Reader Romano sent me an email yesterday saying today's Yusmeiro Petit vs. Andy Pettitte matchup would feature "small" ball. Certainly a lot of little things worked out in the Giants favor, but all the scoring was the result of extra-base hits. Rookie Ehire Adrianza tied things up with a solo shot (his first big-league bomb) in the 6th after Mark Reynolds had hit a solo homer in the 3rd. It stayed 1-1 until the 8th when two doubles--one by Pablo Sandoval and one by Tony Abreu--gave the Giants a 2-1 lead. It looked for all the world that Santiago Casilla would give it back in the bottom of the inning, but a baserunning mistake by Zoilo Almonte saved a run, and a fine throw by Juan Perez to nail Robinson Cano at the plate saved another. In all, Casilla gave up three hits, but two putouts by Hector Sanchez kept the Yanks from scoring. Almonte, with no outs, broke for home on a grounder to Nick Noonan at third and was out by 20 feet. Cano, who had doubled, stayed at second base on the play. He then tried to score with two outs on a single to left. He was clearly out on the bang-bang play to end the inning. It was a nice piece of teamwork from the two youngsters.
Petit pitched another fine game, strengthening his bid to be the fifth man in 2014. After a walk and a bloop hit with one out in the bottom of the 7th, Javier Lopez was summoned in relief. Both runners moved up on a passed ball, but Lopez got two strikeouts to save the day and was rewarded with the win after the Giants scored in the top of the 8th. (I sure hope the Giants keep that guy around.) Pettitte only allowed two hits in his seven-plus, but was charged with both runs and got tagged with the loss. New York is now four back in the Wild Card with six to play, and stand a good chance of missing the post-season for only the second time in 19 years.
The San Francisco squad comes home for their final six, facing West winners Los Angeles on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and fellow also-rans San Diego for the weekend. "Pass the Padres" is my new rallying cry.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Showing posts with label Yankees. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Yankees. Show all posts
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Yanks Thump Giants
Ryan Vogelsong had another bad outing. Just when I was getting excited about him rediscovering his winning form, he runs off a bunch of mediocre-to-bad starts. Baseball is a reminder that we are all full of shit. The Giants are now, once again, tied for last place. If they win three more games, and finish 74-88, they will be the 2013 version of the 1991 Cincinnati Reds. The 1990 Reds (91-71) were World Series Champions. The 1991 Reds finished next-to-last with a 74-88 (.457) record. Oh, the things we fans cling to!
The Yankees are fighting for a Wild Card spot. They have to run the table to have a chance as the Rays, Indians, and Rangers are ahead of them, and the Royals are in a virtual tie. They probably won't make it, but weirder things have happened. The Giants are playing to stay out of the cellar. Wild card aspirations >> not finishing last. Goddamn, it is painful to watch our boys. Buster Posey looks terrible. That finger injury has really hurt his play. Hunter Pence has cooled off. Pablo Sandoval can't stay healthy. I could go on, but you already know the rest.
Yusmeiro Petit gets a matchup with the ageless wonder Andy Pettitte. I should be able to do something clever and funny the name thing, but I'd have to be clever and funny. Pa-TEET and PET-it. Hmmm. C'mon, me buckos, help me out here. You could make a Hall of Fame case for the big southpaw from Baton Rouge. He says he's going to retire after this season.
Let's go, Giants. Win at least one goddamn game in Yankee Stadium!
--M.C.
The Yankees are fighting for a Wild Card spot. They have to run the table to have a chance as the Rays, Indians, and Rangers are ahead of them, and the Royals are in a virtual tie. They probably won't make it, but weirder things have happened. The Giants are playing to stay out of the cellar. Wild card aspirations >> not finishing last. Goddamn, it is painful to watch our boys. Buster Posey looks terrible. That finger injury has really hurt his play. Hunter Pence has cooled off. Pablo Sandoval can't stay healthy. I could go on, but you already know the rest.
Yusmeiro Petit gets a matchup with the ageless wonder Andy Pettitte. I should be able to do something clever and funny the name thing, but I'd have to be clever and funny. Pa-TEET and PET-it. Hmmm. C'mon, me buckos, help me out here. You could make a Hall of Fame case for the big southpaw from Baton Rouge. He says he's going to retire after this season.
Let's go, Giants. Win at least one goddamn game in Yankee Stadium!
--M.C.
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Giants Take Series
Hunter Pence had another big day, hitting two home runs and driving in three, and Brett Pill added a late tie-breaking pinch-homer to best the Dodgers in the getaway game, 4-3. It was a little tense in the 9th, but Sergio Romo got Yasiel Puig to ground out with the bases loaded and preserve the victory. Ryan Vogelsong delivered a quality start, and zeroes from Jean Machi in the 7th and Santiago Casilla in the 8th helped it to stand up. After losing narrowly in ten innings on Thursday night, the Giants ran the table and now lead the season series 9-7 with three to play. It is small consolation, but it is consolation nonetheless. The Dodgers will eventually clinch the NL West, but with Arizona's victory today their magic number remains at four. The blue-clads have lost three straight for the second time this month (they got swept in Cincinnati) and are 3-8 since their ridiculous 53-13 stretch. I'm not usually one for schadenfreude, but I think I'll indulge this time.
Pence's spectacular play of late puts him in the club's history books: 19 RBI in 6 games is a Giants record, held by none other than Mel Ott. His five homers in the four-game series puts him in elite company as well, as the last Giants player to homer in four straight games was Barry Bonds, and the last Giants player to hit a homer in all four games in a Dodgers series was Willie Mays. It seems even more obvious now that the Giants should retain Plastic Man's services.
The team travels to New York City tomorrow for the final two road series, three apiece with the Mets and Yankees. Yusmeiro Petit gets an intriguing matchup with Zack Wheeler in the opener.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Pence's spectacular play of late puts him in the club's history books: 19 RBI in 6 games is a Giants record, held by none other than Mel Ott. His five homers in the four-game series puts him in elite company as well, as the last Giants player to homer in four straight games was Barry Bonds, and the last Giants player to hit a homer in all four games in a Dodgers series was Willie Mays. It seems even more obvious now that the Giants should retain Plastic Man's services.
The team travels to New York City tomorrow for the final two road series, three apiece with the Mets and Yankees. Yusmeiro Petit gets an intriguing matchup with Zack Wheeler in the opener.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
25 for 16: The Rooks
The Giants took a big risk early in the season when they traded away veteran backstop Chris Stewart for a rookie relief pitcher named George Kontos. That left them only Eli Whiteside as the backup to Buster Posey. Unless you were counting 22-year old rookie catcher Hector Sanchez, of course. Sure enough, the youngster from Venezuela managed to do a credible job in his 48 starts behind the dish, and he also found himself on the 25-man playoff roster. It wasn't the best post-season debut (1-11, 2 BB, 7 SO), but it was a bit of necessary seasoning for the kid who had only seen 87 games of big-league action. Hector looks like he has a good arm but is otherwise raw and unpolished back there. You figure that will improve with time and experience. He's a free-swinger (5 walks and 52 strikeouts in 227 PA this season), but did manage 61 hits (15 2B, 3 HR) so he's not useless with the bat. The Giants like guys who can put balls in play and Sanchez' .349 BABIP fits right in with that. Like his fielding, you have to think his hitting will improve. He made the jump from A-ball straight to Fresno where he only played 50 games before getting the call. He made three starts in the post-season, two behind the plate (Game Four win vs. Cincy and Game Four loss vs. St. Louis) and one as a DH (Game Three) in the Series. It will be fun to see how he develops in 2013. Kontos, meanwhile, emerged down the stretch as a strike-throwing stud and eventually replaced Clay Hensely as the first guy out of the 'pen. He also earned his spot on the 25-man roster, striking out 44 in his 43-2/3 IP while allowing 34 hits and 12 walks. His finest moment in the playoffs came in the 6th inning of LDS Game Five in relief of Matt Cain when he got Jay Bruce to ground out weakly on two pitches. He also pitched in Game Four and got a couple of big outs. Otherwise it was mostly mop-up duty (all three losses in the LCS) and the 9th inning of Game One of the Series. That was not pretty--he gave up a two-run HR to Jhonny Peralta--but it was the World Series. Nothing wrong with a little seasoning. Despite being 27, Kontos has only made 51 appearances in the majors. He spent six years in the Yankee farm system before Brian Sabean plucked him from obscurity. Raise your hand if Kontos was on your reliever radar. Yeah, me neither. Like I said about the other rook, it will be fun to watch him next season.
