The Giants reached a new low point for the season in a game of everything that can go wrong did go wrong to reach blowout proportions by the middle of the second inning. Key Lines:
The Giants lineup managed just 5 hits and a walk off Nick Pivetta RHP with Jung Hoo Lee's triple being the only XBH.
Kai-Wei Teng RHP- 1.2 IP, 4 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 4 BB, 0 K. ERA= 9.90. Teng dug himself a hole in the second inning loading the bases with one out on a single and two walks. A GIDP helped him get through a scoreless first inning and it appeared he had another one when Jake Cronenworth's ground ball that was headed straight for a waiting Willy Adames SS, it hit the 2B bag and caromed over Adames' head into shallow L-CF. What would have been an inning-ending play scored two runs and there was still just one out. Another walk, single and Sac Fly made it 4-0 with 2 outs. Manny Machado then hit a line drive to the LF wall which Heliot Ramos LF fielded cleanly, whirled and inexplicably yanked it into the ground and it rolled slowly toward 2B while another run scored. At this point Spencer Bivens RHP was once again brought in and thrown to the wolves. Jackson Merrill CF singled and with Xander Bogaerts at the plate, Patrick Bailey C whiffed on a shoulder high fastball that went to the backstop and a 7'th run scored. Of course, everybody knew the game as over when Cronenworth's ball popped up over Adames' head and the rest of the inning just emphasized the point. One of the most disastrous innings I've witnessed and we seem to be saying things like that a lot these days.
I think I sort of said this yesterday but I witnessed the open player revolt that got Gabe Kapler fired in 2023 and last year's collapse that led to FZ's firing. I have not seen a more moribund team in recent memory. I think you have to go back to the days when Tom Haller was the GM and Jim Davenport was the Manager to find anything comparable. Even Kruk and Kuip were openly talking about how part of being a MLB ballplayer is keeping your head up and continuing to make adjustments in these situations. One of them said "something has to change". When Kruk and Kuip say something like that, best to take it seriously.
The Giants get a day off to lick their wounds, look at themselves in the mirror and meditate what they can do as individuals to get better before the Tampa Bay Rays arrive for a weekend series with Landen Roupp RHP facing Joe Boyle RHP who is 6' 8", 250 lbs and comes in with a 3.82 ERA. That does not sound particularly hopeful for the Giants.
The only crisp plays were DPs initiated by Dom Smith and Spencer Bivens, who is showing he is well schooled. Ramos is relying on talent to make up for lack of baseball smarts, but he is increasingly a liability. I think this team is looking for leadership because they seem to be rudderless and purposeless. Not to dis BoMel, but in this situation it means fire the manager.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could disagree with Bill, but I cannot. The time has come for a management and coaching change.
ReplyDeleteI think Buster has to make major changes this offseason. I'd give Mark Hallberg the rest of the season as the interim manager and see if he's more willing to break out the whip on the bats. I'd look to bring in a platoon partner for Bailey next year, the bat has been better but, the defense has regressed. Chapman needs to be on the hot seat next year and if next year is more of the same, Buster may need to eat a bad contract. The Farhan holdovers in Sacramento needs to be purged after the season.
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