Rest is Overrated
I can’t get over all the rest these NBA players have taken over the last couple of weeks of the season. Pop started all of this a few years ago but teams that aren’t even sniffing the playoffs are *resting* players. WTF? NBA tickets are expensive, it seems like quite a screw job to the fans to make them pay usual prices to watch the scrubs garbage time their way up and down the court.
The Warriors have obviously been playing their guys down the stretch. Will it affect them negatively in the playoffs? Please. These are young men in the prime of their careers. You want a little rest? How about today and tomorrow. That’s plenty of rest. Then kick the shit out of Houston on Saturday…
Happy birthday to Greg Maddux. He’s 50 today and though he’s older than me, that makes me feel quite old.
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
When I heard he Kings were resting their guys, I burst out laughing. Resting for what? Fishing?
Golf.
Getting a bit concerned about the Duffster. His BA has dropped to .194. Evidently mile-high atmospherics are not doing a thing for him. As for the pitchers ~ it’s Denver. RBI’s last night: Arenado:7, SF: 6.
It is a long season, and we must remember that the DuffMan has not played many games on the big stage. I love what he has shown to date, but was not convinced at the end of last season that he could sustain it.
He started slow last year (.239 in March/April), then hit over .300 up until Sept. when he tailed-off to sub .300 again. Time will tell, but I think with the talented hitters surrounding him (Pence, Posey, etc.), that he will be fine.
Smarge’s 8 looks real impressive given yesterday. Hope the Cainer gets runs and keeps the ball in the park. He’s a fly ball pitcher, and that usually doesn’t bode well in Sherpaland. Prolly gonna shell out the $19.99 for MLB audio. Gamecast is just too annoying to bother with.
That will be one of the best 20 bucks you ever spend, Charlie. I did the same for the same reason. Good move.
The MLB Lame\Day (or ESPN equivalent) just doesn’t cut it.
Kuiper said this morning, surprisingly, that he thought the Giants would give Peavy a few more starts to get right – that Heston was in the wings. I thought he would have said half a season. I’m down with April, if that’s the feeling. Peavy’s looked on the verge of being done since sometime last season, but we know the guy is resilient. Anyway, the Giants have arms in the minors, if Peavy gets the heave ho, I’m down with it. I don’t care if the guy is a gamer and yells at himself on the mound — I’d yell too if I pitched crap like last night — Coors is a joke, but that was horrendous even for Coors…
I heard Kuiper, too, and am completely onboard with that (if that is truly the way Bochy will go). Bochy will give Peavy a really long rope, given their history, IMO. I hope Peavy can pull it together. I like the guy a lot…he is a warrior and battles his ass off each pitch. Will be interesting to see how it all pans out, but I think they have the arms to make the change anytime Bochy and Sabevans decide the time is right.
Since both Kruk and Kuip regularly float the org’s trial balloons in the morning segment that is pretty interesting to hear. I’m looking forward to Cain’s start today. If he strings together some good outings Peavy will get the Rowand treatment pretty quick eh?
Age is a state of mind Big Flavor. I still feel young. Its my mind that betrays me. When they start having 2010 anniversary celebrations at AT&T I will really be feeling it. I wonder when that will get going? You know Huggy Bear will be at everyone of those events.
Yep, the Warriors will get a chance to rest after they sweep the Rockets.
Apparently Sac Kings really rested guys — didn’t even put a couple of guys on the team plane in a tanking effort to keep their conditional draft pick in place. They didn’t tell Karl about it. Apparently he’s getting fired anyway, so no biggee. If you’re going to tank, can’t you be a little more nuanced about it? At least the Dubs had their guys on the bench a few years ago while they tanked to keep the pick away from Utah that turned into Harrison Barnes. I don’t have a problem with tanking in the NBA, but come on, let’s not be that obvious…
Flav – good thread and I concur. I did not go to one single NBA game this year. I typically take in a couple of Kings games. But if I did put down some hard-earned coin and one or both of the teams were “resting,” I would be PISSED! Get your pussy-ass out on the hardwood, earn your pay, and entertain the fans you asswhipes.
