Okert Not Major League Worthy

What is it about this guy, Steven Okert, that provokes Bruce Bochy to call his number? I, from my position of listening to the radio, just don't see it!! His numbers are inflated when they should be ERA- 3.00 or lower. (He's 5.00+ and after today probably at 6.00+.) How often has this guy gotten his man out? Not often enough!!

(Games-18,IP-12.2, H-11, R-8, BB-5, K-7...before tonight May 24, 2017.)

With the Giants trailing 4-2, Bochy brings this bum into the game to keep the score at 4-2 and the leadoff batter promptly belts a triple. Next batter hits a deep fly ball to easily make the score Cubs-5 Giants-2. Didn't do his job, again.

Bottom of the 9th inning, Mac Williamson hits a 2-run homer over the right field fence. Score: Cubs-5 Giants-4. Unfortunately, Giants couldn't score another run. They did enough to extend the game into the bottom of the ninth tied, but with their bullpen...

This is getting old. From last year, after the All-Star break up until now, Bochy has yet to find guys in the bullpen he can trust. Guys like Okert, Cory Guerrin, and George Kontos are making Bochy look bad when he usually looks like he knows what he is doing.

When your record is 20-28 time is running out. It truly is a lost season if they don't find help in the bullpen.


Kevin J. Marquez

Bullpen Cannot Keep Surrendering Leads

Every San Francisco Giant fan knows the perils of this 2017 season. Beginning the season at 12-wins and 24-losses and then showing signs of hope by winning 5 in-a-row only to lose to Clayton Kershaw to make their record 17-25.

But things were looking good. The bats began to come alive and the pitching was stopping their opponent from big innings which is the characteristic necessary to keeping a team in the game. And this is why they were winning.

Then after an off day they fly to St. Louis and after coming from behind 2-0 they take the lead only to have a rain delay. Once play resumes the long delay was cause for the starter (Matt Moore) to be replaced by Steven Okert. 

First batter up is walked.  Next batter hits a bloop. Would you like to guess what happened next?  Dexter Fowler, a player who sought some batting tips from Barry Bonds, blasted one over the wall for a 3-run homer.

You cannot come back from being eight (8) games below .500 when the bullpen cannot get outs. An inability to throw strikes and then when the pitcher does throw a strike it is in a location that gets too much of the plate. Which then makes the pitch a meatball and that is something that makes most hitters salivate. Comfort and confidence at the plate spells disaster for the pitcher almost every time.

This year the bullpen has a couple of characters who have yet to find their niche coming into a game. Two of them would be Steven Okert and George Kontos. Both of these guys seemed to contribute to the demise of the Giants on May 19th in St. Louis.

But baseball is a beautiful game. There were still six (6) outs the Cardinals needed to get. And they would get those six outs but only after the Giants roared back with three runs. 

Bryan Morris pitched a perfect 8th inning and Mark Melancholy, uh, Melancon came on to close the game out in the 9th inning. Leadoff hitter raked a single. Of course, did anyone expect anything else? Next batter flew out. Then up came the Cardinals' star of the game Dexter Fowler. But he hit one back to Melancon hard enough for the Giants to turn a 1-6-3, game ending double-play.

Bryan Morris, the winner of the 17-inning marathon, got the win.



Kevin J. Marquez

Two years to the Day- Oh Baby!!

Exactly two years to the day (May 10) the Giants comeback win over the Mets, 6-5, in New York, was the first time they have won a game when trailing after the 8th inning. 

The fact that it came at a time when nobody knew what to expect is serendipitous. But I find it interesting that a team struggling like the orange and black has been (in 2017) does something in which to build upon.  God is good, but never dance in a small boat. 

Christian Arroyo hits a bases-clearing double. Buster goes yard for the third game in-a-row. Eduardo Nunez contributes with a line drive snaring snag at third base and singles to lead off the 9th inning.

Their outfield is reprehensible. Guys getting to balls and then not putting them away (in their gloves) is all too common. And unacceptable. I mean, come on!  I grew up watching Willie Mays. And a Giant outfield that evolved into Garry Maddox, who was described by Ralph Kiner, Mets announcer, as, "Two-thirds of the Earth is covered by water. The other third is covered by Garry Maddox." (Maddox's best days were as a Philadelphia Phillie.)

There will be more roster moves. I once heard that talk is cheap because supply exceeds demand. So I'll leave it at that, for now.

