Tag Archives: TortureCast

by | October 24, 2012 · 10:05 AM

Episode 40: The MadBum Episode and WORLD FREAKIN’ SERIES Preview

Pence’s magical triple double in Game 7

Willie, Ben and Chad get together for a NLCS review that just blew everyone’s pants off, followed by questioning the meaning of life and how the frick the Giants pulled off 6 consecutive elimination game wins. Oh yeah, we talk a little World Series Preview and about that Verlander guy…he’s pretty good.

Talking Points

  • Um, how’d that happen?! 3 consecutive wins vs Cin, and 3 consecutive wins vs STL, first team to win 6 consecutive elimination games to reach WS

The Week In Review

  • Giants won their 5th consecutive NLCS (62, 89, 02, 10, 12)
  • Hunter Pence’s magical triple-double
  • Where were you during NLCS Games 5-7?

The BIG Question

  • Can the Giants hit Verlander?
  • Will Bumgarner do well, if not, Giants could be down 2-0.

ArmChair Manager

  • Lincecum in pen? Rotation: Zito, Bum, Vogey, Cain.

Tweet At Me, Bruh

  • @hankschulman: Seriously, folks who still insist Gs should add Melky now need to study his departure and what the team has done since, or just stop talking

Our New Favorite Guy

  • Zito: Chad
  • Scutaro: Willie

We Should Hate This Guy

Why We Will Win It All

  • Beat Verlander like Lee and Halladay in 2010, and in the previous 3 World Series that featured an LCS that swept vs a team that won in 7, the team that went 7 won all 3 times. LA vs Oak 1988, Cards vs Tigers ’06, Red Sox v Rockies ’07
  • Sloppy Joes at Zeke’s cannot lose

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by | October 14, 2012 · 10:16 AM

Episode 39: The Roberto Kelly Playoff Special

Didn’t think this would be happening. Courtesy of The City Graphics.

The three of us finally get together since they clinched the NL West, and it appeared that this would be a post-mortem episode they way the Cincinnatti series started. Alas, the black and orange comeback kids have extended their season against another magical comeback team, the St. Louis Cardinals.

Willie, Chad and Ben review the NLDS, criticize Dusty Baker for his managerial moves or non-moves in Game 5, and discuss how the Giants won the series, despite getting out-hit and out-pitched.

All 3 of us predict the Giants will beat the Cardinals in 6, but Chad thinks the series may go 9 games due to the nature of both teams’ inability to quit.

With magic on both sides, it may be Harry Potter vs. Voldemort.

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by | September 26, 2012 · 11:36 PM

TortureCast Goes to the PressBox…wait…WTF?! And “Bonusode” 38.5

Just your standard Willie-Chad lineup in the Giants dugout

Click above, right here, that little arrow, to play our “Bonusode” 38.5 from 9/20/12.

The article below, written by Chad King, summarizes his thoughts about the TortureCast’s trip to the Giants’ press box during the Rockies/Giants game on September 20, 2012, 2 days before the Giants clinched the NL West. Excuse the USA Today writing style, but it was written and submitted to a local newspaper.

The podcast embedded above was recorded by Willie and Chad right after the game.

Enjoy!

 

Confessions of a Press Box Rookie

Chad King

So why was a marine biologist suddenly thrust into the world of sports journalism? Much like George Costanza followed his lust for a woman who was worried about a beached whale in “Seinfeld,” I was coerced by my love for writing, podcasting, and the Giants.

Podcasting is a relatively new form of media. Anyone with a recording device and an internet connection can record and upload spoken words for the potential of millions to listen to. Many are trying and become the next Walter Cronkite or Ryan Seacrest (laugh track). I aspire to become neither. I follow my passion for parenting, gaming and the San Francisco Giants through podcasting. A trained sports journalist or radio DJ, I am not. Neither are most of those who occupy those professions, however.

