Friday’s Topic: Whatever you Want
Sorry, barely had time to get the BB up this morning. There just isn’t that much newz coming out of AZ today. Ford blasted a bomb, where did that come from? Posey hit one 450 feet; nice.
Twin threw out a topic at the end of the last thread about our surprising defensive stats last year. This is “talk about whatever you want day”. baseball, football, your opinion on the BB of the Day. Whatever. I’ll check back with you guys later.
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
Here is the comment Flavor referred to:
“Off topic, probably the most overlooked factor in the 2010 WS run was the defense- many have posited that the team had a high fielding percentage due to limited range… however, Baseball Prospectus (and other sites) rate Defensive Efficiency, the rate at which balls put into play are converted into outs by a team’s defense. The Giants were first in the NL…the best defense, the best pitching- Chef Jack’s recipe for success..”
Yeah, going into the season the D was the big question mark. One of the things that amazed me the most was how well Rent played after the thing in his arm tore completely. Going into the Playoffs he played short like he was 10 years younger. Also, Uribe did a great defensive job filling in everywhere.
Not too shabby.
Huff was better than advertized on defense. Posey turned out to be great on defense. Franchez had an excellent defensive post-season. I guess the list goes on and on. Rowand with that great throw in the Phillies series. Timmy with that acrobatic play during the season where he dove for the ball behind the mound and threw the guy out at first. MLB put that play on their 100 best plays of the season list. The guys play real hard. A manager’s dream.
Ishi and Nate with excellent late-inning defensive sub work.
MLB network, I meant.
zum, not to mention, Torres had a gold glove year in CF.
And who can forget that play when Sandoval…D’OH!!
The defense in the WS was astounding. I don’t remember us playing anything close to that level during the regular season— but then again, there’s the defensive stat noted by Twin above that’s impossible to ignore.
The defense was certainly better than we all thought it would be. My one question with that stat is where the Giants rank on how many balls were put into play, since they led all of MLB in strikeouts, including three of the top 29 strikeout pitchers and a reliever who had the third-most strikeouts among closers. And they allowed, by far, the fewest hits. The counteract to all that is the Giants also led MLB in innings pitched. Just curious.
BF if I send you a picture of me can you photoshop me between the two BB?? Just a thought.
I say you put his head on both so we can decide if we like Kevin better with/without a tan.
With!!
Other wise I look like yesterdays BB
I just watched the NLDS game that ESPN called:
“Giants defense dooms Braves, take 2-1 lead”
Fontenot is playing 3rd
so, yeah, our defense was a lot better than predicted last season.
Ishi and Nate as late inning D had their great moments — including at least one each in the playoffs. Either or both may be gone from the team by April; that could be a significant change.
My exhaustive research has identified today’s BBs as: “dos mujeres bonitas”. Unlike yesterday’s BB, at least I don’t need to wear my Maui Jims to look at the photo…
To quote Flav’s POTD: “I’m also down with hot latina’s.”
Since it’s any topic day, I would like to nominate myself for prognosticator of 2010. For calling the World Champions last March. But, as my wife pointed out, I say it every year so I guess I can’t. Going through a draft folder I found this anthem from last March 3 that I had posted on the old Flap.
Bozo said…
HAPPY NEW YEAR FLAPPERS.
Yes it’s the year of the Panda. A year in which we jump into our new DeRosa and drive over to the Nate the Great Bar and Grill. Posey on in while leaning on your Cain and drink a Huff over Ishi. Watch a full episode of Renteria. Discuss some Bochy plays while spitting out the Flannery in your throat. Some say it’ll be a Freakish year, Dirty and Filthy but Natsu Nasty, as the Rags to Bam Bam story plays out.
A year when Flappers everywhere finally are able to sing out as one ‘This Is Your World Champion San Francisco Giants’.
Yes, a happy new year indeed.
Cheers
March 3, 2010 6:22 AM
With a few minor tweaks and one major one I can use this again this year. The major tweak I was thinking about is – A year when Flappers everywhere are able to REPEAT as one ‘This Is Your World Champion San Francisco Giants’.
how many wins did you predict they’d have?
I think I went with 93 but I’m not sure. Could have been 95.
I’d forgotten until reading Baggs that ‘right-handed is Pablo’s natural side.”
Hit.380 Rh in 09, .220 last yr.
Funny convo with my daughter last night. She was asking me about barry Zito. I told her Zito is super into surfing and she goes, “not baseball?” and I had to think about my answer before saying, “no, not baseball”….
