JUNE 28: Belt has minimal structural damage in his knee, Kapler told reporters (including Guardado). The team is optimistic he’ll be able to rehab the injury without requiring surgery.
JUNE 26: Belt will miss more than 10 days in recovery, Kapler told MLB.com’s Maria Guardado and other reporters, and a possible knee surgery isn’t out of the question. “I think as we evaluate it, everything could potentially be on the table. I think the concerns are there, yeah,” Kapler said.
JUNE 25: The Giants placed Brandon Belt on the 10-day injured list with a knee injury today, recalling outfielder LaMonte Wade Jr. in his place, per Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.
Belt, 33, is one of the many seemingly rejuvenated veterans dotting the Giants’ roster. Belt posted a career-low 98 wRC+ over 616 plate appearances in 2019, but he’s been nothing short of spectacular at the dish since. After slashing a wholly unsustainable .309/.425/.591 (172 wRC+) in 179 plate appearances last season, Belt has continued to trend in the right direction with a .253/.363/.512 line through 201 trips to the box. Time will tell whether this bout of knee inflammation is a short-term setback or something more serious.
Wade, an outfielder by trade, can share the first base duties with Darin Ruf while Belt is out. Offensively, the Giants believe Wade/Ruf can hold the line, but Belt’s defense is harder to replicate. Slusser provides this quote from manager Gabe Kapler, “…as good as LaMonte is and as good as Ruf is over there, Belt is like another level when it comes to footwork and putting himself in good positions to take care of the other infielders on the diamond. LaMonte is going to continue to improve over there with more reps, but we’re going to really miss Brandon as a defender.”
In looking for ways to upgrade as we approach the trade deadline, it’s natural to consider the position player side of the Giants’ roster given that three-quarters of their expected starting infield is currently on the injured list (Belt, Evan Longoria, Tommy La Stella). That said, the Athletic’s Grant Brisbee writes that the rotation, in fact, may be the first place the Giants look to upgrade.
To Brisbee’s point, the rotation certainly didn’t look like a significant strength heading into the season. Kevin Gausman looked the part of a frontline starter, though his track record wasn’t long enough to erase all doubts. Johnny Cueto used to be a star, but he hasn’t appeared as one since 2016. Alex Wood, Anthony DeSclafani, and Aaron Sanchez rounded out the five. That trio seemed to be a low-ceiling/high-floor group if healthy – though they came with significant health concerns. Logan Webb figured to be the primary understudy, and though he’s younger and therefore full of promise, he entered the year with a 5.36 ERA/4.15 FIP through 94 career innings.
As a group, they’ve exceeded expectations: 3.14 ERA/3.44 FIP, both ranking third-best in the Majors, with the fifth-most innings pitched at 401 2/3, and the sixth-most fWAR accumulated with 7.3 fWAR. They’ve induced groundballs at the third-best rate among rotations and allowed less walks per nine innings than every team save the rival Dodgers.
Still, Sanchez may still be bothered by his blister issues, per Slusser, and Webb is out with a strained shoulder. Gausman has been brilliant, and DeSclafani a pleasant surprise, but there’s certainly room to add the right guy if the Giants should find him. Identifying that arm will take some doing. Max Scherzer has been a popular target for speculation, but the latest reports suggest he’ll need an extension before accepting a deal. Besides, when the Nats are within earshot of contention – as they are right now – they aren’t typically inclined to sell.
To speculate on other potential rotation targets, look no further than our list of top-40 trade targets. Jon Gray, Matthew Boyd, Tyler Anderson, Kyle Gibson, Michael Pineda, Dylan Bundy, Andrew Heaney, Jose Urena, German Marquez, Spencer Turnbull, and John Means are some of the top names that may be available come July.
Scherzer to Giants and a couple other bullpen pieces=world series
Ha ha ha! They’re playing great. But c’mon. Quit drinkin the koolaid
Thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery.
coolstorybro
Giants have 0 chance at making it to the WS….
Their fast start and all of their scrubs outperforming their career abilities will soon take a dive and they will fall harder than a blind roofer….
Even if they play .500 ball the rest of the way they are still going to be in contention.
Yeah, I’ve been saying it was only a matter of time until the Giants faded. Said it in late April, May, June, and here we are…July. Think it might be time to stop saying it and get worried. 3/4 of starting infield out and they are 9&1 in the last 10 games.
Thrasher77 that plays well in may but here we are moments away from the all-star break and they still have the best record in baseball. Maybe theres something to having a large portion of the team being in contract year. I don’t think they’ll finish first place in the west but to say there’s 0 chance at the world series is silly.
That’s what they said in 2010… and 2012… and 2014.
Thatd be the most giant thing to do.
Acquire Scherzer = new contract.
Just as they’re getting out from under the other bad contracts to Samardjza and Cueto they’ll give one to scherzer at 36? Big gamble.
This isn’t the Sabean regime making decisions so no point in even pondering it.
I think the giants are only moving a top 100 prospect if they get a solid controllable vet in return.
Wouldn’t mind seeing them go after Trevor Rogers from Miami… Not sure what it would take… 2.04 era 1.00 whip 101 Ks in 89 innings.
I don’t think the Marlins are interested in trading a 23 year old rookie who is pitching as well as he is…
with oddles of control no less than again, they did it with Gallen…Luciano would be the price though, and that’s unlikely.
SF isn’t trading Luciano
Tbf they traded Zac Gallen. Wasn’t pitching on the same level but they seemingly wanted immediate position player help in Jazz Chisholm. Catcher is a position of need for Miami right now. Bart is tearing up AAA and is Major League ready. Couple it with another sizable prospect and Miami May move Rogers, and if not they have several other Sp’s worth targeting.
No. Not. Nein. Nicht. HET.
Rogers is a cornerstone upon which to build your franchise around, he is absolutely positively most definitely not going anywhere. If I were a Marlins fan I’d be genuinely offended at the mere suggestion.
That’s the point… Miami trades all the good player away, they think other teams players are better.
They have a plan of progression and they’re far enough along now that they’re not parting with young controllable assets, particularly a ROY candidate. Come tf on man.
For Bart and Bishop plus other prospects they might.
SF isn’t trading Luciano or Bart!
It’s possible to trade Bart. They could extend posey while they wait for Patrick baily. It’s not something I’d condone but if they’re playing this well and have needs at the deadline… It’s not the most important thing in the world to have a catcher that can rake.
He’ll hit an innings limit in the 2nd half. Miami won’t trade him anyway.
If the Giants have any interest in Michael Pineda the Twins need to take a hard line and get SF to overpay big time. The Twins traded 3 players for Sam Dyson and received an injured head case in return. All 3 of the players traded for Dyson are still in the Giants minor league system while Dyson left in free agency after 2019. Meanwhile the only headlines generated by Dyson have been related to negative off field issues. Dyson probably wrecked his arm messing around with the Phillies ground crew covering the field with a tarp a mere 20 minutes before learning he was traded. Time for some payback from SF for that trade.
That trade was dirty. That’s when I realized Farhan is not somebody other teams want to trade with.
Try and keep up. They made another stupid trade with Farhan …Wade for the now dumped Shaun Anderson.
That trade was payback for Pierzynski. All square now
RIGHT ON !!!!
Pierzynski, what a joke !!
I’m guessing Twins didn’t see his Rangers melt down when they brought Ole Sam over. Cmon Man!
Prioritize bullpen and get a right handed hitting shortstop. Ideal deadline for me:
Richard Rodriguez
Kendall Graveman
One of Miguel Rojas/Jose Iglesias
You can do that without moving any of your big 3 (Ramos, Bart, Luciano), you gain 2 late inning arms and extra depth in the infield as Dubon is your backup SS at the moment.
Pirates trade Giants Tyler Anderson and RichRod for Patrick Bailey.
Or Erik Gonzalez and RichRod.
Erik Gonzalez plays good defense. A 6’3, 210 pound SS. Plays a good SS and 3B. Can play 2B as well. Hits for average and for some power. Fast.
He’s a good full-in at 3B until Longo is back and a good utility INF, bench bat, defensive replacement after and for the play-offs. He’s just not apart of the Pirates future. They need to get Cole Tucker more ABs and playing time.
Or Colin Moran Rich Rod.
