A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball

So I just heard back from Skip Pitlock. lol. I missed all the baseball this week. Still got a sour taste from last weekend’s games.

Anyway, this is great. Enjoy.

skip pitlock

To:  me · Wed, Jul 16 at 1:25 PM

Message Body

Hi Craig,

Sorry for the nearly 2 month delay in answering your question about the game against the Houston Astros on August 8, 1970 when I hit an inside the park home run against Wade Blasingame in our park. I had to look back on the inning by inning stats. I thought that Blasingame had a no hitter up till then, but I just read that McCovey had the 2 prior hits off him. It was in the 5th inning that I hit a routine single off WB. But Cedeno tried to make a shoestring catch in left center. He dove but came up real short. The ball rolled to the wall. Cedeno had to pick himself up and go get it because Jimmy Wynn in left field did NOT move one step. I didn’t even have to slide at home. Word had it that Wynn was having a big problem with their manager Harry the Hat Walker. Wynn just stood still and watched the play. I was fortunate not to get the loss in this game. I was losing 5-1 in the 8th after John Mayberry hit a 2 run homer. But we scored 5 runs in the bottom of the ninth, capped by Mays 2 run walk off single. No, I didn’t get the win— Don McMahon did. I didn’t get the ball either. As far as 7 walks, my control was the reason that the Giants sent me down to Triple A in 1971 for 3 years before I escaped to the White Sox and emerged on their big league club for all of 1974. I was fortunate to play with 8 HOFers, 4 in 1970 and 4 in 1974. Mays was the best and Dick Allen was a close second! Thanks for your questions Craig, it gave me the opportunity to relive my youth from 55 years ago.

Skip Pitlock

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this is what I sent him:

Big Flavor

To:  skip_pitlock@yahoo.com, and 1 other · Tue, May 27 at 10:15 AM

Message Body

Skip– Hi there, i have a non mortgage related question for you. I run a popular SF Giants blog that usually just banters back and forth about the game that day. Sometimes the bloggers start discussing old players or players who didn’t play very long for SF. Your name came up recently. I know you only played a single season for our team but one of the bloggers noticed you actually hit one home run in your career with SF. I looked up the box score, man that was quite a game that day! 

I’m wondering if you might find a moment to share your memory of that game. I’m assuming you never got the ball you hit? You walked 7 that day, can you imagine that happening today? What was it like to play with Mays? 

You certainly don’t have to answer any of those specific questions, just anything you like. 

Baseball can be such a shitty game sometimes. Devers rockets a ball to the wall that should have won the game but it gets caught. Freeman bloops some bullshit out there and they win it.

The Matos moment was so cool but if you don’t win the game, eh, whatever. JT Snow’s bomb was cool too, but……

Honestly, we just don’t score enough. One run on Saturday. Zero on Sunday until the fluky Matos pinch hit bomb. I’m not sure what they’re gonna do about this offense.

Frustrating to waste such good pitching on a loss like that but we’ve become quite used to that this season. Winning today would be enormous going into the break.

Well, there’s that third win I had hoped for vs the Phillies and Dodgers. Modest expectations, I know. With 2 games left before the break let’s get greedy. It’s painful to watch Devers run that dude needs some time off badly.

Look, this is very doable. They’ve lost 6 in a row. They have injured hitters and pitchers. It’s in our yard. And, most importantly, Hubie Doobie isn’t going to any of these games.

Some of you may have seen Lee Elia passed away. Here’s that epic rant from the 80s if you want to listen to someone go off. He sure doesn’t like that 15% “who don’t work.” Lol.

Hubie Doobie and his wife Donna made the trek from Sacramento to see the game yesterday. I knew we were doomed. Every time Hubes tells me he’s making the trek to the game they lose. He was on like a 10 game losing streak until they broke it in Sacramento last week with a win against the A’s. Two in a row was too much to expect.

At least ‘doobie and Donna have a win to brag about. Verlander is jealous.

Yeah, I didn’t see that till this morning. Wow. You know what SanDawg would say: “our park sucks man, we gotta move the fences in.” He’s not wrong.

One thing to notice about the Pagan bomb, take a look at the nod he gives Flannery at the 2:08 mark. That’s a man confident in his 3rd base coach. I’m guessing Williams doesn’t get head nods like that.

And just for quick comparison, here’s Bailey’s. Kuip has REALLY lost a lot on his calls in the last 12 years, goddamn. Sorry, this one’s the entire inning so you gotta scroll to get to it. Bailey’s Bounce was more glorious than Pagan’s, too

Doval is going to be this team’s undoing at some point but for now at least we get to celebrate a win against a good team. I’m not really sure how you could look at his velo and his command and think “yeah let’s keep running this dude out there.” He’s a time bomb that he’s about to detonate. Again.

