The hot talk this year has been all about Ubaldo Jimenez, and for good reason. In addition to throwing the season's first no-hitter, he has a 13-1 record and a 1.15 ERA going into today's start against Boston. Chances are, if there is any Cy Young talk, Jimenez is always the first guy mentioned.
However, would you believe me if I said that on paper, Tim Lincecum's 2010 is more impressive than Jimenez's?
First off, this is strictly a look at the numbers. I'm not saying Lincecum has been better than Jimenez or that Jimenez isn't impressive. Jimenez's stuff is incredible (he averages 96.5 MPH on his fastball), and I think Giants fans can attest to that after watching him dominate at AT&T Park earlier this year.
Other than the eye test though, as well as the wins and ERA (which as we all know, can be flawed measures of evaluating a pitcher's success), Jimenez's numbers pales in comparison to Lincecum.
Let's take a look at some of the advanced numbers for both pitchers.
Jimenez: 7.82 K/9, 3.20 BB/9, 2.44 K/BB, 0.27 HR/9, .185 AVG., 1.00 WHIP, 91.2 percent LOB %, 2.94 FIP, 3.62 xFIP.
Lincecum: 10.10 K/9, 3.49 BB/9, 2.90 K/BB, 0.45 HR/9, .226 AVG., 1.21 WHIP, 76.7 percent LOB %, 2.73 FIP, 3.14 xFIP.
Lincecum dominates Jimenez's in the strikeout department, and while Jimenez has an advantage in the walks department, it really doesn't make that much of a difference (for Jimenez's K/BB is still lower than Lincecum's). I find the most startling stats his FIP and xFIP numbers, which are higher than Lincecum's. For as dominating as Jimenez's stuff has been, it seems, just looking at his FIP numbers, that he has gotten a lot of help from his defense and has gotten luckier in comparison to Lincecum. I believed this even more when I took a look at this stat:
Jimenez: .239 BABIP.
Lincecum: .313 BABIP.
Jimenez's BABIP is 63 points BELOW the league average, while Lincecum's is 11 points ABOVE league average. As good as Jimenez has been, there is no way he can sustain a BABIP that low for the remainder of the season. Yes, a good defense behind him, and the lack of good contact against him (his line drive percentage is 13.8 percent, while Lincecum's is 22 percent) may explain why hitters haven't been able to find hits against Jimenez. However, in the grand scheme of things, Jimenez's BABIP will only go up, which will affect his other numbers such as ERA and wins (unless the offense picks him up, which is possible because the Rockies have a good offense).
Another reason why I like Lincecum more than Jimenez this season? Lincecum has allowed less contact to hitters in 2010 than Jimenez. Lincecum has a contact rate of 72.2 percent this year, and a swinging strike percentage of 11.9 percent. Jimenez on the other hand has a contact rate of 79 percent (almost two points higher than last season) and only has a swinging strike percentage of 8.5 percent (Jimenez has never had a swinging strike percentage in double figures, while Lincecum has never had a swinging strike percentage under 10 percent).
What does this mean? For as wicked as Jimenez's stuff is, he simply doesn't get batters to miss as much as Lincecum. While this is not necessarily a bad thing (as Greg Maddux showed), this kind of pitching style can be subject to inconsistency. Sure, Jimenez is dealing now because the balls are going to infielders. That being said, should the luck run out or the defense decline behind him, Jimenez's numbers will look far less impressive. As for Lincecum, because he can strike guys out more consistently, and induces less contact than Jimenez, his numbers will be more stable, because he's relying less on his defense and luck.
I'm not trying to take away anything from Jimenez. He has been impressive, and I've seen a lot of his starts, so I can attest visually, he's a real deal ace. In my mind, comparing Jimenez and Lincecum is like comparing "The Godfather" against "Goodfellas" in terms of which is the better mob movie. They're both good, but it's all a matter of opinion really. (And if those two are those movies, then Todd Wellemeyer is "Fatal Desire." Seriously, if you have Netflix, add it to your instant queue. It may be one of the most unintentionally funny Thrillers ever made.)
What I am trying to prove though is that Jimenez's season so far may not be as impressive as everyone would like to think, and that Lincecum's season may not be as down as some baseball fans would like to believe as well. Jimenez is bound to regress, and Lincecum is bound to take care of his control problems and improve.
Giants fans saw that last night from Lincecum against the Astros. I am interested to see how Jimenez will do against Boston tonight.
Showing posts with label Colorado Rockies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Colorado Rockies. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Sunday, May 2, 2010
A Look at Zito, Cain and Sanchez's Performances Against the Rockies
Today was a tough one for the Giants. Aaron Rowand graced Giants fans with his presence back at the top of the lineup, Jhoulys Chacin mowed the offense down and the Giants, once again, avoided the sweep for the third straight series.
It sucks that the Giants played three, top shelf National League teams (St. Louis, Philadelphia and Colorado) and came "Oh-So Close" to sweeping each one. Then again, you can't argue with six out of nine, especially against those caliber of teams.
While the Giants couldn't finish off the Rockies today, Giants fans have to be optimistic about their chances in the NL West. What made the Giants so successful this weekend? Well, I think it's safe to say that Giants fans can thank the starting rotation, specifically Barry Zito and Matt Cain.
If you break down Zito, Cain and Jonathan Sanchez's performances over the weekend, they all show some interesting things.
First, let's look at Zito's numbers on last Friday's start (information courtesy of Brooks Baseball.net and their Pitch F/X tool).
From the information above, you can see that Zito was extremely effective with his breaking pitches, specifically his slider and curve ball. Last Friday's start was just another example of Zito's success this year: his fastball velocity is up early this year, which makes his curve and slider, even more effective.
Last year, and in 2008, when his fastball velocity waned in April, he got mashed, simply because the curve and slider were too close in terms of velocity to his fastball (Thus, it being easier for hitters to adjust). That hasn't been the case this year, and Zito arguably has been the Giants' best pitcher this April (it's either him or Tim Lincecum). Granted, his low BABIP (.209) is still a concern (how will his numbers look when his BABIP eventually rises?) but you can't argue with the results from the big lefty.
Cain also posted an impressive start yesterday, finally earning some run support, and also struck some guys out too boot (eight in eight innings pitched), en route to his first victory of the year.
What is most impressive about Cain's start though is how he bounced back despite rough second and third innings in terms of pitch count.
After the second and third, I didn't think Cain would go more than six (seven at the max). The pitch count was high at 65 after the third, and by the fourth, the Giants had already produced a decent impact in terms of run support to cover the Giants right-hander.
However, Cain buckled down and performed admirably. After throwing 49 pitches in the second and third inning combined, and only throwing 29 strikes (his strike percentage in the second and third combined was 59 percent), Cain buckled and threw 57 pitches over the next five innings (including 42 pitches for strikes). Additionally, Cain kept bringing the heat, as his fastball velocity still stayed in the 90-93 MPH range, even after he got past the 100 pitch mark.
Say what you want about Cain: he doesn't strike a lot of guys out, he puts too many ball in play, he doesn't get enough run support, etc. The kid is tough and has a lot of mental makeup, as evidenced by his excellent start against the Rockies.
Unfortunately, you can't say the same of Sanchez and his start today.
If you look at the first inning, Sanchez looked to be on his way to another unbelievable performance. He threw only eight pitches in the first inning, all of them for strikes. The second inning though, he started to show some warning signs. He threw 33 pitches in the two innings combined, 20 of the pitches for strikes (60.6 percent).
And then, in true, "Brian De Palma Post-Mission Impossible" fashion, Sanchez fell off a cliff in the fourth. He threw 32 pitches, and only 15 for strikes (46.88 percent). Though he only allowed one run that inning, he continued to struggle into the fifth, unable to regain the control he had shown in the first inning. It was safe to say, by the fifth, it was just a slippery slope for the Giants in general, especially considering the fact that Chacin was owning the Giants' hitters today like the Kardashian sisters owning athletic stars with their...ugh..."qualities".
Bottom line though for Sanchez? His problem today proved to be the problem he's had his whole career: consistency with his command.
Check out the strikezone plot for him in today's game.
Not exactly impressive, huh? A lot of white in that strike zone.
Then again, you have to expect games like this from Sanchez. He has incredible strikeout stuff, but his control is going to wane up and down. That's just the reality of who he is as a pitcher. The problem is, you wish these games happen against the Astros and Nationals, teams whom the Giants have a good shot against in terms of getting run support to back up "off" performances like this one today from Sanchez.
Unfortunately, it happens against the Rockies and against an impressive pitcher like Chacin. Oh well. You can't win 'em all, right?
What can we take away from the Giants' two through four pitchers and their performances this weekend? Zito continues to be efficient, Cain can bounce back and Sanchez needs to better composure from inning to inning if he wants to be more like Johan Santana and less like Oliver Perez.
It sucks that the Giants played three, top shelf National League teams (St. Louis, Philadelphia and Colorado) and came "Oh-So Close" to sweeping each one. Then again, you can't argue with six out of nine, especially against those caliber of teams.
While the Giants couldn't finish off the Rockies today, Giants fans have to be optimistic about their chances in the NL West. What made the Giants so successful this weekend? Well, I think it's safe to say that Giants fans can thank the starting rotation, specifically Barry Zito and Matt Cain.
If you break down Zito, Cain and Jonathan Sanchez's performances over the weekend, they all show some interesting things.
First, let's look at Zito's numbers on last Friday's start (information courtesy of Brooks Baseball.net and their Pitch F/X tool).
