Game Thread: 8/17 Bucs @ Horse

[Stokes1931]

OK, I'll stop now.

 

[msgkings322]

I am waiting for someone to smash a water cooler or throw some bats. I know it won't help. But I hate seeing no emotional reaction to this terrible streak. I know these guys are pros, and they have to keep that, Ah shucks, we'll get 'em tomorrow" attitude. But I wanna see some team meetings, some sort of fire in the belly. Pence needs to preach (and hit!). Call Mark Grace and ask about the slump-buster. Anything.

Other than Pence like you mention, this team has never been that kind of team. All business.

 

[1phlapdown]

Just reviewed the game. Bases loaded in the 9th with no outs, and we score one run? Sigh. More of the same.

Ow. Thanks for posting that. Not quite as bad SC's meltdown but painful nonetheless.

 

[LHG]

Don't do it. Don't give in to the dark side. Not yet. It's a horrible slump but this team has the talent to win the division. Then like always they will be underdogs in the playoffs, and will need some even year luck to get past the Cubs. May happen, may not, but it's not like this team sucks. They just suck right now.

I won't do that unless they are close to being mathematically eliminated. However, that won't prevent me from wanting to throw my computer across the room when they play like crap (good thing I've got some self control).

 

[shrksfn9192]

I am waiting for someone to smash a water cooler or throw some bats. I know it won't help. But I hate seeing no emotional reaction to this terrible streak. I know these guys are pros, and they have to keep that, Ah shucks, we'll get 'em tomorrow" attitude. But I wanna see some team meetings, some sort of fire in the belly. Pence needs to preach (and hit!). Call Mark Grace and ask about the slump-buster. Anything.

The temptation would be to do that, for sure, but that would provide satisfaction to the opponent by showing that they have lost their composure.

Dealing with the adversity of a long slump with ugly losses in a tense pennant race will make them stronger than a team that has cruised through the regular season at 20-30 games over .500.

 

[calsnowskier]

But how many times gas Boch been run in this streak? I seem to remember that Boch getting tossed from a game in '14 helped the team get started. I don't think he has been run yet.

 

[shrksfn9192]

But how many times gas Boch been run in this streak? I seem to remember that Boch getting tossed from a game in '14 helped the team get started. I don't think he has been run yet.

He was ejected on 7/15 at SD in the first game of this streak.

 

[msgkings322]

I won't do that unless they are close to being mathematically eliminated. However, that won't prevent me from wanting to throw my computer across the room when they play like crap (good thing I've got some self control).

Makes sense.

 

[filosofy29]

I'm not usually one to rag on Giants' management (god knows most of the other sports teams I root for take care of that more than enough), but idk this year there have definitely been some questionable moves. I'm not calling for the firing of Boch and Bobby or anything (in fact I still think they're the second best duo in baseball, behind Maddon/Epstien), but the record for both of these guys this season isn't great.

Start with this game. Cain completely melted down, probably should have been taken out after he walked the (backup) catcher with the bases-loaded. Boch was stubborn, probably wanted to give Cain a chance for a win . The other problem is, he had Peavy and Lopez warming up in the Pen. Bases-loaded, nobody out and you want to give the ball to our 2 worst pitchers in the Pen? We need a high-leverage guy in there. It thankfully worked, Lopez got out of the inning, but after Cain did all the damage himself. But this has been a common occurrence the last couple of seasons for Bochy, leaving starters in too long and honestly not all that great bullpen management. The one batter per pitcher "Bochy special" shortens the Pen and is almost a complete waste, though he's been better with that since June. Also, since acquiring Will Smith, Boch seems extremely adverse to using him (3.2 innings so far). I can't figure out why, but if Boch just doesn't think he's that good, then why did Bobby trade for him in the first place?

This leads to Bobby. It's still not a huge sample size, but it so far seems like him, and his scouts, were wrong on Shark in thinking they could figure him out. He's still reasonably priced and throws innings, so it's not a crippling move. Extremely small sample size with Moore, but I still think that move should be good just because of how cheap he is. Granted, losing Duffy may prove to be very bad. Smith? WTH? Who knows at this point. I'm honestly mostly fine with what Bobby has done because it's still a work in progress, but it's Bochy who I think is having a really bad year. He's still old-school to a fault a lot of times.

And it's still mostly the players fault right now anyway.

Rant over.

You've been an awesome poster here for a long time SFGRTB. Great post.

BUT, don't worry, we got this brotha. The Doggies pen will wear down, Bochy won't panic while we are freaking out, and one of Posey or Pence will get hot and carry the bats.....the pitchers can't and wont stay this bad.