It was Madison Bumgarner and 8 props against the Dodgers. The Dodgers won when Bummy took the first inning to get warmed up and gave up 3 runs off 2 dingers. His own dinger later on wasn't enough to overcome that deficit. Key Lines:
Madison Bumgarner- 1 for 3, HR(4). BA= .258. Greinke looked like he was in shock after Bummy hit the 2 run dinger. Bumgarner stayed in the game to hit for himself in the top of the 8'th. He was swinging so hard it was almost comical if it wasn't so sad. You could tell how bad he wanted to tie up the game. Alas, he struck out on what might have been the hardest swing in all of baseball this year. Heck, it might have been the hardest swing of all time! Vin Scully comped it to Babe Ruth, for crying out loud! The Orange Man, Justin Turner, hit a second dinger for in insurance run in the bottom of the 8'th and Bummy's night was over.
Madison Bumgarner- 7.1 IP, 6 H 4 R, 0 BB, 5 K's. ERA= 2.98. Bumgarner gave up a leadoff HR to Justin Turner, then hit Puig on the back foot with a pitch which triggered a delayed arm waving charade by Puig after Puig laid on the ground in a fetal position for about 5 seconds. Bummy's reaction? "He'll know it if it's on purpose. I make sure of that. It wasn't, obviously." Matt Kemp followed up with a 2 run dinger and the Giants were behind 3-0 coming out of the first inning. If you get behind 3-0 to either Zach Greinke or Clayton Kershaw, you are going to lose 99% of the time. Bummy settled down and kept it close, both on the mound and at the plate, but got no help from the heart of the batting order as both Pabs and Pence appear to be trying to kill every pitch and are mostly missing. Gutsy game from Bumgarner, but he's got to be ready for the first inning!
The Loss dropped the Giants to 4.5 games behind the NL West leading Dodgers with just 5 games to go. Gotta somehow find a way to beat Kershaw to keep the inevitable from happening while the Giants are in LA to see it. They also dropped a game behind the Pirates for the home field advantage in the Wild Card play-in game, but the Pirates hold the tie-breaker, so it's really a 2 game deficit. The Brewers lost again, so the Giants lead for the second Wild Card berth remained at 5 games, again with 5 to play.
So, it's all but a done deal that the Giants will play a single Wild Card game in Pittsburgh for a chance to face the Nationals in the NLDS, while the Dodgers will win the NL West and face the Cardinals in the NLDS. Tough, tough row to hoe.
This team reminds me a bit of the 1971 Giants team, an aging team with the Mays/McCovey/Marichal/Perry core still intact that raced to a huge early lead in April and May, held on to edge the Dodgers for the NL West on the final day of the season then lost to Pittsburgh in the playoffs after exhausting themselves in the division fight.
Tim Hudson tries to get his season back on track and will attempt to stave off Clayton Kershaw and a Dodgers clincher tonight.
Angel Pagan will undergo season ending surgery on his ailing back tomorrow. He said he was risking permanent nerve damage if he tried to keep playing. Hopefully the surgery takes care of the problem and he'll be ready to go next spring. His absence leaves a huge hole in the field and the lineup going into the postseason that the Giants may not be able to fill. Juan Perez is not the answer!
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much more like the 73 team, which no one expected to compete, then went nuts in april and may, only to go into a june swoon and then play 500 ball the rest of the way and not make the post
ReplyDeletegiants ruined fat tommy's bday, but gave kemp his 30th bday present
i know that maddy hates puig, and thats a good thing, but one cannot let that punk get into one's head.
and serving 2 up to justin turner?
and bochy made a very loud statement by not ph'ing for maddy in the 8th
is it me or do the dodgers dugout celebrations seem totally contrived?
and finally, either the league fixes the k zone, or it must go to robo umps behind the plate....cuz last night we watched an amazing expanding zone that started with no inside k to a k zone that extended a foot outside
and here is neyer's take on bochy's performance from last night
http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/just-a-bit-outside/baseball-joe/blog/bruce-bochy-pulls-a-rock-092414
bacci
You and I agree that Juan Perez is not the answer, but it certainly seems that the Giants have not yet reached that conclusion. They are the professionals, of course, and we are only fans. But it does make you wonder what it is that they see in Perez that we do not. Or, conversely, what it is that Gary Brown has done or said to relegate him to the last-man-on-the-bench status. I'm no huge supporter of Brown, but I think it's high time we put him out there and see what he's capable of, even if it's a small sample size.
