State of the Giants: What About Farhan Zaidi?

I think my loyal readers and commenters will back me up on this.  I never bought into the "In Farhan We Trust" hype but I also never joined the "Fire Farhan!" club either.  I expected and acknowledge both FZ and Kap have their strengths and weaknesses as leaders of a major league baseball club.  I crossed the line into believing the Giants needed a change in the Manager's chair somewhere around the time I started describing the end of this season as "chaotic".   Managers can make mistakes, they are often blamed for things that are out of their control but chaos is not an acceptable state for any organization to be in.  When an operation devolves into chaos it's sure sign different leadership is needed.  

That brings us to the President of Baseball Operations, Farhan Zaidi.  If the team he created is in chaos, isn't that ultimately his responsibility?  Does simply replacing the manager fix it?  Once again, a major root cause of the chaos was poor player performance and injuries.  When the POBO's roster construction is almost entirely dependent on bounceback performances and betting on players with injury histories staying healthy, isn't that on him?  

After 5 seasons at the helm I think it's fair to take stock of what FZ has and has not accomplished. What are his strengths and what are his weaknesses?  We'll start with what I think he has done well:

1.  He implemented a vision for coaching and player development across all levels of the organization.  It's a vision I completely agree with although the results so far are mixed.  Many players have clearly benefitted but how far up players can be coached is still a debatable subject.  IMO, it's clearly a better approach than Sabean's benign neglect where prospects either sank or swam on their own and the minor league system was for weeding out the weak as opposed to actively trying to improve them.

2.  Scouting and Drafting is also a bit of a mixed bag but overall the farm system, while not elite, is in much better shape than 5 years ago and this year's cohort of international prospect in the DSL is particularly encouraging, albeit not for the near term.  

3.  FZ has done a good job of finding "hidden gems" in minor league free agency and lower level trades.  YtY, LMWJ and Thairo Estrada stand out as examples.  I would point out, however, that Brian Sabean was not too shabby at finding undervalued players like Gregor Blanco, Joaquin Arias and Andres Torres.  

4.  FZ has stayed out of "albatross" contracts.  The organization had many underperforming players this season but only 1 of those(Haniger) is signed beyond next season.  The team is way under the CBT threshold, has zero long term under-performing investments and an improving farm system.  On paper that's great place to be.  The problem for FZ is this years free agent market is extremely top heavy with very limited opportunity for addressing the biggest need which is acquiring at least 2 middle of the order bats.  

So where does FZ come up short?  

1.  While the overall farm system is improved, 2 of the first 3 first round draft picks appear to be busts and the 4'th(Crawford) is not looking great so far.  That has delayed establishing an elite homegrown core that The Churn requires to be successful.  

2.  While the "hidden gems" are rewarding to see and root for, FZ has failed to pull off any "visionary", balance-of-power altering trades that takes the overall talent to the next level.  Not saying those kinds of trades are easy to make but they are usually necessary in any rebuild or organization turnaround.

3.  I am not convinced that FZ fully understands talent evaluation beyond the studying the statistical spreadsheets which honestly, most of us amateurs here can do just as well if we understand the basics of sabermetric analysis.  To my eye, FZ is still stuck back in the Moneyball era where every armchair GM identified the same players as "undervalued" from looking at OPS and BABIP's.

Based on his most recent comments, FZ sounds just as confused about the direction he wants to take as the fans.  He has a system which he believes in and has gotten good at but it has obviously not produced the results he expected.  While he said a few things that are right about needing to make some longer term commitments to players and get younger and more athletic, we've heard that from him in the past.  It's just that it's a whole lot less clear how he finds those players in this particular offseason.  I mean, if he couldn't do it last offseason(and he did try), how on Earth is he going to do it this offseason?

We'll dig deeper into Hot Stove strategy after the season ends but I do see a narrow window of opportunity here.  The market for pitchers is much stronger than for hitters.  The Giants have a relative surplus of young pitching.  I think there may be opportunity to sign a couple of ace or near-ace level pitchers in free agency enabling FZ to trade younger pitching for younger hitting.  It's a very small eye of the needle to thread.  Unfortunately his comments the past few days do not inspire confidence that he has the trading savvy to pull it off deals of that magnitude and it may be time to replace him with someone who does. 

Game Wrap 9/29/2023: Dodgers 6 Giants 2

Kai Correa's first game as the Giants Manager went about the same as Gabe Kapler's last game.  Key Lines:

Wilmer Flores 3B- 2 for 3, HR(23), BB.  BA= .284.  The Giants got just 2 hits in the game and Wilmer had both.  Love Wilmer but once again, if Wilmer is the best hitter on your team it's not a good team.

Keaton Winn RHP- 5.1 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 0 BB, 5 K's, GO/AO= 8/0.  ERA= 4.68.  The peripherals look great and a QS seemed to be within treach until an obviouely tiring Winn gave up a 3-run blast to J. D. Martinez in the 6'th inning.  This may not be a good time of the season to be stretching your starting pitchers out, especially if you are thinking about trying to trade them for hitters over the offseason.  The Dodgers TV announcers mentioned that the Reds had scouts in attendance.   Is Keaton Winn trade bait or a building block?  The Reds seem to line up as potential trade partners due to their surplus of young hitters and dearth of young pitchers.

Sean Hjelle RHP- 3.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K's, GO/AO= 5/2.  ERA= 6.52.  Speaking of scouts, did the Reds scouts see enough in Hjelle to take him in trade for hitting?

The Reds scouts will get a chance to evaluate Tristan Beck RHP this evening in a 6:05 start time facing Clayton Kershaw LHP

Churn Watch:  In a flurry of moves, Keaton Winn was activated from the COVID 19 IL, Luke Jackson RHP was activated from the paternity list, Casey Schmitt IF was recalled from AAA Sacramento.  In corresponding moves, Mitch Haniger OF went on the 10 day IL with a back strain, J. D. Davis IF went on the 10 day IL with a shoulder strain and Joey Bart C was optioned to AAA Sacramento.

State of the Giants: Giants Fire Gabe Kapler

 Well, that downfall was fast!  Two weeks after Controlling Owner Greg Johnson stated that his option for the 2024 season had already been exercised and he would definitely be back, the Giants fired Manager Gabe Kapler today.  You could sense it coming as the lineups and pitching assignments descended deeper into chaos and a steady stream of negative statements from players and reports by beat writers painted a picture of apathy and dissension in the clubhouse.  When President of Baseball Operations Farhan Zaidi waffled yesterday in response to a question about Kap coming back next season, you knew Kap was as good as fired.  Wouldn't surprise me at all if, after hearing FZ's comments, Kap demanded immediate clarity and got it.  

Logan Webb may not be fully aware of how much gravitas his opinion has.  I think he is still learning how to be a team leader but his comments had to be the match that lit the fuse of the bomb under Kapler's Manager chair.  When the obvious best player on the team and the one with the longest, biggest contract speaks up like that, people in high places pay attention and some sort of action almost has to follow.  

Gabe Kapler has many good qualities.  He is obviously intelligent and I admire his willingness to try new innovative ideas that break with managerial orthodoxy.  But baseball managers have just two essential jobs:  Deploy their pitchers effectively and maintain a positive, cohesive clubhouse.  In the end, Kapler failed at both of those tasks and that is why he was fired today.  Using Openers and bullpen games is a great way to bolster your starting rotation but it can't replace it.  When used to excess it burns out pitching staffs and creates uncertainty and confusion about roles.  As the second half of this season progressed the pitching deployments became increasing chaotic.  Use of openers became a form of punishment for bad starts.  Bullpen games became a sign of lack of confidence in the starting pitchers even when that lack of confidence was unwarranted.  It got to the point where one subpar start was punished by giving them an opener.

The lineups became increasingly erratic and feckless too while a hitting doctrine of always taking borderline pitches turned into an apparent fear of swinging the bat at all.  Even casual fans could see that too many hittable pitches early in the AB's were being taken and too many batters were getting called out on strikes on borderline 3-2 pitches.  

How much of this chaos is Gabe Kapler's fault we may never know.  I still believe the root cause is poor performance from too many veteran players who were depended to to perform.  I mean, how can Ross Stripling, to take just one example, complain about his role when in the next breath he admits he has not pitched well enough to opt out of his modest contract?  

We'll do more posts on the current State of the Giants after the season ends.  If FZ is not fired himself, he clearly has just one more offseason/season cycle to turn the on-field product around.  It's a daunting task.

Game Wrap 9/27/2023: Padres 5 Giants 2(10 innings)

Sean Manaea turned in a Quality Start but a lack of run support can only go so long before the pitching can't sustain it any longer.  A microcosm of the season.  Key Lines:

Thairo Estrada 2B- 2 for 3, HR(14), BB.  BA= .275.  HR in the 2'nd inning gave the Giants a temporary lead.  Strong season for Estrada although I was hoping for more of a power breakout.

Tyler Fitzgerald CF/3B- 1 for 3, BB, 2 SB(2).  BA= .273.  Fitz is still in the "honeymoon phase" of a rookie callup but it's better to get your MLB career off to to strong start than a non-start.

Sean Manaea LHP- 6 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 8 K's.  ERA= 4.44.  Opt out is all but certain.

