LA 83-63 ... Have the 3 pitchers they want ready to go.
GIANTS 81-65 2 GB Now is the time!
Yesterday
Giants defeated Arizona, 6-2, to sweep the three-game series
LA was idle.
Wednesday
Giants shut out Arizona, 5-0, while LA shut out the San Diego Padres, 4-0.
Today
Giants host LA in the beginning of a titanic three-game home series at the 'Bell; 7:05 PDT (10:05 EDT). It's Madison Bumgarner tonight, against Hyun-Jin Ryu (14-6, 3.16). "Bum" has started three games against the Dodgers and pitched well in two, but all three starts were in April and May. For his part Ryu has also pitched well in two of his three against the Giants; most recently he beat Jake Peavy in the latter's Giants debut at the end of July in a Sunday night game at the 'Bell.
It goes without saying this is a critical series for the Giants. Sweep, they take the division lead. Take two, they cut the lead to one and gain the momentum. Anything less-- well, let's not talk about it right now. Looking ahead, Tim Hudson faces Zach Greinke Saturday evening, and the series concludes with Yusmeiro Petit opposing Clayton Kershaw on Sunday afternoon-- unless ESPN decides to show the game in prime-time.
Yesterday's Game
Jake Peavy pitched well into the sixth, and that was enough for the Giants, who held a 3-1 lead when he left and added three more in the bottom. Buster Posey, back behind the plate, went 3-for-5 with a RBI; Travis Ishikawa, starting at first base, singled, walked, and scored a run. Angel Pagan scored two, but the day really belonged to Hunter Pence. By now the video of his first-inning RBI single has gone viral. As he swung, the bat slipped out of his hands, and while free-flying it struck the ball on the nose. The bat went left, the ball went right, Arizona pitcher Delgado did a slip-and-fall fandango, and it (the ball, that is) ricocheted off the second-base bag as Pagan scored. The bizarre scene immediately recalled the selfsame Pence's shattered-bat hit in Game Seven of the 2012 NLCS. Second in runs scored, leading the league in hits and headlines, Pence is getting mentioned in the MVP talk these days, though he was quick to disparage such remarks and deflect attention over to teammate Posey when the subject came up.
Wednesday night Ryan Vogelsong carried a shutout into the seventh and left with the score 0-0; the Giants then erupted for four in the bottom of the frame to make a winner out of Jean Machi, who had relieved Vogelsong, faced one batter, thrown two pitches, and gotten the third out. C'est la vie.
Notes
Brandon Belt has been cleared to "resume baseball activities" after extensive concussion recovery and treatment; we're grateful his career was not derailed in the manner of Mike Matheny's. How much playing time he gets is hard to predict right now, especially with Andrew Susac doing so well at catcher. We might see Belt patrolling left field if Michael Morse's oblique strain continues to keep him out... The moldy old canard that "Pitchers shouldn't be eligible for the MVP Award" has reared its ugly head again; the Marlins' Giancarlo Stanton went on record with it the other day when asked about Clayton Kershaw's chances. That a position player starts 150 games and a pitcher 30 games sounds like a compelling argument-- until you consider the number of at-bats that position player has against the number of batters the pitcher faces. Let's look at 'em. Stanton has 633 plate appearances-- 539 ABs, 94 walks-- while Kershaw has faced 662 batters. You could argue that Stanton also has 332 total chances in the field, but then Kershaw has 56 at-bats. Whether the defensive part of the game relies more on one of eight defenders, or on the one pitcher, seems fairly obvious. There's no argument here. Kershaw's impact on a season is equivalent to Stanton's.
Friday, September 12, 2014
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
LA 82-63 ... Pads still got a little fight left in 'em.
GIANTS 79-65 2.5 GB Petit brilliant when needed most.
Yesterday
Giants defeated Arizona, 5-1.
LA lost to San Diego, 6-3, after winning Monday.
Today
Giants host Arizona; 7:15 PDT (10:15 EDT). Ryan Vogelsong hopes to shake off his last outing. Ryan Collmenter, who has won his only start against the Giants so far, opposes.
LA finishes up with San Diego; Dan Haren for the Blueboys against Ian Kennedy, who's already made five starts against them without a win. Law of averages, eh?
