Bruce Bochy was introduced as the next manager for the Texas Rangers earlier today (October 24, 2022). He signed a 3-year deal. The Rangers visit Oracle park Aug 11-13, 2023. That’ll be fun!
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All three hosts have a very lively conversation about the Astros and Phillies in the World Series, and how the Phillies’ run is reminiscent of the 2014 Giants. Eric really, really hates the Astros, btw. Bruce Bochy comes out of retirement to become the next manager of the Texas Rangers (BTW, Rangers visit Oracle next Aug 11-13). Pete Putila is the new Giants’ GM, and Zaidi promises to be “very active” this offseason, with reports that they are targeting Aaron Judge and Trea Turner. This and Eric’s epic entry and run in a World Poker Tour 5 Diamond tournament at the Bellagio last week!
Madison Bumgarner signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks in December. The Giants lost their ace and may face him up to 5 times each the next 5 seasons.
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Happy New Year! Oh, and the 49ers are in the Super Bowl!!
We last recorded in November, and WOW, what a difference a holiday season can make. MadBum signed with Arizona, the cheating scandal saw three managers and a GM get fired, Farhan Zaidi is acquiring young talent faster than his hairline is receding. Eric and I talk about the off-season moves, the Hall of Fame vote, the mostly brand-new coaching staff, including the first MLB full-time female coach, Vegas doesn’t like the Giants, and much more in this episode of TortureCast!
New Giants manager Gabe Kapler positing on the the field at Oracle Park on the day he was introduced to the press on November 13, 2019. Photo by Eric Risberg, The Associated Press. All rights reserved
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We told you we would be back when the manager was hired. What we didn’t foresee is the hiring of a controversial manager, a new GM, the loss of two HUGE Giants, the 2019 season awards, and a cheating scandal that is rocking the baseball world ALL THIS WEEK! Boy, did we have a lot to talk about in this meaty episode!
We dive into the controversial hiring of Gabe Kapler, the hiring of Scott Harris as the GM, Will Smith signed a three year, $40 million deal with Atlanta, Bumgarner officially declined his qualifying offer from the Giants, all of the season awards, and the Astros sign-stealing scandal that is likely to alter the course of Astros history going forward.
You may disagree with some of our opinions about Kapler. Let us know your thoughts on this topic, we’d love to dissect them in the next show!
Jose Altuve moments after hitting a homerun off of Yankees’ closer Aroldis Chapman that sent the Astros to the World Series to face the Washington Nationals. Photo from Sports Illustrated.
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Jose Altuve won it for the Astros with a dramatic pennant-winning homerun in the bottom of the ninth to send them to the World Series to face the up and coming Washington Nationals who surprisingly swept the Cardinals. It’s the first such pennant-clinching homerun since Travis Ishikawa did so for the Giants against the Cardinals in 2014. Let’s just thank the baseball gods that it’s not a Dodgers-Yankees World Series!!
Chad and Eric review the league championship series, the latest in the rumor mill of potential Giants’ managers, Arizona Fall League developments, the passing of an MLB umpire that just worked the AL division series, and talk about Chad’s latest deep sea adventures.
Clayton Kershaw contemplates what happened after another postseason implosion. Kershaw gave up back to back homeruns on consecutive pitches in the 8th inning, tying the game at 3. The Dodgers later lost the game 7-3 in 10 innings. (Credit:Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports)
You can download the episode here, or stream it below!
Schadenfreude (/ˈʃɑːdənfrɔɪdə/; German: [ˈʃaːdn̩ˌfʁɔʏ̯də](listen); lit. ‘harm-joy’) is the experience of pleasure, joy, or self-satisfaction that comes from learning of or witnessing the troubles, failures, or humiliation of another.
This is what us Giants fans experienced on Wednesday night. Despite seven consecutive NL West titles, despite a club-record 106 wins, despite setting a record for homeruns, the LA Dodgers somehow did NOT win the World Series. Clayton Kershaw, the anti-Bumgarner of the playoffs, entered with a 3-1 lead in the 8th inning of game 5 versus the Nationals and promptly gave up back to back homeruns on consecutive pitches, the second time he has done that in the playoffs. He’s never done that in all of his years of the regular season.
