Down on the Farm: 9/15/2024

AAA:  Sacramento River Cats outscored the Round Rock Express 11-6:

Wade Meckler CF- 1 for 4, 2B, 2 BB.  BA= .294.

Bryce Eldridge 1B- 1 for 5, BB.  BA= .222.

Trenton Brooks DH- 3 for 5, 2B, BB.  BA= .313.

Hunter Bishop RF- 4 for 6.  BA= .248.

Blake Sabol C- 2 for 4, Sac.  BA= .249.

John Bertrand LHP- 4 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K's, GO/AO= 8/1.  ERA= 4.50.

Clay Helvey RHP- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 5.00.

AA:  Altoona Curve defeated the Richmond Flying Squirrels 5-1:

Matt Higgins LF- 2 for 4.  BA= .262.

This marks the end of the AA season.  AAA has one more week to go.  All other affiliates seasons are done.

Game Wrap 9/15/2024: Padres 4 Giants 3(10 innings)

Heliot Ramos became the first right-handed batter to record a splash-hit home run in Oracle Park but it wasn't enough to keep the Giants from and extra-inning loss and the wrong end of a series sweep.  Key Lines:

Heliot Ramos LF- 1 for 4, HR(21).  BA= .267.  Ramos has mostly scuffled since the All-Star break but has occasionally shown off his tremendous talent.  A splash hit is not small feat for any batter not named Barry Bonds.  There have only been 105 in park history, 35 of those by Bonds, and none by a RH batter before Ramos long tater in the bottom of the ninth inning.  

Donovan Walton 2B- 1 for 3, HR(1).  BA= .143.  It's great that Donovan Walton is getting another trip through The Churn.  It's not great that it appears to be at the expense of Marco Luciano getting more MLB experience and a chance to play through his rookie mistakes.  I wonder who has the bigger say in that?  I'm guessing Melvin.  

Landon Roupp RHP- 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 3.02.  Second strong start in a row for Roupp with 2 ER in 10 IP.  He ERA over his last 7 appearances is 0.92 in 19.2 IP.

Camilo Doval RHP- 1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 5.17.  What on Earth happened to Camilo Doval?  It isn't just wildness.  Batters are squaring him up with regularity which has occasionally happened in the past but not like this.

The Giants are tied with the Blue Jays for the #9 draft pick in the 2025 amateur draft.

The Giants get a travel day and start a series in Baltimore against the Orioles on Tuesday with Blake Snell LHP facing Albert Suarez RHP.e

There was an eye-opening article in the Athletic today saying Giants ownership became frustrated by the pace of FZ's negotiations with Matt Chapman in August and Buster Posey became the organization's point man in the process and reportedly negotiated 1:1 with Chapman and got the deal done. The sticking point for FZ was a no trade clause that Buster apparently agreed to. If this story is true you have to think ownership has to seriously consider replacing FZ after the season or even before.  I'm really not sure how you keep a guy with the title of POBO with that level of frustration with his negotiating skills.

Down on the Farm: 9/14/2024

 AAA:  Round Rock Express beat the Sacramento River Cats 7-2:

Thairo Estrada 2B- 2 for 4.  BA= .352. 

Bryce Eldridge 1B- 1 for 4.  BA= .250.

Christian Koss SS- 2 for 3, 2B, HR(5).  BA= .270.

Bryce Eldridge makes his AAA debut and gets a hit.  Can anyone explain why Michael Conforto still has a roster spot and Thairo Estrada doesn't?(it's a rhetorical question).

AA:  Richmond Flying Squirrels reversed the River Cats score against the Altoona Curve:

Jairo Pomares RF- 1 for 3, 2B, 2 BB.  BA= .240.

Matt Higgins 1B- 1 for 5, HR(1).  BA= .253.

Diego Velasquez 2B- 2 for 4, 2B, BB. BA= .315.

Justin Wiskkoski 3B- 2 for 5, 2B.  BA= .250.

Jimmy Glowenke SS- 1 for 3, 2B, BB.  BA= .201.

Wil Jensen RHP- 4 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K's, GO/AO= 3.43.

 

Wil Jensen is a guy you never read about but the undrafted free agent signing from 2020 has never had an ERA of 4.00 or above in 4 MiLB seasons while putting up decent K ratios.

Game Wrap 9/14/2024: Padres 8 Giants 0

The Giants were shut out for the third consecutive game and in embarrassing fashion for the second game in row.  The Padres scored an unearned run in the first inning and you pretty much knew the game was over then and there.  Hard to say if the most embarrassing part was the apparent lack of effort and ineptudue on multiple plays or the glaringly obvious Grand Canyonesque talent gap.  Key Lines:

Mason Black RHP- 4 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 6.75.  A reasonably solid start by Black might be the only encouraging line of the night.  His ERA is 4.60 in 13.2 IP over 3 appearances since his call up 8/31. Black joins a stable of young pitchers who are in the mix for a role next season and could as least provide better depth next season or a platform for FZ to make a trade or two from a position of strength.

The Giants lineup managed just 5 scattered singles with 0 BB's.  And why, pray tell, is Michael Conforto still getting PA's?

In fairness I should point out that both last night's Padres pitcher, Dylan Cease RHP and Joe Musgrove RHP are very good pitchers capable of shutting any team down and they were both coming off getting roughed up by the Giants in the last series so you had to suspect they would be extra focused for this series.  Unfortunately even with Musgrove and Cease's talent accounted for, the overall talent gap in the rosters from top to bottom is obvious to even casual fans and it also does not excuse sloppy play or mental mistakes.