I know I should be more grateful for 2 wins vs the A’s but goddamn last night’s game was infuriating to watch. Birdsong has no earthly idea where the ball is going. And in the first couple of innings we couldn’t have taken any lamer, stupider swings vs Lopez who, I think, struck out 7 of our mates in a row? Is that right?

Philly isn’t going to be nearly as easy to beat. These next 2 series before the break are going to be sink or swim time. I’d be more than happy with 3-3 but I fear it won’t be that good.

So all we needed to do was get Chapman back? Seems like an easy enough fix. Summertime is when Adames always heats up. It’s go-time.

at least the Dodgers lost 18-1.

If we’re gonna skewer Farhan for all his pointless moves we need to give him props for his good ones. Trading Haniger and Disco (who I don’t think are even in the league anymore) for Ray was brilliant. Fitting to celebrate his complete game on July 4th. Happy 4th you guys!

I was trying to envision an alternate universe where Doval blew a save AND a win in back to back innings. What would have happened? How big would the explosion have been? Would part of me have ended up on the moon? Could my rage have tested the boundaries of sound?

Well, nothing like that happened so I guess we’ll never know……

Hey! Whattya know, we scored 2 runs again!

San Dawg texted me that he liked the Melvin extension because Posey was essentially saying “if you want to point the finger at someone point it at me.” I suppose that’s an admirable position for Buster to take but it avoids there being any accountability anywhere in the organization for this epic meltdown the team has undergone. Like, ok Buster is taking responsibility for this but nothing is happening. No heads roll. No changes made. We are still just stuck with shitty coaching and failure up and down the line up. What’s Buster gonna do, fire himself?

So he takes the heat off the coaching staff a little bit. How does that fix this mess?

Two more runs scored. Tonight will probably be 2 or less. Every game, nothing but the barest minimum effort to not get shut out. Or No hit.

The Walker implosion was unfortunate but I’m not going to blame him for that loss. At some point the offense has to wear this shit. Tell me something, how do we add Adames, Devers and get a full season out of J-H Lee and somehow our offense got WORSE. Last year we had a .701 OPS, this year it’s .684.

Bullpens are going to give up runs. Starting pitchers, too. Scoring 3/0/2 runs against the shitty team is just unforgivable. Fire Burrell. It won’t change anything but we’ll all at least feel a little better.

Well, we beat the White Sox. Whoopee. Playing Crystal Springs with the great San Dawg today. We will have the game on the radio.

At least we had two hall of fame Flappers manning the grounds yesterday. WillieD somehow looks younger now than when I met him 15 years ago or so.

Look at it this way, getting swept by the Marlins at home is going to be the low point of the season. Right? Right?

unca_chuck said, on June 25, 2025 at 9:39 pm (Edit)

our only hope is the marlins go out and get fucked up tonight and are hung over for the day game.

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well said. And what a *hope* that is, aye? Anyone else sick of Doval yet? Again, because he’s fucked up so many games in the past we don’t really have a lot of patience for this guy’s shit. He’s the Niner version of Jake Moody.

I’m still not throwing Justin into the Big Titty Volcano just yet. He wasn’t good but a lot of starting pitchers aren’t good. And it was another winnable game for the team that he pitched in. Matt Williams is there for his gritty manly old school look. I think there’s a decent chance Kate Upton could coach 3rd base better…..

I know you guys follow Jomboy, his breakdowns are just fantastic. This one on the Caitlin Clark fight thing is one of his top 10 in my opinion. Zumiee– what up with your girls, this shit is starting to get out of hand.

Last start was the comeback, start before that he was hurt. He was pitching okay before that. But this is go time vs an average Miami team at home with nice cool pitching weather to pitch in. I’ve given this dude a lot of rope this season but it’s time for results that end in wins….

Annnnnnd…..we’re back to 10 games over .500. For all the hand wringing and doomsday talk about this team, we are 1 of only 8 teams 10 games over .500. Before the season started I think we’d all be thrilled to be 10 games over on June 23rd.

I don’t care what anyone says about Doval, I can’t stand him. Not because he has to be perfect, although that’s kinda the corner he’s backed himself into with all his previous blown saves last year and to start this year. He’s just dumb. Plays with zero sense or care for what’s happening around him or what the moment might call for. That’s the last thing I want out of my closer.

