I like to keep notes when I watch the Giants. I’ll make a note here about something interesting, I’ll make a note there. It’s a good way for me to keep track of the game and to recap things that I’d like to talk about later. I’ve got a whole bunch of notes scrawled down from tonight’s game and I’m… Read more →
You have to give credit where credit is due: the Giants are making all the right moves right now. Starting a struggling Madison Bumgarner in Game Two of the World Series is a risky move. After losing velocity towards the end of the year, and getting hit around in his first two postseason starts, Madison Bumgarner’s success tonight was by… Read more →
This was the game that the Giants were supposed to lose. This was the game that Justin Verlander — Really Good Pitcher(tm) — was supposed to dominate. Neither of those things happened. And it was freaking awesome. Baseball is a really bizarre game sometimes. Even more so in the postseason, where you take the unpredictability of everyday baseball, punch in… Read more →
Hey, blog readers. I got to write a piece for today’s SweetSpot blog entitled: “Why the Giants will win the World Series.” I think you already know the number one reason: 1. Marco Scutaro is on fire. Everyone knows about the success that Scutaro enjoyed since he joined the Giants. Since a July trade to the Giants, Scutaro batting slashed —… Read more →
This year the beginning of the winter leagues snuck up on me. Let me tell you, having the playoffs and midterms during the same time of year is an unholy mess. I’ll give you a quick intro and things to look for, plus a chart for each league that contains the vitals on Giants prospects. I’m most eager to watch… Read more →
Tonight, the Giants capped off an amazing comeback run in the NLCS by defeating the Cardinals 9-0. The Cardinals, who’ve got to be kicking themselves right now after failing to capitalize on a 3-1 lead in the series, never were really in tonight’s game. The Giants tacked on runs in the 1st and 2nd innings before exploding for five runs… Read more →
I’ve been watching the Giants for almost 20 years now and I can’t remember a Giants pitcher that pitched off his fastball more than Ryan Vogelsong over his last two NLCS starts. Maybe Jason Schmidt, when he was dominating the National League, but it’s pretty damned special what Ryan Vogelsong is doing right now with his fastball. Velocity. Movement. Location…. Read more →
A quick-fire post before I settle down this Sunday and get ready for tonight’s game. — (1) Will Vogelsong be able to (again) successfully pitch inside to Cardinal right-handed batters? Vogelsong’s Game Two start was magnificent. As I noted at the time, Vogelsong really hammered right-handed batters inside with his fastball. The result was this: And this: The first image… Read more →
I know I did it. You probably did it too. You probably make some jerk comment about how Barry Zito — vastly overpaid, not all that great pitcher — was starting in the playoffs for the Giants in a must-win, do-or-die, NLCS Game Give. You did it, just like I did it, because it was the easy thing to do…. Read more →
Watching Hunter Pence go down swinging on one knee, hacking at a slider in the dirt, in a crucial at-bat in the 7th inning of yesterday’s Game Three against Mitchell Boggs was a painful sight. Pence, acquired at the trading deadline to bolster the outfield depth and add offensive firepower to the lineup, has struggled with the Giants and is… Read more →