Barry Zito was once again masterful, giving up 7 hits but 0 runs in 7 innings on a beautiful day at the Big Phoneyard. He threw 108 pitches, and 76 of them were strikes. See what happens when you throw strikes? But, what do you know, it didn't really matter very much because the Giants lit up the yard with offense.
Think back on Giants teams of recent years and dig this: the Giants were up 7 - 0 after 2. 16 hits and 5 walks and 1 Colorado error for 10 runs total. A triple and 3 rbi for Buster Posey, fresh from a day off. Doubles for Scutaro, Posey, Belt, Torres and Crawford. 3 rbi for Posey, 2 for Torres, and 1 rbi each for Scutaro, Arias, Crawford and Zito. Zito sacrificed and got two hits. He can do it all! 13 runners were left on base. After using Mijares last night, there were really no struggling guys to put into the game in the 8th and 9th inning, so they used Lopez and Gaudin who each set down the side in order. Zito is still leading the team in hitting and has a 0.00 era. Good season so far, Barry! Also: Game time temperature reported at 78 degrees F.
Showing posts with label blogging when supposedly working. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blogging when supposedly working. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
25 for 16: Zo's Hat
My hat was purchased, and first worn, at the final game against the Washington Nationals at ATT Park on Wednesday afternoon, August 15. Tim Lincecum started, but garnered the loss after giving up 4 runs and lasting 4 innings. Stephen Strasburg got the win for a 6 inning effort in which the Giants could only manage 2 runs. The day ended at 6-4 Nats. That day, yeah, I heard about the Melky troubles as I was walking into the stadium.
But, from that inauspicious beginning, the hat went on to compile a stellar record. The hat went 10 - 4 for the remainder of August and 20 - 10 for September for a 31 - 16 record for the remainder of the season. .660, baby! The end of the season is mostly about your own division, and the Giants won where it counted: 6 - 3 against San Diego, 6 - 3 against Los Angeles, 5 - 4 against Arizona, and 6 - 1 against Colorado. The hat also saw a 7 - 3 record against non-division opponents. And then, of course, the playoffs and series. I'm still stunned at the Giants' accomplishment, and how beautiful it was and man, did Tim ever turn into a hero when the money was on the line. You might say that the hat was at the beginning of the Giants' victory push that never stopped until they were World Champions. You might churlishly point out that the correlation is not causation, but you would always, always have just the smallest shadow of a doubt about that. Then again, you might just say, "What an awesome hat!"
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
First to Fifteen
That team from Los Angleles with all the hat but a lack of cattle did not play yesterday, a perfect opportunity for the Giants to shave a game off of their magic number and pick up a half game in the standings at the expense of the sub-.400 Rockies, and they did just that - but not without effort.
If you look at the box score it would appear to have been a good old fashioned pitching duel, and in some sense it was as the Giants emerged with a 2-1 victory, but it was not a pitching duel that featured exemplary performances from the starters. Madison Bumgarner picked up a win from six innings of work. He deserved it, but it wasn't the crisp kind of Maddy that we have been missing of late. He gave up 4 hits but threw in 5 free passes. Considering that he only allowed 1 run, he made some pretty good pitches when he had to. And yes, he got some help, notably from Brandon Crawford for showing some fine defense, including turning a double play and from Buster Posey for throwing out two would-be base stealers including the guy who we have been led to believe is the world's fastest human, Rockies center fielder Dexter Fowler.
Rockie starter Jhoulys Chacin, who appears to have been named after the left-overs from a Scrabble game, also had some frustrations, going five innings and giving up 1 run. You may remember that he lost by one run to the Giants in Denver not too long ago (9-8, Sept. 11).
Madison looked - good enough. In his last five starts, he has gone 6.1 / 4.0 / 6.1 / 4.1 / 6.0 innings, but has managed to give up a lot of runs (18 in his previous 4 starts, 17 of them earned). On that basis, last night, with 1 run scored against him was a definite improvement. He was pulled after 101 pitches (6 K to go with those 5 BB). The bullpen was spectacular thowing up a lot of zeros. Mota, Mijares, Casilla, Lopez and Romo allowed NO hits and 1 walk (Mota). Each reliever got one out, except Casilla, who has become a workhorse lately, pitching to 5 Rockies.
The defensive stars were offensive heros, as Posey got two hits and Crawford hit a triple and a ground-rule double. Marco Scutaro also got two hits. Crawford's triple turned into the first Giants run on a passed ball, and the only rbi came from Hunter Pence (anyone notice how much of a contributor he has been all of a sudden?) who singled home Pablo in the bottom of the sixth for the deciding run.
Congratulations to Madison for being the first Giants starter to record 15 wins this year. Earlier in the year, it looked like he would coast to 20. 20 wins is not actually an easy feat to achieve, which is why it doesn't happen all that often. Last year, no pitcher on the Giants exceeded 13 wins. Even in the wonderful year of 2010, one Giants pitcher (Tim) exceeded 13 wins. I am still hoping for all starters to have double digit wins (one to go) and two to reach at least 15 (one to go). Yes, it means something.
If you look at the box score it would appear to have been a good old fashioned pitching duel, and in some sense it was as the Giants emerged with a 2-1 victory, but it was not a pitching duel that featured exemplary performances from the starters. Madison Bumgarner picked up a win from six innings of work. He deserved it, but it wasn't the crisp kind of Maddy that we have been missing of late. He gave up 4 hits but threw in 5 free passes. Considering that he only allowed 1 run, he made some pretty good pitches when he had to. And yes, he got some help, notably from Brandon Crawford for showing some fine defense, including turning a double play and from Buster Posey for throwing out two would-be base stealers including the guy who we have been led to believe is the world's fastest human, Rockies center fielder Dexter Fowler.
Rockie starter Jhoulys Chacin, who appears to have been named after the left-overs from a Scrabble game, also had some frustrations, going five innings and giving up 1 run. You may remember that he lost by one run to the Giants in Denver not too long ago (9-8, Sept. 11).
Madison looked - good enough. In his last five starts, he has gone 6.1 / 4.0 / 6.1 / 4.1 / 6.0 innings, but has managed to give up a lot of runs (18 in his previous 4 starts, 17 of them earned). On that basis, last night, with 1 run scored against him was a definite improvement. He was pulled after 101 pitches (6 K to go with those 5 BB). The bullpen was spectacular thowing up a lot of zeros. Mota, Mijares, Casilla, Lopez and Romo allowed NO hits and 1 walk (Mota). Each reliever got one out, except Casilla, who has become a workhorse lately, pitching to 5 Rockies.
The defensive stars were offensive heros, as Posey got two hits and Crawford hit a triple and a ground-rule double. Marco Scutaro also got two hits. Crawford's triple turned into the first Giants run on a passed ball, and the only rbi came from Hunter Pence (anyone notice how much of a contributor he has been all of a sudden?) who singled home Pablo in the bottom of the sixth for the deciding run.
Congratulations to Madison for being the first Giants starter to record 15 wins this year. Earlier in the year, it looked like he would coast to 20. 20 wins is not actually an easy feat to achieve, which is why it doesn't happen all that often. Last year, no pitcher on the Giants exceeded 13 wins. Even in the wonderful year of 2010, one Giants pitcher (Tim) exceeded 13 wins. I am still hoping for all starters to have double digit wins (one to go) and two to reach at least 15 (one to go). Yes, it means something.
