Broom Time
I really don’t *hate* the A’s or anything. But I REALLY want to see a sweep today. More so than if it was any other team. we’re in a prime spot to get this done. How many dominant starts in a row does Cain have in him? We’ll find out today……
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
“Iron Head” Joe threw a pen session this morning. Looking more that ever he’ll get the nod Tuesday.
He was always going to get the nod unless he was uised in relief before then. Which makes it all the dumber, he’s really here for long relief, they’re punishing Bumgarner, who will be up soon. Just fucking get it out of the way: Bautista down, Madison up. Bumgarner starts Tuesday…
UUUUU RBI !!! had a great night, true. Zito pitched very well, however. Torres was very good at the plate, too. I think you just like that U RBI photo, BF.
Posey’s last AB was a rope to the LF. Helluva lot better than the bouncing balls to SS earlier. His D was downright excellent. I have no idea how it looked on tv, but Wilson’s attempted pickoff throw was a 90 mph FB to Posey as if he were a catcher and Posey’s tag was real close. And then there were a couple of plays in the field, too, including one pop up into the A’s BP where Posey easily outran Sanchez in the futile chase. The kid works hard and learns quick.
Yes. A sweep would be sweet. Cain’s just the man to do it.
That really is stoopid if they’re punishing Bum. The only ones truly getting punished is the team by not going with its best option. Another very questionable decision by this organization in regards as to who should be the fifth starter.
Oh i think we will see another dominating performance from Matt.He’s been terrific his last 4 starts 3-1 and it should be 4-0 going 8 innings at least each game and has allowed just 1 earned run in that 34 innings span with 3 CG and 2 shutouts.Shit his only loss in that time was 1-0 shutout by the freakin A’s with (no run support,story of that series) and that run was unearned.Cain won’t let that happened again.”He’s on a big time roll.”Perfect guy to pitch for the sweep today.”He’s in a nice zone right now!
Torres-RF
Panda-3B
Huff-RF
Uribe-SS
Pat-LF
Buster-1B
Bengie-C
Downs-2B
Matty-P
Agree Twin and Dennis.Iron Face Joe should only be up filling the long relief roll.The Giants have the perfect opportunity to use Bum against the Hapless Orioles .Like what the Nats did with Strasburgh against the pathetic Pirates. But they don’t see it,fucking ridiculous.
Torres ‘CF’
I think the Giants have to let Bum take a start or two for Fresno after his suspension, just to showcase his new-found contrition and respect for the game, etc., etc. BS, I know, but promoting him right after he gets probation for the crime of trying to attack an umpire — well, it would be interesting to analyze the SZ he’d received in his first start.
Tell, me, what do these guys have against Bum that caused them to pick this pic?
http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/players/playerpage/1619074
I don’t like the looks of Downs at 2B. If Freddy’s knee is fucked up again, well . . . .
Freddy hasn’t had a game off since he came back. Just a simple rest day.
Report from Cheney Stadium, Tacoma, WA:
I had a chance to see the Grizzlies and Rainiiers square off last night in a wild game. The Griz blew it in the ninth to lose 11-10. 21 runs, 33 hits and 3 errors. Fun game to watch, on a beautiful late spring evening in Tacoma.
One player stood out last night, and that was Brett Pill. He went 5-5, with a dinger and 3 RBI, and it’s been a long time since I’ve seen a minor leaguer square up balls and hit them as hard as he did last night, and I go to 10 games a year. The homer was a huge bomb to straight away left, and his last hit was an absolute seed of a single to left. I don’t know much about him, but I came away very impressed with his ball-crushing strength and ability to barrel up so many pitches.
Does anyone else who’s seen him think he has big league potential?
As for starter Matt Kinney, he sucked ass big time. A miserable, inconsistent performance, in which he could not hold a 6-1 lead and showed little in the way of effective stuff. The Griz bullpen? Yikes.
Go Giants. Broom the A’s!
There’s nothing I’ve heard about Pill that suggests he’s a MLB hitter. Haven’t seen him, though.
Xoot….Yeah that’s a brutal pic! Looks like that hick golfer JB Holmes.
“But I REALLY want to see a sweep today. More so than if it was any other team.”
The Giants have to beat teams like the A’s just to stay in contention. If they want to make the playoffs, they’ll need to sweep a division rival or two.
Granted, it was only one game, and he went 0-5 the night before, but I don’t know how a guy with that kind of pop can’t at least be given a look.
They ARE looking,they have fucking people there. Please tell me you aren’t one of those who think they know absolutely nothing about the guy unless they play him up here for two fucking months.
