- Jonathan Sanchez was in a fashion-shoot for West Coast Leather [picture, video].
- Triples Alley looks at the Oliver projections for the Giants minor-leaguers. The Thomas Neal projection (115 RC+) is very nice to see.
- Bleacher Report just hired King Kaufman, a fantastic online baseball writer, to be their manager of writer development. I don't know if this means that B/R will improve their content, but it's certainly a step forward.
- Jeff Passan wrote a very nice (and pretty depressing) story on Voros McCracken, the mind behind DIPS. (h/t McCovey Chronicles)
- David Pinto of Baseball Musings proposes an interesting idea: awarding bonuses to players from a $680MM pool based on their seasonal WAR.
- Tomorrow, Baseball America will release their SF Giants Top Ten Prospects list. All other 29 lists are up already.
- New Saber Library on Fangraphs!
- Lastly, a friend of the blog, Steve Keane, is hosting his radio show (This Call to the Bullpen) at 7 PT tonight, and his guest will be former Mets LHP Jerry Koosman. Be sure to check it out!
Showing posts with label Jonathan Sanchez. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jonathan Sanchez. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Notes: Jonathan Sanchez, Thomas Neal, Voros McCracken
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Giants Sign Cody Ross, Jonathan Sanchez, Ramon Ramirez, Santiago Casilla
The Giants signed four of their arb-eligibles today to one-year deals...
Cody Ross, NLCS MVP, signed a $6.3MM deal.
Jonathan Sanchez signed a $4.8MM deal with an additional $50K if he reaches 200+ IP.
Ramon Ramirez signed for $1.65MM.
Lasly, Santiago Casilla signed a $1.3MM deal with up to $50K in incentives. Fun fact: Casilla threw four pitches last year that reached 100+ MPH -- he was one of nine National League pitchers to throw that many in 2010.
Cody Ross, NLCS MVP, signed a $6.3MM deal.
Jonathan Sanchez signed a $4.8MM deal with an additional $50K if he reaches 200+ IP.
Ramon Ramirez signed for $1.65MM.
Lasly, Santiago Casilla signed a $1.3MM deal with up to $50K in incentives. Fun fact: Casilla threw four pitches last year that reached 100+ MPH -- he was one of nine National League pitchers to throw that many in 2010.
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.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Jonathan Sanchez's Growth
In an agonizing playoff drive that ran down to the wire, Jonathan Sanchez's maturation as a pitcher was arguably one of the most remarkable stories of the amazing 2010 season. After twirling a gem in Game Three of the NLDS, he was labeled by some as the third ace of the Giants' formidable rotation. Three shaky starts and a mental breakdown reestablished uncertainty for next year, but in his defense, he was facing two top-notch offenses without his best stuff. The several months of rest before Spring Training should be sufficient for his fatigued left arm, but his search for consistency will likely continue.
In years past, Sanchez flashed the repertoire of an elite pitcher, but struggled to command all of his pitches. At times he's tried to overwhelm opponents with only his blazing fastball, an ineffective strategy against major league hitters. He would panic with runners on base, and a leadoff walk would often spell the end for him. In 2010, these problems seemed to manifest with a lesser frequency. Instead of being lifted in the middle of the fourth inning, he would often grind through five or six frames to keep his team in the game. His much improved ERA of 3.07 further enforced this notion. Despite this significant change, many sabermetricians will argue that Sanchez did not improve upon his true performance.
Sabermetrics, or advanced statistical analysis of baseball, suggests that the element of luck is essential to the game of baseball. The luck trifecta for pitchers consists of three stats that are often attributed to chance: Batting average on balls in play, home runs per fly ball, and left on base percentage. While the accuracy of these stats is questionable, they are commonly used to determine whether a pitcher's performance is actually indicative of his ability. Numbers show that Sanchez was moderately lucky with regards to two of these three factors.
For the last two seasons, Sanchez's strikeout and walk rates have remained fairly consistent, as has his home run rate per nine innnings. The results of balls put in play, on the other hand, have seen considerable change. Sanchez's BABIP was an average .290 in 2009, but dipped down to .262 in 2010, giving him the seventh lowest mark for pitchers with more than 150 innings. (Matt Cain checks in at number five.) This particular stat indicates that luck played a factor in his success. On the other hand, Sanchez's home run per fly ball percentage in 2010 was nearly league average, despite starting half his games at a notorious pitcher's haven, AT&T Park. While he received his share of fortune on balls in play, he was not completely immune to several flyballs that barely cleared the wall.
