Giants re-sign Scutaro!!
 
Merry Christmas!!
I apologize that I am little late in reporting the latest signings and re-signings. I was a little tied up with school. But now I'm off for a few weeks, so I have some time on my hands.

Within the last few weeks the Giants re-signed Marco Scutaro to a 3 year, $20 million deal.
Considering Scutaro's amazing year last year, I think that the re-signing is a great thing!!
The Giants needed a second baseman, and Scutaro is able to provide an impressive amount of defense, and he also adds a spark to the Giants lineup. Not to mention the fact that he is a long time Veteran, and he was on the team last year during the World Series. He also won MVP during the NLCS.

Scutaro, 37, will be with the Giants for the next three years. By the time his contract ends he will be 40 years old, but I don't think his age will hinder his ability to play. His ability to do what he did during the Post- Season last year proves that!

Scutaro was one of the most valuable trades that was made last summer. He was the only player who provided a dramatic effect on his new team. He helped to carry the Giants all the way to the World Series. Then he helped them win a World Series trophy.
 I am very excited to know that he will be coming back in 2013!!

Giants resign Pagan!

Well, its official. The Giants have resigned Angel Pagan to a four year, $40 million contract.

Pagan is probably not most well known for his bat, although he was always able to provide clutch at bats for the Giants, especially when he is their lead-off hitter.

I was mostly impressed with his defense though...

He is an incredible defensive player. He made some pretty amazing plays in center field last season, and he is a great weapon for the Giants to have!

I think that it was a wise decision to bring back Pagan, especially considering the impact he made for the Giants last season. He provides a certain depth to the outfield. Plus he is a great player to have in the clubhouse because he is always optimistic, and he believes in his team, and supports them to the end.

Pagan was one of the quiet weapons that the Giants had in the 2012 World Series. He wasn't one of the players that was able to come up with a hit at every at bat, but he was there doing what needed to be  done without a whole lot of fanfare.

I think the reason the Giants were able to win the World Series because they worked as a team. There isn't one player on the Giants who is their only big bat. There is a new player and a new story every single day. And Angel Pagan was definitely one of those players last season!

And this years Most Valuable Player of the National League is: Buster Posey!!!

I must admit that I did not expect Posey to have the incredible come back year that he had this year! I mean, I knew that he was a very talented ball player, but I figured that it would take him a while (maybe even an entire season) to get back to the way he was in the 2010 season. And I feared that he might never be the player that he was before he suffered that tragic accident in May 2011.

Boy was I wrong......

Posey settled back in perfectly.

I think it is worth noting that Posey did not only win MVP because of his hitting, although that was an important factor. He also won because of his work behind the plate. He coached Matt Cain through his Perfect Game. And his ability to throw out runners trying to steal is the work of a player who works hard and is great at what he does.
(Posey once threw out three runners trying to steal in one game!! Against the Dodgers I might add)

Its also important to remember that more than half way through the season, the Giants lost their best hitter (at the time): Melky Cabrera. It was after Cabrera's suspension that Buster Posey really started heat up. The Giants proved that they didn't need Cabrera to bring back a World Series Trophy!

 Buster Posey-MVP: .336 batting average, 24 home runs, 103 RBI's

I thought this video was pretty clever.....     :)

THE GIANTS HAVE WON THE WORLD SERIES!!!!!!!!!!!!

After waiting for 50 years, the Giants have brought back 2 World Series Trophies within the last 3 years!

This Post Season proved to be a little bit more exciting than 2010.....
In 2010 the Giants crushed any team that they faced. This time it was a different story.....

In the NLDS (which is best 3 out of 5) the Giants lost the first two games at home. They would play the next three games back in Cincinnati. I have to admit, at that point in the Series, I thought that the season was over....Nobody was hitting! And the Reds had faced the Giants best pitchers and were able to score runs. They had everything working for them. That is, until they returned back to Cincinnati. The Giants won the next 3 games and proceeded to the NLCS.

In the NLCS it was the same story. Their offense was having a tough time, although the pitching was a little better.... By the fifth game the Giants were losing the series 3 games to 1.
But then (as if from nowhere) the Giants returned to a glorious form! They won the next 3 games and proceeded to the World Series!

Total, the Giants were 6-0 in elimination games.

In the World Series it was lights outs! The Giants completed a four game sweep.
Their pitching was phenomenal, and their offense provided enough runs to win games.

Now their hard work has paid off. The San Francisco Giants are World Champions!!!

I found this video on MLB.com.
I thought it was kind of cute. Pretty clever too! :)

They've done it again!!!

The San Francisco Giants have proven again that they are bound and determined to win another World Series Trophy!

On Friday night (when they were losing the series 3-1) they hoped that they would be able to win Game 5 in order to force a Game 6, and then come back home to San Francisco.
Well, they did win that game: 5-1. Barry Zito pitched a phenomenal game. He pitched 7 2/3 innings, without giving up a run.

After that point, everything was history.
It was almost as if, all the Giants suddenly remembered how to hit!
In the last three games the Giants offense was able to come up with 20 runs!
And it wasn't only one specific hitter that did it all. The whole team contributed  to provide runs, as well as amazing defense.
Now because of their hard work and team effort, the Giants are going back to the World Series!!

Wait.....they did what?!?!?

