Giants win their third straight with a three-homer attack. Panda got it started in the 4th driving in Belt with a bomb, Pillar added a solo shot in the 5th, and Young Yaz drove in Pillar with a dinger of his own in the 7th. Drew Pomeranz kept the Brewers in the yard for five innings and the 'pen did the rest. Mark Melancon had a little trouble in the 8th but Reyes Moronta, Sam Dyson, and Will Smith all threw scoreless frames. Smith is Mr. Automatic: 17 for 17 in save chances.
Drew Pomeranz has had a pretty rough 2019 so it is good to see some effective innings from him. He labored: 24 batters and 93 pitches, but he didn't implode. Maybe this can be the start of a better stretch for him. He certainly has an impressive curve ball that can get a lot of swinging strikes and his velocity seems decent, regularly hitting 92-93 mph, so there's hope.
Milwaukee is a tough opponent, the rest of the weekend will be a challenge. Madison Bumgarner goes this afternoon (1:05 Pacific). At this point every start of his is an audition, I suppose.
Go Giants!
--M.C.
Showing posts with label P-power. Show all posts
Showing posts with label P-power. Show all posts
Saturday, June 15, 2019
Sunday, May 12, 2019
Giants Rally Past Reds
SF 6 CIN 5
Madison Bumgarner has thrown 18 innings in his last three starts, six innings in each. He's walked only three and whiffed 23, but has allowed 20 hits including three homers. It all tallies to eight runs allowed but more importantly three wins for the team. Today his catcher Erik Kratz didn't help him out (first batter reached on catcher's interference and was PB'd to second) and he put the team in a 2-0 hole after a two-out hit. Pablo Sandoval tied it up in the bottom half with a two-run homer, but Bum gave up another two-out hit which led to a run in the 2nd inning. After three scoreless Bum batted for himself in the 5th, striking out, and then gave up a homer to the first batter of the 6th (Yasiel Puig). That was enough to doom the Giants, normally, but they rallied late and got a big pinch-hit homer from Brandon Belt (driving in Brandon Crawford, who had walked) to tie it 4-4 in the 7th. Reyes Moronta loaded the bases in the 8th and that led to a run, but the Giants rallied again to take a 6-5 lead in the bottom half. Big hits from Evan Longoria, Panda again, and Kevin Pillar gave Will Smith a chance to save it and he did so. The Giants snapped a three-game losing streak.
It was a good start, overall, in a string of terrible starts. Bumgarner and the 'pen held the Dodgers to one run on May 1st and won that game (and the series). Here's the tally since then by the starters (IP/R): 2.1/8, 5/8, 5/4, 1.2/7, 6/3 (MadBum), 2.2/7, 5/4, and 4/3. Not pretty. Oh, that included 18 HR. That's right: eighteen homers. Dereck Rodriguez was sent back to AAA, Drew Pomeranz was put on the IL, and Derek Holland was moved to the bullpen. I can't argue with any of that. Tyler Beede will get the start on Tuesday and then it is TBD. Perhaps they'll call up a youngster like Shaun Anderson or Andrew Suarez. I don't know! It's an uncertain time out there for anyone not named Madison Bumgarner.
Apparently Derek Holland caused a bit of a local kerfuffle complaining to the media about his demotion and claiming his IL stay was "fake." Buddy, EVERY TEAM uses the IL creatively! A hangnail is almost good enough. If his ERA was other than 6.75 it would not have happened. Everyone also knows you go to your coaches and/or manager first if you have a beef, and you don't rip "the front office" (i.e., your bosses) in public without at least doing it in private first. But that's OK. If a player is happy after a demotion I think he's in the wrong profession. Pitch well, and the problems will go away. Winning clubhouses are happy clubhouses. I have to give Boch a lot of credit for keeping stuff like this under wraps these last few seasons when the team has played so poorly. You have to figure folks get grumpy when week after week they perform below expectations. With the regime change everyone also knows things are going to be different and there is some uncertainty ahead for many of the players. That has to weigh on their minds. FZ made a point to say that if he has not made it comfortable for players to come to him with problems then "that is on him" and he will do more to improve communication. He's the new sheriff in town and there's bound to be some growing pains but I remain convinced he's the right person. I particularly like that he is relentlessly positive and looks for solutions. He doesn't pass the buck or cast blame.
Off-day tomorrow and again on Thursday with two against the Blue Jays in between.
--M.C.
Madison Bumgarner has thrown 18 innings in his last three starts, six innings in each. He's walked only three and whiffed 23, but has allowed 20 hits including three homers. It all tallies to eight runs allowed but more importantly three wins for the team. Today his catcher Erik Kratz didn't help him out (first batter reached on catcher's interference and was PB'd to second) and he put the team in a 2-0 hole after a two-out hit. Pablo Sandoval tied it up in the bottom half with a two-run homer, but Bum gave up another two-out hit which led to a run in the 2nd inning. After three scoreless Bum batted for himself in the 5th, striking out, and then gave up a homer to the first batter of the 6th (Yasiel Puig). That was enough to doom the Giants, normally, but they rallied late and got a big pinch-hit homer from Brandon Belt (driving in Brandon Crawford, who had walked) to tie it 4-4 in the 7th. Reyes Moronta loaded the bases in the 8th and that led to a run, but the Giants rallied again to take a 6-5 lead in the bottom half. Big hits from Evan Longoria, Panda again, and Kevin Pillar gave Will Smith a chance to save it and he did so. The Giants snapped a three-game losing streak.
It was a good start, overall, in a string of terrible starts. Bumgarner and the 'pen held the Dodgers to one run on May 1st and won that game (and the series). Here's the tally since then by the starters (IP/R): 2.1/8, 5/8, 5/4, 1.2/7, 6/3 (MadBum), 2.2/7, 5/4, and 4/3. Not pretty. Oh, that included 18 HR. That's right: eighteen homers. Dereck Rodriguez was sent back to AAA, Drew Pomeranz was put on the IL, and Derek Holland was moved to the bullpen. I can't argue with any of that. Tyler Beede will get the start on Tuesday and then it is TBD. Perhaps they'll call up a youngster like Shaun Anderson or Andrew Suarez. I don't know! It's an uncertain time out there for anyone not named Madison Bumgarner.
