June 2nd, 2011
As a Giants fan who talks sports on the radio in Colorado, I have a few benefits.
:
1. A Rockies season
press pass that allows me to take in as many games as I want, including when the Giants come to town.
2. Asking questions of Bruce Bochy and Giants players before and after games.
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Categories: San Francisco Giants |
Tags: Andy Baggarly, Brian Sabean, Bruce Bochy, Buster Olney, Buster Posey, Carlos Santana, Scott Cousins | No Comments
May 1st, 2011
As someone who was hoping the Niners would draft Colin Kaepernick (read previous post), I’ll research just about anything that validates my belief that Kaepernick will be a good NFL quarterback. Matt Barrows, and other 49ers beat writers, has gone into detail about how Jim Harbaugh values athleticism in his quarterbacks.
Kaepernick was taken by the Cubs in the June baseball draft two years ago, and supposedly throws a 94 mph fastball. Below is a l
ist of NFL quarterbacks who were drafted by Major League Baseball teams, starting with the best ones.
Tom Brady
Dan Marino
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Categories: San Francisco 49ers |
Tags: 49ers, Archie Manning, Colin Kaepernick, Dan Marino, Joe Theisman, John Elway, Ken Stabler, Tom Brady | No Comments
April 28th, 2011
It’s easy for 49ers fans to be frustrated. For the pas t
three months, we’ve seen mock drafts that have Blaine Gabbert, Da’Quan Bowers, and Nick Fairley taken amongst the top five picks. And, because of this, we’ve dreamed about the possibility of can’t miss stud Patrick Peterson falling to the seventh pick. Last night, that obviously didn’t happen and, even worse, Peterson went to a division rival. Plus, Cleveland received a godfather offer from Atlanta for pick right in front of the Niners selection. At this point, some Niners fans had eyes rolling back into their heads worried that Blaine Gabbert would be the pick.
Fortunately, I felt pretty good that Gabbert wasn’t going to be taken, and proceeded to let my whopping 65 Twitter followers know that he wasn’t going to be the pick, and that Aldon Smith
would likely be the selection.
Of course, there was some Twitter backlash.
Damon Bruce
I think the #49ers just redrafted Manny Lawson, but smaller
? Words I hate for DE’s "Undersized, Hybrid, Tweener". All apply to Aldon Smith.
Tim Kawakami
Aldon Smith with the 7th pick.
At least it wasn’t Gabbert… or Alex Smith.
But: WOW.
To be fair, Kawakami wasn’t being critical, but was merely questioning the pick.
People that are critical of the pick need to understand a few things:
1. There was no good option to trade down - There weren’t many teams interested in trading up to the #7 spot. Atlanta wanted the 6th selection because they were worried that Cleveland, if they stayed put, would take Julio Jones. Washington was rumored to be moving up for Gabbert, but that was as much of a smokescreen as the Niners supposed interest in the Missouri QB. The Redskins had their chance at Gabbert at ten and gave up that right to Jacksonville.
2. Smith was not a reach – The 49ers brass obviously liked Smith a lot and knew other teams shared their interest. NFL insiders have pointed out that Houston really liked him as a possibility at #11, the Lions also liked him at #13, and Todd McShay had Smith go ing 5th
in his final mock draft.
So, for people to suggest Smith was a reach at #7 is a reach of a statement.
3. Smith is not undersized – I can’t figure out why Bruce and a few others think Smith is undersized for a 3-4 outside linebacker that can play the 3 or 5 technique. Smith measures at 6’4” and 263 pounds. And, he’s only 20 years old. When DeMarcus Ware was drafted in 2005, he was 6’4” and 263 pounds and was almost 23 years old. How many people today are talking about DeMarcus Ware being undersized? I’m not saying that Smith will be as good as Ware, but don’t tell me that he’s undersized.
4. Peterson was not reasonably attainable - Sure, we all would have liked Patrick Peterson to fall to the 7th pick, but that wasn’t going to happen. If the Niners wanted to trade up for Peterson, they would have had to sacrifice a second-round pick (at the very least) to move into the 4th spot. Then, the same people ripping the Smith pick would be ripping the Niners for sacrificing a second-rounder.
