Phace Off With Philly
I’m not going to look ahead at the pitching match ups anymore. It just kinda bums me out. The mindset has to be, keep wielding the bats like men and hope the pitching stays out of the way.
We’re 13-5 over our last 18. Don’t fear any team, any park, any pitcher. The only danger we face comes from within…
I love the Joe/Brady arguments. There’s no way to prove any of these generational comparisons and yet they seem to inspire some of the most spirited debates. I may be able to finally admit that Brady has had a better career than Joe but if I needed to win one game there’s no QB I’d even consider starting. Joe forever.
Also….Happy Birthday Ferrethead.
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
Down with what you said about Joe and Tom . . . The way you worded it, yeah, I am down with that.
“I may be able to finally admit that Brady has had a better career than Joe but if I needed to win one game there’s no QB I’d even consider starting. Joe forever.”*
I don’t think I have ever heard anyone say it like that. Nice!
Phils only guy in their LU over 30 is C Santana guy they signed in off season from Tribe.
And by far the most non honky team out there—position players S Kingery and Rhys Hoskins being the only exceptions among the hitters.
Currently 2nd place game back of Braves who still lead division. Phils have scored 147 runs, 5th best NL.
Suarez Blach and Strat all got ws over the weekend. See what Smrdz and Holland the vets can do.
Hank said in Chfron which I still get delivered to house every day that Giants signed C Ryan Hangan (played with Rox last year) because Hacktor had another concussion. Wow, he’s probably got zero chance to make it here anyway, but that’s too bad.
Chron isn’t what it was when I was kid and full of great columnists, but still enjoyable to me. Their coverage of state and local bay area politics is pretty good and sports section is just a read i’m hooked on despite consistently dumb columns from Killion and Ostler.
Comics today are sub par too, tho Lio and Get Fuzzy are OK. Nothing will touch Odd Bodkins or Calvin/Hobbes.
Back in the day I read the Chronicle religiously, first front page and then the “Sprting Green” and then Herb Caen, I cried when he died, best columnist ever
The fact that the Giants continue to play Hector as catcher borders on criminal. We were talking about this last year and the year before that when he was with the Gmen. There is no way that guy should be catching any more for his own physical well being. Sure, he probably still wants to do it. But, if so, it should be another team responsible for enabling a foolish wish…
Suarez has quietly pitched to a 0.96 WIP and 3.06 ERA over 3 starts. He needs to go deeper into games but still not a bad showing. Pretty sure he or his girl haven’t tweeted any inspirational quotes either.
i think he’s legit. As I said from the first game I saw him pitch, he hides the ball extremely well and I continue to be surprised with his velocity.
Good call. His FB sits right around 93 per fangraphs
He would’ve pitched deeper yesterday if not for the extra 12 pitches he had to make because of Hanson’s error. I believe he went 7 the start before. He’s a good looking young pitcher.
One game? I’m with ya, Flav. Joe Cool…All the Way.
Comics? One of my all-time favorites was The Far Side.
Almost a quarter of the way through the season. I really thought the Snakes were going to run off with the division, but they have cooled slightly, going 6-4 in their last 10. Giants only four back.
Here is where the Giants stack-up in the main stat categories:
AVG – ML T-7, NL T-2
OBP – T-15, 9
SLG – 19, 7
OPS – 19, 7
ERA – 10, 7
WHIP – 13, 7
Fld% – 23, 12
Errors – 6, 4 (Hanson needs to tighten it up)
Hoping the bats stay hot in Philly’s bandbox…
Interesting list. I’ll bet you could churn those numbers in a computer right now and come up with a record just over .500. Also, I note that BBs haven’t skewed the OPS.
Joe was just so cool under pressure nothing fazed him.That drive in the SB against the Bengals in the end was epic.Goes into the huddle his teammates all nervous he breaks the ice says hey guys is that John Candy up in the stands? Well let’s bring the ball his way and win this game 80 yards later time just about out hits John Taylor for the win!!
Past few years the only place I read the Chron was in the barber shop, about once a month. Same guy in Oakland’s cut my hair for decades and he NEVER raised the price. He played good music (Little Walter and Charlie Musselwhite are his favorites, apparently), gave out cold PBR when the waiting line got long (no appointments for him), and made sure every day to put two new Chrons on top of the stacks of SI and Rolling Stone. He lived in the past and it was a kick to see him once in a while. Last month, however, he wasn’t in and the two youngsters who rent chairs in his shop said he was out indefinitely with a medical issue. Meanwhile, they’ve revamped the place. I didn’t recognize the music, the standard price for a haircut had jumped 25%, and there was no sign of newsprint anywhere.
