Saluting Smarge
Besides giving a collective knowing dude head nod from Flap Nation to Kevin Pillar for being so important to the success of the team this year I think it’s time we give one to Smarge who has exceeded expectations. Come on, you can do it. Grudgingly, do it. A 3.55 ERA this year? Expected more like 7.55 amirite?
Yesterday he gives up a bomb in the first, we all start our usual “Smargerine sucks” chant and lo and behold it was just one of two hits he gave up for the game! He pitched like a man yesterday and deserves our respect.
Menez today, one of these days one of these young guys gonna step up and surprise me this August. Might take until September. Or next April?
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
from google: (it’s August freaking 11th)
There have been 18 three-homer games already this season, the third most in a single-season in baseball history. There were 22 three-homer games in 2001 and 19 in 2016.13 hours ago
nice to see this guy getting recognized. He’s brilliantly funny.
https://nypost.com/2019/08/10/meet-the-man-behind-twitters-most-hilarious-sports-account/
The Giants are an ESPN game today!
Jackie Brown was great. Elmore Leonard wrote tremendous stuff.
Smarge definitely pleasant surprise, especially after disappointing L Friday.
he’s alive.
Is she his sister?
Not happy with Tim’s hair…
the funniest reply on Twitter: ‘he looks like a 47-year-old mom’ hahahahaha
Anytime I see him, he looks good to me.
Rock on, Timmeh !….
Yes, Smardjz was most excellent yesterday and has had a good season. I’m still disappointed in the start vs. the Nats, which, Flav, you accurately described as “Smarge was a nibblin’ fool, he came up ant-small again.” Maybe it wouldn’t have mattered given how bad the offense was not just that game but the whole series, and Smardjz almost provided a spark with a double. But we needed more than 4 blah innings to start the homestand
yeah took him like 98 pitches to go even that far. Still think giants are going only so far as pitching, no matter how much Dick is involved.
Completely agree – and the younger guys are not impressing me at all…
Samardzija has been solid and I agree that his performance this season should be acknowledged.
Looking at club’s surge in the lead up the trade deadline I thought Ziadi was perfectly positioned to make the necessary moves with Bumgarner and Smith only to blink. Considering Samardzija’s resurgence and Cueto’s pending return maybe the plan is to sign Bumgarner, have a solid 1-3 going into next year and make some moves to shore up the offense somehow. With a starting rotation in flux and a patchwork out-field, the club is within sight of the WC so they’re not as far off as one might think. Aggressively promote players internally or find an unbroken Dick or two that can stay on the field and it could work.
Nats get a bases clearing ground ball to 1st.
That’s the Mets I remember…
it’s about time
Melonhead helps Braves blow 4 run 9th inning lead over awful Miami last night.
They will rue their failure to dazzle Z for TFLR…
ok, maybe Eyechart’s best game as a Giant … better late than never
Eyechart??? Love it! I will try to use it in all future posts about his pathetic stay in SF . . . That’s right, one good season doesn’t make me forget his piss poor 2018 (6.25 ERA) or 2017 (4.42 ERA), nor his outrageous contract.
hah love that nickname, and Smarge has lot of funny ones here. First time I saw/heard Eyechart I think was in reference to C, Doug Gwosdz (sp?).
Can you name the former player whose official nickname was “Eyechart”?
Ha, see above. that him?
Well, that didn’t take long!
Marc Rzepczynski was nicknamed “Scrabble”…
Good catch!
I have an unreasonable belief in Conner Menez. He doesn’t have the pedigree of a Black Shoes Beede but for some reason I have higher hopes for him.
Could it be your belief is based on the fact Menez occasionally rocks black shoes himself????
conceivably, subliminally
You guys must be too young to have hated the Celtics and their black (Converse) sneakers…
i always chose black shoes to play in (when allowed). I thought they looked badass though my friends all thought they made me look slower. I was like “Dawg’s that ain’t the shoes, that’s all me.”
Totally subliminal!!
No surprise that Panik is already playing solid ball for the Mets.
Just frustrating that we couldn’t get a damn thing for him…
Loo I cringe every time I see gals of today walking around in Converse low cuts, black or white.
Yeah those black ones Celts wore, ugh…always had white ones myself, HS ball they pushed high tops on us.
Took at least 2 pairs of socks to play in them though. even then some guys got blisters.
On our block, you were an outcast if you didn’t wear the low white ones with colored laces.
Anyone who wore black ones was considered a “faggot”…
really cool guys (with some $$$) played in white Adidas.
50th HS reunion later this month. talking about shoes does bring back b-ball memories. Averaged a point a game over 3 years, so highlights, garbage time only, were few and far between.
and then along came Puma Clydes…
I would never go to a HS reunion.
