Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Flat Giants Fall in Finale

4-3 loss in Milwaukee
The Giants gave away too many baserunners today--7 walks and 9 hits--and could not respond with enough offense of their own to catch the Brewers. A ragged Jeff Samardzija showed flashes of clutch pitching, limiting the damage with a strikeout or double-play grounder when he needed one, but too many balls in play went for hits. Add in three walks and Milwaukee's lineup just had too many chances. If he had gotten another double-play grounder in the 6th he would have pulled off a 'quality start,' as it was he left after 5-1/3 with the game tied 3-3. Of all people Javier Lopez walked the first guy he faced to lead off the 7th and that run came around and was the game-winner.

Buster Posey was thrown out at the plate in the 1st on a nice effort from third baseman Aaron Hill who nabbed a popup in shallow left with his back to the plate and spun around and made an excellent throw to get the out. I have a rule: Buster Posey should NOT EVER be thrown out at the plate. (1) He's too slow. Don't chance it. (2) He's too valuable. Don't chance it. Alas, that was a critical not-run. Gregor Blanco scores easily on that play, but he's Gregor Blanco. I'm not one of these ballplayers-are-china-dolls types, I like to see athletes athleticize. But no way Posey should run on close tag plays. Let the next guy hit him in. The Giants had a chance in the 8th and two hard smashes to center by Hunter Pence and Brandon Belt went for outs. A little luck, there's the tying run.

Samardzija looked like he could not throw his forkball/splitter thingie. That's what he'll need to get more swing-throughs and weak contact. His fastball has some life, the gun said he hit 94 mph, and his slider looked good but he did not have enough command of it. A sweep would have been nice but the Giants did what they needed to do which was take two of three. The Brewers may have a lousy team, but they are still major-leaguers and even the worst teams win 40% of the time!

Next up is Los Angeles in the Home Opener tomorrow afternoon. Jake Peavy gets the nod against Alex Wood. I think everyone is excited about the impending Madison Bumgarner-Clayton Kershaw matchup on Saturday.

GO GIANTS!

--M.C.

3 comments:

Zo said...

First game, lots of offense. Second game, clutch pitching. Third game, neither.

Brother Bob said...

That wasn't just a good play by Hill, it was an amazing play. You don't get to third base very often, you have to take chances. Plays at the plate are exciting.

Ron said...

I'm with Mark on this. Posey gets thrown out every time they send him in a marginal situation. We won the 2014 Post-Season, despite him being thrown out about 7 times at the plate. It got to the point where I was screaming at the TV for Flannery to hold him at 3B. The defense knows that, since it's Posey, it won't take a perfect throw to get him, so they don't feel any pressure - this isn't like Hosmer stealing a run in the WS, because he makes the defense make a perfect throw, & they feel the pressure & fluff it.

I love the guy - he's my favorite Giant &, perhaps, my favorite of all time, but I am for being very conservative with him on the bases. Add in the chance for injury, & I say station-to-station all of the time w/ Posey.