Here are three things we’re monitoring around the baseball world today…
1. ALCS Game 2:
The American League Championship series began last night, with the Rangers taking the first contest. Thanks to 6 1/3 shutout innings from starter Jordan Montgomery and then 2 2/3 scoreless/hitless innings from the bullpen, Texas shut out Houston 2-0 and took a 1-0 lead in the series. Game 2 gets going this afternoon at 3:37 pm Central with Nathan Eovaldi taking the ball for the Rangers. He will be looking to lead the club to victory and therefore bring a 2-0 series lead to Arlington for Game 3. But Framber Valdez will be on the bump for Houston and looking to even the series up at a game apiece.
2. NLCS Game 1:
The second game of the day will see the National League Championship Series begin, with the Diamondbacks and Phillies getting underway at 7:07 pm. A couple of Cy Young candidates will be squaring off against each other, as Zac Gallen is on the hill for Arizona and Zack Wheeler on the other side. Gallen tossed 210 innings in the regular season with a 3.47 ERA and has since made two postseason starts with a 3.18 ERA. Wheeler tossed 192 innings in the regular season with a 3.61 ERA and has since made two playoff starts of his own with a 2.08 ERA in those.
3. Giants managerial search:
There are four clubs with managerial vacancies at the moment, with the Giants, Guardians, Angels and Mets all looking for new skippers. It’s possible the Brewers would make a fifth, with Craig Counsell’s current contract only running until October 31 and uncertainty around whether or not he’ll be back. Of these clubs, the Giants have seemingly been the most active, at least in terms of public reporting. They’ve already interviewed a number of internal candidates, with bench coach Kai Correa, third base coach Mark Hallberg and assistant coach Alyssa Nakken having been questioned about the opening. They are also going to interview former player Stephen Vogt, who served as bullpen and quality control coach for the Mariners this year and played for the Giants in 2019.
I hate pitching duels. I want to see more offense. Bring out the aluminum bats!
@n Seager/Bauer We Trust
Well, we had a pretty good combination of pitching and hitting back in the 90s/2000s but all of the sudden, people were talking about PEDs as if they were something horrible. MLB profited from the players using PEDs and then threw them under the bus. They did the same thing with the sticky stuff. Bring back all that stuff along with aluminum bats and we’ll have a better game.
In Seager: And the EMTs and stretchers for the infielders.
@avenger65
Probably would be something like the fielders and their gloves that had to deal with Ruth’s EV. Do you think any of the modern players could field balls with the gloves back then? That would probably hurt if they used them.
Want some 200 mph exit velos?
Give them riot gear and body armor. I want runs! Anything but a 2-0 game with these elite offenses
One thing is clear. Farhan Zaidi is a failure and so is Giants’ management. Everyone that had a hand in firing Bochy (and that is what it was, a firing) should be fired. And that includes the ownership group. Sell the team.
Sure, Bochy wins and is good, but this man hit Grossman third against righties as the DH over Garver 3 straight games. The grass isn’t quite that green on the other side. Texas is winning based on talent and guys lucking out with career years, and Bochy is only a small reason with his composure.
Bochy had a heart operation possibly multiple heart operations. Let the man have a couple of years off, won’t you? I should have to kill himself to entertain trolls.
I have the same thing Bochy has: AFIB. There is no surgery involved (a few procedure options are available). I learned, as Bochy did, to manage it. Bochy is fine. Dallas is closer to Nashville (where he now lives) than San Francisco. Plus, the money was better. Step up, Giants ownership.
Bochy wasn’t fired. All you have to do is watch Kerry Crowley’s latest video where he explains what transpired. He was the beat reporter at the time and lays everything out.
Bochy wasn’t fired. All you have to do is watch Kerry Crowley’s latest video. He was a beat reporter at the time, and lays out everything that transpired.
What do I have to do to find out more?
Watch the latest video from Kerry Crowley. At the time he was a reporter of the beat variety, and everything that transpired is what he lays out.
Something about a beach on fire and a video and a beating and a repo man…?
I don’t think there’s any username more trollish then “True Team Fan” or any version similar to that. Instant mute.
Please change your username to Former Giants Fan because you make true Giants fans look stupid. Ask yourself this: If Bochy was so hell bent on managing again, why not Kansas City, or Oakland, or Pittsburgh. His last 3 seasons with Giants he was 214-272. 98 losses in 2017. Largely because the organization, under Evans and Sabean, was in shambles. Money wise and depth wise. And partly because Bochy had lost his motivation because of previous sentence AND because he needed time off for health reasons. Yes, some of the drafting since has been inconsistent. But 1.5 games behind Dodgers in late July and 14 over .500 was by the same roster that did a nose dive afterwards. A roster that FZ had put together. Unfortunately, managers usually are the fall guys. But during Bochys 2017-2018, the Giants were being heavily penalized (taxed) for exceeding Salary Tax Threshold. 98 losses with a high and taxes payroll.Zaidi has fixed that and if Conforto and Manaea opt out, SF will be over $120 million under that Threshold. You think the owners hate that he did that and want to fire him?
I’m sure I speak for everyone when I say lol Astros
Manfred needs to do something about these playoffs… The Astros lost a game? Bring back the trash cans.
Was it just me, or did anyone else hear a trash can banging, letting Altuve know to return to 1st base?
Melchy you’re always very insightful
LLGisnts64: No, it was a Rangers fan banging a trash can to tell the Astros when to take a seat.
Astros are in trouble after getting shut out at home in game 1. Wasted a solid effort by the elder statesman. Highly unlikely they can hold TX to 2 runs very often.
Can the names on the list of external candidates be revealed? Is The Thrill one of the candidates? Is Pat Burrell on the list?
I love Will Clark, my favorite 1st baseman of all time. But does that mean he can manage? I don’t think so.
Burrell would be perfect. If he wants to, hell yes. Clark would never want to manage. Too red a**. Burrell is too but he is very knowledgeable of the farm