Couldn’t get out of there fast enough…
Heading to the SJ Giants this Friday and sort of bummed to miss Bart & Ramos. Interesting that Ramos, who’s 19, has hit better than Bart this season. Ramos mashes one off the scoreboard here.
Good move to bring him up to AA. He’ll play in Fall League, too, against top competition
Hey, if he shows in 2020 spring training, ZMan will pull the trigger. I want to see Giants playing a 20-year old stud, not just Astros and a bunch of other teams…
I went to my 30 year high school reunion. It was pretty interesting. People were just people, without all the baloney high school cliques and everything. My 40 year one happened last year, but I passed on that one.
A friend of mine thinks the only people that go to these things are there to show off.
Popular kids who kept their looks or former flops turned successful as adults.
I wouldn’t know…
Never went to mine either, mostly because I lived on the far side of the State (Old Shasta) or out of State, but your take probably has a lot of merit.
A lot of the popular kids weren’t there. I don’t know if it’s because they felt they were above it all or if they didn’t want to be just regular folks in front of us. For some people high school was a big high point in their lives, and things went kind of downhill from there.
In my high school the football players and cheerleaders were the royalty of campus. A lot of those folks weren’t at the reunion. A lot of them had put on weight probably and that kind of thing.
Yeah, Atlanta declared Melanbust their closer yesterday.
He promptly goes out and gives up 4 straight singles in the 9th, ahead 6-2. After getting pulled, his relief comes in and gives up 2 more hits, game tied. All runs to Melanbust’s ERA. Miami eventually wins in the bottom 10th.
Good luck, Atlanta. Enjoy paying his contract.
ZMan is a friggin magician…
Dirt..Johnny Cueto is headed to San Jose next, you might be able to see the shimmy at work..
He needs to be on the active 40 man by end August if they want him available for the, uh, “post-season”…
1. Brandon Belt (31)
2. Mike Yastrzemski (28)
3. Evan Longoria (33)
4. Stephen Vogt (34)
5. Scooter Gennett (29)
6. Kevin Pillar (30)
7. Brandon Crawford (32)
8. Austin Slater (26)
9. Conner Menez (24)
Love the revised LU Loo . . . This must be the pubescent line up (or as close as this 2019 roster is going to get to it).
Panda turns 33 today, BTW…
Vogt is probably a lock for the Willie Mac Award.
Pillar has a chance.
I’ll say Vogt 98% chance.
and Pablo?
I’m not seeing it, but maybe the players see it differently. It’s said he helps keep the clubhouse loose.
Speaking of reunions, the Giants’ flagship station will show a pregame ceremony honoring the ‘89 team.
3:20 Pacific Time.
So Edwin Diaz comes in top 9th for Mets down 5-4 gives up 2 run bomb to Robles and they wind up losing 7-4 to Nats.
On Anthony Dicomo’s twitter feed many comments from Mets bloggers say the same thing –he can’t pitch in NY or be a closer there, something I’ve heard before.
Thoughts?
oh no on the reunion either. saw a list, my best b-ball buddies aren’t going, which settles it.
I was miffed at Diaz for blowing a save vs. the Dodgers, with a two or three run lead. He got tore up. I don’t think he got a single out.
I think I was at the game when the ‘89 team clinched the division. Or during the series that happened. Something like that.
Nope. I must have been there a week or two earlier. Clinching came near the end of the season.
“Dodgers 1, Giants 0 (Reds 2, Padres 1, 13 inn.)
Final record: Giants 92-70, +3 over Padres
The Giants were in Los Angeles when they clinched this title. But this title was clinched in San Diego. Even after losing the opener of a three-game series in LA, the Giants were five up with five to go, needed to win one of two games to clinch the division. But after losing 1-0 to the Dodgers on the 27th, the Giants were in the clubhouse at Dodger Stadium when Eric Davis’ RBI double helped the Reds win in the 13th, meaning the Giants didn’t have to go to San Diego for the season-ending series still up 3 on the Padres.”
Pillar should win it playing hurt nearly every day for the last month. And leading the team in every offensive category.
Good point Flav. Just on ESPN’s site, he leads 4 of the 5 statistical major categories they put up on each team’s stat page. Personally, none of these position guys* on the team move the needle or excite me, including Pillar, but fair’s fair, he’s our MVP.
* Bum and Smith are my favorites on the team.
PIllar doesn’t walk much which is why his OBP is low. He’s been our best hitter next to, I guess, The Dick who can’t stay healthy. He’s made more spectacular catches than I can remember seeing one Giant make in a year. He plays hurt. Total gamer who SHOULD win the WMA but I wouldn’t quibble if it was Vogt or even Pablo.
