The Giants did some good things in this game: Luis Arraez 2B went 4 for 5, they hit two home runs, Tyler Mahle RHP took a 2-1 lead into the bottom of the 5'th inning. Unfortunately, they did not do enough good things: They went 0 for 7 with RISP and left 10 runners on base, Mahle fell apart in the 5'th inning including allowing a 3-run HR to Nick Kurtz, Matt Chapman went 0 for 5 with 2 K's batting third in the order. The end result was another loss, their 3'rd in a row after a 3-win run to begin the week. On top of that, one of their steadier hitters, Heliot Ramos LF came out of the game what was described as quad tightness.
What do you do with a team that repeatedly completely spins out as soon as it looks like they might be finding traction? We are nearing the end of the 7'th week of the season. in one more week we will be almost 1/3 of the way through the season. And what do you do when the core of the team that is locked into expensive contracts for many years is not just not playing up to their expectations, they are not producing ANYTHING!?
It's time for Greg Johnson, Buster Posey, Zach Minasian and Tony Vitello to sit down and ask themselves some very hard questions about how they got here and how they might dig themselves out of this....ahem....giant hole they find themselves in. And please do not say ownership needs to spend more. Spending more on this team is throwing good money after bad, simple as that.
Maybe the Giants can exchange expensive contracts of similar values. But if not, Buster and ownership might face eating significant amounts (along with tossing in some top prospects) to unload Chapman, Adames, Lee or Devers. At this point, trading short-timers like Arraez and Ray before the trade deadline sort of seems like a forgone conclusion, doesn't it? (Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing Chapman and Devers leave, if for no other reason than to clear paths for younger players.) There still might be value in keeping Adames and Lee, who are younger and could still prove to be good complimentary contributors over the next few years.
ReplyDeletetrade any vets you can (chapman, bader, devers, adames, mahle, ray) even if eating salary
ReplyDeleteHappy weekend Doc.
ReplyDeleteThe Giants right now as a team are a Conundrum!
As you said in a earlier post.
It's time for Greg/Buster etal to have a come to "Jesus" meeting!
What I would do for a 2010 Giants team.
Richard in Winnipeg
How does management move on from Devers, Chapman and Adames? What team would take any of them at this point? Devers is still young, but his huge contract through 2033 is an albatross for almost any other team, and the Giants are probably stuck with him. Chapman will be 34 next year, so maybe the Giants should move him and Arraez at the deadline and take the loss, which will be somewhat offset by Arraez' value (?) Adames is 31, and looks to be in decline, but with five more years to go on his contract, he won't attract many takers either. At least we will have only three more years of Lee...
ReplyDeleteLee, with a half-way decent '26 & '27, almost strikes me as someone of arrogance...er, ahhhh, I meant...confidence, to opt-out and try the free agent market...
DeleteOther than that, giants just have to be willing to pay. Devers, Chapman, Adames all have value. Not the contract value, but some value that any team would be willing to take on.
Scott Boras is his agent and I expect JHL to opt out.
DeleteBesides the Nick Kurtz 3 run homer, I thought Mahle pitched well. The baseball gods gave some lucky hits to the A's. With Jacob Wilson out, the A's lineup does not look threatening. However, the problem for the Giants, is as you stated is hitting with RISP. For me, I will keep following this team to the very end despite the anguish.
ReplyDeleteRe: Expensive contracts-
Over last 14 days:
Devers batting avg .333 OPS 1004 (definitely turned it up)
Adames batting avg .283 OPS .636 (coming out of his slump, looks better last 7 games)
Chapman batting avg .091 OPS .285 (Ouch! How many ways can you describe this-slump, drought, skid, funk, rut.....doesn't look like he has an answer either). Maybe give him a couple days off to reset.
The most exciting events for the Giants this year will be the July draft and draft lottery- assuming there isn’t a lockout. There some really promising prospects and more on the way but the the current major league roster doesn’t feel like a “team”. Also, they are mishandling Eldridge - he isn’t ready.
