Predict the Playoff Roster

[whytev]

I hate to be negative, but I think we needed a speedy position player much more than Soriano.  Also, Blevins scares me.

Check the splits. Blevins finished amazingly.

I feel bad for Hairston. Poor guy has never made the playoffs.

I'm fine with Soriano. But of he gives up so much as a double to the wall and we survive the series, look for Det to be back next series.

[RobDibblesGhost]

The Giants roster…

PITCHERS (12)

    Jeremy Affeldt
    Madison Bumgarner
    Santiago Casilla
    Tim Hudson
    Tim Lincecum
    Javier Lopez
    Jean Machi
    Jake Peavy
    Yusmeiro Petit
    Sergio Romo
    Hunter Strickland
    Ryan Vogelsong

CATCHERS (2)

    Buter Posey
    Andrew Susac

INFIELDERS (6)

    Joaquin Arias
    Brandon Belt
    Brandon Crawford
    Matt Duffy
    Joe Panik
    Pablo Sandoval

OUTFIELDERS (5)

    Gregor Blanco
    Gary Brown
    Travis Ishikawa
    Hunter Pence
    Juan Perez

[MorseTheHorse]

No Morse!  Good, now I don't have to cheer for both teams in a playoff series. 

[whytev]

It seems that with Espinosa as really the only pinch running threat, Williams may be reluctant to use him for anything else but that role.   You'd almost kind of need him available still in Zimmerman is going to pinch hit in a key situation late in the game.

Good!

Espinosa can run for Zimmerman and then take to the field afterward.

He can also pinch run for Ramos and then double switch out with an infielder and get Lobaton in the game, depending matchups. I can't remember if any of the better SF relievers are lefties.

Schierholtz isn't a bad baserunner, although he did get gunned down fairly recently.

[NJ Ave]

Wait, why don't we trust Soriano? He's had scoreless appearances in ALMOST half of his appearances over the last month.

Ugh.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

And the Ross Detwiler era in Washington appears to come to a close.

I think he would have made it if we were facing a team that had problems with lefties, like Pittsburgh. SF hits lefties pretty well.  You probably have a couple of match up spots for Thornton and Blevins, but, for the most part, Roark and maybe Stammen will do multiple innings and the rest will do 1 inning stints.  Soriano will be spotted in either late in extras or when we are down multiple runs.

[whytev]

Blevins makes perfect sense assuming he is there as a LOOGY. I do have to wonder if Soriano is there only for the business/political side of things. Hopefully, he has shown some control improvements in his side sessions. I assume he is there only in the even that Storen chokes and they needs someone who can actually deal with pressure. Problem with Soriano has been that his mental toughness gets completely trumped by his lack of command. Hopefully, he will spend the entire series shelling peanuts in the pen.

Soriano will go in if we're down 3 runs in the 7th. He'll do it so we don't burn Barrett or Thornton in a loss. We'll thank him for it.

[whytev]

I think he would have made it if we were facing a team that had problems with lefties, like Pittsburgh. SF hits lefties pretty well.  You probably have a couple of match up spots for Thornton and Blevins, but, for the most part, Roark and maybe Stammen will do multiple innings and the rest will do 1 inning stints.  Soriano will be spotted in either late in extras or when we are down multiple runs.

Don't close the door on Det. If Soriano pitches like garbage and we survive and the next team is weak against lefties, the lineup will be re-set in his favour.

[vicki4471]

Have Vegas odds been set yet ? And who are all the sports channels/analysts predicting to take this series?

[NJ Ave]

Re: pinch running, is there a realistic guy we left off the roster that we'd trust to steal a base 80% of the time when the other team knows we're running? I'm trying to draw a distinction between the kind of base runners we have a lot of, which is fairly speedy guys that can steal a base at a good percentage when they pick their spot well, and the kind of track stars a team like the Royals has.

If we don't have a guy that can steal a base when they know we're trying to steal, we might as well not try it. Just put a reasonably speedy guy on who'll score from second on a single, from first on a double, and get to second 100% of the time on a sacrifice bunt.

[Slateman]

I told you Soriano would be on the playoff roster

[NJ Ave]

Soriano will go in if we're down 3 runs in the 7th. He'll do it so we don't burn Barrett or Thornton in a loss. We'll thank him for it.

That's why you should have Treinen, who will at least make the other team string together singles. If Soriano isn't on, a 3-run lead is nothing. It's a walk, single and double away from a 1-run game.

[whytev]

Re: pinch running, is there a realistic guy we left off the roster that we'd trust to steal a base 80% of the time when the other team knows we're running? I'm trying to draw a distinction between the kind of base runners we have a lot of, which is fairly speedy guys that can steal a base at a good percentage when they pick their spot well, and the kind of track stars a team like the Royals has.

If we don't have a guy that can steal a base when they know we're trying to steal, we might as well not try it. Just put a reasonably speedy guy on who'll score from second on a single, from first on a double, and get to second 100% of the time on a sacrifice bunt.

