jim jividen: 06/01/2017

June 30 - Top 5 Moments in San Francisco Giants History

Friday, June 30, 2017

What is this all about?

Yesterday

Here are the top 5 June 30 Moments in San Francisco Giants History

1982 home vs. Reds, we're 11.5 out of first as June ends but looking for a 3 game sweep of the Reds, 4300 paid for this four hour weekday night game at the Stick - number of actual bodies in attendance at game's end you'd readily be able to count. We were down 6-5 in the ninth with 2 out when Milt May tied the game with a run scoring double off of Jim Kern. We signed May before the '80 season and made him our starting catcher and he was good, had a 118 OPS+ in '81, this is his last season as the primary catcher, when Brenly takes over in '83 we'll trade him to the Pirates, where he began his career.

Walk off 1982 home vs. Reds, same game, 6-6 with 2 out in the 12th, Duane Kuiper at the plate - Johnnie LeMaster scores the winning run on a Charlie Liebrandt wild pitch. It's Kuiper's first year with the Giants and the best year with the bat of his career with a 101 OPS+. We got Kuiper from the Indians in the offseason for Ed Whitson, he was a backup second baseman until '85 when he played just 9 games. Through the 2016 season, Kuiper remains an iconic Giants broadcaster.

1991 at San Diego, we're a dozen out and playing a 3 and a half hour game at Jack Murphy, we get them in 10, Will Clark breaks a 7-7 tie with a single off Craig Lefferts to score Willie McGee with what turns out to be the winning run. Will led all of baseball with 303 total bases in '91 and finished 4th in the MVP race. It's his 3rd best Giants season.

Walk off 1995 home vs Padres, we're 2.5 out, we walked off the Rockies in our previous game, down 6-4 with an out in the 9th - Barry Bonds hits a 3 run homer off Trevor Hoffman to send everyone home. Barry's second homer of the game, he went 4-5. Barry had a 1.069 lifetime OPS in 24 plate appearances against Hoffman this is one of the 2 homers he hit against him. 10 career walk off homers for Bonds, this is his third - and his first one as a Giant. It's also his only career walk off when his club was behind by more than 1 run, in fact, this is his only Giants walk off homer with the team behind. There you go.

1997 at Seattle, this is game 81, at the midpoint of the season and we've got a 4.5 game lead, the Mariners also came into this one in first, up 5.5 in the AL West - over 40,000 paid for a Monday night showdown in the Kingdome, 6-6 in the 10th, Glenallen Hill singles home Jeff Kent off of Bobby Ayala, we'd win the game 8-6. Hill had a 91 OPS+ in '91, other than '93 that's the worst full season mark of his career. He's going to join these Mariners in '98.

See you tomorrow. Go Giants!

Top 200 NFL Players of 2017

Thursday, June 29, 2017

Back again - the NFL Network Top 100 poll results from the players are first, my list of 200 is second.

100. Joey Bosa DE Chargers
99. Malcolm Butler CB Patriots
98. Adrian Peterson RB Saints
97. David DeCastro G Steelers
96. Damon Harrison DT Giants
95. Kelechi Osemele G Raiders
94. Dont'a Hightower LB Patriots
93. Brandon Graham DE Eagles
92. Everson Griffen DE Vikings
91. Lorenzo Alexander LB Bills

90. Malcolm Jenkins S Eagles
89. Thomas Davis LB Panthers
88. Doug Baldwin WR Seahawks
87. Travis Frederick C Cowboys
86. Jurrell Casey DT Titans
85. Chandler Jones DE Cards
84. Mike Daniels DT Packers
83. Calais Campbell DE Jags
82. Clay Matthews LB Packers
81. Alex Smith QB Chiefs

80. LeGarrette Blount RB Eagles
79. Sean Lee LB Cowboys
78. Brian Arakpo LB Titans
77. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix S Packers
76. Justin Houston LB Chiefs
75. Delanie Walker TE Titans
74. Harrison Smith S Vikings
73. Philip Rivers QB Chargers
72. Taylor Lewan T Titans
71. Julian Edelman WR Patriots

70. Kirk Cousins QB Redskins
69. Jay Ajayi RB Dolphins
68. Geno Atkins DT Bengals
67. Greg Olsen TE Panthers
66. Xavier Rhodes CB Vikings
65. Jordan Reed TE Redskins
64. Casey Hayward CB Chargers
63. Chris Harris CB Broncos
62. Cameron Wake DE Dolphins
61. TY Hilton WR Colts

