The Giants jumped on Not Big Game James Shields for 3 runs in the first inning and cruised to an easy win behind Madison Bumgarner. Key Lines:
Gregor Blanco- 1 for 3, 2 BB. BA= .333. Blanco led off the game with a single, tagged up and went to 2B on a long flyball out by Joe Panik and scored the first run on a single by Buster Posey. He also showed that the Royals OF's are not the only ones who can cover a lot of ground when he tracked down a drive that Eric Hosmer crushed into the right-CF alley in the bottom of the first. I was listening on ESPN radio at the time and the PBP announcer clearly thought the ball was gone or at least going for extra bases off the bat. Great catch by Blanco and he made it look easy!
Joe Panik- 1 for 5, 3B. BA= .200. Panik hit the ball hard at least 3 times coming away with just 1 hit to show for it, but it was a good one, a drive up the R-CF alley that Aoki waved at and missed. Rolled to the wall for an RBI triple. Panik later scored.
Buster Posey- 1 for 5. BA= .200. Buster Posey may have won this game with superior pitch framing for Bummy compared to his counterpart Salvador Perez, but is anyone else getting tired of watching Buster get thrown out at home plate? Thank God Hunter Pence picked him up with the dinger, but I think this one was on Tim Flannery. Note to Flan: Buster Posey is a lot of really good things, but he's not fast!
Pablo Sandoval- 2 for 5, 2B. BA= .400. Pabs continues his waltz through the postseason. Having him and Pence hot in the middle of the lineup is huge. Just gotta keep it that way for 3 more games!
Hunter Pence- 2 for 3, HR(1), 2 BB. BA= .667. Pence seems to have fully emerged from his end-of-season slump and it couldn't come at a better time. Again, he and Pabs were huge in this game and can carry the team through the series if they both stay hot.
Madison Bumgarner- 7 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 5 K's. ERA= 1.29. Another dominant performance by Bummy. He gave up the drive to Hosmer that Blanco caught and he had to pitch his way out of a runners at 2'nd and 3'rd with no outs situation in the 3'rd inning, but after that it was lights out until he gave up a meaningless solo dinger to Perez in the 7'th. That run was the first allowed by Bummy in 21 innings of World Series pitching which I think puts him in 2'nd place all time for consecutive WS scoreless innings pitched. Isn't Babe Ruth still #1?
Hunter Strickland- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's. ERA= 0.00. Strickland needed a shutdown inning and he needed to retire a good left-handed batter as a confidence booster. Bochy had the right situation to let him do that and he came through with flying colors. Javier Lopez also needed some work on his mojo and made good on a chance in the 8'th inning a chance in the 8'th inning. Not that they were genius moves or anything, but just another example of Bochy planning way ahead.
Tim Lincecum- Timmy was AWOL for the pre game introductions. He said he lost track of time in the trainers room and didn't want to run out there after the intros had already started. The TV later showed a shot of him sitting under a hoodie down in the bullpen looking like that was the last place in the world he wanted to be. Gotta start wondering if this is going to carry over into next season.
Mike Moustakas and Eric Hosmer(Royals)- Hosmer was miked for the game. Remember the study that showed the Royals hitters have trouble with breaking balls? Fox played a great exchange between Hos and Moose Tacos where they were scratching their heads about how slow Bummy's cutter was and how it might actually be a slider. They were clearly frustrated. Great job by Fox to catch that one and play it!
The Win puts the Giants up 1-0 in the best of 7 series. More importantly, the Giants grab a win on the road leading up to the 3 home games in the middle of the series. Can they close this one out in AT&T Park?
Jake Peavy takes the ball for Game 2 facing the fireballing young RHP Yordano Ventura who has been somewhat inconsistent so far in the postseason.
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Bochy was brilliant on Strickland and that coudl come back to pay dividends later in the series. I will say that I didn't really think Timmy had a beef before the Series, as there was no opportunity to put him in. You just can't take chances unless we have commanding leads at this stage. Having said that, while I get the Lopez issue, maybe Bochy should have given Timmy a chance in the 8th. I worry about next year too, since he's clearly been moved out of the rotation. IF we sign Peavy and Petit, he's toast for the rotation and not sure if he'll like that; I guess he could ask for a trade, and then we'd probably say he needs to restructure his contract. Ultimately, he can't have it both ways. Of course, maybe it is more that he's not been used v. going into the pen, and presumably that is less of an issue next year where we'd obviously use him a la Petit.
