kudos

[allenreed]

Don't know if it's been done, but have to congratulate whomever was behind the Morse and Hudson signings. I liked Huddy, but I had my doubts about Morse, his health in particular. So far, he's gone beyond anything I hoped for, and Huddy has been our best and most consistent pitcher. Gutierrez has pitched well also.

[Rog]

Both the Hudson and Morse signings are among the best in baseball thus far. With Hudson, it was just a question of whether he could return at 38 from a bad injury. I was initially disappointed with the Morse signing, given that it would cost Blanco's glove, but then I remembered I had actually wanted the Giants to sign Morse the PREVIOUS winter. Without injury, that might have been a good signing then, but it certainly has been now.



Gutierrez was a nice find, as has Colvin been thus far. David Huff hasn't been bad for a guy some didn't understand why the Giants had even signed. That's four pretty decent new players on a team that was best known over the winter for re-signing its own players (Pence, Lincecum, Vogelsong and arbitration eligibles.



I guess when we see how well these newcomers have fared, we have an insight into why the Giants are faring so well. Clearly the margin between winning and losing is small, and the Giants have usually been on the right side of the equation this year.



The good-time stories abound, and perhaps the one I most like is that Ryan Vogelsong -- given up for dead here a month ago -- has bounced back so strongly. Some wondered why he was re-signed, but few remember how for a year and three-quarters he was about as good as any starter in the majors.



Entering play today, the Giants' starters had a combined 3.53. The relievers were at 2.26. Hitting-wise, the Giants were among the very best teams in two-out hitting. It would seem all those areas improved today.



Let's ask this question: If we had known that Tim Lincecum wouldn't be bouncing back, both Hudson and Cain would have missed starts due to injury, Scutaro wouldn't have played game, Brandon Belt would be out for a long time with injury, and Pablo and Buster would both be having sub-par years, how many of us would have thought the Giants would be leading the majors in wins?



I have to admit, that one would have gotten past me.

[allenreed]

What's the story on Buster? Is he playing through an injury or something? He's taking some awfully bad at bats. Being in SD and only hearing the home broadcasts, I'm missing out on some of the every day minutiae.

[klaiggeb]

Allen--What's the story on Buster? Is he playing through an injury or something? He's taking some awfully bad at bats. Being in SD and only hearing the home broadcasts, I'm missing out on some of the every day minutiae.

---boly says---

Allen, Bochy says that Posey is healthy and just fine. That his timing is off.

We've watched Buster for the better parts of what, almost 4 years now? And I've never, EVER seen him look THIS BAD for THIS LONG.

On the broadcast yesterday they said he's got too much motion in the lower half of his body.

So I watched closely. I'll submit to their knowledge being better than mine, and that they have so much film to watch.

But honestly? I didn't see it.

Doesn't mean it's not there, I just didn't see it.


At the plate almost EVERY pitch seems to surprise him, Allen. It's truely wierd.

And when he does swing, I don't see the same "attack the ball" stroke that we've grown accustomed to.

He frequently looks off balance, and flat out, out of sync.


If I had to guess, I'd say he still has some discomfort in his lower back.

But as I say, that's just a guess.

boly

[allenreed]

He's chasing so many pitches low and away, and has nothing behind his swing. Didn't he miss some time with a bad back? Looks like it's still there to me.

[Rog]

Buster has experienced a weird season. You know those who talk about Buster's strong mechanics and how they should prevent a long slump? They don't know what the heck they're talking about. Buster is actually a streak hitter. So was Willie Mays, so it's not the end of the world. So are almost all hitters, actually.

Buster has actually had four different seasons already this year.

In the first week and a half, he was hitting .351 with three homers.

Then came a 3 for 36 drought.

No problem though, since he then raised his average from .219 to .306 in 2+ weeks.

But, oh wait. Here comes 4 for 35, and now he's back down to .264.

As I mentioned, already four very different seasons in one -- and the season isn't yet two months old!

Right now Buster can't hit a breaking ball for the life of him. He's just not recognizing it. Back in September of 2008, we read here that the way to pitch to Buster was fastballs in, breaking balls away. Huge surprise, right?