60. Dez Bryant WR Cowboys
59. Josh Norman CB Redskins
58. Zack Martin G Cowboys
57. Jameis Winston QB Bucs
56. Cliff Avril DE Seahawks
55. Ndamukong Suh DT Dolphins
54. Janois Jenkins CB Giants
53. Amari Cooper WR Raiders
52. Gerald McCoy DT Bucs
51. Andrew Luck QB Colts

50. Marcus Mariota QB Titans
49. Jadeveon Clowney DE Titans
48. Jordy Nelson WR Packers
47. Trent Williams T Redskins
46. Michael Bennett DE Seahawks
45. Larry Fitzgerald WR Cardinals
44. Cam Newton QB Panthers
43. Marshal Yanda G Ravens
42. Jarvis Landry WR Dolphins
41. Deonte Freeman RB Falcons

40. Vic Beasley LB Falcons
39. Bobby Wagner LB Seahawks
38. Fletcher Cox DT Eagles
37. Aqib Talib CB Broncos
36. Tyreek Hill WR Chiefs
35. JJ Watt DE Houston
34. Kam Chancellor S Sea
33. DeMarco Murray RB Hou
32. Marcus Peters CB KC
31. Matthew Stafford QB Det

30. Earl Thomas S Sea
29. Mike Evans WR TB
28 Landon Collins S NYG
27. LeSean McCoy RB Buff
26. Travis Kelce TE KC
25. Joe Thomas T Cle
24. Russell Wilson QB Sea
23. Rob Gronkowski TE NE
22. Ben Roethlisberger QB Put
21. Richard Sherman CB Sea

20. Luke Kuechly LB Carol
19. Patrick Peterson CB Ari
18. Tyron Smith T Dall
17. AJ Green WR Cin
16. Drew Brees QB NO
15. Aaron Donald DT LAR
14. Dak Prescott QB Dall
13. Eric Berry S KC
12. David Johnson RB Ari
11. Derek Carr QB Oak

10. Matt Ryan QB Atl
9. Le'Veon Bell RB Pit
8. Odell Beckham WR NYG
7. Ezekial Elliott RB Dall
6. Aaron Rodgers WB GB

5. Khalil Mack DE Oak
4. Antonio Brown WR Pit
3. Julio Jones WR Atl
2. Von Miller LB Den
1. Tom Brady QB NE

Jividen List

1. A.Rodgers QB GB

2. T. Brady QB NE

3. A.Donald DE LAR

4. K.Mack DE Oak

5. V.Miller OLB Den

6. JJ Watt DE Hou
7. L.Kuechly ILB Carol
8. J.Jones WR Atl
9. A.Brown WR Pit

10. R.Gronkowski TE NE
11. L.Bell RB Pit
12. C.Harris CB Den
13. T.Williams T Wash

14. AJ Green WR Cin

15. O.Beckham NYG WR

16. M.Ryan QB Atl
17. M.Evans WR TB
18. M.Yanda G Balt
19. A.Whitworth T LAR

20. C.Campbell DE Jax
21. R.Wilson QB Sea
22. J.Thomas T Cle
23. E.Thomas Sea S
24. A.Luck QB Ind
25. T.Smith T Dall
26. N.Suh DT Mia

27. B.Graham DE Phi

28. M.Bennett DE Sea
29. B.Wagner ILB Sea
30. K.Chancellor S Sea
31. D.Johnson RB Ari

32. P.Peterson CB Ari

33. R.Sherman CB Sea

34. E.Weddle S Balt

35. D.Carr QB Oak

36. G.McCoy DT TB

37. G.Atkins DT Cin

38. L.McCoy RB Buff

39. E.Elliott RB Dall
40. C.Jordan DE NO

41. J.Bosa LAC DE

42. C.Wake DE Mia

43. T.Frederick C Dall
44. M.Butler CB NE
45. G.Olsen TE Carol

46. L.Williams DE NYJ

47. J.Ajayi RB Mia

48. M.Gordon RB LAC

49. D.Brees QB NO
50. C.Newton QB Carol

51. D.Bakhtiari T GB
52. C.Hayward CB LAC
53. J.Freeman ILB Chi
54. C.Jones DE Ari
55. L.Collins S NYG

56. A.Talib CB Den
57. Z.Martin G Dall
58. K.Osemele G Oak
59. G.Jackson G Oak
60. J.Sitton G Chi

61. M.Dareus DT Buff

62. D.Harrison DT NYG
63. D.Johnson ILB KC

64 D.McCourty S NE
65. D. Rodgers-Cromartie CB NYG
66. S.Lee OLB Dall

67. E.Berry S KC
68. D.Penn T Oak

69. T.Armstead T NO

70. J.Howard RB Chi
71. D.Freeman RB Atl
72. E.Sanders WR Den
73. M.Stafford QB Det
74. D.Bryant WR Dall
75. A.Mack C Atl

