Big Series
Scoring 2 runs in the last two games is probably not the momentum you need heading into a critical series against the stacked Art Dealers. Every time I look at our line up of hitters I shake my head and say “but how?” Almost all these guys are castoffs from other organizations. And yet we are 3rd in runs scored (NL) and first in home runs (NL). So I just accept that Z knows more than everyone else and I move on. But it’s hard to do when I go back and look at Ruf, Solano, Slater, Grave Duggar, Flores, Estrada, Wade, Sock Man, Dickerson….etc
How does this team ever score ANY runs with this hodge podge collection of rag tag scraps?
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
dramatic drop. I honestly don’t understand why you can’t use the sticky stuff. Make it legal and be done with all this nonsense.
And if the pitchers get this as a “legal advantage” do we allow the hitters to use corked bats?
I personally feel there should be NO doctoring of the balls.
I don’t see it as doctoring the ball. It’s getting a better grip the same way hitters do with pine tar on the bats
How can anyone who complains about lack of offense support doctoring the baseball? Now all of a sudden when pitchers can’t pour goop all over it, spin rates are down? Not a surprise to hitters.
Yeah, I have no idea how this team continues to be at or near the top in nearly all of the offensive categories. Guys are just having career years. Some must be attributed to the coaching staff, as the players regularly talk about how the coaches do a great job of getting them prepared for the games/series.
Also, our boys have the second best ERA in the NL, and the most saves in the NL.
I would say they are using smoke and mirrors, but you don’t have this type of success over 90+ games and attribute it to a fluke.
If we can get a split with the bums, I will consider that a win. Anything better than a split is gravy. Mmmmm…gravy.
Happy b-day #27 to Mauricio Dubon. He’s had 71 PAs in Sac, hitting .410 with .479 OB and .938 OPS. Saw someone on another blog suggest he’d help…after a gulp, in defense of that, his career ML splits vs. LHP:
.279/.331/.465 for .796 OPS. Shuffle of deck chairs or could he be of any help, other than throw in trade chip?
I suspect a few here will dispute your assertion that this is a critical series, it’s “only” July after all, but I agree that it is as I believe all series against the Dodgers are. Anything less than a split and first place will be gone, maybe for the season. The fucking Dodgers are too good to keep playing at a suboptimal level. Zaidi really needs to do something to address the dearth of production in the OF. Tauchman shouldn’t even on the roster, imo.
Flav, similar to your opening thread here, you said this a few days ago . . .
“Flavor said, on July 17, 2021 at 1:40 pm (Edit)
i still look at a LU like this and shake my head, “these guys suck”. But they don’t. And I still don’t understand why…..
Reply”
You’re not the “Lone Ranger” as I can’t figure it out either. I still haven’t watched one single game (Giants, MLB, or college) this season, but I bet DK everyday and most days make money. Frequently, I have a Giants pitcher and/or a Giants “stack” going on. Concurrent with what you said, this appeared on Rotowire, where they were recommending a Giants stack yesterday:
“San Francisco Giants vs. Wade LeBlanc: Brandon Crawford ($5,300), Darin Ruf ($5,000), Austin Slater ($4,600)
It’s difficult to pin down the optimal Giants stack, particularly before lineups are released. Not only is the team battling a number of injuries, but they also mix and match so consistently that it can be difficult to project who will start and where a player will slot in the order. Nevertheless, this is a team to target on the slate as LeBlanc strikes out extremely few batters and regularly allows loud contact. Just wait for lineups to lock so you can select the right players for this stack.”
Just my take, but this guy may be right – Z and Kapler have “mixed and matched” their way to a winning record via Saber magic. I mean come on – would you draft any of our guys if you were putting together a MLB team? A lot of the credit goes to Z, Kapler, coaches, scouting, and yes, the players too for implementing the front office vision.
last paragraph spot on. “…and yes, the players too…”– for being ready to roll and sub in/out of lineup as needed, day to day or in game.
