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The Yankees and the Phillies – Midterms
It’s not going well right now for the G-Men as they just finished a 6-game losing streak against the Yankees and the Snakes (leavened by a convincing run outburst against the Snakes in the closing game of the series). It will not be any easier against the World Series winning Astros. We’re 61 games into the season, meaning there are 99 games remaining on their schedule. There is time.
The Yankees and Phillies series showed how young, and shall we say - unfinished – the 2024 Giants are. If this was a school year, the midterms sucked, and the professor says it’s time to stop lollygagging and time hit the batting cages. Consistency in the starting lineup would be welcome.
The Yankees are far superior to the Giants, a team that they’d only face in the postseason if the luck of the playoff format got them all the way to the World Series And if they won the World Series, that would be a complete fluke of luck, too (although luck has played a role before – witness 2010 and 2014). The Phillies series, meanwhile, was a nice surprise, but it flowed from a Philadelphia squad that has struggled at Oracle Park (2-16 since 2018 before their win in the series finale) despite being an obviously good to great team over the years.
It’s not so much that these were games where the Giants either played over their heads or were simply outclassed, it’s that these are not teams that are their competition. These are division leaders or, at the very least, teams competing for their divisions. You know, the real ones like the American League East, the National League East, or in the case of that team in LA, the National League West. The Giants aren’t one of those teams yet. The question is whether they can be, or not. Rather, the Orange and Black are fighting in the Wild Card division, a hive of scum and villainy if ever there was one.
It’s nice when the Giants beat one of these division leading teams, but in a long season and short series, that’s bound to happen occasionally. It’s still the case that the Giants went 2-5 against the Phillies this season, and despite playing the Yankees close in some innings still went 0-3 against them. We are 7-16 against teams with a .500 or better record, the third-worst mark in MLB. That must improve.
Who Can We Depend on?
Lee is out for the season, Matos has seesawed (after being player of the week three weeks ago) and is at Sacramento again as Slater comes off the DL. Wade, Chapman, Ramos, Flores and Conforto are producing, and Bailey is a stud who is just going to keep getting better. I also like the young guys, especially Schmitt and Fitzgerald. This is a team ready to jell. The question is when.
Starting Pitching – the Real Problem
Behind Logan Webb it’s a crap shoot. Melt downs and bullpen games do not cut it (although Hjelle looks like he could be a starter). Snell is back on the DL (although the reports are that he is improving quickly) and we might see the mythical Robbie Ray in early July. Regardless, the bullpen seems tired. It’s unlike Doval to be giving up bases loaded home runs in the 9th inning of close games – stop that Camillo, earn your walk on video!
The Upcoming Series – The Astros and the Angels
The Astros are a good team but also struggling (I will not talk about Dusty Baker – it still hurts too much). They are in 3rd place in the AL West with a 28 and 35 record (compared to the Giants 30 and 33 record). They are better than that, but they also have injury problems with Bregman and Tucker questionable. They are playing the Angels this weekend and the Halos (24 and 38) will march up the coast to play the Giants after the Astros leave. This is a week of baseball where the young Giants are lined up to excel. Can they do it? Is that who they are? Check out Oracle Park and find out!
On the board ready to be picked up are:
MON 6/10 Astros (6:45) – 3 (I’m going)
TUES 6/11 (6:45) – 4
WED 6/12 Phillies (12:45) – 4
SAT 6/15 Angels (1:05) – 3 [Pride Night] (I’m going)
SUN 6/16 Angels (1:05) – 4 [Father’s Day Straw Hat]
Let the torture continue!
Ciao, and GO GIANTS!
The Czar
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THE PROTOCOL: The firm has four seats in Section 118 (Premium Lower Boxes), Rows 25 and 26. These are awesome seats directly below the press box and 25 rows behind home plate on the left side behind the screen. It is foul ball territory for left-handed batters so bring your glove – I have collected 22 foul balls myself over 23 years and am looking for more. If we don’t use all the tickets ourselves (or clients and friends of the firm don't claim them by calling me and reserving a game), then my next step is to give the tickets TO THE FIRST PERSON WHO GETS BACK TO ME PROVIDED THAT THEY ARE SERIOUS. If you ask for the tickets and don't use them, you will be taken off the list unless there is a seriously good reason. There will be a wait list.
When there are four seats available (we split up a lot of games) we will allocate the tickets two and two if the first people back just want two tickets. You can also go for four and might get them. I'm the Czar, my call.
Oh, and BTW, The Czar found the original Hinman & Carmichael brick from 2000 (after looking for it every year since 2000) and found H&C’s Gotham Club Founders Bat! If you are on the patio, or in the Club, look for the symbols of baseball!
