[Mick]

Can I make a modest proposal...

Now that fall Stanford sports have started and football is four days away, can I ask that the Giants threads go on a temporary hiatus on this board (at least until something significant happens or until the end of Spring sports)?

BC

I like to 
I second this! +1

The mods have discussed quietly merging newly started Giants threads into existing ones, to keep the number down. I don't think we should ban them entirely since some of our members really seem to enjoy discussing the Giants here.

I wasn't suggesting a ban, just a temporary hiatus, and nothing formal.  It was more a request that the frequent Giants posters be a bit more selective about when they post about the Giants, at least until the next Stanford athletics lull.

BC

I like to post about Austin Slater first, the Giants second.  I won't post about the Niners, unless they have a game against Andrew Luck, for example.

---

My subjective take is that Belt's main shortcoming is I think he does everything in the zone between average and slightly above average, i.e. between a 5 and 7 on a ten-point scale for offense, i.e. power, hitting for average, driving in runs.  His OBP might be 7-8 but it's also negated somewhat by his lack of foot speed.  So all that, when put against $17M, indicates mediocre bang for the buck.

I think Belt fits the Giants' formula.  I've always thought the Giants want the third best player in the league at any given position, along with an all-star catcher (Posey now, Bart later).  They don't want to pay for all-stars, but they'll pay for very good players.  A more refined version might be:

1)  Get and pay for starting pitching that "fits" the ballpark -- in other words, smaller parks need groundball pitchers.  Groundball/flyball pitchers work just as well.  Next year's starters (Bumgarner, Rodriguez, Suarez, Stratton) will serve very well.  Cueto and Samardzija might be shelved.
2)  Get comparatively cheap relievers that fit the ballpark as well...Romo, Wilson, Affeldt, Lopez were ideal.  None were flamethrowers, though Black has done very well in his short time, Strickland is a dumpster fire.  I don't understand that fascination with Strickland.
3)  Have an all star at catcher and shortstop.
4)  Have the 3rd to 5th best player in the league at all other positions, basically guys who were an all-star once or twice in their career years, otherwise just very good players (Aubrey Huff, Brandon Belt, Joe Panik, Jeff Samardzija, Pablo Sandoval).  It's backfired in the outfield, though I think Slater can get there.
5)  Have great fielding.  OFs are or were all CFs.

[Mick]

Can I make a modest proposal...

Now that fall Stanford sports have started and football is four days away, can I ask that the Giants threads go on a temporary hiatus on this board (at least until something significant happens or until the end of Spring sports)?

BC

I like to 
I second this! +1

The mods have discussed quietly merging newly started Giants threads into existing ones, to keep the number down. I don't think we should ban them entirely since some of our members really seem to enjoy discussing the Giants here.

I wasn't suggesting a ban, just a temporary hiatus, and nothing formal.  It was more a request that the frequent Giants posters be a bit more selective about when they post about the Giants, at least until the next Stanford athletics lull.

BC

I like to post about Austin Slater first, the Giants second.  I won't post about the Niners, unless they have a game against Andrew Luck, for example.

---

My subjective take is that Belt's main shortcoming is I think he does everything in the zone between average and slightly above average, i.e. between a 5 and 7 on a ten-point scale for offense, i.e. power, hitting for average, driving in runs.  His OBP might be 7-8 but it's also negated somewhat by his lack of foot speed.  So all that, when put against $17M, indicates mediocre bang for the buck.

I think Belt fits the Giants' formula.  I've always thought the Giants want the third best player in the league at any given position, along with an all-star catcher (Posey now, Bart later).  They don't want to pay for all-stars, but they'll pay for very good players.  A more refined version might be:

1)  Get and pay for starting pitching that "fits" the ballpark -- in other words, smaller parks need groundball pitchers.  Groundball/flyball pitchers work just as well.  Next year's starters (Bumgarner, Rodriguez, Suarez, Stratton) will serve very well.  Cueto and Samardzija might be shelved.
2)  Get comparatively cheap relievers that fit the ballpark as well...Romo, Wilson, Affeldt, Lopez were ideal.  None were flamethrowers, though Black has done very well in his short time, Strickland is a dumpster fire.  I don't understand that fascination with Strickland.
3)  Have an all star at catcher and shortstop.
4)  Have the 3rd to 5th best player in the league at all other positions, basically guys who were an all-star once or twice in their career years, otherwise just very good players (Aubrey Huff, Brandon Belt, Joe Panik, Jeff Samardzija, Pablo Sandoval).  It's backfired in the outfield, though I think Slater can get there.
5)  Have great fielding.  OFs are or were all CFs.

[qwerty49]

One bright spot is Brandon Crawford, whose range factor (basically # of chances accepted per game) tops the majors at 4.34.  League average is 3.99, so basically Crawford gets to one more ball every three games than the average shortstop.  His fielding average hasn't changed, he's been in the .970 to .975 range every year.  His season high for DPs was 2016 when he had 90, he already has 89 this year (second most in MLB).  I expect this will be his fourth Gold Glove season in a row.

Good stats Mick -- But as Phogge predicted, Crawford has tanked at the plate.  I believe he is hitting around .180 since July 1.  He had one great month in June, and has regressed to the mean.

[qwerty49]

One bright spot is Brandon Crawford, whose range factor (basically # of chances accepted per game) tops the majors at 4.34.  League average is 3.99, so basically Crawford gets to one more ball every three games than the average shortstop.  His fielding average hasn't changed, he's been in the .970 to .975 range every year.  His season high for DPs was 2016 when he had 90, he already has 89 this year (second most in MLB).  I expect this will be his fourth Gold Glove season in a row.

Good stats Mick -- But as Phogge predicted, Crawford has tanked at the plate.  I believe he is hitting around .180 since July 1.  He had one great month in June, and has regressed to the mean.

[BobK]

My problem with Belt is his .091 average, yes guessing, with runners in scoring position.  Or his .050 average with runners in scoring position and 2 out.   The fact that Belt walks a lot or fouls off many balls doesn't impress me in the slightest.   He is an excellent fielder.

Evans could hold the single season HR record if the right field foul pole were just 15 feet to the right.  So many long HRs just foul.

Also Evans was Jerry Tarkanian's Point Guard for the great Pasadena City College team.

[BobK]

My problem with Belt is his .091 average, yes guessing, with runners in scoring position.  Or his .050 average with runners in scoring position and 2 out.   The fact that Belt walks a lot or fouls off many balls doesn't impress me in the slightest.   He is an excellent fielder.

Evans could hold the single season HR record if the right field foul pole were just 15 feet to the right.  So many long HRs just foul.

Also Evans was Jerry Tarkanian's Point Guard for the great Pasadena City College team.

[BobK]

McCutchen traded to the Yankees

[BobK]

McCutchen traded to the Yankees

[Mick]

McCutchen traded to the Yankees

The Giants received infielder Abiatal Avelino and right-hander Juan De Paula.  Avelino, 23, hit .287 with five home runs, 66 RBIs and 25 stolen bases at Double-A and Triple-A this season while De Paula, 20, was 2-2 with a 1.71 ERA in 10 games, including nine starts, for Class A Staten Island.

[Mick]

McCutchen traded to the Yankees

The Giants received infielder Abiatal Avelino and right-hander Juan De Paula.  Avelino, 23, hit .287 with five home runs, 66 RBIs and 25 stolen bases at Double-A and Triple-A this season while De Paula, 20, was 2-2 with a 1.71 ERA in 10 games, including nine starts, for Class A Staten Island.

[qwerty49]

They had 3 hits tonight. Slater had 2 of them.

[qwerty49]

They had 3 hits tonight. Slater had 2 of them.