Winning Sandwiched By Sucking
After the way this season started, .500 feels like 5000.
For all the talk about the Padres *all star* line up, they have 1 win more than we do. That number is expected to rise to 2 after they tee off on Voggy tonight.
Speaking of Voggy, my thoughts about him are similar to my thoughts on Belt. Yes, he’s sucking but who do you want to have replace him? And all this *trade Belt* stuff is funny. If WE don’t want him, why would anyone else? His value is in the tank right now and if it started to rise none of you would want to trade him.
And McGehee sitting only works if you think Duffy is ready to play full time, out of position. Not sold on that yet.
Advertisements
“Yes, he’s sucking but who do you want to have replace him? And all this *trade Belt* stuff is funny.”
Personally, I’ve never said trade Belt, but now that you mention it – YEAH, TRADE HIS ASS. Those types of trades go down multiple times a year. Trading players like Belt happen more times then you suspect. In fact, go look up who we traded for Pence. In that instance, the Phillies got screwed by taking Nate Schierholtz, Tommy Joseph, and Seth Rosin. Where are those guys now? Giants did this shit to the Pirates and Sherpas as well – see Glass Sanchez and Scutaro. That being said, we could end up with the proverbial bag of balls (and not the prospects we desire) for Belt. Dunno . . .
However, my personal wish is not to trade Brandon, but implement a solution we already have in house and if it works, then Belt is expendable regardless. Start the Posey experiment at 1st full time and give Susac the catcher position (with Hector backing up or Posey getting the occasional start). Belt is “cheap” now, but his ass is going to start getting expensive. He is arbitration eligible for the next few years before hitting free agency in 2018. Belt has been given 4 years to establish himself. I thought it would happen last season, but for various reasons – some significant ones out of his control – it didn’t happen. This year the Giants thought it would happen too . . . tick tock, tick tock.
I personally liked the McGehee trade going down in the off season. However, if Mr. Buzzkill continues to flounder and flail, put Duffy in there. I’ll trust Bochy to know if and when that is necessary, as I know he’ll know (along with Sabes) on what to do about Belt.
A two for 4 performance last night including that leadoff double in the second is hardly the sublime summit of suckitude. Yes, Belt has been a relative disappointment so far this season. He never can seem to read those called third strikes ~ unless he actually sees them better than the ump does and they barely miss the black., No video here so that’s just speculation. Point being it’s waaay early to get on his case. Remember his three for 3 night last week? Next day Bochy sits him vs a lefty, but then a couple days later he gets the start vs the second toughest lefty in the league ~ Opie.
Naah, give BB9 some time. Could be it will take the reappearance of the other Too Tall Texan to get him into full production. Though i think that will happen sooner. Again, a 2 for 4 vs. Tyson Ross is not exactly anything most reasonably objective fans would call suckitude.
“Point being it’s waaay early to get on his case.” I dunno Stix…dude has had a solid four…better part of five years, and I am still waiting for Belt to “begin reaching his potential.” He has done enough to keep the cinder sparked, but that spark is waning in my book. Seriously, in the right deal, I would trade him pronto.
Well it happened. After the success vs Arizona in those first couple games the team went into a nosedive. At the time i commented that if the team (missing Pence, Cain and then Peavy) could hold on through the drought until those guys started returning and hover around .500; that the Giants would be back in this thing. Despite misfiring on some cylinders the team has soared back to a half game out of second in the division and regardless of a probable dip tonight, should return to that status by tomorrow night.
Not at all shabby for a team which poobahs, prognosticators and palpitating pinheads all over the commentariat were dismissing by 10 games into the season. Lesson: Do NOT dis the World Champs.
I think a majority here were in the “it’s early camp.” And guess what…it is STILL early. Lots of ball to play, but I still feel like I did when the team was in a flat spin…that they will be just fine.
Maybe the concussion had residual effect. Those misplays last night were ugly, especially the soft toss that hit the pocket of Belt’s glove and bounced away while he was staring into the lights. I think a blind man could’ve squeezed that one successfully. He just looked lost, in the field and at the plate. Ishikawa’s nearly rehabbed, isn’t he? I’d rather see him out there for a while than Belt. Roster room could be a problem, however, with Hector and McG taking up space. Belt, McG and Hector–only Hector seems marketable. wtf does Sabean get out of this one?
sorry. I guess that should’ve been “htf” 🙂
Hector, more marketable that Belt? Hmmm…I don’t see that. Only thing he has going is he is a switch-hitting backstop. Dude has not impressed me with his D, or time at the plate.
Here are Hector’s lifetime numbers:
.241, .274, .342, .616.
And this year (even more grim):
.148, .148, .185, .333.
These are truly “we’ll give you a bag of used balls numbers.”
I disagree. A switch-hitting back up catcher? There’s value there. Remember Stewart? (Possibly not. He wasn’t the Giants’ back up C for long; seemed like a nice guy. I once saw him lead his toddler daughter around the bases with the other kids after a Sunday game at China Basin.) After the Giants dumped him, he would up starting for the Yankees for a while.
I remember Stewart (Chris). He was okay…but he was not a switch-hitter, so not sure how he entered the mix here. For the Yankees (he played for them in 2012 and 2013), he best year was 2012. His line was:
.241, .292, .319, .611.
Almost identical to Hector, so maybe that is the connection…they both suck. Nice guys or not.
Sorry, even if a guy is a switch-hitting catcher, when his numbers are those of Hectors, IMO there is NO value there. Switch hitting isn’t jack shit…unless you are…HITTING.