ReplyDeleteAnd that seems even more critical given Pagan's health status. I've had a back flareup, and from talking to my doctor and reading what I could find on the subject, it sounds like back problems are one of the worst things that a young athletic person could have. DrB, I don't know what your area of expertise is, but my understanding is that back surgeries are seldom complete successes (at least from the patient's viewpoint), and almost always result in limited flexibility. Naturally, his ability to live his life is the most important consideration, but that doesn't sound too promising for an outfielder of the team we follow passionately. What is your perspective on back problems, and specifically back surgeries?
I commented on this in a previous discussion, but here it is again: Speaking only in generalities, in my experience treating patients who have had back surgery, they usually have very good initial results, but all too often, the symptoms recur down the road. Back surgery redo's have notoriously bad outcomes. On the other hand, surgical techniques have improved a lot in the past decade and even in the last 5 years. I am sure Pagan will get the most up-to-date surgical technique, so he may do fine for a long time. Hopefully that is the case.
DeleteFYI, I am a general internist with additional education and training in geriatric medicine. I provide primary care to people age 55 and over.
We knew it would come down to competing with the Dodgers for the West in the end. Coming up short is a bitter pill. On one hand Sabean & Co can point to not having the CF and 1B healthy as a big difference. On the other hand, LF was again a quagmire due to CF injuries. Morse played well but definitely reverted to his bad defense and injury profile. I can't help but get the feeling that the Giants aren't doing "enough" - something that was leveled at Sabean a lot during the late Bonds era - to win. Its not going to be easy, and obviously now the Dodgers are about to hoist their 2nd straight NL West flag. In this era of playoffs, that's a real prize.
ReplyDeleteI'd point to not getting a 2B/3B utility type (like, say, Justin Turner) to help bolster what was obviously a shaky situation with Sandoval/Scutaro. I'd also say the OF has to be taken more seriously this offseason. If that means taking massive money to go at Tomas, then they had best get to stepping. The Giants cannot compete with the Dodgers firepower at this point. If they want to be looking at a third straight NL West flag raising this time next year, they can keep on "doing it their way" but running out Juan Perez every night isn't going to win us anything.
Pablo and Pence back to back, out of whack, is absolutely painful to watch. Too many hackers can be a bad thing.
Amen bro! Lots o nuggets in them hills.
DeleteBravo to Mad Bum! Sometimes you win in defeat. Giants need more of that fighter spirit. He left it all out there on the field. Giants have been too nice. My two cents. 1) Bum hits Puig...Giants run out there on the field and it was just for show. Protect Bum man! Yell at the Dodger's, Puig, and Fans...Giant's players run on the field and stand around talking to themselves? What rivalry? Come on push a Dodger or something! Don't go out and stand there. I'm not promoting violence, but show loyalty. 2) Turner puts leg in front of bag and Blanco out on the steal. If his foot is on the bag run it over! Giants have been too nice. I wish it meant more to every player as much as it did to Mad Bum. He played his heart out. Giants can accept tons of excuses. Pagan being out, players are tired, or just in a funk. You make your own luck. This is a big series. If you can't get up for big games...what does that say about you as a player. You play for the team and for each other. Mad Bum was a leader and I loved it.
ReplyDeleteI love Bum, but an Ace does not give up 4 runs in a must-win game against your hated rivals. That was NOT a good game by him.
DeleteAnd he will be the first to say it was not a good game by him.
If you ask Bum, he will probably say any game he does not go 9IP with no runs allowed was not a game.
DeleteBut I see your point.
@ Pittsburgh not a foregone conclusion. Pirates are one back in the loss column to the Cards.
ReplyDeleteImagine the scenario where the Bucs & Cards play a one gamer for the division on Monday. Giants could face Volquez if the Pirates lose or Wainwright if the Cards lose.
I am looking forward to seeing what the Giants can do in the postseason. It is an even numbered year after all. With that said, we have to be the playoff team with the most question marks and holes. I don't feel confident in anyone in the rotation after MadBum and Peavey. The outfield has huge question marks besides RF. Even First Base is unsettled right now. Belt looks lost and hasn't gotten his stroke back. I look forward to the days when Posey is at 1st and Susac is behind the plate.
ReplyDeleteone and done
Deletesure bet
bacci
Nothing is a sure bet.
DeleteHey, check out Phil Hughes this year. We talked about him plenty this last offseason. Not sure if the G's could have got him because of the multi year deal, but that K/BB ratio is insane! Hope the Twins give him his bonus (falling short 1/3 of an inning for it to vest).
ReplyDelete