The Giants got one today -
teejers1 - 09-17-2020
And a rather critical one against the Mariners, given the rest of the schedule. Won 6-4, after trailing 4-1, which qualifies as another nice comeback W.
The problem is the Giants have not fared well against the good teams, and they still have to play A's (3x), Rockies (4x), and Pads (4x). As Lex noted, a tough schedule. I'm not optimistic, but it's doable. The A's and Padres have ownage on Giants, meaning the Gyros will need 3 from Rockies (at least). But hey, at least it's interesting (and entertaining).
Go Giants!
2020 Giants -
Mick - 09-17-2020
I think most of us thought of the 2020 Giants as the Island of Misfit Toys. Let's review:
Brandon Belt: Career best OPS, by a mile.
Brandon Crawford: Career best OPS
Donovan Solano: Career best OPS, by a mile. Was out of MLB for two years.
Darren Ruf: Career best OPS, by a mile. Was out of MLB for two years.
Alex Dickerson: Career best OPS.
Wilmer Flores: Career best OPS.
Austin Slater: Career best OPS.
Mike Yastrzemski: Career best OPS
including minors (except for 2 months in SFG AAA)
Mauricio Dubon: Career best BA and Career best OBP
Evan Longoria: No, not his career best compared to his All-Star years. But his best OPS in the last four years and better than six of his last seven and third highest batting average of a 13 year career.
Top 10 guys, all career best or very close to it. Must be a coincidence. Or maybe, just maybe, Farhan and his coaching staff and yes, god help us, even the hated Kapler may have had something to do with it.
Giants currently alone in sixth place in the NL. Would open against the Cubs if the playoffs started today. And Giants are 16-9 at home. 8 of the next 11 games are at home.
Yankees -
OutsiderFan - 09-17-2020
They certainly are earning the Bronx Bombers moniker...
The Yankees just completed a series in which they scored 43 runs and hit NINETEEN Homers against the Blue Jays, setting an all-time MLB record for HRs over a 3 game period. That included back-to-back-to-back clouts and 5 HRs - a franchise record - in one inning tonight, and Luke Voit hitting his 20th, which now puts him ahead of the #2 guy by 3 HRs.
2B LeMahieu
RF Judge
SS Torres
1B Voit
DH Stanton
LF Frazier
3B Urshella
C Sanchez
CF Hicks/Gardner
This lineup might be the best ever fielded in terms of offensive potency. Two weeks ago 5 of these guys were out injured and they lost like 12 of 17 games. Now they are back and the Yankees are putting up historic offensive numbers. Just thought all you baseball trivia nerds would appreciate not missing this performance mark.
lex24 -
lex24 - 09-17-2020
Earl Combs.
Mark Koenig
Babe Ruth
Lou Gehrig
Bob Meusel
Tony Lazzeri
Joe Dugan
Pat Collins
‘27 Yankees hit .307 as a team. Slugged .489. Run differential +376.
lex24 -
lex24 - 09-17-2020
(09-17-2020, 09:06 PM)OutsiderFan Wrote: They certainly are earning the Bronx Bombers moniker...
The Yankees just completed a series in which they scored 43 runs and hit NINETEEN Homers against the Blue Jays, setting an all-time MLB record for HRs over a 3 game period. That included back-to-back-to-back clouts and 5 HRs - a franchise record - in one inning tonight, and Luke Voit hitting his 20th, which now puts him ahead of the #2 guy by 3 HRs.
2B LeMahieu
RF Judge
SS Torres
1B Voit
DH Stanton
LF Frazier
3B Urshella
C Sanchez
CF Hicks/Gardner
This lineup might be the best ever fielded in terms of offensive potency. Two weeks ago 5 of these guys were out injured and they lost like 12 of 17 games. Now they are back and the Yankees are putting up historic offensive numbers. Just thought all you baseball trivia nerds would appreciate not missing this performance mark.
It helps that they are playing with a ball that is more juiced than McGwire and Canseco in ‘89......