Pitch Statistics | |||||||||
| Pitch Type | Avg Speed | Max Speed | Avg H-Break | Avg V-Break | Count | Strikes / % | Swinging Strikes / % | Nibbleness | Time to Plate |
| FF (FourSeam Fastball) | 85.96 | 87.6 | 6.37 | 10.20 | 33 | 19 / 57.58% | 2 / 6.06% | 6.22 | 0.437 |
| CH (Changeup) | 74.24 | 75.9 | 6.88 | 2.68 | 12 | 8 / 66.67% | 1 / 8.33% | 4.15 | 0.503 |
| SL (Slider) | 78.36 | 81.5 | -3.92 | 1.81 | 20 | 14 / 70.00% | 2 / 10.00% | 8.17 | 0.476 |
| CU (Curveball) | 73.14 | 76.5 | -5.34 | -10.98 | 25 | 16 / 64.00% | 4 / 16.00% | 8.65 | 0.526 |
| FT (TwoSeam Fastball) | 85.59 | 87.5 | 9.25 | 7.59 | 29 | 18 / 62.07% | 1 / 3.45% | 4.74 | 0.438 |
| Pitch classifications provided by the Gameday Algorithm and may be inaccurate. | |||||||||
From the information above, you can see that Zito was extremely effective with his breaking pitches, specifically his slider and curve ball. Last Friday's start was just another example of Zito's success this year: his fastball velocity is up early this year, which makes his curve and slider, even more effective.
Last year, and in 2008, when his fastball velocity waned in April, he got mashed, simply because the curve and slider were too close in terms of velocity to his fastball (Thus, it being easier for hitters to adjust). That hasn't been the case this year, and Zito arguably has been the Giants' best pitcher this April (it's either him or Tim Lincecum). Granted, his low BABIP (.209) is still a concern (how will his numbers look when his BABIP eventually rises?) but you can't argue with the results from the big lefty.
Cain also posted an impressive start yesterday, finally earning some run support, and also struck some guys out too boot (eight in eight innings pitched), en route to his first victory of the year.
What is most impressive about Cain's start though is how he bounced back despite rough second and third innings in terms of pitch count.
| Inning | Pitches in Inning | Strikes in Inning | Strike% in Inning | Cumulative Total Pitches | ||||
| 1 | 16 | 14 | 87.50 | 16 | ||||
| 2 | 22 | 12 | 54.55 | 38 | ||||
| 3 | 27 | 17 | 62.96 | 65 | ||||
| 4 | 11 | 9 | 81.82 | 76 | ||||
| 5 | 13 | 8 | 61.54 | 89 | ||||
| 6 | 8 | 6 | 75.00 | 97 | ||||
| 7 | 12 | 9 | 75.00 | 109 | ||||
| 8 | 13 | 10 | 76.92 | 122 | ||||
After the second and third, I didn't think Cain would go more than six (seven at the max). The pitch count was high at 65 after the third, and by the fourth, the Giants had already produced a decent impact in terms of run support to cover the Giants right-hander.
However, Cain buckled down and performed admirably. After throwing 49 pitches in the second and third inning combined, and only throwing 29 strikes (his strike percentage in the second and third combined was 59 percent), Cain buckled and threw 57 pitches over the next five innings (including 42 pitches for strikes). Additionally, Cain kept bringing the heat, as his fastball velocity still stayed in the 90-93 MPH range, even after he got past the 100 pitch mark.
Say what you want about Cain: he doesn't strike a lot of guys out, he puts too many ball in play, he doesn't get enough run support, etc. The kid is tough and has a lot of mental makeup, as evidenced by his excellent start against the Rockies.
Unfortunately, you can't say the same of Sanchez and his start today.
If you look at the first inning, Sanchez looked to be on his way to another unbelievable performance. He threw only eight pitches in the first inning, all of them for strikes. The second inning though, he started to show some warning signs. He threw 33 pitches in the two innings combined, 20 of the pitches for strikes (60.6 percent).
And then, in true, "Brian De Palma Post-Mission Impossible" fashion, Sanchez fell off a cliff in the fourth. He threw 32 pitches, and only 15 for strikes (46.88 percent). Though he only allowed one run that inning, he continued to struggle into the fifth, unable to regain the control he had shown in the first inning. It was safe to say, by the fifth, it was just a slippery slope for the Giants in general, especially considering the fact that Chacin was owning the Giants' hitters today like the Kardashian sisters owning athletic stars with their...ugh..."qualities".
Bottom line though for Sanchez? His problem today proved to be the problem he's had his whole career: consistency with his command.
Check out the strikezone plot for him in today's game.
Not exactly impressive, huh? A lot of white in that strike zone.
Then again, you have to expect games like this from Sanchez. He has incredible strikeout stuff, but his control is going to wane up and down. That's just the reality of who he is as a pitcher. The problem is, you wish these games happen against the Astros and Nationals, teams whom the Giants have a good shot against in terms of getting run support to back up "off" performances like this one today from Sanchez.
Unfortunately, it happens against the Rockies and against an impressive pitcher like Chacin. Oh well. You can't win 'em all, right?
What can we take away from the Giants' two through four pitchers and their performances this weekend? Zito continues to be efficient, Cain can bounce back and Sanchez needs to better composure from inning to inning if he wants to be more like Johan Santana and less like Oliver Perez.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Zito Wins, Twenty-Three and Some YouTube
Don't have much time today to write an extensive piece (sorry...I'm human, not Woody Paige), so I just wanted to write a quick post about a few thoughts.
Zito Beats Rockies, Improves to 4-0, and is Slowly Gaining Back Fans (though he shouldn't have lost them in the first place).
Just imagine an alternate universe where Barry Zito did not get that seven-year, $126 million contact in 2007. Just imagine that he was only paid say...$80 million. Just imagine that Peter Magowan and Brian Sabean didn't panic because they thought Zito was going to command a TON on the open market. When you think about that, Zito is a pretty likable guy, in fact more than likable. He's funny, he's a solid clubhouse guy, he is consistent, he stays healthy. What more do you want in a pitcher? So he doesn't have a 90-plus fastball. That's why he has his curve (and change, which is working well now because his fastball is actually touching in the 85-88 MPH range now).
And yet, everybody has hated Zito for the past three years. Everybody says "Get Zito off our team!" though in reality, he hasn't really been the problem. The problem is Sabean. The problem is the offense. The problem is a beer that costs nine bucks at the Doggie Diner at AT&T Park (and a Bud Light mind you). Not Zito. I mean, he organized Guitar Hero contests in the locker room after Barry Bonds left. Did Russ Ortiz do that stuff? I didn't think so.
Let's show some Zito love, and let's do it while we can. You know he's not going to have that great of a month again this year (I point to the .209 BABIP; no way it's going to be that low by the end of the year).
Twenty-Three Years Old
Shoot. I turn twenty-three today, that weird stage where you're past the "Let's rock it!" days of twenty-one and the "Wow I'm getting older than I thought" days of twenty-five. In consolation, today is also Wes Anderson's 41st birthday. The bad part of that coincidence? I've never seen any Wes Anderson movies (though I do want to).
Tony Batista Does Something Other Than Strikeout
Yes, Tony Batista was terrible. A guy with a career BB/K ratio of 0.36 and a wOBA of .320 certainly won't be knocking on the Baseball Writers of America's door for a Hall of Fame nomination anytime soon. That being said, Batista happened to be good for some things:
1.) Dingers (221 to be exact!)
2.) Fun defense (if 2.6 RF/G at third is fun).
3.) Scaring small Japanese men (second only to Bob Sapp).
Don't get the third? See it for yourself.
Zito Beats Rockies, Improves to 4-0, and is Slowly Gaining Back Fans (though he shouldn't have lost them in the first place).
Just imagine an alternate universe where Barry Zito did not get that seven-year, $126 million contact in 2007. Just imagine that he was only paid say...$80 million. Just imagine that Peter Magowan and Brian Sabean didn't panic because they thought Zito was going to command a TON on the open market. When you think about that, Zito is a pretty likable guy, in fact more than likable. He's funny, he's a solid clubhouse guy, he is consistent, he stays healthy. What more do you want in a pitcher? So he doesn't have a 90-plus fastball. That's why he has his curve (and change, which is working well now because his fastball is actually touching in the 85-88 MPH range now).
And yet, everybody has hated Zito for the past three years. Everybody says "Get Zito off our team!" though in reality, he hasn't really been the problem. The problem is Sabean. The problem is the offense. The problem is a beer that costs nine bucks at the Doggie Diner at AT&T Park (and a Bud Light mind you). Not Zito. I mean, he organized Guitar Hero contests in the locker room after Barry Bonds left. Did Russ Ortiz do that stuff? I didn't think so.
Let's show some Zito love, and let's do it while we can. You know he's not going to have that great of a month again this year (I point to the .209 BABIP; no way it's going to be that low by the end of the year).
Twenty-Three Years Old
Shoot. I turn twenty-three today, that weird stage where you're past the "Let's rock it!" days of twenty-one and the "Wow I'm getting older than I thought" days of twenty-five. In consolation, today is also Wes Anderson's 41st birthday. The bad part of that coincidence? I've never seen any Wes Anderson movies (though I do want to).
Tony Batista Does Something Other Than Strikeout
Yes, Tony Batista was terrible. A guy with a career BB/K ratio of 0.36 and a wOBA of .320 certainly won't be knocking on the Baseball Writers of America's door for a Hall of Fame nomination anytime soon. That being said, Batista happened to be good for some things:
1.) Dingers (221 to be exact!)
2.) Fun defense (if 2.6 RF/G at third is fun).
3.) Scaring small Japanese men (second only to Bob Sapp).
Don't get the third? See it for yourself.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
The PG Beat: Miller and Valdez mercilessly fail, Giants score 11 runs and lose
Man....
Seriously, I do not know what to say.
When I leave to watch the game, it's is 6-1 Giants. Martinez is cruising, and the Giants offense looks like I wished it looked like since the Trade Deadline. Ryan Garko is absolutely killing the ball, and the Giants hitters look absolutely dialed in against a very talented pitcher such as Jorge De La Rosa, who has a history of mowing down Giants hitters (he was 4-0 going into this game).
