Boom!
The most impressive thing about Mac is his power to the opposite field. It’s prodigious. This is how you win games in baseball today. It’s not about pining your hopes on guys niggling walks and stringing a couple of singles together. Bochy keeps sitting there with that dumb grin on his face after Mac crosses home plate like he doesn’t understand how runs can be scored this way….
Thankfully the Giants went out and got 3 men who can hit home runs (Longo, ‘Cutch and Mac) and they have a 4th, Belt, who hits them when he swings the bat. Posey, he’s good for 12-15 this year. That’s enough power to win in today’s game.
Stratton is the co-MVP of the season (along with Cueto). What he’s doing this year is remarkable and it makes me wonder this: Did he just take his time figuring it out in the minors or did the Giants fall ass backwards into this hitting on him just because they had no other options (like Blach I might add).
I’m not worrying about their record it should be significantly better than it is. It’s April, if we keep getting this type of pitching, get Bum back, AND keep yackin’ and jackin’ the ball out of the yard this is going to end up being a very entertaining year for Giants fans who haven’t jumped ship already….
Good post Flav. I was lqtm about the “Giants fans who haven’t jumped ship yet.” For me, regarding anyone who has already given-up on this team, you have to question their true fandom.
Still tripping on that Mac bomb. Damn!
Agree with Stratton and Queto as co-MVPs at this point. Love how Stratton (and Queto) are pitching. Was especially impressed with how Stratton worked out of the jam in the 6th, last night.
Roark has been tough on the Giants last few times they have faced him, so he is due for a fall, and a taste of Big Mac.
Giants SPs not named Holland have surrendered only 3 bombs all year so far, and the AAA kid Suarez gave up 2 of them. blach (1) strat smrdz cueto 0 HRs allowed.
Pen is responsible for 9 in 70+ innings of work. Minus fill ins Gomez and Gomer pen ERA pretty good and team overall has given up second fewest bombs in NL.
Like flav says, Giants get this kind of pitching they should more than contend.
In today’s mlb, you have to crank the long ball, else you are toast. So far, giants have a small net positive HR balance against the oppo. That’s good. Hope Mac keeps this up, doesn’t get hurt. Pence’s thumb has to be taking a turn for worse about now…
I wish the Giants could hire Mac’s hitting coach full time! He has such a easy calm setup now just waiting to unleash hell..
Yeah, not sure who it is, Kat, but supposedly Mac worked on his swing in the off-season.
I agree with all your points Flav. Mac is an exciting addition to the team. I’m hedging my bets like many of us, hoping he can demonstrate the necessary consistency, but so far, so good. Knowing you have a guy who can launch one at any time and out of any park anywhere is very cool.
I said it last night, but Harper and Wieters both hit balls on the screws late in the game that went nowhere in that wet, cold air. Mac’s went 10 rows deep in a part of the yard that’s rarely reached. Since Bonds the Giants haven’t had a guy this strong.
I’m really enjoying watching Stratton right now. He just pounds the strike zone and that’s a couple of times this year now he’s picked up teammates after boneheaded defensive plays, and last night’s was really impressive. Hard to believe both those easy catches were botched, but Strat took care of business, though it probably cost him an additional 12 pitches or so. His command is second to none on the Giants and, like Kruk pointed out, he understands how to use his fastball to get major league hitters out. I would like to see him use that changeup a little more.
If Cueto keeps it up, when Bum returns you’re going to have three frontline starters going and I say that because I think Strat is the real deal. That bodes well for the second half. Just need to get that offense up and running on a consistent basis.
With Stratton I count four pitches he can throw for strikes. 2-seam and 4-seam fastballs, curve and change. And a great even keel on the mound.
I like the LU Bochy rolled out there last night. Panik and Posey being so slow is tough but McCutchen in the 2 hole and Williamson 6th is solid imo. A quick check of team stats-McCutchen is the team leader in BB and has been taking good at bats lately. If he can heat up and Posey sprays the ball around the yard like he did last night the offense could really take off to close the month strong.
Not sure what the Answer is Craig re Stratton, but if I had to guess it was luck and Blach taking advantage of either luck or his skill set and “makeup”,
I looked up some stats and that show how being a favorite or being lucky can change things for you.
BOTH went to college and drafted by the Giants in 2012. BOTH made it to AAA in 2016
Blach 26 starts 14-7 3.43 ERA 113 K’s in 162 IP
Stratton 23 starts 12-6 3.87 ERA 103 K’s in 125 IP’s
BOTH had Sept call ups in 2016. Both did well Blach got 4 starts. Stratton ZERO. WHY?? Who knows??
