by | March 12, 2012 · 12:43 AM

Episode 23: “A Cacophony of Miami Vice Day-Glo Colors”

Willie Dills is back this week, and he brings with him some questions about our Spring Giants – should we worry about Timmy?  How good is Bumgarner?  How do we see Huff doing this year?  How did Gregor Blanco get over there so fast, I swear he was right here?  What the hell is that thing in the Miami outfield?

And what about Tommy?

Willie, Chad, and Ben cover all this and more in a TortureCast record-setting forty-seven minutes!  Grab some pine, and settle in (but not for long), because we’re talking some Spring!

Tim Lincecum not worried about poor outings (SFG)
Giants have another ace in Bumgarner (Bruce Jenkins, SF Gate)
Wilson returns with ‘conviction’ (SFG)
Tommy Joseph’s two homers (Baggarly, CSNBA)
 
Michael of the Grubby Glove’s excellent “A Game For Bryan Stow”
 
The monstrosity that is the Marlins’ new home run sculpture (CBS Miami)
Strikeouts, base hits, double plays (Scott Stapp’s “Marlins Will Soar”)
 
Ben’s Bonus: Pitbull’s “Marlins Time to Represent”

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by | March 9, 2012 · 8:29 PM

Episode 22: “The One-Game Postseason”

A little late posting due to technical difficulties, so it’ll be a double TortureCast weekend.  More torture for everyone!

This week (or rather last week) Chad and Ben get together and discuss the hurriedly revamped MLB Wild Card structure and its implications for teams that make it as the Wild Card.  They also discuss alcohol in the Red Sox clubhouse, Sergio Romo (because he’s Sergio Romo), the first week of Spring Training games, astronomy, and Pilates.

SFG article on Bryan Stow’s moving to new rehab facility

San Jose Inside article on Giants-A’s territorial rights battle

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by | March 2, 2012 · 9:16 AM

MLB Expanded Playoffs: A “Historical” Perspective

I don’t consider myself a purist, I can handle change in this timeless game of baseball. At least they still wood bats (*cough* DH *cough*). I am a proponent of the current wild card system, even if it did come a year too late for the Giants.

For those of you that may have missed the news, MLB is on the precipice of approving the expansion of the playoffs this year. Each league would add one wild card team, meaning 10 out of the 30 teams would make the playoffs. Okay, that’s still the smallest percentage making the playoffs of any of the 4 major sports, doesn’t sound ground breaking yet. Here’s the catch: each pair of wild card teams in each league would have a one game playoff. One game? Seriously? After 162? If they are tied, fine, go at it. We’ve seen one game playoffs to determine division champs and wildcards before.

To look at the potential variability and inequity of a one game playoff, I looked at the past 17 seasons in which we have had the wild card playoff system (implemented in 1994, but that season was canceled). I added the hypothetical team that would have qualified for the second wild card in each league. I then determined the number of games back the second wild card team would have been that year:

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How the Playoffs Might Have Been – Hypothetical Wild Card Matchup History

2011 Rays v Red Sox(1 GB), Cards* v Braves (1GB)
2010 Yankees v Boston (6 GB), Braves v Padres (1GB)
2009 Red Sox v Rangers (8 GB), Rockies v Giants (4 GB)
2008 Red Sox v Yankees (6 GB), Brewers v Mets (1 GB)
2007 Yankees v Tigers/Mariners (6 GB), Rockies v Padres (tied)
2006 Tigers v Angels (6 GB), Dodgers v Phillies (3 GB)
2005 Red Sox v Indians (2 GB), Astros v Phillies (1 GB)
2004 Red Sox* v A’s (7 GB), Astros v Giants (1 GB)
2003 Red Sox v Mariners (2 GB), Marlins* v Astros (4 GB)
2002 Angels* v Red Sox/Mariners (6 GB), Giants v Dodgers (3 GB)
2001 A’s v Twins (17 GB!!), Cards v Giants (3 GB)
2000 Mariners v Indians (1 GB), Mets v Dodgers (8 GB)
1999 Red Sox v A’s (7 GB), Mets v Reds (1 GB)
1998 Red Sox v Angels (7 GB), Cubs v Giants (tied – actual one game playoff)
1997 Yankees v Angels (12 GB), Marlins* v Mets/Dodgers (2 GB)
1996 Orioles v Red Sox/White Sox/Mariners (3 GB), Dodgers v Expos (2 GB)
1995 Yankees v Angels (1 GB), Rockies v Astros (1 GB) shortened season!

