Category: San Francisco Giants

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: A Gentle Giant, Willie McCovey, Dies at 80

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Photo credit: @NBCSGiants

By: Amaury Pi-González

SAN FRANCISCO — Today, the great Willie McCovey passed away at the age of 80 after a battle with ongoing health issues. He was surrounded by his family at the time of his death. He was survived by his wife Estela and daughter Allison. He was truly Gentle Giant in every sense of the word. He played for 22 seasons (19 with the San Francisco Giants, three with  the San Diego Padres and a brief stint with the Oakland Athletics). During a brilliant 22-year, Hall of Fame career in the Major Leagues from 1959-1980, he compiled 2,211 hits, 521 home runs, 353 doubles and 1,555 runs batted-in. He was a first ballot inductee in 1986 to the National Baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown, New York. Born in Mobile, Alabama on January 10,1938, he was one of ten children, and also played football and basketball as a youngster.

The first baseman and outfielder was nicknamed “Stretch.” At 6-foot-4, he was named the National League Rookie of the Year in 1959 with the Giants, selected to six All-Star Games and was named the MVP in the 1969 All-Star Game. He led the National League in home runs in three seasons and twice in runs batted-in. Only Barry Bonds (762) have more home runs for a left-handed hitter in the NL than McCovey with 521 round-trippers.

“He could hit a ball farther than anyone I ever played with,” Willie Mays once said of McCovey.

The great St. Louis Cardinals’ right-handed Hall of Fame pitcher, Bob Gibson, said of number 44: “He was one scary hitter.” Those are impressive words from a pitcher that usually was not scared of anybody. McCovey’s power was so awesome that the Giants designated the behind the right-field side by the bay at AT&T Park after the slugger and named it “McCovey Cove” where he also has a statue.

Before Candlestick Park was totally enclosed, most of us remember how many kids would line-up behind the cyclone fence in right field every time McCovey came to the plate expecting to catch a home run ball. He was the ultimate gamer, who among his many quotes, once said after retiring: “I had pain in both knees my whole career.”

Not only one great and classy baseball player, but McCovey was a kind man with a big heart who always ready to sign an autograph to an admiring fan. A mild mannered man that ingratiated baseball, his teammates and his organization. Never a scandal or controversy during a long and successful career. After retiring, he followed his beloved Giants and had his own box at AT&T Park. His presence and kindness will be missed.

Baseball and America lost a great guy today.

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast: Giants considering hiring woman for GM spot

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newsday.com photo: Then-Dodgers assistant general manager Kim Ng walks through the hotel lobby during the first day of MLB annual general managers meetings in Orlando, Fla., on Nov. 5, 2007.

By Amaury Pi-González

SAN FRANCISCO — The Major League Baseball General Manager meetings are scheduled to begin November 5th.

The San Francisco Giants are searching for a new General Manager, and many are asking, will they have one in place by then? The organization needs somebody to take charge and make important decisions pertaining their immediate future. Kim Ng is among the qualified people for the job. She has overseen international operations and talent development for the MLB. She also worked for the LA Dodgers as Vice President and Assistant to then-GM Ned Coletti as well as the front offices of the Yankees and White Sox. Her reputation is impeccable.

Among others candidates, the Giants have also shown interest on Milwaukee Brewers GM David Stearns, but the owner of the Brewers, Mark Attanasio, declined the Giants permission to speak with Stearns. Bobby Evans, who was the GM, was fired last month and the Giants announced they are searching for another executive to take that position. Maybe the Giants will find the person they want during those winter meetings starting on November 5th and conduct the interviews of the people available for the job. Who knows, and maybe make news with the announcement then.

If the Giants sign Kim Ng, it will obviously make news nationwide, and it would make sense since they play in San Francisco–one of the most diverse and progressive cities in the country.

On the other hand, the main priority for any baseball club seeking such an important position is to find the most qualified person regarding of gender or ethnic background. Whomever takes over will have to go to work right away. Trade Madison Bumgarner or not? Also, evaluate the scouting for the club. The Giants will have to take a different direction and look for younger talented players.

The Warriors will be playing within walking distance from AT&T Park at the Chase Arena next basketball season and they are the perennial winners currently in the Bay Area, dethroning the Giants, who were the winners from 2010 until 2016.

Baseball is at a very important crossroad in history as the international scouting, the sabermetrics side and the old school methods are at an intersection. It would make sense that the person for this job will grasp the understanding of all these and show the leadership required to revive a financially healthy franchise than until a couple of years ago enjoyed great success on the field.

