In Zaidi we trust - The Giants

Because they are the best team in MLB and no one saw this coming this year

lol, that was supposed to be 2021 Giants but i'm drunk as i met up with old friends tonight

anyways, the Giants lost to Bumgarner tonight because of course they did

the Dodgers also lost, so today was just another day but they are running out. nothing gained but also nothing lost

but they are running out *of time

this team is magic this year.

they were down four going into the 9th inning. D-backs removed their starting pitcher who was dominating and the Giants came back to win. oh yeah, someone named Kris Bryant starting the came back and scored the extra run in the 10th to win it.

I don’t understand how this team is doing it.

They were already halfway there last year, with a lineup hitting the snot out of the ball in the shortened season but lacked pitching/bullpen depth and Buster Posey.

Also, plate discipline. So much plate discipline.

there is something special going on this year

the Giants are playing the Brewers and they have faced some of the best pitchers i have seen this year: Burnes, Woodruff and their bullpen. Giants were down by one in the ninth and somehow tied the score (it was unbelievable). in the 10th they scored three runs but the Brewers came back and scored three runs to tie the score, it was a gut punch but this is 2021. in the 11th the Giants scored four runs to finally end the game.

Kris Bryant 3-4

Yeah they are like perma locked in. The defensive flexibility and depth make them like a mesh network team. It's incredibly fun to watch, and it's reminiscent of the EYBS teams postseason play but all year.

wild win tonight vs the diamondbacks

i know the dbacks are the cellar dwellers of the division but they play the Giants well. the Giants have had to come back way too many times this year against them this year. i'm actually glad the Giants don't have to play them too many more times this year.

Narrator: "SF is 13-2 vs. AZ this season."

Giants win and the Dodgers lose, Giants are now five games up in the NL West

Brandon Crawford will stay in the Bay pic.twitter.com/9u0oYC1EOC

— SFGiants (@SFGiants) August 13, 2021

So Crawford's 2/$32M extension is officially the biggest deal Farhan Zaidi has handed out as #SFGiants president of baseball operations.

— Ben Kaspick (@BenKaspick) August 13, 2021

games are getting more and more intense. not sure why the Mets manager took out Walker but this was not a good game by the Giants. the Giants needs five outs to get out of a bases loaded ninth but they did. i might say this was one of their flatter games but somehow still won.

there is something about this team this year

Kapler is a Greta Van Fleet fan

the Giants probably put the nail in the coffin by sweeping the Mets. tonight they should not have lost but the first pitch got them, they are flat right now.

in other words the season is starting to catch up to them to the naked eye

Webb pitched a gem tonight, the Giants finally played their brand of baseball and had a win over the ATL

every game is becoming bigger and bigger

one of the worst days in my life

after having the best record in baseball and being on top after more than 100 days it all come crashing down tonight

i feel the Giants need to win the division this year and that is more important than winning another World Series. in 2014, the Giants Won the World Series despite not winning the division, the Dodgers reign in the West needs to end and this year felt right

also this Texas, supreme court thing really bothers me

why go on...

There’s still time, you’ve got a month of games and fangraphs puts your playoff odds at 100% (lol)

if only bee ok had known that the giants would be back in first 15 hours later

rip

Pour one out

Y'all know it's only his stress level that's keeping the plane in the air, right

he died as he lived; only paying attention when his team was good, then somehow making it all about himself

fly high, frontrunner

Press F to pay respects

i was a bit too emotional the other night, i get to invested in this shit. sorry everyone.

and no mookie, i pay attention on the down years too and buy Extra Innings every single year, i just took a long break from ILB is all, as see above (too invested).

Imagine if you were a Padres fan right now, oy vey

Sure, our extremely expensive, all-in season is falling apart, but at least we've never won a title

The only thing that would bring me down this year is if the Giants lose to the Dodgers in the postseason and/or the Bums win it all again.

This season is already found money (I mean they sit at 85 wins right now... a total that I would have considered amazing progress if they ended that way). They have a top 10 farm now. Tons of money coming off the books. Possibility of signing Bryant. Proven elite hitting can happen at 24 Willie Mays Plaza without the roids. I can go on. They should be competitive for some time now and the best Faidi years are still ahead. I don't see them pulling off a WS win this year since the starting pitching is completely unreliable outside of Webb, but they could get close.

Padres have had a classic case of "celebrating at half time" a la the Falcons in the Super Bowl and a ton of injuries. They can still sneak in and grab a Wild Card spot though. They remind me a bit of the 2nd half 2016 Giants but with 1000% more hubris. Until they win something that hubris will only hinder them. Perhaps they need to lose more before they truly can pull one out, a la the Dodgers.

Speaking of - Dodgers are expected to win 100+, expected to win the division, expected to go deep and/or win it all.

Anything short of that is a satisfying dose of schadenfreude.

what a game tonight, thou the Giants never scored an insurance run as they had to have around 12 chances with running in scoring position. to lose this game would have been heartbreaking.

2 out of three and take the series season versus the Dodgers. that will work.

first team to 90 wins and 40 games over .500

first team to sweep the Rockies this year at their park

a sweep on the road and go 6 - 0, will take it

Wilmer Flores had a big game. Fun nail biter of a game

clinched a playoff birth tonight for 2021

incredible year (so far)

bullpen game bit them on the ass tonight

San Diego had to win a game, just wish it came against the Dodgers instead of losing six

.@stevekornacki's model gives the Giants a 76.4% chance of winning the NL West 👀 pic.twitter.com/xQuP4AiOBJ

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) September 16, 2021

1 is better than 2

What a game

haha! what an ending

I screwed that up

2 up on the Dodgers is better than 1

you can't make this stuff up. Giants cruising and put their closer on the IL today. up comes Rogers and gives up three in the bottom of the ninth. Giants tie it in the bottom of the ninth on their last strike. and then...

KEVIN GAUSMAN WALK-OFF SAC FLY!
REPEAT: KEVIN GAUSMAN WALK-OFF SAC FLY! pic.twitter.com/M0tART2yUP

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) September 18, 2021

Dominic Leone has been something this year. has been the opener when the Giants are throwing way too many bullpen games. tonight he closed the game.

what a year

Steven Duggar saved a homer with an incredible effort, but Jorge Soler gets a double out of it pic.twitter.com/BjeNRVAL1r

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) September 19, 2021

2 out of 3 against an Atlanta team that is fighting for their playoff lives, unfortunately the Dodger did the same. still up and in the end of the week and that is all you can hope for at this time of the season.

LaMonte Wade Jr. has now beat the entire NL West in the 9th inning.

7/22 vs Dodgers (tie-breaking two-run single in 5-3 win)

8/5 vs D'backs (game-tying two-run single in 5-4 win)

9/8 vs Rockies (go-ahead two-run single in 7-4 win)

9/21 vs Padres (go-ahead single in 6-5 win)

— Kerry Crowley (@KO_Crowley) September 22, 2021

nice piece on the Giants: https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/32249806/the-san-francisco-giants-just-keep-surprising-us

not sure of the last time the Giants actually gained ground on the Dodgers, might be when the Giants beat Walker Buehler.

Kazmir, of all people, gave the Giants four shut out innings to start this game, turns out it was enough

sorry, he actually gave up on earned run

The Rockies' win over the Dodgers last night drastically changed @stevekornacki's model in the Giants' favor pic.twitter.com/PLe9C5i4zc

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) September 23, 2021

that was short lived, i don't think i can take nine more games of this

What are you going to do if you decide you can't take it?

well, i have HBO for free this weekend so i can watch movies instead. better for my blood pressure

First team to 50 wins
First team to 60 wins
First team to 70 wins
First team to 80 wins
First team to 90 wins
First team to 100 wins

what a year. please, please, please baseball gods let us win the NL West in 2021

8th year in Giants history with 100 wins

1904, 1905, 1912, 1913, 1962, 1993 & 2003

Dodgers lose

Move over, Barry Bonds.

Brandon Belt's two homers tonight allowed the 2021 Giants to surpass the 2001 team for the most homers in franchise history with 236 (via @PavlovicNBCS) https://t.co/SLWuGGXSku pic.twitter.com/hdyuL8y8Oq

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) September 26, 2021

Padres officially eliminated from post-season play, wow

Magic Number 6

second three game sweep at Coors this month, with a team that doesn't lose at home. 5-1 road trip, will take it

Magic Number = 5

devastating news:

https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/giants/giants-brandon-belt-has-fractured-left-thumb-timetable-unknown

Magic Number = 4

congrats Bee.

the logan webb game

2 run homer to boot

had a great time today

San Francisco Giants 2021 National League West Champions

i know i'm a pain in the ass board, why i stepped away...

... not at all, baseball is nerve-wracking. here's to hoping they can keep the magic alive. it's an odd numbered year but still

I’m ready for some playoffs

i still don't really know who's on this team but i'm really glad they kept pace through the whole season, it would've sucked if the dodgers caught up with them in the last few days

Nominate Bee OK as the official ILX Giants fan rep

Also holy crap... they DID it. If they can somehow win the NLDS I don't see anyone stopping them from a title

damn this sucks

Buster Posey plans to announce his retirement tomorrow. The end of an era for the Giants.

— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) November 3, 2021

it sure does but makes sense as he was only playing two and then taking a day

i wish the beat writers would have let Posey break the news himself tomorrow as planned

anyways, Spottie we have been talking about it here: rolling retirees: 2018 and beyond

I am curious how the team will shape up in 2022. so much went right this season that i feel like there is no way they can pull this off again.

Posey Mauer and yadi are all HOFers... we gotta treat these catchers better man

In 5 or 6 years I think there's going to be a lot of talk about the importance of handling a pitching staff well and gamecalling

Buster Posey did a lot of great things during his career, but throwing the ball into Jake Peavy’s glove might just be his finest moment pic.twitter.com/wSgJxtENY0

— Ben Porter (@Ben13Porter) November 4, 2021

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/well-see-you-in-cooperstown-buster-posey/

2021 was unbelievable and so looking forward to see what happens this year. Only one more hour until my Opening Day

me (yellow shirt) at the home opener in 89(?, maybe 88)
https://i.imgur.com/g29a69V.png

fantastic pic

This fan is absolutely LIVING 👏

(via @Cut4) pic.twitter.com/HA05QT3Het

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) April 8, 2022

hero

good stuff in this thread

Giants should have lost this game today as it was sloppy but first day and expected. it was just great to hear Kruk and Kuip with Jon Miller as i guess Dave Flemming is dong the Masters.

Heliot Ramos, who was called up earlier than most anticipated when bullpen arm John Brebbia went on the Bereavement List, started in left field and went 2 for 3 with two singles, a run scored and a strike out. It was a nice debut.

It was no surprise when the San Diego Padres expressed displeasure at Steven Duggar stealing second base with a nine-run lead Tuesday night, or when they were openly hostile to Mauricio Dubon after he laid down a bunt for a hit in the sixth inning, his team still up by nine. That's the way it's always been in baseball.

Major League Baseball for individual players is a game of survival,” said Kapler, a former player himself. “And Mauricio Dubón is depending upon his ability to be successful over a long period of time. He needs to use every tool at his disposal to be successful to stick at the major-league level, to demonstrate his value, to hone his craft. That doesn’t ebb and flow with the score. And it’s not just Mauricio. It’s Steven Duggar on the bases. It’s the pitcher on the mound. Everyone is competing on the baseball field. It doesn’t make any sense to have one part of the field stop competing and the other part keep competing.

