Game 2

Posted in Uncategorized by Flavor on August 2, 2011

Ok, let’s see how this goes if there’s a game to watch. I’d like to think that I can leave town for a while and not have to worry about the blog that we all collectively built go to sh!t overnight…..

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paulinasia said, on August 2, 2011 at 7:01 pm

The Flap is like my morning newspaper, read with some smiles and some head-shaking now and then, but fondly read, every morning with my coffee, here in Saigon where the day is just beginning and it’s almost game time in SF. I miss a good newspaper. Let’s keep the Flap from turning into a tabloid….
zumie said, on August 2, 2011 at 7:17 pm

Timmy with 95 on the fastball there. Just to stick it to Charlie Manuel.
features 4 pitches said, on August 2, 2011 at 7:19 pm

Lincecum looks good tonight!
twinfan1 said, on August 2, 2011 at 7:30 pm

I really like the home night games- gets me to bedtime, and than plenty of sports highlights to fall asleep to..
EdGdsnInExile said, on August 2, 2011 at 7:35 pm

Jon Miller just said “…and he’ll put a new ball in play.” And he had me interested. He is simply the best I’ve ever heard. Glad we have him.
Flavor said, on August 2, 2011 at 7:48 pm

looks like quite a night at the ballpark. I’m going to three games in the next week or so. Absolutely totally stoked. MAILORDERBRIDE is sending me to Thursday night’s game.
- zumie said, on August 2, 2011 at 7:56 pm
  
  I’ll be at Saturday’s game.
PawlieKokonuts said, on August 2, 2011 at 7:50 pm

This is premature, but Carlos Beltran reminds me a little of George Foster in that I recall Foster as a guy who hit homers when the score was 9-1, winning or losing, missing the big hit. Beltran had the bases loaded against the Reds on Sunday. Pffft. But, as I said, it’s premature. Small sample. Triggers this flashback, fond memory: On the No. 7 train, 1979 or 1980, coming back from a Giants game at Shea. I was wearing my Giants cap. A fellow struck up a conversation with me. Nick Harrigan, who worked at the big post office on Eighth Avenue near Madison Square Garden, said he’d been to EVERY Giants game in NY since the Thirties! We struck up a friendship. He lived on Convent Avenue, or was it St. Nicholas? Not far from the old Polo Grounds. We’d meet for games at Shea in the Eighties, always in section 1, behind the plate. Slip the usher a five and get brilliant seats. Nick knew stats like Twin and loved the Giants, esp. Mays, as well as jazz and foreign films. And women. We’d debate the DH. Other stuff. Great times. On another subway ride (I lived in NJ), Nick introduced me to another Giants fan, Dick Welsh, an administrative law judge. Huge Giants fan. ANYWAY, on the phone once Dick said something to me like, “Hank Aaron never hit a significant home run in his life.” Ouch! I laughed. Not true, of course, but fun to toss out there, half-crazily. Both these fellas died in the late 1980s or so and never got to enjoy last year. Somehow — sentimentally, yes — I hope they did. #basking
- Flavor said, on August 2, 2011 at 7:58 pm
  
  my favorite thing about you is that 98% of your start up conversations with strangers start with the cap that you or he are wearing……
  - PawlieKokonuts said, on August 2, 2011 at 8:02 pm
    
    At least those I can report here. True. funny thing is, Magnus, the story above is THE seminal (can I say that word here?), root-cause, core SF-hat conversation-starter story.
- zumie said, on August 2, 2011 at 8:01 pm
  
  He didn’t know Aaron’s career very well. But then again, Aaron played in obscurity most of his career. Milwaukee and Atlanta were outposts of baseball in those days.
  - DJLoo said, on August 2, 2011 at 8:02 pm
    
    They still are.
  - PawlieKokonuts said, on August 2, 2011 at 8:04 pm
    
    I think it was said more by way of contrasting so many of Say Hey’s big hits . . . though Bill James long ago sourly deconstructed that myth, or attempted to.
xootsuit said, on August 2, 2011 at 7:51 pm

Bride’s generosity is wonderful addition to the blog this season.
- PawlieKokonuts said, on August 2, 2011 at 7:59 pm
  
  I wonder if she really is a mail-order bride. Ooops! Strike that from the record, your honor. Indecorous. Out of line. And not about baseball.
  
