- Jeff Zimmerman looked at the payroll amounts tied up in injured players in 2010. The Giants spent $12.3MM on players on the DL, good (or bad?) for 12.5% of their payroll, a fairly average mark.
- The Giants released their 2011 promotional schedule, and there's some really good stuff there if I do say so myself: World Series Ring Keychain, Buster Posey Pin, World Series Replica Trophy, World Champions Cap, Willie Mays Statue Replica, Tim Lincecum/Cody Ross/Buster Posey/Aubrey Huff bobbleheads, Madison Bumgarner T-Shirt, etc. My favorite though: Belt Buckle. I presume this is a Brandon Belt reference...
- If you have a Twitter account, you should follow Splashing Pumpkins so that you can get instant updates of posts and read my terribly unfunny puns.
- At this quiet time in the Giants offseason, this has been one of the biggest pieces of news recently: Dan Szymborski wrote an article for ESPN insider about the Giants' obstacles of repeating (subscription req'd). If you don't have an insider account like me, you should read the post about it by Otis Anderson of Bay City Ball, who does a good job of explaining it.
- 32 days till pitchers and catchers report!
- This wiffle-ball pitcher is nasty. I just have to post this here. (h/t Off Base Percentage)
Showing posts with label Madison Bumgarner. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Madison Bumgarner. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Notes: Wiffle Ball, Injuries, Promotional Schedule
Monday, January 3, 2011
A Distant Third Place?
In a recent ESPN post looking at the 2011 season, Rob Neyer wrote the following:
In my personal opinion, it is absolutely essential for a professional sports writer to back up his or her claims with significant statistical evidence. I am all for expressing radical opinions, but when I read ludicrous conclusions based on cherry-picked numbers, or in this case, no numbers at all, it simply ticks me off.
It is reasonable to believe that the Giants will miss the playoffs next year. A third place finish is also within the realm of possibility. But saying that they won't be competitive? Give me a break.
As Neyer points out, the Diamondbacks and the Padres are unlikely to be contenders in the NL West. While it seems that both teams could compete in the near future, we'll save that argument for another day. Eliminating those two leaves the Dodgers and the Rockies, who finished with 83 and 80 wins respectively. With this in mind, it's hard to imagine both teams leaving the Giants in the dust as predicted. Neyer cites various flaws with San Francisco's roster, but clearly, the same circumstances apply to both Los Angeles and Colorado as well.
First is the argument of "uncertainty" concerning rookies Buster Posey and Madison Bumgarner. While each has their own small blemishes, I can not find any clear signs pointing towards future struggles. Posey's below-average walk rate (6.8%) and Bumgarner's mediocre K/9 (6.97) are hardly worth mentioning. To me, a pair of sophomore slumps for these young stars seems possible, but not probable. On the contrary, as a Dodger fan, I would be worried about Matt Kemp's struggles hitting the fastball, as well as Jonathan Broxton's second half implosion. Similarly, Rockies fans should be concerned about Carlos Gonzalez's unsustainable .384 BABIP and Jhoulys Chacin's high walk tendencies.
Next, we get to the regression dispute. Is it really fair to say that Aubrey Huff will bring the Giants down when rival lineups feature aging veterans Todd Helton and Casey Blake? And while Andres Torres' breakout season seems like an anomaly, the attack on Jonathan Sanchez seems illogical. Luck is a factor throughout the game of baseball, and thus, every team has at least one pitcher that outperforms their peripherals, some more than others. Jon Garland (3.47 ERA, 4.35 xFIP) and Ubaldo Jimenez (2.88 ERA, 3.73 xFIP) are excellent examples of this.
Lastly is the trifle issue of the Giants changing shortstops. While Juan Uribe flashes more power and defensive prowess, Miguel Tejada brings durability and contact abilities to the table. The gap between these two is marginal compared to that of Manny Ramirez and an average left fielder. And while the Rockies did not lose any key players this offseason, they did part with solid contributors Miguel Olivo and Clint Barmes, who combined for 3.6 WAR in 2010.
I believe many will agree with me when I say that writers must look at the bigger picture if they wish to write a relevant article. It is obvious that the success of the Giants will be highly dependent on that of the Dodgers and the Rockies. When Rob Neyer chose to only examine the inadequacies of the Giants through unspecific generalizations, he failed to do the same for their main competition, thus destroying the foundations of his argument.
Which team will be the most surprising in 2011?
There's going to be a great deal of change in the National League West.
I don't expect the Diamondbacks' rebuilding efforts to pay off immediately and the Padres are obviously going to miss Adrian Gonzalez terribly, but it's hard to figure where everyone else ends up.
Still, the Giants might surprise a lot of people by dropping from world champions to third place, and perhaps even a not particularly competitive third place. In 2010, almost everything that could have gone well for them did go well, with a number of Giants enjoying surprisingly good seasons. If there's reason for optimism, it's tied almost solely to the assumption that Buster Posey and Madison Bumgarner will continue to thrive in their first full seasons. Will that be enough to balance the presumed regressions of Aubrey Huff, Andres Torres and Jonathan Sanchez, along with the departure of Juan Uribe (who's been replaced by Miguel Tejada)?
