The Marlins hit three three-run home runs in the series and won all three games. Rookie Justin Bour feasted on Giants pitching and notched the death blow in today's game off Matt Cain mere hours after his dramatic walk-off against Santiago Casilla last night. I'm happy the Giants are leaving Miami. I'm happy Matt Cain is alive and well. Only time will tell if he is pain-free and cured of his physical maladies. He looked a lot like Matt Cain despite the lousy outcome in his comeback from surgery. He hit 91 mph on the radar gun and looked good at the end of the 4th inning inducing a double play to end a threat. He unfortunately got hammered in the 5th with the long balls from pitcher Jose Fernandez (who hits like MadBum and was making a comeback from surgery as well) and the aforementioned Bour. I could live with the fat one to Fernandez, sometimes you have to bring the gas and see what the guy can do with it. The pitch to Bour was a clear mistake, missing the inside target and right over the middle of the plate. I would have happily walked the lefty there and pitched to the righty Marcell Ozuna with the bases loaded and a chance for a DP. And I thought Rags told Cain to pitch around Bour, but he didn't execute. Clearly that pitch was meant to be a ball and in on the hands--they got him that way on a pop-up in the previous at-bat.
Bit of a disappointment this morning after all the anticipation of Matty's return. Buster Posey hit another home run and Gregor Blanco launched a massive bomb (off Fernandez) as well. I thought the Giants looked good against the flame-throwing phenom, at least the lefties did, Panik, Crawford, and Belt all notching hits. But it was a crappy series, especially with the spectacular blown save last night. They should have come out of that game with a win, and they had a real shot today jumping out to an early lead. A rusty Matt Cain with a few command issues (four walks in his five innings) is still Matt Cain. If he is indeed healthy again I am sure he will start to string together lots of quality innings.
One thing I've learned watching this club is that they are resilient. This three-game tailspin is ugly, but they have a short collective memory and don't let poor performances cast a pall over their next game or series. Jake Peavy makes his own comeback tomorrow in D.C.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
9 comments:
Blanco hitting well over 400 in Marlin's park. Cain is now a losing
pitcher lifetime. Get him 4 runs in a start and he loses 5-4 get him
8 runs in a start and he loses 9-8. get him one runs in a start and he
loses 2-1. There has been a jinx on this guy for a long time. The giants
continue to play well vs. teams over 500 and outright suck against teams
under 500. I do not know how Capp's hop skip and jump is a legal pitch.
Yes sometimes his foot drags before he replants it a foot and a half closer
to the plate. But sometimes, he takes and actual hop, and replants his foot
a foot and a half closer to the plate. That cannot be within the rules of baseball.
Don't like the way the giants weekly hit into outs in the ninth. Pagan, seems to
me to be a great guy, and great with the fans, but since the end of may, he has
become Juan Pierre without the steals. When Pence comes back it is entirely
possible that Pagan could become the 4th outfielder. Aoki, Pence, and Blanco as
the starters. Lets hope Pagan turns it around and starts hitting and also shows
some power.
I hate the Marlins more than I can say
At least I am glad Posey came out of the series against the Marlins
in one piece and not on the DL.
I think the giants should play hot weather teams like the fish
earlier in the season. For some reason the giants are not a
great hot weather team.
Yeah, a healthy Posey is a good thing. I was worried about that one to the mask--catchers get so damn beat up. Thankfully Susac has been emerging as a genuine alternative.
Better luck next time, Matty me bucko.
Big Mac Williamson had a good night at Raley Field yesterday. He went 4 for 4 plus a walk, with a homer a double 3 RBI and 3 runs scored.
I did not see Osich and Lollis coming. I'm a bad scout. In my defense, neither of them had been with Sacramento long. I suspect they are both very temporary, here for the proverbial cup of coffee. But you never know. I sure don't.
Posted Saturday @ 8 AM as the broadcast of the Giants game begins:
Chris Stratton was excellent for the River Cats once again, throwing eight innings of one run ball. He scattered 5 hits and 2 walks while striking out 4 in the outing and lowered his Triple-A ERA to a sparkling 1.53. Despite allowing just 6 earned runs in 35.1 innings since joining the River Cats, Stratton is still looking for his first Triple-A win.
I did not see Lollis coming, but did see Osich. But that seemed obvious to me, as I'm a bad scout too.
The pieces just came together. Affeldt on DL, only one Lefty, Bochy loves lefties (had 3 a couple of years ago), Osich killing it in AA as closer, Okert not killing it in AAA, just brought up Osich to AAA.
Both cup of coffees but here a while. Lollis here for OF, but Aoki and Pence are out until after ASG, still around 10 days from now, so he'll get 2 weeks up, plus we'll see what happens with Pagan, plus setbacks aplenty so far this season. Osich if he pitches well, probably will stay up, I think, look at all the moves made this season, they want to win this season, shut the Naysayers up.
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