Friday, August 31, 2012
At the Wrong Place in Chicago
The game's over and folks who work haven't even got a chance to get home and tune in yet. No matter, we lost. I guess it had to happen. Madison Bumgarner was sent to Chicago ahead of the team (who reportedly arrived about 3 am) so he could get some sleep. Rather than sleep though, maybe he immediately went out and got some Chicago cuisine. Or maybe not. In any case, Maddy's game was not crisp. He gave up 5 runs (4 earned) in four innings on 85 pitches. That was enough for Chicago, as the Giants only could manage 4 on the day. The cubbies tacked on another one for 6-4 final. I guess we had to lose one somewhere along the way after winning 8 of our previous 10. We chalked up a 18-10 record for August and that is pretty good. The Los Angeles team, meanwhile, added six billion dollars of salary since July 31 and achieved a 14-13 record with one to play. If only such hubris could be equally punished in places like Tampa.
Meanwhile, Buster Posey continues to show America what a real leader is like. He was on base 5 times as a result of 4 hits and a walk. He collected 75% of the Giants' rbis. Pablo Sandoval collected one on a sacrifice fly. A few years after I graduated from college, I went to Chicago for a friend's wedding. Some buddies picked me up at the airport and we went immediately to the lakefront and got stoned. Then we went to the Shedd Aquarium, which was totally awesome. Unfortunately, on the way to the airport, I had thrown a bag of pot and my sunglasses in a side pocket to my suitcase, and when it came off of the conveyor belt at baggage handling, they were gone. I'm still mad at United Airlines for not having my ticket for my flight home. They didn't care. I've been now waiting for 29 years for them to go out of business like they keep promising, but now they have merged with Continental, ruining a perfectly good bunch of frequent flyer miles of mine because I do not want to have anything to do with United. I guess that's not really about today's game, but I thought I would pass it on. Chicago has some great stuff but the cubbies are not one of them. Traditional, yes. Cherished, yes. But not great in the sense of "really good baseball team great." Wrigley has ivy, but is otherwise a dump. And the cubsfans, don't get me started. Had I been in Chicago today, I would have much preferred to have been viewing this. This guy's nickname just has to be "The Beav."
Meanwhile, Buster Posey continues to show America what a real leader is like. He was on base 5 times as a result of 4 hits and a walk. He collected 75% of the Giants' rbis. Pablo Sandoval collected one on a sacrifice fly. A few years after I graduated from college, I went to Chicago for a friend's wedding. Some buddies picked me up at the airport and we went immediately to the lakefront and got stoned. Then we went to the Shedd Aquarium, which was totally awesome. Unfortunately, on the way to the airport, I had thrown a bag of pot and my sunglasses in a side pocket to my suitcase, and when it came off of the conveyor belt at baggage handling, they were gone. I'm still mad at United Airlines for not having my ticket for my flight home. They didn't care. I've been now waiting for 29 years for them to go out of business like they keep promising, but now they have merged with Continental, ruining a perfectly good bunch of frequent flyer miles of mine because I do not want to have anything to do with United. I guess that's not really about today's game, but I thought I would pass it on. Chicago has some great stuff but the cubbies are not one of them. Traditional, yes. Cherished, yes. But not great in the sense of "really good baseball team great." Wrigley has ivy, but is otherwise a dump. And the cubsfans, don't get me started. Had I been in Chicago today, I would have much preferred to have been viewing this. This guy's nickname just has to be "The Beav."
Thursday, July 19, 2012
First Post-All Star Game Loss
I'm posting about Madison Bumgarner, and I have to admit to a serious man-crush on the young Mr. Bumgarner. I developed this during the 2010 World Series. I was fortunate enough to watch every pitch (albeit from a hospital bed) and one of the endearing memories was watching that long, smooth delivery and his cool composure. I love seeing the man pitch, I love seeing him hit home runs, and I love hearing that gooey-thick southern accent on the radio.
Maddy did a dandy of a job today in Atlanta but it was not enough to get a Giant victory. Maddy gave up only three hits and walked no one, but those three hits were hit hard. He gave up a solo home run to Freddie Freeman in the bottom of the second after Pablo scored on an Emmanuel Burriss single, he gave up a triple to Michael Bourn after a Panda throwing error (another error!) put Paul Janish on base in the third, and he gave up another solo home run to Atlanta catcher David Ross in the fourth. That gave Atlanta a 3-2 victory after Buster hit a sacrifice fly to score Melky after his lead-off triple in the eighth. Madison struck out eight in his seven inning stint.
The Giants had other chances: they out-hit the Braves 9-3, and put two men on base via the walk, but they couldn't push them across the plate. Tim Hudson picked up the W, his eighth of the year, and that weird-looking guy Kimbrel got a save. At the top of the order, Gregor Blanco walked once, but neither he nor Brandon Crawford got a hit. Notably, Angel Pagan went 0-4 with three K's. He twice whiffed with a runner at second. Not to make too much out of that - but Angel hasn't been real productive since the break, he seems to waver between a game with a couple hits and a game with no hits.
I blame the loss on Austin Chang. He is a writer for Yahoo Sports who speculated, too soon, that the Giants might sweep the Braves at Turner Field, and, by so doing, jinxed it. He is also incorrect. He states what might have been would have been the first sweep at Turner Field since 1988. This is like stating that it would have been the first sweep at Turner Field since the Great London Fire of 1666. Turner Field did not exist in 1666, nor did it exist in 1988. It opened in 1996, and the Giants have not fared well since then. They have a 22-45 record in Turner Field, having gone 55-71 against the Braves in that stretch. I am predicting a reversion to the predominant trend, however, as the Giants have an overall winning record against the Braves in the Braves home park since 1901. Unfortunately, not recently. Before the Braves occupied Turner Field, they played in Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, where the Giants had a 121-130 record, although they had a 262-243 record against the Braves overall during that period. That was from the time the Braves moved to Atlanta from Milwaukee in 1966 through 1995. Prior to that, the Giants also had a losing record in Milwaukee County Stadium from 1953 through 1965. They were 52-83 in Milwaukee, 113-157 overall, perhaps due in large part to gentlemen named Aaron, Mathews and Spahn. Going back to 1901, the Giants were pretty dominant against the Braves, running up a 479-339 record against the Boston franchise, known as the Beaneaters, Doves (this might be appropriate for the current Boston team), Braves, Bees and Braves again. The Giants (New York Giants, that is) were 216-184 in Braves Field, also known as "The Bee Hive" from 1915 to 1952, when they moved to Milwaukee. From 1901 to 1914, the Giants were 94-57 against the Braves at SouthEnd Grounds.
Maddy did a dandy of a job today in Atlanta but it was not enough to get a Giant victory. Maddy gave up only three hits and walked no one, but those three hits were hit hard. He gave up a solo home run to Freddie Freeman in the bottom of the second after Pablo scored on an Emmanuel Burriss single, he gave up a triple to Michael Bourn after a Panda throwing error (another error!) put Paul Janish on base in the third, and he gave up another solo home run to Atlanta catcher David Ross in the fourth. That gave Atlanta a 3-2 victory after Buster hit a sacrifice fly to score Melky after his lead-off triple in the eighth. Madison struck out eight in his seven inning stint.
The Giants had other chances: they out-hit the Braves 9-3, and put two men on base via the walk, but they couldn't push them across the plate. Tim Hudson picked up the W, his eighth of the year, and that weird-looking guy Kimbrel got a save. At the top of the order, Gregor Blanco walked once, but neither he nor Brandon Crawford got a hit. Notably, Angel Pagan went 0-4 with three K's. He twice whiffed with a runner at second. Not to make too much out of that - but Angel hasn't been real productive since the break, he seems to waver between a game with a couple hits and a game with no hits.
