When Pat Misch has to rescue your SP, you get disappointed. Zito did well at first, but nullified a stunning teamwork-built 3-1 lead with a WP and then a 2-R HR to Ethier. Thank goodness Richie got a taste for his swing and gave us the lead back. And then Sandoval chipped in with one of his own. The addition of yet two more runs still couldn't keep the bullpen from allowing trouble once again, walks loading the bases after the Dodgers closed it to 7-5. Sadler removed, we barely escaped the inning 7-6.
The comforting bliss after that storm came through Roberts; a vet who is deliberately taking the fifth OF slot in the depth chart produced two more RBI. But once again teamwork was key: the bases had to be loaded in order to score two with a single. Bowker scored from Posey's second hit of the day: 10-6. The Dodgers kept threatening, per the usual, but in the end what matters not in spring is the score...
While the pitching situation is still very much unclear, even with Howry and Affeldt, what is obviously positive is how well the offense is gel-ing. We had nine hits by the fourth inning, and the only people without a hit were vets. We have not been this young and interdependent in a while, and it's refreshing. Burriss, Lewis, Sandoval (3-3, HR; spring average of .471 now), Velez and Kawa (2-2, 2B) are all doing well together, and it's definitely because of the time spent with the team last year. I won't make predictions, but I am not expecting last place again. Hallelujah.
FINAL
L.A. - 8
S.F. - 10
The Boys Who Showed Up: Sandoval, Aurilia, Roberts, Posey
Showing posts with label Zito. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Zito. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Mariner Meandering
Things looked up immediately. Fred Lewis hit a solo shot to start the game (1-0), and Sandoval slashed a base hit. (Looks like they're starting to take Randy Johnson's advice about batting practice.) Ishikawa singled, continuing his hitting dominance (5-6 w/ 2HRs at that point). We only managed to get that one run, but the promise was exciting. This is the first inning, when the opposition is at its best and freshest quality of play.
In the field, Velez played a drag-bunt perfectly. The pregame mentioned that Bochy quite likes Velez, despite the fact that everyone else thinks the battle for 2B is between Frandsen (again, poor guy) and Burriss (a prodigy, in my opinion). Velez showed why: he has an intangible characteristic of providing what the moment needs, not what fantasy owners want to see. Zito had an uncharacteristic 1-2-3 inning. So endeth the first inning.
Scheirholz led off with a single. Uribe got hung up on stretching a 2B, but no one covered 2B in the pickle, with an RBI double. 2-0. We ended the scoring there, but Zito showed himself able to handle it--and he should be able to by now, in any case. The scoreboard tweaked, and Jon joked that "it's kind of a surprise to see Zito still in here in the 7th inning." My amusement was multi-fold. Zito was still clean after two, when he was replaced. Apparently, he's been having "pitching accountability" all winter with Brian Wilson, The Animal. I knew Brian was good for the team in more than pitching. Zito may impress me now, with some time.
The unfortunate next tidbit is Bowker coming in... only to try to make a spectacular catch (from lack of a decision) and error it up. I say "unfortunate" because this kid has been trying to make the team very intentionally (and did make it last year, thanks to our franchise record of callups). He just needs more time. And Travis is a much better player (Kuip called 'Kawa a "natural first baseman", and I agree). That was all to notice for the 3rd inning.
In the 4th, Velez and Holm combined for a great end to the Mariner end. The rest of the inning seemed like the title of this post.
Zito had been replaced in the third inning, and that was all she wrote. For Martinez in the 4th, things were forgettable. Two runners, a single basehit and an error: the score tied. A fantastic diving catch from Andres Torres turned management heads (since it was his first play), but the run scored anyway. 3-2, SEA. Frandsen made the same kind of beautiful play at 2B and the bleeding stopped.
Rowand managed a leadoff double in the 7th, and Bocock replaced him as a pinch runner. Downs, a young kid, sac flied Bocock to third, and it paid off when a passed ball made the jog to home easy. 3-3. Uribe, unfortunately, pushed the good luck and the OF threw him out trying to stretch a triple. Holm, facing two outs, had little steam and popped out. But, once again, sparks of teamwork-batting showed themselves.
The sparks repeated in the eighth. Frandsen doubled, and Sandoval singled him home. Happy Day: 4-3. Chipping away at a lead is good, people. It makes sure (a) the other team doesn't see the lead being lost, (b) our motivation keeps moving in a positive direction, and (c) an intricate team mentality is built, that contributes beyond the field, to commradery and season morale.
Alex Hinshaw, whom I do like, unfortunately blew it. The first two batters had 2-0 counts and belted the next pitch. Hinshaw seemed to learn his lesson a bit, and took the next batter to 0-2 instead. That batter grounded out; but that batter was the diamond in the rough. The next one repeated the previous batters instead and belted another--thankfully the runner didn't score (which was bad news for that runner, I assure you). A valiant effort by Burriss at short couldn't stop that runner making up for his poor earlier performance, another single followed and eventually Hinshaw's place on the team was moving further and further down the pine.
Matos was given the ball, threw one pitch, and cut all of the slack. Nevertheless, damage finished; 6-4, SEA.
Conor Gillaspie, our recent high draft pick who actually played in the last month of the season last year (got a single off Dan Haren, hint-hint), took an AB though nothing came of it. Matt Downs managed a double, however. Kuip immediately voiced my thoughts, "Now it's time to see who this kid is." He got the tying run to 3B earlier, and kept the glimmers a-goin' for the 9th. Nothing else did, though.
