When Winning a Protest Might Actually be a Loss
So, of COURSE thunderstorms are forecast to be blowing through Chicago today. Pressure is on the Cub groundscrew, eh? I sure hope they spooled that tarp back correctly.
Today is set up to be a total clusterfuck. And with the team headed to play the Nats tomorrow in Washington, always a challenging place for them to play, it makes me wonder if today’s suspended game is even worth it.
Hey, maybe it will all work out. But my pessimistic side says that this day is going to be more trouble than it’s worth. The last thing the team needs is to play a game and a half with a couple of rain delays before a red eye flight to Washington.
Good luck in Washington. They’ll need it.
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
Not certain I heard this on Twitter or ESPN, but the joke going around is something like this, “The Cubs are the only team that can win a game and then lose that same game.”
By the by, Garrett Richards is down and out for the season (likely) . . . Big blow to the Angels chances in the AL West and my chances in the “Dozen Egg Heads Of Fantasy League.” 🙂
Jeeze Flav, did that alarm clock interrupt a pleasant dream? Flipside is that the Giants bats woke up last night courtesy of the NL’s favorite batting practice pitcher. Maybe that will carry over vs the Cubs’ longman today. Yes, Washington looks daunting. Let’s take one game at a time ~ well, 1.5 today.
I like that. Can one live 1.5 days at a time?
Dodgers lost again. Choking as usual.
Huge T-storms just swept through here. As for the Nats, look at it this way: statistically it is time to lose a few games. Title of Morsecode38’s autobio: Up the Down Escalator. He put up a decent post on Twitter: something like ‘praying for all the people in Ferguson’
Great title, PK…
I seem to remember a book called “Up The Down Staircase” from about a half-century ago…
Bel Kauffman; NYC teacher; recently died; was a movie
“…my pessimistic side…” needs to go on hiatus or some other drug of choice. Any luck Giants could be a game and a half out by tonite.
The suspended will be a pen game, with Petit starting, right? Giants pen vs. Cubs pen, I’ll take my chances. Posey was C that game, so he can do that for 4-5 and then play 1b. Second one is Bum, who dominates on road. This could easily be clean sweep.
Tired of hearing about the burdens of travel on players of today, with their chartered flights, post game spreads, training facilities, yada yada. Sunday double headers (2 complete games) were a norm on getaway days; this is a game and a half, deal with it. Gives mgr chance to get everyone in there–Arias was 2 for 2 in the tarp out. And if wind is blowing out everyone does want to get in there. How many opposite field HRs you think Susac will hit in his career?
Mets yesterday started 5 guys in LU hitting under .230, and f-ing raked the (imo) highly overrated Samardza-f. 7 hits 7 earned 2 HRs and he couldn’t get out of 4th inning, at home. They are in LA this weekend and won’t have to face Opie who takes on Tyson Ross and Pads tonite. Let’s go Mets!
Another storm going through here as I type. Supposed to be TS from here to DC tomorrow, not sure if I’m going to make the drive.
Loo’s mention of W Jabali got me to look some things up to refresh my memory. He did play for Oakland Oaks in ABA (with Rick Barry), won rookie of the year as that team went 60-18 and won league, but they only lasted one more season. Jabali had fine career for many teams in ABA, passed couple years ago.
He was involved in epic 4 OT game vs. Doctor J where Doc got 60 some in losing effort.
I read Erving’s auto bio recently, quite interesting. He came out of playgrounds of Hampstead (spelling?) Long Island and his family moved across town and he went to Roosevelt High. First half of book takes only through HS/college days, 3 years at UMass. For all his wild look and playground style he was actually pretty button down guy and not a militant outspoken type, unlike friends and consorts.
Next chapter is ABA and where his career takes off and the money rolls in (and out). Time in Philly gets glossed over quickly, and post NBA life even quicker. His personal life involves a lot of tragic stuff, loss of family members (including a son), and a lot of kids to support.