--M.C.
--M.C.
Friday, November 9, 2012
25 for 16: Buster Posey
Buster Posey became the Giants full-time catcher in 2010 and the team went on to claim the world championship. Buster was hurt in 2011, missed most of the season, and the Giants finished in second place. Buster was back on the field and in the lineup full-time in 2012 and the Giants won the World Series. Not much more than that needs to be said about Mr. Posey. That's what you call right there "empirical evidence." The guy is a winner. Oh, and he will likely be the NL MVP, too. I've written before about his remarkable sangfroid, particularly his relaxed ease in front of the microphone. The only other player I can remember being such a natural both between the lines and on camera is Derek Jeter. The Yankee captain always manages to look good in his uniform and to say the right things when the tapes are rolling. Posey has that same quality--he expects to be among the elites of the game and he accepts with good grace his role as leader and spokesman of the club. It's a special combination of talent, hard work, and character. When you look up "intangibles" in the Big Book of Baseball, you'll see a picture of those two lads. By the way, here are the four guys drafted ahead of Gerald Dempsey III: Tim Beckham, Pedro Alvarez, Eric Hosmer, and Brian Matusz. Way to go, Giants!
Buster only had nine hits in his 68 plate appearances, but three of them were homers. The first one was in the 6th inning of Game One of the LDS and it was the first run scored by the Giants in the post-season. The second was an epic, series-clinching blast, a massive grand slam off Mat Latos that crushed the Reds dreams in Game Five. It was one of the signature moments of the entire playoffs. The last one was in the final contest, Game Four in Detroit. The Tigers, down three games to none, finally showed some life when their Triple Crown slugger Miguel Cabrera poked a wind-aided ball over the RF fence to take a 2-1 lead in the 3rd inning. But with one out in the top of the 6th and Marco Scutaro (who else?) on first, Buster smacked an errant changeup from Max Scherzer down the LF line just inside the pole to regain the lead and the momentum. It was as clutch a hit as you will find in the history of the organization, and so typically, totally Posey. Oh, and Matt Cain was the starting pitcher in each one of those games. If Tim Lincecum is The Franchise, then that dynamic duo must be The Pillars of Creation.
It's a great time to be a Giants fan.
--M.C.
Buster only had nine hits in his 68 plate appearances, but three of them were homers. The first one was in the 6th inning of Game One of the LDS and it was the first run scored by the Giants in the post-season. The second was an epic, series-clinching blast, a massive grand slam off Mat Latos that crushed the Reds dreams in Game Five. It was one of the signature moments of the entire playoffs. The last one was in the final contest, Game Four in Detroit. The Tigers, down three games to none, finally showed some life when their Triple Crown slugger Miguel Cabrera poked a wind-aided ball over the RF fence to take a 2-1 lead in the 3rd inning. But with one out in the top of the 6th and Marco Scutaro (who else?) on first, Buster smacked an errant changeup from Max Scherzer down the LF line just inside the pole to regain the lead and the momentum. It was as clutch a hit as you will find in the history of the organization, and so typically, totally Posey. Oh, and Matt Cain was the starting pitcher in each one of those games. If Tim Lincecum is The Franchise, then that dynamic duo must be The Pillars of Creation.
It's a great time to be a Giants fan.
--M.C.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Ridiculous
Major League Baseball should simply hand the post-season broadcast reins over to the Yankees Network. After all, the entire playoff schedule is based on making sure the Yankees are the prime time game. The Giants and the Cardinals, the last two World Series Champions, play at 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time today--that's 3:00 p.m. Central in St. Louis. That's a ridiculous time to start a baseball game. Unless, of course, you have to accommodate the Yankees. It's one thing to be the richest, most successful team. It's another to be constantly shoved down the throats of every baseball fan in America. Hey Bud, fans of other teams don't like the Yankees. Casual fans don't, either. The rest of the world is praying fervently that the Tigers send them packing. Look, we know that Steinbrenner, Inc. is on your speed dial and that you seek permission from them before you wipe your own ass, but maybe in the future you can be a little less obvious about it.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Friday, October 5, 2012
Playoffs!
I've been a San Francisco Giants fan since I was a wee lad. I remember Gaylord Perry's no-hitter in 1968 and Bobby Bonds' debut in 1969. My school chum Marty Duvall had a black lab named McCovey. My prized possession was the 1969 Sporting News Baseball Guide which featured MVPs Willie Mac and Harmon Killebrew on the cover. My favorite player was Tito Fuentes (I played second base in Little League). My dad took the family to Candlestick for Game 1 of the 1971 LCS against the Pittsburgh Pirates. I don't think they called it the "LCS" back then, and it was a best-of-five series. The Bucs won the whole thing that year. The Giants didn't make it back to the post-season until 1987. Since then, they've seen playoff action in 1989, 1997, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2010, and now 2012. Since the advent of division play in 1969, they've won the West eight times (they were the Wild Card team in 2002), the NL pennant three times, and the World Series once. That's nine playoff appearances in 44 seasons. Making it to the post-season is special. Yankees fans may take it for granted, but we don't. After all, the team has managed 13 second-place finishes since their arrival from New York in 1958 (eight since 1993). And they've finished LAST five times since 1984, most recently in 2007. It's not easy to stay on top in baseball, and even when you get there, it doesn't always come together for The Big Prize. So I hope everyone is enjoying this special season and looking forward to some exciting baseball this weekend. I will savor every pitch, every moment, and every play. Win or lose, this is my team, those are my guys, and I'm "all in." I hope you are, too.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
p.s. The Giants finished the Ninth Inning 12-6. They went 9-9, 9-9, 12-6, 10-8, 10-8, 9-9, 12-6, 11-7, and 12-6. The post-season has a maximum of 19 games (5 + 7 + 7) and you have to win 11. So, it's on to the Tenth!
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
p.s. The Giants finished the Ninth Inning 12-6. They went 9-9, 9-9, 12-6, 10-8, 10-8, 9-9, 12-6, 11-7, and 12-6. The post-season has a maximum of 19 games (5 + 7 + 7) and you have to win 11. So, it's on to the Tenth!
Monday, September 3, 2012
Scootie & the Rostermen
. . . . and their big hit "Gettin' It Done" is Number One with a Bullet!
It is that crazy time of year with the expanded rosters, meaning there's forty goddamn guys to juggle instead of a mere twenty-five. That's fifteen more guys for Ol' Boch to figure out and find a spot for, and if today is any indication, the Giants are going to need every one of them. There were so many big plays and big players today--a thoroughly ridiculous game, one of those magical wins that defy analysis. The Giants have been on the comeback trail all week on the road, but those were bad teams, and today they were playing at home where they are lucky to score seven runs in two games, let alone one. The Diamondbacks are a good team, and have an axe to grind in the division. They were the champs last year, running away with it. This year? They score more runs than they give up but can't seem to win consistently. I don't know what their problem is, they certainly have the talent. And I don't really care, either, I have enough to worry about. Maybe it's the manager. After all, he pitched to Buster Posey with the game on the line when he didn't have to. Quick quiz: game on the line, your choice, Posey or Hunter Pence, what do you say? Leave this blog immediately if you answer wrong. There are EIGHT MORE GAMES against this club! I'm really going to be sick of Kirk Gibson and Sedona Red when it's all over.
