Friday, April 4, 2014

Game Wrap 4/4/2014: Giants 8 Dodgers 4

Hyun-Jin Ryu has gained a reputation for being an escape artist.  Today, the Giants did not let him get off the mat and torched him for 8 runs in 1.2 innings then survived a shaky start by Ryan Vogelsong and being no-hit for 7.1 IP the rest of the way by the Dodgers' bullpen.  Key Lines:

Michael Morse- 1 for 4.  BA= .286.  Doesn't look like much but after Sandoval walked and Buster Posey's double put runners at 2'nd and 3'rd, the situation was tailor made for another Ryu escape act.  Instead, Morse singled both of them home and took second on Matt Kemp's error in the OF, and the ball was rolling!

Brandon Hicks- 2 for 4, 2 2B.  BA= .600.  We've seen it many times before.  Minor league lifer has a hot spring training, makes a roster, then disappears.  How about this guy?  Huge game against the Dodgers in their crib on their opening day.  The stuff legends are made of!  Now, what happens when Scutaro comes off the DL?  Not sure he should hurry!

Ryan Vogelsong- 1 for 3.  BA= .333.  Vogey helped his cause by driving in 2 runs in the 6-run first.  Turns out he needed those runs!

Ryan Vogelsong- 4 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 4 K.  ERA= 9.00.  Familiar pattern.  Vogey starts out strong with a FB that hit 93, but appeared to be out of gas by the 4'th inning and was getting banged around.  He says he drifts into bad mechanics.  It looks suspiciously like he just runs out of gas.  Very strange!  Huff and Petit are waiting in the wings.

David Huff- 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K.  ERA=    It's terrific to have relievers who can go multiple innings, but when you are using them almost every game, it's going to burn out fast.  Starters need to step up!

JC Gutierrez- 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K's.  ERA=     JC was hitting 96-97 with the FB and backing it up with a nice changeup.  Very nice appearance!  What happens when Affeldt comes off the DL?

Jean Machi, Javier Lopez- 1 IP, 0 R each.  Bochy now has Petit, Casilla and Romo rested for tomorrow.  Giants need Bumgarner to go deep.

Yasiel Puig was scratched from the lineup before the game due to being late for stretching.  He thought it started at 10 instead of 9:40.  In the second inning, the fans in the OF bleachers were chanting for Puig!  Dodgers have a problem on their hands and Puig is a hot mess!

The Win pushes the Giants record to 4-1 and into first place by 0.5 games ahead of the 4-2 Dodgers.  The Rockies crushed the D'Backs 12-2 and are 2 games back at 2-3.  The Padres lost to Miami 8-2 to fall 2.5 games back at 1-3, and Miami seems to have a pretty decent team this year.  The hapless D'Backs are buried in last place at 1-6, 4 games back and things are getting ugly in Arizona!

Madison Bumgarner faces Paul Maholm in game 2 of the series against the Dodgers tomorrow afternoon.

Around the League:

Ryan Braun, who I have on my fantasy team, has a recurrence of his hand injury from last season.  He reportedly has no feeling in his right thumb to the point that he has worn sores and blisters in it from throwing the ball and gripping the bat.  Yikes!  That does not sound good at all, and is not likely to get better with a day or two of rest!  Probably serves him right!

24 comments:

  1. Speaking of Affeldt, he's getting torched in his rehab appearance in Vegas.

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    1. Badly. But Kenry Flores came correct. I have braun as well. We made a bad bet, gotta go to plan B!

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  2. Nice rebound by the pen, the guys who shuffled a bit last series.

    There's money in them there Ribeyes. Good job Morse. He caught a ball too.

    It feels good to get to Ryu. Wish they could have torched the Bums pen as well, but the Gints like to take time off once they build leads. Shows up in our run differentials alls the time.

    I like this guy Hicks. He has a good defensive rep, he has pop and his hacking ways haven't been exposed yet. I'm curious if Mean Bruce Bochy will push him a bit.

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  3. I love the versatility on this roster... I thought going into spring that the bench would be a major weakness of the team. Now, I honestly feel that it's a strength. I worry, big time, however about Mr. Vogelsong. He can't be fizzling out in the 4th and 5th inning. 8-run lead, don't nibble Vogey!

    Listening to Ritzo on the radio right now. The early word on Kendry Flores... 93 mph "exploding fastball." Just tossed a 9-pitch inning, throwing shutout ball through 3 and striking people out in the process. I'm saying it now. Flores will be this season's Escobar. He's already got the 40-man protection part of the story down, now all he needs to do is breeze through the Cal League. Good luck, Kendry... my rep is riding on you!

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    1. I listened just now to the SJ feed. 2 IP from Urias, he walked 4 but nobody made him pay. Flores was rocking the joint, he just gave up a HR trying to sneak a fastball by in the 7th. Great first effort. I agree, he's going to move.

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    2. Hey no kiddin' about Flores. That's a heck of a way to open high A. Pick up a win over a WS MVP.

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    3. Urias was hitting 97 btw. That kid is legit, and a big time prospect unlike the other guys the Dodgers are hyping right now.

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  4. Did you guys watch Tananka pitch I was curious about him after hearing about him all summer long

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    1. Left some pitches up early (gave up a leadoff HR to Melky), but really settled in nicely in the later innings. Gave up 3 runs, but struck out 8 over 7 IP. Had a string of something like 10 consecutive batters sat down. I came away very impressed.

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  5. One turn through the rotation and it looks like Bumgarner and Hudson are there and the rest are still finding themselves.

    Hope for a good game from Madison tomorrow.