If Ng has all those qualifications, she could be the one.

Beloved Giants announcer Hank Greenwald dies at 83

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Photo credit: @NBCSGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

Hank Greenwald, one of the most beloved announcers in the history of the San Francisco Bay Area sports scene, passed away on Monday afternoon at the age of 83.

Greenwald, who was born in Detroit in 1935, graduated from Syracuse University in 1957 and then went on to work for the then Syracuse Nationals (now the Philadelphia 76ers) of the NBA. It was in 1964, that he moved to the San Francisco Bay Area and teamed up with the erstwhile Bill King and the Warriors, who still were known as the San Francisco Warriors.

After flourishing in the minor leagues, Greenwald was hired to work San Francisco Giants games with one of his idols, Lindsay Nelson. Greenwald left the Giants after the 1986 season to work for the New York Yankees for two seasons, but then returned to the Bay Area and the Giants for the 1989 season.

It was during that magical 1989 season that saw the Giants return to the World Series for the first time since 1962, and Greenwald uttered his famous quote. “Twenty-seven years of waiting have come to an end! The Giants have won the pennant!”

Greenwald once again left the Giants after the 1996 season, but returned to the broadcast booth with the Oakland A’s for the 2004 and 2005 seasons before hanging up his mike for good.

He is survived by his beloved wife Carla, their son Doug, who is currently the broadcaster for the Fresno Grizzlies (Triple-A affiliate for the Washington Nationals) and daughter Kellie.

Giants Get Crushed by Dodgers 15-0 to Cap 2018 Season

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

By: Joe Lami

The season finally came to an end for the San Francisco Giants on Sunday. They did so in perfect fashion, to sum up, the 2018 season, losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers 15-0 at AT&T Park.

Fans came to say a final goodbye to Hunter Pence, the emotional leader of two of the franchise’s three titles in recent years. 2018 was a struggle for Pence, as he finished batting .229 with 24 RBI and four homers in the 96 games he played. It wasn’t the sunset ending Pence, who has wished for either, as he finished the day 0-for-4, including three strikeouts from the lead-off spot.

Andrew Suarez was handed the loss, surrendering six runs on six hits in 2.1 IP as the Dodgers delivered a seven-run blow in the third to make it 9-0. They continued to pour it on with three runs in the fourth and two runs in the fifth.

The Dodgers had everything to play for, as the win secured a one-game playoff with the Colorado Rockies to decide who wins the NL West tomorrow at Dodger Stadium. The winner takes the division with the loser having to play in the Wild Card Game on Tuesday.

The Giants could’ve played spoiler for their rival. A Dodgers’ loss would have secured them the Wild Card spot, but instead, LA swept the Giants capped off by the second-worst shutout in rivalry history

Giants fans will wake up tomorrow when September is finally over, looking back at a 5-21 record for the nightmare month. The worst month in franchise history since 1958 pushed them eight games below .500. They finished 73-89, the eighth-worst record in the big leagues.

The off-season will begin for San Francisco, including the search for a general manager after Bobby Evans was relieved of his position for the unacceptable season. Once a general manager is placed, it will bring attention around who will stay and who will go for next season.

Dodgers clinch final playoff berth with 10-6 victory over the Giants

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By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO — With the last playoff spot on the line, all the Los Angeles Dodgers needed to do was to defeat their longtime rivals, the San Francisco Giants, on their home field.

Manny Machado, who was acquired by the Dodgers near the trade deadline gave them the hit that they were looking for, as he hit a triple with two outs in the top of the eighth inning and the Dodgers defeated the Giants 10-6 before a sellout crowd of 41,768 at AT&T Park on Saturday.

With the victory, the Dodgers clinched their sixth consecutive playoff appearance. According to STATS, LLC., it is the third longest such in Major League history.

Only the Atlanta Braves, who made it to 14 consecutive postseasons from 1991-2005, and the New York Yankees, who went to 13 straight from 1995-2007, have longer streaks.

Machado tripled off of Mark Melancon to give the Dodgers a 6-5 lead and then Max Muncy hit a two-run double in the top of the ninth inning, as the Dodgers blew the game wide open to take a 10-5 lead into the bottom of the ninth inning.

Bay Area native Joc Pederson got the Dodgers on the board in the top of the first inning, as he hit a leadoff home run off of Giants Starter Derrick Rodriguez.