I blame the loss on Austin Chang. He is a writer for Yahoo Sports who speculated, too soon, that the Giants might sweep the Braves at Turner Field, and, by so doing, jinxed it. He is also incorrect. He states what might have been would have been the first sweep at Turner Field since 1988. This is like stating that it would have been the first sweep at Turner Field since the Great London Fire of 1666. Turner Field did not exist in 1666, nor did it exist in 1988. It opened in 1996, and the Giants have not fared well since then. They have a 22-45 record in Turner Field, having gone 55-71 against the Braves in that stretch. I am predicting a reversion to the predominant trend, however, as the Giants have an overall winning record against the Braves in the Braves home park since 1901. Unfortunately, not recently. Before the Braves occupied Turner Field, they played in Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, where the Giants had a 121-130 record, although they had a 262-243 record against the Braves overall during that period. That was from the time the Braves moved to Atlanta from Milwaukee in 1966 through 1995. Prior to that, the Giants also had a losing record in Milwaukee County Stadium from 1953 through 1965. They were 52-83 in Milwaukee, 113-157 overall, perhaps due in large part to gentlemen named Aaron, Mathews and Spahn. Going back to 1901, the Giants were pretty dominant against the Braves, running up a 479-339 record against the Boston franchise, known as the Beaneaters, Doves (this might be appropriate for the current Boston team), Braves, Bees and Braves again. The Giants (New York Giants, that is) were 216-184 in Braves Field, also known as "The Bee Hive" from 1915 to 1952, when they moved to Milwaukee. From 1901 to 1914, the Giants were 94-57 against the Braves at SouthEnd Grounds.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Bochy, Sabean, and news
The 2.5-headed duo of Bruce Bochy and Brian Sabean have had their contracts extended through 2013 with an option for 2014!!! OK, anyone surprised by that statement isn't going to be surprised by me printing it here. After all, it's late November. Only baseball nerds would read this site at this time of year, and baseball nerds already know this.
This morning, however, I read that the newly fiscally-secure Brian Sabean wants to trade Ramon Ramirez or Jeremy Affeldt. Didn't we just sign half of those guys? Actually, the idea makes sense. Sabean signed these guys because there is a dearth of lefty relievers around (Ramirez is a righty). Because of that, lefty releivers are valuable commodities to many teams, inlcuding the Giants. In addition to Affeldt, we have Dan Runzler and Javier Lopez to fill that role. If Barry Zito starts, Eric Surkamp may be another. Oh, and don't forget our stengths of Sergio Romo, and Santiago Casilla from the right, in addition to Ramirez. I'm just saying that if you want a good player in a trade, you have to have something good to give. And lefty relievers may be just that valuable of a trade bait so that Mr. Sabean can fish up something worthwhile in return. Names anyone?
This morning, however, I read that the newly fiscally-secure Brian Sabean wants to trade Ramon Ramirez or Jeremy Affeldt. Didn't we just sign half of those guys? Actually, the idea makes sense. Sabean signed these guys because there is a dearth of lefty relievers around (Ramirez is a righty). Because of that, lefty releivers are valuable commodities to many teams, inlcuding the Giants. In addition to Affeldt, we have Dan Runzler and Javier Lopez to fill that role. If Barry Zito starts, Eric Surkamp may be another. Oh, and don't forget our stengths of Sergio Romo, and Santiago Casilla from the right, in addition to Ramirez. I'm just saying that if you want a good player in a trade, you have to have something good to give. And lefty relievers may be just that valuable of a trade bait so that Mr. Sabean can fish up something worthwhile in return. Names anyone?
Monday, October 4, 2010
Twenty-ten
The season started in Houston, the Giants beating the Astros (and Roy Oswalt!) behind Tim Lincecum. This was The Formula™, of course, pitch like crazy and cross-your-fingers for run support. It was a tough time for yours truly--I kept looking at that lineup and saying "no way, no way, no-effing-way this team wins a championship." Aaron Rowand and Edgar Renteria were batting first and second. Mark DeRosa and Aubrey Huff were the big-gun free agent acquisitions. Freddy Sanchez was too hurt to play and Juan Uribe was the second baseman. Bengie Molina was "in the squat and puttin' down the signs" (as is said in Krukovian). John Bowker was in right field, Brandon Medders and Waldis Joaquin in the bullpen. The team chugged along at .500 or so through the end of June (40-39 on Friday 2 July). It wasn't so much that I knew The Emperor Had No Clothes. I was convinced, in my despair, that the Giants thought they had the best haberdasher in town, that management actually believed this club was first-place material. An entire off-season of whining was coming true!
Two things happened, ironic for team that's enjoyed a run of remarkable good health: Mark DeRosa and Aaron Rowand got hurt. L'Affaire DeRosa was entirely predictable. A 35-year old guy coming off wrist surgery was expected to make a large contribution, but cruel reality set in and he wound up having to miss the entire season. Aaron Rowand, on the other hand, was destined to give us 500-600 PAs of below-average production, and there seemed no way to overcome that $60 million dollar handicap. Fate intervened--he was beaned by Vicente Padilla on the 16th of April. That is not something I would wish on any ballplayer, but it happened, and the Giants discovered something they didn't know they had, a 6 WAR player. Everyone liked Andres Torres, he was a speedy glove man with good skills who could spot start and come off the bench and really help the club, but I'll venture 1 in 100 Giants fans thought he had the ability to play All-Star caliber baseball for an entire season. Nonetheless, the injuries to Rowand and DeRosa enabled Torres to play regularly and he showed all of baseball what he could do. Rowand, to his credit, actually had a good stretch in the first half of May after returning to the lineup, but Torres took his leadoff job and centerfield position by the end of the month and never looked back.
Thankfully, the Sabean & Co. were smarter than I gave them credit for. Signing Aubrey Huff looked like another re-tread desperation move in the off-season, but he responded by being the best free agent acquisition of the year. After a slow start, he started raking NL pitching and became a fixture on the leaderboards. His versatility, personality, and performance won over the fans and he emerged as something of a team spokesman as more and more microphones were shoved in his face. Despite the surprising emergence of the Torres-Huff duo, it was pretty clear the Giants still needed offensive help, and the bosses could see that, too. Fishing for cast-offs once more, Sabes & Co. nabbed Pat Burrell after he was released by Tampa Bay. Pat the Bat, despite my skepticism, still had something left and still had something to prove, and suddenly the Giants had another real threat in the lineup. With John Bowker, Travis Ishikawa, and Nate Schierholtz unable to hit consistently, and the Giants relying on Bengie Molina for leadership and production, the offense still demanded an upgrade. That came at the end of May in the person of Buster Posey. The front office then did the biggest and boldest move of the year at the end of June--they traded Molina away and installed Posey at catcher. He's been as good as advertised, in fact, he's been one of the best players in baseball. Suddenly The Missing Bat we'd been screaming for all last year, all off-season, and all this spring was in the lineup every day. Not only that, his glove work and pitching smarts were off the charts, and he emerged at the team's clear MVP. (You think not? Would a 52-33 team record since July 1st change your mind?) Not bad for a rookie. August pick-ups Jose Guillen and Cody Ross weren't game-changers, but they were reasonably competent major-leaguers who could contribute. Suddenly we had a damn-close-to-average offense! What a thing to get excited about! Freddy Sanchez got healthy in the middle of May and started flashing primo leather immediately. His late-season surge with the bat, after a horrid July, turned him into a very valuable player. He's the poster boy for everything that infuriates me about Sabean (old, injured, expensive), so it was fitting he'd get the biggest hit of the year in Game 162! Take that, O'Connor! Juan Uribe, just like last year, was another unsung hero of the lineup, playing multiple positions and hitting career-highs in both homers and bases on balls. Pablo Sandoval, counted on to be a star, had a discouraging drop in performance, but has recently shown signs of rediscovering his stroke. The Giants "quantity over quality" haul of players was able to paper over the Panda void until he began to contribute again.
