Bochy Closes In On Another Title
We are possibly but one day away from our Winter hibernation. But the Dirty Snakes have had a way of bouncing back before. We shall see. It does appear that Arizona just doesn’t have the pitching to fight back against this incredible offense of Texas. They’ll fix that over the Winter I bet.
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
i’ll leave the final thread up for a week after the World Series ends. Whenever that will be. Then it’s see you guys after my hibernation.
BF, thanks again for letting us keep Flapping this year.
In first college football playoff rankings, Pac 12 had 6 teams in top 20, ACC had 2. ACC just released football schedules for next year and beyond, and Cal and Stanford will only play one of these two-Florida State and Louisville-each. They can keep playing each other and SMU. For football at least both lot better off.
Meanwhile Oregon Washington and the LA schools will be moving to Big 10 to face Ohio State Penn State and Michigan in vastly different settings for weather. 4 schools going to Big 12 will not have to face Oklahoma nor Texas who are going to SEC.
Michigan scouting allegations continue–Central Michigan reporting that there was UM scout at their non conference game vs. Michigan State. Harbs sailing along big river in Egypt.
Warriors hosting Sac tonite, though KIngs will be without De’Aaron Fox, really fun guy to watch. Last year Kings took Game 6 of playoffs at Chase Center forcing GS to win Game 7 on short rest and start Game 1 vs. Lakers on short rest as well. They lost that one and never recovered.
Wild finish to Suns-Spurs last night. Spurs were down 3 with 6 seconds got put back tip in from wemby followed by backcourt steal and dunk when they double teamed Durant to win 115-114.
Shit. Spurs won? Shit! I watched most of that game and just assumed PHX won. They had a pretty good lead when I stopped watching. Damnm. Got to check out the highlights.
And thanks Flav for keeping things alive here.
if they make any big moves I’ll fire up a thread for the week so check back if that happens.
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Some interesting articles/posts around the mediaverse about AZ using openers in the World Series. Yeah, I’ve spouted enough about my own opinion about openers and generally feel that if a team can’t trot out at least 4 good starting pitchers, they probably won’t win the World Series and perhaps shouldn’t even be there. One article said that the fans don’t deserve to watch that crap in a World Series. One Fox sports story I saw said that the independent Atlantic League had tried out a new rule (which I hadn’t heard about) to counter the use of openers: if a team removes the starting pitcher before the end of the 5th inning, they lose use of the DH for the rest of the game (can only use pitchers or pinch hitters the rest of the way). I don’t know how that turned out, but it’s interesting they would penalize teams using openers. Lovullo has made some other analytics driven moves (sticking to a prescribed pitch count and taking the pitcher out even if he’s doing well), some of which worked, some not. Personally, if I never see another *openers game*, I’ll be a happy man.
There just isn’t enough starting pitching to go around, and even worse MLB still hasn’t figured out how to keep them healthy. Only once in 7 game ALCS did one of Dusty’s SPs go past the 5th inning.
Even limiting pitch counts/3rd time through order and best SPs only going 200 innings, they are still getting hurt. Look at what happened to Dodgers, one of best run orgs in all baseball. They promoted 4 rookies into rotation due to all the injuries to starters, and when they had to use them vs. AZ they got hammered.
I guess you’re right about the shortage of good starting pitchers. I don’t remember there ever being such a situation. I mean, I sure do remember even as a kid teams having 3 good starters and then a couple other so-so pitchers…
Up to about 10 years ago, guys were still going ~250 innings. Nowadays, getting to 200 is the anomaly. 40 years ago saw the end of the 4 man rotation an the 300 inning guys.
It baffles me what with the better medicine, training regimens, yadda yadda yadda.
Since the pitch clock is working so successfully, they should get rid of the ghost runner in extras and leave the rest be.
Agree, it’s nice not having the ghost runner.