John Brebbia RHP- 1 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K.  ERA= 3.55.  One day after he was the Opener, The Merry Prankster took the ball in the 10'th.  Maybe the Giants defense was playing some pranks behind him?  The first run scored without a hit because the "ghost runner" advanced on outs but then the defense took over with throwing errors by Marco Luciano SS and Patrick Bailey C for whom throwing errors have become a problem.  His throwing aggressiveness probably nabs some runners other catchers would not throw out, but the flip side is more risky throws leading to errors.

The Giants get a day off before finishing the season against the Dodgers.  TBD vs TBD Friday night.

Some deets are starting to emerge regarding concerns about clubhouse culture and the knives seem to be pointed at Joc Pederson.  You may recall a pregame slapping incident least season involving Pederson and Tommy Pham which turned out to have its roots in a players fantasy football league dispute.  Well, The Beats have uncovered a Filipino card game called Pusoy that some players seem to take more seriously than baseball with Joc being the reported ringleader of the gaming faction.  In addition, there is apparently an unwritten rule that music does not get played in the clubhouse after losses which is not being followed.  Per one report, Logan Webb, Thairo Estrada and Wilmer Flores pushed for more focus on baseball and those efforts fell short of effecting change.

This may all come down to context and how different things can look when you are winning vs losing.  I recall that Juan Uribe was considered a team leader for the 2010 team and his MO was organizing card clubhouse card games.  There seems to be a fine line between diversion and distraction.

Game Wrap 9/26/2023: Padres 4 Giants 0

Kyle Harrison LHP was a late scratch due to an illness apparently circulating in the Giants clubhouse making it a bullpen game.  It probably did not matter as the Giants mustered just 3 hits and 6 baserunners in the game.  

Key Lines:  

Alex Wood LHP- 4.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 5 K's.  ERA= 4.33.  Another strong relief outing for Wood.  I seriously doubt the Giants will bring Wood back under any conditions but he might want to consider embracing his role as a lefty long reliever.  Those are valuable and not easy to find.  Could extend his career too.

Maybe the biggest excitement of the game occurred in an apparent kerfuffle on the mound then Kap took Opener Brebbia out but it was reportedly part of a running gag Brebbs and Kap have going.  Move along, nothing to see here.

Oh!  And the Loss mathematically eliminated the Giants from postseason contention.

Sean Manaea LHP will try for a series win tomorrow evening facing Matt Waldron RHP.  

Churn Watch:

Jake Junis RHP went on the 15 day IL ending his season.  Joey Bart C was recalled from AAA Sacramento.  Yesterday Luke Jackson RHP was placed on Paternity Leave.  Sean Hjelle RHP was recalled from AAA Sacramento.  

Game Wrap 9/25/2023: Giants 2 Padres 1

Marco Luciano's double in the eighth inning set up Michael Conforto's game winning 2-run single in the 8'th inning to give Logan Webb a hard-earned complete game win.  Key Lines:

Austin Slater CF- 3 for 3, 2B, HBP.  BA=  .271.  Slater reached base 4 times from the leadoff spot in the lineup but did not figure into the scoring.  Kind of a microcosm of the season right there.  

Marco Luciano SS- 1 for 2, 2 BB.  BA= .333.  Besides keying the rally with the double, Luciano drew 2 walks and made a nifty 180 degree turn on a relay to complete a double play after Thairo Estrada 2B had to range to the left of 2B after initially bobbling a grounder up the middle.  Luciano is the presumptive starting SS next season.

Logan Webb RHP- 9 IP, 9 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 7 K's, GO/AO= 15/1.  ERA= 3.25.  An ace level performance by Webb.  A byproduct of all the groundballs was 3 GIDP's.  On the other hand, is it a good idea for your ace who is under contract for 4 more years to be throwing 110 pitches at this point in the season?  

Kyle Harrison LHP starts tomorrow evening against Seth Lugo RHP.  

Down on the Farm: 9/24/2023

AAA:  Salt Lake City Bees defeated the Sacramento River Cats 6-5.

Wade Meckler LF- 3 for 4, BB, SB(7).  BA= .354.

Casey Schmitt SS- 1 for 4, HR(4), BB.  BA= .300.

David Villar 3B- 3 for 4, HR(17), BB.  BA= .272.

Bryce Johnson CF- 2 for 4, 2B, 3B. BA= .280.

Sean Hjelle RHP- 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 1 K, GO/AO= 4/1.  ERA= 6.00.

Meckler, Schmitt, Villar and Hjelle are all on the 40- man roster.  What does the future hold for them?

The minor league season comes to an end and along with it another season of Down on the Farm.  It's been an exciting and eventful season for Down on the Farm.  Fun Fact:  Did you know that 8 Giants prospects hit their first MLB HR's this season?  

Game Wrap 9/24/2023: Dodgers 3 Giants 2(10 Innings)

 The Giants put up a fight but Chris Taylor's walk-off hit in the 10'th inning killed their chances of splitting the 4 game series.  Key Lines:

Lamonte Wade Jr. 1B- 1 for 4, HR(17), BB.  BA= .262.  LMWJ's 2-run shot in the 5'th tied the game up.  He is a rare bright spot as the season winds down batting .364 over his last 15 games with 4 HR.

Thairo Estrada 2B- 2 for 5.  BA= .275.  Two hits for Estrada but he mystifyingly tried to bunt with the bases loaded and 2 outs in the third inning, popped it up, Lance Lynn made the catch, inning over.  ESPN announcers said he bunted on his own.  If so, mental mistake. 

Tyler Fitzgerald CF- 2 for 4.  BA= .333.   SSS but Fitz is stating his case to be in the mix for a roster spot next season.

Tristan Beck RHP- 4.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 3.14.  Beck was the Featured Pitcher entering the game in the 2'nd inning after Ryan Walker RHP opened.  He gave up a 2-run HR in his first inning but settle down to pitch 3.1 more scoreless frames.  Beck could either be a candidate for next season's rotation or trade bait for a hitter.  Performances like this raise his stock either way.  BTW, his usage this season has been a bit of a head-scratcher and he has been mentioned as a likely trade candidate.  

The Giants return home to face the Padres in the season's penultimate series.  Logan Webb RHP gets the start tomorrow evening facing Blake Snell LHP.

Down on Farm: 9/23/2023

 AAA:  Sacramento River Cats edged out the Salt Salt City Bees 4-3.

Trenton Brooks LF- 2 for 3, 2 BB.  BA= .289.

Wade Meckler CF- 1 for 3, 2B, 2 K's.  ERA= .333.

Bullpen game(what else?) for the Cats.  Was Trenton Brooks acquired to be roster filler or are the Giants going to give him a shot?

Game Wrap 9/23/2023: Dodgers 7 Giants 0

 The Dodgers dominated the Giants in all phases of the game in another embarrassing beatdown at the hands of the Hated Ones.  Key Lines:

Marco Luciano SS- 1 for 3, 2B.  BA= .333.  Luciano's double was an opposite-field laser shot over the Mookie Betts to the base of the RF wall.  Marco hitt the ball hard!  Gotta be the presumptive starting SS next season.

Luis Matos RF- 0 for 1, 2 BB.  BA= .256.   Tyler Fitzgerald's audition in CF enabled Matos to move to RF where he might be more comfortable.  He also made a nice diving catch of a sinking liner to rob his counter part Mookie Betts of a hit.

Overall, the Giants managed just 2 hits and 5 baserunners in the game.  Shawn Estes and Carlos Ramirez made a point that resonated with me on Postgame Live.  They were discussing a called strike 3 that was out of the strike zone per automated strike zone.  Estes made a big point that a major part of the Giants hitting philosophy is to take borderline pitches, particularly on 3-2 pitches with the idea that it gives them a 50% chance of reaching base.  In other words, an OBP of .500 on those pitches.  A corollary he mentioned is they do not believe in protecting the strike zone with 2 strikes.  They maintain the same approach throughout the PA looking for a pitch to rake and "do damage with" while taking borderline pitchers or pitches they can't drive.  Basically the Brandon Belt approach(my take).  You may recall the the Belt Wars?  He may have been the most polarizing Giants player I can remember in my lifetime.  

Carlos Ramirez jumped all over Estes' take saying that if that's their approach it's not working, or at least whatever they are doing is not working.  Estes did not seem convinced asking Carlos, "so you think they need to be more aggressive?"  Carlos said "yes".  That exchange made me think of a recent comment Kuip made about Mike Yastrzemski when he called up his grandpa Carl to wish him a happy birthday.  The first words out of Carl's mouth were "you're taking too many pitches!"  YtY took those words to heart, got more aggressive and went on a tear.  Just from the way Kuip said it, I got the idea he was sending a message to someone other than YtY.

One last thought.  If it seems like the Giants have been on the short end of inconsistent umpiring this season which seems to be backed up by data, it may be a consequence of their approach.  I think it is entirely possible the umps have noticed they take borderline pitches and resent it and tend to call more of them strikes than they might for a more aggressive team.  Yet another argument for automated strike zones to eliminate that bias.  

Yet another last thought.  A huge complaint from fans is how boring the Giants games have become.  A lot of that is just from the frustration of watching them not score runs but let's face it, taking borderline pitches to the extreme they take them is boring to watch.

Ryan Walker RHP is the Opener tomorrow at 4:10 PM facing Lance Lynn RHP as the Giants try to split the series. 

Churn Watch:  Scott Alexander LHP goes on the IL with a hammy and Heliot Ramos OF gets called up.  BTW, Jake Junis RHP left tonight's game with a stiff neck.