76. B.Grimes CB TB
77. J.Nelson WR GB
78. T.Kelce TE KC

79. B.Roethlisberger QB Pit

80. D.Hopkins WR Hou

81. J.Casey DE Ten
82. K.Short DT Carol
83. D.Hightower OLB NE
84. S.Richardson OLB NYJ
85. J.Clowney DE Hou
86. K.Cousins QB Wash
87. M.Peters CB KC
88. D.Brown T Hou
89. C.Glenn T Buff

90. J.Landry WR Mia

91. TY Hilton WR Ind

92. A.Cooper WR Oak

93. D.Baldwin WR Sea

94. L.Fitzgerald WR Ari
95. J.Houston OLB KC
96. L.Joseph DT Min
97. D.DeCastro G Pitt

98. J.Ramsey CB Jax

99. M.Paradis C Den

100. D.Prescott QB Dall

101. R.Tannehill QB Mia
102. D.Walker TE Ten
103. AJ Bouye CB Jax
104. T.Mathieu S Ari
105. J.Veldheer T Ari
106. J.Peters T Phi
107. R.Incognito G Buff
108. M.Thomas WR NO
109. J.Pierre-Paul DE NYG
110. Z.Strief T NO
111. T.Lewan T Ten

112. J.Staley T SF

113. A.Smith QB KC

114. E.Griffen DE Min

115. V.Burfict OLB Cin

116. J.Harrison OLB Pitt
117. B.Marshall ILB Den

118. N.Bowman ILB SF

119. CJ Mosley ILB Balt

120. M.Ingram OLB LAC

121. M.Pouncey C Pit

122. R.Hudson C Oak

123. M.Daniels DE GB

124. B.Irvin OLB Oak

125. O.Vernon DE NYG

126. C.Johnson DE Carol

127. C.Dunlap DE Cin

128. A.Dalton QB Cin

129. C.Palmer QB Ari
130. KJ Wright OLB Sea

131. H.Smith S Min

132. M.Jenkins S Phi

133. R.Nelson S Oak

134. R.Jones S Mia

135. T.Eifert TE Cin

136. B.Bulaga T GB

137. M.Gilbert T Pitt

138. M.Jackson DT Jax

139. K.Williams DT Buff

140. J.Norman CB Wash

141. B.Maxwell CB Mia

142. S.Smith CB Oak
143. P.Rivers QB LAC

144. HH Clinton-Dix GB S

145. M.Burnett GB S

146. P.Garcon WR SF

147. S.Diggs WR Min

148. D.Parker WR Mia
149. T.Decker Det T
150. B.Orakpo OLB Ten

151. S.Bradford QB Min
152. L.Johnson T Phi
153. R.Ayers DE TB

154. J.Reed TE Wash

155. J.Graham TE Sea

156. C.Jones DE KC
157. M.Mariota QB Tenn

158. J.Winston QB TB

159. R.Kerrigan OLB Wash

160. N.Perry DE GB

161. W.Hayes DE Mia

162. D.Dotson T TB

163. M.Bennett TE GB

164. R.Stanley T Balt

165. N.Solder T NE

166. J.Conklin T Ten

167. D.Shelton DT Cle
168. A.Robinson WR Jax

169. Z.Miller TE Chi

170. M.Lynch RB Oak

171. B.Brooks G Phil

172. TJ Lang G Det

173. J.Berger G Min

174. E.Kendricks ILB Min

175. J.Hicks ILB Phi

176. B.McKinney ILB Hou

177. D.Trevathan ILB Hou
178. A.Gates TE LAC

179. K.Zeitler G Cle

180. R.Foster G Pit

181. L.Warford G NO

182. X.Rhodes CB Min

183. L.Ryan CB Tenn

184. O.Scandrick CB Dall

185. D.Slay CB Det

186. J.Jenkins CB NYG

187. J.Mewhort G Ind

188. R.Kalil C Carol

189. F.Clark DE Sea

190. S.Thompson OLB Carol

191. G.Quin S Det

192. J.Cyprien S Ten

193. M.Adams S Carol

194. L.Webb S Balt

195. M.Unger C NO

196. N.Martin C Hou

197. B.Jones C Ten

198. R.Kelly C Ind

199. J.Flacco QB Balt

200. T.Taylor QB Buff

Halfway Home - 2017 San Francisco Giants

The WAR number is B-Ref+Davenport, here's where the San Francisco Giants stand 81 games into the 2017 season.

C Buster Posey 3.05 OPS+153
1B Brandon Belt 1.7 108
2B Joe Panik .65 97
SS Brandon Crawford -.2 75
3B Eduardo Nunez .45 96
LF Austin Slater .5 132
CF Denard Span .15 104
RF Hunter Pence -.7 79

OF Gorkys Hernandez -.7 63
IF Christian Arroyo -.7 46
C Nick Hundley -.3 78

P Johnny Cueto 1.85 ERA+ 99
P Jeff Samardzija 1.35 90
P Matt Moore -.4 69
P Matt Cain .55 76
P Ty Blach 1.1 90