Apparently Derek Holland caused a bit of a local kerfuffle complaining to the media about his demotion and claiming his IL stay was "fake." Buddy, EVERY TEAM uses the IL creatively! A hangnail is almost good enough. If his ERA was other than 6.75 it would not have happened. Everyone also knows you go to your coaches and/or manager first if you have a beef, and you don't rip "the front office" (i.e., your bosses) in public without at least doing it in private first. But that's OK. If a player is happy after a demotion I think he's in the wrong profession. Pitch well, and the problems will go away. Winning clubhouses are happy clubhouses. I have to give Boch a lot of credit for keeping stuff like this under wraps these last few seasons when the team has played so poorly. You have to figure folks get grumpy when week after week they perform below expectations. With the regime change everyone also knows things are going to be different and there is some uncertainty ahead for many of the players. That has to weigh on their minds. FZ made a point to say that if he has not made it comfortable for players to come to him with problems then "that is on him" and he will do more to improve communication. He's the new sheriff in town and there's bound to be some growing pains but I remain convinced he's the right person. I particularly like that he is relentlessly positive and looks for solutions. He doesn't pass the buck or cast blame.
Off-day tomorrow and again on Thursday with two against the Blue Jays in between.
--M.C.
Monday, July 4, 2016
Happy Fourth!
3-1 win at home
Giants fans enjoyed a tight contest in San Francisco today marred only by the difficult outfield conditions. The high sun seemed to give the players a tough time on fly balls, and Jake Peavy got 12 of his 20 outs that way, so the guys had to work a bit. But 20 outs is pretty damn fine for a number five starter: 6-2/3 with six strikeouts and only two walks. The one run allowed was on a bases-loaded balk, of all things. Uncharacteristically the Giants runs came exclusively from homers, a solo shot by Buster and a two-run bomb from Angel Pagan. Five relievers (including Sergio Romo!) closed it out, notable for a particularly crisp 1-2-3 9th from Santiago Casilla.
In all it was more like the formula we hope to see--strong start, good fielding (Brandon Crawford again put on a show at shortstop), run-scoring hits, and a stout 'pen. Despite the injuries and roster moves the Giants have continued to grind it out, bouncing back from tough losses and fending off a determined second-place foe. I think everyone is looking forward to the Break.
The Giants play two more with Colorado: Madison Bumgarner gets the ball tomorrow night and Johnny Cueto the next night with an off-day (after twenty games in twenty days) on Thursday.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
p.s. 53 wins is the most in the majors.
Giants fans enjoyed a tight contest in San Francisco today marred only by the difficult outfield conditions. The high sun seemed to give the players a tough time on fly balls, and Jake Peavy got 12 of his 20 outs that way, so the guys had to work a bit. But 20 outs is pretty damn fine for a number five starter: 6-2/3 with six strikeouts and only two walks. The one run allowed was on a bases-loaded balk, of all things. Uncharacteristically the Giants runs came exclusively from homers, a solo shot by Buster and a two-run bomb from Angel Pagan. Five relievers (including Sergio Romo!) closed it out, notable for a particularly crisp 1-2-3 9th from Santiago Casilla.
In all it was more like the formula we hope to see--strong start, good fielding (Brandon Crawford again put on a show at shortstop), run-scoring hits, and a stout 'pen. Despite the injuries and roster moves the Giants have continued to grind it out, bouncing back from tough losses and fending off a determined second-place foe. I think everyone is looking forward to the Break.
The Giants play two more with Colorado: Madison Bumgarner gets the ball tomorrow night and Johnny Cueto the next night with an off-day (after twenty games in twenty days) on Thursday.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
p.s. 53 wins is the most in the majors.
Friday, May 1, 2015
Joe Cool Delivers
Pinch-hitting Joe Panik lined a single up the middle to score Gregor Blanco and win the game in the 9th. Giants have found the formula: play an LA-based team and conjure up 3-2 walk-offs. Chris Heston pitched another great game and that gave the home squad a chance and they found a way. That's the real formula: pitch well. Who figured Buster Posey would start the game-winning rally by beating out an infield hit?
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Monday, November 3, 2014
Across America with the Giants
The 2014 World Series was a unique experience as my wife and I were traveling and we enjoyed the entire event while on the road. We watched Game One in Santa Clarita which is, surprisingly, the third-largest city in Los Angeles County. It was only recently incorporated (1987) and is composed of several former separate communities like Newhall, Saugus, and Valencia. At 1200 feet elevation it sits on the southern edge of the Transverse Ranges before the descent into the San Fernando Valley. It is probably best-known for Six Flags Magic Mountain amusement park. We had planned to avoid the downtown LA traffic by crossing the city later in the evening and hoped to stop somewhere along I-5 to watch the game. If you have ever driven to Southern California along that route you know there's not much to choose from. I had identified a likely spot, a sports bar called the Tilted Kilt, which turned out to be in one of those boulevard lined mega-shopping complexes that are no more attractive than the box store strip malls that blight our country's mid-sized towns. The restaurant itself was big and clean and horribly modern with over two dozen televisions. The food was the usual fare but decent overall and the beer selection was passable. It's a "guy" place with scantily clad cute waitresses in tartan halter tops and mini-skirts. Madison Bumgarner and the Giants kicked ass so it was really quite pleasant despite the characterless setting. And we missed the infamous LA rush hour and made it to our South Bay destination in good time. We noticed one or two other Giants fans in the place who actually left before the end. No Dodgers fans seemed to be present--at least none were sporting their blue, and no one else seemed particularly passionate about the event.
Game Two we spent in the home of our dear friend BRZ in Lomita and that was good as the Giants got a whipping by the Royals. It's always nice to have true fans around to commiserate with. We endured Fox and Joe Buck as best we could and had a splendid visit before our train trip. Taking walks around the area we of course wore our caps but LA fans had already forgotten their season and had turned their thoughts to the myriad of other distractions that abound down there. Game Three happened while we were on the Southwest Chief heading to Chicago and we had to depend on text updates from JCP and various bits of info from other passengers. We didn't encounter any real baseball fans although one of the dining car attendants made a point of lamenting the tough loss with us the next morning. I was not prepared to fully follow the action but I was relaxed and philosophical about the disconnect as that is very much part of my travel outlook. Spontaneity and serendipity are really what journeys are all about. We pulled in to Kansas City the morning of Game Four and I saw a few Royals caps on people in the station but once again did not encounter any baseball fans on the train. That evening after we were settled in our hotel in Chicago we took a walk around the neighborhood and discovered Kitty O'Shea's Pub and Restaurant in the ground floor of the Hilton just across the street. We ate dinner and drank to excess and had a grand time watching the epic come-from-behind Giants victory. We spent the first half of the game talking with a lively gentleman whose mother was a devoted Royals fan. He was an intelligent student of the game and knew quite a bit about the Giants and their players. He left before the onslaught but the bartender, who was from Dublin, had a rooting interest for KC. It seems he won a bet from his "bruddah" on the Super Bowl and rather than a payoff had doubled down on the Series. I love the Irish version of the "th" sound in English--you get everything from "t" to "d" and lots in between. Let's just say if an Irishman calls you "tick" it's not a compliment.
