Woeful weekend

After a promising start with Friday's crisp 6-3 win, whatever momentum the Giants had (three wins in a row!) quickly evaporated. They got whupped on the weekend, 6-2 on Saturday and 6-2 again today. Landen Roupp did great to open things but Logan Webb was not himself (3 walks, homer) the next day. Still, four runs allowed in six frames kept the Giants within striking distance. Unfortunately this team has no pop. They can't get a big extra-base hit with men on base and so they couldn't really threaten a comeback. Today Adrian Houser couldn't finish the 5th and the 'pen gave up two more runs after that. At least Casey Schmitt is swinging a hot bat.

A 6-10 record is a .375 win percentage (a .625 loss percentage!). Two more games and we'll be 1/9 of the way through the season, the first "inning" of baseball. I can say with near-certainty that the Giants will have a stretch of baseball where they will go 10-6 or better. It will happen. It could happen next week. Or next month. Or in September when they are already eliminated. But that will only get them back to a .500 record. That's what we've been getting for the last few years. I was hoping for something better.

I think there's a good chance that this is just a bad team. They have some good players, but it's a bad team. I'm not sure why. Tell me I'm wrong.

Off-day tomorrow before a trip to Cincinnati. 

--M.C.

Devers delivers

SF 5  PHI 0

FNG Tyler Mahle matched zeros with Phillies stalwart Aaron Nola into the 6th. Matt Gage came in to get the lefty Brandon Marsh for the final out in the frame, but Mahle's line (5-2/3 IP, 3 H, 6K) was his best so far in orange-and-black. It's the kind of pitching effort that sets a team up to win, especially at home.

Sure enough the Giants got the big hit in the bottom of the frame. Rafael Devers, who had hit into a double play in the 4th, got a second chance and he didn't miss. His homer was a towering fly to center on the first pitch. The team and its big slugger really, really needed a hit like that!!

The bullpen was great the rest of the way. Gage got an out in the 7th, Caleb Killian got the next two, Blade Tidwell took the 8th, and Erik Miller (2 K) the 9th.

It was an outstanding team effort to get a second shutout against a tough opponent. The top of the lineup is finally starting to hit and some arms just might be emerging in the 'pen.

They're off tomorrow and then play three in Baltimore to start a nine-day trip. Game time Friday 4:15 PT. 

Go Giants!

--M.C.

More of these, please

SFG 6  PHI 0

The Giants get their first team shutout. Robbie Ray's excellent start (6-2/3 IP, 3 H, 7 K) was supported by Ryan Walker (1-2/3 IP) and Keaton Winn (1 IP). The lineup banged out 12 hits and the team upped their win total to four. Matt Chapman had three hits. Daniel Susac had three hits including a late double that gave the Giants a cushion. He's hitting .857! I said we needed a shot of youthful energy and he seems to be supplying it.

Day game today, 12:45 PT.

Go Giants!

--M.C.

Bad Look

NYM 5  SF 2 

The 2026 Giants put on a poor show today. They had a poor showing yesterday, and the day before. They've got three wins in their first ten games--that's a bad look to start the season. It's hard to say "win percentage" when it's a number like .300, which is as bad as it gets. (In this case, "it could be worse" isn't quite true.) Let's frame it as "loss percentage." That of course is .700 or 70%. Yikes, that's ugly.

Sure, there are 152 games left to play. A bad start can be overcome. It's just harder, that's all. The team has given its competitors a head start. And their competitors are the Padres, Diamondbacks, and Rockies. The Dodgers are only competing with the likes of the Mets and the Yankees. And the 2026 Giants have not measured up against either New York club.

Logan Webb pitched brilliantly today and his fielders did him no favors. The lineup eked out a lead but the bullpen faltered and gave the game away. At least we know that Webb is going to be Webb. The rest of the cast has yet to deliver. The fielding has been comically bad. Or tragically, depending on your viewpoint. The baserunning--well, you have to have baserunners. The lineup has not hit the ball worth a shit. And we won't discuss the number of runs the team has allowed.

It's been a disappointing opening, that's for damn sure. It's the Trifecta of Doom for our Beloved PoBO, Buster Posey. His three biggest moves haven't panned out: (1) Willy Adames and (2) Rafael Devers aren't even hitting their weight; and (3) new manager Tony Vitello is 3-7 with a team that can't hit, pitch, or field. (Isn't the manager supposed to get the team ready?)

Anyway, let's hope it gets better soon. We don't want to spend the whole season watching the team making up ground. That's what they did last year. And the year before. And the year before . . .

The Phillies are in town for three. Tomorrow night's game is at 6:45 PT.

Go Giants!

--M.C.

Much better

SFG 7  NYM 2

The Mets spent a lot of money in the off-season and beefed up their roster. Their payroll is north of $350M and since Steve Cohen bought the team in 2020 their only competitors in spending have been the Yankees and the Dodgers. The Giants will spend about $220M. That's around 12th place. They are above the middle but not in the top third.

I only bring that up because in the early going the highly-touted Mets are 3-4 and have scored 25 runs. The Giants have scored 21 runs and are also 3-4 (both teams have allowed 27 runs). It was nice to see that the home squad could put a whuppin' on a fancy-pants outfit from the Big Apple. I know it's only one game but I like the way it went. 

Robbie Ray, who I think always looks shaky, looked shaky in the first two frames. He settled in after giving up two runs and put up zeros into the 6th. Meanwhile the Giants tagged Mets pitchers for 13 hits including a double by Matt Chapman, a triple by Luis Arráez, and a homer (his first) by Rafael Devers. Rookie Daniel Susac, making his ML debut behind the plate, had three hits and a walk. Casey Schmitt, batting ninth, also had three hits.

That's all good stuff but I'm giving the game ball to The Tennessee Kid, Blade Tidwell, who pitched three scoreless in relief to log a save. Tidwell came to SF in the Tyler Rogers trade. He did not break camp with the team but was recalled to take José Buttó's spot. Buttó was also acquired in the Rogers trade. He went on the 15-day IL after his rough outing in San Diego.

Looks like FNG veteran Tyler Mahle is lined up for tomorrow night (7:15 PT) and will face young Nolan McLean, the phenom who pitched for Team USA. McLean will be making only his tenth career start.

Go Giants!

--M.C.

That was ugly

SD 7  SF 1

Adrian Houser deserved better. And I can't explain four hits and fourteen strikeouts!! The lineup was overwhelmed once again. That's four losses with two runs scored. Return of the Son of Bleah.

Good thing there are 156 games left.

It's the Mets at home tomorrow night (6:45 Pacific) and Robbie Ray gets the start.

Go Giants!

--M.C.

Giants get a big win

SF 9  SD 3

It was a weird and ugly start for Logan Webb who walked FOUR guys! Webb walked 46 guys last year and 50 the year before. He averages fewer than two bases on balls per start. He also got trashed for three runs in the 3rd but hung on to finish six and get yet another quality start (103rd of his career). He retired the final ten batters in a row. JT Brubaker and José Buttó continued the excellent work from the 'pen and put up zeroes the rest of the way.

But the big star was Willy Adames who led off the game with a homer and added three more hits, scoring twice and driving in two. The whole lineup joined the fun with 16 hits, at least one for every player. Jung Hoo Lee had a big night as well with two doubles and three RBI. Jared Oliva stole a base (pinch-running) and wound up scoring later. It was 8-3 in the 9th and that would have raised hackles in the opposing dugout "back in the day." It seems like no one cares about that stuff anymore and that's good. The point of the game is to compete and score runs.

This afternoon (1:10 PT) will give Adrian Houser his first start. Let's go for a sweep!

--M.C.