FINAL
S.F. - 4
SEA - 6
Just as an aside, I absolutely love that Dave Flemming gets plugged in for promos during the broadcast... without being in the booth. Jon and Duane appreciated having to address him as if there, and pointing that out, as well. It's always nice to see that class and dry wit are inherent to calling the team's games. :)
The Boys That Showed Up: Velez, Downs, Lewis, Zito (thanks Brian).
In the field, Velez played a drag-bunt perfectly. The pregame mentioned that Bochy quite likes Velez, despite the fact that everyone else thinks the battle for 2B is between Frandsen (again, poor guy) and Burriss (a prodigy, in my opinion). Velez showed why: he has an intangible characteristic of providing what the moment needs, not what fantasy owners want to see. Zito had an uncharacteristic 1-2-3 inning. So endeth the first inning.
Scheirholz led off with a single. Uribe got hung up on stretching a 2B, but no one covered 2B in the pickle, with an RBI double. 2-0. We ended the scoring there, but Zito showed himself able to handle it--and he should be able to by now, in any case. The scoreboard tweaked, and Jon joked that "it's kind of a surprise to see Zito still in here in the 7th inning." My amusement was multi-fold. Zito was still clean after two, when he was replaced. Apparently, he's been having "pitching accountability" all winter with Brian Wilson, The Animal. I knew Brian was good for the team in more than pitching. Zito may impress me now, with some time.
The unfortunate next tidbit is Bowker coming in... only to try to make a spectacular catch (from lack of a decision) and error it up. I say "unfortunate" because this kid has been trying to make the team very intentionally (and did make it last year, thanks to our franchise record of callups). He just needs more time. And Travis is a much better player (Kuip called 'Kawa a "natural first baseman", and I agree). That was all to notice for the 3rd inning.
In the 4th, Velez and Holm combined for a great end to the Mariner end. The rest of the inning seemed like the title of this post.
Zito had been replaced in the third inning, and that was all she wrote. For Martinez in the 4th, things were forgettable. Two runners, a single basehit and an error: the score tied. A fantastic diving catch from Andres Torres turned management heads (since it was his first play), but the run scored anyway. 3-2, SEA. Frandsen made the same kind of beautiful play at 2B and the bleeding stopped.
Rowand managed a leadoff double in the 7th, and Bocock replaced him as a pinch runner. Downs, a young kid, sac flied Bocock to third, and it paid off when a passed ball made the jog to home easy. 3-3. Uribe, unfortunately, pushed the good luck and the OF threw him out trying to stretch a triple. Holm, facing two outs, had little steam and popped out. But, once again, sparks of teamwork-batting showed themselves.
The sparks repeated in the eighth. Frandsen doubled, and Sandoval singled him home. Happy Day: 4-3. Chipping away at a lead is good, people. It makes sure (a) the other team doesn't see the lead being lost, (b) our motivation keeps moving in a positive direction, and (c) an intricate team mentality is built, that contributes beyond the field, to commradery and season morale.
Alex Hinshaw, whom I do like, unfortunately blew it. The first two batters had 2-0 counts and belted the next pitch. Hinshaw seemed to learn his lesson a bit, and took the next batter to 0-2 instead. That batter grounded out; but that batter was the diamond in the rough. The next one repeated the previous batters instead and belted another--thankfully the runner didn't score (which was bad news for that runner, I assure you). A valiant effort by Burriss at short couldn't stop that runner making up for his poor earlier performance, another single followed and eventually Hinshaw's place on the team was moving further and further down the pine.
Matos was given the ball, threw one pitch, and cut all of the slack. Nevertheless, damage finished; 6-4, SEA.
Conor Gillaspie, our recent high draft pick who actually played in the last month of the season last year (got a single off Dan Haren, hint-hint), took an AB though nothing came of it. Matt Downs managed a double, however. Kuip immediately voiced my thoughts, "Now it's time to see who this kid is." He got the tying run to 3B earlier, and kept the glimmers a-goin' for the 9th. Nothing else did, though.
FINAL
S.F. - 4
SEA - 6
Just as an aside, I absolutely love that Dave Flemming gets plugged in for promos during the broadcast... without being in the booth. Jon and Duane appreciated having to address him as if there, and pointing that out, as well. It's always nice to see that class and dry wit are inherent to calling the team's games. :)
The Boys That Showed Up: Velez, Downs, Lewis, Zito (thanks Brian).
Monday, August 18, 2008
Mining Gems For Zito
I'm not sure how to start this. Perhaps with these words:
Today finalized our first series win in Atlanta since 1993. That's 22 straight, and 18 of those were straight series losses down in Georgia. The victory today made the series three games out of four.
How did it happen? Glad you asked. Multiple ways:
The Braves pitcher, Campillo, was messy all day, especially in the 1st when we set the pace early with three runs. Zito was fantastic (note again, on the road), allowing just five hits and no runs over seven innings. Yabu actually pitched well in relief again, as he used to early in the season. Burriss was 1-4 with a run; Ishikawa the same. Roberts 1-3 with a run; Rowand 1-3 with a HR. Pablo Sandoval was 2-4 with a run as well. Even Romo, recalled from Fresno, retired the 9th inning easily.
FINAL: 5-0, ATL
Unreal. Just unreal.
