Tag: San Francisco Giants

MadBum returns to SF as opponent

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The photo proves it that this Diamondback is back . After suffering from back problems that kept him out for much of this season Bumgarner seen here threw against the San Diego Padres Sun Aug 8th Bumgarner will be into pay a visit to his former team the San Francisco Giants for the weekend series and will be getting the start on Saturday night (AP News file photo)

By Jeremy Harness

In spring training, Giants fans undoubtedly anticipated seeing Madison Bumgarner toe the rubber at Oracle Park as a member of the opposing team.

That moment will come this Saturday, as his Arizona Diamondbacks visit the Giants for a three-game series that starts Friday night, with the left-hander starting the second game of the series.

We witnessed Cavaliers fans giving a hero’s welcome to LeBron James during his second return to Cleveland as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers last season. In 2002, the Chicago crowd gave former Bulls great Michael Jordan a minutes-long standing ovation when being introduced in his first game in Chicago with the Washington Wizards.

Cutouts, and whatever kind of fake crowd noise that the Giants brass can think of will be in the crowd to greet Bumgarner this Saturday.

Cutouts.

Fake crowd noise.

Another reason why this joke of an MLB season should have been shut down for good. That, along with the COVID-19 outbreak that ravaged the majority of the Miami Marlins team earlier in the season, as well as an employee of the A’s organization testing positive for the virus, which forced the postponement of their series with the Houston Astros and put the brakes on the ensuing series in Seattle before it even started.

Partially because of this, Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen was caught saying that MLB commissioner Rob Manfred “just doesn’t get it.” Van Wagenen is almost certainly not the only one who feels this way.

Yes, baseball is being played, but there is next to no energy and a severe lack of enthusiasm for obvious reasons, with seemingly the only reason to go on with the season is for owners to line their pocketbooks and to justify paying their players.

And because of that, here we are. There will be no fans in the stands, and that is an absolute shame. Giants fans will not get to see Madison Bumgarner in person to give him the hero’s welcome that he deserves. And that is an injustice.

Brodie Van Wagenen is right. Rob Manfred does not get it. And he has had many chances to figure it out, and he has come up short each time, and this is perfect example of that.

Giants bullpen blows lead vs. Rox in 9-6 loss

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Colorado Rockies Kevin Pillar has second base stolen after the throw is late to the San Francisco Giants second baseman Donavan Solano in the fourth inning of the second and concluding game of the two game series (AP News photo)

By Jeremy Harness

A day after pounding the Colorado Rockies into submission, Thursday afternoon looked very good for the Giants.

Then starter Logan Webb exited the game, and in came the Giants’ bullpen, which has been lights-out in recent weeks. Not this time, however.

The relievers imploded, as two runs crossed the plate in the sixth while five more scored in the seventh inning to surrender their once-sizable lead. The Giants offense, which was dominant in a 23-5 win Tuesday and piled up a 6-1 lead after four innings, could not come up with anything in the last two innings, as the Giants fell 9-6 at Coors Field.

Webb pitched brilliantly for much of the afternoon, going 5 1/3 innings and striking out five while walking only two and was in line to get his third win of the season, but he was ultimately charged with four earned runs.

Mike Yastrzemski continues to swing a hot bat, as he went 3-for-5 with a pair of RBI on Wednesday. He started the scoring with a solo home run over the right-field wall, and then he singled in Joey Bart in the fifth.

For the Rockies, shortstop Trevor Story also had three hits and knocked in a run in the fifth with a double. He also made a fine diving stop and threw from one knee deep in the hole in short to rob Bart of a hit.

Center fielder Kevin Pillar, who spent last season with the Giants, had a nice afternoon against his former team, collecting a pair of hits, including a triple in the seventh that gave Colorado the lead for good.

A memorable night in Denver in Giants big win 23-5

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San Francisco Giants Alex Dickerson connects with the first of three home runs for the night. Here he takes Colorado Rockies pitcher Jon Gray deep at Coors Field in Denver on Tuesday night (photo from sfgate.com)

By Jeremy Kahn

When you head to Coors Field in Denver, anything can happen in a game between the San Francisco Giants and the Colorado Rockies.

