Drubbed!
Baseball is a hard game to predict. On Friday we drub them. On Saturday we get drubbed. On Sunday we go back to doing the drubbing.
As bad as Colorado is I always hate going there from Oracle with them waiting in Colorado (in other words, with them just finishing a series there). It gives them a climate advantage for the first game. Still, they are terrible and smoking them like an old lady smoked a cigarillo in the 70’s should be the most likely outcome. If I’m gonna hit 81 games this year I need them to win at least 2 of these, preferably a sweep……
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
Just read Phils added Buehler and will use him in couple weeks as part of 6 man rotation to finish season. They aren’t only team doing this and it seems like wave of future, sigh.
As for Loo comment about dearth of .300 hitters, when I looked up Giants stats going back to 2012, noticed Posey hit .300 6 times in 12 year career, including final one at age 34 in 2021. Slash line then: .304/.390/.499
Here’s 3rd season (after injury ruined 2011) 2012: .336/.408/.549 24 HRs 103 rbi 39 doubles.
Don’t know if they’ll be able to make this final-month dash and squeeze in, but personally, I haven’t felt in many years as positive about the future of the Giants as I do now. Posey’s entire baseball career (obviously a winning one) consisted of a high percentage of players, his teammates, that he played with for years. The players were connected, the fans were connected, and they won. Yeah, 2021 was fun, but the last few years, he saw how Z’s team “management” consisted instead of a revolving door of “just guys”. Every day, “who’s on first” was a thing (and not limited to 1B). It can’t be proven that the players were not “connected”, but the fans sure were tuning out, including some of us here. That’s not Giants baseball as he knew it, and he also knew that’s not how you build a long-term winning team. Thank the baseball gods he stepped in.
Whether you agreed with his moves or not, he went out to build and stabilize the team: Chapman’s new contract, Adames, bloody hell, Rafa! for the long-term, a trade I believe someday could go down as the trade of the fucking century (as long as he stays healthy). That’s a pretty good core to start with. Lee is here for a few more years, which I love. Ramos Matos Schmitt, young, under control. Eldridge coming up. Buster has gone a long way in just one year toward building an enduring successful team, without even coming close to thinking he needed to tear the whole thing down. They still need to figure out catcher (as in, getting a RH power hitter as co-catcher), maybe also RF.. But basically… In Buster, I do trust.
Now he needs to work on the pitching. And his coaching staff. Other than that, no big deal…..
I hope they’re negotiating with Dom now before he goes on the market. He probably won’t even get Wilbur type $ so what the hell. He can also play the OF if he’s hitting and there’s a logjam at first. RR’s TJ is already a dark cloud for next season…
Picking up on thread yesterday on long shot wild card possibility. Giants 5 games back of Mets entering final four weeks but need to make up 6 games because Mets won season series 4-2. 25 games left. If Mets go 12-13 Giants must go 18-7 (.720 winning %).
Making up minimum 2 or 3 games in next 10 days essential. As WillieDav pointed out yesterday, Mets have been poor road team and next 10 days at Tigers, Reds & Phils. Two 1st place teams and another team competing for wild card. During same stretch Giants at Rockies, at Cards and D- Backs home. A 98-loss team and two teams playing .493 baseball. After that Giants play 7 of final 16 games vs Dodgers.
Granted FanGraphs gives Giants only 2% odds to make playoffs so path to postseason unlikely. Regardless, I like Buster running ship and look for more roster moves in offseason.
Number of unique players on roster:
2025 — 51
2024 — 56
2023 — 52
Buster could be flirting with roster anomie, if he brings up any new players today.
Just for the heck of it, 2025 Brewers — 54 unique players
I know it’s a long shot to make the playoffs no matter what we do. I also know that if we bring up players who don’t have the basic fundamentals down yet we won’t stand a chance. I would bring up as many pitchers that could help.
Well here’s what the Mets are doing:
https://nypost.com/2025/09/01/sports/the-risk-mets-are-running-relying-on-promising-rookie-starters/
As far as basic fundamentals, they’re pretty much out the window all over baseball at every level…
It is almost incomprehensible how bad the play is across both leagues.
Looks like it’s McCray and J T Brubaker.