It is all good. We can agree to disagree…
Well, my thought was this: The Giants traded back up catcher Stewart to NYY for Kontos, who has contributed, over the years, in SF. Defensively Stewart was a bit better than Hector, if I recall, but Hector’s not horrible. And Hector’s switch hitting makes him more useful. Theoretically.
His (Hector’s) numbes this year are horrible.
.148, .148, .185, .333.
That is beyond bad…
Last night may have been the first time I jumped out there with the “trade Belt.” You can look at the comments (made by many), and I will paraphrase: basically that five seasons is more than enough time where you should start “Meeting Expectations.” And many think Belt should be a 20/80 guy hitting in the .270s or .280s with a decent OBP, and OPS. Couple that with what I thought were some disastrous plays in the field, and trying to stretch a double into a singe…well, just let me say, he is on a short fucking rope in my book. I am tiring of it big time.
So, if they truly could package him with a prospect or two and bring in a solid starter, or use him as part of a package for a long-term solution at 3rd (and there are stories out there that the Giants are doing exactly that right now), then I would entertain those conversatons. And I think there are still teams that might take a flyer on Belt’s “potential” right now. If he continues to slide all year, then his value only further diminishes. Like Steve said…these types of deals go down all the time.
And good post, Blade. I particularly like your last paragraph, and agree 110% on all points there.
I know no one expects Vogey to do jack shit tonight, but this is the classic moment where he gets a plate of the extra special enchiladas and blows everyone outta the water. It could happen (and monkeys could fly out my ass, too). As I called Hudson’s first win on Saturday, I predict another Giants win today, and we slide past the Friars, moving a half-game ahead of them.
Belt, like other Giants, often starts slowly. Both Sandoval and Pence last year did not start well. Both were in LU regularly and soon got it together. Pence had lousy September. All hitters go through month where they suck at some point during a season, including Posey Craw (who at one point last year saw avg. go down to .229), et al.
It’s easy to look at a month and say “this guy is worthless”, but I think that would be a mistake with Belt.
Last I looked Andrew McCutchen was on wrong side of Mendoza line. Josh Harrison too.
I was listening on radio when Belt lined a double into the corner off Ross vs. shift. He later lined a single op way. Giants didn’t exactly tattoo Ross either and Belt had rbi double Sunday.
Craw does have an erratic arm, too. He makes most of his errors, and I think there were 27 of them last year (one of higher totals in league at SS), on his throws. Belt also does his share of saving a few of those, including one on the great diving stop he made.
Mac I just don’t understand and didn’t like this deal at all. But I’d rather not give up on Belt, who did hit 14 HRs in limited time last year, just yet. I like Susac, but he has only had 100 some odd ABs in his entire career as ml, so you don’t really know what you’ve got…except that he’s better than Hector…which imo still doesn’t mean he is a ml ballplayer. And Posey is still the best option at C and likes doing it.
D’accord, Williedav: Slow start: Yup. Lots of injury problems last season but still became productive: Check. Posey at first and Susac behind the plate ~ meh. Not impressed with slow-moving RH 1Basemen in general. Now what could get me into suspenders for a change would be if Duvall, who also happens to be right-handed and no SB threat, continues mashing in SacTown. 23 RBI’s in first 22 games is not exactly shabby. Nor was his recent ratio of roughly half of his hits being of the XBH variety.
It’s even possible to envision a Susac trade in a multi-player deal in which SF gets either a #3 starter or a quality third baseman plus a backup catcher measurably better than the pinata. Andy’s too good to be a backup, while Buster benefits from a couple days per week without having to be field general. So the wheels keep a turnin.
I would not want to trade Susac. There will be a time when Buster is predominantly a 1st baseman. Having Susac allows the Giants to mix and match between catcher and 1st. I will stick to my original guns…I would trade Belt before I traded Susac. And, IMO he is not ready to be a full-time backstop, so I see no issue with him playing behind Posey for the forseeable future. Anyway, you know…opinions are like assholes, everyone has one. I appreciate those who differ from mine…but I would vote no on moving young Andrew.
I hear what you are saying, WillieD (and Stix, etc.), but again, it has been four years (acutally five, but Belt played in only 63 games in 2011, and only 61 last year).
Here are his liftime numbers:
.266, .343, .440, .783, averaging 17 HRs and 64 RBIs across those five years. I just expect more, and it is time for Belt to break out.
Lots of good points by many Flappers whose opinion I respect, but I would still trade Belt if a package brought a solid starter, or better yet, a good long-term solution at 3B.
And with all of that, if Belt doesn’t go anywhere, I hope like hell he makes me eat these words and look a fool. If that happens, I will gladly take it.
I just feel that belt isn’t a guy they should give up on. Like I said yesterday he only gives you one out at a time, unlike McDeepee. If anyone goes, it’s him. He’s AaronRowand part II. He tries to pull everything and grounds out to short.
Guy gets walked in and he jumps on hhe first pitch he seems. He’s a red-ass fumbduck.
Buzzkill was a one-year bridge (to what, we do not know). No way in hell you get jack shit for him right now, and I can guarantee you, that Bochy will stick with McG for quite a while. He may give him a spell here where you will see Duffster and Arias get some starts, but the dude is going nowhere soon (not saying I agree with it, but it is what it is). And at the time the deal was made, and looking at Casey’s lifetime numbers, I was ok with the deal. If you are talking about giving guys some rope and a chance, McG’s lifetime numbers warrant a chance as much, if not more than Belt, IMO.
