Inter-league Play Sucks
Gawd, have we really been tolerating this gig since 1997? When I looked it up I thought it was going to be closer to 2001. Inter league play was fun when it started. It’s not fun now. How can the Chronicle label this “The Bay Bridge Series”? It’s just a random series against a truly boring team. Who do we have next? Minnesota—the worst team in the AL. Then the Indians. Wow, can’t wait to see Michael Brantley in person. Unless you’re getting the Red Sox or the Yankees, inter league play is one giant bore. And it dilutes the World Series a bit, too. I love that the DH is in the American league, it’s the only thing that really differentiates the two leagues. But after watching 9 or 10 games ALREADY in the season, you get to the World Series and just go, “huh. I saw all this already.” Get rid of inter league play…….
Last night’s game was like almost all of our losses–nobody stepped up late to win it. It would be nice if Bochy stopped batting Huff in the 4 hole. I realize it won’t make that much difference since it’s always random who steps up for us late, but just on principle I’d like to see someone different. Put Ross in there, he’s hitting the ball harder than anyone. Bochy gets locked into wanting to put a proven, RBI guy in that slot but that’s the WRONG approach t0 take since almost all of our late inning hero’s come from just about any other spot in the line up. But, like I said, it would just be for looks, I don’t think it really matters where our hitters hit in the line up……..
I’m lovin’ me some Dirrrrty on the bump tonight. He usually pitches well against them. Keep Bill Hall in there at 2nd base for a while. Burriss has blown his chance and Hall at least gives you a chance to run into one……….
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(Blade sharpens his tools with a 4.5 gain, Berra’s Bombers seems to have slipped into a low-40’s rut. Wither Orbo?)
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problem is, Hall runs into some with his glove too. I couldn’t believe how long he stood in one spot glued to the bag on the DP attempt either. HIs non-productive out after torres opening double, when SF couldn’t score, loomed larger when Sf couldn’t figure out the kid rest of the game. Font apparently isn’t recovering well…I’d still rather see Tejada there with Pablo back at 3b than Hall/burriss.
I could lose interleague and not miss anything. No way to make the scheduling fair, either; some teams will always have tougher opponents than others in same division.
You’d rather see the guy with the lowest OPS in the NL at a position he’s never played before?
I think I’ll go bet that 0 fer 20 maiden who’s trying the turf for the first time. Couldn’t hurt.
Didn’t pay much attention to the game last night. Was tuned into Yahoo coverage in the top of the first and when they couldn’t capitalize on Torres’ opening double, going down like a stomped paper bag, i drifted to a page-turner book by Ken Follett. Every two-three innings or so i’d come to the computer room and check out the game for a minute , noting along the way that Timmy is still in his scheisskendorfer mode. Went back to the book. Checked in again a bit later and realized that Arthur Godfrey was resurrected and on the air live, but the Giants bats weren’t . Ugh.
If they decide that Zito is uninjured anymore, likely it’s Mota who goes down. He is slipping. Some awfully tired bats in that bunch. This was another of those occasions where i had this really blah feeling going into the game and just couldn’t stick around for the ‘excitement’. Guess the team felt about the same way. Perhaps it was the meaningless interleague stint with a “boring” team after edging their closest divisional assailants in the Snakepit.
Flav: Twins have been winning lately. They WERE easily the worst in the AL three weeks ago. Lately they have heated up considerably and now Mauer’s back. Giants don’t win behind Sanchez tonight and there could be trouble afoot.
I have serious questions about your poo-pooing of inter-league play:
who can’t get over excit_edd about AZ v KC?
or the Marlins v Mariners? Yo ho and a barrel of harpons; will the fish escape the onslaught of fishermen? Drama I tell you, drama.
really, think of the ticket sales as the ranchers of KC leave their bovines behind and go for a holiday in the valley of the sun/snakes or the silver haired fans of FLA go on a “ROAD TRIP!” to the land of chief Seattle? Look, Lois, the restaurant goes around while we’re dining.
Other than the fact I had 6 of my 10 batters with Ofers last night, I am right on schedule.
gunning for a high bottom third spot, by hook or crook.
Cubbies beat the Yankeers last night and Dempster is pitching tonight: should I bench him?
Ed, did you really make book with that Bob Baffert first timer? NO Whitey in their right mind ever bets on my hot tips.
But something tells me you’re non compos mentis. 😉 Best of luck, my friend.
