Nate Schierholtz was eligible to come off the disabled list today. He wasn’t activated. In fact, Bruce Bochy said during the world famous “Bruce Bochy Show” that it was no big whoop, because Schierholtz wouldn’t have even started today, because the Dodgers’ starting pitcher was a left-hander.
Hold on while I smack myself in the face with a catcher’s mitt to see if I’m still awake. Is Bochy watching the 2009 version of the San Francisco Giants, or is he just waiting for Randy Winn and Aaron Rowand to become Ken Caminiti and Greg Vaughn circa 1998?
Don’t answer that.
Winn’s career numbers against Randy Wolf were pretty frickin’ sweet going into tonight’s game, and last year Winn particularly had his way with his Randy counterpart.
Uh, who cares. Players change. Managers need to as well if they want to extend their contracts. For example, Bochy needs to get over this cockamamie idea that no left-handed hitter under 30 can hit left-handed pitching, but Winn’s somehow going to regain his righty stroke at the age of 52.
Winn against lefties in 2009 before tonight’s game (94 AB’s): .160/.184/.213
Schierholtz against lefties in 2009 (30 AB’s): .467/.469/.767
Limited sample size, my Broxton. Bochy’s the one who’s limited Schierholtz’s at-bats against lefties, and why Rich Aurilia still has a roster spot, even though the team picked up Ryan Garko because Aurilia’s so worthless. And don’t give me this whole “who would have played third base” crap cause Juan Uribe has a balky hamstring. Stick an injured Uribe out there after contracting swine flu for all I care; Aurilia’s as done as a crunchy taco at an empty Taco Bell Express.
I’ve been one of those guys who’s been OK with Bochy from day one. The guy’s been saddled with one of the worst offenses in baseball for years, but as retread managers go he’s one of the better ones. But the idea that Aurilia couldn’t have been sacrificed for a far superior player today (in fact, Aurilia even got another at-bat tonight) because Winn would somehow recapture past glory against Wolf was beyond ridiculous.
Changing the subject — a little, anyway…
– Geez, at least the Warriors give the Lakers a fight every time they play them. And that’s basketball, a sport where the best teams win over 80% of the time.
– You can’t blame Eugenio Velez for a couple bad plays at second base today (well, one bad drop on a tough throw from Joe Martinez and an unbelievably awful throw soon after), since he had the team’s only RBI.
– I’m still not sure why I watched the Post Game Wrap, but I’m pretty sure Duane Kuiper wanted to kill Dave Flemming tonight whenever he waxed poetic about the Dodgers.
– It also looked like Jon Miller wanted to strangle Flemming after Miller told an unbelievable, perfect-after-a-blowout story about Carl Yastrzemski asking him to buy Jockey shorts for him at the beginning of a long road trip, and Flemming responded with 0.4 seconds of fake laughter before rolling into the whole, “AND THAT’S WHAT’S ON TAP” spiel and cutting to commercial.
– I’m not saying Flemming’s a bad broadcaster, but he certainly seems like that guy in class who wouldn’t rat out cheating classmates to the professor, but he’d certainly give them a judgmental glare and cover up his work. At least during the Wrap anyway. There’s just something about Flemming that makes me think he was one of the all-time great tattlers at a child, along with Tim Duncan.
– But you know Larry Baer’s stoked tonight that Flemming stuck around after the Wrap. Damon Bruce would probably mention Manny Ramirez roughly 284 times after tonight’s game if he had the 10-midnight shift.
– At least I can thank Flemming for warning me what was about to happen to the Giants when he mentioned in the 3rd inning how Wolf is a 6-inning guy, and that’s why he doesn’t have very many decisions.
– But really folks, let’s face it — if you thought Joe Martinez was going to sail in and drop 7 innings of 1-run ball against the Dodgers, you probably also put $20 on the Giants to win the World Series in Vegas before the season. Not that I’d know. Now please excuse me while I go throw my wallet in a burning trash can in the Tenderloin.
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can we please plunk a dodger?
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Yeah, it’s kind of amazing Casey Blake has gotten a pass in this series. So much for all that anger in May after he made fun of Weez.
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is it me or does flemming look like a w2m tranny.
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Its easy for you to post a stat and say whatever but until you play on a team and know players dont judge the managers decision…it could have been wrong but it could be right for another reason which you know nothing about.
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Lets say this,if Boch had more hitters or some hitters to work with he wouldnt be in this situation, hes about two hitters and one pitcher shy of winning it all.
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Randy Winn hasn’t hit a home run since April, and Nate Schierholtz has surpassed him defensively as well. Bruce Bochy is a better manager than Felipe Alou (simply because he’s awake), but he sent Winn up against lefties WAAAYYYY too many times this year. Bochy doesn’t have a ton to work with offensively, but his lineup-making skills leave a lot to be desired.
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BASG, what managerial skills do you have? How many lineups have you made out? Or are you best suited to make them from behind a keyboard. Hey, heres a thought, there will be about 5 or 6 teams probably looking for a new manager this year, apply and EARN the job like Bochy did. Maybe after 10 or so years playing in the majors, coaching in the minor leagues and then 12 years with the SD Padres and three with the Giants the guy has a little experience? Shake yourself BASG and stick to web sites and stirring it up.
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So do movie critics need to have acted in, directed or produced movies? Do journalists who cover politics need to have run for office?
I’ve never said Bruce Bochy was a bad manager or that he isn’t qualified for the job, since he’s one of the better managers when it comes to dealing with a bullpen that the Giants have ever had. Check out other sites around the Bay, like McCovey Chronicles, and you can read people who want Bochy gone yesterday.
