Failing From the Top Down….
Hanson and Hudson are good but they aren’t THIS good. So far, returning home has been anything but what the doctor ordered. Sure, we’re playing bad defense, not getting timely hits and our pitchers are coming up short in situations they usually close the door. But for me, the bigest fail has been the top of the line up. Friday night, our first 4 hitters were 0-15, yesterday they were 1-15. That’s pathetic.
To say we are missing Torres at the top is an understatement. We’ve just got no speed at all anywhere in the LU but that’s really more of a secondary concern since we can’t seem to get anyone on base to start with. I’ve got no feeling at all today of how we are going to do vs Beachy….
But it’s Easter, a day for eating and indulging. Let’s see if the Giants table setters can do something metaphorically similar…….
The Flap Fantasy Baseball Standings
(Tizzle makes a move, Gianthead goes fathead on us, FH can’t sustain her green number, and I continue to lay in the weeds plotting the league’s demise)…..
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
Happy Easter everybody! So let me get this straight. Jesus dies, then rises from the dead and we get chocolate eggs. Kind of like getting turn-down service from God. Make mine Godiva.
I used to go to Church a long time ago. Then came home and got an Easter basket full of chocolate eggs and bunnies. Those were the days! Where did it all go? Tempus fugit
Can someone explain to me why Schulman is only attending one game at ATT over the course of a month? I know newspaper’s are hurting and maybe they’re just furloughing him but he seems to still be writing stories about the team. If he’s not going to the games or interviewing the players then is he just watching the games on tv like the rest of us? What’s the point of having a beat writer if he isn’t going to the games?
Schulman wasn’t specific about the 4-week span at issue, but if you take the road trip before this little homestand and the road trip after, you see that sfgate is mainly concerned with getting him to games in other cities during this stretch. Still, it does sound as if the chronicle is spreading their reporters pretty thin.
Jesús va a volver a la tierra de nuevo y le cazar Dennis y esta vez, no va a activar su otra mejilla. Reservar.
Blade: And here i get shit for introjecting a somewhat common French two-word phrase into my observations. Here’s my Spanich lesson for the day:
“Ay, Ay, Ay, Ay, in Tijuana they do it for Chili
Let’s have another one better than the other one
Waltz me around again, Willie.”
Je suis presque positif Stix que cela semble beaucoup mieux en personne.
Skal vi snakke Norsk, Blade? Gamle Norsk var det grunlage ved Engelsk. Med Engelsk forstoren, du skal har en Nordiskes utvander.
You asked me if we should speak Norwegian (grin) . . . umm, no, I better stick (no pun intended) to English.
Oh well, at least you didn’t counter with a suggestion we address issues in Armenian. There i would have been “tout perdue”, “ganz verloren” “et cetera”. Where’s Pawlie when we need him. Pretty sure he could conjugate that last phrase ~ or at least contextualize it.
Now that we’ve nearly exhausted cunning linguistics, let’s all send some very positive vibes to Drrrty and the Giants batters. Losing four in a row and getting swept in a homestand would be a bit much. Yes, that ignition system at the top of the L.U. (missing Torres, as i posted yesterday after the game) is proving very costly for the team. Maybe we should figure out a way of helping them hotwire the beast.
If that’s all it takes to exhaust your ‘cunning linguistics’, I am outta here!
Has the backlash against “not religious, but spiritual” started yet? You either believe in the numbers or you don’t. Gay ass smiley face.
To spin off Twin’s prospect of the day, I’m going to give you a name that most haven’t heard of yet…..but you will. “Trevor Bauer”. He’s a junior pitching for UCLA–throw mid 90’s with a 12/6 curve ball. Pin point location. He shut down the Cardinal on Friday striking out 17 and walking 1. BEFORE that game, he had 110 strikeouts in 73 innings. Opponents are hitting .138 off him this year. Superstar waiting to happen………
Hopefully the Easter Bunny left these guys something nice in their basket. We need a W today.
Rowand CF, Sanchez 2B, Huff 1B, Posey C, Sandoval 3B, Burrell LF, Ross RF, Tejada SS, Sanchez P
How many at bats do you give Tejada before we go in another direction? 125 at bats? 150 at bats? His .569 OPS isn’t going to fly for too much longer…..
