Josh Hamilton won the AL MVP award. I'm a little disappointed that Shin-Soo Choo didn't crack the top ten in voting, because he certainly deserved it, but whatever...
I was right on most of my awards predictions...
I was correct about the Cy Young awards, the Rookie of the Year awards, the MVP awards. I was only wrong about the AL Manager of the Year -- I thought Ron Washington would win it over Ron Gardenhire.
Showing posts with label Josh Hamilton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Josh Hamilton. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Monday, November 8, 2010
BBWAA Awards Predictions and Schedule
According to BBWAA.com, the awards schedule is as follows:
AL and NL Rookie of the Year: Nov 15
NL Cy Young: Nov 16
AL and NL Manager of the Year: Nov 17
AL Cy Young: Nov 18
NL MVP: Nov 22
AL MVP: Nov 23
I guess I'd say I'm more excited for the awards then ever before...maybe because it will (hopefully) be the first of many awards for Buster Posey.
Anyway, I'll make some predictions on the winners here (just for kicks):
AL Rookie of the Year = Neftali Feliz
NL Rookie of the Year = Buster Posey
AL Manager of the Year = Ron Washington
NL Manager of the Year = Bud Black
AL Cy Young Award = Felix Hernandez
NL Cy Young Award = Roy Halladay
AL MVP = Josh Hamilton
NL MVP = Joey Votto
I'm pretty sure these are the exact award-winners as determined by the Baseball Bloggers Alliance. I'm guessing the Baseball Writers' Association of America will vote the same way. We'll see if I'm right...
AL and NL Rookie of the Year: Nov 15
NL Cy Young: Nov 16
AL and NL Manager of the Year: Nov 17
AL Cy Young: Nov 18
NL MVP: Nov 22
AL MVP: Nov 23
I guess I'd say I'm more excited for the awards then ever before...maybe because it will (hopefully) be the first of many awards for Buster Posey.
Anyway, I'll make some predictions on the winners here (just for kicks):
AL Rookie of the Year = Neftali Feliz
NL Rookie of the Year = Buster Posey
AL Manager of the Year = Ron Washington
NL Manager of the Year = Bud Black
AL Cy Young Award = Felix Hernandez
NL Cy Young Award = Roy Halladay
AL MVP = Josh Hamilton
NL MVP = Joey Votto
I'm pretty sure these are the exact award-winners as determined by the Baseball Bloggers Alliance. I'm guessing the Baseball Writers' Association of America will vote the same way. We'll see if I'm right...
Sunday, October 31, 2010
WS Game Four Recap
Let me start by saying I was wrong. Travis Ishikawa and Nate Schierholtz didn't have great games. They were a combined 0 for 7. For what it's worth, though, Schierholtz was nabbed of an RBI single by a great Josh Hamilton catch. And, surely, they played a role in Madison Bumgarner's eight-inning three-hit gem. They were solid on defense. Lastly, maybe playing Ishikawa allowed Aubrey Huff to focus on his offense and hit that two-run homer. At the very least, it allowed the Giants to have Huff's bat without the defensive inconsistency he brings (he's a solid defender usually, but is prone to errors).
I was wrong, though. Whatever...Giants won!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now, on to the good stuff...Madison K Bumgarner: youngest pitcher ever to win a postseason game for the Giants; youngest pitcher ever to start a World Series game for the Giants; fifth youngest pitcher ever to start a World Series game; Fourth youngest pitcher ever to win a World Series game.
That was the stuff of legends. Eight innings, three hits, two walks, six strikeouts. One Ranger reached second base, and that was only due to an error by Juan Uribe.
Bumgarner achieved a game score of 80. That's the highest game score achieved by a Giant in a World Series since Jack Sanford achieved an 84 in Game Two of the 1962 World Series. That's also the highest game score achieved by a left-handed starter for the Giants in a World Series since Carl Hubbell in Game Four of the 1933 World Series.
He's the youngest left-handed pitcher in history to toss eight or more shutout innings in a World Series start.
