Zito

Posted in Uncategorized by Flavor on July 17, 2011

If you think about it, Zito’s Law unfolded perfectly last night. After 3 promising starts off the DL he must have made believers out of at least some fans. In one of my fantasy leagues, where he has languished on the waiver wire for the better part of the last 3 years, he was one of the most picked up players last week from the waiver wire. So he tricked a few lost souls into believing in him and he broke their hearts last night. It happens…….

We can’t do anything about Zito except take our medicine. Dirrrrrty will be out at least 10 more days–wow, can you imagine the chaos Zito could inflict on those 2 box scores?

Here’s the thing I really want to know about Zito: Did last night’s implosion cause him to lose all of or part of the faux-confidence he took from those first 3 starts off the DL? It’s a tough thing to gauge since no one has the faintest clue of what baseline is for Zito’s psyche…….

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snarkk said, on July 17, 2011 at 4:02 pm

WTF isn’t Burriss running home on that?…
- zumie said, on July 17, 2011 at 4:03 pm
  
  Because he would have been out by 10 feet.
  - twinfan1 said, on July 17, 2011 at 4:06 pm
    
    He still should have gone. He coud force a bad throw or worst case Torres is on first and he can go for the steal.
  - Del Mar Dennis said, on July 17, 2011 at 4:10 pm
    
    Obviously the contact play wasn’t on. Or if it was, and he didn’t go, more corporal punishment is needed.
- snarkk said, on July 17, 2011 at 4:08 pm
  
  I don’t think so. He’s the fasted dude on the squad. The ball was poorly hit. You gotta run the contact play and force the defense to make a play. Chances of getting the run in with 2 outs on this squad are slim to none…
unca chuck said, on July 17, 2011 at 4:03 pm

How the hell do you pop up a ball 6″ off the ground? Crazy……………
- snarkk said, on July 17, 2011 at 4:16 pm
  
  I pop up my drives, and the ball is sitting on a tee an inch off the ground…
Del Mar Dennis said, on July 17, 2011 at 4:05 pm

Seriously, our situational is a fucking laughingstock. If I were Bochy I would implement corporal punishment to the next man who failed. This shit is totally unacceptable and a goddamn embarrassment.
twinfan1 said, on July 17, 2011 at 4:08 pm

All three of the runs were created because of situational hitting.
Del Mar Dennis said, on July 17, 2011 at 4:15 pm

That’s why you never go back when you’re picked off. Huff’s throw was off line and Denorfia woulda most likely been safe at second. Stoopid pills for everyone today.
zumie said, on July 17, 2011 at 4:17 pm

The O-Dog is real good at that big backhand play.
- willieD said, on July 17, 2011 at 4:21 pm
  
  yeah. he’s real good, period.
snarkk said, on July 17, 2011 at 4:18 pm

Giants just need somebody to crack an HR, get this over with…
- Nipper said, on July 17, 2011 at 4:22 pm
  
  Yeah snarkk, sometimes you come up with a great idea!
willieD said, on July 17, 2011 at 4:20 pm

always liked that uni they showed on black, with the SF over the heart.
Big flavor said, on July 17, 2011 at 4:22 pm

How many lead off guys have we gotten on today? 7? It’s a joke to only score 3 with all those lead off runners on. Lots of missed opportunities today, this will likely end in a loss for us
- Nipper said, on July 17, 2011 at 4:23 pm
  
  BOO HOO!
  - Del Mar Dennis said, on July 17, 2011 at 4:30 pm
    
    Did you take your walk today? That’s the name of one my fantasy teams, “Talk a Walk.” I don’t take heed of my on advice, however. Well, if you consider that a walk consists of two feet from my desk chair to the fridge, then I talk a walk a hundred times a day.
  - Nipper said, on July 17, 2011 at 4:47 pm
    
    Crack of Dawn walk. Me and the squirrels out and about.
twinfan1 said, on July 17, 2011 at 4:24 pm

Going into today Torres was hittting .314 this month with an .826 OPS. That qualifies as hot on this team.
Macdog said, on July 17, 2011 at 4:35 pm

