Know Your Foe #15: Giants Return to Coors, Looking To Continue Pummeling Spiraling Rockies
by Andrew Martin on May 16, 2011 2:00 PM MDT
in Know Your Foe
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San Francisco Giants (22-17, 1st in the NL West)
2011 Record vs. Colorado: 5-1
Last Series vs. Rockies: Friday, May 6-8 (W 3-0 at AT&T Park)
Nasty, Nasty, Nasty. For those of you who may have had the pleasure of being unconscious or in another country and out of earshot of San Francisco last weekend, you may have missed the 3 straight walkoff wins against the Rockies, 1 by Arizona and the next 2 by San Francisco. Here are the positives from that series:
- None of the 3 games were blowouts. The first two went to walkoffs (4-3, 3-2) and the 3rd was at least a save situation (3-0 shutout).
- Pitching looked good as a whole, not allowing more than 4 runs in any one of the games.
- Ubaldo Jimenez turned in a wildly effective start, going 6, striking out 7, but walking 5.
- Chris Iannetta was pretty effective.
Now here are the bad parts:
- The Rockies scored 5 total runs in that series without facing Matt Cain or Tim Lincecum.
- Major League Managers have no idea how to handle tie games on the road, with Jim Tracy being no exception.
- Ryan Vogelsong of the career 5.58 ERA had a perfecto against the Rockies going into the 6th.
- The team was 2-for-14 with RISP during that series.
- The Rockies were swept.
It's tough to find much to be pleased about when you see a series like that go down.
Latest Series Results: Split 1-1 @ Chicago, W 3-0 vs Arizona
In case you didn't notice, the Giants had a 15-16 record before the Rockies game to town. Now they're 22-17. When did the Colorado Rockies become the slumpbuster? It's not as if the Giants have played THAT well in that timeframe. In fact, over the past 8 games for San Francisco, the Giants have batted .238/.325/.377 and struck out 66 times. No exaggeration there. Andres Torres has been killing it in his 4 games back (.467/.529/.733, good for a 1.263 OPS), Cody Ross has been killing it, Aubrey Huff has been OK, and none of their other starters has mustered a .700+ OPS.
The immediate reaction is that the Rockies need to jump on this poor-hitting team, and fast, but wait until you see the pitching matchups past the jump.
Monday through Tuesday: 2-game series at Coors Field
Expected Pitching Matchups
Monday, May 16, 2011 @ 6:40 PM MT
I don't know if you noticed, but Lincecum is gunning for another CY this year. He's striking out over 10 batters per 9 innings, walking less than 3, and is riding 15 scoreless innings over 2 starts in May. I feel for Clay Mortensen, personally.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011 @ 1:10 PM MT
Expected Lineup
| Name | Position | AVG | OBP | SLG | wOBA | wRC+ | HR | RBI |
| Andres Torres | CF | .349 | .429 | .512 | .425 | 167 | 0 | 2 |
| Freddy Sanchez | 2B | .259 | .307 | .371 | .295 | 81 | 2 | 11 |
| Aubrey Huff | 1B | .219 | .281 | .372 | .284 | 73 | 4 | 20 |
| Buster Posey | C | .256 | .347 | .368 | .326 | 102 | 4 | 20 |
| Cody Ross | OF | .239 | .292 | .358 | .285 | 74 | 2 | 7 |
| Pat Burrell | LF | .232 | .350 | .424 | .349 | 117 | 5 | 9 |
| Mike Fontenot | SS | .206 | .304 | .426 | .323 | 99 | 2 | 7 |
| Miguel Tejada | 3B | .195 | .227 | .263 | .211 | 25 | 1 | 10 |
Bench
| Name | Position | AVG | OBP | SLG | wOBA | wRC+ | HR | RBI |
| Aaron Rowand | CF | .262 | .316 | .389 | .310 | 90 | 1 | 9 |
| Nate Schierholtz | RF | .279 | .310 | .456 | .327 | 102 | 2 | 9 |
| Darren Ford | OF | .222 | .364 | .222 | .250 | 51 | 0 | 0 |
| Mark DeRosa | UTIL | .214 | .290 | .250 | .254 | 53 | 0 | 3 |
| Eli Whiteside | C | .208 | .296 | .417 | .304 | 86 | 1 | 1 |
Closer
Injuries
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I'm pretty sure the Rockies faced Matt Cain in that last series
by RhodeIslandRoxfan on May 16, 2011 2:11 PM MDT reply actions
iirc, it was Dirty Sanchez, Mad Bum Looker, and Ryan VogelSongoffkey
"We have done everything possible to be set for this day, for this season. It's time to go. We are ready. I can promise you that." - CarGo
I'm pretty sure I remember Tulo hitting a HR off Cain
by RhodeIslandRoxfan on May 16, 2011 2:39 PM MDT up reply actions
Cain pitched May 6 against the Rockies
"There have been only two geniuses in the world. Willie Mays and Willie Shakespeare." ~Tallulah Bankhead
"Love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good too." ~Greg, age 8
JFK
not in San Francisco.