So there were fireworks in last night game as some unwritten rules were broken by the Giants. My thoughts are Dubón is probably gong to be cut when teams have to go back down to 26 players, is out of options and was doing nothing at the plate up until then. He just needed a base hit in the worst way. For me this was bullshit as it was bad sportsmanship. The Dugger stolen base to me was fine as there was still a lot of baseball to be played. Also according to Ken Rosenthal, teams have overcome 9-run deficits four times in the last decade. But he probably should not have done that either.

I would like to here peoples thoughts on this whole ordeal.

run up the score imo. break all of baseballs unwritten rules so we can move on from every single one of them

forbidden to run up the score on a big lead, but the other team has to score at least x runs by the end or every fan gets a taco

I thought this unwritten rule was tired as hell when the Padres broke it a million years ago so I certainly don't care about it now

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-7WsrIS_Q0

I just read, when they got rid of game 163 or the tie breaking game then the parameters are run differential. So there should not be any running up the score anymore in baseball?

I'm still torn, I think because of sportsmanship.

I don’t get the sportsmanship thing, why don’t they just call the damn game then?

I just read, when they got rid of game 163 or the tie breaking game then the parameters are run differential. So there should not be any running up the score anymore in baseball?

― Bee OK, Thursday, April 14, 2022 9:50 PM (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink

that is not true

Per @MLB_PR, there will no longer be a "Game 163" to break ties for postseason eligibility. In 2022, MLB will instead use the following tiebreakers: pic.twitter.com/QKnZeWqPCp

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) April 14, 2022

https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/giants/why-giants-mike-krukow-thinks-mlb-unwritten-rules-are-different-now

The new collective bargaining agreement between MLB and the MLBPA eliminated the Game 163 tiebreaker, and now a mathematical formula -- which includes run differential -- will be used to break end-of-season ties. Scoring matters, no matter how big a team’s lead is.

So yeah, this stuff is confusing.

that's also wrong, it should've been corrected as it was here: https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/padres-upset-at-giants-for-breaking-unwritten-rule-and-bunting-in-blowout/

CBS Sports incorrectly stated that run differential is one of the tiebreakers MLB will use instead of a Game 163 in the 2022 season in the initial version of this story. Run differential was discussed as a tiebreaker, but that rule did not make it into the new CBA. The five tiebreakers MLB is using this season are head-to-head record, intradivision record, interdivision record, last half of Intraleague games, and last half of Intraleague games plus one until the tie is broken. We apologize for the error.

I have been busy with Daft Punk but the unwritten rules are striking again.

On Friday, with the Giants up 7-1 in the ninth inning they did a hit and run and the Nationals were not happy about it:

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/mlb/news/giants-disobey-unwritten-rule-again-play-hard-entire-game/o2dbo3hxtjtt1hea8ib0e9lh

On Sunday they kept playing and pilling on runs even in the ninth inning.

I'm torn but think they do need to respect the unwritten rules a bit as teams are getting pissed and things will get out of hand.

hit and runs are cool, being a sore loser is poor sportsmanship

play til the game is over or change the rules so they arent 'unwritten' anymore

i see brimstead already said that m/l

https://www.sfgate.com/giants/article/arrogant-SF-Giants-are-ruining-baseball-by-trying-17126538.php?IPID=SFGate-HP-Editors-Picks

With a heavy heart, I must say: I’m not sure I can continue being a San Francisco Giants fan.

Yes, they look like contenders again. Sure, they have an intriguing, exciting roster of players. And yes, they’re winning lots of games.

But therein lies the problem – how are they winning those games? Unfortunately, the Giants seem to be under the impression that they can just score a bunch of runs, and then score even more runs later in the game, with absolutely no regard for the feelings of the opposing team.

Is that really the kind of team we want to root for? Shouldn’t we be fans of a team that tries to win the right way?

This past weekend’s series against the Washington Nationals provided a perfect example of the kind of team the Giants have unfortunately become. On Friday night, with a clearly insurmountable six-run lead in the ninth inning, Thairo Estrada had the unfettered audacity to try to steal second base and score on a base hit. Thankfully, he was thrown out at home before he could embarrass the Nationals any further, but what was he thinking? Would the Nationals really have scored seven runs in the ninth to win the game? Sure, the Giants scored seven runs in an inning earlier in the same game, but would it really have happened twice? No, statistically impossible.

Estrada’s actions rightfully drew the ire of Washington manager Dave Martinez, who called out Giants manager Gabe Kapler and his team for intentionally ignoring the delicate sensibilities of the Nationals players. But did the Giants learn their lesson? No.

On Sunday, after scoring five runs, the Giants — greedy as ever — simply couldn’t help themselves and went for more. Joc Pederson was at the plate in the seventh inning, having already homered earlier in the game. Decorum called for him to simply stand at the plate and not swing, since doing so would risk further humiliation for the Nationals; instead, he swung the bat and hit another home run.

Is that conduct becoming of a gentleman? I would venture to say it is the complete opposite. The rest of the Giants unfortunately decided to follow Pederson’s lead, adding on even more runs to win by a score of 12-3.

Obviously, the Giants haven’t stopped to consider just how scoring all of these runs might affect the feelings of their opponents. The Nationals, like the Padres a few weeks earlier, only wanted to come out and play a fun game of baseball, maybe have a few laughs, and then head home for the night. They didn’t expect to be thoroughly humiliated by a team that simply refused to stop playing hard after taking the lead. The Giants’ opponents are highly skilled, highly paid, grown adults. It’s high time Kapler and his players started to take that into account – by not trying, of course.

If the arrogant Giants aren’t going to stop competing for nine full innings, Major League Baseball should step in. It’s time to give other teams the option to forfeit a game once a deficit becomes too big to overcome. Let these teams save face, and save their bullpens, by allowing them to raise a white flag from the top step of their dugout. That way, they can avoid the embarrassment that comes from an opponent continuing to play the game of baseball.

For instance, how much better would Martinez and the Nationals have felt if they had been allowed to raise the white flag after the Giants scored their insurmountable fifth run on Sunday? Sure, the game wouldn’t have even lasted five full innings, but that's not the point. The point is the Nationals could’ve lost with dignity by losing more quickly. They’d have lower ERAs on their pitching staff, and they wouldn’t have had to suffer the indignity of watching Pederson’s home run trot a second time. It’s only fair.

Regrettably, baseball is too set in its ways to ever embrace this kind of radical change. So it’s going to be up to teams like the Giants to police themselves, adhere to the unwritten rules, and stop playing so damn hard all the time.

But it may be too late for me, and thousands of Giants fans like me, who can’t in good conscience continue to root for a team that refuses to take the feelings of the opposition into account. Please, Giants, I’m begging you: play the game the right way. The unwritten rules are there for a reason. Let’s start being gentlemanly and adhere to them.

And if Dave Martinez happens to be reading this, I profoundly apologize on behalf of all San Francisco fans for the utterly disgusting way the Giants swept your team. I can’t imagine what you’re going through. Stay strong.

Dave Tobener (@gggiants on Twitter) is a lifelong Giants fan whose family has had season tickets for over 30 years. He’s been lucky enough to never miss a World Series game in the City in his lifetime, still isn’t completely over 2002 and lives and dies with the Giants every year.

Only got through about half that but it reads like a joke, is it not?

I'm not sure but just seeing reactions to them breaking all these unwritten rules.

It's dripping of sarcasm

Just finished it’s clearly satire lol

Buster Posey day was pretty spectacular:
https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/giants/buster-posey-day-fittingly-emotional-hilarious-tribute-giants-icon

Lol

If you have a full beard, do you also have a mustache? Kap has some thoughts 🤣🥸 pic.twitter.com/YWlZKP3tlm

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) May 11, 2022

Well no a beard is different than a mustache.

Kapler gone full Will Farrell Harry Caray

That mustache vs beard thing has really blown up, I have seen four different shows where they have talked about it

Kap is also a huge music fan, likes music more than baseball

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/33904139/mind-san-francisco-giants-nonconformist-manager

I love baseball, but I probably "love music more.”

Really? More than baseball?

“Baseball is like sort of my blood,” the 2021 Manager of the Year said. “It’s what I know best. It’s what is the most influential thing in my life. But that pure love is probably music. And that’s from my mom and my dad.”

Always unprompted, Kapler will open press conferences by giving music takes or updates on what he’s been listening to. In spring training, he recommended Vince Staples and Billie Eilish’s “fiery collab.” When Farhan Zaidi walked into the dugout for his season-opening press conference, Kapler played a Mac Miller song from his iPhone for walk-up music.

Before games, players walk into the clubhouse to hear music spilling out of Kapler’s office — R&B, jazz, and most often hip-hop. During them, he notices everyone’s walk-up songs. Background music plays in his head subconsciously like a movie score. He shares artists with his players and uses music as a device to connect with his sons.

https://www.sfgate.com/giants/article/Gabe-Kapler-says-he-regrets-not-kneeling-17204164.php

San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler told reporters on Friday that he won't come out of the dugout for the national anthem before games until he "feel(s) better" about the "direction of our country."

This decision comes in the wake of a self-published introspective blog on his website in which he expressed shame that he did not kneel for the national anthem in the wake of Tuesday’s mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.

In the post, he called out some of the circumstances that led to the shooting, including the shooter’s ability to purchase assault rifles and ammunition for his crime, the inaction of police officers as parents pleaded with them to do something, and the callous response from some politicians.

But Kapler then looked at himself on Wednesday during the national anthem and called himself a “coward” for not kneeling during the anthem because his dad taught him when he was younger to not stand for the anthem if he believed the anthem wasn’t “representing us well right now.”

“I wish I hadn’t let my discomfort compromise my integrity,” Kapler wrote. “I wish that I could have demonstrated what I learned from my dad, that when you’re dissatisfied with your country, you let it be known through protest. The home of the brave should encourage this.”

The Giants held a moment of silence prior to Wednesday’s game against the New York Mets at Oracle Park for the victims of the shooting. The Golden State Warriors were another Bay Area organization that held a moment of silence for the victims, but they also explicitly advocated for “sensible gun laws.”

I hope Bart is not a bust but he does have time to turn things around. Right now he can't hit major league pitching and strikes out, it seems, almost every at bat.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/06/giants-option-joey-bart-trade-phillies-austin-wynns.html

Missing Posey big time and this years club is not that good, they are very average. Last year was magic and should be fine if Zaidi can get some free agents to come to San Francisco in the next few years.

Beat LA!

Sweep Sweep!

Cain's perfect game was 11 years or so back today

Pretty cool to see Clayton Kershaw greet Matt Cain on the field with a smile and a handshake. Kershaw always had a great affinity for Bumgarner, Cain and Lincecum over the years. Game respects game.

— Andrew Baggarly (@extrabaggs) June 12, 2022

this is the 10th anniversary of Cain's perfect game.

This could be the last week for Carlos in San Francisco and I have never seen something like this before.

What kind of magic is this?? 😂 pic.twitter.com/eUiPyxLjuP

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) July 27, 2022

Surprised to come in here and not see the highlight of him kicking a bat and hitting Estrada in the knee

This team is in freefall. Hate to see it.

The worst thing that could have happened is another fluky contending season that prevented them from trading Joc and Rodon for young guys.

Have no idea what's going on in that video

Have no idea what's going on in that video

Ball was hit up the middle, kicked off his foot, bounced up, natural movements led to ball landing in glove.

https://www.mlb.com/news/carlos-rodon-makes-kick-save-for-the-out

https://www.sfgate.com/giants/article/carlos-correa-rafael-devers-giants-17699458.php

I'm ok with how this off-season turned out. They went after Judge and came out short. Personally I didn't want Judge anyways I wanted Correa. When Correa leg came back with issues, backing out was the right move. They should have let Crawford stay at short and had Correa at third for one season but I think Brandon understood the situation.

