Category: San Francisco Giants

San Francisco 49ers podcast with Joe Lami: Can Garoppolo hit his targets on Saturday in Kansas City in preseason finale?

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On the 49ers podcast with Joe:

#1 On Monday Night Football, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo passed for zero yards throwing, one interception, and basically said he hasn’t been there for a year so he’s coming out of the shoot tired and rusty.

#2 Also, it should be mentioned that Garoppolo threw nine passes for zero yards from what Joe saw. Was Garoppolo pressing or was he genuinely rusty from not seeing action over a year?

#3 Do you expect to see Joe Staley and George Kittle out for preseason or on limited time in preseason?

#4 San Francisco 49ers tackle Shon Coleman, who broke his leg in the first preseason game, is out for the rest of the season. How much of an impact will that be on the team?

#5 Saturday the 49ers are in Kansas City. From what you’ve seen, how far are the 49ers ready for regular season play?

Joe does the 49ers podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Shark is sharp, but Cubs sweep Giants with 1-0 win

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Photo credit: @NBCSGiants

By Jeremy Harness

For the past couple of years, the jury has been out on Jeff Samardzija. However, on Thursday afternoon, it was the offense that let him down, less than 24 hour after scoring 11 runs.

Samardzija clearly pitched well enough to beat the Chicago Cubs and salvage a game from the three-game series, but the Giants could not bring a single run across, and that resulted in a hard-luck 1-0 loss at Wrigley Field.

As a result, they were swept right out of Chicago, in a series that would have gone a long way in continuing their push for the second wild-card spot in the National League.

The right-hander, who started his pro baseball career with the Cubs after starring in baseball as well as football for Notre Dame, went seven strong innings and gave up only a run on two hits, walking one and striking out four.

Meanwhile, the Giants had all kinds of trouble with Chicago starter Kyle Hendricks, who threw seven shutout innings at them, giving up only three hits – one of those coming off the bat of his pitching counterpart, Samardzija – and striking out seven and not walking anybody.

From there, the Giants managed only one hit off the Cubs’ relievers, as they flew away from Wrigley Field two games under .500. As expected, the National League as a whole has improved since the All-Star break, as the second wild-card spot holder, the St. Louis Cardinals, have a 68-58 mark at press time.

The Giants are now a full six games out of the wild card, and they clearly have a ton of work to do in this next month if they are going to have a chance to make a serious run at the postseason.

The Giants head to RingCentral Coliseum to take on the A’s for a two-game weekend series starting Saturday night at 6:07 p.m.

Giants fall in wild shootout against Cubs, 12-11

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Harness

The Giants’ bats, which had been clearly identified as a problem for most of this year, was definitely not an issue Wednesday against the Cubs.

Their ability to get the Cubs out on a regular basis was.

As a result, despite a comeback in the late innings, the Giants fell to the Cubs, 12-11, at Wrigley Field, despite pounding out 13 hits, including four home runs.

The Giants trailed 6-2 after four innings, but they mounted a stellar comeback that saw them take the lead in the seventh inning, 11-10. However, reliever Reyes Moronta gave up a two-run homer to Kris Bryant, his 26th of the season, to put Chicago back on top in the bottom of the eighth.

From there, the Giants could not get anything going against Chicago closer Craig Kimbrel, who tossed a perfect ninth to nail down his 11th save of the year, after spending half of this 2019 campaign as an unclaimed free agent.

Giants starter Dereck Rodriguez had an outing to forget on Wednesday. After a stellar start in Arizona over the weekend, Rodriguez was shelled by the vaunted Cubs lineup, surrendering six runs on six hits over only four innings, including a pair of homers.

Yu Darvish, the Cubs’ starter, didn’t fare much better. He gave up seven runs and lasted only 5 1/3 innings, and four of his pitches left the ballpark.

Mike Yastrzemski continues to tear up major-league pitching. He has three hits on Wednesday, which included his 17th homer of the 2019 season, a two-run shot in the fifth inning that cut Chicago’s lead to 6-4.

Stephen Vogt, Alex Dickerson and Evan Longoria each had a pair of hots for the Giants.

Headline Sports podcast with London Marq: Jimmy G says don’t worry, he’ll get it together; Raiders head to Canada undefeated for Thursday Night Football; plus more

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Photo credit: businessinsider.com

On Headline Sports with London:

#1 San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo said he was a bit rusty after recovering from last season’s knee surgery then saw no play until camp opened up in July, and in his first preseason game, struggled against the Denver Broncos going 1-6 and zero yards.

