Go (away) Whitey and Voggy puts the Cherry on Top
Eli Whiteside is the luckiest man in the world. A man with no talent for his trade (at this level) has somehow managed to stay employed for 2 and 1/2 seasons and log over 500 at bats. He’s made over a million dollars. He’s got a World Series ring. A guy like Justin Christian who is still trying to get a whiff of his 100th at bat in the BIGS must just look at Whitey and shake his head. With 2 games to go it’s stat-watch time. Will Whiteside keep his head above the Mendoza line? Probably. He’s at .201 right now and I don’t think going 0-8 the rest of the way would drop him below. It might, I don’t feel like doing the math. Bochy probably wouldn’t let it happen and Stew should get at least one more start.
Some of his stats the last 2 months are just mind blowing. How did Bochy continue to start him?
He’s hitting .103 in September.
In 58 at bats in Aug and Sept he has scored 3 runs. He’s got 2 extra base hits. He’s walked twice. His OPS for September is .271. Huh? .271? Just like they gave me 400 for writing my name on the SAT’s I thought they gave you an OPS of at least .300 for knowing where the batters box is. Apparently not.
I get that he’s the great clubhouse guy and everything. I would have been a good clubhouse guy, too. But for a team so bad at hitting a ball it was really just….unnecessary to have this guy continue to miss baseballs with such great frequency. Stewart or Hector the Collector would have been better. And I DO know that. Either would have checked in with an OPS over .271. Right?
Congratulations to Voggy on a fantastic season. He was better at home than on the road but in many ways he saved our season (at least in terms of keeping us in it for so long). He was a deserving winning of the Willie Mac Award, though if I had a say, I would have had Pablo and him split it…….
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
Actually, whitey’s incompetence defensively bothered me more than what he did with a bat in his hands., which was obviously right btw jack and shit. All the passed balls and ptiches that were strikes bouncing off his mitt had to unnerve whoeve was on the mound. With guys on the base, how could you trust him to catch a breaking ball in the dirt?
No question Sabes blew this one in the off season, but…I don’t see a Ramon Hernandez type coming here to back up Posey and get 20 starts a year. The better players like him still think they are everyday players, so if you aren’t going with H Sanchez, expectations for who you can get as a back up can’t be high. I do think, tho, lack of a seasoned vet hurt some of the younger guys on the PS, and whitey’s D had to bug some of the vets.
I didn’t visit the “Baseball as Therapy” site yesterday . . . I just did and MORE WONDERFUL STORIES, including a great one from MacDog, Chuck and a new poster, BBL and Waves.
WillieD, you lived right near me – I was located on Ferndale off of Borregas. Did the same thing you did insofar as going to the Giants games via Greyhound a few times (packing a lunch, etc.).
Flav, I just implemented the “Tizzle Last Gasp Doomsday” plan in the Flap League. You and Macdog are in trouble.
As to Bochy and small ball, I don’t think it is fair to rag on him when you consider the type of team he had. There is almost zero base stealing ability outside of Torres, who just did not get on base often enough this year. Even guys that are known to run well such as Ross and Nate proved incapable to being able to read pitchers well enough to get a jump that would allow them to steal. Christian I didn’t see enough of, but he has 3 SBs and 2 CS, so he isn’t exactly Lou Brock.
As to last night, yes the bunt did work out and kudos to Sando for getting it down. But how many times would you bunt in that situation? Two on no outs, and your clean up hitter, who leads the team in HRs, at the plate? You are going to take the bat out of his hands and leave it up to Pill and Belt? I would think the odds of scoring at least one run (which is all they got) are higher without giving up an out, especially when the guy doing it is your best hitter. There is a reason that is Sando’s first SH all year, and I think it’s a good one….it’s a dumb play for a middle order high OPS guy with RISP.
Willie, Ssandoval would not have batted at all if he wasn’t going to bunt. He was going to be PH for with DeRosa. The LHer Romero was pitching, then if DeRosa is announced, he loses him, too, or he has to face Lindstrom. You seem to have forgotten that Pablo can’t swing RHed. It was a smart play, you just forgot a couple things.
Thx, that makes more sense in the context. I wasn’t watching the game and only saw the box score and how they scored column, alongside the notes about his first ever sac bunt.
Another thing I forgot to mention about Whitey and I don’t remember the announcers noticing it: He dropped an inordinant amount of pitches that hit him square in the glove. Sometimes he would drop multiple balls an inning. I didn’t notice this every game but there were a few in late Aug and September where he was flat not able to catch a baseball consistently. Did anyone else notice this?
Miller and Flemms sure did. I was listening to them one night and whitey dropped call strike 3 and couldn’t get to the ball in time to get the guy at first. Neither of them could believe what happened. It just proves the more they play the more they suck theory as to part time players, AKA the law of diminishing returns.
Pre-game at Citifield a couple of years ago, El Presidente was the friendliest and most accomodating Giant to me and the other little ones congregated by the SF dugout….
Bochy must have been practical about playing these woeful catchers. They were bodies who got along with the pitchers nothing more. Not hitters for sure. That’s why Posey has to come back as a catcher. The Giants need him badly.