I read in Chron Whis is out, and Teng is to make a start at Coors. Is this true?
per Marc Delucchi in MCC Brubaker in debut Thursday allowed 2 runs in 5 innings at Reno, 5 hits 1 BB.
whiz who looks like the runt from a bumgarner litter hit the IL with a back ache.
Good post Winder, particularly about bringing up more pitchers. It’s a “fools errand” to try to over work our existing pitchers to secure a playoff spot. It will only cause injury. Right now, we need to evaluate players whom might have a chance to make the team next season.
Tigers just went up 3-2 on Mets in 3rd…
Soto slam, 6-3 Mets…
You shouldn’t have ragged on him . . . .
Like a blown lead in the ninth, making up 5 games in the standings in a month is more infrequent than you’d think. I may have to content myself with the #1 ranked Berkeley Clarions championship quest next Sunday:
https://www.bavbb.com/news/new-venues-await-teams-in-2025-season
Good post . . . I agree about your 5 games back chance of success.
CBS site said per Shayna Rubin Whis is on 15 day IL with back strain.
6-5 now in Detroit after 4…
I have to agree with Paul that Buster “can do no wrong.” I am on board with Lee, Dom, Devers, Ramos, but dislike Adames (whom I endorsed signing) and Chapman (whom I did not endorse signing). If you think these guys will get better next year, you’re so dumb, you thought Analogy was the study of butt holes (I kid, I kid).
The rest of the position players are all suspect. Prove me wrong. I like our pitching though and think it will get better next season. Related to this – I hope they bring back Verlander. Lastly, Dean is spot on, insofar as the Giants having a 2% (NO) chance of making the playoffs this year.
Now two run triple for Soto. Hoping Tyler has one of those innings in the bottom of the 7th.
Soto 2-run triple, Mets 8-6 top 6th.
Tigers reliever makes Mickey Lolich look like Chuck Hartenstein…
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mckentr01.shtml
Modern day Twiggy!
Amusing listening to the Tigers announcers’ ignorant, fact-free drivel about Rogers.
The Tigers sure look pretty shitty today. Also looks like Baez was a washed up dumb as dirt hacker after all.
Devers is gonna like Coors.
15th consecutive game for Giants with HR. Tops in majors. Sure took a long time to clear wall.
Mets win 10-8.
Dang. After Bailey steals 2b standing up Gilbert plants one in seats. Coors sure is unique.
Followed by Ramos giving one back
The sliding coach really needs to go.
Fire someone!
who had Teng and his 8 something ERA shutting out Rox at Coors through 5
Teng worked out of that one. Every shut down inning helps here.
Dom does it again.
radio announcer I didn’t recognize launched the Dominic Smith Willie Mac Award campaign while I was picking up my burrito bowl. Other guy, a more familiar voice, couldn’t say enough about “Highway ten’s” sweeper.
Adames gets those 2 back.
75 rbis now. 2021 Craw had 90, Pillar 87 in 2019. those are highest totals since 2015 Posey 95
Loving and rooting for this kid, Gilbert (whom we got in a trade) – in 2 games he has raised his batting average from way below .200, to .244 . . . Hoping he is the real deal.
Damn! 4 for 4 . . . When was the last time that happened to a Giants player? Definitely not this season.
Nice that he now has a couple hits against lefties. Still has no walks. Very hard to hit well over the long haul without laying off the crap he will see more of.
Winn gets GIDP started by Adams glove flip to Koss. 3rd one today so helpful in this yard .
Especially since the Rockies also got a ton of groundball hits.
Erik Karros’ kid no less. Never liked that guy.
Back to .500!
Teng the latest new Y. Petit candidate.
ha, good one. I think Stix used to say, “Yuse more of Petit” in reference to him.
Not sure what your issue is with Adames, Blade. Dude is the closest thing to 30 HRs since Belt. His gatorade antics aside, everyone on the team seems to like him.
Him being anywhere near 30/90 will be tops on the team by far. A full season out of Devers next year and we have 2 guys that look to both go 30/100.
We haven’t had that in quite a while.