Blach (to his credit) did well in his starts for a soft tosser (which I hate. They never last). Given a SP slot in 2017
Even to untrained eyes Stratton has better stuff than Blach.
How did a 5th round pick jump ahead of a 1st round pick?? Expectations? Luck? Personality (everyone likes a fighter who came from a lower place right?) No clue.
Blach took advantage of 4 starts in Sept 16. Stratton didn’t get any. We will never know the reason. Thus 2017, and in to spring 18 their paths were set. Hopefully Both will continue to improve since we need them both! Likely Stratton long term and Blach our designated Dodger killer!
I don’t know how much it factored in, if much at all; but Stratton did have a scary injury in the minor leagues. He was hit in the face by a line-drive, and was DLed on concussion protocol for quite a long time.
PS One more thing about Stratton. Only one game and one situation but I LOVED that he kicked ass after a 1,2,3 inning turned in to 2nd and 3rd with one out and he got out of it. A lot of guys allow those runs to score. They would be unearned and don’t show in the stats but that won the game for us. A good win against a good team. Just what we needed!
Agree. I mentioned that last night and again this morning. 6th inning, I believe.
Gotta agree!
Unearned runs allowed are way more damaging than the earnies. Those are teammates you’re picking up, you earn their trust and respect. That was huge and a perfect example of how important getting a win is when you rate the effectiveness of starting pitchers.
Grant Cohn (Lowell’s son) is taking a shit ton of heat for claiming on twitter that “Buster Posey is wildly overrated”. Thoughts?
couple hits last night after Miller said 4-35 stretch. Still one of top D catchers (and passable at 1b) in all baseball, hits for avg uses the whole field. In a yard like Big A he could yank ball out to RC. ATT, no. Like to know who this fool thinks is better/can do it consistently or has the rings to match.
I liked what he did last night in 9th, changing signs and talking to Strick. All the IFs came in so everyone is one same page and Strick worked his way out of things with great pitches to K dangerous Turner.
You can’t quantify that type of vet leadership with any analytic stat.
You nailed it WillieD…I share your sentiments. I do think Posey is on the downside from a power-hitting perspective, but agree with Flav, he’ll get in the neighborhood of 15 HRs this year. Coupled with his BA, and especially his D and how he works a staff, he is anything but overrated. Agree with Dirt, too, that Giants overvalue Posey, as does Toyota. 😉
Yeah, stupid! As a rule, catchers like Posey are always underrated. Equally stupid were the writers who voted for Braun or Beltran for the 2012 MVP.
The most valuable Yankee during their post-war dynasty? Do I need to answer?
Maybe Lowell Cohn should tell his son he’s a POS..
The Giants overvalue Posey but he’s not overrated.
As a home run hitter maybe. As a player? No. Posey is a great defensive catcher and a great pitch caller. He is what he is now as a hitter. High average, occasional power.
Grant is just following in the footsteps of the original rat bastard shit disturber, his father. Speaking of rat bastards, why is Ray Ratto seemingly everywhere? Now he’s on the morning radio show Joe, Lo, and Dibs. He has a face for radio and a voice for the deaf. Fuck him, Grant, AND Lowell.
Don’t forget, that pussy Belt walked before the tater.
Yes! You can’t have 3 run bombs without OB. Giants as a team currently suck at BA OB and most O stats.
Giants pen will continue to evolve, esp if FLR gets back in a week and is productive. But I don’t think Strick like him or not is going anywhere soon.
Last night he got behind everyone but worked his way out of it except for the leadoff BB. that was dumb but again ultimately didn’t hurt. He had a 2 run cushion and did what he needed to do.
His slider is work in progress. He got away with the hanger but threw good ones to Turner down and away where he won’t give up a bomb. Command of his pitches will always be an issue.
As Loo said, it’s getting TO the closer. More effective set up guys like Watson are the invaluable ones, imo.
I’m not digging Strickland as closer but I’m sure Bochy will give him every chance to grow into the role. I was encouraged by his performance last night. Like you said, he worked his way out of it.
Still only April, and Mac has had what 15-20 at bats, let’s reel it in just a little, not saying he is doing great but, we have all seen players come up and do really well and then pitchers figure them out and the hitter ends up on the bench or getting sent back down. Hopefully everyone plays to their potential and keep the wins coming. Not worried about the pitching.
15 AB, 4 H, 2 R, 2 HRs, 5 RBIs, 3 Ks. .267, .267, .667, .933. Beats the fuck outta what Pence has done.
Pence – yes, he is hurt, but I have little confidence he can contribute at the level needed, this year, even if he comes back healthy.
