Comments and observations

[klaiggeb]

On the pregame show last night I think Ritchie Aurilia nailed it.

He said that Kapler was doing the same thing for us that he did in Philly: Over using the bullpen.

At least we aren't the ONLY ones seeing it.


I read Rodon's comments this morning about this team lacking fire, and I could not agree more!

He, too, nailed it!

I think that this proves what Reed said weeks ago, and what Holiday echoed yesterday: Kapler's stupid woke protest was and still is an issue.

Now I may be way out on a limb, but IF...IF I was a player on the team, THAT move alone would have shaken my belief and confidence in him.

It's an EASY thing to say that you can keep "his" politics separate from the game, but as the old saying goes, it's easier said than done.

I, for one, could not do it.

I would/could never interact with him the same again UNTIL he apologized and changed his position on this woke crap.

Which our latent hippy won't do.


I loved the Belt called out the hitters pre-game, too.

Not that it did any good, but at least SOMEONE is trying to shake some sense into these clowns!

Again, I could be wrong but it "looks" to me as if everyone is focused on the days off at the All Star Break.

[reedonly]

He wouldn't do that if we still had Mad Bum.

[klaiggeb]

You know...THAT would be something to see!

I was moved almost to tears when Bum came out draped in our flag.

It certainly influence me to begin wearing an American Flag pin in my shirt collar again.

When Biden got in, I felt so betrayed, so disgusted by, so angry with this country... the country for whom I would have given my life when I joined the Air Force in 1969, I stopped wearing the American Flag on the collar of my shirt; A flag in the collar that I had been wearing for almost 20 years!

I was so angry... so bitter...so infuriated not only that he won, but the way in which he won.

They never investigated the over 3,000 sworn affidavits that were written citing not just irregularities in the election process, but out right cheating. That still bothers me today.

But after watching Bum last night, I realized I was being petty.

I STILL love my country... I would still die for my country, but that love shouldn't and can't be swayed by what happens in an election fair or otherwise.

[reedonly]

Jul 5, 2022 16:43:10 GMT -5 klaiggeb said:

On the pregame show last night I think Ritchie Aurilia nailed it.

He said that Kapler was doing the same thing for us that he did in Philly: Over using the bullpen.

At least we aren't the ONLY ones seeing it.


I read Rodon's comments this morning about this team lacking fire, and I could not agree more!

He, too, nailed it!

I think that this proves what Reed said weeks ago, and what Holiday echoed yesterday: Kapler's stupid woke protest was and still is an issue.

Now I may be way out on a limb, but IF...IF I was a player on the team, THAT move alone would have shaken my belief and confidence in him.

It's an EASY thing to say that you can keep "his" politics separate from the game, but as the old saying goes, it's easier said than done.

I, for one, could not do it.

I would/could never interact with him the same again UNTIL he apologized and changed his position on this woke crap.

Which our latent hippy won't do.


I loved the Belt called out the hitters pre-game, too.

Not that it did any good, but at least SOMEONE is trying to shake some sense into these clowns!

Again, I could be wrong but it "looks" to me as if everyone is focused on the days off at the All Star Break.

Getting back to the discussion about the big club, it is getting less important what happens with the Giants on the major league level and more important to see the youngsters and minor leaguers do well.  I mean, it doesn't matter what Flores or anyone else over the age of 30 does at this point but its good to see them start to incorporate younger players, even if only because of injury and incompetence of the major league level.   The bad spell of this season may be a blessing in disguise because they will have to get rid of the non-performers and be forced to get younger.  

[klaiggeb]

Sorry to get off track there, Reed, but I was trying to show my opinion as to the validity of your statement that Kapler's actions effected the team.


As to this post, I agree; it could very well be a blessing (a well needed blessing) in disguise!

Although we sure saw the holes in Villar's game these last 2 days.

He's still learning 2B... and with only 11 games under his belt there, 13, now, I guess, that's understandable.

Love his swing, though. Quick and precise to the ball.

But, much like Matt Williams, breaking stuff is his bane right now.

Matty adjusted. Took him a while, but he adjusted. Like to see the same from Villar.

[reedonly]

Villar did not play second much in Sacramento. He was mainly a corner infielder.

I'm starting to get excited not so much for the 2022 season. The 2022 season is toast, in my opinion. However, We see Villar replacing Walton. Bart will be replacing the injured Casali, Gonzalez should be coming back soon. The team will get younger and more athletic, mostly because of injuries to the older players. I look at it this way: Outside of deSclafani and the kids, most of the team will probably be gone. Some of these guys I really like such as Yaz and Wade Jr I'm not too sure about because Yaz will be 34 and Wade Jr will be 30 in 2024 (meaning they will probably regress from where they are at now). That is why the big club is almost irrelevant now, what happens in Sacramento and the rest of the system becomes more important.