That’s why the Giants have to hope they were really, really, really right about Correa and his health. If his ankle falls off in three years while making a 6-3 putout, they look like geniuses. If he’s an impact player for the next six to seven years, and then a useful player for the rest of his career, they look foolish. There’s not a lot of in-between.

This seems a little off to me. To be "really, really, really right about Correa," does the writer mean they should be rooting for him to get hurt? To me, they already look "right" in that the Mets are dealing with the same issue. The Giants, understandably, didn't want to spend $350M on a player who couldn't pass a physical to their satisfaction. The Mets are taking that chance. May work out, may not, but if it does, I don't think that reflects badly on the Giants.

I agree with that.

The Mets are the Yankees and Dodgers: they can spend whatever they want, and if it doesn't work out, they'll just spend some more. Not everybody can do that.

I'm ok with how this off-season turned out. They went after Judge and came out short. Personally I didn't want Judge anyways I wanted Correa. When Correa leg came back with issues, backing out was the right move. They should have let Crawford stay at short and had Correa at third for one season but I think Brandon understood the situation.

The Mets are the Yankees and Dodgers: they can spend whatever they want, and if it doesn't work out, they'll just spend some more. Not everybody can do that.

Ideally, sure, but can the Giants afford Correa and Ohtani? That'd be $750M right there. There are other models to build a winning team.

left the guy getting ready for a presser twenty minutes before they realised “hmmm something’s not right with the medical”
- front office didn’t bother to say anything

Not sure if this is true according to Alex Pavlovic podcast (Giants NBC Sports Beat Writer) the Giants front office let Boris know on Monday, a day before the press conference, that there were red flags on their report and they were looking into getting more opinions. Press conference was canceled three hours before, not minutes.

Not saying it wasn't a clusterfuck because it was. What they did with Crawford was the worst and to compound that other players on the team too. But in hindsight it wasn't as bad as it sure seemed at first. They were right to withdraw the contract.

Ideally, sure, but can the Giants afford Correa _and_ Ohtani? That'd be $750M right there. There are other models to build a winning team.

xps also I didn’t realise that about the presser, thank you for the clarification (sounds like Boras may have put that part out to justify his behaviour?)

Front office still said nothing though

(xpost) This is also the franchise that won three WS in six years without making the flashy signings you're suggesting. And evidently Correa was happy to sign with the Giants based on who they have now--they turned him away, not the other way around.

That was then, when they had produced good players from the farm system?! They don’t have anyone coming through like that now.

I get what your saying, and the Giants got lucky with Bumgarner and Posey developing the way they did; I'm sure they weren't necessarily counting on the greatest WS pitcher ever and a generational HOF'er when they drafted them. But a couple of smart draft picks and then building on that doesn't necessarily take a lot of time; Bumgarner was drafted in 2007, Posey in 2008, and they won their first title in 2010. That's sort of what the Jays are trying to do with Guerrero and Bichette: start there and work out. I don't know anything about the Giants' finances, but I just can't see them outspending the Dodgers and now, apparently, the Padres. I was touting Correa for MVP before all this craziness started, but I honestly think in the long run the Giants will not regret him going elsewhere.

Posey and Lincecum (who you completely omitted to mention as the first of those three draft picks for some reason), were both Golden Spikes winners. All three were consecutive first round draft picks. Obviously teams do expect those picks to pan out, but in reality tons of first round picks don’t. These three did, and how.

However, the Giants have never drafted a hitter in those years comparable to any of the pitchers (Cain, Lincecum, Bumgarner) or Posey. They had to bring Bonds in. Obviously they have position players that can hit but they’re not known as a low-hitting team in the past two decades for no reason. That’s what they’re trading for. Someone who can reliably hit and give them a bit of star power.

Like, do you not remember them bringing in Beltran in 2011? Those WS teams were always looking for run support. You don’t need a guy to do five innings on short rest in game 7 if you’ve got anyone who can reliably deliver.

who you completely omitted to mention as the first of those three draft picks for some reason[

A very mysterious reason: I forgot. (Besides which, Lincecum was the second-best starter on the 2010 team, and not all that important to the 2012/14 teams--he wasn't central in the way that Bumgarner/Posey were.)

I swear to god, I don't know what point you're trying to make. That the Giants should bring in great players? Well, yeah, they should--but not doing what the Rangers do, which is spending untold amounts of money when they're not even a .500 team. And they did land a great player in Correa, until they found out that they was a risky investment. So they passed, and now he's either someone else's problem or someone else's successful gamble. They won 107 games two years ago, and they were a .500 team last year who drew 2.5 million fans. And now they should...panic and start emptying the vault to grab a wild-card spot?

I mean, I really do appreciate how much you've absorbed in your year of watching baseball and your spirited insistence on explaining the subtleties of the game to me. It's taken me 50 years to get to where you've gotten.

Oh I see, the 2010 series doesn’t count for some reason. Weird.

Like, do you not remember them bringing in Beltran in 2011?

No, I don't, but thanks for reminding me. They traded for Beltran, he was great, and they didn't make the playoffs that year. In 2012, Beltran was gone. Who did they trade for Beltran? Zach Wheeler, currently one of this best pitchers in baseball.

This is an argument you're making in favour of hitting the panic button?

I swear to god, I don't know what point you're trying to make

_Like, do you not remember them bringing in Beltran in 2011?_

No, I don't, but thanks for reminding me. They traded for Beltran, he was great, and they didn't make the playoffs that year. In 2012, Beltran was gone. Who did they trade for Beltran? Zach Wheeler, currently one of this best pitchers in baseball.

This is an argument you're making in _favour_ of hitting the panic button?

Oh I see, the 2010 series doesn’t count for some reason.

And I said this exactly where? What I said was that Lincecum was a somewhat key player in 2010, and not key at all in 2012/2014, which was a response to you equating Lincecum with Bumgarner/Posey as central to the three WS teams. He wasn't.

I’m arguing that the team needed a big signing of that type--this is exactly when teams end up overpaying somebody, when for whatever reason they decide they need this one player. Nobody needs any one player; there are always alternatives.

Suddenly I'm rooting for the Giants to have a great season with what they have.

I'm sorry you can't help me. Because I really do need your help in making sense of all this.

There’s no equating and honestly this is bizarre and annoying. I am referring to the three singularly great drafts they made in consecutive years and which I’m not sure any team has replicated since. It’s lightning in a bottle, and if it was so easy to do, teams wouldn’t bother with the Scott Borases, but teams always need to bring in/trade for what they don’t have.

The notion that Lincecum didn’t matter in 2010 is weird, like omitting Zito coming through with a winning season in 2012, Cain’s amazing 2012, Vogelsong himself in 2012 - in fact 2012 was a real whole team effort and I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone say that Posey and Bumgarner were “central” to the 2012 title. Posey, undeniable case, but Bumgarner had the exact same regular season ERA as Vogelsong, and he got lit up in two postseason games to a degree none of the rotation ever have in that scenario. Again, you want to make a case for a pitcher being central to 2012 it’s going to be Cain and Zito. And if you want to talk postseason 2012 you’ve got to include Lincecum and Scutaro, probably Pence too.

I made a general statement covering all three titles--"equating Lincecum with Bumgarner/Posey as central to the three WS teams"--which you've chopped up into parts. As convenient shorthand, bWAR for those three seasons: Lincecum - 0.5 (two years with negative value), Bumgarner - 8.1, Posey - 16.6. Two of those players are central, one isn't.

this is bizarre and annoying.

Let's end this on some common ground.

Yes, you generalised because you didn’t know what you were talking about. “Chopping into parts” = referring to the individual seasons by what actually happened.

you didn’t know what you were talking about

I don't usually say stuff like this, but Jesus fuck it amazes me what a self-appointed expert you are based on a few months of watching YouTube clips (taken from the thread where we're all supposed to thrill to your magical journey of self-discovery): "This year I did something I didn't expect; I got into baseball."

It’s a real mystery why interest in the sport is dying.

And as for “a few months of YouTube clips” - watching all three postseasons in full, watching large swathes of regular seasons in full, reading about the teams and games in books and coverage from the beat writers who were there at the time and knew the teams best, reading blogs breaking down stuff into absolutely minuscule details to understand more. Sorry for not being born in America and this game being quite literally foreign to me.

What I’m not doing:
- getting misty eyed over Great Men in History
- writing to Bill James
- reducing people to numbers and refusing to see the game for what it is

I apologize for knocking your thread--heat of the moment, and I didn't appreciate "you didn't know what you were talking about." It just seems like you pounce on half the stuff I post here.

"Getting misty-eyed over Great Men in History"--don't know what that means...That I like Willie Mays? Someone else on here said I was jaded. Do jaded people get misty-eyed? You guys can work that out.

No apologies for writing to, reading, or continuing to view many things about baseball within the context of the profound influence James had on me 40 years ago. I know he's not the same writer now that he was then, but influences like that don't just disappear.

Statistics are a fundamental part of the game. "Refusing to see the game for what it is" was pretty much the foundation of sabermetrics.

The fact that you're not American is of no importance to me. Neither am I--and in fact used to get grief for posting on the American politics thread for that very reason.

FWIW, Lincecum played a big role out of the bullpen in the 2012 postseason. And they wouldn't have won without Zito either, even though he was just OK in the regular season. Everyone agrees that the Zito contract was a disaster, but OTOH they don't win that year without him, so is it a wash? He was overpaid, but it's not like his contract prevented the front office from making the other moves they needed to win.

And that's the point of the Correa non-deal too, isn't it? Big free agents are almost always overpaid based on what they can deliver. But if teams have the money to spend (and the Giants obviously do) then a well timed signing can alter the history of the franchise.

Well, they did sign him, and then--for reasons I agree with--they walked away. Whether that means they now need to sign (if I understand gyac's argument correctly) two high-priced free agents to replace him--the first one to attract the next one--I think they'd be better to invest that money elsewhere for now.

It was you who last week compared the Jays right now with the Giants of the three WS--tinker around, try to get in the playoffs, and take it from there: "put together a solid 85-90 win team, retool in July before the deadline, and hope for a playoff run." I really don't see that as a bad strategy in this day and age.

Again, I don't know the Giants' financial strength. My assumption is they exist somewhere in the upper half of the middle: that they can afford a huge contract like the one offered Correa, but that--unlike the Yankees or Dodgers (or Mets or Padres?)--it needs to work out or they're boxed in for a time. If I'm wrong, and they belong with those teams who can just run right over mistakes with more spending, then sure, they should have gambled on Correa.

to add more fuel to the fire, the Beltran move was pretty dumb, they were seriously not contending that year esp after the posey injury. I think keppinger was a better pickup that year

The debt on the stadium is paid off and they are now going to be printing money from the project next door. They can be in the Top 5 or so if they choose to be. Will they is the question but they need the farm to produce something, anything. The owner who's politics I hate is one of the richest in MLB.

That Beltran move was the stupidest thing ever. Brian Sabean also gave up Reynolds for McCutchen and was a total waste too. This is part of the reasons for the Zaidi move. Good luck Yankees.

What I said re Beltran deal & I also called it a bad outcome! Argue the point being made!

The point is that the need for a good hitter hasn’t ever gone away.

If they're that financially sound, maybe they should have taken a chance on Correa, I don't know. I don't think he was going to singlehandedly keep them close to the Dodgers or Padres, but--the gyac argument, I think--bringing him on board would have been a good way to attract a second big-money FA, and then they've closed that gap significantly.

Happy to wait and see how this turns out.

I haven't given this much thought to the Giants since they almost came to Toronto in 1976.