-MSH
PS -> Please notice, this is once again after starting multiple youth.
Today finalized our first series win in Atlanta since 1993. That's 22 straight, and 18 of those were straight series losses down in Georgia. The victory today made the series three games out of four.
How did it happen? Glad you asked. Multiple ways:
The Braves pitcher, Campillo, was messy all day, especially in the 1st when we set the pace early with three runs. Zito was fantastic (note again, on the road), allowing just five hits and no runs over seven innings. Yabu actually pitched well in relief again, as he used to early in the season. Burriss was 1-4 with a run; Ishikawa the same. Roberts 1-3 with a run; Rowand 1-3 with a HR. Pablo Sandoval was 2-4 with a run as well. Even Romo, recalled from Fresno, retired the 9th inning easily.
FINAL: 5-0, ATL
Unreal. Just unreal.
-MSH
PS -> Please notice, this is once again after starting multiple youth.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Zito At His Most Expected
All you need to know for this game is that Zito had a one-hitter going into the bottom of the 6th, when we led 1-0. From that point, the Astros got an infield single and a bloop that no one could catch. This sent Zito reeling, unnecessarily.
The Astros did not get a single hit from that point on, but they somehow managed
to get six runs in. Zito walked four batters, including the pitcher, and hit a man (this was classic, by the way, since Zito had an 0-2 count on that one). Sadler came in to relieve him and the first batter he faced got hit. The second batter he faced got hit as well. Jon once called it horrifying; after this, he couldn't help being silent and then obviously flabbergasted. Three out of the last four batters were HBP. Hello? THREE OUT OF FOUR.
Twelve men batted for Houston that half-inning; two got hits, which were singles; four were hit; six of them scored.
Can you blame me for not giving anymore about the game? :) The only good news was that Castillo was not playing because we finally called up someone to play 3B: Ryan Rohlinger. In addition to this, two others were called up while Bowker (hitting fiasco) and Holm were sent to Fresno. The best news? Castillo was "designated for assignment".
Hallelujah!
FINAL: 6-2, Houston
Hell of a way to get swept, boys.
-MSH
The Astros did not get a single hit from that point on, but they somehow managed
to get six runs in. Zito walked four batters, including the pitcher, and hit a man (this was classic, by the way, since Zito had an 0-2 count on that one). Sadler came in to relieve him and the first batter he faced got hit. The second batter he faced got hit as well. Jon once called it horrifying; after this, he couldn't help being silent and then obviously flabbergasted. Three out of the last four batters were HBP. Hello? THREE OUT OF FOUR.
Twelve men batted for Houston that half-inning; two got hits, which were singles; four were hit; six of them scored.
Can you blame me for not giving anymore about the game? :) The only good news was that Castillo was not playing because we finally called up someone to play 3B: Ryan Rohlinger. In addition to this, two others were called up while Bowker (hitting fiasco) and Holm were sent to Fresno. The best news? Castillo was "designated for assignment".
Hallelujah!
FINAL: 6-2, Houston
Hell of a way to get swept, boys.
-MSH
Saturday, August 2, 2008
The 46th & 21st
Remember the First Inning Rule? "Straight Up, Straight Down", all that? Well, that's what happened for S.F. at first. Winn flied out, Ochoa called out on strikes, Lewis swinging on strikes. But it also happened in favor of S.F. And it was beautiful.
1st: Zito did OK at first, nothing out of the ordinary, but he did get the first out swinging on a changeup after a full count, and the second out was obtained by a fantastic defensive stop by Burriss who was starting at 2B again. (I could not have been happier to see this for Emmanuel, and he proved my confidence right immediately, once again.) Wheels loosened quickly, though. A single next, and then another full count. But this time a BB to Adrian Gonzalez. Zito got the last out on a 6-4 grounder, but the usual precedent was there for the taking: little offense, excellent foundational defense, struggling pitching from Zito.
Top 2nd: The most notable thing is that Rowand got HBP again. He must have a stance that eggs pitchers on to just try and hit him. Have you ever seen it from the side? It's... interesting. From the front, though, there's not much to hit - he's straight as an arrow, there. My team scapegoat, Castillo, was in for Richie at 3B and naturally struck out on three straight pitches; Dave Flemming even relayed that Castillo's swings were obviously late.
Bottom 2nd: Things were a little smoother for Zito. A fly out, a strike out and a 1-3 ground out. Only one full count, and down in order. Better, which is unfortunately worth noting given Zito's current record.
Top 3rd: Burriss, youthful genius, just put down a bunt single to begin the side; in the minors, he was well-known for such a skill. Unfortunately, Burriss got a little greedy and after Zito's sac bunt was handled by Peavy solely, Burriss saw 3B uncovered and tried for it; he was tagged out. The attitude is good, especially for his speed (he scored from 1B last night in the 10th after a RF single), but the calculation needs work. Rookie mistake; perfectly acceptable. Winn flied out for the second time; less acceptable, but understandable.
Bottom 3rd: Zito fielded his position well - he handled another grounder off a 1-2 count, for the first out. Then Zito seemed to lose the strikezone, walking his second batter. Zito got out of it through a double-play, with a beautiful turn by Burriss which made up for a poor feed from Ochoa. Notice how many times Emmanuel's name has come up in a positive light since starting at 2B last night? I hope so.
Top 4th: Straight Up; Straight Down. Although Molina did have a drive to RF that made Giles misjudge and have to backpeddle onto the warning track.
