Crunch Time

Welp, after an epic slide combined with an epic win streak - -the Giants find themselves 6 back of the damn D-Backs at the start of September.

Rowand and Miggy were DFA'd yesterday (thank God), the Bat (injury) and Brett Pill (AAA) were activated, and today rosters expand.

The Boys start a 3 game weekend series with the first place D-Backs at China Basin tomorrow.  They've got 6 v the Rattlers in the final 22 games.  I think they've got to win 5 out of 6 and 18 or 19 of 22 to have a shot at the division.

In lieu of a playoff/rally beard: this year I am homaging the great Barry Zito #75 and Tim Lincecum #55 in all of their post-World Series/pre-Season-of-Defense glory and I will do a rally/playoff mustache.  I shaved this morning, and I will grow the push broom out until mathematical elimination of championship repeat.

re: Orlando Cabrera

Last night the Giants basically traded for another Miguel Tejada, only without the expectation of power.

I don't know why Sabean is soooooo enamoured with 80 year-old short stops.

Game 55: Timely hitting gets Timmy out of a jam, Giants in 7-5

I like it when Timmy has tough luck and the boys get him out of a jam.

Despite an 0 for 6 from their back up 3rd baseman Miggy, the Giants answered all 5 runs that the Cardinals put up with a 9th inning, 2 out, game tying Nate Schierholtz single after Manny Burriss stole second to put himself in scoring position.

Then, Nate the Great knocks in Fred with an 11th inning single to put the Giants up for good.

Timmy looked pretty good, he had a few tough innings and coughed up a lead int he 7th, but he deserves an off night.  The Giants made it a point to pull him out of the fire, and got to the Cards' perfect closer in the 9th.

When Sandoval comes back, and hoping that Nate can pull off a .270 avg with 15 ding dongs this year, the Giants might have a shot.

The boys have at least a split in a big series and keep pace with the first place WTF D-Backs.

Game 43: Maddy notches a win (finally), Giants sweep set @ LA, win 3-1

WAtched the game early on, then caught the dots on mlb.com in the last inning.

Maddy looked good.  Giants went up 1-0 on a Fontenot double after a Posey lead off double int he 2nd (it should be noted that Poset hit a lead off double, and 2 outs later Fontenot hit his RBI double).

After that I knew Maddy had the game and only cast glances towards the game and score.

Weezy made it interesting by comign in with 2 outs, one on, and walked the next 2 guys.  But, you know, while it makes me uncomforatable, I don't see these things as warning signs.  Mattingly, Dodgers skipper, threw two lefties @ Weezy (which he walked) and Weeze got the 3rd out on righty Jamie Carroll.  He akways does that.

Of course, Carroll hit a laser to right that Schierholtz only caught because he was playing shallow, but still.

Quietly, Miguel Tejada is pulling his average up.  Perhaps he's turning, but he's still on my list.

box

Game 41: Unreasonable, Giants lose 5-3

The Giants were swept in their 2 game set @ Colorado.

It is unreasonable to expect their pitchers to go out every start and protect a 3-run offensive output.  Even the best pitchers need a spell.  When your lead is always no more than 2 or 3, even one runner on base creates a high-stress situation.  Eventually, that will wear on a guy.

Whereas a pitcher with 2 Cy Young awards (Timmy) or perhaps a pitcher that is regularly deified for his professional ethic and for carrying a subpar staff for the few years before it became sublime (Cain) probably can deal with such games with a plum.  Those pitchers that are more emotionally fragile due to temperament (Sanchez), immaturity or inexperience (Bumgarner and maybe Vogelsong), or consistent scrutiny and criticism (Zito) are more apt to eventually collapse like a house of cards.

Without run support, this fantastic pitching staff is liable to fail and leave or fail and never recover.