He definitely did last time the giants came to town.
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by Andrew Martin on May 16, 2011 2:46 PM MDT via mobile up reply actions
This, and we beat him like a brokeass drum.
"We have done everything possible to be set for this day, for this season. It's time to go. We are ready. I can promise you that." - CarGo
We absolutely faced him both times. In fact, 60% of the runs we scored in the last series came off Cain.
by RhodeIslandRoxfan on May 16, 2011 3:10 PM MDT up reply actions
This is true
Cain starting game one of the series in San Francisco. Tulo hit a homer off of him to start the scoring. At one point the Rocks were up 3-0 but blew.
Rockies baseball fever
I'm trying to think of something positive going into this series.
If the game is tied in the 9th inning, the Rockies will at least be able to bat last?
"Are they called the Rockies because they rock?" - 7 y.o.
But then Tracy will just send Giambi to the plate :(.
Proud member of the Jonathan 'Scrappy Doo' Herrera Fan Club - Puppy Power!
Strikeouts are boring - besides that, they're fascist. Throw some more groundballs. Its more democratic. - Crash Davis
Sad
Was getting shit from a SF fan/friend this weekend, and all I had was “yeah, we kinda suck right now.” Sheesh.
by BostonTransplant on May 16, 2011 2:35 PM MDT via mobile reply actions
Meh, your friend still has to live in California.
You win.
"We have done everything possible to be set for this day, for this season. It's time to go. We are ready. I can promise you that." - CarGo
by Mondogarage on May 16, 2011 2:39 PM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
where is that anti-rec button.
such hate for a pretty decent place to live :P
"I think I speak for everyone in here when I say it's playoffs or bust"- J. Hammel
Orig.Thugget Loyalist #4, UNugg #4, QPU Emeritus, Proud member PR Gynocracy
Call me when your state's financial situation is demonstrably better than that of Somalia's.
;-)
One the right hand, there’s a lot of really pretty places in California I’d love to go see. Truly.
On the left hand, there are some seriously messed up things about actually living there.
"We have done everything possible to be set for this day, for this season. It's time to go. We are ready. I can promise you that." - CarGo
There are plenty of lousy things about Colorado too.
Just sayin’ . You can find crap everywhere. Just make sure you spend your tax dollars here on vacation. And then not move here ever.
"I think I speak for everyone in here when I say it's playoffs or bust"- J. Hammel
Orig.Thugget Loyalist #4, UNugg #4, QPU Emeritus, Proud member PR Gynocracy
Or in other words.
To each their own.
"I think I speak for everyone in here when I say it's playoffs or bust"- J. Hammel
Orig.Thugget Loyalist #4, UNugg #4, QPU Emeritus, Proud member PR Gynocracy
Oh, if we ever leave here, it's likely for Portland[ia].
Fo’reals.
"We have done everything possible to be set for this day, for this season. It's time to go. We are ready. I can promise you that." - CarGo
SoCal and NorCal are two different places. It's confusing to outsiders that they're one state
I lived in SoCal (LA area) for 2 years, enjoyed it a lot, and would move back there if for some reason living in Colorado wasn’t an option. My company is headquartered in NorCal and I’ve spent a lot of time there but never actually lived there. They’ve tried to get me to relocate and I’ve said I’d rather find a new job than do so. I have no idea why anyone would pay the cost of living required to live in that area. What you get is just not worth it.