From ESPN:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How great is it that the three Giants to drive in runs in this game (Aubrey Huff, Buster Posey, Andres Torres) were the three best offensive players this year for the Giants? Huff had a two-run blast off of Tommy Hunter. Posey had a solo shot to dead center. Andres Torres knocked in a run with an RBI double. It was frustrating when these guys, who have carried this team all year, were struggling at various times during the postseason. They're locked in now.
Why couldn't Edgar Renteria do this during the regular season (besides, of course, the first week)? Three singles and a run scored. I certainly didn't see this one coming.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I was right about one thing. Madison Bumgarner is much, much, much better than Tommy Hunter. Hunter lasted four innings, allowing two earned runs. He threw a total of 83 pitches though. Bumgarner went twice as many innings, throwing 106 pitches.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All the Giants need to do is avoid a three-game losing streak. That's it. And then they're World Champions. They have the upper hand in a lot of ways. They have home-field advantage for two of the next three games. Their bullpen is more rested (Rangers used five pitchers in Game Four). And they have the psychological advantage for tomorrow -- their starter beat the Rangers' starter (Tim Lincecum beat Cliff Lee) in Game One.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
October is over, and with it goes Rosstober. Cody Ross' hit streak came to a halt in Game Four. It's disappointing, but he'll definitely put together several more streaks in 2011. So now comes the question? What will next month be -- Posember, Huffember, Torresember, Lincenember? We'll just have to wait and see...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pat Burrell's playing tomorrow. I'm not personally expecting much, but I'm hoping for a lot. One day of rest can do wonders.
I was wrong, though. Whatever...Giants won!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now, on to the good stuff...Madison K Bumgarner: youngest pitcher ever to win a postseason game for the Giants; youngest pitcher ever to start a World Series game for the Giants; fifth youngest pitcher ever to start a World Series game; Fourth youngest pitcher ever to win a World Series game.
That was the stuff of legends. Eight innings, three hits, two walks, six strikeouts. One Ranger reached second base, and that was only due to an error by Juan Uribe.
Bumgarner achieved a game score of 80. That's the highest game score achieved by a Giant in a World Series since Jack Sanford achieved an 84 in Game Two of the 1962 World Series. That's also the highest game score achieved by a left-handed starter for the Giants in a World Series since Carl Hubbell in Game Four of the 1933 World Series.
He's the youngest left-handed pitcher in history to toss eight or more shutout innings in a World Series start.
From ESPN:
"The Giants are the 5th team in the last 35 years to throw a shutout while allowing only 3 or fewer singles (and no extra-base hits) in a World Series game. Each of the 5 teams are NL teams, and they all went on to win the World Series."
"Buster Posey becomes the 7th catcher in World Series history to hit a home run while catching a shutout."
"The Giants now have 4 shutouts this postseason. That ties the 1998 Yankees and 1905 New York Giants for the most in a single postseason in major-league history."Best rookie battery in history. Mr. Bumgarner and Mr. Posey. The Bumgarner Battery. The Posey Posse. Hmm...my logo is ingenious. Props to the designer, Zachary Chiang.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How great is it that the three Giants to drive in runs in this game (Aubrey Huff, Buster Posey, Andres Torres) were the three best offensive players this year for the Giants? Huff had a two-run blast off of Tommy Hunter. Posey had a solo shot to dead center. Andres Torres knocked in a run with an RBI double. It was frustrating when these guys, who have carried this team all year, were struggling at various times during the postseason. They're locked in now.