The really sad thing is that as bad as Tejada has been, we really don’t have many other options. Fontenot has like 12 career starts at the position. He is NOT a SS. He can fill in in a pinch, but expecting him to play there for any extended period of time is just asking trouble. DeRosa? Please. They could call up Burriss, but he’s not making $6.5 so Tejada will get a shitload of rope. I know what I’d like to do with that rope…
I get so frustrated with our guys when they do this – play down to their competition! It’s one thing to get fired up to face the 12-3 Rockies, but to just crap all over the field because it’s the Braves?!?!? Argh!!!!!!!!!
Shit, Omar turned 44 today and he’s still kicking it for the ChiSox. Playing 2B today, but that’s pretty impressive. Got to hand it to that class act. He could pick it with the best of ’em. Next stop HOF.
If the giants look at the braves as low-hanging fruit, I’d be very surprised. anyone who paid (payed?) attention last year should realize that atlanta has a pretty good squad over there. they also seem to play well against the g’s (hangover from the days of dominating them in the West?). So, no. I don’t think they’re looking past the braves.
if you’re going to play a .200 shortstop, why not play someone who can dazzle defensively? I’m sure the pitchers would appreciate that at least.
I’m hoping that Rowand heats back up a bit so that his trade value is reasonable. I’m sure that other teams are still evaluating their squads and realize it’s too early to take a swing at the gamer. but a month from now?
Braves may have a double revenge motivation going. Last season, early on, the Giants upended Atlanta in their own playpen. I’m sure that still rankles. Then, of course, there was that little matter in the Postseason. An SF win today would leave the Braves half-starved. Maybe Buster’s return to the L.U. today will make the difference.
There was no mistake to location on Heyward. The pitch was up and away. It would have been called a ball.
Why doesn’t the friend/gf sitting next to these idiots who p/u balls down the line grab them by the neck and yank them back into the stands when they lean over? I’d punch ’em in the goddamn throat as soon as they started to lean over. That’s just the kind of friend I am.
This Easter is beginning to suck even more. Gonna need to put on our hitting shoes today.
Blade, why that goddamn smile off your face. Picking up Beachy and starting him in our fantasy league should have you excommunicated from the Church of Latter Day Fantasy Boobs.
“wipe” just like the Braves are doing to us thus far this series.
Just parlaying my bets Dennis . . . I learned my lesson last year when I attended a Rockies and Giants game, where I had Tulo and Ubaldo on my FL team and said to myself, “Fuck my FL team, I am sitting them.”
Giants lost that day and Tulo goes yard, along with a couple of other ropes . . . Meanwhile, Ubaldo shuts down the Giants. In short, I doubled down on my “miserable quotient” for that day . . . and I wont do it again.
Not exactly the start they wanted. I still feel good about this game though. BTW, that was quite an effort by Panda on the double..
Wasn’t that first inning just peachy. Something about playing the Divisional Easterns during Easter.
That’s right, Kruk. It wasn’t a mistake the first time, either.
That inning was a prime example of why Sanchez gets you so frustrated. Just when you think he’s locked in after fanning Prado and Heyward swinging he walks the next two. Even I’m not that bipolar.
Brandon Beachy has a perfect game through three, and it’s all Blade’s fault.
Belt homered and walked in 3 AB in his first game in Fresno…
Jesus has risen!
Let me guess — microwaved Niman Ranch lamb stew for dinner? You Salesian guys are all alike.
Settle down. It’s a long season. Two big hits, and there you are.
Slipped back in the house for a few. Got that feeling after seeing Huff had doubled ~ that ‘time to Buster open’ feeling. Sho Nuff. Looks like maybe Twin’s intuition is on today too. Posey sure reminds me of that other Georgia boy ~ the one who did the major damage for his homestate bunch.
Gary Brown is now at .361, .446 OBP, 15-20 SB…
The Braves know the Giants pitchers all too well. They had an interesting approach to Lincecum yesterday, laying off the FB. When they got ahead in the counts, they could take everything. If he’d been on his game, they would’ve been toast. But he wasn’t. He wan’t bad, however. I’m not worried about Lincecum. The rest of the starters all leave some question marks hanging in the air. Most likely they’ll settle in. Personally, I won’t be sad to see Voglesong in place of Zito. But it may take a while to get things going. Meanwhile, the Rockies can play the role SDiego played last year.
