The Curious Cult of Brandon Belt
I’m fairly surprised to read the comments from bloggers all over the local blogs who all seem to be in unison in their uproar about how Bochy is handling Brandon Belt. “They’re messing with his head again! Leave him alone and just play him every day!”
Sorry, but I am not getting this unconditional, across-the-board support for Belt. This league is about results. Nothing more. Murph (or Mac, I listen to them every day and can’t tell who is who) was interviewing Kuip yesterday and could barely contain his man-crush for Belt. “Kuip, why can’t they just leave this guy alone and run him out there for 400+ at bats this year? Who cares if he’s started slow? Melky is 0-12 and you don’t see him in any danger of being yanked from the line up!” It amazes me how either of those two doohickey’s can be paid to host one of the biggest radio morning sports shows.
Anyway, you could hear Kuiper laughing at him quietly in the background before he patiently explained to Murph/Mac that this league is about results. No one is worried about Melky going 0-12. All major league ball players go through slumps in a season. You ride it out.
But Belt, at least at this point in his career, is a major league ball player in name only. What has he done at this level? Forget his .167 batting average for 2012 (if you must). In 205 total mlb at bats he’s hitting .220. 205 at bats is not a small sample.
You know what Belt has proven he’s consistently good at? Sulking. He wears a sulk-look better than any of them. And that would absolutely explain why he’s had two rock solid spring trainings only to be immediately followed up with underwhelming (at best) starts to the mlb seasons. Based on how he looks after a poor at bat (and you have many, many examples to consider) he gets down on himself pretty easily. It’s not a terrible quality, it shows how hard he’s trying and how badly he wants this. But you have to have a flip side to that mentality. You can’t wallow in it. To me, it seems that when things aren’t working, Belt seems to get consumed by the immediate failure in the moment and I think it effects him in subsequent at bats. And that is no way to hit at this level.
You could all argue (and probably all will since it seems like every single Giants fan on the planet wants this guy in the LU) that I’m reading too much into his body language and assigning psycho-drama to a player who doesn’t deserve that type of amateur-arm chair psychoanalysis. And you might be right. But that’s how he it looks to me……
Someone on the other thread mentioned Freddy Freeman and wondered why he gets to keep playing everyday (and Belt doesn’t) despite having a slow start to the year. Look, I’m no Freeman fan, I’ve never really understood the hype on him. I think it’s his name–he’s got a snappy name. But again, this is about track record. You have to have at least SOME track record to get some slack through your slumps. Freeman hit 20 bombs last year and finished 2nd in the NL ROY voting. What’s that? That’s “track record”, baby……
The flip side to Belt’s slump is Huff’s slump. The good news for Huff is that he’s executing Belt from a batting average standpoint. He’s got him by 40 points! The bad news: he’s hitting .207. But Huff has 2 things that Belt doesn’t have: a track record and an 11 million dollar deal. I DO think the Giants would bail on Huff fairly soon if Belt was showing ANYTHING at the plate. But Bochy is trying to put together the best offense he can on a daily basis. And even if you think Huff is under-performing this year he’s still helping the team more than Belt is. So if you think about it, Huff has recent track record on Belt, too…….
This is a big-boy league. You take advantage of your opportunities when they present themselves or you don’t. Belt IS getting opportunities. He’s had 205 of them. He’s not taking advantage of them.
Kuiper told a story the other day about his rookie year. He said he got called up to sub for the Indian’s second baseman (can’t recall his name) who hit the DL with a minor ailment. When he arrived, the manager told him that he would only be here for 10 days or so until “name” came off the DL. Kuip performed, in the field and at the plate, and went on to have a very serviceable 12 year mlb career, never seeing the minor leagues again……
Belt could still do this. I’m not calling his career a certain failure or anything. He’s clearly shown that he can hit and scouts like his potential. But you don’t get a free pass to the plate 400+ times a year just because of your potential or your *good at bats*. At some point, you have to start producing to stay up here. A good start for him would be to wipe that sulk off his face and start acting like a major league ball player………
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
Who did Kuiper replace? I think some guy named Wally Pip Jr.
All fine points Flav, but that does not mean you keep him in SF languishing. They did start the season giving him the starts, once they did that, they should have kept him in there or sent him to Fresno and kept him there.
What they did to him last year and re-doing this year is messing with a young psyche that may need more time to mature for the big leagues. Keeping him up here to stay on the bench is teaching him squat about being a big-league hitter..
