Tough Games Ahead
I’m headed to Black Butte, Oregon for a week and then Sun Valley. Gonna play a lot of golf and spend time with the fam. We are up 2 games on the day I leave. What will the number be when I get back? This east coast swing is absolutely no joke. It really doesn’t matter who we play as the Yankee series proved. Philly gave us phits when they were HERE last month. What will it be like in their house? Not looking forward to that series. And who could forget the Nats sweeping up embarrassingly a couple of July 4th weekends ago. I remember it was hot as fuck that series. Anyone know what the weather in DC gonna be like?
We wrap it up in Florida and being indoors might be a welcome relief but we could play the Marlins on the moon and it would be a fight.
So we are up 2 games today.
Hmmmmmm……
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
Be safe Flavor . . . By the way, are you familiar with Brookings, Oregon? I understand they have a weather phenomenon there, where the temperatures are significantly higher, then the surrounding area. I am thinking seriously about selling my condo in Denver next Spring and have been looking on the West coast – particularly ocean front or near ocean front property. I also like Los Osos and San Luis Obispo on the central coast of California. Anyway, if you know anything about the Brookings area, shoot me an email at your convenience.
In recognition of MLB deadline day.
I’ve never seen it. Some day.
It has been a steam bath in DC since we returned. I think they have night games Friday and Saturday so that helps.
Let’s hear some of your golf stories when you get back. Where you playing?
For what it is worth Flappers, Tim Kirkjian was reporting this morning that our Giants are in the lead for landing Jim Bruce (what happened in the last 48 hours) and he predicted he would end up in SF. I’m crossing all fingers and toes…
How far from Bandon Dunes? That is the place everyone raves about for a golf experience…
Landing Bruce is good I suppose. Any reports/ideas on what it would take to get him?
At this point the Mutts are said to have taken over the inside track. As for asks from the Giants, they probably include a MLB positional replacement for Bruce, a highly rated and relatively advanced rotation prospect and likely a low-minors but good upside pitcher.
I have not seen any story of substance but my sense is Parker is probably more attractive than Williamson for the Reds and they get a lefty outfielder for a lefty outfielder. I think you put Beede in that deal and it is a hard to pass up deal for the Reds.
The other story is the Giants after lefty Matt Moore, which I would love but then I question what we have to put in that deal.
But what I love about both ideas is that unlike Beltran, they would have Bruce next year on a team option. Having Bruce-Span-Pence as your outfield with maybe Pagan brought back on a reasonable one-year deal and he could back up all three spots and then Williamson as a 5th OFer. With potential of those 3 starters potentially getting banged up, Pagan should get decent playing time. Bye bye to Blanco.
Even though I believe club’s order need are BP, SP, OF I agree with you on the prospect of having Bruce next year. I’d be fine with moving Parker as I’m not as high on him as some.
I’d be down with acquiring Moore.
Moore is coming off Tommy John from 2 years ago and his Era is at 4 and high WHIP but he is controllable for 3 more years at a price tag of just $7 mill next with $2.5 mill buyout and then $9 and $10 mill the following two with smaller buyouts. So they could give him a one year tryout and then dump him if he does not put up better numbers than Peavy and Cain would have. I just like having a second lefty in the rotation to go lefty in Bum to right to lefty to right with Smardjaramjam and then Cain needing to win a spot in spring training.
And Dirt I have been in agreement for weeks that a bullpen arm seemed to me the most immediate need, but I don’t think you can let Bruce slip through your fingers and him landing with the Fodgers or Mets…
Have a safe and refreshing vac, Magnus. This weekend Yankee Stadium Mystery Companion and I saw Emmylou Harris and Lyle Lovett in Canandaigua, NY. What a terrific concert. Lovett is a true gentleman; a gracious host and storyteller. Gospel, folk, blues, country. Emmylou is sweet, sad, and dreamy.
Gail and I saw Lyle a month or so ago with his Large Band, and we saw him about three months prior to that doing an all acoustic set with Robert Earl Keen (they were college buddies back in the day at Texas A.M.). The Lyle/REK show was good, and it was full of great stories and music, but I just love him with his Large Band. And he is always the quintessential story teller, regardless.