Squeeeeeeeeeeeze play!
wilcojoe said, on July 17, 2011 at 4:36 pm

Textbook squeeze!
Big flavor said, on July 17, 2011 at 4:36 pm

Awesome. What a sequence.
Del Mar Dennis said, on July 17, 2011 at 4:36 pm

Hey, our situational bunting is OK. We should try that more often.
willieD said, on July 17, 2011 at 4:38 pm

wow, kids coming through today, nice shot by burriss to get on, and then stewart with the squeeze.
I honestly don’t think any other team in baseball, regardless of talent, gives Sf as much trouble as SD.
oooh, revenge time for andres…i’d try and steal all the way around.
Big flavor said, on July 17, 2011 at 4:39 pm

His throws are worse than his unload time
Macdog said, on July 17, 2011 at 4:41 pm

And I thought our catchers were bad.
snarkk said, on July 17, 2011 at 4:43 pm

Bochy and the suicide squeeze. He hates that kind of game, so he had to figure it was desperation time.
It was, and it was the absolute right call. Nice clutch bunt by Stewart. At least this time we didn’t have to wait to see if Burriss would run on contact. Kudos to him for getting the hit and steal and forcing the bad throw…
- Nipper said, on July 17, 2011 at 4:45 pm
  
  Good perceptions, Snarkk.
Nipper said, on July 17, 2011 at 4:47 pm

BB are killers.
Nipper said, on July 17, 2011 at 4:48 pm

Double play! Nice timing.
wilcojoe said, on July 17, 2011 at 4:49 pm

Huge DP!!
Macdog said, on July 17, 2011 at 4:49 pm

Good time for a 2-5-4 DP.
Rough Trade said, on July 17, 2011 at 4:50 pm

Fucking Wilson, the guy has a .182 opb for chrissakes…
Nipper said, on July 17, 2011 at 4:53 pm

WOO HOO!
twinfan1 said, on July 17, 2011 at 4:54 pm

Wow.That was brilliant by Stewart and Panda..
Macdog said, on July 17, 2011 at 4:54 pm

6 for 6 stolen bases. Way to beat the Pads at their own small-ball game.
Big flavor said, on July 17, 2011 at 4:55 pm

That dp was almost as big as nate’s diving catch to win the game. Unbelievable heads up to both stewart and pablo…
snarkk said, on July 17, 2011 at 4:57 pm

Stewart should get the save, he saved Wilson’s bacon with that super play.
Wilson should lay low for a while, keep that penguin suit in mothballs until he starts throwing better. The ump was squeezing him a bit, but then he got PO’d and out of control.
The rest of the league beats Diego like a drum, they play the Giants like they’re the ’73 A’s. Crazy…
stixwiz said, on July 17, 2011 at 5:07 pm

Were Sarah Bernhardt still alive and kicking she’d be totally green with envy of SF’s Drama Queen. Don’t know if El Barbudo likes being tagged as any kinda queen, but we are talking the SAN FRANCISCO Giants, aren’t we. I mean those WALKS ~ and then cutting the head off the dandelion just before the whiteheaded seeds were ready to start fluttering home. It may not have been artful, but the Dodgers never, ever had the match for Wilson. Our .38 Special DEFINES torture.
twinfan1 said, on July 17, 2011 at 5:07 pm

They’ve won 5 of 6 from the Pads,.. the execution on the DP was great, but it was the balls by both that made it brilliant- most catchers don’t go for the force and most third basemen don’t even think of the DP..
Flavor said, on July 17, 2011 at 5:09 pm

i just watched the 2nd stolen base by Burriss over and over and I’m about 70% sure he never touched 2nd base……
- ewisco said, on July 17, 2011 at 8:39 pm
  
  his trailing foot hit the bag. but it wasn’t obvious.
zumie said, on July 17, 2011 at 5:13 pm

