LA 9 SF 0
Dereck Rodriguez, bless his heart, had to play the sacrificial lamb this afternoon as the Dodgers took control of the ballgame in the 1st inning. He got burned on a few weakly-hit balls, but the boys in blue are absurdly good (106 wins) and the Giants have had no answers at any time this weekend. D-Rod was hit hard this year and mostly unable to replicate his rookie-year successes. Let's hope he can up his game before next spring and compete for a roster spot. The team needs all the young arms it can gather together. In fact, the team needs to improve everywhere. But that's another post.
Bruce Bochy talked about managing Team France in the next World Baseball Classic (2021). That sounds like a perfect fit. He is the only MLB manager born in France. Competitive guys like Boch probably never really retire, they just find less-stressful ways to keep the juices flowing. I thought it was interesting how many people, in their tributes to Boch, remarked on the same personal qualities like his patience, his tolerance, his loyalty, his genuine concern for their well-being, that sort of thing. He cultivated relationships and maintained them with grace and good humor. Boch comes across as a genuine good guy and living proof that Leo Durocher was full of shit.
Giants made history this season. They used 64 players, the most ever by an NL club. They went 35-46 at home (.432), and I think that may be their worst-ever or tied for their worst-ever home record, including the New York days. I saw that factoid on Twitter, but I am unwilling to do the research to verify it. I understand Timmy was in the house today. He's like Area 51, you are never really sure what's true and what isn't. He's alive and was photographed, that I know. Madison Bumgarner pinch-hit against Clayton Kershaw in the 5th (who was a good sport and kept pumping in fastballs) and lined out to third. Kershaw tipped his hat to Boch, and Bum tipped his helmet to the crowd. I hope that is not the last time we see no. 40 in orange-and-black, but I'm expecting a lot of changes and you just never know how things will shake out. I think I will avoid predicting what will happen as I'm usually wrong.
We'll have a lot to talk about over the ensuing months, but for now I think we all need a break!
--M.C.
Showing posts with label Boch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Boch. Show all posts
Sunday, September 29, 2019
Sunday, September 22, 2019
Webb-based solution
SF 4 STL 1
The Giants close out a 3-3 road trip with a tidy win over the Braves. Rookie Logan Webb threw the best start of his very young career, yielding only two hits and fanning seven in six solid frames. The only run came on a ground out by Freddie Freeman, driving in Adeiny Hechevarria who had tripled. Even that was a bit of bad luck as Kevin Pillar had that one in his glove up against the wall in center but could not hold on. A fine effort by the 22-year old from Rocklin who had only one start at the AAA-level in his relatively brief stint in the minors (80 G, 60 GS, 320-1/3 IP over six seasons). Webb was picked right out of high school in the 4th-round of the 2014 draft and played rookie ball as a 17-year old. Other picks from that draft were Tyler Beede (1st round), Aramis Garcia (2nd round), Sam Coonrod (5th round), and Austin Slater (8th round). Stanford alum Slater leads that group with 1.3 bWAR (171 games) in the bigs.
Dallas Keuchel kept a lid on the Giants until the 6th when doubles by Evan Longoria and Joey Rickard made it 3-0, and Longo added another RBI hit in the 7th off Luke Jackson. All in all, a quality outing by the ballclub who come home for the final six games of the season. At 75-81 there is still a chance (very slim, I admit) for a .500 finish. Boch is 1050-1050 in orange-and-black, perhaps he'll walk away with a winning record if the Giants can play good ball at home, something they have not done this season.
Madison Bumgarner goes Tuesday and is also scheduled to pitch in the finale on Sunday.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
The Giants close out a 3-3 road trip with a tidy win over the Braves. Rookie Logan Webb threw the best start of his very young career, yielding only two hits and fanning seven in six solid frames. The only run came on a ground out by Freddie Freeman, driving in Adeiny Hechevarria who had tripled. Even that was a bit of bad luck as Kevin Pillar had that one in his glove up against the wall in center but could not hold on. A fine effort by the 22-year old from Rocklin who had only one start at the AAA-level in his relatively brief stint in the minors (80 G, 60 GS, 320-1/3 IP over six seasons). Webb was picked right out of high school in the 4th-round of the 2014 draft and played rookie ball as a 17-year old. Other picks from that draft were Tyler Beede (1st round), Aramis Garcia (2nd round), Sam Coonrod (5th round), and Austin Slater (8th round). Stanford alum Slater leads that group with 1.3 bWAR (171 games) in the bigs.
Dallas Keuchel kept a lid on the Giants until the 6th when doubles by Evan Longoria and Joey Rickard made it 3-0, and Longo added another RBI hit in the 7th off Luke Jackson. All in all, a quality outing by the ballclub who come home for the final six games of the season. At 75-81 there is still a chance (very slim, I admit) for a .500 finish. Boch is 1050-1050 in orange-and-black, perhaps he'll walk away with a winning record if the Giants can play good ball at home, something they have not done this season.
Madison Bumgarner goes Tuesday and is also scheduled to pitch in the finale on Sunday.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
Giants Clobber Red Sox
SF 11 BOS 3
It's 2000 managerial wins for Bruce Bochy, certainly a great milestone. To do anything uninterrupted for 25 years is pretty impressive, to do it in the big leagues is remarkable. So few managers have been able to keep a job for multiple seasons, but Boch managed in San Diego for 12 straight years and followed that with 13 in San Francisco. To be that competitive and that accomplished and yet remain humble is a great personal quality. I also like that he never threw anyone under the bus. He didn't point fingers or blame people when things went bad. In fact, he's gone out of his way to praise others and spread the credit around. Boch always stayed calm and even-keeled in the most trying of circumstances, and maintained his relentless optimism and positive energy day after day. No wonder players loved him! We got to see him at his best in the championship years, his tactical boldness and skilled poker-playing making other talented managers look over-matched, but all the other seasons, especially the losing ones, showcased his abilities as a leader, teacher, and communicator. We were certainly lucky to have him around!
It was a laugher tonight in Fenway. The lineup jumped on Jhoulys Chacin right away and handed Jeff Samardzija the early lead. The Shark was the very definition of "effectively wild" and held the Sox hitless into the 6th inning. The fastball was lively and had a lot of movement and once he started hitting the corners it was tough for them to get anything going. Everyone in the starting lineup got at least one hit and six of the nine scored at least one run. Boston got a couple of late runs to make it feel tight but then their 'pen gave up seven runs in the final two frames and we all got to relax.
This Giants team is, well, bi-polar. You just don't know which version you are going to get on any given night! The getaway game starts at 10:05 Pacific tomorrow morning with Madison Bumgarner on the mound. Ten games left in the season.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
It's 2000 managerial wins for Bruce Bochy, certainly a great milestone. To do anything uninterrupted for 25 years is pretty impressive, to do it in the big leagues is remarkable. So few managers have been able to keep a job for multiple seasons, but Boch managed in San Diego for 12 straight years and followed that with 13 in San Francisco. To be that competitive and that accomplished and yet remain humble is a great personal quality. I also like that he never threw anyone under the bus. He didn't point fingers or blame people when things went bad. In fact, he's gone out of his way to praise others and spread the credit around. Boch always stayed calm and even-keeled in the most trying of circumstances, and maintained his relentless optimism and positive energy day after day. No wonder players loved him! We got to see him at his best in the championship years, his tactical boldness and skilled poker-playing making other talented managers look over-matched, but all the other seasons, especially the losing ones, showcased his abilities as a leader, teacher, and communicator. We were certainly lucky to have him around!
It was a laugher tonight in Fenway. The lineup jumped on Jhoulys Chacin right away and handed Jeff Samardzija the early lead. The Shark was the very definition of "effectively wild" and held the Sox hitless into the 6th inning. The fastball was lively and had a lot of movement and once he started hitting the corners it was tough for them to get anything going. Everyone in the starting lineup got at least one hit and six of the nine scored at least one run. Boston got a couple of late runs to make it feel tight but then their 'pen gave up seven runs in the final two frames and we all got to relax.
This Giants team is, well, bi-polar. You just don't know which version you are going to get on any given night! The getaway game starts at 10:05 Pacific tomorrow morning with Madison Bumgarner on the mound. Ten games left in the season.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Saturday, September 7, 2019
SF 1 LA 0
It took seven pitchers to get the shutout, but the Giants 1-0 victory over the Dodgers tonight in LA has to be one of the most satisfying wins of the season. Eking out a run in the 1st on a bases-loaded Kevin Pillar ground out, the Giants made it stand up against the best offense in the NL. The Dodgers have 253 homers in 143 games, an average of 1.77 per game or roughly seven homers every four games. Not tonight!
