Giants Interview with RazzBall

Alright, with Spring Training here, and the NFL season behind us, it's time to shift gears a little bit and get back into some baseball talk. I recently was interviewed by Razzball.com and we talked about some of the upcoming issues for the Giants for the 2013 season. Here it is below:

Q1: Other than news that Tim Lincecum no longer adorns long, Mitch Kramer locks, the fantasy community hasn't heard much about a player who was a fantasy disappointment for many in 2012.  What kind of bounce back, if any, should we expect from the still relatively young Lincecum and should owners be buying into Tiny Tim for 2013?

A: I think we're going to see a rebound from Lincecum for sure. Will he ever be the same guy that won those two Cy Young awards a few seasons back? Probably not. Lincecum appeared to have a "dead arm" for much of 2012, and you saw it come back to life in the postseason a bit after he was moved to the pen and his workload decreased. He's working this winter on adding some weight and muscle which in turn should help his endurance and performance out on the mound. What will be key for him is his command though. He's still got that nasty split-fingered changeup, and even though he's lost a few feet on his fastball, when he's got command of his arsenal, he's still one of the tougher guys to face in the league. My guess is he bounces back to something like 15-10 with an ERA in the mid-threes and that excellent strikeout rate staying intact.

Q2: Hunter Pence was yet another fantasy disappointment for owners last year who finished with a career low .253 average last year and whose numbers really tanked when he landed with San Francisco (59 games, .219 average).  Was this the case of someone who was putting too much pressure on himself after the trade and can we expect a more typical Pence season for 2013?

A: Pence was undoubtedly pressing early on after arriving in San Francisco, then he got hot for about a week, then cooled back down. I think it was making the adjustment to the new, bigger park and getting his feet under him out on the West Coast that hindered his performance, and I think we'll see closer to his career norm in 2013. Now, AT&T Park will hurt his power numbers a bit, he's not going to hit 30 jacks, but with the guys the Giants have lined up in front of him in the order, he's going to have ample RBI opps. That's one area he was very successful in with the Giants. He didn't get many hits, but when he did, they seemed like big, RBI hits. He's right in the prime of his career, and playing in a place he really enjoys being in, so I expect his performance to reflect that this season.

Q3: After being a waiver wire surprise for fantasy owners in 2011, Ryan Vogelsong kept the train rolling in 2012 with an increase to his K/9 and an extra win to boot.  Many sites - you can count ours in there - really thought this song should've ended in 2011 but he's pulled a Matt Cain with his ERA vs xFIP over the last two years.  So my question to you is, does he keep the good times rolling in 2013 and if you say 'yes' how can you be so sure?  Are you a part of the Matrix?

A: Vogey has gotten by with terrific command. I was surprised in my drafts last season that he fell so far, and I was able to get him late in both cases. I think everyone was expecting somewhat of a drop-off in 2012, but he looked even better than he was in 2011 for the most part. He did cool off down the stretch like he did in 2011, and that's something he's got to address going forward. He's getting up their in age, so expecting him to keep improving each season would be unrealistic. If I had to guess, I'd say he's do for a slight drop in 2013, but he's one of the hardest working guys on the team so it won't be because of lack of preperation. As long as his body holds up, he's going to continue to be an above-average pitcher.

Q4: Seven HRs and 12 steals.  That's what Brandon Belt did in 411 at-bats last year at the age of 24.  Tell me with 500 at-bats we have something better than me just prorating his first numbers over 500 at-bats.  Hrm, I guess that's not a question...please tell me we have something better than me just prorating his first numbers?

A: Honestly, Belt is one of the guys I'm most excited to see in 2013. I think this kid is really starting to put it together, and being a big part of a Championship team should only boost his confidence. As a matter of fact, in my upcoming seasons preview, I have Belt lined up to be the Giants breakout player in 2013. The only area I'm concerned about with him is his power numbers. Every other aspect of his game has improved with the more time he's gotten at the big league level, but his power numbers have been dwindling. As long as he keeps driving the ball, getting on base at a .340 clip or better, the power will come and he'll continue to be an asset to the lineup. Plus, his glove is so good, that he's a tough guy to remove from the lineup.

Q5: It's the Summer of Love all over again as Americans revolt against 'the man' in 2013 as Haight & Ashbury gets inundated with the smell of patchouli and the sounds of Jefferson Airplane all over again (or moreso than the usual now).  What will these damn, dirty hippies most remember - if anything - about their 2013 San Francisco Giants?

A) Lincecum quits baseball and starts his own head shop but of course says he no longer smokes and his paraphernalia is strictly to be used for tobacco...that's grown in Washington or Colorado
B) San Fran wins back to back WS
C) Pablo Sandoval finally realizes that his hamate bone issues stem directly from his eating the ham in it and stops doing so, leading to his first 30 HR season
D) Buster Posey is the NL MVP
E) Sergio Romo quits baseball after sales of his brand name T-Shirts 'I Only Look Illegal' make him a millionaire
F) Madison Bumgarner finally puts together a full season and finishes with at least 1 Cy Young vote this year.

A: You know, it would destroy not only the good people of San Francisco, but the real baseball enthusiasts all around if either A or E happened, so hopefully those things don't occur for many more years. I could see 'MadBum' getting Cy Young hype with a strong year, and we know another World Series and Posey MVP award is well within striking distance, but If I had to guess on just one, I'd say this will be the year of the Panda. His 3-HR game off Verlander in game one of the World Series really set the tone for that series, and I think Pablo will be coming in as focused and hungry (figuratively speaking) as ever. So long as he keeps that weight in check and can avoid those nagging DL stints, I think 30 home runs is a realistic possibility. So C, Pablo plays in 150 games, hits 30 jacks and drives in 100 runs!

Notes: 49ers, Giants and Warriors Take Over

With the Giants winning the World Series for the 2nd time in 3 seasons, the 49ers well on their way to another playoff birth and the Warriors off to their best start in over two decades, these three franchises have taken over the Bay Area sports media focus.

