SF Giant Austin Slater rips a 3 run double against the A’s on July 20, 2020. Photo by SJ Mercury News.
You can download the episode here, or stream it below!
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.
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 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!
Pablo Sandoval grounds out in what might be his final at bat for the Giants, and certainly the last AB for Bruce Bochy.
You can download the episode here, or stream it below!
The Giants fell out of the playoff race in a huge way this week, going 1-6 and falling 8 games behind the Cubs for the second wild card. As of now, they need to shoot for 2,000 wins for Bochy (8 more) and maybe a .500 season as a silver lining. Eric and Chad talk about the bad week that was, transactions, the roster expansion, and their first 20 homerun hitter in 4 years. It’s not all bad news…just mostly.
Will Clark shortly after it was announced that his #22 will be officially retired in 2020. Photo by Ryan Leong (@ryanleong).
You can download the episode here, or stream it below!
It’s been a wild two weeks of Giants baseball. The Giants went 5-8 since we last recorded, but they only dropped from 2.5 games back to 3.5 games back. Alas, their playoff chances keep plummeting (down to 3% per fivethirtyeight.com). In episode 175, we covered the trade deadline, the fact that both Bumgarner and Smith will be with this team through the end of this season, Panik getting DFA’d, the losing streak, the 1989 Giants’ reunion, Will Clark’s #22 getting retired next year, Will Smith’s first AB, hit and RBIs…literally we couldn’t have chosen a worse regular season stretch to miss our weekly podcast. Nevertheless, Chad and Eric are back with a vengeance in an extended episode to catch all of us up on the happenings of Giants baseball.
I Feel Good. ish.
Here’s the video the Giants streamed of the 1989 celebration on Sunday. We opened this podcast with the first minute of this segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYvQ4QprPUU
San Francisco Giants’ Buster Posey hits a grand slam during the 10th inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers Friday, July 12, 2019, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
You can download the episode here, or stream it below!
The Giants have won 9 of 11 and lead MLB in homeruns for the month of July with 22. You read that right. They lead the league in homeruns this month. Did this team find their true identity, or is this just a phase like a cranky teenager going through a growth spurt? Eric and Chad talk about the series win in Milwaukee and recorded this during the Giants’ 19-2 demolition of the Rockies in the first game of their day-night doubleheader today.
To the surprise of everyone, the Giants are one of the hottest teams in the league. All the more surprising is the fact that they are winning on the strength of their offense. The team is 9-2 in its last 11 while averaging 8.5 runs per game. Suddenly, they’re just 4 games back of a playoff spot. At 750/1 to win the NL Pennant, there would be value betting on the Giants to squeak into the playoffs and make a run. However, Farhan Zaidi is still likely to sell at the deadline, so bettors wouldn’t actually be wagering on this Giants team; they’d be wagering on a team that may be without the likes of Madison Bumgarner and Will Smith. The guys at Sports Betting Dime think there is value betting on the Giants to squeak into the playoffs and make a run.
Rookie starting pitcher Shaun Anderson picked up his first MLB win against the Orioles at Camden Yards on June 1. (Photo by San Jose Mercury News)
You can download the episode here, or stream it below!
The Giants went 3-3 since our last podcast, but after losing the first two in Miami, I think most Giants fans will be quite pleased with winning 3 of 4 since then. But, let’s be honest: going 3-3 against two of the worst teams in the league is disappointing, but also a barometer of where this Giants team is amongst the 30 clubs. We talk about the great performances of Shaun Anderson, Tyler Beede, and Jeff Samardzija, Crawford’s 2 homer game, two easy wins in Baltimore, scoring 5 in the first inning just to give up 6 to the Orioles in the bottom half of the first, we review May’s atrocious stats (spoiler: the starting pitching stats are the worst in SF history for ANY month), we preview the MLB draft (Giants have the 10th overall pick), who’s hot and not, and much more!
Joe Panik, pictured here, after his game-winning 2 RBI single in the bottom of the 9th to defeat the Braves 4-3…or he’s about to karate chop Duggar and Shark. This was the only joy this week in a 1-6 homestand. Photo: Jeff Chiu / Associated Press
You can download the episode here, or stream it below!
The Giants went 1-6 since our last podcast, and have completely taken the season in a different direction, being outscored 55-19 in the process. In addition, they gave up 15 unearned runs this week, which is almost half of the season total of 32. They are dead last in hitting and fielding percentage, and 3rd worst in the NL in ERA, a spot they were third in just a few weeks ago. They’ve lost 5 in a row, 6 of 7, and are on pace for 97 losses. Mac Williamson was DFA’d again, Carl Yaztremski’s grandson was called up and got 3 hits, and the only win of the week was so improbable, with the Giants being down to their last strike 8 times. Baseball is weird. We talk about it in episode 167 of the TortureCast!
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