ReplyDeleteTop of the 4th, down 1-0, Arraez ties it up with his first HR of the year, Chapman and Devers whack the ball into the deep but they are out, yet Ramos and Adames get singles, runners on 1st and 2nd, a chance to put some hurt on the A's, and who comes up?
ReplyDeleteYes, Eldridge hits the ball hard but nonetheless, the threat ends.
But we're feeling good in the 5th, yes? Bader gives the Giants the lead, then Lee and Arraez put runners on 1st and 2nd again with the meat coming up. We're gonna bust it open, right? But Chapman and Devers cannot deliver.
Any point in mentioning the 7th, 1 out, runners on 2nd and 3rd, with the tying run at the plate and who's coming up?
Will Chapman and Devers redeem themselves? Just hit the damn ball, will you?
Other than ONE VERY BAD pitch to Nick Kurtz (who?), Mahle pitched well enough that some offense might have overcome...
Looking a couple of weeks ahead, the 6 games, home-and-home, with AZ sandwiched around 3 games at home with the White Sox could determine the Giants 2026.
ReplyDeleteIt is followed by 10 games on the road including 4 in Milwaukee and 3 in the Chicago to play the Cubs.
Every team they play in the next 21 games, except for 3 games in Colorado, has a better record than SF.
This season could be over in less than a month.
Hemingway wrote "For whom the bell tolls, it tolls for" ... US
Before the season started, the Giants might have looked at this upcoming stretch as a soft spot in their schedule. Being 7 games under .500 and with White Sox and Rockies improvement, they cannot look past these games.
DeleteStep one for me would be for Schmitt and Chapman to platoon, Chapman has had way too many chances and now should ride the pine every other day. With Ramos likely heading for an IL stint, this would be a good opportunity for Victor Bericoto to come up as a utility guy. I'd let Jesus play some left field.
ReplyDeleteMy thought is to sell high on Arraez and see what Schmitt can give for a full season. Maybe give Jesus Rodriguez some games at 3B?
DeleteThis is the year to be open to any and every idea out there. It's gonna be very interesting to see what the roster looks like after July.
Delete... Schmitt and Chapman to platoon...
DeleteYes, start Schmitt every game and bring in Chapman if ahead after 6 or 7 or 8 innings
Platoon is an oxymoron in this case because they both bat RH.
DeleteI don't know about trying Jesus Rodriguez at 3B. His batting average is now worse than Chapman's and they are sacrificing a lot of defense.
DeleteBTW, in regards to the lockout. There will be a lockout. I can almost guarantee it.
ReplyDeleteThis is a really difficult spot to be in as a franchise. I don't know that there are any great solutions as far as the next couple years are concerned.
ReplyDeleteI think the situation's screaming rebuild, or at least a partial rebuild. I'd try to maximize the window coming in a few years when our quietly strong farm system is ready by trading Webb, Ray, etc.
I also truly believe the Dodgers virtually buying an all star team has taken the wind out of us in a way, almost defeating us before the season even started. And you could say that for the last couple of years. I feel like we're the Buffalo Bills or New York Jets in the division when the Pats were churning out super bowls and the entire rest of the division was like morally defeated. Tough, tough spot to be in right now...
They have needed to spend more over the last 4 seasons to bring in Championship level talent. The moves that they didn't make (bringing in legitimate starting pitchers, a closer and some relief arms) was nothing short of mismanagement. As was higher a college coach with zero MLB experience at any level. You are right in that spending more at this juncture wouldn’t do anything. They need nothing short of new ownership and new management. Anything short of that would be putting lipstick on a pig………
ReplyDeleteThe one part of this I agree most with is the failure to aggressively address the Closer situation. At the same time this would be a bad team even with a top notch Closer. Having said that, it did seem like they lost any chance of turning this season around with the double-blown saves in the doubleheader in Tampa.
