by
Greek Giant
Ok Gang, We are done with the first round of Guests Posts and you have exceeded my expectations, which were, in all honesty, fairly modest. Your stories are provocative, heart-warming, funny and a wonderful archive of Giants fandom. In fact, the Guest Posts are so good that I created a whole page dedicated only to them.
Now it’s time for a second round. As Together We’re Giants gets bigger and bolder we will be expanding many of the wonderful aspects of this site with more interviews, artwork and Guest Posts. For the second set of contributions here are the guidelines:
- Write about a specific game in Giants history that you remember watching in person, on tv or on the radio (listening to)
- Write about how this game impacted your life and Giants fandom
- Send me box scores, notes, scorecards and any photos related to that game
That’s it! Very simple stuff. Clutch has been sending me some cool things lately. We have a new Guest Post tomorrow from Surf Maui, continuing his thoughts on his awesome Giants memorabilia.
Stay tuned for news on more exciting phenomena like the first Together We’re Giants Convention, an online charity auction, and much more.
Send all submissions to gmagalios@gmail.com.
I will tell you guys one of my favorite Giants games as a kid, it was 1982 a night game at the Stick, the Giants were playing the Astros it was a week night game on a school night , so I was in bed early. Nolan Ryan was Starting for the Astros and the Giants got behind big early, so l went to bed with the radio on in my room under the covers ,with the sound down , so my parents thought I was a sleep. The Giants came back from a score like 6-0, my favorite player at that time Jack Clark hit 2 HRs, Reggie Smith also hit 2 HRs, Chilli Davis hit 1 HR and the Giants tied it up, and then won on a walk of hit by Darrell Evans .
There was nothing like a Doody HR walkoff to the pull side of the field !!!
Unless it was a would be walkoff- just a tad foul.
I was on the other side of that debacle that night, swearing a blue streak at 1am in TX that the Astros stunk up the joint in SF, again!
Hank Schulman 46min ago:
Lot of backup infield candidates, but Evans said Gillaspie is first among equals being LH, controllable 2 more yrs, postseason heroics.
Hank Schulman 34min ago:
Hill lives in AZ. Knows #sfgiants might not be ultimate destination, but felt it better to “get going” with a team than sit on his hands.
Andrew Baggarly also reports Hill regards Giants as a “good showcase spot.”
My opinion: Kelby Tomlinson, age 26, has proved his mettle.
10:15n nothing going on. Practice hasn’t started. Watched Belt and Panik in Cages about an hour or so ago.
Keep the reports coming! Thank You Bapah.
Kelby Tomlinson has had 313 MLB plate appearances, over two seasons. He’s hit .299/.362/.377/.739. He’s shown excellent speed, a decent glove and a knack for coming up with clutch hits. No wonder the Giants are signing every fringe utility infielder they can get their hands on.
Bochy likes his infielders the way he likes his wine. Aged and just after they’ve peaked so the price is low.
POTD.
Hardly.
I thought it was pretty funny.
Evans, not Bochy is in charge of player acquisition.
We hear the same stuff every year. If they are not just let go, almost all of all of the minor league “sign-ees” will be minor league depth. MAYBE one or two will make the squad and based on recent history, they will be valuable additions.
Giants do not give most young players a honest look until they are out of options, today on KNBR Brian Sabean pretty much said Mac Williamson ,who still has options needs another year in AAA, because he missed that year of development with the TJ surgery, and it is Parkers job to lose .
Did he actually say it or did he “pretty much” say it?
Mac looked pretty good today in BP. Put a couple of towering shots on the grass hillside.
If he did say something along those lines then I assume they want a Parker/Ruggiano platoon. Parker cannot be *the* LF because he cannot hit LHP. If this is true, it’s really a shame. I’d like to see Mac get a chance to run with the job for a while.
Sabean might not be wrong about Mac benefitting from another year in AAA. They pretty much wasted his 2016 season between jerking him back and forth between Sac and SF and having him sit on the bench in SF. He barely had 350 plate appearances between Sac/SF last year. Yes, he had an injury, but that only knocked him out for 2-3 weeks in August, and then he was back playing games in Sac.
It’s ridiculous to limit a guy you hope will compete for an everyday job the next year to 350 PAs, especially when he hadn’t played a full year in AAA yet. It was very bad planning. The Giants did a lot of things wrong as an organization last year.
In typical Giants fashion, next season he can be a 27 yr old hopeful, like a bunch of starters in AAA.
Quick, how many post season games have the Padres played since Bochy left?
You’re finally coming around ….
So you think that they will get rid of or demote KT? What does the Oracle predict?
The only thing I can think of is his lack of pop makes them unenthusiastic, because everything else about his game has been solid-to-very-good. You’d think any team would be happy to have a guy with his skill set, especially since a couple of their speedsters (and they didn’t have many) are gone now (Blanco and Pagan, even Duffy).
