What Happens to Dirrrrrty in Colorado Tomorrow?
I know Timmy is going tonight but I am haunted by what could happen tomorrow. Dirrrrty Sanchez is pitching in Colorado. He’s actually had some moderate levels of success there— 4-2 in 7 starts. His ERA is 4.91 (not awful for that place) and he’s held opponents to a .220 batting average. But that was back when he still knew how to throw strikes. I honestly think that past history of success or failure applies less to Dirrrrty than to any pitcher in the history of major league baseball. Anything could happen tomorrow night.
I have Dirrrrty in two teams (not in the Flap, that draft is automatic so it’s luck who goes where). In my NFBC league I have to set my line up on Mon morning and then you can’t change it till the following Mon (which sucks if someone in your starting LU gets injured early in the week). I’ve agonized over whether to start him this week (I’m wondering if he feels the same) but he’s a 2 start pitcher this week and he gets Oakland at home on Sunday. Ugh. I’m inclined to start him and pray to God for strikes…..
The Flap Fantasy Baseball Standings
(NoTalent pushes Pawlie to an unusual third place standing, Dirt and FH continue their see saw battle for who gets to take a dump on Edd and Ed, well, god love Ed…..)
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
Here are the IP/ER stats from the “wildly inconsistent” Dirty:
5.2, 2
5.0, 1
6.0, 3
6.1, 2
5.0, 2
5.0, 0
5.0, 5
6.0, 3
But his WHIP has ranged from .947 to 2.200 in those games.
Yes, if his WHIP stays at 1.4, he’ll probably have a greater percentage of starts like the one against the Mets. But the notion that we simply have no basis for guessing what the results of Sanchez’s performance might be is not supported by the stats.
In all those outings he’s thrown nearly 100 pitches by the 5th inning. He’s out there throwing 25 – 30 pitches an inning resulting in either K’s or walks. Because he IS a strike out pitcher, he is equipped to get out of jams, but we’ve seen him completely lose the feel and get into big jams.
He has recovered from the debacle in Washington, but he still needs a solid 7 inning game without losing the strike zone and getting into trouble.
chance to put some more distance btw SF and both Rox and LA, and further cement the idea they aren’t being caught this season by anyone. Both these teams got whipped over the weekend by the two bottom feeders, SD and AZ respectively, at home.
I think either of these teams would love a “head case” like Sanchez pitching for them, as opposed to against them. The left side of the IF, which OF guys not named Torres give the most to the team in their starts, and how soon Posey and Huff pick up the slack in middle of order are bigger concerns than JS. This is a hitters yard…time to start scoring some runs and blast away at Rox PS.
You are just looking for ANYTHING if you’re trying to prove inconsistency with WHIP, a tool for predicting future results, giving awards, etc. Bottom line is still runs allowed. Dirrty has given up more than 3 ER in 8 of 41 starts last year and this- and never more than 5, that just twice. Timmy has given up more than 3 ER 10 times last year and this. James is correct to point out what he has. It’s fair to add that Tim gets deeper into games but the inconsistency label for Sanchez just doesn’t stick.
“I honestly think that past history of success or failure applies less to Dirrrrty than to any pitcher in the history of major league baseball. ” Much on unsupportable hyperbole?
Yeah, so far this has been a weird season. If the Giants can build their lead with their best hitter on the DL (Panda), Posey, Huff, Burrell, et al scuffling along, Bummie at 0-6, and Timmay at .500, call me amazed. Granted, the other teams are scuffling wildly, but really, this team is about 70% of what it should be.
Plus, look at the issues on the teams that were supposed to challenge SF. This division could turn out to be really weak, and SF could romp with an uptick in scoring as long as the pitching holds up. I know we see them everyday, warts and all, but the rest of the division has a lot more problems than SF does.
What can be said is he that taxes the pen and makes you pull your hair out, but he is actually quite consistent- 80 percent of the time he’ll give up 3 earned runs or less.
The thing is, Mike, at what point does he turn the corner? WILL he turn the corner? Yeah, a LOT of teams would love to have the guy. But the inconsistency is maddening as hell. Bochy looked like he was going to punch him in the face when he failed to cover home and 1st on those back-to-back plays in Washington.
