Game Thread: 5/7 Pitifuls @ Reds

[LHG]

Pretty sad that Cueto's game today is the gem of the pitching staff so far this road trip.

 

[calsnowskier]

At least they are consistent.

 

[calsnowskier]

0-5

 

[SF11704]

Haven't posted in ... just about forever! Been on the board ... but just reading ... have to agree with Cal on his view. Something is broke. This isn't a typical slump. It's now moving into a 100 game stretch. (post 2016 ASG till now). I did some searching to see if I could see anything that was specific to that time frame. Found one interesting item. A lot of this seemed to develop around the time we traded Duffy. Can't say it did anything to the 'team' but who knows. I think the trade for Moore was fair but I'm not so sure what the players felt at the time. I actually thought Duffy was our future 3Bman
I also found a stat that said 58 of our first 90 games in 2016 were against 2nd tier teams and we tended to beat up on them regularly. Not so much with 1st tier teams. I also think I read that during the later part of the season we had gone through 56 straight games where we were not able overcome a 9th inning deficit. not even sure we were able to 'tie' any of them either. So far 2017 ... just seems like a continuation of the last half of 2016. From a team with as much talent as we have ... it just doesn't make any sense ...

 

[LHG]

What is really sad is that the farm system does not give room for hope. So unless the front office makes in an effort to re-stock the farm through trades and strong drafts, we can expect them to string along mediocre free agent signings to piece together teams for quite some time.

 

[calsnowskier]

I have a hard time believing major league players would crack when a kid gets traded. But this is a team that is primarily made up of home-grown talent, so maybe they have not been hardened by the realities of the business before that trade.

 

[LHG]

Haven't posted in ... just about forever! Been on the board ... but just reading ... have to agree with Cal on his view. Something is broke. This isn't a typical slump. It's now moving into a 100 game stretch. (post 2016 ASG till now). I did some searching to see if I could see anything that was specific to that time frame. Found one interesting item. A lot of this seemed to develop around the time we traded Duffy. Can't say it did anything to the 'team' but who knows. I think the trade for Moore was fair but I'm not so sure what the players felt at the time. I actually thought Duffy was our future 3Bman
I also found a stat that said 58 of our first 90 games in 2016 were against 2nd tier teams and we tended to beat up on them regularly. Not so much with 1st tier teams. I also think I read that during the later part of the season we had gone through 56 straight games where we were not able overcome a 9th inning deficit. not even sure we were able to 'tie' any of them either. So far 2017 ... just seems like a continuation of the last half of 2016. From a team with as much talent as we have ... it just doesn't make any sense ...

Good to see you post SF11704.

Do you think that Duffy was the emotional glue that held the team together? Did it matter if he was healthy or injured? The guy has only played in 21 games since being traded, so he hasn't been able to do much on the field. Good teams are expected to beat 2nd tier teams but this squad cannot even do that. How were they able to pull that off in the 1st half of the last season? Duffy seems like a stretch to explain the difficulties, but I guess when there are no other easily identifiable reasons, maybe those stretches are the keys.

 

[msgkings322]

There's not always a reason, as much as we'd like there to be one. Lots of luck involved, as well as random chance which is maybe the same thing.

Remember absent some weird things happening we don't win any titles. We got a ton of luck and now it's payback time I guess

 

[calsnowskier]

What is really sad is that the farm system does not give room for hope. So unless the front office makes in an effort to re-stock the farm through trades and strong drafts, we can expect them to string along mediocre free agent signings to piece together teams for quite some time.

My gut agrees with this, but I am not sure how accurate it is. Again, since 2007 (arbitrary 10-year window), the Giants have graduated...

Lincecum
Bumgarner
Romo
Belt
Panik
Crawford
Duffy
Sandoval
Posey
Gillaspie

And drafted and at least partially developed...

Wheeler
Duvall
Hembree
Otero

And developed other teams cast offs

Blanco
Torres
Strickland

Right now, I think there is legit reason to be "excited" for...

Beede
Arroyo (already up)
Shaw
Reynolds
Howard
Slater
Moronta
Garcia
Hwang (kinda)
Gomez
Williamson
Jones

That list includes 2 MLB-ready, near-cant-miss kids. Is that really a bare cupboard?

 

[SF11704]

Good to see you post SF11704.