Gail and I have also seen Emmylou a few times the past couple of years. Last two times with Rodney Crowell. Great shows…I never tire of Emmylou and have had a huge crush on her since I first saw/heard her back in high school.
Brookings is about 5 miles N of the Ca border.
If you like rain and fog, you’ll like it there. Decent golf in the area. Nice when sunny. Gold Beach is smaller, about 20 miles up the road, where the Rogue River enters the Pacific. I’ve fished up in there. Nice area. Not much to do in either place. SLO is a college town, much bigger. Kruk country, can get hot once in a while Los Osos, I don’t know, Morro Bay has always struck me as kind of real sleepy. About 5 miles from the Diablo Canyon nuke power plant, so if there’s a quake and that place goes down, that ain’t good…
I’ve seen a few reports saying Sabean has been out scouting a lot this year. I find that to be sort of funny. I know he started out as a scout but is that really his strength?
Scouting or going to different wineries???
OK, cliché time–they’re all tough games from here on out. contenders battling for playoff slots, others trying to spoil their stuff. Giants just played 2 tough games and feel good. Um, lot better than Mariners do. Epic faceplant by Cishek and they are shutout for 9 innings after all the blasts.
AL East has 3 teams within game and a half. NL WC has 3 teams for 2 spots within 3 games of each other, 3 others right behind them.
Phils are under .500 at home and don’t hit the ball well. Good place to start, esp with Bum and Cueto.
GH, I’m not totally sold on Bruce but I see your point. If it’s a low cost 5th OF, I’d keep Blanco over Pagan as I don’t think Pagan can swallow a back up role and it would lead to issues in the club house.
I disagree on Pagan not being able to swallow a back-up role. The dude has been nothing but a good citizen. When they brought in Span, he said he will play wherever needed…that he just wanted to help the team win.
And, IMO, Pagan brings much more to the table than Blanco.
Pagan will make more than Blanco next year. He’s not coming back as a 5th OF.
There is no guarantee there, Dirt. And who says we are talking a 5th OFer. Pagan could be brought back on the cheap, and could compete Williamson or Parker for a starting spot. I am just DONE with Blanco Thanks for all he did, but time for him to move on, IMO.
I think you’re wrong. We’ll see.
I think the only reason to get Bruce is to keep him off the Dogs. He can go to the Mets. Their pitching has gone belly-up and they won’t reach the playoffs. Still think relief is the biggest Giant need. Jeffress and Will Smith are being dangled by the Brewcrew. Jeremy Jeffress is on a tiny deal but could spell Casilla if he keeps on wigging out as our closer. Problem is the Breqwers want to package Jeffress with Lucroy or Braun. Smith would be fine tho.
A left-handed pull hitter though . . . .
Only way I take Braun in that deal besides some money making going our way is that we get both Jeffress and Will Smith..
Enjoy your time with the family, Flav, and safe travels brother.
Yes, this east coast swing is gonna be tough.
Phillies are no push-overs and are playing good ball. Willie mentions they are not hitting that great at home, but they are pitching pretty damned good. They are tied with four or five other teams at for 5th in CGs (with three), and lead the majors in shutouts with 11.
It gets no easier with the Natty Nats. Those fuckers always give us fits back in their yard.
And finishing up with the Fish, they too are playing pretty damned good ball right now.
I will be ESTATIC with a .500 roadie (fuck, we haven’t played .500 ball AT HOME in what seems like forever).
Will be interesting to see if SabeEvans pulls off a deal. If they do, I do not expect a huge deal like a Bruce. That just has not been their MO, and even with their post-All Star scuffles, this team is better than what they showed us in that 15 game stretch.
Four in Seven! Humm Baby – Let’s Do It Again!
Bruce to the Mets. Maybe nobody is taking Booby’s calls.
Ha dirt! We posted at same time. See Passan’s tweet!
