A home run by Rafael Devers and clutch hitting from Bryce Eldridge and Turner Hill gave the Giants enough runs to squeak out an extra-innings win over the Buccos. Key Lines:
Rafael Devers 1B- 2 for 3, HR(32), 2 BB, 2 R, RBI. BA= .254. Devers is on one of his hot streaks and he is certainly carrying the team right now. Here's what he's doing: His production is taking pressure off the kids so they don't feel like they have to do too much. There are many situations where a single or double or sac fly or a walk gets the job done, especially if they can do it with some consistency.
Bryce Eldridge DH- 1 for 3, 2B, BB, SF, 2 RBI. BA= .263. Case in point, Eldridge drove in one run with a Sac Fly, then with runners at first and second with one out in the 10'th he just poked one down the LF line driving in the lead run and putting runners at 2'nd and 3'rd setting up Turner Hill for another sac fly for the insurance run they needed.
Turner Hill LF- 1 for 4, SF, 2 RBI. BA= .333. In addition to his game-winning RBI on the sac fly, Hill followed up Eldrige's sac fly with a 2-out RBI single in the 5'th inning.
Landen Roupp RHP- 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 4 K's. ERA= 4.17. Roupp has allowed just 2 runs in 10 IP over his last two starts.
Dylan Smith RHP- 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K's, Save(4). ERA= 3.13. Smith got the first batter in the 10'th, Nick Gonzalez to reach for one but Gonzalez was able to poke it through a hole up the middle to drive in the designated runner. From there, Smith looked like a real Closer blowing 97 MPH gas at the top of the zone and busting it in on the hands backed by an off-the-table splitter which you could see clearly on TV slo-mo had almost no rotation and tumbled straight down just as it approached home plate.
Blade Tidwell RHP goes for a series win in a game that starts at 9:35 AM PDT facing swingman Lake Bachar RHP who comes in with an ERA of 3.70.
Yeah there were a ton of inexperienced or uninformed Giants fans calling for the Giants to sell low on Devers and trade him while he’s in a cold stretch despite his many many years of proven production consistency. I was telling all my panicked friends early on that Devers will be fine, it’s a long season, he will have his numbers by the end of the season, he’s always been streaky. Sure enough he could actually ride a home run hot streak up close to 40 if he keeps this up. Not likely but possible with a sustained hot streak.
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't just him, but that cold stretch sank the season almost before it started. I still don't like the contract and would like to see them trade out of it if they can but I have softened on that as he has been quite good since the disastrous April. To Jim's point below, he also appears to have a much better attitude and seems to finally feel like this is his team. To my eyes, that turning point happened after the infamous finger-wagging incident. I have to credit Tony Vitello because it appears he handled that situation very well and used it to build Devers up and get his support.
DeleteAlmost all batters have slumps no matter how good they are. The problem for the Giants is the entire team slumped at the same time through at least April and by that time the season was all but over. Buster's challenge is to build a lineup around Devers that can pick him up for a month. Part of that is figuring out if Adames and Chapman have anything left in their tanks and how fast he can get some of the hitting prospects like Bo Davidson up and contributing to the lineup.
DeleteThe poor start has to be related to his terrible off-season conditioning. Devers is a much more talented Pablo Sandoval. His ability as a hitter is undeniable, but he has to take better are of his body as he gets into his 30s. If he won't embrace better conditioning then the Giants should move him in the off season while his value is up again.
DeleteCredit to Devers, and I'll always support the decision to bring him here. He's can be a true savage bat.
DeleteBut he flat out came to camp out-of-shape. Can't be certain that contributed to his slump, but it couldn't have helped. At all.
If Devers thinks he'll continue to get away with that kind of thing, look no further than Pablo. So, don't do your victory dance around your friends just yet. Devers invited the concern. And another off-season is almost here.
Nice to see Devers having fun, finally.
ReplyDeleteI agree. He seems to have finally settled in and embraced that this is his team and he's going to lead it and have fun in the process. To me it looked like that transition started after the finger-wagging debacle. I'll give credit to Tony Vitello who appeared to handle that situation brilliantly.
DeleteAgreed on Tony V’s handling of the Devers situation. Sports talk callers were crying out for Vitello to reprimand and bench Devers to in effect show him who’s boss. Granted the majority of sports talk callers go off like they can run the team better than the professionals, but their basic argument was correct in that the manager has to have the respect of the players. Well, Vitello showed that respect can be earned in ways other than wielding power just because one can. Rather than turning it into a battle of egos he talked it out with Devers, listened to his side, and that seemed to have been the best way to approach the situation. As poorly as the team has performed this season, one thing that we have not heard is that Vitello has lost the clubhouse, which was the purported downfall of both his predecessors. That provides hope for a better season in 2027 with a year under Vitello’s belt, and a stronger, healthier roster.
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