In the Drivers Seat…..
We lead 2 games to one (how’s that Philly in 5 pick coming along, Mitch?) and who isn’t looking for us to go up 3 games to one? Big Fat Joe Blanton hasn’t lost since July 22nd? Another example of why wins and loses are nearly meaningless stats to analyze a pitcher. His ERA on the road was 5.47 and opponents hit .292 off him. In his 3 career ATT starts he’s got a “Tyler Walker–esque WHIP of 1.58 with the Giants hitting at a .318 clip. Blanton is the kind of guy your struggling hitters get healthy on. He’s an innings eater but looking at his physique that’s hardly all he eats…..Meanwhile, we’ve got our stud lefty going against a team that can’t hit lefties……3 and 1 never looked so good…….
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
it sets up so well that, i confess, it scares the shit out of me. This is our 2010 Giants: make some nobody look like cy freaking young and then take on their best pitcher and pound him into submission (ubaldo in CO anyone?).
But if they can get the woodies going (and there’s nothing like a red thong to get some good wood going), and another solid outing from the freshman, this could get exciting.
I am not trying to look ahead, but I was happy to see Bengie clobber that shot last night…does that portend any bad omens in facing Bengie in a WS????
I did not realize if we make the WS, that will be three straight appearances against an AL West team and we know how those fared and we know who was the catcher for those Damn Angels.
But just two more games first. I love our chances today. Yesterday was the most dangerous game in the series. Phillies go down 3-1, I dont think they get back to Philly…
A win today and they might fold their tent. I don’t expect them to, that’s just not the way 2010 rolls, but they could.
Didn’t get to see any of this, but couple updates during the game. Great to get home and check the Flap threads (and watch Texas rake Yankees PS).
Dennis 10:57 re: …”I’ll kill Florence Henderson myself…” has to be POTY.
NIce reminders on “Commander Cody”…that was a cool band, saw them a few times, loved the Lost in the Ozone Again LP.
Maybe it’s the Rowand affect, since he hasn’t figured out how to hit here in 3 years after he left em, but the Phillies just don’t hit well in this park either.
But he didn’t need to – Tom Bosley was our offering to the TV Land gods… I hope we don’t have to make another sacrifice today, though.
Don’t stop Believing, Go Giants.
My problem with potentially facing Texas in the WS? The last time we faced a team wearing red who had never been to the WS before, it didn’t work out all that well for us.
Truckin’ and Fuckin’ was my fave by them . . . Hot Rod Lincoln wasn’t bad either . . .
Saw ’em at Frost w/the Flying Burrito Brothers years ago . . .
This was supposed to go under Willie’s post . . .
Can’t get to euphoric even ahead 3-1. Still need to beat Halladay again. Phils know a win gets them back to Whistler’s Park. Unless G’s want to exorcise game 6 demons, they best take the next 2.
Whatever happens, you have to love the way our young starters have responded here in the postseason.
er, their “first” postseason.
Yeah, going back to Philly would be a bit of a chore, but Sanchez/Cain to close it out? Sure.
A win this evening would pretty much seal the deal — leaving 3 games to get 1, with the three aces rested and scheduled to start, as needed. The Phillies would be doomed. And somehow I just have this gut feeling that Bumgarner will get it done today and that some of the other Giants’ bats will liven up.
(Weather report — cue Birdland riff — mild tonight, nice evening to blast some fireworks off against Fat Joe Blanton; cooler tomorrow, Lincecum weather. Moderate low-pressure wind blowing out toward LF; those of you with bleacher seats, bundle up a bit . . . .)
Anyone else bummed the Yankees are fading? Sure wish we were the ones who would bring them to submission.
4:30 start tho, right? If there is any sunshine like there is supposed to be today, early starts make it tough on hitters.
Alex, no. Sooner they are eliminated the better.
I heard someone say 4:57 first pitch. Maybe the pregame gets going at 4.30. Maybe some shadows to help Bum’s nasty delivery along in the first inning or two. Blanton’s BP FB shouldn’t benefit as much, I think.