Yes indeed, the San Francisco Giants are going to the NLCS!!!!! (that wasn't determined until after a truly tortuous series against the Cincinnati Reds though)

Last Saturday, the Giants began their Series against the Reds at home. After losing the first two games, they were going back to Cincinnati to finish the series.

I have to admit that, at that point I thought it was over.....
The Giants weren't providing enough offense, and even their pitching wasn't able to stop the Reds!

But when the Giants got to Cincinnati, they turned everything around....
On Tuesday they won 2-1, thus avoiding the sweep.
On Wednesday they won 8-3, thus forcing the series to game 5.
Then on Thursday they won 6-4 (thanks to a Buster Posey Grand Slam), thus guaranteeing their spot in the NLCS.

That is the first time that any team has been able to come back and win the NLDS after being down by two games!! It was incredible!!!
Giant Torture!!!!!
As of now we don't know who the Giants will be facing for the NLCS, which will begin on Sunday. It could be either the Cardinals or the Nationals. (whoever wins their Game 5)
We shall see!

The San Fransisco Giants are Champions of the National League West!!!

For the second time in two years, the Giants are going to the playoffs!

Its  definitely a satisfying thought, considering that:
-Wilson was out of the season early because he had to have a Tommy John Surgery.
-In May the Giants were 7.5 games behind the red hot Dodgers.
-Then Melky Cabrera was suspended in August for testosterone use. (August actually ended up being the Giants most successful month.)

Even though there were many nail biting parts of the season, there were also so many memorable games.
Matt Cain's Perfect Game, the Giants involvement in the All-Star Games, the few times the Giants swept the Dodgers....
The 2012 season will definitely stay in my memory forever!!!

I truly believe that the return of Buster Posey is one of the main reasons that the Giants are able to taste the Postseason.
The added offense provided by Marco Scutaro and Hunter Pence have also been a game changer!
Since their arrival at the beginning of August, the two players combined have had 80 RBI's!!

And now, starting on October 6, the Giants will begin the NLDS against the Cincinnati Reds.
We can only hope for a repeat of the 2010 Postseason!!
Go Giants!!! :)

Marco Scutaro?

I don't think anyone could have imagined the impact that Marco Scutaro would have on the Giants offense...at least I didn't anyways. I was told that he was able to hit in clutch situations, but who could have expected him to hit .363 (33-for-91) with 12 RBIs and six doubles over his past 22 games,
as opposed 30 RBI's in 95 games with the Rockies?

I find it a little ironic because sites like Fox Sports and MLB kept reporting about the Hanley Ramirez trade and the Blockbuster trade, saying it would help the Dodgers to make their way back to first place. Yet here they are, with 18 games left in the regular season, and they are in second place. 7.5 games behind the Giants.
They didn't say much about the Marco Scutaro trade, but he's the one who is actually making a difference!

Hanely Ramirez has been a great pick up for the Dodgers. His defense is amazing, and he provides a considerable amount of offense. He is a dangerous hitter!
But Adrian Gonzalez has not yet settled in with his new team. He hasn't found the usual excel lance at the plate that he had in Boston.
And Josh Beckett is 1-3 since coming the the Dodgers.

Although the Giants didn't go for "big" well known players, they have been able to shape the players that they got, into players that are able win games by producing runs in small situations.
They usually don't score runs by hitting home runs.....

 So was Marco Scutaro a good pick up?

Yeah, I think so! He has truly exceeded my expectations!!
 

National League West Postseason Showdown, tonight at AT&T Park!

Tonight the Giants and the Dodgers will compete in one of the most important series of the season.

The Giants are now in first place, 4.5 games ahead of the Dodgers.

Tonight, newly acquired Josh Beckett (6-12, 5.03 ERA) will pitch against Tim Lincecum (8-14, 5.21 ERA). This series could determine [which team] will be left standing in the end.

Anything could happen....and usually does!

Go Giants!!!!

Giants fans vs. Dodger fans.

During the series against the Dodgers last week, I noticed how different Dodger Stadium is this year At around this time last year, the Dodgers organization was nearly bankrupt, they were nearly in last place, and they were having a hard time getting fans there.

This year, however, is a completely different story.
 "Magic" Johnson bought the Dodgers, therefore giving the organization more money to spend on "big" players. And that is exactly what they have done. They got Hanley Ramirez, Josh Beckett, Adrian Gonzalez, Nick Punto, and Carl Crawford.
Now the Dodgers are in 2nd place. Two games behind the Giants.
Now fans flock to see their games, because they have a shot at the Playoffs.

But Giants fans have stuck to their team.
Even in the years when the Giants did poorly, thousands of fans flocked to the games every day. After the World Series, thousands of fans still showed up. And even last year, when the Giants lost Buster Posey and had a pretty bad season, it still didn't matter.
Through rain and shine: Giants fans stay with their team.
 It doesn't matter what place they are in.

Maybe it's just me, but I think that the Giants have the best fans in all of Major League Baseball! :)

Cabrera suspended....

Yes, its true: on Wednesday the news that Melky Cabrera has been suspended for 50 games for testing positive for testosterone leaked out.

I liked Melky Cabrera, but I hate what he did. He came to the Giants, started off well, then got caught, and we found out that all his glory.....wasn't really him.