58 AB, 10 H, 3 R, 1 2B, 0 HR 3 RBI. .172, .197, .190, .386.
Time will tell, but I am excited as hell about Mac, and look forward to each AB.
Yes his stats look good, all I am saying is let’s see 100 at bats before we crown him the next B Bonds
Teams coming in will get there scouts concentrating on Mac more.He has long arms to cover the outside pitch, so I bet their going to bust it in a lot, it’s up to Mac to make adjustments just like pitchers..
The Giants have a big decision to make when Pence comes off the 10-day DL. Well, they may just increase his DL to 30 days, and go from there. We all remember Zito spending about 4 months on the DL with a sprained ankle.
Just put him on a longer term DL stint, or DFA him.
If Williamson keeps hitting at all it won’t be a very big decision to make re Pence.
Pence will get a few weeks back in the lineup. If he hits the same another chronic / mild / non existent injury will come up. Just like Timmy he will finish a distinguished Giant career on the DL. That’s fine by me..
So, in whose spot does he play? Mac’s? Fuck that. I think it’s pretty apparent that Pence is well into the downside of his career, in the field and at the plate. I don’t think he just gets plugged in because he’s allegedly healthy.
Schulman said something about kids making noise in Sac so I looked them up.
Duggar 17-60 5 doubles 9 BBs/19 Ks (ouch) ..377 OB/.367 slug/.743 OPS
Slater BA .319 7 doubles 2 triples in 47 ABs 4 BBs/ 6 Ks (!) .389 OB .553 slugging for .942 OPS
Hopefully Pence, uh, it turns out has some torn ligaments…somewhere
I liked what I saw of Slater last year, and he was playing well when he got hurt. I’d like to see him get another good shot with the big club.
If Mac keeps hitting like this I will be absolutely astounded if Pence plays another inning for us this year unless multiple people get injured. He’s not a guy who can play off the bench so if he’s not starting there literally is no role for him.
If they pull Mac for Pence, I’d question their sanity. That would be such a diss to Mac. I’d demand my release if I was him.
At least one of the toxic twins of Gorkys/Blanco should be jettisoned for Duggar/Slater.
Slater would replace Gorkys, as he can play CF, not sure how well. If he can hit MLB pitching, Duggar would be a better compliment for Jackson.
Gorky is the 000 replacement like a bad rash that won’t go away.Blanco will be the one to go .
Mac’s exciting, but he’s got a lot to prove. One of those things, is that he can stay on the field.
The main reason I called him an “oaf” recently was because he was constantly injuring himself
in his previous stints…
Wasn’t one of his injuries something like he dove for a ball and didn’t make the catch and then hurt his arm throwing the ball back in while on his knees?
Of course he’s got a lot to prove, and right now he’s doing just that. The Giants need a lot more offense and he can provide it. He’s not the most graceful outfielder, but as long as he’s serviceable he can let his bat do the talking.
Yeah, it would be hard to see a meaningful bench role for Pence. He couldn’t really be used as a late inning defensive replacement, and his pinch-hitting ability is limited because he seems to have lost all the power in his swing. At least Pablo is a threat to run into one in a late-inning PH appearance.
The Giants traded Heath Hembree to the Red Sox for Peavy in 2014, a trade that helped the Giants win the World Series that year. Do you remember who was traded with Hembree? I didn’t. It was Edwin Escobar, a guy who made it to the majors for a cup of coffee and is now pitching in Japan. Sabean and crew did well with this trade.
I came across all this while I was looking up some things about the 2010 draft, the year Hembree was drafted.
The Giants drafted Gary Brown and Jarret Parker with their first two picks, yikes. And later Mike Kickham. But in the 11th round they pick Adam Duvall, since traded of course.
Kickham when they’re up, Kickham when they’re down . . .
1. Gregor Blanco (L) CF
2. Joe Panik (L) 2B
3. Andrew McCutchen (R) RF
4. Buster Posey (R) C
5. Brandon Belt (L) 1B
6. Evan Longoria (R) 3B
7. Mac Williamson (R) LF
8. Brandon Crawford (L) SS
9. Ty Blach (R) P
Let’s say Pence somehow looks good in a few AAA re-hab games.
Let’s say A-Jax continues to underwhelm.
Let’s say Cutch continues to flash an iron glove in RF.
See where this is going?
No.
Pence back to RF, Cutch back to CF and Mac stays in LF. I never quite got the logic of moving those 2 out of the positions that they played their entire careers at. Did you?
Cutch has slowed with age and pence lost his arm, completely
Fair enough Xoot, but I don’t buy it. Pence had no arm to begin with and Cutch would’ve still been an upgrade over Span. Why put 2 vets in new positions in a tricky stadium outfield no less?