EVERYONE knows he’s got electric stuff. And it IS what saves his ass. At what point does it translate into something more than the less-than-stellar results? He going to be 29 this year. He should be over the mental lapses that continue to dog him. Like walking the 8th place hitter, and then the pitcher. Yeah, there are a lot of factors that go into collecting wins. But so far this year, he’s going around 5+ and 100 pitches. That’s not going to cut it for a #2 guy. Yes, he could throw a no-no his next start. But he also could walk 5, hit a couple guys, and get pulled in the 5th.
My point isn’t that he’s “inconsistent.” I think that’s a false dichotomy — “consistent” or “inconsistent.” Doesn’t mean squat, especially this early in the season. That’s why I injected the per-game WHIP numbers. My point is that if there’s a pattern in Sanchez’s performance so far, it’s hard to identify. I don’t think earned runs mean much, in the abstract. But this stat seems significant: Sanchez has allowed 13 earned runs, but only 16 total. So it doesn’t much matter with Sanchez, so far, whether you look at ERs or runs total. Bottom line: Somehow, overall, he’s keeping the team in the games, despite the harrowing moments. They’re 5-3 in his starts. Maybe that’s the real pattern.
Sorry: It’s 18 ERs, 22 runs. But the excess is still pretty small, considering the games where the WHIP was high. Somehow, he gets the job done even when he’s struggling. With the exception of one game. I think he has turned that “corner.”
So why the WHIP comment ? It certainly read as if you were disputing James’ comment. He and I ( and, I guess, you) are correct…
now, regarding WHIP- it’s TWO stats, as you know, not all WHIPs are equal. As maddening as they be, walks are still less damaging than hits.
What’s with the “basket case” moniker? I think Sanchez showed in his last start that he has developed into a mentally tough pitcher. The bizarre game, with the hit batters and walks, and blown plays, etc., could’ve devastated a “basket case.” Bochy and Righetti didn’t treat him like a basket case after that. They were fucking pissed off at him. You don’t woodshed a basket case. Far as we can tell, they sure woodshedded Sanchez for his fuckups in that game. He came back focused and tough. Looks to me like a lot people waiting for him to turn that “corner” missed the moment when he did.
I was disputing James’ comment because I think it is woefully incomplete.
So let’s run with team record: 26-15 last year and this. They seem to be surviving Mr. Basket Case just fine.
Team record when Tim starts ( 2010 and 2011): 26-15.Head Case 26-15. Cain 25-16. Zits 17-19. Bum 12-14.
I realize that run support and ther factors contribute, but it’s still true that over a season and a quarter the team has won as often with Basket Case as with Tim or Matt.
Team record sounds pretty convincing to me.
Maybe we just need to get used to Sanchez having an off game once in a while in a way that looks a bit different than more traditional off days — such the kind Zito has perfected. (btw, I had completely forgotten — in that horrible Nats game, Sanchez gave up NO ERs at all.)
Pay attention-3 runs or less in 80 percent of his starts is not inconsistency, Chucklet.
Chucklet: A combination of a Chiclet and a Chuckle? Has possiblilities.
——
Give Dirty credit for really improving his hitting this year…
Watched Halliday fail to get a bunt down after a basehit by 8th guy…next guy up singled to right, but no run scored. At that point he was 1-20 on the year. Phils lost by one run, too.
Turn what corner? His ERA was 3.07 last year, and nobody can hit the guy. You are asking him to improve on that? Why not ask the same of the entire group of NL hitters? their approach is simple…knowing they can’t touch the guy unless he makes a mistake, they take everything and hope for a walk and better luck from somebody else when he is in the stretch. No one is at their best every time out, Cain and Timmy too. Halliday got beat last night by the Braves and is 5-3…and SF kicked his ass last year too.
It’s the mental part of his game that is inconsistent, Mike. He’ll strike out the 4-5-6 guys, then walk the 7-8-9 hitters. Forgetting to cover home on the base hit was bad. Forgetting to cover 1st base was little league bad and could have cost them the Wash game.
He’s playing with fire with the high pitch counts and walks. He wanted no part of the Phillie playoff game last year. He checked out during the Washington game. The Met game was equally bad. He has gutted out games, sure. But he can’t keep pitching like this. Maybe he won’t. Maybe he shuts down Colo. He has success there. But to think he’s on track for anything more than 12 wins, well I haven’t seen it yet.
