Down on the Farm: 5/15/2024

AAA:  Sacramento River Cats defeated the Oklahoma City Baseball Club(Dodgers) 4-1:

Hunter Bishop CF- 2 for 4, HR(1).  BA= .375.

Trenton Brooks 1B- 0 for 2, 2 BB, SB(5).  BA= .259.

Brett Auerbach 2B- 2 for 3.  BA= .364.

Carson Whisenhunt LHP- 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 6 K's.  ERA= 6.16.

Reggie Crawford LHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K.  ERA= 0.00.

Spencer Bivens RHP- 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's, Save(6).  ERA= 3.41.

LOL Hunter Bishop!  Maybe we see him in Oracle Park before the end of the season?  Talk about the last laugh!

AA:  Richmond Flying Squirrels beat the Reading Fightin' Phils 6-4:

Jimmy Glowenke 2B- 2 for 4.  BA= .246.

Grant McCray CF- 2 for 4, 2 2B.  BA= .148.

Luis Toribio 3B- 1 for 3, 2B, BB.  BA= .179

Adrian Sugastey C- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .205.

Evan Gates RHP- 2.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 0.95.

Wil Jensen RHP- 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 1.95.

McCray moves down in the order and promptly gets 2 hits, both doubles.

A+:  Everett. Aquasox topped the Eugene Emeralds 5-4:

Andrew Kachel 1B- 3 for 5, HR(2).  BA= .275.

Alexander Suarez CF- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA- .235.

Nick Morreale RHP- 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 3.00.

A:  San Jose Giants crushed the Modesto Nuts 16-5:

Jonah Cox CF- 3 for 7, SB(21).  BA= .345.

Cole Foster DH- 2 for 3, 2B, BB, 2 HBP.  BA= .284.

Bryce Eldridge 1B- 1 for 5, HR(3), BB.  BA= .247.

Charlie Szykowny 3B- 0 for 3, 2 BB, SF.  BA- .357.

Bo Davidson LF- 3 for 4, 2 2B, 2 HBP.  BA= .217.

Ubert Mejias RHP- 4 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 6 K's.  ERA= 4.75.

Shane Rademacher RHP- 3 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K's.  ERA= 2.74.

Bryce Eldridge is batting .295 with a .360 OBP for the month of May so far.

Game Wrap 5/15/2024: Giants 4 Dodgers 1

Mike Yastrzemski's 2-run home run provided the offensive spark to give Logan Webb a win preventing another humiliating sweep at the hands of the Dodgers.  Key Lines:

Mike Yastrzemski RF- 2 for 4, HR(4).  BA= .223.   YtY's second 2-hit game in a row.  Let's hope this is the start of a hot streak for him.  The Giants need it now more than ever.

Heliot Ramos LF- 1 for 4, 2B.  BA= .310.  Ramos' double drove in an insurance run in the 6'th as he continues to look like he belongs in the major leagues.

Luis Matos CF- 1 for 4.  BA= .250.  Matos was coming off a rough night in CF but made a spectacular catch to rob Teoscar Hernandez of a HR in the 4'th inning.  Matos crumpled to the ground in a scene that seemed like deja vu all over again but he got up, brushed himself off and stayed in the game to deliver another insurance RBI in the 8'th.  Not every CF makes that play.

Curt Casali C- 1 for 2, BB.  BA= .500.  Casali was signed before the game today to stabilize a reeling catching position.  He scored ahead of YtY's HR and generally looked much more in command behind the plate than we've seen since Patrick Bailey hit the IL.  Good move by FZ!

Logan Webb RHP- 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 6 K's, GO/AO= 6/3.  ERA= 3.03.  About as solid a starting pitching performance as you are going to get against the Dodgers.  

Camilo Doval RHP- 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K's, Save(7).  ERA= 3.18.  Doval seems to have found another level with his FB blowing 102 MPH FB's on the corners by batters.  Makes his slider so much more effective.  

With the Win, the Giants close to just 1.5 games behind in the Wild Card race.

The Win also helps the Giants enjoy their day off at home.  They open a series against the Rockies on Friday with Kyle Harrison LHP facing Ryan Feltner RHP.

Churn Watch:  

As noted above, Curt Casali was signed to MLB contract before the game with Jakson Reetz C optioned to AAA Sacramento and Tom Murphy C transferred to the 60-day IL to make room on the 40-man roster.

Keaton Winn's arm injury was diagnosed as a mild forearm strain.  He'll likely miss some time but no formal move has been announced yet.

Down on the Farm: 5/14/2024

 AAA:  Sacramento River Cats defeated the Oklahoma City Baseball Club(Dodgers) 3-1:

Ismael Munguia RF- 2 for 5, HR(1).  BA= .247.

Trenton Brooks 1B- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .264.

Drew Cavanaugh C- 2 for 3, BB.  BA= .462.

Carson Seymour RHP- 5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 7 K's, GO/AO= 5/1.  ERA= 4.72.

Clay Helvey RHP- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 2.37.

Justin Garza RHP- 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K.  ERA= 0.82.

AA:  Richmond Flying Squirrels vs Reading Fightin' Phils Postponed due to weather.

A+:  Everett Aquasox topped the Eugene Emeralds 3-2(10 innings): 

Quinn McDaniel 2B- 2 for 4, 2 2B.  BA= .310.

Rodolfo Nolasco RF- 2 for 4, 2B, HR(1).  BA= .250.

Manuel Mercedes RHP- 4.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 5 K's, GO/AO= 7/1.  ERA= 6.59.

Seth Corry LHP- 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 1.15.

Julio Rodriguez RHP- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 4.05.

Nolasco recently acquired from the Pirates for Daulton Jefferies RHP.

A:  Modesto Nuts beat the San Jose Giants 7-3:

Charlie Szykowny 3B- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .400.

Austin Strickland RHP- 1.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K.  ERA= 0.00.

ACL:  Giants outlasted the Royals 11-10(11 innings):

Javier Castillo C- 1 for 4, 2B, 2 BB.  BA= .200.

Ramon Peralta 2B- 1 for 4, 3B, BB.  BA= .333.

Jediael Maduro 1B- 2 for 5.  BA= .333.

Eliam Sandoval RF- 2 for 5, 3B.  BA= .400.

Trevor McDonald RHP- 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K.  ERA= 0.00.

Someone was asking about Trevor McDonald.  Well, here he is starting a rehab assignment.

Game Wrap 5/14/2024: Dodgers 10 Giants 2

Keaton Winn once again looked good for three innings before falling apart in the fourth, this time exiting the game with an apparent injury in the 5'th inning.  By that time it was all over but the shouting as the saying goes.  Key Lines:  

Mike Yastrzemski RF- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .212.   2 hits tonight but batting just .182 over his last 7 games and his last 15 games.  The two hits did not figure into the scoring.

