americansongwriter.com/2016/05/thin-lizzy-boys-back-town/?slide=undefined
He jammed his left thumb on that diving stop late in the game. Sure hope that’s only a game or two thing.
thx TF. just great..he was starting to heat up too..
And he’s MyGuy™, as is (sigh) Moore. 🙁
mine too. both of them. i jinxed you. moore esp will sink us..
My goodness, he’s a mess. Three-run, two-out double to an American League pitcher? So bad.
If Bumgarner came back tomorrow, who’s out of the rotation?–Moore or Cain?
I think Moore can still find “it” his age and last year’s numbers.
Could be interesting. On the one hand, it makes sense to drop Cain because he won’t be around after this year. On the other, they’re short on lefty relievers and could put Moore in the bullpen for the rest of the year. He’s under team control and if he doesn’t like it, well, pitch better then.
Of course, Bum’s NOT coming back tomorrow, and someone will likely be traded before it’s an actual issue. But it was interesting to hear Bochy say the other day “Blocky’s not going anywhere.” I remember him saying the same thing about Vogelsong in 2011 when Zito was injured and Vogey replaced him.
(And yes, Bochy calls him “Blocky.” Or maybe it should be “Blachy.” Crick is, of course, “Cricky.” Bochy was talking about him, too.)
I have Pence and Moore. Sigh.
I had Pence last year, and Shark. Thought for sure Pence was a great pick after missing so much time in 2015…
Same two for me as well last year! I thought the same. Sadly, I don’t think we’ll ever see again the Hunter Pence of 2013-2014. If he can play LF in 2017 and give us 350-400 quality ABs, that’s a fair return on the last year of his contract.
Yeah, I wish I’d stuck with Shark this year. I almost did because it really seemed like he’d found something the last couple months, but Moore finished last season SO strong. I’m really confused by him.
I won’t be able to do my usual Saturday shift because I’m in Monterey at the moment–attending the final session of a conference I’ve been at for the last couple days, going to lunch with hubbs, driving back to Davis, and then heading straight to Sacramento for our nephew’s high school graduation party. Other than right this minute, I won’t be near a computer all day, and I’m not tech-savvy enough to write a post from my phone.
GG knows all this, but I didn’t want y’all to think I’d forgotten about you.
We’ll hear from you tomorrow I’m sure. Look forward to it.
Yes, I told him I could do a postgame wrap tomorrow morning.
Where’s lunch? Any great finds?
The C Restaurant on Cannery Row. Will report back later.
Let’s play “Who’s A Better 2-7?”
My vote: Marge by a long shot.
Yep, Shark’s numbers range from OK (ERA, HRs) to extremely good (Ks, innings, WHIP). The W-L record is an outlier. The Giants were 0-4 in Bumgarner starts, too, and his ERA is 3.00.
I think Moore is moving to the top of our trade bait list. If another team becomes enamored by his stuff and team friendly contract, move him. Looks more and more like he’ll always be that consistently inconsistent lefty.
Last night I was thinking we should trade Moore back for Matt Duffy.
Not much reason to autopsy last night’s pathetic performance by our Giants, but I’d like to focus for a minute on Santana’s three-run double that made it a blowout (yes, with our offense) instead of a one run game.
First, why does Moore start with a lazy fastball, belt high, right in the zone? This is an AL pitcher who showed you earlier that he is clueless at the plate.
Second and much worse: Denard Span has to catch that ball! A lot of air under that ball. A MLB CF has to catch that. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Span lay out for a ball on which he is charging in, and that is unacceptable for a CF. Why were you not shading toward right-center with the pitcher hitting!? Krukow with a weak defense of #2 that was “homer” at its worst.
Serious question:
Right now, today, would Angel Pagan be better?
I say yes. I get the ” clubhouse was done” thing…but Span has been a huge disappointment and overall downgrade from the Pagan/Blanco tenure.
Span + the 12 different guys who’ve played LF…quite the combo. And RF hasn’t been much better.
I’m telling you, Pagan and Blanco would be playing better D and O
Pagan was an over two-win player last year, and even Blanco at his worst would be better than some of the schmoes they’ve run out there this year. It’s been unbelievable. I’m using that word a lot today.
Disappointments up and down the roster. Belt hitting .231 in the middle of the order? Aye yi yi. He’s just not using the opposite field gap any more and he is unable to beat the shift with bunt so he keep hitting into it – end result is low BABIP.
Some have estimated Belt’s unwillingness or inability to hit the other way and therefore foil the shift has cost 70 to 100 points on his BA.
His inability to catch up to the fastball may have precipitated this newfound inability to hit the opposite field gap – leaking front shoulder out early (leaker!). It’s a constant struggle maintaining his stroke and timing, therefore the streakiness.
That would have been an incredible catch. I think that you have been rolling over your freaking comments to the right side.
We didn’t get to discuss the Thursday game, either. I was at the conference all day but kept sneaking peeks at my phone and about died when Melancon blew the save. What happened? Rusty? Bad command?
Saw the video of the Slater homer. Looked like a monster.
I had a strong feeling he could hit better than Mac & Park, but who knew he had just as much power?
Well, for the moment he seems to have won the battle with Calixte, such as it was. He gets a shot for a couple weeks at least until Parker is ready to come back–even then, I could see a platoon situation if Slater looks like he has any clue whatsoever.
Meanwhile, Mac was 0 for 7 last night with a gaggle of K’s. Oh boy, Parker! That would be hilarious if Parker picked up the reins and just took off with the job, mashing the ball consistently.
Speaking of, Reynolds and Quinn been hitting very well of late. They are in Visalia, may try to see them tomorrow. And Ronnie Jebavy has been doing very well at the plate since his return – could he be the future CF ?
And the draft in 2 days ! Draft outfielders or bust! No Tyler Beede’s instead of Brad Zimmer’s this year, please no. Do the right thing.
Read it here, Mac will not be in a Giants uniform next season
I think you’re right. They clearly don’t like him–maybe for good reason, who knows? Hopefully he’s not Duvall 2.0 somewhere else.
He’ll be better elsewhere, playing for a manager that will exhibit some patience and an organization that will give him a fair chance to win a spot on a 25-man.
I really doubt it, I just don’t think he is a MLB hitter. Sure he hit one out here and there, but he’s just not very talented
By PCL standards he has not been particularly good even there, this year and last year.
Mac Williamson joining Brandon Belt on Efrain’s “you suck and I’m going to bang on you every chance I get” page.
Yes, in order Belt, Mac, Strickland, Melancon
And still Duffy
Hmmm…what do they all have in common?
You could be right! They don’t dig his game. Just about anybody but him. Maybe he can try out for the 49ers?
I’m rooting for Parker. I felt so bad for him breaking his arm that way. He deserves a chance to win that job, and they have literally nothing to lose by letting him try.
Still wondering whence on Steve Duggar…
I’m not one to really get into prospects since it’s so dicey, but I have a good feeling about Reynolds.
Don’t tell TO, for goodness sake.
Neither did he.
I’ve been telling you Melancon was on a downward slide in his career therefore a stupid Evans target. Gee I wonder how Kimbral is doing? I wonder how chapaman is doing? How is Miller faring?🤔🤣
And Greg Holland? Sighhhhh
On a good note Pirates going to closer by commitee, maybe they will get in the hunt and take him back
Pirates don’t usually shop in that store. They’re more of a Walmart outfit.
True hopefully the Nats get desperate
23 saves! or is it 24 ?
Remember how many people on this blog joked about Holland?!
they weren’t impressed with his 89 mph in November – ha, we got them!
Oops, forgot about Melancon. He’s in the Efrain doghouse as well.
Melancon doesn’t get to be in my doghouse. I love my dog.
/I kid. Kind of.
Miller has a 0.30 ERA !!
Awful command. However, gotta give him credit for hunkering down and getting three outs after the winning run st third and no outs. Tremendous play by Nunez to catch that line drive.
I felt like the baseball spirits helped us win that game. That double gets stuck under the padding, Nunez catch, and then a bunch of bleeders and dribblers in the tenth to give us a big lead. We were owed a few of those!
That catch even made the especially mediocre sports networks plays of the day.
The Nunez catch was a great play, not a gift from the “baseball spirits.”
On the post game, not one of the talking bobble heads even mentioned the Nunez play that saved the game. Melancon was awful.
I saw the video highlight. Great play.
I think you have to bring your closer into a game for an inning on a regular basis, including when there hasn’t been a “save opportunity”. Melancon is not involved often enough, and seems rusty at times.
Bad excuse, the announcers mentioned the other day when he pitched in a non save game, he was fresh and throwing 94 mph, you can not have it both ways .
I did read someone saying that the recent lack of work is probably good for healing up his arm the rest of the way. But I gotta believe regular appearances are good for keeping a relief pitcher in form.
Statcast says it’s the biggest Giants HR of the year. Monster blast indeed.
Ain’t not fuzz about it, the band is back together! Unless I am imagining things and this is all a dream – ALL of this a dream.
At any rate, missed you folks.
Missed you, Cuz…spent much thought over the last few days imagining TWG commentary through it all…
Together We’re Back!
There is no fuzz – we love our virtual friends.
A discussion item, perhaps. 200 top draft opportunities.
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/katohs-top-250-draft-eligible-college-players/
They should be going for a higher risk high reward HS player.
The safe out is one of the reasons they suck.
rumor they may like a HS OFer out of Puerto Rico – if still available.
But I think they need to go with best collegiate bat avialable – whether that is White from Kentucky, Kiura from Irvine, or Berger from Missouri State.
They should go for the C from Long Beach, have Posey at 1B in 2 years.
There’s a HS catcher, Campusano or something that has been linked as well. Best catcher available would also be good – but maybe save that for 2nd round pick.
Yes that kid is good, watched YouTube videos on him.
Yeah imagine if they had taken HS C Kyle Skipworth instead of Posey in 2008. What were they thinking.
You could have made the Posey pick, he was that good. Sure if they get in top 5, as it looks they will, go for best player available. But you can’t generalize that go College because of Posey, that shows lack of understanding about the draft.
Do you think Luke Heimlich still gets drafted anywhere?
oh gosh
that would be some maneuver…
I have no idea. Before we get to who, I’d kind of like to know ‘how’ the Giants make the decision. Is it a wild ass guess, or do they really have a clue on discriminating/developing talent talent. The evidence so far on their talent/development methods isn’t reassuring. Foots comment a while ago about why don’t they draft more post high school talent rather than college talent doesn’t suggest they think they’re geniuses at it themselves.
I read on MLB Pipeline that team sources are saying no one will draft him.
Nope. Dirty rotten and dumb. It’s over.
The Giants didn’t even have a 1st round pick last year. This will be refreshing.
