Wake Up Call Time
Apparently Kap and Craw had to meet to smooth some things out. This is the last paragraph in the nbcsports.com/bay area story on it:
“As Kapler begins his first season with the Giants, it’s good that he was able to smooth things over with Crawford. The new skipper is going to need all the veterans to buy into what he’s selling.”
Uh, no he doesn’t. These veterans better get with Kap’s program or they can fuck the fuck right off after they get DFA’d. I’m not sure what these writers are thinking. The Core is just about out the door, man. They either contribute or they’ll be traded or released. I can’t believe Baer would be so stupid as to choose any of these Flabbers over Z and Kap if things go south.
So the Fatties better start taking Hunter Pence’s lead and make some changes. They have one thing in common with themselves: the old way no longer works. Do what Z and Kap say or leave.
It’s that simple.
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
well, nothing is that simple especially if ownership is against waiving guys making $$$. But Z/Harris should have taken steps to jettison dead weight this off season.
Man, cal, at home and half game out of 10th, is up by 11 on Colorado, half game out of first. 6 minutes to go.
I listened to a podcast with Crawford and Hank on sfchron online day or two ago. After 15 boring minutes he asked Craw about this season. What he said was that he was very impressed with new hitting coaches. They had studied his swing over his history and came in with some ideas to help, to which he was very receptive. And said things seem to be working and he felt great about adjustments. He’s off to good start so far too, so no idea what’s up with Kapler and him.
Now that I read it, Hank addressed this in the podcast. It had to do with defense, how Craw positions himself and his footwork as ball is being thrown to the plate. This is way much ado about nothing, and zero to do with hitting.
Brady going to the Raiders for their first year in Vegas would be pretty freaking exciting, I will say that. I can’t stand the Raiders, but their games would be must see TV in my house if Brady came on board.
For what its worth, Kapler is growing on me a little bit. I think he could be right guy to lead us into the wilderness.
If you could pick one guy for the Giants to DFA and eat the rest of his contract tomorrow—would you do it? And who would it be? I wouldn’t eat any of these contracts if I were in charge. Not enough major league ready talent around to replace them, for starters.
I’d probably pick Craw. I hope he proves me wrong this season.
with all the middle IFs here now I think the plans were that if Crawford isn’t playing well, replacements Solano Sanchez Flores Dubon could cover it right now. Bart takes over C soon, Sando covers Belt and Longo. He’s not any younger but at least last season hit pretty well in limited action, like Flores.
Kapler saying all the right things and being very positive about everyone, and vets are too. posey came in early to work with new coaches on hitting and Longo today talked about he’s going to be moved to next to 1b (with Craw staying at SS) when shifts happen vs. LH, and he praised the Giants analytic approach.
I think the tone has definitely been set by Kapler and the new brass that they have a shorter leash on the Bore Core this season.
“But Z/Harris should have taken steps to jettison dead weight this off season.”
We’d probably be stunned by the lack of interest in the Bore Core from the other GMs.
And, as has been said before, the Giants owners don’t eat big contracts. It goes against their billionaire obsession with Scrooge McDuck.
I’d have been happier if they’d just taken whatever they could get and moved on. Let Shaw and Flores play 1b, use Dubon and Solano at SS and bring some new energy to the team. As is just makes it harder on Kapler.
I felt great end of last year would give Z a B on season. Off season he merits a D for all the dumpster dive pitching moves and bringing in too many scrubs like Pence to complicate OF.
By far the most important part of his off-season grade is the draft, and it’ll take a couple of years to judge that.
I would dump Belt in a heartbeat. I’ve never knocked his glove work, as a matter of fact he should of won a GG by now, but he rates rock bottom of being what most teams look for in a hitter and that’s being AGGRESSIVE with the lumber , not keeping it on your shoulders working 3-2 counts, then taking a strike 3 call are hitting a weak ass grounder into the shift.1B like 3B are the power positions all team count on, but I only can count on Longoria more than Belt to supply alittle more when he’s healthy.,
Disagree Zum on off season. Giants spent trade deadline and off season unloading talented players or allowing them to walk away and sign elsewhere. That’s fine but they chose to replace them with dumpster dives of lesser quality, especially on pitching side. That was a conscious choice to say ah whatev rather than to try and improve Did they even draft any pitching? idk.
