Giants 4, Dom Brownies 1: Another Series Against the Giants Lost

by Wet Luzinski on Jul 28, 2011 11:20 PM EDT

Two-time Cy Young Award winner Kyle Kendrick could not beat an emaciated, dehydrated back-of-the-rotation .500 pitcher like Tim Lincecum. (Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images)

When this pitching matchup was announced, Phillies fans didn't have much hope that they could continue their franchise-record consecutive series win streak. But hey, never bet against a hot streak, right? And every FanGraph starts at 50% win expectancy, amirite? So, off we went: Tim Lincecum and his his recently emptied gastrointestinal tract took on the Phillies and their Six of Clubs(TM) Pitcher, Kyle Kendrick.

And it started off well enough. Kendrick set the Giants down in order in the first. In the bottom half, Jimmy Rollins doubled, was bunted to third by Michael Martinez, and seemed poised to take an early 1-0 lead with Chase Utley and Ryan Howard coming up. A pop fly to short and a strikeout later, followed in the top of the second by Pablo Sandoval's solo opposite-field home run down the left field line, set the familiar, ominous playoffish, Octoberish tone.

Don't blame Kendrick. He singled! He tagged up and hustled on a fly ball when he was on second! He laid out for a little pop fly over the mound! But this is Kyle Kendrick we're talking about, so he also gave up consecutive two out hits in the fourth that allowed the Giants to stretch their lead to 2-0, when Nate Schierholtz singled home Aubrey Huff with weak-hitting Brandon Crawford on deck. He also came out to pitch the 7th inning, which wasn't his fault, really, but gave everyone that not-so-fresh feeling. And sure enough, he walked Schierholtz to lead of the inning.

But how, o how, would he score? Well, Crawford popped up. Chris Stewart, on an odd-looking hit and run, or run and hit, singled to right, as Schierholtz advanced to third. Needing a double-play ball, but facing Aaron Rowand, pinch hitting for Lincecum, Kendrick got a hard grounder right to Michael Martinez.

And there our trouble continued. Martinez bobbled it, picked it up, and threw wildly to first. Schierholtz and Stewart scored as thousands of Phillies fans muttered, "ballgame."

And so it was. The Phillies got a run in the bottom of the inning on a two-out Chase Utley RBI double, which scored Carlos Ruiz, who had led off the inning with a double. But with runners on second and third with two out, Giants reliever and old playoff pal Jeremy Affeldt struck out Ryan Howard as thousands of Phillies fans muttered, "no really, that was the ballgame."

There was unclutcheries aplenty. And there were odd pinchitteries. Lincecum was good, but he was clearly wan, walked four guys, and was good, but not top form. And, last but not least: It is difficult for Dom Brown to lose ballgames when you take the bat out of his hands. My only theory is that Charlie is doing these emasculating late-inning liftings much like a farmer would use his newspaper to angry up the dawg.

Some person with a circus beard came in and threw many strikes, and crossed his arms and looked to the sky. Four games in San Francisco next week ought to be fun. In the meantime, the newly Jolly-Roger'd Buccos sail into town. Division leading Pennsylvania baseball fever! Feels like old times.

via www.fangraphs.com

Tweet Comment 33 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

This will all over tomorrow when Ruben trades for Pence and Quentin

Times change, like the climate I change. Check the forecast. I reign.

by secondroundpick on Jul 28, 2011 11:29 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

Yep… hope he ships out those bums Utley and Brown.

by Cole_Hamels_Can on Jul 28, 2011 11:30 PM EDT up reply actions

LOLtraderumors

Hunter Pence Rumors: Thursday from MLBtraderumors.com

The Phillies are making progress toward a deal for Pence…The Phillies have been Pence’s most serious suitor…The Astros appear to be moving closer to trading Pence…The Phillies’ hope that the Astros will move Pence…The Phillies “seem to have all but given up” on Pence

Well, shit…which one is it? here’s the link

"Have you seen this Perez guy pitch? I'm a pacifist, but I've never seen anything so violent look so beautiful."

by DirtyWaters on Jul 28, 2011 11:31 PM EDT reply actions

The most alarming thing, though it seems Brown is out of the picture.

by Wet Luzinski on Jul 28, 2011 11:34 PM EDT up reply actions

WTF RAJ!!! I already ordered the keg

"Have you seen this Perez guy pitch? I'm a pacifist, but I've never seen anything so violent look so beautiful."

by DirtyWaters on Jul 28, 2011 11:36 PM EDT up reply actions

The shitty part is, last week I would have been going apeshit over cosart and singleton plus others for pence. It’s still a ridiculous overpay, if were not getting something else from them too. But at this point resigned to pence coming, and as long as brown is still a Philly, I’ll dance a jig when it’s over.