“higher” wild card seed listed first

* denotes WS Champ

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Some very interesting things come out in the wash, but frankly, that’s some dirty water coming out, tinged with the joyous tears of Bud Selig at the thought of raking in a few extra bucks for additional playoff stretch drives and the 2 additional do-or-die games. Although the majority of the additional wild card teams were within 3 games of the “first” wild card team (3.9 games back average over both leagues), there are extreme examples of a vast chasm between the two. Let’s start with 2001. The Seattle Mariners tore up the league that year with an MLB -best 116 wins, the most since the 162 game schedule expansion and the best winning percentage by any team since 1954. The A’s fell 14 games short of that mark with a still impressive 102 wins and filled in as the wild card. If this new system was in place then, the A’s would have hosted the Twins in a one game playoff. The Twins had 85 wins…17 GAMES behind the A’s! Do you think the average baseball fan would have bought a Twins victory in that hypothetical situation as dogma that the Twins deserved to go over the A’s after 162? Of course not. This system enables this possibility, and it will happen at some point. This example is the fodder against those who claim they like this system, and if you want to avoid a one game playoff, just “win your division” and stop whining. Clearly division series can match up teams with large gaps in their regular season records, but at least they have 5 games to settle it, not one.

There are more examples of historically large record differences since 1995. The Yanks would have played the Angels in 1997 (12 game difference), 8 games would have separated the Mets and Dodgers in 2000 and the Red Sox and Rangers in 2009. A 7 game differential would have occurred 3 times, 6 games 5 times.

The funny thing is, as a Giants fan, the team would have historically benefited from this new system. Yes, their 2002 NL Championship may have never have happened after facing the Dodgers in a one game playoff, but the Giants would have gained a one game playoff 3 additional times since 2001 (‘01 v Cards, ‘04 v Astros, ‘09 v Rockies; They did play an actual one game playoff for the wildcard vs the Cubs in 1998 after finishing in a tie…I needed quite a few beers after Gaetti’s HR). On paper I would have taken that deal.

Five World Champs have been wild cards, including the 2004 Red Sox. Could you imagine if the Curse was never nixed if they had lost to the A’s in a one game playoff that year (even though they were 7 games better)? The Cardinals may have never won last year, perhaps the Angels in 2002 (actually, that’s fine by me), the Marlins in ‘03 (thanks Pudge) and ‘97.

I’m also not sure why Selig and Co. are pushing to get this in this year, when the end of the regular season and playoff schedules are set, and the leagues are still unbalanced. Why not just wait until 2013 when the Astros move to the AL West and the schedule can accommodate the extra playoff game? I am unequivocally against this new system. Rather, I’m for the extension of the division series to 7 games instead, much like the NBA converted to a while back.

Then again, maybe the Giants will be that lucky second wild card this year?

– Chad

 

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by | February 27, 2012 · 1:08 AM

Episode 21: “Just Google ’21 National League Championships’ “

Chad likes the number 21.  Willie does too, and wants you to Google the reason.

We run the gamut, starting from Willie Mays and talking Willie Mays, Will Clark, Pat Burrell, Matt Cain, Bengie Molina, Aaron Rowand, Brandon McCarthy, Ryan Braun, Mike Cameron, and (gasp) the A’s.

Oh, and there’s gotta be some Spring Training notes in there somewhere.