As we dance on the graves of the 2019 Dodgers’ season, Eric and I also review the first round of the playoffs and check it against our predictions. One thing to note, including the two wildcard games, 5 of the 6 contests (4 LDS) came down to ONE GAME. So, that said, I ended up getting 4 of 6 correct, Eric 3 of 6. We also preview the LCSs and we’ll be back to record episode 185 right before the World Series.
Go Nats?
Chad
P.S. I will be leading a scientific expedition to explore the deep sea off the coast of California next week. You can watch live video from the depths from our remotely operated vehicle at www.nautiluslive.org. We should be in the water from Monday through Thursday night. I will be audible on the coms between 8-12 both in the AM and PM (2 shifts).
Bruce Bochy talks to Tim Lincecum at Bochy’s retirement ceremony. Photo San Jose Mercury News.
You can download the episode here, or stream it below!
The 2019 San Francisco Giants’ season is over.
We gave a tribute to Bruce Bochy’s incredible career in episode 182, but this episode wraps up the last week of the 2019 season.
Chad and Eric cover the week that was, and venture into predicting the playoffs for the 10 qualifying teams, and even review the predictions we had at the beginning of the season.
Bruce Bochy became only the 11th manager in MLB history to win 2,000 games. He will be sorely missed as one of the greatest coaches in Bay Area history. He is a certain Hall of Famer.
You can download the episode here, or stream it below!
We weren’t sure if it was going to happen, but it did. Bochy reached 2,000 wins in his managerial career, with the help from a certain Yaz. Chad and Eric talk about Bochy’s magical milestone and the week that was in Giants’ baseball. Yaz hit a homerun where his grandpa hit homeruns. A rookie won in Atlanta where the veterans couldn’t.
Chad will be at Oracle Park on Wednesday against the Rockies with @SportsHosts. They have $9 tickets for Wednesday night. Reserve your tickets at http://www.sportshosts.com.
Mike Yastremski slides safely into home plate to score the deciding run in the Giants’ 2-1 victory over the Marlins at Oracle Park on Sunday. (AP Photo/John Heft)
You can download the episode here, or stream it below!
Yaz’s dash to home in Sunday’s game was an analogy for this year’s Giants’ team. Heart and hustle, but not the highest level of talent. But, heart and hustle will win games, as it is obvious in their 33-15 record in 1-run games, best in MLB. The Giants went 3-4 this week against the Pirates and Marlins at home, securing a losing record at Oracle Park. That said, their road record is above .500, and they can finish that way. A weird juxtaposition that the Giants will contend with next year. If they had a winning home record this year, they would be in contention.
Bruce Bochy only needs 2 more wins to reach 2,000 in his career, with 12 games to go. The Giants find themselves in Boston and Atlanta this week. Eric and Chad talk about the week that was in Giants’ baseball.
From a record-setting number of players on the roster, who’s hot and not, Cueto’s fabulous return, and the bullpen having the best ERA in the NL in September, despite the trades and injuries. All this and more in episode 180 of the TortureCast!
Bruce Bochy tips his cap to the Dodgers’ fans at Dodger Stadium as he was presented with a Sandy Koufax jersey. He declined to speak to the crowd, in fear of a Giants’ player getting struck by lightning.
You can download the episode here, or stream it below!
The Giants beat LA. Ok, they won 2 of 3 after losing 3 of 4 in St. Louis, but Bruce Bochy single handedly won the LA series with shrewd moves with the bullpen. Maricio Dubon hit a pair of jacks, including one against Kershaw, while the Giants improve to 33-15 in one run games. Eric and Chad talk about the week in Giants’ baseball, the rookies, a record number of players on the roster, a tribute to Bochy by the Dodgers, who’s hot and not, and more!
The TortureCast 