Talk about lack of pop. Today, at least, every ball Panik hit in BP would have been an out.
If the Giants are going to sign a bunch of old guys, they should go sign Maddux. Giants will probably play the Cubs in the playoffs at some point and he’s totally in their best hitter’s head.
Looks like Evans picked up and read Sabean’s book written in 2006 on how to fill up a roster with aging players.
Good morning all. I’ll be checking-in from time to time today thru Monday. Mrs. Crawnik came down with the dreaded Upper Respiratory Infection. Add to that another 4 days of rain, it’ll give me plenty of time to nurse her back to health and ask myself, “Why the hell did Evans sign another “over the hill” (no pun intended) infielder? KT continues to get pushed down the depth chart perhaps.
“KT continues to get pushed down the depth chart perhaps.”
You have no basis for that statement. I did notice that you added a weasel word with “perhaps”
the guy has been a gentleman from day one, and his wife is sick. was it really necessary to jump down his throat for saying something team related, as well as indirectly calling him a weasel? does that make you feel good?
‘Weasel word” is a common phrase that has nothing to with calling a person a weasel-look it up
I’ll help.
“a word used in order to evade or retreat from a direct or forthright statement or position.”
“Perhaps” was the weasel word.
Indeed!
Sorry, duplicate post.
I hope Mrs. Crawnik gets better soon. I’m also concerned about Kelby’s prospects with this team.
The Giants are signing all of these washed up hitters get a damn left fielder with pop and quit dumpster diving
If somebody called you a washed up Fed Ex Driver at the age of 40 – I know them woulda been fighting words :-)))
So make a suggestion, or quit bitchin.
They’ve done pretty well in the dumpsters, actually.
2017 MLB Spring Training Umpire Roster
http://www.closecallsports.com/2017/02/2017-mlb-spring-training-umpire-roster.html
Kyle Shanahan Interview
https://audioboom.com/posts/5619201-2-17-kyle-shanahan-talks-about-getting-acclimated-as-49ers-head-coach
You have guidelines or are they suggestions?
So the Giants hired Vince Coleman as an outfielder and baserunning instructor. Hopefully he’ll teach them proper running mechanics and to be smart and not to be too greedy stealing 2nd, 3rd, and home all in one half of an inning.
too bad he can’t teach them speed. They could have Lou Brock, Ty Cobb and Ricky Henderson as instructors, they will not be a base stealing team. The Giants do not have superior iathletic ability compared to other teams.
Just the way it is built nor the way the team drafts.
Who are the non-athletic guys on the team?
Well, Rollins looks like a little spark plug. Age has thickened him up a bit.
He’s not on the team.
…Shall be Pal, Shall be :)))))
So are you asking because you actually think they are athletic or because you want a clear thought out response?
My question was clear.
Therefore if it was so clear to you you would be able to take the Giants projected starting unit and be hard pressed to find the type of athletes considered superior in MLB. Not many base stealers. I don’t think it needs to be spelled out except to a novice fan who thinks anyone in baseball is a the type of player that can steal a bunch of bases.
You brought it up- who are the players that you would consider to be “non-athletic”?
Lets take a step back. The Giants were 14th in steals and 18th in SB%. Can they improve on that? Perhaps, but giving the projected starting lineup, they will be hard pressed to even equate last year’s numbers:
C / Posey – I don’t think we need to discuss this
1B / Belt: – lol ( 0 SB in 156 Games)
2B / Panik – great 2B, with great skill over great speed or athletic ability
SS/ Crawford – Again great SS, but utilizes skill over any great speed and is not the athlete some of the younger SS are.
3b / Nunez or Gillaspie – Nunez is the only possible starter with the superior speed to steal bases consistently. If it’s Gillaspie, well one (1) career SB tells you the obvious.
LF/ Mac/ Morse – The Giants lose 15 SB from Angel, who may not be the same stud athlete he was on the Mets, but still much better than Mac (zero career SB) and Morse (lol).
CF/ Span – other than Nunez, the one guy on the team ,when healthy, who has the speed to steal, but is older and most likely never come close to his high of 31 three years ago.
RF/ Pence – (see Span) 1 SB last year and getting older quickly
While KB has more youth, speed and athletic ability on his side, we don;t even know how much playing time he will get with the glut of vets who play the same positions.
You wanted it spelled out. However I’m sure you are being a contrarian for sake of argument. If you know baseball as well as you claim, it would be more obvious to you from the beginning.
You are using speed as the only criteria for being a superior athlete, and that is, of course is BS.
What’s amusing is that you are the Contrarian King here. Don’t bother responding, I’m done with you,
Don’t get pissed off old man because you don’t like the answer. Of course speed is not the only component of top athletic ability, but the Giants are just constructed with those types. You can’t see that, well that’s your problem.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
It’s about time you wised up!
