Brandon Belt!
I haven’t seen all his at bats this year, not even close to all of them actually, but that triple he hit yesterday was the loudest hit I’ve heard him hit all year. And while it’s a little dreamy to expect that one hit could jump start a season mired in *underwhelmingness* it’s certainly possible that he gained enough confidence to at least take another step in the right direction.
While I’ve never thought he should be playing everyday, I did support a platoon between he and Pill. Unfortunately, Pill is 1 for his last 16 and despite earlier success at the plate he’s not doing enough to justify any starts at first base. And Aubry Huff is 2 for his last 15 since he got back from the DL. So however you want to break it down, it appears to me that Belt has emerged victorious in what has to be the worst battle for a position in major league history. At this point, I don’t think a platoon makes sense, they should just run him out there every day and I think that triple, along with multiple reports that Belt has *recently*made the necessary adjustments to his swing that the team deemed necessary (including standing more upright with a more open stance), will be enough for Bochy to finally start him even more regularly than he’s been starting him.
Although I heard a report on KNBR recently that Hector has been taking some ground balls at first base and I suppose that could be the final threat to Belt playing every day. Personally, I think Hector at first base would be a horrible idea but they’ve tried just about everyone else there this year, he might get a chance, too.
But not if Belt keeps hitting balls as loud as he hit that triple yesterday…….
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
Weatherproof games: Orioles-Blue Jays, Nationals-Marlins, White Sox-Rays.
The Tigers-Red Sox and Phillies-Mets games both could have lengthy delays in the middle innings Tuesday night because of thunderstorm activity. The Reds-Pirates game might also see the tarps brought out in the later innings due to a thunderstorm, but that delay shouldn’t last long.
if you think about it, being best of a not great option accounts for a few more positions besides Belt. Remember when Nate had a few bombs and was hitting .330?
at the lib last weekend I picked up “Baseball Btw the Numbers” by the baseball prospectus guys, 2006 version. Quite interesting reading, tho the shear volume of the numbers and charts makes it slow going. Anyway, one of the first chapters concerns the LU, with the conclusion being that ideally your best OB/OPS guys should be at the top to get more ABs to enable the team to score more runs, but….over the course of a season the run differential isn’t very significant and isn’t worth more than a W or two if a replacement level player is nearer the top.
The endless hand wringing over who hits where, esp from the pavs blogs guys who want a different LU than the mgr in every other post, just seems pointless. By the time pablo gets back 1-6 should be pretty solid, and a day off for a regular is going to be necessary along with the occasional L/R platoon. You can argue D if you want, but whomever is in there is supposed to get on base and help the team score runs.
That book is a favorite of mine. I’ve cited it here more than a few times:the essays on SBs, the defensive value of catchers, and the role of managers. Roger Craig doesn’t come off so good in that last piece. . . .
Can’t recall off hand where I was reading it yesterday, but Craig as a Met was a culprit in the Mays/Elio Chacon fight as well. He instigated the final dustup by throwing at Cepeda and beaning him, and then making pickoff throws to 2b trying to get Mays (?), which ultimately got his 2b ass kicked as Mays got tired of the rough treatment going back to the bag.
Roger Craig took a 100-loss absolutely foul, POS 1985 team and turned it into a 83W team in 1986 and a division winner in 1987, all the while developing Clark and Robbie Thompson, among others. He and Rosen turned the franchise around after being down the dumper for most of 15 seasons. Then he took them to the WS in 1989. That’s good enough for me…
Everything is over analyzed because too many people have too many places to do so…
I offer the following BBPOTD for dozenth time: Brandon Belt should have been starting all along. They had nothing to lose by doing that, and a fair bit to gain.
There’s no question about that.
Since the giants have been poor defensively, he walks alot and he needs to play everyday to get better, he should start. Should the giants dump Huff when Panda gets back? Hector has been a great addition at catcher this year. If Lincecom comes on, we’ll still win the division.
Huff should NOT go, not yet. Any winning team needs a veteran presence. I’d not jettison him except as a last resort. Given the right frame of mind, he could help in the stretch. Of course, given the wrong frame of mind, sayonara.
Pawlie, I’m with you on this. Huff’s 1st team days are in the past and he knows it. But he deserves a chance to show some clutch pinchhitting or get a few wacks as a DH. He isn’t hurting the team right now and unless some bloggers have forgotten he has shown how us some winning ways not too long ago.
