Saturday, June 22, 2024

Game Wrap 6/22/2024: Cardinals 9 Giants 4

Another day, another disheartening loss in which the Giants were outclassed by a team they are competing for a playoff spot with.  Key Lines:

Brett Wisely SS- 2 for 5, 2B.  BA= .302.  The Giants seem to have found at least a temporary solution to their SS problem in Wisely with Nick Ahmed filling in for LH SP's.  

Jorge Soler DH- 2 for 4.  BA= .230.  Soler's June resurgence continues.

Matt Chapman 2 for 3, BB, SB(6).  BA= .232.  Hopefully this marks the end of Chapman's slump.  He was charge with a throwing error but it was on a play most 3B would likely not have made.  Chapman's errors came up in another discussion.  I think some of them have been on plays like this where he was trying to make a heroic play, which he often successfuly makes.  When you look at Fangraphs defensive stats he grades out much better because Fangraphs factors in plays that are made and degree of difficulty.

Michael Conforto LF- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .232.  Giants need some offensive consistency from Conforto.

Jordan Hicks RHP- 4 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 3 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 3.24.  Hicks said his legs gave out after the third inning but he wasn't great before that.  Same old story:  Suboptimal command, way too many pitches.  He passed his previous career high for IP and we're still not to the halfway point of the season.

The loss dropped the Giants 3 games behind the Cardinals and Padres for the final Wild Card spot.

Logan Webb RHP battles the heat and Sonny Gray RHP tomorrow while trying to prevent a sweep by the Cardinals

Churn Watch

Mike Yastrzemski OF and Keaton Winn RHP were placed on the IL.
Luis Matos OF and David Villar IF were recalled from AAA Sacramento.
Tyler Fitzgerald UT was optioned to AAA Sacramento(he was the 26'th man for the game at Rickwood Field).

14 comments:

  1. Three games behind 2 teams for the easiest playoff spot to make in sports! We will likely know in the next two weeks if this team should hoist up the white flag. I have been asking for it along with FZ’s head for a while now and will be happy to see the young kids play, any returns they can get on trades of old veterans, and a potential top 5-10 draft pick…. not to mention FZ’s head.

    The future is actually not too gloomy if you squint a little. Rotation next year is likely going to consist of Webb, Snell, Ray, Harrison, And Hicks with Hjelle and a few others knocking on the door. We finally have 5 offensive locks for next year that have plus upside. Our pen is really good too.

    The FA market isn’t super stacked but Soto is out there with negotiations starting at 10 years 500 million. Also got Kim who plays SS which is our biggest hole. Adames is another who is interesting if we can’t get Kim and Teoscar Hernandez might work if we miss out on Soto. This is really early but after getting any returns from Conforto, Slater, Flores, Yaz, Ahmed, Soler, and a top 10 pick there is a chance our team after all that could look like this:

    Lee CF
    Kim SS
    Soto RF
    Ramos LF
    Bailey C
    Estrada 2B
    Chapman 3B
    Wade 1B
    Matos/Luciano/Wisely/Schmidt DH

    Webb
    Snell
    Hicks
    Ray
    Harrison

    Spend the rest of the year developing some of the younger players and let’s start getting real about our chances next year. Overspend to get Soto I think the timing is right where we won’t have to compete with NY, Philly, or LA. Kim would be a great SS and top of the lineup bat. Prospects like Eldridge, Martin, and Arias will be taking over for Wade and Chapman in a few years if Luciano and Schmidt don’t make it. Could be as easy as just signing Soto and Kim after spending this year developing and angling for a top 5 pick!!

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    1. I am not sure but I think you just made a pretty strong argument to not fire FZ.

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    2. Two chances to sign s
      Soto: Slim and None

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    3. FZ wouldn’t be able to sign Soto and whoever they get to replace him would have to. That’s the biggest and only argument you need to get rid of him.

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    4. Hot news flash: Soto is not coming to the Giants with or without FZ.

