A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball

Taking 3 in a row from the Art Dealers was something I didn’t expect to see. But it is eagerly welcomed. Bullpen gave up 4 runs again but ONLY 3 were earned! More progress? This can’t go on like this……

I am bullish on Cueto today. Let’s keep the streak going!

Today is the most important day to honor and observe. “The ultimate sacrifice.” As the old saying goes, “if you can read this thank a teacher. If it’s in English thank a veteran.”

Solano and Yaz continue to peck away at the doubting, aged POTD……

And the bullpen only gave up 4 runs!

Progress……

If you want to smile today watch this till the end.

The Grave Duggar and Posey continue to lead the team in hitting but that W doesn’t happen without The Sock Man. I’m really not sure what I would have done had we blown that game and it came within inches of The Sock Man failing. But he didn’t and we go on to win.

Baseball is a funny game.

For the collective psyche of the team last night’s win was critical. Team win.

According to facebook it’s the 11 year anni of this bad boy:

I don’t care if some say (stupidly) that batting average doesn’t matter anymore. Hitting .111 is not acceptable. And when you lose by 1 run starting your Z-league catcher could easily be pointed to as the reason you lost. Shit I’d rather have 41 year old El Presidente out there at this point. In fact Kap left BOTH the team leaders in batting average out of the starting line up last night (Buster and The Grave Duggar).

As we patiently await the ominous foreshadowing of the aged POTD to coalesce, we seem to have staved off the worst of it with a bomb from one and a run scored from the other.

Still, Flap Nation turns its tired eyes to Buster Posey and wonder “will tonight be the night he plays again?”

Grave Duggar, Slater, Vosler…Just how Zaidi drew it up.

LA taught us a hard lesson last weekend. It would be nice to show up for this series and compete…..

This Vosler thing could be a thing. Now that he’s gotten the bomb out of the way in a low pressure game let’s see what he can do against the Dodgers. Dude does have power. LA going with a bullpen game to start Game 1…..

Saw this today. Pretty incredible.

Ah, the comfort of playing a crappy team. Feels good doesn’t it? And I’m waiting for some apologies from many of you to the Grave Duggar. Take your pick, 2nd highest batting average on the team or the .850 OPS. I know jizz flies freely around here when it comes to OPS. He has the best glove in the outfield and he is proving to be a contributing member of the team. Also, best nickname in baseball.

What do you want? Egg in your beer? (my dad used to say that, I never knew what it meant and still don’t but it seems to be the appropriate question to ask when it comes to The Grave Duggar.

Well, my list of SF Giants pitchers who are eligible to start the all star game has shrunk from 3 to 2. GasMan going today and I expect another dominant performance. The question is, what will happen to our bats? Was Farhan right in stiffing Solano out of $500K? Is his roster spot at risk if he doesn’t start hitting? He’s certainly not out there for his glove.

The aged POTD is speaking volumes today……

I know their record is still nice to look at but that series felt like we got catapulted back to Square 1. The vast difference between their talent level and production and ours was impossible to ignore. But it was also a weirdly set up series. A bullpen game for Game 2? No Posey or Longo yesterday? It didn’t feel like Kap was putting his best players out there.

Now we get to go back to the safely of playing crapping teams. And that’s fine, W’s are always welcome.

But the Dodgers put us in our place. That was ugly.

Well what have we learned through 2 games? Not much. Anyone that thought we were better than LA was probably high. And there’s no shame in being worse than one of the best teams in the league. Zaidi and Kap have us much farther along that I thought we were. At least, they have shown they can get production out of a team I didn’t think had that production in them.

It’s only been 2 games but it feels like this would just keep happening no matter how many times we play them in 2021.

I turn my weary eyes to the aged POTD and ask, “Could it be true?”

Look, Trevor Bauer is one of the best pitchers in baseball. No shame in losing to him. It’s too bad we wasted such a great pitching performance by our staff.

I think Bauer is great for the rivalry. I don’t hate him at all, he’s extremely smart and he loves baseball. That sword thing he did after striking out (?) on the check swing was awesome as was walking off the mound acknowledging the boos. He’s clearly quite the Showman. But I get why he’s not some people’s cup of tea, especially being a Dodger now.

Giants are swimming in the deep end now. It gets no easier facing Buehler today and with a 4:15pm start I’m thinking the ball could be hard too see the first few innings (though I honestly can’t remember what that time of day looks like in the Spring at Oracle Park).

We were never going to get to just keep facing shitty teams. If they want to stay at the top or near it they have to compete with LA and SD and win games.

I don’t care what anyone says, this goes a long long way….

Can you win without chemistry? Documented, yes.

But it stands to reason that your team is also better with it.

We have the best record in baseball, a candidate to start the All Star game going for us tonight and a team that strokes itself collectively to itself.

So, fuck the Dodgers, fuck ’em straight to hell.

I mocked the signings of Gausman, Wood and Disco. Any of the 3 could legimately start the all star game. And all 3 should be on the team.

