Category: San Francisco Giants

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: Battle of Brandon Bats–Crawford and Belt hitting over .300 gives Giants’ offense a punch

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Photo credit: @GrantBrisbee

On the SF Giants podcast with Miguel:

The Giants’ first baseman Brandon Belt’s success of .304, 65 hits, 35 hits and 12 homers and Giants’ shortstop Brandon Crawford’s success of .310, 78 hits, 32 RBIs and eight home runs. Both are the main staples in the Giants’ lineup. Also, Giants’ outfielder Hunter Pence was noted as struggling as he had two RBIs last Wednesday against the Miami Marlins, but in hitting and defense, Pence has struggled. What has been his frustration?

Pitcher Madison Bumgarner improved his record to 1-2, tossing an eight inning, three-hit shutout and got bullpen help from Mark Melancon. Who closed the door on the Padres on Thursday night in the ninth inning?

Giants and Padres tonight from AT&T Park. The Giants will go with Chris Stratton 8-4. Michael goes over Stratton’s performance of late.

Michael Duca hosts the SF Giants podcast each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

MadBum, Giants shut down the Padres 3-0

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Photo credit: @sdutSanders

By Jeremy Harness

SAN FRANCISCO – It appears that the dominant Madison Bumgarner has returned, and that the hand injury that wrecked the first half of his season is in the rearview mirror.

The big lefty got his first win of the year Thursday night, as he threw zeroes at the San Diego Padres for eight innings as the Giants ran away with a 3-0 win at AT&T Park. In the process, Bumgarner also broke out of a major drought against San Diego. Prior to Thursday night, he was 0-4 with a 4.73 ERA in his previous six starts against the Padres.

He surrendered only three hits to the Padres while throwing exactly 100 pitches and walked two and struck out eight. Thursday marked the first time a starting pitcher has gone at least eight innings this season.

“He never stops trying to get better,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “It’s critical for your bullpen to have a guy or two who can get you deep into games. Those guys (in the bullpen) needed a break, especially the guys we’ve been using in the setup-closing role.” San Diego threatened to take the first lead, putting together a bit of a rally in the fifth inning, after Jose Pirela led off with a single and Manuel Margot followed that up with a double two at-bats later.

As Margot’s hit bounced off the right-field wall, Pirela got a little greedy, and the gamble did not pay off. Andrew McCutchen played the carom perfectly in right field and immediately hit his cut-off man, second baseman Joe Panik, as Pirela motored around third.

Panik then fired home, and catcher Buster Posey had plenty of time to tag out Pirela, who didn’t even bother to slide home. Bumgarner then retired the next batter, A.J Ellis, to kill the rally.

The Giants then led off their half of the inning with a single and a double to put runners in scoring position with nobody out. With one out, Bumgarner sent a fly ball deep enough into left field to allow Pablo Sandoval to tag up from third and give the Giants a 1-0 lead.

The Giants added another pair of runs in the eighth when Buster Posey singled in Alen Hanson, who led off the inning by legging out a triple. Four batters later, Posey motored home when Pirela could not haul in a soft fly ball by Sandoval in shallow right field, extending the Giants’ lead to three.

That lifted the pressure off the Giants, with the extra cushion allowing for the opportunity for Mark Melancon to pitch the ninth. The one-time closer has primarily worked the sixth and seventh innings this year while making his way back from a flexor strain in his right elbow, an injury that kept him out of the first 56 games.

Melancon hit a slight bump early on, allowing a single to Hunter Renfroe but retired the next three hitters in order to nail down his first save of the year.

“It’s good to get him out there and get him a save. I’m sure he felt good to be out there in a save situation, where he’s been so many times,” Bochy said. “We lost Hunter (Strickland), but to have three or four guys who are comfortable pitching the eighth and ninth innings is invaluable.”

San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips and Michael Duca: Giants with lowest save percentage in NL looking for relief

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

On the SF Giants podcast with Morris and Michael:

The San Francisco Giants have the lowest save percentage in the MLB. The Giants are not even in the ballpark when it comes to saves with the rest of the National League bullpens. The Giants’ save percentage is 14 saves in 30 opportunities.

Right around 52%–surprisingly, San Diego is No. 1 at 82%. Obviously, the Padres haven’t had that many save opportunities that allowed the percentages to jump up. If your closer is having a great season (statistically) and you got 14 blown saves, four of which are attributed to Giants’ relief pitcher Hunter Strickland, you have to ask how do you characterize that?