It was the eighth leadoff home run of the season for Pederson, breaking the record of seven that was set by Davey Lopes back in 1979.

Pederson now has 11 leadoff home runs in his career, tied for the third most in Dodgers history with Johnny Frederick, trailing Rafael Furcal, who hit 14 and Lopes, who hit 28 in his career.

Yaisel Puig extended the Dodgers lead up to 2-0 in the top of the second inning, as he launched a Rodriguez pitch into the left field seats.

Gorkys Hernandez cut the Dodgers lead in half in the bottom of the second inning, as he singled in Brandon Crawford.

Joe Panik gave the Giants the lead in the bottom of the third inning, as he singled to score Gregor Blanco and Hunter Pence.

Enrique Hernandez doubled to center field to score Puig in the top of the fourth inning to tie up the game.

Clayton Kershaw helped out his own cause in that fourth inning, as he singled to right field to score Yasmani Grandal and Hernandez to give the Dodgers a 5-3 lead.

Hunter Pence got the Giants within one in the bottom of the fifth inning, as he doubled off of Kershaw to score Abital Avelino, who singled.

Panik tied up the game in that fifth inning, as he hit a sacrifice fly to score Pence from third base.

Rodriguez lasted just three innings, allowing five runs on six hits, walking and striking out one in his final start of the season.

It was also a rough day for Kershaw, who went just five innings, allowing five runs on eight hits, not walking a batter and striking out four.

Alex Wood pitched 1.1 innings in relief, as he won for the ninth time this season and Melancon took the loss, as his record fell to 1-4 on the season.

UP NEXT: The Giants and Dodgers will wrap up their regular seasons with a Sunday matinee finale at 12:05 pm PT.

Andrew Suarez will close out the season for the Giants, as he goes for his eighth win of the season, while Walker Buehler goes for the Dodgers.

MLB The Show podcast with Matt Harrington: Will A’s use bullpenning for AL Wild Card Game?; Will the Giants shop MadBum?; Players prefer GMs in their 30s

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Photo credit: @Athletics

On the MLB The Show podcast with Matt:

#1 The Oakland A’s who play in New York this Wednesday for the AL Wild Card game lost on Friday night to the Los Angeles Angels. How much of a concern will it be for Oakland since they’ve been bullpenning to use a starter from their rotation after bullpenning for the last few weeks?

#2 Will the San Francisco Giants shop pitcher Madison Bumgarner, and if so, will the Giants be looking for prospects?

#3 The new wave of general managers are in their 30s. 57 MLB scouts have been fired that were over the age of 52 as it’s been noted that the ball players don’t won’t to take orders from general managers who are in their 50s, but want to work with GMs who are in their 30s.

#4 The Baltimore Orioles have benched their first baseman Chris Davis for the rest of the season. Davis hitting .168–the lowest qualifier in MLB history.

#5 The Cubs got a win over the St. Louis Cardinals 8-4 and dimmed the Cards’ chances of having any chance at the NL Wild Card. The Cards are 7.5 games out in the NL Central and have lost four straight games.

Matt does the MLB podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Turner’s home run wins it for the Dodgers 3-1

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Photo credit: @DodgerBlue1958

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO — Justin Turner may have missed the first 40 games for the Los Angeles Dodgers due to a broken left wrist, and then 10 more games in July with a right groin injury; however, he came through when he was needed the most.

Turner hit a two-run home run in the top of the fifth inning, helping the Dodgers to a 3-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants before a sellout crowd of 41,167 at AT&T Park.

On the season, Turner is hitting .357 (10-for-28) against the Giants and has hits in all seven games he has played against the Giants this season.

With the victory, the Dodgers stayed one game behind the Colorado Rockies in the fight for the National League Western Division Championship.

Hyun-Jin Ryu pitched six strong innings, as he gave up just one run on four hits, walking two and striking out three and finished the 2018 season with a 7-3 record.

Ryu’s first and only mistake came in the bottom of the second inning, as he gave up a solo home run to Nick Hundley that gave the Giants an early 1-0 lead.

It was the 10th home run of the season for Hundley, and his sixth at home this season. It was his first home run since July 28 versus the Milwaukee Brewers.

Unfortunately, Madison Bumgarner was unable to hold onto the lead, as Manny Machado singled to left field to score Enrique Hernandez from second base to tie up the game in the top of the third inning.

The Hernandez single in the third inning, was the second of three straight hits for him, he then went to second on a David Freese walk and then Machado tied up the game with his single off of Bumgarner.