I do think there is a bit of a track record wiith Belt He hit 9 homers last year in under 200 at bats. And that was with being continually sent up, sent down, and being jerked around. Plus playing home games in arguably the toughest park in the bigs for a lefty to hit bombs. How many guys do we have on this team who can hit 9 homers in 190 at bats? Not many in my book. i certainly dont think Huff can do that any longer. Obviously his BA needs to improve, but he does look to me to be a sensitive guy that needs to be put out there consistently and left alone.
I wonder if Kuip played all ten days or only got AB against the dominant pitchers of the league.
Freeman hit 21 bombs in almost 600 at bats last year. Belt hit 9 in under 200. id love to seethe Giants make a similar commitment to Belt and see how his numbers compared over a whole season.
if he hits .220 for the year (and I’m being optimistic and using his career average) he’d have to hit 40+ bombs to make that batting average tolerable……..
As I’ve pointed out a couple of times now, 4 more singles, and Belt is over 250 for 2011. Didn’t you cite an xBA of .271 for Belt last year?
People bring up Freeman because he didn’t start well either, but the Braves didn’t yoyo the guy, they left him in there and he had a decent season. Funny thing about that is, Braves fans did complain about Heyward, who hit the spohomore jinx and got benched quite a bit by the same mgr.
After last year, I just don’t know how much more of Huff and his “track record” I can watch. The guy was flat awful last year much worse than Belt, and he had all year to do something about it. He looks like the perfect candidate to be a 1b/ DH in Balt, his old job before we got him. If you want to platoon, you can use Pill or Posey once in a while to play 1b vs. LHP.
You all know Matt Williams did a bit of yo-yoing between AAA and the big club, he came out all right. But with Matt, they had Bobby Bonds and Dusty work with him (that whole lick the shoulder thing he did was to try and keep his hands back). Matt had many at bats where he would look to the dugout and you could see Dusty reminding him to keep his hands back. But, like Flav noted Kuiper saying “this league is about results”. When Panda came up he forced the issue to keep him up here, Belt hasn’t (yet).
That said, we knew there would be a log jam at first especially if Buster was in the mix. If the Giants didn’t have Belt in their long term plans they should have traded him in ST. Huff was also a ST trade possibility with the Brewers being the trade partner.
Going forward (2013), I still think the best LU would be Belt at first, Sanchez behind the dish, Buster at 3B and Panda in LF (think Kevin Mitchell here).
Track record is kind of an odd argument for any of the Giants 1b/OF guys to use. Pagan had a great 2010, but sucked so bad his team was going to non tender the guy. Melk was nothing spectacular for the Yanks, and was terrible for the Braves. Huff had a bad stint for the Tigers after they picked him up, and was available to all before Sabes signed him. Nate had his best year ever last year with a .750 OPS, with late game heroics and good D, and of course his usual 4-40 and months long debilitating injuries. Blanco is just trying to make a roster, kind of like Torres was few years ago, and stay out of the minors.
flav, I don’t think belt would be a .220 hitter if he was in there more often (I know that’s the cult of Nate argument). I just think he is best option for the position, and instead of waiting to see what Huff has left, I’d rather they threw belt in there and saw what happened.
I’m no Huff fan. I’m just pointing out that he IS, even sparingly, contributing to the team. Brandon Belt doesn’t have a single RBI this year…..
If he starts to do ANYTHING I’m all for Huff hitting the bricks. But Pagan is producing, as he has in his career. Bochy had glowing things to say about Nate after last night’s game. I could EASILY see the OF being Melk/Pagan/Nate for the rest of the year. That gaffe the other day between Melk/Pagan probably helped out Nate indirectly.
That’s gonna leave one spot for Huff and Belt. Who’s going to suck the least to secure it???????????
Bochy’s hands are tied, until one of these Bozos (sorry John) shows UNEQUIVOCALLY that they belong in the line-up. This is simple shit folks . . . Thus far, both Huff and Belt haven’t really shown that they belong full time in the line-up and consequently, Bochy has to “mix and match” every day. Remember, we have a logjam not only at first, but in the outfield.
In short, I believe Bochy is handling this situation the best he knows how (based on numerous factors we either space out – we’re fans remember – or he is only aware of). I’m fine with what Bochy is doing.
