Game Wrap 5/13/2023: D'Backs 7 Giants 2

They way baseball is a game of inches.  It's also a game of numbers.  It's also a game of luck and of injuries.  Just when you thought the Giants luck couldn't get any worse, a freak injury popped up to wreak havoc in the 6'th inning of a game they were leading.  By the time the inning was over they trailed 4-1 and the game was practically over.  Key Lines:

Michael Conforto RF(.191) continued his resurgence with 2 hits including a 2B.

Casey Schmitt SS(.550) stayed hot with 2 more hits.

Anthony DeSclafani RHP- 5 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 3.06.  Tony D took a 1-0 shutout into the 6'th inning but trouble was brewing.  Seems he suffered a contusion of his toe a few weeks ago as he was helping his 2-year old son off a piano bench at home.  The bench fell over and "squared up" his toe.  Ouch!  I did that twice when I was a kid.  Once when a rock shifted as I was playing barefoot in Mill Creek up by Forest Falls, CA and once when a horse stepped on it.  Pain scale hit at least a 9 both times and both times the nail turned black and eventually fell off.  Well, the falling off part is what happened to Tony D in the 6'th inning and it was too painful to continue.  The good news is it should be easy to just grab that sucker and yank it clean off and he should be good as new in a few days.  Yikes!  So does Anthony DeSclafani have a hidden talent he's been hiding all this time?  Nope!  The piano came with a rented house.   He wanted to learn to play it but now he doesn't.( all this is per Maria Guardado in sfgiants.com).

Logan Webb RHP tries to salvage a series split today facing Brandon Pfaadt RHP.  

Joc Pederson is DTD after taking a pitch off the back of his right hand in Friday's game.  X-rays were negative for a fracture.

Down on the Farm: 5/12/2023

 AAA:  Sacramento River Cats defeated the Reno Aces 8-4. 

Cal Stevenson CF- 1 for 3, 2 BB, SB(5).  BA= .294.

Tyler Fitzgerald SS-  2 for 4, HR(3), BB, SB(1).  BA= .270.  

Ford Proctor 1B- 2 for 3, BB.  BA= .228.

Keaton Winn RHP- 4 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 5 K's.  ERA= 4.33.

Nick Avila RHP- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 3.66.

Erik Miller LHP- 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K's, Save(1).  ERA= 5.68.

Fitzgerald is having a breakout season.  His living in a tough neighborhood as Casey Schmitt has grabbed the SS of the future role, at least for now, and Marco Luciano is a pretty good prospect who is also in the mix but Fitz is versatile and there will always be teams in need of a SS who can hit.

AA:  Erie Seawolves mauled the Richmond Flying Squirrels 6-1.

Ismael Munguia CF- 2 for 5, 2B.  BA= .282.

Raymond Burgos LHP- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's. 

A+:  Tri-City Dust Devils outscored the Eugene Emeralds 6-5.

Victor Bericoto DH- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .293.

Logan Wyatt 1B- 1 for 2, HR(5), 2 BB.  BA= .257.

Carson Whisenhunt LHP- 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 K's.  ERA= 0.69.

Whisenhunt is dominating the lower levels which a top college draft pick should do.  He is looking like the fast mover I hoped Will Bednar would be last season.

A:  San Jose Giants calmed the Lake Elsinore Storm 5-4.

Carter Howell CF- 2 for 5.  BA= .320.

Onil Perez C- 2 for 3, BB, SB(4).  BA= .371.

Esmerlin Vinicio LHP- 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 0 K's.  ERA= 2.41.  

Game Wrap 5/122023: D'Back 7 Giants 5

The Giants looked like they would build on their impressive win from the nigh before as they broke out to a 3-0 lead.  Alas, moving Ross Stripling from SP to a bulk innings role was not the solution to his shockingly poor start to the season and the lead disappeared over the OF fences of Chase Field and things deteriorated from there.  Key Lines:

Lamonte Wade Jr 1B/CF- 3 for 5, 2B.  BA= .276.  LMWJ led off the game with an oppo field single and scored on Joc Pederson's HR.  He has now reached base 13 times in 25 PA's while leading off the first inning.  BR does not list how many first inning runs he has scored.