Down on the Farm: 9/22/2023

 AAA:  Salt Lake City Bees stung the Sacramento River Cats 6-2. 

Nothing to see here.

Arizona Fall League rosters were posted on X today.  Here are the Giants prospects listed on the Scottsdale Scorpions roster:

Pitchers:  Will Bednar RHP, Jack Choate LHP, Marques Johnson RHP, Seth Lonsway LHP and Hayden Wynja LHP.

C:  Zach Morgan

IF:  Reggie Crawford, Carter Howell.

OF:  None.

Inneresting that Reggie Crawford is rostered as an IF rather than pitcher.

Game Wrap 9/22/2023: Giants 5 Dodgers 1

Sean Manaea's resurgence continued with 7 shutout innings.  The Giants lineup backed him with 3 HR's in a clean win over the Hated Ones.  Key Lines:

Joc Pederson PH/DH- 1 for 2, 2B.  BA= .246.  The Giants were facing a LHP Opener so Austin Slater started the game as DH and drew a leadoff walk.  He was due to leadoff the 4'th inning but by that time the bulk inning pitcher was Gavin Stone RHP so Kap brings in Joc to PH.  And just like that, Joc doubles and comes home on YtY's 2-out HR.  Kap later brought in Luis Matos to PH for Joc.  Reminder, Joc is a FA without a QO.  Giants don't have a lot of LH options among their younger hitters.

Mike Yastrzemski RF- 2 for 4, HR(15).  BA= .245.  YtY will be entering his final arbitration year.  

Marco Luciano SS- 2 for 4, SB(1).  BA= .333.  Another nice game from Marco Luciano who should be the Giants starting SS next spring.

Tyler Fitzgerald CF- 1 for 4, HR(1).  BA= .333.  Fitz hits his first MLB HR.  Luciano, Fitz, Matos and Schmitt shorten FZ's offseason shopping list, but they all bat RH.

Sean Manaea LHP- 7 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 4.51.  Manaea's season keeps getting better.  I'm predicting he opts out of his contract.  Could the Giants entice him to stay by extending him a year with another opt-out?  Marc Dellucci points out in an X message that Manaea has a 3.43 ERA in 84 IP since May 18.  That's like #3 SP level performance.

Camilo Doval RHP- 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's, Save(38).  ERA= 3.03.  Doval had to come in and rescue Tyler Rogers RHP and get the final out of the 8'th inning.  The Fitz HR gave him a 4 run cushion for the 9'th but the lead was just 2 when he came in so he gets the Save.  Great to see him pitch effectively again.

The Giants send TBD out tomorrow evening against Clayton Kershaw LHP.

Down on the Farm: 9/21/2023

 Sacramento River Cats topped the Salt Lake City Bees 4-3.

Wade Meckler LF- 2 for 4, BB, SB(5).  BA= .347.

Armando Alvarez 1B- 1 for 3, HR(18), 2 BB.  BA= .312.

Mason Black RHP- 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 4 K's, GO/AO= 7/1.  ERA= 3.86.

Black does not have to be protected from the Rule 5 Draft but should be in line for an MLB debut sometime next season.

AA: Erie Seawolves eliminated the Richmond Flying Squirrels 7-3.

Really, nothing to see here.   This eliminated the Squirrels from the EL playoffs so their season comes to an end.

Game Wrap 9/21/2023: Dodgers 7 Giants 2

 This was a game that still had promise as late as the 6'th inning.  Then the wheels came off in flurry of defensive mistakes and the Dodgers cruised to the Win.  Key Lines:

Joc Pederson DH- 1 for 4, HR(16).  BA= .245.  Joc homered off a lefty to briefly tie the score in the top of the 6'th inning.  Joc should definitely not be back at the same salary price he's on this season but do you bring him back at any price?

Marco Luciano SS- 1 for 3, BB.  BA= .286.  As long as he's healthy, Luciano should be the starting SS next season.

Tyler Fitzgerald CF- 1 for 2, 2B, BB.  BA= .500.  A successful MLB debut game for Fitz.  Is he the starting CF going into next season?

Kyle Harrison LHP- 5.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 4.85.  Harrison seems a little calmer, staying within himself, not trying to strike everybody out, letting letting his stuff do the work and keeping his pitch count down.  

Despite the Loss, the Giants stayed 3 games off the Wild Card pace but time is rapidly running out to make gains.

Sean Manaea LHP gets the start tonight facing Caleb Ferguson LHP who is probably a Opener.

Churn Watch:  A flurry of roster moves.  Brandon Crawford SS goes on the 10-day IL which means he is eligible to come back for the final game of the season in Oracle Park.  Might not want to miss that one.  Tristan Beck RHP was recalled from AAA Sacramento and Tyler Fitzgerald IF/OF was selected from AAA Sacramento and added to to the 40-man roster.  Sean Hjelle RHP was optioned to AAA Sacramento and Paul DeJong SS was placed on unconditional release waivers.  Sad, but that needed to happen.

Down on the Farm: 9/20/2023

AAA:  Salt Lake City Bees swarmed the Sacramento River Cats 12-4.

Tyler Fitzgerald CF- 1 for 2, BB, 3 SB(29).  BA= .287.

Casey Schmitt SS- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .310.

David Villar 3B- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .273.

Raymond Burgos LHP- 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, GO/AO= 4/1.  ERA= 5.89.

Randy Rodriguez RHP- 1.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 5.84.

Lots of chatter about callups.  Marco Luciano SS was a late scratch after Crawford tweaked his hammy.  Now there's a rumor on X that Fitz is headed to LA.  He would need to be added to the 40- man roster.

AA:  Off day for EL playoffs.

Game Wrap 9/20/2023: D'Backs 7 Giants 1

 Logan Webb gave the Giants his 23'rd Quality Start of the season but it was not nearly enough to prevent them from a crushing blow to their postseason dreams.  Key Lines:

Lamonte Wade Jr 1B- 1 for 4, HR(16).  BA= .263. OBP= .377.  LMWJ once again led off the game with a HR.  He's on a tear batting .370 over his last 15 games.  He's had a really good season, but does he have enough pop from the 1B position?  

Logan Webb RHP- 6 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 4 K, GO/AO= 11/0.  ERA= 3.35.  A gassed Logan Webb is still the best pitcher on the team but yeah, he's gassed.  Shut him down already!

Ryan Walker RHP- 0.2 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 1 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 3.20. Speaking of gassed.....

Sean Hjelle RHP- 1.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, GO/AO= 2/0.  ERA= 8.10.  I hope they keep Hjelle around and give him another shot next season but probably more likely he ends up in another organization one way or another.

Giants remain 3 games out of the final Wild Card playoff spot but with just 10 games to go with 7 against the Dodgers and 3 against the Padres, they are not coming back.

The death march continues tomorrow evening in LA with Kyle Harrison LHP facing Emmett Sheehan RHP.

Churn Watch:  Lots of activity here.  As expected, Alex Cobb RHP goes on the 15 day IL effectively ending his season.  Keaton Winn RHP goes on the 7-day COVID IL which could mean trouble ahead for other members of the team.  Kyle Harrison LHP and Sean Hjelle RHP were recalled from AAA Sacramento.  Brandon Crawford SS left the game early with hamstring tightness.  If he goes on the IL it could be the end of his Giants career.

Down on the Farm: 9/19/2023

 AAA:  Salt Lake City Bees stung the Sacramento River Cats 7-6.

David Villar 3B- 2 for 3, HR(16), 2 BB.  BA= .269.

Joe Ross RHP- 3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, GO/AO= 7/1.  ERA= 0.00.

Nick Avila RHP- 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 3.04.

Do the Giants have a deal for Joe Ross for next season after giving him the chance to rehab this year?  What does the future hold for David Villar?

AA:  Erie Seawolves blanked the Richmond Flying Squirrels 5-0.

Carson Seymour RHP- 3.1 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K's.  

Spencer Bivens RHP- 4.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 1.93.

Nick Zwack LHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 0.00.

Squirrels managed just 2 hits in the game.  Per Roger Munter, Seymour looked really good with a 97 MPH FB but poor defense got the best of him.  This was game 1 of the EL Division series.  Not sure but I assume it's best of 3 which makes the next game an elimination game.

Game Wrap 9/19/2023: D'Backs 8 Giants 4

 The Giants jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the first inning but it didn't last long as an obviously injured Alex Cobb was knocked around for 5 runs in 2 IP.  The Giants never caught up.  Key Lines:

Lamonte Wade Jr 1B- 1 for 2, 3B SF.  BA= .264.  LMWJ led off the game with a triple and scored on a SF by YtY.  

Joc Pederson DH- 1 for 3, HR(14), BB.  BA= .248.  Joc added a run on a HR in the first inning.

There were not other XBH's and no Giants had more than 1 hit.

Alex Cobb RHP- 2 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 1 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 3.87.  Cobb has been obviously hurting since the CG, almost no-hitter.  His final pitch looked painful. Time to shut him down.  Probably already should have been.

Alex Wood LHP- 5 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 4.60.  Not that this appearance was all that great but Wood has pitched much better in relief than in a starting role.  Is he willing to finish his career as a reliever?  If not, let some other team give him a chance to start.

