Wanting To Be More Than A Wild Card
There are a lot of games that, on paper, don’t really interest me.
Tonight is not one of those games….
Game on.
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A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
I woke up at 4 freaking AM to watch the sunrise at Angor Wat, along with hundreds of other insomniacs. Well worth it, albeit, I might have given myself another couple of days to adjust to lingering jet lag. It is evening here and I am beat – Tomorrow will definitely be a low energy day. I must have lost 10lbs in body fluids today and drinking 5 bottles of water didn’t even keep up. The humidity is off the charts and mosquitos are the size of small birds (seriously). Fortunately, DEET works here, just like it does in Canada, Minnesota, and Alaska, where their brethren also hang out. Ha. A post with plenty of photos is on the way in the next few days . . .
So, half way around the world – millions of Cambodians wait breathlessly for the Giants Dodgers match up. OK, OK, one intrepid traveling Giants fan waits for this series to begin . . . 🙂
GO GIANTS!
Awesome. Glad you made it safe and sound, Steve. Looking forward to those picts and accompanying words…and of course, you need to be rocking some Giants gear in some of those photos. Enjoy my friend, be safe, and happy trails. GO GIANTS!
Her gonna kill me Chi, but I didn’t pack any GMen gear, especially the heavy polyester jerseys (that don’t breath well in extreme humidity). 😉
Thx to Loo for the box score of 21 inning game in ’67. I love reading through stuff like this. No recall of this game at all, but many cool players.
Jesus Alou, not exactly prototypical leadoff guy, with Haller batting second. Gaylord goes 16 shutout innings, gotta wonder how often noted red ass Dave Bristol was yelling about stuff on the ball.
Herman Franks as mgr. Nobody I knew liked that guy, who wasn’t exactly svelte.
Reds with the all Oakland top of the order, Tommy Harper and Vada Pinson. Reds reliever Abernathy first guy I ever remember with the underhand delivery, and he was really good.
Should be great series this week, back to classic LA/SF rivalry games of long ago. Watching them in 60s was always special, lot of good players who knew each other well and went all out to win.
SF ground crews went all out to win in those days too, watering down IF and basepaths.
Mac wasn’t above laying on aggressive tags to Wills as he dove back into first base on pickoff attempts either.
Good stuff.
Glad you liked it, Willedav. Perry was the ultimate workhorse and from what I’ve read as fierce a competitor as there ever was. I think the only prototypical leadoff guy the Giants ever had was Brett Butler. I loved Pinson, too.
He would’ve easily beaten out McCovey for ’59 ROY but I think he just missed the cutoff. I remember having Abernathy’s baseball card as a kid and thinking how ugly he was.
Were you as stunned as I was when the Giants traded Haller to LA for Ron Hunt and Pee Wee Oliver?
I can’t even watch the Stanton video.
It was nice seeing the sweep yesterday even if the Diamondbacks are a terrible team.
Orange Friday baby. Let’s Go Giants!
That Brewers-Marlins game was something else. Stanton, horrifically hit in the face…. and it was a called a swinging strike. To me, watching the video, the ball hit his face well before he “went around” (defensive swing had started, but the bat had not gone through the zone). Next pitch to the batter who took Stanton’s place: hit him on the wrist, and called a swinging strike 3, even though video seemed to show the ball hit his wrist well before he “went around”. These “swings” clearly were defensive in nature. Hard ball coming fast to my body, I’m swinging the bat too, even though really there’s no physical chance in hell my bat swing will hit that ball before it hits my body. Is it just me, or was that umpiring completely fucked up? How do you call a batter out on strikes when both of them, as one, were hit by pitches high and tight before the bat went through the zone? Man, if I’m the Marlins, I am storming the castle of MLB demanding an explanation……
On the other hand: What a glorious weekend of baseball in San Francisco, best city in the US. Good things this weekend, I think.
