September 1st….
Call up day. Bochy has to be sighing a bit of relief at the new bodies he’s getting. Uribe is in desperate need of some time off and whether it’s Renteria or Burriss who give him a blow, that dude needs to get a blow….
So who’s getting called up?
Here’s the link to our minor league stats:
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/minorleagues/affiliates/index.jsp?c_id=sf
Outside of middle infield help I’m not sure what our team really NEEDS right now. We’ve got about 16 outfielders already vying for time. The bullpen has sorted itself out pretty good in terms of roles and Runzler will be taking his spot back today so I don’t know how many new guys we’re going to be seeing coming out of the bullpen. Brandon Belt? Sure, why not but I don’t know when he would play. Couldn’t hurt to give him a view from the bench and a PH now and again…….
How about Chris Dominguez down at Augusta (not for a call up, just *how ’bout him*)? He seems like he can hit a little, but 30(!) —t-h-i-r-t-y— errors this year. Dude might want to learn how to play 1st base or he’s headed down the same road Jesus Guzman is traveling down…….
Ubaldo vs Timmy— this is not a must win game. I’m telling myself that partly because it’s true and partly because I’ve lost faith in Tim Lincecum. If he can’t beat the #3’s of the league how is he going to beat this guy (who he’s already lost to)……
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
Boy with the way the weak has played out, if we win that come form behing game against the Reds last Wednesday, held on Monday night against the Rox and won just opne more game at home against AZ, we would be all the way to just a game out.
We really are fortunate to be 4 games out right now and time to reverse our fortunes and start playing better baseball. Last night was a great start, too bad our pen keeps losing losses for the quality starts Cain, Sanchez and the Bum have put together. Great outing by Bum last night, but of course I was snoozing by the third inning to at least wake up to the sounds of Torres hitting the homer. I nodded back off missed the Posey shot, so I was unsure we had that bigger lead when I could half see BWilson throwing…I think he got a DP, but could have been a dream.
I realize the lineup discussions can be annoying and tedious and I dont offer this as a criticism of Block..um, I mean Bruce Bochy.
I see our fortines for the last month riding on Posey’s bat. We will live or die and what he does. He has the most deadly piece of wood in SF. I think with Huff slipping, Posey has got to be hitting 3rd to take advantage of more ABs and also with the way Franchez has been swinging and with Torres aat lead off, one or two of them will be on base quite frequently.
We cant discount the fact that we went the first 26 innings against the Rockies only scoring two runs. And this is at home and the guy last night was more than hittable. We need to pulverize Jimenez to give Timmy some breathing room and Tim needs to get the hell out of the first inning quickly.
With Ishi’s good bat against Jimenez:
1) Torres – CF
2) Franchez – 2B
3) Posey – C
4) Burrell – LF
5) Panda – 3B
6) Guillen/Ross – RF
7) Ishi – 1B
8) Uribe – SS
If you want a better lefty-right combo:
1) Torres – CF
2) Franchez – 2B
3) Panda – 3B
4) Posey – C
5) Burrell – LF
6) Ishi – 1B
7) Guillen/Ross – RF
8) Uribe – SS
Just got wind that we’re calling up Darren Ford. Hmmm? I didn’t know that Darren cuts hair.
He is on the 40 man but thought he was on the DL (or was that County lock up).
I thought he was in jail for embezzlement he committed in the off season, just before he got everyone’s attention in ST. If he’s parole, wtf — we need another base stealer. B)
Regarding the importance of Posey – I disagree Peter. Way too melodramatic to say that we “live or die” on one player. Perhaps, you didn’t mean it that way . . . Personally, I still think it’s the starting pitching (our bread and butter). The hitting only has to be what it has been in the past, i.e., key timely hits or as Twin points out, “maintaining that 4.3 runs per game average.” Do that and I think we make the playoffs.
No one has to be extraordinary . . . Just do your job and don’t over-reach where you fuck up trying to do too much. This Giants team is built on team work, where the individual components may not look like much, but when working together, gets the job done. Anyway, that’s my take . . . 🙂
I think Posey has become the heart of the team. How many big hits has he had in the last 6 weeks that turned out to be crucial?
Bochy has used him in various parts of the lineup and he has produced in each spot. I think if he can stay hot, we are in great shape. If he cools way off, I think our run scoring is going to threaten our chances. I think the only other bat in our lineup that will clearly be a diffwerence maker is Torres. I think if Burrell/Huff/Panda/Uribe go cold, Torres and Posey have the ability to make up the difference. If those two go cold, I am not confident in the rest of the lineup will get it done.
Posey is a fantastic player and is emerging as a team leader, but in no way can he carry the team on his own. There will be big contributions from Torres, Franchez, Huff and Panda for this team to make the playoffs. With some rest, hopefully Uribe can get one more hot streak in there before October comes around.
