With the Giants 8-3 victory today, after the D-gers lost to the Reds (who, FYI, clinched their division title with their victory), they have clinched the NL West Division title! This is their second title in three years, in fact, the three years of 2010-2012, as the team are well on their way towards my prediction of their being the Team of the Decade for the 2010 decade. Schulman noted that this is their 5th NL West Division title in 16 years with Sabean as GM, 8th overall for the San Francisco franchise since divisional play started, which, by my math, means that 62.5% of our NL West Division titles have come during Sabean's reign.
The Giants are now 25-10 after the Melk-Gone, winning 6 in a row to clinch in a flourish. They are now 74-46 since Cain exhorted his team when they were 15-17, and pitched and hit his way to a victory on May 12th. They are 34-18 since they traded for Marco Scutaro, 33-16 since they traded for Hunter Pence, and 18-8 since the D-gers traded for A-Gon et al and "assured themselves" of relevancy in the 2012 pennant race. They are now looking behind the 8-ball for even making the playoffs, let alone not even coming close to the NL West Division title.
The Giants and D-gers were last tied for the NL West Division lead on August 14th, which also happened to be Melky's last game for the Giants. As noted, the Giants went 25-10 after that huge blow. The D-gers soon picked up A-Gon et al in their big blockbuster trade, in fact, the lead went back and forth for the week after Melk-Gone, with the D-gers last holding the lead on August 19th, yet went 14-21 during that period, 10-16 after gaining A-Gon, meaning they played even worse after the trade, whereas the Giants played better once Melky was gone.
The media noted that Melky never said good-bye or met with the team to explain himself. Perhaps that bonded the team together in a way that they had not achieved before then, as, frankly, the Giants were seen as cheats who did not belong where they were. With their performance since, I think they have put an exclamation point that they did and do deserve it because, in the end, they earned it by running away with the division in the wake of both the Melk-Gone and the A-Gon et al. They did it in a very decisive way, by nearly being the first team to clinch the division title in the NL this season, and still did it the same day. Melky was a useful addition, for sure, the Giants showed what they were made up in the wake of his scandal, a scandal that would have sunk lesser teams.
It's going to be interesting to see what Bochy does over these last nine exhibition games. We aren't going to get the #1 or #2 playoff seeds, so I would think he'd give Belt a lot of work in LF since that's where he'll be playing in the playoffs when Timmy and Z start. I think the playoff roster will look like this:
ReplyDeletePosey, Sanchez, Belt, Huff, Scutaro, Theriot, Crawford, Arias, Sandoval, Blanco, Nady, Pagan, Pence, Cain, Bumgarner, Lincecum, Zito, Vogelsong, Romo, Affeldt, Casilla, Lopez, Kontos, Mijares, Mota.
Outside chance for Hensley instead of Mota. Longer shot at both Mota and Hensley being left off for another OF (Peguero? Christian?)
The Giants could theoretically get to those seeds, but I agree with the general opinion that it is not worth trying in this season's series because of the 2-3 format.
DeleteHonestly, I don't see Posey not catching all the games, his quote notwithstanding. Sanchez has not hit all that well in the second half, and though he has made strides defensively this season, I think Posey is still much better than he is, and shifting Posey to 1B weakens three positions defensively: C, 1B, LF. And defense is so important in the playoffs. So I don't think that's happening.
I agree with the roster, Vogelsong won his spot with his last start. Given how Bochy embraced Mota after his return, I don't see how he would drop Mota for Hensley. And I just don't see the need for another OF, at worse Belt can play LF, and if they need a PR for Huff, one of the starting pitchers could do it, like Bumgarner or Cain.
I agree re: Mota and the 2-3 format (which you noted on a previous post as yet another Selig screw up). The garden spot is the #3 seed -- you get the first two games at home and you know your opponent at the latest on Wednesday. I really wonder if they're going to have Buster catch Timmy...I can see them having Buster catch Zito, but I'll be surprised to see him behind the dish in game 3 with Lincecum. These next 9 games will tell us -- if we don't see Belt in LF, you are probably right.
ReplyDeleteThe more I read and think, the more I think that Posey will be the starting catcher throughout the playoffs, as a general rule. Bochy's been saying that the Sanchez starts are to save Posey for later in the season, and from all accounts, it has been a great success. Well, it's later now, this is when we need Posey full-time behind the plate.
DeletePersonally, I think that Posey would be insulted if Bochy were to start Sanchez in place of him in the playoffs. The only way I see it happening is if the Giants were ahead by 2-3 games in the 7 game format, and Bochy let Sanchez catch Lincecum, both to give Posey a break as well as to give Sanchez a career moment.
Yes, these 9 games will tell us more
Another Epic moment:
ReplyDeleteBuster Posey reaches 100 RBI, first since Bonds did it in 2004, and only the third catcher in Giants franchise history to reach 100 RBI (Walker Cooper, who drove in 122 in 1947, and Dick Dietz, who racked up 107 RBIs in 1970).
http://www.csnbayarea.com/baseball-san-francisco-giants/giants-talk/Humble-Posey-reaches-historic-milestone-?blockID=779933&feedID=2796
Posey clearly won't be the top in Giants history, barring a historic RBI game on his part, but 107 isn't out of the question, though isn't likely.
Beginning of the year we both said to not discount the impact of Buster Posey. Well...
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