Post-Game 6/11: Man-Start (¡Disfrute El Lefty Malo!)

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06.12.2007

Post-Game 6/11: Man-Start

Giants 4, Toronto 3. That’s how Mike Krukow described Matt Morris’s work tonight. “I’m telling ya, that was a big-time man-start right there.”

I saw it live. Matty Mo didn’t deserve to give up the three-spot in the first inning. I haven’t seen the video replays, but from the bleachers, both Rios’s and Hill’s double looked catchable by anyone but a decrepit Bonds. Morris made incredible pitches the rest of the way; Frank Thomas’s at-bat was one of the best battles I’ve seen in a while. Roberts injected much-needed life into both the team and the crowd with two stolen bases, and his catch in the ninth, considering the Giants’ desperate need for a win, was one of the best I’ve ever seen at Mays Field.

Co-PLODAG: Morris and Roberts.

SMALL PRINT UPDATE: The Giants brought up Nate Schierholtz and sent Dan Ortmeier to Fresno before the game. Schierholtz is a much more promising prospect and has been tearing up triple-A. (Stats here.) Before he came up, Ortmeier was doing OK in the minors, not great. He wasn’t embarrassing himself with the big club, and he has excellent speed and a solid glove. So what gives?

This: Ortmeier is a switch-hitter but stronger from the right side. The rest of this week, the Giants face only RH starters, and Bonds is expected to sit Wednesday against Toronto and DH all weekend in Boston. Unless he’s totally overmatched, the lefty-swinging Schierholtz promises a bit more pop in the outfield than Ortmeier. If the Giants need a RH bat, Frandsen or Feliz can play the outfield.

Why not cut Sweeney and keep both Ortmeier and Schierholtz? Perhaps later in the year, but Sweeney could still be a modestly valuable trading chip. Both Ortmeier and Schierholtz have plenty of options, so sending them back and forth to Fresno if need be won’t be a problem.

Also on the Network:

√ Howry: Soon Is Now... [El Lefty Malo]
√ Hazy Sabes of Winter... [El Lefty Malo]
√ Loge13 Is Going To The Prom... [Loge 13]
√ Javy to the Braves... [Tremendous Upside Potential]
√ December 1979... [The Halo Is Lit]
√ Arb Surprises... [El Lefty Malo]
√ What's In A Name (Besides Taxpaye... [Loge 13]
√ None? None At All?... [C70 At The Bat]
√ Toxic Assets... [El Lefty Malo]
√ Decision Day... [C70 At The Bat]
√ Baseball Dialogue... [The Halo Is Lit]
√ Angel Off-Season Moves - Update... [The Halo Is Lit]
√ Give Thanks... [El Lefty Malo]
√ Wild-Eyed Prospect Optimism... [El Lefty Malo]
√ The Shea Stadium Schlep Begins... [Loge 13]

Comments

[June 12, 2007 1:52 PM] | link | reply

BawLa said

I was wondering why we sent Ort down too but your explanation makes sense. I just hope he doesn't lose confidence because he was doing pretty well up here - all things considered.

As for Nasty Nate, I couldn't be happier to see him. It is a guy like Nate that could revitalize our lineup. We lack a true number 3 hitter and Nate is the guy. Of course there are no guarantees, but of all our prospects, I think Nate has the chance to be the most effective right now. We are going to need to start him off slow, but I'm really pulling for this guy to stay.

And Roberts was an absolute spark plug. Don't get me wrong, Winn was doing a very good job in Roberts's place, but things are much better with Roberts starting things off.

And for all the people who want to trade Morris, did they see the show Matt put on last night? That is exactly the reason we need to keep him around. Not just to remind our team that they are actually baseball players, but also for the invaluable lessons he is showing our young pitchers. Cain, Lowry and Lincecum need to witness a guy who doesn't have as electric stuff, but gets it done against any lineup. A guy who can go down 3 runs in the first, and come back to pitch the entire game without giving up another run.

[June 12, 2007 2:00 PM] | link | reply

ELM said

The Morris situation is a conundrum. If you think the offense is bad now, wait til next year when Bonds is gone and Durham, Molina, Winn, Roberts and Aurilia are a year older.

