Spring Training 2015

[Mays-Fan]

Whether he likes it or not, that seems to be where he is heading.

Fortunately we have good alternatives.

 

[MarcoPolo]

Went with my son to see Dogs at A's. Just couldn't pull the trigger of $45 seats on the grass for tonight's Giants-Reds game at Scottsdale,

That's why I haven't been to spring training in the last 15 years or so. F*ck the greedy basturds. All of them. I went way back when, but now all the teams, hotels, car rentals, and even the city pile on to take your money. There's a "spring training tax" for shits sake! We should organize a boycott to teach those jerks a lesson.

 

[calsnowskier]

Strikland needs to trust his fastball more. He was too fancy out there trying too many off speed pitches. I realize it's part of his learning new pitches but he needs to trust his bread and butter pitch especially when he gets ahead in the count. He seemed to be trying to fool hitters tonight instead of just blowing them away especially with a 3 run lead.

He needs to concentrate on locating his fastball and sending hitters back to the dugout with K's around their necks.

I could not disagree more.

He "trusted" his "bread and butter" last year in the playoffs, and it almost cost us the season. This is Spring Training, and he is working on his secondary stuff. Who cares if he gets hit while he is working on stuff. That is what ST is for.

If the report was that he was getting hit while throwing his cheese, THAT would worry me. Hearing he got hit while throwing his junk, that is encouraging.

 

[Mays-Fan]

I could not disagree more.

He "trusted" his "bread and butter" last year in the playoffs, and it almost cost us the season. This is Spring Training, and he is working on his secondary stuff. Who cares if he gets hit while he is working on stuff. That is what ST is for.

If the report was that he was getting hit while throwing his cheese, THAT would worry me. Hearing he got hit while throwing his junk, that is encouraging.

Or at least work on his grip to get some movement on his fastball.

Another aspect of his delivery that bothers me is the way he takes the ball out of his glove as he winds up. I wonder if the hitters can see the grip and he telegraphs his pitches that way.

 

[Band of Brothers]

Or at least work on his grip to get some movement on his fastball.

Another aspect of his delivery that bothers me is the way he takes the ball out of his glove as he winds up. I wonder if the hitters can see the grip and he telegraphs his pitches that way.

If he learns to spot the fastball he will be dominant .

The catcher was setting up last night and he could not hit the spots. He got burned.He was all over the place and could not finish off hitters.

 

[Band of Brothers]

I could not disagree more.

He "trusted" his "bread and butter" last year in the playoffs, and it almost cost us the season. This is Spring Training, and he is working on his secondary stuff. Who cares if he gets hit while he is working on stuff. That is what ST is for.

If the report was that he was getting hit while throwing his cheese, THAT would worry me. Hearing he got hit while throwing his junk, that is encouraging.

He also got out of some key jams in that Washington series with his fastball. He got the save in that 18 inning game 2 which was a key game. It was also his first taste at the dance .

He will be a good one. He needs lots of work and it might be good for him to close in Sac for a while.

 

[calsnowskier]

If he learns to spot the fastball he will be dominant .

The catcher was setting up last night and he could not hit the spots. He got burned.He was all over the place and could not finish off hitters.

It is spring training, and he is working on pitches he has not mastered. Of course he is going to have trouble hitting spots. That's kinda the point.

If you have a kid in school learning their multiplication tables and learning to divide, and little Johny knows his multipliers perfectly, but struggles with division, would you tell him to continue studying the multipliers the night before the test? No. You would tell him to work on division, even if he makes mistakes while studying.

Strickland is studying his junk right now. It is OK if he makes mistakes at this point of the year.

 

[Mays-Fan]

Strickland is studying his junk right now. It is OK if he makes mistakes at this point of the year.

Hmmm - maybe we found his problem...

 

[Band of Brothers]

It is spring training, and he is working on pitches he has not mastered. Of course he is going to have trouble hitting spots. That's kinda the point.

If you have a kid in school learning their multiplication tables and learning to divide, and little Johny knows his multipliers perfectly, but struggles with division, would you tell him to continue studying the multipliers the night before the test? No. You would tell him to work on division, even if he makes mistakes while studying.

Strickland is studying his junk right now. It is OK if he makes mistakes at this point of the year.

I understand what you are saying Cal. I just feel very strongly that if he can master hitting spots with that fantastic fastball he will be tough to beat.

 

[Band of Brothers]

Krukow said that Pence is healing good and might not miss as much time in April as people think. Get well soon Hunter.

 

[Band of Brothers]

Jon Miller just said on the radio that Pagan responded well to the shot in his back and was back a day early today working out and hitting off a tee.

Good news. Man, if he can just stay healthy it would be such a shot in the arm for the team. The Giants seem to go good with Angel's energy in the line up. Got to get the bats going soon. Pagan could be back in the line up Monday.

Go Giants !!

 

[Band of Brothers]

Lincecum 4 strong innings today 2 H and 1 ER. Great outing.

 

[tzill]

Alas, this is becoming the norm here. Unless you get tickets the day they go on sale in January, all we are left with is Stubhub, etc.

There are tons of people at every game, which is great for the teams, but it can be tough on the fans. It took us 45 minutes to get into parking for Hohokam today, and over an hour for Maryvale yesterday. Those are "neighborhood" ballparks, though. Surprise, Goodyear, Peoria, Camelback, Mesa are all either in industrial areas, or away from developments with lots of parking.

