Thursday, August 25, 2016

Game Wrap 8/24/2016: Dodgers 1 Giants 0

For the second time this season, a solo HR by the opposing team was the only run of the ballgame.  Key Lines:

Johnny Cueto- 6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 6 K's.  ERA= 2.86.  Going into the 4'th inning, the Giants had 5 hits, the Dodgers none.  Justin Turner hit a HR and that was the ballgame.  Giants ended up with 6 hits, all singles.  The Dodgers had 5, Turner's HR, a double by Howie Kendrick and 4 singles.  This game was so much like the games I remember in the 1960's when Juan Marichal, Gaylord Perry, Koufax Drysdale, Sutton, Bob Gibson and Tom Seaver were dominating the game.  That kind of baseball can be exciting if you are on the winning side, and exceedingly frustrating if you are not.

Oh, and keeping the line moving is a great strategy except when the line never forms in the first place.  Giants need more toonder in their lineup.

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The Loss dropped the Giants 3 games behind the Dodgers in the NL West.  In the Wild Card race, the Giants lead over the Cardinals for the first spot shrank to 0.5 games.  They lead the Marlins by 2 games for the second spot and the Pirates by 4.

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Matt Moore tries to stave off a series sweep tonight facing Ross Stripling.

6 comments:

  1. I am wondering if the Giants are now looking at a Ryan Braun for a trade. They need a boost and he fits a need.

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    1. I would say there is no chance of a Ryan Braun trade. I think he just has way too much baggage for the Giants to want to take him on.

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  2. How about a return to the team of one of the following:

    Mac williamson
    Grant green
    Jarett parker
    Ramiro pena

    All are currently in Sacramento. Any could be a catalyst. Just sayin.

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    1. I don't really see it. I think Mac or someone with equivalent HR power should be the starting LF next year.

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  3. Having the best record and leading the league in blown saves didn't add up in the 1st half. This meltdown post all star break doesn't add up either. I'm wondering if this team has serious dissention in the club house. Guys pulling the rope in different directions.

    LG

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    1. It was like somebody turned off a switch at the All-Star break and they've never recovered. Hard to quantify how much difference "chemistry" makes. I will say that there have been numerous instances where pitchers openly showed their displeasure with pitching changes and not just Santiago Casilla. The beat writers and broadcasters also made it pretty clear that there was some pretty serious unhappiness that Matt Duffy was sent out at the trade deadline. The Giants were already 3 weeks into their tailspin when the trades went down, so it's hard to pin the second half slump entirely on a negative impact of the trades on chemistry. The chemistry seemed broken before that.

      I tend to believe it was a combination of multiple factors that are mostly related to the construction of the team: 1. Lack of HR power. 2. 2/5's of the starting rotation just not good enough with no adequate #6 starter. 3. Bullpen Issues including lack of power arms, lack of a shut-down closer, failure to adequately replace Petit and Affeldt. 4. Sequential injuries that led to lack of continuity in the lineup.

      Too early to completely give up, but they have to re-gel here pretty quick to get this turned around.

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