Golden State will probably not luck into a top-three talent at next month's NBA draft (unless a trade occurs). On most mock drafts, the Warriors are locked in on a few players. However, Matt Steinmetz of CSN Bay Area suggests that if the Warriors can't trade down, they should take Ekpe Udoh with the sixth overall pick.
While Udoh's stock has risen since he transferred form Michigan to Baylor, he is by no means a consensus top-six or even top-ten pick. However, his game could be beneficial to the Warriors in more ways than one.
Udoh's greatest asset is his defense. Obviously Warrior fans and NBA fans in general know that defense is not the team's strength, but statistics tell the story as well: Not since 2006-2007 has Golden State given up fewer than 106 points per game in a season. In fact this figure has increased to over 112 PPG allow in the last two seasons. Udoh averaged 3.7 blocks per game last season and had thirteen game with five or more blocks.
Ekpe's 18 point, 17 rebound, 10 block effort against Morgan State brought him significant attention in the national media. However, he was fairly consistent throughout conference play, and although he blocked fewer shots in the Big 12 tournament and the early rounds of the NCAA, he rebounded well in the huge match-up with Duke, blocking 5 shots against a large and deep team. Hassan Whiteside, playing against mostly inferior competition for Marshall, led the nation with 5.44 BPG, while Cole Aldrich (3.47) came close to Udoh's figure (3.88) playing in the league as Ekpe. The closest first-round prospect after Aldrich was Ed Davis (2.67).
Despite his aggressive play, Udoh rarely fouled out, and managed to play 30-35 minutes in almost every game, including against Duke. By comparison, DeMarcus Cousins managed to play 30 minutes in only six games all season, and none in last month, when it mattered most.
Depending on what position he plays (Don Nelson might ask him to defend opposing centers) in the NBA, Udoh could be pushed around. However, he does weight around 240 pounds, which is decent and compares well even to prospects such as Cole Aldrich. Udoh weighs more than 20 pounds more than Anthony Randolph did when he entered the draft. However, Cousins could end up out-weighing him by over 40 pounds. Udoh weighs about the same as Andris Beidrins, who has been pushed around in the past, but was slowing getting better defensively before his injury.
Despite his huge wingspan (7-4.5 according to nbadraft.net), Udoh (9.8 RPG) ranks below fellow prospects Al-Farouq Aminu (10.7), Cousins (10.1 in far fewer minutes), and Aldrich (9.9) in rebounds per game. Greg Monros isn't far behind at 9.5, while the raw Whiteside pulled down 9.2 in the about the same minutes as Cousins. Still, Udoh is in the top thirty.
Ekpe fairs better in the offensive rebounding category. Aminu's and Cousins' athleticism show, with 4.2 and 4.1, respectively. However, Udoh's 3.6 is still very good, and outclasses Whiteside (2.8) and Aldrich (3.0). Greg Monroe's 2.1 is barely better than Evan Turner's figure (1.9).
Udoh's offensive capabilities are more problematic. The Warriors don't need any more offense from the guard positions, but production from the 4/5 spots could be better. Although he averaged almost 14 points per game, Ekpe was sometimes prone to bad shooting (3-15 against Ok. State, 2-10 vs. Kansas St., 4-13 against St. Mary's, 3-15 against Texas). He also averaged 2.4 turnovers per game.
Some of Udoh's low scoring numbers were due to the offense in which he played. Baylor played a guard-heavy, up-tempo offense led by scorers LaceDarius Dunn, Tweety Carter, and Quincy Acy. Udoh benefited from this offense, dishing out 2.7 assists per game. There were even occasions when Ekpe was the best ball-handler (better A/T ratio than Dunn) and shooter (better field goal percentage than Carter or Dunn, comparable points per shot) on the floor for the Bears.
