Category: San Francisco Giants

Is This The Road Trip That Propels The Giants?: The Reds, Marlins and Phillies may not be so accommodating

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By Morris Phillips

With the home fans fed up with a leaky bullpen, and voicing that displeasure, the Giants are hitting the road. This could be good: none of the three teams–Reds, Phillies and Marlins–that the Giants are visiting have winning records at home.

Just what the Giants need to break out, and regain their 2021 form? Well, not so fast. Their opponents are all playing better baseball, and the Giants need to lift their game too. They’ve dropped 14 of their last 25 ballgames bringing into question whether they’re positioned to take advantage of a break in their schedule.

The rollercoaster Reds are the best example: after a horrendous 3-22 start to the season, they’ve been pretty good. On Thursday, the Reds wiped out the Cubs 20-5, their 11th win in their last 19 games.

“Splitting the series, especially against the Cubs in your division, gives the guys in the clubhouse some confidence,” said Cincinnati’s Kyle Farmer, who hit two home runs in the blowout. “Our lineup, we hit the ball really well today. We’ve got to keep carrying it on.”

“We haven’t had too many of those, and they don’t come around too often,” Reds manager David Bell said. “For us, those games can carry over.”

Entering Great American Ballpark less than 24 hours after the Reds drop a 20-spot can be intimidating. But thankfully, the Reds are a rebuilding club that scoring fewer than four runs per game on average and have hit just 37 home runs which ranks them in baseball’s bottom third. And no one’s seen this: the last time the Reds scored 20 runs was September 1999 when they were still in old Riverfront Stadium (Cinergy Field).

These Reds have a not-so-youthful core trying to establish themselves, along with veterans Joey Votto (.156 batting average) and Tommy Pham (.233) trying to regain their strokes. Infielder Jonathan India may be their most promising position player, but he’s appeared in only 11 games due to injury.

What the Giants are sure to notice is the Reds’ porous pitching staff which is allowing 5.71 runs per game and has already gifted their opposition with 56 home runs. Given that, the Giants should be well positioned, but there is the issue of the Reds playing better baseball of late.

The Phillies loosely constructed collection of veteran sluggers has held up defensively, but that hasn’t boosted their pitching staff, which is allowing more than four runs a game. Bryce Harper is injured and unable to throw and play defense, but he’s settled into his DH role for the next six weeks until his elbow heals up. J.T. Realmuto is another bright spot who routinely cuts down opponents’ running games. But overall, the Phillies have been in and lost too many high scoring games.

The Marlins look to be better, and they’ve been much more competitive, but at 18-24 few will notice the difference. What stands out is the team’s promising starting pitchers, and the pitching staff’s impressive 3.38 ERA. What ails them is their propensity to lose close ballgames, which explains why they’ve scored more than they’ve given up but have a losing record.

Former Athletic Jesus Luzardo is dealing with a forearm strain so that means a new face could emerge in the final game of the road trip. The Marlins are pondering bringing up their fourth-ranked prospect Edward Cabrera, who struck out 11 in six innings in his most recent minor league start. Prior to that, the Giants will have their hands full with Miami starters Elise Hernandez and Pablo Lopez.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: Giants Longoria and Yastrzemski homer off rookie Met pitcher Szapucki

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San Francisco Giants slugger Evan Longoria rounds the bases in what would be the first of two home runs off of New York Mets rookie Thomas Szapucki in the second inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Wed May 25, 2022 (AP News photo)

On the Giants podcast with Michael Duca:

#1 San Francisco Giants (24-19) after getting clobbered in back to back laughers one against the San Diego Padres and another against the New York Mets (29-17) came back to beat one of baseball’s best team for the second straight time 9-3 on Wednesday afternoon.

#2 The Giants scored early and scored often with five runs in the first and four in the second the Giants have been getting run production in their last two games.

#3 Was there any doubt that Evan Longoria would break out and get a home run off of Mets starter Thomas Szapucki. For Szapucki he was making his second Mets appearance. Szapucki was brought up by the Mets as the Mets are facing a lack of bench players.

#4 Giants outfielder Mike Yastrzemski has been seeing the ball well he hit his fourth home run of the season off Szapucki. Talk about Yastrzemski’s recent success at the plate.

#5 The Giants open a three game series in Cincinnati (13-30) Friday night the Giants will start Carlos Rodon (4-3, 3.43) and the Reds have not announced a starter yet. First pitch is 3:40 pm PDT at Great American Park in Cincinnati.

Join Michael for Giant podcasts Thursdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Start Fast, Make It Last: Two innings of fireworks carry the Giants past the Mets, 9-3

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By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–This Giant lead didn’t precede one of the most confounding, wildest finishes a baseball imagination could conjure up. This giant lead–9-0 Giants after two innings–led seamlessly to a satisfying end to the home stand for a team trying to navigate successfully despite numerous personnel issues.

Mets rookie Thomas Szapucki was the undisputed victim in seeing four of his 49 pitches leave the park, all with 100 mph plus velocities. Evan Longoria was the biggest beneficiary with his first two homers of the season. The Giants survived on Tuesday, winning 12-11 to end a five-game skid. On Wednesday, they built a win streak powered by their early, rapid-fire home runs.

“I knew it was going to take a little bit of time to settle in,” Longoria said. “I was hoping it would happen sooner and quicker, but it’s a long season. I’ve been making some hard contact that hasn’t landed, so just trying to build off those at-bats and keep moving forward.”