AL teams have the luxury of keeping a few track stars because they don't have to save guys to PH for their pitchers.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

If we don't have a guy that can steal a base when they know we're trying to steal, we might as well not try it. Just put a reasonably speedy guy on who'll score from second on a single, from first on a double, and get to second 100% of the time on a sacrifice bunt.

You make a good point about the type of base stealers we were talking about, but I think there are multiple guys on this team you may pinch run for to score from 2d on a single.  Ramos and Zimmerman, maybe LaRoche, and I'd probably prefer Taylor running to Frandsen or Schierholtz if they pinch hit.

[whytev]

That's why you should have Treinen, who will at least make the other team string together singles. If Soriano isn't on, a 3-run lead is nothing. It's a walk, single and double away from a 1-run game.

If there is a guy on 3rd, 2 outs, game on the line, a single and a homer are the same thing. You tap Soriano because you want the K. Treinen's just the single isn't helping.

[NJ Ave]

If there is a guy on 3rd, 2 outs, game on the line, a single and a homer are the same thing. You tap Soriano because you want the K. Treinen's just the single isn't helping.

For pete's sake, why would you have EITHER ONE OF THEM IN THE GAME IN THAT SITUATION?!?!?!?

EDIT: I mean, that's the most terrifying thought I can imagine. Someone brought up a scenario where we're up 3 in the 7th as the only situation for Soriano to be in the game. I think Treinen is a far more desirable pitcher in that situation. There's no way either one of them should see game action with a man on 3rd and the game on the line, unless it's the 17th inning.

[MorseTheHorse]

For pete's sake, why would you have EITHER ONE OF THEM IN THE GAME IN THAT SITUATION?!?!?!?

It's the 23rd inning?

[NJ Ave]

It's the 23rd inning?

Hahaha, I edited to the 17th inning, but you're right. The 17th is too soon. I'd rather put Desi on the mound.

[MorseTheHorse]

Hahaha, I edited to the 17th inning, but you're right. The 17th is too soon. I'd rather put Desi on the mound.

Haha, nice

[whytev]

For pete's sake, why would you have EITHER ONE OF THEM IN THE GAME IN THAT SITUATION?!?!?!?

EDIT: I mean, that's the most terrifying thought I can imagine. Someone brought up a scenario where we're up 3 in the 7th as the only situation for Soriano to be in the game. I think Treinen is a far more desirable pitcher in that situation. There's no way either one of them should see game action with a man on 3rd and the game on the line, unless it's the 17th inning.

Because you played too much matchup baseball to kill a rally. Remember we don't have 40 men and crazy things happen when it is do-or-die.

[nfotiu]

You make a good point about the type of base stealers we were talking about, but I think there are multiple guys on this team you may pinch run for to score from 2d on a single.  Ramos and Zimmerman, maybe LaRoche, and I'd probably prefer Taylor running to Frandsen or Schierholtz if they pinch hit.

I am of the opinion that Espinosa gained a step this year and is one of those kind of guys.  I don't if he lost weight, trained harder to try to make the team, or started juicing, but I think he is in the top class of speedsters now.  I am kind of going by own eyes and nothing else, but I know FP has said as much too this year.

[whytev]

I am of the opinion that Espinosa gained a step this year and is one of those kind of guys.  I don't if he lost weight, trained harder to try to make the team, or started juicing, but I think he is in the top class of speedsters now.  I am kind of going by own eyes and nothing else, but I know FP has said as much too this year.

Espinosa is lightning. Agree. Questioning his baserunning is like questioning his throwing arm. It's not even a question.

[NJ Ave]

Because you played too much matchup baseball to kill a rally. Remember we don't have 40 men and crazy things happen when it is do-or-die.

Again, what inning is this happening? In a 5-game series you should never be down to your last man in the bullpen unless it's way into extra innings. That's the 8TH man in the bullpen we're talking about.

Maybe you're higher on Soriano than I am, or lower on Treinen. From where I sit, it's been a month where Sori's more likely than not to give up a run when he's in the game (6 out of 11 appearances). I can envision a much better possibility that Treinen is useful in the scenario I provide - where we're up 3 or 4 runs in a game and want a high-GB guy to pitch a couple innings - than I can envision a situation where we have nobody left in the pen and a man on third with the game on the line.

Not to mention the fact that if there's a man on third, he probably got there tripling off fricking Soriano.

[blue911]

If this was a spring training game, the Nats would nag about the Giants not bringing enough starters.

[3bside]

It seems that since Spring training, Williams has had it in for Detwiler.  First, he demoted him and then he rarely used Det in any significant situations all season.  And now he's off the roster.  On the other hand, Williams keeps putting Blevins in key spots.  I wonder what it is about Det that Williams doesn't like.  Anyway, Rizzo needs to move him in the off season, maybe packaged with other players.  We won't get much in return, but there's gotta be plenty of teams who will give a lefty that throws 92-94 a chance.