The Loss drops the Giants 3 games behind the final Wild Card playoff spot.  With 11 games to go and 3 teams in front of them....it's over! They are not coming back!

Logan Webb RHP faces Merrill Kelly RHP tomorrow afternoon.

Down on the Farm: 9/18/2023

 AAA:  Sugarland Space Cowboys crushed the Sacramento River Cats 7-0. 

Wade Meckler LF- 1 for 4, BB.  BA= .359.

Brett Wisely 2B- 2 for 3, 2B, BB.  BA= .286.

Tristan Beck RHP- 4 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 1 BB, 8 K's.  ERA= 5.88.

Drew Strotman RHP- 3 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 6.02.

Raymond Burgos LHP- 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 7.04.

Tristan Beck had a great K/BB but gave up a pair of 2-run HR's. Hope we see more of him next season.

AA:  Richmond Flying Squirrels edged out the Erie Seawolves 1-0.

Ismael Munguia LF- 2 for 4, BB.  BA= .282.

Wil Jensen RHP- 4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 2.53.

Hunter Dula RHP- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 6.55.

Just so happens the Squirrels face the Seawolves in the EL Division series starting Tuesday in Richmond.

Game Wrap 9/18/2023: Giants 11 Rockies 10

An 8-run explosion highlighted by Brandon Crawford's  3-run HR in the 6'th inning gave the Giants a 9-0 lead which they nearly squandered in a Coors Field near nightmare.  Key Lines:

Mitch Haniger LF- 2 for 4, 2 2B.  BA= .213.  I think it's important for Haniger to end the season on a positive note.  Hopefully this game is the beginning of that.

Brandon Crawford SS- 1 for 4, HR(7).  BA= .196.  Yep, 3-run HR's win games.  It's been a painful season for Crawford in more ways than one.  He long ago cemented his mark as one of the greatest if not THE greatest SS in franchise history.  He does not have anything left to prove.  I would be great if he announced his retirement before the final home game so he gets a proper send off.

Thairo Estrada 2B, Joc Pederson DH and J. D. Davis 3B had 2 hits each.  Every Giants batter in the boxscore had at least 1 hit.

Sean Manaea LHP- 5.1 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, GO/AO= 9/1.  ERA= 4.73.  Manaea's ERA since the All-Star break is 3.80 in 47.1 IP.  3.18 in 28.1 IP in August and Sept.  3 ER in 11 IP in his last 2 appearances, both Starts.  I bet the Giants are hoping he won't opt out of his contract.  I'm not sure sure he won't.

Camilo Doval RHP gave up 4 runs, 1 ER, in the 9'th inning with Taylor Rogers LHP coming in to get the final out.  Rockies scored a total of 4 unearned runs on 3 errors, all by pitchers.

The Win gains the Giants 0.5 games in the Wild Card race. They trail the Marlins and Cubs by 2 games.

Giants have a day off tomorrow before resuming their final road trip in Arizona on Tuesday against the D'Backs. TBD facing TBD.

Down on the Farm: 9/16/2023

 AAA:  Sacramento River Cats beat the Sugarland Space Cowboys 8-4.

Armando Alvarez 1B- 2 for 4, HR(17).  BA= .314.

Donovan Walton 2B- 2 for 4, HR(4).  BA= .225.

Randy Rodriguez RHP- 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 6.06.

Melvin Adon RHP- 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 7.36.

In a 40-man roster crunch, would you keep Randy Rodriquez at this point?

AA:  Erie Seawolves crushed the Richmond Flying Squirrels 10-2.

There is nothing to see here.

It's my understanding the Squirrels have already clinched a postseason berth.

Game Wrap 9/16/2023: Rockies 5 Giants 2

Three unearned runs were the difference in this game which tells you pretty much everything you need to know about the current state of the Giants.  Key Lines:

Who are we kidding here?  There were no Key Lines!  OK, I guess Jake Junis RHP put up a nice line:

4 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K's.  ERA= 3.93.  Junis has quietly put up a decent line and eaten 84.2 innings while getting credit for 4 Wins and 1 Save in the process.  He's a free agent this offseason and 31 yo.  He might be worth a 2 or 3 year offer if the AAV is low enough.  He earned 1.3 fWAR last season and 0.6 so far this season.  Maybe the security of a 3 year deal might get the AAV down to about $ 3 M?

The Loss dropped the Giants 2.5 games out of the final Wild Card playoff spot.  With just 13 games left to play, gotta think this all but knocks them out of the postseason.  

Sean Manaea LHP gets to state his case for opting out of his contract tomorrow afternoon facing Chris Flexen RHP.

Game Wrap 9/16/2023: Rockies 9 Giants 5(Game 1 of Doubleheader)

Walks giveth and walks taketh away.  The Giants drew 7 walks in the game but also issued 7 to Rockies batters.  The Rockies made more of theirs than the Giants.  Key Lines:

Thairo Estrada 2B- 4 for 5.  BA= .275.  Batting out of the 2-hole, Thairo reached base 4 times, drove in a run and scored one.  You would hope if your 2-hole hitter reaches base 4 times they would cross home plate more than once.

Lamonte Wade Jr 1B- 1 for 3, HR(15), BB.  BA= .261.  LMWJ is batting .455 over his last 7 games.

Blake Sabol C- 1 for 2, 2B, 2 BB.  BA= .246.  Sabol's double in the second inning gave the Giants a short-lived lead.  He is putting on a late surge to state his case to start next season in the same role he's filled this year rather than activate his options.

Keaton Winn RHP- 4 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 5 K's.  ERA= 3.89.  Winn pitched like an ace for 2 innings then started the 3'rd inning walk, GB single, walk to load the bases with no outs.  He got a force out at home but then the latest Rockies Giants Killer, Ezequiel Tovar smoked one to R-CF that Luis Matos CF couldn't quite reach with his glove and boom!  The score was tied at 3.  Credit Winn with striking out the next two batters and pitching a scoreless 4'th inning but then the bullpen failed and the game was lost.

Ross Stripling RHP- 3.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 5.40.  Between him and Sean Manaea LHP, Ross Stripling seemed like the lower variance acquisition.  To say his season is a disappointment is an understatement.  While Manaea embraced a variety of roles and made the most of his opportunities, Stripling has just never found traction on his season and chafed when he thought he was kept on the IL too long while admitting he has not pitched well enough to opt out of his 2 year contract, so it looks like he'll try to figure out what went wrong over the winter.

The Loss leaves the Giants 1.5 games out of the Final Wild Card playoff position with Game 2 of the doubleheader coming up.

Down on the Farm: 9/15/2023

 AAA:  Sacramento River Cats defeated the Sugarland Space Cowboys 4-2.

Wade Meckler LF- 2 for 5, HR(2), 3 SB(4).  BA= .375.

Marco Luciano 2B- 3 for 5, 2 HR(4).  BA= .246.

Bryce Johnson RF/CF- 2 for 3, 2B, BB.  BA= .291.

Mason Black RHP- 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K's.  ERA= 4.04.

Parker Dunshee RHP- 2.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 5 K's.  ERA= 4.80.

Nick Avila RHP- 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 3.13.

Marco Luciano brings the toonder.  He and Mason Black should be significant contributors to the 2024 Giants.

AA:  Erie Seawolves mauled the Richmond Flying Squirrels 8-3.

Yoshi Tsutsugo DH- 1 for 4, HR(4), BB.  BA= .311.

Game Wrap 9/15/2023: Rockies 3 Giants 2

Things looked pretty good for the Giants when they took a lead in the top of the 9'th inning after breaking up a combined no-hit bid by Chase Anderson RHP and the Rockies bullpen only to have the Rockies walk it off in the bottom of the 9'th for a crushing loss.  Key Lines:

Logan Webb RHP- 8 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 6 K's, GO/AO= 12/4.  ERA= 3.31.  Another Quality Start by Webb squandered.  He is the latter day Matt Cain, for sure. 

Giants scored their first run in the 2'nd inning without the benefit of a hit and their second run scored on a bases-loaded walk in the 9'th.

The Loss drops the Giants a game off pace for the last Wild Card playoff spot behind the Reds and D'Backs.

Giants have a doubleheader tomorrow due to the rainout on Thursday.  The Giants SP's tomorrow are Keaton Winn RHP and Sean Manaea LHP facing TBD and Chris Flexen RHP.

Churn Watch:  In a move that is surely unpopular with the fanbase, the Giants activated Ross Stripling RHP from the IL and optioned Kyle Harrison LHP to AAA Sacramento to "work on some things".  

Down on the Farm: 9/14/2023

Sacramento River Cats defeated the Sugarland Space Cowboys 4-1.

Tyler Fitzgerald SS- 2 for 4, HR(20).  BA= .287.

Joey Bart C- 2 for 4.  BA= .252.

Trenton Brooks LF- 1 for 2, BB, SF.  BA= .293.

Joe Ross RHP- 2.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 0.00.

Sean Hjelle RHP- 5.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K's, GO/AO= 12/2.  ERA= 6.03.

Erik Miller LHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, Save(12).  ERA= 2.40. 

Probably just another guy who can't make that final jump but I sure would like to see Tyler Fitzgerald get the chance.  I think Joey Bart still has a future in MLB but probably not with the Giants as it appears Blake Sabol is playing himself into next year's backup C role.  Ditto Sean Hjelle and his extreme groundball tendencies.  Erik Miller probably walks too many to pitch multiple innings but has become a reliable 1-inning guy in a sustained Closer role in AAA.