Longoria’s three-run blast in the first comfortably cleared the center field wall, and was followed in short order by Joc Pederson’s two-run shot that was his fourth big blast in less than 24 hours.

The second inning went straight to fireworks with Wilmer Flores’ RBI double followed by back-to-back shots by Yastrzemski and Longoria. Longoria’s ended Szapucki’s afternoon, and peculiarly ended the Giants’ offense for the day.

Jakob Junis pitched six innings for the Giants, allowing three hits and single runs in the second and sixth. Junis, thought to be a stop gap has instead been a rock, throwing at least five innings in all six of his starts.

“If he does nothing else, he’s already helped us win several baseball games,” manager Gabe Kapler said of Junis. “I think we envisioned that he would come up and make very important starts for us. So he’s doing what we expected him to do, but he’s done it in a more sustained fashion.”

The Giants played without Brandon Crawford, who got a much-deserved day of rest. They are still without Brandon Belt, LaMonte Wade Jr., Austin Slater, Curt Casali and Steven Duggar making the win and the salvaged home stand that much sweeter.

“It’s huge,” Pederson said. “We built on the momentum from last night. That’s a World Series-caliber team.”

The Giants open a nine-game trip in Cincinnati on Friday night with first pitch 3:40 pm PDT. Carlos Rodon (4-3, 3.43) will pitch in that one while Cincinnati hasn’t yet announced a starter.

Crawford’s RBI single scores Ruf for walk off run in ninth for SF’s 13-12 win

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Let the celebration begin the San Francisco Giants Roc Pederson (23) and Brandon Crawford (35) jump for joy after Crawford’s walk off RBI single in the bottom of the ninth scores Darrin Ruf at Oracle Park in San Francisco against the New York Mets on Tue May 24, 2022 (San Francisco Giants twitter photo)

New York (NL). 12. 18. 0

San Francisco. 13. 19. 0

Tuesday May 24, 2022

By Lewis Rubman

SAN FRANCISCO–Before the Mets came to town, I asked James and Max Wood, my Massachusetts Mets Mavens, what they could expect from the National League East’s first place team.

Max wrote, “The person on the Mets I’d pay the most attention to is Pete Alonso. Since the start of this month, he’s hitting over .300, has hit 6 homers, and has an OPS of close to 1.000.” James commented,

The Mets are playing all-around great ball so far. Aggressive but smart on the bases. Consistent fielding. Pitching has been solid, even without Jacob DeGrom.

As far as specific players:

-utility infielder Luis Guillorme is red-hot at the plate and in the field. His last 10 games (with an at-bat) he’s 14 for 32 (.438).

-Brandon Nimmo (CF) leads off and is my favorite player on the team. Runs hard on EVERYTHING (including HRs and BBs!).

-Jeff McNeil (2B and LF mostly) is also a scrappy player who hits the ball everywhere.

-I guess with DeGrom and Max Scherzer out, Pete Alsonzo is their “superstar” (sorry, Francisco Lindor). Aside from how far he can hit the ball, he’s also just fun to watch—young, enthusiastic, and friendly. He’s not Keith Hernandez, but I think he’s quite good at first. Easily the best Met there since John Olerud (but that’s not saying much).

Well, all the mentioned players who appeared in Wednesday night’s 13-3 rout of the Giants performed as Alex Wood had expected. Brandon Nimmo went two for five; Pete Alonso, three for five with three runs batted in; and Jeff McNeill, two for four with two ribbies.

Game recap: So you can see that Logan Webb, coming into the game with a record 5-1,3.54 after his frustrating last start, when the bullpen blew his 5-2 lead against the Rockies, faced a daunting task in front of him when he threw his first pitch, a ball, at 6:45.

Ex-A’s keep coming to Oracle to haunt win starved Oakland fans. Tonight, two of the three ghosts of glory (or at least contention) past were Starling Marte, playing in right field, and Mark Canha, in left. The other was Chris Bassitt, taking the mound to start for the team from Queens.

Bassitt had been mediocre in his start, lasting 6-1/3 innings and yielding four earned runs on nine hits, two of the four base variety, escaping with a non decision that left his record at 4-2, 2.77. The 33 year old righty has a large arsenal of pitches.

It features, in descending order of frequency, a sinker, slider, cutter, four seamer, curve, and change of pace. He uses his favorite pitch about 27% of the time.

When it was all over, the Giants had outlasted the Mets, defeating them 13-12 in a contest that defies description and may well have caused heart attacks all around the Bay Area and in the households of east coasters who stayed up late to listen to or watch the game.

Another ex Athletic, Tommy LaStella, led off against Bassitt in the bottom of the second with a single to short. MikeYastrzemski’s double into the left field corner put two runners in scoring position with none down.

Darin Ruf’s grounder to short scored LaStella, but neither Joc Pederson nor Brandon Crawford enabled Yaz any further advancement.

McNeill opened the top of the second with a rifle shot down the right field line that Ruf’s dive just missed blocking. Then Eduardo Escobar took an 0-2 pitch into right for a single that put runners on the corners.

Canha’s single to center knotted the score at one, and there it stood after Dominic Smith forced Canha out at second, Tomás Nido grounded out to Web, and Nimmo ended the frame with a soft liner to short.

Lightening struck in the home third. With one out, Yastrzemski walked. Ruf fanned on three pitches, and then Pederson took Bassitt´s first offering, an 87 mph cutter, 363 feet deep and over the right field wall. San Francisco was up again, this time 3-1.