RE: lex24 -
Mick - 09-17-2020
(09-17-2020, 10:06 PM)lex24 Wrote: (09-17-2020, 09:06 PM)OutsiderFan Wrote: They certainly are earning the Bronx Bombers moniker...
The Yankees just completed a series in which they scored 43 runs and hit NINETEEN Homers against the Blue Jays, setting an all-time MLB record for HRs over a 3 game period. That included back-to-back-to-back clouts and 5 HRs - a franchise record - in one inning tonight, and Luke Voit hitting his 20th, which now puts him ahead of the #2 guy by 3 HRs.
2B LeMahieu
RF Judge
SS Torres
1B Voit
DH Stanton
LF Frazier
3B Urshella
C Sanchez
CF Hicks/Gardner
This lineup might be the best ever fielded in terms of offensive potency. Two weeks ago 5 of these guys were out injured and they lost like 12 of 17 games. Now they are back and the Yankees are putting up historic offensive numbers. Just thought all you baseball trivia nerds would appreciate not missing this performance mark.
It helps that they are playing with a ball that is more juiced than McGwire and Canseco in ‘89......
Yes, it's true. Baseballs are now manufactured by Titleist...
RE: The Giants got one today -
magnus - 09-17-2020
On the bright side, the A's have only 4 wins against a team currently with a winning record.
Unfortunately, 3 of those wins were against the Giants.
Their AllStar 3B is out for the season. Perhaps that will swing the pendulum.
RE: lex24 -
OutsiderFan - 09-18-2020
(09-17-2020, 09:18 PM)lex24 Wrote: Earl Combs.
Mark Koenig
Babe Ruth
Lou Gehrig
Bob Meusel
Tony Lazzeri
Joe Dugan
Pat Collins
‘27 Yankees hit .307 as a team. Slugged .489. Run differential +376.
I’m not one to get caught up in era comparisons, but I guarantee you if you put the current Yankees lineup up against 1927 pitching, this group would be better. The sheer physical size and strength of these guys is nothing like existed in 1927.
RE: Yankees -
Phogge - 09-18-2020
Hodges
Robinson
Reese
Cox
Furillo
Snider
Pafko
Campy
Mucho wampum
Big Klu
F Robbie
Post
Bell
Crowe
Thurman
Bailey
Burgess
Tied the record with 221 in ‘56 with a regular baseball.
RE: 2020 Giants -
Phogge - 09-18-2020
No, it’s because of the female coach. Nobody is mouthing off. They are serious while having fun.
lex24 -
lex24 - 09-18-2020
I think it’s a combo of things. First the short season. Second inthinkmpitching generally has been bad. Third, Oracle is playing completely different. But given the results, the staff deserves some credit. One thing that certainly has changed is they have done a much better job being selectively aggressive. Farhan looks for that in those he picks up.
BTW. Smoak has to go......
OT. Yaz -
lex24 - 09-18-2020
MRI today. Calf. Not good. If he’s out, their chances dip about 20% imo.
lex24 -
lex24 - 09-18-2020
(09-18-2020, 03:42 AM)OutsiderFan Wrote: (09-17-2020, 09:18 PM)lex24 Wrote: Earl Combs.
Mark Koenig
Babe Ruth
Lou Gehrig
Bob Meusel
Tony Lazzeri
Joe Dugan
Pat Collins
‘27 Yankees hit .307 as a team. Slugged .489. Run differential +376.
I’m not one to get caught up in era comparisons, but I guarantee you if you put the current Yankees lineup up against 1927 pitching, this group would be better. The sheer physical size and strength of these guys is nothing like existed in 1927.
That means nothing. You can only compare within eras not between eras. Everything changes. Of course the guys now are bigger. That’s a given. So you compare the 1927 Yankees against the rest of baseball in 1927 and you compare today’s Yankees with the rest of the teams in today’s baseball. 27 Yankees are probably the most decorated team ever.
RE: OT. Yaz -
OutsiderFan - 09-18-2020
(09-18-2020, 08:25 AM)lex24 Wrote: MRI today. Calf. Not good. If he’s out, their chances dip about 20% imo.