I know I posted this not too long ago, but I love it so much.
A few years back Francesa is arguing with a caller about Jeter.
Francesa feels Jeter has been in decline for awhile.
Francesa (loudly): When was the last time Jeter lead the league in any offensive category?
Caller (calmly): Well, he led the league in hits last year…
Francesa (yelling): HITS ISN’T A CATEGORY!!!
That dude is a tool (and a moron) for sure.
that’s a great story Loo. Franny didn’t register for me until I started watching the clips of his boneheadedness on twitter. He’s so dumb, I really can’t understand how he’s had a show for so long.
I would have to say Pablo too for the Willie Mac award. I have zero idea about Vogt’s chances, but you guys that live in the bay area, seem to have your “ears to the ground” and know better than I do.
I don’t get it with Solano.
The guy can play several positions, and pretty well, too.
The guy rakes every time he starts, and PHs, but on a team that can’t hit for shit, he can’t get a string of starts from Bochy. What am I missing?…
Where do you want him to play? With Longo back he isn’t playing 3rd. They traded for Gennett he’s not playing 2nd. Craw is locked into SS.
Crawford will always play even vs. LHP though with mew mgr next season that could change. Gennett is here I guess on trial basis to see if he has enough pop to warrant being offered potential deal as an FA. Doubt it but could happen. Acquiring him was Z move so Panik could be DFA’d and he would get ML replacement hitter for him and start new plans for 2b.
September Dubon could come up and give more insight to 2b next year.
.
How does the highest profile prisoner (Epstein) in the entire federal system and in one of the most secure and supposedly best managed federal lockups (Manhattan), and who apparently tried a suicide about 10 days ago and was then taken OFF “suicide watch”, and a likely candidate to sing about all sorts of powerful men participating with him in his pedophile ring, then “commit suicide” sometime last night in the supposedly most secure and suicide proof cell block in the building?…
lots of rich white men wanted him dead.
If the video cam was turned off, or tape was lost/erased, or this was the only cell that didn’t have one in that block, we are truly living in a banana republic…
Speaking of Crawford, would he even have a roster spot on an MLB team if he didn’t play for us? Right now he is ranked 28th defensively by DWAR and his hitting must be near the bottom.
So I am thinking if any sort of competition is brought in next season, coupled with a new manager, his days are numbered as a starter (as it should be).
well, defensive WAR has a lot of holes in it. We can see with our eyes that Craw still brings it with the glove. They have a long way to go before I accept defensive WAR stats. Shit’s always getting tweaked tho, we’ll see.
I don’t think Gennett is going to fly here (watch him hit two bombs tonight). He built most of his offensive stats in hitter friendly parks. I was willing to wait and see with him but it just doesn’t seem like he can do it in a big park like Oracle.
Best news of the weekend (if true)
Good, and just a start. 18, 55, and 15, too. And 28 eventually. They don’t need to wait years for these, other than for #28. The Warriors are retiring Durant’s number next season. I like how some teams just do it, without jacking around.
40 eventually, too.
I don’t know where the 22 retirement talk is coming from, though.
favorite player of all time, there really isn’t a second place….
Roger Craig. This is so awesome.
I’m kicking it at the beach listening to Miller on my phone.
Still blows my mind that I’m able to do that.
I got a tall Coors tucked beside my chair too.
Haven’t been here long. Waves look decent. I’ll probably get in at some point.
Manly top of the first for Menez there. Dude can bring it.
Some discussion of The Thrill on the pregame. Apparently he’s all in as a minor league instructor; passionate, connects with and improves the young hitters, produces detailed reports for management and has an air of authority about him. Make him the next manager!
Don’t tease me. But he won’t get the job, he’s just not “numbers” enuf
True but if Zaidi’s controlling the LU and whatnot you need someone that commands respect. Clark’s probably too much of a red ass but he’s a bridge to the past for sure. Personally I’d like to see Meulens.
I’d take Clark for the presence in the clubhouse and just because I like looking at his lovable ass but I don’t see him having all the *faculties* to make the in-game decisions necessary.
Does any hitter on the Giants go to oppo field with more power than Yaz? No.
Also a good moment for Baer to get to announce the 22 retirement. Gives Baer an entry point into things again.
Ain’t gonna win too many WMA’s doing that shit.
Dang hope that K and GIDP don’t come back to haunt them.
The players are doing Vogt’s T thing. He’s immensely popular. I’d be surprised if he doesn’t get it.