25.8/106 CURRENTLY HOT!!!

by Joecatz on Jul 28, 2011 11:56 PM EDT up reply actions

It’s still a ridiculous overpay

This. RAJ need not do this.

Hunter Pence will not guarantee a WS, but, then, neither does Carlos Beltran.

by Bud in TN on Jul 28, 2011 11:58 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah according to this article they want a deal by tomorrow… not sure where their sources are:

http://mlb.sbnation.com/2011/7/28/2302158/mlb-trade-rumors-hunter-pence-phillies-astros

by Cole_Hamels_Can on Jul 29, 2011 12:05 AM EDT up reply actions

Good. I guess we can tell that eager fan at philly.com he won’t have to borrow gas money from his mom to drive Domonic Brown to the airport after all.

by phillyinportland on Jul 29, 2011 5:13 AM EDT up reply actions

Either he’s alive or he’s dead, or the cops got him or they don’t.

by Cole_Hamels_Can on Jul 28, 2011 11:34 PM EDT up reply actions

You gonna bark like that all day, Little Rubie, or are you gonna bite?

by taco pal on Jul 29, 2011 12:04 AM EDT up reply actions

I was looking at quotes from that today… and for some reason they had this line wrong on several sites… I corrected it on wiki:

“I know I’m no piece of shit. And I’m pretty sure you OK. And I’m fucking positive you’re on the level”… for some reason all the sites had “ok” as “good boy”… which doesn’t really fit.

by Cole_Hamels_Can on Jul 29, 2011 12:08 AM EDT up reply actions

you should be “you’re”

by Cole_Hamels_Can on Jul 29, 2011 12:09 AM EDT up reply actions

Think of the awkwardness in RF

Times change, like the climate I change. Check the forecast. I reign.

by secondroundpick on Jul 28, 2011 11:40 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

I read MLBTR right before coming back here (this week TGP has been addictive..)

I’m really hoping that the writers are clueless and that RAJ is planning a “reverse course” like he did when he went for Lee instead of Halladay mid-season. As I said in an earlier thread, my strong preference is Bourn over Pence, and he would apparently come much cheaper than Cosart and Singleton. Or RAJ could get Cuddyer. Or he can get a RH bat to PH at the end of August.

RE: Bourn: Speed does not slump
/1980s Cardinals’d

Hunter Pence will not guarantee a WS, but, then, neither does Carlos Beltran.

by Bud in TN on Jul 28, 2011 11:56 PM EDT up reply actions

Tim Lincecum and his his recently emptied gastrointestinal tract took on the Phillies and their Six of Clubs™ Pitcher, Kyle Kendrick.

I laughed harder at this than any grown person probably should have.

/my sense of humor never made it past the 5th grade

Writer at SB Nation's Philadelphia Union blog, The Brotherly Game. Follow me on Twitter.

by Justin F. on Jul 28, 2011 11:39 PM EDT reply actions

gastrointestinal isn’t a 5th grade word, so at least you have an advanced vocabulary

"My grandmom's favorite grandson, ask my grandmom" --Rone

by layout ultimate on Jul 28, 2011 11:42 PM EDT up reply actions

Thank you. And for the record, I like to annoy other people by pronouncing his name LinKEECH-um.

by Wet Luzinski on Jul 29, 2011 12:13 AM EDT up reply actions

trivia

Without looking, can you place the Phillies’ five pitchers in order from best to worst xFIP tonight?

by taco pal on Jul 29, 2011 12:05 AM EDT reply actions

Lidge
Perez
Herndon
Stutes
Kendrick

by Wet Luzinski on Jul 29, 2011 12:15 AM EDT up reply actions

Good guess. Incorrect, however.

by taco pal on Jul 29, 2011 12:23 AM EDT up reply actions

I should upgrade Kendrick to a SEVEN of Clubs™

by Wet Luzinski on Jul 29, 2011 12:23 AM EDT up reply actions

The correct answer was:

Lidge and Herndon (tied) 2.98 (would have accepted them in either order)
Kendrick 3.78
Stutes 5.33
Perez 6.50

by taco pal on Jul 29, 2011 12:52 AM EDT up reply actions

FWIW, the Giants were:

