by
Greek Giant
Just look at that photo! It tells you all you need to know. It’s what makes extra inning baseball so exciting, so dramatic, and so unlike any other sport, particularly when your team is the home team and they pull off a much-needed win.
DSpan is having a very good season and hurray for him. I was always a fan, even when he played for the Nationals. Yes, he has lost a step. No, he is not the same dynamic player he was five years ago. No, it was not a good contract in the grand scheme of things but you know what I get out of watching Denard Span play every day? I see a player who is a gamer. He plays hard, with passion and with a sense of purpose and pride that has a strong effect on his teammates.
There were many more heroes in last night’s game: Gorkys, Cain, Gearrin, Dyson, BCraw and Kelby.
This is the team we were all hoping we had at the start of the year.
Congratulations to my Florida Gators: The first SEC team to win National Championships in Baseball, Football and Basketball, joining Michigan, Ohio State, Cal, and Stanford as the only teams to accomplish this trifecta!
At last.
A real streak.
There is a big goofy grin on my face today, even before I saw GG’s photo above.
“T in C” at TWG?
A streak would go a long way to break this negative cloud over the team don’t you think?
The talent is here despite the results so far.
T I A R will work for one more day.
I love puzzles but …
“Take It …”?
“Tongue In …”?
“… Against Rockies”?
“Totally In Alll Rookies”?
two in a row
KISS … I overthought that one.
Posey was nails too:
https://www.mlb.com/gameday/rockies-vs-giants/2017/06/27/491253#game_state=final,lock_state=final,game_tab=videos,game=491253
I reckon Gearrin pitched pretty well?
I yelled at him during his whole performance. “Damn it! Stop fooling around and pitch!” BUT, he K’d 3 in that inning. Geez, he’s frustrating.
(OK, I didn’t say “fooling”)
Thanks for using the “Family Friendly Filter”.
Good job amigo.
This might not be quite Wally Pipp material,
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/28/books/michael-bond-dead-paddington-bear.html
I missed out on lots of cool things as a child, such as Legos and transformers and Harry Potter, because they came after me. But I do remember Paddington Bear quite well, with all his antics, after being rescued when found bearing the forlorn tag “Please look after this bear. Thank you.”
Nice reaction of the Giant players after Span’s hit. Must have been a great relief after so many gut wrenching losses. Surprised it was none other than Cueto chasing Span and trying to douse him. Hope he didn’t pull anything.
Will Posey get the well-deserved rest day after catching 14 innings just 9 hours ago? Or does Bochy leave his hottest hitter in the line up with a series sweep in mind?
Think he’ll play 1b with the southpaw Freeland going.
DEEG !!!! Damn, Girl! Glad you’re still around.
“The Montana Medic”? Where?
Detective Bapah, snooping the upvotes. Good find. Hi Deeg.
Hi Ryan. (She says quietly.)
YAAAY!
Missed you!
Hi Dr!
Welcome
Hello!
So the roster move was to DL Conor; keep “0-13 Jones”; add Jan MyGuyan Hwang [right hand bat starting today makes sense]; Slater is due back in; Blach is starting today.
See all it takes is getting on a 100-loss-season-roll to make the Giants play some prospects.
As for Melancon and the one inning, it’s no doubt related to the tendinitis he’s been dealing with.
This from a week ago;
“Melancon claimed after the game that he felt fine, but he had acknowledged earlier in the series that he wasn’t sure if he could pitch on consecutive days. Describing the the elbow tendonitis that sent him to the disabled list earlier in the season, he said he was “good enough to be out there.”
I think I saw somebody comment that Slater gets better jumps than Span in CF and is somehow a better defender there. Seems silly to me, but that would be something if true, if somehow, someway, Slater is a good defender in CF even though his tools don’t really translate there. But to each their own.
Go Span, keep getting those knocks and playing to what UZR says is league average range for a CF.
It was me, but you knew that. Span is hitting…very well. Won the game from the batters box last night.
However, regardless of 538 and fangraphs pablum, it’s obvious to anyone watching his defense that he gets rough jumps and reads, and that is coupled with his chicken wing. It is what it is
Incredible read on Slater in that minuscule sample size you are operating on. Don’t believe the liberal media. Trust your instincts. Span can’t burn like he used to. But for all his experience in CF, his reads should be more that fine. The burst on his first step is not what it used to be.
That is all.
I Lori love that you always poke with a media comment, especially amid their meltdown phase! Go, Zucker!!!
