The Giants managed to keep pace in a hit fest until the 6'th inning when another bullpen collapse gave the Rockies 7 runs in next two innings and a runaway loss. Key Lines:
Rafael Devers DH- 2 for 5, 2B(30), HR(25), 2 R, 3 RBI. BA= .246. Devers hit one into water that was just foul in the second inning then straightened it out and found the water again 2 pitches later for a splash hit home run, the 110'th in history. Drew Gilbert scored on the home run. Here are some splits on Devers who has been quite consistent:
Last 7 games: .231/.333/462, HR.
Last 15 games: .226/.328/.453, 3 HR.
Last 30 games: .220/.317/.431, 6 HR.
May: .306/.356/.593, 5 HR.
June: .214/.313/.520, 8 HR.
July: .267/.370/.533, 7 HR.
August: .235/.328/.471, 3 HR.
Bryce Eldridge 1B- 1 for 3, 2 BB, R, RBI. BA= .247. Eldridge drove in the Giants first run with soft single to CF.
Drew Cavanaugh C- 2 for 5. BA= .250. Cavanaugh has been swinging at pitches in the zone and taking pitches out of the zone. In other words, he makes good swing decisions. He lost a ball in the dirt allowing a run in the pivotal 6'th inning. The next 4 batters went walk, walk, HBP single(misplay).
Turner Hill CF- 1 for 3, BB, R, RBI. BA= .167. Hill gets his first MLB hit and RBI but misplayed a ball in CF to contribute to the "sloppy" play in the 6'th.
Blade Tidwell RHP- 4.1 IP, 3 H, 6 R, 5 BB, 1 K. ERA= 4.33. I caught the Tony Vitello Show on KNBR while driving down the 5. He said this game was an opportunity for Tidwell to sustain and build on his success and to show he can handle a lineup stacked with lefthanded batters. Welp! That didn't go well! He walked 5 batters and gave up a home run to the 9'th hitter, a guy with a .180 career BA and just 1 prior home run in 149 AB.
Bullpen- 4 relievers gave up runs including 3 who gave up 2 runs each. I think it's safe to say a full bullpen rebuild is Buster's top priority this offseason.
The Giants get a travel day before starting a series against the Guardians in Cleveland with Carson Whisenhunt LHP facing Foster Griffin LHP who comes in with a record of 13-4 and an ERA of 3.25.
Fortunately, bullpen is the least painful/difficult thing to (re) build.
ReplyDeleteSure would be nice to have a guy like Tyler to build around. (Don't check his stats...trust me). Don't mind losing Tyler...but, like with Gausman, no effort to sign him is just hard to understand,
Interesting article in the athletic quoted Buster as saying he thought the Giants had bigger roster issues to improve on other then the bullpen last off-season. He needs to address it now. He was also asked an interesting question whether his advisors are yes men. He said he hopes not. Buster is the final decision maker.
DeleteSince the prospect post isn't up yet, just wanted to say that Bo Davidson is on fire. Not only did he go off last night, but he performed his 2-homers + 2-doubles act against 4 different pitchers. I just find that remarkable, and WOW what a turnaround at AAA he's had!
ReplyDeleteIncredible farm system right now, major prospects blowing the hinges off at basically every level, it's extremely fun to dream on!
It's hard to win in the playoffs in MLB, but this is how it starts.
By the way, good to have you back Doc. Hope you had a great time getting out.
DeleteRebuilding an SP core of Webb, Roupp, Houser, Whisenhunt, McDonald, and Tidwell can't be too far behind rebuilding the full bullpen, can it?
ReplyDeleteDefinitely on the same level of need, but absolutely no way to shore up the SP from FA and there's basically low-ceiling low-floor SP coming up from the farm 2026-2027.
Delete2028 everything changes as Flora LeLane and Marquez all have a chance to arrive around that time, and one of Tidwell-Wisenhunt-McDonald-etc will shake out into a full time starter.
I really hope and expect Roupp to come back around as a #3 starter, we need him.
Buster will need to acquire at least 2 SP's in the offseason. Don't have to be aces but need to be reliable.
DeleteHayden Birdsong should be healthy and ready to go by spring training.
DeleteMy guess is they will sign a few reclamation projects to fill out the rotation and get a few proven arms for the bullpen. I'm hoping Peguero and I'm projecting Will Bednar to be up in September to show me something.
DeleteWelcome back, Doc! Must be like coming back from vacation to the same old dysfunctional workplace. But at least the minor league system is really improving (#4 in baseball per BA!)
ReplyDeleteRoup needs to go to the pen, they need help and he's getting worse.
ReplyDeleteVitello is likely not the long term guy but, should get a year two. On the other hand, Meccage has to go. We need to be in the market for a new pitching coach once the season ends. Go get Mike Maddux.
ReplyDeleteDon't know if Ron Washington is coming back, but Mike Maddux was his pitching coach with Texas from 2009-2014.. maybe change in pitching coach is needed. Growth and pitching development seems to be lacking.
DeleteWelcome back!
ReplyDeleteHaving taken an hour or so out of a Sunday afternoon to watch a little baseball, I gotta say that that was perhaps the worst display of professional athletics that I’ve seen in decades.
Jonah Cox needs to be in the starting lineup in CF for the rest of the season. No excuses and no Turner Hill playing over him
ReplyDeleteIt does seem like Jonah Cox has a much higher ceiling thant Turner Hill due to his game-changing speed.
DeleteAnd so it happens, plus he's leading off!
DeleteGood call!
Maybe Turner Hill in LF?
"Jonah Cox needs to be in the starting lineup in CF for the rest of the season. No excuses and no Turner Hill playing over him."
ReplyDeleteAgree wholeheartedly!
Ditto here as well. He's got an outside chance to be a regular or platoon with a bunch of SBs and doubles/triples.. Prefer his development over someone like Hill or Gilbert.
DeleteTalk about uphill and longest of long shots, you gotta like Turner Hill: undrafted, made his professional debut at 24 yo and hit his way through the minors in in 3 years, improving at every level.
ReplyDeleteJust 4 years ago he was playing for the Marietta Pioneers (44-7) in the Ohio Athletic Conference against teams like the Heidelberg Student Princes, unhearalded and unnoticed.