"The game of baseball is made up of many little things. If we do all the little things right, then we'll never have a big thing to worry about" -- Cal Ripken, Sr.
Johnny Herrera Fan Club Member -- "Mr. Fundamental"
Yankee Haters Encouragement Group Member #3
Just too many Giants fans in that state.
That’s the main thing wrong with it :) !
Proud member of the Jonathan 'Scrappy Doo' Herrera Fan Club - Puppy Power!
Strikeouts are boring - besides that, they're fascist. Throw some more groundballs. Its more democratic. - Crash Davis
Well, that's where it begins ;-)
San Francisco is a lovely city…unfortunately, Phone Company Park didn’t burn down in the 1906 quake. There’s always the 2012 quake, though.
"We have done everything possible to be set for this day, for this season. It's time to go. We are ready. I can promise you that." - CarGo
Oh, and without San Francisco, we wouldn't have had Bullitt, so there's that.
And California does have the Russian River brewery. And Monterey.
"We have done everything possible to be set for this day, for this season. It's time to go. We are ready. I can promise you that." - CarGo
At least this series
is expected to have good weather both days
"There have been only two geniuses in the world. Willie Mays and Willie Shakespeare." ~Tallulah Bankhead
"Love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good too." ~Greg, age 8
JFK
This is an interesting point
Major League Managers have no idea how to handle tie games on the road, with Jim Tracy being no exception.
I don’t really mind the MLB managers’ groupthink that says, “I’m not using my closer or best setup man on the road unless we get the lead.”
I suppose when you are trying to get a bullpen through a 162-game schedule, there’s some sound logic in that. But then for God’s sake at least fire all of your offensive bullets prior to the 9th, instead of sending your end-of-the-bench punching bag out there to square off with Brian Wilson or Heath Bell.
Basically I would approach the 8th and 9th as if I was already half a run behind, and I need to push one across or I lose. Squeeze bunt, best pinch-hitter – whatever I need to use. Tracy’s failure to do that was my biggest gripe with the last road trip – much more so than his selection of pitchers.
by Northsider1964 on May 16, 2011 2:46 PM MDT reply actions 1 recs
"Damned if you do, damned if you don't" in tie games on the road
If you throw your best bullpen guys in the 8th and 9th and then you do get the lead in the 10th or 11th you no longer have them available and lose a real heartbreaker. If you don’t throw them you might not get to the 10th or 11th at all.
On the other hand, over the course of a road trip (and particularly on the last game of a series), a loss in 9 is probably better than a win in 16 or 17. Playing to win in 9 from the offensive side (firing all your offensive bullets, potentially leaving your bench a wreck for extra innings) really makes some sense. You either win the game or at worst you don’t burn up your whole bullpen and live to fight another day.
"The game of baseball is made up of many little things. If we do all the little things right, then we'll never have a big thing to worry about" -- Cal Ripken, Sr.
Johnny Herrera Fan Club Member -- "Mr. Fundamental"
Yankee Haters Encouragement Group Member #3
Yes, and don't hesitate to pull out the stops to get a single run
Because if I grab a 3-2 lead in the 7th and the opponent rallies for 2 runs in the 9th off my closer, I can sort of live with that because I maximized my chances of winning. But if I allow the game to enter the 9th tied, their closer holds us scoreless, and all they have to do is push one across in the Bottom of the 9th against Felipe Paulino, I’ve made their life pretty damn easy.
by Northsider1964 on May 16, 2011 3:07 PM MDT up reply actions
Tracy
is Mr. by the book. He is never going to think outside of the box.
IMO the managers job is to stick his best lineup out there and then stay out of the way. With all the rediculous matchup pitching changes and his playing everyone on the bench , he is clearly not doing that.
his lineups have been ridiculously consistent
And there has been far less backup starts than usual
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on May 16, 2011 4:17 PM MDT via mobile up reply actions
And last year, the Row complained that he changed lineups too much
And re “LOLMATCHUPZ”, folks in here got pissed when he did NOT bring in Matt Reynolds for the lefty-vs-lefty matchups. Despite the fact they get equally pissed when he does play matchups.