[klaiggeb]

Jul 6, 2022 15:44:51 GMT -5 reedonly said:

Villar did not play second much in Sacramento. He was mainly a corner infielder.

I'm starting to get excited not so much for the 2022 season. The 2022 season is toast, in my opinion. However, We see Villar replacing Walton. Bart will be replacing the injured Casali, Gonzalez should be coming back soon. The team will get younger and more athletic, mostly because of injuries to the older players. I look at it this way: Outside of deSclafani and the kids, most of the team will probably be gone. Some of these guys I really like such as Yaz and Wade Jr I'm not too sure about because Yaz will be 34 and Wade Jr will be 30 in 2024 (meaning they will probably regress from where they are at now). That is why the big club is almost irrelevant now, what happens in Sacramento and the rest of the system becomes more important.

You make some really good points, Reed, but Villar isn't replacing Walton. Walton is already gone.

At the moment isn't Villar in Thairo's place? I think he is, and when Thairo, who is clearly the more polished defender of the two, comes back, I'm guessing they send Villar back down.

I haven't seen him play 3B, but likely he's a better corner defender.

Sure like his bat speed through the zone, and, as Pence said, he's got a nice swing path!

Like you, I have been one of the few who have been saying that this team needs to get faster and more athletic. Gonzalez gives us that, and though I haven't seen Villar run much, he is one HECK of a lot quicker than Flores, or Longo.

What I'm hoping for is similar to what you're saying:

At the All Star Break, or sooner, we move some older guys as I've been saying.

Wade can run fairly well, too, so I wouldn't mind an infield of Villar at 3B, Crawford at SS, Thairo at 2B and Belt at 1st...But honestly, his days with us have to be numbered, too.

In the OF I would like to see Pederson in LF, as he is now, Gonzalez or yaz/Slater in CF and Wade in RF.

The hole for me is this; I don't think Gonzalez is a CF. That gives us one player too many, and 1 CF short IF Yaz is moved.

[reedonly]

Boly: At the moment isn't Villar in Thairo's place? I think he is, and when Thairo, who is clearly the more polished defender of the two, comes back, I'm guessing they send Villar back down.

I would prefer to use a true second baseman while Thairo is out. Diaz seems to be a better choice than having to suffer with Walton again.

[reedonly]

Boly: The hole for me is this; I don't think Gonzalez is a CF. That gives us one player too many, and 1 CF short IF Yaz is moved.

Brisbee:

Defense-only rankings for Giants CF

1. Bryce Johnson (video-based evidence)
2. Austin Slater
3. Mike Yastrzemski
4. Heliot Ramos
5. Luis González
6. Joc Pederson
7. LaMonte Wade Jr.

[klaiggeb]

Jul 7, 2022 15:23:41 GMT -5 reedonly said:

Boly: The hole for me is this; I don't think Gonzalez is a CF. That gives us one player too many, and 1 CF short IF Yaz is moved.

Brisbee:

Defense-only rankings for Giants CF

1. Bryce Johnson (video-based evidence)
2. Austin Slater
3. Mike Yastrzemski
4. Heliot Ramos
5. Luis González
6. Joc Pederson
7. LaMonte Wade Jr.

That surprises me.

Krukow has said, and said it more than once, that Gonzalez struggles on certain plays in the outfield.

I've seen it on balls hit hard and right at him.

But if he can play out there, Great!

He certainly has the range and speed for it, not to mention the arm.

[reedonly]

Boly: Which our latent hippy won't do.

He's no hippie. He's more of an arrogant hipster.

[reedonly]

Boly: On the pregame show last night I think Ritchie Aurilia nailed it.

He said that Kapler was doing the same thing for us that he did in Philly: Over using the bullpen.

At least we aren't the ONLY ones seeing it.

They just DFA'd Jake McGee. Thanks Kap.

[klaiggeb]

I know he's not a hippie, that's why I called him a Latin hippie.

DFAing McGee I did not see coming.

Perhaps this is what we've been waiting for, them clearing out some of the Dead wood.

I'm hoping our general manager sees the changes have to be made, and waiting any longer seems senseless

[reedonly]

I did not see the DFA of McGee coming either. I think McGee got a raw deal because he was probably injured from overuse last season and he couldn't get back to what he was this season.

[reedonly]

Boly: I know he's not a hippie, that's why I called him a Latin hippie.