Who’s crowning Mac the next Barry Bonds Kevin? My comment was referencing his physical strength, nothing more, and it’s spot on. The guy is a beast. If he can just consistently square pitches up, he’s going to hit some homers this year.
Saw a fun question on twitter: name your favorite player ever from your most hated team ever.I said Ken Stabler.
Koufax
Bobby Orr
Bill Russell.
Did he mean to bring the jacket to the guy? Did he forget? Has anyone talked to Shumann?
It could be nothing
Shue already admitted it and apologized. And Warrior players are not happy.
This whole Shumman story is fascinating. WTF would he steal some dudes jacket? Did he literally take it home with him?
i’m not sure where they busted him with it but this is definitely a real thing. Shue has already apologized for stealing it hoping the apology would make the story go away. Uh, that didn’t work, lol
Mac has nothing to prove. Compared to Pence he’s fucking Superman.
C’mon, Chuck…
Agree with Lurker about Mac “not the most graceful outfielder”.But wtf he’s 100 times better then when Pat Burrell roamed it. And the kicker is Giants don’t give as much shit about their D as long as they can hit some bombs and drive in runs..
To me, the pivotal moment in the young season is the return of Eyechart and MacWill homering. BOOM. (Last Friday, right?) Shark adds fire; Macwill adds firepower. I had kind of given up on our new LFer. Who knew our OF problem was solved from our organization? (That sounds premature, but the optimist in me is dominant today.)
I am very hopeful about this team.
back in 2010 me and my buddy spent $800 a piece to attend Game 1 of the WS. We were in sect 330. Tomorrow you can go watch the best pitcher in the NL pitch and sit in that same section for…..$2 a seat…..
I had heard that from someone last year, that the resale market for Giants tickets had collapsed. It’s amazing it’s collapsing already this season.
Let’s hope the team plays well enough until Bum gets back then they go on a run. That should kick things up a notch.
I know season season owners who were donating their tickets to charity, for the tax write offs, during the second half last year, because they couldn’t sell them.
same night I first met you
Do you still have the beads I draped you in?
I do indeed. You conferred them on me like throwing a lei on a Hawaiian potentate. A gf was ready to toss them once, like, you don’t want these silly things, do you? I tossed her instead.
Pence is done, Loo.
I’m sure he is. I didn’t say I want him back out there. Just surmising how it could happen…
Even with Cutch’s hiccups in RF, putting Pence back out there would be a defensive downgrade, imo, so you don’t even gain anything there. His lack of hitting speaks for itself. As for Cutch, I like to think he’ll get better as the season goes on and he gets more comfortable..
Putting Pence in McCovey Cove would be a defensive downgrade…
Welcome Span-drew McCutchen: One unconscious game is the only thing between him and about a .145 BA…
2 consecutive golds
one of Cutch’s throws to the plate was way up the 3B line last night, the other was right on line (although it bounced twice to get home late). Pence would’ve been tossing a rainbow to the cutoff man.
Fucking Belt can’t even reach the water anymore.
Belted!
BB9!
Keep swinging the lumber my man.
Giants HRs! I could get used to this.
OPS up over 1.000 now.
Say James you want to revise your POTD rant about Belt?
I wish I could tell Krukow that I want him to shut up – I want him to shut up – I want him to shut up…
I’m totally with you Loo!
Kruk is just to freakin obnoxious for me.
His one year with his 20 wins makes him think he knows everything about the game and everyone whoever played it.
He’ll NEVER be as bad as Joe Morgan. Or Tim fucking McCarver.
Blach-buster…
whoa this guy is killing us. Didn’t see it but Flems and Miller raved about his diving grab on blanco.
Fuck Blach. He’s not been impressive this year.
I’ll never forget that Mike Ivie grand salami.
Gutsy play?
It’s the big league Krukow!
Craw has a freakin catcher trying to reach 3rd I would of made that play as well, right move..
Vamonos P’al Monte–let’s go to the Mountain (Moronta).
Blach unraveling here.
Balch.
Angel Hernandez really does suck behind the plate.
he’s gotten him out but you don’t want to walk the guy in front of Harper.
Well that was really cheesy Mac on that play…
Yikes.
Our bush league bullpen mounds strike again! Mac could have really got hurt on that one.
sure looked lot worse at first than it did…I hope he’s OK.
t wouldn’t surprise me if he ends up coming out.
Bullpen mounds do not belong on the field of play. That is the one design flaw of that park.
Almost all of them used to be in the field of play. Put ’em on the walkway behind the arches. Plenty of room.
A kale garden is so much more important than a bullpen…
You are on fire tonight!
the bar out there is the real attraction
Between switching between the Giants, the Warriors and the bottle I’m missing everything.