One of things to watch in growth of Panik in 2 hole is how he handles himself with Pagan on 1b. Yesterday first 2 times up he hit ball in the air and failed to advance him and is 0-7 since big night. This is critical skill and something that might take time for him to figure out where the holes are on the IF, where he’s being pitched, and what to do in that situation. Also has to figure out how/when to take pitches to allow Pagan chance to read a pitcher’s move and steal a bag. Complicated skill set that will change given game situation.
As to Belt, I hope he can get back into it this year with obvious caveat he is OK. If you told him to just shut it down and wait til next spring I think he’d be pretty pissed. You have to hope he is being honest as to how he really feels and realizes seriousness and impacts of what happened and his future.
Tough day for Panik yesterday. He did manage to draw a walk in the 6th and score so he can take a positive from the game but as you say he was putting everything in the air. He made some good plays on the defensive side too. It’s a big test in the pressure cooker this weekend for Panik and Susac (I assume he’ll get a game behind the plate).
Really need Sandoval to step it up this weekend.
PaBlo’s future with SF may depend on that.
hmmm, maybe. Personally, I think he’ll be back.
Wow. It’s here. First of two very important series. Love it that the Giants and bums are playing an important series in September. Two adversaries with over a hundred years of history squaring off toe-to-toe.
I have a good feeling about this series.
BEAT LA! Orange and Black Forever – GO GIANTS!
I agree on WillieD’s synopsis of Panik. He is young, and does seem fairly dialed-in for as few games he has played at this level. It will be interesting to see him mature, and hopefully make adjustments as WD mentioned. I think the kid will make the adjustments and will be a solid ballplayer and hold down 2nd for the Giants for many years.
Conventional wisdom says tonight is critical game for Gmen with their ACE on the hill and Kershaw Sunday. Good tidea to jump on Ryu early.
The Ace sets the pace. Way to start a series. If Carolina Country is on tonight it could set the pace for the entire playoff run.
I agree, Salt. EVERY game is HUGE at this juncture, but I do think it important to win the first game tonight, and set the tone for this series, and rest of the season (let them know there is a new Sheriff in town, and he doesn’t wear the hated blue, either).
I can appreciate how great a pitcher Perry was, but from all you hear, he pretty much was an a-hole. And involved in hazing of rookies, and all that. I really despise the whole concept of hazing. I’ve been reading a really good biography of the author Robert Heinlein, and early in the book it describes the hazing he went through as a first-year student in the U.S. Naval Academy. All the pointless, sadistic crap he endured, for what? And it was pretty much allowed by the authorities in those days. I’m guessing not so much today.
Bill Walsh was very ANTI-hazing. He felt that a rookie is being expected to play like a vet, so he should be treated as such. What little bit of hazing there was under his watch was very minor stuff, like rookies having to sing their college song before a meal. Very mild. I always respected Walsh’s take on that whole thing. And what do you know…..he built one of the most successful dynasties in sports history. Coincidence? I think not.
And Perry won squat, as far as championships are concerned.
Think we have to assume this specialist in Pitt wouldn’t leave anything to chance. If there was even a hint of a problem, he’d shut Belt down. And Belt has been forthcoming when not feeling completely right. So I’m confident he’s ok.
The Question is how effective will he be over the next few weeks. His strength, fitness and timing might take awhile to get back.
Once again, the giants medical prognosis on a player was overly optimistic. Morse was supposed to be good for the Dback series….now he will miss the Dodger series and is still only at 50% swinging range….
At the time, I predicted a much longer stint out. Obliques typically take 3-4 weeks, and Morse is a very violent swinger of the bat, so it has to really heal, or the chance is good for a regression. I’m guessing he won’t be back for at least another 10 days. They haven’t seemed to miss him much, so I see no need to rush it…
In separate Orange and Black baseball news from the right coast, Chris Davis of the O’s has been suspended for 25 games for using amphetamines. I know the dude has hit a ton of bombs, but did not know that his BA was only .196 until I read the article.
Was adderall. Dumb.