At Fresno:
Pill:
206 AB .296 BA 8 HR 38 RBI .815 OPS
Ishikawa:
171 AB .310 BA 16 HR 46 RBI 1.107 OPS
JB: What amazes me about this organization is what the hell impels them to keep long ago washed up ex-Twinkie Matt Kinney on the Fresno staff. He has been their guaranteed worst SP for what, three years running now? Surely some kid at Richmond like Daryl Maday could put in a performance superior to Kinney. Why do organizations keep players like him in their systems? Does he have the goods on some high-falutin rootintootin hottentot?
TF: A bit of a selective use of stats there on Pill vs Ishi, i would suspect. Travis had already played in the bigs, been sent back to AA and then promoted to AAA before he put up those good numbers. This is Pill’s first shot in the PCL. A more accurate comparison might occur in a year’s time ~ if he’s still playing for Fresno.
I seriously think they’d be better off if they didn’t keep any numbers at AAA and just judged/promoted them by how they “looked.” All these scouts and coaches know (on the most part) whether or a kid has or hasn’t “got it.” They should rely more on their instincts and gut reaction as to if a kid can cut it up here. Trust your judgment, and, wait, here it comes…Fuck the numbers!
It’s hardly selective ferchrisasakes-Travis had never been in AAA and in the bigs for just 24 at bats. You’re full of shit calling me out. The point is that Pill’s numbers are VERY pedestrian for the PCL.
I don’t think it’s totally out of line if the Giants don’t bring up Bum for that start. I think a lot of organizations wouldn’t want to be seen as rewarding that kind of behaviour. Don’t you think that if Bum doesn’t get called up for that start, he’ll think mighty hard the next time he’s tempted to throw a tantrum.
Then, what if the worst case scenario happens- he gets called up AND loses the game. Then you’ve sold your principles down the river for nothing.
No, twin, I’m not one of those people, just relaying what I saw in person, which for me always is better than just reading about it or watching on TV. The guy is cock strong and had a hell of a night.
Stix, they keep a career minor leaguer like to help their AAA team. It’s probably the last thing the fans of the major league club are thinking about, but the AAA has a season to compete in. All the minor league teams, at every level, play for a championship in their league. And they have a need to draw fans, make money, and help their minor league team be a success in whatever city it is they call home.
Well, you asked a fucking question. He is not considered a top prospect by the people who matter: the Giants’ organization. He’s supposed to be a very good defensive first baseman, however..
Dennis, I’m not implying they should “fuck the numbers,” but the numbers he has so far this year hardly suck, PCL or not. Just sharing. Christ you guys can run with things.
I forgot to mention Waldis Joaquin also. He had a bit of an erratic performance also, as did the entire Griz pen, but jesus that guy can throw hard. He was at 97 mph the whole time, but his command was hit and miss.
I just saw an article in the local newspaper about a local guy “retiring” from professional baseball. He never made it to the bigs. He’s 29.
Zum, it’s totally out of line for the mere fact the Giants aren’t affording themselves the best opportunity to win that day. Who gives a shit about decorum. It’s the goddamn big leagues, wins and losses should be the only concern. Unless Bum slept with the coaches wife, pitch his ass. I’m sick and tired of the Giants not putting their best foot forward in regards to our best chances of winning.
I agree they should hold off a bit on Bum. One of you mentioned a couple of days ago that for one thing, the strike zone he’d be pitching to would be about the size of a DVD after going off on an ump like that as a young pup.
I’m excited to see Joe get a start. I was at the game when he got hit in the head and also saw one of this first starts after he came back in Fresno—the same night as the Sanchez no-hitter.
I DO hate the A’s. Almost as much as the Dodgers. I thought is was HUGE for Zito to pitch well against them and I will love it if a sweep happens today.
Cain mows down the A’s today:
Every fucking team has the Kinneys. Jesus Christ, Stix. The Giants do not have 25 kids ready to play at the AAA level. Look at the Fresno roster. OR the Richmond roster. San Jose. At most there are probably 3 or 4 guys on each team who will ever sniff the major leagues. Most players are roster fillers, including newly drafted guys.
AAA is largely the place for AAAA players, vets, journeymen, carrer MLers: the hot prospects breeze through and are in the bigs in a second. Pill, BTW, has about the 40th best OPS in the PCL, something like a tie for 17th in HR..
Dennis, I can appreciate the need to win the game that day; but there’s also the need to keep a consistent rule of discipline in the organization, and what’s best for Bum, too. He’s a young guy, and this could be a great learning experience for him.