Game Five we watched in our room after a long day of walks exploring the city. Madison Bumgarner was sensational of course, and we got to enjoy it in comfort. We wore our Giants gear around town but there was a Blackhawks game happening that evening and the sports fans around seemed focused on the young hockey season. We did talk to a couple in Grant Park earlier in the day who saw our colors and knew we were tourists and gave us some pointers about where to go and what to see. We were on the train for Game Six and had to rely on text updates once again. No one had any interest as far as we could tell which was fine as that contest was decided early as the Giants were trounced. We made it to Philadelphia for Game Seven after an exhausting journey and once again watched it in the comfort of our room. The Giants were brilliant (that Bumgarner fellow was pretty good again) and we celebrated quietly together before collapsing from our extended travel ordeal.
Philadelphia, we found out, is a real baseball town. Strangers would see our SF garb and say "congratulations" or "you guys must be pumped" and whatnot. It was fun. Lots of people wanted to talk about Madison Bumgarner, Panda, Hunter Pence, and even rookie Joe Panik. There was still a buzz about the Series even though the long season was over and there was little or no rooting interest in either team. At NoirCon (the crime writing conference we were there for) we met one of my literary heroes, Eddie Muller, who is from San Francisco. He saw our caps and came over to gush about the championship. We enjoyed several fun and fruitful conversations with Eddie over the next few days. He was charming and approachable as well as a passionate and intelligent fan. Several of the conference attendees were also baseball types and we would chat in the elevator in the hotel or at breaks in the proceedings. Drinking beers (and eating pirogies) with the British writer Richard Godwin and his wife after the conference ended was great as he was very interested in Raising Matt Cain and wanted to know what I attributed the team's spectacular run to. For an Englishman he had a fair interest in our national pastime and knew more than I expected. I told him about the great job the team had done drafting amateur talent, the wisdom of picking Bruce Bochy to be the field manager, and the club culture of valuing players and their contributions. It was a thumbnail sketch and off-the-cuff but I think I hit the key points. Obviously it has been a lot of fun to bask in the glory of the orange-and-black.
I remember telling many of the folks we discussed the season with that I pinch myself every morning about the recent dynastic success of our beloved ballclub. It's an amazing time to be a Giants fan and a great payoff for decades of loyalty. It's particularly rewarding because I started this blog near the end of the 2007 season and the team's ascendancy coincided perfectly with us hitting our stride as bloggers. I hope I have thanked all of you who have been reading along with us enough over the years for being a part of RMC. It's nice to know people are reading when you write something and the discussions and arguments and everything have been great. Some of you out there in comment land are my friends and we've shared the ups and downs over the years. Some of you I only know virtually from our internet encounters but I feel we've been through a lot together and I hope some day to buy you a beer and shake your hand if we ever meet in the real world!
We are just at the start of our cross-country train journey back home to California. And there's wifi! What's up with that? Where was this connection when I needed it?
I'm sure we'll have much to talk about in the off-season, like always, but I'm going to take it nice and slow and put some energy into my other projects over the next few months. I hope my fellow authors will chime in and post up their opinions on the things the team needs for 2015 and beyond.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Game Two we spent in the home of our dear friend BRZ in Lomita and that was good as the Giants got a whipping by the Royals. It's always nice to have true fans around to commiserate with. We endured Fox and Joe Buck as best we could and had a splendid visit before our train trip. Taking walks around the area we of course wore our caps but LA fans had already forgotten their season and had turned their thoughts to the myriad of other distractions that abound down there. Game Three happened while we were on the Southwest Chief heading to Chicago and we had to depend on text updates from JCP and various bits of info from other passengers. We didn't encounter any real baseball fans although one of the dining car attendants made a point of lamenting the tough loss with us the next morning. I was not prepared to fully follow the action but I was relaxed and philosophical about the disconnect as that is very much part of my travel outlook. Spontaneity and serendipity are really what journeys are all about. We pulled in to Kansas City the morning of Game Four and I saw a few Royals caps on people in the station but once again did not encounter any baseball fans on the train. That evening after we were settled in our hotel in Chicago we took a walk around the neighborhood and discovered Kitty O'Shea's Pub and Restaurant in the ground floor of the Hilton just across the street. We ate dinner and drank to excess and had a grand time watching the epic come-from-behind Giants victory. We spent the first half of the game talking with a lively gentleman whose mother was a devoted Royals fan. He was an intelligent student of the game and knew quite a bit about the Giants and their players. He left before the onslaught but the bartender, who was from Dublin, had a rooting interest for KC. It seems he won a bet from his "bruddah" on the Super Bowl and rather than a payoff had doubled down on the Series. I love the Irish version of the "th" sound in English--you get everything from "t" to "d" and lots in between. Let's just say if an Irishman calls you "tick" it's not a compliment.
Game Five we watched in our room after a long day of walks exploring the city. Madison Bumgarner was sensational of course, and we got to enjoy it in comfort. We wore our Giants gear around town but there was a Blackhawks game happening that evening and the sports fans around seemed focused on the young hockey season. We did talk to a couple in Grant Park earlier in the day who saw our colors and knew we were tourists and gave us some pointers about where to go and what to see. We were on the train for Game Six and had to rely on text updates once again. No one had any interest as far as we could tell which was fine as that contest was decided early as the Giants were trounced. We made it to Philadelphia for Game Seven after an exhausting journey and once again watched it in the comfort of our room. The Giants were brilliant (that Bumgarner fellow was pretty good again) and we celebrated quietly together before collapsing from our extended travel ordeal.