Then, one two-pound sirloin steak at Cattleman's later, it's an 11-6 game once my family and I get back in the car and turn on the radio. My dad says "I'm not listening to this shit" and turns off the radio. When I get home it's 14-6 Rockies after the seventh, the game, all but lost for the Giants at this point.
Six-run lead? That can be made up. But eight-run lead with two innings to play? Well...that one's a little bit trickier.
Granted, you can pretty much blame this 14-11 loss on one thing: the pitching. Yeah, I know, that's something you don't always say with this Giants team, but this Giants pitching staff, bullpen especially, laid a tremendous duck egg out there tonight.
Martinez went 5 innings, gave up nine hits and six runs. Justin Miller went 0.2 innings and gave up four hits, four runs and two walks. Merkin "I'm a young 28 even though in the D/R everyone is three years older" Valdez went 0.2 innings and gave up two hits, four runs and three walks.
Sorry boys. It doesn't matter if Ryan Garko hits two home runs with those kinds of pitching statistics. When you pitch that poorly against a Rockies team that is pretty good in a ballpark where the ball flies...well...you're pretty much seceding as easily as Czechoslovakia did to the Germans in World War II.
However, I'm not as pissed as many Giants would expect. This offense is turning it around. Garko is starting to show he belongs in the everyday lineup (no thanks to a reverse jinx by me. Am I right? Am I right? Just say yes...fine!) and all those hits that went unrewarded are starting to finally drive in some runs. Furthermore, Panda is starting to look like Panda again and sans one bad inning, Martinez didn't actually look all that bad.
And lastly, Bob Howry. Good stuff from him tonight. For all the crap you get, you sure know how to come in stop the bleeding. Seriously, all those jerkasses who are continuing to dump their ever-amounting frustration on Howry need to ease up. Sure, the guy gives up the walk-off jacks, but he's not our closer, and he can't be expected to be one either. And as far as I'm concerned, Howry is doing us all a favor in those walk-off jacks. He is ending the game earlier for us Giants fans, and he saves us from watching the Giants whiff with RISP for another inning.
At this point, I'm still hopeful for the split, which would be good enough for me. However, the Giants really, really need Freddy Sanchez back in the lineup. We just need his presence in this series, and unfortunately, Juan Uribe and Eugenio Velez simply isn't cutting at the two-bagger.
Please God, if you could, can Freddy get back in the lineup. I would be forever grateful my man.
Postgame box notes:
Winning pitcher: Jorge De La Rosa (12-8) 6 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO.
Losing pitcher: Justin Miller (2-2) 0.2 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 0 SO (That's one crappy outing now, isn't it?)
Giants standouts: Pablo Sandoval, 3-for-5, 2 2B (37), HR (19). Nate Schierholtz, HR (5). Ryan Garko, 2-for-5, 2 HR (2). Aaron Rowand, 2-for-4, HR (12). Bengie Molina, 2B (24). Joe Martinez, 2-for-2, 2B (1).
Rockies standouts: Dexter Fowler, 2-for-3, 2 3B (9). Todd Helton, HR (12). Troy Tulowitzki, 2-for-3. Brad Hawpe, 2-for-5, 2B (35). Ian Stewart, 2-for-4, HR (19). Sean Smith, 3B (3).
Probable starters for next game: Lincecum (12-3) vs. Jimenez (11-9).
Seriously, I do not know what to say.
When I leave to watch the game, it's is 6-1 Giants. Martinez is cruising, and the Giants offense looks like I wished it looked like since the Trade Deadline. Ryan Garko is absolutely killing the ball, and the Giants hitters look absolutely dialed in against a very talented pitcher such as Jorge De La Rosa, who has a history of mowing down Giants hitters (he was 4-0 going into this game).
Then, one two-pound sirloin steak at Cattleman's later, it's an 11-6 game once my family and I get back in the car and turn on the radio. My dad says "I'm not listening to this shit" and turns off the radio. When I get home it's 14-6 Rockies after the seventh, the game, all but lost for the Giants at this point.
Six-run lead? That can be made up. But eight-run lead with two innings to play? Well...that one's a little bit trickier.
Granted, you can pretty much blame this 14-11 loss on one thing: the pitching. Yeah, I know, that's something you don't always say with this Giants team, but this Giants pitching staff, bullpen especially, laid a tremendous duck egg out there tonight.
Martinez went 5 innings, gave up nine hits and six runs. Justin Miller went 0.2 innings and gave up four hits, four runs and two walks. Merkin "I'm a young 28 even though in the D/R everyone is three years older" Valdez went 0.2 innings and gave up two hits, four runs and three walks.
Sorry boys. It doesn't matter if Ryan Garko hits two home runs with those kinds of pitching statistics. When you pitch that poorly against a Rockies team that is pretty good in a ballpark where the ball flies...well...you're pretty much seceding as easily as Czechoslovakia did to the Germans in World War II.
However, I'm not as pissed as many Giants would expect. This offense is turning it around. Garko is starting to show he belongs in the everyday lineup (no thanks to a reverse jinx by me. Am I right? Am I right? Just say yes...fine!) and all those hits that went unrewarded are starting to finally drive in some runs. Furthermore, Panda is starting to look like Panda again and sans one bad inning, Martinez didn't actually look all that bad.
And lastly, Bob Howry. Good stuff from him tonight. For all the crap you get, you sure know how to come in stop the bleeding. Seriously, all those jerkasses who are continuing to dump their ever-amounting frustration on Howry need to ease up. Sure, the guy gives up the walk-off jacks, but he's not our closer, and he can't be expected to be one either. And as far as I'm concerned, Howry is doing us all a favor in those walk-off jacks. He is ending the game earlier for us Giants fans, and he saves us from watching the Giants whiff with RISP for another inning.
At this point, I'm still hopeful for the split, which would be good enough for me. However, the Giants really, really need Freddy Sanchez back in the lineup. We just need his presence in this series, and unfortunately, Juan Uribe and Eugenio Velez simply isn't cutting at the two-bagger.
Please God, if you could, can Freddy get back in the lineup. I would be forever grateful my man.
Postgame box notes:
Winning pitcher: Jorge De La Rosa (12-8) 6 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO.
Losing pitcher: Justin Miller (2-2) 0.2 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 0 SO (That's one crappy outing now, isn't it?)
Giants standouts: Pablo Sandoval, 3-for-5, 2 2B (37), HR (19). Nate Schierholtz, HR (5). Ryan Garko, 2-for-5, 2 HR (2). Aaron Rowand, 2-for-4, HR (12). Bengie Molina, 2B (24). Joe Martinez, 2-for-2, 2B (1).
Rockies standouts: Dexter Fowler, 2-for-3, 2 3B (9). Todd Helton, HR (12). Troy Tulowitzki, 2-for-3. Brad Hawpe, 2-for-5, 2B (35). Ian Stewart, 2-for-4, HR (19). Sean Smith, 3B (3).
Probable starters for next game: Lincecum (12-3) vs. Jimenez (11-9).
Potent Preview: San Francisco Giants (67-55) at Colorado Rockies (68-54)
Probable starters:
SFO: Joe Martinez (3-1) 4.76 ERA. COL: Jorge De La Rosa (11-8) 4.58 ERA.
The Giants got a big win last night against the Rockies. Granted, there were some odd events that swayed in the Giants' favor. Troy Tulowitzki was sick from an illness and missed yesterday's game and could possibly miss today game as well (killer for my fantasy team though). Aaron Cook was taken out of the game after three innings due to some problems with his arm. And lastly, Aaron Rowand, of all people, hit a three-run home run to make the game 6-1 and out of reach for the Rockies.
That being said, the game felt close the whole game mainly due to two factors: the Giants couldn't come through time and time again with RISP, and the Giants bullpen had problems with walks. We all know the problems with the former, but the latter in my mind is a more disturbing trend. This Giants bullpen doesn't seem to get overmatched very often. However, they seem to get into trouble very offten when they lose their command and aren't able to locate the strike zone. Affeldt, Wilson, Romo and Medders have all had innings where they have shut down the opposition. But they also have had outings where they walk the house and give up a big, run-producing hit which could have been avoided had they kept their pitches under control. Granted, I can't complain too much. Compared to last year when the Giants were going with Jack Taschner, Tyler Walker and Keiichi Yabu in the big moments, this Giants bullpen actually looks phenomenal.
De La Rosa has been a very solid pitcher this second half and pitched incredibly well against San Francisco, especially in the last outing against former No. 5 starter Ryan Sadowski. That being said, the Giants have a much better starter this go-around in Joe Martinez, a guy who does all the right things to succeed in a park like Colorado. He's a sinker ball pitcher, he's going to induce groundouts, and those are two things you need to do in Colorado. When you throw straight, and allow a lot of fly balls, things are going to get rough for you as a pitcher. Thankfully, Martinez really doesn't embody those qualities too much.
On one last note, I hope to god Freddy Sanchez is in the lineup. I know he's beat up, but the one thing we can't have is him sitting the bench. This is one of the biggest series of the years and if he misses more than one game, then the Giants' chances aren't going to look so good. Furthermore, him sitting the bench starts to get me skeptical about the Sanchez-for-Alderson trade, which at the deadline I accepted as a good trade...as long as he was healthy.
If this issues continues to be a trend (With Sanchez taking three to four games off every couple of weeks), then I'm afraid that GM Neal Huntington and the Bucs may have swindled us.
For game updates check out the SJ Mercury's Andrew Baggarly's Giants blog at Extra Baggs. For live game thread and chat, check out the McCovey Chronicles.
SFO: Joe Martinez (3-1) 4.76 ERA. COL: Jorge De La Rosa (11-8) 4.58 ERA.