Are you not entertained? ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?!
Sorry, Chi, couldn’t resist. My favorite line from that movie.
Sorry LJ – I am not familiar with the movie quote. What exactly is the quote, and from which movie?
Hopefully the Kings hire Mark Jackson so I don’t have to listen to that asshole call W’s games anymore. And on that note, GO WARRIORS!!!
No kidding. Jackson is such a tool though. I don’t know why anyone would want him coaching their team.
The Kings stepped all over their dick when the fired Michael Malone. I have NO confidence in that franchise in turning things around anytime soon. Sad, because they were a really fun team back in day of Divac as a player with Weber, Jason Williams, etc.
From ESPN:
Alert: This is not a typo. Steph Curry is shooting 53.5 percent on shots between 28 feet and the half-court line (47 feet). The rest of the NBA: 20.5 percent. Curry has made as many deep 3s as 10 NBA teams combined.
Neo wasn’t this good in The Matrix.
Neo was a sharp-shooter hoops player? Damn, I missed that one… 😉
More ESPN:
“And if I was 6-foot-11, I’d be Anthony Davis.” — Draymond Green, responding to Kyrie Irving’s assertion that the Cavs would’ve won the NBA Finals if they’d been healthy.
Still more ESPN:
You know that whole 40-50-90 thing? How difficult it used to be to eclipse 40 percent from 3, 50 percent from 2 and 90 percent from the line all in the same season? Steph’s 2015-2016: 45.6 percent, 56.1 percent, 90.4 percent, his second straight season as a member of this exclusive club.
Those are some bloody sick numbers.
Plus the 30 as in scoring average over 30. I think he needed 41 last night to push his season average over that.
The NBA’s official measurement for the last triple was 37 feet, 13 feet behind the 23-foot, 9-inch three point line. I love Mike Breen’s call on the last one:
That, to me, was their most monumental win all year, and Curry with the dagger to the heart with .6 left in OT.
I was swapping messages that night with an old HS girlfriend back in Oklahoma (where I grew-up and went to HS). She is obviously a Thunder fan. She could not believe Curry…especially that final tray. She did give mad props to the Warriors and Curry after that game. I am sure the Thunder fans were just dumbfounded after that game.
Baggarly says Romo’s back in SF to have his sore elbow checked
Buster Ballgame back in the LU, and Specs gets a start.
1. Denard Span (L) CF
2. Angel Pagan (S) LF
3. Buster Posey (R) C
4. Hunter Pence (R) RF
5. Brandon Belt (L) 1B
6. Matt Duffy (R) 3B
7. Brandon Crawford (L) SS
8. Matt Cain (R) P
9. Kelby Tomlinson (R) 2B
Horse batting 8th, eh? Well, he’s not exactly the Carolina Cowboy with a piece of ash in his hands.
Bochy has been going with the P in the 8 hole quite frequently.
I’m a little worried about Panik. He had an awkward fall yesterday. Hope his back didn’t flare up.
I had to run an errand at lunch, Charlie, and caught part of the pre-game. Sounds like it is a hip issue. I did not catch any prognosis. Yeah, I hope this guy can stay healthy, because if he can, I think he could be a regular at the AS game, and have mentioned numerous times, I think he will also rack up at least one batting title. He is quickly becoming my favorite Giant. Get well, Joe P!
Per Pavs: “On the day Bruce Bochy got his No. 3 hitter back, he’s without his No. 2 hitter. Bochy said Joe Panik “banged his hip up pretty good diving for a ball” on Wednesday and needs a day off.
Panik, who didn’t get to a couple of balls he normally would, should be back in the lineup Friday. Bochy had planned to give several regulars a day off on this trip anyway.”
Ground attack! Gigantes draw first blood!
