SF Giant Austin Slater rips a 3 run double against the A’s on July 20, 2020. Photo by SJ Mercury News.
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Honestly, we can’t believe it. We are having a season preview episode. In July. Whatever. We’ll take it. Joining Chad and Eric are long standing podcast veterans including a founder of TortureCast, Willie “Dills” Gregory and a woman who has joined us for numerous season previews and drunken “bonusodes,” Jennifer (formerly Cosgriff) Kent.
The four of us discuss the new rule changes, the potential roster, guess on the number of wins for the Giants, the World Series champs and even discuss the importance of Gabe Kapler and several Giants that took a knee during the National Anthem before the exhibition game against the A’s.
Eric and Chad met each other for the first time in 7 years in Las Vegas last week…masks and all! We talked a lot of shop, drank, and caught up.
You can download the episode here, or stream it below!
After months of frustrating negotiations…the owners and players failed to come to an agreement. But alas, MLB Commish Rob Manfred instituted a 60 game season, players agreed to the health protocols, and voila! We officially have a 2020 baseball season!
Here are the main points:
60 game season (40 against NL West, 20 against AL West)
Universal DH
In every extra inning, a runner starts the inning on second base
60 player pool; camp opens today, July 1
Season starts July 23 or 24
Trade deadline is Aug 31
30 man roster the first 2 weeks of the season, 28 the next 2 weeks, 26 the rest of the way
Playoffs remain the same (3 division winners, 2 wild cards in each league)
Separate COVID-19 injured list. A player has to test negative twice to resume play
Players and personnel not in game must be in stands, 6 feet apart
Eric and I talk about the ramifications these new rules have on the Giants, including who’s going to be DH most of the time, the Giants actually have a shot at a playoff spot with so few games, how do they handle stats of runners scoring in extra innings, and much, much more.
We are so excited to actually discuss real baseball, but we hope that the season not only starts, but can come to a conclusion. There is serious worry about what the virus may do to halt the season. But, in the meantime, we’re moving forward and will be back with an episode in mid-July and our annual season preview around July 22.
As noted in the photo above, Eric and I met up in Las Vegas last week, the first time we’ve seen each other in 7 years! We talked shop, drank, and caught up. We highly recommend “BEER PARK” at the Paris Hotel, a great outdoor venue. Next time, we’ll make a podcast out of it.
Alex Dickerson, acquired by trade from the Padres just last week, produced immediately for the Giants, knocking in 9 runs in his first two games in Giants’ uniform, breaking a franchise record. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images)
You can download the episode here, or stream it below!
The title was just too sophomoric to pass up…sorry about that. But, we do want more production from Alex Dickerson, who knocked in 9 runs in the first two games in Arizona, including a grand slam, two doubles, and a triple. This performance prompted the chant, “Dick! Dick! Dick!” from the Giants’ dugout. Truly an awesome sight and sound.
We had a small break because of Chad’s vacation, but it was a fairly successful period for the Giants, as they went 7-5 during the two week break, but still find themselves in the cellar of the NL West. Eric and Chad review the last two weeks, the latest trade rumors about Will Smith and Madison Bumgarner, compare Mike Yaztremski’s stats through 92 plate appearances with that of his grandfather’s start, this week in Giants’ history, who’s hot and not and more!
Buster Posey hits a 3 run homerun against the Reds. This was a game-tying homerun in the 6th. Brando Crawford won the game in the 9th.
You can download the episode here, or stream it below!
The Giants could have had a much worse week if it weren’t for the fact that they came back from 8 runs and 4 runs down in two games in Cincinnati. They took 2 of 3 against the Dodgers and split 4 in Cincy. The Giants lead the league with a 9-2 record in one run games…that’s good but not good considering their lack of ability to put teams away.
Their win after an 8 run deficit is the 5th time they’ve done that in Giants history and the first time in 30 years. They followed that up with a 4 run deficit win against the Reds, and that is a miracle of its own. We celebrate Eric’s 40th birthday and Willie Mays’ 88th birthday in episode 164.
Hunter Pence watches a mammoth homerun sail to the warehouse at Petco Park. It may have been his last in a Giants uniform, but he certainly played his last road game with the Giants in St. Louis over the weekend. Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images
You can download the episode here, or stream it below!
The Giants finished their abysmal road record at 31-50 after losing their final four roadies (1 in SD, 3 in StL). It marks only the 6th time the Giants have lost 50 or more games on the road and the first time they’ve done that in consecutive seasons since 1984-85. At least they’re guaranteed of a winning home record (they are standing at 41 wins).
Eric and Chad review the week on the road, a monumental bomb off the bat of Hunter Pence, the possibility that GM Bobby Evans might be replaced and what a new GM might do (trade Bumgarner?), Melancon’s struggles, our picks for the Willie Mac award, review the current playoff situation and pray and hope that the Giants can knock LA out of the playoffs this coming weekend as both teams close out the regular season.
We’ll be back next week to wrap up the season and preview the playoffs. Until then, be sure to like us on Facebook and follow us @TortureCast.
I spoke with Chris Berman for a bit about his Giants’ fandom and what they should do going forward prior to the game against the Rockies on Saturday.
You can download the episode here, or stream it below!
The Giants lost 11 in a row for the first time since 1951. They have now established a SF record for consecutive losses, beating 1985 and 1996 (10 games). At least the 1902 and 1944 NY Giants can rest assured that their losing streak records are intact.
The Giants ended up beating the Rockies 2 out of 3 games and honestly, could have swept. Dereck Rodriguez had hist 10th game giving up 2 or fewer runs ending in a loss or no decision.
Chad and Eric talk about the last week, the losing streak, the MLB playoff picture, and more in episode 154 of the TortureCast, the podcast by and for fans of the SF Giants!
You can download the episode here, or stream it below!
It’s true, the Giants’ pitchers and catchers are reporting in less in a week. A few mere days until we can claim that we smell the fresh cut grass and hear the crack of the bat echo through our collective skulls.
Until then, Eric and Chad talk about Barry Bonds’ #25 being retired in August, despite not being the Hall of Fame (a Giant requisite for a retired number), the clash between the MLB players’ association and MLB about the lack of free agent signings, Chad will be covering the Giants at Media Day on Friday, and Eric has been writing a metric ton on torturecast.com. Seriously. Go there. Read it. It’s good stuff!
@itsallyduhh mesmerized us with this fantastic photo of Andres Torres last night when we recorded at Zeke’s. It’s burned into the back of our skulls, and now yours, too.
All three of us watched the Reds dismantle the Giants man-parts on Monday night from the press box. Thank god we didn’t pay to watch this travesty of a game.
We did take a trip to Zeke’s afterwards with Ally Williams (@itsallyduhh) and Jen Cosgriff (@jencosgriff) to record our thoughts on the game, the second half, fans running on the field and Bud Norris?
We’ll be back in the press box on August 5 when the Giants take on the Braun-less Brewers.
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