Cain, Rain, Champagne!
I’m a little torn today– happy to see Cain can still not embarrass himself on the mound and come close to the coveted “quality start” that some find redeeming. Unhappy to know that Cain just bought himself about 5 more start from Bochy even after he implodes his next couple of outings.
But definitely happier than not. I really didn’t think Cain had one of these left in him. I missed Kruk on KNBR this morning but I’m sure he was positively jizzing himself. Last year Cain had a decent outing and Kruk predicted he’d pitch 5 more years. lqtm.
Fantastic match up tonight. Jon Gray is the real deal, this one should be fun to watch. We could see 20K’s between these 2 tonight.
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Yeah, a good start by Cain leaves mixed feelings. Happy for the win, but wondering what that means long-term.
Thanks to Macdog for correcting me on the last thread. Wheeler’s win last night was his first major league win since ’14, not his first MLB win ever. I misheard the MLB Network broadcaster.
I won’t be able to watch it, but the Dodger/Cub game today is on the MLB Network about 11:20 AM Pacific Time.
Tomorrow’s D-Back/Dodger game features a Greinke/Kershaw match-up, which should be interesting.
Yeah, 10 days into the year and Cain has out-won Bummie. Hey, if the horse can go 6 innings and give up 2 runs, let him pitch.
What I like is the 3rd base coach isn’t getting anyone nailed at home. Sending Cain was a risk but he made it easily.
My post from the end of the last thread…caught in limbo…
So, our boys finally won a series. Pen looked good (I missed Law’s inning, but LJ said he threw well even though giving up a run). Parker with a couple of knocks and RBIs. Span also with a couple of knocks and an RBI, and he looked good moving around in the OF. Cain had what I would call a quality start for a 5th starter, AND had a knock and RBI.
I know there are a lot of “IFs” here, but if we can get that out of Cain somewhat regularly, Parker can look more like he did last night as opposed to the first week of the season, and the pen does their job, this team will be OK.
Span is one of the keys. If he can play close to what he did last night, and keep Gorkys on the bench, that’s big.
Parker needs to keep consistent along the lines of last night. I think Marrero’s time on the team is short, and will not be surprised to see a change there (maybe even before the quarter-point in the season).
Need to beat-up on the Rox beginning tonight. It’s early…and there are signs of life with the Black and Orange.
And really, I don’t have a problem with Cain getting more starts. If the dude can pitch close to what he did last night, that is probably as good as it gets for ANY club’s 5th guy. Frandsen was on KNBR this morning, and he was talking about Cain’s start, and especially his pitches. He says Cain still has the stuff to be the 5th guy, but his command is what always gets him in a bind (leaving a fastball over the plate as he did to start the game last night). He did a good job of mixing his change (which was great last night) and FB, etc., and more or less keeping AZ off-balance. So, I am not going to trip on Cain. Now if he has three-to-five consecutive shitty starts, then that will be cause to pause, and mean it is time to consider other options.
Gearrin was the guy who saved the game. Getting Cain out of the 2 on, none out 6th by striking out the side. . . It was 3-1 at the time and still in huge doubt.
I know Charlie…I watched the game through the 7th. But overall…I thought it was a pretty damned good outing for Cain. Much better that what I expected, and I would be good with something along this line if Cain can do it consistently, and out bullpen proves that it has its shit together.
Not sure how many noticed it, but here is a post from James last night (another of those “IF” posts):
Now might be a good time to post a hopeful note about the pen, quickly while SF is up. If these 4 pitchers put up 2017 numbers similar to 2016’s, it will be a good year for the pen:
Kontos: 2.53 ERA, 1.163 WHIP
Law: 2.13 ERA, 0.964 WHIP
Strickland: 3.10 ERA, 1.131 WHIP
Gearrin: 4.28 ERA, 1.159 WHIP
This was all before Smith was shut-down for TJ surgery. So, given this, and the fact that the brass considered Smith would be in the mix this year, I can see why they did not do much outside of landing Melancon.
And yes, per James, those numbers were season-long stats.
That all looks good but doesn’t take into account the 32 leads lost from the 7th inning on last year.
