Going for the Sweep……
Yesterday was one of the few games I’ve missed this year. I picked the POTG just off the box score– probably got it wrong. We’ve got some nice separation from 3rd place in the West and are even atop the Wild Card Standings…..
It’s a tired subject, but what’s everyone think we need right now? A bat? A reliever? A SP? I’ll throw a poll up there. Loo, have you made it through the archives yet? 🙂
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
with Affeldt DL’d, I have not caught a story yet, I think a lefty reliever is a must to be added this week. My guts tell me Jose Guillen is going to be the bat added…Royals will probably pay half his remaining salary and will just require a couple low-level prospects…
That was scary watching Velez get hit as well…nice game by Renteria, looks like we need to ride him for a few days and hopefully Uribe has his swing back. Let’s hope Franchez gets a grip…
How about a lefty in the pen to face Ethier in a tight spot next weekend?
Reliever seems cheap, fills a need. Keep waiting for Torres to turn into a pumpkin, but the guy has been nails – 4th in MLB for doubles! (Fred Lewis is 8th, go figure.)
That said, seems like a sucker bet to assume an OF of Burrell, Torres, Rowand, Nate, Velez, and PT Huff can sustain the July production. For a GM who struts over 15 years of pitcher heavy drafts, SF should be able to dip into the minors and find good relievers, esp. with the minor season ending and the usual, canned cliches (i.e., same ones that kept Posey down) receding with it.
Guillen is a classic cheap July rental, even with the potential clubhouse, loafing, and defense issues. Once the Angels fall 9 or 10 back, Abreu becomes available for cheap ($1M buyout after the season). Old but still a pro. 16 SBs? Helps SF more vs. RHP.
Scott Downs recorded his 19th Hold for the Jays last night. 1.04 WHIP; 2.45 ERA ; 3/1 K/W ratio.
And he’s a LEFTY.
Dennis, everybody and his second cousin is hot for Downs’ ass, including Bahhstun and the Evil Empire. So he wouldn’t come cheap. Good lefty relievers are about as common this year as bicuspids on a Rhode Island Red. A fair to decent RH might come much cheaper.
If its a lefty that’s needed, there is an in-house solution at Fresno with Geno Espineli who currently boasts a 2.58 ERA with decent peripherals. TF pointed out that he did not impress in the past, but he seems to have taken it up a notch or two. MLB experienced. He may be no Affeldt or Downs, but he may be as good as any other available lefty.
Finding the right guy to replace Affeldt/Runzler as LHP set up isn’t going to be easy, and until he gets in a game Sf can’t be sure it will work out. LA thought they had the guy in Sherill last year, and he’s the shits. Now they have Taschner, who is still the shits. Rox will be looking for pen help too.
This tiime of year there is lot of discussion about teams as “sellers”…Marlins have to qualify. Anything interesting there, besides Uggla?
Mike Lamb?
Octavio Dotel has logged 38 IP and allowed 19 ER. 14 came in 9 2/3 vs the Brewers and us.
He’s been lights out vs everyone else this yr. We host the Brewers for 3 in mid September. He can go visit Pier 39 and Fisherman’s Wharf for that weekend. Get him!
Voting fans, Charlie Manuel and even the players themselves really fucked up bigtime in overlooking an ALLSTAR selection. Currently third in the league behind Joey Votto and Albert Pujols in OPS at .945, Huff the Magic Dragon also is 6th in BA at .309, 5th in SP and OBP with a .551 and .394 respectively and 7th in runs scored with 61. The Aubrey has to be one of Sabean’s best pickups ever.
In other statistical serendipities. Torrid Torres, with 30 doubles is only one two-bagger behind league leader Jayson Werth, with considerably fewer ABs. He is also 10th in SBs with 17.
Ever since Buster had a chance to catch most every day, he has sparkplugged a Giants offense which has paced the league in July. Last night’s ten run outburst in the desert brought the team up yet another notch in runs scored to 9th place in the league, just 5 tallies out of 7th. They are holding at 4th in BA and in hits; tied for 4th in doubles ; 8th in HRs and 8th in both SP and OBP.