Udoh is not going to bully NBA forwards or centers in the paint, but if he catches them out of position and without help, look out. Udoh has some range (out to 20 feet, according to some scouts), and can hit a decent percentage of his free-throws (around 68%). However, he didn't attempt many free throws per game, mostly due to relative lack of a post-up move and ability to hang down low with bulkier centers and forwards.
In other words, Udoh, while he has many weaknesses, would add tough defense. His age (23) makes him not that much younger than Monta Ellis, and he would need to get stronger to become an elite NBA defender. But with Ellis and Corey Maggette already expert at slashing to the rim, and Curry, Morrow, and Azubuike lighting it up from the outside, Udoh's faults would largely be neutralized.
If nothing else, Udoh would be more-athletic, defensive-minded version of Andris Biedrins. Whether or not the front office would think this was worth the number-six pick is debatable. The upsides of Aminu or Greg Monroe might be too much to pass up.
But if the team decided to trade Biedrins as part of a package deal for an All-Star big man, or wanted to trade down, Udoh could still be in a Warriors uniform next season. Given the right role, he probably wouldn't disappoint.
(Thanks to LarryLegendofOracle at Golden State of Mind for finding the Steinmetz article and starting a discussion on Udoh.)
Friday, May 21, 2010
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Lincecum struggles, yet doesn't lose. How often does this happen?
Odds were, Tim Lincecum had to have a bad game at least once this season. Tonight against Arizona was one of them.
Five earned runs for a starter in five innings (for a game ERA of 9.00 as opposed to his season average of 1.76) usually results in a loss even for teams with far greater offensive firepower than San Francisco (as
it did tonight).
Yet after spotting the Diamondbacks five runs in the bottom of the fifth, Lincecum was suddenly (albeit briefly) in position to win the game after the Giants offense erupted for a five-run sixth to go on top 7-5.
Giving up five runs isn't an everyday (or every-month) occurrence for Tim, but Freakish things have happened in the past. Here are the few times the Giants have needed to save The Franchise when he gave up four or more runs. For comparison purposes, Timmy is 6-12 is games in which he's received two or fewer runs of support, 17-5 with three to five runs behind him, and a perfect 22-0 with six plus runs scored in his games.
2007: Twenty-four starts, 5 total games with 4+ ER: 3 losses, 2 No Decisions, 5 team losses.
May 6th vs. Philadelphia: 4.1 IP, 5 ER, ND (Giants: Loss, 8-5); Tim is bailed out in his first game in the majors (career ERA: 10.39). Lincecum for Rios, while you still can!
June 3rd at Philadelphia: 6.2 IP, 6 ER, ND (Loss, 9-8); The Phils strike again, but Tim remains undefeated in the majors. Lincecum exits with the lead, but three inherited runners score against the bullpen, setting the stage for a five-run inning for Philly.
June 13th vs. Toronto: 3.2 IP, 7 ER, Loss (7-4): First MLB loss is a debacle.
June 19th at Milwaukee: 4.0 IP, 6 ER, Loss (6-2): Very next start. ERA is 5.89, a career high for mid-season.
August 11th vs. Pittsburgh: 6.0 IP, 6 ER, Loss (13-3): Freddy Sanchez has five RBI for the Pirates. Lincecum for Sanchez! (Tim Alderson is a new draftee at the time).
2008: Thirty-three starts, 6 total games with 4+ ER, 3 losses, 3 No Decisions, 1-5 team record.
June 16th vs. Detroit: 7.0 IP, 4 ER, ND (Win 8-6): Tim exits trailing 4-3, but five Giants runs in the bottom of seventh bail him out. This game marked the first time in Lincecum's career that he gave up four or more runs but the Giants battled back for the win.
June 22nd at Kansas City: 5.0 IP, 5 ER, ND (Loss 11-10): Keiichi Yabu allows four earned runs in relief without retiring a batter the inning after Lincecum is pulled up ten to five.
July 8th at Mets: 6.0 IP, 4 ER, Loss (7-0): No run support, but Lincecum gives up two home runs.