Brady Klopfer of McCovey Chronicles is generally quite restrained in his criticism of the organization but he saw the same game I saw last night and lashed out in a post late last night.  If you have not read it yet, it's titled Giants Give You No Reason To Smile.  I agree with 90% of what he's saying although I think the main reason for Bryce Eldridge's promotion is the AAA season lasts one week longer than AA and the Giants understandably want to maximize his PA's.  .....and now I am seeing the title of tonight's game wrap by Sami Higgins and she is making Brady's rant look restrained by comparison.

Landon Roupp RHP tries to salvage a win in the series tomorrow and bolster his case for a roster spot next season facing Martin Perez LHP.

Down on the Farm: 9/12/2024

 AAA:  Sacramento River Cats edged out the Round Rock Express 3-2:

Thairo Estrada DH- 1 for 4, HR(3).  BA= .354.

Wade Meckler CF- 2 for 4. BA= .311.

Blake Sabol C- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .248.

Carson Seymour RHP- 6 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 5 K's, GO/AO= 10/2.  ERA= 4.76.

Tommy Romero RHP- 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 3.06.

Justin Garza RHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K's, Save(3).  ERA= 3.26.

AA:  Altoona Curve beat the Richmond Flying Squirrels 8-1:

Bryce Eldridge 1B- 2 for 4.  BA= .270.

A:  Modesto Nuts defeated the San Jose Giants 6-2(Game 2 of Division Series):

Bo Davidson CF- 2 for 5.

Walker Martin SS- 1 for 3, HR(1), BB.

Elijah Pleasants- 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K's.

Elijah Pleasants is not young but has a long loose arm.  Will be looking for his name in A+ ball next season.

Game Wrap 9/12/2024: Brewers 3 Giants 0

A couple of extra days rest seemed to be just what Hayden Birdsong needed as he rebounded with 5 shutout innings, but the lineup faceplanted after their 13-run effort last night.  Key Lines:

Jerar Encarnacion DH- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .278.  Jerar is stating his case to be on next season's roster.

LMWJ, Mark Canha and Curt Casali had one hit each with Casali hitting a double.  The top 4 spots in the order went 0 for 15 with a walk

Hayden Birdsong RHP- 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 4.74.  Well, that's what a couple extra days will do for a young pitcher past his previous high innings on a season.  Makes you wonder if it's maybe time for a 6-man rotation.

Giants take on the Padres tomorrow night with TBD scheduled to face Dylan Cease RHP.  I plan to attend this game with a childhood buddy.  No post tomorrow.  See you Sunday night or Monday AM.

Down on the Farm: 9/11/2024

AAA:  Round Rock Express topped the Sacramento River Cats 6-5:

Wade Meckler CF- 1 for 2, 3 BB.  BA= .306.

Hunter Bishop RF- 2 for 5, 2B.  BA= .243.

Donovan Walton SS- 1 for 2, 2B, 2 BB.  BA= .309.

Carson Ragsdale RHP- 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 5.15.  

Is there a call up in Ragsdale's future?

AA:  Akron Rubber Ducks outscored the Richmond Flying Squirrrels 8-7:

Carter Howell CF- 1 for 3, BB, SF.  BA= .276.

Bryce Eldridge 1B- 1 for 5, 2B. BA= .242.

Jairo Pomares RF- 2 for 5, 2B.  BA= .243.

Diego Velasquez SS- 3 for 4, 2B, BB.  BA= .311.

Justin Wishkoski 2B- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .253.

Andrew Kachel 3B- 2 for 3, 2B, HBP.  BA= .235.

Game Wrap 9/11/2024: Giants 13 Brewers 2

The Giants ran up an 8-0 lead after two innings and coasted to a lopsided win.  Key Lines:

Tyler Fitzgerald SS- 3 for 5, 2 2B.  BA= .297.  Fitz continues to state his case to be the Giants SS of the present and future.

Mike Yastrzemski RF- 2 for 4, 2B, HR(15).  BA= .240.  YtY homers for second consecutive game but is still batting .200 over his last 7.

Matt Chapman 3B- 1 for 3, HR(24).  BA= .251.  One more to 25 which was my preseason projection.

Lamonte Wade Jr 1B- 2 for 4, 2B, BB.  BA= .264.  OBP has slipped a bit to .393.  

Jerar Encarnacion DH- 2 for 5, HR(4).  BA= .267.  Jerar's HR went into the RF arcade, unusual for a RH batter.  I think this is the second time he's done it.

Patrick Bailey C- 3 for 4, 2B.  BA= .235.   Bailey battting .316 over his last 7 games but just .137 over his last 30.

Blake Snell LHP- 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 8 K's.  ERA= 3.52.  Snell coasted with a big lead but threw 95 pitches in 5 IP.  

Austin Warren RHP- 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 1.50.  Warren stating his case to be in the mix for next year's staff.

Sean Hjelle RHP- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 3.68.  Could Hjelle be in the mix for next year's rotation of has he found his niche as a 1-2 inning reliever?

Hayden Birdsong RHP tries to break through his wall tonight facing Frankie Montas RHP.

Down on the Farm: 9/10/2024

AAA:  Sacramento River Cats outscored the Round Rock Express 11-6:

Donovan Walton LF- 2 for 5, BB.  BA= .307.

Trenton Brooks DH- 2 for 6, HR(9).  BA= .310.

David Villar 3B- 3 for 6, HR(16).  BA= .266.

Blake Sabol C- 2 for 4, 2B, BB.  BA= .245.

AA:  Richmond Flying Squirrels defeated the Altoona Curve 6-2:

Carter Howell CF- 2 for 4, SF.  BA= .275.

Victor Bericoto RF- 2 for 5.  BA= .264.

Turner Hill LF- 2 for 4, BB.  BA= .268.