If he gives up 6 walks in 4 innings to a team like the Phillies, they would more than likely put up a 5 spot.
BLEEP!
Willie, did you watch the playoff game vs Philly where Sanchez was begging to be tossed? He alone started the fight by mouthing off to Utley after hitting him. Or the Washington game where he mentally checked out? These are the things that bother me about him. He’s fricking 28 years old, and should know better.
You’re fricking 50-years-old and are still none the wiser. What’s your excuse?
Yeah!
“But to think he’s on track for anything more than 12 wins, well I haven’t seen it yet.”
He’s on pace for exactly 12. If he does win tonight, that would be 14… you really need to quit, Chucknut..
Send him to ROOM B, now! BLEEP!
If he wins tonight, it would be a miracle to end all miracles. Jonny’s pitching tomorrow, Mikie.
So, yer happy with 12 wins from the #2 guy on the staff? Color me less than impressed.
sniff…..
The thing with Dirrty is his pitch counts and having to leave early, making long Pen games. He rarely gets blown out, he just throws too many damn pitches too fast because of the wildness. But, the stats really don’t seem that bad on that point. Here’s last years stats for innings per start on the 4 main starters. Curiously, they all had exactly 33 starts:
Cain 6.76
Timmeh 6.43
Zito 6.03
Sanchee 5.85
So, if you do the math, Cain taxes the Pen about 32 fewer innings last year than Sanchee. OK, that’s significant I suppose, over a season. But, week to week, I don’t see it meaning much. The real significance comes if he only goes 4 or once in a while, then that taxes a Pen for a series. But, if it comes before a off day, well, I’m not sure that’s a big deal. I doubt he’s going to change much now. He’s near 29. He’s a man. Maybe he’ll have a Big Unit epiphany and find some control. In essence, he’s got great stuff, that’s why he’s wild. Maybe if he brings the walks down, he start’s getting hit more. Chicken and egg….
“He’s a man.” Thanks for the info.
We as fans seem to magnify his failures more than his accomplishments. Failures seems too strong, lets go with flaws. but every athelete has them. And lets face it, if anyone of us were Bochy, who would you go with, Sanchez or Zito??
Tomorrow, wow, you got me, Chucklefuck.
“So, yer happy with 12 wins from the #2 guy on the staff?”
Uh, who’s won more, dorkenstein?
I’m referring to his 3 thus far.
Who was the last Giant lefty to win 20? Ron Bryant?
Good piece of trivia, dloo. Who else won 20 besides McCormick and Antonelli (NYG)?
I found this:
Year Pitcher W-L
1959 Sam Jones 21-15
1962 Jack Sanford 24- 7
1963 Juan Marichal 25- 8
1964 Juan Marichal 21- 8
1965 Juan Marichal 22-13
1966 Juan Marichal 25- 6
1966 Gaylord Perry 21- 8
1967 Mike McCormick 22-10
1968 Juan Marichal 26- 9
1969 Juan Marichal 21-11
1970 Gaylord Perry 23-13
1973 Ron Bryant 24-12
1986 Mike Krukow 20- 9
1993 John Burkett 22- 7
1993 Bill Swift 21- 8
Cain is the #2, everyone knows that. Dirty pitches between Tim and Matt as a tactical move..
I’ll take 12-14 wins from Sanchez and be happy. I would like to see him slow things down and gather himself a little better when he starts struggling. That seemed to help him last year and in 2009.
Flav, I’ve got him in FL and am going to start him. I enjoy the agony I guess. You’ve referred to that set roster weekly league before. Aside from someone going on the DL I like that idea. Are there leagues that also account for defensive stats?
Hubbell…
I think some of you miss Barry. I think of those comics who were sad to see Bush leave the stage.
I miss his home runs and RBIs….
In 2010, the league average innings per start was 5.91. Sanchee was just below that, pretty much right there. I think it’s the roller coaster nature of his starts, together with the tantalizing nature of his stuff, that gets everybody’s blood pressure spiking about why he doesn’t do better…
test
That’s weird. I posted the NY Giants 20 game winners twice and it disappeared both times. Must have hit Flav’s filter
I guess the filter is saying FUCK THE NUMBERS . . .
