Houston, You Suck
How about a massive shout out to Chris Heston who is turning into John Burkett before our very eyes.
And Matt Duffy, what else is there to say? My main man on the scene in Reno, Dave Anderson otherwise known as “Pa Salon” and/or “Fingers” and/or “Pee Pap” and/or “Pa Dingle” and/or “Pappy” and/or “Pa”, predicted in spring training that Duffy would have a huge year. I mockingly responded “yeah, in Sacramento.” And while that was quite the witty burn back then, I must admit that Duffy has run with his opportunity and my hat is off to DAVE for his bold pre-season foreboding. He and his buddy ERVIN read the blog daily (though doesn’t post) so I know DAVE will appreciate this prop. And while I’m at it, I want to thank ALL of you who take the time to read the blog even though you don’t post!
Probably the only downer was the trifecta of strike outs for Belt last night. Looked like his family enjoyed the game, though. His wife appears to still be regularly fed…….
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
You know, Zum was wondering about Duvall.
About the only spot for him would be if they did trade Belt.
Otherwise he seems like another AAAA guy that lights up Coast League but can’t handle ml pitching.
I would not write Duvall off as a AAAA guy, yet. I want to see him again. Unfortunately, it may not be until rosters expand. And if Belt holds his own, then Duvall will get minimal playing time/opportunities, and that does not provide a real test of a players ability (or lack thereof) to hit ML pitching. I think a player needs a solid 400 to 500 plate appearances in the majors to get a true read on their hitting abilities, and Duvall has less than a hundred.
The other day i was the one who brought up Duvall and promptly got shot down by Flav who intimated that “the Brass” is not impressed by him. Well, somebody in the organization IS impressed by the guy as they have been giving him most of his starts at 3B instead of 1B. His hitting stats are almost off the charts this season and his defense metrics have improved drastically in not quite a quarter of a season.
Perhaps Duvall will become another Kingman, Madlock, Mota, or Matty Alou and get traded because it now looks like Duffster will lock up 3B and as a first baseman of the righthanded variety may have problems unseating Belt, unless BB9 only keeps on accounting for the first rally of the game as he did with his leadoff single in the 2nd last night (though flubbing in RBI situations after that).
In any event, should Duvall continue to rake, the Brass will do some due reevaluations.
I agree with you, Stix. Duvall has played 24 games at 3rd, and 9 at 1st (also 2 in the OF). He leads the team in SLG, OPS, HRs, and RBIs (tied with Jarrett Parker at 27). If Belt finally realizes his potential on a regular basis, then if nothing else, Duvall could be a piece that is used in a trade. No way in hell the team has written him off, IMO.
That’s messed up bagging on Belt’s wife. She’s gotta feed to maintain.
I will tell ya, when I saw a couple members of his entourage last night, I couldn’t help but hear dueling banjos play in my head. Of course I have some distant in-laws that look much the same.
That is fricking hilarious, Dirt.
Loved the headline in this mornings Houston Chronicle. “It’s Champs over Chumps as bats stay quiet”
lol, the local paper called their team “Chumps?” Is that for real?
Yeah, I was a little surprised myself. Major props to the headline writer for that one.
In Denver, the local paper, the Denver Post owns part of the Rockies (talk about conflict of interest). Only occasionally, is the paper critical toward the team. I would drop dead of a heart attack if they ever used that in a headline. lol
I trust you but had to see it myself, Wilco. And here it is…
http://www.pressdisplay.com/pressdisplay/viewer.aspx
That is too damned funny.
PROPS: the hest
PROPS: matt duffy
PROPS: readers of this blog and baseball minds all of you
OUT: hoping belt turns a corner
My friend Mike, who is a walking encyclopedia or baseball and other arcane knowledge (we commonly refer to him as Rainman), shared that Duffy is the first rook to have five RBIs in a game since Buster in 2010, and that Heston is the first SF rookie hurler to K 10 since Big Time Timmy Jim last did it in ’07.
Beautiful win. Two game series sweep would be a nice send-off to Cincy’s bandbox.
Not to bag on your friend Mike, but that info was the lead in Baggarly’s storyline last night.
http://www.mercurynews.com/giants/ci_28104304/giants-8-astros-1-chris-heston-and-matt
I had not seen Bagg’s piece. Regardless, this dude really can pull some crazy shit out of his head. In this case sounds like he was just recycling Bagg’s info.
Maybe Baggs got it from him.