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    5. FZ haters have short memories:
      1. How bad the Giants were before the 2010-2014 (maybe 2016) "miracle" post seasons. 2005-2008 were forgettable.
      2. How bad the Giants were after 2014 (or 2016) and how depleted the farm was which led to the signing of FZ.

      An additional point: FZ's signings mostly have been applauded at the time of the signings.
      Is it entirely his fault when previously good players do not perform to expectations?
      Probably yes in fickle fans' eyes.

      And, given the upcoming schedule and the current pitching woes, things will get worse before they get better.

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    6. You are probably right but I just googled it and the internet never lies. It had us at 4th on the list behind the Mets, Yankees, and Blue Jays for signing Soto so you’re saying there’s a chance!!!! Just kidding I know it looks impossible but hear me out.

      A new GM is really the only way it would work and I don’t know if that would be Sestanovich, Ng, or even Derek Jeter but if you get the right GM in place it increases our chances undeniably. The perception of this team under Farhan is that it is weak and has no direction but a new GM brings new life and could set a tone right away with signing Soto.

      Yea it will be a huge overpay and likely cost more than $600 million for 12 years but he is worth it. Take all the reasons I gave you in the first post to sell Soto and Boras on the direction we are headed and his place in history with a great franchise like the Giants. Hitting homer’s into McCovey Cove and being the star of an up and coming roster shouldn’t be a hard sell especially if you offer him whatever it takes! In 5 years his average of $50 million a year will look like a bargain.

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  2. The Cardinals have been a hot team the past month. but it's discouraging to have 5 SPs on the IL till the all star break. Don't remember seeing so many SPs on the IL all at once. It's tricky to trade for a stop gap due to 40 man roster concerns. Melvin said they will have pitching call-ups when they get home . Pavs tweeted that tomorrow s Sacramento game will have Blake Snell, Robbie Ray, and Lamont Wade rehabbing. That might be more important then the MLB game tomorrow in the long run.

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    1. we should get snell back next week, they could DFA brooks after today to create a roster spot for carson seymour. i can see mason black also coming back up to eat innings next week. just gotta tough it out until we get some guys healthy but, the focus should be on 2025 now.

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  3. Yeah they are going to keep Farhan next year but the dude needs to go. He’s wasted 6 years now. What other GM deserves to waste that many years and keep his job? Which Giants Gm this century has gotten to waste 6 years and drop the brand value and keep his job?? Why would anyone have any faith that year 7 will be different? Or year 8? Or year 9? And I was looking at the giants top 30 prospect list and looking at their stats, and gotta say, I’m really not impressed. 6 years in and it seems like there’s very little to show for it. Yeah, there’s some hope with the 4 pitchers of Roupp, Black, Birdsong and Whisenhunt, and youngster Eldridge looks like he has lots of power potential, but otherwise really really not impressed. They have other guys that have potential in the system but due to either health issues or inconsistency, they’re a lotto ticket that probably won’t turn out

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    1. What other Giants GM this century has gotten to waste 6 year? Dude! A guy named Brian Sabean was GM for 12 years and a whole lot of Giants fans, including me were calling for him to be fired before he delivered the first of 3 championships. You are welcome to your opinion of FZ. He has his faults but don't own yourself like that!

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    2. this year has been more bad luck than anything else, you can't fault FZ for all these injuries. i'm ready to punt to 2025 but, nobody should be fired. second half of the season will be a roster evaluation at this point. FZ is a punching bag for a lot of fans but, ownership should not get a get out of jail free card either.

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    3. I agree , can't fault FZ for all the injuries. This team got more then their share. I think most fans thought they had a good off-season. Their plan to improve their infield defense and bring in elite pitching, Ray and Snell was good. I was happy that ownership was finally willing to go over the luxury tax with payroll spending. They were aggressive in the off season, but it hasn't translated to more wins. I'd like to see FZ continue to be aggressive at the trade deadline regardless if they decide to buy or sell. If they stand pat again I'll be disappointed for sure.

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