We'll know in eight or nine months.
In my personal opinion, it is absolutely essential for a professional sports writer to back up his or her claims with significant statistical evidence. I am all for expressing radical opinions, but when I read ludicrous conclusions based on cherry-picked numbers, or in this case, no numbers at all, it simply ticks me off.
It is reasonable to believe that the Giants will miss the playoffs next year. A third place finish is also within the realm of possibility. But saying that they won't be competitive? Give me a break.
As Neyer points out, the Diamondbacks and the Padres are unlikely to be contenders in the NL West. While it seems that both teams could compete in the near future, we'll save that argument for another day. Eliminating those two leaves the Dodgers and the Rockies, who finished with 83 and 80 wins respectively. With this in mind, it's hard to imagine both teams leaving the Giants in the dust as predicted. Neyer cites various flaws with San Francisco's roster, but clearly, the same circumstances apply to both Los Angeles and Colorado as well.
First is the argument of "uncertainty" concerning rookies Buster Posey and Madison Bumgarner. While each has their own small blemishes, I can not find any clear signs pointing towards future struggles. Posey's below-average walk rate (6.8%) and Bumgarner's mediocre K/9 (6.97) are hardly worth mentioning. To me, a pair of sophomore slumps for these young stars seems possible, but not probable. On the contrary, as a Dodger fan, I would be worried about Matt Kemp's struggles hitting the fastball, as well as Jonathan Broxton's second half implosion. Similarly, Rockies fans should be concerned about Carlos Gonzalez's unsustainable .384 BABIP and Jhoulys Chacin's high walk tendencies.
Next, we get to the regression dispute. Is it really fair to say that Aubrey Huff will bring the Giants down when rival lineups feature aging veterans Todd Helton and Casey Blake? And while Andres Torres' breakout season seems like an anomaly, the attack on Jonathan Sanchez seems illogical. Luck is a factor throughout the game of baseball, and thus, every team has at least one pitcher that outperforms their peripherals, some more than others. Jon Garland (3.47 ERA, 4.35 xFIP) and Ubaldo Jimenez (2.88 ERA, 3.73 xFIP) are excellent examples of this.
Lastly is the trifle issue of the Giants changing shortstops. While Juan Uribe flashes more power and defensive prowess, Miguel Tejada brings durability and contact abilities to the table. The gap between these two is marginal compared to that of Manny Ramirez and an average left fielder. And while the Rockies did not lose any key players this offseason, they did part with solid contributors Miguel Olivo and Clint Barmes, who combined for 3.6 WAR in 2010.
I believe many will agree with me when I say that writers must look at the bigger picture if they wish to write a relevant article. It is obvious that the success of the Giants will be highly dependent on that of the Dodgers and the Rockies. When Rob Neyer chose to only examine the inadequacies of the Giants through unspecific generalizations, he failed to do the same for their main competition, thus destroying the foundations of his argument.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Random Musings...
I just have a couple of random things I feel that I need to say, which are not worthy of individual posts....
First off, great article on Bay City Ball about Velez. Seriously. It says everything there is to say about Velez. By the way, Bay City Ball is a great Giants blog to read if you're more statistically-inclined.
Also, what happened to FireSabean? FireSabean wasn't necessarily a popular guy -- when the Giants were enjoying much success, day after day I would hear Giants analysts disparaging him -- but I always respected him. Not because I felt he was entirely correct -- he was a bit extreme (for example, when the Giants won an extra-inning game, I recall him saying something like "The Giants should have been able to win that game in nine innings. This is an outrage. A real GM would build a team that can win in nine innings." But because he was steadfast in his beliefs. He dealt with a lot of criticism, yet continued to believe that Brian Sabean was a bad GM. I'm disappointed he's gone -- I feel he just gave up on his beliefs. History can't erase the fact that Sabean signed Aaron Rowand and Barry Zito to those atrocious contracts; and I feel too much credit was given to Sabes for the World Series title. Buster Posey, Madison Bumgarner, Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Jonathan Sanchez, Brian Wilson, etc. were there because of the Giants' scouting department, not Sabes. I don't care if Sabean has a scouting background -- he's given more credit than he deserves, and that's all that I'll say on the matter.
First off, great article on Bay City Ball about Velez. Seriously. It says everything there is to say about Velez. By the way, Bay City Ball is a great Giants blog to read if you're more statistically-inclined.