I was at the game last night. Great weather. Big crowd. There was no evidence of jumping off the bandwagon at the ballpark. And there was a surprise give-away item: just a plastic cup from the Giants and the Coca Cola Company with a message on it thanking the fans for breaking the Giants’ season attendance record, and….free sodas all night from the concession stand to fill the cup! A nice gesture from the Giants and the Coke Company. And they gave out copies of the 2012 season shedule.
An entertaining well-played game, and our seats were…..groovy! The lower section, straight back from the plate, second to last row, right below a bunch of folks in the media. I saw Martie Lurie up there. And the guy who data entries the info for the game for MLB.com’s virtual game-cast. He had a big MLB.com on the back of his lap-top.
The fans were totally into the game. A lot of basking going on. The Giants are still the World Champs until sometime in November, and the fans wanted to celebrate that. It was actually a celebratory feeling in the stands last night. Hey, there’s a few days of GIants baseball left, and then the long winter. Let’s celebrate the last few days.
Which brings me to- yes, the vast majority of the crowd participated in the wave in the top of the 8th inning. It was just people having fun, in what was basically a meaningless regular season. I heard Byrnes on the drive home just go off on the fans who were doing the wave. In fact he was hyper-ventilating. He sounded like an amateur hour broadcaster. And how much does Byrnes pay to go to a Giants game? Zero, of course. I gave minimal recognition to the wave- I stayed in my seat and just lifted one arm about half-way up. There were some fans booing the wave. But….I have to say- it was a great wave. It really was. It was cool watching the wave go across the walkway above rightfield and just rocket throught the bleachers. It slowed down every time it got to our area behind homeplate, but then it would pick up again. And here’s news to Byrnes- you can actually pay attention to the game and do a wave. It doesn’t take nuclear scientist-level concentration to watch a baseball game. Like “I must concentrate severely; I must split these atoms. All my cognitive power must be fiercely focused.” I’ve got more news for Byrnes. Sometimes people are talking to each other. Sometimes they’re getting food out of their backpack. How focused is Byrnes when he’s watching the baseball game? I have no doubt that dude was flipping over to the Monday Night Football game for parts of the evening. So, if any of y’all want to criticize the fans AT THE GAME last night for doing the wave- my question is this: Did you watch the whole game or did you also watch some of the football game? (grin)
Zum – I used to see guys in the Club section camped out in front of the TVs watching the football game on one and the game playing on the field on the other. I never understood that one..
Watching on tv, I thought the wave looked like a vast collective good-natured celebration of everything related to the Giants — the team, the WS championship, the ball park and the crowds that have packed the stands all season long. I wouldn’t want to see the wave in the 8th inning of a game during a pennant race, or in the PS. But last night? Why the fuck not. I would’ve raised my hand, too, when it was my turn, just as I somewhat less than enthusiastically take off my hat for the national anthem or join in the beat LA chant. A Giants game is a communal event as well as a contest. I think it’s gratifying to enjoy the entire experience.
During my drive to work this morning the dull duo on KNBR were going wild over the scandalous wave. Neither of them went to the game. And one of them admitted that he watched MNF instead of the Giants. How lame is that? Debating whether the wave that rippled several times through 40,000+ cheering fans was an insult to Romo, though you totally ignored the game yourself — thus clearly insulting Vogelsong, Romo, et al. Amazing.
excellent post!
I agree with BF and WillieD, I knew that Whitehead wouldn’t hit much but his lack of D surprised the hell out of me. I think Tim got fed up with it in one game and I don’t recall he of Vern and Vera’s loins ever catching Tim again.
I always thought that being the Bullpen catcher would be a good gig. Maybe Nosticknogloveside can find a career doing that.
I don’t understand El Presidente getting anywhere near a start after elmination in Arizona. It makes no baseball sense unless Hector is hurt. I don’t care if Hector spit in Bochy’s granola, it doesn’t even matter if they thin Hector sucks — Hector should be getting the playing time. These are meaningless games as far as going to playoffs are concerned. But, they are far from meaningless to help evaluate talent and what part of the game somebody needs work. We know Whiteside. And, we know he ain’t catching here next year. Give Eli a coupla El Presidente’s to smoke and tell him to enjoy his coaching career at SW Mississippi A & I…
Haven’t watched a single pitch since Saturday.
My transition from basking to brooding has been seamless.
They blew the division & the wild card.
There’s nothing wrong with saying it.
I hear you. I was at b-ball practices most of Sunday afternoon, and caught most of Yanks/Boston game on mlb. But I won’t watch SF, and I don’t care for any of the NL teams. I’d rather one of them wins it all, but the AL is better drama.
Didn’t Cards and Yanks trade mgrs. after 64 season?
They didn’t trade Willie, but Keane did replace Berra, and I believe it came out later that he knew he had the Yankee job while he was still managing the Cards vs. the Yanks in the ’64 WS. I’m sure Schoendienst replaced Keane…
Said it last night and saying it again this morning: Vogelsong’s performance was a classic. Here’s a 34 Y.O. who had a spotty career in the Bigs, went to Japan and then kicked around in the minors and learned some things about pitching along the way. Giants take a flyer on him and he goes 2.71 ERA with a 13-7 W-L record, the best percentage among SF starters. Even makes the All-Star team. A story for the ages. Almost hitting Walter Mitty territory. Dude is indomitable. He gets into trouble now and again and promptly sucks it up and goes on to get outta the inning with either minimal damage or none at all. The Little Birdie that Could can pitch. Along with Panda’s resurrection, it’s one of the two feel-good stories in this beat-up season.
