[Giants]

Best Wishes, Mike Yastrzemski.  
Goodbye, Camilo Doval.

It is now official - SF is playing out the string.  Time to bring up some young guys who can get some ABs and IPs as we begin to look forward to 2026.

[Giants]

Best Wishes, Mike Yastrzemski.  
Goodbye, Camilo Doval.

It is now official - SF is playing out the string.  Time to bring up some young guys who can get some ABs and IPs as we begin to look forward to 2026.

[triangle2]

Time to review the pre-season predictions:

old spanish trail - 92
Phogge - 92
Mick - 90
cardcrimson - 88
BobK - 87
skip75 - 86
Giants - 83
Leftcoast - 82
triangle2 - 82
lex24 - 80

Lex may win via application of the Price is Right strategy.

[triangle2]

Time to review the pre-season predictions:

old spanish trail - 92
Phogge - 92
Mick - 90
cardcrimson - 88
BobK - 87
skip75 - 86
Giants - 83
Leftcoast - 82
triangle2 - 82
lex24 - 80

Lex may win via application of the Price is Right strategy.

[Mick]

Giants might actually be okay.

I was happy to see Doval get dealt. Too shaky of a reliever. Giants got RHP Trystan Vrieling (Yankees No. 19 prospect), C-3B Jesus Rodriguez (No. 25 prospect), 3B Parks Harber and LHP Carlos De La Rosa. Not bad. Bleacher Report gave the Yankees a C and the Giants  B.

Rogers was extraneous. Butto is acceptable, though he gave up five earned runs against the Padres on July 29. They also gave up the #10 prospect and the #12 prospect in the Mets' system. I've been reading that MLB fans are stunned at the haul. Bleacher Report graded it a B for hte Mets and an A for the Giants. Acceptable return for pending, 34 year old FA outfielder. Marte is 6'5", 230 lbs, 2.74 ERA. Might be a comer.

Maybe it's heresy, but I'm happy to see Yaz go as well. Last month, Yaz hit .167 and he's on a $9.3 million contract. He wasn't working out. Giants got Yunior Marte, the Royals RHP and #20 prospect. Bleacher Report grades Royals end a B and Giants end a B.

Oddity #1: The Twins unceremoniously dumped Carlos Correa, former twinkle in Farhan's eye. Bleacher Report grade, F for the salary dump.
Oddity #2: The Giants' first round draft pick last year, James Tibbs was acquired by the Red Sox in the Devers deal, and they traded him to the Dodgers. Grades, Red Sox D, Dodgers A. Of course.

[Mick]

Giants might actually be okay.

I was happy to see Doval get dealt. Too shaky of a reliever. Giants got RHP Trystan Vrieling (Yankees No. 19 prospect), C-3B Jesus Rodriguez (No. 25 prospect), 3B Parks Harber and LHP Carlos De La Rosa. Not bad. Bleacher Report gave the Yankees a C and the Giants  B.

Rogers was extraneous. Butto is acceptable, though he gave up five earned runs against the Padres on July 29. They also gave up the #10 prospect and the #12 prospect in the Mets' system. I've been reading that MLB fans are stunned at the haul. Bleacher Report graded it a B for hte Mets and an A for the Giants. Acceptable return for pending, 34 year old FA outfielder. Marte is 6'5", 230 lbs, 2.74 ERA. Might be a comer.

Maybe it's heresy, but I'm happy to see Yaz go as well. Last month, Yaz hit .167 and he's on a $9.3 million contract. He wasn't working out. Giants got Yunior Marte, the Royals RHP and #20 prospect. Bleacher Report grades Royals end a B and Giants end a B.

Oddity #1: The Twins unceremoniously dumped Carlos Correa, former twinkle in Farhan's eye. Bleacher Report grade, F for the salary dump.
Oddity #2: The Giants' first round draft pick last year, James Tibbs was acquired by the Red Sox in the Devers deal, and they traded him to the Dodgers. Grades, Red Sox D, Dodgers A. Of course.

[BobK]

My opinion is this was a brobdingnagian statement about the poor Giants farm system. Maybe OK at the A level but that’s it.