Also, what happened to FireSabean? FireSabean wasn't necessarily a popular guy -- when the Giants were enjoying much success, day after day I would hear Giants analysts disparaging him -- but I always respected him. Not because I felt he was entirely correct -- he was a bit extreme (for example, when the Giants won an extra-inning game, I recall him saying something like "The Giants should have been able to win that game in nine innings. This is an outrage. A real GM would build a team that can win in nine innings." But because he was steadfast in his beliefs. He dealt with a lot of criticism, yet continued to believe that Brian Sabean was a bad GM. I'm disappointed he's gone -- I feel he just gave up on his beliefs. History can't erase the fact that Sabean signed Aaron Rowand and Barry Zito to those atrocious contracts; and I feel too much credit was given to Sabes for the World Series title. Buster Posey, Madison Bumgarner, Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Jonathan Sanchez, Brian Wilson, etc. were there because of the Giants' scouting department, not Sabes. I don't care if Sabean has a scouting background -- he's given more credit than he deserves, and that's all that I'll say on the matter.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Brandon Belt
In case you haven't heard of Brandon Belt, it's about time. He's an up-and-coming star in the Giants farm system that could very well be an integral part of the San Francisco Giants in 2011. As of now, he's playing in the Arizona Fall League, and enjoying success, as he did all season long...An AFL title would just be the cherry on the top of what was an extraordinary debut season by any measurement. The 2009 fifth-round pick led the Minor Leagues with a 1.075 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage). He finished second in batting average (.352) and on-base percentage (.455) while ending up fourth in RBIs (112) and seventh in slugging percentage (.620). He did it while playing across three levels, starting with Class A Advanced San Jose and finishing in Triple-A Fresno.Belt exhibits an impressive combination of power, contact, plate discipline, and a little bit of speed: in three levels of the minor leagues this year, he put up a .352/.455/.620 slash line, hit 23 home runs, walked 93 times in 595 plate appearances, and despite the fact that he's primarily a first baseman, he stole 23 bases.
It's easy to get caught up in the Brandon Belt hype, because the numbers he's produced consistently all season long are quite amazing. He also seems to be a very likable player...for example, here's what MLB.com writer Jonathan Mayo had to say about him:
Still, there's a humility in how Belt speaks about what's happened in 2010. He got the chance to play in the AFL Rising Stars Game -- the best of the best -- and showed some serious plate discipline (not to mention the respect of opposing pitchers) by drawing three walks. While Belt clearly feels he belongs in this rarified air, he does so without any sense of entitlement.
After thoroughly examining his 2010 season, I am going to make a bold claim. I think Brandon Belt will be the 2011 Rookie of the Year. I've even made a Facebook fan page...Granted, he'll have to receive adequate playing time -- even Posey cut it close in the Rookie of the Year by missing the first couple months of the season (it certainly gave competitor Jason Heyward the upper hand). But Belt appears to possess a unique skill-set that could easily see him as a starting first baseman in 2011.
I'll admit, I've gotten a little too caught up in the hype. But after seeing what Tim Lincecum, Buster Posey, and Madison Bumgarner have been able to do in the majors thus far, I believe Belt can emulate their success.
More about Brandon Belt to come...
More about Brandon Belt to come...
Monday, November 15, 2010
A Closer Look at the Rookie of the Year Balloting
| Player Name, Team, WAR | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants 3.9 | 20 | 9 | 2 | 129 |
| Jason Heyward, Atlanta Braves 5.0 | 9 | 20 | 2 | 107 |
| Jaime Garcia, St. Louis Cardinals 3.2 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 24 |
| Gaby Sanchez, Florida Marlins 2.4 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 18 |
| Neil Walker, Pittsburgh Pirates 1.9 | 1 | 3 | ||
| Starlin Castro, Chicago Cubs 2.0 | 3 | 3 | ||
| Ike Davis, New York Mets 3.4 | 2 | 2 | ||
| Jose Tabata, Pittsburgh Pirates 2.0 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Jonny Venters, Atlanta Braves 1.7 | 1 | 1 |
As you can see, for the most part, the voting was consistent with the Wins Above Replacement each player produced. There are three exceptions, only two of which were significant differences.
The first exception was Buster Posey, who likely would've produced the most WAR had he played the entire season -- of course, it's not necessarily fair to assume this, but based on the way he played for most of the season, it's fair to say that he was the winner. If I was a Braves fan, I would probably complain that Heyward got snubbed. But since I'm a Giants fan, I can overlook Heyward's impressive walk rate and instead marvel at the fact that Posey hits with power to all sides of the field, all while calling a good game behind the plate.
Now, the second exception is really not that significant at all. Neil Wakler produced less WAR than Tabata and Castro, but his 1.9 is close enough to their respective 2.0s that it's not really a big deal.
The third exception, however, is probably the biggest snub. Ike Davis had the best UZR among first basemen (10.1) all while putting up a nice slash line of .264/.351/.440 with 17 home runs and a nice walk rate of 12%. This accumulated to 3.4 WAR, much better than that of Castro (2.0), Walker (1.9), and even Jaime Garcia.
Now, I'm not saying that the voting should have gone by WAR. Personally, I think Jaime Garcia deserved third place in the Rookie of the Year voting, stepping up out of nowhere as a very solid number three starter. However, Ike Davis was clearly overlooked. It's easy not to be impressed by his .264 batting average, but he had just one less home run than Heyward, and his walk rate (12%) is comparable to Heyward's rate of 14%. Not to mention that Davis had the second-best defense among first basemen.