I stopped reading print papers a long time ago mostly because I can’t read them as well as I can read screens. I even had to get readers this year but only for reading text on paper, not screens. The other reason I stopped reading is because you just can’t access the volume of info in a paper that you can on a screen. There is so much more to take in and click on that you can’t get from flipping through a newspaper.
Consciousness hyperlinked–it does seem to be a big change. I still enjoy good writing on the page, though. I’m a slow appreciative reader when the sentences are right, and for some reason print and paper seem necessary for that old ritual.
If the must win game is in early September of this year, and the team is the 49ers coached by Kyle Shanahan, I’m going with Jimmy G.
As has been pointed out, there are too many varying factors to determine the GOAT in any sport, unless maybe the clear front runners played in the same era. You can’t do it with statistics alone. Winning percentage is much better as that translate across eras, but then you have try and evaluate the relative strength of the teams they played for.
In the end, you must remain loyal to a player from the team you are passionate about. If like me, you don’t get too emotionally attached to outcomes, preferring instead the aesthetics of sports, I believe 49er fans can assert unequivocally that Joe Montana is way cooler than Tom Brady, so are Steve Young and Colin Kaepernick. In the long run, that counts for more than the number of championships won or lost. Their personas get hard wired into the DNA of American culture.
Better career, longer career, more stats compiled, more titles? Okay, fine. So what. Greatest QB in history? No way in hell. Joe Montana will always hold that title in my world, and that’s the only thing that matters.
“There is so much more to take in and click on that you can’t get from flipping through a newspaper.”
I can see that point, but one of the cool things about a newspaper is coming across things you weren’t looking for, and finding them interesting.
The strength of the internet is providing things you’re looking for, but paper newspapers show things you aren’t looking for, and there’s value to that, too, IMO.
i think the internet has really stoked some underlying ADD that I have. I seem to switch topics instantly with whatever pops into my head. And I like being able to get almost any question I have answered in less than a second.
Funny, when I read the Chron online, I get the print version to display . . . for that very reason.
I often see old guys reading the print version of the Chron on their ipads, with huge font.
Heh heh. Yup. Joe all the way. Brodie should be in the HOF as well, but that’s a different argument.
This is an important start for Samarj. Either he’s shaking off the rust of his spring-training-in-May scenario, or there’s something wrong with him. If he can get through 6 in under 100 pitches, I’d think that it would be a start to build on.
If it’s walks, bombs, and lack of control, then we are down another starter . . .
it’s a tough park to pitch in, so maybe we don’t hold this start against him. Weather is going to be fine though an 8mph crosswind so he’s not going to be up against it with the weather.
He has a bit of history to overcome – Alphabet has an 8.18 career ERA against Philadelphia and a 15.43 ERA at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies will send righty Zach Eflin (0-0, 1.50 ERA) to the mound.
That being said, maybe the Giants recent voodoo/good juju holds up.
Wow!
Incredibly, that is great news! In my mind I already had him getting TJ surgery and out for a year.
That IS great news. Almost as much as winning the NL West, my aspirations for this team include having the best infield in history all playing well together, a healthy Mac Williamson in LF, and a DFA for Holland. Nothing personal, he’s cockblocking one of the Giants’ better young lefties.
LOL
WOW is right. I too thought it was going to be TJ surgery. Great news!
My thought exactly. He could simply have said he mistakenly took at, and then brought it back. Instead he hides and says he quits?
Does he have a house full of random shit he’s stolen over the years?
So Dr James Andrews says :Hey no problem Johnny take 6-8 weeks off drink cereveza’s with your left arm and pay me 200,000 for my consultation fee..
Retweet if you didn’t take a piss before trying to get out of the parking lot.
https://www.si.com/nfl/2018/05/03/dwight-clark-als-49ers-reunion-eddie-debartolo
If Cueto can pitch to a 0.68 WHIP and 0.84 ERA with a bad wing then by all means take 6 weeks and rest up.
First there is nor can be a GOAT, like others have said too many changes through out the years. With that said for a one and done game…no one, and I mean no one will beat Joe
As far as the Giants are concerned, can we all agree to just toss out April stats for the hitters? Anyway this was the reason theGiants went out and got Longo and MC. And for the last 8-10 years or so the Giants farm system has produced and least one good/great player. I think Williamson should stay once he is released from concussion protocol. Sports will always be what have you done for me lately, unfortunately for Pence not much.
