Saturday’s game thoughts
Betancourt got caught stealing, part of McLaren’s cunning plan to have all his players who can run run all time. Whatever, managers always say they want to run more and work on the fundamentals like situational hitting in spring training. As long as he’s not Hargroving it and having Ibanez thrown out at third by 88 feet stretching doubles, it’s not important.
Zito got shelled. I remember the days when getting Zito was critical, the key piece of the M’s future success. Yeah.
Bedard got shelled, too. Three home runs — woooowww. That’s a lot. I don’t think there’s any call to get hysterical any more than, say, Ichiro’s 0-whatever start, and yet… how about a concerned wince? (Dave says nope – it doesn’t matter at all)
Morrow’s out for a couple days with dead-arm, which sucks. If they’re dead set on stalling his possible career as a starter because the temptation to use him to shore up the bullpen is so irresistible, it’d be nice if he could contribute there. I shudder to think what dregs they might reach for if they think they need “a right-handed set-up man”.
The Giants lineup is astoundingly crappy. That is just an awful offense without Bonds in it. When you’re batting Randy Winn 3rd and a Molina, any Molina, 4th, something’s gone horribly wrong with your offseason. Sure, Dave Roberts was in the other split-squad game, but ugh.
I wonder where Reed’s going to end up if (when) he gets cut.
Loved the “single” Molina hit to Raul that bounced around in the corner for 10 seconds. He is slower than Edgar.
Molina, that is.
In fairness to Bedard, all three of those home runs (or at least two of them) were routine fly balls any other day in any other park. It was just so windy it carried a lot of balls out that shouldn’t have gone. And he did have 5 strikeouts in 4 innings of work.
1 – That wasn’t as good as the grounder Beltre flubbed, spent 3 seconds trying to pick up, paused for another 2 seconds thinking the play was over, then realized he still had plenty of time to throw Molina out at first.
Reed’s got two years of options left–he’s going to end up in Tacoma!
Silva
May actually get it. ESPN’s blog has a good quote from him. (and yeah, once again I probably screwed up the link. Eventually I’ll learn.)
Re 4: Bavasi has a history of providing opportunities for players even when the team is not obligated to do so. If he thinks Reed has little chance of making the major league team this year, I would not be surprised if he allows him to become a free agent to pursue opportunities else where rather than ship him to Tacoma “just in case”.
What’s the book on Reed being more productive than Wilkerson, given equal playing time, in 2008?
And, yeah, the Giants’ lineup really is awful. It’s one of those ‘this can’t have happened by accident’ levels of bad that suggests a Total Quality Management version of Intelligent Design.
1: I think a glacier would probably move faster than Molina does.
Part of the amusement inherent in Bengie Molina, Cleanup Hitter is that the 4 hitter actually leads off the 2nd greatest number of innings over the course of the season (behind the #1). And further that having your #4 hitter have some running ability (and running smarts) is handy, since the less powerful bottom parts of the lineup are coming up after he bats and gets on base. Bengie Molina might make an even better #3 hitter than a #4. Which is hilarious.
But won’t the Giants improved clubhouse chemistry with the immortal Aaron Rowand instead of Bonds make up for all those silly things Bonds did like get on base, hit with power, etc.? This is like one of those great scientific experiments. Unfortunately, Vegas doesn’t take bets on who will finish last.
That’s it. Bavasi strikes again. Three homeruns? THREE! Bedard’s a bust! Next you’re going to tell me Jones just went 4-6 with two bombs and eight RBI. Where’s my medicine?
Rotoworld claims there was a stiff wind blowing out and 2 of the homers wouldn’t of been so in Safeco. For what it is worth.
I would be shocked if you couldn’t find somewhere in Vegas to place a bet on who finishes last.
I don’t know if Reed has options, but I do not believe that Bavasi will let him go. Not with the brittle ancient outfield he has currently. You can’t let your best defensive replacement outfielder go if there is a chance you may need him for an extended period. Given Ibanez and Wilkerson, I just can’t see it (assuming he has options.)
None of those home runs would have been out of Safeco. Or any sensible park, for that matter.
Is it evil of me to hope that something happens to Sexson or Vidro so that Raul gets moved out of the outfied?
I was wondering again yesterday (as the 3rd one went over the wall) what a suprise Arizona must be to pitchers who’ve only had the Florida spring training experience … welcome to dry hands, dry baseballs and nice dry air!
FWIW, the other day on mlb radio the Orioles mlb.com guy was hoping Bedard’s Mariner career would get off to a good start, as (apparently) he usually has a slow April, finding his feel for all his pitches.
btw, sunday’s 1:00 game is televised on FSN
No, but his Spring Training line is .360/.429/.560. Fortunately, that’s meaningless.
The concern is that Bedard has traditionally pitched well in Spring Ball (3.07 ERA).
Bedard himself has stated that if he continues to pitch poorly in his last Spring starts, it might be a concern.
On the other hand, Bedard had 5 SO’s yesterday.
It’s not a concern. Just like George Sherrill sucking it up every spring never meant anything. Just like when teams like the Royals have the best spring record it never means anything. Just like Willie tore up last spring and it didn’t matter and Morse is tearing up this spring and it won’t matter. Ichiro is Ichiro and Bedard is Bedard, and maybe pissed off Ichiro and pissed off Bedard will make for even better regular season starts then they would have had.
The organization clearly has issues (personal? or professional?) with Reed. I just wish they would be honest about it. From all accounts, I hear that he is a great guy in the clubhouse and an extremely hard worker. It seems to me that they are getting some kind of satisfaction in messing with an individuals career. Let’s not forget how he was injured…GOING ALL OUT AND SLAMMING IN TO A WALL! If your not going to keep him up, have some respect and trade him or grant him free agency. Reed would fit in very well with some other teams. Especially in the National League.
Signed,
My 2 cents.
It seems to me that they are getting some kind of satisfaction in messing with an individuals career.
We’re not huge fans of baseless speculation about the motivation of the team around here.
Especially given the organization’s generosity to players in similar situations over recent years.
and how they have said nothing but good things about him …
For a while now the only thing capable of putting a smile on my face Re: the Mariners has been the fact that at least they aren’t the Giants. Too bad the gulf between them isn’t wider though.
I’m sure sports radio stations down in the Bay Area will probably have a field day this summer speculating on which of their two teams will get to 100 losses first.
There’s virtually no chance the A’s come near 100 losses. They’re not a contender, but they have some real talent, unlike the Giants.
I’d be shocked if they were worse than a 70 win team. I wouldn’t be shocked at all if they won 82-84 games.
28: Though I was being a bit facetious since they’re both currently in rebuild mode, you’re right…the A’s will probably still be better than the Giants this season. To his credit, Beane is at least building toward having another contender on the field when he gets to his new ballpark in a couple of years…whereas with the Giants, it’s hard to tell exactly what their direction is at the moment.
As a famous U-boat captain once said:
“Dive, dive, dive!!!”
Their offense could be historically awful. If they catch a few bad breaks with pitching (Cain or Lincecum are injured) I think they could push 110 losses.
M’s famous spring-training phenoms of the past who broke camp with the club:
Keith Mitchell
Rich Renteria
Alonzo Powell
Lee Tinsley
Domingo Ramos
Brent Knackert
Greg Pirkl
Dave Hengel
Oh, and Aaron Sele in 2005.
Does anybody need any more proof that spring training stats don’t matter?