Who’s Gonna Hit?
We’re in sort of a dangerous part of the season right now, all teams go through it. We don’t have anyone hot right now, no one is carrying the team. At different times during the season it’s been Uribe, Torres, Huff, Franchez….hell, even Rowand. But right now it’s a bunch of guys looking around at each other waiting for something to happen. Finally we’re seeing the Dodgers pitching staff do what I thought they would do last year: suck. In our yard against this staff we *should* get our bats going again. I want to see lots of doubles and walks. We’ve no power and no speed, I’d like to see us at least be able to hit more doubles than we’ve been getting lately. We aren’t going to beat this team with a few singles sprinkled over 9 innings……
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
Dodgers go 2 of 3 at least. Not feeling that great about the Giants right now. I hope I’m wrong.
Well, we need a big heroic performance from Zito tonight. Not some kind of dinking around thing, where he’s walking guys and trying to agonize his way through innings. We need him to have the Dodgers off-stride. Lincecum, Zito, and Cain in their last starts have not done the most important thing that a starting pitcher needs to do- keep your team in the game and give them a chance to win.
Regarding Buster Olney saying Sabean is a difficult GM to get ahold of….it’s possible that GMs were asking about Lincecum and Cain all the time and Sabean got tired of it.
Funny thing is, Chron points out pen was great, 2 runs in 11 two thirds. Boston was not hammering the ball around the yard like they did to the Rox; Hall got a couple seeing eye hits for RBIs, including the one that just bounced over the bag for a double. Sat SF crushed a couple that just missed leaving the yard, Sando and Sanchez, and couldn’t connect with RISP again.
For all the doomer talk, SF is still ahead of LA and the Rox (who lost another series on the road). SPs pick it up, and the guys with 16 Ws fight out on the tie breakers. It’s still warm here in south bay, so maybe ball carries a little better and a couple leave the park off Barbara, the kid Ely, and the fuckwad Padilla. And get to their pen!
The Giants have more power than the Dodgers: 23 HR to 13 this month ( and more for the year as well) , and teams have scored exactly the same: 102 runs in 24 games. Even with the latest glitches, Giants have a large edge pitching in both the starting 5 and the pen . Dodgers have committed nearly twice as many errors as well. Breaking down the starters for the series also yields a clear SF edge in each game. As I posted on the Spash: sweep SF…
The Dodgers do have a better leadoff hitter, though. Furcal has been very pesky of late. Zito needs to go right at him and not walk him.
My big key for this series- do not walk Furcal.
Good stuff, Twin (re: how our numbers compare to the LaBumbinos), and I hope you’re right (even tho it will shoot me outta the saddle on the contest). Sweeping the Bums would be huge before hitting the road for 11.
I agree re: Zito Zumie. And tomorrow, I sure hope to see Cain work out of his recent minor funk. The team is certainly scuffling a bit with three consecutive series losses, but hell, all teams go through spells like this (well, except for the 2010 version of the Padres…will those bastards ever stumble). One of the more perplexing issues to me continues to be Sandoval. We need to get the Kung Fu Panda back. Of all the “issues” facing the team now…the one that would have the most bang (IMO) is if Pablo straightened his shit out.
College World Series final kicks-off tonight. As much as I hate UCLA, I have to pull for the CA/Pac 10 team.
Only three games left to decide the winner of June’s contest. Current – 13 wins, 102 runs, 23 bombs. Projects to 15, 115, and 26.
Furcal:
.310 BA .361 OBP .805 OPS 2 HR 23 RBI 11 for 13 SB
Torres:
.276 BA .375 OBP .823 OPS 3 HR 22 RBI 13 for 16 SB
Dodgers do not have a better leadoff hitter.
And yes, I’m aware that Torres has slumped of late and Furcal is hot at present, but for the year they are actually about comparable, with Torres having the ege in the lead off hitter’s primary stat: OBP.
Just caught up on the last few threads, Have to say that all the games were winnable, just couldn’t get the on hit with RISP. Must say was disappointed in that the Giants didn’t score better at home after the road games. I thought for sure their hitting would pick up at home. Now the Dodgers at AT&T, break out the ugly sticks and bang away!!
I feel better after the statistical analasyes from fellow flappers, but a sweep? Against the Dog-ears? That doesn’t happen too often.
As mentioned…I’d love a sweep, but predict 2 of 3. Almost identical home and road records with the Bums.
I’ll take 2 out of 3 but the Dodgers aren’t above a 4 game losing streak so a sweep is possible
Time for a sweep. Not that i expect it, but they are due against these guys. Oddly enough, Billingsley has been effective in road games, but Zito has been masterful at home. LaBumbos are reeling right now. particularly after getting their asses handed to them by the Yanks in yesterday’s ninth. Garfing up a 4-run bulge in the last inning is something which superior closers simply do not do.