Wilson 1.33
Ramirez 1.74
Affeldt 4.16
Lincecum 4.35
Romo 6.50

by taco pal on Jul 29, 2011 12:53 AM EDT up reply actions

minor league starting pitching lines

Scott Mathieson
6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 2 K, 0 HR
27 BF, 8 GB, 3 LD, 10 FB (3 pop)

Austin Hyatt
6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
23 BF, 6 GB, 4 LD, 5 FB (4 pop)
Picked off Anthony Gose

Jarred Cosart
7.0 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 K
29 BF, 9 GB, 5 LD, 8 FB

Garett Claypool
5.1 IP, 10 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 3 BB, 6 K, 0 HR, 1 WP
28 BF, 10 GB, 5 LD, 4 FB

Austin Wright
5.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 8 K, 0 HR
20 BF, 3 GB, 1 LD, 5 FB (1 pop)

by taco pal on Jul 29, 2011 12:08 AM EDT reply actions

Let’s hope that is not Jarred’s last time pitching with us…

by Cole_Hamels_Can on Jul 29, 2011 12:10 AM EDT up reply actions

Mathieson is starting now? No one tells me anything.

by Wet Luzinski on Jul 29, 2011 12:19 AM EDT up reply actions

So that guy Cosart looks like a decent prospect?

by phillyinportland on Jul 29, 2011 5:15 AM EDT up reply actions

I watched Austin Hyatt a lot when he played at Alabama. He does not have overpowering stuff, but gets the job done over and over. I hope he makes it for you guys.

by Countificus on Jul 29, 2011 9:47 AM EDT up reply actions

Went to my first ever game at CBP tonight and had a great time[awesome seats even with 3rd base and sheltered from the rain]. I thought Kendrick pitched well. He struck out Beltran twice! By the way I didn’t quite understand why Beltran got booed so much. He and Lincecum were really the only Giants that seemed to get booed. Is it just because he used to be a Met? Or were people upset we didn’t get him(which makes no sense)? If Kendrick’s spot had gotten up in the bottom of the sixth he would have been pinch hit for, but oh well. Martinez bunting in the first is a strategy that I don’t think I will ever understand.

by pretzalz on Jul 29, 2011 12:18 AM EDT reply actions

Giants deserve credit

Lost Buster Posey, have a makeshift lineup, and have won 61 games.

Cain and Lincecum can be beasts, and their bullpen is balanced and tough.

Amazing how Lincecum has Utley’s number…It is not just that Utley’s career average is under .100 against GIrlyMan Lincecum, it is that he looks so feeble when at the plate against him. Does not happen against many other pitchers.

Halladay and Lee up first against Pirates. Braves lost last night. Not all bad. But Giants will be a very formidable playoff opponent.

But then again, if reports from unreliable sources are correct, we will have Hunter Pence, so all will be well in the Kingdom.

"If I am not back in 5 minutes...wait longer" Ace Ventura, Pet Detective

by BenDerDonDat on Jul 29, 2011 7:25 AM EDT reply actions

great to see games in CBP, even just on TV

Seeing the Giants play against a great team in a park full of rabid fans is really a lot of fun, and unfortunately too rare. I only wish that Ross had been in the lineup behind Beltran last night so that the booing really could have gotten going.

I would really, really rather see more games against the Phils and Reds and quality NL opponents than a single game against the A’s, much less 457 games against the Padres (I think the Giants and Pads play 20 or so more times this season).

It’s all well and good to talk about geographic rivalries, but if this had been the third series between these two teams instead of the first (with the season 2/3 over), these three games would probably have been even more tense and interesting than they were. Which is already a billion times more interesting than games against the Tigers or Twins or the A’s.

Enjoy the Pie-rats, an old rivalry that might also have been something by now this season with a few more games against the Phils this.

May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.

"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased

Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.

by natteringnabob on Jul 29, 2011 11:38 AM EDT reply actions

It’s funny how matchups work out sometimes. Lincecum-Zito-Cain, as originally scheduled for this three-game series, would seem to have favored the Giants in two of three games. Instead, we got Zito-Cain-recuperating Lincecum, which on paper would seem better since it kept Hamels, the one Phillies “ace” from opposing Zito. As it worked out, both Worley and Hamels delivered excellent performances but Hamels was outpitched by Cain. Now, we’ll never know for certain, but the odds favor Hamels beating Zito and if Worley had pitched the way he did on Tuesday even Tim Lincecum would have had a tough time beating him. Just an example of how a setback (Lincecum’s flu) can turn out to be positive for the Giants.

by phillyinportland on Jul 29, 2011 5:49 PM EDT reply actions