[BobK]

My opinion is this was a brobdingnagian statement about the poor Giants farm system. Maybe OK at the A level but that’s it.

[Mick]

Have to agree with you. AAA is mediocre, AA is terrible, but all three A+/A/Rookie teams are in first place.

Current minor league team standings:

Rivercats are second in a division of five in the PCL/West, with the fourth best record (17-13) of ten teams in the second half. Overall, they have the fifth best record in the PCL.

The AA team, Richmond, is dead last of 12 teams. 35-60 in the Eastern League.

High-A Eugene is in first place of six teams at 56-43, so that's good.

A-San Jose has the best record by a long way in the California league, 64-35, and a nine game lead over second place Dodger affiliate.

Second Half Standings | MiLB.com

[Mick]

Have to agree with you. AAA is mediocre, AA is terrible, but all three A+/A/Rookie teams are in first place.

Current minor league team standings:

Rivercats are second in a division of five in the PCL/West, with the fourth best record (17-13) of ten teams in the second half. Overall, they have the fifth best record in the PCL.

The AA team, Richmond, is dead last of 12 teams. 35-60 in the Eastern League.

High-A Eugene is in first place of six teams at 56-43, so that's good.

A-San Jose has the best record by a long way in the California league, 64-35, and a nine game lead over second place Dodger affiliate.

Second Half Standings | MiLB.com

[skip75]

2) RHP, starter, Blade Tidwell, just turned 4, …

Talk about precocious.

BC

I need a new keyboard. My 2 and w keys are unreliable.

Unfortunately, no need for a w key when posting on an SF Giants thread  ;-)

[skip75]

2) RHP, starter, Blade Tidwell, just turned 4, …

Talk about precocious.

BC

I need a new keyboard. My 2 and w keys are unreliable.

Unfortunately, no need for a w key when posting on an SF Giants thread  ;-)

[Mick]

2) RHP, starter, Blade Tidwell, just turned 4, …

Talk about precocious.

BC

I need a new keyboard. My 2 and w keys are unreliable.

Unfortunately, no need for a w key when posting on an SF Giants thread  ;-)

Now I need a new keyboard, since the old one is covered in coffee...

Out of curiosity, on a scale from 1-10, how would you rate Farhan's Giants term and how would you rate Posey so far?

Buster Posey did what Farhan Zaidi never could with SF Giants deadline moves

[Mick]

2) RHP, starter, Blade Tidwell, just turned 4, …

Talk about precocious.

BC

I need a new keyboard. My 2 and w keys are unreliable.

Unfortunately, no need for a w key when posting on an SF Giants thread  ;-)

Now I need a new keyboard, since the old one is covered in coffee...

Out of curiosity, on a scale from 1-10, how would you rate Farhan's Giants term and how would you rate Posey so far?

Buster Posey did what Farhan Zaidi never could with SF Giants deadline moves

[Mick]

Devers struck out four times tonight. Didn't know this, but he set major league strikeout records in the early part of the season with 10 strikeouts in the first three games and 15 strikeouts in the first five games. That's an MLB record, folks.

Mike Yastrzemski, in his first at-bat for Kansas City, hit a home run...off of former Giant All Star Kevin Gausman, no less. This after hitting .122 with zero home runs and just one double in 61 plate appearances for the Giants over the last month.

Giants got 10 hits and four runs in a 4-3 victory. Former Met Butto gave up a walk, got two out. And Walker was very effective as a setup man, three up three down. In Rodriguez' first appearance as a closer, he was a little amped up, but got three outs and the save.

Giants 4-3 Mets (Aug 1, 2025) Box Score - ESPN

[Mick]

Devers struck out four times tonight. Didn't know this, but he set major league strikeout records in the early part of the season with 10 strikeouts in the first three games and 15 strikeouts in the first five games. That's an MLB record, folks.

Mike Yastrzemski, in his first at-bat for Kansas City, hit a home run...off of former Giant All Star Kevin Gausman, no less. This after hitting .122 with zero home runs and just one double in 61 plate appearances for the Giants over the last month.

Giants got 10 hits and four runs in a 4-3 victory. Former Met Butto gave up a walk, got two out. And Walker was very effective as a setup man, three up three down. In Rodriguez' first appearance as a closer, he was a little amped up, but got three outs and the save.