Chances of what?
RE: lex24 -
Giants - 09-18-2020
(09-18-2020, 08:22 AM)lex24 Wrote: I think it’s a combo of things. First the short season. Second inthinkmpitching generally has been bad. Third, Oracle is playing completely different. But given the results, the staff deserves some credit. One thing that certainly has changed is they have done a much better job being selectively aggressive. Farhan looks for that in those he picks up.
BTW. Smoak has to go......
I think that Kapler and his 13 person coaching staff deserve a lot of the credit. Kapler has demonstrated that he is flexible (a critical characteristic in a successful manager). While he made some bonehead decisions early on, he has demonstrated that he is willing to listen and change. He also appears to be an effective communicator - the most important attribute of a good leader.
His coaching staff has brought a different approach to the science of hitting a baseball. Given the improvement exhibited by Longoria, Belt and Crawford, it is evident the coaches have the ability to communicate information effectively to veteran players who sometimes are unwilling to change old habits.
In essence, the Farhan experiment appears to be working (so far). I am curious how this will play out in a full 162 game schedule (with Buster).
RE: 2020 Giants -
BobK - 09-18-2020
Got to admit you summed it up well Giants. I still don't like the hire, Plan C to me but yes the coaching staff and Gabe have been great for the last month and improvement is what counts.
RE: Yankees -
Phogge - 09-18-2020
In a 152 game schedule I take the '54 Indians because of the pitching.
Feller
Lemon
Wynn
Newhouser... all HOF
Plus Garcia who should be in and the best relievers in baseball, Mossi and Narleski.
They fell apart in the Series mostly because Dusty Rhodes got hot.
RE: Yankees -
BobK - 09-18-2020
154. Geesh lol
Plus the Catch by the Say Hey Kid.
RE: Yankees -
Phogge - 09-18-2020
OK. Nit picker. 111 wins.
Also Mossi had the biggest ears in baseball. LBJ-like.
RE: lex24 -
teejers1 - 09-18-2020
(09-18-2020, 09:45 AM)Giants Wrote: (09-18-2020, 08:22 AM)lex24 Wrote: I think it’s a combo of things. First the short season. Second inthinkmpitching generally has been bad. Third, Oracle is playing completely different. But given the results, the staff deserves some credit. One thing that certainly has changed is they have done a much better job being selectively aggressive. Farhan looks for that in those he picks up.
BTW. Smoak has to go......
I think that Kapler and his 13 person coaching staff deserve a lot of the credit. Kapler has demonstrated that he is flexible (a critical characteristic in a successful manager). While he made some bonehead decisions early on, he has demonstrated that he is willing to listen and change. He also appears to be an effective communicator - the most important attribute of a good leader.
His coaching staff has brought a different approach to the science of hitting a baseball. Given the improvement exhibited by Longoria, Belt and Crawford, it is evident the coaches have the ability to communicate information effectively to veteran players who sometimes are unwilling to change old habits.
In essence, the Farhan experiment appears to be working (so far). I am curious how this will play out in a full 162 game schedule (with Buster).
Agree that things look better than expected, so credit to Farhan and Kapler for that.
But we must keep in mind the following:
Giants started 8-16. Since then, they have been 17-8 (or thereabouts). So really, the Giants have had a very nice 25 game stretch. I suspect that has happened a lot under various regimes and managers. In other words, 25 games is not a season - heck it's not even 1/6 of a regular season. So, no final proclamations may be made (and I don't think anyone here is doing that).
As another poster said, it will be interesting to see how the team fares next season with a full, 162 game schedule. (Frankly, I could not care less whether Buster plays or sits it out again).
Add: Even with this relatively small sample size, I think it's safe to conclude that this year's Giants team hits considerably better than most/all of its predecessors in last 5 years or so. And even when losing (sometimes agonizingly so), it has been more fun to watch them play. For that Farhan and staff deserve unqualified credit.