On freaking notice:

• Mark DeRosa (DFA today)
• Miguel Tejada (DFA today)
• Mike Fontenot (cannot be a regular starter)
• Power outage (Pablo Sandoval still has the team lead in HR's, despite missing the last 3 weeks w/ injury)
• Dan Runzler (AAA if he has options)
• Jeremy Affeldt (less of a role, please)

Game 40: Stink lines eminate from Coors Field, Giants lose 7-4

4 double plays, a 5 run 6th inning, 0 for 5 RISP -- but at least they were 10 for 31 which is like a .330 Avg.

Giants had an off night.  No one to blame.  Timmy wasn't crisp, defensively and all.  When they're good, they seem to be timely.  When they're bad, they're all kiinds of bad.

DeRo and Miggy -- ugh.  I can't figure which is worse.  They're both a gaping, festering toilet bowl, and when they start together, it's like someone parked a pile of crap on the left side of the infield and said "Sure, the throws to first are off and the pile has no range, but anything hit right to it sticks."

At least Miggy scored a run last night.

Controversy is that Bochy left Timmy in too long.  I'm not worried.  He was due up in the T7, and he's better than any other option you have coming out except maybe Wilson if Timmy's worked 8.

box

Game 39: Pre Game rain dance results in weather-shortened win for Vogelsong and G-Men, 3-0

It was a dark and stormy night in the middle of May on the Northside of Chicago.  And while most of the Cubbies were thrown off by the inclimate conditions, the Giants led by Voges seemed to be right at home.

And while the Giants were not perfect (2 errors,  both by Miggy -- a-fucking-gain), and voges was not nearly as crisp as his last start (7 hits and a walk in 6 IP), he K'd 7 and he got out of every jam.

Bust got the Giants only RBI on a puddle-skipping single, the other two runs scored via error.  And, when the blues called the game while Rowand rubbed a fat drop of rain from his eye, pretty much everyone this side of Oprah's condo knew that the ball game was over.

box

Game 37: B-Teamers complete sweep of D-Backs, 3-2

Giants are defintiely on a roll.  2 sweeps, a 6-0 home stand and the boys are looking good.

Hitting: they're scraping by with just enough, but that's how they do it.  A line-up with Whiteside, Schierholtz, DeRo and Miggy popped just enough hits to let Torres and Huffy come in.

Truth is Schierholtz is looking good, 3 for 4 with a double and a RBI.  Plus, Parra hit a ball that bounced off the bricks in right field, Schierholtz played it perfectly and gunned a strike to second base to cut Parra down.

Big question time:  How about an OF of Torres, Ross, and Schierholtz?  (Burrell and Rowand off the bench)

Who plays left?  Ross?  Seems reasonable.  At least until Schierholtz starts to sputter.

Bochy sat Weezy for the save, let Lopez get it.  And Cainer pitched very well, even doffed his hat.

Game 36: Finally! Tejada shows life, Giants win in comeback fashion 4-3

Miggy hit a quick-hopping ground ball into left field to start the Giants scoring in the bottom of the 4th: Posey scored and D-Back's pitcher Armando Gallaraga's shutout was broken, the score was 3-1.  In his next at bat, Miggy smacked a single-and-a-half that he stretched into a double.  Tagged up on a deep fliy to right, and scored on Andres Torres's ground rule double to give the Giants the lead 4-3.

Which they kept.

Sanchie took a few innings to get going, but eventually calmed down and was rewarded with the win after 6 strong.  He could've probably went 7, but Miggy's double pushed Bochy to pinch hit for him.

Weezy closed out his 12th save of the season, he gave up a lead off double, and walked a guy, but got out of it via K, ground ball to first base, and a very quick footed play from Andres Torres in deep left center that stole a double and got the final out.

Giants have won 5 in a row.  That's a damn streak.  And if they win this afternoon, it'll be a hot damn streak.

box

Upcoming: 3 vs Arizona

Giants are hot suddenly.  A sweep vs Colorado will do that to you.  Unfortunately, 3 of their top 4 batting averages are on the DL and the 4th is a pitcher, but they've been piecing it together.  Let's not forget that if their pitching keeps it close, they just need to string together 4 or 5 hits in a 7 batter inning once a game to win.

When everyone is expected to hit .275, and everyone starts off hitting .220, you know that the hits will come in a bunch.