Whoo-hoo, TWG is back!! Without it this week, i was way too productive at the office. Looking forward to dialing that back.
And thank you Greek Giant for doing your thing. You have been loyally honest and honestly loyal to Giants fans!
Hear hear!!
As I shared with Lefty via my private Email server, I now have proof that I have been right about everything. I’ll be providing the proof sometime in the very near future.
Missed you too you burning hunk of love.
How would we know the Russians didn’t alter all your files, correcting all those mistakes about everything? And, have you ever been to Benghazi? Lordy, I hope the cats have been making tapes.
Just whom did you think hacked the TWG site
The Dodgers!
I took notes on all our interactions, and I might just have tapes, too.
It’s a question of credibly. Who is to be believed? A Ph.D., and a professor at UC Davis- or a man who believes that cats speak English? I’ll let others make that judgement.
Random thought watching last night’s snooze fest: how many freakin’ rollover ground balls to the right side by our lefty hitters this year?
Span every game at least one, Belt, Crawford, Panik–feels like an epidemic. It’s approaching Aubrey Huff level of ineptitude. In 2011 we were all ready to change Huff’s number to 43. 4-3 to be specific.
Belt hits the ball crisply most of the time – it’s just that the defense is waiting for him to do so every time.
But like you said his swing fundamentals are weak and he’s missing a lot of oppo opportunities. There’s a bunch of hits for BB9 from LCF to the foul line.
Most of his outs are to Left and Left center, lots of pop outs and lazy fly balls .
He also has a lot of line drives and HRs to the opposite field. Line drives right at the 3B/SS holes that are vacated by the shift would be very beneficial.
Wonder what the over / under is on the Giants losing 100 games right now.
Looking pretty good I’d say.
Well aren’t you a ray of sunshine today?
Afternoon baseball!
Span CF
Nunez 3B
Belt 1B
Posey C
Crawford SS
Pence RF
Hill 2B
Slater LF
Shark P
Second day in a row without Joe Panik. Should we panic?
Thumb injury .
t/y PJ.
He’s hurt, but hopefully he’s back by Tuesday. We have a four-man bench again (Bochy and his relievers…), and Panik won’t play if they’re contemplating a back-dated DL move. Kelby, Hundley and Gorkys. Great.
That’s what we do.
Same lineup that got shutout last night, thanks Bruce for being Bruce .
Like what are the alternatives? Please!
That’s our best lineup right now. Guys just have to go out there and make something positive happen.
Pence has 6 extra base hits, yes 6 .
Bad news for all of you hoping the Giants would go young and make some trades like the Oracle, Larry Baer was on KNBR Thursday with Tolbert, and made a bunch of excuses, and said the Giants are close and are like the Yankees do not rebuild . It was laughable, a joke really, I know he wants to still sell tickets, but does he think people are blind, this team is not close and needs a lot of help .
I think Baer is under orders to promote this mindset for the rest of the year. Milk it for every dollar you can, because you know major changes are necessary.
I envision Sabean and Bochy retiring at the end of this year. A transition team of Evans and Wotus for 2017 while ownership recruits a young and forward thinking VP and GM. That breath of fresh air finds us the manager we will need for the 3-4 year rebuild.
Great…I just had one of those verps in my throat…you know, a combo vomit burp? Evans is bad enough in a committee. Give him the reins and Peralta will be our back up infielder and we’ll sign Phil Hughes to a 6 year, $145 million contract.
By the way, I think Nevin gets the gig, not Wotus.
I hope it’s someone completely out of the Giants organization.
It will be. 2018 is triage, in my scenario.
oh yeah Wotus is not getting it.
I’m just talking one year, while they find a real answer. Main thought for me is that it’s long past time for Sabean and Bochy to step down. Could easily be Nevin vs. Wotus.
When you say Sabean and Bochy step down, do you also advocate Evans being gone? Or he still around? He has made decisions that accelerated this stink hole.
Only until they find the right guy long term. I’d rather have another year of suckitude than rush into hiring the wrong guy.
I think Nevin is a numbers guy. GMs don’t want the gut managing anymore. Bochy and Dusty Baker are the last of their kind. Wotus is a gut type guy. Nevin is a numbers guy. GM game now plays the numbers. Wotus is a players coach and I sure hope he stays when Nevin gets the job. Would rather see Wotus. Not my call.
Awesome.
I was at the game last night and we sit first row along the left field side. From my eye test I am not impressed with Slater. Not much speed, average to below average arm. He seems to have a quick bat but not a plan when he comes up. The first time he has faced Santana and he swings at the first two pitches offered. I know he hit one HR in Milwaukee but I am not seeing much athleticism. Just an observation.
I agree. He’ll have to show us a lot more than one long HR. Neither he nor Calixte were anything more than two more bodies to add to the LF nightmare.
Your scouting report is on. That’s much of what I saw from in in Visalia 2 years ago. Not overly atheltic, but nice quick, compact swing.
I hope TF just saw the Harper Hair Flip on that missed pop up just now! Would be fun to watch my ATL buddy grind teeth after that Pert Plus Pose
I did! The boy loves his hair!
Atta babe!
Imagine, a 400+ M dollar contract plus some Pert / Head & Shoulders $ on the side!
I’m in in a TWG minority, but I would take that kid in a half second.
oh yeah, he’s great. I really like Trout, but think Harper will age better.
I might go Machado.
I just see Harper as a better all around player…Machado is great. Harper is Great+.
I’d take Arenado, too.
I’d take Arenado in a heartbeat. BCraw raved about Arenado on his blog too.
AGREE! (but he is not the right shade for most Giants fans) 😉
I think that’s unfair and inaccurate, my friend. Must of us just want really good players. During the three WS years we always had a strong contingent of Latin players and they were very popular with the fans.
I hope so friend.
But I must say when things started going bad the ire directed at guys like Pagan, Casilla, Romo seemed to go overboard and non Latin players seem to get a longer leash.
Casilla was plain bad and Pagan played without effort. In Pagan’s case, his own teammates couldn’t stand him and no other team was willing to sign him. Of course they were frequently criticized. Romo was never the target of any special anger from the fans, and the most consistently criticized guy on the blog, including by you, is Belt. I guess he’s not the right shade for you? There’s only one obvious racist on this blog and you see him in the mirror, every day.
You left out Mateo Cain, Cazador Strickland and a hit from the past, Aubreyo Huff
Lol, one week of no Oracle and all of the sudden BLAM! There is that idiocy seeped in white supremacy we all love to hate.
I saw this tee shirt uptown today Oracle, what size are you? https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/9055da8f39babbb0fc68185256db6943e85488e5123b19d637cb846e31c53625.jpg
So, what? Ten years at $40MM per year? Assume that in the next five years the high salary teams peak at $250MM annual payroll. Can you afford to give one guy 1/6 of your entire payroll?
I agree he could be the guy to break $40MM per year (ridiculous), but more than 5-6 year deal would be very risky.
Well, I would never do it but someone will (Yankees seem to be kicking the tires).
Saw that. Pretty boy thing goin on with the hair flip. He has that down.
Do the Giants have a team leader in the clubhouse?
Posey is too quiet. Brandons and Panik same. Pence in steady decline, so his voice less effective. So, no.
Several, I’m sure.
Kelby Tomlinson
Bless his heart! He’s batting .294 with a .294 SLG%.
The Cardinals have an 0-7 road trip and do reasonably big shake up (DFA Peralta, reassign 3B and hitting coach)…no messing around.
We sign Dyson.
Fire Evans*
( * usage rights paid to Pacman and Wisdom Cow)
Peralta will be a Giant withing two weeks.
Verped again.
Then you must be in favor of firing Sabean as well?
I would like Sabean to retire. And Bochy.
The FIRE SABOCHY!!!!! guy may have been on to something.
I’ve felt really bad these last few days, knowing that you people were being deprived of my opinions and insights. Thankfully, that nightmare is now over and we can all breath a sigh of relief. I’m very happy for all of you. I can’t help it, I’m just a giver.
I will admit, I was at a loss for what to do before/during/after the games
Don’t take up film reviewing, Keep your day job, whatever that is.
I quit my day job 25 years ago.
There is a big demand these days for lawyers who have no problem with not being paid for their work.
I am glad we are back up. I was also at the game last night. The only positive was the buster hug blanket. It was a game to very quickly forget about.
On the way home on muni we chatted with some Twins fans who came to SF for the first time and raved about our stadium. They also shared their big surprise that their team has been doing so well but also commented on how they feel they have been very lucky with the timing on when they played other teams.
Many fans may not be aware that it’s an exact replica of the blankie Posey sleeps with every night.
I’m so glad we are back. With that said! FIRE EVANS!!!
See below
Let me know if I should submit the fee via PayPal
Setting up Evans as the fall guy was the smartest move Sabean ever made.
Yup! As Sabean said way back. I’m not an idiot.
I think Evans was self-setting.
No more Batman to save the day.
Ehire playing SS for the Twins today, batting eighth. The way we’re going he’ll probably drive in the winning run.
We could use him.
He’d fit right in on this team.
He’s played very well in his limited time there.
Aaron Hill (my Gorkys) is 8 for 41 (0.195) with 6 RBI.
Ehire Adrianza is 11 for 37 (0.297) with 4 RBI.
I’d trade the one for the other, although Hill has at times used a LF glove.
I know Arroyo was slumping but so is the Dodgers Bellinger. Can someone please tell me why Hill is on this team?
It’s a fair question. Ironic that right now he’s seeing it better than most and putting up good swings.
Better question for me is Gorkys. He had a great game on Thursday. Does that develop into a meaningful bench contributor or ten more days of suckitude?
Yeah! It’s just bizarre.
Have you checked out the numbers on Arroyo and Bellinger.? Maybe you should. The comparison is absurd.
I know the numbers but down here they are screaming that the league has figured him out cause he’s in a minor slump. Seager hasn’t been hitting all that well either lately.
Hill has been the best hitter on the team for the last 4 games. He was the reason Giants salvaged a series split in Milwaukee
I blame Arroyos hitting slump on the hitting coaches. That’s why teams have them. To work with them on improving. Not regressing.
Agree. Furthermore when you have highly paid/highly rated talent like we do, and they don’t snap out of slumps as expected you have to look at the hitting coaches. Players can especially get tired of those voices.
Arroyo was not slumping. He never hit well in his time up here. He’ll learn from it- with the help of the hitting coaches.
If hitting instructors mattered much, they’d be highly paid and you’d see examples where a great coach would move to a new team and suddenly improve that team’s offense. It doesn’t happen.
No, they can’t. There is no reason. There was no reason to sign him and no reason to invite him to camp. Management continues to be deluded about the importance of a solid bench and what it takes to have one. If Bochy had his way, after all, he would carry 15 pitchers.