"It's all about the pitching" was my mate JC's constant admonition to me whenever I bemoaned our team's fortunes. We all knew the pitching was special. When your ace is 9th in the league in FIP, 1st in strikeouts, and worth 5+ WAR on an "off" year, you know you've got a great player. Tim Lincecum is, indeed, The Franchise. He's a genuine superstar, admirably filling the massive void left by the departure of Barry Bonds. Matt Cain and Jonathan Sanchez, who could be aces on some ML teams and certainly match up favorably with any second and third starters anywhere, round out a young, powerful trio that forms the nucleus of the club. Madison Bumgarner, much like Buster Posey, got a mid-season shot at being a star and responded brilliantly. In 18 starts he threw only a couple of stinkers, and showed that he belonged in the bigs with the rest of the studs. Credit the Brian Trust for finding and developing another outstanding arm. Billion Dollar Boy Barry Zito delivered some quality starts, and threw almost 200 innings, but continued to deliver only league-average (at best) performance. What will the Giants do with him going forward? The Giants still had work to do, though, as the bullpen--other than the awesome Brian Wilson--was terribly inconsistent in the early going. The front office responded to the crisis by picking up Javier Lopez, Ramon Ramirez, and Santiago Casilla, who've been absolutely lights-out. Sergio Romo, after some early struggles, really came on in the stretch run to emerge as a reliable set-up man. The team put together an historic run of pitching excellence in September, and goes into the playoffs with the best staff in the majors.
The Giants overcame an opponent, who, like them, lacked the offense to adequately complement their great pitching. The Padres finally ran out of steam at the end of the season as their young arms couldn't carry the whole load. It reminded me of what happened last year to the Giants. The offense the Giants assembled throughout the season was obviously capable of winning the West, thus changing my description of them from inadequate to barely adequate to adequate. Wow, high praise! Entering the post-season, it is clear the team will be challenged to score. Lacking firepower, they can't fall behind against good teams. The pitching will have to lead the way, and any drop-off by key guys could be catastrophic to their chances. Then again, anything can happen in a short series, as we know, and if they get hot they could make a run and win the 11 games they need for The Big Prize. Having strikeout pitchers and power hitters are the big keys to playoff success. The Giants, believe it or not, led the NL in homers in September.
The Giants are the NL West champions for 2010. What a thing to say! What a thing to savor! Man, it has been a crazy, crazy season. The madness of the post-season doesn't start until Thursday, so we can all rest up and relax before the shit hits the fan. Fortunately, the Giants have the home-field in the first round, and that has to help as the Braves are not as tough on the road (.432 win percentage). The Freak--Big Time Timmer Jim--will get the ball for Game One and that alone gives the team a huge edge.
ENJOY! GO GIANTS!! WIN!!!
--M.C.
Two things happened, ironic for team that's enjoyed a run of remarkable good health: Mark DeRosa and Aaron Rowand got hurt. L'Affaire DeRosa was entirely predictable. A 35-year old guy coming off wrist surgery was expected to make a large contribution, but cruel reality set in and he wound up having to miss the entire season. Aaron Rowand, on the other hand, was destined to give us 500-600 PAs of below-average production, and there seemed no way to overcome that $60 million dollar handicap. Fate intervened--he was beaned by Vicente Padilla on the 16th of April. That is not something I would wish on any ballplayer, but it happened, and the Giants discovered something they didn't know they had, a 6 WAR player. Everyone liked Andres Torres, he was a speedy glove man with good skills who could spot start and come off the bench and really help the club, but I'll venture 1 in 100 Giants fans thought he had the ability to play All-Star caliber baseball for an entire season. Nonetheless, the injuries to Rowand and DeRosa enabled Torres to play regularly and he showed all of baseball what he could do. Rowand, to his credit, actually had a good stretch in the first half of May after returning to the lineup, but Torres took his leadoff job and centerfield position by the end of the month and never looked back.
Thankfully, the Sabean & Co. were smarter than I gave them credit for. Signing Aubrey Huff looked like another re-tread desperation move in the off-season, but he responded by being the best free agent acquisition of the year. After a slow start, he started raking NL pitching and became a fixture on the leaderboards. His versatility, personality, and performance won over the fans and he emerged as something of a team spokesman as more and more microphones were shoved in his face. Despite the surprising emergence of the Torres-Huff duo, it was pretty clear the Giants still needed offensive help, and the bosses could see that, too. Fishing for cast-offs once more, Sabes & Co. nabbed Pat Burrell after he was released by Tampa Bay. Pat the Bat, despite my skepticism, still had something left and still had something to prove, and suddenly the Giants had another real threat in the lineup. With John Bowker, Travis Ishikawa, and Nate Schierholtz unable to hit consistently, and the Giants relying on Bengie Molina for leadership and production, the offense still demanded an upgrade. That came at the end of May in the person of Buster Posey. The front office then did the biggest and boldest move of the year at the end of June--they traded Molina away and installed Posey at catcher. He's been as good as advertised, in fact, he's been one of the best players in baseball. Suddenly The Missing Bat we'd been screaming for all last year, all off-season, and all this spring was in the lineup every day. Not only that, his glove work and pitching smarts were off the charts, and he emerged at the team's clear MVP. (You think not? Would a 52-33 team record since July 1st change your mind?) Not bad for a rookie. August pick-ups Jose Guillen and Cody Ross weren't game-changers, but they were reasonably competent major-leaguers who could contribute. Suddenly we had a damn-close-to-average offense! What a thing to get excited about! Freddy Sanchez got healthy in the middle of May and started flashing primo leather immediately. His late-season surge with the bat, after a horrid July, turned him into a very valuable player. He's the poster boy for everything that infuriates me about Sabean (old, injured, expensive), so it was fitting he'd get the biggest hit of the year in Game 162! Take that, O'Connor! Juan Uribe, just like last year, was another unsung hero of the lineup, playing multiple positions and hitting career-highs in both homers and bases on balls. Pablo Sandoval, counted on to be a star, had a discouraging drop in performance, but has recently shown signs of rediscovering his stroke. The Giants "quantity over quality" haul of players was able to paper over the Panda void until he began to contribute again.
"It's all about the pitching" was my mate JC's constant admonition to me whenever I bemoaned our team's fortunes. We all knew the pitching was special. When your ace is 9th in the league in FIP, 1st in strikeouts, and worth 5+ WAR on an "off" year, you know you've got a great player. Tim Lincecum is, indeed, The Franchise. He's a genuine superstar, admirably filling the massive void left by the departure of Barry Bonds. Matt Cain and Jonathan Sanchez, who could be aces on some ML teams and certainly match up favorably with any second and third starters anywhere, round out a young, powerful trio that forms the nucleus of the club. Madison Bumgarner, much like Buster Posey, got a mid-season shot at being a star and responded brilliantly. In 18 starts he threw only a couple of stinkers, and showed that he belonged in the bigs with the rest of the studs. Credit the Brian Trust for finding and developing another outstanding arm. Billion Dollar Boy Barry Zito delivered some quality starts, and threw almost 200 innings, but continued to deliver only league-average (at best) performance. What will the Giants do with him going forward? The Giants still had work to do, though, as the bullpen--other than the awesome Brian Wilson--was terribly inconsistent in the early going. The front office responded to the crisis by picking up Javier Lopez, Ramon Ramirez, and Santiago Casilla, who've been absolutely lights-out. Sergio Romo, after some early struggles, really came on in the stretch run to emerge as a reliable set-up man. The team put together an historic run of pitching excellence in September, and goes into the playoffs with the best staff in the majors.