Giants: After staying relatively quiet throughout the first month of free agency, the Giants have made the moves they were hoping for all along in re-signing Angel Pagan and Marco Scutaro, but on Thursday, they added another familiar face back into the mix. Andres Torres was non-tendered by New York last month and one couldn't help but think the Giants would inquire about him with their need for outfield help. Torres is coming off a couple of down years after his breakout 2010 campaign, so the Giants were able to get him on a bargain 1-year, $2M deal. I was hoping the Giants would find that right-handed, power hitting corner outfielder they were looking for, but apparently in this market, even guys like Scott Hairston are out of their price range. That being said, Torres is not a bad fallback option at all and should be more than capable as the fourth outfielder and may even give Blanco a run for playing time in left field if he gets hot. He hit over .300 in a reserve role in 2009, and hit .265 with 16 HR's  and 29 SB as a full-timer in 2010. The Giants like Torres' switch hitting abilities, his solid defense and his speed on the base paths, so even if they aren't able to add another outfielder to the depth chart between now and February, they have to feel pretty good with their group heading into 2013. More Giants Talk Here!

49ers: Speaking of 2013, we're just a few weeks away from the new year and the start of the NFL playoffs, but for 49ers fans, it kind of feels like the playoffs start this weekend. The 49ers will head into New England Sunday for a matchup that was a muffed punt away from being last years Super Bowl. After a few less than spectacular games, including the loss to St. Louis and allowing the Dolphins to take hang with them at home last week, the 49ers will be looking to rebound vs. a well-rounded Pats team. New England's offense is a pass-first attack and Tom Brady has the ability to pick the 49ers defense apart. It'll be crucial to get pressure on him throughout the day if they want to contain that passing attack. Defensively, the Pats are much improved, but they can be beaten. The 49ers may need to go to the air a little more than they've been recently, so a lot of this game will lie on the shoulders of young Colin Kapernick. If there's ever a time to make your statement that you've arrived as one of the better young QB's in the league and are here to stay, it's vs. Tom Brady and the Patriots. However, this game isn't all on Kaepernick. The O-line must do it's job in keeping the Pats' pass-rush off Kaep's back, and the 49ers must establish Gore early and often. The Niners should be treating this game like a playoff game, and they should learn a lot from this one, win or lose.

Warriors: Finally, we have the team that's been giving the 49ers a run for their money in both air time and print space across Bay Area media outlets. The Golden State Warriors came up with perhaps their most impressive victory of the young season Wednesday, rolling into South Beach and beating the reigning Champion Miami Heat on an impressive last second layup by the rookie Draymond Green. The 'Dubs were hanging with Miami all night long, even holding the lead throughout most of the contest, but what really impressed me was the way they closed the game out down the stretch. As he's been doing a lot recently, Mark Jackson stuck with the small lineup of Jarrett Jack, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, David Lee, Carl Landry and a lot of Draymond Green down the stretch, and for the fifth straight time on this 7-game roadie, that group closed out a Warriors win. Klay Thompson led the Warriors charge with 27 points, 7 boards and 4 assists as he thoroughly outplayed Dwayne Wade and did a tremendous job in containing the dangerous off-guard. David Lee also chipped in another 22-13 night to help overcome a bit of an off night out of Steph Curry, and that's another sign that this team is for real. When your top scorer gets shut down, and you still find a way to defeat the consensus best team in the NBA, you know you've got something special going on... With the win, the Warriors have moved to 15-7, and they've thrived even without their star 7-foot center, Andrew Bogut. More Warriors Talk Here!

Giants Re-Sign Pagan, Scutaro

After wondering for weeks whether the team would be able to bring back either Marco Scutaro or Angel Pagan, Giants fans have to be pleased that both will be returning to San Francisco for 2013.

On back-to-back days, the Giants were able to re-sign their leadoff man and center fielder, then their number 2 guy and second basemen, pretty much wrapping up Brian Sabean's work in free agency. I have to say, I do like both deals, even though both were a year longer than I was hoping for. Pagan did get his four year deal that he was seeking, but the Giants were able to get him for roughly $10M per season, which doesn't look bad at all considering what Torii Hunter, Shane Victorino and B.J. Upton just got. Heading into this offseason, I thought the best deal for the Giants in terms of Pagan would have been a 3 year, $30 million deal with an option for a fourth. Based on that, I have to say this deal looks like a win for the Giants seeing that they only had to go an extra year. Plus, the options after Pagan in terms of leadoff hitting center fielders weren't that intriguing. The other top center fielder/leadoff man on the market, Michael Bourn, is said to be seeking a $100M deal, and if he even gets close to that number, that makes this deal look even better... Rest of Article Here!

Bay Area Sports Notes

There's been a lot going on around the Bay Area Pro Sports scene the last week, and we figured we do sort of a bullet point on each team to catch up.

Giants: Obviously, we've posted here since the Giants won the Series in Detroit last month, but that hasn't stopped them from jumping right into the fire in terms of putting next years team together. They announced last week that they will tender Hunter Pence a contract for 2013, his final year under team control, and they just signed Jeremy Affeldt to a new 3-year, $18 million deal. They're also discussing a deal with Marco Scutaro and have optimism on that front. They still have big decisions regarding Angel Pagan, Brian Wilson and the infamous Melky Cabrera.

A's: There's really nothing big to report here. I doubt the A's will be much of a player in free agency, besides attempting to bring back Grant Balfour. They already severed ties with Stephen Drew, and probably won't be able to compete to keep Brandon McCarthy in town. They'll once again rely on upcoming talent and maybe a few mid-low level free agent signings they hope they strike gold on (a la Johnny Gomes in '12). Then again, after the season they just had, Beane could surprise us and go make a splash this winter. We'll certainly be keeping tabs on them in the upcoming months.