We all know the Giants desperately need good young hitters for the next 3-4 years, and they're not going to come from the farm system. If trading Morris is the best way to acquire one, the Giants have to consider it.

[June 12, 2007 2:14 PM] | link | reply

bigO said

I say "trade Morris." Don't get me wrong, I love the guy. He pitched "light's out" (again) but . . .We need SO MUCH that he's our biggest chance to get something in return. Even if he won 22 games for us, it doesn't matter this year. WE need sooOOOooo much help offensively. I think it's great what he's showing the youngsters too but. . . even if they learn more and pitch better they'll only lose games 3-1 and such. My guess is Sabes won't trade him though, we'll get on a small winning streak and he'll make a bad move to get sometone who won't help us get into the post season this year.

[June 12, 2007 2:41 PM] | link | reply

BawLa said

Lefty - I don't see why our farm system can't produce any hitters. Of course we don't have a good history of developing hitters, and it's not like some of these kids were destined to be great hitters, but why not?

You look at a kid like Ortmeier. He was batting .268 before he came up. Does he have huge holes in his game? Of course. But Ortmeier is a guy who didn't have a complete swing and still had some success at this level.

Now look at guys like Niekro and Linden. They were outstanding AAA players with much more "potential" than someone like Ortmeier but they didn't sieze their opportunity in the bigs.

My point is that if we keep giving the kids a chance, then we have an increasing chance of one of them actually working out. Not all of our prospects have to be AAAA players.

[June 12, 2007 3:07 PM] | link | reply

ELM said

>if we keep giving the kids a chance, then we have an increasing chance of one of them actually working out. Not all of our prospects have to be AAAA players.

I'm not talking about nice little Randy Winn-type players, I'm talking big bats, All-Star bats. Yes, the Giants could get lucky that Ortmeier or Lewis or Schierholtz will suddenly excel at the major-league level. I;d be overjoyed if it happened, but given their track records, it's not likely. And it's unlikely such a hitter (or two, or three) will come from the farm system in the next two or three years.

[June 12, 2007 7:28 PM] | link | reply

BawLa said

I understand where you are coming from. I'm not suggesting that Schierholtz is the next Carlos Beltran. But we will have plenty of money to work with over the next 3 years to bring in the huge bats we need. What we need around those huge bats, is a bunch of smaller bats that are productive yet cheap on the payroll. And I think that a couple of our AAA prospects might be able to fill those roles if they are given a chance.

First, I think Justin Knoedler should be our backup catcher over Alfonzo and Rodriguez.

Second, I think Tomas De La Rosa has made significant strides, especially after bulking up. If we can find a way to trade Vizquel or Feliz, I think De La Rosa deserves another chance at this level.

Mark Sweeney is a guy that is basically worthless to us. He's not really productive offensively or defensively this year. He's taking up a spot on the lineup that I'd much rather see filled with a rookie.

On another note: as much as I don't want to trade Matty Mo this year, if we are trading Morris, would we want to get someone like Aaron Rowand? I know he's an outfielder, but the guy is clutch, and the Phillies just lost Freddy Garcia to injury putting them in dire need.

[June 13, 2007 2:50 AM] | link | reply

Frank said

BawLa, this is very astute. I don't think people see the direction Sabean is moving in. I think his idea is to produce , basically, his pitching staff from within, which he is well on the way of doing. Thus, he can populate 1/2 of the major league roster with relatively cheap, home grown pitching (or the equivalent). Next, he has focused on drafting middle of the diamond players, guys who have base stealing speed and speed in the field and who also play very good defense. If he succeeds at this, he fills from inside C, 2b, SS, CF, RF + 2MI and OFs 4 & 5. He only needs to acquire 1b, 3b, LF. Of course, he expects more offense than we are getting this year from SS and 1b, altho 1b is really starting to come around. What has really hurt so far as Durham's excruciatingly slow start. But, for next year, I think the Giants have the cash for at least one major offensive FA, and the chips for one or two trades. I think the rebuild is going on under our noses - we're just too stupid and too biased to see it.

[June 13, 2007 5:08 PM] | link | reply

Boof said

What about offering up Morris to the Cardinals for someone like Chris Duncan? Morris will come baack to earth pretty soon and it would be better to trade him before he does. Duncan could fill our 1B position and save us tons of $$$ that could go to......A-Rod.

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