Colin Moran is a .270 lifetime hitter. Has had an 80 RBI season in MLBs last full season(the year b4 last). He can play both 3B and 1B. A LH bat for the play-offs. Good DH for the WS. Crushes Right-handed pitching.
I’m personally a big fan of Moran, just don’t see a fit in SF once belt gets back, because Alex Dickerson fits a similar profile. Erik Gonzales is way too similar of a player to Dubon. Giants non tendered Anderson last season so don’t see a huge reason to pursue him again. I think giants will try to go for Rodriguez on his own and get their infielders from another team. Maybe a 3 way trade.
Giants will tweak but no more.
They’re not going to sacrifice their sacred prospects just for this year.
FZ has been so patient in accumulating those prospects and doesn’t have a track record of cashing them in early.
Giants need to trade for Toronto’s 1B Rowdy Tellez, trade one of the arms from the 40-man! Farhan likes Local Guys (Sacramento) , Keep Lamonte Wade Jr in the outfield!
Imo this doesn’t make sense at all. La Stella can play 1B when he comes back in July.
How doesn’t it make sense trading for a left handed hitting 1B but starting a 2B/SS coming off the injured list is the answer? Yeah I know La Stella & Wade can play 1B but they are playing out of their natural position…Tellez is playing behind Vlad Jr & just got demoted to triple AAA…Tellez Value is at a all time low but he’s shown power in the past & can field a descent glove @ 1B , Belts probably out for the year…who knows how healthy La Stella is…Tellez needs a change of scenery & bringing him back home to NorCal might be the best bet…he still has minor league options he can play for the Rivercats in front of friends & family….let’s trade from within the 40 man for need.
Are you a Giants fan? I feel like this is a Jays fan trying hard to get rid of Tellez. No one wants him especially not an NL club with an already great defensive 1B and FOUR options at the position (La Stella, Ruf, Flores, Wade Jr)
He’d make the team worse if he started regularly, the only reason they’d trade for him is to stash him in AAA. A SS is necessary for the Giants because if Crawford or Dubon get hurt, the giants have 0 options at short other than Solano who’s horrific enough defensively at 2B, and Flores who hasn’t even been able to play 3B without looking terrible.
Bullpen and a starter should be top 2 priorities. No way they move any of their top prospects. Longoria and Stella back soon.
Nobody saw this production coming and they are getting it from everywhere. Some of their veteran players will be gone next year but if they continue to have success with these reclamation projects DeSclafani, Gausman Wood etc they will remain competitive.
Only Posey will be back next year. They’re gonna have some spending money in 2022, yes!
This is fun, they have a great clubhouse and no pressure, the fans are back in the stands and times are good, good to be a Giant!
Sorry but I don’t buy their success….they don’t have any star players….one can make a case for Yaz….but he isn’t Betts or Bellinger by any means….and they have 1 good starter (Gausman) who was the Braves 4th or 5th starter last year….
I don’t mean this years anomalies….I mean over the last 3-5 years….they aren’t a good team….but throw in this years anomalies (about every one on the team out playing career lines) and they look like a playoff team….
In reality they are not a playoff team but they have been playing way above their heads while Bellinger has missed most of the season for the Dodgers….as well as other Dodgers that have missed time….
Most pegged the Giants for 73-83 wins but because they got off to a fast start they will surpass the high end of 83 wins….but make no mistake….they are not a playoff team and they will finish 3rd in their division….
Stay scared. Gausman is one of the last guys you’d want to face in the Wild Card. You better not let us make the playoffs or else one of you will not enjoy your fate in October.
No one is scared of the Giants….lol
Gausman in a WC game would be pitching against another teams ace who is probably better and he would be facing better lineups than he does against the Dbacks and Rockies etc….
On paper say the last 3-5 years wise this is not a playoff team….however due to everyone on the team outperforming expectations they are in the midst of a play run….
I however know that the Dodgers and Padres will finish 1-2 in the division respectively and that the Giants will be lucky to make it as a WC team….
If they do they won’t get far….it’s not meant to be….trading prospects for fillers like Tyler Anderson type pitchers would not be wise….
Playoff run*
Lol, okay dude. Gausman feasts against the Dbacks and Rockies? Did you forget the Padres and Dodgers are also in the division? Giants are legit. They were awful from 2017-2019 but the lineup produced in 2020 and continue to hit in 2021. They have more depth now and a better roster. If they went .500 the rest of the season they’d finish with 91-92 wins. Gausman is legitimately one of the best pitchers in the NL and baseball right now. Fact.
Giants are a 85 win team playing like a 95 win team….the Dodgers are banged up….
Bellinger and May alone add a few wins….I can’t count on one hand how many Dodgers went down this season and I s add m talking about stars not the same as the Giants losing Flores or La Stella….lol
Long season still ahead and my bet says the Giants take a dive soon….Gausman pitching way above his career norm….as is DeScafalini snd most of the others….
They are a good team not a great team but they are playing great….far above expectations so look for some decline in the 2nd half especially if the Dodgers get healthy….
They may not even play .500 the rest of the way….but if they do and finish with 90-92 wins it won’t be the first time a subpar team finished with 90 wins….(look at the Giants during their WS years)
On paper the Dodgers and Padres make the Giants look like a minor league team but on the field is where they play the game and sometimes teams play above Ir below their abilities….
Being realistic I see a drop in the standings coming for the Giants is all I am saying and I am not alone….it’s actually reasonable to think that….
What isn’t reasonable to think is that the Giants will win 100 games and win the WS….lol
2nd paragraph: meant I can’t count on one hand how many Dodgers stars went down this season and it’s not the same as the Giants losing La Stella or Flores etc
“…but if they do and finish with 90-92 wins it won’t be the first time a subpar team finished with 90 wins….(look at the Giants during their WS years)”
Nice comp. If the Giants can match the outcome of those years, then I’m totally fine with rooting for a “subpar” team.
“Gausman in a WC Game would be pitching against another teams ace who is probably better”
So the Mets, and (looks at pitching WAR for the season) no one else. You took the field and said that starter was probably better. Just straight ignorance.
Look, keep making your nonsense assumptions with too many periods in your ellipsis. You sound like the countless haters who said the 2010 Giants were a fluke and 2012 everyone had career years and 2014 they rode one guy and if only your team wasn’t hurt and you had this one trade go away and hadn’t made this one error and so on and so forth.
I’m sure you will make excuses for each Giants win and excuses for each Dodgers loss, and as a fan it’s not only your right but kinda your duty. But let’s stop the “everything is a fluke of it’s not my team” nonsense and look at the facts.
The Dodgers have one Mickey Mouse championship in the last 33 years and you think their collection of heartless, gutless mercenaries is gonna win it all? They aren’t winning a 162 game title period.
Every team has had guys go down. I thought the Dodgers had the best depth & best farm in the league, so you should be able to overcome injuries. SF has had their starting 1B, 3B, 2B, SP, & last year’s best player (Yaz) miss multiple weeks, & Buster takes every 3rd or 4th day off, yet SF isn’t whining about injuries. The game isn’t played on paper. L.A. & S.D. spent hundreds of millions on SP’s & Farhan picked a few up at a yard sale & they’re outperforming both. So I get why you’re salty, I would be too, but show some constraint…everyone has injuries. Where’s L.A.s depth?
Actually the Giants 3 WS teams tank as 3 of the worst 10 lineups to ever win a WS….so yeah they were all heart and Bochy….I’m sorry but no Bochy no WS….
This year they are a bit better than those teams lineup wise but not pitching wise….a career year from Gausman won’t be enough to win a WS….he can’t pitch every game….
Rank*
Yeah and the Dodgers teams from 2014-2019 are some of the most expensive teams to choke in the playoffs of all time. Still haven’t won a 162 game championship since 1988 and nothing in this statement is opinionated they’re facts
Still better than any Giants team….WS rings aside the Dodgers have won more genes over that span….
The Giants got lucky hits from scrubs in all 3 WS runs….but even so without Bochy they win 0 WS titles….
Imagine Bochy as the Dodgers skipper….
Giants losing Flores or La Stella or even Longoria isn’t even close to the Dodgers losing Bellinger or Turner or Muncy….