49ers: Well, we've been covering mostly 49ers news here for the better part of the last two months, but there have been some new developments over the last week-plus. Mainly the pitiful meaningless game we all saw them play vs. St. Louis this last weekend. For some reason, David Akers can't hit the broad side of a barn all of the sudden, and Alex Smith's health is now in question after suffering a concussion early on in the game. That brings up point number two, which we'll discuss more in the coming weeks. It looks like Colin Kaepernick will get the nod this Sunday, and if he puts up big numbers, do the 49ers stick with him even when Smith is healthy enough to go? We know what Smith can do, but Kaep has shown glimpses of having both Andrew Luck and RGIII skill sets. He's still a little raw on decision making, but pretty impressive overall.

Raiders: Well, like with their fellow Oakland counterparts, there's not much new to report here other than the Raiders suffering through another sub-par season. They've had their moments in some games when Carson Palmer has carried the team, but DMC has been a major dissapointment in his first year as full-time back, and that defense is still having trouble stopping anyone. On the bright side, Brandon Myers looks legit at tight end, and Heyward-Bay and Moore look to be rounding into form at wideout.

Warriors: Last, but certainly not least are the Golden State Warriors. The 'Dubs have had an up and down first two weeks to 2012-13, and a big part of what happens next lies in the health of Andrew Bogut. The big man has been sit down for the next week-plus as he tries to regain strength in that repaired ankle of his. If it takes a week, or three, the W's need to be patient with him. As long as he's healthy and able to play 30 minutes by mid-December, the Dubs should be fine. We've seen how good they can be with a injured Bogut, so imagine what they can do with a healthy one. On the positive, Steph Curry looks to be in great shape and showing no ill-effects with his ankle problems... Finally, Harrison Barnes has been a little slow to come along here early on. Hopefully he steps up as the W's need him more than ever without Brandon Rush.

Giants Bring Another Tittle to Bay Area

Since we haven't talked much Giants baseball here in the last few weeks, and the fact that the team just brought another tittle to the Bay Area, I thought I'd post a blurb from a partner site over @ The Giants Baseball Blog...

Although Giants fans all over the world get to relish in this World Series Championship all winter long, it's time for the Giants management to start shifting their focus towards 2013.

Now, before I start putting this season in the rear view mirror, I just wanted to talk a little bit more about this World Series victory and the incredible parade we all got on Wednesday. Again, we'll be doing season reviews in the coming month, rating how each unit of the team did this year, from starting pitching to the bench guys and everyone in between. There just isn't a lot to be said about the 2012 Giants that hasn't been eluded to a number of times. I would be lying if I told you I had the World Series on my mind after this team lost it's star closer and then their top hitter midway through the season while also getting pedestrian numbers out of the guy they were hoping would help carry the offense in Hunter Pence. But that's further testament to how well this team played as a group and how each player picked up the other guy when they had to. Pence's presence showed up more than just in the box score. Blanco made Melky an afterthought in October and we all know the job Romo did....

Continue Reading Here!

A's, Giants Ready for Division Series

It's been a long time coming, but the Giants and the A's are once again in the playoffs together and the Bay Area is right in the heart of the MLB Postseason.

The Giants wrapped up their division almost 2 weeks ago, as they hit their surge in August and just ran away with the NL West. For the A's though, it was a longer trek, but it payed off handsomely. First off, up until a few weeks ago, everybody counted Oakland out not just in their division, but the AL Wild Card race as well saying their youth would eventually catch up with them. But much like the Giants did in 2010, the A's just kept getting better and better down the stretch and clinched a wild card spot before overtaking their division on the final day of the season. It capped off an memorable run, as the A's held first place in the AL West for just one day in 2012, but luckily for them, it was the only day that mattered. Now, instead of having to play for their playoff fate in a one-game elimination, the A's will face off with the Detroit Tigers in the best-of-five ALDS, and the A's will have to once again prove they're not just a bunch of kids in over their heads. With the way they've been playing though, I don't think anyone is really counting them out. They have the pitching to help carry them to the finish line, but there is still some question marks surrounding their offense and ability to generate runs without the long ball. The key for them vs. the veteran Detroit bunch will be to ride their energy and keep playing like they have something to prove.

Across the Bay, the Giants haven't played a real meaningful game in weeks, but have their big series with Cincinnati set to start up Saturday night at AT&T Park. For San Francisco, the expectations are much higher, as their fans aren't just happy making it to the dance, they want another tittle. While the Reds are a pretty well balanced squad, their strength lies in their lineup and especially the power department. Obviously, the Giants strength lies in their pitching staff, so this could be another series very similar to the 2010 World Series when the Giants knocked off the Rangers. The Giants will send out their two most consistent arms from this season in Matt Cain and Madison Bumgarner and those two have to set the tone for the series. If the Reds come out swinging and put runs up early, it's going to be a tough hole for the Giants to climb out of cause Cinci isn't just an offensive juggernaut. They can pitch too. If Cainer and Bumgarner can throw their typical 7 strong innings and keep the Reds offense to 3 runs or less, then the Giants are going to be in good shape... We'll have more In-depth and day-to-day Giants coverage, over at our Giants Baseball Blog.

Could 2012 be another Bay Bridge Series? Only time will tell, but both these teams are peaking and neither will be tough to knock off.

Surviving Without Melky

The Giants ran into a double-dose of bad luck Wednesday as the news of Melky Cabrera's suspension came down just before the Giants lost their series with Washington.

Melky Suspended for Season

Melky Cabrera, who was quickly becoming huge fan favorite around the Bay Area, just gave Giants fans a sucker punch to the gut. The '12 All-Star MVP was suspended the mandatory 50-games for violating the MLB drug policy by taking a Testosterone-based supplement. Once again the Giants are left shorthanded and without one of their lineup's cornerstones. Whether it's been suspensions like with Mota and Cabrera season, or injuries like with Wilson and Pablo Sandoval, the Giants just couldn't seem to get their A-team out on the field all together this season. They had the one game with Pence, Panda, Cabrera and Posey all in the lineup together and the offense looked completely rejuvinated. Turn the page to Wednesday's game, and you saw a 180-degree turnaround....
Rest of Article Here!

