August 16 - Top 5 Moments in San Francisco Giants History

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Here are the top 5 August 16 moments in San Francisco Giants history.

1968 at Philadelphia, we're 15 out, tied at 5 with an out in the 9th, Ron Hunt doubles home 2 off of Gary Wagner, we win it 7-5.  Hunt came over from the Dodgers for Haller in the offseason, this was the first of 7 consecutive seasons in which he led the league in being hit by pitches.  In '71, with the Expos, he got hit 50 times.  That's the most since the 19th century and second most is 15 fewer.  No one is ever getting hit 50 times in a season again, even if a team filled with Stricklands pitches to a team filled with Harpers.

Walk off 1987 home vs. Dodgers, on the 5th we were 5 out, but guess what's happening now - we are tied for first place in mid August and hosting LA on a Sunday afternoon (Dravecky beat Fernando with a 4 hitter the day before, which is also pretty good). Mike LaCoss goes 10 innings like he's Marichal, gives up just 3 hits - it's scoreless (Welch was on the other side) with 2 out in the bottom of the 10th, Eddie Milner singles home the winning run off of Tim Leary.  The Reds drafted LaCoss in the third round in '74 out of high school in Visalia (Pete Vukovich and Rance Mulliniks were the best players from the round, we took Alan Wirth out of a Phoenix high school, he pitched 23 games for the A's in the late 70s). The Reds call up LaCoss 4 years later, and at age 22 he's in their rotation. They let him go after four seasons, and after stops in Houston and Kansas City, LaCoss signs with the Giants before the '86 season, he's with us 6 basically replacement level seasons (this is his best, with an ERA+ of 106) and ends his career with us in '91.



2001 home vs. Marlins, a game back in the west but we're up 1 in the wild card, we're looking for our 5th straight win, down 3-2 in the 8th, maybe you heard of him - Barry Bonds hits a 3 run bomb off of Vic Darensbourg and we win it 5-3. It's a 259 OPS+ for the 36 year old Bonds in the year he breaks the single season home run record.  He homered off AJ Burnett earlier in the game, numbers 52-3 on the season and 546-47 for his career.

2004 home vs. Expos, a month ago we were half a game out, 5 days ago it was 8.5, but we've won 4 straight and are 6.5 out of first in the west (and tied for the wild card) about to open 4 at home against Montreal.  5-5 in the 8th, Ricky Ledee pinch singles home the go ahead run off of Chad Cordero, we're gonna win this one 8-5. We got Ledee at the deadline from the Phillies for Felix Rodriguez; he played 34 games for the Giants, and was, to put it politely, as bad as a baseball player could be in those games, 6 hits in 53 at bats, an OPS+ of -7.  He'll be a Dodger next season and finish up with the Mets in '07.

2006 at San Diego, on July 22 we were in first place, we aren't anymore, we're 7.5 back (five out in the wild card) and needing to go on a run. We beat the Padres the night before, this one is a near 4 and a half hour Wednesday night, at 5-5 with 2 out in the 13th, Eliezer Alfonzo singles home the go ahead run off of Alan Embree.  Alfonzo was a 27 year old rookie who got most of the starts behind the plate in '06 as the end came for Mike Matheny. We got Bengie Molina in '07 and that pushed Alfonzo to the bench, Alfonzo signs with the Padres after the '08 season and finishes his career in Colorado in 2011.

See you tomorrow.  I'll be at the park today. Go Giants!

August 15 - Top 5 Moments in San Francisco Giants History.

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Here are the top 5 August 15 moments in San Francisco Giants history.

1964 home vs. Braves, we're in this one, 4 games out of first, hosting Milwaukee, we're up in the 9th, 8-7, but the Braves have the bases loaded with 1 out, Bob Shaw ends the game by getting Joe Torre to ground into a 6-3 DP to keep us just off the lead. Five years prior, a 26 year old Shaw finished third in the AL Cy Young race with the White Sox, he won 18 games and had a 141 ERA+.  This is his first season as a Giant and his first only coming out of the pen, we got him from these Braves in the offseason in the 6 player deal that sent Felipe Alou to the Braves.  Shaw's best Giants season is '65, he moves into the rotation and has a 137 ERA+. That's the last good year of his career, we send him to the Mets at midseason in '66 and he finishes as a Cub the following season.

1965 home vs. Phillies, we've lost 3 straight and are 3.5 out of first place, this is a Sunday afternoon at the Stick and we score 15 runs. We're down 4-1 in the third, Jim Ray Hart turns it around with a grand slam off of Ray Culp - we win it 15-9. It's Hart's first career grand slam, he's gonna hit two more, one next season and one in '68.

1993 at Chicago, so, here's weird, we've won 4 out of 5, but our lead has dropped from 9 to 7.5 in that span.  Must be a clerical error.  Anyway, we're 39 games over .500 so obviously all is well, 31 combined hits on a Sunday afternoon at Wrigley.  7-7 in the 11th, Barry Bonds hits his second homer of the day, this one off Randy Myers, and we win it 9-7. Barry Bonds had a 206 OPS+ in '93.

