8-5 loss to Bucs in SF
The Giants rapped out 12 hits including two doubles and two homers but gave up five runs from the 6th inning on and thus lost again. I can't fault Matt Moore too much, he'd been on a good run (8 consecutive quality starts), but the bullpen could not stop the bleeding when they had to and that was enough. Once again the Giants could not get the killer hit--the two homers were solo shots. Eleven men left on base is a familiar refrain. They should have scored multiple runs early against Pirates starter Ryan Vogelsong, another familiar refrain, but could not get it done. This team needs to start winning some goddamn games. This is a month (9-19) of shitty baseball. Time to turn it around.
Jeff Samardzija tonight. GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Tuesday, August 16, 2016
Sunday, August 14, 2016
Vlog 25 "Wasteland"
8-7 loss vs. BAL
The psychotic journey of 2016 continues, in fact the mania seems to be intensifying. It sure has been a long time since I've reported on good old JohnnyC joy. So close....
Look for a special guest appearance in the Vlog below
Vlog 25 "Wasteland"
The psychotic journey of 2016 continues, in fact the mania seems to be intensifying. It sure has been a long time since I've reported on good old JohnnyC joy. So close....
Look for a special guest appearance in the Vlog below
Vlog 25 "Wasteland"
Saturday, August 13, 2016
Madbum Finally Wins
This team is driving me crazy. I was all set to dump on them with all sorts of invective and swearing, and they go and win and look (mostly) pretty good doing it. They are so confusing.
The Giants have THE WORST record in the major leagues after the All Star break, still. They are 9 - 18 since the break (.333). That happens to teams sometimes for short periods, but it has been a month. I can't explain why one team, with mostly the same players, was the best team in baseball and now is the worst. And you know the worst part? Teasers like tonight's 6 - 2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles. Because whenever that happens, I get my hopes up and then have them dashed the next day, often when they don't score at all. I could give up on this team, but I know I can't. It's like heroin, you need it even when it doesn't get you high anymore.
But you know what? The Giants have been playing .500 ball for awhile now. They have won and lost alternately since August 3 and played .500 since July 28 when they went to Washington DC. A record of .500 doesn't win you a division, but it sure beats what came before (2 - 8).
The Giants finally put a W on Madison Bumgarner's record. That is his first since July 10. Maddy went 7, allowed 0 runs, struck out 8 and walked 3. He allowed 3 hits. He has a National League leading ERA (except for Clayton Kershaw, who probably won't be able to pitch this year). Derek Law threw a perfect 8th and Romo and Lopez struggled through the 9th, giving up 2 runs before Casilla ended the game on 1 pitch.
Joe Panik, hitting! 3 hits including a pair of ground rule doubles that bounced over the wall. Denard Span, getting 2 rbi in each of 2 identical situations (runners on 2nd and 3rd, 2 outs). A 2-run home run for Brandon Belt! The Giants actually left 9 men on base in spite of scoring 6 runs. So which team will show up tomorrow? Will it be the crappy, no-scoring Giants, or the real Giants? Please, please, let them be good.
So to wrap things up, I present a list of medal counts in the 2016 Olympics on a population-weighted basis. The total number of medals a country wins, even though it incorporates many individual sports, seems to be a big thing, but wouldn't you expect a country with the larger population to win more medals? Just a random sprinkling of athletic talent would seem to indicate that it would. So although we like to see the US rack up medals, when a country like the Bahamas wins something, that is really meaningful.
Country Medals per 1,000,000
Hungary 1.12
Australia 0.91
Great Britain 0.46
Canada 0.33
Italy 0.30
France 0.28
South Korea 0.26
Germany 0.20
US and Japan 0.19
Russia 0.16
China 0.03
Makes you think, doesn't it.
