GDT: Giants at Pirates, NL Wild Card Game

[RobDibblesGhost]

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS at PITTSBURGH PIRATES

PNC Park - Pittsburgh, PA
First Pitch: 8:07 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Radio: ESPN Radio
Weather: Partly cloudy, 70 degrees, Wind 4 mph E
Starting pitchers: SF LHP Madison Bumgarner (18-10, 2.98) / PIT RHP Edinson Volquez (13-7, 3.04)

GIANTS (88-74)
 CF Gregor Blanco
 2B Joe Panik
 C Buster Posey
 3B Pablo Sandoval
 RF Hunter Pence
 1B Brandon Belt
 SS Brandon Crawford
 LF Travis Ishikawa
 LHP Madison Bumgarner

PIRATES (88-74)
 3B Josh Harrison
 SS Jordy Mercer
 CF Andrew McCutchen
 C Russell Martin
 LF Starling Marte
 2B Neil Walker
 1B Gaby Sanchez
 RF Travis Snider
 RHP Edinson Volquez

[Kevrock]

Go Pirates.

I want nothing of the Giants.

[spidernat]

Why not just merge these into one playoff discussion thread like in previous years?

[houston-nat]

Why not just merge these into one playoff discussion thread like in previous years?

Personally I don't like 400 page megathread behemoths. I mean, that Royals gameday was 4x the length of JZimm's no-hitter thread until everyone signed in the next day to talk about it.

[Kevrock]

Beats me, people were actually making Barves GDTs this year.

[Count Walewski]

Why not just merge these into one playoff discussion thread like in previous years?

I find the individual threads much easier to keep track of. Plus, it's literally the only thing on TV tonight, give us a break.

[Kevrock]

Well half the board was at the Zim game.,

[RobDibblesGhost]

I find the individual threads much easier to keep track of. Plus, it's literally the only thing on TV tonight, give us a break.

I thought about this and I figure since it's the only game on and the WC games draw a great deal of interest that a single-game thread would be best. I don't plan on starting them for any other playoff games, just the two WC games. I think a generic thread for the rest of the playoff series might be better.

[skippy1999]

I find the individual threads much easier to keep track of. Plus, it's literally the only thing on TV tonight, give us a break.

Besides Nashville 

haha I agree, I like the individual threads for the WC games since they're kind of unique. 

[natsarl]

Just hoping for a 16 game inning with bullpens being exhausted.

[Slateman]

Go Pirates.

I want nothing of the Giants.

I'm the opposite. They're meh with Pagan out. I want nothing to do with McCutchen, Walker, and Cole

[sportsfan882]

I'm the opposite. They're meh with Pagan out. I want nothing to do with McCutchen, Walker, and Cole

QFT. I want the Giants. Would only face Bumgarner once. Other pitchers being Lincecum, Peavy, Petit. Beatable.

freak having to face McCutcheon, Marte, Harrison, etc. Those guys always own us. And Cole and Liriano.

[mmzznnxx]

+1 for wanting the Giants. The only person on there that truly scares would be game that Tim Hudson starts. Plus then we'd have fewer posters waffling on who to root for.

[tomterp]

Per BP, Pirates have a 5.6% of winning the WS, versus 4.9% for the Giants.  Does this mean the Pirates are better?  Maybe the difference is just home field advantage for the one game.

[sportsfan882]

I know he's had a great year but freak if I'd trust Edinson Volquez (Career 4.44 ERA) in a one game playoff.

[Slateman]

QFT. I want the Giants. Would only face Bumgarner once. Other pitchers being Lincecum, Peavy, Petit. Beatable.

freak having to face McCutcheon, Marte, Harrison, etc. Those guys always own us. And Cole and Liriano.

Lincecum would go to the pen and Hudson would start. In fact, I'm betting they throw Hudson in the first game, just to get him twice, if needed

[natsarl]

I know he's had a great year but freak if I'd trust Edinson Volquez (Career 4.44 ERA) in a one game playoff.

Yeah, agree. Though he's going to be on a short leash I bet.

[Slateman]

Was Kruk always that short?

[Jordanz Meatballz]

+1 for wanting the Giants. The only person on there that truly scares would be game that Tim Hudson starts. Plus then we'd have fewer posters waffling on who to root for.

Haha. Hopefully the Nats can finally figure it out against Hudson if it comes to that. I'd also prefer to have less opposing fans in the park and the 3 pm start time.

[natsarl]

They should have given out yellow rally towels...it'd look better on TV.  . Black just blends in with the crowd.

[mitlen]

They should have given out yellow rally towels...it'd look better on TV.  . Black just blends in with the crowd.

Pirates don't wear yellow.       Did J. Depp or Errol Flynn wear yellow?   

[tomterp]

Starters discussion:

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=24758

Pirates
 Edinson Volquez (192.7, 3.14, 4.12)

In 2014, Volquez joined the ever-growing list of Ray Searage success stories, posting the lowest ERA of his entire career, even better than in his All-Star season with the Reds way back in 2008. Searage focused on two things: keeping Volquez under control during his delivery to the plate and keeping his release point consistent. The result hasn’t been an uptick in velocity but rather more consistent command, allowing Volquez to keep men off base via the walk.

Some attention was called to the decision to start Gerrit Cole on Sunday instead of keeping him in reserve for the wild card game, while others thought that starting Francisco Liriano here on three days rest should have been the play. However, Cole hasn’t been demonstrably better than Volquez from a WARP perspective, while Liriano (on full rest) and Volquez have been comparable. Volquez has been particularly hard to hit at home, allowing only five home runs in 106 innings at PNC this season, for what that split is worth.

Giants
 Madison Bumgarner (217.3, 2.98, 3.02)

Not having to play for something on Sunday could turn into a blessing in disguise for the Giants, as the decision of whether or not to start Bumgarner on Sunday was taken out of their hands by the standings. Tim Lincecum’s demise and Matt Cain’s injury have elevated Bumgarner to the status of Giants ace, although his performance has certainly had a hand in this as well. If you’re looking for a crack in the armor, Bumgarner had a 3.74 ERA versus playoff teams as opposed to a 2.57 ERA versus non-playoff squads. His lone start against the Pirates this year was arguably his worst start of the season, ending after four innings and five earned runs.

[CapsnNats]

I will never root for anything Pittsburgh. Also tired of hearing how wonderful their crowd is when three years ago it was empty. Go Giants!

[Slateman]

Volquez seems to be a little elevated right now.

[Vega]

I will never root for anything Pittsburgh. Also tired of hearing how wonderful their crowd is when three years ago it was empty. Go Giants!

Then you can't say anything nice about Nats crowds either...