We’re Not Bomb-worthy

Posted in Uncategorized by Flavor on December 21, 2016

“Keep the line moving….”

I hate that baseball saying. It’s a smokescreen for a shitty line up. WillieD brought up a good point last night about the correlation between OPS and runs scored and there is absolute legitimacy in that. But you know what boosts your OPS? Home runs. I get it, guys who strike out a lot can kill rallies. But they also win games. And how many rallies did we see die last year after we got men on first and third with no one out? Happened all the time. Is there a law against the Giants hitting a 3 run bomb in that situation?

Almost every home run hitter strikes out a lot. Guys *like* Bonds excluded. You take the good with the bad. The Giants will always be at the top of the league when it comes to doubles and triples due to the park but even with that their OPS stunk last year.

What could possibly be wrong with adding a guy who hits no-doubt home runs? I think we’ve gone so long without a power hitter that we have tricked ourselves into believing home runs don’t matter.

They can and do.

________________

#freestix! RPOTD

Carstie Clausen said, on April 5, 2016 at 9:57 am (Edit)

Ah, the manifold perils of life on the run in our overworked, overstressed, overhurried contemporary reality. One thing i can recommend about retirement out in the countryside is that while the need to get things done remains (think homesteading with wood-based heating and cooking plus much gardening); there is no great rush to get things done yesterday. Today’s breakfast consisted of local butchershop smoked bacon, cut off a full slap right in the kitchen; a mess of grits; four large Amish farm eggs; a couple slices of stove-toast slathered with chunky peanutbutter and a mug of high-test coffee.

Maybe once did i endure food-poisoning. That was on a farewell to HHH as Veep junket as editor of the South St. Paul Sun back in ’68. As i recall, the item that laid me low overnight and all was a meal at then Senator Mondale’s table in a hoity-toity joint in D.C. Nowadays i’m about as far from that lifestyle as one can get.

So count those days till you can drop the hurry-up, GH. And look forward to taking naps whenever you feel like it on a barely above freezing, drizzly northwoods day like is happening out my window as i type. Or as an old buddy used to put it “don’t sweat the petty stuff. Pet the sweaty stuff.”

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Flavor said, on December 21, 2016 at 6:46 am

Have any of you seen the Cadillac XT5 commercial of the girls in the car who decide they can’t drive because it’s raining a little so they kickback and listen to music till the *storm* passes? I notice especially stupid commercials and that one definitely qualifies. I tweeted something to Cadillac yesterday about how dumb that ad is and within seconds the customer service dept contacted me worriedly wanting to know what was wrong with my car. lol….
- chipower9 said, on December 21, 2016 at 2:34 pm
  
  LMAO…so, what did you tell them was wrong with your car? 😉
snarkk said, on December 21, 2016 at 7:28 am

Awesome thread BF. The trouble is Bochy manages like he’s expecting a 3-run bomb from the LU where that is a pipedream most of the time…
willedav said, on December 21, 2016 at 7:29 am

I heard couple opening verses of Hendrix All Along the Watchtower the other day in a commercial and was astounded.

No question HRs exploded last year for about everyone except Giants who hit 130 13th in NL while scoring 715 runs, which was 9th. Slugging and OPS were 11th and 10th in NL. A one year aberration across baseball or not?

2015 they hit 136 HRs, 12th in NL. However their 696 runs were 5th in league and they were 4-5 SLG/OPS.

2014 they hit 132 HRs and were 7th. 665 runs was 5th and SLG/OPS middle of pack.

So the HR numbers have been pretty steady and Giants scored 50 more runs last year than 2014 and a few more than 2015 with 6 less bombs, just wasn’t often enough. Not sure what to make of this exactly tho it would surprise me if Mac and Parker each hit more bombs than Pagan and Span/Blanco/Gorkys.
- snarkk said, on December 21, 2016 at 7:48 am
  
  To me, these stats show that the add if just one power bat– say 20 more HRs, would be huge for the offense…
willedav said, on December 21, 2016 at 7:35 am

Thinking about “meaningless games” for college football, Stanford’s final vs. Rice Owls does come to mind. Conference was done, they’d won rivalry game and weren’t going to climb standings even if they scored 100.

