Full Steam Ahead Into LA
Somebody mentioned 2021 as being a similar team. Maybe in terms of their grit and their effort. But that team was propelled by Buster Posey’s resurgence as well as Craw and Belt. This team is being fueled by youth. it’s middle of June and we are 2.5 games AHEAD of the Pads and only 2 behind LA. That blows my mind. Similarly, my mind was blown by the 2021 team.
Nice, relaxing travel day before an electric series in LA not to mention the US Open. That course sounds so exciting and unusual, it would be fun to walk it this weekend.
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
Sure, Bailey has had a huge impact, Sabol has played well enough to stay on the roster and looks more comfortable behind the plate, and Schmitt . . . well, his OPS is now in Craw territory, but he’s still got a swagger that’ll carry him a little longer. Walker looks like a keeper in the pen. Matos is as can’t miss as they come.
There are some commonalities with 21. The huge contributions of inexpensive finds: Estrada, Wade, Yaz, Davis, Sabol. The deep bullpen. The use of the entire roster, AKA platoony ball, which helps set up the late inning heroics.
Couldn’t agree more. 2021 was a terrific season for the entire team, but Posey’s leadership truly was key. Gausman the ace fell lower after the spider tack ban but Webb steadily moved up with Buster’s guidance. His veteran contributions at and behind the plate fully earned the AS selection. What a way to go out. What an ending.
This year? Bailey, Schmitt and Matos are charging up behind *seasoned vets* like Wade and Doval. Feels like the start of something good.
Speaking of Schmitt, that killer DP he hit into was actually a fat pitch in a 2-1 count. He was undoubtedly later told that he did things correctly in that AB.
On the Splash, with just a touch of douchey, evil glee, I once posted something like “Wins and losses are simply the epiphenomena of other fundamental processes.” Snarkk ripped me for the obnoxious, pseudo-philosophical vocab and tone, but notably didn’t criticize the statement for also being dully obvious. This kinda stuff is now a Zaidi via Kapler cliche, but that’s not a knock on them. Referring to baseball “fundamentals” still often suggests the pitcher covering first, moving the runner along etc. Not for long.
mlbtr story said Davis expected to be out 3-10 days. Far as I know he’s not on IL. Villar took Winn’s spot so they have 14 position players, and Kap used everyone but Davis yesterday.
2021 was so special but what stood out was Giants leading NL in HRs and having true aces at top of rotation. Vibe doesn’t seem quite the same given skill set of Craw as seasoned vet leader vs. that of Posey, and even better SPs have been HR prone.
Young players providing welcome breath of fresh air for now but it’s long season. Schmitt has already come back down to earth. We’ll see how well others (Estrada Wade Jr and all the rooks including Sabol) can hang.
Saving grace is NL doesn’t seem to be near as strong as in past, or as AL is now.
one thing that might be unfolding with all these kids on the roster: they have less pressure to perform because there are so many of them. And I bet they have a hell of a bond essentially all coming up at the same time and going thru all the new stuff together. I highly doubt there’s any hazing going on, certainly not the kind that Kruk and Kuip/etc put the new guys through back in the day.
I think Schmitt was always projected for his D first. Bailey is another story. He looks like both an excellent catcher and a true SH.
Eg https://dknation.draftkings.com/mlb/2023/5/9/23716997/fantasy-baseball-waiver-wire-casey-schmitt-giants-promoted-triple-a-stats-video
If he can just muster Pablo-level discipline, he should be productive at the plate. See Thairo Estrada.
I like Thairo. That quick turn on the inside pitch produces some fine high speed bombs. His D is okay. Schmitt and Pablo? I don’t get the comparison. But I do think Schmitt will only improve. I would hate to see him sent back down.
Pablo could put all sorts of pitches into play. He swung at a lot of pitches out of the zone. He didn’t walk a lot. That’s Schmitt. They’re both hackers. Pablo did lay off enough pitches to force pitchers to come into the zone and he walked enough to keep his OBP respectable even when he wasn’t hitting over 300, which was most years. Schmitt needs to do the same or no amount of defense is going to keep him in the majors. I think he will.
It’s not about swing style or the part of the zone they’re strongest to. Schmitt reminds me a little more of Pence in terms of how he swings at the ball. Pence would be an even better hacker for Schmitt to emulate, when it comes to BB rate.
Pence I can see. Pablo not only had the urge to swing at anything he had the power to put anything in the stands. Those huge hands, partly. Took a toll on the hamate bones but he recuperated. Unusual talent all around.
Agreeing with James here, Bailey looks like the real deal, I was really pulling for Bart and hope he still puts it together, but he could become part of a trade. I was wrong about Sabol, he does look like he should stick. Schmitt is slumping but going forward I believe the kid will put it all together and yes, he has that swagger. Finally, the 21 year old Matos could be the marquee player the Giants have been looking for.