Huge difference in talent….the Giants can plug me into the infield and continue winning while they have confidence but eventually that will run out and the Dodgers will get hot and finally healthy….Bellinger alone is the same as losing Belt and La Stella or Longoria and Flores etc….he equals 2 Giants when at full health….
Once the Dodgers get healthy they will take off and the Giants will slip….
I’m not saying the Giants are bad but to say they are a WS caliber team is insane….just because they got career years from a few players….
If the Brewers make it I would bet on Burnes or Woodruff….
If the Cards make it I would bet on Flaherty as he will be healthy by then….
Don’t build up Gausman like he has a track record of an ace lol
@USA so Woodruff, Burnes, and Jack have the track record? It must be a pretty short track lol. You just want the Giants to be bad. That’s understandable. I think the Dodgers are very talented. If the Giants are this good now, just wait until we start graduating prospects (from a farm that has surpassed the Dodgers in depth and rankings) AND have more money to spend than any team. Our coaching staff and front office have surpassed your glorious Dodgers. The Dodgers are honestly a better team now, but for how long? With that said, it’s almost July…the small sample size argument is squashed bro!
usafcop:
What are you talking about? Brewers? Cards? Do you even know what’s going on in MLB today?
If the Dodgers do win the division, with the Giants a WC team, chances are the Padres are the other team. Between the Padres top 2 pitchers, Darvish and Musgrove, they’d have to go with Darvish. He’s 2-0 against the SF this season, beating Aaron Sanchez 3-1, and Logan Webb 3-2. But neither one of them is nearly as good as Gausman.
They’d have to be praying that they don’t want to have to go with Musgrove. He went head-to-head with Gausman twice, and lost both games 7-1.
In the small chance that it is the Brewers, or Cards, keep in mind that it takes some hitting, in addition to pitching, to win games. SF as a team has an OPS+ of 110, compared to the paltry 84 of Mil. StL can’t hit much better. Their OPS+ is 92. The Giants have hit 24 more HRs than Mil, and 32 more than StL. So I’d be betting on the Giants in either one of those unlikely scenarios of Gausman vs. Burnes, Woodruff, or Flaherty.
Plus, it’s funny that you see Justin Turner, who stunk for the first 5 years of his career, as a reasonable example of someone who was finally able to put it all together at age 29. And yet you see Gausman as a fraud at age 30, despite the fact that pitching involves a more complex learning curve, and there are more examples of pitchers figuring it all out at a older age than hitters.
I didn’t say Gausman is a fraud but he is nowhere near as good as he is pitching right now….
He will slow down….as far as talent I would take Burnes or Woodruff or Flaherty before Gausman….however he is having an outstanding season (outlier)….
To think he will be lights out next season look at Arrieta also a former Orioles prospect that didn’t pan out until he left….then had 1-2 good seasons and is now a 4th starter type again….
Gausman has talent I didn’t say that he didn’t….but he is not Buehler or Bauer or Kershaw or Darvish….or Flaherty all bonafide aces….
Probably closer to Paddack or Woodruff in talent….I think Lamet is just as good as too….
If any series goes deeper u have DeScafalini or (blister) Sanchez facing Lamet or Paddack or Houser or Burnes or Stroman etc….
The Giants are having a great season (far above most purists expectations) however to think that their pitching can compete against the NL’s best rotations in the playoffs is absurd even with the addition of another starter they would have the worst rotation in the playoffs….
Hell the Brewers rotation is better if they could just hit….Peralta is a young stud on the rise as well….I seen this coming 2 years ago….
Not saying the Brewers or Cards will make the playoffs but for the Giants sake they better hope at least the Brewers don’t….who in a short series could be lethal with that rotation….
Other than Gausman or Yaz or Posey the Giants don’t have much….just a bunch of rag tag players they have gelled together and played well but they are not a top 5 team in talent in the NL….
@usa I would add Crawford to that list of Giants you mentioned. However, you’re missing the point. On paper, the Dodgers and Padres both have way more top end talent than the Giants, but the Giants have as much, if not more depth and a platoon advantage at ever position. This isn’t 1990 bro (however much you want it to be). The game has changed. I’ll take above average players at every position and on the bench that have a clear advantage relative to who’s pitching. The Giants coaching staff and front office is easily top 5 in the league given what they’ve done with this team. Just wait until the farm starts graduating prospects AND we have the most money in the league to spend. Get out of your feelings. Lastly, are you actually a cop? There’s plenty of innocent brown people to demolish! Just make sure to turn off your dash cam 😉
You claim that you didn’t say Gausman is a fraud, and then immediately follow that suggesting he is.
The fact that both Gausman and Arrieta are former O’s farm hands couldn’t be more irrelevant. You’re just grasping man.
DeSclafani has an ERA+ of 142. Lamet 136, and Paddack 79. Burnes’ EFA+ is 162, but Houser’s is 104. Not the clear advantage to the Giant’s opponents that you imply.
The Giant’s pitching staff is 2nd in all of MLB with a 125 ERA+, 3 points behind the Mets, 6 points better than the Padres, and 12 points better than the Brewers.
My problem with you is you appear to have no objectivity. You just look at names, among whom you’ve decided who’s good and who’s not, but not look at stats, and that doesn’t change regardless of new data.
As a Giants fan I have no problem in praising how good, and deep the Dodgers are, and I won’t be surprised if they win the division, or the WS. But you seem to have a blind spot because of some irrational dislike for the Giants. For some strange reason, you just can’t let yourself admit that they are competitive, with no reason not to continue to be, and do have a chance to get to the PS and beyond.
I didn’t say the Giants were bad….I just don’t think they are as good as they have been playing….
It’s fair to say that there will be regression in the 2nd half….
Postseason maybe but no chance at winning the WS….sorry….
Yes the Giants are up there in pitching right now….top 3 in rankings but they won’t keep it up I can promise u that….
@usa dang bro you really said that? I was having fun debating about baseball, but you’re clearly a racist pos. Your arguments have zero merit.
Did you really just say, “so what SF won 3 World Series, Dodgers were still better because we won more games over that span?” You literally just made a great point of how big of chokers the Dodgers are. And who cares they won 3 World Series? Um, every baseball fan on planet earth except you. The goal of every team is to win the WS. The goal isn’t to have the best record & then choke in the playoffs against the Cardinals every year. That’s called underachieving. When SF sneaks in as a wild card & ends up winning it all, that’s called overachieving. Every GM, player, & fan (except you) would take World Series rings over underachievers every time.
After Gausman was exposed last night and beat by a much better pitcher, do you want to try again? Buehler > Gausman and it’s not close.
Arthur Morgan”
Exposed? I’m guessing you must be a neophyte baseball fan. Anyone that thinks one game means anything hasn’t been following the game for very long.
He allowed 3 runs on 3 hits against a good hitting team in their home park. He’s also 1-1 against the Dodgers this year having beaten them on 5/30. His ERA went up a whole 19/100s of a point. That is not getting exposed. It’s not even surprising since good pitchers get beat every day.
Buehler gave up 5 runs in a loss to the Reds this year, and Bauer gave up 6 runs in a loss to the Rangers. Neither one of those exposed anybody. Both are great pitchers. It happens.
It’s baseball. Gausman is 3-0 against the Padres, allowing only 3 runs in 19 IP, and yet he also got beat by the Pirates. That’s just baseball.
“The Giants aren’t a good team?” That’s your take? Why do they have the best record? Do they just get lucky every day? They never had a star hitter when they won 3 World Series. Big hits came from Cody Ross, Marco Scutaro, & a 57 year old Edgar Renteria. You say they won’t win because they don’t have a star hitter like Betts or Bellinger, again, they’ve done it before. And, many of their best players have missed weeks, yet they plug in someone else & they still win. Clue in bro
Just noticed this fool usafcop said Gausman was the Braves 4th or 5th last year….he wasn’t even on the Braves last year lol. Typical uneducated Doyer fan
Pretty sure he meant hyperbolically, like gausman was comparably the same as Atlanta’s 4th or 5th starter.
Maybe you shouldn’t toss names around when you’re not exactly looking like Einstein either
Gausman played for the Braves from 2018-2019 anyone can see he’s just spouting misinformation. There was no hyperbole in his statement just misinformation and I’ll never feel sorry for calling somebody out who can’t bring up actual facts
Obviously I meant the year before as last year was a shortened season and I was typing so fast while in a hot car that I didn’t go over my statement and correct it….