Last year’s at bats are irrelevent and 18 this year is totally insignificant as to to judging him. Flavor keeps wanting this to be Huff vs. Belt but it needn’t be . They both can and should play- Huff hasn’t had enough opportunity this year either. He hit poorly in April of 2010 also. This not about winning games in April, it’s about what’s best for the team in a run longer than two frigging weeks. Belt should play everyday and the only two players who would merit blocking him would be MVP Sandoval and Posey. Whoever else needs to sit to make sure Belts gets an adequate shot: do it. This time the bloggers demanding that Belt play are spot on. Do it or do the kid a favor by trading him to a team that will give him a fair chance.
As pointed out, the Braves didn’t bail on Freeman after he hit .217 in 105 April plate appearances . One has to be simply trying to make an argument that’s not supportable if they’re using Belts 18 at bats this year as proof of anything other than malfeasance by Bochy and whoever else might have a hand in the decision to jerk him around. This is simple: if, as they claim, he’s a blue chipper, he plays everyday. If they really think he’s Bowker, get him out of here..
There’s always Fresno.
The “cult”, BTW, is that of Crawford. Who, unlike Belt, will never hit, and had an excreble game last night which all are forgiving because he made one very good play. Burriss has received virtually no props for playing better defense at his position, and even though lacking Mario Crawford’s pop, has generally hit better. After back to back fuck ups by Crawford in the first (for which he generously only received one error), Burriss handled a real tough hop to start a saving DP. But Manny has no cult.Yet it seems that the rabble is happy with a kid who is not making the routine plays that good shortstops have to make, has never hit acceptably above “A” ball- but he’s no problem. Fucking ridiculous.
Must be a racial issue.
Im just alittle irked that Boch will toss Belt in against Halladay,who’s as tough as they come,then benches him against a stiff like Blanton,and gives the start to Huff who has had no track record hitting him with a .167 lifetime avg.
You are completely right. As I’ve pointed out, Belt had three very good at bats Sunday ( walk ,hard hit double to right, hard out to deep left), Then had some very poor at bat against Hallyday, and he sits again. That kind of usage can’t be defended.
Ballplayers, like racehorses, sometimes just improve…..they grow up, they figure it out. They do it at different rates and quite often, not at all…
Patience is a virtue.
Another thing…In the 9th in the the first game.Giants get the tying run to the plate,he lets Pagan hit,would of liked to have seen Pill take that at bat with a chance to tie it up.
If it were Burriss or Crawford perhaps, but not your newly acquired lead-off hitter who has power and is a switch hitter. Not going to happen.
I don’t get a sense that there’s any “Crawford Cult” out there. I haven’t seen a single post here praising him or being happy that he’s the starting SS. There isn’t anyone else to start at SS, I think everyone is just resigned that he’s going to play there.
And Burriss has no cult because he has been just quietly producing enough to wrestle the job away from Theriot (not hard to do). Plus, everyone just thinks he’s going to play until Glass comes back. But Glass isn’t coming back. I’m fine with Burriss playing every day and doing so for the rest of the year if he keeps playing the way he’s been playing……
If Belt played SS he’d have an everyday position.
Panda in LF? Uh, no. The logjam at 1st is balsa wood. Huff is pretty much playing out the string. Whethet he’s head-fucked by the stadium or whatever, he’s not doing shit enough to warrant sitting Belt. Schierholtz wins in the short-term because he’s hitting.
Mike, what irks me is you direct your vitriol at Giants fans in general, all the moron callers to KNBR, and the blog world in general, but is sure seems like you are talking about US. NO ONE here is riding the ‘cult of Brandon Belt,’ or the ‘cult of Crawford’ as you call it. NO ONE here gives Pablo the shit he gets from the public in general about his weight or his game. Plenty of people HERE gave Crawfish shit for his lousy game. Your comments yesterday regarding Pablo were seemingly directed at me. If that isn’t the case, then I’m sorry for taking it that way.
Crawford and Burriss are money if they do more than take up space in the lineup. Anf d the errors ARE a concern. But there’s little to no option short of The Riot. With Belt at least, they could give him a consistent stream of ABs and let Huffie cool his heels on the bench.
I’m not going to spend time searching your archives. maybe you can assign someone to it… but there have been many praising him. And as his average keeps dropping and he’s botching routine plays in the field there are better options, Arias being one. He’s good defensively and will hit about 70 points higher than Mario..
As to Burriss, he not only doesn’t have a cult, he’s been ridiculed. I said before opening day that he should be the starter
at second base, it’s good to Bochy has seen the light on that, if not Belt…
Chuck, I’m not responding to you fter this so don’t start in. and it’s Flavor saying Belt has a cult, not me. In fact, just argue with him today. You guys rarely agree so it should be easy.