Well, he’s going to have his hands full with a couple of guys. Span and Rollins were standouts for me all morning. No effort. None. Zero. Dogged it all practice. Color me un-impressed with both of them. Oh, Rollins did take a bunch of balls at 2B during BP.
One other thing. Is Bum hurt? He walked through everything today. Every single warm-up drill. He was on the field in his group but did NO drills. Walked and talked with the guys in his group the whole time. Disappeared into the cages for about an hour then came out and talked to several different in RF. I’m curious.
Sounds like he was dogging it, too.
Beyond that. He didn’t really DO anything. Span and Rolly went through the motions.
Most of baseball involves standing around. Bumgarner was practicing that part of the game.
I was surprised. There was a lot of hustle by everyone there, so the guys that did nothing and dogged it were real standouts. There were lots of stations that everyone went through. Most of the pitchers were working pretty hard.
SOP
Maybe so. It was pretty obvious.
Hustle on day one is way over-rated
Watch out for tarps
The cannabis con game.
https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/why-that-maui-wowie-doesnt-hit-you-the-same-way-every-time/
Last yr, Bum was their only RH power off the bench, so clearly the emphasis has been to add RH pop off the bench. They added Hundley over Brown and now have Rollins Hwang Morse and Ruggiano in camp. Hill is another who has shown good power in the past.
Rollins, Hwang, Morse, Hill and Ruggiano… how many do you think will actually make the team?
That’s a good question. I would think one makes it as a backup OF, possibly one as a utility guy.
Does anyone know an easy way to get videos from my phone to my laptop? Nothing I try seems to work.
I watched Osich and George warm up with long toss. JO has a monster arm. George isn’t bad either. Melancon not so much. Kontos and Osich were throwing strikes that POPPED at over 200 ft. They threw the farthest of any players this morning.
What OS do you have on your laptop?
The latest Mac OS
Have you tried this?
https://www.android.com/filetransfer/
I have iPhone. won’t run it. It’s supposed to be easy, but the normal things aren’t working.
I’m sure that you tried this, but I’ll make one last try.
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201302
I’d just email it to yourself from the photo app and then download it from the email. You can use iCloud, but I find it slow and irritating. I email photos from my phone to myself all the time.
Giants very high on Beede.
http://www.csnbayarea.com/giants/brian-sabean-tyler-beede-will-be-giants-we-blink-our-eye
Alex posted a podcast with him a few days ago, which I listened to. I thought it was terrific. Alex asked good questions, and Beede is thoughtful, poised, and articulate.
The “Juan_Lot” – (Effie shall Enjoy)
https://www.facebook.com/nick.colvin1/posts/10210725156380589
Uh-oh. Those of you who were bitching that Bochy was into the old, washed up, dumpster trash retreads- you were right. Bochy just announced that these guys will be the likely starters.
C- Tim Federowicz
1B- Chris Marrero
2B-Gordon Beckham
SS- Jimmy Rollins
3B- Jae-gyun Hwang
CF- Justin Ruggiano
LF-Mike Morse
RF-Kyle Blanks
Are you gonna pitch?
If they don’t mind a 6-hopper to the plate.
Morse did not look that good working out on 1st with Bob. Bob works hard in practices. Doesn’t dog it. In fact, he was out really early taking swings when no one else was around.
Starting pitcher: Jake Peavy
Did Jake get a contract with anyone?
Not yet. There were rumors awhile back about the Padres, but that was it.
Not a bad looking guy
http://magaliosfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Screen-Shot-2016-11-09-at-3.36.00-PM.png
Gorgeous George?
You should have seen the attractive young waitress flirting with him at the restaurant in Boston. Seriously, if he’d asked for her number, I bet he would have gotten it.
Sure would have: 767- 2676
I think that you mean 555-2676.
767 = Pop
2676 = Corn
Could he be wearing a corset? Not that it’s a bad thing.
Adrian Gonzalez shut down with tennis elbow.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2017/02/17/dodgers-gonzalez-takes-hitting-break-to-heal-tennis-elbow/98062952/
Luckily he plays baseball and not tennis!
Jon Heyman @JonHeyman 8m8 minutes ago
SFGiants sign slade heathcott to minors deal. Big league camp invite
Jon Heyman @JonHeyman 6m6 minutes ago
Heathcott gives #SFGiants another OF option. A real talent.
He’s only 26, that will never do.
PJ will love him. 26 HRs in 1652 minor league ABs.
There must be something about him that the stats don’t show. No pop. Doesn’t steal bases. Career .266 minor league hitter who’s 26 and hasn’t made his major league debut. I wonder what Heyman thinks his “real talent” is?