Heliot Ramos LF- 1 for 4.  BA= .320.  Ramos drove in 1 of the Giants 2 runs and continues to be a bright spot since his call up,

Luis Matos CF- 2 for 4.  BA= .250.  Matos drove in the Giants other run.  He also committed an error in CF and generally continued to look lost out there.   Giants need to find someone who can defend CF.

Casey Schmitt SS- 2 for 4.  BA= .158.  Maybe this will get Schmitt going?  With these two hits he is 3 for 19 with 0 BB since his call up.

Randy Rodriguez RHP- 3 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 5 K's.  ERA= 3.52.  More electric stuff from Randy who should be seeing more high leverage work pretty soon.

Nick Avila RHP- 2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 0 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 9.31.  I've been as intrigued as anyone by Avila's work in the minors but he looked like he was pitching batting practice to the Dodgers on mop up time.

The Giants fall 10 games off the Dodgers pace in the NL West but remain just 2.5 games out of the final Wild Card playoff spot.

Logan Webb RHP tries to get the Giants their first win of the season over the Dodgers tomorrow evening.

Churn Watch:

More bad news on the injury front.  We noted Keaton Winn's early exit in the intro.  

Not surprisingly, Jung Hoo Lee's MRI showed structural damage to his left shoulder.  He'll get a second opinion from Dr Neil El Attrache which likely means he's been advised to have surgery which would likely end his season.

Patrick Bailey C went back on the concussion list and Marco Luciano SS was recalled from AAA Sacramento prior to tonight's game.

And finallly Jorge Soler DH was taking batting practice before tonight's game and a foul ball ricocheted off the batting cage and hit him in the back of the head.  Yikes! What is going on?

Down on the Farm: 5/13/2024

 ACL:  Giants outscored the Guardians 14-10:

Ramon Peralta 3B(20 yo)- 3 for 4, 3 2B, BB.  BA= .350.

Dario Reynoso SS(19 yo)- 0 for 2, 3 BB, 2 SB(2).  BA= .240.

Juan Perez C(19 yo)- 2 for 4, 2B, BB.  BA= .364.

Donovan McIntyre CF(21 yo)- 1 for 4, 3B, BB.  BA- .111.

Keyner Martinez RHP(19 yo)- 2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 4.50.

Alix Hernandez RHP(19 yo)- 3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 6 K's.  ERA= 1.93.

Game Wrap 5/13/2024: Dodgers 6 Giants 4

 Luis Matos gave Giants fans reason for optimism with a 3-run HR in the second inning only to see it slip away in the late innings.  Key Lines:

Heliot Ramos LF- 2 for 4, SB(1).  BA= .333.  Ramos' hard single through the left side drove in a go-ahead run in the 6'th only to see the Dodgers even it up again in the 7'th.  He later beat out a squib ground ball to the right side on sheer speed and hustle.  He ultimately may not be the star we all hope he will, but for now he has injected some athleticism and hustle into a team that sorely lacked both.

Blake Sabol C- 1 for 2.  BA= .381.  I have to question Melvin pinch-hitting for Sabol with Jakson Reetz against a LHP.  1.  Reetz just looks overmatched at the plate and should only be an emergency catcher until Bailey can return.  2.  Reetz came up later against a RHP in a situation where you would much rather have Sabol up there and again looked overmatched.  

Luis Matos CF- 1 for 4, HR(1).  BA= .125.   Kid gets called up and beats the Dodgers with a 3-run HR.  Great story that could have happened but it didn't.  

Jordan Hicks RHP- 5 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 4 K's, GO/AO= 8/1.  ERA= 2.44.  Ideally you would like one more inning out of Hicks but the Dodgers are a tough, tough lineup and Hicks was a gamer through 5.  He left the game with the lead.

Bullpen:  Tyler Rogers RHP and Camilo Doval RHP pitched scoreless frames but the Dodgers chipped away at Luke Jackson RHP, Erik Miller LHP and Taylor Rogers LHP.  Doval only threw 8 pitches in a dominating 9'th inning.  Yes, I know Taylor Rogers is a LHP and lefty batters Ohtani and Freeman were leading off the 10'th but really?  You're taking out your Closer who was painting corners with 102 MPH fastballs for Taylor Rogers?  I'll second guess Melvin on this one too.

Umpire:  I have to confess I wasn't watching the the first part of the game that close but in a span of 4 Giants batters in the 8'th and 9'th innings, the home plate ump called strikes on 3 pitches that were balls,  Admittedly they were within 1 ball width of the strike zone but if we accept the frame on the TV as the true strike zone, there was space between the inner edge of the ball and the edge of the strike zone.  To my eye they looked like balls regardless of the frame. None of the 3 pitches conclusively made the difference between those batters reaching base or not but it definitely made it harder and none of them reached.

The Loss dropped the Giants 9 games behind the Dodgers in the NL West but they remain 2.5 games behind in the Wild Card race.

Keaton Winn RHP tries to get his season back on track and the Giants their first win of the season against the Dodgers tomorrow evening facing Gavin Stone RHP.  

Churn Watch:

As expected, Luis Matos got the call up to replace Jung Hoo Lee who went on the IL.  Lee's prognosis is still unsettled but shoulder separations almost always come with collateral damage so anything less than at least 60 days would be a shock.

Mason Black RHP was optioned to AAA Sacramento and Nick Avila RHP was recalled to replace him.  That's a signal the Giants expect Blake Snell LHP back before Black's next turn in the rotation.  I think most Giants fans would rather see Black in the bullpen than Avila but Black started Sunday so would not be available for several days.

Down on the Farm: 5/12/2024

AAA:  Salt Lake City Bees stung the Sacramento River Cats 6-3:

Donovan Walton 2B- 2 for 4.  BA- .270.

Brett Auerbach LF- 2 for 4, 3B.  BA= .250.

Spencer Howard RHP- 5 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 9 K.  ERA= 5.87.

AA:  Erie Seawolves blanked the Richmond Flying Squirrels 7-0:

Matt Frisbee RHP- 4 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 5 K.  ERA= 7.50.

Nick Garcia RHP- 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 1.80.

The Squirrels have close to flatlined this week.  

A+:  Tri-City Dust Devils topped the Eugene Emeralds 5-3:

Diego Velasquez SS- 2 for 4, HR(1).  BA= .304.

Tanner O'Tremba DH- 1 for 4, HR(2).  BA= .235.

Hayden Wynja LHP- 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 3.60.

A:  San Jose Giants defeated the Stockton Ports 5-2:

Jonah Cox CF- 2 for 3, BB, SB(20).  BA= .346.

Bo Davidson LF- 1 for 3, HR(2).  BA= .190.

Blake Snell LHP- 4 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K's.  ERA= 0.00.

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

"Immaculate Inning" for Snell in the first and 4 perfect innings.  Very encouraging regardless of level.  Hopefully he's "fixed" as Madison Bumgarner would say.  Another encouraging appearance for Will Bednar.