Having said that, it wouldn’t surprise me at all if he gets called up for the start. I just wouldn’t be surprised either way.
“I’m Gumby dammit!” Eddie Murphy “Raw” stills holds its clout vs anything put out today.
San Dog is right. There’s no way Bumgarner starts on Tuesday, MLB Blueshirts would carve him up. I expect he’ll have a rough next couple games for Fresno anyway. The Orioles aren’t much better than the teams Martinez has been facing in the PCL, he’ll do fine. The best case scenario is for him to excel as the #5 and use Bumgarner out of the bullpen and as a spot starter. Having six reliable starting pitchers would open up a lot of trade possibilities.
Raw sucks, imo. I liike Delerious a lot better.
The Honeymooner bit about Ralph and Ed fucking was pretty goddamn funny.
Martinez is not going to be the 5, Bumgarner is. “The best case scenario is for him to excel as the #5 and use Bumgarner out of the bullpen and as a spot starter”. You are out of your fucking gourd if you think that’s the plan or the “best case”. Joe will probably get Tuesday’s start but Bumgarner is not coming up to mop up for Martinez, it would be the reverse…
Bum needs to grow up and get a clue. Going off on a teammate, no matter how he fucks up, isn’t done at any level, in any sport. And fucking with umpires isn’t real smart either, as Hinshaw learned a couple years ago when he was briefly at mlb level. Throwing a baseball wildly like that is pretty juvenile thing to do…what would do if your kid did that? Couple day suspension would probably be pretty mild, I’d guess.
It has zero to do with talent…it’s how you handle yourself. All the guys at mlb level have plenty of it…it’s knowing what to do with it, and when.
I was really hoping to see Bum pitch last night, but no such luck. I get career turd Kinney instead.
“six reliable starters”…I wish we had half that many in the pen.
The Burning Question I have is if someone is going to step up and give us a man-on-the-scene report from Giants County Fair. I’m much amused by this particular Larry Baer brainchild, and if I was within 200 miles of ATT, I’d be there with my kids for Ferris Wheel rides and Funnel Cakes followed by one of these inner league games.
I wouldn’t guess they have a dime toss, but you never know.
I used to love me a good dime toss at the Yolo County Fair when I was a kid. Of course, my mom didn’t seem to appreciate it when I came home with like 8 incredibly cheaply made glasses with beer company logos on them.
I remember another game at the Fair where I won a pack of cigars as my prize. I seem to remember all of the adults getting a kick out of the fact that I was 10 years old and I was walking around with a pack of cigars. My dad was even laughing—-and he was a freaking doctor!
Growing up in the 70’s was a beautiful thing…
Diggity Dog–
We drove by that carnival thing by ATT, Katie is wickedly into ferris wheels, and when I told her we didn’t have time to stop over she freaked out on me. You’re better than me. You’d go if you were 200 miles of ATT and I blew it off as I drove by so i could make it home to see the first pitch on tv. Bad dad…….
Gawd, who’s idea was it to have Radnich doing stuff for Giants broadcasts? He’s a jarring, boorish jackass, who has no sense of the flow and rhythm of baseball broadcasting.
“Bad dad” perhaps, but I’d like to think of you as a devoted Giants fan. 🙂
Did anybody get the point of that story about the men’s room? Like all stupid Radnich stories I tuned it out before it reached its merciful end.
Yes, your ears didn’t deceiver you. Radnich called Cain “McCain.”
Maday, BTW, is not considered a top prospect. He’s a control guy with mediocre stuff. Kinda funny he was mentioned in the same post with Kinney. In HIS day, Matt was far the better prospect… Daryl is probably at best a 5 for a bad team…
Oh Radnich is OK. for a jarring, boorish jackass… I think Urban has been a revelation, the best of the group. And Jaymee is soooooo fucking cute, what a smile… can I go to jail for thinking about her?
Flav, you still have the Orioles series to make this all right. To borrow a line from the Kite Runner, “there is a chance to be good again.”
On top of that, I know that, like me, you had a thing for Orioles back in 70’s.
Giants County Fair is win-win for everybody!
I’ll give the Giants marketing dept. credit. They’ve made that “It’s Magic Inside” thing work with those attention-getting weird stop-motion commercials.
The Orioles, that is…..
I didn’t have a thing for Orioles as kid, and I doubt you did either. Oreos maybe.
OK, I’ll stop now. Worse than Radnich….I know, I know.
