Trying to Get to 1.5 Out
While we rest up today, I call on the Cubs to rise up and do what they did for us back in 2010.
The good news: The Dodgers have the worst VMI number on the board today (-21.73).
The bad news: They are facing T. Wada who is just not a very good pitcher.
If you want to learn more about the fascinating impact of visual memory index on hitters and pitchers, check out this site:
http://www.baseballvmi.com/fantasy-baseball-index-sports-weather
I am going to trust in guys like Javier Baez and Jorge Soler to stay hungry and focused, not get intimidated by Zach Greinke, and do enough to beat the reeling Dodgers like the drum that they are…..
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
Fuckers dodged (excuse the pun) a bullet missing Jake Arrieta turn in the Cubs rotation.
It is so great to be back, in the town of my team wearing orange and black.
I now hate every friend that does not have comcast.
Be those seats ever so dear, I can smell a home game coming near.
Go, Gigantes!
Off Day Mutterings
* Not to make light of it but the inspiration for Doonesbury’s Cocoa Butter Classic has passed away- George Hamilton dies at 77.
* Brandon McCarthy tosses an immaculate inning- strikes out Ruth, Gehrig, and Meusel on 9 pitches. Oh, you want to be picky, do you? OK, it was Wil Myers, Nick Franklin and Matt Joyce. Are you happy now?
* It’s a great honor- for the first time “Yelp” will be publishing diner reviews of the cuisine in private homes. Zeke loved the Turkey By Product Pate but Mickey was less enamored of the Flaked Savory Salmon. At least stray cat reservations have fallen off.
* Bochy is coming around- he says that Duffy is a semi-professional hitter
*I talked about contributions from everybody in a playoff chase so I want to thank Sergio for the 5 bucks he sent me.
*We’re all waiting for Morse to get back. We’ve been lacking a semi-amateur fielder.
*Don’t you think that off days should be banned in September? Merna always has a chore list for me. Like “Do something for a change”…
I got the wrong Hamilton. It was the singer George Hamilton IV. I *thought* the dude looked a little pasty.
I feel like I’m reading Herb Caen.
Sorry. I’ll work on my Glen Dickey 😉
Herb Caen. Haven’t heard that one in a while. My brother goes through his old articles quite often. He found one mentioning my grandfather who was SFPD and died in service. I never knew him but it was a pretty amazing thing for my pops.
Maybe Cubs really are, finally, building something worth watching. Beat LA mofos!
A’s now 2 games ahead of Seattle tied with Royals for WC after dropping another one to Texas. Ouch.
Great column yesterday by Jenkins on contrasting styles of Beane and Sabes. He points out that SF has 18 homegrown players on current extended roster team, including entire IF when Belt healthy. A’s have 2, total.
Jenkins goes on to make a point about revolving door of players and how it relates to fan base. He quotes a couple A’s fans who realize no one is sticking around (like Cespedes) very long, where Giants for good or bad, will re-sign and pay their star (or lesser) players.
And it isn’t just about money. As Jenkins notes, “…the A’s make a ton of money and have an obscenely wealthy co-owner in John Fisher…” Sabes stuck with his guys and made one very astute deal in trading couple AAA guys Escobar and Hembree for Peavy. Beane seems to add someone every week. See how this plays out.
I’ve been a bit down on Sabean this year but his Peavy move is proving to be good. It will be interesting to watch the Sandoval decision play out this off season. I hope the club holds on to Belt.
The first Jenkins article I read through in a while. Thanks for the heads up
http://tinyurl.com/laestum
Have there been any post trade deadline waiver deals this year? I thought there would be lots of ’em.
I wonder what happened.
D*****head has been banned?
Quick take on a comment at the end of the last thread, bascially bagging on Morse, and Pagan. Yes, Morse sucks balls in the OF, but remember, we are not having this conversation about chasing down the bums at the end of this season without his earlier contributions. On Pagan, yep, the dude is injury prone, but without him, take away one of the WS trophies and forget about post-season talk this year. It is what it is. All players have their finer points, and those that make you groan a bit.
Interesting info on number of homegrown players on the Giants and As, WillieD. I’ll take the Giants (Sabean’s method) any day. Beane lands some talent, but as a fan, the continuous revolving door would piss me off.
Edd – give me a shout when you hit the foothills. Do you have any specific plans on attending a game? Only four home games left. Let me know…I may try to join you for one. I leave for Phoenix on the 28th on business and do not get back until the 10th.