J. D. Davis 3B- 3 for 5.  BA= .308. 

Joc Pederson DH- 1 for 1, HR(5), 2 BB.  BA= .235.  Joc's been scuffling a bit.  Hopefully this is a game that gets him going.  

Michael Conforto RF- 2 for 4, HR(6).  BA= .180.  Conforto has been a rally killer too.  Kruk and Kuip commented on the improved AB's in this game. The HR came at the end of an extended AB.

Casey Schmitt SS- 1 for 4, 2B.  BA= .563.  I missed the excitement of Thursday's game but Schmitt added a nice oppo-field double get the the winning run to the plate in the 8'th inning.  The double came with runners on first and third with 2 outs and rattled round down the RF corner which gave hope it might drive in both runners.  Alas, Gary Hallberg held up the trailing runner, Conforto, at 3B and Wilmer left both runners stranded with a ground out.

Ross Stripling RHP- 3.1 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 7.14.  Unfortunately, Stripling is the story of this game.  He entered in the 2'nd inning after a scoreless Opening by Brebbia and promptly went single, walk, K, HR with the HR coming on Dominic Fletcher's first career MLB HR.  Evan Longoria DH went deep twice the next inning.  The first time the ball hooked foul, confirmed on replay but he straightened out the next one and the Giants were trailing in a game they started with a 3-0 lead.  So what's wrong with Ross Stripling?  In his partial defense, the ump squeezed him several times forcing him to put pitches deeper in the strike zone which almost nobody can get away with against MLB hitters.  On the other hand, as Kruk pointed out, his breaking balls just aren't spinning enough to have the downward bite they need.  Hanging breaking balls tend to go a long way when MLB hitters swing at them.  HR/FB is a ratio that tends to regress to mean over time and Stripling's is astronomical so far, but right now he is also failing the eye test.

Anthony DeSclafani RHP tries to get the the Giants back on the winning side the evening facing Zac Gallen RHP.

Churn Watch:

Alex Wood LHP was activated of the IL and gave up a run in 1 IP.  He's slated to start Monday against the Phillies in Oracle Park. Cole Waites RHP was optioned back to AAA Sacramento.

Blogger's Note

 Family event tonight and tomorrow AM. Will resume blogging tomorrow PM or Saturday AM.  

Down on the Farm: 5/10/2023

AAA:  Sacramento River Cats topped the Salt Lake City Bees 6-5.

Bryce Johnson CF- 1 for 4, HR(1).  BA= .385.

Tyler Fitzgerald SS- 1 for 4, HR(1).  BA= .250.

Patrick Bailey C- 1 for 3, HR(1),  HBP.  BA= .200.

Is Bryce Johnson in line for a recall if Austin Slater has to go back on the IL?

AA:  Erie Seawolves blanked the Richmond Flying Squirrels 1-0.

Mason Black RHP- 4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 4.57.

Juan Sanchez LHP- 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 1.72.

A+:  Tri-City Dust Devils edged out the Eugene Emeralds 2-1.

Jared Dupere LF- 2 for 4, HR(4).  BA= .261.

Seth Lonsway LHP- 4 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 6 K's, GO/AO= 6/2.  ERA= 6.75.

John Bertrand LHP- 3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 2 K's, GO/AO= 5/0. ERA= 3.00.  

First appearance after promotion for Bertrand.

A:  Lake Elsinore Storm defeated the San Jose Giants 7-5.

Thomas Gavello 2B- 3 for 4, 2 2B, BB.  BA= .321.

Onil Perez C- 2 for 5, 3B.  BA= .352.

Tanner O'Tremba DH- 1 for 3, HR(1), BB, SB(3).  BA= .297.