ReplyDeleteSure hope we get the post-Boston Peavy. If we do, that could be a killer for the Royals. And I think winning the first game, stopping the Royals' mojo, is not insignificant.
seems to me that this is timmy's swan song
Deleteif he wasnt used last night, he will never be used again
and if pagan and/or scoots dont show up to the games at att, you may not see either in a giants uni ever again either
bacci
There are a couple of scenerious where Tim could be used:
DeleteDown a ton (5, 6 plus runs) later innings
Extra innings out of pitchers
But, point taken. 6-run lead in the 8th and he's not a consideration...
We will see about Timmy.
DeleteThey didn't include him in the roster for nothing.
Worse, the never-will-use-him-again thinking assumes Bochy and Sabean purposely wasted one productive roster spot, unless this is about missing the intros.
Yeah, $18 M says Timmy is going to at least get a chance to win a spot in the rotation out of spring training next year. How long he'll keep it is another question. Pagan is recovering from back surgery, so he won't be around for the games in SF. I assume Scutaro's career is done.
DeleteBum- Cain- Peavy or Vogey - Hudson - Petit w/ Lincecum out of 2015 pen. It's time for Petit to be a full time starter. Give him a chance to earn some dough.
Deletethe Lincecum saga is an amazing tale. Sabean has proven completely resilient to the boners he has made - the mark of a great GM.
From Henry Schulman, Sfgate, Lincecum was not feeling healthy before last night's game but was later available once he felt better.
DeleteI the "Killer P's" ( Posey, Pence, Panda) really are back on track, the Royals are in deep trouble. Those three hitting in the middle of the line-up are going to score lots of runs no matter who is pitching.
ReplyDeleteIsn't Bumgardner behind only the great NY Giant Christy Mathewson for number of consecutive scoreless innings in the playoffs?
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I have seen a guy hit more line drives at people than Panik, I hope it isn't driving him nuts. He must be so close to going on a tear.
Now the series is going to get interesting as the starting pitching is much closer to even.
I think you mean Madison Bumgarner?
DeleteOn ESPN I heard Sandy Kofax had the record for WS scoreless but then they said something about MadBum being behind Christy Mathewson too. Certainly good company either way. I believe that has has the record for playoffs at this point since that was higher.
DeleteBTW, back on Timmy, I do get Bochy doesn't waste roster spots and that Strickland getting his mojo back was much more important. That's why I was maybe Timmy comes in 'stead of Lopez. I agree plenty of options for him forward; I trust Bochy to manage that.
doc, as i heard 3 different sports talk hosts mispronounce maddy's last name, its hard to get angry at those who think there is a d or a t in it
Deletebest pitcher in the mlb unknown to the masses
and thats a good thing
he has at least one more season of flying under the radar
and while i have had my issues with some of sabey sabes fa choices, i think his getting hudson was brilliant
hudson has done with maddy what the unit did with timmy...taken him under his wing....may have made the difference in his year
bacci
Who says I am angry about anything?
DeleteThe Giants did the two things they had to do...
ReplyDelete1. Beat the Royals starter.
2. Get a shutdown dominate start from MadBum.
Plus, they matched KC's defense wizardry and cashed in on Moose Tacos weak defense.
Boy, Cain looks good in CF for the Royals, so smooth. But then Blanco's desire and talent look and play equally well.
Did you see the empty seats behind home plate by the 7th inning. Guess Royals 1%ers aren't so royal baseball fans. Bad WS look.
Did Yost make a mistake throwing Duffy out there in the middle of a high leverage situation when he hadn't really pitched in weeks? In my book it was waving the white flag in the 4th inning. Trying to save your pen for what? Bad WS look.
How do you think the Royals handle the DH situation for 3 games in SF? Will Butler sit all 3 games or do they move people around to get him in the game? If he sits that is huge for us. Anybody with Royals knowledge in interleague please chime in.
ReplyDeleteI say Butler sits. He can only play 1B and they won't sit Hosmer.
Deletebutler may play in game 5
Deletesee how al ball sucked all the grey matter out of bochy?
was worried about machi...thought they shouldve gone with kontos
and hunter has a record that will never be surpassed....feel bad for the kid...he should be in the afl taking in some rays
bacci
Sounds great. Takes their most experienced hitter out and puts him on the bench. Plus, they will have to burn a reliever here and there when it is time to hit. Something Yost has probably little experience doing.
ReplyDeletehe did coach in the braves org for years and was the skip of the brew crew
Deletebut managing in the al sucks all the brain juice out of managers
i give the edge to bochy
bacci