Jack Choate LHP= 5 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 5 K's.  ERA= 5.76.

Mat Olsen RHP- 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 4.11.

Travis Kiest RHP- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, GO/AO= 5/1.  ERA= 2.62.

A:  Modesto Nuts topped the San Jose Giants 4-2(Game 1 of Cal League Division Series):

Zander Darby 2B- 1 for 4, HR.

Jeremiah Jenkins 1B- 2 for 4, 3B.

Jordan Hicks RHP- 2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K's. 

Timmy Manning LHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K's.

Josh Bostick RHP- 4.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 4 K's.  

Game Wrap 9/10/2024: Brewers 3 Giants 2

The Giants lineup didn't have enough punch to support a solid pitching performance.  Key Lines:

Mike Yastrzemski RF- 1 for 3, HR(14), BB.  BA= .237.  YtY has 2 HR's in his last 7 games but is batting just .200 over that span.

Landon Roupp RHP- 5 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 3 K's, GO/AO= 7/2.  ERA= 3.44.  Roupp is stating a strong case to be in the mix for next year's starting rotation.  Since coming off the IL on August 9, he has allowed just 3 R in 20 IP over 9 appearances(ERA= 1.35) with 21 K's and 9 BB's.  This was his first starting assignment of the season but went 4 IP in relief his last appearance.

Giants hitters had just 4 hits and 3 BB's with Matt Chapman 3B hitting a double.  The last 4 batters in the lineup went a combined 0 for 13.

Blake Snell LHP tries to rebound from his last weird 1-inning start tomorrow facing Colin Rea RHP.

 

Down on the Farm: 9/8/2024

 AAA:  Sacramento River Cats outscored the Salt Lake City Bees 7-5:

Christian Koss SS- 3 for 5.  BA= .281.

Brett Auerbach LF/RF- 2 for 4.  BA= .305.

Blake Sabol C- 2 for 4, HR(10).  BA- .241.

Will Wilson 3B/2B- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .231.

Clay Helvey RHP- 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 5.20.

Kolton Ingram LHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 3.47.

Blake Sabol is batting .340 with 4 HR since August 20.

AA:  Akron Rubber Ducks pounded the Richmond Flying Squirrels 10-3:

Victor Bericoto RF- 2 for 5, 2B.  BA= .262.

Andrew Kachel 3B- 1 for 4, HR(2).  BA= .227.

Jimmy Glownke 2B- 2 for 3, 2B, BB.  BA= .201.

Seth Corry LHP- 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 5.97.

Will Bednar RHP- 2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 0 BB, 5 K's.  ERA= 7.92.

A couple of enigmatic pitching prospects with interesting lines.  Bednar has 10 K's against 1 BB in 4 IP over his last two appearances with mixed results in runs allowed.

A+:  Vancouver Canadians defeated the Eugene Emeralds 8-4:

James Tibbs III RF- 3 for 5, HR(2).  BA= .134.

Sabin Ceballos 3B- 1 for 4, HR(7), BB.  BA= .295.

Since going 0 for 5 and dropping his BA to .024 on Sept 1, Tibbs is 8 for 26(.308).  

A:  San Jose Giants tamed the Fresno Grizzlies 11-5:

Lisbel Diaz RF- 3 for 5, 2B.  BA= .279.

Walker Martin SS- 1 for 5, HR(2).  BA= .202.

Bo Davidson DH- 2 for 4, 2 3B, BB.  BA= .328.

Jakob Christian LF- 1 for 3, HR(1), HBP.  BA= .267.

Jeremiah Jenkins 1B- 4 for 4, 2 2B, 3B, BB.  BA= .295.

Ryan Vanderhei RHP- 3 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 4 K's. ERA= 3.58.

Brayan Palencia RHP- 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 2.91.

Ian Villers RHP- 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's, Save(4).  ERA= 5.97.

Several interesting placement decisions between A and A+ for next season.

Game Wrap 9/8/2024: Giants 7 Padres 6

Fernando Tatis Jr broke up Joe Musgrove's perfect game in the 4'th inning when he lost Heliot Ramos' flyball in the sun.  That opened the floodgates to 6 consecutive hard hits including 3 HR's in a 6-run inning.  The Giants held on for the win.  Key Lines:

Heliot Ramos LF- 1 for 5, 2B.  BA= .273.  Heliot hit a can of corn to Tatis in RF who tried to shield his eyes from the sun with his right hand but flinched at the last second as the ball dropped right over his left shoulder for what was technically a double.  Heliot should have ended up at 3B but jogged down the 1B line in disgust with himself expecting the ball to be caught.  It ended up not mattering as Chapman followed with a HR but Heliot got some real time feedback from Bob Melvin in the dugout after he scored.

Matt Chapman 3B- 2 for 4, HR(23), SB(15).  BA= .251.  Chapman continues his torrid hitting.  .286/.366/.536 slash line since All-Star Break.

Jerar Encarnacion 1B- 1 for 4, HR(3).  BA= .257.  Jerar followed singles by Michael Conforto DH and Tyler Fitzgerald SS by sending one into the upper deck in LF giving the Giants a 5-0 lead.

Luis Matos RF- 1 for 4, HR(5).  BA= .211.  Matos went back-to-back with Jerar's blast to finish off the 6-run scoring in the 4'th inning.

Marco Luciano 2B- 1 for 4, 2B.  BA= .254.  Marco followed Matos HR with a scorching double down the LF line.  Later in the game a miscommunication between him and Fitz returned Tatis' favor and led to two unearned runs and narrowed the Giants lead to 7-4.  That led to some tense words between Marco and Fitz in the dugout.  When it was all sorted out it seems it was Luciano's ball all the way but Fitz, who ran a long way to try for it, didn't hear Marco call for it.  Luciano has been a little snakebit on D this season. Hopefully this does not derail him from getting MLB PA's ROS.  I still believe in his ceiling.