I don’t follow them, but Orioles seem like a good bet to get bounced from the playoffs early with all the guys they have lost.
Gonna be in San Francisco (staying at the Fairmont for a conference) next weekend (Tues-Fri on business) and then my dad is coming to stay with me in the city over the weekend. Playing TPC Harding Park on Wed…Thank God it’s a four man scramble since I haven’t played golf since July 4th….Only thing that would make the week better, would have been if the Giants were in town…Can’t wait to get back to my city by the baaaay. Whoaaa oooo ooooah.
you going out any of those nights? Or are you still drinking warm milk with Snarkk and wistfully looking back on the days when you still had a GB. “gall bladder.” That almost sounds like a made up name for a fake organ.
Sheezus, we can meet up in the City and compare punctured navels. I haven’t played golf since November 4th. November 4, 2010…
I am back to normal. Drinking like David Crosby after a liver transplant. I probably will be busy during the week, but may be able to meet for a drink on Friday or Sat night. Not sure what my evenings look like during the week at this point.
I haven’t played golf since…since…fuck, it has been so long, I cannot even remember the last time I played.
They use round golf balls now Chi.😃
Round?! WTF…it has been a long time!
Today’s LA Times had a sports feature on the prolonged slump little Puiggy happens to be in currently. Let’s hope it stays that way the rest of the month. Without him the LaBumbos offense is lacking that extra pizzazz. From the tone of the coverage the best part of the whole thing is that Donny is pretty strapped when it comes to replacing the Cuban with someone more steady like Ethier. Fans and ownership would eat him alive.
Second focus for positive vibes is that Bumbos’ infield defense, tight-focussed on HanRam. Comedy of errors the other evening. Here’s where the speed of Pagan and Blanco + Brown as a pinch-runner in late innings could come into play.
What was up with all the HBPs last night? Colon plunked two Nats after serving up homers, and got tossed after the second one in the 4th. Jeter was hit on the elbow, and Headley took one on the chin to start the Yanks’ comeback in the 9th. And of course Stanton being the worst of them all.
I also enjoyed the box score Loo posted yesterday. Check out that Reds lineup: Pete Rose batting 3rd and Johnny Bench batting 7th. And Gaylord going 16. Perry did an autograph signing during the local minor league team’s game here in Jersey a while ago, I would’ve liked to have gone but couldn’t make it that night
LET’S GO GIANTS!
Against this tough Doghair starting corps, I’ll advocate ahead of time for some bunts for hits and sacs. Uribe isn’t the most mobile of 3rd basemen, and covering at 3rd, Ramirez isn’t the greatest either. Make these guys make a play, where one run can make the difference…
I agree that winning the first game tonite would be a huge deal for the Giants. Get on Ryu early, and get into the Dodger middle pen, pour it on. Bumgarner should be stoked and ready to rock. Puig, shmuig. Throw him junk from the get go, out of the zone. If anybody throws him a fastball even near the zone, they should be thrown into the Cove…
Perry is almost always in Scottsdale for spring training doing signings (had him and Vida Blue sign my hat during one of those years, and also got a picture snapped of me with Gaylord). Perhaps I get him to sign a ball at a future ST. He was pretty much all business but would chat it up a bit. Part of that, I am sure, is the number of folks waiting to get a picture taken with him, or an autograph, etc.
Can’t think of anything to say about this series that has not already been said except
GO GIANTS. win 2-3 and it will be game on for the race for the division title!!
Snots is locked in right now, see him easily taken down these bums.
He’s only second to Kershaw as the best LHP and unfortunatley 2nd for the Cy Young.He will toss a shutout tonight!
Two of three would be plausable, but a sweep would be sweet. That third game has a two game swing, and is the difference between down a game and up a game. I said a thread or two back that I think the Giants need to take 5 of 6 in the two series with the bums. Sweeping them at home seems a tough sell, so I am hoping that those brooms used yesterday are needed come Sunday.