I guess I would've wanted Davis to slip up their in the voting between Sanchez and Garcia. Are Sanchez's numbers really better than those of Davis?
Gaby Sanchez: .273/.341/.448, -0.1 UZR, 19 home runs.
Ike Davis: .264/.351/.440, 10.1 UZR, 19 home runs.
Their numbers are quite similar. I think Davis deserved more votes, however, due to his far superior defense.
As a Giants fan, however, I must point out the lack of recognition for Madison Bumgarner. It makes sense, I suppose, that he was left off the ballot, because he by no means deserves a third-place vote, second-place vote, or even first-place vote for his regular season performance among this stacked rookie class. However, if the ballot was given after the postseason, and was for the top five rookies, Bumgarner definitely deserved a nod.
Whatever. I can't complain. Buster Posey won, and rightfully so. I was admittedly nervous..It's hard not to be, with all the hype surrounding Jason Heyward (the J-Hey kid). But now Giants fans can finally sit back and reminisce about what's been possibly the greatest season in the San Francisco era of this Giants franchise. A Rookie of the Year Award for Buster Posey, and a World Series title.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Links
Every week, I gather links to interesting baseball-related articles, photos, videos, graphs, etc. Enjoy...
This is the first edition, so it will have some pretty basic must-see links. So it's likely that you've seen some -- or maybe even all of these links. But it will get deeper as the weeks go by, so stay tuned.
This is the first edition, so it will have some pretty basic must-see links. So it's likely that you've seen some -- or maybe even all of these links. But it will get deeper as the weeks go by, so stay tuned.
- Madison Bumgarner apparently takes very little time in between pitches. He ranked 9th among NL pitchers with at least 500 pitches for the shortest time in between pitches.
- Visual Baseball is a very cool website which produces baseball-related charts and graphics. For example, here's a graphic showing how good the Giants were in 2010 in various categories relative to the other major-league teams.
- Joe Posnanski, a writer for Sports Illustrated, asked Yankees fans the question: "If you could trade Derek Jeter tomorrow to Florida for Hanley Ramirez, would you do it?" The results were pretty interesting.
- Here's an awesome San Francisco Giants 2010 playoff video complete with epic music and the most memorable moments.
- This is a pretty well-known website, so I doubt you haven't heard of it. But in the off-chance that you aren't aware of HitTrackerOnline, it's a must-see: it tracks every home run with graphs, distance data, links to videos of the home runs, etc.
- MLBTradeRumors explains why young starters are signed to contract extensions.
- I'm not sure if I've posted this on SplashingPumpkins before, but it's a classic. Buster Posey guns down a would-be basestealer then says "I ain't havin' it."
- I've definitely posted this here before, and you've most likely heard of it, but there's a Facebook fan page entitled "Brian Wilson Should Host SNL." Join the revolution.
- Whether you like it or not, Brian Wilson has gotten the second-widest strike zone in baseball over the last two years, behind Livan Hernandez.
If you know/have an interesting baseball-related link, by all means tell us about it.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
President Barack Obama Congratulates the Giants
In case you didn't see it, here's the video.I must say, it was nice to see the president of the United States acknowledge the significance of Madison Bumgarner's ability to stay calm, cool, and collected on the big stage. He also gave a nod to Edgar Renteria, Tim Lincecum, and just the rotation in general.
He was invited by the Giants to throw out the first pitch at Opening Day for the defending world champions, and seemed enthusiastic.
Obama: "I can tell you right now, I'm gonna put in a request and see if we can get out to the west coast."
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!
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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:
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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...
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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!
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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...
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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
WS Game Three Recap
Jonathan Sanchez was rough: 4.2 IP, 4 ER, 6 H, 2 HR, 4 BB, 3 K. The big blow was a second-inning three-run blast by Mitch Moreland, who was batting in the nine-hole. It's funny because going into this series, that's the person I would've picked to watch out for. I knew very little about him, except that he could work the count, and that he was good enough to be a starting first baseman for a team playing in the World Series. Why in this case? It's always the one you least suspect -- he was batting ninth. Anyway...I didn't expect much out of Sanchez going into this game for several reasons:
Colby Lewis, on the other hand, was remarkable: 7.2 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 2 HR, 2 BB, 6 K. He was just masterful in terms of hitting the corners, and the Giants couldn't do anything. The lone mistakes were solo home runs allowed to Andres Torres, and yes, you guessed it, Cody Ross.