If Pablo is indeed back – and his .907 OPS in August suggest he might be – I think they only need season averages from the rest of the hitters and pitchers to get in. They need this upcoming road trip to be .500 or better and they’re right in it to the end of the season. I love seeing SD finally hit their slump at exactly the wrong time. Too bad the Giants are not going there first on the road trip.
Today is supposed to be a lot warmer, into the 80s in SF and only cooling off mid-60s, so weather might add an interesting dynamic to Ubaldo-Tim match up. Plus you have the game starting an hour earlier. Does that mean first few innings hitters will be looking out of the shadows, like sometimes happens in those Sat early start games?
Loo’s comment last night about difference in Affeldt 09/10 sure makes a difference regarding addition of Runzler to the pen and Rent coming back allows more flex and another RH vet bat on the bench (besides…I won’t say it). I think Ford being up would help him and he can PR/late D sub.
Yes GH, SF hasn’t scored much in this series, but what about the Rox? I know they are missing Tulo but they haven’t really hit that many balls hard the whole series so far. Just not the same team on the road offensively, and their pen is weaker than ours back to front, imo. A W today might take them out of it, and they’ve got red hot Philly coming to town next.
I think the lineup affects the scoring and why I think we are better off with Posey hitting 3rd. We need the Rockies to also play the Padres very tough this weekend.
My prediction:
The Padres go 2-5 in the next week and we go 5-2! Will bring us to a game behind the Padres as we begin a 4-game set in San Diego. So we could survive a split quite easily and 3 of 4 would put us in first by a game…
Very optomistic, but I like that.
August is over! Time for the Giants to get over that month and go on a tear. Beating Ubaldo tonight would make for some major momentum. One or more of those hitters who cooled off last month will have to get hot. Who’s it gonna be? What would really set the pace for September and the stretch drive? Timmy reverting to form, natch.
For GH’s 5-2 prediction to be right, they will need tonight’s game. Then they only have to take 2 of 3 from both the bums and d-bags. Hopefully, Timmy can just go out there and throw. No thinking, no tinkering, no second guessing…just throw Timmy…throw!
Posey’s OPS the last 28 days is 733. He’s hardly been carrying the team of late.
At this stage of the season it can no longer be said that any one or particular group of players must carry the team. No way to know who will step up and who will stumble. And it doesn’t matter who they are…
Thanks, James ,but watch out for people accusing you of hating Buster because you pointed out a fact…
No one has really carried the team of late, that’s why they had a losing record in August… Panda, Burrell, and Fruckie late had the best months ( without looking). Buster’s average dropped considerably( .270+ in August) , and he had a poor month defensively (particularly throwiong out runners) but a good RBI month. Torres also hit in the .270s and equalled Posey’s 18 RBI *from the lead off spot*.. I’ll run down more of August later.
What the hell, I’ve got time on my hands.
Aug #’s
Burrell .267/.932/20 Rbi’s (*9 in the Cub series)
Huff .224./735/12
Posey .282/.754/18
FSanchez .356/.902/7
Sandman .312/.907/16
Torres .278/,824/18
Uribe .213/.585/10
Since you have time, what about Sandoval?
Sandman?
Spe wants to know! Now!
“Torres also hit in the .270s and equalled Posey’s 18 RBI *from the lead off spot*”
Good point. Sanchez hits .356 but only 7 rbi’s despite hitting 2 hr’s.
C’mon Ted, you’re smart.
ha ha ha
Huff is the guy on Red Alert. Panda gets the “bad AB” grief but Huff has had far too many Bowker ABs the last few weeks. No more glaring example than the total suckitude against Beimel, who he had previously handled. He didn’t even need to go to the plate. He had zero chance. Uribe just looks a hair slow, bat wise. Still getting his good swings but as with the K last night, a mite tardy on the fastball. A day off or two a week from here on out should help.
John Bowker recalled today by the Pirates….How’s that for excitement.
Uribe will get his days off,probably starting tonight with Renteria starting.
Renteria getting the start today? uribe needs a break…Ishi for Huff Twin?
Twin: Good points on Huff. He clearly needs a rest, maybe even more so than Uribe. At the very least he should be dropped down in the order, maybe to 7th for a spell.
Nice to have plenty of off days this month.
“Very optomistic, but I like that.”
–
Another so-so effort from Lincecum tonight and ….5-2 is a stretch.
Zito is of course the other BIG ?
Think this is how it shakes out for the 10 game road trip.
LA: Zito, Cain Sanchez —Billingsley, TBD and Kuroda
AZ: Bum Tim and Zito — Kennedy Enright Hudson (Rats, no Lopez or Saunders?)
SD: Cain Sanchez Bum Tim— Richard LeBlanc Corriea Latos.