Well Correa's 13 year and 12 year deals have fallen apart. Not sure if the Twins 10 year deal is still on the table but right now I don't think any team should sign him for more than six years. IMO, the Giants did the right thing by pulling that contract despite what Giants fans think. Spending wisely is way more important even if it puts them behind yet another year.

This will also cost them Shohei Ohtani but they might not have been in the mix anyways. The way that whole thing is going to play out is going to be sensantal next year or off-season.

*sensational

A king among men

Whenever I part with Brandon Belt for the final time, my lasting memory will be something that he said in the clubhouse tonight after the game. He looked at Homeroom, Baggs and I and said unsolicited, “Do yourselves a favor guys. Go to the Ritz-Carlton and get the chicken strips.

— Henry Schulman BLUE CHECK MARK (@hankschulman) April 24, 2019

There's a little write-up on Matt Cain in here a couple of you might like:

https://open.substack.com/pub/joeposnanski/p/a-carlos-correa-redux-and-more-baseball?r=1jtu0&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email

I enjoyed that. I’ve kind of gone off him a bit since I found out the terrible story that was posted about him in the 2010 NLDS thread though (I won’t repeat it) but he was great.

Didn't realize when I posted that, but Jay Jaffe had something much longer on Matt Cain today:

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/jaws-and-the-2023-hall-of-fame-ballot-matt-cain/

I’ve read a lot of the stuff together but he’s really been such a huge part of that decade. I loved that video they posted recently about the perfect game.

Amazing clip of Bruce Bochy telling Brandon Belt he made the team in 2012 🥲

"If you need a beer, grab a beer." pic.twitter.com/HuqL4tTlkN

— KNBR (@KNBR) January 11, 2023

https://fansided.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2021/09/1341724398.jpeg

There is no crying in baseball, that was a touching moment with Belt. Going to miss him and he ended up winning the Belt Wars.

Cain was at 103 pitches as he strolled back to the dugout, where baseball's superstitions had long since taken over for his teammates. Well, for most of them.

You don't talk to a pitcher who is working on a no-hitter, and you certainly don't sit close to him in the dugout. But when Cain returned after the stressful seventh, he found Belt, in his second big league season, in his spot. Cain was amused, and a day later Belt admitted that it wasn't his first faux pas in that type of situation. In the minors, he once walked back into the dugout in the middle of a no-hitter and pointed out to teammates that there were a lot of zeros on the scoreboard.

CAIN: "I mean, it's kind of obvious. There's a towel. (Pitching coach Dave Righetti) would always lay out a towel. It was always there ... (Ryan Vogelsong) was like, 'What are you doing!' Belt was just completely oblivious, which now we know Belt and its standard for him. It was awesome."

BELT: "It wasn't funny at the time. I got the death stare from Cain and Vogey, but looking back on it, he might have gotten the perfect game because I sat there. I look at it as I think I'm good luck. But yeah, that was a scary moment for me, for sure. I thought Vogey was going to kill me."

2022-23 Hot Stove thread

Staring to get excited about baseball again, these discussions are helping. Not sure how good the Giants will be this year but will never give up on my team.

Sergio Romo is coming home.

The three-time World Series champion agreed to a contract with the Giants that will include an invitation to camp.

"I’m not coming here to make a team."

So what is Romo preparing for? @extrabaggs explains:https://t.co/9fe8vWh5Yt

— The Athletic MLB (@TheAthleticMLB) March 16, 2023

I was able to watch the Romo thing as they played the game on MLB Network, it was fun.

https://www.knbr.com/2023/03/23/giants-raked-in-booming-profit-despite-mediocre-2022-season-forbes-valuations-show/

The Yankees top the list at $7.1 billion, with the Dodgers ($4.8 billion), Red Sox ($4.5 billion), and Cubs ($4.1 billion) rounding out the top-five with San Francisco ($3.7 billion).

The Mariners brought in $83.8 million in operating income — earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. The Giants earned $75 million in profit.

The Giants spent $179 million on player expenses, per Forbes, and took in $130 million in gate receipts. The organization’s television rights deal is also a substantial revenue driver.

The franchise’s $75 million profit mark is a major increase over the $32 million a year prior, per Forbes. The Giants saw $64 million loss for the pandemic-interrupted 2020 season.

Opening Day lineup: Wade 1B, Conforto RF, Flores 3B, Pederson DH, Yaz CF, Estrada 2B, Crawford SS, Sabol LF, Perez C. Webb RHP.

— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) March 30, 2023

Buster Posey discusses expectations for Joey Bart in 2023https://t.co/hUELHZrHPT pic.twitter.com/IcIoDzlhuS

— KNBR (@KNBR) March 29, 2023

Bart not starting opening day really is telling, wow. I did read that Webb loved pitching to Perez but still.

Flores is in the lineup rather than Villar today but the plan is still to give Villar the bulk of starts at third. Flores’ calm demeanor makes him a good choice for opener in NY.

— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) March 30, 2023

Brett Wisely’s parents were going to be here today but he was told last night he was headed to AAA. Giants then acquired Matt Beaty and changed some things around, so Wisely made team but his parents probably won’t make it here for his debut. Not ideal.

— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) March 30, 2023

xp add calm demeanour to the list of intangibles

Here we go, just looking for 3 - 3 record on a six game road trip.

Go Giants!

Kuip: "I always thought, you cheer for the one you sleep with." #SensualBaseball

— LOLKNBR (@LOLKNBR) March 30, 2023

lol, for reference, Brandon Crawford's sister is married to Gerrit Cole.

I know!

Webb allowed 11 hrs total last year btw.

Webb had 12 stakeouts compared to Cole's 11. Webb ended up giving up four earn runs. Giants have no bats, going to be a long ass year.

Yeah he was fine except when he wasn’t.

Baggarly’s got impeccable Giants sources so when he writes this in the Athletic:

Giants president Farhan Zaidi shook up several assumptions held both inside and outside their clubhouse. Speedy outfielder Bryce Johnson did not make the opening-day roster following a strong spring in which he stole 12 bases in 12 attempts. Neither did right-hander Sean Hjelle, who opened eyes with his velocity bump and earned consistent praise. Instead, the club backed away from every public pronouncement in order to acquire first baseman/outfielder Matt Beaty from the Kansas City Royals for cash considerations.

NEW YORK — Rewarding young players from the system who have tremendous springs isn’t always possible on Opening Day, but the San Francisco Giants had sent signals the past week or two that Bryce Johnson and Sean Hjelle would be with them at Yankee Stadium.

Instead, the Giants picked up onetime Dodgers outfielder Matt Beaty, who didn’t make the Royals roster, and sent Johnson, who has elite speed and led the majors with 12 steals this spring, to Triple-A Sacramento. Hjelle also was optioned after a magnificent spring that drew raves; the team already has seven starters on the roster and two days off the first week, which meant innings were likely to be scarce.

Thanks for those post as I don't have access, going to maybe sign up for the Athletic as they have Baggs and Grant Brisbane.

No game today but I do have this:

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/03/offseason-in-review-san-francisco-giants-13.html

xp you should, the Baggs piece springboard off an interview with Farhan last week where he said they’d be picking players from the internal organisation

Yeah, Grant is one of my favorite writers and miss reading him.

Yaz has looked lost, not only after two years, but this spring training as well. I know it's only the second game of 2023 but at least he looked Major League today.

Yeah a bit messy but a much needed W. Still not validating the front office shit imo!

For the first time since 2011, the San Francisco Giants hit four home runs in one inning.

Here are all four of Jon Miller's incredible calls 📻⬇️ pic.twitter.com/23AWx33nLk

— KNBR (@KNBR) April 3, 2023

Is the ball different this year? It is flying out all around the league

I think it is too early to tell but the White Sox park is a bandbox. They were saying on the telecast that only the Cincinnati park has more home runs on a given day.

i think what you all are forgetting to take into account is that michael kopech sucks and is a bad pitcher

Excuse me, I’ve been a Man United fan since my early teens, I have zero problem with hating on a team I support! I’m happy for Bryce Johnson.

Yeah, Grant is one of my favorite writers and miss reading him.

― Bee OK, Friday, 31 March 2023 20:17 (four days ago)

In the very early days of ILB, I got him to post here at least a few times before he left for greener pastures.

Best Blogs?

SS is back is the news here, glad to hear from you again. It funny that you got Grant Brisbee to post here twice and then that was it for him.

The balls are juiced, its ridiculous.

Here we go, just looking for 3 - 3 record on a six game road trip.

Go Giants!

― Bee OK, Thursday, March 30, 2023

Coming off a .500 season, the Giants went 3-3. They had 15 homers in the three wins and 11 hits in the three losses.

I guess I'm happy but this team needs to strike out less.

Horrible lose today after seemingly cursing to a win. Reminded me of Game 6, 2016, obviously stakes were quite different.

Darin Ruf is back and hits a double off Kershaw in his first at bat. You can't make this stuff up.

This muncy shit is out of control lol l can you believe this guy

Max Muncy on playing in San Francisco:

"I don't like this place. It's cold and windy all the time. I do hit well here. I don't understand why, but I'm not going to complain about it."

I think he dropped this 👑 pic.twitter.com/WxB15BFpsx

— Blake Harris (@BlakeHHarris) April 11, 2023

classic heel

respect lol

Honestly his Bumgarner chirp is still incredible

Kinda funny Muncy mentions the cold because there was a heat wave for this past series (65F! I'm sunburnt!), quite unseasonably warm for early spring but yes windy... tho not nearly as windy as Candlestick was. That said, if you can hit the ball a couple hundred feet in the air into the 40mph gusts the last few nights and see just see where it goes. Mookie definitely looked lost a few times and couldn't tell where the ball would land, I think Kershaw needed close to 30 pitches to get out of the 1st.

https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/giants/logan-webb-giants-agree-five-year-90m-contract-extension

Webb will make $8 million next year, $12 million in 2025 and $23 million in what would have been his first year of free agency. He will make $23 million in 2027 and $23 million in 2028. In addition, Webb will make yearly donations to the Giants Community Fund totaling nearly half a million dollars.

SERIOUSLY?

Seems like a good deal

Is the bullpen really that bad? Unreal to lose two consecutive games in extra innings to this team.

I was responding to that not the deal

I see lol

The Giants can't beat the Royals or Tigers. I know it's still early but man, I think this is going to be a long year.

And yeah so brutal loses from the bullpen.

Some

Bee OK have you seen this on giants Twitter, absolutely terrible quote from the left my God

2004
2023 pic.twitter.com/csHVQLlkrG

— LOLKNBR (@LOLKNBR) April 13, 2023

Joc Pederson on his slide: “I just kind of rolled, I don’t know.” pic.twitter.com/yatWqK1StW

— Danny Emerman (@DannyEmerman) April 24, 2023

I don’t want to talk about this team.

"I always feel like somebody's watching me." 👀 pic.twitter.com/Fv98hOMCW2

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) May 3, 2023

Wait! I am happy for Joey Bart, who seems to be doing well. Bart haters can suck it.

Posey's shadow is a long one.

Also this team is dogshit rn

Yeah but people need to get over Posey, it’s not fair on Bart and never was, especially when Posey himself is quite happily retired and doesn’t miss playing.

No argument on the quality!

Casey Schmitt called up. Has been playing third and short. Darin Ruf DFAed.

You could have not drawn it up much better:

Casey Schmitt’s first big league hit and homer (with 60 family members and friends going nuts 😂) pic.twitter.com/IqhU5LjjlQ

— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) May 10, 2023

Sad to see Ruf go, he was on a bit of a roll there, until he got hurt.