Bottom 4th: Straight Up; Straight Down. Hello: 'tis for Zito. I was pleasantly amused... the kind of amusement that indicates normalcy for a Major League team. And a six-pitch inning at that! Even if we didn't win, at this point I was thinking that this outing for Zito may have been worth taking pride in.
Top 5th: Rowand works a full count, but strikes out. This full count work paid off a little though, because Bowker lined a single to RF next. Personally, I think the kid just needs more time, because the hitting skill is there. But, Oh My Scapegoat, Castillo, went 0-2 on the count. I think I will make that an acronymn, OMS. Castillo isn't so bad that he deserves no aphorisms from me, is he? Proof of this is that he at least worked a full count for that. But proof against it is that on that full count pitch, he looked while Bowker ran. Castillo was called out looking; Bowker was thrown out without effort. Way to go, Scapegoat. OMS; OMFS.
Bottom 5th: Zito got an immediate full count, which he managed to get an easy pop-out for; the luck seemed to be continuing. This luck was confirmed with another 1-2-3 inning for him. 15 pitches suggested the luck particularly.
Top 6th: Straight Up; Straight Down.
Bottom 6th: Zito got Peavy on the second pitch for a 6-3 ground out. A side thing to note at this point is that even given Ochoa's weak toss to Burriss, his defensive play has been solid so far. The next batter hit it straight to Castillo, so OMS, he knocked it down but couldn't throw the batter out. That's right, the Scapegoat had an error. I believe that ever since the trading deadline, Castillo has committed at least one error per game. Zito struck of brilliance, a dangerous thought, when he struck out Iguchi on that signature 12-6 curveball. The most unfortunate thing was that at once, Zito's luck and Burriss' seemed to run out at the same AB. Giles popped up to Burriss at 2B, which he misjudged in such a way that Giles had a double. Thank God the Padres don't run, because Hairston was kept at 3B. Zito was told to intentionally walk Adrian Gonzalez (looks like my blog - and my advice - is actually being heard!). In a pseudo-karmic streak for doing that, Zito struck out Kouzmanoff, and the inning was over. Still, scoreless for Barry. And only 88 pitches!
Top 7th: Ochoa was robbed by a rare jumping Gonzalez - probably ticked that we paid heed and walked him in the inning prior. Peavy showed frustration despite this, however, and it seemed a bit illogical given how well the pitchers were doing this evening. Peavy himself was doing well at getting Lewis, and others, to foul off instead of get a hit; but I think the frustration worked to our advantage because Lewis singled. Lewis then stole 2B successfully, taking a hint from an awkward pitch thrown just before the attempt, and the count was 2-0 to Molina with a RISP. Molina worked it to 3-0. Rowand was on-deck, but they didn't walk Molina. I'm sure a number of intelligent Padres fans were wondering why in a wildly frustrated manner, because after that count filled, the payoff pitch was a soft single to RF, perfectly placed. Gonzalez couldn't get it, and Giles' throw was offline and not nearly in time. Lewis scored. This was especially sweet for us since Rowand struck out on three straight pitches (his 87th of the year, by the way; I don't make mention of Lewis' 100 Ks at the plate, because he scores - a lot). A missed slider to Bowker made Peavy... well, peaved. The interesting thing is that after Peavy stared at the umpire following that pitch, the next pitch was almost exactly the same and was called a strike instead. The count again was full (a common theme for both pitchers tonight). Bowker was good at fouling off and buying more pitches; he was rewarded with his second hit of the game, a pull to RF again. The hit was so good, Molina reached 3B. This running helped us immensely, because it put another RISP (Molina can't score from 2B on a single, trust me). Do you know what happened next? Here's a hint: OMFS. Castillo swung at the first pitch AGAIN and lined out to CF. O, O, OMS. "2-0?" "No, no; but you do have a pretty reasonable candidate for Scapegoat!"
Bottom 7th: Thank God, Aurilia was put in for defensive purposes. But no, wait: put in not for the Scapegoat, but for the man who has just gone 2-3. I know Aurilia's a better 1B. However, Castillo was the main reason we weren't going to win, if we didn't. Another full count for Zito ended in a very lucky K. The last thing you want to do is walk the leadoff in a tight game, especially when you're riding the Luck Train. After this strike out, Zito got Bard on two pitches for a 5-3 ground out. Gonzalez completed the order-downing with a lineout to Winn. That's a 10 pitch inning for Zito, leaving him at a comfy 98 total through seven innings, giving up only two rightful hits, both to the same man. (A side-tip: this last fact is especially important because, as a pitcher, you know that if you are to continue and you are struggling in the AB against said batter, you can save yourself in the current game and walk him to gain momentum and confidence through other batters.)
Top 8th: Peavy was replaced by Hensley; Bud Black must have realized Peavy's consternation and attitude. Burriss tried his first-pitch, first AB of the inning bunt trick again; but it still didn't work, although I give him credit for at least trying to be both unconventional and playing-to-his-strength at the same time. Zito got a single from a 0-2 count because of Kouzmanoff's glove-error. Winn got a 2-0 count immediately following that. Winn managed to strike out, on the next three consecutive pitches; I believe this AB made him 0-4. Ochoa worked a BB next, and Lewis - clearly more dangerous of the two - came up with a chance to really do damage. Lewis got a single up the middle, but because it was Zito at 2B (slower than fielders and not wanting to be in a collision at HP), he was held by Flannery. Unfortunately, this didn't matter: Molina popped up the first pitch. All I'm going to say is this: luck felt ironic. The man who had an unusually hot 2-hit shutout going and got a basehit off an error was also a reason why we had to go into the eighth with him at almost 100 pitches and only a one-run lead.