He called Wellemeyer, “Wellington” on more than one occasion a few days ago. I met him once years ago in a luxury suite back at Candlestick. Nice enough guy, but he’s really self-conscious about the “pinkie thing.” You’d think he’d had chosen a different avenue that didn’t put him on TV so much if it bothered him so much.
The best is the one where you just know that Wilson is about to “ruin” the guy’s girlfriend…
“You are out of your fucking gourd if you think that’s the plan or the “best case”. Joe will probably get Tuesday’s start but Bumgarner is not coming up to mop up for Martinez, it would be the reverse…”
The Giants have three problems with their pitching staff. The #5 starter got injured and he was unreliable anyway. They need a reliable lefthander in the bullpen. They don’t have a long reliever. If Martinez pitches well in his first few starts, it’s hard to make the argument that A) that’s not the best case scenario for those games and B) Bumgarner should be called up to replace him in the rotation when the bullpen desperately needs a lefthander who can throw strikes and get batters out.
Twin, I remember watching Sire doing the 1 minute live reports from the Warriors games…sometimes she was the most interesting thing out there. Sideline babes,(unless they are naked)= another sign of the apocalypse…she is less annoying than Amy, tho.
Keys for the Gees: the 1 spot, Torres OBP out of the 1 is .395..,. and the 4 spot: Giants lead the NL in OPS from the clean up spot( .906) . Who of us would have even dreamed they’d get that much from what looked to be the two weakest spots. Their 1 and 4 is the best in the NL. Amazing..
The way Cain’s going that RBI single should just about wrap this bad boy up!
I’d still feel a little more comfortable with a few more if ya don’t mind. Nice knock Bengie!
Bengie batting 7th looks to be in recovery mode with that RBI. Burrell is simply on fire, apparently glad to be back in the NL and away from DH purgatory and close to homebase.
Craig, wonderful that Cain has something to work with, but insurance is always nice.
One more thing about Bengie pulling out of it is that it ups his potential trade value, now with that season only weeks away. Trade for a nice setup man would be a good way to go, particularly if its one who is generally reliable and has some more reliable years in him.
I still think Tampa bay would be a great trade partner for benjie
What a fucking heads up play by Posey.Nothing wrong at all having him play 1st!
He’s picked up first base incredibly quickly. He did not look good at all when first up. Now, the play at third was not a difficult one but still, it was encouraging that he went for it rather than the totally safe play.
Sloggish inning by the Mattster, but he escaped run-damage while upping his P.C. to 51 in 3 innings. He needs both insurance and a couple of light innings to go deep into the game. Maybe the insurance starts in this inning.
I don’t think there is a big market for Bengie. Another thing: are you going to get fair value back? Molina is very valuable to this team and the staff.
Does he have to swing at the first fucking pitch every goddamn time? Jesus Christ.
Flav: Who does Tampax Bay have that they could live without and the Giants could use in a trade for Bengie ~ or do you see more than two players involved?
“The best is the one where you just know that Wilson is about to “ruin” the guy’s girlfriend…”
Yeah, it’s hilarious watching that guy’s facial expression change.
Once again, A’s D leaves them in a hole. Yesterday, Pennington error and the stupid throw by Sheets trying to pick off Sando cost them. Kouz made a great stop, but bad throw and poor reaction by Barton lets Burrell get to 2B. Raj, who has played CF here, didn’t get a good jump on Benjie’s ball. If he gets to that, they probably don’t send Burrell. Contrast that with nice plays by Posey and Torres in same inning.
Sando…settle down, youngblood. This guy’s WHIP is almost 2.0, he’ll either walk you or you’ll get something to hit.
They have 3 shitty catchers right now. Molina would be a good fit with that young staff. Not sure what we’d get back. Plus, sabean only talks to the pirates and toronto so that idea is lnt gonna work
Sandoval didn’t get the concept of the number 2 hitter taking some pitches to see if any kind of running play is going to be happening with the lead-off hitter on firstbase. Maybe Bochy should have called the hit and run on the first pitch. Maybe Bochy was afraid Sandoval would miss the sign again.
Amy G, alittle to much info on Sandoval’s underwear.We don’t need to know about his skid marks.
Fuck Rosales and his home run trot. That ass runs too goddamn fast that it makes him look like he’s cracking wise. Slow the fuck down a tad, fuckwad.
I kind of felt like Molina wasn’t hustling last night. He stood and watched a few balls that he hit, hoping they’d go foul. One time down the thirdbase line, it didn’t go foul. And then the bad handling of that wild pitch, with his glove turned the wrong way.
Texas Rangers have no catchers either.That could be a possibility.