That bomb Devey hit was about 6 feet away from where we were sitting Friday night. I would have displaced nearby humans to catch that ball instead of letting that idiot Sox fan catch it. Dude started flexin’ and reppin’ his shirt. Shit, talk about not appreciating or understanding the moment. What an idiot.

That was rough. And I now remember why I don’t drink tequila anymore.

Also rough….

Anyone who doesn’t think Devers is a team-first guy can suck it. He has proven he can fit right in with the best of the worst hitters around….lqtm

But all that is going to change tonight. Electricity will be in the cool night air and I am expecting that my attendance at the game will nudge the collective offense in the right direction. Birdy will do his thing and Devey will slap an oppo taco right into my open, eager and waiting hands…..

All you need to know about that one was 1 for 13 with runners in scoring position. Devers with a 111mph rocket to the wall gave us a nice little taste of whats to come. Hopefully, more terrible base running isn’t to come. I’m not even going to look it up, I’ll just assume that was the hardest hit ball by a Giant this season. We do not hit the ball very hard, hopefully Raffy changes that.

Still riding the highest of high’s from that heist Buster pulled off on the clueless Red Sox. Look at this explanation from Craig Breslow. Does this make sense to anyone?

“It’s not that this was the best deal that we could get, because the best deal that we could get may not necessarily be good enough to trade a player like Raffy Devers. This is the one that made sense, this is the path that we went down, and we ended up where we did.”

Uh, yeah, ok. Good luck with all of that.

Headed to the game on Friday night. Gotta be there to watch Devers face off with his likely stunned mates. Will be sitting in the LF bleachers and as I texted Loo, Mac and Diggity yesterday I plan on watching Raffy blast one oppo right to me and having it land in my sweet fucking hands. And in case you’ve been wondering, no gents, these hands have NOT been soaking in Ivory liquid. LFG!

Wow. Just WOW. Buster Posey I am looking at you and positively BEAMING!

This is going to go down as one of the most significant moves in SF Giant history. Devers is a true star. One of the best hitters in the game. Honestly, he’s probably just a DH but that’s fine, we can find other gloves to man the field. Look, a guy like Devers was NEVER gonna sign here as a FA. So Buster’s beautiful ass just went out and plucked him right off the apple tree. Fuck the cost to get him. Harrison looks to be pretty stalled out and I got news for him, he ain’t gonna like pitching at Fenway. If he couldn’t pitch at Oracle he ain’t gonna pitch in Boston. He looks like another missed draft pick. Tibbs, eh, whatever, he’s in A ball. And the 250 million owed? Fuck that too. That’s nothing. Go look at Ohtani’s contract if you’re worried about stacks of cash.

Devers is 28. LOL He’s 28! Go look at how old Bonds was when we got him. And I’m not saying Devers is going to be Barry but if you want a premier hitter about to storm into the prime of his career who was NEVER going to sign with the Giants as a FA then I got news for you, Buster just pulled off a miracle. And he’s ours. HE’S ALL OURS!!!! Wooooooohoooooooo!!!!!!

I’ve got the longest knowing dude head nod pointed at Posey and I bow MOST deeply and grandly in his general direction…..

There was some rando soft tossing lefty we had 5 or 6 years ago who would shut the Dodgers down. I forget his name. Nothing special about him at all. I think he pitched later for the Rockies, too. No rhyme or reason to it, but he was just a straight up LA assassin.

Anyway, whatever that guy’s name was I am positive it wasn’t “Landon Roupp.”

I see you Casey Schmitt and I am throwing a long and slow knowing dude head nod your way. He screws up what was probably a game ending double play in Colorado and 24 hours later he’s golfing a ball DEEP into the bleachers in LA. I’m starting to love that kid and I always kinda liked him anyway.

Man, secretly I was just hoping we didn’t get swept. LOL, what a shitty pussy attitude aye? So we crossed that low bar but honestly the rest of this weekend is gravy, baby.

Just a god-awful, horrific loss that we have had many of in Colorado over the years. I hate that place. But now we are on to some actual real baseball in LA tonight. Very interested to see how we do against these guys. They have a lot of injuries, they aren’t the juggernaut they claim to be right now.

Casey Schmitt, goddamn, I’m still watching that defensive play to end the 5th, it was one of the best plays I’ve ever seen a 3rd baseman make.

That umpire was horrible. Don’t matter to our boys.

I know the win is important but honestly I’m just looking for our elite bullpen to not get torched too much in Sherpaland before we get to LA. Bivens eating some innings helped it be a more normal game. Adames blasting one is a nice start as is seeing Casey get going. We’re gonna have to count on him big time with Chappy out.