There’s much more as Michael and Morris do the Giants podcast each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Dicey Dyson: Giants need rookie to bail out new closer in 6-5 win over the Marlins

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By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–It’s not going to be easy. The Giants have too many injuries, inexperience in key places, too many moving parts to run over anybody. Wednesday’s narrow, heart-stopping 6-5 win over the Marlins was another example of that.

The Giants held a couple of enviable leads–5-1 after six innings and 6-3 after eight–but had to hold on when newly-anointed closer Sam Dyson gave up four hits and two runs in the ninth. But with the Curse of the Marlins on the doorstep, rookie Reyes Moronta struck out JB Shuck with two runners aboard to end it.

“Reyes has done some closing in the minor leagues and he’s got the equipment to do it,” manager Bruce Bochy said.

The Giants have won 9 of 11 at home, not enough success to counteract 18 losses in their last 25 road contests, but enough to keep them within four games of division-leading Arizona. But to make continued headway, the Giants will have to fill in the gaps like Moronta did Wednesday.

Hunter Pence and Derek Holland were the other key contributors early in the game, two guys that weren’t essentially included in the season’s original blueprint either. Pence delivered an RBI single, the third run in the Giants’ five-run sixth. Pence was hitting .174 with no home runs entering the at-bat.

Holland pitched six, strong innings before allowing hits to the first, two batters in the seventh. The 31-year old picked up the win, allowing three runs on seven hits, striking out seven, while walking two.

 

 

 

Hunter Strickland is in good company right now

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Photo credit: @NBCSGiants

By: Ana Kieu

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — It’s safe to say that San Francisco Giants pitcher Hunter Strickland is in good company because he’s not going to leave the team anytime soon.

The Giants concluded the first three games of a 10-game homestand against the Miami Marlins on Wednesday afternoon at AT&T Park. This comes less than 24 hours after various sources reported that Strickland would be out for six to eight weeks following a pitching hand injury after punching a door. That being said, Strickland was the second Giant to suffer an injury this week as the most recent injury occurred to infielder Alen Hanson, who left Wednesday’s game with a left knee contusion.

I’m not saying that Strickland should be let go due to his recent injury, but for his seemingly anger-filled past of detrimental incidents like his brawl with Washington Nationals star Bryce Harper, which apparently ended former MLBer Mike Morse’s career, and his shouting match with Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez, which cleared both benches at the 2014 World Series.

Of course, that’s not going to happen because Strickland does have potential and I can see why Giants head coach Bruce Bochy and company wants to keep him around. Well, at least for the time being. The Giants could win some games to make the playoffs, but they have to fix a couple of things.

Perhaps the Giants could get a head start by considering a release of Strickland because he seems to be a bit too emotional for reasons that seem to be unnecessary at least 50% of the time. Not only that, Strickland appears to be more of a liability for the Giants, a team that has been struggling this season.

In my opinion, there’s a chance that Strickland could find himself wearing another team’s uniform next season, especially if the Giants decide to go with a younger group of prospects in hopes of replenishing their farm system.

My 13 Favorite MLB Cities

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By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO — Over the past eight summers, I have taken at one least road trip with the San Francisco Giants, and I thought that it was about time to reveal my favorite road cities.

When this annual road trip began in 2010, I thought that it would be a one-time thing; however, it was not like that at all.

Of the 15 National League Cities, I have not been to Atlanta, Cincinnati, or Milwaukee, but they are definitely on my list.

As for the 15 American League Cities, I have yet to go to games in Anaheim, Baltimore, Chicago, Cleveland, Houston, Kansas City, Minnesota, Seattle, Tampa Bay, Texas and Toronto.

Here is the list of my favorite major-league cities I have been to since the 2010 World Championship year.

1. New York City: There is not a bad thing that you can say about “The City That Never Sleeps.” The food is fantastic, especially the deli and pizza. The museums are amazing as well, especially the 9/11 Memorial and the New York Transit Museum.

2. Chicago: This is the hometown to my mother, my grandparents, and many other relatives. Try deep dish pizza, hot dogs with no ketchup (a crime in Chicago) and a hot beef Sandwich. Walk the Magnificent Mile (Michigan Ave) run along Lake Shore Drive.

3. Philadelphia: The history in “The City of Brotherly Love,” goes back to when this country was founded, as the Declaration of Independence was signed at Independence Hall. You also have to visit The Liberty Bell and check out City Hall. Have a cheesesteak at Dalesandro’s, my personal favorite. Also try Dinic’s in The Reading Terminal, where you have to a Roast Beef sandwich, double dipped with broccoli rabe. After the sandwich at Dinic’s, you must go to Bassett’s Ice Cream, a legendary in the Philadelphia area since 1861. A definite sight for me is the Rocky Statue at the base of the steps at The Philadelphia Art Museum, and you also must run the 72 steps and stand in the same spot that Sylvester Stallone stepped on in the classic Rocky back in 1976.