Or fuck New York
My point, Mike, is that Sanchez looks to end the season around 8-10 wins. Great? No. Bad, Ehhh. I’d hope for better from the #2 pitcher on the staff. I’m concerend about his mental makeup out there. He hasn’t shown much to change my feelings so far this year.
OK?
Not that Barry, Snarrk.
Barry White?
TF explained above: Gomez is NOT the number 2. And, as the stats show, he’s a helluva number 3; the somewhat unusual nature of some of his off games don’t detract from that fact. Isn’t that where we end up, here?
“doesn’t detract” sorry. I’m losing focus.
The reason Sabnchez is 2 and Zito was 4 was because Zito couldn’t handle being the 2 guy. Yes, it’s the R-L-R thing. But it also has to do with the fact that by putting Sanchez and Zito next to each other in the rotation leaves open the very possible fact that 2 guys in a row only go 4+ innings in their starts. It would tax the pen too much.
I’d like to see the rotation be Tim, Matt, Drrty, Vogey, Bummie at this point.
The numbers don’t support “looks to”. He’s on pace to share the team high with 12, Chucklefart..and Cain is the two, Tim the one. They are also on pace to win 12. So STFU..
Fuck ‘on pace’ as well, then.
You want to bet who ends up with more wins this year, skippy? You take Sanchez, I’ll take Timmy.
Sanchez may have melted down in the NLCS but I remember being pretty pleased with his performance in game 162.
Timmy was pretty fortunate, as was the team, that Lee was so bad in Game 1 of the WS. Even great pitchers like Tim have poor outings. That one was poor. Cain faceplanted against the Pads that last weekend, as did Zits. And we all know that Tim’s August was terrible. But let’s focus on Gomez..
I agree. The whole staff has their ups and downs but Sanchez gets all the head case, space cadet jibes. I guess its because of his pitch counts and tendency to clog up the base paths. Plenty of clubs would take that headache for the results.
I knew it was just a matter of time for “fuck the numbers”…and let’s just use your reasoning- Timmy better fucking win more, Exlaxbrain…
Ted– it did hit my filter–must’ve looked like spam. This is what you were trying to post.
That was SF. This one’s NY:
Year Pitcher W-L
1901 Christy Mathewson 20-17
1903 Christy Mathewson 30-13
1903 Joe McGinnity 31-20
1904 Christy Mathewson 33-12
1904 Joe McGinnity 35- 8
1904 Luther Taylor 21-15
1905 Red Ames 22- 8
1905 Christy Mathewson 31- 8
1905 Joe McGinnity 21-15
1906 Christy Mathewson 22-12
1906 Joe McGinnity 27-12
1907 Christy Mathewson 24-13
1908 Christy Mathewson 37-11
1908 George Wiltse 23-14
1909 Christy Mathewson 25- 6
1909 George Wiltse 20-11
1910 Christy Mathewson 27- 9
1911 Rube Marquard 24- 7
1911 Christy Mathewson 26-13
1912 Rube Marquard 26-11
1912 Christy Mathewson 23-12
1913 Rube Marquard 23-10
1913 Christy Mathewson 25-11
1913 Jeff Tesreau 22-13
1914 Christy Mathewson 24-13
1914 Jeff Tesreau 26-10
1917 Ferdie Schupp 21- 7
1919 Jesse Barnes 25- 9
1920 Jesse Barnes 20-15
1920 Art Nehf 21-12
1920 Fred Toney 21-11
1921 Art Nehf 20-10
1928 Larry Benton 25- 9
1928 Freddie Fitzsimmons 20- 9
1933 Carl Hubbell 23-12
1934 Carl Hubbell 21-12
1934 Hal Schumacher 23-10
1935 Carl Hubbell 23-12
1936 Carl Hubbell 26- 6
1937 Carl Hubbell 22- 8
1937 Cliff Melton 20- 9
1944 Bill Voiselle 21-16
1947 Larry Jansen 21- 5
1951 Larry Jansen 23-11
1951 Sal Maglie 23- 6
1954 Johnny Antonelli 21- 7
1956 Johnny Antonelli 20-13
Thanks Flav. Just trivia but I like shit like this
Nice list. The tradition alone is a good reason to be a Giants fan. I wonder how Tampa Bay’s pitching history stacks up against that?