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Jonathan Sanchez aside, the one player that sticks out in this game is Pat Burrell. He is scuffling right now. He went 0 for 4 with four strikeouts. At what point do you start playing someone else out there in left field? This is the World Series, after all, so hesitation could be very costly. The way I see it, he's in there for two reasons: he walks, and he hits bombs...but he's .158 in the postseason overall, with 19 strikeouts in 38 at-bats. His performance in the World Series is even worse, as he's gone 0 for 9 with eight strikeouts. To his credit, he does have two walks. But if he can't get a hit tomorrow, I don't want to be seeing him in Game Five, against Cliff Lee, who already silenced Burrell's bat in Game One. Tommy Hunter isn't a great pitcher. He shall be a good test of Burrell's bat. If Pat the Bat can't get anything done in Game Four, sit him. His defensive incompetence is already enough of a liability. They don't need his bat to be costing them games (not that they lost Game Three just because of him).
Is anybody open to the idea of Nate Schierholtz possibly starting in Game Five? It would solidify the Giants' defense (I can think of few outfield defenses that are better than Ross/Torres/Schierholtz) and he's a career .354 hitter against left-handers (he would face Lee). Not to mention, he's 1 for 1 with a walk and an RBI single in the World Series thus far. Just an idea. All I know is, solid defense can make the difference between a win and a loss. The way Burrell's playing right now, I want Nate out there.
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DHing Pablo Sandoval didn't work. He went 0 for 3 with a strikeout and a double play. With a right-hander on the mound, I would like to see Travis Ishikawa at first base with Aubrey Huff as the DH. Better defense, better offense. Sounds like an improvement to me.
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No worries here. Giants just need to win one of the next two games. Game Four is a matchup between Madison Bumgarner and Tommy Hunter, and frankly, Bumgarner's a much better pitcher. Game Five is Cliff Lee, pitching in Texas (where he has a 5.00+ ERA in his career), against the team that destroyed him in Game One. I think the Giants have a good chance of winning one of those games...This way they return home with a 3-2 series lead, and only need to win one of the two games at home in order to win the World Series. Oh yeah, and Matt Cain will be on the mound in Game Six. Can we win Game Six? Yes we Cain. Oh, do I get joy out of saying that.
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Here's yet another SF Giants song. This one's by DJ E-Rock:
- He was coming off of a bad start
- Pitching on the road
- Pitching in a hitters ballpark
- Facing a lot of right-handed hitters
- The Rangers have a good running game, so it doesn't help that Sanchez walks a lot of hitters
- Sanchez isn't great at controlling the running game
Colby Lewis, on the other hand, was remarkable: 7.2 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 2 HR, 2 BB, 6 K. He was just masterful in terms of hitting the corners, and the Giants couldn't do anything. The lone mistakes were solo home runs allowed to Andres Torres, and yes, you guessed it, Cody Ross.
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Jonathan Sanchez aside, the one player that sticks out in this game is Pat Burrell. He is scuffling right now. He went 0 for 4 with four strikeouts. At what point do you start playing someone else out there in left field? This is the World Series, after all, so hesitation could be very costly. The way I see it, he's in there for two reasons: he walks, and he hits bombs...but he's .158 in the postseason overall, with 19 strikeouts in 38 at-bats. His performance in the World Series is even worse, as he's gone 0 for 9 with eight strikeouts. To his credit, he does have two walks. But if he can't get a hit tomorrow, I don't want to be seeing him in Game Five, against Cliff Lee, who already silenced Burrell's bat in Game One. Tommy Hunter isn't a great pitcher. He shall be a good test of Burrell's bat. If Pat the Bat can't get anything done in Game Four, sit him. His defensive incompetence is already enough of a liability. They don't need his bat to be costing them games (not that they lost Game Three just because of him).
Is anybody open to the idea of Nate Schierholtz possibly starting in Game Five? It would solidify the Giants' defense (I can think of few outfield defenses that are better than Ross/Torres/Schierholtz) and he's a career .354 hitter against left-handers (he would face Lee). Not to mention, he's 1 for 1 with a walk and an RBI single in the World Series thus far. Just an idea. All I know is, solid defense can make the difference between a win and a loss. The way Burrell's playing right now, I want Nate out there.
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DHing Pablo Sandoval didn't work. He went 0 for 3 with a strikeout and a double play. With a right-hander on the mound, I would like to see Travis Ishikawa at first base with Aubrey Huff as the DH. Better defense, better offense. Sounds like an improvement to me.
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No worries here. Giants just need to win one of the next two games. Game Four is a matchup between Madison Bumgarner and Tommy Hunter, and frankly, Bumgarner's a much better pitcher. Game Five is Cliff Lee, pitching in Texas (where he has a 5.00+ ERA in his career), against the team that destroyed him in Game One. I think the Giants have a good chance of winning one of those games...This way they return home with a 3-2 series lead, and only need to win one of the two games at home in order to win the World Series. Oh yeah, and Matt Cain will be on the mound in Game Six. Can we win Game Six? Yes we Cain. Oh, do I get joy out of saying that.
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Here's yet another SF Giants song. This one's by DJ E-Rock:
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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TWO MORE WINS.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
NLCS Game Four Recap
This is how the Giants were meant to win ballgames...with the help of the two guys who drove their offense this year. Buster Posey and Aubrey Huff are the reason the Giants got this far. Finally, these first-time playoff participants are carrying their 2010 performance into the postseason.
