Giants’ outfield Alex Dickerson had a performance for the ages earlier this week, with 3 homeruns, 2 doubles and 7 RBI in a 23-5 whooping of the Rockies in Colorado. He set the franchise record for extra base hits in a game. Photo: Associated Press
You can download the episode here, or stream it below (video a bit more down)!
The Giants hit .500 after a 4-2 week and now sit at 21-21, with zero run differential, so right in the middle, baby! But, in 2020, that’s good enough to get you in the playoffs! The Giants currently hold the 7th seed, virtually tied with the Marlins and just ahead of the Rockies. There are several other teams in contention, of course.
Chad and Eric discuss a good week in Giants’ baseball. From a record 23 run murder of the Rockies to familiar face of Madison Bumgarner returning to the Oracle Park bump, there was a lot to talk about. Just 18 games left in the season, and the Giants control their own destiny.
Video of episode #206 below:
SportsHosts is the world’s first global community of fans, built by fans for fans. We’re going to be working together with them to create better experiences, better content and better events for passionate fans like you to be part of.
You can check out our page on the SportsHosts platform by signing up for free using this link. Once you’re there you can join our page, the Giants’ page and your other favorite team communities and start sharing your passion with like-minded fans – this will be an experience like no other.
Frame grab from the end of the Giants’ 1984 commercial that featured their slogan, “C’mon Giants, Hang in There!”
You can download the episode here, or stream it below (video a bit more down)!
Borrowing the slogan of mediocrity from the 1984 campaign, the Giants are indeed hanging in there thanks to a shortened season, and the expanded playoffs. After going 3-3 this week, they sit just a half game out of the 8th seed in the National League, with only 24 games remaining. This week saw the Giants with an epic walk-off homerun against the Dodgers, a double-header sweep to the same team, a boycott of a game, winning two of three in Arizona, old guys catching fire, and….no trades. None at all. This is so 2020.
We’re excited to announce that TortureCast has joined the SportsHosts community as one of their official Content Creators.
Episode #205 in video form!
SportsHosts is the world’s first global community of fans, built by fans for fans. We’re going to be working together with them to create better experiences, better content and better events for passionate fans like you to be part of.
You can check out our page on the SportsHosts platform by signing up for free using this link. Once you’re there you can join our page, the Giants’ page and your other favorite team communities and start sharing your passion with like-minded fans – this will be an experience like no other.
Giants right fielder Mike Yastrzemski leaps for Ketel Marte’s sixth-inning drive. Yastrzemski caught it for the third out of the inning. Photo: Tony Avelar / Associated Press
You can download the episode here, or stream it below!
Just as we counted the Giants out last week after having lost 5 in a row and 7 of 8, including those 3 gut-wrenching 9th inning blown leads, the Giants turn it around and hammer out 6 straight wins (and counting) to get themselves right back in the wild card hunt at 14-16. Chad, Eric, and Willie get together to discuss each game of the week, Joey Bart’s MLB debut (finally! boy can he rake!), Yaz’s MVP consideration (he leads MLB in offensive WAR!) and sadly, the end to the reunion with Hunter Pence as he was designated for assignment after posting a miserable .096 average (5-52). We’re going to miss The Reverend.
This podcast is also available in video form below! Join us on Facebook Live (mostly) every Monday afternoon as we review the week in Giants’ baseball!
Shades of 2002: David Fletcher #22 congratulates Tommy La Stella #9 of the Los Angeles Angels after his game winning two-run homerun during the ninth inning of a game against the San Francisco Giants. Photo: Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images
You can download the episode here, or stream it below!
Somehow the baseball season is still pushing forward, despite the Cardinals are now the “infected” team. In fact, although the Giants have played 16 games, which is more than a quarter of the way through the season, the Cards have only played 5 games….FIVE.
