5/15 GDT Marfish @ Horse

[1phlapdown]

There you go again,….

Plus, it's looking contagious. Beast is Beasting, Herk is working, Posey's posing, and even Panda is making it pandemic.

Me thinks you're a RR fan too.

Anyway, the top of the order has been banging on all cylinders recently, and with the occasional pop from the likes of Craw and Hicks, it has been enough to make up for the non QS's when we get them.

 

[calsnowskier]

This team feels like a playoff team for sure, but without our usual stellar starting pitching, which does not bode well for how we do in the playoffs...

Plenty of time for things to get right of course, and heck just by avoiding TJ surgeries we might end up with better pitching than other teams. But you need 3 great to good starters to win it all, and they don't really have that as of right now. Lots of season yet to come, Cain and Bum can round into form. Or maybe Vogey or Timmy, all 5 CAN be good enough. We will see if they WILL be.

I agree the 2010 archetype is a better strategy than the 2002 archetype. ++++Pitching >>>> ++++Hitting. However, +++Pitching with ++Hitting might just be better than ++++Pitching alone.

Also, If we can rely on Huddy, Bum and Cain, then go with the hot hand / BP games involving Vogey and Timmeh, we may be OK. I am calling 3+ IP from both Timmeh and Vogey as a BP game.

I am excited about this team. The SP is solid (if not elite) and the offense appears to be closer to elite than any of us expected. Add an elite bully and very good D, and there is little to worry abut with this team.

The bench is the only true worrisome part, but I have faith that if the guys we have now do not turn it up, Sabey Sabes will add a couple minor pieces that will fill the bill.

 

[msgkings322]

Sure, stellar pitching is nice, but I think if we can get good SP (which we have) in the playoffs, we can beat anyone in the NL. We've seen them, and they've seen us. Having a no-holes lineup of position players is a luxury which we've never really had before.

And we can move Timmy to the 'pen for the playoffs - been there, done that, won the trophy. No team scares me anymore.

But we're still 4 1/2 months away.

That's the rub though, in the playoffs your no-holes lineup is now facing the best pitchers on the best teams every day, so they won't look as good. You need the pitching then.

 

[msgkings322]

I agree the 2010 archetype is a better strategy than the 2002 archetype. ++++Pitching >>>> ++++Hitting. However, +++Pitching with ++Hitting might just be better than ++++Pitching alone.

Also, If we can rely on Huddy, Bum and Cain, then go with the hot hand / BP games involving Vogey and Timmeh, we may be OK. I am calling 3+ IP from both Timmeh and Vogey as a BP game.

I am excited about this team. The SP is solid (if not elite) and the offense appears to be closer to elite than any of us expected. Add an elite bully and very good D, and there is little to worry abut with this team.

The bench is the only true worrisome part, but I have faith that if the guys we have now do not turn it up, Sabey Sabes will add a couple minor pieces that will fill the bill.

I doubt they'd carry both Timmy and Vogelsong as bullpen arms. I guess maybe so but that would upset the excellently calibrated roles of our elite pen. Then again if we get to the 7 game playoff series you do need a 4th starter.

 

[tzill]

I agree the 2010 archetype is a better strategy than the 2002 archetype. ++++Pitching >>>> ++++Hitting. However, +++Pitching with ++Hitting might just be better than ++++Pitching alone.

Also, If we can rely on Huddy, Bum and Cain, then go with the hot hand / BP games involving Vogey and Timmeh, we may be OK. I am calling 3+ IP from both Timmeh and Vogey as a BP game.

I am excited about this team. The SP is solid (if not elite) and the offense appears to be closer to elite than any of us expected. Add an elite bully and very good D, and there is little to worry abut with this team.

The bench is the only true worrisome part, but I have faith that if the guys we have now do not turn it up, Sabey Sabes will add a couple minor pieces that will fill the bill.

I've been thinking a lot about the bench:

Hacktor -- a switch hitting reserve catcher. His receiving has gotten better and I'm hard pressed to think of a better reserve not currently in AAA Should give us 0.6 WAR or so.
Kobe -- worth about 0.6-0.8 WAR the last two years, should hit .270 and play passable defense. Can play any of the four infield positions.
HRicks -- Pressed into starting, but is really a bench player. Projects out to 1.5 WAR or so. He's already at 1.0 WAR now.
Shark -- 2.2 and 2.8 WAR the last two years, and is a perfect 4th OF. Should give us 0.5-1.0 WAR as a reserve. Solid player.
Colvin -- wild card, but should give us 0.5 - 1.0 WAR as a reserve. Already at 0.4 in five games.