That’s the stat that counts. The Pen sucked royal the second half of 2016. We all saw it, culminating in the debacle that was frame 9 in game #4 vs Cubs…
Look. The stats are what they are and I am not trying to defend the pen. I get it about the blown leads, and I believe a majority of those were by guys (Casilla, etc.) who are no longer with the club. My point is that if you had a staff with those stats (blown leads be damned), then you would probably not feel the need to make wholesale changes to the pen. I think this pen will settle down and be alright…time will tell. Too early to bust out the pitchforks and torches, IMO.
Small sample size be damned, 4-6 is a shit-ton better than 1-5. Most of the pen played their part in the disaster that befell the pen last year. And that was due to a lot of reasons. Some young guys in the mix, unsettled roles, trouble with the closer and the subsequent mixing and matching of roles, and a preponderance of way too many pitching changes brought about by Bochy reacting to last year’s pen shittiness down the stretch.
All getting Meloncabeza did was settle the back end of the pen. The rest is a work in progress. Strick is still a meat-head at times, Law has been shakey, and they all seem to be off to a slow start.
Still and all, the roles are being defined. I don’t think anyone gets the rope the oldsters got last year.
Romo and Casilla had great WHIP numbers for 2016, too. We’ll see if the remaining arms in the pen can produce consistently. Gearrin’s stuff looked great last night.
Hey Chuck,Different Lab are did you spray paint him black?
No, that’s our first dog. Jozie. Had to put her down last November. She almost made it to 15.
Sorry to hear that about Josie.I’ve had to put a few dogs down it hurts a lot.Put a ex wife down once ,it wasn’t nearly as painful..
LOL
When we posted our “outrageous” predictions before the season started, mine was that Bum would win 20 if the bullpen doesn’t blow a bunch of his leads, and the team scores him a decent amount of runs.
In Bum’s first game, the bullpen blew the lead; and in his second game, the team didn’t score him any runs.
Oh shit! The sky is falling! 😉
Small sample size, Zume…I am not going to get too excited about any of this stuff until we approach the quarter point of the season (as long as we do not dig too deep a hole in the standings).
Even better was Cain’s leadoff double to trigger 3-run rally, making up for previous game when Ray’s single off Smardzj sparked 3-run inning. This offense needs all the help it can get, no HRs yet in 3 home games, though Parker came damn close last night.
This team has never lived and died by the HR (maybe in Bonds’ day or back in the 70s when they had the Baby Bull, Stretch, and Mays), and I don’t see that changing. Yeah yeah…I hear you guys who have a hard-on for the long-ball. I dig a HR once in a while, but bopping HRs at a huge clip is not going to be how this team wins a majority of its games, IMO.
sort things out in April, finish at .500 or above, and anything’s possible. the slomo replay of Parker’s drive last night was hilarious. He was tweaking away, and then stopped, just at the right time to plant his front foot and unload with the bat. Maybe he’ll come through. Span’s still suspect. I hope he comes through. Gorkys has just about sealed his own fate.
Did he wash his hands first?
he’ll use all his well-learned politesse I suspect
Way to go, Xootie!
Like to see Belt get it together on rest of weekend homestand. Schulman tweeted he’s like 0-15 with a few walks. interesting too, of his 7 hits only 1 single 6 XBHs. So make more contact!
Btw, leading OPS guy is…Posey at over 1.000, with Panik (off to great start in field too) at .960. bunch of guys hitting over .300 including Pence.
Giants are 4th in runs, despite bench combo Marrero Gorkys Hill at 5 for 60. Hill at least has a bomb and drove the one Pollock snagged in deep CF Tuesday night, but still.
Gearrin had a similar lights out appearance late last season that had me wondering if he’d turned a corner.
He didn’t…
KNBR host this morning was wondering if that outing earned Gearrin the 8th inning spot over Law. WTF? Law is struggling but Gearrin has been awful for nearly a year. One good outing and the dude wants to give the 8th inning to him? Hogwash poppycock.
Krukow compared the break on Gearrin’s two-seamer to a Romo slider. yep, he’s ready for the 8th
Poppycock X 2!
Áeah, we are at ‘work in progress’ mode. Nothing is cut-and-dried at this point.
GPT @giantsprospects 7m7 minutes ago
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Giants signed OF Christopher Burks (22.9Y, 5’10” 180, Arizona Christian University-NAIA). He is the son of former Giants OF Ellis Burks.
Let’s hope he’s better than dad. Burkes was a great hitter. Liked him the short time he was here.