4. Los Angeles: This is my hometown, so I have no complaints about this city. My first stop when I go home is the corner of West Beverly and Rampart for a Chili Burger at Tommy’s. I still have a lot of friends in Los Angeles, so I try and get together with some of them each trip.

5. Boston: Another great historical American city. Definitely do The Freedom Trail, have some clam chowder and lobster while you are in Beantown. Being a diehard Los Angeles Lakers fan, you know that there is no love lost with the Boston Celtics, but a trip to the Gahden is a must. I could not get into the building, but I saw it the outside and got to one of the doors that leads into the building.

6. Washington, D.C.: This is a city I have been going to since I was 11 years and it has changed over the years, but I love this great city. Go to the Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, MLK Memorial and the Washington Monument. I am a huge fan of museums, so you must see the Smithsonian, especially the U.S. History, Air and Space and the African American Museum. As for food, you must to the U Street Cardozo area for a Half-Smoke at Ben’s Chili Bowl, a D.C. institution since 1958.

7. Detroit: Since Michigan is the home state of my father, I have traveled here many times in my life. Go to Greektown, where you can gamble, walk along the Detroit River and view Canada, which is South of Detroit. It is the only place that Canada is South of the United States. Check out the Fist of Joe Louis at the corner of Woodward and Jefferson, also go to The Spirit of Detroit, in front of the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center on Woodward. Even though I have yet to go there, but it is on my list is the Motown Museum. I also want to visit the Detroit Historical Museum. You must go for a Coney at both American (since 1917) and directly next door at Lafayette (Since 1923). The two restaurants were founded by the Keros Brothers.

8. Denver:Even though the airport is far away, this is a great city. I loved walking there, especially to the State Capitol, which when you are on one step is exactly 5,280 feet above Sea Level (A Mile High). Also walk along the river, which is a peaceful walk as well. Go to Sam’s #3 near the 16thStreet Mall for a big breakfast.

9. San Diego:A great city that you can definitely walk around. Check out Navy Ship Row down near the San Diego Harbor. Old Town San Diego is awesome as well. Take the Amtrak to Los Angeles, and it is an amazing view, as you are on the Pacific Ocean for a lot of the ride up the coast.

10. St. Louis: Great walking city, go to the Gateway Arch, as the view from the top is amazing. Walk along the Mississippi River. Go to the Budweiser Plant for a tour. You must try Pappy’s for BBQ.

11. Pittsburgh: When you get into Pittsburgh from the Airport, and you travel through the Fort Pitt Tunnel and come out in the City, that is one of the best views in the United States. Another great walking city, as you walk along the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio Rivers. Definitely go to Primanti’s for a sandwich.

12. Phoenix: Too hot to remember, as I did not spend a lot of time outside of my room and the ballpark. Did go to Alice Cooperstown for the Big Unit Hot Dog.

13. Miami: South Beach is a must to go to–either to eat, drink or walk along the Atlantic Ocean. Go to Calle Ocho to Versailles for Cuban Food.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Marko Ukalovic: Have Giants run out of patience after most recent Strickland meltdown?

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thenational.com file photo: Fist Bump — San Francisco pitcher Hunter Strickland (60) tangles with the Washington Nationals Bryce Harper (34) during last season’s bench emptying brawl at AT&T Park

On the SF Giants podcast with Marko:

San Francisco Giants pitcher Hunter Strickland has had his fair share issues dealing with emotions going back to the 2014 World Series, where he got into a shouting match with the Royals’ Salvador Perez, which emptied the benches. In 2017, he beaned Washington Nationals’ star Bryce Harper, which sent Harper swinging at Strickland and emptying the benches, and a game he coughed up a right field single to allow the game-winning run to score in the top of the ninth. On Monday night against the Marlins going back to the clubhouse, he punched a door breaking his hand and forcing him to be out of action for six to eight weeks.

Strickland has had problems controlling his emotions. This is something manager Bruce Bochy admitted to during Monday’s press conference following the Giants’ loss. We asked Marko is that more a detriment or will the Giants look the other way and keep the relief pitcher? Strickland did save 13 of his last 17 games but has two consecutive blown saves in his last two games.