Initially I thought they were playing Huff to showcase him a bit for a move but he’s messed that angle up with his poor at bats.
I just think Belt has more up side at this point and he should be given more consistent run to see what he’s can do. He’s a big goofy looking guy so I don’t read much into the mopy slack shoulders after a poor AB. You don’t know what is going on in his head. Maybe that’s how he looks when he’s pissed.
Bochy’s strength is with the pitching staff; mixing and matching the arms and putting them in a position to succeed. He should apply those same tactics to a young player instead of bad mouthing him in the press and jerking him in and out of the lineup.
I still like the young guys out there. The Giants are what 1 game from .500, they are giving this pitching staff run support. 11 hames into the season and you would think from some that the Giants are the worse team in the majors. This is what happens when you had a Management team that liked to pick up vets and “Hope” they perform as they did in their prime. And then last year all those vets could not produce. Lowest runs scored in the majors. As long as an error does not cost the Giants a win, I am alright with it. Shit happens. the upside to youth is the ability to improve. The down side is Errors!!
As far as Belt is concerned, Flav, Twin is right, until he out performs Huff he will not see the playing time we want him to get. The whole reason that the Giants were able to just release Rowand is that the Giants had an abundance of OF’s to choose from. So until Belt or even Pill start to show something better than what Huff is providing Huff will be the man. Sad but true
With Pagan playing well (enough) and Nate getting glowing praise from Bochy last night I think the OF is pretty well locked up to be Melk/Pagan/Nate for the near future. And I’m fine with that, actually. Now, if Huff and/or Belt ever start to hit I’d like to see one of them play. But playing both of them at the same time, when they are both hitting like SHIT, is making our offense worse.
Stat of the day: Belt starts, Giants are 0-5. Belt sits, Giants are 5-1.
it’s the useless stat of the day. Tim starts 0-3. all the rest 5-3.. we sit both of them, we could set a win record. n fact, just sit Belt and we’re “on pace” to go undefeated the rest of the way. Eat that, LA…they go 132-30 (their pace) and we win the pennant by 24 games at 156-6.
Better yet, if they played as well without him as with him last year, they tie St. Louis for the WC. Now I don’t buy that either, but if you wana go there…
Well, Flavor is right that they have to give 11 million bucks more than 2 weeks to earn any interest. It’s Nate who is fucking this up- and yes, hitting well IS fucking it up because’s proven that it won’t last. Meanwhile Belt (and if you don’t like him, Pill) get no chance to show if they can hit here. It’s shortsighted thinking. Huff needs April and May-if he’s not cutting it, ta-ta. Buster should not play first base-Belt and Pill should platoon. Nate should do what he does best, which quite valuable- enter for defensive purposes when they lead, pinch hit when they’re losing. Crawford
should get his average up to at least his AA level or hit the bricks. Burriss should get a little love.
I have no doubt that Nate will slide into one of his “4-40” spells. It will likely have something to do with a minor injury that he doesn’t tell anyone about until it’s healed. He’s like clockwork.
Well If they ever make a movie about Nate they can call it “A Clockwork Orange & Black”…
(sorry)
I’ve got no idea who Eric Adelson is or why he decided to write such a comprehensive piece on Bumgarner, but this article is outstanding……
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/giants-pitcher-madison-bumgarner-is-from-a-place-nicknamed–bumtown–almost-a-century-ago.html
I shared it yesterday, but yes, i agree it is outstanding.
I think Blade posted that too. Agree it is a great story.
They should play “Rocket Man” when Bumgarner comes to bat…
It’s not much different than shitting in his glove, the way he does it. Mom needs to sit down with him on this. What’s his wife look like, BTW? I couldn’t find a picture, but I didn’t look real hard. This is now “need to know” material..
They showed Mrs. B in the stands the other night.
I have no further comment.
Well, it’s only been a few days since the new contract. It can take some time to trade up. And even though it’s not his fault, the really hot babes may not take kindly to the bargain basement deal. A girl has her standards..
Off topic here, but I was pleasantly surprised by Hensley last night. Came in with a runner on in a 2-run game and mowed through the top of the order, including 2 Ks. With Wilson done for the year, Hensley’s role will be even more important now, and last night was a good start.
Agree w/h Mac. Like his 2010 numbers…2.16 era, 7 saves for the Marlins.
