- A.M.: Saturday was the first day of the rest of my life.
- Journalists and fans worried by offense and over buoyant about the pitching: Giants have been playing at pitcher's parks (or at best nuetral park, AT&T) the whole season now and have been playing in wet and very cold conditions. I would like to see them hit the ball with authority in those conditions. Plus Bonds is known for starting off the season cold. More importantly, the Giants have played only 11 games (small sample) and even more importantly, they are 7-4. Hitting will improve and let's wait to see if the pitching holds up, it is still early. So enjoy the record in the meanwhile and see how things work out.
- Why I like Alou over Baker, reason number 964: all the rumors swirling around about where Baker may end up after the season since his contract is up, including SF (!?!?!). There's no way in H-E-double hockey sticks that Baker will ever be welcomed back to SF to manage. I think Alou sticks around as long as Bonds is around, but given all of Bonds health problems - bone chips in elbow, knee with no cartilage, overweight body - who knows if he'll even last this whole season now. Wotus is the frontrunner for successor with Luis Pujols as a long-shot choice since he's been with Felipe for a long time now. Furthermore, Baker would just put Benitez in as closer immediately, whereas Felipe is making him prove himself to be back before installing him in as closer, $7+M contract or not.
- OMAR!: I can't find a link to the video but it has to be seen to be believed, watch it before it goes away from the Giants official website - http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/index.jsp?c_id=sf
- Nice problem to have: our two best starting pitchers thus far has arguably been Wright and Hennessey, the two competing for the final spot in the rotation, for the right to be #5. However, the 1-4 starters have nothing to worry about, it would take an utter collapse on the part of any of them for these two to be moved into their places.
- Why Fassero and not Correia?: Giants will be starting Fassero Monday, but why? He showed last season that he can't really hack starting, the other team appears to catch on to his pitching after multiple at-bats since he did great as a reliever. Why not start Correia instead? He only pitched a little on Thursday, today should be around the day he normally would throw if he were a starter, why not go with him first and take him out when he runs out of gas and THEN put Fassero in, like some minor league teams do, they have co-starters for the game when they have too many starters on the roster.
- Beanball!: I would never advocate hitting another team's hitter, especially in the head, but if ever there was a player to be hit by a Giants pitcher, in the 36 seasons I have been following the Giants, it would be Jeff Kent (yes, he even beats out Steve Garvey). Luckily for him he has a such a thick, hard head, so there shouldn't be any permanent damage, not even as bad as the injury he suffered "washing his truck" a couple of years back. I'm actually surprised it didn't bounce off and go over the fence for a homer, a blockhead like that should have at least warning track power. Joking aside, I hope he is fine with no permanent damage and ready to insult Giants fans again real soon.
- Niekro, injured again: as much as I like Niekro as a hitter (I know, not hitting at the moment, see above), he is our version of J.D. Drew, there is always an injury of one sort or another lurking around, and that screws up the makeup of the team when you always have to account for that. It is bad enough having to adjust for Bonds and probably Alou's absenses due to age, but at least those are planable to a certain extent, particularly with a good 4th like Finley. Injuries are not, it puts the team on the spot, whether to DL or wait it out, and meanwhile the team runs short-handed.
- Alou, injured again: see above for Niekro, but at least the defense doesn't take a hit because Finley, Ellison, and Winn are better RF than Alou, unlike what happens when Sweeney takes over for Niekro at 1B. There are good reasons (all defensive) why a good hitter like Sweeney has never been given a chance to play 1B regularly.
Go Giants!
I sure hope Felipe sticks to his plan of letting Worrell closing and Benitez setting up. In the past, though, his announced plans have had very little traction: Snow/Niekro, Tomko in the bullpen, Tomko starting, Rueter ditto, Alfonzo sitting, Alfonzo starting, Barry batting 2nd, 3rd, whatever. The dude talks a lot--let's see if he follows through.
ReplyDeleteTechnically, he did follow through on many of the ones you listed. He did start Niekro, but then he got injured, like, the moment Alou said "-kro". Tomko did go to the bullpen and pitch a game in relief, then he got put back into starting - Alou never said he's there forever. Same with starting, Tomko got to start, he stunk, he got put back into relief. Alfonzo sat for all of one game, then went on that hot streak in 2003 for the rest of the half season. He only suggested Barry bat 2nd and Barry nixed that, you can only blame him for not OKing it with Bonds first, but he probably did that to show that he is willing to think differently, if only given the chance.
ReplyDeleteThat's part of what I like about Alou, he's willing to yank players' chain if they are not performing, give them a public kick in the pants to get them going.
Baker would just let them play it out, like when he sat Gallaraga solely because Snow came back. At worse he should have platooning the two at that point, at best, Gallaraga should have been starting. However Baker in his infinite wisdom instead started Snow, which cost us because Snow was cold that year.