Interesting note–he actually signed with Atlanta Hawks and played briefly with Maravich, whom he used to have pitched 1 on 1 battles with after practice. Would have loved to seen those!
I’m glad to hear you followed up on that. I dug Jabali…
yeah he was awesome on that Oakland team I used to watch on local TV. Only pix I saw of him were from later years, but I thought he had pretty good ‘fro going as a rookie. Emphatic left hand dunks too.
It’s all good. It’s the Cubs.
In case you missed it yesterday, oh my.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/nonmlbpa/poseycu99.shtml
Yoikes. Buy the domain name now with his name and sell it to some Eastern Euro pornopreneurs.
And subsequently…
http://baseballhall.org/hof/posey-cum
shows you how smart WE are; I gather any decent baseball historian knew this guy all along; the Homestead Grays were great; is it a wild stretch to say Buster could be a distant-distant relative somehow? Yeah, unlikely.
*Still in on Castillo as of this morning
*Gerrit Cole returned from the DL and hit 100 on the gun. Seems like he’s OK
* Concussed twice and now watching Susac take his job, not good times for Hector
*Oops- Carbonell-0 for 5, 2 Ks last night
* Will it be good ole George today ?
* Who might we see Sept 1? My guess: Kickham, Good Ole George, Brown, Adrianza, Perez, Parker, Strickland ( all are on the 40-man
How about a Pankake breaskfast and a Burger for the game? Vote for the best Minor League player name! “My Guy”-Damien Magnifico or maybe Joan Baez http://www.milb.com/milb/fans/…
* Going, going, gone? Angel V now at .207 110 K in 323 AB
At the time Villalona was put on the 40 after getting cut loose from the Dominican criminal scrutiny, it was reported that happened via some deal whereby in return he dropped his lawsuit against the Giants. Great way to fill out your 40. Anyway, I’d guess when that contracted or wink wink period on the 40 ends, he’ll get the boot…
I have been out of the loop doing the dog agility thing the past couple of days. This evening is the last day of the trial.
I was so damned happy to hear the protest was upheld and they will rightfully finish the suspended game. And I am totally with Dirt re: today’s players and the burden of the travel. Suck it up. And I am sure the Giants are quite happy to be playing a game and a half. Hey, a chance to erase a loss the standings.
Yes, as Dirt mentioned, Petit will “start” for the Giants. Here is a bit of information I found interesting regarding who can/cannot play in today’s resumed game:
From Rule 4.12(c): “The lineup and batting order of both teams shall be exactly the same as the lineup and batting order at the moment of suspension, subject to the rules governing substitution. Any player may be replaced by a player who had not been in the game prior to the suspension. No player removed before the suspension may be returned to the lineup. … A player who was not with the club when the game was suspended may be used as a substitute, even if he has taken the place of a player no longer with the club who would not have been eligible because he had been removed from the lineup before the game was suspended.”
Win two, and a bums loss, and Giants are 1.5 back. I am thinking positive. Make it happen Orange and Black!
I don’t remember posting any of that but hey sounds good to me!
I did some superficial searching of when the delay of game/called game rule came into effect and couldn’t find an exact date. I was wondering if the rule was driven by travel back in the day being pretty much trains and buses and like many baseball rules had just stayed in place without updating. Anyway…
Oops…sorry, it was WillieD who made the comments…not Dirt.
Regardless of how SF passes through this Chicago weather disaster series, when the Giants get there in DC, they’ll be facing the hottest team in baseball. That means either the Nats are due for a loss or two, or the Gyros can lay down like humidity-hammered dogs. I’m looking for at least one Gyro win…
Speaking of 1.5 – this is the potential “best case” scenario . . . Yesterday, we took an ugly loss and we’re 4.5 games back, but then that loss gets removed (at least for now). Last night, we played a great game, the Doghairs lost, and now the number is 3. Today, we have a rare opportunity to take 1.5 games off the Dodgers lead. If we are able to win the suspended game, it trims the dodgers lead to 2.5, and if we win the second game, then the Bums lead is 2, and 1.5 if the Padres are able to win.