Whiteside is the same incompent as he was when he was getting raves here for his CERA and half this board ( or more) wanted Bengie benched for him. Fact is, as long as it was Big Titty he was backing up, he was loved. Anyway, he always sucked, I told you he always sucked, and getting stuck with him and Stewart is the number one reason they’re not in the postseason. therewere a boatload of FA catchers available this winter, and they didn’t pursue any of them.
Three things. 1) I’m still watching the games 2) Pablo’s bunt was a perfect set-up for the run and 3) the wave was dorky as shit, yes, but somehow it spoke to me as a rememberence of times past before the Giants could say they had a World Series championship and yet we still loved them. Just as we did this year. Granted, they were at *least* contenders for the majority of the season which can make it easier to love but we loved them before and we’ll love them still. The entire pitching staff (sans Zito) was amazing this year to go along with the Cinderella story that is Vogelsong, Sandoval reverts to form, hell even Beltran added a lot as a mid-season hitter, Nate showed signs of life before his injury and played oustanding D, Bochy managed a masterpiece considering how much he was handicapped…sure, 2011 can be called disappointing. But so could 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, ad nauseum and we, the fans, keep coming back. The only difference is NOW we also have the Knowing Dude Nod. And that, my friends, will ALWAYS be a part of the Giants’ lore.
Nate is hardly a lock to become what the Cult always says he will be. He hit .248 after the break in 113 AB with 2 HR, 10 RBI, sub-.300 OBP, and .654 OPS. I imagine he’ll get a chancec to be the regular RFer depending on off season acquisition but he really appears to be a 4th OFer.
As far as Vogelsong, contrary to some fiction posted here, I never disrespected his performance. I did what every knowledgeble observer did- looked at his career numbers, which were never impressive even in Japan, and wondered if he could maintain his success. Although he did fall off somewhat the second half, last night was brilliant and put the capper on what even he calls a storybook season. I’m absolutely delighted for him, and with the 5 spot up in the air, they’ll need another good year from him in 2012.
I’d feel better about Nate if he were capable of replacing the 2010 numbers of either Torres or Huff. HIs D in right is fine, but he isn’t a CF, and can’t run the bases (or get on them) nearly as well as Torres did. I just don’t see him as capable of blasting 26 HRs, including a dozen at ATT, like Huff did a season ago.
The drop off in WAR from these two guys are what SF most needs to replace somehow in 2011.
Question if anyone knows it: Does Voggy have enough mlb service time to dodge arbitration and become a free agent after this season? I thought the Giants still had control over him.
Baseball Reference says his status is “not updated”. Rotoworld, a good site, says he’s a free agent.
http://www.rotoworld.com/recent/mlb/3118/ryan-vogelsong
I don’t know exactly what this means but Bochy said about Vogelsong yesterday “I’d hate to think where we’d be without him and it’s nice to know we have him going into next season….”
Let’s pretend they make no acquistions over the winter. What’s the opening day LU? My call:
Torres CF
Fruckie 2B
Sandoval 3b
Huff 1b
Posey C
Belt LF
Nate RF
Keppinger SS
Well if that’s accurate, I’m hoping the groundhog sees his shadow….
2012 List of Free agents. Asterisk denotes option year. Not certain about the accuracy of this entire list, as some of the players are not even playing on the team noted. Similarly, I suspect a few have already signed mid year deals.
Catchers
Jason Kendall KC
Yadier Molina STL *
Dionar Navarro TB
Jorge Posada NYY
Ivan Rodriguez WAS
Brian Schneider PHI
Kelly Shoppach TB *
Chris Snyder ARZ *
Obviously, ALL of these guys are stiffs, can’t hit, too old, injured, etc., except for Yadier Molina.
First Basemen
Prince Fielder MIL
Ross Gload PHI
Todd Helton COL *
Albert Pujols STL
Casey Kotchman TB
Forget about Fielder and Pujols, unless the Giants surprise and pull up the Brinks truck to their respective homes. However, Kotchman is intriguing. Casey Kotchman started 2010 as the starting first baseman in Seattle, but he did not do much during the year to hold onto the job. He hit .217 with 20 doubles, nine homers and 51 RBI in 125 games. It was the lowest batting average of his career and his on-base percentage was just .280. The 27-year-old started for most of the season but after the Mariners acquired top-prospect Justin Smoak from the Rangers at the deadline, the writing was on the wall for Kotchman. Kotchman, a former first-round pick, hit double-digit homers in back-to-back campaigns in 2007 and 2008. He is batting .305 with Tampa Bay.
