7 Days
Giants dropped a two touchdown shutout on the D-Backs last night. Ready for the season to start, let’s go…..
The only thing I care about in ST is health and it looks like we have that. I keep hearing about Posey’s ankle but he’s also batting .539 this spring so…..Belt doing what he always does this time of year, hitting .400….again, let’s go…..
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They have got to figure out a way to shorten ST. This is just getting ridiculous. It’s completely dated, considering how players stay conditioned year round. They could easily cut the time in half. The teams can’t be making THAT much money off it, as I look at the attendance in Florida and most teams are only drawing about 3,000 fans a game.
Joe, you’re absolutely right regarding the players being in better condition versus the “old days.” Yes, they could easily cut the time in half, albeit, catchers and pitchers do need more time, where they’re conditioned to play consecutive games.
However, I disagree about the financial angle. This is big, big business for the clubs and especially, the communities. I have friends in Florida and particularly, in Arizona. These communities figuratively roll up the streets after April in the greater Phoenix/Scottsdale area. Snowbirds come all over the USA and Canada during the winter months, particularly during spring training. Amazing how many “old people” are not only living there, but visit the area. After April, the snowbirds leave and the restaurants and other businesses have significantly reduced traffic.
I agree with you about Arizona for sure. But Florida is a different story. Frankly, I am surprised there are still teams left in FLA.
Florida already had the snowbirds with the warm weather, nice beaches, great golf courses, etc. It’s always been a natural landing spot for the eastern seaboard. If the Mets and Yankees left for AZ, I am sure there would be some grumbling, but I don’t see the Boca Del Vista’s shutting their doors anytime soon.
Agreed. I think Longo said he only needed so many ABs, 20-30 I think, to be ready. SPs need to build up arm strength sure, but otherwise…
I’m with Flav too, stats pretty meaningless to me. One ?—there’s been steady rain here for most of last 2 weeks, tho not very hard. what do they do to the field at ATT? Next week they’ll play the A’s up here right?
They did shorten a bit by opening next Thursday.
I don’t mind Spring Training so much, what I hate is the night playoff games in late October.
If I could control the schedule:
Open the last week of March in the domed and warm weather cities
Play 160 games, a number that’s evenly divided by five (teams in a division) or four, should MLB expand to 32 teams.
Play seven weekend day/night double headers to increase attendance and shorten the season a week.
Per KNBR, circumstances of Smardzxx leaving game yesterday spreading rumor of arm trouble. Abruptly left off mound, nobody in Pen ready. Giants say all good, but looks askew…
His only injury is homeritis…
Yes, I’m worried . . .
Smdrz said he was OK and working on his offspeed stuff; report was he’s had some neck soreness…consider source on how much you trust what he says publicly. Players do have rights concerning health/injury reporting.
Iirc Giants have some early off days when they wouldn’t even need 5 SPs. But, in case someone had to go on 10 DL, who would be next man up— Holland or one of the guys they sent down?
Did Matt Cain even get an invite anywhere?
He’s not officially retired?
Peavy has not officially retired yet.
I see the Giants’ three biggest concerns coming out of ST being the starting rotation, closer, and Pence. I was more optimistic a couple of weeks ago. I think making .500 would be a monumental achievement. I guess I need to be happy with that goal. I’m one of those that didn’t want a total tear-down rebuild. Hovering near .500 would keep Wild Card hope alive into September.
The Giants/Cubs game is on TV tonight, both NBC BA and MLB Network.
Thanks for the tip.
Astound (Wave) dropped Comcast from my basic cable package, I won’t be spending the $75 a month to get it back.
I always listen to the games on radio anyway, while working at my desk. If there’s a good play, I have seven seconds to turn and watch it.
BTW Giants/Warriors notwithstanding, they did me a huge favor. There’s about a hundred shows on my Netflix queue, now I only watch the musical guest on Colbert, then switch to NBC for Seth Meyers monologue. If I’m home, The Rockford Files on Saturday nights.
Both Baggarly and Schulman think Dyson kept himself on the 25 (and held onto $3.3M in 2018 salary) by striking out Goldschmidt yesterday with one good sinking FB. Crazy. Maybe smaHRj on the DL would leave a spot for Hernandez. Putting him in the pen to start the season can’t be much more risky than leaving Dyson there.
If true, I’m flabbergasted. He’s shown zero this spring. Frankly, this is a way to eliminate $3.3 million and add another cheaper, more deserving arm. Dyson wasn’t even very good last season – on either the Rangers (putrid) or the Giants (less putrid). Is he still pegged as the “setup man?”
Strickland needs to go into the setup role and Dyson released (seriously). Why? Dyson’s spring struggles combined with his atrocious 6.09 ERA and 1.1 K/BB ratio over 54.2 innings last season says so.
he was very good for the Giants in July and August. Who cares about 3.3 mil. If he can get back to what he did for two full months last year for us he’ll be critical to a successful bullpen in 2018.
Check his game log in September . . . 9.31 ERA, 14 hits in 9.2 innings. We’ll just have to agree to disagree.
That’s why I said “July and August”. Two months is a very good sample size. He has great stuff.
Kruk brought up a good point this morning that if Smarge has a neck thing that could be a big problem–leads to not being able to finish pitches and obvious problems thereafter….
Well I would have a neck crink like Smarg too from watching all the bombs leave the yard..
lulz!
yeah whiplash. Hopefully this year a few of them wind up in the glove of Giants OF.
Really looking forward to tonight and tmw b-ball action. Cinderalla UNR vs. LOC, Kansas UK Duke plus other giant killers A&M and Fla St. Number of earlier games decided at the buzzer, see who gets to Final Four.
fwiw: as quoted in Chron, latest odds on winning WS from J Kornegay who directs sports book at Westgate in Vegas.