I’m excited about Smith, and I challenge anyone who is critical of the pick, to give me a reasonable alternative for the 7th selection. I don’t think there is one.
As for the second round, the Niners should be excited if Nevada QB Colin Kaepernick and Texas CB Aaron Williams falls to them. I wouldn’t mind if Trent Baalke/Jim Harbaugh trades a 2012 first-round pick to get one of these players. Either way, I have faith in this new regime.
Categories: San Francisco 49ers |
Tags: 49ers, Aaron Williams, Aldon Smith, Atlanta Falcons, Blaine Gabbert, Cleveland Browns, Colin Kaepernick, Da'Quan Bowers, Damon Bruce, DeMarcus Ware, Jim Harbaugh, Missouri, Nick Fairley, Patrick Peterson, Tim Kawakami, Trent Baalke, Washington Redskins | No Comments
April 28th, 2011
Both Tim Kawakami and Jason LaCanfora are tweeting that they are hearing the 49ers are actively looking at taking Blaine Gabbert with the seventh overall pick tonight.
I’ve been excited about these three days of the NFL Draft for a long time because this is really when Jim Harbaugh officially begins his reign atop the 49ers franchise.
Harbuagh knows that the seventh overall pick doesn’t hold as much value as it did a couple of months ago because of the supposed drops in value in players like Da’Quan Bowers and Nick Fairley, who were once considered automatic top-five picks.
I could be wrong, but I think the supposed Gabbert interest is a smokescreen. Harbaugh is making other teams believe that he is taking Gabbert, because he’s building up value in the seventh overall pick. A lot of teams need quarterbacks, and if they think the Niners are taking Gabbert, then they’re going to try to trade in front of the Niners for Gabbert. That scenario would leave one more good player to fall the Niners way.
It may not work, and Gabbert may still be there when the Niners pick. The bottom line is that, if it’s a smokescreen, Harbaugh is not losing anything by making teams believe he’s taking Gabbert. He’s simply trying to increase the value of the 7th overall pick.
I’ll be stunned if the Niners end up with Gabbert tonight.
Categories: San Francisco 49ers |
Tags: Blaine Gabbert, Jason LaCanfora, Jim Harbaugh, Tim Kawakami | No Comments
April 13th, 2011
- First, congrats to the Cal baseball program and their reinstatement. I’m stoked about this, and hope they put some of that $9 million towards some of these marketing ideas.
- As for the Giants, and Aaron Rowand’s hot streak, sometimes we need the intellectual minds at ESPN, like Eduardo Perez, to explain Rowand’s value:
He’s going to have
to lead with his veteran
leadership.
- Isn’t it ridiculous that we’re still hearing about Rowand’s “leadership”? I’m sure he is a good leader as everyone says, and he’s handled everything about his demotion with class, but do the Giants really count on him for leadership? I doubt it. It’s a pretty good clubhouse that polices itself, and doesn’t need guys like Rowand, or anybody else, giving pep talks or whatever it is that leaders do.
- As someone who stuck up for Rowand (following the boos he heard in the first AT&T exhibition against the A’s), I’m happy that he’s helped the Giants in these first couple of weeks. However, as Grant Brisbee pointed out, it is simply a good stretch. The main thing that Rowand has proven is that he’s not anything close to waiver-wire material. There are too many teams that would scoop Rowand up if they could get him for a league-minimum salary. When the time is right, the Giants should probably still trade Rowand at some point (and pay a huge portion of his salary). However, they should not release him so that some team, especially a National League team (the Braves?), can scoop him up for practically nothing.
- Anybody notice the laughs the Giants players had during Jeremy Affeldt’s Monday night speech when the fans booed after Affeldt mentioned Dodger Blue? Hilarious.