Game Wrap 5/12/2024: Giants 6 Reds 5(10 innings)

Kyle Harrison gave up a 3-spot in the first inning and labored through 5 but the Giants lineup picked him up with a 5-spot of their own in the 5'th inning to set up a walk-off win in extra innings.  Key Lines:

Lamonte Wade Jr 1B- 1 for 3, HR(2), 2 BB.  BA= .340.  LMWJ has the 8'th highest BA among MLB hitters with at least 100 PA's and is #1 in OBP.  His 2 run HR in the pivotal 5'th inning tied the game.

Heliot Ramos LF- 2 for 5.  BA= .294.  Heliot is vindicating the fans who have been advocating for him.  He has definitely provided an injection of energy into a struggling team.

Kyle Harrison LHP- 5 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 5 BB, 5 K.  BA= 3.42.  Credit to Harrison for not folding his tent after a near disastrous first inning.  Although the lineup provided him with a chance to record a W, I am sure he is very happy with the ND and team win.

Camilo Doval RHP- 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 3.60.  Doval sometimes does not perform well in non-save situation but his work here helped extend the game to give his team a chance to win.

Luke Jackson RHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K.  ERA= 3.24.  Leaving the "ghost runner" stranded in the top of an extra-inning is huge.  

Casey Schmitt SS drove in the walk-off winning run with a ground-rule double in the bottom of the 10'th.

The Giants gained a game on the first place Dodgers at 8.0 games behind. They remain 2.5 games behind the Padres for the last Wild Card playoff spot.

Jordan Hicks RHP faces the Dodgers tomorrow in the first game of a 3-game series with Gavin Stone RHP going for the Hated Ones.   A word of warning:  Stone has allowed just 3 ER in 20 IP over his last 3 starts.  

Churn Watch: 

Brett Wisely UT was called up to replace Austin Slater who went on the concussion IL.  

Not unexpectedly, Michael Conforto OF went on the 10-day IL with a hammy strain.  Luis Matos OF was called up from AAA Sacramento to replace him.  Unfortunately, Matos has struggled in AAA to a .218 BA so far..

No sooner had Jung Hoo Lee OF returned to action after fouling a ball of his foot on Wednesday in Coors Field but he dislocated his left shoulder after trying to make heroic catch of Jeimer Candelario's 3-run double in the first inning today.  Not good!

Down on the Farm: 5/11/2024

 AAA:  Sacramento River Cats defeated the Salt Lake City Bees 4-2:

Drew Cavanaugh C- 3 for 4.  BA= .571.  

Tommy Romero RHP- 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 1.66.

Spencer Bivens RHP- 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K.  ERA= 3.62.

Who is Drew Cavanaugh?   Lefty batting catcher drafted in 17'th round in 2023.  Had not played above A San Jose before getting promoted to fill in at AAA due to injuried at the MLB level.  Bivens has allowed just 1 run in 11.1 IP over his last 6 appearances with 11 K's and just 1 BB.

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

Carter Howell LF- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .267.

Jairo Pomares DH- 1 for 4, HR(1).  BA= .133.

Carson Ragsdale RHP- 5 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 5 K's.  ERA= 3.52.

A+:  Tri-City Dust Devils overwhelmed the Eugene Emeralds 10-5:

Thomas Gavello 2B- 1 for 5, HR(1).  BA= .169.

Scott Bandura CF- 2 for 4.  BA= .180.

Jack Choate LHP- 4 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 8 K's.  ERA= 2.10.

A:  Stockton Ports topped the San Jose Giants 7-6:

Jonah Cox CF- 2 for 5.  BA= .337.

Bryce Eldridge DH- 2 for 5.  BA= .254.

Charlie Szykowny 3B- 3 for 4.  BA= .368.

Guillermo Williamson 1B- 1 for 4, HR(4).  BA= .250.

Javier Francisco 2B- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .219.

Cesar Perdomo RHP- 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K's.  ERA= 1.74.

ACL:  Giants edged out the Dodgers 2-1(8 innings):

Mikell Manzano RHP- 4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K's.  ERA= 3.86.

Raymond Burgos LHP- 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 0.00.

Game Wrap 5/11/2024: Giants 5 Reds 1

Matt Chapman's first inning grand slam home run made this game a little easier for the Giants pitchers and they responded by limiting the Reds to just one run.  Key Lines: 

Patrick Bailey C- 1 for 3, SF.  BA= .280.  Bailey is back from a concussion IL stint and had a productive game.  It he why the pitchers were better too?

Matt Chapman 3B- 2 for 4, HR(5).  BA= .213.  Chapman has been in a deep slump and fell behind my 25 HR pace.  Hopefully this is the start of a hot streak.

Heliot Ramos RF/LF- 0 for 3, BB, 2 Assists.  BA= .250.  Ramos drew a walk ahead of Chapman's grand slam and made three sensational plays on defense including 2 throws from RF to rob two runners of doubles and a diving catch on a pop fly in shallow LF later in the game.

Mason Black RHP- 4.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 6.23.  Black brought the hook a little quicker in this one. Taylor Rogers LHP got 2 K's to finish the 5'th inning without further damage.  Four pitchers, Ryan Walker RHP, Erik Miller LHP, Tyler Rogers RHP and Sean Hjelle RHP worked one scoreless inning each to finish it off.

With the Win, the Giants remain 9 games behind the Dodgers in the NL West but close to 2.5 games behind in the Wild Card race.

Kyle Harrison LHP tries for a series win tomorrow afternoon facing Frankie Montas RHP.

Churn Watch:  

Jakson Reetz C was optioned to AAA Sacramento with Patrick Bailey C coming off the concussion IL

Michael Conforto OF grabbed his hammy after rounding 1B on a single and exited the game.  Luis Matos OF was removed from his AAA game after 2 AB's so it seems he would get the call if Conforto goes on the IL.

Down on the Farm: 5/10/2024

AAA:  Salt Lake City Bees swarmed over the Sacramento River Cats 9-1:

Landon Roupp RHP- 4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K's.  ERA= 4.76.

Salt Lake City has been a tough environment for the River Cats.  You have to wonder how multiple promotions to fill holes created by injuries at the MLB level impacts performance at the AAA level.

AA:  Erie Seawolved blanked the Richmond Flying Squirrels 8-0:  

Hunter Bishop DH- 2 for 4.  BA= .258.

Jimmy Glowenke 2B- 2 for 3, BB.  BA= .240.

Evan Gates RHP- 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 1.10.

A+:  Tri-City Dust Devils blew away the Eugene Emeralds 9-4:

Justin Wishkoski 3B- 1 for 4, HR(1).  BA= .241.

A:  San Jose Giants defeated the Stockton Ports 5-2:

Jonah Cox CF- 2 for 4, 3B.  BA= .333.

Luke Shliger C- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .237.

Elian Rayo DH- 1 for 4, HR(2).  BA= .227.

Dylan Carmouche LHP- 5 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 3.12.

Junior Flores RHP- 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 4.20.

Trent Harris RHP- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 3 K.  ERA= 1.88.