You want to know what's cringeworthy? Read his wikipedia entry and read his kaplifestyle.com. It will make you cringe....over and over again.

[klaiggeb]

Jul 9, 2022 18:56:37 GMT -5 reedonly said:

Boly: I know he's not a hippie, that's why I called him a Latin hippie.

You want to know what's cringeworthy? Read his wikipedia entry and read his kaplifestyle.com. It will make you cringe....over and over again.

Ehhhhhh, I think I'll pass on that one.

Haven't 'blown chunks/prayed to the Ivory Idol/Barked at the ants' for a number of years.

Don't want to open up THAT can again by reading his left winged progressive woke nonsense.

But thanks anyway, Reed.

[reedonly]

To be honest, you might think all you think about him is true, it's worse than you could have ever imagined.

[klaiggeb]

Holy crap!...isn't THAT a plesant thought!

[Islandboagie]

What I don't get is why they play someone almost exclusively at the corners in the minors then call him up and start him at second.

Bruce Bochy was always known as the manager who put players in the best situation for them to succeed, Kapler seems to be the opposite.

[klaiggeb]

My understanding was that they had been playing Villar at second base sort of anticipating the move like this.

Then again, I'm almost to the point of trying to stop figuring out what Kapler and Company are doing

[reedonly]

Jul 10, 2022 9:00:34 GMT -5 klaiggeb said:

What I understood was that Villar is a corner infielder and was a second baseman in a handful of games with Sac before he got called up. If they are trying to force him to be the next Max Muncy to break into the majors, it is not a good idea.

[klaiggeb]

Jul 10, 2022 16:02:05 GMT -5 reedonly said:

Jul 10, 2022 9:00:34 GMT -5 klaiggeb said:

Holy crap!...isn't THAT a plesant thought!

What I understood was that Villar is a corner infielder and was a second baseman in a handful of games with Sac before he got called up. If they are trying to force him to be the next Max Muncy to break into the majors, it is not a good idea.

Either that or they're looking ahead trying to FIND a way to make sure he's always on the field.

I know right now, I'd rather see him struggle than the veteran, Longoria.

[reedonly]

Longoria is on the IL with an strained obligue

[reedonly]

Jul 5, 2022 16:43:10 GMT -5 klaiggeb said:

On the pregame show last night I think Ritchie Aurilia nailed it.

He said that Kapler was doing the same thing for us that he did in Philly: Over using the bullpen.

At least we aren't the ONLY ones seeing it.


I read Rodon's comments this morning about this team lacking fire, and I could not agree more!

He, too, nailed it!

I think that this proves what Reed said weeks ago, and what Holiday echoed yesterday: Kapler's stupid woke protest was and still is an issue.

Now I may be way out on a limb, but IF...IF I was a player on the team, THAT move alone would have shaken my belief and confidence in him.

It's an EASY thing to say that you can keep "his" politics separate from the game, but as the old saying goes, it's easier said than done.

I, for one, could not do it.

I would/could never interact with him the same again UNTIL he apologized and changed his position on this woke crap.

Which our latent hippy won't do.


I loved the Belt called out the hitters pre-game, too.

Not that it did any good, but at least SOMEONE is trying to shake some sense into these clowns!

Again, I could be wrong but it "looks" to me as if everyone is focused on the days off at the All Star Break.

since we tend to focus on the Giants and follow the team closely, I was concerned that my perspective was getting skewed.  This was an column published early June which seems to reflect what people think:

I’m not sure if anyone cares, but San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler isn’t taking the field for the national anthem anymore. Some people might. It pissed people off when quarterback Colin Kaepernick knelt during the national anthem several years ago. Some data suggested it resulted in a slight decline in TV ratings for the league. Kapler knelt for the anthem during the 2020 season over racial issues. Now, he’s not participating in the national anthem because of America’s gun violence problem.



I don’t give a shit what he does. The last time I cared about Kapler was when he was a member of the Boston Red Sox in the mid-2000s. He was a mediocre backup outfielder on some great teams. As someone who’s not a Giants fan, it doesn’t bother me if he costs the Giants money. However, what’s clear is this is a pointless endeavor that won’t change anything. Which politician does he expect to change their opinion on guns because he’s not standing for the anthem? Or which politician who doesn’t support gun control does he think will lose an election because of his actions? California liberals with their out-of-state donations couldn’t get Beto O’Rourke elected the last two times he ran for office in Texas. Why will this time be any different?



