Lincecum Provides A Brief Respite From Losing
Lincecum turned in another brilliant start yesterday. I only got the mlb highlights but of his 8 strikeouts, 7 of them came on specialty pitches–the final K was a fastball. It seems Timmy has finally stopped trying to blow everyone away and for that, we’re all happy he’s caught up and decided to start pitching instead of throwing.
Since his July 8th start he’s rediscovered his strikeouts and, aside from the post-no hitter game which is an easy one to dismiss, he’s been nothing short of Cy Young-esque. In those 5 starts he’s pitched 38 innings and given up a measly 6 ER. He has 37 K’s vs only 9 walks. Not surprisingly, considering who’s hitting on his team, he only has 2 wins over this great stretch of pitching. To get those 2 wins he had to pitch a no-hitter and a 1 hitter (over 8 innings), that’s hilarious to me, maybe not to everyone else…..
Unless he totally falls apart the rest of the way, this almost guarantees that he gets a 2-4 year deal from someone–probably at least 15-17 million a year. SO, enjoy Timmy for his few remaining starts with us. there is little to chance (as I handicap it) that he re-signs with us or takes that qualifying offer. He’s already re-established his value, at least enough for another couple of teams to bid against themselves to give him a deal like the ones I suggested above……
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
“A brief respite from losing” I concur…. very brief.
Would LAs Horse Trader Ned go after another ex Giants? Was his haircut so the Yanks would give him a look? Would Tim go to one of the teams where it’s hot in the summer? Would Seattle pony up that kind of dough and years for a hometown smoker? I don’t know. And, when it comes to Timmy, I’m not even sure if an extra mil or two over the qualifying offer would be enough to get him to leave.
Disagree flav. I think the recent success tells him he can still do well here, where fanbase loves him. Last thing he wants is Zito like albatross of a big deal to a contender and having to live up to it somewhere else. Only teams that could afford him have big plans and high expectations.
Where would he go, other than Seattle or Anaheim? He is not, imo, headed anywhere near warm weather hitters yards to pitch in heat and humidity. Right there you eliminate STL, cincy, NY, bos, Tex, Balt. Tampa has a horrible yard, and I doubt teams like Pirates or Tribe paying out that kind of $$$.
If I’m SF brain trust and I have seen last few months of sub par offense, dumping off pitching (Lopez included, trading him is just stupid on so many levels) is the last thing I do, because that is the only thing keeping the team in games. Torture games are winnable–9-8, no. Bean counters pony up, and Lincecum stays…which is one of the positive steps toward getting back in contention 2014.
Good ideas from Willie D! I hope the coffee is strong this morning.
Not trading Lopez was ridiculous…
“NO CHANCE”
Well, there’s always a chance Flav. I have been impressed with his performance as well. However, the stinker outing came against a legit contender, the Reds, where he gave up 8 runs, 9 hits, in 3.2 innings. Two of his wins have come against the dregs of the league (Cubs and Brewers). The Tampa Bay game was outstanding, so that’s definitely a plus. Nevertheless, I wouldn’t bet against him scoring a big contract. I have no doubt that Sabes is paying close attention to this situation.
148 pitches the start before…..
By the by, tonight we get out of the cellar. Start thinking positive about that possibility. The Mountain Yodelers are falling faster than a Sherpa whose rope has become cut while ascending Mt. Everest (as this Denver Post column attests . . . http://www.denverpost.com/kiszla/ci_23826410/kiszla-rockies-tired-old-ideas-need-be-replaced).
Yes, tonight we make our move . . . I hope. 🙂
the Rockies suck. Will this admission stop all the Sherpa posts?
Fuck the Sherpas and the cows, pigs, and goats they rode in on!
Not until we are out of the cellar . . . Then I will submit to the cease and desist order. 😉
the rockies are now the sherpas and will thus forever be.
I just read this stat – Tim had eighteen swinging strikes, his second best this season, leading to eight strikeouts.
I also had to settle with catching the highlights yesterday and that mlb clip of the SOs was impressive. Reminded me of the old days. Pulliing him after the 8th, at 108 pitches, was perfect. No need to tire him out just as he’s starting to pitch again.
I hope you’re wrong about his future, Flavor. And his value may not have revived all that much. He had a real bad patch, for more than a year in 2012-13. Until the no-no, the last great game he pitched was in June or July 2011 vs. the A’s. His mechanics were off, and a lot of pundits were saying I told you so. Originally, teams let him go by in the draft, despite the Golden Spikes Award, etc. (Not a terrible draft, though — Kershaw, Lincecum and Scherzer went 7th, 10th and 11th. Longoria 3rd. Hochevar was 1st.) If scouts worried about his diminutive stature and long-term effectiveness then, they’ll be even more skeptical now, after his recent failures. So maybe he’ll get 2 year offers that won’t fly much higher than the Giants qualifying offer. Or maybe the Giants will change their approach and match the 2 year deals. I’d hate to see him go.