RP Mark Melancon .25 97
RP Cody Gearrin 1.4 211
RP George Kontos 1 148
RP Hunter Strickland 1.1 187

June 29 - Top 5 Moments in San Francisco Giants History

What is this all about?

Yesterday

Here are the the top 5 June 29 moments in San Francisco Giants history.

1959 at Dodgers, the second San Francisco team nears the mid way point of the season, 2 games out of first place and starting a series in LA against a Dodger team standing in between them and the first place Braves, this one goes 4 hours, Jim Davenport leads off the 13th with a homer off of Stan Williams to put us up 5-4, we'd win the game 6-4. 13 Giants seasons, 1501 games, never played for any other team. This was a particularly bad year with the bat for Davenport, he got 509 plate appearances and had a 74 OPS+.

1961 at Philadephia, in the middle of a 5 game series with the Phillies, the night before we played a five hour 15 inning game that ended in a tie, we're 4 games out of first playing a Thursday doubleheader, this one also goes extra innings - Willie Mays leads off the 10th with a homer off Frank Sullivan to put us up 8-7 and that will be the final score. Mays hit 3 in this one, career homers 297-99. He'll hit #300 at Wrigley in less than a week.

Walk off 1962 home vs. Phillies, we're 24 games over .500, but incredibly, half a game out of first place for this one, it goes a dozen innings and Billy O'Dell pitches every one of them, Ed Bailey ends it in the bottom of the 12th with a homer off of Jack Baldschun. We got Bailey from the Reds (he once threw out Mays trying to steal 3 times in one game) the year before for Bob Schmidt and Don Blasingame, an in season starting catcher swap. Bailey came in hitting, a 121 OPS+ in '62 and then a 167 OPS+ in '63. Coming off that '63 season we moved him to the Braves in the Felipe Alou deal. We got him back a year later in a deal for the winning pitcher from this game, O'Dell - and then traded him again, just a couple of months into the '65 season to the Cubs.

1973 at Houston, we're 11 over but 5.5 games out of first, trailing 3-1 in the 7th when Bobby Bonds hits a pinch grand slam off Jim Ray to put us up 5-3, we'd tack on 9 in the 9th and win it 14-3. It's Bobby's 2nd of 7 career slams, his first was his first ever homer, five years before almost to the day, against the Dodgers.

Walk off 1980 home vs. Dodgers, we walked off LA the day before in a 3 and a half hour game and this is the first half of a Sunday doubleheader, with 2 out and a 3-3 score in the bottom of the 9th, Willie McCovey wins the game with a pinch hit double to right-center off Bobby Castillo to score Rennie Stennett. It's the last great moment of his career, McCovey had already announced his reitrement and would play his last game a week later.

See you tomorrow. Go Giants!

June 28 - Top 5 Moments in San Francisco Giants History

Wednesday, June 28, 2017

What is this all about?

Yesterday

Here are the top 5 June 28 moments in San Francisco Giants history.

1968 home vs Reds, 6.5 out of first, down 3-2 with 2 out in the 7th, Jim Ray Hart hits a 2 run homer off of Tony Cloninger. We'll win it 4-3. This is the last year of 5 where Hart gets all of the third base at bats, he splits the job next year with Jim Davenport.

