The Most Improbable Win of The Season?
When Justin Freaking Ruggiano hits a grand slam off your best pitcher and you are now down 4-0 to one the best pitchers in the National League and your team can’t hit and the crowd is as deflated as a beach ball caught on barbed wire……
And then THAT happens? I couldn’t believe what I was watching.
The win didn’t do much to move the needle on my feelings about this team. There has just been too much bullshit to be excited right now. But I did enjoy a nice exhale as the sea gulls took over and we got to take a W instead of what looked like a certain L.
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
I hate that I can’t really watch games, sounds like I missed a wild one last night.
And who is Tom Lawrence?
Who is John Galt????
Hah!
Had to Google that. A little before my time.
that dude just showed up with a bang yesterday, didn’t he?
Dammit! I caught the first inning or so on the radio (was out helping one of my new hires move some bedroom furniture). Got home and got busy getting busy (hey, when the iron is hot, you have to strike). Then I go “oh yeah, wonder what happened with the Giants game???”). This was at almost 11 (assumed the game was long over). I turn it on and catch the top of the 9th. And then I get the backstory on the game in the post-game. Holy shit!
I am with ya Craig, one game is not going to move the needle, but you do have to start with one win to begin a run of wins. I’ll take it!
And cannot remember if I posted it yesterday, but I believe I did, in that with it being Jerry Garcia/Grateful Dead night that if any game was going to serve as the turning point, this is the one.
Can ya give me two in a row?!
You did say that yesterday Chi, good call.
Cueto needs some similar luck to get even. Must take 3 out of 4 vs the sinking Mets…
Well he may have just got some.
Matz scratched for Mets. Seth Lugo now starting…
Moved needle a little for me, coming back from 4 run deficit. Bum helps himself Nunez Pence Craw, Span with couple more hits, Posey with breakthrough drive off RF wall for all imp insurance runs, Romo and Casilla finish strong.
And most imp, gain on Dodgers. Lot of good stuff for team that hasn’t had much fun lately, hopefully a deep breath springboard for good weekend before hitting Latrine.
I know Mets were in a slide, getting raked before Collins rant, but what have they done since?
And more GHead trivia…I could have dated Trump’s new campaign manager Kellyanne Conway back in the 90s before meeting my wife, but if you have seen her you will know why I passed up that opportunity…
And if you want to hear my story of hitting on disaster Senate candidate Christine O’Donnell of “witch” fame and blowing that Delaware Senate race back when she was jusy innocent virgin, just let me know…
Wait. What? You blew Christine O’Donnell? Was she a witch at the time?
You sure dodged some bullets there, gh!Or did you? Dun, dun, DUNNN!
Total machine gun fire…Chuck, O’Donnell was on some MTV show about being a virgin, ok so i saw it as a challenge…
Just want Brandon Crawford to keep sticking it to Collins for dissing him as a all-star which was bullshit. 3 hits last night and hopefully a snakeye look over at that doofus helps take the sting away…
Who knew this was a thing?
I guess Kruk is right about the backspin.
It explains knuckleballs, too…
feel like this should be the next Dude Perfect video.
Might explain why my 3 was never NBA ready…
Lopez Romo Casilla (3 guys likely not back next year)
2 innings pitched 0 runs 1 hit 3 Ks
Gearrin Smith Law 2 innings pitched 6 hits 1walk 3 runs
Smith has been awful, Law has gotten hit last 3 times out Gearrin just back on roster
My theory on relievers is they only have x amount of good innings in a season. Hope Law hasn’t reached his limit, which I do believe Kontos already has. Gearrin is just hard for me to watch, works so slowly and doesn’t seem to have idea where ball is going. Smith was supposed to be LHP to replace the often unwatchable Osich and has been even worse, not an easy thing to do.
I’ve said this before. I think Bochy overused Kontos last year, and it’s showing this year…
that’s a good point about relievers. It makes perfect since too. Regardless of how *rubbery* their arm is, at some point in the season they’re going to get overused or overrun. SP’s get the predictability of time off between starts.
Law gets a pass in my book. In the last seven days, he has made four appearances, 3.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 HR. The dude had been nails until the HR (had not given up a run in almost two months). Law will definitely be back.
I think Smith is back next year, too. Lifetime – 4.07 ERA, 1.371 WHIP. I think he will settle into be a serviceable reliever.
I could maybe see Romo back.
Gearrin will get a shot next year.