I do remember a D-1 college team winning a game 100-6, featuring a running back that was later a star for Chiefs. This team also won an earlier game 77-0. I think Tulsa was involved in one of these games and I don’t recall who coached, but know who these guys were?
- Flavor said, on December 21, 2016 at 9:02 am
  
  that game got moved to the end of the season because of a scheduling conflict early on with K-State’s sched. Otherwise they would have played Rice in Sept.
PaulinAsia Banh Bao said, on December 21, 2016 at 7:41 am

Cue Earl Weaver, who, IMO, was absolutely right about “pitching, defense, and the 3-run HR”. And if Bochy is already managing like he’s waiting for or setting up the 3-run HR, then we’re good to go … as soon as we actually have someone who can hit the 3-run HR…. I’ve said it before, they cannot possibly be done putting this team together.
snarkk said, on December 21, 2016 at 7:45 am

The Western Kentucky HC bailed on his team and left for Purdue well before their bowl game last night. Interim HC took over. If a HC bails from a bowl game, then a star player can…
- djloo27 said, on December 21, 2016 at 8:58 am
  
  When I hear Western Kentucky, all I can think of is Jim McDaniels…
djloo27 said, on December 21, 2016 at 8:40 am

Guess those 3 World Series titles have deluded Giant management into thinking they know what they’re doing…
- Flavor said, on December 21, 2016 at 9:04 am
  
  but they aren’t perfect. And if they didn’t ignore the BP last year (something Evans has copped to) we could have easily been looking at a 4th title. Nobody should have so much hubris to think their work can’t be improved upon.
  - djloo27 said, on December 21, 2016 at 9:28 am
    
    Can’t argue with that…
unca_chuck said, on December 21, 2016 at 9:02 am

Rollins rolls right into their past dumpster dives. Prolly a 25% chance of working out, but the risk is low. And they’ve had some success a la Pat the Bat, Huff, and Morse. Shit, look at Span. That’s a deal that steers them away from the flashy FA signing.

I couldn’t figure out why the women were waiting in the car or what they were waiting for.

You can’t drive a Cadillac in the rain? Stupid ad. It’s either condescending to women or an indictment of their shitty SUV that you can’t drive in weather.
- djloo27 said, on December 21, 2016 at 9:17 am
  
  Most women I’ve known drive very well…
- Flavor said, on December 21, 2016 at 9:26 am
  
  exactly. The unintended message sent in that commercial is funny to me. It supports NOT buying the car, lol. Who would spend all that money on Caddy is you can’t drive it in a little rain?
pawliekokonuts said, on December 21, 2016 at 11:36 am

Stix’s (a.k.a. Thoreau Noveau) retro post up there is one of his finest. What’s not to like? I’d go so far as to deem it literature. (This from one who departs from him on some matters.) Good stuff.

But why stop there? Maybe you should start doing retro salutes to Ferret or TedSpe or MrMrMrMr?
- pawliekokonuts said, on December 21, 2016 at 11:37 am
  
  and Twin and Nipper and …
unca_chuck said, on December 21, 2016 at 12:28 pm

Nipper is alive and well on my blog, Pawlie. Not sure why he stopped over here.
- pawliekokonuts said, on December 21, 2016 at 12:32 pm
  
  Curating your Niner blog these days must be daunting, no?
Irish Kevin said, on December 21, 2016 at 1:24 pm

Since what about 2006 or 2008, the Giants have had outstanding pitching, so their attitude was power hitters, we don’t need no stinking power hitters. And the belief was that other than Bonds who could hit homers consistently. And because the pitching was so good opposing power hitters were not hitting bombs regularly when they came to AT&. Plus I think the Giants thought the farm system would at some point develop a power hitter just like it developed the infield. Alas that did not happen. So where do they go from here??
unca_chuck said, on December 21, 2016 at 1:36 pm

Yeah, it’s a labor of love, an object of futility, or some shit.

I can’t even begin to understand how Jed can look around and say all is well. Jed hasn’t said a peep since early August. Kelly handles his pressers like he has no care in the world. And I guess he doesn’t because he’s he next coach to walk the plank with a big fat deal in place. Win lose or draw doesn’t matter to him. I don’t really blame him because the front office isn’t holding anyone accountable. Baalke drafts yet another injured guy in the 3rd round who won’t see the field. He has been drafting for defense for 6 years now and we have given up the most points in the league. DC Jim O’Neill has taken a shakey defense and molded it into a joke. We have decent corners and a decent line, but no pass rush.

Our best pass rusher in the preseason was Marcus Rush. Instead of at least giving him a look, because, we all see that the pass rush is non-existent, they let him languish on the practice squad. Jacksonville just signed him.

We have no QBs signed to the team next year, so naturally we don’t draft one till the 7th round. He gets practice squadded as well and is promptly signed by Cincy.