DeleteMaybe put Mahle in the bullpen, trade him eventually, open up a spot to give young pitchers like McDonald, Whiz, Tidwell chances to start games. They said in the off season they were high on their young pitchers
ReplyDeletere: Mable's one mistake pitch, in my view that is what mediocre pitchers do. they make just a few more bad offerings than a good pitcher. his ERA and WHIP are way suboptimal and it's simply a bad signing and i said that before he threw 1 pitch for the Giants. and of course, imo. es
ReplyDeleteI still blame Farhan for all this. He built one of the most mediocre teams in the history of baseball from the farm up! There were no options that Buster could have chosen that would have gotten this team above 500 and securing Chapman, signing Adames, and trading for Devers were all great moves and better than any alternatives aside from rebuilding. Now that they haven’t worked, someone will eventually trade for them and we can move on but in the meantime sell anyone and everyone! There are no untouchable players on the 40 man roster!
ReplyDeleteHmm... I would say signing Chapman, Adames and trading for Devers were understandable moves but they were not great moves!
DeleteI agree that they are still recovering from some bad signings FZ made in his last year to save his job. Such as paying Blake Snell $17 mil in 2026 to pitch for the Dodgers, nor trading him at the deadline.i listened to an interview with Brian Sabean on KNBR and thought what Buster and the Giants need is to hire someone with Brian Sabeans experience as an advisor to the front office. I believe Sabean still works for the Yankees, but an experienced person like him could help Buster and the organization in so many ways for example communicating the direction on what they're trying to do its a confusing message when Greg Johnson says they don't to give long term contracts to pitchers. Help with making good baseball decisions.
ReplyDelete1. The signing of Chapman, Adames and the trade for Devers are on Buster and are not looking so hot right now. 2. How many advisors does Buster need? He has Dusty Baker and Bruce Bochy. He has Jeremy Shelley who has worked with multiple GM/POBO's. If he needs that many advisors why not hire one of the advisors be the lead guy and have Buster learn as an assistant/apprentice? I agree with Greg Johnson that it is not a good idea to give huge, long term contracts to pitchers nor is is it good to have too many simultaneous long term contracts.
DeleteThat's true Doc. Besies Snell I was thinking of other signings FZ made. I like Jung Hu Lee who was signed to a big contract but maybe he hasn't played up to it. Jorge Soler signing was odd, traded to Braves 2025 mid season, and part of his 2026 salary still bring paid by Giants $1.875. They're paying $19 mil to Snell and Soler who longer play for Giants, which maybe they could have used to sign another player.this year. Matt Chapman was signed. Hjs and Snells signing cost them 2 high draft picks. Tom Murphy turned out to be bad signing since he got hurt only played in a few games. Cost them joey Bart who looks to be a serviceable backup catcher himself. Yes Buster has all his buddies as advisors, maybe he needs someone who can help him deal with agents like Scott Boros?
DeleteLast post on this subject. Brian Sabean had Dick Tidrow.he leaned on to identify good pitching prospects. Al Rosen former Giants GM brought in Bob Kennedy Terry's father he leaned on for player talent evaluations. Maybe Buster and ZM could use another person who was a former scout to help. I don't know. Buster being a former player can identify a good player, but maybe he could use a right hand person to help? Matt Chapman's has said the FO has seeked his opinion on players theyre interested in. Talent evaluation is important for organization success
DeleteJeff Berry, who used to be Buster's agent, is helping him learn about negotiations and Bobby Evans, is helping Buster with his knowledge about the organization and international players. Buster has a lot of advisors and a big reason why one of them doesn't step up to be the full time POBO is because it is a hard job and some people would prefer to work in areas they are used to working in and not have to be on call at all hours of the day. Buster may be the one ultimately signing off on all the big deals but I see the current front office as more of a committee and less like Buster Posey and the Supremes.
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