Last Night's Game
Yusmeiro Petit, who replaced Tim Lincecum in the rotation two weeks ago, made his second outstanding start of the stretch drive. This one was a masterpiece worthy of Lincecum himself at his best-- a complete-game four-hitter with nine strikeouts and no walks. Andrew Susac, settling in as the everyday catcher, called a fine game as Petit needed only 84 pitches to dispatch the 'Snakes.' Offensively it was all about the top of the order-- literally, as Angel Pagan went 4-for-5 with three runs scored, and Joe Panik continued his amazing tear with a 5-for-5 day, though oddly he neither scored nor drove in a run. His five singles did advance Pagan into scoring position four times, and Pagan scored three of those times. You lovers of "small ball" will rejoice at that, and we sabermetric savants will note that two of those runs scored on bases-loaded walks! Panik's sixth-inning single actually did bring in a run, albeit on a throwing error from the Arizona outfield.
GIANTS 79-65 2.5 GB Petit brilliant when needed most.
Yesterday
Giants defeated Arizona, 5-1.
LA lost to San Diego, 6-3, after winning Monday.
Today
Giants host Arizona; 7:15 PDT (10:15 EDT). Ryan Vogelsong hopes to shake off his last outing. Ryan Collmenter, who has won his only start against the Giants so far, opposes.
LA finishes up with San Diego; Dan Haren for the Blueboys against Ian Kennedy, who's already made five starts against them without a win. Law of averages, eh?
Last Night's Game
Yusmeiro Petit, who replaced Tim Lincecum in the rotation two weeks ago, made his second outstanding start of the stretch drive. This one was a masterpiece worthy of Lincecum himself at his best-- a complete-game four-hitter with nine strikeouts and no walks. Andrew Susac, settling in as the everyday catcher, called a fine game as Petit needed only 84 pitches to dispatch the 'Snakes.' Offensively it was all about the top of the order-- literally, as Angel Pagan went 4-for-5 with three runs scored, and Joe Panik continued his amazing tear with a 5-for-5 day, though oddly he neither scored nor drove in a run. His five singles did advance Pagan into scoring position four times, and Pagan scored three of those times. You lovers of "small ball" will rejoice at that, and we sabermetric savants will note that two of those runs scored on bases-loaded walks! Panik's sixth-inning single actually did bring in a run, albeit on a throwing error from the Arizona outfield.
Monday, September 8, 2014
LA 81-62 ... 40-21 record against division opponents.
GIANTS 78-65 3 GB Must take 2 of 3 at home just as LA did.
Yesterday
Giants lost at Detroit, 6-1.
LA defeated Arizona, 7-2.
The Weekend
Giants took two of three against the Tigers; LA did the same against the Diamondbacks. Status quo.
Today
Giants have the day off; they're back home by now awaiting the Arizona Diamondbacks. The three-game series opens Tuesday night at the 'Bell.
LA stays home to host the San Diego Padres for three, starting tonight.
Last Night's Game
It was the ESPN Sunday night "Game of the Week": the two teams which met in the 2012 World Series battling for their respective division leads down the stretch to the postseason. Tim Hudson and rookie lefthander Kyle Lobstein, neither of whom pitched in that series, started the game. Hudson lasted a little bit longer, but also took on more damage, including a monster home run by Miguel Cabrera, resulting in his 10th loss. After the Giants squandered a two-on nobody-out seventh, Detroit tacked on three more against Javy Lopez, George Kontos, and Jeremy Affeldt just to make things a little more certain.
Weekend Series
Madison Bumgarner won his 17th game Saturday afternoon with a tepid effort bolstered by a four-run first inning. The big blows on the day were struck by the catchers: Andrew Susac's two-run double which keyed the opening salvo, and a fifth-inning homer by Buster Posey, his 20th, as he started at first base again. Buster's hitting .500 over the last couple of weeks and is increasingly mentioned in the MVP talk. Detroit's Victor Martinez is an AL candidate, though the Angels' Mike Trout is the favorite, but the Tigers' weekend definitely belonged to Cabrera, who hit three homers in the three games.
GIANTS 78-65 3 GB Must take 2 of 3 at home just as LA did.
Yesterday
Giants lost at Detroit, 6-1.
LA defeated Arizona, 7-2.
The Weekend
Giants took two of three against the Tigers; LA did the same against the Diamondbacks. Status quo.
Today
Giants have the day off; they're back home by now awaiting the Arizona Diamondbacks. The three-game series opens Tuesday night at the 'Bell.
LA stays home to host the San Diego Padres for three, starting tonight.
Last Night's Game
It was the ESPN Sunday night "Game of the Week": the two teams which met in the 2012 World Series battling for their respective division leads down the stretch to the postseason. Tim Hudson and rookie lefthander Kyle Lobstein, neither of whom pitched in that series, started the game. Hudson lasted a little bit longer, but also took on more damage, including a monster home run by Miguel Cabrera, resulting in his 10th loss. After the Giants squandered a two-on nobody-out seventh, Detroit tacked on three more against Javy Lopez, George Kontos, and Jeremy Affeldt just to make things a little more certain.
