Rowand for Fukudome

According to ESPN's Jerry Crasnick, the Giants and Cubs discussed an Aaron Rowand - Kosuke Fukudome swap. While it's a long shot at this point, it would certainly benefit the Giants.

Propelled by a career-low .263 BABIP, Rowand put up his worst season in 2010, posting a slash line of .230/.281/.378; While he's due to regress to a more respectable line in 2011, he doesn't have the one thing Fukudome has -- an exceptional walk rate.

In spite of a career-low .287 BABIP, Fukudome put up a respectable line of .263/.371/.439; That's the kind of plate discipline the Giants need. Guys who get on base 37% of the time -- and keep in mind that it was an off-year for Fukudome -- are rare.

In addition, Fukudome's contract is nicer. He's got one year and $13.5MM left on his contract, whereas Rowand has another two years at $12MM/year. The extra $1.5MM is absolutely worth it, considering that it would free up that spot in the payroll a year in advance.

Also, Fukudome gives the Giants a more powerful lefty bat off the bench; power which Travis Ishikawa, Nate Schierholtz, and Mike Fontenot fail to supply.

It's probably not going to happen, but I'd be happy if it did.

Giants Re-Sign Pat Burrell

The Giants have re-signed Pat Burrell to a one-year $1MM deal without incentives. Ah, how refreshing. I'm one of the first to doubt Burrell -- after seeing him strike out 11 times in 13 at-bats in the 2010 World Series, I just can't even tell if he's the same player that saw a resurgence a few months prior. Or maybe it's the fact that he has more World Series rings (2) than hits (1). He has one hit in 27 career World Series at-bats.

Whatever. He'll be making $1MM without incentives. He's pretty much guaranteed to be worth that $1MM. Even if he's just a bench bat, and manages to come off the bench and get a few important hits, he'll be worth it. And there's high reward -- if he does play like the Pat the Bat of June 2010 (.338/.405/.615), he'll be extremely valuable.

I can't think of a possible scenario where this contract hurts the Giants. I honestly can't. It's $1MM, and I'm pretty sure that Burrell will be a better left-fielder than Mark DeRosa coming off of wrist surgery. DeRosa wasn't even good for the Giants before that wrist injury -- .194/.279/.258...this, hopefully, puts him back in the utility role, a role he's better suited for. A good chunk of his value is dependent on his being able to play multiple positions, so hopefully he'll be doing that now...

Lastly, I think this contract seals Travis Ishikawa's fate. I don't know how the Giants would find a spot for him on the roster, barring an injury. The way I see it, here are their starters:

C Posey
1B Huff
2B Sanchez
3B Sandoval
SS Tejada
LF Burrell
CF Torres
RF Ross

And their bench...

C Whiteside
OF Rowand
OF Schierholtz
UT DeRosa
IF ________ (probably not Fontenot...who knows...maybe Rohlinger? or Burriss?)
And then, eventually, Brandon Belt at 1B.

I don't know what will happen to Ishikawa. It's kind of a shame. If his bat were just a little bit better, he could be a JT Snow-type player. He's a great defensive first baseman. But first basemen just aren't in high demand.

If this is, indeed, the end of the line for Travis, he shall be remembered as the tying run in Game Three of the NLDS.

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:

"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.

Travis Ishikawa and Nate Schierholtz

I hereby accept all credit if Travis Ishikawa and Nate Schierholtz do well in Game Four. I've been wanting them to play because of their defensive value, and the fact that they are capable of doing things with the stick.

Similarly, I'll accept the blame if they don't.

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:

1. He was coming off of a bad start
2. Pitching on the road
3. Pitching in a hitters ballpark
4. Facing a lot of right-handed hitters
5. The Rangers have a good running game, so it doesn't help that Sanchez walks a lot of hitters
6. Sanchez isn't great at controlling the running game

He did poorly, but the two home runs he allowed were to left-handed hitters. The walks cost him though. Bengie Molina, who was walked in the second inning, scored on the Moreland homer and a walk issued to Vladimir Guerrero marked the end of Sanchez's night. It's scary to think that this could potentially be the Game Seven starter in the World Series. You never know what to expect with him.

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:

DH Options: Update

From Andrew Baggarly:

"Finally, Bochy has mentioned Aubrey Huff as a candidate to DH in Texas and playing Travis Ishikawa at first base. I think the Giants catch a break that Texas Manager Ron Washington had lefty C.J. Wilson pitch Game 2 at AT&T Park. Now the Giants can use Huff or Pablo Sandoval at DH against right-handed starters in Games 3 and 4."

Sounds good to me...Sandoval has the potential for a good series, batting from his good side of the plate in Texas. I'm also glad that they're considering Huff as a DH option.

The Giants: DH Options

There was a very good article on Fangraphs (by Dave Cameron) about the Giants DH options.

Basically, the Giants will have to face a minimum of two leftys in their three games in Texas. They'll face CJ Wilson in Game Three, and Cliff Lee in Game Five, and they might (although I doubt it) face the lefty Derek Holland in Game Four. That means, ideally, their DH would be able to hit left-handed pitching.

Dave Cameron proposes four options in his article:

1. DH Pablo Sandoval. This could work...Sandoval has a good power bat, and the Giants would certainly benefit from having a different guy manning third base. The clear problem here, however, is that he hasn't hit well against left-handed pitchers this year. He's batted just .227 with one home run from the right side in 2010.