#2 The Oakland Raiders are coming off two wins in preseason and play this Thursday night in Winnipeg against Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. According to head coach Jon Gruden, Raiders quarterbacks have been on schedule with accomplishing what needs to be done — Derek Carr, Mike Glennon and Nathan Peterman.

#3 The San Francisco Giants are on a current road trip in Wrigley Field in Chicago, which they opened up on Tuesday night. Wednesday night the Giants are starting Derek Rodriguez (5-6, 4.79 ERA), and for the Cubs, Yu Darvish (4-6, 4.21 ERA). The Giants are 3.5 games out of first for the wild card.

#4 The Oakland A’s are just one game out of first place for their wild card spot. The A’s host a very tough customer, the New York Yankees, at the Oakland Coliseum. Starting pitchers for Wednesday night: For the Yanks, JA Happ (10-7, 5.40 ERA), and for the A’s, Mike Fiers (11-3, 3.46 ERA).

#5 The San Jose Earthquakes playing their third road trip game tonight in Los Angeles at LAFC. The Quakes have not won in their last three games, which includes a tie. LAFC is in first in the MLS Western Conference at 18-4-3 and are expected to be a very tough customer against the Quakes tonight.

Join London for Headline Sports each Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Rizzo homers twice in Cubs’ 5-3 win

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Photo credit: @BrianSandalow

By Jeremy Kahn

Coming off a series where they won three out of four from the Arizona Diamondbacks, the San Francisco Giants began another big series against a playoff contender.

Anthony Rizzo hit two home runs, helping the Chicago Cubs to a 5-3 victory over the Giants at Wrigley Field.

Rizzo put the Cubs into the lead in the bottom of the third inning, as he led off the frame with his 23rd home run of the season.

Unfortunately for the Cubs, the Giants tied it up in the top of the fourth inning, as Kevin Pillar hit his 18th home run of the season.

The Cubs took the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth inning, as they were helped out by instant replay and that man Rizzo was instrumental on the play that turned everything around.

Javier Baez hit a ground ball that Brandon Belt fielded at first, and thinking Belt touched the bag, Rizzo headed back to first base with Baez chugging down the line from the batters box.

Both players ran into each other, and the umpires called it a double play, as Abiatal Avelino threw the ball back to Belt from second base; however, the Cubs saw it a different way and challenged the call that was eventually overturned and Baez was safe at first base.

Kyle Schwarber then walked, and then Jonathan Lucroy singled off of Belts glove at first base that scored Baez with the eventual game-winning run.

Cole Hamels gave up three runs on five hits, as he won for the first time since June 12 against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field.

The Giants are now 3-2 on their nine-game road trip that will conclude with a two-game series in Oakland versus the As on Saturday and Sunday.

Austin Slater hit a two-run home run for the Giants that tied up the game in the top of the second inning.

Nicholas Castellanos gave the Cubs a quick 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, as he hit his seventh home run, and then two batters later, Rizzo hit his first home run of the game.

Rizzo went 3-for-3, as he picked up his first multi-home run of the season and Castellanos hit his seventh home run since being acquired from the Detroit Tigers on July 31.

Tyler Beede went just four innings for the Giants, as he gave up three runs on six hits, walked three and struck out four; however, he gave up three home runs.

Fernando Abad took the loss, as he gave up the fateful hit to Schwarber in the bottom of the fifth inning. Abad went 1.1 innings, allowing one run on two hits, walked two and struck out one.

NOTES: Pablo Sandoval flew to Los Angeles to see Dr. Neal ElAttrache for a second opinion on his right elbow. Steven Duggar, who is out with a left shoulder sprain will not need surgery; however, he most likely miss the rest of the 2019 season.

Johnny Cueto pitched 4.1 innings, allowing five runs (four earned) on four hits, walked one and struck out three. Cueto threw 60 pitches, 43 of them for strikes.

UP NEXT: Dereck Rodriguez will take the mound for the Giants on Wednesday night, while Yu Darvish will pitch for the Cubs.

Headline Sports podcast with Barbara Mason: How 49ers looked on Monday Night Football and what to expect from Raiders on Thursday Night Football; plus more

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Photo credit: actionnetwork.com

On Headlines Sports with Barbara Mason:

#1 The San Francisco 49ers played preseason game two on Monday Night Football. Talk about how quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo looked. He had one snag in scrimmage last week when he threw into traffic and got picked five times in a row. Going forward Thursday until making the trip to Denver, he looked like he got back on track.