Watching the jumps he and Pence get are extremely poor…watch Blackmon. Then watch Grady. The gap is bigger than Strahan’s grill
CNN called. They’re hiring. You game?
They’re too busy firing to be hiring yet. You fit a tiny bit better when that starts
Probably was that big league scout, known as TF62.
Is Slater expected to play today?
It was announced that he would be back from the flexor strain today yes.
So he couldn’t run the bases last nite but he’s gonna play today?
He beat out an INF single but maybe that was all they wanted to push him?
Probably day-to-day.
aren’t we all day-to-day?
MyGuyâ„¢ Prospect Roll:
Second Round Pick Aramis Garcia hit his third HR in two days; .342 over the last ten games; catcher of the future? Needs a promo to Richmond say his MyGuyScoutsâ„¢ HaakAway, AHS, PS35, RobDeer, stevek
Stephen Woods … MyGuy of buyselltrade, Giantc, stevek … 6 IP / 0 ER / 8 K’s
Foots says that Aramis is just north of a smelly bag of mice. Something like that.A fine way to treat a Musketeer.
I am O for 175 so “me no play”
*Love Dyson’s demeanor- no BFD,all in a day’s work
*KT- the Duck Fart King
*Cory- you pitched OK, but you’re paid to hit, bro
*Gorkys- you don’t belong in a major league uniform,pal How about a Leisure Suit? 10 for a buck.Hillary’s pants suits would also be a good look.
* You might have to fight her for them
*What to expect in 2018- maybe Slater, Boyo,Beede. The return of Law.
* Kuip will soon misidentify himself
* And Kruk will actually say that a guy with a 7.20 ERA, isn’t very good
*Hey, this ain’t exactly Breakfast with Wimbledon, but I’m fresh out of scones and a spot of tea. Brown bananas aren’t too bad, actually.
From the other side: Cubs DFA Montero after he shot his mouth off about Arrieta. Wow!
Figured they’d have to take action and would side with Arrieta. If it’s true that Jake isn’t very popular in their clubhouse, I’d think this would alienate him even more.
It wasn’t the first time that his mouth was engaged before his brain was.
#LastStraw
Since we opine often about the Giants clubhouse, I find that Cubs clubhouse intriguing this season. You knew that Monterey would be toast after last night, and he likely knew it as he spoke – and didn’t care
Anybody know how many pitches Melancon threw last night? I scrolled thru the blog and couldn’t seem to find it reposted and reposted anywhere.
14, 10 for strikes
You missed PJ’s numerous posts regarding his 14 pitches? How?
I thought using “reposted” twice in my post would make it clear I was referring to PJ’s obsession. My humor is so damn layered and highbrow, it often goes undetected.
Went back and reread. Good one. It’s hard working in the Department of Redundancy Department.
It’s so so so so so so so so so so so so so so hard. Is that 14?
This is true.
Undetected – and under appreciated.
And here I actually looked it up for you. You want to know how many foul balls that Buster has hit in his career- you’ll have to look elsewhere, chump.
If it makes you feel any better, I did feel bad that you took the time to give me such a genuine answer.
I read 14 somewhere.
I have mentioned this before.
I like Span but he is past his prime as a starting CF because of injuries and age and maybe is paid a tad too much.
I liken Span to Harvey Kuenn of the Giants in the early 60s. Kuenn had a long run in the American League as a SS, CF, batting champion, all star, an every day player, a star traded for Rocky Colavito …
With the Giants Kuenn had lost his speed and endurance but was a solid complimentary player that played all three OF positions but mostly in the corners as Mays was CF.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kuennha01.shtml
BTW Harvey Kuenn was a great Giant. The Giants had so much OF depth that their #5 OF, Matty Alou ,went to the Pirates then Cards and won several batting titles in a 6 year outstanding streak. Matty Alou had the power of Kelby Tomlinson.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/alouma01.shtml
“I have mentioned this before.”
No doubt.
I love the curmudgeonly, “get off my lawn” routine that you bring to the blog every day! The way you swoop in and shit on people’s posts is awesome! Just like the gulls crapping on Span last night! Keep up the good work!
I am not a swooper. I only speak truth to power.
BTW, if you didn’t notice, I took your legit complaints about my “nicknames” to heart- I stopped it.
But I AM awesome. Nice of you to mention it.
You are that.
Mr. Sarcastic isn’t a bad guy but the lawn thing really hurt. I’ve never had a lawn. Just yellow-ish stuff . Even the cats complain about it.