Bottom 8th: Zito got a PH to pop up easily to Rowand in CF, with just two pitches. Zito got a generous call for a 0-2 count, but a flair single on the third pitch just in front of Winn to RCF made the inning tense for me. Zito struck out Iguchi swinging, a pitch that Iguchi had not been able to handle all night - a slider in on the hands. Zito still looked as if it were the first inning, for the control he displayed. Yet a BB to Giles. Adrian Gonzalez next. Bochy talks to Zito; Zito stays in. Taschner was the option, and obviously given last night against Gonzalez, Zito was a better choice. I applaud the decision, even without knowing the outcome. Someone up top must be listening to this, and paying attention. Here was their reward: one pitch grounded Gonzalez out to Burriss easily, and Zito finished eight shutout innings. 116 pitches; three hits. In the postgame interview, Zito said he'd run around his old neighborhood today; it does in fact help to center oneself by remembering home. There is no question that Bochy's act of trust with Barry was huge, though; not only did Zito conquer the erratic umpiring here (even Tony Gwynn was overheard saying "wow" to the minimalist-umpire's strikezone), he cut off his own problems, restored his own self-confidence, and took care of Jake Peavy as his opponent.
Top 9th: Rowand went 0-5. Richie singled up the middle; good ol' Richie. If those consecutive ABs are not a contrast for the reader, I know not what one would be. At least Richie can make contact; he's much older, yet can play more positions, has better defense, runs better (he avoided getting thrown out at 2B from Scapegoat's grounder just after reaching base), and is getting paid a lot less. Same for Burriss. So naturally, Burriss singled hard to LF. And Aurilia, God bless him, he held up a bit but scored easily since the throw from Henley in LF was way off. Burriss, a smart youth, advanced to 2B on the throw automatically. Cla Hensley was replaced on the mound. 2-0, S.F. Vizquel replaced Zito to hit, since Wilson was already ready to throw down in the 'pen. Vizquel worked a 0-2 count to a full count, but popped out. It would be up to the Animal.
Bottom 9th: Wilson gives a signature sprint out from the bullpen. He gives a signature outside-corner fastball at 96mph; he repeats the same pitch at 97mph. Wilson blows Kouzmanoff away after a ball, to finish the first out. Next, Wilson makes Headley's bat explode after a full count to ground him out to Aurilia at 1B. A break for Brian, before throwing to Bard. First pitch, low. Second pitch, inside strike. Third pitch, 95mph fouled off. Begging in my head. Next pitch barely misses. How appropriate: final pitch, grounded to Richie. Richie is the shizzle.
FINAL: 2-0, S.F.
That's 21 save opportunities in a row. Brian is The Animal. Zito relayed in the postgame interview that Wilson once made a joke: he was the only guy without a jersey for sale in the Giants' Dugout team store, yet he was an All-Star. Zito laughed at the truth of it; so did I. I want one, right now. I'll say it again, and again, and again:
HIT THE DECK, IT'S THE GHOST OF ROD BECK.
-MSH
1st: Zito did OK at first, nothing out of the ordinary, but he did get the first out swinging on a changeup after a full count, and the second out was obtained by a fantastic defensive stop by Burriss who was starting at 2B again. (I could not have been happier to see this for Emmanuel, and he proved my confidence right immediately, once again.) Wheels loosened quickly, though. A single next, and then another full count. But this time a BB to Adrian Gonzalez. Zito got the last out on a 6-4 grounder, but the usual precedent was there for the taking: little offense, excellent foundational defense, struggling pitching from Zito.
Top 2nd: The most notable thing is that Rowand got HBP again. He must have a stance that eggs pitchers on to just try and hit him. Have you ever seen it from the side? It's... interesting. From the front, though, there's not much to hit - he's straight as an arrow, there. My team scapegoat, Castillo, was in for Richie at 3B and naturally struck out on three straight pitches; Dave Flemming even relayed that Castillo's swings were obviously late.
Bottom 2nd: Things were a little smoother for Zito. A fly out, a strike out and a 1-3 ground out. Only one full count, and down in order. Better, which is unfortunately worth noting given Zito's current record.
Top 3rd: Burriss, youthful genius, just put down a bunt single to begin the side; in the minors, he was well-known for such a skill. Unfortunately, Burriss got a little greedy and after Zito's sac bunt was handled by Peavy solely, Burriss saw 3B uncovered and tried for it; he was tagged out. The attitude is good, especially for his speed (he scored from 1B last night in the 10th after a RF single), but the calculation needs work. Rookie mistake; perfectly acceptable. Winn flied out for the second time; less acceptable, but understandable.
Bottom 3rd: Zito fielded his position well - he handled another grounder off a 1-2 count, for the first out. Then Zito seemed to lose the strikezone, walking his second batter. Zito got out of it through a double-play, with a beautiful turn by Burriss which made up for a poor feed from Ochoa. Notice how many times Emmanuel's name has come up in a positive light since starting at 2B last night? I hope so.
Top 4th: Straight Up; Straight Down. Although Molina did have a drive to RF that made Giles misjudge and have to backpeddle onto the warning track.