ACL:  A's outscored the Giants 7-4:

Jose Ortiz CF- 2 for 3, BB, SB(3).  BA= .500.

Dario Reynoso SS- 2 for 3.  BA= .300.

Jediael Maduro DH- 2 for 3, 2B.  BA= .400.

Alix Hernandez RHP- 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K's. 

19 yo Jose Ortiz is looking like a dynamic player in the early ACL season.

Game Wrap 5/10/2024: Reds 4 Giants 2

This game started out promising but the offense went flaccid in the later innings and the Reds chipped at Logan Webb enough to beat the struggling Giants.  BTW, I'm actually not sure we can call what the Giants offense is doing right now struggling.   It's more like a lack of struggle!  Key Lines:

Thairo Estrada 2B- 1 for 4, HR(6).  BA= .248.  Estrada answered the Reds first inning run with a homer in the bottom of the inning.  I'm thinking OK, we got this.  Nope!

Heliot Ramos RF- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .333.  Ramos smoked the ball in his first two AB's with his leadoff double in the second inning leading to a run.  He needs a long look here.

Logan Webb RHP- 7 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K's.  ERA= 3.38.   This should be good enough to win.  Even aces aren't going to go out and throw 7 innings of shutout ball in every start or even most starts.  Add in unearned runs and it gets discouraging.

With the Loss the Giants are 9 games behind the Dodgers in the NL West and 3.5 games behind in the Wild Card race.

Mason Black RHP goes for his first MLB Win today against Nick Lodolo LHP.

Churn Watch:  

The Giants moved a couple of previously DFA'd players:  Daulton Jefferies RHP was traded to the Pirates(who else) for Rodolfo Nolasco OF.  Nolasco is 22 yo and in A+ ball.  As you might expect, he has light tower power but severe contact issues keep his BA below the Mendoza Line.  Mitch White RHP was traded to the Brewers for cash.

Casey Schmitt INF was recalled from AAA Sacramento to replace Nick Ahmed SS who hit the IL with a lingering wrist sprain.

Down on the Farm: 5/9/2024

AAA:  Salt Lake City Bees outscored the Sacramento River Cats 14-8:

Casey Schmitt 3B- 2 for 4, 2B, BB.  BA= .276.

Marco Luciano SS- 2 for 5.  BA= .280.

Ismael Munguia LF/CF- 2 for 4, 2B, BB.  BA= .239.

Spencer Bivens RHP- 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K.  ERA= 4.07.

If Ahmed hits the IL, is Marco Luciano ready for his big call up?

AA:  Erie Seawolves defeated the Richmond Flying Squirrels 3-1:

Hayden Birdsong RHP- 5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 6 K's.  ERA= 2.49.

A+:  Eugene Emeralds pounded the Tri-City Dust Devils 9-3:

Tanner O'Tremba RF- 2 for 4, 2B, HBP, SB(5).  BA= .230.

Scott Bandura CF- 1 for 2, BB, HBP, 3 SB(8).  BA= .160.

Justin Bench SS- 2 for 4, SB(2).   BA= .200.

Thomas Gavello 3B- 2 for 3, BB, SB(3).  BA=. .167.

Dylan Cumming RHP- 4.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 8 K's.  ERA= 1.01.

A:  Stockton Ports beat the San Jose Giants 5-2:

Bryce Eldridge DH-  2 for 3, 2B, BB.  BA= .242.

Elian Rayo 3B- 1 for 3, HR(1).  BA=.226.

Ubert Mejias RHP- 5 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, GO/AO= 7/2.  ERA= 5.13.

Cody Tucker RHP- 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 3.78.

Tommy Kane LHP- 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 0.68.

Bryce Eldridge is batting .333 in May so far.  He is 5 for 7 over his last 2 games with 2 2B and a BB.  

ACL:  Giants topped the Reds 7-5:

Jose Ortiz CF(19 yo)- 2 for 4, BB, SB(1).  BA= .455.

Derwin Laya 1B(20 yo)- 4 for 5.  BA- .667.

Wilkelma Castillo RHP(24 yo)- 4 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 9 K's.  ERA= 3.00.

Castillo is on a rehab assignment.

Game Wrap 5/9/2024: Rockies 9 Giants 1

 In recent years the Giants have been terrible at closing out series and road trips.  Today was no different as Keaton Winn suddenly fell apart in the fourth inning getting knocked out of the game in a hail of line drives with the score 7-1 and the game all but over.  Key Lines:

Michael Conforto LF- 2 for 3, HR(7), BB.  BA= .275.  It's hard to say there were any bright spots in this game but 7 HR by Conforto puts him on a pace for about 30 on the season.  I'm thinking he could have some value at the trade deadline?  

Keaton Winn RHP- 3.2 IP, 8 H, 7 R, 0 BB, 1 K, GO/AO= 7/1.  ERA= 5.63.  There is some internet chatter that Winn started tipping his pitches or the Rockies figured out a "tell".  The problem with that theory is most of the damage came off hanging splitters.  Generally if he was tipping his pitches, you would expect the batters to lay off the splitter and sit on fastballs.  More likely Winn just started elevating his pitches.  You have to wonder if his elbow is barking again or if there is some other physical issue going on.  It was definitely not BABIP luck as it was one line drive hit after another.   Rockies were barrelling 'em up.

Randy Rodriguez RHP- 2.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 4 K's. ERA= 3.86.  Rodriguez once again displayed an electric fastball touching triple digits.  Another bright spot.

The loss dropped the Giants deeper into 4'th place in the NL West as the third place D'Backs won.  The Giants are now 9 games behind the Dodgers, 2.5 games behind the Padres and 1.5 games behind the D'Backs.  The Giants are 2.5 games behind the final Wild Card playoff spot.

The Giants return home tomorrow evening with Logan Webb RHP trying to get them off to a great start to the homestand facing Andrew Abbott LHP.

Nick Ahmed SS left the game early due to worsening soreness in his wrist which was injured by a 108 MPH line drive almost 2 weeks ago.

Down on the Farm: 5/8/2024

AAA:  Salt Lake City Bees outscored the Sacramento River Cats 11-7:

Luis Matos CF- 2 for 5, HR(3).  BA= .219.

Trenton Brooks DH- 1 for 3, HR(3), BB.  BA= .277.

Brandon Martorano C- 2 for 3, 2 HR(3), BB.  BA=  .400.

Is Martorano next in line if another C gets hurt?

AA:  Erie Seawolves defeated the Richmond Flying Squirrels 4-1:

Ryan Murphy RHP- 5 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 8 K's.  ERA= 2.57.

A+:  Tri-City Dust Devils blew away the Eugene Emeralds 6-1:

Quinn McDaniel CF- 2 for 4, HR(3).  BA= .314.

Seth Corry LHP- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K's.  ERA= 1.26.

Ben Madison RHP- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 1.20.

Is there still hope for Seth Corry?

A:  San Jose Giants beat the Stockton Ports 12-5:

Jonah Cox CF- 3 for 5, 3B.  BA= .326.