LA and Stros 5-1.
Cle and Yanks 6-1.
Cubs 7-1 Nats 8-1.
Giants 30-1 line on total wins at 83.5
Kornegay says of Giants, “You can’t say they are in prime of their careers. Their pitching is a huge question mark.” Adds they could be out of contention and “in rebuilding mode by June.” Yikes!
that’s the view from a cold eye. Hard to argue, given the starters’ and pen’s problems.. I may warm up by opening day, but right now I see 80 (eight oh) wins in 2018.
Under 83.5 is what they used to call an absolute “tap out” bet…
Samarge is still hurting from the hit he put on Morse in the Bryce Harper fight.
For Morse, a career-ender.
His career was pretty much winding down anyway.
Werth is in the video. He’s currently looking for work. Anyone looking for a 39 year old outfielder who hit .220 last year?
Stricknyne, the gift that keeps on giving.
Werth would fit in with the Giants since we once had a 40 year plus outfield with Barry Bonds,Steve Finley&Moses Alou.
Hell He’s a spring chicken at 39..
AK, the final piece was Steve Finley, who we traded for that piece of shit Alfonzo.
“Oldies, but goodies”
2006 Opening Day ages for the Giants’ potential starters:
Player Age
Barry Bonds, LF 40
Moises Alou, RF 38
Marquis Grissom, CF 37
Omar Vizquel, SS 37
J.T. Snow, 1B 37
Mike Matheny, C 34
Ray Durham, 2B 33
Edgardo Alfonzo, 3B 31*
*Bye bye Edgardo . . . Hello Steve Finley 39
Brisbee article about MLB going younger, cheaper and the labor issues that raises.
https://www.sbnation.com/a/mlb-2018-season-preview/mlb-owners-get-rich-young-cheap-players
A quote from the article:
“Get more young players and improve your chances to win. More than that, it improves the chances of winning sustainably. The Astros, Cubs, Dodgers, and Yankees are all stuffed with young stars who should still be excellent in five years. Compare them to the jury-rigged Giants, who have an Expendables 2-ass roster and will have to be completely remade within the next couple years. Fans of all 30 teams have figured this out, and once the Yankees and Dodgers realized their bases were on board, the Adam Jones Industrial Average tanked.
Speaking of tanked, that’s not a dirty word anymore. Bad teams that decided not to spend money on veterans used to be considered cheap or poor or both. Now those teams are just being prudent, and they’re comfortable with this decision because fans are in on the young players. Yes, the fans cry, bring us young players. Give them early extensions like Madison Bumgarner and Chris Sale, and then use those savings to bring us more and more and more young players to keep the cycle going.
The business of prospects is booming, and Major League Baseball couldn’t be more pleased. Fans are into prospects.”
so Brisbee kicks of his new, post McCC, gig with that piece of shit? Terrible article re-hashing stuff anyone paying attention (especially to the Astros) already knows.
Probably nothing new in the article, but he’s sort of getting fans ready for big issues between the two sides in negotiations for the next CBA.
That’s 2021. Pretty far away still.
One of the big issues, of course, is that the players’ share of the revenues has been steadily shrinking the last several years. That’s not sitting well with the players.
The “average” mlb salary last year was just over $4M.
Interesting fact: The players used to get $100 per day for meals, but that got docked to about $30 in the last CBA, while pre-game and post-game spreads got a huge boost (including nutritionists, chefs, god knows what).
ouch.
seemed obvious. there has to be room for Hernandez on this staff now
room for Fernandez. sorry
well, it also means Holland is definitely in the rotation now and that’s not comforting in the least.
Have to keep Fernandez on the 25 man roster all year though.Not usually the Giants way, we will see.
Jersey guy Marques “Down” Townes hits the big 3 for the clincher in Loyola’s win over Reno.
Looking forward to the Cubs and Giants game this evening . . . Just read where Kris Bryant said he got “goose bumps” driving home yesterday while thinking about what the Cubs can do on offense this season: “We might have a 30 home run lead off hitter.”
Stratton is pitching this evening. He’s been pretty good this spring. I hope he steps up this season in lieu of Samardzija possibly going on the DL. We’ll need him.
No way they keep Fernandez on the 25.
Musclehead has control like Greg Maddux compared to this kid.
Only way they keep him is to trade for him, or trade his rights for something, which is not going to happen…
If they go with13 pitchers to start the season, and they may, why not keep Fernandez to see what he can do? Give him a shot and then let him go early if he fails. It’s not as if there are guys without options they know can do better.
they should keep him and I think they will. Holland is a 5 inning guy, at best. We’ll need all hands on deck in the BP it looks like
I wonder how many of our starters would have to hit the DL before Beede would get the call…..
what is this “cybermetrics” of which Kuiper speaks?
The Cubs looked like they figured out Stratton pretty quickly.
The Cubs’ centerfielder has a glove that looks gigantic. I wonder how closely MLB monitors that kind of thing.
Posey oppo blast.
Stratton settled down nicely.
KY played like crap vs K St. I think they were afraid to face that nasty Blues Brothers nun
This after Kansas State played like crap vs. UMBC, winning only because it was UMBC.
And the Zags are out.
Clean inning from Strickland.
Rutledge did everything he could to make the squad and still might not make it.
Giants win the walk-off.
And the game clocked in under three hours. Good pace of play.
I’ve watched K State a lot this year and I like them. In Reno, I put $5 on them at 300/1 to win the whole darn thing before their first game.
This is getting interesting.