Mr. Sarcastic does a good job of living up to his name, but he’s in some mighty fast company on a blog that also features The Oracle and the famous Mr. Scott.
(thanks for the funny list!)
We live in the land of the “buts”. It’s best to just stop reading after a “but”.It’s never good. “That was a nice play, but….”
Sorry – I guess I’m just cranky this morning. A day game means I won’t be able to drink heavily while I watch the game because I’m at work.
…
…
On second thought… Oh, what the heck!!! I’m going for it!
I had some grass once. But no lawn.
Hey Chef! Hope you are ok. I’ve been sick most of the year, but getting by. Going to try to get to Napa by fall.
Anyways… this place opened here. http://stroudsrestaurant.com/
They’ve been in Kansas City for awhile. Thought you might be interested.
Hi to all the regulars! Rough year for myself and the Giants.
Still following
Nice to see you again- is your health improving? Hope to see you more now.
As to Stroud’s. Some say that they have best Fried Chicken in the country.
I’m sure you must’ve met Harmon Killebrew, right? Good guy? I don’t think he received quite the acclaim he should have as one of the greatest hitters of his era.
Yes, I did know Harmon. A very nice man and as you say, a great hitter. A great power hitter, actually. He liked to admire his homers.Today, he’d get beaned for that,
But he hit some shots. I remember from NBC games of the week. Twins would drive the ball all over the yard, and most times there was a Killebrew moon shot in there.
Holding steady. Trying not to borrow trouble. Results next week.
We use to live in KC and frequented Stroud’s. Their fried chicken – OMG.
(They also had a garlic pork chop that was mucho yummy.)
Thanks for sharing!
Totally – I hope it’s as good as the KC shop – maybe better, with Omaha beef!
(They always serve the fried chicken and spuds with a danish on the side! Weird – but mi esposa loved it.) ;o)
Good to hear from you, oma! Hang in there. Thoughts and prayers.
So?
The Greek Giant’s post mentioned Span who is hitting well but Span has also been criticized often at TWG.
I criticized Span but still think he is a quality player, just not a star or with same skills he once possessed. Kuenn is a good comparison as to a team role.
In general I like to recall past Giants and perhaps others do as well?
Was on the 1962 World Series team
Even Matty Alou had more power than Tomlinson.
Matty Alou was a much better hitter but most of Alou’s power was 2b and 3B power from speed and he also made more than his share of bunt hits.
Matty Alou had one HR per about 200 AB while Tomlinson one HR per 175 ABs.
Alou is ahead in career SLG at .381 to .351. Tomlinson had exhibited close to zero power in 2017.
But there is no fair comparison because of small sample size and that Tomlinson will not have the long and fine career of Alou.
I wanted to mention a former Giant who had a fine career despite little power.
The Giants teams when Matty Alou was in SF had Mays, McCovey, Cepeda, Felipe Alou, Haller, Bailey, Hart – no shortage of power.
My point was that, while I like Tomlinson, his almost complete lack of power of the past two seasons has been pretty amazing. He has only 5 extra base hits (all doubles) in 174 ABs, which is very rare.
I agree. Tomlinson would likely do better with more playing time but has as weak a power bat as any position player now in MLB.
I don’t think Tomlinson should nor will be an every day player.
He also puts the ball in play and runs well. Good D, good bench guy.
And boy, could Matty Alou lay down a drag bunt. (9th inning, Game 7, 1962)
Kueen fit right in with that 1962 team. I remember Davenport went down with a broken hand, and Kueen stepped in at 3B and we didn’t miss a beat. I was a big fan.
Always liked Matty, too. The little brother trying to be like Felipe, but that wasn’t his game. We traded him to the Pirates after 1965. Harry Walker gave Matty a huge bat, told him to choke up and hit the ball wherever it was pitched. He won the batting title in 1966. Matty could drive it into the gaps and get doubles and triples. More power than Kelby.
Look, for the last time- I did not collude with the Russians. I’m just very fluent in weird sounding names.
Nice to see that TO has officially placed a poster of Ghorky’s over his work station at work and a few extra in his patrol car.
#GoGhorksLoveyaFromTO
Giants did a lot of good things here
http://m.mlb.com/video/v1548296883/colsf-gearrin-whiffs-reynolds-in-the-13th/?game_pk=491253&partnerId=ed-10552356-55341579
Blach needs to go 7-9 today.