Many good points made on the blog this morning. Nice part of the Flap is that most everybody contributes, most of the time ~~ a bit different from other blogs we will not mention at this time for the sake of decency and modesty. lol. Key to the game will be getting to Billingsley early. One, two and three hitters need to get on base and shake him up. Giants have usually won this year when they strike first. So a first inning run or two should set the tone for the game. Wish Torres was a threat to bunt.
After a nice start Ely has been slipping. Cain is not likely to repeat his Houston meltdown. I see the Giants having a hefty edge tomorrow night. Giants will have blood in their eyes facing Padilla. No pun intended. They will be up for him and will not be likely to lollygag around. They will need to go after him, but not get hyperanxious, just do a slow, steady pounding.
Tonight’s game depends on Zito. If he brings his A game tonight and maintains focus throughout, my prediction is the Giants sweep. Of the 3 pitching matchups its the only one that’s close.
i have no feeling whatsoever about how this series is going to go. A sweep either way wouldn’t surprise me. BUt I do think we hit Lady Billingsley around a little bit tonight. He’s still pitching himself back into shape. A win tonight seems very doable……
“Projects to 15, 115 and 26.” “predict 2 of 3.”
ChiPower 15W 117R 22 bombs
Purely coincidental I’m sure. 😉 I need our Giants to sweep the Bums right outta town to have a shot. Doable. But is it probable? Tonight’s game figures to be the closest match up both pitching and betting wise. Like Zumie said, Zito can’t be walking dudes, especially that fuck Furcal. No free passes.
Oh, and it would be nice if we’d start to hit the damn ball. Score some damn runs!
Maybe a trade for the Big Bopper is not the solution. Giants play half their games at PhoneBill park in China Basin. Death on LH power hitters who cannot slice it right down the line. So-so fair for RH sluggers. But essentially a pitcher’s park, calculated to rely on mound magic, speed and defense.
Enter the prospect of a highly talented player, currently deep in his team’s dog-house, only 26, stolen base total already matching his age and an incipient head-case, likely to get more so if his team keeps him. B.J. Upton and Evan Longoria cannot get along. It’s probably worse than it was between Bonds and Kent ~ at least they could feed over their mutual dislike. Upton was virtually the toast of baseball a couple years back, with an OBP in the .380s, a raft of doubles and a mess of SBs. Last year he slid off the pinnacle and currently he is in deep doo-doo with Tampax Bay.
Rays do not particularly need pitching help. I would be loath to include Thomas Neal in a trade and possibly Brandon Crawford. But any other position player on the farm, plus most of the pitchers in the system should be available in such a trade ~ also choice of Schierholtz or Bowker as an outfield replacement.
What this boils down to is whether the team could assemble an acute and astute psychological profile on this guy. Is he an incurable headcase and a dog-it-up, or is he mainly a bad fit for T.B. ? If the latter, he might be exactly the sort of player most suited for the current needs of the Giants. Imagine the basepath havoc Upton and Torres could create. Sometimes all that a still young and talented player needs to put it together again is a change of scenery. References: Freddy Lewis and Kevin Frandsen. Maybe its time that the Giants get on the receiving end of that situation.
Right now the price on Upton is as low as it ever will be. Right now he appears to be pretty much persona non grata in the Rays clubhouse and dugout. And the Giants need a spark.
Where’s ‘all of the above’ on the poll, Flav?
Shit, Zito better be the good Barry tonight, not the ‘aw shucks, I shoulda been moe aggressive . . .’ guy. I also hope Mike’s wrong about him going all 2008 on us . . . It pains me that he’s in the position of stopper.
I didn’t say he “would”, Chuckles, just that it’s never out of the question with the ZitMeister.
who among us thinks Zito ends the year with an ERA under 4.00? There is no fucking way….
His post All-Star ERA is 3.84 for the L3Y. IF he “maintains his form” there’s a good chance.
Rowand, Travis, Uribe and Nate all OWN Billingsley. Juan’s a given to start. Does Bochy start any of the other three? I’d say, fuck it. Start ’em all.
Yeah, but Zito sure went against form this early this season.
You just never know with Bubbles . . . . . .
I’m stoked with the way Zits has pitched this year, but it wouldn’t surprise me one iota if he blew up again. Tonight will be a telling start after his last disaster.
Ahhh, Barbara Billingsly, as June Cleaver:
“Ward, weren’t you a little rough on the beaver last night?”