I really like coming down here and seeing the games, but it is getting much more expensive and much more difficult to navigate the crowds.

We arrived late to Maryvale on Thursday and had to park a couple of blocks away. Then again, getting out was pretty easy. On Fri, we went to Salt River Field to see the A'ss B squad vs. the Rox. Easy to get in and out, and that is my favorite stadium so far in Cactus League. Yesterday, it was Sloan Field for Cubs Mariners...kind of an imitation of Salt River, and nice, but not quite as nice. Today it's Scottsdale Stadium for G's split squad vs. Angels.

It is getting really expensive now; fortunately I go with guys who snap up the tickets early. I paid $120 for all four tickets.

Saw Hunter Pence at breakfast in Old Town yesterday, and Aaron Rowand at the hotel this morning. Oh, and Joe Maddon at dinner last night. I thought Tron threw very well on Thursday, but was unimpressed with Maxwell's plate approach -- looks like he's got a big hole in his swing. I'll see more today and report back when I get home tonight.

 

[1phlapdown]

Good game in Maryvale today. Timely hitting, solid D, and Vogey pitched shutout ball for 4.2 innings. Panik and Belt homered. Maxwell made a terrific diving catch in right. Crawford had a brilliant play in the 8th. Romo got the save. This was Giants baseball we've come to expect and love. Vogey got a nice ovation when he left. Crowd was probably 60-40 Giants fans in Milwaukee's park.

I will add that Kelly is in for a long season at 3rd. He had runners at 1st and 2nd with two ours and a 3-1 lead, when a single was blooped to right center. Runner would have easily scored, but Kelly held him about 30 feet down the line. I think he'll be fine, but we are going to miss Flannery.

Couldn't get tix to tomorrow night's game vs. Reds. Will see A's and Dogs @ Hohokam.

Haha, you forgot to mention Hector sitting doubled over on the ground for 5 min. Poor guy.

 

[Band of Brothers]

Just a few reminders that Spring records don't mean shit.Giants have had a poor spring record wise at 5-14 but other teams are not doing too well that are considered real contenders this year.

Atlanta 7-12

Detroit 7-13

Cleveland 7-12

Baltimore 8-12

Washington 8-9 Favorites in the NL


The cream rises to the top when the bell rings and the gate opens Opening Day.

 

[1phlapdown]

We arrived late to Maryvale on Thursday and had to park a couple of blocks away. Then again, getting out was pretty easy. On Fri, we went to Salt River Field to see the A'ss B squad vs. the Rox. Easy to get in and out, and that is my favorite stadium so far in Cactus League. Yesterday, it was Sloan Field for Cubs Mariners...kind of an imitation of Salt River, and nice, but not quite as nice. Today it's Scottsdale Stadium for G's split squad vs. Angels.

It is getting really expensive now; fortunately I go with guys who snap up the tickets early. I paid $120 for all four tickets.

It's expensive and the crowds are big. I last went in '09, and some of the venues were practically empty. Not anymore.

Goodyear was a bitch getting into. They really didn't know wtf they were doing. On the other hand Tempe really had their shit together.

Petit looked really good in one outing, and so-so in another. JP had a few xb hits this week, and Tim was looking good vs. the Angels.

 

[MarcoPolo]

It is getting really expensive now; fortunately I go with guys who snap up the tickets early. I paid $120 for all four tickets.

$30/seat for Spring Training seats? Prices have gotten out of hand. I went and looked at some old tickets and "Lower Box MVP" seats at the 'stick (LB MVP were the seats where you could order food and beer and have it delivered) behind home plate were $19.50 in 1995. I even have a few tix with the "stadium club admission" tear-off still attached. (Stadium Club was basically a "AAA club-like" food and bar specialty section reserved for MVP and luxury seat tickets.) MVP were the most expensive non-luxury suite seats at the stick.

Field Club seats are well over $100 at AT&T, about 20 years later.

Going thru the envelopes was a real walk thru memory lane. I even found a few "family pavilion" tickets : $5 for adults, $2.50 for kids.

 

[GiantsPackersChamps2011]

Personally, I dont think anyone is panicking from this spring training (well, almost nobody). It looks bad, but it is spring training. Lets see how the first 2 weeks of the season go, THEN we can start to panic

I think the bickering is because there really isn't anything to talk about...

I'm still in the 75-80 win camp, but it's unrelated to ST (besides Pence injury).

ST overreactions are fun though

 

[Band of Brothers]

Giants lose 3-2 today vs. Angels but Bum pitched 6 strong innings 1 H 1 ER 5 SO 0 BB.

Affeldt gave up 2 runs in the 8th for the loss.

Duffy 1-3 HR

Maxwell 2-4 HR, 2B

Blanco 2-3 2B


Good news for Pagan is that he continued workouts today and is expected to start maybe Tuesday.

 

[Band of Brothers]

That new Giants commercial in black and white where it shows Oct. 29,2014 at 8:21 PM . Empty streetcars, a couple sitting alone in a restaurant , a empty AT&T Park on a helicopter ride over the yard. Then it shows Bum emerge from the dugout for the 9th inning in the WS. A pop up to Sandoval at third and as he catches the final out in foul territory the screen turns color and the crowd at City Hall goes nutz. A brilliant piece of art. It gives me chills.