Weekend Series
Madison Bumgarner won his 17th game Saturday afternoon with a tepid effort bolstered by a four-run first inning. The big blows on the day were struck by the catchers: Andrew Susac's two-run double which keyed the opening salvo, and a fifth-inning homer by Buster Posey, his 20th, as he started at first base again. Buster's hitting .500 over the last couple of weeks and is increasingly mentioned in the MVP talk. Detroit's Victor Martinez is an AL candidate, though the Angels' Mike Trout is the favorite, but the Tigers' weekend definitely belonged to Cabrera, who hit three homers in the three games.
Saturday, September 6, 2014
LA 79-62 ... Play much better on road than at home.
GIANTS 77-64 2 GB Apres nous, le deluge.
Yesterday
Giants defeated Detroit, 8-2, in a game interrupted for three hours by a rainstorm.
LA defeated Arizona, 2-1.
Today
Giants at Detroit, 1 PM EDT. Madison Bumgarner goes for his 17th win against David Price, late of Tampa Bay, whom the Tigers picked up for the stretch drive.
LA hosts Arizona again this evening.
Last Night's Game
Pablo Sandoval took one mighty swing, hit the ball a mighty long way, and for a moment it was October 2012 all over again as the Giants poured it on in a one-sided win at friendly Comerica Park. Then-Series MVP "Panda"'s blast came shortly after the weather had "poured it on" for two hours and forty-two minutes' worth of rain delay, a most worrisome delay for Bruce Bochy. The Giants had already hammered starter Rock Porcello for six runs in three innings before the skies, threatening for hours on a humid 93-degree Michigan evening, opened with a vengeance in the fourth. "Boch" made sure the umpires waited it out, and when the game finally resumed, back came starter Jake Peavy on three hours' rest to earn the win with six good innings of work-- three early and three late. Not too many starters these days are allowed to go back in under such circumstances, but Peavy is a bulldog, and after starting the season 1-12 (!) with Boston, he's 4-1 as a Giant. The only downside last night was the Giants remaining in lockstep with LA; it's been a steady two-game gap since last Sunday.
GIANTS 77-64 2 GB Apres nous, le deluge.
Yesterday
Giants defeated Detroit, 8-2, in a game interrupted for three hours by a rainstorm.
LA defeated Arizona, 2-1.
Today
Giants at Detroit, 1 PM EDT. Madison Bumgarner goes for his 17th win against David Price, late of Tampa Bay, whom the Tigers picked up for the stretch drive.
LA hosts Arizona again this evening.
Last Night's Game
Pablo Sandoval took one mighty swing, hit the ball a mighty long way, and for a moment it was October 2012 all over again as the Giants poured it on in a one-sided win at friendly Comerica Park. Then-Series MVP "Panda"'s blast came shortly after the weather had "poured it on" for two hours and forty-two minutes' worth of rain delay, a most worrisome delay for Bruce Bochy. The Giants had already hammered starter Rock Porcello for six runs in three innings before the skies, threatening for hours on a humid 93-degree Michigan evening, opened with a vengeance in the fourth. "Boch" made sure the umpires waited it out, and when the game finally resumed, back came starter Jake Peavy on three hours' rest to earn the win with six good innings of work-- three early and three late. Not too many starters these days are allowed to go back in under such circumstances, but Peavy is a bulldog, and after starting the season 1-12 (!) with Boston, he's 4-1 as a Giant. The only downside last night was the Giants remaining in lockstep with LA; it's been a steady two-game gap since last Sunday.
Thursday, September 4, 2014
LA 78-62 ... "Postseason preview" not to their liking.
GIANTS 76-64 2 GB 2012 Series rematch on tap.
Yesterday
Giants lost at Colorado, 9-2, their tenth loss out of 18 games against the Rox.
LA lost to Washington, 8-5, in 14 innings, dropping two out of three to the Nats.
Today
Both teams have the day off. Giants travel to Detroit for three this weekend, while LA awaits the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Yesterday's Game
Ryan Vogelsong gave up a career-high four homers, including two to Corey Dickerson, who is having quite the season there in Denver. That was pretty much it. Giants cuffed starter Christian Bergman around for nine hits, but couldn't draw a walk and grounded into three double plays. "Vogey" hadn't had an ugly outing since mid-July, so we can surmise he was due, and we can hope it'll be November before he's due for another.