As a co-host of “The TortureCast,” we’ve always had a passion for the Giants. A passion that has taken me and my two co-hosts to commit hours of pre-show research and preparation, hour long recordings, and hours of audio and website editing. There’s something to be said about the passion of the knowledgeable fan.

The San Francisco Giants recognized something within this passion and granted media credentials to the three of us to cover the Giants-Rockies game on September 20. Typically, Major League Baseball teams only grant media passes to “legitimate” media. We were officially legitimate media, if only for a day. With copious notes from hours of research, we hit the press room like kindergartners on the first day of school. We didn’t ask questions of manager Bruce Bochy in the pregame conference in the dugout nor the postgame conference, and pretty much relegated ourselves to scoring the game, tweeting satirical updates while consuming massive amounts of free caffeine. We gawked at KNBR broadcasters taking seconds in the media dining room, and tried to take “illegal” photos with our smart phones in the press box while skirting Major League Baseball’s official media dress code.

And yet, this was more of a service to the fans than what I saw around me as nine innings of baseball unfolded within the confines of the press box. First, I saw some journalists playing solitaire over several innings, many seasoned professionals reporting incorrect statistics, and found the “TortureCast” crew answering questions rhetorically asked by 30 year veterans such as, “how many homeruns did Buster Posey have coming into today?”

Although this day will be one of the most memorable in the “sports” section of my gray matter, one of the reporters left me with this little nugget: “The only thing that separates the sports writer from a truly knowledgeable fan is the credentials.”

Maybe George Costanza was more qualified that we give him credit for.

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by | September 14, 2012 · 8:03 PM

Episode 38: The Brian Wilson Episode

It’s magic alright

Chad finally podcasted without sleeping children upstairs, so he was a little boisterous in this one.

We talk about the Giants’ recent success, Dodgers recent failures, and the cautious optimism for the Giants clinching their 2nd NL West title in the last 3 years.

Talking Points

  • On May 26th the Giants were 7.5 games back. Since then, they’ve gone 57-39 and reversed this margin +.5 game. Not. Too. Shabby. Conversely, the bums are 43-54 since lighting up the easiest schedule in the west early.
  • Even if LAD went 19-0, the Giants would have to go 13-6, not impossible. If the Giants play 9-10 ball, Dodgers have to go 16-3 to tie
  • Dodgers are 28-35 vs West, Giants are 9 games better

The Week In Review

  • Giants take 2 of 3 from LA, could have been a sweep
  • Giants dominant on road again, winning 12 of their last 15, and 21-7 since break

The BIG Question

ArmChair Manager

  • Would you sit Vogelsong for a start? 9+ ERA in last 6 starts, even he thinks he’s pitching like crap

Tweet At Me, Bruh

  • “Brandon McCarthy @BMcCarthy32: With this sweet new haircut and homemade Bane mask I’m off for a big day of yelling at tourists in Union Square.”
  • CSNBaggs: Well-traveled Scutaro ‘would love to’ re-sign with Giants: When Marco Scutaro first learned of his trade from Co… http://t.co/9fhyVeTb

Our New Favorite Guy

  • Aubrey Huff for a couple of nice PH singles in COL, jovial enthusiasm in the dugout when he hurt his hand slapping Theriot in the ass.
  • Jeff Kent, he’s on survivor yo!
  • Ryan Vogelsong, because Josh Farenbaugh won a contest

We Should Hate This Guy

  • Aaron Rogers for backing out of a bet with Boyz II Men. He was supposed to wear a Niner jersey this week
  • Matt Kemp, because…Matt Kemp.

Why We Will Win It All

  • No collapse in the last 19 games, take care of the Reds, repeat Cody Ross in NLCS and get the Blarney Stone flown over to SF for the World Series?
  • National’s General Manager Mike Rizzo
  • THIRTEEEEEEEEN

 

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by | August 22, 2012 · 2:52 PM

Episode 36: The Gaylord Perry Episode

Cheater cheater, PED – eater!