A guy like Ruf fresh out of the Korean league has been indispensable, plays OF and 1b, and as a non regular, regularly rakes.
kind of reminds me of Dusty Baker SF days, when he seemed to get most of who he had (at least in regular season), true mark of any good coach. No one is going to argue Giants don’t match up on paper vs. LA orSD superstars, and yet both teams looking up at SF 90 games in.
All games in this series are at night, seems strange so the starting time will be 7:10 pm East coasters dedicated supporters 10:10 keep your coffee are other beverages in high demand..
The starting pitcher matchups..
Game1Gausman vs Goslein
Game 2 Wood vs TBD
Game 3 Webb vs Urias
Game 4 T-Bone vs Walker
Like the Gausman matchup he will be well rested and strong, hopefully his control is not to rusty..
Wood against a TBD should be interesting against openers scenario?
Webb vs Urias good matchup, Webb’s coming on strong I like him with his stuff and hopefully his control in this one, a huge step forward for him if he pitches well.
T-Bone vs Walker a really tough matchup, but he’s a pitbull and hell the staff leader in wins, even with that tough loss against the Cards, so I’m hoping he bounces back against there best pitcher by far in Walker..
Go Giants it’s time to kick some Dodgers asses and not relinquish 1st place which could be a bad mindset if that happens looking up at them in the standings.. Screw that!!
again, I don’t see it as doctoring baseballs. Hitters use pine tar to grip the bat why can’t pitchers do the same thing? And it’s also a safety issue, these guys are throwing as hard as they possibly can. I would think the hitters would like to have some confidence that the pitchers know where the ball is going.
Fielders probably like the sticky ball as well…
OTOH, if you want to see Ks reduced, more balls in play, and increased BA and offense, why would you oppose the long standing ban on foreign substances? The ultimate purpose of the stickum is ball movement, not grip or control. The current mass enforcement regime is obnoxious and unsustainable, but you can now simply look at the data to see who’s likely to be cheating, and become more selective about who’s checked.
i oppose the ban because it is stupid to try to mass enforce it like this. And it is solely at the discretion of the umps. Santiago got 10 days, they took the time to send his mitt to NY but NY didn’t even look at it, they just said they support the ban. That is bullshit, if someone gets 10 days we should know EXACTLY what they used.
Otherwise how do you know it wasn’t just some random decision by the ump?
And you can talk about spin rate all you want, grip and control ARE a part of it. HItters are safer in the box when pitchers know where the ball is going. You think they’re going to start throwing softer now? LMAO. They’re going to be slinging it just as hard with less idea of where the ball is going.
I see more offense as something the hitters need to figure out. Their approach to hitting is short sighted and stubborn. Fuck them.
Yes, thanks James I agree wholeheartedly. the goop was in Santiago’s mitt, area which is not allowed hence suspension stands. Case closed.
I think the ban and inspections have worked because pitchers have realized they can no longer get away with this BS. Hitters and others have said this all along; even mgrs haven’t objected when someone gets caught because they know some of their guys are doing it too.
In other ball news…
https://theundefeated.com/features/end-of-an-era-as-spalding-basketballs-bounce-out-of-the-nba/
No matter how many times I tell myself “this season is found money!”, any loss right now still feels like a ripoff that ruins the rest of my evening. So, Lurker John (and other’s) notion that the Dodgers are currently playing suboptimally may be the ticket back to good old shucks we’re just glad to be here land. To wit: LA is already first in runs scored and team ERA. If they are destined to go 110-52 because they simply aren’t going play below their talent level all season, then SF’s win total isn’t going to matter anyway, because the Giants aren’t gonna match that kind of record.
My goal for this series is rather modest. Win at least one game; don’t get swept. Winning one game would only cause a change of two in the loss column. A sweep, of course, is a change of four in the loss column.
The Giants are currently ahead by two in the loss column. Winning one game just brings the teams even in the loss column.