Currently 3rd in ERA with a 3.39 and second in hits allowed at 778; the Giants not only lead the league, but also MLB in strikeouts with 796 and saves with 34.
Watching a video feed of the team for my third time last night, i got the impression of one very confident, professional squad, with most of the essential pieces already in place, a team that is more and more sure of itself. They have a very different look from last year’s assembly, offensively any way, where they always seemed to be waiting for some other guy to hit the 5-run dinger. With maybe a couple of additions/adjustments we are looking at a late October Halloween Machine.
Anyone know much about the AZ starter? He had 3 OK starts before shutting down the Mets last time out, although that isn’t hard to do lately.
Great to see you back, DJ! Hope you enjoyed the Mets series last weekend as much as I did.
I think Loo is busy just enjoying sunshine these days.
Relievers in general, and these loogies in particular, can be extremely erratic. Not unusual at all to see a guy with a 7+ ERA one year, lights out the next. And the obvious problemn when you bring in a guy for one batter-well, he better get him. Easier said than done. I wouldn’t obsess on it being a LHer. As we’ve all said: throw strikes, stupid. But with *THAT* said: a walk IS better than a hit. One thing that sets Wilson apart from a lotta relievers is that he’s got the guts to walk a guy rather than just groove one. It’s a fine line-Bautista will drive you crazy but he can come back for the K after walking a hitter. So, see, it’s EZ really: all we want is a LHer with fantastic fucking stuff who is a little wild but can paint the corners when needed, pitch every day, and is fine dancer…
Torres cf, Renteria ss, Huff rf, Posey c, Uribe 3b, Burrell lf, Ishikawa 1b, F. Sanchez 2b, Lincecum p
Love that rent and franchez have flip flopped. Freddys sucked for weeks
Giants leading the majors in runs this month, you need to be pretty darn dedicated to be doing much LU bashing. Yes, I know they’ve seen some poor pitching but so has everybody else. An interesting number is that they are 16th in BA- so they’ve reversed the earlier trend where they had a good BA but were well back in runs scored. They’ve moved steadily up, now 9th in the NL in runs, and just 45 runs less than NL leader Cincinnati. Meanwhile they are 3rd in pitching and have closed the gap between them and San Diego. They are clearly the best team in the NL West now. Of course they’ll have to show it against San Diego but I expect them to have the lead by the time they face up again.
I like Chris Coghlan of the marlins, if management is serious about a bat. I look to a ‘Sabean surprise’ for a reliever, maybe Joel Hanrahan.
I like Andre Dawson, Whitey Herzog and Doug Harvey for the hall. And Barry once he retires.
Games these days are very cheerful and this team deserves all of it. Geno? best wishies and speedy recovery, mate. Affeldt? hurry and come back, dude.
Looking forward to the Braves in a fortnight; they seem to be slumping off a recent torrid binge. And the Rays broke their streak, hope they take it to the Yanks.
I love Sunday games, means I have an excuse to be sleepy at work tomorrow.
And to think, he batted 3rd in the lineup three times this yr.
In in a bar in Reno. Millers HOF speech was just on but no sound. Did anyone see it? Any good?
Seemed he told some storys with no endings…probably can watch a replay at sfgiants.com
Franchez is pounding lefties this yr. (51 ABs) .412 .444 .588 1.032 His SLG% vs right-handers is a god-awful .253.
There was a point in the season when Freddy was hitting pretty well. For whatever reason, he sucks now. Of course, K&K won’t try to analyze it. He’s one of their untouchables.
As Nixon used to say, though- Let me make this perfectly clear. I like K&K a lot. They do a nice job of weaving a game narrative. The only criticism I usually have is that they have a blind spot for certain veterans.
I didn’t know Otis Nixon used to say that.
I thought he was talking about Mojo Nixon who was famous for saying “Elvis is Everywhere”.
And as others have said- you really appreciate K&K even more when you hear some of the other broadcasting teams on the baseball package. There’s some mediocre ones but also some truly awful ones. The Orioles broadcasting crew is one of the good ones, and you feel sorry for them having to broadcast such an awful and hopeless team.
Another good crew is the Braves crew. And I’m one of those that likes Ken Harrelson of the White Sox crew.