Wilson doesn’t have control problems. He has a strategy problem. He’s trying to hit the paint on EVERY pitch, either on the inside corner or the outside corner. Watch the catcher move before each pitch. The catcher never stayed in the middle the entire inning. Wilson has some nasty stuff. There’s no reason to be trying to hit the paint on every pitch. That’s a difficult thing for ANY pitcher in the history of baseball to do.
- Flavor said, on July 17, 2011 at 5:16 pm
  
  POTD. And it leads into what I will write about in tomorrow’s thread/
- snarkk said, on July 17, 2011 at 5:29 pm
  
  Totally, totally agree. With his stuff, he shouldn’t be getting so many full counts and walking so many. He should work the ball more vertical, not horizontal. He’s got a far better slider now than a coupla years ago, he should use it low in the zone, catch some plate, get grounders. Same for the cutter and that four seam thing he throws. If you’re throwing 96, work the damn plate for strikes…
snarkk said, on July 17, 2011 at 5:14 pm

I don’t expect 6 of 6 SBs every game. That’s craazy for a Giants team, but the Pads catching was suspect.
But, maybe this gives Bochy a shove towards playing a little more risky ball, given the lack of hitting on this squad. Set Torres loose more often, more hit and runs, more sac bunts with a guy on second and no out in lieu of the usual pop ups and Ks. He needs to let the corset strings loose a little more, and just according to Kruk, he said maybe he will the second half. I welcome it…
- Nipper said, on July 17, 2011 at 5:20 pm
  
  Snarkk is happy!
twinfan1 said, on July 17, 2011 at 5:17 pm

Bonehead does what should be done with his personnel.
zumie said, on July 17, 2011 at 5:18 pm

Remember how Wilson struck out Howard to end the Phillies series in the playoffs? He threw a slider low in the strikezone, but down the middle. When’s the last time Wilson tried that?
- ewisco said, on July 17, 2011 at 8:42 pm
  
  zumie, hate to correct you, but that last pitch was HIGH in the strike zone which is why howard didn’t swing at it. not saying it wasn’t a strike but it was on the high end. it dropped into what might be considered a strike.
stixwiz said, on July 17, 2011 at 5:32 pm

As i surmised after game two, particularly with Zito slated for #3, The SmallBall Series would not be a sweep, but would go three games to one, Giants. SF will not hafta play this kinda baseball all the time, but it does appear that you guys are right about Bochy and the personnel when it comes to facing the Dagos.

Giants were not guilty of committing even ONE extra base hit today. That factor, combined with those 6 SBs, practically defines small ball. In fact today’s game could be THE defining SmallBall game of the MLB season. Don’t follow other teams all that much, but i defy any Flapper to come up with a pairing in the Majors who more characterize scintillating pitching combined with completely challenged hitting more than SD vs SF. Giants do appear to have an edge on team defense, though.
twinfan1 said, on July 17, 2011 at 5:35 pm

Giants are 5th in the NL in hitting for this month. Look at today’s starters, by BA, OBP, OPS:
Torres .314 .368 .826
Fontenot (16 AB) .375 .412 .912
Sandoval .327 .377 .995
Nate .358 .386 .952
Huff .188 .264 .535
Ross .296 .375 .819
Tejada .316 .410 .994
Whiteside .381 .480 1.099
- Flavor said, on July 17, 2011 at 5:54 pm
  
  that’s crazy, I had no idea. And we are more than half way through the month so that’s significant………
  - snarkk said, on July 17, 2011 at 6:18 pm
    
    For July, Gmen are 13th in MLB scoring, 20th in SLG, 17th in HR, 16th in OPS (26th for the season).
    Boston has a July team OPS of .947. That is absurd. And they’re still after Beltran?…
snarkk said, on July 17, 2011 at 5:43 pm

I watched a coupla highlights. Yeah, El Presidente blew it by arguing that K call, but he threw out Cabrera with easily a half step to spare. Unreal how bad these 1b umps have become…
Flavor said, on July 17, 2011 at 5:55 pm

Whiteside, while probably and hopefully on his last legs with this team, really stepped up once he got on first base and stole 2nd. That was gynormous………
DJLoo said, on July 17, 2011 at 6:40 pm

Maybe the umpires should start specializing in specific bases or home plate.
snarkk said, on July 17, 2011 at 6:49 pm