As far as interest in Belt or Craw I’m sure there were teams that could have used them. Guys like Freddy Galvis have a ML SS job every year, somewhere and worse hitters than Belt do too.
thing is, the Cozart deal cost the club $12 mil of his salary. Only return is the prospect kid Wilson who as you say won’t be ML for a couple years. If they had offered to send $12 mil along with either Belt or Craw I think they could have moved them out of the O. Sure no #1 Wilson type pick comes back but something would have and Giants move on with what they have.
Btw the park and the shift, these 2 have declined at steady pace for couple years now.
As much as we would like to see ownership (because they are the ones who would make these calls) jettison some of the Flab Four, I just do not see it happening. Eating salary just isn’t the “Giants Way.”
I will judge where everything is at once they are approximately a quarter of the way through the season.
Hard to believe riding out the contracts of Belt and Crawford through this year and next is part of “the process.” This is a plan?
Smardz 2020 will be his swan song. At 34, no way Giants extend him beyond this season. Cueto’s deal goes through 2021 and he’s nearly as old, with $5 mil buyout after next year. Again, gonzo not if but when. Always a market for pitching if he can still deal.
Giants aren’t some small market team like Pirates. As is they are $50 mil below dreaded lux tax and dropping $40 mil off these two puts them even further below it
If you play poker or roulette at the casino and you break the rules, it’s black and white. You’re wrong, they’re right and you fuck the fuck off. There’s no discussion or negotiation. Do you feel me on that, Flava Flave?
CF yesterday was Bishop and Yaz. SS, fwiw, was Solano and the kid Ryan Howard.
the kid Howard in 2018 hit .273 for Richmond .730 OPS. Last season not so good, combined Richmond and Sac he hit .227 with half dozen HRs in 500 ABs.
We all have been frustrated by the Giants not doing a damm thing about moving are releasing these non productive players.This has been going on ever since they handed out long 5 year deals to players already close to their 30’s.But all we can do is shake are heads and bitch about it, cause it never changes with this management that is way to loyal to long ago past success…
I’m holding out hope that the new regime has different ideas about these guys. They aren’t afraid to make moves at least. They’ve done a lot o to revamp the minor leagues and the big league team. It’s a long way to April and plenty of time to do shit. Panik went in August, so this season will tell a lot. If Craw is riding the bone, he’ll be DFA’ed as well. I’d rather see it earlier as we have a ton of IFers, but we’ll see.
It isn’t team management (Z, GM, etc.) making the call on whether or not to jettison/eat salary. It is the ownership group. And if past history is any indication of the way forward, they won’t eat any of the Bore Core’s salary. Also, I do not believe it to be about loyalty (at the ownership level), but what makes dollars and “sense,” financially.
They HAVE to lose 2 of the flab core 4 this season. Belt and Crawford. Trade Belt. Jettison Crawford. Maybe they come out hot and actually garner interest. Longo somewhat produces when he’s on the field, and Posey is not going anywhere so that leaves the Bye Bye Brandons.
Pretty damn simple….dont let the Hard Day’s Blight hit them in the ass on the way out the door…
I doubt we are going anywhere this year no matter what we do. But, I would try and trade both Smartz, and
Cueto for some young prospects, surely we will have to send some cash with that but in the long run I think it’s a win. I would do the same for Craw, Belt, and Longo. If no takers, i would be on the hunt until I found some replacements that have potential and then dump em. i would keep Posey around.
Frazier and/or Andujar!!!
That would work for me but I think the yankees have other ideas.
It’s been said before – only injuries to a contender’s key player(s) might make some of our guys dump-able.
Time to root for injuries and stop pretending we’re all good sports…
I was thinking more like Schmidt or Garcia but that ain’t happening either
djloo27- I agree if our guys were tradable we probably would have done it already. A blanket prayer for injuries seems a little extreme but hey whatever works.