Alex Dickerson hit three home runs and picked up 16 total bases, tying Willie Mays for the most in the most in the San Francisco era. Mays picked his 16 total bases against the Milwaukee Braves at County Stadium on April 30, 1961.

Dickerson hit a 480-foot home run into the upper deck in right field, helping the Giants to a 23-5 victory over the Rockies at Coors Field.

The Giants tied the San Francisco record for most runs in a game with 23 and most hits in a game with 27, tying the record that took place on June 8, 1990 against the Atlanta Braves at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium.

Going into the ninth inning, the Giants were trying to become the first team this century to score in all nine innings; however, usual Rockies catcher Drew Butera put a halt to that chance.

The trio of Dickerson, Brandon Crawford and Donovan Solano became the first three players to drive at six runs in the same game since RBIs became a stat 100 years ago during the 1920 season.

Dickerson put the Giants on the board in the top of the first inning, as he launched the second longest home run of the season, as his 480-foot home run that landed in the upper deck came up three feet short of tying Giancarlo Stanton of the New York Yankees for the longest home run of the season.

Once again, Dickerson hit a home run in the top of the second inning, as he hit a two-run home run in the top of the second inning, as the Giants scored four runs and took a 5-0 lead. With the second home run by Dickerson, it became the first home run of game of Dickersons career.

Dickerson hit a double in the top of the fourth inning and then hit his third home run against Jairo Garcia in the top of the sixth.

In the top of the ninth inning, Dickerson barely missed tying Mays record with four home runs, as he doubled off the left-center field wall. It was the fifth hit and second double of the night for Dickerson, who became the first player since Matt Carpenter last season to have five extra base hits in the same game.

Kevin Gausman went five innings, allowing two runs and two hits to pick up his second win of the season. Both of the hits that Gausman allowed were home runs by Garrett Hampson.

NOTES: Those 23 runs were the third-most that the Rockies allowed in team history, behind the 26 runs that the Chicago Cubs scored on August 18, 1995 and the 24 runs they allowed to the Cincinnati Reds on May 19, 1999. The 27 hits by the Giants tied for the most allowed by a Rockies team, set when the Cubs also hit 27 in that 1995 game.

Daniel Robertson was called up from the alternate site in Sacramento and made his Giants debut and singled in his Giants debut in the top of the eighth inning.

Former Giants outfielder Kevin Pillar made his debut for the Rockies, as he started in centerfield, one day after being acquired from the Boston Red Sox.

UP NEXT: Logan Webb looks to even his record on the season at 3-3, as he takes the mound in the series and road trip finale for the Giants, while Kyle Freeland heads to the mound for the Rockies, as they look to split the series.

Giants stay pat at the trade deadline, zero in on the Rockies

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photo: San Francisco Giants general manager Farhan Zaidi was dealing on Monday as the Giants acquired left hand pitcher Anthony Banda from the Tampa Bay Rays 

By Morris Phillips

The Giants won a road series for the first time in 2020, no small feat when you consider the physical and mental challenges involved with travel during the pandemic, along with trying to turn around 93 mph splitters.

The team picked to finish last in the last in the NL West is now a game behind third-place Colorado, and has won nine of 12 games. Baseball-Reference is feeling the Giants as well, saying they’re the (slight) favorite to overtake the Rockies for the last playoff spot in the National League’s expanded field of eight teams.

So the August 31 trade deadline must have been eventful for a club looking for reinforcements for the stretch run. Right?

The answer: not really.

The Giants acquired pitcher Anthony Banda, who had been placed on irrevocable waivers by the Rays. Dereck Rodriguez, who was designated for assignment by the Giants, got picked up by the Tigers. Two transactions, no trades for the Giants.

The message undoubtedly is that the front office likes this group, despite its flaws and bullpen deficiencies. But the greater point is–and this goes for all 30 teams–the 2020 deadline is no place for significant, and costly, player movement given the uncertainty for the rest of the season, and beyond with no framework for a new collective bargaining agreement in place for 2021 and beyond.