2. DH Pat Burrell. Put Aaron Rowand in the outfield. This is not an option that I am very enthusiastic about. Pat Burrell has never had success in his career as a DH (you might remember that he was designated for assignment earlier this year, after doing a terrible job as the Tampa Bay Rays DH). As Dave Cameron points out, he’s a career .209/.306/.348 hitter when not playing the field." I don't think it would be fair to put Burrell in a position that he's uncomfortable with, especially if it's being done merely so the Giants can fit Rowand's bat into the lineup. Even if the Giants did DH Pat Burrell, I would prefer that they use Nate Schierholtz in the outfield. They'd have better defense, speed, and Schierholtz actually has hit leftys well in his career (.354/.390/.500). <--- that's no mistake. He's seriously been that good against LHP, although it is bloated quite a bit by luck (.414 BABIP vs. LHP in his career).

3. DH Aubrey Huff. Put Travis Ishikawa at first base. This is an attractive option from a defensive standpoint...not that Huff is a bad defender. Ishikawa is top-notch though. The problem here is quite obvious, and it's the fact that Travis Ishikawa is a left-handed hitter. He has not had much success against LHP in his career,  with a .230/.288/.246 slash line. In these one-run games, though, defense is quite important. His glove certainly outweighs his lack of offensive ability.

4. DH Jose Guillen. I don't think there's any reason this should be done whatsoever. I don't care that Jose Guillen is a right-handed hitter. He's old, slow, hasn't played in weeks, and his bat isn't even good -- he strikes out a lot, rarely walks, and doesn't hit with much power. So no. This is not an option. I doubt he'll even make the World Series roster.

So what's the best option? In Game Four, if Tommy Hunter pitches, DH Aubrey Huff and put Travis Ishikawa at first base. The Giants will benefit both defensively and offensively, as Travis Ishikawa is a good defender and can hit right-handed pitching well. In Game Three, I'm fine with trying Pat Burrell. I suppose putting Aaron Rowand in the outfield might work, as he is a right-handed hitter, and would benefit from the fact that the Rangers stadium is a hitters park. If DHing Burrell doesn't work, then the Sandoval option can be attempted for Game Five. When in doubt though, go with what will help the team defensively. Ask Brooks Conrad. Ask Chase Utley. Ask anyone that's played in the postseason so far. Defense has made a huge impact in these tight games, and I would hate to see the Giants lose because Aubrey Huff bobbles a ball, Pat Burrell can't get to a ball in time, or Pablo Sandoval overthrows first base.

The options aren't great. I think they just need to go with what's working. If someone's hot in Games One and Two, don't stop playing them...

NLDS Game Three Recap

Torture. Torture, torture, torture.

Let's start by going over my expectations...

Expect the Giants to:

• Ground out a lot; a few double plays...
• Bunt

Expect the Braves to:

• Walk a lot
• Strike out a lot

The Giants hit 15 groundballs...I was right.
The Giants only made one bunt attempt, and it was a failed bunt attempt...I was wrong.
The Braves walked once...I was wrong.
The Braves struck out 12 times...I was right.
Andres Torres was not a key in the game...I was wrong.

No Way, Jose

Jose Guillen is terrible. The one thing he had to avoid in the ninth with runners on the corners and one out and the Giants losing 4-2 -- a double play. Yet he failed to avoid it. The worst part was -- Heath Bell was somewhat falling apart. He had allowed three hits in the ninth, and was getting a little wild. Even a strikeout would have allowed Andres Torres to come to the plate. Although Andres Torres doesn't have good numbers against Heath Bell, he knows how to work a count, and he knows how to hit a walkoff (three so far this year). Guillen couldn't even work the count, grounding into the game-ending double play on the second pitch of the at-bat. The worst part? It was a high fastball. How Guillen failed to keep a high fastball elevated is beyond me...Here's Jose Guillen's at-bat from MLB.com Gameday...

Barry Zito also sucks. There's no other way to put it. Two consecutive two-out bases-loaded walks in the first inning. That's how the Padres scored two of their runs. Take away those two, and the Giants would have been tied 2-2 in the bottom of the ninth, instead of scrambling to overcome a 4-2 deficit. Zito allowed 3 ER in 3 innings of work, and walked the opposing pitcher to lead off the fourth inning. The bullpen? Six scoreless innings. This is ridiculous.

Is there any good that can be taken out of this? Yes...definitely. Barry Zito hopefully lost his chance at a spot in the playoff rotation. The Padres' divine bullpen trio (Mike Adams, Luke Gregerson, Heath Bell) is being overworked. And Pablo Sandoval is back again...at least for the time being. He had two hits, and is just making good contact overall.

Game summary...

Zito gives up two runs in the first on two-out bases-loaded walks. 

Sandoval gets a two-out groundball and makes an error to keep the third inning alive, allowing Miguel Tejada to score. 

Zito walks opposing pitcher to lead off the fourth inning. He eventually comes around to score. 

In the sixth inning, with the Giants losing 4-0, runners on first and second, and two outs, Buster Posey takes a called strike-three to end the inning. Bruce Bochy gets ejected for arguing the call. For those of you that want to see Posey's called strike three, here it is:

He has to protect on a pitch so close...