Giants 4-3 Mets (Aug 1, 2025) Box Score - ESPN

[Giants]

Devers struck out four times tonight. Didn't know this, but he set major league strikeout records in the early part of the season with 10 strikeouts in the first three games and 15 strikeouts in the first five games. That's an MLB record, folks.

Mike Yastrzemski, in his first at-bat for Kansas City, hit a home run...off of former Giant All Star Kevin Gausman, no less. This after hitting .122 with zero home runs and just one double in 61 plate appearances for the Giants over the last month.

Giants got 10 hits and four runs in a 4-3 victory. Former Met Butto gave up a walk, got two out. And Walker was very effective as a setup man, three up three down. In Rodriguez' first appearance as a closer, he was a little amped up, but got three outs and the save.

Giants 4-3 Mets (Aug 1, 2025) Box Score - ESPN

In other games…

Doval blew a save opportunity in his first appearance for the Yankees. 

Pittsburgh scored nine in the top of the first and lost 17-16 to Colorado.

[Giants]

Devers struck out four times tonight. Didn't know this, but he set major league strikeout records in the early part of the season with 10 strikeouts in the first three games and 15 strikeouts in the first five games. That's an MLB record, folks.

Mike Yastrzemski, in his first at-bat for Kansas City, hit a home run...off of former Giant All Star Kevin Gausman, no less. This after hitting .122 with zero home runs and just one double in 61 plate appearances for the Giants over the last month.

Giants got 10 hits and four runs in a 4-3 victory. Former Met Butto gave up a walk, got two out. And Walker was very effective as a setup man, three up three down. In Rodriguez' first appearance as a closer, he was a little amped up, but got three outs and the save.

Giants 4-3 Mets (Aug 1, 2025) Box Score - ESPN

In other games…

Doval blew a save opportunity in his first appearance for the Yankees. 

Pittsburgh scored nine in the top of the first and lost 17-16 to Colorado.

[BostonCard]

Pittsburgh scored nine in the top of the first and lost 17-16 to Colorado.

Wild game.  After Pittsburgh scored 9 in the top of the first, ESPN gave them over a 98% chance of winning.  Colorado was down 4 and down to its last two outs in the bottom of the ninth.  The next five batters: homered, walked, tripled, singled, and walk-off homered.

Happy for the Rockies; they have not had very much to cheer this year; today was only their 29th win of the year, and they are on pace to blow past 100 losses.

BC

[BostonCard]

Pittsburgh scored nine in the top of the first and lost 17-16 to Colorado.

Wild game.  After Pittsburgh scored 9 in the top of the first, ESPN gave them over a 98% chance of winning.  Colorado was down 4 and down to its last two outs in the bottom of the ninth.  The next five batters: homered, walked, tripled, singled, and walk-off homered.

Happy for the Rockies; they have not had very much to cheer this year; today was only their 29th win of the year, and they are on pace to blow past 100 losses.

BC

[Mick]

I just learned that Stanford's own Austin Slater has the second most career RBI by a pinch hitter among active players with 41 (Paul Turner has 50). Wilmer Flores has 38 (now 39 after his at bat).

[Mick]

I just learned that Stanford's own Austin Slater has the second most career RBI by a pinch hitter among active players with 41 (Paul Turner has 50). Wilmer Flores has 38 (now 39 after his at bat).

[Giants]

I just learned that Stanford's own Austin Slater has the second most career RBI by a pinch hitter among active players with 41 (Paul Turner has 50). Wilmer Flores has 38 (now 39 after his at bat).

I think that is called damning with faint praise.

If you have big PH stats, you must not good enough to be a regular.

[Giants]

I just learned that Stanford's own Austin Slater has the second most career RBI by a pinch hitter among active players with 41 (Paul Turner has 50). Wilmer Flores has 38 (now 39 after his at bat).

I think that is called damning with faint praise.

If you have big PH stats, you must not good enough to be a regular.

[Mick]

I just learned that Stanford's own Austin Slater has the second most career RBI by a pinch hitter among active players with 41 (Paul Turner has 50). Wilmer Flores has 38 (now 39 after his at bat).