In the 5th inning starter Tyler Beede, who had looked great through four, loaded the bases with two outs and had to face Cody Bellinger. In a pennant race there's a good chance he gets pulled (76 pitches), especially with his youth and recent history. Bring in a LOOGY there and go after the putative MVP. But this is a rebuilding team and there is an opportunity to develop a young pitcher, so Boch left in Beede to face Bellinger. Four pitches later he got a fly out to left field and walked off with five of the best innings of his rocky rookie campaign.
With Reyes Moronta on the IL, Tony Watson recovering, and Will Smith unavailable, it took a fresh bullpen approach for the late innings. Shaun Anderson, a closer in college, threw a scoreless 6th with two strikeouts. Tyler Rogers got two outs in the 7th and Andrew Suarez closed the inning and got the first out of the 8th. There was a tense moment when Sam Coonrod hit Justin Turner with a pitch but Fernando Abad induced a double play from Bellinger to finish the 8th. In the 9th Jandel Gustave gave us tooth-gnashing moments with a walk and a scary line out but Kike Hernandez obliged with a double play grounder and the Giants had their win. You have to love the creative use of the pitching staff, and the fact that they executed--in new roles--against a very tough opponent. It was torture, of course, I would have preferred a 10-0 lead, but it all worked out. That's back-to-back one-run wins!
Bruce Bochy has the most wins (107) of any visiting manager in Dodger Stadium. That's only the fifth time this season the Dodgers have been shut out.
Dereck Rodriguez gets the start tomorrow afternoon at 1:10 PDT.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
p.s. Johnny Cueto starts Tuesday night at home against the Pirates.
In the 5th inning starter Tyler Beede, who had looked great through four, loaded the bases with two outs and had to face Cody Bellinger. In a pennant race there's a good chance he gets pulled (76 pitches), especially with his youth and recent history. Bring in a LOOGY there and go after the putative MVP. But this is a rebuilding team and there is an opportunity to develop a young pitcher, so Boch left in Beede to face Bellinger. Four pitches later he got a fly out to left field and walked off with five of the best innings of his rocky rookie campaign.
With Reyes Moronta on the IL, Tony Watson recovering, and Will Smith unavailable, it took a fresh bullpen approach for the late innings. Shaun Anderson, a closer in college, threw a scoreless 6th with two strikeouts. Tyler Rogers got two outs in the 7th and Andrew Suarez closed the inning and got the first out of the 8th. There was a tense moment when Sam Coonrod hit Justin Turner with a pitch but Fernando Abad induced a double play from Bellinger to finish the 8th. In the 9th Jandel Gustave gave us tooth-gnashing moments with a walk and a scary line out but Kike Hernandez obliged with a double play grounder and the Giants had their win. You have to love the creative use of the pitching staff, and the fact that they executed--in new roles--against a very tough opponent. It was torture, of course, I would have preferred a 10-0 lead, but it all worked out. That's back-to-back one-run wins!
Bruce Bochy has the most wins (107) of any visiting manager in Dodger Stadium. That's only the fifth time this season the Dodgers have been shut out.
Dereck Rodriguez gets the start tomorrow afternoon at 1:10 PDT.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
p.s. Johnny Cueto starts Tuesday night at home against the Pirates.
Saturday, July 27, 2019
The Deadline Approacheth . . .
SD 5 SF 1
Shaun Anderson struck out seven in his five-plus innings but was tagged for four runs. Trevor Gott got the other. The lineup had a tough time again, managing only one run. Hits have been scarce for the Giants in San Diego.
Tomorrow Madison Bumgarner takes the hill and a month ago I would have said this would be his last start in a Giants uniform. The team's winning ways since then have forced me to re-think that.
The narrative is Buyers & Sellers. If you think you will make the post-season, buy the guys you need to make a real run for the title. If you are out of it, sell the few assets you have and hope to hit the franchise reset button. This binary thinking is great for journalists, blowhards, bloggers and the poor, suffering fans who have to put up with all that hot air and spilled ink.
Through it all we have our very own PoBO, Farhan Zaidi, who always seems to be eager, curious, and positive. For a high-energy guy in a competitive business he is surprisingly serene. Most successful people view problems and dilemmas as opportunities and relish the creative and analytical challenges. I don't think FZ sees The Trade Deadline as a binary exercise. Trade player X, Yes/No? That's not how he rolls. He is on a mission to improve the club and win ballgames. Sounds like a truism, I know, you expect all GMs and PoBOs and whatnot to approach their jobs that way.
FZ isn't going to view July 31st in black-and-white terms. Sacrifice the future to win now! Sacrifice now to win in the future! That's not how his head works. He's capable of operating on several timelines simultaneously and can see winning now and rebuilding as the same, multi-faceted operation. I know I'm making him sound like fucking Yoda, but I have to say he really does come across that way, and I'm happy to let him do what he wants to do.
Giants fans are a bit spoiled, and whiny, and there are a heap of geniuses out there who know what's best for the club. They aren't going to be happy with what FZ does. Buy, Sell, Buy-and-Sell, Stand Pat--it doesn't matter. There will be plenty of bitching to go around.
It seems to me a lot less likely they will trade Bumgarner. Only two or three teams could use him and they won't spend the resources the Giants would want in return on a rental. That's cool with me. I want the Big Fella to stay. They can make him a Qualifying Offer at the end of the season and see how it plays out. Or sign him to an extension. That would be a chunk of change, but we are talking about Madison Bumgarner. Fans love MadBum. Keeping fans happy is good. He's proven he is still a good pitcher, a valuable teammate, and a great performer. Having a star player who shows up on highlight-reels is a lot of fun.
The Big Three (Dyson/Watson/Smith) might get broken up. Or, FZ might surprise us and trade a young arm (Black, Coonrod, Moronta, etc.) because teams really like cheap, controllable assets. The Giants might get some prospects in trade and then turn them around and buy a starter or a power bat to help the team immediately. I've no idea, but I'm not expecting anything too dramatic. FZ likes the incremental approach, but he could certainly surprise us.
The Giants played decent ball in June after a terrible start and have played great ball so far in July. I want that to continue. If the team plays good baseball then good things will happen. I just want to focus on the day-to-day and watch the club grind out wins and sustain the winning energy and culture that's been missing the last two seasons. The biggest thing the Giants will do this year is not going to happen this week but in October when they say goodbye to Bruce Bochy and get themselves a new manager. They will be doing that whether they finish strong or not, and after 13 seasons and three World Series wins, that will be quite a change!
So relax and enjoy the baseball. That's my advice. Don't sweat the trades. We can't make 'em, so we have to trust the guys in charge. And I feel pretty good about that.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Shaun Anderson struck out seven in his five-plus innings but was tagged for four runs. Trevor Gott got the other. The lineup had a tough time again, managing only one run. Hits have been scarce for the Giants in San Diego.
Tomorrow Madison Bumgarner takes the hill and a month ago I would have said this would be his last start in a Giants uniform. The team's winning ways since then have forced me to re-think that.
The narrative is Buyers & Sellers. If you think you will make the post-season, buy the guys you need to make a real run for the title. If you are out of it, sell the few assets you have and hope to hit the franchise reset button. This binary thinking is great for journalists, blowhards, bloggers and the poor, suffering fans who have to put up with all that hot air and spilled ink.
Through it all we have our very own PoBO, Farhan Zaidi, who always seems to be eager, curious, and positive. For a high-energy guy in a competitive business he is surprisingly serene. Most successful people view problems and dilemmas as opportunities and relish the creative and analytical challenges. I don't think FZ sees The Trade Deadline as a binary exercise. Trade player X, Yes/No? That's not how he rolls. He is on a mission to improve the club and win ballgames. Sounds like a truism, I know, you expect all GMs and PoBOs and whatnot to approach their jobs that way.
FZ isn't going to view July 31st in black-and-white terms. Sacrifice the future to win now! Sacrifice now to win in the future! That's not how his head works. He's capable of operating on several timelines simultaneously and can see winning now and rebuilding as the same, multi-faceted operation. I know I'm making him sound like fucking Yoda, but I have to say he really does come across that way, and I'm happy to let him do what he wants to do.
Giants fans are a bit spoiled, and whiny, and there are a heap of geniuses out there who know what's best for the club. They aren't going to be happy with what FZ does. Buy, Sell, Buy-and-Sell, Stand Pat--it doesn't matter. There will be plenty of bitching to go around.