Melky, why? Why did you do that? What the crap dude? We’re super mad and we tell you why.

Chad and Willie almost cry over spilled Melk. As Giants fans, we feel betrayed and lied to, and much of the Giants organization feels the same way. It’s not just that he took PEDs, it’s that him and his camp tried to cover it up with a ridiculous fake supplement website plot. WTF WERE YOU THINKING MELKY!! At least the Giants had time to cancel 20,000 t-shirts with his likeness on it.

Chances are that we’ll never see him in black and orange again (well, except maybe the Orioles), even if the Giants make the postseason.

The Week In Review

  • Giants are 4-1 without Melky, suck on that
  • MadBum’s wicked start in LA
  • Scutaro is hitting .330 with SF, 18 RBI in 91 ABs

The Big Question

  • Bochy: “It’s time for Lincecum to be Lincecum”

Armchair Manager

Who should the Giants play in LF? Blanco v righties, Christian v lefties? Reported today that Theriot is taking practice in LF. Belt with Posey at first and Sanchez at C? Xavier Nady? Should they go after anyone? (Francoeur, Cody Ross, Scott Hairston, Rick Ankiel, Burrell?) How may September callups affect this?

Tweet At Me, Bruh

  • ‏@TheFakeESPN: Melky realizes he should have just presented YouPorn instead of fake website as cause of boosted testosterone.
  • ‏@DodgersGM: Juan Uribe’s PEDs didn’t work because he bought them off MelkyCabrera’s fake website.
  • @CSNBaggs: Bochy asked Theriot how he felt after working out in LF: “He said, ‘I’m fine The only thing I’m having trouble with is fly balls.'”

We Should Hate This Guy

  • MELKY FREAKIN’ CABRERA

Why We Will Win It All

  • The Giants somehow make the playoffs, Melky juices while he’s suspended and comes back and carries them to the WS title…or not…
  • This whole Melky thing actually galvanizes the locker room.  The Giants love to feel like underdogs and now they really do.

Remember to follow @Torturecast and us individually. Also, you can like us on Facebook!

Willie Gregory – @williedills

Ben Fried-Lee – @friedduck

Chad King – @chadk21

 

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by | August 15, 2012 · 12:25 PM

Spoiled Melk

This news doesn’t taste good (from gotbrainy.com)

The Melk has spoiled.

In a magical season for Melky Cabrera, a career year, All Star game MVP, the adoration of Melkmen and Melkmaids, and one that has helped propel the Giants to the top of the division, the team and the public were notified today that he tested positive for testosterone, a banned substance.

Not that it matters much, but Melky immediately admitted he took a substance “he knew he shouldn’t have,” and apologized to the team and the fans. It’s certainly better than other players that have denied use of PEDs, attributing their positive test to a supplement, or even worse, a delayed FedEx delivery (looking at you, Braun). Personally, it’s not much of a reprieve of the blow the Giants will take, and their chances of pushing towards the playoffs. Fifty games is fifty games, no matter if you deny it or accept responsibility. There is no additional punishment for denial.

The Commissioner’s office has also confirmed that he will be eligible after 4 games into the postseason, should the Giants make it. So, if they do make the divisional round, he could see action in games 6 & 7 and afterwards, or potentially 5-7 if they have a one game wild card playoff.

Although this news cracked the wires less than an hour ago, there’s already twitter chatter about how this will affect his contract next year. Many stating that obviously he made a mistake not negotiating a contract with the Giants earlier in the year, which is predicated upon the fact that his monster year will garner up to or over $15 million per year on the open market. Sorry to say, Melky, that number was at least cut in half, in my opinion. It’s not only because of your new record of testing positive, but now there will obviously be questions about how the testosterone improved your performance. Assuming he’s off of it next year, how will his numbers change? Will he be a .350 hitter with 15 bombs? Since this is a career year for him, and it happens to be during a time he was taking PEDs, I would say, probably not.