In the seventh, Juan Uribe hits a one-out home run which just barely goes over the fence. Sandoval then singles. Travis Ishikawa flies out to the warning track in left field. Nate Schierholtz grounds out to end the inning. 

In the ninth, Pat Burrell hits a one-out double. Uribe pops up to shallow right field...the ball drops -- runners on second and third, one out. Sandoval hits a line-drive single to the left side, 4-2. Guillen steps up to the plate and works his magic. Game over. 

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Now, as for Buster Posey slumping? Yes, he's five for his last 38...but no worries. He's only struck out three times in his last 34 at-bats...and as long as he keeps making contact, the ball will eventually start to find holes.

Tomorrow: Jonathan Sanchez will face Mat Latos.

Mat Latos...hmm..let's see. Oh yeah...that's right, that's the guy who said this: 

"Baseball works in funny ways. The only way I could honestly put it is, we could be like the Giants and go and change our whole lineup, put guys with 'San Francisco Giants' across their jerseys. We didn't. We added two guys (Miguel Tejada and Ryan Ludwick) We've been the same team all year. We haven't just gone and grabbed guys from other teams."

Funny thing, because last time a Giants pitcher made comments about the Padres, he lost the game. Maybe Latos will learn this lesson tomorrow...

That Giants pitcher happens to be going against the Padres tomorrow, and happens to have a very good history against them.

In 2010, Sanchez has a 2.59 ERA against them in five starts, and they are batting just .162 against him this year. And then there's this....

Well...tomorrow's a must-win. The Giants really don't want to have to play a tiebreaker 163rd game in San Diego. They need to win tomorrow. They destroyed Mat Latos last time, and he's been pitching poorly of late -- a 6.21 ERA in September. 

It's magic inside? Well, we'll find out tomorrow...

Happy 27th Birthday Travis Ishikawa!

Split           G GS  AB  R  H 2B 3B HR RBI  BB SO   BA  OBP  SLG  OPS
2010 Totals   110 25 152 17 40 11  0  3  21  12 29 .263 .315 .395 .710   

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 9/24/2010.

Giants Lose Second Game in Cubs Series

The Giants got off to a good start on Wednesday, with a one-out Freddy Sanchez single followed by an Aubrey Huff double. All that Buster Posey needed to do was to hit a deep flyball, but he couldn't even put the ball in play, as he struck out swinging. The next batter, Pat Burrell, also struck out (looking), and the Giants failed to take an early lead. The next inning, Jose Guillen led off with a double, but the Giants once again failed to knock in the run. After that, the Giants had few more opportunities, as Randy Wells began dealing: 7.2 IP, 0 ER, 6 H, 6 K, 1 BB. In the 8th, the Giants got things going: Travis Ishikawa took a two-out walk, and Cody Ross followed that up with a double. The Cubs brought in Carlos Marmol after that, and the Giants were shut down. Freddy Sanchez struck out to end the 8th. Marmol then struck out the side in the 9th.

Jonathan Sanchez continues to pitch well. His one big mistake was a fastball in Kosuke Fukudome's wheelhouse that was promptly deposited into the right field stands. All in all, though, he was decent: 5.2 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 6 K. The bullpen was perfect as usual: Chris Ray and Santiago Casilla combined for 2.1 scoreless innings.

A few notables from the game:

1. Carlos Marmol's slider. It is nasty. Simply unhittable. The guy has put up incredible numbers this year, the most astounding being his 15.6 K/9 ratio. If he didn't give up six walks every nine innings, he would be the best closer in baseball. During the time he was out on the mound, the fielders behind him didn't have to do anything.
2. Cody Ross is not a leadoff hitter. Well, this is pretty obvious. But the point is, the Giants have better options for the leadoff spot. Cody Ross is not that fast, and his .313 OBP this year doesn't raise any eyebrows either. He's also got decent pop, which would be more useful in a different spot in the lineup. Freddy Sanchez would be a viable option - a .339 OBP, and his lack of power makes it more appropriate to put him there...it would only be for a few days, possibly, as Torres might soon return.
3. The Giants are impossible to understand. Really. Huff has put up great numbers, as has Posey. Burrell takes a lot of walks and has good power. Uribe has good power. Sanchez is a former batting champion (and has been doing well since August). And Guillen, Ross, and Sandoval all have decent pop, and the ability to hit for respectable averages. The pieces just don't fit together, though. One thing that is noticeable is that the team is dreadfully slow: Guillen, Sandoval, Uribe, Burrell, Huff, Posey. All pretty slow. Even Sanchez and Ross aren't too fast. The loss of Torres has really taken a toll on them in this category. Nevertheless, with this decent group of hitters, and the fact that they are playing in hitter's ballparks (Coors then Wrigley), I don't see how they can struggle like this. Maybe they'll get it together tomorrow...

The Giants extended their streaks: they've allowed three runs or fewer in 16 consecutive games, and they've allowed four runs or fewer in 21 consecutive games. They're close to making history... Oh yeah...and which team leads the majors in ERA? That's right...the Giants.

Tomorrow: Madison Bumgarner vs. Ryan Dempster...here's how Giants hitters have done against him in their careers:

Standings/Playoff Chances (According to ESPN.com)

Ten games left....

