MLB 2012 Season

[JSngry]

Surprised there's no Zito-rage going here, especially after the base running miscue. I was waiting i the wings to offer you a straight-up Scott Feldamn for Barry Zito trade, do it now, right now, and have Feldman start today's game for the Giants. We'll Fed-Ex somebody up from Round Rock, Neil Ramirez, maybe. Don't worry about us, just make sure that Scott Feldamn does not pitch for the Rangers today, please.

And as noted above kudos to Matt Harrison for pitching like a growed-ass man last night, and to his team for supporting him in like fashion. Aside from two consecutive games where he was all HOODIE WHOOPIE DIDDLEY PEEPIE PIE (aka WTF?) Matt's very quietly been having a very good season, and has been the team's most consistent starter.

But - Posey + Cabrerra both return to the lineup today and tomorrow, and we're throwing Feldamn & Ogando. If Ogando gets 4-5 good innings, I'm cautiously optimistic about our chances, but Feldamn?

Please - Zito for Feldamn, right now. No regrets. Do it. DO IT!

[GA Russell]

hitless in seattle/6

I remember a few years ago when Elias announced (presumably with MLB's approval, because who cares what Elias thinks?) that no-hitters with multiple pitchers would not count. I think that's bs, just like I thought it was bs to not count Harvey Haddix's perfect game because he lost it in the 13th.

[Tim McG]

Surprised there's no Zito-rage going here, especially after the base running miscue. I was waiting i the wings to offer you a straight-up Scott Feldamn for Barry Zito trade, do it now, right now, and have Feldman start today's game for the Giants. We'll Fed-Ex somebody up from Round Rock, Neil Ramirez, maybe. Don't worry about us, just make sure that Scott Feldamn does not pitch for the Rangers today, please.

And as noted above kudos to Matt Harrison for pitching like a growed-ass man last night, and to his team for supporting him in like fashion. Aside from two consecutive games where he was all HOODIE WHOOPIE DIDDLEY PEEPIE PIE (aka WTF?) Matt's very quietly been having a very good season, and has been the team's most consistent starter.

But - Posey + Cabrerra both return to the lineup today and tomorrow, and we're throwing Feldamn & Ogando. If Ogando gets 4-5 good innings, I'm cautiously optimistic about our chances, but Feldamn?

Please - Zito for Feldamn, right now. No regrets. Do it. DO IT!

Zito still has too much time and money owed left on his contract with the Giants. Nobody is going to take him. Besides, Feldman sucks worse than Zito does.

Actually, Zito has been doing a fairly good job thus far. How about a Zito for Harrison trade?

Edited June 9, 2012 by GoodSpeak

[Tim McG]

Well, Voglesong didn't bring his best stuff but the Giants got it done anyway; 5-2.

Rubber match tomorrow, but Lincecum is on the mound. Ugh. If he lives up to his ERA, the game is over. Our only hope is the bullpen will come in before the 2nd inning.

Hard work being a Giants fan, I'm tellin' ya.

[JSngry]

Also hard work watching Rangers give games away that they might not have won anyway, defensively in particular. Too much of that lately, and too much getting out-pitched by too may teams. I suspect a lot of teams' advance scouts have found some holes in a our hitters, and that they haven't figured out what's going on yet and adjusted. Either that or everybody's getting old and developing bad eyesight.all at once. Just too many collective cold bats over the last few weeks for it to be "just baseball".

This guy says it best:

There's been a bit of a Groundhog Day vibe about losses over the past six weeks. Today was a game it seems like we've seen over and over again as of late. The offense has some opportunities, doesn't capitalize. The defense makes some dumb mistakes. The pitching is good, but doesn't slam the door. An umpire blows a call. Some hard hit balls don't fall in. And the Rangers end up losing a game that we as fans come away from, frustrated, angry, because it seems like a game that Texas should have won, but didn't.

"should have won" is a bit much, but still...the difference between a Great Team and a Really Good Team is how many of those woulda/coulda/shoulda games you can find a way to win, even through dumb luck. Six weeks is a long time for there to be this many and still think of the Rangers as a Great Team. OTOH, there's 102 games left. We shall see.

On the bright side though, Feldamn returned to being Feldman today. Not a particularly scintillating start, but not an abomination, not by any means. It's about time. Now the mutherphukker just needs to win one.

Edited June 10, 2012 by JSngry

[alocispepraluger102]

Ralph Nader sent a letter to the New York Yankees complaining about the number of ads during games on WCBS-AM radio, saying they "disrupt the flow and excitement of the game broadcast and undermine your responsibilities as a guardian of the national pastime."

[Tim McG]

Ralph Nader sent a letter to the New York Yankees complaining about the number of ads during games on WCBS-AM radio, saying they "disrupt the flow and excitement of the game broadcast and undermine your responsibilities as a guardian of the national pastime."

Apparently, Nader is as clueless about the money-focused Yankees as he is about politics.

He's just now complaining about their money grubbing ways...?