Walk off 1970 home vs. Braves, 16.5 games out of first place, first half of a doubleheader, 4-4 in the bottom of the 10th, Al Gallagher ends it with a 2 run homer off Bob Priddy to give us the win. Gallagher came up through the system, he was our top pick in '65, this is his rookie year, he split time at third with Jim Ray Hart, with the club until early '73 when we moved him to the Angels for Bruce Miller. That did it for Gallagher, he didn't play a big league game after '73.

1973 at Dodgers, we're 14 games over but still 6 behind the first place Dodgers, sold out Saturday night in LA, Jim Barr throws a complete game 4 hitter to beat Don Sutton, the big moment coming in the first inning when Willie McCovey doubles home the only run we'd need on our way to a 5-0 shutout win. In baseball, particularly in decades past, it was super common for players to be drafted more than once - drafted, say, out of high school, but decide to go to college instead and then get drafted again. The Giants drafted Barry Bonds, for example, in '82, but he went to Arizona St instead and 3 years later was taken by the Pirates. Jim Barr got drafted 5 times from '66-70 before signing with the Giants, the 6th team to select him, he got a cup of coffee in '71, was starting before the '72 season ended and was fully a member of the rotation beginning here in '73. He'd stay in our rotation until leaving as a free agent after the '78 season. Like Knepper or Speier or Aurilia, we brought him back for the end of his career, he pitched for us in both '82 and '83.

Walk off 1980 home vs. Dodgers, 70 games in, a dozen out of first, 3-3 with two out in the 11th, Terry Whitfield singles home the winning run off of Rick Sutcliffe. This is the last year before Whitfield goes to Japan - he returns in '84 with the Dodgers, for whom he plays 3 seasons until the end of his career.

Walk off 1984 home vs. Pirates, still 90 games to go in the season but we're 16 out of first place, we scored 14 the day before against the Reds and now play a 3 hour weekday night game against Pittsburgh, in the bottom of the 11th, the score tied at 3, Steve Nicosia doubles home Joel Youngblood off of Don Robinson to win the game. Nicosia was a career Pirate (backup catcher on the We Are Family team in '79) until the year prior, when we got him for Milt May in mid August, He's our backup catcher this year, leaves following the season and finishes his career in '85. Robinson was also a career Pirate who was also on that World Champion team in '79, and he will move to the Giants in '87.

See you tomorrow. Go Giants!

June 27 - Top 5 Moments in San Francisco Giants History

Tuesday, June 27, 2017

What is this all about?

Yesterday

Here are the top 5 June 27 moments in San Francisco Giants history.

Walk off 1972 home vs. Braves, we're 17 games out but have won 3 straight, only 5000 paid on a Tuesday night, it's 2-2 in the 10th (Orlando Cepeda drew a walk in the 9th for Atlanta, got taken down for a pinch runner, and that's who scored the tying run) Bobby Bonds led it off with the game winner off of Cecil Upshaw. Bonds hit seven walk off homers in his career, this was his second, the first was two months prior.

1992 at San Diego, we'd lost 4 straight and were 9.5 games out, 3-3 in the top of the 10th, Kevin Bass hits a 2 run homer off Randy Myers. That's it. We win it 5-3. Bass had fewer than 40 games left as a Giant, we gave him to the Mets before the end of the season.

2002 home vs. Padres, 4.5 out, we walked them off in 12 the day before, it's 5-5 with two out in the 6th, Jeff Kent doubles home 3 off of Jason Middlebrook. We're gonna win it 11-6. I've got Kent as a Hall of Famer as the 13th best second baseman who ever lived. Two days before was the Bonds/Kent dugout fight.

2012 home vs. Dodgers, just a few games from the halfway point of the season and we are 1 game behind the first place Dodgers and hosting them on a Wednesday afternoon, looking for the 3 game sweep that would move us into a tie for first, scoreless with 2 out in the 3rd, Melky Cabrera doubles home Tim Lincecum for the only run we would need, we'd win this one 3-0. We shut the Dodgers out in each game of the 3 game series for the first time since the move west. Lincecum was not good to this point in the season, he came in 2-8 with an ERA over 6, but he only gave up 4 hits and struck out 8 in 7 shutout innings in this big game. This was the year it ended for Lincecum, he had a 127 ERA+ the year before and that was sliced nearly in half, to a 68 in 2012.