Jose Ramos SS- 1 for 3, 2 BB.  BA= .238.

Breakout season for Onil Perez?

Game Wrap 5/10/2023: Nationals 11 Giants 6

 Sean Manaea got blown out of this one early and a plucky Giants offense couldn't catch up.  Key Lines:

Lamonte Wade Jr 1B= 1 for 4, HR(7), BB.  BA= .260.  Wade's 2-run HR came in the 9'th inning when the game was out of reach, but he's on a pace to hit 25-30 on the season.  He also drove in a run with a ground out.

J. D. Davis 3B- 1 for 3, 2 BB.  BA= .287.  Not a bad line but Davis' error in the third inning opened the floodgates for 4 unearned runs and it just goes to show how much it's a game of inches....or less.  With one out and one on, as Davis was fielding a routine chopper, the ball inexplicably just dropped out of his glove.  He picked it up and fired to first where the ump called the runner safe.  Instant replay upheld the call but it was so, so close!  The next batter lined out for out #2 then walk, single, triple and suddenly the score was 8-0 and the Giants never recovered. 

Michael Conforto RF- 1 for 4, HR(5).  BA= .171.  Conforto's 2-run HR came in the 8'th inning.  Giants desperately need his bat to come alive.  Hopefully this is a start?

Casey Schmitt SS- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .500.   The good vibes continue for Casey "At the Bat" Schmitt.  May this be the beginning of a long, glorious career.

Sean Manaea LHP- 2.2 IP, 5 H, 8 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 7.96.  Earned runs or not, this was already not a good start for Manaea long before Davis' error.  That error was was something a good pitcher should have had not trouble pitching out of.  At this point it's hard to see Manaea being used in anything but mop-up situations until he shows he can consistently get hitters out.

Tristan Beck RHP- 5.1 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 4.41.  Nice bulk-innings work for Beck.  I would look for him to switch roles with Manaea next turn through the rotation. Gotta think Kyle Harrison LHP chance is coming soon.

The Giants open a 4-game series in Arizona tomorrow evening with Alex Cobb RHP facing Tommy Henry LHP.

Austin Slater CF left the game early with left hamstring tightness, the same area that caused him to start the season on the IL.  He'll be evaluated tomorrow.

Down on the Farm: 5/9/2023

 AAA:  Sacramento River Cats smothered the Salt Lake City Bees 9-2.

Colton Welker DH- 3 for 4, BB.  BA= .362.

Sean Hjelle RHP- 3 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 1.50.

Joey Marciano LHP- 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K's.  ERA= 7.56.

Ty Weber RHP- 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 0.00.

5 River Cats had 2 hits each.  HR's by Ford Proctor 3B(1), Will Wilson(2) and Shane Matheny(2).  

AA:  Erie Seawolves crushed the Richmond Flying Squirrels 10-1.

Luis Matos DH- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .295.

Marco Luciano SS- 1 for 4, 2B.  BA= .176.

Spencer Bivens RHP- 3.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 1.29.

Raymond Burgos LHP- 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 0.00.

A+:  Eugene Emeralds blanked the Tri-City Dust Devils 4-0.

Vaun Brown RF- 3 for 4, 2B, HR(1), BB.  BA= .313.

Eric Silva RHP- 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K's.  ERA= 1.90.

Joe Kemlage LHP- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K's.  ERA= 4.50.

Jose Cruz RHP- 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 0.00.

Tyler Myrick RHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 0.87.

Exciting stuff from Brown who has captured the imaginations of Giants prospect watchers.  Silva has to be one of the younger players in the league at age 20.

A:  San Jose Giants outscored the Lake Elsinore Storm 9-8.

Diego Velasquez SS- 1 for 4, HR(2).  BA= .298.

Matt Higgins LF- 2 for 3, 2 BB.  BA= .308.

Thomas Gavello 3B- 2 for 3, 2 HR(5).  BA= .297.