Padres 3, Giants 2: Must...keep...head...from...exploding. Brian Wilson just handed the Padres a win on a platter. After a soft infield single, he lost all control in the bottom of the ninth against the squishy underbelly of the Padres' lineup, eventually hitting David Eckstein with the bases loaded to force in the tying run, then -- of course -- leaving it up to Giant-killer Scott Hairston, who promptly lined a hit to win the game.
After the Mets' series I cut Wilson some slack. After tonight, the slack is gone. The Giants scratched out a run against the nastiest relief pitcher in the world, and Wilson vomited the lead right back up, and then some. I'm a patient man, so I'm not calling for immediate changes, but after another game or two like this, the Giants should remind Wilson that Jeremy Affeldt is well suited to be a closer. This, my friends, was inexcusable.
One other note: Jesus Guzman had an entirely forgettable major league debut, coming up twice with runners in scoring position and only one out and contributing a double-play grounder, a strikeout, and not a single much-needed RBI. According to the broadcasters, he also mangled a couple plays on defense. Like I said, I'm a patient man.
Just noted that this game made me literally sick...but Guzman got strong wood on that double play. If it did not hit the mound, it may have squirted through. But his flub on the DP was also sickening.
That 2-2 pitch to Giles from Wilson was awful..it was a thrown away fastball. He made Edgar Gonzalez look foolish the immediate batter before, including one nasty slider, why doesn't Molina call for that slider again with two strikes on Giles?
That walk blows the whole game...inexcusable. The life of a Giant fan is one of bitter cursedness...
Not that any of these losses were to be blamed on Bochy...I think management needs to pull the trigger and fire Bochy to wake up this young players.
But of course, why did Bochy leave Frandsen in the game in the Top of the 9th when Burriss was on the bench and could hit left-handed against Bell??? Ok, Bochy does deserve some blame..fire his a*&...
I live in England so when I woke up this morning around 6am I thought I'd see if the Giants game was still on. It was and to my delight the Giants were winning 2-1 in the bottom of the 9th with a runner on first. Here were my thoughts:
Just watch Brian Wilson close out the game and then grab breakfast... ok so your making a bit of a meal of things but thats your way... I know the stats say Brian Giles owns your ass but he is plain awfull this year...bases loaded, don't panic, Eckstein will probably just hit a... we are so going to lose... thankyou Brian Wilson you have just ruined my day and I have been up all of 5 minutes, great!
Wilson's control problems are a major issue. He simply can not consistently throw a strike when he absolutely must, and he really has never been able to do this since the day he donned a Giants uniform. Wilson can not afford to nibble at the plate or reach three ball counts because of this problem. He has to go right after hitters come what may, which was the hallmark of his approach last year, and this is what seems to be missing right now. If he gets 0-2 he can afford to waste a pitch, but when he gets to even 1-2 I am not sure that he can afford to waste another given his control problems. Also this is why his need for a curve or change-up is critical. If you have to come right after hitters then it helps to have more pitch selection at varying speeds.
The great white whale of most offensively starved Giants fans, Jesus Guzman, looked as bad as advertised defensively. He couldn't handle a slightly errant but clear very catchable throw to first by Lincecum and then he couldn't dig a routine short hop on the back end of a double play. He almost made another miscue on a snap throw to 3B by Molina. Hopefully his defense was just first time call-up jitters, but it looked pretty ugly and I doubt it was simply the shakes. Offensively, of course one can't read too much into one GIDP and one strikeout with the bases loaded, but on the other hand these ABs were critical and Guzman could have put the game out of reach by simply putting the ball in play anywhere other than back up the middle in either AB, but unfortunately he couldn't get the job done. Guzman's appears to be bad enough defensively to make it very unlikely that the Giants would release Ishikawa, even if they go to a platoon or bench Ishikawa for a spell, which is a good thing. I still don't think Ishikawa has been given consistent ABs for a long enough period of time to make a final determination on whether or not he is a failed prospect, especially since he was immediately and inexplicably forced into a platoon (I really think it is a mistake to try and platoon young hitters).
I dont think Ishi should be in a structured platoon..give Guzman two starts a week over there and I actually thought he had two good at bats. The second one, he fould ouff some tough pitches that the rest of the team seems to swing through. And it was only his second AB in the big leagues. The bigger issue is why Burriss is not pinch-hitting for Frandsen right after that at-bat...Ishi's glove is gold-glove caliber and yes that in itself can win games...
Offense looks worse than a 1st year expansion team.
Just an embarrassing, pathetic roster and this crap is going to continue all year, and probably beyond. They need to bite the bullet and turn some of the pitching into hitting. If Sabean can't / won't pull the trigger, get him gone.