Some MLB baseball guys have reported that he has had many count leverage counts playing where he did last year and on 2-0 / 3-1 and 3-2 pitches – has gotten himself out by being impatient and swinging at bad balls.
Hopefully, this will help.
‘San Francisco Giants Sign Slade Heathcott, Who Isn’t an Aging Infielder’ via @fansided
http://goldengatesports.com/2017/02/17/san-francisco-giants-slade-heathcott/
Interestingly, Evans said they want to try to convert him into a utility infielder.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.cgi?id=heathc001zac
So Alex’s post today points out that so having many 30-something NR invitees is going to “cost Arroyo some spring ABs.”
Now, on the one hand, Arroyo’s not a candidate to make the team this year. On the other, their top position prospect is going to lose valuable big league camp experience so that Jimmy Rollins and Aaron Hill can play?
SMH
He won’t lose big league camp experience, he just wont get as many ABs, and spring results have a near zero correlation to anything important, right? They’ve seen him before, and they’ll see him again, and they probably already know he needs to get on base more often or get more power. But granted, every pitch to Rollins and Hill is a waste of time as well
Just looked up the game I mentioned below, it was better then I remember, it happened on August 6th 1982, Nolan Ryan vs Atle Hammaker , and the Astros lead 6-0 going into the bottom of the 6th . Reggie Smith Homered off Ryan in the 6th to make it 6-1, Al Holland, Jim Barr, and Gary Lavelle held the Astros scoreless the rest of the game. In the bottom of the 7th, Chili Davis lead off with a HR, Duane Kuiper struck out , then Jack Clark hit a HR, Reggie Smith Doubled, and Ryan was replaced by Dave Smith, and gave up an RBI single to Jeff Leonard, but got out of the 7th, and got out of the 8th after a leadoff Walk to Johnny LeMaster. Giants trailed 6 -4 going into the bottom of the 9th, Smith was still pitching for the Astros, and gave up back to back HRs to Clark and Smith to tie the game, Smith was replaced by former Giant Randy Moffitt, brother of Billie Jean King, Gary Lavelle hit for some reason and Grounded out, then hits y Milt May, Bob Brenly ran for him, Tom O’Malley singled Brenly to 2nd, and Darrell Evans singled in Brenly to win the game .
5 taters, if I’m counting right? I can see why you enjoyed that more than most Giants’ wins. Cheers!
Astros also hit 2 HRs, 3 run HR by Phil Garner and a 2 run HR by Jose Cruz .
You know, no one would think that you are a sissy if you said that you can enjoy a low scoring game highlighted by great defense. Really, it’s OK. On the other hand, maybe you actually don’t like those games.
Not as exciting, and more stressful, Timmy’s 2 no hitters, and his 1-0 win over the Braves in the 2010 playoffs almost killed me, and game 5 of 2010 World Series, all great games . I got to admit Timmy and is the only Pitcher I really, lived and died over every start over, even Bum I never get stressed over his starts , except in post season, probably because Timmy was so small, and Bum is so big .
Good reply, Peter. You can stay 😉
For awhile.
My dad used to say, “company and fish; after 3 days get rid of em.”
Never buy fish if it’s sweating.
13 thumbs up
Once I saw Daryl Evans hit three homers, Jack Clark hit one. In the same game.
Funny thing, that wasn’t even the best comeback from a 6-0 deficit against Nolan Ryan that season!!!
Welcome Vince Coleman
It is so obvious that Bobby and Sabes are very different. Roberto Kelly (and Amy) were former base-running coaches and now we have one of the all time greats doing the art of base stealing.
http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/02/17/giants-hire-the-perfect-1980s-star-to-teach-the-art-of-base-stealing/
Photo Op https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/218ffd042bde90b089ab3d9d104c0d992ee956f3788ea20220bf21786a12cb87.jpg
Huddy – Javy (and Gardy)
Domingo does yoga. Gets it all wrong:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5FWvV0Mqz4&feature=em-subs_digest
A Billion Thumbs Up. Domingo is My_Guy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAt1pZB52qM
Tom House feels Noah Syndergaard is an accident waiting to happen. He’s concerned he makes it to the AS game.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/columnists/bob-klapisch/2017/02/17/klapisch-pitching-expert-says-syndergaard-risk/98052410/
Oh, the Mets say he’s gonna be fine….that should make Noah feel reassured
Take an Advil, kid.
Kyrie Irving thinks that ‘the Earth is round’ is a conspiracy, a lie. He insists that flying on an airplane and looking out at the ground proves the Earth is flat.
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-world/national/article133507849.html
Read this on the real reason that Vice Adm. Robert Harward turned down the job as National Security Adviser. Petraeus doesn’t want it either. On the short list: John Bolton!!!!!