Any update on Velez?
I remember Otis Nixon having one of those faces that doesn’t light up the screen. Kind of like Jim Thome. The faces that mom loves and few others.
Yes, Otis was a good player without a lot of beauty. Donnell got the looks, but not nearly as much talent. Life’s unfair that way.
Which reminds me of Paul Bagalia’s (or however you spell his name) definition of politics- “show business for ugly people.”
From Baggs — Velez update: He is in the process of being released from the hospital with a contusion and concussion. Feeling much better.
Here’s a picture of K&K just taken minutes ago, zum. I think they’re reviewing the “Aaron Rowand Greatest Hits Video.” Running Time: 15 secs.
http://tinyurl.com/2bp7nsz
That long? (grin)
“San Francisco Giants outfielder Eugenio Velez has a concussion, but is expected to travel home with the team after being struck in the head by a foul ball in the dugout Saturday night.
Velez was hit on the left side of the head on a line drive by teammate Pat Burrell in the fourth inning of San Francisco’s 10-4 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks. He spent the night in the hospital for further tests, but manager Bruce Bochy said Sunday he was doing well and was expected to be released before the team heads back to San Francisco.
The Giants placed Velez on the 15-day disabled list and recalled infielder Ryan Rohlinger from Triple-A Fresno.”
Bochy said Freddy was too antsy or something to that effect. No shit.
Edgar Renteria: .301 BA .364 OBP .738 OPS
Major League average SS: .264 BA .321 OBP .691 OPS
Freddy’s just twitchy all over. What’s with all the facial twitches?
The commenters at ExtraBaggs are a sad group. One of them regrets that Posey is saving Bochy’s job. In other words, that commenter is sorry to see the Giants winning so many games lately because it’s far more important for the commenter to be right about Bochy than for the Giants to make the playoffs.
Agreed Zum. Most of those guys seem sad to see SF doing well enough to save jobs of Sabes and Bochy. Baggs is OK, tho not without agenda similar to K/K with favorites, but commenters are hard to read.
If you do get an OF bat, I would like to see it not be a high priced rental; I prefer SF to get younger and more athletic. In other words, someone like Nate who could actually hit. I think 1B is covered.
I still like Uggla. Look at all the middle IF guys: Rent, Uribe, FS, Rohls, Downs, Velez, Burriss, even Crawford. Uggla has never had an OPS under .800, he’s at .834 now, OB this season over .350. He outhits all of the rest by far , and his dead pull power shouldn’t drop off much at ATT. Knowing what you know now (as opposed to ST), I think it will be interesting to see what SF does with this group.
And as far as late inning guy to face Ethier (or anyone else) with game on the line, I’d say Wilson or no one. Espinelli is a L version of Romo, and probably less good at it. Pass, and live without one.
Lolermeyer update from Baggs twitter:
Todd Wellemeyer had good stuff for Fresno but walked 6 in 4+, including the leadoff man in 4 of the 5 innings.Might make one more rehab start.
Todd remains Todd.I’m so dreading his return.
He can hit.
another ho hum…Posey
Buster just passed Orlando Cepeda on most consecutive games with a base hit with that RBI double and now closes on Willie McCovey. Is this kid the real deal, or what? Still reminds me of another Georgia boy who’s done ok for himself, the young Chipper Jones.
he’s vaulted into the lead for ROY
Now only 1 RBI behind Jim Ray Hart’s rookie record of 24 for a month.Safe to say he will break that.
Good to see LinCY at 94….when I was at dodger stadium Mon, he wasn’t near that.
I knew I could count on Eddacker to work in the word “fortnight.” That’s a bit of all right, mate.
I know he was POTG here the other day, but Jed’s right, we’re all in a state of hope-filled (dis)belief about Torres. Just a monster–and consistent–year so far. He’s out-Granderson-ing Curtis Granderson:
Torres this year: .277/.369/.498
Granderson career: .269/.341/.475
We’re too close to our team to see this sometimes; as Twin’s post above on Renteria shows, many of the players (minus the few underperformers) are really good relative to the league, MLB…
This team just keeps comin atcha ~ from all over the lineup. Enright up over 40 pitches already.