I don't quite understand the lack of aggression on the base paths, and it's starting to make me think Bochy doesn't understand how to manage a team like this one. Given the lack of power and hitting, doesn't it make sense to stop waiting for the big inning and steal and hit and run? Maybe we need the re-incarnation of Roger Craig--he'd hit and run even when it didn't seem to make sense.
Wilson did not look to me like he was going after anyone. The only guy appeared to dominate was Gonzalez. I think that Wilson still does not want to go inside to guys. Most everyone was being pitched away away away. He got Gonzalez out a beautiful inside fastball, but he didn't try use it again. I agree that it may be time to trot someone else out there in the ninth. Wilson has been just awful in too many games this season.
I will agree that Wilson's control problems need to be dealt with ASAP, and while I do think Affeldt would make a perfectly fine closer, I can't see the Giants taking the ball out of Wilson's hands. If the Giants were serious contenders it would be one thing, but considering that Wilson has been groomed as the closer of the future and is only in his second full season, he needs to learn how to get out of ruts like the one he's in now. We watched Beck and Nen pull themselves out of similar situations and it is something Wilson is going to have to figure out as well. All that being said, he should put some more work into his already intense workout schedule (maybe more time working on control and less time playing "Rock Band" or filming "The Life of Brian")???
If the Giants had a closer capable of holding the number of slim leads the current anemic offense can hand the relievers, the Giants would likely be compelled to trade that guy because he would likely be the Giants' most valuable piece of trade bait. It's hard for me to get too upset about Wilson after seeing the Giants' collective run output in this series.
The rangers are shopping Hank the Stank Blalock and would probably give him up for Sanchez or maybe less. Mark Derosa's name has also been floating around as trade bait. Anyone seen what Ben Zobrist is doing in limited playing time in Tampa or possibly Stockton product Jason Bartlett?? Any one of these players would be able to step in and automatically become the best offensive player on this team or at least the best power hitter. There are other teams as well that have young offensive talent and are probably open to at least listening to trade options so what will it take for Sabean to pull the trigger? At this point there shouldn't be a single position on this team other then maybe catcher where they couldn't find a reasonably priced upgrade.
As Peter Gammons points out: There is a lesson to be learned from the remarkable bullpen performances of the Blue Jays and Brewers, whose 3.40 and 3.49 relief ERAs were in the top seven in the majors going into the weekend; they've got closers who throw strikes (Scott Downs, Trevor Hoffman), and good management.
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Affeldt (4.5 M) Bumgarner Cain (4.5 M) Hinshaw Joaquin S. Johnson Lincecum (9 M) J. Martinez Medders (.85 M) Pucetas Romo Runzler J. Sanchez (2.1 M) H. Sosa B. Wilson (4.4 M) Zito (18.5 M)
CATCHERS
Molina (4.5 M)
Posey Whiteside
INFIELDERS
Burriss DeRosa (6 M) Downs Frandsen Gillaspie Huff (3 M) Ishikawa Pill Renteria (10 M) Rohlinger F. Sanchez (6 M) Sandoval Uribe (3.25 M) Velez
OUTFIELDERS
Bowker Ford Lewis Peguero Rowand (13.6 M) Schierholtz Torres
Just noted that this game made me literally sick...but Guzman got strong wood on that double play. If it did not hit the mound, it may have squirted through. But his flub on the DP was also sickening.
That 2-2 pitch to Giles from Wilson was awful..it was a thrown away fastball. He made Edgar Gonzalez look foolish the immediate batter before, including one nasty slider, why doesn't Molina call for that slider again with two strikes on Giles?
That walk blows the whole game...inexcusable. The life of a Giant fan is one of bitter cursedness...
Not that any of these losses were to be blamed on Bochy...I think management needs to pull the trigger and fire Bochy to wake up this young players.
But of course, why did Bochy leave Frandsen in the game in the Top of the 9th when Burriss was on the bench and could hit left-handed against Bell??? Ok, Bochy does deserve some blame..fire his a*&...
Burriss didn't play last night because he fouled a ball off his knee the night before, according to Jon Miller.
I still believe in Jesus.
I think it's time to take Wilson out of the closer's role for awhile. Affeldt appears to be more effective right now.
I live in England so when I woke up this morning around 6am I thought I'd see if the Giants game was still on. It was and to my delight the Giants were winning 2-1 in the bottom of the 9th with a runner on first. Here were my thoughts:
Just watch Brian Wilson close out the game and then grab breakfast... ok so your making a bit of a meal of things but thats your way... I know the stats say Brian Giles owns your ass but he is plain awfull this year...bases loaded, don't panic, Eckstein will probably just hit a... we are so going to lose... thankyou Brian Wilson you have just ruined my day and I have been up all of 5 minutes, great!