Lopez and Casilla I think are definitely gone, and Kontos should be.
I think Romo can stay. Law as well. Kontos? Maybe. He’s been better than most of the others this year. Smith is a pile of shit. I think he’s had one clean inning and 6 shit ones. 11.57 era. Whip of 2.36. Unless he gets his shit together in a hurry, this’ll go down as a really bad trade. Osich is young, he has a chance. Lopez and Casilla can go.
The point being, the younger guys have a chance to stick. Lopez and Casilla are toast. Smith? I don;t know. He’s young too, but does nothing but give up 2-strike hits. Cain will likely be in the pen soon, so there’s that. Peavy AND Cain in the pen? Yikes.
Watching Smith last night, I was trying to figure out what his abilities are. He struck Bruce out on a pretty good slider. But when Smith gets behind in the count and has to bite off more of the strikezone, look out, the hits keep coming. I hope his stuff starts getting better and more consistent; because, at the moment, that trade is looking real bad.
it didn’t make much sense at the time. This is a really bad look for Evans. The only thing I can think of is they must REALLY not like Bickford. But even then, Bick had trade value. Why give him away for the worst reliever I’ve probably ever seen on this team.
I believe they saw Smith as someone who could step into that role to face righties and lefties and do multiple innings (Affeldt type). I still think he can turn into a serviceable reliever.
I heard this bit of trivia at the end of the Mets telecast last night but they didn’t say who the other player was, and I finally saw the answer in AP story: MadBum was the first pitcher to give up a grand slam and hit a home run in the same inning since Hal Jeffcoat for the Reds in 1957.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CIN/CIN195705260.shtml
That’s the best piece of baseball trivia I’ve heard in a while. How is it that Bum can hit HRs at ATT and the position guys seem to have trouble doing it? It’s not like oppo pitchers are not aware he can hit it out…
Because nobody pulls the goddamn ball anymore…
No kidding. And Bummie didn’t even get all of it. The offense IS coming around, so that is encouraging.
But the pitching is still wobbly. Cueto included. He has been giving up homers much like Smarglebargle.
that’s the kind of trivia Loo knows by heart for a conversational opener
It beats “come here often?”
lulz. So, do you come here often? 😉
Me and Willie especially get a kick out of those old box scores. I swear one year this guy was in every pack of baseball cards I bought. I remember thinking he looked like he was 75 years old…
Check out the scores at the top of the box score I posted. The game was on Sunday, and there were five doubleheaders out of the eight matchups being played that day.
Christine O’Donnell? Is that the one Trump called a fat pig and I think she was in the Tom Hanks baseball movie???
The cuter sister Blade…
I got a doleful score alert on my iPad after the GS. I went back to bed, possibly occupied by YSM Companion, not saying officially. In my sulking, refuse-to-watch status, I didn’t even want to check scores this morning . . . until I see texts from Jacob, Mets fan, whining about his team and something about a “even homer from MadBum.” Well, now! Hey, now!
I watched 7+ minutes of Bochy’s postgame interview. NO ONE in MLB is better at protecting, encouraging, keeping steady his players. Watch it if you can on MLB, on the recap. I love Bruce, tho’ I confess my nightmarish doubts this week had me wondering about the Skipper and the ship.
Just emailed Bobby Valentine to try to set up a book signing at his restaurant.
Real nice Paulie.. Best wishes on that one buddy!
Unca, those “How Ridiculous” dudes do a great video on darts and also cutting bowling balls in half from a tower with an axe planted down below.
Looking at the schedule….that 3-game series at home vs. the Braves needs to be a sweep. There’s just no time left for fiddling around. That needs to be carnage. Anything less than a sweep is pretty damaging.
The series vs. L.A. just needs to be at least one win, IMO. Just don’t get swept in that series. Ideally, win at least two. But just don’t get swept.
The young Joe Cunningham played a mean banjo.
Flav and San Dog, what did you all think of Bolt’s amazing run last night???
Doubt they watched it.
doubt? Still haven’t watched a second of it.
I tried to trick em into admitting it..but alas no…
I get why they traded for Smith. Lopez has been fading badly and Osich isn’t quite pulling his weight.
I didn’t realize that he would fold like a cheap tent under pressure. I guess never having been on a team in contention is giving him a case of the puckers.
Thompson had a nice game against Spain as the us is heading to the gold medal game.