Cainer needs to settle. We need to get him sone runs……………
just got the audio.
0-2 to hit . . .
Dammit – lost the DP possibility there. Come on boys, get out of this jam!
Come on…you have to get the damned pitcher out here.
FUCK! Really??? The goddamn pitcher drives in two. Jeez…
Right. Putting people away is an issue with Cain again.
Jesus. I HATE Colorado.
same story different year .. Rox kickin our ass again .. Rosy de la Rubbarb owns us … Fuckin one hit … Jezzus freakin xmas!
And yet it continues. . .
Moses and the pen getting a workout. Or BP.
Fuckfuckfuck 8-1 . . .
I paid $19.99 for this??? Fuck me.
They’re gonna bat around twice.
FuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuucK
my fucking DVR at home is recording this fucking game. Maybe I can telepathically instruct it to stop. Panik and Romo are both ailing now. The good start to the season just fell off a cliff. That ballpark in Denver has some bad juju. Maybe the cliff will turn out to be 4 feet high. Maybe not. I hate that ballpark.
At the start of this series, I had a gut feeling Matt would pitch a good game today. Looks like I need to change my diet.
Moses is wearing this. Curious as they didn’t even use Petit at all last year in this kind of role.
Well, they said it was Panik’s hip. Which is better than saying his back is sore. But then again, the medicoes are fair to awful.
Duffster needs to get some mojo going.
As I mentioned earlier (granted, his ML stats are a small sample size), but he has habitually started slow early in the season. But yeah, I would love to see him get it going.
And I am telling you (mentioned it a few times here during ST and got a lot of grief), but if Arroyo catches fire, and the Giants are set on him at 3rd, I would consider Duffy as the “super sub” (ala Specs) and let the kid see what he can do at the hot corner.
Pfffftttt…Fucking stepped away when it was 4-1 and come back to NINE to FUCKING one! Cain was cruising up until the 4th.
I am with the rest of you…I HATE the fucking ballpark in Denver. Fuck that place.
I think xoot was exaggerating a bit when he said the season just fell off the cliff. This shit happens, unfortunately, more often than not in this fucking house of horrors.
I need a drink…or TWO…make ’em a double!
well, maybe the cliff is just a curb and the trip and fall is minor, but damn it hurts
Well, at least they aren’t going quietly.
Not going quietly, but going nonetheless.
Well, 9-6 . . .
If Chad Qualls is pitching the Giants might take the lead here.
Good to see Duffy going oppo.
I’m done with this one. Disgusting loss.
I concur.
Weird fuckin game .. I thought Cain wasn’t actually terrible .. but anemic offense is getting to be offensive. Didn’t get our second hit until the 7th.The pen seems like it cannot be counted upon to hold down shit .. get back in the game, give it right back to them.
Cain looked great through three. And his velocity was good (I think he was hitting 93). Just that one bad inning, but that seems to be his story line last couple of years. Fix that shit and we have a damned good 4. Expensive one, albeit a good one. SMH…
It’s Colorado. Panik is in,so that’s a good sign. Posey got hurt again it seems. We are limping in to LA.
I just got back and saw Panik was AB. Yes, good sign. Bochy said he fully expected him to be ready for la bambinos tomorrow.
Any one check out the era of the 4 pitchers we faced today? 8:80; 9:00; 11:57; 7:75 … The latter lowering rapidly as he burns through our so called “hitters.”
Chi, I should’ve listed the movie, it’s from Gladiator. Russell Crowe’s character, Maximus (title character), has just finished singlehandedly finishing off about 5 opponents in the arena when he starts barking those lines at the bloodthirsty crowd. He’s a complete badass but a badass with honor, forced to fight in the arena after his family is murdered. Great movie, albeit a tad bloody at times.
Blehhhhh, as what’s her name used to say. . . Ballgame. Sucks we are banged up heading in to La La Land.