Philadelphia, we found out, is a real baseball town. Strangers would see our SF garb and say "congratulations" or "you guys must be pumped" and whatnot. It was fun. Lots of people wanted to talk about Madison Bumgarner, Panda, Hunter Pence, and even rookie Joe Panik. There was still a buzz about the Series even though the long season was over and there was little or no rooting interest in either team. At NoirCon (the crime writing conference we were there for) we met one of my literary heroes, Eddie Muller, who is from San Francisco. He saw our caps and came over to gush about the championship. We enjoyed several fun and fruitful conversations with Eddie over the next few days. He was charming and approachable as well as a passionate and intelligent fan. Several of the conference attendees were also baseball types and we would chat in the elevator in the hotel or at breaks in the proceedings. Drinking beers (and eating pirogies) with the British writer Richard Godwin and his wife after the conference ended was great as he was very interested in Raising Matt Cain and wanted to know what I attributed the team's spectacular run to. For an Englishman he had a fair interest in our national pastime and knew more than I expected. I told him about the great job the team had done drafting amateur talent, the wisdom of picking Bruce Bochy to be the field manager, and the club culture of valuing players and their contributions. It was a thumbnail sketch and off-the-cuff but I think I hit the key points. Obviously it has been a lot of fun to bask in the glory of the orange-and-black.
I remember telling many of the folks we discussed the season with that I pinch myself every morning about the recent dynastic success of our beloved ballclub. It's an amazing time to be a Giants fan and a great payoff for decades of loyalty. It's particularly rewarding because I started this blog near the end of the 2007 season and the team's ascendancy coincided perfectly with us hitting our stride as bloggers. I hope I have thanked all of you who have been reading along with us enough over the years for being a part of RMC. It's nice to know people are reading when you write something and the discussions and arguments and everything have been great. Some of you out there in comment land are my friends and we've shared the ups and downs over the years. Some of you I only know virtually from our internet encounters but I feel we've been through a lot together and I hope some day to buy you a beer and shake your hand if we ever meet in the real world!
We are just at the start of our cross-country train journey back home to California. And there's wifi! What's up with that? Where was this connection when I needed it?
I'm sure we'll have much to talk about in the off-season, like always, but I'm going to take it nice and slow and put some energy into my other projects over the next few months. I hope my fellow authors will chime in and post up their opinions on the things the team needs for 2015 and beyond.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Saturday, October 4, 2014
Giants Play Two Games, Win One
I remember thinking when Anthony Rendon got that two-out hit in the 3rd to score a run that it was a key moment. That this game was going to be one of those World Cup soccer things, you know, "one-in-and-done." Sure enough Nationals starter Jordan Zimmerman overpowered the Giants after that, only to walk rookie Joe Panik with two outs in the 9th. The Giants had gone 0-for-20 before then, so even though it brought Buster Posey to the plate it still seemed like a vain effort. And a wasted brilliant start from Tim Hudson, who had only the one lapse and otherwise matched zeroes with Zimmerman. Nats manager Matt Williams took out an ad in Second-guessers Wanted however, and brought in his closer Drew Storen to get the final out. Buster promptly cracked a single and Pablo Sandoval dug out an opposite-field double to bring home the tying run. Buster was thrown out at the plate in a very close play that required review and the game went to extras. I was "oh-no-ing" well before I saw the relay, he could have been out by a lot if it had been on the line. As it was Wilson Ramos had to make a sweep tag and he pulled it off with an inch at best to spare. I guess you can't fault the aggressiveness there, a lot of guys with "an extra step" would have scored. They hadn't done anything on offense for most of the game, so you can understand going for the win with the tie in hand.
So, the epic struggle went on into the night. The Nats scored a run in the 3rd and that was it. They played 15 more innings and could not put something on the board against the Giants. It was an awesome display of bullpen power, with Yusmeiro Petit earning MVP (most valuable 'penner) with a spectacular six scoreless. Washington has a great relief corps as well and they kept the Giants quiet for another long stretch. It got to the point where you knew it would be one of those games decided by a bomb. Brandon Belt, bless his heart, launched a massive home run to lead off the 18th and victory was in sight. Rookie Hunter Strickland blasted his way through the bottom of the 18th to get the save and the Giants went up two-nil in the series. Boch has a lot of faith in that kid--after he got tagged twice yesterday I admit I was scared to see him get the ball. But Strickland quickly asserted himself and showed great poise in a tense situation and got the outs to end it. Way to go, Hunter!
The Giants and Nationals played a nine-inning game that ended in a 1-1 tie. The Giants scored with their very last chance and just missed taking the lead. Then the Giants and Nationals played a second nine-inning game and the Giants hit a home run in the final inning to win 1-0. It was an extraordinary night of baseball that went past the stroke of midnight and featured great pitching and clean fielding coupled with some dramatic scoring moments. And the best thing is that the GIANTS came out on top.
Giants used everyone except Joaquin Arias (and Tim Lincecum). Madison Bungarner gets the ball on Monday in San Francisco with a chance to sweep the number one seed and advance to the LCS.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
So, the epic struggle went on into the night. The Nats scored a run in the 3rd and that was it. They played 15 more innings and could not put something on the board against the Giants. It was an awesome display of bullpen power, with Yusmeiro Petit earning MVP (most valuable 'penner) with a spectacular six scoreless. Washington has a great relief corps as well and they kept the Giants quiet for another long stretch. It got to the point where you knew it would be one of those games decided by a bomb. Brandon Belt, bless his heart, launched a massive home run to lead off the 18th and victory was in sight. Rookie Hunter Strickland blasted his way through the bottom of the 18th to get the save and the Giants went up two-nil in the series. Boch has a lot of faith in that kid--after he got tagged twice yesterday I admit I was scared to see him get the ball. But Strickland quickly asserted himself and showed great poise in a tense situation and got the outs to end it. Way to go, Hunter!
The Giants and Nationals played a nine-inning game that ended in a 1-1 tie. The Giants scored with their very last chance and just missed taking the lead. Then the Giants and Nationals played a second nine-inning game and the Giants hit a home run in the final inning to win 1-0. It was an extraordinary night of baseball that went past the stroke of midnight and featured great pitching and clean fielding coupled with some dramatic scoring moments. And the best thing is that the GIANTS came out on top.