Chi: My thought at 3B is platoon, platoon, platoon until McGDP either gets it or gets designated. Start out with 3 days off for him and then bat him 8th. Give him three days to shit or get off the pot. This process could be repeated two or three times. Bochy has the patience of Job, but it does seem to be time for a measure of tough love and see what that does.
Good post chi
Stix – I agree on the platoon at the hot corner until something breaks. We have all heard that Sabean has been in NY taking in the Met’s series. Talk is that the Giants are scouting Daniel Murphy. Not your prototypical 3rd sacker (he is not a power guy), but he does extremely well with RISP (something that Buzzkill has absolutely sucked at). I do not want to see another Zach Wheeler deal, but Murphy may be a good fit for a couple of years with our Giants. In Sabes I trust.
Craig – good tread…lots of good points. And I am with you…as much as I like Duffy, I do not think he ready for full-time duty.
I heard this morning where Duffster is changing his number. He is going from 50 to 5.
I highly doubt the Brewers would be cashing it in and blowing up their team after 25 games, but what they really need is pitching. Not one of their 5 SPs has an ERA under 4.00, and Kyle Lohse is at 7.00. So unless you are willing to give up young/controllable SP I doubt they are listening to offers for their hitters.
Speaking of which, Aramis Ramirez is at .221 with an OPS of .690. Duffy could match that, esp if he could play home games there.
J Lucroy, their all star C/1b, is hitting .133 and currently on the DL.
What happens in individual months over the course of a long season you have to take with a grain of salt.
Pagan is not going to hit .350. Aoki is highly unlikely to continue to hit as he has been and keep OB at .400, and jury is still out on Maxwell (who had been 1 for 18 going into last night) too. I don’t think Belt is a .235 hitter and he is certainly a better full time option playing anywhere than Ishi.
The Belt I envision is the one who finished 2013 very strong, second in OPS on entire team only to Posey.
What happens when Pence does return in couple weeks will be interesting, certainly.
I’m fascinated by what is happening in Boston and not necessarily due to Panda playing there now. Similar to the Yankees – whom I also find fascinating – they always seem to have some sort of real (or perceived?) issue going on. During a game last night with the Rays, Hanley Ramirez re-injured his surgically repaired shoulder when he slammed into the left field wall attempting to make a play on a fly, which he dropped.
They are calling this a “day to day” injury, which I find hilarious. Me? I think he is out for the season. Per ESPN, here is a list of body parts injured in his career:
“Right thumb, left thigh, right shoulder, rib, left arm, left hand, left leg, right hand, right leg, abdomen and right elbow. He went on the DL three times in that span, an abdominal strain sidelining him for 14 games last August, and a hamstring strain (28 games) and thumb ligament surgery (24 games) placing him on the DL in 2013. The hamstring strain occurred just five days after he came off the DL from the thumb injury.”
Sorry, but I don’t think this shoulder thing is just a day to day injury. By the by, his left shoulder has been surgically repaired twice since 2007. The most recent fix required open surgery in 2011, a considerably more invasive procedure than an arthroscopy.
Meanwhile, Boston pitching is a disaster. With a 5.66 rotation ERA — only Toronto’s is higher — the Red Sox have to start thinking about some alternatives. Lots of luck, since trades are almost never made in May, that would be mean bringing someone up from the minors, where Eduardo Rodriguez (1.82 ERA, 22 strikeouts and two walks in 24.2 innings) probably gets first crack.
Ortiz hasn’t exactly been Ortiz yet, but he definitely isn’t face planting. The dude is 38 or 39 though . . . Hmm. Panda seems to be doing well at the moment and offensively, even without Ramirez, hitting doesn’t seem to be their problem (albeit, Hanley’s power will definitely be missed).
Yeah for all their moves in the off season the Red Sox had this glaring issue of no pitching. They shouldn’t be surprised, eh? Hey, at least Sandoval, Ramirez et all get to play together. I wonder how long until losing ruins the whole bro deal that brought them to Boston.
I almost forgot about “we’re all bros” theme Panda, HanRam and Pappi were promoting. Hahaha . . . Also, as you pointed out – their bad for not going after pitching, especially playing in that band box.
Nice win last night. I’m heading to the game tomorrow. Glad it’s not today because Vogelsong. Take this series and the club moves into a tie for 2nd in the west. Not bad considering the early season hurdles.
Belt had a rough game last night but I think all the hate, or as the kids say these days “shade”, is unwarranted. He’s started slow in the past and has ended up getting it going. I’m not buying the 4 years argument. In 2011 he had 187 ABs, last year he had 214. Between Operation Dick Around and being unlucky with some injuries this is his 4th year in my mind. His biggest issue seems to be being stuck between his natural tendency to be a high OBP guy and the club’s desire that he swing the f-ing bat when the pitches are close. He has such effortless power that they want him to put the ball in play (which is also the org philosophy as opposed to Billy Beane’s one and done in the playoffs approach). If he doesn’t put up solid numbers maybe do something in the off season because of his rising cost but I don’t see it happening. I think the club rides out the control years with him. I don’t know but I sort of enjoy the Belt Wars.
Okay, so THIS is his 4th year. 4th, 5th…I really do not care. Dude has almost 1400 lifetime ABs. It is time to put up or shut up, IMO. I have him on a short leash. That’s just my take on it. We all have our opinions…and I appreciate everyone else’s. I hope I am wrong, but my patience is wearthing thin on BB9.
