**The Official SF Giants 2011 Season thread**
- Thread starter DUTCH-F.E
- Start date
Zito gets his next start
Barry Zito will take the ball on Sunday, but this might be his last turn in the rotation for some time.
While confirming that Zito will pitch the series finale at Cincinnati, Giants manager Bruce Bochy said the team must decide when to integrate Jonathan Sanchez onto the pitching staff. Bochy pretty much telegraphed it when he mentioned the team will need a starter on Aug. 5 — which would be Zito’s next day to pitch, at home against the Phillies.
Bochy said no decision has been made. He and pitching coach Dave Righetti haven’t ruled out bringing back Sanchez in a long relief role. But you didn’t have to read too deeply to figure out that management is pretty much working under the assumption that Sanchez will replace Zito in the rotation.
Asked how Bochy would deal with the delicate nature of wedging six accomplished starters into five spots, he said, “It’ll come down to who we think are the five guys who are throwing the best. Similar to what we had to do in the postseason. That was four starters and this is five, but it’s the same situation.”
I don’t need to remind you that Zito was the odd man out in the postseason last year.
“We’ll have our five best going,” Bochy said. “I don’t know how else to do it.”
If Zito gets hit hard on Sunday, it’ll pretty much make the decision for the Giants. So the pressure is greater than ever for him to perform.
–
In other news. Tim Lincecum had a fairly stunned look on his face when Phillies manager Charlie Manuel’s comments from last night were relayed to him.
Lincecum wasn’t shy about returning serve, either.
“It’s probably just frustration speaking,” he said.
Did Lincecum take it personally when Manuel called him and Matt Cain good but not great? Not really, he said. But he took issue with Manuel bringing up Lincecum’s gun readings while saying his stuff wasn’t dominant and the Phillies could get him next time.
“There are guys who can dominate throwing 87 (mph) and there are guys who can hit 97,” Lincecum said. “It’s the major leagues. It’s all about execution. So I don’t know how that has anything to do with it.
“He’s probably speaking out of frustration and dealing with their first home series loss since however long you guys said it was. (It was April.) It’s something they’re not used to, and it probably has something to do with what happened in the NLCS last year, too. I don’t know. You’ll have to ask him.”
Lincecum returned to the velocity issue.
“Cainer was throwing the same numbers up there,” Lincecum said. “He doesn’t hump up unless he has to, and with his stuff, he still dominates teams. So I don’t know how miles per hour has to do with dominance.”
Lincecum saved his zinger for the end.
“They had a guy, Moyer, right? Talk to him about that one,” he said.
GOT EM!!!!
Barry Zito will take the ball on Sunday, but this might be his last turn in the rotation for some time.
While confirming that Zito will pitch the series finale at Cincinnati, Giants manager Bruce Bochy said the team must decide when to integrate Jonathan Sanchez onto the pitching staff. Bochy pretty much telegraphed it when he mentioned the team will need a starter on Aug. 5 — which would be Zito’s next day to pitch, at home against the Phillies.
Bochy said no decision has been made. He and pitching coach Dave Righetti haven’t ruled out bringing back Sanchez in a long relief role. But you didn’t have to read too deeply to figure out that management is pretty much working under the assumption that Sanchez will replace Zito in the rotation.
Asked how Bochy would deal with the delicate nature of wedging six accomplished starters into five spots, he said, “It’ll come down to who we think are the five guys who are throwing the best. Similar to what we had to do in the postseason. That was four starters and this is five, but it’s the same situation.”
I don’t need to remind you that Zito was the odd man out in the postseason last year.
“We’ll have our five best going,” Bochy said. “I don’t know how else to do it.”
If Zito gets hit hard on Sunday, it’ll pretty much make the decision for the Giants. So the pressure is greater than ever for him to perform.
–
In other news. Tim Lincecum had a fairly stunned look on his face when Phillies manager Charlie Manuel’s comments from last night were relayed to him.
Lincecum wasn’t shy about returning serve, either.
“It’s probably just frustration speaking,” he said.
Did Lincecum take it personally when Manuel called him and Matt Cain good but not great? Not really, he said. But he took issue with Manuel bringing up Lincecum’s gun readings while saying his stuff wasn’t dominant and the Phillies could get him next time.
“There are guys who can dominate throwing 87 (mph) and there are guys who can hit 97,” Lincecum said. “It’s the major leagues. It’s all about execution. So I don’t know how that has anything to do with it.
“He’s probably speaking out of frustration and dealing with their first home series loss since however long you guys said it was. (It was April.) It’s something they’re not used to, and it probably has something to do with what happened in the NLCS last year, too. I don’t know. You’ll have to ask him.”
Lincecum returned to the velocity issue.
“Cainer was throwing the same numbers up there,” Lincecum said. “He doesn’t hump up unless he has to, and with his stuff, he still dominates teams. So I don’t know how miles per hour has to do with dominance.”
Lincecum saved his zinger for the end.
“They had a guy, Moyer, right? Talk to him about that one,” he said.
GOT EM!!!!
Giants To Acquire Orlando Cabrera
By Ben Nicholson-Smith [July 30 at 9:51pm CST]
The Giants will acquire Orlando Cabrera from the Indians, according to Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com (on Twitter).
The 36-year-old Colombia native began the season as the Indians' everyday second baseman and has since transitioned into more of a utility role. He has a .244/.277/.321 line in 344 plate appearances at second, third and short this year.
By Ben Nicholson-Smith [July 30 at 9:51pm CST]
The Giants will acquire Orlando Cabrera from the Indians, according to Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com (on Twitter).
The 36-year-old Colombia native began the season as the Indians' everyday second baseman and has since transitioned into more of a utility role. He has a .244/.277/.321 line in 344 plate appearances at second, third and short this year.
According to CBS Sports' Danny Knobler, the Giants have acquired Orlando Cabrera from the Indians.
Cabrera, 36, has hit just .244/.277/.321 in 91 games this season for Cleveland, but he's still fairly steady defensively and will give depth to the Giants' middle infield, which may be without Freddy Sanchez (shoulder) for the rest of the year. No word yet on what the Indians will be getting in return.
Cabrera, 36, has hit just .244/.277/.321 in 91 games this season for Cleveland, but he's still fairly steady defensively and will give depth to the Giants' middle infield, which may be without Freddy Sanchez (shoulder) for the rest of the year. No word yet on what the Indians will be getting in return.
Freddy Sanchez (shoulder) could serve as the designated hitter in an Arizona Summer League game as soon as Monday.
Sanchez's play over the next week or so will determine whether or not he decides to shut it down and undergo surgery before the offseason. While the odds are Sanchez returns to the Giants sometime in August, the team has insurance in Jeff Keppinger in case Sanchez can't return.
Sanchez's play over the next week or so will determine whether or not he decides to shut it down and undergo surgery before the offseason. While the odds are Sanchez returns to the Giants sometime in August, the team has insurance in Jeff Keppinger in case Sanchez can't return.
Aubrey Huff will be out of the lineup Saturday and Sunday, according to manager Bruce Bochy.
Brandon Belt will start both days. We're not quite sure what's going on, but beat writer Andrew Baggarly tweeted that his "Spider sense tells me Giants are up to something." When that something does come to light, we'll be sure to bring you an update.
Brandon Belt will start both days. We're not quite sure what's going on, but beat writer Andrew Baggarly tweeted that his "Spider sense tells me Giants are up to something." When that something does come to light, we'll be sure to bring you an update.