Why couldn't Edgar Renteria do this during the regular season (besides, of course, the first week)? Three singles and a run scored. I certainly didn't see this one coming.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I was right about one thing. Madison Bumgarner is much, much, much better than Tommy Hunter. Hunter lasted four innings, allowing two earned runs. He threw a total of 83 pitches though. Bumgarner went twice as many innings, throwing 106 pitches.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All the Giants need to do is avoid a three-game losing streak. That's it. And then they're World Champions. They have the upper hand in a lot of ways. They have home-field advantage for two of the next three games. Their bullpen is more rested (Rangers used five pitchers in Game Four). And they have the psychological advantage for tomorrow -- their starter beat the Rangers' starter (Tim Lincecum beat Cliff Lee) in Game One.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
October is over, and with it goes Rosstober. Cody Ross' hit streak came to a halt in Game Four. It's disappointing, but he'll definitely put together several more streaks in 2011. So now comes the question? What will next month be -- Posember, Huffember, Torresember, Lincenember? We'll just have to wait and see...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pat Burrell's playing tomorrow. I'm not personally expecting much, but I'm hoping for a lot. One day of rest can do wonders.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Jason Wong Graphics
I got permission from Jason Wong to post some of his SF Giants graphics. They are incredible. Here's a look at some of them...(Click to enlarge)
Thursday, October 28, 2010
WS Game Two Recap
Matt Cain has been the Giants' best starter this year. I said this same exact thing on September 30, and it still rings true. In the postseason, he's been as good as...ever. He's looking like a legendary pitcher. Want some proof?
He's gone three consecutive postseason starts with 6+ IP and 0 ER allowed. This has been done by only six other pitchers in the history of baseball:
Whitey Ford and Christy Mathewson? If you ask me, that's some pretty good company.
His 2010 postseason ERA is a perfect 0.00...he's allowed just 13 hits in 21.1 innings thus far. He's struck out 13. Cliff Lee, who's been proclaimed one of the greatest postseason pitchers of all time, has an ERA of 2.51 in the 2010 playoffs.
His WS Gm 2 line: 7.2 IP, 0 ER, 4 H, 2 K, 2 BB. The strikeout numbers weren't impressive, and he got a little help from the defense (Nate Schierholtz, for example), but he certainly didn't disappoint. He was able to induce popouts to shut down the Rangers.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Edgar Renteria and Aaron Rowand combined for five RBIs and three runs. They've been criticized, scrutinized, disparaged the entire season for injury-marred sub-par offensive seasons. They were overpaid (Renteria is making $9MM this year and Rowand is making $13MM this year), but they've come out and done the job when it's mattered most -- in the World Series. Rowand is batting .375 this postseason (8 AB) with a couple of runs and a couple of RBIs. Renteria has batted just .240 but he's played solid defense and scored five runs.
Were they grossly overpaid? Yes, of course. But they're proving that they aren't worthless. They can contribute, even on the big stage.
This team was built around veterans. Those are the kinds of players Bruce Bochy and Brian Sabean love -- ones with experience. They have Huff, Sanchez, Uribe, Renteria, Ross, Rowand, and Burrell as veteran position players, all players with veteran experience (especially Huff, Burrell, and Renteria). Renteria has logged over 60 postseason games in his career. Maybe that's having a positive impact. Maybe -- just maybe -- it wasn't such a bad idea to build this team based on the philosophy that experience is ideal. It certainly seems to be playing a role in these postseason games.
As far as Rent and Rowand go, this will go down as one of their best (if not the best) games they've had in a Giants uni'. There was the home opener, in which Renteria hit a ninth-inning game-tying shot off of Billy Wagner and Rowand got the walkoff single. There was the game in '09 (I believe August 30) in which Edgar Renteria hit a grand slam to give the Giants a 6-5 lead over the Colorado Rockies. Today's game tops their best moments as Giants.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This has been almost too easy. The Giants have scored 20 runs in their last two games. These are World Series games, though. This is supposed to be top-notch baseball, fierce, tight, tense competition between the best in the game. The Rangers have failed to match the Giants' level of play. It seems to all be coming down to the thing the analysts blatantly ignored: the bullpen. When choosing the Giants as underdogs in each postseason series, the media has sized up the Giants' offense as weak, and therefore come to the conclusion that the other team was better. They've been overlooking the bullpens, though. The Giants used relievers for seven scoreless innings to win NLCS Game 6, the pennant-clincher. Does any other postseason team have the bullpen depth to have done that? I seriously doubt it. The Rangers' bullpen has allowed 11 earned runs over the last two games. The Giants' bullpen? Three earned runs.