After watching Screwball on Netflix, and I cannot rec’d it strongly enough, I can’t get into anything ARod says. The past kinda faded away for me and I started liking him as a color guy. But after Screwball it’s ruined it all. He’s so stupid I can’t listen to a word he says.
Vasgersian: “In San Francisco, they call it a Splash Landing Home Run.”
No one calls it that. Absolutely no one.
lol
STOP walking people. gad the .180 hitter batting 9th gets the rbi.
Umm . . . This could end really badly.
The “not ready for prime time” player (Menez).
That’s where Pillar playing so deep hurts. 50+ pitches through 2 and out of there. Sweet Jebus. What’s with the echo on balls off the bat?
yes exactly. hate to see bloop hits fall in vanilla triangle.
Wow! He was a beginner or whatever the fuck they call it?
that needed to be in the dirt not hittable. He had 1 pitch to play with and couldn’t get it right.
Jesus. Team hands him a 2 run lead and he can’t get 3 hitters out with a million pitches.
He gets to enjoy a ride back to Sac-town.
there’s really nothing more frustrating to watch than a pitcher who can’t throw strikes. Nerves? Skills? THat sucked.
Gustave? Who dat?
When a AAA guy comes up and tries to nibble his way through MLB innings, forget it. Go away.
Menez has advanced 3 levels this season and has probably been promoted too aggressively. I’m cutting the 14th round pick some slack. If Rodriguez, Suarez and Beede could effectively hold down a rotation spot he wouldn’t even be in The Show this year.
totally agree. They rushed him and it’s August and these young fucks are not at their best this time of year. I’m absolutely holding out some hope for this guy.
He carved up the top of the order in the 1st. Just got timid or lost the slot or whatever. I think he’ll be good with some more seasoning.
who in the fuck is this pitcher.
this guy throws gas and strikes why hasn’t he been up here?
Flav, pretty sure this Velez look alike pitched in that 16 inning game against the Mets and got the win.
Count Chocula the…..3rd?
lol did Bochy just deek muscles Kapler into running his best LH PH up here in the 3rd inning to face a LH pitcher? That was Boch schooling this guy no matter how this works out
how does Belt let that go by? He’s just fucking worthless, I am so beyond done with this dipshit.
this Yaz guy, man he grows on ya. Fuck all these pussy vets who can’t hit, more cowbell and #MOREYAZ!
I like how he battles out of slumps before they drag out too long…
there you go that’s why Gennett is playing.
Ha you can’t sneak the low stuff by Pillar unless it’s in the dirt. And Arrieta has coughed up all of his lead!
this dumb motherfucker just compared 1.0 to Aaron Rowand. When did Roward lead the Giants in even ONE offensive category? Fuck these fucking national goons. Pillar is a SAVAGE IN THE BOX!!!!! lqtm
Crawford and Belt hit the ball a total of 16 combined feet that inning. #fuckthecore
I hope a 3D SF logo on the batting helmet will be among the sweeping changes made for next season…
Phils are paying Arrieta $25 mil this year for his now4.53 ERA plus $20 mil next year. With options for 21/22. gee wonder if those will be picked up?
Another Mr. Nibbles.
Gott did a nice job.
Belt should patent that out. He has perfected it.
Beach Update-
Got stung by Stingray. First time this has happened to me since the 80s.
This shit hurts. Been at lifeguard station soaking it in hot water. Just got phone back.
Go Giants!
Does the Flap have an IL?
arggh. repeat earlier STOP walking hitters, especially to start an inning. Moronta does this a lot…sometime he reminds me of the “bad” Casilla.
6th walk of game already by Giants. Gott does look like best of the lot of young guys, so far.
Whoa. That was a big bat boy. He had to be 2 hundo right?
Scooter Getwett!
gold
wouldn’t it be nice to have a LH IF who could do this on regular basis? wow
Watson gets it done with that old man stance before his wind up
the phils guy on youtube game said one of the three things Phils needed to do was hit better with RISP.
IF Giants pen guys could have smooth innings, Harper and Hoskins might not come up again.
Not game related, but interesting discussion earlier about Converse AllStars. Where I grew up, white shoes or sneakers of any kind were “faggy”. It was the black high tops all the way. I had a pair that lasted from high school in the mid-70s all the way through the ’80s til they finally fell apart. Used to wear them new-waving at the clubs in Boston. And yes, Yaz rocks. I’m in Desert Hot Springs now, one of my favorite desert places.
Mel Counts of Celts wore those.
they are back in, for gals.
A-Rod “l used to regularly come to San Fran to pick up my supplem….err play the A’s.” Hard to believe this clown is pulling in on J-Lo.
That’s your boy!