Time to Get the Bats Going for The Bullpen Game
How far Gaudin can go will become less of an issue if the Giants continue with their limp hitting ways. With Pagan and Pablo down, Belt 3 for his last 19, Posey 2 for his last 20, Blanco AND Torres in the LU at the same time and way too much Nick Noonan……it makes it difficult to muster up much confidence in the offense.
And Bochy DOES have options out of the bullpen today. He managed to not pitch Affeldt and Lopez yesterday so they should be good to go for 2 innings each, if necessary. And Romo’s pitched 2 innings over the last 10 days so save-op or not he could go 2 innings easily. If Gaudin can hand the ball over to those 3 guys after 4 or 5 innings there shouldn’t be much to worry about on the pitching side of things.
Whether the bats can produce something above the 0.5 runs they averaged yesterday is a total unknown right now……
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
So, we won yesterday, righto?* 🙂
* Glad I was not present to see yesterday’s fiasco. Ed, great job of filling in for Flav The Magnificent. As 1000 posts approaches, I am in absolute awe and speechless about that milestone.
It’s barely 3 years, dude, elephants take that long to have a baby.
🙂
Gold….
If today was a “must” win game and if we needed long relief, could our long guy from the 2012 post-season make an appearance?
And once again my schedule is forcing me to miss these games that don’t start at 3am BST.
Pagan is supposed to be back today If hits better than he has so far, that should help.
It hasn’t been that long, but the last “feel good” moment I can recall for this team is undoubtedly, Pagan’s epic game winning inside the park home run against the Sherpas. In my mind, his presence energizes the team just about as much as any of the stars (Posey, Panda, and Pence). We absolutely need his top of the order spark plug presence for this offense to run well. Otherwise, it’s “station to station” boring baseball, which doesn’t work for this club.
If he’s being that top of the order sparkplug, he’s absolutely as valuable as the “big guys”. But he hasn’t been that sparkplug often enough. We’ve seen that can he be that guy, but he’s been a disapointment, as .262 BA /314 OBP/. 688 OPS/95 wRC+ demonstrates. It’s not unfair to expect better.
Agree, Steve. This team does seem to perform best when it’s got that spark plug at the top of the order.. Torres in 2010, Pagan last year, and this year. Still, I figured the team as is could handle Pagan being down for a bit. Seems like not. His epic hit that you mentioned being without doubt the last feel-good moment for the team is perhaps not coincidental with the lackluster play since his departure. A former Red Sox manager was asked at some point in the late ’80s when the team was supposed to be contending but was incomprehensibly not performing, what’s wrong? His diagnosis was that “this team is just a dead-ass team right now.” They’re banged up, obviously, and seem tired. Tough stretch coming up; a spark is going to have to come from someone. I’m not sure who I think that would be at this point, other than the starting pitching as a whole coming around… yeah, that would help…
“this team is just a dead-ass team right now.”
Yeah, it seems like the Giants have been nicked up a bit and coupled with the flu ravaging the club house, it has resulted in lackluster play. Twin, he may be a disappointment to you, but his recent history (last year) unequivocally supports him being in the line up each and every day. Same deal with Torres, after his great 2010 year – you stick with him all the way through 2011 based upon what he did the year before . . . Unfortunately, Torres never recaptured 2010. It could happen to Pagan, but in my opinion, I doubt it.
Besides, Pagan has already surpassed what Torres did in 2011 . . . Sheesh, that walk off HR did it for me.
This has nothing to do with last year. As the numbers demonstrate, I was referring to this year. I can’t imagine that anyone can argue that they need better from Pagan going forward. As to playing everyday, I never said he shouldn’t. When he does get going, he can be as hot anybody, as he demonstrated for long stretches last year. And the contract shows that they’re committed to him, a contract I also supported.
There isn’t anything that I actually said that should cause disagreement.
. . . and there isn’t anything I said that should cause disagreement either.
So you are or are not happy with what Pagan has done this year so far?
Goes without saying EVERY team in baseball needs a top of the order spark to be successful.
I’ll chime in and say I am not happy with what Pagan has done this year.
I am not happy with the entire team playing the way they have been playing. Please don’t parse words with me, ok? Pagan GIVES US THE BEST CHANCE TO WIN. The other candidates in his slot do not, e.g., Torres, Blanco.
At least when Rags calls down to the pen he won’t have to tell someone to get Carlos Marmol up.
