Lights Out
Watching the Toronto hitters flail meekly away at the filth from Andrew Miller just reinforces our need for a lockdown bullpen. And I’m not talking about a very good bullpen like the one we had in our World Series runs. I’m talking about secret weapon shit. I know Miller is getting used differently because it’s the post season and some managers (unlike the by-the-book Showalter) play to win NOW in the post season. I’m talking about scaring teams into knowing they are playing a 6 inning game. Score runs by the 6th inning or you’re done. That’s what I want. And that’s completely doable if Evans decides to go this route…..
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
Miller sure is a dominant pitcher we could of used down the stretch and certainly against the Cubs, but know way the Giants were getting him without giving up the farm which is weak anyway..
Sure would be great to recreate the “Nasty Boys” for are BP again with lockdown pitchers for the 7th-9th!!
Doubt at all Chapman and his vapor trail FB comes here, but I would definitely settle for Melacon are Jansen and even a trade for Wade Davis as theirs never enough good bullets in a BP…
Don’t be surprised if they start the season with the old closer by committee and see if someone takes charge.
The only guys definitely gone from the staff are Casilla, Lopez and Peavy. Romo, Kontos and Gearrin are on the bubble. Cain? Who knows?
I will be surprised.
Maybe they’ll resolve it in Spring Training. I just think they’ll be outbid for the big FAs and will look for solutions in house. Guys that throw in the high 90’s are everywhere now. You just gotta find someone with the closer mentality…
Romo was given a way overly friendly two year deal. They took care of him and now say bye bye.
Unlike Lopez, Romo also pitched effectively those two years.
I still believe Pablo Sandoval will be a San Francisco Giant again before it’s all over for him…
As awesome as Miller has been, Chapman, who’s every bit as dominant, has failed spectacularly twice now (The Cubs have also made sure it hasn’t hurt because they are strong across the board.). It doesn’t mean Miller is better. Next year he may be the one coughing it up in the playoffs to the dismay of his team’s fans.
If SF improves the bullpen, that’s certainly all for the good. I’d love to see them add one of the big 3 FAs. But I also think this year’s performance featured, as Casilla would like to have it, a lot of bad luck. The 2015 BP, which had largely the same characters, was far more effective in save situations. Between the two seasons, the numbers balance out — these same pitchers are no more or less effective in save situations than they are overall:
2015 – 3.33 ERA, 1.224 WHIP overall, 2.51 ERA, 1.044 WHIP in save situations
2016 – 3.65 ERA, 1.249 WHIP overall, 4.84 ERA, 1.366 WHIP in save situations
Shedding Lopez, like Affeldt the year before, is as important as adding talent, IMO. Romo and Casilla could go either way, i.e., be finished because of age/injury or have pretty good years.
In house is not going to get it done, spend the money and get someone. I do believe that Law and a couple of the others could be the 7th and 8th inning pitchers. Law could be the closer in. A year or two.
While I enjoy pointing out Belt’s top dog on offense status, his ascendency is not a real good sign for the team. If Belt had maintained that 925 OPS all season, it would be different. But he’s a player who simply can’t hit a high fastball at a time when everyone throws at least 95. His good, but not great numbers seem like a minor miracle, and I think he’s reached his ceiling. With Pence, Panik, and Posey as question marks for next year, I’m worried we’ll see the second half offense for more than a half season in 2017. Maybe the starting staff will compensate . . . .
SPs a definite strength, and maybe SF allows fewer runs so they don’t need quite as many to win.
Adding quality to pen should help a lot, even if it’s only 1 main guy. No way Evans should allow for SF to be outbid, either in money or players. Unacceptable.
But finishing in 9th in runs scored isn’t good and I don’t think a full season of Nunez makes much difference.
I’d like to see Belt pull the ball more down the line at ATT, something he does so rarely and beat the shift more often to left side. I think he realizes he can play a full season and improve. The D is stellar.
Pence, traditionally an .800 OPS guy, is the one I worry about.
Belt sees a lot of high hard stuff to the outside that he either misses or fouls off, because he doesn’t get around. He has to look away. That makes pulling inside heat really tough. His willingness to take close pitches off the plate, which he’s still being criticized for, is essential to seeing pitches he can handle and the success he does have. I think he is playing within his abilities and maximizing his talent. I’d take the exact same season from him next year.
Niners are at least interesting so far.
That last commercial for Google had “Just the Two of Us” remake…the Grover Washington version with Bill withers has always been a fav of mine, especially Grover’s out chorus solo built off Withers last notes of vocal.
And for a great 5 minutes of funk check out Withers studio version of “Use Me” from ’72 with drummer James Gadson and his fro.
one of the cool things about that Gadson groove is he is not playing the snare in all of that. Thanks for the tip, love me some funk.
That Snubs-Fodger game had such a Game 3 feel in our game against the Snubs, especially when Chapman gives up the big hot to another lefty.
But sweet relief watching that grand slam sail out of there…I hope Kershaw gets destroyed and goes just 4 innings and he is a head case for the rest of his career…
I also could see the idea of getting a closer now and then ala Flav, you add the killer bullpen pieces before the trade deadline like 2010 with Javier and Ramirez…
I’m with Willied, Evans can’t get outbid for a stud closer. No excuses with over 50 + coming off the books! Get it done you tightwad share holders!!