Wilson's control problems are a major issue. He simply can not consistently throw a strike when he absolutely must, and he really has never been able to do this since the day he donned a Giants uniform. Wilson can not afford to nibble at the plate or reach three ball counts because of this problem. He has to go right after hitters come what may, which was the hallmark of his approach last year, and this is what seems to be missing right now. If he gets 0-2 he can afford to waste a pitch, but when he gets to even 1-2 I am not sure that he can afford to waste another given his control problems. Also this is why his need for a curve or change-up is critical. If you have to come right after hitters then it helps to have more pitch selection at varying speeds.
The great white whale of most offensively starved Giants fans, Jesus Guzman, looked as bad as advertised defensively. He couldn't handle a slightly errant but clear very catchable throw to first by Lincecum and then he couldn't dig a routine short hop on the back end of a double play. He almost made another miscue on a snap throw to 3B by Molina. Hopefully his defense was just first time call-up jitters, but it looked pretty ugly and I doubt it was simply the shakes. Offensively, of course one can't read too much into one GIDP and one strikeout with the bases loaded, but on the other hand these ABs were critical and Guzman could have put the game out of reach by simply putting the ball in play anywhere other than back up the middle in either AB, but unfortunately he couldn't get the job done. Guzman's appears to be bad enough defensively to make it very unlikely that the Giants would release Ishikawa, even if they go to a platoon or bench Ishikawa for a spell, which is a good thing. I still don't think Ishikawa has been given consistent ABs for a long enough period of time to make a final determination on whether or not he is a failed prospect, especially since he was immediately and inexplicably forced into a platoon (I really think it is a mistake to try and platoon young hitters).
I dont think Ishi should be in a structured platoon..give Guzman two starts a week over there and I actually thought he had two good at bats. The second one, he fould ouff some tough pitches that the rest of the team seems to swing through. And it was only his second AB in the big leagues. The bigger issue is why Burriss is not pinch-hitting for Frandsen right after that at-bat...Ishi's glove is gold-glove caliber and yes that in itself can win games...
Offense looks worse than a 1st year expansion team.
Just an embarrassing, pathetic roster and this crap is going to continue all year, and probably beyond. They need to bite the bullet and turn some of the pitching into hitting. If Sabean can't / won't pull the trigger, get him gone.
I don't quite understand the lack of aggression on the base paths, and it's starting to make me think Bochy doesn't understand how to manage a team like this one. Given the lack of power and hitting, doesn't it make sense to stop waiting for the big inning and steal and hit and run? Maybe we need the re-incarnation of Roger Craig--he'd hit and run even when it didn't seem to make sense.
Wilson did not look to me like he was going after anyone. The only guy appeared to dominate was Gonzalez. I think that Wilson still does not want to go inside to guys. Most everyone was being pitched away away away. He got Gonzalez out a beautiful inside fastball, but he didn't try use it again. I agree that it may be time to trot someone else out there in the ninth. Wilson has been just awful in too many games this season.
The problem might be control. When Wilson did pitch inside he hit the batter.
I will agree that Wilson's control problems need to be dealt with ASAP, and while I do think Affeldt would make a perfectly fine closer, I can't see the Giants taking the ball out of Wilson's hands. If the Giants were serious contenders it would be one thing, but considering that Wilson has been groomed as the closer of the future and is only in his second full season, he needs to learn how to get out of ruts like the one he's in now. We watched Beck and Nen pull themselves out of similar situations and it is something Wilson is going to have to figure out as well. All that being said, he should put some more work into his already intense workout schedule (maybe more time working on control and less time playing "Rock Band" or filming "The Life of Brian")???
If the Giants had a closer capable of holding the number of slim leads the current anemic offense can hand the relievers, the Giants would likely be compelled to trade that guy because he would likely be the Giants' most valuable piece of trade bait. It's hard for me to get too upset about Wilson after seeing the Giants' collective run output in this series.
You guys, I think the Giants have a drinking problem...
http://dodgerhater.blogspot.com/2009/05/do-giants-have-drinking-problem.html
Mickey Mantle, Whitey Ford and Billy Martin think the Giants party like little girlz.
[Ball Four was my Bible when I played HS ball]
The rangers are shopping Hank the Stank Blalock and would probably give him up for Sanchez or maybe less. Mark Derosa's name has also been floating around as trade bait. Anyone seen what Ben Zobrist is doing in limited playing time in Tampa or possibly Stockton product Jason Bartlett?? Any one of these players would be able to step in and automatically become the best offensive player on this team or at least the best power hitter. There are other teams as well that have young offensive talent and are probably open to at least listening to trade options so what will it take for Sabean to pull the trigger? At this point there shouldn't be a single position on this team other then maybe catcher where they couldn't find a reasonably priced upgrade.
As Peter Gammons points out: There is a lesson to be learned from the remarkable bullpen performances of the Blue Jays and Brewers, whose 3.40 and 3.49 relief ERAs were in the top seven in the majors going into the weekend; they've got closers who throw strikes (Scott Downs, Trevor Hoffman), and good management.