I say this as someone who isn’t conservative when it comes to guns but is generally socially conservative. I don’t think teachers should have guns in the classroom—because that would likely result in more mass shootings and sexual abuse. My home state of Massachusetts has some gun laws that I’m fine with (universal background checks, an assault weapons ban, minimum age of 21 to purchase certain guns, and red flag laws). If gun control advocates want to push for those things and voluntary gun buybacks, fine.



Yet, being weird about the national anthem does nothing to address society’s problems. It causes division, making the country’s social cohesion slightly worse. And when it comes from the guy who didn’t tell the police when he heard about a 17-year-old girl assaulted at his team’s hotel a few years back, it’s hollow. Much of the league’s so-called activism is for show. The league that tolerates domestic violence, takes billions in public subsidies to build taxpayer-funded stadiums that make the rich richer while deliberately pushing booze and gambling advertising onto the masses (including children)—while refusing to pay minor leaguers even the federal minimum wage—wants Americans to know that it gives a damn about you. It wants you to know that Black Lives Matter (an obvious statement).



The New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays care so much about gun violence that instead of tweeting about one of their games last week, they tweeted gun violence statistics—because the team (Yankees) with Aroldis Chapman on it cares about gun violence. It’s not like he fired eight bullets in a domestic dispute to terrify his girlfriend or anything. The situation reads like bad satire.




The deal for me is that the job he was hired for was to be a manager and in a clubhouse environment, it can be tight but it also can be easily upset.  There was a item in his wikipedia entry that mentioned that when Kapler was on the Red Sox, they did a straw poll of political parties, 24 were Republican and guess who was the lone Democrat.  So, for the 2022 Giants, I can only make a guess at the ratio but I think its at least 50-50 with slightly more Republicans.  As such, Kapler probably upset at least half of the clubhouse.   There were similar pieces written about Kapler in 2020 when he was kneeling for the anthem and a good portion recognized him as a a virtue sgnaller or worse.  For me, he can do what he wants on his off-hours.  When what he does affects the job he was hired for, then I have a problem.   If he has upset longtime Giants fans, I have a problem.  

[klaiggeb]

Jul 10, 2022 16:31:37 GMT -5 reedonly said:

Longoria is on the IL with an strained obligue

I understand. But even if he was healthy, I'd prefer to see Villar out there.

The youth with which we've infused the team lately is up lifting.

Estrada, Gonzalez, Mercedes, Villar. And other than Mercedes 2 run very well, and Villar above average.

We need that.

[klaiggeb]

Jul 11, 2022 8:24:56 GMT -5 reedonly said:

Jul 5, 2022 16:43:10 GMT -5 klaiggeb said:

On the pregame show last night I think Ritchie Aurilia nailed it.

He said that Kapler was doing the same thing for us that he did in Philly: Over using the bullpen.

At least we aren't the ONLY ones seeing it.


I read Rodon's comments this morning about this team lacking fire, and I could not agree more!

He, too, nailed it!

I think that this proves what Reed said weeks ago, and what Holiday echoed yesterday: Kapler's stupid woke protest was and still is an issue.

Now I may be way out on a limb, but IF...IF I was a player on the team, THAT move alone would have shaken my belief and confidence in him.

It's an EASY thing to say that you can keep "his" politics separate from the game, but as the old saying goes, it's easier said than done.

I, for one, could not do it.

I would/could never interact with him the same again UNTIL he apologized and changed his position on this woke crap.

Which our latent hippy won't do.


I loved the Belt called out the hitters pre-game, too.

Not that it did any good, but at least SOMEONE is trying to shake some sense into these clowns!

Again, I could be wrong but it "looks" to me as if everyone is focused on the days off at the All Star Break.

since we tend to focus on the Giants and follow the team closely, I was concerned that my perspective was getting skewed.  This was an column published early June which seems to reflect what people think:

I’m not sure if anyone cares, but San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler isn’t taking the field for the national anthem anymore. Some people might. It pissed people off when quarterback Colin Kaepernick knelt during the national anthem several years ago. Some data suggested it resulted in a slight decline in TV ratings for the league. Kapler knelt for the anthem during the 2020 season over racial issues. Now, he’s not participating in the national anthem because of America’s gun violence problem.



I don’t give a shit what he does. The last time I cared about Kapler was when he was a member of the Boston Red Sox in the mid-2000s. He was a mediocre backup outfielder on some great teams. As someone who’s not a Giants fan, it doesn’t bother me if he costs the Giants money. However, what’s clear is this is a pointless endeavor that won’t change anything. Which politician does he expect to change their opinion on guns because he’s not standing for the anthem? Or which politician who doesn’t support gun control does he think will lose an election because of his actions? California liberals with their out-of-state donations couldn’t get Beto O’Rourke elected the last two times he ran for office in Texas. Why will this time be any different?