Alex Pavlovic ✔ @PavlovicNBCS
Guys who might visit Bat Flip City: Hernandez CF, Panik 2B, Slater RF, Belt 1B, Hwang 3B, Hundley C, Tomlinson SS, Jones LF, Blach LHP
Posey is so soft!!!!
True but I bet he could throw more than 14 pitches.
Great point. The closer myth has been bad for ball in SO many ways, and shame on managers for buying into it
Ouch!
Yeah–we don’t need him! Looser!
Bomb Squad Lineup!
Drew Smyly having TJ surgery…true epidemic
So… Slater is starting but when he reached base in extras last nite we had today’s starting pitcher pinch run for him. Help me understand this.
You guys wanted youth– you got it. In a million years at the beginning of the season who would have predicted this lineup except for spring training or september.
What reason is there not to play the young guys? Do you think these games mean something?
Of course they mean something. After a marathon last night not a lot of choices but no one could have predited this line up in April. It’s like predicting the entire ncaa bracket
There is zero chance they make it to the post season, so what meaning do they have? At this point, the fewer wins the better.
We get it. You want to lose and get the top pick. Which is fine. But saying there’s zero meaning when you have young guys like Slater and Jones getting their feet wet and trying to ascertain if they’re gonna be legitimate players in this league, as well as Blach who might need to be a key rotation piece for years to come, is asinine.
Your reading comprehension isn’t the best. From the beginning, when it became clear that this was going to be a bad season, I said that looking at any young guys they think had any reasonable shot at being players was what they needed to do, as opposed to chasing meaningless wins by playing aging vets with no future.
Your reading comprehension is extraordinary. As are your writing skills. So… these games are meaningless except in the way you attribute meaning. Got it.
Winning is meaningless. Please don’t threaten me with physical violence again. It makes me very nervous.
I don’t slap women.
Or anyone else.
True. I always closed my hands. And am undefeated in my professional career. And you’re probably pretty soft these days. But here I am being an internet tough guy again. Tell you what, we can make it interesting as well as benefit a charity. How about we get in a ring. 3 rounds. We’ll set it up and I’m sure we’ll have many TWGers dying to attend. $20 tickets. I’ll put up $500. You match it. That’s over a grand. Then we donate the proceeds to a charity of your choice. Not sure how you can turn this down.
I saw your Facebook and didn’t come away feeling intimidated, but maybe you’re a Muay Thai master and I’ve also seen plenty of smaller guys who were very tough. As far as being soft, well you’re a little off there, but I never look for fights, so thanks for the generous offer, but I’m going to pass.
Stalked me on Facebook, huh? Creepy.
You gave your name and said you wanted to slap me, so of course I had to conduct a threat assessment. I slept fine that night.
Right, right. Well, I guess I should just count my blessings that you’re passing on my generous offer. This way you can continue sleeping fine.
Hwang’s defense is terrible and he’s 29. I’d rather see Arroyo get some more looks. That being said. I predicted 20 wins in a row. 18 to go!!
Arroyo’s hand is hurt, and Nunez has a hammy problem, so Hwang might get a ten day look here.
I did not know that about Arroyo. I hope he is okay.
If my memory serves, he had a ball hit his hand while batting. So he hasn’t played very much for Sacramento since being sent down. I’ve no idea what the schedule is for his return to action. Lefty might know that?
Sadly, 18 more still wouldn’t mean anything. But are the Dodgers part of that streak?
I’m really falling in love with Dyson. He might be a huge piece to this bullpen renaissance.
Entertainingly, I’ve read elsewhere that fans from his old team continue to be relieved they don’t have him anymore. Might be a case of he just needed a change to bring his spark back.
Holliday hasn’t played since Saturday due to fatigue, telling manager Joe Girardi that “it feels like someone zapped me of all my energy.”
Now they’re saying he may land on the DL. Due to Fatigue.
huh??
I don’t like the guy and I’d give him a hard time, but as someone with fibro and chronic fatigue, I’ll hold off on judging him just yet. Some autoimmune disorders show up later in life and fatigue and malaise are big symptoms.
Or maybe he just has the flu or something heading his way. 🙂
Ah, I apologize if my post came off as insensitive.
Sounds like he’s landing on the DL and going to NY for further testing so hopefully it’s nothing serious for him.
On the other hand, hope you’re feeling just peachy this morning 🙂
Oh no worries at all! I didn’t think you were being insensitive. Just wanted to add clarification. He could just be recovering from a bad hangover and using fatigue as an excuse 😀 And thank you! I think the combination of meds I’m taking now are working together to help for the time being.