“Sorry, June . . .”
PS, Way to out out on a limb there Mike . . . he MAY revert to past performances . . .
Winky wink, mo fo . . .
I was as down on Zito as the next guy before the season started, and I certainly didn’t see the 6-0 start, but the guy is, was, and always will be a little light in the cranium . . .
Seems to me despite Zito’s inconsistency, he has come through when the G’s badly needed one. He can and I think will rise to the occasion.
Zito putting up some good numbers has been great. This staff could end up with four 10 game winners.
The Giants need to bring a big can of whup-ass with them tonight. I can’t remember the last time we were on the winning side of a laugher so let’s pony up 10 runs and get into their BP early and often.
I thought the Flap, much like a drunken Irishman, was impervious to “psychological profiling.”
BF, I saw your post over on the Splash asking TF how he can post over there. Someone has to set the lunatic fringe right. Who better than TF. The Splash is like a comedy club, you go there too often and the jokes get old, but if you only go there occassionally the comments can be histerically funny!! and you might find someone who should be posting here on your blog.
Despite Lincecum’s record, I think Barry is still the guy they look to for leadership. Big game tonight takes some pressure off of Cain and Sanchez. Get up 3 runs early…
I would also expect Travis in place of Posey.
I guess they go Sandoval at 1b
Who the fuck knows with Zito. But, if I was a bettin’ mofo, I would put money on Zito ending with a sub-4 ERA.
Here’s some splits to consider (and yes, that doesn’t mean that he couldn’t implode and go way south).
Currently – 7-4, 3.45 ERA, 1.222 WHIP
Career stats:
1st Half – 65-70, 4.16 ERA,1.354 WHIP
2nd Half 75-40, 3.42 ERA, 1.230 WHIP
July – 26 15, 4.06 ERA, 1.350 WHIP
August – 30-19, 2.87 ERA, 1.122 WHIP
Sept/Oct – 27-14, 3.65 ERA, 1.283 WHIP
Uh, looks pretty good for a sub-4 ERA. But really, who gives a flying fuck about that? (I don’t…Ws is what it is all about). So, let’s hope he goes out tonight and hand-cuffs the Fucking Bums in Blue and gives the Gigantes a chance for a W.
Big can of whoop-ass? Come on clown…what they really need to do is open up some a couple of industrial strenght 55 gallon drums of WHOOP ASS!
Dennis – “Projects to 15, 115 and 26.” “predict 2 of 3.”
ChiPower 15W 117R 22 bombs
Purely coincidental I’m sure.
AB-so-Fucking-lutely…purely co-winkey-dinkey.
Of all the “issues” with the club, besides the disappearance of the “Kung Fu Panda,” it has to be Bengie. I know it is said that Tim, Cain, Zito, etc. love Bengie behind the dish, and I am sure they do, but at some point, Bengie has to reach “Rowand territory” and Bochy has to sit his ass, and put Buster behind the dish more frequently. Seriously, Bengie has to start hitting or he just has to sit. (I realize that Buster has been in a bit of a funk, too…but WTF…he is the future).
Hey, I’ll take the sweep if it means losing out on the ‘puter . . .
That’s just the kind of guy I am . . .
If Travis is ever gonna get a start it would be tonight.He’s raking Mrs Cleaver at a .455 clip 5-11.Of course i said that last year about Fred Lewis hitting .857 6-7 off of Jason Hammels of the Rox’s and of course Bochy didn’t start against him in Colorado.
Chuck – agreed…a sweep shoots my ass outta the saddle on the contest…but I could give a fuck less…a sweep of the fucking Bums right before an 11 game roadie to end the first half would be huge.
I said 3-3 on this homestand, looks like lots of work now to get to that. When SF plays a quality team, you can see we’re in tough unless everybody’s hitting, even at home. This upcoming long roadie looks foreboding. Somebody needs to catch fire at the plate. Panda needs to sit a coupla games, not just get busted down the LU. But I think the soph slump has set in for the duration of the season. He’s just way too big for his height, he’s simply got to drop some weight somehow, and lay off the letter high balls. Time Meulens starts catching some heat on Panda; if they gave it to Carney for guys swinging from their ass, Meulens shouldn’t be immune from the same comments…
stix – Upton? He may have more swiped bases, but considering what the Giants would have to give to get him, I just don’t see him as a measurable upgrade over Torres, or worth the cost over the long haul.
I kinda like the Upton idea, but not as an upagde over Torres, but a compliment to him. If Posey moves to catcher for good, you could put Huff back at first and then Burrell, Upton and Torres in the OF. Upton, Torres, Sanchez at the top of the order would be something to see. Not sure what it would take to get him, but he could be a real bargain. It’s an interesting thought.