My point is career wise Gausman is a #3 or #4 starter….yes he is pitching way above anyone’s expectations but to think that will continue all season is insane….and after Gausman is a bunch of #4 starters while the Dodgers trot out 3 aces….and 2 perennial MVP candidates….
Sorry but the Dodgers will win the west and if the Giants make the playoffs they won’t get far….they relied on pitching in all 3 of their WS wins while having 3 of the worst 10 lineups ever to win a WS….fact
This year their lineup is a bit better than those WS lineups but they’re pitching is worse aside from a career year from a #3 starter….
Year before* (mistyping something doesn’t mean uneducated….lol)
I have been a fantasy commissioner for over 30 years now and can name every teams AA and AAA Affiliates and top prospects etc….sorry but I’m not uneducated especially in baseball….
It was a simple error….but yeah when was the last time Gausman was good….I’ll wait….lol
“I have been a fantasy commissioner for over 30 years now”
Weird flex, but OK
@Capcalhoon Seriously! I thought that was interesting as well. I wonder if the managers sent messenger pigeons to inform him of their draft picks in 1991…
To be a fantasy commissioner for over 30 years don’t u think that I follow every team pretty closely? To know what a player will do before the season even starts etc?
Do u think I know every rotation and lineup and prospect etc?
I can name every team’s AA and AAA affiliates….too prospects etc….
Fantasy or not I follow baseball as close as anyone (time permitting)
3-5 year trends etc and projecting stats before day 1….
Just because we disagree doesn’t mean that I don’t know baseball….lol
No one in this thread a side from Giants fans had the Giants winning more than 87 games much less 93 or 94….not one true baseball purist had them being a contender….
Don’t u think (whether we agree or disagree) that as a fantasy commissioner for over 30 years (closer to 35 years) that I know how to judge talent etc and use trends to predict a players output?
Well if u said yes “he probably knows what he is talking about” then u would be correct….
Here’s the thing….all these people saying the Giants are WS bound or that they are a WS caliber team but these same people had the Giants winning 74-84 games before the season started….
They got off to a hot start so 85-90 wins will probably happen….but they don’t have the rotation to compete with the other NL playoff caliber teams….
Much different than their 3 WS runs….where they relied on strong pitching and lucky hits from scrubs….
Now they have a better lineup but the pitching is nowhere close to a Lincecum Cain and MadBum rotation….
In my baseball opinion the Giants will not get far in the playoffs….just saying….
Whether someone disagrees or not doesn’t mean that I don’t know baseball….
@usa while I think some of your takes are weak, and it’s odd that you brag about your three decade plus fantasy commissionership, I am not one of the Giants fans you refer to. Before the year, I thought they would be better than the projections, but I dont view them as WS contenders at all. However, if you get into the dance then you have a chance. Pretty good for a rebuilding year, yeah?
Nope I started doing fantasy in the mid 80’s before it was known as fantasy….it was known as rotisserie baseball (Bill James)….
As commissioner in my mid teens I had to add up each teams stats using a newspaper before internet etc….
We had maybe 8 kids on my block in my league and we used my baseball cards to draft players….then get together once a week or so to do trades like having winter meetings….every week….fun times….
Everyone brought their stack of cards and we would trade etc….but I had to add up each teams stats every day for years before the internet did it for me….that said I understand stats and trends etc….
So just because we disagree it doesn’t mean that I do not know how baseball works etc….
I figured if someone knows that I have been following baseball since the early to mid 1980’s….they would make the educated guess that I know baseball etc….
usafcop:
“To know what a player will do before the season even starts etc?”
Wow. That sounds like a fair amount of self-delusion to me.
No one had the Giants penciled in to win 90-95 games and contend….I would say maybe 85-87 wins tops….that said with the amount of injuries to other teams losing star players for an extended time the retooling Giants have done very well at capitalizing on that….
I did not say they suck….I simply meant that there are at least 5 teams better in the NL alone….not a bad take….
However a fast start and other teams like the Padres missing Tatis earlier and Clevinger all season and Lamet for a while or the Dodgers missing Bellinger a perennial MVP caliber player….and the Brewers missing Yelich earlier and the Nats missing Soto….and the Braves missing Fried and Soroka….the list goes on….the Mets have been without Conforto most of the season as well….
My point is the players the Giants lost to injuries are far less talented than the other teams lost players….
Comparing losing Belt and Flores etc is not the same as losing Soto or Bellinger or Yelich or Conforto or Flaherty or Tatis or Lamet etc
Not saying the Giants have no talent but they have less talent than the teams I mentioned above yet they have taken advantage of their situation and have played very well….but to be fair….this season has seen tons of injured stars go down….it’s almost a fluke season just like the short season last year due to Covid….
No team is at full strength this season just like last season but the losses the other teams suffered are far worse than what the Giants have suffered is all I am saying….
Give me a player and I will give u his stats line barring injuries etc and be close on most counts….
Next season barring injuries I can give u the stats of any player and be close….it’s what I do….
I however didn’t expect Gausman to do what he has done this season and would have been wrong on him….like I said….I am close most of the time….
What the W/L prediction for the Giants, or any other team, for that matter, is irrelevant. People thought LA would win 100+. They need to go 55 and 31, a winning %, of .640, to win 100. I’d bet against that. Look at the expectations for the NYYs. People were really on the mark about the RSox too, huh?
30 years following baseball should have told you predictions are nothing more than that, they’re useless..
I never said that you said they sucked, but you keep saying they have no stars, and their rotation isn’t as good as it looks, then say you didn’t say they suck. Well,… not in so many words.
You only mention a couple of Giants when you talk about injuries. Let’s be clear. LaStella, Belt, Longoria, Flores, Solano, Dickerson, Ruf, Cueto, Sanchez, Yastrzemski, Webb, and Wood, have all lost playing time, and it’s been significant time for the majority of them.
Get some objectivity man. it looks like you’re looking for reasons why the Giants won’t do well, instead of looking at the facts, as they are, and coming to a reasonable conclusion. Your conclusions are all based on a subjective opinion of the players/teams involved.
None of those players u mentioned are Soto or Yelich or Bellinger or Tatis type players….most are fillers not stars….
It’s like picking up a waiver wire guy in the FA list and he gets hurt….much different than losing Soto and Yelich and Ketel Marte all at the same time….the first 2 being my top 2 picks on that team….
Injuries are never going to work as an excuse. Maybe the Giants haven’t lost a player who is on the same level as Yelich or or Bellinger, but what they HAVE done is find a replacement for any and every player that HAS lost time, and still manage to win baseball games. Nobody’s going to give any team sympathy wins just because they lose their superstars to injury.
We’re at the all-star break, guy. Maybe they’re stealing signs but to say with certainty that they won’t make the playoffs is out of touch.
Pirates trade Giants Tyler Anderson and RichRod for Patrick Bailey.
Why does seemingly everyone in this talkback think the Giants are going to trade for Tyler Anderson??? The Giants DFA’d him less than a year ago. Why would they then turn around and trade a top-ten prospect for him?
In the OP’s proposition, the target would be the closer, Rodriguez, and Anderson would be a throw-in that fills in the gap until the offseason. I think both those guys could be had for a lot less than the cost of Pat Bailey, though. One of Bailey or Bart is going to be the future 1B for SF, and for either to be pried away, it would take a LOT.
I think I’m one of the few that wouldn’t be against trading Bart, purely because I think Posey can stay at catcher long enough for Bailey to be ready. Obviously the return would have to be worth it though
Anderson won’t be a throw in. He’ll go to a contender that needs a SP.
And Rich Rod will bring around a top 150 prospect atleast. He’s gonna be a top closer available for trade at the deadline and a ton of teams looking for bullpen health. And he’s cost controlled. He’s signed cheap for 2 more years.
Thank you Captain Obvious
The Giants don’t need to cash in their farm at the deadline because they are flush with cash. At the deadline, Far more of FZ’s style, as we’ve seen, would be to acquire a player he wants by simultaneously taking on a bad contract and then unceremoniously dumping the dead weight shortly thereafter.