AA:  Richmond Flying Squirrels beat the Erie Seawolves 7-3.

Will Wilson SS- 2 for 4.  BA= .224.

Brady Whalen 1B- 1 for 4, 3B.  BA= .274.

Victor Bericoto RF- 1 for 3, HR(11), BB.  BA= .236.

John Bertrand LHP- 6 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K, GO/AO= 10/1.  ERA= 4.67.

A:  Modesto Nuts eliminated San Jose Giants 13-4.

Josh Wishkoski 1B- 2 for 4.

Charlie Szykowny 3B- 2 for 4, 2B.

Scott Bandura RF- 1 for 3, BB.  BA= .375.

This is nowhere close to the same team the SJ Giants started the season with as the 2022 draftees, including Carson Whisenhunt LHP, moved up the ladder and the 2023 draftees moved in for August and Sept.  A few international prospects led by Diego Velasquez IF stayed all season.  I nominate Velasquez as team MVP.  

The Giants game in Coors Field was postponed due to inclement weather and will be made up with Saturday doubleheader.  And just as the Giants seemed to be settling into a 5-man SP rotation.

Some front office drama:  The Boston Red Sox fired GM Chaim Bloom yesterday which caused a noticeable rise in social media chatter about the possibility FZ and Kap's jobs may be in doubt for next season.  The buzz got loud enough for Greg Johnson to tell Susan Slusser that both FZ and Kap will definitely be back next season.  Now, if the Red Sox are looking for the anti-Chaim Bloom they may be open to hiring Bobby Evans to replace him.  Not sure who else may be available out there.  I could also see the BoSox finding a higher title get Kim Ng away from the Marlins.

Down on the Farm: 9/13/2023

 AAA:  Sacramento River Cats outslugged the Sugarland Space Cowboys 11-5.

Tyler Fitzgerald SS- 2 for 4, 2B, BB, SB(25).  BA= .285.

David Villar 3B- 1 for 4, HR(15), BB.  BA= .269.

Trenton Brooks 1B- 2 for 5, HR(22).  BA= .292.

Heliot Ramos LF- 2 for 4, 2B, BB.  BA= .322.

Nick Avila RHP- 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 3.19.

AA:  Richmond Flying Squirrels defeated the Erie Seawolves 6-3.

Ismael Munguia LF- 2 for 3, 2B, BB, 2 SB(15).  BA= .284.

Brandon Martorano C- 2 for 3, HR(6), BB.   BA= .195.

Spencer Bivens RHP- 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K's.  ERA= 3.69.

Cal League Playoffs had a day off.

Churn Watch:

Luis Gonzalez OF and Johan Camargo IF were released.

Cole Waites RHP underwent UCL reconstruction surgery AKA Tommy John.

Game Wrap 9/13/2023: Giants 6 Guardians 5(10 innings)

The Giants trailed by at least 3 runs in this game from the first inning until the 8'th when J. D. Davis' 3-run HR tied it up, setting off a walk-off win in extra-innings.  Key Lines: 3B- 1 for 4, HR(18), BB.  BA= .251.  Davis has had his ups and downs this season but seems to be putting it back together for the stretch run.  Oh, and 3-run HR's win games!

Luis Matos RF/CF- 1 for 2, BB.  BA= .268.  Matos will probably be optioned when Michael Conforto comes of the IL, but I do like what I've seen of this kid.  Needs about 10 lbs of muscle to drive some of those warning track AO's over the wall to be a serious offensive force.

Lamonte Wade Jr PH/1B- 2 for 2, SF.  BA= .261.  Typical of the Giants season, the 2 hits did not factor into the scoring but the SF out did.....and it was the game winner!

Kyle Harrison LHP- 4 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K.  ERA= 5.18.  Rough first inning giving up a 2-run HR to the second batter of the game then a throwing error by the 3B leading to 2 more unearned runs.  Looking up and a 4-0 deficit as you walk off the field before your team has sent a batter to the plate is daunting.  He gave up another run in the 2'nd but settled down to go two more scoreless inning and his teammates eventually picked him up.  Learning experience for the rook and a lesson in perseverance.  

Alex Wood LHP- 4 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, GO/AO= 4.55.  Wood is the unsung hero of this game.  Pitching what could be viewed as mop-up duty, he kept the game close enough for his team to come back.  At this point in his career, Wood might consider embracing that role.  It's a valuable role and one that extended the career and career earnings of many pitchers.

Camilo Doval RHP- 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K.  Doval got the last out in the 9'th then prevented the "ghost runner" from scoring in the 10'th setting up the walk off win.

The Win got the Giants a full game closer to the final Wild Card playoff spot. They and the Marlins now trail the D'Backs and Reds by 0.5 games.

The Giants start a 4-game series in Coors Field tomorrow evening with Logan Webb RHP facing Chase Anderson RHP.

Churn Watch:  Patrick Bailey C came off the concussion IL and Joey Bart C is optioned to AAA Sacramento.  

Down on the Farm: 9/12/2023

 AAA:  Sugarland Space Cowboys pounded the Sacramento River Cats 8-1.

Tyler Fitzgerald SS- 2 for 3, BB.  BA= .283.

Tristan Beck RHP- 2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 5.32.

AA:  Richmond Flying Squirrels edged out the Erie Seawolves 4-3.

Will Wilson SS- 1 for 4, HR(5).  BA= .214.

Brady Whalen 1B- 1 for 4, HR(5).  BA= .276.

Victor Bericoto RF- 2 for 4, HR(10).  BA= .233.

Carson Seymour RHP- 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 5 K's, GO/AO= 7/1.  ERA= 3.99.

A+:  The A levels finished their regular season this weekend.  The Eugene Emeralds are not in the NWL Postseason.

A:  Modesto Nuts outscored the San Jose Giants 6-5(10 innings)(Game 1 of division playoffs, best 2 of 3).

Cole Foster SS- 2 for 5, 2B.

Turner Hill CF- 2 for 3, BB, HBP.  

Diego Velasquez 2B- 2 for 4. 

Scott Bandura RF- 2 for 5, 2 2B. 

Tyler Vogel RHP- 3 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 7 K's.  

Game Wrap 9/12/2023: Guardians 3 Giants 1

 Sean Manaea came within one out of a Quality Start and pitched better than that, but it was all for naught as the Giants offense sputtered against Cal Quantrill RHP.  Key Lines:

Blake Sabol C- 1 for 3, HR13), BB.  BA= .244.  Sabol's HR over the CF wall in the 5'th inning tied the score at 1.  He had another deep FB die at the warning track as did LMWJ and Luis Matos.  Sabol is 2 for 5 over his last 2 games.  He may be playing himself into a MLB job for next season.

Sean Manaea LHP- 5.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K's, GO/AO= 10/1.  ERA= 4.80.   For those of you may who think the Giants pitching struggles are due to bad pitching coaching, here's a counterpoint.  Sean Manaea was signed as a reclamation project all the way.  He was awful last season.  He added about 3 MPH to his FB after he started working with Giants coaches but that did not translate into improved results at the beginning of the season.  He was banished to the bullpen.  To his credit, pitching in an, ahem.....eclectic role, he turned his season around with a 3.89 ERA over his last 15 appearances and 3.51 over his last 7.  At this point I think we should consider him successfully reclaimed.  I would not even be shocked if he opted out of the last year of his contract and tested free agency again. You've got to think 1 year/$12 M is his absolute floor in free agency so he has very little to lose by putting himself on the market again.

As I said in the intro, Manaea pitched much better than his line looks.  You can chalk this loss up to the questionable defensive positioning and a key error by LMWJ.  Three times, the Giants had perfect GIDP groundballs to SS only to get just one out because Thairo Estrada 2B was positioned so far to the right he couldn't get to the bag in time to receive the feed from Brandon Crawford SS.  One of those missed opportunities led directly to the Guardians run in the first inning.  I am sure FZ and Kap can show you data which shows over a large sample that their positioning prevents more runs but one game is not a large sample and that's not how it worked in this one.  Kruk and Kuip were openly frustrated.  Then LMWJ's bobble with 2 outs in the 6'th inning loaded the bases.  Manaea came out and Ryan Walker RHP gave up a 2-run single.  Game over.  With clean defense Manaea could have had 6 shutout innings and the Giants could have won 1-0.

The D'Backs lost so the Giants remain 1.5 games behind in the race for the third and final Wild Card playoff spot, but fall 0.5 games behind the Reds who are the closest to the D'Backs.

Kyle Harrison LHP tries for a series win this afternoon against Logan Allen LHP a rookie who the Giants have never faced and who has pitched well this season.  Hmm......

Game Wrap 9/11/2023: Giants 5 Guardians 4(10 innings)

 Blake Sabol drove in the tying run in the bottom of the 10'th inning then score on a walkoff single by Lamonte Wade Jr in a resilient Giants win.  Key Lines:  

Mike Yastrzemski RF- 2 for 3, 2B, HR(14).  BA= .254.  YtY is on a tear, batting .410 over his last 15 games.  Per Kruk and Kuip his recent success may stem from a happy birthday call he made to his Uncle Carl who, before Mike could get out the well wishes said, "you're taking too many pitches!"  OK then, I guess when your Grandpa Carl is a HOF'er, you best pay attention.  Then he gets taken out of the game for a PH.  As another HOF'er, Vin Scully, would say, "go figure!"  

