The Giants put on a pitching-and-defense clinic tonight in San Diego and came away with a 1-0 win. The bullpen picked up the theme from starter Tim Hudson and worked 5-2/3 scoreless after his 6-1/3 and that gave the club a chance to get a winning hit. Justin Maxwell finally delivered in the 12th and Santiago Casilla closed the door for the victory. Huddy walked five and gave up five hits but four double plays saved the day.
Tim Lincecum takes the hill tomorrow.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Thursday, April 9, 2015
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
All Hail Heston
Rookie Chris Heston stepped up tonight for a short-handed (short-armed?) Giants squad and delivered six solid innings to lead the team to a victory in Arizona. The sinker ball specialist generated nine ground ball outs along with five punch-outs and allowed only three hits in his second ML start. The Giants had bashed a dozen hits but were clinging to a slim 3-2 lead when FNG Casey McGehee launched a two-run homer in the 8th to seal the deal for the good guys. McGehee was fourth in the NL last season with 691 plate appearances but managed just FOUR long balls. Tonight though he cranked up the big fly when the team needed it most and the Giants took the series from the D-Backs.
With Matt Cain on the DL and Jake Peavy hurting the team needed some help on the hill and the 2009 12th round draft pick from East Carolina University answered the bell. Let's hope the youngster can keep it going until the oldsters can get back to full health.
Other FNG Nori Aoki had three hits to bring his 2015 total to six which leads the team. Rookie Matt Duffy got a start and chipped in two. FNGs and rookies--a deadly combo!
Ian Kennedy and Tim Hudson in San Diego tomorrow night.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
With Matt Cain on the DL and Jake Peavy hurting the team needed some help on the hill and the 2009 12th round draft pick from East Carolina University answered the bell. Let's hope the youngster can keep it going until the oldsters can get back to full health.
Other FNG Nori Aoki had three hits to bring his 2015 total to six which leads the team. Rookie Matt Duffy got a start and chipped in two. FNGs and rookies--a deadly combo!
Ian Kennedy and Tim Hudson in San Diego tomorrow night.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
AAA Fever in Sac Town
As you all know, the Giants' AAA affiliate is now in Sacramento instead of Fresno. Goodbye Grizzlies, hello River Cats. Local interest is high because normal people love the Giants and hate the A's .
Once I attended a River Cats game and they happened to be commemorating the '89 World Series. Many retired players were there, including "Hindu" Henderson, Dave Stewart and bunch of other fucking A's. Imagine my delight.
But baseball is baseball, so I've been going to a few games a year ever since I moved to Sac County 14 years ago. I'll have a beer and a Polish and cheer for the dopey minor league antics between the innings, stay to the end if there's going to be fireworks, otherwise head for the exits whenever the spirit moved me, because I didn't really care about the score. But from now on I'll be paying attention and actually rooting for the home team.
So it's my intention to take the AAA "beat" for RMC and share the occasional observation. It's hard to say exactly who is a River Cat and who isn't. For example I thought I'd include Chris Heston but he's pitching in Arizona as I write.
Andrew Susac and John Bowker are local guys so they get a little extra press. And the roster includes Juan Perez and Hunter Strickland, who along with Susac will be receiving championship rings soon.
The notorious Angel Villalona is still lurking about. The Giants need right-handed power. Who knows?
More later (don't hold your breath)
Once I attended a River Cats game and they happened to be commemorating the '89 World Series. Many retired players were there, including "Hindu" Henderson, Dave Stewart and bunch of other fucking A's. Imagine my delight.
But baseball is baseball, so I've been going to a few games a year ever since I moved to Sac County 14 years ago. I'll have a beer and a Polish and cheer for the dopey minor league antics between the innings, stay to the end if there's going to be fireworks, otherwise head for the exits whenever the spirit moved me, because I didn't really care about the score. But from now on I'll be paying attention and actually rooting for the home team.
So it's my intention to take the AAA "beat" for RMC and share the occasional observation. It's hard to say exactly who is a River Cat and who isn't. For example I thought I'd include Chris Heston but he's pitching in Arizona as I write.