Hernandez ended up going three-for-four on the evening, but he did go three-for-three against Bumgarner and is now 19-for-39 (.487) in his career against him. That is the second highest batting average among active players in the majors against Bumgarner (minimum 15 at-bats).

Once again, the Achilles heel was the double play ball, as they grounded into five in the second, fourth, sixth, eighth and ninth innings that put a stop to five huge rallies.

Austin Slater grounded into a double play with runners on first and second, and nobody out and then Gorkys Hernandez flew out to Chris Taylor to end the inning.

With the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the fourth inning, it was Slater again put the end to a Giants rally, as he grounded into his second double play in three innings.

Evan Longoria grounded into the third one of the night in the bottom of the sixth inning after Joe Panik led off the inning with a single, but was then erased on the double play ball hit by Longoria.

Once again, in the bottom of the eighth inning, Longoria grounded into a double play to end the inning. Panik singled with one out, but was then retired for the second out of the inning.

Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen got Hundley to fly out for the first out of the inning, but Jansen hit Crawford; however, he was able to get Aramis Garcia to ground into the fifth double play of the night for the Giants to end the game.

Bumgarner, who started the season on the disabled list with a broken left finger suffered in his last start of spring training on March 23, went six innings, allowing three runs on seven hits, walking one and striking out six and he finished the 2018 season with a record of 6-7.

Slater was forced to leave the game with elbow soreness in his throwing arm, and will undergo an MRI on Saturday.

NOTES: This was the 250th career start of Bumgarner’s career, and only five pitchers who have reached that plateau since divisional play began in 1969, this according to STATS,LLC.

Giants closer Will Smith was named the 2018 Willie Mac Award winner. The award is given to the player who best exemplifies the inspiration, character and leadership that Willie McCovey demonstrated during his playing days for the Giants from 1959-1974, and then 1977-1980.

Smith, who missed all of the 2017 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, was one of the Giants top relievers this season. He posted a record of 2-3 with 1.90 ERA, while saving 14 games in 18 opportunities.

Joining Smith on the field at the ceremony were past winners, Mike Krukow, who was the Master of Ceremonies, Jack Clark , Darrell Evans, Chris Speier, Dave Dravecky, Mike Felder, Shawon Dunston, Ellis Burks, Mark Gardner, Buster Posey, Hunter Pence, Bumgarner, Crawford and Hundley.

Once again, the Giants topped the three million mark in attendance, as this was the 17th time in the 19 years since AT&T Park opened that they have eclipsed that mark and it is the ninth consecutive year that they accomplished the feat.

The five double plays hit by the Giants are a season high, and it was the first time since July 30, 2017, also against the Dodgers that the Giants hit into at least five double plays in a game.

UP NEXT: The Giants and Dodgers face each other again on Saturday afternoon at 1:05 pm PT.

Dereck Rodriguez makes his final start of the 2018 season on Saturday, as he looks to the finish the season on a high note and the Dodgers will send Clayton Kershaw to the mound.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: What’s the top highlight of this season? Who will be returning next season from the bullpen?

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

On the Giants podcast with Michael:

Our very own Morris Phillips says the top of the Giants offense on Wednesday was basically provided by catcher Aramis Garcia. Garcia hit one into the left field bleachers against the San Diego Padres on Wednesday night. It was not much, but Garcia contributed and manager Bruce Bochy said, “We were on hit away we’ve done that a few times.”

The Giants avoided sweep in the this series getting a win on Tuesday night 5-4 using seven pitchers. Of those pitchers Bochy was showcasing were Steven Okert, Reyes Montana, and Tony Watson for next season. The quest for a new general manager will begin this off season. This is the last Giants podcast for us and Michael tells us what his top highlight of 2018 is.

Michael Duca does the Giants podcasts each Friday for SportsRadioService.com

Giants can knock Dodgers out of the playoffs

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Photo credit: @NBCSGiants

By Jeremy Harness

We’ve seen this a few times before in the long history of these two teams.

There was 1982, when Joe Morgan’s homer knocked the Dodgers out of the playoffs on the final day of the regular season. However, the Giants also suffered heartbreak at the hands of the Dodgers in 1993, as the Dodgers blasted them 15-1 on the final day to keep them out of the postseason.

Compelling, potentially season-altering moments like these are exactly why the Giants and Dodgers engage in a three-game series to end the regular season year in and year out.