My family is back east and I was hoping the Giants would give me bragging rights for the next year. But, you are undoubtedly right and good riddance to the overpaid, over pimped boys from the Bronx.
I’m conflicted. My anti-Yankee passion is familial, Freudian, historical, and psychological. BUT. BUT what bothers me about the Rangers is the WAY they play. It’s the same hustle and surprise as the Angels displayed in 2002. Scioscia, an NL guy, used NL traditions of run and hustle that became NL hallmarks solely because of the number of black players in the NL in the Fifties and Sixties. It’s Negro Leagues baseball. And it’s exciting. But, IF we get that far, the huge challenge will be to adjust to the way WE play: charge balls better, throw to bases better, watch runners, throw stronger to bases. Not be caught napping. The Yankees — fewest errors in MLB, I believe — have not made that adjustment.
Not wise to be dissing and dismissing Joe Blanton, or counting chickens for Texas, and particularly for ourselves. That said, if the hitters do not revert to early season form of racking the aces and then rolling over and lubing up for the so-so starters; the chances look good for breaking out some wood.
Still being haunted by the now almost traditional Giants mantra of never seeming to take the easy way out. It’s almost like this team thrives on suspense and torture. Buncha drama queens. But you never know. Maybe they will all realize that they can win this thing at home in the next two games and simply roll.
For a 21 Y.O. Bumgarner showed some veteran poise against Atlanta, what was it ~ last week ~ seems like last year. He goes his usual 6-7 innings today, giving up two or maybe three runs, stranding most of his baserunners and the Giants hitters awaken against Blanton and things are looking pretty good.
A win tonight would just about seal the deal, though of course we face ‘Doc’ Halladay in game five. He’s one pitcher you cannot dismiss. Neither is that scrawny little guy pitching for the homeboyz tomorrow evening. Like Yogi said, though: “It ain’t over till its over”. Guess SF learned that lesson eight years ago. A win today makes it only 5 wins to go.
Good comments; take nothing for granted, certainly not Blanton.
Similarly, I don’t like Magnus calling the Philllies skipper Charlie Dumbass. I respect Manuel. He’s about as dumb as Columbo.
Not sure if I missed it here, but anyone express thoughts of Mr. Exuberance yesterday? I wondered if Bonds would show up but never expected him to bring his cheerleading moves.
The 2002 Angels were 4th in the league in OBP and 4th in runs scored. As usual, OBP had the strongest correlation to how good the offense was. The Angels actually had an ineffective SB percentage as a team in 02. Scioscia’s aggressive running style had little to do with how much they scored. The Texas stats this year are very similar.
yeah, yeah, cold numbers; but in the hot glare of reality, they made all that work, though, didn’t they?
James – that was what was so damaging, the way they always took the extra base – not through steals, but by hustle. It seemed like every runner on first scored on a double, tagged up and advanced on every fly ball – those fuckers took every thing we let them. This time, if we’re so lucky, we need to be really stingy with those 90 feet!
FH, I seem to remember only the extra bases a late home run produced in game 6.
I can see it already: the Rangers clobber the Giants pitchers, but no one will say anything about how that refutes the unsupported by the evidence cliche that good pitching always beats good hitting. Instead the Rangers will be credited with “forcing mistakes.”
I was surprised by the whole Bonds presence yesterday…I actually seeing being involved with the organization as a special hitting coach, bbut I am sure they are waiting for the trial and its conclusion before reaching out to Barry…but I think it is good for the organization to embrace Bonds and bury those ’02 ghosts…
Argue any which way about Bonds, he was phenomenal to watch. I brought a lady from the Philippines to a game once. She sort of knew who Bonds was but didn’t really know the “legend”. He knocked one into McCovey Cove and the place exploded with chants of BARRY BARRY BARRY! She’d never seen anything like it in her life. That was 2001 and she’s been a Giants loyalist ever since.