That doubt will now linger in the minds of the Giants front office, the other 29 clubs, and especially Giants fans, much like when you gamble with a carton of milk that’s a few days past its expiration date with the “sniff” test.

Chad King

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by | June 11, 2012 · 10:59 AM

Episode 32: The Ryan Vogelsong Episode

“The Color of Willie”

Willie was recreating his vision of “The Color of Money” at a local SF pool hall and brought his jubilant intoxicating personality onto Episode 32 of “The TortureCast.”

We talk World Series 2010 rematch with the Rangers and 2 shutouts, Lincecum’s woes (and their amazing record without him), Panda’s return, “The Riot” is on fire, Vogelsong is da man, and overall the Giants are actually in a pretty good place. Listen to the decline in Willie’s attitude and rants about Lincecum and rude fans, he cares about the children, really, listen to it, it’s worth it.

  • Overall, Giants have played well since we last recorded, own 4th best NL record (34-27), 5 GB of LA, hold 2nd wildcard
  • Had won or tied 9 consecutive series until today
  • First shutout of season vs Rangers, one of last three teams w/o shutout this season

The Week In Review

  • Giants are 2-11 when Lincecum starts, including 8 losses in a row. ERA up to 6.00; is he finished? Do they need to skip a start or two? Do they need to install bongs in the dugout? Can’t stay away from the BIG inning. Has given up 3+ ER in one inning in 8/13 starts now.
  • Melky’s hamstring. Misses Rangers series and they’re shut out for the first time this season…twice!
  • Panda’s return and his wandering penis; SF went 21-14 w/o him.

Tweet At Me, Bruh

  • “Actually, a title from a blog post from McCovey Chronicles today, “”Source: Tim Lincecum Is Not Having a Good Season””

Our New Favorite Guy

  • Vogelstrong: dude is money, showing no signs of back issues; 2nd in NL ERA at 2.26.
  • Theriot: please give us a 2B man
  • Blanco: Like Pavlovic says…he just MAKES THINGS HAPPEN
  • Honorable Mention: Stony Brook Seawolves

We Should Hate This Guy

  • Josh Hamilton
  • All star game PR people
  • Craig Gentry

Why We Will Win It All

  • If Lincecum doesn’t pitch anymore (they are 32-16 when he doesn’t pitch, .667 best in MLB)
  • Vogelsong, Zito, Cain, Bumgarner

Also, catch up on a Lincecum article Chad wrote earlier this week.

 

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by | June 6, 2012 · 1:06 PM

Lincecum Doesn’t “Scatter”

By Chad King

As the sky is rapidly descending in the Little Chicken world of Lincecum-Land, I wanted to take a deeper look at exactly, er, statistically, anyway, what is going on and perhaps surmise a reason as to why the “ace” is struggling so mightily this season. Typical explanations that I hear on the crazy train that is the KNBR caller populous are velocity and location. I think velocity has very little to do with his current struggles. Yes, his fastball is averaging 90.2 mph this season, down from 92.2 in 2011 and 91.2 in 2010, but he was touching 93 yesterday against the Padres. I think his velocity comes and goes by start but doesn’t have a real net affect on the outcome as much as his ability to locate his pitches. His walks per 9 IP and walk average is way up, which suggests lack of command, and that lack of command will not only translate into walks, but also pitches over the middle of the plate that were originally intended to catch a corner or drop low (see 0-2 counts on Carlos Quentin, Tony Gwynn Jr., etc. for less than optimal results). This has resulted in a much higher batting average against, hits per 9 innings, and even batting average for balls hit in play, being way above the league average (see those purty graphs below for my attempt to convince you that I know what I’m talking about).

They are just lines, people

Some lines going up are good, however, these particular lines…not so much

But wait, what is this graph? LOB%? Is that how often he lobs the ball to his opponent?

Timmy, that green line’s a little too sloped there…bring it up a bit, will ya?