NL rank through Wed. games:
BA : Dodgers .261 (2nd), Giants .257 (4th)
Runs : Giants 612 (4th), Dodgers 605 (6th)
HR : Giants 121 (6th), Dodgers 111 (12th)
ERA : Dodgers 3.25 (3rd), Giants 3.42 (5th)
Opp.BA : Dodgers .238 (1st), Giants .241 (t-3rd)
I’m not as sold as some on the importance of the 1st game – few weeks back, the Dodgers lost the opening game of a 4-game set to the Angels and my die-hard Angels fan friend was all over me. I took my lumps, quietly simmering on the other end of the phone call – Dodgers took the next 3.
Nice stats. I hadn’t realized it was so close.
Angels fans are the worst aren’t they? Right after dodger fans.
Actually, most Angels fans I know are pretty laid-back. Not the one I mentioned above though – he’s very passionate and extremely knowledgeable of the game – he’s not a typical Angels fan.
R: You left out the WHIP in the pitching stats. In that category SF holds a strong league lead. Also the Giants are a far stronger defensive team. Superior pitching and defense usually wins two games of every three.
2 of 3 would be good Chi, but Fuck LA I’m greedy and want a sweep!!!
Last 10 home games the starters have K’d 77and have given up only 12 walks with an era of 1.00 !!! Mighty impressive and Bum will continue that trend tonight!
Orange&Black and don’t look back!
When Bochy said they hoped to have Morse back by the Dodger series, I was thinking: come on Giants, now you’re just sounding like Baghdad Bob, everone’s iconic image of someone being insanely optimistic. The Giants fans are onto this game totally now. Snarkk and others were right on; the Giants are just insulting our intelligence now.
I guess I’d better get my sleep in now. Or other nocturnal activities. Wish I was at tonight’s game. I have two Syracuse peeps there. (And tomorrow; he just got tix.) I’ve never been to SF-LA. Is it WS atmosphere? Or more menacing or tense?
It used to be the only reason to GO to a Giants game. Back in the bad old days, The Expos would draw 1,200 people, but you’d get 25,000 to 30,000 for a Dodger game . . .
Well, anything can happen. Greinke might be more beatable than Ryu. So win tonight and not have to beat Kershaw to win the series. We all know how tough he is especially here.
Curious what Bochy does with lineup against the lefty. LHB are hitting higher (.272)/ against hyung than Rh (.248). Probably 1b the only change.
Duvall, Arias or Posey?
Arias? The only way he sees the field is from the dugout.
Well, he’s hitting .346 for the second half. And a .294 lifetime hacker off lhp. Brett P Duvall not doing much. So unless you start Susac….
I concur with Twin in that I do not see this as a MUST WIN series [not exactly his words, though]. Many permutations to the season remain. My HOPE, not a prediction, is that the Giants are so hot they will steamroll any team on the planet and any pitcher, no matter how improbable. Think 2010 vs. Cliff Lee. 2012 vs. Verlander. Improbable wins. Beat Kershaw!
Twinfan is the eternal optimist, even when they are 10 back with 10 to play. 🙂
Right. The only thing they can’t afford to do is get swept. Winning one would leave them 3 back. Not terrible, but I’d prefer 2 of three or (gasp) a sweep.
Well, yeah, mathmatecally they don’t need to win two or sweep. But the difference between winning and losing that third game, as I mentioned earlier, is a two game swing. That is big…especially this late in the season.
Yep, cannot be swept, or it’s WC time…
I think the first time I heard the words “wild card” was on the old show Concentration hosted by Hugh Downs.
Agree with Twin, Pawlie and Rooster (WTF? Rooster?) that this series isn’t the end all, be alll. Important yes, but I remember Dirty winning a must win game on the last day of the season. Consequently, as Chi likes to say – Until that fat bitch is done singing her song, we’re still in it.
Take ’em one at a time, fellas.
You guys need to brush up on your cliches.