Sadly, he’s been better than Boyo was.
It’s always very interesting to see who you like and dislike.
I didn’t say who I liked. Just cited some numbers. Arroyo will be a fine MLB player some day soon.
Don’t know why Hill is taking up a spot (*cough* veteran over rookies who deserve a promotion) but Hwang is hitting well in AAA and Hill (Bochy) is blocking his way. Too bad but I think Hwang will end up opting out by the end of this month.
Adam West passed away…our original Batman. Good dude by all accounts.
He made lots of guys who followed him very rich while he wasn’t.
I’m a comic book fan, and I grew up watching reruns of the Batman series on KOFY. He was the first actor I associated with Batman/Bruce Wayne.
Much better than Bale’s ridiculous voice as Batman.
West is the only Batman that matters (well, the only live action Batman that matters)
Tampa Bay needs to lose today on principle alone. You just cant wear those uniforms
Picture please
It’s on my waterproof TV… I’ll see if I can find an image
Just looked. Ugh. I think my team played a slo-pitch softball team in the mid-eighties that was wearing that same sheet.
Here ya go:
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/2c544e7b8830e331148ce6e0a1e676e7c96b29b6028db7103c9abc313724ead6.jpg
I like their “throwbacks”. Late 70’s, early 80’s vibe with a Caribbean twist!
Looks like the old Mariners uni. Where’s Gaylord Perry?
Orange Fridays.
…are WAY better. Fans dig Orange Fridays. Wear your Orange–and Black–to the cathedral. Can’t see a bunch of fans wearing those clown suits to the yard.
Giants shut out a league leading seven times? What? Time to bring in The Little Engine That Could for an inspirational talk. Sabe’s ass chewings are not working.
Due to their recent offensive explosion, the Giants have raised their team BA above the record for worst in franchise history. They are now at .234, a full point above the 1985 team’s .233.
What real, legitimate free agent hitters will want to sign in SF?
– the park has a reputation for shooting HRs out of the sky like mallards from a pond
– the Giants anemic offense with rock bottom averages isn’t supporting the cause either
– big free agent hitters are so unlikely to join a rebuild/retool unless grossly overpaid.
Harper? Machado? Bobby McSluggerton?
not even close
Draft, trade, get lucky on somebody’s outcast, pray.
Any of them would want to sign, if the money was right. Players DO care about personal stats (even though most would claim otherwise), but a Stanton deal (soon to be known as a Harper deal) would get one of them. Whether they’d then be worth that contract is a whole other deal.
Sorry, this guy is no Maddux. He’s doing something different this year, which may be legal, but his FIP is among the highest of his career. But the real mystery is how the Giants continue to be beaten by the worst hitter on the other team, which in this case was an AL pitcher who almost never hits. Unreal.
Who is the new guy on the Tampa Bay Rays? :
Rays call up Hu to be 26th man for twin bill
By Bill Chastain / MLB.com | @wwchastain | 2:30 PM ET
http://m.rays.mlb.com/news/article/235575102/chih-wei-hu-is-rays-26th-man-for-doubleheader/
26th man … sheesh. If you need 26, then make the roster 26. What if guys get really really tired in the 7th, can they add someone? How about in the 10th inning, maybe there should be re-entry?
Word. Every time I hear of the use of this I think about pitchers in the mid-60s, when ten-man pitching staffs played doubleheaders maybe twice a month.
Some pretty compelling reasons to skip watching the game today. Thanks, guys.I think I’ll watch my corn grow.
I hope some guy without pants doesn’t run onto the field today.
Don’t poke the bear.
The most interesting sports story of the week is Luke Heimlich, and whether his own disgusting acts, committed from ages 13-15, will cost him the chance to be a professional baseball player.
Not aware. Link?
Just looked. Registered sex offender, child molestation. Ugh.
Is he the creep at Palo Alto HS?
He’s the top pitcher for Oregon State, ranked #1 in the NCAA, and has been ranked among the top 100 prospects in the upcoming draft. It just came out that at 15, he was convicted of molesting a 6 year-old relative over a two year period, when he was 13-15.
https://www.si.com/mlb/2017/06/08/luke-heimlich-oregon-state-child-molestation-charge
I’m going to wear my 1960s Batman series t-shirt I got as a present from Comic-Con.
The Twins have another very good pitcher going today…19 hits allowed in 32 2/3 innings and a WHIP of .89.
I will be commenting here in the very near future. In a short while.
A few months until Thanksgiving but thank you George.
Listening to Kruk describe this guy…another 4-5 hit/1-2 run game coming. Better be sharp, Shark.
And Ehire Adrianna has a better batting average than how many Giants?
Well, there’s only 25 of them…and Buster has a good average…so I’ll guess…24?
Ehire Adrianza is 11 for 37 (0.297) with 4 RBI.
Nunez=0.296 and Tomlinson at 0.294 in a dead heat with EA.
Span 0.261
Panik 0.255
Crawford 0.253
Belt and Hundley both 0.235
Pence 0.234
and then below the Mendoza line, Hill (0.195), Slater (0.176), Gorkys 0.193
More hitters below 0.200 sent back to Sacramento…
Adrianza has had 31 ABs. He was 5 for his first 12. Since then, he’s hitting .250 with an OPS of .603. He’s never really done anything long term in the big leagues. Let’s not get carried away.
He always seemed like a useful backup IF to me – but I am happier with KT. The G’s certainly have a hard time cracking 0.250 this season.
BELTED, and a splasher.
Crawford with another weak rollover right side grounder. He’s not making solid contact on too many ABs.
Needs a day off, and KT is on the roster.
I’d be OK with Kelby out there for a day. He needs a four AB day once in awhile. I think Craw needs film and tee work to help him make better contact. I’m sure he’s already doing that, but maybe a fresh set of eyes looking with him?
Pence does not look like Pence with the long pants.
Doesn’t really matter if Slater can’t hit the inside fastball if the inside fastball hits Slater, now does it?
Is that like a tree falling in the woods?
Sure, if the tree ends up on 1st base. 😉
He’s got his career HR like so many many others before him
Way to clear the pitcher, kid!
So happy to the site back up!!
get him in.
TWG back online! Sweet!
Step 1…Get ‘im on. Check.
Step 2…Get em over. Check.
I never knew step 3 was start drawing walks…
just setting up for a big step 3.
Bochy doesn’t buy into any of that, by the way
Step 2…Get ‘im over. Check.
You’re killing me, Kuip:
It’s “get ’em over, get ’em in.” They have to be over before they can be in.
It’s time Craw.
Prove me wrong, Craw. Find some OF grass.
Or let him walk you…pitcher seems to want to.
oh my.
Got to at least put it in play Craw.
Don’t press, Mr. Pence.
he looks like he doesn’t have a clue.
Yeah, but he always looks like that, even when he hits it out of the park.
clueless, meaning Pence.
Fielding and hitting, Pence is about the ugliest successful player you might ever see. I hope he’s able to see the ball soon (didn’t take much rehab).
Step 3…Get ’em over. Nope.
sad.
Here’s me channeling Kuip. I meant get ’em in, of course!
Pence with extraordinary patience at the plate… =/
Or just can’t see
That hurts.
That was abundantly Giants
Crawford can’t hit a fastball and Pence has never seen a curve. Pretty good strategy walking Belt and Posey on 9 pitches
Hate to say it but Pence has looked really bad since coming back
Finnerty’s Drink Special Post Of The Day
Or lack of. WTF does it take to manufacture a run.
The only way they get runs is to binge on Taco Bell chalupas
Need a poster of that. A hi-def image.
I was going to say: “our 2017 SF Giants…”
It appears Mr. Pence’s long pants did not turn around his luck at the plate. Time to shave the beard.
Or cut back on the coffee so he can relax at the plate. Dude is so jittery.
He does appear to be a little tightly wound.
I blame his gal-fiance-wife Lexi.
He has buyers remorse.
On his pre-game show, Marty Lurie said he hasn’t drawn a walk in 53 (or he might have said 63) ABs. That is some serious hacking.
Sigh.
Failing to score with a leadoff double really hurts now
It has to be pretty difficult for a pitcher to see the bases loaded with one out and get bupkis, and then go back out and be perfect again.
Didn’t know how to spell that word. Apparently you cannot make a mistake with it, the internet says
bobkes, bopkes, bubkes, bubkis, bupkas, bupkass, bupkes, bupkiss, bupkus.
Is that our lineup?
OK! I thought the tree winding up on first was going to be the funniest post of the day, but I just guffawed. black humor at its finest.
I wish I could upvote this multiple times.
Amen!! I laughed out loud in an empty apartment.
How amusing. It’s the norm these days
A sad truth.
Why does the woman in this PG&E ad sound proud of PG&E’s crime and conviction, in addition to their actions since?
No doubt it was part of their conviction that they had to publicly admit their wrongdoings. Is Wells Fargo next?
How long is PG&E required to write “I will not blow people up” on the advertising chalkboard?
Sano is oddly reminiscent of someone who used to put on black and orange
nice stop by the catcher.
or lucky stop by the catcher.
Giants game notes
http://mlb.mlb.com/documents/3/8/6/235570386/06.10.17_vs._MIN_Game_Notes_88jug6v9.pdf
Minnie Game Notes
http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/documents/9/4/6/235560946/Twins_Notes_6_10_17_bbqn815e.pdf
Ah, there y’all are!! I couldn’t initially find all the posts below. I guess this might be the aftermath of the site going down the other day ago.
Can’t spell SPAN without F8.
Or 4-3.
It is a toss-up as to which ad is more annoying — the PG&E one or the “unstoppable” Southwest ad.
No balls
two strike single means Ehire may go big fly against his mates
Welcome back, Brother!
I stopped by when they disconnected the catheter :-/
TMI
Missing you, buddy. Love that you’re here on our “first day back.”
please channel “GIDP” instead of that thought.
I’m under the impression that the Rockies are unstoppable. Seem to have a lot of juice in their batteries.
Definitely a different team this year. Would like to see them win the west.
Good to see EA is still EA.
Hey, TWGers, I’m traveling down from beautiful Bellingham WA for the Wed 6/14 game against the Royals. It would awesome if any of the regulars were also at the game and we met up and say ‘Hi’.
P.S. It will be my 66th B-Day
I will be there Farnz! Section 124… let’s make sure we meet up.
P.S. – I’ll buy you a birthday beverage!!! I just called my banker to sell some stocks to finance it, but I’m thrilled to do so
Right by the Cream stand.
I hope that is not Creme of Corn (i’ve been away)
Design-your-own ice cream sandwiches. Pick out the fresh-baked cookies and the ice cream flavor. Now I want one.
