Tag: Will Smith

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca and Daniel Dullum: If Smith and Bumgarner go, so will any chance for a wild card go for SF

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On the Giants podcast with Michael and Daniel:

#1 The Giants are 5 1/2 games out from a wild card spot as the second half starts tonight. Critics says forget those odds, the team hasn’t had enough offense to get back. What does Michael say to those critics?

#2 If the Giants are sellers and unload starter Madison Bumgarner and closer Will Smith, that would pretty much crush any chance the team has at the postseason.

#3 Buster Posey has — like last season — been off limits for any trade deals and most likely that will be the case this July too. Posey has had several concussions and his hitting has been below where it normally is at this time of year. How much does Posey’s past injuries play even though he’s untouchable?

#4 If the Giants deal Bumgarner and Smith, how much will their departures impact the Giants for years to come?

#5 The Giants open up a three-game series in Milwaukee tonight and a six-game road trip. Milwaukee has always been a tough customer. The Giants will be starting Shaun Anderson (3-2, 4.23 ERA), and for the Brewers, Chase Anderson (4-2, 4.32 ERA).

Michael Duca and Daniel Dullum does the Giants podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Headline Sports podcast with Tony Renteria: Russell’s value for Golden State; How Cousins fits at the Lakers; plus more

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On Headline Sports with Tony Renteria:

#1. How much will the acquisition of DeAngelo Russell & Willie Cauley-Stein mean for Golden State?

#2 The Lakers are happy in picking up DeMarcus Cousins how much of a big piece of the puzzle and how much does he look forward to working with LeBron?

#3 The Miami Heat are rumored to picking up Russell Westbrook from the OKC Thunder. How badly does Westbrook want to go to Miami?

#4 Tony talks about the Oakland Raiders picking up running back Josh Jacobs and linebacker Te’Von Coney.

#5 How serious will the San Francisco Giants be about dealing pitcher Madison Bumgarner and reliever Will Smith  before the trade deadline?

#6 Kahwi Leonard signed a three-year, $103 million deal with the Clippers and the contract calls for a player option in his third year.

Tony Renteria does Headline Sports podcasts each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Headline Sports podcast with London Marq: All-Star Game? A’s Hendriks and Giants’ Smith both give up the home run ball in relief; A’s Chapman scores on DP ball

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On the Headline Sports podcast with London:

#1 After all the talk about the home run ball and plenty of them, the All-Star Game in Cleveland was a low scoring affair before the American League scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh to make it 4-1. Earlier, the American League scored a single run in the second and fifth innings and the American League got two runs in the top of the sixth. The National League tried to make a come back with two runs in the top of the eight but just couldn’t pass the AL in the 4-3 one run AL win.

#2 Representing the San Francisco Giants at the All-Star Game was reliever Will Smith, who got his 23rd save on Wednesday night against the San Diego Padres, which translate to a great first half, despite the Giants struggling in last place in the NL West. At the All-Star Game, Smith gave up a home run in the seventh.

#3 Representing the Oakland A’s were A’s third baseman Matt Chapman, who hit .265, 90 RBIs and 21 home runs, and relief pitcher Liam Hendriks, who is 3-0 with a 1.27 ERA.

#4 For Hendriks, he has saved 23 straight games without a blown save. The A’s are in the hunt for a wild card and are just seven games behind first place Houston and Hendriks closing games will be crucial in the home stretch. Hendriks — in the All-Star Game — gave up a home run for an earned run and struck out three batters.

#5 Meanwhile, the A’s Matt Chapman had some better luck scoring a run from third when the Boston Red Sox Xander Bogaerts grounded into a double play.

London Marq does Headline Sports each Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Seventh Heaven: AL pitching dominates in 4-3 All-Star Game win over the NL

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By Morris Phillips

CLEVELAND — For the American League and the Indians’ Shane Bieber, the 90th All-Star Game was everything it was cracked up to be.

The AL scratched together some early offense, then pitched with dominance on their way to a 4-3 win, their seventh win in a row in the Midsummers Classic. Bieber, pitching in front of his fanbase and his pride-filled manager, Terry Francona, struck out the side in the fifth to preserve a 1-0 lead, a feat that earned the 24-year old the game’s MVP, the first time a player from the host team has won the award since 1999.

“It’s an incredible feeling now, now that it’s kind of sinking in,” Bieber said. “Just to be able to do it in front of the home crowd, and my first All-Star Game is definitely not something that I expected, especially being added to the game five days ago, four or five days ago.”