I think that he wanted to prove that he could play the game; that he could be successful. His time with the Braves and the Yankees didn't go so well, and I'm sure both teams (and their fans) were glad to see him go...

But his season with the Giants picked up quickly. By May he was the hottest hitter in all of Major League Baseball. He even won the MVP award in the All-Star Game....

Melky Cabrera added a spark to the lineup. He was batting third, with Posey hitting cleanup, and it made the Giants lineup pretty dangerous!

I'm sure a lot of Giants fans became discouraged when they heard of Cabrera's suspension. The Dodgers had squeaked back into first (by half of a game), and Wednesday's loss to the Nationals was depressing.

Interestingly enough though, the Giants have been doing pretty well without Cabrera. They have scored 17 runs in their first two games against the Padres, and they have never done well in Petco Park. Even hitters like Arias and Blanco have been able to get on base!!!

Yes, for now I am content with the Giants lineup. I think they just need to work on their starting pitching and their bullpen, and then I think they have a chance for the playoffs!!
Don't Stop Believing!!!

Pence: first home run as a Giant.

I have to admit that I wasn't too thrilled when I heard that the Giant's had acquired Hunter Pence.

I remembered him from his time with the Phillies, particularly the series that the Giants played against the Phillies back in June, and I wasn't too impressed with his stats, even though he did have 17 home runs.

Before yesterday, Pence was hitting .149 (7-47) with no home runs and eight RBI's.

Yesterday, however, with the game tied 6-6, Pence came with up with two on and two out: and he blasted the ball out to center field extending the Giants lead to 9-6.

Romo closed the top of the 9th, and the Giants went on to win the game.

The Giants are still in 1st place; 1 game ahead of the L.A. Dodgers.

**Fun fact: Pence's home run, was the first home run hit by any Giant (other than Posey) in AT&T Park since late June.**

Giants get Pence.

    As the Trade Deadline drew to a close, the Giants made their final trade. They acquired Phillies right fielder Hunter Pence. In return, the Phillies received  right fielder Nate Schierholtz, catching prospect Tommy Joseph, and minor league right- hander Seth Rosin.

During his time with the Phillies, Pence was hitting only .271; however he has hit 17 home runs and has 59 RBI's. As a Giant, Pence has only had 6 at bats (and still has no hits) but he's still settling in. He just needs time to adjust to his new team.

It will be hard (for me at least) to get used to Schierholtz being gone.
Sure, he didn't do so well this year, but he really didn't get enough playing time. Most of the time he was brought late into the game, and he didn't start all that often.
Yet he was the one who doubled home the tying run on Monday night. (even though Casilla came in and they ended up losing that game!)
But Shcierholtz had such a quiet personality, and he was a likable person...plus he was a clutch hitter!
Besides, it must be weird for Schierholtz to go play for the very team he faced, and defeated, in the 2010 NLCS.

Still, I wish both Hunter Pence and Nate Schierholtz the best of luck, and I hope that they succeed with their new teams!

Giants acquire Scutaro.

On Friday the Colorado Rockies traded Marco Scutaro to the Giants. In return, the Rockies received [Giants prospect]  infielder Charlie Culberson.

Scutaro can play any infield position.
Right now, Bochy is having him play third base, since Sandoval is on the disabled list (with a strained hamstring), but it is very likely that he could move him back and forth from first to third.

Hopefully Scutaro will be be a good game changer. At  the moment many Giants fans may be a little upset, since the Dodgers just swept the Giants, and are now tied for first place.

But the Giants have had a pretty good second half....
I'm not worried just yet.
There is still plenty of baseball left to be played.

In 2010, the Giants were looking up to the Padres most of August and September.
And then of course, it came down to the very last game, when they clinched the West.

What to do with Lincecum.

It's no secret that Lincecum hasn't been in his usual Cy Young form this season....
True his last start was considerably better. He pitched seven innings, giving up only two earned  runs while striking out 6 batters and walking two.

Still, there has been a lot of question as to what the Giants should do with him.
Should they trade him? Or should they hang on, and try to see if he can work it out considering that he has started off the second half fairly well.

While I was speaking to my Dad about this, he suggested trading Lincecum for Alex Rodriguez or Derek Jeter "straight up."
I'm not entirely sure if he was serious, or if he was just trying to mess with me because he knows how much I dislike the New York Yankees.

First of all, besides the fact that both A-Rod (37) and Jeter (38) are both getting old and will most likely retire soon, there is no way the Yankees would ever get rid of their star players. Both players have been on the Yankees for most of their career, why should they switch teams now?

But I believe that the Giants have not and will not trade Lincecum because they still have faith in him.

Besides, Lincecum is too valuable. He is still young, and he throws fairly hard. It would be much too hasty to get rid of him now, since this is the first bad year he has had in his entire Major League Career.

It's also a good learning experience....for Lincecum, but also for Giants fans.
I think we often expect our players to do well. We want them to succeed, and rightfully so.
But when they don't it reminds us that baseball is a game, a sport that many people love to watch, and that it is possible for the players to have a bad start.

Still, I have faith that he can turn his season around, and make the rest of his season one that Giants fans will not forget!
(Hey, maybe he'll even throw a perfect game?!?)

A GIANT All-Star Game.

All the Giant's who were sent to the 2012 All-Star Game started the game.