Now how many of those were lefties?
I have no idea
I guess 1902 was a down year for Christy Mathewson
Is that Joe “Iron Balls” McGinnity in 1904?
ha ha ha
So on pace doesn’t mean anything. My point, Mikie.
I’m concerned with his mental makeup.
If you can’t live with that, fine. But it’s a valid concern for a guy who is going to be 29 this year, and hasn’t shown he can maintain focus.
New Year’s Day 1985 I was on pace to get laid 730 times for that year.
You and Flavor will make that post of the century..
I’d guess Dirty wins more this year than you got fucked in ’85..
Bullshit. YOU need to live with the fact that you cannot support your points. He’s 16-11 last year and this. The team is 26-15 in his starts, same as they are for Tim. Results matter, not your crapola.
We almost were Tampa, Dirt.
Results matter? So, Matt deserved his 7-16 from a few years ago? He was pitching deeper into games, and had a better ERA.
Yeah, Sanchez has kept them close. That’s his job, sure. And they’ve bailed him out more often than not. Great. A win is a win is a win. But 28 walks and 35 hits in 44 innings isn’t close to being good.
I ain’t thrilled with how he’s pitched this year. I just think he blows up eventually if he keeps going like he’s going.
Results DO matter, fucktard. That was a different team. On the SAME team, the team results ( 2010 and 11) with Sanchez have been the same as with Tim, a hair better than with Cain, and oceans better than with Zits and Bumgarner.
And you can’t around that he gives up 3 or less in 80 percent of his starts.
Christy sounds more like a stripper than a pitcher…
If you think about it, so does Madison
He’s just a kid- that’s the good and bad news, but Bumgarner’s temperment should be a far bigger concern than Dirty’s. As I’ve said- Dirty may lose focus, but MadBum has a “break your hand on the water cooler and miss the year” temper.
chuckles, who gives a fuck if Gomez “blows up” once every month or two, if he’s getting the job done brilliantly overall? His “blow ups” haven’t gone over the line, like Clemens’s, for example; or, last June, Bumgarner’s. Right?
After a 13-15 August, the team was in danger of falling out of the race. It’s that kind of pressure that makes those head cases fold. So Dirty Gomez responds by going 4-1 with a 1.01 ERA and wins the clincher.. choker!!!
Never called him a choker, Mike. But are you denying Sanchez wanted out of the Philly game? It’s just that I’m concerned with his pitching so far this year. As I am with Bummie. As I will be when Zito comes back (if, that is). Bummie this year has had rotten luck. A lot of flares have dropped in, there have been errors behind him, but he pouts and loses it as well.
In the Wash game, I got the sense Bummie was grooving shit after the error by Tejada. Like he was so pissed about the error, he wanted the other team to take advantage of it. They scored 2 after the error. True or not, it was something that looked weird at the time.
Though my overall book collexion is pretty extensive, my baseball books specifically, are not so numerous. There is one, however, which is profoundly a treasure: “Pitching in a Pinch” by Christy Mathewson. It’s the original Boy Scout edition, put out when scouting was just about as big as baseball and much, much newer. There are a couple of starters on the Giants rotation who might could benefit from a thorough read. No names mentioned.
Christy was in the first class of inductees into the HOF. One of the reasons for that status was his acclaimed “fadeaway” pitch. The other was his pitching smarts. He was the original. Greg Maddox has been his best student to date ~ whether or not he read the book or came by his wiles and wisdom all on his own.
Whether Mathewson, McGinty, Hubbell, Marichal or Lincecum, Giants traditionally have had some of the best pitchers in the bigs. Cain, Bumgarner and Sanchez all have the potential to join that storied band. With his pair of Cys and his strikeout acumen Timmy has already made the list, though on a provisional basis.
Giants over the years have tended to falter and flounder whenever they have lost sight of the old baseball adage that good pitching trumps good hitting. Of course good pitching relies heavily on decent or at least adequate fielding. And needless to say, a bit of offense helps as well.
Funny conversation. Sanchez is a very good pitcher, what is not to like about him? He sucks sometimes, but that happens to every pitcher. When a strikeout pitcher loses the strike zone, the ugliness shows up as walks. But he almost always gives the Giants a chance to win. End of story.