Don’t know where the Cream stand is. And I’m not sure what section we’ll be in. Its along the 3rd base side near the bull pen – pitchers end.
Close to me…I’ll shoot you a TWG note that day….
I appreciate that, but I won’t have any communication device with me. Maybe you could wear a Trump mask or something silly like that.
POST OF THE DAY
I’ll wear a Milo shirt…
Section 125, row 13, seat 14… if you get yours before the game, put it on here before you head in
Hurry before the GOP cancels the investment fiduciary responsibility law.
This is interesting? Are the Giants going to trade Belt ?
http://www.sfexaminer.com/giants-post-trade-deadline-lineup-rotation-predictions/
Efrain doing the Snoopy Dance
I don’t see it right now, for two reasons. One, Shaw is a bad first baseman and is playing outfield in Sacramento. Two, he just moved up from AA and isn’t setting the PCL on fire. They could always trade Belt later if they thought Shaw or Ryder Jones was ready.
I don’t know, Dr. Much as I’d hate to see him go, he could bring sizable return. Plus, if this is as good as it gets for Belt with us, $17MM per year next four years us a lot of price.
Who plays first is the big question. I’d love to see him break through and make all this moot.
Posey half time. Get a mlb ready catching prospect in return.
Depends on the level of Panic Mode in Evans office…he might be bringing a new list everyday to Marlon Sabean (The Godfather) . I could easily see Belt as the best chip…
The Examiner used to be a decent rag back in the day.
That seems like pretty perfect plan.
I don’t see the Giants trading Belt. Too young. Too cost controlled. Too much a two way player.
Shaw is probably not ready and may have more power but also not the OBP nor stellar fielding of Belt.
Slater is not the immediate answer.
Arroyo will be at 3B ultimately and OJT is fine in his case.
I like the MadBum, Smarge, Blach (MyGuy), Moore, Beede rotation with Cain in BP but this rotation essentially calls 2017 a development year (which seems a given with three hot teams far ahead in National West)
Cueto and Nunez are the obvious trade picks.
I wanted Cueto to stay with team until some of his comments about pitching elsewhere and also always have thought his contract too much and too long and the player’s two year out option unwise for such a large amount.
Twins have some talents. We see Mejia in this series?
No, but 2015 River Cat Nik Turley is making his MLB debut tomorrow. Twinks also have Heston now.
Glad to see TWG back.
Thank you Greek Giants.
need to get at least 1 run here.
Don’t take a walk Buster. Drive one in
RBI MaCHINE!!
I’ll take that over a walk all day. Good job Buster.
You have low standards !
Not me. It’s the team. I’ll take runs whichever way we can get them.
NO outs, cleanup hitter, at least advance the runner at 1st, the way Crawford and Pence look, Posey needed to something better then a force out .
The next two batters both struck out so advancing the runner wouldn’t have made a difference.
So hit a double, still behind by 1 run .
PJ back with guns a’ blazin’
clueless.
Pence is the worse hitter in baseball right now, Crawford not much better today, Gorkys had 3 hits the other day , rather have him up then Pence .
Muelens clock is ticking
His watch stopped
Pence is set in his ways, 6 extra base hits this year, The Cardinals just DFA Perelta, do the Giants have the guts to do that .
Belt needing a big day like today. Gotta get him back in 240’s and above to get more of those phone calls.
You’re obsessing with his BA this season….because it’s low. Quite a surprise. I don’t think it affects trade value whatsoever.
Some.
And batting avg. obsessing has always been part of baseball. Giants with mlb lowest. We need guys that can hit!
I’m just saying you’re a WAR guy unless you can find something else when convenient on NotYourGuy
The Astros and Rangers might be interested. Back to Texas theme?
He be 30+ in either yard.
And the Astros get a guy with WS experience. They also have arguably the best farm system in baseball.
Dear Hunter: Tracking the baseball is a precursor for being able to put the bat on the ball. San Diego has Eye Institutions that have helped thousands of hitters.
PS Check with Bapah
Kirby my guy in spite of human flaws.
Top ten charismatic ball players ever. #BigGameKirby
#HititOffthebigGarbageBag
Your tolerance is admirable!
He’s family
Union Gap Brotherhood!
If he was white, would it be ok .
Awkward question
He’s speaking of Ryan’s ongoing EEOC efforts
You see Bill mahr last nite?
He still has a job?
Taken 2 skool last nite by Dyson and Cube. Good episode,dawg.
I’ll check it out, Dolezal!
The Gary syndrome, the Left of Left syndrome, did he have a father to raise him syndrome.
As a ball player, Puckett was exuberant and talented. There were a lot of dogs named Kirby in Minnesota, and he also put a lot of butts into seats. He’s a good lesson about us needing to realize we don’t know much about these guys off the field.
Kirby was an awesome player and forever loved!
He can hit. A viable guy in LF!
Three hits today (the first being HBP).
Knocked him out of the game. Well done Slater!
Kelby has the disease
That is SF mayor Ed Lee in the eSurance ads, correct?
Should have just bunted with Smarge. Oh well, hindsight is 20/20
The “retrospectoscope”
‘…oscopy….’
After giving up 2 HR against the Phillies Law has now been demoted to the 7th inning
Hope we see Dyson today!
I hope we see Melancon– because that means we have the lead– at least till he coughs it up
C’mon … He’s had 2 good outings.
Sometimes ersatz Duffy’s are easy to spot.
Was once the best SS in the ORG.
Et by a crawfish
But could never learn to hit enough. Had plenty of chances.
The broken foot was tremendous bad luck
The I Hate This Stadium Left Handed Hitter At Bat of the Game
Mutter..mutter…rass afrassin…grr. Or something like that.
Move in the fence
3ft to 8ft would do it
Nice play Span. Things could have unraveled if that fell through and/or got past him.
Making the routine look spectacular since 2016!
🙂 Nah – he’s a keeper even tho he throws worse than Andy Kauffman
Nah…he’s a mistake. That spot is counted on for so much more than he can bring. Not his fault. He’s in the Gently Used bin
Von Joshua?
Pete Gray
The Giants actually have a few people with two arms that are hitting worse than Gray did in his career.
How is Dexter doing?
Investigating murders on cable
Y Blanco? Prefieres El?
I miss Gregor.
Gomer had a mild brain cramp NOT covering first base
Move Slater up in the lineup and see what he can do.
Have him switch spots with Pence.
Can we get Lexi Antentokoupo to pinch hit for hubby?
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/30bfe9a0e628e60110e0fecbfc2e243d04042ec2a85357f7aa445ff93e58c0c9.jpg
Craw is due
Tough AB.
He is the goat of the game, left 5 runners on base, strikes out with bases loaded 1 out, Flemming said it was not a strike on 3-2 pitch with bases loaded .
Yup, he certainly whiffed at pivotal junctures of the game today. Can’t deny that
For an off day….
Giants hitters make the other teams pitching cy young candidates
Pence hasn’t been able to see a curve ball all day and then he takes a fastball right down the middle — he is guessing big time and usually wrong.
I want the “WE HAVE A CRAVING!!!” lady to beat the hell out of the “Unstoppppppabbble todayyyyy” lady in an MMA undercard
All that caffeine has Pence seeing double at the plate.
Not a 1 day thing .
Trader Ryan: Belt and Strickland to Houston…who do we get in return?
Anybody
Correa, Altuve, Springer and Kuechel.
1B Prospect AJ Reed and SP Musgrove?
Houston actually doesn’t need a 1b,but maybe would swap Gurriel, teoscar Hernandez and catching prospect. We need them to really want Cueto.
Cueto wouldn’t fare well in Minute Maid…I think Boston wants him
Yankees are going to scout Cueto’s starts soon. Tanaka’s start pushed back. He’s reeeallly struggling
Johnny isn’t cutting his locks
He may not have a choice, but something tells me that the FO isn’t going to deal Cueto at the deadline.
Would they make him? I agree though. Samson.
They would.
Bastards. Who do they think they are?
Listening in the car on the way home. Promo right before this inning: “Hi, this is Hunter Strickland. My favorite music…is chin music. On KNBR 68, the Sports Leader.”
Now, WHO thought that was a clever idea for a promo? A psycho fireballer talking about beaning someone? SMH
agree
“One life. Don’t blow it” by Kona beer is an all time great tag line.
One start. Don’t blow it.
– Bochy to rookie
Bochy to Pence, you will be in the lineup even if you never hit another extra base hit all year, so do not worry be happy .
Turn into that Hill. Come on, take one for th team!
Buffy the Vampire Slater…tie it up, son
In paying homage to Efrain, I am nicknaming the team The White Whiffers
UGLY
BUGLY.
Do these guys know how to lose or what?
Very bullish on ’18 draft pick futures.
I would say they are learning on the job but they seem so good at it they must have practiced it many times over before this year.
Another tough (and boring) loss,
This is getting monotonous. You hope they can win but things keep losing. The failure to score runs is pathetic and is getting very old..
They do the same thing every day and expect a different result
So maybe they can shuffle the deck chairs,eh?
Larry Baer is delusional if he thinks this Giants team is in a similar position to last year’s Yankees. All signs point to a rebuild. We don’t have a Gary Sanchez, Chapman, Betances, Miller, or Judge
They basically need to roll the roster with the exception of starting pitching,Buster Nunez and Crawford..
And Panik. Too good of a second baseman. If Will Clark could work with him he’d be hitting a lot more. He gets yoyo’d up and down the lineup way too much.
What in heaven’s name makes you think Will Clark is a good hitting coach?
Take all 30 hitting coaches and flip coins for them. Or rotate them.
When was the last time that they sold ?
This team has never sold. They only know how to market “We’re in this thing!”
They are not in rebuilding mode, IMO.I do think that it may be time to kick Bochy upstairs There is enough talent in the system- probably better than that they would get if they sold.
I think kicking Bochy upstairs would be just as bad. As long as he is around, he’d have a say in who deserves more of a look, and the team needs the opposite of his opinion.
Give him a fancy title, pizza,and some commercials.
Two weeks later and Nunez is a keeper. He has become quite valuable.
See, this is how the team is probably thinking, and why they won’t be successful trading for prospects. They drop guys when they are at their lowest, but now that Nunez is hitting they think he’ll be too valuable and WON’T trade him. He’s not part of the future, he needs to be traded while he has value. But they will view it the exact opposite.
Actually he started his hitting over a month ago. The begining of MAy he bottomed at .250 and ever since the average is climbing. He has hit .333 since May 3. I do not even think Buster has hit that well.
Season of sighs, take solace…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_4MghJNXP4
Love that song.
