The Giants went 4-2 for the week, which is something amazing considering they were under.500 at home. Despite a 12-13 June (ok, they can still be .500 with a win tonight), the Giants are only 1/2 game back of the Dodgers. Chad and Ben discuss the month of June, the All Star game voting, Duffy and more!
We welcome in the new year with our first TortureCast of 2013. Unfortunately, Ben couldn’t make tonight’s recording, but Willie and Chad discussed the recent deals to avoid arbitration for Posey, Pence, Blanco, Arias, and Mijares. We also bitch about the BBWAA and the injustice of not a single player being voted into the Hall of Fame, as well as pimping FanFest on Feb 9, the excitement of pitchers and catchers reporting on Feb 12, a banana in an unfortunate hole, and we dream about the possibility of Bruce Bochy driving Jim Harbaugh down Market Street with another championship trophy for THE City.
Talking Points
Buster Posey ($8m) and Hunter Pence ($13.8m) sign one year deals to avoid arbitration
Giants control Posey through 2016 and will probably seek a long-term deal sometime this year
Other Giants that signed one year deals to avoid arbitration: Arias ($925k), Blanco ($1.35m), Jose Mijares ($1.8m)
Only arbitration-eligible player left is Romo, who filed for $4.5 million and the Giants countered with $2.675 million
BBWAA chose not to vote in Bonds and Clemens, in fact, NO ONE made it in
We will be interviewing the Giants “Social Media Consigliere,” Bryan Srabian this Saturday to talk to him about his job and FanFest!
Pitchers and catchers report Feb 12!
Tweet At Me, Bruh
SFG10032: @TortureCast – Turns out Hunter Pence is a pretty hardcore Blizzard gamer. Pretty cool. http://t.co/ZZK9rsab
We Should Hate This Guy
Willie and Chad dish out serious hate for the BBWAA who “made a stand” against the PED users. It’s an F-ing game, and you are not holier than any of these athletes that you help to create. Baseball ignored the issue, you voted them as MVP and Cy Youngs, STFU.
Why We Will Win It All
Willie – Wrapping up the last big pieces from last year and didn’t fall in love with guys who won’t help, Sabean is making all the right moves and there’s no reason to think he won’t make the right moves at the trade deadline either.
We shake off the World Series hangover with an episode to review the Giants’ moves in the offseason thus far, and we even challenged ourselves with listening to our season preview episode that we recorded at The Public House (at AT&T Park) with Thomas and Danny from Two Guys, a Glove and a Coke Bottle.
Talking Points
Scu-Scu-Scutaro signs 3 yrs/$20 – We all like this one, even if he sucks at age 40
Pagan signs 4 yrs/$40m – Thank the baseball gods that he signed one day before Victorino signed with Boston for 3/$39m!
Affeldt signs 3y/$18m – Quality signing, he likes the stability of the Giants
Pence will be signed, probably for $13-$14m in arbitration, Giants not seeking long term contract, though
Torres is Back! 1 yr, $2m
Blanco is arbitration eligible, probably won’t cost that much
Sabean and Bochy contracts extended through 2014
Dodgers with the largest payroll in MLB history at $225m
Melky gets 2/$16m from Blue Jays who are loading up for a run at it
The BIG Question
What will happen with Brian Wilson? We all concur that the Giants had to make the business decision that they did, and that frankly, Wilson is being a whiny douche if he’s hurt by their non-tender. He doesn’t deserve $7 million for a year after his second Tommy John. In fact, he earned $8.5 million last year for two appearances before he went on the shelf. Suck it up, sign an incentive-laden contract with the Giants and we’ll all move along as a happy family.
Chad put out an over/under of 92.5 wins for the Giants and EVERYONE LAUGHED AT HIM
The group reset the over/under to 87.5 wins, and everyone took the over, except the self-titled “realist” Thomas
Chad also put the over/under for games Freddy Sanchez plays at 100 HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
What does Crawford have to hit to be worth it?we all said .230, he hit .248 and played dazzling D down the stretch, I say he surpassed expectation
Thomas says Blanco will not be on the roster by the All Star break
Hamate bone was a freak injury – thomas
Danny says now that steroids are over…
Danny says top offensive player won’t be Posey or Pablo
How high would we go for Cain extension? The highest we said was 125 over 5, he got 127 for 6 with an option for 7 that could bring it to 141
Willie wanted to win a WS and defend with the exact same team. Well, he’s pretty much getting his wish
Why will the Giants win it all? (asked in April, 2012)
Willie predicted that the Giants would win it all because they weren’t going to have a freak injury
Ben – rotation getting better
Michael (from The Grubby Glove) – Dbacks won’t come together, Bumgarner steps up big time, says division winner
Chad – dumb luck!!! hahhaha
Danny – second wild card
Thomas – “we won’t, I’m a realist”
Tweet At Me, Bruh
Bryan Murphy @Every6thDay: Obviously, the Giants will have to raise ticket prices significantly to afford Andres Torres, but that’s what happens w/ a break-even team.”
“Miss Erin @Love4PatTheBat: Brian Patrick Wilson, you quit your pouting and come back to those who love you and tolerate your insanity! @BrianWilson38 #SFGiants”
Our New Favorite Guy
Chad – Brian Sabean for signing Pagan a day before Victorino signed with the Red Sox
Willie – Duane Kuiper for his joke during the parade, asking Affeldt to take a swing after he called a homer for Pablo and say Swing and a miss!
We Should Hate This Guy
Willie – Magic Johnson, go muck up basketball if you’re gonna get all ridiculous in a sport, although basketball is pretty screwed up already
This brings back memories of Clark's single up the middle, Mitchell's bare-handed grab, and, er, Maldonado's slide
Stream it here…yes, press that little play button above!
Willie returns from his great adventures abroad at SXSW and Vegas to have a Ben-less hour long conversation with Chad about the Giants’ potential shakeups on the roster, given the injuries of Vogelsong and Freddie Sanchez, a potential middle infielder trade may open the door for Burris, Buster’s first play (GASP) at the plate this spring, Zito’s shelling, Cain’s dominance (have we signed him yet?), the possible shifting sands of the outfield, 49 year old Jamie Moyer beffudles the Giants, Hector “Babe” Sanchez, and John Bowker goes 0-4, 2Ks for the Giants against the Oakland A’s….oh right, the Yomiuri Giants, that is. We do a little hating on Dodger lawyers, dish out advice on how to act as a visiting fan, and praise the glory of the return of the late 80’s roadie.
Chad and Ben jump into Spring Training talk looking at some recent results and some recent injury revelations and how they impact the players in camp. They also discuss converted infielders like Sergio Santos as well as several cuts to minor leaguers and roster invitees before bringing on Christina Russo for an interview and some of her Spring Training experiences. We wind up with a discussion of gender and female fans, hate on Bryce Harper, and close with a somber note on Fabrice Muamba.
The TortureCast 