It seems to me a lot less likely they will trade Bumgarner. Only two or three teams could use him and they won't spend the resources the Giants would want in return on a rental. That's cool with me. I want the Big Fella to stay. They can make him a Qualifying Offer at the end of the season and see how it plays out. Or sign him to an extension. That would be a chunk of change, but we are talking about Madison Bumgarner. Fans love MadBum. Keeping fans happy is good. He's proven he is still a good pitcher, a valuable teammate, and a great performer. Having a star player who shows up on highlight-reels is a lot of fun.
The Big Three (Dyson/Watson/Smith) might get broken up. Or, FZ might surprise us and trade a young arm (Black, Coonrod, Moronta, etc.) because teams really like cheap, controllable assets. The Giants might get some prospects in trade and then turn them around and buy a starter or a power bat to help the team immediately. I've no idea, but I'm not expecting anything too dramatic. FZ likes the incremental approach, but he could certainly surprise us.
The Giants played decent ball in June after a terrible start and have played great ball so far in July. I want that to continue. If the team plays good baseball then good things will happen. I just want to focus on the day-to-day and watch the club grind out wins and sustain the winning energy and culture that's been missing the last two seasons. The biggest thing the Giants will do this year is not going to happen this week but in October when they say goodbye to Bruce Bochy and get themselves a new manager. They will be doing that whether they finish strong or not, and after 13 seasons and three World Series wins, that will be quite a change!
So relax and enjoy the baseball. That's my advice. Don't sweat the trades. We can't make 'em, so we have to trust the guys in charge. And I feel pretty good about that.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Wednesday, June 5, 2019
Win One for the Skipper
A big one. The Giants notched their 1,000th win of Bruce Bochy's San Francisco Giants managerial career tonight over the New York Mets by a score of 9 - 3.
The game was not as lop-sided as the score would make it appear. The Giants needed 10 innings to win, and scored 6 in the 10th to make it happen. There were no home runs for the Giants. Those 6 runs were the result of keeping the line moving. RBI's for 6 different guys: Pablo, Duggar and Vogt had 2 each and Pillar, Yaz and Belt each had 1.
Madison Bumgarner had a role in this historic occasion. He was the starting pitcher, matched up against Noah Syndergaard and each starter gave up 3 in 6 innings (6 2/3 for Thor). Madison gave up 6 hits, including 2 home runs, struck out 5 and walked 4. He was not his best, but then, he kept the Giants in the game and they found a way to win. Mark Melancon pitched the 9th and picked up the W.
Bruce Bochy also has 951 wins for the San Diego Padres. The question is, can he get enough wins to retire with an even 2,000? That would mean 49 wins in 103 games. It seems like a stretch for the 2019 Giants, but, hey, it's a goal.
The game was not as lop-sided as the score would make it appear. The Giants needed 10 innings to win, and scored 6 in the 10th to make it happen. There were no home runs for the Giants. Those 6 runs were the result of keeping the line moving. RBI's for 6 different guys: Pablo, Duggar and Vogt had 2 each and Pillar, Yaz and Belt each had 1.
Madison Bumgarner had a role in this historic occasion. He was the starting pitcher, matched up against Noah Syndergaard and each starter gave up 3 in 6 innings (6 2/3 for Thor). Madison gave up 6 hits, including 2 home runs, struck out 5 and walked 4. He was not his best, but then, he kept the Giants in the game and they found a way to win. Mark Melancon pitched the 9th and picked up the W.
Bruce Bochy also has 951 wins for the San Diego Padres. The question is, can he get enough wins to retire with an even 2,000? That would mean 49 wins in 103 games. It seems like a stretch for the 2019 Giants, but, hey, it's a goal.
Tuesday, May 14, 2019
Opener Day
Many years ago I remember thinking that a team ought to try a 3-3-3 approach. Get three guys to throw three innings apiece. Heck, you could have three sets of those guys on your staff and pitch every other game that way. Anyway, it was a notion no one took seriously and that's probably good.
Despite the disappearance of the complete game every team still wants a rotation of five Max Scherzers. Of course there is only one of him and maybe a handful of guys just as good as him. There aren't 150, that's for sure. Thus we have killer bullpens and five-inning starters. The so-called "opener" has come to the fore and teams are giving it a try. Why not? If you have LOOGYs why can't you have openers?
Is it a gimmick? Will it wind up in the dustbin of baseball history? Maybe. But teams are playing baseball RIGHT NOW and they need to win ballgames RIGHT NOW. We can worry about the history books later. I say do what works. If the opener gives the Giants a better chance to win then what's the problem?
Nick Vincent gets the call today against Toronto. No, this outing is not a referendum on the new-school, analytics-driven baseball of the 21st century. It's one game. It's not going to make or break Farhan Zaidi's tenure as PoBO. But it does say something, and it's pretty simple: do what you have to do to win. Get the best matchups for your players. I appreciate that Mr. Old School Himself, Bruce Bochy, is smart and adaptable and willing to risk opprobium in order to try to make the team better. If a guy like Boch can embrace the opener, shouldn't we all?
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Despite the disappearance of the complete game every team still wants a rotation of five Max Scherzers. Of course there is only one of him and maybe a handful of guys just as good as him. There aren't 150, that's for sure. Thus we have killer bullpens and five-inning starters. The so-called "opener" has come to the fore and teams are giving it a try. Why not? If you have LOOGYs why can't you have openers?
Is it a gimmick? Will it wind up in the dustbin of baseball history? Maybe. But teams are playing baseball RIGHT NOW and they need to win ballgames RIGHT NOW. We can worry about the history books later. I say do what works. If the opener gives the Giants a better chance to win then what's the problem?
Nick Vincent gets the call today against Toronto. No, this outing is not a referendum on the new-school, analytics-driven baseball of the 21st century. It's one game. It's not going to make or break Farhan Zaidi's tenure as PoBO. But it does say something, and it's pretty simple: do what you have to do to win. Get the best matchups for your players. I appreciate that Mr. Old School Himself, Bruce Bochy, is smart and adaptable and willing to risk opprobium in order to try to make the team better. If a guy like Boch can embrace the opener, shouldn't we all?
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Sunday, May 12, 2019
Giants Rally Past Reds
SF 6 CIN 5
Madison Bumgarner has thrown 18 innings in his last three starts, six innings in each. He's walked only three and whiffed 23, but has allowed 20 hits including three homers. It all tallies to eight runs allowed but more importantly three wins for the team. Today his catcher Erik Kratz didn't help him out (first batter reached on catcher's interference and was PB'd to second) and he put the team in a 2-0 hole after a two-out hit. Pablo Sandoval tied it up in the bottom half with a two-run homer, but Bum gave up another two-out hit which led to a run in the 2nd inning. After three scoreless Bum batted for himself in the 5th, striking out, and then gave up a homer to the first batter of the 6th (Yasiel Puig). That was enough to doom the Giants, normally, but they rallied late and got a big pinch-hit homer from Brandon Belt (driving in Brandon Crawford, who had walked) to tie it 4-4 in the 7th. Reyes Moronta loaded the bases in the 8th and that led to a run, but the Giants rallied again to take a 6-5 lead in the bottom half. Big hits from Evan Longoria, Panda again, and Kevin Pillar gave Will Smith a chance to save it and he did so. The Giants snapped a three-game losing streak.
It was a good start, overall, in a string of terrible starts. Bumgarner and the 'pen held the Dodgers to one run on May 1st and won that game (and the series). Here's the tally since then by the starters (IP/R): 2.1/8, 5/8, 5/4, 1.2/7, 6/3 (MadBum), 2.2/7, 5/4, and 4/3. Not pretty. Oh, that included 18 HR. That's right: eighteen homers. Dereck Rodriguez was sent back to AAA, Drew Pomeranz was put on the IL, and Derek Holland was moved to the bullpen. I can't argue with any of that. Tyler Beede will get the start on Tuesday and then it is TBD. Perhaps they'll call up a youngster like Shaun Anderson or Andrew Suarez. I don't know! It's an uncertain time out there for anyone not named Madison Bumgarner.
Apparently Derek Holland caused a bit of a local kerfuffle complaining to the media about his demotion and claiming his IL stay was "fake." Buddy, EVERY TEAM uses the IL creatively! A hangnail is almost good enough. If his ERA was other than 6.75 it would not have happened. Everyone also knows you go to your coaches and/or manager first if you have a beef, and you don't rip "the front office" (i.e., your bosses) in public without at least doing it in private first. But that's OK. If a player is happy after a demotion I think he's in the wrong profession. Pitch well, and the problems will go away. Winning clubhouses are happy clubhouses. I have to give Boch a lot of credit for keeping stuff like this under wraps these last few seasons when the team has played so poorly. You have to figure folks get grumpy when week after week they perform below expectations. With the regime change everyone also knows things are going to be different and there is some uncertainty ahead for many of the players. That has to weigh on their minds. FZ made a point to say that if he has not made it comfortable for players to come to him with problems then "that is on him" and he will do more to improve communication. He's the new sheriff in town and there's bound to be some growing pains but I remain convinced he's the right person. I particularly like that he is relentlessly positive and looks for solutions. He doesn't pass the buck or cast blame.