San Francisco Giants Take Second Game in LA Series, 2-1

Matt Cain pitched a great game. What's new? He dueled with Billingsley for seven innings for a line of: 7 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 0 BB, 5 K. The game was scoreless until the 7th inning: Ishikawa doubled with one out, Burriss pinch ran for him and advanced to third on a wild pitch, and after a Velez groundout, Fontenot stepped to the plate in a two-out RISP position (runner on third). He battled and blooped an inside pitch into the outfield for an RBI single. With a 1-0 lead, Sergio Romo, who has been a fantastic setup man for the Giants, came into the game and retired the side in order. The Giants were not done scoring yet, though. In the 8th, Huff led off with a double, followed by an intentional walk to Buster Posey. After Juan Uribe flied out to shallow centerfield, Pablo Sandoval, whose biggest weakness has been his high amount GIDP (grounded into double plays), stepped to the plate. The Giants caught a break when Jansen, the Dodgers' reliever, threw a wild pitch, which allowed Posey and Huff to each advance. This eliminated the double play possibility for the Giants, which was key, as Sandoval promptly hit a groundball to second base. The throw came home and Huff sped home, taking a hard slide into the plate and scoring a second run for the Giants. He clearly took a hard hit to the shins with the slide, but nevertheless slid with all of his force, exemplifying his eagerness for a ticket to the postseason. The run would be important, as Wilson gave up a two-out opposite-field solo home run to Ethier in the bottom of the 9th. Wilson fell behind quickly to the next batter, Jay Gibbons, but worked a 2-0 count into a full count and threw 98 mph gas to strike him out swinging, bringing the Giants to a half-game deficit in both the NL West and the NL Wild Card.

The Giants' little guys -- their supplemental players -- are making the difference in these games. Ishikawa hit a pinch-hit double, Emmanuel Burriss pinch ran for him, and Fontenot knocked in the run. These contributions from bench players are the things that will win these close ballgames for the Giants - and they really have a great collection of bench players. Their speed is good in Ford, Burriss, and Velez, and they have competent left-handed hitters and defensive replacements in Ishikawa and Schierholtz. Also, Fontenot's left-handed bat is a perfect complement for Freddy Sanchez's bat (Sanchez is a much better against lefties: .348 against lefties, but just .270 against rightys.) These players become especially key in the wake of Andres Torres' appendectomy.

Notes:

• The Giants have now won 10 of Matt Cain's last 12 starts. 
• The Giants' 1.63 team ERA this month is the best mark in the majors. 
• Over the last 16 games, the Giants pitchers have been on fire with a 2.04 ERA. 12 of their last 16 outings have been quality starts. 
• The Andre Ethier home run was just the second earned run allowed by Brian Wilson in 20.0 innings since August 1. 
• Brian Wilson recorded his 43rd save...this number ranks 1st in the National League, and is tied for 1st in the majors with Rafael Soriano....Wilson now stands just five saves away from Rod Beck's SF record of 48 saves in a single season. He has nine 4+ out saves this year, an indication of his stamina as a closer. 
• Congratulations to Aubrey Huff on his newborn child!

Tomorrow: Battle of the Southpaws - Jonathan Sanchez will square off against Ted Lilly. The Giants bat a collective .229 (35 for 153) against Lilly in their careers. Believe it or not, the Giant that owns the best career numbers against Lilly is Rowand, who is 8 for 22 (.364) with a home run. Sanchez has been incredible to watch lately. He's allowed just one earned run over his last three starts (20 innings), despite walking seven in his last start. Hopefully, he'll continue to pitch well - consistency isn't his strong suit...

If the Rockies and the Giants both win tomorrow, the Giants will claim sole possession of first place in the NL West. It's not out of the question: Ubaldo Jimenez will be on the mound for the Rockies. 

Bruce Bochy - "Right now, we can't count on Andres. He just had the surgery. We have to move on. We have some good players here. I hope they respond well to some playing time."

Giants Lose to Padres: 1-0

Saturday's game was characterized by dominant pitching and poor umpiring behind the plate. Madison Bumgarner pitched a beautiful game, allowing only one earned run on three hits through seven innings. The lone blemish was a 3rd inning solo shot off of the bat of Yorvit Torrealba. Bumgarner only needed 79 pitches to get through seven innings, as he pitched extremely efficiently. His counterpart, Tim Stauffer, also pitched very efficiently, going six scoreless innings, and allowing just three hits. The bullpen trio of Gregerson, Adams, and Bell came in and shut the Giants down, to secure the 1-0 victory, but more importantly, to reclaim first place as their own.

Jerry Crawford, the umpire behind the plate, just called a bad game overall. His strike zone was too wide, expanded on the outer half of the plate, forcing the Giants to protect pitches outside. The effect it had on them was noticeable: Buster Posey, for example, struck out twice and grounded into a double play, not the kind of game one would expect out of him after a day of rest. This is not the first time that this umpiring crew has given the Giants troubles. Earlier in the second half of the season, Travis Ishikawa had scored the game-winning run in a home game against the Mets, but umpire Phil Cuzzi called him out. From the video replay, it was pretty obvious Travis Ishikawa was safe.

It's unfortunate that the Giants had to face this problem in such a critical game -- any game against the Padres is critical at this point. The Giants are now one game back in the NL West, and will need to win the series finale in order to once again pull into a tie for first place.