The home team continued attacking in the fourth. With one down, Luis González bounced a double off the right field wall. Kevin Padlo grounded out to second, allowing González to take third. Michael Papierski, batting in the ninth position and still looking for his first big league hit, did his bit by walking.

With the count at 2-1, Bassitt threw him a 93 mph four seamer, an LaStella deposited it 347 feet away, over the wall in right. Suddenly, the Giants had six runs on the board, and they led by five.

The Mets got one of those runs back in the top of the fifth. Catcher Thomas Nido led off with a single to center and moved on to second when Nimmmo was hit by a pitch.

Marte hit into what crew chief and first base umpire James Hoye thought was a 6-4-3 double play, but the review crew in New York disabused him of that misapprehension, and Marte was ruled safe at first. The force out left Nido on third base, from which he scored on Lindor’s sacrifice fly to center.

That run, while drawing the Mets closer, did little to turn the tide because Ruf opened the home fifth with a single to left center, and Roc Pederson went yard with his eighth round tripper of the year, a no doubter that carried 436 feet into right. It came on a 93 mph sinker

Bassitt fanned Crawford on a full count for the first out of the frame, issued a walk to Thairo Estrada and then went to the showers. His replacement was Stephen Nogosek, who struck out Luis González and Kevin Padlo to end the episode.

Bassitt had lasted 4-1/3 innings and allowed eight runs, all of them earned, on eight hits, three of them four baggers, and three walks. He struck out four. His pitch total was 92, 52 of them strikes. His ERA rose to 3.91.

Webb didn’t come out to pitch the sixth. In his five innings of work, he held the Mets to two runs, both earned, on five hits, a walk, and a hit batter. He threw 93 pitches, 63 for strikes, and lowered his ERA by a tiny amount to 3.54. Jarlín García replaced him and, in spite of a one out double to Escobar, held New York scoreless in his inning before yielding to Dominic Leone at the top of the seventh.

Facing Leone, Francisco Lindor cut into the Giants´ lead. After Marte beat out the throw on a two out grounder to third, the Mets´shortstop sent a 95 mph four seamer into the seats above the Levi’s Landing sign in right to make the score 8-4, San Francisco.

Tyler Rogers brought his magical spinning bag of sidearm tricks to the mound in the New York eighth, but none of them seemed to work. McNeil singled to right and went to second on an Escobar single to left center. Canha hit a squeakily grounder to third that, perhaps because of the strange spin on Rogers’ pitches, Padlo couldn’t handle.

Drew Smith sent a solid single to right center, scoring McNeil and Escobar, and Canha reached third. With the score now 8-6, Luis Guillorme rounded to first, Ruf threw home, and Papierski threw to Padlo at third, who tagged Canha for the first out of the inning. Nimmo got an infield single.

Starling Marte hit a grounder to third, and it looked like a throwing error on the throw to second that allowed. Nimmo to reach that base and Marte to be safe at first. It was ruled a hit. Lindor hit a liner, Pederson fell over himself trying to field it, and the Mets’ shortstop was on third with a bases clearing triple.

He scored on a sac fly by Alonso. McNeil and Escobar singled, and Camilo Doval replaced Rogers, who had pitched 1/3 of an inning and allowed seven runs, all of them earned, on seven hits. Doval got Canha to ground out to short to stop the massacre

Drew Smith was given the task of preserving New York’s three run lead in the bottom of the eighth. He breezed through the first two batters he faced but then yielded a single to Yaz and walked Ruf. All of a sudden, Pederson was at the plate representing the potential tying run. All of a sudden, he scored it, with a splash hit, no less! On a 98 mph four seamer. Exit Smith, enter Joely Rodríguez.

Crawford lined back to him, the ball bounced to third, and Crawford beat Escobar’s throw to first. Estrada followed with a single to right. Crawford rounded second and had to scramble back to beat Marte’s throw to the bag. González grounded to second.

McNeil got his glove on it but couldn’t control it, and Gonazález’s infield hit loaded the bases. Exit, Rodríguez, enter Adam Ottavino, wearing number zero. He struck Padlo out, and we went into the ninth tied at eleven.

Believe me, I’m not making this up. (But I am having a tough time following it).

John Brebbia, pitching for SF in the ninth, was greeted by a triple (surprise!) by Dominic Smith. Travis Jankowski ran for him and scored on Nimmo’s sac fly to left. Marte grounded out to short.

The Giants were down to their last three outs.

Edwin Díaz strolled in from the bull pen to try to earn the save.

Wilmer Flores singled to ccnter.

LaStella grounded into a double play, second to short to first.

Mike Yastrzemski came to bat. He worked a full count.

He walked.

Darin Ruf singled to right, moving Yaz into scoring position at second.

The Mets huddled on the mound.

Joc Pederson stood in the batter´s box. He took a strike.

He took a ball that almost hit him on his front knee.

He singled to center, scoring Yastrzemski, tying the game, and moving Ruf to second.

Crawford laced a 2-2 pitch into left, Ruf rounded third and headed home

He slid between catcher Patrick Mazeika’s legs with the winning run.

John Brebbia got the win. He’s 2-0, 2.70. Díaz got charged with the loss. He’s 1-1, 2.89.

The rubber game of this amazing series is scheduled to start at 6:45 the Mets will start left hand pitcher Thomas Szapucki (0-0, 0.00) the Giants will go with Jakob Junis (1-1,2.70) at Oracle Park.

