Game 15: Poor defense coughs up lead, cool Giants' bats give D-Backs win in extras; 6-5

It's tough to win when you can only get 6 hits in 12 innings, and your starting pitcher gives up 8 hits and 4 runs in less than 7, but a Buster Posey game-tying blast and a Panda Bear following him directly with the go ahead gave the Giants ample opportunity to win.

Unfortunately, Miguel Tejada's spotty defense led to an extended 8th inning, and the D-Backs tied it up and then won in 12.

Miggy is not impressing me.  The guy's got a decent cluthc potential, but a lot of times that clutch is making up for runs or baserunners that he gives up.  Even in cases where defense extends the inning but doesn't lead to runs-scored: the extra pitches that a pitcher has to throw gives the other team that much more exposure to the pitcher.

Giants finish with 2 out of 3 from the D-Backs, their 3rd series win in a row.  Tonight they head into Denver to play 3 vs the Rocks.  This'll be where mettle is tested.

In other news: Zito'son the DL.  Vogelsong will take his place in the ro-ro.

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Game 14: Zito gets hurt just as he started making the game interesting, Giants win 5-3

Giants clinch the series with their 4th consecutive win Saturday night. 

Buster hit a 2 run ding dong in the 1st, and the Giants jumped out to an early lead.  But 2 runs is not a safe lead with Z on the mound and he promptly gave up 2 in the second (one on a Zito error).

2 batters after giving up the lead, Z lunged after a bunt back to the mound, came down funny on his right foot and sprained it.

Mota came in and pitched 1 run ball over the next 4.1.  His longest outting ever.

Offensively, the Buster dinger might have been the lone highlight, especially after they hit into 5 double play over the 5 innings that followed Buster's blast.

But Fred doubled in Rowand in the 6th to tie the game at 3, then singled in a couple runs the next inning to put the Boys up for good.

Rowand got 3 hits.  He seems to be hitting for average this year and might be making a claim to create more drama in the outfield.  (or perhaps increasing his trade value)  Rowand is 7 for his last 17 at bats in the last 4 games -- impressive enough, but then take into account that on Friday he was 0 for 5.  Thusfar, Row-Waaand is hitting .359.

Belt might be climbing out of his start-of-the-career funk.  A pinch hit last night put his average up to .217.  About 60 points higher than this time last week.

The Boys are starting to play well, get on base.  If only we could cut out the double plays -- Oh how frustrating.  I would have rather won today over yesterday, so I guess they're just going to have to sweep the D-backs in their own house.  Ha ha.

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Upcoming: 3 @ Arizona

The Giants first non-Opening Day-related road trip will whisk them away to the magical land that they occupied not 3 weeks ago: Phoenix, Arizona.

The Giants will send Cain, Zito, and Bumgarner agaist Daniel Hudson, Joe Saunders, and Barry Enright.  Combined those 3 D-Back pitchers are 0-4, but Hudson is sporting an ERA just above 3 (the other 2 are at an eRA of 6)

Cainer should be able to handle the Zonas, even with their "best" pitcher on the mound. 

I worry about guys that have high ERAs after 2 starts because you know that they're due for a reaosnable start.

Saunders gives up baserunners, whereas Enright is a bit more stingy in that department.  I see another bullpen game in Z's future, but I see Maddy pitching a little more comfortably against a sub-par team.

Saunders will let the Giants hit, and I hope that it'll wake up Belt in that game in particular.  The Giants are going to have at least one 6, 7, or 8-run game, and I think that middle game will be the horse race.  It should also be the gravy game.

Game 3 moight be lower scoring, but I'd like to see Maddy take a 4-1 win in his pocket and go 7.

The way Panda Bear and Fred have been hitting, and with the hopes of an andres Torres return by Saturday, plus the Giants on an upswing, nothing would be better than taking a 3 game sweep into Colorado next week.  That would also put them 3 games over .500.

Road Trip Preview

Now that the season has "officially" begun, and now that there will be very few occasions for pre-game ceremonies or Sammy Hagar-worthy National Anthems, we can look at the Giants first legitimate road trip.

In-division road trips are never anything to scoff at, even if one of the locations is Phoenix versus the hapless D-Backs. 

Their first destination, Phoenix, will be a decent test for the back end of the ro-ro.  Whilst we all have enormous confidence in Cainer, Z and Bummy have been less-than-adequate in their first two starts.  And the Diamondbacks love to take all of nothing swings.  Cut down on the location mistakes, give 6 and let your lively bullpen arms blow hard cheese past the yuckadoos from Zona, the Giants should still take 2 out of 3.