Well, it’s amusing that suddenly this alleged disobeyer of Bochy and the coaching staff is being praised all too loudly (Belt). He hasn’t changed shit- what’s changed is that they realize he’s the ONLY choice now and they’re smarter to praise him rather than trash him. K and K have been enlisted in the new PR campaign. Huff? As a PH? He’s no Ishi. But why no Nate for defense? They need to get Pagan’s ass out of there in late innings when ahead. Nate,Blanco, Melky. Nate has no other useful function right now. Everybody is bitching about Burriss but the real dead weights on the team are Huff, Pill, and Nate. Needless to say, all will make huge contributions to a stirring win tonight.
I’ve provided what should be proper LU, based on both my extensive knowledge and some help from “The Book”, by Tom Tango and some of the other giants of sabermetric reseaerch.
1. Blanco- no brainer- lead off position is about OBP, OBP. and OBP.
2. This can go between Melky and Pagan. If you are for Crawford remaining there, may I suggest you follow a different sport. The two hitter has to be one of the two or three best hitters on the team. Fruckies need not apply either- The scrappy midget in the 2 is old, wrongo thinking. Melky should go back to the 2.
3. Buster- simply because Pablo has to be the 4
4. Pablo- no question here- he’s the best hitter for power. He may also be the best hitter, period.
5. Belt- this could be Pagan but Pagan’s base stealing abilities make him the perfect 6 in front of the 2 weakest hitters
6. Pagan
7. Arias- the 7/8 are simple-the two worst hitters, the worst being 8th
8. Crawford for now
There some room for knowledgeable disagreement on some of this. The 1,4,7,8 are gospel. The 2,3,5,6 are not so clear because we have no obvious choice for those. Most important-from the Book-“If nothing else, we will consider this book a true success if all thirty teams were to never put a below-average hitter in the second spot. ”
http://www.insidethebook.com/
What about HUFF? He’s now the Giants DH. In the NL the DH is on the bench. AL is superior!
Lol…slow down nip…sounds like you’ve already got the pre-game buzz going on, about 10 hours ahead of gametime….and pls, put huff out of your thoughts.
already “nipping” at the bottle i see. “I like a good beer buzz, early in the morning.” Words to live by.
He’s still on the roster gents. He sure can’t play in the field. Pure deduction Holmes.
A post-postscript from yesterday: Would it be totally inconceivable that if we made it to the playoffs, as things stand now [a mighty if], Timmy would be left off the postseason roster while Zito made the roster? (Excuse me while I duck from that flying plate.) Well, come on. Base your brickbats on data not sentiment. BLEEP.
BLEEPNUTS to that!
Flav, should give you post of the day for that gem Pawlie, especially your comment about “data.” In short, everyone wants it their own way based on sabermetric stats . . . OH WAIT! You mean Zito is involved? If that’s the case ignore his stats.
I call it hypocritical. Or, for those of you who like quotes . . .
“There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.”
“Statistics: The only science that enables different experts using the same figures to draw different conclusions.”
“I could prove God statistically.”
and
“Statistician: A man who believes figures don’t lie, but admits that under analysis some of them won’t stand up either.”
lqtm 🙂
You know the best thing about those Danica Dolls? They listen to all your shit. Your ongoing medical problems. Your lifelong psychological issues. They even listen to your sob stories about your near misses at the track. And they don’t talk much in return. As a bonus attraction, they don’t eat much of the popcorn as you’re enjoying the movie. Although you still get funny looks at the drive-in.
Where can I get one?
With or without the motor?
You can get the “I wanna be a race car driver” trainer doll at E-Bay or Amazon. I’m accepting pre-orders for the next batch of Danica blow-up dolls. I have technicians working with a washing machine motor for the power for the strapon for the Danica Patrick Pro Doll. The full package- “I wanna be” doll, Danica blow up doll, strapon, kick start motor, and optional girl friend for Danica will be $1999.00…remember this has a one time puncture repair included, and will last a lifetime… in Denny’s case-one use.
Rodney Dangerfield once did a very funny (I will avoid the overused “hilarious”) routine on TV in which he took a blow-up doll on a date, to the movies. He kept tossing handfuls of popcorn into her “mouth.” Some bits of popcorn would take; some would bounce off “her”; some would scatter to the floor. Pretty outrageously funny for the family hour. Picture it.
“Lars and the Real Girl” was a pretty good flick.
Twin: How about Pagan in the 3 spot and Buster in the 5 to give Panda a little better protection?