2015 home vs. Rockies, 2 games out of first as we near the halfway mark, unlike three seasons prior, Lincecum didn't get out of the 2nd inning after taking a line drive off the pitching arm, we're down 5-4 in the 7th with the bases loaded - Andrew Susac doubles everybody home off of Rafael Betancourt, that's it - we win it 7-5. We drafted Susac in the second round in 2011, he came up for portions of the 2014 season and then this year, but stuck behind Posey we traded him to Milwaukee for Will Smith in a deadline deal in 2016.

See you tomorrow. Go Giants!

June 26 - Top 5 Moments in San Francisco Giants History

Monday, June 26, 2017

What is this all about?

Yesterday

Here are the top 5 June 26 moments in San Francisco Giants history.

1976 at Los Angeles, we're 15.5 back, so the season is over, 2-2 in the 9th inning, Gary Matthews leads off with a homer off of Doug Rau, we're gonna win this one 4-2. It's Matthews' best year with the bat as a Giant and, because we can't have nice things, his last year as a Giant. He signs as a free agent with the Braves. Matthews was our LF from '73-'76, the starter before him - Ken Henderson, the starter after, Darrell Evans.

Walk off 1979 home vs. Braves, 90 games left in the season, 8.5 off the lead, Darrell Evans leads off the bottom of the 9th with a homer off Gene Garber to win the game 6-5. It's year 4 of 8 for Evans in San Francisco after coming over from the Braves, his second year as the starting third baseman. It's Evans's 4th career walk off but the only one he'd ever hit as a Giant.

1991 at Los Angeles, we're 30-41 but have won 6 straight including a walk off against the Cubs 3 days prior, we're trying for a quick 2 game sweep in Dodger Stadium, it's 2-2 with 2 out in the 11th, Kevin Mitchell (the opposite of Evans, Mitch was our third baseman, became our left fielder) hits what turns out to be the game winning homer off of Tim Crews. Mitch is nearing the end of his 5 year Giants run, in the offseason we send him to Seattle in a 5 player deal, the biggest of which headed back our way is Billy Swift.

2002 home vs. Padres, 9 games over .500 and 4.5 games back, we're down 5-4 in the 9th with 2 out and 2 strikes when Shawon Dunston singles home Marvin Benard off of Trevor Hoffman. We'd go on to win the game in 12. It's Dunston's last year in the bigs, he has fewer than 40 regular season games left in his 18 year career.

Walk off 2016 home vs. Phillies - we're 20 over .500 with a 7 game lead, it's 7-7 in the bottom of the 9th, Conor Gillaspie doubles home the winning run off of Severino Gonzalez and we win it 8-7. We drafted Gillaspie 37th overall in '08 (the same year we took Posey 5th) he got in 8 games before the end of the year as a 20 year old, but only played in another 21 big league games until leaving the organization after 2012 (we sent him to the White Sox for a non prospect). He came back in 2016 and had his best Giants season, a 100 OPS+ and 1 WAR.

See you tomorrow. Go Giants!

June 25 - Top 5 Moments in San Francisco Giants History

Sunday, June 25, 2017

What is this all about?

Yesterday

Here are the top 5 June 25 moments in San Francisco Giants history.

1961 at St Louis, we're 9 games over .500 and 4 out of first, this is game 1 of a Sunday doubleheader at Busch, we're down 4-3 in the 9th, but had 2 on with nobody out, Harvey Kuenn's attempted bunt got muffed by Bill White, he was safe and Chuck Hiller scored the tying run. We'd go on to win 6-4. White, was a Giant, signed in '53, up in '56, came over with the franchise from New York, but he was a first baseman - and with Cepeda and then McCovey coming up right behind him there wasn't a ton of room, we dealt him to the Cards with Ray Jablonski for Sam Jones before the '59 season.

1976 at Dodgers, 15.5 games out, but we had just taken 3 from the Padres and are opening up 3 in Los Angeles, complete games by both Ed Halicki and Burt Hooten in this sub 2 hour game, 2 on with 2 out in the top of the 9th, Chris Speier singles home Derrel Thomas to give us the one run lead.