Oooops.

13 losses in a row.

They are $50 mill under the cap and sign a guard and lame QB to fill the gaps.
- Bozo said, on December 21, 2016 at 2:20 pm
  
  Sometimes i see a connection in things that might not necessarily be so, but maybe they are. Like this morning, I was taking this gigantic, extremely foul smelling dump when I noticed that I was drinking coffee out of a 49er mug… Connected?
  - PaulinAsia Banh Bao said, on December 22, 2016 at 5:25 am
    
    lulz
PaulinAsia Banh Bao said, on December 21, 2016 at 2:06 pm

Re: Stix, his opening line in the above retro post about the “perils of life on the run”… Maybe he’s doing fine in that northwoods prison, but I’m kinda wishing he had not been “caught” and was indeed on the run. Might be some very interesting Flap posts from him on the lam. “Camped out tonight under the stars, as life is always more rich under the stars, within a Bondsian throw from state route 194, huddled around a small fire built from the detritus of life on the side of the road, roasting up 3 kinds of peppers I scrounged from the nearby A&P dumpster, to accompany a fine road kill quail I managed to spot and scrape off the pavement just before evening broke…”… Oh well. As for the Gints not being bomb-worthy, the FO has always seemed to manage to find someone to provide some alternate power… Reggie Sanders, Uribe, Pat the Bat, Morse, et al. Not out of the question for next season they do it again.
- unca_chuck said, on December 21, 2016 at 2:12 pm
  
  . . . Rollins . . . hey, when is Marlon Byrd done with his suspension?
- djloo27 said, on December 21, 2016 at 8:01 pm
  
  Brilliant, Paul…
chipower9 said, on December 21, 2016 at 2:43 pm

Always liked that line “Don’t sweat the petty stuff…pet the sweaty stuff.”

~59 daze until pitchers and catchers report…PLAY BALL.
Flavor said, on December 21, 2016 at 3:01 pm

this is a very cool chart about Belt. James, WillieD, Stix if he could read this, etc will all cream their jeans over this.

Brandon Belt career triples overlayed on AT&T Park (left) and Angel Stadium (right). Images via https://t.co/cFCKgTVPJy @darenw. pic.twitter.com/rQnH4iefep

— Aidan Jackson-Evans (@ajacksonevans) December 21, 2016
- chipower9 said, on December 21, 2016 at 3:16 pm
  
  Time to move in that CF fence?
  - sfsarge said, on December 21, 2016 at 4:10 pm
    
    That would be like adding the DH to the senior circuit.
  - chipower9 said, on December 22, 2016 at 7:36 am
    
    Sarge – how would moving that gap in CF in a few feet (as Unca said…getting rid of the “death valley triangle”) equate to adding the DH to the NL? I seriously do not get the connection.
    
    If would be interesting to know if the fences had been moved in to something similar to Anaheim’s ballpark, how many opponents hits/deep outs would have been HRs. We certainly would have a boost in Belt’s HR totals, but at what expense with the opposition’s bats.
    
    I actually like the configuration of our ballpark and am almost always against the movement of the fences.
  - sfsarge said, on December 22, 2016 at 11:30 am
    
    Chi, that’s basically what I was getting at. I’m as opposed to moving in the fences at AT&T as I am to adding the DH to the NL.
unca_chuck said, on December 21, 2016 at 4:08 pm

I could see them cutting out that huge triangle of doom.
unca_chuck said, on December 21, 2016 at 4:09 pm

That doesn’t even consider all the HRs that turned into outs.
- djloo27 said, on December 21, 2016 at 8:02 pm
  
  Good insight, Chuck…
unca_chuck said, on December 21, 2016 at 4:09 pm

There’s prolly about 50 in the past 5 years.
gianthead said, on December 21, 2016 at 4:24 pm

I just thought of this great defense for Stix…write this down Chi!!!

Stix blames his outburst on Bruce Bochy and his managing. Giants had the best record in baseball at the all-star break, they then shit the bed. Making Stix suffer and go temporarily insane!!!
gianthead said, on December 21, 2016 at 4:31 pm

And my opinion on woman drivers…
- gianthead said, on December 21, 2016 at 4:32 pm
  
  I share the same views about my wife driving as Gaffigan…
  - unca_chuck said, on December 21, 2016 at 5:19 pm
    
    My wife loves the guy so we saw him live at the marine memorial in SF.
    