Curt Casali C- 1 for 3, HR(1).  BA= .178.  Casali's solo HR in the 6'th inning ended up being the difference in the game.

Spencer Bivens RHP- 4.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 2.77.  Plucky start by Bivens who may have been thrown off his rhythm by the long break during the Giants big 4'th inning.  Bivens is living his dream and deserves to be in the mix for a role next season.

Camilo Doval RHP- 0.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 0 K.  ERA= 4.94.  Big regression for Doval who was as bad today as he was great yesterday forcing Ryan Walker to pitch 1.2 innings for the Save.

Ryan Walker RHP- 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, Save(7).  ERA= 1.82.  What a season!  Walker is my nominee for the Willie Mac Award.  

Giants have a travel day to Milwaukee where TBD gets the start on Tuesday facing Aaron Civale RHP.

Down on the Farm: 9/7/2024

 AAA:  Sacramento River Cats beat the Salt Lake City Bees 8-2:

Wade Meckler CF- 2 for 4, HR(6), BB.  BA= .312.

David Villar DH- 4 for 5, 2 2B.  BA= .262.

Andrew Knapp C- 2 for 3, 2B, 2 BB.  BA= .290.

Donovan Walton LF- 3 for 5.  BA= .307.

Tyler Myrick RHP- 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's, GO/AO= 4/0.  ERA= 3.07.

AA:  Richmond Flying Squirrels defeated the Akron Rubber Ducks 3-1:

Victor Bericoto RF- 1 for 4, HR(11).  BA= .261.

Bryce Eldridge 1B- 3 for 4, HR(1), SB(1).  BA= .300.

Nick Morreale RHP- 5 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 3 K's, GO/AO= 8/2.  ERA= 1.97.

Nick Swiney LHP- 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 5.30.

Mat Olsen RHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 4.30.

Nick Garcia RHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, Save(5).  ERA= 1.57.

And just like that, Eldridge hits his first AA HR and has his average up to .300.

A+:  Vancouver Canadians topped the Eugene Emeralds 6-5: 

James Tibbs III- 2 for 5.  BA= .097.

Scott Bandura CF- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .232.

Allan Cerda LF- 1 for 3, HR(2), HBP.  BA= .300.

Jack Payton 1B- 1 for 4, HR(1).  BA= .206.

Thomas Gavello SS= 2 for 4. 2B.  BA= .191.

Mikell Manzano RHP- 3 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 4.05.

Tommy Kane LHP- 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 5.40.

A:  Fresno Grizzlies mauled the San Jose Giants 7-3:

Jakob Christian LF- 3 for 4, 3 2B.  BA= 259.

Ryan Reckley SS- 3 for 4.  BA= .243.

Game Wrap 9/7/2024: Giants 6 Padres 3

Two very long home runs by Grant McCray carried the Giants to a win over the Padres.  Key Lines:

Patrick Bailey C- 1 for 2, 2 BB.  BA= .232.  Bailey is trying to fight his way out of a brutal second half slump.  He reached base 3 times and scored 3 runs.

Grant McCray CF- 2 for 4, 2 HR(5).  BA= .262.  Oh my!  That is a quick bat!  McCray took Dylan Cease, a very good pitcher, deep in the 2'nd inning on a ball he pulled to RF.  It was easily a HR in the old Petco dimensions which where huge.  Then in the 9'th he hit one even farther to R-CF.  Again it would have been gone in the original Petco.  Even Barry Bonds found the original Petco Park dimension a challenge.  I've been trying for awhile to think of who McCray reminds me of.  Watching that first HR it came to me:  Crime Dog!  Fred McGriff!  He's got a similar wiry strong build and the lightning quick power in the bat.  Maybe his nickname can be Young Crime Dog?  Did Grant McCray suddenly put himself in the mix for a starting OF spot next season?

Logan Webb RHP- 6 IP, 10 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 3 K's, GO/AO= 8/3.  ERA= 3.48.  Not his best work but a Quality Start.  McCray's heroics made it good enough for the W.  

Camilo Doval RHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 4.62.  Whatever Doval was throwing up there, it looked like mostly 90 MPH sliders, the Padres were not picking it up.  Multiple broken down swings and flails at pitches 6 inches off the plate.  Now, if he can find some consistency......

Spencer Bivens RHP gets his second MLB start tomorrow afternoon against Joe Musgrove RHP.

Churn Watch:  Cavan Biggio 2B didn't hang around long.  The Giants traded him to the Braves for cash considerations.

Down on the Farm: 9/6/2024

AAA:  Salt Lake City Bees stung the Sacramento River Cats 8-1:

Thairo Estrada 2B- 3 for 4, HR(2).  BA= .433.

I think it's pretty clear the Giants have already decided to not tender a contract to Estrada this winter.  Why do I feel like he's going to be a bargain pickup for some organization?

 AA:  Richmond Flying Squirrels outscored the Akron Rubber Ducks 7-5:

Victor Bericoto RF- 2 for 4, 2 2B, BB.  BA= .261.

Andy Thomas C- 2 for 5.  BA= .229.

Matt Higgins 1B- 2 for 3, 2 BB.  BA= .280.

Andrew Kachel 3B- 2 for 5.  BA= .225.

Wil Jensen RHP- 4 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 3.60.

Cameron Cotter RHP- 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= .338.

A+:  Eugene Emeralds blanked the Vancouver Canadians 3-0:

Cesar Perdomo LHP- 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 8 K's.  ERA= 4.00.

