I didn't get to watch the first game of the World Series because I was covering the Stars and Canucks. Here's the edited version of what I wrote.
From time to time, I did peek at the Gameday. First, I saw that the Giants had scored three runs in the first inning and Hunter Pence had scored a run and driven in two. That made me think he had hit a home run (I couldn't scroll down as far as HR on the new-fangled version of Gameday). And that made me think that if I had survived the Championship Series in either Inner League, I would have received credit at least for that run and the one he scored later.
Everyone on the panel for Fox's pregame show Wednesday picked the Royals to win Game 2.
That wouldn't square with the idea that this year's Royals are the 2007 Rockies reincarnated.
I would have thought at least one person would have favored the Giants, but I guess most if not all of them had been caught up in Rockies -- I mean Royals -- fever and picked KC to win the Series.
Here are a few reasons I think the Giants can win tonight (the leadoff batter currently has a 2-2 count in the top of the first).
Rookie RHP Yordano Ventura is pitching for the Royals.
Pence
Pablo Sandoval and his World Series history (remember his three-homer game)
Well, it's now 1-0, courtesy of Gregor Blanco, so the Giants may be making this too easy.
Buster Posey
2010 and 2012
I'm not really sold on San Francisco RHP Jake Peavy, but I believe he should receive enough help, or Bruce Bochy will know not to leave him in too long, for the Giants to be able to win in any case.
Hey! I remembered which other World Series this one brings to mind. Of course! The 1980 Dickie Noles and Willie May Aikens Series. I'll tell you why in a later post. I want to send this one before you begin to think I wrote it after the fact. All I know is it's 1-0 going to the bottom of the first.
Showing posts with label Bruce Bochy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bruce Bochy. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Monday, November 1, 2010
Thoughts on Game 4
Thoughts on Game 4
Here’s the first thought I wrote down during the game: In the early innings, Hunter has been throwing too many pitches.
He didn’t throw too many late in the game because again he was out after four innings.
Neither of the two things happened tonight that I wrote the Rangers had to do to win.
1. Hunter did not make it through six innings.
2. Texas’ batters didn’t work counts so they could manufacture runs instead of swinging for home runs. There apparently weren’t a whole lot of home-run cuts. Maybe by Ian Kinsler with two on when he was the tying run.
The difference there was that Giants batters were able to prolong at-bats by fouling off pitches they couldn’t handle. Credit Madison Bumgarner for much of that. He lasted twice as long as Hunter, but threw just about 25 per cent more pitches.
Texas also gave Bumgarner some easy outs, holding his pitch count down.
The game’s worst play came when Josh Hamilton tried to steal second base with two out and Nelson Cruz at bat in the bottom of the fourth. The Rangers trailed 2-0 with a right-handed batter against the lefty Cruz. Sure, it would have been nice to get one run there to cut the deficit, but that was a case when a home-run swing could have been desirable. Instead, when Buster Posey threw out Hamilton, Bumgarner got an out without having to throw another pitch to Cruz that time around the batting order.
The two double-play balls also gave Bumgarner outs without having to work very hard.
Another big factor in San Francisco’s lineup was something I pointed out before the series began: DEE-fense. If there’s one area where Bruce Bochy has had an advantage over Ron Washington, this is it.
In Game 1, Washington opted for offense over defense by using Vladimir Guerrero in right field and Nelson Cruz in left. The Rangers committed four errors, two by Guerrero. In Game 4, Bochy chose defense over offense by inserting Travis Ishikawa at first base and Nate Schierholtz in right field. The benefit to taking Aubrey Huff off of first base turned out to be more on the offensive side. Unlike Pablo Sandoval, Huff has extensive experience as a DH. That might have helped; he hit a two-run homer that put San Francisco ahead to stay. The defense wasn’t hurt, either.
Already, Bochy had moved Juan Uribe from shortstop to third base and put Edgar Renteria at shortstop to improve the range but more importantly steady the left side of the infield. Renteria’s history of World Series offensive success didn’t hurt any, either.