The Rockies are another story.  Whereas the Dodgers came out of the gate looking to show everyone that they are actually a quality team, especially now that they're Manny-free; the Rockies have no need to prove their worth.  With a best-in-MLB 10-2 start, a 6 game winning streak, and home field advantage on their side, the Rocks are laying claim to the NL West throne.

Even with their best pitcher out for a bit, their hitting has pretty much cashed them in versus all opponents.  Tulo's got 7 dingers, this Herrerra kid's hitting .458 and the team has scored 68 runs in 12 games.

The only condolence is that their current 7-1 streak (6-0 in the last 6) comprises itself on 2 4-game series vs the Mets and the Pirates.  But, all 8 games were on the road.

The Giants will send Timmy, Sanchie, and Cainer against the Colorados, so we'll be praying for 2 ou of 3, and I foresee Cain pitching the rubber match.

Offensively, the boys are waking up, and the trip to the hot air and the thin air ought to spark Belt.  If he scuffles ont his trip, he's definitely headed back to AAA.

Game 9: Throw away game allows Cards to get out of SF with one win, 6-1

Giants started their B-teamers (Fontenot, Schierholtz, Whiteside). 

Still a bit concerned that Torres is hurt, didn't check the status update since the game started, but it's not thought to be a tear only a strain of the Achilles tendon.  Not sure how much time that means.

Zito cruised with no support until the 7th.  I think 6 innings should be his cap, I'm sure I'm not the only one who is going to say this in the next 5 days.

Dodgers in town tomorrow, Giants are 4-5.  2 out of 3 (as revenge) has to be the goal, and a win tomorrow makes the Giants 5-5 after 10 games.  I'd be ok with that.

Game 8: Another walk off hit, Torres leaves the game with Achilles strain, Giants win 3-2

The Boys certainly have a flare for the dramatic. 

First in an hour long ring ceremony pregame where they literally ran aps around the ballpark, called out every player, trainer, coach, clubouse staff worker and concessionaire onto the field to get a ring.

Then, in a 2 1/2 hour game that I watched completely from My Floating Red Couch, I watched the giants squander almostevery single opportunity until the very last pitch of the game, a 3-2, 2-out slider that Ryan Franklin hung to Miguel Tejada that Tejada slapped to deep left center.  The score was 2-1 Cards, and the Gians had Posey on 2nd, Belt on 1st (pinch running for Burrell).

And even then it looked like Card centerfielder Ramus or leftfielder Johnny John "JJ" Jay might have had a beat on it.  Then the ball hit Rasmus' glove and slowly rolled out.

Ballgame (the home town official scorer called it a "double").

Cain did well.  He went 7, gave up his first two runs of the season in 6 and 7, but kept the chomping-at-the-bit Cardinals at bay.  No decision, but he didn'tdeserve a loss.

Cardspitcher Jaime Garcia was good, perfect the first time through the lineup.  9 Ks in 6 IP, pulled for offensive reasons.  Ryan Franklin is going to cost him wins this year, he might be an early new-guy-in-the-running-for-a-Cy-Young favorite.

Matt Holliday comes back today, Giants got Zito going.  But they've got two in their pocket, so a win today would be a little extra gravy.

Torres left early, hurt.  Rowand can fill in for him, but he's our only speed and  hope he's not out long.

Giants Pregame: 4-9-11 vs Cards

Giants used their whole pen in yesterday's 12 inning affair.  Once again Matt Cain's got to be the workshorse.  7-8 innings out ouf Baby Huey is essential. 

Tomorrow, Z's liable to be out early.  Bumgarner on Monday too.  So it'd be nice to get most of the pen to rest.

If Weez comes in, it should be for less than an inning's. 

Buster Buster Buster.... Gotta come out tonight.  Have to.

Win tonight avoids leaning on Zito for 2 out of 3.  Ideally, Giants go up in the middle of the game so Cain can be economic with his pitches early and relaxed in his last couple innings of work.

Game 4:Two big innings blow the game/series, Giants lose 7-5

Zito is always so effin' unstable in the first inning of every start.
And, come on -- isn't it time to pull the plug on Dan Runzler?  That Marc Kroon had a like 1.8 ERA.
Also, not sure Huff is working out in right.

Giants lose the series 1-3.  Got two in San Diego, who just took 2 out of 3 from St. Louis.  Of course, they dropped the last one, and that might slow them a bit.  I'd really like to take both games in San Diego.  With Bumgarner and Timmy pitching, it should be possible.

Player Preview -- The Pitchers

My final posting that will preview the ol' ballclub (the previous two being The Infielders and The Outfielders) visits the strength of the team: The Pitchers

(more below the fold)

Cactus League: A Flash in the Suppan?

Belt hit a monster.  So did Rowand.  And Jeff Suppan sees an opening on the rotation so he answers.