  As Don Rickles would say, “Johnny, we kid!”
  - Flavor said, on August 2, 2011 at 8:08 pm
    
    mail order is old school. She transfers everything over the internet. It’s always only free tickets, wtf? Seriously, she’s a totally polite blogger who gives away her season tickets all year long. MailOrderBride? We should have a contest to rename her…..
- PawlieKokonuts said, on August 2, 2011 at 8:05 pm
  
  all kidding aside, I salute her too
Flavor said, on August 2, 2011 at 7:57 pm

Well, Krukow thinks that Beltran is a certain HOF-er. And I thought that was a ludicrous thing to say on the airwaves. But he’s our guy, ride him, rag on him, but he’s our guy. And he’s not Barry Bonds, I think we get conditioned to thinking our *GUY* needs to bang 50+ bombs a year. But he’s going to start producing runs soon, and lots of them……
- DJLoo said, on August 2, 2011 at 8:08 pm
  
  He won’t get a single vote.
  - zumie said, on August 2, 2011 at 8:12 pm
    
    The whole Hall of Fame thing is going to get weirder in the next few years. There’s a whole bunch of players with the taint of steroids. (Can I say the word “taint”?)
zumie said, on August 2, 2011 at 8:08 pm

Didn’t Nen wait until after the 2002 World Series to tell the Giants his arm was all messed up? Oh well, injured he was probably better than whoever would have replaced him.
zumie said, on August 2, 2011 at 8:14 pm

Wow. An actual rally!
willieD said, on August 2, 2011 at 8:17 pm

If you are going to pitch Pablo away, be careful…and have a better LF than Parra is.
zumie said, on August 2, 2011 at 8:18 pm

Huff does his usual thing to the rally.
zumie said, on August 2, 2011 at 8:20 pm

Teams are pounding Nate inside early in the count with some pitches that aren’t always strikes, and he’s pulling a bunch of pitches foul for strikes, and then he’s quickly behind in the count.
stixwiz said, on August 2, 2011 at 8:20 pm

Rally killer is the term. Huff either needs to be dropped deeper into the lineup or be replaced more frequently by Belt ~ probably both.
snarkk said, on August 2, 2011 at 8:24 pm

Huff is screwing himself into the ground and grinding like a flour mill. If anybody needs a restorative, short DL visit, he does. Play Belt for two weeks and let Huff collect himself…
- Big flavor said, on August 2, 2011 at 8:29 pm
  
  100000% agreed.
Del Mar Dennis said, on August 2, 2011 at 8:26 pm

“Anything hit that far should have a stewardess on it.”
Big flavor said, on August 2, 2011 at 8:28 pm

I love the no-stride guys. I mean, I hated the bomb but there’s something super cool about the no stride big fly
zumie said, on August 2, 2011 at 8:31 pm

Still, 2 runs shouldn’t be the end of the world. It shouldn’t be.
Big flavor said, on August 2, 2011 at 8:34 pm

In 25 years, I might do a retro-potg and toss Chris Stewart out there and the bloggers will think I made him up.
stixwiz said, on August 2, 2011 at 8:36 pm

During his several ups from Fresno since his spring tryout, Belt has pretty much been treated like shit. He’s just a young kid, but one with great promise. A pinch-hitting role now and again and filling in as a late-inning defensive replacement just will not cut it. He needs a good run of no less than five consecutive games to get his timing down and into a productive groove. Huff sits. He does seem to be out of it right now, but a stint on the bench could do him some good. Does the ownership circle fear that contract will be exposed to a Wally Pipp situation? In any event Aubrey on the bench could represent a pinch hitting threat the team has lacked with the departure of Ishi and the gradual dissolution of Pat the Bat.
Big flavor said, on August 2, 2011 at 8:41 pm