Do you think that Duffy was the emotional glue that held the team together? Did it matter if he was healthy or injured? The guy has only played in 21 games since being traded, so he hasn't been able to do much on the field. Good teams are expected to beat 2nd tier teams but this squad cannot even do that. How were they able to pull that off in the 1st half of the last season? Duffy seems like a stretch to explain the difficulties, but I guess when there are no other easily identifiable reasons, maybe those stretches are the keys.

I honestly don't believe that trading Duffy was a major contributor to this 'level of play' ... but it was the only thing I could find that fit the time line. Prior to the ASG we were 41-17 (or close to that) ... and then everything just went south. I always remember people saying that some teams were 'just going through the motions'. So far 2017 feels this way. Since I don't see them play everyday (live in NY) ... all I see are rather pathetic box scores. Just get the impression there is no heart in their game at this time. As some people here have stated ... I can give them a break for their WS runs ...but ... as a fan .... I still expect them to be competitive. I just don't see that ... yet ...

 

[LHG]

My gut agrees with this, but I am not sure how accurate it is. Again, since 2007 (arbitrary 10-year window), the Giants have graduated...

Lincecum
Bumgarner
Romo
Belt
Panik
Crawford
Duffy
Sandoval
Posey
Gillaspie

And drafted and at least partially developed...

Wheeler
Duvall
Hembree
Otero

And developed other teams cast offs

Blanco
Torres
Strickland

Right now, I think there is legit reason to be "excited" for...

Beede
Arroyo (already up)
Shaw
Reynolds
Howard
Slater
Moronta
Garcia
Hwang (kinda)
Gomez
Williamson
Jones

That list includes 2 MLB-ready, near-cant-miss kids. Is that really a bare cupboard?

That list of 12 does give some hope, but think about how many guys would have been on that list a year or two years ago who have floundered in the upper minors. Will the FO hold on to these guys or see them as trade chips to "re-build" the team? The farm may not be as barren as I think, but, looking at numbers at least, the amount of players excelling seem fewer than in years past.

 

[calsnowskier]

Are they really about to walk Hamilton AGAIN...

 

[LHG]

Are they really about to walk Hamilton AGAIN...

Hamilton must love playing the Giants. He looks like a major league hitter against them!

 

[LHG]

@Stokes1931 , what will the record be, when the Giants walk 1 time or less, after this game?

 

[Stokes1931]

Team BA down to .231, and the SLG is down to .340

These guys couldn't win in the Sally League right now.

 

[LHG]

Nice to see Cueto gut out this start. It is quality, with some bumps. The bullpen needed that from him.

 

[Stokes1931]

@Stokes1931 , what will the record be, when the Giants walk 1 time or less, after this game?

2-9 with one walk or less

3-12 with two walks or less

Which is why Bam Bam is teaching them not to be patient at the plate, and just see the ball and hit the ball. Yeah, that works really well. Because, you know, when you are not hitting, you can't really do anything but keep doing the same old things.

 

[Stokes1931]

Nice to see Cueto gut out this start. It is quality, with some bumps. The bullpen needed that from him.

I think we really miss, among other things, a true long reliever. Once Bum went down and Blach slotted into his spot, and Stratton was sent down (for what?!?), these blow out games really chew on the bullpen. These guys are geared for one inning, and they are being called into the game in the 3rd inning.

 

[calsnowskier]

That list of 12 does give some hope, but think about how many guys would have been on that list a year or two years ago who have floundered in the upper minors. Will the FO hold on to these guys or see them as trade chips to "re-build" the team? The farm may not be as barren as I think, but, looking at numbers at least, the amount of players excelling seem fewer than in years past.

Sure. But we (read "I") were really surprised by Panik. While he was always on my radar, outside of his "getting his feet wet" first year, he never really screamed "I am a stud!" while in the system. To a certain extent, same with Duffy. While he put up good numbers, I just always expected his floor to drop (it kinda did, but only due to a freak injury). Same with Craw. He was known for his glove in the minors, but at no point was he a can't-miss kid.

Who will we be surprised by out of this crop? Of the 12 I mentioned, you have to expect AT LEAST 6 will fail to even get their cuppo, but such is the life cycle of a prospect.

 

[Stokes1931]

Morse has been next to worthless, except for that one homer he hit. He's 3-18 with 9 K's.