I agree with you that this is the year Belt has to show something but it’s not like he has been dog shit. Despite the errors last night, he’s a good glove at 1b. That doesn’t mean I would be opposed to moving him for a legit player at the hot corner and moving Posey to 1st but I think it is a bit premature for that.
Agree…outside of last night and a few others, the dude is certainly a serviceable glove. But, it is time…time to shine…
Good take, Dirt. “Operation Dick Around”. Been harping on that pretty regularly, but you gave it the best tag. There is a tenuous resemblance to BB9 and #25. Bonds, back in the earlier days, was primarily a line-drive, slice hitter whose liners occasionally carried to get him at 25-30 dingers per year. He also had this primo level acute eye at the plate. Not that the two guys are closely comparable, but altering a batter’s natural bent is a no-no in my book. The org. should have looked for a clouting OFer instead of getting this silly notion that corner infielders hafta be mashers.
I agree that Belt has gotten jerked around quite a bit. And while I appreciate Bochy, and think he is the best in the game today, I have not agreed with how he has handled BB9. Regardless of being dicked-around or not, it is time for Brandon to shit or get off the pot.
I hear you, Willie (and others who are in Belt’s corner). I have been hard on the dude (starting last night). I am frustrated, big time. As I mentioned earlier, Belt has had the equivalent of four seasons over five years, so IMO it is time to consistently put up some good numbers. I do not want to trade Belt, unless it is a equitable trade with good value on the return (long-term 3rd sacker or SP). That will be tough to do, but with the right offer, I would still pull the trigger on such a deal.
Maxwell exceeded all expectations, but the dude has started to come down to earth. I think the “regular” OF rotation will be Aoki, Pagan, and Pence, with Blanco and Maxwell off the bench (Maxwell has shown he can put a stroke on a ball, so there is that off the bench).
It will be equally as interesting when Cain (hoping like hell) and Peavy come back as to what happens with the roster. I am still not sold on Peavy, but what do you do with his two year deal. We talked about this at the Flapalooza on Saturday, and basically, I am sure Sabes had to go two years, or else Peavy would have been elsewhere (and many probably wish that was the case). Overall, if this team can get healthy and the regulars play consistently, our guys will be just fine.
Off topic . . . I see where the numero uno religious wing nut, Mike Huckabee is “throwing his hat” into the Republican nomination ring. His announcement comes shortly after two long-shot candidates–retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson and former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina–formally entered what promises to be one of the most crowded fields in decades. Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida, Ted Cruz of Texas and Rand Paul of Kentucky have also joined the fray. Also hoping that these dudes enter as well – Jeb Bush, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, Chris Christie, and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.
There are few things on TV as LOL entertaining as a Republican primary debate and I am looking forward to these nuts battling it out. For shit and giggles, the only thing that possibly would enhance this line up, is if Michelle Bachmann enters the fray and/or Mitt Romney reconsiders bowing out. One can hope . . . 🙂
You missed one, Steve. I think Sarah Palin would add a WHOLE LOT of comedic relief to the show.
OMG . . . How could I forget? Yep, that idiot would definitely enhance the audience laugh track.
IMO, she (Whailin’ Palin) would add more comedic value than any of the other fools…er repubs throwing their hats in the ring. This all should be very entertaining.
Send in the Clowns. Other side of the equation is Hillary the Ghoul. You could see the blood dripping from her fangs when the NATO sponsored Islamists tortured and murdered Gaddhafi. We have the best prostiticians dirty big money can buy and some world class bad statesmen/women.
Don’t care for her either. I will “waste” my vote on Bernie Sanders if Warren doesn’t rescue the Democrats. Clinton is Republican “lite” and really no difference from them.
Steve nailed it. As it stands now, I will make a STATEMENT vote with Bernie. Would love to see a Sanders/Warren or Warren/Sanders ticket. I am currently reading Warren’s latest book. Great stuff…will make your blood absolutely boil.
Big money in politics has to go (repeal the Citizens United job that was brought to you courtesy of the SCOTUS). Those assholes totally blindsided the American public on that one.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled show…As The Giants Turn…
Don’t forget my former governor Rick “oops” Perry.
Sheesh . . . Another one. How could I forget that guy Joe, the dude who wants to get rid of Federal agencies . . . But . . . umm, he forgot which ones.
Belt is their only left handed threat now. He’s not going anywhere……unless another team with a favorable park would jump on him but giants would have to get a young quality 3B in return, one who hit LH. Mmmm. How ironic.
With 3/ yes till FA, now would be the time to I unload. But won’t happen. He’ll have to be the guy.
Meant “Deep” threat.
Still not a HUGE diff between the two in long balls. Craw with 31 over about 1800 ABs. Belt 45 with roughly the same number of ABs.
The irony in that statement is that Sabes has been hanging out scouting the Mets…rumor (well, not sure if it is rumor if it is out in the open) has it that the Giants are interested in Daniel Murphy…who, BTW hits left-handed. What a coinkydinky.
Hmmm…that guy…what is his name who currently leads the Giants in HRs and RBIs…he is a lefty…oh yeah, Crawdad…the dude may not be totally consistent, but is always a threat from the left side. So, it isn’t only Belt, really. (IMO, anyway.)
Yeah, I don’t see anyone in current LU who would match Belt career numbers, .760 OPS and 17 HRs. Not Max, nor Susac, Craw unlikely. Even Pence is barely there, and this is the issue I had with Sabes off season moves—too many guys on this team that are .700 OPS guys, not .750 plus. Can Belt do better? I think so.