The Padres and Dodgers are coming that is a known fact but at least we are keeping this season interesting. Imagine what we could look forward to if Farhan fixes this bullpen?

Exciting game tonight in LA. We don’t match up too well vs a healthy Laker team but hey it’s all entertainment, right? There’s no way Steph gets an open look tonight but he doesn’t really need one and that will just open it up for other guys anyway. LA by 5 points? Yikes I wouldn’t bet a dollar against Curry and Draymond.

There’s really nothing left to say about the bullpen except:

1. If this is there worst problem to have that’s a good thing considering how many holes I thought this team had to start the season
2. if you think about it the law of averages suggests they should get better. These are major league pitchers, however bad they are, no major leaguer comes out failing and sucking every single appearance.

Kevin Pillar is ok. He is the ultimate gamer who got lucky, too. Easy 1.0 for him dealing with that near tragic event last night.

Interesting pitching match up today of 2 guys who probably have revenge on their mind.

Haven’t checked the weather yet….

Congratulations to the Warriors who have exceeded ALL expecatations this year. They’ve even given themselves a little breathing room should they lose to LA they still have a chance to get in. Disappointed we couldn’t get Portland who we regularly treat rudely.

And I also think Steph should be MVP. This is what it’s like every game:

And yet he still managed to win the scoring title AND pull his bedraggled club along with him to a chance at the post season.

And we got Minnesota’s pick in the draft.

And Klay is coming back.

Things looking up for The Dubs.

Theoretically the bullpen should be the easiest thing to fix. Lots of guys can’t be starters but most of those guys can still throw gas for an inning. Zaidi has been an absolute magician composing this team. I can’t believe he would let something like this confound him. He’s an easy guy to have faith in, let’s let him work his magic.

Yesterday was irritating but I put that more on the stupid extra inning rule than anything else.

Today is a new day.

Today is also Preakness Day.

Oh my!

Between Wood, Gausman and Disco I’m honestly unsure of who to jizz to. Combined they have an ERA under freaking 2.00. That’s just outrageous.

Preakness this weekend. Baffert gets to start his cheater horse PLUS another one. So he’s got the 2 favorites going. I have never wanted 2 horses to lose more. And luckily I think I’ve found just the longshot to ruin the chances of both rapscallions.

Shout out to the Grave Duggar who homered for the first time in 2 years. Dude has kept grinding and that work is starting to pay off. And despite what you think about his bat we need his glove (and shovel) in the outfield, desperately.

Speaking of his bat, he has the third highest batting average on the team (after Posey and Solano). I have no illusions about his bat. But if you are going to spend you time shitting on a Giant (who is helping us win) you should a) stop doing that because it’s petty and stupid and b) first shit on the 14 hitters we have who tote around a batting average lower than his.

Really interested part of the schedule coming up. East coast swing through Pitt and Cinn then finished it off with 3 vs LA. Eleven games 11 days. I have let myself get excited about this team for the first time in many years. After accepting I know nothing about baseball, it was an easy thing to do. The only thing I’m really worried about for the first 2 series is the weather. Admittedly, I haven’t checked it yet but the Pirates and the Reds know how to deal with rain delays. We do not. I’m still hoping for 6-2 before we play LA. Too optimistic?

Yesterday, Flap Nation united to donate $905 (including the $50+$50 that PaSalon and Bird Dog donated 4 days ago) to Cassie’s fund. I can’t tell you how proud I am to be part of this community…..

Ok we are taking a moment away from baseball to talk about Cassie. She is a friend of the daughter of my main man in Reno, PaSalon. You’ve seen him post periodically here. San Dawg you had dinner with him in Reno.

Anyway, this sweet 20 year old kid was surfing in Hawaii and got hit with a rare condition called Surfer’s Myelopathy. She was instantly paralyzed from the waist down.

Here is her gofundme link and a couple of pics of her:

https://gofund.me/77152925

Some of you have already seen her. Remember the video I made years ago on the Wendy’s prezel bun burger review? She’s pops in at the 26 second marker and again at the end.

I know times are tough and I don’t expect anyone to donate to this gofundme especially if you don’t even know Cassie. But think back for a moment to when you were 20. You had all those hopes and dreams…..crushed and never realized years later. lqtm. But hey, at least you got to have them right? Nobody’s hopes and dreams should be crushed at 20….

Oh, and another thing: Her dad, who is younger than me, has dementia and obviously can’t help her right now.

If you can’t give any money I understand. Just hold some good thoughts for her. I am convinced that positive energy goes a long way in life.

Nice W against a team we should beat. Day game today. Gallo moment?

This Wood/GasMan stuff is still blowing my mind. As is the fact that we’re still in first place.

Texas is in town. That is a little random. Hmmmm the last time I remember then was…..I think this?

They still have Joey Gallo getting on base and making James jizz harder than our starting pitching staff when Casali starts flicking those handsome fingers. They have a new guy named Adolis Garcia who rakes who the Cardinals just freaking sold them. Cold hard cash, no prospect in return. I wonder how Daniel feels about that?