I am sure that 1b umps could easily be replaced. The first basemen’s mitt could be given a chip that sends a signal to a receiver when the ball hits it, and compared against a chip in the base when the runner’s foot hits it. Instead of relying on an ump’s comparison of sound vs. sight, the simple microchip decides it, and a red light goes on for out, the green for safe. Or, you still use the ump for PR, and when the inevitable challenges come, just go to the recorded chip data to trump or confirm the ump. Don’t even need videotape umps. Silicon Valley could figure that out in a heartbeat, and a way to make sure the teams don’t fukk with it to cheat…
- DJLoo said, on July 17, 2011 at 7:10 pm
  
  I don’t know, Snarkk. This idea sounds a little half-baked…
  - Nipper said, on July 17, 2011 at 7:20 pm
    
    Another half-baked idea…..have an NL DH and DR!
  - snarkk said, on July 17, 2011 at 7:21 pm
    
    Well, today’s ump that missed that play wasn’t even near the oven.
    It’s an engineering issue. I’ll work it up, gets some specs, and send it in to Bud.
    He’ll get right on it after he finishes that A’s in San Jose report…
  - xootsuit said, on July 17, 2011 at 8:03 pm
    
    of course, there will be an array of cameras to allow actual umpires to decide that the mitt holds onto the ball after the initial microchip calls the runner out. Ridiculous fucking idea.
    
    Did anyone else think Tejada tapped the ball against the ground behind 2B to get it back into the web of his glove after that great throw out, so that he had a snowcone to show the ump who demanded to see the ball? Good play, either way.
  - snarkk said, on July 17, 2011 at 9:24 pm
    
    Lots said an electronic eye calling tennis serves in/out would never work…
twinfan1 said, on July 17, 2011 at 7:17 pm

The American league is irrelevant-maybe you forgot the pitcher doesn’t bat?They’re 5th in runs scored in THEIR league this month, 7th OPS, 9th slugging, 5th OBP…a little better than middle of the pack,,like last year.
- twinfan1 said, on July 17, 2011 at 7:25 pm
  
  Obviously they have to continue- but it can’t be denied they’re hitting better- 4.57 RPG this month. How the frigging Red Sox are doing is completely irrelevant- until October.
Del Mar Dennis said, on July 17, 2011 at 7:17 pm

Just 75 more days until Game 1 of the NLDS. I wonder how many dumb things I can make up to say in the meantime just to ruffle your guy’s feathers? Let’s start the count tomorrow morning…
- Nipper said, on July 17, 2011 at 7:21 pm
  
  Gear up Dennis and let the feathers fly!
TedSpe said, on July 17, 2011 at 7:20 pm

This is somewhat difficult to articulate in writing as opposed to speaking but here goes. A lot of you are a little off about Wilson’s performance. Granted he handled it inappropriately but another home plate ump and he would have had strikeouts instead of walks. You can’t adjust your pitches to an ump with what appeared to be a strike zone agenda. I’ll give you Wilson decided to deal with it by being completely fucking wild which is wrong but let Bochy deal with him on a personal basis. Wilson’s going to be just fine. In general, he’s not doing too much of this or too much of that. He just got screwed today. By himself and the ump. And despite that totally head’s up play by Stewart, Wilson could have used a more comprehensive catcher to commiserate with.
That being said…fucking WOW!!! I’m still digging that fucking double play!!!
- snarkk said, on July 17, 2011 at 7:26 pm
  
  Disagree. Wilson regularly has control issues, makes too many pitches. Everybody talks about how he rarely goes 1-2-3. Zumie had it right. For a power guy with very good to great stuff on most appearances, he nibbles too much on the corners. I think he needs to move the ball up/down more to confuse the sight lines of the batters…
- TedSpe said, on July 17, 2011 at 7:51 pm
  
  Like I wrote, I probably can’t articulate very well but I also agree with zumie that’s he’s trying to paint the corners but it seems to me he did that, at least today, because I saw 4 pitches, strikes, right at the knees that were called balls and he tried to paint the corners cuz he didn’t know what the hell else to try. And then he just went sort of ape shit. But, I’ll grant you, what the fuck do I know?
  - snarkk said, on July 17, 2011 at 8:59 pm
    