Pablo Sandoval, Melky Cabrera, Buster Posey, and Matt Cain all contributed in their own way to the National League's 8-0 win.

Pablo Sandoval hit a bases clearing triple in the first inning to make it 5-0.

Buster Posey walked and scored a run, he grounded out, and popped out.

Melky Cabrera went 2-3 with a single, and a home-run. He also won the MVP award.

And Matt Cain pitched two scoreless innings and only gave up one hit.

The last time the All-Star Game was in Kansas City was in 1973, when [Giant] Bobby Bonds won the MVP award.

Now halfway through the season, the Giants are 0.5 games behind the first place L.A Dodgers.

Even though their last road trip went poorly, I think that they finished the first half in a good place.
They are not too many games behind first place, and their next series is at home.

They will play the Astros. Last time they played the Astros Matt Cain threw a perfect game, one of the highlights of the season.

Giants sweep the Dodgers.

The Giants just played a three game Series against the team that is, not only in first place in the National League West, but also the Giants rivals: the Dodgers.

Yet somehow, some way, the Giants were able to sweep them....
And they never gave up a run.

On Monday night, Barry Zito (6-5) pitched against Nathan Eovaldi (0-4)
The Giants won that game 8-0.

On Tuesday, it was Ryan Vogelsong (7-3) against Clayton Kershaw (5-4).
The Giants won that game 2-0.

And on Wednesday, it was Tim Lincecum (3-8) against Chad Billingsly (4-7).
The Giants won that game 3-0.

Lincecum, so far was having a poor season, but his past 2 starts have been excellent!
Today he gave up 4 hits, 2 walks, while striking out 8!

So, not only did the Giants sweep the Dodgers....now the Giants are tied for first place, they didn't give up any runs in all three games, and Lincecum is getting better!

Pretty awesome!!! :)             

 

Giants nearly gain a sweep.

Now 73 games into the season, the San Francisco Giants are in second place. Three games behind the first place Dodgers.

This weekend, the Giants played the Oakland A's, and they took 2 out of 3....but they almost swept them.

On Friday night the Giants were trailing 3-1 until the top of the 9th inning. Buster Posey and Pablo Sandoval both walked to start off the inning, then Brandon Belt came up and doubled.
In the end the Giants scored 4 runs and went on to win it 5-4. (Josh Reddick of the Oakland A's came up in the bottom of 9th inning and hit a solo homerun)

On Saterday, the Giants were trailing until the late innings, yet they still managed to scrape together a win, the final being 9-8.

Sunday, however, was a different story.
In the first inning, Buster Posey hit a 2 run homerun.
In the bottom of the first inning, Josh Riddick sinlgled home a run.
And that was all both teams would get....until the ninth inning. In the bottom of the ninth inning, with runners on 1st and 2nd, and two outs Santiago Casilla gave up a walk-off 3 run homerun to end the game.

The Giants won the series, but lost the sweep.

Tonight, the Giants play the Dodgers.
It just might be one of the most important series' of the season.

Go Giants!!!! :)

Video: Cain's Perfect Game!

All 27 outs for Cain's perfect game.
One word: Unbelievable!!

Cain reaches perfection!!

Last night Matt Cain pitched the game of his life: a perfect  game. He pitched the type of game that every pitcher hopes for. Not to mention the fact that this was only the 22nd perfect game ever pitched in Major League Baseball history, and the first ever thrown by a Giants pitcher!!

The whole game kept all Giants fans nervous, and on the edge of their seats. It was torture, as are most Giants games!
There were two particular plays that could have broken Cain's perfection.

One was in the sixth inning. Chris Snyder hit a ball to deep left-center field and Melky Cabrera reached up....and the ball sailed right into his glove. It really looked like a home run, but somehow Cabrera was able to catch the ball!

The other was in the seventh inning.
Jorden Schafer was at the plate and he hit the ball to right-center field.
For a moment it almost seemed as is Schafer had and extra base hit, but Gregor Blanco came out of no where and made an almost unthinkable diving catch and as as he crashed to the ground he was still able to hang on to the ball!!

It was all smooth sailing after that.
Cain struck out 14 batters total.
A truly amazing feat! He will most definitely go down in history!!

Wednesday, June 13 2012.
Matt Cain: Perfect Game!!!!
27 up.....and 27 down. No runs, no hits, no walks, and no errors.

Bumgarner as Hawkeye.

I had a lot of trouble choosing Hawkeye too.
I wasn't sure if I should choose Matt Cain or Madison Bumgarner maybe even Santiago Casilla.

 But after last night's game, I decided Bumgarner was perfect.

Last night, Bumgarner pitched 7 2/3 innings of solid baseball.
He gave up 2 runs (one earned) while striking out 12 batters!!
And......
He hit his first career home run!! His record is now 8-4!
He is one of those players who dominates on the field, but usually remains in the sidelines and doesn't get noticed very much.
But when he sends zooming arrows to Buster Posey's glove, and he hits his first career home run.....

Its the same with Hawkeye.
Although Hawkeye is one of those minor hero's, he is still a hero.
Hawkeye also remains on the sidelines, but he is still able to fight bravely and help his team to win.....with the special help of his "Legolas" arrows.

Sandoval as the Hulk.