The Giants got a big win last night against the Rockies. Granted, there were some odd events that swayed in the Giants' favor. Troy Tulowitzki was sick from an illness and missed yesterday's game and could possibly miss today game as well (killer for my fantasy team though). Aaron Cook was taken out of the game after three innings due to some problems with his arm. And lastly, Aaron Rowand, of all people, hit a three-run home run to make the game 6-1 and out of reach for the Rockies.
That being said, the game felt close the whole game mainly due to two factors: the Giants couldn't come through time and time again with RISP, and the Giants bullpen had problems with walks. We all know the problems with the former, but the latter in my mind is a more disturbing trend. This Giants bullpen doesn't seem to get overmatched very often. However, they seem to get into trouble very offten when they lose their command and aren't able to locate the strike zone. Affeldt, Wilson, Romo and Medders have all had innings where they have shut down the opposition. But they also have had outings where they walk the house and give up a big, run-producing hit which could have been avoided had they kept their pitches under control. Granted, I can't complain too much. Compared to last year when the Giants were going with Jack Taschner, Tyler Walker and Keiichi Yabu in the big moments, this Giants bullpen actually looks phenomenal.
De La Rosa has been a very solid pitcher this second half and pitched incredibly well against San Francisco, especially in the last outing against former No. 5 starter Ryan Sadowski. That being said, the Giants have a much better starter this go-around in Joe Martinez, a guy who does all the right things to succeed in a park like Colorado. He's a sinker ball pitcher, he's going to induce groundouts, and those are two things you need to do in Colorado. When you throw straight, and allow a lot of fly balls, things are going to get rough for you as a pitcher. Thankfully, Martinez really doesn't embody those qualities too much.
On one last note, I hope to god Freddy Sanchez is in the lineup. I know he's beat up, but the one thing we can't have is him sitting the bench. This is one of the biggest series of the years and if he misses more than one game, then the Giants' chances aren't going to look so good. Furthermore, him sitting the bench starts to get me skeptical about the Sanchez-for-Alderson trade, which at the deadline I accepted as a good trade...as long as he was healthy.
If this issues continues to be a trend (With Sanchez taking three to four games off every couple of weeks), then I'm afraid that GM Neal Huntington and the Bucs may have swindled us.
For game updates check out the SJ Mercury's Andrew Baggarly's Giants blog at Extra Baggs. For live game thread and chat, check out the McCovey Chronicles.
Friday, August 21, 2009
The PG Beat: Giants take first one from Rockies, Sanchez deals again, RISP still a problem
For a 6-3 Giants win, this game was pretty darn nerve-wrecking. Usually, when you have that kind of lead, you never really feel any kind of panic, especially when it's 6-1 by the seventh. Yet when you factor in Coors Field, and that you're playing the Rockies, well...even a 10 run lead wouldn't feel comfortable for Giants fans. This Rockies team, and the field they play at, makes every game feel like a close one, even if the score suggests otherwise.
The Giants did get a lot of breaks in this one, and I'm not just talking about those big inning-ending double plays either. Troy Tulowitzki wasn't in the lineup. Aaron Cook left the game due to injury after 47 pitches. When you factor in those two events, chances are the game is going to tip in your favor. That being said, as we saw from the Reds series, even if you get all the breaks logically, your team still has to take care of business on the field. Thankfully, the Giants did tonight and gained a game on the Rockies in the Wild Card race.
Again, another solid start from Jonathan Sanchez, even if it was a bit sporadic. He went five innings of two-hit, scoreless baseball with eight strikeouts, but his command still is a problem from time to time. He threw four walks and allowed an unearned run, a classic sign that while he is still improving since being inserted back into the rotation, he still is not quite there in terms of being a really good pitcher. He is good certainly, but he is not even close to that caliber of Lincecum, Cain and even Zito just yet. However, I still remain confident in the kid. He is having the right kind of starts: he isn't making too many mistakes, and he is still befuddling hitters with his stuff. He is having the kind of problems many young pitchers can overcome. All it takes is confidence and more innings.
Even though the offense scored six runs this game, the Giants should have gotten 10 in my mind. RISP still remains a massive problem for this team. Even when they get ideal hitters in the right situations, they still can't produce. First we had Schierholtz with runners on second and third and one out, and he hits a fly ball in the infield. Next, we have the basese loaded with Sandoval, our main man at the plate, and he has a piss poor approach (swings at the first two pitchers even though Eaton walked the two hitters before him) and pops out meagerly to end the inning. I'm absolutely positive now that our RISP woes have more to do with the crappy approach our hitters have rather than any kind of ability. When you're 3-11 with RISP, then something needs to change. I don't care what it takes. If Bochy has to tell his hitters to take a strike with RISP, then do that. All I know is that I'm sick of seeing the Giants waste opportunity after opportunity, especially during this road trip.
Despite those sentiments above, overall, I'm happy with this win. We got the job done and took care of business and with this Giants team, that hasn't been an easy thing to do as of late. The fact that we got a very good start from Sanchez I think bodes good things for this series, especially considering Sanchez is always the guy I'm most nervous about when he takes the hill. While Martinez is no slam dunk, I believe he can have a solid outing as well. If he can muster the control he had in the 10-1 win in New York, than I think the Giants could be very well on the way in terms of taking this series in Colorado, which would be a big back-breaker for this Rockies team that is currently leading the Wild Card race.
Postgame box notes:
Winning pitcher: Jonathan Sanchez (6-10) 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 8 SO.
Losing pitcher: Aaron Cook (10-6), 3 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 0 SO.
Giants standouts: Edgar Renteria, 2-for-4. Bengie Molina, 2-for-5, 2B (23). Aaron Rowand, 3-for-4, HR (11).
Rockies standouts: Dexter Fowler, 2-for-2. Todd Helton, 3-for-5. Sean Smith, HR (10). Chris Iannetta, 2B (12).
Probable starters for next game: Martinez (3-1) vs. De La Rosa (11-8).
The Giants did get a lot of breaks in this one, and I'm not just talking about those big inning-ending double plays either. Troy Tulowitzki wasn't in the lineup. Aaron Cook left the game due to injury after 47 pitches. When you factor in those two events, chances are the game is going to tip in your favor. That being said, as we saw from the Reds series, even if you get all the breaks logically, your team still has to take care of business on the field. Thankfully, the Giants did tonight and gained a game on the Rockies in the Wild Card race.
Again, another solid start from Jonathan Sanchez, even if it was a bit sporadic. He went five innings of two-hit, scoreless baseball with eight strikeouts, but his command still is a problem from time to time. He threw four walks and allowed an unearned run, a classic sign that while he is still improving since being inserted back into the rotation, he still is not quite there in terms of being a really good pitcher. He is good certainly, but he is not even close to that caliber of Lincecum, Cain and even Zito just yet. However, I still remain confident in the kid. He is having the right kind of starts: he isn't making too many mistakes, and he is still befuddling hitters with his stuff. He is having the kind of problems many young pitchers can overcome. All it takes is confidence and more innings.
Even though the offense scored six runs this game, the Giants should have gotten 10 in my mind. RISP still remains a massive problem for this team. Even when they get ideal hitters in the right situations, they still can't produce. First we had Schierholtz with runners on second and third and one out, and he hits a fly ball in the infield. Next, we have the basese loaded with Sandoval, our main man at the plate, and he has a piss poor approach (swings at the first two pitchers even though Eaton walked the two hitters before him) and pops out meagerly to end the inning. I'm absolutely positive now that our RISP woes have more to do with the crappy approach our hitters have rather than any kind of ability. When you're 3-11 with RISP, then something needs to change. I don't care what it takes. If Bochy has to tell his hitters to take a strike with RISP, then do that. All I know is that I'm sick of seeing the Giants waste opportunity after opportunity, especially during this road trip.
Despite those sentiments above, overall, I'm happy with this win. We got the job done and took care of business and with this Giants team, that hasn't been an easy thing to do as of late. The fact that we got a very good start from Sanchez I think bodes good things for this series, especially considering Sanchez is always the guy I'm most nervous about when he takes the hill. While Martinez is no slam dunk, I believe he can have a solid outing as well. If he can muster the control he had in the 10-1 win in New York, than I think the Giants could be very well on the way in terms of taking this series in Colorado, which would be a big back-breaker for this Rockies team that is currently leading the Wild Card race.
Postgame box notes:
Winning pitcher: Jonathan Sanchez (6-10) 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 8 SO.
Losing pitcher: Aaron Cook (10-6), 3 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 0 SO.
Giants standouts: Edgar Renteria, 2-for-4. Bengie Molina, 2-for-5, 2B (23). Aaron Rowand, 3-for-4, HR (11).
Rockies standouts: Dexter Fowler, 2-for-2. Todd Helton, 3-for-5. Sean Smith, HR (10). Chris Iannetta, 2B (12).
Probable starters for next game: Martinez (3-1) vs. De La Rosa (11-8).
Potent Preview: San Francisco Giants (66-55) at Colorado Rockies (68-53)
Probable starters:
SFO: Jonathan Sanchez (5-10) 4.49 ERA. COL: Aaron Cook (10-5) 4.31 ERA.
Huge, huge, huge series. I know I have said that before, but when it's late August and you're playing the Wild Card leader in a four game set on the road, well...the kind of momentum that will be taken from that series will either carry the Giants into the playoffs or end their hopes completely. That's how important this series is I believe. Yeah, I know, the real games are played in September, but the Giants don't have many games left in September against the Rockies. This is one of the last few chances where the Giants will be able to make serious ground on the Rockies, and this team needs to take advantage of it, especially considering the Rockies are seeming to win all the games they are supposed to win.