He Was A Giant (Hot Dog)? Willie Montanez 1975-76 by Tony the Tiger Hayes

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Former San Francisco Giant first baseman Willie Montanez who played first for the Giants at Candlestick Park during 1975-76 is the subject of Tony the Tiger’s He was a Giant feature (file photo from Under The Radar Sports)

He Was A Giant (Hot Dog)?

Willie Montanez – 1B – 1975-76 – # 22

He Was A Giant?

Philadelphia sports columnist Bill Conlin once wrote the following about a rangy former San Francisco center fielder:

“Two-thirds of the Earth is covered by water, the other one-third by Garry Maddox.”

Meanwhile, another sage baseball mind once had this to say about the animated first baseman the Giants acquired from Phillies in exchange for Maddox in 1975:

“There isn’t enough mustard in the ball park to cover Willie Montanez.”

While Maddox was a defensive leading man, Montanez was a storied showboat.

Whenever a ballpark vendor cried out “ hey hot dog!”, the Puerto Rican infielder, who played the game with a lot of relish, would turn and ask “que paso?

Though the term has not had much play in recent years, “hot dog” was the old school appellation used to describe players who liked to show over the top flair.

While some of today’s ball players show pizazz with the occasional bat flip or fist pump, few show boastful exuberance on a daily basis like former colorful players such as Babe Ruth, Satchel Paige, Luis Tiant, Jimmy Piersall, Pasqual Perez or former Giants fan favorite Tito Fuentes.

But Montanez, was baseball’s most colorful and consistent frankfurter in spikes.

On defense, Willie swiped at pop flies as if he were literally trying to swat flys.

As he approached the plate to hit he twirled his Louisville Slugger as if he were fronting a marching band at the Rose Parade.

After striking out he would distally flick his bat away as if it were defective.

Montanez’s sideways ambling home run jog approximated a crab casually strolling the beach.

For fans, Montanez was a hoot to watch. But he was hardly exclusively adored.

Not everyone – including a few of his teammates –

“Hot dog” was one of the tamer phrases used to describe Montanez. But he didn’t seem to mind one bit.

“I don’t care what they call me,” Montanez once said. “That’s my style and I can’t change, even if I wanted to. Sure, I hear a lot of stuff yelled at me, but it don’t bother me.”

Montanez played for San Francisco during arguably the most trying time in Orange & Black franchise history.

During Montanez’s mid-1970s tenure by the Bay, the club flailed aimlessly in post-Mays era fog.

As Montanez performed a matador impression with his bat and caught balls between his legs without a care as if he was on loan from Ringling Bros., the Orange & Black was going bankrupt and nearly ended up moving to Toronto.

And while he was outwardly showing zeal for the game, inside Montanez was hating life as a Giant.

The astroturf was too hard, Candlestick was too cold and the City was too far his home base of Puerto Rico.

Not surprisingly his uniform number was “Too-Too”, make that “22.”

So Willie’s life as a Giant did not last long – 195 games – but fans got an eyeful while it lasted.

Why Was He a Giant?

Montanez was acquired by San Francisco in exchange for center fielder Maddox in a straight up deal with Philadelphia on May 4, 1975.

History would soon reveal the swap to be one of the best in Fightins’ history. The stylish Maddox became a perennial All-Star and a lineup stabilizer who would win eight consecutive gold glove awards in Liberty Town.

But the early returns had the advantage in the Giants court. At the time of the trade, the popular and peppy Montanez was batting .331 with Philly, while the introverted Maddox was hitting sub-.200 for the Orange & Black.

Maddox was once the mod-looking signal caller of the most agile outfield trios in baseball (flanked by Gary Matthews and Bobby Bonds in left and right respectively).

Though the Vietnam War veteran had fine season in 1974 (.284, 8, 50), it was a significant regression from his breakout 1973 campaign. The financially flailing Giants responded with a slash to Garry’s pay. Not surprisingly Maddox asked for a trade.

When the a dour faced Garry stumbled out of the gate in ‘75, the Giants decided it was time to cut ties with the adroit athlete who grew up idolizing Willie Mays.

With Oakland born product Von Joshua waiting in the wings to step into center field, the Giants – also, desperately looking for a gate attraction – sprung the deal for the spirited Montanez.

The proficient Montanez would give the Giants there first legitimate starting first baseman since they traded Willie McCovey two years previously.

“Montanez gives us hitting, a good glove, speed and durability,” explained Giants manager Wes Westrum. “The significance of this deal is quite simple. “We wanted Willie for his bat and he will hit fifth between Gary Matthews and Chris Speier.”

Despite Maddox’s soon to be evident dividends, shipping the popular Montanez out of dodge after five very good seasons with Philly was a very difficult choice for Phillies general manager Bill Giles.

The veteran front office man got chocked announcing the Montanez swap.

“I was in tears; he wasn’t… Oh, Willie cried a little bit at first, but then he was very calm and cool and collected. I love the guy,” an emotional Giles told Philly scribes the day of the trade.

Giles was seemingly ashamed to be sending his loyal bat twirler to a destination as abhorrent as Candlestick Park.

“I thought he’d get very emotional, especially when he found out he was going to San Francisco. Nobody wants to play there,” the GM somberly modulated.