    Ted, you articulated it well. You’re just flat wrong… 🙂
    And yes, he did go ape shit after not getting the calls.
    Stewart/Panda DP saved his ass from a blown save, he really only got one guy out…
  - TedSpe said, on July 17, 2011 at 9:01 pm
    
    Okay, snarkk, okay. I still think I’m right but…I’m no expert. Clearly
  - snarkk said, on July 17, 2011 at 9:04 pm
    
    Not being an expert never stopped anybody here from an opinion. Certainly not me… 🙂
twinfan1 said, on July 17, 2011 at 7:32 pm

His walks are way up from last year. But not giving in is what has made him a great closer. His velocity is down, and he’s relying less on the 4-seam that made him so good, and more on the two-seam and breaking balls. I think he’s still hurt.
Rough Trade said, on July 17, 2011 at 7:34 pm

Hurt? As in oblique hurt?
- twinfan1 said, on July 17, 2011 at 7:39 pm
  
  Maybe. I’m no doctor. Maybe you should ask Snarkk, he knows more about this stuff than the medical staff.. BTW, Wilson HAS saved or won 34 of their 55 wins…
- snarkk said, on July 17, 2011 at 8:47 pm
  
  Can’t argue with his save %. The only thing hurt about him is latex burn from that penguin suit…
Del Mar Dennis said, on July 17, 2011 at 7:43 pm

Dirrty got lit up like a Christmas tree for SJ tonight: 2 2/3 6H 6ER 2W 3K 1HR

Maybe my idea of trading for Ubaldo is so harebrained after all…
- Del Mar Dennis said, on July 17, 2011 at 7:46 pm
  
  “isn’t” so harebrained…got distracted by Lindsay Lohan in “Mean Girls.” She still looked hot back then…
- TedSpe said, on July 17, 2011 at 7:54 pm
  
  Yeah, and she was just 18
  Ya fuckin’ perv 😉
  - Del Mar Dennis said, on July 17, 2011 at 8:06 pm
    
    I just checked the release date for “Mean Girls,” it was April of 2004. Lindsay didn’t turn 18 until later that July.
    Oops. 😛
  - TedSpe said, on July 17, 2011 at 8:24 pm
    
    I could also make a comment about movies being filmed about a year before they’re released due to post production and release time issues so that actually made her between 16-17.
    But I won’t 😉
  - snarkk said, on July 17, 2011 at 8:52 pm
    
    Liz Taylor was 17 going on 27 when they filmed A Place in the Sun in 1949.
    http://tinyurl.com/3gplydq
  - TedSpe said, on July 17, 2011 at 9:04 pm
    
    Okay. But we were kids or in my case, not even born when that was filmed. Same with Phoebe Cates. But Lindsey Lohan?
    Creeeeeeeepy
    😉
  - snarkk said, on July 17, 2011 at 9:28 pm
    
    Sue Lyon was 14 when Kubrick filmed Lolita in ’62.
    There’s nothing new under the sun…
twinfan1 said, on July 17, 2011 at 8:01 pm

No, it’s still hare brained..night all/
DJLoo said, on July 17, 2011 at 8:02 pm

Current Willie Mac award standings?

1) Cain
2) Nate
3) Mota
4) Lopez
5) Vogelsong
- DJLoo said, on July 17, 2011 at 8:13 pm
  
  You forgot Sandoval, Loo…
  - zumie said, on July 17, 2011 at 8:18 pm
    
    Wouldn’t surprise me at all if Sandoval won the award.
  - TedSpe said, on July 17, 2011 at 8:29 pm
    
    Zito?
  - zumie said, on July 17, 2011 at 8:43 pm
    
    Zito could win the award for worst quote of the year, about “rediscovering his love of the game in the minors.”
    Yeah, a World Series ring, and $18 million a year are real bummers.
  - snarkk said, on July 17, 2011 at 8:54 pm
    
    I’d love the minors too, if I were a major league pitcher and could pitch to the Stockton Ports all the time…
  - TedSpe said, on July 17, 2011 at 8:57 pm
    
    It’s not easy being a Zito.
    It’s hard out there for a media savy, Cy Young winner (during the steroid era) who had one more good year and then was, at best a #5 starter, if that, mediocre, numb brained, exasperting, annoying, grossly overpaid, vulcanite, unicorn loving smug little prick.
    