If the Giants win two, that’s just a nice bonus. More than two wins is crazy talk. It could happen, but so many things would have to go our way in the series.
We all really really don’t want to see an epoch steamrolling type of series where the Dodgers make some kind of big statement.
As dreary as those last two games vs. the Dodgers were, at least the games were close and winnable for the Giants to the end.
offense is up slightly since the ban. Big deal, it’s not enough to make a big difference. I strongly oppose the mass checking of pitchers and the lack of accountability the umps have when they do decide to boot someone.
Surprised they haven’t checked the bat boys and ball dudes yet..
MLB batting avg in April and May was 236, OPS 706. The avg for July is 249, OPS 738. The last 2 weeks 252, 748.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/split.cgi?t=b&lg=MLB&year=2021
The strikeout rate is also in decline.
And HBPs and walks have remained steady.
i know what it is, thanks. I said it was up slightly. HItting improves, by the way, as the weather gets warmer
who has been booted other than Santiago who had junk where it specifically was NOT supposed to be, in his glove? Pitchers know now they either have to come up with something new or give up junking the freaking ball. All for it.
Mgrs knew their own guys were doing it–it’s been widely known all around baseball pitchers are playing around with sticky substances to gain an advantage. If inspections have stopped or reduced it, 100% behind it.
So you know what was on Santiago’s glove willieD? Really? Cause of the big investigation…that never happened. What a joke
Dude, the umps found rosin (or whatever) on his glove (key word here, eh?) which is illegal. that’s why they tossed him and why he got suspended. End of story.
Don’t pitch to Muncy in this series could result in a better chance for success.Didn’t Betts pull up lame against Colorado? Bums might be monitoring his status closely..
Someone ordered the Code Red on Santiago. But we’re never going to find out who.
Only Lt Colonel Markinson knew the truth but unfortunately he decided not to initially reveal it and put a gun to his mouth in his full dress uniform..
These are the rules for the 2021 season:
Rule 3.01, on page five, says: “No player shall intentionally discolor or damage the ball by rubbing it with soil, rosin, paraffin, licorice, sand-paper, emery paper or other foreign substance.”
Rule 6.02(c), on page 78, says the pitcher shall not “apply a foreign substance of any kind to the ball.”
A comment beneath Rule 6.02 makes an exception for rosin: “A pitcher may use the rosin bag for the purpose of applying rosin to his bare hand or hands. Neither the pitcher nor any other player shall dust the ball with the rosin bag.”
Pitchers aren’t allowed to combine rosin with sunscreen, and the league recommends they don’t apply sunscreen after sunset in games.
So I am ALL FOR banning ANY substance on the ball, per the rules.
Someone may have already done this, but it’s worth noting that the foreign substances rules are directed at uses that change the physics of the bat and the ball. Hitters can’t cork a bat or apply the pine tar to the hitting surface of the bat. If there were some secret substance you could add to a bat that increased launch angle without the hitter changing his swing, presumably it would also be banned.
then why do they use it on a bat? For what purpose?
I’ve always assumed it’s for a better grip.
Exactly. Pitchers should have something adequate to do the same for the ball. The rosin bag is not enough, clearly.
Whatever they use can’t be something that dramatically changes what the ball itself does.
There is not an overwhelming number of wild pitches that can be attributed to a lack of grip. The pitchers are using the sticky stuff purely for an increased spin rate/advantage.
I say stick with the damned rules as they are written.
The month of enforcement has seen no increase in HBP or walk rate, FWIW.
Yeah that’s fair. Maybe there’s something in between rosin and spider tack that they could legalize
The pine tar is not to exceed 17inches from the bat handle and not reach the trademark label at all which I assume that’s what happened in the famous tirade of George Brett after his game winning HR was denied.After a long discussion the ump laid the bat across homeplate and determined the pine tar was too far up the handle and just reaching the label.. I still think that was a BS instigated by a whiny Billy Martin back in 83..