Giants took 2 out of 3 from the D-Backs in April, and the one that they dropped shouldn't have been dropped.

This week they send a pumped up Freak, a steady Cainer, and a temperamental pitcher to the mound.  I <3 it when the top three start a series.

2 our of 3 is not necessary but expected.  A sweep would officially make it a hard core win streak, which they could continue into this next weekend Chicago, and then only need to pull a .500 record when going to Colorado and LA before coming home next next weekend.

Rossi might be starting to hit (I hope), I think Buster's almost out of his slump.  He's really hitting the ball on the screws.  I'd like to see him go deep and get a couple extra base hits on top of that to avoid a double dip slump which comes sometimes when you quite bust through a slump (Miggy's in like a quadruple dip slump aka the career-ender).

Anyways, 2 out 0f 3, but if Sanchie pulls it together, a nice little streak maybe?

Game 29: Giants finally score, right the ship a little bit, with extra innings, 7-6 win

I almost entitled this one Giants finally score, try to lose, but finally win in 10.

But I can't be that sardonic, too early in the season.  I can, however, throw my hands int he air and say, "Finally."

I got in the car just as the four run rally started in the 3rd.  Ross walked and then three consecutive hits, including Vogelsong, until Miggy ends the consecutive hit streak (of course). But at least he moved the runners up -- soft grounder to third, Miller called it, "just as good as a bunt."

Burriss in for Sanchez, got a couple of hits, scored a run.  Nate the Great hit a ding dong, and Huffy may have snapped his slump today with the game-winning home run.

Only listened to part of the game, didn't have the energy for full on torture tonight.  Just as well, Mets threw a knuckle baller up there, RA Dickey.

Talk of Jose Reyes in a trade.  Wheeler and Thomas Neal as bait?  Hmmm, food for thought, but the front office tends to be stingy at times like these.

Game 28: Three hits? That's all we got was 3 god damn hits? Schnide is a skid, Giants drop 3 out of 4 in DC, lose 2-0

Didn't watch the game again.  Thought I might be the jinx.  I'm not.


OK, Cody Ross is officially on the list.  Miggy's there too (error #5)

Giants desperately need a 3rd baseman -- Miguel Tejada needs to be DFA or traded.

Tired of this garbage.

One Month Review: Infielders

The giants currently have the 13th most errors on the season with 17 and 18th best fielding percentage at .982. 
link


Miguel Tejada is the glaring offender in the infield, as he sports 4 errors and a .954 fielding percentage.  That places him 20th and 21st for those stats respectively amongst regular MLB shortstops currently.  It's not just the errors, though.  Miguel Tejada is not playing crisply.  Playing in the wrong position on stolen bases, shifted in properly and not getting to balls.  All messed up.

Unfortunately, Panda  Bear will miss all of May, and it looks like Miggy's going to have to stay in the lineup as the closest thing to a back up 3rd baseman.  Not promising.

Fontenot, Whiteside, and Huffy are the only regular infielders that haven't commited an error yet this seaosn (including the Burriss and Belt).  Of course, Fontenot was util in April, Whiteside is off the bench and Huffy's only been playing first for like 10 games.

The weak spot right now is the infield and that's going to be an issue.  Since Burriss is up, hopefully he can offer a little late inning support.

Belt's hitting was a disappointment.  Thinking that it's best to bring rookies up midseason rather than from opening day.  Hopefully Belt's tough enough to mature and be a force at game 60 or 70-ish.  It could be like Matt Williams.

Of course he could be like Todd Linden.

Huffy's another story.  Ugh, .202 with only 2 homers, 18 K's in 90-something at bats..  Woof.  We've finished month one, now's the time to worry.

Fred has been pulling his weight,  I'd like to see him get really hot for about 2 or 3 weeks, but he's been pretty good so far, which makes me think he's going to slump soon.

Fontenot's been playing a very good defense, and when he starts, he hits like .300.  But he's o'fer 10 as a pinch hitter.  I'd like to see him get a little more time at SS.  After all, Miggy's not hitting, and I remember that Fontenot was a regular on the Cubs.