I haven’t said cos I don’t want to jinx him & also too soon but Casey Schmitt’s dream start is the best thing to happen to this moribund team so far this year

His minor league sample suggests that he is due for a massive regression:

MiLB stats: 30 HRs in 853 ABs (3.5% HR/AB), .777 OPS in AAA (only 1 HR in each of his 2 AAA seasons)
MLB stats: 2 HRs in 12 ABs (16.7% HR/AB), 2.000 OPS in MLB

Yeah seems legit but while I’m sure that will happen, I just want to be happy for him while he’s in the early stages. It’s nice to see young players come up and give the team a boost, I have this with my other team (the zmariners) and Bryce Miller atm. Let’s see.

What is that stray Z, maybe it stands for the zFAILING SEATTLE mariners

My six weeks report cards for 2023. I have watched just about every game so far. So yeah, negative Nancy. This team is not good and they are not fun to watch but I seem to like torture. They either strike out or hit a home run. They lose to the worst teams in the league. They were on this role where they would go ahead and then just stop scoring. Our bullpen would then just give it up. Interesting because the bullpen was supposed to be a strength.

Positives, Yaz he is having an unbelievable start but got hurt. Wade Jr is also doing really well and is very patient at the plate. I thought both these guys would be gone by June based on recent track records. Estrada is worth the time to watch. He is off to an amazing start and that part is fun. He is going to be the Giants all -star and will belong as long as he doesn't regress too much.

Kapler bullpen management is horrible, he gets the closer ready every game, drives me nuts. He's not thinking of the future, maybe he thinks his butt is on the line.

Example, last night game he gets Doval up with a two run lead. Acceptable and sitting after the Giants went up six. The bullpen was leaking and now the lead becomes four, he puts in the closer. We are playing the DBacks , probably fighting this team for a play off spot by end of year. He brings in the closer, it was only two runs. He is burning Doval up and we are only six weeks in.

Who am I kidding 500 or bust this year.

Thairo is really special. I haven’t watched even half as many games as you but I can tell that!

Re the bullpen management, he’s not exactly unique in this in the league and unfortunately you have to use your relievers when the starters aren’t getting it done. Add to that the number of relievers performing poorly in key situations, though at least Taylor R has settled a bit. But yeah, as long as Stripling and Manaea are underperforming you’re going to need a lot of innings taken care of, especially with the lineup being kind of patchy.

Pretty sweet nailbiter comeback today against the Phillies (for the sweep). Bart bunts for a base hit, Thairo and Wilmer
Comes through again, Brebbia makes it through the heart of the order, Camilo holds it down

Comescome

giants scored 7 runs with 0 extra base hits lol

Win’s a win 😎 Stripling is such a problem though

Don't get me started

Stripling and Menaea are so bad, bringing the ship down.

What a season so far, this team has me tired up in knots.

Love, love, love Casey Schmitt and Thairo Estrada has been the Giants best player. We just got Yaz back!

Please, please, please let's not make this a lost season.

Go Giants

But despite all of that, just hearing Kruk and Kuip with Jon and Dave has been the highlight of the year. Don't know how much longer we will have them so I'm cherishing this season just for them.

So yeah, had some wine and being a bit of a Goth tonight. Been a great week.

Hate to say it but this team is not going to finish much over .500 but at least they have some fun players to watch now. The first few games I watched were hard going.

Welcome to the show Patrick Bailey:

https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/2023/5/19/23730047/wow-san-francisco-giants-call-up-top-catching-prospect-c-patrick-bailey-also-rhp-ryan-walker

Sick of them messing Bart around tbh

He went on the IL, so this time they just needed someone.

.500

Both my teams back at .500! Think I am watching them tonight as the game’s on early. They seem like a different team.

Javy Lopez in the broadcast booth 🥰🥰🥰

That had to be the worst played game I have seen in a very long time.

It was bad. BCraw was dire. Very uncomfortable watching.

Brandon Crawford is having a tough year, breaks my heart but it's time to hang it up.

Yeah. Just saw that Schmidt is starting at shortstop again (third time in a row?) today. I think for a franchise icon like BCraw they will try to offer him a dignified way out, right? Especially since despite the dire early record they’re only 4.5 games back. Baggs said in The Athletic today:

As a result, Brandon Crawford received a second consecutive day off. There’s really no other way to frame it at this point: Crawford is on the bench because the Giants feel they have better options. And not just with Schmitt at shortstop. They could’ve had Schmitt start at second base to free up the shortstop position for Crawford. But they preferred to keep Wisely in the lineup, too.

Kapler said he and Crawford “have had a couple chats along the way” and would “continue to touch on things,” although not on an everyday basis.

“I think Craw is doing a really nice job handling the situation,” Kapler said. “More than anything, he’s done a great job mentoring players like Casey and Brett Wisely.”

Thanks for posting that gyac. I was being a bit dramatic as it was a reaction to a badly played game. Rooting for Crawford to turn it around.

The Giants are playing really well right now.

They really are! Literally no downside when you’re already in a hole to saying “fuck it, call up the kids” imo, Schmitt is so poised (and has an amazing arm!), they look like an entirely different team. Unbelievably bad to watch in April.

The Giants have found their catcher in Patrick Bailey with Joey Bart being the backup. Bart also has options but Sabol is not the answer there. Zaidi vision is starting to pay off.

Jfc this is an insanely bad take

Hunter Pence did a good job on color for the Giants in this sweep of Colorado.

Isn’t he a coach on staff atm? Happy he’s getting commentary work but I really like Javy in that role.

I think that was ceremonial only. They used Javier López, Shawn Estes and Hunter Pence for road games last year and this year they have used all three again.

Oh I see! Well good for him, he always came across well on podcasts and the like.

Losing Mitch Haniger for possibly the rest of the year is rough but will get a chance to see Luis Matos.

And Patrick Bailey has been impressive.

Yeah it sucks about Haniger but I feel better with Schmitt and the lineup being so much better now.

Saw this amazing quote in Athletic story about BCraw pitching:

He also got a flood of text messages, one funnier than the next. One of his favorites came from Matt Cain.

“He told me to make sure I get on my cardio, do rotator cuff exercises and get some ice on it,” Crawford said.

Given the youth movement, I'm fine with Haniger being a $14MM a year solid vet backup. Also despite his recent resurgence, he was def the weakest hitter on the lineup not named Brandon Crawford so this might unlock better, more consistent lineups moving forward and create more cohesion with the kids. LFG!

Oh also, Joey Bart optioned is sad, but they should just trade him to somewhere he’ll get regular time instead of fucking around with him imo

If I were to wager, Spencer Strider might be headed to the IL. Velocity seems down, missing his spots, looks like a different guy than we say in April/May.

whoops wrong thread haha

ON TOPIC: What's the longest span that Haniger's been off the IL? Dude is made of glass.

Yeah, feel for him but made out of glass sounds right.

What a come back today against the Cards. Three games over 500?

Beat LA

Man wtf... Sad I missed the 9th and 10th.

The win probability chart is hilarious

Four games over 500, they're buried in the first month of the season as they kept losing to horrible teams. They have been playing out of their minds just to break 500. Team is fun to watch.

Patrick Bailey, to be over dramatic, has been a revelation. It's a combo thing with watching Willson Contreras for the last few days. The Cards are going through what we are going through, trying to replace someone like Posey. Not easy but the Giants might have gotten really lucky.

Sorry but I just saw this and I’m dying:

EXCLUSIVE TO ME FOR https://t.co/EpYnQRYIsP: I texted Belt and asked for his reaction to Crawford's scoreless inning, and getting the first shot among the two to pitch in a big-league game. "Yeah, that's great," Belt said. "But I would have pitched an immaculate inning."

— Henry Schulman BLUE CHECK MARK (@hankschulman) June 12, 2023

Said on many occasions, usually after a blowout game:

“They really should let me pitch. They have no idea. I’d dominate.”

Also said on many occasions whenever it was mentioned that he and Kershaw were at the top of the Texas high school pitching prospect rankings:

“I was ranked higher than him. You can look it up.”

What a game tonight in Los Angeles. Giants were being no hit through six by someone making their first start. They go down by 4. Giants came back after that pitcher left and actually took the lead. Bums tied it in the nineth.

Into extra and the Giants don't score but neither did the Dodgers

Into the 11th we go

Here's Jon Miller's incredible radio call of Friday's incredibly bizarre play in the 11th inning 📻

"Man, that was just disgraceful!" pic.twitter.com/MdQUxMjAxl

— KNBR (@KNBR) June 17, 2023

"It ended up being a Greek tragedy" LOL

Bodies everywhere

The baseball gods work in mysterious ways. That's one of the wackiest plays I have ever seen.

Jon Miller is the best

Giants 15
Dodgers 0

Wow, they crushed them. Surprised they didn’t let BCraw pitch again, but it’s nice to see a reliever called Beck shutting them out!

Logan Webb watching the #SFGiants put up 15 runs the night before he starts: pic.twitter.com/chJoAzSd6d

— @SFGiantsMemes (@SFGiantsMemer) June 18, 2023

Sweep, sweat and over the Bums is even better

Giants have actually three road series in a row

Giants are playing really well right now

...have actually swept three road series in a row

Dodgers in the toilet

They were so much fun to watch today. Savvy baserunning and so much energy. Day and night.

Four against the Padres and then three against the DBacks, going to be a telling week.

The kids are alright on this team. All the call-ups really making it fun again. While 2021 was pretty magical, it lacked the spunk and youth this group has

Pad’s are rising. Think they get this series. Only hope is they sweep the dbacks

Soto heating up. He makes homers look efortless

Pad’s absolutely blowing it. Giant’s late innings to be feared

Yastrzemski booooooooooooooooomb

Wow how did the Giants win that game

Something special is brewing

xp like this, I think. Fucking love Yaz.

SPLASH HIT WALK OFF FOR THE GIANTS!!! pic.twitter.com/PxjtJEbu5D

— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) June 20, 2023

On June 20, 2024, the #SFGiants will play the St. Louis Cardinals at Rickwood Field, the oldest professional ballpark in the United States and former home of Willie Mays' Negro League team, the Birmingham Black Barons. pic.twitter.com/IlDT2QU7sN

— SFGiants (@SFGiants) June 20, 2023

They need to have an AL game at Hinchliffe the next day.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2023/05/22/hinchliffe-stadium-negro-league-baseball-reopens/70232554007/

Joc’s a king, solidly WC spot now and closing on the lead

There are 89 games left gyac haha! What did you learn from your studies of the Torture era?

Incredible

They came back again, this time against the Padres. Walk off in the truest state.

Or sense, lol

Hader eating shit never gets old

I don't agree with the overturned call on the play at home in the 5th, in the Giants favor

They clearly got him

Controversial, going to be an interesting debate

Ten game winning streak puts them 10 games over 500.

Reds are even hotter.

They showed this during the broadcast tonight, they usually don't do that:

Gary Sánchez never caught Sean Hjelle in Sacramento, to answer the broadcast's question. But he did catch Keaton Winn (3x), Kyle Harrison (4x), and Tristan Beck there.

— Grant Brisbee (@GrantBrisbee) June 22, 2023

Alex Wood is getting lite up.

3 - 1 against the Padres but overall 3 - 3 for '23 after that disastrous Mexico City series. Still, will take it.

Three against the first place Dbacks, total respect for that team. They so out played us last series but this is a different Giants team

Knock some humility into those snakes. No right to be playing this well going into July

Bailey bomb 💣 pic.twitter.com/U4Hcrgz7Ue

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) June 24, 2023

I need to eat my words with Bailey. He’s a genuine star already. Love a switch-hitting catcher. I’ve seen people compare him to Posey, which I kind of get but I think is unfair. Regardless, the energy of this team continues to impress me, they’ve stepped up the game in all aspects and the rookies are for the most part playing out of their skins and stepping up. I can’t believe this is the same team I watched at the beginning of the season.