We’ve been kicking ass on the below .500 teams, time to beat up on those teams above .500 , starting with LA.
Chuck- I am in Albany. About 20 miles below Salem.
The reason I compared this years team with the 21 team was their grit and the ability to come back late in the game. But I also agree that this is a totally different team and with the youth contributing like they have we are sitting in a much better place.
Gabe Morales had a huge SZ yesterday. 19% of the strikes he called were clearly not and the mistakes he made were all around the zone. One big exception was the 2-2 pitch to Wade in the 9th, which definitely caught the corner. Called ball 3. Wade then worked a walk–the tying run on base. Sometimes you get lucky.
Morales was truly awful. I didn’t hit Post Comment on a screed against him yesterday.
Winder, we are heading to Lincoln Beach today for the weekend.
Should be nice maybe a little windy.
DeSclafani’s last month has not been good and his ERA has steadily risen from under 3.00 up to current 4.31. Wood/Manaea at back end plus an opener or two doesn’t sound like enough despite how good pen looks.
That said, Giants team ERA 3.93 is 3rd NL and full half run better than both AZ and LA.
I don’t see Disco’s ERA going much above that, and wouldn’t be surprised to see some occasional good starts from him. Manaea still owes a few good innings. I wonder if Stripling will be back. It would be impossible for it to go as badly for him as it did the first go round. Any major league starter has better stuff and command than a position player, yet that’s what Stripling’s numbers look like — the Giants would have done no worse with an OFer lobbing the ball up to the plate during his innings.
The unease around the starters is warranted, between Webb’s HR numbers and the recent physical uncomfortableness Cobb seems to be showing.
Since May 15 the Giants bullpen best in baseball!!
Fewest runs (27) earned runs (21)
Struck out the most batters (150)
The most saves (14)
The best ERA in MLB (1.46)
Pitched the most innings(129)
The best WHIP (0.87)
The best walk rate(6.3%)
The best Strikeout rate(29.6)
The best BA against (.173)
Second best HR/9 in MLB though best in NL(0.56)
Best LOB rate (85.9)
The best Win Probability Added 4.01)
Giants Bullpen has been as good as the 5th best rotation in baseball over the past month…
Pretty damm neat!! Just outstanding work!!
Wow kat thanks for that. I knew we were way better than before but that’s really something.
The Dodgers starting pitcher on Friday night is a tomato can with an ERA of 8. But he’s also someone the Giants probably haven’t faced yet, so we know how that can go.
But it might also be a scheduled bullpen game for the Dodgers anyway.
The Sat. and Sun. Dodger pitchers are pitching like Hall of Famers this season, because the Dodgers have had the irritating ability to keep pulling All-Star talent from their minor league system for the last 10 years or so. Even if that talent eventually fizzles (Bellinger, Puig, etc.), it does keep giving the Dodgers immediate help.
The bullpen is the Dodgers big weakness right now, relatively speaking.
If Harrison’s first 4 starts went like Miller’s have, we’d be going apeshit. At least Harrison is a few years younger.
Going to the game at the latrine tomorrow with my Giants obsessed friend Greg and his brother. They travel to a road series every year, and have for something like 15 years straight. They try and stay at same hotels as SF (not this time) and have talked with Boch and Righetti a few times!
Greg wears a giant purple pimp hat with an SF logo, and is on the giants broadcasts all the time. Hopefully we will get some TV time:). Go Giants!
PS.. It’s so exciting to think of another home grown infield with Baily, Wade, Estrada, Schmidt for years to come! I like Davis too and hope he can stick around too.
And a HOMEGROWN OUTFIELDER!!
The success of the bullpen is directly related to Stripling fading on the vine. Don’t want or need to see him come back what with Walker, Alexander, and even Shitter doing better than him. Manea is even pulling his weight. Or hair.
So I guess he lowered his 1.417 whip slightly tonight. He’s up to 47 IP I think; he was at 113 last year. So what’s the call up plan? Let him go five innings per game for a dozen or so games? I dunno.
Love the thought of Harrison, but 5 IPs might be his longest outing of the year. Considering how we keep hearing how dominant he has been, why isn’t he pitching farther in to the games? anyone know?
Pitch count?
Pitch count. BBS. He threw 81 in 5 tonight. His longest outing I think.
ChiSox Burger > Dodger Dog.
The Dodger tomato can pitched tonight vs. the White Sox. Friday’s game vs. the Giants has “To Be Determined” as the starting pitcher for the Dodgers. Probably a bullpen game for them.
Vinny Castilla 1996: 40/113/.304
Vinny Castilla 1997: 40/113/.304
Try to sleep after that…
A lot of the Giants took their families to Disneyland today in a big group event.
The Dodgers go to extras tonight. They’re using Phillips for two innings. Probably their best reliever.
Lame-o White Sox lose in the 11th, helped by a passed ball from Grandal.