What Will This Year’s Ingredients Look Like?
While basking in the glow of yet another World Series supernova, I think it’s easy to forget how bad we were last year for nearly 3 months. But we started the year well, got enough wins to make the playoffs and then our experience took over. Will that be the same recipe in 2015?
I’d like to think we take a different route this year. Yes we suck in literally all aspects of the game in spring training so far. But I don’t feel confident that we can turn it on and off so easily as we did in 2014.
I think the plan needs to be letting the offense suck shit until we find out if the pitching holds together. If the pitching staff performs in April, May, June…..then I think Sabean will have to go out and find a bat or two. Otherwise, I can already hear “bad penny year” coming from his lips some time before July 4th…..
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
None of these championship seasons ended anything like they started. But as long as they hit their stride by July, things can work out fine. Other than that, who knows? I certainly didn’t think Pagan would hold up all year, but I thought he’d get through the first couple months. Pence’s broken arm was also not a foreseen deal. Shit happens, but at least get it out of the way early.
And yeah, I see the same thing. Just struggle along til we get Pence back, and see how the team does at as close to full strength as they can get. If it isn’t enough, then they need to do some trading to bulky up for the second half run.
it’s literally inconceivable that the team as currently constructed could start out the year 42-21 again, right? No Pence, Pablo, or Morse?
Regarding the rotation (carried over from previous thread): Bummer is a sub-elite starter who’s performed extremely in a small sample size of October situations, and does not belong among the game’s top ten pitchers: http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/107914854/madison-bumgarner-top-10-pitchers-mlb
He’s still young, and could improve, but his October performance, however memorable, does not place him among the very best. He could also decline quickly, as Timmeh has done.
“a small sample size of October situations”
Also known as “the playoffs.”
LOL.
Plenty of mediocre players have excelled, briefly, in October.
MadBum’s been winning World Series games since he was 20 years old. So, “briefly” doesn’t apply to him.
And I’m not saying Kershaw won’t ever do well in the playoffs. Surely his regular season success will translate into playoff success, at some point. But if it doesn’t, that’ll be a big negative mark on his legacy.
Sustained regular season success at a very high level defines greatness. Post-season success in itself is not enough. Bummer is a very good pitcher who has demonstrated the latter, but whether he will achieve the former is an open question.
Well,Undertaker is far from mediocre, matter of fact come playoffs/W/S time he makes every team he faces mediocre.
Unlike Kershaw who only dominates during the regular season(gee sounds like Peyton Manning as well) and chokes in pressure big games,and blows big leads
I never suggested Bummer was mediocre – I actually think he’s very good, but he’s not proved he’s an elite starting pitcher. He’s certainly not at a Marichal or Perry level, by a long shot. As for youthful success, maybe he’s the next Doc Gooden.
“then I think Sabean will have to go out and find a bat or two.”
A lot will depend on Pagan’s situation. If it’s turning into a lost season for him, then Sabean needs to acknowledge that relatively early on, and act upon it. We’ve seen that song and dance before with F. Sanchez, Huff, and Scutaro.
It would make for a cool Fantasy story, actually. A GM makes a deal with the baseball gods back before the start of the 2010 season. The baseball gods say: “We will grant you many championships, but the payment is- after every championship, we are allowed to turn one of your key players into glass.” It could make for a cool HBO series.
“He could also decline quickly…”
Unlike you, because if you were any more clueless/ had fewer brain cells you’d be an amoeba.
He has talent, but could decline every bit as quickly as Gooden and Lincecum have. He could also tear a UCL, need multiple Tommy Johns, and work his way through multiple NRI contracts.
Hargesheimer you could be hit by a Mac truck. It’s possible. Your large girth waddling across a street would make an inviting target from a wayward bus driver not paying attention.
Same could be said of Kershaw, who actually has, you know, a history of injuries. Bumgarner? Not so much. The thing is, I like Kershaw. He’s a great pitcher and fun to watch. But all it takes is one asshole like you to turn that admiration right around.
Yessssss!
Marvelous Marv Albert (and Len Elmore, a guy I really like) doing the battle for Kansas with Wichita State.
The Duffmeister with his 2nd HR of ST. And Maxwell hit his 1st.
MadBum: 6 innings, 1 hit, 1 ER, 5Ks. (The only hit was a Pujols HR.) Solid outing.
Yes far from mediocre for Bum.
Rounding into his season opener just fine.Nice start, easy 6 innings, 5 K’s lots of positives to build on..
Hargesheimer is quoting Brian Kenny, the boxing announcer (baseball expert come lately), who was also the ex-amateur boxer who trained alongside Mike Tyson in Cus D’Amato’s Catskill gym.
Hmm . . . This piece you quoted, shows that Brian obviously took too many punches to the noggin earlier in his youth.
lol
Hi-ho, Flappers…Just a drive-by Hello. Duffy belongs on the 25 man roster, imo and ya, your staff is looking fine. BarryForEver, aka Hargesheimer, is a rare idiot that never learns…try reading his idiotic travelogues for proof. All the best to you and Play Ball!