I’d like to see Belt and Pill platoon at 1st and let Huff pinch hit and back up left field. And anytime Huff gets on, especially if he’s playing the outfield, I’d pinch run Blanco.
I’ll give Nate some props, rebounding from a poor spring to go .360/.370/1,090.
Mildly interesting stat: 25 ab’s, 0 K’s.
Burriss play has been commendable, but if Freddie was putting up a .280 slg, would we be blowing kisses?
I’ve said this before (along with Flav), Freddy is done in my opinion. Even if he makes it back to play, dollars to donuts he lives up to his “glass” moniker and is on the DL again within 2-4 weeks of playing. He’s like a Fiat, very sleek, agile, and quick, but nonetheless, still called Fix It Again Tony.
I suspect you are right. All signs point to management giving him every chance for them to recoup their investment, but long odds. Hope we are wrong, though.
How often does Nate have to crater before his cult figures things out? As to Burriss, he’s been a more than adequate replacement, he deserves the kisses. An 8th place hitter with a .333 OBP ? Gold. Classic- complaining about what he doesn’t do.I’d be shocked if Fruckie does as well, if he even does return. He was a very pleasant surprise in 2010 but don’t forget that Bochy had to eventually give him a deadline to report. This is not a guy in a hurry to play.
I’m a semi-quasi-para-member of the Nate Cult. I easily fall prey to his surges and think this is the Real Thing. Plus he’s got a good arm. OK, OK, so I’m a signed member of his band of merry makers.
Burriss is doing better than I expected. He’s finally making solid contact, and hitting the ball on the ground like he has to do in order to stay in the bigs. His D is still spotty. Crawford and Burriss up the middle can make some great plays, you just hope right now they make all the routine ones….
Laconically, I say, yup. You’re right, blogmeister MagnusFlavoris.
The thing about Crawford is, no one is questioning his defense. It top notch. So far, he’s made some bad errors but he does have a bad thumb and that’s something he would never cop to as a problem. But it probably is. And he has had a few very productive at bats this year (unlike Belt) and he did not do that last year. Throw in the fact that they have nothing behind him and you’re gonna see the Giants tolerate his growing pains this year.
Flappers uneasy?
Unlike Belt, he’s been given a chance to play. And his play is steadily deteriorating- offensively and defensively.They do have someone behind him- a good defensive SS who will hit 70 poiints higher than Crawford. What his apologists need to understand- you’re looking at his upside.
Dick Clark passed away.
Let the frivolity begin . . .
Amreica’s olderst teenager, indeed . . .
He was no Don Kirshner though . . . or even Don Cornelius . . . I kid, I kid.
Strange they pass away within a couple months of each other.
Poll suggestion: who will have the longer careeer as a MLB starter? Belt or Crawford?
Or, in keeping with the Huff/ Belt poll: For their careers, how many points higher than Crawford will Belt hit?
A. 50
B.75
C. 100
D 150
I’ll go with “C”, 100 points..
Belt would be playing every day at 1B and given a real chance to succeed or fail if Huff did not have the albatross contract. This is typical Giants SOP with big contracts. He’s becoming the 1B, left handed Gamer, as someone said. BF is dissing Belt because he looks like he’s “sulking”? WTF is that? I haven’t read anywhere where this kid has a bad attitude. I would be a little messed up, were I he, having been jerked around so much by this management the past year, and denigrated in the media so often by my management, for whatever lame reason. I’ve never heard of a top position prospect being publicly trashed by his superiors like this kid. Crawford plays every day because there’s no Tejada stinking it up in front of him for $6 million, and nobody else right now that has a better glove. I remember last season when the Gyros played in Miami and Belt crushed two dingers in one game, one to left center way up there that was absolutely jaw dropping. To me, you don’t fuck with this kid any longer, there’s too much potential. Play him as much as possible, trade Huff for Kreissakes. If Belt flames after 200 ABs, send him to Fresburg, you still have Pill and Posey to play first. Posey playing first puts Hector in play, which to me, is great, because the kid can friggin hit. To me, Huff is the one developing a ‘tude, like I don’t care that much kind of a ‘tude, I’ve got my $22 million and I’m golden. What was in 2010 a cool, kind of devil may care thing now seems in his media statements like he doesn’t care that he’s cratered at the plate…
Meanwhile, SF is 14th in the ML in runs scored, at around a 4.5 rpg clip. That, notwithstanding the last handful of games having a bad hitting w/RISP average. The difference from last year is the team speed. Now, they don’t have to play station to station, and can actually score without having to piece three hits in a row. That is a huge team upgrade. When Huff does not play, the slowest guy on the starters is Buster, and everybody else’s speed is pretty good to blazing…
“Evaluating” Belt’s progress this year based on 18 at bats is a joke. I don’t think Craig even takes it seriously.No seasoned baseball observer would. And Craig does know his baseball.