Notes
Madison Bumgarner (4-1, 1.57, 56K in 46 innings) was named NL Pitcher of the Month for August. He remains Clayton Kershaw's main rival for the Cy Young Award, and whichever team comes out on top in the division may tip the scale... If you want to claim the Rockies beat the Giants' "B-team" yesterday, go ahead. Michael Morse, Angel Pagan (stiff back) and Pablo Sandoval all sat, while Juan Perez started in center and Joaquin Arias at third. Bruce Bochy was quick to note he was just taking advantage of today's off-day to give the two a little added rest. There won't be much of that from now on... The Kansas City Royals will be pulling for the Giants this weekend. They lead Detroit by half a game in the AL Central, and the KC fans haven't had a postseason since the 1985 World Series championship.
Pennant Parade
Along with Dodgers-Giants and Royals-Tigers, the remaining pennant races are in the NL Central, where St Louis has moved three games ahead of the plummeting Milwaukee Brewers, whose eight-game losing streak was helped mightily by the Giants a week ago, and in the AL West, where the LA Angels have pulled off a fantastic August surge to overtake the Oakland A's, whom they lead by four and a half. Meanwhile, the two East divisions are runaways, with Baltimore leading by nine and a half and Washington up by seven. Teams like Seattle, Atlanta, and Pittsburgh remain in contention for the wild-cards but are division longshots.
If the season ended today, it'd be the Angels, Orioles, and Royals in the AL, with Oakland and Detroit the wild-cards. In the NL, Washington, the Dodgers and the inevitable Cardinals would be in, while the Giants would be hosting those friendly Brewers in the wild-card playoff.
GIANTS 76-64 2 GB 2012 Series rematch on tap.
Yesterday
Giants lost at Colorado, 9-2, their tenth loss out of 18 games against the Rox.
LA lost to Washington, 8-5, in 14 innings, dropping two out of three to the Nats.
Today
Both teams have the day off. Giants travel to Detroit for three this weekend, while LA awaits the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Yesterday's Game
Ryan Vogelsong gave up a career-high four homers, including two to Corey Dickerson, who is having quite the season there in Denver. That was pretty much it. Giants cuffed starter Christian Bergman around for nine hits, but couldn't draw a walk and grounded into three double plays. "Vogey" hadn't had an ugly outing since mid-July, so we can surmise he was due, and we can hope it'll be November before he's due for another.
Notes
Madison Bumgarner (4-1, 1.57, 56K in 46 innings) was named NL Pitcher of the Month for August. He remains Clayton Kershaw's main rival for the Cy Young Award, and whichever team comes out on top in the division may tip the scale... If you want to claim the Rockies beat the Giants' "B-team" yesterday, go ahead. Michael Morse, Angel Pagan (stiff back) and Pablo Sandoval all sat, while Juan Perez started in center and Joaquin Arias at third. Bruce Bochy was quick to note he was just taking advantage of today's off-day to give the two a little added rest. There won't be much of that from now on... The Kansas City Royals will be pulling for the Giants this weekend. They lead Detroit by half a game in the AL Central, and the KC fans haven't had a postseason since the 1985 World Series championship.
Pennant Parade
Along with Dodgers-Giants and Royals-Tigers, the remaining pennant races are in the NL Central, where St Louis has moved three games ahead of the plummeting Milwaukee Brewers, whose eight-game losing streak was helped mightily by the Giants a week ago, and in the AL West, where the LA Angels have pulled off a fantastic August surge to overtake the Oakland A's, whom they lead by four and a half. Meanwhile, the two East divisions are runaways, with Baltimore leading by nine and a half and Washington up by seven. Teams like Seattle, Atlanta, and Pittsburgh remain in contention for the wild-cards but are division longshots.
If the season ended today, it'd be the Angels, Orioles, and Royals in the AL, with Oakland and Detroit the wild-cards. In the NL, Washington, the Dodgers and the inevitable Cardinals would be in, while the Giants would be hosting those friendly Brewers in the wild-card playoff.
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
LA 78-61 ... Can they depend on anyone except Kershaw?
GIANTS 76-63 2 GB One team's meltdown is another's rally.
Yesterday
Giants defeated Colorado, 12-7, rallying from an early 6-0 deficit, highlighted by a six-run sixth.
LA defeated Washington, 4-1, as Clayton "Cy Young" Kershaw won his 17th game.
Today
Giants finish up at Colorado; 1:30 PM local (3:30 EDT) daytime start. Ryan Vogelsong takes the hill.
LA hosts Washington in a rare daytime start at Dodger Stadium.