I don’t understand the huff thing. Everyone knew and was cool with the contract. 22 mil? Fine. And thanks for winning us a WS. But I agree, at some point you send him to hang out with Zito– no hard feelings, you won us a WS, spend your dough well. But they have to abandon ship at some point on huff and Belt is a perfectly fine alternative.
zumie said, on August 2, 2011 at 8:44 pm

Bochy is naturally going to feel pretty loyal to Huff because of last season. But, yeah, we’re over 100 games into this season now waiting for Huff to get it going.
paulinasia said, on August 2, 2011 at 8:47 pm

Bochy is patient, but even his patience with this lack of hitting will not last much longer. Agree about Belt, why have him if they’re not going to play him. Ishi seemed to play more last year than Belt is getting a chance to do. It’s August already, the team had a shitty August last year after a great July and put together a good September to win it. I doubt Bochy will wait too much longer to create a new lineup in his image….
zumie said, on August 2, 2011 at 8:47 pm

Upton’s pretty good lately.
Del Mar Dennis said, on August 2, 2011 at 8:48 pm

Upton and his mother can go fuck themselves.
twinfan1 said, on August 2, 2011 at 8:48 pm

That’s pretty brutal.
- Del Mar Dennis said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:05 pm
  
  Brutally honest.
zumie said, on August 2, 2011 at 8:52 pm

One of the cool things about AT&T Park is that the fans with the most spectacular view of that catch were the ones who didn’t buy a ticket. The “knot-hole” gang watching through the chain-link fence.
- Flavor said, on August 2, 2011 at 8:54 pm
  
  agreed. Pawlie would have ripped 3 beats to that view, had he been there……
TedSpe said, on August 2, 2011 at 8:54 pm

i like baseball
DJLoo said, on August 2, 2011 at 8:54 pm

Watch Huff silence the critics here…
twinfan1 said, on August 2, 2011 at 8:57 pm

I agree in part. But Belt’s arms aren’t going to turn into sparrow wings if he gets part time and pinch hitting duty. He needs to hit better than he has when he does get the opportunity. They could use contributions from both. Nate’s hitting worse than Huff. Give Brandon some starts in left.
- twinfan1 said, on August 2, 2011 at 8:59 pm
  
  Well, maybe I should have waited to post that- go Nate
  - zumie said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:02 pm
    
    Now post it.
unca_chuck said, on August 2, 2011 at 8:57 pm

Come on now. Do SOMETHING, Huff.
xootsuit said, on August 2, 2011 at 8:58 pm

I’m speechless.
unca_chuck said, on August 2, 2011 at 8:58 pm

At least it wasn’t a DP . . .
unca_chuck said, on August 2, 2011 at 8:59 pm

GaWD. Everyone seems to know the book on these guys.
unca_chuck said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:02 pm

ZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzz…………. These guys are in a fucking coma . . .
TedSpe said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:02 pm

i like romo
i like ramirez
i don’t like cabrero
why is #13 bald
twinfan1 said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:05 pm

Torres/Belt/Ross in the 8th?
- unca_chuck said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:06 pm
  
  Might as well be Bummie, Cain and Vogelsong . . .
  - twinfan1 said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:09 pm
    
    Whatever. Isn’t House Hunters on?
unca_chuck said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:05 pm

Why can’t Johnny hit?
zumie said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:08 pm

Krukow has that wrong. It’s a nail-biter if the Giants are AHEAD 2-1.
paulinasia said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:09 pm

Years ago back in Boston, Tollway Joe Morgan was manager for a few years, inherited a talented but poorly performing team, and managed to get them back on track for some playoff appearances. Before they kicked it up a notch, the media asked him what he thought of the team. He leaned back in his chair and just said “this is one dead-ass team right now.” A couple of the players didn’t like that comment, but a couple of others agreed and stepped up to lead the way. Someone on this team, offensively, has to do that, and soon. Could be the new guys.. waiting.. could be the usual suspects we all mention here (Ross, Torres, Huff)… someone. Honestly, I can’t possibly imagine who that will be, they all look so dead-ass right now. I’m no doomer, they still should win the division, but man, it’s gotten tiresome. Counting on someone to step up, and on Bochy to work his magic to get someone to do that.
twinfan1 said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:10 pm

Well, that sucks.
unca_chuck said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:11 pm

Wow . . .

