SF Giants Playoff Hopes Hinge on Dodger Series

My oh, my was Bruce Bochy correct at the beginning of the season when he said the division and playoffs would come down to the wire. Actually, I think he was referring to the division winner, but the Giants playoffs will be determined in one weekend series against the LA Dodgers.

It's time for the Giants to play an overall great series. No excuses and Giants fans should not be mad at the Dodgers if things don't go the Giants way. There is no point in the Giants being in the playoffs if they can't beat a team that will be waiting for them. The Orange and Black need to do what they have not done for awhile. The Giants need to string together three solid games.

The team is going into this last series on a high note after a solid win against the Rockies in San Francisco. The club got their bats going after being closed out the night before and scored seven runs. The final score 7-2. Yeah! SF Giants fans everywhere love to see that kind of run production. Check out Johnny Cueto's great bunt and hustle down the first base line. Cueto helped his own cause and gave the Giants a 5-2 lead. Gotta love it. MLB video click HERE.

On Friday night Rich Hill of the Dodgers takes on Madison Bumgarner of the Giants at 7:15 PST.

Go Bumgarner! Go Giants!!!

Giants Go For Series in San Diego

The San Francisco Giants try to win a much needed series in San Diego this afternoon. I was at the first two games of this series. The first game won by the Giants 2-1 was a nail biter until the last out. The second game not so much. Suarez and the Giants fell behind in the first inning of that 7-2 loss. After the first inning the offense never got on track.

Fast forward to game three and the Giants offense kicked into high gear early and then later the Padres roared back to tie the game 6-6. Fortunately on this night the Giants offense was not done and added three more runs for a much, much needed win.

Each and Every game is important in this last week of the season. Playing or not playing in October could depend on one game.

Ty Blach will make his first major league start for the Giants vs Clayton Richard. Game time is 1:40 PST.

Good luck in your first start Ty! Go Giants!!!

SF Giants Bullpen Shines in Win Over Dodgers!!!

The SF Giants bullpen really shined last night in a win over the LA Dodgers. Let's give credit where it is due. The bullpen stepped on the mound and got the job done. Very well done Steven Okert and Will Smith!!! And what a great finish in the 9th by Sergio Romo!!! Yes, yes, yes! You have to love a 1-2-3 close.

Johnny Cueto had another stellar game. The offense in the form of two single home runs was enough to hold off the Dodgers. Cueto departed from the game after perhaps straining a groin muscle. All Giants fans hope this is not serious. It's crucial to have Johnny in the starting lineup during the last eleven games of the season.

Brandon Crawford was thrown out sliding into third base injuring one of his fingers. He is day to day and according to SFGiants.com Cueto will be having a MRI today to determine the extent of his injury. Giants fans are hoping for the best.

Eduardo Nunez got the Giants on the board with his home run. Check out the MLB.com video by clicking HERE.

Brandon Belt gave the Giants a cushion when he belted his home run in the top of the ninth inning. Watch the MLB.com video by clicking HERE.

Romo ends the game with a strikeout. Check out the MLB.com video by clicking HERE.

The Giants are in a three way tie for the wild card with eleven games left. The Mets, Cardinals and the Giants will battle until one of the teams are eliminated. This is crunch time and each game should be played like the playoffs depend on it, because one game could decide the outcome of the entire season.

Matt Moore is on the mound tonight in LA against Kent Maeda. Game time is 7:10 PST.

Go Matt Moore! Go Giants!!!

Another Blown Save by SF Giants Bullpen

The Giants had the lead going into the 9th inning last night in LA. The bullpen blew the save and the Dodgers walked away with a 2-1 victory. The Giants lead MLB in blown saves and are still in the playoff chase. Simply amazing!

It seems like this story has been repeated over and over again since the All-Star break. Before going into the second half of the season there was endless discussion from Giants fans about getting a closer because even with an 8 game lead the team was vulnerable late in games. I know finding a good closer is not an easy thing to do. Bochy and his staff have been trying to figure it out, but nothing has worked consistently.

As a Giants fan it is painful to see great starting pitching and a great game only to watch it fall apart in the eighth and ninth inning. The Orange and Black does not have a 1-2-3 game is over guy and this could keep them from the playoffs. Clayton Kershaw came out of the game in the 6th inning and the offense still could not get it going. That is a second issue the team has faced since the All-Star break. One more game consisting of less than two runs does not help the bullpen.

The final two weeks of the season will be all about scoring runs and closing out games. It's really that simple.

Eduardo Nunez's hustle gave the SF Giants a 1-0 lead. Watch Mr. Hustle courtesy of MLB.com by clicking HERE.