Schmoke and a pancake?
Pipe and a crepe?
Bong and a blintz?
There’s just no pleasing the Row.
"We have done everything possible to be set for this day, for this season. It's time to go. We are ready. I can promise you that." - CarGo
by Mondogarage on May 16, 2011 4:19 PM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
when the team is loses, everything the manager does is wrong
Pretty sure that’s how it works
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on May 16, 2011 5:08 PM MDT via mobile up reply actions
Yup
And also pretty sure that failure to succeed is only ever a player’s fault if that player’s surname is Giambi or Lopez.
"We have done everything possible to be set for this day, for this season. It's time to go. We are ready. I can promise you that." - CarGo
There is no right answer, there's just letting the hoi polloi vent every day
even if it’s diametrically opposed to yesterday’s vent of the day.
If Paulino had pitched clean innings the last five games, the Row would be sated by WINZ and not trashing Tracy’s bullpen use. Despite the fact that the fundamental issue (Paulino is a sucky bullpen arm, but may or may not be a decent 5th starter candidate) doesn’t actually change.
At least until the next game any reliever gave up a run in. ;-)
"We have done everything possible to be set for this day, for this season. It's time to go. We are ready. I can promise you that." - CarGo
Do you consider yourself part of the hoi polloi?
"I think I speak for everyone in here when I say it's playoffs or bust"- J. Hammel
Orig.Thugget Loyalist #4, UNugg #4, QPU Emeritus, Proud member PR Gynocracy
I consider myself rational.
I have no doubt you consider me otherwise. To have any doubt of that would be…less than rational.
"We have done everything possible to be set for this day, for this season. It's time to go. We are ready. I can promise you that." - CarGo
But you didn't answer my question.
Yes or no. Do you consider yourself part of the hoi polloi?
"I think I speak for everyone in here when I say it's playoffs or bust"- J. Hammel
Orig.Thugget Loyalist #4, UNugg #4, QPU Emeritus, Proud member PR Gynocracy
You can please some of the Row some of the time
but you can’t please all of the Row all of the time
"The game of baseball is made up of many little things. If we do all the little things right, then we'll never have a big thing to worry about" -- Cal Ripken, Sr.
Johnny Herrera Fan Club Member -- "Mr. Fundamental"
Yankee Haters Encouragement Group Member #3
Actually,
Jim Tracy can’t please all of the Row any of the time. ;-)
"We have done everything possible to be set for this day, for this season. It's time to go. We are ready. I can promise you that." - CarGo
That's because he's a baseball manager. It comes with the territory.
"I think I speak for everyone in here when I say it's playoffs or bust"- J. Hammel
Orig.Thugget Loyalist #4, UNugg #4, QPU Emeritus, Proud member PR Gynocracy
Yes it does. But people who presumably take a deeper level of interest in the game...
…should be able to be more rational about it.
It is not rational to complain night after night after night that Tracy’s playing LOLMATCHUPZ with his bullpen…and then complain on the night he does not do so, specifically for not doing so.
"We have done everything possible to be set for this day, for this season. It's time to go. We are ready. I can promise you that." - CarGo
In other words, it's fine to question his decisions or even whine about him...
…but when you’re completely inconsistent in your own complaints, then that reveals your complaints as being irrational and simply based on a biased view of who you’re complaining about.
"We have done everything possible to be set for this day, for this season. It's time to go. We are ready. I can promise you that." - CarGo
That's not a rational viewpoint at all.
Don’t you think it’s possible for the “deeper” baseball thinkers, to realize that Tracy has better “lolmatchup” candidates than Paulino and Morales? And that maybe it’s actually a fair criticism?
"I think I speak for everyone in here when I say it's playoffs or bust"- J. Hammel
Orig.Thugget Loyalist #4, UNugg #4, QPU Emeritus, Proud member PR Gynocracy
In other words, discernment is key.