Sad Yaz is injured though. Love that little guy.

I certainly wouldn't compare Bailey to Posey. Bailey has been impressive in his first month. Schmidt has fallen off but Matos was the winning home run today.

Losing Yaz is huge but more worried about some of the starting pitchers.

Just a beautiful sight 🤩 pic.twitter.com/CnzASl2ryb

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) June 24, 2023

Took three of four against the Padres and two of three against the DBacks. Great week, bring on the Blue Jays and see how it goes against the AL East. It could have gone the other way but I'm starting to fall in love with This team.

Playing against an old friend in Gausman tonight. Going to be a fun series.. Let's Go Giants!

Loved all the Brandon Belt stories I read today

Patrick Bailey won this game today, the throw out of the runner and then getting a base hit RBI off Gausman when he wasn't giving up any hits

Was very impressed with your submarine reliever.

10 road wins streak was broken today. Seemed to be playing the Mets next at the right time.

I love Belt but man he didn’t have to manifest it like this

Brandon Belt with an all time quote ahead of facing Logan Webb 😂

“I don’t want to hurt his feelings, but I just want to embarrass his whole family”
pic.twitter.com/kdhE6zhOfw

— BetMGM Canada (@BetMGMCanada) June 29, 2023

They didn't trade Belt or Longoria, this year, they just didn't offer a new contract for 2023. The Giants wanted to give younger players a chance. For Belt they felt his knee's would not hold up for a full season. The Giants went with Wade over Belt at first and an qualifying offer to Peterson instead of streaking Belt at DH.

Yeah it sucks as Belt is a great guy but you can understand having to move on as well. He will always have a place in San Francisco history and us fans will always love the guy to death.

Yeah I’d still rather him there than Joc, don’t @ me. Love Joc but Belt deserved to retire a Giant.

Patrick Bailey is having an incredible start to his MLB career. Tonight, against the Mets, he hit the go ahead 3 run home run when they were down by two. Then he throws out a base runner in the top of the next inning to help preserve the win, otherwise man on second with one out.

Patrick "Buster" Bailey might make Rookie of the Year if he keeps this up

I’ve seen the Buster comparison but I don’t like it cos that’s a huge amount of pressure for the guy. He’s doing so so so well but it’s still early. Should definitely pick up ROY votes but think the actual award will still go to Carroll.

I agree the Buster comparison's are premature but what a month

This road trip was brutal, after winning 10 road games in a row the Giants were lucky to win one in Toronto and one in New York. They should have done better in NY but they look like they need the all-star break to happen now.

Not having Yaz has been the key, his contribution has been invaluable

Thairo Estrada has a broken hand

The Panda is in the house

I have waited a week for baseball, as I know we all have, but tonight's game is on Apple TV. Guess I will sign up.

You can usually get months of free trials with various devices which should cover you for the season

Thanks, I do want to catch a few of their series they have, so an extended free trial would work beautifully

Bad Sisters and Severance my personal faves but yeah you’ll definitely get use out of it

Also the Todd Haynes VU doc!

It looks like now all they're offering is a 7 day free trial but loked around. I moved recently and dropped DirecTV but my new provider is offering me a three month trial. Nice, they also gave me a free year of Peacock!

VU doc, nice

And thanks for the other recs gyac

Looks like I scored, checked MLB app one more time and there was a box that said two months for free so I signed up there. I have until November for my TV promo. I will take two months now and then three months later.

I'm so excited baseball is back. I actually had a whole breakdown of every position that I was going to post but decided against it. I was just geeking out.

I hit submit too soon. What I wanted to say is Hunter Pence was on the Apple broadcast last year but it looks like they didn't ask him back this year. I know there was an apple Giants game earlier this year but I ended up parting and missed it.

So Apple will let you tune in to the local radio broadcast and lo and behold, there is Hunter Pence with Dave Flemming.

Whatever happens, I'm just thankful the Giants got Patrick Bailey. Single handley won this game today.

Sweep to start this 11 game road trip. Never do well in Pittsburgh but are doing what needs to be done.

What a strange day, after a suspended game from last night the game went something like this. Tie score. The Giants had a runner on second and third with one out and they resume. They don't score. Bottom of the 9th with the game still tied they walk Elly De La Cruz. He steals second after a correct overturned call but then got picked off for the first out. Game goes into extras, Joc Pederson doubled to lead off the 10th inning, driving in the go-ahead run, and the Giants beat the Reds 4-2.

Then the scheduled game goes into a rain delay and then fireworks from both sides.

This team is pretty wild right now. They are relentless and sometimes feels like these performances aren't sustainable but yet here they are.

How often does a closer close out two games in one day btw?

There was no way the Giants were going to win tonight. The Giants won seven straight and the Reds lost about the same amount in a row. The baseball gods always corrects things. 😉

Gaylord Perry talks about how in 1964, #SFGiants manager Alvin Dark said that there'd be a man on the Moon before he hits a home run. On July 20, 1969, just a half an hour after #Apollo11 landed on the Moon, Perry hit his first HR! #MLB #Legend #Baseball #History pic.twitter.com/cH0UdknYM9

— Baseball by BSmile (@BSmile) July 20, 2023

The Giants came out of the All Star beak winning five straight and now they lost five straight.

Team peaked a year too early but watch out next year.

They just have a way of playing down to their competition, the thing that drive me crazy the most.

The Nats are shit and to get swept, even on the road, is an embarrassment.

Don’t think there’s a single Giants pitcher I care less about getting lit up than Ross Stripling. But that’s what happens when you host Trevor Bauer on your podcast about pitching and spend time asking Bauer what two time Cy Young Award winner and actual person Tim Lincecum could have done better 🤫

Marco Luciano debut

I have had a very hard week in regards to baseball.

Time for some brightness

Yeah. Webb did really well against that Sox lineup but it was a wasted outing - he seemed angry about being taken out when he was. Seriously he made three of the terrors of the AL - Yoshida, Devers, Turner - look stupid.

I was impressed that Bailey’s arm was fast enough to throw out super speedy Duran!

I know you're a Sox fan too so it must be hard to watch a game with two teams that you love/follow.

I have pretty much come to my peace with my team this year. They just don't have enough on the offense side of the ball. The Giants are too reliant on rookies this year. It would be fine if it was only Bailey and Matos but they also have Wisely, Villar, Sabol, Schmidt and Luciano. And I'm probably missing a few. I hope Zaidi doesn't go overboard because we really need to see what can happen next year with what he has built up.

I’m not really a Sox fan (am I? Am I in denial?) but I will admit I kind of wanted to see if Triston Casas could get a splash hit. That oppo bomb though, phew.

Villar’s been optioned right? Feel like Schmitt will be too soon. I remember he was hitting pretty well when he came up, it’s not that unusual for rookies to have issues adjusting but it’s unusual that all the Giants rookies haven’t so far been able to adjust back yet. That’s a question for the development.

It was great to see Luciano get his first hit after hearing about him for years.

They had that great exciting streak when they first called all the kids up but they look a lot like they did in April rn.

What a frustrating game, left 12 on base and should have blown them out. Doval brew it, which usually never happens but felt it happening and ultimately did.

They still walked it off!

Lol, this team. They still don't have an offense. I think they were 4 - 28 with runners in scoring position.

Still manage to take two out of three against a team that had a very similar record.

Yeah I watched the end of this after the Mariners game. Knew the bullpen matchup would keep the Giants in it, think the Red Sox lineup is unusually lefty-dominant and a good chunk of the bp has great splits against lefties. I think Stripling does? Anyway, they held their nerve great and the Dodgers got slaughtered. Justin Turner does not like being booed at Oracle lmaoooooo

Did Turner act up or something? We were at the game and enjoyed booing him

No he did nothing wrong, just joking that he had those big two clutch hits out of sheer spite for the booing

I'm so glad July is over

I don’t understand that AJ Pollock pick-up at all

It's only because Yaz is out, when he comes back they will probably cut AJ. Just needed a warm body for now.

True but I’m still like, her??? Teoscar is right there!

I'm hoping Bart gets moved, it's a seller's market

PATRICK BAILEY PICK-OFF FOR THE WIN 😱😱 pic.twitter.com/NdA7eBrCFM

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) August 2, 2023

Glad it's August, I think I saw Patrick Bailey has 20 caught stealing since he's been called up, next closes was like 12.

1.39 seconds pop time! Rocket arm.

I’m kind of surprised the Giants didn’t try to move Bart off, there’s usually plenty of teams either looking for a cheap backup catcher they can either try to develop or just a body to fill for injuries. I know we live in the Bailey era now but I still feel sorry for Bart a bit, the hype seems to have affected him a lot.

craw’s two run game tying homer from yesterday. nice to see him stare it down a bit lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQr2m-vhHXs

Taking three out of four from a team you need to keep down while it's in your hands. Remarkable actually, as they are still having trouble scoring runs.

The new patches suck. So much for buying a new jersey

I am not trying to be rude, but can someone tell me if the giants are actually a good team or not this year? Like the run differential says the Padres should be 4 games above them, but due to the new scheduling I haven't been able to have the eye test to figure out who's who in the NL West

The Giants are a 500 team this year, maybe a few games better, I think, finally, Zaidi vision is starting to bear fruit. The timeline is more next year than this year. But they should make the playoffs and anything can happen.

The pitching, the Giants only have two starters and this whole opener thing has gone on to new levels. The problem is everyone needs to be on their game and causes issues when it doesn't work as planned.

The defense, last year was so bad that I didn't see a one year fix but they are catching the ball.

The offense, they just can't hit. They have too many rookies who don't know what they are doing. The rookies are learning on the job instead of being seasoned in the minor leagues.

Has been a fun team to watch because of the rookies but frustrating nonetheless. August is a brutal schedule and will see if they survive it.

The Giants can't even beat the A's right after the Dodgers embarrass them the series before. The worst the team, the harder time they have. I have never seen so many sub par pitches made to look like Cy Young.

It really does suck watching them play to their competition. They'll win against really good teams and then get swept by the Nats or A's it's so frustrating. Def not catching the Dodgers at this rate, but I'll be mad if they don't find themselves in the post season. Ultimately I think you're right - they are a .500 team playing a bit above their level.

Giants score six runs, in the nineth, against the Angels. They are an absolute mess right now.

I was supposed to be at tonight's game. Now trying for Wednesday when Ohtani is on the mound

And now, can't even beat the Angels

Identical twins Taylor and Tyler Rogers are putting up almost identical numbers! 😱 pic.twitter.com/W7OpLD0RE4

— MLB (@MLB) August 9, 2023

They just can't score runs, I have never seen anything like this. The pitching can't be the only thing.

You can’t be a Giants fan complaining about the lack of run support and saying you’ve never seen it before! That 2-1 result, I bet Bochy was like, yeah I’ve been on the other side of these a million times!

Their last 18 wins all meet one of these criteria

* 1-run win
* 2-run win
* extra-inning win
* Game within 2 runs in 8th inning

So, so, so absurd https://t.co/JhEIA9rl9A

— Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) August 3, 2023

I remembered watching The Franchise and they mentioned the historically bad run support the 2011 staff got:

Cain and Lincecum have endured systemically poor support over their careers. No major league pitcher has worked with fewer runs per start than Cain since his first full season in 2006. And Lincecum? The Giants haven’t scored a run in 10 of his 26 outings this season — including a 1-0 loss at Atlanta last Thursday.

On the flip side, apparently Giants pitching has the lowest BB/9 in the majors

Yes, I'm over reacting because it's happening now. There is a difference as being Cained meant that the others were getting support.

