Merkin of GIANTSBOARD.COM: GAMEBALL and JOKER 07/22 GIANTS at BRAVES

You know this is probably for the best…. the Giants are still a team in flux that perhaps is competing too early for its own good. At the end of the day, when you kick the tires on this team……..whatever…. it may be true, but after watching this team go nowhere for 4 years you can't blame us for dreaming a little about a playoff Rotation of Tim Cain and "insert Giants pitcher with best recent start here." This team got chewed up and spit out by the Braves newly minted offensive machine….. Of course our cold spell only has us 1 back in the loss column and with this pitching staff you can bet the Giants hang around at least in the fringes of contention…..and with this offense you can bet they don't run away with it……

GAMEBALL and JOKER 07/22 GIANTS at BRAVES

GAMEBALL

BENGIE

The days of "Big Money" may be behind us, but at least someone on this team is actually looking like a hitter. Since the break Bengie is 5 for 15 with 1K and 3 walks…doubling his season walk total to 6 and at least according to the stat sheets those were *cough*unintentional *cough cough* walks…. but seriously Bengie is still hacking but is making solid contact for a team that can barely hit it out of the infield……and thanks to Bengie we weren't talking about a no-hitter going into the 7th……on a lean day that is worth a gameball…..

TIP OF THE CAP :

BRAVES
Not exactly a powerhouse, but I have always admired the way this team is run…..and two things the current Giants regime can learn from…….first the Braves aren't afraid to make a move, usually shipping off marginal prospects for Major Leaguers (McLouth for 2 P + Gorkys), and shipping off Major Leaguers while they still have value for Major League ready prospects (Renteria for Jurrjens + Gorkys)…even if you make the occasional overpay (Teixeria from Texas). there is truly no rebuilding for the Braves, just retooling….second, when the Braves give a prospect a shot, they usually get close to 200 AB of steady playing time before the plug is pulled…..this year it was Jordan Schaffer… who ended up flopping, they did the same thing with Kelly Johnson a few years ago…sometimes it works, sometimes it don't but find out what you got, and if it don't work move on without second thoughts…….

URIBE
What the hell, 2nd time in 2 nights……1 xtra base hit and 3 K's…….sustainable……and as far as Kuiper was concerned that was a home run…..good enough for Kuip, gooe enough for me…..

HOWRY???
Down by 4 runs late in the game, its BOBBY TIME!!!

JOKER

BATS

What ya expect???? So, sure I could break this down scientifically….. but that ain't gonna work for tonight….. I got to vent here….
ROWAND….looks like he is taking a crap, and recently that’s exactly what he has been doing at the plate…..pure crap…….loves to hack, loves to pull the ball, has been known to swing and miss at the same pitch 3 times in a row….
WINN…..a remarkable switch hitter with the same spastic hack from both sides of the plate…..still manages to put the ball in play enough times to get a decent batting average…….good when he is lucky…..sucks when he's not……
SANDOVAL…. dude…..this is one funky funk….just throw the ball in the dirt 3 times and he will swing……and he might hit one…..
RENTERIA……1 word…..SLOW……..
ISHIKAWA……hey, you think this is easy…..you try to hit the ball with your head moving around and your eyes half closed (oh come on…..some of my best friends are Asian….like ME)….
MOLINA……hates running the bases so much he swings for the fences every and bat and makes sure he never walks…..
NATE……nice powerful swing made for line drives….too bad it only works when he has been sitting for a couple days……
LEWIS……see NATE
URIBE……the best follow through on a pulled ball since Santiago's corkscrew…hard loud contact….assuming he makes contact…..
DOWNS……clearly outplayed Franny with his .186 average…..
BOWKER……still young enough and fresh enough that I am not jaded…..yet……
There you have it folks the Giants Offensive attack…..
If you think about it, they are really only 1 bat away from a pretty good offense…..too bad that bat is Bonds…… 6 years ago……

SMACK OF THE STICK :

DUSTY
Just be glad you aren't a starting pitcher on a Dusty Baker team…..just when you thought you were overworked…..you get pulled with the bases juiced in a tie game….and the reliever gives up the slam on the first pitch…….good work Dusty…..

MANNY
Speaking of the slam, looks like Manny is alive an well…..and soon on Ebay
Teaching the kiddies everywhere, if you juice not only do you get breasts you can have your very own doll…..let the hypocrisy begin!