"I think I speak for everyone in here when I say it's playoffs or bust"- J. Hammel
Orig.Thugget Loyalist #4, UNugg #4, QPU Emeritus, Proud member PR Gynocracy
Your point is not really quite on point here
Because the complaints Saturday stemmed from him specifically not bringing in a lefty to face a lefty (e.g. not bringing in Reynolds).
In other games recently, he has brought in Morales after having already used Reynolds in a matchup situation.
But maybe you can explain to me why it’s perfectly rational to complain about Tracy using pitchers in matchup situations for four straight games, and then complain about him not doing so in the very next game.
It’s important to discern the fact that Tracy has a 7 man bullpen and has to use his 6th and 7th men at times, because 2010 already delivered a painful lesson on what happens to a five man bullpen in September. They implode.
Sometimes, it’s actually up to the player to perform or not, and their failure to do so is not the manager’s fault. And the manager does not decide the 25 man roster.
"We have done everything possible to be set for this day, for this season. It's time to go. We are ready. I can promise you that." - CarGo
I can answer that in two words. Paulino and Morales.
We already know that these guys have been bad. And Tracy insisted on using Morales in his least likely to succeed scenario.
"I think I speak for everyone in here when I say it's playoffs or bust"- J. Hammel
Orig.Thugget Loyalist #4, UNugg #4, QPU Emeritus, Proud member PR Gynocracy
We know that Paulino has been bad
Jim Tracy cannot DFA Paulino. Therefore, there are times when Paulino will have to pitch. None of that counters
Tracy has a 7 man bullpen and has to use his 6th and 7th men at times, because 2010 already delivered a painful lesson on what happens to a five man bullpen in September.
And if you use up Betancourt, Belisle and Street in a tie game and the Rox take the lead in the 11th, do you want Paulino trying to earn the save there? I sure as hell don’t.
And I’m pretty damn certain Jim Tracy really doesn’t, either, but when you’ve burnt all your good guys in a tie game (or a game we’re 1 run down in), and they’re not available for the next game where we have a late lead, because you burnt them the two games previous…that’s what you have.
I don’t blame Jim Tracy for using Paulino and Morales. I blame Paulino and Morales for pitching like…well…Paulino and Morales. But we won’t be blaming either of them much longer.
"We have done everything possible to be set for this day, for this season. It's time to go. We are ready. I can promise you that." - CarGo
At some point thoughTracy has to see that he's
not doing the team nor the players any favors by trying to fit square pegs into round holes.
"I think I speak for everyone in here when I say it's playoffs or bust"- J. Hammel
Orig.Thugget Loyalist #4, UNugg #4, QPU Emeritus, Proud member PR Gynocracy
Actually, at some point...
DOD has to see that Tracy’s not going to win the NL West with two square pegs in his pen.
He simply cannot run Belisle/RafBet/Street/Lindstrom out there 90 times a year (or even 80).
And Lindstrom, in particular, can’t really be used often on back-to-back days.
Really, my only complaint about Tracy’s BP use is that he views Reynolds as more of LOOGY than he needs to, because Reynolds can get RH hitter out. But changing his view on that is not going to eliminate the real problem, which is that he has a square peg or two. He can’t just not use them or save them for the 4th inning of blowouts. Because our lead guys won’t survive the season otherwise.
"We have done everything possible to be set for this day, for this season. It's time to go. We are ready. I can promise you that." - CarGo
October 1, 2009?
"The game of baseball is made up of many little things. If we do all the little things right, then we'll never have a big thing to worry about" -- Cal Ripken, Sr.
Johnny Herrera Fan Club Member -- "Mr. Fundamental"
Yankee Haters Encouragement Group Member #3
That hurts man
"I think I speak for everyone in here when I say it's playoffs or bust"- J. Hammel
Orig.Thugget Loyalist #4, UNugg #4, QPU Emeritus, Proud member PR Gynocracy
Nope, sorry, I was wrong
Tracy wasnt wearing his goggles while being drenched in beer haha
(totally out of context, but totally funny still)
"The game of baseball is made up of many little things. If we do all the little things right, then we'll never have a big thing to worry about" -- Cal Ripken, Sr.
