Lantz
2041
Verlander is such an outlier as a starting pitcher though. Not only does he not lose velocity as the game goes on, he actually gains it. He seems to be really capable of pacing himself from an effort perspective without sacrificing results. That said, I feel like whether they pitch him on short rest will have a lot to do with where the series stands for game 4.
Sarkus
2042
Yeah, I don’t get it either. It could be just about money - they are blowing up the team and don’t need a pricey manager. But from what I understand they will be paying him anyway, so they might as well keep him would be my thinking. Unless they were concerned he would be a loose cannon about his feelings managing a non-competitive team. Which is what would probably happen.
The next question, though, is whether Guillen is going to ever get another managerial chance. He got away with being a loud mouth in Chicago because he won, but it’s hard to imagine another team being willing to give him a chance now, especially after the Castro controversy earlier this year. But a team eventually gave Valentine another shot despite his issues later in his career with the Mets, so eventually some desperate team might do it.
Stay classy, Giants fans:
Joe Strauss @JoeStrauss
Flip side to SFG fandom: Cards charter buses pounded, rocked leaving AT&T. Some fans ran in front of bus, grabbed selves. SF cops looked on.
Drunk, overstimulated fans will be drunk, overstimulated fans, I guess.
In other news, Grantland says Giants in 7!
I think it might be as simple as needing a scapegoat for a bad season, and since his antics didn’t endear him to the community, Ozzie was convenient, if expensive, for that purpose. Timing still stinks.
The next question, though, is whether Guillen is going to ever get another managerial chance. He got away with being a loud mouth in Chicago because he won, but it’s hard to imagine another team being willing to give him a chance now, especially after the Castro controversy earlier this year. But a team eventually gave Valentine another shot despite his issues later in his career with the Mets, so eventually some desperate team might do it.
I wonder if Manny Acta just found his next gig. He’s rather dissimilar to Ozzie: almost never gets ejected, knows how to let somebody know he’s upset without ever actually saying so, plus he’d probably come cheap. And, he is Dominican, so if the Marlins would still get a Hispanic manager for marketing purpose, there’s that. How do the Marlins feel about defensive replacements?
Sarkus
2046
If Acta is cheap, maybe. Everything says they will go for somebody cheap this time around. Because that is the Marlins way.
I’m somewhat surprised to see at least some criticism of the Giants decision to not activate Melky Cabrera for the World Series. Yeah, his suspension is over, but I do see the reasoning with sticking with the guys who got you there. You don’t want to mess up whatever clubhouse vibe has gotten them this far. And that doesn’t even factor in the lack of work on his part for a couple of months. Saying he could have gotten ready by getting some AB’s in the fall league seems to be stretching reality a bit.
They said at the time of his suspension announcement that they wouldn’t activate him, and I think they’re obviously telegraphing to Mr. Cabrera that they probably won’t attempt to re-sign him at season’s end.
Blanco has done fine in Melky’s spot, especially in the playoffs…although the DH spot in Comerica games is going to sort of expose a very short Giants bench.
Yeah, well, the same guy also picked the Tigers in 5. Just goes to show, never pay any attention to the predictions made by sportswriters.
Grantland also has a pretty cool article up about Phil Coke. I wonder how many other minor league players are out there working as chimney sweeps and garbage men? Quite a lot, I suspect.
nKoan
2049
Writers are thinking Huff or Hector Sanchez (their backup catcher) be the DH. With Huff, I’d almost rather have the pitcher bat. Sanchez isn’t a terrible hitter, but he’s also nothing special. He’s gotten a few clutch hits over the season, but that’s about all that can be said. I put about nearly as much faith in Sanchez as Nady or Theriot.
The best option, in my opinion, is to have Sandoval DH and have Arias play 3B. This makes a little more sense due to the upgrade in defense from Arias, and there is also the outside chance that Arias could get hot at the plate too.
But yeah, short bench.
Zuwadza
2050
The cynic in me sees leaving Melky off the roster as a great business move. As it stands Cabrera is tainted goods (moreso than he already was even) and has the potential to be re-signed by SF for far less than he would have gotten in free agency pre-suspension. If they activate Melky and he lights it up in the playoffs he could still end up igniting a bit of a bidding war.
Jag
2051
Oh yeah, two great things together. The Who and the World Series. Pumped to see them in 1 week.
Oh man…how did that happen? I keep hearing how Verlander is UNHITTABLE.
Zuwadza
2054
Zito has been doing so well at getting first pitch strikes.
Aaand Young gets tagged at home, then Fielder at second.
Ziti with an RBI!
The Giants have scored all 5 runs with 2 outs.
HOLY SHIT PANDA! 3 HR game!
Dear Detroit Tigers:
See?
Sincerely,
The St. Louis Cardinals National Baseball Club.
Zuwadza
2059
Really hilarious how many people took the Verlander start as a given win.
As good as Verlander is, it seems like when he tries to reach back for something “extra”, his fastball tends to flatten out and stop moving and good fastball hitters can do something with it. As evidence, I’ll cite the 2012 All Star Game, when it was the perception that JV was pitching to blow up the radar gun numbers and got hit pretty hard.
I think the same thing happened to him in Game 1 in 2006 vs. St. Louis, when Rolen and Pujols touched him up for HR.
Obviously it doesn’t always happen that way–see his dominating performances in the ALDS and ALCS, for instance.
