GAMEBALL and JOKER--> PADRES at GIANTS 09/08

Since the home sweep of the Rockies, the Giants haven't exactly lit the world on fire… just holding their own on the road before coming home and splitting the first 2 with the Pads….. …..unfortunately, after the Rockies got swept in SF and sent to a season high 5 game losing streak, THEY went back home and put together a "Giantsesque" run of 7-1 with 2 still to play…..this has pushed the Giants back from a tie for the wild card to a 3 game deficit, MAGNIFYING the NEED for a DOMINANT home stand of our own…. well the Giants got off on the right foot with a win in the 1st game versus the Padres, but with the news of Tim being skipped and now the 1 run loss, and despite Bumgarner valiant stand in performance……. things don't look as cheery as they did just 24 hours ago… but its really far from over, as those Head to Head matchups still LOOM LARGE and anything is possible……but time is short and they need to get hot QUICK…..

GAMEBALL and JOKER--> PADRES at GIANTS 09/08

GAMEBALL

BUM

Ladies and Gentlemen, we present to you Madison Bumgarner…..and "He's no Tim Lincecum"…..I have been repeating this phrase to anyone that asks me about Madison….as Giants fans we have been a bit spoiled with the success of Tim, Matt and even to a lesser extent Jonathan Sanchez Sergio Romo and Brian Wilson…..The Giants have been fortunate to have such bounty of pitching come from the minors in the last few years….Add this track record if success with the sky high scouting reports, and you would expect that this kid would be the second coming of Lincecum…..but this kid is no Lincecum, in fact he is the Anti-Lincecum….. Throws Left, Bats Right, Stands tall, and doesn’t' throw as hard as you would expect from his frame….. short strider, cross over step….not a bit of drop and drive in him…..he is a pitch to contact guy, coming from a low 3/4ers angle….with a curve with a ton of lateral movement, compared to Timmy's 12-6 oclock bender….He did a solid job in his much anticipated Major League Debut…showing poise and the ability to throw strikes despite bouts of wildness…..time will tell what kind of pitcher he is, but so far so good…..if he can tighten up and get some horizontal movement on the Curve, there is not reason he can't have a long career......Personally, I think he could use at least another year on the farm getting his offspeed stuff worked out…..and I debate whether or not he should try to get rid of that crossover and get some more stride in his delivery…..I think he might gain some velocity and maybe have longer term arm health….but then again, he would loose some deception…..The Giants probably figured they would just leave well enough alone…….

TIP OF THE CAP :
VELEZ
1 hit ….2 walks……that’s 26 pitches in 5 PA……and I still say he was safe…..

SANDOVAL
Couple hits, and didn't miss any scooped throws….of course he didn't HAVE to scoop any throws…..

ROWAND
2 Hits 2 runs including a Homer to straight away center…..

JOKER

MOLINA

Was a bit torn on this one….the bonehead play of the game belonged to Rowand, but a homer a single and 2 runs scored saves him from the outright Joker……Molina had positives as well…..handling Bum, and an early RBI Single….but in late innings with the game on the line, Bengie was anything but clutch…..on a curveball that literally would have bounced in front of the plate he lunged out and Popped up with a man on 1st and 1 out in the 5th…And then on a belt high curve down the pipe, he popped up to end the 7th with 2 men on….but the clincher was the play at the plate in the 8th to give the Padres the lead…..Nate made a decent throw about 5 feet up the line and about 6 inches off the ground, but in PLENTY of time to get a lumbering Gonzales…..Bengie turned and tagged before the ball was in the mitt……sure it wasn’t a good throw, and it wasn't an easy play to make, but at that point in the game Bengie needed to clutch up and make a play……

SMACK OF THE STICK :
WINN
0 for 3 with 2 K's…..congrats on the Baby….Family is more important than baseball, you should really go spend some time with them… 4-5 weeks should do it…..

URIBE
Tough Play(s)…the one hopper to lead off the 8th was a SEED, but a makeable play …the second shit past you to your left, I am not so sure about…..but I bet Pablo makes the first play at leat

PUCETAS
Bumgarner eh??? …..well I guess someone has to pitch for the Grizzlies in the playoffs….no? Seasons over? Your on Full Rest???....well maybe it has something to do with giving up at least 5 runs in 5 of your last 7 starts…..including 16 runs in your last 2 2/3…..not exactly the way to get a September callup….

ROWAND
Hacking at the 3rd strike pass ball…..PAY ATTENTION, YOU RUN……Don't wait for the appeal you dummy!!!....you WANT them to call it a swing……you run to first and if the umpire calls it "no swing"….you get to argue with the umpire "I DID TOO STRIKE OUT!!!"

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(The fine print: There will be cussing and bad taste. This is written with the heat of the moment feel you may have during the game, with rational though sprinkled in now and then. This is entertainment folks, sure there is a lot of truth and I am a genius, but this is all about having a laugh and enjoying the ride…….now lets go heckle Jeff Kent in when he gets inducted to Cooperstown..)