1976 at Dodgers, same game, the Dodgers loaded the bases in the bottom of the 9th, trailing 1-0, Ed Halicki still on the mound, the Dodgers pinch hit Manny Mota - Halicki strikes him out to end the ballgame. Solid enough season for Halicki in '76, 100 ERA+, worth a couple of WAR, his big year comes next year - Halicki in '77 has just shy of a half dozen WAR, it's right about the 60th best season any starting pitcher ever had in franchise history.

1987 home vs. Reds, we just lost in extras the day before, trying to avoid a 3 game sweep, we're dead at .500, 35-35, and now trail the first place Reds by 4.5 games. We're down 6-5 in the bottom of the 9th, Joel Youngblood doubles home Bob Brenly off of Frank Williams to tie the score, we go on to win 7-6. Youngblood was 35 in '87, in his second to last San Francisco season - back in '84 he was the starer at third, but now he's a pinch hitter, near the end of his career - he signs with the Reds in '89 and that's where he finishes.

Walk off 2007 home vs. Padres, we're 11 out but had walked off the Mets in extras two days before and were in the 11th here, 2 on, 2 out, Pedro Feliz singles home the winning run off of Justin Hampson - Feliz was a Giant for 8 seasons, this is the last one, he just couldn't get on base, he had a .288 OBP in 3000 plate appearances. He signs with the Phillies after the season.

See you tomorrow. Go Giants!

June 24 - Top 5 Moments in San Francisco Giants History

Saturday, June 24, 2017

What is this all about?

Yesterday

Top 5 Moments in June 24 San Francisco Giants history.

1972 at San Diego, now this is a bad team, we're 22-45, last in the west, 18 games out of first place, 4-4 in the 11th, bases loaded, a Chris Speier single off Ed Acosta, plus a Padres error scores everybody and we win it 7-4. Speier's 22, it's his second year in the bigs, he's the starting shortstop for the Giants and he hits the ball, a 115 OPS+ backed up with terrific defense, it's a 7+WAR season for Speier making this year, right here, the single best season for any shortstop in the history of the organization.

1982 at Houston, we're 11.5 out, 3-3 in the tenth, Jack Clark homers off of Phil Niekro. That's gonna do it, we'll win 4-3. Home run 118 for Clark.

1989 at San Diego, we've won 6 straight, taking us to 16 over .500 with a 4 game lead in the West, just for the heck of it, go check June 22, 1988 before you continue with this game, I'll wait......okay, we're down 1-0 in the 8th, but there are 2 on, Mark Davis facing Will Clark - he triples both men home, we add a third run and win it 3-1. Will finished second behind Mitchell in the NL MVP race, the first time in Giants history teammates had gone 1-2. 11 years later it would be Kent-Bonds who would accomplish that feat.

2002 at San Diego, 9 games over .500 and 4.5 out, 6-6 in the 9th inning, and that only happened because back in the 7th Barry Bonds hit a game tying 3 run homer - he's up again to lead off the 9th - and he does it again, homering off Trevor Hoffman. We win it 7-6. Barry's best year with the bat, a 268 OPS+, it's his 5th MVP Award, he's worth eleven and a half WAR for his second best ever season. Homers 590-591 on the day for Bonds. He's a month and a half away from 600.

Walk off 2006 home vs. A's - we're 3 games out, down 7-5 in the bottom of the 9th, the first two men get on base and then Ray Durham hits a 3 run homer to win the game. Barry hit #719 in this one. Let's talk walk off homers with a 2 run deficit. Wagner in '59, Dietz in '71, Bonds the elder in '73, Reggie Smith in '82, then one we haven't seen yet in '82 (no spoilers), Youngblood in '84, Gladden in '85, another one in '85 from later in the season, Will Clark from two days ago in '86, there's one in '95 and then there's this one - so it had been 11 years since the Giants overcame a 2 run deficit with a walk off home run. Durham did 6 years as the Giants starting second baseman, he came over as a free agent from the A's, before the '03 season and we moved him to the Brewers at the deadline in '08 for Darren Ford. That turned out to be the last season of Durham's career. Durham was good here, 127 OPS+, three and a half wins, it's his second best San Francisco season.

See you tomorrow. Go Giants!

June 23 - Top 5 Moments in San Francisco Giants History

Friday, June 23, 2017

What is this all about?

Yesterday

Here are the top 5 June 23 moments in San Francisco Giants history.

