Vogie gets the start in Colorado tomorrow.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Wednesday, September 2, 2015
They Ain't Cuttin' Any Steps
You're in a hole you gotta cut some steps to get out, am I right? The Giants got Kershaw-ed tonight. Mike Leake pitched another excellent game but lost the matchup anyway. That guy's had some rotten luck. The Dodgers big southpaw had it all working and outlasted the Giants with an incredible effort. I really thought--I know I keep saying this--the Giants would get the game-tying hit in the 9th inning. It didn't happen but I thought up until the bitter end that it would. What can you say? The Dodgers were on a mission and they pulled it off. All the games were so close and they came down to the narrowest of margins. I'm numb at this point. They played a terrific game but just could not, once again, get the big hit. And of all people Chase Fookin' Utley got the game-winner off Leake. It just doesn't seem fair, does it? I've run out of things to say. The Giants needed to win the series and instead they got swept. As much as it pains me this is one of those times where you have to "tip yer cap" to the other guy. They got it done and you can't argue with the results as disappointing as they are. I kept the Giants light burning, as you can see, but 6-1/2 back with 29 to play makes for some shitty goddamn math.
Vogie gets the start in Colorado tomorrow.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Vogie gets the start in Colorado tomorrow.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
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19 comments:
I've put some new blinds in my sun room where we take cocktails. Which is a good thing, because I'm going to need plenty of them.
I'm super-excited about 2016! We're going to be fantastic!!!!
Aside from that, the Utley HR was one of those bizarre, shitty inevitabilities that I can accept. The Crawford 2B, or 3B, or whatever they called it was really irritating. That was Leake's big mistake, & I don't like it when Crawford has success against us. For some reason, I am also VERY disturbed to the point of physical discomfort by the site of Rollins in a Dodger uniform. That guy should have served out his dotage in an Oakland uniform, or, in a weird world, as a Giant. He just doesn't look right.
Toughest stretch of the year without Pence, Panik, then Crawford.
Too much to overcome.
Team never quits.
Gonna be in the hunt for years to come.
Dilemma of the day: Marlon Byrd's $8M salary for next year vests automatically, if he has 108 more plate appearances (in 29 games, so reachable) - it's a Team Option, if he doesn't get there. Do the 2016 SF Giants want Marlon Byrd @ $8M per year? He'll be 38 years old. At this point, although he's done some impressive things at the plate & doesn't look like a 37 year old in the field, I think that that is about $3M more than we should pay for a part-time 38 year old corner OF. Our other options are to not let him reach the PA vesting # & re-negotiate a lower salary, or let him go. I'd be cool with Marlon Byrd as a Giant for $5M in 2016.
I must admit I'm feeling a wee bit pessimistic at this point. Are we supposed to be glad each game was close? There's nothing worse than being swept by LA. BTW it's time to retire the label "Smog Suckers." The Clean Air Act has been remarkably successful and LA smog is nothing special anymore. "Doggers" doesn't do much for me, it just seems like a typo. "Bums" is archaic. "Blue Goo" is just silly. What to do?
I took today off, so be prepared for a possible out pouring of random stuff. The last three games were arguably the most intense regular season games that I have experienced in a long time. Am I glad that they were close? Hell ya. They left their spleens out on the field each night. The difference in each game was so tiny; whether it was a couple .220 hitters getting crucial solo shots, an umpire heading into retirement a wee early, or a spectacular double play. The doggers (and, no that is not just a typo) were the better team and they were pushed to their limit by our skeletal crew. So yes, I am glad/proud/impressed that the losses were all so close. And yes, I am heart broken.
@Bob - you are correct, the Los Angeles (South Coast) air basin has probably made more improvement in air quality than anywhere else in the country. Although the South Coast, as well as the Bay Area and Sacramento (and most of the rest of the populated areas in California) are designated as non-attainment for both the federal and more stringent California standards for photochemical oxidant (smog), under the federal scheme, the South Coast is still designated as an extreme area. (There are four classifications for non-attainment areas: marginal, serious, severe and extreme). Under the most recent federal designation, the South Coast is classified as extreme. The Bay Area and other parts of the state where the residents have moral fiber, are classified as marginal.
2010 Giants were 6-1/2 back on August 25th, game 128. Just want to point that out. The team ahead of them was not as strong as this LA club, and it's five games later in the season, but we all know crazy shit can happen. So as dark as it looks right now I'm not calling it until the Dodgers magic number is zero.
The Giants are indeed a "skeletal crew" and it shows. If they are going to pull off a miracle they need to get their key guys back.