What is far more interesting to me is to see how he adjusts from his last outing. The Dbacks had his timing and move to the plate completely figured out. Men on first went to second with ease. Word gets out on that kind of stuff, and you can bet the league is going to wear him out stealing if he doesn’t adjust.
It’s not ‘end-of-story’ if he continues to walk guys at this pace. It’ll kill him eventually.
Same can be said of Timmy, SN. He’s shit at holding guys on.
You aren’t paying attention. Timmy has gotten much better this year at holding guys on. Middle of last year he was, indeed easy to steal on. Not now.
As to Sanchez and walks, all pitchers eventually get run out of the league when their upsides no longer override their weaknesses. Sanchez walks guys. Sanchez’ stuff is still filthy. He isn’t getting knocked around. Some day his stuff won’t make up for his walks. But that isn’t happening right now, but if you must whine about something, by all means knock yourself out.
Lincecum got messed up last year when he tried to tinker with his windup to find a quick fix for his inability to hold runners on. Then we entered August. He went back to his original windup, worked on EVERYTHING, including holding runners on (and a slider). These facts are not real hard to recall. Meanwhile, Jonathan Gomez has challenges of his own to deal with, and he’s dealing with them. Meanwhile, the team’s winning a lot of games when he pitches.
He’s walked 14 in his last 16 innings pitched. Sorry, but that’s not “just like any other pitcher”. That’s fucking awful. He needs to start throwing strikes. He is the guy who stood up last Winter guaranteeing that he would drop his walk rate this year. Hardly……
He’s had a rough start. I don’t guess you want to compare that to some other pitchers here and some of their bad stretches.. I didn’t think so.
Never called him a choker, Mike. But are you denying Sanchez wanted out of the Philly game? It’s just that I’m concerned with his pitching so far this year. As I am with Bummie. As I will be when Zito comes back (if, that is). Bummie this year has had rotten luck. A lot of flares have dropped in, there have been errors behind him, but he pouts and loses it out there as well.
In the Wash game, I got the sense Bummie was grooving shit after the error by Tejada. Like he was so pissed about the error, he wanted the other team to take advantage of it. They scored 2 after the error. True or not, it was something that looked weird at the time.
You’d think he was 0-5, 7.8 ERA, 1.8 WHIP… wait, that was Tim last August.
I just think that it is funny, that panties get all wadded up about walks, something that is essentially a given about Sanchez. But when someone points out that opponents have figured out his timing and move to the plate, which is something to worry about (in addition to being something that Sanchez could do something about), the reaction by the wadded panty crew is “Timmy is shit at it too!” Even though he isn’t any more. Funny.
And sorry- a guy who’s 3-2 with a 3.68 ERA does NOT deserve the shit you people are putting on him. Don’t care if he walks 2 per inning…
What’s cool for you Gomez bashers is that it doesn’t matter how he pitches tomorrow, you’ll claim it proves your point…
Timmy’s (in)ability to hold at first is overblown for now. At this stage, he’s determined to get batters out, so 1B is less important to him. Down the road, of course, that will have to change. But Tim’s not a static dummy. He knows when something’s not working and he needs to change. Evolve he does (as last September) and evolve he will. It’s a dynamic, not static pitching career, not a one-trick pony.
Funny, most people now consider DeLaRosa the Rockie’s ace. And Sanchez is our basket case.. this is why the Rockie’s won’t be within 10..
Oh, grow up Mike. I want the guy to do well. I’m not going to gloat if he fucks up. Although you make it very inviting. . . . (insert gay-ass winky face)
If he walks 7, goes 6, throws 112 pitches and they lose 3-2 on a couple WPs, well, I guess it’s a great game, then. Another quality start. It’ll be the offense’s fault.
Time to get off Dirty, here is part of an article on aging ball players from Yahoo Sports Jeff Passan. His take on Tejada, and a little poke at Sabean
3. He needs to be Miguel Tejada(notes). The mere idea of Tejada playing shortstop for defending champion San Francisco reinforces that Giants general manager Brian Sabean likes two things to be old: his wine and his everyday players.
To call Tejada – now at third base in lieu of Pablo Sandoval(notes) – the worst offensive player in baseball this year necessitates no exaggeration. He is the human sad trombone. He hits for zero power and doesn’t get on base. He clogs them when he does get on. Tejada turns 37 next week, and he looks every one of those years, plus a couple.