According to Jeff Passan, Giants and Rangers trying to make last minute offers for Bruce. However “Reds not answering the phone.”
Apparently a deal with the Mets is nearing completion. Maybe Sabevans should have called from a pay phone.
I can’t believe the mlb channel is reporting frickin Mets landed Bruce for one decent prospect a #1 pick in 2011 and two lower level ones. Mothersuck. We could not go better than that. Fucking pissed if that were the case. Matt Moore and Pearce as a backup plan???? This really is going to put a damper on the start of the week…
I really am not tripping. I do not think this team needs any major upgrades. If they get healthy (and it sounds like Duffy is playing pain-free during his rehabs), I think all will be fine. The number one IMO is still a bullpen arm. After that a SP. OF/Bruce was way down in the pecking order on my wish list.
The other thing about Pence, Panik, and Duffy’s injuries, is that they don’t have as much mileage on their bodies this year, and I am hoping that translates into some fresh legs for the stretch drive.
Instead of Bruce, Fodgers getting Reddick and Rich Hill..obviously Sabean was never talking to Bean…
Fuck Bean. He can go piss up a rope. This is some sort of jealousy thing on his part toward the Giants
I agree Chuck…both free agents and Hill probably a lot better than a Matt Moore…Reddick I think will be a Giants target as a free agent. Maybe one reason they did not want Bruce at the end of the day. But we need help now..
We need help in the pen. I do not think we need OF help. With Pence back, and you have Blanco, Pagan, and Williamson, and also Nunie can play some OF. I would take a relief arm and possibly a SP any day, and twice on Sunday over Bruce (or insert OFer’s name here).
Now if the Giants didn’t pull the trigger on Bruce because they want a deal with a combination of pitcher (s) and a hitter and they have something in the process, that would seemingly be good strategy. But let’s see them pulling something off. Conceivably the Fodgers are out of the running on Moore and the Mets were linked to Steve Pearce so they are out of the running. Bruce did seem to have been a potential perfect fit like a glove in the Giants lineup more than Pearce would be..
I wonder if the Giants recent bullpen success will lessen their need to make a move for an arm? I hope not.
Recent as in the last two games.
lulz. You stole my words, Wilco.
So the big prospect the Mets gave up is someone they had called up as a 4th OF….makes my stomach turn. Means mgmt didn’t want to give up someone like Parker or Williamson and makes absolutely no sense to me…Abad the Twins lefty reliever we could also have used going to Red Sox instead…
G-Head, you just need to let it go, brother. Go pour yourself a stiff drink or two. As Bob Marley said, “everything’s gonna be alright.”
Red Sox got Fernando Abad, a nice lefty reliever for a bag of balls. There should be a handful of those deals going down today.
3 middling pitchingbprospects for Reddick and Hill. Again, fuck Billy Beane.
Will smith should be the guy we target.
Shit I’d trade Mac and Parker for Jeffress. Throw in lucroy. Fuck. If better guys are going for peanuts…..
I really think Beane made that move in large part to stick it to the Giants. The Giants aren’t the only team that would have coveted those two. To think that they couldn’t have gotten a much sweeter deal from half a dozen other teams is asinine. I for one prefer Reddick to Bruce (more consistent bat and much better defensively). Great move for the doghairs.
I think I predicted Hill to LA a while ago. No surprise Beane sticking it to the Giants. LA just got a lot better on paper. Maybe the Giants can trade a minors pitcher for a bag of new balls. Still a few hours to get a little something done…
From MLB Trade Rumors – ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick now tweets that a medical issue may be holding up the Mets’ acquisition of Bruce. Crasnick adds that the severity of the issue isn’t known, but the medicals are no longer a formality.
Crazy shit going on. Padres getting Collin Rea back from Marlins after he had to leave his first game with Marlins early due to injury. So now you can get a refund on damaged goods in MLB?
I am in the Fuck Billy Bean camp…
I’m hoping that any trade that the Giants pull off, includes Adrianza. I’m so tired of Mr. OOO taking up space on the bench.