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/320206-petraeus-no-longer-being-considered-to-replace-flynn-report
One of Hayward’s friends said he actually changed his mind during the press conference. He described the opportunity to run the NSC as a ‘shitsandwich’. Those darn Seals. Bolton, SMH,sadly.
As long as he knows the ball is round and the floor is flat, he’ll be ok.
I’ve always thought that it was a tad askew.
He’s not paid to think.
…which apparently means he’s still overpaid for his ability to think.
Trump?
He is definitely qualified to work in the White House. National Security Advisor, maybe. Secretary of Education? National Science Foundation?
Or maybe NASA?
I’m sorry, but it has to be said. “Slade Heathcott” sounds like a sleazy creeper who should be a protagonist in a “Fifty Shades” move.
That, or a private investigator from an 80’s movie.
“Remington Steele”
Tremendous knowledge!
I watched that show back in the day…
The Cardinals were about to sign former Giants farmhand Kendry Flores, a starting pitcher sent to the Marlins for Casey McGehee, but he failed his physical.
The Giants really should call the Cardinals about trading them one of the AAA pitchers. If Kendry Flores was an option, Blackburn or Stratton have as much upside and probably more. Flores was never a top prospect in the Giants’ system. It also would be good for the guy traded to go somewhere that he won’t be blocked forever from getting a big league shot.
http://www.mlbdailydish.com/2017/2/18/14656154/cardinals-kendrys-flores-contract-voided
Didn’t he become a top prospect when the Giants traded him?
All of the beat writers are noting how crowded camp is with all the non-roster invites–they had to create an overflow area in the clubhouse for guys to dress. Baggarly said he’d never seen so much veteran competition for so few jobs. Alex said that Evans is using a buyers market to create depth at low prices.
So…depth is good, but is he really creating it? A lot of these guys–Hill, Morse, Rollins, Beckham, etc.–are not likely to go to AAA if they don’t make the team. I think the most you can say is that Evans is creating deeper competition for the handful of positions that are up for grabs.
By contrast, the Dodgers, who have good depth on their 40-man and 25-man rosters, get it by trading for younger prospects or players with years of remaining team control and then giving them a chance when there’s a need. I’m thinking of a guy like Trayce Thompson. The difference is that they actually control their depth. As for the Giants, if their “depth” leaves for elsewhere at the end of spring training, all they’ve done is create clutter for a few weeks.
There are only so many at-bats in spring training, unless the G’s are adding some more split-squad games to their schedule!
I guess I would not be stunned if Morse accepted a River Cats assignment.
Agreed. I really wanted to see Arroyo, Slater, and Jones get some AB’s this spring, but their time will be very limited. Does Evans want to go young or very old?
Good MiLB knowledge … names I would not have noticed a few years ago.
Good point about Slater in particular. He’s someone who could actually help the team THIS year, and they should be taking a long look at him.
Maybe when you go down there in a few weeks, you can do a quick Q and A with him.
Bobby Gekko: Clutter is good.
Dr i would not want to be a kid playing in the Gs system! Seems like they are not given a shot unless theyre a cant miss which does not come along to often
Have to be able to “roll the ball out there and be a complete iconic stud”
Clutter and reduced playing time.
My25ManGuys™ 2017
Pick who will be on the 25-Man roster at season’s open. …
12 of us are “in”; one week to go; it is just for fun and some bragging rights and who doesn’t want that!
Here are the obvious “Core 18”:
Starters: Posey, Belt, Panik, Crawford, Nunez, Pence, Span
Bench: Hundley, Conor
Starting Pitchers: Bum, Cueto, Moore, Samardzija
Bullpen: Melancon, Kontos, Smith, Law, Strickland
Post the seven others you think will make it here in response to any HaakAway post.
To save time do not list all 25 unless you think one of these 18 will not make the 25-Man.
”25-25Deadline™. … By request here from some: You get two shots…
February 25 is the deadline for your first picks … Spring Training is wide open then.
March 25 is the deadline for your final picks … Spring Training is about to end then.
*Questions? Write me at: My SF Giant Guy at g Mel d Ott com
here are mine, haakman:
cainer starts as the #5
macwill start in LF,
gearrin and osich will round out the pen, and
gorkys, KT, and hill on the bench
Thanks … so you like the Aaron Hill deal? He does seem to have been one of those [Johnny] “pesky” guys against the Giants.
the first thought i had was, he can’t harm (on killebrew) us any more.
Quick check shows 2012 was his year agains the Giants.
76 PA and hit .303 including 4-10 against Bum with 2 2B’s and 2 HR’s.
That’s a darn good thought.
Is that midnight on the 24th or 25th?
Midnight on the 25th … I give all the grace I can (sometimes.)
I’m going with Parker in left.
Clark, Hill, and Ruggiano on the bench.
Cain #5.
Osich and Blach in the pen.
Thanks … you illustrate another way to look at the new list. I do not think we are going to have any ties in this. Everyone has a different guess so far.