Sorry. I have my issues with him as much as anyone, primarily his effect on the team as a whole during his chase of the HR record his last 2 years but I’ll never regret having the opportunity to watch him in my lifetime.
Okay. I’m done
Second that Ted. Watching BB on a regular basis from 93 on, I have never seen a left handed hitter turn on an inside fastball as well as he did (going back to mid 60s watching live baseball). I never did see Teddy ballgame or the Babe swing but I can’t imagine them being quicker on that pitch.
what was the deal with all his hopping around though? he seemed over the top and I couldn’t figure out what was up. thought maybe he got some good news. I see Bonds more as a sad case, like Rose. Those two guys didn’t know much outside this game, and perfect rarely covers all aspects of a man. It will kill him I think if he has to go to jail. That would be a damned shame.
That was, given the context,Matt’s greatest moment.His domination of Utley and Rollins (two guys with previous ownage) was something a SUPERSTAR does.This pitching staff is on a MISSION FROM GOD!…Just having a little Blues Brothers Flashback…Matter of fact, Elwood and Jake are on their way to ATT…It’s 106 miles to SF,we got a full tank of gas,half a pack of cigarettes,it’s dark,and were wearing sunglasses….HIT IT..
and for the big dance number, jerry lee lewis tests out the piano keys and the whole park rocks to “whole lot of shakin’ going on” The phillies and their fans wonder, “what the fuck is going on now?”
There’s a lot of baseball left. Celebrate our good fortune in wins and never take the Phillies for granted. As for the WS, I hope Texas makes it. We all need new blood for the WS. Sure the ratings will take a hit but to hell with the ratings. And Bengie, bravo for him!
Well, MadBum needs to get out of the early innings and he/they should be fine. 6-3 Giants sounds about right this evening.
I don’t think the Phils are going to roll over and cough blood the way the Yanks have.It is going to be an excruciating battle tonight.I have confidence that MadBum will give us quality innings,but I suspect we will need someone like Casilla or Romo maybe Ramirez to get some big outs.Blanton is the weakest link but he’s no pushover.He’s a good pitcher and we all know how the Giants can make anyone look like Cy Young.Torres will have to start hitting.Maybe Pablo can come up with a big hit.He could use a start at 3rd.No?
The little fat bastard better start tonight at 3B or I’ll have another goddamn conniption shitfit.
Play the husky kid!
The word “husky” reminds me of my youth. I recall during my early grade schools going to Mervyns with mom and having to get clothes from the “husky” section. Husky clothes politely translates: “We had to use extra thread and material for all you fat little fucks who can’t fit into normal fitting clothes. Stop eating so goddamn much and get off your fat ass and go exercise.”
Mom, after we get my “husky” clothes, can we go to Taco Bell and then get some ice cream?
The LU I’d like to see tonight:
Torres CF
Fruckenturd 2b
Huff 1B
Posey C
Burrell LF
Ross RF
Sandoval 3B
Renteria SS
Mike, you move Huff back to 3rd? Think he is more relaxed now after yesterday??
Well, I sure as hell wouldn’t leave Buster there. Did you boot up your PC?
“Fruckenturd?” Sounds like someone is already getting into the Halloween spirit. Not sure if Mary Shelley dubbed the good doctor, “Fruckenturd” her book would have ever caught fire.
Have not had time, my daughter was working on a school project, need Word and power point.
Huff, Posey, and Burrell are due for a big middle of the order game.
I think Flav’s “esteemed colleagued,” Mychael Urban is a fan of the blog. In his piece about Joe Blanton, he referred to Charlie Manuel as “Uncle Chuck.” I didn’t think we had room for another slow, dim-witted country bumpkin boob. I stand corrected.
Hey, I resemble that remark . . .
Any idea where they find these guys to announce these games? I thought the bottom of the barrel had been scraped clean with Joe Buck, but these guys they are hiring to cover the Giants don’t seem to even like baseball. You’d think there’d be some quality baseball lifers applying for those gigs, but instead we get youngsters and dufus clowns.
as long as i don’t have to listen to radnich
dblonde over to the splash posted this and it’s f-ing hilarious.