Today’s starters for the Miami Marlins: Jose Urena (2-8) goes up against the Giants’ Derek Holland (4-7) at a 12:45 pm start at AT&T Park.

Marko Ukalovic does the Giants podcasts each Wednesday and is a beat reporter covering the Giants at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Rodriguez goes 5 innings in Giants’ 6-3 win over Marlins

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Photo credit: @NBCSGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO — On a day where the San Francisco Giants learned their closer will be lost for anywhere from six to eight weeks, the team responded with a hard-fought victory.

Buster Posey got the Giants on the board in the bottom of the first inning and never looked back, as the Giants defeated the Miami Marlins 6-3 before a crowd of 37,242 at AT&T Park on Tuesday night.

Dereck Rodriguez pitched a strong five innings, as he allowed three runs on seven hits, while not walking a batter and striking out six and won for the second time this season.

Rodriguez hit Lewis Brinson in the top of the second inning, Brinson was the batter that Hunter Strickland yelled at on Monday night prior to leaving and eventually breaking his right hand when put his right hand through a door and broke it.

Both the Giants and the Marlins were warned by home plate umpire Andy Fletcher after Rodriguez hit Brinson.

“He handled himself well, terrific job,” said head coach Bruce Bochy.

Gorkys Hernandez extended the Giants lead up to 3-0 in the bottom of the second inning, as he hit his eighth home run of the season.

Following a Rodriguez strikeout, Joe Panik walked and then things got very interesting at 24 Willie Mays Plaza.

Dan Straily, whose pitch broke Evan Longoria’s left hand on Thursday afternoon at Marlins Park then hit Posey after Panik, and was immediately ejected from the game by Fletcher. Marlins manager Don Mattingly was also ejected.

Straily went only 1.1 innings, allowing three runs on four hits, walking two and striking out one, as his record fell to 2-3 on the season.

The Marlins finally got on the board in the top of the fourth inning, as JT Riddle tripled to right center field to score both Starlin Castro, who singled to lead off the inning and then Miguel Rojas, who also singled.

Rodriguez would then regroup, as he struck out Brinson and Elieser Hernandez, but then Rodriguez hit Derek Dietrich and then Brian Anderson doubled in Riddle to get the Marlins within one run. He ended up striking out the side, as he got J.T. Realmuto swinging to end the inning.

“Thought he threw the ball well,” said Posey.

The Giants extended their lead up to three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, as Alen Hanson picked up his third hit of the night, as he doubled to score Pablo Sandoval, who walked to lead-off the inning. After the Hanson double, Hernandez picked up his third hit, as he hit a bloop double that fell between Castro, Brinson and Riddle that scored Mac Wililamson.

After Rodriguez left after five innings, Bochy turned the ball over to his bullpen and they responded in a fantastic manner.

The quartet of Ty Blach, Mark Melancon, Will Smith, and Sam Dyson pitched four strong innings, not allowing a run on one hit, walking two and striking out five.

Dyson pitched the ninth inning, as he picked up his second save of the season, both coming in the last five days. Dyson also saved the Giants 16-inning win over the Marlins on Thursday afternoon at Marlins Park.

“Sam will get most of the saves,” said Bochy.

NOTES: Derek Holland takes the mound in the series and season finale against the Marlins, as he looks to raise his record to 5-7 on the season, while the Marlins will Jose Urena to the mound, as he looks for his third win of the season.

Strickland will be lost to the team for six to eight weeks after he broke his right hand after punching a door after Monday’s heartbreaking 5-4 loss to the Marlins.

He underwent surgery on his broken hand this afternoon, as the surgery was performed by Giants team Hand Surgeon Dr. Scott Hansen.

Longoria, who broke his left hand on Thursday when he was hit by a Straily pitch, underwent surgery in Los Angeles to repair his left hand.

UP NEXT: The Giants will conclude their series with the Marlins on Wednesday afternoon at 12:45 pm PDT.

Hunter Strickland out 6-8 weeks with a broken right hand

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Photo credit: @BR_MLB

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO — You can add another player to the list of San Francisco Giants who have been injured during the 2018 season.

Hunter Strickland, who became the team’s closer during the season after replacing the injured Mark Melancon, will be out anywhere from six to eight weeks after breaking his right hand after Monday’s 5-4 loss to the Miami Marlins at AT&T Park.

Strickland, who blew just his fourth save of the season, broke his pitching hand after he was pulled from the game and punched a door.

Prior to breaking his hand, Strickland converted 13 out of 17 saves on the season and in Monday’s game, it was the second consecutive blown save for him.