    I’ve never seen anyone mail it in more than he did. Pretty disappointing.
  - gianthead said, on December 21, 2016 at 5:48 pm
    
    That sucks…he is hilarious otherwise..
Macdog said, on December 21, 2016 at 5:13 pm

Just read a NY-area columnist who offers ideas on ways to speed up the game. They are:

Eliminate all mound visits (would save lots of wear and tear on Bochy’s knees)

Limit pitching changes to two an inning (we could’ve used this in Game 4)

Implement a 10-second pitch clock (Gearrin not a big fan of this)

Keep batters in the box (yes, yes, yes)

Keep commercial breaks to a minute (who wouldn’t like this?)

Streamline instant replay challenges to five seconds (seems a bit extreme)

Hold replay center decisions to a minute (agree)
- chipower9 said, on December 22, 2016 at 7:40 am
  
  Fuck speeding up the game, IMO. This is fucking baseball. I really do not have an issue with the game as it is…and would be against these…as others said, these would really fuck with the game.
unca_chuck said, on December 21, 2016 at 5:24 pm

My answers would be:

No
No
No (10 seconds?)
Maybe 2 per AB
Fuck with commercials? Never gonna happen. Let’s be reals
No
Yes. if they can’t figger it out in a minute, stick with the call

Most of these changes artificially fuck with the game. If this is the deal, they might as well impose a time limit. Or a pitch limit per batter.

These are the peculiarities that MAKE the game interesting.

Something like the auto-walk is doable. The guy that fucks up the intentional pass is like once every 5 years.
- Macdog said, on December 21, 2016 at 6:03 pm
  
  The two-pitching-changes-per-inning limit is the one I most disagree with.
snarkk said, on December 21, 2016 at 6:42 pm

The things I would do are limited.
1. Batter stays in box
2. Replay review no more than one minute.
That is all…
snarkk said, on December 21, 2016 at 6:51 pm

I’m in Phoenix. Raining, go figure. In honor of Stix, I’ve got a grilled smoked pork chop with Pancetta crumbles, with garlic sautéed chard, cup gumbo. Chop works well with the Oregon Pinot Gris. Planning on next visit during Spring training…
- Flavor said, on December 21, 2016 at 6:53 pm
  
  to truly honor Stix you should send it back and tell them to cook it another 2 hours. lqtm
- snarkk said, on December 21, 2016 at 7:00 pm
  
  1″ thick, bone-in chop, baby. Not smothered in V-8 juice…
  - Flavor said, on December 21, 2016 at 7:16 pm
    
    i’m surprised they took the one smothered in v-8 juice off the menu. Hubris by the restaurateur…
  - snarkk said, on December 21, 2016 at 7:27 pm
    
    This chef respects the pig’s sacrifice…
snarkk said, on December 21, 2016 at 7:10 pm

Cal taking on Virginia at Haas on the TV. Hopefully, Bears will keep it close …
- snarkk said, on December 21, 2016 at 7:41 pm
  
  Almost halftime. Scoring so far has been less frequent than a high colonic and not as productive…
snarkk said, on December 21, 2016 at 7:30 pm

Finishing with a big slice of key lime pie. I’m hoping there’s a cardiologist around here just in case…
zumiee said, on December 21, 2016 at 8:04 pm

MLB Network today was noting how so many teams need a right-handed power bat, and there’s several on the open market, just waiting. Strange situation going on.

I don’t know much about 2b Dozier; he toils in obscurity for the Twins, but he’s got some pop in his bat. I guess I’m hoping the Dodgers don’t trade for him. The Dodgers would still lack a true lead-off hitter-type, though.
- djloo27 said, on December 21, 2016 at 8:12 pm
  
  We have a better chance of getting Lamont Dozier or DJ Dozier…
zumiee said, on December 21, 2016 at 8:07 pm

Jimi Hendrix was mentioned….
She straps on the electric for this song.
- djloo27 said, on December 21, 2016 at 8:10 pm
  
  I’ve had it with this minimally talented whore. Let’s see her fuckin’ tits already…
  - zumiee said, on December 21, 2016 at 8:26 pm
djloo27 said, on December 21, 2016 at 8:08 pm

My cat’s Fancy Feast is looking good…
willedav said, on December 21, 2016 at 8:10 pm

How about a poll on what Giants hitter everyone thinks will be better than Belt next year?