Straight on dude, I caught the wild bet bug and she has to be true, else she cannot bite me later.
I did bet her to show. but big enough to make it worth wild and not to big to make my wife hurt me.
Saturday night game in Oakland. Again, the Giants fans will out number the A’s fans in the stands. Melvin has the A’s scrapping, however, and that’s nice to see. Hope the next two games are good, and short, and tough A’s losses. Giants need to take the series and move on toward the break, in first place. Burriss has to be history. I don’t understand how he fell so far. Couple years back he looked like an entirely different player — same skills, different attitude. Maybe the rehab, the minors. Who knows. Hall? Wtf not. Anybody hear anything about Fontenot’s progress?
I sure hope it is better than Huffs, RBIs sorta, clutch hits 0.
Chances are, if Burriss falls, he falls out of the league entirely. The biggest difference is his defense. It seems to have abandoned him. If he can’t hit or field, he’ll be a career AA guy at best.
It sucks about Font. He’s a guy that at least is gamer jr. He retweaked his groin a week ago? Something like that.
Off to Isleton for the crawdad festival . . .
POTG should be a guy who didn’t get a hit-Stewart- even his error was really Lincecum’s fault- Tim’s failure to hold te runner and Flannery’s failure to send Pablo- there’s the game….
Huff is .306 this month .923 OPS 4 HR 12 RBI- he stays in the 4…
Ford now rehabbing in Fresno..
Hector Sanchez off to a pretty good AAA start- 7 games, .308 BA, 3 doubles, 6 RBI…mighrt se him sooner rather than later…
Sorry, but best infield now is Pablo/Miggy/Hall/Huff. Font spels both midde infielders when he returns…
Another sorry- your fucking MVP can’t be a guy with a .294 OBP. As performance changes,m so does the MVP. It’s now Wilson, hands down. 2 is Vogelsong. 3 rest of pen. 4. Torres 5. Ross
Burriss down is a no brainer, the next is tough. Does Ford stay? Pat has picked it up, Nate ain’t going unless there’s a trade, Rowand has that contract and some pretty decent play…
Miggy over Crawford at short? You’re “sorry” alright.
Bummer- we miss Liriano. Wildly erratic this year but can you even fathom the Splash if he shut us down? Nathan is on the DL. Liriano win, Nathan save? Close the window, Aunt Minnie, under the bed kids…
“i drifted to a page-turner book by Ken Follett.”
Stix, which book? I read his new one earlier this year, the one set before and during WWI. Heck of a book.
“A Place Called Freedom”. Story about a Scots coalminer and a highborn lady set in Scotland, London and Virginia just prior to the American Revolution. Have read his early works such as Rebecca, Needle (can’t remember full titles off hand). Came across this one, a 1st Ed with DJ at a thrift shop. Have not seen or read any of his newer stuff. This one was from ’95. Previous ones go back to his younger days.
I’ve said it before- I say stick with inter-league but eliminate the stupid “regional rivalry.”
—–
As for worst interleague nightmare pitcher- remember Zito’s start against the Red Sox at Fenway Park his first season with the Giants? Or his start against the Royals when he hit three batters in one inning? Ah, good times…..
there’s no fucking way in Hell anyone could reasonably argue that Miggy and Hall up the middle is their best infield. Either Crawford OR Burriss needs to be there or 50 hits a game will pass up through the middle of the field.
Miggy can play ONE defensive position adequately right now: third base–something I pointed out last Winter
It ain’t pretty, but I say stick with Hall at secondbase. Like you said, he’s got some pop in his bat, and the Giants desperately need extra-base hits. And, overall, I think he’s actually a better fielder than Burriss. The one thing Burriss can supply is some speed, if he can get on base.
Flavor thinks second base is Manny’s natural position( wrongo), and that he’s good defensively there ( wrongo #2). As I’ve painstakingly counseled- he can make the spectacular play but he’ll botch the routine. And one walk., 0 extra base hits will not cut it offensively. Manny and Brandon could both be outta here within the week. Some of you confuse my lessons in reality with advocacy- I don’t wish that Hall and Tejada become the regular middle infielders. I would have loved it if Burriss cand Crawford had seized their chance….A trade is now the best option if you don’t want to see Miggy at SS.
So now you’re finally coming around to my idea for getting Reyes. I forgive you. Those in the back of the class take a little extra time.
I was never against it, Doomin’ Denny. Pay attention. My only caveat was that I wanted him ONLY as a rental, no way long term.