“Star thinking positive…” Glad to hear something like that, for this season and up coming.
I support what Bochy said wholeheartedly: “Play good baseball, play for each other and the fans, honor the game and give all you have.” He is challenging them to look themselves in the mirror and to do everything they can in every minute to help the team win, now and going forward, because that is the only way to respect the game you have always loved, fans and teammates, and the mgr. Hard as it is for fans to watch, I don’t think Giants players want to lose 90 games either.
I think this is the best response to what I heard Bum quoted as saying, and the type of motivation I believe in, which is the diametric opposite of the Lou Piniella billy martin school of blowing up and trying to fight your own players in the dugout. I just don’ believe in all the yelling and screaming, which ultimately signifies nothing.
I am more in the camp of WillieD and Blade. I think there is as much a possibility that Tim stays here as goes. And I agree with Willie re: the places he will NOT go.
Also, if my math is right, he has 9 starts left. Included in those 9 are starts against Washington (they have fallen off, but it will be in D.C.), Boston at home, Bucs at home, Arizona, Yankmees on the road, and twice against the Bum (one road, one home). So, there are some tough games there, and those nine starts will figure into setting his value as much (more so, I believe) than his starts since July.
It will be interesting to see what happens with our handful of FAs, and also to see what Sabes, Evans, Tidwell and crew do in the off-season.
Thank you Tim for bring a hot topic to this blog. someone mentioned that this team is like 2008, good pitching and no offense. So lets not judge Tim on wins/losses. During the 2008 season Cain and Tim would put up great numbers only to lose due to the offense unable to score. If Tim truly believes what he is saying about trusting his other pitches to start and finish games with then he could be a force to be reckoned with. this has been his problem the last 2 years. Before he would have a gem like this and then the next game he would think he could go back to blowing people away with the FB. So again if he sticks to the curve, slider, split whatever and then uses his fastball sparingly he could be a whole new pitcher.
We all said for a very loooong time, that Tim would have to re-invent himself to be successful. The past couple of months have been encouraging. Let’s see if he continues for the remainder of the season.
It was around this time 2010–Glass Sanchez got hot, Sabes called out the SPs, and SF won the torture games, overcame Pads, Phils and Texas.
2012–Pagan Scut Belt ( who quietly now has second high OPS on team) and Crawford got hot and SF made improbable playoff comebacks and then swept Tigers.
Vogs is back now, Pagan could be back by Sept. It didn’t take long for LA to go from worst to first. SF played .500 on last road trip, and has lot of games vs. NL West against whom they have very good record.
There are tons of examples of teams who put it together late and got the job done.
Cue the most famous HR call of all time by Russ Hodges, “There’s a long drive and …..”
I like the way ya think, Willie. Everything you say is true. It IS a longshot, but stranger things have happened. .500 on the road is cool but ya gotta play better than that at home. The boys really should have taken 3 of 4 from the BrewCrew. Now they need to win the series against the O’s to have a winning homestand. I think they need to whittle a few games off the Bum’s lead over the rest of August to have a legit shot.
True. We really DO have lots of time [cf. St. louis 10.5 back on Aug. 24 in 2011], but I can’t emerge from my cloud of despair until we at least win something like 8 out of 10, or win three or four straight series. New topic. thomas Neal has been called up and traded a few times since he left SF organization. Got injured the other day playing for the Cubs.
Off topic, sort of. So Gaylord Perry walks into where my wife works yesterday (he has a house for sale close by). She tells him, her husband is a huge Giants fan and she knows who he is. She continues to tell him I was a season ticket holder and I moved from SF out here. He said something about me probably needing a shrink about now (not sure if that was in reference to living here or because I’m a giants fan). Anyway, he told her to bring a dollar to work so she could go home and tell me that she bought me something. She just called, and no it wasn’t a signed jar of Vaseline (I was kinda hoping for that one), but a signed Louisville slugger, with his Cy Young years and HOF year stamped into it, will have to do. Thank you, Gaylord. Made my fucking day.
Wow! I’m easy to excite, I guess, but that gave me a chill. That is the coolest thing I’ve read in a while. Hey, maybe a picture of the bat posted here sparks a new win streak! Rub your bats, boys!
Pawlie, as soon as the wife gets home I’ll grab a shot of it. I don’t usually care about autographed things, but I’m pretty fired up about this.