Any questions?
By the by, I keep telling you guys to buy B of A . . . I made ________ today (i.e., fill in the blank and it’s more then that) and so I am a very, very happy camper. WARNING: DO YOUR OWN DUE DILIGENCE! 🙂
blade, I continue to be amazed that the Giants are in the playoff hunt (division and WC), despite 2+ months of terrible ball. If they can just stabilize to even slightly above .500 ball the rest of the way, they should be in. None of these contending teams other than the Nats seem destined to win anything. Seems the Nats should be the favs right now to win the NL…
Nats have a good team, so I am not overly optimistic about taking that series. However, we have a chance to do so and that’s all you can ask. Right now, let’s take care of business with the Cubs. Also, HOW ABOUT THAT KID PANIK (another nod to my Flapper bud, Stix)?
Yes, the Nats are probably the odds-on faves to win the NL, but guess what…they were the favorites a few times over the past several seasons. Doesn’t mean shit. Get in the dance and get a hot hand, and anything can happen. 2010 and 2012 are both testiments to this.
The difference between this year and last is that the pitching has only sucked in June, and done very well the rest of the year. The offense has been exactly the same.
Run differential may bore many on the Flap, but it is at the heart of why a team is successful or not.
So it’s not the clutch hitting or lack thereof?
James:
Any wise-ass who wants to dispute your run differential statement can point to the 1960 WS.
I understand it is only a 7 game sample, but as you probably know the Yanks outscored the Pirates 55-27 and lost the series 4-3. Maybe it’s the exception that proves the rule.
Loo, there are season long examples like the 2011 Giants you can point to. There are always deviations that can easily be explained by the randomness of the distributions. Rarely, they can be pretty extreme. But there just isn’t any argument against the general rule.
If SF had to face the Cards in that one game WC playoff in St. Louis, I’d be fine with that. Put Bum out there, he’s nails on the road…
I agree Tom…and commented to that effect a week or so ago. Bum vs. Carpenter.
I guess it’s OK to go to AT & T with a banner or sign that says CUM POSEY!!!
The real mystery is how SF is scoring as much as it is with Posey’s numbers down, no Scutaro, injuries to Pagan and Belt, and a terrible performance by the bench.
Morse has made up for Belt, and Pence and Pablo have been the same, but how are they compensating beyond that? The only things I can come up with are
1. The pitchers have hit much better this year
2. Pagan already has 300 PAs, his total for last year
3. The late infusion of Panik and Susac has bolstered the bench numbers a bit
4. Belt’s limited contribution still counts
Even though Belt’s contribution in May was limited, the power that the three Brandons (Belt, Craw and Hicks) put up in April and May was pretty surprising. I don’t think many people expected 23 HRs and 62 RBIs from that trio. Add in the 11/38 that Morse had in those two months and you get almost half of the 63/236 total for the whole team during that time.
Those sure were some fun months, seems like a very long time ago.
Plenty of teams have won more than they’ve lost with a shitty run differential. Stats are stats. They don’t tell the whole story.
No, “plenty” haven’t.
And the stats certainly explain very well why last year’s team was out of it by now and is in contention in 2014.
I’ve said this before, say you win a game 10-0, and lose the next 4 1-0.
The stats would indicate you are hitting well but you aren’t. Pitching would be fine, you’ve outscored your opponent 10-4 but record sucks.
Both Posey and Pence last year had solid seasons based on their stats, but Posey didn’t hit much of anything after June, and Pence was ice cold July and Aug. Same with Morse this year. Hot start, abysmal few months after that. His averages were fine, but he was underground for 2.5 months.
I wish they’d get on with the .5 game already. Every time I check mlb.com for updated scores, I se
See the same thing:
Giants 0
Cubs 2
5:05 p.m. SUSP
And 3 night games @ Wrigley? Don’t they play day games ther anymore?