Burriss is el-gono, and Crawford will be if he doesn’t turn around his .162 last two weeks, good defense or not. This is not about what you think, Craig- it’s about reality. Yes, Miggy is better defensively at third, but they will put him back at SS if Crawford doesn’t turn it up-FAST.
Yeah, the league gets a book on a hitter pretty quickly, doesn’t it. They’re pitching Crawford away, and he’s hitting right into their opposite-field defensive placement. It goes to show, you actually can’t ALWAYS go with the outside pitch to the opposite field. Hitting is more complex than simply that. You have to mix it up, and give the defense a different look sometimes.
Crawford is still fairly green. Remember, he has not yet gone through the AAA mill where there a lot of ex-ML pitchers working their butts off to re-tread themselves so they can get back to The Show. Even if they don’t have the raw talent you might see in the Eastern League, for example, these would-be Vogelsongs have learned a lot of tricks along the way and Crawford will soon enough be figuring out how to adjust to their wiles, unless, of course, he gets it together in a hurry at the ML level. He may be the better part of a year away from being a steady .250+ ML hitter. With a stronger show with the bat from the catcher position, the Giants, like most teams, could well afford a slick-fielding SS who can hit just a lick.
WTF is Loo today? I have a question about Belmont that only he could answer. Or he’d makeup a good lie that at least sounded good.
You rang?
Hey! I guess D Wayne still calls CD as his home base. Does he have a reg. home away from home at Belmont. Is he there today? I know his numbers aren’t worth wiping your ass with nowadays, but I like his horse in the O. Phipps Handicap — Absinthe Minded. Maybe I’ve just had too much Absinthe to drink…
Hey, Ed! I just saw the ML for Hollywood tomorrow. NIGHT TIDE is the 5/2 favorite.
They don’t call me a chalk-eating weasel for nothing.
Yes they do
They just scratched Unrivaled Belle in the paddock, DMD.
DWL is rarely seen in these parts. Haven’t spotted him yet…
and in the UK you get the odds you bet, not the odds at post time.
woo hoo
What odds did the bookies give you on NIGHT TIDE in jolly old England?
Something tells me I’m gonna get stuck with 3/2 and have to like it. Splading! Get your foot off the boat!
of course the payouts are different and more of them. The bookies lost BIG @ royal ascot today. Too many longshots at third and in the combos.
It pays to have money to wager off the mark, so to speak.
I will see the full results tomorrow as I am not doing it for a living, but tominght I am in a retro mode.
Yeah, I do feel lucky and your’re the punk.
John Wayne, Clint, Van Damme never gets old ya just gotta put a couple of years between the viewings.
In fact it has been so long I can’t remember what happens to Dirty Harry, looks like he may have met his match and a Mexican rookie for a partner??
too late for Dempster, guess I ride this one out. Let’s get busy, Huff!
Still think the Astros could help us: Angel Sanchez-Carlos Lee-Jeff Keppinger…
Matt Downs. ha ha
A former Grade II winner is now running in a $10,000 claimer at Hollywood. That about sums up my life.
Lincecum 20-1 running in the 5th
Sorry, RT, I just saw your post now. 20-1, 40-1, Lincecum still sucks.
First we need God to help us- no more idiotic trade proposals. First assignment- learn about the whys and wherefores of trades. It’s not: “I like those guys, let’s get ’em:” Your trade ideas are those of a dumb nine year old..
Since you’re actually a smart guy, I’ll presume you aren’t serious with this shit.
Wait, if we trade away all 5 current starters, the premise is dumb, ergo any response save probably one completely researched sensible one, should be dumb also. for example, my response, while not well thought out covers all my requirements: fill the holes, get offensive power and keep Huff at first base.
If this was a here we have, what is the best you can propose exercise, then I would have to accept the value of our pitchers as X and the machinations of GMs getting and giving something for that value as Y. But I am no dumb 9 year old. Therefore the only answer is X = Y and all sides win. I certainly am not going to mental masturbation over who how when why; other than to say like for like, they get pitchers, we get offense.
Otherwise, I would be showing off and where is the fun in that? And besides, who is the equivalent of Mays, Ruth, Williams, Bench and Ozzie these days?
Speaking of trades for big contracts, I still can’t get over the Angles trading FOR Wells last Winter. Toronto giving him that hilarious contract was one thing. But the Angels trading for that contract is something all together more irresponsible. That gm should loss his job just off that one deal….