Giants used everyone except Joaquin Arias (and Tim Lincecum). Madison Bungarner gets the ball on Monday in San Francisco with a chance to sweep the number one seed and advance to the LCS.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Friday, October 3, 2014
P-Power Pushes Giants Past Nats
Jake Peavy did not have to be the best pitcher in baseball today, he just had to be better than Stephen Strasburg. Lo and behold, he was. Strasburg wasn't bad, he was very tough in fact, but the Giants had excellent approaches against him and got men on base and wore him down. Hunter Strickland was brought in to get the final out in the 6th, a ballsy move by the skipper, and he preserved Peavy's fine start with a huge strikeout. The rookie flamethrower gave up two bombs in the 7th to terrify the hell out of us, but the rest of the 'pen got the big outs and the Giants held on for a remarkable 3-2 win. Boch will have to answer some questions about why he stuck with the rookie, but one thing we've learned from Our Fearless Leader is that he is truly fearless. He had confidence in the young righty and went with him in a huge situation and, in the end, it all worked out.
The Giants did their "death by a thousand paper cuts" thing that worked so well in 2012. Rookie Joe Panik spoiled the party with a booming triple that led to the third and decisive run and once again the Giants had the entire lineup involved in the action. Travis Ishikawa got the scoring started in the 3rd and a steal by Hunter Pence in the 4th led to the second run. It was another of those total team efforts that seem to define this club. Grit, moxie, and veteran savvy clutchness prevailed today!
There's a lot to talk about. I hope we can get a field report from The Mystic Zo. Russian River sent me a text that said "let's get greedy and get two in DC." Hell, yeah.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
p.s. I liked that "easy" save from Casilla and Romo getting Harper in the 8th.
The Giants did their "death by a thousand paper cuts" thing that worked so well in 2012. Rookie Joe Panik spoiled the party with a booming triple that led to the third and decisive run and once again the Giants had the entire lineup involved in the action. Travis Ishikawa got the scoring started in the 3rd and a steal by Hunter Pence in the 4th led to the second run. It was another of those total team efforts that seem to define this club. Grit, moxie, and veteran savvy clutchness prevailed today!
There's a lot to talk about. I hope we can get a field report from The Mystic Zo. Russian River sent me a text that said "let's get greedy and get two in DC." Hell, yeah.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
p.s. I liked that "easy" save from Casilla and Romo getting Harper in the 8th.
Game One
Jake Peavy, god bless him, is the excitable type. Pitching in DC against the number one seed would get anyone psyched up, but The Peave is a special case. I don't know how the guy gets his shoes tied let alone gets his uniform on when he's in the midst of his pre-game amp-a-thon. Maybe he gets suited up a day in advance and sleeps fully garbed. He's pitched really well since coming to save us from the Cainocalypse, and I really hope the Giants sign him for next season. Today, though, I think we might need to see a little calm from the big righty. A little deep breathing. Jake should channel Madison Bumgarner, not Joaquin Andujar. With MadBum on the shelf until Game Three the Giants need their two veteran starters to have steady hands on the tiller.
On the hitting side I think the Giants match up with the Nationals. The Giants scored 665 runs, the Nats 686. Washington hit more homers (152 to 132), got on base at a better clip (.321 to .311), and had a better running game (101 SB, 23 CS to 56 SB, 27 CS). The Giants were a tick better in wRC+ (101 to 99) and OPS+ (99 to 96), most likely due to park effects as AT&T is known to suppress offense. But the differences aren't that great, especially in a short series.
On the pitching side it is easy to see why Washington is the favorite. They've allowed only 555 runs, finishing second to Seattle (554) in the majors. The Giants have allowed 614. The Nats have 106 Quality Starts, the Giants 86. The Nats walked fewer batters (352 to 389) and struck out more (1317 to 1211). They've a better FIP (3.18 to 3.58) and hugely better ERA+ (124 to 100). They've also allowed fewer homers (110 to 133). You could argue the Nats have the best pitching in the tournament.
Stephen Strasburg led the majors in strikeouts with 242 but also coughed up a few long balls (23). He's a 4-WAR pitcher and former number one draft pick who was famously left off the 2012 playoff roster as he was on a strict innings limit coming back from surgery the previous year. This is his first post-season start. Jake Peavy was Cy Young Award winner with the Padres in 2007 and a World Series champion with the Boston Red Sox last year. He has five mostly forgettable playoff starts on his résumé. This is the year to turn that around, eh?
The Giants need a win in Washington. They come home for Game Three on Monday the 6th and it would be nice to have a Game Four on Tuesday. On paper, the match-ups favor the home team today and tomorrow (Jordan Zimmerman goes against Tim Hudson in Game Two). But the Giants have grit, moxie, and veteran savvy clutchness aplenty. And "they've been there before" and "know what it takes to win." They are a little short-handed with Cain, Pagan, and Morse out of action, and Washington looks absolutely loaded with talent (and have 96 wins to prove it), so it will be a tough task for the local lads. Not to mention the Nats smoked the Giants 5-2 during the regular season and outscored them 41 to 30. Nonetheless the Giants are coming off an ass-kicking win in Pittsburgh and are clearly a confident bunch. If they play good ball and don't make errors and keep it close in the early innings they have a legit shot to win.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
On the hitting side I think the Giants match up with the Nationals. The Giants scored 665 runs, the Nats 686. Washington hit more homers (152 to 132), got on base at a better clip (.321 to .311), and had a better running game (101 SB, 23 CS to 56 SB, 27 CS). The Giants were a tick better in wRC+ (101 to 99) and OPS+ (99 to 96), most likely due to park effects as AT&T is known to suppress offense. But the differences aren't that great, especially in a short series.
On the pitching side it is easy to see why Washington is the favorite. They've allowed only 555 runs, finishing second to Seattle (554) in the majors. The Giants have allowed 614. The Nats have 106 Quality Starts, the Giants 86. The Nats walked fewer batters (352 to 389) and struck out more (1317 to 1211). They've a better FIP (3.18 to 3.58) and hugely better ERA+ (124 to 100). They've also allowed fewer homers (110 to 133). You could argue the Nats have the best pitching in the tournament.
Stephen Strasburg led the majors in strikeouts with 242 but also coughed up a few long balls (23). He's a 4-WAR pitcher and former number one draft pick who was famously left off the 2012 playoff roster as he was on a strict innings limit coming back from surgery the previous year. This is his first post-season start. Jake Peavy was Cy Young Award winner with the Padres in 2007 and a World Series champion with the Boston Red Sox last year. He has five mostly forgettable playoff starts on his résumé. This is the year to turn that around, eh?