How many San Francisco Giants have had a 200 OPS+ (minimum 100 PA)

2004 Bonds 263
2003 Bonds 231
2002 Bonds 268
2001 Bonds 259
1993 Bonds 206
1969 McCovey 209

Walk off 2001 home vs. Marlins, 1 out in the west, half a game up in the wild card, this is game 120 on the season, Russ Ortiz goes 8 2/3, giving up just 5 hits - we only had 3, the final one sent everyone home, it was 1-1 in the bottom of the 9th, John Vander Wal doubled home Jeff Kent off of Vic Darensbourg to win the game.  Vander Wal had a 14 year big league career, most of which as a pinch hitter, backup OF/1B.  He was a Giant for 49 games, he came over at the deadline from the Pirates in the Jason Schmidt trade and had a dead even 100 OPS+ in 167 PA.  This was Vander Wal's 13th Giants game, he played a lot of RF for us down the stretch, at the end of the season, we sent him to the Yankees for Jay Witasick.

2013 at Washington, on July 20th we were 4 1/2 out (we're in it!) and now it's 17.5 (we're dead) on game 120, down 3-1 in the 9th, 2 on, 2 out, 2 strikes - and Hector Sanchez pinch hits a 3 run homer off of Rafael Soriano and we win the game 4-3.  After 5 years as our backup catcher (Giants OPS+ 75) he went to the White Sox and then the Padres.

See you tomorrow.  Go Giants!

3/4 Down - the 2017 MLB Season

120 games gone.  Last build - here are the projections.

AL East
1. Boston 91
2. NYY 86
3. Tampa
4. Baltimore
5. Toronto

AL Central
1. Cleveland 90
2. Minn 82
3. KC 81
4. Det
5. Chi

AL West
1. Hou 99
2. LAA 81
3. Sea
4. Tex
5. Oak

NL East
1. Wash 95
2. Miami 79
3. NYM
4. Atl
5. Phi

NL Central
1. Chicago 87
2. StL 85
3. Milwaukee 81
4. Pitt
5. Cin

NL West
1. LAD 110
2. Ariz 89
3. Col 88
4. SD
5. SFG 66-96

AL Top Players
C G.Sanchez NYY 2.7
1B J.Smoak Tor 3.5
2B J.Altuve Hou 5.95 - MVP
SS A.Simmons LAA 5.8
3B J.Ramirez Cle 3.7
LF J.Upton Det 4.4
CF M.Trout LAA 5.1
RF A.Judge NYY 5.6
DH N.Cruz Sea 3.1
SP C.Sale Bos 5.5 - Cy
SP C.Kluber Cle 4.7
RP C.Kimbrel Bos 3.4

C S.Perez KC 2.4
1B L.Morrison TB 3.1
2B J.Schoop Balt 3.8
SS C.Correa Hou 4.55
3B E.Longoria TB 3.25
LF M.Gonzalez Hou 3.55
CF G.Springer Hou 4.85
RF M.Betts Bos 4.85
DH E.Encarnacion 1.15
SP M.Stroman Tor 4.6
SP E.Santana Min 3.85
RP A.Miller Cle 2.65

NL Top Players
C B.Posey SFG 4.25
1B P.Goldschmidt Ari 6 - MVP
2B D.Murphy Wash 3.9
SS C.Seager LAD 4.8
3B A.Rendon Wash 4.7
LF C.Taylor LAD 4.5
CF C.Blackmon Col 4.6
RF G.Stanton Mia 5.45
SP M.Scherzer Wash 6.1 - Cy
SP J.DeGrom NYM 5.05
RP K.Jansen LAD 3.55    

C JT Realmuto Mia 3.55
1B J.Votto Cin 5.95
2B DJ Lemahieu Col 2.7
SS Z.Cozart Cin Cin 4.4
3B K.Bryant Chi 4.7
LF M.Ozuna Mia 4
CF E.Inciarte Atl 3.25
RF B.Harper Wash 4.5
SP G.Gonzalez Wash 4.95
SP C.Kershaw LAD 4.95
RP B.Hand SD 2.45

August 14 - Top 5 Moments in San Francisco Giants History

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Yesterday

Here are the top 5 August 14 moments in San Francisco Giants history.  All within 11 years.

1963 at Cincinnati,'63 was wild, we were in first place on June 24, 10 out on July 20, and now 4 out at game 119. 32 combined hits in this one, the big one coming at 6-6 in the 10th, Felipe Alou singles home Jim Davenport off Bill Henry, and we are gonna win it 7-6.  Through 2016, Felipe was the 42nd greatest San Francisco Giant of all time.

1968 at Pittsburgh, we're 14 games out, looking for our 5th straight win, Gaylord throws a 10 inning complete game, giving up just 3 hits, walking none and striking out 6.  It was 1-1 in the 10th, Willie McCovey drives in the eventual winning run with a single off of Ron Kline.  Through 2016, Gaylord's the 9th greatest San Francisco Giant of all time, holding off both Cain and Bumgarner with the second most San Francisco WAR for pitchers.