You did give us permission to play around with 2,3,5 & 6, right?
Loo worried about permission?
You know that you can do anything you want to…But thinking your way on this, I’d put Pagan in the 2, Melky in the 3, Buster in the 5..
You can say I’m FOS and put Crawford in the two and McGehee in the 3, it’s a free world.
Since Blanco has taken over the lead off spot the offense has gotten better. I think Pagan is making things happen at the 5th and 6th spot too. Gives us some speed in the lower part of the order too. I say leave the lineup the way it is and put Panda 4th and put Posey 5th. Melky, Panda, Posey, Pagan, that’s not bad!
Crawford will not, should not, and better not stay in the 2.
I see the LU is still a hot topic here. I was off work last week, keeping my daughter focused on graduating!! and she did. Friday she graduated from Christian Brothers High School. off to JC to do GE work. So both my kids are done with High School, whew!! I know parenting is never done, but that mile stone is done!!
Congrats…it is a good feeling to get past the old high-school years. It’s nice once your kids get to the point that they have jobs/careers, etc. Hell, I have a grandkid too…and it is awesome.
I rubbed off big-time on my daughter…hell, she probably attends more Giant games than me, now.
There’s really not much to discuus with the LU- the 5 best and 2 worst hitters are known, Belt is the only mystery, but that will be resolved soon enough. This is actually a good group with Pablo’s return.
I like:
Blanco
Melky
Posey
Pablo
Pagan
Belt
Arias
MudBug
P
And of course, as mentioned earlier…you have the occasional day off that will translate to changes in the line-up,and also the occasional L-R thing…
But the above would be my line-up on most days…
I fully agree put “Lars And The Real Girl” on the NetFlix queue.
From Baggs on May 27th
“That day, Bochy took aside Belt and asked him to be more open-minded to making some adjustments that he’s resisted since the spring. The coaching staff has tried to get him to be more upright and open up his stance, thereby freeing up his hips and allowing him to turn on inside pitches.
Bochy said that Belt incorporated those changes and had better at-bats off the bench Friday, including an RBI single”
I didn’t hear the triple but I did see more of a standing stance than in the past yesterday. Also, if you watch the at bat in slo mo, you can see the shifting of his hips into the swing seemed more fluid than recent ABs. It was a god damn pretty swing.
I may be wrong on this, but it seems to me the Giants are using the press more in motivating (embarrass?) players. At the very least, starting with Panda, Huff last year, apparently Belt and now Timmy. That’s the way it seems to me anyway, which if it is, seems like a weird trend to me.
John – how so with Timmy? Not sure if I am tracking…
It’s just a feeling I’ve been getting. Tim’s has not been as straight out of a challenge like Panda, Huff and Belt. Although thinking about it, didn’t the Giants bust his chops about conditioning in the past?
Again, maybe I’m wrong about the whole thing. I hope so anyway, I still like the old school approach of handing things in house.
Yeah…there have been instances where they “aired out the laundry” via the press. I like keeping it internal, too. Maybe making it public is a motivational point…if so, not sure I agree with the method.
There’s no way around it, imo. Coverage is 24 and 7. You have Comcast reporting every little move. Bochy and Sabean doing radio shows….wtf are they going to do, LIE?
Dog, I just seem to recall a more diplomatic approach and not really letting on what is talked about behind closed doors with a player. Panda – We told him to get in shape or he’s starting the year in triple A. Huff – He didn’t come into the season in very good shape and we told him this offseason he better get off his butt. Belt – the kid doesn’t listen to us but now that he is he’s starting to hit. It just seems to me that kinda stuff wasn’t usually released for the general public. Maybe it was having Showtime in the locker room, or I wasn’t paying attention to it in the past. I don’t know.
Times have changed. Presidents used to be able to fool around, too. 😉
Good point. I don’t know who would even want that job anymore, if you can’t even get some strange outta the deal.
Management lies all the time. And a young player wanting be on the good side of management doesn’t dispute the lies.
An umpire inventing his own strike zone is like an airline pilot barking at the tower,”Don’t tell me which runway to land on, amigo.”
I think the “adjustment” to Belt’s stance will have the same kind of long term impact on his play as did Zito’s crouch, the 8 or 9 tweaks Rowand supposedly made, the hundreds of other “corrective improvements” I’ve read about players making in my 39 years of following baseball . . . .
I recall the G’s making some adjustments to Belt’s stance right after he was drafted.
