August 2007 Archives

My new favorite toy is Baseball Prospectus’s WXRL, a more reasonable way to measure relief pitchers’ performances. The final product of WXRL, which stands for “Win Expectation above Replacement, Lineup-adjusted,” is a straightforward number that looks like ERA — except the...
# continue reading

The end of the Giants’ six-game win streak notwithstanding, there’s a bit more spring in our collective steps around here recently. The Giants just finished a brutal stretch, 31 games in 30 days, by winning one more than they lost....
# continue reading

POST-GAME UPDATE Rockies 8, Giants 0: Noah Lowry has now entered the Rueter Zone, with more walks allowed than strikeouts. His ERA is relatively low this year because he’s been keeping the ball in the park (12 HRs) and on the...
# continue reading

Giants 3, Rockies 1: For the second straight night, Rockies manager Clint Hurdle made a strategic decision that made one wonder if his brain is encased by meat-muffs. Down two in the eighth, leadoff guy Kaz Matsui led off with...
# continue reading

Last week's Challenge to a Giant went quite well. I called out Barry Zito to finish the year with an ERA lower than his career high 4.48. Last night he threw his third straight gem and is down to 4.59....
# continue reading

I’ve been away from the computer and the radio the past couple days, so I just heard that the Giants completed the Mark Sweeney and Matt Morris trades. The player not-named-Rajai in the Morris deal turns out to be Steve MacFarland,...
# continue reading

Giants 4, Rockies 1: Ten wins in the last twelve games, and the third excellent start in a row for Barry Zito. Kevin Frandsen gets the key hit, a two-run double to drive in the team’s last two runs in...
# continue reading

Jeff Fletcher of the Press Democrat asked Barry Bonds the right question at the right time and actually got an interesting answer: Bonds would be open to playing first base next year… although that might be a generous interpretation of...
# continue reading

Sad news from Boricua, my friends. The Puerto Rican winter league has cancelled its upcoming season. It’s the longest-running Latin winter league, uninterrupted since 1938, but financial problems have done it in for now. MLB is trying to cobble something...
# continue reading

Giants 4, Cubs 1: When Matt Cain arrived at the park this morning and saw that both Rich Aurilia and Ray Durham were in the lineup, he realized he needed to drive in more runs than he would allow to...
# continue reading

Cubs 4, Giants 2, 10 innings: Barry Zito ‘07 had his second straight strong outing, and he faced a pitcher who did his best imitation of Barry Zito ‘03. Lefty Rich Hill has a huge curveball that sets up his...
# continue reading

P.M. UPDATE Lefty Rich Hill is on the mound for the Cubs tonight. Last night’s lineup of veterans did its job, so I see lots of them getting tonight off as a reward. Hm? You say they only scored one run? Ah,...
# continue reading

Another mawkishly celebrated fan “nation” invades Mays Field tonight. Oh, so long suffering! Oh, so patient! Oh, so loyal and lovable! With the Cubs in town the next three days, you’ll notice an odd tint to the stands: a shade...
# continue reading

Giants 8, Marlins 7: Wouldn’t it be nice if Brian Wilson changed his name so I wouldn’t have to make Beach Boys references every time he saved a ballgame? Based on the five games he’s pitched since his recall, he might...
# continue reading

Giants 3, Marlins 0, Max Roach 83: Instead of catching the last three innings of tonight’s game, I put on a compilation of Max’s and grooved while cooking dinner. Earlier in the day, Elbo laid some of Sonny Rollins’ Saxophone...
# continue reading

Our fair team is in full find-out-the-future mode, so for the first in an occasional series of baseless conjecture, let’s step through what’s in store in the lead-off slot. Shall we? Please — no, after you. My new man-crush Rajai Davis is...
# continue reading

Giants 9, Braves 3: When was the last time a Giant did something to make you laugh out loud with joy? That was my reaction when Rajai Davis ended tonight’s game by running full speed and leaping against the center...
# continue reading

The Giants performance this year is made more painful by the presence of so many teams in late-season pennant races. Every division is hotly contested, often by more than two teams. It’s like hockey: if you’re not in contention this year,...
# continue reading

The Giants have officially signed their remaining first-round picks. No official dollar figures yet, though yesterday Baseball America said Fairley would get $1 million, and today BA reported Bumgarner inked for $2 million, which is slightly less than Tim Lincecum’s...
# continue reading