Hey Flav, the Houston Chronicle game story has a poll on the right, “What do you think of Tal’s Hill?” I’m guessing you’ll go for “Ditch it?”
http://tinyurl.com/o6aewxo
Of course 58% want to keep it. I say shitcan it…I really do not like gimmicks (my take on it) in the game of baseball.
I actually like it. In person it really looks quite cool out there. I also saw Jake Marisnick make a fantastic over the shoulder catch there a few weeks ago. It was the greatest catch I have ever seen in person. Watching him climb up that hill and make a diving catch was spectacular. I am on my phone but if someone can find the video, it’s worth watching. It was about three weeks ago against Seattle.
Here it is: [mlbvideo id="99067583" width="400" height="224" /]
Let’s try again: http://m.astros.mlb.com/hou/video/topic/47076722/v99067583/?affiliateId=clubMEGAMENU
I like it too but didn’t Burkman get injured running up it to make a play?
The hill’s ok, but there’s still a pole shooting up from it, isn’t there? Thought I saw the padding in the video. That’s absurd, imo.
…
While you have to love what the kids are doing (and yes, I lump Ben-Hur in there with Panik and DuffMan), El Caballo Loco went 3-5 last night, and is hitting .333 (tops on the club), all while playing in 32 of the first 33 games. 100-33=67.
Nice comparison with John Burkett, what a shot in the arm that will be if it turns out to be true. We have some true pro’s in our infield and this could get real fun.
Yeah, other than Burkett’s Pete Weberesque begin to his wind up, I think that is an apt comparison. Both hurlers had/have some wicked movement and can really work both sides of the plate. Nice call Flav!
I agree Winder…would be huge if the dude turns-out anything like Burkett. Certainly a good call, Flav.
thanks but he’s got a ways to go. Still, he reminds me of him
For Flavor and Blade, I rode Heston to $450 in FanDuel wins, finishing first in a 100 person league and first in a 581 person tourney. I had been in first in an 11,500 entry tourney and 4th in a 17k tourney until the last two innings of the late games last night. Then F Head Nelson Cruz hits a stupid solo shot in the bottom of the 6th and the A’s idiots all scored extra points late. If I simply started Ethier over my poor pick of Kris Davis, I would have won both tourneys for an extra $2k:(
nice! What handle do you play under at FD?
Very good. What was your score? By the by, Wilcojoe knocked it out of the park last night too with a 66 score in a FD tourney.
Of course what Blade is leaving out is that he had a 67!
So my nickname for Heston (Bright Eyes) did not stick????
No. However, it is neck and neck with NRA Dude, Omega Man, Moses, and Hey! Hey! We’re The Monkeys!
. . . Keep trying though. 🙂
The Giants have played over a month of the season without Pence, Peavy, and Cain, and are only a half-game out of the Wild Card…..I’ll take it. The mental toughness of this team continues to be amazing.
Don’t look now but they’re in 2nd place in the NL West. Take the next game in Houston and then take the Reds series and the dodgers comes to town.
Way, way back there when Pence went down and Cain’s status still uncertain, i posted that if the Giants could only figure out a way to hover around .500 ball till the return of those two essential parts; we could be looking at some pretty nice developments upon their reappearance. Hell, i didn’t even account for Belt and Posey being a bit off-key and Bumgarner not quite up to his par yet. Of course, on the other side of the ledger neither was i accounting for Silver Hammer, Duffster’s excellence OR the level at which Heston has been pitching.
On KNBR this morning they were talking about Duffy. They were saying do the Giants make him their 3rd baseman or do they keep him as a super utility guy since he can play 2nd, SS, and 3rd. I say give him 3rd base out right. My problem with Mcgehee is that his hitting and fielding are not very good. It is one thing to come to a new team and struggle with hitting, but your defense should be outstanding.
When he’s on, Heston is one of those guys who shows that fastball velocity is not the only ticket to the Majors. Pitch movement and disrupting the hitters timing are more important, IMO. Is it nice to have a 95 mph heater? Absolutely, but the way Heston was throwing last night is just as filthy and he touches 90 mph with his FB.
That sinker he throws that backs up on right handers is almost screwgie-like in its movement. He whiffed several guys with it last night. He had the great curve last night and he spotted his FB well. He throws strikes, has great movement and keeps the ball on the ground. What’s not to like?
Heston keeps up the pace and even national commentators may start making comparisons with Greg Maddux. Sure its early yet and anything can happen in baseball, but this guy’s makeup is something special. He looks to be a classic case of pitcher ~ and i do NOT mean thrower.