Kevin J. Marquez

So far the 2017 San Francisco Giant season has been Crap!

Brandon Belt, the often maligned ballplayer by his hometown Giant fans, (many of whom feel he is grossly overpaid for his production numbers) truly has fallen into a steady role of: all or nothing.

When he is hot he blasts the ball to all fields and off the walls of home and away ballparks. But when he is cold, a frosty chill effects his ability to hit the ball because he does a whole lot of swinging and missing. 

Listening to the Giants on the radio, when Belt is in one of his frost-bitten slumps you can hear the lilt of 'hear we go again' in the announcer's voice. Regardless of whose turn it is to call the play-by-play.

Are the Giants obligated to stick with Belt? Or is he often a name thrown into trade talks? Because in order to get something you have to give something up but you don't want to give more than you get. It's a fine line in the art of wheeling and dealing. 

Aside from the Adam Duvall trade, the Giants usually get their fair share in trades. But that was a big blunder because Duvall's ability to play left field may have eliminated the early 2017 circus in left field for the Giants. And that alone could have prevented the horrendous beginning to the 2017 season. 

I am inclined to add another player's name to the list of those to be offered in trade talks. Eduardo Nunez. His defensive play is questionable at best. Sure, a ball hit right at him he generally catches, but those he has to go to his left or right get by him at an alarming rate. He doesn't charge the ball or anticipate the bounce of the ball and is often flat-footed when a ball changes direction on its last hop. On fly balls, he would rather let them fall in front of him than hustle in and try to catch it before it lands safely. Jon Miller described him as being timid. The kind of play that has Giants' fans beside themselves. Wringing their hands, disgusted at having to tolerate such a lack of effort.  

So far the 2017 season has been crap. A chance for me to recall, in the book Instant Replay, a time when Vince Lombardi was in newly drafted center, Bob Hyland's face for bad technique. 'You can't go right and you can't go left. You can't pull straight ahead. You have nowhere to go. The only thing you can do in that stance is take a crap.' And that's the Giants as of May 9, 2017.


Kevin J. Marquez

Leaving Runners On, Shows the Eggs of a Goose

This tune begins with a strum of the acoustic guitar and then the slapping of some drum skins. As of May 3, 2017, this is Giants' baseball. And it's not good. 



"Getting men on base
   not moving them along
   forgetting the fundamentals it takes
   to get some runs home.

Just leaving runners on
  not knowing what to do
time and time again, failing to get it done
and the scoreboard shows eggs of a goose (0)

Got to touch 'em all to score
but what to do when the runner doesn't advance
how to move the runners
to give the next batter a chance

Just leaving runners on
  not knowing what to do
time after time, failing to get it done
and the scoreboard once again shows the eggs of a goose."



(lyrics need some work. Much like the 2017 Giants.)


Kevin J. Marquez

Can't Stop Rooting, I'm Addicted!!!

I can't turn my radio dial from 680-AM without incurring adverse effects. Besides, I have this uncontrollable "need to know" what the Giants did on a scheduled date. 

Yesterday, May 2, 2017, was tough because it happened against the Dodgers. Any time the Giants lose, to the team that came West with them in 1958, things have a tendency to get enhanced to a point where embellishment plays a key role.

Mike Moore was lacking concentration. And his ball was moving where the hitter preferred to see it. Not a good combination for pitcher versus hitter in any league, let alone the major leagues. 

Personally, it was tough to listen to after the Giants had just scored four runs. With Moore's help! For Moore to give up the homer on an 0-2 count and then walk the next batter, well, that was just, in Homer Simpson speak, "DOH!!!"

Kevin J. Marquez

Bochy Botched Sunday's April 30th game

Watching Ty Blach mow through the San Diego Padres was beautiful. Three up, three down. Innings one through seven, Ty Blach was masterful.

Then as the eighth inning began there was no Ty Blach. Did he get a blister? Why wasn't he allowed to start the 8th? Dammit,if a pitcher is going good you don't do the other team a favor by removing him from the game.

Sure enough, in the 9th, up steps former Giant Hector Sanchez. And it was set up to break the hearts of every Giant fan. Bang, zoom, game tied off of Mark Melancon. Ole melancholy Melancon giveth the lead to San Diego,never again to be re-gained. 

And then in the 12th inning George Kontos served up a nice and juicy pitch for Will Myers to deposit into the left field stands. 

Kevin J. Marquez