Cole Foster SS- 1 for 3, 2B, BB, HBP, SB(4).  BA= .281.

Bryce Eldridge 1B- 3 for 4, 2B, SF.  BA= .220.

Luke Shliger C- 2 for 5, 2B, 3B.  BA= .222.

Charlie Szykowny 3B- 1 for 3, 2 BB.  BA= .273.

Joe Whitman LHP- 5 IP, 10 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K.  ERA= 5.16.

Esmerlin Vinicio LHP- 3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K.  ERA= 3.94.

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

Bryce Eldridge's BA reached a nadir on 4/28 at .184.  Since then he is 6 for 21 including yesterday's 3-hit game.  Hopefully he's finding traction.

 

Game Wrap 5/8/2024: Giants 8 Rockies 6

The Giants jumped out to a 6 run lead in the second inning and held on to win in Coors Field.  Key Lines:

Michael Conforto LF- 3 for 4, HR(6), BB.  BA= 267.  Big game for Conforto who lived up to his cleanup position in the lineup.  The HR was a solo shot to lead off the 6-run 2'nd inning. 

Mike Yastrzemski RF- 2 for 4, 3B.  BA= .235.  YtY singled and scored in the big inning.  One inning later he led off with a triple and scored on Blake Sabol's double.   YtY is slashing .300/333/600 over his last 15 games.

Heliot Ramos DH- 1 for 4.  BA= .250.  It was a blooper to RF but it drove in a run and Ramos later scored in the inning.  Ramos replaces Jorge Soler who went on the IL with a sore shoulder retroactive to May 5.  

Blake Sabol C- 3 for 4, 2B.  BA= .500.  Is Sabol versatile enough to keep on the active roster when Tom Murphy returns from the IL?

Jordan Hicks RHP- 5 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 6 K's.  ERA= 2.30.  Hicks was at 67 pitches after 4 IP.  He finished with 92 after 5.  It was good enough to register a W.  

Camilo Doval gave up a 2-run HR in the 9'th in a non-save situation just to make it interesting.

The Giants kept pace with the NL West leaders as the Dodgers, Padres and D'Backs all won.

A well-rested Keaton Winn RHP tries for a shutout and a 4-6 road trip tomorrow afternoon facing Cal Quantrill RHP.

As noted above, Heliot Ramos was called up to replace Jorge Soler who went on the IL with a sore shoulder.  This might be Heliot's last, best chance to be a Forever Giant.  He needs to grab the opportunity.

Down on the Farm: 5/7/2024

AAA:  Salt Lake City Bees destroyed the Sacramento River Cats 15-2:

Heliot Ramos LF- 1 for 3, 2 BB.  BA= .296.

Marco Luciano SS- 2 for 4, BB.  BA= .282.

Brett Wisely CF/2B- 3 for 5.  BA= .333.

AA:  Erie Seawolves pounded the Richmond Flying Squirrels 7-1:

Hunter Bishop LF- 2 for 4 2B.  BA= .259.

Reggie Crawford LHP- 1.2 IP,  0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 2.08.

Mat Olsen RHP- 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 4.91.

A+:  Tri-City Dust Devils dusted the Eugene Emeralds 3-1:

Andrew Blair RHP- 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 3.05.

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

Jean Pierre Sio 2B- 2 for 3, BB.  BA= .224.

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

Shane Rademacher RHP- 4 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 3.15.

A rare Will Bednar sighting.

ACL:  Giants defeated the Rangers 8-4:

Jose Ortiz CF(19 yo)- 2 for 5, BB.  BA= .429.

Carlos Gutierrez LF(19 yo)- 1 for 5, HR(1).  BA= .333.

Derwin Laya 1B(20 yo)- 2 for 4, BB.  BA= .500.

Dario Reynoso SS(19 yo)- 2 for 4.  BA= .231.

Jose Ramos 2B(21 yo)- 2 for 3, BB.  BA- .444.

Mauricio Pierre RF(20 yo)- 2 for 4, HR(1).  BA= .182.

Brayan Palencia RHP(21 yo)- 4 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 7 K's.  ERA= 4.50.

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

Cole Hillier RHP- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, Save(1).  ERA= 0.00.

Game Wrap 5/7/2024: Giants 5 Rockies 0

The Giants lineup put together a rare sustained rally in the fourth inning and Kyle Harrison LHP went 7 shutout innings to lead the Giants to a much needed win.  Key Lines:

Jung Hoo Lee CF- 3 for 5.  BA= .264.  Lee's first MLB 3-hit game.  

Lamonte Wade Jr 1B- 1 for 2, 3 BB.  BA= .351.  LMWJ continues to be an on-base machine. 

Nick Ahmed SS- 2 for 4.  BA= .245.  Ahmed drove in a run and later scored on in the 4-run 4'th inning.

Kyle Harrison LHP- 7 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K.  GO/AO= 11/6.  ERA= 3.20.  Harrison pitched to contact and threw just 86 pitches in 7 innings.

The Giants remain 8.5 games behind the first place Dodgers in the NL West.  They are 3 games behind for the final Wild Card playoff spot.

Jordan Hicks RHP tries to keep the winning feeling going tomorrow against Peter Lambert RHP.

Down on the Farm: 5/6/2024

ACL:  D'Backs 4  Giants 2:

Carlos Gutierrez LF(19 yo)- 3 for 4.  BA= .429.

Jose Ramos 3B(21 yo)- 1 for 3, 2 BB.  BA= .400.

Dario Reynoso SS- 1 for 4, 2B.  BA= .125.

Raymond Burgos LHP(25 yo)- 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K.  ERA= 0.00.

Giants appear to have just one team in the ACL this season.  Have not seen Rayner Arias or Walker Martin in the box scores yet.

Game Wrap 5/6/2024: Phillies 6 Giants 1

The Giants did not do Willie Mays proud on his birthday.  Mason Black was a gamer for 4 innings but Bryce Harper(him again) and probably a lack of run support and too many pitches broke him in the 5'th.  The Giants offense as has become the norm, stunk it up.  Key Lines:  

Jung Hoo Lee CF- 2 for 4.  BA= .252.  Not many bright spots for the offense today.  If the Giants offense is going to improve it has to start with JHL getting on base at better than a .304 clip.  He'll likely have to hit over .300 to do that as pitchers have not reason to not challenge him on every single pitch.

Lamonte Wade Jr DH- 2 for 3.  BA= .347.  The first and third batters in the lineup reached base 4 times with 0 Runs or RBI's to show for it. Slater PH for LMWJ again and struck out.

Bottom 5 batters in lineup- 0 for 16, 1 BB.  Pathetic!

Mason Black RHP- 4.1 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 3 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 10.38.  Like I said, Black was a gamer for 4 innings.  Not sure why he went out for the 5'th inning or was not pulled as soon as he allowed a baserunner.  He went 5 innings twice this year in the minors.  Somone said he never went more than 75 pitches.  He went 84 today.  Oh, and Bryce Harper is very good at hitting pitched baseballs.  The Giants could use a hitter like him.  