But for now, this point rings true: the Giants like this group, and more so, they like the significant improvement in their farm system and were reluctant to part with any prized assets.

“You can tell there’s a lot of belief within the group about what we can accomplish here down the stretch,” president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi said on Monday after the 1pm deadline passed.

The Giants are offensively competent for the first time in years. From Mike Yastrzemski and Donovan Solano, who have appeared at the top of the NL’s offensive categories throughout the first half of the season, to Brandon Belt, Evan Longoria and Alex Dickerson, the Giants have capable hitters throughout their lineup. At home, the group has averaged six runs per game, making Oracle Park seem hitter friendly maybe for the first time ever.

The pitching and defense have improved as the season has progressed, despite injuries to Jeff Samardzija and Drew Smyly, and the failure of Trevor Gott to seize the closer’s role.

Johnny Cueto has anchored the staff with a string of quality starts, including Sunday at Arizona where he allowed a run in 6 2/3 innings of work. Moving Cueto at the trade deadline never came to pass as teams passed on the hefty remainder of his contract.

The Giants biggest advantage however, maybe their remaining schedule. They remain one of the few teams that hasn’t experienced any disruptions to its schedule–excepting last week’s postponement in protest of Jacob Blake’s shooting. Their next two road contests loom as their biggest as the Giants visit Colorado for games on Tuesday night and Wednesday afternoon. Their last 10 contests all take place in the Bay Area: three at Oakland, followed by the final seven at Oracle Park.

The eight qualifiers for the playoffs will be the top two finishers in each division, plus the next two best records. Because no one is playing league games outside their division, and the interleague schedule hasn’t seen any teams compile a difference-making record, finishing third in the West is the goal for the Giants. The Dodgers and Padres appear to be too far in front, and the third place finisher in the West should qualify, while the fourth place finisher probably won’t qualify.

The Rockies upgraded at the trade deadline, ironically by acquiring Kevin Pillar from the Red Sox to give them greater flexibility in the outfield. Pillar revived his career with the Giants in 2019, only to not be offered a deal by the club for this season.

The Giants send Kevin Gausman to the mound on Tuesday to face Jon Gray. Logan Webb will pitch Wednesday versus Kyle Freeland.

 

Giants take 2 of 3 from Snakes in weekend set; SF gets 4-1 win from D-Backs

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San Francisco Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford (right) gets the relay to second baseman Donavan Solano (left) for the force out the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field (AP News photo)

By Daniel Dullum
Sports Radio Service
Sunday, August 30, 2020

San Francisco claimed the rubber match of its three-game weekend series in Phoenix Sunday, defeating the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-1 earning its first road series win of the season. It was also the Giants’ ninth win in their last 12 games.

The Giants got a quality start from Johnny Cueto, who surrendered one run on three hits in 6 2/3 innings. Alex Dickerson hit a solo home run in the first inning and delivered an RBI single in the eighth inning off D-Backs reliever Archie Bradley after Arizona’s Stefan Crichton (2-2) allowed a pair of baserunners.

Evan Longoria, who has swung a hot bat all weekend, added a two-run base hit. Tyler Rogers (2-3) worked a perfect bottom of the eighth to earn the win.

Sam Coonrod turned in a 1-2-3 ninth to earn his first career save.

Offensive struggles continue to plague the Diamondbacks. Eduardo Escobar hit a solo home run that tied the game at 1-1 in the seventh, and starter Taylor Clarke allowed one hit in five innings, but Arizona mustered only three hits and has lost 10 of its last 11 games.

Checking the injured list, The Giants said that an MRI on Trevor Cahill’s left hip disclosed joint inflammation. Cahill will start anti-inflammatory medicine and be evaluated later this week. Meanwhile, left-hander Drew Smyly (finger), right-hander Jeff Samardzija (shoulder) and outfielder Austin Slater (groin) will reportedly check in at the Giants’ alternate training site to start rehab.

Former Giants ace Madison Bumgarner, who has been on the shelf since Aug. 9 with back spasms, threw a simulated game on Saturday.

