Like so many Giants losses in the official first half, this one had some good elements to it and it was not easy to pinpoint why they ultimately lost the game. Some bad pitching, key fielding errors and a questionable managing decision here and there added up to another loss and another series sweep by the opposing team. Key Lines:
Denard Span CF- 2 for 6, 2B. BA= .284. Span's value is likely as high as it is going to be during the course of his 3 year contract with the Giants, which is now half over. On the other hand, his contract is very reasonable so the Giants may decide to keep him for next season.
Hunter Pence RF- 2 for 6. BA= .252. Is Pence warming up for a big second half? His biggest challenge is staying healthy.
Brandon Belt 1B- 2 for 4, 2B, BB. BA= .243. Belt stays hot and looks like he could end up with his best season yet.
Brandon Crawford SS- 2 for 5, HR(8). BA= .225. Crawford finishes the first half on a positive note offensively. The dinger was hit to the deepest part of the park and had to clear the wall on top of that. Estimated distance, 440 ft. Unfortunately it was Crawford's throwing error that opened the door for the Marlins winning rally in the 10'th inning.
Nick Hundley C- 3 for 5, HR(4). BA= .264. Hundley has provided solid backup catching. Any contenders need catching help for the stretch run?
Miguel Gomez PH- 1 for 1. BA= .333. Gomez first MLB hit drove in the tying run. Too bad the tie was broken in the wrong direction later.
Kelby Tomlinson PH- 1 for 1, 3B. BA= .267. Kelby's drive to straightaway CF should have been caught, buy Yelich lost it in the sun. Still, kudos to Kelby for hitting it that hard.
Johnny Cueto RHP= 6 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 6 BB, 2 K's. ERA= 4.51. Cueto was not at his best but he pitched better than the line gives him credit for. Boch probably should have pulled him after he walked the leadoff batter in the 7'th. Instead, he loaded the basis, which really puts the relief pitchers in a tough spot. All 3 inherited runners scored to turn a QS into an ugly line.
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MLB now goes into it's All-Star Break. Giants can lick their wounds and plot trade deadline strategy.
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Doc, I'm just going to make this comment then read opinions as posted, if there are any. Slater should not have been playing so soon following his initial injury. At one point after his return the TV guys commented on the fact that he wasn't playing at a 100%. I remember the play. It was a fly ball that he would have gotten to easily had he been totally healthy. I get "playing hurt," but there's a difference in playing with bumps and bruises, and aches and pains. Slater was playing injured, and for what? The season is gone. He had already proven he belonged. But now he's out who knows for sure how long? I just hope this doesn't prove to be one of those nagging injuries for the rest of his career.
ReplyDeleteyou absolutely on point here Nutz, unfortunately Slater doesn't have the smarts of a vet and he was too hungry to keep his grip on the job. He and all athletes need to understand that their bodies are investments and said "just not quite healed yet". Irony is nobody has played as well as he has in LF so I don't know who he was worried about filling in. Parker seems to have gotten message and requested a visit to SF docs to loosen up his neck. Before that I've liked the lines posted here by Doc, though kinda quiet he is taking lots of walks which, shows that his eye continues to get better as his body fails him.
DeleteWell, as we say in the profession, the retrospectoscope always makes the right diagnosis. I remember the incident you are referring to and at the time I had the same reaction, he shouldn't be playing if he's hurting that bad. But in subsequent games, Slater seemed to be moving better and I figured it was just soreness that he worked through. Well, now we see he probably should not have been playing, but that's easy to say now.
DeleteI'm surprised and concerned reading that the front office instead of rebuilding this team aims to contend in 2018? They have a 64-98 record since the 2nd half of 2016 with a $180 million payroll. The FO seems to have an overly optimistic view, although I remember the red Sox going from last place to winning the world series a few years ago. I want to see the Giants trade some vets to get younger players/prospects but not sure if thats going to happen.
ReplyDeleteLG
I don't see why they can't contend in 2018. A lot of what went wrong here is an unusual confluence of bad BABIP luck on both sides of the ball. Maybe there is some non-obvious reason for that, but I don't see it. They need to try to trade anyone who is going to be a FA after this year. I would not be opposed to them trading prospects for a player or players who would remain under team control for several years after this season. They definitely should not make trades that only make them better this season.
DeleteHope the retrospectoscope at this point next year doesn't diagnose that the many 30-and-over's prematurely got old!
DeleteWhat the Red Sox accomplished in three years is not something you see every day: 2012, finish last in their division. 2013, win the World Series. 2014, finish last in their division, 20 games under .500 !! The Giants brass may feel this is just a wacky down year but focusing on just one factor, I don't see 5 bona fide starters, so not sure where the FO is getting any good vibes about the Giants return to relevance.
DeleteGiants won 72 games in 2008 and 92 plus a championship in 2010.
DeleteIn the AL there is only one team that is almost assuredly IN the playoffs (Houston) and NOBODY almost assuredly out of at least the WC although the A's and WS are 7.5 out of the WC and would have to pass 12 teams (+/-) to get in. Thus all 15 teams to some extent are in contention and may not be sellers, but would anyone expect Oakland or Chicago to buy?
ReplyDeleteIn the NL there are 2 teams that are almost assuredly IN the playoffs (LA and Nats) and 4 almost assuredly out (> 10 games from something: SF, SD, Phil, and NY) plus another 4 on life support (Atl, Mia, Pitt, and Cinn). That leaves 7 in some sort of contention and may not be sellers.
This implies a sellers market and WOW! we have players to sell who could be useful, including some that might be worthwhile just to get out of 2018 financial commitments, but that would mean that SF is giving up on 2018 (Span and Pence are owed $33.5M after this year). I doubt if Cain is worth the money owed even to get nothing in return, similarly Gillaspie and Hernandez have no trade or team value. (Why was Hernandez starting last night rather than Mac?)
Having been serious buyers the last 7 years, this could be exciting.
If I were the decision maker I have one word: UNLOAD!
And to expand that, trade ANYONE who would get a perceivable better value beyond 2018, though that may be unimaginable for Bumgarner, Posey, and ... and ... is there anyone else who is untouchable?
I would not do a full teardown of this team. Contention is very possible in 2018. Trade players who will be FA at the end of the season and others IF you can get exceptional value in return.
DeleteCrawford is probably #3 on don't trade, but if you're looking for future production, Malancon, Smith, and maybe Moore and Samardzija have good returns.
DeleteThe question is whether to bet on 2018 or not.
Melancon and Smith are untradable right now. The Giants would have to sell very low on Moore and he's inexpensive next season. By advanced stats, Samardzija has been their best pitcher. Not that he's untouchable, but the return would have to be special for me to want to trade Shark.
DeleteCubs are in position of not making the playoffs after a 103-win season, the WS championship, and all the accolades of being #1 for the first and only time in 110 years!
ReplyDeleteThey are as likely to NOT be in the playoffs as in.
They need pitching, they need infield, they even need outfield.
If the Giants, with what they have available in pitching (Cueto), infield (Nunez), and outfield (Span or Pence) cannot pry the blue chip prospect from Chicago, shame on the Cubs -- it's available and they will lament it in October.
If a deal can't be made, Chicago and San Francisco can sit together and watch the playoffs on TV remembering the epic 2016 NLCS.