Man, I’m surprised that guy doesn’t sleep with the fish.
I feel bad for Cubs starter Jeff Samardzija, who pitched into the 7th inning with a 3-1 lead. How the fuck does Marmol live with himself? Damn, he walked three before giving up a grand slam to Paul Goldschmidt in the eighth inning. I definitely would have made a hasty retreat out of the clubhouse, sans shower, to avoid the fans with pitchforks and torches.
I don’t understand why the Cubs keep Marmol on the team. He’s been under team control his entire career. They stupidly avoided arb and gave him a 3 year deal after 2010 but still, cut bait on his dumb ass already.
Flav, your excellent point was something I was going to bring up as well – from the standpoint of Sveum sticking with him. How in the hell do you stick with a guy that has a 1.78 WHIP and 5.48 ERA? I know the Cubs are hurting in the bullpen and the nominees for closer have failed miserably as well, but Marmol? He hasn’t pitched good for 2 full years at least. I would be trying everyone in Triple A, then work downward to the other levels before giving him another chance to throw gasoline on future fires.
Well, the spark plug still can’t fire, out again.
1. Andres Torres (S) LF
2. Marco Scutaro (R) 2B
3. Buster Posey (R) C
4. Hunter Pence (R) RF
5. Brett Pill (R) 1B
6. Joaquin Arias (R) 3B
7. Brandon Crawford (L) SS
8. Gregor Blanco (L) CF
9. Chad Gaudin (R) P
In case any of you are in for a good chuckle, guess who’s leading the NL in batting average?
Alex Trebek?
Fred Lewis?
Sorry, the correct answer is your San Francisco Giants! .269. Maybe some of you knew that already but I was mildly shocked.
Sounds like LIncecum is available out of the bullpen today — and was yesterday. The beat guys say this is not a “role change.”
The Giants have been leading in BA much of the year. They have been the best offensive team in the NL. ATT suppresses runs more than any other park in baseball. We have a starting rotation of Carlos Marmols right now. Their numbers are just fucking awful, considering where they pitch half their games.
James, I’m assuming this is the point you’re making, but it’s almost entirely the road pitching numbers that are causing their overall numbers to be “just fucking awful”. –almost two full earned runs more on the road— and we know they’ve given up a lot more than that with the porous defense that we’ve seen on the road that added to the unearned run totals…….
Yes, all the differential between road and away does is highlight the favorable conditions pitchers have at AT&T.
Might be why Lincecum and Zito stay put? If other GM’s are looking at those splits, what is the chance they will want to lay out big bucks for them? Maybe the Dodgers.
I know some here don’t believe in jinxes, for me there are times that I do. Today is one of those. I pulled out an old ashtray that someone gave me from St Louis. I’ve been putting butts in it all morning.
The Giants will win this one.
I quit smoking back in ’98 but I’m considering starting again.
And, I’m finally thinking of giving them up. But for now, smoke ’em if ya got ’em.
the Pirates are on a 2 game losing streak and they are still playing .607 ball? Where the fuck have I been? Clearly, I don’t check out too many over team stats if I didn’t know they were playing well this year or that the Giants were leading the NL in hitting…….
Oh, Bengie is a Cards coach. When I saw him in uni yesterday, I was in one of those where have I been moments.
Very encouraging so far.
knock on wood.
from mlbtraderumors.com (this came up a week ago I think):
Astros hurler Bud Norris continues to have a strong season and he figures to be one of the most sought-after trade pieces this summer, tweets Buster Olney of ESPN.com.
We’ll see what they get for him. I think you’re being far too generous with our prospects.
Get through the dreaded 3rd inning…
Hell of a throw. Fuck yeah Craw!!!
what a play and Molina gets thrown out…wow
Wow, melt down city for Molina
Holy cow, what a play by Crawdad!
That might be the angriest I’ve seen a player want to go after the ump since Brett.
Nice pull. I think I agree with you
Molina was upset that he was about to reach .400 w/ RISP.
Bengie looked like a OT out there
I thought it was hysterical watching Molina hold his bro back and yet still keep turning to Towards the ump to argue for his brother.
Man, terrible decision by that ump, Molina clearly wasn’t trying to show him up. He didn’t even say anything to him
Maybe not, but it looked like that helmet went up over everyone’s head. Maybe the ump gives them the thumb when the tossed object goes higher than his head.