It was a little hard for me to decide who the Hulk should be.
I wasn't sure if I should pick Brain Wilson, just because of that blowup he had against the Detroit Tigers last year after he blew a save.
But Wilson is better as Ironman.

After much thought, I decided that Sandoval was perfect.

Basically when the Hulk gets angry, he likes to smash things.
In the Avengers he picks Loki up and throws him around, (even though Loki also has "god like" strength)

Pablo Sandoval also likes to "smash" the ball down the line.
Sandoval can also be very aggressive at the plate, which helps the Giants considerably.

Sandoval just came back to from the disabled list today (after breaking his hand)
and he had a couple of hits.

Maybe Sandoval will make the All-Star game again this year!
We shall see!

Here is Wilson's Blowup.
***The one reason why he could have been the Hulk.***

Cabrera as Thor.

Melky Cabrera and Thor don't necessarily resemble each other. They do however wield the same weapon.

Cabrera wields his iron bat.
Thor wields his iron hammer.

Thor (along with Captain America) does a good job keeping all the Avengers to stay focused on what matters.
Along with his iron hammer and his "god like" strength he helps his "team" save the world from danger.

It is the same with Melky Cabrera.
When he is in the line-up, he is somehow able to silently encourage his teammates to hit.

In last nights game, Cabrera did not play due to a hamstring injury, and the Giants lost 5-0. (which was their first shut-out of the season)

Cabrera's batting average for the year is .364.
Hopefully he will return soon so that  can make it to the All-Star game.

Wilson as Ironman.

I think that Wilson is most like Ironman because of his sense of humor.
Both are funny and easy-going (and they fire missile's from their hands.)

Ironman wasn't my personal favorite. I thought both Ironman and Ironman 2 were kind of boring. So I figured I wouldn't like him in this movie either.
But I think I had a lot more respect for him in the Avengers.
He had a lot of good lines that left me gasping for breath.

Wilson also has a really good sense of humor.
He always likes to be a little interesting too.
Take his beard for example....

All Ironman needs to do is grow a beard and he will look exactly like Wilson!

Even though Wilson will be side-lined for the season, maybe this surgery will make him better than ever!
                                                
This is one of my favorite clips of Brain Wilson!

Posey as Captain America.

The reason I think that Buster Posey is most like Captain America is because they are both so quiet and reserved, and they do their job well.

Captain America does his best to protect the world from evil, his super-human powers come in handy when fighting aliens from a different galaxies.

Buster Posey shows his courage in protecting his team. He proved his courage behind the plate on May 25 of last year, when he was clobbered by Scott Cousins of the Miami Marlins, while trying to prevent him from scoring.

And even though his season ended at that moment, he has come back better than ever, and he still dominates with the bat and behind the plate.

His batting average is .294, but his slugging percentage is .464.
Posey is also a very experienced catcher, despite his young age.

Perhaps he will lead the Giants to another World Series?
We'll just have to see.

The Giant Avengers!

I recently went to go see the Avengers.
It was pretty awesome!!

So (with the help of my family) we came up with our own Giant Avengers.
Tim Lincecum as Loki.....

The only reason I think Lincecum is like Loki is because they kind of  look alike.
It's not because Lincecum's pitching has been a little "loki" lately.
He just needs time to work everything out. His start last night was little bit better.
Lincecum gave up for runs in the second inning, but gained control of the game, giving up five hits, in six innings, while striking out 8.
So there's still plenty of time for Lincecum to bring his usual excellence back to the mound.

T.V vs. Radio.

 At my house we have local Cable, so we only get the games that are on N.B.C and the occasional Fox Sports games, so I keep up with all the games the old fashioned way.....the radio.

At first it was really hard to get used to. I couldn't get used to the technical terms such as "There's a ground ball....through the gap!" or "There's a fly ball heading towards left field...and it's off the top of the wall!"

But now I am able to picture every play in my head, and then I can watch the highlights on Sfgiants.com.

Jon Miller and Dave Flemming also do such a wonderful job relaying the games to the public!
They are both so animated, and easy-going. They make broadcasting sound easy!

In fact, they were recently voted the best sports broadcasters in all of Major League Baseball.
They blew the Cardinals broadcasters away by nearly 300 votes!!

It is also a little frustrating watching the games on Fox Sports because most of the announcers favor eastern teams.

Yesterday the Giants played the Chicago Cubs, and Eric Karros (who was on the Dodgers for a number of years) was broadcasting with Dick Stocktan.
They were talking about whether or not Melky Cabrrera should be the starting center fielder for the All Star game. Eric Karros mentioned that he thought Tony Gwynn (of the Dodgers) is pretty good competition.

Tony Gwynn's batting averarge for this season is .269.
Melky Cabrera's batting average is .371 and his defense in center field has saved the Giants countless times.

Yeah....Melky Cabrera all the way!!

Gregor Blanco.

Gregor Blanco (left fielder) recently started out as the Giants lead off hitter and has settled in well.

In Sunday's game against the Arizona Diamond-backs, Blanco went 2-for-4. He drove in a run and scored by stealing home.

Blanco's batting average is .290, but his on base percentage is .403, his slugging percentage is .411, and his on-base plus slugging percentage is .814.

Blanco has been in and out of the big leagues since 2002.
Now he is beginning to show some signs of having a tremendous season!

Pagan and Cabrera.

