Before I get started, I want to apologize for a comment in made after the previous post to ogc. I've removed my comment and his response. Shouldn't have happened and it's my fault. ogc is a valuable contributor to this site and I appreciate his comments.
I attended this game.
The Giants broke open a close game with 3 runs in the 6'th inning and 5 more in the 7'th for a runaway win. Key lines:
Gregor Blanco- 1 for 4, 2 BB, SB(10). BA= .279. Blanco was again getting on base, setting the table. This time his teammates drove him in as he scored 4 runs in the game.
Marco Scutaro- 3 for 4, BB. BA= .318. Scutaro has a spring in his step again and it's showing on the field. Just bangin' out the hits!
Buster Posey- 2 for 4, 2B, SF. BA= .320. 5 RBI's in this game to bring his season total to 56. Alex put up Buster's June stat line with Yasiel Puig's. Pretty close to identical except Buster has been quietly puttting up months like that for an extended period now.
Pablo Sandoval- 2 for 4, 2B, BB. BA= .262. Pablo looks like he feels a lot better too. He's not small, but he does look like he is moving around a lot better than when he first came off the DL. His bat seems to be warming up.
Kensuke Tanaka- 2 for 3, BB. BA= .400. I love this guy! He's a very tough out and has brought a lightness of spirit to the team that I think has really relaxed it and reminded them to just go out and play for the joy of it. Not rah-rah, but a quiet happiness sometimes is more effective.
Brandon Crawford- 3 for 4, 2 2B, BB. BA= .276. Terrific game from Crawford who set up both big rallies with basehits out of the 8 hole.
Chad Gaudin- 5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 4 BB, 5 K's. ERA= 2.39. Gaudin really settled down after giving up a run in the bottom of the first. That run was a bit BABIPy because Belt kind of whiffed at a grounder down the 1B line by Headley that went for an RBI double. Great pitching in the 3'rd after the opposing pitcher, O'Sullivan, led off the inning with a double up the gap in left-center that I thought was a HR until it bounced off he wall. Gaudin struck out Headley and Quentin to get out of a 1'st-3'rd, 1 out jam.
Gaudin loaded the bases with no outs in the 6'th after the Giants had taken a 5-1 lead. Gaudin was visibly shocked and angry when Bochy came and got him, but it turned out to be the right move as Mijares totally put out the fire.
Jose Mijares- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's. ERA= 2.48. Tremendous pitching by Mijares who came in with the bases loaded and no outs in the 6'th. He got the LH batter, Alonso, on a pop-up then struck out RH batters Gyorko and Denorfia to get out of it with no damage. No damage! Denorfia, in particular, always seems to kill the Giants. I thought there was no way Mijares was going to get him out and he struck him out making it look easy!
With the Win, the Giants remained in 4'th place in the NL West, 6.5 games behind the division leading D'Backs who topped the BrewCrew 2-1. The Dodgers and Clayton Kershaw were blanked by the Rockies 3-0 to fall 2.5 games back in 2'nd place. The Rockies remained in 3'rd place, 4.5 games behind.
Tim Lincecum will try to keep it going against Edinson Volquez tonight.
I thought the team had a much more relaxed attitude that you could feel from the stands. I wonder if the pressure of defending the Championship, feeling like they had to stop the bleeding with each game, feeling like every game was in elimination game had this team tighter than a drum? Maybe after the last blowout by Cain, they finally realized that most people have written them off and they don't have to live up to that expectation anymore has helped them relax and just play the game for fun? We'll see if it can last. After all, this game was between the last and next-to-last place teams in the division. I just hope that whatever happens the rest of the way, we all can just enjoy the games for what they are. That includes the players. Hey! Do your best and whatever happens, happens.
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Tanaka can stick around! Hopefully this little hot stretch can give the boys some confidence going forward. Wow Mijares... Posey 5-hit and 5-rbi game in the same week!
ReplyDeleteIf they bring up Francoeur and bench Tanaka, I will not be happy and that's nothing against trying Francoeur, but with the spark Tanaka has brought, circumstances have changed and he deserves a chance to ride it out.