All in all, I think you're looking at five guys who would give you 0.6, 0.6, 1.5, 0.7, and 0.7 WAR for a total of 4.1 WAR for the bench. I don't think you'll find a better bench in the majors. Of course, HRicks is starting now, so that has the domino effect of EA on the bench which hurts us.

Anyone hear anything about Scoots? Is he done?

 

[calsnowskier]

I've been thinking a lot about the bench:

Hacktor -- a switch hitting reserve catcher. His receiving has gotten better and I'm hard pressed to think of a better reserve not currently in AAA Should give us 0.6 WAR or so.
Kobe -- worth about 0.6-0.8 WAR the last two years, should hit .270 and play passable defense. Can play any of the four infield positions.
HRicks -- Pressed into starting, but is really a bench player. Projects out to 1.5 WAR or so. He's already at 1.0 WAR now.
Shark -- 2.2 and 2.8 WAR the last two years, and is a perfect 4th OF. Should give us 0.5-1.0 WAR as a reserve. Solid player.
Colvin -- wild card, but should give us 0.5 - 1.0 WAR as a reserve. Already at 0.4 in five games.

All in all, I think you're looking at five guys who would give you 0.6, 0.6, 1.5, 0.7, and 0.7 WAR for a total of 4.1 WAR for the bench. I don't think you'll find a better bench in the majors. Of course, HRicks is starting now, so that has the domino effect of EA on the bench which hurts us.

Anyone hear anything about Scoots? Is he done?

They mentioned a few days ago on KNBR that he wants to get going, but his back just doesn't allow it.

I am not sure I am ready to say his career is over, but if someone else were to say it, I certainly would not offer up an argument.

 

[Stokes1931]

They mentioned a few days ago on KNBR that he wants to get going, but his back just doesn't allow it.

I am not sure I am ready to say his career is over, but if someone else were to say it, I certainly would not offer up an argument.

Scoots' career as a player is over. He'd make a great coach, methinks.

 

[Mays-Fan]

Scoots' career as a player is over. He'd make a great coach, methinks.

Is that like Vogey being unanimously done?

I've been thinking a lot about the bench:

Hacktor -- a switch hitting reserve catcher. His receiving has gotten better and I'm hard pressed to think of a better reserve not currently in AAA Should give us 0.6 WAR or so.
Kobe -- worth about 0.6-0.8 WAR the last two years, should hit .270 and play passable defense. Can play any of the four infield positions.
HRicks -- Pressed into starting, but is really a bench player. Projects out to 1.5 WAR or so. He's already at 1.0 WAR now.
Shark -- 2.2 and 2.8 WAR the last two years, and is a perfect 4th OF. Should give us 0.5-1.0 WAR as a reserve. Solid player.
Colvin -- wild card, but should give us 0.5 - 1.0 WAR as a reserve. Already at 0.4 in five games.

All in all, I think you're looking at five guys who would give you 0.6, 0.6, 1.5, 0.7, and 0.7 WAR for a total of 4.1 WAR for the bench. I don't think you'll find a better bench in the majors. Of course, HRicks is starting now, so that has the domino effect of EA on the bench which hurts us.

Anyone hear anything about Scoots? Is he done?

Sanchez - agreed.

Arias - will be a long time before he hits .270 again.

Hicks - not sure where his power came from all of a sudden (ahem) but this year looks like more than just a statistical quirk. He's even doing it with the glove (leads us in dWAR). Some guys just need a chance to play regularly. If Scutaro doesn't make it back, I'm very happy with him starting.

Blanco - looks like he's losing his #4 status to...

...Colvin - since he's proven before that he can hit, he will be the #4 outfielder, #1 PH, and #1 DH when needed.

IMHO.

 

[SFGRTB]

For how much Boch loves to utilize his bench, it could stand for some improvement. All the guys are very solid, yes, but no one really comes in and strikes fear into the opposing pitcher. Hector is the closest thing to that, but he's the primary backup catcher. Not saying that makes him any worse of a hitter, it's just not ideal to have your best bench bat be your catcher.

I think EA is on his way out, via trade. For more of a threat on the bench.

Also, why are we still considering Hicks a bench player? He is the starter at 2B, and he's got the manager's approval.