Huff has actually done well the last 2 weeks. I think Burrell is an equal worry, despite a good overall August. His contributions tend to get overlooked. He’s been a better offensive player than Uribe.
“Huff has actually done well the last 2 weeks.” Not really, Jamers. He had a good 5 game stretch against St. Louis and the Reds and is now 2 for 21 since.
Sorry, that’s not a new nickname, I meant “James”. Anyway, the season begins tonight. There are no demerits or credits for past performance, it means zip. I don’t particularly like Marty Lurie but he did say it well: this is a team of “men”, they’ll play well down the stretch…
If I am counting right, they played 52 games in July and August and Buster has 40 RBIs. That translates to about 120 RBIs over a full season. maybe I am over-stating that he is carrying the team, but on pace for 120 RBIs as a rookie is fucking impressive and OPS does not necessarily correlate to clutch hitting. Two month is a pretty good sample…
Huff is losing millions and an extra year on a potential contract if he continues with these numbers. Having him hit third is pushing our luck. I like my Panda-Posey 3-4 suggestion.
GH, no one is dissing Posey. He’s been great offensively. In fact he has 42 RBI the last two months ( 24 and 18). Those are his only two full months in the bigs which means it is way motherfucking early to declare him anything but extremely promising. Panda had a terrific full *YEAR PLUS* before slumping for three months, no way all the adjustment/readjustment process has taken place with Posey.
in baseball, only two guys have more than 100 RBIs, Cabrera and Bautista, and they appear the only two on pace for 120 RBIs.
Good points Twin. I just have a premonition that Posey is going to be around another 20 RBIs for the month and will be the key bat. Torres remains my MVP.
Leave it be, if you want to project out based on two months, there have been MANY “on pace” for 120. Buster gets enough props. We all know he’s a good young player.
Sorry, didn’t see your post backing off of full pole smoking. Gioddamn right Torres is team MVP, if voting were done on merit, here’s the NL MVP standings as of Sept 1:
Votto
Zimmerman
Pujols
Torres
Holliday
McCann
Huff
Adrian G.
Weeks
CarGo
Buster rates 36th, impressive for a guy with ust 2 1/2 months in. Torres has the highest defensive value in the league, BTW.
I certainly wouldn’t argue that Posey is having a great year. But his August wasn’t that much better than Huff’s. Aubrey could tank in September — he’s played far better than anyone expected — but if he goes hot and cold in Sept. exactly as he’s done the last 2 weeks, that would serve the Giants just fine.
A 733 OPS over any significant stretch of time means you won’t be producing a whole lot of runs, no matter how “clutch” you are
damn . . . “wouldn’t argue that Posey isn’t . . . .”
Is that the same as…” would argue that Posey is….”
Nope, it’s not. All about the rhetorical effect.
LQTM
What they’re all really worth in millions, as of today:
Torres 23.2
Huff 19.1
Posey 11.8
Uribe 7.9
Sandoval 7.3
Ross 7.0
Fruckie 6.8
Burrell 5.7
Rent 3.9
Nate 3.1
Rowand 2.9
Whitey 2.7
Guillen 1.4
Ishikawa 1.0
Lincecum 14.7
Cain 14.3
Wilson 8.9
Sanchez 8.1
Zito 7.3
MadBum 3.2
Romo 2.9
Casilla 2.1
Lopez 1.7
Runzler 1.5
Mota 0.9
Ray 0.9
Affeldt 0.3
Ramirez 0.1
Where do you *get* this stuff???
Well, call me Pollyanna, but I think this game is in the bag. With or without Timmeh, Huff or BW. When a team is going w3ll, it is time for someone to get a spark for one game because the team is full of sparks.
And it may well be Timmeh, Huff and BW that does the work.
Momentum
humm, baby
Fangraphs Ted . . . good site for those who want to be in the “know.”
Cool. Thanks, blade. That’s inetersting data
And again, who does what no longer has any relevance, they probably have to win 17 or 18 games is the only significant number, not how they get them.Those who declare imperatives as in “Tim MUST” or Panda MUST”, dead wrongo. We’ve all done it, but no longer. Renteria can be the difference maker, Guillen, Pablo,or one or more of the usual suspects ( Torres,Posey, Huff). Uribe, MadBum, Tim, Panda, even the Zitter… we have ZERO idea who it will be and Thank God for that. Tha’s the excitement of the last month: the unexpected heroes, and alas: the goats…
Here is the link . . . http://www.fangraphs.com/
I believe the category Mike cited was “Value” (which you will find for each player). They also have career totals, i.e., how much they actually made for each year, as well as their career vs. their “real” value for same. Cool site.