I’m a little dubious about Zito’s surfing. He surely hasn’t surfed since signing his Giants contract. A surfing injury voids it. And the only stories I see about his younger days involve surfing some exotic break in Fiji. I’m not sure anyone’s every seen him in the water in Calif. This one photo shows up a bunch. Looks like Zito in some rarefied spot (no one else around). Most lefties are goofy foot. The peak’s a little hard to judge because the photo cuts it off, but he seems to have missed his chance at a successful bottom turn on this wave, possibly because he was weak and wobbly getting into the wave. And you gotta wonder — why isn’t he going left? It’s not what you would call a promising take off.
http://www.theextremescene.com/image/barry-zito-surfingjpg
No Mavericks this year. I think we can blame that on Zito’s shitty lack of command as well.
You mean Zito’s “La Niña”? Maybe so. Maybe so. La Niña. Sorta suits him.
He should be going left there. Looks like he was late on catching it but like you said, the photo doesn’t show the whole break but he’s way off balance, that’s for sure.
Already a knowledgeable Giants fan! BTW, until the Jenkins piece I didn’t even know about the buyout that kicks in after the 7th year. Geez, does Boras bring along Luca Brasi when he negotiates these deals?
I don’t think Luca liked the way they pierced his hand and I know he didn’t like the Wire neck tie they gave him.
Kevin, may your first child be a masculine child.
Don Boras, I am honored and grateful that you have invited me to your home on the signing day of Barry Zito. And may his first pitch be a masculine pitch.
So much for that
Sabes: Neuk, what do you want me to do?
Neuk: I want you to use all your powers and all your skills.
I don’t want to see this, this Zits, this way any longer.
Look how he’s screwing up our rotation.
Trade his sorry ass, now…
Giants bat around in the 1st and score 5 including a Belt 2-run homer.
Rowand made the first and last out. At least he got two ABs out of it.
Suppan’s throwing strikes and Stewart nailed a runner at second. No Whitey and Zito are looking as pale as yesterday’s BB.
rowand sucks! 0 for 3 today (so far) with 2 k’s. hitting a robust .067 and all everyone is bitching about is zito. Zito can pitch with a modicum of success. Rowand can’t hit worth shit.
.067? Ouch! Not a fan of Rowand at all.
Rowand 1-4, now up to .125!
LOL if it wasn’t so sad. Sounds like Belt and Derosa had a day from what I have read. I need to pick up a new radio for the office, my old took a dump yesterday.
Looks like sfgate is down today, the political junkies are probably in withdrawl.
MLB.com has game day, get updates there
Thanks Kevin. I’m on it.
i don’t think sfgate is down but it is slow as shit today.
Worse than dial-up slow.
if they’re starting rowand in an attempt to showcase him, it’s not working too well. damn.
Belt is making his case. How about a poll tomorrow, Craig? Will he make the 25 out of ST?
Now Suppan for goodness gracious sakes alive. What these guys won’t do to get on board a winner. Yes, Belt is making his case for sure. Looks like an RBI machine, so maybe my earlier fantasy of him batting in the 2-hole cussn onaccounta his speed may need to be rethunk. Were it not for the arbitration rules, i’d say he’s a slam-dunk shoe-in to make the 25-man at the end of the month.
As i’ve noted a couple times already, the tradewinds they might be blowing fairly soon. More and more Belt is making Ishi redundant. Darren Ford steals a few more bases and the SS Rowand may be taking on a list. As for that rotation and Zito’s continued status, it may now largely depend on how fast Cainer comes back from the elbow owwie. Suppan and Vogelsong both are making things interesting.
Six and two record so far in the desert. Still doesn’t mean diddly, but the indications are nice. Other teams may start to be getting a bit nervous about this bunch. With Panda and DeRosa hammering that horsehide and provided Cain is OK, we might just be looking at a monster.
This happens every spring. Belt is for real, but he was hitting against Tim Dillard, who is an awful pitcher probably headed for AAA. Suppan was facing just a couple of regulars. Tough to draw any conclusions off this split squad game.
the problem with suppan is that i seem to remember wellemeyer had a pretty good spring and look how that turned out. really hard to judge this early and even later, it won’t necessarily be easy.
Rowand sitting on the bench anywhere near Bochy is like having a slutty undead BB sitting near to Flav. No matter what he’s promised himself, you just know he’s going to reach for it . . .