Second Basemen
Clint Barmes COL
Robinson Cano NYY *
Jamey Carroll LAD
Luis Castillo NYM
Aaron Hill ARZ *
Kelly Johnson TOR
Brandon Phillips CIN *
Freddy Sanchez SF
Rickie Weeks MIL
I don’t think this list is accurate, i.e., Weeks signed a long term deal earlier this season. Aaron Hill was a rising star three years ago, but hasn’t done shit the last two years. Johnson is the same player. I guess with Freddy, we are covered, but his shoulder concerns me.
Third Basemen
Casey Blake LAD *
Mark DeRosa SF
Greg Dobbs PHI
Edwin Encarnacion TOR
Aramis Ramirez CHC
Encarnacion is batting .316 (18 for 57) with two homers and 11 RBI over his last 15 games and is finishing the 2011 campaign strong. He also plays second.
Shortstops
Jason Bartlett TB
Yuniesky Betancourt KC *
Rafael Furcal LAD
John McDonald TOR
Augie Ojeda ARZ
Ramon Santiago DET
Marco Scutaro BOS *
Jack Wilson SEA
Yuniesky Betancourt had a career year in 2010, as he supplied some nice pop from the shortstop position for Kansas City. He set career marks with 16 home runs and 78 RBI, while slugging .405 and hitting .259 in 151 games. He’s hit about the same with the Brewers, but quite frankly he is not very good defensively.
Outfielders
Bobby Abreu LAA *
Carlos Beltran SF
Milton Bradley SEA
Mike Cameron BOS
Ronny Cedeno PIT
Ryan Church PIT
Jack Cust OAK
Matt Diaz ATL
J.D. Drew BOS
Jonny Gomes CIN
Gabe Gross OAK
Carlos Guillen DET
Corey Hart MIL
Jeremy Hermida BOS
Raul Ibanez PHI
Conor Jackson BOS
Ryan Ludwick STL
Gary Matthews Jr. NYM
Nate McLouth ATL *
Juan Pierre CWS
Juan Rivera LAD
Cody Ross FLA
Grady Sizemore CLE *
Nick Swisher NYY *
Josh Willingham OAK
I like Willingham and especially, Hart.
Milton Bradley? I thought he was finito
Haven’t been keeping up on Corey Hart, but do like Willingham’s stick. It would appear that Oakland will low-ball him, even though he wants to stay. So why not simply move across the Bay.
Agree Stix, that Willingham is probably thinking the same thing . . . a seamless move across the bay should the Moneyball folks lowball him (does that rhyme?).
Hey Ted . . . I agree, but did state that the veracity of this report was probably not accurate, nor reviewed by the Chronicle sports editor.
Crisp is another player not on this list and I just read in the Chronicle that the Giants are interested in him. I’m all for that.
Last time I watched, Cody Ross was a Giant. I don’t think Ludwick’s a Cardinal anymore either. Castillo’s not a Met. And those are just the ones that jumped out at me. The list is clearly outdated…
Outdated in parts and not in others Loo. You’re right, it’s got Cody Ross in FLA but somehow managed to have Beltran in SF. Some weird space-time continuum
With their pitching staff they would be favorites to win the West. ( in the hypothetical world where the other teams in the West also stand pat.)
As much as i feel that Belt will ultimately become a better than average Major Leaguer, he would need to achieve another knockout ST groove for me to feel that he should not begin his gig at Fresno, with the proviso being that as soon as he achieves a steady rate of high performance baseball again he not only gets the call but that Bochy should see fit to start him and play him on a regular basis for at least as long as he’s been riding the Fresnobus.
Brett Pill, on the other hand, has demonstrated in his albeit short course in The Show, that he is a steady performer who appears to take a day by day and at bat by at bat approach at the plate. Unless there is a major acquisition in the O.F., i’m inclined to at least mix and match him with Huff. This young man has paid his dues through a rather long minor league career and his gone far to explode his “non-prospect” label, most recently and rather egregiously applied by a man who should know better: Brian Sabean.
No other baseball people ever considered him a true prospect either and a few dozen ABs does nothing to dispel that. Check out the despised Ortmeier’s numbers in 2007 or BowWow’s big splash.
Point is that Sabean’s comment came just before or right as Pill was being called up. Ortmeier and Bowker performances may or may not be relevant to Pill’s situation. Agreed, he hasn’t had the opportunity for a raft of A.B.’s and as a consequence there is no ‘book’ out on him as of yet. Do you know of any major holes in his swing or loss of concentration? If he has overcome those possible deficiencies in his long sojourn through the minors he just might be coming in from a different plane than OrtBowk.
In house, I am looking to Joe Panik and Gary Brown for the future. I think Panik will eventually trump Crawford in 2-3 years. He was drafted by the Giants a little over three months ago. Since then he has had six home runs and hit .341 and is the youngest player on the Scorpions’ roster this year.