And the lights there really suck. From the CF camera it looks like they’re playing in the dark.
Yeah, overall I really don’t pay much attention to the stats such as run differential, etc. Like I said before. You get into the dance and get a hot hand for a couple of weeks, and anything can happen…damned be the stats.
Agree with this statement. How else can you explain what happened to us in 2012? How about Dirty Sanchez winning on the last day of the season in 2010. Sure, I do believe in this definition of luck (actually, part of my philosophy), “Luck is where preparation meets opportunity.”
However, not everything can be explained by science or math . . . Even Einstein admitted as much (I wont explain this – you need to know about Einstein’s theory of relativity, the inadequate “Big Bang Theory,” etc.).
I like that quote, Steve. “Luck is where preparation meets opportunity.”
ty chi
Andrew Baggarly @CSNBaggs 8m
Smart move. Expecting to be here all night, #sfgiants are sending Tim Hudson to DC early so he’ll be rested to start vs. Nats tomorrow.
Has there been any confirmation from local scribes on the mlb rumors Giants are seriously pursuing Castillo and prepared to spend 55-60M? Not like Sabean to get onto a bidding war with Yanks and Sox. I’ll be very surprised if they get him.
Maybe Belt being out they are going to splurge and go with Morse at 1b? Ishi can sub in the 6th-7th inning . Then next yr Pagan moves to LF?
Does it mean they pass on the Panda?
“Luck,” “chance,” “fortune,” “catching or not catching breaks,” etc. is an important part of baseball. I remember in the 2010 World Series when the Ranger’s hitter (Kinsler?) hit that deep drive that hit on top of the fence, not the top of the fence, but ON TOP of the fence, and the ball bounced back in play, and the runner was held to a double, and then didn’t score, and the Giants went on to win the game. It just felt like a really big moment; like the Giants were FINALLY catching the breaks we had waited decades for. Sure, talent and performance were a big part, obviously, but you gotta catch some breaks, too. It can be a maddening part of the game sometimes, but sometimes it finally works out.
Agree Zum, I think the 2012 playoffs is a good example of that as well as 2010. Broken bat hits a ball three times to change it’s direction, balls rolling down the chalk but not going foul etc. I think having what seemed like most of the breaks go our way, assisted us in winning all those elimination games. They sure didn’t hurt us.
In addition to Hudson flying to Washington ahead of the team, the team also brought up Kontos as the 26th man. I asked my friend Mike about this…not sure how it works, but assuming that the teams can bring up one additional person in situations like this. Anyone have the details on this?
No, but I don’t believe it.
Chance also largely explains why two teams can score and allow the same number of runs over the course of 162 games and finish with different records.
Speaking of chance, I remember trading a 1965 Dean Chance baseball card straight up to another kid on the block for a slightly bent Juan Marichal card. Robbed him on that one. Tomorrow is 49 years since the Roseboro brawl.
Born 10 years too late, although I wouldn’t have liked my chances of missing military service.
I guess most of you know it’s raining in Chicago and the tarp is on the field…
Maybe they can get Tom DeLay to throw out the first (or is it second?) pitch.
Gerald “Glass” Posey says he’s good to go and will play both games.
You can probably forget about the games being played today. lqtm about the continuation of this game starts off in a rain delay? Anywho, a friend of a friend sent me this photo of the current conditions outside Wrigley Field . . . https://scontent-a-pao.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/t1.0-9/s720x720/10636239_10100417175469079_4969501638233371609_n.jpg?oh=d19f87565c45ef2e6e1a22cec307b432&oe=5476EFD5
If they start this suspended game, then it is rained out, it becomes an official game, so the Giants should do everything to at least tie it ASAP. I think the best thing is for the rain to just come down and blowout the whole night. Deal with these two Cubs games later, if needed. From the sound of the KNBR broadcast, they’ll be lucky to get the suspended game in. If they start a second game way late, that seems insane since the Giants have to fly to DC for tomorrow nights opener vs Nats. There must be some rule in the CBA about such a situation…
CBA Appendices (small print) . . . Free whores and liquor on charter flights which depart later then 1am.