Notes:

• Madison Bumgarner has had a very decent rookie campaign, but one of the most impressive numbers he has put up is his road ERA. After Saturday's quality start, he now has an ERA of 2.14 in nine road starts. 
• The Giants' rotation is finally dazzling. 10 of their last 13 starts have been quality. 
• Andres Torres has put up impressive offensive numbers this year. His 64 extra-base hits, for example, are among the top 10 in the National League. He is struggling mightily of late, though. He's 8 for his last 60 (.133 Avg). This has taken away a large part of the Giants' running game, too, as Torres is now rarely on base. 
• Pablo Sandoval seemed to have altered his batting stance during his pinch-hit at bat on Saturday. It will be interesting to note if he does this again on Sunday...
• Are the Giants turning into the Padres? The Padres are characterized by three main factors: low scoring, dominant rotation and bullpen, and speed on the basepaths. The Giants are scoring very few runs, and their rotation and bullpen have been lights-out for the most part. Without many runs coming by virtue of the longball, they're trying to steal more -- like Huff's steal on Friday, or Ford's attempted steal which ended Saturday's game. 

Tomorrow: Tim Lincecum will face Mat Latos. This will be a great matchup, as a reigning Cy Young Award winner faces a legitimate 2010 Cy Young candidate. Latos leads the majors with a 2.21 ERA, but the reigning Cy Young award winner Tim Lincecum has looked sharp lately. A pitcher's duel is most likely going to occur tomorrow, as it has the past two nights. 

In terms of scheduling, the Giants appear to have the upper hand for the rest of the season over the Padres. The Giants will have more rest days (19 games as opposed to 21 games remaining). The average winner percentages of the Padres' and Giants' opponents for the rest of the season are as follows: 

Avg Win % of Opponents for Padres: .528

Avg Win % of Opponents for Giants: .497

Based on this, it would appear the Padres have a tougher remaining schedule. 

Lastly, the Padres will play 13 of their remaining 21 games away from home, whereas just seven of the Giants' remaining 19 games are on the road. 


Here are the current standings:

Giants Lose Finale in Arizona 3-1; Next Step: Petco Park

Zito allowed two earned runs in six innings

Zito did something a lot of Giants fans didn't expect: pitched well. He wasn't stellar, as evidenced by his leading off the 2nd inning with two consecutive walks, but he ultimately did a good enough job to keep them in the game: 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 3 BB, 7 K. As for the Giants' offense - it just didn't produce. Freddy Sanchez got them on the board early with a solo shot in the first inning, but they failed to add on to that lead. Wednesday's game was one of failed opportunities to capitalize: In the 3rd inning, with runners on 1st and 2nd and 2 outs, Buster Posey grounded out. In the 7th, with a runner on 2nd and one out, Juan Uribe hit a soft pitch that bounced on home plate, and he was thrown out at first. Cody Ross then walked, and there were runners on the corners for Ishikawa. Ishikawa, however, grounded out to first, ending yet another Giants threat. Lastly, Jose Guillen led off the 9th inning with a double, but Renteria struck out swinging, Uribe fouled out to the catcher, and Cody Ross grounded out, as the Giants failed to tack on a run.

Given Jose Guillen's atrocious speed, I see no reason why Bochy didn't put in a pinch runner for him in the 9th inning. It didn't end up mattering, as Renteria, Uribe, and Ross failed to do anything significant with the bat, but it was nevertheless a necessary move. Nate Schierholtz, for example, could have been put in as a pinch runner, would have represented more speed for the Giants on the basepaths, and would have been an excellent defensive replacement in extra innings had the Giants tied it.

Ultimately, though, the Giants can take a positive from this game: they were facing a soon-to-be star pitcher in Daniel Hudson, so their offensive silence is excusable - at least for the moment; and more importantly, Barry Zito bounced back. He pitched a quality start, and if he can manage to work through six innings and keep the Giants in games on a routine basis, maybe Torres, Sanchez, Huff, Posey, Sandoval, Burrell, Guillen, Ross, or whoever else is playing can muster up enough run support to get the Giants some wins.

Notes:

• Aubrey Huff and Jose Guillen each went 2 for 4
• Darren Ford shows whenever he plays that he is an extremely valuable asset to this Giants team. In late innings, he can come in and steal a base with ease, as he did on Wednesday. He takes huge leads, but gets back to first in time to avoid being picked off. 
• Andres Torres has been nominated for five-tool player of the year along with Jason Heyward, Albert Pujols, Carl Crawford, David Wright, and Justin Upton. The fact that he has been nominated along with such elite players speaks volumes to his accomplishments this year. 
• In other Andres Torres news...he committed his first error since 2003. He had gone 204 games without committing an error, but bobbled a ball in centerfield in the 7th inning to end the streak. 
• Eight of the Giants' last 10 starts have been quality starts. I think it's safe to say they've put August behind them. 
• Freddy Sanchez has homered in two consecutive games.

Tomorrow: Matt Cain will face Jon Garland. Cain is the go-to guy for the Giants. He should be able to set the tone for the Giants in this critical series. Garland faced the Giants once this year and allowed one earned run and six hits in seven innings. He pitches very well at home, with a 2.68 ERA on the year at Petco Park. 

As it stands, the Giants are two games back of the Padres in the NL West. This series is could clearly be a critical turning point for the Giants or Padres, and the Giants are in a good position going it to it, having won their last three series. 

Pat Burrell - "These are two good teams. Most of the time it's little things in games like this that stand out: getting guys over, getting guys in, pitchers getting a bunt down. You're going to have errors, but limiting the amount of mistakes will decide who wins."