1970 at St Louis, we're 20.5 out and just lost the front half of a doubleheader, we're tied 4-4 in the 10th when Bobby Bonds doubles home the go ahead run off of Tom Hilgendorf.  We win it 5-4.  Through 2016 Bonds remains the 7th greatest San Francisco Giant of all time. He had more Giants WAR than Kent, Cepeda, and Jack Clark.

Walk off 1971 home vs. Mets, we were 9 up when the month started, it's less than 2 weeks later and the lead is cut to 4. A Dick Dietz 9th inning homer off Tug McGraw sent the game into extras - and in the 10th a Jimmy Rosario sac fly off of Charlie Williams won the game.  Rosario played 99 games with the Giants (and only 15 otherwise). He had 18 career RBI.

1974 at Philadelphia, we're 22.5 back, the season's over but we get one here, 4-4 with 2 out in the 9th, Bobby Bonds hits a 2 run shot off Jesus Herrnaiz and we win this one 6-4. Who won the Bonds for Murcer trade?  Bonds only spent a year as a Yankee but had a 5.6 WAR, Murcer had two years as a Giant with 4.4 WAR.

The Yankees then turned Bonds in Mickey Rivers and he had a ton of value, 13.15 WAR in 4 seasons.
We turned Murcer into Bill Madlock, who gave us about 40% of Rivers' WAR (Madlock became a bunch of pitchers, Rivers became Oscar Gamble)

See you tomorrow.  Go Giants!

August 13 - Top 5 Moments in San Francisco Giants History

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Yesterday


Here are the top 5 August 13 moments in San Francisco Giants history.

1968 at Pittsburgh, we've won 3 straight but are 15.5 out and starting a 13 game road trip. Juan Marichal wins his 21st game, throwing a complete game 2 hitter, all of our runs came with one swing of the bat, a 3 run Willie Mays homer off Bob Veale with 2 outs in the 8th that broke a scoreless tie. 325 innings pitched for Marichal in '68, he had one more elite year in '69 and then started his decline. With 60 WAR he's pretty easily the greatest San Francisco pitcher of all time, the conversation starts at who is second best.

1978 at Los Angeles, this is such a great season, the Giants are battling the Dodgers and Reds all year, after a doubleheader sweep of the Cards on May 14 we moved into the lead, for 3 months, all the way until August 11, we were  no worse than tied for first, but two days ago we fell a game out (and in third place) but we beat the Dodgers yesterday and are now tied for the lead.  This is our 8th game against the Dodgers in the last 10 days, we're trying to split them 4-4.  Sunday afternoon at a sold out Chavez Ravine, first place Dodgers - first place Giants in the middle of August and there's no wild card to save you.  This is the best baseball gets.  We go nearly 4 hours. We scored 2 in the top of the 10th - they came back with 2 in the bottom.  6-6 in the 11th, Larry Herndon leads off with a double off of Charlie Hough, Jack Clark drives him home to give us the 7-6 lead, in the bottom of the 11th John Curtis leaves with 2 on and one out, Ed Halicki, making his first relief appearance in 2 seasons, comes in and gets Garvey and Dusty to end the game.  This is the 118th game of the season and we leave Dodger Stadium with a 1 game lead - we lose our next game in Montreal to drop back to a tie and then never spend another day in first again.

Walk off 1987 home vs. Houston, 8 days ago we were 5 out of first - but now we are tied with the Reds, Thursday afternoon at the Stick, a Kevin Mitchell 3 run homer in the 7th gave us a 6-5 lead, now it's 6-6 in the bottom of the 11th inning, and with 2 out he does it again, singling home Robby Thompson off of Rocky Childress to win it 7-6.  Mitch hit the ball, career OPS+ of 142 (it was 151 as a Giant) a 142 OPS+ puts him tied for 62nd all time. Who had better career numbers?

Bonds 182 (3rd)
Mays 156 (tied for 20th)
McCovey 147 (tied for 43rd)

1993 at Chicago, we're 77-38, we have a 9 game lead in the West - sure, there's no Wild Card, but who could possibly need it?  We're gonna live forever.  1-1 with an out in the 5th, Kirt Manwaring homers off Greg Hibbard. We go on to win 4-1. Manwaring spent a decade in San Francisco and was our starting catcher from '92-5. This is his best year with the bat, he had a 91 OPS+ and won his only Gold Glove (and might have deserved it, he had a defensive spike this season also).  Manwaring hit 21 career homers, this was #10 (#9 was 4 days prior). Two of his last four homers will come against us when Manwaring was a Rockie, off Rueter in '98 and Rich Rodriguez in '99.

1996 at Pittsburgh, we're 14 out, so just playing out the string, we've lost 9 games to the lead in the past 5 weeks, down 8-5 in the 8th, Tom Lampkin hit a 2 run double off Dan Plesac to cut it to 1, and in the 8th, Rick Wilkins pinch hit a grand slam off Francisco Cordova and we wind up winning this one 12-10.  Lampkin played in 131 games in two seasons for the Giants, he and Wilkins split time behind the plate in '96, Wilkins played in 118 games in two Giants seasons.

See you tomorrow.  Go Giants!