The San Francisco Giants continue their road trip as they stop in Atlanta for four games with the Braves. The G-Men need their pitching to dominate in case their offense decides to takes a night off. Madison Bumgarner takes the mound tonight and hopes to push this winning streak to three games. Bumgarner has the 2nd lowest ERA on the road since April 27 (2.48). The Giants overall have the 2nd best team ERA (3.15) behind the Phillies and just ahead of the Braves. Injury Update Giants closer Brian Wilson has a stiff back, but is available in the bullpen tonight. The game was on the line yesterday, and the Giants pen (Wilson-less) was able to handle business!
Sergio Romo has an active streak of 13 scoreless innings pitched. He didn’t get a chance to extend the streak yesterday in Florida due to a sore right elbow. Romo could possibly be headed to the DL.
Carlos Beltran is not in today’s starting lineup against the Braves (7 straight games), and is likely to be headed to the DL. Beltran seems to be swinging fine from the right side, but feels the pain when he takes left-handed swings. Bruce Bochy is okay with the team playing a man shot at this time. Decision on Beltran is expected tomorrow.
Andres Torres has a right leg contusion and is on the 15-day DL. That’s how Brandon Belt made his way back to the Giants roster. He seized the opportunity by hitting 2 homers against the Marlins yesterday.
Barry Zito seems to really have injured himself pitching a rehab game for the Fresno Grizzlies. It’s an ankle injury (x-rays negative), but it’s not likely that Zito will be pitching anytime soon.
~King of Cali (Steven)
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Ray Ratto of CSNBayArea.com says the Cincinnati Reds don’t want (Pitching Prospect) Zack Wheeler for Ramon Hernandez. They want Madison Bumgarner or someone better.
Ratto also says the San Diego Padres don’t want Brandon Belt for Orlando Hudson. They want Belt and Wheeler, or two other prospects.
Are Giants fans okay with them standing pat at the trading deadline, or do you want them to make some moves? If you want them to make some moves. Would you be willing to part with?
The San Francisco Giants lost to the Rockies today by a score of 10-2, and finished the road trip 4-2. They had a chance to sweep the Diamonbacks and Rockies, but just couldn’t get the last game in each series. Cody Ross was activated today, and went 0-for-4. To make room for Ross, the Giants sent Brandon Belt down to Triple-A Fresno. It was a move that pretty much everyone seen coming. The young phenom just hasn’t found his stroke, and can work on that in Fresno. Did I forgot to mention today is Belt’s birthday? Probably not the news Belt was looking for on this day, but it’s a move the Giants had to make. Pablo Sandoval was removed from the starting lineup due to straining his right tricep during batting practice. It’s said to be a minor injury, but at this rate will the whole team be healthy at once?
Rotation
The Braves are in town this weekend. The Giants plan to skip Ryan Vogelsong, and will have Madison Bumgarner start Friday night. Tim Lincecum and Jonathan Sanchez will follow on Saturday and Sunday.
If you don’t have tickets to these games. Then just plan on watching them on TV, because these next three against the Braves are SOLD OUT!
Giants manager Bruce Bochy thinks Barry Zito will be able to make his start on Sunday. If not, the Giants may place Zito on the DL and bring up Ryan Vogelsong from Fresno. It’s very doubtful that Madison Bumgarner would pitch on three days rest. Staying Around Another Year The Giants and infielder Freddy Sanchez agree on a one-year extension for $6 million. Which means Sanchez will be back in a Giants uniform in 2012. Sanchez has a lifetime .298 average in 9 Major League seasons.
Sloppy Defense
The Giants looked like they had their World Series hangover last night. It wasn’t the same focused Giants that we seen in last year’s Playoffs/World Series. Don’t get me wrong Clayton Kershaw was dealing last night, but when it came to the bottom of the 6th inning. They looked like the “Bad News Bears”. Miguel Tejada throws a ball away, and Buster Posey also does the same. It’s just pretty amazing after how bad the Giants played that they only gave up 2 runs, and lost 2-1.