Joc Pederson DH- 2 for 4, BB.  BA= .249.  He was also the "ghost runner" in the 10'th inning and scored the tying run.  Joc is 5 for 12 over his last 3 games and he's raised his BA from a nadir of .230 on August 7.  As slim as the pickings are for free agency this winter, the Giants might think about bringing him back on a short term contract with lower AAV.  Coming off a QO contract, I would also think Joc may want to test his market and the Giants might want to let him. 

Blake Sabol PH/C- 1 for 2.  BA= .243.  Speaking of coming back next year, as Sabol was struggling with glove angles trying to catch Camilo Doval's high octane stuff, I wondered out loud what the future holds for him?  He answered that by taking over the game at the plate in the bottom of the 10'th inning.  Sabol entered the game earlier as a PH for J. D. Davis 3B and after Austin Slater PH for Joey Bart C.  My friend pointed out that Kap probably prefers Sabol's LH bat over Bart's RH bat and Bart does not have Sabol's position flexibility so the prediction here is, barring injury, that Sabol will be the back up C next season with Bart either optioned back to AAA or traded.

Lamonte Wade Jr 1B- 3 for 5.  BA= .258.  Late Night Lamonte rides again!  After slumping in the second half, LMWJ is on a .375 tear over his last 7 games and had the walk-off hit tonight.

Austin Slater PH/CF- 2 for 2.  BA= .258.  Kap rolled the dice again by PH for his catcher with only 1 backup.  Slater delivered the PH and an additional base hit but ended up not figuring in the scoring.

Alex Cobb RHP- 5 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 3.62.  Cobb's start was pushed back due to getting a cortisone injection for something called a hip impingement.  He was clearly in pain in the first inning and not finishing off his pitches.  I was 99% sure the trainer was going to take him out of the game after a particularly painful looking pitch.  Cobb stayed in and got through the inning then all but limped off the field.  I was again sure he would not come out for the the second inning.  He seemed noticeably more comfortable in the second inning but gave up a 2-run bomb to one of the Naylors in the third inning.  He still stayed in the game to finish 5 innings.  Wonder how he'll feel when he gets up in the morning?

The Win put the Giants into a tie with the Marlins for the top non-playoff team in the NL but still trail the D'Backs for the first Wild Card playoff spot by 1.5 games.

Sean Manaea LHP finally gets a Start tonight facing Cal Quantrill RHP.

Churn Watch:  Patrick Bailey C is reportedly ready to come off the concussion IL as soon as he is eligible.  That would be in 2 days this Wed.  Michael Conforto OF and Ross Stripling RHP are playing simulated games and appear close to being ready to return.  Stripling is chirping that he's ready to return now.  He's unhappy with the lack of clarity in his role but when pressed about whether he plans to opt out of his contract, he admitted he has not pitched well enough to opt out and plans to return next season on a 1 year deal which may prove to be a good deal for both parties as he is a decent bet to bounce back next season.

Down on the Farm: 9/10/2023

 AAA:  Sacramento River Cats blanked the Las Vegas Aviators 3-0.

Wade Meckler LF- 2 for 5, 3B.  BA= .419.

Tyler Fitzgerald SS- 1 for 3, 2B, 2 BB.  BA= .280.

Kai-Wei Teng RHP- 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 8 K's, GO/AO= 4/1.  ERA= 3.52.

Not sure what to make of Teng.  He has 155 K's in 116.1 IP but with 58 BB's.  Ratios almost identical to last year which was exclusively AA.  He is Rule 5 Draft eligible and might even be eligible for minor league free agency.

AA:  Akron Rubber Ducks edged out the Richmond Flying Squirrels 1-0.

Ryan Murphy RHP- 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K's.  ERA= 3.91.

Wil Jensen RHP- 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 2.60.

A couple more Rule 5 guys.  Giants obviously don't have the 40-man roster bandwidth to protect all of these.  Would any of them be able to stick on a MLB active roster for a full season?

A+:  Eugene Emeralds defeated the Everett Aquasox 7-4.

Jared Dupere RF- 3 for 4, HR(12).  BA= .246.

Zach Morgan C- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .292.

Andrew Kachel 1B- 2 for 3, 2 2B, BB.  BA= .250.

Trevor McDonald RHP- 4 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 0.96.

Matt Mikulski LHP- 3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 6.75.

Trevor McDonald is another tough Rule 5 decision coming up.  Mikulski has had a rough two seasons.

A:   Stockton Ports pounded the San Jose Giants 13-5.

Bryce Eldridge RF- 0 for 2, 3 BB.  BA= .293.

Justin Wishkoski 1B- 3 for 5, 2B.  BA= .209.

Charlie Szykowny 3B- 1 for 3, 2B, BB.  BA= .239.

Trent Harris RHP- 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 0.00.

Luis Moreno RHP- 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 4.18.

Game Wrap 9/10/2023: Giants 6 Rockies 3

The Giants roared back from an early 3-0 deficit to notch an easy win and sweep the Rockies.  Key Lines:

Mike Yastrzemski RF- 1 for 3, 2B, 2 BB.  BA= .249.  Although he didn't figure in the scoring, YtY did what a leadoff batter is supposed to do reaching base 3 times in 5 PA's.  He's hitting .421 over his last 7 games and .405 over his last 15.  Please stay health ROY, YtY!

Thairo Estrada 2B- 2 for 5, 3B, HR(12).  BA= .274.  Thairo tripled in the first inning and was stranded at 3B.  He made sure that didn't happen in the third inning with a HR over the L-CF corner which is a pretty good poke.

Joc Pederson DH- 2 for 4, HR(13).  BA= .246.  Joc added in insurance run in the 5'th inning with a HR.  Does Joc have more late/post season magic in him?  His slash line over the last 7 games is .286/.310/.464 and .326/.404/.565 over his last 15.  

Lamonte Wade Jr 1B- 2 for 4.  BA= .253.  LMWJ has scuffled over the past month but got 2 hits and scored 2 in this game.

Mitch Haniger LF- 2 for 3, 2B, HR(6), BB.  BA= .224.  Haniger homers in his second consecutive game and is 4 for 10 over his last  3 games.  He may be the key to the Giants stretch run and posteason hopes.

Keaton Winn RHP- 6 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 0 BB, 9 K's, GO/AO= 7/2.  ERA= 3.55.  A Quality Start for Winn and much better than the line looks.  He gave up a 3-spot in the 2'nd inning starting with a shot that caromed off his leg that knocked him down and resulted in an IF hit.  A bunt single put a second runner on base then a triple to CF that Luis Matos might have caught with a better route then a Sac Fly to drive in the triple.  Considering the Sac Fly was the first out of the inning, Winn recovered quite nicely and was dominant over the next 4 innings.  

Ryan Walker RHP, Tyler Rogers RHP and Camilo Doval RHP shut down the Rockies over the last 3 innings with Doval earning his 37'th Save.

The Win cut the Giants deficit in the Wild Card race to 1.5 games, tied with the Reds and trailing the D'Backs by the 1.5 games and the Marlins by 1 game.

Alex Cobb RHP comes back from a cortisone shot for hip impingement to start the first of a 3-game series against the Guardians facing Gavin Williams RHP.  Williams is a rookie who the Giants have never faced so that's not a good sign.

Down on the Farm: 9/9/2023

 AAA:  Las Vegas Aviators defeated the Sacramento River Cats 8-5.

Wade Meckler LF- 2 for 4, BB.  BA= .421.

Trenton Brooks DH- 1 for 4, HR(21), BB.  BA= .296.

Luis Gonzalez RF- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .255.

Meck, Brooks and Gonzalez are three similar players at different stations their careers.  Brooks has a clear advantage on HR power.  Meckler has the advantage of being able to play a passable CF.  Meckler is on the 40-man roster.  Was he added too soon?  Brooks has never played at the MLB level, but his minor league numbers suggest he deserves a chance somewhere.  Gonzalez has MLB experience but was dropped from the 40-man roster and passed through waivers after coming off an extended IL stint for back surgery.

AA:  Richmond Flying Squirrels edged out the Akron Rubber Ducks 5-4.

Ismael Munguia CF- 1 for 5, HR(6).  BA= .283.

Yoshi Tsutsugo LF- 2 for 4.  BA= .355.

Brady Whalen 3B- 2 for 4, SB(3).  BA= .275.

Andy Thomas C- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .225.

Logan Wyatt 1B- 2 for 3, 2B, BB.  BA= .259.

Hayden Birdsong RHP- 4 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 4.74.

A+:  Eugene Emeralds beat the Everett Aquasox 7-4. 

Grant McCray CF- 1 for 2, 2B, 2 BB, 2 SB(52).  BA= .258.

Luis Toribio 3B- 2 for 4, 2B, HR(17).  BA= .231.

Eric Silva RHP- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 5.92.

Travis Kiest RHP- 2.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 3.96.

Cameron Cotter RHP- 2.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K's, Save(1).  ERA= 1.00.

Tough 40-man roster decision coming up on McCray.

A:  Stockton Ports shut down the San Jose Giants 3-0.

Bryce Eldridge DH- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .304.

Travis Vogel RHP- 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K's.  ERA- 4.27.

