Zito: Fail Team: Failure
“He just couldn’t get that last out”– Bruce Bochy.
No, he couldn’t, skip. And it’s incomprehensible to me that Zito couldn’t play through an even MORE incomprehensible error by Torres. What is the deal with Zito in San Diego? It’s a pitcher’s park. He’s from there. The Padres usually suck. And yet Zito hasn’t won a game down at PetCo since 2008?!?!??!!? I had to look that up to make sure that was correct. And it isn’t just the colors they’re wearing, he shut them out last week at AT&T.
I’m not sure which was the worse error, Torres missing a freaking line drive right at him or Scutaro bumble-fuckin’ an easy DP. Considering the moments, it was probably Scoots.
Jean Machi: Where have you been all my life? I look at this career minor leaguer’s stats and shake my head, refusing to believe. The guy I saw last night didn’t have a flaw (as long as I focused on something other than his disturbingly short arms). More Machi please.
Down 2-0 to the worst team in our division, we turn our tired eyes to The Chainsaw and beg for redemption. He’s probably sprinkling nails on his Fruity Pebbles as I type this.
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
This entire post is pure Gold Flav. Poetic. What I read today was better than the “fake” David I saw on Michelangelo Piazza (yes, there are a couple of copies of his famous statue and one is located on this Florence hill, which is also a Piazza – Ask Ed, he knows.). Anywho – great post! 🙂
Piazza, unlike pizza, are squares. One of the squares (central outdoor areas) that Blade speaks of is where the original David stood for many, many years. Now there is a copy there. The second piazza is where the great man himself worked. No, not Magnus, Michelangelo. And there is a copy there, too. Really cool place and a nice hike UP the hill from city center, past the Medici family gardens. Dem Medici dudes were butt ugly and filthy stinkin’ rich. Fearing they would not get into heaven they spent a lot of money on art and church buildings.
Again, unlike Magnus, whose place in heaven is assured or there will be a lot of orange and black roasting marshmallows.
Yeah, the Medici were filthy rich. I might have seen one of the SOBs today on that Michelangelo Piazza Ed. Fucker was in a Ferrari in the parking lot adjacent to the David statue. I was fairly exhausted from the entire day and probably should have pulled out my tablet from my back pack and taken a photo of his car and woman (quite attractive) that was inside. They had the top down and it was fire engine red. That car easily goes far north of 100 grand and probably 200 grand as well. However, he better live in the sucker. In Italy, there aren’t many cars that don’t have dents and scratches. Frickin’ streets are not wide and parking is shitty everywhere. The only place for that car is Los Angeles or his home’s garage.
BLADE: I fucked up. I was reading a schedule that was PDT and I thought it was EDT so the game will start at 10:10pm IT
But – ALL games are free today on MLB.COM; a great chance to see any team you wish.
Flav, who is “Drew” in the Flap League? I have a trade proposal in his in basket and he hasn’t responded. Can you give him a shout and tell him I am waiting on him? Thanks. 🙂
On a scale of 1-10, I think Ted’s “Luckiest Flapper in the world” POTD ranks a 10 and is up there with the Lou Gehrig “Lucky” speech. 🙂
You’re too kind and thanks for getting the minor reference
By the way Ted, I did a post where I referenced you and your film knowledge. I was quite complimentary. However, it was over a month or so ago and for the life of me, I can’t recall details or which post. Old age is a bitch. 🙂
Ain’t it though? Thanks blade. So here’s a little movie crap that a lot of people don’t seem to know or think about.
The entire movie CITIZEN KANE is plotted by his last word–“Rosebud”
But here’s the thing, if you watch the movie.
No one was actually there to hear him say Rosebud. He was alone in his room. His nurse only came in after hearing the snowcube break on the floor.
And now back to our regular programming…
Scooter is not a particulary good defender but he is a sure handed defender. Torres is a vey good defender who made an extremely uncharacteristic error. With both, you rue the mistake, but unless it becomes a habit, you move on.
More troubling has been that all of our starting pitchers with the exception of MadBum, have often shown an inabilty to “stop the bleeding” or “limit the damage” when an inning starts to go bad. These guys are all tough competitors, it’s not like they give up. I looked at the pitches Zito threw in the 6 run 4th. He threw everything in his arsenal, it’s not like he was predictable or they were jumping on just one pitch. So, at least last night, I don’t see anything to pinpoint. Despite the lack of respect the Pads get in some quarters- they do have guys who can hit. Maybe we do have to do as Zito did- tip your cap.I’ll look at other big innings if it keeps happening..
Machi? Affeldt probably comes off the DL tomorrow. My guess is that Machi stays and they keep 13 pitchers for now. Hector goes down..
Two other things to add to your great post Mike – The Pads are divisional rivals, i.e., they aren’t going to roll over for us or anyone in the division. Second, they are a MLB team – that means something still. Oh, and maybe a 3rd reason – I think they have sufficient juice to contend for the division and a wild card (it’s way too early to crown AZ, us, or anyone else. Besides, my pre-season prediction will look ridiculous about them being a wild card entry. 🙂 ).