I wouldn’t even be that upset if Bochy is extended after this season. But he isn’t infallible. Fans all across the Bay Area have wondered why veteran hitters who have failed consistently all season kept receiving chances, while certain other players who might actually contribute this season (not just in the future) sit for illogical reasons (like Schierholtz sitting in favor of Winn because a lefty is starting).
I’m of the opinion that the softness of the Bay Area media is in part responsible for the mediocrity we’ve been watching over the past 5+ years. Responding to any criticism of players, managers/coaches and front office staff with “what experience do you have” is the same as saying you don’t want anything to get better — ever.
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I want the Giants to win, but the problem is fans and writers dont know near as much as a manager like Bochy…K here I go, one I like Nate, hes got a great arm, but his on base percentages is horrendous, 306, and Winns is 319, not much better, but it is better, plus look at the strikeouts that Nate has over 50 in 270 at bats…brutal. So he is hitting a lousy 10 points higher. So your going to tell a manager trying to get a wild card berth to sit a guy like Winn that has more experience a better OBP and less strikeouts per at bats. Batting avg doesnt tell the entire story…sorry. So even with Winn in a decline for some time with his experienc and stats, he is the guy to have in there. Plus Bochy sees these guys before game during game and his coaching staff looks at stats and then goes with who they feel will give them the best opportunity to win. Bochy is getting him..Nate at bats, Nate needs to do more with the at bats.
PS, by me asking you what experience you have is a valid question…why didnt you answer it? Furhtermore I guess you are the guy that slept at a Holiday Inn last night…get a clue. Go have open bypass surgery from some writer or critic and see how that works out, um experience matters…..Those that can DO, those that cant teach…or write.
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Nate’s been slumping for a good while now, that’s for sure. But did you realize you’re taking the time to comment on something that was written over a month ago?
I wrote this the day Schierholtz was eligible to come off the DL, after Randy Winn went 0-for-4 against the Dodgers to take his OBP to .316 and his SLG to .365. Schierholtz was at .322/.425 on Aug. 11, and he’s also signed for next year. Contrast that with Winn, who won’t be with the team next year (well, hopefully anyway) and obviously isn’t about to have some sort of resurgence this year.
I know Bochy has his strong points, but his biggest weakness is how important it is to him to curry favor with the veterans — which is why I wrote this in the post above:
“I’ve been one of those guys who’s been OK with Bochy from day one. The guy’s been saddled with one of the worst offenses in baseball for years, but as retread managers go he’s one of the better ones. But the idea that Aurilia couldn’t have been sacrificed for a far superior player today (in fact, Aurilia even got another at-bat tonight) because Winn would somehow recapture past glory against Wolf was beyond ridiculous.”
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Oh, and your statement….I’m of the opinion that the softness of the Bay Area media is in part responsible for the mediocrity we’ve been watching over the past 5+ years.
Are you serious? You think by posting something on the web or printing BS in the press this will get the Giants going???
After some of your comments I am surprised I am even commenting back, I am dealing with someone who has never played any sports and you shouldnt even have a web site to post on!
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You got me. I’m not a professional athlete. After high school, my sports career consisted of intramural and work league basketball and softball, with a lifetime winning percentage hovering around .500.
And I’m pretty sure my resume wouldn’t even get a look from the Nationals; I’ve only managed Little League for three years (actually, they call it “coaching” in Little League, even if you have a mustache and wear a size 8.5 baseball cap). Whenever the parents are more difficult to deal with than the players, you know it isn’t exactly the kind of experience that prepares you to deal with Elijah Dukes.
The thing about teaching and writing, since you bring them up, is that one needs to go to school or at least gain relevant experience to perform either task properly. The world is littered with people who are extremely talented in one area of life, but at the same time would be dreadful teachers or writers.
Unfortunately, with the downfall of newspapers and the general malaise around here brought about by the surrounding natural beauty and the population’s addiction to political correctness, there aren’t enough good writers about anything these days, including sports.
I need to read what’s going on around me as much as I need to get up in the morning. I never assumed my words were being heeded or even read by the professional sports corporations around here, I just wanted to give another voice to fans like me, who like to read an experienced writer’s perspective on what they just saw — to relive it, analyze it, revel in it or just to get angry at the person writing about it.
The fact that I have a site to write on may bother you, but that’s fine. I sincerely appreciate that you came and decided to write some comments that made me think. I know the teams aren’t worried about what I’m saying (in fact, if they’re smart they know people like me who are insane and write every day about their teams only helps them at the gates and in the ratings); the only thing I can really hope to do as an independent writer is to connect with individual readers.
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I appreciate your post…I might have come across the wrong way in some of the words I chose about writers and fans saying they dont know anything, my posting where not intended that way, heck Im a fan! I just know Bochy does know what he is doing with a MLB Team. You where correct about I didnt fully realize the date originally posted/written as well, but I guess this shows Bochy might have had some vision on the two players as well….I dont want to see the Giants get rid of something good Bochy that is and in turn have to rebuild even more, they are not that far away from doing something special in my opinion. I know if they get another one or two pitchers and two more hitters they would be there…I guess thats easier said than done. I hope they give Boch a chance and let this team develop as championship teams need experience/veterans as a majority of the makeup and then they need timely players coming up during the season from the minor leagues, at least thats how I have seen it several times. I think we can agree on one thing….Giants are winning right now (a plus) and lets hope for the wild card, a long shot but the younger players can really use this….good luck with your site!
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