A few missed calls, but this ump’s strike zone actually resembles what’s in the rule book.
He gave Sanchez a strike call at the batter’s arm pits. That resembles what’s in the LLeague rule book.
You are full of shit in so many ways, dude.
And you obviously are drunk this Easter Sunday. Dude. You missed the moment. You were probably trying to focus on a screen full of stats instead of watching the game. Tough, with double vision. Dude.
The pitch was to Prado, and it was above the belt at the midpoint between the shoulders and waist. At least that’s the way it appeared to me, and, presumably, the ump. It is a pitch that is rarely called a strike, and I think that’s too bad.
The word “dude” was used 161 times in “The Big Lebowski.”
I have to say myself, dude, that is some worthless bit of trivia right there.
Now that is an inspired comment. I think you managed to touch the one religious affiliation everyone who reads this blog shares. Excellent. I think it’s time to chill.
so much for the curve ball Kruk was so happy affeldt established. that is about as far as you can hit a ball that ends up on land at ATT.
Rowand. Ha. Unfucking believable…….
How bout that for a response. Good AB from Tejada to “work the walk” and Rowand clutches up.
Sweet Easter Sunday candy.
Squatty McDuck!!
heh… never count out the Gamer
Great AB from the Gamer, nice one for Miggy..-WTF was Asencio left in for all that?
exactly. braves pen is pretty deep, wasn’t used except for one out yesterday. gonzalez had a 3 run lead before it all started.
I was thinking the same thing Twin . . . WTF exactly.
Affeldt’s in line for the W [no jinx] That motherfucker is buying Easter Dinner.
Son of a fucking Easter Bunny. Jinx this Romo. Goddammit. Sergio hung that slider but good.
JA didn’t deserve the W anyway. Fuck him, too.
They have Ventors and Kimbrel . . . Instead, they leave in this stiff. Regardless, G-Men benefit due to the manager’s stupidity.
maybe ross could talk his buddy into coming over here and staying one of these days.
Educate me Willied, i.e., who is his “buddy?”
Uggla?
yeah, uggla. there was a piece in the Chron about all the good things uggla had to say about him as a teammate in FLA, even tho ross came in pretty hard on him to break up a DP the other night.
How much longer until Runzler overtakes JA in the BP pecking order if he hasn’t already?
Braves are without Peter Moylan, the sinker ball RH (15 day dL), who would normally have been used in the 7th.
Kimbrel has worked 3 straight days, so I’m guessing Venters will be used to in the closers role today.
After all that drama…son of a bitch. Need I remind that was another case of a closer, our closer, giving up runs in a NON-save situation. Never fucking fails.
First one to say it was the right call to bring in Wilson can go fuck yourself. Closers should come in to save the game. Period.
Huh? Since there’s no longer a save opportunity for the home team once it’s tied going to the 9th, I guess you’re saying Wilson should never come in from that point on.
yeah Denny, you swung and missed on this one.
Thank god it was only a 3 game homestand and after the day off it’s the pirates. Even if the giants don’t play well in Pittsburg , it’s still better than how they played at att park this weekend .
This game should have occurred on Good Friday instead of Easter.
Omar, mentioned by Dennis earlier, has stolen a base in every one of the last 4 decades.
Using the closer in the ninth of a tie HOME game is SOP. All managers do it. I’d explain the reasoning but you wouldn’t get it, Dennis..
I don’t give an Easter Bunny’s chocolate covered ass that it’s SOP. Closers in NON-save situations are a POS.
How’s our boy Wilson doing this yr in save vs non-save situations? That’s what I thought.
Closers ERA in NON-save situations is higher than when going for the save. If you like to bring in a guy when you KNOW he has a greater chance of giving up runs, be my guest.
what a UDC
(unmitigated disastrous cl*sterf*ck)
He’s our best fucking reliever, one of the best in the game. If we go extra innings at home he never gets to pitch if you have your way. Stupid.