One more thing that really stood out to me was when Mark DeRosa walked on four straight pitches to start the top of the 8th inning, and the next two pitches were also balls to Andres Torres. In my head I’m thinking okay this is definitely a red light. Let’s make Hong-Chih Kuo throw a strike. Sure enough on a pitch that was up and in, Torres was taking a hack. It just seemed like that helped Kuo find his rhythm, and maybe things would have turned out differently if Torres took the pitch. Oh well, it’s only one game. I guess we will just have to settle for a 161-1 record this season.
Happy Lincecum Day! Jonathan Mahler of the New York Times has a very cool article on Tim Lincecum. It’s a must read for Lincecum fans. Speaking of “The Freak”, he will take the mound tonight as the Giants face the Padres. The Giants starting lineup will be:
CF – Aaron Rowand
SS – Mike Fontenot
3B – Pablo Sandoval
LF – Travis Ishikawa
1B – Brandon Belt
RF – Nate Schierholtz
2B – Emmanuel Burriss
C – Eli Whiteside or Chris Stewart ( No Buster Posey)
P – Tim Lincecum
Bumgarner Officially Signed for 2011
The Giants have renewed Madison Bumgarner’s contract for 2011. Bumgarner is pre-arbitration eligible.
Cain Is Ready For A Start
Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News says (via twitter) Matt Cain says he feels fine, and he’ll start Monday against Milwaukee.
Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times says Ex-Giant Juan Uribe was moved by how the Dodgers pursued him, calling his agent almost every day.“They were really interested in having me here,” Uribe said. “When a team wants you that much and tells you that you’ll be a key part of their team, it’s extremely moving.”
Juan Uribe Stats as a Giant (2years, 09-10)
Games – 270
Average – .266
RBI – 140
Runs – 114
Homeruns – 40
Hits – 244
2B – 50
3B – 6
Walks – 70
Strikeouts – 174
Uribe deserves the standing ovation when he has his first bat at AT&T Park. After that, the only chants he will get is Booooo-Ribe! Once he hangs up his spikes and calls it a career. I will then cheer for Uribe and welcome him back to the Giants family like Jeff Kent. I will never forget what these guys did for the Giants when they had the Black and Orange on!
Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle says Buster Posey and the Giants reached an agreement on a 1-year contract. It’s under a million (no exact figure yet) but higher than the league minimum. Posey still is pre-arbitration eligible which means he has no leverage and could have had his contract renewed at whatever salary the team choose. The team however did negotiate the one year deal with Posey.
Schulman also says that Pablo Sandoval’s contract (2011 salary) is a done deal too, but doesn’t have the details. Madison Bumgarner’s is still not finalized at this time.
Friday February 4, 2011 was Media Day for the San Francisco Giants. The media got a chance to meet with the players/coaches, and ask questions. I will be uploading some pictures and videos (over the next couple days) from Media Day, and also from Giants Fan Fest. The first players to come out were Sergio Romo, Freddy Sanchez and Andres Torres. I was able to record a quick video of Pat Burrell and Madison Bumgarner making their way to their assigned seating area.
Sergio Romo was the only player out at this point that wasn’t in a suite. This video gives you an idea of what the area looked like and how easy it was to access the players.
There will be more video’s and pictures to follow, so don’t forget to check back soon! ~King of Cali
Baseball America has recently listed Brandon Crawford as the San Francisco Giants #6 Top Prospect. Brandon grew up in the Bay Area (Pleasanton, Ca), and also grew up a Giants fan. Crawford went to Foothill High School and then went on to UCLA before getting drafted by the San Francisco Giants. Bay Area fans have been able to see Crawford in action for the San Jose Giants in 2009 (25 games) and 2010 (5 games).
Getting To Know Brandon Crawford
SF Giants Rumors: What kind of music is on your iPod?
Brandon: You name it… Lil Wayne, Ke$ha, Taylor Swift, Usher, Justin Bieber… everything. My favorites are probably Lil Wayne, Eminem, Tupac, Drake, The Dream, & Avant. But I really do like all kinds of music.
SF Giants Rumors: What’s your favorite baseball movie?
Brandon: The Sandlot… Major League is a classic though too.