Giants are -235 to beat Colorado tonight. Shit, in Colorado? I wouldn’t touch that game. Hopefully we sneak out of here with a sweep without destroying our bullpen. LA looming. I’m actually really interested to see how we do against them.

I didn’t really fault Buster, his hands were tied, there wasn’t much he could do. Our AAA team is a wasteland. Publicly he had to have felt a twinge of shame calling up 3 guys who were basically deck chairs on the Titanic. Many fans quietly murmured “this feels like a Farhan move”……

But goddamn, for better or worse, their influence or lack thereof, the team hasn’t looked back since he did it.

Earlier this week it felt like this team was done. Now we can’t stop winning in the most improbable of ways. Strider is still fumbling around trying to find his way this year. Let’s win another one.

Silly way to win a game but every team gets those across the course of 162. Agreed on the psychotherapy for Adames and add Yaz and Bailey for some group therapy action.

Doval got it done. Even overcame some umpire nonsense to do it. I still don’t like him.

This guy I like….

Can’t say I was that impressed with those 3 moves but Jett Johnson sure showed up to play yesterday. Obviously none of those guys are home grown. Looking at our AAA hitters it is just an absolute wasteland. It’s almost like they tried to put together the shittiest AAA team they could find.

But hey, for 1 day Jett shined. Hope he keeps it up.

It would be easy to continue to be negative about this team but we really should stop to appreciate how awesome this pitching has been.

Doval is a little like our fucking kicker, Jake Moody. Like, even if he gets it going again, as soon as he begins one of his predictable meltdowns it’s very easy to want him out of his role. There’s just no margin for error for either of those dudes.

And that’s why neither of them should have the jobs they have. Cut Moody and put Doval back in his set up role. He seems to be ok at that.

WSWW….

Can’t rely on your pitching staff to shut teams out to win games. On the cusp of June 1, who are the obvious culprits? Wade is #1. Bailey and Adames are right behind him. This Adames thing is irritating. He’s never going to hit for average but 5 bombs? In 220 at bats? What the fuck man?

Anyway, that’s 3 of your 9 hitters and it’s not like the other 6 are threatening to win a triple crown. They just look like they are compared to Wade, Bailey and Adames…..

….but will that even matter? Feels like the last 15 years or so our record vs Miami is probably pretty bad. Anyone know how to look that up? If they somehow start hitting, who knows, we might not lose too many…..

Truthfully though, the offense wasn’t the problem yesterday. Maybe I’m just tricked into believing that these days 3 runs in a game is an offensive explosion. Gotta give the Tigers credit, they didn’t do anything fancy they just keep grinding and holding you down till the W is secure.

This roadie is still fixable but we’ve got 3 guys in the starting line up everyday who are hitting under .200 and I doubt that’s ever happened in Giants history on this regular of a basis. You don’t like that stat? How bout six hitters with a minus WAR right now. SIX. LOL, what are we even doing here?

Bringing JerarE back aboard is fine but it’s silly to think he’s going to be some type of offensive savior. We could bring Skip Pitlock back for a few pinch hits and hope for a second career bomb too, but is that a reasonable move? I honestly think I’d rather see Pitlock take some at bats away from Wade at this point. Speaking of The Skipper I reached out to him to ask him about that solo dinger but didn’t hear back.

The best thing about JerarE coming back COULD be the the df’A of Late Night Lamonte which is so past overdue, there are no words to describe…..

That was a boring, ugly game that I missed most of. I wonder if The Skipper retrieved that home run bomb he blasted on August 8th, 1970. What a game that was, scoring 5 in the 9th to beat the Astros. Certainly more exciting that what happened May 26th, 2025.

We are very good against right handed pitching. That bodes well for us vs Detroit who I don’t think is as good as their record. Missing Skoobie helps our cause. That man is a legit beast.

I’m tired of talking about Ken Mackenzie.

At least we aren’t getting unbearable heat in Washington. I remember many trips there where the heat just absolutely wilted our asses. Either way, our bats are quite wilted lately.

Ken Mackenzie went to Yale and after his baseball career he returned to work there as coach of the baseball and hockey team.

Super impressed with that win. Easily (Whoop Whoop) Roupp’s best start. If he’s figuring this out, oh baby, we are looking good in the starting pitching department.

Huge opportunity for Dirty Harry today….

Ken Mackenzie died. On December 14th, 2023.

Nice to see the Ken Mackenzie talk fire up at the end of the last thread. We don’t talk enough about that dude here….

Ugh, I loath these east coast trips. Despite Washington’s record they scare me. Young, explosive team. This trip could go sideways in a hurry.