Some of the articles referenced this week:

Ryan Theriot’s relationship with Will Clark
Pat Burrell’s future with the Giants
Cain wants a fair offer
Bengie Molina’s surprise retirement party
Rowand speaks in Miami
 
Regarding the Ryan Braun decision, Ben can’t seem to locate the appropriate article and is annoyed at himself.  Provided instead is an excellent piece by SBN’s Wendy Thurm (@hangingsliders): Why Ensuring A Proper Chain of Custody Matters
Additionally: “I’d hesitate to call chain of custody a technicality”
(Update: Found it, piece by Chad Moriyama — What You Don’t Know About Braun’s Case Is Important)
 
Regarding another argument, that the chain of custody should not have affected an untampered sample: Endocrine expert weighs in
Regarding the reaction to the Braun decision and the notion that “not guilty” and “proclaiming yourself innocent” aren’t the same thing: “Pee Brain”, by Emily Bazelon at Slate.
 
No more soapboxing for us — back to Giants baseball!

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by | February 24, 2012 · 7:39 PM

Episode 20: “The BusterCast”

With Willie away for work, Chad and Ben welcome guest Erin to the show to talk Spring Training.  There are pitchers, there are catchers, and a pleasant sigh: there is baseball.  With the end of the offseason nigh, we talk Spring, we talk Lincecum, Pat Burrell, Sergio Romo, a glut of catching depth, and Buster Posey.

Man, oh man, do we ever talk about Buster Posey.

Check out the first TortureCast of the 2012 Spring Training season! Believe it — baseball is BACK!

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by | February 16, 2012 · 9:40 PM

Romo is better than Wilson

I know, blashphemy, right?

I love Brian Wilson. He is an excellent closer. He carried us through 2009 and 2010. But, I believe Sergio Romo is better.

I can’t speak to Romo’s late inning nerves. He only has 3 career saves. Brian Wilson has done that in 3 nights. However, let’s lo0k at the stats:

Looking at the last 4 years for both players, Romo has the statistical edge by far, even by ERA. Let’s look at the contact and control stats: Both players each have 2 best years for strikeouts per nine innings, Wilson with 9.57 and 11.2 in ’08 and ’10, Romo with 10.9 and 13.1 in ’09 and ’11, but Romo with the better average over that span. However, control is lopsided, which was Wilson’s Achilles. Wilson had the following walks per 9 innings from 2008-2011: 4.0, 3.7, 3.1, 5.1. Romo had: 2.1, 2.9, 2.0, 0.9. Romo put less than HALF the runners on base via the walk than Wilson. Granted, we all know how many times Wilson got out of walk-induced jams over the past few years, but that’s playing with fire. The walk percentage is even more telling. Wilson walks about 10% of batters he faces, Romo about half as much. Batting average against? Well, Romo has the edge 3 out of the last 4 years, and a dominant average. WHIP? Same, 3 out of 4, and that doesn’t even consider the dominant 2011 Romo had, while Wilson had his worst year in 2011. Romo dominates every statistical category (aside from saves, of course).

These are two pitchers heading in opposite directions. Even the speed data, which Wilson relies on more than Romo, shows that Wilson is losing his edge. His average fastball speed for the last 4 years is 95.7, 96.5, 95.9, and a career low 94.2 MPH last year. He’s losing his stuff. Granted, he was hurt last year, and probably played through some of it. However, if Chalupa man can’t regain a 95+ MPH fastball in the beginning of the season, I think we know the trend line is confirmed.

I hope it’s not true, but the Giants made shrewd moves signing Romo, Lopez, and Affeldt to multi-year contracts. I think it’s clear that Wilson is not the Giants’ closer for long.

Chad

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by | February 13, 2012 · 12:13 AM

Episode 19: “One Less Double-Double”

Line-ups and tigers and burgers, oh my! Chad, Willie, and Ben talk counting calories, notable birthdays, FanFest, Posey and the catcher situation, and of course, Timmy’s dietary habits!

Plus: Chad still hates Eli Manning, Johnny Velvet has a birthday (someone warn the post-game reporter), and Ben completely loses it explaining why we will win it all.

Don’t forget to check out our AWESOME new intro! Thanks to Ashkon (@ashkonmusic) and Bailey (@baileymuzik) for letting us use their awesome collab track “Feelin’ Like A Giant”.  It’s an all-new TortureCast, just in time for an all-new season of Your San Francisco Giants!