Must be father time calling for him.
That’s great to hear, just peachy 🙂
I tend to believe athletes in cases like this, because it’s embarrassing to miss time due to something like “fatigue”. He easily could have publicly stated a fake limb injury (sore bicep, ankle sprain) but instead stated he was fatigued. I buy it.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/apos-actually-wrestling-villain-called-180151203.html
I laughed.
Giants 3-Peat!
CP-3 traded to Houston.
Now all the Rockets need to do is get the rules changed to allow for a second ball.
Harden just had the best season of his career playing PG for them. CP3 trade makes no sense
Melancon to the DL with elbow strain. Must be the 14 pitches. SMFH
And Slania, who just got demoted to AA, takes his place. I think it’s pretty clear now that Melancon has never been fully healthy this season.
Ayup. Nope.
Slania? He must be paying them.
Honestly, with most game time temperatures at ATT in the upper 50’s and lower 60’s I don’t know why there aren’t more injuries. SF is freezing compared to any other MLB city once June rolls around.
I suspect that’s one reason free agents don’t want to come to San Francisco.
I don’t know if this would help, but perhaps have more day games at AT&T?
He’ll be fine once he’s healthy. I’m still a believer.
I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, but I’m starting to wonder how much of Rosenthal’s speculation about him is actually true. I mean, this is getting ridiculous. Just get a TJ and sit out.
Huh? What does that reach piece have to do with any of this?
Maybe not, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Giants go on a winning stretch without him just like earlier this year
If only he had stretched more …
ATT is just flat out the coldest place to play in summer. Cold is not good for pitcher’s arms. I doubt stretching would have made any difference. A stretch at 3:30 pm won’t have any effect at 9:30 or 10:00 pm.
Rosenthal article joke…a sublime one at that
I’ll buy it.
Giants got a lemon in Melanchon. Not going to be able to trade him now.
Hernandez leading off the triple A lineup with a few vets. Awesome. It’s a winner.
Denard Span is a vagina that’s all there is to it!
Whoa!
So he’s super strong and can take a pounding and bleed for a few days without dying?
Betty White Strong
Oh come on now
Come on you wimps he’s very soft
This is a bad post.
Would you rather i call him a pus..?
If you wanted to double down on stupid, sure.
He’s a pussy
But a guy typing about him is super duper tough. You’re a joke, and now your sad little heels are dug in.
Look here punk i guarantee you id out tough your punk ass! I’ll walk the walk and talk the talk remember that
Kewl. Takes a pussy to recognize a pussy. I guarsbtee it.
Oh I can recognize a pussy and you sound just like one
It’s easy to recognize. You’ve been seeing one in the mirror every day for years!
I won’t waste too much time with you I bet you can’t even fight just talk shit with the with the letters
My time already feels sufficiently wasted. Keep that stiff upper lip though, tough guy!
Tell you what let’s meet for coffee and talk about this
Holy shit dude, there is no way Span is a bigger pussy than you. Own it, and move the fuck on with your day.
you keep on playing with your little pussy cat okay
Man, baseball is wierd. Dyson released by one club, and now all of a sudden is the presumed closer for another, in the space of about 3 weeks. Slania demoted from AAA to AA but the best rested arm in the high minors, so he’s up to MLB. It just shows that we all have to keep going, because a good thing may lie just around the corner, no matter how dark and gloomy life appears.
You come from a light side of the moon perspective.
Great point.
Preach!
Ok. Here’s my take on getting the #1 pick. That’s awesome. But it means you stunk so bad you finished the worst. And there’s a good chance there’s fruit flies and cockroaches in the clubhouse. It means you’re the stankiest of toilet bowls of MLB. There’s a good chance good FAs don’t want to play for you. It’s an embarrassment. I prefer not to see my team be the laughing stock of baseball. Been through that with the Raiders. No fun.
Sorry.. nothing can be worse than mid 70’s Giants baseball. Candlestick, Turf, threats of moving, no WS.
I hear ya, but most every team in the four major professional sports goes through cycles of good runs and lean times. I suffered through those losing Raiders years too. They got the right GM now, cleared up cap space and they’re on the rise.
Yep.
New Post: http://fe0.84e.myftpupload.com/2017-season/game-81-preview-i-smell-a-sweep/
Haak!!!! Slania is MyGuy! Boom
Mine too.
Slania is MyGuy as well.
The guy is a hulking presence in person.
Awesome. Slania love!
Me three!