The Giants have been out of the playoff picture for quite some time, but the Dodgers are right in the middle of it. In fact, the three-game weekend series – the final three games of the regular season for both teams – is a make-or-break one for LA in every sense of the word.

The Dodgers are currently sit one game behind the Colorado Rockies for the National League West.

However, they are only one game ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals for the NL’s final playoff spot. In other words, the defending National League champs are hanging on by a thread.

Meanwhile, the Cardinals end the season with a three-game series with the Chicago Cubs, a team that has already clinched the top spot in the National League and will most likely look to rest its key players in order to get ready for the league’s Division Series next week.

To start the three-games series at AT&T Park, the Dodgers will send Hyun-jin Ryu (6-3, 2.00 ERA) to the mound against Giants lefty Madison Bumgarner (6-6, 3.20 ERA).

Ryu enters this matchup in fine form, as he did not give up a single run in each of his last two outings, giving up a total of eight hits over 13 innings in wins over the Rockies and San Diego Padres. Bumgarner has not been too bad himself, as he shut out the Rockies on Sept. 15 but gave up three runs over six innings in a no-decision against the Cardinals last Saturday.

Dereck Rodriguez (6-4, 2.50 ERA) will take the ball for the Giants on Saturday against Dodgers lefty Clayton Kershaw (9-5, 2.53 ERA). Rodriguez has lost each of his last two decisions, while Kershaw has won each of his last five.

To end the season, there will be a pair of rookies who take the mound, and this could very well decide the Dodgers’ season. Walker Buehler (7-5, 2.76 ERA) will go for the Dodgers against Giants lefty Andrew Suarez (7-12, 4.22 ERA).

Offense Optional: Youthful Giants look the part minus the timely base hits

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By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO — Aramis Garcia working the knee high socks, showing the extension on his swing, the big league balance on the follow through, and the majestic path of the baseball into the sparsely populated, left field bleachers.

And that is your San Francisco Giants offensive highlight of the evening.

No doubt, the new look Giants know how to compete, but don’t expect a bushel of wins until the formula includes singles, doubles and home runs to go with the effective pitching and stingy defense. In Wednesday’s 3-2 loss to the Padres, Garcia’s homer wasn’t just the highlight, it was the entirety of the Giants’ offense. Don’t blink or you’ll miss it.

“We were one hit away. We’ve done that a few times,” said manager Bruce Bochy, employing simple subtraction, three minus two.

Freddy Galvis singled and tripled, Travis Jankowski had a seventh inning home run among his three hits, and Luis Perdomo was the first of three relievers to combine for six plus innings of shutout baseball, leading the Padres to the win and the series victory.

The Giants played without Brandon Crawford and Evan Longoria in their starting lineup, giving the team a decidedly 2019 audition look with Hunter Pence and Gregor Blanco hitting first and second as part of their farewell tour. With the teams not obligated to tear at the others postseason aspirations, the lineups leaned toward inexperience.  Unfortunately for the Giants, their lineup also leaned toward ineffectiveness.

Abiatal Avelino, acquired in the Andrew McCutchen deal with the Yankees, singled in the third for the Giants’ first hit. Garcia homered in the seventh ahead of Joe Panik’s walk. And three singles followed, split among the seventh and eighth innings with little impact.

And that was it. Sure the Giants didn’t do much with only five hits, but credit San Diego’s bullpen. Since the All-Star break, the Padres’ pen has posted the National League’s lowest ERA. On Wednesday, they backed it up starting with Perdomo as the opener, and on to Miguel Diaz, who pitched the fifth and sixth innings and got the win.

Casey Kelly got the start for the Giants and pitched well, excepting his throwing (flipping) error and balk in the fifth. The balk scored Travis Jankowski from third and a 2-0 Padres lead.

Kelly was seeking his first big league win since 2012 when he was with the Padres. He’s lost nine decisions since then, and pitched in seven games with the Giants this season, all of them Giants’ losses. Having home plate umpire Ryan Additon catch him flinching slightly with a runner on third was more frustration.

“When I shook my head I kind of moved my hands. I think that’s whey they called it. Once it gets to that point there’s really no going back so there’s no sense in arguing,” Kelly said.

The Giants host the Dodgers in the season-concluding series beginning Friday night and the possibility for drama lies in the hands of the home team. The Dodgers fell out of first place on Wednesday, and pending the result of Thursday’s Phillies-Rockies game, could find themselves a full game back when Madison Bumgarner takes the mound against them on Friday.