Cotts says that Voggy has 4.02 years of major league service. You need 6 to be a free agent. But he’s been signing “minor league deals as a free agent” the last two deals he’s had (us, and Phillies in 2010). He also had signed a minor league deal with the Angels in July of 2010. I guess he was just released by both of them but I thought he came straight back from Japan this year. Anyway, I was under the impression that the Giants could offer him arbitration this off season so I could be way out of it……
I see conflicting stuff. Dierkes from Trade Rumors has this:
“Arbitration Eligible (11)
* First time: Pablo Sandoval, Sergio Romo, Nate Schierholtz, Eli Whiteside
* Second time: Andres Torres, Santiago Casilla, Ryan Vogelsong
* Third time: Tim Lincecum, Jonathan Sanchez, Ramon Ramirez, Mike Fontenot”
When you think about it, if he really were a FA, the panty wringing would already be at a fever pitch..
Interesting decisions all around. If SF chooses to keep all of the above except whitey and maybe font, it would cost more money than was spent this year for everyone except Andres, no? A 2 yr deal for any of the more valuable above would probably mean even more.
Panik is already getting projected as a second baseman. Adrianza has been considered the SS of the future ever since he was signed as a 16 YO. He finally showed signs he might hit. 2012 will be a big year for him as he might go to Richmond, where Crawford, Culberson, Noonan, and others went feet up.
I saw something that speculated he would play at second and the only other thing I found was dated back in June, i.e., “Evans said Panik will start his pro career at Salem-Keizer of the short-season Class A Northwest League after reporting to the team’s Spring Training facility in Arizona first. Evans also said the organization intends to keep Panik as a shortstop, although scouting reports have suggested he might be moved to second base based on his arm strength. “We believe he can play short and he’s going to stay there,” Evans said.”
I guess they changed their mind though per your post Mike.
Panik is definitely considered the best potential bat among the three ( Crawford, Adrianza, Panik). It’s been disappointing as one second base prospect after another has failed after the A level. Culberson was thought to be just about “there” and Richmond did him in. The kid I consider the most exciting in the system is Tommy “Light Tower” Joseph, 20 YO Catcher/First baseman who hit 22 HR, drove in 95 at SJ. Those are awesome power numbers for a kid who may not be shaving yet. Angel was the only prospect with better MLB power potential….
“Tommy Joseph was one of the top power-hitting prospects in the 2009 draft making a name for himself by holding his own in a HR contest that included the non-human Bryce Harper. It’s unclear why he fell to the Giants in the second round, but when they looked up at their draft board and saw him still there, they grabbed him and signed him to bonus of a bit more than $700K.
The real buzz about Joseph started when a video of him hitting a HR in an Arizona Instructional League game showed up at azgiants.com and on youtube.com. He showed patience at the plate, waited for his pitch and then walloped it out of the park with a short, compact yet powerful swing that got Giants fans, starved for a power hitter, to salivating in anticipation. It was apparently more than just that one HR too. Andy Baggerly in his BA Scouting Report: “Nobody inspired more buzz among Giants coaches in instructional league than Joseph, who put on a tape-measure show in Arizona.
His swing should adjust quickly to wood bats, and his bat should play at 1B if he can’t stick at catcher.”
We do have a new record “something” to bask about at the end of this season: Lou Seal is the world champ in consecutive home game attendence by a mascot!:
“The Cal Ripken of Mascots…”
…
” ‘He hasn’t ever been on the disabled list one time,’ says manager Bruce Bochy”
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903703604576588763244571664.html
I would have paid money to see Bochy give that quote with his usual slow, deadpan delivery. The reporter must have had a hernia, giggling.
I wish to predict the unpredictable. It will happen or not.
Is it just me, or does Tommy Joseph look like a young Bruce Bochy in that photo?
You might have already seen him in action Mike via this clip . . . For the rest of the Flappers, just drool and do your “knowing nod” dude move.
Mr. Tommy Joseph going yard at the Trop 465 feet plus . . . http://www.draysbay.com/2009/6/1/895284/tommy-josephs-power-its-real-and
what is with the abbreviations?
just having a laugh
The more I think about it, the more I want Reyes. I don’t think you guys realize what a game changer this guy can be. It’s time to solidify shortstop and get a real leadoff hitter who can energize this team. Reyes was made for ATT. He was once very durable – maybe the injuries have brought his price down a little. I’m not sure who the competition would be for him. Definitely not the Yanks. He’s probably looking for 6 years/$120 milion. If you could could get him for 5 years @ $100 milllion it would be a steal by today’s standards. Maybe him and Beltran (2 years @ $30-$35 million?) would take a little less to take a run at a championship…
I’ll give you this Loo: He would break the single season record for triples at ATT. That would be cool. But he’s 28, I don’t want a speed guy who is injury prone to spend the last 3 years of that deal on the DL or getting slower and losing his greatest strength. And you’ve already nailed his biggest problem, he’s injury prone. Last year, didn’t he deal with a hammy issue like all year? In 2009 he only played in like 30 games. This year he wasn’t healthy either.
I like the Reyes/Beltran idea but it’s never going to happen. Reyes is going to re-sign with the Mets. And if he wasn’t, Beltran would tell him horror stories about ATT. Beltran is just lip servicing us, he isn’t considering re-signing. He might have dinner with Sabean just to get the Yankees to pay him another 20 million (which they probably will).
Reyes stays with Mets, Beltran goes to Yankees. It’s boring but that’s what’s gonna happen……..