Edited June 10, 2012 by GoodSpeak

[Tim McG]

Rubber match tomorrow, but Lincecum is on the mound. Ugh. If he lives up to his ERA, the game is over. Our only hope is the bullpen will come in before the 2nd inning.

Told ya.

[JSngry]

What's happened to his control? He had one inning where he looked like he had found his zone, but it left just as soon as it came. Hope it's just mechanical and/or psychological and not some kind of psychical damage. I like Timmy.

On our side, barring Ogando's strained groin, it was the best possible outcome on any number of potential Groundhog Day Moments (I like that phrase, very apt). Kudos to Ogando for doing what he did, kudos to Buc-ee Beaver for stepping in on short notice and not missing a beat in emergency relief of Ogando (OGANDO!!!), kudos to Ian Kinsler for making a Groundhog Day Moment Error earlier in the game and not letting it get to him, judos to Mike Adams for not letting it get away from him in the 8th, and kudos to Mitch Moreland for turning that slickass double play at first base.

To the casual watcher, it might seem like the Rangers just played tier brand of baseball today, nothing to really blink about. But the last six weeks have been weirdly weird, and the Angels look like they're not going anywhere but up. The dedicated Ranger watcher knows that a game like today after a game like yesterday is a better-than usual thing, and the man at Lone Star Ball says it best:

Giants Hit Like Recent Rangers, Rangers Play Like Recent Ranger Opponents

Far from guaranteed, glad it happened like it did.

[Tim McG]

What's happened to his control? He had one inning where he looked like he had found his zone, but it left just as soon as it came. Hope it's just mechanical and/or psychological and not some kind of psychical damage. I like Timmy.

A $20 Million dollar per year contract happened to Lincecum.

Zito got inside his head: Get the big money, screw the job and the fans.

It would appear he is more interested in being the image rather than the pitcher he once was.

To quote John Lennon on Magical Mystery Tour: Smoke pot, smoke pot, everybody's smoking pot.

What a HUGE disappointment Lincecum has turned out to be.

On our side, barring Ogando's strained groin, it was the best possible outcome on any number of potential Groundhog Day Moments (I like that phrase, very apt). Kudos to Ogando for doing what he did, kudos to Buc-ee Beaver for stepping in on short notice and not missing a beat in emergency relief of Ogando (OGANDO!!!), kudos to Ian Kinsler for making a Groundhog Day Moment Error earlier in the game and not letting it get to him, judos to Mike Adams for not letting it get away from him in the 8th, and kudos to Mitch Moreland for turning that slickass double play at first base.

To the casual watcher, it might seem like the Rangers just played tier brand of baseball today, nothing to really blink about. But the last six weeks have been weirdly weird, and the Angels look like they're not going anywhere but up. The dedicated Ranger watcher knows that a game like today after a game like yesterday is a better-than usual thing, and the man at Lone Star Ball says it best:

Giants Hit Like Recent Rangers, Rangers Play Like Recent Ranger Opponents

Far from guaranteed, glad it happened like it did.

A good for your guys, a bad for mine.

Edited June 11, 2012 by GoodSpeak

[Matthew]

Giants / Rangers was much ado about nothing, three boring games. Lincecum looks lost on the mound, which does not bode well for the future -- imagine, Zito is having a better year than The Freak. Astros up next for the Giants, so they're still in good shape for the week.

[Matthew]

Yeah, Bobby V & Dustin, the Red Sox problems are all about the umpires....

[Soulstation1]

Anyone see ESPN's 30 for 30

House of Steinbrenner

Pretty cool behind the scenes footage of old Yankee Stadium

[Tim McG]

Giants / Rangers was much ado about nothing, three boring games. Lincecum looks lost on the mound, which does not bode well for the future -- imagine, Zito is having a better year than The Freak. Astros up next for the Giants, so they're still in good shape for the week.

Yeah, with Melky Cabrerra back in the line-up it will give the Giants more pop at the plate.

[JETman]

Giants / Rangers was much ado about nothing, three boring games. Lincecum looks lost on the mound, which does not bode well for the future -- imagine, Zito is having a better year than The Freak. Astros up next for the Giants, so they're still in good shape for the week.

Yeah, with Melky Cabrerra back in the line-up it will give the Giants more pop at the plate.

I never thought I would hear anyone say that about him!

[Tim McG]

Giants / Rangers was much ado about nothing, three boring games. Lincecum looks lost on the mound, which does not bode well for the future -- imagine, Zito is having a better year than The Freak. Astros up next for the Giants, so they're still in good shape for the week.

Yeah, with Melky Cabrerra back in the line-up it will give the Giants more pop at the plate.

I never thought I would hear anyone say that about him!

I never thought I'd say that about Angel Pagan either...but we'll take it!

Here's hoping it lasts into the playoff run.