I had the Pads second in the div, Blade. They’ve staunched the early bleeding, and look to at least be serviceable, if not better. Their Pen is pretty darn good…
Well, at the end of the year, we will both be amazing seers or have egg on our face. Seriously though, I like their chances to succeed this year. They have the best manager not named Bruce and I like Headley a lot. You already mentioned their pen (which I agree with). The park is also an advantage for them (just like the phone park is for us).
Isn’t Vogelsong up to staunch the bleeding? And if our defense is supposed to be so good, why does it look so vulnerable with Pagan in center, Torres in the platoon, and Scutaro and Sandoval w/o a whole lot of range?
I have a thought experiment for this crew at the The Flap:
Brandon Belt for Ben Zobrist – who hangs ups first? and what would it take to sweeten the deal?
Our defense is good. Or, was the World Series Championship a fucking dream I had????
“Isn’t Vogelsong up to staunch the bleeding? ” Who says he isn’t?
“we turn our tired eyes to the Chainsaw”…
So? Ask Craig? I doubt that he’s saying that Vogelsong isn’t up to the task. That’s just your imagination.
We aren’t dealing for Zobrist, he’s a FA after this year and we’re not giving up a guy under control until 2018 for him. Tampa would to have the sweeten the deal, not us.
Get your facts straight about Zobrist. It’s not hard to look up player contracts. Check out the options.
Like Flavor pointed out in his great post heading, Zito can’t win in San Diego or, for that matter, in Milwaukee (And Milwaukee has certainly had its share of visitors. The French missionaries and explorers were going there as early as the late 1600s to trade with the Native Americans. And actually, it’s pronounced “mill-e-wah-que” which is Algonquin for “the good land.”. Thank you, Alice Cooper).
I don’t know. It’s very hard to think of them playing any worse than they did last night. Put your trust in Vogey and remember, they’re still 13-11. Last year, their most recent Championship season (that’s right people, Champions!!) they were at 12-12.
There’s not always an explanation for these things, why would Zito have good sucess at Coors? None reason, yet he does.
Exactly
Looking foward to a nice double header myself, not doom and gloom over a minor slump. Huge game for the W’s, absolute must win.
Amen, brother. It’s a good day to be a Bay Area sports fan. I still haven’t figured out how to make my mom sit through the Warriors game. But, she’s a trooper. I’m sure it’ll all work out
There’s something so off about the Giants at the start of this season. Cain, Lincecum, and Vogelsong giving up big run innings before miraculously adjusting and going on to pitch shutout innings. Zito pitching like the Cy Young winner he once was in some games and like Neil Young in others. Hitters like Belt who slump badly, then bust out and hit game-winning hits and home runs. Hitters like Scutaro who slump, find their bats, then slump again. Infielders and outfielders who look like Gold Glovers on one play and the Bad News Bears on the next.
I would be worried if I thought they were resting on their laurels as two-time World Series champs. But that’s not the case. It almost seems like they’re trying too hard. They’re a little too overeager, impatient at the bat and making plays on the field mentally before they’ve made them physically.
They have the makings of a division-winning team. The greatness is still there. It just hasn’t jelled.They have to get their heads into the game, play the game that’s in front of them rather than the game going on in their heads. I think they eventually will, but we may have to put up with a few more games like last night before it happens.
Interesting comment. Also, wish I’d known about your Iditarod blog during the race. Good coverage of the PETA imbroglio, too.
Thanks! I’ll be back to cover next year’s race, possibly the Yukon Quest too.
Reasonable post.
Not sure if any of you listen to Knbr this early, but Lurie was talking about books so I called in and face Pawlie’s book World Serious a ringing endorsement. I got on in about 2 mins so I’m not sure if I was calling at leak listening time. But whatever, free advertising for one of my main Flappers, it’s all good
Sorry, “gave” not “face” and “peak” not “leak”– stupid auto correct
Excellent, Flavor, excellent. And I figured you meant “gave face”, since I speak corporate Chinese, so that made sense. The “leak listening time” kinda threw me though 🙂
I’ve never heard that before Ted, but you would know better than I. I always was familiar with the Asian phrase “losing face.”
I forgot to add – “gave face” is the urban vernacular for kissing or a blow job. Do it well, then you would say, “She gave good face.” If that’s the case, I hope she is wandering around my hotel this evening. 🙂
hahahaha
Thanks, Craig. Thanks for that and alerting me to it. About a half hour later I got on the show (fortunately, did not proclaim, “dude, first-time caller”). In response to the topic du jour, what folks will do before the game, I said, I’ll wear Giants gear in Syracuse at the mega-mall and try to spot a fellow partisan. Then I wiggled in my plug for WORLD SERIOUS, and Marty Lurie was kind and generous. I without shame publicly floated the idea of doing an in-studio interview.