Hensley Meulens and Steve Decker seem mystified. Will Clark, standing at the end of the dugout all week end seems mystified. I think it is time for all the wives and girl friends to have a slumber party and for Kevin Mitchell, Will Clark, and Jeff Leonard to wisk the boys away over to Annie Savoy’s place up in the Oakland Hills.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWdfDsLvm9I https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/b3edc1f6b5cabb32f69f538342a77b3814164a7a4737001e2c8cfe9ba75963e8.jpg
It is the only question matters: why a team of players mostly in their primes can no longer hit
Good to hear from you. Am comforted when you check in.
I was very hopeful/optimistic that the Giants would be able to snap out of what ails them. This 2017 season has gone from a Search and Rescue to now a Search and Recovery.
Evans has to go. Perhaps replace him with John Barr, who is the director of scouting, promote Tidrow to director of scouting. Finally, buy out Bochy’s 2018 and 2019 seasons, thank him for the last 11 years and make Wotus or Alguacil the next manager. This team needs to go young and both names I mentioned to succeed Bochy would work great with the kids. As bad as 1985 was, they won the division 2 years later, and the pennant 2 years after that. I can see the same thing happening with this club.
In what works does it make sense to promote Barr, who is as responsible for this mess as anyone?
The new regime needs to include people OUTSIDE of the organization.
Oh and on top of that I would never ever promote a director of scouting who ignores international and players of color for whatever reason he has as Director of scouting. If anything he needs to be run out of town for completely ignoring a wealthy talent pool.
Give me a name outside the organization who wants this mess and why.
Money, not many jobs like this available .
Not my job man, but I’m sure baseball people out there (not bloggers) know who are good people in other organizations deserving of advancement. Mind you there these jobs are greatly coveted and many good candidates would “want this mess” in SF over say dealing with many other teams in the league.
Money talks. Throw $$ at someone’s young assistant GM to come work in San Francisco. Heck, even the 49ers hired a GM and a coach. The Giants were in the playoffs last year.
Whatever has to be done, do it.
If you are current in the marketplace you should know who are the younger, up and coming executive prospects. I hope they are already looking, but something tells me it’s not a priority. Yet.
GM jobs come up so infrequently, let alone in a desirable market like this, that there would be a line of people out the door wanting the job.
Clean house, drain the swamp, etc? Fresh blood needed, expect keep whoever is responsible for the infielders 🙂
Do whatever it takes.
Bochy needs to find the problem inside the clubhouse and deal with it. You have two hitting coaches with two different messages. I think Will Clark needs to be the hitting coach without an asst. hitting coach. It’s a harsh business and Bochy needs to get harsh. Team has gone soft. There’s no fight.
He is the problem, Baseball is a skill sport, soft has nothing to do with it, the Giants do not have much hitting skill, and Bochy will go with Pence forever regardless of results because he is a veteran, and Pence tries harder then anybody .
.Clark was a great hitter. And not very smart. Pass.
They do have that Barry Bonds guy working in the community relations department. Perhaps his helping the hitters would improve the Giant’s community relations.
There’s minimal offensive talent and that’s a much, much bigger problem than coaches or clubhouse chemistry.
Since it’s mandatory to blame somebody or somebodies for the loss., I have two names and one word. Crawford.Pence.Pathetic.
Belt can’t hold this pants of a team up all by himself now, can he?
Nice game by the big fella. Almost tied it. Would have been one helluva game. I’m obsessing about his OPS now, so I’ll say that the game tier would have put it back over .800.
.796.
I love when you talk #’s to me. And that ain’t no fuzz.
OPS among regulars.Through today.
1. Posey .947
2. Belt .796
3.Nunez .721
4. Span .712
5.;Panik .706
Pretty ugly. Crawford, Pence- WAY ugly.
Pence is brutal. 56 wRC+.
Marty just said that Posey’s come up with 57 runners in scoring position and driven in 9 of them. Crawford’s ratio is worse, and let’s not even look up Pence.
I show 51 PA with RISP and 10 cashed in for Posey (19.6%). Crawford is 18 in 58, which is much better (31%), Pence 12/38 (31.5%), Nunez 19/56 (34%), Panik 15/54 (27.7%), Belt 17/53 (32%), Span 9/27 (33.3%). Am I doing this wrong? I can’t see where Marty is getting his math.
He maybe didn’t count today’s stats?
But Crawford’s are better in these numbers, meaning the statement about Crawford’s being lower would have been even less true yesterday (before Craw’s awful day)
Yankees with a 6-run first and still going. They’re a juggernaut of a team. Yanks-Astros will be one hell of an ALCS
and Nats-Rox in the NLCS!
I’m all for keeping the Dodgers and Cubs from advancing.
My 20 and 7 June is seriously in jeopardy.
I’m gonna buy Oracle this tee. I’m sure he’ll wear it proudly. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/9055da8f39babbb0fc68185256db6943e85488e5123b19d637cb846e31c53625.jpg
Blaming the coaches is weak stuff.
Meulens is telling them to go up there and swing at the worst pitches!
That’s absurd. But then, this season has been absurd thus far.
I was joking at the absurdity of people who believe that. I think people blaming a hitting coach for failings of hitters is silly.
Sorry Eric, I was sleeping on my feet.
Perhaps. Cards GM Mozeliak must disagree. Bill Mueller just got reassigned. He’s not the first. Hitting coaches get fired.
They aren’t responsible for what happens in an at bat…they are responsible for preparation and approach.
The Giants have a huge problem at the plate. You can’t fire 13 hitters.
So…I’m not sure it’s “silly” to hold Hensley responsible in a way.
He also DFA a high priced player, do the Giants have the stones to do that .
So many to choose from right now…
Peralta is in serious decline, and in the last year of his contract. The closest comp for us would be Pence, and I don’t see that happening.
Hitting coaches are easy scapegoats to show a team’s fans “We’re making changes” while still actually staying the course for a bit.
Or base coaches after a second-half and playoff meltdown. For example.
I truly think that the players begin to tune out the hitting coach after a few years, especially if there are differences in philosophy. Muelens is there since 2010, after Lansford was fired, IIRC. Eight seasons: might be time for a new approach.
Name one hitting instructor that has made a significant difference after moving from one team to another.
Huh? So, you all in on Hensley? I thought he did make a difference early in the decade, especially in working the count ( it drove Verlander’s pitch count, for example).
I’m saying that this specific teams approach is obviously flawed. So…what do you suggest?
A change may help. May not. I vote for try something. But…you’re just being Contrarian with me because that’s what you do.
I’m saying that hitting instructors’ influence is negligible. The players all know what they’re supposed to do. Every hitting instructor uses the same techniques and has the same information about hitting. Its a very complicated skill that players have to execute by themselves. The Giants just don’t have very many good hitters.
The difference between the best hitting instructor and the worst may be a couple of points in average, across the season. Don’t really know, but I do believe hitting instructors are scapegoats.
Just like Eric said, it’s an easy move to make to throw a bone to angry fana.
I don’t think any of us outside can determine the influence of coaching. But, to your point of “the same techniques and same information” is overstated.
hey matt, any news re c/u. on the mend?
Yup! Scroll down to the game…he joined back in…feeling much better. Off the TWGDL!
after the Red Sox tanked a few years ago and then came back to win it all, was Chili Davis the new hitting coach that year?
Bingo.
Walt Hriniak
Sorry. I meant this century.
Don Baylor?
Has he gone from one team to,another and dramatically changed their fortunes?
I’m just naming all the hitting coaches I can think of.
Must be the hitting coach because it’s a shock that a team so loaded with offensive talent can’t hit. At least their outfield production has been tremendous.
Looking at what may have started the slide, I have to say that releasing Casey McGehee might have the culprit. Duffy was clearly not ready.
I thought that was a pretty bizarre comment, to tell the truth. I was just repeating what Lefty told me. I have the tapes.
Lordy, I hope so!
There are some gaps in the tape. Those darn cats!
Another complaint. There are so many. With Panik out for a couple days, how about a start for Kelby Tomlinson? Is Hill’s .178 batting average really so worthy of clogging up the lineup? (Yes, I know he’s been their best pinch-hitter this year. He’s still hitting .178.)
Hill is 34 and his best years are well behind him. He’s on the fringes of the present and in no way part of the future. Let Kelby get some reps. He’s earned them in his previous go-rounds these last couple years. At least he takes competitive ABs and can add some excitement with his speed. It’s bad enough fans pay top-dollar to go out and watch Crawford and Pence struggle and Posey drive in a run once every other week. You’re also going to make them watch Aaron Hill?
I know in the big scheme of things, it doesn’t matter much, but it’s an example of the kind of short-sighted, veteran-driven thinking that is choking the life out of this team.
What about lately , Hill 2 run double to win game, Triple last night, last 6 at bats before today, he has 2 doubles and a triple, 3 RBI , Kelby only at bat a double play .
Aaron Hill in 2017: 8 for 41, 0.195. 6 RBI, 1 HR
(oddly, he’s gone on a bit of a tear the last few days)
Kelby: 10/34 is 0.294, 1 RBI, 0 HR
I’m kind of surprised KT’s gotten that many at bats. But Lefty is right on the general principal that we need to know what Tomlinson has – Hill is sure to be gone next season even if you pay no attention to the 100 point difference in BA.
You guys need to listen to the Larry Baer interview on KNBR, just go to KNBR .com, podcast, under Tom Tolbert, and click on to the interview with Larry Baer on Thursday, June 8th 2017. Baer thinks the Giants are still in it, and they do not rebuild, lots of excuses for the core players, desperately trying to sell tickets, instead of facing facts that the team is awful ,and needs lots of help . That is why Bochy is not playing the kids, but washed up vets, that he thinks help him win .
If that’s what he really believes, the team’s future is bleak.
He is not that dumb, just a con man, he gave the excuse the Giants were last in HRs in 2012 and won the World Series, so do not need Power, but forgot to mention that team hit .270 and scored 40 more runs on the road then any NL team .
That’s what he says publicly, Peter. In the offices and boardrooms I think it’s an entirely different tune being sung.
But this seems like a much worse thing to say publicly. Fans are wanting heads to roll, not to be told this is actually a good team.
Hill can give Nunez a day (I wouldn’t) or put him in LF. Kelby needs a day in the lineup.
Peter, I heard Marty call your name from a tweet. Nice job. I think you offered some information or a correction, I forget. I was was weeding the and watering in the garden.
Ruggiano in CF for River Cats, A caller asked about where he went .
Bingo. Nice work. Did you enjoy Marty’s show? callers seem smarter than ever these days.
No, Marty is like a Blog member here, Pitching ,Pitching, today finally figured out the Giants were not hitting with RISP, actually did some work and looked it up .
Well, thanks for helping him out today.
I saw his name in the box score from last night’s River Cats game. They lost 6-4 to the Reno Aces in 17 innings in Sacramento. Ruggiano started in CF and got only 2 ABs (was 1-2); the 1st 4 batters in the order got 8 plate appearances, I don’t know why Ruggiano was pulled early in the game.