The Loss drops the Giants into sole possession of 4'th place in the NL West, 8.5 games behind the Dodgers and 3 behind the Padres, 3 behind in the Wild Card Race.  Their season could be all but over by the time they complete this road trip in Colorado.  

The road trip from hell moves on to Coors Field where Kyle Harrison LHP tries to break the spell against Dakota Hudson RHP.

There were some choice comments about today's game after yesterday's Game Wrap.  I will try to copy and paste them into the comments here.  LOL!  Fun times!

Down on the Farm: 5/5/2024

 AAA:  Tacoma Rainiers topped the Sacramento River Cats 5-4:

Heliot Ramos RF- 2 for 4, HR(8).  BA= .295.  

Ismael Munguia LF- 2 for 4.  BA= .203.

Brandon Martorano C- 2 for 4, HR(1).  BA= .571. 

Tommy Romero RHP- 4.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K's.  ERA= 1.91.

I think there are a quite a few Giants fans who are ready to see Heliot get an extended look with the Giants.  FZ and Melvin won't have much excuse not to if they fall much farther off the pace.

AA:  Akron Rubber Ducks edged out the Richmond Flying Squirrels 2-1:

Luis Toribio 3B- 1 for 3, HR(2).  BA= .167.

Wil Jensen RHP- 2.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 3 K.  ERA= 0.93.

Starter Ryan Murphy RHP pitched just 1 inning apparently due to a rain delay.

A+:  Eugene Emeralds vs Spokane Indians Postponed due to weather.

A:  Lake Elsinore Storm rallied late to beat the San Jose Giants 7-6(7 innings, Game 1 of doubleheader):

Jonah Cox CF- 0 for 2, 2 BB, SB(19).  BA= .300.

Bryce Eldridge 1B- 1 for 3, BB.  BA= .192.

Luke Shliger C- 1 for 3, 2B, BB. BA= .215.

Charlie Szykowny 3B- 1 for 2, BB, SF.  BA= .500.

Guillermo Williamson DH- 2 for 3, 2 2B, BB.  BA= .245.

A:  Lake Elsinore Storm outscored the San Jose Giants 9-6(7 innings, Game 2 of doubleheader):

Jonah Cox CF- 2 for 3, BB.  BA= .313.

Cesar Quintas RF- 1 for 3, 2B, HBP.  BA= .210.

Guillermo Williamson 1B- 2 for 4, HR(3).  BA= .263.

Alix Hernandez RHP- 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 11.42.

Tommy Kane LHP- 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K.  ERA= 0.79.

Williamson has a 6-game hit streak in which he is 10 for 21 with 2 doubles and 2 HR's.  

Game Wrap 5/5/2024: Phillies 5 Giants 4

A throwing error by Nick Ahmed apparently caused by the muddy infield was the difference in the game but the big blow as a 3run HR by Bryce Harper in a 4-run third inning.  Key Lines:

Michael Conforto LF- 2 for 4, 2B, 3B.  BA= .258.  Conforto's double in the first inning drove in Lamonte Wade Jr to give the Giants a rare early lead.  Conforto is 3 for 8 over his last 2 games but hitting .158 over his last 7.

Thairo Estrada 2B- 1 for 3, HR(5), HBP.  BA= .256.  Estrada is hitting .346 over his last 7 games.

Jakson Reetz C- 1 for 1, HR(1).  BA= 1.000.  Reetz replaced Blake Sabol behind the plate after Austin Slater PH for Sabol.  His HR in the 9'th inning cut the deficit to 1 run.  Fun. Fact:  This was not Reetz' first MLB AB.  He had 2 in 2021 with the Nationals.

Logan Webb RHP- 4 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 6 K's.  ERA= 3.50.  Webb's day started to go south in the second inning when Nick Ahmed lost his footing and sailed one WAY over LMWJ's head for a 2-base error putting the leadoff batter on 2B.  Bohm later scored on on a comebacker that got past Webb because he was desperately trying to avoid the sharp end of a broken bat.  Things like that happen when you are going bad.  There was nothing flukey about the 3'rd inning and Harper's 3-run blast.  Bryce Harper is just really good at hitting pitched baseballs and Webb hung a changeup.

Sean Hjelle RHP- 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K's.  ERA= 2.70.  Is Hjelle finally starting to find traction?  Maybe Melvin's patience with him will pay off.  A healthy, effective Hjelle would be a huge addition to the pitching staff.

The Loss dropped the Giants into a tie with the D'Backs for 3'rd place in the NL West, 7.5 games behind the rampaging Dodgers and 2 games behind the Padres.  

The Mason Black RHP era dawns today as he tries to stave off a sweep against Forever Giant Farmhand Zach Wheeler RHP.  

Down on the Farm: 5/4/2024

 AAA:  Sacramento River Cats blanked the Tacoma Rainiers 1-0:

Brandon Martorano C- 2 for 3.  BA= .667. 

Carson Whisenhunt LHP- 4 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 10 K.  ERA= 5.40.  

Tanner Andrews RHP- 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 5.27.

Justin Garza RHP- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 1.08.

Spencer Bivens RHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, Save(5).  ERA= 4.37.

Is Martorano next up on the catcher depth chart?  The Whiz has had some uneven performances this season and he walked more than you like in this one but the K's were dominant.  Seems like he is getting close.

AA:  Akron Rubber Ducks pounded the Richmond Flying Squirrels 9-4:

Grant McCray DH- 1 for 5, HR(4).  BA= .143. 

Victor Bericoto RF- 2 for 4.  BA= .214.

Andy Thomas 1B- 2 for 3, BB.  BA= .227.

McCray's second HR in as many games was a grand slam and accounted for all of the Squirrels runs.

A+:  Eugene Emeralds outscored the Spokane Indians 12-8:

Turner Hill LF- 3 for 5, 2B,  2 HR(3), BB.  BA= .258.

Quinn McDaniel CF- 1 for 3, HR(2), 3 BB.  BA= .308.

Andrew Kachel 3B- 3 for 4, 2 BB, SB(5).  BA= .274.

Scott Bandura RF- 1 for 3, HR(3), 2 BB, SB(5).  BA= .158.

Jack Choate LHP- 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 9 K's.  ERA= 2.08.

Turner Hill is 6 for 11 in May.  Scott Bandura has 2 HR's in his last 3 games.  A dominant appearance by Jack Choate.

A:  San Jose Giants vs Lake Elsinore Storm postponed due to rain.

ACL:  D'Backs dominated the Giants 7-1:

Ramon Peralta 2B- 2 for 4.  BA= .500.

Samir Chires RHP- 4.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 3 K's. ERA= 2.08.

ACL starting 6 weeks earlier than in past and well before the amateur draft.