Tip o' the tam o'shanter to débutant Jean Machi (can you say Hey-AHN?) for an impressive, badly-needed inning of relief, Brett Pill for his bunt, Angel Pagan for his great catch, Brandon Crawford for three hits and flawless play, Brandon Belt for a huge hit, Hector Sanchez--who has a flair for the dramatic despite making outs 72% of the time--for two big hits, Brad Penny for being thick around the middle, and Sergio Romo for all-around filthiness. Oh, and did I mention that Pablo Sandoval had three hits? And I already talked about two-run triple Pence and two-hit, two-RBI Posey, right? That brings us to Scootie: the singer, songwriter, and lead guitarist of this Labor Day chart-topper. Greg Papa and Dave Flemming both said on the post-game coverage that Marco Scutaro was the biggest pickup by an NL West club this season. It's getting hard to argue. The man is built of overlapping, interlocking layers of VSC, covered with extra clutchness. I think we've all talked about how we've liked this guy for years, a dependable and versatile middle infielder with a real head for the game, and I think to a man we were happy that the Giants picked him up. But none of us expected this level of play! Way to go, Scoots, keep it going.
Giants are playing .570 ball and have more wins than the New York Yankees. And the Los Angeles Dodgers, which is what really matters.
GO, TEAM, GO!
--M.C.
p.s. Buster Posey.
It is that crazy time of year with the expanded rosters, meaning there's forty goddamn guys to juggle instead of a mere twenty-five. That's fifteen more guys for Ol' Boch to figure out and find a spot for, and if today is any indication, the Giants are going to need every one of them. There were so many big plays and big players today--a thoroughly ridiculous game, one of those magical wins that defy analysis. The Giants have been on the comeback trail all week on the road, but those were bad teams, and today they were playing at home where they are lucky to score seven runs in two games, let alone one. The Diamondbacks are a good team, and have an axe to grind in the division. They were the champs last year, running away with it. This year? They score more runs than they give up but can't seem to win consistently. I don't know what their problem is, they certainly have the talent. And I don't really care, either, I have enough to worry about. Maybe it's the manager. After all, he pitched to Buster Posey with the game on the line when he didn't have to. Quick quiz: game on the line, your choice, Posey or Hunter Pence, what do you say? Leave this blog immediately if you answer wrong. There are EIGHT MORE GAMES against this club! I'm really going to be sick of Kirk Gibson and Sedona Red when it's all over.
Tip o' the tam o'shanter to débutant Jean Machi (can you say Hey-AHN?) for an impressive, badly-needed inning of relief, Brett Pill for his bunt, Angel Pagan for his great catch, Brandon Crawford for three hits and flawless play, Brandon Belt for a huge hit, Hector Sanchez--who has a flair for the dramatic despite making outs 72% of the time--for two big hits, Brad Penny for being thick around the middle, and Sergio Romo for all-around filthiness. Oh, and did I mention that Pablo Sandoval had three hits? And I already talked about two-run triple Pence and two-hit, two-RBI Posey, right? That brings us to Scootie: the singer, songwriter, and lead guitarist of this Labor Day chart-topper. Greg Papa and Dave Flemming both said on the post-game coverage that Marco Scutaro was the biggest pickup by an NL West club this season. It's getting hard to argue. The man is built of overlapping, interlocking layers of VSC, covered with extra clutchness. I think we've all talked about how we've liked this guy for years, a dependable and versatile middle infielder with a real head for the game, and I think to a man we were happy that the Giants picked him up. But none of us expected this level of play! Way to go, Scoots, keep it going.
Giants are playing .570 ball and have more wins than the New York Yankees. And the Los Angeles Dodgers, which is what really matters.
GO, TEAM, GO!
--M.C.
p.s. Buster Posey.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Trivia Time
2012 is the 50th anniversary of a Giants World Series appearance, the first World Series appearance for the San Francisco Giants. The Giants were not successful in this series. But being in the World Series is pretty damn good, as the Texas Rangers' fans should remind themselves.
The Giants put some pretty good players on the field for this series, Willie McCovey, Tom Haller, Orlando Cepeda, a couple of Alous, and one Willie Mays. The Yanks countered with some pretty fair talent themselves, Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris, Yogi Berra and Elston Howard.
This is a program from Game 6 of that World Series, held at Candlestick Park on October 15, 1962. Put on your thinking caps.
What was the final score of this game?
What was the price of a ticket to sit in the lower boxes at Candlestick?
Who was the Commissioner of Baseball?
The Giants Executive Family lists five individuals. Who were they?
The Giants outfield had two players that went on to manage Major League baseball teams. Who were they and what teams did they manage?
Who got three hits in this game, and who was the winning and losing pitcher?
Who was the Giants' equipment manager?
The Giants had one pitcher not born is the United States of America. Name him.
No problem advertising cigarettes in 1962. The full page Marlboro advertisement features a long, lean cowboy enjoying a smoke. Marlboro's tag line was, "You get a lot to like - ________ (fill in the blank)"
WSTF (formerly Nasdaq, now privately owned). What was it in 1962?
What was the Giants record against the hated dodgers in 1962?
The Yankees had two pitchers who were recipients of the Cy Young Award. The 1962 Giants also had two pitchers who would win Cy Youngs. Name these four men (hint: one Giant was not on the World Series Roster).
Harrah's Tahoe - swingin' place in 1962. Name the performers advertised as appearing from September 27 through November 25 (Yes, you've heard of them).
What was the dollar value of the winner's share?
Answers and more in the near future.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Pitching, pitching, pitching
Rory Paap (of Giants blog Paapfly) has an article today at The Hardball Times on pitching and championships. Yup, pitching does win championships. Check it out.
Here's a quote:
Taking a look at the team stats for 2010, there were ten NL clubs with an ERA+ over 100. The Giants (121) were on top, followed by the Rockies (112), Braves (110), Phillies (110), Cardinals (110), Padres (108), Mets (105), Cubs (103), Marlins (103), and Reds (100). I think it is interesting that San Diego pitching doesn't rate that high in this metric. I suspect it is mostly because they played in run-suppressing Petco Park. I also think the Rockies will be the chief competition for the Giants in 2011 as they are a better pitching team than their 2010 ERA (4.14) suggested.
In the AL there were nine teams with an ERA+ over 100. The Athletics (116) led the way, followed by the Rangers (110), White Sox (107), Yankees (106), Twins (105), Red Sox (104), Rays (104), Angels (101), and Mariners (100). Paapfly says look out for Oakland in 2011--he may have a point.
Here's a little more from Mr. Paap (emphasis mine):
I suppose the upshot is that all the Giants have to do to repeat is be perfectly average! For them, that is, which means pitch like hell and hope the offense is journeyman-esque.
--M.C.
Here's a quote:
Returning to our question: Does great pitching win championships? The answer to that question is a resounding yes. History has shown that it’s not only preferred, but very nearly an absolute necessity to have, at the very minimum, a league-average pitching staff. Beyond that, a quality offense helps, but pitching is king.
With this in mind, I think the 2011 version of the Yankees is once again in trouble, the Phillies have one heck of a shot at winning it all, and the Giants absolutely have to be considered a threat to return to the Fall Classic. Those teams that can’t throw a team ERA+ of 100 out there are probably better off packing it in then heading to October.