The other factor that raises flags is an abnormal left-on-base percentage. The league average for this statistic is around 70%, but Sanchez managed a 79.5% rate. The explanation for this, however, is fairly simple. While the stat is highly luck influenced, studies show that strikeout artists are able to sustain a higher percentage, and Sanchez certainly fits the description. His strikeout rates are some of the best in the league, and a splendid 9.8% swinging strike percentage places him among high-caliber pitchers such as the Rays' electric young ace, David Price. A 79.5% rate is still out of the ordinary, but it is not as absurd as it may seem on the surface.
In conclusion, Sanchez's excellent season can be attributed to both luck and skill. It would be exorbitant to say that one or the other is completely responsible for his success. Sanchez's emergence as a quality pitcher should be taken with a grain of salt. While he has indeed developed into one of the best number three starters in the league, he won't become an ace until he finds the impeccable command and composure shown by his rotation mates. Fortunately, he is under team control for several more years and still has time to unlock his hidden potential. Fans should feel fortunate that Brian Sabean has never pulled the trigger on one of the many trades that would have sent Sanchez away from the Giants.
In years past, Sanchez flashed the repertoire of an elite pitcher, but struggled to command all of his pitches. At times he's tried to overwhelm opponents with only his blazing fastball, an ineffective strategy against major league hitters. He would panic with runners on base, and a leadoff walk would often spell the end for him. In 2010, these problems seemed to manifest with a lesser frequency. Instead of being lifted in the middle of the fourth inning, he would often grind through five or six frames to keep his team in the game. His much improved ERA of 3.07 further enforced this notion. Despite this significant change, many sabermetricians will argue that Sanchez did not improve upon his true performance.
Sabermetrics, or advanced statistical analysis of baseball, suggests that the element of luck is essential to the game of baseball. The luck trifecta for pitchers consists of three stats that are often attributed to chance: Batting average on balls in play, home runs per fly ball, and left on base percentage. While the accuracy of these stats is questionable, they are commonly used to determine whether a pitcher's performance is actually indicative of his ability. Numbers show that Sanchez was moderately lucky with regards to two of these three factors.
For the last two seasons, Sanchez's strikeout and walk rates have remained fairly consistent, as has his home run rate per nine innnings. The results of balls put in play, on the other hand, have seen considerable change. Sanchez's BABIP was an average .290 in 2009, but dipped down to .262 in 2010, giving him the seventh lowest mark for pitchers with more than 150 innings. (Matt Cain checks in at number five.) This particular stat indicates that luck played a factor in his success. On the other hand, Sanchez's home run per fly ball percentage in 2010 was nearly league average, despite starting half his games at a notorious pitcher's haven, AT&T Park. While he received his share of fortune on balls in play, he was not completely immune to several flyballs that barely cleared the wall.
The other factor that raises flags is an abnormal left-on-base percentage. The league average for this statistic is around 70%, but Sanchez managed a 79.5% rate. The explanation for this, however, is fairly simple. While the stat is highly luck influenced, studies show that strikeout artists are able to sustain a higher percentage, and Sanchez certainly fits the description. His strikeout rates are some of the best in the league, and a splendid 9.8% swinging strike percentage places him among high-caliber pitchers such as the Rays' electric young ace, David Price. A 79.5% rate is still out of the ordinary, but it is not as absurd as it may seem on the surface.
In conclusion, Sanchez's excellent season can be attributed to both luck and skill. It would be exorbitant to say that one or the other is completely responsible for his success. Sanchez's emergence as a quality pitcher should be taken with a grain of salt. While he has indeed developed into one of the best number three starters in the league, he won't become an ace until he finds the impeccable command and composure shown by his rotation mates. Fortunately, he is under team control for several more years and still has time to unlock his hidden potential. Fans should feel fortunate that Brian Sabean has never pulled the trigger on one of the many trades that would have sent Sanchez away from the Giants.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Non-Tenders: Velez and Ray; Fontenot Signed to a One-Year Deal
Eugenio Velez and Chris Ray have not been offered contracts. Mike Fontenot was signed to a one-year deal worth just over $1MM, and all the other arbitration-eligible Giants (Cody Ross, Andres Torres, Santiago Casilla, Ramon Ramirez, Javier Lopez, and Jonathan Sanchez) have been tendered contracts. It's all here.