Willie Dills joined Chad this week to talk about what may be the most depressing week in regular season TortureCast history. Not only did the Giants drop 7 of 8, but they blew three consecutive save opportunities. The first was the worst: a 5-run lead in the 9th (first time since 1929 a lead this big was blown in the 9th), the next night it was a 3-run 9th inning lead, and last night it was a walk off 2-run HR by the Angels. All 3 were blown by Trevor Gott, who is officially out as closer. However, the defense helped put Gott in the situations in 2 of the 3 blown saves. Adding salt to the wound in between was a 15-3 blowout loss to the A’s. Sitting dead last in the NL West at 8-16, the Giants’ playoff hopes have dwindled to a microscopic level.
Hunter Pence shared this meme on social media after last night’s gaffe ended Johnny Cueto’s no-hit bid.
You can download the episode here, or stream it below!
Somehow the baseball season is still pushing forward, despite the Cardinals are now the “infected” team. In fact, although the Giants have played 16 games, which is more than a quarter of the way through the season, the Cards have only played 5 games….FIVE.
The Giants went 3-5 since our last recording, but the main hurdle was Colorado, where they lost three of four, despite having late inning leads in two of those losses. They’ve split so far in LA, but Donnie Barrels (aka Donovan Solano) leads the league in hitting, and Yaz leads the majors in wins above replacement. The veterans of Pence, Pablo, and Crawford have not played well at all, and their pitching staff has a 5th worst ERA at 5.05. Surprisingly, their batting average is fifth. At 7-9, the Giants are barely out of the expanded playoff picture, and if they can survive the last 4 games of this hellacious 10 game roadie, they may not be in horrible shape. Eric and Chad chat about all of this and more in a brief episode 202.
June 12, 2011 was episode #1. July 28, 2020 is episode #200. We celebrate the fact that we’re this stubborn to continue a podcast about one major league baseball team over nine years.
You can download the episode here, or stream it below!
We broadcast this milestone episode live. Check out the full video above!
————-
Willie Dills Gregory and his two friends started this podcast on June 12, 2011. Nine years later, we’ve finally reached episode 200. However, that’s with the caveat that if you add all of the bonusodes, season previews and interviews, it’s really recording number 258. That said, it’s something to celebrate, especially as we recorded during the Giants’ home opener (which they sadly lost 5-3 to SD).
Chad, Eric and founder Willie Dills wax poetically over 90 minutes about the Marlins’ COVID outbreak, the expanded playoffs, and the first series the Giants split against the Dodgers. This episode, and all going forward, was streamed on Facebook Live.
Check out our ugly mugs as we get through this episode! Hopefully baseball sticks around long enough to make it to the playoffs. Thanks for coming along for the ride!
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JULY 23: Johnny Cueto #47 of the San Francisco Giants pitches during the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the game at Dodger Stadium on July 23, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
On paper, we knew the Giants probably wouldn’t make the playoffs, and the Dodgers may run away with the division. But, shortly before tonight’s season opener in Dodger Stadium, the league announced that the playoffs have been expanded to 16 teams total, adding 3 teams to each league. Eight teams EACH from the AL and NL. This is great news for the Giants. But, they still have to be in the top 8 of 15 teams in the NL, a pinnacle they haven’t reached since 2016. But, it’s 60 games, so a little streak here or there, and they could sneak in.
Tonight, the news even got better as Clayton Kershaw was scratched from the start with back issues and placed on the IL. Dustin May was called up as his replacement. Everything started to look a bit more rosey for the Giants. After they had a minimal 1-0 lead (after squandering opportunities to score much more), the Dodgers finally broke through with a 2-out rally to tie the game off Cueto in the 4th. Overall, Cueto looked good until giving up two consecutive singles, a walk, and another single to tie the game.
With expanded rosters, and a young corp to try and battle these monoliths of baseball, Gabe Kapler has an extreme challenge, but he has some depth in numbers (as do all teams, of course). He quickly brought in Drew Smyly and Rico Garcia in the 5th and 6th to toss zeros. But, everything unraveled in the 7th when Tyler Rogers, who only gave up two earned runs in 17.2 innings last year was tagged for three earned runs in 2/3 of an inning. He was also the victim of questionable defense, including his own. With runners on the corners and one out, there was a comebacker to Rogers. He appeared to have enough time to start the 1-6-3 double play, but opted to go for the runner stranded off third. Unfortunately, instead of just running him back to third (the runner from first was able to make it all the way to third, like you’re supposed to), a long pickle ensued, which also allowed the hitter to get to second. So, yes, they got the second out of the inning, but now TWO runners were in scoring position instead of the end of the inning. Enrique Hernandez quickly doubled the Dodgers’ run total with a two out, two run knock to right to put the Dodgers up 4-1, and that was the end of it. They tacked on four more runs throughout the night, and the Giants didn’t put up much of a fight, offensively. But, the game was still tied going to the bottom of the 7th.