The Giants have 18.5 million reasons to play Pence over Mac the Oaf.
Or they have half a million to DFA him, maybe someone will pick him up.
I’ll bet Mr. Sports Dude knows a thing or two about this.
It is good news that SF has some head scratching about the roster. Mac, Duggar, Slater, Hanson, Specs means there are options to Pence, Blanco, Panik. Gorkys instead of last years roll em out there and watch the Phhtttt. Is Jackson under a one or 2 year deal? I know he’s at $3 million per. Boston or the Yanks dump a guy making that like a hot rock if he doesn’t perform after a few months. Chump change to them, and so it should be with SF…
2 years/$6M for Jackson.
Good news I suppose on Cueto. I assume the diagnosis is 8 weeks to heal the sprain, and then rehab and new Spring Training equivalent. So he won’t be ready until mid to late August. A sprain is a tear, so that means weakness there, no guarantee it won’t happen again. If he can get back in form for the last month it would be nice to get 4-5 starts out of him…
6 weeks, plus two weeks for rehab puts his return closer to mid-July.
1. Gregor Blanco (L) LF
2. Andrew McCutchen (R) RF
3. Buster Posey (R) C
4. Brandon Belt (L) 1B
5. Evan Longoria (R) 3B
6. Brandon Crawford (L) SS
7. Alen Hanson (S) 2B
8. Gorkys Hernandez (R) CF
9. Jeff Samardzija (R) P
I’m hoping to get out to one of these games, probably Wednesday. Also a heads-up: Thursday’s game will be televised via Facebook only.
espn just reported that Lincecum will pitch in AAA on “Monday night,” but the story doesn’t make it clear if that means tonight or next week.
Look like it’s tonight.
thx
a woman sports fan I know calls it the expendable stupid poker network–or something like that
I’d rather see Hanson batting lead-off, or Cutch, with Hanson batting second.
A big myth going on in Bochy’s head is that Blanco and Gorkys are having real good seasons. They’re not. They both have underwhelming on-base percentages and OPSes.
And Blanco and Gorkys’ defense isn’t that great either, but Bochy would never believe that.
I’ve noticed some general slippage in Blanco’s defense…
I recommend that SI story I linked under the Candlestick pic, if you haven’t seen it already. (The big photo included Dwaine Board in the back row. Seems like he never gets remembered much these days. . . .)
No one got killed. hahaha
Baseball not popular this season in Philly? Either that or they get to the park late a la Dodgers.
Sixers playing the Celtics next door.
Ahh . . . ty. Frickin’ stadium is empty.
Pfffttt! No fucking doubt on that one. Alphabet as usual here, is going to get lit up.
Zumie I totally agree with you about this new guy Hanson who know nothing about, but what I’ve seen of him he’s exciting and the fresh blood a older team can use.(Hanson was raking the ball at Sac .400 average utilize that hot bat.)I would bat him lead off for sure Cutch 2nd and let the dredge of Blanco&Gorky bat 7-8-fuck even 9 th.
But as both you and I know Boch doesn’t think outside the box like other managers do ,frustrates the hell at of me sometimes, but winning cures all so I guess the Boch still does right his way while Flappers will always question him..
That’s pretty much your ballgame right there. This guy has no idea where his pitches are going, so three is just the start.
last year it would be the ballgame. Let’s see if our sticks can do their thing
Needed that Craw. Pitch count is already high in 1st inning.
Sweating and laboring. No bueno . . .
he’s throwing 96 so he can’t blame this on a lack of velo
His mechanics are all out of whack.
If any of you East coast guys are affected by Flavor’s just posted tweet . . . Try this link on the net. High Definition and 3 sub links (if one doesn’t work).
http://watchsports.live/1905-philadelphia-phillies-san-francisco-giants/
This fucking umpire is a joke.
At this point in his contract, Bombardja is very high on the list of worst FA signings in team history.
He just plain sucks.
This Eflin guy is Gearrin slow with men on base…
Melancon’s was worse by far.
Herrera likes to stand and admire his shots. I’d flip his ass with one of those 97 mph heaters next time up.
he’s straining tonight to reach that 9 BB/9 IP average for the year, something I’ll bet few SPs have achieved. But the season’s young, he may come around.
The Giants are making this hack look like Max Scherzer.
And on the 89th pitch we have liftoff courtesy of the Shark 5-0 ballgame..
Major props to Yu Darvish who donated 10 K for ALS research in memory of Steve Piscotty’s mother Gretchen who passed away today.