3bagg, what are you going to do with Uribe if Rent plays?
Upton is in the middle of a 3 mil contract and is eligible for his 2nd year of arbitration next year (he lost in arbitration to the Ray this year). Regardless of the recent “spat,” I don’t see the Rays unloading him on the cheap. And if the Rays truly do not need pitching help (I have no idea what their farm looks like), and the Giants are in the middle of trying to build some home-grown position players, then I really don’t like the prospects of such a deal.
You won’t get them to say Upton unless we say “Lincecum” so just put the crack pipes down.
I’m still not sold on Rent playing everyday. Not that it couldn’t happen, but I see Uribe, Pablo and Sanchez getting more rest coming up. That will give Renteria plenting of playing time.
Again, I’m not sure what it would take to get Upton, probably too much, but it is an interesting idea. I like Stix take on the kind of hitters that can best succede at ATT. Power hitters don’t do well at ATT. Bonds was an aboration. Although, I do think there is definitely room for a power righty. Not sure Burrell is that guy, but he’s doing it for now. I think contact and speed are the way to win at AT&T. The same formula for success the Pads are getting at Petco. If it were up to me to put a team together for the Giants’ park, it would cionsist largely of fast contact hitters with high OBP with a power righty or two mixed in.
The list of RH power hitters who have done well here is longer than room here allows, do your research. Geez. But forget Upton.
That’s what I’m saying. For power, righties are the ONLY way to go. That said, I think power at ATT is still overated. Power hitters always cost more. So for the price, give me speed and contact.
When I say overrated, I mean not necessarily the best way to builld an offense, as it might be in other yards.
For as much as he’s worshiped here, and I’m sitting in the first pew, Buster only has 6 extra base hits in 108 career at-bats. He needs to start smacking the damn ball around. Grounders through the 5 1/2 hole just won’t cut it.
3Bag, I alwasy said that if the Giants had 8 Tony Gwynn’s playing at AT&T they would win the division every year!!
Snarkk: we can’t compete against the good teams unless “everyone hits”? WTF? Granted, we only won the single gm against Boston but that was because NOBODY hit. We need a guy or two to step up and carry the team. That could be anyone but in order of who I THINK it could be, I’d go….Torres, Huff, Franchez as the most likely. Posey? not until he learns how to hit the ball in the air consistently. Panda? Not right now, maybe not this year. Lots of soph-slump guys in the league this year….
If the Giants had 8 Tony Gwynn’s there would be a lot more Popeye’s Chickens in town.
Presently, Upton is about as popular in the Rays clubhouse as a skunk at the Senior Prom. Check up on it. No, Twin, they sure the hell won’t DEMAND Lincecum. That’s horseradish. They might ask for him and Sabean has the right to some guffaws in return. The guy’s on the block. If you had read me correctly, you would realize that as 3Ber reiterated, Upton would be a complement to Torres, not a replacement.
Presently, the Rays are scuffling worse than either the Gigantes or the LaBumbos and what with the imminent threat of high levels of methane and benzene from the BP Gulf blowout, they won’t be thinking straight anyway. How bout an offer of Bowker, Kieschnick and Mixon for starters. Who knows? They might be motivated sellers. Never hurts to make an offer.
The rays don’t need propects they’ve got a million of them. If they trade upton it will be for someone who can contribute NOW. They don’t really need SP either but that’s where dirrrrrtys name could come up tho I don’t think dirrrrty gets it done. Fact is, we aren’t a good trading partner for Tampa
MLB Trade rumors posted that the LaBumbos just signed Jack Taschner to a minor league contract with their Albuquerque AAA team. Trashner joins such other recently signed luminaries as Claudio Vargas, Kiko Calero and Jesus Call on Me as the Dogs’ designated Laddies in Waiting. Meanwhile, Steve Edlefsen keeps getting em out at Fresno and Tony Pena Jr. is one of three relievers doing quite well at Richmond.
To re-reiterate: Giants need to dump on Lady Billingsley early tonight and just keep building up those pitch-counts. The LaBumbos BP has turned into a delicacy.
Craig: Bowker or Schierholtz might could contribute to the Rays now. Then there’s always the possibility of a three-way deal, involving some team who would be hot for Sanchez and might find some use for Molina. Were it not for his temperament, Upton represents an ideal pickup for the Giants. I know Sabean does not have a history of being a particularly creative swapmeister, but the team needs a spark and Upton would be a far better solution than say, Prince Fielder or Jose Guillen, whom the Royals are hot to dump just now. Now there’s an idea, maybe KC could be the third team in a swap.