P.M. UPDATE: The Giants have signed 1st-round draft pick Wendell Fairley, a high schooler from Mississippi. He was the team’s third pick overall and signed for $1 million. Their second pick Tim Alderson came to terms a few weeks ago,...
# continue reading

Pirates 3, Giants 1 // Giants 10, Pirates 3: I listened to much of the first game but missed the second. Today’s conspiracy theory: before the first game, the home plate umpire told both teams he would feature a strike zone...
# continue reading

The worst thing about the weekend was: A) Getting swept by the Pirates. B) Barry Zito’s “quality start.” C) Realizing the Giants best relief pitcher right now is a 31–year-old journeyman scraped off the scrap heap this winter. And the...
# continue reading

Pirates 8, Giants 7: Rajai! Rajai! Barry! Barry! Ra—– d’oh. A despicable loss thanks entirely to the bullpen. Jonathan Sanchez was the main culprit, allowing the first four batters in the 8th inning to reach; all would eventually score, plus...
# continue reading

After a season like this one, the intemperate fan is quick to shout, “Flush ‘em all and start over!” In the interview I linked to yesterday, Brian Sabean didn’t bother to defend the house of straw he’s built the past three...
# continue reading

For those who missed the glorious broadcast debut of El Lefty Malo, click here, download and fast-forward through the first 25 minutes. Don’t get up to piss or you’ll miss me. (I could turn that into a country song.) Nats 3,...
# continue reading

UPDATE: That was quick. They patched me in after the break, asked me two “how do the fans feel?”-type questions, and said thanks very much. I was more a quick call-in than a panelist, which was disappointing. Moving on: Tim...
# continue reading

It’s the morning after #756, and in a certain way I’m glad I wasn’t there. My dad had our group’s tickets last night, and my uncle, his younger brother, was his guest. They grew up in the tumbling hills near Pasadena,...
# continue reading

Congratulations, Barry Bonds. Now let’s win the goddamn game. I went out for ten minutes to help my pregnant wife bring her laundry up the stairs, and boom. Honey, you owe me one. Bonds’s address to the crowd — watching...
# continue reading

P.M. UPDATE: The more I think about it, the more questions come to mind about the interview with Mark Silva. Such as: * - How plausible is it that Bonds's arm size hasn't changed in more than a decade? Drugs...
# continue reading

Giants 3, Nats 2, 11 innings. I just got back from the yard. The most remarkable thing about tonight’s game was Tim Lincecum’s pitch count. He threw 116 pitches in seven innings, and he didn’t have great command. Five walks...
# continue reading

P.M. UPDATE: Grant has kicked off a good discussion at the McChronic about playing the young’uns. I definitely want to see more Rajai Davis, and with lefties starting for Washington tonight and tomorrow, Rajai should be leading off both nights....
# continue reading

I was off the grid this weekend and only just now (Sunday night) saw #755. The best thing about it, other than the big fucking sigh of relief, is that Bonds hit it to left field. Which means he’s got...
# continue reading

P.M. UPDATE: Nice news out of Chicago: Kerry Wood is back in the bigs. For those who didn’t see it earlier this year, the New York Times mag piece about Wood’s injury history is a must-read. Ten years ago, he tied...
# continue reading

Giants 4, Dodgers 2: Winning a series in L.A.: always nice. Larry King left the yard in the seventh inning. Dirtbag. The Giants had their own dirtbag, but the good kind: Steve Kline. A guy who’d rather grow a beard...
# continue reading

That’s what we’re spinning today here in the studios of WXRL. You’ve never heard of it? Must be some newfangled Internet radio podcast thing, right? Sort of. WXRL is one of those statistics that make Bruce Jenkins’ head explode as he chases...
# continue reading

P.M. UPDATE: Guess who’s among this writer’s top-eight prospects to change hands at the deadline? R-A-J-A-I Rajai Rajai Rajai! Smith writes: “Davis lacks any upside but in an organization about to enter a rebuilding mode, swapping an overpaid Morris for a...
# continue reading

Giants 3, Dodgers 1: With the Giants focused on raising the next generation — at least that’s what Brian Sabean claims — it’s time to instill a core value: if you can’t win the pennant make damn sure the Dodgers don’t, either. Tonight...
# continue reading