I am only a tiny bit concerned with how well the Boys are doing this Spring.  Posey's hitting like .700 and Pablo's hit more home runs in the last week than Duane Kuiper did in his entire career.

Great, right?  Well, not necessarily if those knocks are coming off of a guy who'll be bagging groceries next week.  An MLB pitcher is good enough to make you miss those pitches just enough that they die on the warning track.

Still, Jeff Suppan's 3 scoreless is umpteen times better than Z's 5 walks and 5 outs outing on Monday. Well, Z going tonight in the split squad game. Let's see how he does.

This Whole Barry Zito Thing

Z's been threatened with a trade or all-out pay-off and release according to Bruce Jenkins and his source: some guy "close to the team".

Finally, a little bit of drama out of camp.

There's two things going on here:

1. Zito is under performing for any contract, let alone his big one
2. The Giants are uncomfortable paying dozens of millions to a guy that can't even make their post season roster

If there is anyone in the organization that would be disgruntled with Z's performance to the extent that they want him off the team, it'd be the coaching staff: most natoably Rags and Boche.  The coaching staff's job security is tied to player performance and team winning percentage, they have very little to say about the dollars and cents.

Meanwhile, the men in the front office (Sabes and Neukom) would be very unlikely to cut a guy to whom they'll still owe $60 million dollars over the next three years.  After all, good or bad, you don't want to loose a guy into the free agent market and pay him so that he can perform for another team.

Still, this threat smacks of front office motivational techniques.  I'd have a hard time believing that Rags or Boche would leak information like this knowing full well that Z's temperamental and their best back up plan is Jeff Suppan (I mean come on, Jeff Suppan?).  This would be something that the coaching staff would bring up the third week of March, if at all before the season.

Meanwhile, a feigned sigh, shrug, and finger wag might be the only thing Brian Sabean can do to light a fire under Z.  Let's be honest "a source close to the team," whoever that is, is operating as a mouthpiece for Sabes and Neukom.  Nobody in the front office would piss in front of the press without the GM signing and initialing three pieces of paper to OK it. 

Cactus League: Brandon effin Belt

I'm not going to dwell on Z's poor pitching performance.  The lead up to these first games was short, and I don't expect the pitchers to be doing anything other than practicing their junk and strategy.  I'd feel a bit better if he was giving up hits rather than walks, but there's 30 days until opening day.

I will, however, dote on a man who goes 3 for 5, with 2 doubles, and 4 RBIs.

Brandon effin Belt.  Effin Brandon Belt.
Brandon Belt, EFF!

Nope, none of those work for me.  How about Brandon FAWKIN Belt?

I like it.

I'm a little concerned about the surplus in the org right now.  Belt seems to only be slotted for the Mothership if someone gets hurt early.  And by someone, I mean Huff or Burrell.

If Pat the Bat's going to hit 30 and Huffy's going to put up a .290/25/85 line, I wouldn't want to trade either of them for Brandon Belt.  And the Giants just re-signed Pat the Bat and Huffy, so they're not going to try and move them (at least not early on).

I think we're going to have to wait a bit for Brandon Belt.  Hopefully not too long.

Wane-wright: Can the Giants Trade Zito to the Cards?

Adam Wainwright is ailing.  Shut down at the end of last year, and now he will undergo Tommy John.  Season over already.

Maybe next year too.

The Cardinals are in desperate need of a pitcher.  Would they be in the market for a Barry Zito?

Well, the season hasn't begun yet, so I'd be surprised if any team would even return a call for one of their top 3 starters.  The Cards will have to bring a dude up or trade for a .500-at best pitcher.

So, let's talk about how Zito can fit into this mix:

1. Zito has never missed a start due to injury, and only one due to sucky.  Every pitcher in the St. Louis has had arm surgery.
2. Generally, over the course of his massively effedup tenure with the Giants, Z's been a 2nd half guy.  Last year, he was a first half guy.  This year, maybe he can actually put two decent halves together.
3. Zito is a similiar pitcher to Wainwright.
4. The Giants would entertain all offers for Z, including and up to a very nice picture of dogs and cats frolicking together, hand drawn by Tony LaRussa himself.

like this, only sketched in pencil or charcoal, with the animals holding balloons and hands and without the looks of general malaise plastered on their faces

Downsides to the Cardinals:

1. Over the last 3 years, the Pirates are the only NL Central team against which Zito's ERA is under 4
2. Oh, and there is the gigantic white elephant wearing a top hat and monocle lighting cigars with dollar bills over there in the corner.  All 3 years worth of that elephant.

oh yeah, he's on a ball too

Tony LaRussa thinks he can find the replacement in camp (or settle for Kevin Millwood........I wouldn't take Kevin Millwood), but hopefully he knows that the offer is on the table.