Fontenot's deal will not have incentives, and I can't really see it hurting the Giants at all. He'll provide them with a veteran middle-infield bat, and the fact that he's left-handed obviously presents value -- keep in mind that Freddy Sanchez has had some trouble against right-handed pitching...Fontenot doesn't particularly shine in any categories -- not a top defender, doesn't have great speed, not much power, doesn't hit for a high average -- but as a backup middle infielder, he'll be fine.
With the Giants in 2010, he produced -0.3 WAR, played mediocre defense, and didn't hit for much power at all (.282/.329/.310). I've always been bothered by hitters whose SLG is higher than their OBP, and Fontenot was one of those guys with the Giants. It's not like his .329 OBP is dazzling either, so it doesn't really justify the fact that it's higher than his SLG. Anyway, I'm sure he's a better player than this. He's not an impact bat, but he'll play average defense, and he'll give the Giants a back-up left-handed middle-infield bat -- useful, if you consider that the Giants' starting middle infielders will be right-handed hitters Miguel Tejada and Freddy Sanchez.
Ray and Velez could potentially be signed to minor-league deals, but we'll see. Their time as San Francisco Giants is likely over.
Fontenot's deal will not have incentives, and I can't really see it hurting the Giants at all. He'll provide them with a veteran middle-infield bat, and the fact that he's left-handed obviously presents value -- keep in mind that Freddy Sanchez has had some trouble against right-handed pitching...Fontenot doesn't particularly shine in any categories -- not a top defender, doesn't have great speed, not much power, doesn't hit for a high average -- but as a backup middle infielder, he'll be fine.
With the Giants in 2010, he produced -0.3 WAR, played mediocre defense, and didn't hit for much power at all (.282/.329/.310). I've always been bothered by hitters whose SLG is higher than their OBP, and Fontenot was one of those guys with the Giants. It's not like his .329 OBP is dazzling either, so it doesn't really justify the fact that it's higher than his SLG. Anyway, I'm sure he's a better player than this. He's not an impact bat, but he'll play average defense, and he'll give the Giants a back-up left-handed middle-infield bat -- useful, if you consider that the Giants' starting middle infielders will be right-handed hitters Miguel Tejada and Freddy Sanchez.
Ray and Velez could potentially be signed to minor-league deals, but we'll see. Their time as San Francisco Giants is likely over.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Rockies Interested in Justin Upton
According to MLBTradeRumors, the Rockies have expressed interest in Justin Upton. Although Arizona's asking price is said to be very high, the Rockies lineup could be extremely potent with the acquisition of Upton.
Their heart of the lineup could potentially consist of Troy Tulowitzki, Justin Upton, and Carlos Gonzalez. Three young superstars who amassed a combined 78 home runs and 15.5 wins above replacement in 2010 (keep in mind they did incur injuries, and possibly -- especially with Upton -- have yet to reach their full potential). The Rockies would have a powerful lineup even with a weak supporting cast.
They would also be reckless on the basepaths. Tulo, Upton, CarGo, and Dexter Fowler stole a combined 68 bases in 2010, and could possibly approach a combined 100 steals in 2011 if they can remain healthy and receive regular playing time.
Considering the trouble some Giants pitchers have with holding baserunners (Tim Lincecum and Jonathan Sanchez to be more specific), the mere prospect of the Rockies acquiring Justin Upton is scary. Keep in mind he's still only 23 years old.
Luckily, the Rockies would have to offer up a pretty nice package of players in order to acquire Upton, and my intuition tells me that the Rockies will not actually trade for him.
There's still many questions to be raised about the Rockies' entire pitching staff. Their bullpen is not very stable, and beyond Ubaldo Jimenez, their rotation is not very impressive. I don't see how Upton would be a priority, especially considering they already have two of the best young superstars in the game in Tulo and CarGo.
Nevertheless, the notion that Upton could possibly be in a Rockies uni' in 2011 is scary.