I don’t know if banning the shift has raised the total number of hits but seems to me singles up the middle are more common this year than last. Maybe balls that used to beat the shift but now don’t absorb some of the BABIP. But I like the new rule. Nice to see IFs at the edge of the grass. Old time double plays are good too.
Observationally, I think so too, which is good. People say the triple is the most exciting hit, but I’ve always loved “Up the middle, base hit…”…
Could the AZZZZs moved up Gallen a day? Jesus. His stuff is filthy.
Again, the defense in this series has been absolutely phenomenal.
That has been fun to watch.
I don’t know who’s available for what Z needs to do to bulk up the team. But these are the players I would love to not see on the opening day roster in ’24 (current contracts be damned): Haniger, Conforto, Slater, the nearly daily dose of WTF callups from Sacto pencilled in as the next great OFer, plus Stripling and Disco as “starters” plus probably at least 2 relievers (named Rogers or Jackson). Players I wouldn’t mind seeing stay on the team but not as starters: Davis, Wilmer, Wade. Replace those 3 with better starters and we might have a sustainable team. Would need new starters at 3rd and 1st. Bart as 2nd catcher and give him some playing time to push Bailey and/or trade. Willing to give Luciano (very hopeful), Matos, Ramos, Schmitt and Fitzgerald a very long leash to see what they’ve got. As much as some Flappers think the pitching staff is ok, it looks a mess to me, gonna need another *good* starter or 2.
i’m still irritated that he was like “we’re gonna take a hard look at everything.” Motherfucker you’ve had 5 years to do this, it’s not the time to take a hard look at everything. That’s what you were supposed to be doing on Day 1
AZ coming up small over and over.
Eovaldi is tough. He really locks down with RISP
Yeah Craig, agree about Z taking a hard look at everything. The only thing that would provide any meaning to that statement is if he suddenly has seen the light and realized “his way” hasn’t worked. I don’t have a lot of faith in this sudden enlightenment, nor in his professed new approach, but hey, go for it, dude. This is your biggest off-season. The other off-seasons should’ve been too, but here we are.
Kinda cool being in Phoenix at this time. If they weren’t down 3-1, definitely would be a bigger buzz. I remember being in KC on a business trip in ’85 when the Royals were in it, nice buzz to the town.
Fucking Farhan getting a re-do really irks me.
But it falls in line with the front orifice and their ‘break even’ strategy. since the scapegoated Kapler.
Greg mentioned the break even strategy in his first interview with Slusser in early August. It’s his dumb way of avoiding the financial details. In that August interview he also said Kaplers job was safe.
Jesus. AZ looking like the September Giants.
Got to say. the music at the breaks has been spot-on. Hendrix, Sabbath, the Dead.
SRV guitar when they were in TX and only once or twice did they play Jack Whites slavish copy of the Blasters great cover of the great Little Willie John’s I’m shaking. For years they’ve used that weak White version.
AZ is picking the wrong time to stop running.
Bad D at a bad time.
Assuming Rangers hold on, happt for Boch. Cinches his HOF status. He looks good. Thinner and healthier! The time off did him good! happy for ranger fans too (I hope). When i don’t have a dog in the fight I default to teams that have never won!
He’s more lively and limber. I think he was hof already, but this caps it. Few have four WSs.
Bruuucee, 4 rings, that is just fucking awesome.
Congrats to the Rangers and, of course, Bochy.
Chris Stratton will get a World Series ring.
You mean the giants pitcher who once seemed likely to die on the field after taking a LD off his forehead?
Wasn’t that Iron Head Joe Martinez?
That’s right. Stratton got hit during BP or something and carted off to the hospital.
Before this season, Bochy was already a slamdunk Hall of Famer. What this championship does is put him into the conversation for greatest manager of all time.
Good for Boch. Best team won. Exciting end to Warriors -Kings game as Klay nails pull-up J with 0.2 seconds left to win it 102-101.
Congrats to Bochy, 4 rings is a massive accomplishment, with two different franchises; one with pitching and defense, one with a power offense…