Yesterday's game was a totally forgettable affair, with the Giants getting clobbered by a split-squad Brewers team 21-2. The Giants couldn't hit, field or pitch. That combination is usually not good. I quit keeping score in the top of the 4th and I quit taking photos shortly thereafter. I spent the rest of the afternoon and evening trying to see if I could drink as many beers and drinks as the Brewers could score runs. I came pretty close.The Brewers are going to score some runs this year. Their offense is for real. With the 14 runs they scored off the A's yesterday......this gives them 35 runs in the last 2 days. Not bad. Young thirdbaseman Ryan Braun is a stud and has now hit 3 HRs in 2 games. He hit a grand slam AND a 3 run homer against the A's yesterday. The Giants were able to hold him to just 1 HR and 1 RBI. I saw him play in the Arizona Fall League and he was one best hitters in a league that is just stocked with hitting talent. So far this spring he has picked up right where he left off in the AFL.
Matt Cain started the game and went 2 innings giving up 5 runs on 4 hits and a walk while tallying 2 strikeouts. He deserved a better fate than 5 earned runs. Cain had a 1-2-3 first inning. After giving up a lead off single in the second, he struck out the next batter. Then the next batter hit a lazy fly ball to Barry Bonds. Bonds struggled to find the ball in the sun and it bounced off his glove for a double. In Bonds' defense, LF is a terrible sun field in Scottsdale, but I scored it as an error, while the official scorekeeper called it a double. Cain got the next batter to pop up to Omar Vizquel. The inning should have been over right there, with no runs scored. From that point, Cain gave up a single, a walk and a HR before finishing the inning with a fly ball to RF. Bonds also had trouble on the second single of the inning. He barely moved on a soft liner that fell maybe 10 feet in front of him. I assume he had problems with the sun again.
Ryan Meaux pitched the 3rd inning and could only get 1 out, while giving up a 6 spot. Billy Sadler had to bail him out of the inning. Billy came in and struck out Yohannis Perez, walked Ryan Braun and struckout Bill Hall to end the inning. Brad Hennessey was next and he gave up another 5 spot. One of Brad's runs was unearned. Kevin Frandsen fielded a groundball at SS and flipped it to Eugenio Velez to start a double play. Velez attempted an "Omar" and tried to catch the ball with his bare hand. He didn't need to, it was a good feed, but he tried it anyway. The ball bounced off his bare hand and everyone was safe. Eric Threets had to come in and get the 3rd out of Hennessey's second inning of work.
Hennessey did not look good at all. Of course, neither did any of the other Giants pitchers. Steve Kline was the only pitcher to not allow a baserunner and he was the only pitcher who pitched a full inning that didn't give up a run. Ugly stuff......very ugly.
The Giants did have 10 hits.......no one got more than one. Steve Holm had the only extra base hit, with a double in his only AB. Dave Roberts, Omar Vizquel and Ray Durham were the only regulars with basehits.
Not the best of games. BUT.....it doesn't count. The Giants play the Brewers again today, this time at Maryvale Park. I wonder how many runs the Brewers will score today? I will try and post a few photos from yesterday's game. My wife needs the computer for work right now. I'm not sure I will have time before leaving for Maryvale.
Ryan Meaux pitched the 3rd inning and could only get 1 out, while giving up a 6 spot. Billy Sadler had to bail him out of the inning. Billy came in and struck out Yohannis Perez, walked Ryan Braun and struckout Bill Hall to end the inning. Brad Hennessey was next and he gave up another 5 spot. One of Brad's runs was unearned. Kevin Frandsen fielded a groundball at SS and flipped it to Eugenio Velez to start a double play. Velez attempted an "Omar" and tried to catch the ball with his bare hand. He didn't need to, it was a good feed, but he tried it anyway. The ball bounced off his bare hand and everyone was safe. Eric Threets had to come in and get the 3rd out of Hennessey's second inning of work.
Hennessey did not look good at all. Of course, neither did any of the other Giants pitchers. Steve Kline was the only pitcher to not allow a baserunner and he was the only pitcher who pitched a full inning that didn't give up a run. Ugly stuff......very ugly.
The Giants did have 10 hits.......no one got more than one. Steve Holm had the only extra base hit, with a double in his only AB. Dave Roberts, Omar Vizquel and Ray Durham were the only regulars with basehits.
Not the best of games. BUT.....it doesn't count. The Giants play the Brewers again today, this time at Maryvale Park. I wonder how many runs the Brewers will score today? I will try and post a few photos from yesterday's game. My wife needs the computer for work right now. I'm not sure I will have time before leaving for Maryvale.
5 comments:
1. No wind.......no excuses.
2. Good question. They certainly weren't very energetic (of course who would be when you are down by so much so early). Hard to say if some symptoms are hanging on. Didn't keep them from looking a lot better Thursday though.
GFan9, How are Barry's knees and elbow from what you can tell?
Hank - Great to get your daily reports. Had to shrug off Friday's game with the old Yogi quote: "Good pitching will always beat good hitting; and vice versa".
Was listening to the Internetcast while working and Greenwald & Co. kept talking about the Giant pitcher "Moe", who couldn't seem to get anyone out (I was hoping they might bring in Larry or Curly to save the day). Thanks to your report, I now know it was Ryan *Meaux* ... mystery solved.
Hopefully we're done with the football scores. Sure wish I was down there, but we'll have to wait 'til April 3 to get together. Keep up the good work!
charley....I have seen no signs at all that Barry is favoring his knees or his elbow. No limping, good bat speed. He looks healthy.
Hey Sherm.......thanks. See you April 3rd.
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