And as a SABR guy, he also knows that trotting out the 225 average for 209 PAs last year as an indicator of failure is regressive, old school BS. His average would have been “respectable” with just a little more luck, at least according to the xBA stat he cited a few days ago. The difference between a “poor” BA and one that would have put him into ROY consideration over an entire season is about 5 singles at 200 PAs. The 9 HRs are a far better measure.
Over the course of a career, I agree that 205 at bats is meaningless. And it could turn out to be meaningless for Belt. My point was, he’s NEVER produced up here in his entire career. If you display a skill you own it for life. Belt has displayed skills in the minor leagues. I’ll check his xBa (the ones I use) and get back to you about it. I should have done so before this thread–lazy writing.
Is there a new rule here that everyone has to use the word “crater”?
Yes. It replaced “face plant”.BTW, I think everyone is waiting on you as to Dick Clark..is he mournable?
Just looking ahead a bit, the weather forecast in NY is nothing but rain for Sunday & Monday…
2 things:
If you read my thread I’m not talking about 18 at bats. I’m talking about all 205 of his MLB at bats.
Regarding the “sulking”– I’m basing that off how he looks, non verbal body language. I never suggested he was a problem in the clubhouse.
Having said that, there are documented articles that claim the Giants want Belt to change some things in his swing (like Crawford was asked to do and did) and he is choosing not to make the changes. I’ll find those articles when I get home if you’d like me to do so.
Side note: is my thread unclear? I’m serious. Because its strange to me that I would have to clarify what I wrote when the thread is a quick scroll away. So, either I wrote an an ambiguous thread or you guys didn’t read it entirely.
And to be clear, you certainly aren’t required to read what I wrote. You guys are the ones who make up the meat of the blog. I do however get up awfully early and put some effort into most of these threads so it’s not like I’m offended if you DO read them. I’d appreciate it actually
Nothing to defend Flav. I thought you did a good job. I keyed on four sentences:
I DO think the Giants would bail on Huff fairly soon if Belt was showing ANYTHING at the plate.
But Bochy is trying to put together the best offense he can on a daily basis.
This is a big-boy league.
You take advantage of your opportunities when they present themselves or you don’t.
What I said this morning – Bochy’s hands are tied, until one of these Bozos (sorry John) shows UNEQUIVOCALLY that they belong in the line-up – still stands. Bochy will “mix and match” until someone shows that they belong in the lineup full time. Yes, it could be both of them, but in my opinion, that is unlikely.
Last year is not relevant to him not getting opportunity THIS year. Crawford is hitting .214 and it’s on the way dowm.Whatever you claim he changed didn’t stick.See my poll. 100 points better might be a little high , 75 is maybe more realistic.
It’s absolutely relevant because the Giants are saying he’s got something to fix and he’s not doing it. By the way, werent you one of the guys who always said “when you’re young, make the most of your opportunities when they present themselves or you’re gone and you wait your turn till the next opportunity arrives” I’ve seen you use that argument to defend why a vet gets more slack than a rook. Why is it any different for Belt with you?
I’ve said that with blue chippers like Posey, Panda, and now Belt- a spot is cleared for them. So you misremember. I’ll wat for a link to a reutable site (as you insist upon and I provide) that says he’s refused to make adjustments.
What Belt has said that probably pissed them off was that if they want him to improve against major league pitchers, it should be against major league pichers.Anyway, I probably read about our players as much or more than anyone. And I sure haven’t seen that he refused to make chanmges.
well here’s one.
http://www.csnbayarea.com/baseball-san-francisco-giants/giants-talk/Giants-not-convinced-Belt-is-ready-for-b?blockID=678068
And the reason I brought it up is because they were talking about it on KNBR this morning–that there are those in the Giants org that believe he should make adjustments in his swing but that he was reluctant to do so. They didn’t cite any sources, they were just discussing the theme on their show.
The article NEVER says he’s refused to make changes., in fact Meulens talks about how he loves Belt’s attitude.