Before & After

Montanez is one of the more well-traveled players in baseball history. In 14 big league seasons Montanez played for nine big league clubs, including twice for Philadelphia. He also played a significant amount of time in the Cardinals farm system.

Montanez had yet to formally graduate from high school when he was signed by the Cardinals in 1965. He was just 17.

Surprisingly he found himself in the big leagues the following spring when he was plucked out of the Redbirds nest by the Angels in the Rule 5 draft. But an obviously overmatched Montanez did not remain long in California and was returned to the St. Louis system after failing to bat safely in eight Halos contests.

Montanez eventually resurfaced in the bigs again in 1970 with Philadelphia. He began 1971 as a starting outfielder for the Phillies and belted a career high 30 home runs with 99 RBI for the last place club. Montanez was runner up to Altlanta’s Earl Williams for NL Rookie of the Year honors in 1971.

It was in ‘71 that reports of Willie’s hot dog attitude became a regular addendum to his bio.

His bat flips and demonstrative display of dissatisfaction after strike outs rubbed opponents and umpires alike in a very wrong way.

“I know it’s around the league, Montanez is a big hot dog,” said Phillies manager Frank Lucchesi that season. “But my answer to that is I’ll take 25 hot dogs (if they play like him.)”

After five straight seasons of finishing last or next to last in the NL East, the Phillies began to come together in 1974 – with young talent such as Mike Schmidt, Greg Luzinski and Larry Bowa blossoming around superstar starting pitcher Steve Carlton. The team moved up to third place that season.

Despite putting up good numbers with the Giants, Montanez was never really satisfied with being on the west coast. He groused publicly about Candlestick Park and being separated from his family. Prior to the 1976 season Willie refused to sign a contract extension and requested a trade.

He was dealt later that season to Atlanta in a six-player swap that netted the Giants future long-time starting corner infielder Darrel Evans.

Montanez enjoyed a nice two-year run with the Braves where he became an All -Star in 1977. Montanez saw significant playing time in the Mid-Summer Classic played at Yankees Stadium. As a mid-game replacement for starting first baseman Steve Garvey, Montanez batted 0-for-2.

Montanez also made career stops with the Mets, Rangers, Padres, Expos and Pirates before wrapping up his career back with Philadelphia in 1982.

For his career Montanez was a career .275 hitter, with 139 homers and 802 RBI.

Those are very good career home runs, but all any body seemed to remember was Willie’s on-field flavor and off-field blabber.

He Never Had a Bobblehead Day. But…

Philadelphia’s love affair with Montanez was on full display when the Giants visited Veterans Stadium shortly after his trade to San Francisco.

In an 8-6 loss to the Phils, (5/28/75) Willie batted 2-for-3. He was welcomed with several standing ovations and on two visits from the stands by fans showing true Brotherly Love.

Montanez appreciated the love fest.

“It was a great compliment,” said Willie of the fans who were whisked presumably to Veterans Stadium notorious in house bastille.

Through he would later claim to be dissatisfied with life as a Giant – joining fellow imported ingrate Bobby Murcer – Montanez played some of his best ball with San Francisco, batting .306, 10, 105 in 195 games.

It was near the end of his brief Giants engagement that Montanez enjoyed two near perfect consecutive games at the plate.

In back-to-back home wins over the visiting Astros (5/25-26/76) Montanez batted a composite 8-for-10, with four RBI and two runs scored.

In the first game, played on a Tuesday night before just 2,903 fans, Montanez collected two singles, a double and a game winning, 8th inning homer off Ken Forsch as Giants outlasted Houston 7-6.

The following afternoon, Montanez came back and skidded three more singles off the school yard hard ‘Stick turf and hammered a double while collecting two more RBI behind the pitching of Jim Barr and Randy Moffitt in a 11-4 bulldozing of Houston.

This time there were 3,115 paid to see Montanez batting exhibition.

The win capped a four game winning streak for the last place Giants.

But despite hitting the cover off the ball, hustling as if his life depended on running out ground balls and of course putting on a sideshow with his Frisco Frank schtick, Montanez wasn’t having any of the ‘Stick’s creature feature comforts.

“My family is still far away in Puerto Rico and the wind is going to be cold here when we get back,” said Montanez after the second game as the club prepared to depart for an eight game road trip.

He continued to fill up reporter’s notebooks as if he were a tele-type service. “I don’t want to be traded just to be traded. I want to go to a club that’s in the race, and to a place where it’s warmer and nearer my family,” he blathered.

You are probably now realizing why Montanez moved around so frequently in his career.

He wasn’t exactly easy to please.

Three weeks later, Montanez got his wish and was shipped about as close to Puerto Rico and still be in the big leagues at the time… Atlanta.

No word if his family were pleased however.

Giant Footprint

The Giants didn’t have many positive national headline grabbing events in the mid-1970s, but Montanez played a role in a couple of them.

The Giants recorded their first no-hitter in eight seasons in 1975, when Ed Halicki dominated the feckless Mets 6-0 in the second game of a double header (8/24/75) at Candlestick Park.

Montanez batted 2-for-4 with two RBI in the historic victory, but more importantly he finished played outstanding defense, making nine putouts on the day.

A year later Montanez found himself on the other end of a Giants no-hitter when John Montefusco capped a brilliant sophomore campaign with dazzled the Braves on the road with a brilliant 9-0 no hit, no run game (9/29/76).

Montanez, the Braves starting first baseman that night, batted 0-for-3.

