Category Archives: Game Recaps

Post-Game Notes: Lights Out Bullpen [as usual] and Home Improvement, but from who?

Where would this team be with Buster Posey and Freddy Sanchez still fully healthy? We can’t really just predict, but just imagine Pablo Sandoval. Now think about what this team would look like if Sandoval could bat 3 times through a lineup.

I guess that’s the best that I can do in terms of explaining how amazing this team would be not only with Posey and Sanchez still in the lineup, but the “Bullet” Darren Ford on the bench, and Brandon Belt there to use his disciplined approach to give Huff a few days off.

This team healthy would be beyond competent to win 95 games. They’ve mastered the process of winning 1-run and close games, and we can only imagine if this team could just go from their mark of 3.6 runs per game to a modestly improved 4.0, maybe 4.3. Then, maybe I can leave Aubrey Huff, Andres Torres, Miguel Tejada, so on, and so on all alone.
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Post-Game Notes: Improved First Half, Romo’s [usual] dominance, and more

This was just one of those games, where you have no choice but to tip your cap to the other pitcher. Today that was Ryan Dempster, who simply had everything working while dominating the Giants offense through 8.0 IP and only surrendering 1 ER on 6 hits.

Tim Linceum picked up where he left off against the Twins, striking out 9 batters through 7.0 IP and only allowing 5 hits. It seems as he’s gotten through this season’s “August 2010” with the two consecutive solid starts, and it’s a relief for everyone.

It’s hard to pin this loss on any one person, especially since the offense that showed up with 19 runs in the double-header yesterday. Clearly Dempster is nothing special, but when you combine his above-average performance with a less-than-average offense, this is the result you often see.

The Giants managed to tie the game in the 9th when Mike Quade questionably pulled Dempster, who was at 86 pitches and had only surrendered those 3 hits. It was a solid at-bat by Pat Burrell, combined with a more-than-crucial mistake from Tony Campana, and likely the biggest hit of Emmanuel Burriss’ MLB career. Continue reading →

Tim Lincecum Records 1000th Career Strikeout as Giants Come from Behind…Again

It’s hard to understand what motivates a team to do well. Some say fame. Some say fortune. Some, like Albert Pujols or Prince Fielder, have their own supernatural determination driving them.

Any player and any team can hit and hit well in a given day. However true excellence comes from the ability to do the deed day-in and day-out, week-in and week-out, letting your club know that they can count on you for the big hit when it counts.

So what in the name of all that is holy is driving this Giants offense?

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