Trent Harris RHP- 2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 2.00.

Hunter Dula RHP- 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, Save(5).  ERA= 3.19.

Since his ERA reached a peak of 6.04 on 7/21, Perdomo has allowed 9 ER in 31.1 IP(ERA= 2.56).  I saw him pitch in Lake Elsinore at a lower level early in the season and was impressed by his command of a mix of pitches.

A:  San Jose Giants outlasted the Fresno Grizzlies 6-5(11 innings):

Zander Darby PH/2B- 1 for 1, HR(4).  BA= .256.

Robert Hipwell 3B- 1 for 6, HR(5).  BA= .212.

Jack Bresnahan LHP- 4 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 4 K's. ERA= 10.98.

Darby and Hipwell each hit a 3-run HR to account for all of the Giants scoring.  Darby's was a PH HR in the top of the 11'th to give the Giants a 3-run lead. They almost gave it back in the bottom of the inning but hung on for the win.

Game Wrap 9/6/2-24: Padres 5 Giants 1

Mason Black had a rough first inning exacerbated by a throwing error by Tyler Fitzgerald and the Giants never recovered in a game that illustrated the talent gap between the two teams.  Key Lines:

Michael Conforto DH- 1for 4, HR(16).  BA= .230.  Conforto drove in the Giants only run with a HR in the 6'th inning.  He had two hits in yesterday's game but is still hitting just .231 over his last 7 games and .192 over his last 15.  Very disappointing season for Conforto who almost surely won't be back next season.

Grant McCray CF- 2 for 3.  BA= .246.  Some signs of life from a bat that's been struggling over his last 15 games.

Mason Black RHP- 4.2 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 1 BB, 6 K's.  ERA= 7.50.  Black gave up the 3-spot in the first inning but settled down to allow just 1 more over the next 3.2 IP.  A wild throw by Fitz as runners were advancing after a flyout to RF allowed 2 runs to score.  They might have scored anyway because Manny Machado followed with a HR, but maybe Black was temporarily distracted by the wild error?  It's been an up and down season for Black but He seems like a guy who could still be in the mix for a role next season.  He has options so could start at AAA for depth.

Logan Webb RHP takes the mound tomorrow evening facing Dylan Cease RHP.  

Churn Watch:

Kyle Harrison LHP was placed on the IL with shoulder inflammation.  Austin Warren RHP was recalled from AAA Sacramento.

Down on the Farm: 9/5/2024

 AAA:  Salt Lake City Bees swarmed over the Sacramento River Cats 11-5:

Wade Meckler LF- 1 for 4, HR(5).  BA= .308.

David Villar 3B- 2 for 4, HR(15).  BA= .256.

Hunter Bishop CF- 2 for 4.  BA= .239.

Donovan Walton DH/RHP- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .302.

AA:  Richmond Flying Squirrels outscored the Akron Rubber Ducks 7-6:

Victor Bericoto RF- 2 for 5, 2B, BB.  BA= .258.

Bryce Eldridge 1B- 1 for 3, 2B, 2 BB.  BA= .182.

Diego Velasquez SS- 2 for 5.  BA= .304.

Matt Higgins LF- 2 for 5.  BA= .264.

Luis Toribio 3B- 2 for 3, 3B.  BA= .209.

Nick Sinacola RHP- 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 3.68.

Will Bednar RHP- 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 5 K's.  ERA= 7.53.

It's been another rough season for Will Bednar but Roger Munter sent out an X message saying he was hitting 97 MPH with the FB in this appearance.

A+:  Vancouver Canadians edged out the Eugene Emeralds 4-3:

Sabin Ceballos 3B- 2 for 4, HR(6).  BA= .300.

Hayden Wynja LHP- 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 4.97.

Austin Strickland RHP- 2.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 5.46.

Ceballos success takes the sting out of FZ giving up on the season by trading Jorge Soler but playing 3B in Oracle Park is probably not in his future.

A:  Fresno Grizzlies topped the San Jose Giants 5-4:

Walker Martin SS- 1 for 3, HR(1), 2 BB.  BA= .211.

Guillermo Williamson 1B- 3 for 5, 2B, HR(12).  BA= .241.

Cale Lansville RHP- 6 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K's, GO/AO= 4.36.

Cameron Pferrer RHP- 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 2.16.

Walker Martin seems to be finishing the season on an up note:  5 for 11 in 3 games in Sept.  12 for 36 in 10 games since 8/24.

Game Wrap 9/5/2024: Giants 3 D'Backs 2

The Giants overcame a rough start by Blake Snell to win in a walk-off .  Key Lines:

Tyler Fitzgerald SS- 2 for 4, 2B, SB(17).  BA= .300.  Fitz led off the 9'th inning with a single, Stole 2B and scored on Patrick Bailey's ground rule double for the walk-off win.

Patrick Bailey C- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .233.  Bailey drove in all 3 Giants runs with a 2-out, 2-run single in the 4'th inning and the walkoff double in the 9'th.  He is 4 for 9 over his last 3 games.

Blake Snell LHP- 1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 3.62.  I let out a gasp when I saw that Snell came out after 1 IP in the boxscore, but Melvin most likely made the move because Snell threw 42 pitches in the inning which was extended by Tyler Fitzgerald's throwing error.  From looking at the Play Log, it's not clear to me why both runs weren't unearned.  Perdomo scored on Fitzgerald's throwing error and Corbin Carroll scored on a Strike Out/Passed Ball.  

Landon Roupp RHP- 4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K's.  ERA= 3.41.  Great long relief job by Roupp who should be in line for a SP or long RP role next season.

