Eliminate LA
I still haven’t thought about the World Series for one second. To me, this is bigger. This is like the Galaxy Series. I genuinely won’t sweat anything that happens the rest of this post season as long as we get this game tonight.
And if we lose? Hey, that’s ok too. We let it ride trying to pull down the ultimate prize. I’m thankful we got the opportunity to do so.
We faced 6 elimination games on our way to winning the NL pennant in 2012. The Giants can do anything with the magic of that uniform strapped on. It glows off them towards all of us. There is nothing more magical as a sports fan, to me, than being a Giants fan.
We got this.
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
I think we all have accepted all year that the Flodgers were the better team but our Giants proved they could still win the division. The better team can be beaten for one game and we got this!!!
Kap has held his own so far vs. Roberts who has more to work with. Both have prohibitive aces going tonight. If Webb has to come out of game at some point, not sure who Kap trusts most beside Doval.
Paul’s 7:21 from last night I think is spot on about both teams having to adjust to SPs. Giants RH heavy lineup (beside Crawford) will have to figure out how to get to Urias and LA will need to score off Webb as opposed to last outing.
Getting Urias pitch count up is one thing, but other than the solo bomb from Crawford off Vesia Giants haven’t been able to do much vs. Roberts pen except for one run scored off Kelly, in the inning Flores was thrown out at 3b.
I can remember in Bob Gibson bio he talked about his elbow starting to bark a bit in later innings. He thought that was a good sign and it meant his slider was more effective and he’d use it more often.
Epic post, Flavor. I feel exactly the same way. I’m super pumped. LET’S GO!!!
Well done up top there, Flavor.
But if we do get past tonight (and we will), I’m ready to sweat all the way to #4…
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/commentary-the-view-from-the-north-of-course-dodgers-giants-had-to-come-down-to-one-last-game/ar-AAPvKaJ?ocid=msedgntp
This is a must-win game.
Seriously, I would say this is one of the top 10 biggest Giants games of my lifetime. Maybe even top 5.
Feels like a World Series Game 7.
uh oh, just read this in NYT, “Minnesota is just one of several Upper Mid West and Mountain West states where the virus is thriving.” Let’s hope our resident long time Giants fan there is safe and well.
Great post Flav. This is definitely a huge game. The series was/is history-making. Win or go home.
I am with SanDog, this is definitely top 5 for me and also that it feels like a WS Game 7.
Let’s Roll and send the bums into the offseason!
Yeah you right, Flav. Win tonight and keep this magic season going.
It doesn’t get any bigger than this. Being a Giants fan has had it’s ups and downs over the years. This new regime has been amazing and I expect that to continue tonight.
If Webb comes through big time tonight would you consider “Log-Bum”?
Mad-Webb?
I like San’s Overtaker…
Mad-Log?
The Overtaker???
Giants have twice played a decisive game 5 in the NLDS: ’02 at Atlanta and ’12 at Cincy. Won both, but it was as intense as hell right to the very end. I expect no different tonight. Let’s do this.
I appreciate everyone’s support on the Log Dog nickname. One of the best yet
Let’s get ready to Red Bull!!
RedWebb chugging down his Bull’s with an already over energetic crowd of 40,000 plus waving orange towels and screaming Beat LA all night long will be the difference! If his control is spot on like his last start and gets out of the 1st fine unscathed and the Giants get the bats going enough to scratch out a few runs off of Uranus they will win in a low scoring game I suspect.
Have to Let Webb go deep as he can, cause the Dogpile BP is far superior to the Giants right now,
Imagine winning this game with the 2youngsters Webb&Doval closing out the Dodgers season! Sweet!
I’m fired up! Let’s Roll Eat shit LA! Giants broke your consecutive title streak, now they’re going to eliminate you and move on! U can go into winter and look at your phony crackerjack rings from a bogus W/S last year and shake your heads and say:Shoulda,Woulda,Coulda but we just couldn’t beat the Giants!!!!!!
Imagine Webb pitching the same gem he did on Friday, late through the 7th or 8th and watching an out-of-control, fanatical towel waving crowd cheering him off as Kapler excuses him from the mound. He’ll be part of Giants lore forever.
Webb slinger for 8. Ice Man Doval for the 9th and the save.