Is Mac under the knife again?
Nasty tumble into the wall chasing a pop fly.
Shit. Oaf? Clumsy? I saw him go into the clubhouse.
Tripped on the damn mound, went head first into the wall.
Mac’s never gonna make it through the season.
Or a week.
He’s on the home team. He should have a sense of where that mound is.
No shit. It’s not like he hasn’t been here before. Fucking Detroit had a flagpole in the OF. No one ran into that.
Houston.
That may just be that weird mound thing in dead center field.
Why not put the big Coke bottle right behind 2nd base? Good a place as any…
Now that’s a good idea.
Or maybe put the huge glove in right field.
Yeah, it’s not as if he trying to catch a fly ball at a dead sprint or anything. C’mon guys.
Well, yeah, he dropped the ball anyway. Before he hit the mound. Pussy. At least he came back to play.
Moron-time. Is Mac in LF?
Yeah, saw him. nevermind,
Totally disagree Mac should have known they were there. Those mounds are a lame aspect of our park. I think even the Cubs did away with their on field bullpens. Only us and the A’s who have them, I think.
My answer to Flav’s 6:38? James Worthy.
Yeah, and definitely the only newer park with them on the field. They’re just treacherous.
The beautiful Tropicana park also has foul-ground pens, air-conditioned and LED lighted 24/7.
For the 6:38: Freddie Biletnikoff for football, Wilt Chamberlain for b-ball, Johnny Bench for baseball.
Detroit had one too a while back, John.
Ever since that 12 minute AB, Belt seems to be more aggressive at the plate.
Mac mac baby!!
well hell. Kill that hanger Mac!
He’s OK. 🙂
Mac Man!
Bombs Away!
Williamson another 3 iron laser.,
That POTD is still up?!? A. Hernandez’s strike zone has actually been ok so far tonight, yet he still manages to be arrogant and incompetent. Wlliiamson should have dropped the ball *after* hitting the mound to ensure everyone’s unambiguous sympathy. Another nice bomb!
GAAAAH!
Wow!. Could Mac actually still become an impact player?
I think he wants to stay this time!
Man, after all that he clears the 399 sign with ease.
Giants hold on here he can make winner out of the Mountain.
When does Crawfish hit the bricks? Jesus. He’s been persona non grata for a while now.
Bring up the squirrel Ryan Howard.
Gotta like Moronta . . . He even looks a little like Yasmiero
2022 I believe, for Crawdad’s exit.
Yikies. That’s a whole lot of spoiled fish . . .
@$16 mil per
gotta hope the D range doesn’t regress as he gets older
and fatter…
NFL: Lester Hayes
MLB: Reggie Smith
Favorite Monkee: Peter Tork
I’m with ya on Reggie till he got here. And Peter. Mickey Dolenz was overrated.
Moronta has been a nice surprise.
Visiting OF Sierra just navigated our “bullpen” like a mountain goat…
That was impressive. Of course, its a little easier when the ball is on ground already.
Hah! I was thinking that, but it was a grounder.
From Mota to Casilla to Petit to hopefully Moronta, they seem to find these guys hiding in the weeds.
McCutchen’s walk up song should be Golden Slumbers…
This guy can’t find the zone. Crush him.
Posey hasn’t been crushing much of anything lately.
Dyson and Strick to close this one out? What could possibly go wrong???
Well…..
LOL
Despite the mishap, it was actually a picture perfect landing…
For Strick and the Hindenburg.
wow tailor made GIDP. giants are fortunate R Zim isn’t hitting anything like he did last year and Rendon is on the DL. Nats seem kind of lifeless; they dropped 2 in a row to LA after beating Opie, right?
Murphy, too.
yeah big loss obviously.
Yeah, Scherzer shut out the Dodgers in that game.
Taylor sure looked like a puss on that swing..
We’ll take that shit! 3 in a row!
8 pitch inning! nicely done by set up guy and the closer.
And the winning pitcher, Moronta.
Williamson has a good Clint beard going..
I love these briskly played games. Two and one half hours or thereabouts.
How ’bout that, no drama from Strick.
Now if the Dubs can go ahead and finish off the Spurs…
Jesus. The Dubs are ice cold.
well, the LU that was out there had Igs, Green and Kevon 3 guys incapable of creating their own shot.
and none of them (plus Durant) could handle Aldridge.
Surprised Cook didn’t get little more run
Wow. Utah will kill us if we can’t finish this.
WIthout Steph.
Pelicans next up man. The Brow Jrue and our old buddy Ian Clark.
Ginobili’s last play is a pass out of bounds to lose the game.