Off-day tomorrow and again on Thursday with two against the Blue Jays in between.
--M.C.
Madison Bumgarner has thrown 18 innings in his last three starts, six innings in each. He's walked only three and whiffed 23, but has allowed 20 hits including three homers. It all tallies to eight runs allowed but more importantly three wins for the team. Today his catcher Erik Kratz didn't help him out (first batter reached on catcher's interference and was PB'd to second) and he put the team in a 2-0 hole after a two-out hit. Pablo Sandoval tied it up in the bottom half with a two-run homer, but Bum gave up another two-out hit which led to a run in the 2nd inning. After three scoreless Bum batted for himself in the 5th, striking out, and then gave up a homer to the first batter of the 6th (Yasiel Puig). That was enough to doom the Giants, normally, but they rallied late and got a big pinch-hit homer from Brandon Belt (driving in Brandon Crawford, who had walked) to tie it 4-4 in the 7th. Reyes Moronta loaded the bases in the 8th and that led to a run, but the Giants rallied again to take a 6-5 lead in the bottom half. Big hits from Evan Longoria, Panda again, and Kevin Pillar gave Will Smith a chance to save it and he did so. The Giants snapped a three-game losing streak.
It was a good start, overall, in a string of terrible starts. Bumgarner and the 'pen held the Dodgers to one run on May 1st and won that game (and the series). Here's the tally since then by the starters (IP/R): 2.1/8, 5/8, 5/4, 1.2/7, 6/3 (MadBum), 2.2/7, 5/4, and 4/3. Not pretty. Oh, that included 18 HR. That's right: eighteen homers. Dereck Rodriguez was sent back to AAA, Drew Pomeranz was put on the IL, and Derek Holland was moved to the bullpen. I can't argue with any of that. Tyler Beede will get the start on Tuesday and then it is TBD. Perhaps they'll call up a youngster like Shaun Anderson or Andrew Suarez. I don't know! It's an uncertain time out there for anyone not named Madison Bumgarner.
Apparently Derek Holland caused a bit of a local kerfuffle complaining to the media about his demotion and claiming his IL stay was "fake." Buddy, EVERY TEAM uses the IL creatively! A hangnail is almost good enough. If his ERA was other than 6.75 it would not have happened. Everyone also knows you go to your coaches and/or manager first if you have a beef, and you don't rip "the front office" (i.e., your bosses) in public without at least doing it in private first. But that's OK. If a player is happy after a demotion I think he's in the wrong profession. Pitch well, and the problems will go away. Winning clubhouses are happy clubhouses. I have to give Boch a lot of credit for keeping stuff like this under wraps these last few seasons when the team has played so poorly. You have to figure folks get grumpy when week after week they perform below expectations. With the regime change everyone also knows things are going to be different and there is some uncertainty ahead for many of the players. That has to weigh on their minds. FZ made a point to say that if he has not made it comfortable for players to come to him with problems then "that is on him" and he will do more to improve communication. He's the new sheriff in town and there's bound to be some growing pains but I remain convinced he's the right person. I particularly like that he is relentlessly positive and looks for solutions. He doesn't pass the buck or cast blame.
Off-day tomorrow and again on Thursday with two against the Blue Jays in between.
--M.C.
Monday, February 18, 2019
Bochy to Retire
Bruce Bochy announced today that this will be his final season as a manager. That ends much of the speculation surrounding him, don't you think? He turns 64 in April and 2019 will be his 25th as a big-league skipper. He'll have over 4000 games managed by the end of this year and only seven other guys have done that: Connie Mack, Tony LaRussa, John McGraw, Bobby Cox, Bucky Harris, Joe Torre, and Sparky Anderson. That's some remarkable company! Only ten guys have three (or more) World Series rings as a manager: Casey Stengel, Joe McCarthy, Mack, Torre, Walter Alston, LaRussa, McGraw, Anderson, Miller Huggins, and Boch. Again, not a bad bunch to be a part of.
--M.C.
p.s. There's a season's worth of chances to say it, but I should have said it first thing: THANKS, BOCH!!
--M.C.
p.s. There's a season's worth of chances to say it, but I should have said it first thing: THANKS, BOCH!!
Tuesday, April 18, 2017
7 4 1 1 2 3 ND
SF 2 KC 1 (11)
The Giants won an agonizing extra-inning torture-fest in Kansas City. That's a big story, the wins have been a little sparse lately. But the real story was a brilliant effort by Giants starter Matt Cain. He gave up a couple of hard-hit balls early but quickly found his repertoire and other than a solo shot by rookie Whit Merrifield in the 5th he was in command and got stronger as he went on. He got pulled after seven and 86 pitches. What a superb job on the road against a tough lineup! The team's failure to support him with runs was a familiar old tale. Matt Cain pitched well--that's my story and I'm sticking with it.
It was a painful game as the Giants blew multiple chances to open things up. This lineup has a tough time getting big hits, and could use an occasional homer. They ultimately broke through with two outs on no one on in the 11th when Nick Hundley's double was followed by Joe Panik's single. There have not been many chances so far to give the ball to the closer, but he got the call in the bottom half. Mark Melancon gave up two hits but got the job done with three strikeouts and the Giants had a huge win. All the relievers made it difficult; the Royals had eight baserunners in the final four frames.
Bruce Bochy had a medical procedure and was not in the house, he'll join the team Friday. Ron Wotus had managing duties.
Madison Bumgarner tomorrow. GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
p.s. I neglected to mention that Buster Posey was in the lineup as the DH and got three hits. That's good news!
The Giants won an agonizing extra-inning torture-fest in Kansas City. That's a big story, the wins have been a little sparse lately. But the real story was a brilliant effort by Giants starter Matt Cain. He gave up a couple of hard-hit balls early but quickly found his repertoire and other than a solo shot by rookie Whit Merrifield in the 5th he was in command and got stronger as he went on. He got pulled after seven and 86 pitches. What a superb job on the road against a tough lineup! The team's failure to support him with runs was a familiar old tale. Matt Cain pitched well--that's my story and I'm sticking with it.
It was a painful game as the Giants blew multiple chances to open things up. This lineup has a tough time getting big hits, and could use an occasional homer. They ultimately broke through with two outs on no one on in the 11th when Nick Hundley's double was followed by Joe Panik's single. There have not been many chances so far to give the ball to the closer, but he got the call in the bottom half. Mark Melancon gave up two hits but got the job done with three strikeouts and the Giants had a huge win. All the relievers made it difficult; the Royals had eight baserunners in the final four frames.
Bruce Bochy had a medical procedure and was not in the house, he'll join the team Friday. Ron Wotus had managing duties.
Madison Bumgarner tomorrow. GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
p.s. I neglected to mention that Buster Posey was in the lineup as the DH and got three hits. That's good news!
Wednesday, September 14, 2016
8th inning: 9-9
I wrote this after a bullpen meltdown last week:
Here's the breakdown. At least we are seeing an upward trend! 18 games to go--it's the final inning of the season. Not exactly the Giants forte--final innings, that is.
1st inning: 8-10
2nd inning: 10-8
3rd inning: 15-3
4th inning: 12-6
5th inning: 12-6
6th inning: 5-13
7th inning: 6-12
8th inning: 9-9
Bumgarner this afternoon. Go Giants!
--M.C.
Maybe Boch should flip everything over and have Casilla be the first guy out of the 'pen and Okert and Strickland finish. Can't get any worse.Turns out it can be worse--Giants give up five in the 9th and lose to San Diego 6-4. OK, so I won't give the skipper any more advice.
Here's the breakdown. At least we are seeing an upward trend! 18 games to go--it's the final inning of the season. Not exactly the Giants forte--final innings, that is.
1st inning: 8-10
2nd inning: 10-8
3rd inning: 15-3
4th inning: 12-6
5th inning: 12-6
6th inning: 5-13
7th inning: 6-12
8th inning: 9-9
Bumgarner this afternoon. Go Giants!
--M.C.