There is no more foreign concept on the planet to me than a “business trip”…
Well, when you are in the position to have to work for a living, and your company says they want you go to to Phoenix for two weeks, you go to Phoenix. The plus – I get to check out a couple of Arizona Fall League games. Hope to see our Cuban OFer Carbonell while down there.
My company has a number of stores in greater Seattle area, so more often than not, we wind up there for 3 day mgmt. business meetings. Last time 2 years ago, one night after dinner we walked out of restaurant to get drinks and got drenched going to a bar few blocks away and then got soaked again back to hotel. 3 days of no sun, sweaters over dress shirts and jackets.
Back to San Jose, get off the plane 70 degrees in typical mild fall weather. This despite corp HQ being 15 minutes from San Jose airport. Just once I’d like to be able to drive to one of these from south bay.
They could handle 10 games without Pagan. Or at least this time the bitching should be about someone other than Blanco.
Will not argue that they could handle 10 days with Pagan, but I absolutely think they are more formidable with Pagan in the line-up.
Last time he was out with the “stiff back” there was more talk about getting his head straight than there was about his injury.
Head straight, back straight, whatever. I just think they are a better team with him consistently in the line-up than they are without.
I agree, whatever.
Even if the Giants tie the Dodgers but lose a 1-game special playoff game to the Dodgers, it still causes the Dodgers to use Kershaw, and then mess up their playoff rotation. I think the Giants could actually go Peavy in that 1-game scenario with the Dodgers (if he does well against them next week), and save Bum for a possible Wild Card game, or game 1 of Div. series, if they beat the Dodgers in the 1-game. It’s just the old question of whether it’s worth it to burn our #1 against Kershaw. The Giants kept doing that in 2011, and Timmy lost several 1-0 games and 2-1 games to Kershaw, if I remember correctly.
If this season goes down like 2010 I’ve already got tickets for #162. Maybe I can convince my sister to divorce real quick and get married again the night before.
I wouldn’t say the Doghairs are “reeling” yet. Maybe that was a BF joke. 2 games lost at Rocks would mean the Giants have been reeling many times before in the past. But, the shell shock of going from altitude to Lake Michigan level hopefully will last a day or two, and the Cubbies can do some damage…
My favorite team today…the Cubbies. Go Cubs!
10 games left for LA and SF. EZ to figure out what the Gyros need to do to tie for the division — win 2 more in that stretch than LA. LA goes 6-4, SF 8-2. LA 5-5, SF 7-3. LA 3-7, SF 5-5.
I wouldn’t mind an LA 3-7, SF 6-4 scenario…
Not sure if you fellas have seen this but I thought it was pretty awesome. I’ve never bought a jersey with a name on the back but I just might have to get a Duffy jersey.
http://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2014/9/16/6286767/oh-yeah-matt-duffys-duffman-bats
yeah, saw that. Pretty epic.
Who knew?
The Giants will put Duffy on the 25 man next season, among other reasons, so they can sell a S-load of Duff Stuff…
Duffy is just another reason why I love baseball. He was quoted after the game yesterday as saying he had to back out of the box just before he got that clutch hit because his back leg was shaking. Gotta love that. In baseball, seems it happens with fair frequency you have a guy like Duffy, seemingly out of nowhere, make a sudden and fun and important impact in a season, in a stretch drive. Will he last? Will he disappear into oblivion after the season is done, who knows? But, he’s the kind of stuff baseball memories are all about…
Well said, Tom. I agree whole-heartedly.
Radio reports that Stretch is in the hospital and had a procedure, not doing particularly well. Apparently not life threatening, but no details, and didn’t sound good. As a major, lifetime fan of this man, I send out all the good thoughts I can as a baseball fan to my all time favorite Giant…
I had not heard this. What a bummer. Sending healing vibes to Stretch. Get well 44!
Peter Gammons saying over at MLBTR that the Giants are still in on Yasmani Tomas. Sounds like a Sabean kind of player;
‘He does have some swing-and-miss tendencies and has shown weakness against plus velocity and breaking pitches.
Baseball America ranked him as the #6 prospect in the 2013 World Baseball Classic.’
So, the translation is:
“The guy strikes out a lot against good fastballs and curve balls”.
Sounds worth about $80 million, sure…
Yep, that is what I thought thinking too. I think Sabean knows Sandoval is gone and these runs at Cuban players are sort of his back up plan. He’s a younger player at least.