Ryan Walker RHP- 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 1.88.  Walker gets credit for the W(9-3) and what a season he's had!  

The Giants travel to San Diego for a weekend series with Mason Black RHP starting tomorrow evening against Michael King RHP.

Down on the Farm: 9/4/2024

AAA:  Salt Lake City Bees outlasted the Sacramento River Cats 7-6(10 innings):

Wade Meckler CF- 2 for 4, 2B, BB.  BA= .310.

Donovan Walton 2B- 2 for 4.  BA= .300.

Christian Koss SS- 2 for 2, 2B, HR(4).  BA= .274.

Ryan Watson RHP- 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 4.26.

Justin Garza RHP- 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 3.52.

AA:  Richmond Flying Squirrels edged out the Akron Rubber Ducks 3-2(10 innings):

Ismael Munguia LF- 2 for 3.  BA= .317.

Turner Hill PR/LF- 1 for 2, 2B.  BA= .274.

Luis Toribio 3B- 2 for 3, 2B, BB.  BA= .202.

Jack Choate LHP- 4 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 6 K's.  ERA= 6.20.

Nick Swiney LHP- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 5.45.

Mat Olsen RHP- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 4.40.

A+: Eugene Emeralds outscored the Vancouver Canadians 10-7:

James Tibbs III- 1 for 4, HR(1), BB.  BA= .080.

Sabin Ceballos 3B- 2 for 4, HR(5), BB.  BA= .292.

Quinn McDaniel CF- 1 for 1, HR(13), 4 BB, 3 SB(40).  BA= .240.

Scott Bandura LF- 1 for 3, HR(6), 2 BB, SB(19).  BA= .235.

Jack Payton 1B- 1 for 3, 2B, BB, SF.  BA= .222.

A walk for Quinn McDaniel is essentially a double!  I had to hit the button on someone's comment yesterday about Tibbs.  While I don't disagree with the comment, I was not able to independently verify it pertained to Tibbs and it was mainly a non-baseball point.  It's the type of issue I like to address on my personal Facebook page but I prefer to (mostly) stick to baseball here.

A:  San Jose Giants subdued the Fresno Grizzlies 10-5:

Lisbel Diaz RF- 4 for 5, 3B, SB(7).  BA= .280.

Walker Martin SS- 3 for 5, 3B.  BA= .207.

Zander Darby 2B- 2 for 4, HR(3), BB.  BA= .265.

Jeremiah Jenkins 1B- 2 for 5, HR(2).  BA= .226.

Ty Hanchey C- 2 for 5.  BA= .258.

Game Wrap 9/4/2024: D'Backs 6 Giants 4

Lamonte Wade Jr drove in all four of the Giants runs but it wasn't enough to overcome some subpar pitching.  Key Lines:

Tyler Fitzgerald SS- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .297.  Fitz hit cleanup, got two hits and scored two runs.

Lamonte Wade Jr 1B- 2 for 4, HR(6).  BA= .267.  LMWJ seemed to have a sturdy base under him when he sent one into McCovey Cove with a Bondsian amount of room to spare.  He and Fitz accounted for all of the Giants hits.

Hayden Birdsong RHP- 3.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 5 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 5.19.  Birdsong is now 9 IP over his previous career season high.  Serious Question:  Is it better to build his innings this season or are FZ and BoMel risking his career by sending him out there after he has obviously hit a wall?

Spencer Bivens RHP- 4 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 2.86.  Bivens ate some innings and kept his team in the game.

Camilo Doval RHP- 0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R 1 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 4.78.  Doval did not eat innings nor did he keep his team in the game.

Blake Snell LHP tries to salvage the final game of fhe series tomorrow afternoon against Merrill Kelly RHP.

(Non) Churn Watch:

Turns out the reason Matt Chapman was a late scratch for this game is he was either taking a physical or wrapping up negotiations on a 6 yr/$151 M contract extension.  This is a good deal for both sides.  Chapman is financially set for life and gets to play where his heart is.  The Giants extend their season MVP at a reasonable price(by today's standards) and lock down a position for the next 6 seasons.  The contract covers his age 32-37 seasons so it could cross over into negative value on the back end but it's not such a huge contract as to be crippling at that point.  Having Chapman locked down to a long term contract should help the Giants attract other higher end free agents this coming offseason.

Down on the Farm: 9/3/2024

AAA:  Sacramento River Cats smothered the Salt Lake City Bees 13-0:

Will Wilson 3B- 2 for 4, BB, HBP.  BA= .231.

Wade Meckler CF- 4 for 6.  BA= .303.

David Villar 1B- 2 for 3, 2 2B, BB, HBP, SF.  BA= .254.

Trenton Brooks DH- 2 for 5, HR(8), BB.  BA= .314.

Hunter Bishop LF- 3 for 5, SB(8).  BA= .236.

Donovan Watson 2B- 3 for 6, 2B, 3B.  BA= .297.

Christian Koss SS- 2 for 5, 2B.  BA= .262.

Trevor McDonald RHP- 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K's, GO/AO= 10/2.  ERA= 4.68.

Spencer Howard RHP- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 6.75.

Austin Warren RHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 4.91.

The Giants are starting to develop a bit of a logjam at the top of their farm system blocking the path to the majors for most of these players.  McDonald is probably the top prospect here.  Meckler may need Grant McCray to show he needs more salt before he gets another shot.

AA:  Richmond Flying Squirrels shut out the Akron Rubber Ducks 1-0:

Bryce Eldridge 1B- 0 for 3.  BA= .000.

John Bertrand LHP- 6 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K's.   ERA= 4.03.

Wil Jensen RHP- 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 3.79.

Travis Kiest RHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K's, Save(5).  ERA= 2.77.