Don’t know, but I sure as hell didn’t mind it. I’ll go snuff another butt in that ashtray, maybe Blue will kick out Freese as well.
Phhhhhfffffftttttt! Just like that. Damn!
Let’s get those runs back.
Good thing Buster didn’t slam down his helmet.
maybe he shoulda; maybe he was tired and wanted to sit on the bench [just kidding, kidding; I said I was kidding]
Fuxfuxandfux
Virtually no criticism from the announcers on Posey’s blunder.
I’m sure Bochy is having a good, stern talk with his young player. It might not be a bad idea to sit him a game or two to let the lesson sink in.
We’ve all mentioned it here. Posey is slow. He may be lithe, but be is almost, not quite, Bengie-esque on the base paths. What was he thinking? Or did Flannery forget how many outs there were hahahahahaha?
Yeah. TBS here. The criticism, such as it was, was very muted, indirect. It was awful to go to third after that double.
Been watching on TBS since the 3rd inning or so. They were referring to some bad call from the umps. I suspect it favored the Giants? They interviewed Rags and he used Edddd’s analogy: not firing on all cylinders, and “we have a sense of urgency; can’t say it will be okay by itself.” Then Ron Darling or one of the other announcers (Smoltz?) said you used to depend on the Giants’ starters; not so sure now (they were kind). Also, used my contagion analogy after interviewing Wainwright. Good pitching is contagious, as is bad pitching. Speaking of contagion, what fecking disease compelled Posey to run after his double? SICKENING!! Gaudin’s been great.
Gaudin’s stuff is as good as any of our other starters, at least on TV.
one of the radio guys said he’s got the best fastball of all the starters.
Yeah, what the fuck was he doing there? I can understand padding your stats if your team is leading the league by 7 games, but we are hurting right now. Buster has ok wheels where he could have scored from 2nd on a hit IMO. He should have been satisfied with his situation at 2nd. Dumb.
Smoltz is relating how he was drafted in the 22nd round by the team he loved, the Tigers. After the Tigers traded him to the Braves, the family got rid of a shrine they had w/ grass from Tiger Stadium.
Huge, huge hit by Belt
That Should be it for Pill against lefties.
starting that is
Pill just doesn’t have as much overall value as any of the three OFer prospects at Fresno would provide, IMO. But with the numbers he put up at Fresno, I think you could say they were doing their “due diligence” in giving him another shot. I want GOMEZ !!!
Uh, Perez, that is…
POTD right there, esp if this lead holds up.
I knew dropping Belt from my fantasy team would pay off today!
We thank you Mac for your sacrifice. 🙂
Fortunately, a bad decision by the Cards. Belt hits lefties decently. Didn’t he hit them better than righties in the minors? Matheny overmanaged. His kid was doing great. But I’m glad. That was a huge hit, but we should’ve gotten one or two more runs.
Gaudin really pitched a fine game, didn’t he? And Torres came awfully close to snagging Freese’s homer.
In his pregame show, Bochy said he was hoping for 5 innings with about 80 pitches thrown. He’s thrilled with what he got from Gaudin today.
It turns out we were just Waiting For Gaudin. (did anyone else use that pun already? grin)
I’m absolutely not a conspiracy theory type of person, but I’m not convinced that Pagan didn’t hurt his leg in the celebration after the homerun. If you can watch an entire replay of that, he comes out of the last scrum hopping on one leg a couple of times.
I agree with you and I wondered the same thing.
Gaudin, 6 IP, 2 ER. Not bad for an emergency starter.
Now let’s just finish these birds off.
and he out-pitched the new young stud that everyone’s talking about.
Mikey Butders is a pitcher, too?
Buster must’ve learned. I see he didn’t try for third on Pence’s single.
Gaudin sounds like Rodin. He sculpted a fine piece of work.
The GIDPs in this game are atrocious. I am not in the least comfortable with a two-run lead. A winning team — defending champions — has to have more killer instinct than this.
Pill, no more Peet’s coffee in the club house for you. Nope, back to Fresno and the watered down Folger’s.
Why didn’t Belt take over at 1b?
Good question Salty . . . I was wondering the same thing. Pill has done less than Jack today and he is still playing? Interesting . . .
Andres! Nice catch. And I said it all last year and say it again: I like Arias.
My favorite is O Mio Babbino Caro…
Yeah, I googled for that. If I had a favorite aria that would be it, though.
tooshay
RBIs are incidental stats of course, but if Belt had not been denied 45 PAs this year so far, he would have 35 this year at his current pace.