Johnny Cueto goes up against Rich Hill in LA tonight at 7:10 PST. Both pitchers are having great seasons.

Go Cueto! Go Giants!!!

Giants on Upswing vs Cardinals

The San Francisco Giants have picked up their offense in a series that really matters. Runs matter and so does beating the St. Louis Cardinals if the Orange and Black want to stay in the chase for a wild card spot.

Winning the first two games in convincing style is exactly what the Giants needed. If the team can win the next two before traveling to Los Angeles it would put them right in the middle of a division chase. The Dodgers lead the second place Giants by four games so the team will need to take their "A" game to Dodger stadium.

Buster Posey has been the man in this series. Posey has come to play and the team is following his example. Here Buster breaks his homer drought. Watch the MLB.com video by clicking HERE.

The Giants pretty much put the game away last night in the third inning. Six runs and you can watch the highlights of that inning from MLB.com by clicking HERE.

Jeff Samardzija goes against Cardinals pitcher Mike Leake, Saturday at 6:05 PST.

Go Samardzija! Go Giants!!!

Giants Offense Stuck in Neutral

The SF Giant offense got stuck in neutral Monday night against the San Diego Padres. This was a home game for the Giants and an opportunity to expand their lead in the wild card chase against the St. Louis Cardinals who lost.

The Giants made some good defensive plays with Buster Posey coming up big. Those defensive gems by Buster were the highlights of the game since the end score was Padres 4 and Giants 0.

Looking at the positive. The Giants continue to lead the wild card chase. The lead is slim and won't be maintained if the team does not start scoring consistently.

Great double play by Buster Posey and Brandon Crawford. Plays like these kept the game close. View the MLB.com video by clicking HERE.

Busters Posey's second great throw to get runner at second base. View the MLB.com video by clicking HERE.

Albert Suarez is on the mount at AT&T against San Diego's Clayton Richard. Game time is 7:15 PST.

Go Albert Suarez! Go Giants!!!

(CORRECTION!!!) TWO RUN CUSHION IN 9TH NOT ENOUGH FOR SF GIANTS

CORRECTION-GIANTS PLAY FRIDAY NIGHT IN ARIZONA. NOT TONIGHT.

Normally a team will feel a little comfort going into the 9th inning with a two run cushion. A one run cushion makes fans and managers a bit apprehensive. When an extra run is added late to increase the lead by two runs, everyone breathes easier.

That has not been the case since the All-Star break for the San Francisco Giants. Actually, we have been talking about the reliever situation before the break. It was a topic of conversation when the Giants were up by 8 games in the West. Really nothing has changed. The relievers are blowing leads at rate of every other save opportunity.

Everyone knows the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results. Last night that two run lead became one with a single pitch hit out of the park. This time Santiago Casilla was on the mound. It's happened to other relievers too. That's how the Giants have became the team with the most blown saves.

Are the Giants going to continue with this strategy? If so, why? As much as this blogger likes Santiago Casilla and his competitive spirit, he is not getting the job done consistently.

The front office needs to make a change. Getting the job done half of the time will not get the Orange and Black into the playoffs. If there is a good time to pay a closer not to pitch this would be it. At least until you try something else and it does not work. Maybe some rest will do Casilla some good and if his teammates in the bullpen can't close out a game he can be on called upon.

Remember the definition of Insanity and try something new and maybe the results will be different.

Madison Bumgarner is back on the mound Friday against Arizona's Braden Shipley. Game time is 6:40 PST.

Go Madison! Go Giants!!!

Great Win by SF Giants to Avoid Sweep

There is one more game in this four game series against the Cubs in Chicago. The Giants won a very good game behind Madison Bumgarner. This avoids the sweep and if the Giants can win behind Johnny Cueto it will even the series which is big for the team trying to stay ahead in the wild card spot and chase the Dodgers for first place.

The Padres are at the Dodgers at 6:10 pm. Rich Hill the former Athletic has been stellar and has a 10-3 record going into the matchup against Luis Perdomo who is even with a 7-7 record. This Giants fan hopes Luis will have the game of his life...LOL

Eduardo Nunez gets a single in to put the Giants up 2-0 in the fourth inning. Watch the MLB video courtesy of MLB.com by clicking HERE.

Nunez does it at third base too! These kind of plays are responsible for 3-2 victories. Watch the great play courtesy of MLB.com by clicking HERE.

Both teams got a run on infield errors. This is how the Giants got their first run of the game. Watch the MLB video by clicking HERE.

Go Johnny Cueto! Go Giants!

Currently the Cincinatti Reds are up 2-1 against the St. Louis Cardinals. As I publish this post the game is in the bottom of the 7th inning. Go Reds! I say that for obviouos Giant reasons.