It was just the fourth time in Strickland’s career that he allowed two or more runs in the same game.

Giants’ hand surgeon Dr. Scott Hansen is repairing the broken right hand of Strickland.

Either Sam Dyson or Tony Watson will fill the closer role until further notice, and Pierce Johnson will be recalled from the Triple-A Sacramento Rivercats to take Strickland’s place on the roster.

Strickland is the second Giants player to have hand surgery today, as Evan Longoria underwent surgery on his right hand earlier today in Los Angeles.

Longoria, who broke his right hand after he was struck on the hand by a Dan Straily pitch in the series finale on Thursday afternoon at Marlins Park, a game that the Giants would eventually win 6-3 in 16 innings.

Fishy Circumstances: Once again, Giants allow last-place Marlins to look better than they actually are

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By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO — Hunter Strickland: Close or not to close? That is the question.

For eight innings on Monday, numerous storylines swirled around the windy ballpark by the Bay, most of them surrounding a redemptive win for the Giants over the Miami Marlins, their lowly, youthful nemesis from the National League East.

But all those storylines were flushed when Strickland entered, and walked two of the first three batters he faced, on his way to turning a 4-2 lead into a bitterly, disappointing 5-4 loss.

Quite naturally, manager Bruce Bochy emerged for his post-game presser and the questions surfaced: What’s going on with Strickland? Should he be the closer if Mark Melancon’s healthy? How can he can be the guy if only his fastball is thrown with confidence and proficiency?

“There’s no reason to have a leash on him,” Bochy calmly reasoned.  “He’s pitched well.”

And so continues Bochy’s belief in the hard-throwing right hander, a belief that began with the 2014 World Series, even as Strickland allowed home run after home run.

And the truth is, over the years, Strickland’s got better and better, in concert with Bochy’s steady belief… for the most part.

Monday just wasn’t Strickland’s night, not by any stretch. Nor the Giants, who have suddenly lost seven of 11, and are on mid-season, life support, even in the forgiving NL West.

“For eight innings, we played great baseball,” Bochy said.  “Couldn’t add on…”

Great baseball, then pfffft? Yes.

Andrew Suarez–in his second, consecutive start against the team he grew up watching–had the type of start he wanted in Miami. Suarez pitched into the seventh inning, striking out seven, walking one, before departing with a two-run lead. Making his 11th big league start, the former Miami Hurricane looked like he deserves to make another 100 starts: he was efficient, threw strikes and quietly set the tone for what the Giants hope is a bounce back homestand.

Sam Dyson followed, retiring all five batters he faced. Pablo Sandoval supplied the big blow, a two-run shot in the Giants’ three-run second. Buster Posey, limited in the Dodgers series, started behind the plate, and doubled leading off that inning, setting the table for Joe Panik as well as Sandoval.

Kelby Tomlinson started in place of Brandon Crawford (off to celebrate the birth of his child) and made it happen at short with a pair of Crawford-like fielding plays.

Bochy’s claim of beautiful baseball prior to the ninth? Not far from fact. Not adding on? The Giants went scoreless over the final, six innings of the ballgame. The Giants’ first three hitters in Monday’s lineup–Gorkys Hernandez, Brandon Belt and Andrew McCutchen combined for just one hit (1 for 12, one run scored).

That bring us back to Strickland, who entered Monday’s game having converted 11 of his previous 12 save opportunities, and hadn’t allowed an earned run since May 28 at Colorado. But while facing the bottom half of the Marlins’ lineup, Strickland couldn’t settle in, walking Brian Anderson before allowing J.T. Realmuto’s RBI double. Strickland then walked Justin Bour, a guy who had two hits in his previous 15 at-bats.

One out later, Lewis Brinson, hitting .179, singled home Realmuto, tying the game, 5-5. The next hitter, Miguel Rojas delivered the go- ahead run with a single to right.

“Nothing seemed to be right and working for me,” Strickland admitted.

In his previous 33 appearances in 2018, Strickland walked just 11 batters, and had walked more than one batter just twice. The multiple home runs Strickland allowed in the 2014 postseason aren’t issues any longer. In 2018, Strickland’s allowed a home run to Eric Hosmer and one other to Paul Goldschmidt.

So all numbers point to an off night, and Melancon’s likely to be Strickland’s richly-paid understudy for the forseeable future.

The Giants have now dropped four of five to the Marlins, and are 2-9 against the fish over the last two seasons.

Dereck Rodriguez gets the start Tuesday in a matchup against Miami’s Dan Straily, the former Oakland Athletic.