Acquiring Angel Pagan and Melky Cabrera were probably one of best moves the Giants made this season

In today's game against the Marlins, Cabrera went 4-4 with a solo home run, three runs scored, and two stolen bases.

His batting average for the year is .356 and he has 24 RBI's.

Angel Pagan went 1-3 in today's game against the Marlins, with triple and a sacrifice fly.

His batting average for the year is .306 with 18 RBI's.

Not only are both players offensively capable, they are also defensively dangerous.

There have been countless plays that they have made during the season that have prevented players from reaching base or runs from scoring.

Yes indeed, a perfect addition to the Giants team.

Giant's beat Kershaw!

Last night, the Giant's played game two of a three game set against the L.A Dodgers.

Ryan Vogelsong (who was 0-2) pitched for the Giant's, against Clayton Kershaw (who was 2-0)

Although both pitchers had very impressive starts, it was the Giant's who were able come out with a win. (even though they faced Clayton Kershaw, one of the deadliest pitchers in the game)

The Giant's scored first in the second inning.
Buster Posey singled to start off the inning; that brought up Brett Pill with one on and nobody out.
And he scorched the ball down to left field.

That would have to be enough for the Giants. The Dodgers scored later in the second inning, but that would be all for them too.

There were still plenty of excruciating moments in this game though.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, the Dodgers loaded the bases with only one out. That brought Andre Ethier, who is a very dangerous hitter....and he grounded into an inning ending double play.

Tonight the Giants will face Chad Billingsly (3-3, 3.19 ERA)
Tim Lincecum (2-2, 5.68 ERA) will hopefully be able to help the Giants out by preventing runs, and hopefully the Giants will be able to get their offense going!!

Marlins sweep the Giants.

After a depressing series against the Miami Marlins, the Giants continue to struggle on through the season.

The Marlins swept the Giants.
They played three close games. In each and every game the Giants lost by one run.
In game two, the Giants tied the game in the bottom of the ninth, only to come out short when all was said and done. (The Marlins scored a run in the top of the tenth and the Giants were not able to regain it in the bottom of the inning)

While there are a handful of players whose batting average at least produces hits, (such as Pablo Sandovol, Melky Cabrrera, Joaquin Arias, Brandon Belt, Brandon Crawford) the Giants have a hard time hitting as a team. As a team the Giants batting average is under .200.
Individualy, they have a lot of good hitters; but when it's time to drive in the runners who are on base, they usually fall short.

Now again, it's still pretty early in the season.There's plenty of time for the Giants to get back in the swing of things. (no pun intended)

This weekend the Giants will face the Milwaukee Brewers. On Friday, Tim Lincecum (2-2, 5.74) will pitch, against Zack Greinke (3-1, 3.94)
On Saturday,  it will be Madison Bumgarner (4-1, 2.53) against Randy Wolf (2-2, 6.84)
And on Sunday, it will be Matt Cain (1-2, 2.35) against Shaun Marcum (1-1, 3.14)

Off to a good start.....

The Giants are now 22 games into the season; their record is 12-10. They are in second place in the National League West. 3.5 games behind the first place L.A Dodgers.

In my opinion, the Giants are off to a pretty good start. In this case, baseball is almost like running a marathon. You would not want to start out really fast because you would get tired quicker; it is the same with baseball. The Giants have started out slowly, but they will soon pick up speed (besides they are not even half way into the season.)

Besides all this, Buster Posey has resumed his usual excellence offensively and defensively. Posey has played in 19 games. He has 4 home runs, 9 RBI's, and his batting average is .353. It almost seems as if Posey was not injured at all. Who would have expected him to resume where he left off this early in the Season?

Posey has also been playing at first base quite a bit, therefore allowing rookie Hector Sanchez to familiarize himself behind the plate.

It will be a year since that horrific day on May 25, but with the way Posey has beem playing, it would seem it never happened.

Aubrey Huff.

Last week the Giants placed Aubrey Huff on the disabled list, for anxiety disorder.

Almost immediately the media came out with hundreds of questions as to why Huff would have anxiety disorder in the first place.

But I'm not entirely sure that we need to pry into Huff's personal life. If he hasn't come out with any information himself, maybe we (as fans) don't necessarily need to know the reason. The only thing we can do is keep Huff in out thoughts and prayers.

A night to remember!!!

Phillies vs. Giants.....

Last night was one of those nights where I take pride in being a Giants fan!! I'm sure all Giants fan's around the Bay Area would agree!!

It was Giants pitcher Matt Cain against Phillies pitcher Cliff Lee.
I knew that Cliff Lee was an outstanding pitcher, but even so I had confidence that the Giants would be able to beat him because they had faced him twice during the World Series (he was on the Texas Rangers at the time) and they were able to beat him twice.....

And I also had a lot of confidence in Matt Cain; in his last start against the Pittsburgh Pirates, he went 9 scoreless innings and gave up one hit!

I had no idea, however, that the game would be scoreless all the way down to the 11th inning!!! Cain lasted until the 9th inning with only 91 pitches, giving up only 2 hits.

Cliff Lee also did an exceptional pitching job. He lasted until the 10th inning with only 102 pitches, giving up only 4 hits.