- Maybe I’m not being politically correct, but I enjoyed Juan Uribe getting drilled by Lincecum twice. The Giants know they have to pitch Uribe inside, and they have no reason to kiss his ass. He’s a Dodger. He’s fair game. And I could care less if it pisses him off about a 95mph fastball in his elbow.
- There’s something about this year’s Sharks team that makes us think, and hope, this is the year. Pierre LeBrun has been burned by optimistic Sharks predictions in the past, but it sounds like he really likes their chances.
Follow West Coast Bias on Twitter at @BayAreaBias
Categories: Cal Bears, San Francisco Giants |
Tags: A's, Aaron Rowand, Braves, Cal Baseball, Dodgers, Eduardo Perez, Jeremy Affeldt, Juan Uribe, Sharks | No Comments
April 5th, 2011
Before the season opener, when Wes t
Coast Bias was expressing concern (and apparently foreshadowing) over the Wild Kingdom defense, I did close with this:
My concerns about the defense will become moot when Ross comes back healthy and if Sandoval is a vacuum at third. Until then, the water buffaloes give fans some reason to be uneasy.
Four games into the season, I think fans are using much harsher words than “uneasy”. In Los Angeles, Sandoval was bad and Huff was a disaster. He’s a better rightfielder than the guy we saw in the Huff jersey over the weekend, however, he shouldn’t be playing rightfield again after Ross returns. Rightfield is too important of a position, especially at AT&T, to have a below-average defender.
Anybody who saw Huff play leftfield last year knows that he can be a decent defender there. He’s only played 55 games in left in his career but, considering how many bad leftfielders there are in the National League, he has a chance to be average. If you think I’m crazy, then consider what you saw from the Dodgers’ Marcus Thames this past weekend. Raul Ibanez, Jason Bay, Carlos Lee, Alfonso Soriano, and Jonny Gomes are also atrocious defensive leftfielders in the National League. It’s this reason why the Giants can live with Huff and Pat Burrell manning leftfield.
The Giants can also afford to have suspect leftfielders because they will be clearly above average at five of the eight positions (hard to quantify pitchers defense) when Ross returns. Andres Torres is one of the very best in the game in centerfield, Ross has a centerfielder’s range in right, Freddy Sanchez is usually fantastic at second base, and, despite his bad throw on opening night in LA, Buster Posey is a very good catcher who continues to get better. The fifth position where the Giants are solid is first base, considering Brandon Belt’s much ballyhooed defensive skills. Miguel Tejada will be below-average at short, and Sandoval still has potential to be above-average, although we know he hasn’t shown it at all in the first four games.
I find it humorous when the TV and radio talk shows stress over which players should be playing when Ross comes back. It’s as if whomever Bochy chooses to play, will be locked in at that position for every game for the remainder of the season. Anybody that watches Bochy manage knows that he plays everyone. Everybody is going to get days off here and there. Frankly, I think it’s a good managerial strategy. Of course, some people whine when Aaron Rowand is occasionally in the lineup, but the Giants can win games with Rowand, and I think Bochy’s “everybody plays” style contributes to the great chemistry that is so noticeable on the Giants.
My point is, if Huff never returns to rightfield when Ross comes back, Bruce Bochy should still be able to find more than enough at bats for Huff, Burrell, and Belt. If Ross returns by April 18 (rough guess), then that would leave 147 games remaining in the Giants schedule. Considering the first base and leftfield spots in the Giants order will combine to receive approximately 8.5 plate appearances per game, and that Huff, Burrell, and Belt will combine to have about 145 plate appearances by April 18, Bochy has roughly 1300-1400 plate appearances to use between the three players for the entire 2011 season.
Because of injuries and potential ineffectiveness of one or more of the three players, it’s tough to decide how Bochy would divide those at bats. The most reasonable guess would be to give Belt and Huff about 525 plate appearances each, and to spread the remaining 300 plate appearances to Burrell and 50 plate appearances for DeRosa (who would also be logging more PA’s when he plays other positions) when he plays left. I don’t think any player would be that unhappy if their season ended with those num
bers.