1971 home vs. Cubs, we've won 6 straight have a 7.5 game lead and are 22 over .500, we are steamrolling through 1971. Despite that, only 12,000 paid for this Wednesday afternoon, Juan Marichal and Milt Pappas each throw complete games, 2-2 in the 8th, Ken Henderson leads off with a home run and we win up winning 5-2. It's Henderson's best Giants season, 127 OPS+, just shy of 4 WAR, the 32nd best season for a LF in franchise history. Rick Wise hit two homers and no hit the Reds for the Phillies on this same day.

Walk off 1991 home vs. Cubs, it's turn back the clock day, we're 14 out so the season is over, but we're looking for a 4 game sweep of the Cubs, 1-1 in the 9th (it took a Will Clark triple to tie the game) bases loaded, Mike Felder bunt singles down the first base line to score Matt Williams to end the game. It's Felder's first of two years as our 4th OF, he signed as a free agent prior to the season and would leave as one after '92.

Walk off 2003 home vs. Dodgers, we're 74 games into the season in a flat tie for first place with the Dodgers and about the start a showdown series. The first game goes 11 innings, with one out and a man on, Benito Santiago singles home Barry Bonds (who had just stolen his 500th career base, starting the 500/500 club) off of Eric Gagne to win the game. It's Santiago's third and final season in San Francisco and also the last year of his career he starts behind the plate. He signs with the Royals in the offseason and 2005 is his last year in the bigs.

Walk off 2007 home vs Yankees, we've lost 8 straight games and are 11.5 out, it took a 4 and a half our game to break that losing streak, with 2 out in the bottom of the 13th, Nate Schierholtz singles home Ryan Klesko off of Scott Proctor to win the game. Nate's 23, this is his 8th big league game. It's his 10th hit.

2012 at Oakland, we're 3 games out of first place, we're up 9-8 in the bottom of the 9th but the A's have the bases loaded with 2 out, Clay Hensley gets Jamile Weeks to pop to second to end the game. It's Hensley's only year in San Francisco (he was not particularly effective in 50 innings pitched) and his last season in the bigs, Brandon Moss was playing first for the A's, he committed 3 errors in the 6th, the first first baseman to do that since Jack Clark playing for the Cards in '87.

See you tomorrow. Go Giants!

June 22 - Top 5 Moments in San Francisco Giants History

Thursday, June 22, 2017

What is this all about?

Yesterday

Here are the top 5 June 22 moments in San Francisco Giants history.

1958 at Philadelphia, 3 games out of first in our inaugural season, we've got a doubleheader on a Sunday at Connie Mack, it's 4-4 in the 14th when Willie Kirkland homers off Ray Semproch and that holds up for the 5-4 win. To that point it was the longest game in San Francisco history. Kirkland fell off a cliff after his first season with the Indians (we traded him after the '60 season). He was an annual 3 win player, always with an OPS+ over 100, but from '62 forward he was replacement level.

1964 at Cincinnati, 11 over .500, 2 games out, headed to Crosley for a 4 game series, we're down 2-1 in the 6th, Willie McCovey hits a grand slam off of John Tsitouris, we win it 6-2. McCovey hit 18 grand slams in his career, this was number 2. It's his only career grand slam as a left fielder.

1968 at Pittsburgh, we're 7 games out, up 1-0 in the top of the 5th, Willie McCovey hit a 3 run homer off Bob Moose to put us up 4-0. We'd win the game 10-3. McCovey leads the majors with a 174 OPS+ in '68 and finishes third in the MVP vote. Stretch is worth six and a half wins above replacement and it's the 15th best season for a first baseman in franchise history.

Walk off 1988 home vs. Padres, we're 6.5 out of first after losing the first two games of the series, we're down 7-5 in the bottom of the 9th, bases loaded with two out - Mark Davis (12 for 12 in save opportunties on the year) has a full count on Will Clark - who doubles everybody home to win the game 8-7, he had a total of 7 RBI. Will's 24 years old, had a 160 OPS+ and was worth seven and a half wins above replacement - it's his second best Giants season and the 8th best season for any first baseman in franchise history.

2012 at Oakland, 4.5 back and starting a series across the Bay in front of a sold out Coliseum, we're down 3-1 in the 9th, Brandon Belt doubles home the tying runs off of Ryan Cook. We go on to win 5-4. Belt was drafted in '09, came up in '11 and took over first base this year. Through 2016 Belt kept that job and entered 2017 as the 27th greatest San Francisco Giant of all time.

See you tomorrow. Go Giants!

jim jividen

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