Great observation. Today, Kelby hit that ball well, just right at 2B. If Bochy is in tune, Kelby should get that start tomorrow, with Panik already scratched. We’ll see.
He had one of the four hits last night, too, as a pinch-hitter.
Bless that Kelby. He’s back up to hitting .290 something, again! His slugging may also be .290 something, but that’s who he is. Heck of a bunt for base hit yesterday. We just don’t see that kind of base hit bunting around these parts, these days. I miss Brett Butler. That guy was slappy good.
This is a slappy blog ,so go crazy for that type of player, this blog wants every batter to take every pitch, except Belt for some reason, for every batter to bunt are go the other way .
Believe me, I’d take Aaron Judge over Kelby Tomlinson AND Christian Arroyo.
you should be taking Judge over Kelby+Arroyo+Belt+Panik
Last year we talked a lot about the hitters being worn down by the bullpen inefficiencies. Grinding for 6+ innings, carve out a lead, then watch the bullpen cough up the game.
Now the other side of the coin. Samardzjia puts up a quality start, but two mistakes to location and he’s down 3-2 after six. Despite numerous chances the offense can’t produce three runs.
The sad saga of the 2017 Giants continues to unfold.
Pizza, popcorn, Chocolate Fudge Pie, and La La Land tonight. The film is available to rent or buy from Amazon Prime. Have a nice night, folks.It will get better.
Pizza too! Gonna find myself a man soda at the country store too on the way to parlor. Yee-hah!
Sounds like you have all the food groups covered!
Pork Belly is all the rage and if you don’t mind a slow death, it will be a happy one.
If Judge and Zimmer were Giants at this juncture instead of Arroyo and Beede, Evans, Barr, and Tidrow would be able to keep their jobs. I don’t know if that makes for a patronage relationship, but that’s the kind of boss I would be, equipped with the latest in hindsight technology.
You’re full of patent-able ideas. Hindsight technology sounds like a winner. I’d buy a box of it just on the name alone.
“The Road to Bottom Feeding” started with the blown save immediately after last years all star break. But how many people are aware that even tho Cueto got the loss in the ASG, Blach got the loss in the triple A all star game and Beede got the loss in the double A all star game. Now I wouldn’t consider that a table setter, but maybe there were some pissed off people in the organization as a result of that and they let some people know about it. Obviously it didn’t sit well. And even tho Belt was slighted by not being voted in at first, he eventually petitioned his way in as an alternate. Wasn’t particularly a good look. But the blown save against the Padres would signal such a collapse that one now has to resort to conspiracies to come up with ridiculous excuses as to why this is happening.
I think the Giants have talent. But somewhere inside the clubhouse is a snake bitten crew. Bochy can’t manage the way he wants because of his health. Has he even been booted from a game this season? Umpires know this. They are not afraid of him anymore. I feel bad for Boch. He’s a good man but times are changing.
Belt didn’t petition his way in. The league designates five finalists for a fan vote for the final roster spot, and they picked him as one of the five. He won the vote. That’s how the league set it up, and yes, maybe it’s one step removed from the coaches voting you onto the roster, but it was legitimate, and I don’t see how it’s a bad look.
I know. I can’t put my finger on it but just something about trying to get him in, maybe the way it was presented or advertised, I thought put too much focus on it. Not saying he didn’t deserve to be there, just the way a sort of big deal was made about it. But that’s just me. Maybe I looked at it the wrong way.
All five of the teams that had players as finalists did major marketing efforts to get out the votes for their guy. For example, the Giants and Red Sox teamed up–your fans vote for Belt; our fans will vote for Pedroia–since there was one spot for each league. Anyway, the Giants were certainly not unique in trying to get out the votes.
Just saw this tweet from Carmen Kiew, who does the postgame show with Marty Lurie. He said Cueto was upset that his comments back in April were misconstrued to make it sound like he’s unhappy in SF. He says he IS happy in SF.
https://twitter.com/carmenkiew/status/873707009354244096
So…once again, it’s Baggarly, perhaps with some borderline tabloid journalism. His article last week, which used those quotes from Cueto in April to suggest that the Giants have a cultural problem, got a lot of attention and even one published response.
I know Baggarly is a polarizing figure here. I’m in the middle. I think he’s a good writer and can be a very good reporter. On the other hand, he does tend to be a bit gossipy and to put out his own speculations about what’s going on with the players, crossing lines that the other beat writers don’t cross. Besides this Cueto thing, over the years there’s been:
–reporting that Aubrey Huff’s wife had filed for divorce (but not that they’d already reconciled by the time he “scooped” the story)
–prematurely reporting that Melky Cabrera had tested positive for PEDs–this turned out to be true, but Baggarly ended up apologizing publicly for jumping the gun with the tweet.
–talking “out of school” (at least in the players’ perception) about a clubhouse argument between Romo and Dunston. (That was when the players boycotted him for a few days and may have led to him leaving Comcast.)
–Dropping snark about Angel Pagan for the better part of two years (suggesting he wasn’t really injured when he ended up having back surgery; saying that he was “barely tolerated” in the clubhouse for most of his time with the Giants)
–opining that Bumgarner had selfishly hurt the team by mixing it up with Puig last year (he took it back in an article earlier this season)
If it’s true that Baggarly took Cueto’s comments out of context and spun them both to make Cueto look like a malcontent and the Giants to look racially biased–well, shame on him. Cueto’s been a good Giant and fun to watch. I still think it’s likely he’ll be traded due to his contract status, but who knows?–If he says he’d like to stay, maybe not.
I rant way too much about “media”, but this a sports example.
Baggs is a great writer. He can paint vivid pictures. His Giants books have brought me to tears.
But, his day to day work is often to drive clicks thru what he may claim as “pushing the edge”. It’s irresponsible.
We constantly get reminders of exactly why athletes don’t trust the media.
Schulman and Pavlovic and Haft don’t do this. It feels like Baggs is driven to one-up them by having the cleverest, most cutting-edge analysis. But some of it may be his speculation and bias, like the incident with Bum, which Baggs backtracked on.
I love TWG, but I’ll admit to having a bad taste in my mouth about how Baggs just abruptly killed Giants Extra, without so much as a warning or a goodbye. I’d gotten the impression he was proud of having built a popular Giants blog (I know he didn’t start it, but he made it into something). But I guess he got tired of it and us, so whatever.
I doubt Baggarly had any say in the change that was made.
Tim Kawakami and Adam Lauridsen (the Warriors Fastbreak guy) kept their blogs going. Just saying.
How many people do you see post on a TK blog?! Just saying
A ton post on the Fastbreak blog, though. The point is that Baggarly chose not to keep the blog going when the SJMN changed platforms. We’d all observed that after he left Comcast and came back to his former job, he put a lot less thought and effort into the blog than he had before he’d left. It seemed pretty clear to me that he wasn’t that happy to have gone backwards in his career and that he was over it as to the blog. Fair enough, especially if he wasn’t getting paid adequately (or at all) to do the blog part. (I do one set of posts a week for this one, and it does take time and thought.)
I just think it would have been nice if he’d said something, either in advance and/or a goodbye post. Just my take.
When I had he and Murphy sign my books, and I said I enjoyed the blog, he says d something snarky like ” just don’t read all the insane comments” and he and Murphy laughed.
Unrelated, a high school classmate just retired after 36 years from McClatchy…he and several other journalists were given a package…it was because it’s a dying industry. So, Baggs is likely forced to look for and concentrate on other career paths such as his books. Just a note that may have a thread to the sensationalism on display to elbow to the front of the Attention line
Yes, the books. The books about the Giants. With his biggest, most obvious market being…Giants fans.
I know I’m shit-stirring myself here, but this is a blog and not my job. But I’ve sensed, at least since the Romo thing and the break with Comcast–if not even sooner–that Baggs doesn’t much like the Giants or their fans. There were times when the Giants got off to a bad start in 2015 when he seemed to revel in heaping scorn and negativity onto his Giants Extra posts, as if he was enjoying twisting the knife into already distressed fans.
So he’s conflicted–he makes his living covering the Giants and sells his books and his brand to Giants fans–but really, he doesn’t like them or us.
Totally, totally agree.
Wasn’t it back as far as 2010 that he let something slip in what was then “Extra Baggs” about his commenters all living in their mom’s basement, posting in their boxers?
Yup…a tiny bit territorial in a changing landscape
I have a friend, a diehard fan with season tickets just in front of the press box who knows Baggarly. I’ll ask her what her impression is and see if she can find out anything about the demise of Giants Extra.
Ha! We can do our OWN investigative journalism here on TWG! Ask her if she minds being Deep Throat.
I always do wonder, at times I’ll read what I consider a really good TK post and see 1 or 2 posts on it. Not so a few years back. What gives?
The Oakland Tribune had a Raiders blog by Jerry McDonald and if I’m correct, merged with the Merc and at the same time, Giants Extra and The Raiders blog, formerly known as IBABuzz, both went down the toilet. A dedicated blogger created a new site, Pilaging Just For Fun, just like GG did at about the same time. I think the merger of the news sites created a entirely new format that pretty much rendered it useless. The new Raider blog now gets about 2-4K comments a day. 10K on game days. It’s a free for all over there. Both new independent sites are great.
Journalists ( rightly) shouldn’t root…but in Baggs case, I’ve always felt he’s rooted against certain people/players. My outside guess is it’s over some conflicts from their respective jobs.
Baggs is in this for Baggs. He should be…but not at the unfair cost of anyone’s reputation who didn’t deserve it due to their own actions. The Oracle calls them reasonable inferences…quite frankly, these are all judgment calls and Baggs has, in my opinion, judged poorly too many times.
Agreed.
Let’s not forget second half of 2011, when Baggs was consumed with promoting and selling his book. As that became more pronounced, the content on Extra Baggs became stale and terse. I remember quite a few “here’s the lineup, discuss among yourselves” post.
There was one rather controversial post in late July, where Baggs took Huff to task for mailing it in, and intimated there was dissension among some of the players. I remember thinking “that’s ballsy”, but upon further review perhaps as much shit-stirring as cutting edge reporting.
Also, we must remember that when Baggs left SJMN/BANG and Alex took over the blog (it was renamed Giants Extra), we all thought Alex was much more attuned to keeping us informed on current happenings. He was also quick to reply to our emails and tweets, something Baggs rarely if ever did.
I don’t think the quotes made Cueto look like a malcontent. To me, it sounded like he was just making an observation. And Cueto also said he wanted to end his career in the AL, so the quote in question isn’t the only indication that Cueto, while not a malcontent, may not be 100% overjoyed to be with the Giants.