Nine American League pitchers got one inning of work each, with AL starter Justin Verlander setting the tone with a two-strikeout first inning. By the time the NL got on the scoreboard for the first time in the sixth, they had just two hits while striking out 11 times.

Bieber and Oakland’s Liam Hendriks combined to fan Willson Contreras, Ketel Marte, Ronald Acuna Jr., Kris Bryant and Trevor Story consecutively before Charlie Blackmon homered off Hendriks to cut the AL lead to 2-1. In all, NL hitters struck out 16 times, and managed to hit just seven balls beyond the infield.

In contrast to last year’s showcase in Washington D.C., and juxtaposed against the homer-happy, first half to the 2019 season, the NL was completely out of step. Last year at Nationals Park, National League hitters clubbed five home runs–one each from Contreras and Story–while striking out 12 times and drawing five walks. In Cleveland, with seven hitters back in the lineup from D.C., they struggled to create a rally outside the eighth inning, when they struck for two runs off Cleveland’s Brad Hand.

“A lot of hard throwers and great pitchers over there,” Bryant said. “Unless you’ve seen them before, it’s a difficult matchup.”

While the NL offense appeared to hit the snooze button, the American Leaguers proved resourceful and scrappy, using infield singles to set up both of their initial runs. First, the Astros’ Alex Bregman legged out a chopper to third, and scored on Michael Brantley’s double. Then in the fifth, Gary Sanchez of the Yankees doubled, then moved to third on a ground out, and scored on Jorge Polanco’s infield hit.

The AL kept stitching it together in the seventh, when Oakland’s Matt Chapman drew a leadoff walk off Milwaukee’s Brandon Woodruff. Then with runners at the corners and no out, Xander Bogaerts of the Red Sox hit into a double play, but Chapman scored on the play. Down 3-1, manager Dave Roberts summoned the Giants’ Will Smith to pitch to Joey Gallo, but the Rangers’ slugger spoiled that plan with a loud home run on Smith’s first pitch.

“I really didn’t understand the magnitude of it; I just hit a home run in the All-Star Game,” said an excited Gallo. “Watching this game growing up, and now I hit a home run in it. It’s pretty special. I think I have to take a step back. Everything happened so quick.”

Gallo’s homer was thumped, the loud crack of the bat inside the ballpark confirmed that. But the numbers did too. Gallo’s blast exited Progressive Field at 111 mph, the fastest in an All-Star Game since exit velocities were first tracked in 2015.

Gallo’s moment was Smith’s as well, and another humbling All-Star experience for Giants’ pitchers. Smith figures to be hot on the trade market in the coming weeks given his 1.98 ERA and 23 saves, but leaving a fat pitch over the plate to a left-handed slugger won’t enhance his value. But clubs will no doubt take note of the fact that Smith’s only allowed home runs to left-handed batters twice in the last three seasons.

The All-Star Game had a couple of feel-good moments with 19-year veteran C.C. Sabathia summoning closer Aroldis Chapman from the bullpen in the ninth, and getting a rousing welcome from Cleveland fans, who supported him over the first 7 1/2 seasons of his career. Sabathia has announced his retirement after the season, and his appearance organized by MLB was an acknowledgment of the extraordinary nature of his career.

Carlos Carrasco, recently diagnosed with leukemia, also made an appearance, with four of his Indians’ teammates and Francona. All five held placards across their chests saying “I Stand for Cookie (Carrasco’s nickname).” Carrasco stood in the middle, and his placard simply said, “I Stand.”

“He’s one of our teammates and one of the big guys in the clubhouse. You don’t wish that upon anybody. We just got to support him in any way we can,” said Brad Hand, one of Carrasco’s teammates on the field during the emotional moment.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips: Will Smith had an outstanding first half, represent Giants at All-Star game

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On the Giants podcast with Morris:

#1 Last Wednesday Giants reliever Will Smith and All-Star team representative pitched in relief against the San Diego Padres pitched an inning, struck out two and gave up one hit, to get his 23rd save

#2 Smith’s save looked easy in that Wednesday ninth inning. He went right through it and many of his saves have been that way.

#3 Smith has pitched so well this season he has yet to get his first blown save. He has been money in the bank closing ball games.

#4 The other report on Smith is he’s being showcased. He pitched on Saturday in relief at Oracle Park on Saturday pitching one inning, giving up one hit. He didn’t get the save, but got of the Giants out of the inning.