Loved me some Ellis Burks
The Dodgers got shut-out today. Very cool.
Crawford out. Dealing with a family emergency related to his wife’s sister. Details to come.
Hope all is well for Craw and his clan.
looks like her sister died. Ugh.
Thoughts &Prayer to the families..
Oh, man. That’s rough.
Nunez @ SS and Gillespie 3b, and the new Catcher Tim Federowicz
Watching A’s v Royals at Oak airport Chilis waiting for delayed flight out to Portland. Hate flying. I don’t know who the hell most of these A’s are. I just realized when you don’t know the players, baseball definitely can be boring ass. The hickey game on the other screen is more interesting, and I have no clue who is on the teams…
That’s me, too, regarding flying.
I hate airports and everything that comes with them (lots of asinine people), but love to fly. Going up with a friend soon in her Cessna 150.
I read that Crawford’s sister in law died from an asthmatic episode, leaving behind to kids. Sucks.
That is sad, prayers for all the families
Awful tragic.
That’s awful about Craw’s SIL…
Really lack of hustle on Nooners part going to 1st.Shitty play by Arenado,great play by Reynolds to get the out on the review, if he hustled it out he would have been safe..
Yeah, I don’t get why Nunie slowed down. He gave up on the play. Didn’t he see the throw went into the dirt?
Arenado had totally hot-dogged that play.
Arenado seems to enjoy rubbing things in the Giant’s faces.
This game is slipping away.
Tonight’s game:
Don’t underestimate the effect of the Crawford family tragedy on the team. There are times you just don’t feel much like playing a ballgame…
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So true, Loo. Sometimes perhaps we forget, this is actually a job for these guys. Sometimes just don’t feel like working. I went to work yesterday after finding out my Mom had a stroke the night before. Still alive, but outcome uncertain. Big dealings at work… my staff kept looking to me for inspiration or whatever. I just kept metaphorically grounding into double plays….
Wishing the best for your mom, Paul, and peace and comfort to you.
Same here. Well said, Chi…
Thank you, gentlemen (?) ….
Maybe that first run provides the kick-start they so desperately need tonight…
Span flashing some leather. Now the bats need to wake the hell up..
Old Man Span looked pretty spry on that sliding catch
Amazing that Crawford got in the box.
Got back from a movie to catch the last few innings, wishing there were still double features.
Are there still some cinemas that have a central lobby and 3 or 4 cinemas off the lobby and when you finish watching one film, you can walk right into another one without paying? I used to enjoy those.
Yes, but this one was the last showing, 9:30 EST. Bring back those midnight movies!
Midnight movies. Ah, to be young again…. 🙂
Gad, bum is hexed. 1 run last night, 0 the time before that, first game he hit 2 bombs left with lead and still couldn’t get a W next to his name. Giants couldn’t hit the back up guy after they took out Gray either.. Was it his foot after he landed on the ball Nunez hit? Weird.
not a doom guy, and highly doubt rockies and Dbax are gonna be top2 in division, but dropping 7 of first 11 vs. West teams not named Dodgers is disappointing. LA usually cleans up on these teams, like to see SF finish this week strongly before road trip to KC and Sherpaland.
No shit. I get sick and tired of seeing everyone in the league smoke these guys but us.
Paul, we’re hoping for the best for your mom.
Speaking of moms, one of the great joys of my life is that my mom has become a baseball fan, and Giants fan, in her later years. She watches shows on the MLB Network, and she’ll sometimes watch more than one game a day. And don’t get her started on Casilla last season. 🙂
I’ve said it before- MLB teams are doing way better at marketing to women, and can do even more.
But it has nothing to do with pace of play. My mom couldn’t care less about pace of play. It does explain why there are so many camera shots of kids in the stands. My mom loves those, and I’m sure many women love that in a broadcast.
It also connects with what Snarkk said last night. It’s important to know who the players are. It’s sad to me what the Atlanta tear-down and rebuild has done to my wife’s interest in baseball. She’s gotten into watching international soccer more than baseball now. And she used to follow the Braves very closely. They have a lot of work to do to get her back.
The Braves’ problem is…..where’s the rebuild? Is it actually happening?
The Braves showcase their new ballpark tonight. The clips I’ve seen of it so far are kind of underwhelming, IMO.