Lamonte Wade Jr drove in all four of the Giants runs but it wasn't enough to overcome some subpar pitching. Key Lines:
Tyler Fitzgerald SS- 2 for 4, 2B. BA= .297. Fitz hit cleanup, got two hits and scored two runs.
Lamonte Wade Jr 1B- 2 for 4, HR(6). BA= .267. LMWJ seemed to have a sturdy base under him when he sent one into McCovey Cove with a Bondsian amount of room to spare. He and Fitz accounted for all of the Giants hits.
Hayden Birdsong RHP- 3.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 5 BB, 4 K's. ERA= 5.19. Birdsong is now 9 IP over his previous career season high. Serious Question: Is it better to build his innings this season or are FZ and BoMel risking his career by sending him out there after he has obviously hit a wall?
Spencer Bivens RHP- 4 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 3 K's. ERA= 2.86. Bivens ate some innings and kept his team in the game.
Camilo Doval RHP- 0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R 1 BB, 1 K. ERA= 4.78. Doval did not eat innings nor did he keep his team in the game.
Blake Snell LHP tries to salvage the final game of fhe series tomorrow afternoon against Merrill Kelly RHP.
(Non) Churn Watch:
Turns out the reason Matt Chapman was a late scratch for this game is he was either taking a physical or wrapping up negotiations on a 6 yr/$151 M contract extension. This is a good deal for both sides. Chapman is financially set for life and gets to play where his heart is. The Giants extend their season MVP at a reasonable price(by today's standards) and lock down a position for the next 6 seasons. The contract covers his age 32-37 seasons so it could cross over into negative value on the back end but it's not such a huge contract as to be crippling at that point. Having Chapman locked down to a long term contract should help the Giants attract other higher end free agents this coming offseason.
if birdsong were to continue this season, it should be out of the bullpen in a bulk role.
ReplyDeleteAs disappointing as this season was, I kind of feel like we accomplished the goal of the bridge year—getting to the other side and starting to see the finish line. Fz’s mission was always to get to the point of a farm system capable of feeding the team, with a few farms and the right moves. The latter (churn) has slowed, we will have 2-3 young Ofs (at worst one of rookies will be 5th), a rookie 1b soon, young SS and catcher and 3/5 of the starting rotation all from the farm. We also have decent depth in IF. This offseason will say a lot about Luciano and Matos as the future and their pen.
ReplyDeleteCan’t say I’m happy about the way the season played out but I feel weirdly optimistic about the future.
There are many who complain that this has taken too long, and they are right.
DeleteZaidi should have planned for the 2020 Covid disruption and the lost development that year and its carryover disruptions.
Ooof. That’s a baaaaaaad contract.
ReplyDeleteI said a month ago Birdsong should have been shut down, the kid was rushed, pitching into unchartered territory, league figured him out, yadda yadda
ReplyDeleteI am the opposite of PiLamBear!
This season couldn't end soon enough, vets that mean nothing soaking up ABs, kids (other than Fitz) settling into reality/struggles in a losing environment with months of yoyoing behind them and no direction. And all under the watchful eyes of a self impressed GM that had a team on a rising wave then, instead of giving help when he could, pushed them down under the water while himslef trying to stay afloat in the calm ocean of mediocrity with no atttempt to improve the present or the future.. Basing everything on the "best rotation in baseball". Laughable Incompetence of the highest order becasue what has happened to Ray, Harrison and Birdsong was unavoidable...There was no reason not to sell big or buy big. FZ's only claim to fame is being the fantasy GM of Major League Baseball....Making move after move at the fringes and the bargain basement bin..because he is smarter then everybody else..yet goes nowhere..Obviously, a smart man (really) but in terms of putting together a winning Major League team, he has been wearing a Dunce Cap for a long time...And it won't ever change even with fools gold of some of the kids,...
And I have admitted being wrong on Chapman, he is a decent player and has has a fairly good year..But for him to be a team MVP is a sad state of affairs for Giants baseball..I am not even sure he will continue this decent level of play the next two years but going beyond that will be a regrettable move...If I'm wrong, at least I have become accustomed to Crow ala CHapman!!!
SteveVA
Your posts are always interesting and your passion is evident, but you have to see Chapman play to appreciate him.
DeleteAre you able to watch the games in Virginia? Chapman has a highlight reel play nearly every game.
His 6+ bWAR is the highest of any Giant since Posey's 7.6 in 2012. With 21 games left, he could almost match that.
He's 6th in MLB for WAR (ESPN). SF is first for 3B WAA (Baseball-Reference).
Defensively he's a Rock and makes his SS better.
Sure, 6 years is probably too long, but he'll earn the entire $151MM in 4. You just have to watch him play.
Chapman is 13'th in fWAR(4.5) in all of MLB and 5'th in NL. He's 6'th in bWAR(6.0) MLB and 3'rd in NL. Granted he's having a good season but he's averaged 4.35 fWAR/600 PA for his career and has only been less than 3.0 for one season since his rookie year, in 2020 which was the COVID season. Nothing is ever guaranteed and the Giants seem to have a knack for getting snakebit on long term contracts, but there is a high probability Chapman will outperform his contract for the first 2 years, break even the second two years and underperform for the final 2. I would call Chapman a star player but not a superstar.
DeleteA good contract for the Giants would have been 4/$100 but he isn’t going to take that and hit FA at 35. So what do you do? You have a gold glove 3B with an excellent track record (also avoids the IL) who wants to play here. You also don’t have anyone in the minors likely to take the spot. Not a fan of FZ who doesn’t seem to have a structured plan B but it’s a fairly decent move. In addition he would likely opt out at season end and reportedly turned down $120 from Bluejays last year. Lastly he is reportedly a good clubhouse leader which is needed if we are playing lots of guys who are inexperienced.
ReplyDelete