Well, that’s the thing. How hungry are the owners to get back to the World Series? How tired of finishing second to the Dodgers in the division are they? If their attitude is “Sure, we want to win; but we’re also very involved with our real estate development projects south of the ballpark.” That’s not going to cut it. We’ll end up finishing behind the Dodgers for the next 10 years, like the rest of the NL East did to the Braves a while back.
This is where Larry Baer can do his thing. He’s the laisson between the owners (the money people) and the Giants front office (the baseball people.) Make it happen, Larry.
OTOH, LA has been criticized heavily at The Flap for their free-spending ways. LA did get mileage out of AGon and Greinke, but their home grown talent has been as big a factor in their run of division titles. I can easily imagine signing Melancon, the likely candidate, for big $$$, and then watching him get injured or blow more than 3-4 saves. He’ll be 32. Not saying they shouldn’t do it, but all of the cautions that get applied to any FA signing are just as relevant here.
The 2012 draft is interesting. The Dodgers got Seager with the 18th pick. Lots of teams passed on him for some reason. The Giants got Stratton with the 20th pick. Stratton had a chance this season to help the big club, but didn’t show much. Stroman went 22nd in that draft.
Pick Player Team Position School
1 Carlos Correa Houston Astros Shortstop Puerto Rico Baseball Academy and High School
2 Byron Buxton Minnesota Twins Outfielder Appling County High School (GA)
3 Mike Zunino Seattle Mariners Catcher Florida
4 Kevin Gausman Baltimore Orioles Right-handed pitcher Louisiana State
5 Kyle Zimmer Kansas City Royals Right-handed pitcher San Francisco
6 Albert Almora Chicago Cubs Outfielder Mater Academy (FL)
7 Max Fried San Diego Padres Left-handed pitcher Harvard-Westlake School (CA)
8 Mark Appel* Pittsburgh Pirates Right-handed pitcher Stanford
9 Andrew Heaney Miami Marlins Left-handed pitcher Oklahoma State
10 David Dahl Colorado Rockies Outfielder Oak Mountain High School (AL)
11 Addison Russell Oakland Athletics Shortstop Pace High School (FL)
12 Gavin Cecchini New York Mets Shortstop Barbe High School (LA)
13 Courtney Hawkins Chicago White Sox Outfielder Carroll High School (TX)
14 Nick Travieso Cincinnati Reds Right-handed pitcher Archbishop McCarthy High School (FL)
15 Tyler Naquin Cleveland Indians Outfielder Texas A&M
16 Lucas Giolito Washington Nationals Right-handed pitcher Harvard-Westlake School (CA)
17 D. J. Davis Toronto Blue Jays Outfielder Stone High School (MS)
18 Corey Seager Los Angeles Dodgers Shortstop Northwest Cabarrus High School (NC)
19 Michael Wacha St. Louis Cardinals [Compensation 1] Right-handed pitcher Texas A&M
20 Chris Stratton San Francisco Giants Right-handed pitcher Mississippi State
21 Lucas Sims Atlanta Braves Right-handed pitcher Brookwood High School (GA)
22 Marcus Stroman Toronto Blue Jays [Compensation 2] Right-handed pitcher Duke
Gotta love those wet Raiderettes…
I wonder if they even dabble in Cespedes – a year too late…
Doubt it Loo.Their more likely to try and coax another year out of Big Papi for merchandise sales..
The comments I’m seeing on MLB from the brass are not encouraging, saying a bullpen overhaul is unlikely.
Mom turned 100 today.
It was a good day.
100? That is a championship beyond all others. Cheers to you and your Mom, Pawlie.
Happy birthday to your mom, Pawlie!
Thanks.
Happy birthday to your mom Pawlie! I want 100 minimum. Or as the old joke goes . . . I plan on living forever. So far, so good.
Agreed. Good post. We could’ve had Andrew Miller, theoretically.
The Cubs are putting up some terrible ABs vs. Kershaw so far.
Heyward = really terrible.
Baez is the second base equivalent to Arenado.
Rizzo is picking a bad time to be awful.
By Joe Maddon’s logic, if Craw hadn’t thrown away that DP ball, the Giants’ bullpen is golden.
James…More like Maddon didn’t want to face Cueto again, he could give a rats ass about the Giants BP..
Now if we had Kenley Jansen in our pen we might still be playing that’s for sure..
Kat, just commenting on his excuses for Chapman. Craw fucked up our chances badly and no one talks about it. He choked royally.
He had an injured elbow. He also hit a big double in that last game.
The injury was to his glove hand, and apparently didn’t affect his hitting. It was a huge defensive screw up that may have changed the course of the playoffs. He’s probably SF’s most valuable position player, but he got away with one in the midst of the BP meltdown.
Pain is pain, and can affect concentration.
Puig putting the team first!
This ump has been awful.
I’m guessing the Dodgers finish the job the Giants didn’t.
I remain suspect of a lineup that has both Heyward and Fowler in it at the same time.