Hallelujah, brother! And they can shove Blanco in his hip pocket as part of any deal.
Why would anybody trade for 000? The guy has cleared at least one trip thru waivers before…
I have a feeling he clears waivers every week.
I didn’t mean trade for, I meant included in any trade. For me, I’d only have a problem if they put him through the waiver process and he cleared. because he’d still be ours. On the other hand, The Giants do seem to want him and are worried that they would lose him. The one time they did slip him through was at the end of spring training when a majority of the teams, if not all, had their 25 man rosters set (a pretty safe bet that he’d clear).
Bruce doesn’t bother me. Fucking Reddick and Hill to the Dogs does to no end. Reddick is a shit ton better than Bruce. Fucking Hill is lights out this year. Even if they are rentals for the Dogs they got worlds better.
Thanks Billy.
We’re almost forced to get Braun just tio get Jeffress. Stick him on the bench to pinch hit.
I certainly like Reddick better as well but never thought the FuckA’s would try and help us and I am all for Reddick as a free agent as a much better alternative to Bruce. Do the Brewers have our balls in a vice trying to force Braun? I still demand both relievers if forced to take Braun. Moore and Pearce may be a better option but then we still bullpen help…
Draymond Green posting his junk on Snapchat? Hilarious.
Draymond’s Bogus Summer Journey
http://giphy.com/gifs/running-easter-bunny-bill-teds-bogus-journey-3osxYfc8VVd2YfgJGM
Hey if the Mets Bruce deal falls thru and we end up getting him and he turns out to be damaged goods, precedent has know been set to allow us to ship his ass back.
Yeah, I think we can get Smith w/o the baggage, but who knows? The Dogs upped the ante with a fucking deal handed to them on a silver platter. I never gave a shit about Billy Beane that much, but now he’s a fucking tool of the highest order. May the fleas of a thousand camels infest your armpits.
Whelp, I guess Booby better suite up
Well we got the lefty reliever…Will Smith
Don’t see what we gave up yet and I think the common Flap wisdom we needed a lefty reliever first…
Smith for Bickford AND Susac. LH reliever with a passable ERA and fairly long-term team control. Price seemed slightly steep but not unaffordable. That could make Osich surplus.
I like this deal a lot. Susac was expendable with the way Brown has played, and there are other catching prospects in our pipeline. Bickford was an unknown quantity. Giving up these two for a proven LH reliever with quality ML service, who is controllable for a couple of years was a good deal IMO.
I’m not as tough on Beane about that trade. Those 3 pitchers he got from the Dodgers are considered solid prospects.
And Hill actually has an injury issue. Sure, it’s “just” a blister, but it’s been kind of chronic for him this season.
Good deal in my book
Didn’t want to give up Spicoli but another lefty was a wise move for the BP…
And Brewers have their Lucroy replacement
Moore still being talked about…would like to get Pearce added to that deal and then we walk away with lefty reliever, #3 starter and then a right-handed decent power bat. Would be a win-win-win…
They had do to give up their #1 prospect for a lefty reliever? That speaks volumes about our farm. It must be worse than any of us thought. Ouch.
Was he really the #1 though? I think he was rated that way but he was very low level. Beede may be more major league ready. Stratton also seems closer since he at least got to see The Show…
No way Bickford is our #1 prospect. Neither he or Susac were on the top 30 (sfgiants.com).
Not certain about this trade (ignorant about all the moving parts, i.e., do not know who this Smith is and don’t know how well Bickford and Susac were playing at their respective minor league teams). Chi, you follow the Sac minor league team – was Susac not playing well? Hard to believe that the Giants were so high on him as recently as 2014, when I recall him being an outstanding backup to Posey. I think he hit .275 in about 100 ABs.
He has been hurt a lot, and bottom line, Brown has outperformed him. There are other catching prospects in the minors, and Susac sure as hell wasn’t a “can’t miss.” He was expendable, IMO. Bickford had six starts, or so, for San Jose (also played at low-A Augusta this year), and had a 2.73 ERA and 1.000 WHIP. These two for a proven ML lefty reliever, who is controllable for the next several years was a good deal, IMO.