Anyway, they can hit ok but their pitching is nothing to fear. They best SP is Gibby and he’s going tonight.

Kevin Gausman, goddamn, what else can be said about this guy? He has faced the vaunted Padre line up 3 times already this season and has allowed but a single run all 3 times. I still can’t believe the Braves just flat out released this guy. He’s a little like Jason Schmidt, right? Schmidt was a little more accomplished than Gausman when we got him but he really took off in the Orange and Black. GasMan has done the same thing.

The Giants are lengthening their lead in the NL West. Threatening to run away and hide? Oh my.

Some encouraging signs last night amidst another surprising win.

Slater with my far and away favorite line of *bomb and stolen base*— that’s the essence of the 1.0 stat that Pillar popularized in his short but productive time with us.

And the bullpen….wasn’t awful? Nice to see Doval bounce back. Rogers has the lowest ERA of all time for a player no one trusts. And Mcgee….got the job done with some help. I know he doesn’t have anyone else down there to turn to but Kap is going to get skewered as the season wears on and McGee coughs up saves.

Maybe Z goes and gets someone? But who, nobody is ditching anyone of value at this point in the season.

Have any of you been following this story? I have, only casually. I heard this guy tried to kill himself last year and failed but I had no idea that his comeback involved the Giants. He’s playing for Sacramento?

Last night was his first game back and he struck out four times. With one eye.

Forgetting the K’s since they aren’t part of this story, it’s really incredible that a guy could blast himself in the face, somehow live from it, and then make it all the way back to baseball? But one step away from the major leagues?

I’m not sure how you play ball with 1 eye at any level. Close an eye right now and imagine trying to pick up the spin on a ball coming at you at 95.

And yet here he is, nearly all the way back from what should have been death.

Robin Williams said “Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always.”

If only everyone lived their lives that way.

Not much to say about the Colorado series. Looking forward to the new arms they’re going to carousel in here in the coming days. Safe to say, opportunities will be there……

Willie Mays turns 90 today. I swear to God it feels like this guy has 3-4 birthdays a year…….

Duff Man continues his mini career revival in Chicago, this time making us ALL happy with a loss for LA. He continues to show 0 power but the 3SB’s are surprising considering his usual lack of early foot. I hope he doesn’t keep trying to steal bases, that wonky foot not built for that type of work….

Well, the good news is that I don’t think we’re going to be arguing too much this year about the usage of Jake McGee. Yikes. And gotta think the roster is gonna get a bit “lighter” in the coming days. Doval may know what to do with a piled up plate of food in front of him but he’s got no idea what to do with his god given talent…..

I’ve got no interest in second guessing Kap’s use of the bullpen. They are terrible. They are who I thought the starting pitching would be. Who’s he supposed to call on if nobody is reliable?

It is Colorado, the lamest place to play baseball in the country, shouldn’t we be happy with a split?

I don’t have a problem with the 7 inning games. Or the DH. The only new rule that really bugs me is the dude born on 2nd base to start the 10th inning.

Especially in Colorado. Like we need MORE innings up there in space.

Warriors and Giants have been fantastic surprises this year. I still can’t believe where we were a year ago.

Ok I’ve been meaning to get this out of the way, here goes:

Buster Posey: man, was I wrong about him being done. I forget how many bombs I said he’d hit this year but it was definitely in the low single digits. He’s already got 7 and he looks like his old self. Easy Comeback Player of the Year winner for the NL–a nice nod for someone I said was “totally done.”

Kevin Gausman: ok, The Giants were his FORTH team. The Braves literally just cut his ass mid season in ’19. And that winter the Reds were like “nah we good.” So I don’t feel to guilty about not buying into this guy and/or mocking the 19 million 1 year deal he got. Boy, has he proved me wrong. He’s on Cy Young pace (if you consider the pace a level below what deGrom is doing.

The Grave Duggar: I was always in on him for the epic nickname and I had hoped his *new swing* would give him enough to get him late bloomer status at the MLB level. Sadly, the dream is just about over but I’m afraid to wake up! People that don’t believe in him end up 6 feet deep so now I gotta start worrying just like Kat, Blade, Chuck and WillieD…….

The starting pitchers: In Daniel’s Playing Pepper article I said this would be the most concerning thing for the team this year. LOL. It’s been, by far, the most reliable and most productive part of our team this year.

There were some things I hit on like The Sock Man and how terrible our offense would be. But that is dwarfed by the sea of wrongness washing over the sands of this thread……

Now, onward….

Much like Medina Spirit winning the Derby makes no sense to me I am struggling to understand how the Giants could be alone in first place on May 2nd after stringing together 2 losses.

And yet, here we are…….

Maybe my favorite day of the year. I’ll post picks later.

Giants still playing SD, Disco vs Snell.

But I won’t be concerning myself with that game for many, many hours.