Loo, Mets are not going to let Reyes go and more important, Reyes LOVES New York and has said numerous times he wants to stay there. However, if I am Sabean – I pull a Cashman ala’ having Boston pay through the nose for Crawford . . . In short, Sabean should be in on every major FA rumor and make these dickhead teams expend more money on their dream FAs then they normally would. I love it when I see dumb ass teams paying for a worthless Werth . . . excuse the pun.
Martin of NY just grounded into a bases loaded triple play . . . Whew. Salvaged/extricated a fucked up inning that one of my waiver wire FL pitchers (Hellickson) was floundering in.
They are contenders just with the returns of Posey and Fruckie and the pitching staff. I hope they make a couple moves but they’re not going to be breaking the bank, nor should they. This is the time to move on Corey Hart and Rollins.
I said I liked Hart earlier . . . Mike, how much do you think it would take to get him? I also like Rollins – he had a VERY big comeback year, free for the most part from injuries. Due likely to the spring training exercise program he implemented to address leg problems he had last year, where he was constantly on the DL.
St Louis is really blowing an opportunity to get in the playoffs. Down 5-0 to Houston this evening, after blowing last night’s game. Add insult to injury. Braves are getting killed 7-0 against the Phils.
‘Stros gave us a rough time, beat Philly 2 of 3, now the Cards. So called bottom feeders can make life miserable- Twins won the AL Centrral in 2006 on the last day of the season after KC swept Detroit in Detroit ( Tigers got the WC and went on to the WS anyway)…
Hart? Shit, now I see he got extended through 2013. Cot’s sucks.
My site sucked too Twin as confirmed by Loo.
Loo may have some bizarre trades, but if you fuck up, he’ll catch you.
Well, I would still be interested in Rollins. He takes care of himself. Also, I like what WillieD said about him being a “manager” on the bench. He always has his head in the game.
Twin, St. Louis just turned it around . . . It’s now 5-5.
Saw that.
Anyone can get injured anytime. Who knows that better than us? If Reyes contributes to one title he’s worth anything they pay him. Zito & Rowand actually did make contributions to a WS winning season. So in some twisted way they were worth every cent. Reyes is perfect for SF right now.
I don’t think he’d contribute to a world series win. We don’t have enough guys to drive him in next year. How about that? He could stand on third base all year. That would be nice. And pointless. The immediate need is to find run producers, not guys who get on base. Kepp can do that……
I hope StL chokes it up.
They are down 6-5.
That’s not nice!
But Reyes is an invitation to disaster.
It’s pretty clear top me that the ousting of Neukom means we won’t be signing anyone like Reyes or Beltran. Cuddyer or Crisp will be possibilities, but those are the pickins’ for the Giants this Winter…….
Giants will be shopping at the Dollar Store.
Whiteside is starting as a courtesy. he won’t be back. 6 or 8 AB for Hector won’t make a bit of difference in his evaluation.
That’s the way I was reading it, too. It’s Bochy saying “Thanks for the memories, Whitey. Best wishes.”
Memories?
He’s already played half a season too much. Put Hector in for Kreissakes…
I told you why he’s playing. A classy move by Bochy.
The only recent memory is his near de-nosing himself sliding into 2nd . . .
Kinduv an old-fashioned inning for Bumgarner as he gives up a double, a single and then strikes out the side. Evidently not a nittery, nervous type, at least not so far tonight. Dude could be quite the pitcher by the time he hits 25. He is already, but at times gets out of his zone and proceeds to get shelled. Another 70-100 games under his belt and he will have fully learned the craft. That on top of his raw talent and his early onset maturity could add up to quite a performer.
Speaking of old-fashioned innings, 2 on, none out, and bupkus.
He could be #2 in 2012 to split the righties…
I’d call that a no brainer. he’ll probably be the #1 on a perforance basis by the end of 2012.
He’s been good soldier, it’s not his fault they didn’t upgrade his postion. It’s a classy move by Bochy.
There’s still time to DFA him…
It was nice to see Mr. Bowtie in the front row and smiling.
If SF really did nothing but bring back the usual suspects, I’d be very disappointed. You are counting on rebounds from Posey and F Sanchez (neither of whom were lights out in 2011 before the injuries) and of course from Torres, Nate and Huff, while hoping Belt hits better than .218. If you need that many rebounds, I’d call moses malone.
Outside of here, has anyone ever heard any inkling of SF plans to play Keppinger at SS? I just think if it was in the works, they would have done it this year at some point given how bad things were. Plus, Kepp is not a high OB guy—he rarely walks at all. You are going to need OB and run producers to score more. From who?
Rollins over Reyes? Why would rollins leave a good hitting park, successful team and LU? He is older than reyes, doesn’t hit or run as well, and has had his share of injuries. Bigger red flag there than Reyes for me.
Reyes might like NY, but he is going to get tired of fighting for 3rd or 4th place every year, which is what will happen if the Mets spend the bucks to sign him. Wright would go next, and they could not afford any decent front line pitching. So he’ll be out there all by himself, probably trying to steal home 20 times a year.
dead on. If we just welcome back Posey and Franchez and don’t upgrade the worst offense in history we are fucked. First of all, I don’t even want Franchez back next year. He’s signed so he’s coming back but he is bursting at the seams. He’ll hit the DL twice next year, maybe the 60 day. And Buster coming back at full speed is not a lock. Who will our back up catcher going to be? The guy Bochy beats off to when his internet porn is down? It wouldn’t surprise me at all. Whitey could be on the team next year.