Smith tore a ligament tying his cleats in ST. Pitches with a brace on. Terrific.
I think we gave up too much.
Chi: I didn’t know that about Lovett and Robert Earl. I like him a lot. Yeah, we had the Large Band.
Glad you saw the Large Band. I love that configuration for him. He had about 8-10 backup singers from a church in Modesto, CA. Great show, as always, Pawlie.
Hill was amazing w/ Boston last year. I can’t figure out how or why they didn’t manage to hold on to him.
Some particulars on Smith. The Newsome, Georgia native just had his 27th birthday last month. Big guy at 6’5″, 265 pounds. He was a 7th round draft pick for the Angels in ’08. On a 3.68 ERA this season he averages a strikeout per inning and 3.7BB/9. He’s a bit of a touch for the long-ball, having given up 1.28/9. He has a 1/3 grounder rate, so combined with the K’s, only one ball per inning goes airborne. Only 22 IP this year, so he may have been used mostly as a loogie+, but should have a fairly fresh arm.
Last season he was very good with a 2.70 ERA and 1.29K/9. Lifetime from 2012-16 he “sports” a 3.94 ERA and has given up 267 hits per 274 innings (not bad) His walks-K’s are 104-301 and career WHIP is 1.35.
High three quarter release?
I think he is still injured.
Pawlie – tore a ligament in his knee in the shower. Wonder if he is good friends with Jeremy Affeldt?!
http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/03/brewers-will-smith-knee-injury-weird-shoe
Was slated to be co-closer this year, per the story. Injured or not, I still like the deal.
His numbers should improve considerably in the west coast. He is what we needed. I never in a million years thought we would have to cough up our #1 pitching prospect for him though. Huge overpay. That handcuffs us from other moves, unless we decide to trade Arroyo and Beede for Moore.
Bickford was not our top pitching prospect. Fan Graphs had him ranked sixth on the Giants, second in pitching behind Beede. I think it was a good deal. We get a known quantity lefty reliever (which we need), who is controllable (arb eligible) until 2020.
Sounds like the Dodgers are frantically trying to deal Puig, and not getting all that much interest from other teams. Probably teams are just not interested in the potential headaches he brings to an organization. Maybe the Nationals would be a good fit, seriously. This is Dusty’s big strength, the ability to get through to guys. I could see him getting something out of Puig.
I said long ago, I’d take Puig. He’d shape up in SFG clubhouse.
I’m fine with giving away Bickford but for that? I am sitting in the SFO airport with incredibly shitty coverage that keeps conking out on me……
Pawlie, I haven’t seen Lovett in concert yet (although on TV a few times, excellent shows) but I’ve seen Emmylou perform in concert many times, in many different venues. Always a wonderful experience.
and she is foxy
Yes, she made a great decision to not color her hair when it started going gray, and she just kept a natural look, and she’s aged very beautifully. Similar to the way Meryl Streep just ages so beautifully.
I have had a MAJOR CRUSH on Emmylou since high school. Still do. Love that woman…
a horn player in Lovett’s band has played with Dylan, Wilson Pickett, Hendrix, and a dozen more I cannot recall
Yes…I recall that. Amazing. Most of his Large Band has been with him for a very long time.
One of the little things that bothers me about this. The Giants shouldn’t have to overpay for a pitcher (let alone a non closing reliever) because he is “economically controllable.” That’s shit the Indians and Pirates should be concerned with not us.
I don’t see that as the kicker on the deal. Nice to have, but the dude is a proven ML reliever, lefty at that, and was slated to co-close this year until he tore the ligament in his knee. I am down with that for what we gave up. Time will tell how good (or bad) this deal was.
Susac is blocked and maybe they just don’t think as much of Bickford as others do. I’ve seen him projected as anywhere from starter to reliever. That’s the price of deals this summer eh?
Do we also get Jada?