Taking a look at the team stats for 2010, there were ten NL clubs with an ERA+ over 100. The Giants (121) were on top, followed by the Rockies (112), Braves (110), Phillies (110), Cardinals (110), Padres (108), Mets (105), Cubs (103), Marlins (103), and Reds (100). I think it is interesting that San Diego pitching doesn't rate that high in this metric. I suspect it is mostly because they played in run-suppressing Petco Park. I also think the Rockies will be the chief competition for the Giants in 2011 as they are a better pitching team than their 2010 ERA (4.14) suggested.
In the AL there were nine teams with an ERA+ over 100. The Athletics (116) led the way, followed by the Rangers (110), White Sox (107), Yankees (106), Twins (105), Red Sox (104), Rays (104), Angels (101), and Mariners (100). Paapfly says look out for Oakland in 2011--he may have a point.
Here's a little more from Mr. Paap (emphasis mine):
I also took the liberty of averaging each teams OPS+ and ERA+ to determine how much better than average they were overall. I then averaged all of those numbers, whereby I discovered the average World Series champion has graded out at 108.7, or about eight percent better than league average.Like I said, you should check it out.
If you take the most recent champion, the San Francisco Giants, and add their OPS+ (95) and ERA+ (121) from 2010 together, you get a grade of 108. This goes to show their World Series title in 2010 shouldn’t be considered lucky or a fluke, rather, they were a perfectly average champion. What’s more, their excellent ERA+ fulfilled the pertinent requirement of at least adequate pitching.
I suppose the upshot is that all the Giants have to do to repeat is be perfectly average! For them, that is, which means pitch like hell and hope the offense is journeyman-esque.
--M.C.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
2011: defending a title
Two months ago today the San Francisco Giants won the 2010 World Series and were crowned as champions. For 2011 they will find themselves in a new role--that of defending champions. How have the World Series Champions fared in that task this past decade? Let's take a look:
2001: The three-time (1998, 1999, 2000) defending champion New York Yankees lost in the World Series to Randy Johnson and the Arizona Diamondbacks. It should be noted that the Yanks had the lead in the 9th inning of the 7th game with Mariano Rivera on the mound and yet the Bob Brenly-led Snakes won.
2002: The defending champion Diamondbacks won the NL West but lost in the LDS . The Anaheim Angels won--it had something to do with a blown lead, too.
2003: The defending champion Angels finished 77-85, 19 back of Oakland. Josh Beckett and the Florida Marlins beat the Yankees in the Series.
2004: The defending champion Marlins finished 83-79, 13 back of Atlanta. The Boston Red Sox ended their long drought by sweeping the Cardinals in the Series. It was a great moment for Sahx fans and was made particularly sweet by beating the Yanks in the ALCS after being down three games to none. I mention only because my mom was born and raised in Boston and saw Ted Williams, Johnny Pesky, Bobby Doerr, and Vincent and Dominic DiMaggio play at Fenway Park. She taught me how to be a fan. My earliest baseball memories are the 1967 "Impossible Dream" AL-pennant winners with Carl Yazstremski, Rico Petrocelli, and Jim Lonborg, as well as following the Giants with Russ Hodges, Lon Simmons, and Bill Thompson on KSFO-560 AM radio. Thanks, mom. Happy New Year!
2005: The defending champion Red Sox lost in the LDS to the eventual champion Chicago White Sox, another team with a monkey-on-the-back legacy. President Barack Obama is a fan of the South-siders. The White Sox swept the Astros in the Series. Each of their four starters (Jose Contreras, Mark Buerhle, Jon Garland, Freddy Garica) went at least 7 innings and gave up 4 or fewer runs per start (9 total in 28-1/3 IP). They beat a club with a rotation of Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte, and Roy Oswalt!
2006: The defending champion White Sox finished 90-72, 6 back of Minnesota. The 83-78 St. Louis Cardinals avenged 1968 and beat the Tigers 4-1 in the Series.
2007: The defending champion Cardinals finished 78-84, 7 back of Chicago. The Red Sox swept the Colorado Rockies in the Series.
2008: The defending champion Red Sox lost to the Tampa Bay Rays in the LCS. The Philadelphia Phillies rode Cole Hamels' arm to a 4-2 Series win over the AL upstarts.
2009: The defending champion Phillies lost in the World Series to the New York Yankees despite getting two wins from Cliff Lee.
2010: The defending champion Yankees lost to the Texas Rangers in the ALCS. The San Francisco Giants won the World Series, thumping the Rangers 4-1!
The aughts were a tough decade for defending champs. Many of the clubs returned to the post-season but none of them could hang on to the Commissioner's Trophy. The Giants have a formidable task. Recent history is not on their side. What will it take for the Giants to defend their title in 2011?
--M.C.
2001: The three-time (1998, 1999, 2000) defending champion New York Yankees lost in the World Series to Randy Johnson and the Arizona Diamondbacks. It should be noted that the Yanks had the lead in the 9th inning of the 7th game with Mariano Rivera on the mound and yet the Bob Brenly-led Snakes won.
2002: The defending champion Diamondbacks won the NL West but lost in the LDS . The Anaheim Angels won--it had something to do with a blown lead, too.
2003: The defending champion Angels finished 77-85, 19 back of Oakland. Josh Beckett and the Florida Marlins beat the Yankees in the Series.
2004: The defending champion Marlins finished 83-79, 13 back of Atlanta. The Boston Red Sox ended their long drought by sweeping the Cardinals in the Series. It was a great moment for Sahx fans and was made particularly sweet by beating the Yanks in the ALCS after being down three games to none. I mention only because my mom was born and raised in Boston and saw Ted Williams, Johnny Pesky, Bobby Doerr, and Vincent and Dominic DiMaggio play at Fenway Park. She taught me how to be a fan. My earliest baseball memories are the 1967 "Impossible Dream" AL-pennant winners with Carl Yazstremski, Rico Petrocelli, and Jim Lonborg, as well as following the Giants with Russ Hodges, Lon Simmons, and Bill Thompson on KSFO-560 AM radio. Thanks, mom. Happy New Year!
2005: The defending champion Red Sox lost in the LDS to the eventual champion Chicago White Sox, another team with a monkey-on-the-back legacy. President Barack Obama is a fan of the South-siders. The White Sox swept the Astros in the Series. Each of their four starters (Jose Contreras, Mark Buerhle, Jon Garland, Freddy Garica) went at least 7 innings and gave up 4 or fewer runs per start (9 total in 28-1/3 IP). They beat a club with a rotation of Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte, and Roy Oswalt!
2006: The defending champion White Sox finished 90-72, 6 back of Minnesota. The 83-78 St. Louis Cardinals avenged 1968 and beat the Tigers 4-1 in the Series.
2007: The defending champion Cardinals finished 78-84, 7 back of Chicago. The Red Sox swept the Colorado Rockies in the Series.
2008: The defending champion Red Sox lost to the Tampa Bay Rays in the LCS. The Philadelphia Phillies rode Cole Hamels' arm to a 4-2 Series win over the AL upstarts.
2009: The defending champion Phillies lost in the World Series to the New York Yankees despite getting two wins from Cliff Lee.
2010: The defending champion Yankees lost to the Texas Rangers in the ALCS. The San Francisco Giants won the World Series, thumping the Rangers 4-1!
The aughts were a tough decade for defending champs. Many of the clubs returned to the post-season but none of them could hang on to the Commissioner's Trophy. The Giants have a formidable task. Recent history is not on their side. What will it take for the Giants to defend their title in 2011?