Yankees-Royals was such a great rivalry back then.
The Giant-Dodger rivalry doesn’t feel all that heated to me right now.
It needs a little spark.
No Puig – No Bum…
According to Wikipedia, Puig is now playing for El Águila de Veracruz of the Mexican League. He’s 30 years old.
He has the same agent as Bauer, I think.
Pitchers are just gonna have to be a little more creative. Even with all these fucked up new rules there is still a boatload of tradition going on. Gaylord is still kicking maybe he has some suggestions.
WTF is so hard about gripping a baseball?
It fits in your hand, it has raised seams, and they rub it up with that special mud so it’s not too slick…
Who the hell is Zach McKinstry???
pretty good ballplayer, fills in at different positions too.
Along with Joe Ritzo???
Giants still holding out on they’re starting LU?
Kapler trying to screw with Roberts some?
Still debating if he wants to bat Tauchman cleanup?
Flavor pointed out that offense generally increases with the summer heat. Here are some batting avg. numbers by the month from 2018-19 and 2021:
2018: April, .244 – June, .245 – July, .255
2019: April, .245 – June, .256 – July, .257
2021: April, .232 – June, .246 – July .249
It’ll be interesting to see if the trend lines, including K rate, continue in their current direction or flatten.
Slusser said Gausman and Posey activated. Tromp and Baragar back to Sac.
Crawford to IL with a lat strain
Well, we could not possibly have gone a whole season without all of the bore core going onto the IL for some reason. Posey is back tonight, so we just missed having them all out at the same time…
A happy ending to the Giants’ 2021 story almost requires the bore core to step in at just the right time, as the fill-ins hit their slumps . . . the fates don’t seem to be cooperating.
Rosin sufficed for pitchers for 100 years or something like that as the answer to a pitcher’s sweaty palm. If it does not any more, MLB could easily, easily figure out a new substitute, if one is now supposedly needed to deal with the 95+ mph velocities nowadays. Just have MLB commission an independent lab find a new substance, maybe already out there, that is a bit more “sticky” than rosin, but not to the point Spider Goo or whatever where you have a 12-6 curveball spin rate where the ball drops 8 feet, or sliders break 5 feet. The lab can work with the minor leagues or an outfit like Dragline in Seattle to zero in on the best two candidates. Get real world results, see the spin rates, done. Pick one, and start using it . . .
Geez and I thought Crawford only had a cramp
In his leg,how did he hurt his oblique?
Out 10-14 days I heard with Vosler getting the yo-yo 🪀 string callup again.They we’re short a LH bat on the infield, thus no Dubon..
Kap is texting Mauricio, so he doesn’t get his dauber down.
Hurt the oblique supposedly when he had that only PH AB yesterday…
Slusser said in his last AB.
“Described as mild.” Kap said 10-14 days
1. LaMonte Wade Jr (L) 1B
2. Mike Yastrzemski (L) RF
3. Buster Posey (R) C
4. Wilmer Flores (R) 3B
5. Alex Dickerson (L) LF
6. Donovan Solano (R) 2B
7. Steven Duggar (L) CF
8. Thairo Estrada (R) SS
9. Kevin Gausman (L) P
aside from Posey, literally nobody wanted any of those guys except SF. It’s just a terrible looking list of hitters. How are they doing this?
With a missing apostrophe.
Many saw the Giants not getting the crucial RISP hit on Sunday. I saw several balls hit hard for outs and too many swinging strike 3s out of the zone, including more than one ball 4. Thairo wasn’t the only culprit, but his sure stood out.
Those are the reasons they didn’t hit with RISP, they need to stop that and get some hits…
wow Javier Baez driving down his trade value. Back to back errors on consecutive plays at plate, Cards up 3-0.
He’s still one behind Mets SS Guillorme, who has the hat trick tonight.