Panda Bear has been a truly bright sot for the Giants so far this year.  He's hustling, he's hitting, he's making plays he couldn't have last year.  2011 should be the year of the Panda Bear -- I really like a .300 Pablo with appropriate power and a bit of base stealing ability.  Today it was revealed that Panda's going to be out 4-6 weeks with wrist surgery.  Wrist surgery makes me think about DeRo, and DeRo was out a whole year.

Posey
My calls: No sophomore jinx ; .295/20/90, 140 games (batting 3rd)
Actuals at 4/30: .261/4/17 ; 24 games out of 26 ; primarily batting 4th ; back-up Whiteside is 3 for 14 with a GIDP

Belt
My calls: send him to Fresno if he struggles out the gate ; .285/15/70, 500 ABs (batting 8th)
Actuals at 4/30: .192/1/4, 52 ABs ; Fresno



Fred Sanchez
My call: .290/8/60, 80 R, 160 games, 6 errors (batting 2nd)
Actuals at 4/30: .273/2/9, 25 out of 26 (none missed due to injury), 1 error ; primarily batting 2nd ; back ups are Burriss and Fontenot

Sandoval
My calls: .310/25/90-95 ; 60 BB, 8 errors (batting 6th)
Actuals at 4/30:  .313/5/14 ; 8 BB ; 1 errors ; primarily batting 5th ; no real back-up ; DL



Tejada
My call: hope for .270 w/ 15 HRs ; .260/15/65, 12 errors (batting 7th)
Actuals at 4/30: .216/1/9, 4 errors ; primarily batting 7th or 8th ; back up is Fontenot .233/1/2 w/ 30 ABs and 0 errors in 18 games out of 26

DeRosa
My call: .270 <15 HRs
Actuals at 4/30: .333/0/3, 18 ABs, DL

Game 25: Frustration mounting as Giants drop a quality Lincecum start 3-0

5 hits off the bats of 4 guys.  Cody Ross hit into a double play.  Miggy played a shoddy shortstop.  Not a game goes by lately that Giants don't disappoint.  0 for 3 with RISP.

Panda Bear beat out another double play with some quick digging down to first base.

Jason Marquis looked like a damn all-star.

box

Game 23: God Damn Fucking Hell!

God damn fucking hell!

2-0 (and it was almost 1-0).

Madison Bumgarner finally almost gets back on the horse, and the Giants go for 0 for 6 with runner in scoring position, hit into 2 double plays -- including one to end the game with 2 on and one out (TEJADAAAAAAA!!!!!)

This always freaking happens in Pittsburgh.  0 for 17 with RISP.  OH FOR EFFIN SEVENTEEN!  OH FOR SEVENTEEN!

I am so god damn frustrated.  TOMORROW!  Tomorrow they have to win (with Ryan Voglesong on the mound by the damn way).

Rowand's coming back down to Earth.  So is Sanchez.

Looks like Buster's going to be hitting around .275 this year too, which might be his Sophomore slump. 
Huffy goes 1 for 4.  Need him to start hitting.  He's under .220.

Fact is they went against a guy that has a 10 ERA and made him look like Cy damn Young.

box

Upcoming: 3 @ Colorado

This is going to be the Giants first true test on the season, by which I mean that they are going up against a team not only expected to be their competition in the division, but also a team that could very easily dethrone them as National League and World champs.

The Rockies will host the Giants and flaunt a MLB-best 12-3 record.

Of course, they haven't had what I'd call stiff competition thusfar into the season.  A couple vs the Dodgers, a couple vs the D-Backs and Pittsburgh, New York, and Chicago.  They lead the league in saves, which suggests that the games have been close, but they're 22nd in runs allowed, which suggests that they've been outscoring opponents rather than holding them down.

Still, 1 out of 3 might be the most we can expect, however, Timmy goes in Game 1 and Cainer goes in game 3 of the series, I'd hope for two.