"General manager Bobby Evans said on KNBR on Thursday morning that Lincecum is done for the season and likely will undergo hip surgery, which almost certainly signals the end of Lincecum's career in San Francisco." SF Chronicle
So that means they are extreme smog suckers then? BTW I love it when you talk dirty like that Zo.
As mentioned above, this was the by far the toughest stretch and we were without Pence, Panik and, then as the final death blow, Crawford. It is remarkable that we have remained so competitive considering that one third of our lineup is regularly inhabited by well intending, but marginal players. Some of the fill ins have been quite studly (Byrd's RBI binge was very Pence like) but the end result is a marked appreciation for what those injured guys bring to the table. For example, Panik's ability to turn the double play. I never really appreciated Joe's grace until I had to live through Kelby trying his best. Brandon Crawford's new found ability to crank out great, clutch, RBI type AB's was getting very easy to take for granted. Then, all of a sudden, that was yanked away and replaced with someone that is clearly a worse hitter than at least three of our starters. I know all teams get injuries, but these last few have been especially painful. So, the good news is that if I didn't love those three enough before, I sure do love them now!
Just saw the Tim news. That was pretty much what I said last time we saw him; that we may never see him again and that surgery was probably the only hope. Remember how Tim landed on the DL? He was another one that got hit (batted ball) and went bye bye. We have had too much of that shit this year. However, I can't see that retaliation will help.)
It's unfortunate that Tim needs surgery. But at least it suggests a cause rather than a mystery. Time to trot out the "Tim is too small" opinions again (sigh). The Chronicle's (Bruce Jenkins) opinion regarding whether this signals the end of Tim's career in San Francisco is, however, nothing more than a guess. I don't know if Tim can, with medical intervention, regain his ability to pitch. But if he could, he could as well wind up in SF as anywhere else, in fact, because he is a fan favorite, it seems more likely than anywhere else. He won't pull a $35 million dollar contract, but he might get a chance to prove himself if he goes through all the necessary steps. Remember, lined up for next year we have Madison, Matt Cain (who comes with hopes rather than assurances), and Jake Peavy. Mike Leake is not signed (although that would be nice) and Chris Heston looks like he is more in the hopes-rather-than-assurances category too, at this point.
Tim's size is a factor. He's not 250 lbs. like Matt Cain with tree-trunk thighs and a barrel chest. The big guys can compensate some when the joints go because of their muscle mass. Tim is less equipped in that regard. I have a sinking feeling that this may be it for him completely, that he'll have to retire as a ballplayer. That would be a terribly sad day, of course, so I don't want to think about it.
As far as 2016 goes, signing Mike Leake is a priority for me. And the team has some tough calls: Affeldt FA; Casilla, Aoki option years. With Pagan, Pence, and Blanco signed it gets tough to save a spot for a 38-year old. As nice as it has been to have Byrd (his defense is better than I thought and I like his personality) his output the last three years has seen a steep drop: 4 fWAR, 2.2 fWAR, probably 1 fWAR this season. That's a worrying trend for me. He's one of those perfect guys to pick up for the stretch run as we've seen. I wouldn't have a problem if his option vested, but I wouldn't necessarily pursue him. $8M is about what a "win" will cost on the FA market, I expect.
Matt Cain is the key--he needs to rehab and be ready to pitch in Spring Training. It's obvious that Peavy is not 100% either, he needs to be fully healthy for 2016. I like to think Joe Panik is young enough to weather his current injury storm. Pence has never had a serious injury before, never lost so much time in his career. He's 33 next year--he may have to learn to take time off in order to stay on the field.
Belt and BCraw both go to arbitration. Be interesting to see what happens there--I'd like to see a couple of 3-year deals.
Sanchez, Perez and Adrianza. That is a 6,7,8 that you should only see in Spring Training. Juan has a undeniably good glove but the other two are distinctly playing themselves out of the majors. Sadly, Hector is only about one foul tip away from being done as a catcher ( or any position) .
What made Lincecum the Freak was his extraordinarily long stride for a short man. Clearly he was pushing his hip joints to the limits of physical possibility, over and over and over. He could be the next mayor of San Francisco.
I like using Bridegrooms as a substitute for Dodgers ( it's in bbref), cause it's weird for a sports team.
Tonight's farce in Coors, with Vogelsong achieving a game score of eight (yes, eight), made me wonder what's the inversion of the maraschino cherry on top of the whipped cream on top of the sundae? What is the brightly garish finishing touch on a dish that's at once ludicrous and mandatory for one to swallow, every bit?
Yes, I'm also looking forward to next year, but getting to wish I could bypass what's more and more looking like the dismal guttering out of this one.
In the back of my mind I hear Dandy Don singing, "Turn out the lights, the party's over..."
Vogy's HR was entertaining. He is now a peer of Duane Kuiper.
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