Who would replace Sanchez in SR?
No Posey in the LU tonight:
CF Torres
2B Sanchez
RF Huff
3B Uribe
LF Burrell
1B Sandoval
SS Renteria
C Molina
P Zito
Giants need to score early and often.
Any deal for an “Upton-type” would require one of our starters, or a number of our top prospects. Sure, the team has struggled of late, but hell, they’re 4.5 out and it isn’t even the break. I’m just not too keen on a trade right now….maybe once we’re closer to the non-waiver deadline…
Upton’s not nearly impressive enough to be in the same conversation about *any* of the Giants’ SPs. Here’s the story of Upton’s career:
Who’s Upton?
That Upton guy’s pretty Good!
Get me Upton!
Get me an Upton type.
Who’s Upton?
I like Upton too, but unless we want to get hosed by their GM, I wouldn’t do anything right now. Same thing with Prince Fielder (which was discussed a couple of days ago here). Prince Fielder’s RBI total of 32 is way below his standard because he has not hit in the clutch. Fielder is batting .157 (11 for 70) with runners in scoring position, including a .100 average (three for 30) with two outs. Fourteen of Fielder’s last 18 RBI have come on home runs as well as 18 of his 32 RBI for the season.
This slob is out of shape and offers no versatility, other than playing 1st base. Couple that with his feast or famine HR swing, I don’t want him on the Giants. By the by, he had 141 RBIs last year . . . This year he will be lucky to get 80-90.
Chill out until after the All Star break . . . doing anything now smacks of desperation.
I think the best we can hope for right now is a resurgence from Panda.
Duck the Fodgers!!!
No Matt kemp tonite. Nice.
Upton had one great year ~ ’08. Last year he was mediocre. This season he has been slipping. He will not cost an arm and a leg, particularly if TB has a raft of prospects. Is he the real deal? Don’t know. But he is worth a checkup.
Trades cost and are the Giants really going to pay or give up talent to get power? The costs may be too high.
No Ishi? Man that guy has sunk so low on the depth chart, if I’m him, I’m not looking for a SF fixer upper.
WTF did zambrano do that was so awful that he’s now on the restricted list not expected to be activated till after the as break? He got in a verbal argument with a teammate. Big fucking deal
So, Posey is still getting his one game catching per month? This is starting to smack of Ray Ray/Frandsen . . . Get the fucker some starts behind the dish for God’s sake.
I didn’t really see anything more than the Friday game, but I saw that he caught Bummie.
Real bad taste for the Room B pic, Mike . . .
Well, it’s got to be alittle more than just a “verbal arguement with a teammate” if he’s being made to go for a medical evaluation
Gee, Craig, prudence would be better served by taking it into the clubhouse so all the world, ESPN, the fans, and the other team doesn’t get to witness you, the nominal ace of the team, freak out and lose your mind in the dugout because you think your guys aren’t covering the rockets he gives up fast enough. I mean, shit, the godamned outfielder didn’t jump 15 feet to catch the homer. What a tool. Going after Carlos Lee? All in all, pretty fucking stupid. I mean, at LEAST take it to the tunnel.
Did you SEE it, Flav? he wanted to kill Lee.
I know this is blasphemy in some circles but I’m actually suprised Rowand’s not in the lineup tonight. He’s had some luck against Billingsley
It was derrek lee not Carlos lee. Lots of guys have gone after teammates in the dugout they didn’t get suspended for weeks because of it. It’s not like he attacked him with a 2×4 or something
It obviously wasn’t a “verbal argument with a teammate”. That is sugarcoating. The guy has blown up multiple times. This time he called out the whole team for not playing defense behind him (im guessing aside from the 3 run bomb he gave up, which no defender could have reacher giving max effort). Then, as a topper, he went out to dinner with Ozzie Guillen, where as Lou Pinella canceled dinner plans because he was embarrassed to be seen in public after his Ayer pulled a stunt like that. I could use much stronger words for Zambrano, but I will just call him an immature, classless asshole.
You could add Ishi and Nate to that as well, Ted. I really thought we’d see at least one of those three tonight based on their successful numbers vs Billingsley. I’m protesting tonight’s lineup. Can I do that? Even if I could, it wouldn’t make a whole helluva lot of difference.
Lots of guys also aren’t aggressive psychopaths like Zambrano. Zambrano isn’t that great of a pitcher anymore and he is obviously having a hard time coping with his fall from grace, if you want to call it that. This was the final straw for management. They were tired of babysitting Zambrano. They were tired of listening to his “apologies” and promising to change.
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me three times, your fucking gone, pal.