I can believe it. It’s not so much the autograph as the generosity and grand gesture of kindness. In NC, right?
New theme for starting a win streak…get some bat rubbin’ going on!
I love the fact that he wanted her to give him a dollar so she could say she bought me something.
Yes, he was in Manteo, NC. His house for sale is close by, in a town called Mann’s Harbor. I think he spends more of his time at some other property towards the mountains.
That is cool as hell. And I agree…I have never been a big autograph hound…but getting something like this…the gesture is what it is all about. Looking forward to the picture.
I relate to what Pawlie said. I would have jizzed myself (or on the bat). What a thoughtful gesture by Gaylord (one of my favorite pitchers of all time – Marichal being my first).
Bozo, did your wife give him the URL of the blog? If not, next time she sees him, have her give him the blog address and let him know that he is more than welcome to comment here. How neat would that be having an actual player being a “Flapper?”
HOFer at that. Not sure if he’s an internet kind of guy, he strikes me as someone more comfortable on a tractor than typing, but who knows. Steve you should buy his place, it’s right on the Sound. http://tinyurl.com/mcabvrn
Nice place Clown. I’m done with home maintenance and responsibilities though. Biggest reason why I bought this condo – that and being able to lock the door and disappear for weeks, months, or longer, without worrying about home burglaries, wildfire, and blizzards. Meh.
did he hit on her ?
That’s awesome clown!
everything about this story is cool. And I always like good luck. congrats.
Timmy’s comments after the game were very instructive. He said something like, “I’m not going to be able to throw 95 mph anymore, so why try to anymore? It’s been a long process.” I’m a dreamer. I hope Timmy stays with his compadres. (But I never thought Pujols would bolt.) If he goes anywhere, I hope it’s Seattle. Maybe Tokyo. He’s back. (This all reminds me of Magnus’s helpful and therapeutic view of players as thoroughbred horses who could be finished, pfffft, just like that, in one race.)
the key(or one of them, he has more stamina as well) has been recognizing that he had to change what kind of pitcher he is, or rather, has to be. i don’t have figures for yesterday, but he threw his change (splitter) 47 times in the no-hitter. i think snarkk mentioned him pitching backwards.true. now that his split/change is back his 90/91 fastball is effective as well. the spilt had been impossible to hit (.139 baa in 2010). last year it was whacked at a .273 clip and a .485 slugging percentage. this year it’s at .180 and a .272 slugging pct..
the qualifying offer would not be made in anticipation of him accepting it- that’s rarely the case. If he fails to continue his run of excellent outings, he might be more likely to accept it, as said before, in hopes of rebuilding his value for the market after next year. shea later wrote that he would be a lock to stay if that were the case. it’s much more up in the air if he continues as he has, but the bullpen idea has been quashed. or squished. the better he pitches the less chance we have in keeping him, but as others have said, i’m sure that sabean will make a competitive offer. and it’s not like life has sucked for him here. a couple cys, a couple titles…a great city with great women, wine, food, and oh, yeah– song…
I will never tire of Ashkon’s tributes. Met him at Finnerty’s in January. Nice guy.
Twin, I am blown away about this 2011 Showtime documentary, called The Franchise, that followed Ashkon’s song. Just finished the first 3 parts of Episode 1 and am going to watch the rest of them this evening, If I don’t get a video feed for the actual game. No idea that Showtime did this documentary.
listening to that again reminds me of my comment after the parade- those players will be san francisco heroes for as long as they live-and beyond. and you know- time really can heal all wounds. man, would i love to be around for the 10th, 20th, 30th reunions- i’d bet that huff might be as wildly welcomed as any. i’m getting goose bumps thinking about how cool a 20th reunion would be. imo the 2010 giants dwarf what any bay area team has accomplished ever. 50 plus years,so many men who somehow saved their best for that one year. angels in the outfield, angels in the infield, angels in the stands…it truly was a magical year. and excuse me for being so ‘soppy’, i truly never thought i’d live to see it- even when the year began…
Tim’s ERA is down to 4.18. Which is a big upgrade, considering where it was the first 1/3 of the season. I believe it could easily be under that in the 3.75 range or so, if you adjusted for earned runs actually unearned due to lots of physical and mental errors in the field that were not scored as errors. His WHIP is coming down, and over the last 30 days has been 0.84. I agree with BF it is hilarious (in a tragic kind of way) that he has only 6 season wins with the pitching he’s been doing the last 6 weeks. Who knows if he can continue this streak, we’ll see how well against very good competition over these coming weeks. He’s put some very good games in against bad teams, but pitched very well against Tampa Bay, just didn’t get any run support. I think the odds are very good he’s gone next year. I have a hunch he’s got a case of been there done that with the Giants. He’ll get plenty of money wherever he goes, even if he falters as the Giants play out this string…
This one is the best . . .