Bolt winning the 100 and the 200 in 3 straight Olympics impresses the hell out of me and makes him a legendary athlete in my book. Do I regret that I didn’t tune in to see it? No. Do I still have my perfecto going? Yes.
Totally missed last night’s game as I was at the Padre game–which was actually very entertaining.
Flav’s boy, Edwin Jackson, pinch hit, drew a walk, ended up on 3rd and then scored a crucial run on a passed ball by diving head first across the plate and barely beating the throw. It was a great athletic play by an aging pitcher and Edwin is a made man in my book from here on out.
Also Rickie Weeks hit a scalding line drive down the LF line that hit a guy in the stands flush right above his left eye. I was in the deck right above him and could see how much blood was soaking into the napkins. He walked out under his own power with two paramedics to much applause– plus the fan who ended up getting the ball came over and gave it to him. That whole deal was something else. It didn’t even look to me like he wasn’t paying attention. The ball just had some nasty action on it. If you ever stood in the arcade at ATT and watched Barry take batting practice—it was like some of the screamers he would hit on a line out there.
Or thw Mac Williamsom one in Fenway that almost took my phone off…
Or my hands…
Still don’t get people sitting down in line drive territory and not paying attention. Almost as dumb as people with babies down in the lower deck in harm’s way.
Sick as I feel about the last losing streak, A small smile came to this face on this last win…The Dodgers came be impressing anyone on this blog…and the Giants have more stamina then those trolls to take the West… My money is still on the boys to pull it out… Yeah true test will be the forthcoming series in LA.
Not certain this takes the sting out of the Orioles thumping our asses, but in the 1st, Machado, Trumbo, and Adams all hit bombs against Houston, 5-1 Orioles.
“If you ever stood in the arcade at ATT and watched Barry take batting practice—it was like some of the screamers he would hit on a line out there.”
Oh yes, I remember it well. I went out there one time thinking I would try to catch a Barry batting practice ball. Then he started hitting these vicious line-shots that were just curving blurs coming at the section. People started backing out of there. I was like “OK, I don’t need to try to catch one of those. I’m good.”
The Reds jumped out to a 3-0 lead over the Dodgers. Hopefully the Reds starting pitcher isn’t a total tomato can.
Flav and Joe, if you have any Cubs or Sherpa players on your LUs this evening, I would replace them (DK). Very, very doubtful this game gets played tonight or it gets postponed midway.
yeah, I don’t have any but thanks
My cousin, Maria, who lives in Los Osos, made me a Giants quilt, which arrived in the mail today. Absolutely beautiful! I have photos of it on FB . . . She made her husband a Golden State Warriors quilt which is beautiful as well. Usually it takes her months to complete these quilts.
saw it, that was pretty cool.
Thanks Flav. Complete surprise, as I thought she had forgotten about it when I asked her to make me one a couple of years ago, after seeing the Warriors quilt she made for her husband.
5-0 Reds who are sporting the ugliest camo uniform top ever…
6-0
the Dodgers suck (w/o CK). If we can’t beat them this year (record wise) we deserve a complete team overhaul in the off season.
Team overhaul looks needed, particularly in the Pen. What is the common denominator in the 3 champ seasons past? Great Pen. Posey hasn’t done particularly well offensively in any of the WS, or playoff runs. But, Pen has been nails in all 3. This season, the Pen is more than suspect. Even if this squad gets into the playoffs, this Pen has to get its S together to succeed in playoff caliber ball…
No matter what happens the only guys on the current roster who I think are 100% not coming back next year are Peavy & Lopez. Everyone else, including Blanco, Cain, Casillla, Pagan, etc still has a shot…
Yeah i think Blanco, Cain, Peavy, Lopez, Casilla, Adrianza at the least need to go. Will Smith is iffy at best. He has time to straighten his shit out. Pagan can stay as long as he isn’t starting. He takes over Blanco’s role.
No way Smith doesn’t get a shot in ST next year. You can’t let a guy go that you just traded two prospects for. I find it hard to believe Sabevans would trade for a Pen guy who basically sucks and makes Osich look like a world beater…
this is going to sound incredibly stupid right now, but I could totally still see us winning the World Series this year. 2014 taught me anything can happen.I literally didn’t start believing until mid way through the world series. And we have the right pieces in place. 2-4 SP’s who, in any game, could go off. We’ve got a bunch of professional hitters who are built for the post season. I’m a little concerned about the BP but again, 2014 taught me you can win a WS without a closer. Casilla did nothing in 2014. And the kicker is that there is no dominant team. The Cubs are *whatever* till further notice. I could easily see them turtling in the post season especially with our pitching nullifying their hitters.
