OT: Giants 2021

[shazam_guy]

Thanks for the update. Since they like to adopt, I'll mosey over and see if they want another (okay, extremely old) child to take in.

[Samurai]

Thanks for the update. Since they like to adopt, I'll mosey over and see if they want another (okay, extremely old) child to take in.

If they decide not to fully adopt you, maybe you can just ask for an allowance. A fraction of Buster's salary should still be more than enough to live on!

[shazam_guy]

At least let me borrow the car sometimes. I'll bet theirs are in better shape than mine.

[tal57]

23. San Francisco Giants
Projected record: 70-92 (1.2% playoff odds)

That is the opening day so called ESPN experts rankings / prediction
I don't know if I can survive 1-52 record for the rest of the season.

[Samurai]

Great win today. Down 4-0 going into the 9th inning and they tie it up and win it in the 10th. Kris Bryant with two big doubles (3 hits total) to help pull out the win.

[shazam_guy]

They have the scent of 2010. And the everybody-steps-up thing has worked extremely well. Just roll on, now matter how many major injuries and game missed we've had from our opening day starting lineup.

[wco81]

If the Giants hold on and win the division, they really need to avoid the Dodgers.

They've done well in direct matchups but the last two series, they didn't face Betts or Kershaw. Or Seager, I believe.

Now they've added Turner and Scherzer.

Best scenario is the Brewers or Padres knock them out -- Tatis has destroyed them this season.

[Thugleavy34]

If the Giants hold on and win the division, they really need to avoid the Dodgers.

They've done well in direct matchups but the last two series, they didn't face Betts or Kershaw. Or Seager, I believe.

Now they've added Turner and Scherzer.

Best scenario is the Brewers or Padres knock them out -- Tatis has destroyed them this season.

F that I want the dodgers. Bring them on

[Scoots1994]

The NL West has the top 2 records in the whole MLB and the 4th best record in the NL.

It's kind of fun listening to Dodgers fans. $110M more in payroll but just can't close the gap to the Giants.

[SFrush]

The NL West has the top 2 records in the whole MLB and the 4th best record in the NL.

It's kind of fun listening to Dodgers fans. $110M more in payroll but just can't close the gap to the Giants.

There only 3 games back with 40 games left. That's not a huge gap.

[wco81]

Lead could evaporate with one bad road trip.

Dodgers gave up more to acquire key players at the trade deadline.

Zaidi held firm, not wanting to trade long-term prospects. Again, you have to give him the benefit of the doubt, since this is really his second full season.

I don't know how highly rated the prospects the Dodgers gave up for Scherzer and Turner were. If those players perform, it may end up being worth it.

Maybe the asking price were Giants prospects whom Zaidi expects would be key players on the major league roster in the next couple of seasons.

Or he's confident that Giants will be able to improve and contend from here on out, so this one season isn't the only time they'll be leading the division (or the majors) in the near future.

[Scoots1994]

Yeah it's not a huge gap, but the salary gap is huge.

Even yesterdays game went long in the loss because they are such scrappers.

[wco81]

Red Sox fans are PISSED, because they had a HUGE lead, over 10 games, on the Yankees 1-2 months ago.

Then Yankees made a lot of trades to bolster their lineup while the Red Sox didn't.

Now they're behind the Yankees.

Their fans think the Yankees didn't give up much to get players like Rizzo and Gallo, both of whom have helped them on their current run of wins.

Giants fans may also end up pissed, also maybe heartbroken.

[shazam_guy]

I wish we'd picked up a serious reliever, but I'm inclined to trust Zaidi and management, since everything they've done is working out way better than we'd dared hope. We've already got more skillful position players than we can fully use, hence both Duggar and Wade getting briefly sent down despite playing really well.

If any Giants fan is pissed or heartbroken that we don't win the WS this year, despite it technically being a rebuilding year, they're pretty silly. This has been a magnificent season, and if they can't appreciate things being much, much better than expected, and can only be satisfied with a championship, then I wonder why they're even baseball fans. Championship runs like we had 2010-2014 only happen occasionally -- that was the first time in my lifelong SF Giants fandom, just for instance. You have to love the game and you have to love every little triumph. Baseball seasons are too long and the game too subtle for anything else.

[Samurai]

Red Sox fans are PISSED, because they had a HUGE lead, over 10 games, on the Yankees 1-2 months ago.

Then Yankees made a lot of trades to bolster their lineup while the Red Sox didn't.

Now they're behind the Yankees.

Their fans think the Yankees didn't give up much to get players like Rizzo and Gallo, both of whom have helped them on their current run of wins.

Giants fans may also end up pissed, also maybe heartbroken.