--M.C.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
88 down, 74 to go
If we set 90 wins as a target to win the NL West, then the Giants have to play .581 ball (43-31) the rest of the way. That's a tall order. The Giants were 13-9 in April, but 27-28 in May and June. This nice little 7-4 run before the Break was encouraging, but the club has yet to show it can sustain a long winning stretch. The Giants best win streak is FOUR games. They have also logged a SEVEN game loss streak. Here's another way to look at it: the San Diego Padres have played .580 ball (51-37) so far this season. The Giants will have to play the second half as well as the Padres have played the first half. The Giants have confined their poor play to teams in the NL West--they are 1-7 vs. SD, 1-5 vs. LA, and 4-6 vs. CO. On the flip side, they've beaten the crap out of Milwaukee, Houston, Washington, Florida, and Pittsburgh to the tune of 22-6. Of those clubs, only Florida and Milwaukee are on the second-half schedule, with the Marlins coming to SF at the end of the month and the Brewers in mid-September. The Giants do get to see bottom-dwelling Arizona 13 more times, and 7 games against the reeling Cubs are also on the docket, so perhaps they can fatten up on them. Clearly, they are going to have to reverse their fortunes against the Big Three in the West as 6-18 won't cut it. New York, Atlanta, Philadelphia, St. Louis, and Cincinnati are also on tap--that's 17 games, and all of those clubs are playing .540 or better. The lads have their work cut out for them.
What's it going to take? For one, The Über-Freak is going to have to lead the way. He's got, presumably, 14 starts left. He's racked up 3.1 WAR (5th in the NL) so far, which is in fact below his 2008 (7.5) and 2009 (8.2) norms. We have all seen Super Tim this year as well as Mere Mortal Tim, and even a below-par Lincecum is better than most anyone else. His 3.02 FIP is 4th in the NL, but he is part of a tight clustering of stud pitchers (Roy Halladay, Josh Johnson, Adam Wainwright, Ubaldo Jimenez, et. al.) rather than the lead horse blowing past the field. The Giants, weak as they are in the superstar department, need their ace more than most clubs. It's not really fair--ever--to put a team's hopes and dreams on to one player (hello, Barry Bonds), but back-to-back Cy Youngs have a way of distorting perspectives. It will be interesting to see how The Franchise carries the load the rest of the way. No matter what happens, we all love the kid, and we know he will continue to be a great performer for us.
The rest of the starters are sort of lumped together: Cain (3.82), Sanchez (3.89), and Zito (3.91) are 23rd, 24th, and 26th in FIP among NL starters. Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley, and Hiroki Kuroda all rate higher, as do Mat Latos and Clayton Richard. Even Colorado's Jason Hammel does, too. That's not a knock--the Giants have a depth of quality most teams would kill for. The Cain-Zito-Sanchez triumvirate is worth 5.4 WAR (2.0 + 1.8 + 1.6), and I'm not sure any club can boast 2-3-4 starters with that kind of value. That group, though, is going to have to rack up consistent quality innings or the Giants chances look pretty bleak. If any one of them falters or gets hurt the team could be in trouble. Adding Madison Bumgarner (0.5 WAR so far, and a 3.86 FIP) certainly shores things up, and could be a nice insurance policy down the stretch.
First-half MVP Aubrey Huff has been a tremendous addition, easily the best free-agent signing by any team this season. As much as I knock Sabean, I have to give him his due for this one. The 33-year-old is having his best season ever (3.1 WAR, .400 wOBA, 142 OPS+), and he'll have to keep it going for the Giants to get to the top. Another fellow enjoying his most productive season ever is Andres Torres (2.8 WAR, .383 wOBA). After a torrid May (.957 OPS) and a mediocre June (.737 OPS), Giants fans aren't sure what we'll see the rest of the way. His July line (.343/.425/.743) in 9 games is somewhat reassuring, but players with his career arc are outliers and hard to project. ZiPS says .345 wOBA the rest of the way, which is solid, but not spectacular, and perhaps unfair. After all, he did put up a .379 wOBA last season in 75 games, so maybe the Andres Torres we are seeing is the real thing. No matter what, he's a great story, and you gotta love him.
The big question mark is, of course, Pablo Sandoval. Chris at BCB does one of his patented expert breakdowns of The Panda's season so far, so I suggest you check that out. Suffice to say that our rotund third baseman has got to start contributing. The long-awaited emergence of rookie sensation Buster Posey has somewhat taken the sting out of Pablo's fall from grace, but I just don't see how the Golden Boy can do it all himself. As one famous wag once opined, "it takes a village." The holes on the club are big, and the patches have to hold through the dog days in a very tightly-contested division. Bullpen youngsters Sergio Romo and Dan Runzler are getting better all the time, and I have lots of confidence in them. Santiago Casilla has been a nice pickup, too. Brian Wilson is a beast (2.16 FIP, 1.4 WAR), and insanely valuable, but Jeremy Affeldt remains a question mark. Like Sandoval, he was counted on for a lot, and I think the team will miss his contributions if he doesn't see an uptick in performance going forward.
I want to believe it is a four-team race and the Giants have an equal shot. The Dodgers scare me, they have so much damn talent. The Rockies are lurking menacingly, they have such great depth and balance, and a recent history of late runs. The Padres can't be written off despite their odds-defying season. They will come back to earth, no team can hit that poorly and not see a drop-off, but they won't go quietly. I like their leadership (Bud Black, Jed Hoyer, Paul DePodesta), and worry they might just outsmart us. Baseball Prospectus publishes post-season odds, you can see them here. Of the four clubs in the hunt, the number-crunchers see San Diego having a 57.5 % chance of making the playoffs, with Colorado (56.1 %) right behind, and Los Angeles (29.6 %) and San Francisco (13.8 %) scrambling to catch them. BP says we are an 84-78 club. (We'll see, eh?) For comparison, the Yankees have an 84.1 % chance (94-68) of reaching the post-season. I've come to loathe plucky squads that fall just short, or ones that have to have all the pieces fall into place to have a real shot. I want a loaded team, one with scads of talent and surplus players. I want a team that can weather any storm and that scares the rest of the league. I mean, I love the Giants. I'm a fookin' lifer, fer chrissakes. But I want 84.1 %, and I don't see why I can't get it.
Enjoy the next 74. Go Giants!
--M.C.
What's it going to take? For one, The Über-Freak is going to have to lead the way. He's got, presumably, 14 starts left. He's racked up 3.1 WAR (5th in the NL) so far, which is in fact below his 2008 (7.5) and 2009 (8.2) norms. We have all seen Super Tim this year as well as Mere Mortal Tim, and even a below-par Lincecum is better than most anyone else. His 3.02 FIP is 4th in the NL, but he is part of a tight clustering of stud pitchers (Roy Halladay, Josh Johnson, Adam Wainwright, Ubaldo Jimenez, et. al.) rather than the lead horse blowing past the field. The Giants, weak as they are in the superstar department, need their ace more than most clubs. It's not really fair--ever--to put a team's hopes and dreams on to one player (hello, Barry Bonds), but back-to-back Cy Youngs have a way of distorting perspectives. It will be interesting to see how The Franchise carries the load the rest of the way. No matter what happens, we all love the kid, and we know he will continue to be a great performer for us.
The rest of the starters are sort of lumped together: Cain (3.82), Sanchez (3.89), and Zito (3.91) are 23rd, 24th, and 26th in FIP among NL starters. Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley, and Hiroki Kuroda all rate higher, as do Mat Latos and Clayton Richard. Even Colorado's Jason Hammel does, too. That's not a knock--the Giants have a depth of quality most teams would kill for. The Cain-Zito-Sanchez triumvirate is worth 5.4 WAR (2.0 + 1.8 + 1.6), and I'm not sure any club can boast 2-3-4 starters with that kind of value. That group, though, is going to have to rack up consistent quality innings or the Giants chances look pretty bleak. If any one of them falters or gets hurt the team could be in trouble. Adding Madison Bumgarner (0.5 WAR so far, and a 3.86 FIP) certainly shores things up, and could be a nice insurance policy down the stretch.