Tonight, Jonathan Sanchez goes against Aaron Cook, and the last time those two face each other the results didn't go so hot in the Giants favor. But there is some silver lining of hope: Cook is coming off an atrocious start where he gave up seven runs in 2.1 innings and Sanchez is coming off a start where he went seven strong innings and only gave up two runs courtesy of a two-run home run (then again, that homer was hit by Luis "I don't hit homers ever" Castillo). My hope? Both pitchers continue their trend and Sanchez has another solid outing, only this time he has a lead. My fear? Sanchez continues his trend of good-start, bad start outings and Cook bounces back at home.
The good news for this game is Freddy Sanchez is back in the lineup, who was sorely missed in the Reds series. Sorry, Uribe and Velez aren't getting it done at second. I like Uribe, but he's a strictly two to three times a week kind of guy, and Velez should only be playing in left field, period. Thankfully, with Sanchez back in the lineup, we won't worry about those guys holding down second in a series where one or two plays could sway the momentum of the four-game set. Furthermore, Sanchez has raked at Colorado in the past. For all those Colorado fans who are confident that this series is a slam dunk because of the results against the Giants about a month ago, just remember...the Giants didn't have Freddy Sanchez. I know one guy doesn't make a difference, but having Sanchez at second and second in the lineup is a lot better than having Uribe starting. So don't get too cocky Colorado. This could be a different Giants team this time around.
Then again, I say could, because you can never predict anything with this freaking Giants offense.
For game updates check out the SJ Mercury's Andrew Baggarly's Giants blog at Extra Baggs. For live game thread and chat, check out the McCovey Chronicles.
SFO: Jonathan Sanchez (5-10) 4.49 ERA. COL: Aaron Cook (10-5) 4.31 ERA.
Huge, huge, huge series. I know I have said that before, but when it's late August and you're playing the Wild Card leader in a four game set on the road, well...the kind of momentum that will be taken from that series will either carry the Giants into the playoffs or end their hopes completely. That's how important this series is I believe. Yeah, I know, the real games are played in September, but the Giants don't have many games left in September against the Rockies. This is one of the last few chances where the Giants will be able to make serious ground on the Rockies, and this team needs to take advantage of it, especially considering the Rockies are seeming to win all the games they are supposed to win.
Tonight, Jonathan Sanchez goes against Aaron Cook, and the last time those two face each other the results didn't go so hot in the Giants favor. But there is some silver lining of hope: Cook is coming off an atrocious start where he gave up seven runs in 2.1 innings and Sanchez is coming off a start where he went seven strong innings and only gave up two runs courtesy of a two-run home run (then again, that homer was hit by Luis "I don't hit homers ever" Castillo). My hope? Both pitchers continue their trend and Sanchez has another solid outing, only this time he has a lead. My fear? Sanchez continues his trend of good-start, bad start outings and Cook bounces back at home.
The good news for this game is Freddy Sanchez is back in the lineup, who was sorely missed in the Reds series. Sorry, Uribe and Velez aren't getting it done at second. I like Uribe, but he's a strictly two to three times a week kind of guy, and Velez should only be playing in left field, period. Thankfully, with Sanchez back in the lineup, we won't worry about those guys holding down second in a series where one or two plays could sway the momentum of the four-game set. Furthermore, Sanchez has raked at Colorado in the past. For all those Colorado fans who are confident that this series is a slam dunk because of the results against the Giants about a month ago, just remember...the Giants didn't have Freddy Sanchez. I know one guy doesn't make a difference, but having Sanchez at second and second in the lineup is a lot better than having Uribe starting. So don't get too cocky Colorado. This could be a different Giants team this time around.
Then again, I say could, because you can never predict anything with this freaking Giants offense.
For game updates check out the SJ Mercury's Andrew Baggarly's Giants blog at Extra Baggs. For live game thread and chat, check out the McCovey Chronicles.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
The PG Beat: Sadowski punches plane ticket to Fresno, Rockies take two game lead in Wild Card
What Bruce Bochy said to Ryan Sadowski after taking him out of the game in the third inning: "Well kid, at least the weather will be better in Fresno."It was a weird how the Giants lost to the Colorado Rockies 4-2 on Sunday afternoon. For starters, the game went incessantly long and dragged over three hours. I don't know if that was due to the Umpire's massively inconsistent strike zone, or the number of long at-bats hitters had, but for a 4-2 game, the game just seemed to slug along to the point where I was actually thankful the game was finally over after Rockies closer Huston Street struck out Uribe to end the contest and the series (I knew our best chance to come back was in the eight and after Lewis and Ishikawa got embarrassed by Rockies reliever Morales to end the inning, I knew the game was over).
Another strange, but characteristic game stat of the Giants season was the hits to runs ratio. Colorado had 10 hits, but only scored four runs. San Francisco didn't do bad at the dish with nine hits, but as always, driving in runs was a problem as they only scored home two. I'm not getting mad or disappointed with these stats because that is just how this Giants team is in reality. They have guys that can hit singles and doubles, but can't seem to do so with runners on base. Noneteless, it's still frustrating because you know this team could do better if they concentrate. Yet over and over again they're swinging at the first close strike against a sinker-baller like Aaron Cook, which is the last thing you want to do because you'll just ground out. The key to beating a guy like Cook is work deep in the count, and try to get into counts where he'll make mistakes up the strike zone.
Despite that obvious fact, Bowker continues to swing at the first pitch close pitch and grounds out to Barmes three straight at-bats. Winn does the same thing, hitting four lousy dribblers to the left side of the field, on 0-1, 1-0 counts. That's really just bad coaching, and whoever is responsible (whether it is hitting coach Carney Lansford or manager Bruce Bochy) needs to either get their stuff together or sent packing. Personally, I think it's Lansford, whom I never been a fan of since he was hired. If the Giants don't make dramatic improvement over the next month, I hope Sabean makes a move and hires somebody new as hitting coach to mix things up next season.
After it was all said and done, th hitting was pretty much what you expect from the Giants, so I'm not incredibly disappointed. They're going to have days when they're mediocre, days when they're below mediocre, and days when their above-average. It's expected. The real story of the day was Sadowski. He threw his second straight stinker in a row, which got him yanked not only early from the game (he was pulled in the third inning!) but probably from the rotation as well. Everybody said Sadowski's first two starts were not indicative of his true progress as a pitcher, for in the minors, his numbers were actually just above-average at best. Now I think we can officially say those Sadowski-naysayers were right. The guy is an average pitcher, and obviously isn't the same pitcher that had that sparkling debut in Milwaukee.
Without a doubt, I wouldn't be surprised that if by tomorrow, Sadowski was sent to Fresno, and the Giants called up another pitcher. The most likely candidate would probably be Kevin Pucetas. He was originally going to be the pitcher to replace Sanchez in the rotation when Sanchez was sent to the bullpen for a brief period, but couldn't make the start against the Brewers because he had just pitched the day before the callup. So instead, the Giants settled on Sadowski, which didn't look too bad...at the time.
At 10-2 with a 3.26 ERA and 1.21 WHIP this season in Fresno, Pucetas certainly deserves a shot to crack the Giants rotation, especially with Randy Johnson going in for another MRI Monday, and Sadowski getting abused on the mound more than Private Pyle in Full Metal Jacket in his last couple of starts.
It was definitely a tough series against Colorado, not to mention road trip, to stomach for Giants fans. After a great first half which had the Giants 10 games over .500, and first place in the NL Wild Card, the Giants went on a free-fall by going 3-7 on the road trip, losing two out of three to NL West rival Colorado, and now falling behind the Rockies in the Wild Card race by two games. Who knows what got to the Giants: all the sudden surprise loving at the All-Star break by experts, bad karma from Lincecum's bad start at the All-Star game, the sudden pressure on Sandoval after the whole "Vote for Pablo" campaign.
Whatever it is that got to the Giants, they need to get over it fast and put together a good homestand against the Pirates and defending world-champion Phillies (which won't be easy considering how well they're playing as of late). If they struggle during this seven-game stretch and don't win four or more games, Giants fans can just forget about those postseason dreams.
Postgame box notes:
Winning pitcher: Aaron Cook (10-3) 7 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 SO.
Losing pitcher: Ryan Sadowski (2-3) 2.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 SO.
Giants standouts: Fred Lewis, 2-for-4. Travis Ishikawa, 2-for-4. Edgar Renteria, 2-for-4, 2B (14). Aaron Rowand, 2B (24).
Rockies standouts: Aaron Cook, 2B (1), Carlos Gonzalez, 3B (3). Yorvit "I can't hit against anybody but the Giants" Torrealba, 2-for-3.
Probable starters for Giants next game against Pirates: Lincecum (10-3) vs. Maholm (6-4).
Probable starters for Rockies next game against Mets: Jimenez (7-9) vs. Perez (2-3).
Potent Preview: San Francisco Giants (52-45) at Colordo Rockies (53-44)
Probable starters:
SFO: Ryan Sadowski (2-2) 4.15 ERA. COL: Aaron Cook (9-3) 3.94 ERA.
The season has been an interesting one for 26-year-old rookie Ryan Sadowski. After two surprising awesome starts in a row to start off his big-league career, his last two outings have been rather forgettable. He had a hard time keeping things under control in his third start, and in his fourth start he just got absolutely shelled.
In a hitter's ballpark like Colorado, you have to be nervous with Sadowski taking the hill. His stuff isn't great, and if he leaves pitches up high, we could have a game that could turn out uglier than the last start he had in Atlanta. However, Sadowski pitches, the Giants need to come out of the gate fast. They can't have a slow start, especially with a rookie whose confidence is shaken and a quality starter in Aaron Cook on the hill. If the Giants are able to hit Cook early, I think that will bode good things for Sadowski early, who seems to be a lot better pitching with a lead (which he had in his first two starts of the year). However, if Cook mows down the Giants, as he has done in the past, then this game could get real ugly, real fast and I wouldn't be surprised if Sadowski would be out of the rotation if he has another poor outing.