The price keeps going up for these Cuban dudes. Until one of them is a bust. Puig is probably starting to get a little PO’d that he signed at about half what these guys are getting now. I would not doubt for a second that’s going to eat at him soon, making him even more of clubhouse pleasure…
Twin, I’m curious as to how you feel about next year…regarding CF and LF, moving Posey around, Belt, Romo. What offer would you make to Sando? If he turns down 3/50 would you go 5/90?
What move do you make if he goes elsewhere?
How many new SPs does SF likely need to compete?
Any position players from minors beside Susac and Panik that could be promoted?
I’d have to think about all of that. I’ll get back to you. Nice to see you posting your usual knowledgeable observations.
Somebody pass me an ice cold Duff. Maybe I can knock back a cold Duff with Duffy when I am in Phoenix (AFL games). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcHP1tWWEvI
Based solely on AA numbers, Duffy could be a better hitter than Panik. That 6’2 frame has a lot of room to bulk up.
Marcos Breton of the Sac Bee has tweeted that the Sacramento River Cats have reached an agreement to become the affiliate for the San Francisco Giants AAA club. Awesome news if you live in the Sacto area.
Is it anywhere near an Amtrak station?
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.5814192,-121.5086283,16z
About a 15 minute walk from the Amtrak on I street south and across the Tower Bridge to Raley Field…
Cool, thanks!
And, apparently the Astros will put their AAA team in Fresno, as the Giants leave.
This is a huge marketing coup for the Giants, IMO. The single A team in SJose, the AAA in Sac — they’ve bracketed the NorCal region with Giants affiliates. The A’s must have PO’d the people running the Sac affiliate. Now the A’s will put their AAA team in Nashville. Nashville? Another stiff arm from the A’s to their fans in NorCal. I can tell you that nobody in Fresno gives an S about the Stros, and probably won’t learn to, either. Definitely sad to see the Giants leave Fresno after a 45+ year off/on relationship with A and AAA franchises. Definitely more Giants fans there than Doghair fans…
Well, Fresno ponied up public money to help build that yard in 2002, so it is not that old, and the team has consistently had trouble filling it up. Granted, part of that could be with the product the Giants AAA franchise was putting on the field. I think they made the playoffs once since moving from Phoenix to Fresno. Regardless, Sacramento has regularly filled Raley Field, and for many years has been number one in attendance. It is a really nice place to catch a ballgame on a warm summer night. Cold beer, hot dog, and baseball…doesn’t get much better. We typically park in Old Sacramento, grab some drinks and food prior to the game in a restaurant/bar there, and then walk across the Tower Bridge to the game.
Not optimistic about Pagan. Flare ups likely to continue with twisting and running. I expect some shaky D and strictly a singles hitter. Hope to be wrong but afraid it will be like Scutaro in 2013.
Totally with you. Bulging discs don’t just go away. Hopefully an offseason surgery could be done to correct it. Twisting, swinging, sliding, uh, baseball, has to aggravate it…
Go Cubs Go!
Here’s the latest Jetergasm, a video tribute to the “Captain” and his fans.
It may make you tear up, or barf. It’s certainly well crafted, and captures the feeling of NYC. The kid at 0:57 being amazed at an autographed ball (I think), is the best thing, IMO. If Jeter’s generated a bunch of kids as lifelong baseball fans, I can get into that…
http://tinyurl.com/og33oh3
I have been one of those who has bashed the whole Jeter fairwell thing, just because there has been so much of it. But this is pretty classy. I have nothing against Jeter…I think he is a class act…just wearting tired of the amount of stuff around his farewell.
I did it my way, too – except nobody’s cheering…
Kind of amazing what has happened with the A’s. From looking like one of the best teams in the majors a month or so ago, to being questionable to make the playoffs. They are already down 4-0 today after one inning. Wow.
Yep. Was just looking at that. Gray on the mound, you expect a W. Beans must be doing a slow burn.
From Carl Steward: “We understand Marty Scorcese will be doing the next A’s movie. It will be called The Departed, part II.”
Yeah, something has just gone terribly wrong there. They were never that good, nor can they be this bad. Getting swept at home by the dogmeat Rangers would be pretty much rock bottom. I think, though they seem to test the bottom every game. This makes the Giants tailspin earlier this season look like a walk in the park. Somebody today mentioned the 1999 Yanks lost their last 7 games of the season heading into the playoffs. Then won the WS. Ya never know…
Was reading an article on Pagan where he said he is “big time” confident he will play tomorrow. I sure as hell hope so, as at the end of the article was the following distrubing tidbit:
“With Pagan unavailable, Giants leadoff hitters went 0 for 12 with a walk in the series at Arizona.” OUCH…
If Pagan can’t play in San Diego, I don’t want to see Perez. He’s been around long enough. All field, no hit. Give Gary Brown a start instead of just having him get his head rubbed by Pence (although that worked out fine yesterday in the 9th)…
Tells you what they think of Brown’s bat. Perez did outhit him by a good margin in AAA. Not looking good, but feeling must be Brown would be worse.