And that's the way he's been pitched most of his career. But right now they're simply throwing him breaking balls with the occasional fastball just to keep him honest. I don't know what the reason is (maybe when he steps back out of the bucket, he's turning his head inward too much and seeing the ball too much with the left eye and not enough with the right?), but whatever the reason, he's just not picking up the breaking ball.

Could it be related to his back? Certainly could be. When he's making contact, he's not driving the ball. I wish I knew what the issue is, but I'll bet if the Giants face a right-handed pitcher today, he'll get a day off. He's already been having too many off days.

[rxmeister]

I hope it's not the back, and they're certainly using him like they don't think it's hurt. You certainly wouldn't be putting the guy in the SQUAT, as Krukow would say, if his back was bad. He went through a slump earlier, then got hot and raised his average near .300 before slumping again. I'm thinking he's just struggling and will wake up just like the Panda has.

[klaiggeb]

Mark--I hope it's not the back, and they're certainly using him like they don't think it's hurt. You certainly wouldn't be putting the guy in the SQUAT, as Krukow would say, if his back was bad. He went through a slump earlier, then got hot and raised his average near .300 before slumping again. I'm thinking he's just struggling and will wake up just like the Panda has.

---boly says---

When I suggested he was still hurt, Mark, I wasn't implying that was REALLY hurting.

What I was suggesting is, that it's still nagging at him. As in, it's not 100%.

But, as Krukow pointed out yesterday, his swings were better.


Please remember what Rog and I noted a couple of weeks back; he seems to be CROUCHING much more than he used to.

Which is precisely what Krukow and Kuiper said yesterday; they wanted him to be a little more upright.

boly

[allenreed]

I didn't see any improvment. Still no power behind the swing. All he does now is flip outside pitches to right center.

Here's something. We all watch most of the games. Keeping it brief (Rog), as an opposing pitcher, take each Giant starter individually and explain how you would go about getting them out.

[klaiggeb]

Allen-Here's something. We all watch most of the games. Keeping it brief (Rog), as an opposing pitcher, take each Giant starter individually and explain how you would go about getting them out.

---boly says---

I've been pondering posting this question myself, and in many cases, the answer is easy;

Hicks, Pence and Morse only get "show me" fastballs; no strikes. I move them off the plate with hard stuff, and get them out A LOT with breaking stuff off the plate.

Sandoval-Up and in with hard stuff. Nothing down in the zone.

Crawford; running fastballs away

Colvin: Hard stuff, down and in

Pagan; Hard stuff on the hands, soft stuff away.

IMHO they way they are pitching our guys is more than borderline foolish... it is foolish.

As in someone(s) isn't/aren't paying attention

Then again, keep at it, guys!

We're hitting HRs and scoring a lot of runs

boly

[allenreed]

If you're gonna move Pence off the plate with fastballs, you better not miss. I'd throw him breaking balls down in the zone. He chases those right down into the dirt, taps them to third.

[klaiggeb]

Allen--If you're gonna move Pence off the plate with fastballs, you better not miss. I'd throw him breaking balls down in the zone. He chases those right down into the dirt, taps them to third.

---boly says--

Which is precisely what I said, Allen.

Drive him off the plate, and breaking ball him away.

Here's my quote "Hicks, PENCE and Morse only get "show me" fastballs; no strikes. I move them off the plate with hard stuff, and get them out A LOT with breaking stuff off the plate"

boly


Re

[Rog]

Allen -- Keeping it brief (Rog), as an opposing pitcher, take each Giant starter individually and explain how you would go about getting them out.

Rog -- Excellent question, Allen. Here are my thoughts.

Pagan -- Don't know.

Pence -- Don't worry too much about throwing strikes. Keep fastball out of the zone high and outside. Try to get him out with breaking balls outside the other extreme of the zone.

Posey -- Same way I felt 5 years and 8 months ago when I first saw him. The traditional -- fastballs up and in, secondary pitches low and away. I would make sure I got the first strike in and probably throw another fastball if I did so. Then go outside the zone up and in, and low and a way.

Sandoval -- Fastballs above the zone. Almost anything outside the zone when he's cold.

Morse -- Curve balls outside.

Colvin -- Fastballs above the zone and breaking balls at his back foot.

Crawford -- Don't know.

Hicks -- Don't know.


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