Mets Wallop Giants: Losing skid grows to five games in 13-3 loss

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By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–Gabe Kapler chose to remain positive in the face of the Giants’ four-game losing skid and mounting personnel issues.

But then the Giants did little to change the narrative Monday night, falling to the visiting Mets 13-3.

What’s clear? The Giants are further off their desired A game than anyone indicated, and given their difficult schedule a quick turnaround might not be possible. Their immediate goal may not be desirable, but avoiding an 0-6 homestand is foremost right now. That, and staying positive.

Starter Alex Cobb kept it positive, which wasn’t easy after he got burned for six runs and ten hits, some of which were downright frustrating in that they came on softly hit balls that could have easily been outs. Still Cobb departed after six innings trailing 6-2.

“All we really have to focus on is executing pitches, and then the results happen,” Cobb said. “I felt like I was executing some pitches tonight, and the results weren’t quite there.”

Cobb couldn’t quibble over Pete Alonso’s two-out, three-run homer in the third that put the Mets in the driver’s seat up 5-2. But other than that his pitches were fairly effective.

The Giants did strike first when Brandon Crawford homered in the second with Evan Longoria aboard. But they wouldn’t score again until the ninth on Tommy La Stella’s RBI single. In between those two occasions, the Giants went 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position spoiling any push for a comeback.

The Giants have been outscored 33-12 in their last four games illustrating how little has gone right. But a deeper disappointment maybe their overall performance against winning clubs. The team has dropped 14 of 21 to teams with winning records.

“There are some challenges right now. We’re not making as many plays as we can,” manager Gabe Kapler said.

On Tuesday, former Athletic Chris Bassitt pitches for the Mets in a match-up with San Francisco ace Logan Webb, seeking his sixth win of the season.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Baseball Do you enjoy position players pitching?

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St Louis Cardinal pitcher Yadier Molina is not too thrilled after giving up a two run ninth inning home run at PNC Park on Sun May 22, 2022 to the Pittsburgh Pirates Jack Suwinski. Molina is one of two position players to have pitched this season for the Cardinals (AP News photo)

Baseball: Do you enjoy Position players Pitching?

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Today it has become more common to see a position player pitching at the end of a game with a lopsided score. Because it is now more common and it has lost a lot of the “fun” that it used to be. And the more it happens in the future, the more it would mean “not much”.

Unless those are Hall of Fame players, such guys as Albert Pujols and his good friend Yadier Molina, both in St Louis, they are first vote Hall of Famers in the future and those are guys that have done everything in baseball, except pitch, until recently.

During the Phillies 2018 Spring Training, manager Gabe Kapler experimented with his utility players throw occasional bullpen sessions. The purpose of this was to use them in game situations. It was not meant to be as a “joke” or fun if your team was winning or losing by 15 runs in the ninth inning. Kapler’s experiment was just that, an experiment.

Gabe Kapler, (now managing the Giants) used outfielder Luis González to pitch against the San Diego Padres on Sunday at Oracle Park, when the game was 10-1 in favor of the Padres, who swept the Giants. González did a great job as he pitched for 2 innings gave up 1 hit and no runs, his ERA 0.00

The first 40-40 man in history, José Canseco came to pitch for the Texas Rangers against the Boston Red Sox on May 29, 1993. He pitched one inning (the 8th) gave up 2 hits 3 earned runs, walked three and his earned run average ended at 27.00.

Canseco injured his arm and underwent Tommy John surgery to end his season. José had said in the past his dream was to pitch during a major league game. Was that fun José? By-the way, just three days prior to his pitching debut and retirement, on May 26, his head produced a home run, as he was playing right field when a batted ball hit his head and went over the fence.

That also was not a lot of fun for José, but he took it in stride after all there is no Tommy John surgery for your head. José Canseco played for another 10 years and retired after the 2001 season. He played for 17 years in the major leagues as an Outfielder-Designated Hitter and…Pitcher.

In conclusion. Using a position player to pitch, in any situation is like ordering Babe Ruth to lay a bunt. However, Ruth had a sacrifice bunt every year between 1915 and 1930. From 1922 to 1930 The Bambino hit 403 homeruns and also laid down 33 sacrifice bunts.

However, Ruth also won 65 games as a pitcher. In my book, I like to see a super star like Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina to pitch in a game that is already decided, but I will not enjoy an average player taking the ball, unless his team has totally ran out of pitchers.

But that is only my opinion, I am sure many would disagree. One thing we could all agree is that today, their is only one Shohei “Showtime”) Ohtani, he can really hit and really pitch, with the best of them.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Spanish radio voice for the Oakland A’s on flagship station Le Grande 1010 KIQI San Francisco and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips: Giants can’t stop Padres Machado; SF’s Gonzalez comes in from leftfield to relieve; Giants meet the Mets tonight at Oracle

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The San Diego Padres Manny Machado (left) greets Jake Cronenworth (right) after scoring on the San Francisco Giants in the top of the fourth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco (AP News photo)

On the SF Giants podcast with Morris:

#1 Morris, the San Diego Padres (22-14) Manny Machado was being Manny again three doubles and a triple he had an MVP type game lending to the Padres 10-1 laugher and series sweep on Sunday against the San Francisco Giants (22-18).

#2 For Machado it was a career high and tied the Padres all time record for extra base hits in a ball game Machado also picked up two RBIs. Becoming the eighth Padre to accomplish four extra base hits in a game.