The Giants need a win in Washington. They come home for Game Three on Monday the 6th and it would be nice to have a Game Four on Tuesday. On paper, the match-ups favor the home team today and tomorrow (Jordan Zimmerman goes against Tim Hudson in Game Two). But the Giants have grit, moxie, and veteran savvy clutchness aplenty. And "they've been there before" and "know what it takes to win." They are a little short-handed with Cain, Pagan, and Morse out of action, and Washington looks absolutely loaded with talent (and have 96 wins to prove it), so it will be a tough task for the local lads. Not to mention the Nats smoked the Giants 5-2 during the regular season and outscored them 41 to 30. Nonetheless the Giants are coming off an ass-kicking win in Pittsburgh and are clearly a confident bunch. If they play good ball and don't make errors and keep it close in the early innings they have a legit shot to win.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Thursday, September 11, 2014
81-65 with 16 to go
The Giants did what they needed to do which was sweep the lowly Diamondbacks and move within two games of the Dodgers ahead of the big weekend series. Both clubs have 16 games remaining with six head-to-head matches. I'm sure it will be a thoroughly nerve-wracking three weeks! Once again the team got contributions from the whole lineup--all the starters got on base at least once, eight different guys got hits, and five different guys scored runs. Since the Break the Giants have the highest-scoring offense in the NL and the fourth-best in baseball. I think we all knew this team could hit and it was just a matter of time before they found their mojo again. We watched some pretty feeble displays from the hitters for a long stretch (like June and July) so it's great to see them whacking the ball all over the Park. The Dodgers aren't the D-Backs and will present a much tougher challenge so it will be fun to see how the club responds.
Ol' Boch had the quick hook today for Jake Peavy who struck out eight in 5-2/3 but allowed six hits and a run on 92 pitches. It was 3-1 at the time and the right move. I particularly liked that Juan Perez came in on the double-switch and stroked an RBI double and later scored! Teamwork, baby. Peavy was a little peeved when he was pulled, you could see him shaking his head and saying "unbelievable" but after that weird rain-delay start in Detroit and yielding a double and a triple in the 6th it was perfectly believable the skipper would go to the 'pen. Peavy is a crackup to watch with all the muttering and twitchy mannerisms. With that horrid beard he looks like someone you would run away from on a dark street. Another good effort today, though. He's certainly filled in quite well for Matt Cain.
It will be Madison Bumgarner tomorrow night against Hyun-Jin Ryu in the biggest game of the season. They'll keep getting bigger after that regardless of the result.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Ol' Boch had the quick hook today for Jake Peavy who struck out eight in 5-2/3 but allowed six hits and a run on 92 pitches. It was 3-1 at the time and the right move. I particularly liked that Juan Perez came in on the double-switch and stroked an RBI double and later scored! Teamwork, baby. Peavy was a little peeved when he was pulled, you could see him shaking his head and saying "unbelievable" but after that weird rain-delay start in Detroit and yielding a double and a triple in the 6th it was perfectly believable the skipper would go to the 'pen. Peavy is a crackup to watch with all the muttering and twitchy mannerisms. With that horrid beard he looks like someone you would run away from on a dark street. Another good effort today, though. He's certainly filled in quite well for Matt Cain.
It will be Madison Bumgarner tomorrow night against Hyun-Jin Ryu in the biggest game of the season. They'll keep getting bigger after that regardless of the result.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Giants Keep Rolling
While the Arizona Diamondbacks are certainly a stinko team they still win 41% of their games. So it's not like they are pushovers. They're in the major leagues and it takes a major league effort to beat them. And beat them the Giants did. I love it when the rook gets the big hit, and tonight Matt Duffy in a pinch-hit spot in the 7th roped an opposite-field double to make it 2-0 and the Giants were on their way. Ryan Vogelsong bounced back from a horrid start in Colorado and gave the team 6-2/3 scoreless. He was wild (five walks), but effectively so (two hits), and got some help from his fielders as well. Is he the most under-rated or perhaps most under-appreciated man on the Giants roster? Ho-hum, just another clutch effort by the grizzled vet, his tenth quality start at home. Josh Collmenter matched him for six but the D-backs 'pen gave it up. Everyone in the Giants starting lineup--all eight guys--got on base via a hit or walk. And Duffy delivered in the ninth spot! It takes a village, man, but I want to mention one villager in particular: Gregor Blanco. His game has really picked up and with his glove work and speed on the bases he has been a huge contributor down the stretch. The injury to Mike Morse has given him a chance to shine and he's seized it. That's what it is all about, making the most of your moments. We've certainly seen that from Joe Panik, maybe Young Duffy will be the next one with the hot hand. A new hero everyday, that's what I say.
Jake Peavy tomorrow afternoon.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Jake Peavy tomorrow afternoon.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
Yusmeiro Shines Again
Yusmeiro Petit channeled Greg Maddux tonight in San Francisco throwing an 84-pitch complete game to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks. That's remarkable enough, but when you consider he threw only 16 balls to 29 batters it makes your head spin. What a performance! Especially when you consider that this is it--this is pennant race crunch time. Every game is crucial and every start has a life-or-death feel to it. The Giants have now won seven in a row at AT&T Park improving their home record to 39-33. With the Dodgers losing to the Padres the Giants are 2-1/2 back in the West.
The Giants have played 144 games and have thus completed their 8th seasonal inning. They are 79-65 (.549) which is the fourth-best record in the NL. Here's how it's gone in 2014:
First inning, 10-8,
Second inning, 13-5,
Third inning, 12-6,
Fourth inning, 8-10,
Fifth inning, 6-12,
Sixth inning, 9-9
Seventh inning, 9-9
Eighth inning, 12-6.
If they can go 11-7 in the final 18 that will give them 90 wins. That may not be enough to win the division but will most likely lock up the Wild Card. Right now they are four games ahead of the Pirates for the top spot. The Dodgers played yesterday and have only 17 games left. The Giants obviously need to seize the moment this weekend and take at least two of the three games. They'll have three more chances in LA in the season's penultimate series.
Joe Panik continues to rake--he had five hits tonight! Angel Pagan kept the P-Power theme going with four hits and three runs scored. It was a big win. Let's hope they can keep it going.
Vogie goes tomorrow night. He's coming off perhaps his worst start ever so look for a big bounce back performance from the veteran righty.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
The Giants have played 144 games and have thus completed their 8th seasonal inning. They are 79-65 (.549) which is the fourth-best record in the NL. Here's how it's gone in 2014:
First inning, 10-8,
Second inning, 13-5,
Third inning, 12-6,
Fourth inning, 8-10,
Fifth inning, 6-12,
Sixth inning, 9-9
Seventh inning, 9-9
Eighth inning, 12-6.