Maybe Baggarly ( who now seems to be part of management ) will ask them about that.
Interesting blurb about Chris Heston from CBS Sports,
“Though Baseball America didn’t even list him among the Giants’ top 30 prospects coming into the season, Heston has so far been close to unhittable at Double-A Richmond, building off his 12-4 record at Class A San Jose a year ago. After matching his career high with nine strikeouts in a May 22 start, he topped it with 11 last time out Sunday. Better yet, he’s allowing just 6.1 hits per nine innings to go along with a 0.70 ERA and 0.91 WHIP. At age 24, he could get the call if the Giants lose a member of their starting rotation.”
The old saying “you are what you are” applies for baseball players. They can either hit or they can’t. They’re either good at MLB level and effective or they’re gone. Rowand found that out. Benetez too etc.
Belt is clearly and obviously standing more upright at the plate and his stance is more open. It’s obvious to anyone who has eyes and K/K mentioned it (though they didn’t have to since we can all see it with our own eyes). Belt finally got with the program. Good for him, it might have saved his career here….
What saved his career here is :
Huff .167
Pill .209
as I said, it was one of the worst battles to win a starting first base job in the history of baseball………
and weren’t all 3 of those guys your guys? You wanted Huff and Belt starting opening day and you *spent a day defending Pill.” –The Ort-Rod prediction is starting to look like your best…….
What’s weird is this could star Bill Murray in a remake of Groundhog Day. Last spring:
“Indeed, Belt is less than two years removed from Texas, where coaches had him in a crouch with a closed stance. That might have prevented his front side from flying open, but it also made it extremely tough to hit the inside pitch or get enough backspin on a ball to hit for power.
When Belt was drafted and went to the instructional league, Giants minor-league hitting coordinator Bob Mariano had him open his stance and stand upright to gain more leverage from his 6-foot-5 frame.”
It was never alleged that he resisted the same changes they’re claiming he resisted this year.
Blanco RF, Theriot 2B, Cabrera LF, Posey C, Pagan CF, Pill 1B, Arias 3B, Crawford SS, (Vogelsong P)
Pill could use a good night.
What, they couldn’t find a position for Danica? I find many positions for her here.
Roy Oswalt signs with Texas Rangers
and Halladay out 6-8 weeks…
Tonight’s BTS players for Big Flavor to run the streak to 13 are…..Asdrubel Cabrera and Melky Cabrera! Yes! The Cabrera’s carry Mount Shady’s torch!!!!!
this just in: Asdrubel is 1/1. The streak hits 12 and all eyes are now on The Melk Man…..
Melky 3-13 against Zito’s cousin Joe. Huff is 11/26, Theriot 6/9. Pill 2-6 with a hr.
I know what their stats are against him, that’s the first lesson you learn when you’re trying to beat….the…..streak….
The second lesson you learn when trying to Beat the Streak (2004) [by Beat the Feet out of Sallyes Streaker] is who’s the sire and dam.
Another thing about “Lars And The Real Girl”….seeing that photo that TF posted reminded me that Ryan Gosling starred in the film. I saw that film at an indie theater. He was a much less-known actor at the time. He’s putting together a good film career. He was recently in a couple of other good films, “Drive” and “Ides Of March.”
One of his first performances was in an indie flick called “The Slaughter Rule.” Story about six-man football in a small Wyoming town…Jay Farrar (Uncle Tupelo, Son Volt) wrote the score…Good movie, even better soundtrack….Check it out.
What in God’s name possessed Bochy to fucking push Crawford down to the 8 spot!!?!?!?!?!!?
🙂 🙂 🙂
Must have been the wonderful option of hitting Theriot in the 2-hole instead…..
Walked into local Barnes & Noble tonight. My book is finally available through them. Yippee. Back to The Show.
Like
Toronto brings in one of my Flap closers (Janssen) in a NON-save situation tonight. His line?
1IP 2H 2ER 1W 1HR
Fuck you all to hell.
Fuck You All To Hell [by Devil’s Bag out of Y’All Come Back by Carry Back]
Is there such a thing as a blown hold?
“he’s a good miStake hitter”– Kruk.
Well come on, what major league hitter ISN’T?
Was he talking about batting or girl friends?
Nice of them to occasionally interrupt “gamer babes” to actually show the game…
Speaking of movies. Saw Jack Black’s new flick Bernie over the weekend. Thumbs up.
The Melky Way!!!