First-half MVP Aubrey Huff has been a tremendous addition, easily the best free-agent signing by any team this season. As much as I knock Sabean, I have to give him his due for this one. The 33-year-old is having his best season ever (3.1 WAR, .400 wOBA, 142 OPS+), and he'll have to keep it going for the Giants to get to the top. Another fellow enjoying his most productive season ever is Andres Torres (2.8 WAR, .383 wOBA). After a torrid May (.957 OPS) and a mediocre June (.737 OPS), Giants fans aren't sure what we'll see the rest of the way. His July line (.343/.425/.743) in 9 games is somewhat reassuring, but players with his career arc are outliers and hard to project. ZiPS says .345 wOBA the rest of the way, which is solid, but not spectacular, and perhaps unfair. After all, he did put up a .379 wOBA last season in 75 games, so maybe the Andres Torres we are seeing is the real thing. No matter what, he's a great story, and you gotta love him.
The big question mark is, of course, Pablo Sandoval. Chris at BCB does one of his patented expert breakdowns of The Panda's season so far, so I suggest you check that out. Suffice to say that our rotund third baseman has got to start contributing. The long-awaited emergence of rookie sensation Buster Posey has somewhat taken the sting out of Pablo's fall from grace, but I just don't see how the Golden Boy can do it all himself. As one famous wag once opined, "it takes a village." The holes on the club are big, and the patches have to hold through the dog days in a very tightly-contested division. Bullpen youngsters Sergio Romo and Dan Runzler are getting better all the time, and I have lots of confidence in them. Santiago Casilla has been a nice pickup, too. Brian Wilson is a beast (2.16 FIP, 1.4 WAR), and insanely valuable, but Jeremy Affeldt remains a question mark. Like Sandoval, he was counted on for a lot, and I think the team will miss his contributions if he doesn't see an uptick in performance going forward.
I want to believe it is a four-team race and the Giants have an equal shot. The Dodgers scare me, they have so much damn talent. The Rockies are lurking menacingly, they have such great depth and balance, and a recent history of late runs. The Padres can't be written off despite their odds-defying season. They will come back to earth, no team can hit that poorly and not see a drop-off, but they won't go quietly. I like their leadership (Bud Black, Jed Hoyer, Paul DePodesta), and worry they might just outsmart us. Baseball Prospectus publishes post-season odds, you can see them here. Of the four clubs in the hunt, the number-crunchers see San Diego having a 57.5 % chance of making the playoffs, with Colorado (56.1 %) right behind, and Los Angeles (29.6 %) and San Francisco (13.8 %) scrambling to catch them. BP says we are an 84-78 club. (We'll see, eh?) For comparison, the Yankees have an 84.1 % chance (94-68) of reaching the post-season. I've come to loathe plucky squads that fall just short, or ones that have to have all the pieces fall into place to have a real shot. I want a loaded team, one with scads of talent and surplus players. I want a team that can weather any storm and that scares the rest of the league. I mean, I love the Giants. I'm a fookin' lifer, fer chrissakes. But I want 84.1 %, and I don't see why I can't get it.
Enjoy the next 74. Go Giants!
--M.C.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Missing George
Yes, I will miss George Steinbrenner. He was obnoxious, self-important, obsessive, and bizarre. He was probably a jackass, too. But he knew what he wanted--a championship ballclub. And that's what I want. So with George gone, who shall become my new Straw Man? Who shall I point to and say "Giants Ownership--do this if you want to bring home a ring?" Which organization will be my new role model? I'm lost, I tell you, lost!
Giants Ownership: stop equating "pretty good" with success. Start demanding a world championship and start doing what it takes to get one.
Mr. Steinbrenner: rest in peace.
--M.C.
Giants Ownership: stop equating "pretty good" with success. Start demanding a world championship and start doing what it takes to get one.
Mr. Steinbrenner: rest in peace.
--M.C.
"If we're gonna win, the players gotta play better,
the coaches gotta coach better, the manager gotta manage better,
and the owners gotta own better."
the coaches gotta coach better, the manager gotta manage better,
and the owners gotta own better."
- Brewers first baseman George Scott, to the club chairman
(from Cot's Contracts)
Friday, July 9, 2010
American League happenings
The Texas Rangers parted with Justin Smoak in order to get Cliff Lee*. They obviously think they are playoff-bound. Smoak, you may recall, was drafted at the same time as Buster Posey, though Posey was chosen fifth and Smoak eleventh. Parting with your 1st-round pick is big deal--imagine who we would expect to get in return if we parted with Buster? Cliff Lee is quite a prize, and just keeping him out of the Yankees hands is good enough for me. Texas is obviously confident that they can make a real run. They have the same record as the San Diego Padres (50-35), but have a 5-1/2 game lead over the 2nd-place LAnaheimers. When you trade away a prospect like Smoak**, you are going "all in" for 2010. This is a club that's being sold.
Speaking of Buster Posey, who I hope is the "other half" of a Dynastic Duo with Tim Lincecum that will bring years of glory to the San Francisco Giants, he will face 2009 Gold Spikes Winner Stephen Strasburg tonight. Buster, of course, is the 2008 winner. Can you name the 2006 winner? (2007 is Tampa Bay Ray David Price.)
The Giants pulled out an extra-large can o'whup-ass when they saw Ubaldo Jimenez. Perhaps they can ground another high-flyer tonight.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
*Deal still pending.
**The former South Carolina Gamecock has a line of .209/.316/.353 in 275 major-league PA (all in 2010).
Speaking of Buster Posey, who I hope is the "other half" of a Dynastic Duo with Tim Lincecum that will bring years of glory to the San Francisco Giants, he will face 2009 Gold Spikes Winner Stephen Strasburg tonight. Buster, of course, is the 2008 winner. Can you name the 2006 winner? (2007 is Tampa Bay Ray David Price.)
The Giants pulled out an extra-large can o'whup-ass when they saw Ubaldo Jimenez. Perhaps they can ground another high-flyer tonight.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
*Deal still pending.
**The former South Carolina Gamecock has a line of .209/.316/.353 in 275 major-league PA (all in 2010).
Monday, June 28, 2010
The race for 2nd place
You can find me on Dodger Dugout this week, answering questions about the Giants. Thanks again to webmaster Robert Timm for the invitation!
Heading into tonight's game the 40-34 Giants are 4-1/2 back of high-flying San Diego. The 40-35 Dodgers are 5 back after losing 2 of 3 to the Yankees.
The Giants have scored 312 runs, 12th in the NL. The Dodgers have scored 351 (5th). The Giants have allowed 267 runs, 2nd in the NL. The Dodgers have allowed 344 runs (T10th). Tonight's Dodger starter, Chad Billingsley, has yet to find the form that made him a rising star in 2008. In 13 starts this season, he's allowed 80 hits and 41 runs in 76-2/3 IP. He still strikes a lot of guys out, averaging 8.1 per 9 IP, which is a tick below his career mark of 8.2. He turns 26 at the end of July. Giant starter Barry Zito is having his best season as a Giant--in 15 starts (99 IP) he's allowed 84 hits and 39 runs. Billingsley's 3.73 FIP is good for 23rd among NL starters. Zito, with 3.88, sits at 26th.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Heading into tonight's game the 40-34 Giants are 4-1/2 back of high-flying San Diego. The 40-35 Dodgers are 5 back after losing 2 of 3 to the Yankees.
