Tagged: brandon belt
A Low For the Giants
The Giants just lost 6-0 to the Anaheim Angels, dropping a second series in a row 1 game to 2. All baseball fans know there will be ups and downs, so it’s not a disastrous surprise, not like dropping a bag of groceries in your driveway and breaking a six-pack of your favorite beer. But the Giants are more down than up right now, with two starting pitchers also struggling to deliver quality outings. Continue reading
Giants Pitcher Matt Cain Pitches Perfect Game
It might be amusing to say there’s a new sheriff in town, but he’s been here for a while. The Houston Astro’s – who were once called the Colt .45’s – sent up 27 hitters, and Matt Cain sent them right back. Cain has never needed a nickname, but “Shotgun Cain” is the one that has come closest to sticking. Tonight, Cain recorded the first perfect game in the history of the San Francisco Giants. Continue reading
Giants Kick the Ball Around in Los Angeles
The Giants just wrapped up a 9-1 shellacking at the hands of the Dodgers, putting on a display of defensive buffoonery – and not for the first time this season. The Giants are leading the league in errors, as they shuffle the lineup daily to try to generate offense. Perhaps the worst part is that the are not generating a lot of offense either. The only thing they are doing well right now is pitch, and with injuries to Brian Wilson and Jeremy Affeldt ratcheting up the pressure on the other relief pitchers, some would argue that the bullpen is under-performing as well, and that only the starting pitching is getting it done. Continue reading
Belt, Sanchez, Cabrera, Burriss Lead the Team in Cactus League Hitting
If you throw out the guys who have only a handful of at-bats, say, less than ten, then your hitting leaders in Spring Training are mostly youngsters: Brandon Belt (.407), Hector Sanchez (.405), Melky Cabrera (.365), and Manny Burriss (.360). Cabrera is the only one certain to make the opening day roster, being a free-agent acquisition. The other three, team leaders in batting average after ten or more at-bats, are all prospects competing for spots. Continue reading
Giants Bats Doze Off
At this time last week, the Giants were 11 and 4, now they are 13 and 10. It has been a losing week, and the hitting has faded as opposing pitchers find their groove and get their secondary pitches working for strikes. It is difficult to remember that Spring Training wins and losses don’t matter when your team is going really good or when your team is going really bad. Continue reading
Another Cactus League Win
The Giants beat the A’s 7-2 behind a solid 6 innings from ace pitcher and all-around beloved guy Tim Lincecum in split-squad play. Unlike yesterday, the Giants were brandishing the big lumber, posting three homers. Ryan Theriot, Angel Pagan, and Pablo Sandoval all went deep. Meanwhile, Brandon Belt homered against the Dodgers. This time it was Belt in left field while Pill played first. I guess Pill and Belt are both being assessed for outfield versatility. Continue reading
Giants Squeak by With 3-2 Win
You know the bats weren’t banging when the top story on the Giants official website is pumping up the defensive play as they faced the Cubs in Cactus League play. The Giants totaled six hits for the game, and their scoring came on a throwing error, an errant pick-off throw, and a single from Aubrey Huff.
Emmanuel Burriss had an opportunity to diversify his portfolio in the outfield. He cashed in by going 2 for 2 with a double. Continue reading
Giants Will Trade for a Right Handed Outfielder. Who and When?
It seems pretty obvious if you think about it. Melky Cabrera and Angel Pagan are switch-hitting natural lefties. Nate Schierholtz is a lefty. Potential 4th outfielder Gregor Blanco – Yep, that’s right – lefty. I played six years of little league baseball – which only means I am highly qualified to watch baseball on T.V. But I know that as a left-handed hitter, every pitch coming out of a left-handed pitcher’s hand looked like it was going to hit me. Left-handed hitters do better against right-handed pitchers, and vice-versa. The Giants are not likely to trade before the season starts, but the need for more right-handed hitting in the outfield will rise to the surface like scum on a warm pond sooner rather than later. Continue reading
A Quick Cactus League Check-In
Just took a quick look at the box score and headlines at sfgiants.com. A homer for Posey and an RBI for Sandoval. I also looked at the line for Burriss: 1 for 3 with appearances at 2nd, 3rd and shortstop. The people to watch right now are Burriss, Belt, Pill and Blanco. Maybe Fontenot. They are the ones fighting for the last two spots on the roster. I should say definitely Fontenot. I don’t know how they could keep both Fontenot and Burriss on the 25 man roster unless Freddy Sanchez gets hurt again.
Brandon Belts One in Cactus League Opener
Brandon Belt went 3 for 4 with a home run in today’s Cactus League opener in Scottsdale Arizona. The homer to right came on an inside fastball to right field. He struggled with pitches in on the hands in 2011, but beat the scouting report today, demonstrating that he improved his hitting in the off season. Good job kid! Take a shave and pour yourself a cold one.
Aubrey Huff hit a ball over the center fielder’s head, but it was tracked down and caught. Brett Pill and Huff both were hitless as they competed with Belt for the 1st Base job. Continue reading
Giants Baseball - Torture 