Healthy And That’s About It
Well, at least we’ve got our health. As we watch players get hurt or go down across the league on other teams, our Fat Fannies keep chugging along, uninjured and uninteresting.
So we got that going for us.
Listened to Joe Bart on KNBR yesterday morning. He clearly doesn’t want robot umpires and said something I hadn’t thought of: if mlb finally goes that route the role of the catcher will change into nothing but a big bat brute with few other skills–almost like just another DH on the field. Bart is a very good interview, they should have him on more often.
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
I remain firmly supportive of robo jumps. A catcher having the ability of sleight of hand of catching a ball and moving it into a strike to deceive the umpire is not a baseball skill. What the system of balls and strikes lacks is consistency and that will be permanently fixed soon. A catcher still has to be nimble enough on wild pitches, throwing out runners and pitch calling to be still a high athletic skill position but also one using brain power.
The Yanks with Severino being out for the year I suspect will be knocking on our door and hopefully Cueto comes out of the gate demonstrating he is fully healthy. I can see Smardaramjam being of interest to the Yanks as a fallback. I want Frazier and/or Andujar of they want to add some relief arms. DRod as a bullpen arm in the AL could have some attraction. I am just not trading Adon, Gustave or Hjelle…
Like to hear Zum’s opinion on Kings Harry Giles. Warriors announcer Fitz (yuck can’t stand him) very high on him and GS will be looking for low cost bench guys at Forward spot.
Reason to not take too much out of ST: day before A’s Sean Manaea, slated to be season opening Day SP, went a clean inning and then in second gave up 6 hits 6 runs on 3 doubles and 2 HRs and got no one out. And said, “I wanted to go out and throw my slider and get a feel for it…It’s a good starting point to work from.”
In other words, the results were meaningless, he’s just working on a pitch and building arm strength.
I like Giles. High basketball IQ. A good productive player overall. He was in Walton’s doghouse early in the season, though. May have complained about playing time.
thx Zum. Warriors have struggled for years to find decent back ups to their AS players.
The Giants lineup goes full Bore Core today!
Unless the Yankees have a hard on to get Cueto, I don’t see them picking up his two year contract (NY has a couple of starters expected back in June). So yeah Samardzija and I guess Gausman would make sense for NY to ask about. Gausman’s one year contract is about $11 mil under the Alphabet’s so he might be a guy NY would take a chance on and that we’d get something back other than salary relief.
I think that is a good point on Cueto and maybe it is more of a trade deadline deal so they only have one full season to cover and maybe the Giants eat some salary to elevate the return in prospect(s).
Same goes for vet hitters too when it comes to ST–they know the drill, get some work done in the field and regain sense of timing with certain about of ABs, results less important than getting feel back. Most agree ST is way too long. Plus most guys stay in shape in off season and some of Giants vet hitters (and Sanchez) have already been working with new hitting instructors.
There are certainly players for whom ST results matter, but less so for lot of others.
I am still trying to learn more about our current players, my knowledge of them is limited. However, I do feel the same way as many here about the ‘bore core,’ it;s time for some new blood. I just remember how a young Posey ignited a sluggish Giants team and I believe a young Bart just might be able to do something similar. Out of all the four players I would probably keep Posey. i would definitely get rid of Craw, and Belt, Probably keep Longo also but only until I could find a much younger replacement. I would truly like to see a version of the old Billyball played, youth and speed makes for a fun entertainment. My two cents
Agree on Posey being the one to keep. He is going to be like an on-field coach when Bart gets the call (I’m sure Posey is already schooling the kid). I agree on Longo, too, as his contract has the most left on it (through 2022 – OUCH), whereas Belt, Craw, and Posey are FAs after next year. If the ownership group does decide to eat salary, it will probably be Craw (but I doubt they do this with ANY of the Bore Four). Belt is probably the most trade-able, IMO.
Hi Winder. Hopefully you are new here. I have been advocating for a couple of years to go a speed type of Cards team from the 80s..
Hi gianthead. Been a fan forever but haven’t blogged much in the last few years.
I agree with GiantH on the robo umps and also his take on catchers. Hey – look at baseball…a conservative and a liberal agreeing on something! 😉
I don’t see the implementation of robo umps as drastically changing the role of the catcher. I also agree that almost more than anything (other than keeping the fucking DH out of the senior circuit) that we need consistency with strikes/balls, the strike zone, etc. It is absolutely pathetic that you have umps on the same crew who view/call the strike zone so differently from one to another. Fuck it…dial-up the robo umps pronto.