They still have that tie game to finish against Col., too.
Latest Belt info from the Baby Giraffe’s mouth.
Seems positive, after meeting with a specialist. Vision issues sounds pretty serious to me, yikes. My guess is he’s probably done for the year, which sucks…
http://www.mccoveychronicles.com/2014/8/21/6054693/brandon-belt-concussion-radio-interview
Yeah, hard to be encouraged but it sounds like it’s not the brain and he sounds pretty positive about it.
Per Pavlovic, tarp is coming off. Game at 6?
Suspended game is underway, Petit strikes out the side bottom 5th…
I’m listening. Did Pablo really just try to bunt?
Panik in a pinch!
Just that shit is why Pablo bunting was a stupid idea, The guy would have to lay a almost perfect bunt down to get on. He is up there to hit away, Krukow was full of shit on it being a good idea.
Starlin Castro gone from Cubs – bereavement.
Chicago sun-times says car crash in Dominican apparently killed some family members…
I saw a Noah’s Ark-type photo on Twitter and figured, here we go again, but include me out. Then POW! I see a Panik PH, a run, and Petitization by strikeout. Yow. We can do it.
Loo, I used to teach and a vice principal would pantomime the Marichal attack as I checked my mailbox in the main office. Just to rile me up.
interesting…..
Andrew Baggarly @CSNBaggs 7m
Tying run as important as a go-ahead run for Giants. If it starts pouring and game can’t be resumed today, it’ll be called and Cubs win.
Buster looked like shit on that at bat.
you know who sucks (when I watch him or play him?). Mike Trout. Fucker strikes out every time I watch him play or goes 0-4 every time I play him in a day game. Hate him.
Adding insult to injury, he usually costs $5200 on FD. Fuck that noise. Ironically, the same thing is going on with Miggie . . . He started out really slow this season and his HR totals are way down.
he says he still isn’t recovered from off season groin surgery. Apparently Verlander had a simliar procedure done and Miggy says Verlander hasn’t fully recovered either.
No shit? I had no idea about this surgery (and believe me, I try to keep up with that shit for FL), nor did I know it was bothering him.
I’d have a groin injury too, if I were wrestling around with Kate Upton…
One more chance, but I’m more confident with bottom of order coming up.
Me too.
A galling loss, redux.
Hey. we didn’t get shut out.
Hey Snarkk, how is the recovery going? Come close to shitting your pants yet?
Not yet. Not even close. Total opposite.
Give it a week. Your still coming off the pain meds, (Which have the opposite effect) and your probably careful about what you eat. I was in the same boat…Then one day about a week and half later, I hit Buffalo Wild Wings during a business trip. I thought I would ” test the waters” so to speak. Big mistake. I barely made it back to my hotel room…It takes a while to hit you, but when it does…
Yeah, I’m having veg broth soups with boiled chicken, veggies, and fruits. Oatmeal breakfast, fake eggs, not steak and fried eggs. Gradually coming off the vicodin. I’m staying away the first few weeks from fat like it’s poison, and then I’ll gradually ratchet up the oil intake to see what happens. I’ll give the Wild Wings a miss… 😉
“getting close to shitting your pants yet?”
“Not even close. Total opposite”
Now THIS is the reason I set this blog up in the first place. So we can have unfettered baseball debates like this.
Just kidding, this exchange had me laughing out loud, by myself.
Keep on laughing, BF. Why not, life’s too short not to at this kind of crap. I actually found my little situation weirdly amusing today at lunch. I picked up my daughter from driver’s ed class, and treated her to lunch. She had a super good looking grilled cheese with salad. I had a glass of apple juice and plateful of envy…
I am the dumbest shit in the bay area.
Congrats!