Giants Add Pence, A's Stand Pat

Both the A's and the Giants had rumors swirling around them Tuesday before the trade deadline, but only the Giants were able to make a move to improve their chances at reaching and being competitive in the postseason.

Hunter Pence Coming to Town

After seeing their offense wilt over the weekend vs. the Dodgers, it was clear the Giants needed a boost. They got just that Tuesday, sending young catching prospect Tommy Joseph, Nate Schierholtz and an minor league arm to Philly for the guy I think was the best bat in this trade market, Hunter Pence. The thing I really like about this move is it's not a half season rental. Pence will be around for 2013 and could give the Giants a good security blanket in case they can't re-sign Melky Cabrera this winter. He's going to come right in and hit in the middle of the order and should provide a huge boost to the sputtering offense. Giving up Joseph certainly isn't easy to do, but the one area the Giants are pretty deep at is catcher so that was the area of strength to deal from. With the Dodgers improving left and right (adding Brandon League and Shane Victorino), it was inevitable the Giants would try and answer for a splash of their own. I'm just glad they aren't needing to part with a slew of prospects in order to get to get it done.

The A's just finished their best July in club history, so it's not like they were desperate to make a move, but apparently they were trying. They entered last month as a team likely to sell off veteran players but their surge over the last 30 days changed Billy Beane's thinking. I just don't think the A's are legit contenders yet though, even with their solid play of late. The Angels got a whole lot better before the deadline and both them and the Rangers are much deeper than Oakland. I said in our post previewing the trade deadline that the biggest roster moves for Oakland would be when they get Brandon McCarthy and Brett Anderson back, but it's too bad they couldn't add that big hitter they needed.

Trade Deadline Analysis: Giants

With MLB's non-waiver Trade Deadline approaching in under two weeks, trade talk has heated up for both the A's and the Giants. Today we'll talk a bit about where the Giants are, Saturday we'll get into the A's.


The rumors have started to run rampant regarding the Giants and who they could target in the next 10 days. One of those players is said to be in Philadelphia, as numerous sources have them interested in third basemen Placido Polanco. I came to the realization this team needed another infielder when it was clear Freddy Sanchez wouldn't be returning, but I still don't see a terrific fit out there for this club. I'm sorry, but the aging, slow Polanco isn't what this team needs and I can't understand why Sabean would even pursue that target. Didn't he learn anything last year with the Orlando Cabrera deal? Plus, Polanco has been playing third base for Philly, and unless the Giants plan on moving Pablo permanently to first base, Polanco would be moved out of position. I wouldn't be opposed to moving Sandoval across the diamond for the "right" third basemen, but certainly not Placido Polanco. The right third basemen in my mind would be a guy like Hanley Ramirez (who is also apparently on the trading block), someone who will be around for a few years and is right in his prime, but the Giants don't have the minor league depth to pull off those deals every summer.

Infante: A Realistic Target?

Another Marlin's name that was mentioned in the Andrew Baggarly chat yesterday is a guy I hadn't thought about much is Miami's 2nd basemen, Omar Infante. The 30 year-old infielder has the versatility to play 3rd, short and 2nd and is a plus-hitter. He could free up Ryan Theriot to be more of a utility guy and contribute at shortstop as well. Infante is hitting .281 with 8 home runs and 33 RBI and swings from the right-side which is something the Giants desperately need, good right-handed bats. The best part, is he's not a headline player and likely wouldn't cost an arm and a leg to get. The Marlins are clearly open to dealing him too, but the latest news out of Miami has the Marlins attempting to package Infante together with Josh Johnson and deal them to the American League. This is a really tough year for teams looking to add pieces. Too many clubs still feel they're in contention and the ones that aren't are well aware of their situation and the plethora of buyers heading into the deadline. I just don't see the Giants having enough ammo to pull off a big deal for offense, which is why I still think if they add a piece or two, it'll be to the bullpen. They're still trying to assess their own system and figure out just who they feel is expendable, and again, after the moves last season, I have a hard time seeing another blockbuster getting done this July.

Perhaps the most sensible and attainable target I've heard linked to the team the last few days has been Royals closer Jonathan Broxton. It's clear the Royals will deal him at some point, they have Joakim Soria returning next season, but the Royals could be detoured away from the Giants after their luck with the Cabrera/Sanchez deal. I'm not holding out hope for a big bat like I was last summer, even though they could sure use one. However, a closer-type, especially with the inconsistencies Casilla has run into, makes a whole lot of sense.

Giants Send 4 to All-Star Game, A's Get One

It's been a while since the Giants had three starters in an All-Star game, but that's exactly what they'll have at the annual mid-summer classic in Kansas City.

Posey Led NL in Votes

Pablo Sandoval was voted in as the starting 3rd basemen, Buster Posey as the starting catcher and Melky Cabrera as a starting outfielder. Those names really shouldn't surprise anyone, as they were at the top of the voting at their respective positions for a while now, but the one that does kind of surprise me is Pablo Sandoval. He's been solid when he's been out there, but to miss a month in the first half and still get voted in takes some help on the fans behalf. Melky was leading the league in hitting for a good portion of the first half and certainly deserved the nod, so it was good to see the fans show up late and help get him in. Buster has been the leading catcher for the NL since balloting opened up (finishing with an NL-high 7.6M votes) so he'll be attending his first career All-Star game as a starter. The big surprise to me though, was that Tony LaRussa didn't pick any other Giants pitchers to join Matt Cain. Matty became very much a potential starter for the NL after his perfect game last month, but I'd say both Bumgarner and Vogelsong were deserving as well as Sergio Romo and possibly even Santiago Casilla.