Good Lawd, why am I so freaking nervous about a game on June 2?
It feels like one of those pivotal points in a season. The Giants have slid to 2 1/2 games back, and had a bad week. They didn’t play like a playoff contender this past week. But today, so far, they look like the Giants again.
And that’s why I’m a long-tailed cat in a room full of rockers, until we snag a W. We’ve lost something like 15 of 19. C’mon, boys, let’s win it.
back home just in time to hear ROMO get the SO.
go Gigantes!
Edddd, this comment is so linear compared to your crypto-surrealistic POTD. Welcome back to planet Earth.
Freese-out, game over!
nice hed
Talk about a dirty win. I was afraid Romo got hurt. Whew. A win.
I want to know how Romo is . . . any word yet? My feed got cut off right after the play at first to end the game.
Note to self. Whatever you do, don’t get rid of that fucking ashtray, might need it for the playoffs.
Good win.
Good move in the voodoo doll, chicken claws, and rabbit foot department Clown.
I was supposed to save the rabbit’s foot? Damn, no wonder the game was so close. It was good eatin’ though.
TBS guys brushed it, didn’t think anything of it.
ROMO was on his knees looking sad, looking down at the ground and then slammed his glove into the turf.
Afterwards he stood up and walked away with no hint of a limp.
so my answer about romo is: ???
He’s fine. He was imitating Molina.
Those soft caps don’t make the same impact, though. The umps aren’t as pissed about getting “fooshed”…
miracle oil in the shape of an ashtray has the team moving again. Great D 2day, molinas losing it, early lead with the lineup card we had today, and ROMO 4 da save
Edddd, you might like THE JUJU RULES by my friend Hart Seely. It’s all Yankees stuff but very entertaining about fan superstitions. Excellent read.
stop me if I am wrong, but this team still has fight
Well, at least we know Gaudin does!
So, tomorrow’s vote will be who you all prefer as the Flap Mascot: a) Anna b) bozo’s old ash tray c) they are actually the same thing
ouch; that’s discourteous to Anna, who if I’m not mistaken has served us very well — or serviced us.
Gaudin, Belt, Crawford, Posey, Torres, Affeldt, Romo, Pence…a game remindful of how we won those titles.
Nap time…
Great relief taking this one, just like salvaging one against those stinking, yellow belly A’s. 😉
But they have to do some roster jiggling to do. For one, the AAA reinforcements aren’t getting it done. And now they need a long guy (Loux?).
A nod of the cap to Bochy Rags, in whom we usually trust. The call to start Gaudin today was the right one.
minus one less “to do”
The Cubs are so dense. In addition to continuing to pay Marmol to gas can innings for them, they paid Edwina Jackson 52 million dollars for 4 years. So far this year? 1-8, 1.67WHIP, 6.29ERA. Pathetic.
I’m a troublemaker. I thought “pathetic” was against protocol. Oh. Right. He’s a Cub.
And another poll question: which team sucks more, the Dodgers or the Angels?
A Conor Gillaspie sighting, playing for the White Sox, and hitting .274. He had no future with the Giants; thirdbase is locked up by the Panda.
ESPN post-game notes say Panda may be out a week. Does anyone know how he got hurt? I know this is foolish, but I’m not too worried because my boy Arias gets to play. He’s a lithe fielder, a hustler, a not-very-good-but-often-clutch hitter. He’s my Joaquin!
Here’s what we got for Gillaspie. Don’t remember what was going on there, if Conor wanted out or what.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=soptic001jef
I’m sure he wanted out, he had no future here, for good reason. But it seemed they could have got more for him. Love Soptic’s 2012 line- 26 walks and 16 wild pitches in 43 innings. He is said to have hit 100 MPH with his fastball, though. So he has Dalkowski potential 😉
I’ll have to Google dalkowski. 🙂
The MLB computer gave the Giants a weird 2-game “homestand” this week, vs. Toronto. Huh?
The Baltimore Ravens visit the White House this week to meet with Obama. Looks like the SF Giants will have to wait until August to have their White House visit. I’m guessing Monday, August 12th, the Monday off before their series against the Nats.
The D-Backs have an interesting stretch in their schedule coming up. Cardinals, Giants, and Dodgers. No Giants game tomorrow, but the D-Backs/Cards game is of high interest. (grin)
At least they have a day off before and after that two game homestand.