#5 In the last seven games, he pitched in relief he’s saved four games. Smith is a very focused reliever and doesn’t take too much time to get out of an inning.

Morris does the Giants podcasts each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com also is covering the All Star game in Cleveland

Longoria wins it on home run in seventh SF wins 1-0

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photo from sfgate.com: San Francisco Giants’ Evan Longoria, left, is congratulated by third base coach Ron Wotus (23) after hitting a solo home run against the St. Louis Cardinals during the seventh inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Sunday, July 7, 2019.

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-Evan Longoria ended two things against Jack Flaherty with one swing of the bat.

Longoria hit a solo home run with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning, breaking up both a shutout and a no-hitter and it helped the San Francisco Giants to a 1-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals before a crowd of 33,841 at Oracle Park.

This was only the third shutout of the season for the Giants and the first since April 24 against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.

On the afternoon, the Giants only got two hits, and this was the fewest hits in a game where they won since a two-hit over the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on March 30, 2018.

Flaherty was throwing a perfect game until he walked Alex Dickerson to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning.

After the Longoria home run, Dickerson singled to left, but then Flaherty got Stephen Vogt to fly out to Dexter Fowler and then Kevin Pillar lined out to Paul DeJong to end the inning.

It was the 12th home run of the season for Longoria, and his fifth in his last six games. During the six-game stretch, Longoria is hitting .429 (9-for-21) with seven extra base hits (two doubles and five home runs), 10 RBI and eight runs scored.

Longoria is no stranger to breaking up no-hitter, as it was the fourth time in his career that he broke up a no-hitter in the 7th inning or later.

With DeJong on first base in the top of the seventh inning, Paul Goldschmidt hit a line drive into the right-center gap; however, Pillar flew through into the air and made a fantastic catch that kept the game scoreless.

The Longoria home run made a winner out of Jeff Samardzija, who pitched a tremendous game, as he went seven innings, scattering four hits and striking out two on his way to picking up his sixth win of the season.

This was the first time since August 28 and September 2, 2017 that Samardzija went seven innings with two or fewer runs. That was also the last time he pitched at seven innings in consecutive starts.

It was a tough loss for Flaherty, who also went seven innings, allowing one run on just two hits, walking one and striking out six and saw his record fall to 4-6 on the season.

Sam Dyson pitched one inning, allowing one hit and struck out three. Closer Will Smith came on in the top of the ninth inning and despite giving up a single to Goldschmidt, he picked up his 23rd save in 23 chances, as Fowler grounded into a double play to end the game.

Over his last 19 outings, Smith has not allowed a run in 17 of those games and is possessing a 0.96 earned run average (two earned runs in 18.2 ip) with 30 strikeouts and opposing hitters are hitting .156 against him.

NOTES: Pillar also drove in the only run of the game on April 11, when he homered against the Colorado Rockies in a 1-0 Giants victory that made a winner out of Samardzija.

The Giants are now 18-9 in one-run games and 4-7 in final games of the series.

This was the seventh time this season that the Cardinals have been shutout, and it was the first time that the Cardinals have lost a series to the Giant since May 19-21, 2017 at Busch Stadium.

UP NEXT: Following the All-Star break, the Giants begin a three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday night.

Shaun Anderson will open the series against the Brewers at Miller Park on Friday night, followed by Madison Bumgarner and Tyler Beede. The Brewers starter has yet to be determined.

Pillar and Posey help Bumgarner get fifth win defeat Diamondbacks 10-4

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photo by sfgate.com: San Francisco Giants’ Kevin Pillar, right, celebrates with Evan Longoria (10) after hitting a two-run home run off Arizona Diamondbacks’ Robbie Ray in the second inning of a baseball game Sunday, June 30, 2019, in San Francisco.

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-Kevin Pillar and Buster Posey helped out Madison Bumgarner with their bats in the series finale.

Pillar and Posey combined for seven hits, while Bumgarner went seven innings, allowing just one run on four hits, walking no one and striking out nine and the San Francisco Giants defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 10-4 before 31,778 at Oracle Park.

With the victory, the Giants ended the month of June with a record of 14-13, their first winning month since going 18-10 in June of 2018.

It was a Pillar two-run home run in the bottom of the second inning that got the Giants going, as he hit his 11th home run of the season.

Pillar added a two-run single in the bottom of the third inning that helped the Giants to the victory and split the four-game series.