The Giants overcame an opponent, who, like them, lacked the offense to adequately complement their great pitching. The Padres finally ran out of steam at the end of the season as their young arms couldn't carry the whole load. It reminded me of what happened last year to the Giants. The offense the Giants assembled throughout the season was obviously capable of winning the West, thus changing my description of them from inadequate to barely adequate to adequate. Wow, high praise! Entering the post-season, it is clear the team will be challenged to score. Lacking firepower, they can't fall behind against good teams. The pitching will have to lead the way, and any drop-off by key guys could be catastrophic to their chances. Then again, anything can happen in a short series, as we know, and if they get hot they could make a run and win the 11 games they need for The Big Prize. Having strikeout pitchers and power hitters are the big keys to playoff success. The Giants, believe it or not, led the NL in homers in September.
The Giants are the NL West champions for 2010. What a thing to say! What a thing to savor! Man, it has been a crazy, crazy season. The madness of the post-season doesn't start until Thursday, so we can all rest up and relax before the shit hits the fan. Fortunately, the Giants have the home-field in the first round, and that has to help as the Braves are not as tough on the road (.432 win percentage). The Freak--Big Time Timmer Jim--will get the ball for Game One and that alone gives the team a huge edge.
ENJOY! GO GIANTS!! WIN!!!
--M.C.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Some Sort of Quality Start
I'm not really sure what constitutes a "Quality Start", not really sure I care. Zito threw six and a third, was yanked for walking batters and allowed four runs. It may not have been a quality start, but it was "Good Enough." Romo came in and took care of the remainder of the 7th and the 8th on 16 pitches. That is not too much work, and Wilson closed it out in the 9th. Four guys had 2 hits each, and Posey was not one of them, in spite of the fact that he had a big hit with rbi's attached, but it was changed to an error. Torres, Huff, Burrell and Sandoval. Also, Uribe and Rowand each had hits (Rowand tied the game with a 6th inning homer after the cubbies had depressingly gone ahead). How about that Pat the Bat! Was it a must-win? Probably not, but losing to the cubs, especially since they have already decided to hang it up for the season, would just have been too, too sad.
Anyway, that brings me to my discussion topic. 'Nother bat? It seems the interthingy is still full of people screaming for another bat (and I do not think Mike Hottentot's name came up very often in this context). Any such discussion, to be worth a damn, has to take into account 1) whom would not get playing time, and 2) whom would be traded for such a bat. It had better be a damn good bat because the net effect would only be the increment between a player you take out, and the bat you obtain. And then, you have to account for whom you don't have, probably in your starting rotation. You know that the Brewers would not trade Fielder for less than Matt Cain + major minor league talent. You also know that a lesser bat is not really an upgrade and would still cost you. Please, no comments about trading some marginal Class AA talent for some stud major leaguer, it is just not that easy, and tiring to look at. I think we are about as well situated right now as we could hope to be. Keep those hits coming. Go get 'em, Matthew.
Anyway, that brings me to my discussion topic. 'Nother bat? It seems the interthingy is still full of people screaming for another bat (and I do not think Mike Hottentot's name came up very often in this context). Any such discussion, to be worth a damn, has to take into account 1) whom would not get playing time, and 2) whom would be traded for such a bat. It had better be a damn good bat because the net effect would only be the increment between a player you take out, and the bat you obtain. And then, you have to account for whom you don't have, probably in your starting rotation. You know that the Brewers would not trade Fielder for less than Matt Cain + major minor league talent. You also know that a lesser bat is not really an upgrade and would still cost you. Please, no comments about trading some marginal Class AA talent for some stud major leaguer, it is just not that easy, and tiring to look at. I think we are about as well situated right now as we could hope to be. Keep those hits coming. Go get 'em, Matthew.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Coupe Du Monde - Weltmeisterschaft - Copa Mondial
Hey! The World Cup is starting!
One reason that this is an enjoyable event is because you (assuming you are an Average American, and as someone who is just about as average as anyone, I speak with authority) can pick a team to root for, and not feel too badly when it they lose. Well, I was rooting for Gondwanaland, but they lost, so now I'll pick Atlantis......". NO BIG DEAL. This is not ANYTHING like rooting for, say, the Boston Red Sox because you like their logo. That type of behaviour is the mark of a total douchebag. With American sports, you HAVE to root for either 1) the team where you live, 2) the team where you grew up, and/or 3) a team that you have some connection to (like, you're from Arvada, Colorado and so is Roy Halladay).
The vast majority of Americans don't give a fuck all about soccer, but many other people from other parts of the world do. It is their local and favorite baseball and college and pro football teams combined. They live and die with the fortunes of their team. I have always been deeply suspicious of the USA! USA! sycophants, although I can stomach them when I think there is actually some connection - like an Olympic swimmer's parents. And I would root for the USA in, say, the world baseball cup if the players representing my country exhibited some interest in the contest themselves. But root for the USA in soccer??? If someone really gives a fuck, it is news to me.
So, in the world cup, you can pick a team by any method you like. I have a lot of friends from other countries or with backgrounds from other countries, including a Japanese wife, and I have not problem switching my allegiance depending on the momentary situation. So here, in no particular order, is a list of methods by which you can choose a side in any particular game:
1) A country in which you have some ancestry. MOC, for example, can root to his heart's content for the Irish Feckbhoys (or whatever the team is called).
2) The Underdog. They pull an upset, you can be elated and talk trash on whomever they beat, they lose, and so what? They were expected to.
3) A team that represents a country that attracts a lively crowd to a fun bar. Have you ever seen a bunch of Brazilians during world cup? You think Giants/doggers games are rowdy, you ain't seen nuttin'.
4) Your friend/wife's team. Obviously, and best of luck if there's a conflict. I have an Irish friend married to a German. Still.
5) A team from a country that features really good food. Now, I don't know of any good French restaurants that have tv's in the dining room, but I bet they have some back in the kitchen. Could I root for Mexico on this basis? Damn straight I could.
6) Uniforms/Players. I kind of dig Ghana's color scheme, and who couldn't root for Cameroon's Rigobert Sing? Oh, fuck, Cameroon plays Japan first, someone has to go down, which brings us to a final idea.
7) Who you want to lose. Just pick a country that you want to lose in every match, based on some real or imagined perception. Think the French are snooty? Fuck them! Think the English are snooty? Well fuck them, too!
That's it! Have fun, and remember, it really doesn't matter at all!
One reason that this is an enjoyable event is because you (assuming you are an Average American, and as someone who is just about as average as anyone, I speak with authority) can pick a team to root for, and not feel too badly when it they lose. Well, I was rooting for Gondwanaland, but they lost, so now I'll pick Atlantis......". NO BIG DEAL. This is not ANYTHING like rooting for, say, the Boston Red Sox because you like their logo. That type of behaviour is the mark of a total douchebag. With American sports, you HAVE to root for either 1) the team where you live, 2) the team where you grew up, and/or 3) a team that you have some connection to (like, you're from Arvada, Colorado and so is Roy Halladay).
The vast majority of Americans don't give a fuck all about soccer, but many other people from other parts of the world do. It is their local and favorite baseball and college and pro football teams combined. They live and die with the fortunes of their team. I have always been deeply suspicious of the USA! USA! sycophants, although I can stomach them when I think there is actually some connection - like an Olympic swimmer's parents. And I would root for the USA in, say, the world baseball cup if the players representing my country exhibited some interest in the contest themselves. But root for the USA in soccer??? If someone really gives a fuck, it is news to me.
So, in the world cup, you can pick a team by any method you like. I have a lot of friends from other countries or with backgrounds from other countries, including a Japanese wife, and I have not problem switching my allegiance depending on the momentary situation. So here, in no particular order, is a list of methods by which you can choose a side in any particular game:
1) A country in which you have some ancestry. MOC, for example, can root to his heart's content for the Irish Feckbhoys (or whatever the team is called).
2) The Underdog. They pull an upset, you can be elated and talk trash on whomever they beat, they lose, and so what? They were expected to.