Anyone know why Sportsnet Central is on hiatus? With storms, spillways and full levees here in the North Valley, I was really hoping for some spring training distractions. Though I do appreciate our GE’ers in blog reporting.
They seem to be phasing it out. See this piece from the Bay Area Sports Guy blog: http://www.bayareasportsguy.com/csn-bay-area-cancels-sportsnet-central-sportstalk-live/
Thank you. I’d been checking their website with no success. Now I need a new plan for my morning coffee.
Ahmed Fareed Tweeted that big changes were coming soon to their programming! For now, all Giants coverage is on the CSN Bay Area website.
I knew it! There are not enough bats! The kids are going to have use tennis rackets. This is not Evans’ fault, Sabean drafted too many kids.
Literalist!
Baggarly wrote an interesting article about the competition for left field. He cuts through all the noise about the non-roster invitees in camp and states this is a two-man competition. There are interviews with both Williamson and Parker.
“Jarrett Parker and Mac Williamson are competing for one spot, although the club also will look at non-roster invitees Michael Morse and Justin Ruggiano. If nobody steps up as the spring progresses, they could seek another option via trade.
But this is primarily a two-man competition.”
I’m glad to hear this. I want the Giants to hold onto both Williamson and Parker.
http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/02/17/giants-notes-the-competition-begins-in-left-field-nunez-gets-vote-of-confidence-from-bochy-etc/
I agree.
But this is the old torture of hoping The Kids we watched work hard make it yet the Giants have to field the best team. Hopefully those two events coalesce this spring.
It will be a good test. Let’s see how long it takes before those who often complain about the kids not being given a legit shot, argue the G’s were stupid and shortsighted not to sign an established OFer. 😉
If you look at the 25-Man list I posted, the good news is seven positions are settled with talented players in them with only the aging/injuries of Pence and Span giving much concern. The Giants are in a good position to be in.
And ,of course, Closer went from a decent vet on his way down to an elite one in his Prime.
Can I complain that they did NEITHER of those things?
Why not. Human beings are the only animals known to complain.
Ask a mailman about that (only humans complaining)?
Stuffing camp with all these 30-something non-roster invitees messes with My 25 Man Guys 2017.
Indeed.
The March 25 predictions will face a fraction of the options I think as players get weeded out.
Seriously. I wish the Giants would be more considerate about our MyGuys™ competition! I also wish they’d stop trading my guys at the deadline. That’s happened to me both years! 😉
Your scoring goes with the Guys even if traded but you might consider you have been The Kiss of Death to a few.
I know, but it’s just not the same. 🙁
Well they done Have To enter until the deadline. No advantage, really. Stuff happens.
rotflmao
Over stuffing is bad for the turkey, bad for the couch, and bad for the camp. We can all agree that over stuffing is a very bad thing.
One thing that we can pretty much count on- Bobby won’t be scheduling any town hall meetings this spring.
TWG is pissed of!
http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/article_photo1.jpg_full_600-570×380.jpg
LOL. They actually DID get rid of the Town Hall meeting this year. For years they always had one the night before Fanfest, with different groups of players coming to the stage for a Q & A with Kruk and Kuip.
This time instead they did a Family Feud game with the players in teams (which was kind of cute, really, but went on and on). I think I liked the Town Hall meeting format better.
Sometimes it dawns on me that we’re like crows on a telephone line squawking. We get so excited about what we see, we forget we’re just crows.
I forget who had the Mac photo problem, but this article about a hidden photo editing ap on Mac might be useful.
http://www.dailydot.com/debug/mac-free-photo-editing-app/
I have no problem with photos of Mac, except that there should be MORE of them.
Ba dump bump.
So after telling us all winter that the team wasn’t going to sign or trade for a LF so that Mac and Parker could get a chance to prove themselves, Sabean has already, before a pitch is thrown in a spring training game, opined that Mac needs to spend more time in AAA. So much for “a chance.”
http://www.knbr.com/2017/02/17/brian-sabean-on-left-field-competition-mac-williamson-may-need-more-time-in-the-minor-leagues/
It must be so hideous to be a Giants prospect. I feel so bad for guys like Blach, Mac, and Kelby Tomlinson. If I were them I’d be praying for an opportunity elsewhere like Duvall got. And if I were a high school or college prospect, I’d be praying not to be drafted by the Giants.
Agreed. Those guys need to pull a Nate, complain to the press one time and get themselves traded or released. Their performance won’t give them s break, the manager and front office are programmed to prefer aging vets or guys who are getting paid.
All three of those guys are 26 already, and KT and his wife just had their first baby. Their 20s and their opportunities to earn a livelihood are marching by while guys like Matt Cain, who’s earned all the money he’ll ever need, are taking up spots they no longer deserve to hold.