Look at those 2013 numbers, last season he had a lot of ABs, finished strong and hit well out of 3 spot. And before you disclaim those, realize that was also what propelled Giants to give Pence (who also raked then) his big deal. That was when Pagan returned final month and Giants played well.
3b is a really tough spot to fill, otherwise Sandoval would not have had multiple $100 mil offers (and I’m glad he spurned Giants offer for 5 yrs tho I liked him). Acquiring a good long term option highly unlikely.
Baggs in his column today mentioned Giants and Mets talks. But I think he’s right—less than a 3b, Giants really need some healthy quality pitching, preferably better than Dillon Gee…and of course Vogs.
Yeah, I don’t see Gee as anything more than a 5. They need a #2 type guy to pair with Bum for the playoff run…and those guys are not avail until the break when teams are dumping salary.
For those despairing of the Rotation possibilities in the pipeline, a bit of improving news. Starting out miserably in April, Ty Blach has begun to get it back together. So far in 29.2 IP he has given up 32 hits, a bit high, but matched by exactly ONE walk vs 18 K’s. His ERA now stands at a marginally acceptable 3.94 after having been somewhere up in the asteroid belt fairly recently. He has a 2-2 record for the River Cats. Continued improvement will make him a mid to mid-late season candidate to join Heston in The Show.
I said it before the season started and I will repeat it again. Brandon Belt would be a perfect fit down here in H-town. They would be perfectly fine with the high OBP version of Belt to offset their high HR/ high strikeout dominated lineup. His defense is a huge improvement over Carter, who has become redundant with the addition of Gattis. The Giants could take 3b prospect Colin Moran (who last week suffered a broken jaw but should return in a month) or more likely Jon Singleton who could immediately replace Belt at first. Lots of options with a stacked Astros farm system.
Liz Warren would be a good choice as well. Bernie Sanders is great, but he’s not going anywhere at all. Would love to see a Warren/Sanders ticket as a 3rd party. But that isn’t allowed in America. Hillary, of ll her foibles is miles better than any of the Republican ‘candidates.’ They are now a regional party that will do little outside of the South.
I’ve been as frustrated as anyone here over Belt’s start, but it doesn’t appear to be much different from previous years:
2015: .234/.616.
April career: .239/.681.
It’s only Cinco de Mayo. If Belt continues to be stinko in Mayo, then I’ll be worried. And let’s wait until Pence returns, which not only should help Belt but the rest of the lineup as well.
As far as operation dick around goes I liken BB 9 to Matt Williams. They jerked him around all over the place, sent him up and down, platooned him, he had some injuries, but then got his shit together.
Williams proof that being sent down a few times because he wasn’t ready doesn’t hurt a guy. He got it by age 23 and was on his way.
Glad you also brought up his age G54 . . . Belt is 27, which is his “Peak” year if you believe baseball experts.
McDeepee? I’d sit him for 5 games on principle alone. Of only to hoey get his knee better. Shades of Ray Ray and Frandsen.
Duffy may not be amazing over there, but I’m sure he’d at least give you one out at a time rather than 2.
I think Duffy is the future tho, and not just the future Arias that backs up everywhere.
I also believe SF could live without much production over there, and it would be better to see what Duff can really do on a more regular basis. This would also help decide off season/deadline type move of whether to go out and get a 3b or not.
Last year Sabes tried to get pitching and couldn’t. This year/next year he’ll have to and it will be expensive.
Sabes is already sniffing around for a 3rd baseman…
http://www.mlbdailydish.com/2015/5/3/8540303/giants-casey-mcgehee-daniel-murphy-trade-rumors
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/san-francisco-giants
I love snarkk’s and zumiee’s tasty tandem comment last night (in the wee hours of Cinco de Mayo on the East Coast) that 1933 was the last time the Giants committed four errors in a game and nevertheless shut the other team out. AND…AND…the New York Giants won the World Series that year. #goodomen
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2012/05/21/money-unlimited
Good article from a couple years back explaining exactly how the conservatives on the US Supreme Court commandeered the appeal in Citizens United and used it to establish the rule they wanted to see. Terrible event; not Bush v. Gore, but very close. Palin’s a joke, but she’s a dangerous joke, like a lot of those Republicans. No accident they control two branches of the federal government now and bunch of states. As someone with experience in Alaska, I recognized Palin the moment she showed up as the worst kind of demagogic opportunist. People like that cut their teeth on the chances to exploit that they find in the last frontier. Sanders and Warren are very different left wingers. Both are heroes. But only Warren, on the sideline, will have much influence on Hillary this year. Am I cynical? Yes.
Citizens United is the biggest crock of shit ever dumped on the American public. What a fucking sham.
RE: Sanders and Warren – “Both are heroes.” I agree.
Cynical? In the current political clusterfuck landscape? Yep…me, too.
Worst part of that bunch of “conservatives” among the Extremes is the fact that four of them are suspect members of Opus Dei. Opus Dei, founded by a fanatical Spaniard in the 20’s, was closely linked to Francisco Franco and his Falangist (fascist) overthrow of the Republic of Spain in the Dirty 30’s. Totally secretive and working constantly to recruit up and comers, the Opus Dei (the “Work of God” if you can believe the hubris and arrogance) is an openly elitist outfit that stands for the 1% ~ or more likely the 1/100th of one percenters ~ in other words those who have inherited incredible wealth and have no clue as to how real people live their lives.
And on a lighter note…as in my wallet is a hell of a lot lighter when taking in a game…here is the average price of a cold one at all of the MLB parks.