As I’ve said before, the Giants have a very deep team, and one that features players who can play a variety of positions. While Huff shouldn’t see rightfield again when Ross returns, the Giants can still be a good defensive team with Huff in left. The Giants also have the luxury of putting together a tremendous defensive outfield in the late innings to protect a lead, if they choose to put Ross in left, Torres in center, and Schierholtz in right.
As we said before, the defense will be good when Ross comes back. Let’s not crucify the 2011 Giants defense because of one injury that may take up less than 10 percent of this season.
Follow West Coast Bias on Twitter at @BayAreaBias
Categories: San Francisco Giants |
Tags: Alfonso Soriano, Aubrey Huff, Brandon Belt, Bruce Bochy, Buster Posey, Carlos Lee, Cody Ross, Freddy Sanchez, Jason Bay, Jonny Gomes, Marcus Thames, Mark DeRosa, Miguel Tejada, Nate Schierholtz, Pablo Sandoval, Pat Burrell, Raul Ibanez, Wild Kingdom | No Comments
April 2nd, 2011
The Giants went 1-5 in their Los Angeles/San Diego April trip last year. They had a seven-game losing streak as recently as July (and won the World Series). As McCovey Chronicles points out, the 2000 team lost seven in a row in April, and were 4-11 at one point, before winning the West. The 2009 World Champion Yankees were 15-17, the 2008 Phillies were 8-10. Is anyone really worried at this point?
- Having said that, Pablo Sandoval needs to pick it up. He had plenty of time to look back Kemp last night, and he shouldn’t have made his awful throw on Aaron Miles’ ball. Plus, in the second inning, it wasn’t an error but Freddy Sanchez initially broke back on Marcus Thames pop single.
- They haven’t done much yet, but I’m still stoked about the potential of
the Giants lineup.
- Credit to Jonny Sanchez for admitting and taking blame for his awful drop on Hector Gimenez’s ball for the decisive error in the fifth inning. Rod Barajas, running down the third base line, was mentioned by CSN as a distraction but, with two outs, no way Sanchez should even be thinking about Barajas.
- Miguel Tejada did have a great tag on Rafael Furcal in the first inning, to prevent a botched pickoff.
- Speaking of the first inning, the Giants wasted a huge chance when Buster Posey grounded into a double play with runners at the corners. You would have to be a fool to be worried about Posey. It is interesting that he said this:
I don’t know if I’m trying to do too much. Maybe it’s getting anxious and jittery
and trying to go out
and get the ball.
When Matt Kemp plays like he cares, he is one damn fine difference maker.
After my visit to spring training, I wrote that “Matt Kemp hates baseball”. It looked that way in Arizona, and all of last season, but Baggs is right. When Kemp plays hard, he is an awesome player. The question I have is, will he keep this up throughout the season, and when the Dodgers aren’t playing the defending world champions? If he does, the Dodgers are a much better team than we’ve given them credit for.
- Giants fans who don’t watch the other local MLB TV broadcasts should be thankful that the entire game production on CSNBA is top-notch. We already know that Kruk and Kuip are second to none, but what about the great camera angles we’re blessed with every game. Yesterday, in the Rockies broadcast, they couldn’t put together a good camera angle to see whether a ball hit to Seth Smith should have been ruled a catch. Last night, we could clearly see that Posey’s ball in the fourth inning was a hit. Great work. Plus, none of the Giants camera angles caught an ugly, purple dinosaur behind home plate trying to distract the opposing pitcher.
- Prayers go out to Bryan Stow, the Giants fan that was brutally and cowardly attacked by two low-life punks after Thursday’s game. Stow is in a medically induced coma, and has a serious head injury. Unfortunately, the Dodgers organization could care less about having good security on hand for their games. I’ve heard way too many stories about fans being verbally abused and threatened in the stands.
When those fans complain to ushers or security, they’re asked to move or leave…. instead of the antagonists and gangmembers who are doing the provoking. The Dodgers are a crap organization, and should be ashamed of themselves for allowing this behavior to exist. (By the way, one of the idiots from their awful security staff threw Brandon Belt’s first major league home run ball in the stands. Genius.)
