1st inning: 6-12
2nd inning: 6-12
3rd inning: 10-8
4th inning: 4-14
5th inning: 8-10
6th inning: 7-11
Even more depressing are the monthly win totals: 9 in April, 13 in May, 9 in June, and 9 in July. I was hoping the team would improve enough to avoid 100 losses, but that requires winning 22 more games or 11 in each of the next two months. Can they pull that off? They can't hit: 30th of 30 teams in OPS. They can't pitch: 25th of 30 in both OPS against and runs allowed. Oh, and Johnny Cueto is injured and we aren't talking blisters. The dreaded "flexor strain" has revealed itself. I'm thinking he may be on the shelf for the rest of the season. Tell me I'm wrong.
But enough of that. I'm looking for bright spots. Jeff Samardzija was not pretty tonight, in fact he's usually not, he's got that gnarly jock approach to pitching which works pretty well overall, and he got the job done. The lads clobbered the ball, getting runs early and often and chipping in some big blasts as well. 10-4 final in Oakland. I kind of like that sweaty, fastball-heaving thing that The Shark does. Not everyone can be as cool and clever as Johnny Cueto or as talented and intense as Madison Bumgarner. You figure there have to be a few journeymen-grinder types; in fact you have to figure that most ballplayers are like that. The exceptional ones are just that--exceptional.
Sure is nice to see Brandon Belt hitting better. And Buster Posey continues to swing the bat well. His fielding is freakishly good, it's too bad it's wasted on this wretched club. Kelby Tomlinson got an extra-base hit, his third of the season. Let's shoot for 22 more wins, whaddya say? Twenty-two measly goddamn wins in two goddamn fookin' months of baseball. Is that too much to ask?
--M.C.
8 comments:
Think about the great 2018 draft position! Think about the super 2018 draft position! Think about the terrific 2018 draft position! Think about . . .
Well the purge of veterans is on ... Gillaspie DFA'd. Also, curiously, Hwang demoted again???
I feel bad about Gillaspie. I thought he might be a solid role player/PH but his year never got on track. It seemed like he always had good ABs but the results weren't there. Hwang has lots of options being a newbie and all, and I think they think he's unpolished as a hitter. Ryder Jones is hitting .312/.396/.574 at AAA, they have to give him another look.
Making room for Jones and Parker. And Panda. Which makes one wonder about the "youth movement." I'd rather see Hwang.
I was hoping for more from Hwang. But a .459 OPS is not cutting it. Only 8 hits in 18 games (57 PA)! Perhaps he just needs some more time at AAA to eliminate some holes in his swing, and like I said he obviously has all his options so there's no reason not to use them when he's clearly struggling.
I have no beef with Sandoval. It's a minor league deal, the team isn't really risking anything and he's not blocking anybody. Hwang got a shot, Arroyo is hurt, Jones got called up, Gillaspie and Nunez are gone and neither were long-term solutions at third anyway. If he can still play, great. If he can't, the team loses nothing. This season is a disaster already, Panda can't make it worse. Giants need to beef up the team and it really doesn't matter where the beef comes from, inside or outside the organization.
Baggs was speculating on whether the Giants would try to move Span:
"It might not be a strong possibility, but the Giants might be motivated to make a waiver trade for Span in the next few weeks if a team is willing to take a portion of the $13 million he is owed beyond this season.
That’s because playing Span down the stretch would cost the Giants an additional $1.75 million, too. He receives $250,000 when he reaches 400 plate appearances, and an additional five $250,000 bonuses for each 25 plate appearances (up to 525) beyond that. He would get $25,000 bonuses upon reaching 90 and 100 games played as well.
Span currently has 351 plate appearances in 82 games."
team sells out almost every game. it would send a bad message if they benched Span for a few hundred thousand. Don't be penny wise and pound foolish.
Yeah I don't really see the Giants sitting a guy just to save a nickel but I can see them working to move a guy that might help the payroll/roster problem for next year. Trouble is what current playoff-bound team needs an aging CF who really should be in LF? I don't know. I don't think Span is all that desirable as a trade chip. We'll see.
Next year Slater, and Parker could have first dibs on outfield positions, Then we probably need another solid starter, and two good backups. Need to have some certainty at some point for next year. It would be good to be able to obtain a solid power hitter who can also hit for average to be a true cleanup hitter for this team. We have the complementary players to go with a true stud player.
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