Good to see ya Sandy. Hope you are well 🙂
Bum could also be injured in an avalanche in Scottsdale.
Or contract ebola.
Hargs, unfortunately, is doomed to terminal lunacy.
for someone who haunts this blog regularly, you’d think he’d gain some sense by hanging out here, but no.
Willie, If in fact, Sandy is right about Hargs being BarryForEver, Fahgettaboudit . . . Stupid is as stupid does.
Too many people here appear to be in denial (which is not a river in Egypt, but might as well be).
How about a bargain to Tunisia? Any tours there?
Look at that now 5-16 record and reconsider just a tad. Today’s outing by Bumgarner was season-level quality. Even Chris Heston had a decent start. Giants split squads barely losing to KC and LAA does not look so bad when both the opponents, particularly the one we downed in October, were pretty much using their “A” teams already. Nice to see Aoki having a second resurrective game at the plate and Duffy stacking up that pile of timber. As i noted the other day, those 3 offensive callups last season, Panik, Susac and Duffy sure made those denigrating the Giants farm system look like a bunch of doofuses ~ or is it doofi, Pawlie?
Duffy’s hitting mastery against generally excellent Eastern League pitching last season was the tip-off and his ticked to The Show. That kid ain’t a lookin back. Keeper. Who knows, maybe he’ll be the one versatile enough to get in a bunch of time in the O.F. We need that bat on a regular basis if he can carry it into the regular season. No particular reason to think not.
Agree Stick . . . Not certain, but I think you, I, and a few others were the only ones down with what this kid, along with Panik brought to the table. Still am. This kid only wants to play and he could give two shits where.
Stick, I like Duffy, but where does he fit? Everyday guys on IF pretty set, and he’s mostly played 2b and SS.
I don’t think SF would dump Arias, and there is also Out of Options Ehire, so how many ABs would Duffy get here vs. in Sac?
Willie, this is what his coach said (I posted this last year):
Submitted on 2014/08/03 at 10:03 am | In reply to snarkk.
Initially, he was snarkk, but he has surprised in the minors. Very rare for the Giants (or any MLB team) to elevate a player from Double A. His 2011 Orleans Firebirds coach Kelly Nicholson said this about him, “Duffy had a huge summer. “He’s a hard worker, and he’s a good baseball player. He can play second, short, third, you can probably run him into the outfield. Our backup catcher signed today, and (Duffy) told me he could catch. He’s just a hard worker. He’s a great, great Cape Cod League story.”
I know I am high on this kid, so my perception is probably a bit more skewed then most here, but I really think this kid is one of those gym rats that never, ever gives up. I see the kid having a pretty good career.
Yeah, if Bum’s game was a regular season game, he wouldn’t be coming out after six innings with a one-hitter.
Well much like last year, a good start will require some surprises. Morse and Hicks were two that immediately come to mind. Hudson was outstanding at the onset as well. I have learned my lesson to never doubt this current club, but I still think that Flannery’s retirement will end up being the turning point in our dynastic run. I just hope that I am wrong and if not, I sure as hell hope that people don’t think it was the loss of Sandoval….As long as they continue to build the farm and keep the payroll at a top ten level, I think we will be okay. I for one am okay with winning a championship only every other year.
Duffy will enter the season playing in Sac, most likely. But, he’ll be up at some point in the season. The kid has talent, and can play all over. He’s a young Zobrist. And, far cheaper. I said when this kid first showed up he was a keeper, he can hit. Arias has a guaranteed deal (dumb, IMO), but if he’s smoking pole halfway through the season, Duffy can come up. Or even before, if somebody gets hurt…
Maxwell finally showed something today with a HR and a double. I remember his stint with Houston went pretty well. I think he is a lock to make the the club if for no other reason than they need some semblance of pop from the right side. If he is one of those early season surprises, it wouldn’t come as a surprise.
I suggest Hargesheimer is mediocre and strangely reminiscent of your average Seattle Seahawks fan. That is, unable to shut one’s mouth and take one’s medicine in the face of one’s team choking in the playoffs. Always keep the gums flapping and the bullshit spewing. The Dodgers suck, that point is irrefutable. You are in a Giants blog, after all. I guarantee your boy Kershaw would trade one of his family jewels (maybe both) for 3 World Series rings in 5 years, not to mention a Hall of Fame, never-been-done-before level of post season performance.
And yet, here you are, gums a flapping and bullshit a spewing. Pathetic, just like a good Dog-ears fan should be.
Hargesheimer is no ODB. But I’d like to see those 2 fight.
From the spam filter, as always, and just for DJ Loo:
ODB
thepussy@gmail.com
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Submitted on 2015/03/20 at 12:26 pm
Candlestick was great! $5 bleacher seats in the late 90’s. Met a bitch out there one sunny afternoon and fucked her silly later that night. Good times.