Across the bay, the A's have had an up and down season with a lot of injuries, and will be sending just Ryan Cook, their new young closer to Kansas City for Tuesday's game. Cook has become the A's most dependable bullpen arm, and has a 1.46 ERA and 0.92 WHIP heading into the break. He's also closed out 8 of 11 save attempts and sports a strikeout ratio of a batter per inning. Still, this selection really surprised me. I only expected the A's to send one player to the All-Star game, but I thought it would have been Josh Reddick, who enters the break hitting .265 with 20 HR's, 42 RBI and 8 stolen bases. Not that Cook hasn't been deserving, but he's a rookie with a half-year of experience while Reddick is on pace for about 40 jacks!

Matt Cain Throws Perfect Game

Matt Cain exemplified perfection Wednesday night at AT&T Park, as the man who's come so close to no-hitters in the past, finally went the distance, throwing the first perfect game in Giants' history.

Matt Cain In Midst of Perfection

Cain struck out a career-high 14 batters in route to his perfect outing, as Houston hitters looked lost at the plate all night long. I've been to a few games when Cain has taken no-hitters into the 8th and 9th innings before, but I've never seen him in the form he was in Wednesday night at AT&T Park. The 27 year-old right-hander is the one that got the big contract in the winter, not Tim Lincecum, and the early dividends have paid off huge for San Francisco. With Cain's perfect outing, he moved his record to a dominant 8-2, coupled with a 2.19 ERA and 0.85 WHIP. It was his 7th straight victory, and he's allowed 1 or less runs in 5 of those 7 outings. This game also has to put him on the map as the potential starter for the NL in the All-Star game in July. With the way he's been going since back-to-back 4-run outings a month ago, there really hasn't been a better starting pitcher in the league. I know R.A. Dickey is having an incredible season for the New York Mets and even Aroldis Chapman has been mentioned as a possible starter for the NL, but Matt Cain is on fire right now, and has really become may be the NL's most dominant starting pitcher at the moment.

I'll tell you one person who will definitely be happy with Cain's performance, and that's Lincecum. He better be thanking Matty for helping take some of the spotlight off him. It was a game that will forever go down in the history books, not only in San Francisco Giants history, but Major League baseball history as well. It wasn't just Matt Cain that did his job to perfection Wednesday, as the Giants offense rattled off 10 runs vs. J.A. Happ and the Houston bullpen. Gregor Blanco, Melky Cabrera and Brandon Belt (for a 2nd consecutive game) all went yard, and 7 of the 8 starters had multi-hit games. Pablo Sandoval reacted to being moved down to the 6th spot with some anger, going 3-4 with a double and 2 RBI, by far his best game since being activated over the weekend. It was a rare night when everything lined up perfectly, the offense, the defense and of course, the pitching. This is the type of victory that can really spark a season!

Giants, A's Notes

The Giants have had had some mixed results on their current road trip so far, with their ace continuing to struggle, but their offense staying surprisingly efficient. At the same time, the A's are going through much of the same, only their offense and their pitching have both hit the skids at the same time and they're in the midst of a decent losing streak.

Lincecum's ERA: 6.46

After Thursday's blowout win in Miami, and the Giants taking an early lead in Friday's game as well, it's been all down hill. Lincecum started out the game pretty nicely, going into the 6th with a 3-1 lead, just what he needed to take some pressure off. However, like he has so often the last month, he came unraveled in the 6th inning, surrendering 5 earned runs, never to make it out of that horrendous 6th. It seems like it keeps on being one huge inning in which Timmy just losses everything, command to the zone and perhaps most importantly, confidence. You can read it in his body language that the dude is just not in sync out there right now. I mean, he was like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Friday, looking brilliant through 5 innings, then out of nowhere just melting down. It was his 5th consecutive start in which he didn't earn the coveted "quality start" tag, and it seems like it's just getting worse for the right-hander, with his ERA now at a career low for this deep in a season at 6.46. His bad luck rubbed off on Madison Bumgarner Saturday, and the Giants star lefty has yet record a victory since May 5th. Now, Bumgarner is throwing a whole lot better than Lincecum currently is, but he typically thrives in games after tough Giants losses, and it was tough to watch him get lit up a bit by the fish. His ERA rose up over 3.00 for the first time since April 23rd, and his record is now 5-4 after starting the season 5-1. To Bumgarner's credit though, he's had some tough luck, most recently his last start in Milwaukee in which he was brilliant but didn't get any offensive or defensive support, and Timmy can't really say the same thing. Am I worried about him yet? Absolutely not! But I also don't think this team is a playoff contender with Lincecum throwing the way he is... On a positive note for the Giants though, their offense continues to thrive, especially their outfielders who are hitting a combined .337.

Reddick's 12th HR of Year

Across the bay in Oakland, the A's have come back down to Earth lately after playing a real nice stretch of baseball in late April/early May. They've lost 4 straight and have fallen 3 games below .500 and 7 games back of the West-leading Rangers. They're struggling both at the plate and on the mound, but the one guy who's been a diamond in the rough for this team and another brilliant find by Billy Beane has been rightfielder Josh Reddick. Despite the A's offensive struggles at the top of the lineup with Rickie Weeks, Reddick has put up some very impressive numbers, sporting a .272/12/26 line heading into action Sunday. Reddick leads the A's in all three categories, and has picked up the slack for a slumping Yeonis Cespedes who's been stuck on the DL for 20 days now and still doesn't have a clear return date. The A's pitching has stayed pretty steady, but without Cespedes and still without Manny Ramirez, this team's offense has really taken a hit. I mean, when your leading hitter is hitting .272 and your next best is at .250, they should be pretty grateful to be as close to .500 as they are. Tommy Millone has been a breakout star on the mound and Brandon McCarthy is looking like the ace the A's want him to become, but they have to hit to win games, especially in the AL.

Time is Now for Giants With Kemp out for LA

The Giants caught a lucky break this week, after losing their best hitter and starting 3rd basemen a few weeks ago, the division leading Dodgers suffered their first big blow of 2012, as Matt Kemp is expected to miss two week with a hamstring pull, opening a window of opportunity for the Giants to move up from 6 games back in standings.