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by | February 11, 2012 · 12:18 AM

FanFest 2012

I’ll admit, as a lifelong Giants fan, I had never made the trek up to SF for FanFest. In its 19th year, I decided to give it a shot and bring along my 6 year old daughter, whom I’m brainwashing, er, instilling in, a serious Giants’ passion. I assumed that the 40,000 that attended FanFest 2011, glowing after their World Championship, would certainly dwindle to a more management number. It dwindled…by a measly 4,000 people. So, me, my daughter, and 35,998 additional Giants fans packed into AT&T Park over the course of 5 hours on February 4, 2012. See some video highlights below.

Note to those Giants fans who arrived right at opening, and did not wait in line for 90+ minutes like the rest of us and decided to “play dumb” as you just conveniently merged with the rest of the patient crowd: please go jump off of Lefty O’Doul Bridge, you’re an embarrassment to our kind.

Now that I have that PSA out of the way, let me continue. Once we entered AT&T Park, it was fairly chaotic; I had a vice grip on my daughter’s hand as we nimbly navigated the park concourses. Eventually, we made it down to the field, where it was even harder to figure out where each of the dozen lines started, ended, or if waiting in any particular line would deposit you to a random assortment of Giants players or a jumpy house.  Good thing I’m not an autograph buff. Apparently some autograph lines were in excess of 2 hours. I did wander up to several booths, and was told that the players would rotate ever so often. I empathize with the Giants fans that waited for more than 2 hours on the 3rd level concourse ramps to get the John Hancocks of…Dan Runzler and Roberto Kelly. Ouch.

After a $10 purchase of stale chicken and fries, I decided to sit down with my daughter and take in a bit of the KNBR interviews that were happening at home plate. Shortly after we watched and listened to a hooded Tim Lincecum answer dully to standard questions from Murph and Mac, a distinguished gentleman approached us and asked if he could take our picture for his baseball blog. It turned out to be quite an interesting conversation with Michael, who grew up in Queens, his father a rabid NY Giants fans before they moved west in 1958, watching games at the Polo Grounds. In fact, his father wouldn’t take him to the Polo Grounds when the Mets started playing there, as it was Giants’ turf, not Mets. That would be kind of like the SF Giants moving, and then an expansion team, say the SF House Cats, taking up residence at AT&T Park. I wouldn’t go for that, either. Anyway, after a nice chat and a short interview, he posted his musings of FanFest, including our picture and interview at the “Grubby Glove.” The article is here: http://grubbyglove.wordpress.com/2012/02/05/san-francisco-giants-fanfest/. Check out his blog, it’s an entertaining read. The man has passion.

Unfortunately, with nothing fun to do (without waiting in 3 hour lines), my impatient daughter and I high tailed it out of there before the crowd dispersed. It was enjoyable considering it was my first FanFest, and the weather couldn’t have been better. However, unless I can get a press pass for next year, this may be my last FanFest for quite some time.

Chad

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by | January 30, 2012 · 8:56 AM

Episode 18: “Fried Plantains and Ketchup”

Three consecutive episodes means we have a streak going, folks!  Willie, Ben, and Chad get together to talk Brandon Belt’s talent, psychological properties, and food preferences, as well as talking new Giants Clay Hensley and Ryan Theriot.  We talk Cody Ross’s new contract, Lincecum’s extension, and Prince Fielder.

During our customary ending segments, Willie loves the Red Sox, Ben says hats will make us win, and Chad hates on a Giant.  What?!  Take a trip into Bizarro World with this week’s TortureCast!

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by | January 28, 2012 · 12:04 PM

Pitchers, Catchers, and Podcasters!

It’s confirmed — The TortureCast will be making the journey out to Spring Training! We’re aiming for the middle of March but there’s a lot of details that have to be sorted out…like the exact dates…and which of us will be going…and which games we’ll be seeing…and, you know, what to have for lunch, and that sort of thing.

If you’re going to be in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area during mid-March for Spring Training, leave a comment, catch us on Twitter, or send us an email at mail@torturecast.com! As a podcast by fans for fans we’d be remiss if we didn’t try to meet some of you while we’re out there. We promise to get you more details as March gets closer!

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