The lineup at least is to Sadowski's advantage. Lewis is back in the lineup despite inexplicably not playing yesterday after a 3-for-3 performance on Friday. Furthermore, Matt Downs is sitting the pine, which is addition by subtraction in my mind. The only problem I have with this lineup is John Bowker is playing right. I don't know if he should be in the lineup period, let alone playing right field (does he even have an arm?). However, the only way Bowker is going to get better is by getting at-bats, so hopefully we can see a breakthrough game from the lefty. If he can make contact on the ball, it isn't crazy to think that those line drives he hit will fly out in Coors. It certainly worked for Troy Tulowitizki last night. Hopefully it can work for Bowker today.
This isn't a do-or-die kind of a win for the Giants (it is still July and there is two months of ball left to be played, so you can't consider this game being in must-win territory), but a win certainly would bode well for their Wild Card chance. The bottom line? The Giants need to be aggressive and get to Cook early. If he gains any confidence, and if Sadowski doesn't have the run support he had in his first two outings, this will be a long game for the Giants that will further add to Colorado's sickening amount of momentum since Clint Hurdle's firing.
For game updates check out the SJ Mercury's Andrew Baggarly's Giants blog at Extra Baggs. For live game thread and chat, check out the McCovey Chronicles.
SFO: Ryan Sadowski (2-2) 4.15 ERA. COL: Aaron Cook (9-3) 3.94 ERA.
The season has been an interesting one for 26-year-old rookie Ryan Sadowski. After two surprising awesome starts in a row to start off his big-league career, his last two outings have been rather forgettable. He had a hard time keeping things under control in his third start, and in his fourth start he just got absolutely shelled.
In a hitter's ballpark like Colorado, you have to be nervous with Sadowski taking the hill. His stuff isn't great, and if he leaves pitches up high, we could have a game that could turn out uglier than the last start he had in Atlanta. However, Sadowski pitches, the Giants need to come out of the gate fast. They can't have a slow start, especially with a rookie whose confidence is shaken and a quality starter in Aaron Cook on the hill. If the Giants are able to hit Cook early, I think that will bode good things for Sadowski early, who seems to be a lot better pitching with a lead (which he had in his first two starts of the year). However, if Cook mows down the Giants, as he has done in the past, then this game could get real ugly, real fast and I wouldn't be surprised if Sadowski would be out of the rotation if he has another poor outing.
The lineup at least is to Sadowski's advantage. Lewis is back in the lineup despite inexplicably not playing yesterday after a 3-for-3 performance on Friday. Furthermore, Matt Downs is sitting the pine, which is addition by subtraction in my mind. The only problem I have with this lineup is John Bowker is playing right. I don't know if he should be in the lineup period, let alone playing right field (does he even have an arm?). However, the only way Bowker is going to get better is by getting at-bats, so hopefully we can see a breakthrough game from the lefty. If he can make contact on the ball, it isn't crazy to think that those line drives he hit will fly out in Coors. It certainly worked for Troy Tulowitizki last night. Hopefully it can work for Bowker today.
This isn't a do-or-die kind of a win for the Giants (it is still July and there is two months of ball left to be played, so you can't consider this game being in must-win territory), but a win certainly would bode well for their Wild Card chance. The bottom line? The Giants need to be aggressive and get to Cook early. If he gains any confidence, and if Sadowski doesn't have the run support he had in his first two outings, this will be a long game for the Giants that will further add to Colorado's sickening amount of momentum since Clint Hurdle's firing.
For game updates check out the SJ Mercury's Andrew Baggarly's Giants blog at Extra Baggs. For live game thread and chat, check out the McCovey Chronicles.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
The PG Beat: Retro-Sanchez night at Coors Field, Colorado's Troy Tulowitziki beats Giants by himself
Troy Tulowitzki: Good for my fantasy team "Bring Back Barry." Bad for the Giants' chances of making the postseason.Jonathan Sanchez didn't do either option one or two in my pre-game analysis. Instead, he did something that may have proved to be worse than option two: he reverted back to his old, inconsistent self.
The thing about Sanchez that is frustrating is the guy just really gets rattled on the mound. He was absolutely dealing for three innings, looking great as he mowed down Rockies hitters the first time through the order. Then, like clockwork, things get ugly for him when he got through the lineup a second time. It started with b a cheap hit, a walk, some rain and then before you know it...Troy Tulowitzki hits a three-run home run and the game is suddenly 3-0 and Sanchez is throwing a hissy fit on the mound.
Look, I understand Sanchez. You let those at-bats get away in the fourth. I know you were probably ticked off on some of the calls you were squeezed on. I know that you feel that you just let one bad pitch get away and that's it. However, the only way you're going to improve as a pitcher is if you suck up, and take the game on, batter by batter. Seriously, seeing him out there on the mound, cursing to himself and losing his composure just made me sick to my stomach. It basically lost the game for him and this Giants team. His head was never in the game after that home run, and he only lasted five innings in a very forgettable performance.
To be perfectly honest, I'm a fan of Sanchez. I absolutely love his stuff. Stuff-wise, I think he can give Lincecum a run for his money. His pitching style is deceptive, his fastball is livelier than Lincecum's, and he's a lefty, which is always a bonus because of the sheer novelty of a left-handed dominating starter (seriously, a good lefty is like a good refrigerator with one of those ice/water machines. You can have the best refrigerator in the world, but when you have one of those ice/water machines connected, that puts it over the top. That's how great a good lefty can be over a good righty. A good righty just doesn't have that novelty a lefty does).
Yet in terms of mental makeup, Sanchez barely cracks this rotation. Zito looks like Greg Maddux in comparison. Sanchez gets down on himself, loses control and pitching coach Dave Righetti needs to come out once an inning to calm him down, and even then that seems to do nada. Until Sanchez can harness his emotions and composure on the mound, his great stuff and all the mechanical adjustments in the world, won't help him be a better pitcher. After tonight, I'm absolutely convinced that Sanchez's problems all stem from a need for a mental and emotional adjustment on the mound. I think physically the tools are there, but his lack of composure is what holds him back from being truly a great pitcher.
That being said, I'm not blaming this one totally on Sanchez. Tulowitzki killed us. There is no doubt about it. Granted, Sanchez could have walked a lot less guys, and could've been more composed on the mound, but Sanchez only made a couple of mistakes until the sixth inning. The thing that hurt the Giants in this loss was a familiar story: lack of run support.
Now, I'm getting tired of saying it, but it's the same swan song with this team: they string together a decent amount of hits, but they just can't bring the runs in. That's the biggest problem with this team, and that is one of the reasons why I can't fathom why Nick Johnson would be considered an improvement to this roster. He doesn't drive in runs, but rather gets on base and scores runs. Well...that's not our freaking problem! Our problem is getting RBI, and finding someone that can get a base hit with ducks on the pond. We don't need a guy who can draw walks! Seriously, if I hear one more "The Giants need to acquire Nick Johnson" statement from a Peter Gammons or Buster Olney, I'm going to go crazy.
So, bottom line, Giants did what they always did at the plate (bad at-bats, not coming through with runners on base) and they lost. Nonetheless, this one was kind of disappointing because I felt if the Giants could get something early going with the bats, Sanchez could have built on that confidence and had another good outing. Unfortunately, it was the Rockies that struck first and it was all downhill from there. Such a shame.
In other news, Merkin Valdez continues to befuddle Giants fans as the "most disappointing pitcher with seemingly good stuff" in the history of this Giants organization. I'm serious. On paper, Valdez has everything that could merit him being a lights out closer or set-up man. He has a high-90's fastball and a very good breaking ball. That being said, he can't finish an 0-2 count to save his life. Finishing hitters for him seems to be as arduous a challenge as television producers saying "No" to Paris Hilton being on television. Having him in the bullpen is such a waste, especially when really quality relievers like Brandon Medders lose opportunities to pitch because Sabean and Bochy think Valdez has the potential to be good down the road. Look guys, he's either going to become the next big closer or he isn't. So far it doesn't look that way. Let's cut our losses and move on. It's not like we're desperate for bullpen arms here.
Just a tough loss once again. There still is hope of course. There is hope Ryan Sadowski won't stink up the joint like his last outing in Atlanta. There is hope Edgar Renteria will finally learn to hit the ball out of the infield again. There is hope that somebody can drive in runs with ducks on the pond in a pressure-packed situation. There is hope that the Giants can still beat Colorado in this Wild Card race.
Unfortunately, like Alexander Dumas said in the ending of The Man in the Iron Mask, "We live in hope, only to die despair..."
I know. It's a little early for that kind of talk so I'm sorry. But after tonight, just for your information, I'm not feeling good in terms of confidence. A struggling Sadowski on the mound facing the ace of the Rockies staff, Aaron Cook, in the rubber game of this crucial series simply has just brought out the worst in me.
Postgame box notes:
Winning pitcher: Jorge De La Rosa (8-7) 7.1 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 7 SO
Losing pitcher: Jonathan Sanchez (3-9) 5 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 5 SO
Giants standouts: Randy Winn, 3B (5). Pablo Sandoval, 2-for-4, 2 2B (28). Juan Uribe, 2-for-4.
Rockies standouts: Brad Hawpe, 2-for-3. Troy Tulowitzki, 3-for-4, HR (18), 2B (14). Chris Ianetta, 2B (10).
Probable starters for next game: Sadowski (2-2) vs. Cook (9-3).
Potent Preview: San Francisco Giants (52-44) at Colorado Rockies (52-44)
Probable starters:
SFO: Jonathan Sanchez (3-8) 4.68 ERA, COL: Jorge De La Rosa (7-7) 4.95 ERA
Like I said last night, a great win for the Giants that at least gives them a chance in this series and prevents the "Oh my god the world is going to come to an end" sweep. Yet the series, with the two teams now tied going into tonight's game, is far from over. If anything, last night was technically a wash game for the Rockies. Their top-winning pitcher (Jason Marquis) was hurt (not that it would have made a difference for Marquis is vastly overrated) and the offense was without Clint Barmes, who I think has been very key to their recent success this year.