Bryce Eldridge makes his AA debut.  Reports on X say he hit the ball hard twice.

A+:  Vancouver Canadians defeated the Eugene Emeralds 8-5:

Aeverson Arteaga SS- 2 for 5.  BA= .206.

James Tibbs III- 2 for 5, 2B. BA= .065.

Scott Bandura LF- 2 for 4, 2B, SB(18).  BA= .233.

Quinn McDaniel CF- 2 for 4, 2B, 2 SB(37).  BA= .238.

Dylan Carmouche LHP- 5 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 0 BB, 7 K's.  ERA= 5.53.

Trent Harris RHP- 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 2.09.

A+ is a fairly aggressive placement for a new draftee, even a first rounder.  They used to go to short season A ball which doesn't exist anymore.  Still, .065 is a little disappointing for a first rounder from a major college conference.  Where have we heard that before?

Game Wrap 9/3/2024: D'Backs 8 Giants 7

Kyle Harrison got blown out early and a late Giants comeback once again fell short.  Key Lines:

Mike Yastrzemski RF- 2 for 4, HR(13), BB.  BA= .242.  YtY's slash line since moving into the leadoff position in the lineup:  .269/.406/.577.  The only place in the order where he has a better split is 8'th.

Heliot Ramos LF- 2 for 4, 2B, SF, SB(5).  BA= .277.  Every time I think Heliot has hit a wall he pushes through with a game like this.

Matt Chapman 3B- 1 for 5, HR(22).  BA= .247.  3 more to 25.

Patrick Bailey C- 2 for 4.  BA= .230.  Signs of life in Bailey's bat.

Kyle Harrison LHP- 2.2 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 1 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 4.56.  It seems pretty clear that Harrison has hit his limit for this season and should be shut down.

Tristan Beck RHP- 3.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 2.70.  Amazing comeback from a subclavian artery aneurysm repair. Yikes!  Gives me a near panic attack just thinking about it.  Happy to have you back Tristan but stay safe!

Sean Hjelle RHP- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 3.91.  Did anyone catch what Kruk and Kuip were talking about when they said Hjelle would set a record if the next batter hit a comebacker?  The batter grounded out to 1B with Hjelle covering instead.  Beck and Hjelle are a couple of interesting guys for next season.

Hayden Birdsong RHP tries to push through his wall tomorrow facing Zac Gallen RHP.

Churn Watch:

Marco Luciano IF and Luis Matos OF were finally called up with Blake Sabol C/OF and Casey Schmitt IF optioned to AAA Sacramento.  Does FZ really want to get a long look at Luciano and Matos or is this another case of him doing what the blog....KNB....er, fanbase wants? Hey! It worked out for Heliot Ramos!

Down on the Farm: 9/2/2024

Just one game on tap for Labor Day.

A:  Fresno Grizzlies defeated the San Jose Giants 5-1:

Lisbel Diaz RF- 1 for 4, 2B.  BA= .268.

Walker Martin SS- 1 for 3, BB.  BA= .183.

Ryan Reckley 2B- 1 for 3.  BA= .212.

Ryan Vanderhei RHP- 3 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 3.63.

Brayan Palencia RHP- 4 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 3.08.

Lisbel Diaz continues to show impressive extra-base power.  33% of his hits have been for more than singles both for San Jose and the ACL.  For reference, MLB average is under 10%.

....and just like that, Bryce Eldridge gets the late-season promotion to AA Richmond.  I am generally in favor of giving prospects who are in line for a next-season promotion a head start by giving the some exposure to what they can expect to see next season and possibly what they need to work on during the offseason.  My hesitation with Eldridge is he's already had a tremendous season with a midseason promotion. Why take a chance on messing with his head?  I just hope the coaches have admonished him to look at is as a learning experience and not stress over results.  But yes, I am very happy and excited for him.

Down on the Farm: 9/1/2024

AAA:  Sacramento River Cats outscored the Las Vegas Aviators 11-9:

Cavan Biggio DH- 2 for 4, 2B, HR(2).  BA= .226.

Will Wilson 3B- 3 for 4. BA= .208.

Luis Matos RF- 1 for 4, 2B, BB.  BA= .256.

Trenton Brooks 1B- 3 for 4, 2B, BB.  BA= .313.

Marco Luciano SS- 3 for 5.  BA= .250.

Hunter Bishop LF- 1 for 4, HR(9), BB.  BA= .231.

Clay Helvey RHP- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 5.40.

Justin Garza RHP- 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 3.60.

Hard to believe Cavan Biggio is 29 yo and has over 1500 MLB AB's under his belt.

AA:  Eries Seawolves topped the Richmond Flying Squirrels 6-5:

Ismael Munguia CF- 1 for 3, HR(5), BB.  BA= .311.

Victor Bericoto 1B- 1 for 4, HR(10).  BA= .257.

Diego Velasquez SS- 2 for 4.  BA= .307.

Nick Morreale RHP- 3.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 5 K's.  ERA= 2.00.

Nick Garcia RHP- 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 1.41.

Will Bednar RHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, GO/AO= 3/0.  ERA= 7.76.

Does Bednar get another season to try to find some traction on his career?

A+:  Eugene Emeralds defeated the Everett Aquasox 6-4:

Bryce Eldridge 1B- 1 for 1, HR(12), 2 BB, SF.  BA= .335.

Cesar Perdomo LHP- 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K.  ERA= 4.41.

Not much more to say about Eldridge.  As tempting as it is to say he should promoted to Richmond for the last two weeks of the season, it's probably best to let him finish on a high note for Eugene and start next season in AA.  

A:  San Jose Giants beat the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 5-2:

Zander Darby 2B- 1 for 3, BB.  BA= .233.