Their heart of the lineup could potentially consist of Troy Tulowitzki, Justin Upton, and Carlos Gonzalez. Three young superstars who amassed a combined 78 home runs and 15.5 wins above replacement in 2010 (keep in mind they did incur injuries, and possibly -- especially with Upton -- have yet to reach their full potential). The Rockies would have a powerful lineup even with a weak supporting cast.
They would also be reckless on the basepaths. Tulo, Upton, CarGo, and Dexter Fowler stole a combined 68 bases in 2010, and could possibly approach a combined 100 steals in 2011 if they can remain healthy and receive regular playing time.
Considering the trouble some Giants pitchers have with holding baserunners (Tim Lincecum and Jonathan Sanchez to be more specific), the mere prospect of the Rockies acquiring Justin Upton is scary. Keep in mind he's still only 23 years old.
Luckily, the Rockies would have to offer up a pretty nice package of players in order to acquire Upton, and my intuition tells me that the Rockies will not actually trade for him.
There's still many questions to be raised about the Rockies' entire pitching staff. Their bullpen is not very stable, and beyond Ubaldo Jimenez, their rotation is not very impressive. I don't see how Upton would be a priority, especially considering they already have two of the best young superstars in the game in Tulo and CarGo.
Nevertheless, the notion that Upton could possibly be in a Rockies uni' in 2011 is scary.
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)
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:
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Thursday, October 21, 2010
NLCS Game Five Recap
Not much to say about this one....one sloppy inning cost them the game.
In the third inning, with runners on first and second, Roy Halladay laid down a sac bunt. Buster Posey quickly picked up the ball and fired it to third, but Pablo Sandoval, who had come in to try to field the bunt, couldn't return to the base in time to get the force out at third. Halladay didn't run on the play, so Sandoval easily got the out at first. The Giants missed an opportunity at a double play thanks to Sandoval's sloppy defense, and it came back to bite them.
On the next play, Aubrey Huff failed to make a play on a hard grounder hit right at him. The ball bounced off of his forearm, allowing two Phillies to score. The error, which could've potentially been the final out of a scoreless inning -- had Sandoval gotten the double play, extended the inning, giving Placido Polanco the opportunity to tack on another run with an RBI single.
And that's how the Phillies scored three runs. None of those runs would've scored had the Giants been solid on defense. And..because of that inning, and those two misplays, the Giants will have to defeat the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park in order to advance to the World Series.
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Finally, Andres Torres has broken out of his slump. He had a couple of singles and a walk, marking the fifth time he's reached base in the last two games, quite an improvement upon the offensive drought he was in not too long ago He's a game-changer. With the Giants, one of the slowest teams in the majors, having speed on the basepaths completely elevates their game. Something as simple as a leadoff walk in the first inning by Andres Torres leads to a run, because he can get from first to third on a single.
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Cody Ross' double extended his postseason hitting streak to six games. He became the 22nd Giant to have a postseason hitting streak of six or more games. If he were to notch a seventh game, he would become just the 12th Giant to do so. The franchise record is Irish Meusel's streak of 11 games set in 1921-1922.
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Three more stolen bases off of Posey. Jimmy Rollins stole second and third, and Chase Utley stole second base once. With all of the pressure on him -- calling pitches, plays at the plate, and batting cleanup as a rookie -- you can't really blame him. This could become a big problem though, if he can't start nailing runners. Pretty much half of the Phillies' starting lineup is capable of stealing -- Rollins, Utley, Victorino, Werth, and occasionally Polanco can steal a bag.
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The Giants really should win Game Six, because I see Game Seven as a much tougher affair. Jonathan Sanchez v. Roy Oswalt is a much more favorable matchup in Citizens Bank Park, with Sanchez's success against the Phillies and Oswalt's having been used in Game Four -- if that does happen to affect him. Also, Matt Cain, Game Seven's starter, might not fare well in a hitters' park, given his tendency to allow a lot of flyballs.
In the third inning, with runners on first and second, Roy Halladay laid down a sac bunt. Buster Posey quickly picked up the ball and fired it to third, but Pablo Sandoval, who had come in to try to field the bunt, couldn't return to the base in time to get the force out at third. Halladay didn't run on the play, so Sandoval easily got the out at first. The Giants missed an opportunity at a double play thanks to Sandoval's sloppy defense, and it came back to bite them.