Fuck. Too little, too late. I hate Colorado’s yard…that fucking piece of mile high shithole sucks ass. Cannot get the fuck outta there quick enough. Bring on the bambinos.
Bum vs. Opie, Round 2 tomorrow. Let’s Get It On! BEAT LA!
Four in Seven! Humm Baby – Let’s Do It Again!
What a difference a week makes, uh? Last week, was feeling pretty confident all around about pitchin, hitting, pen .. maybe not so much about the bench. After these three games against the shitty Rox … Ugh!
It may be that Cain and Peavy are going to be the same guy, and we only need one of those. Having two number fives in the rotation isn’t acceptable. Cain seems to have the slightly bigger upside at this point. I’m not sure Heston is the answer either. Maybe a AAAer gets a chance in the not-so-distant future.
See my post below. You just can’t accurately judge what you’re seeing when trying to evaluate a team playing at Coors Field.
Been preaching it for years now. Giants need a FIREMAN. During the 50’s and 60’s the concept of a closer was mehh. THE dude in the bullpen was the fireman. Einstein defined insanity as if you keep doing the same thing and every time it turns to shit, you should quit. (paraphrased). Both in the Peavy start ~ to some small degree ~ and today ~ if the Giants had a no nonsense shut em down fireman to send in there when things started going south; the game might have remained well in reach.
Eff the longman coming in when the starter clearly has lost it during a given inning. Longmen are there to go several innings, holding the fort. Their forte is NOT coming in and dousing the flames. Somewhere in the organization there has to be a pitcher with cheese, junk, whatever, who has icewater for blood and can go on in there and put a halt to the nonsense.
NINE runs in the 5th was a total embarrassment. Giants NEED a FIREMAN.
The Giants often used Affeldt in that role during the playoffs, but teams don’t seem to want to do that during the regular season. If a team has lights-out guys, they use them in later innings. It’s been the conventional wisdom for a while now. One of these days, a team is going to win a World Series by using their closer in the 5th or 6th inning sometimes, and it will revolutionize thinking. But nobody wants to be the first to do it. SABR-thinking supports using the closer in earlier innings sometimes, but nobody is willing to do it yet. The closer is the best reliever in the bullpen, usually, so why not use him when the game is at a crucial pivotal point, even if it’s much earlier in the game? I see the logic of it. Others disagree.
Ferretthead! Nevermind.
Heston is supposed to be Petit. It seemed to work in 2010, 2012, and 2014.
Lurker John, I recognized that quote, but I also thought you were maybe paraphrasing Joe Pesce’s lines from “Las Vegas” — “Am I clown? Do I amuse you?” said in great Pescian NY accent, of course…. 🙂 And no, these losses in Denver are not amusing. Hey, it’s April. By mid-May, they’ll be cruising. Peavy will be out of the rotation, and… someone else will be doing something else… and….. I am reminded of a great local new wavy Boston band from the early ’80s: Someone and the Somebodies…..
Not to be nit picky but Pesce’s was a classic ‘Joisy’ accent.
That was a great line too, Paul. Damn near scares the shit out of Liotta’s Henry Hill. Pesci was scary in that movie. Pure psychopath.
Damn I learn a lot from youse guys .. Zum’s two 5th starters; Carstie’s ‘Fireman’ .. Great stuff!
If I haven’t mentioned it lately, I fucking hate that fuck of a “ballpark” known as Coors Field. Ever since those fuckers came into the league the Giants have had trouble there. I just hate it. It skews the game like no other park ever has and I dread trips there every time the Giants have to go. Shut that abomination down and build a proper park somewhere in lowland Colorado where it belongs. It’s a joke. The Rockies will never win a title there.
And I know this is way too early, but this is looking more and more like fork time for Peavy and Cain. I have no confidence in either one. They are the two worst guys to have pitching in Denver. The front 3 look good, but those 2 look like shit.