July 20th vs. Milwaukee: 6.0 IP, 5 ER, Loss (7-4): Two more home runs served up.
September 2nd at Colorado: 5.0 IP, 5 ER, ND (Loss 6-5): Giants rally after Tim leaves down 5-2, but Yabu takes the loss in relief.
September 23rd vs. Colorado: 4.1 IP, 6 ER, Loss (9-4): Tim loses in one of his worst starts of the season.
2009: Thirty-two starts, 5 total games with 4+ ER, 3 losses, 2 No Decisions, 1-4 team record.
April 12th at San Diego: 5.1 IP, 4 ER, Loss (6-1): After lasting only three innings on opening day, Lincecum lowers his ERA to 7.56, but still loses badly.
May 15th vs. Mets: 6.0 IP, 5 ER, ND (Loss 8-6): Tim gives up five runs in the first two innings, Giants rally, Brian Wilson takes the loss with two unearned runs in the ninth.
July 22nd at Atlanta: 5.0 IP, 4 ER, Loss (4-2): Nine strikeouts in five innings for Tim, but a two-out three-run homer by Brian McCann in the third dooms Lincecum to the loss.
August 18th at Cincinnati: 6.0 IP, 5 ER, ND (Win 8-5): Timmy is pulled trailing 5-1, but immediately after he leaves, San Francisco plates four to tie the game.
September 20th at Dodgers: 4.0 IP, 5 ER, Loss (6-2): Tim gives up more walks than strikeouts, and allows a home run in just four innings. The loss is on him.
2010: Nine starts, 1 game with 4+ ER, 1 No Decision, 0-1 team record.
May 20th at Arizona: 5.0 IP, 5 ER, ND (Loss 8-7). Lincecum gets only three ground-ball outs (compared to six to fourteen such outs in other starts this season), and walks five.
In other words, Lincecum, in his ninth start, was actually statistically overdue for an off-game. And although it definitely wasn't unprecedented for the Giants to mount an immediate and significant rally after The Freak left the game, the odds were against San Francisco ultimately securing the win. The good news for the Giants is that Timmy may not give up four or more runs in a game for another month if his career trends hold.
Five earned runs for a starter in five innings (for a game ERA of 9.00 as opposed to his season average of 1.76) usually results in a loss even for teams with far greater offensive firepower than San Francisco (as
it did tonight).
Yet after spotting the Diamondbacks five runs in the bottom of the fifth, Lincecum was suddenly (albeit briefly) in position to win the game after the Giants offense erupted for a five-run sixth to go on top 7-5.
Giving up five runs isn't an everyday (or every-month) occurrence for Tim, but Freakish things have happened in the past. Here are the few times the Giants have needed to save The Franchise when he gave up four or more runs. For comparison purposes, Timmy is 6-12 is games in which he's received two or fewer runs of support, 17-5 with three to five runs behind him, and a perfect 22-0 with six plus runs scored in his games.
2007: Twenty-four starts, 5 total games with 4+ ER: 3 losses, 2 No Decisions, 5 team losses.
May 6th vs. Philadelphia: 4.1 IP, 5 ER, ND (Giants: Loss, 8-5); Tim is bailed out in his first game in the majors (career ERA: 10.39). Lincecum for Rios, while you still can!
June 3rd at Philadelphia: 6.2 IP, 6 ER, ND (Loss, 9-8); The Phils strike again, but Tim remains undefeated in the majors. Lincecum exits with the lead, but three inherited runners score against the bullpen, setting the stage for a five-run inning for Philly.
June 13th vs. Toronto: 3.2 IP, 7 ER, Loss (7-4): First MLB loss is a debacle.
June 19th at Milwaukee: 4.0 IP, 6 ER, Loss (6-2): Very next start. ERA is 5.89, a career high for mid-season.
August 11th vs. Pittsburgh: 6.0 IP, 6 ER, Loss (13-3): Freddy Sanchez has five RBI for the Pirates. Lincecum for Sanchez! (Tim Alderson is a new draftee at the time).