On the next play, Aubrey Huff failed to make a play on a hard grounder hit right at him. The ball bounced off of his forearm, allowing two Phillies to score. The error, which could've potentially been the final out of a scoreless inning -- had Sandoval gotten the double play, extended the inning, giving Placido Polanco the opportunity to tack on another run with an RBI single.
And that's how the Phillies scored three runs. None of those runs would've scored had the Giants been solid on defense. And..because of that inning, and those two misplays, the Giants will have to defeat the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park in order to advance to the World Series.
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Finally, Andres Torres has broken out of his slump. He had a couple of singles and a walk, marking the fifth time he's reached base in the last two games, quite an improvement upon the offensive drought he was in not too long ago He's a game-changer. With the Giants, one of the slowest teams in the majors, having speed on the basepaths completely elevates their game. Something as simple as a leadoff walk in the first inning by Andres Torres leads to a run, because he can get from first to third on a single.
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Cody Ross' double extended his postseason hitting streak to six games. He became the 22nd Giant to have a postseason hitting streak of six or more games. If he were to notch a seventh game, he would become just the 12th Giant to do so. The franchise record is Irish Meusel's streak of 11 games set in 1921-1922.
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Three more stolen bases off of Posey. Jimmy Rollins stole second and third, and Chase Utley stole second base once. With all of the pressure on him -- calling pitches, plays at the plate, and batting cleanup as a rookie -- you can't really blame him. This could become a big problem though, if he can't start nailing runners. Pretty much half of the Phillies' starting lineup is capable of stealing -- Rollins, Utley, Victorino, Werth, and occasionally Polanco can steal a bag.
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The Giants really should win Game Six, because I see Game Seven as a much tougher affair. Jonathan Sanchez v. Roy Oswalt is a much more favorable matchup in Citizens Bank Park, with Sanchez's success against the Phillies and Oswalt's having been used in Game Four -- if that does happen to affect him. Also, Matt Cain, Game Seven's starter, might not fare well in a hitters' park, given his tendency to allow a lot of flyballs.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
NLCS Game Two Recap
Game Summary:
Jonathan Sanchez had a sloppy first inning, walking in a run. That would be the only Phillies run of the inning though.
Cody Ross tied the game at 1-1 in the fifth with his fourth home run in the last three games.
Placido Polanco gave the Phillies a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth with a sacrifice fly.
In the seventh, Jonathan Sanchez was replaced by Ramon Ramirez after allowing a leadoff single to Roy Oswalt. Oswalt advanced to second on a sac bunt, and Chase Utley was then walked intentionally. Polanco singled to center, and Oswalt ran through the third base coach's stop sign, coming around to score. The game then exploded from there...Utley and Polanco were successful on a double steal. Jeremy Affeldt came in, struck out Ryan Howard, and intentionally walked Jayson Werth. Santiago Casilla was then brought into the game with the bases loaded and two outs to face Jimmy Rollins came to the plate...Rollins crushed the ball off the right field wall for a three-run double, breaking the game open to make the score 6-1.
The Giants failed to piece together any more runs, losing the game by a final score of 6-1.
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The Giants have a problem with their bullpen...who to use? With the Phillies shuffling their lineup so that Utley and Howard don't bat back-to-back, the Giants no longer have the ability to bring in Javier Lopez to face two lefties in a row. They can use him in the key situation to get one lefty out, though. The bridge to Brian Wilson is sort of a mystery right now, though. Let's examine the possibilities:
Sergio Romo, this year's setup man: he's had three postseason appearances. The first two did not go well. In game two against Atlanta in the NLDS, he allowed singles to the two hitters he faced. In game three in Atlanta, he gave up what could have been the game-winning home run for the Braves, a two-run shot to give them a 2-1 lead. But he had a relatively nice appearance on Sunday...1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB. He might be a good option, although the Phillies are lefty-heavy...Howard, Ibanez, Utley and then the switch-hitting Rollins and Victorino.
Jeremy Affeldt: he's made one appearance in the postseason...in game two of the NLCS on Sunday. He struck Ryan Howard out, then intentionally walked Chase Utley. He could be a good option, too, as he was rather successful in the setup-man role in 2009.
Santiago Casilla: he had a very nice appearance in game three in Atlanta, going 1.2 scoreless innings with just one hit allowed. His appearance on Sunday was not enticing, though...he allowed the huge three-run double to Jimmy Rollins. I think he's more suited to face Carlos Ruiz / Placido Polanco / Jayson Werth. I just don't trust him in a close ballgame to face a LHH.