In the bottom of the 11th inning with one out Brandon Belt hit a one out single. Angel Pagan grounded out to third baseman Ty Wigginton, who lost his grip on the ball, and Pagan reached on an error.
And then Melky Cabrera came up to the plate....and hit a walk-off single to right-center!!

And with all that, the game was only 2 hours and 27 minutes!

Good and bad...

Two steps forward, one step back.....

The San Francisco Giants have played 7 games so far this season and there record is 3-4.
 Over the past few years, the Giants have struggled with their hitting, and relied solely on their amazing pitching. This year is the exact opposite......

Now the Giants have been struggling with their pitching, while their hitting has greatly improved!

Tim Lincecm, one of the Giants reliable pitchers, has started 2 games so far and his record is 0-2. He has struck out 10 batters, but he only has 7.2 innings pitched, and his overall ERA is 12.91.
     Madison Bumgarner, another reliable Giants pitcher, has also started 2 games so far this season, and his record is 1-1. He has 5 strike outs, and he has 11.1 innings pitched; his over-all ERA is 3.97.
     Matt Cain, (who just signed a 5 year extension contract with the Giants), has also started 2 games, his record is 1-0, and his ERA is 3.00.
     Barry Zito had a remarkable start on Monday, April 9. He pitched a complete game, gave up 4 hits and his ERA is 0.00.
     Ryan Vogelsong has not yet started a game. He entered the season with a strained back.

Left Fielder, Melky Cabrera has been an excellent addition to the Giants lineup!
Cabrera's has played 7 games. He has 29 at bats, and 12 hits. He has drawn 3 walks, and struck out 3 times. His batting average is .414.

So now that the Giants have improved their hitting, they just need to re-work their pitching....

Zito turns heads.

                                                    Barry Zito's excellent start!!

                                          

Barry Zito had an awesome start on Monday, April 9 against the Colorado Rockies.

The Giants left Arizona with high hopes, after being swept by the Diamondback's.
Zito was their was their only chance, to avoid losing four games in a row....and he fully exceeded their expectations! Zito pitched a complete game. He gave up 4 hits, no earned runs, no walks, while striking out 4, and his overall ERA is 0.00!!

Ryan Vogelsong!!

Ryan Vogelsong was placed on a 15 day disabled list early in the Spring. He was only able to start one game, and he pitched 2.2 innings. He gave up 2 hits, one earned run, no walks, while string out 2. His over-all ERA was 3.38.

Barry Zito!!

Barry Zito was on the disabled list off and on for various injuries last season.

Zito has started 6 games this Spring; he has 19.1 innings pitched, and his record is 3-1.
He has given up 32 hits, 17 earned runs, 5 home runs, 12 walks, while striking out 13.

Tim Lincecum!!

                                                                           The Freak!!



Tim Lincecum has had a pretty good Spring Too! He has pitched 5 games, his record is 2-0, and his ERA is 4.26 ERA. He has pitched 19 innings, given up 23 hits, 9 earned runs, and one home run. He has issued 5 walks, while striking out 12.

He will make his final start of the Spring today, against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Madison Bumgarner!!

Madison Bumgarner has also had a pretty solid Spring Training! He has started 5 games, his record is 0-2 and he has a 2.21 ERA. He has 20.1 innings pitched, 22 hits, 5 earned runs, he has given up no home runs, he has walked 3 batters, while striking out 20.

Matt Cain!!

                                                         



Matt Cain Has had an exceptional Spring Training!!! He has started 5 games and he has a 3-0 record with a 1.74 ERA. He has pitched 20.2 innings, given up 17 hits, 4 earned runs, 2 home runs, 3 walks, and he has 20 strike outs.

Opening Day Countdown!!!

                                                     As Opening Day daws near......

The Giants Opening Day is now only six days away!!!!! The season will begin on Friday, April 6. There are a few players who will most likely be entering the season on the disabled list: Pitchers Eric Surkamp, Dan Runzler, Ryan Vogelsong, and second baseman Freddy Sanchez.

Freddy Sanchez is still trying to recover from a dislocated shoulder, but  hopefully he will be able to be the officail second baseman, because his defense is pretty solid.

Buster Posey will most likely be the main catcher for the Giants. And possibly rookies Hector Sanchez or Tommy Joesph will be there when Posey has a day off.

The Giants are thinking of letting go of their baseman Mike Fontenot, which would make Ryan Theriot the official third baseman. They are still in deliberation over this, however, so we are not sure.

JUST SIX MORE DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Brandon Crawford

                          

Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford had a big game on Wednesday, March 28. Crawford went 2-for-3 with a home run and two runs scored. Crawford's defense has been pretty solid, and he has a pretty good chance of starting out as the Giants overall shortstop for the season. Overall, this Spring Training Crawford has played in 18 games, he has had 45 at bats, 9 runs, 15 hits, 1 double, 1 triple, 2 home runs, and 10 RBI's. He has walked 7 times, and he has struck out 8 times, and his overall batting average is .333.                  

Top Minor League Prospects!!

                                                       Giants 2012 Minor League Prospects!!

                 
This Season, the Giants have about 20 Minor Leaguers trying to make the team, but here are some of the ones you here about the most:

1. Gary Brown: Brown is a 23 year old center fielder. So far Brown has played in 7 Spring Training games. He has had 11 at bat's, no RBI's, 3 strike out's, and his over-all batting average is .182. Brown will most likely move to Double-A to start off the year, but will hope to make it to the team in 2012.