And so comes the choice: to euthanize or not to euthanize a career. It’s an issue every team with an older player must face. The Mariners did with Ken Griffey Jr.(notes) last season, the Atlanta Braves with Tom Glavine(notes) the year before, and on and on and on. Even MVPs stop playing well, and in a National League West that should remain close all year, one win can stand between the postseason and an October at home.
The internal options are slim – start Mike Fontenot(notes) and Mark DeRosa(notes) until Sandoval’s return? – so the Giants bide their time, plumb the trade market and pray for Tejada to start hitting or a solution to materialize. If only one were right there …
Rusty Trombone? “He is the human sad trombone.”
I don’t see much wrong, unfortunately so far, with that bashing. Patience with Tejada is nearing the thin zone…
No one has bashed Tejada today. Slackers. Well allow me. He’s starting…
Torres cf, Sanchez 2b, Huff 1b, Posey c Schierholtz rf, Ross lf, DeRosa 3b, Tejada ss, Lincecum p
Chuckles, your examples don’t hold water. They have the same record whether he pitches or Tim does ( last year and this). Anyway, I’m sick of your bullshit on this- he’s the number 3 starter and as such, one of the best in the game..
Doesn’t SF have a Gomez in the minors that can play good D at SS and not hit?
Adrianza- he has a torn ligament in his hand, should be out another few weeks.
Weather report: winds blowing out to LF at 20-25 m.p.h.
With that help maybe even Buster will hit one out tonight. Maybe.
Unrelated to baseball . . . How ’bout them Chicago Bulls? Loved the “schooling” they gave the Heat and Gibson’s dunk over Wade. Series obviously still has a ways to go, but I will thoroughly enjoy Lebron eating crow and being humiliated; and, I will also be happy for the city of Cleveland, which didn’t deserve what he did to them last year.
Karma is a bitch.
Heh heh. I was going to post that earlier, til i got sidetracked . . .
Hell of a game. Carlos Boozer has been my favorite player for a while. The Dubs need a guy like him in the worst way. they haven’t had a guy like him since Larry Johnson. The hard-hat guy . . .
Chuck, I like the other bruiser too – Noah had a +/- differential of 15 based upon his 14 rebounds (8 offensive . . . WOW!). Deng is even better with 18 +/- . . . he’s guarding Lebron and is making him look mortal. Bulls are a very balanced team.
I just love how sports can continually surprise us. Bulls win the first game by 20. The oldest cliche in sports has so much truth to it- the games AREN’T played on paper.
I haven’t seen too too much of the Bulls this year. But, yeah, they have a strong inside game. Miami is better than LA, but they suffer from the same problems. Lack of inside toughness, and lack of a true PG.
well damn Keenan Cahill is a die hard Cubs fan!!
Well the little fuck may be a traitor, but I never get tired of this:
http://tinyurl.com/3vza8o8
I don’t see Ernie Banks anywhere, do you?
Zum, I agree. I have a question though – Didn’t you expect Chicago to win? I did, albeit, not by this type of margin. However, they totally dominated the Heat in the regular season (not losing once in 5 or 6 meetings). Very few teams can win a championship without a point guard, which the Heat doesn’t have. Couple that with mediocre rebounding, the Heat are toast.
Blade, I didn’t follow the NBA very closely this season. In fact, this season was the least I’ve followed it in a long time. I just found the thought of that Laker team repeating to be a total bummer. BUT- it didn’t happen! Vey nice!
My favorite story in the NBA these days is the success of the Ohklahoma City team, because their coach Scott Brooks was a very unlikely NBA player from Manteca, in the Central Valley.
Yes, I love the fact that there’s “new blood” in the playoffs. I’m still scratching my head on how the Lakers were able to “steal” Pau Gasol from the Grizzlies in 2008. In my mind, the league, Chris Wallace (GM of Grizzlies), and the Grizzlies owner (forgot his name) conspired to facilitate this trade. Ironically, the Grizzlies were back in the playoffs this year due to Pau’s brother being a key component of not only that trade in 2008 (1st round selection given to Memphis by LA), but also his play this year.