#3 The Padres improve their record to four games over .500 and Machado said after the game that San Diego is a good ball club and said that if things continue this way things will fall into place.

#4 The Giants brought in relief pitcher Luis Gonzalez who had been playing in rightfield. Gonzalez who pitched against the Padres in the top of the seventh got the side in order and came out again in the top of the eight giving up a hit but again got out of the inning unscathed after two a 80 plus MPH change up and mostly 48 MPH lob balls that kept the hitters off balance.

#5 The New York Mets (28-15) who are one of baseball’s hottest teams come to Oracle Park to open a three game series with the Giants on Monday night. Starting pitcher for the Mets lefthander David Peterson (1-0, 1.89) Peterson will be opposed by Giant starter Alex Cobb (3-1, 5.61) a 6:45 pm PDT first pitch.

Join Morris for the Giants podcast each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Padres win in a laugher 10-1; Giants Gonzalez retires Padres in relief in two innings

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San Diego Padres Eric Hosmer makes it into first coasting as San Francisco Giants first baseman Wilmer Flores can’t find the handle on the ball as Giants pitcher John Brebbia watches the play unfold at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Sun May 22, 2022 (AP News photo)

San Diego. 10. 17. 0

San Francisco. 1. 4. 1

Sunday May 22, 2022

By Lewis Rubman

SAN FRANCISCO–Hoping to salvage one game of what had been ahard fought three game series against the San Diego Padres, the 22-17 San Francisco Giants sent veteran left hander Alex Wood (3-2,3.93) to battle against the 26-14 friars.

When the game was over, the Giants stood at 22-18, the Padres at 27-14, and Wood at 3-3, 4.82. He had lasted a scant three innings plus and was charged with five runs on eight hits and two walks. He threw 73 pitches, 50 of which were strikes. Of course, every batted ball from a weak foul through a home run counts as a strike. But he did strike out four opponents.

The Giants’ starter, who features a four seamer, change up, curve, and slider, was matched against fellow southpaw MacKenzie Gore (2-1,2.17 at game time), the third overall pick in the 2017 draft, This was the first time he pitched against an NL West rival.

He threw three shutout innings against the Phillies last Tuesday, the first and only time he pitched out of the bullpen in his professional career. He has the same inventory of deliveries as Wood, although he uses them in a different order of frequency.

The San Diego prospect left, assured of his third victory, after six brilliant innings in which he surrendered one run, earned, on three hits a walk, striking out a half a dozen Giants. He threw 90 pitches, 54 for strikes and reduced his ERA to 2.06.

Before the game, the Giants announced that they had placed Brandon Belt on the 10 day injured list effective May 19 as a result of the inflammation of his right knee.They recalled third baseman Kevin Padlo from the PCL, where he was hitting a combined .238 for Tacoma and Sacramento.

The visitors jumped out to an early lead. The Manny You Love to Hate laced into Wood’s first pitch to him, a sinker, for a one out double to left center and came around to score on Jurickson Profar’s infield single and Wil Myers’ single to left.

They doubled down on that one run in the second on a leadoff double by Ha-Seong Kim, a double to left center by Austin Nola, and Jake Cronenworth’s sac fly to center.

Wood managed to hold the Padres to a single in the third, but he couldn’t resist their onslaught in the fourth. Nola led off with a full count walk and moved up to second on Azocar’s single to center.

After smacking a splash foul, Jake Cronenworth brought Nola home with a single to center that moved Azocar to third and ended the day for Wood. Mashing Manny greeted John Brebbia, Wood’s successor, with a double that would have been a single if Darin Ruf hadn’t attempted a diving catch in left.

That brought in both runners, and it was 5-0, Pads. Profar grounded out to third, and Hosmer hit an in offensive grounder to first that Flores bobbled for an error.

San Diego’s first sacker advanced to second on a passed ball. Both he and Machado then crossed the plate on Myers’ rule book double to left. At last, Nola, who had walked to start the inning, struck out to end it.

The long wait in the dugout for the top of the fourth to end seemed to affect pitching. He walked Ruf on four pitches, and Yaztremski drove an 87 mph slider against the wall in right center for a double, sending Ruf to third. He scored on Flores’s sac fly to right.

It took only three pitches for Gore to fan Longoria, so when Azocar corralled Crawford’s drive in the deepest part of centerfield, it was the third out and the end of the Giants’ micro rally.

Jack Littell, replacing Brebbia in the fifth, became the third San Francisco hurler to be scored upon. He managed to retire the first two men he faced, but the third was Machado, who bettered his earlier double by a base with a triple to right center. He waltzed home on Profar’s single to right, and San Diego was up 8-1.

One inning later, and Littell still was on the mound. Myers hit a grounder to short that ate up Crawford and wound up as a single in left center. Then Luke Voit lifted a fly to left. Ruf went back for it, then came in for it, then looked at loss, and finally picked it up after it fell for a single that allowed Myers to score the Pad’s ninth run.

Voit went to third on Kim’ double to left and took San Diego’s run total into double digits on Azocar’s RBI groundout to short.

It was the turn of Mauricio Llovera, starting the seventh, to be bedeviled by Machado, who lashed a ground ball at Crawford, who once again was just a fraction of a second late in gathering in the ball, which skipped by him into left center field while Manny motored into second with a leg double. But Llovera held firm and escaped unscored upon.

Craig Stammen relieved Gore in the seventh and set San Francisco down in order. Luis Gonzalez in a reprise of his performance against Albert Pujols pulled a Pablo, and pitched a perfect top of the eighth.