- The Giants locked up Freddy Sanchez for one more season through 2012, and Jeff Fletcher criticized this move on Chronicle Live, saying the Giants should wait until after the season. I disagree. Anyone who reads this site knows I’m not the biggest Freddy Sanchez fan, but he does usually play outstanding defense. And, when contributing veterans are willing to sign one-year deals, you do it. If Charlie Culberson is ready to take over at second base by next spring, it’s a good problem to have. Sanchez could be dealt during the 2012 season in the same way that Molina was dealt during last year. However, if the Giants don’t sign Sanchez for that one year, Sanchez hits the free-agent market looking for a two-year deal, and Culberson regresses, the Giants could have some major holes in the middle infield. Because, I’m still not thrilled about shortstop, or confident that Brandon Crawford or Ehire Adrianza will be the long-term answers.
- Random MLB Thoughts: The Blue Jays lineup can rake, and the Marlins will be an exciting team to watch this year.
Follow West Coast Bias on Twitter at @BayAreaBias
Categories: San Francisco Giants |
Tags: Andy Baggarly, Blue Jays, Brandon Belt, Bryan Stow, Buster Posey, Charlie Culberson, Cody Ross, CSNBA, Dodgers, Extra Baggs, Freddy Sanchez, Giants, Hector Gimenez, Jeff Fletcher, Jonathan Sanchez, Los Angeles, Marlins, Matt Kemp, McCovey Chronicles, Pablo Sandoval, Phillies, Rockies, Seth Smith, World Champions, Yankees | No Comments
March 31st, 2011
If you watched Brandon Belt in spring training, you’re not surprised by the way he played. Belt is impressive in every phase of the game and in any game situation. While we knew these things, it is nice to see him
put together good at bats (27 pitches in four trips) against one of the best lefthanders in the league.
More Opening Day Notes:
- Kershaw was really good, so it would be dumb to rip into someone offensively. I will say that Andres Torres probably should have been taking 2-0 after Hong Chi Kuo had thrown six straight balls.
- Hopefully, Bobby Valentine goes back to managing soon because he is horrible in the ESPN booth. Orel Hershiser gave some good insight, but it’s obvious there is no chemistry
there.
- On CSN’s postgame, Bip Roberts suggested the Giants were “tight”. Uh, the Giants, and every other team, are capable of a bad game in the field once in a while. We saw it in Game 2 against the Phillies. CSN does get credit for informing us that the Giants committed three or more errors in a game just four times last year. Last year’s team responded extremely well to poorly played defensive games.
- More CSN on Buster Posey: Question from Dave Benz: “Is he trying to match what he did last year?” Roberts said something about Posey having butterflies and needing “to calm himself down”. How did Posey ever make through last year’s postseason?
- Grant at McCovey Chronicles with a solid recap…. and a great headline, and he sums up any Posey concern with this gem:
I’m not worried about Buster Posey’s throws to third; I’m worried about my wife leaving me for him.
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Categories: San Francisco Giants |
Tags: Aaron Rowand, Andres Torres, Aubrey Huff, Bip Roberts, Bobby Valentine, Brandon Belt, Buster Posey, Clayton Kershaw, CSN, Mark Purdy, McCovey Chronicles, Miguel Tejada, Nate Schierholtz, Orel Hershiser, Pablo Sandoval, Pat Burrell, Tim Lincecum, Travis Ishikawa | No Comments
March 31st, 2011
The Giants haven’t received enough credit for the way they’ve played defensively the last two seasons. They’ve been one of the top five fielding teams in the league in 2009 and 2010.
Having said that, the Giants do have some defensive concerns entering 2011. With Brandon Belt’s promotion, the Giants do have two outfielders (Pat Burrell and Aubrey Huff) who are clearly below-average defensively (when Huff plays right). Fortunately, the water buffaloes have a gazelle in Andres Torres (who may be the best defensive centerfielder in the league).