His predictable K in his first at bat has now dropped him down to .200 (according to Yahoo). Is it *classy* for Bochy to let this guy drop below the Mendoza Line? Plus, you have no fucking idea if he’s gone. Bochy is in love with him. he could easily be back.
If I can understand it, as the only poster who said he sucked from day one, anybody else shoulsd be able to. It’s my opinion that he won’t be back, obviousfuckingly.
Nice swing by the young Mr. Belt
Belt has power to all fields, but he has to pull the ball at home, like that one…
I’m tellin’ ya, this Belt kid is gonna be good someday if he keeps practicing.
Number Nine. Number Nine. Number Nine.
Sorry, I don’t consider starting Whiteside as a *classy move*. Whiteside has enjoyed untold fortunes from the baseball world. If Sabean doesn’t pluck his dumbass out of double A he ends his career there. He’s made some dough, he’s got a WS ring. There is nothing more Whiteside needs besides a knowing dude head nod and a firm handshake. Bochy starting him is another example of his inexcusable loyalty to veterans. Last year, it worked. This year, it utterly failed and that had nothing to do with injuries. He played Huff, Ross, Whiteside, Tejada, Rowand, Dirrrrty, and Cabrera EVERY TIME HE COULD. And what was the result? 7 guys who failed miserably with Bochy’s undying support. Fact……..
Brutal honesty Flav.
Given the choices – I probably would have played Huff, Ross, Tejada, Cabrera and Dirty, Don’t get me wrong, I love the kids, but I just don’t see Belt, Crawfish and Surkamp making the difference.
Absolutely right on the money. As I said above, Whiteside has played his 1/2 season too many already. So one more or two more games is some sort of classy siyonara? Bulldust. Belt getting more ABs is growing every game — witness the Splash HR. If Hector had got the last 4 games to start after elimination, that’s 16 ABs and 4 real games. That’s a growth opportunity, instead of a swan song for a nice guy, but undertalented catcher who’ll never play again with the Giants. Does this organization want to develop and evaluate talent, or not? Stoopid…
great post.
Nice post, but wrongo. I would never expect you to recognize class, Snarkk. You guys should have been bitching about him when you were calling for him to play for Bengie. Instead a big fat bitch because he gets a farewell start or two. I’m all in for wagers on whether he’s with team next year. 20 bucks max. I say no.
Twin, you keep obsessing on a few CERA stats from 3 years ago. Stop perseverating. How about you go find the posts that support this bullshit claim that we all wanted whitey as the catcher? And after you do that, how about you stfu about it and finally rail your boy Bochy for his obsession with him after it’s been obvious that he’s not a major league catcher. You’ve got 5000 posts talking about these CERA posts where we all called for him to replace Benjie. That was 3 years ago. Where are your callouts of Bochy to no play him the last 6 months? Fuckjng absent as usual. Now we get this tribute bullshit out of you. Fuck that, you are not credible if you don’t call out Bochy once and call out the CERA guys from 3 fuckinv years ago 50000 times? It’ll never happen.
Come up with your LU, Should be fucking hilarious.
Betcha Krukow’s part of the trivia answer. It would be a classy move…
That was a nice blast indeed from Belt. It was also his second at ATT this year (80 ABs), where his slugging is .313 and his OPS .568. Road OPS is a much more respectable 200 pts higher.
Agreed on inanity of playing whitey tonite…this game is not meaningless to Bum, who would like to finish .500 and go as many innings as he can. Why hamstring the kid?
They’ll be in it as long as they retain the pitching staff. I’m hoping for a couple moves myself- AS I POSTED- but they’d contend for the division without them.
Sorry if I’ve missed this, but how close does the team think Gary Brown is to getting a shot in the majors?
My opinion 2 years.
I started 5 pitchers tonight and maybe, a big maybe, one of these fucks might earn me a win to keep a nose ahead of the Orb of Wisdom in the Win category. Sheesh, the hoops I jump through.
Starting Whiteside was the right move and I explained why.
you explained why you think Bochy did it, but I explained the REAL reason why he did it……
Have you finished eating that hat yet?
Idiotic post from an old, tired man. Bochy would fucking love you, you’d be starting in one of his line ups.
Instead of envisioning Reyes on the DL, why not envision 200 hits, 50 steals, 45 doubles, 25 triples, and some excellent play in the field. Plus the spark that they never had this year. They’ll sell enough dreadlock wigs to pay him 3 times over…
Because he’s never done that before?
5 out of his 9 years he’s missed some to nearly all of the season.
Imagining it is as close as we’ll get.
25 Triples? Who recently has done that????? LOL
Oh, didn’t realize that Brown was so far away…. That certainly affects decisions for lead-off and CF…
Paul, only my opinion . . . Who knows, he may surprise in Spring Training (if he gets an invite) and the rest of the outfield might suck. Umm, almost sounds like this year. We can’t have that, can we?