Really need a breakout with the bats tonight.
I’m not counting on Webby dominating like he did in game #1. LA has probably worn out the vids on that game rewatching and dissecting how they are going to counter his stuff. According to KNBR, the home plate ump tonight has a big strike zone, which I consider might favor Webby a little over Urias, as Webby is using that slider/slurve that breaks out of the zone a lot they’ll have to swing at it, and Urias has more of that traditional curveball that an ump may not call a strike as much. I don’t want to sound like Kruk, but I sure don’t want this game to be uber-influenced by an idiot home plate umpire…
No Angel Hernandez behind the dish is a great start!
Can u imagine the biggest game of the season with that clown (🤡 no pun intended Bozo) behind the plate calling Balls&Strikes?And HTF can he get included in playoff baseball being a bottom feeder among umpires forever??
LA just announced they’re starting not Urias, but Corey Knebel. RHP. Apparently started 4 times this season. I don’t remember him ever being in a Giants game. Anybody?
Apparently a ploy to change Kap’s all RHB lineup v. Urias. Interesting move, maybe stupid, I hope it backfires and the Gyros whack this guy right away.
If I were Kap, I wouldn’t change anything. Urias could come in right away, maybe after just 3 batters, if Knebel looks shaky. If he survives 2 innings without disaster, I guess the idea is that Urias could then close out the next 7. Why would Kap bite on this and blow LHB position players up front in early innings? This smacks of grasping at straws, unless it works, of course. I don’t think Kap will bite…
Knebel has reverse splits, where RHs fare marginally better than LHs. Think Knebel has been good so far in post season…will look this up.
11 innings total but 10 of those back in 2018 with MIL.
So far this post season he’s faced 4 batters and K’d 3 of them in 2 outings, 1 vs. STL
WTF? Corey Knebel?
He’s RHP so Roberts trying to mess with Kap’s projected all RH lineup plan and holding back Urias .. Could force Kap to waste PH or 2 once Urias comes in if he starts LH like Yaz LaStella Wade Jr.. Most of rest of LA pen is RH, so could mess up Kap’s platoons there too.
Interesting plan, no doubt with input from FO/analytics squad…but if it backfires on them, wow.
Hopefully Kappy sees through the ruse here and doesn’t alter his Urias lineup.
With Slater starting in OF? RH lineup would have Ruf Slater Bryant in OF Flores Solano Craw Longo Posey.
If this Knebel thing blows up in Roberts’ face, he’s done as manager…
Seems like an awfully big risk for possibly no reward. Based on how Kappy plays it.
Are we sure it was Roberts’ idea?
Or if he’s even down with it?
Stick with your original LU Kapler don’t play into this Jedi mind trick that Robert’s is trying to pull who will get ridiculed again when this blows up.There only getting 2 innings max out of him, no need to mess with putting the lefties in are burn a pinch hitter! Just a desperate ploy by Roberts in a chess match, that should not get Kappy to bite at…
Regardless I do NOT want to see LaStellain tonight. He’s banged up. Play Solano.
Now is why I miss Estrada.
Dick instead of Estrada has been a total crapper. From the get go, I didn’t get why you’d keep a guy who’s bat has been suspect for a long time, slow, and a total defensive liability who essentially plays only one position (LF) so he’d be likely just a PH, and leave off a guy who plays multiple infield positions, is fast, has some pop, and has made a difference to the team in the last 2 months. IMO the lefty righty thing was the reason and way overblown…
when/where would Estrada have played? LaStella has had decent enough series so far.
We are talking about last guy at far end of the bench, and this isn’t all Kap’s call either.
I’m saying the everyday guys in lineup are going to have much bigger impact, good or bad.
LaStella can barely run. He’d be at 2nd.
And a lot more pop than limp —> Dick off the bench as a PH
Dickerson has had 3 ABs so far. Estrada might have played some 2b but not elsewhere.
LH/RH is how Kap rolls and has all season. Minus Belt they are short LH options, only Yaz Craw GD LaStella and Wade.
LaStella is 3-8 with 2 BBs, .500 OB.
After winning the first WS in 2010 and then two more my belly has been full with sweet satisfaction that will honestly last me forever. So my excitement level is not quite what big games have been in the past and would be hard to put my finger on the top 5 most excited games I have been jacked up for and as you all will see most will be from the moments we were trying to climb the mountain top.