For me, the best thing about this deal is we didn’t end up with Braun
Bickford was just a puff of smoke imo…I’m not buying he was a lock as a prospect. Certainly Giants mgmt did not think that highly of him. Wheeler was a lot more of a sure thing and think we all were pretty good with that deal in ’11. Javier Lopez is finished. That left us with no reliable lefty heading into crunch time. Smith was a must get of we could not land another lefty reliever. The Lopez/Affeldt combo was crucial in three championship runs…I expect Osich will be back by Sept 1 and will replace Reynolds as the second lefty out of the pen…
At least we didn’t get Beltran again.
It’s ok if we didn’t see him as a legit prospect, the problem is you don’t want the competition to feel that way. I think Tim Alderson was a great exmaple of that. As long as BA, MLB, etc. think he is a Top 100 prospect you have to consider that as precious gold. He is nothing more than a poker chip for us, our biggest chip. I just think if you are going to play that hand, and move that chip in, it better be on a helluva hand. I am not so sure this was the right hand.
Now we are left small stacked, so if we want to make other moves, they will be small, incremental ones. Just my take.
Agree, GH. Good post.
What makes you think the Giants didn’t think much of Bickford. I can’t find anything anywhere to that end. He’s been with the organization for 1 year and “they don’t think that highly of him?” Link please.
Zumiee, I think you are dead on. I can totally see Puig as a Nat. Perfect ego combo with Harper. Don’t see them making a deal this trade deadline but would not very surprised it happens in the off-season…
Smith pitched yesterday so I think he’s fine. 12 holds, for what that’s worth.
I agree we overpaid for Smith. I don’t like, in fact, I’d be fine with us not doing any more deals—unless we can find a way to get Puig.
Fun Fact: Smith was once traded straight up for Nori Aoki.
@Blade: Stay away from the Central Coast. I was born in SLO, lived there until I was 8, went to college there for 2 years, and still have a lot of connections there. Great place in many ways and a wonderful place to raise a family, but I get bored there after a couple of days. Too small of a town and not close to any big towns.
Maybe that is a good fit for you, but I get the feeling you are someone who appreciates being in or near a big city. You ain’t catching no aeroplane to Vietnam from anywhere near SLO, I’ll tell you that!
Yeah, the lack of a metropolis nearby is a concern. I have relatives in San Luis Obsipo and Los Osos. In fact, my cousin, who tried out for the Olympics once, just built a mansion in SLO – he owns http://www.runningwarehouse.com/ – so if you need running shoes, that’s the place to go.
Nevertheless, lack of an airport is big. I am basically moving West to be closer to family. My mom and stepdad (Sunnyvale) have good health, but they’re in their 80s and consequently, that is a concern. Regardless, of what I do, I will ONLY be renting. In any event, I have about a year to ruminate on this.
Dude. You need to look at Placerville. Great small town, but only about 35 minutes from Sacramento. It rarely snows, and is typically about 10 degrees or so cooler than Sacramento. Lots of great restaurants. South Lake Tahoe is only about an hour away, too. SF is 90 minutes. Yosemite 2.5-3 hours. Location. Location. Location. And it is a very cool little town. Come down and visit some time. I have a very comfortable spare bedroom for you my friend.
Bickford Schmickford. If he turns into John Smoltz in 4 years, so be it. If we win now, we win now. If not, there was a need to replace a faltering Lopez, so the deal makes sense.
There are very few guarantees in draft picks. Especially low A ball guys. Susac was passed by Down Town Trevor Brown, so he had little shot.
I don’t think we overpaid.
You are dead-on IMO, Charlie.
Wow, Rangers got Jeffreess and Lucroy. Astros should be ashamed for sitting on their asses.
didn’t see you’r post Joe
Moore is a Giant!
For Chris Shaw. If there is no one else in invloved, they just made up for the Smith deal big time!
There has to be at least one more player (Beede or Arroyo?).
Duffy and Lucius Fox gone…
Fox AND Duffy supposedly included.
I see this deal as more of an overpay than the deal for The Fresh Prince of 3rd and King.
Lucroy to Rangers.