I’ve heard some talk of Ishi in LF, Blanco in CF if Pagan can’t go. Whether Belt does get back or not, that does put the best offense out there. It’s either Susac, Posey, Ishi, Blanco… or Posey, Belt, Ishi, Blanco. I’ve seen Travis in the OF on minor League TV and he’s no statue out there, better than Morse/Huff/Burrell.
I’m with you on that. Ishi’s cool in LF. I’ll take his bat over Perez’ automatic out. Pads pitchers are geared up, we’re getting their best 3…
I agree whole-heartedly. I’ve seen all I want to see of Perez.
Belt got that walk yesterday, so looks like his good eye is still working. But, swing looked rusty and late. He’s gotta get a bunch of real world ABs in Phoenix before he’s ready to do any damage, IMO. I’d rather have Ishi be at first, and give Belt a few more days of hitting against live pitching. He took a while to heat up after his thumb injury when he came back. To be honest, I don’t expect much from Belt the rest of the way, he’s just been out too much, too long…
I think it was sometime in July that I brought up the fact that Pagan had played in less than 100 games last year and it was starting to look like he would play in less than 100 games this year. I don’t remember who called me out as being to hard on him for being injury prone. And I even suggested that the Giants should be looking to pick up a CF for next year. Now it looks like that may be the case. The Giants might be better with Pagan in the lineup but if he is going to be in less than 100 games per season what good does that do the Giants.
What good? As I mentioned earlier. If you don’t have Pagan, you don’t have one of those two WS trophies, and you sure as hell are not discussing playoff possibilities this year. I didn’t like the length of the contract when it was announced, but it was one of those deals where the Giants had little choice (much like the situation with Scoots). The Giants are not in the position to go get a CFer next year. Most of the free coin will be used for pitching.
The priority is signing Pablo ( Baggs has said that he was told this by his sources). As far as a CFer, it’s probably Pagan again. With Blanco backing up. It’s a LFer they’d probably go after unless Belt moves there.
Before Blanco gets bagged on, he’s shown how valuable he is (without him they’re not talking playoffs possibilities either) , he’ll be tendered and probably get somewhere around 4.5 to 5.
All I am saying is that in Pagan’s 9 year career he has only 3 years where he has played in 100+ games in a season. One of those the WS year. It takes a TEAM to get to the WS. But if one of the guys that gets you there is not on the field how is the Team going to get back to the WS.
If signing Panda is such a big priority how do they explain the joke of an offer they reportedly made earlier in the year? (3yrs./$40million?). Has he really shown them anything since that they didn’t already know?
I’m not going to argue with you. I guess we’ll find out, won’t we?
Very true Mike. At this point, I don’t think anyone knows what will happen. We all have preferences and that’s fine. Anyway, it makes good Hot Stove League fodder discussion after the season.
I still can’t come up with a full-time first baseman who successfully transitioned to full-time outfielder for any length of time…
Between the injuries, platoons has Belt ever been a normal first baseman?
Greinke laboring in first.
2-0 Cubs still batting…
Two-zip was the extent of it, but first inning grinding on Greinke is always a good thing by my book.
No idea what Sabes will do with Pablo, but I am definitely not in the camp of backing up the brinks truck to his driveway. I agree with Chi about Pagan (no brainer). We don’t have one of those World Series with him not on the roster. Going forward – yeah, I’m always open to upgrades, but realistically, who will provide what he does (for the same cost)? Uhh huh, I thought so – no one.
Absolute max contract offered to Pablo should be three years @ $45-50M. But i’m wondering how Duffy may fit in at third. Earlier on i was of a mind to trade Crawdaddy for a good SP but the way he drives in runs from the pit of the lineup has given me severious second thoughts. Or Buster at third is another intriguing possibility, what with Belt holding down first like nobody else and Susac’s bat very intriguing at C. Ishikawa could be an interim fill for Williamson in LF. Another SP sure looks like a big need, though. Could Heston hold down #5 for a season or even a long part of a season?