Giants' Starting Pitching is Heating Up: 5-2

Torres' 8th inning solo HR gave the Giants the lead.

Madison Bumgarner bounced back from the worst start of his career by pitching 6 solid innings, giving up 1 ER and just 5 hits. The bullpen provided decent assistance, as Ramon Ramirez, Jeremy Affeldt, and Brian Wilson combined for 3 innings, giving up 1 ER.

The Giants had failed opportunities to put runs on the board:

• With a runner on third, Andres Torres struck out swinging to end the 5th. 
• With runners on the corners in the 7th, Pablo Sandoval struck out, Juan Uribe struck out, then Ishikawa grounded out, ending their threat to score
• With runners on second and third and one out in the 8th, the Giants failed to score. 

They ultimately executed as much as they needed to, though. Freddy Sanchez scored on a balk, Madison Bumgarner hit an RBI double, and in a tie game (2-2), Andres Torres led off the 8th with a solo shot. Buster Posey then added to the Giants' lead, crushing a fly ball to the right field brick wall for a 2-run double. Five runs is more than enough for the Giants if they pitch like they can, like they have in the past three games (Cain, Sanchez, Bumgarner). The failed opportunities might start haunting them soon, though, as they did in the first half, when the Giants' offense was much weaker. 

Tomorrow: The Giants will face Ubaldo Jimenez for the fourth time. The Giants bat a collective .239 in 155 ABs in their careers against Ubaldo. None of them have had much success, with the exception of Pablo Sandoval who is 10 for 28 against him with 1 HR. The Giants got shutout by Ubaldo last time he pitched against them at home, but their offense has changed immensely since then, and home is where they hit best. They should be able to score enough runs to support a good Tim Lincecum outing. 

Tim Lincecum: He's coming off a start in which he gave up 4 ER in 6 IP, which was actually an improvement over previous starts. He appears to be headed toward a return to form, so I wouldn't be surprised if he pitches a quality start tomorrow. We'll just have to wait and see what happens with him...Tomorrow will be a good indicator of where he is right now, in terms of how he can perform routinely. If he gets lit up once again, then he's probably far from becoming that Cy Young pitcher he was not too long ago.

Giants Lose 5-1 to Cardinals

The Giants lost to Chris Carpenter, and were only able to score one run off of him. Tim Lincecum was his usual struggling self: 5.1 IP 4 ER, but said that he feels close to coming back. I don't know how reliable Tim Lincecum's opinion is, frankly, but I'd rather be hearing that from him than pessimism.

I'm going to try to take a positive view on this game: The Giants are on the road, facing a legitimate playoff contender and their perennial Cy Young candidate (Carpenter). It was a tough game, and they lost, but they'll be facing Garcia tomorrow, and should be able to score some runs.

Here's some notes:

• Buster Posey had his 3rd consecutive multi-hit game, and extended his hit streak to 8 games. 
• I owe an apology to Jose Guillen: Although his defensive range and overall speed are mediocre at best, he has not been quiet with the bat. He has been batting .417 (10 for 24), and at a time when the Giants are generally struggling, he's making it hard for people to use him as a scapegoat. 
• Dontrelle Willis is apparently on his way to being called up soon. I'm going to say that they have nothing to lose with this transaction. They really aren't going to risk anything with him, and if he returns to form miraculously (maybe like Pat Burrell did...), it will be great for the Giants. 
• I truly believe that Ishikawa and Schierholtz need to play more often. They can't be expected to perform when they are given 1 or sometimes 0 AB per game. They play great defense, and are decent hitters. I don't think it's too impossible to give occasional days off to Burrell and Guillen to give these guys more playing time. It would improve the Giants' defense (and hitting vs. RHP) and would also keep Guillen and Burrell fresh.

Lineups

Here's today's lineup vs. LHP Wade LeBlanc:

CF Torres
C Posey
1B Huff
LF Burrell
RF Guillen
3B Sandoval
SS Uribe
2B Sanchez
P Lincecum


Here's my suggested lineup from August 11:

1. Torres - CF

2. Posey - C

3. Huff - RF

4. Burrell - LF

5. Sandoval - 3B

6. Uribe - SS

7. Ishikawa - 1B

8. Fontenot/Sanchez - 2B

9. Pitcher

They are quite similar.

Now here's my revised lineup suggestion:

1. Torres - CF

2. Posey - C

3. Huff - RF

4. Sandoval - 3B

5. Burrell - LF

6. Uribe - SS

7. Ishikawa - 1B

8. Fontenot - 2B

9. Pitcher

Sanchez doesn't deserve a spot in the lineup...well, maybe against LHP.

Comment with your lineup suggestions...I'm not opposed to the pitcher-batting-8th-theory. Calculations have proven it to score more runs than traditional lineups, and at this point, Giants can use any theory if it'll help them score runs.

I recently discovered this lineup analysis tool which analyzes the lineup and calculates how many runs would be scored on average based on OBP and SLG.

Giants Lose Opener Against Padres

The Giants took a tough 3-2 loss against the Padres on Friday as they dropped to 3.5 GB in the NL West.

Sanchez started strong, firing bullets in the first inning. He gave up an early double to Jerry Hairston Jr. but then settled down to yield a Miguel Tejada fielder's choice and strike out Adrian Gonzalez and Ryan Ludwick.