Derek Holland walked three Giants on 13 pitches. I can't honestly think of a Giants pitcher that would do that. I doubt Bruce Bochy would let a Giants reliever walk three consecutive batters. These games have been handed to us.
It's almost sad, because there's been very little torture. Finally, the pieces have come together. Everybody is hitting...there was always the potential in every Giants bat -- from Torres to Renteria (yes, Renteria has always had potential). Finally, this potential has come to fruition, all at once.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
These next three games are looking good.
Game Three: Colby Lewis is a flyball pitcher, and he'll be pitching in a hitters park, The Ballpark in Arlington. Although his home/road splits don't show it, I think the Giants will benefit from the longball in this game.
Game Four: Madison Bumgarner is a much, much, much better pitcher than Tommy Hunter. 'nough said.
Game Five: Cliff Lee. The Giants have gained a psychological advantage over him after destroying him in Game One. Throw in the fact that Lee has a career 5.07 ERA pitching in Texas and you have a good outlook.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bruce Bochy is showing that he is a good manager. At the end of the regular season, I would've been outraged at the notion of him winning Manager of the Year. I found Bud Black to be much more competent. But Bochy once again made critical, intelligent decisions. He brought in Nate Schierholtz in the seventh inning as a defensive replacement, and Nate promptly made a great catch. His decision to bring in Javier Lopez in the eighth inning with two outs to face Josh Hamilton worked out well too.
And...his decision to throw Lincecum in Game One and Cain in Game Two was highly successful.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ross extended his hit streak to nine games. He's moving up on the list of top Giants postseason hit streaks. I'll post the stat table tomorrow.
TWO MORE WINS.
He's gone three consecutive postseason starts with 6+ IP and 0 ER allowed. This has been done by only six other pitchers in the history of baseball:
| Rk | Strk Start | End | Games | IP | ER | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kenny Rogers | 2006-10-06 | 2006-10-22 | 3 | 23.0 | 0 |
| 2 | Burt Hooton | 1981-10-13 | 1981-10-21 | 3 | 20.2 | 0 |
| 3 | Jon Matlack | 1973-10-07 | 1973-10-17 | 3 | 23.0 | 0 |
| 4 | Whitey Ford | 1960-10-08 | 1961-10-04 | 3 | 27.0 | 0 |
| 5 | Waite Hoyt | 1921-10-06 | 1921-10-13 | 3 | 27.0 | 0 |
| 6 | Christy Mathewson | 1905-10-09 | 1905-10-14 | 3 | 27.0 | 0 |
Whitey Ford and Christy Mathewson? If you ask me, that's some pretty good company.
His 2010 postseason ERA is a perfect 0.00...he's allowed just 13 hits in 21.1 innings thus far. He's struck out 13. Cliff Lee, who's been proclaimed one of the greatest postseason pitchers of all time, has an ERA of 2.51 in the 2010 playoffs.
His WS Gm 2 line: 7.2 IP, 0 ER, 4 H, 2 K, 2 BB. The strikeout numbers weren't impressive, and he got a little help from the defense (Nate Schierholtz, for example), but he certainly didn't disappoint. He was able to induce popouts to shut down the Rangers.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Edgar Renteria and Aaron Rowand combined for five RBIs and three runs. They've been criticized, scrutinized, disparaged the entire season for injury-marred sub-par offensive seasons. They were overpaid (Renteria is making $9MM this year and Rowand is making $13MM this year), but they've come out and done the job when it's mattered most -- in the World Series. Rowand is batting .375 this postseason (8 AB) with a couple of runs and a couple of RBIs. Renteria has batted just .240 but he's played solid defense and scored five runs.
Were they grossly overpaid? Yes, of course. But they're proving that they aren't worthless. They can contribute, even on the big stage.