Spend a day or two with Jeter and you’ll have ’em all down…
Game’s on MLB Network if that helps anyone.
Of course you might have to wait till the 4 hour AL game is over first…
And the MLB.tv free game of the day is . . . San Diego at Arizona!
Rooster– I hope you got your posting issues sorted out. Please email me if you didn’t. You are always welcome to post here– you don’t mind taking the ribbing and don’t ever seem to mind taking it from us. Same with Sandy who I wish posted here more often. You guys are the only two Dodger fans who I don’t know who I actually like. 🙂
As to this game, I could see anything happening. Pitchers duel, high scoring, whatever. I’m leaning towards the pitchers duel as that seems the obvious outcome but lefties are weirdos and they pick odd times to throw in stinkers….
I also think tonight’s game is the most important one of the series, for the Giants, by far…..
Baggs tweets: “Since B.Belt passed his concussion tests, #SFGiants could activate him tonight, have him available for defense only. Hitting will take time.”
That’s crazy. If Belt’s not ready for everything — hitting, fielding, baserunning — he shouldn’t be playing.
Hell, on D he could take a bad hop grounder into his dome. So, I agree. Be ready to play all parts of the game, or not at all…
How does Chris Davis of the O’s get a 25 game suspension for amphetamines? I thought the first time bust for PEDs yields 50 games?…
OK, I just read Jason Stark on this. Davis tested positive for Adderall (he forgot to renew his prescription, uh huh) . But, under the CBA, the first positive for amphetamines means re-testing and slap on the wrist follow up testing. A second positive test yields 25 games. So, as far as I can tell, this is his SECOND screw up for this. I’d like to know the % of MLB players on Adderall under prescription use. Has to be large. What a joke…
They speed up amphetamine suspensions…
Snarkk, Davis got busted a second time for a stimulant, not PEDs. A second violation is 25 games. Here’s the policy, go to page 22: http://mlb.mlb.com/pa/pdf/jda.pdf
Plus they already have Ishikawa for defense at the initial sack…
They COULD activate him, and they very may will, but not to play tonight. Bochy said a week to 10 days.
So what would he do? Scrub somebody’s back in the shower?
I remember reading an article last year about Crush Davis talking down to everyone about how clean he is. I remember thinking, “if that dude gets busted he’s going to look like the jackasses of all jackasses.” I need to go find that article just to make sure I’m remembering this correctly.
Not sure the O’s will miss Davis’ MLB-leading 173 Ks: The Orioles are 72-55 this season with Davis and 14-4 without him.
The pro leagues taking a hint from politicians on how to handle bad news. Release it on late Friday afternoon. Adrian Peterson indicted for beating on his son, then the first place O’s have their power dude suspended for amphetamines. Good thing they don’t test for caffeine. Apparently Hunter Pence would test out like a 200 pound sack of Italian Roast Espresso…
I don’t think this was the article where he brazenly challenged dope testers to test him but it’s still a pretty good article to show what a jackass this guy is
http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on-baseball/22650670/chris-davis-views-roger-maris-as-the-singleseason-home-run-king
That’s awesome. I don’t know who’s the bigger schmuck: Davis, or the writer who said, “I’ll continue to defend Davis against the intellectually lazy here. His answers definitely sound like those of a clean player . . . “
Further proof of my thesis that we can’t/don’t know who is doing or not doing anything in MLB. As far as we know, the entire league could have individual Adderall prescriptions. I don’t suspect anyone in particular for doing greenies, Adderall, PEDs, HGH, whatever. I just don’t rule out anyone. If players got tested for amphetamines in the 50s through 70s, hell, probably most of the HOFers that played during that period would have flunked drug tests…
more Crush Davis bullshit
http://thebiglead.com/2013/07/15/chris-davis-has-37-homers-at-the-all-star-break-and-never-failed-a-drug-test-shouldnt-we-trust-him/
I take that back.
One guy in MLB I would bet has NOT been on Adderall is Allan Huber Selig…
I hope Boch is a genius.