The Giants have scored 312 runs, 12th in the NL. The Dodgers have scored 351 (5th). The Giants have allowed 267 runs, 2nd in the NL. The Dodgers have allowed 344 runs (T10th). Tonight's Dodger starter, Chad Billingsley, has yet to find the form that made him a rising star in 2008. In 13 starts this season, he's allowed 80 hits and 41 runs in 76-2/3 IP. He still strikes a lot of guys out, averaging 8.1 per 9 IP, which is a tick below his career mark of 8.2. He turns 26 at the end of July. Giant starter Barry Zito is having his best season as a Giant--in 15 starts (99 IP) he's allowed 84 hits and 39 runs. Billingsley's 3.73 FIP is good for 23rd among NL starters. Zito, with 3.88, sits at 26th.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Going, going, gone
Three times tonight in his five innings of work, Giants starter Todd Wellemeyer turned around and watched balls leave the yard. Adam LaRoche in the 2nd, Justin Upton in the 4th, and Stephen Drew in the 5th with a man on did the damage. Denny Bautista got in on it too, giving up a two-run blast to Chris Snyder to make an already out-of-reach 5-1 game into a 7-1 thumping. It got worse from there with Brandon Medders joining the gopher ball parade, serving up one to Kelly Johnson and one to Adam LaRoche in the 8th. The 13-1 whuppin' was the most lopsided defeat of the season.
They say Arizona has "power up and down the lineup" and they certainly flexed their bat muscles tonight. Then again, they did not see our best arms--we'll see if they can bring the lumber against Tim Lincecum tomorrow. They also say Arizona has one of the worst bullpens in the game. Good thing their starter threw eight innings of three-hit baseball, otherwise our veteran savvy lineup would have exploited that team weakness and made it a real contest. Three hits is damn discouraging. I realize that the thirteen runs allowed is a bit more significant this evening than the one freakin' run scored, but our feebleness at the plate is mind-numbing. We need to get some hits! I was happy to see the Panda find his stroke.
Ian Kennedy (the winning pitcher) came over to the D-Backs from the Yankees in that weird three-way trade with Detroit involving Curtis Granderson. He was the Yanks 1st-round pick (#21) in the 2006 draft. Tim Lincecum was the 10th pick, and Max Scherzer (who went from AZ to Detroit in the same trade) was the 11th. He's 25 and had ridiculous numbers in the minors. Tonight was only his 21st ML start.
--M.C.
update Mon 0705: Paul DePodesta's blog ("It Might Be Dangerous") is often interesting reading. Take a look at his season-so-far review of the Padres. Can you imagine our GM being this forthright and open with the lowly fans? Mr. DePodesta talked about one-run games and games decided by 5 or more runs. B-R has that data--the Giants are 6-8 in 1-run games and 6-2 in "blowouts" (5+ run difference). They were 21-22 and 21-18 last year. Also, John Perricone at OBM has a thought-provoking piece about good teams vs. pretenders, and contends that good teams dominate. Close games can go either way too easily, so the best teams can "pile on" and win comfortably. He quotes Bill James as well. Craig Calcaterra of Hardball Talk quotes Joe Maddon who describes his team's style as "the liberal arts form of playing baseball," that is, the Rays do all facets of the game well. I like a balanced squad myself--the Giants have great pitching and fielding but the hitting is just not up to snuff.
Good stuff, check it out.
They say Arizona has "power up and down the lineup" and they certainly flexed their bat muscles tonight. Then again, they did not see our best arms--we'll see if they can bring the lumber against Tim Lincecum tomorrow. They also say Arizona has one of the worst bullpens in the game. Good thing their starter threw eight innings of three-hit baseball, otherwise our veteran savvy lineup would have exploited that team weakness and made it a real contest. Three hits is damn discouraging. I realize that the thirteen runs allowed is a bit more significant this evening than the one freakin' run scored, but our feebleness at the plate is mind-numbing. We need to get some hits! I was happy to see the Panda find his stroke.
Ian Kennedy (the winning pitcher) came over to the D-Backs from the Yankees in that weird three-way trade with Detroit involving Curtis Granderson. He was the Yanks 1st-round pick (#21) in the 2006 draft. Tim Lincecum was the 10th pick, and Max Scherzer (who went from AZ to Detroit in the same trade) was the 11th. He's 25 and had ridiculous numbers in the minors. Tonight was only his 21st ML start.
--M.C.
update Mon 0705: Paul DePodesta's blog ("It Might Be Dangerous") is often interesting reading. Take a look at his season-so-far review of the Padres. Can you imagine our GM being this forthright and open with the lowly fans? Mr. DePodesta talked about one-run games and games decided by 5 or more runs. B-R has that data--the Giants are 6-8 in 1-run games and 6-2 in "blowouts" (5+ run difference). They were 21-22 and 21-18 last year. Also, John Perricone at OBM has a thought-provoking piece about good teams vs. pretenders, and contends that good teams dominate. Close games can go either way too easily, so the best teams can "pile on" and win comfortably. He quotes Bill James as well. Craig Calcaterra of Hardball Talk quotes Joe Maddon who describes his team's style as "the liberal arts form of playing baseball," that is, the Rays do all facets of the game well. I like a balanced squad myself--the Giants have great pitching and fielding but the hitting is just not up to snuff.
Good stuff, check it out.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Watching, waiting
The Boston Red Sox, one of the best teams in the business, jumped on John Lackey to beef up their rotation and signed Mike Cameron to mitigate the loss of Jason Bay. The Philadelphia Phillies, defending NL champs, give up Cliff Lee but get Roy Halladay, keeping their edge. The newly-crowned New York Yankees lose Hideki Matsui and Chien-Ming Wang but pick up Curtis Granderson and re-sign Andy Pettite. Big teams, big players, big moves. These guys mean business. Another team that means business is the Seattle Mariners. Last year Seattle scored 640 runs--that's 17 less than the Giants. And that's in the American League! But they gave up only 692 runs, the fewest of any AL team. The Cubs, Braves, Cardinals, Dodgers, and Giants were better, and the NL champion Phils were close at 709 RA. The Mariners were 85-77 last year, respectable, but 12 games back of the division-winning Angels. So what has Seattle done so far this off-season? They just picked up the aforementioned Cliff Lee. Wow--that's quite a 1-2 punch with Felix Hernandez. And they signed Chone Figgins--taking a key player from their division rivals--to improve the lineup. If I was Mariners fan, I'd be excited, but I'd still be hoping to add another bat. Nonetheless, the Mariners think they have a shot at the title and they are going for it.
Meanwhile, your San Francisco Giants have improved the club for the divsion race next year by __________________________ (fill in the blank). I say we've improved the club by dumping out-machine Molina and (maybe) giving the job to Mr. Golden Spikes. Otherwise, I'm still watching and I'm still waiting.
Meanwhile, your San Francisco Giants have improved the club for the divsion race next year by __________________________ (fill in the blank). I say we've improved the club by dumping out-machine Molina and (maybe) giving the job to Mr. Golden Spikes. Otherwise, I'm still watching and I'm still waiting.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Phils 6, Yanks 1
Ave Imperator, morituri te salutant!
The Gauls held the legions at bay last night. I've no doubt the Emperor was pissed and a troop of minions was decimated. Exceptional performance by Cliff Lee, dominating the toughest lineup in the game and out-dueling the big ace, C.C. Sabathia. The Yanks 'pen blew some serious chow in the 8th and 9th, and a desperate Girardi did his best Felipe impression, getting the last six outs with five guys.