Wednesday, September 7, 2016
Collapse
6-5 loss in Coors
It was Marx who said that when history repeats itself it would be "the first time as tragedy, the second time as farce." Things are so bad I'm quoting a goddamn commie. The Giants are fatally crippled in the bullpen and they blow late leads with regularity. So regularly do they blow leads that a promising season is slipping away. In fact, that may be it. The Giants fall to five back in the West and cling to a mere half-game lead in the Wild Card. And trending downward, unfortunately, with 23 games yet to play.
Santiago Casilla got pulled after the homer, the strikeout, and the hit and does not get assigned either a 'loss' or a 'blown save'. In fact he gets credit for a 'hold'. But his three-batter outing set the stage for the collapse, Osich and Nathan were merely stand-ins for the final blows. Maybe Boch should flip everything over and have Casilla be the first guy out of the 'pen and Okert and Strickland finish. Can't get any worse.
--M.C.
It was Marx who said that when history repeats itself it would be "the first time as tragedy, the second time as farce." Things are so bad I'm quoting a goddamn commie. The Giants are fatally crippled in the bullpen and they blow late leads with regularity. So regularly do they blow leads that a promising season is slipping away. In fact, that may be it. The Giants fall to five back in the West and cling to a mere half-game lead in the Wild Card. And trending downward, unfortunately, with 23 games yet to play.
Santiago Casilla got pulled after the homer, the strikeout, and the hit and does not get assigned either a 'loss' or a 'blown save'. In fact he gets credit for a 'hold'. But his three-batter outing set the stage for the collapse, Osich and Nathan were merely stand-ins for the final blows. Maybe Boch should flip everything over and have Casilla be the first guy out of the 'pen and Okert and Strickland finish. Can't get any worse.
--M.C.
Thursday, July 14, 2016
5th inning: 12-6
The Giants have played 90 games (five 18-game innings) and have 72 games remaining. They
have completed 5/9 (about 56%) of their season. Here's the tally so
far:
1st inning: 8-10
2nd inning: 10-8
3rd inning: 15-3
4th inning: 12-6
5th inning: 12-6
That's a 57-33 record (.633), the best in baseball. They opened the season playing .500 ball (18-18) but since then they've played at a .722 clip (39-15). Pretty impressive, wouldn't you say?
A look at the numbers shows the Giants are 12th out of 30 teams with a run-scoring rate of 4.71 per game (league average is 4.51). Breaking down the team slash line their batting average (.263) is 11th-best, their OBP (.336) is 4th-best and their slugging percentage (.406) is 21st. Their wOBA (.320) is 15th, smack dab in the middle, but their wRC+ (104) is 7th-best. The Giants are good at bases on balls (4th-best) and very hard to strike out (3rd-fewest). This is not surprising, we see that every day. They don't hit many homers (only the Braves are worse) but they are 9th in doubles and 2nd in triples.
On the pitching side they are allowing 3.90 runs per game, behind only the Nationals, Mets, Dodgers, and Cubs. The league average is 4.51 so the Giants have the run-prevention thing down pretty well despite the shaky bullpen. In team FIP (3.69) they trail only the Dodgers, Nationals, and Mets. They are middle-of-the-pack in strikeouts but excellent (3rd-fewest) in both walks and homers. Only eight teams have given up fewer hits.
Team position-player fWAR (19.4, includes fielding) is 3rd-best and team pitching fWAR (10.1) is 9th-best. One metric from B-R (Defensive Efficiency) gives the team a .700 mark, 6th-best. We know this is a good-glove team, and that synergy with the leather behind the pitchers makes a big impact. On the whole, it seems the Giants are a little better than the sum of their parts. They do a lot of things well and have good leadership, not to mention some championship DNA.
Individually it is hard to miss the 1-2 punch of Madison Bumgarner and Johnny Cueto. The team is 29-8 when they start. Those two are doing everything right and leading the club with consistently dominant pitching. Jeff Samardzija has had his ups and downs but overall is a fine number three and the recent rebound from Jake Peavy has been a big lift as well. Albert Suarez has done a solid job filling in for Matt Cain but I think we all want to see the big righty return ASAP to bolster the ro' for the second half run.
Buster Posey, Brandon Belt, and Brandon Crawford have been the big performers with the bat and all three have been excellent defensively, with BCraw dazzling nightly with his impossible plays. That guy is under-rated at 4.2 fWAR (7th-best in baseball)! The super-subs (Green, Peña, and Parker in particular) have filled in remarkably well and there have been contributions up and down the roster. It will be nice to get our fabulous infield back together (Panik probably sooner than Duffy) but the organization has been well-served by the backups.
The weak link has been the bullpen but when the team has the most wins and fewest losses it is hard to get too worried. I believe the return of Sergio Romo will help settle the roles and we will see more consistency. George Kontos may be a key guy here. I've said it many times before I think we will see a new arm or two (a lefty, probably) for the stretch run, but no one famous or expensive. Think about how valuable Cory Gearrin has been--he's a scrap-heap reclamation. The Giants won't get Andrew Miller but they will find a diamond-in-the-rough who can help. Despite some hiccups both Santiago Casilla and Hunter Strickland have been solid and will get the pressure outs in the big games to come.
Imagine this team taking a dump and playing .500 ball (36-36) the rest of the way. That's 93 wins! I don't think that will happen: 40 more wins (.556) means 97 total, which should mean a West Division title and first or second seed in the playoffs. With Pence coming back and perhaps an uptick in performance from both Span and Blanco (Pagan has been looking much better, don't you think?) it's easy to feel confident. Of course disaster could strike. The baseball gods could mock us and torture us and humble us. This we know, and have experienced. But this is a good team. They won't keep up the .700 thing, but they don't have to. Keep grinding, avoid the big losing streaks, make LA feel the heat--this they can do.
One thing we can count on as fans is a top-notch front office. You can bet they will plug any holes they see in the next month or so. I'm happy with the status quo but August is the cruellest month (sorry TSE, April ain't nuthin') and the team won't be able to ride two starters and three hitters the rest of the way. The remainder of the rotation will need to be steady performers, the other guys in the lineup will have to pull their collective weight, and the hurt guys will have to get healthy. But the team is in a great position for the second half and ought to be able to turn that into a post-season berth.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
1st inning: 8-10
2nd inning: 10-8
3rd inning: 15-3
4th inning: 12-6
5th inning: 12-6
That's a 57-33 record (.633), the best in baseball. They opened the season playing .500 ball (18-18) but since then they've played at a .722 clip (39-15). Pretty impressive, wouldn't you say?
A look at the numbers shows the Giants are 12th out of 30 teams with a run-scoring rate of 4.71 per game (league average is 4.51). Breaking down the team slash line their batting average (.263) is 11th-best, their OBP (.336) is 4th-best and their slugging percentage (.406) is 21st. Their wOBA (.320) is 15th, smack dab in the middle, but their wRC+ (104) is 7th-best. The Giants are good at bases on balls (4th-best) and very hard to strike out (3rd-fewest). This is not surprising, we see that every day. They don't hit many homers (only the Braves are worse) but they are 9th in doubles and 2nd in triples.
On the pitching side they are allowing 3.90 runs per game, behind only the Nationals, Mets, Dodgers, and Cubs. The league average is 4.51 so the Giants have the run-prevention thing down pretty well despite the shaky bullpen. In team FIP (3.69) they trail only the Dodgers, Nationals, and Mets. They are middle-of-the-pack in strikeouts but excellent (3rd-fewest) in both walks and homers. Only eight teams have given up fewer hits.
Team position-player fWAR (19.4, includes fielding) is 3rd-best and team pitching fWAR (10.1) is 9th-best. One metric from B-R (Defensive Efficiency) gives the team a .700 mark, 6th-best. We know this is a good-glove team, and that synergy with the leather behind the pitchers makes a big impact. On the whole, it seems the Giants are a little better than the sum of their parts. They do a lot of things well and have good leadership, not to mention some championship DNA.
Individually it is hard to miss the 1-2 punch of Madison Bumgarner and Johnny Cueto. The team is 29-8 when they start. Those two are doing everything right and leading the club with consistently dominant pitching. Jeff Samardzija has had his ups and downs but overall is a fine number three and the recent rebound from Jake Peavy has been a big lift as well. Albert Suarez has done a solid job filling in for Matt Cain but I think we all want to see the big righty return ASAP to bolster the ro' for the second half run.
Buster Posey, Brandon Belt, and Brandon Crawford have been the big performers with the bat and all three have been excellent defensively, with BCraw dazzling nightly with his impossible plays. That guy is under-rated at 4.2 fWAR (7th-best in baseball)! The super-subs (Green, Peña, and Parker in particular) have filled in remarkably well and there have been contributions up and down the roster. It will be nice to get our fabulous infield back together (Panik probably sooner than Duffy) but the organization has been well-served by the backups.