The Giants have THE WORST record in the major leagues after the All Star break, still. They are 9 - 18 since the break (.333). That happens to teams sometimes for short periods, but it has been a month. I can't explain why one team, with mostly the same players, was the best team in baseball and now is the worst. And you know the worst part? Teasers like tonight's 6 - 2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles. Because whenever that happens, I get my hopes up and then have them dashed the next day, often when they don't score at all. I could give up on this team, but I know I can't. It's like heroin, you need it even when it doesn't get you high anymore.
But you know what? The Giants have been playing .500 ball for awhile now. They have won and lost alternately since August 3 and played .500 since July 28 when they went to Washington DC. A record of .500 doesn't win you a division, but it sure beats what came before (2 - 8).
The Giants finally put a W on Madison Bumgarner's record. That is his first since July 10. Maddy went 7, allowed 0 runs, struck out 8 and walked 3. He allowed 3 hits. He has a National League leading ERA (except for Clayton Kershaw, who probably won't be able to pitch this year). Derek Law threw a perfect 8th and Romo and Lopez struggled through the 9th, giving up 2 runs before Casilla ended the game on 1 pitch.
Joe Panik, hitting! 3 hits including a pair of ground rule doubles that bounced over the wall. Denard Span, getting 2 rbi in each of 2 identical situations (runners on 2nd and 3rd, 2 outs). A 2-run home run for Brandon Belt! The Giants actually left 9 men on base in spite of scoring 6 runs. So which team will show up tomorrow? Will it be the crappy, no-scoring Giants, or the real Giants? Please, please, let them be good.
So to wrap things up, I present a list of medal counts in the 2016 Olympics on a population-weighted basis. The total number of medals a country wins, even though it incorporates many individual sports, seems to be a big thing, but wouldn't you expect a country with the larger population to win more medals? Just a random sprinkling of athletic talent would seem to indicate that it would. So although we like to see the US rack up medals, when a country like the Bahamas wins something, that is really meaningful.
Country Medals per 1,000,000
Hungary 1.12
Australia 0.91
Great Britain 0.46
Canada 0.33
Italy 0.30
France 0.28
South Korea 0.26
Germany 0.20
US and Japan 0.19
Russia 0.16
China 0.03
Makes you think, doesn't it.
Birds Bash Cain
5-2 loss at home
The Baltimore Orioles like to hit home runs and they hit two big ones off Matt Cain to send him packing and that was the night, mostly. Cain faced 23 batters and gave up 11 hits. It was line drive this way and hard smash that way. Seven of the 12 outs Matty recorded were via strikeout--everyone was hacking. It was ugly. The 'pen (Kontos-Peavy) did fine, that bodes well, but the hitters couldn't get it done, that doesn't. It was the all-too-familiar anemia offensivia, and I'm hoping they find a cure soon. With the starter getting hammered they had a tough task, but five hits (three singles and two doubles) isn't cutting it. I don't know what to think about Cain. Just when it looked like he was making progress this happens. The O's are a good team, but still, this was bad. Meanwhile Madison Bumgarner, coming off a superb start in Washington, pitches tonight.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
The Baltimore Orioles like to hit home runs and they hit two big ones off Matt Cain to send him packing and that was the night, mostly. Cain faced 23 batters and gave up 11 hits. It was line drive this way and hard smash that way. Seven of the 12 outs Matty recorded were via strikeout--everyone was hacking. It was ugly. The 'pen (Kontos-Peavy) did fine, that bodes well, but the hitters couldn't get it done, that doesn't. It was the all-too-familiar anemia offensivia, and I'm hoping they find a cure soon. With the starter getting hammered they had a tough task, but five hits (three singles and two doubles) isn't cutting it. I don't know what to think about Cain. Just when it looked like he was making progress this happens. The O's are a good team, but still, this was bad. Meanwhile Madison Bumgarner, coming off a superb start in Washington, pitches tonight.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Wednesday, August 10, 2016
Giants get a homer!