I really like what we have inhouse (Duffy and Ishi), so I wont have regrets seeing Pablo go (especially, if he goes to the American League). In fact, I hope he does do good. I just don’t think he is a fit here for a number of reasons. I have always liked Ishi and I still recall seeing him go yard at Coors in the heat of the Division race. He likes it here too, so I think he is a good fit as a utility man.
Duffy is being groomed as a utility player. He would be acceptable at best at third base as he has a second baseman’s arm.
I’m not the biggest Panda fan, but I don’t see Duffy and Ishikawa combined coming anywhere close to making up for the loss of Sandoval…
Way Duffy was raking in the pitching rich Eastern League he may surprise at The Show. Though he may have been groomed as a utilityman, perhaps as he may be no more than an average fielder, the kid may just have developed a pretty good stick along the way.
No way in hell anything but 5 years lands Pablo. I agree with Steve, no way I am giving away the farm for him. I think a reasonable home town deal would be in the 85 to 90 range (5 years). I would prefer 4 and an option for 75, but everything I have heard he is hunting for Hunter coin (5 around 100). If so, see ya big fella, good luck. Bottom line, I am not a fan of giving Pablo big money.
Back in 1961, Wes Covington, who was a decent ballplayer, played for 4 major league teams in just 56 days.
It took Dave Kingman 86 days to match that feat in 1977.
#Off day facts with Loo
See you all later.
well I just got here but see ya, Twin.
Wada impressive so far. Reminds me a little of Ted Lilly before he lost it.
VMI impacting the Dodgers pretty good so far. Usually with a number at -21 it will affect their bats all game and even into the next game so I am cautiously optimistic that the Cubs hang on here. Still, Wada. uhuhuhuhuh
Grinding Greinke: 112 pitches and out after five. Nice.
Aarrgghh….Ramirez has been lights out all year…tonight Nada.
pfffftttttt. boo.
Still hoping Tampa Bay can pull this one out against Atlanta…
lol. You are one of the great bloggers of our time, Mr DJ Loo…….
The Cubs made a game of it for a while, until their general Cubbiness kicked in big-time.
The most absurd thing I heard on the Cubs broadcast is one of their broadcasters trying to make a case for Donnie 2x as manager of the year.
Are there people out there in the sane world who think that the Dodgers OVER-achieved during the regular season this year?
Didn’t think so.
The Cubs broadcasters mentioned that the Yankees and Rays recently played a 1-0 game that lasted 3 hours and 23 minutes, the longest 1-0 9-inning game in MLB history.
But, hey……Jeter!
Blade I’m almost always with you but Ishi is a capable back up at best. If Giants and there 150M + Payroll use him as a starter in 2015 I will be bipolr pissed and depressed!
WTF?? I go to the store Cubs up 4-1 Now 8-4 LA. Box says 3 errors. Huge win for the Dodgers. Shit.
I just reread my comment . . . My bad. My intent was to say that failing to sign Pablo, Sabes can juggle the lineup (as has been discussed here) with Belt to the outfield or stay at 1st, Posey at 1st or 3rd, give the kid Duffy a hard look in spring training, etc. Also, I did indicate Ishi as utility guy. No way, no how he starts – he has had chances and failed. However, he should be retained for a utility spot.
Sabes can also go out and get a 3rd baseman at a more reasonable cost. I just don’t see giving him a big contract, especially in lieu of our pitching not being sound (see Tim, Voggs, Hudson). We need to re-tool there in my opinion.
Damn. Hoping against hope for cubbie help
Odd stat of the day. Watching MLB. Brewers Cards. A Ramirez 3rd in NL BA RISP with 2 outs.
Pence number 1 at .477. Guess who was 3rd in NL at .357??? Crawford! Who knew?
Interesting. I knew the Giants were up there as a team with 2 out and RISP, but individually, I had idea.
I recognized maybe two players from the Cubs’ starting lineup tonight — and that’s only because one of ’em played HS ball in Jersey.
Loo, I have been trying to come up with 1B to OF transition without looking at player lists, rosters and have been pretty unsuccessful so far. The best I can offer is the beloved . . . Pat the Bat!
In an equally irrational overvaluing of LF defense and undervaluing of OPS, poor Pat was benched for a lot of 2011, a year the Giants struggled a whole lot to score runs. 😉
Bill Buckner?
Al Oliver?
Thanks for playing along, James, but these guys don’t really fit the description of what I’m looking for.
I mentioned Burrell the other day, but even his time at 1B in the bigs was limited. Bottom line is that in the majors, 1B has always been a position you transition to – not from.