He then hit a one out single in the home half of the inning. The Padres managed one hit, a Cronenworth two bagger off the right field wall in the ninth, but González closed out his line with two scoreless innings.

Steven Wilson set the Giants down 1-2-3 to close out the dismal game and series.

The NL East leading Mets come to town tomorrow to test the meddle of the faltering orange and gold. Game time is 6:45. David Peterson (1-0,1.89) will throw for the New Yorkers, and Alex Cobb (3-1,5.61) will take the mound for the Giants.

Razer close game Giants drop second contest to Padres 2-1 at Oracle

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San Diego Padres reliever Joe Musgrove delivers to the San Francisco Giants in the bottom of the first inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Sat May 21, 2022 (AP News photo)

San Diego. 2. 6. 0

San Francisco. 1. 6. 1

Saturday May 5, 2022

By Lewis Rubman

SAN FRANCISCO–Last night’s battle royale at Oracle Park served as a reminder of the wisdom of America’s vernacular philosopher, Lawrence P. Berra, whose First Law of Epistemology was “It ain’t over til it’s over.”

It began again this afternoon with San Francisco’s left handed hurler Carlos Rodón on the mound with a record of 4-2,3.49) and the Giants in third place in their division with a record of 22-16.

The Giants’ starter was throwing to Michel Papierski the 26 year old catcher they had picked up in the trade that sent Mauricio Dubón to Houston, who was brought up today and was making his major league debut. Rodón breezed past his first two batters.

Then Jurickson Profar checked his swing and sent an inoffensive bounding ball to first, where yesterday´s hero, Darin Ruf, a last minute substitute of the injured Brandon Belt, bobbled the ball, enabling the Padre’s weak hitting clean up and designated hitter to reach base on an error.

Two full count walks later, the bases were jammed with San Diegans. Rodón escaped scoreless when Austin Nola flew out to right.

San Diego’s stellar starter, Joe Musgrove, who began the day at 4-0,2.20 for the 24-14 Padres, also had two out trouble in the first. He yielded a double down the right field line to number three hitter, Mike Yastremski before retiring the side.

When the din of battle had subsided, the Giants had come out on the short end of another one run contest, losing this one 2-1 to the surging friars. Rodón was charged with the loss, and Musgrove credited for the win.

The Manny You Love to Hate put the Pads ahead 1-0 in the third with a towering 425 foot blast that just squeaked over the center field fence. At least some of the blow’s power was due to the 98 mph at which Rodón had thrown his pitch.

The teams traded zeroes for another two and a half innings until a visibly tired Rodón, who had entered the frame with a pitch count of 86, yielded another run in the sixth. Luke Voit led off with a double to left. He advanced a base on Nola’s single to center.

Ha-Seong Kim flew out to right, and runners held. Trent Grisham’s sacrifice bunt to second brought Voit in with the etally that doubled San Diego’s lead.

Crawford’s throw to first on José Azocar’s grounder to short just barely beat the Pads’ left fielder to first, a call that was challenged by the visitors but confirmed by New York, ending the threat.

San Francisco threatened in their half of the sixth. Tommy LaStella sent a ball on one hop into the left centerfield stands for an automatic double. He held his ground when Flores grounded out to short. Yaz walked. And then The Curse of the Lead Off Double struck. Ruf ground into a 6-4-3 twin killing.

Rodón didn’t come out for the Padres’ seventh, relieved by Jarlín García, who held them scoreless on a hit and a walk in his one inning of work. The starting southpaw had pitched well in his six innings of work and might have pitched even better if Ruf´s error hadn’t extended his pitch count in the first.

He ended up having yielded two runs, both earned, on five hits and four walks while striking out six. He threw an even hundred pitches, 68 for strikes, and reduced his ERA a smidgen to 3.43.

The Giants presented a whole new battery in the top of the eighth. Joey Bart was behind the plate, and Domenic Leone was on the mound.

Musgrave lasted seven scoreless innings, in which he gave up four hits and three walks, striking out four. Like Rodón, he threw an even hundred pitches. 64 of his were strikes.

Musgrave’s replacement, Robert Suárez, gave back half of the Padres´ lead. Flores tore into his cut fastball, driving it 386 feet into left field for a solo blast with one down, his. fourth roundtripper of ´22.

José Alvarez pitched to three batters in the top of the ninth, retiring Grisham easily, but walking Azocar and plunking Cronenworth. Mauricio Llovera was given the unenviable task of dealing with Menacing Manny Machado with two on and one out.

Llovera got the National League’s leading hitter to pop out to short, bringing up Profar and his .217 BA. He walked on four pitches, loading the bases. The Giants’ reliever rose to the occasion, striking Myers out looking at a 2-2 sinker.

Taylor Rogers came in to close for the Padres. The Giants countered by calling on the right handed Austin Slater to hit for left handed Pederson against the southpaw.

He singled to right. Crawford then lined out to right. Kim made a gorgeously acrobatic play at second to force Slater out on Estrada’s ground ball, buthis throw to first arrived too late to double up the speedy San Francisco second sacker.

All that stood between the Giants and defeat was Luis González. He took a called third strike.

The Giants will try to salvage at least one victory in this series in a game that will start tomorrow at 1:05. San Diego will start MacKenzie Gore (2-1,2.17) against the Giants’ Alex Wood (3-2,3.93)