Pretty sad group of upgrades there. I wouldnt want any of those guys starting a playoff game
And yet they’re still the best team in baseball and Gausman is having a cy young caliber year.
Andy pretty sure he means the upgrades the post suggests not the Giants themselves
Ah, apologies!
Wilmer has been pitching in just fine. SF will survive
amazing how many see players as one-dimensional with no prospects of improving throughout their respective careers. zaidi has re-tooled the clubhouse using his combination of personnel, coaches, staff, and metrics to improve and extend each member on the 40-man roster. for example, with buster posey, the staff had buster adjust his catching stance by resting one leg on the ground to alleviate some stress and wear on his person. they also switched his pre=game approach by not taking bp outside but having him work his swing inside in the cage.
seeing improvements such as buster’s and craw’s performance this year plus seeing them re-tool the improved bullpen on the fly shows farhan’s crew in and behind the dugout are doing work.
@Bubba, Thank you! Too many people are looking at the Giants’ record and roster on paper and assuming they’re playing over their heads. Not enough credit is going to the front office and revamped coaching staff. Somehow it’s just a magical coincidence that every single player on the roster is simultaneously having career years between last year and now? I’m no mathematician, but the odds of that are pretty slim. Just listen to players like Descli praise the coaching staff and culture of the organization and you’ll understand it’s not some weird fluke. I think the league is legitimately worried about the Giants graduating top prospects from a very deep farm AND having more money than any team to spend in years to come. This is just the beginning…
Of the end….lol
@usa ummmm, inaccurate. The Giants have a stacked farm and the most money to spend in coming years. Even if they lose in the WC, this is just the beginning. Nice try.
yeah, the roster on paper may appear to look funky. no marquee names like ‘kershaw’ or ‘trout’ leading our own version of ‘murderer’s row’ or ‘the triplets’.
but ’10, ’12, and ’14 shows we do funky well. 🙂
pitching and defense have been the mantra. hitters working the counts and blowing up starter’s pitch count early then exposing bullpen deficiencies will determine a deep run in september.
proper execution and ‘next man up’ will ultimately determine if we’re in for another ‘orange october’.
Now that’s well said….only time will tell….
As far as their 3 WS runs they were underdogs if each playoff series all 3 years and faced elimination multiple times….tons of heart and Bochy got them rings….
This year could be the same type of year for the Giants….I however do not think that will be the case as the Dodgers will get healthy and be at full strength etc….
I wouldn’t say a stacked farm….it’s good but it’s not like they have top 10-15 talent waiting or can’t miss prospects….
Definitely a good farm much better than the past few years but it’s not elite….
They will have a ton of money to spend and could truly contend as soon as next season but I don’t think this is the season it will happen….I think other teams missing key players and a hot start is why the Giants are even in this conversation….
Look for some regression in the 2nd half but next year they could be dangerous….
@usa I would say Luciano is as close to a “can’t miss” prospect as there is…many pundits have said they won’t be surprised if he’s #1 in all of baseball at year’s end. With that said, their farm if more about depth at this point. That’s most likely because their best players are in low A at thos point. They’ll climb. PS stop shooting brown people.
Bruh….I have nothing against brown people or any other color for that matter….
I do not like “bad seeds” however of any color….
I am not a cop but I was in the USAF for several years….
I was Security Forces (SECFOR) but I am no longer in the USAF….I got out 7 years ago and I am now a Loss Prevention Manager….
Yes the Giants have good prospects and I would say u are correct in saying Luciano will be a good one….maybe even a stud but no telling yet with Ramos or Bailey….they should be solid for years to come but I just don’t think it will be this year….
Next year they could be scary….depends on what they do in the off-season FA wise and or on the trade front….
Just for the record, according to @usafcop the Giants MLB 2nd best 125 ERA+, and their tied for MLB 2nd best 110 OPS+, after 75 games is merely illusory. Their rotation isn’t good, and they have no hitting stars. They have no chance to get beyond the WC game.
Watch and see….maybe next year but it’s not happening this season….
When have we ever won or lost games based on if the team has “stars”? The Angels have stars, should we assume they’re going to the WS?
Your comment is literally “all the stats say this team is legit but because I don’t recognize some of these names they must be bad.”
I know all of their names….lol….
I know about most players before most other people do as I am a fantasy commissioner….I know of prospects that are 3-5 years away….
For instance I knew of Brendan McKay like 3 yrs ago and I knew of Bryce Harper 3-4 yrs before he was even drafted….
It’s not that I don’t know these players….it’s the fact that most have never been good lol….
Let’s not act like a freak year from a few players means they are great….lol
Hot start and injuries to better players on better teams have helped no doubt….
Just watch and see them not go anywhere this year….screenshot this if u wish….
Also the Angels are a good example….star studded lineup with Rendon and Trout and Ohtani….and Walsh….much better than the Giants but injuries have hurt them plus they don’t have any pitching….but great example….
@Andy Warpath….most every day baseball fans don’t know of Tarik Skubul or Matt Manning or George Kirby or Logan Gilbert until they are called up….I knew about these players 3 years ago….so your comment of me “not knowing their names” is cute….lol
It’s not that I don’t know the Giants players….I know of all of them….it’s the fact that some of the guys never had good years and the others already had their best years….
This is not a team that was supposed to contend and everyone on this page should know this if they know baseball….
The fact that they are contending is because it’s been a freakish year like last year….
In one of my leagues I had 9 guys on the IL at one time with 5 IL slots….it’s absurd snd the teams missing stats like the Dodgers Bellinger and Seager and the Brewers missing Yelich etc….
It’s kills a team to lose these type of players more so than losing Flores and Belt etc
Brandon Belt is one of the most underrated players in baseball. There’s no better defensive first baseman in the game, yet he – like his namesake teammate Brandon Crawford – gets virtually no mention or attention from so-called “expert” analysts and talking heads throughout the national media.
In baseball, titles are won with pitching and defense (see the Giants’ 2010, ’12, and ’14 WS championship teams as just three of countless examples). Of course offense plays a role, but it is – by far – least important of the three. So because the “baseball geniuses” from SABRmetrics, FanGraphs, etc. place most of a position player’s value on his offense, many of the best players in MLB are typically omitted from the conversation because – even if their defense is brilliant – they don’t consistently put up big offensive numbers.
This Giants team is winning with outstanding pitching and the brilliant defense provided by their exceptional nucleus of position players: Buster Posey, Belt, Evan Longoria, Crawford, and Mike Yastrzemski. No other MLB team has five position players who can match this group’s defensive excellence.
Can the Giants win without Belt? Probably, although there’s a significant dropoff with any of his replacements (Flores, Ruf, et al), and we’re hoping he returns as quickly as possible. The two position players they can’t win without are Posey and Crawford, who stand (in Posey’s case, crouch) alone as the best defensively on the planet at their positions (think of Nolan Arenado as a point of reference, if that helps).
And for those who say the Giants aren’t good enough to sustain their current level of success, keep in mind that they are – in fact – an excellent team (reminder: pitching and defense, pitching and defense, pitching and defense). No, they’re not loaded with superstars like the Dodgers, but all they do is win. And in addition to being really good, they’re also really lucky. Would you rather be lucky or good? How about both? That’s a pretty tough combination to beat!
Mostly luck….and a fast start while Bellinger has had 20 AB’s this season for the Dodgers and Yelich missed a chunk of time for the Brewers….
Sorry Crawford is good but not the best defensive SS….that would be Simmons and Iglesias on a consistent basis….
Luck? They have one of the best run differentials in all of baseball? How exactly is that luck? Is it just cause you want it to be luck?
Three months into the season hardly qualifies as just a “fast start” for the Giants. And having the best record in MLB requires considerably more than “mostly luck.”
Yes, Bellinger’s been hurt a lot and played very little. But even without him, shouldn’t a team as loaded as the Dodgers with players like Betts, Seager, Turner, and Taylor, and pitchers like Kershaw, Buehler, and Bauer be able to easily outperform the lowly Giants?
Not sure why you bring Yelich into this, but he wasn’t very good in last year’s pandemic-shortened season, and he’s not much – if any – better this season (his home runs per at-bat are way down, his slugging pct is down, and his OPS is about the same).
Besides, the Giants have had their share of significant injuries too, including Yastrzemski, Belt (current), Longoria (current), and starting second baseman Tommy La Stella (current).