If he can do it once, he can do it again. The only question is can he be consistent. You’re spot-on, he is a Maddux-style pitcher. I also like Flavor’s comparison to John Burkett, one of my favorite 1990’s Giants, along with Billy Swift. Twin 20 game winners. Swifty’s stuff was a little more electric. Heston doesn’t throw quite as hard, but you have to love that late movement and location.
He’s a shot in the arm for a staff that really needed it. I’d concede your national commentator comment if they actually let on that they know the Giants are the champs. I’ve never seen a single-year WS champ dissed like this one, let alone one that’s won 3 in 5. Unbelievable.
Oh, yea, and go Duffster! I love it when relative unknowns like this kid come up and start producing. He also appears to have the perfect demeanor for a pro ballplayer; never too high, never too low. At some point, if he keeps it up, Bochy’s going to have to have him in there every day.
Buzzkill back in the mix, but Bochy finds a way to keep the DuffMan in the line-up…
1. Nori Aoki (L) LF
2. Matt Duffy (R) 2B
3. Angel Pagan (S) CF
4. Buster Posey (R) DH
5. Justin Maxwell (R) RF
6. Brandon Belt (L) 1B
7. Andrew Susac (R) C
8. Casey McGehee (R) 3B
9. Brandon Crawford (L) SS
RHP — Tim Hudson (1-3, 4.50)
Good read on Buzzkill…will be interesting to see how long Bochy sticks with him.
http://www.knbr.com/2015/05/13/thurm-advanced-stats-suggest-mcgehees-slump-is-far-from-over/
Interesting article, thanks. I guess Bochy would argue that the sample size isn’t big enough yet, but the article seems to refute that.
I didn’t know that McG’s hit into 11 double-plays so far. I didn’t even think it was that much already.
It feels like 20.
Excellent article Chi.
Gianthead: I am with you all the way on “Bright Eyes” which I feel is a true nickname. I can probably live with the Omega Man, but am very much against Moses and Ben-Hur and will never use either.
I used to watch Mark Roth bowl at Rainbow Lanes in Brooklyn. It was amazing to see up close. They tore down the bowling alley years ago. The sewage treatment plant down the block remains…
Well the hope for me is that the only reason McDeepee is in there is because Panik is getting a break.
Baba O’Riley is being used as background music on a Mazda commercial.
Hate that shit.
I’m down with “Bright Eyes” as well GH& Loo,
Did see Mark Roth once bowling at Dublin Bowl the home alley and owner of Earl Anthony.
Roth was one hell of a bowler in his prime, really torque the ball out over the one board ,almost in the gutter ,then kaboom blasting the pins, had thumb issues at times with that pressure release he had I recall.
Normally, I think changing lyrics to a song is dumb but in this case I loved it. You have to be a Dubs fan and have endured 30 years of shit in your face to appreciate this video. If the W’s win the NBA championship I would put Steph right up there with Buster and Montana in terms of Bay Area lore. He’s almost single handedly given fans of the Warriors their pride back.
Ashkon did it. Loved it.
Nice.
Curry can handle.
But he, like the other point guards of today, carry the ball all the time. Palming, or carrying the ball, is not called anymore in the NBA, nor in college much. You couldn’t do that in the old days of the NBA, the 60s and 70s, maybe even early 80s. It’s much easier to control the ball on fancy cuts and cross overs if you’re allowed to put your hand under the ball then cup and roll the hand over the top of the ball as you dribble and advance. Just like they rarely call traveling anymore in the NBA, even though the rule allows 2 steps after picking up the dribble. Tonight, some guy on the Grizzlies looked like he took about 4 steps with the ball heading to the bucket after he picked up his dribble — no call. And, players drag their pivot foot with impunity…
Loved Dirt’s dueling banjos photo. Which reminds me of the baseball slang term “banjo hitter.” You don’t hear that too much anymore, do you? (Casey McDP comes most to mind.) I sort of wish I had taken up fencing. Not sure why. Is it *manly* enough for all y’all? Is it too late? “His wife appears to still be regularly fed…….” Syntactically, Magnus, you’ve added insult to injury by casting those spousal eating practices in the passive voice. Go, Giants! God bless Monte Irvin!
I always thought it was kinda cool. There’s a place down the road here that offers instruction. It’s never too late.
Monte Irvin at 96 gets a WS ring, I love it.