3) A team that represents a country that attracts a lively crowd to a fun bar. Have you ever seen a bunch of Brazilians during world cup? You think Giants/doggers games are rowdy, you ain't seen nuttin'.
4) Your friend/wife's team. Obviously, and best of luck if there's a conflict. I have an Irish friend married to a German. Still.
5) A team from a country that features really good food. Now, I don't know of any good French restaurants that have tv's in the dining room, but I bet they have some back in the kitchen. Could I root for Mexico on this basis? Damn straight I could.
6) Uniforms/Players. I kind of dig Ghana's color scheme, and who couldn't root for Cameroon's Rigobert Sing? Oh, fuck, Cameroon plays Japan first, someone has to go down, which brings us to a final idea.
7) Who you want to lose. Just pick a country that you want to lose in every match, based on some real or imagined perception. Think the French are snooty? Fuck them! Think the English are snooty? Well fuck them, too!
That's it! Have fun, and remember, it really doesn't matter at all!
Monday, May 10, 2010
Clash of the Titans
Who knew the Padres coming to San Francisco would be a matchup of the NL West's hottest teams? The Padres and Giants are both doing it with pitching. The Cardinals are tops in FIP (3.36), with our boys (3.47) right behind and the Friars (3.65) in third place. Which means, of course, we are in for some 10-9 slugfests! SF and SD are tied for the NL lead in runs allowed with 97 (Tampa Bay has only allowed 94.)
Barry Zito goes tomorrow against Wade LeBlanc and Matt Cain sees Clayton Richard on Wednesday. I'm not sure why there's a TBA for Thursday--I expect we'll see Jonathan Sanchez, don't you?
--M.C.
Barry Zito goes tomorrow against Wade LeBlanc and Matt Cain sees Clayton Richard on Wednesday. I'm not sure why there's a TBA for Thursday--I expect we'll see Jonathan Sanchez, don't you?
--M.C.
Monday, April 26, 2010
First inning round-up
We are 1/9 of the way through the season--the Giants just finished their 18th game, and 18 x 9 = 162. Thus, we've knocked off the first "inning" of what promises to be a long and difficult grind.
At a 10-8 pace the G-men would finish at 90-72. Can't complain about that, can we? That's the 4th best record in the NL. At +26, their "run difference" (RS-RA) is 2nd only to Philly. Their "expected" win-loss record is 12-6, so they are "under-performing" at this point.
The Giants are 11th in the NL in runs scored and 8th in the league in OPS. Hard to believe there are WORSE offenses, isn't it? The Giants have 53 walks, 14th in the league. Looks like firing Carney Lansford didn't help with that aspect of hitting. Their 15 HRs puts them at 10th, as does their 36 doubles. For all our supposed off-season interest in "the speed game," we are LAST in SB with 5, tied with Philadelphia. We do however, have the most sacrifice bunts, 14, but only 5 sacrifice flies, half as many as league-leading Philly and NY.
The pitching, of course, has been great, especially the starters. The four team shutouts leads the NL, and only St. Louis (2.72) has a better ERA than the Giants 2.78. SF is best at runs allowed (53), have the 5th-fewest walks (56), and the 5th-most strikeouts (139). The Giants are tied with the Cardinals for best WHIP (1.16) and 2nd to them in FIP (3.43). The Giants give up a lot of flyballs (38%, 3rd highest), but not many of those for HRs (7.5%, 5th best). If that is a function of the park, luck, pitching skill, or small sample size, I can't say. Their 13 HRs allowed is tied for 5th. Todd Wellemeyer has given up 5 of those, Cain 2, Affeldt 2, Medders, Runzler, Romo, and Lincecum 1 apiece. Barry Zito (21 in 2009) and Jonathan Sanchez (19 in 2009) have yet to give up the big bomb.
Very tough opponent tonight. GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
At a 10-8 pace the G-men would finish at 90-72. Can't complain about that, can we? That's the 4th best record in the NL. At +26, their "run difference" (RS-RA) is 2nd only to Philly. Their "expected" win-loss record is 12-6, so they are "under-performing" at this point.
The Giants are 11th in the NL in runs scored and 8th in the league in OPS. Hard to believe there are WORSE offenses, isn't it? The Giants have 53 walks, 14th in the league. Looks like firing Carney Lansford didn't help with that aspect of hitting. Their 15 HRs puts them at 10th, as does their 36 doubles. For all our supposed off-season interest in "the speed game," we are LAST in SB with 5, tied with Philadelphia. We do however, have the most sacrifice bunts, 14, but only 5 sacrifice flies, half as many as league-leading Philly and NY.
The pitching, of course, has been great, especially the starters. The four team shutouts leads the NL, and only St. Louis (2.72) has a better ERA than the Giants 2.78. SF is best at runs allowed (53), have the 5th-fewest walks (56), and the 5th-most strikeouts (139). The Giants are tied with the Cardinals for best WHIP (1.16) and 2nd to them in FIP (3.43). The Giants give up a lot of flyballs (38%, 3rd highest), but not many of those for HRs (7.5%, 5th best). If that is a function of the park, luck, pitching skill, or small sample size, I can't say. Their 13 HRs allowed is tied for 5th. Todd Wellemeyer has given up 5 of those, Cain 2, Affeldt 2, Medders, Runzler, Romo, and Lincecum 1 apiece. Barry Zito (21 in 2009) and Jonathan Sanchez (19 in 2009) have yet to give up the big bomb.
Very tough opponent tonight. GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Friday, February 12, 2010
The Great Race
What do I have to do to get a rise out of you guys?
Here are a set of betting lines for the NL pennant.
What do you think of the Giants chances this year? Predict, project, guess, fantasize, wish, dream, whatever.
DO SOMETHING.
Here are a set of betting lines for the NL pennant.
What do you think of the Giants chances this year? Predict, project, guess, fantasize, wish, dream, whatever.
DO SOMETHING.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
How the West Was Won: 2004
The 91-71 Giants fell agonizingly short of the title by two games. Again, they overperformed their projected (88-74) record. I suppose having a guy go .362/.609/.812 helps a bit. The Giants were 2nd in the league in RS with 850, which was 100 more than the NL average. Unfortunately they were 12th in RA with 770. That rated a 100 ERA+. The Dodgers had only a slightly better staff (102 ERA+) but were 4th in RA with 684. They were 9th in RS at 761. I suppose if you lack balance, it pays to have better run prevention than run scoring. That should give all of us hand-wringing, teeth-gnashing, and sackloth-wearing Giants fans some hope. The Dodgers also overperformed their Pythagorean projection (89-73). I can only assume Jim Tracy was a genius.
The Cardinals were the best club, number one in RS (855) and RA (659). The Braves and Cubs led with a 115 ERA+, the Cards were 2nd at 114. Their 105-57 record was five better than projected (100-62). That pesky Tony LaRussa!
It gets ugly from here on out, boys and girls. 294-353 (.454) for the next four years ('05-'08). That's what made 2009 so surprising and so special. Of course, it also inflated our expectations for 2010! After all, if you win 88 games one year with a mostly young club, you expect to improve. In other words, it is natural to assume that 88 wins reflects accurately the talent level of the club, and so some minor tweaking should get you to 90+ wins and a fair shot at the title. That kind of thinking is a little sloppy in my view--it doesn't account for luck and circumstance. It expects that all the things that happened in the previous year are perfectly repeatable. It does not account for normal random variation. It does not account for changes in the schedule and the quality of the opponents. I tend to believe that the competition in MLB is pretty fierce, and that advantages gained one season can disappear the next in the blink of an eye. I've said it before--the gods are cruel. Check out the Bonds Giants from 2000 to 2004. Look at the variation in wins, and in RS and RA. This was when we had the Greatest Player of All Time! The 2010 Giants may have the stuff to win the West. I sure hope so. I'll admit I don't like the squad (well, the lineup) much. Too many Sabean-types for my taste. But what the hell, I'm "all-in" at this point and I'm going to root like hell that the gods will smile on us.