While I have no idea if Barmes is going to be back in the lineup tonight, the Rockies certainly have a better pitcher on the mound in Jorge De La Rosa. The guy has been inconsistent, but he has very good stuff and can surprise on occasion. You could argue the fact that Sanchez has a lower ERA than De La Rosa, but then again, De La Rosa never had the luxury of a no-hitter either.
The interesting development for tonight is whether or not Fred Lewis will be in the starting lineup for the second straight night. I hope so. I think Lewis has a groove in Coors Field that merits him playing every game in this series. That being, said, I saw the SF Giants Updates on Twitter, and they tweeted that Aaron Rowand should return to the lineup today. I, for the love of God, hope that isn't the case. While Rowand does bring a lot of great intangibles to this team, his approach at the plate lately has stunk. He either grounds the ball to the left side weakly, or he strikes out. That is pretty much what you have grown to expect with Rowand at the plate during this road trip. For his sake, and the team's sake, Bochy would best be served by staying with the outfield of Schierholtz in right, Winn in center and Lewis in left (though Lewis defensively hasn't gotten any better, as evidenced by his horrendous read on the Atkins double last night). Rowand gets to rest and regain his confidence when he gets back home, and Lewis will continue to carry his hot streak in Colorado. I also want Schierholtz and Winn in the lineup because Winn has been having good approaches at the plate lately, and Schierholtz is a defensive monster that is needed in the outfield. People think twice about stretching out singles with Nate in right. Winn? Not so much.
Other than whether or not Lewis is going to be in the lineup tonight, it will be interesting to see how Sanchez fares in his third start. His second start was of course, not as good as his no hitter, but it was still a very solid start. Now, after a mere above-average start, I think we will see one of two things:
1.) Sanchez continues to deal and absolutely mows down the Rockies lineup.
2.) Sanchez completely implodes and barely last four innings.
I'm hoping for the former, dreading the latter. Either way, one is going to happen. We're not going to have a "good" start like his last one against the Braves. Those fly balls that stayed fly balls in AT&T Park and Turner Field just won't do that in Colorado, and that's what makes Sanchez on the hill in Colorado scary because he has a tendency to give up a lot of those hard-hit, long fly balls that fall short or get out. Let's hope Sanchez can keep the Rockies in the park, even though it will be a challenge.
All right, best of luck to Sanchez and let's hope Lewis can build upon this hot game. As sad as this sounds to Giants fans, Lewis has looked like our best offensive player this road trip. Whether that's a sign of Giants offensive ineptitude or Lewis starting to come around that's up to you (my vote: ineptitude. Jack Hanahan of the A's would look like a stud considering how awful the Giants have been playing offensively).
For lineup updates check out the SJ Mercury's Andrew Baggarly's Giants blog at Extra Baggs. For live game thread and chat, check out the McCovey Chronicles.
SFO: Jonathan Sanchez (3-8) 4.68 ERA, COL: Jorge De La Rosa (7-7) 4.95 ERA
Like I said last night, a great win for the Giants that at least gives them a chance in this series and prevents the "Oh my god the world is going to come to an end" sweep. Yet the series, with the two teams now tied going into tonight's game, is far from over. If anything, last night was technically a wash game for the Rockies. Their top-winning pitcher (Jason Marquis) was hurt (not that it would have made a difference for Marquis is vastly overrated) and the offense was without Clint Barmes, who I think has been very key to their recent success this year.
While I have no idea if Barmes is going to be back in the lineup tonight, the Rockies certainly have a better pitcher on the mound in Jorge De La Rosa. The guy has been inconsistent, but he has very good stuff and can surprise on occasion. You could argue the fact that Sanchez has a lower ERA than De La Rosa, but then again, De La Rosa never had the luxury of a no-hitter either.
The interesting development for tonight is whether or not Fred Lewis will be in the starting lineup for the second straight night. I hope so. I think Lewis has a groove in Coors Field that merits him playing every game in this series. That being, said, I saw the SF Giants Updates on Twitter, and they tweeted that Aaron Rowand should return to the lineup today. I, for the love of God, hope that isn't the case. While Rowand does bring a lot of great intangibles to this team, his approach at the plate lately has stunk. He either grounds the ball to the left side weakly, or he strikes out. That is pretty much what you have grown to expect with Rowand at the plate during this road trip. For his sake, and the team's sake, Bochy would best be served by staying with the outfield of Schierholtz in right, Winn in center and Lewis in left (though Lewis defensively hasn't gotten any better, as evidenced by his horrendous read on the Atkins double last night). Rowand gets to rest and regain his confidence when he gets back home, and Lewis will continue to carry his hot streak in Colorado. I also want Schierholtz and Winn in the lineup because Winn has been having good approaches at the plate lately, and Schierholtz is a defensive monster that is needed in the outfield. People think twice about stretching out singles with Nate in right. Winn? Not so much.
Other than whether or not Lewis is going to be in the lineup tonight, it will be interesting to see how Sanchez fares in his third start. His second start was of course, not as good as his no hitter, but it was still a very solid start. Now, after a mere above-average start, I think we will see one of two things:
1.) Sanchez continues to deal and absolutely mows down the Rockies lineup.
2.) Sanchez completely implodes and barely last four innings.
I'm hoping for the former, dreading the latter. Either way, one is going to happen. We're not going to have a "good" start like his last one against the Braves. Those fly balls that stayed fly balls in AT&T Park and Turner Field just won't do that in Colorado, and that's what makes Sanchez on the hill in Colorado scary because he has a tendency to give up a lot of those hard-hit, long fly balls that fall short or get out. Let's hope Sanchez can keep the Rockies in the park, even though it will be a challenge.
All right, best of luck to Sanchez and let's hope Lewis can build upon this hot game. As sad as this sounds to Giants fans, Lewis has looked like our best offensive player this road trip. Whether that's a sign of Giants offensive ineptitude or Lewis starting to come around that's up to you (my vote: ineptitude. Jack Hanahan of the A's would look like a stud considering how awful the Giants have been playing offensively).
For lineup updates check out the SJ Mercury's Andrew Baggarly's Giants blog at Extra Baggs. For live game thread and chat, check out the McCovey Chronicles.
Friday, July 24, 2009
The PG Beat: Cain wins his 12th of the season, Lewis actually does something at the plate
Catcher Bengie Molina gives left fielder Fred Lewis a high five after the game in celebration of the Giants beating the Colorado Rockies 3-1, and as congratulations for Lewis' first good game in almost three months.Once again, Cain had another good start and continues to marvel baseball experts as well as fans. On paper according to traditional stats, Cain looks great and is up there with Lincecum and Dan Haren from Arizona in the Cy Young race. Watching him in person, he makes you squirm in your seat a lot more than you want to considering how many guys he walks and runners he lets on base. From a hardcore, sabermetrics view, Cain is vastly overrated I guess.
Whatever view you want to take of him, Cain is getting the job done this year, and that is good enough for me. From a consistency standpoint, there is no doubt Cain is our most reliable pitcher. What you see from him is pretty much what you're going to get every time he takes the hill. You can't say that really with anybody else on this staff, even Lincecum. There are times when Lincecum is absolutely dominating, looking like the next Pedro. Then, he has outings where his control is all over the place, and he looks more like an early Kerry Wood with the Cubs. Cain's control is always going to be suspect. Cain is always going to throw more pitches than he probably should, even when he gets ahead in the count. Cain is always going to allow one to two runners to get on base on average in an inning. Yet he still gets things done when it comes down to it, and if he is pitching with a lead, forget about it. It's Cain's to lose if the Giants help him out with a lead, and as we have seen this year, he doesn't lose with a lead very often.
While Cain was obviously studly again in this game, Fred Lewis had himself a redemption game of sorts at the plate. To be perfectly frank, I have been very disappointed with this guy this year. I thought he had a very good season a year ago until he injured his foot. I thought with the left fielder position his from the get-go (no more competing with Dave Roberts!), and a stronger role in the lineup, he would flourish. That hasn't been the case unfortunately, as Schierholtz has played him out of the lineup. This season, Lewis has been anemic at the plate, lousy defensively and seen more warming the pine than out roaming in the field.
While his defense didn't exactly sparkle tonight (he made a horrendous read that ended Cain's shutout and made Giants squirm in their seats for a moment), he came through with a 3-for-3 day at the plate and was one homer shy of the cycle. It's funny because he has hit for the cycle before...in Colorado. He did it in May of 2007, and that's where he suddenly was catapulted onto the Giants scene as a legitimate player and not some "cup of coffee" minor leaguer. If I'm Bochy, I'm keeping him in the lineup for the rest of the series. He obviously has a groove in this park that only can bode good things. Furthermore, with Rowand struggling mightily since the break, putting him in a series this big is just a liability. Let Lewis ride out his hot game for the next couple of games. This will let Rowand regroup until he gets back to San Francisco, where he can get back to his element in front of his own fans supporting him instead of opposing fans heckling how he strikes out or grounds out to third on alternating at-bats.
After this win, I like our chances in this series. Colorado is solid defensively, but offensively, I believe they are more suspect than in years past. They seem to really rely on Todd Helton, Troy Tulowitizki and Brad Hawpe a lot and when those guys can't come through, the lineup really goes into a shell. Atkins is horrible (never mind his RBI single, that should have been an out had Lewis not taken an asinine route on it), Ianetta is nothing special and Stewart is average. They did have Barmes out of the lineup, which was peculiar (mainly because he is on my fantasy team and he has been raking for me as Chipper Jones has been Mr. Up and Down this year) and his absence makes me fear that they are saving their big guns for the next two games, knowing that this first game was probably their wash game in the series. If that's how they want to see it, that's fine. We avoided the sweep, and in my mind, that is a small victory in itself. A sweep would have absolutely annihilated our confidence.
