If you score 4 runs agains the Cubs on a day Jeff Samardijza pitches, you have to figure on a great chance to come away with a Win. Not so today as the Cubs peppered the OF with base hit after base hit in the middle innings off starter Yusmeiro Petit and his replacement, David Huff. Key Lines:
Pablo Sandoval- 2 for 4, HR(7). BA= .239. Sandoval did not seem to have any problem handling Samardijza's stuff. I don't think Pablo would have much trouble with anybody's stuff right now. He is practically carrying the team as he drove in both runs on Saturday and 3 of the 4 today.
Yusmeiro Petit- 5 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 0 BB, 5 K'S. ERA= 5.08. Petit pitched really well for 4 innings, then ran into trouble in the 5'th as the first two batters of the inning reached on what could be described as BABIP balls. Then the wheels fell off as he gave up a sac fly then a double to Samardijza and a triple to Bonifacio. It looked like Petit was tiring, but things really started to go south after Hector Sanchez had his bell rung by a foul tip off the bat of Nate Schierholtz. Sanchez conintued to look a bit dazed through the rest of the inning while Petit was getting pummeled. I just wonder if maybe he was having trouble remembering pitch sequences, signs and framing, little mental things that catchers have to be able to do to make pitchers effective. Don't know, but I wonder.
David Huff- 1.1 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 0 BB, 1 K. ERA= 5.40. Huff made some good pitches, but also some pretty bad ones. He certainly gave up a lot of hits. Again, don't know if Sanchez' fogginess had anything to do with it. You had to have in inkling that Bochy had thrown in the towel when Huff came up as a pinch hitter for Petit in the bottom of the 5'th with the Giants trailing just 4-3.
Juan Gutierrez- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 0 K. ERA= 3.63. Is it just me or is Juan eating real well these days? Man, that guy is BIG! I would estimate a full 30 lbs or more than what I recall in spring training and early in the season.
Bruce Bochy- I don't criticize Boch much, but I did not like him sending Huff up to pinch hit for Petit in the bottom of the 5'th with 1 out and the top of the order coming up. He could have used either Colvin or Blanco and still had the other one available for later in the game. Samardijza was good, but he wasn't unbeatable today and you never know when a rally might get started. I told myself that Bochy was throwing in the towel right there and I think it was too early for that.
The rest of the NL West is playing later. As it stands at this moment, the Giants lead the second place Rockies by 4.5 games.
Tim Hudson tests his hip strain tomorrow night facing Jake Arrieta.
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Brandon Hicks honeymoon is over...ready for Joe Panik
ReplyDeleteThat was an amazing dinger that Panda hit on the pitch below his knees that even Samardja couldn't believe.. Petit did his job as the emergency starter going 5 innings and keeping the team in the game.. Interesting take on Bochy sending Huff to hit and you may be right... I thought that since he has a short bench due to carrying 13 pitchers that maybe he felt it was too early in the game to use a pinch hitter in that situation.. That's what I don't like much about carrying 13 pitchers, it leaves you with only 4 position players off the bench.. Didn't have a good feeling going into today's game due to the pitching matchup, but have a better feeling about the next 2 games with the cubbies.. Its amazing that the Giants have the record they have considering Matt Cain hasn't really been on his game yet plus he's missed 3 starts due to a couple of odd injuries..
ReplyDeleteLG
I think they are going to ride Hicks out a little longer but I am like you, would not pain me to see them try someone else. Call me old school, but I don't think he adds much to the line up. The team has plenty of other areas of power without him and I am not sure what his upside is. I'd even try Abreu for a bit.
ReplyDeleteHicks has been very good on defense and has provided enough pop to give him a positive WAR in spite of the microscopic BA. The Giants could do a lot worse.
DeleteThere are more than a few Giants fans who used to pine for Dan Uggla. Well, Hicks has basically been Dan Uggla except with good D. What's not to like about that?
Not saying it's going to last, but so far he's been a plus.
Hicks is slashing 173/267/320 for May. He has had good success in high leverage situations and 2 out RISP situations. 5 of his HRs have come with the Giants behind in the score. Who knows if those mean anything. But his defense has become much better as he gets used to the position.
DeleteI vote for Hicks, love his D and the surprise dingers very nice. I see Panik up and Adrianza being Df'd. I believe he is out of options.
ReplyDeleteRichard in Winnipeg
I think the Giants are going to try to keep this going until the trade deadline and use that to clear out some of the options logjam, including Adrianza, who has value around the league.
DeleteHicks is getting a little over extended. He could use a day or two off here and there. He makes a nice power bat off the bench. The Joe Panik era can't be that far off.
ReplyDeleteAny way in hell the Giants can swing deal for Samardjiza? The way Giants top arms are not wowing suggests they could back up a truck loaded with Crick, Susac, Mejia plus another arm or two and not pique Theo's interest. I imagine the Rockies could have a deal done if they put their two top AA pitching prospects on the table.
ReplyDeleteWhat to you think the ultimate price tag will be?
Crick, Blackburn, and Ryder Jones to start conversation. Heath Hembree or Derek Law added to that pot ultimately get it done.
DeletePut it this way - he wanted Heyward or Upton from the Braves. They value him highly, yet they refused to pay him. They stuck to a 5/55MM offer in the offseason, and he is pissed off royally. Talk about being a penny wise and pound foolish. The obsession with getting blood from the stone - those WAR values and wanting to be on the "winning side" of it - sometimes blinds to what might be more important - getting a player who can contribute in a big way. You can see the "rep in the game" where Matt Garza advises Shark to "pitch his way out of there". That's a bad organization. Period. The Giants are the exact opposite. If Michael Morse gets extended it will be a generous offer, within reason, and he'll be happy with it. WAR obsessed stat guys? Maybe not so much. But there is the real world of supply and demand and then the semi-real world of the WAR scale. They dont always meet.
DeleteSeems like the Cubs would insist on either Brandon Belt or Hector Sanchez or both just to start the conversation and they don't really need Belt because they are in love with Anthony Rizzo, unless they think they could move him to LF.
DeleteThe Dodgers could offer Urias and Corey Seager or Joc Pederson or all 3 if the really want Samardz, but they may not need him with the way Beckett and Ryu pitched this weekend.
Rockies may have the juice in their farm system to make a serious offer. I imagine the Cubs would ask for Arenado, but the Rockies would not and should not do that.
That's what I was thinking about the Dodgers potential offer - Urias, Pederson and Zach Lee and they may get Samardge. But have a full house as is. Injury pending.
DeleteI don't think the Giants have the steaks in the freezer for Sharky, but I do think they need to be in the mix in case all other teams tell the Cubs to pound sand with their offers. He's in the sweet spot of age/talent to be an excellent edition to the Giants core. I really like how he pitches mentally in edition to what he's throwing there. Pounds the K-zone baby!
DeleteI think Doc's right, depending where we are at all star break will determine what Sabes does. Though would like to see Panik up. Adrianza is not the answer coming off the bench interms off combining D with offensive capabilities. Beside Panik's comes from Aurillia's alma mater and that mus tcount for something :)
ReplyDeleteRichard in Winnipeg
Let's all remember that Panik is not as bad as he appeared to be last year in Richmond and he may not be as good as he appears to be this year in Fresno. Two wildly different environments.
Delete