Thanks again
Ranking by position:
C Posey 4
1B Huff 3
2B Fruckie 12
SS Uribe 8
3B Panda 11
LF Burrell 8
CF Torres 1
RF Aggregate 16
I know some will wonder about Torres’ ranking but that’s no “Twin Spin”. Remember that FanGraphs rates this offensively and defensively. Torres has been the best OFer in the NL defensively AND the 5th best offensively. And if you insist, “adderall” up, he’s the surprise player of the year and belongs on any year end All-MLB team.
With all the talk and angst regarding how Rent, Row and Zits are overpaid, I think the value list Twin posted says a lot in Sabeans defense as having a good year as GM. Other than those three, I think every other player on the list is out-performing his salary.
hey, I sent the pics of the knitted panda hat to BF. Nice one, buddy.
I guess we should all be sending Houston some Christmas cards this year. They are beating the Redbirds again . . .
4-2 bottom of the 6th , , ,
For a team that we beat the shit out of this season, love how they continue to help the cause.
TF, but some hitter will never change. Rowand was a prime example last night in the 8th. When he walked to the plate I said to my son “strike out king”!! and sure enough!!
RF Aggregate Gomez 16
Undoubtedly, Aggregate Gomez would rank higher if he wasn’t a hybrid.
Kevin, Rowand is buried deeper than Hoffa. Time to ease off. He batted because it was him or Whitey.
5-2 Houston knocks off Cards….Big hit 3 run Homer for Hunter “Gomez” Pence.
Fresno guys won’t come up until next week. For now it’s Runzler, Renteria, Ford..
Who gave Ford the get-out-of-jail-free card?
Mercury and his winged shoes
I missed it… what happened to Ford?
Murph & Mac reported this morning that he’s going to be up tonight.
Torres CF Sanchez 2B Huff 1B Burrell LF Guillen RF Posey C Sandoval 3B Fontenot SS Lincecum RHP
i just saw the movie: men who kill goats.
i have never doubted my ability to second guess Botchy or Saybean or most men close to the game – it doesn’t exist. I struggle to read the SJnews and this blog. And like twin said: at this point there is nothing to do except play ball.
Interesting, Fontenot and no Rent. Font must have good numbers vs. Ubaldo.
Not especially. 1 hit, .200 AVG and 2 BBs. But that hit *was* a triple
He never went to jail, he’s played throughout.
Decap: he was charged with stealing some bucks from a car dealership he worked for,I believe. As I recall, it was a bank deposit, he filed a police report saying someone stole it. Police now doubt his account. It has not gone to trial. It wa 300 bucks.
Right forgot about that.
Ahh… Got it thanks….
1-0 Dago, top of 4
Tied 1-1 top of the 7th
See Rob Dibble was fired today.Basically for his stupid comment that Strasburg should “just suck it up” and pitch through his arm soreness.Which of course turned into a torn tendon and TJ surgery to follow.
Hey Rob, Why don’t you” just suck it up” and work during your unemployment.
Fired from what? ESPN?
If all the talking heads at ESPN were fired for saying stupid shit, there’d be no one left to say anything . . .
lets go Zona! 1-1 in the 7th
What he said
Wow. Looks like Dibble lost 2 jobs. Nats TV guy, AND BSPN . . .
Shit, for saying he thought Strasburgh should pitch through the pain?
What the fuck? It’s his opinion. Big fricking deal.
I could see the Nats firing him, but not ESPN. I was never a big Dibble fan anyway.
Ahhh, he got fired from BSPN a while ago . . . shit, I know more about rob Dibble than I care to. Fuck Wikipedia . . .
Nevermind . . .
Damned. Dago back ahead 2-1 in the middle of 7.
Thank you for the info Chuck. Those bleeps always make me chuckle. Do you ever get red in the face when putting out those pearls of profanity?
1st and 2nd no out AZ bottom of 7
http://tinyurl.com/2e8h5w8
Grand Salami AZ
5-2 ‘zona bot 7
Nothing gives a bona
Like a win from Arizona
‘Gainst the Daaaaaagos
Juan Gutierrez in for the save (?)… 0-6 6.09.
Gutierrez save!
padres lose..
Nice job , Gomez.
Dropped his ERA to 5.96 in the process
Funny, the upstart Stros and Dbacks play this weekend. Hopefully, the Snakesl cool off by Mon.
E Gomez.
No way to catch the runner with Tim’s delivery . . . sigh.
The graphic said 26 of 29 successful stolen bags off of Tim. It’s a wonder how they got three.
Agree Den . . . *$#^@#%$!@_+ frickin’ Cargo
Is it to early to mention that this guy is throwing a NO HITTER?
What you say? No hits? AND no runs?
Tim better keep it where it is, I’ll say that.
Bozo, what’s this about a no-no? Gomez has a no-no going?
Yeah Den. NO HITS and NO RUNS. Can you believe it?
OK he has a one hit NO RUN game going. A shutout. Can you believe that?
I can’t believe it’s still a shutout. Gomez has a shut out going.