Ramon Ramirez: he has a 12.86 ERA in the postseason (2.1 innings pitched). He's starting to look more like the pitcher that had a 4.46 ERA for Boston this year than the one who had a 0.67 ERA for the Giants. Again...I'd trust him to face a righty..but at this point, not a powerful left-handed hitter, especially in a critical situation. Remember...Rick Ankiel hit that home run off of him.
At this point, I think the Giants just need to piece together relievers. Their starters need to give them innings. They must go six innings..minimum. If Brian Wilson pitches the ninth, I don't think it's too hard to piece together these four pitchers for the seventh and eighth innings in a tight game.
Jonathan Sanchez had a sloppy first inning, walking in a run. That would be the only Phillies run of the inning though.
Cody Ross tied the game at 1-1 in the fifth with his fourth home run in the last three games.
Placido Polanco gave the Phillies a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth with a sacrifice fly.
In the seventh, Jonathan Sanchez was replaced by Ramon Ramirez after allowing a leadoff single to Roy Oswalt. Oswalt advanced to second on a sac bunt, and Chase Utley was then walked intentionally. Polanco singled to center, and Oswalt ran through the third base coach's stop sign, coming around to score. The game then exploded from there...Utley and Polanco were successful on a double steal. Jeremy Affeldt came in, struck out Ryan Howard, and intentionally walked Jayson Werth. Santiago Casilla was then brought into the game with the bases loaded and two outs to face Jimmy Rollins came to the plate...Rollins crushed the ball off the right field wall for a three-run double, breaking the game open to make the score 6-1.
The Giants failed to piece together any more runs, losing the game by a final score of 6-1.
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The Giants have a problem with their bullpen...who to use? With the Phillies shuffling their lineup so that Utley and Howard don't bat back-to-back, the Giants no longer have the ability to bring in Javier Lopez to face two lefties in a row. They can use him in the key situation to get one lefty out, though. The bridge to Brian Wilson is sort of a mystery right now, though. Let's examine the possibilities:
Sergio Romo, this year's setup man: he's had three postseason appearances. The first two did not go well. In game two against Atlanta in the NLDS, he allowed singles to the two hitters he faced. In game three in Atlanta, he gave up what could have been the game-winning home run for the Braves, a two-run shot to give them a 2-1 lead. But he had a relatively nice appearance on Sunday...1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB. He might be a good option, although the Phillies are lefty-heavy...Howard, Ibanez, Utley and then the switch-hitting Rollins and Victorino.
Jeremy Affeldt: he's made one appearance in the postseason...in game two of the NLCS on Sunday. He struck Ryan Howard out, then intentionally walked Chase Utley. He could be a good option, too, as he was rather successful in the setup-man role in 2009.
Santiago Casilla: he had a very nice appearance in game three in Atlanta, going 1.2 scoreless innings with just one hit allowed. His appearance on Sunday was not enticing, though...he allowed the huge three-run double to Jimmy Rollins. I think he's more suited to face Carlos Ruiz / Placido Polanco / Jayson Werth. I just don't trust him in a close ballgame to face a LHH.
Ramon Ramirez: he has a 12.86 ERA in the postseason (2.1 innings pitched). He's starting to look more like the pitcher that had a 4.46 ERA for Boston this year than the one who had a 0.67 ERA for the Giants. Again...I'd trust him to face a righty..but at this point, not a powerful left-handed hitter, especially in a critical situation. Remember...Rick Ankiel hit that home run off of him.
At this point, I think the Giants just need to piece together relievers. Their starters need to give them innings. They must go six innings..minimum. If Brian Wilson pitches the ninth, I don't think it's too hard to piece together these four pitchers for the seventh and eighth innings in a tight game.
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Andres Torres isn't hitting. It's becoming rather problematic. He had four strikeouts on Sunday, so he has not really shown signs of breaking out of this slump. Considering that game three's pitcher is a left-hander, and Torres bats much worse on the right side (.226 batting average), there might be thought about whether he should play or not...the Giants could be considering playing Aaron Rowand against the lefty Cole Hamels. My take? It's not worth it. Torres' defense is too valuable to replace him with Rowand...and is Rowand really going to be an offensive upgrade? It would make a little more sense to play Rowand if it were in Philadelphia, where he put up the best season of his career. But in San Francisco it's a clear 'no'.