Bottom 4th: Straight Up; Straight Down. Hello: 'tis for Zito. I was pleasantly amused... the kind of amusement that indicates normalcy for a Major League team. And a six-pitch inning at that! Even if we didn't win, at this point I was thinking that this outing for Zito may have been worth taking pride in.
Top 5th: Rowand works a full count, but strikes out. This full count work paid off a little though, because Bowker lined a single to RF next. Personally, I think the kid just needs more time, because the hitting skill is there. But, Oh My Scapegoat, Castillo, went 0-2 on the count. I think I will make that an acronymn, OMS. Castillo isn't so bad that he deserves no aphorisms from me, is he? Proof of this is that he at least worked a full count for that. But proof against it is that on that full count pitch, he looked while Bowker ran. Castillo was called out looking; Bowker was thrown out without effort. Way to go, Scapegoat. OMS; OMFS.
Bottom 5th: Zito got an immediate full count, which he managed to get an easy pop-out for; the luck seemed to be continuing. This luck was confirmed with another 1-2-3 inning for him. 15 pitches suggested the luck particularly.
Top 6th: Straight Up; Straight Down.
Bottom 6th: Zito got Peavy on the second pitch for a 6-3 ground out. A side thing to note at this point is that even given Ochoa's weak toss to Burriss, his defensive play has been solid so far. The next batter hit it straight to Castillo, so OMS, he knocked it down but couldn't throw the batter out. That's right, the Scapegoat had an error. I believe that ever since the trading deadline, Castillo has committed at least one error per game. Zito struck of brilliance, a dangerous thought, when he struck out Iguchi on that signature 12-6 curveball. The most unfortunate thing was that at once, Zito's luck and Burriss' seemed to run out at the same AB. Giles popped up to Burriss at 2B, which he misjudged in such a way that Giles had a double. Thank God the Padres don't run, because Hairston was kept at 3B. Zito was told to intentionally walk Adrian Gonzalez (looks like my blog - and my advice - is actually being heard!). In a pseudo-karmic streak for doing that, Zito struck out Kouzmanoff, and the inning was over. Still, scoreless for Barry. And only 88 pitches!
Top 7th: Ochoa was robbed by a rare jumping Gonzalez - probably ticked that we paid heed and walked him in the inning prior. Peavy showed frustration despite this, however, and it seemed a bit illogical given how well the pitchers were doing this evening. Peavy himself was doing well at getting Lewis, and others, to foul off instead of get a hit; but I think the frustration worked to our advantage because Lewis singled. Lewis then stole 2B successfully, taking a hint from an awkward pitch thrown just before the attempt, and the count was 2-0 to Molina with a RISP. Molina worked it to 3-0. Rowand was on-deck, but they didn't walk Molina. I'm sure a number of intelligent Padres fans were wondering why in a wildly frustrated manner, because after that count filled, the payoff pitch was a soft single to RF, perfectly placed. Gonzalez couldn't get it, and Giles' throw was offline and not nearly in time. Lewis scored. This was especially sweet for us since Rowand struck out on three straight pitches (his 87th of the year, by the way; I don't make mention of Lewis' 100 Ks at the plate, because he scores - a lot). A missed slider to Bowker made Peavy... well, peaved. The interesting thing is that after Peavy stared at the umpire following that pitch, the next pitch was almost exactly the same and was called a strike instead. The count again was full (a common theme for both pitchers tonight). Bowker was good at fouling off and buying more pitches; he was rewarded with his second hit of the game, a pull to RF again. The hit was so good, Molina reached 3B. This running helped us immensely, because it put another RISP (Molina can't score from 2B on a single, trust me). Do you know what happened next? Here's a hint: OMFS. Castillo swung at the first pitch AGAIN and lined out to CF. O, O, OMS. "2-0?" "No, no; but you do have a pretty reasonable candidate for Scapegoat!"
Bottom 7th: Thank God, Aurilia was put in for defensive purposes. But no, wait: put in not for the Scapegoat, but for the man who has just gone 2-3. I know Aurilia's a better 1B. However, Castillo was the main reason we weren't going to win, if we didn't. Another full count for Zito ended in a very lucky K. The last thing you want to do is walk the leadoff in a tight game, especially when you're riding the Luck Train. After this strike out, Zito got Bard on two pitches for a 5-3 ground out. Gonzalez completed the order-downing with a lineout to Winn. That's a 10 pitch inning for Zito, leaving him at a comfy 98 total through seven innings, giving up only two rightful hits, both to the same man. (A side-tip: this last fact is especially important because, as a pitcher, you know that if you are to continue and you are struggling in the AB against said batter, you can save yourself in the current game and walk him to gain momentum and confidence through other batters.)
Top 8th: Peavy was replaced by Hensley; Bud Black must have realized Peavy's consternation and attitude. Burriss tried his first-pitch, first AB of the inning bunt trick again; but it still didn't work, although I give him credit for at least trying to be both unconventional and playing-to-his-strength at the same time. Zito got a single from a 0-2 count because of Kouzmanoff's glove-error. Winn got a 2-0 count immediately following that. Winn managed to strike out, on the next three consecutive pitches; I believe this AB made him 0-4. Ochoa worked a BB next, and Lewis - clearly more dangerous of the two - came up with a chance to really do damage. Lewis got a single up the middle, but because it was Zito at 2B (slower than fielders and not wanting to be in a collision at HP), he was held by Flannery. Unfortunately, this didn't matter: Molina popped up the first pitch. All I'm going to say is this: luck felt ironic. The man who had an unusually hot 2-hit shutout going and got a basehit off an error was also a reason why we had to go into the eighth with him at almost 100 pitches and only a one-run lead.