Just to refresh, Belt last year led SF in following categories:
doubles HRs OB SLG OPS also BBs and Ks
3 triples/2 rbis behind Craw 13 points behind Posey for BA
- zumiee said, on December 21, 2016 at 8:37 pm
  
  A tale of two seasons for Belt last year. An All-Star in the first half, and struggling for long stretches of the second half.
  - willedav said, on December 21, 2016 at 8:58 pm
    
    Agreed. lIke to see him burn the shift by going to opp field on outside pitches, cut down Ks more HRs less triples. Also like to see some other Giants step up and be more productive.
djloo27 said, on December 21, 2016 at 8:23 pm

How about this poll question:

Who amongst you truly believes that anyone associated with Stix’ case has ever looked at this blog?
- zumiee said, on December 21, 2016 at 8:46 pm
  
  It has to be a drag to be Stix’s public defender. Stix wants to go down in a blaze of self-righteous glory instead of using a defense that could actually get him a lesser sentence.
  - djloo27 said, on December 21, 2016 at 8:52 pm
    
    Answer the question!
- chipower9 said, on December 22, 2016 at 7:47 am
  
  I have no idea, Loo, but have wondered if any of the coppers have scanned this blog.
zumiee said, on December 21, 2016 at 8:50 pm

I wonder if Stix is visualizing this movie. It could be an entertaining trial. And I guess that’s the whole point. Stix probably really wants the theater of a trial, instead of some kind of plea bargain.
- djloo27 said, on December 21, 2016 at 8:51 pm
  
  This batting order is out of order…
xoot said, on December 21, 2016 at 9:00 pm

what makes you think Stix has designed his defense to go down in flames? I’m not an expert in criminal law, but I think his approach makes some sense. The odds aren’t good, that’s true. But he’s trying to work the system.

Stix’s public defender, or one of her legal assistants/paralegals, will take a look at this blog before trial. Until then, nada. imo
- djloo27 said, on December 21, 2016 at 10:15 pm
  
  I recommend the 3 pepper defense.
  They’ll never see it coming…
  
  As far as a jury of his peers?
  lolololololololololololololololololololololololololololol!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
willedav said, on December 21, 2016 at 9:11 pm

Cal home W streak over, but good ballgame vs. very good VA team. Every single W this year at home for Cal tho were vs. chump teams.
Moore kid is good but questionable shot selection end of game. Inside depth might get them but I like their Gs and wing players.
- snarkk said, on December 21, 2016 at 9:15 pm
  
  Agree this was their toughest oppo at home so far, did well. Cold shooting first half …
- xoot said, on December 21, 2016 at 9:16 pm
  
  I think Rabb made the right decision, returning.
  - djloo27 said, on December 21, 2016 at 9:36 pm
    
    Wish he would:
- snarkk said, on December 21, 2016 at 9:18 pm
  
  Bad hair galore on Virginia squad, btw; yikes…
snarkk said, on December 21, 2016 at 9:12 pm

Cal keeps it close 56-52; easily could have won. Has a bad break with a weird shot clock screw up. Cal could be good enough to get to round of 32 if they shoot well. D is good…
- willedav said, on December 21, 2016 at 9:42 pm
  
  Getting in won’t be easy. UCLA AZ Oregon at top of league; Cal has to do better on road than last year vs. bubble teams like SC and of course their hated rivals, who have tough inside game.
djloo27 said, on December 21, 2016 at 9:19 pm

Nice to see Chris Mullin hand Boeheim a historic humiliation tonight.
One for us Brooklyn drunks!
- willedav said, on December 21, 2016 at 9:36 pm
  
  wow that’s a shock. SJ lost earlier to Delaware St. and LIU a week ago.
  Btw Durant and Co. in town tmw vs. the Nets.
  - djloo27 said, on December 21, 2016 at 10:12 pm
    
    Yeah, we’re having a sleepover…
  - chipower9 said, on December 22, 2016 at 7:49 am
    
    having a sleepover…lulz!
- Macdog said, on December 21, 2016 at 10:15 pm
  
  SU’s not that good, but the lopsided SJ win, what a stunner.
Flavor said, on December 22, 2016 at 5:21 am

“minimally talented whore…” Lol. Loo you were on fire last night.
- chipower9 said, on December 22, 2016 at 7:49 am
  
  Yes he was. I have to make another trip to NYC just to hang out with that cat, again.
willedav said, on December 22, 2016 at 7:38 am

Johnny Rabb lol. Man, tough times for Giants fans in those days.
Remember when Sabes went rent a C every year before Benito?
Seems like he’s doing it again to back up Posey—Prez, Stewart, Hacktor, Susac, Brown…
chipower9 said, on December 22, 2016 at 7:50 am

~58 daze until pitchers and catchers report. PLAY BALL!