The weak link has been the bullpen but when the team has the most wins and fewest losses it is hard to get too worried. I believe the return of Sergio Romo will help settle the roles and we will see more consistency. George Kontos may be a key guy here. I've said it many times before I think we will see a new arm or two (a lefty, probably) for the stretch run, but no one famous or expensive. Think about how valuable Cory Gearrin has been--he's a scrap-heap reclamation. The Giants won't get Andrew Miller but they will find a diamond-in-the-rough who can help. Despite some hiccups both Santiago Casilla and Hunter Strickland have been solid and will get the pressure outs in the big games to come.
Imagine this team taking a dump and playing .500 ball (36-36) the rest of the way. That's 93 wins! I don't think that will happen: 40 more wins (.556) means 97 total, which should mean a West Division title and first or second seed in the playoffs. With Pence coming back and perhaps an uptick in performance from both Span and Blanco (Pagan has been looking much better, don't you think?) it's easy to feel confident. Of course disaster could strike. The baseball gods could mock us and torture us and humble us. This we know, and have experienced. But this is a good team. They won't keep up the .700 thing, but they don't have to. Keep grinding, avoid the big losing streaks, make LA feel the heat--this they can do.
One thing we can count on as fans is a top-notch front office. You can bet they will plug any holes they see in the next month or so. I'm happy with the status quo but August is the cruellest month (sorry TSE, April ain't nuthin') and the team won't be able to ride two starters and three hitters the rest of the way. The remainder of the rotation will need to be steady performers, the other guys in the lineup will have to pull their collective weight, and the hurt guys will have to get healthy. But the team is in a great position for the second half and ought to be able to turn that into a post-season berth.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Thursday, May 19, 2016
Eight
3-1 win in SD
Jeff Samardzija did his best. Came close to matching his mates with another complete game, one-run performance. Ol' Boch had other ideas and pulled his man after eight with a 3-1 lead and 105 pitches thrown. I suppose he got to use Kelby Tomlinson and Santiago Casilla, both needing the work, but it was hard to swallow The Shark sitting in that situation. I don't normally question the boss but I'd have given him a shot to finish it. You could argue that it was his best start of the season so far, and that he'd yet to finish one, but the inscrutable big-headed one was happy with the three hits, no walks, and eight strikeouts.
As it was Lady Luck smiled upon the subs, Kelby whiffing but getting to first via the catcher mishandling strike three. Casilla, naturally, scared us crapless with his usual antics, blowing guys away amidst guys raking him. It took a snappy grab from Joe Panik (who had four hits) to get the final out.
Giants win their eighth straight with another fine effort by their starter. Clutch dinger from BCraw--again. Padres score one run in each of the three games. With the four wins in Phoenix the Giants come home with a clean road sheet: 7-0.
America's darlings, the first-place Chicago Cubs, come to San Francisco for the weekend. They throw über-ace Jake Arrieta on Friday night and fancy-pants southpaw Jon Lester on Saturday. The Giants counter with VSC-meisters Jake Peavy and Matt Cain. I say the Giants have them just where they want them! (Remember the goofy start times on the weekend to accommodate national TV.)
Way to go, Giants! Keep on rollin'!!
--M.C.
Jeff Samardzija did his best. Came close to matching his mates with another complete game, one-run performance. Ol' Boch had other ideas and pulled his man after eight with a 3-1 lead and 105 pitches thrown. I suppose he got to use Kelby Tomlinson and Santiago Casilla, both needing the work, but it was hard to swallow The Shark sitting in that situation. I don't normally question the boss but I'd have given him a shot to finish it. You could argue that it was his best start of the season so far, and that he'd yet to finish one, but the inscrutable big-headed one was happy with the three hits, no walks, and eight strikeouts.
As it was Lady Luck smiled upon the subs, Kelby whiffing but getting to first via the catcher mishandling strike three. Casilla, naturally, scared us crapless with his usual antics, blowing guys away amidst guys raking him. It took a snappy grab from Joe Panik (who had four hits) to get the final out.
Giants win their eighth straight with another fine effort by their starter. Clutch dinger from BCraw--again. Padres score one run in each of the three games. With the four wins in Phoenix the Giants come home with a clean road sheet: 7-0.
America's darlings, the first-place Chicago Cubs, come to San Francisco for the weekend. They throw über-ace Jake Arrieta on Friday night and fancy-pants southpaw Jon Lester on Saturday. The Giants counter with VSC-meisters Jake Peavy and Matt Cain. I say the Giants have them just where they want them! (Remember the goofy start times on the weekend to accommodate national TV.)
Way to go, Giants! Keep on rollin'!!
--M.C.
Friday, May 13, 2016
Three in a Row
3-1 win in AZ
The Giants hit into FIVE double plays tonight but it turned out not to matter. After all double plays are a residue of lots of men on base, right? Giants put a lot of guys on and put a lot of balls in play. So what's a few dozen double plays? As long as someone in a double play spot cranks the occasional three-run homer it's all good! Assuming of course the pitchers hold the line and tonight Jeff Samardzija delivered his third straight strong start to lead the way. Final line 8 IP, 8 H, 1 R, ZERO WALKS, 3 K. That's Game Scores of 79. 63, and 65 for The Shark's last three outings, 23-2/3 and only four runs allowed.
Joe Panik was our three-run homer hero--I must say I like it when the Giants hit homers. Seems like they win when they do that. And when they pitch well, and a big part of pitching well is the team making the plays behind the pitcher. The Giants are playing much better baseball in the field and it is paying off, snuffing rallies and saving runs. Matt Duffy, in particular, flashed the leather tonight. There's a synergy, we all know it and feel it, when the pitchers and fielders are in sync, the one boosting the others game, and we got to see that in these last two wins. That's the formula, right? Though I have to say a few more runs to pad the lead a bit would be nice. Those nail-biters in the desert give me the heebee-geebees. They give me the creeps in Colorado, for that matter, and LA too, now that you mention it. Are a few 7-1 thumpings too much to ask?
Jake Lamb led off the 9th for the Diamondbacks and Boch called on Josh Osich to get him, and he did, thanks to a great play by Duffy. Then Santiago Casilla was summoned for the last two outs, and he responded with two strikeouts. Lamb was the man coming to bat last night when Boch pulled Casilla and used Javier Lopez instead, leading to a testy tête à tête. Seems all's patched up.
Goofy time tomorrow--5:10 Pacific.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
The Giants hit into FIVE double plays tonight but it turned out not to matter. After all double plays are a residue of lots of men on base, right? Giants put a lot of guys on and put a lot of balls in play. So what's a few dozen double plays? As long as someone in a double play spot cranks the occasional three-run homer it's all good! Assuming of course the pitchers hold the line and tonight Jeff Samardzija delivered his third straight strong start to lead the way. Final line 8 IP, 8 H, 1 R, ZERO WALKS, 3 K. That's Game Scores of 79. 63, and 65 for The Shark's last three outings, 23-2/3 and only four runs allowed.
Joe Panik was our three-run homer hero--I must say I like it when the Giants hit homers. Seems like they win when they do that. And when they pitch well, and a big part of pitching well is the team making the plays behind the pitcher. The Giants are playing much better baseball in the field and it is paying off, snuffing rallies and saving runs. Matt Duffy, in particular, flashed the leather tonight. There's a synergy, we all know it and feel it, when the pitchers and fielders are in sync, the one boosting the others game, and we got to see that in these last two wins. That's the formula, right? Though I have to say a few more runs to pad the lead a bit would be nice. Those nail-biters in the desert give me the heebee-geebees. They give me the creeps in Colorado, for that matter, and LA too, now that you mention it. Are a few 7-1 thumpings too much to ask?
Jake Lamb led off the 9th for the Diamondbacks and Boch called on Josh Osich to get him, and he did, thanks to a great play by Duffy. Then Santiago Casilla was summoned for the last two outs, and he responded with two strikeouts. Lamb was the man coming to bat last night when Boch pulled Casilla and used Javier Lopez instead, leading to a testy tête à tête. Seems all's patched up.