The Giants took an early 2-0 lead thanks to their catalyst, Andres Torres. He walked, then attempted to steal 2nd. Torrealba's throw was high and allowed Torres to get all the way around to 3rd. Huff eventually hit an RBI double, followed by a Posey single and a Pat Burrell RBI ground out.

The Padres, however, wasted no time responding. Jonathan Sanchez hit Yorvit Torreabla, then gave up an RBI triple to Chase Headley and a sac fly to Scott Hairston.

The game would remain tied until the 6th, when, with runners at 2nd and 3rd, Chase Headley hit a groundball to Juan Uribe. He decided to throw home, but the runner was safe. That run would be the difference in the game for the Padres, as the Giants failed to put up any more runs.

Notes:

• Jerry Hairston Jr. made 2 baserunning blunders in the game. In the 1st, on a groundball to Uribe, he tried to advance to third but Uribe caught him in a pickle and he was eventually tagged out. In the 3rd, he tried to steal 2nd, but got caught midway and tried to turn back. He was caught in a pickle once again, and actually injured himself.
• The Padres played the game under protest. Denorfia hit a groundball that bounced off Jonathan Sanchez and rolled towards Freddy Sanchez. Freddy tried to get to the ball, but was obstructed by Scott Hairston. The umpires called him out, and the runner on third, who ran home on the play, was not credited with a run. Ultimately, this play didn't matter, as the Padres won anyway.
• Pat Burrell is a very slow baserunner, and he doesn't help himself out with the leads he takes. He took a small one-step lead at 1st, and a groundball was hit to short. Miguel Tejada bobbled it, but was still able to throw Burrell out at 2nd. Had Pat taken a lead just one step bigger, he would've been safe, and the Giants would've had runners at 1st and 2nd with no outs. The toll his speed takes on his defense is also very noticeable.
• On a ball hit to 3rd, Pablo Sandoval caught Adrian Gonzalez in a pickle and chased him towards home, eventually diving and tagging him. He did a face-plant, and momentarily hurt himself. The dive was the kind of maneuver that got him the nickname "Kung Fu Panda" but was ultimately the result of his speed; the Pablo Sandoval from a year ago wouldn't have needed to do an all-out dive to tag Adrian Gonzalez.

• In the 6th inning, Jonathan Sanchez threw a pitch that would've been wild (thus allowing a run to score) had it not been for the defensive prowess of Buster Posey. He miraculously caught the pitch. It's no wonder Aubrey Huff calls him "Jesus Christ."
• On the topic of Buster Posey, he nailed yet another man stealing, Chris Denorfia. After nailing Hairston Jr. and Denorfia, he's now caught 14 stealing this year. It's going to be a tough decision - deciding whether to keep Posey at catcher or move him to 1st base. His defense is an asset in addition to his offense, but putting him at catcher will undoubtedly hinder his offensive output and longevity. This season, Joe Mauer is battling a plethora of injuries, and his offensive numbers show it. Does Posey really have to suffer the same fate?
• One more note about Posey, his average has dropped from .350 to .329 this month. Is it just a coincidence that the Giants have not been playing as well in August as they did in July, when Posey was on fire? Definitely not a coincidence...
• Aubrey Huff absolutely crushed a ball in the 8th inning that would have given the Giants a 1-run lead. It was caught, up against the wall in right-center, and Huff was understandably furious. It could have at least tied the game, had the outfielders been positioned differently.
• Huff made a great diving stop at first in the game. His versatility (LF, RF, 1B) has been invaluable to the Giants this year, and he can actually do good work with the glove at all three positions.
• Freddy Sanchez grounded into a double play. The Giants just can't stop grounding into double plays. It's a curse. They are on pace to shatter the franchise record.
• Uribe's decision to throw home when the groundball was hit to him with runners in scoring position was ultimately the right decision, even though the runner was safe. Given the strength of the Padres' bullpen, it was probable that the Giants wouldn't score many more runs and thus couldn't afford to give away a run by just throwing the runner out at first.
• Guillermo Mota and Jose Guillen are friends. This comes as absolutely no surprise to me. The two have eerily similar personalities on the field.
• The magic of the orange uniforms, in which the Giants had sustained a perfect record of 10-0, is gone. Even its magic wasn't powerful enough to overcome the Padres.
• Freddy Sanchez and Aaron Rowand should not be penciled in the starting lineup. Ever. Burriss could've started in Sanchez's place and would've upgraded the Giants' running game, with Fontenot or Schierholtz as potential pinch runners for later innings. Ishikawa could've started at 1st, with Huff in RF, Burrell in LF, and Torres in CF. This would've given the Giants a better defense and a better offensive lineup. Aaron Rowand played a sloppy game, getting caught stealing third (picked off) and slipping on center field dirt. He was the final batter of the game, and that was possibly the worst decision ever, as he was facing Heath Bell, a pitcher with a great slider and a great curveball. Those are the two pitches that haunt Rowand the most. If Burriss and Ishikawa had played, it would've been an entirely different game.
• Jonathan Sanchez's start was not that great, but it wasn't terrible. He brought his A-game in the first inning, but couldn't rediscover that magic. At first, he was getting ahead in the count, and had a great fastball going. He walked too many batters though.
• Momentum is said to be a factor with teams. The Giants had momentum going into this series, after winning 3 of 4 and winning their most recent game with a walk-off. Unfortunately, the Padres had more momentum, a 4-game winning streak. It's improved to 5 games now.
• Aaron Rowand is most likely doomed to repeat his history and have his average drop for the rest of the season. Even though he's been better of late, he will likely not sustain that:

The Giants will now have an uphill battle, and will not be able to recapture first place during this series. And, I just want to mention, I was wrong. The Giants didn't do too well against Richard. If they are going to win any games this series, they need to attack the starting pitching, because the trio of Gregerson/Adams/Bell is impenetrable.