And with that...the Giants are ONE GAME AWAY FROM THE WORLD SERIES.
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Game Summary:
First inning: Buster Posey knocks in Freddy Sanchez for the first run.
Third inning: Buster Posey hits an RBI double to give the Giants a 2-0 lead.
Fifth inning: Giants' lead falls apart...Phillies lead off with two consecutive singles, a sac bunt, and another single to bring the score to 2-1. Chase Utley singles, and Madison Bumgarner is then replaced with Santiago Casilla.
Casilla gives up a two-run double to Placido Polanco, intentionally walks Ryan Howard, hits Jayson Werth with a pitch, and allows the fourth run of the inning to score on a wild pitch.
Giants 2 Phillies 4
In the bottom half of the inning, Andres Torres draws a walk. He advances to second on a groundout, and scores on a single by Aubrey Huff.
Sixth inning: After Pat Burrell draws a walk and Cody Ross doubles, Pablo Sandoval gives the Giants a 5-4 lead with a two-run double.
Seventh inning: Javier Lopez pitches a scoreless innning.
Giants fail to score when Pablo Sandoval grounds into a double play with the bases loaded.
Eighth inning: Lopez allows a leadoff double to Ryan Howard. Sergio Romo replaces him, but immediately allows a double to Jayson Werth to tie the game at 5-5.
Ninth inning: Phillies bring in Roy Oswalt to pitch the ninth in a tied ballgame. Huff singles, Posey singles, and Juan Uribe hits a sacrifice fly to deep left field to win the ballgame in walkoff fashion.
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This was the seventh walkoff win for the Giants on the year. Uribe also had one on August 14, against the San Diego Padres.
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Glad that Andres Torres got some more playing time today. He went one for two, showing signs of breaking out of his slump. With his speed, he was able to manufacture a run, advancing to second on a groundout after his walk, and scoring on a single. He was caught stealing after he singled in the eighth, though...I'll keep saying it: I want him out there in the field and in the starting lineup over Aaron Rowand. Defense is just too valuable. And when Torres gets hot, he's as good as anyone in the game of baseball (or at least, as good as any centerfielder and/or leadoff hitter).
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Some things you can't see from just the box score:
- Aaron Rowand nailed Carlos Ruiz at home.
- Madison Bumgarner did a nice job picking Jimmy Rollins off at first base.
- Juan Uribe had a nice defensive play coming off the bench in the ninth inning.
Buster Posey. He is everything that's good about the San Francisco Giants. Four hits -- including two doubles -- and two RBIs. All while spending nine innings behind the plate. Just an incredible kid. Derek Jeter, step aside! The face of the postseason for the next ten years is right here:
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Let's face it: Bumgarner wasn't spectacular in Game Four...4.2 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 6 K. But he's exceeded expectations. For him to come up this year, post a 3.00 ERA, and still be a vital part of this rotation in the postseason (so much so that he made the postseason roster easily but the Barry Zito and his 7-year $126MM contract couldn't) is incredible. He struck out six, and only gave up three earned runs. Against one of the best offenses in the majors. In a critical game. At age 21. Come on?! Even though the start wasn't great, what he did is pretty amazing. Hopefully this won't be the last time this postseason that he pitches.
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This was definitely the game of the series, and moreover, the game of the year. Everybody contributed: Posey, Ross, Torres, Uribe, Sandoval, Burrell, Huff.
After watching this game, I can't say that the Phillies have any chance at the World Series. I just wouldn't believe it at this point. In an act of desperation, they used six pitchers today.
Sure, they have Roy Halladay on the mound, and he is an innings-eater. But the game's in San Francisco. And the Giants have beaten Halladay twice this year. And the Phillies will be facing Tim Lincecum. And even if they win Game Five, they would still have to win the next two games, against very good pitching. I'd be very surprised if the Giants don't win this series.
But...nothing can be taken for granted at this point.
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Ready for this?
Baseball America All-Rookie Team
Buster Posey and Madison Bumgarner were among 17 players named to the Baseball America All-Rookie Team.
Nice to see their performances getting some recognition.
Nice to see their performances getting some recognition.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
NLCS Game Three Recap
Game Summary:
Matt Cain pitched an incredible game...seven scoreless innings, and just two hits allowed. Javier Lopez had a 1-2-3 eighth inning, and Brian Wilson pitched a scoreless ninth (including a game-ending double play) to shut down the Phillies in a 3-0 victory.
In terms of offensive support, there weren't many hits...the Giants accumulated five overall. But they managed to score three runs, thanks to an line-drive RBI single to left by Cody Ross (Mr. Orangetober), an RBI single through the hole on the right side courtesy of Aubrey Huff, and another RBI by Freddy Sanchez (he hit a line drive to second base which was misplayed by Chase Utley, allowing Aaron Rowand to score from second).
