Baseball Lifer

I’ve been procrastinating on the “it can’t get any worse than this” writeup, so I might as well do it now in the hopes that it finally ends the grueling losing streak.

This team can play the greatest baseball, ever, but as soon as they have just one tough loss, they collapse and go into a tailspin. It happened after a tough late loss in Denver on May 18; it happened after the Braves scored three to beat the Giants in the bottom of the ninth on June 22; and it’s happening again, just as I knew it would after the tough loss to the Dodgers on Thursday to kick off the second half.

The Giants now look completely lifeless, and look to be giving little effort on the field, as they fall from 10 games over .500, just over a month ago, to under .500 for the first time this season. As the Great Vinnie Cestone would say, THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!!!!!

GAMEBALL:

Luis Gonzalez

Through the misery of getting spanked in an airplane hanger, there has been one bright spot; and it is that Luis Gonzalez is finally swinging the bat again. His liner down the line to break up Merrill Kelly’s perfecto on Monday sparked something, as he laid down a bunt hit later that game, and had two more hits last night. Gonzalez has been a great story, and things like that can help a clubhouse in trying times. Just saying.

TIP OF THE CAP:

Wilmer: Put a nice swing on the ball to tie the game with a two-run shot to the Diamondbacks’ bullpen out in left in the third.

Carlos Rodon: It was pretty bad that he kicked his bat onto Thairo Estrada’s leg, but at least he’s showing that he gives a shit by way he’s acting, and he was very remorseful for what he did to Thairo.

Hidden in all of this was that he struck out 10.

Thairo: Right after he was hit in the leg by the bat Rodon kicked, Thairo got plunked on the triceps by Luke Weaver to start the sixth. Hang in there, kid.

Brandon Belt: He did have a two-hit game, and got the RBI double in the sixth that teased me into believing the team had a shot to come back.

JOKER:

Kap

What this losing streak also is is failed leadership. I’m not saying we need to fire Kap, and I am more than happy to let him serve out the remaining two-plus years of his contract; but let’s be honest, his managing has been nothing short of atrocious this season.

You only start your all-star outfielder ONCE in a four-game series? You bring in Sammy Long in a crucial spot in the bottom of the eighth inning of a tied game against the best team in the National League? You can’t even get tossed out of a game, or do anything to fire this team up? C’MON, DO SOMETHING, GABE!!!!!

Gabe, here’s how ya get tossed. If you’re in a situation with an umpire—yelling about balls and strikes from the bench, protecting a player, or arguing a weird call—say the word “YOU” with an expletive mixed in; that should do the trick. Raise your voice how many decibels it takes, and let all the shit off your chest. Put on a good show for us fans and your players, and get our emotions and our adrenaline pumping to the point where your guys are determined to go out and win no matter what it takes. Sure, you’ll have to miss the rest of the game, but your whiskey, ribeye and coconut oil will all be waiting for you in your office, and you can sit back, relax and watch your team start a winning streak. LET’S GO!!!

SMACK OF THE STICK:

Austin Slater: The Giants are trailing 2-0 in the third. Luis Gonzalez starts off the inning with a base-hit, and Slater’s up in a great situation to get on base and set the table, but instead, he tried to hit one to Flagstaff, and flew out all over himself. That’s bad baseball, plain and simple.

Carlos Rodon: At least you showed some emotion, but it still wasn’t cool kicking your bat on Thairo.

Thairo: I get it, you took a couple of beatings, but you couldn’t be bothered to dive for a ground ball that was less than 10 feet to your left?

Brandon Belt: Dude, the ball was right there next to the bag, how the fuck do you miss that???

Yunior Marte: Yikes. That’s all I can say.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

For the first time this season, I am legitimately starting to believe that this may not be the Giants’ year. Despite going 11-22 in their last 33 games, and falling under .500 to 48-49, the Giants are still only two and a half games out of a playoff spot, thanks to the new bullshit third wild card spot. We would be six out if we did the right thing, and kept the Playoffs as is; and we’d be 10 out with our season essentially over if we still had the very-old one-wild card format.

Still, I’m not giving up on this team. They’ve played like a championship-caliber ball club plenty of times this season, and there’s no reason why they can’t again. However, at this point, the Giants need to do what they should’ve done at the start of the season: CALL UP THE KIDS.

I predicted the Giants to win the National League West at 97-65, and win the whole thing this year, because I thought we’d see the kids playing a big part. I get it, Heliot Ramos is hitting .221 down in Sacramento, but maybe if you give him a shot and show him that you have confidence in him, instead of leaving him to rot in the minors, he might do something. Give Willie Calhoun a shot, and see what he’s made of. Hell, give Jhonny Pereda a chance. The guy is no Buster Posey, but he’s certainly an upgrade over Austin Wynns. Even though Sean Hjelle has flopped out in Sacramento, call him up. He could probably make a spot start or two, which will allow the bullpen to get some rest if they need it. Just get some young blood in there. That could get things going.

Another thing, Farhan cannot stand pat at the deadline next week. Honestly, the Giants should buy and sell. I was unfortunately wrong about LaMonte this season, and he may sadly turn out to be a one-year wonder. Darin Ruf and Yermin Mercedes are essentially the same hitter. See what you can get for two of those guys, and at the same time, make some minor additions, like a Ramon Laureano, and see what he can do.

I’m not giving up on this team. They have it in them to win it all THIS SEASON, but if they’re going to make a run, then something needs to be done in the next week, or else this will become a long shot at best.

Stephen