I really thought Cain’s last two appearances were not that bad, considering he is coming back from such a long period of inactivity. No run support either time, and the ‘the box-o-rox’ got the better of him today. And Heston fucked him letting all there inherited runners score. All in all, I’m confident he can rise to the level of a number 5. Peavy I’m worried about, and as Zum said, we don’t need two #5s.
Agreed on Cain, Bass. He was solid in the early going. Somehow that solo-shot dinger must have got to his head and he started a rapid melt-down. Time for the Fireman. Heston couldn’t do it and its not his role. Doesn’t matter that Petit was sufficiently versatile to pull it off on a fairly frequent basis. Perhaps Bochy, Righetti and Gardner realize that now, though, of course, the Coors factor has to be considered as primary.
The Box of Rox is always an outlier. Again, in early going it was looking like the Horse is back. Give him some time. He should make a fine #5 and maybe even a league-ranking #4. Giants have a couple guys in the pipeline who were highly touted as starters and now seem to have slid into relief roles. Somebody, somewhere, even in another organization, should have that icewater blood and the killer instinct. Giants ~~ get it done.
Yeah… I still have hopes that Matt will be ok, but I agree about Peavy. Done and dunner. Bochy’s gonna have to get over his man-love for the guy if he doesn’t produce by mid-May or so….
As well, I appreciate fully LJ pointing out that it is difficult to evaluate a team by a performance at Coors’
Still, Cain has such great experience and he ain’t as long in the tooth as Peavy. If he can summon all his resources, puts up the fight of his life, I believe he has a solid chance at being a decent pitcher again. But it is going to take a Herculean effort. He is the ‘Horse’ and I sense he ain’t going down and out without a fight.
I’ve been thinking mid-May is probably pretty close to where the Organization is looking.
I think Cain’s gotten too skinny the past few years and he’s not as strong because of it. I felt the same way about Jason Schmidt. I realize they both had injuries. On the other hand our shortstop could stand to lose a good 15 lbs…
In Boston they’d kill to have their 3rd baseman only have to lose 15 lbs
Not to seem like I’m defending Panda .. I’m certainly not, I think he’s an asshole. Texas’ Prince Fielder charts at 5’11” 275, 2 yrs older, same height and 20lbs heavier than Pablo. Fielder has had a 40 HR year, and many more in that vicinity. A couple of injury plagued years brought him down a notch or two but he had a great year last season although he is off to bit of slow start currently (.184) … Maybe I missed it, but I dont think I ever heard of people complaining about Fielders’ weight. However, I concede Fielder, when healthy, has been a consistently more impressive offensive player. Not sure what my point is … Possibly, it is simply that if Pablo was putting up good numbers nobody would say shit about his weight.
Thing about Panda is he plays 3b, arguably a more demanding position than1b (Fielder) defensively. Really need quick movement at 3b. When Panda gets really fat, his defense suffers a ton…
Point well taken snarkk. 3rd is a more athletic/balletic position. I wonder if Panda will show some humility and leave his $400K fuckmobile in the garage and start showing up at Fenway driving a Prius? Doubt it .. that fuck wad is way too dumb to notice any resentment he might generate by showing off his ignorant attitude: “I’m a rich fat turd .. I got your money now and I don’t give a flyin fuck ’bout nothin but me & all the cool shit I can buy and you can’t .. go choke on your beans Boston!”
I saw this on a sports show- some cool coincidences with the number 73. Most wins for an NBA team in regular season history. Most HRs in a season in MLB history. And most points scored in an NFL championship game. The show had a couple more, but I can’t remember them.
Did they mention that I got a 73 on my algebra regents exam?
Romo onto the DL with flexor tendon strain in the elbow. Doesn’t sound good. That sounds to me like a possible TJ situation. There was a reason they didn’t pitch him much in ST — his elbow was messed up. Who they will bring up is a ?…
Perused the MLB team stats tonight .. Gmen are near the top in many offensive categories … near the bottom in most of the important pitching stats.