The Giants have Monday off, then start a series in Denver against the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday.

Giants pound Snakes pitching in 5-2 victory

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San Francisco Giant outfielder Mike Yastrzemski watches the flight of his RBI double in the second inning of Saturday night’s game at Chase Field against the Arizona Diamondbacks (AP News photo)

By Daniel Dullum
Sports Radio Service
Saturday, August 29, 2020

San Francisco jumped to a four-run lead Saturday against Arizona, and the Giants rolled to a 5-2 win over the Diamondbacks at Chase Field.

Evan Longoria, Brandon Crawford, Mauricio Dubòn, Brandon Belt and Alex Dickerson each had two hits, as the Giants outhit Arizona 13-3. Longoria doubled twice, and Mike Yastrzemski, Belt and Crawford each had a two-bagger.

Giants starter Trevor Cahill worked 3 1/3 innings before being pulled in favor of Jarlin Garcia (2-1). Sam Coonrod, Trevor Gott and Tony Watson each threw a scoreless inning, and Tyler Rogers did the same to earn his second save.

San Francisco did most of its offensive damage against D-Backs starter Luke Weaver (1-5), who surrendered four earned runs on eight hits in three innings.

Longoria put the Giants ahead in the first inning with an RBI double that drove in Alex Dickerson. Belt followed with a run-scoring double, plating Longoria, giving San Francisco a 2-0 lead.

In the Giants’ second, Yastrzemski’s double to right center drove in Dubòn. One inning later, Pablo Sandoval’s RBI single drove in Longoria.

Arizona’s Christian Walker belted a two-run homer in the bottom of the fourth, but Wilmer Flores provided the Giants with an insurance run in the top of the ninth with a solo home run, his eighth of the season.

San Francisco improved to 16-19, and the Diamondbacks slipped to 14-20. The rubber match is scheduled for Sunday afternoon. Johnny Cueto (2-0, 5.40) starts for the Giants against the D-Backs’ Taylor Clarke (1-0, 2.33).

San Francisco Giants game wrap: Gallen holds Giants in 7 innings D-Backs score four in fifth in 7-4 win

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The Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen went seven innings against the San Francisco Giants giving up five hits and one earned run at Chase Field in Phoenix in game one of the three game series Fri Aug 28, 2020 (AP photo)

By Daniel Dullum

Sports Radio Service

Friday, August 28, 2020

Zac Gallen threw seven strong innings, and Arizona forged a four-run rally in the fifth inning to pull away from San Francisco and defeat the Giants 7-4 Friday night at Chase Field in Phoenix for the Giants third straight loss.

The win snapped an eight-game Diamondbacks losing streak.

Gallen (1-0) struck out five, walked one and scattered five hits. He was working on a shutout until Evan Longoria hit a two-out solo home run in the top of the sixth.

Tyler Anderson (1-2) was roughed up early by the D-Backs, giving up seven earned runs on nine hits in 4 2/3 innings. Anderson struck out three and walked three.

Arizona took a 1-0 lead in the first on Starling Marte’s RBI single, and extended its lead to 3-0 in the third on a Christian Walker sacrifice fly and an RBI single by David Peralta.

In the Diamondbacks’ four-run fifth, Marte and Walker each had a run-scoring single, Marte scored on an Anderson throwing error, and Nick Ahmed drove in Walker with a ground rule double.

Longoria’s solo shot to left put the Giants on the board in the sixth. Then, in the top of the ninth, Wilmer Flores drove in Brandon Belt with a double, and Brandon Crawford hit his third home run of the season.

Crawford’s two-run shot pulled the Giants to within 7-4, but Diamondbacks reliever Taylor Widener struck out Joey Bart and Steven Duggar grounded out to end the game.

The second game of the weekend series starts at 5:10 Saturday afternoon.

 

 

Dodgers drub Giants with doubleheader sweep, win 2-0 in the nightcap

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By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–The Giants’ impressive seven-game win streak ran into the Dodgers’ once-in-a-century streak of seven, consecutive division titles on Thursday and it wasn’t much of a battle.