Some wag opined yesterday "The Phils will need to have the big guns delivering the big hits and will need Cliff Lee to neutralize C.C." I'd say two homers by Chase Utley, two doubles by Ryan Howard, and two RBI by Raul Ibanez counts for the big guns/big hits part and an Game Score of 83 (TEN striekouts!) qualifies as neutralizing. What a cool customer Lee is--would you say he is the biggest pick-up of the season?
The Gauls held the legions at bay last night. I've no doubt the Emperor was pissed and a troop of minions was decimated. Exceptional performance by Cliff Lee, dominating the toughest lineup in the game and out-dueling the big ace, C.C. Sabathia. The Yanks 'pen blew some serious chow in the 8th and 9th, and a desperate Girardi did his best Felipe impression, getting the last six outs with five guys.
Some wag opined yesterday "The Phils will need to have the big guns delivering the big hits and will need Cliff Lee to neutralize C.C." I'd say two homers by Chase Utley, two doubles by Ryan Howard, and two RBI by Raul Ibanez counts for the big guns/big hits part and an Game Score of 83 (TEN striekouts!) qualifies as neutralizing. What a cool customer Lee is--would you say he is the biggest pick-up of the season?
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
The Serious
The World Series starts tomorrow, thanks to the TV networks and their stranglehold on Bud Selig's pubic hair. Let's see what the matchups look like. The Yankees, as a team, sport a wOBA of .366, best in the majors. The Phillies come in tied for 5th with the Rockies at .340, best in the NL. How about OBP? Yankees, 1st (.362), Phillies 14th (.334). Slugging? Yanks with the gold(.478), Phils with the bronze (.447). Runs scored? Yanks on top again (915), Phils 4th (820, best in the NL). The Yanks hit the most HRs--244--but the Phils are right behind at 224. The Yanks have the most hits and the most walks and the third fewest strikeouts--the Phils are middle-of-the-pack in all three. On paper, it's a mismatch. The Bombers have the best lineup in baseball. The Phils, of course, have Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Jason Werth, and Raul Ibanez, all serious mashers, throw in Shane Victorino and the 2008 Jimmy Rollins and you've got a hell of a team. But no team in the game can match the Yanks for firepower: Jeter, Damon, Teixeira, A-Rod, Posada, Matsui, Cano, and Swisher all sport an OPS above .850 and a wOBA over .370! Of the 2009 Giants, only Pablo Sandoval (.943/.396) could crack that lineup, and he'd be up against Tex and A-Rod for a spot to play. Scary. One plus for the Phils? They only hit into 90 DPs, best in the game, 54 fewer than the Yanks.
How about pitching? The Yanks are 13th in team FIP (4.32), the Phils 17th (4.36). The Yankees bring some cheese with 1260 strikeouts, good for 4th (SFG #1 at 1302), while the Phils are 12th at 1153. The Phillies, on the other hand, don't walk people (489, 3rd best), while the Yanks do (574, 18th). The Phils gave up 709 runs (8th best), while the Yanks yielded 753 (11th). Both teams give up a lot of HRs (181--NYY, 189--PHI), but both play in hitter-friendly parks. The Phillies have 8 complete games (3 by Happ, 2 by Hamels, 3 by Lee) and 5 shutouts (2 Happ, 2 Hamels, 1 Lee). The Yankees have 2 CG by Sabathia, 1 a shutout, and 1 CG by Burnett. Cliff Lee and C.C. Sabathia have both been dominant in the post-season so far--will we get 3 starts by either of them if it goes seven? If I were Philly, I'd be tempted. The Yanks can counter Hamels with Pettite and Happ or Blanton with Burnett. The X-factor for Philadelphia will be Pedro Martinez. If he can pitch like the vintage Pedro we have all seen in the past that will be a huge plus for Philly. The other starters after Hamels--who has looked shaky so far--are eminently hittable. The Yankees have a huge advantage in late and close situations with Mariano Rivera, who seems to be just as good as he's always been, which means he's one of the best of all time.
The Phils will need to have the big guns delivering the big hits and will need Cliff Lee to neutralize C.C. Otherwise the Yanks will roll. The Phils are the defending champs--that counts for something. But the Yanks can wear anyone down with the bats--there's a reason they had the most regular-season wins. In a short series, we know that anything can happen and the "best" team doesn't always win. I'll root for the Phils, naturally, being the NL rep and all that, not to mention that rooting for the Yanks is like rooting for the Roman Empire. But my head says the Yanks will get the ring even though my heart says otherwise.
How about pitching? The Yanks are 13th in team FIP (4.32), the Phils 17th (4.36). The Yankees bring some cheese with 1260 strikeouts, good for 4th (SFG #1 at 1302), while the Phils are 12th at 1153. The Phillies, on the other hand, don't walk people (489, 3rd best), while the Yanks do (574, 18th). The Phils gave up 709 runs (8th best), while the Yanks yielded 753 (11th). Both teams give up a lot of HRs (181--NYY, 189--PHI), but both play in hitter-friendly parks. The Phillies have 8 complete games (3 by Happ, 2 by Hamels, 3 by Lee) and 5 shutouts (2 Happ, 2 Hamels, 1 Lee). The Yankees have 2 CG by Sabathia, 1 a shutout, and 1 CG by Burnett. Cliff Lee and C.C. Sabathia have both been dominant in the post-season so far--will we get 3 starts by either of them if it goes seven? If I were Philly, I'd be tempted. The Yanks can counter Hamels with Pettite and Happ or Blanton with Burnett. The X-factor for Philadelphia will be Pedro Martinez. If he can pitch like the vintage Pedro we have all seen in the past that will be a huge plus for Philly. The other starters after Hamels--who has looked shaky so far--are eminently hittable. The Yankees have a huge advantage in late and close situations with Mariano Rivera, who seems to be just as good as he's always been, which means he's one of the best of all time.
The Phils will need to have the big guns delivering the big hits and will need Cliff Lee to neutralize C.C. Otherwise the Yanks will roll. The Phils are the defending champs--that counts for something. But the Yanks can wear anyone down with the bats--there's a reason they had the most regular-season wins. In a short series, we know that anything can happen and the "best" team doesn't always win. I'll root for the Phils, naturally, being the NL rep and all that, not to mention that rooting for the Yanks is like rooting for the Roman Empire. But my head says the Yanks will get the ring even though my heart says otherwise.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Exceeding expectations
The math says we should be 37-34 (.518 win pct.), but we are cruising along at 39-32 (.549), same record as the Damn Yankees. They find themselves--like us--in 2nd place, behind the best team in the league. The aforementioned math is from MLB and is their version* of the so-called "Pythagorean" or "Expected Wins" formula. The whole thing rests on only two numbers: runs scored (RS) and runs allowed (RA). That's pretty simple, it doesn't account for things like timing and luck, or veteran savvy clutchness, or the preponderance of gnarly mo-fos on your squad. Including tonight, we've scored 281 runs and allowed 270. The Damn Yankees have scored 386 runs and allowed 350, and the math says they should be 39-32. The Giants have allowed the fewest runs in the majors, quite an impressive feat. We got another impressive start, this time by The Great Old One. I continue to be impressed by this team--amazed, in fact. Improbabilities and intagibles are still improbable and intangible, but we seem to have an abundance of both. Then again, maybe we really are this good. After all, we are only "exceeding expectations" by two wins--that's not so surprising considering the vagaries of the game and the many ways one team can prevail over another. Our formula is "don't give up runs." Lately, we are including the other part, "score some runs," and by-golly, it works. I especially liked the two-run HR by Olympic Nate!
*(RS^1.82)/((RS^1.82)+(RA^1.82))
*(RS^1.82)/((RS^1.82)+(RA^1.82))
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