Philly Phans are hot under the collar, too:
http://www.thefightins.com/meechone/open-game-thread-1019-nlcs-game-3/#comments
Funny, they have a Bozo over there . . Is he moonlighting as a Phillies fan?
Fuck that Unca. That Bozo is a fraud. Me and my newest bestest Giant Clown (Mr, Ross to you), will take care of that fake clown.
Heh heh heh:
Bizarro Phan says:
October 19, 2010 at 6:48 pm
“OMG I have no idea why Charlie didn’t have Dobbs on the roster. There’s no way Utley or Rollins should be playing they suck ass. why can’t they put Ibanez on the DL and bring back Cody Ransom? WTF? Isn’t any of these guys caring about these games. I can’t take this anymore.”
Had to laugh when I saw that one . . .
I was laughing so hard that two people came over seperately to ask what was soo funny.
I was screaming at that shit so loud that my neighbor turned her head to see what was the commotion all the across from the courtyard. That shit was hifuckinglarious!
makes our michael seem calm and sedate.
SS Renteria
2B Sanchez
1B Huff
C Posey
LF Burrell
RF Ross
3B Sandoval
CF Rowand
P Bumgarner
Hooray for Orson!
Row row’s double got him another start . . .
Good for him.
I like it. Torres still looked pretty hapless in his pinch hitting attempt. And for all the shit we give Rowand, he’s a pro’s pro. It’s only proper that everyone gets a chance to play and contribute for this team, that’s who we are. A full squad of 25 and they all step up when need be. He’s 2 for 4 (both doubles) off of Phat Joe to boot. And ya know I’m just diggin’ seeing Pablo in the lineup. I just know he’ll do his part to contribute as well. I just know it. Call it a (big) gut feeling.
Slight change for the Phucking Phillies. Ben Francisco replaces Mark(Raul) Ibanez as the sports director at KTVU Ch. 2 and in LF tonight.
Victorino CF, Utley 2B, Polanco 3B, Howard 1B, Werth RF, Rollins SS, Francisco LF, Ruiz C, Blanton P
So I’m listening to the Radnich podcast of the interview with mitch williams and this guy is such a phillies homer, you can tell he wants to shoot himself for having to complement the giants. I love watching this guy look like the idiot he is
He and karros act like they’ve just discovered this game called baseball.
Shit, guys. Didn’t you PLAY the game yer whole lives? You both sound like idiots.
Why would the man who gave up the homerun to Joe Carter, whose Phillie fans wanted to fire bomb his house, be rooting for that shit? Oh yeah, I forgot “Life’s a bitch. I could be digging ditches. I’m not”. Mitch, you might not be digging a ditch, but you sure are digging yourself a big ass hole. Fuckwad.
My wife was asking me why the AL games are so slow and drag on longer. Watching this AL series, there’s no obvious one thing. It’s just the batters take a little longer to walk around between pitches, the pitchers are slower, the whole pace is just slower. It’s something that seems to be the accepted pace of the AL games. It’s not just because of the DH. That has a little impact on the speed of the games, but the overall pace is slower. There seems to be more nibbling around the plate by pitchers.
Imagine if every NL batter did Pablo’s pre-AB ritual. That’s the kind of pace the AL games have. And it’s been that way for years.
We’re trotting out this shitty lineup tonight? You got to be kidding me. I didn’t know shit stacks that high. All I need now is for that boob Bochy to insert NO Whitey as pinch hitter late in the game. It’s a goddamn miracle that we’re still playing this late into October. Well, if we’re still playing…
Score first, score often and WIN goddammit! Go Giants, Phuck the Phillies!
Sit down and stop your crying. The ump wasn’t lying, you little Hawaiian.