This team was built around veterans. Those are the kinds of players Bruce Bochy and Brian Sabean love -- ones with experience. They have Huff, Sanchez, Uribe, Renteria, Ross, Rowand, and Burrell as veteran position players, all players with veteran experience (especially Huff, Burrell, and Renteria). Renteria has logged over 60 postseason games in his career. Maybe that's having a positive impact. Maybe -- just maybe -- it wasn't such a bad idea to build this team based on the philosophy that experience is ideal. It certainly seems to be playing a role in these postseason games.
As far as Rent and Rowand go, this will go down as one of their best (if not the best) games they've had in a Giants uni'. There was the home opener, in which Renteria hit a ninth-inning game-tying shot off of Billy Wagner and Rowand got the walkoff single. There was the game in '09 (I believe August 30) in which Edgar Renteria hit a grand slam to give the Giants a 6-5 lead over the Colorado Rockies. Today's game tops their best moments as Giants.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This has been almost too easy. The Giants have scored 20 runs in their last two games. These are World Series games, though. This is supposed to be top-notch baseball, fierce, tight, tense competition between the best in the game. The Rangers have failed to match the Giants' level of play. It seems to all be coming down to the thing the analysts blatantly ignored: the bullpen. When choosing the Giants as underdogs in each postseason series, the media has sized up the Giants' offense as weak, and therefore come to the conclusion that the other team was better. They've been overlooking the bullpens, though. The Giants used relievers for seven scoreless innings to win NLCS Game 6, the pennant-clincher. Does any other postseason team have the bullpen depth to have done that? I seriously doubt it. The Rangers' bullpen has allowed 11 earned runs over the last two games. The Giants' bullpen? Three earned runs.
Derek Holland walked three Giants on 13 pitches. I can't honestly think of a Giants pitcher that would do that. I doubt Bruce Bochy would let a Giants reliever walk three consecutive batters. These games have been handed to us.
It's almost sad, because there's been very little torture. Finally, the pieces have come together. Everybody is hitting...there was always the potential in every Giants bat -- from Torres to Renteria (yes, Renteria has always had potential). Finally, this potential has come to fruition, all at once.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
These next three games are looking good.
Game Three: Colby Lewis is a flyball pitcher, and he'll be pitching in a hitters park, The Ballpark in Arlington. Although his home/road splits don't show it, I think the Giants will benefit from the longball in this game.
Game Four: Madison Bumgarner is a much, much, much better pitcher than Tommy Hunter. 'nough said.
Game Five: Cliff Lee. The Giants have gained a psychological advantage over him after destroying him in Game One. Throw in the fact that Lee has a career 5.07 ERA pitching in Texas and you have a good outlook.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bruce Bochy is showing that he is a good manager. At the end of the regular season, I would've been outraged at the notion of him winning Manager of the Year. I found Bud Black to be much more competent. But Bochy once again made critical, intelligent decisions. He brought in Nate Schierholtz in the seventh inning as a defensive replacement, and Nate promptly made a great catch. His decision to bring in Javier Lopez in the eighth inning with two outs to face Josh Hamilton worked out well too.
And...his decision to throw Lincecum in Game One and Cain in Game Two was highly successful.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ross extended his hit streak to nine games. He's moving up on the list of top Giants postseason hit streaks. I'll post the stat table tomorrow.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TWO MORE WINS.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Killing the Time
In anticipation of the World Series, here are several poorly-made photoshops...don't worry. I'll keep 'em coming. FEEL FREE TO SEND IN YOUR OWN SF-TEX PHOTOSHOPS to blog@splashingpumpkins.com!
 |
| Tim Lincecum and Josh Hamilton |
 |
| Pat Burrell and Cliff Lee |
 |
| Bengie Molina and Nate Schierholtz |
 |
| Freddy Sanchez chewin' on some Colby Lewis |
 |
| Brian Wilson and Elvis Andrus |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)