Good night, Irene . ..
wilcojoe said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:12 pm

“Things got bad and things got worse, I guess you know the tune…”
- unca_chuck said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:17 pm
  
  Oh Lord, indeed.
zumie said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:14 pm

Man, what a horrible pitch. Fastball right down the middle. They have a word for that. It’s called “wheelhouse.”
Del Mar Dennis said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:14 pm

WTF was that pitch? Low I guess, but goddamn.

Hey, Zumie! Like I fucking said, Upton and his mother can go fuck themselves.

This place is gonna be be a goddamn hornets nest tomorrow…
- unca_chuck said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:21 pm
  
  What? More whining?
unca_chuck said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:15 pm

Well, they got 2 guys that are hitting. Beltran and Pablo. Other than that, it’s grounders and popups.

This is just boring. About the worst thing you can say. Bochy should start all the scrubs he can tomorrow.

Huff should be batting 7th.

Wow. Why pitch Rowie anything NEAR the strike zone?
unca_chuck said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:20 pm

Fuck fuck fuck fuck . . .

They need to bench everyone not named Pablo or Carlos. . . .

Cuento gets a complete game. Hudson goes 8. Probably goes CG as well.

This is just bad. Weak sauce. Weak titties. Weak shit. Weakasaurus.
wilcojoe said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:20 pm

Fuck it I am going to bed…All of their comebacks have been after I have gone to sleep…Maybe I should have done that 3 innings ago.
- willieD said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:56 pm
  
  POTD, Wilco.
twinfan1 said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:23 pm

Rowand gets a two strike hit and you think they might get something going. Considering how the other OF shits are hitting you have to figure Torres has tire tracks on his ass.
- EdGdsnInExile said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:26 pm
  
  Was thinking the same Twin. Then again, there might be an injury we’re not aware of.
unca_chuck said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:25 pm

Good to see the ennui spreading to the bullpen.
- zumie said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:27 pm
  
  It’s because it’s a non-hold situation.
  - unca_chuck said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:30 pm
    
    LQTM . . . !
unca_chuck said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:29 pm

Christ. It’s like everything is backfiring. Everything is turning to shit lately.

The Giants hit balls hard all over the place, and get beaten by flares, bleeders, and the occasional mammoth blast.

The Giants can’t string together anything.

The Giants take 7 batters to dig out one run. AZ takes the lead in 5 pitches.
EdGdsnInExile said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:29 pm

I agree with Paulinasia. Not that they are not trying, or that they don’t care, but a few of these guys really need to wake up and own this crap really quick.
twinfan1 said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:29 pm

I’m declaring ths rock bottom. The climb to ten up is about to begin. Let’s see Belt/Torres/Beltran in the OF tomorrow.
- Del Mar Dennis said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:36 pm
  
  TF, you are droll. Droll. doll, droll. But I still love you.
twinfan1 said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:31 pm

Killer was the great catch by Upton on Beltran’s shot. Could be an entirely different game. Or not
zumie said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:32 pm

Time for Bochy to knock over the spread after the game. I don’t see Bochy as a spread knocker-over, though.
- xootsuit said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:38 pm
  
  Bochy’s a tough sob. He’ll get his message across.
Macdog said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:33 pm

I’d rather see Belt at 1B to get Huff outta there and, what the heck, put Row-Row in LF.
twinfan1 said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:34 pm

Spread flippers are a rare breed now. Maybe he can asssign Piniella for the job. Lou is HOF caliber spread knocker over.
- zumie said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:38 pm
  
  I vaguely remember Kuiper telling a story about Frank Robinson, as manager, knocking over the spread so often that some of the players started packing food in lunch boxes and taking them to the game, if I remember that correctly.
  - EdGdsnInExile said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:43 pm
    