The rest of your examples are just Baggarly reporting the facts or making reasonable inferences from those facts. Although Pagan did have surgery, the Giants obviously had no interest in having him back and no other team signed him, even though he had a decent season in 2016. That obviously supports the idea that he not the best guy to have in your clubhouse.
I think Baggarly strikes the right balance in his reporting. He tells the truth. If Romo and Dunston have a fight in public view, that’s their fault, not Baggarly’s. It’s not his responsibility to keep quiet about it and he wouldn’t be doing his job if he did.
I agree with most of that. But in at least a couple of instances, in my opinion he was s**t-stirring, which I do not think is his job as a reporter. He seems to have a pretty high opinion of himself, and good for him, but I do think he enjoys feeling the smart/clever one–the Jeopardy champ!–who sees things the other drones don’t.
There is no question he’s made the players angry at him on several occasions–the Huff gossip, the early leaking of the Melky rumor, and the Romo/Dunston fight. It’s a matter of opinion whether that says something good or bad about him.
As for the Cueto thing–well, it would be interesting to know if Marty’s right that Cueto was upset. Whether or not you or I think Baggarly’s article put him in a bad light, it sounds like it made Cueto himself unhappy. Again–that’s assuming Marty’s got the story straight, which I don’t know.
Thank you. Boom
His pic on his twitter page explains everything. He was obviously a tubby little fart who got picked on by the big boys and girls. Thus he over compensated by ” showing them all ” And he cheated when he ran as the Bratwurst in the Milwaukee Sausage Race. Then on Jeopardy asst director sold him the answers.
I feel like an echo, bro. Baggs does strike a balance of beat writing/ creating some fun juice to speculate about. Hey man, we’re here to be entertained, are we not?
“Fun juice”? At what cost? What of integrity?
Integrity? When was he wrong?
Lefty listed several. There are likely more.
He wasn’t flat out wrong about anything on the list.
Right. Gotcha.
You’re sounding a lot like channelclemente with his daily anonymous source bombshell link to another story that eventually slips out the back door without retraction after dying a quiet death….
What is integrity, man? Held together? What are we held together with?
Does your quip mean you’re OK with damaging speculation for “fun juice”?
Pretty low on my list of concerns. I’m okay if the players use some regulated juice. Hit the ball. Run the bases. Make some plays. Make it fun.
Ryan in my game this afternoon a 56 year old guy, only about a buck seventy five, launched one 40-50 feet over the left field fence at a local junior college. It was something else, off a 75 MPH pitch with a four dollar baseball. Wish you could have seen it, quite impressive.
Awesome, I’ve seen older guys launch balls because I’ve played with them. But mid 50 year olds can be strong as still have quick hands. He must swing a hammer for living :-0
I think Baggs is pretty fair. All the others you mention are basically yes boys, seem to do no more than necessary and in the end sound like team cheerleaders.
Baseball teams are not a family. They don’t all love each other and all that mambo jumbo folks on the blog imagine.
Players and coaches have all have issues during long seasons and I’d rather hear the rumors and problems that may arise other than having done fanboy writer sugarcoat the shit like everyone is in a day camp all the time.
As for Cueto, i don’t take his thoughts make him a malcontent but rather stating the facts about the team, its makeup and it’s culture. Maybe it’s not for everybody. There is ABSOLUTELY nothing wrong with that being pointed out.
The front office should be taking note though because players around the league talk. If the Giants need to fix some issues with it’s internal culture thrn they must get on the right track soon.
You mean the Gianst have a culture built like their roster –
Southern Culture on the Skids.
https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?hsimp=yhs-att_001&hspart=att&p=southern+culture+on+the+skids#id=13&vid=01df39ad044268a612b2ebe9b7bdde8b&action=view
Thought about that too. Uh oh.
I think that it was published in the same article where the dearth of international talent on the farm and poor farm performance was mentioned. So it was an echo of what many have thought. Combine that with the early season reports of Cueto wanting to pitch in the AL and voila, all the pieces are in place to give the impression that SF is not the place for Cueto. I never picked up the angle that Cueto didn’t like it, just that he made an observation and comparison of clubhouses. But when you put it all together, it’s almost like Baggarly is orchestrating the innuendo. I suppose beat writers get bored when the season sucks, especially when they’ve got an imagination to run.
Again (see below), that’s subhuman activity. “The season sucks” is not an excuse to stir shit.
Subhuman. Whoa. Sounds very human to me. We’re a mess. Look who our “leaders” are. Look at the shit we’re in. If we weren’t so “impressive” we’d be a worthless species.
Keep quipping…take it there as your go-to move. So, because the wrong guy is in office, all decency bets are off…that oughta work
Together we’re back! Have a good night, bro. Sleep tight.
I notice Peter was listening to Lurie after the game today, I was too. Lurie was speculating about Posey moving to first base and comparing him to Mauer. Said he’d be a below average first baseman but I would take exception to that. He’d be good over there if he played more but if he were to move I still think third base would make more sense. Belt is locked in at first and Posey has the great arm and played SS before moving to catcher. Why waste that great right handed arm at first base? Marty was wasting his breath though since Posey has made it clear he’s not moving.
Lurie once speculated about Hector Sanchez playing second base.
That must have been after Huff played there for an inning.
If Arroyo is considered the soon to be heir to 3B, Posey will be just fine st 1B.
Don’t kid yourself that Belt is so entrenched he won’t be moved sooner than you think. 1B is a much easier position to refill. Oh, Posey is not playing 3B, that’s just a rediculous suggestion.
Well, we know he’s not moving so it’s just idle banter but if he were to move to save on the wear and tear why is 3B ridiculous relative to 1B? He’s got the arm for it and certainly can field ground balls.
Because you’re bringing up a much thinner more agile Buster that played SS. Buster pre knee injury. It’s all speculation but I doubt he would want any part of the left side of the infield. What’s next, you want home to backup Crawford lol
So if he suffered a few more concussions and was forced to a new position on the Giants where would you move him, oh wise one?
It’s been stated by many in the actual organization that 1B is the place, even BEFORE Belt was signed to a new deal.
If Posey does have issues in the next few years, that’s where he should go.
All it takes is 1 more concussion to put him on a 30 or 60 day disabled stint for the team and Buster to suddenly change their tunes.
I heard that, too, and I took it more that Posey doesn’t have the kind of offensive numbers that would put him among the elite first basemen. And he wouldn’t. He’d be up against Goldschmidt, Freeman, Votto, etc. He’d probably never make another All-Star team. Anyway, I think Marty meant more his offense than his defense. I agree that Posey’s made himself more than competent over there, though Belt’s got the natural advantages of height and lefthandedness.
I think Posey would be almost at Goldie’s level by wRC+ if he wasn’t stuck in the crouch so long. Hittin’ .330/.400/.520. But this won’t be true with more seasons with 120 games behind plate.
Marty was saying, and I agree with him, that it’s the difference between being a good-to-very-good first baseman and perhaps a Hall of Fame catcher. The Giants paid Belt $80 mil to be the “good-to-very-good 1B.” They paid Posey $160 mil to be a potential HOF catcher.
And I think Posey would like to be in the Hall of Fame. He’s already got the money, regardless.
It’s up to him and Giants. But 75/75/5.
But Belt is an average to below average first baseman if you want to compare him to the guys you just compared him to Votto/Goldy/Freeman/Posey
But you know who should never have been an AS and most likely never ever be again? = BELT
All this conversation ignores the fact that Buster is the best catcher in MLB, and he does not want to move to another position.
and that’s why I promote the Missouri compromise, I mean the 75/75/5 compromise. But need that protege for him to mentor. Giants farm has plenty of weaknesses, catching is one of them.
He couldn’t slug as high as Goldy…. doesn’t have they kind of power…. Prolly hit for higher average though
Look at Posey power numbers away from ATT and look at Goldys away from Az. They are almost identical.Those numbers are with Posey catching mostly. To say that Buster does not have Goldys power is plane wrong.
That’s exactly what the gist was. Buster’s a top hitting catcher but he’d be simply above average as a first baseman. True or not that was the point they were trying to make…not really how well he fields the position.
Posey would be far better offensively than a .290 hitting 20HR Freeman who plays in a live park in Atlanta.
He probably would be a better hitter for average than Goldscmhidt not being banged up and his power numbers would be similar if not better. Just look at Busters road splits primarily as a catcher vs Goldy. They are almost identical. A 100% healthy not worn down Buster should have better power and a better average.
When it comes to Votto, Buster is equal on average if not better but his power numbers are slightly down. Buster as a 20-25HR person vs Votto as a 25-30HR.
I think that people who argue Buster would be an average first baseman is wrong. His fielding why not stellar is not bad and his hitting while playing first is far better than when he catches. One should think 675AB is enough time at first to see what he can do above and beyond his career stats.
I think Posey to third could have happened earlier in his career. C/3B, that would be cool. Kinda Russell Martin/Johnny Bench.
I lobby for 75/75/5 C/1B/DH, but gonna need a young protege for Posey to work with and going to have to do something about Belt (either trade or 85 games at 1B and lots of LF).
Russell Martin and Johnny Bench kinda don’t ever belong in the same sentence
Both are male and played C, that’s about it!
and 3B!
You don’t know what you’re talking about. “Russell Martin grounded out to short against Johnny Cueto so now he’s back on the Bench.” See?
He’ll be the batting champion hitting for a BA of .339 with 25 HRs and 37 RBIs.,
We already have about 6 third baseman, I’m not sure another one would be helpful.
3rd base makes a ton of sense for Buster
Pablo Sandoval is being benched this weekend to work on his defense. This surprised me a bit because my recollection is that he was pretty good defensively when he was fit, which he is this season (Gold Glove finalist in 2011 and 2014, his two thinnest years as a Giant).
The story suggests that his throwing is part of the concern. Makes me wonder how much credit for Pablo’s “good defense,” when it happened, really belonged to Belt. I have a lot of memories of Pablo basically throwing it in Belt’s general direction and Belt scooping it, way more often than not. I remember Pablo called Belt “the Pick Machine.”
http://m.mlb.com/news/article/235630098/red-sox-pablo-sandoval-out-to-work-on-defense/
Pablo used to seem pretty quick, as a young fellow in tubby condition. He’s both aged and left tubby in the rear view mirror, and although I haven’t seen him in a long time, it is easy to believe he isn’t a good fielder.
Good point about Belt the Hoover, though of course it applies to all the IFs.
Every time I hear a talking head say the Red Sox are looking to strengthen 3B, I think “we dodged a bullet” when he decided to sign with Boston.
This is the third year of a five year, $100MM contract, and Pablo has woefully underperformed. He’s a cautionary tale, for certain.