I think that is called damning with faint praise.

If you have big PH stats, you must not good enough to be a regular.

He isn't good enough to be a regular, not against RHPs anyway...

[Mick]

I just learned that Stanford's own Austin Slater has the second most career RBI by a pinch hitter among active players with 41 (Paul Turner has 50). Wilmer Flores has 38 (now 39 after his at bat).

I think that is called damning with faint praise.

If you have big PH stats, you must not good enough to be a regular.

He isn't good enough to be a regular, not against RHPs anyway...

[old spanish trail]

Oooof. 3 hits.

[old spanish trail]

Oooof. 3 hits.

[Giants]

Reading tea leaves….

Yes, I know Posey stated that Melvin will be back next year; however, for the first time in Melvin’s tenure, there are rumblings among the fans that a change might be necessary to get the club back on track.

Personally, I am not part of the crowd calling for his dismissal.  I think that it is still too early to join that chorus.  I do think that a complete overhaul of the coaching staff will be needed in the off-season, starting with Williams and Burrell.  

With the season now in the dumper, it is time to figure out how to get better (with the same core of players since they aren’t going anywhere).  How about starting with improving the defense and hitting with RISP?

[Giants]

Reading tea leaves….

Yes, I know Posey stated that Melvin will be back next year; however, for the first time in Melvin’s tenure, there are rumblings among the fans that a change might be necessary to get the club back on track.

Personally, I am not part of the crowd calling for his dismissal.  I think that it is still too early to join that chorus.  I do think that a complete overhaul of the coaching staff will be needed in the off-season, starting with Williams and Burrell.  

With the season now in the dumper, it is time to figure out how to get better (with the same core of players since they aren’t going anywhere).  How about starting with improving the defense and hitting with RISP?

[Mick]

They're 23rd in runs per game. Burrell needs to go, much as I like him personally. I used to work with his dad, nice family. Still needs to go.

They're 8th in runs allowed per game, fifth in ERA, tied for 1st in FIP, 17th in WHIP. That's quite a dichotomy.

Chalk some of it up to poor fielding, been a problem for years now. 24th in fielding percentage, 25th in Rtot, 27th in defensive efficiency (percentage of balls put into play that are outs).

I was never sold on Melvin. This will be his 23rd year of managing an MLB team. He has won a post-season series in only one year, 2022. Melvin has coached five teams. For four of them, he had a worse record in his second year than in his first.

[Mick]

They're 23rd in runs per game. Burrell needs to go, much as I like him personally. I used to work with his dad, nice family. Still needs to go.

They're 8th in runs allowed per game, fifth in ERA, tied for 1st in FIP, 17th in WHIP. That's quite a dichotomy.

Chalk some of it up to poor fielding, been a problem for years now. 24th in fielding percentage, 25th in Rtot, 27th in defensive efficiency (percentage of balls put into play that are outs).

I was never sold on Melvin. This will be his 23rd year of managing an MLB team. He has won a post-season series in only one year, 2022. Melvin has coached five teams. For four of them, he had a worse record in his second year than in his first.

[BostonCard]

Could be worse, between them the Mets, Dodgers, and Yankees have almost $1B in payroll for 2025 (I added it up to $978 million) and none of them lead their respective divisions; the Yankees and Mets are sitting in the final spot of the Wildcard, a mere game ahead of the Guardians and Reds, respectively; while the Dodgers are in the second Wildcard spot.  The team with the best record in MLB, Milwaukee, is 23rd in total payroll at 113 million.

BC

[BostonCard]

Could be worse, between them the Mets, Dodgers, and Yankees have almost $1B in payroll for 2025 (I added it up to $978 million) and none of them lead their respective divisions; the Yankees and Mets are sitting in the final spot of the Wildcard, a mere game ahead of the Guardians and Reds, respectively; while the Dodgers are in the second Wildcard spot.  The team with the best record in MLB, Milwaukee, is 23rd in total payroll at 113 million.

BC

[Giants]

They're 23rd in runs per game. Burrell needs to go, much as I like him personally. I used to work with his dad, nice family. Still needs to go.