Tomorrow: Giants face Mat Latos. They will have to work hard offensively, because he can pitch. The Giants bat a collective .192 against him (10 for 52), but Pablo Sandoval is 3 for 9. Sandoval can drive this offense tomorrow. If not, Latos will replicate the shutout he threw earlier this year at AT&T Park. Madison Bumgarner will start for the Giants, and he'll do just fine, facing an offense whose biggest threat is a left-handed hitter. The Giants need to score off of Latos. They need to.

Let me just reiterate, I am not optimistic about the Jose Guillen acquisition. Those who say that the Giants have nothing to lose with his acquisition have no idea what they are talking about. We do have something to lose: baseball games. And if Guillen plays poor defense, and doesn't do a good job at hitting, he will be contributing to many Giants losses. Of course, if he does hit well, it will be good for the Giants, and they will have a very deep bench with Fontenot, Schierholtz, Ishikawa, and Rowand. I think that immediately putting him in the starting lineup is too risky for the Giants. Ishikawa has proven to perform well against RHP while playing great defense. The Giants didn't rush Pat Burrell like that, yet he emerged as a powerful offensive force. The Giants should do the same with Guillen, make him prove himself first, lest they repeat what happened with Ryan Garko last year.

Remember last week in Atlanta, when Tim Hudson dominated the Giants? Well, don't feel too bad. He did the same to the Dodgers on Friday: 8 innings, 3 hits, 0 ER, 6 K, 14 groundballs. It's nice to know that even when the Giants lose, we can take solace in the fact that the Dodgers suck.

Giants Acquire Jose Guillen

The Giants acquired Jose Guillen for a PTBNL and cash.

MLB Trade Rumors: "The Giants acquired outfielder Jose Guillen from the Royals for a player to be named later and cash. The Royals, who gave Guillen an ill-advised three-year, $36MM deal in December of 2007, designated Guillen for assignment on August 5th. Guillen still has $3.39MM left on his contract, but the Royals are covering some of that, according to a press release. The 34-year-old is hitting .255/.314/.429 on the season with 16 home runs in 437 plate appearances. He has logged only 169 innings in right field, so playing him regularly in the outfield would be risky. The Giants probably don't have an everyday role in mind for Guillen anyway - there's no reason he should supplant Pat Burrell, Andres Torres, Aubrey Huff, or Travis Ishikawa."

Emmanuel Burriss will likely be sent down to make room, thus leaving Nate Schierholtz as the only viable pinch-running option.

Jose Guillen's stats are as follows: .255, 16 HR, 396 AB

For comparison, here's Ryan Garko's stats from '09 before the Giants got him: .285, 11 HR, 239 AB

Guillen's slash line is: 255/.314/.429

Garko's slash line: .285/.362/.464

Let's not look too much into Guillen's history of power numbers:

SF Chronicle: "Veteran major-league outfielder Jose Guillen, who played part of the 2003 season for the division-champion A's, bought thousands of dollars of steroids and human growth hormone from a troubled Florida anti-aging clinic and had some of the drugs shipped to the Oakland Coliseum, business records show."

Guillen might benefit from a switch to the NL, which is said to be the weaker league, but with pitchers like Strasburg, Jimenez, and Johnson emerging this year as seemingly unstoppable forces, this might not be true anymore.

About Jose Guillen's personality, here's Extra Baggs on the matter:

"Guillen, well … there’s a reason he’ll be playing for his 10th major league team. But when we spoke to Bruce Bochy about Guillen on the last road trip, he was a huge proponent to add him to the roster. The skipper must feel he can keep Guillen in line, with help from his veterans. That’s good, because that’s exactly the challenge he has now."

Hopefully, Guillen will not ruin the great clubhouse chemistry that has been built that has allowed the Giants to win 25 of their last 35. And hopefully, he'll actually contribute, maybe hit a few home runs down the stretch. That might be worth it.

The Giants will be Guillen's 10th team:

1. Pirates
2. Devil Rays
3. Diamondbacks
4. Reds
5. A's
6. Angels
7. Nationals
8. Mariners
9. Royals
10. Giants

I have heard from sources that Guillen will be the everday right fielder with Huff moving to first. If this is true, Bruce Bochy has no clue what he's doing. Assuming Guillen starts in all of the Giants' remaining games, his defense will probably cost them 12 runs or so. This would be worth it, if his bat more than made up for it, but it doesn't. He'll be taking playing time away from Ishikawa, who tears up RHP.

Ishikawa vs. Right Handed Pitchers in 2010: .316/.363/.482

Guillen vs. Right Handed Pitchers in 2010: .264/.311/.462

Is Guillen really a better option for the starting lineup than Ishikawa, with his inferior hitting, atrocious defense, and his carcinogenic clubhouse attitude? I think not. Unfortunately, Bruce Bochy disagrees with me.