SF Giants Rumors: Your dad was a long time season ticket holder at Candlestick Park, so I’m sure you attended a lot of games. Is there any game that you were at that stands out in your memory?
Brandon: I don’t remember specific games at Candlestick. I do remember the second to last game ever played there because everyone got to walk down on the field after the game. I thought that was pretty cool. I also remember how cold and windy it was.
I was at the playoff game against the Mets in 2000 when J.T. Snow hit a home run late in the game down the right field line. That was a really exciting game. I was also at Game 3, I think, of the 2002 World Series. Neither of those series ended up so well for the Giants though.
SF Giants Rumors: Since you grew up a Giants fan, what would be your All Star Giants team?
Brandon: Good question, I’ll just put guys that I saw play…
C- Buster Posey (my current favorite player)
1B- J.T. Snow
2B- Robby Thompson
3B- Matt Williams
SS- Royce Clayton (he was my favorite player for a while when I was younger)
LF- Barry Bonds
CF- Darren Lewis
RF- Willie McGee
DH- (if necessary) Will Clark
SP- Tim Lincecum
SP- Matt Cain
SP- John Burkett
SP- Russ Ortiz
SP- Kirk Rueter
RP- Brian Wilson
RP- Rod Beck
SF Giants Rumors: What is something you love to do other than playing baseball?
Brandon: I play a good amount of video games, have a decent sized movie collection, and listen to music. When I’m not playing, I like to relax.
SF Giants Rumors: If you weren’t playing baseball, what profession would you be in?
Brandon: I’ve always thought being an architect would be fun.
SF Giants Rumors: Since you’re from the Bay Area, where are fans likely to spot you when you’re in town?
Brandon: San Francisco is a great city, there are lots of places to go there. If I’m at home, like I said I like to relax, so I’m probably hanging with my family.
SF Giants Rumors: Is there a player that you played with on the San Jose Giants that you think will someday be an impact player for the San Francisco Giants?
Brandon: I don’t know if you’ve heard of him yet, but his name is Buster Posey. Haha.. Really though, that team had quite a few guys that have already or will eventually make an impact, it’s hard to pick just one. Buster and Bum (Madison Bumgarner) obviously already have made their presence felt, and I think there’s a good chance others may do the same.
SF Giants Rumors: Who was your favorite player as a kid growing up, and who do you think was the greatest player of all time in a Giants uniform?
Brandon: I always liked Royce Clayton, like I said, But my favorite player from about 1995-2005 was Alex Rodriguez. I apologize Giants fans, but to my defense, I did start liking him when he was still a rookie.
The best player for the Giants that I watched was Barry Bonds. It would be hard to not say Willie Mays was the best ever though.
Now On To The Baseball Questions
SF Giants Rumors: Congratulations on your 2nd Big League Spring Training invite. How are you feeling this second time around?
Brandon: Thank you, I’m excited. I can’t wait to get started; I feel ready to go. This is a big spring for me personally and I think it’s a good chance for me to show what I can do.
SF Giants Rumors: Which player at Spring Training would you be most interested in picking their brain and why?
Brandon: I think it would be good to talk with Miguel Tejada because he’s been in the game for a long time and has lot of experience. I talked with Renteria a decent amount last year and picked up a few things and I’m sure I can do the same with Tejada. I want to talk to Buster about his approach at the plate last year as a rookie. I’d like to talk about how pitchers he’s never seen before pitched him and how he handled them.
SF Giants Rumors: What has your typical offseason day been like?
Brandon: Wake up about 10:30… eat breakfast… hit/take groundballs/throw… lunch… work out/ run… video games… dinner… watch How I met Your Mother or Two and A Half Men.
SF Giants Rumors: When you were drafted by the Giants in the 4th round of the 2008 draft, you said that day was bittersweet. You were excited to be drafted by your favorite team, but you expected to be picked higher in the draft. Has that been a motivation to push yourself harder to show other teams what they passed up on?
Brandon: I’m glad I went with the Giants and happy with the position I’m in with the organization right now. I doubt I’d be with the Giants if I went in the first round. The draft is behind me. There are a lot of reasons I push myself. I’m very competitive, so I always try to prove I’m better than the player the other team has at shortstop.