Or, maybe he gets an opportunity during September call-ups if he is raking in the minors. Who knows . . .
He’ll be there in ST and open in Richmond. So it’s completely feasible that he’d be here by mid-2012.
Hernandez must have a hot date tonight.
If they hold on here, it’s 86 wins going into tomorrow, making Bochy the fucking manager of the last two centuries.
If any of you need me to loan you the 20 bucks to make your wager, I’d be happy to do that.
Twin, you keep obsessing on a few CERA stats from 3 years ago. Stop perseverating. How about you go find the posts that support this bullshit claim that we all wanted whitey as the catcher? And after you do that, how about you stfu about it and finally rail your boy Bochy for his obsession with him after it’s been obvious that he’s not a major league catcher. You’ve got 5000 posts talking about these CERA posts where we all called for him to replace Benjie (supposedly, let’s see them ALL). That was 3 years ago. Where are your callouts of Bochy to no play him the last 6 months? Fuckjng absent as usual. Now we get this tribute bullshit out of you. Fuck that, you are not credible if you don’t call out Bochy once and call out the CERA guys from 3 fucking years ago 50000 times? It’ll never happen because in your weird fucking world it’s ok to call out a few random post from 3 years ago but it’s totally cool to ignore the manager playing this fucking piece of shit for 6 months of the season. Only you can’t see how stupid you are regarding this issue……
Totally quality start by Bumgarner with two hits and 9 K’s on 94 pitches over seven. Nice to see a couple of excellent outings in sequence after the mess in the desert. Yes, this guy could be the Ace of the staff as soon as next season. What a comeback over the course of the season where he started out something like 0-6 and the 3-9. A win tonight evens his record at 13-13. With a bit of run support, particularly early on, it could easily have been more like 18-9.
You can say that about Timmy and Matty as well . . .
4 pitchers in the top 13 era-wise, and only one with a high winning pecentage . . .
Woooooooooooo . . . !
That was fun. . .
They gave him the HR . . .
Gillaspie, Belt, Crawford and Pill. Faces of the future going at it tonight. Let those tired vets gather some splinters riding the pine.
Where are you playing Gillaspie next year?…
Those tired vets gave you people the joy of a chamnpionship. Anyone trashing them as completely as many have, completely negates the spirit of the thread in “B”. Many have disappointed but they will ALWAYS be heroes. The MVPs of that team have been trashed again and again, yet one man is immune to it all. Fuck that. Vungo lives- and always will in the hearts of anyone who claims to be fan.
Those vets did it last year and we’re still basking. This is 2011 and currently the Giants are mostly playing for pride and perhaps to have a bit of a look at possibilities for 2012. My posting was all about that and not aimed at dissing the heroes of ’10 and the World Champion San Francisco Giants. At least you and i appear to agree that those vets are tired and perhaps, have earned a bit of rest for the remainder of the season ~tomorrow. Some of those vets will be back next year and who knows, maybe will contribute like they did last year. After swallowing Rowand’s remaining year of salary Sabean and the ownership circle are hardly likely to sack Huff, for example ~ particularly if he does not party too hardy this offseason and has his yo-yo on year next go-round.
To take the Flap League . . . I needed the following formula to be adhered too. Unfortunately, I have players that don’t understand physics.
if ax^2 + bx + c =0 is a quadratic equation
then it’s roots or “x” is: \dfrac{-b \pm \sqrt{b^2 – 4ac}}{2a}
You trashed that blog..And DO NOT call me stupid. Now, is the problem that you need 20 bucks for the bet? I’ve ALWAYS avbjected to him starting, pay some motherfucking attention. Your pal Snarrk has bitched about how he says I HATE Whitey. I’m just not objecting to a couple games in what I think is a courtesy. It’s never going to be acknowledged either way, so I don’t wanna hear about YOUR theory either.
You are completely FOS if you claim I EVER wanted him even on the motherfucking team. If I have to dig up posts, it’s a buck a word.
Your IQ drops down to about 80 when you post in A. Seriously, just say one negative comment about Bochy and his obsession with Shitside or head back to B. You’ve threatened to stay there you just never follow through. ever.
I’m a Mets watcher as well, and I just don’t see them letting Reyes go, especially since they just received what appears to be a favorable ruling regarding the Picard lawsuit. But if Reyes is available, and if the Giants sign him to a big contract without being able to get anyone else, then no thanks. I’d rather see the Giants go after a couple of the players already mentioned — Rollins, Willingham, Cuddyer — all of whom would be nice fits in SF, than throw all their money at one star player, albeit a very exciting one who nonetheless has been injury prone of late.
And I don’t think for a second that you’d ever call out Bochy for a thing regarding Whitey or any other vet. I just enjoy floating it out there and watching you dance around it. Twin: room B is your thing. The baseball therapy thing (wouldn’t have been my title but whatever) is brilliant. Please. Go back there. And take Whitey with you.
You are in one of your moods again, fucking knock it off. I didn’t start shit and anyone can read this thread to confirm that.
If you don’t want me posting here, that’s up to you but don’t give me that “back to your room” crap.I’m not your fucking child.