POTD
Warm-your-heart story on Romo at Giants’ site. But I’m a bit miffed they are using Journey for the video promo for tix. Should be our boy Ashkon. Going to Philly tomorrow. Be wearin’ my colors proudly. Wanna make somethin’ of it?
you lookin’ at me?
Why don’t you stop in at Bryn Mawr and say hello to Soph?
I still don’t know if she is real or not. In fact, sometimes I’m not sure if I’m real.
soph’s real. Real what, I have no idea.
Anybody remember Bryn Mawr’s reign of terror on the old GE College Bowl?
Wasn’t Katherine Hepburn on that team?
no, that was the game show “Desk Set”
Man, my brother and I loved that show. Sunday evenings. Allen Ludden. Would be interesting to know if any of those contestants went on to fame or fortune — or misfortune.
Why is it not surprising Rowand made 2 outs in 1 inning today
And two very Rowand-esque outs….strike out and ground out.
Sure I’ll put a poll up. He’s starting the year in Fresno, though. If I give the answer away it won’t be much of a poll
The poll could include what months people think he’ll be brought up if he starts in AAA?
I think you already said that- 142 times.
Why is it not surprising that Zito hit a guy and walked a guy to load the bases?
It’s surprising to me. I remember when you had to put 3 guys on to load the bases.
I think the other guy got a hit. Zito was trying for the “Zito cycle” in that inning. The 4th batter being the guy that hits the grandslam. It didn’t happen though.
It could be mildly interesting to see who scores higher on the suck-o-meter this Spring….Zito or Rowand. Rowand made a strong move with the two outs in one inning today. But Zito battled back with the hit-batsman and the bases-loaded stress inning.
Zito and Rowand are World Champion San Francisco Giants.
Or have you forgotten that?
3 IP, 1 run is certainly an encouraging effort for Zito, especially in the desert.
Neal has gone deep.
Improved outing for Zito tonight. 3.0 innings, 2 hits, 1 run, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts, 1 HBP.
Maybe the Jenkins article and all the hullabaloo that followed lit a fire under his ass. That is if a fire can be lit in Spring Training. I still think we should send him to Plankton’s Chum Bucket.
Or the Chumporium.
Yeah, I’m sure Zito got a lot more diligent about his conditioning regimen after the Jenkins article hit the paper. And all that work finally paid off tonight, huh?
In any event, if there’s any possibility of a trade involving Zito, a good ST sure would help.
A pissed off Zito with no pressure and a little extra run support can win at least 15.
Zitz will be the same as he’s always been. He’ll raise false hopes at some point and face plant when needed most.Perhaps Bochy’s greatest move of all was leaving him off the postseason roster- they would not be WS champs had he pitched…
Does someone have that crazy stat on Zito? The one where he’s a million and 3 when he gets 4 runs or more, whatever it is?
What’s the alternative?
well, that’s not really what I was asking for. The alternative is ABZ. And whoever that guy is gets to take the mound boo-free and with a team that’s isn’t scared and tight playing behind him. ABZ? All of a sudden the team plays loose and starts scoring runs for good ol’ ABZ…….
ABZ is my current favorite future Giant… He’s got kind of a cool-ass edge to him, too. Anyone here a M*A*S**H fan? Remember the “Tuttle” show? Right now, that’s who ABZ is…………
“There was a little bit of Tuttle in all of us. You might say that, together, we all made up Tuttle.”
I think everybody is 110-4 with 4 runs of support… I’m sick of that dumb fucking stat. He also has like 30 no decisions with SIX runs. He sucks.
flav, you make a good point about having a new pitcher with no baggage. the obvious question is who. with zito it always gets back to his fastball. if he’s not throwing in the high 80’s for strikes, he’s in big trouble. it’s not his strike out pitch but it sets up his off speed stuff. someone mentioned earlier that if all he has is his fastball, he’s in trouble. I keep thinking, however, about other pitchers without big fastballs, and they were somehow successful. greg maddux comes to mind. i guess it comes down to pitching as opposed to throwing. Maddux was a master of in, out, up, down, fast, slow. the big 12 – 6 curve was not his pitch.
Maddux also had pinpoint control on his pitches. He could nail a fly on either side of the plate with his cutter. Consequently, the umps would always give him strikes. Zito isn’t in the same area code as a control pitcher. Main reason why Maddux is going to the HOF, and Zito’s just going to the bank…