Joe McCarthy and Dany Jimenez made their (forgettable) MLB debuts tonight. Let’s be honest, the Giants roster is full of unknowns, castaways, rookies and retreads. Much like when the GM in “Major League” tried to fill the roster with such players to tank the season, but the team has been boxed in by over-inflated “thank you” contracts, bad trades, and a lack of draft depth. If they don’t make the playoffs in this “easy” year, it may be a few more until they crack the top.
Framegrab from the KPIX helicopter flying over Oracle Park, showing the new bullpens nearing completion.
You can download the episode here, or stream it below!
Things are tough in the nation right now. From the pandemic to civil unrest, there are many more important things happening than a podcast about baseball and the Giants. Yet, Eric and I decided to go ahead with our recording, as we only do so every two weeks at this point. Perhaps our conversation can be a distraction from these troubling times.
There have been a few developments in the negotiations between the owners and players, but both sides seem to have their feet planted firmly. The owners want to pay the players much less than previously agreed to, with fewer games played, and the players want a prorated salary and more games. They are currently very far apart, and the chances of having a season seem to dwindle with every passing day. But, there is some hope that we’ll see baseball some time this year. We also chat about Vegas reopening, bullpen completion and new dimensions at Oracle Park and more!
Oracle Park may not have fans in July, but could it have baseball? (AFP Photo/JUSTIN SULLIVAN)
You can download the episode here, or stream it below!
Do we think this is likely? Not really. But, that is the latest bit of news coming out of the baseball world. Last week, MLB owners sent the players association a proposal that would start an 82 game season in July. Some of the main points of how the season would work include the DH for the NL, an expanded 14-team playoff, games restricted to mainly geographic opponents to reduce travel, and a myriad of COVID-19 related guidelines for on-field play (no spitting, chewing tobacco, fist bumps, etc.). They also proposed a 50/50 revenue split with the players, but that would result in lower salaries than the players already agreed to on March 26, when they agreed to a pro-rated salary based on the number of games played. Additionally, California Governor Newsom indicated that pro sports may be able to return by June, without spectators.
All of these issues are massive hurdles, which makes the prospect of a season starting in July seem unlikely. However, baseball fans around the nation would be ecstatic to see their team playing on their home field (on TV) sometime this year.
We also talk about Blake Snell’s unwillingness to play for less, the Giants are paying their non-baseball staff through September, and the OOTP Baseball dream bracket #2 will send in the 1954 and 2012 Giants as part of the field of 64 historic teams.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the longtime director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said Tuesday the only path for sports to return this summer includes no fans in attendance and players being kept in quarantine for the duration of their seasons. (Photo by Alex Brandon/Associated Press)
You can download the episode here, or stream it below!
We’re back to talk about developments in a plan that may bring baseball back in some form by June. Currently, the plan is to essentially put all players and personnel in a bubble, test them for the virus every week, and make sure they only travel to and from the stadiums and hotel. However, the PPE and test kits required would put a huge strain on medical resources, and there are players with families that are unwilling to be away from their families for five months or longer. Adding families to the bubble would raise the costs and stakes far too much. This plan is questionable, at best, but may be our only route to a form of baseball.
Baseball Reference is simulating the 2020 season with the game, OOTP 21, and currently the Giants are in 4th place at 7-10. Hunter Pence is 1-3 in the players’ league, playing MLB The Show ’20, but he had an epic walk-off Buster Posey homerun in his last game. You can view his games on his Twitch channel.
Stay safe out there, and if you have a quarantine story to share with us, drop us a line at chad@torturecast.com!
The TortureCast 