#2 The Oakland Raiders’ quarterbacking situation looks like it’s coming along just the way head coach Jon Gruden planned the Raiders as the Raiders are 2-0 in preseason are looking at starter Derek Carr with backups Nathan Peterman and Mike Glennon.

#3 The Oakland A’s dropped the fourth and final game of their series to the Houston Astros Sunday, but not before the A’s took three out of four from the visiting Astros. The A’s are now 1 game back in the AL Wild Card race and all their remaining games with Houston are huge not to mention with their other opponents.

#4 The San Francisco Giants almost got a four-game sweep in Arizona, but lost on Sunday when the Diamondbacks scored for three runs in the first inning early and got good pitching out of starter Merrill Kelly, who went 5.2 innings, six hits and one run.

#5 Talk has been about traffic conditions around the new Chase Arena in San Francisco and San Francisco emergency services ran a drill simulating traffic conditions during a concert or a Warriors game. Results weren’t good as ambulances and fire trucks couldn’t get through during an emergency if there was Warriors game traffic coming in or going out. Was building Chase especially next to UCSF Hospital a disaster in the waiting?

Barbara does Headline Sports each Tuesday night at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Road Titans: What if the Giants never came home to San Francisco?

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By Morris Phillips

What if the Giants never came home to Oracle Park, and hung out on the road for the entirety of the 162-game slate in 2019?

Well, that’s a scenario for a playoff team.

Of the six teams the Giants are currently jockeying with for the two NL Wild Card spots, only the Giants have a winning record on the road. But what’s even more telling, the Giants are the only one of the six who aren’t at least 10 games over .500 at home, and in fact, the Giants are under .500 at home even at the late stage of the season.

How’s that? The Giants newly found offensive stars all perform better on the road, than at home (with the exception of Kevin Pillar), and for most, the difference in productivity is dramatic.

Brandon Crawford has 40 hits and 10 RBI at Oracle Park. But on the road, he’s produced 49 hits and 39 RBI. Buster Posey has yet to homer this season in San Francisco. In road games this season, he has six homers and 12 doubles. Mike Yasztremski has 15 RBI at home, 30 on the road. Evan Longoria has three home runs at Oracle Park, 12 on the road.

As a team, the differences are just as stark. The San Francisco offense at home ranks 29th out of 30 teams, hitting just .228. The Giants on the road have MLB’s 12th ranked offense, hitting .255 as a club. When the club opens a home stand, they’re 2-10 in the first game of the set, showing how the team struggles to adjust to the pitching-friendly environment at home after experiencing better offensive conditions on the road.

GM Farhan Zaidi has done a wonderful job incrementally improving the team’s attack with under the radar moves, none with the impact that adding Bryce Harper as a free agent would have made in the off-season. But the moves have been effective. But the next step is building an offensive attack that thrives in San Francisco. Given the numbers produced so far this year, it won’t be an easy step.

Sportstalk remote podcast at Kinara Fusion and Lounge in downtown SF; Monday, August 19, 2019

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yelp.com photo: Entrance of Kinara Fusion and Lounge now located at 607 Geary Street in downtown San Francisco.

Cast: Michael Duca (host), David Zizmor, Amaury Pi-Gonzalez, Jeremy Kahn, Morris Phillips, and Lee Leonard (producer) podcasting from Kinara Fusion and Lounge at 607 Geary Street in downtown San Francisco. Our thanks to our hosts and owners of Kinara Fusion and Lounge Restaurant Rahil Patel, Shahil Patel and Jafar Patel.

Kinara Fusion and Lounge offers a wide variety of classic Italian pizza recipes along with exotic Indian and Mediterranean specialties. A full certified Halal menu also serving unique deserts guaranteed to satisfy your palate. Located in the heart of San Francisco, Kinara also offers relaxed seating for after hours hookah lounging. Located at 607 Geary Street at Jones in downtown San Francisco.

On today’s podcast: Discussion on the San Francisco Giants and Oakland A’s and their chase for a wild card spot, the Oakland Raiders get ready for Aaron Rogers and the Green Bay Packers for Thursday Night Football Thursday, August 22nd at Investors Group Field in Winnipeg Canada. The San Francisco 49ers host the Denver Broncos for Monday Night Football at Mile High Stadium on Monday August 19th.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips: D-Backs Chase Bumgarner out of park, score 3 in the 1st

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photo sfgate.com: San Francisco Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field Sunday, Aug. 18, 2019, in Phoenix.

On the Giants podcast with Morris:

#1 Morris, the way you saw it at Chase Field on Sunday, Giants starter Madison Bumgarner had the kind of outing you don’t see him have too often — getting shelled for six hits and four runs in six innings of work.