Marty Piraino is the local great bowler around these parts. Sam Piraino, Giants fan I referred to last night, is distantly related. When I was growing up, my cousins owned alleys in Stamford, CT. Used to just charge us for shoes all the time. At first, it was a duckpin joint. The family debate, still unanswered (and I won’t ask because I like these cousins, who sold the lanes several years ago), was whether the operation was “connected” or not.
Kluber is trying to become the first Indian pitcher since Len Barker to throw a no hitter. I decided to go find that game from ’81. Just fast forward to the end to see the final half inning. Here’s what struck me: not a single fan has a jersey on or a team shirt on. The field is all dirt and that mound is atrocious. This is early 80’s baseball at it’s finest
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfYNYGEe9a8
Keep it going.
I have the Astros feed and they’ve just talked a little bit about the Astros slumping, e.g., (paraphasing) “When they slump, they have a tendency to do it for a long period of time.” However, I am still amazed at the headline Wilcojoe mentioned about them being “chumps.”
they really have no frame of reference, right? They always suck so they always *slump*. They’re 4-6 over their last 10 so what’s that? It’s only a slump if you’re a good team. They benefit from playing in a shit division….
Took Duffy in a couple of DFS today.
Not certain WJ heard what the Houston announcer said about, “Aoki is very similar to Irchiro.” I was waiting for him to say, “. . . He’s Japanese,” but he said some nonsense about him getting out of the box quickly and being fast. Uhh, yeah, but Ichiro? One is a sure fire HOFamer and the other guy is a good, not great player (defensively and offensively). Anywho, if you heard that Wilco, chime in.
He Did! He Did! HE DID! Banged, Blasted and Blistered by Buster.
Put a fork in Hudson – get someone in there Bochy.
Shit, if McGillicutty isn’t there, that’s a hit. Get Hudson out of there!
OK, I was wrong. 🙂
Or not.
Can McDP be in a “slump”, if he’s been crap since the season’s get go?…
Yet another solid performance by Kontos. He has been nails this spring. When Peavy or Cain comes back Machi is likely to be the one getting the yank.
I guess it’s time to admit that the hit-and-run is a dim sum game for the Giants.
We could use a Springer
Or two
Kills me that Affeldt seems baffled that he got pulled.
Damn.
Is McGehee on suicide watch yet?
Attaway, Craw.
Ah shit.
why didn’t Aoki ever try to steal 2b? 5 pitches to duffy and pagan he never moved. Base hit only gets him to 3b.
Posey, dang.
Well that sucked.
Womdering that myself Willie.
Dubs up 8 at the half.
McGehee has to sit. He’s had one good game in a month.
Actually two – the one we attended Chuck and the Grand Slam game . . . but yeah, I get your drift.
I was wondering why Aoki was slapping to the left side with a runner on second, with none out. Down by a run, in the 9th inning, he’s got to try to pull the ball and get the runner to third, IMO.
I don’t know what Crawford was thinking when he took off running for third.
Looked like Posey had a nice pitch to hit in the 9th. A hanging pitch of some kind. He didn’t get good contact on it, obviously.
Dodgers lost, and one of their relievers, Baez, pulled a pectoral muscle, and is probably heading for the DL.
Just got home from the game. Wilco jr. tagged along as well and was itching to leave by the fourth. I wasn’t about to spend his college savings on ice cream, cotton candy, and whatver else he desired to keep him quiet so we ended up leaving after the seventh. Hudson looked like he was going to match Heston’s gem but then the chumps bats decided to awake from their slumber. Heard Springer’s shot on the way home. That guy is going to be a beast. Time to check out my Fanduel score to ensure Blade doesn’t make another miraculous comeback. 😉
Kluber has 18Ks through 8 full frames for the Clevelands vs. Kards, and with 108 pitches in, they pull him before even a shot at pitching the 9th, and possible record Ks? That’s just crapola…
Dubs blow them out, too many 3’s and good ball movement, coupled with speed and transition game Memphis can’t match. Good defensive effort too, Gasol and Randolph haven’t been scoring as much last 2 games.
Zum, Aoki did have a hole to left side, but he hit the ball up the middle right at the SS. That situation as a LH, SS is the guy you have to read. IF choppers are what he does best.
But you’re right a groundball to right side gets Craw to 3b and then 2 chances to tie it up.
What’s wrong with a bunt to get Craw over? I don’t buy that play to win crap in the 9th on the road — you get that runner over to force a tie. You can’t win if you don’t tie…
Hy shit, Tim tum