No, although his performance may indicate that he’s doing that more often; this shows how many runners he leaves on base. LOB% and ERA are inverse of each other, as one rises, the other falls; the lower the LOB%, the higher the ERA. The funny thing is, historically, pitchers with high strikeout percentages will have higher LOB% as they can limit the number of scoring opportunities via sac flies, fielders choices and the like. Timmy’s strikeouts have barely dipped, still averaging 24.1% (24.4% in 2011). Yet, his LOB% has absolutely plummeted to 60.9% what FanGraphs calls “awful.” This dramatic drop is out of proportion to the drop in his other stats. The league average over the years is 72% and Lincecum’s lowest LOB% is 75.9% in 2009.

What can be attributed to such a monumental drop in LOB%? I believe it’s the all too frequent “big inning.” He has allowed 3 or more earned runs in one inning in 8 of his 12 starts. You know that old saying, “pitcher X scattered 8 hits and 4 walks over 7 innings?” Well, Timmy doesn’t “scatter,” he “lumps.” Unfortunately, these big innings unravel faster than my toddler’s temper tantrum when he doesn’t get his lollipop. He can be cruising and just completely run into a series of walks, a couple of bloops, and then a bomb, all in a series of 4 or 5 hitters. Take a look at his game log by start and inning. I’ve highlighted these “big innings,” which have accounted for 30 of his 43 earned runs. To put another way, he has given up 70% of his earned runs in a total of less than 8 of his 66.1 innings pitched (several of these starts he didn’t even finish the “big inning”).

The bottom line is that the Giants are now 2-10 when Lincecum starts, including 7 consecutive losses. They’ve only lost 25 games this year.

He said yesterday that he might be pulling out of his funk, but until he can prove it by avoiding a string of mental lapses that lead to these big innings, I’m not buying it. Maybe they should let Timmy smoke? More Giants fans are probably doing so now.

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by | May 29, 2012 · 1:14 AM

Episode 31: The Robb Nen Episode

It’s a holiday podcast! Chad and Ben talk a lot of Lincecum, and a little Bumgarner, and start getting a little nervous…but then talk Melky, Posey, and Pagan and everything seems a little better. Who do we love this week? Who do we hate? How many awkward things is Ben going to say after having to work on a national holiday? Tune in to find out!

Ben’s appearance on the Curse of Benitez COBcast
Giants stats from the 5-hole and 2-hole
Great blog post from Carl Steward about Bonds, Belt, and Giants hitters

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by | March 2, 2012 · 9:16 AM

MLB Expanded Playoffs: A “Historical” Perspective

I don’t consider myself a purist, I can handle change in this timeless game of baseball. At least they still wood bats (*cough* DH *cough*). I am a proponent of the current wild card system, even if it did come a year too late for the Giants.

For those of you that may have missed the news, MLB is on the precipice of approving the expansion of the playoffs this year. Each league would add one wild card team, meaning 10 out of the 30 teams would make the playoffs. Okay, that’s still the smallest percentage making the playoffs of any of the 4 major sports, doesn’t sound ground breaking yet. Here’s the catch: each pair of wild card teams in each league would have a one game playoff. One game? Seriously? After 162? If they are tied, fine, go at it. We’ve seen one game playoffs to determine division champs and wildcards before.

To look at the potential variability and inequity of a one game playoff, I looked at the past 17 seasons in which we have had the wild card playoff system (implemented in 1994, but that season was canceled). I added the hypothetical team that would have qualified for the second wild card in each league. I then determined the number of games back the second wild card team would have been that year:

