I like it much better when the Giants win. The Giants lost the first of 4 games to the Florida Marlins, 7 - 5.
Madison Bumgarner was the starting pitcher, making his second start of 2018. Madison went 5 1/3, allowed 4 runs on 6 hits and 1 walk. He struck out 3 and allowed 1 home run. Madison threw 92 pitches, 51 of them for strikes. That's not enough. He had a disagreement over a good number of pitches, and wound up getting tossed when he was out of the game anyway for sassing the umpire. But I didn't see a single one that was clearly a bad call according to the little box on the TV. Plenty that were very close - but not necessarily wrong calls.
The Giants led 3 times in this game, and gave up the lead 3 times. That was not just Madbum's fault, but also Moronta's and Dyson's (who got the L). Gearrin pitched a perfect, but inconsequential, 9th). Miami not only managed to run a bunch of guys out of the bullpen whom I have never heard of, but they stymied the Giants over and over. The team was 3 - 9 with RISP. McCutcheon hit a double, that was it for power. The Marlins, on the other hand, had a lot more pop than the Giants. The Giants hit 7 fly ball outs, the Marlins hit 3 doubles, a triple, and 2 home runs.
Also, I thought that once you use a replay review, you don't get another one until the 7th inning if you don't get it right. Isn't that the rule? Mattingly asked for a replay review on a ball hit deep off the wall, he thought it might have cleared the yellow line and bounced back into the field of play. It didn't. But then, still early in the game, he asked for a review on a play at second. He didn't get that right either. Do they just give him all he wants because he is a bonehead? Really, I don't get it. How's the honeymoon with Mac Williamson going? He's had 7 hits in his last 31 at bats (.225) - 1 double in that time.
Anyway, the Giants are 2 - 2 on this road trip. Let's not play down to the Marlins level. They are not a good team.
11 comments:
JC has it right about this being a "hot and cold" team. In '16 we were great for half a year then awful half a year, this year we're mixing it up, with bad weeks alternating with good weeks, leaving us at .500, which is way better than the abomination that was '17, but of course not good enough.
I refuse to get excited about Madbum until the teams gets to the post-season again. Otherwise, he's no big deal. If he ever wins a game I might change my tune. I'm far more eager to have Cueto return to the rotation.
MadBum's had what, two starts? I am looking forward to more. It seems like he let the calls get in his head and stopped concentrating. The mental part of the game takes practice, too, just like spending time in the batting cage. Even elite players have to take their lumps.
I think this was a 'pen-overusage game. Those guys have had a lot of work and I think everyone wanted to see Bum chew up some innings. Moronta and Dyson have been really good so far this year.
I like the way Gorkys Hernandez has been hitting and the whole lineup in general is starting to produce more consistently. I am worried about Mac Williamson, concussions are tricky things and can take a lot of time to recover from. I hope he's just slumping and not still injured.
Until his injury shortened years of 2017 and 2018, Madison Bumgarner has given the Giants over 200 innings per year and averaged over 200 strikeouts per year. He as an All-Star 2013 - 16 and Cy Young candidate those years. I'd say that's kind of a big deal.
Top ten fWAR leaders from 2010-2018: Kershaw, Scherzer, Verlander, Sale, Price, Greinke, Hernandez, Lester, Kluber, Hamels. Bumgarner is 11th, Cueto 13th. Bum is 16th in IP over the same span and 11th in wins. If you sort for guys with 1500 IP over that span (only 16 pitchers on that list) then Bum is 2nd to Kershaw in ERA (3.03 to 2.21).
I'd say he's pretty valuable to the team--in fact he's the most important player on the Giants--and one of the best players in the game as well.
He should be. He used to be. Of course I hope he gets better.
The Marlin's fielding has been superb in this series. And don't forget the giants have Longoria making errors at third. I thought Bumgarner had decent control but not great stuff, once the umpire took away the corners, Bummy was a cooked goose. One cannot tell me that umps do not effect the outcome of games, especially the guys who call the balls and strikes. Is the entire giants lineup ill, because they sure played that way. One thing they do not seem to have is that killer instinct. The first two guys walk, they have a chance for a big inning, and they were lucky to get one run. The fish had an opportunity and the giants made sure that the fish made the most of their opportunity. The giants had better take the final two games of the series. I still believe that the giants are not taking their share of walks. Sometimes taking the walks forces the pitchers to come in with better pitches. Longoria has to lay off of some of those horrible pitches. If the is going to swing at pitches a foot outside, at least go to right field instead of grounding out to short. Something Posey is doing a bit to much of lately.
Got a good effort tonight from Stratton. That should lead to wins. But I'm encouraged when our young pitchers do well.
Looking forward to the giants evening up the series tonight and tomorrow.
Giants are awakening another player who was having a horrible year. They woke up Goldschmidt, and he has been hitting like Babe Ruth on Steroids. Now it looks as if they have rejuvenated Ziegler.
Damn. Another one slipped away!
This is unacceptable.
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