Darren Oliver must be a good guy. He has always seemed to get a free pass from the media. This season, he has been living off his good start – which was very impressive. The latter part of the season has not been so impressive. He gave up another run in Sunday’s game.
Even though it’s a tough break for Alexi Ogando apparently to be injured, I think it’s totally wrong for the Rangers to be able to replace him for the final games. It’s just too easy to fabricate a pitching injury to help bail out a struggling bullpen. A team shouldn’t need 12 pitchers for a seven-game series with just four starters anyway.
As a side note, I’m already tired of Little Wash. That’s a sight gag that has more than run its course.
This was probably the worst day in the history of Arlington, Texas. The Rangers were only slightly better than the Cowboys. A lot of the blame, home-run swings or not, has to fall on the middle of the lineup and most notably Guerrero (three strikeouts) and Josh Hamilton (2-for-16 for the series). Others aren't doing much better, but those two are supposed to supply power and runs.
Here’s the first thought I wrote down during the game: In the early innings, Hunter has been throwing too many pitches.
He didn’t throw too many late in the game because again he was out after four innings.
Neither of the two things happened tonight that I wrote the Rangers had to do to win.
1. Hunter did not make it through six innings.
2. Texas’ batters didn’t work counts so they could manufacture runs instead of swinging for home runs. There apparently weren’t a whole lot of home-run cuts. Maybe by Ian Kinsler with two on when he was the tying run.
The difference there was that Giants batters were able to prolong at-bats by fouling off pitches they couldn’t handle. Credit Madison Bumgarner for much of that. He lasted twice as long as Hunter, but threw just about 25 per cent more pitches.
Texas also gave Bumgarner some easy outs, holding his pitch count down.
The game’s worst play came when Josh Hamilton tried to steal second base with two out and Nelson Cruz at bat in the bottom of the fourth. The Rangers trailed 2-0 with a right-handed batter against the lefty Cruz. Sure, it would have been nice to get one run there to cut the deficit, but that was a case when a home-run swing could have been desirable. Instead, when Buster Posey threw out Hamilton, Bumgarner got an out without having to throw another pitch to Cruz that time around the batting order.
The two double-play balls also gave Bumgarner outs without having to work very hard.
Another big factor in San Francisco’s lineup was something I pointed out before the series began: DEE-fense. If there’s one area where Bruce Bochy has had an advantage over Ron Washington, this is it.
In Game 1, Washington opted for offense over defense by using Vladimir Guerrero in right field and Nelson Cruz in left. The Rangers committed four errors, two by Guerrero. In Game 4, Bochy chose defense over offense by inserting Travis Ishikawa at first base and Nate Schierholtz in right field. The benefit to taking Aubrey Huff off of first base turned out to be more on the offensive side. Unlike Pablo Sandoval, Huff has extensive experience as a DH. That might have helped; he hit a two-run homer that put San Francisco ahead to stay. The defense wasn’t hurt, either.
Already, Bochy had moved Juan Uribe from shortstop to third base and put Edgar Renteria at shortstop to improve the range but more importantly steady the left side of the infield. Renteria’s history of World Series offensive success didn’t hurt any, either.
Darren Oliver must be a good guy. He has always seemed to get a free pass from the media. This season, he has been living off his good start – which was very impressive. The latter part of the season has not been so impressive. He gave up another run in Sunday’s game.
Even though it’s a tough break for Alexi Ogando apparently to be injured, I think it’s totally wrong for the Rangers to be able to replace him for the final games. It’s just too easy to fabricate a pitching injury to help bail out a struggling bullpen. A team shouldn’t need 12 pitchers for a seven-game series with just four starters anyway.
As a side note, I’m already tired of Little Wash. That’s a sight gag that has more than run its course.
This was probably the worst day in the history of Arlington, Texas. The Rangers were only slightly better than the Cowboys. A lot of the blame, home-run swings or not, has to fall on the middle of the lineup and most notably Guerrero (three strikeouts) and Josh Hamilton (2-for-16 for the series). Others aren't doing much better, but those two are supposed to supply power and runs.
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