1) Giants at Wrigley and Cubs – Game One 1989 – the game Will the Thrill takes Maddox Deep for a Grand Salami and Game One win.
2) Giants – Phillis Game 6 2010. Was so pumped for this one because knew a ton of Philly fans and knew we had to win Game 6 because of so many Game 7 disasters.
3) Giants – Reds Game 5 2012 – The clincher game and one Buster goes Grand Salami giving them a 6-0 lead.
4) Giants – Cardinals Game 5 backs to the wall in St. Louis and Zito’s gem
Zito’s gem was 2012 and earned in that one game his $120 mill salary.
5) Giants – Royals Game 7 2014
I’ll go Top 10 Games
6) Giants – A’s Game One World Series 1989 – game sucked but we threw a party with about 60 fraternity brothers at our South San Jose pad and half of the bros were A’s fans so was an intense buildup.
7) Giants – A’s Game Three World Series 1989 then Lima Prieta struck.
8) Giants – Cubs Game 5 1989 Pennant clincher. Reason this goes on the list is because around 9 am before that day game I get a call from a fraternity brother offering me a ticket to the game. What a moment. Being there my #1 live sporting moment.
9) Giants – Nationals Game Two 2014. Son and I developed hatred for the Nats with all the fake fans and friends rooting for them. Was confident in the series overall but can you all believe Jake Peavy also pitched and won and probably did not have much confidence in him to get too jacked for the game. Also knowing going up two games was crucial and to likely avoid going back to DC for a Game 5 and Strasbourg starting. Game Two is the 18 inning beauty.
10) Giants – Tigers 2012 Game One and Panda’s three homers.
Honorable mention the ‘87 series against the Cardinals because my first playoff as a Giants fan since childhood.
Loma Prieta of course
Knebel post-season numbers: 1.1 IP with 3 Ks. Simply trying to throw Kap off…as others have said, I would stick with my original LU.
Cards fired their manager, Shildt…
With a name like Shildt, he’s gotta be bad.
I guess a 17-game win streak counts for shit.
That seems like a shocker to me,after he helped the Cards roll out what a 17 game winning streak?to clinch a W/C spot and lose a 1game elimination game that they were in the whole way?Tough ownership in StLouis.. think I need Daniel’s in put on this one?
Mozeliak comes off ultra-corporate in his statements. In plain English, what was the problem you had with this dude?
I wouldn’t ignore Loo’s 2:17 at all. Once game starts it’s Roberts job to manage who he has, but up to that point, the lineup etc. might be mostly out of his hands.
And he’s hardly alone in this game or others. Kap’s roster is likely primarily decided elsewhere, from Zaidi and Harris downward, and starting lineups too. This is what baseball has become in 2021…ask Mike Shildt.
What is cool about Webby is he changed his whole approach in the 1st game.
He used his slider about 25% of the time in the reg season but over 40% in the Dodger game.
Here’s to hoping he keeps ’em guessing wrong again.
Slush said half hour ago Kap “wants to see how LaStella is doing after warmups” before he sets lineup.
Earlier tweet Kap says, “The most important piece for us is Tommy. He’s the first domino.”
WFAN here is reporting that Roberts sent Kotter a “courtesy text” earlier today informing him of the pitching change…
https://mobile.twitter.com/PavlovicNBCS/status/1448761475108155395?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet
Does not sound like Roberts has much faith in Urias!!!! He has to pitch at some point and let’s drill his ass…
I disagree. Dude won 20 games. This has nothing to do with a lack of confidence in Urias, but more in trying to throw a wrench in Kap’s line-up plans, IMO.
This has nothing to do with Urias and everything to do with Roberts trying to get us to alter our lineup and use up our position guys after Knebel pitches 1 inning. So Gausman ends up as our pitch hitter.
panic move . . . it will throw the Dodgers off-stride more than it will the Giants …desperation on the part of Roberts
Great lead, Magnus!
https://mobile.twitter.com/billplunkettocr/status/1448768971159719936?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet
I don’t buy it, not quite. Starting pitchers are creatures of habit, like thoroughbreds. I hope Urias throws his first pitch over the backstop. As well as the next 17 pitches.