Blanco Striving in Leadoff Spot

Now, the Giants have looked like a completely new team the last few games, and have won 3 straight with outstanding pitching and timely hitting. Their offense isn't performing nearly as badly as I was expecting without Sandoval, as others have stepped up, and if they continue to do so, they're just going to keep climbing in the standings. Losing Kemp, even for a couple of weeks, is a huge blow to LA, as he was by far the early season MVP in the NL and hitting a ridiculous rate. The dude had 12 HR and 28 RBI with a .359 average through mid-May. In comparison, despite being out most of May, Pablo Sandoval still leads the Giants in HR and RBI with 5 and 15, just to give you an idea of the year Kemp is having. Now with both he and Juan Rivera on the DL, the Dodgers are running out of outfielders, and the time for the Giants to be hitting their stride is now, and they look to be doing just that. It wasn't the prettiest win Monday night, but the Giants still beat Colorado to move up over .500 again, and has them riding a decent 3-game win streak.

The guy who's really come out of his shell the last few games has been Gregor Blanco. With Sandoval sitting, the Giants had to re-arrange the lineup a bit, moving Angel Pagan and Melky Cabrera down in the order and placing Blanco in the leadoff spot. Blanco's scored 5 runs in these last 3 games, and has really exploded with the bat raising his average up from .237 to .286 and even has a big fly, 4 RBI and 2 stolen bases during that stretch. He's done exactly what the Giants needed from him in the leadoff spot, now they just need him to keep it up. What's allowing Blanco to stay in the leadoff spot is the fact that Angel Pagan is still in the zone. Even after having his 20-game hit streak broken last week, he's since started a new one and keeps seeing that average creep up. He's still not getting on base nearly as much as the Giants would like (.306 OBP), a big reason why this team is dead last in OBP.


One guy who I've not been impressed by lately is Joaquin Arias. Sure, he's been decent at times for the Giants filling in at 2nd and at 3rd now in wake of Sandoval's injury, but I can't help but think there are better options in the organization suited for 3rd base. Arias has made some big errors over there, including one that almost cost the Giants the game on Monday, and his bat hasn't been anything special. Even Connor Gillaspie seemed better suited to play 3rd in Sandoval's absence, as at least you didn't need to hold your breath on every ball hit to him. I still think the best option on the roster is Brett Pill. If your going to sacrifice some

Belt Needs Regular AB's

defensively, you might as well get some power into the lineup. Pill has come through in big spots for the team early on and really does deserve to be getting more at-bats than he currently is. I know he doesn't embody the patience that this team needs in their order, but he'll at least hit the three-run homer for you and come up with the routine plays. I doubt Bochy will really tweak with much as the team has performed these last few games, but if there's one move I'd like to see be made, that would be it. That would also open up the door for more at-bats for Brandon Belt, who really needs a good 7-10 games straight where he plays everyday. I know I've been a little down on Belt here lately for his lack of production, but it is hard to sustain any kind of rhythm at the plate when you play him one day then rest him two, then play him again. He needs steady diet of at-bats so the Giants can determine whether or not he's ready to be a big leaguer and take first base from Huff once and for all.

Giants BlogCast: Team Sits at 15-15

We haven't talked a lot about the Giants lately here at the Bay Area Sports Journal, with the NBA Playoffs heating up and the NFL Draft having taken up the bulk of April, but we recently did a Giants BlogCast for The Giants Baseball Blog, and figured we'd share it here(Auto-Mute so click Speaker for sound):

Brian Wilson Done for '12, Bumgarner Extended

We've been discussing it a lot over at our Giants Blog, as most bay area sports fans know Giants star closer Brian Wilson is done for the year and headed for another Tommy John Surgery. The Giants changed the vibe a bit though Monday, giving an extension to Madison Bumgarner that will keep the lefty in a Giants uni along with Matt Cain through 2017.

The deal is in the neighborhood of $35 million, so the 22 year-old lefty will stand to make an average of $7 million per season, starting next year, in a deal that should look very good in a couple of years as long as Madison keeps on the same path he's been on since 2010. For such a young arm, he's already so accomplished, dominating a World Series game, winning a ring and giving the Giants another horse in the rotation behind Cain and Lincecum. Needless to say, I'm a huge fan of this signing, and am completely behind it. It also gives the Giants financial certainty with yet another one of their core players for the next couple of seasons, as they map out a plan on whether or not they extend Tim Lincecum long-term or even give Posey a deal to buy him out of his arbitration years like they did Sandoval. Unfortunately, one guy I think this deal doesn't bode to well for, is Brian Wilson, as he's due to become a free agent after the season, and after undergoing Tommy John, could miss a good chunk of 2013 season as well. There's also no telling as to what kind of pitcher Wilson will be assuming he does heal up in a year and a half. This will already be Tommy John Surgery number 2 for the 29 year-old, and it's rare you see a guy who relies on hard stuff like Wilson does, successfully comeback from two of these types of surgeries in a matter of 8-9 years.

So, as one key piece of this Giants pitching staff could be headed for career ending surgery, and may wear a Giants uniform again out there, another has been assured that he's headed absolutely nowhere for the next 5 years. It's a bittersweet ending to a tumultuous weekend, one in which the Giants continued to play well, except for Sunday, despite the news of losing their 9th inning ace. Also, it's still uncertain who exactly Bruce Bochy will go to when the Giants face their first save situation coming up here. He's mentioned guys from Mota, Affeldt to Cassilla and Romo. It's rare you see a closer-by-committee approach work for a team with playoff aspirations, but that's how Boch could play it until he feels comfortable with a certain guy. My choice would be for either Romo or Affeldt. They could slide Cassilla into Romo's 8th inning slot and keep that back-end strong. Then again, they could do what they did last year, and go with Cassilla, keeping Romo as their primary set-up. As I said though, I expect Boch to play match-ups, as he so often likes to do with his relievers, and if there's a situation where there's 3 lefties scheduled to hit in the bottom of the 9th when the Giants need to preserve a lead, he'll likely go with Javier Lopez or Affeldt. After thinking about it further though, I think the Giants need to go after another closer, or bring up Heath Hembree. I just think their bullpen really works as is, and throwing someone else into the 9th inning, out of their normal role, could have a ripple effect on the whole pen.