In fact, it was a wipeout as the Dodgers swept, winning 7-0 in the opener and 2-0 in the nightcap. The Dodgers hadn’t posted shutouts in both games of a twin bill since 1971 against the Braves.

So consider the feat–49 years removed from its last occurrence–the halfway point between the two, aforementioned streaks and call it a day.

Manager Dave Roberts felt one shutout set up the other, referencing Clayton Kershaw’s dominant six innings in the opener.

“For Clayton to set the tone in Game 1 obviously gave us a lot of flexibility in Game 2,” Roberts said. “To regroup today, focus on baseball and win two baseball games against a division rival was good.”

The intensity for both clubs at the outset of the afternoon was obvious. Not only was the season series at stake with the rivals tied at four games a piece, the Giants were playing meaningful games late in a season for the first time since 2016. Then Clay Bellinger came up with a pair of highlight catches and Kershaw settled in.

During the second game, that obvious intensity disappeared as the Dodgers seamlessly replaced injured, scheduled starter Walker Buehler with opener Chris Ferguson and six, other relievers in a two-hit gem. Highlighting the Dodgers depth and overall talent, six of the seven pitchers entered the game with earned run averages 1.74 or better, and all six lowered their number as Brusdar Graterol and closer Kenley Jansen were the only two to allow hits, both singles to Belt.

The Dodgers only managed three hits, but one was Joc Pederson’s solo shot in the second, and another Will Smith’s RBI double that scored Pederson in the fourth.

Kevin Gausman enhanced his perceived trade deadline value by pitching into the fifth, allowing three hits, two walks and both Dodgers’ runs.

Mike Yastrzemski and Donovan Solano went hitless after collecting a hit a piece in the opener. The Giants’ MLB second-best runs per game average at home took a hit during the scoreless afternoon. The Giants were averaging 6 1/2 runs per game at Oracle Park coming in.

The Dodgers improved to 24-9 on the season, and increased their lead in the NL West over the Padres to five games. The Giants fell to fourth place at 15-18.

Dodgers, Kershaw bring Giants’ seven-game streak to a halt, win 7-0 in doubleheader opener

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By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–Bookmark the Clayton Kershaw-Brandon Belt matchup as today’s barometer for success… or failure.

After the Dodgers and Giants took Tuesday night off in a historic and emotional occasion of social activism, pitching and hitting returned in a big way with the Giants trying to extend their seven-game, offense-fueled win streak against Kershaw, the most successful starting pitcher of the last decade, and by far, the guy the Giants and Belt least like to see on the mound.

Now the numbers available to both managers prior to the first game of the unique, seven-inning doubleheader.

Belt, in one of the finest, offensive showings in his career (9 plus seasons) had four hits, including two homers, a double in the Giants’ epic 10-8 win over the Dodgers in 11 innings on Tuesday.

Kershaw has owned Belt, allowing the slugger four hits and four walks, no home runs in 60 career at-bats, 29 of which concluded in a strikeout.

Manager Gabe Kapler didn’t flinch. He penciled Belt into the sixth spot in his lineup, a nod to Belt’s 16 hits and .571 batting average over his last nine games. Wilmer Flores, Kapler’s less edgy option to start at first base, found his way to lineup as well, playing second base and batting second.

Against Kershaw–rounding into form after a rough start against the Giants at Dodgers Stadium earlier in the month–none of Kapler’s lineup mechanics worked.

Kershaw gave up hard hit balls to both Belt and Flores in their initial at-bats only to see centerfielder Clay Bellinger come up with spectacular catches both times. From there, Kershaw cruised, pitching six, scoreless innings in a 7-0 shutout that left the assembled cutouts speechless.

Kershaw owns the Giants, winning for the 24th time in 49 starts, while his ERA against the Giants dropped to 1.76. Needing seven strikeouts to reach 2,500 in his career, Kershaw registered just four, evidence that as his velocity has decreased, his craftiness has expanded.