As for the best defensive shortstop: While IMHO that distinction clearly belongs to the incomparable Crawford, I agree that the light-hitting Simmons is brilliant, and ridiculously underrated.
@Brad S….I can agree that Crawford is a top 3 or 4 defensive SS….along with Simmons and Iglesias who’s bats are lighter than Crawford so if u combine offense and defense between the 3 then yes Crawford is the better choice however I would take Bogaerts or Turner or Anderson or Tatis or Seager etc over Crawford even with his glove….because their offensive abilities are far better than Crawford’s whereas their defense isn’t they far behind….
I mentioned Yelich because with him healthy all season they could easily have 3-4 more wins….making them mire of a threat….and he is better than any Giants player that has missed time….
The Dodgers are hurting with Seager out and Bellinger only having like 20 AB’s….yes they have depth but even Bette us having a subpar year by his standards….
I can see an uptick in production from most Dodgers hitters once they are fully healthy snd I can see a decline with the Giants hitters and pitchers really….
Those 2 things will happen snd it will be noticeable in the standings as the season goes on….again this is barring injuries….
It’s like saying the Packers without Rodgers compared to the 49’ers without Jimmy G….
There is a huge difference in talent missing from both teams….that’s what I was saying above….not that the Giants are bad but that the Dodgers are that good and I am a Braves fan not a Dodgers fan but u can’t be blind to their talent….
Even the Braves lineup makes the Giants look like their AAA affiliate….if the Braves had a healthy and back to form Soroka and a healthy Fried they would be dangerous….but again this season has seen so many stars go down with injuries maybe because of the shortened season last year I don’t know but it’s been a weird year to say the least….
Teams that were suppose to be great are average or above average and teams that were supposed to be retooling like the Giants and Red Sox are killing it….
I think the Red Sox have more talent than the Giants and therefore can sustain their success a bit longer than the Giants who I think are simply high on confidence after they’re strong start and capitalizing on better teams having injuries to star players….
That mixed in with some luck and career years from some players and gritty play has the Giants on top for now….
It’s a long season though and it’s just a matter of time before the Dodgers and Padres pass them up in the standings….
I could be wrong but I don’t think so….good luck the rest of the way whoever u follow….
The defense of Bogaerts and Seager are way far behind Crawford’s. Look at the numbers.
DRS:
Bogaerts, -60
Seager, -7
Crawford, +72
OAA (2016-2021)
Bogaerts, -44
Seager, -10
Crawford, +30
OAA (2020-2021)
Bogaerts, -12
Seager, -5
Crawford, +11
Bogaerts and Seager aren’t even close, and Bogaerts could be legitimately labelled a defensive liability.
Dude we get it. Write it all into your diary. The giants obviously did something to you or your team to make you feel the way you do. Just acknowledge the giants are playing great ball. No need for all the extra
I think the Giants might just be working harder and preparing better. A great option for any average Joe. If true, long may it continue.
Safe to say Wade has earned his spot on the roster. First game back in the bigs and has a huge clutch performance. Kids got the juice, let’s see if he has the sauce
If winning in baseball were as simple as just awarding the WS title to the team with the most “star caliber” players, they wouldn’t even have to play the games. This season’s winner is the Dodgers. Even as a Giants fan I can readily acknowledge that. (Betts, Bellinger, Seager, Turner, Taylor, Kershaw, Buehler, Bauer…plus IMHO an underrated Muncy…that’s impressive!)
Of course, it doesn’t work quite that way. You have to actually play the games, and injuries are part of the season. As are things such as depth (it’s a 26-player roster, and every one of them plays an important role), “team chemistry” (I think the “pieces” have to “fit together”), and yes, luck.
So can this “overperforming” Giants team get to – and perhaps even win – the WS? I don’t know. But presently the Giants, Rays, and BoSox are the only teams in MLB about which I can say that it seems “all they do is win” (not literally, of course, but you get the idea). And whether you’re a fan of, indifferent to, or dislike any or all of these three teams, there’s no need to bash any of them (or each other for sharing your opinions).
@Brad S….well put….we all may have different opinions on here but to say someone on here knows nothing about baseball is absurd….if we didn’t follow baseball we wouldn’t be here really….except the trolls that post $3500 a week jobs on here….fake bs….
Anyways as a commissioner in fantasy baseball for nearly 35 years I obviously have to follow it closely….prospects and lineups and rotations etc….
Opinions aside I do know baseball and my point was that the Dodgers are twice the team as the Giants but injuries have hurt the Dodgers while the Giants have had nobodies step up and play above their career norms….
That’s great on the Giants ability to do that but it’s a long season and the playoffs will be a different story with all good teams competing and no easy wins….no Rockies or Pirates etc….
In my humbled opinion the Dodgers will prevail in the NL and the Giants will slowly decline back to normalcy….
They doesn’t mean I don’t know baseball etc….
I know it’s not based on how many stars u have….it’s about heart and chemistry and grit and intangibles….and luck….not pure talent otherwise the rest of the NL would just concede the NL to the Dodgers but it doesn’t work that way….
However my issue is not that the Dodgers aren’t running away with it as they were expected to….
My issue is that if not the Dodgers or Padres there are a few other NL teams better than the Giants as well….yet they keep plugging away with aging vets that were never really stars (minus Posey) and a bunch of rag tag players that no other team wanted etc….
Few of which are having career years all at once while better teams are missing their stars or have missed their stars for long periods….
Some people don’t realize that a lot of luck is involved in baseball….or any sport really….
I’m not bashing anyone….I stated that the Dodgers will win the West and advance to the WS most likely snd I got called out for not knowing baseball lol….
Yet every expert in the world had LA and SD finishing 1-2 in the NLW….
Not one person in this thread had the Giants making the playoffs unless they are die hard fans of SF etc….
One could literally run down every team and every rotation in the NL aside from maybe the Pirates and find more stars than the Giants have….
Even the Rockies have Story and McMahon and Marquez and Gray….
The Marlins have a young nucleus of starters that should be very good in a couple of years….
I just don’t see how the Giants are doing this good with the little talent they have….
usafcop:
“I know it’s not based on how many stars u have….”
“One could…run down every team and every rotation in the NL aside from maybe the Pirates and find more stars than the Giants have….”
Your words. You continually contradict yourself.
And you always talk in vague generalities. For instance, in speaking of the Giants: “Few of which are having career years all at once while better teams are missing their stars or have missed their stars for long periods….”
So who on the Giants are having career years? Crawford, okay, but who else? In fact, contrary to your assertion, guys like Yastrzemski, Solano, Flores, Dickerson, Dubon, Slater, Tauchman, Casali, Cueto, etc. are actually performing below their career averages. Belt and Ruf are having good years, but both actually had better years in 2020, than this season.
“…every expert in the world had LA and SD finishing 1-2 in the NLW…”
Besides the hyperbole, again, that is evidence of absolutely nothing. What was prediction for the RSox? The Yankees? The Twins? The Cards?
While it is true SF was not predicted to do well preseason, unlike you, those same experts have changed their opinion about the Giants. MLB.com, ESPN, CBS Sorts, NBC Sports, and others have The Giants as #1 in their power rankings. Fangraphs gives the Giants a better percentage chance to make the PS than it gives the Padres.
So what’s the difference? While the experts have revised their opinion of the Giants based on the data available, you are unable to admit you were wrong. So you continue to rationalize the situation to fit your fixed idea. Had you offered any stats, or facts whatsoever, you might have had a shred of credibility. You probably would have continued to argue the Titanic was fine, as she went down, rather than admit you were wrong about it being unsinkable.
@Tad2b13….I may not be wrong though as it’s a long season….all it takes is them to come back to earth and go on a losing streak….
They got off to a hot start and now are playing with confidence….and adrenaline etc….
Their talent is lower than that of the Brewers and Cubs and even the Marlins rotation looks far more promising if they can keep it together….
My point is not about “they don’t have many stars” it’s about how other teams that aren’t stacked either but have a better nucleus of players aren’t even in the race….
Strange because some of the Giants hitters and pitchers have never been good….rejects from other teams….
The Giants are like the misfits….they could win by putting all of us in their lineup….lol
I am a Braves fan (yes we have far more talent than the Giants) but injuries have killed us….