Goofy time tomorrow--5:10 Pacific.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Friday, May 6, 2016
Ugh
17-7 loss in SF
When I was hoping this Giants team would make history this season the 12- and 13-run innings were not what I had in mind. The Rockies had their highest-scoring inning ever last night; you may recall the Mets had their highest-scoring inning ever just short of a week ago. That's 25 runs in two frames which is about 1/6 of the team total in runs allowed (153) for the year so far. Matt Cain was the starter last night, Jake Peavy was the starter in New York. Both guys are pitching about as poorly as it is possible to pitch. Matty's line is 44 hits (including 6 HR) in 31 innings with 29 runs scored. There's no way to make that pretty. He's had one good start--his first--in six chances. Peavy's line is scarily similar, 47 hits (including 6 HR) in 29 innings with 29 runs scored. He's had one good start in six chances.
Well, god bless him, that's why I love Bochy. Mr. Positive. I don't know how long the team can afford to have two starters that are among the worst in all of baseball. If you sort by FIP you might be surprised to see that there are A LOT of guys worse--Shelby Miller, Jorge de la Rosa, Jon Niese, Doug Fister, Colby Lewis, just to name a few. Peavy is still striking guys out and Cain has kept his walks down, I imagine those help a bit. Cain is rated at -0.1 fWAR while Peavy is 0.0, the worst is the aforementioned Miller at -0.5, the best being of course Kershaw at 1.9. Sorting by xFIP Cain's 4.98 puts him at 14th-worst (of all 142 pitchers with min. 20 IP) and Peavy's 4.74 makes him 27th-worst.
So it there light at the end of the tunnel? I can hear the distant clamor of "Timmy, Timmy, Timmy" growing slowly as we get closer and closer to the much-hyped showcase (supposedly today). Alas, I don't think the Giants are making any moves soon. They're our guys and we are sticking with them!
MadBum tonight. GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
When I was hoping this Giants team would make history this season the 12- and 13-run innings were not what I had in mind. The Rockies had their highest-scoring inning ever last night; you may recall the Mets had their highest-scoring inning ever just short of a week ago. That's 25 runs in two frames which is about 1/6 of the team total in runs allowed (153) for the year so far. Matt Cain was the starter last night, Jake Peavy was the starter in New York. Both guys are pitching about as poorly as it is possible to pitch. Matty's line is 44 hits (including 6 HR) in 31 innings with 29 runs scored. There's no way to make that pretty. He's had one good start--his first--in six chances. Peavy's line is scarily similar, 47 hits (including 6 HR) in 29 innings with 29 runs scored. He's had one good start in six chances.
"We're standing behind these guys," Bochy said of Cain and the struggling Jake Peavy. "These are guys who are capable of getting back on track. They have been around. They have the experience."
Well, god bless him, that's why I love Bochy. Mr. Positive. I don't know how long the team can afford to have two starters that are among the worst in all of baseball. If you sort by FIP you might be surprised to see that there are A LOT of guys worse--Shelby Miller, Jorge de la Rosa, Jon Niese, Doug Fister, Colby Lewis, just to name a few. Peavy is still striking guys out and Cain has kept his walks down, I imagine those help a bit. Cain is rated at -0.1 fWAR while Peavy is 0.0, the worst is the aforementioned Miller at -0.5, the best being of course Kershaw at 1.9. Sorting by xFIP Cain's 4.98 puts him at 14th-worst (of all 142 pitchers with min. 20 IP) and Peavy's 4.74 makes him 27th-worst.
So it there light at the end of the tunnel? I can hear the distant clamor of "Timmy, Timmy, Timmy" growing slowly as we get closer and closer to the much-hyped showcase (supposedly today). Alas, I don't think the Giants are making any moves soon. They're our guys and we are sticking with them!
MadBum tonight. GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Saturday, October 3, 2015
One-run Win
Boxscore
The Giants are 19-28 in one-run contests this season. It seems out of character for a Bochy club. I've despatched my minions to do the research, if they fail to report back they'll be fired and get rotten recommendations. Anyway, the Giants clubbed their way to a win today with homers from Brandon Crawford and Marlon Byrd. Not to mention the fabulous inside-the-parker from Young Kelby. Tomlinson was asked to fill big shoes this year and he's done remarkably well. It's nice to have young, studly infielders. But this games-decided-by-one-run thing is troublesome. I know there's some flukiness involved, but does it tell us the 'pen was not up to snuff? Or that the starters didn't keep it close enough? Minions--get right on that or you're working Hallowe'en and Thanksgiving!
Jake Peavy finished his season well. He said the right things after the game. He believes he can be healthy for 2016, and we all know that would be a big help. Another big help would be Matt Cain doing the same; he gets the start tomorrow.
With their 84th win the Giants are guaranteed to finish with a better record than the Diamondbacks, Padres, Rockies, Brewers, Reds, Nationals, Marlins, Braves, Phillies, Orioles, Red Sox, Rays, Indians, White Sox, Tigers, Mariners, and Athletics. And possibly even the Twins. That's a whole bunch of teams. They finish September 14-13 for their third winning month joining May and July. They are 1-2 for October, a win tomorrow would even things up. I'd like to see them end it on an up note.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
The Giants are 19-28 in one-run contests this season. It seems out of character for a Bochy club. I've despatched my minions to do the research, if they fail to report back they'll be fired and get rotten recommendations. Anyway, the Giants clubbed their way to a win today with homers from Brandon Crawford and Marlon Byrd. Not to mention the fabulous inside-the-parker from Young Kelby. Tomlinson was asked to fill big shoes this year and he's done remarkably well. It's nice to have young, studly infielders. But this games-decided-by-one-run thing is troublesome. I know there's some flukiness involved, but does it tell us the 'pen was not up to snuff? Or that the starters didn't keep it close enough? Minions--get right on that or you're working Hallowe'en and Thanksgiving!
Jake Peavy finished his season well. He said the right things after the game. He believes he can be healthy for 2016, and we all know that would be a big help. Another big help would be Matt Cain doing the same; he gets the start tomorrow.
With their 84th win the Giants are guaranteed to finish with a better record than the Diamondbacks, Padres, Rockies, Brewers, Reds, Nationals, Marlins, Braves, Phillies, Orioles, Red Sox, Rays, Indians, White Sox, Tigers, Mariners, and Athletics. And possibly even the Twins. That's a whole bunch of teams. They finish September 14-13 for their third winning month joining May and July. They are 1-2 for October, a win tomorrow would even things up. I'd like to see them end it on an up note.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Tuesday, June 9, 2015
Hest-o No-No!
Rookie Chris Heston pitches his second complete game of the season but this time allows NO HITS and only three baserunners (all via HBP!) and overpowers the Mets for a dominating complete game shutout. Heston is only the third rookie in Giants history to throw a no-hitter (the others were Christy Mathewson and Jeff Tesreau over 100 years ago in New York) and the fourth Giants pitcher to complete the feat since the 2009 season when Jonathan Sanchez smoked the Padres. The Giants now have a no-no in four straight seasons, with Matt Cain's perfecto in 2012 and Tim Lincecum's double against the Padres in 2013 and 2014. Heston's whitewash is the tenth team shutout for 2015 which leads all of baseball. Here's a graphic that tells the story:
Check out the 28 called strikes! Home plate umpire Rob Drake liked what he was seeing. And check out the 14 ground balls--that's Heston at his best.
As far as the offense goes, the Giants did their usual death-by-a-thousand-paper-cuts thing to take a 3-0 lead but then added solo bombs by Matt Duffy and Joe Panik for a 5-0 final. Bruce Bochy gets his 700th win as a Giants manager as well, certainly a memorable one.
Tim Hudson tomorrow. GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Check out the 28 called strikes! Home plate umpire Rob Drake liked what he was seeing. And check out the 14 ground balls--that's Heston at his best.
As far as the offense goes, the Giants did their usual death-by-a-thousand-paper-cuts thing to take a 3-0 lead but then added solo bombs by Matt Duffy and Joe Panik for a 5-0 final. Bruce Bochy gets his 700th win as a Giants manager as well, certainly a memorable one.
Tim Hudson tomorrow. GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Sunday, June 7, 2015
Phils Take Finale
The Giants ran out of gas in Philadelphia this afternoon losing the getaway game by a 6-4 score. Ryan Vogelsong had pitched effectively for six innings but couldn't get it done in the 7th and the Phils took advantage of the matchups and avoided the sweep. With two on and two out Bochy went with southpaw Javier Lopez to face lefty Odubel Herrera who was hitting ahead of lefties Chase Utley and Ryan Howard. Ryne Sandberg pinch-hit righty Jeff Francoeur and he roped a double to drive in two and set up the win for the home team. Southpaw Jeremy Affeldt gave up a homer to righty Maikel Franco the next inning to put the icing on the cake. Giants got a run off Jonathan Papelbon in the 9th and had BCraw up with two outs as the go-ahead run but he struck out to end it.