Cesar Quintas CF- 2 for 4, 2B, HR(12).  BA= .236.

Robert Hipwell 3B- 1 for 3, HR(4), BB. BA= .218.

Ubert Mejias RHP- 5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 4.63.

Elijah Pleasants RHP- 4 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 0 K, GO/AO= 9/1.  ERA= 1.78.

Game Wrap 9/1/2024: Marlins 7 Giants 5

Logan Webb was dealing with what looked like elite stuff and a 2-run lead then hit a wall in the 5'th inning after he misfired a potential GIDP ball and gave up 6 runs over the next two innings and went on to take the Loss.  Key Lines:

Mike Yastrzemski RF- 1 for 4, HR(12), BB.  BA= .239.  YtY's HR came on the second pitch he saw leading off the Giants half of the first inning.  He later led off the 5'th inning with a walk and scored on a ground out.  

Logan Webb RHP- 6 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 0 BB, 4 K's, GO/AO= 13/0.  ERA= 3.43.  Webb was electric through 4 innings, so much so that before the #9 hitter got a groundball single in the 3'rd inning I was already thinking no-hitter.  After Griffin Conine singled on another groundball to lead off the 5'th, Otto Lopez lined out.  Jose Devers then hit a comebacker Webb fielded cleanly with plenty of time to complete an inning ending GIDP.  Instead he threw high to Tyler Fitzgerald who managed to get a tag on Conine but had no chance to get the trailing runner.  The next 3 batters went GB single, LD single, 3-run HR.  Poof!  The Giants trailed 4-2 and never caught up.  Was Webb distracted by his errant throw?  Did he run out of gas?  After giving up those 4 runs in the 5'th he gave up 2 more in the 6'th.

The Giants get Labor Day off before hosting the D'Backs on Tuesday with TBD facing TBD.

Down on the Farm: 8/31/2024

 AAA:  Sacramento River Cats edged out the Las Vegas Aviators 4-3:

Luis Matos LF- 3 for 4, 2B, HR(14), SB(8).  BA= .257.

Wade Meckler RF- 2 for 4, 2B, 3B.  BA= .292.

Blake Sabol C- 1 for 4, HR(9), SB(11).  BA= .241.

Cavan Biggio 2B- 1 for 3, BB, SB(2).  BA= .200.

Carson Seymour RHP- 5.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 5 K's, GO/AO= 8/3.  ERA= 4.80.

What does the future hold for Matos, Meckler, Sabol and Seymour?  4 intriguing prospects whose futures are unclear.

AA:  Richmond Flying Squirrels outscored the Erie Seawolves 10-6:

Ismael Munguia DH- 3 for 5, HR(4).  BA= .310.

Justin Wishkoski 2B- 1 for 5, HR(2).  BA= .273.

Luis Toribio 3B- 3 for 4, 2B.  BA= .195.

Jimmy Glowenke SS- 2 for 4.  BA= .196.

Dylan Cumming RHP- 6 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 5 K's.  ERA= 4.84.

Cumming is another undrafted FA signed out of indy ball.  In his last 4 starts he allowed 5 ER in 20.2 IP(2.18 ERA) with 23 K's and 10 BB's.  Ismael Munguia carries a similar profile as Wade Meckler. Does he have enough power to stick at the MLB level?  Luis Toribio and Jimmy Glowenke have had some good games but over all disappointing and probably candidates for release over the winter.

A:  Rancho Cucamonga Quakes defeated the San Jose Giants 6-4:

Cesar Quintas RF- 2 for 4.  BA= .233.

Ryan Reckley 2B- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .206.

Game Wrap 8/31/ 2024: Marlins 4 Giants 3

A controversial call by the 2B umpire on what looked like a CS play by Patrick Bailey and Tyler Fitzgerald resulted in the Marlins scoring the winning run in a close ballgame.  Key Lines:

Michael Conforto DH- 2 for 4, HR(15).  BA= .231.  Conforto's HR in the 8'th inning narrowed the gap to 4-3 but as so often the case, that's as close as the Giants got.  Teams that depend on walkoff heroics are not going to win many games.  Despite the two hits, Conforto is still batting just .154 over his last 7 games and .204 over his last 15.   He's had a disappointing season and as a pending free agent will almost certainly not be back next season.

Patrick Bailey C- 0 for 4.  BA= .228.  Bailey's bat continues to slump but the D is solid.  He gunned down one runner at 2B on a strike out/throw out.  It looked like he got another CS on former Giant Otto Lopez in the 7'th inning but Tyler Fitzgerald was called for blocking 2B apparently on a technicality.  Fitz' foot was temporarily parallel to the front edge of the bag but he moved it to give Lopez a lane well ahead of the slide.  Lopez ended up coming around to score the winning run.

Jerar "Why Do I Want To Call Him Juan?" Encarnacion RF- 2 for 4.  BA= .259.  We tend to forget Jerar when we list the Giants graduated prospects and future cornerstones but he continues to states his case for a role on next year's team.

Mason Black RHP- 5 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 6 K's. ERA= 7.45.  Pretty good start with excellent secondary ratios.  Black is a guy who has an opportunity to make his case for next year's rotation with his performance the rest of this season.

Taylor Rogers LHP- 0.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 0 K.  ERA= 2.61.  ERA= 7.45.  Was Taylor's mind on how much his employer wishes he would go away?

Logan Webb RHP tries for a series win today against Darren McCaughan RHP. 

Churn Watch:  

Austin Warren RHP was optioned to AAA Sacramento to make room on the roster for Mason Black.  Andrew Knapp C cleared waivers and was outrighted to AAA Sacramento.