Bye bye Matt Duffy
All in on Nunie! I don’t have a problem with that.
Probably means Gillaspie stays on the roster. That will bring a smile to Gillaspie’s face, maybe. Nah, it won’t.
I’ll miss my boy and fellow Dirt Bag alum Matt Duffy. Gotta find a new avatar I guess.
Giants must see something spectacular in Moore ~ qualities which Rags and Gardy can hone into a reliable #4 or maybe even a three. Otherwise my take is that for Shaw ~ a certified slugger who might could have been converted into an outfielder, Duffster ! and Lucius Fox strikes me as overpaying once again. Duffy may have hit his peak last season. We’ll never know. Nunez takes over third for the nonce. Specs returns as primary utilityman ( i feel he is close to being a Duffy clone) and maybe Triple Ought Buck also gets the call-back.
Fox is really a raw project that may never put it together. As some have stated we may have already seen the best of Duffy but I’m still sad to see him go. Shaw was a legit bat making his way up the system. Hanging onto Arroyo and Beede was good I suppose. Arroyo will be called up in September as a super sub or possibly eased in next year if they are able to keep Nunez?
Nunez is arb eligible next year…not a FA until 2018. So the Giants control him next year. Nunie is making 1.48 this year, so it won’t be like he breaks the bank next year.
Sorry to see Fox go. He always sounded like an intriguing player. Blocked by Crawford and Panik, anyway.
Duffy getting traded will bother some of the players. But they’ll get over it. Sports are a tough business sometimes.
I’m crushed. Duffy is gone????????????
I’m running errands, so I will find out the details later. Unfrickinbelievable! Loved the Duffster . . . 😦
One of the reasons Duffy struggled on offense this year is that teams really figured out effective shifts for him, by loading up the right side and taking away a lot of his opposite field hits. It’s up to him to adjust and pull the ball sometimes to keep the defense honest.
Bummed about Duffy. Who gets bumped from the rotation now? I’d like to see it be Peavy, but I wonder if his relationship with Bochy and redass reputation will spare him being sent to the bullpen.
I was wondering that too, sandog. Peavy with 9 ER over his last two outings with 9 innings pitched. He’s be lucky to land in the bullpen but you know Bochy…
If I ever moved back home, I would be very tempted to settle central coast. SLO would be very tempting. But Blade, you would be high not to live in Santa Cruz….little bit of everything and a hop to Sunnyvale…not sure what rent prices are like but has to be a good mix…
Santa Cruz rent prices are through the fucking roof.
Good for my parents who have some rental properties;)
Half Moon Bay then Blade…would be awesome..
Not that it was make or break but if I am trading Duffy I think I am trying to figure out how to add at least Pearce or maybe going super big as I said before and trying to figure out Longoria as a super duper blockbuster.
Maybe the Giants are really worried about Duffy’s Achilles long term. Did the Ray’s then get suckered??? Moore to me will be #3 and I suggested since we got back that Smardjaramjam may be better off as the #4 and we can still walk away from Moore if he falters without a big price tag.
The other possibility is the Giants are really high on Arroyo and we my get a preview soon. But Gillaspie must be doing windmills in Philly in excitement not to be DFAd yet…
Duff, we hardly knew ye’. He may or may not be a AAAA type, but yeah, I think we saw the best of him.
Moore is a solid 3 which means the Peavy/Cain duo looks to be broken up with Peavy (more than likely) getting the bump to the pen. Or he and Cain was swap starts or some shit.
A good problem to have. I guess they figure getting Pence and Nunez is a big enough hitting upgrade.
5 no hit innings should earn Cain another round in the rotation don’t you think?
I would hope so Dirt!
Well, 90 pitches in 5 innings isn’t too undisheartening. Whatever that means.
Peavy and Cain have shown flashes of brilliance, but they’ve also not.
I like the move. but I think that 5th spot is tag-team at this point. Or maybe they both pitch on day 5.