And how’s it working out your way?
again, if your argument is that we never use one of the best relievers in the game in extra innings at home then you need to go back to the drawing board…….
It happened again just the other day. Dodgers up 4-0 in the 9th and they bring in *my* fantasy closer Baby Huey and the fat fuck gives up 3 hits, a walk and 2 runs in a NON-save situation. Every goddamn time…
Relax, Dennis. Your overwrought act gets a little old sometimes. Affeldt, Romo, Runzler, and Wilson all failed today. Bochy can’t be blamed for a single thing regarding that.
Flavor, why do comments get closed on my page?
Jeremy Affeldt just tweeted this 16 mins ago:
“Remember in your criticism we feel crappy after a bad day as well.”
no clue, I didn’t close them. They might close automatically after a certain number of days, lemme check
twinner– turns out the default setting is comments closing after 3 days of an *article* being posted. I just changed it to 7. I don’t want it it to go longer than that because I’ve had some dickless-weazle-pussy-trolls posting stupid shit on threads that we no longer pay attention to……..
agreed zum. You have to give some credit ( a lot of it, actually) for how well the braves played this weekend. today alone, uggla, chipper, heyward, and mclouth all made things happen when they had a chance. McCann and Prado are pretty good players too. they might have something in the kid freeman, and beachy has pitched well twice in a row. Pen is tough, too. Quality team….tip your cap and regroup on the road.
The Braves gave the Giants the toughest match-up in the playoffs last season. One of the big things in sports is how you match up against a given opponent, and the Braves match-up tough against the Giants. Hopefully the Gs will do better when they play them in Atlanta.
The two teams are almost mirror images of each other. Wouldn’t surprise me a bit if it’s the Gs or the Braves representing the NL in the World Series this season. I’d be surprised if the Rockies get all the way to the World Series.
The Phillies? Who can say? The Phils were heavily favored before the Gs took them down last season in the playoffs. I don’t see a World Series contender in the Central division.
Atlanta beat us this weekend fair and square. Today could have easily gone our way, I actually think we played better than the Braves today— We came back from two big deficits (that’s har dto do) but 2 dumb things happened: Heyward kept seeing curve balls (Posey called for too many of those in a row) and Wilson got in a fucked up 3-0 count that he had to pitch 3 fastballs to. Actually, I was really impressed with the team’s play…..
The road trip looks good on the surface with all those shitty pitchers to face but it’s still the road. No one said the first 33 would be easy………
Really no one wants to be swept at home, still in the great scheme of things it’s not even a blip on the season. Braves just came through here in SF, and they’re a good team with much to recommend them as contenders. Giants will keep working to achieve what is expected to be a fine season.
Atl didn’t have Chipper, Uggla or Prado last Oct. And they swept without Lowe, who the G’s struggle against. Then again, Torres out is huge.
I suspect Atl was much more keyed for this series than we were. Just another series to the G’s and coming off the Colo series, they may have been a little flat.
Say this; Heyward looks about to fullfill the expectations many had of him. He also may have had added incentive after losing the ROY vote to Posey.
Another couple hits and RBI for Belt… slam for Travis..
460 foot homer aside, I’m growing a little tired of Mr. Schierholz.
Yeah. The prick
Christ. What a game. Rain and drizzle the whole drive. Got the little replica WS trophy. Got a couple pics of the real thing on the upper deck. By the time we get to our seats, the sun comes out, and it’s gorgeous the rest of the day. Sanchez walk-happy in the 1st. The crowd was itching to cheer for something in this godforsaken series. It finally happened in the 4th. Funny thing was, I told my son, before Huff came up the second time. Beachy (?!?) has a perfect game going. Sure enough. Double. HR for Buster.
Tejada gets props for taking the walk before Rowand’s poke. . . Lotsa cool shit happened in the game, but a pisser in the end.
Wilson doomed himself by going 3-0. He had to come in. Heyward’s bomb was pretty impressive.
Nice of them to give you a little replica of the trophy for your 45 years of loyalty, Chuck.
—
So does El Presidente get to meet El Presidente next weekend?
I’m just a little black rain cloud
Hovering over the honey tree
Who can run catch and relay it
Better than good ol’
Clemente