GO GIANTS!
The Cardinals were the best club, number one in RS (855) and RA (659). The Braves and Cubs led with a 115 ERA+, the Cards were 2nd at 114. Their 105-57 record was five better than projected (100-62). That pesky Tony LaRussa!
It gets ugly from here on out, boys and girls. 294-353 (.454) for the next four years ('05-'08). That's what made 2009 so surprising and so special. Of course, it also inflated our expectations for 2010! After all, if you win 88 games one year with a mostly young club, you expect to improve. In other words, it is natural to assume that 88 wins reflects accurately the talent level of the club, and so some minor tweaking should get you to 90+ wins and a fair shot at the title. That kind of thinking is a little sloppy in my view--it doesn't account for luck and circumstance. It expects that all the things that happened in the previous year are perfectly repeatable. It does not account for normal random variation. It does not account for changes in the schedule and the quality of the opponents. I tend to believe that the competition in MLB is pretty fierce, and that advantages gained one season can disappear the next in the blink of an eye. I've said it before--the gods are cruel. Check out the Bonds Giants from 2000 to 2004. Look at the variation in wins, and in RS and RA. This was when we had the Greatest Player of All Time! The 2010 Giants may have the stuff to win the West. I sure hope so. I'll admit I don't like the squad (well, the lineup) much. Too many Sabean-types for my taste. But what the hell, I'm "all-in" at this point and I'm going to root like hell that the gods will smile on us.
GO GIANTS!
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Looking for a lefty
Seems we need a left-handed hitter. The article mentions Scott Podsednik.
Career line:
.277/.340/.381 which rates an OPS+ of 87.
Hey, couldn't Fred Lewis do that?
Career line:
.277/.340/.381 which rates an OPS+ of 87.
Hey, couldn't Fred Lewis do that?
UPDATE 0958: The 2010 Giants ZiPS projections are available. (Thanks to Chris at BCB for the "heads up.") Also, FanGraphs now includes CHONE projections on their site.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Buster Posey >> Joe Mauer !!!!!
Joe Mauer's career minor league line:
.332/.407/.426 (.833 OPS)
Joe Mauer's major league line:
.327/.408/.483 (.892 OPS, 136 OPS+)
Buster Posey's minor league line:
.327/.421/.538 (.959 OPS)
Buster Posey's projected major league line (based on my advanced proprietary algorithm):
.327/.421/.538
OMG!!!!
Buster Posey is better than Joe Mauer!!!!
It's NOT projection! It's SCIENCE!!
.332/.407/.426 (.833 OPS)
Joe Mauer's major league line:
.327/.408/.483 (.892 OPS, 136 OPS+)
Buster Posey's minor league line:
.327/.421/.538 (.959 OPS)
Buster Posey's projected major league line (based on my advanced proprietary algorithm):
.327/.421/.538
OMG!!!!
Buster Posey is better than Joe Mauer!!!!
It's NOT projection! It's SCIENCE!!
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Milton
A trade proposal from Al at BleedCubbieBlue.com (http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2009/11/6/1118100/building-a-cubs-champion-2010):
"The first order of business is to remove Milton Bradley from the premises. We have had many long debates about whether and for whom he should be traded, but I believe this is top priority for Jim Hendry and will happen sooner rather than later. Disagree if you wish, but I think the best of many not-so-great scenarios is to send him -- and Aaron Miles -- to the Giants for Aaron Rowand. Between Bradley and Miles, they are owed a total of $23.7 million; Rowand is owed $36 million. Since in doing a deal like this, you would be relieving the Giants, essentially, of $12 million (approximately) by taking the third year of Rowand's contract, Hendry should ask the Giants to split the difference and pay half of Rowand's 2012 contract, which would split the total dollars (approximately $60 million) between the two teams, about $30 million each.
This would also accomplish equalizing the 2010 payroll -- or come close -- to what Bradley and Miles would have been owed ($11.7 million) and what Rowand is owed ($12 million). I think the Giants would be willing to do this, because you are taking $6 million off their 2012 payroll, while leaving their 2010 and 2011 payrolls where they are now, since Bradley is owed $12 million in 2011.
I concede that Rowand has had two pretty poor offensive seasons in San Francisco (at least in part due to injuries). But in 2007, he had a fine hitting year in Philadelphia, and I believe that he has at least a chance to return to that level in Chicago. If you were looking at the possible acquisition of Rowand in a vacuum, you wouldn't do it -- but the necessity of removing Bradley from the team makes this probably about the best way to accomplish that. At best, this could turn into a Hundley-for-Grudzielanek-and-Karros sort of deal."
So what do you think? Would you be willing to risk a petulant Milton Bradley to replace a gamery Aaron Rowand? Bradley has been a major leaguer for 10 years, has hit over 20 hr only once and hit 19 once. .277 avg, .371 obp and .450 ops (Rowand: 9 years, 2 with 20+ hr, .280, .339, .448). Could Bochy handle Bradley, and vice-versa? Would he likely be able to find success and fit in with the Giants? If you think this is a possibility, would you throw in some cash as Al suggests? Or would you just do Bradley for Rowand straight up and tell the Cubs to stick it?
Me, I think Milton Bradley has more potential than Rowand, but I can't see it, even if the cash were not "equalized." Just not enough upside in the career stats to make it an attractive deal. I don't know if Bradley is a head case, or has some issues that are going to re-appear over and over. But in spite of a better obp, where I see the only significant difference, it is the devil you know against the devil you don't know. Aaron Miles - could be a back up, but we got guys for that. Aaron Miles does not create an incentive.
"The first order of business is to remove Milton Bradley from the premises. We have had many long debates about whether and for whom he should be traded, but I believe this is top priority for Jim Hendry and will happen sooner rather than later. Disagree if you wish, but I think the best of many not-so-great scenarios is to send him -- and Aaron Miles -- to the Giants for Aaron Rowand. Between Bradley and Miles, they are owed a total of $23.7 million; Rowand is owed $36 million. Since in doing a deal like this, you would be relieving the Giants, essentially, of $12 million (approximately) by taking the third year of Rowand's contract, Hendry should ask the Giants to split the difference and pay half of Rowand's 2012 contract, which would split the total dollars (approximately $60 million) between the two teams, about $30 million each.
This would also accomplish equalizing the 2010 payroll -- or come close -- to what Bradley and Miles would have been owed ($11.7 million) and what Rowand is owed ($12 million). I think the Giants would be willing to do this, because you are taking $6 million off their 2012 payroll, while leaving their 2010 and 2011 payrolls where they are now, since Bradley is owed $12 million in 2011.
I concede that Rowand has had two pretty poor offensive seasons in San Francisco (at least in part due to injuries). But in 2007, he had a fine hitting year in Philadelphia, and I believe that he has at least a chance to return to that level in Chicago. If you were looking at the possible acquisition of Rowand in a vacuum, you wouldn't do it -- but the necessity of removing Bradley from the team makes this probably about the best way to accomplish that. At best, this could turn into a Hundley-for-Grudzielanek-and-Karros sort of deal."
So what do you think? Would you be willing to risk a petulant Milton Bradley to replace a gamery Aaron Rowand? Bradley has been a major leaguer for 10 years, has hit over 20 hr only once and hit 19 once. .277 avg, .371 obp and .450 ops (Rowand: 9 years, 2 with 20+ hr, .280, .339, .448). Could Bochy handle Bradley, and vice-versa? Would he likely be able to find success and fit in with the Giants? If you think this is a possibility, would you throw in some cash as Al suggests? Or would you just do Bradley for Rowand straight up and tell the Cubs to stick it?