Tell me where the hell you can get a $7 beer at the Phone Park. I was throwing down like $10.50 or $11.50 for a Lagunitas IPA on Saturday….
http://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/mlb-beer-prices-from-cheapest-to-steepest/ar-AAb7a2z#page=29
Other then the grub we had at Red’s, I didn’t eat at the phone park. Now, that is a first. Biggest expense was the beer I bought you . . . Could have been worse, as snarkk turned down my offer of the Bullet scotch whiskey when we went to the bar.
Shit, my mistake was the 5 Irish coffees after the game. We hit the Buena Vista between the game and the (zzzzzzzz) fight.
I didn’t have anything to eat besides the breakfast quesadilla I had at Reds. And that is a first for me, too. I almost always have a Sheyboygan.
I usually get done with trading/researching equities before 2pm (with ample breaks 🙂 ), then I turn my attention to daily fantasy league. Sooooo, I’m perusing various DFS columns on hitting and pitching match-ups. One of my favorites I religiously read daily is a column on advanced pitching stats . . . Here’s the summary write up on Ryan Vogelsong:
“Six of his last 13 fly balls (all against the Dodgers) have left the yard. His current 27.6 HR/FB can’t be sustainable simply because he pitches half his games in San Francisco. He probably shouldn’t be in a major league rotation right now. If you really want to go dumpster diving, he’s not facing the Dodgers, and is in a great park, where he’s had success before, vs a slumping offense at a great price. He could go five innings with three runs and just a few strikeouts and it wouldn’t really hurt you, while allowing you to afford more offense. I’d probably rather look for upside in someone like Lorenzen though at an even cheaper price.”
I actually have Ryan in one of my tournaments tonight, since it is likely his ownership % will be very, very low, i.e., a goal you attempt to do with all of your DFS tourney LUs . . . at least if you want to win. Seriously, this is a perfect match-up for Ryan – pitching in the Phone Park and facing a slumping offense. If it doesn’t happen here, it will likely never happen.
Ouch.
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Outfielder Cody Ross has cleared waivers and been released after his short stint with the Oakland Athletics.
The move came Tuesday, three days after Ross was designated for assignment.
Looks like it’s all over for the accidental Giant.
Can he coach 3rd?
The other day I was thinking about the reunion of the ’10 team the Giants will undoubtedly do in ’20, and wondering which players who were on the ’10 team would still be playing for the team in ’20. Off the top of my head, I’d say Posey and Bumgarner. Cain has a chance.
Maybe Hestor and Craw, too.
The Sabean/McG early trade rumors are interesting. Really, any change would be worth a try. He did have a very good game on Saturday, but his good games seem rare. And his double-play and error totals are running neck-and-neck at the moment.
One of the silliest things about the presidential primaries is how the candidates have to spend MONTHS in Iowa and New Hampshire, pretending to be interested in those people, and then after those two primaries are finally over, everyone in the nation goes back to ignoring those two relatively uninteresting states again, until four years later.
The stupid thing about all this is it comes down to Fla, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
There is no need to trade Belt at this point since the season is so early and we are still going to be in the race for a while. And I think everyone of us knows Posey is going to end up at first, may be a lot sooner than we would have thought.
Here is a trade I wonder how the Flap world would respond to: after the season, start gauging how much Posey would bring in with prospects….
We get to clear out a lot of contracts after this year. Does Posey bring in 3-4 top tier prospects including some outfield and first base power? How many Flappers think that Buster is untouchable?
Of course you never make that move unless you know Susac is ready. We won’t know if Susac is ready unless he plays…
there are very few teams who could even trade for Posey given his contract and the fact that he’s another year closer to having to be removed from behind the dish. Ask Minnesota how that big Mauer deal is going. I don’t think he’d fetch shit because of his contract and the fact that he’ll be moving to a corner IF spot with decidedly non-corner IF spot stats
Actually, a thoughtful post . . . Most catchers peak years are similar to the lifespan of a gnat. If Buster catches as many games this season as last season, I see diminishing returns . . . Two solutions (both of which you touched on): 1. Move him to first permanently and be quick about it before it doesn’t matter anymore (due to the wear and tear of being a catcher); or, 2. Trade him for a gaggle of prospects.
Frankly GH, I don’t see either happening any time soon. Why? Solution 1 is an admission that Belt has failed and the Giants are loathe to admit failure. Solution 2 will never happen because Buster is a Saint like Lincecum. The fans would storm the castle (uhh, Willie Mays Plaza) with pitchforks and torches. Nah, wont happen . . .
I do not see either happening, and I am not sure Posey will wear down as quickly as you think, Blade. Dude works his ass of in the off-season, I can see him catching most of this year, and next year being the possible beginning to Susac.
Lady Billingsley, one of the all time Splash given nicknames, is back and getting absolutely lit up by Atlanta this afternoon……
fun fucking pic of my heart being blasted into rubble. The guys operating the bulldozers should have their hands cut off.
Wow. I do like that the weird structure out in the water is in the background. I always thought that thing looked bad-ass, whatever it is. I like seeing man made structures out in the water when I’m standing on the shore. Uninterrupted open ocean is a colossal bore.
It makes me so happy that you notice that thing. I have always noticed that thing. I don’t know a single person in the world that’s ever referenced that thing in context. Well done
Very nice–I listened to it from start to finish. Loo, is it me, or does that picture of the Stick kind of look like a 1973 baseball card? The black border, the upper deck in the background. Can you feel me on that, or is 1973 a little past your BB card collecting prime?