Edited June 11, 2012 by GoodSpeak

[JSngry]

Had a humorously bizarre conversation with somebody who was cussing Wash for using Ogando in Holland's slot in the rotation instead of calling up some significantly less able AAA arm. Ogando's groin strain from running out the bunt was offered as proof positive that it's a bad idea to use relievers as spot starters. I'm all like, "dude, do you realize that this injury had nothing to do with who was pitching and everything to do with the fact that the game was played with NL rules, and whoever was pitching would have been batting in that situation, and, hopefully, laying down that good of a bunt and then running it out? And - if you bring up some AAA arm, we likely don't win that game, period?"

So...you don't use relievers to spot start, ever, because they can strain a groin muscle when they bat, which is only if the games being played in a NL park, and only if they're really good bunters. Just....use lesser talent. Makes perfect sense to me!

Edited June 11, 2012 by JSngry

[Tim McG]

Had a humorously bizarre conversation with somebody who was cussing Wash for using Ogando in Holland's slot in the rotation instead of calling up some significantly less able AAA arm. Ogando's groin strain from running out the bunt was offered as proof positive that it's a bad idea to use relievers as spot starters. I'm all like, "dude, do you realize that this injury had nothing to do with who was pitching and everything to do with the fact that the game was played with NL rules, and whoever was pitching would have been batting in that situation, and, hopefully, laying down that good of a bunt and then running it out? And - if you bring up some AAA arm, we likely don't win that game, period?"

So...you don't use relievers to spot start, ever, because they can strain a groin muscle when they bat, which is only if the games being played in a NL park, and only if they're really good bunters. Just....use lesser talent. Makes perfect sense to me!

I just wish the AL would play the game like the Senior Cicuit does: Dump the DH.

[JSngry]

I've come to embrace the DH myself, but the big thing for me would be some simple consistency. so inter-league play (which I'm still not fully sold on) takes on less of a gawky, slack-jawed "GAWRSH, let's watch the pitchers BAT" quality.

Nothing is quite as coitus-interruptussy (aside from actual coitus-interruptus) as getting runners on 2nd & 3rd with two out in the early innings, and here comes Herbie The Can't Hit Hurler to the plate But what makes it worse is knowing what would happen if you were in your own bed, er...ballpark.

Either keep the DH or drop it, (and give the NL a five year period to use it so they'll know what they're missing and if they feel better off with it or without it) but make it consistent across both leagues.

[paul secor]

Been reading Jim's moanings about the Rangers. They have the third best record in the AL, and are only 1/2 game behind the Rays, who have the best record in the AL.

I always thought that Philly & Boston fans were the toughest. Apparently, they have something to learn from the Lone Star state.

[JSngry]

Ah, the deception of cumulative stats...after getting off to the unbelievable 17-6 April, the teams's gone 18-20 against some relatively weak competition - and looked pretty bad doing it more than a few times doing it. 17-6 extrapolates out to about 120-42, and nobody in their right mind expects that. But you do expect a team that plays that well to play better than .500 ball over a six week span. And you sure don't expect them to let their main division rival go from being 9 games back to just being 3 behind in those six weeks.

Good teams collapse, fall aprt, whatever. sometimes it's injuries, sometimes it's mental, sometimes it's just shit happening. But this is not a .500 team, and they sure as hell shouldn't be playing sub-.500 ball for as long as they have been unless something's wrong.

Plenty of time for the ship to right itself, of course, and if we go 2-3 against Arizona & the Angles go 1-2 against the Dodgers, the lead's back up to 5 4. But - and this is what is troubling - we've had recent series of getting swept by the Royals, losing 2-out-of-3 to the Mariners (twice!), and losing 3-out-of-4 to the A's, often losing ugly, not tough. And the Angels are coming on for real. We can't afford to lose all these series that we should win. Occasionally, yeah, but the pattern/trend/whatever has been downward forabout as long as it needs to be. Just stop it. Now.

This has been more than a team having a rough week or two, this has been damn near six weeks of a team seriously and consistently underachieving. I'll be less concerned when it stops being so. Can't win 'em all, and you can't avoid the blowouts here and there. But six weeks is too long for a team this good to play this inconsistently, and definitely too long for it to bee under .500.

[edited to fix some Wishful Thinking math...]

Edited June 12, 2012 by JSngry

[paul secor]

It's a long season. Players know it, but we fans sometimes have a tendency to forget.

[JSngry]

Oh, I'm counting on it being a long season. I'd have gone full-on crazy by now if not.

Seriously, it's been a very, very frustrating stretch we've had, and a longer than usual one (at least for this team, and yeah, I'm fully aware how lucky we are to have a team about which to fret in this manner). But knowing that it's just a probability and not a certainty that it will all even out by September only helps a little.

To use the parlance - "first place problems". I'd like them to remain that!

[PHILLYQ]

I went through a similar thing with the Yankess this season. For awhile the pitching stunk and they didn't hit with men on at all. They lost to crappy teams and looked like they had no chance to make the playoffs. Well, the last 7 games the pitching has been very good, they still don't hit with men on, but they're winning and hope springs eternal...

[JSngry]

I've noticed that the Yankees have been picking things up, for sure. Not surprised by that!