Didn’t Belt get drafted and then have a major overhaul to his swing that lead to his quick rise? Sorry, I don’t have the links but I remember reading that. It seems stange to me that Belt wouldn’t make the adjustments if the coaches are asking.
He didn’t refuse, that’s simply not true. The hole most commonly mentioned- a vulnerabilty to high and in fastballs, is one that is hardly uncommon among tall left hand hitters- Ryan Howard still has it, it’s not what bloggers would have you believe- point out the flaw and problem solved.Pitchers can still get Howard out with it. That’s one of the reasons he strikes out 180 times a year.Belt is right-he has to face major league pitchers- he’ll never completely overcome it but with repetition, he can lay off of it more- and it’s a pitch that becomes a “hit me” if it leaks over the plate. But he has to play and he should be doing that..
well this is an exact quote form Muelens in the article:
“It’s a comfort thing. He’s always done it. He’s had success with it and there’s no need to change in his mind. We believe that backing off a little more, especially against lefties, will give him a little more time.”
When you say, “there’s no need to change in his mind” that,to me, sounds like he’s not willing to do it. And the KNBR guys spent a couple of minutes on it so I didn’t just make this shit up.
Did he call a fucking news conference to announce there’s no fucking way in hell he’s changing his swing? No, of course not.
I posted the fucking article. you don’t like it, contact Muelens and voice your displeasure.
Meulins loves Belt’scattitude. Maybe you should ask Bam-Bam why he loves a kid who refused to listen to him.
Can a swing really be changed that much? You can change your stance and your mental approach, but your swing is your swing, isn’t it?
I believe he was asking him to move further back in the box so he can see left handers a little longer. That shouldn’t be too difficult.
It’s odd, really, because they already completely overhauled his swing when he came out of school.
Seems to me, they have the swing THEY built.
My impression was that they weren’t worried about his swing, they just wanted him to move back in the box. if you watch, he does stand more up in the box than you usually see. the theory is that by standing more toward the back, he’d have a little more time to see and react to the inside pitch from lefties.
He’s just saying it’s a difficult adjustment for him, because of his success. Meulens is hardly going to say ” he loves Belt’s attitude” if he was REFUSING. I think it’s abundantly clear that Belt is having trouble with it, not refusing. He wouldn’t be here if he had refused coaching.It’s possible Meulens misspoke, it’s not possible Belt would be here if he had turned down advice from his coach.
Pagan CF, Cabrera LF, Sandoval 3B, Posey C, Pill 1B, Theriot 2B, Schierholtz RF, Crawford SS, (Cain P)
In honor of all the AT&T Park seagulls……
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AHDGBzJwoQ&feature=related&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active
It should be noted that the article Craig sites is about three weelks old-at a time when it was thought by many that Belt would not be on the opening day roster. I don’t believe for one second that he would have made the roster let alone started the first game if he had breen refusing help.This hole, BTW, has to be the most publicized hole in Giant’s history. I’d bet a 6th grader in Virginia could tell you all about it. This is stupid- he has nothing to prove in Fresno.Play him or get rid of him.
And I’ll go away for the night. See ya.
Twin, belated happy birthday.
new paragraph
I need to repeat this from yesterday, with more info thrown in. Christy Mathewson was the Wheaties-box-type all-American hero, a mythic figure of his time. AND when our GIANTS won the 1905 World Series it was the first major championship of its kind for New York; we ruled the world, tens of thousands gathered. Yankees? Pshaw! We were the kings. WE were the masters of the unvierse. Our team has a glorious history. Frank Deford’s book has a story about “Big Six” and Ty Cobb volunteering to fight in WWI; they instructed guys how to put on gas masks and it was dangerous to the point that Cobb thought Mathewson would die during this training. Cobb comes off a lot different than I’d pictured him. Quite an era.
Pawlie, I’ve read that nobody knew where Mathewson got that nickname. (Maybe they were afraid to ask.) Have you read something otherwise about that?
And Cobb was basically right about the gas. It destroyed Mathewson’s health.
not sure where he got the nickname [just browsed through the book]; Christy died of TB, but surely the war weakened him and Cobb both
I’d always read the gas was the cause of the lung problems. Those authors could have gotten it wrong, though. There were a bunch of authors who got the cause of Jack London’s death wrong for several decades.
According to Baseball Almanac “Christy Mathewson was nicknamed ‘Big Six’ in honor of New York City’s most famous fire engine”. I would have guessed it was winning the three complete games in the 05 WS in six days.