When talking about good Giants teams, this one is frustrating, too many rookies not doing enough. Heck Schmidt isn't here anymore because they just couldn't take anymore. Probably too much to overcome this year.

:rolleyes:

This team is not good for blood pressure.

How confident are you in the Giants' bats to break out of this slump?? pic.twitter.com/KYra6FfXwz

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) August 15, 2023

Giants are playing the Braves for three then three in Philadelphia. Go home and play three more at home against the Braves.

I'm do wonder if they will win one of the six but they do seem to play good against good teams.

Prediction, they go 2-4 against the Barves and take 2 of 3 from the Phillies.

This team is still in contention for a wild card, despite having some of the most wretched run production this side of 2011. I won't count them out until they are mathematically counted out. 2010, 2014 and 2016 all went down to the last game of the year.

Heartbreaking loss, one of the worst of the year considering the circumstances too. You have to win, at least, the games Logan Webb pitches.

Sorry, Bee. That Rosario homer was massive.

Baggs says that they’re going to call up Kyle Harrison. Feels a bit desperate. They’re still technically in a wild card spot and the Phillies aren’t a walkover.

Max looked pretty good, not exactly sure why Snitker is pulling him right now.

. . . aaaaand we're tied. I don't envy any team playing the Braves at home this year.

Unless Kirby Yates is on the mound, I guess.

Hey, a nice win! My prediction above is on track

What a stupid fuckin' way to lose a game.

Giants went 1 for 3, not 2 for 4, yes?

About to watch the game as I had to go out into the Hurricane today for mom. They won by a bases loaded walk?

Giants versus Braves for three in San Francisco next weekend.

Xpost

I also think they swept the Phillies early this year.

Oh yeah :O

It’s Kyle Harrison day!

Time Lincecum in his debut was taken out in the 5th inning and gave up 5 hits, 5 runs, 5 walks and had 5 strikeouts.

I hope Kyle can make five but he has only done that once this year in the minor leagues.

Huh!

https://x.com/extrabaggs/status/1694045181362753778

De Jong joining the Giants

12 games back of the Dodgers, ouch

De Jong is a Cardinal isn't he?

Getting my players mixed up.

Giants are 4 - 2 against the dodgers but would be slaughtered if they played today.

He was, then the Blue Jays picked him up at the deadline to fill in for Bo Bichette last minute. Then he didn’t hit and Bo came back so they DFAed him. He is pretty decent with the glove iirc.

Giants went 1 for 3, not 2 for 4, yes?

They play the Braves again after the Phillies, was assuming 6 total games - but forgot they had 4 in Atlanta. My prediction is already useless and they're probably just going to lose 10 in a row now ugh

If the Giants win at least one in Philly and one at home against the Braves then they will be fine. They play the Reds after that but not too worried about them.

The Reds have regressed a lot to where they were earlier in the season, but I’m pretty sure they’re still outhitting the Giants. Excited for Harrison though.

Not saying they're a pushover but after the Braves and Phillies it's a break

I'm trying to be positive about the rest of the season. Being negative is getting old and I love my team even with all the flaws.

You should try following the Rockies.

Good news: Harrison's K/9 is pretty great...

I had something come up and missed this live.

I see Bryce Harper took the Rook to school.

Well, tomorrow is a must win.

2 ER was fine, it was the blown save that lost it

Based on the free tickets that were just dropped off in my office, it looks like that's it for the 2023 Giants. gg.

Will have some good pics and reporting for y'all next week.

Camilo Doval has blown four or five saves in a row. The Giants haven't lost all those games but this slump just keeps finding new holes.

Only asked for one, bring on the Reds

What a frustrating 6 weeks it's been. I can name so many seasons where it feels like the All Star break actually broke the positive momentum the team has had. Feels like everyone besides Flores started slumping bad 2nd half and it hasn't relented.

Harrison was dealing, it was a great thing to witness. Dude has killer potential. Made the Reds look silly.

In honor of Dr. Morbius*, I took some good shots of various Giants backsides from the front row behind the batting circle. Almost all the starting 9 plus some PHs. Will upload tomorrow or if I have energy later (it's +1 hour to our normal bedtime routine 😅😅).

*missing this guy esp. this evening.

Kyle Harrison pitching was superb, had a blast watching this game. 11Ks

Ky11e Harrison pic.twitter.com/c7njsDmvzl

— SFGiants (@SFGiants) August 29, 2023

Good seats:
https://imgur.com/a/6ojy42M

Nice seats, jealous.

It was Harry Potter Night, is that part of the reason you went tonight?

I had to explain to my wiiiife about mussina losing a NH to a man who doesnt believe in dinosaurs to keep her from getting upset about the ending for this game go dodgers

So so close for Cobb. Surprised they let him go over 125 to 131 to close out the game.

Of course they aren't going to sweep

Giants scored 6 runs but only 1 earned in the third inning. Padres are a mess, I felt like I was watching the bad news bears.

12-15 month, for awhile there it was really, really dark. They can score runs now which is a huge improvement.

I would love to know which teams had the biggest difference between W-L and xW-L. Are the Padres up there, being 11 games under their xW-L in September? If they played to their differential, they would be in the wild card right now. Very very very very very silly and tragic team

xxp yeah I was just looking at the box and boggled at that. Saw Schmitt came back up and seems to be hitting again? Good for him.

xp the 97 Giants were like a reverse Padres in that they had a negative xW-L and won the division!

Fun year until the Marlins were dickheads

1997 was before I was a Giants fan even though I was living in the Mission District at this time. I became a fan because of the new stadium and then going to the World Series three years after that. '03 was even better going wire to wire in first place. Then losing to Florida in spectacular fashion.

The Giants needed to at least beat the Padres

Stick a fork in them

Even if they would make the playoffs, they won't, they will not do anything once there.

Jesus

Here’s the play in which Patrick Bailey sustained a “potential concussion” in the seventh inning pic.twitter.com/LIqS6yxi1k

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) September 6, 2023

Joey Bart is back, Bailey has a concussion.

Jesus, hadn’t seen that. Catchers get dinged all the time as well. That’s ten days out for Bailey.

Bot 6th: Giants

Ty Blach pitching

L. Matos walked
W. Flores homered (421 ft.) to deep left center, L. Matos scored
M. Haniger homered (413 ft.) to deep left center
J.D. Davis homered (428 ft.) to deep left center

Ty Blach relieved from game

deep left center can't take much more

Ross Stripling & his player option are a joke, man. They optioned Harrison to reinstate Stripling in part because he complained about being on the phantom il and then came back to cough up 3 runs in 3.1 IP to the Rockies?! Cool.

RIP 2023

When they get no hit through eight at Coors Field, there is no way this team deserves a spot in the playoffs.

And that Harrison thing burns me up too or I agree completely.

Xpost

In other words, I have watched Giants baseball for 24 years now and this has to be the worst for a team that is will finish appropriately ,500 and better. There is no offense and needs to be addressed.

Approximately, stupid autocorrect

Did you see the two Baggarly mailbaggs on the Athletic? He was scathing about them keeping Joc over Belt.

Baggs is deservedly scathing about the Giants wasting Webb’s season. Man carried them as pretty much the sole starter putting up a 2010s workload and got rewarded like he was Matt Cain. Pathetic.

Run support per 27 outs this season for currently qualified MLB pitchers while they were in the game:

2.9 Logan Webb
3.0 George Kirby
3.1 Braxton Garrett
3.3 Kyle Freeland
3.4 JP Sears
3.4 Kevin Gausman
3.4 Miles Mikolas
3.5 Sonny Gray
3.5 Mitch Keller
3.7 Merrill Kelly
3.8…

— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) September 20, 2023

gabe out

I’m hearing the Giants are relieving Gabe Kapler of managerial duties, announcement imminent.

— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) September 29, 2023

Just came here after seeing Baggs’ tweet. There was speculation like two days ago, then Grant Brisbee(!) had that article in the Athletic and now he’s gone I guess?

Think the Baggs coverage that repeatedly criticised the attitude and lack of preparation of some of the veterans also influenced this outcome.

Didn’t hate him or anything, think he’s been scapegoated a bit & am very much not a fan of Zaidi’s choices for the roster tbh!

The Giants announced that they have fired manager Gabe Kapler. This is the first time the organization has relieved a manager of duties since they replaced Jim Davenport with Roger Craig with 18 games remaining in the 1985 season.

— Andrew Baggarly (@extrabaggs) September 29, 2023

I never really thought about it seriously but I wonder if they move Buster in? He did move back to the Bay Area recently.

"Here's a roster where your middle of the order is Michael Conforto, Joc Pederson, and Mitch Haniger and you have two starting pitchers who can get to the sixth inning. Don't fuck it up."

— Grant Brisbee (@GrantBrisbee) September 29, 2023

Baggs has been scathing about some of the roster choices recently. As Brisbee says, not on him.

Three games before the end of the season seems like a major chump move as an organization.

Danny Emerman on KNBR theorizes Farhan and ownership might've known Kapler was gone after the Dbacks series. There's no way. They had no intention of firing Kapler at that point. This all came about in 48-72 hours after Farhan "talked to people," Webb's comments and fan reaction.

— LOLKNBR (@LOLKNBR) September 29, 2023

a better manager would have unlocked joey bart's promise

I have been away and will explain somewhat when I get back to regular posting. But I have some thoughts. Understandable. Webb's comments were telling. This team was 13 games above .500 and will finish under that. Tho the talent was overachieving the collapse was monumental. These last few weeks they lost their focus, how does that happen when you're playing for a playoff spot. Maybe Kap did better than he should have, again talent but his stoic approach caught up to him when it mattered most.

Three days early is a dick move so maybe there is more to the story?

For reference: https://www.sfgate.com/giants/article/logan-webb-sf-giants-calls-out-teammates-18389595.php

“It’s definitely something I would like to do, but to be honest with you, winning is more important,” Webb told reporters in the locker room when asked about winning the Cy Young. “If we don’t do that, then it’s kind of a waste to me. ... I’m tired. I’m tired of losing. It’s not enjoyable. It’s not fun. We’ve got to make some big changes in here to really create that winning culture. We want to show up every single year and try to win the whole thing. I think, I think we’re there. It’s just, we gotta, I don’t know what it is. But I’m just sick of losing, to be honest. That’s No. 1 for me, goal-wise.”

"When’s the last time you heard music in a major-league clubhouse after a loss?” one Giants player, granted anonymity in order to speak freely, reportedly told Baggarly. “I mean, you shouldn’t hang your head for too long after a loss. But you shouldn’t be OK with it, either.”

The music is part of what Baggarly describes as “a clubhouse that has included too many ho-hum reactions to losing along with a near-zealotry to Pusoy, a Filipino card game that Joc Pederson and some other Giants players appear to find more compelling than studying the night’s opposing starting pitcher.”

"We’ve got to come in here with the same winning mentality every single day,” Webb said. “Not saying we don’t have that. Just saying we need to throw a little extra onto that. I know (right-hander Alex) Cobb hasn’t been to the playoffs in a long time and I feel terrible for a guy like that. He pitches his ass off this year, he’s an All-Star, and he should be pitching in the playoffs. I want to help make that happen for him. It’s just tough.”

To be fair the middle part is not Webb but ran along the same line.

Good for Gabe, now he can go manage for a team whose owners/GM actually have ambition.

Giants brass whiffed on Arson Judge, (wisely?) flopped on Correia, only to pull the trigger on... (drum roll): Paul DeJong, Joc Pederson, Mitch Haniger & Michael Conforto.

But yeah, Gabe was given far below replacement level garbage and the fact the Giants are anywhere even close to being a .500 team is an amazing accomplishment.