1-0 win in Miami
Thank goodness for Brandon Crawford. Otherwise it would be 0-0 and they'd be playing extras. The bullpen did a superb job in relief of a reasonably effective Jeff Samardzija (5-2/3 IP, 3 H, 3 BB, 3 K) and the Giants get their seventh team shutout. FNG Will Smith faced two batters, one in the 6th and one in the 7th and whiffed them both. That's a good sign. He's a good pitcher but has been beat up a bit. Maybe he is settling in to his new role. Hunter Strickland got two big outs. Derek Law once again pitched a clutch frame. And Santiago Casilla seems determined to disprove his doubters. That's all good. But the hitters still look lost--today's starter David Phelps is a converted reliever, that matchup should have had them salivating. Like I said thank goodness someone on the team could hit one over the fence because I couldn't take another parade of 0-fers with men on base.
Travel day tomorrow, and a resurgent Matt Cain at home on Friday against the Orioles.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Thank goodness for Brandon Crawford. Otherwise it would be 0-0 and they'd be playing extras. The bullpen did a superb job in relief of a reasonably effective Jeff Samardzija (5-2/3 IP, 3 H, 3 BB, 3 K) and the Giants get their seventh team shutout. FNG Will Smith faced two batters, one in the 6th and one in the 7th and whiffed them both. That's a good sign. He's a good pitcher but has been beat up a bit. Maybe he is settling in to his new role. Hunter Strickland got two big outs. Derek Law once again pitched a clutch frame. And Santiago Casilla seems determined to disprove his doubters. That's all good. But the hitters still look lost--today's starter David Phelps is a converted reliever, that matchup should have had them salivating. Like I said thank goodness someone on the team could hit one over the fence because I couldn't take another parade of 0-fers with men on base.
Travel day tomorrow, and a resurgent Matt Cain at home on Friday against the Orioles.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Tuesday, August 9, 2016
Giants get three hits
2-0 loss in Miami
Marlins get four--but two runs as well. Giants get none. Whimper, not a bang, eh? What's with these guys? Why can't they hit? I don't understand. A decent start, this time by FNG Matt Moore, is wasted once again. This team is driving me to drink. It's a short drive, I'll admit. Still. This team is in free fall. Someone has to pull the damn ripcord. They need the parachute to deploy before they hit. (It's not the fall, it's the sudden stop.) My rational brain tells me there are plenty of ballgames yet to be played. Lots of time to right the ship. Jaysus, I'm done with the fookin' metaphors. Time to pull their heads out of their asses. (There I go again!) That's what it's time for--some good goddamn baseball. C'mon, Giants. Get back to winning.
Getaway game at 9:10 a.m. PDT. Jeff Samardzija takes the hill.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Marlins get four--but two runs as well. Giants get none. Whimper, not a bang, eh? What's with these guys? Why can't they hit? I don't understand. A decent start, this time by FNG Matt Moore, is wasted once again. This team is driving me to drink. It's a short drive, I'll admit. Still. This team is in free fall. Someone has to pull the damn ripcord. They need the parachute to deploy before they hit. (It's not the fall, it's the sudden stop.) My rational brain tells me there are plenty of ballgames yet to be played. Lots of time to right the ship. Jaysus, I'm done with the fookin' metaphors. Time to pull their heads out of their asses. (There I go again!) That's what it's time for--some good goddamn baseball. C'mon, Giants. Get back to winning.
Getaway game at 9:10 a.m. PDT. Jeff Samardzija takes the hill.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Monday, August 8, 2016
Vlog 24: "Tipsy For BCraw"
8-7 win (14) in Miami
The author of this posting does not normally encourage such alcoholic indulgence. But hey! That was HISTORIC today. And we needed that win. And the wine was very good.
Please raise a glass to Brandon Crawford and watch the slightly slurred, yet still enjoyable, vlog below:
Vlog 24 "Tipsy For BCraw"
The author of this posting does not normally encourage such alcoholic indulgence. But hey! That was HISTORIC today. And we needed that win. And the wine was very good.
Please raise a glass to Brandon Crawford and watch the slightly slurred, yet still enjoyable, vlog below:
Vlog 24 "Tipsy For BCraw"
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