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Javier Lopez = Giants' set-up man. He's perfect for the role. I've been saying all along that he would be a key in this NLCS (against big powerful left-handed hitters like Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Raul Ibanez...) and he had a very nice 1-2-3 eighth inning, including a strikeout against Howard. The big question mark, with the shuffling of the Phillies' lineup, was whether Lopez could handle Placido Polanco, a right-handed hitter sandwiched between Utley and Howard in the lineup. After his performance, I think he should certainly be put in this eighth inning role -- at least for the time being.
Matt Cain pitched an incredible game...seven scoreless innings, and just two hits allowed. Javier Lopez had a 1-2-3 eighth inning, and Brian Wilson pitched a scoreless ninth (including a game-ending double play) to shut down the Phillies in a 3-0 victory.
In terms of offensive support, there weren't many hits...the Giants accumulated five overall. But they managed to score three runs, thanks to an line-drive RBI single to left by Cody Ross (Mr. Orangetober), an RBI single through the hole on the right side courtesy of Aubrey Huff, and another RBI by Freddy Sanchez (he hit a line drive to second base which was misplayed by Chase Utley, allowing Aaron Rowand to score from second).
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Javier Lopez = Giants' set-up man. He's perfect for the role. I've been saying all along that he would be a key in this NLCS (against big powerful left-handed hitters like Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Raul Ibanez...) and he had a very nice 1-2-3 eighth inning, including a strikeout against Howard. The big question mark, with the shuffling of the Phillies' lineup, was whether Lopez could handle Placido Polanco, a right-handed hitter sandwiched between Utley and Howard in the lineup. After his performance, I think he should certainly be put in this eighth inning role -- at least for the time being.
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Aaron Rowand went 1 for 3 as the Giants' starting center-fielder. He had a double, and scored the Giants' third run, but I'm still not convinced that he should be starting in centerfield against left-handed starters (or right-handed, for that matter). He had two strikeouts, and is never anything special on defense -- the way Andres Torres is. Jose Contreras really made Rowand look terrible in his eighth inning at-bat, getting him to swing over a splitter for strike three. I said it before, and I'll say it again, even after Rowand hit a double which led to one of the Giants' three runs...I'd rather have Torres out there. Defense is very important in these close games. Don't agree? Just ask Brooks Conrad...In a one-run game (not uncommon for the Giants), getting to a ball in the gap will make the difference between whoever wins and loses. Thus, I want Torres out there. He's not going to struggle for the entire postseason -- and even if he does, he can be moved to a spot in the lineup where he isn't making a huge impact.
On that same note, however, Andres Torres didn't look too great in his one at-bat on Tuesday. He rolled over on a pitch for a weak groundout.
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Cody Ross: Mr. Orangetober. It's official. He drove in a run in his fourth consecutive game...what he's doing is all the more important if you consider that he's doing it for a team that doesn't score many runs. The runs he's producing are extremely valuable, not just some solo home run to extend a lead to seven.
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This is the formula for the Giants, ideally: great starting pitching, great relief work, and just enough offense to scrape on by. It works. It's worked thus far. It's continued to work...as long as they're solid on defense, and can have that clutch hit by Cody Ross, or possibly a home run by Huff, Posey, Burrell...they'll keep winning.
This game is a critical turning point in the NLCS. The Giants are the obvious favorites at this point. Not only do they have a 2-1 lead in the series, but they have a better starting pitcher going tomorrow (Madison Bumgarner has had a much better year than Joe Blanton...) and they still have two more games left in San Francisco.
The Giants are one step closer to disproving all of the baseball analysts who figured the Phillies would win the NLCS. They just keep on rolling...
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I made an another appearance on This Call to the Bullpen. You can listen to it here. Thanks again to Steve Keane for his graciousness.
Listen to internet radio with Call To The Bullpen on Blog Talk Radio
Monday, October 11, 2010
NLDS Game Four Recap: We're Going to the NLCS!!!
The Giants are going to the NLCS!
You should read this:
ESPN Stats & Info: Bumgarner latest Giant among men
It's got some cool information. To sum it up, this was the first postseason series ever in which all the games were decided by one run. Madison Bumgarner became the second youngest starter in postseason history to win a series clincher. And...the four key players in Game Four (Posey, Bumgarner, Ross, Casilla) were not with the team at the beginning of the season. Interesting stuff.
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Game Summary:
It was yet another pitchers duel on Monday. Madison Bumgarner got the quality start, going six innings and allowing two earned runs. Derek Lowe, too, was impressive, going 6.1 innings with eight strikeouts, two earned runs, and just two hits allowed.
In the third, the Braves took a 1-0 lead with a Brian McCann sacrifice fly.
The Giants answered in the sixth, when Cody Ross hit a solo shot to left field to break up Lowe's no-hit bid.
The Braves did not hesitate -- unfortunately -- to reclaim the lead. On the first pitch in the bottom half of the sixth inning, Brian McCann hit a deep solo shot to right field to make the score 2-1.