It’s a shock that Boch is finally even throwing a bone to Pill and giving him a start.Im sure after he blast a HR off Lee,Boch will take him out on a double switch for Huff.Pill’s another guy that needs to get AB’s all he does is knock in runs with the minscule amount of chances he does get.
He made 2 errors on the same play during that absurd keystone cops play the other day between 3rd and home
So what? Panda,Crawdaddy,and Posey already have 11-or is it 12? This team is on pace for over 200 Errors .Just add another Keystone Cop with POP for me right now.
Should be a good one tonight. with Lee’s numbers vs the club, run will be at a premium. O/U is just 5 1/2.
I’m thinking 3-1 maybe 3-2 tops myself.
3-run HR for Cespedes in the A’s first. Isn’t he getting traded in our Flap league?
Lots of e-mails and goings on today. WTF happened? Chuck couldn’t have dropped Soriano again. He’s on my team. 😀
Jim Tracey is such a dickless piece of shit. I’m working on a 10 game “beat the streak” streak. I took Tulo tonight because he’s like 8 for 15 off Richard in his career. Plus, he’s 1-10 over his last 3 games and Tulo isn’t going 1-14.
Jim Tracey decides tonight is the night to give him a rest. Idiot.
Tulo’s committed like 6 E’s to start off the year. I think Tracy was giving him a “mental day” to help clear his head.
He’s made 6 errors in less than a dozen games. All last year, he made 6 errors (and won the GG).
Glad Bochy doesn’t that way about the “Mental Day” off Dennis.We couldn’t even start Nine players tonight if he did.
That’s probably gonna be our best shot all night to score off Lee, and we blew it.
Just 3 for our last 33 w/RISP coming into tonight.
Matt Cain has retired his last 19 batters faced and 34-of-his-last-35. [no jinx]
That’s on me. Should of saw that one coming.
Yeah D,you Jinxed Cain thanks alot.(sad grin).No worries my boy “The Pill Box ” will take Lee deep tonight ,before reluctanly getting pulled for Huff+Puff on a double switch.
Ouch….Posey’s magic wand not working tonight with 2DP.
Those ball dudes crack me up.
Geez,,Miller almost had an orgasim on Theriot’s ground ball thinking he was safe, but clearly out by a full step.
Btw….The Pill Box just missed getting that HR for me.Another frustrating Giant inning,with his lead off double and never even advancing.Dropping their RISP even more pathetic.
Cliff Lee pitching, hmm maybe they shoulda been bunting there
I love these quick, well-pitched kind of games. It keeps the D on their toes, and every AB just seems so magnified. But our situational ABs w/RISP continues to disappoint. The Horse just made Hunter Pence look like a broken down $6,250 claimer that AB. Good stuff.
How bout a Pablo HR to lead off the B7…
Gotta tip your cap to both Cain and Lee.Just a great pitching duel
Hey, thanks here to whoever mentioned that Larry Doby should get his props as much as Jackie Robinson. At least have AL players wear his number. I just made that point on a UCB Radio Hour podcast. Then my guy Gio, Rays fan in my book, tells me his dad ran out to Doby in the field to get his autograph in Doby’s first game.
What a duel here. Whoever takes the L is gonna have a hard Pill to swallow. (This reminds me of my first game at AT&T, sorta: Cain vs. Zach Duke. Randy Winn drives in game’s only run in 10th.)
Cain looks thinner than he has.
I can feel Randy Winn Redux. Line shot by the first baseman will drive in the Giants’ winning run.
I’m surprised. At my game in ’09 in a very similar situation, Bochy let Cain bat.
Anyway anyhow anywhere, get a stinkin’ run. ND on a shutout would suck for Matty.
Danny Noonan! The White Shark best not get picked off here. Here comes the bunt…
Bochy your a freakin idiot to pull Cain with a 2 hit shutout and 90 pitches !!!!Unbelivable!!!!
Shithole AB by Pagan.
Time for a Panda blast.
Our situation hitting tonight sucks Donkey Kong. Jesus H. Christ. Now Melky gets a 2-out hit.
C’mon Pablo — send us home happy!
I told ya our failure to score in the first inning would come back to bit us in the ass.
We and The Horse should have won this game 1-0 in regulation. All he gets is a 9-inning workout.
58 flat indeed.
Can I call bringing in Casilla here as “closer in a NON-save situation?” 😀