Andrew Susac and John Bowker are local guys so they get a little extra press. And the roster includes Juan Perez and Hunter Strickland, who along with Susac will be receiving championship rings soon.
The notorious Angel Villalona is still lurking about. The Giants need right-handed power. Who knows?
More later (don't hold your breath)
Monday, April 6, 2015
One In The Books
I guess the diamondbacks won't be serving beer this season. They lost their opener. I don't know, maybe they can pop bottlecaps by sliding the roof over them somehow. Anyway, they don't seem to have enough fan support to open during the day. The Giants won. Not by much, as it turned out. Madison Bumgarner, hero of 2014 and all around cool guy, was on the mound. He pitched well, very well. Seven strong, 93 pitches, 1 run and 6 hits. 3 strikeouts. The Giants got a bunch of hits! 3 for Panik and Pagan. 2 each for Aoki, McGehee, and Crawford, and Matt Duffy pitched in 1 in a pinch hitting role. The defensive side of the 8th was a mess, as we sent 4 pitchers to the plate and gave up 4 runs. Santiago Casilla pitched damn well for the save. Giants win, 5 - 4.
Sunday, April 5, 2015
Tell Him Goodbye
This tweet from Baggs was in the feed on the sidebar.
I grew up with Lon Simmons. I remember when the Giants had Russ Hodges and Bill Thompson on the broadcast as well. KSFO, 560 AM was on a lot in my house when I was growing up, it was my mom's favorite station. Lon did the 49ers with Hugh McElhenny, too.
One of the things Lon did well was let the game speak for itself. Today's media-saturated world does not appreciate silence. There has to be noise all the time. Either the announcers never shut up or the stadium PA has music or other stuff to fill the air with sound. Baseball is a relaxed game punctuated by moments of tension. Lon had a great feel for the pace of the action, and knew when to sit back and allow the listener to enjoy the slow moments. It's a lost art. The Giants are lucky to have Miller and Flemm, they are both excellent. But neither have Lon's rich baritone or his sense of timing. Maybe with his passing they can learn some of his subtlety.
Recquiescat in pacem, Lon. Thanks for decades of entertainment!
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.
Friday, April 3, 2015
Giants have a new GM
Brian Sabean was the longest-serving GM in baseball and that streak has come to an end. He's been promoted! Underling Bobby Evans is now the titular General Manager. Both Boch and Sabes were extended through 2019. Only Buster Posey is signed with the Giants past that point.
I won't bore you with analysis or presume to understand the inner workings of the front office. Suffice to say things have been working well and let's hope this new scheme is just more of the same. Congratulations to Bobby Evans, to be sure. He's been more and more visible these last several seasons and it is obvious the organization thinks highly of him. Sabes gets some fancy new title and presumably an office with a better view or a bigger desk or maybe a personalized parking spot. Boch gets to still be Boch. Let's hope he got a raise.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
p.s. In case you missed it in the comments on the previous post, I have an extra ticket for the Home Opener (Monday the 13th v. COL @ 1:35 pm). I have seven people in my party and a block of eight seats. We will be in View Box 321 Row A, right on the edge of the upper deck. It was a StubHub purchase so the seat will set you back a stack o'clams ($236.33 to be exact). If any of you RMCers out there want to go or have a friend in need contact me ASAP (mcoc13@gmail.com).
I won't bore you with analysis or presume to understand the inner workings of the front office. Suffice to say things have been working well and let's hope this new scheme is just more of the same. Congratulations to Bobby Evans, to be sure. He's been more and more visible these last several seasons and it is obvious the organization thinks highly of him. Sabes gets some fancy new title and presumably an office with a better view or a bigger desk or maybe a personalized parking spot. Boch gets to still be Boch. Let's hope he got a raise.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
p.s. In case you missed it in the comments on the previous post, I have an extra ticket for the Home Opener (Monday the 13th v. COL @ 1:35 pm). I have seven people in my party and a block of eight seats. We will be in View Box 321 Row A, right on the edge of the upper deck. It was a StubHub purchase so the seat will set you back a stack o'clams ($236.33 to be exact). If any of you RMCers out there want to go or have a friend in need contact me ASAP (mcoc13@gmail.com).
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