lol- ESPN's Wild Card column today with something that our friend swoosh would cringe I think...
In kind of strange comments, Giants VP of baseball operations Brian Sabean said on local radio that Belt "probably isn't cut out of the middle of the order yet. ... So maybe 2, 6 and 7, take some of the pressure off." I'm not sure what prompted the comment since Belt leads the Giants in OPS and is hitting .268/.409/.465 in September, while most of his teammates have struggled down the stretch. What's weird is how Bruce Bochy has handled him. In one game, he hit Belt eighth with Denard Span and Angel Pagan, much inferior hitters, batting 1-2. He's sixth or seventh much of the time, although Bochy has hit him second in three of the past four games for the first time all season, which actually makes perfect sense for a guy who leads the team in OBP. But why did it take Bochy nearly all season to figure out this out? FYI, Belt has an .883 OPS hitting cleanup and .897 hitting fifth, both higher than his season total.

(09-29-2016 10:05 AM)stever20 Wrote:  lol- ESPN's Wild Card column today with something that our friend swoosh would cringe I think...
In kind of strange comments, Giants VP of baseball operations Brian Sabean said on local radio that Belt "probably isn't cut out of the middle of the order yet. ... So maybe 2, 6 and 7, take some of the pressure off." I'm not sure what prompted the comment since Belt leads the Giants in OPS and is hitting .268/.409/.465 in September, while most of his teammates have struggled down the stretch. What's weird is how Bruce Bochy has handled him. In one game, he hit Belt eighth with Denard Span and Angel Pagan, much inferior hitters, batting 1-2. He's sixth or seventh much of the time, although Bochy has hit him second in three of the past four games for the first time all season, which actually makes perfect sense for a guy who leads the team in OBP. But why did it take Bochy nearly all season to figure out this out? FYI, Belt has an .883 OPS hitting cleanup and .897 hitting fifth, both higher than his season total.

Huh. Why single him out now of all times? Tryin to light a fire?

(09-29-2016 10:05 AM)stever20 Wrote:  lol- ESPN's Wild Card column today with something that our friend swoosh would cringe I think...
In kind of strange comments, Giants VP of baseball operations Brian Sabean said on local radio that Belt "probably isn't cut out of the middle of the order yet. ... So maybe 2, 6 and 7, take some of the pressure off." I'm not sure what prompted the comment since Belt leads the Giants in OPS and is hitting .268/.409/.465 in September, while most of his teammates have struggled down the stretch. What's weird is how Bruce Bochy has handled him. In one game, he hit Belt eighth with Denard Span and Angel Pagan, much inferior hitters, batting 1-2. He's sixth or seventh much of the time, although Bochy has hit him second in three of the past four games for the first time all season, which actually makes perfect sense for a guy who leads the team in OBP. But why did it take Bochy nearly all season to figure out this out? FYI, Belt has an .883 OPS hitting cleanup and .897 hitting fifth, both higher than his season total.

Haven't had much desire to post since my team is so f*cking boring, but I have been lurking, so thought I'd jump in here. The Giants handling of Belt's career has been really weird from the beginning. They never seemed to fully commit to him as a player (although they recently gave him a contract extension), and almost seemed like making him a full time starter was something they had to do, rather than want to do. And your point about span and pagan is another good one. To a fault, Bochy has always backed his "guys." For some reason, Pagan is one of those guys and Span appears to have become one as well. It was the same thing with Casey McGehee, orlando cabrera, miguel tejada, hudson, etc. Sometimes I think we won 3 WS by accident

the thing I posted was actually from ESPN- not me.... But I thought it was an interesting column....

I think the problem with Belt is one that I've said several times before. The Giants as we're seeing this year can't play Buster Posey behind the plate as much as they did this year. He's already caught more innings than any other year. And look at his numbers 2nd half of the year .278/.348/.385 for a .733 OPS. With 3 homers in 62 games. As a result I just don't see any way to avoid him playing a lot of 1st base in the future. And therein lies the problem. If I were the Giants, I'd try to transition Posey to a lot more full time 1st baseman, Belt to the OF, and then look for catching. Pagan is gone, so I'd go into next year with outfield of Belt, Span, and Pence.

I think with Span and Pagan- part of their playing a lot is that in the 2nd half of the season, they've tied for the most homers hit- at 7. Given the power failures of guys like Posey- I think that had to play at least some part of it.

if the reds have something to do with keeping the cardinals out of the playoffs, that's worth draft slotting. it's pretty pathetic how much we hate the cardinals

1 thing that's interesting looking at draft position....
1 Min 56-102- clinched #1
2 TB 65-93
3 Atl 65-92
4 Ari 66-92
5 Oak 67-91
6 Cin 67-91

the game that got cancelled with the death of Jose Fernandez could play a part in the draft positions. Let's take that this was the final standings. If the Braves had played that game, they could have moved up to #2- or dropped down to #4.

thinking about the Nats- I think a move that they made that went way under the radar but could be huge in October was in August when we got Marc Rzepczynski from the A's for a young 2b. He's been a huge help in the pen so far- 1.64 ERA in 11 IP- with both earned runs allowed in one game.

was thinking for other teams big moves....
Giants- Matt Moore. He really has stabilized the rotation for the Giants. Had really 2 bad outings- but then several others that were really good His numbers last 7 starts show a 4.34 ERA- but if you take out the 2 bad starts- the other 5(where he went 5-0)- he gave up 6 er in 33.2 ip. That trade probably gets them in the playoffs IMO.

Mets can clinch at least a tie for the Wild Card tonight if the Cards lose to the Reds.