Vogie's start wasn't pretty, but he deserved better. I didn't think they'd walk Francoeur to face Utley even with Lopez on the hill, but I did think they'd work that plate appearance very carefully. Unfortunately he got one up in the zone and Francoeur didn't miss and got his second big hit of the weekend. Two out of three ain't bad, I suppose, especially on the road, but I thought they might get a sweep against the lowly Phils. The Giants cranked out ten hits including four doubles and had a lot of chances (3-for-15 with RISP) but didn't get the back-breaking blow they needed. The Phillies hit two long balls, both solo shots, but the one by Herrera in the 3rd tied the score after the Giants had taken the lead with two in the top of the inning. Rookie Joe Panik upped his average to .316, tenth-best in the NL, with three hits.
The team faces the Mets on Tuesday after an off-day tomorrow. Chris Heston gets the nod.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Vogie's start wasn't pretty, but he deserved better. I didn't think they'd walk Francoeur to face Utley even with Lopez on the hill, but I did think they'd work that plate appearance very carefully. Unfortunately he got one up in the zone and Francoeur didn't miss and got his second big hit of the weekend. Two out of three ain't bad, I suppose, especially on the road, but I thought they might get a sweep against the lowly Phils. The Giants cranked out ten hits including four doubles and had a lot of chances (3-for-15 with RISP) but didn't get the back-breaking blow they needed. The Phillies hit two long balls, both solo shots, but the one by Herrera in the 3rd tied the score after the Giants had taken the lead with two in the top of the inning. Rookie Joe Panik upped his average to .316, tenth-best in the NL, with three hits.
The team faces the Mets on Tuesday after an off-day tomorrow. Chris Heston gets the nod.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Saturday, April 4, 2015
2015: Thoughts on the New Season
What do I look forward to most this season? That's easy, it's watching Matt Cain pitch. The big righty has been the center of my Giants universe for the last ten seasons and I'm happy that he's back. The Giants are counting on him to return to form. That's a tall order--age and injuries ultimately catch up with everyone and there's way no way to know who's next. It's going to be fun--like the Giants I think Matty will rediscover his game. He's always been the reliable workhorse, not the flashy star, so he'll have to grind it out. The fancy numbers, like pitcher-wins, have never favored Cain. He's someone you appreciate only after the quality innings pile up. At some point this year we'll get a sustained run of excellence and all will be right with the world. It will be even better if Buster has one of his legendary hot months at the same time!
I'm also looking forward to Matty's antithesis, Tim Lincecum. The days of the transcendent superstar we called The Franchise may be in the past, but The Freak is still alive and well. It's a bad idea to underestimate the oddballs and outliers of this world. Timmy is one of those, and I'm excited about what he's going to show us this year.
I think newcomers Nori Aoki and Casey McGehee will play good ball. The Giants have a knack for finding undervalued veterans to plug key holes. And they like all-rounders, guys who have broad skill sets that can help the team in multiple ways. I'm going to enjoy watching a couple of fresh faces.
Speaking of fresh faces, we might have to wait a while on Matt Duffy. There's still a chance he'll make the team straight away, but there's a bit of a logjam with Ehire Adrianza and Joaquin Arias ahead of him, so it's hard to know what will happen. I expect they'll either trade Adrianza or cut Arias if they want Duffy on board. I'm just glad it isn't my decision! I haven't see enough of Ehire to know how I feel about him, but I'm definitely intrigued and hope he can show us what he's got. I love Joaquin, he's done everything the team has asked him to do, but there comes a time when the youngsters will take his spot, contract or not.
Another youngster, Hector Sanchez, has been a favorite of mine since his arrival. I'm happy he made the team. Clearly they are grooming Andrew Susac for a bigger future role and need him to play everyday in the minors. I'm excited about his development and want to see more of him. But it's Hector, a man who might have seen his career evaporate due to head injuries, who gets the spotlight for now. I'm looking forward to him pinch-hitting late in games and getting a start behind the plate once a week or so. Maybe he'll be Tim's personal catcher again. He doesn't handle the ball as well as Posey, and that might mean more missed chances what with Lincecum's goofy arsenal, but it's a small price to pay to protect a superstar. Buster doesn't need the extra work, he's got the toughest job on the team already!
Last year I told everyone who asked that I was looking forward to watching Brandon Crawford play more than anyone else on the club. There's just something about his easy grace and preternatural calm that I can't take my eyes off. He consistently makes amazing plays and makes them look easy. That's the best compliment you can give any athlete, I think. Guys who make hard things look routine are special. People complain about his errors, but people complain about a lot of things. The man is a brilliant fielder, one of the best I've ever seen. And his hitting has gotten better every season. At 28, he's just coming into his peak. Can't wait to see what he'll do this year.
The Giants have, of course, two of the best players in the game with Madison Bumgarner and his battery-mate Buster Posey. They will, naturally, be fun to watch. The Core Four in the Bullpen (Jeremy Affeldt, Sergio Romo, Javier Lopez, Santiago Casilla) are another special bunch. Three rings apiece for all six of those fellows listed above! Wow. How can you not appreciate that?
And I'm also looking forward to this seven starters thing. It's going to require some creativity. Good thing Bruce Bochy is in charge. If anyone can sort it out it's Ol' Boch. I'm looking forward to another season with The Skipper.
I'm looking forward to the whole package. I know I've only talked about a few individuals that have piqued my particular interest, but I want to see everyone. This is the best time ever to be a Giants fan, and I'm prepared to enjoy all of it.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
I'm also looking forward to Matty's antithesis, Tim Lincecum. The days of the transcendent superstar we called The Franchise may be in the past, but The Freak is still alive and well. It's a bad idea to underestimate the oddballs and outliers of this world. Timmy is one of those, and I'm excited about what he's going to show us this year.
I think newcomers Nori Aoki and Casey McGehee will play good ball. The Giants have a knack for finding undervalued veterans to plug key holes. And they like all-rounders, guys who have broad skill sets that can help the team in multiple ways. I'm going to enjoy watching a couple of fresh faces.
Speaking of fresh faces, we might have to wait a while on Matt Duffy. There's still a chance he'll make the team straight away, but there's a bit of a logjam with Ehire Adrianza and Joaquin Arias ahead of him, so it's hard to know what will happen. I expect they'll either trade Adrianza or cut Arias if they want Duffy on board. I'm just glad it isn't my decision! I haven't see enough of Ehire to know how I feel about him, but I'm definitely intrigued and hope he can show us what he's got. I love Joaquin, he's done everything the team has asked him to do, but there comes a time when the youngsters will take his spot, contract or not.
Another youngster, Hector Sanchez, has been a favorite of mine since his arrival. I'm happy he made the team. Clearly they are grooming Andrew Susac for a bigger future role and need him to play everyday in the minors. I'm excited about his development and want to see more of him. But it's Hector, a man who might have seen his career evaporate due to head injuries, who gets the spotlight for now. I'm looking forward to him pinch-hitting late in games and getting a start behind the plate once a week or so. Maybe he'll be Tim's personal catcher again. He doesn't handle the ball as well as Posey, and that might mean more missed chances what with Lincecum's goofy arsenal, but it's a small price to pay to protect a superstar. Buster doesn't need the extra work, he's got the toughest job on the team already!
Last year I told everyone who asked that I was looking forward to watching Brandon Crawford play more than anyone else on the club. There's just something about his easy grace and preternatural calm that I can't take my eyes off. He consistently makes amazing plays and makes them look easy. That's the best compliment you can give any athlete, I think. Guys who make hard things look routine are special. People complain about his errors, but people complain about a lot of things. The man is a brilliant fielder, one of the best I've ever seen. And his hitting has gotten better every season. At 28, he's just coming into his peak. Can't wait to see what he'll do this year.
The Giants have, of course, two of the best players in the game with Madison Bumgarner and his battery-mate Buster Posey. They will, naturally, be fun to watch. The Core Four in the Bullpen (Jeremy Affeldt, Sergio Romo, Javier Lopez, Santiago Casilla) are another special bunch. Three rings apiece for all six of those fellows listed above! Wow. How can you not appreciate that?
And I'm also looking forward to this seven starters thing. It's going to require some creativity. Good thing Bruce Bochy is in charge. If anyone can sort it out it's Ol' Boch. I'm looking forward to another season with The Skipper.
I'm looking forward to the whole package. I know I've only talked about a few individuals that have piqued my particular interest, but I want to see everyone. This is the best time ever to be a Giants fan, and I'm prepared to enjoy all of it.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
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