Arias playing 1b in a critical game down the stretch? Why not Posey there, and Susac catching? Susac has caught Bum before. Do you want Arias batting 3x in this game, or Susac — they’re both RHBs against the LHP Ryu. Somebody ‘splain this to me…
Arias is 3 for 8 lifetime against him how’s that for an explanation
I still want Susac hitting, easily. There’s matchup history and there’s paying attention to who’s been slugging the ball recently against everybody. Like I said, maybe Boch and his matchup mania will prove genius. I hope Arias goes 2 for 3 and knocks in 3…
I said earlier they might go Arias and I think it comes down to them wanting Posey’s exp and presence behind the plate. No idea what the stats say, but big game, don’t you want a 2/time WS winner, MVP’s back there? Also, Bum may feel more in sync with Buster as well. At 1b his contribution is limited.
I hope Arias does well, too, but it’s not pleasant to watch him play firstbase. He plays firstbase like he’s on roller skates.
I would have started Duvall and hope he runs into a pitch and maybe puts one in the leftfield bleachers.
Arias is also hitting .368 in Sept and is a career .294 hitter against LHP.
Now, of course he could go 0-4 with 3/k’s, make an error….
3 for 8? Statistically, that’s meaningless. Absurd sample size.
having noted that, I don’t have a problem with the LU. Susac > Arias is not something I’m interested in arguing. And Posey behind the plate is a good thing for Bum.
Latest rundown on Belt from Giants Extra at the merc. Free Brandon!
Watching end of Indians-Tigers on MLB Network so they can switch to Giants. Why is Jason Giambi still playing?
I’ve often wondered stuff like that. More so with the guys who made a bunch of $ but keep bouncing around the minor leagues.
I guess playing in the major leagues is ALL it’s cracked up to be. If you don’t really have anything else to do and you are still paid to do it, why not?
Down 8-1 with 2 outs in the 9th, Giambi walked, then chugged all the way home on a double in R-C gap. Might be the first time in 10 years he went from 1st to home.
Correction, down 7-1.
Looking forward to this Bum-Puig faceoff to start the game. I’m really excited to watch this game
idiotic review that we will lose.
Man that was fucking close.
Tough call, that went against us, damn Puig!!
Dumb challenge…
It’s so dumb that at this point in the year, knowing what we know about how replay is working, to fucking challenge an obvious tie at 2nd base.
Looked out to me
possibly. But you don’t challenge that.
Yeah you are definitely right about that
If it’s close early in the game, let it go. Gotta keep your challenge powder dry in case you need it for a royal screw up…
I’m actually fine with teams losing their challenge. If they use it stupidly, they deserve to lose it.
We’ll got out of it, losing the challenge could come back to bite us in the ass though.
Bochy was basically told by his own guy in the dugout that it was a tie, with a palms up shrug and he still challenged it. Doesn’t make sense.
What a sweet swing Joe, takin pitches then raking!
Yeah. I want runs early!
Kid is erasing all doubt.
Strike first!
Woo-hoo! Panik and Posey…
And, Pence!…
Posey’s seriously En Fuego
Again!
Scully laying in to Puig.
love that throw home…with no chance at runner or cut off
That a boy Buster!!
Another smoking double.
Pence rockin a hit and heads up play as Puig fucks up the cutoff!
Arias 4-for-9 vs. Ryu!
Arias….
We’ll we can’t argue the Arias start now, 4-8 In Bochy we trust!
Bochy, friggin genius starting Arias… 😉
Arias. lol. I’m glad I qualified my earlier comment with my 7:12.
Hey, in the box score, that’s an RBI and he hit the damn cover off that ball… 😉
Let’s pour it on here…
R YU kidding?
Damn, lefties acquitting themselves nicely tonight.
If U can hit, you must acquit…
Ryu not ready for prime time tonight.
Maybe a sit-com, Blue Beak…
Killer P’s and B’s!