Game Wrap 9/9/2023: Giants 9 Rockies 1

 The Giants scored early and often in a runaway win.  Key Lines:

Mike Yastrzemski RF- 4 for 5, 2 2B.  BA= .248.  YtY has had a pretty good season but every time it seemed like he was starting on a sustained hot stretch, he's been injured.  Maybe he can hold it together for the stretch run?  Love seeing a line like this at the top of the batting order.

Thairo Estrada 2B- 1 for 5, HR(11), SB(20).  BA= .272.  Estrada returns after missing one game with conjunctivitis.  The HR was a 2-run shot in the first inning to give Logan Webb the lead, a situation Webb has seldom been in this season.

J. D. Davis 3B- 2 for 3, 2B, BB.  BA= .252.  Davis struggled after the All-Star break but he's batting .346 over his last 7 games.

Luis Matos CF- 2 for 4.  BA= .271.  Matos is 7 for 12 over his last 3 games.

Logan Webb RHP- 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K's, GO/AO= 12/0, 93 pitches.  ERA= 3.40.  Webb needed an easy start and he got one.  A stroll in the park with an early lead at his back.  I think this is his 21'st QS of the season.

The Giants remain 2.5 games behind the D'Backs for the 3'rd and final Wild Card playoff spot.  The Marlins are ahead of the Giants by a game.

The Giants go for series sweeeep tomorrow afternoon with TBD facing Peter Lambert RHP.

Austin Slater OF remains DTD with dizziness.

Down on the Farm: 9/8/2023

 AAA:  Las Vegas Aviators outbombed the Sacramento River Cats in the desert 11-10.

Wade Meckler CF- 2 for 6.  BA= .412.

Trenton Brooks LF- 2 for 4, 2B, HR(20).  BA= .296.

Armando Alvarez 3B/1B- 3 for 5, 2B, HR(16).  BA= .313.

Bryce Johnson RF- 2 for 4, BB.  BA= .301.

Jackson Reetz C- 2 for 2, 2 HR(13), 3 BB.  BA= .248.

Sean Hjelle RHP- 3.2 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 5 BB, 6 K's.  ERA= 6.33.

Melvin Adon RHP- 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 7.56.

Trenton Brooks is a player I would like to see at the MLB level at some point.  I had such high hopes for Sean Hjelle at the beginning of the season.  Very disappointing year for him.

AA:  Richmond Flying Squirrels sank the Akron Rubber Ducks 13-7.

Ismael Munguia LF- 2 for 6, SB(13).  BA= .285.

Will Wilson SS- 2 for 5, BB.  BA= .212.

Yoshi Tsutsugo DH- 3 for 4, HR(3), BB.  BA= .333.

Brady Whalen 1B- 3 for 5, 2B.  BA= .267.

Hunter Dula RHP- 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 10.29.

What is Yoshi Tsutsugo doing in the organization?  He has 640 career MLB PA's but is playing in AA on a minor league deal.  He was signed later in the season so it may be one of those deals that extends to next season.  He's a 3-true outcomes type hitter who seems limited to 1B and DH.

A+:  Everett Aquasox blanked the Eugene Emeralds 1-0.

Hayden Wynja LHP- 4 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 K's.  ERA= 4.40.

Pretty sure Wynja will have a place in my 2024 Giants Top 50 Prospect list.

A:  San Jose Giants destroyed the Stockton Ports 14-1.

Cole Foster SS- 3 for 6, SB(2).  BA= .232.

Diego Velasquez DH- 3 for 5, 2 2B(32), HR(8).  BA= .300.

Bryce Eldridge RF- 3 for 4, 2B, 2 BB. BA= .288.

Justin Wishkoski 3B- 2 for 4, HBP.  BA= .158.

Luke Shliger C- 5 for 6, 2B.  BA= .298.

Joe Whitman LHP- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 3.18.

Marques Johnson RHP- 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K's, Save(1).  ERA= 0.00.

Cole Foster seems to be finding some traction after a slow transition from the complex to full season ball.  I am pretty sure Bryce Eldridge will be top 5 in my 2024 Giants Top 50 Prospect list.  Diego Velasquez won't be far behind.  What a season he has had!  Marques Johnson has 10 K's and 0 BB's in 5 IP over his last 2 appearances.  He was drafted in 2022 by the Red Sox so has 2 years of development before Rule 5 Draft eligibility.  Very intriguing pitching prospect!

Game Wrap 9/8/2023:

The Giants came back from a 4-run deficit and another 3-run deficit to outscore the Rockies at Coor's Field West.  Key Lines:

Luis Matos CF- 3 for 4, 2 2B, BB.  BA= .266.  Matos is establishing himself as a long term asset.  He is batting .409 over his last 7 games and .359 over his last 15.  He almost made a rookie mistake on his second double when he thought the ball was going out and tried to slap hands with first base coach Antoan Richardson who save the rook by pulling his hand back.   Matos has pretty good secondary stats and an extremely low HR/FB ratio which I think will correct when as his body matures and he gains strength.  Strength is something he may want to work on over the winter.

Wilmer Flores 1B- 3 for 4, HR(22), BB.  BA= .290.  Another great offensive game for Wilmer highlighted by the first of back-to-back-to-back HR's with Mitch Haniger RF and J. D. Davis 3B which erased a 4-run deficit in the 6'th inning.

Paul DeJong SS/2B- 2 for 4.  BA= .208.  Maybe there is hope for DeJong to help down the stretch?

Mike Yastrzemski PH/RF- 2 for 2.  BA= .238.  Kap rolled the dice and YtY for Joey Bart C and it paid off with 2 hits and 2 runs which was ultimately the difference in the game.

Blake Sabol LF/C- 1 for 3, HR(12), HBP.  BA= .245.  Sabol started in LF when Austin Slater was a late scratch with dizziness.  He then moved behind the plate when Kap PH for Joey Bart.  This almost blew up in Kap's face when Sabol was HBP on the hand but he was able to stay in the game. Sabol has scuffled in the second half but showed again why the Giants are determined to keep him on the active roster through the season.  Next year he will be eligible for the first of 3 option years when he is out from under the Rule 5 Draft restrictions.

Kyle Harrison LHP- 5 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K's.  ERA= 4.87.  Harrison pitched better than the line looks.  There was only one hard-hit ball in the Rockies 3-run 2'nd inning.  Young Kyle then settled down to pitch scoreless innings in the 3'rd, 4'th and 5'th before Nolan Jones led off the 6'th with a HR.

The Giants remain 2.5 games off the pace for the third and final Wild Card Playoff spot.

Logan Webb RHP tries make it two wins in a row tomorrow evening facing Chase Anderson RHP.  Alex Cobb RHP's scheduled start is pushed back after a cortisone shot for a hip impingement.

Churn Watch:  Thairo Estrada was also a late scratch due to conjunctivitis.  Yikes!  Conjunctivitis tends to be highly contagious.

Down on the Farm: 9/7/2023

AAA:  Las Vegas Aviators strafed the Sacramento River Cats 9-3.

Wade Meckler LF- 2 for 3, BB.  BA= .429.

Tyler Fitzgerald CF- 2 for 4.  BA= .283.

Trenton Brooks 1B- 1 for 4, HR(19).  BA= .294.

AA:  Richmond Flying Squirrels outscored the Akron Rubber Ducks 6-5.

Will Wilson SS- 1 for 4, HR(4), BB.  BA= .204.

Carter Aldrete 3B- 2 for 3, 2B, HR(13).  BA= .223.

Brandon Martorano C- 1 for 3, HR(5), BB.  BA= .196.

Nick Zwack LHP- 4 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 6.46.

Spencer Bivens RHP- 4 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 5 K's.  ERA= 4.00.

Ben Madison RHP- 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 3.30.

A+:  Everett Aquasox pounded the Eugene Emeralds 8-1.

Grant McCray CF- 1 for 3, HR(14), BB.  BA= .257.

A:  San Jose Giants outlasted the Stockton Ports 5-4(10 innings).

Turner Hill CF- 3 for 5, 2B.  BA= .291.

Dilan Rosario DH- 3 for 4, 2 2B, HR(4).  BA= .253.

Cale Lansville RHP- 3 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 6 K's.  ERA= 5.14.

Jorge Garcia RHP- 3 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 3.91.

Luis Moreno RHP- 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K's.  ERA= 4.29.

Trent Harris RHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 0.00.

Down on the Farm: 9/6/2023

AAA:  Sacramento River Cats outscored the Las Vegas Aviators 9-6.

Tyler Fitzgerald SS- 3 for 6, HR(19).  BA= .281.

Trenton Brooks 1B- 2 for 3,  3 BB.  BA= .295.

David Villar 3B- 3 for 6, 2B, HR(14).  BA= .277.

Luis Gonzalez LF- 3 for 4, 2 BB, SB(6).  BA= .256.

Bryce Johnson CF- 2 for 4, 2 BB, SB(16).  BA= .297.

Erik Miller LHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K's, Save(10).  ERA= 2.53.  

AA:  Richmond Flying Squirrels outlasted the Akron Rubber Ducks 5-4(10 innings).

Ismael Munguia CF- 1 for 5, HR(5).  BA= .284.

Carson Seymour RHP- 3.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 6 K's.  ERA= 4.10.

Wil Jensen RHP- 3.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 2.70.

Per Roger Munter on X, Carson Seymour struck out 5 of first 6 batters he faced with 97 MPH FB and slider as K pitch.