Last Night's Game
"You turned the tables on me..." goes the old song, and that holds for the Colorado Rockies right now. A day after the "Rockettes" had overcome a 7-2 Giants lead and cast a disturbing pall across Our Boys' recent postseason-bound surge, Buster Posey and the gang led a payback comeback in the grand manner. Yusmeiro Petit unwillingly proved you don't always need a quality start to win the game, as he was hammered for six runs in three innings. How sweet it was to see the Giants' lineup thus respond. Posey's line (5-3-3-4 with two doubles and a homer) is the unquestioned highlight, but there's also Joe Panik (2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored), Andrew Susac (three-run homer, and yes, Posey was tearin' it up from first base again), Brandon Crawford with a RBI triple, and Gregor Blanco with three hits and two runs scored. Blanco simply has to step it up with Michael Morse sidelined, and so far, he has. We know it won't last, but he's done this before, and Morse should be back by the time Blanco cools off. Bruce Bochy used his usual quota of relievers-- six-- along the way, and five of 'em were outstanding, with George Kontos getting the win as he retired all five batters he faced while his buddies were mounting their epic rally.
GIANTS 76-63 2 GB One team's meltdown is another's rally.
Yesterday
Giants defeated Colorado, 12-7, rallying from an early 6-0 deficit, highlighted by a six-run sixth.
LA defeated Washington, 4-1, as Clayton "Cy Young" Kershaw won his 17th game.
Today
Giants finish up at Colorado; 1:30 PM local (3:30 EDT) daytime start. Ryan Vogelsong takes the hill.
LA hosts Washington in a rare daytime start at Dodger Stadium.
Last Night's Game
"You turned the tables on me..." goes the old song, and that holds for the Colorado Rockies right now. A day after the "Rockettes" had overcome a 7-2 Giants lead and cast a disturbing pall across Our Boys' recent postseason-bound surge, Buster Posey and the gang led a payback comeback in the grand manner. Yusmeiro Petit unwillingly proved you don't always need a quality start to win the game, as he was hammered for six runs in three innings. How sweet it was to see the Giants' lineup thus respond. Posey's line (5-3-3-4 with two doubles and a homer) is the unquestioned highlight, but there's also Joe Panik (2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored), Andrew Susac (three-run homer, and yes, Posey was tearin' it up from first base again), Brandon Crawford with a RBI triple, and Gregor Blanco with three hits and two runs scored. Blanco simply has to step it up with Michael Morse sidelined, and so far, he has. We know it won't last, but he's done this before, and Morse should be back by the time Blanco cools off. Bruce Bochy used his usual quota of relievers-- six-- along the way, and five of 'em were outstanding, with George Kontos getting the win as he retired all five batters he faced while his buddies were mounting their epic rally.
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
LA 77-61 ... Obliging us for now with timely losses.
GIANTS 75-63 2 GB Second bullpen meltdown in 8 days.
Yesterday
Giants lost at Colorado, 10-9, blowing a 7-2 lead in the sixth and giving up the walk-off in the 9th. Prior to this game, the Giants won the suspended game from May 22, 4-2. Thus the Giants gained half a game in the race, despite the horrific loss, because...
LA lost to Washington, 6-4.
Today
Giants continue at Colorado; 5:40 PM MDT (7:40 EDT). Yusmeiro Petit, who set a major-league consecutive-retired-batters record the last time he faced the Rockies, opposes Jordan Lyles.
LA hosts Washington again.
Yesterday's Game
"The horror... the horror!" Championship teams don't blow big sixth-inning leads twice in eight days, do they? Well, before we call out the Giants' bullpen to run a few dozen punishment laps in the outfield, we must admit that Tim Hudson, whom we love dearly, began the meltdown by failing to retire any of the four batters he faced to open the sixth, and all of those people eventually scored. The key play, sorry to say, was a fumbled catch by Joe Panik, whom we extolled just yesterday, which wiped out a possible DP and set up the four-run frame. Hudson's relief, the normally reliable Javier Lopez, surrendered two of those runs. Jean Machi came in, stopped the bleeding, and had a chance to be the hero. But he uncorked a strike-three wild pitch to open the seventh, leading to three more runs and a 9-7 Colorado lead. Panik partially redeemed himself by opening the ninth with a double, leading to game-tying RBI singles by Buster Posey and Pablo Sandoval. But poor ol' Sergio Romo gave up three singles in the bottom of the frame, and that was it. Bright moments: Hunter Pence, who won the suspended game with a homer, belted another one in this tilt, and Brandon Crawford went 3-for-4 with three RBI.
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