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The Team is Starting to Jell and We are All Feeling More Optimistic!
The Giants faithful were getting down in the dumps after the early April series losses to the Marlins and those ***** from LA. However, the G-Men came roaring back at home with a 5-game win streak that included a split of the series against the Mets and taking three out of four from the Paul Goldschmidt-led Cardinals (he owns the Giants and should have been walked every at-bat).
We are not even a month into the season yet so it’s much too early to either write off 2023 or prognosticate a climb to the top of the standings. The 5-game winning streak was followed by a 4-game losing streak so go figure what’s going to happen tomorrow. That of course is what baseball is all about.
While the team is getting healthy, we lost Crawford and Yaz to the DL (both minor muscle pulls that should heal quickly) in the Mexico City home run derby against the Padres over the weekend (those two games said a lot about playing baseball at 10,000 feet). That DL development means we get to see the young bats (Wisely and Stevenson) up from the River Cats, we get to see Estrada at Shortstop and the very hot-hitting JD Davis will get more starts at 2nd base.
It’s early in the year and let’s see what kind of damage those young guys can do but that is why Farhan stockpiled them (as well as stockpiling pitchers – it’s too bad there is no room on the roster for MadBum behind Cobb, Webb and DeSclafani but maybe it’s his time to return to the farm). Speaking of pitchers, while Doval has been nails (and 104 mph) the other relief pitchers have been, to be charitable, variable (except the Rogers brothers, who are very cool dudes). Hjelle, for example (all 6’ 11 inches of him) keeps mixing 100 mph heaters with batting practice sliders that get crushed. That cannot continue and, if it does, it should continue in Sacramento.
Meanwhile…
The G-Men are living up to preseason expectations in key offensive categories.
Sure, they did not land star hitters like Aaron Judge or Carlos Correa this past winter, but the G-Men built a lineup with some length to it.
Pederson, Haniger, and Michael Conforto have all notched 30-homer seasons in their respective careers. Haniger did it as recently as 2021 when he blasted 39 home runs, and both are already starting to put fear into the hearts of opposing pitchers with early homers this season. Plus, the Giants have another 30-homer hitter in Gary Sánchez on a minor league contract. He is with the Sacramento River Cats, but the 30-year-old catcher has an opt-out decision looming soon.
The teams ahead of the Giants in home runs are the Tampa Bay Rays (52), Los Angeles Dodgers (47), and the Atlanta Braves (41). The contrast in roster composition between these four teams is fascinating. The Dodgers and Braves have star talent with players like Freddie Freeman and Ronald Acuña Jr., respectively. But about every player on the Rays can take you deep. The G-Men match up well with the power-hitting teams, and that bodes well for the season.
But on the other side of the coin, over-reliance on the long ball can mask a failure of plate discipline to do the basics, hit singles, move the runners over, hit sacrifice flies and score runs the old-fashioned way. Its time for the brain trust to return to basic baseball.
It is early, but this may be a key stretch in the season.
The Giants have dug themselves a small hole, but that hole could be much larger by the third week of May. If they are going to begin to turn it around, they will need to do it against some quality teams, like the Nationals and the Brew Crew, over the next 10 days and the 6 upcoming games at home.
The Brewers and the Nationals – an Early Season Test
The Brewers are hot – they are 18 and 10 and in second place in the NL Central after the streaking Pirates. Contreras, Yelich and Tellez are all studs and Wade Miley has an ERA under 2. The Nationals are still trying to get untracked. They are 10 and 17 in the dangerous NL East. That the G-Men broke even against the Mets tells us that this will be a tough series all around, especially without Yaz and Crawford.
These next 10 days will be good baseball…
On the board and still ready to be picked up are:
FRI 5/5 – BREWERS [7:15] – 3 – I’m Going to This Game [Its Girl Scout Night]
SAT 5/6 – BREWERS [4:15] – 4 – Kentucky Derby Day.
MON 5/8 – NATIONALS [6:45] – 4 – CHINESE HERITAGE NIGHT
TUES 5/9 – NATIONALS [6:45] – 3 – I’m Going to this Game.
WED 5/10 – NATIONALS [12:45] – 4
Let the torture continue!
Ciao, and GO GIANTS!
The Czar
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THE PROTOCOL: The firm has four seats in Section 118 (Premium Lower Boxes), Rows 25 and 26. These are awesome seats directly below the press box and 25 rows behind home plate on the left side behind the screen. It is foul ball territory for left-handed batters so bring your glove – I have collected 22 foul balls myself over 23 years and am looking for more. If we don’t use all the tickets ourselves (or clients and friends of the firm don't claim them by calling me and reserving a game), then my next step is to give the tickets TO THE FIRST PERSON WHO GETS BACK TO ME PROVIDED THAT THEY ARE SERIOUS. If you ask for the tickets and don't use them, you will be taken off the list unless there is a seriously good reason. There will be a wait list.
When there are four seats available (we split up a lot of games) we will allocate the tickets two and two if the first people back just want two tickets. You can also go for four and might get them. I'm the Czar, my call.
Oh, and BTW, The Czar found the original Hinman & Carmichael brick from 2000 (after looking for it every year since 2000) and found H&C’s Gotham Club Founders Bat! If you are on the patio, or in the Club, look for the symbols of baseball!