2. Heath Hembree: Hembree is a 23 year old right handed pitcher. In his first full season of pro ball, Hembree struck out more than 13 batters in nine innings, and he led the Minor's in saves (38) So far Hembree has played in 6 Spring Training games, and has 6 innings pitched. He has given up 2 hits, 1 earned run, 1 walk, and 7 strike outs. His ERA is 1.50. Hembree would make an excellent addition to the San Francisco bullpen.

3. Eric Surkamp: Surkamp is a 24 year old left handed pitcher. He led all of Double-A ball in ERA and he finished second in most strikeouts last year. He came to help the Giants late in the season last year (2011) when Barry Zito and Jonathan Sanchez were on the disabled list. So far for Spring Training, Surkamp has pitched in 5 games and he has 16.1 innings pitched. He has 3 wins and 1 loss; he has given up 17 hits, 8 earned runs, 3 home runs, while striking out 8. His ERA is 4.41. Surkamp would make a wonderful addition to the Giants starting crew.

4. Tommy Joseph: Joseph is a 20 year old catcher. He was drafted out of high school, mostly for his bat and power at the plate. So far in Spring Training, Joseph has played in 4 games, he has had 9 at bats, 4 runs, 4 hits, 2 home runs, 6 RBI'S, 2 walks, 1 strike out, and his overall batting average is .444. Joseph will continue work hard in order to make the team for Opening Day.

5. Joe Panik: Panik is a 21 year old who plays short stop. He has tremendous speed and a good eye at the plate. This Spring Training, Panik has played in 7 games. He has had 6 at bats, one run, 3 hits, no walks, 3 strike outs, and his overall batting average is .500. He has a few more things to work on but he will continue to work his way up to the Major League.

6. Connor Gillaspie: Gillaspie is a 24 year old who plays third base. He was called up to the major's late last year. This year he has played in 13 Spring Training games. He has had 29 at bats, 3 runs, 6 hits, 1 home run, 4 RBI'S, 1 walk, 3 strike outs, and his overall batting is .207.

7. Hecter Sanchez: Sanchez is a 22 year old catcher. He is a switch hitter who makes pretty consistent contact and just as much power at the plate. His skills behind the plate are what mostly intrigued the Giants. He's thrown out 34 percent of base stealer's in the Minor League. So far, Sanchez has played in 12 Spring Training games. He's had 27 at bats, 6 runs, 12 hits, 3 home runs, 8 RBI's, 5 strike outs, and his overall batting average is .444.

Wilson Update!

Brian Wilson also had an awesome outing on Wednesday.
He pitched a perfect fifth inning and has had no pain in his right elbow.
Over all for this Spring Training, Wilson has pitched 2 innings. He has given up 1 hit, no walks and no earned runs; he has struck out 2.

Today is Friday March 16th:
Which just so happens to be Wilson's Birthday!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY WILSON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posey is Back!!!!!

                                                                 POSEY IS BACK!!!!!!!!!!

Much to everyones's releif, Buster Posey is back!!!!! Posey was playing his fourth exhibition game as a designated hitter. He was 0-7 before Wensday afternoon, when he came up to the plate in the sixth inning, with two outs and nobody on base.....and he launched Tony Sipp's 1-1 (of the Cleveland Indian's) fastball across the field and inside the right field foul pole. Posey's homer helped to change the score to 2-1.

The Giants played on to a 2-2, 10 inning tie against the Cleveland Indians.

Spring Training: The Opening to the 2012 season

Well, it's that time of the year again. Pre-season baseball. It is very exciting, and perhaps a little daunting, considering all the set backs that took place last year.

First of all there was Buster Posey's crushing injury, which took place on May 26, 2011. Scott Cousins (of the Florida Marlins) completely tackled Posey as he ran from third to home plate after hitting a lazy fly ball to right fielder, Nate Schierholtz. Posey was attempting to block the plate with his left foot/ leg, but Cousins knocked him on to his back causing him to break his ankle and tear some ligaments in his left leg.
After a few tests, it was declared that Posey would be out for the season. Some reports even mentioned that his career was over.....
But Posey will be back this year, much to everyone's relief!!!
In fact, he caught for his first game yesterday, March 9.
He  only caught for two innings, but he was comfortable and his defense was good.
Glad to have you back Buster!!!!!!

Next there, was second baseman Freddy Sanchez, who dislocated his shoulder in early June. He too had to end his season early.
He has been doing rehab ever since and his shoulder has healed up nicely.
We'll be seeing him back this season too!!
Glad to have you back Freddy!!!!!

In late August, closer Brian Wilson hurt his right elbow (which was his throwing arm) He too was put on the DL until late in the season.
He'll be back this year too!!!
Welcome back Wilson!!!! (Fear the Beard!!!!!)

There were also some other minor injures too. Sprained ankles, broken legs and so on. During the summer of 2011 almost all the players on the Giants were put on the DL for minor injuries.

The Giants didn't make it to the Playoffs in 2011, but then, we can always remember that famous saying "Wait till next year!!"

And so life goes on, a new season begins. Maybe they'll make it this year. Who knows?
But at least Buster and Freddy and Wilson will be back!!!