Game Wrap 5/4/2024: Phillies 14 Giants 3

 The game was even uglier than the score starting with a rain delay that should have been extended and a probably related knee injury to Tom Murphy C who was starting in place of Patrick Bailey C who went on the concussion IL earlier in the day.  Key Lines:

Thairo Estrada 2B- 3 for 5.  BA= .254.  Estrada is hitting .333 over his last 7 games.

Wilmer Flores 1B- 1 for 5, HR(1).  BA= .234.  Wilmer is hitting .316 over his last 7 games.

Blake Sabol C- 2 for 3.  BA= .667.  Sabol who flew all night to get to Philly in case Bailey went on the IL was pressed into action in the second inning when Murphy felt a pop in his left knee while trying to block a wild pitch by reliever Mitch White RHP.  Murphy limped to the dugout and angrily threw down his mitt.  At the time the rain was pouring down and soaking everything.  When asked after the game if weather was a factor in the injury he said it was.  More on him and the Giants catching situation later.

Keaton Winn RHP- 0.2 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 2 BB, 0 K.  ERA= 4.41.  Whether it was the weather or the delay or just time to for a bad game, Winn couldn't locate his pitches and paid the price.  He didn't get out of the first inning.  

Mitch White RHP- 2.1 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 BB, 0 K.  ERA= 7.63.  White's appearance was just as ugly as Winn's but by the time he entered the game it was pouring rain so we'll give him a mulligan on this one.

Randy Rodriguez RHP- 2.1 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K.  ERA= 3.86.   RandyRod was electric, hitting 100 MPH and recording his first MLB K against Bryce Harper.  His 6'th inning was marred by a catcher interference error on Blake Sabol who is well known for those and another error by Matt Chapman 3B leading to 3 unearned runs.

Tyler Fitzgerald was brought in to mop up in the 8'th inning and worked a 1, 2, 3 inning.

The Loss dropped the Giants to 6.5 games behind the NL West leading Dodgers and 2 games behind the second place Padres.

Logan Webb RHP hopes for better weather and tries to get the Giants back on the winning track tonight facing Taijuan Walker RHP.

We don't know for sure how serious Murphy's injury is but the man has experience with injuries and didn't sound optimistic.  Word is Jackson Reetz will be the call up.  He must be added to the 40-man roster so there will have to be a corresponding move.  The only catching free agent still listed on MLBTR is 37 yo Manny Pina.  I guess it's too early to start the Onil Perez Era?

Down on the Farm: 5/3/2024

 AAA:  Tacoma Rainiers defeated the Sacramento River Cats 6-3:

David Villar 3B- 3 for 5.  BA= .270.

Trenton Brooks 1B- 1 for 3, 2B, BB.  BA= .298.

Jackson Reetz C- 1 for 3, 2B, BB.  BA= .217.

Carson Seymour RHP- 4 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 1 BB, 5 K, GO/AO= 5/0.  ERA= 5.27.

Juan Sanchez LHP- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 3 K.  ERA= 2.81.

Is Jackson Reetz the call up if Bailey goes on the concussion protocol?

AA:  Richmond Flying Squirrels blanked the Akron Rubber Ducks 4-0:

Grant McCray CF- 2 for 4, 2B, HR(3).  BA= .139.

Carter Howell RF- 2 for 3, BB.  BA= .262.

John Bertrand LHP- 5 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K's, GO/AO= 1.71.

Reggie Crawford LHP- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 2.57.

Evan Gates RHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 0.73.

Nick Garcia RHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 1.50.

A dominant appearance for Reggie Crawford.  Bertrand's stock seems to be rising as a lefty SP.

A+:  Spokane Indians outscored the Eugene Emeralds 7-6:

Turner Hill LF- 2 for 4, BB, SB(5).  BA= .228.

Matt Higgins DH- 2 for 5.  BA= .328.

Onil Perez C- 2 for 4, BB.  BA= .338.

Scott Bandura CF- 2 for 5.  BA= .151.

Justin Wishkoski SS- 2 for 3, BB, HBP, SB(6).  BA= .261.

Dylan Cumming RHP- 4 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 6 K.  ERA= 1.23.

A:  San Jose Giants outlasted the Lake Elsinore Storm 4-3(10 innings):  

Luke Shliger DH- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .210.

Bo Davidson LF- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .203.

Elian Rayo 3B- 2 for 4.  BA= .234.

Ubert Mejias RHP- 5 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 3 K.  ERA= 5.91.

Esmerlin Vinicio LHP- 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K.  ERA= 4.85.

Cody Tucker RHP- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K.  ERA= 4.30.

Game Wrap 5/3/2024: Phillies 4 Giants 3

 An error by Matt Chapman 3B and a passed ball by Tom Murphy C led to two unearned runs which were the difference in the game.  Key Lines:

Lamonte Wade Jr 1B-  2 for 3, BB.  BA= .333.  LMWJ did not figure in the scoring.  I do think pinch-hitting with Flores against the lefty closer was the right move.

Thairo Estrada 2B- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .249.  Estrada's double in the second inning drove in 2 runs and temporarily gave the Giants a 2-run lead.  That was the last of their scoring until they added a run in the seventh inning.  

Matt Chapman 3B- 0 for 3, BB, 2 E(5).   BA= .220.  a bit over 1 month into the season, Chapman has an fWAR of 0.3.  It appears baserunning is the only positive contribution to his fWAR score.  He is essentially replacement value on defense and negative on offense.  How does that compare to J. D. Davis who he replaced?  Well, not surprisingly Davis is slightly worse across the board and has a negative fWAR.  Davis was activated from the 10-say IL yesterday.  So, Chapman was an upgrade on Davis so far but neither has been very good and the Giants invested a of money in Chapman.

Jordan Hicks RHP- 4 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 3 K's.   ERA= 1.89.  Not a great line but obviously some bad luck involved.  In addition to the unearned runs, all 4 of the hits were on ground balls.  Hicks recorded 4 GB outs so his BABIP on groundballs was .500.

Sean Hjelle RHP- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K's, GO/AO= 2/0.  ERA= 3.38.  Melvin seems to like Hjelle and is giving him an extended opportunity.  He's had two good appearances since getting roughed up against the Mets.  His K/BB is 7/1 in 8 IP and his GO/AO= 3.25.  

With the Loss, the Giants are now 5.5 games behind the Dodgers in the NL West and 1 game behind the Padres and 1 game ahead of the D'Backs.

Keaton Winn RHP tries to continue his winning ways today against Ranger Suarez LHP who is off to a sensational start for the Phillies.

Patrick Bailey C left the game early after experiencing blurry vision after taking a foul tip off the mask.  He has not been placed on concussion protocol but will undoubtedly be re-examined before game time today.  Bailey has probably been the Giants best position player over the first month so they can ill afford to lose him for an extended time.

Down on the Farm: 5/2/2024

 AAA:  Sacramento River Cats Blanked the Tacoma Rainiers 4-0:

Spencer Howard RHP- 4 IP 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 8 K.  ERA= 4.63.

Clay Helvey RHP- 2 IP,  1 H,  0 R, 0 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 0.75.