Bottom 8th: Zito got a PH to pop up easily to Rowand in CF, with just two pitches. Zito got a generous call for a 0-2 count, but a flair single on the third pitch just in front of Winn to RCF made the inning tense for me. Zito struck out Iguchi swinging, a pitch that Iguchi had not been able to handle all night - a slider in on the hands. Zito still looked as if it were the first inning, for the control he displayed. Yet a BB to Giles. Adrian Gonzalez next. Bochy talks to Zito; Zito stays in. Taschner was the option, and obviously given last night against Gonzalez, Zito was a better choice. I applaud the decision, even without knowing the outcome. Someone up top must be listening to this, and paying attention. Here was their reward: one pitch grounded Gonzalez out to Burriss easily, and Zito finished eight shutout innings. 116 pitches; three hits. In the postgame interview, Zito said he'd run around his old neighborhood today; it does in fact help to center oneself by remembering home. There is no question that Bochy's act of trust with Barry was huge, though; not only did Zito conquer the erratic umpiring here (even Tony Gwynn was overheard saying "wow" to the minimalist-umpire's strikezone), he cut off his own problems, restored his own self-confidence, and took care of Jake Peavy as his opponent.
Top 9th: Rowand went 0-5. Richie singled up the middle; good ol' Richie. If those consecutive ABs are not a contrast for the reader, I know not what one would be. At least Richie can make contact; he's much older, yet can play more positions, has better defense, runs better (he avoided getting thrown out at 2B from Scapegoat's grounder just after reaching base), and is getting paid a lot less. Same for Burriss. So naturally, Burriss singled hard to LF. And Aurilia, God bless him, he held up a bit but scored easily since the throw from Henley in LF was way off. Burriss, a smart youth, advanced to 2B on the throw automatically. Cla Hensley was replaced on the mound. 2-0, S.F. Vizquel replaced Zito to hit, since Wilson was already ready to throw down in the 'pen. Vizquel worked a 0-2 count to a full count, but popped out. It would be up to the Animal.
Bottom 9th: Wilson gives a signature sprint out from the bullpen. He gives a signature outside-corner fastball at 96mph; he repeats the same pitch at 97mph. Wilson blows Kouzmanoff away after a ball, to finish the first out. Next, Wilson makes Headley's bat explode after a full count to ground him out to Aurilia at 1B. A break for Brian, before throwing to Bard. First pitch, low. Second pitch, inside strike. Third pitch, 95mph fouled off. Begging in my head. Next pitch barely misses. How appropriate: final pitch, grounded to Richie. Richie is the shizzle.
FINAL: 2-0, S.F.
That's 21 save opportunities in a row. Brian is The Animal. Zito relayed in the postgame interview that Wilson once made a joke: he was the only guy without a jersey for sale in the Giants' Dugout team store, yet he was an All-Star. Zito laughed at the truth of it; so did I. I want one, right now. I'll say it again, and again, and again:
HIT THE DECK, IT'S THE GHOST OF ROD BECK.
-MSH
Monday, July 28, 2008
Reality & Promise: Team vs. Player
Zito lost again, badly, and Lewis had four hits with two steals. If this isn't the best possible microcosm for how to view our team for this year, and what we should be focusing on for next, then we may as well liquidate the franchise immediately.
In other trade news, holding my breath because of a previous post I made about the Mets and Randy Winn, the other team in N.Y. is also talking for him, and lo and behold, Bengie Molina.
I think it's reasonable, given the Yanks' problems at the catcher spot. And frankly, if they're willing to deal decently, I wouldn't mind. Molina is older, we can't expect to build around him because he probably won't last more than a few years, and Steve Holm was the one who caught Cain's CG shutout - going an amazing 2-3 as well.
A little justification for my thoughts there:
It always pays to realize that allegiance to players should never be as strong as allegiance to a team. Players come and go all the time; even the best go to other places at the end of their careers as a matter of business, and if they really benefited from the organization then they will return to be honored (like Clark and Thompson at memorial days at the park last year, or this year). This is why we honor players who refuse to go to another team, because as good as they are, they know that the team is bigger or more important than their individual performances.
But if you hang onto players as if they are the franchise themselves, then I can guarantee that you will (A) lose interest when they go, (B) won't be able to have the best interests of the team in mind while they stay, and (C) won't be "responsible" for the team's progress if the team does what is best for itself.
In other words: Future's now, boys.
Future's now.
-MSH
In other trade news, holding my breath because of a previous post I made about the Mets and Randy Winn, the other team in N.Y. is also talking for him, and lo and behold, Bengie Molina.
I think it's reasonable, given the Yanks' problems at the catcher spot. And frankly, if they're willing to deal decently, I wouldn't mind. Molina is older, we can't expect to build around him because he probably won't last more than a few years, and Steve Holm was the one who caught Cain's CG shutout - going an amazing 2-3 as well.
A little justification for my thoughts there:
It always pays to realize that allegiance to players should never be as strong as allegiance to a team. Players come and go all the time; even the best go to other places at the end of their careers as a matter of business, and if they really benefited from the organization then they will return to be honored (like Clark and Thompson at memorial days at the park last year, or this year). This is why we honor players who refuse to go to another team, because as good as they are, they know that the team is bigger or more important than their individual performances.
