Comments for Bay City Ball - A Giants Blog

Comment on Pondering Cain’s release point by Damon

Damon — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:44:09 +0000

Perhaps an analysis of the homers Cain has given up is in order, a la your “Vogeldongs” article. Caintaters, or something.

Comment on Pondering Cain’s release point by TSF

TSF — Fri, 17 May 2013 20:52:35 +0000

There were two articles on Fangraphs last year that identified his lower release point, and supposedly that allowed him to throw a new slider with a greater vertical break than he had in previous years. For the first half of 2012, and perhaps as far back as late 2011, it looks to have become a legit swing-and-miss pitch for him and a secondary out pitch to his well-placed fastball, but following the perfect game he’s lost command of that slider. I’d be interested to know in how many of the homers Cain’s served up were on hanging breaking pitches or a location mistake with the fastball. What we’re seeing now feels like a continuation of 2012′s second half and postseason, where Cain became mysteriously homer-prone after being one of the stingiest flyball pitchers when it came to homers. I think it’s fair to say that the early 2013 results is not due to mere bad luck.

Comment on GIFs: A look at tonight’s action in Toronto by ceugene

ceugene — Thu, 16 May 2013 13:42:54 +0000

Should just post this update a second time for effect.

Comment on Vogeldongs: A look at recent pitchers with spikes in HR-rate by Damon

Damon — Mon, 13 May 2013 22:19:31 +0000

Pretty sure I will soon have a nightmare loosely based on the word “Vogeldong.” Thanks, Chris.

Comment on Brett Pill recalled (gives me reason to post my favorite GIF) by gelbasaurus

gelbasaurus — Mon, 13 May 2013 22:06:50 +0000

To be honest, I can’t think of a better option we have for DH for the upcoming Toronto and Oakland Series.
Also, is he any less valuable of a PH than Peguero (now that all 4 regular OFs are healthy)? Moreso, if Peguero is truly a prospect, he shouldn’t be in the Brett Pill PH role anyways.
Yes, I know that the fear is that Pill will start in 1st/LF. Yes, that would be bad.

Comment on Vogeldongs: A look at recent pitchers with spikes in HR-rate by Frozendarkness

Frozendarkness — Mon, 13 May 2013 20:20:18 +0000

One thing I noticed is that all of our pitchers have lost velocity over the past two years. Matt Cain is throwing 91mph heaters, voggie and bumgarner are throwing 90, timmy is throwing #@$*(#$ heaters, all over the park. I wonder if it’s something Dave Righetti is pushing for in all his pitchers, to either preserver arm strength, or mix it up more with pitches with movement. I still see cain hit 94 if he needs to, but we’re just not a pitching staff that throws in the high 92-93s anymore. Even Casilla is seeing only 93mph instead of 95+.
I know pitchers get slower with age, but bumgarner is the craziest to me, he should be getting stronger!
But weirder still is that slower fastballs does not equate to better command. Matt Cain, Voggie, Timmy all have terrible fast ball command right now. balls just drift right over the plate like nobody’s business.
Onto vogelsong though, his game against the braves, he was doing so well in the first few innings so i’d like to think he still has what he had last year. Hitting both corners with great precision. I wonder if the WBC has something to do with it, it just seems like he’s tired and leaving many pitches up or way down. I must be seeing things, but I did see fatigue around the fifth inning.
I do want to say though that I don’t consider TImmy/Voggie’s good K/9 rates to be an indicator of success. I’ve watched many Timmy games where people are just t-ing off him because if they succeed, it’s a huge inning, if they don’t it’s a SO. Patient hitters are having a field day with Timmy because most of his pitches, when he’s not 100% on just aren’t in the strike zone.

Comment on Brett Pill recalled (gives me reason to post my favorite GIF) by Will_the_Shrill

Will_the_Shrill — Mon, 13 May 2013 18:44:20 +0000

That GIF gives hope to us all that we might actually be good enough to strike out at the MLB level.

Comment on Vogeldongs: A look at recent pitchers with spikes in HR-rate by Chris Quick

Chris Quick — Mon, 13 May 2013 14:29:26 +0000

Zegonite Last I heard, Surkamp is still rehabbing and probably won’t start pitching in extended spring training games until midseason. So, he’s probably an unlikely candidate to replace anyone in the rotation. The rest of the team’s starters in AAA — Heston, Kickham, Petit — are either struggling or low-ceiling players. Kickham could be a guy to keep an eye on. He got off to a rough start, but he’s been lights out in May (14 IP, 10 H, 15 K, 1 BB, 1.93 ERA).

Comment on Vogeldongs: A look at recent pitchers with spikes in HR-rate by Zegonite

Zegonite — Mon, 13 May 2013 13:51:23 +0000

I know it is early to speculate, and I certainly hope that Vogey can find his excellent form from the past two seasons again, but should he continue to get shelled like he has been this year, I’m wondering- aside from a trade to bring in another starter, what options do the Giants have? So far all of the future starters in AAA are having terrible seasons. What’s going on with Eric Surkamp, any chance he might come back and get a chance at the job if Vogey continues to struggle?

Comment on An important day in Barry Zito history by Duncan KP

Duncan KP — Mon, 13 May 2013 05:07:17 +0000

Mpela IF there was ever a park to do it it is ours. A lucky bounce in right (off a corner or something) with bad positioning by the fielder…? It could happen.