The Dodgers (one of the best teams assembled in recent years) has been decimated with injuries as well so this season is a bit of a fluke….in my opinion….
Maybe they not all having career years as I said but maybe other teams stars are underperforming….who knows but it makes no sense….
DeScafalini would be a 4th or 5th starter on most playoff caliber teams but he has been the #2 on the Giants behind Gausman generally a #3 starter….their best OF Yaz would be the Dodgers 3rd best OF….
Tell me how this makes sense….lol
FYI when the Steelers were 10-0 last season….I posted all over FB that they were the worst 10-0 team ever in the NFL….I then said they will fall apart because they are running on confidence and adrenaline but once it runs out they will fall hard….I was 100% right….
They were barely beating 3rd string QB’s and putting up under 20 pts or so per week so I knew that would collapse….
Don’t count me out bro….I am saying this about the SF Giants now….I could be wrong but my track record says otherwise….
Now next year and beyond the Giants could be scary….but I just don’t think it’s this season even if they make it to the playoffs just as the Steelers did by default due to their hot start….
To be honest there were teams last year in the AFC that didn’t make the playoffs that we’re playing better than the Steelers down the stretch but because the Steelers started off 10-0 they basically clinched a spot in the playoffs….before going 3-3 the rest of the way and 1 and done in the playoffs….which I also called on FB….
usafcop:
Holy crap. More fallacies. Let’s see some stats to back up your assertions. You have no credibility until you post at least one stat to back up any of your delusions.
DeSclafani, a 4th or 5th starter? You just can’t help exaggerating can you. By ERA+ he would not be the #5 on any team playoff team. He would be the 4th SP on only 3 teams. NYM, Hou, and Mil. he would be the 3rd SP with CHW, LA and SD. And he would be the #1 guy with Oak, Bos, and TB.
By WAR, DeSclafani is tied for 26th. among guys playing for both teams that are, and aren’t, playoff contenders. That would make him on average a #2. So that statement of yours is demonstrably false.
Your lack of credibility is really apparent when you put Gausman as a #3. Fangraphs has him with a 3.0 WAR, ranking him behind only deGrom and Wheeler. And BB Ref has him with a 4.2 WAR (for pitchers), 2nd behind Wheeler. BB Ref also has him with a 263 ERA+, 2nd behind deGrom. Both his WAR and ERA+ are better than any pitcher on the Dodgers or Padres.
fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=pit&…
baseball-reference.com/leagues/majors/2021-pitchin…
Read ’em and weep.
The idea that the Giants roster is made up of “…hitters and pitchers have never been good….rejects from other teams…”, is patently absurd, and a good indication how your delusions are affecting any objectivity you might have ever had.
Posey, Crawford, Belt, Longoria, Yastrzemski, and Gausman are guys that have never been good?
This from MLBTR: “Kevin Gausman was weighing multiple multi-year offers against the one-year, $18.9MM qualifying offer…”. So much for no other team wanting him.
“Maybe they not all having career years as I said but maybe other teams stars are underperforming….who knows but it makes no sense….”
No, it makes plenty of sense because that’s the normal state for most teams. Almost every team has guys performing above and below their mean every year.. You’re the only one not making sense.
And don’t hurt your arm patting yourself on the back for recognizing something most people were aware of, that the Steelers record was illusory. But that has nothing to do with the Giants. Just because the Steelers weren’t as good as their record does not mean the Giants aren’t either. Apples and oranges.
You don’t take the Giants seriously, but the Dodgers do. They juggled their rotation for the first series, so they could throw Bauer, and Buehler in the first 2 games. They wouldn’t have done that if they weren’t taking the Giants seriously.
I don’t know that anyone is saying the Giants are going to win the WS, I certainly never said that. Chances are against that, as they are for just about every other team. No one is a lock. But they do have a chance, even if it is a long one. To say they have no chance makes me think you’ve learned little over your decades of following baseball.
@Tad2b13….oh I get it now….u are going off of 1 season of success during an injury filled season at that….with teams down done major stars due to injuries or Covid….
I don’t need to post stats just look up their career stats or even their 3 years stats….
DeScafalini is pitching far above his norm….
The Reds didn’t even want him geez….by trade he is your typical 4th or 5th starter….
Gausman has been a 3rd starter or even 4th starter career wise….I’m not talking about this season’s injury plagued anomalies….
U keep thinking this is how good they are….I am telling u they are not this good….pitching above career norms is not how I base a player….I go off of 3-5 yr tends and career abilities and stuff/makeup….
Gausman has the makeup of a solid #2 on a good team but has pitched like a 3rd or 4th starter….so his success did not surprise me though I still think he is pitching a bit better than he is….meaning next year he will have a drop off….
DeScafalini has never been a stud and is your prototype 4th starter maybe a 3rd starter on an average pitching staff….but that’s a stretch….
These are facts look up their career track record….what isn’t a fact is how they are performing in 1 season with multiple players out due to injuries or Covid….
Players like Flores and Duggar and La Stella and Slater and DeScafalini have never been good….maybe combined they had 2 or 3 decent years….mostly La Stella….
Belt is a light hitting 1B that makes up for it with his glove and Crawford has recently revived his career as he was on a downward spiral the past couple seasons….my point is some of the Giants hitters have never had real success while others have recently revived it in a season filled with injuries to other teams superstars….it’s been a weird season….
Remember when Chris Shelton of the Tigers started off with like 14 HRs in the early going one season and everyone jumped on his bandwagon and picked him up in fantasy? I didn’t because I knew he was having a strong stretch that will end soon….he ended the season with 26 or 27 HRs (without looking it up) and was never heard from again….
I don’t buy into one season of success unless it’s a young player obviously with more to come (Ronald Acuna or Luis Robert types) but not older players that have had no success or little success….
We may differ in opinions and that’s okay I like a good sports debate….but when one can name all 30 teams AA and AAA affiliates and top prospects and can predict what a player will do before the season even starts barring a freak injury or Covid etc….and be pretty close overall….it’s safe to say that person knows baseball….I can do all that….
I played baseball for 12-13 years plus I did fantasy baseball for roughly 33-35 years and not as a hometown fan that only knows his hometown team (they are in almost every league) u know the type….but I know every teams rotation and regular lineup and top prospects….
I know as much about baseball as anyone on this site….maybe more than some and maybe less than others but I’m almost like Rainman….
I can remember how many HR’s Jim Rice had in 1977….(47) and George Foster (52)….his about Ron Guidry’s 25-3 record in 1978….with his 1.78 ERA….I am doing this without even looking….
My point is neither of us are idiots especially when it comes to baseball I can tell by your posts that u know your stuff….so do I….we are just basing success on 2 different parallels….u off of 1 season and me off of a 3 yr algorithm or even career success….
I don’t even like the Tigers and I can tell u that they will be good soon….Mize and Skubal and Manning and Torkelson and Baddoo is a solid young core….and the Mariners with Gilbert and Kirby and Hancock….should be pretty good as well if they all pan out….(some won’t)….
How about the Marlins pitching staff….damn good if all stay healthy and stay on track….
I can do this with every team so to say I don’t know baseball is absurd we just have different opinions….
Mark my words Gausman will have a moderate decline next season and DeScafalini will have even more decline next season….
Those 2 are just 2 examples but I can tell u that there are more….I have other stuff to do so I will leave that here….but as far as the Padres having less chance at the playoffs have u considered that with Clevinger out all season (who is as good as Gausman) and Lamet hurting (also as much talent as Gausman) and losing Tatis for a bit didn’t hurt those chances?
The Dodgers losing Seager and Bellinger (both better than any Giants hitters on a yearly basis) have killed them….and losing May (another stud) I mean come on man losing Flores is not the same….or even La Stella….
I will admit the Giants are playing great ball but I see a decline coming soon….as done fall back to earth and other teams get their stats back….
Take care bro….
Meant some not done*
usafcop:
“Belt is a light hitting 1B that makes up for it with his glove…”
See, this quote shows you have no idea what you’re talking about. He’s “light hitting” to you, I suppose, because he doesn’t hit a lot of HRs? Totally ignoring that he has played his entire career in a park that has been difficult to hit HRs in for all batters, but particularly tough for LHHs.