Loo, feel free to either throw this post in my face or tear it up and let it rain down on me at the parade once we get an outcome on this season……
Anything can happen once a team is in the playoffs. But, the Pen has to be way better. I doubt they could get far into the playoffs again with just Bumgarner, then “we’ll think of something”…
I’ve had that same thought in the back of my mind, pushed farther back by doomeritis. In 2014 I said to a buddy, “Just not our year….” But, alas…..
Are any of you guys getting worked up about this Lochte story? I could give a flying fuck about a swimmer. I’ve watched the videos and read the stories and the apology and while I think this guy is just a class A d-bag I am surprised at how much attention this is getting.
I could see how it is a matter of respect and pride for the Brazilians. Lochte is The Ugly American. NY tabloids had some good heds. Post: “Liar, liar, Speedo on fire.” News: “Loch Mess Monster.”
I read about it, and still don’t really get it. He and 3 other swimmer dudes went to a party till 4 am or something, then on the way back to the Olympic Village they had to take a drunken piss, and broke down the door of a locked gas station bathroom to use the urinal? Or something like that? And, the gas station security guard pointed a gun at them so they would stop vandalizing the station? I think that’s the gist of it, but not entirely sure. They concocted the robbery story to cover their drunken tracks, is what seems to be the thing. A lot of noise for not much of an event. They’re lucky they didn’t get shot, apparently. Two weeks from now, these dudes will disappear forever, or at least for 4 years, from public consciousness…
this is just such a stupidly racist poster produced by the Braves back in the day it’s almost funny. Had to post it.
It is Atlanta after all.
Looks like Perez signed it even. Sweet.
Oh, as pissed as I’ve been about the team and the shitty play lately we surely can win it all. We’ve got Bummie AND Cueto. We had Bummie and a cast of little-to-nothings in 2014. I will say the pen was better then. We had a closer that was a little less indcendiary. Although I really think by then Romo may be back in that role.
did he get lost on the way to a start or something? I’m assuming that’s what inspired the poster give away. THere is so much outrageous and shocking gold in that poster. Can you believe this was something everyone green lighted? It’s just absurd, lol
And Ishi Blanco and Juan Perez in the OF.
Tony Bennett and his 90 year old ass is so impressive. He’s still truckin along
Loo since I was LH I played a lot of 1b as a kid. One of the gloves I had was a Joe Cunningham, and I played OF with it too, much smaller than reg size 1b mitts with pocket in middle and 2 flaps. Didn’t he play for STL at one point in ’60s? Gotta look that one up.
Nice pic!
And thx to Mac for the box, lot of future Giants btw Reds/Cards match up that day.
The Reds are hammering the Dodgers 9-1. Cool. Any help the Reds can give us is a gift.
You could post everything on the Super 70s site and still hit solid gold every time.
This has made my life a tiny bit more awesome. Thanks, Craig!
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.
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the fact that even one of you followed my lead to follow that dude has made my year.
That’s the old coliseum!
Saw ’em a couple times.
Slow Ride ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Not sure if Lisle still reads along, but it was sad to hear of death of Bobby Hutcherson, consummate vibist at home in many different styles of jazz and latin music.
Btw, 25 minute interview podcast with Tim Kawakami and Sabes, pretty interesting.
am i the only one who wants to watch Nathan pitch a game in SF again? I loved Nathan. This would be quite the full circle. And it’s not like he could be any worse than that fucking lefty reliever. I say, let’s go! Joe Nathan time! He was very good for Richmond tonight.
Some more Gold Glove defense from Posey.
Krukow saying “squaaaat” never used to bother me, but now that you guys have pointed it out, it bugs me now. 🙂
That has irritated me for years, but I haven’t heard him say it a single time this year! Well……maybe 2-3 times max. How I lived without the Extra Innings package before this year, I have no idea. Basically, if my television is on, a major-league baseball game is on.
Trump showed his usual tone-deafness at an event today. He basically said: “Black people, your lives suck, so you should take a chance on me.”
That of course was him in Minnesota, the whitest state in the US.
I thought Oregon was the whitest.
Could be. A whiter shade of pale.