Posey doubled in the bottom of the first inning, and then singled in the third and fifth innings, before walking to load the bases in the bottom of the seventh inning for Evan Longoria with nobody out.

The three hits by Posey match his season-high and marked his second three-hit game in three appearances. During the span, Posey is hitting .750 (6-for-8) with two doubles, two runs scored and two runs batted in.

Pillar hit a solo home run, singled twice and hit a double, as it was his first four-hit since July 13, 2018 for the Toronto Blue Jays against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.

It was the fifth four-hit game of Pillars career, who picked up two during the 2017 season and one during the 2015 season.

The five runs batted in by Pillar are a career-high, to go along with his career-high tying four hits.

Longoria then singled in Brandon Belt, who walked to lead off the inning against reliever Matt Andriese. Pillar then followed it up with his fourth hit of the game, as he singled to left to score pinch hitter Alex Dickerson, who singled while pinch hitting for Tyler Austin, who walked and struck out twice before leaving the game.

Mike Yastrzemski got in on the act, as he hit a two-run double to left field to score Longoria and Pillar.

The sixth and final run of the inning came when pinch-hitter Pablo Sandoval singled off of T.J. McFarland that scored Yastrzemski.

In all, the Giants sent 10 men to the plate, scored six runs on five hits, as they blew the game wide open.

The Diamondbacks attempted to get back into the game in the top of the eighth inning, as they scored three runs off of reliever Derek Rodriguez.

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo was ejected in the top of the fifth inning for arguing balls and strikes with home plate Mike Muchlinski, and it was fourth all-time ejection for Lovullo in his managerial career.

It was not a good day for Diamondbacks starter Robbie Ray, who went just four innings, allowing four runs on six hits, walking three and striking out five and saw his record fall to 5-6 on the season.

NOTES: With the nine strikeouts on the afternoon, Bumgarner tied Tim Lincecum for second place all-time in San Francisco Giants lore with 1,704.

Juan Marichal is the all-time San Francisco Giants leader in strikeouts with 2,281

Will Smith was named as the lone All-Star for the Giants, as he is 1-0 with a 2.16 earned run average with 21 saves in 21 chances this season for the Giants.

Smith is the first Giants left-handed reliever to go to the All-Star Game since Gary Lavelle made the All-Star team in 1983

The 21 saves to start the season are the second most by a Giants reliever to start a season, trailing only Rod Beck who saved 28 in a row to begin the 1994 season.

In his Giants career, Smith is tied for second place with Craig Lefferts with 35 saves by a left-hander, Lavelle is currently the all-time leader in saves for a left-hander with 127.

UP NEXT: Jeff Samardzija takes the mound on Monday night, as the Giants open a brief three-game road trip against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. The Padres will counter with Logan Allen.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: Giants getting key pitching in recent wins

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On the Giants podcast with Michael:

#1 Shaun Anderson looks like a keeper he pitched an effective game against the San Diego Padres on Wednesday night, going six innings, four hits, two runs, six strikeouts and three walks.

#2 Giants closer Will Smith brought his A game with the bags juiced in the top of the ninth. He got his 16th save in 16 tries.

#3 The Padres had a short time lead in the top of the fifth 2-1 until the bottom of the fifth when the Giants scored twice and Padres manager Andy Green said that they had a shot at winning the game, but just didn’t have enough to get over the hump.

#4 When the Padres acquired star third baseman Manny Machado, the Padres thought they had their road paved to postseason, but now the Padres are two below .500 and in fifth place just a place above the Giants.

#5 Friday the 14th, the Milwaukee Brewers and Giants open a three-game series with the Brewers sending out starter Zach Davies (7-0 ERA 2.41) against Giants starter Drew Pomeranz (1-6, 7.16 ERA).

Michael Duca does the Giants podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Struggling Giants face the inevitable parting of ways with several familiar faces

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By Morris Phillips

Of course, in the season the Giants enter the MLB trade deadline market as unrepentant sellers, a buyers market has developed that could leave the club with few, attractive options for its most desirable assets.

Madison Bumgarner and Will Smith are the biggest names the Giants have to offer. But they will also listen if teams show interest in Tony Watson or Pablo Sandoval. Wishful Giants fans thinking others like Brandon Belt, Evan Longoria or Joe Panik could be dealt for something of value are just being wishful.

Simply, on a team that’s currently 10 games below .500 (21-31) and on pace to lose 95 plus games–again–a market doesn’t currently exist for players who have underperformed or have contracts that can easily be termed an albatross.