Back to Burrell and Huff. Both played better than expected in the outfield last season, but that doesn’t mean they are good outfielders. Considering both Huff and Burrell are 34 years
old, I don’t think they’re getting any better. The good news is that, when Cody Ross comes back, Huff can move over to left where he has been an average defender. (His arm or range just isn’t suited to rightfield… especially at AT&T.)
With all of the “best athlete on the team” talk regarding Huff (and he did surprise me in his outfield appearances last year), I’m more concerned with him getting hurt. There were two different incidents last year (both at AT&T against the Dodgers) where Huff violently crashed into the wall while making the catch. The first time was in the ninth inning of a June 28th loss when the
Giants were going through their seven-game losing streak. It was one of most courageous plays I’ve seen an outfielder make because Huff knew he was going to take a huge shot from the wall. He’ s got to pick hi
s spots this year.
In the infield, the Giants do have the potential to be above-average, but that depends on how well Pablo Sandoval can pick it at third. He has to at least be the same fielding third baseman we saw in 2009, and with the weight loss, he even has an opportunity to be even better than he was in 2009. With Belt and Freddy Sanchez, the right side of the infield is very strong. So, if the Giants are above-average defensively at three of the infield spots, they can live with Miguel Tejada being below-average at shortstop.
My concerns about the defense will become moot when Ross comes back healthy and if Sandoval is a vacuum at third. Until then, the water buffaloes give fans some reason to be uneasy.
With the promotion of Belt, here are a couple of interesting links from Fangraphs and Bay City Ball on what we can expect from the rookie first baseman.
Follow West Coast Bias on Twitter at @BayAreaBias
Categories: San Francisco Giants |
Tags: Andres Torres, Aubrey Huff, Brandon Belt, Cody Ross, Freddy Sanchez, Miguel Tejada, Pablo Sandoval, Pat Burrell | No Comments
March 31st, 2011
The Giants
caught lightning in a bottle last year. I know this is true because I’ve been told this over and
over by many in the national media.
The best thing that has happened to the 2011 Giants
is the fact that many believe the Giants were lucky to win the 2010 world championship. While there is no doubt that there were a couple of fortunate breaks that went the Giants way, this team, throughout most of spring training, has played like a group that was tired of hearing how they caught “lightning in a bottle” last season.
While it’s tough for teams to repeat, we often see the national experts pick teams to repeat the following season. Think of how many prognosticators last season were picking the Yankees to win it all in 2010, or the Phillies in 2009.
This season? Out of 45 experts at ESPN, one (Buster Olney) picked the Giants to repeat. 24 of their 45 people are picking the same matchup in the World Series ( Red Sox vs.
Phillies). Out of the 12 experts at Sports Illustrated, one (Mel Antonen) has the Giants winning it all, and zero of the eight analysts at CBS have the Giants taking the title.
This may upset many Giants fans, but I like it. I cringe every time I hear an analyst pick the Giants to win the NL West. I like it when my team is motivated to prove people wrong. I also figure I better enjoy it now because when the Giants make the playoffs again, they will start being the favorite, and will have to find their motivations elsewhere.
As for this year’s Giants, I’m fully aware that it is difficult to expect the same type of production out of Andres Torres and Aubrey Huff.
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Categories: Oakland A's, San Francisco Giants |
Tags: Aaron Rowand, Andres Torres, Aubrey Huff, Bengie Molina, Brandon Belt, Brandon Medders, Buster Olney, Buster Posey, CBS, Cody Ross, Dan Runzler, Denny Bautista, ESPN, Eugenio Velez, Freddy Sanchez, Giants, Javier Lopez, Jeremy Affeldt, Joe Martinez, John Bowker, Juan Uribe, Marc Kroon, Mark DeRosa, Mel Antonen, Miguel Tejada, Nate Schierholtz, Phillies, Ramon Ramirez, Red Sox, Ryan Vogelsong, Santiago Casilla, Sergio Romo, Sports Illustrated, Tim Lincecum, Waldis Joaquin | No Comments