But, the numbers that matter say you’re wrong. ISO, isolated power, is the best number for power out of context. Anything at .180 or above is considered good power. For his career Belt has a .193 ISO, and over the last 2 seasons it’s .270. That is not anything like “light hitting”.
Duggar is a young player that, like Crawford, (and Justin Turner several seasons ago) revamped his swing, and it’s showing results. His career is a small sample of only about 1 1/4 season. Justin Turner played about twice as long before he figured it out. But in your book, Turner is a star, and Duggar has “never been good”.
BTW, Bellinger just might be overrated, based on 1 MVP season. Not saying he is. And I think he’s a good ballplayer, but he’s been oft-injured, and hasn’t put up superstar numbers since that MVP season. People talk about him like he’s comparable to Trout or Betts, but I’m reserving judgement.
I’m not going to address every point because, again, you offer nothing but your opinion, based on your preconceived notions, without any facts to back them up. It appears to me that what you consider facts are actually mere opinions, and no amount of rational debate, based on stats, has any apparent weight.
And if you don’t think you’re biased, look at your comparison.
“The Dodgers losing Seager and Bellinger …I mean…losing Flores is not the same….or even La Stella….”
No it’s not the same, because it a bad comparison. That would be like me saying the Dodgers losing Edwin Rios, and Yoshi Tsutsugo, aren’t comparable to the Giants losing Solano and Ruf. But losing Longoria, who was having a renaissance, and Belt, are comparable.
Seager 120 OPS+
Bellinger 113 OPS+
Longoria 147 OPS+
Belt 142 OPS+
I’m sure you think otherwise, since it goes counter to your star-based opinion, but most of us would see that the Giants losing Belt and Longoria was worse for them than the Dodgers losing Bellinger and Seager.
@Tad2b13….Belt and Longoria are nowhere close to as good as Seager and Bellinger wow….u have no clue what u are talking about….lmfao….
Longoria until this year was a washed-up bad contract….truth….
Belt is a 20 HR power 1B….his glove is his primary asset….think Hosmer type hitter….I mean sure 20 HR and 85 RBI are decent while hitting .275 or .280….
Give me 35/110/.260 at 1B….because I can get .280 hitters at SS and 2B etc….look at Donovan Solano….and like I said above Longoria was a bad contract just as recent as last season….
It’s people like u who think Longoria is better than Turner lol….nope
Also spitting out stats this season is moot if they can’t keep it up….
Like I said this YEAR ONLY sure they are having better seasons than the Dodgers star studded lineup but if u look up career stats or just 3 year averages or 2 year averages for younger players u will see that the Giants are playing way over their ability while the Dodgers are underperforming….this WILL NOT continue….I see this every season….
In one of my leagues a few years back some idiot dropped Jose Abreu because he got off to a horrid start….I scooped him up because I knew he had perennial all-star ability….like who drops Abreu?
It happens every year though….trust me I don’t have time to be spitting out stats all night long but I can tell u to look up 2-3 year averages or 3-5 years trends and u will see that the Giants veterans have been on the decline for years now and the other fillers they have were never good….
U think DeSclafani is better than Bauer I bet….lmfao….
Your perceptions are weak at best based on 1 season of success….I don’t need to post stats to prove my point when I know that I am right….u have your opinions and I have my knowledge….
Sure losing Belt and Longoria hurt the same as they are 2 veteran leaders on a consensus weak hitting team….but in terms of production the Dodgers are missing 2 MVP type players while the Giants are missing 2 aging vets that have been on decline over the years….huge difference in production bro….but u are right in saying that it’s equal in comparison due to the leadership factor….
Seager or Crawford who u got….if u say Crawford I know u are a Giants homer….
Seager is a top 3 SS at a packed position….
Bellinger and Betts make up one of the best 1-2 punches in any OF….Yaz would be the Dodgers 3rd best OF but I guarantee u think he is the best of the bunch….lmfao
Who needs stats to make this decision? I think it’s known world wide….that the Dodgers are far better than the Giants….
All it takes is a fast start from one and injuries to the other to even things out….but believe me when I say that the Dodgers will start separating themselves soon providing they get fully healthy minus May (out for the season) but I mean Seager and Bellinger etc
This dude loves his fantasy baseball a bit too much
My prediction: Dodgers will lose 120 games this year. Some will say that’s mathematically impossible, but trust me bro. I have been a fantasy emperor for 87 years. I know what I’m talking about.
The reason: Dodgers have no stars. And yeah, you may not understand my definition of “star” but trust me. I know every Minor League affiliate’s owner’s grandma, so I clearly know what I’m talking about.
I predicted the Chiefs would lose the Super Bowl. I predicted World War II. I predicted the creation of the universe, and every time I was 100% right!
Please don’t bother listing any data or statistics or facts. Blah blah blah…
Alrighty I’m done.
You are an idiot….that’s not how I sound at all….I spit out knowledge of players and affiliates….
Let’s see your favorite team is the Giants….
AAA team: Sacramento River Cats (formerly the A’s AAA affiliate before they changed to the Las Vegas Aviators) but before that it was the Fresno Grizzlies who were the Astros AAA team before becoming the Nationals AAA team….
AA team: Richmond Flying Squirrels but before that it was the Connecticut Defenders….
The A’s meanwhile had the Nashville Sounds as their AAA team as well before they became the Rangers AAA team for a brief stint and then the Sounds went back to being the Brewers AAA team who they had already served under before….
Meanwhile the Nationals old AAA team the Syracuse Chiefs (formerly known as the Syracuse Sky Chiefs when they were the Jays AAA team) is now the Mets AAA team and now go by the Syracuse Mets….
Oh but wait….the Mets old AAA team Buffalo Bisons went to the Jays while the Jays former AAA team Las Vegas 51’s became the Mets AAA team before they changed their name to the Las Vegas Aviators and became the A’s AAA team….
But wait what happened to the Rangers AAA team of Nashville went back to the Brewers? Oh yeah they took the Round Rock Express back who used to be the Astros AA team back in the day….
Dude….I can do this all day with every team and name every team’s top prospects….so not only do I know baseball….but I know more about it than most of the people on here….facts….
Just because I can see a collapse coming for the overachieving Giants doesn’t mean that I don’t know baseball….it means quite the opposite….it means that I see this every year where a team starts off hot or a player starts off hot but then they cool off and fall back to earth….meanwhile the superstars that start off slow will almost always pick things up and end up having a very good season….
The Giants may finish with 90 wins because of their hot start and major injuries to other teams stars but they will not get far this season in the playoffs….
Screenshot or whatever but I am right….u will see that….then feel dumb as u should….
Go look up 3 year trends and career stats etc….the Giants are outperforming their track records….and they will cool off….
Why do I need to post data or stats when u guys are clearly capable of looking them up yourselves?
I don’t go off of 1 year of success especially in an injury filled season….with many stars out dues to injuries or Covid….
Look at the Giants as a whole over the past few seasons….veterans on the decline now all of a sudden got their groove back okay….lol
Scrubs that no other team wanted are hitting like superstars okay….lol
It’s all just adrenaline and confidence due to the hot start….and injures all over the league….
This happens every season….for those of u who don’t know that….shame on u for thinking u know baseball….lmao
Lastly….I get ridiculed for saying that the Dodgers are far better than the Giants and that several Giants players are playing over their career norms….these statements are true and correct….I won’t even argue this anymore….
Then u guys post this years stats and data trying to prove me wrong….which is stupid because I never said the Giants were playing bad this season….quite the opposite really….I said they are playing above their heads….I said watch for a decline based on career norms and 3-5 year trends etc….
No point trying to show me up with this seasons anomalies….I’m not arguing that they have played good ball this season….
I’m simply saying that they aren’t this good and there will be some decline….there is absolutely nothing wrong with any of my statements….yet I have idiots posting data from THIS YEAR ONLY….no kidding they are doing good this season….that’s not my argument….
Gausman is lights out while Luis Castillo and Patrick Corbin and Dylan Bundy have to beg for outs….come on….really….
If anyone doesn’t see this as an anomaly season they are blind….
This season is an extension of last season….weird things are happening but things should balance out and go back to normal by 2022….hopefully….
Dang, he’s still on the team?
Where’s Adam Frazier when you need him, if you know what I mean