    One of the nice things about his last go-round in DC was when Frank would go out to argue a call. I think he was 75 and obviously the knees were stiff. But he’d go out there like he was gonna tear you one. Really fired the fans up; made you feel that Frank had your back.
unca_chuck said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:36 pm

This is what Huff has become. A Texas leaguer . . .
xootsuit said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:37 pm

Upton’s play on the run at the wall, and his HR, made the difference. Both Pablo and Beltran will have similar games for the Giants. Just not tonight.
stixwiz said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:37 pm

Even the bullpen goes south. Unreal. Though they usually do not do well in day games, a five game losing streak is nothing amusing. Six would drop SF into second in the division and really animate the Snakes. Somebody has to step up tomorrow or the upcoming series with Philly and Pitt could make for one downer of a homestand. I do NOT wanna see Huff in the lineup tomorrow. Torres should start, along with Belt. After that passed ball, noWhitey sits too.
unca_chuck said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:40 pm

Nate with the hat trick . . .

Gimme an F . . .

Gimme a U . . .

Gimme a C . . .

Gimme a K . . .

Whats that spell?
- unca_chuck said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:45 pm
  
  Nate
EdGdsnInExile said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:41 pm

Nate now 4 for last 35 = .114
- zumie said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:43 pm
  
  Nate’s not a full-time player. He just isn’t. Platooner, at best.
  - willieD said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:53 pm
    
    Right. And he sure as hell is not a clean up hitter, at mlb level anyway. All those that called for all nate all the time…this is what happens. Same reason Bochy sat the guy for two years.
  - raymond said, on August 3, 2011 at 8:08 am
    
    nobody is hitting now…it’s so hard to know whose a reg and whose not!! rowand looks better than moat right now! I want belt full time and huff, spit starts
snarkk said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:42 pm

Bummer…
mailorderwife said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:43 pm

Well, there is always someone hungrier, and the players have it want it all more than anyone. I’m not sure of the mechanics, or lack thereof, when it comes to slumps as I never went beyond HS softball. But at some point, our heroes of last year have got to start hitting. Anyway, time to get this all done with now rather than in September. The boys will come out of it soon, or at least they better :> Goodnight!
unca_chuck said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:44 pm

Well, this is just a pisser. The hope is that it’s just a small blip on the way to the division. Even if they lose tomorrow, well. Only one out. But there’s the matter of a pissed-off Phillie team and a resurgent Pitt team before the east coast swing into the sweltering heat.

AZ has beaten our top guns. Tomorrow we send out a wobbly Vogie.
- Nipper said, on August 3, 2011 at 1:01 am
  
  BLEEP IT!
snarkk said, on August 2, 2011 at 9:47 pm

I hope it’s rock bottom. Trouble is, this looks like a bunch of games we’ve already seen. I’m reminded of my 2009 Wonder Bread scoring constipation post. This team needs a high colonic to get the scoring going…
paulinasia said, on August 2, 2011 at 10:17 pm

Gibson mentioned post-game that his players have a certain “attitude” now. I don’t know that AZ is a better team (Splashers are saying so) but at the moment, they do seem to be bringing an attitude of confidence and fun. Um… that was the hallmark of the Giants in the playoffs and even this year, taking care of business even with all the injuries, etc. Need to get that back, they seem to have left it in Philly. Maybe the Phils will bring it back.
twinfan1 said, on August 2, 2011 at 10:37 pm

Well, anyone here can certainly change his/her mind. You think AZ is going to win this, spit it out. Or reaffirm your vows. Now that it’s tied , good time to be crystal clear on where you stand.
I’m adjusting, you can too: Giants by 6…
- Nipper said, on August 3, 2011 at 1:03 am
  
  I’m with you Twin……..all the way!
paulinasia said, on August 2, 2011 at 10:51 pm

Giants will still win it. Just would like to see them start having fun again. Best way to have fun is to win… or at least play well. 5 game skid is enough, turn it around tomorrow. I do feel bad, though, maybe I jinxed things by asking about the Showtime crew still filming at a time when the team was starting to “hit its stride”. So, one big step backwards, that’s ok, it happens…. start striding tomorrow again.
snarkk said, on August 2, 2011 at 11:29 pm