The Keys:

Game 3 is going to be the rubber match.  Cainer is nails versus the Rocks.  They're going to put Jhoulys Chacin, a man who is pitching out of his mind and is due for one rough go of it.  Buster's been hitting well, and Panda Bear has been stroking like a fluffer (oooh nasty).  Chacin is not much of a strike out pitcher, and that bodes well for the Giants.  But they HAVE TO STAY AWAY FROM THE DOUBLE PLAYS!

Game 1 should belong to Timmy.  The Rocks are floating their fifth starter out there, but, like everyone in their ro ro, he's been pitching out of his mind too.  I'd be very surprised ifay of their guys will get off a hit versus Timmy.

Game 2 will see Sanchie go up against Ubaldo Jimenez, fresh off of the DL.  I don't hold out much hope.  A well rested Ubaldo seems to be a bad mark for the Giants.

But stranger things have happened.

I'd say this series is Brandon Belt's last shot to stay with the big club.  And even now it may be too late. The problem is that he's not driving the ball.  Short of 12 balls hit on line drives to the gap, Belt's got little chance to keep his roster spot when Ross gets back.  Too bad too, but even his base hits are dribblers and squirters.  I think he's got to get some training on hitting a nasty curve and slider before he comes back.

Also, I hope the Giants will start checking the Waiver Wires or Trading Blocks for decent SS.  It'd be one thing if Miggy could hit regularly, but a .224 avg from a guy that leads the team in at bats shows that A) you got a dud and B) he's the only one you got there.  3 errors, and at least another 4 or 5 "suspect" plays in 15 games is not boding well for Miggy.

He seems like a nice guy though.

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.

box

Game 13: Cainer pitches 6 strong, Panda goes yard, Giants win 5-2

Didn't watch the game tonight, checked in a bit on MLB.com and listened to the bottom of the 6th on the radio.

Panda Bear went yard in the 1st, which was nice because they had a couple runners on with 2 outs.  It's nice to see the Boys clean up on a rally.

Cainer ran out of steam in the 6th, like right on top of his 100th pitch.  Got a little harry there.  Lopez and Wilson got a little drama going in the 9th too.

Looking at the box score: Tejada hit his 4th double on the year, knocked in Sandoval in the 3rd.  Posey was 2 for 4.  Cainer had another great outing.  6 IP, 4 hits 2 walks and only 1 run.  He's 2-0 with an ERA under 1.5 and he is looking good. 

Weez got save 3.

Tomorrow is the gravy game, if the Giants can pull a win, I'd expect them to sweep the series.  If not, they should still pull out the last game and take momentum in Colorado.

box

EDIT 10:43 p.m.

Just realized that Daniel Hudson had 10ks in 6 innings.  Sheesh, talk about major whiffage.

Game 10: Kershaw dominates, Bumgarner flounders, Giants play like shit

It's only the 7th, but the Giants are playing like shit. 

Not a whole lot that they could do against Clayton Kershaw tonight, though.  Currently it's 6-0 and the way the Dodgers are hitting (one single after another single), it could go higher.  The Giants won't get anything going unless Kershaw gets out of the game.

Miggy's leading off, not in love with that -- especially considering the terrible terrible game that he had on opening day against this same pitcher.

Aaron Rowand is hell off the bench, but he is the shits int he lineup.  His one tiny little glimmery streak of quality at bats came over the course of about 40 games when he was leading off.  If he's got to be in the lineup: LEAD HIM OFF!

Burrell got dined twice for errors.  He looked like he was doing damn jumping jacks when he misplayed a shoulda-been base hit that turned into an olé triple.

Nobody hit the ball well tonight.  Someone who needs a hit is Brandon Belt.  O'fer tonight as of the B7th, he's sitting right on .147.  When Ross comes back, I wouldn't have a problem dropping Belt for a few weeks to Fresno and letting him find a swing.

He's grinding right now, so much that he doesn't even work counts anymore.  And he's noticeably suckered on every single snapper and hook that he sees.

Only one double play, of course they only had 2 rallies.  One killed by a Fred SAnchez double play, the other killed by a  Brandon Belt strike out.

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.