The best part about last night was listening to Bip’s nonsensical takes. That guy kills me but hey he tries really hard and wears nice suits. The perfect storm of stylin and trying.
his rapport with Duane was worth all the over done color.
His suits suck.
Shit! I just noticed that the 2 horse in the 5th at Hollywood is named “Lincecum.”
I kid you not. That horse just ran DEAD LAST in a field of nine on the Hollywood turf. ‘Nuff Said.
Who or what horse, could live with that pressure; living up to that name?
Only one – Seabisquit
Ed, if you haven’t already. I highly recommend SEABISCUIT, An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand.
Fabulous story and fabulously written.
Dempster 5.1 3 er 120 pitches, I guess I’m ok with that, not a total meltdown.
I’m smart! Not like everybody says… like dumb… I’m smart and I want respect!
I knew it was you, Loo. You broke my heart.
Hey, TF! Marrymeonemoretime just won the 6th at Hollywood. I’ll assume you had that 4 yo filly.
Bip is Vin Scully compared to Shooty Babbit..
Pool Play, a Canadian, just won the Stephen Foster H. at CD and paid $75.
American horses smoke major pole!
Ed, sounds like you got to enjoy some of amenities from Royal Ascot. I did, too. It was a great reminder of what a horse should look like.
CF Torres
2B Burriss
3B Sandoval
1B Huff
LF Ross
RF Schierholtz
DH Rowand
SS Crawford
.C Stewart
.P Sanchez
Good luck.
Just like I suspected, Dirty Harry threw away his badge, police work is over for him.
fuckin A, that was worth the price of admission, Magnum Force is on now, apparently DH is still a cop. go figure.
the line for clint:
‘You’re a good man, Lieutenant” the lieutenant smiles and looks at Harry Callahan.
“A good man always knows his limitations” Harry says.
game starts at 3am, just trying to keep myself awake.
Interesting seeing SF in the 70s, and how talented the cops were then: Callahan is flying a jumbo jet.
OK, no baseball talk, but Cost Plus then looks like IKEA today.
LOL
I didn’t know they had Cost Plus back then. Somebody had a vision.
good thing giving Stewart a start after all that heroic defense last night. What would Woodie do?
Rick has to love a guy like Eli, especially when Vern and Vera powers up the BBQ.
I’m NO Whitey and I have to think the good times are gone, god bless the good times.
Really didn’t think we’d see Manny again. Why bother?…
Stewart seems to be taking over the catcher’s job. Be nice if he’d hit a little.
Too bad Sanchez won’t hit-Dirty and Godzilla have virtually the same OPS 😉
Gads, I must be homesick, the SF Harry is driving around looks a lot like Berryessa. Where you first come into town and all the mobile homes are.
Or maybe it is 1973 Sausalito?
The smarter move would be to play one vet and one rookie (hall/Crawford or Tejada/burriss).
and the other Sanchez, I was all in voting for him at AS break.
Ed, what was SF thinking in those days? The military controlled part of the beach and was dumping junk into the Bay; there was a horrible Embarcadero freeway obstructing views of the Bay; and 2nd and King was a railroad junkyard slum or something.
The great rebuilding of the western roadways? Wasn’t this just before and after all the moving of houses, etc. To enable the modern transport links? When did they make the bay bridge one way per deck?
And way ahead of the recognition of the problems with the delta, fishing, coastal cliffs heaving under highways and firmly in the boom of east bay bedroom communities?
BTW, if I remember correctly, Hunters Point was the “problem” area; everything else was fair game for ‘re-generation’ and the Safeway at the Marina had the same stock as every other Safeway.
I don’t think it’s said enough, I like our bullpen.
Stop it DMD, we are only trading the starters.
10 days till the Zito start implosion…….
Man’s got to know his limitations
Who’s the “other” voice in the booth, tonight? Sounds like Danny Bonaduce.
Eric Byrnes, who I know personally having working with his dad for a couple of years, does not talk like this away from a mic. It’s too bad, he’s not an idiot, though he sounds like one on the radio. And he’s impossible to listen to with Miller. The last 2 nights, Kuip and Miller have spent most of their air time throwing softball comments to Bip/Byrnes and/or trying to re-direct some of their dumb shit comments…..
I’m stuck with Fosse, can it possibly be worse than that?