Cody Stashak RHP- 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K.  ERA= 2.70.

Nick Avila RHP- 1 IP,  0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 0.00.

6 different River Cats ad 1 hit each. Luis Matos hit was a double.  Reminder that Spencer Howard is a former top prospect who fell on hard times.

AA:  Akron Rubber Ducks edged out the Richmond Flying Squirrels 4-3:

Hunter Bishop DH- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .247.

A+:  Eugene Emeralds beat the Spokane Indians 7-2:

Quinn McDaniel 2B- 2 for 4, BB.  BA= .329.

Onil Perez C- 2 for 5.  BA= .328.

Justin Wishkoski 3B- 2 for 4, 2B, BB.  BA= .242.

Scott Bandura CF- 1 for 5, HR(2).  BA= .132.

Tanner O'Tremba RF- 2 for 4, 2 2 B.  BA= .261.

Seth Lonsway LHP- 5 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 4 K, GO/AO= 9/1.  ERA= 2.63.  

Seth Corry LHP- 3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 3 K's, GO/AO= 4.1.  ERA= 1.46.

Hunter Dula RHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K.  ERA= 0.00.

Lonsway and Corry are two LHP's with good stuff who have been plagued by control/command issues.  Are they figuring it out?

A:  San Jose Giants topped the Lake Elsinore Storm 4-2:

Jonah Cox CF- 1 for 2, HR(1), 2 BB.  BA= .308.

Luke Shliger C- 1 for 4, 2B, SB(4).  BA= .190.

Guillermo Williamson 1B- 2 for 4, BB.  BA= .220.

Joe Whitman LHP- 4 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K.  ERA= 5.09.

Shane Rademacher RHP- 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 3.94.

Game Wrap 5/2/2024: Giants 3 Red Sox 1

Mike Yastrzemski led the Giants offense with a home run in the crib where his granddad built a hall-of-fame career and the bullpen picked up Kyle Harrison who allowed just 1 run in 5 innings despite issuing 5 walks.  Key Lines:

Mike Yastrzemski RF- 1 for 2, HR(3).  BA= .242.  YtY got the Giants on the board in the top of the third inning with the solo HR.  The BoSox answered back in the bottom of the inning but were held scoreless the rest of the way.  What a great day for YtY!  

Giants scored the winning runs in the 7'th inning on 3 consecutive singles by Bailey, Chapman and Estrada folllowed by a Sac Fly by Nick Ahmed.  

Kyle Harrison LHP- 5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 5 BB, 7 K's, GO/AO= 4/1.  ERA= 3.79.  Obviously not his best command but maybe effectively wild?  Blake Snell must have looked on approvingly!  95 pitches in 5 IP.  

Bullpen- 4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K's.   Scoreless frames from Ryan Walker RHP, Erik Miller LHP, Tyler Rogers RHP and Camilo Doval RHP with Doval recording his 6'th Save.  Is this group a "core four" to build the bullpen around?

The Giants gain 0.5 games on the idle Dodgers and are tied for 2'nd place in the NL West with the Padres.  

The Giants move on to Philadelphia where Jordan Hicks RHP faces Aaron Nola RHP in game 1 tomorrow evening.

Churn Watch:  Daulton Jefferies RHP was optioned back to AAA Sacramento with Randy Rodriguez RHP getting the call to take his place on the Active Roster.

Down on the Farm: 5/1/2024

AAA:  Sacramento River Cats defeated the Tacoma Rainiers 6-3:

Marco Luciano SS- 1 for 2, 2 BB.  BA= .284.

Blake Sabol 1B- 2 for 4, 2B, HR(1).  BA= .243.

Mason Black RHP- 4 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 K.  ERA= 1.01.  

Mason Black has not allowed an ER in his last 18 innings spanning 4 starts.  He did not allow a hit in 2 of those starts.  Really think he should get the start the next time the Giants need to call on their depth at SP.

AA:  Akron Rubber Ducks pounded the Richmond Flying Squirrels 7-2:

Will Wilson SS- 2 for 4, HR(2).  BA= .243.

Hunter Bishop LF- 2 for 4, HR(2), SB(4).  BA= .233.

After a painfully slow start, Wilson is 15 for 41(.366) over his last 11 games.

A+:  Spokane Indians beat the Eugene Emeralds 6-4:

Diego Velasquez SS- 1 for 1, SB(6).  BA= .311.

Onil Perez DH- 2 for 4, BB.  BA= .323.

Turner Hill RF- 1 for 2, 2 BB.  BA= .208.

Ben Madison RHP- 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K.   ERA=1.38.

Diego Velasquez did not come out of the game immediately after singling and stealing 2B in the first inning but came did not come out to field his position in the bottom of the inning.

A:  San Jose Giants quieted the Lake Elsinore Storm 7-3:

Jonah Cox CF- 1 for 4, BB, 2 SB(18).  BA= .303.

Ty Hanchey C- 3 for 4, 3 2B, BB.  BA= .412.

Guillermo Williamson DH- 1 for 3, 2 BB.  BA= .191.

Jean Carlos Sio 3B- 2 for 3, BB.  BA= .244.

Cale Lansville RHP- 4 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K.  ERA= 3.86.

Austin Strickland RHP- 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K.  ERA= 0.00.

Sio is 7 for 16 over his last 4 games.  I think Strickland is the pitcher who came over from the Pirates in the Joey Bart trade.

Game Wrap 5/1/2024: Red Sox 6 Giants 2

The Giants offensive futility continued but they didn't pitch well.  Key Lines:

Mike Yastrzemski RF- 1 for 3.  BA= .233.  Michael Conforto LF drew a 2-out walk in the 4'th inning.  Thairo Estrada 2B doubled him to 3B.  YtY then squeeze bunted in a situation where he had to get a hit for the run to count.  He got it done.  That, my friends, takes some.....ahem.....fortitude!  What's a little disturbing here is he must have thought he had a better chance to beat out a bunt hit and drive in the single run than he did to hit a 3-run HR and give the Giants a multi-run lead.

Tom Murphy C- 1 for 3, HR(1).  BA= .100.  Maybe Murph is turning over a new leaf with the new month?  He sure had a dreadful April!  I still think he will turn out to be a good signing by the end of the season.

Erik Miller LHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 5.14.  Miller was the Opener and got the job done, but I still don't understand why, if Jefferies is the bulk innings guy why you don't just start him.

Daulton Jeffries RHP- 2.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 17.36.   I do hope the next time the Giants need to reach into their depth for a starting pitcher, it's Mason Black.

The Loss will likely drop the Giants 5 games behind the Dodgers and leave them in 3'rd place in the NL West as the Dodgers lead the D'Backs 8-0 in the 8'th inning of their game.  The Padres are 0.5 games ahead of the Giants.

Kyle Harrison LHP tries to avert a sweep tomorrow facing Josh Winckowski RHP and who are these Red Sox pitchers who are shutting the Giants down?  Oh wait!  I guess that's not all that hard to do.