There are some guys I'm still worried about on this Giants team. Ishikawa continues to be an inconsistent, up and down, Nicole Richie-esque show at the plate, and Uribe is starting to look more and more like his old self, which from an average and OBP point is not very promising. Furthermore, I wasn't happy with Sandoval's bonehead baserunning blunder, nor Molina chasing one in the dirt with only one strike on him to ground into the double play (though he ended up making up for it with a hit and run base knock on his next at-bat). However, in the grand scheme of things, it was a typical Giants win: enough offense to win (homer for Schierholtz baby!) and good solid pitching all-around.
Here's to Jonathan Sanchez not completely falling apart in game two of this series. We need him to be like Anne Hathaway for the rest of the season, not Wynona Rider (e.g. an underrated star who comes to their own after a big break, not some actress that completely falls apart when they finally get their big opportunity like Rider did in Godfather Part III when she dropped out after shooting started because of "exhaustion").
Postgame box notes:
Winning pitcher: Matt Cain (12-2) 7 IP, 3 H, R, ER, 4 BB, 5 SO.
Losing pitcher: Jason Hammel (5-5) 6 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO.
Giants standouts: Fred Lewis, 3-for-3, 2B (14), 3B (3). Nate Schierhotlz, HR (4).
Rockies standouts: Ryan Spilborghs, 2B (17). Garrett Atkins 2B (9).
Probable starters for next game: Sanchez (3-8) vs. De La Rosa (7-7)
Potent Preview: San Francisco Giants (51-44) at Colorado Rockies (52-43)
Probable Starters:
SFO: Matt Cain (11-2) 2.32 ERA, COL: Jason Hamel (5-4) 4.26 ERA.
This is a huge series. I know, that's been said on the blogosphere about a million, jillion, katrillion times, but I can't say it enough. If the Giants want to consider themselves a legitimate contender in this NL Wild Card race, they need to win this series. No exceptions. I don't care that it's still July and there are still two months of baseball left to play. After dropping five out of seven out of the All-Star break gate, the Giants need some confidence as well as some momentum to regain the mojo they had in June. They can get both if they can take the series today against the Rockies.
Now, the Rockies aren't going to bow easily. The Giants caught a break with Jason Marquis missing his start today due to injury, so the Giants at the very least should take tonight's game (especially with Cain on the hill). However, the Rockies have been playing hot since they fired Clint Hurdle (who should've been done about two or three years ago to be perfectly frank. He is an overrated, terrible manager that basically got saved by that hot streak in 2007), and replaced him with former Dodger manager Jim Tracy. Add that with a Clint Barmes who hasn't played this well since 2005, and a recently inspired Troy Tulowitzki who's playing out of his butt since Hurdle was given the pink slip, and this Rockies team suddenly looks closer to the 2007 team than any other Rockies squad in the past decade sans 2007.
The Giants basically were given a win over the Braves yesterday despite their best efforts to lose. Nonetheless, a win is a win and let's hope that the team is able to build on that. Here are three things I don't want to see tonight.
1.) John Bowker starting.
2.) Matt Downs (I keep wanting to call him Micah. Guess that's the Zag in me talking) starting.
3.) Point one and two combined.
I'm sorry, I am not a fan of Bowker. You can beat him easily as a pitcher by throwing inside heat because of the gaping hole in his swing, or you can just throw curves in the dirt and he will chase all day (unfortunately, the latter is a problem for 75 percent of our team). I understand that we can't move him down to Fresno because he is mashing at Fresno and he has nothing to prove in the minors. That being said, I just don't think he's that good of a player. He had one hot streak in a callup last season and then tailed off and hasn't been the same at the big league level since he came back to earth. I don't mind him getting at-bats, but I just don't want to see him the lineup everyday, whether it is in the outfield or at first base.
As for Downs. He sucks. I'm not going into it anymore. I hate Brian Sabean for calling him up a second time even though he was clearly lousy in his first go-around, and I hate that Kevin Frandsen continues to get shafted by the organization and seems to get bounce between Fresno and San Francisco every two weeks. I hope for Frandsen's sake they just trade him. This is worse than what Ben Affleck had to go through in Chasing Amy.
Other than those two things, I'm not expecting much nor griping too much either. I know this is our best shot to win a game in this series, as pessimistic as that sounds. I'm feeling better about Jonathan Sanchez after his last start, but at the same time, I wouldn't be surprised if he gets shelled, gets no run support or a combination of both in game two of this series. I don't want that to happen of course, but I just get that fleeting feeling he's going to unravel in a park like Coors Field.
Forget about Ryan Sadowski. The guy is starting to show what he was in the minors, which was nothing special. Thanks kid. You had some great starts, but unfortunately, you're not as good as we all thought. Life moves on. Unfortunately, the opportunity to sweep the Rockies also moves on as well as long as Sadowski is pitching in the rotation (please come back soon Randy!).
No lineup posted yet, but pay attention to Extra Baggs, the San Jose Mercury's San Francisco Giants blog (updated by beat writer Andrew Baggarly). Usually, he posts it a couple of hours prior to the game, so if you need to know you can check it as it gets closer to game time.
And, if you want to communicate with others while watching the game, you can head over to McCovey Chronicles to participate in their open game threads. Fun stuff, a lot more fun when we're winning, and pretty funny when we're losing as well. Either way, it's a win-win if you're watching the game alone.
Alright, that is the Potent Preview for today. Giants need to win this game to have a chance. If they lose, or worse, get killed, than this could be a long series that might spark a long last couple months of what seemed like a "promising and surprising season." Come on Cain. Don't let that rain cloud happen.
SFO: Matt Cain (11-2) 2.32 ERA, COL: Jason Hamel (5-4) 4.26 ERA.
This is a huge series. I know, that's been said on the blogosphere about a million, jillion, katrillion times, but I can't say it enough. If the Giants want to consider themselves a legitimate contender in this NL Wild Card race, they need to win this series. No exceptions. I don't care that it's still July and there are still two months of baseball left to play. After dropping five out of seven out of the All-Star break gate, the Giants need some confidence as well as some momentum to regain the mojo they had in June. They can get both if they can take the series today against the Rockies.
Now, the Rockies aren't going to bow easily. The Giants caught a break with Jason Marquis missing his start today due to injury, so the Giants at the very least should take tonight's game (especially with Cain on the hill). However, the Rockies have been playing hot since they fired Clint Hurdle (who should've been done about two or three years ago to be perfectly frank. He is an overrated, terrible manager that basically got saved by that hot streak in 2007), and replaced him with former Dodger manager Jim Tracy. Add that with a Clint Barmes who hasn't played this well since 2005, and a recently inspired Troy Tulowitzki who's playing out of his butt since Hurdle was given the pink slip, and this Rockies team suddenly looks closer to the 2007 team than any other Rockies squad in the past decade sans 2007.
The Giants basically were given a win over the Braves yesterday despite their best efforts to lose. Nonetheless, a win is a win and let's hope that the team is able to build on that. Here are three things I don't want to see tonight.
1.) John Bowker starting.
2.) Matt Downs (I keep wanting to call him Micah. Guess that's the Zag in me talking) starting.
3.) Point one and two combined.
I'm sorry, I am not a fan of Bowker. You can beat him easily as a pitcher by throwing inside heat because of the gaping hole in his swing, or you can just throw curves in the dirt and he will chase all day (unfortunately, the latter is a problem for 75 percent of our team). I understand that we can't move him down to Fresno because he is mashing at Fresno and he has nothing to prove in the minors. That being said, I just don't think he's that good of a player. He had one hot streak in a callup last season and then tailed off and hasn't been the same at the big league level since he came back to earth. I don't mind him getting at-bats, but I just don't want to see him the lineup everyday, whether it is in the outfield or at first base.
As for Downs. He sucks. I'm not going into it anymore. I hate Brian Sabean for calling him up a second time even though he was clearly lousy in his first go-around, and I hate that Kevin Frandsen continues to get shafted by the organization and seems to get bounce between Fresno and San Francisco every two weeks. I hope for Frandsen's sake they just trade him. This is worse than what Ben Affleck had to go through in Chasing Amy.
Other than those two things, I'm not expecting much nor griping too much either. I know this is our best shot to win a game in this series, as pessimistic as that sounds. I'm feeling better about Jonathan Sanchez after his last start, but at the same time, I wouldn't be surprised if he gets shelled, gets no run support or a combination of both in game two of this series. I don't want that to happen of course, but I just get that fleeting feeling he's going to unravel in a park like Coors Field.
Forget about Ryan Sadowski. The guy is starting to show what he was in the minors, which was nothing special. Thanks kid. You had some great starts, but unfortunately, you're not as good as we all thought. Life moves on. Unfortunately, the opportunity to sweep the Rockies also moves on as well as long as Sadowski is pitching in the rotation (please come back soon Randy!).
No lineup posted yet, but pay attention to Extra Baggs, the San Jose Mercury's San Francisco Giants blog (updated by beat writer Andrew Baggarly). Usually, he posts it a couple of hours prior to the game, so if you need to know you can check it as it gets closer to game time.
And, if you want to communicate with others while watching the game, you can head over to McCovey Chronicles to participate in their open game threads. Fun stuff, a lot more fun when we're winning, and pretty funny when we're losing as well. Either way, it's a win-win if you're watching the game alone.
Alright, that is the Potent Preview for today. Giants need to win this game to have a chance. If they lose, or worse, get killed, than this could be a long series that might spark a long last couple months of what seemed like a "promising and surprising season." Come on Cain. Don't let that rain cloud happen.
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