A big reason why is the sudden emergence of Jay Bruce. last 5 games he's gone 7-16 with 3 homers and a double. 2 walks to 1 k. He hit a pinch hit homer on Saturday that was a laser, and it seemed to just set him off.

The thing that would be big for the Mets if they can clinch by Saturday is that they would be set with Syndergaard going in the WC game, and Colon in game 1 of the LDS if they make it. Syndergaard could go game 3 then of the LDS. But if they don't clinch by Saturday, Syndergaard has to pitch in the finale, and then both Colon and him are out for the WC game.

Nats beating Arizona 5-1 in the 4th. Severino with a homer. Ross pitching well which is huge(plus he got a hit- he's batting now around .270 for the season).

looking at the Dodgers lineup tonight, pretty much a jv one. Nats could be 3 up with 3 to go.

Cards win, Giants losing. Could be Mets at 85-74 Cards/Giants both at 83-76.

Giants really come thru big- up 5-2 now in the 7th. Cueto with a great start tonight. bottom of the lineup really coming thru for SF tonight....

LA is up 9-2. So Nats up 2 with 3 to go unless SD comes back in the 9th. Really like the Nats chances especially if they can win tomorrow night vs Miami(as Nats have Roark and Scherzer going Saturday and Sunday).

So the 6 possible playoff teams in the NL- vs each other...
1 LAD 24-18(3 left this weekend)
2 Cubs 25-22
3 Was 24-22
4 NYM 22-24
5 SF 20-24(3 left this weekend)
6 Stl 20-25

if Stl gone-
1 LAD 20-16(plus 3)
2 Cubs 15-13
3 Was 19-20
4 NYM 19-21
5 SF 19-20(plus 3)

if NYM gone-
1 Cubs 23-17
2 LAD 20-15(plus 3)
3 SF 17-20(plus 3)
4 Was 12-15
5 Stl 17-22

If SF gone-
1 LAD 16-10
2 Cubs 21-19
3 Was 20-19
4 NYM 18-21
5 Stl 16-22

going to be a wild weekend in the AL this weekend. Had a rainout with Detroit/Cleveland that could be huge.

Baltimore/Toronto tied at 87-72.
Detroit at 85-73.

What's going to be really interesting is if Detroit can sweep Atlanta- and Baltimore or Toronto lose 1-2 games, Detroit would have to make up a game on Monday vs Cleveland.

And this could impact home field. Boston is at 92-67, Cleveland is 91-67. Boston has tiebreaker.

So what would be real fun would be-
Cle 94-67, Bos 94-68
Bal 89-73, Det 88-73, Tor 88-74

So you have Cleveland vs Detroit. A Detroit win and they're in playoffs. A Cleveland win, and they get home field in the LDS. So Cleveland would have something to play for in the game as well as Detroit.

(09-30-2016 10:07 AM)stever20 Wrote:  going to be a wild weekend in the AL this weekend. Had a rainout with Detroit/Cleveland that could be huge.

Baltimore/Toronto tied at 87-72.
Detroit at 85-73.

What's going to be really interesting is if Detroit can sweep Atlanta- and Baltimore or Toronto lose 1-2 games, Detroit would have to make up a game on Monday vs Cleveland.

And this could impact home field. Boston is at 92-67, Cleveland is 91-67. Boston has tiebreaker.

So what would be real fun would be-
Cle 94-67, Bos 94-68
Bal 89-73, Det 88-73, Tor 88-74

So you have Cleveland vs Detroit. A Detroit win and they're in playoffs. A Cleveland win, and they get home field in the LDS. So Cleveland would have something to play for in the game as well as Detroit.

Braves are 10-1 over last 11 games. They will not get swept by the Tigers. Despite their terrible start the Braves have righted the ship, even amidst all the starting pitching issues. The addition of Matt Kemp has greatly helped the lineup productivity. Also, Dansby Swanson at SS is the real deal.

2017 will be a decent year for baseball in Atlanta again.

so some trends as we get down to the end of the season....

already used the most pitchers in MLB history this year. 742.
homers- this year will finish #2. Already #3- 3 behind 1999 for #2. But won't get to #1- that's like 167 behind I think....

it's amazing how different the game is today vs 2014....
2014- 3.74 ERA, 4.07 r/g, 0.86 hr/t/g. 1.275 WHIP. .251/.314/.386 slash line. .700 OPS .28 SH/t/g 9.5 hr/fb 3.82 starters ERA 3.58 relievers ERA 29.1% hard contact
2016- 4.20 ERA, 4.49 r/g, 1.16 hr/t/g. 1.326 WHIP. .256/.322/.418 slash line .740 OPS .21 SH/t/g 12.9 hr/fb 4.35 starters ERA 3.94 relievers ERA 31.4% hard contact

wow I love what the Nats have done. They have put on the mound for the Marlins series the number 16 just like what the Marlins did. Classy gesture that the Nats did.

Lots of respect from the Nats. Jose just owned us. 7-0 0.99 in 10 career starts vs the Nats. His best opponent record. 84 k's in 63.2 ip.

before this year, in NL history, 2 teams had 6 guys with 20+ homers. '65 and '03 Braves.

The Cards and Nationals both had guys hit their 20th homers tonight to give both teams 6 guys with 20 homers.

I love Brandon McCarthy.

mark my words. Of the 3 wild card team possibilities- the Giants by far are the one that the Cubs want nothing of.

(09-30-2016 11:37 PM)stever20 Wrote:  I love Brandon McCarthy.

I honestly don't get what Roberts was trying to do with him tonight. He mentioned wanting to see him out of the pen. Why? How the hell does a guy who didn't come off the injured list until mid-season, who then got injured AGAIN and is still not really in game shape, get considered for a relief role?