Longoria is probably the contract I eat…there is a shit load left in that pie…re Brady I would pray he is not a Niner. I am still angry about this Super Bowl loss and still mad about the loss to the Ravens. But if he comes in here and wins a super bowl it would not be thought of as the Niners tying the Steelers and Pats for most super bowl wins but it will be all about Brady winning seven (we should have the most as is)…fuck him with all due respect…he is a Trump fan on the other hand. That would go over great back home in an election year…
As much as any of us would prefer to see Longo’s salary go bye-bye, I think he is the least likely, due to years remaining/$$$.
I hope the ownership group surprises us, and takes a different tact than in year’s past, but I am not holding my breath on this in relation to any of the Bore Four.
Loved the Beatles song title puns from the other day. Can’t beleive no one mentioned “Carry That Weight” from Abbey Road? That just sums up the Flab Four on so many levels.
It’s made it’s way here, Wilco.
You have to study harder…
I mentioned“Carry That Weight” as the Flab 4 walk up music WJ..
Sorry Kat. I figured it was too obvious not to have been mentioned already.
I don’t agree with the statement that eating $ is not the Giants way. They ate Cozart’s deal. They ate Rowand’s deal.
If you want to say that cutting loose fan favorite homegrown players who helped this team win multiple titles after going 50+ years without a ring is not the Giants way, then I will agree with that.
It’s interesting because lots of Giants fans are also Niner fans, and Walsh was ruthless about getting rid of players who started to decline. So we’ve seen that side of it, too.
There are different ways to be effective in pro sports.
And I realize there are less guaranteed contracts in football.
The Giants game is on the MLB Network tonight. 6:00 PM Pacific Time, but don’t quote me on that.
An actual live game, not tape delay. A split-squad game. The other split-squad won today.
Thanks Zumie I will look for it!Debut night!
Heard Panda is going to DH
Ramos Fizz making his debut in RF! Chris Shaw’s ice cream playing LF
Zach Green Mile gets a crack at 3rd
And Johnny “Shimmy”Cueto making his debut as well!
Monmouth Hawks on ESPN U tonite once current game ends.
Adon’t…
Lulz Right Loo
Think that ball is just coming down in the Bronx!!
Bore bomb!
The “Assassin” is having a nice game..
Glad to see Shaw score from 3rd on a double…
I like the new 1B coach…
How about them scrappy Giants coming back to tie it at 5-5!
I think this is the first I have seen of Ramos’ swing…looks like a very live bat. Crawford looks useless…why leading off? To make him look obviously useless??? Well Ramos may not start on SF bit it wont be long he is full-time left-fielder…
Ramos sure has a cannon of an arm, which will work just fine in RF at Snoracle..
Not sure he will be the type rumbling around out in right…I expect he is going to keep getting physically bigger.
Shaw sure won’t make the team with his Molina speed..
The only extra base he should ever try for is 1st…
For Nor. Cal folks, I didn’t know the game was on the local NBC affiliate, and blacked out on the MLB Network.
Monmouth #3 is cool player, Deion Hammond. Rest of team having tough night in foul filled game
Halftime they said our boy Flemming is doing tomorrow’s game St. Mary’s at Gonzaga.
Didn’t see game, yeah, Hammond and not much else tonight for MU. Salnave needs to do better than 10 points. Rider’s always a tough place to play.
Ham & Legs!
Would be nice to zee Billy Hamilton lay claim to the CF and lead off job…Bart like Ramos will be 3-4 game a week starter at C by mid-June…
Nice shot Heliot!!
Rather have Jaylin Davis manning CF then Hamilton..
yes. Much higher upside.
Ramos has really bulked up.
I remember him as a pretty skinny kid on draft day…
cool pic
Unflattering angle…
that was one of the things I thought was cool about it. That guy was one of the most dominant pitchers of our lifetime and he looks like he dieted on donuts and did zero cardio.
Ramos!!!
Showing The Pop!
Flavors boy Hambone double&Triple
And some guy named Roby 5-6 so far smacking the cow skin..
The pace of play is shocking.
No dawdling – just pitch the ball and swing the bat…
Really Jacob Heyward is no slouch of a player either.Jason Heyward’s younger brother at 24 has plenty of upside..
Ramos’ lower body is pretty darned big. He’s in Vlad, Jr. territory, which doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing.
Yeah like Loo mentioned, I don’t remember him being this big when they drafted him.Ramos legs are like tree trunks! He’s passed all his drug testing right??