If they can go 11-7 in the final 18 that will give them 90 wins. That may not be enough to win the division but will most likely lock up the Wild Card. Right now they are four games ahead of the Pirates for the top spot. The Dodgers played yesterday and have only 17 games left. The Giants obviously need to seize the moment this weekend and take at least two of the three games. They'll have three more chances in LA in the season's penultimate series.
Joe Panik continues to rake--he had five hits tonight! Angel Pagan kept the P-Power theme going with four hits and three runs scored. It was a big win. Let's hope they can keep it going.
Vogie goes tomorrow night. He's coming off perhaps his worst start ever so look for a big bounce back performance from the veteran righty.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Sunday, August 31, 2014
Saaa - weeeeep!
The Giants completed a sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers this weekend who were first in the National League Central Division and are currently tied for first as a result of the Giants efforts. That gives them 6 wins in a row and, in the past week, they have managed to gain 2 games on front-running LA.
The numbers the Giants put up were impressive. Madison Bumgarner tied the league leaders with his 16th win. He threw 96 pitches in 6 innings, gave up 5 hits and 1 run and struck out 7. He knocked his ERA to less than 3.00. He got into some trouble in the first, giving up two singles to the first two batters to put runners at first and third. Then, Ryan Braun hit into a double play, Crawford to Panik to Morse. Brandon Crawford has played some spectacular defense lately, and I'm thinking I could get used to watching a lot of BCraw to Panik double play pivots.
Behind 1 - 0 after the first, the Giants scored in the second to tie the game, added 3 in the third to take the lead and never looked back. They also scored in the fifth (2), sixth (1), seventh (7) and eighth (1). The final was 15 - 5. For those who keep track of such things, that is a collective 31 - 8 whupping the Giants have laid on the Brewers.
1 home run (Panda). 3 triples (Panda, Pence and Panik). 6 doubles (2 for Pence, 2 for Susac, Blanco and Arias). 16 hits total. 3 rbi for Panda and Susac, 2 rbi for Pence and Panik, and an rbi for Pagan, Morse, Crawford and Arias. The Giants got 15 runs without Buster Posey in the game.
In the seventh, Madison was relieved by George Kontos. Kontos went 2/3 of an inning and gave up a home run to Martin Maldonado. Javier Lopez relieved him for the final out. Tim Lincecum came in for the final two innings. It did not go well. Tim gave up a solo home run to Ryan Braun in the eighth and hit Maldonado with a pitch and gave up an assortment of hits (including a past ball) to allow 2 more runs in the ninth. So I guess Tim will not be starting in relief in the suspended game in Colorado tomorrow.
It is a good thing that the Giants are scoring well, finally, as they have the make-up game and three more to play in Colorado. It does not look particularly easy after that. They go to Detroit from Colorado, currently scrapping for the American League Central Division lead. Then they play Arizona at home before our last home stand against LA. Then a road trip to Arizona, San Diego and Los Angeles before our final 4 game series at home against San Diego. San Diego is one of those kind of teams that worry me. They are out of the race, as is Arizona, but have been playing well lately (they just took 2 of 3 from LA after taking 2 of 3 from Milwaukee). It is the time of year when you get a bunch of young players who tend to swing for the fences to try to impress someone.
The Giants' starting pitching is going great. Well, maybe not Tim, but there's still hope and Yusmeiro looks like a good fill in. Their hitting is going great and just in the nick of time. Their relief looks a little spotty, but really, they were nails until the last couple of games, so on the whole, still great.
The numbers the Giants put up were impressive. Madison Bumgarner tied the league leaders with his 16th win. He threw 96 pitches in 6 innings, gave up 5 hits and 1 run and struck out 7. He knocked his ERA to less than 3.00. He got into some trouble in the first, giving up two singles to the first two batters to put runners at first and third. Then, Ryan Braun hit into a double play, Crawford to Panik to Morse. Brandon Crawford has played some spectacular defense lately, and I'm thinking I could get used to watching a lot of BCraw to Panik double play pivots.
Behind 1 - 0 after the first, the Giants scored in the second to tie the game, added 3 in the third to take the lead and never looked back. They also scored in the fifth (2), sixth (1), seventh (7) and eighth (1). The final was 15 - 5. For those who keep track of such things, that is a collective 31 - 8 whupping the Giants have laid on the Brewers.
1 home run (Panda). 3 triples (Panda, Pence and Panik). 6 doubles (2 for Pence, 2 for Susac, Blanco and Arias). 16 hits total. 3 rbi for Panda and Susac, 2 rbi for Pence and Panik, and an rbi for Pagan, Morse, Crawford and Arias. The Giants got 15 runs without Buster Posey in the game.
In the seventh, Madison was relieved by George Kontos. Kontos went 2/3 of an inning and gave up a home run to Martin Maldonado. Javier Lopez relieved him for the final out. Tim Lincecum came in for the final two innings. It did not go well. Tim gave up a solo home run to Ryan Braun in the eighth and hit Maldonado with a pitch and gave up an assortment of hits (including a past ball) to allow 2 more runs in the ninth. So I guess Tim will not be starting in relief in the suspended game in Colorado tomorrow.
It is a good thing that the Giants are scoring well, finally, as they have the make-up game and three more to play in Colorado. It does not look particularly easy after that. They go to Detroit from Colorado, currently scrapping for the American League Central Division lead. Then they play Arizona at home before our last home stand against LA. Then a road trip to Arizona, San Diego and Los Angeles before our final 4 game series at home against San Diego. San Diego is one of those kind of teams that worry me. They are out of the race, as is Arizona, but have been playing well lately (they just took 2 of 3 from LA after taking 2 of 3 from Milwaukee). It is the time of year when you get a bunch of young players who tend to swing for the fences to try to impress someone.
The Giants' starting pitching is going great. Well, maybe not Tim, but there's still hope and Yusmeiro looks like a good fill in. Their hitting is going great and just in the nick of time. Their relief looks a little spotty, but really, they were nails until the last couple of games, so on the whole, still great.
Saturday, August 30, 2014
Peavy Power!