#2 You don’t see Bumgarner have too many nights like that, but on Sunday, the Arizona Diamondbacks got to him early scoring three runs in the bottom of the first inning.

#3 The Giants’ Mike Yastrzemski, who hit three home runs on Saturday, hit a triple on Sunday. He’s been a hitting machine during the Diamondbacks series.

#4 Zack Greinke, the Diamondbacks pitcher, was supposed to start, but Merrill Kelly (9-12) got the call for Arizona pitching 5.2 innings, six hits, one run earned, two walks, five strikeouts and didn’t allow a home run.

#5 The San Francisco Giants’ Tyler Beede (3-7, 3.77 ERA) will open up the first game in Chicago Tuesday night. The Cubs will start Cole Hammels (6-4, 3.69 ERA).

Morris Phillips does the Giants podcasts each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

D-backs salvage fourth game of series with Giants, 6-1

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Photo credit: @Dbacks

By Daniel Dullum
Sports Radio Service
Sunday, August 18, 2019

PHOENIX — Arizona got to San Francisco ace Madison Bumgarner early and maintained the lead, as the Diamondbacks salvaged the fourth game of their weekend series against the Giants with a 6-1 win.

Wilmer Flores and David Peralta homered, and Adam Jones provided a key two-run triple in the first inning, as the Snakes pulled to within one game of .500 (62-63) and trail in the National League Wild Card race by four games.

The Giants slipped to 63-62, three games out of a NL Wild Card. Both the D-Backs and Giants must try to surge past the New York Mets, Philadelphia and Milwaukee to reach a Wild Card berth, currently occupied by Washington and the Chicago Cubs.

“It doesn’t matter who you’re playing. We’ve got to win games,” Bochy said. “We’re the ones that are behind.

“Hey, it was a good series. You come in here and take three out of four, you’ve got to feel good about that. (Arizona) is a good club. We came in and played well. Now, we go to Chicago and it’s going to be another big series.”

The loss was Bumgarner’s first since June 5. San Francisco is 16-11 in his starts this season, including nine of his last 11. In six innings, Bumgarner (8-8) struck out nine, walked two, but gave up four earned runs on six hits.

The Diamondbacks roughed up Bumgarner after he retired the first two Arizona hitters on four pitches. Eduardo Escobar doubled and moved to third on right fielder Austin Slater’s throwing error. Christian Walker walked, and Adam Jones plated Escobar and Walker with a triple to right.

Josh Rojas followed with a base hit, driving in Jones, putting Arizona up 3-0.

“(Bumgarner) was just inches away from getting out of that inning,” Bochy said. “Other than that, it’s another great start. Madison was fine. We just couldn’t do much offensively. We couldn’t get that one big hit.”

Mike Yastrzemski tripled to lead off the San Francisco sixth and scored on Scooter Gannett’s base hit, cutting the Arizona lead to 4-1. Walks to Brandon Belt and Slater loaded the bases with two outs, and the Diamondbacks summoned Andrew Chafin from the bullpen.

Brandon Crawford hit a sharp bouncer to second baseman Wilmer Flores, who threw to Chafin covering to snuff out the Giants’ rally.

Arizona added its fifth run in the bottom of the seventh on David Peralta’s 12th home run of the season. With two out, Peralta struck a solo shot to right-center off Giants reliever Fernando Abad.

The Diamondbacks scored again in the eighth (off reliever Tony Watson) when pinch-hitter Jarrod Dyson singled, stole second, moved to third on back-to-back walks to Rojas and Nick Ahmed, and scored on Jake Lamb’s bases-loaded walk.

San Francisco continues its quest for the postseason on Tuesday, when the Giants open a three-game series against the Cubs. Righthanders Tyler Beede (3-7), Dereck Rodriguez (5-6) and Jeff Samardzija (9-9) are the San Francisco probables. The Cubs will counter with lefthander Cole Hamels (6-4, and righthanders Yu Darvish (4-6) and Kyle Hendricks (8-9).

GIANT JOTTINGS: The game marked the final regular season appearance at Chase Field for Giants manager Bruce Bochy, who is retiring at the end of the season. … Prior to Sunday’s game, the Giants recalled INF Abiatal Avelino from Triple-A Sacramento and designated LHP Travis Bergen for assignment. … Attendance was 26,079 on a 105-degree afternoon.

TAGS: San Francisco Giants, Arizona Diamondbacks, Madison Bumgarner, NL Wild Card