A+:  Everett Aquasox topped the Eugene Emeralds 6-5(10 innings).

Grant McCray CF- 1 for 3, 2 BB, SB(50).  BA= .256.

Damon Dues 2B- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .306.

Eric Silva RHP- 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 6.08.

A:  San Jose Giants blanked the Stockton Ports 5-0.

Turner Hill CF- 1 for 3, BB, SB(27).  BA= .286.

Justin Wishkoski 3B- 1 for 3, HR(1), BB.  BA= .097.

Nomar Medina LHP- 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K's.  ERA= 5.19.

Tyler Vogel RHP- 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K's.  ERA= 4.41.

Medina has had his ups and downs this season but still young for the level and has 2 years of development before Rule 5 Draft eligibility.

Game Wrap 9/6/2023: Cubs 8 Giants 2

 Alex Wood LHP emerged from Gabe Kapler's doghouse.....and did a faceplant.  The Cubs scored 3 runs in the first inning and you had to know the game was already over.  A dead cat bounce but Wood in a scoreless second inning then two more runs(the 2'nd run in the third inning was an inherited runner Ryan Walker RHP allowed to score.  Kap used 5 pitchers in the game.  The only one who did not contribute to the Cubs scoring was Camilo Doval RHP who pitched mop-up just because he needed work.

The Giants actually got 10 hits in the game including 4 doubles.  That should be enough to produces more than 2 runs but they were.....well, scattered.  

The silver lining comes from Luis Matos OF who should not have been sent down to the minors and Casey Schmitt IF who has been a fast learner on the fly.  They had 2 hits each including a double by Schmitt.  Matos is hitting .300 over his last 7 games and .315 over his last 15.  Schmitt is hitting .333 over his last 7 games.  Oh, and Schmitt also made a sensational play at 3B.  I see the point of this season as establishing building blocks.  Add Matos and Schmitt to the list.  When looked at in that light, the season is already an unqualified success.

The loss dropped the Giants 2.5 games behind the Marlins for the last Wild Card playoff spot.

The Giants get a travel day to return home and regroup.  Kyle Harrison LHP faces Forever Giant Ty Blach LHP in the homestand opener on Friday.

Down on the Farm: 9/5/2023

AAA:  Sacramento River Cats pounded the Las Vegas Aviators 9-1.  

Heliot Ramos RF- 2 for 4, BB, SB(9).  BA= .324.

Bryce Johnson CF- 3 for 3, HR(8), BB, SB(15).  BA= .293.

Kai-Wei Teng RHP- 5.1 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 3.80.

Juan Sanchez LHP- 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 4.34.

Joey Bart C was pulled from the game after 1 AB presumably to fly post-haste to Chicago in case Patrick Bailey C has to go one the concussion IL.

AA:  Richmond Flying Squirrels defeated the Akron Rubber Ducks 4-2.

Yoshi Tsutsugo DH- 1 for 3, HR(2), BB.  BA= .250.

Brady Whalen 1B- 1 for 3, HR(4).  BA= .252. 

Sean Roby 3B- 2 for 3.  BA= .219.

Ryan Murphy RHP- 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K's. ERA= 4.10.

Hunter Dula RHP- 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 14.40.

A+:  Eugene Emeralds were apparently idle.

A:  Stockton Ports beat the San Jose Giants 5-3.

Cole Foster SS- 2 for 4.  BA= .213.

Quinn McDaniel 2B- 1 for 3, HR(3), BB.  BA= .367.

Dylan Cumming RHP- 5 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K's.  ERA= 2.60.

Marques Johnson RHP- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 0.00.

Game Wrap 9/5/2023: Cubs 11 Giants 8

The Giants lineup wore their hitting shoes today but a parade of 6 bullpen pitchers got lit up and were not helped by sloppy defense in a high-scoring loss.  Key Lines:

Lamonte Wade Jr. 1B- 1 for 3, HR(14).  BA= .251.

Mike Yastrzemski RF- 1 for 3, HR(13).  BA= .232.

Wilmer Flores DH- 2 for 4, 2B, HR(21).  BA= .288.

Joc Pederson LF- 3 for 4, 2 2B, BB.  BA= .246.

J. D. Davis 3B/1B- 3 for 5, 2B, HR(16).  BA= .249.

These are the guys who need to produce if the Giants have any hope of making a playoff run.  Now they just need to do it when the pitching is more effective.  Not to take anything away from Wilmer Flores' career year, but I'm pretty sure I made a comment early in the season that it would not be a good sign if he had to carry the offense again as he did last year.  Well, he's carrying it again and no, that's not a good thing.  

The loss was the Giants 5'th in a row and drops them 2 games behind the Reds in the race for the final Wild Card Playoff spot.

TBD pitches for the Giants tomorrow facing Jordan Wicks LHP who will be making his 3'rd career start and I think we all know what THAT means!

Churn Watch:  John Brebbia RHP was activated from the 60 day IL.  Tristan Beck RHP was optioned to AAA Sacramento and A. J. Pollock OF was released.

Patrick Bailey C who entered the game as a PH for Blake Sabol C suffered a blow to the chin on a play at the plate and suffered a possible concussion.  Joey Bart C may get his shot at proving his resurgence in AAA Sacramento is not a mirage.

Down on the Farm: 9/4/2023

Not sure why the Ems were playing on a Monday but they were the only farm team in action today.  

Everett Aquasox edged out the Eugene Emeralds 2-1.

Aeverson Arteaga SS- 4 for 5.  BA= .242.

Trevor McDonald RHP- 4.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K's, GO/AO= 11/0.  ERA= 0.53.

Arteaga's second half surge continues.  I feel like he has put himself in a great position for next season and beyond.  One of the youngest players in A+ ball at age 20 he's stayed healthy and built up his AB's while showing consistent improvement as the season went along.  He still has a year of development before the Giants have to make a Rule 5 Draft decision on him.  Trevor McDonald does have a Rule 5 decision coming up.  He fits the profile of very Rule 5 vulnerable prospect so the Giants probably need to seriously consider adding him to the 40 man roster this offseason.

Game Wrap 9/4/2023: Cubs 5 Giants 0

 The headline on sfgiants.com says "Giants show readiness to 'scratch and claw' for edge.  I'm not sure whatthehell Shaun O'Neill was talking about or when they showed this readiness but there was definitely not "scratching and clawing" today as they lost their fourth non-competitive game in a row.  This one might have been the most non-competitive of the four!  Key Lines:

Logan Webb RHP- 6.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 4 K's, GO/AO= 11/1.  ERA= 3.51.  Webby pitched his 20'th Quality Start out of 29.  Once again it wasn't good enough as his W-L record dropped to 9-12.  

Tristan Beck RHP- 1.1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, GO/AO= 3/1.  ERA= 4.04.  So Beck started Friday night in San Diego and pitched mop-up duty today.  I've been somewhat of a Kap apologist but this is complete chaos.  Right now, there are 3, or at most 4, pitchers with identifiable roles.  I get that some of the chaos is an organic result of performance failures but this has to change.  It reminds me a lot of the way Felipe Alou managed pitchers only more so.  The one thing Bruce Bochy, who will be in the Hall of Fame for his managing, did that turned the Giants around when he took over was establishing roles from top to bottom.  Of course Brian Sabean went out and got him pitchers who performed in those roles but how many people saw Brian Wilson as the Closer when Boch put him in that role and stuck with him?  

This loss will almost surely drop the Giants out of a tie for the last Wild Card playoff spot.

Tomorrow it's TBD facing Kyle Hendricks RHP whose assortment of offspeed stuff often flummoxes Giants hitters.

Down on the Farm: 9/3/2023

AAA:  Albuquerque Isotopes defeated the Sacramento River Cats 8-5.

Luis Matos LF- 1 for 4, HR(9), BB.  BA= .356.

Tyler Fitzgerald SS-2 for 4, HR(18), BB.  BA= .278.

Heliot Ramos RF- 2 for 3, 2 BB.  BA= .321.

Luis Gonzalez DH- 2 for 5, HR(1).  BA= .234.

Mason Black RHP- 6 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 6 K's.  ERA= 3.94.

Erik Miller LHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 2.58.

Erik Miller has a 0.00 ERA since July 30 with 18 K's and 6 BB's in 11.1 IP.

AA:  Albuquerque Isotopes outscored the Hartford Yard Goats 9-6.  

Ismael Munguia CF- 1 for 4, BB. SF.  BA= .289.

Victor Bericoto RF- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .240.

Shane Matheny 3B- 2 for 5, 2B.  BA= .256.

Ben Madison RHP- 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 3.41.

A+:  Tri-City Dust Devils topped the Eugene Emeralds 8-7.

Onil Perez C- 2 for 3, 3B, BB, SB(2).  BA= .353.

Brett Auerbach 3B- 2 for 4, HR(5), 2 SB(13).  BA= .224.

Seth Corry LHP- 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 2.25.

Not sure what to make of Onil Perez.  The man can obviously hit. The part that doesn't pass the eye test is foot speed.  He does not look fast but has a remarkable number of SB's and legged out a triple in this game.

A:  Lake Elsinore Storm beat the San Jose Giants 5-4.

Scott Bandura CF- 1 for 3, HR(2), BB.  BA= .286.

Cole Foster SS- 1 for 2, 2B, 2 BB.  BA= .200.