Haven’t seen that play by one of our 2B in a long time.
That makes Arias 0 fer his last 13 w/RISP. He’s not the answer at 2B either when Pablo returns.
He is who he is.
Oh that’s absurd. He’s been fine. 13 at bats is meaningless. And the replacement at 2nd is nor there. Arias or bust at 2nd, unless Fruckles has a “heaven can wait” moment
I loved that movie, except it was the Rams.
Yeah, and Beatty gave a kinda milqtoast performance but overall, good film and ya can’t lose when James Mason is involved
Great cast…
Hey Julie Christie was in it, it has to be good, Mccabe and Mrs Miller, with both Christie and Beatty, is still one of my most favorite westerns.
And neither is Terribo. I’m kinda guessing Sabean is aware of the ss and 2nd black holes and might be looking for some help, slim as it may be elsewhere…..
Who has the A’s Fuentes in our Flap league? His line: 2/3IP 2H 3R 1W 1HR
Don’t feel too bad. At least it was a save situation. 😀
Sonofabithch!!!!
(Not a comment on your post Dennis, a comment on that inning. it’s just it takes so much effort to post here recently the only time I can count on it is when I respond to someone else’s post)
Dayam Melky
Excellent job there by Vogey. He bear downed and made the crucial pitches at the most pivotal time in the game. Exactly what Timmy doesn’t do.
Yeah, what a fucking mook Timmy is, huh? Do you live your whole life in the moment?
Beautiful. Another ump, Posey might have taken that. But seeing what was going on, that was Posey’s FUCK YOU to a bad pitch he might have taken otherwise with another ump behind the dish
Looking for a low strike zone
Yeah Ted that worked out pretty well.
TF is practically a Timmy pole smoker compared to DMD.
I’ve never uttered or written “smoking pole” or any of its variants before. Just wanted to try it out. It’s still a strange, but intriguing locution.
hahaha. How’s that working out for ya James? Kinda greeing ain’t it?
Greeing? Fat fingered tyoing…typing…whatever
It’s important to keep experimenting, Ted — even past 50.
Huff continues to take superior good ABs.
DMD? Short Attention Span Theatre.
Quite
Arias is having a night to forget, though. WordPress isbeing a pain in the ass lately.
Smoking Pole? Now what the hell is that James?
It’s a reference to a sexual act that is often flattering in some circles and yet an insult in others. Depending on the parties involved and their own sexual derivations and matters of certain prejudices and phobias. As I understand it, James was stating that Flav…really likes Lincecum. Most likely an exaggeration and merely a comical point in order to get a cheap laugh. And it probably worked. However…
And I never realized it before but Timmy’s last name ends with—cum.
And to that I say….ew
And the Giants take the lead!!!!
Oh OK Ted, I kinda thought it was in reference to Dick Pole the pitchinj coach.
Well…I could be wrong
Crazy Horse! I wish his name was Angel Diablo!
Yes.
It’s crucial to note that Arias’s BA w/ RISP just got worse . . . .
Yes.
It is crucial…uhm….
As long as the run scores . . .
Alright now, close this fucking thing out.
BALLGAME!!!!!!
(fuck yeah)
Nice win Giants.
It’s so cool they have someone to interpret in Vietmanese for Melky. He D Man
Somewhere, Tim Worrell is having a good laugh.
And a hearty goodnight from your East Coast Clown contingent.
I say this with all respect.
Fuck you bozo!!!!!!
Luv ya my man. See you tomorrow
Puns are hard to translate.
Not really. A good pun is its own reward
Dodgers lost … we’re making ground.
That’s the farmer in you talking
Timmy tomorrow! Can’t wait!
Can’t wait for what?
My Timmy one-liners but of course. But the way Timmy’s been pitching, it might be time to bust out the limericks.
Exciting game. Bases loaded situations that kept the…face it…FUCKING SCARY
Great win.
Goodnight, gentlmen (question mark)
Thanks. I needed that.
G’night, girls. (Who is Crazt Horse? This from someone who took most of 2010 to find out who Vungo was and never learned how Dirrrrty as a nickname came about.)
typo above…tired…late…seeya
at least he didn’t type “Seka”
nicely done. Has the mgr. of the year gotten noticeably dumber in the last 9 months, or is it just that his team is not playing very well these days? The pads are awful and the rox at least have a couple all stars, but the Dbs don’t appear anything like last year’s group of division winners. See how gibson and the GM handle adversity.