Yeah Dog, i was done around ’70. Started selling ’em off for betting money…
that cat could have sung *Happy Birthday* and it woulda sold 20 million copies. What a voice.
and perfect phrasing, say people who unlike me understand that stuff. One of the great lines is by Pete Hamill [met him with my daughter at Elaine’s]: “When Sinatra died, the 20th century ended.” (Though I cannot confirm it is his original quote.) Hamill wrote “Why Sinatra Matters,” though I have not read it.
Very cool, Loo. Nice share. And yes, that picture of the Stick going down just breaks my fucking heart. I remember (was talking to snarkk about it at Saturday’s game) the final series there. Our boys were playing the hated bums. They had a big contingent of past greats come in from CF…Mays leading them of course. It was so fucking cool. And after the game, and the helicopter coming in to take home plate across town to Pac Bell…all of it captured on the score board. There wasn’t a dry eye in the place. I will miss that park.
I mean, look at this..it has kind of a similar look. Although, I believe this is Shea—as Loo once pointed out to me. FYI-I have only asked for a few autographs in my life, but one of them is this card signed by Kingman himself at an event around the ’92 All-Star game down here. I tried to tell him the story about how I tried to catch a homerun he hit off Rick Behenna with my bare hands at the Coliseum, but he didn’t pay me much mind.
http://tinyurl.com/ooo5hsk
Enjoy the game fellas, I’m off to play some tennis.
I BELIEVE IN RYAN VOGELSONG !!!
typing it in all caps doesn’t make it any more likely to happen. 🙂
hahahahaha … that should be the standard reply to capslock, or people shouting…
“I like seeing man made structures out in the water when I’m standing on the shore. Uninterrupted open ocean is a colossal bore.”-=– these two sentences have it all—poetic. funny. true. I could go on and on. This is a primo example of why I love me some San Dawg……..
poetic. funny. true. yessir.
ARod passed Mays on the doubles list tonight. Is that half as interesting as him tying him with #660?
Trade this!
The Giants team batting average reminds me of the ’68 team. Loo could tell us all about that team.
With Aoki and Maxwell both hitting, Blanco has become odd guy out in the OF. He’s only hitting .212 and that K there without moving anyone up is a bad look. He could easily be a little further out once Pence gets back.
The Vogs conundrum is…if he actually manages to complete a couple more innings relatively unscathed, then he could last another month in rotation.
Wondering if Bochy got a hunch after Belt’s leadoff double last night in the 2nd (batting 6th) came to naught with McGDP, Crawford and Bumgarner not getting him across. So tonight he leads of the 2nd again batting in the CLEANUP position. Crawford moves him up. Maxwell silver hammers him and Duffster does not GDP but hits into a fielder’s choice and Crawdaddy scores.
Sometimes lineup changes bring results.
you guys that get all jazzed up and jizzed out when Belt does something +, I don’t get it. He’s a major league ballplayer, they all get hits. His problem is that he doesn’t get enough of them and not enough of them are home runs. OPS doesn’t mean shit as a CI unless you’re bringing home the bomb bacon…….
where else are you going to provide power/slugging in this LU, esp LH? The guy hit one down the line for a double last night, and here he gets another one off the CF fence.
He had 14 HRs in limited action last year. Morse and Sando (both gone) had 16 all season and Posey and Pence hit 20.
After the rough start to the season, the Giants have been turning AT&T back into its big homefield advantage.
I’m going to respectfully disagree with SanDog. I like zero man-made structures in an ocean view. People, like me, from the Central Valley, don’t see the ocean enough to get bored with it. 🙂
Nice piece of hitting by Craw. Just went with the outside pitch. Upton’s throw was literally off the charts.
Odell Beckham might have caught it…
Ole says the matador.
wow Pads having some defensive issues while being shutout by Vogs.
Starting to look like they are re-enacting the French at Queretaro for Cinco de Mayo.
Baseball. Gotta love it. Just when you think you had things figured out Vogie is sharp for three and tonight’s lineup provides ~ that and the Padres’ D. Fine, we’ll take it. Offseason, SD went for an amped up starting roster and sacrificed some defensive capacity in the process. With that five run advantage, maybe Vogie will stick around long enough tonight to get a W. Not counting on that, though. This IS baseball.
Kemp Spring Training Comments . . .
Preparing to play in an outfield next to fellow offseason additions Justin Upton and Wil Myers, Kemp think his group deserves to be in the conversation for MLB’s best outfields. In fact, according to MLB.com’s Lyle Spencer, Kemp is putting himself, Upton, and Myers right at the top of the list:
“Who,” [Kemp] said, “do you think has the best outfield in the game now?”
The visitor gave it some thought before nominating the American League champion Royals for defensive purposes and the Pirates or Marlins for all-around excellence.
Kemp shook his head. “No,” he said, firmly. “It’s right here. Right here in San Diego. You can write it down — and print it.”
He’s experiencing a reality check.
SanDog has good instincts. Vogelsong looks like Greg Maddux so far…
OPS is single most reliable indicator of how many runs a team is going to score–not slugging, OB, BA or anything else, according to what I have read. Last season Cardinals, despite lack of HRs, had 5 guys in everyday LU with OPS of over .750, tho they were still only middle of pack for runs scored. This year they’ve got Kolten Wong in his second full season for another and he is doing very well. Jason Heyward so far, no.
How many Giants in their regular LU will project to have OPS of .750 beside Posey and Pence? Pagan, Panik Blanco Craw Mac G Duffy? Likely none of the above. Susac and Maxwell, maybe.