The Giants beat the Brewers 3-1 for their fifth straight win behind a brilliant effort by Jake Peavy who took a no-hitter into the 8th inning. Unlike last night's rout, this was a taut affair that stayed close until the final out. Giants starters have done a Peavy-to-Peavy run through the rotation and have six fine starts (Game Scores of 61, 98, 77, 69, 67, 82) to show for it, allowing only seven runs. Santiago Casilla was touched for a run tonight as he was on Wednesday, those being the only allowed by the 'pen over the same stretch. With the Dodgers losing in extras to the Padres tonight the Giants are 2-1/2 back in the West. We've been waiting, hoping and praying that the team would put together a streak of good baseball and you have to like this stretch. Clutch hitting and some big fielding plays sealed the deal and the Giants get another big win against a tough team and have a chance to sweep the series.
Madison Bumgarner, fresh off a one-hitter, gets the start tomorrow afternoon.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Madison Bumgarner, fresh off a one-hitter, gets the start tomorrow afternoon.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Friday, August 29, 2014
Vogie, Giants Throttle Brewers
Ryan Vogelsong kept the Brewers quiet for seven innings, giving up only two runs on four hits and one walk while striking out seven. It was his sixth start of the month and his best since his two-hitter in New York on the first. Vogie wasn't content with studly pitching--after a dose of chin music from Brewers starter Wily Peralta to lead off the 2nd he roped a liner to right to and eventually scored. It was an impressive nine-pitch battle that oozed with grit and VSC. The Giants were up 3-0 after the 1st and scored in the next four innings as well, pounding out 19 hits on the night. Buster Posey had five all by himself including a triple. Joe Panik had four and Angel Pagan and Hunter Pence banged out three apiece. Gregor Blanco had three RBIs, two on a homer, his second in two nights. Mike Morse was on base three times via a HBP, walk, and single. The only starter without a hit was Brandon Crawford but he did manage a walk and also drove in a run. George Kontos got the last six outs with a minimum of fuss. It was a complete rout--the final was 13-2.
It was a great night for the Giants. We've been hoping to see a playoff-caliber team emerge here in crunch time as every series from this point forward is crucial. Tonight they looked like champions against a tough foe. By the way that's five good starts in a row, one for each guy. Let's hope they can keep that going.
Jake Peavy goes tomorrow night.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
It was a great night for the Giants. We've been hoping to see a playoff-caliber team emerge here in crunch time as every series from this point forward is crucial. Tonight they looked like champions against a tough foe. By the way that's five good starts in a row, one for each guy. Let's hope they can keep that going.
Jake Peavy goes tomorrow night.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Petit Power!
Yusmeiro Petit came agonizingly close last season to baseball immortality. This season he's taken another shot at it and come away with a major league record--46 batters retired consecutively. It's not as glamorous as a perfect game, but the cool thing about it is that he alone is at the top of the list. Not bad. One thing you learn watching this game is that any guy on the roster might play the hero one day, one week, one season. And that any guy on a big league roster is capable of doing something historic. I love it when an unsung "nobody" gets to be the star. Petit's streak started in Philadelphia, a game Tim Lincecum saved in the 14th inning. He pitched poorly that day, but has been damn tough ever since, all in relief, and added the record-breaking eight more he needed in today's start. Of course he's in Tim's spot in the rotation, and naturally it was the opposition pitcher that got the hit that broke the streak. Congratulations, Yusmeiro! Way to put your name in the record books and lead the team to a much-needed win.
Gregor Blanco's two-run shot in the 1st gave the home team all they needed today, but it was nice to see them add two more later with some patience, execution, and good situational hitting. The Rockies have been very tough on the Giants and I'm getting sick of them. It doesn't get easier, though, as the NL Central-leading Brewers come to town this weekend. I wonder if Petit's strong start means he'll get another one. And when will we see Lincecum come out of the 'pen?
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Gregor Blanco's two-run shot in the 1st gave the home team all they needed today, but it was nice to see them add two more later with some patience, execution, and good situational hitting. The Rockies have been very tough on the Giants and I'm getting sick of them. It doesn't get easier, though, as the NL Central-leading Brewers come to town this weekend. I wonder if Petit's strong start means he'll get another one. And when will we see Lincecum come out of the 'pen?
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Peavin'
I thought yesterday's decision by the umpires to call the game and award the win to the Cubs was a perfect symbol of the frustrations of the 2014 Giants. Then we got the news that Seligula & His Minions upheld the Giants protest (first since 1986) and the team gets a second chance! Sure enough they resume the game tomorrow before the regularly scheduled game. It just goes to show that one should not read too much into any one event in a baseball season. It's a marathon, not a sprint. Then again, the Giants could use quite a few more ballgames just like tonight's 8-3 win. Jake Peavy labored a bit on a warm, windy night in Wrigley, but with help from his fielders (three double-plays) he turned in seven strong with no walks and eight strikeouts. The Cubs whacked the ball around a bit (10 hits off Peavy including a two-run homer) but he pounded the zone (78 strikes) and got eight ground balls and good things resulted. The lineup put up a four-spot in the 1st and kept the pressure on, scoring again in the 3rd and the 4th. The botttom guys delivered as both Travis Ishikawa and Joe Panik had three hits apiece and Andrew Susac blasted his first big-league homer. Ishikawa was an inspired choice to play first base--he made several nifty grabs and helped pull off a slick 3-5-1 DP as well. I imagine we'll see more of those weird combinations as teams employ defensive shifts. Panda looked pretty good at shortstop, eh?
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Killer P's
Jake Peavy got a monkey off his back with a fine performance this afternoon. The Giants scored seven in the 7th to back their new righty and stop their losing streak. Pagan, Pence, Posey, Panik, and The Panda all contributed to the win. I suppose we'll have to thank the umpires in NYC as well. I didn't get to see the play but I suppose if you block the plate without the ball you might have to pay for it. Robin Ventura got booted for arguing--I suppose the new homeplate collision rules are still a work in progress. That's OK, these things take time. I'm just glad they are working to eliminate that stupid linebacker nonsense we've watched for years. Adam Dunn giveth and taketh away with another homer but an error as well. I can't believe they put him in right two days in a row.
The Giants win a game. Feels good to say that, eh?
Great matchup on Friday: Cole Hamels and Madison Bumgarner.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
p.s. Way to go, Peav!
The Giants win a game. Feels good to say that, eh?
Great matchup on Friday: Cole Hamels and Madison Bumgarner.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
p.s. Way to go, Peav!
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