So that brings us back to Bumgarner, Smith, Watson and Sandoval. Can any of those four in some combination bring the Giants the youthful, high-level prospects that they desire? That remains to be seen. One thing’s for certain: the offers currently being tossed about aren’t blowing GM Farhan Zaidi out of his office recliner.

The biggest factor in creating interest for any teams looking to off load veteran talent is a buyer’s market that’s robust. And take a look at the current Memorial Day standings, the number of teams that consider themselves contenders for a playoff spot or a World Series title is dwindling fast.

In the American League especially the playoff picture is–like last season–reaching clarity early. The Yankees, Twins, Astros, Rays all seem playoff worthy, and everyone outside of the Red Sox and A’s do not. That leaves one notable club, the Indians, as a likely seller, and in direct comparison to the Giants, Cleveland would appear to have more desirable starting pitchers in Trevor Bauer and Cory Kluber (currently on the injured list) than the Giants do in Bumgarner.

Of the six AL clubs that appear to have postseason resumes, few have holes in their rosters at this time that would force them to consider a big deal prior to the July 31 trade deadline. The A’s, Rays and Yankees especially are currently content to see what pieces they can add from within, as all three have pitchers that could regain their health and be significant additions from the injured list.

The Twins, Astros and Red Sox–at least to this point–haven’t generated many rumors regarding their needs, and while that could change dramatically in the next 60 days, their situations don’t appear to be headed toward a deal for a big ticket item like Smith or Bumgarner.

In the National League, two clubs, the Padres and Phillies, have expressed interest in adding a high level starter or reliever, but two clubs don’t form a competitive buyer’s market. And a deal with the Padres could be disadvantageous to the Giants, who may not be interested in strengthening a divisional rival, even for the short haul.

Another factor looms over the entire trade market, affecting any deals that are consummated, and that is the premium all 30 clubs place on their prospects, as baseball trends heavily toward younger players with controllable deals. Just look around the league, or just look at the Giants’ opponents thus far this season that have visited Oracle Park. Young pitchers are dealing, and youthful sluggers are raking all across major league baseball, and that trend makes it less likely a team will part with a top 100 prospect to add a Bumgarner or a Smith.

Finally, the July 31 trade deadline for the first time is a hard deadline. New rules prohibit any waiver wire trades after that date, limiting the time and circumstances that could trigger a significant trade. While players will still be available after July 31 through the waiver wire, that would only allow a club to shed a hefty salary as opposed to adding a desirable asset.

Belt keys Giants’ late rally in 4-2 win over the Dodgers

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By Morris Phillips

Somehow, Dodgers’ home runs didn’t destroy the Giants. And Julio Urias couldn’t pitch the Giants into submission for a full nine innings.

Instead, Brandon Belt did the most with his final two at-bats of the evening, and the Giants rallied for an unlikely 4-2 win.

“We had a tough series in San Diego,” Belt said. “We wanted to change the tide when we came over here.”

Clearly, the tide was rising on the Giants by just entering the ballpark of the two-time National League champions on Monday. In just four games, the Dodgers hit 14 home runs and scored 42 runs in taking three of four from the Diamondbacks. Seven of those homers came in one game.

Then on Monday, Urias took control on the mound, and the Dodgers’ home run total swelled to 16 as they built a 2-0 lead after five innings.

The Giants–with just home run over their first, four-plus games–needed a response. Frankly, it wasn’t apparent that they had one.

Belt homered leading off the sixth to trim the Dodgers’ lead to 2-1. But Joe Kelly, on in relief of Urias, retired Evan Longoria, Buster Posey and Brandon Crawford in succession. The Giants have scored twice face five pitchers from the opposition in 26 1/3 innings and all were starters Urias although it wouldn’t happened pitched well enough to complete the game although he pitched his five innings, giving up three hits and seven strikeouts.

Meanwhile San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said that his pitching staff put his mind at ease with keeping the Dodgers line up off balance after the Giants came back from behind with relievers Trevor Gott, Mark Malancon, Tony Watson, and Will Smith closing.

Giants starter Drew Pomeranz pitched for five innings giving up six hits, two runs, two earned, one walk, and six strikeouts. The Dodgers scored all their runs in the bottom of the fifth.

The Giants face the Dodgers in game two of the series tonight Madison Bumgarner (0-1) goes for the Giants and for the Dodgers Hyun-Jin Ryu (1-0).