When the season began, I think the Giants' odds of making the playoffs were just under 2%. Their odds now are over 99%. Looking at what they accomplished this season, I just can't see any way to be pissed at them this year.

[wco81]

Yeah no doubt they've vastly overachieved.

The issue is that there's no guarantee they will be in this position again in the next few years.

Zaidi is probably confident that the team will be better but that doesn't mean things will go as well for them.

I just think of the World Series they lost vs. the Angels. Everyone figured we'll get more chances but it took years, after Bonds retired, for the Giants to get back to the WS and their first one, they just have everything fall right. They did not at any point have the best record in the MLB in that season.

Again I understand most fans are happier than they expected to be and probably support Zaidi not giving up too many key prospects.

These are defensible positions but if they' don't find themselves in similar positions in the next 2-3 seasons, I think people will look back at this season as a missed opportunity for not adding enough talent to take them over the top.

The Dodgers basically improved their team to the point that they could run off 10, 15 or 20 wins in a row. They're currently on a 7-game winning streak and the lead is now down to 2.5 games.

They went for it, gave up some prospects, for a previous Cy Young winner and an all-star infielder. Giants made a good trade for Bryant but he's no longer an MVP-level player or hasn't been the last couple of seasons.

[tal57]

I wish we'd picked up a serious reliever, but I'm inclined to trust Zaidi and management, since everything they've done is working out way better than we'd dared hope. We've already got more skillful position players than we can fully use, hence both Duggar and Wade getting briefly sent down despite playing really well.

If any Giants fan is pissed or heartbroken that we don't win the WS this year, despite it technically being a rebuilding year, they're pretty silly. This has been a magnificent season, and if they can't appreciate things being much, much better than expected, and can only be satisfied with a championship, then I wonder why they're even baseball fans. Championship runs like we had 2010-2014 only happen occasionally -- that was the first time in my lifelong SF Giants fandom, just for instance. You have to love the game and you have to love every little triumph. Baseball seasons are too long and the game too subtle for anything else.

I don't want to rant on Zaidi, the guy did a hell of the job in patching up the team from scraps, especially one year starting rotation wonders. I don't know if he sensed the pensioners who where about to be ran out of town would all suddenly explode or was it sheer luck. All I know is it turned out Sabean can't carry his jocks in dumpster diving intuition. However, he outsmarted himself in one little aspect and, I hope not, but believe it will bite the Giants in one aspect. While everyone were giddy getting Bryant (so was I), the other big maybe even more important fish got away. The true closer, namely Kimbrel. McGee is not a closer, I wouldn't trust him one iota with the one run lead. With the starters floundering lately a little, the bullpen got taxes and McGee would have helped to bolster relief, with the actual closer coming in the 9th. I believe Zaidi dropped the ball on Kimbrel.

[azwfan]

Yeah no doubt they've vastly overachieved.

The issue is that there's no guarantee they will be in this position again in the next few years.

Zaidi is probably confident that the team will be better but that doesn't mean things will go as well for them.

I just think of the World Series they lost vs. the Angels. Everyone figured we'll get more chances but it took years, after Bonds retired, for the Giants to get back to the WS and their first one, they just have everything fall right. They did not at any point have the best record in the MLB in that season.

Again I understand most fans are happier than they expected to be and probably support Zaidi not giving up too many key prospects.

These are defensible positions but if they' don't find themselves in similar positions in the next 2-3 seasons, I think people will look back at this season as a missed opportunity for not adding enough talent to take them over the top.

The Dodgers basically improved their team to the point that they could run off 10, 15 or 20 wins in a row. They're currently on a 7-game winning streak and the lead is now down to 2.5 games.

They went for it, gave up some prospects, for a previous Cy Young winner and an all-star infielder. Giants made a good trade for Bryant but he's no longer an MVP-level player or hasn't been the last couple of seasons.

I recall us making a trade for Beltran to make a run at the post season (while having a lead) giving up our top pitching prospect... and then we miss the playoffs and Beltran leaves in the offseason.

There's no guarantees either way.

[shazam_guy]

If you read the earlier posts, I mentioned Kimbrel a couple of times. I'm pretty certain the Giants were given a shot at him, but probably didn't want to match the price the Cubs wanted. I'm not sure I would call it dropping the ball -- we don't know what the Cubs wanted. I'd have loved to see Kimbrel here, but I also understand that with a good farm system and good prospects for the first time in a while, they're playing a longer game.

So we have to hope that Camilo Doval gets his head and arm working together, or whatever his problem is. He's certainly got stuff for days. Jeez, do you remember a few years back when we had a mediocre team but like four or five guys who were all closers or ex-closers?

[watch1958]

Well, if the Dodgers catch up, at least that will give the Giants a chance to make a waiver wire deal.