But if you hang onto players as if they are the franchise themselves, then I can guarantee that you will (A) lose interest when they go, (B) won't be able to have the best interests of the team in mind while they stay, and (C) won't be "responsible" for the team's progress if the team does what is best for itself.
In other words: Future's now, boys.
Future's now.
-MSH
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
The Turnaround? [NB: The Game After Durham]
Some thoughts on last night's win as a potential turn-around, by person. Again, please note this is the first game of the first series without Sugar Ray's "I'm entitled to everything" attitude on the team:
Lewis: Went 1-4 with a leadoff HR in the first inning. He hit one of the Levi's poles in RF, preventing a splash. Kruk, Kuip, myself, and probably half the rest of the fans believe that he deserves a free pair of jeans for this.
Molina: 2 HR evening; the last time this kind of night happened for him, it was only April. Fantastic.
Zito: The crowd likes him again, and there's good reason why. He went a full six innings again, and while he allowed 3 runs he still got himself out of a few tough situations, holding on to get his fifth win of the season. Zito is now 2-0 at home, after starting the season 0-8 at home. A typical (and welcome) "second-half comeback" start for him.
Winn: Randy scored the sixth run of the game, after stealing a base and getting his first hit of the night in the eighth. However, he wasn't really what I would call a "factor" in this game. Why? Here's what the youth did prior to Winn's hit off of Washington middle relief: Ochoa 1-1 (PH); Velez 1-3 (R); Lewis 1-3 (HR). So, clearly, because Randy can still be productive without us really needing him to be, it's perfectly logical to trade him for prospects so that Nate [Schierholtz] can play.
Taschner: This is more Bochy's fault than anything. In the sixth, Bochy had Hinshaw and Espineli warming up. Taschner was put in in the seventh - without being warmed up. Taschner proceeded to get one out, then walk the next two batters after full counts before being pulled for Romo, who barely got out of the inning alive. Maybe Bochy might get the hint this time, just like the injury to Yabu has allowed him to call up Espineli. Normally, Bochy would appear perfectly calm to leave Taschner in - maybe send out Righetti. But no, Bochy went out himself, immediately.
Burriss: Put in at 2B in the ninth inning for his defense, it was clear why immediately. The first out was a sharp grounder hit to him; the second out was a Gold-Glove-caliber diving stop to catch a line out. This was done after sitting on the bench all night after warmup; he didn't even have a chance to hit. This kid is amazing.
Wilson: Got screwed on the strike zone for both of the first two hitters, so he just threw three heaters in a row to get the last out. That's called determined. That's Rod Beck. Wilson is now on pace for at least 40 saves. Hello? 40 saves.
Visquel: Sorry, pal. I love your defense, and your a historic, Hall of Fame SS; but when we're in a horrible slump, you can't be traded because you're hitting .161, and we have two fine young defensive middle IFs now, you get pulled next game.
Hooray!
-MSH
Lewis: Went 1-4 with a leadoff HR in the first inning. He hit one of the Levi's poles in RF, preventing a splash. Kruk, Kuip, myself, and probably half the rest of the fans believe that he deserves a free pair of jeans for this.
Molina: 2 HR evening; the last time this kind of night happened for him, it was only April. Fantastic.
Zito: The crowd likes him again, and there's good reason why. He went a full six innings again, and while he allowed 3 runs he still got himself out of a few tough situations, holding on to get his fifth win of the season. Zito is now 2-0 at home, after starting the season 0-8 at home. A typical (and welcome) "second-half comeback" start for him.
Winn: Randy scored the sixth run of the game, after stealing a base and getting his first hit of the night in the eighth. However, he wasn't really what I would call a "factor" in this game. Why? Here's what the youth did prior to Winn's hit off of Washington middle relief: Ochoa 1-1 (PH); Velez 1-3 (R); Lewis 1-3 (HR). So, clearly, because Randy can still be productive without us really needing him to be, it's perfectly logical to trade him for prospects so that Nate [Schierholtz] can play.
Taschner: This is more Bochy's fault than anything. In the sixth, Bochy had Hinshaw and Espineli warming up. Taschner was put in in the seventh - without being warmed up. Taschner proceeded to get one out, then walk the next two batters after full counts before being pulled for Romo, who barely got out of the inning alive. Maybe Bochy might get the hint this time, just like the injury to Yabu has allowed him to call up Espineli. Normally, Bochy would appear perfectly calm to leave Taschner in - maybe send out Righetti. But no, Bochy went out himself, immediately.
Burriss: Put in at 2B in the ninth inning for his defense, it was clear why immediately. The first out was a sharp grounder hit to him; the second out was a Gold-Glove-caliber diving stop to catch a line out. This was done after sitting on the bench all night after warmup; he didn't even have a chance to hit. This kid is amazing.
Wilson: Got screwed on the strike zone for both of the first two hitters, so he just threw three heaters in a row to get the last out. That's called determined. That's Rod Beck. Wilson is now on pace for at least 40 saves. Hello? 40 saves.
Visquel: Sorry, pal. I love your defense, and your a historic, Hall of Fame SS; but when we're in a horrible slump, you can't be traded because you're hitting .161, and we have two fine young defensive middle IFs now, you get pulled next game.
Hooray!
-MSH
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