SF Giants Rumors: Do you have and Pre-game rituals or superstitions?
Brandon: Not really. Sometimes when I’m hitting well I guess I try to eat the same thing before every game, or put my bat in a specific spot in the bat rack, but those things never really stick. I’ll do it for a few games and then have a 0-4 game and scrap it.
SF Giants Rumors: In 2010 you hit .236 between San Jose and Richmond. What have you been doing this offseason to work on getting your stroke back?
Brandon: I’ve really worked on making my swing shorter and more direct to the ball. In 2010, I had kind of a long swing with a lot of moving parts. I actually think I had better at bats last year than in 2009, the numbers just didn’t show it. I’m continually working on my approach and making consistent contact.
SF Giants Rumors: Which part of your game are you really going to focus on while at Spring Training, and what drills do you think will help most?
Brandon: I’m going to continue to work on my swing because that is the part that needs the most work. I will be working on all facets of my game though because they can always improve.
SF Giants Rumors: What personal goals have you set for yourself this year?
Brandon: I’d like to continue having better at bats and making consistent contact. If I keep improving on those things I think I will get to where I want to be.
SF Giants Rumors: Is there anything you would like to say to Giants fans?
Brandon: Can’t wait to see you guys in San Francisco. I appreciate all the support you all continually show.Thank you Brandon for taking the time to do this Q&A. SF Giants Rumors would like to wish you the best of luck, and we look forward to seeing you make your Major League debut in San Francisco soon!
The San Francisco Giants beat writer Chris Haft said (in his blog) that the Giants have signed RHP Josh Banks to a Minor League deal. Banks spent most of last season with the Houston Astros Triple-A team, finishing 9-12 with a 4.04 ERA in 27 starts. Don’t worry Giants fans, Lincecum, Cain, Bumgarner, Sanchez and Zito are still going to be the five starters. This signing is to add depth incase a starter goes down. Banks is likely to start the season in Fresno. ~King of Cali
Now that Buster Posey and Madison Bumgarner have made their way to San Francisco. Have you started to wonder who the next Top Prospects are for the Giants?
Baseball America has released their Giants Top 10 Prospects list. Topping off the list at number 1 is Brandon Belt. I’m sure you knew that already though. Below is the complete Top 10 list!
1. Brandon Belt, 1B
(Belt hit a combined .352 AVG, 23 HR and 112 RBI’s between San Jose, Richmond and Fresno in 2010.)
2. Zack Wheeler, RHP
(Wheeler went 3-3 for the Augusta Greenjackets with a 3.99 ERA in 2010.)
3. Gary Brown, OF
(Brown hit a combined .159 in just 44 AB’s between AZL Giants and Salem-Keizer Volcanoes in 2010.)
4. Francisco Peguero, OF
(Peguero hit .329, 10 HR and 77 RBI’s for the San Jose Giants in 2010.)
5. Ehire Adrianza, SS
(Adrianza hit .256, 3 HR and 35 RBI’s for the San Jose Giants in 2010.)
6. Brandon Crawford, SS
(Crawford hit .236 with 7 HR and 23 RBI’s between the San Jose and Richmond.)
7. Thomas Neal, OF
(Neal hit .291 with 12 HR and 69 RBI’s for the Richmond Flying Squirrels in 2010.)
8. Charlie Culberson, 2B
(Culberson hit .290 with 16 HR and 71 RBI’s for the San Jose Giants in 2010.)
9. Eric Surkamp, LHP
(Surkamp went 4-2 with a 3.11 ERA for the San Jose Giants in 2010.)
10. Tommy Joseph, C/1B
(Joseph hit .236 with 16 HR and 68 RBI’s for the Augusta Greenjackets.)
The San Francisco Giants continue their road trip as they stop in Atlanta for four games with the Braves. The G-Men need their pitching to dominate in case their offense decides to takes a night off. Madison Bumgarner takes the mound tonight and hopes to push this winning streak to three games. Bumgarner has the 2nd lowest ERA on the road since April 27 (2.48). The Giants overall have the 2nd best team ERA (3.15) behind the Phillies and just ahead of the Braves.
