Game Recap: Reds 7, Giants 2

Got sidetracked by that brilliant blockbuster trade the Giants pulled, but here's a brief recap.

This game was pretty forgettable.

I'll look at some positives though:

• Brandon Belt started and will start tomorrow. Much deserved.
• Pablo Sandoval went three for five. 
• The bullpen was good for four scoreless innings.

I hate to see Madison Bumgarner have a bad start like this, because it only distorts reality: he's a fantastic pitcher who's had a couple hiccups (remember that 0.1 IP against the Twins?). He was really on a run too. He had gone six consecutive starts with 6+ IP and one or fewer walks; during that span, he had a 2.57 ERA with 45 strikeouts, three walks, and one home run in 42 innings pitched. He'd allowed five earned runs over his last three starts (21.2 IP), but managed to allow that same amount in four innings in this game.

Farewell, Thomas Neal

Just got home from work, so I finally have time to comment on this Thomas Neal/Orlando Cabrera trade. My reaction: I don't like it. At all.

For fun, here are some hand-plucked ZiPS rest-of-season projected weighted on-base averages:

Player A: .305
Player B: .302
Player C: .301
Player D: .286

Giants to Acquire Orlando Cabrera

» According to Dan Knobler via Twitter, the Giants will acquire Orlando Cabrera. Cabrera has hit .248/.280/.330 (72 OPS+) this season while seeing time at second base, third base, and short stop (mostly 2B).

» Per Hank Schulman, the Indians will receive one prospect in exchange.

» Hank Schulman just tweeted that the prospect the Giants are sending over is OF Thomas Neal.

Splash Hits: Justin Fitzgerald, Sergio Romo, Ramon Hernandez

Letters to Brian Sabean and Bruce Bochy « Bay City Ball | Giants Baseball with a Side of STATS!
Free Brandon Belt.

Q&A with Justin Fitzgerald « Snow Woulda Had It!
An interview with Giants prospect Justin Fitzgerald.

Surging Sergio | The Hardball Times
Don't look now, but San Francisco reliever Sergio Romo is putting together an incredible season.

Banter Breakdown: Zack Wheeler, San Jose Giants
He will be missed.

Reds should trade Hernandez to Giants - SweetSpot Blog - ESPN
It makes a lot of sense for the Reds to trade Ramon Hernandez.

Dueling retreads highlight Giants' need - SweetSpot Blog - ESPN
Some interesting notes from Friday's Giants/Reds game.

Game Recap: Reds 4, Giants 3

I'll be brief, because I never really enjoy writing about 13-inning losses...

• Entering tonight, Dontrelle Willis had made 30 starts since 2008. In just four of them, he'd gone 6+ innings with two or fewer walks (for comparison, Madison Bumgarner has done that in 15 of his last 16 starts). So yeah, disappointing to see the Giants couldn't do better than that. 
• I've been waiting for a Ryan Vogelsong disaster start for quite some time now, and in the first inning, I thought it had finally come. But nope. After laboring in the first (31 pitches), he managed to go six innings with only three runs allowed. Easily one of his worst starts this season (as the season-low strikeout total -- 1 -- illustrates), but a quality start nonetheless. Dating back to May 8th, he has a 1.90 ERA; and on the season, he's made just two starts in which he's allowed more than three runs.
• Mike Fontenot is now 0 for 21 in his last six games. This should be fairly clear: he's a left-handed hitter, and shouldn't be starting against left-handed pitchers. In this case, I think Miguel Tejada -- a career .284/.350/.475 hitter against left-handed pitching -- might actually be useful. 
• I'm still worried about Brian Wilson. A good closer still, sure, but not nearly as dominant as last year. His strikeout-to-walk ratio is nearly half what it was last year.
• A note from Baggs -- "[Reds GM Walt Jocketty] specifically said he isn’t shopping Ramon Hernandez, a veteran catcher with a credible stick, even though Cincinnati has top prospect Devin Mesoraco wearing shin guards at Triple-A." If he continues to take that stance, well...that sounds pretty foolish to me.
• Free Brandon Belt.