Yeah, hope is a fragile thing. Like someone said though (or I said a couple weeks ago), if they can get to .500 before September starts, then they have an outside chance of making a run. Putting a couple teams behind them would help as well. We DO have a lot of division games coming up, and we’ve done well in the division, so hey, . . .
i haven’t heard much demeaning cain’s no-no because it came against houston. it’s kind of a general rule that most pitchers have more success against weak hitting teams and/or in pitcher’s ballparks. our staff was a full rpg worse on the road than at home last year…
anyway, we’ll just see how lincecum and the team finish. if vogie finishes well and tim continues his rebirth, we could be looking at a top 4 of madbum, cain, timmy, and vogelsong in 2014. not shabby. and considering the alternatives we’ve all discussed, sabean would be very motivated to sign tim and vogie- and the money will be there to do it.
ever been to seattle? beautiful city when the rain isn’t coming down sideways. perhaps a bit more comfy than living at the ‘stick…
Agree with your assessment. Besides Garza and Kuroda, there is absolutely no one that interests me on the free agent market. Maybe Phil Hughes, if only because he does really well when he is not pitching at home (right field porch is murdering him, along with Kuroda). Vogelsong has much to prove over the next two months and the clock begins this weekend.
Pardon the repeat, but I put this on last night when the blog appeared pretty slow, and few posts came after. So, if you missed it, here is HacMan on the origin and history of “one flap down”. Very funny…
http://www.news10.net/video/846007416001/0/Ex-Giant-Jeffrey-Leonard-on-one-flap-down
Steve re: your 11:42 – what the fuck rock were you living under, dude? Really? You were not aware of “The Franchise?” Anyway…enjoy. And I’m with Pawlie…will never tire of Ashkon’s tribute songs.
I remember when the Giants punched their ticket to the 2010 series. Gail and I were in Pleasanton competing with our dogs, and I found a sports bar for use to go watch the game. They shut down the multitudes of TVs going to the bottom of the 9th and put this up…the place went fucking wild. It is still an awesome memory.
Kind of odd to watch this now and two of the big-time contributors (Uribe and Wilson) now wear the hated blue. But regardless…this tribute will always be one of my favorites…
Yeah, I really like this vid, very well done. He’s got the Will Clark stance down cold. The 2010 run was beyond special with the outside stuff like this that sprung up around it. The Beard, Let Timmy Smoke, Pat the Bat, Cody Ross homers out of nowhere, Tim mowing down the Braves in game #1 at ATT, the Brooks Conrad game, the Ryan Howard called strike 3 for the Pennant, the Rent 3-run blast; the memories go on and on…
It was MAGIC. Thanks for re-sharing the link on Hackman – One Flap Down. I missed it the first time around, and had never seen that. Good stuff!
Umm, literally a “rock” Chi. That’s why we call them the Rockies. News might as well travel by stage coach here. Seriously, I had heard about the documentary, but I didn’t have Showtime at the time. Regardless, it’s now free on the world wide web. Shit, the part about Brandon Belt crying after being told by Botchy that he made the team, has (almost) made me feel sorry for him and protective toward him. Uhh . . . Like I said, almost.
Again seriously, the documentary brings these dudes down to the “human” level, where you have to have some empathy for what they do every day. The pressure to perform is tremendous. As Brian Wilson said (paraphrasing here), “I don’t want to be 35 and look back at this time as not being fun. That’s why I am wired differently – I am going to make the best of my time while I am here.” Same deal with Barry Zito and his travails. You have to feel for these guys.
I absolutely agree with you about bringing it down to a human level. I just turned Gail onto baseball back in 2009/2010, and she still will comment when we are watching a game, and Romo is trying to close, or someone is up and they need a hit to win the game, about the pressure.
Anyway, glad you are finally getting to see The Franchise. I really liked it…thought it was well done.
I guess I better order “The Franchise.”
YOU. HAVE. NOT. SEEN. IT?
I’m flabbergasted. You’re part of the media.
Besides, you are the numero uno Giants fan around here.
my wife still calls ‘runs’, ‘points’, just to piss me off.. actually, she likes baseball and basketball and despises football, a totally rational position. i know that this is *not* rational, but a woman who loves football is a woman i’d always look upon with suspicion…like i’d find photos of pro wrestlers in her undie drawer..or an admission that ray lewis is her idol..no, baseball is a game for all- the poets, the genteel..football is an extra for *us* in winter…. heathens , drunkards, pretzel burger eating couch potato slobs, aka- men..