I wish shit like what happened to revive the Lakers would happen to the Warriors benefit once in a blue moon . . sigh.
Manteca, eh
Lard. Praise the lard.
Notice how, during the game on Saturday, the Fox broadcasters talked a LOT about the challenges and problems facing the Cubs, but little about issues facing the Giants. Why should they? The Giants are a marvelous mystery. All the issues they could talk about are all the same issues the Giants had during a World Series Championship year last season. The rest of the baseball world is highly aware of the Giants, I guarantee you. That’s one of the reasons why it’s so much fun being in firstplace again. Fans and pundits can see that in their morning paper, and say….uh oh…..THOSE guys again. How do they DO it? The Giants do it with dominating pitching, for sure, and an awesome homefield advantage, but also with a LOT of heart and intangibles. How about the Giants during that wet/windswept game in Wrigley Field. Horrible conditions for baseball, they didn’t even play their best, and the Cubs were never really in it.
The Giants are starting the season with a brutal schedule, and they’re hanging in there with it. Very impressive.
I think it has more to do with the fact that nationally, talking heads, and writers, and analysts still don’t think the Giants are more than a one shot deal.
They still get no respect for the most part. Look at the Colo writer for an example. Can’t remember his name, but he wrote off the 6 Colo losses to the Giants as anomalies one and all that Colo should have won.
Buster’s Ready drew post 5 for the Black-Eyed Susan at Pimlico on Friday.
Somebody ought to tell our catcher that. He hasn’t looked ready in awhile.
Totally off topic- I like American Idol, sue me. James Durbin getting sent home instead of Scotty McGooberwad is a motherfucking travesty..
American Idol??? I’m picturing you trolling the Idol blogs dropping f-bombs and fuckwads pontificating on the past performances of Adam Lambert and Kelly Clarkson and how this years crop just doesn’t compare.
Bochy said there are still no talks to bring Belt back. ” We don’t think we need to change anything.”
Nah. Being LAST in the NL in runs scored should be something to be proud of.
Don’t change a thing.
Perhaps, being in 1st place has something to do with it.
It has everything to do with it and it’s specious logic. They need to address the problem. Waiting to if they fall out of 1st place is asinine and ass backwards.
bullshit. Chuckles said Belt would be back by the end of this week.
If they had lost these close games, he would be here.
Just heard it’s Happy Bday to Big Daddy Reuschel. 62 today. When he came to the Giants, I thought it was a wasted spot. Proved me wrong. He was the winning pitcher in the ’89 NLCS clincher vs. the Cubbies. One of the fastest fat pitchers and best fielders of his position I’ve ever seen….
Haha, good one blade. Belt is gonna be a June 1 call up guy if Burrell/etc is still smoking pole. They need to focus on figuring out the infield right now…
Try to wrap your brain around how big of a premodonna Jorge posada must be: hes played for the Yankees for what, 17 years? He gets written 9th into the LU and reports are coming out now that he wanted to leave the team over it. What a fucking whiny pussy…
Flav, it gets worse – Jeter defended him.
I don’t blame Jeter for backing Posada up. The dude’s played forever. Plus, Jeter has his own issues with the management . . .
Yup. And then he had to publiciy apologize for taking himself out of a game.
Yeah, it’s hard to justify not being put in the 9 hole when yer batting .165.
Cher. She was premadonna . . .
The guy said he had a bad day. I think he’s earned a pass. I’ve seen a lot of this guy. No one plays harder or cares more about winning than Posada. He’s having trouble dealing with the end of his career.
I love this “set-up” of tonight’s game . . . I’m still in the SF bay area, but I like to read the “woe is me and angst” going on in Denver. As this article begins, I would have to agree, that “There’s no joy in Mudville. And while we’re on the subject, they aren’t exactly partying in LoDo (lower downtown Denver) these days either. To wit:
http://www.denverpost.com/rockies/ci_18069256
That’s great. The rockies should be quaking in their spikes as Lincecum warms up.
This trade is a perfect salary wash that both teams should do ASAP:
Zito-Rowand-DeRosa to the Cubs
Soriano-Fukudome-A.Ramirez to the Giants
Then follow it up with Belt & Burriss for Reyes.
Jesus, that Mortensen is a bigger stick than Timmy. He needs to hit the In-N-Out.