Bay Area Sports Notes: NFL Draft, MLB Talk

There's a lot going on in the world of sports right now. Major League Baseball is now in full swing, and the NFL draft is just a few short weeks away. And as the 49ers and Raiders go through the final stages of preparation, we're hearing all sorts of rumblings and rumors.

We'll start out with some baseball talk, as the A's and Giants haven't exactly gotten out to scorching starts. For a second straight start, Tim Lincecum was lit up pretty good, this time in Colorado by the Rockies. Not the start he was looking for after getting lit up for 5 runs in the five innings on Opening Day vs. Arizona last week, and if it weren't for Barry Zito's terrific outing and Madison Bumgarner's gem Thursday, this team could have been looking at coming home for Friday's opener at 0-6. Luckily for them, they took the Colorado series and are sitting at 2-4 and appear to be at least moving in the right direction. The A's have fared a little better, as their schedule has been a lot easier than the Giants early on here, but they're just 3-4 going into play Friday. However, opposite of San Francisco's start, Oakland has gotten terrific starting pitching but hardly any offensive support. The only exception to that has been young Yeonis Cespedes, who's really started out the year well with the bat. He's got 3 long balls and 7 RBI and leads everyday players with a .273 average. Johnny Gomes has also had a couple big home runs for the A's early on, but that's been about it, as he's 3 of 18 on the season. The real rough starts though have come from guys the A's were hoping would be offensive catalysts. Coco Crisp (.192) has not adjusted to hitting 3rd, and Kurt Suzuki (.200) has struggled out the gate once again, making everyone wonder if he'll ever return to that .275/15/80 guy he was in his 3rd season in the bigs in '09. Since then though, he's hit just .240, although he did drive in 74 runs in 2010.

Another big topic, outside of the beginning of the baseball season, has been the rising coverage of the NFL draft, which always go hand in hand. This is one of the most busy times of year to cover sports because of it and all the attention the draft gets, by far and away the biggest draft of all the major sports. The Raiders and 49ers each enter the 2012 draft in completely different modes. The Raiders, as we all remember, gave up this years 1st rounder and next years for QB Carson Palmer, a move that I'm sure their new GM is non to thrilled about. The 49ers will be the only Bay Area team with a first round pick in this draft, and the next one, barring any trades, and their could be. Matt Barrows was on KNBR Thursday to talk a bit about the draft and who the 49ers may target and a few different names he mentioned interested me. Supposedly, the 49ers have had Notre Dame WR Michael Floyd, an expected top-10 pick in for a workout, as well as LSU's Rueben Randle, another guy expected to go way before the 49ers select at pick 30. There's been plenty of talk about the 49ers possibly moving up in the draft to grab talented Stanford guard, David Decastro (pictured), who would be an ideal fit in Harbough's system. That's really the only spot the 49ers need to find another starter at, that right guard spot on the O-line and DeCastro is one of the best in this class. My guess is that the 49ers will stand pat and take the best available player on the board when they're number is called, whether it's a wide receiver, safety or a good young lineman, either defensive or offensive. I think if they had their choice, they'd get another corner or a good young D-lineman like DeCastro, but again, unless they trade up or down to target a specific player, I expect them to go after talent rather than positional needs with their first rounder.

2012 MLB Award/Playoff World Series Picks

OK, so obviously baseball has opened up all over the country, and we're a tad late to get our picks in for the awards and playoff picks, but after just 4 days of the season, absolutely nothing has changed from our Pre-Season expectations.

AL Awards

MVP: Miguel Cabrera, 1B, Detroit Tigers: With the ultimate protector behind him know in Prince Fielder, he'll be seeing a lot more lefties late in ballgames, and much better pitches to hit than when he was being protected by Magglio Ordonez. Probably goes for .340/45/140/1.500 OPS. Runners Up: Albert Pujols, LAA; Josh Hamilton, Tex; Robinson Cano, NYY.

Cy Young: C.C. Sabathia, NY Yankees: The big lefty is in his third season in the Bronx, and they say the third is the charm. I foresee huge things not only for Sabathia, but the rest of the Yankees, as long as they keep their left-sided of their infield healthy. Sabathia could very well make it to 25 wins this year and always has the era around 3 or below and over a K-per-inning to verify his dominance. Runners Up: Jered Weaver, LAA; Justin Verlanded, Det; David Price, TB.

Home Run Champ: Jose Bautista, Toronto: The dude has been on an unbelievable streak since 2010 started, and I don't see it coming to an end any time too soon. AL pitchers just can't get the guy out as he's been compared to a right-handed version of Barry Bonds. With an improved Blue Jays Lineup, He may reach 55 this year, in a park that is equal to pitchers and hitters. If he played in a small yard like in Cinci, Houston or Texas, he'd probably hit 75. Runners Up: Prince Fielder, Det; Mark Teixiera, NYY; Evan Longoria, TB.

Batting Champion: Adrian Gonzalez, Boston: He plays in a hitters yard, in a good lineup and is one of the better selective power guys in the game. He's always around .330 and this year, his 3rd in the AL, should have him around .350. Runners Up: Migeul Cabrera, Det; Michael Young, Tex; Jacoby Ellsbury, Bos.

Comeback Player of the Year: Adam Dunn, Chicago: The Big lefty has hit some mammoth shots this spring, but again is hitting for a low batting average, but I have a hard time seeing him not improve upon his 11 HR and 44 RBI in 2011. He's never been a great average guy, but he should at least be around .240-.250, and will return to the 30 HR category, likely collecting 100 RBI's on the way. He's just to good (very selective) and strong (40 HR per-year in Cinci every year as starter) to have another down year without big production. Runners Up: Kendrys Morales, LAA, Chone Figgins, Sea.