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The Giants have some thinking to do about their SS/3B situation for game three. If Uribe is healthy, it makes sense to put him in. That leaves Pablo Sandoval, Mike Fontenot, and Edgar Renteria. I'd rather not put Fontenot in the lineup for game three..in addition to the fact that they'll be facing a left-handed pitcher and Fontenot bats left-handed, he played very sloppy baseball in game two. I say if Uribe's healthy, play Sandoval and Uribe on the left side. If not, play Sandoval and Renteria. Sandoval even has good career numbers against Hamels (3 for 10, 1 HR).
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Cody Ross. How 'bout this guy? He homered in his third straight game, joining Barry Bonds and Jeffrey Leonard as just the third Giant to have a three-game home run streak in the postseason. He supplied the only run for the Giants in this one...as FP Santangelo noted, Ross should crowd the plate for the next few games. The Phillies are no longer going to throw him that low-inside fastball that he keeps crushing...so he should move in to get around on that outside fastball that they're going to start throwing him.
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Solid outing by Jonathan Sanchez. It wasn't perfect -- far from it, actually, but it was yet another decent start: 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 7 K, 3 BB.
Tim Lincecum's Postseason
Tim Lincecum is the only Giant in franchise history with 8+ K in consecutive postseason games...
He's also one of the few players to start their postseason career with back-to-back 8+ K games:
Bob Gibson started his postseason career with four consecutive 8+ K games...
| Rk | Strk Start | End | Games | SO | ERA | Tm | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tim Lincecum | 2010-10-07 | 2010-10-16 | 2 | 22 | 1.69 | SFG |
| 2 | Jonathan Sanchez | 2010-10-10 | 2010-10-10 | 1 | 11 | 1.23 | SFG |
| 3 | Jason Schmidt | 2002-10-24 | 2002-10-24 | 1 | 8 | 5.79 | SFG |
| 4 | Jason Schmidt | 2002-10-10 | 2002-10-10 | 1 | 8 | 1.17 | SFG |
| 5 | Dave Dravecky | 1987-10-13 | 1987-10-13 | 1 | 8 | 1.50 | SFG |
| 6 | Jack Sanford | 1962-10-10 | 1962-10-10 | 1 | 10 | 4.91 | SFG |
| 7 | Billy O'Dell | 1962-10-04 | 1962-10-04 | 1 | 8 | 6.14 | SFG |
| 8 | Johnny Antonelli | 1954-09-30 | 1954-09-30 | 1 | 9 | 1.00 | NYG |
| 9 | Hal Schumacher | 1936-10-05 | 1936-10-05 | 1 | 10 | 2.70 | NYG |
| 10 | Carl Hubbell | 1936-09-30 | 1936-09-30 | 1 | 8 | 1.00 | NYG |
| 11 | Carl Hubbell | 1933-10-03 | 1933-10-03 | 1 | 10 | 0.00 | NYG |
| 12 | Jesse Barnes | 1921-10-11 | 1921-10-11 | 1 | 10 | 2.16 | NYG |
| 13 | Phil Douglas | 1921-10-09 | 1921-10-09 | 1 | 8 | 2.00 | NYG |
| 14 | Christy Mathewson | 1905-10-12 | 1905-10-12 | 1 | 8 | 0.00 | NYG |
| Strk Start | End | Games | SO | Tm | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bob Gibson | 1964-10-08 | 1967-10-04 | 4 | 41 | STL |
| Tim Lincecum | 2010-10-07 | 2010-10-16 | 2 | 22 | SFG |
| Rick Helling | 1998-09-30 | 1999-10-07 | 2 | 17 | TEX |
| Curt Schilling | 1993-10-06 | 1993-10-11 | 2 | 19 | PHI |
| Steve Avery | 1991-10-10 | 1991-10-16 | 2 | 17 | ATL |
| Mickey Lolich | 1968-10-03 | 1968-10-07 | 2 | 17 | DET |
| Lefty Gomez | 1932-09-29 | 1936-10-02 | 2 | 16 | NYY |
| Smoky Joe Wood | 1912-10-08 | 1912-10-11 | 2 | 19 | BOS |
Bob Gibson started his postseason career with four consecutive 8+ K games...
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