White Butte. Come on. I fucking changed the name 3 weeks ago…..
Cueto needs to understand they are swinging at every first pitch.
HRs galore continues.
A relief pitcher hit a 3-run HR vs. the Dodgers; that’s pretty funny.
Hey, we’re tied for first place again. 🙂
I remember when MNF first came on scene. Keith Jackson was the inaugural play by play guy. That was some great stuff, you looked forward to it every week. Pre-500 channel cable, of course. Dandy Don with the clown comments. And, Howard would narrate the halftime highlights. “He.Could.Go.All.The.Way….”
Then Berman later stole his call.
Would that be the Munich Olympics???
I was thinking Montreal.
Yeah, that’s Montreal. The stadium tower is under construction. Montreal lost its ass on that Olympics. The IOC is like the Borg — they clean everything in their path from the host city, and leave nothing but (financial) ruin behind…
Another good start for Kelly.
Another?
Building off last night’s momentum.
lqtm . . .
MLB umpires top salary for the long-time vets is around $350K according to Internet. So, Country Joe West is pulling in that kind of dough, calling crappy balls and strikes. And, when he blows a call at first, no problem — replay corrects him. Not a bad gig…
Yeah, Dawg, the MLB TV package is great value for the money.
And you get those out-of-town Giants’ opponents’ broadcasts because you live outside the Giants’ area. Those of use in the Giants’ area can only get the Giants’ broadcast; the opponents’ broadcasts are blacked out.
Nice DP. . .
Weird. I have the audio package for work day games. I’m really digging listening to the other guys. Most of the time.
Lionel Ritchie is scary looking.
And, to continue short attention span theatre, Belt needs to get rolling. Bunt it down the 3rd base line!!!
If Belt would just block down the LF line all those outside corner pitches everybody is lobbing at him, he’d have 100 doubles for the season…
Loney was a Dodger 1b out of Wes Parker mold–slick fielder, spray hitter with good BA.
I do remember a game Zito dominated them and struck out a dozen guys, including Loney quite often.
Damn. Now he’s hitting but finding mitts.
Shit!!!
So, this is Lugo’s first MLB start? Seems like all these damn teams wait until facing the Giants and then bring some unknown dude up to throw at them…
Once Kruk said the guy had a 6.50 ERA in minors, you knew what was going to happen.
now that we ran this fuck to and fro let’s start hitting him. Maybe he’s tired.
Very clever of the Giants to keep Lugo in a rundown so long to tire him out….
great minds, Loo, great minds…..
so your basic 9-2-6-2=5-3.
Grandson made a Splash Hit HR, and a couple of dudes in kayaks fought for the ball, one finally jumped in the Bay to grab it. No way I would jump in the Bay to grab a ball hit by Curtis Granderson. Is there money involved in Splash HR balls somehow?…
i think you get a nickname from Kruk if you do it. What’s that worth?
Nice execution. Fundamentals, boys.
Most major leaguers would be standing on first…
Most major leaguers would not have gotten doubled off second…
No idea what Lugo was doing just jogging around 3rd there.
Jesus. The Mets are falling apart. Granderson is chilling.
Pence returns the favor.
Fuck.
Loo– Pac Classic tomorrow. That’s a big deal out here (for horse racing fans). Does it move the needle for NY fans?
Only the hard core, Flav…
it’s going to be a fantastic race. I will give you the winner if you’re interested.
Sure I’m interested. I have a hunch you like Hoppertunity…
That may be the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen Pence do.
Fuck the game. I’m hooked . . .
that was a good one.
Why did Astrojack get fired? Was he her pimp?
I’m certainly not against getting married although I’ve never partaken. But can someone explain to me what the fuck these two are doing? There are like 500 reasons I wouldn’t do this.
http://www.ktvu.com/news/194104410-story
I hate fruitcake. Always have. Never saw the appeal. Its longevity is legendary, though.
No one has the heart to tell them they’ve been eating the baker’s steamer for the past 50 years.
lol, gold!
I would like to posit that Cueto’s shimmy fiddle dee do thing is overrated in its effectiveness. Just throwing that out there.
nice.
another non-bounced throw from Nunie. Huh, who could have possibly imagined that he didn’t bounce fucking balls over to first base? Nearly incomprehensible…….
Great D!!
Damn! Flashing the leather. Score now please.
Noooooner!!! He thought he jacked it.
000, you are now 001!!!!!
000 yeah!