Twin – Gail does the same thing (points vs. runs), etc. Not all the time, and I am sure she does it to get a rise from me (not THAT kind of rise, mind you).
i have two really horrible nightmares–
one is that i’m at a really fine chinese restaurant and find that i married a woman who won’t share her peking duck..
two is that she’s painted her face orange and black to be ready to watch the ballgame…
I.M. Afraud
but do u.p. freeley ?
have you read ‘under the bleachers’ by seymour butts ?
ok, ok. i’m going now…
no, not that way. see what you started.
a few of you have remarked of how you forgive this year because of the title years. hell, i’m even easier- i’m a 59 games out, 60 to go, ‘they can still do it’ optimist. in ’91 the twins went on a 15 game win streak to move from 5th to first.
yeah, yeah it was earlier, but still… there was *nothing* to suggest it might happen. they had a top notch starting 3 pitchers and then absolute crap 4/5. if vogie is back this team has what it takes to go on a big run…
ah, to dream…
I hope your optimism pays off. Dreaming doesn’t cost anything.
betting on them can..
Twin becomes The Flap’s Reverend!
did we quit when the japanese attacked the alamo?
Don’t! Stop! Believing!
Alrighth Flappers…enjoy the game. Will be out with friends listening to live music tonight and following the game via MLB.com on the phone.
GO GIANTS!
Gametime Forecast: 60°F • Partly Cloudy • 0%PoP
1. Marco Scutaro (R) 2B
2. Brandon Crawford (L) SS
3. Brandon Belt (L) 1B
4. Buster Posey (R) C
5. Hunter Pence (R) RF
6. Pablo Sandoval (S) 3B
7. Roger Kieschnick (L) LF
8. Gregor Blanco (L) CF
9. Ryan Vogelsong (R) P
@Bozo-The Gaylord Perry deal is awesome! Can’t wait to see pics of that bad boy if not, take a few hacks with it on the patio at Red’s!
Twin–your crack about calling runs “points,” reminds me of my mom who always has and always will call all sporting events “ball games.” As in: “They went to the ball game” “He is playing in a ball game” “How was the ball game?” ‘When will the ball game be over?”
How big of a question mark is Vogy tonight? A HUGE question mark in my opinion. I have no idea what to expect from him. He’s old, he was having a terrible season, he hasn’t pitched a MLB game in months and is coming back from a broken finger. Then again, he pitched great his last time out and the guy has tons of guts and has surprised me in the past when I doubted him. Hell, he may as well go our there Frank Gorshim style tonight. I can’t wait to watch.
the Franchise is also on youtube.
My wife is Vietnamese, when I first started dating she knew nothing about any sport, some of the things she use to say trying to give me an update on what went on in a game were hilarious. Even today she says something about a sport and my son will laugh and say “oh Mom”.
i don’t know about you guys, but a 1 game winning streak always fires me up.
Michael, I don’t know what childish game(s) you are trying to play with me, But my wife is off limits. Do you understand?
yeah. i promise to never hit on her. man, you are too obsessed with the idea i’m fucking with you. i have *never* fucked with you. that was no knock on your wife. it was a joke about perry. if you took it wrong for the 100th time, i’m done apologizing to you about nothing, eat a brocc-o-burger, maybe it will chill you out.
Eat shit asshole. I’m glad you are feeling better but you may have noticed I wasn’t one of the many here glad to see you posting again, perhaps you want to touch base with them. I’m so sorry that new HBO series starring you didn’t pan out, what was it called? Was it Welcome Back, Mr Butterface sphincter biscuit or was it As the Asshole Returns? You are tired of apologizing to me? I’m tired of telling you to leave me the fuck alone.
You want to fuck up my day, fine, good job.
Now why don’t you go send a 100 Emails to Craig to try to get me 86ed.
I have been nothing but supportive to you and your family, i know all you’ve been thru, i would *never* say anything bad about your family. maybe you don’t know the diff between what i said and asking if *she* hit on him. anyway, there never was and never would be a comment from me disrespecting your wife or anyone in your family. enjoy the game, i’m out.
I’m out of here.
Have a good night flappers.
Go Giants.
maybe a game thread is a good idea. would someone put it up..have a nice night.
New thread up and running. Go Giants!
I don’t always agree with or care for Mark Cuban when I watch him on “Shark Tank,” a pretty decent ABC show. But I pretty much do agree with him about A-Rod, Bud Selig, and MLB. http://espn.go.com/dallas/mlb/story/_/id/9552879/mark-cuban-rips-bud-selig-baseball-alex-rodriguez-saga