    So give him a break
zumie said, on July 17, 2011 at 8:07 pm

Regarding the umpires- it’s a difficult job, and it’s not about disrespecting them….but other sports have done things to help get calls right. The NFL, with its certain amount of video challenges per game for the headcoach, is something baseball should learn from. Just give each manager one challenge per game. That would add no more time than is spent watching them have those Kabuki-theater arguments with the umps.
Baseball already uses replay to check controversial homeruns, of course. And now no one would want to take that away.
Tennis has an electronic way of tracking where the ball hits the ground, and that is now fully embraced by the sport. Basketball uses replay in certain situations.
And yet baseball just slogs along with blown calls, and no empowerment or recourse for the team getting ripped off by the blown call. There are the RARE occasions when the umps might gather together and overturn a call, but that’s very rare.
zumie said, on July 17, 2011 at 8:10 pm

Tonight the rare NL-style pitching duel in the AL. Boston and Tampa Bay 0-0 so far.
dirtnrocksnreno said, on July 17, 2011 at 8:23 pm

Keep HR reviews but add foul balls down the line(s). Force that strike tracker technology down the umpires’ throats.

How about 3 challenges per game but only 1 per 3 inning frame? Probably too many with time added as an excuse but I’m not one that cares about the time of games. No game clock is one of my favorite aspects of the game.
stixwiz said, on July 17, 2011 at 8:40 pm

Current 55-41 record means there are 66 to go and that if the Giants continue current pace they will finish with a 94-68 record. This is six games short of my 100 win projection back at the beginning of the year. Seems i just did not consider both Posey and Franchez going down and Panda being D.L.ed for a spell. 94-68 wins the West and, if trends continue, matches SF with the Braves in the NLDS.
- zumie said, on July 17, 2011 at 8:46 pm
  
  Yeah, a good possibility of a rematch with the Braves, with the Giants having the homefield advantage again. Phillies vs. the NL Central winner again.
ewisco said, on July 17, 2011 at 8:47 pm

I had 94! can we quit now?
zumie said, on July 17, 2011 at 8:53 pm

Nice catch by Reddick. I didn’t like his quote in a newspaper I read the other day, though. The article was about Adrian Gonzalez. Reddick, Eckersley, and somebody else with the Red Sox were going on about how Gonzalez was on the “big stage” now in Boston, as if the rest of us care that much about the Red Sox.
snarkk said, on July 17, 2011 at 9:02 pm

Braves scare me more than the Phils. Their Pen is damn good.
And the Braves are going to get a hitter of some sort before the deadline…
zumie said, on July 17, 2011 at 9:11 pm

Wow- Tampa Bay gets out the jam. Boston had the bases loaded and none out in the top of the 10th, and the Rays got out of it, unscathed. Madden and one of the coaches has been thrown out of the game. Scutorro should have been ejected for throwing his bat.
TedSpe said, on July 17, 2011 at 9:31 pm

Exciting game. Can’t wait for LA
Goodnight, gentlemen (question mark)
willieD said, on July 17, 2011 at 10:39 pm

bochy’s guys are amazing, and it seems the ones who are closest to getting sent down, sat down or dfa’ed are the ones who make the biggest plays. burriss? whitey with an sb? stewart? Huff with a HR off bell in diego? torres who was at .226 a week ago?
I don’t think SF is scared of anyone, regardless of their pen. I think it’s the opposite, with their success at home and in close games. Don’t %&!*# trade pitching!
snarkk said, on July 17, 2011 at 10:44 pm

What is Flemming doing broadcasting the RSox / Rays game on ESPN radio?….