Manager of the Year: Ned Yost, Kansas City: Yost has been a big part of the Royals big leap in the last two seasons, helping players like Alex Gordon and Eric Hosmer become instant stars. This year, in a weaker Central division, the Royals look to stand out even more, so much so that an injury here, or a bad break there for Detroit could have them as the default favorites in the Central. Most impressive, perhaps, is that he makes this team competitive with Bruce Chen as it's ace. Runners Up: Mike Scioscia, LAA, Jim Leyland, Det; Bobby Valentine, Bos.

NL Awards

MVP: Matt Kemp, OF, Dodgers: Probably a year to late, as Kemp for all intent and purposes, should have won the award last season. This year, he's talking about his goal being a 50-50 season, which has never been done in baseball before, and I wouldn't put it past him. Maybe not 50-50, but I think another 45-40 year with a good .330 average will again be expected and reached by the 27 year-old center fielder. Don't forget he plays center field at a gold-glove caliber. Runners Up: Hanley Ramirez, Mia; Justin Upton, AZ; Joey Votto, Cin.

Cy Young: Josh Johnson, Miami Marlins: If this guy stays healthy for his full 30 starts, it's hard to find a better arm than Johnson. He's been dominant this spring, showing now ill-effects from the injury, and is throwing in the high-90's with ease and no pain. All this, with an improved Marlins team, could lead to 20 win season and if your looking for a possible sub-2 era, this guy may have the best shot. Runners Up: Clayton Kershaw, LAD; Tim Lincecum, SF; Adam Wainwright, Stl.

Rookie of the Year: Bryce Harper, Was: This kid is going to be a monster when he arrives, and I look at the impact Posey had on the Giants upon his arrival, and see much of the same with Harper. He'll start in the minors, but Washington will want him sooner than later, and even in 400 at-bats, he's got 25-30 HR potential, with speed, good defense and a good average to boot. Runners Up: Yonder Alonso, SD; Drew Pomeranz, Col.

Home Run Champion: Jay Bruce, Cin; Bruce is coming into the year with some quiet hype behind him. He's got raw power and now has a couple of good years under his belt and could be ready to explode. I think 45 homers would be easily reachable in that yard for Bruce. Runners Up: Matt Kemp, LAD; Giancarlo Stanton, Fla; Ryan Braun, Mil.

Batting Champion: Ryan Braun, Mil: Plenty was made of Braun's overturned suspension, which I personally did not agree with, especially with the scrutiny coming with "steroid era". That aside though, Braun can hit. Losing Fielder will hurt a bit, but he's always around .330, so a boost could put him in the catbird seat for this crow. Another guy, like Kemp, who could compete for that triple crown. Runners Up: Matt Kemp, LA; Jose Reyes, Fla, Joey Votto, Cin.

Comeback Player of the Year: Buster Posey, SF; The Giants catcher has looked good and ready this spring and looks like he can't wait until he gets to play on a near daily basis when the season starts. He may take it easy behind to plate initially, maybe catching 3-4 games and playing a game at first with 2 off days per week, to start the year. But once he gets his legs back under him, probably by mid/late-April, look for the production to start piling up. The Giants need him, and I expect him, to put up something close to a .290/22/80 line and playing 135+ games. If he does play in 135+ games, he's going to produce and the Giants lineup will be better, period. Runner Up: Johan Santana, NY

Manager of the Year: Ozzie Guillen, Mia: I don't particularly care for the mouthy manager, but you can't argue with the success he had early with Chicago, and I can easily see that translating in Miami. They have a lot of Latino players on their team and Guillen should have those kids thriving, and despite his reputation as a hard-nosed guy, he really is more of a players manager then most people know. I think he was a perfect fit for Miami. Runners Up: Davey Johnson, Was; Dusty Baker, Cin.

____________________________________________

AL Playoff Results:

Wild Card Round:
Rangers over Red Sox

AL Divisional Round:
Yankees over Rangers
Angels over Tigers

ALCS:
Angels over Yankees (7 games)


NL Playoff Results

Wild Card Round:
D-Backs over Braves

Divisional Round:
Giants over Cardinals
D-Backs over Marlins

NLCS
D-Backs over Giants (7 games)

World Series

Angels over D-Backs (6 games)

Cactus League Play Starts in Arizona

With Spring Training in full swing, and the Giants and A's each now playing exhibition games to prepare for the 2012 season. Today I thought I'd shift gears and talk a little Giants, as we don't get to talk about them at this site too often and normally save all our Giants info for The Giants Baseball Blog. Anyway, I did our Giants Cast and figured I'd post it up on the Bay Area Journal today just to get some baseball mojo going again. We'll be following this up with a post on the A's, Yeonis Cespedes and how they've fared in camp so far next post. But here's out Giants Cast, just click on the speaker for the sound (office friendly):


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Giants BlogCast: Giants add Ryan Theriot, Clay Hensley

As most of you know, we have two other prominent sports sites, dedicated to the Golden State Warriors and the San Francisco Giants, so we don't really talk about them as much here as we should. So I decided that at least two times per month, I'll post a Giants Cast, just letting people know what's going on with the San Francisco Giants and the latest happenings. We'll still post on the Giants when big news occurs, but here is our latest GiantsCast, with a discussion on the two newest Giants additions. For the sound, just click the speaker button on the video:

Giants Lock Up Lincecum, Sandoval

We're going to go ahead and fully switch gears for a second as we look ahead to Spring Training. The Giants locked up ace Tim Lincecum and all-star third basemen Pablo Sandoval to multi-year deals and baseball fever is starting to pick up in the Bay Area now that the 49ers season has ended. Here is the lastest recording for our show, The Giants BlogCast:



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Also, wanted to give our readers a heads up that I'll be joining the Phil Naessens show on The Baseball Page, on Thursday 1/26 to talk a bit about the upcoming Giants season. Be sure to check that out Thursday night!