Blade– regarding our discussion up above:
http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on-baseball/24622121/miguel-cabrera-admits-to-not-being-fully-recovered-from-groin-surgery
Thanks Flav.
I hope MadBum brought his bat, ’cause he ain’t got much else.
He did.
So did Buster!
Yes he did.
I’m tired of feeling so lonely. I need a life. I think I’ll go troll a Giants blog like a fucking idiot until I get banned everywhere on the internet. Wake up tomorrow and repeat my sad, tired life again.
Sounds like a plan douchebag.
Stick your head in a toilet bowl. Take big gulps. Problem solved.
11 hits to 3 hits in the first game. Jesus, how do you lose a game when you have 11 hits and the opposition has 3?
Crazy. They had at least one baserunner in all but one inning.
The ump was in the right position there at least.
Bum should be the go to RH pinch hitter…
Anyone else getting a terrible audio feed on CSN.
A friend told me that Comcast lost it’s feed and patched the K&K audio with the Cubs video. Not sure if that’s what you’ve got going, I’m getting the Cubs feed here on mlb.com.
Nice AB by Morse there. Got em in
wow, nice work. Love that pitch, the f-ing high hard one, and I ain’t seen a Cub touch one off Bum in 3 innings..
Freaking country hard ball. Hit this, mofo.
whoa……
Kirk Hammett and Jesus having a moment!
Morse taking the part of John the Baptist.
I thought about going John the Baptist as well!
Whew! With Charlton Heston no longer vertical i can see future Hollywood roles for the Very Most High Reverend UnderPants.
The Undertaker is a Bad Ass. Gives up back to back jacks in the first and regroups to shut em down through 7 with 12 punch-outs.
San Dawg: How long ago was it when i first called Country Boy from Bumtown, Carolina “Undertaker”? He still gets that game face on but i had clear forgotten the term. Obviously your memory glands are not sagging as badly as mine.
I’m gonna say 4 years ago. You came up with a great nickname for him and I seem to recall others thought so as well. I try to work it in every now and then.
Can’t remember seeing Bumgarner so pumped.
On Yahoo there was a story I read today from WSJ about decline in Cubs attendance. Story noted that at a recent home game attendance was listed as 30 thou (tickets sold) but in reality wasn’t even 20K in the seats.
Also noted was that Cubs had 3rd highest ticket prices in all of baseball…couple that with product on the field and most bloggers commenting on story had little good to say about ownership (Ricketts) or mgmt. (Epstein).
Two guys with the easiest jobs in the world. Bassist for U2 and Javier Lopez.
Man, might have caught him when he’s heavily sedated, but don’t get Snarkk started on Lopez re: how much he makes/often he actually works.
Hi yo Vicodin!
Gnite Flappers …
😉
I know Casilla got a clean save in his last outing, but he’s been scary inconsistent prior to that (giving up 4 runs in his last 3 appearances; then prior to that, a clean save and then inconsistency again, with 1 run, and 2 runs given up).
Alright!
Real nice win. Wasn’t looking so good for a while there. Maybe Buster is coming alive.
Next, DC win streak is going down.
Posey says Glass this.
I’m in the disappointed group myself, so I hope he can keep rolling.
Before tonite he had 5th best slugging on team (counting 185 ABs of Belt).
Road stats look great this year—he’s hitting .323 with an OPS of .865, but only .239 at home.
Both overall slugging and OPS down from last year, when he finished poorly after AS break.
Hope tonite leads to a break out of different sort and those overall numbers more closely resemble road ones.
Yeah, I’ve been down on him lately too. However, it was very encouraging that his 4 knocks occurred while he was catching. Hopefully, he keeps it up in DC. However, the entire Giants line up is going to have its collective hands filled going against Fister tomorrow. He doesn’t strike out many batters, but he rarely walks anyone. Couple that with an outstanding ERA and WHIP, we’ll be in trouble if we allow him to get comfortable early. Go Giants!
REVRETT!!!!
Goodnight, gentlemen (?)