Belt finished 0 for 3 with a strikeout, and Flores was 1 for 3 as no Giants hitter was afforded more than three opportunities in a seven-inning game. Joey Bart was hitless as well, striking out all three times, the first time swinging on top of Kershaw’s slider, the second time frozen as the pitcher’s curve dropped in.

The Dodgers kept the fireworks to a minimum with their bats, pushing across a run in the first, and four more in the fourth. Austin Barnes came up with the biggest hit, a double chasing home Chris Taylor and Joc Pederson.

A.J. Pollock’s two-run shot in the seventh concluded the scoring.

Logan Webb suffered the loss as he was unable to replicate his strong start against the Dodgers in Los Angeles. Webb pitched into the fourth inning, allowing four hits, two walks and five earned runs.

Behind the Dodgers and Giants joint decision to cancel Wednesday’s game

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By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–The momentum moving through the sports world Wednesday was swift and wide-ranging. In Lake Buena Vista, Florida, the Milwaukee Bucks decided not to take the floor for Game 5 of their NBA Playoff versus Orlando. The other four NBA teams on the schedule soon followed suit. Then the WNBA, MLS, tennis champion Naomi Osaka, the Milwaukee Brewers and three other MLB teams cancelled their scheduled games and events.

At Oracle Park, the conversations started with Mookie Betts texting family members who informed Betts that several teams and players were not playing in protest of the shooting of Jacob Blake by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The Dodgers superstar was preparing to play in Wednesday night’s Dodgers-Giants game. After the texting, he changed his mind, informing his teammates and manager that he would be sitting out.

“I can’t play,” Betts said.

Clayton Kershaw, the team’s senior member and a vocal critic of inequality and police brutality, questioned whether the rest of the team should play without Betts. Kershaw, the scheduled starting pitcher Wednesday was soon in agreement with manager Dave Roberts, reliever Kenley Jansen and Betts: the Dodgers were not going to play.

“We made a collective group decision to not play tonight, to let our voices be heard for standing up for what we believe is right,” Kershaw said. “That’s what it comes down to.”

The Dodgers never took the field for batting practice. The Giants did, but the conversations were taking place, most importantly between team president Farhan Zaidi and manager Gabe Kapler. Last month, Kapler made headlines by being the first MLB manager to kneel during the playing of the national anthem.

Soon those talks included GM Scott Harris and team player rep Tony Watson. Other Giants warming up spoke in small groups. Batting practice was cut short and the team retreated to their clubhouse.

Shortly after 6pm an announcement was made: the Giants were in agreement. They also would not play Wednesday night.

“Some things I think are just bigger than sports, and I don’t think it should require athletes needing to boycott playoff games to remind us Black lives matter and that police brutality is unacceptable and that systemic racism needs to be eliminated,” Kapler said. “What I believe in most is speaking out and taking strong action based on your beliefs. I’m aware that the Bucks and now some other NBA teams are doing that, and I have the utmost respect for the players who are refusing to be silent about issues that are bigger than sports.”

Shortly before the scheduled first pitch at 6:45pm, the teams released a joint statement:

“Throughout our country’s history, sport has been a powerful vehicle towards change. The Dodgers and Giants proudly join our players in the shared goal for a more equitable and just society.”

Roberts, the first African-American manager in the history of the Dodgers also spoke about the postponement.

“Black athletes right now to make a stand and choose not to play tonight is one thing,” Roberts said. “But Black people been fighting this fight for centuries. And for the white brothers to come in and support the Black men in this game, it’s much more powerful.”

Betts is the only African-American player currently on either teams’ rosters, reinforcing the universal condemnation of the events in Wisconsin, and police brutality in its total scope, including the murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor.

In all, only the NHL completed its full schedule on Wednesday. Several MLB games went off as scheduled, but games involving the Reds and Brewers, and the Mariners and Padres were called off. Also several black players pulled out of games that were played. That list included the Cubs’ Jason Heyward, the Cardinals’ Dexter Fowler and the Rockies’ Matt Kemp.

The teams have announced they will make up the game on Thursday, as part of a doubleheader that starts at 1:05pm. Both games of the twin bill are scheduled for seven innings.