They're 8th in runs allowed per game, fifth in ERA, tied for 1st in FIP, 17th in WHIP. That's quite a dichotomy.

Chalk some of it up to poor fielding, been a problem for years now. 24th in fielding percentage, 25th in Rtot, 27th in defensive efficiency (percentage of balls put into play that are outs).

I was never sold on Melvin. This will be his 23rd year of managing an MLB team. He has won a post-season series in only one year, 2022. Melvin has coached five teams. For four of them, he had a worse record in his second year than in his first.

Two stats stand out —

Dead last in OPS v. LHP (yep, even worse than Colorado).  
27th in defensive efficiency.

If you can’t hit and you can’t field, you are in deep doo-doo……

[Giants]

They're 23rd in runs per game. Burrell needs to go, much as I like him personally. I used to work with his dad, nice family. Still needs to go.

They're 8th in runs allowed per game, fifth in ERA, tied for 1st in FIP, 17th in WHIP. That's quite a dichotomy.

Chalk some of it up to poor fielding, been a problem for years now. 24th in fielding percentage, 25th in Rtot, 27th in defensive efficiency (percentage of balls put into play that are outs).

I was never sold on Melvin. This will be his 23rd year of managing an MLB team. He has won a post-season series in only one year, 2022. Melvin has coached five teams. For four of them, he had a worse record in his second year than in his first.

Two stats stand out —

Dead last in OPS v. LHP (yep, even worse than Colorado).  
27th in defensive efficiency.

If you can’t hit and you can’t field, you are in deep doo-doo……

[Mick]

I notice that Blake Snell and his five year/$135 mms. contract has had two starts, nine innings pitched for the Dodgers this year. He's 1-0. He's giving up eight walks per nine innings.

Hurt.  

Dodgers don’t care. They just want him for his last couple months of the season and the playoffs. The Dodgers theory of pitching is like the Russians strategy in World War II. War of attrition.

Blake Snell has pitched 10 innings this year. He missed four months ith a left shoulder injury. Dodgers just reactivated him, gave up three earned runs in five innings. Struck out eight.
Giants Luckily Avoided Signing Overpaid Pitcher This Past Offseason in Free Agency

[Mick]

I notice that Blake Snell and his five year/$135 mms. contract has had two starts, nine innings pitched for the Dodgers this year. He's 1-0. He's giving up eight walks per nine innings.

Hurt.  

Dodgers don’t care. They just want him for his last couple months of the season and the playoffs. The Dodgers theory of pitching is like the Russians strategy in World War II. War of attrition.

Blake Snell has pitched 10 innings this year. He missed four months ith a left shoulder injury. Dodgers just reactivated him, gave up three earned runs in five innings. Struck out eight.
Giants Luckily Avoided Signing Overpaid Pitcher This Past Offseason in Free Agency

[Mick]

Reading tea leaves….

Yes, I know Posey stated that Melvin will be back next year; however, for the first time in Melvin’s tenure, there are rumblings among the fans that a change might be necessary to get the club back on track.

Personally, I am not part of the crowd calling for his dismissal.  I think that it is still too early to join that chorus.  I do think that a complete overhaul of the coaching staff will be needed in the off-season, starting with Williams and Burrell.  

With the season now in the dumper, it is time to figure out how to get better (with the same core of players since they aren’t going anywhere).  How about starting with improving the defense and hitting with RISP?

Around the Foghorn is blaming Melvin...

SF Giants manager Bob Melvin needs to resign if things do not change

[Mick]

Reading tea leaves….

Yes, I know Posey stated that Melvin will be back next year; however, for the first time in Melvin’s tenure, there are rumblings among the fans that a change might be necessary to get the club back on track.

Personally, I am not part of the crowd calling for his dismissal.  I think that it is still too early to join that chorus.  I do think that a complete overhaul of the coaching staff will be needed in the off-season, starting with Williams and Burrell.  

With the season now in the dumper, it is time to figure out how to get better (with the same core of players since they aren’t going anywhere).  How about starting with improving the defense and hitting with RISP?

Around the Foghorn is blaming Melvin...

SF Giants manager Bob Melvin needs to resign if things do not change