That’s being a great human being,on and off the field..
Got to give the Cards props for letting Piscotty go to the A’s to be closer to his mom.
And as altruistic as that is, no way they help us by letting us have him.
Set up Sando perfectly.
Fuck and double fuck.
Snelten reminds me of the Old Navy Rusty the Mechanical Robot machine, terrible like this dude.,
Gorkys is still thinking about the HR, thus the error. Only thing worse would have been if it hit him in the fucking head and went over the fence.
Yeah like it did to Canseco huh Blade.
Yes this is morbid but It wouldn’t bother me if he somehow went thru the fence are over like Bump Bailey did in “The Natural “ and they could still honor Gorky’s death 💀 before the next game with a moment of silence..
lulz
I was glad to see Smarge get pissed off after that Hernandez bomb. Hopefully he was mad at himself and not the pitch Posey called. Anyway, I’m not giving up on him. He’s throwing 97. He can work it out.
10-0 ?
WTF?, did they party with hookers all last night, or is that for tonight’s post-game?…
lol
Dominguez is a stud. He’ll be around for a long time.
our run differential gonna be smartin’ after this trip to woodshed
Holy shit this is too funny . . .
Giants getting their ass kicked like this way too much in the last several series…
They’re just probably not good enough to get too far over .500. There’s going to be some ugly games along the way.
As long as they win the series, I’m fine with them getting blown . . . out.
Brett Anderson is getting torn up by the Astros.
#Mets confident they will trade Harvey, sources tell The Athletic. Four to five teams interested, including #SFGiants, as noted by @jcrasnick. NYM would pick up vast majority of Harvey’s remaining salary, which is in $4.5M range, to get something in return.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) May 8, 2018
ugh, no. Not even for free.
Ditto.
That dog has fleas. No freakin way, the Mets should be giving him away for free…
Why would the Giants give up anything for Harvey? He’s sucked for 2+ years now-Mets should be paying teams to take him.
I have no idea who Andy Martino is.
Source: Giants showing “very strong” interest in Matt Harvey. No deal done yet. Cueto out 6 weeks. Reds another previously unreported suitor. Keep eye on Giants
— Andy Martino (@martinonyc) May 8, 2018
Lukewarm on Harvey (even though I read his fastball is still 92.5 MPH). He’s also a head case with possible substance abuse issues. Per ESPN, Cueto has a 0.84 ERA this season and 0.69 WHIP. All other Giants starters have combined for a 4.43 ERA and 1.34 WHIP (and that’s without Smarg just blowing the ERA up another run or so). So, I can see why the Giants are interested in anyone who has a pulse.
Timmy tonight in AAA game: 1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K. 2nd run scored on a wild pitch. Among Timmy’s teammates are Tommy Joseph and Nick Noonan.
The 2 SOs are encouraging. Sounds like rust (control) mostly, so looking forward to his next start.
Agreed, 2Ks mean he’s got some stuff…
I wish the best for Lincecum. I’ll definitely hop a quick BART ride to the E Coli for a Rangers series, if he’s in the pen. But SOs don’t mean exactly what they used to. As the headlines point out, more SOs than hits in April for the first time.
You know I’ll take Harvey. I love robbing the Mets if we can…
Meanwhile WS champ Stros up11-0 top 4th in Oaktown. Um, plenty of good seats available too.
I’d still take Joe in a must win game! That said..Brady has been in the AFC championship 8 times and won them ALL. Niners with Joe lost more than a few. At least 3. Are those not must win games? Not trying to split hairs, just seems at times Brady is downgraded for getting there so many times.
Re Cueto? maybe not good news. As others have pointed out..A “sprain” is a partial tear. How often have we seen guys try to rehab this injury only to need surgery later, and miss next year too! The good news? Andrews is the best, and must feel the tear isn’t bad or he would have recommended surgery.
PS Bring the Dark Knight to SF. Minimal risk, and maybe this will force him to re examine his still. If he does he can still be a very good pitcher! I love his attitude. We need guys who are fired up. Just sayin..
I’ll take the man everyone forgets: Bart Starr
Another fun fact. Just read in the Athletic. Stratton missed a full season from a concussion when he was hit in the head by a line drive shagging balls at Salem keiser. Good news is that got well, and there is 150 less innings on his are. helps explain why Blach got to the show 1st…
A member of the ’62 World Series team.
Catcher’s mitts were so much more fun back then.
I remember Bailey pretty well.
Why the picture now, Zum?