Saturday, August 25, 2018

Game Wrap 8/24/2018: Rangers 7 Giants 6(10 Innings)

Young Dereck Rodriguez had a successful return from the DL and the Giants built up a 6-0 lead, but let is slip away as the bullpen could not stop the bleeding over the final 6 frames.  Key Lines:

Andrew McCutchen RF- 2 for 4, HR(15), 2 BB, 2 SB(13).  BA= .255.  Say what you will about Cutch, but he leads the team in Runs, HR, RBI and SB's.  He led off this game with a HR to jump-start the Giants offense.

Joe Panik 2B- 2 for 5, BB.  BA= .250.  Average Joe has a .355 BA over his last 7 games and a .308 over his last 15.  His 2-out error in the 9'th led to 2 unearned runs and a Blown Save by Will Smith.

Buster Posey C- 1 for 3, 2 BB.  BA= .284.  Not sure why Buster is still playing when he's announced he will undergo surgery on his hip on Monday in 3 days.  Does he really care that much about Player's Weekend?

Brandon Belt 1B- 1 for 4, BB.  BA= .267.  After hitting .316 in April and .314 in May, Belt has hit .226 in June, .232 in July and .171 in August.  11 of his 14 HR's came in the first 2 months.

Steven Duggar CF- 2 for 5.  BA= .250.  Despite the 2-hit night, Duggar is hitting just .190 over his last 7 games.

Dereck Rodriguez RHP- 6 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 2.30.  D-Rod came off the DL and picked up where he left off with his 9'th QS in a row.  He continued to show good command of a 4-5 pitch mix with an ability to reach back for an extra MPH or 2 when he needed it.  This one might have been a scoreless start as the 2 runs were driven in on a flyball to LF on which Alen Hanson appeared to 1.  Be playing way too deep.  2.  Got a late jump.  3.  Took an odd route.  Interestingly, Hanson was lifted for PH Gorkys Hernandez the next inning when he came up.  BTW, Austin Slater replaced Gorkys on a double switch later in the game.  I'm not sure why Slater wasn't starting in LF, but that's just me.

Bullpen- 4 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K's.  Moronta, Melancon, Smith and Dyson all gave up runs.  Smith's 2 unearned runs came after Panik's error in the 9'th.

*********************************************************************************

The D'Backs and Rockies both lost so the Giants remain 9 games off the NL West lead in 4'th place.  The Dodgers won to pull 3.5 games back in 3'rd place.

*********************************************************************************

Andrew Suarez tries to get his ship righted today facing lefty Martin Perez.

9 comments:

  1. Hate seeing a young pitcher like Drod having a win taken away from him like that, with his dad Pudge in the stands. The Giants had the bases loaded and one out twice and didn't score. That usually comes back to haunt you especially against a team like the Rangers who can swing the bat. Read an article where Sabean described the offense as inept and mind boggling which makes me wonder if they will keep their hitting coach Alonzo Powell around next year. It also implies that a total rebuild is unlikely.

    LG

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sabean is quoted as saying not starter is guaranteed to start next season - they have to perform. Okay then, what does that mean" Which starters are in jeopardy of being cut or traded or delegated to the bench as a role player? We already know that Pence is not coming back. Duggar is secure. Panik is on the hot seat. I imagine Sabean may heve been referring to Belt as well. Posey, Crawford? Posey seems to be going down the same path as Joe Mauer - Top 10 pick - early dominanace and then a painful fade precipitated by injuries. I don't know what Sabean has in store for Posey.

      As for last night's game I can hear the late great Dick Enberg exclaim Oh my! after that two run bomb in the 9th tied the game.

      I think from here on out I will follow the minor league portion of this Blog but I can't stomach any more losses and I will tune out the Big Club, sadly Five games over .500 last month, we were teased into thinking the team would make a gallant sprint to the finish (see Cardinals this year !!!). As fans we trake the bitter with the sweet...

      Delete
    2. I just want to understand your logic - Why does that imply that a total rebuild is unlikely??

      Delete
    3. Rainball,

      I think LG was referring to the rest of Sabes' interview rather than extrapolating anything from the quote about the "inept" offense.

      There is a lot of happy talk coming out of the Giants camp about Buster Posey's hip surgery restoring his power, enabling him to continue catching and being ready for next season. If you look at other catchers who have undergone similar surgery, well, it's not an encouraging list.

      Delete
    4. My bad, I should have referenced the article on 8/23/18 from the Chronicle interview by John shea titled Brian Sabean: total rebuild unlikely despite disappointing season. No surprise, since the Giants haven't gone that route before under Sabes and this ownership group.

      LG

      Delete
  2. Off Topic: Daniel Murphy just hit a two run shot for the Cubs - and is tearing uop Wrigley Field. This acquistion could go down as one of the great late seasonn pick-ups: McGriff by ATL 1993 / Scutaro + Pat Burrell + Cody Ross by Giants.

    Pt 1. Murphy at age 33 shows you that an older ball player does have to be washed up.

    Pt 2. This could be just the spark the Cubs need to win the pennant - if Murphy stays hot he can put up MVP type numbers like he has done in the past.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Daniel Murphy would likely not be a great fit for the Giants for non-baseball related reasons.

      Delete
  3. LB: "Rebuilding the team through a tear-down is not in the Giants DNA." (paraphrase)
    Translation: "I have three fat WS rings on my hand and do not question us. P.S. Do not call teh FO arrogant."

    Common Fan: "Supporting a losing team that can't push sufficient runs across the plate is not in my DNA.
    As for your three WS rings - please, that is ancient history - let us live in teh present moment and not bring up
    yesterday's weather, last week's meat loaf."

    BS: "Okay - My blood is boiling now. Some of these guys are just mailing it in. I refuse to name names but if this team
    continues the lackluster play I will break up the roster." What he really meant by his public statements.

    Common Fan: "Okay Brian - do it."

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I got the same impression regarding what BS meant. My question is would the ownership group be ok with rebuilding the roster which takes years.

      LG

      Delete