(Sorry, I missed Grant's tweet where he basically says the same thing.)

Bless the SF Chronicle's sportswriters... (from: https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/giants/article/farhan-zaidi-said-mean-gabe-kapler-s-giants-job-18396968.php)

One very intriguing possibility, and one — like Melvin — with Oakland ties to Zaidi: A’s manager Mark Kotsay, who has done a good job in Oakland with a team that unloaded most of its established big-league players over the past two years. Kotsay is under contract for next season, with a team option for 2025.

I mean, there are a lot of adjectives I can think of to describe Kotsay's record with the A's but "a good job" is certainly not one of them.

.308 W/L % (as of today):
https://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/kotsama01.shtml

Genuinely curious which managers have compiled a lower winning % who've managed a full season while not getting fired. I'm pretty sure this is one of the bottom 3 worst of modern-era baseball.

mike matheny is available

To be fair the middle part is not Webb but ran along the same line.

https://i.postimg.cc/hGP6MqVT/IMG-0089.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/Zq7gMDLg/IMG-0090.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/j5D90Qgj/IMG-0091.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/4dj0J7qQ/IMG-0092.jpg

Baggs came out SWINGING

So why was Kapler fired on Friday afternoon, with three games and one more season remaining on his contract? Why did he become the first San Francisco Giants manager in 38 years to be relieved of his duties, ending a run of remarkable franchise stability when it came to the industry’s most volatile occupation?

Because the Giants didn’t win enough. Why didn’t the Giants win enough? Because their roster didn’t have nearly enough talent or continuity. Why didn’t their roster have enough talent or continuity? Maybe because Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi operated with blind spots that have been so large at times that you wondered who ripped off the side mirrors.

yeah kapler managed a .420 team to .500 is one way of looking at it

RIP big man, heaven needed a thoroughly jacked scrotal suntanner

Bring back Dusty

Nice tribute to BCraw here. As far as I know he hasn’t confirmed retirement yet but he surely must be doing so, right?

Looking for a clip of the 2012 WS game 3 clip Vogelsong mentions but in the meantime:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh7PMk365Yw

I remembered this one, ball deflected off Cain, didn’t miss a beat, beautiful barehand grab and throw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tUMATbO78I

Oh yeah, here’s the game 3 play! The ball breaks the bat with how hard Miggy hit it, incredible catch really

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZSQhQWunHY

https://s.hdnux.com/photos/01/34/51/22/24286368/3/900x0.jpg

Former pitcher Ryan Vogelsong: “The 2012 postseason sums up everything the guy has done in his career. He played absolutely unbelievable defense throughout the playoffs, and things he did offensively were exactly what we needed at the time, stuff that might’ve gotten overlooked in his career. Some of my favorite Craw plays were in the World Series in Detroit, a couple of diving plays in the freezing cold and rain. You just saw everything the man could do, going to his backhand, up the middle, behind the mound. My favorite play that I ever saw him make was Game 3 when Timmy (Lincecum) came in relief and broke Miguel Cabrera’s bat, and Craw made a diving, acrobatic play up the middle and sidearmed his throw to first. The fact it was 32 degrees made it pretty incredible, too.”

Bay Area Bob 🎬 pic.twitter.com/7ETN5nBRaf

— SFGiants (@SFGiants) October 25, 2023

Well see how it goes. I like the hiring and now on to the players.

https://x.com/susanslusser/status/1731425846244549098?s=20

Ohtani or Yamamoto but probably neither as everyone hates San Francisco these days. Lee would be nice too.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/39100773/giants-700m-offer-ohtani-identical-dodgers

https://www.sfgate.com/giants/article/giants-posey-sf-doom-loop-free-agency-18552169.php

Can't wait for Shohei to drive through 6th Street on his way to Dodger Stadium and take in all the sights and smells.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlIYEE6ixQU

It's worth watching for Scott Boras hair alone.

Jung Hoo Lee has been a Giant for about two seconds and I already love him.

Fingers crossed this is the beginning of them being able to field a competitive and exciting team

You love to see it!

playing this on loop for the rest of my life https://t.co/UA3DumaQMr pic.twitter.com/uOBTolDkeT

— natasha (@thefriscobay) December 17, 2023

😊

Well, this would just about end things for Joey Bart in San Francisco. https://t.co/wstGM8vrOo

— Andrew Baggarly (@extrabaggs) December 19, 2023

The writing has been on the wall for Bart but still a bit sad for the second overall pick. I wish him well.

Thanks for the scouting report on Tom Murphy, a hitting catcher is becoming more and more rare. So it sounds like a good backup for Bailey.

Pretty stoked for the Grandfather of the Wind to bring some KBO swagger

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/12/dusty-baker-discussing-potential-role-with-giants.html

The Great Dusty Baker tells ⁦@FightinHydrant⁩ and ⁦@JDumasReports⁩ that he is talking to the Giants about a possible role with the team. pic.twitter.com/ZBUPfdBm3H

— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) December 29, 2023

If you're not a fan of the Dodgers, Yankees or maybe the Braves I hardly see the point:
https://www.sfgate.com/giants/article/farhan-zaidi-explains-free-agency-woes-giants-18588437.php

I…didn’t take that from that. Charles Johnson is insanely wealthy. He could easily afford to spend more on the team if he felt like it, instead of contributing to Christian fundamentalist super PACs or whatever the fuck he does with his money. Have the Giants actually landed a top free agent since Bonds?

Also, the Belt mention at the end stung because they paid Joc twice as much to be half as good and to hang out in the clubhouse playing cards. Will forever hate the decision to let Belt walk.

Pitchers and catchers have reported.

For me its all about one thing and one thing only, the Giants. Hope it's not as boring as last year.

Tom Murphy, Lee and Soler…that’s a lot of improvement to a bad lineup from last year.

The offense was a problem but I think most of it had to do with the opener or maybe no pitching.

Still the staff, so far, this year leaves a lot to be desired.

Still very excited for this year, as there is nothing like Baseball!

Too funny and I don't think he will make the team:

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/02/giants-to-sign-pablo-sandoval-to-non-roster-deal.html

He’s still only 37!

lol awesome

Hope it's not as boring as last year.

You and me both. It's one thing to be a bad team, it's another to be boring.

Never forget:
https://cdn.uni-watch.com/app/uploads/2024/02/GG9zdaOWoAES07E-1.jpeg

rooting hard for that dude this season

For context and will be my last post about this:

https://www.sfgate.com/giants/article/casey-schmitt-nsfw-pants-photo-good-humor-gf-18705744.php

Schmitt’s girlfriend celebrated his birthday with an Instagram post captioned, “Happy birthday my love i’m nuts about you ;).”

https://www.nbcsportsbayarea.com/mlb/san-francisco-giants/j-d-davis-placed-waivers-giants/1711179/

Davis now can be claimed by another organization, with the Giants getting only salary relief. Last year's starting third baseman is owed $6.9 million this season after beating the Giants in an arbitration hearing last month, but because he went to a hearing, the Giants can potentially release him and pay a prorated portion of that salary if he is not claimed.

Learning something new, so they release him and only pay a small fee.

Someone will pick him up. I’d be really surprised if the Mariners don’t try for him.

No one picked up JD Davis and so the Giants released him saving almost six million. Nice move Zaidi, the Giants already had a rough time signing players and this will definitely help.

Yeah it’s shit behaviour

Can't believe they're replacing Renel Brooks-Moon. So weird. She's been their announcer as long as I've lived here.

Yeah woke up to that news and it's been bugging me all day. Her voice is pure joy and a major texture that contributes to the great experience of going to the park. This feels either petty or cheap - I can't really be convinced of any other motive here. It also shows how completely out of with the fans the org is at this stage which isn't going to help put buts in seats.

That fucking sucks. She was also pretty amazing as a morning show DJ back in the 00s.

https://www.sfgate.com/giants/article/dave-tobener-renel-brooks-moon-giants-departure-19206161.php

Sounds like this is about money. This organization is going down hill fast.

I was just reading Brisbee’s piece about this in The Athletic. Total nonsense.

Snell to the Giants. At least some good news to distract from the bad yesterday. Rotation is legitimately one of the best in the league now. Could make some noise in the post season if they make it that far.

2 year deal with an opt out though. Win now situation, which is weird to say about this team. Would have probably preferred a 2-3 year deal to at least have some stability there, but with Ray coming back in the 2nd half and Harrison hopefully improving, perhaps Snell leaving in the off season won't be a huge concern.

Joey Bart made the team, Luciano and Matos were sent down and they cut the Panda today.

Saw that. Hope Luciano can work it out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVzs0UZYfgI

Ok, I need to talk about this first series, as the fat tomorrow is just playing on house money.

Game 1: Webb and Darvish were dealing. Our bullpen guy was pitching batting practice, game was 59/50.

Game 2: Harrison can pitch, what a debut for 2024. Chapman can make a difference.

Game 3: Hicks experiment could work out and this team also has Snell?

Jung Hoo Lee is already my favorite Giant.

He’s so fucking good. Maybe not the best in the field but he’s got charisma and he hits!

And yeah Kyle Harrison did really well in his start, love to see it

I can see them winning 90 games

It’s such a shock to see them hitting well. They were dead at the plate last year. I loved Tom Murphy when he was a Mariner and if he stays healthy he’s *always* a problem in the lineup.

I love him

OH MY GOD pic.twitter.com/qqWcsfW1lf

— jacob (@mikeyastrzemski) March 31, 2024

The Giants DFA'd Joey Bart. Daulton Jefferies gets the roster spot and will start today.

— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) March 31, 2024

Jordan Hicks had a great start: 7 innings, 1 ER, 90 pitches. Really think he could go 8 against a worse lineup. I assume he’s not coming out for the 8th.

Now can they win? I'm not happy about this hole they've found themselves in. Tired of getting swept by the damn Dodgers

Home opener walk off will do very nicely! Hbp + a double isn’t the prettiest but who fucking cares

Just watched the walk off, was working so I put it on pause a few times

The games against the Dodgers weren't even fun to watch.

That's tough 😬 pic.twitter.com/8HfkrVRP0X

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) April 5, 2024

https://i.imgur.com/gFBuN11.png

Timestamp 😎

Kevin Gausman to Tyler Rogers after the game, on how much his rising slider moves: "You're going to hit a lefty in the face one day, and the guy's probably going to swing at it. Which is crazy to think about."

— Andrew Baggarly (@extrabaggs) April 14, 2021

Snell is going to drive me nuts, had something like 55 pitches in the first two innings. Only lasted three and the lost, with all those walks, is on him.

This all happened against, let me check my notes, the Nationals.

Snell barely had any ramp up time, ofc he’s going to be dogshit his first time out. That said, running the bases loaded constantly is exactly the pitcher he is and always has been.

I'm having a hard time with this years team. They still can't hit, witch makes no sense. They spent all that money and it feels like they are running in mud.

Apple TV

Snell vs Montgomery , might have to pay $10 tonight

It's Patrick Bailey's birthday today and his bobblehead day at the ballpark. He just hit a splash hit, his first, and so far is 3-3 with that home run.

Padres 4 - 3
Dodgers 0 - 3
D-Backs 2 - 2

Some lame ball/strike calling in the 9th today

Ump's have been horrible this year.

LOUD “Umps You Suck” chant breaks out after a controversial swing-and-miss is called a foul tip.

Bob Melvin ejected. Things are spiraling pic.twitter.com/ps5p4Fz784

— KNBR (@KNBR) April 21, 2024

Logan Webb got 15 ground balls that were converted into outs tonight (including one GIDP), which matches his career high. He good.

— Andrew Baggarly (@extrabaggs) April 24, 2024