Fucking totally unacceptable Tim.
Oheada (sp?) and pitcher with back to back hits?????
And until he does… Get a goddamn haircut!
that camera angle gave me a heart attack….into Burrell glove
Food for thought from the physical therapist…Last game ball slipped out of TL hand during a pitch, and again in warm-ups. Tim clenching his fist walking off the mound…
Numbness perhaps? Remember the discussion of a “blister” earlier in the year????
Worrisome to be sure…
FU haircut Dennis! Stooooooopid retro attitude. Timmy’s problem is not his hair. It’s an inability to come up with a killer out pitch after getting two strikes on a batter.
Atem balls have been the key for Enright so far. 57 pitches through three.
No, his hair isn’t the reason why he gave up the 2-out hit to the goddamn pitcher but that still doesn’t preclude him from looking like a boob. This is goddamn major leagues, not the Mavericks surfing contest. Look like a major leaguer. Get a goddamn haircut!
Dennis. You are stuck in sixth grade with the nun threatening to whack your wrist outta general principles. Timmy represents SAN FRANCISCO, not friggen Okrahoma City.
Did anyone else notice this?
That during his speech Jon Miller referred to Willie Mays as “Apollo in the temple of the baseball gods” and the camera cut to Willie he was Asleep LOL.
Franchez is one slick sucker at second. Smart and smooth. No twitches in the field.
What the hell does representing the city of San Francisco have to do with it? He represents the Giants and MLB. The city is immaterial.
Dennis. You must be part cockleburr. Stick to it even when you are stuck. Go back the Evil Empire if you like that circumscribed look. Pinstriper. BTW: Enright is up to 71 pitches after four. Top of the order coming up at the top of the fifth. They should have a line on this guy by now.
I wonder if Timmy would at least go for a trim.
I’ve often wondered the same thing. (nudge, nudge, wink, wink – know what I mean?)
Nice slick inning by Timmeh. Any more complaints?
Hey it’s just an organizational thing Dennis.The A’s always have guys with long hair.Redsox’s with Jonny Damon’s cave man look.Then of course you have the Evil Empire Yanks with all crew cuts, St Louis as well.Each teams have different standards.
Huff the Magic Dragon. What a pro! Enright looking a bit discombobulated pitching to Buster. They are starting to pick him apart. The Huff-Posey combo is one tough nut to crack. What a pair.
F*#@ing double plays!
Pitcher may have been tired, but his breaking ball has ownage of both Torres and Uribe. But he’s up around 95 pitches after five. If Timmy holds in the bottom of the inning the Giants will have the momentum.
Whew, he got out of a hairy one there.
If he’s gonna wear it long, Timmy should at least use a conditioner. He has terrible split ends.
Timmy’s hair may have been in the way when he was being given the scouting report on Enright’s prowess at the plate. But he sure did concentrate on Kelly Johnson.
Enright @ 106 … we should be able to break this open against their relievers
Wilson did say he was trying to talk Tim into the Steven Segal ponytail look for the A/S game .That might have looked funny Tim as Hop Sing!
I think the Splash just blocked TF. That’s the final straw: Timmy has to get a haircut now.
Yeah, Stanoph made a crack about my cancer and my daughter, I responded by telling him I’d “hunt him to ground” if he talked of my family,and got my ass banned. Who the fuck is GoGiants11, BTW? One of you? Someone is coming to my defense and I havbe no clue who it is.
I’m sorry to see you get banned. It’s the weekend editors at the helm of SF Gate and they are a joke. If you call the chronicle and ask to speak with an editor of the SF Gate I’m sure your account will be restored. I missed the comment from stan about your daughter and cancer, but if mention the whole situation over the phone to an editor it should be ok.
Dennis. You may have missed it, but the Broadway production of HAIR came out in ’68. Maybe you missed it? Timmy’s got it.
Haren traded to Angels.
try double steal here please…
Tim batting in the 8th with a runner on 3rd. STUPID!
UNREAL. JT “Real good choice by Bochy” What a shock, a pitcher who can’t hit strikes out.
You really want Bautista in there instead?