In case LA makes A Statement tonight by knocking out Our Ace after 1.2 innings, TCM is streaming one of cinema’s most totally badass masterpieces, “Get Carter”, the Michael Caine version. If you haven’t seen it, it’s pretty perfect for the geezers on this blog.
It would be really cool for Giants pitchers to get past first inning weirdness with the Dodgers.
You might sweeten the promo by mentioning Britt Ekland
If they get knocked out real quick, I’m thinking another Carter “The Hurricane “ with Ruben Carter played byDenzil Washington..Though I throughly enjoy the work of Michael Caine! 2 underrated good films for him,Blame it on Rio and Mr.Destiny
I drank one of these today. I’m not thinking that strawberry and watermelon work well together.
Bust Her Posey!!!
Failure to move the runner over continues…
Buster Busting out!!
Thanks for returning Just in time!!!!
Welcome back, Buster!
Will Met her Flowers Flores
Adios Pelota for Wimet!!!
Your off Mr.Ed’s stall cleaning!!
Wilburrrrrrrrrrrrr
Flo bomb!
Fuck it back to Earl Weaver ball, it works for me..
Buster is good to go. Wilmer has a strange intensity in his eyes tonight.
OK, phuck the unproductive outs by Yaz!
Just let Buster and Wilmer do back to back yank jobs!…
Meanwhile in Cincy, ‘ol pal Osich gave up go-ahead 2-run HR to McCann in 8th.
The obligatory Muncy HR.
How the fuck can you do anything but hit Muncy are put up 4 Birds to first??
First inning weirdness, not avoided.
Gasman can’t pitch to the sosgers
Godalfuckingmighty, this is beyond fucking absurd how the Giants can’t keep this guy in the ballpark.
Well was not expecting this turn of unfortunate events.
Well this game is turning to a quick Shootout..
Gasman is rattled
He is all out of whack…
Remember when Glenn Dickey wrote that column criticizing Montana for having a baby mid-season?
Fuck.
Was that before or after Dickey wanted to
Trade Montana for Seau?
He was the worst.
He and Lowell Cohn were turkey-neck and neck as the worst Bay Area scribes.
I saw him and his weird amish beard at a table ready to sign books outside the Embarcadero Giants “dugout” store one day as I walked to lunch. Big stack of books. Lots of people passing by. No line.
Hoooo fuck.
Crawfish to the IL? Fuck.
Looks like I’ll be wearing out the fucks tonight.
Lots of hittable pitches
The Dodgers are starting some scrubinis tonight. Their scrubinis tend to be good.
Unca Fuck?
It took about 40 minutes to play the first inning, lulz.
At least it wasn’t boring.
🙂
This first inning is why is east coasters cant stay up for a whole game:(
Yep. On pace for a 6 hour game.
I ain’t makin’ it…
29 pitches in the 1st inning
Lol. Gasman!! Unfuck!!
Yeah, Dickey really was the worst. Terrible writer and knew very little about what he was writing about.
The Chronicle liked him because he stirred up crap and got people talking about his columns. He was a troll, in the era before people knew what a troll was.
Perfect description.
Thanks. I remember him well.
he was a straight up shit disturber. Born a little later, he could have fit right in to Fox News
Yaz needs to do some damage. I think I hated Cohn more.
I’m not sure Cohn knew a lot more about sports than Dickey, but at least, for me, the articles came across as sincere and fairly well-written.
Wade with the 5-ball walk.
2 terrible ABs for Yaz.
Well I couldn’t stand The Razor so let’s hit the trifecta..
Jesus. Strike zone is all over the place.
After Kruk hyped him as a “by the book” strike zone umpire…
Yaz scuffling. Can’t even move the runners.
Wow, this ump is garbage.
Ha! You beat me to it.
Screw this ump,Gausman isn’t getting the same pitches, maybe one to Turner but that’s it..
Krukow is watching his ump scouting report turn to immediate garbage.
It is frustrating to watch utterly pointless incompetence.
Who was 49er writer? Ira Miller? He was very good.