Chapman is a bigger problem to me. I get that Buster had to sign someone to make it look like players would sign here, so they gave him way too much (esp the no-trade clause), but that’s the cost of doing biz in the majors. Shit, even Ramos is way down there at 58 RBI. But he and Matos are fairly young and will hopefully get batter at hitting for average. But Chappie is gonna be Chappie. A perennial .230 guy.
Sure beats the revolving door of dead fish from Farhan.
Basically, he was a complete zero for 2 months of the season, both fielding and hitting. Like I said in past posts, I was the first one here that wanted him signed late last season. I guess he finished strong this season, but like a couple of others on the team – only when it didn’t matter. When we were in the race, he really didn’t do jack.
Yes, I agree – Chapman is the bigger issue. I thought that signing was complete lunacy.
The entire team went in the shitter for 2 months. Including Webbie, Devers, Ramos, Chappie, Lee, Fitz, Matos, and just about everyone else. And Adames. Plus trading away Rogers and Doval did hurt the pen when they left.
Sucks that they woke up too late but what can you do? it isn’t like Adames was the only one scuffling out there. They were fucking up in the box, on defense, and on the basepaths. It was a team-wide disaster.
Well, I agree with everything you just wrote . . . and no, I don’t know how/why they were able to turn on the offense like some electrical “on/off switch.”
Chapman had .790 OPS last year (damn good given how well he fields) and still leads team in it this year despite the injury. I think he came back too soon after he got hit and that contributed to slump that drove numbers downward
. I value OPS a lot because I think team OPS is big factor in how many runs they score; for most of season Giants were bottom 3-4 NL in slash line. More high OPS guys, pls–with more emphasis on guys who can get on base via hits or walks so sluggers can drive them in. this is how 3 run HRs happen.
Like this Peguero guy. Dude brings it.
IMO, Adames is going to effectively manage SS for years to come, while also offensively contributing mightily better than his 2 or so low production months this season. Adames isn’t a problem. Chappie…. Giants would probably be better off getting him to waive his no trade clause and find a team in need of an excellent veteran 3Bman (Giants eating half the salary, no doubt). Devers at 3B backed up by Schmitt; “Someday Soon” Eldridge and Smith cover 1B. Bigger offensive production that way.
Schmitt’s x-ray came back negative. Bone bruise.
Hope you guys are right about Adames. Dunno. I am just trying to reconcile what this team’s identity is? Are we the team that couldn’t hit our way out of a fucking paper bag for most of the season, where 3-4 runs was an explosion? Or, are we this team that scores 8, 13, 11, 15, 4, 7, 5, 8, 8, 5, 4, and 7 runs, as we did over our last 12 games?
In my opinion, anyone that doesn’t find that a conundrum or at least strange, hasn’t been paying attention or perhaps, is delusional.
Steve, you’re right about wondering “who are those guys?” when they’ve gone so hot and cold and hot again. Difficult to explain it. At the start of this season, Buster’s first in charge, I figured this would be a year for the team to figure out its identity as the year went on, and it continues. I think this team will be way more consistent next year. Hell, they’ve already swapped out the 2-headed 1B monster of Wilmer and Wade to Devers and Smith, a huge upgrade. Schmitt instead of Fitz and others too. Very hopeful about next year.
Even on fangraphs Chapman is Giants 2nd best hitter this season behind only Devers per wRC+, analytic stat Keith Law likes better than OPS that does account for park factor. F/G rates he and Adames Giants best defenders beside Bailey too.
Maybe baseball savant has different and more comprehensive take, idk.
They could still find their identity this year, if only the Mets lose theirs. Some may complain that the Giants backed into their true identity, but I won’t be among them.
“Some may complain that the Giants backed into their true identity, but I won’t be among them.”
Too funny. So, you’re saying that their true identity is irrefutably, undeniably, what we saw today? Ergo . . . that means they are going to the playoffs, right James?
I think you’ve got the stage coach in front of the horses. If and when it does happen, I will applaud their “true identity.” Until then, they’re suspect.
Blade, I was having a little fun with the idea that if, against strong odds, SF somehow makes the playoffs this year, they will have achieved this for reasons other than cumulative talent and good fortune.
Fair enough . . . I thought you were trying to paint me as some kind of unfaithful Giants fan. I love the Giants, but I will never blindly follow them a la some sort of Facebook housewife fanatic. 😉