Well, if everyone was in on the decision, Trevor Bauer must’ve cast the tie-breaker.
Ha thanks Loo. all the way from tippy top—tells you this started way over Roberts head. Roberts said before according to Slush that Urias will pitch plenty tonight, “and him going deeper in the game for us is a good thing too.”
Giants crowd better be deafening.
I am starting to get jacked. I want to see Giants Pennant baseball against another old foe in the Atlanta Craves.
Still no Giant lineup released…
The tippy top? So, the Donald was in on the call?
Batter up, poets: http://bardball.com/2021/10/14/the-interregnum/
Kapler must be going deep into evaluating LaStella in warm-ups. Still no line-up.
It is fucking crazy when there is intensity in awaiting the starting LU.
Let’s Roll!
I’d be careful calling this panic move. Last time those words came up here, Buehler shut Giants down for 4 + and things didn’t work out so well.
I never called it a panic move. I see it more as a tactical move. Like a chess move…feeling out Kap to see how he will react. Obviously Kap (and whoever in the Giants brain trust has input) is subsequently taking the time in determining how to counter.
Why did Roberts even announce Knebel instead of just announcing with the lineup card.
I think it was to try and get into Kap’s head and try to force his hand on how he rolls out his line-up.
Fisher vs. Spassky
Total chess match going on before the first pitch, or even before the Giants roll-out a line-up.
1. Tommy La Stella (L) 2B
2. Darin Ruf (R) LF
3. Buster Posey (R) C
4. Brandon Crawford (L) SS
5. Kris Bryant (R) CF
6. Mike Yastrzemski (L) RF
7. Wilmer Flores (R) 1B
8. Evan Longoria (R) 3B
9. Logan Webb (R) P
Let’s Roll!
I’m not crazy about Bryant batting 5th, he needs to be at least one spot higher. Ah well, In Kap We Trust.
I don’t know about the rest of you, but this is the ultimate playoff series, 109 to 109 wins, whoever gets 110 moves on. I like the Giants chances, so pumped for this game.
With only the utmost of respect, Pawlie, for this game, We Score (First), We Win. Key #1, Webb continues to be able to keep LA batters off balance all game. Key #2, score early, put the dogs in a hole they can’t crawl out of. Enjoy the game, gentlemen (?)…. I’ll be teaching a Business & Government Relations class online. Might just have to hurry this one along.
How about assign some chapter reading instead…
Be nice to have him in the lineup tonight.
looks like he could still rake
Quick, Dick has a sports hernia, onto the IL.
Sign Barry to a one day and suit his ass up…
Scully says this is the most important game in the history of the rivalry…
nervous…..
I don’t love Ruff in left instead of Slater and Yaz should be out
But love that DP
Fuck Yeah! DP baby! I just told Gail a DP would be sweet!
Let’s score some runs!
Ruf’s been quiet.
Would like to see him blast one to get this party started…
Just missed, got under it just a bit…
At the game Saturday I was so annoyed i had to keep getting up to walk around. Get another beer. Made my amazing wife sit without me much of the time. I didn’t enjoy the moment. I will tonight. Flemming just said before the 1st pitch that this is only the FIFTH TIME IN HISTORY two 100 win teams have faced each other in an elimination game. Enjoy Flappers. Go Giants!!
Damn, the two lefties had the weak ABs.
Got away what should have been strike three but Crawford knows what is coming and can’t lay off
Needed that run
Webby’s slider not as sharp yet as last Friday night…
Webb going 8!!!
Nice changeup and got the borderline strike call on the fastball. Nice…
Nice work by Webb, especially getting Lux looking! Grab some pine, bitch!
Beautiful look how much Webb’s pitches dart and move!Awesome stuff!!
Playing Yaz makes no fucking sense
Yaz pretty much an automatic out …
Yaz has lost all confidence.
Wilmer can hit the fastball…
Wasted opportunity dammit..
That strikeout pitch to Bellinger was like a power scroogie, tailing away across the zone from Bellinger. Nice pitch…
Webb is dealing! LET’S SCORE SOME FUCKING RUNS!
Giants not milking the count. Swinging at iffy pitches…
Webb going to lot of offspeed this inning almost all change up or slider.
6 of them to Smith there every pitch after he waved at first one.
3rd one