Game Wrap 7/20/2019: Mets 11 Giants 4

Intensity is an intangible part of sports with a long history of making a big difference.  The problem is it is almost impossible to measure.  It's a little like pornography, you can't define it, but you know it when you see it.  The Giants had intensity on their side in 2010, 2012 and 2014.  Intensity is hard to maintain.  After awhile the brain, adrenal glands and autonomic nervous system need to rest and recharge.  The Giants have played with a high level of intensity for close to 2 weeks.  Today, it looked like the intensity took a day off in a game what was not nearly as close as the score would lead you to believe.  As so often seems to be the case, they did their faceplant against a rookie pitcher who has not even been that good in the minor leagues while Jeff Samardzija was his usual frustrating combination of great stuff, inconsistent command and gofer balls.  Key Lines:

Pablo Sandoval 3B- 4 for 4.  BA= .266.  Pabs has been scuffling so he seemed to focus on making contact and came up with 4 mostly harmless basehits which is OK if the rest of the lineup is keeping the line moving, but in this game it wasn't.

Alex Dickerson LF- 1 for 4, HR(5).  BA= .352.  Nice dinger for Dick but it was too little, too late after the deficit was 11-1.

Mike Yastrzemski RF- 1 for 4, HR(8).  BA= .259.  Ditto Alex Dickerson.

Jeff Samardzija RHP- 5 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 0 BB, 7 K's, 2 HR.  ERA= 4.08.   I feel like this is pretty much Shark's composite line for his career.

Derek Holland LHP- 1 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 2 HR.  ERA= 5.90.  Holland has been pretty good out of the bullpen lately,  but the ol' ERA took a major hit with this appearance.

Ty Blach LHP- 3 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 14.21.  Blach ate some innings in a game that was lost anyway.  Not sure how many more chances with the Giants he has left.

*********************************************************************************

The Giants deficit in the Wild Card race grew to 2.5 games pending the outcome of later games today.

*********************************************************************************

Conner Menez will be added to both the 40 man and 25 man rosters tomorrow and make his MLB debut.  Drew Pomeranz will move to the bullpen which is interesting since his last start was actually quite good.  Menez has pitched very well in both AA and AAA this season even thriving in the PCL sillyball league, so the promotion is well deserved if the timing is curious.  Wild guess this has something to do with the trade deadline and the Giants feeling the need to evaluate him at the MLB level to finalize their plans.  My guess is Ty Blach gets dropped from the 40 man roster for the corresponding move.