He makes a 1/2 million a year. Please, promote him from the proletariat.
Nope, he only gets MLB minimum pay when on MLB roster, it is prorated, and most of his pay is from his minor league pay .
Yes, that’s right.
For TWG entertainment purposes, I have a morbid desire to have Cain get the #5 and Mac sent down to witness the greatest Full Metal Lefty posts that’s will result. You go, Southpaw!
Let’s remember that much of their statement for public consumption are based on deception and bull excrement.
Truthfully, I’d be OK with Mac getting sent down, if that’s how it plays out. I can actually see the argument that he might need more AAA ABs. It just bugs me that they said one thing all winter and now are basically writing guys off before spring games even start.
It really will bother me if Cain has the #5 starter spot instead of Blach. I think Blach is a great young man and he’s earned his shot, and I’m so, so, so tired of watching Matt Cain. He’s moved into the 2011 Jonathan Sanchez part of my brain.
Here’s another thing that bugs me about Sabean/Evans and their public statements: They’re always aimed at young guys from their system.
If I heard Sabean say something like “Yeah, we know Jimmy Rollins is probably two years beyond washed up, but it doesn’t hurt anything to take a look,” or Evans say “Yeah, what was I supposed to do, snub Morse at Pence’s wedding? This is just a nostalgia move”–then I’d be more sanguine about these pronouncements.
Mostly, I wish they’d just stop saying stuff like that. Let the spring play out.
I forget, is Nate playing in Asia or he is out of baseball now?
I think that Blach, Mac, and Kelby will all be on the team.
You should be somewhat less concerned about ‘your fears’ and perhaps ask what Williamson hears in the comments.
I posted that yesterday, Giants love to put players with options left in the minors .
Every team makes a lot of player decisions based on who has options left. There is good reason for that if one thinks about it.
Good for 40 man depth, not good for having the best 25man roster, if reason a better player is not on 25 man roster is that he has options left .
Some times a team does keep the guy who does have options left, especially if they think the guy who goes down is expendable.
Williamson will turn 27 in July. In his limited chances last season, he proved he can be competitive against MLB pitching. Andrew Miller is pretty good, right? He’s either a big league talent, or he isn’t. You don’t find that out in AAA. He needs more MLB ABs. And I’d be fed up if I were Tomlinson. The guy has made the most of his opportunities, and the Giants are telling him they’d prefer anyone but him. If the Giants don’t give either a real opportunity, I’d love to see them do what Duvall did.
I hope they succeed as well, but now you’re talking about two dead average journeyman ballplayers. They are what they are.
https://i.imgur.com/bFIkkjW.png
Your graph proves something? How about Beckham and Rollins. They aspire to average. And does your graph really know for sure what kind of player Williamson will turn out to be? I remember when your explanation for Duvall was that he just had a hot month and the party was now over. Did a graph tell you that?
Why don’t you look at them yourself. The point is, at this juncture, on paper it’s an open competition. Duvall is chewed fat. He’s an unproven commodity who had a good first half, and average to below average second half. In any case, the issue isn’t a graph, just a recognition there is a difference between what you want to be true, what might come to be true, and what is actually true. As long as a organization is forced to live in the here and now, these decisions are the ones they commonly make. They aren’t out of the ordinary at all. Any oracle ought to recognize that.
The problem is that when it comes to veteran players, the Giants too often live in the past.
Sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t. They are, and have been for years, a conservatively organization. If that’s your complaint, you’re flying into a head wind because it’s worked out pretty good or them the last 10 years or so. If you feel that way, then complain about that, don’t try and turn Tomlinson or Williamson into superstars who were unfairly treated. They aren’t and they weren’t, IMO. They are average, journeyman ballplayers trying to figure it out. They haven’t yet. This will probably be their last year to do so.
You how much I hate to disagree, but disagree I must. KT has proven his worth and will be on the team and Mac or perhaps Parker will be the LFer. Maybe both. l think that too much attention is paid to what the brass says. We’ll see what they actually do with shaping the roster.
Then they better figure it out, the clocks ticking. I wish them luck, I really do.
As it happens, I was sitting in Yankee Stadium when Mac hit that game-tying RBI double off Miller…and in Fenway when he hit a 3-run HR after Cain had put the Giants in a 8-0 hole. Mac’s HR started a rally that got them as close as 8-7…and then Bochy pinch-hit for Mac the next time up with Blanco, who was having his worst year as a Giant.
I’ve said it before, but it reminds me a lot of Belt’s first year or two.
As for Kelby, yeah: They cut Adrianza, but then they signed Hwang, Beckham, Rollins, Hill, and I’m sure I’ve forgotten a couple of others.
So you think that KT will not make the team? I think that he’s in and the others are only competing for the last utility spot.