Last year, Giants hit 162 HRs, tied for 10th in MLB.
At the present rate, they are 25th in MLB, and at that rate, for 2011 they will hit around 103 HRs.
Since they struggle mightily to string together hits, the HR shortage is a huge factor in their continuing scoring woes…
Giant Head said, on August 3, 2011 at 8:01 am

At least I got a full night of sleep last night…now to this baseball thing. We win today, but I think the Phillies had a light lit under their asses after losing two to us. I am expecting (hoping) for a split with the Phillies…

We will still win the NL West…the D-Backs starters will taper off as will their hiting….as I said after the Philly series, I was still nervous about our lineup. Not that I think Panda or Beltran is not producing, but I think we have to have Belt hitting cleanup and see if he can stick in that spot. We are back to having a dysfunctional lineup like the first part of 2010. It was not until Posey got brought up that the construction of our lineup fell into place. It is not easy to gell with two new hitters in the lineup after just a week, but Panda is not a natural cleanup. I almost think we should keep Panda third in the order and then Belt and Beltran…we still need a catcher…..
- unca_chuck said, on August 3, 2011 at 8:54 am
  
  You don’t put a struggling rookie in the 4 hole. Look at how well Huff is doing. Belt is NOT hitting cleanup. Pablo hits 4th. If they are keeping Ross at lead off (doubtful) they’ll put Torres there. Or Rowand.
  
  Jelling is WAY overrated. Bourn came in and started hitting for Atl. Pence the same in Philly. I’m sure Beltran felt the pressure to be the savior. The rest of the guys are them just being them.
stixwiz said, on August 3, 2011 at 8:27 am

GH: From yo-yoing back and forth to Fresno, mostly riding the pine when he’s here and then being jacked up into the cleanup position on the World Champs might be a bit much for any 21 Y.O., even a Texan. I’m all for Belt getting a nice stretch of steady playing time and could see him slotted in the two-hole or batting sixth ~ mayyybe even fifth. Cleanup starting off would be too much responsibility all at once. If he succeeds like i think he will in one of those other slots, then switching over to cleanup after a couple weeks or so might be apt.
willieD said, on August 3, 2011 at 8:56 am

Since most of the OF guys have been slumping, including nate, there’s no reason not to give Belt a start either in LF or 1b. But he has to do something with them, just like everyone else. That means drive the ball to power alleys and show some pop. He has not hit well enough, ever in mlb, to get regular PT. His slugging sucks so far. Stop blaming bochy, he doesn’t have a bat in his hands.
Night before Huff homered and drove a ball to the warning track. Ross homered and hit a line shot right at CF. Beltran has cracked a ball or two each of last two nights. Torres hasn’t been in there but I still like his D and ability to lead off, Rowand has a couple hits, including off the bench. Til someone gets going, they all rotate alongside beltran.
- James said, on August 3, 2011 at 9:37 am
  
  Posey’s OPS over 90 PAs last June was 630. Belt’s is 656 over his 90 PAs thus far.
  - twinfan1 said, on August 3, 2011 at 10:03 am
    
    So? There’s no relevance unless you’re saying there is some valid reason to propose that Belt will improve as Posey did. Both numbers suck…
    As to the 4 hole, Let’sa see. They pick up Beltran and move Pablo to the 4. He goes 10 for 25 with 2 HR and a 1.103 OPS.Yep, definitely gotta get him out of the 4…
    “Not that I think Panda or Beltran is not producing, but I think we have to have Belt hitting cleanup” Why? There’s zero fucking logic in that. All you’re saying is you want him there no matter how fucking stupid it would be.
twinfan1 said, on August 3, 2011 at 9:35 am

Why the fuck would Pablo be moved from the 4? He wouldn’ t.Pablo is the ONLY choice- fuck, even Beltran has never hit a HR here. This one is truly not arguable.