If Belt can get closer to .800 like 2013, it wouldn’t matter one iota if he “only” hit 15-18 HRs.
Especially if one of them is in the playoffs to beat the Nats.
Wotus for POTUS!
Responding to Dirt’s 8:33, I have to agree with the club, Belt DOES have effortless power (witness his 18th inning moon shot in last year’s divisional series). The problem is, we don’t see near enough of it. The ball he hit against the Nats was prodigious. Not a lot of big leaguers can hit a baseball that hard or that far. There was no waiting, wondering or speculating. The microsecond that one came off the bat you knew it was gone. Way gone. The sound alone gave it away. Like we talked about at the beginning of the season when he was floundering, the guy plays a corner infield position. With Panda gone, the Giants need some power from that spot, the kind of power Belt clearly possesses.
I like Belt and pull for him all the time. He’s big, strong and home-grown. If he ever puts power/RBI production and his defense together, he’s going to be one of the best. But right now the waiting is becoming frustrating, whether it’s his 3rd, 4th or 5th year.
Sorry, Dirt’s 8:26 am.
Amusing and scary to see who baseball reference ranks as the second most similar batter to Belt (in history!)
http://www.baseball-reference.com/friv/sp.cgi?I=beltbr01:Brandon%20Belt
Loo, I saw that last night, but didn’t want to pile on 🙂
However there is hope for him to finally “get it.” Look at number 3 – J.D. Martinez . . . Martinez really didn’t have a clue when he was with the Astros . . . That is until he came to Detroit, where he is now a STUD.
Dubs playing like shit so far.
Down by 2.
Hooooo doggies.
Start the pen going . . .
Sam Huff is ready in the pen…
The Warriors have the unnerving habit of coming out after a big win, like game 1, with the attitude of, “Well we won that one, this one should be easy.” That might be their one big weakness; they often come out slow and sloppy. They usually turn it on at some point, but right now they’re getting their asses kicked. The Grizzlies are walking into the paint uncontested and Klay looks like shit. Memphis thinks this is a fight. Kerr better jerk his head out of his ass else this turns into a rout.
Who is this guy on the mound? Heavy traffic and the bomb-squad batting. Thought for sure SD would add to their league-leading run total. Didn’t happen. Vogie pitched through three bags full. Go figure.
To GH’s 4:42, Posey is untouchable, imo.
Who the hell is Quackenbush?! Really? LOL
Kevin Quackenbush, from Land O’Lakes, FL. Good butter down in them parts.
Macho Vogey showed up tonight.
Assuming our bullpen doesn’t face plant here, we will move into 2nd place and be over .500 (by 1 game).
Without administering truth serum, water boarding, or another type of torture . . . Who among Flap Nation was worried about this season being a . . . umm, “transition” year? Anyone? Anyone? 🙂
Nah. Had it all the way.
Not me. You can go back to the beginning of the season…my standard call was that it was early, to stay close, and let Sabean (Evans?) work his magic mid-year. Everything is cool.
Vogey gets the job done! I LOVE IT!
this is never gonna get old.
Well the Dubs were due a stinker. They are on a 24 game home winning streak. They are only down 10, but they are looking slow and tired. Thompson has left about 14 points on the floor.
That being said, they can score in a hurry. Still like their chances.
It ain’t over Charlie…there is plenty of time for Dubs magic…
Just like that, the Giants are smokin’.
Damn…had a class with the dawg tonight…heard and early scroce…2 zip…and then 6 zip. Check out my 7xx post…I had a feeling Vogey was going to pull one out of his ass. The dude can still pitch…no doubt about it…the question for him (like many Giants) is can he do it consistently. We passed the Friars as I predicted. Get the brooms out tomorrow. Now it is time for the Dubs to make a run.
Jesus. Curry and Thompson both suck tonight.
The heck with this Wild Card crap. Let’s just win the NL West.
Yes!
Better wake up soon.
It is now Willie Mays’s birthday (in the East).
Happy early BD to the Say Hey Kid.
Curry gets his MVP trophy and has a terrible game. Oh well. I don’t see them playing this bad next game. But they don;t play til Saturday.
Hmmm, I thought the Grizz weren’t supposed to hang with the Dubs.
you must be working…no game on….what’s my excuse?
Yes, I was at work. Very tough for me to follow the early to mid innings beyond checking the score. Hey, three straight shutouts!
Grizzlies have a very good team. The Warriors have more or less had their number this year, but you never know. Who the hell saw the Clips doing what they are doing…
Well, the youngster on the staff gets the ball tomorrow. Let’s see if Ben-Hur can close out this series and the Friars with a win tomorrow.
I missed much of the game tonight, but looks like a good game.
Looking good…Go Gigantes!
Duffy. 2 for 4, and a fielder’s choice that scored a run.
That’s better than McDPs usual Oh Fer and a screw up at 3b. Let’s see more of Duffy the next few games…
Voggy bounces back with a nice performance. He’s maddening. One game he gets shelled; the next he gets sort of shelled, the third he throws a 7 inning shutout. Weird…
3 straight shutouts — first time to do that in 3 years…
How about this one from tonight: With the Mets’ win over the Orioles, Bartolo Colon became the first player in major league history to beat one team while pitching for seven different teams.
I had totally forgotten Colon once pitched for the Expos, when a couple of co-workers reminded me the Indians traded him to Montreal for, among others, Cliff Lee.
Belt 1 for 2 (double), plus 2 walks, scored twice. Leave him alone, let him play…