Ray Fosse or Eric Byrnes. That’s an existential nightmare.
uh, dennis, don’t look now but manny burriss OPS coming into tonight was .520, crawford at about .575. Given the situation of lack of O from the C, both these guys have to be on guard. crawford looks like a player who might need more seasoning, Manny like a poseur.
“I highly recommend SEABISCUIT, An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand.”
Her new book about the Olympic athlete in war during WWII is very good, also, I hear. I want to get around to reading it eventually.
dude, how many books do you read a year? I’m setting the o/u at 26…….
Thanks for the heads-up, Zum. I love WW II myself. Think I’ll give it a try…
Moscono shutting us down. Ugh……..
Byrnsie saying “We never won a championship but I will tell you this, I’ve never been on a team that had more fun”. God, what an idiot comment. I’m sure the fans are happy that you guys had a lot of fun together–that’s why they pay $$$ to go see you play……..
He lived with his mom? I’ve been to his mom’s house, she owns a palace in Woodside. How did Byrnsie get through the challenges of that, lol? I’m telling you, good guy but radio/tv is not his thing. Time to go back to Dutch Goose softball……….
nate the once in a while great has fallen below .700, much like last year when he was allegedly injured for quite some time.
gotta be rowand’s last AB tonight…burrell as PH/DH has to be an improvement.
There’s just way too many easy outs in this lineup…
Nate is not measured by normal metrics. He wins games late with clutch hits/at bats. He’s won more games than any other Giant this year with a single at bat. That’s an indisputable stat. He’s our offensive MVP without question unless one of you can find a player who’s won more than 5 games with a single at bat…………
Somewhat subjective unless you’re talking walkoffs only
Game winning Hits? Remember that stat? They don’t trumpet it anymore because it’s not a valuable fantasy stat. I’m shocked Crisp didn’t try to go there……..
If Nate Schierholtz is our offensive MVP (not questioning it) thus far, we need to make a goddamn trade for another bat.
In the dirt again. That’s why we call him Drrrty
Sanchez is losing it mentally. Shaking his head like that after walking Coner J….this is going to get ugly……
Are you bored and just looking for a fight tonight? Sanchez did fine.
he got out of it but you must not know his history of *losing it*. I thought you watched more Giants games………
No. I only see a hundred and fifty or so per year. Maybe those twelve I miss are all Sanchez starts.
how’s this inning going for you? Are you watching it or filing it away neatly into “the other twelve?”
Sanchez was very sharp early. Not now. He and Lincecum both had bad outings in Oakland. Can’t say I’m very pleased with either, right now.
Feels like JS has thrown about 300 pitches…
he’s at 304 in the 4th, you are wise, Mr. DJ Loo………..
Crisp shoulda went. He had Huff in a terrible position to throw.
Maybe. But every Giant who touched the ball, including Huff, looked at third instantly, even while running toward Jackson. I don’t think you can execute the rundown between 1B and 2B with a runner on third any better than the Giants did there. And Crisp is realy runner.
Crisp is a real runner, I meant.
Hey, counselor. How’d your boy finish up in LL? Sounds like you have yourself a good little Giant. Hope all went well.
The kid’s team is working its way up the ranks in the “Tournament of Champions.” Their best pitcher is leaving for the summer, however, so I foresee a short run. They’re having a blast, in the meantime.
That’s gonna be on the Sizemore “highlight” reel from here on out…
Merry Christmas!!!
Happy New Year!!!
Moscono is a joke. Giving up 2 runs in a game is gonna be something he tells his grandchildren……..
Wow, there’s small ball. hen there’s invisible ball. 2 runs on nothing.
How short-lived will the lead be? I smell a walk.
Very short-lived, it turns out.
Hey, Chuck! No offense, but since you’ve reappeared on the blog our team’s situation has gone straight down the toilet.
Call your own fucking plumber next time.
Pablo’s AB was horrible. He reverted to last year on that one. Over-eager, no awareness that it’s the PITCHER that is in trouble in that situation. SLOW the AB down. Let the PITCHER feel the anxiety.
I like that, Zum…
*Lincecum*-Like inning from Dirrrty. He’s been fucking atrocious with these shit hitters in what is supposed to be a *shut down* inning……..
Stewart’s made more saves than Gump Worsley…
The Marlins are now 3-20 since “Posey-gate.”
Let me be the first to utter the words, “head case.”
FUCK!
And that “head case” was directed towards Chuck, not Dirrrty.
Chuck is fucking Bad Luck Schelprock.
Sanchez deserves this, a totally shit performance from him this inning……….