Notes from the farm, Draft Day Eve version…
Orlando Calixte back in AAA, collecting 2 hits for the Rivercats, including his 8th double; international free agent many moons ago with KC.
Arroyo 1 for 4 with K – first round wunderkid, he’s no Aaron Judge, but he still turned out to be a nice pick.
Ryder Jones, quietly having the best pro season of his life, was 1 for 3 with BB. He now has a .904 OPS. He never drew walks like he has been doing this year. Good for him to change his approach like he has. I gather he’s tightened up his swing quite a bit since I saw him with San Jose. Good news, but vacancy at 3B/1B will be his only problem. A second round H.S. draft pick success story?
Chris Shaw was 1 for 4 with 2 K – .254 avg, supplemental round stud?
Flying Squirrels swept a double header. In the Suarez start, the Giants #2 pitching prospect, former 2nd round pick out of Miami, went 6 and 2/3 yielding 7 hits and 2 BB with 2 ER allowed and 2 Ks. His ERA is now 2.96 with 1.30 WHIP.
Miguel Gomez homered in this game, his 6th. He his batting .324/.359/.473. His only problem may be vacancy at the SF Hotel. He was international FA from DR – I guess the Giants do actually sign these guys, we give them a hard time but…
For San Jose, I should be scouting these guys, but I’m pathetic with poor timing. If today’s game was a day game, I’d make it, but 6 PM start makes it very iffy. At any rate,
2nd round pick Bryan Reynolds took an 0fer with 2 Ks, but he’s been batting .350 over last 10 games to help lift that average over the Gwynn-line; 780 OPS on the season as well. Ryan Howard (5th round pick out of U. of Missouri) was 3 for 4 with a double and 2 RBIs – he is the team’s leading hitter at .321 avg. Heath Quinn, 3rd round pick out of Samford U., was 1 for 4 with 2 Ks.
There’s some solid in those early rounds. Strike gold in the first, mine some silver soon after.
t/y for the newsy report.
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with having too much talent at a position like 3B, as it means you can trade for other positions. And in some ways, you just don’t know what will happen. It seems unlikely Nunez will be back next year, and if something bad happened to Craw-Nik, Arroyo would quickly revert to being a middle IF. I am waiting out the month to see what happens to Hwang.
Will they draft 3rd base power prospect from Missouri State, Jake Burger, with their first pick?
Stay tuned, but I’m with you. Things happen. Deal with inventory glut later if an impact power bat is available.
I do remember some howls here about why draft Arroyo with Crawford on the major league roster. I was surprised that he played all three left side IF positions during his callup, seemingly without bothering him. A good athlete with a solid bat can always play somewhere.
When have the Giants turned inventory into a goo trade/power bat?
Charlie Culbertson!
never!!
Pence .
Once in a while ! 🙂
Hey, Cuz: is Reynolds more of a PJSlappy guy , or does he have pop? I thought I read his bio at draft as a “4 tool that needs to grow into power”.
some pop, more than Duggar. Swing seems built for loft. Damn, I really should see him tonight. Switch hitter though and I think his crank side is left. Maybe a 15 HR CFer someday.
That’s a low number…oh well. PJ ain’t gonna like him
Thought that Ryan Hiward had retired frim baseball– good for him making a comeback in A ball
He’s back, slimmer and whiter.
SurfMaui’s trivia question if the day: There have been 17 instances of a a batter hitting 4 HR in a game and 23 perfect games in MLB history. There are 9 franchises which have had players who have done both. One, of course, is the Giants with Willie Mays and Matt Cain. (1) can you name the others and (2) for bonus points can you name the only franchise to have more than 1 instance of each? Extra extra bonus points if you name the players on that team
Instead of looking up the answer to your questions, I will thank you for connecting the dots for me between two of my very favorite Giants of all times. Different eras, one a pitcher and one a hitter/graceful fielder, I had not seen the rarity of their twin feats.
The Giants are a storied franchise with a great fan base, solid financing, and a cathedral of a ball park. Don’t worry folks, we will survive 2017, aided by the chance to talk it through provided by Greek Giant.
The Reds?
Reds are one of them, actually the most recent after Scooter’s 4 HR day– as an aside, maybe its just me but no one with the name Scooter should be able to hit 4 HR in a career, much less 1 game.
Interesting that Scooter is a hometown boy, a native of Cincinnati. Reds have always had many hometown players on their team, headlined by Pete Rose and Barry Larkin.
There were many others; from memory I think Ron Oester and Chris Welch, just to name two. I remember one game in 1986 when they could have started five native sons against us. Unusual and kinda cool.
Yankees are correct for one of the teams.
Here is the story from this morning’s “fake news” source The New York Times
“Hitting four homers in a game is roughly the equivalent of pitching a perfect game. Batters have done it 17 times, and there have been 23 perfect games. Scooter Gennett’s performance made the Reds just the ninth team to have had both; Tom Browning threw a perfect game for Cincinnati in September 1988.
The other franchises with both are the Braves, the Giants, the Indians, the Mariners, the Phillies, the Rangers, the White Sox and the Yankees. The only team with multiple instances of both is the Phillies, who have perfect games by Jim Bunning (in 1964) and Roy Halladay (2010) and four-homer games by Ed Delahanty (1896), Chuck Klein (1936) and Mike Schmidt (1976).
Thirteen franchises have neither a perfect game nor a four-homer game in their history, and three have never been involved in such a game: the Kansas City Royals, the San Diego Padres and the Colorado Rockies.
The Tampa Bay Rays have existed for just 20 seasons but have already been involved in four such games. In 2003, the Toronto Blue Jays’ Carlos Delgado slammed four homers against the Rays, who would become victims of a perfect game three times — all in afternoon road games — from 2009 to 2012. Mark Buehrle accomplished it for the Chicago White Sox in 2009, Dallas Braden for the Oakland Athletics in 2010 and Felix Hernandez for Seattle on Aug. 15, 2015 — the last perfect game in the majors.”
I’m surprised that the Dodgers didn’t make the list. I remembered Koufax’ perfecto. No 4 HR games despite all those years in Brooklyn and LA. Figured the Yankees had to make the list from the longevity factor alone.
another exciting Cincy player. That pop is legit. Man, where do they find these guys?
What I find interesting is that about 1/2 the guys who hit the 4 HR in a game are guys you would never expect such as Harper, judge, Cabrera, etc. and didn’t hear from much after.
Last week so many here jumped on Scooter as if he would be the next superstar.
Basically caught lightening in a bottle.
“Many here jumped on Scooter as the next superstar?” I didn’t see *any* such posts on TWG, especially since there was no TWG for most of the week.
Sounds like fake news to me.
Sometimes E is like DT tweeting on the shitter.
Or NYT?
You were totally vindicated when Comey shot down the NYT Russia/DT Campaign article! Wow, did they miss that one.
I wasn’t totally vindicated. My opinion of their dishonestly was confirmed
Or reporting sources with information that was not totally reliable. Somebody made the call. Get it out or sit on it until it can be confirmed at some unknown time.
Any organization understands the necessary vetting of sources. In the past, outlets erred on the side of caution. They now err on the side of sensationalism , partly because they know the lemmings will let that go and keep gulping the bias (both sides)
A few posts. Either way Scooter is not the next great star.
The Nats, the Dodgers and more than likely, the Yankees and Mets.
Draft is coming! So soon, this is exciting. Who will be their guy/s?
For somebody at the top of the draft, the 2 way stud from Louisville is intriguing. Brenday McCay is a southpaw with 90-94 and a 1B that hit .343 with 17 HRs. Can he maintain both at the MLB caliber of play?
As for the Giants, man, I think they have to go with the best college bat available. Don’t be tempted to grab the next Tyler Beede, don’t do it. Get a bat that can be here in 2 years. There could be the HS OFer from Puerto Rico or the HS catcher from Georgia, but sooner seems better with Posey, Crawford and Bum where they are.
So who could be the next Giant?
Outfielder seems preferable, but the ideal guy whose skill set encompasses both sides of play may not be there. Dig these possibilities that may or may not be around when Giants pick (they are not anticipated to go in Top 10):
I think Evan White 1B/OF out of Kentucky is the guy that fits best and could really be a killer pick (does have good amount of helium). He batted .368/.450/.627 with 9 HRs this year, his JR season. His athleticism is highly touted, could be a premium 1B or a very solid corner OF. Power is not his calling card, but a 6-3 21 y.o. should have plenty of room for growth. Scouts really like his right handed level swing – could have plenty of gap power and RH bats play better at AT&T.
The best collegiate bat, Keston Hiura out of UC Irvine (Anteaters!), has some elbow issues that may necessitate surgergy, although he is getting some platelet/plasma work done. But Hiura can hit (RH) : .442/.567/.693 with 24 doubles and 8 Homers. Geez, talk about tough out. Probably not much defensively, and LF would be the spot for him, but if the elbow gets healed or surgically repaired, he could still be banging in MLB in 2.5 years.
Jake Burger has been connected to the Giants via the rumor mill. I gather he’s not the best bodied 3B you’ll see, but scouts believe he can get it done with quick step and strong arm. Some have drawn Hunter Pence parallel with lack of swing orthodoxy, but gets it done with strong man stroke. Righty hitter hit ..332/.445/.656 with 22 HRs for Missouri State. This is the power bat the Giants are looking for. Deal with 3B glut later. Heck, Arroyo could move to 2B.
Here is the typical Giants pick, a collegiate SS, from UNC, Logan Warmouth (RH) hit .336/.404/.554 with 10 HR and 18/21 SBs for Tarheels. I can see this pick happening. They trust their instincts with middle infielders and he seems Giants solid.
Another name seen in a mock draft to the Giants that would require some droppage would be Pavin Smith, 1B Virginia (L-L). He hit .342/.427/.570 with 13 big flies for the Cavaliers.
Some names to keep in mind on draft day. Round two, I say they need to look at catching prospects or more outfielders! Here are some catching names:
http://www.minorleagueball.com/2017/6/4/15737400/2017-mlb-draft-prospects-catchers-riley-adams-mj-melendez-luis-campusano-matt-whatley
Adams or Whatley are the collegiates of interest and Campusano is the HS talent with the buzz.
Make it a draft to remember Bobby Evans and Co, this could be your last!
Wow. In other sports news, Rafa Nadal wins French Open #10.
Can that guy play on clay or what?
That has got to be murder on the knees.
Yup, and if anything shortens Rafa’s career it’s going to be those very knees.
can these guys play or what?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v35YhhzCrYk
Dang, amazing guitar playing, not only the solos but also the interplay between them. Return to Forever, the original superband: Al Dimeola, Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke and Lenny White.
very nice, I do not know which is more impressive the lead by the finger picking or that the guy on the right is matching some of the leads with a pick. I tend to prefer the finger picking.
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