If they could make robo umps truly work they I would be all in on it too. For far to long behind the plate umps impose their own will upon the game. Hope they give it a shot.
You’re a lib Chi???? 🙂
Come on dude. You have been posting here long enough (and seen my political comments) that you should know this, my friend. Also, I am not a “hater.” WTF…we are all Americans and some of us have different takes on how to best govern this great nation. All good.
Well I say buckle up kids, it’s going to be a wild ride under Kapler&Farhan this year!
Players are going to be in&out of the LU consistently with lefties/righties matchups, so the Craw&Belt will be out more against lefties with Flores&Dubon playing those spots.
The amount of LU changes are unlimited this year compared to last year, due to the lack of loyalty that is now created with Kapler&Farhan over what Bochy’s farewell tour and let him play his vets only mentality..
When you have 72 players in camp, there is definitely going to be in-and-out of the LU. R/L match-ups will not be like it has in the past, with pitchers now having to pitch to three batters (I hate this rule – more and more they are taking strategy out of the game).
‘I’m in his corner’: Giants’ Gabe Kapler pledges faith in Brandon Crawford
I am not trying to take anything away from either Craw or Belt. That homer Belt had in that 18 inning game, I would have given him the keys to the City just for that. Over the years Craw’s fielding and crucial hitting was a sight to see. I just don’t see us winning anything with these guys any longer. Seems to me the inevitable is already here. I never really gave to much about a players salary since the organization has paid out millions to players who couldn’t get on the field for their final year or longer. It’s not my money. Anyway, I still have way more hope for this year than I’ve had for the last couple. Sometimes big change is good.
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes (Turn and face the strange)
Ch-ch-changes, don’t want to be a richer man
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes (Turn and face the strange)
Ch-ch-changes, just gonna have to be a different man
I’m still reeling from “Blubber Soul.”
How do you guys just go on functioning after that?
Baggs with a nice write up on Crawford at the A. No word on his fitness plan but he’s definitely aware of his poor performance.
The KNBR morning guys are in Arizona doing their annual spring training man on the scene event and pulling in players for interviews. Sam Coonrod was really good this morning – small town guy trying to make The Show. Tyler Deberry was on too. Both guys seemed pretty pumped on the new coaching staff. I’ve noticed that everyone treads super light on the Bochy/Kapler questions and comparisons but clearly the change is well received. I’m not knocking Bochy here. Sometimes you just need to hear a new voice.
exactly. The Giants have needed a new voice for years. And a new 1st baseman. And a new catcher. And a new…
Along those lines, I am interested to see how Belt does with a front office that isn’t constantly tearing him down in their comments to media etc. It may be 2 years too late this FO seems to be a better match for his general demeanor.
The kale garden wasn’t good enough for you?
I have mad respect for Bochy, but also felt it was time for a change, not only with the on-field manager, but also the GM, etc. And the Giants did that, in spades.
“I’m still reeling from “Blubber Soul.”
How do you guys just go on functioning after that?”
It was definitely classic. Whoever said The Eatles got it all going. Gold!
Flabbey Road. LOL. We shan’t recover from that.
Eleanor Pigby??
BORE FOUR…call them The Help???
Ticket to Pie???
“ISNT IT GOOD…NORWEGIAN FOOD”
Good one, Kat.
Never heard this story before…makes you see Beltran in a different light, but then again…
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.sfchronicle.com/giants/amp/Bruce-Bochy-keeps-on-ticking-but-not-his-30-000-15085808.php
The flab four walk up music:Carry that weight?
Strawberry Shortcake Forever…
Craw 2-2 with a HR.
Happiness is a wonton (Patang, Patang, chew, chew)
I want more guys playing like this
Craw HR today!
Oops, I somehow missed seeing that Mac had posted that.
The centerfield garden area is a bar area, too. Booze is being served. All MLB ballparks are putting places in like this, where people who don’t like watching baseball can go and hang out and flirt, and then later tell people they were at the game.
zumiee- its their loss, just stepping into ballpark has an aura of magic in it for me and has ever since I was 6 years old. Time can almost stand still for a few hours. To me that is what makes baseball the best game of all.
I agree.
wow feel bad for Rutgers losing that one by a point on late 3. cbs site bracket guy says no team since 1994 has gotten in with 3 road Ws, and coming into tonite they had total of 1.
Stanford trying to hold off Utah after blowing half of 18 point lead. Freshman Tyrell Terry knocking down 3s.
Utes 7 ft freshman C Branden Carlson has 12 points and 8 blocks. Utes have lead down to 3 with just under 3 minutes to go. This is must not lose game for Stanford at home.