I miss TedSpe. And others. Let me think: MrMrMrBillBill, SportsDude, FerretHead, DJLoo.
Dirt and Wilco Joe…..
Hey, it’s like that scene in Battlestar Gallactica, where Starbuck lists all of the lost fighter pilots….
All I,ve heard is Panda has a mild foot strain.
Musta been the I-T-P celebration . . .
Anna is the Queen of good luck. Today, this ol’ ashtray was filling in (maybe Anna used it once). Crap, I know how to post a photo from an URL but not my hard drive.
The decision to start Gaudin cannot be said to be wise one quite yet, IMO. We have to see the ramifications going forward. Who is going to provide what he had been providing in relief? The speculation I’ve seen is that Ramirez goes back down and Loux comes up. Loux had that job last year and eventually imploded. Chad was terrific today but I’m not sold on it being a decision that’s best for the staff if he stays in the rotation..
“Asked whether Gaudin, who replaced the injured Ryan Vogelsong, would receive another start, manager Bruce Bochy referred to the off-days on the Giants’ schedule — three between Monday and June 10 — and indicated that could eliminate the need for a fifth starter in the near future.”
I’m not sure where the concept came from that Gaudin would be anything more than an emergency starter. Which he did and did well. If Vogs isn’t back when they need a fifth starter it could be Gaudin again, or Kickham or Loux,or Heston, or even Snodgrass. The point is they don’t have to make that call right now.
Sandoval might be back by the 2nd game of the Toronto series according to a report from Pav after the game. Arias is a fine utlity player, but Panda is an All-Star…
Romo is OK..
Hector is on the DL in Fresno..
I’m not down playing the great job Gaudin did but I like what’s been said to be the original plan better-to bring Kickham back with Gaudin returning to his long relief role..
What I’ve seen indicates that Gaudin will most likely start next Sunday. There are no definite plans to go with 4 starters. Heston, BTW, has given up 87 hits and 27 walks in 66+ innings. I wouldn’t think he is the mix.
Heston gave up his NRA gig? No wonder all those hits.
I just watched video at mlb.com of Torres breaking his bat over his knee (and Bo Jackson over his head, his own). Funny. And stupid. Very.
Chili did it even after he said it hurt so much he’d never do it again I must say that Vungo’s rates a 10 on both the stupid scale and on style points.
It’s stupid and it’s horrible role modeling for kids watching. I don’t fault Chili, that was a little different time.
But Torres and anyone else today should know they should never do it in public
Watching Gaudin work was a pleasure after the others lately. Pitch count was about 80 for 6? Zito Tim rack that up in 4.
They now have the option of him or finding a softer spot for Kickham if they choose. I like the kid but I think they made the right call in not throwing him out there today. Gaudin could handle getting pummeled, I’m not sure about Kick. Loux? Who cares? 😉
Pure hypothetical but how about Gaudin and Tim switching roles IF say Chad has another strong start or two, they can’t find an adequate replacement for the long role and Tim continues to struggle?
Regarding the role switch: it was so effective last October I’d be inclined to do it again. And Gaudin is truly a 5th guy so it might just work
Well, I imagine they’d have to see Vogelsong looks before they’d do that.
The other thing is, it would be easier to trade for a suitable long reliever than a 5.
Well, Tim would be the long reliever, would he not? And wow, would Tim’s potential deal in Free Agency take a hit. Hell, I might be able to afford him. He’d have to agree to do windows..
Pretty much cruel and unfunny, IMO, but the thing is- Tim will willingly go to the bullpen if asked to do it, and do anything he can to help the team win.
He *would* take a big hit financially, too bad if you don’t appeciate a harmless and un-cruel joke. But I don’t disagree that he’d do it.But I’m also undoubtedly more confident than you are that he’ll remain in the rotation.
What was “cruel”, BTW? I really wouldn’t make him do the windows.
Maybe.
Weird
Not as weird as having a problem with my post. Maybe you’ll answer- WTF was cruel?
I’ll take your answer off the air. Please let Z know that I don’t really have old women do my windows…..ever since “the incident”, that is.
Sleep well.
I got a good price from the Senior Center but the old gals took too many tea breaks.
Haha…thought the Tim joke was funny, too. Hell, I’m sure he would think too. In between tokes. 😉
Players themselves rib each other unmercifully from what I understand.