In the seventh, Lowe fell apart completely. He allowed a walk to Aubrey Huff, followed by a Buster Posey single, and after telling Bobby Cox to keep him in the game (Cox was ready to bring in a reliever), a walk to Pat Burrell.
Peter Moylan was brought in to face Juan Uribe with the bases loaded, but couldn't preserve the Braves' lead. Uribe hit a grounder to short, but the Braves failed to record an out. (Alex Gonzalez threw to second for the force out, but the umpire ruled that Omar Infante's foot had come off the bag. It was a bad call...)
With the game tied 2-2, Cody Ross smacked a single through the hole in the left side, and, although Pat Burrell was thrown out at home, the Giants managed to take a 3-2 lead. (Buster Posey scored on the play).
Santiago Casilla came into the game, shut the Braves down for the seventh inning and most of the eighth inning (Javier Lopez struck out Jason Heyward for the final out in the eighth). Brian Wilson came in, and...it wasn't easy (two walks), but he secured the win for the Giants.
And now they're going to the NATIONAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES!
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Andres Torres and Juan Uribe continue to struggle. They were a combined 3 for 30 (.100) in the NLDS. Is it time to panic? No...of course not. Those were four games. They'll certainly see an improvement in Philadelphia. They won't face any worse pitchers...but Citizens Bank Park is hitter's heaven. Seriously. How else would Aaron Rowand ever put up a .300, 25+ HR season? On a simliar note...his at-bat tonight was pretty terrible. He swung at a low pitch that was completely out of the strikezone. It can happen against Jonny Venters, though...Quite a good, young reliever.
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Santiago Casilla = new setup man? I like what I saw out of him. Of the six batters he faced, he struck out two, and induced three groundouts. The Giants will have time to think about their eighth-inning setup-man situation...but I would be content if they were to put him in this role...as long as it's not against Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Raul Ibanez. In that case, I say they should just use Javier Lopez (for the lefty vs. lefty matchups).
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I was honestly nervous that Jose Guillen would be the Giants' starting right-fielder for the NLDS. I didn't figure they would just take this job from him and suddenly give it to Cody Ross. But they basically did. And it was one of the best decisions (albeit a no-brainer) Giants management has ever made.
Cody Ross played solid defense...and his offensive numbers were certainly substantial. He batted .286 with the game-winning RBI in Game One and Game Four, and a crucial home run in the sixth inning of Game Four. His .571 slugging percentage this series was second only to Pat Burrell's .600 slugging percentage. The Giants could very well have lost Games One and Four without Cody Ross in right field.
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This video, produced and edited by http://whitecollarbrawler.com/, is a pretty good 2010 Giants anthem, encompassing "Fear the Beard," the Rally Thong, and plenty of other 2010 Giants references to the tune of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'"
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Edgar Renteria is batting 1.000...he's two for two in this series. I'm likin' what I'm seeing out of him. Who knows if it will continue? Maybe it's all the postseason experience he's had (55 playoff games to his name prior to this season). He's had two clutch late-inning hits though. And contrary to my beliefs, has been valuable off the bench. Although, he did screw up a double-play opportunity in the eighth...
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The Giants certainly won the "Battle of the Rookies." Here's a comparison chart of how Buster Posey and Jason Heyward did in this series:
Not to mention the six-inning two-earned-run performance by the Giants' other rookie, Madison Bumgarner.
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Bumgarner has a bright, bright future. At age 21, he became the youngest Giants pitcher to win a postseason game. What he's done this year...it's just impressive. Especially when compared to Todd Wellemeyer's performance as the Giants' fifth starter. I certainly can't wait to see how he does in the near future. He's gotten better with each start. Now, he's a top young arm...just look at the 1.13 ERA he put up in September. Best part? Highest average fastball velocity of any start in his career.
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Bad umpiring...this time, it was in the Giants' favor. There was the Posey stolen base in Game One. He was clearly out. Then there was Game Two, a play at first in which Alex Gonzalez was called out...but Aubrey Huff took his foot off the bag...so he was actually safe. That's the play that got Cox ejected in Game Two. And then there was the Giants' seventh inning rally. On a force out at second, Pat Burrell was called safe because the umpire thought Omar Infante had taken his foot off of the bag. He actually had his foot on the bag at the time he caught the ball, though...The Giants are lucky all these calls went their way. For the Giants' and Phillies' sake, I hope that the NLCS umpires do a better job. I would assume that umpires are better when it gets to a bigger stage. Hopefully that's the case.
 |
| It wasn't too noticeable. But I think Burrell was out at second... |
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You should read this:
ESPN Stats & Info: Bumgarner latest Giant among men
It's got some cool information. To sum it up, this was the first postseason series ever in which all the games were decided by one run. Madison Bumgarner became the second youngest starter in postseason history to win a series clincher. And...the four key players in Game Four (Posey, Bumgarner, Ross, Casilla) were not with the team at the beginning of the season. Interesting stuff.
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Here it is again...what a great season. This team has certainly exceeded my expectations (and the expectations of many)...
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