Johnny Herrera Fan Club Member -- "Mr. Fundamental"
Yankee Haters Encouragement Group Member #3
Hahahaha
"We have done everything possible to be set for this day, for this season. It's time to go. We are ready. I can promise you that." - CarGo
I'll never forget the sight of Beimel walking around in his purple robe
"We have done everything possible to be set for this day, for this season. It's time to go. We are ready. I can promise you that." - CarGo
Grant's prediction for this series is pure gold.
Just sayin’.
But I’m not gonna copy/paste it here, because….well, I’ll let someone else make the prophecy come true.
"We have done everything possible to be set for this day, for this season. It's time to go. We are ready. I can promise you that." - CarGo
I'm glad you're not going to copy and paste...I don't care what Grant has to say ...thanks anyway :)
It was legit funny (and if I did copy/paste it, the joke would be lost)
"We have done everything possible to be set for this day, for this season. It's time to go. We are ready. I can promise you that." - CarGo
Actually, I'm positive you would
Nothing subtle about it….though I can think of one poster who would disagree with me
But it wouldn’t be nearly as funny if I did.
On the other hand, ya’ll don’t have to worry about me in the GT tonight, because I’ll be at the game.
"We have done everything possible to be set for this day, for this season. It's time to go. We are ready. I can promise you that." - CarGo
And here come the Gints
1. Andres Torres (S) CF
2. Freddy Sanchez® 2B
3. Aubrey Huff (L) 1B
4. Buster Posey® C
5. Nate Schierholtz (L) RF
6. Cody Ross® LF
7. Mark DeRosa® 3B
8. Miguel Tejada® SS
9. Tim Lincecum (L) P
"We have done everything possible to be set for this day, for this season. It's time to go. We are ready. I can promise you that." - CarGo
Giants win
Game one 2-1 with a 2 run ninth with four straight bloop hits
by oxsnard on May 16, 2011 5:20 PM MDT via mobile reply actions
All complete Texas league bloops, and six bouncers with eyes....
…and Jim Tracy will get blamed.
;-)
"We have done everything possible to be set for this day, for this season. It's time to go. We are ready. I can promise you that." - CarGo
HOW COULD YOU PUT STREET INTO A SAVE SITUATION
AGAINST HUFF AND SCHIERHOLTZ THAT’S WHAT REYNOLDS IS FOR
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on May 16, 2011 5:45 PM MDT via mobile up reply actions
/rolls eyes
"I think I speak for everyone in here when I say it's playoffs or bust"- J. Hammel
Orig.Thugget Loyalist #4, UNugg #4, QPU Emeritus, Proud member PR Gynocracy
I think a walk off grand slam by Giambi vs Lincecum or Wilson would do wonders
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on May 16, 2011 5:49 PM MDT via mobile up reply actions
Don't if if this was mentioned but our game is a FREE game on MLB.TV
YES FREE!!! FREE!!!
"I think I speak for everyone in here when I say it's playoffs or bust"- J. Hammel
Orig.Thugget Loyalist #4, UNugg #4, QPU Emeritus, Proud member PR Gynocracy
Okay, this is neat
http://outofbounds.yahoo.com/?vid=25241857
Three in one game? Gotta be a record….
"We have done everything possible to be set for this day, for this season. It's time to go. We are ready. I can promise you that." - CarGo
Doesn't that guy that floats around LF seat at Coors
catch all the balls hit that way?
"I think I speak for everyone in here when I say it's playoffs or bust"- J. Hammel
Orig.Thugget Loyalist #4, UNugg #4, QPU Emeritus, Proud member PR Gynocracy
I think he gets a lot in BP
/outta here for the game.
have fun!
"We have done everything possible to be set for this day, for this season. It's time to go. We are ready. I can promise you that." - CarGo
Impressive
There have been outfielders who don’t catch three fly balls in a game…
"The game of baseball is made up of many little things. If we do all the little things right, then we'll never have a big thing to worry about" -- Cal Ripken, Sr.
Johnny Herrera Fan Club Member -- "Mr. Fundamental"
Yankee Haters Encouragement Group Member #3
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