Me, I think Milton Bradley has more potential than Rowand, but I can't see it, even if the cash were not "equalized." Just not enough upside in the career stats to make it an attractive deal. I don't know if Bradley is a head case, or has some issues that are going to re-appear over and over. But in spite of a better obp, where I see the only significant difference, it is the devil you know against the devil you don't know. Aaron Miles - could be a back up, but we got guys for that. Aaron Miles does not create an incentive.
Friday, October 16, 2009
A Modest, Although Somewhat Risky Proposal
Brian Wilson will be either arbitrated or signed to a long term deal. We all know that. His pertinent numbers for 2009 are: 38 saves, with 7 blown saves. He threw 72.1 innings in 68 games. He made a little under $500,000. He will not win the Fireman of the Year award, but was pretty good. Being a closer is coming into ball games in high pressure situations, and a good closer is not just valuable, but a must-have for a winning ball club. Good closers make a lot of money, and Brian Wilson will make a lot of money soon. So here is the proposal: Consider giving him his arbitration award, and then trading him. The success of this gambit hinges on two things that both must work out, 1) you have to find someone who needs an established closer, and 2) You have to find someone to replace him. So what do you think, is there a closer in Affeldt/Runsler/Romo that is at least as reliable at Mr. Wilson? Whom do you think would want an established closer? Chicago? Texas? What do you think he would net in return? Too much apple cart upsetting?
I'm just trying to think outside the box here. By the way, Fuck the dodgers.
I'm just trying to think outside the box here. By the way, Fuck the dodgers.
Monday, June 8, 2009
One Third + one
The season is one third over. Actually, it was one third over after Saturday's game. The Giants are 29-26, certainly better than almost anyone expected. Here is one man's opinions of the team at this point.
1) Pablo Sandoval's defense at third base has been a delightful surprise. He is not horrible. He is not a gold glover, but has played far better than anyone had a right to expect.
2) Aaron Rowand is swinging the bat well. Sorry, I know that as an internet poster, it is heresy to say anything positive about Mr. Rowand. He is currently hitting the ball well.
3) Sabean and Bochy have not yet done anything to destroy the team. One can argue with roster choices, lineups and the occasional situtional decision, but really, we could go a long way towards reducing global warming emissions if the internet servers dedicated to Sabean and Bochy angst could be powered down.
4) The Giants are 18-9 at home and 11-17 on the road. Hurray for the home record. Much has been made of the dismal road record, but part of that was the 0-6 road trip to San Diego and Los Angeles in April. Then again, the Giants inexplicably managed to drop another three in San Diego May 19-21. What is the deal with that place? Anyway, the team is looking pretty good without the horrible April road trip - a .500 record. Unfortunately, you can't really ignore losses at any point during the season. What would it take to get the Giants to a .500 road record including those defeats? Six games. We are 4-2 on the current road trip.
5) The team needs more hitting. We are not horrible, just lack slugging at our key positions. First, outfield. Pablo seems to be coming around at third. This may be fixable, but the internet whining about getting this guy or that guy ignores what all posters don't have any information about - that is, what the other GM thinks of what Sabean is willing to offer, and what another GM wants for their guy. Sorry to lay out a fundamental truth about a trade, but there it is. If everyone that Sabean calls wants Lincecum to start the conversation, do you still think Sabean is a terrible GM for having done nothing? Also, it might be fun to go back and see who we all were wishing for, wishing against, or speculating on early in the spring and see how well those those guys are doing. One thing I know on this subject, regardless of what some jerk on the radio was talking about when I was trying to find out what the hell was happening Saturday - Adam Dunn should be a DH in the AL, NOT a Giant.
5a) We are 29-26 with crappy hitters. Can this continue? The bullpen has been a vast upgrade from last year and our starters are solid, for the most part. Hurray, pitching.
6) I'm worried about Wilson. Yesterday, another couple of hits in the ninth. Yet, he is getting it done.
7) I was slowly becoming convinced that Emmanuel Burriss is a major leaguer, until the last week.
What else? What are your observations at one third? Surprises? Frustrations?
Bonus question: Name a tasty cocktail made with three portions of exactly one third. If successful, I might make you one.
1) Pablo Sandoval's defense at third base has been a delightful surprise. He is not horrible. He is not a gold glover, but has played far better than anyone had a right to expect.
2) Aaron Rowand is swinging the bat well. Sorry, I know that as an internet poster, it is heresy to say anything positive about Mr. Rowand. He is currently hitting the ball well.
3) Sabean and Bochy have not yet done anything to destroy the team. One can argue with roster choices, lineups and the occasional situtional decision, but really, we could go a long way towards reducing global warming emissions if the internet servers dedicated to Sabean and Bochy angst could be powered down.
4) The Giants are 18-9 at home and 11-17 on the road. Hurray for the home record. Much has been made of the dismal road record, but part of that was the 0-6 road trip to San Diego and Los Angeles in April. Then again, the Giants inexplicably managed to drop another three in San Diego May 19-21. What is the deal with that place? Anyway, the team is looking pretty good without the horrible April road trip - a .500 record. Unfortunately, you can't really ignore losses at any point during the season. What would it take to get the Giants to a .500 road record including those defeats? Six games. We are 4-2 on the current road trip.
5) The team needs more hitting. We are not horrible, just lack slugging at our key positions. First, outfield. Pablo seems to be coming around at third. This may be fixable, but the internet whining about getting this guy or that guy ignores what all posters don't have any information about - that is, what the other GM thinks of what Sabean is willing to offer, and what another GM wants for their guy. Sorry to lay out a fundamental truth about a trade, but there it is. If everyone that Sabean calls wants Lincecum to start the conversation, do you still think Sabean is a terrible GM for having done nothing? Also, it might be fun to go back and see who we all were wishing for, wishing against, or speculating on early in the spring and see how well those those guys are doing. One thing I know on this subject, regardless of what some jerk on the radio was talking about when I was trying to find out what the hell was happening Saturday - Adam Dunn should be a DH in the AL, NOT a Giant.
5a) We are 29-26 with crappy hitters. Can this continue? The bullpen has been a vast upgrade from last year and our starters are solid, for the most part. Hurray, pitching.
6) I'm worried about Wilson. Yesterday, another couple of hits in the ninth. Yet, he is getting it done.
7) I was slowly becoming convinced that Emmanuel Burriss is a major leaguer, until the last week.
What else? What are your observations at one third? Surprises? Frustrations?
Bonus question: Name a tasty cocktail made with three portions of exactly one third. If successful, I might make you one.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
The Big O--not enough to go around
ShysterBall links to a USA Today article about the increase in offense this season. Seems that runs and HRs are up across MLB. This is where I become a baseball socialist and demand our fair share! (I realize it is early in the season, and the numbers could flatten out a bit.) Here's another tidbit:
Teams entered Tuesday scoring 4.88 runs a game, the highest total through a similar number of games since 2000, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, when they averaged 5.39 runs a game. The hidden secret is that walks also are up. Teams are averaging 7.40 walks per game, compared to 6.73 walks in 2008. Baseball has not averaged more than seven walks a game in a full season since 2000.**
Wow. I want some of that Kool-Aid. Carney, me bhoy, where are ye?
(**http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2009-05-19-offense-up_N.htm)
Teams entered Tuesday scoring 4.88 runs a game, the highest total through a similar number of games since 2000, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, when they averaged 5.39 runs a game. The hidden secret is that walks also are up. Teams are averaging 7.40 walks per game, compared to 6.73 walks in 2008. Baseball has not averaged more than seven walks a game in a full season since 2000.**
Wow. I want some of that Kool-Aid. Carney, me bhoy, where are ye?
(**http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2009-05-19-offense-up_N.htm)
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