Connor, is the back up at 3rd, so the others are going for last backup infielder spot, and KT has options so he is AAA depth .
That is an opinion and one that assumes that they will keep only one who can play the middle infield positions.
You think 3 infielders on the bench and only 1 outfielder, and 1 catcher ., no way .
What they don’t need is 2 reserve catchers. As for keeping 2 reserve OFers. they don’t need 2.
KT odd man out. As a young kid he needs AB’s, Rollins makes the team as does Hill or the foreigner.
I will have to go with you on that. You are always right.
It is all about the options, Parker has none, Mac does, If Morse is looked at as the Veteran bat off the bench and potential power hitter, that is your lefty righty thing Bruce likes to do.
So you think that there will no starting LFer? Interesting idea, you really do think out of the box.
My guess on the 25-man if they carry 12 pitchers. if it’s 13 pitchers, scratch Hill and add Gearrin.
Posey, Belt, Panik, Crawford, Nunez, Pence, Span,Mac,Hundley, KT, CG, Hill, Gorkys, MadBum, Cueto, Moore, Samardzija, Blach, Melancon, Kontos, Smith, Law, Strickland, Osich, Suarez
Are you thinking it is 50/50 then on the size of the Bull Pen?
So far IIRC everyone except you has gone with the 12-man staff … mostly because the Giants SP are some GrizzlyGuys™.
Gee, I’m in the minority? That’s unusual.
No /s needed.
I’m even dumber than usual today. What did you just say?
“/s” is what you write after you have used “sarcasm”
It is so that someone does not take you seriously and spend their energy ripping you for no good reason.
Who is being ripped?
Do you ever remember Dan Otero when thinking about ST stars?
Cain will be on the roster unless he is hurt, on the radio, Evans, Bochey, and Sabean, have all said the 5 spot in rotation is his for at least a month in the season .
I’m leaving him off because I think he will open the season on the DL. Plus, I would be shocked if Evans, Bochy, and Sabean said anything else than what they did. But If he stinks it up this spring he will be on DL if he’s hurt or not.
They have already mentioned that Spring results are misleading , because of thin air and hard infields, so excuses for Cain to get 5th spot regardless of results this spring .
Maybe you could rephrase that for me so I can understand what you said.
I think he’s saying Cain will get torched in Spring Training, but the front office will say it was the thin air of AZ, and he’s right on track.
PJ whisperer in training??
I’ve been people whispering my whole damn life… I’m usually wrong, but don’t tell anybody
With PJ, you’ll get to be TO.
Good call…we’re used to that line, aren’t we?!?
I appreciate the dedication of the Cain fans on here, and get the “he’s been there for us”… to a point. And that point is well in the past.
None of us would want to be “that person” put out to pasture before we think it’s our time. But sports are supposed to be THE greatest meritocracy.
PJ … make a guess on the 25ManGuy thing.
You could try to guess what the FO will do or just go Full Booper LU with Morse and Shaw in there.
Bum, Cueto, Moore ,Shark , Cain, Posey ,Belt, Panik , Crawford, Nunez, Pence, Span, Parker, Melancon, Smith, Law, Strickland, Okert, Hernandez, Kontos, Hundley, Gorky, Rugliano, Connor, Rollins .
Thanks … more combos than ever now.
Yeah, they will ride this horse since he’s still owed a lot of dough and perhaps more importantly to them, he’s MATT CAIN, not Joe Journeyman. They don’t waive former greats. They wouldn’t even waive Tim Hudson. If he sucks, he’ll first go to the pen, and then the DL ala Tim Hipsecum.
He’ll be the reason if they carry 13 to keep from losing someone else (see Gearrin last yr)
And they should if you buy into this ‘We are Giants, TWG sentiment. You can’t have one without the other. You dump it, you become the Phillies.
Lincecum was actually very productive in 2014 and 2015, until he hit a wall and lost it after he wore down.In 2014 at the All Star break he was 9-5 with a 3.66 ERA and out of 19 starts he gave up 1 run or less in 8 starts, and 2 runs or less in 11 starts. in 2015 after 13 starts he was 7-3 with a 3.31 ERA, and gave up 2 runs or less in 7 starts, and 0 runs in 4 starts
7-10 starts
Draymond Green lends his support to Kyrie Irving on the Earth is flat debate:
http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/02/18/draymond-green-says-the-earth-could-be-flat/
It’s a debate?
Apparently so, in the NBA.
The basketball is actually a frisbee.
Hey, Draymond made it clear that he has not done much research on the matter. Like all scientists, he keeps an open mind until his research reaches a definitive conclusion. Until then he has to be cautious- the Earth may indeed be flat.
new post.
Evans and Sabes gonna need a shower after all this rooting thru dumpsters:
http://www.mccoveychronicles.com/2017/2/17/14653920/sf-giants-yankees-slade-heathcott