Total bullshit they got rid of Duffy and I agree with Zumiee about the players not liking this. Sheesh, that totally diminished the Willie Mac Award for me, as Duffy won it last season (1st rookie to have done so). The award is for the “most inspirational Giants player.” I guess he wasn’t inspirational enough. Getting rid of him while he’s on the DL is beyond the pale too. PO’d right now. Still processing this.
For some reason, I had it in my head that you couldn’t trade a guy while he was on the DL, but apparently that ain’t the case…
Duffy isn’t on the DL…he is on a rehab assignment.
Gotcha……thanks for the clarification Chi.
I’m with you on Duffy, blade. I think it sucks and I don’t think we’ve seen his best, at all. I hope he fucking tears it up in Tampa.
Yeah, I will always be a fan of his. Wish him the best.
I could give a rat’s ass – DL or rehab assignment – it sucks in my opinion.
Wheels may still be in spin on the Moore deal. Now Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports contends that Shaw was NOT part of the deal ~ if so, i breathe a sigh of relief. Instead the rays would get 21 Y.O. Dominican Michael Santos, a righty who in his second season at Augusta has posted a 2.91 ERA with one complete game shutout. He has given up 61 hits in 58 IP, has a wonderful walk to K ratio of 5-44 and was one of the 4 or five quality arms i’ve cited on this year’s Augusta team.
Grant Brisbee wrote:
“Matt Duffy was not the kind of player I would have figured the Giants to deal at the deadline. He was a part of the core, the unbreakable infield that would make the ‘70s Dodgers look like jerks.
[looks at Christian Arroyo]
[whispers in Tom Hanks voice]
Earn this.”
I feel that question is maybe better directed at Nunie—though I love the SPR reference!
That challenge, not a question……..but you knew what I meant.
Am I good man?
What?!!
Have I lived a good life???
Yes!!
Almost makes me start balling just thinking about that scene.
Giants trading damaged goods???? How do we not get Longoria then in a bigger deal???? Pearce instead to Orioles….
Moore, a coveted lefty starter is 27 and a native of Fort Walton Beach, Fla. He runs 6’3″ at 210 pounds and was an 8th round pick by the rays in Ought Seven. Arbitration eligible after this season he is under team option for the next three years.
Currently Moore has shown a 4.08 ERA with 125 hits given up in 130 IP. Like so many SF pitchers he’s bigger on giving up dingers than the offense is in knocking them, with 20 long-flies already surrendered. He has struck out 109 vs 40 free passes. His hits per 9 rate at 8.7, HR’s at 1.4, K’s at 9.75 and BBs at 2.8.
Over his career Moore has a 3.88 ERA and has given up 495 hits over 540 IP. His 63 homers over that stretch may be eased with over half his games will be in the not so cozy confines of the NWL Pacific Coast teams. Walks to strikeouts are 228-494 with an average 8.3 H/9, a 1.1 HR rate, a 3.8 BB ratio and averaging 8.2 special K’s per 9 IP.
No way the Ray’s can move Longoria. He’s the one (and probably only) positive thing about the club.
The San Francisco Giants have acquired starting pitcher Matt Moore from the Rays before the deadline buzzer, both teams announced on Monday. Rays in exchange would receiver third baseman Matt Duffy, minor leaguer Lucius Fox and minor-leaguer Michael Santos.
http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/mlb-trade-deadline-giants-acquire-matt-moore-from-rays-for-matt-duffy/
Shaw is NOT a part of the deal. I like this deal quite a bit, now. Will miss Duffy, but the Giants got a piece they really need. Nunie is healthy and controlled next year, so they have their third-sacker.
on Smith’s weird knee injury–perhaps he’s a natural fit for Affeldt’s old slot
No cooking hamburgers for Smith. Or playing with his kids, or . . . .
I never heard of Lucius Fox before today. Wasn’t that the name of the guy in the Charlie Daniels song about an old man who buried his money in Mason jars in the middle of a swamp?
Sounds like an Amos Moses kind of guy.
He hunted alligators for a living, just knock’em in the head with a stump. That’s all he’s got left, ’cause an alligator bit him. Left arm gone, clean up to the elbow.