BF and then Pawlie, I heard you guys with Marty Lurie. Heck Pawlie, come out to let Marty interview you at the Public House at a Sat or Sunday pre-game. Bring a big bag of books and do a signing on the spot. I smell a special Flapalooza!…
you heard us? Sweet, I was hoping someone here had their radio on. Did you like how I said “the author’s name is Paul Kocak–I think that’s how you pronounce it.” haha, didn’t want to come across as a friend.
Yeah, I got that. You are a tricky bastard… 😉
hey, for a call I didn’t plan or prepare for, I thought I did ok 🙂
The big question: did ratings soar? Or plummet? But yeah I’m already communicating with Marty about doing studio. Why not? #livelarge #liveGIANT mwahaha, as Ted likes to say
I’m seeing a Saturday 1:05 game, Marty is interviewing Pawlie at around 11 am in the Public House and the Flappers sitting in front up near the interview table giving those “knowing nods” or whatever the hell the term is, as they pound down a few handfuls of double Bloody Mary’s. I’m diggin it…
LOL.
It’s the premise of another Pawlie book. He flies out to interview with Marty, sell a bunch of books, see a game, gets stinkin blitzed with the Flappers at the game, we all have a post-game hangover/dinner/more drinks at an Italian place in North Beach, Lurie cuts his post-game short to have dinner and drinks with us, then Pawlie heads back to New York on the redeye. Tentative title: “World Serious Deux– Or, How I Got Blitzed with Marty Lurie”. If Pawlie doesn’t drink, go with the title anyway… 😉
I’ve never been a Lurie fan but I’m warming up to him. A talk show guys go, he’s as mellow as they come.
Speaking of talking heads- I think Mitch Richmond and Foyle are a delight..
ah, shit, I just put my fag out
on my mouse
that’s what I get for watching the game too intently
When I played Duke Nukem video games, I got a mouse pad with him on it. I still have it and it still does the job. Many mouses have rolled on ol’ Duke.
New post on my blog. I also have pics of food for snarrk (grin) – before and after I ate din din.
F…k’n 3-1 count. That hurts.
Voggie has been very hittable all season so far. Very. 7 HRs now given up in less than 30 innings. That’s brutal…
If Scutaro’s back is hurting, then rest him a day or two or put him on the DL, and put Noonan in there, push Crawford up to #2…
If that was a called hit and run for Belt hitting on his first pitch of the AB, I don’t get that. Take the swing discretion out of the hands of a guy that can hit it out and tie the game? So, Pence gets to second with the dribbler to 1b…
I hate that little fuck Denorfia
He always seems to be a pain in the Giants’ ass. I wish we had him…
Sick to death of Street, too.
Scuts is scuttling. Get Noonan in there for a game or two…
Note to Flannery. Down by 2. Don’t sent Panda if Posey doubles, OK?…
5 game losing streak. Bummer. Time to shuffle the lineup a little. And, get a starter to stop throwing 410 foot strikes…
And now a 6-game losing streak on the road.
Swept by the Padres. All close. Bad baseball by the champs.
PS Watched yesterday on TV. I have never heard a roar for the moment an opposing players (Crawford”s) hr went over the fence like I heard yesterday at Petco. Cool but also sad.
I was at the game, and I agree totally that the amount of cheering for the Giants is cool and sad at the same time. Last night I did not wear one piece of SFG gear as I feel bad for the few actual Padre fans when Giants fans take over Petco.
I wish I knew the record for the Giants in games started by Zito that I have attended in SF, LA, and SD. It has got to be at least 0-7 and may even be 0-10.
Yeah! Diggity….For a while I was thinking “No Diggity.” But now….Diggity. Thanks for the check in my man!
Again it’s on the starter. And more defensive blunders- the passed ball cost a run, Mijares saved Scooter by pitching around his lazy throw on the the pivot that gave Blanks first base…
Bring back the Bip!
Some humbling numbers going back to last 10 starts from 2012 for Vogelsong.
Baggs says he’s 6-7, with a 6.08 era, 97 hits 77in and just 4 quality starts out of 15.
“cool but also sad”– SportsDude.
I totally get where you and Diggity are coming from on this but I’m on the other end of it. I love seeing the SF colors everywhere I turn. It’s a sign of respect. Nationally. And while I get it that the band wagon jumpers will jump off at the earliest sign of the next *it* team I don’t have a problem with fans faking their way into our circle. It’s still a good look on the surface and besides, most of the chicks are hot as fuck. 🙂
Jackson’s wife just did the anthem- well, I don’t know what to say.
Maybe the best Bogut has looked all year.
I loved Nellie- mostly from his Farm Aid days, but what’s this- 3 rookies-PLAYING! And in the rotation. How about that?
Giants=Meh
Warriors=Vegas just got its ass kicked
I’m tired of the Giants already! I hate moral victories! And if TedSpe is for something, I’m against it. Lets consider the DH for the NL. Damn I wish Bonds was in his prime and playing for the Giants!
Forget the Warriors they will lose in the end. They always do. If George Karl loses this series he should quit coaching!