DeleteI would think Buster his a leading candidate for NL Player of the Week!
Agreed on Tanaka. With all the recent roster transactions, I'm a little lost on who they would send down for Francoeur. Extra reliever?
DeleteI've got no problem with him being on the squad, getting a start now and then, but just to have a bat with some pop on the bench for the late innings would be nice. But no, he should not take Tanaka's spot. The guy consistently makes contact... Francoeur, as we all know, does not. Speaking of relievers, will Casilla be up before the break?
Adding Frenchy is a bigger problem than just a 25 spot. He would require space on the 40 as well.
DeleteI see only 3 options on that...
1 - DFA Adrianza
2 - DFA Pill
3 - 60 Sanchez
I don't like any of those options.
Torres could be DFA'd.
DeleteGood point about 40 man, but the Giants must have already had an idea who to drop, still good point, I wonder who they are going to drop.
DeleteThat had been the issue I was wondering about when there was talk about bringing up Brown, that the cut would hurt. I think they still like Pill. Sanchez had issues all season, so 60 him seems possible. And we will have this issue again when Vogie returns.
There is also talk about interest in our relievers, maybe a trade? Lopez seems the most likely if so, though they could trade Romo and make Lincecum the closer at some point, with Casilla taking over for now.
Hesto Presto is the DFA! Wow! Good chance he will clear waivers, though.
DeleteOrdinarily I would agree, but there seems to be a lot of teams interested in former Giants, even ones who were not that great in high minors. Like Buscher and that pitcher the Reds picked up, lefty I think. Even Bocock. Misch I knew would be picked up, but some of them were head scratchers.
DeleteYeah though big shocker, fuuny how quick a player could fall from graces. But as I noted a while back, the next cut would hurt some, no matter who.
One thing to remember, the Giants know EXACTLY which teams were asking about him last year, and they know their needs/strengths/weaknesses better than anyone. I bet this is a sideways trade move. Also, Heston's weaknesses have been exposed at AAA, he's a 5th starter, and surkamp is healthy...
DeleteGood words, do your best and what happens, happens.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your apology, though I was not going anywhere, I love commenting here. I honestly do not recall exactly what was said, I just know you are a good man, a good person, and I took your words as a honest advice. Keep up your good work, your blog is a great service to everyone here, and you bring a lot of insight that I know I don't have.
Clearly the answer to all the Giants offensive problems is having DrB in the stands! They should pay to get you to every game!
Nice game by the Giants, it seems like the spell is over, hopefully they can keep it light going forward. Tanaka appears to be part of that, so I do not want to see F take over. However, I do not think the Giants would do that to T, especially if F is not hitting yet in AAA. We will see. I would think Torres is the one on the bubble for F thou.
I actually didn't want to go to this game. It's a heckuva long drive to San Diego and you can see the game real well in HDTV these days. My family talked me into it and we all had a great time. Got back home at 12:30 AM!
DeleteMissed Lincecums no hitter by one game!!! Closest I ever got was two hitter by Estes. I have listened to all of the no hitters by Giants pitchers since becoming a fan, thou not all from very start, but what a sweet ending!
DeleteI am glad my 2 favourite bloggers KIssed and made up. :)
ReplyDeleteGiants and Padres series, is also about 2 really good managers trying to keep their teams in the mix.
Comments about Tanaka, are so true.
Watching him and seeing just how happy and positive he is, must be like a calming sedative for all the boys.
I expect a big performance tonight from Timmy. A dominant outing in fact.
Go Giants,
Thanks Doc for your continued good reporting and your insight.
Richard in Winnipeg
Honestly, I do not know what DrB is apologizing for, but since he felt bad about it, I acceptted his apology. I recall one term but it did not seem bad enough for an apology. And I do not recall the rest.
DeleteI just know that he is a good joe, and there was never any negative feelings on my part towards him, I really do not know what he is apologizing for, but I accept and would like to move on.
You called it!!!
Delete