I was actually quite bullish on this game leading up to it. My one big concern was with getting Webb through the first inning without falling too far behind, or behind at all! When Mookie Betts led off the inning with a single it was like uh-oh! But the way Webb pitched out of it with 3 GB outs I was pretty confident he could match goose eggs with Walker "Tight Pants" Buehler deep into the game. As it turned out, Dodger fans were the ones who needed to worry about falling behind early as "Tight Pants" seemed to forget he was pitching around Buster and Buster came this close to being the first right-handed hitter in history with a splash hit. As it was, the 2-run bomb knocked the Dodgers on their heels and they never recovered.
The game was more than just Logan Webb although his performance was truly remarkable. It was one of the great pitching games for a franchise with a long, long history of great pitching performances. This game was complete domination of the Dodgers in every phase of the game, pitching, defense and hitting, specifically hitting for power. It's just one game and the Giants have to win 2 more but historically the winner of game 1 in a 5 game series wins the series over 70% of the time and it certainly was a statement game in so many ways.
Speaking of statements: Wow! Did Logan Webb just announce himself to the world as the next great Giants pitcher? He has to stay healthy but health may be the only thing standing between him and a whole lot more games like this and a whole lot of pride and joy for Giants fans to watch!
And what about Camilo Doval? He made quite a little statement himself. Yeah, he had a 4-run lead and a non-Save situation but he faced Trea Turner, Justin Turner and Will Smith and totally dominated them with a triple digit heater and a devastating slider. 2 pop ups and a K, game over!
I'm just a bit concerned that Gausman is on 100% physically but if he is, Giants have a great chance to go two up tonight. The world will get a chance to see how the Giants play matchup baseball as they send out their righthanded platoon to face Julio Urias with the Gas Man on the mound. I can't wait!
As Tyler Rogers said Logan Webb is a star. I thought Kap should have left him in to get the last out in the 8th, but it worked out. Doval might be a big addition to their chances of advancing. Still think they'll need McGee to get involved too. I wish Kap would have inserted him to pitch in the clincher. Gausman should be fine, and the game should be tense, low scoring. Giants need to be ready that the Dodgers will treat this game as a must win and will play accordingly.
ReplyDeletePosey is a generational talent, one of the true faces of the game. He is platinum to all the dodger gold. Any suggestion that he is a borderline hall of famer is silly, he is first ballot every day of the week and doubly so in the postseason. Posey sits alongside Pujols, Miggy, Kershaw and Verlander as a transcendent star of his generation.
ReplyDeleteHe gets knocked because advanced metrics just struggle with catcher and leadership metrics. Farhan probably has a metric that combines both, and it says Buster is the man!
Gerald Dempsey P. the III might be the best Giant ever. He is going to wreck some more shop tonight, if they even pitch to him...
Giants in 3, Duck the Fodgers!
Best ever? Nope! That would be Willie Howard Mays!
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