Winning
I’d like to point out that when I made my prediction for 88 wins it was before Bum and Smarge went down and there was still hope that Melatonin might still be able to pitch. I didn’t change my win # after all those guys went down because as a great Flapper once told me, “there are no rebuys at the Flap.” So I won’t be changing it now that we’ve likely lost Cueto for the year. And really, predictions are stupid anyway. The team you start with is never the team you end the long season with, so who really knows anything with a baseball seasonal prediction?
Having said all of that, we are on pace to win 86 wins. That isn’t going to get it done for a wild card spot but they have been entertaining and competitive. Actually I think my boldest pick was that the bullpen would surprise everyone and I think they’ve even surprised me. The entire pitching staff has been nails and maybe this is all happening with smoke and mirrors but I don’t think so. You can’t go 17-15 by sending nothing but magicians and their tricks to the mound every single game.
I woke up this morning thinking of one word to describe this team so far and I landed on the word “resilient.” They haven’t made a single excuse about all these lost arms they just go out there and get the job done. Sometimes that job has required the bats to sack up and they’ve done that many times already this year often coming back from a large deficit–something last year’s limp bats couldn’t do.
Realistically, I now question whether they can make a run this year with the team they have. The season is just too long, they’ve already lost their best arms and you have to think more of these guys will be going down as the year progresses. But a resilient team can surprise you. Already, they have surprised everyone. Including me.
Derby Talk:
This is, without question, my favorite day of the year. The Breeders Cup comes close, the Super Bowl maybe, obviously certain holidays with fam, but Derby Day is at the top. I have had mixed results at best in betting the Derby. With 20 horses running the longest distance any of them have ever run before, it’s a tough race to handicap. A lot can happen, even a one split second bad decision by a jockey can ruin the trip and the chances of winning. This year an interesting thing has happened. I am dead set AGAINST both of the favorites. Neither will be on top of any of my tickets. Justify and Mendelsshon are regally bred steeds who will likely have HOF careers by the time they retire. But that doesn’t mean either wins the Derby today. Justify didn’t run at 2 and until that qualification gets met (it hasn’t happened since Apollo won in 1882) I won’t be betting on a horse who didn’t run at two. Plus, those fractions in the SA Derby were a joke, he’s faced an average of 4.7 horses in his career thus far (19 today) and Baffert being his trainer is going to overvalue him in the eye of the public. In fact if this were Mick Ruis training him they’d say he was crazy for trying to rush a horse to the Derby like this. Therefore, for me, he’s a toss out for the top spot.
Mendelsshon is getting too much credit for his UAB Derby win. Yes he won by 18 lengths, yes it was stylish. But it was on a wicked speed favoring track. 16 of the previous 17 dirt races in Dubai were won by the horse who got the lead on the rail. By the way, the horse who came in 2nd that day (Rayya) ran up the track yesterday in the Oaks. So while Mendelsshon has every right to one day be a superstar I don’t think it will be today.
And if you can throw the top two betting favorites out of the top spot on your tickets you are now looking at an awful lot of prices to get the job done. I will have several horses on top in my pick 3, pick 4 and tri and super. I won’t list them all off because that would be overkill. If you put a gun to my head I’d still pick Good Magic to win it but I’ve gone back and forth between him and Bolt d’Oro. Doesn’t matter, I’ll have both (and others).
Today is the only day you get. Go do something *resilient* with it.
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
Gorkys hosed Blach.
Hanson is on the roster because Mac is out.
Mac was on the roster because Pence is out.
Interesting decisions ahead for the Giants.
I’d keep Hanson, and jettison Pence and Blanco-or-Gorkys.
I thought Hanson got called up because Panik got hurt.
Oops, I forgot Panik. I have to recalibrate.
Panda, you go when Panik comes back.
For what it’s worth. Note his #tag.
Henry Schulman
@hankschulman
12m12 minutes ago
All the starters are still out there. Have to think tomorrow that Posey, Longoria, Crawford and McCutchen will all be off. They’re in a stretch of 17 in a row without a day off. #SFGiatnts
The famous Bochy giveaway game on Sunday. It’s a classic.