    Wonder why Escobar did not pitch the opener, though Kickham was not too bad. Backup #5 starters need to be ready when called upon.

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  6. Whoever keeps buying Vogelsong's lame excuses has to be delusional. DrB hit the nail, he runs out of gas after 3-4 IP. They just don't start getting to him, they hit him with authority, could have been 3 hrs in a row (Uribe crushed that one to center).

    The rest aren't finding themselves, they are what they are (Lincecum and Vogelsong are washed up). Only hope is for Cain.

    Saw Tanaka all I can say is that he aint no Matsuzaka. Looks a bit like a mixture of Darvish/Kuroda, has much better control than Darvish keeps the ball low ala Hudson only difference that generates swing and miss.

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  7. First, TAKE THAT YOU BUMS!!!

    Second, Ryu went from 0.00 runs to 8 runs, Torched. Roasted. BBQ'ed.

    Third, Hicks. Can't sit him down now, Bochy. Right?

    Voggie, I am giving him a pass for two months. But, if 3-4 innings is all he's got, then might as well bring up Escobar and let him learn how to get thru a MLB lineup three times. Might as well invest in the future. I hate typing this, because I am a big Voggie fan.

    MadBum lay the hammer down on the Bums tomorrow. Go Giants!

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  8. Doc, it sure looks like you were right about the Dbacks. Heading towards the cellar. Are they really this bad or just running into tough competition while depleted by injuries?

    Taking the wait see approach on Vogey. Hey, if Aaron Harang can have a strong outing like he did yesterday, why can't Vogey throw out a few quality starts. He makes 5 mil. Harang 1. Both about the same age.

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    1. Just look at the D'Backs lineup. You've got 1 really good hitter, that's it. Trumbo is a great 6'th hitter in a good lineup. Not so much if the 4-5 hitters are Martin Prado and Miguel Montero. So, you basically have 1 real good hitter and 1 all or nothing HR guy surrounded by a bunch of banjo hitters. There is absolutely no reason to throw a pitch over the plate to Goldschmidt, ever! Then there is the pitching which, with Corbin going down for the count, is Wade Miley and a bunch of #5 starters. Archie Bradley may help out later in the season, but he looked like he needed some seasoning in spring training. I think the D'Backs ineptitude is for real. Not saying they won't win some games, but they are not contenders, IMO.

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    2. Well we got the Snakes for 7 games to start off, let's keep stepping on them while they are down.

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    3. Yup. Giants have a chance to do serious damage to the Dodgers over the next two games then put the boot down on the Snakes. Get it done, Giants!!

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  9. ok, now im concerned about vogey

    cant have a number 5 who can only go 2 times through a lineup

    i hope its just mechanics....but if things keep going the way they seem to be...he is gonna end up in the pen

    he is still a great giant and can hold his head high

    best thing about today's game.....all the excuses coming from the bums camp

    its the aussie trip....its puig....its having 4 opening days....its the comcast contract

    worst thing about the game.....being forced to listen to the dodger feed, as i was out in the field all day and dont have the mlb radio app on my phone

    steiner and monday may be the most clueless duo in all the majors....steiner was good when he was national and in nyc....but monday must be part vampire and sucked all the intelligence out of steiner

    they are totally unaware that every team now has a coach who job it is to monitor instant replay....im serious

    scully is still a master and i hope that he is allowed to do his final game.....alone

    so far this season, bochy has made all the right calls.....very impressive

    bacci

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    1. Those are great takes, Bacci. I agree with 'em all!

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    2. Well, except for Vin Scully. I just don't see it, or maybe hear it, myself.

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    3. on Scully, I agree with DrB: I've never understood why profuse anecdotage entuned through the nose has impressed so many for so long. But who cares when one's team, the deadly rivals of Scully's, are currently on pace to win 129 games, give or take a few?

      on Braun, he himself pointed out that he had his suspension time plus the offseason to rest his thumb, without the neuropathy's having gone away. If neither corticosteroids, which must have been tried, nor surgery, which Braun says does not look promising as a cure, has solved a problem that seems pretty severe, one begins to wonder how long he can keep playing--his right hand is his throwing hand. (Move him to first base?) Do you have any medical insight into this situation, DrB?

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    4. I like Scully. Every. Time. Javy Lopez. Pitches. You get to hear about how his wife is a psychologist and he went to UVA. It was the same with "Little Ray Durham". You get long term Giants with long term stories. Scully is a gentleman, I enjoy listening to him despite the same stories. (And from yesterday's game - I was driving around too - did you know that Nicole Vogelsong commissioned a painting of Vogey doffing his cap to Giants fans? It hands in their kitchen apparently...)

      Bring back Steve Lyons!

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    5. Campanari re. Braun,

      No, I agree. It sounds like a potentially career ending situation to me.

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  10. Thanks for posting! Wasn't able to catch the KNBR cast up here in Mariners Land (speaking of youngsters paying well, eh?). IIRC, Hank Schulman noted that the Good Guys put up 6 runs in the first frame, the most at Chavez Ravine since 1962. If true, I call that a nice birthday present!!!

    I can't say that I have any fondness for the Doyers broadcast team (still bit bitter at NBC havig Scully call the '88 Fall Classic), but I will always cut Rick Munday slack for stopping the flag - burning back in '74. That being said, no one tops Jon Miller, Kruk, Kuip & Fleming...except for perhaps some vintage Hank Greenwald ( " well folks, Brenley's hot...but not as hot as La Victoria! ).

    Go Giants! Duck the Fodgers!!!

    NWGiantsFan
    DtF!!!

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    1. Oh man, you hit on memory lane with Greenwald. Thanks!

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