Sunday, October 14, 2012

NLCS Game 1: Live Blog

Hey team!  Getting fired up for the game.  Hope the Niners weren't a bad omen here.

Just finished watching the last half of the Tigers-Yankee game.  Yankees have had more than their fair share of breaks over the years so tough to feel sorry for them but they did have to deal with some bad umpiring in this one.   Infante out by a mile rounding 2B called safe.  Led to 2 insurance runs.  Then the home plate ump gave Phil Coke at least 4 inches off the outside corner to LH batters.

All I can say is if the Giants and Yanks end up meeting in the WS, those LOOGYs will come in mighty handy!

A big Get Well Soon to Roberto Kelly who got hit in the head by a Buster Posey batting practice line drive that went over the protective screen then dived.  Think there was some top spin on that one?  Anyway, same injury as was suffered by first round draft pick Chris Stratton in Salem-Keizer.   Maybe players and coaches on the field who are not in the OF during batting practice need to be wearing helmets?

From Extra Giants:  This is the first time the previous 2 WS champs play in a championship series.  How great is that?

Gorgeous evening at the ballpark.  Best weather in SF is often in the fall.  Sun is going to be an issue for an inning or two, but with shorter days, the shadows are already out beyond the IF.  You can see the sun is distinctly farther south than in mid-season.

I usually don't like alternative versions of the National Anthem, but this one is nice.  I had heard of Jose Feliciano's version, but had never actually heard it before.

Leave it to Fox to create some extra drama by having Joe Buck do the Niners game then take a trolley and try to get to AT&T in time.

McCarver is already showing his bias.  Cards have more speed than the Giants?  Pagan and Blanco might have something to say about that.  Pence too.

Does Bumgarner have new shoes?

Bummy sails through the first inning.  Of course he and Cainer did the same in the first innings of Games 1 and 2 in the NLDS.

And this one is following the same script as the NLDS so far.  How did the Padres ever let David Freeze get away?  I guess the Giants have to face him fewer times with the Cards than the Pads.

Giants hitters killing worms in 2'nd inning.

Lance Lynn is bringing the heat.  Pumping 94-95 MPH fastballs.  Told you this guy is a beast.  Only redeeming feature from Giants perspective is he's thrown some pitches.  50 over first 3 innings slightly above target of 15 per inning.

And what's with Descalso?

If this postseason has taught us anything, it's to not get our daubers down too much, but this is disheartening.  6-0 Cards before the Giants get a hit.

And that's the way to do it.  Get on base and keep the line moving. Now Timmy needs to shut 'em down and keep it close.

Giving up a leadoff walk has not exactly been a recipe for success for Timmy.

Inning ending DP electrifies the crowd who are loving the New Timmy out of the bullpen.

Kozma didn't look like he has a lot of range on that hit by Scutaro.  Time for Pablo and Buster to step up.

The Cardinals seem to have an endless supply of right-handers who throw in the mid-upper 90's.

Odd that Matheny did not let Rzepczynski bat there and let him face Blanco and Crawford.  Guess he's a true LOOGY.  The only one the Cards have.  Wait 'til you get an eyeful of Rosenthal, though.

Seems like Bochy may have left Bumgarner in there at least 1 batter too long.  Bullpen has been shut down since.  Beltran's dinger is the difference in the game right now.

Well, there it is.  Giants put up a fight, but couldn't overcome the 6-0 deficit.  SP's are gassed and the bully can't pick them up forever.

Full Game Wrap to follow.

9 comments:

  1. Is it just me or is bummy's velocity down?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A tad. He was hitting 91 in the first inning, but then it seemed to drop off. I think he's just about out of gas from the long season.

      Delete
  2. Said it before, will say it again - MadBum has to develop an out pitch. Once again he has good stuff to start out the game. He gets two strikes on a batter and then gives up big hits by being stubborn in thinking he can throw into the zone for strike three. Good hitters won't let you do that.

    Freeze HR on 3-2
    Beltran HR on 2-2

    And most, if not all, of the other hits he gave up were with two strikes or MadBum was even or ahead in the count. On pitchers counts MadBum gives up key hits. He calls them mistakes and missing location. I call it unnecessary stubbornness. Again he needs to learn an off the plate, out pitch.

    Game One lesson: Giants starters simply can't afford to them get down by more than two runs early, Cards bullpen is too good.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'd say he needs to get a better changeup that he can throw off the outside corner to RH batters. He seems to be having some trouble getting in on the hands with the cutter/slider lately too.

      Delete
    2. Agreed on the changeup. Note this is an issue I have seen present all this year and keeps MadBum from throwing efficient games with low pitch counts.

      But, mainly I am pissed off we lost in such a predictable manner.

      Delete
  3. postivies

    giants pen looked great

    crawford looked great

    pagan and scoots should get on base, they looked zoned in

    pence can hit

    white shark proving he can do what melky was doing

    negatives

    pablo is fat

    belt is belt

    pence has gotta learn that unless he hits it a ton, it aint going out in rf

    sp looks done....maybe the giants should try the rox experiment

    tomorrow is gonna be tuff...carpenter is rested, cuz he didnt throw at all during the reg season

    this is vogey's biggest test...will he come out with nostrils flaring and eyes shooting laser beams?

    maybe they can show him this vid before he takes the mound

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6mYKTk7ytw

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Pablo is fat, always has been, always will be. Personally I think he's looking good, for him. I don't think fatness is the problem here.

      Delete
  4. It is time for the starting pitching to kick in the overdrive... How much time have the starters lost innings the last 2 years??? The mileage adds quickly for young arms. Weird how Zito seems to be the lone survivor of the seemingly tired arms??? Pitching marshmallows I guess, doesn't tire out the arm as fast...

    Good to see the bottom of the order pick up and contribute...

    ReplyDelete
  5. Not sure how panda's fatness induces him to throw a ball in the dirt to first. I think he just a minor case of the yips on the throw. He has a cannon, it just has no accuracy.

    ReplyDelete