Craw has blown up two bats tonight and gotten hits on each. Honorable deaths for each bat.
Hundley with the red hot stick right now. 18 hits for the boys tonight.
Blanco and Gorkys’ batting averages are decent, but the SABR numbers aren’t. They’re both in the .600s for OPS.
Close this one out and win another series, and I could give a fuck if Bochy sits a majority of the starters and gives away another Sunday game. Just keep winning series…
I don’t see Hanson pipping Panik, but I like his speed, occasional pop, and ability to play all over the field…
I see Pablo on the bubble.
Wishful thinking.
come on Moronta. Dammit.
well, dammit, looks like he’s hurt
Man, another injury is the last thing this team needs.
Moronta may need Papa John surgery…
Ouch. What’d I miss?
They think his back was bothering him. 8 pitches, all way out of the zone.
gut hunch
lqtm…
Fun game! Hanson leads off tomorrow.
That’s how you start a roadie.
Padres are taking a lead into the 9th over the Dodgers and will hand it to Hand.
They’re still batting in the 8th on my TV…
Yeah, some insurance runs were scored. A pleasant surprise.
For some reason I thought the Padres were batting in the top of the 9th, I think.
Jeff Spicoli is a true soul. As portrayed by whatshisname . . . . (I note, he’s the only stoned character who falls out of the VW van before school without a skateboard in his mitt. He actually surfs.)
I LOVE Ray Walston . . .
It’s a different crowd dynamic in these Mexico games. No clear-cut crowd noise for one team over the other.
is it incessant, like a soccer game, or an Oakland a’s game?
Low noise level, overall. Or badly working crowd mics. The crowd sounds tinny on my TV.
Same in Japan — the noise and banner waving never let up.
Yeah, Mr. Hand!
what’s with the fascist vibe tonight, dude? lighten up. The Giants won, the weather’s mild in the valley this time of year . . .
The reliever’s name is Hand. The connection begs to be made. 🙂
ok ok, sorry, man (as the modestly magnanimous Jeff Spicoli might say)
well, that’s like just your opinion, man
Classic film that BF needs to add to his list.
everyone should see that movie. They may like it, they may not, but they should see it.
I’ve seen this gif used on McC Chronicles before.
well, those punks need to learn that irony is a trope, not an excuse
These Bums:
Waitaminute, are we talking about Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Up in Smoke, or The Big Lebowski?
Frankly, they are all must-sees. Flav, you are missing out on a shit ton of great films.
Shit, I show all my kids my favorite movies. To mixed reactions. Everyone loves the Bog Lebowski though.
And it has the wonderful Aimee Mann in a small, though important role.
Yup… Flea as well . . .
Jimmie Dale Gilmore steals the show
My sons compete to be the first to shout “I hate the fucking Eagles, man!” when an Eagles song comes on the car radio.
My daughter and I say that for an entirely different reason.
huh? I think that’s the same reason.
Ours is sports related.
oh.
Does Cleve bitch about every fucking play? Draymond isn’t even this bad.
The Giants are 3 games ahead of the Dodgers.
Sweet.
Sixers’ Simmons learning some hard knocks. Sports are humbling at the highest levels.
Jesus. The refs call the foul on Bron 2 seconds after the play is over.
Petit pitched competent middle relief again for the a’s tonight.
well, he’s still pitching, so . . . .
Yeah, it’s cool to see him still rockin’ on, one of the heroes of ’14.
This fuckning announcer can’t add.
If Cleveland can win the East again, the East is still crap.
Crazy game. 8 seconds, score tied. Toronto came back from 17 down.
Wow. Brion Bron wit the game winner.
OK, that was a pretty nice shot at the end.
Epic fail from the Raptors in this series. They’re the Nats of the NBA.
That’s an excellent comparison.
Yeah, they lost their shit when they blew the opener.
D-Backs win a walk-off.
This may be the worst beat writer piece I’ve ever read (but, it’s topical):
https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/article/Giants-clobber-Braves-again-behind-surprising-12891333.php
Yeah, Henry is not awesome.
It does have this nice photo, though:
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. He’ll lead off tomorrow and race and rake then–but it’s a long season . . . .