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.
it's time to DFA alex wood after this stinker, time to start the clock on Mason Black and give Keaton Winn some leeway to start for the rest of the year. if kapler fails to adjust on identifying roles next year and continues with the lineup blender, there will be a managerial vacancy in 2025.
ReplyDeleteI am starting to get worried about a prospect logjam on the 40-man roster. Probably time to pump the brakes on promoting any who don't need to be protected from the Rule 5 Draft this winter.
Deletekai-wei teng might be the name that fits the rule 5 bill that should get an opportunity to get a call up to start at this point.
DeleteAlex Wood? To borrow from My Cousin Vinny, I got no more use for this guy. That really ought to be his last appearance for the Giants; he's been mostly lousy for the last year or two and won't be re-signed; he has no future. No reason not to give his spot back to Beck or one of the 40-man guys like Randy Rodriguez or Jose Cruz. Need to make some evaluations on the prospect logjam mentioned above. Or even could drop someone to look at Teng, as Rob suggests, or another Rule 5 decision-point pitcher.
DeleteSpeaking of Rule 5, do you know of any reliable list of Giants prospects who will be facing Rule 5 exposure over the winter?
The way I think of Rule 5 eligibility is that it's the winter after 4 pro seasons for college draftees and 5 for HS and most international signings. Unfortunately you have to count the season they were drafted in and 2020 counts even though they didn't play.
Deleterandy rodriguez is a bright prospect but, don't expect him up until next year.
DeleteI asked my friend who is a Giants fan what is his take on the Giants. His answer was no playoffs but he liked their young players coming up. play the kids!
ReplyDeleteTheir next 10 games will determine the season: they are all with opponents who have worse records (at this writing) so each is a "worse" team but may have a better pitcher.
ReplyDeleteWe should know by the end of the first series with Colorado at Oracle if there is hope, with Harrison, Cobb, and Webb starting.
Put out the best team!
Win Baby Win, or bring on the rooks.
Play the kids!!! Bring Heliot back up too, gotta see what we have for next season.
ReplyDeleteIMHO > The Giants are done.
ReplyDeleteThe kids are the good story,
The bad news is $70 Million in contracts for next year to Conforto, Haniger, Maneae, Stripling, and Desclafani!!
So even if we wanted Ohtani, no bucks,
Richard in Winnipeg.
The good news on those veteran contracts is it's still a relatively small percentage of their total payroll and the "kids" are essentially free. Also , they are all one year deals except Haniger. There is almost no such thing as a bad one year deal.
DeleteA day off brings out the weak-of-heart: do you quit when a possible post season slips to unlikely?
ReplyDeleteThe next 3 games could sink the Giants, or 6 games, or 10, but as long as there is a believable path to the Playoffs exist, don't give up!
Friday, 7:34 PM: SSDD
ReplyDelete7:40 more of the same, ok, won't have to stay up late
ReplyDeleteLOL!
DeleteWow! Was I wrong!
Delete