Bozo, when the Phillies won the World Series in ’08, the Phillie fans were ready to forgive Mitch. Like how the Red Sox fans wanted to make up with Buckner after they won in ’04. Buckner, to his credit, wasn’t having any of it.
Huey Lewis and the News singing the National Anthem should be a sign of good things to come.
I remember being at the ‘Stick back in the 80’s and when they sang it before the Niners’ game, it was as good as over. I guess it didn’t hurt that Niners were the team of the decade. But I’d like to think that Huey and the boys had a hand in it.
2 WPs. I’ll take it
BUSTERINO
Buster delivers! I love it when we score first.
This is actually kind of lame. No where near the quality of the DON’T STOP BELIEVING video plus there’s an ill advised shout out to Radnich.
But what the fuck:
CS 1-3-6!
Tough to steal on Bum. He practically steps toward first on this pitches.
“his” pitches
That was one nifty slide/tag by our cagey vet. Rent already paying dividends—again.
Bruce Bochy may be a slouch, but he’s a tremendous slouch.
“one flap down” just cited my Fux announcers
Throw at muthafuckin Blanton’s balls when he gets up after he hit our Cody. And the ball was foul.
Fucking weak ABs by panda and rowand
We plead with Sandoval and Rowand to be more selectiven at the plate, and the ump didn’t reward them. The strikezone got real big that inning. Bum better get those calls, too.
Speaking of tremendous slouches, Phat Joe has some good stuff tonight. And he’s pouring in strike 1 wright down Van Ness, and we’re taking pitches. Of all the goddamn to be patient, we picked the wrong one.
Swing the goddamn bats, and swing ’em early!
Bum’s dealin’.
Blanton is going down . . .
5 runs in the next 2 innings.
Time to get some more runs off Mr. Flatious Lee Blanton
Phuck Jimmy Rollins. I hope his kid(s) have their Halloween candy stolen from the school bully.
Buster did it a gain! Woo-hoo!
We’ve scored 8 of our 11 runs in this series with 2 outs. Can you spell C-L-U-T-C-H?
This ump has a HUGE SZ. Pablo and Rowand better get some hacks in this time around.
He didn’t on the 1-2 to Francisco. Got dicked 90 ft. right there.
I just talked to my uncle… die hard Giants fan. In a bar just outside of Philly watching the game incognito trying to not get beat down in the back alleyway. The bartender “…I knew they had some good pitchers but man, they’re really good.”
yo, Adrian…cool
Jesus H. Christ did the Phucking Phillies bring their leather tonight. We’re gonna have to hit ’em where they really ain’t. Anything close is getting Hoovered.
Mr. Bumgarner so far doing a brilliant Andy Pettite impersonation.
Someone here, perhaps you compared him to AP early in the season.
He needs to impersonate Houdini right now.
Holy Shit what a throw.
Great throw, Aaron! Fuck them phillies.
Well, dickhead McCarver’s half right. Posey’s half of the play was great, too. But that “high” throw from Rowand was a strike, right to the plate.
Rowand with the HOSE job. And a nice scoop and swipe tag by Buster.
Jesus, they’re hitting Madison pretty good now. C’mon bullpen, time to do your thing.
The throw wasn’t bad, but Posey made an incredible play.
I think Bochy doesn’t want to get AJ Burnetted here.
That throw and play at the plate will be shown thousands of times, and should be.
Son of a motherless fuck. He hung that shit pitch.
Fuck.
Fucking bitch
Casilla HAS to limit the damage here. NO more runs and NO Whitey.
Fuck, Casilla is “reverting to form.” He best get Rollings out.
These fuckers at fox, McCarver and Buck, are so happy when anything happens that increases the likelihood that the series will extend. I don’t know if they care who wins, they just don’t want to get shut down. They want to continue dominating the prime time airwaves with their idiotic blather through the weekend.
The Giants need to pull it together here and start smacking the fat 89 mph FBs Fat Joe is feeing them.
He HAS to get out down just one.
or 2.
Casilla is looking like the guy the A’s dumped.