I say this as someone who isn’t conservative when it comes to guns but is generally socially conservative. I don’t think teachers should have guns in the classroom—because that would likely result in more mass shootings and sexual abuse. My home state of Massachusetts has some gun laws that I’m fine with (universal background checks, an assault weapons ban, minimum age of 21 to purchase certain guns, and red flag laws). If gun control advocates want to push for those things and voluntary gun buybacks, fine.



Yet, being weird about the national anthem does nothing to address society’s problems. It causes division, making the country’s social cohesion slightly worse. And when it comes from the guy who didn’t tell the police when he heard about a 17-year-old girl assaulted at his team’s hotel a few years back, it’s hollow. Much of the league’s so-called activism is for show. The league that tolerates domestic violence, takes billions in public subsidies to build taxpayer-funded stadiums that make the rich richer while deliberately pushing booze and gambling advertising onto the masses (including children)—while refusing to pay minor leaguers even the federal minimum wage—wants Americans to know that it gives a damn about you. It wants you to know that Black Lives Matter (an obvious statement).



The New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays care so much about gun violence that instead of tweeting about one of their games last week, they tweeted gun violence statistics—because the team (Yankees) with Aroldis Chapman on it cares about gun violence. It’s not like he fired eight bullets in a domestic dispute to terrify his girlfriend or anything. The situation reads like bad satire.




The deal for me is that the job he was hired for was to be a manager and in a clubhouse environment, it can be tight but it also can be easily upset.  There was a item in his wikipedia entry that mentioned that when Kapler was on the Red Sox, they did a straw poll of political parties, 24 were Republican and guess who was the lone Democrat.  So, for the 2022 Giants, I can only make a guess at the ratio but I think its at least 50-50 with slightly more Republicans.  As such, Kapler probably upset at least half of the clubhouse.   There were similar pieces written about Kapler in 2020 when he was kneeling for the anthem and a good portion recognized him as a a virtue sgnaller or worse.  For me, he can do what he wants on his off-hours.  When what he does affects the job he was hired for, then I have a problem.   If he has upset longtime Giants fans, I have a problem.  

Reed: What a great piece you posted! I also liked the comments from the article you published. I'm guessing, based upon the s_ _ t word that it was a blog and not written by a sports writer.

Not that I care because his points were right on the freaking money!

Thank you so much for posting it!

[Islandboagie]

Maybe 50/50 Republicans and Democrats, but even then I would guess that even a few of the Democrats aren't really impressed by disrespecting the flag. Players from other countries probably respect the flag of their home country and think Kapler's protest was misguided. What I do know is I saw a video of a Logan Webb interview in which he made no comment on whether or not he felt Kapler was doing a good job managing the pitching staff. You could tell he was holding back frustration.

[reedonly]

In this case, it doesn't matter if you are Democrat or Republican. The Republican players are probably ticked off because he disrespected the flag. The Democrats might even be more annoyed with him because he disrespects the flag and it continues to be a shallow, embarrassing, and futile gesture. Maybe Jaylen Brown was impressed by him but I think most people are sensing insincerity.

[klaiggeb]

Jul 11, 2022 9:50:23 GMT -5 Islandboagie said:

Maybe 50/50 Republicans and Democrats, but even then I would guess that even a few of the Democrats aren't really impressed by disrespecting the flag. Players from other countries probably respect the flag of their home country and think Kapler's protest was misguided. What I do know is I saw a video of a Logan Webb interview in which he made no comment on whether or not he felt Kapler was doing a good job managing the pitching staff. You could tell he was holding back frustration.

Wish I had seen that interview, boagie.

I have to believe that Webb's opinion is in the majority.


But I go back to what I said in a previous thread; mismanaging his pitching staff is what he did in Philly.

For someone who claims he's 'learned' from his past mistakes...well, he fooled me.

[reedonly]

Jul 11, 2022 9:50:23 GMT -5 Islandboagie said:

Maybe 50/50 Republicans and Democrats, but even then I would guess that even a few of the Democrats aren't really impressed by disrespecting the flag. Players from other countries probably respect the flag of their home country and think Kapler's protest was misguided. What I do know is I saw a video of a Logan Webb interview in which he made no comment on whether or not he felt Kapler was doing a good job managing the pitching staff. You could tell he was holding back frustration.

I think if anyone who had hung around Kapler for any length of time would probably see Kapler's pattern of saying a lot of things and not really doing anything substantive.  Kapler got his photo-ops and that probably was the main thing.