============================================

How the Playoffs Might Have Been – Hypothetical Wild Card Matchup History

2011 Rays v Red Sox(1 GB), Cards* v Braves (1GB)
2010 Yankees v Boston (6 GB), Braves v Padres (1GB)
2009 Red Sox v Rangers (8 GB), Rockies v Giants (4 GB)
2008 Red Sox v Yankees (6 GB), Brewers v Mets (1 GB)
2007 Yankees v Tigers/Mariners (6 GB), Rockies v Padres (tied)
2006 Tigers v Angels (6 GB), Dodgers v Phillies (3 GB)
2005 Red Sox v Indians (2 GB), Astros v Phillies (1 GB)
2004 Red Sox* v A’s (7 GB), Astros v Giants (1 GB)
2003 Red Sox v Mariners (2 GB), Marlins* v Astros (4 GB)
2002 Angels* v Red Sox/Mariners (6 GB), Giants v Dodgers (3 GB)
2001 A’s v Twins (17 GB!!), Cards v Giants (3 GB)
2000 Mariners v Indians (1 GB), Mets v Dodgers (8 GB)
1999 Red Sox v A’s (7 GB), Mets v Reds (1 GB)
1998 Red Sox v Angels (7 GB), Cubs v Giants (tied – actual one game playoff)
1997 Yankees v Angels (12 GB), Marlins* v Mets/Dodgers (2 GB)
1996 Orioles v Red Sox/White Sox/Mariners (3 GB), Dodgers v Expos (2 GB)
1995 Yankees v Angels (1 GB), Rockies v Astros (1 GB) shortened season!

“higher” wild card seed listed first

* denotes WS Champ

============================================

Some very interesting things come out in the wash, but frankly, that’s some dirty water coming out, tinged with the joyous tears of Bud Selig at the thought of raking in a few extra bucks for additional playoff stretch drives and the 2 additional do-or-die games. Although the majority of the additional wild card teams were within 3 games of the “first” wild card team (3.9 games back average over both leagues), there are extreme examples of a vast chasm between the two. Let’s start with 2001. The Seattle Mariners tore up the league that year with an MLB -best 116 wins, the most since the 162 game schedule expansion and the best winning percentage by any team since 1954. The A’s fell 14 games short of that mark with a still impressive 102 wins and filled in as the wild card. If this new system was in place then, the A’s would have hosted the Twins in a one game playoff. The Twins had 85 wins…17 GAMES behind the A’s! Do you think the average baseball fan would have bought a Twins victory in that hypothetical situation as dogma that the Twins deserved to go over the A’s after 162? Of course not. This system enables this possibility, and it will happen at some point. This example is the fodder against those who claim they like this system, and if you want to avoid a one game playoff, just “win your division” and stop whining. Clearly division series can match up teams with large gaps in their regular season records, but at least they have 5 games to settle it, not one.

There are more examples of historically large record differences since 1995. The Yanks would have played the Angels in 1997 (12 game difference), 8 games would have separated the Mets and Dodgers in 2000 and the Red Sox and Rangers in 2009. A 7 game differential would have occurred 3 times, 6 games 5 times.

The funny thing is, as a Giants fan, the team would have historically benefited from this new system. Yes, their 2002 NL Championship may have never have happened after facing the Dodgers in a one game playoff, but the Giants would have gained a one game playoff 3 additional times since 2001 (‘01 v Cards, ‘04 v Astros, ‘09 v Rockies; They did play an actual one game playoff for the wildcard vs the Cubs in 1998 after finishing in a tie…I needed quite a few beers after Gaetti’s HR). On paper I would have taken that deal.

Five World Champs have been wild cards, including the 2004 Red Sox. Could you imagine if the Curse was never nixed if they had lost to the A’s in a one game playoff that year (even though they were 7 games better)? The Cardinals may have never won last year, perhaps the Angels in 2002 (actually, that’s fine by me), the Marlins in ‘03 (thanks Pudge) and ‘97.

I’m also not sure why Selig and Co. are pushing to get this in this year, when the end of the regular season and playoff schedules are set, and the leagues are still unbalanced. Why not just wait until 2013 when the Astros move to the AL West and the schedule can accommodate the extra playoff game? I am unequivocally against this new system. Rather, I’m for the extension of the division series to 7 games instead, much like the NBA converted to a while back.

Then again, maybe the Giants will be that lucky second wild card this year?

– Chad

 

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