2008: Thirty-three starts, 6 total games with 4+ ER, 3 losses, 3 No Decisions, 1-5 team record.
June 16th vs. Detroit: 7.0 IP, 4 ER, ND (Win 8-6): Tim exits trailing 4-3, but five Giants runs in the bottom of seventh bail him out. This game marked the first time in Lincecum's career that he gave up four or more runs but the Giants battled back for the win.
June 22nd at Kansas City: 5.0 IP, 5 ER, ND (Loss 11-10): Keiichi Yabu allows four earned runs in relief without retiring a batter the inning after Lincecum is pulled up ten to five.
July 8th at Mets: 6.0 IP, 4 ER, Loss (7-0): No run support, but Lincecum gives up two home runs.
July 20th vs. Milwaukee: 6.0 IP, 5 ER, Loss (7-4): Two more home runs served up.
September 2nd at Colorado: 5.0 IP, 5 ER, ND (Loss 6-5): Giants rally after Tim leaves down 5-2, but Yabu takes the loss in relief.
September 23rd vs. Colorado: 4.1 IP, 6 ER, Loss (9-4): Tim loses in one of his worst starts of the season.
2009: Thirty-two starts, 5 total games with 4+ ER, 3 losses, 2 No Decisions, 1-4 team record.
April 12th at San Diego: 5.1 IP, 4 ER, Loss (6-1): After lasting only three innings on opening day, Lincecum lowers his ERA to 7.56, but still loses badly.
May 15th vs. Mets: 6.0 IP, 5 ER, ND (Loss 8-6): Tim gives up five runs in the first two innings, Giants rally, Brian Wilson takes the loss with two unearned runs in the ninth.
July 22nd at Atlanta: 5.0 IP, 4 ER, Loss (4-2): Nine strikeouts in five innings for Tim, but a two-out three-run homer by Brian McCann in the third dooms Lincecum to the loss.
August 18th at Cincinnati: 6.0 IP, 5 ER, ND (Win 8-5): Timmy is pulled trailing 5-1, but immediately after he leaves, San Francisco plates four to tie the game.
September 20th at Dodgers: 4.0 IP, 5 ER, Loss (6-2): Tim gives up more walks than strikeouts, and allows a home run in just four innings. The loss is on him.
2010: Nine starts, 1 game with 4+ ER, 1 No Decision, 0-1 team record.
May 20th at Arizona: 5.0 IP, 5 ER, ND (Loss 8-7). Lincecum gets only three ground-ball outs (compared to six to fourteen such outs in other starts this season), and walks five.
In other words, Lincecum, in his ninth start, was actually statistically overdue for an off-game. And although it definitely wasn't unprecedented for the Giants to mount an immediate and significant rally after The Freak left the game, the odds were against San Francisco ultimately securing the win. The good news for the Giants is that Timmy may not give up four or more runs in a game for another month if his career trends hold.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Warriors Lose In Lottery, Owner Loses Leverage
By all rights, the NBA Draft Lottery should be one of the most boring sporting "events" in any given calendar year. Talking heads waste most of the broadcast talking about players that most college (or NBA) basketball fan should already know about, especially if they are hard-core enough of a fan to watch the Draft Lottery. Then representatives from the worst half of the league sit down and try not to look disappointed that their franchise's designated lucky charm failed to work properly. Finally, a list appears on the screen, after which the internet usually explodes with David Stern conspiracy theories.
And while this years' draft lottery featured John Wall trying to avoid the Eli Manning/Ricky Rubio Draft Day Face, and a win by a team that probably deserved good luck after the Gilbert Arenas fiasco, ESPN would no doubt have has a better story to print if the Nets had won the lottery.
Of course, for a Warriors fan, the lottery is an epic annual event that usually is the only ray of hope in an otherwise depressing season. It has also played a large role in ensuring that future seasons would be equally depressing. Of course, disastrous picks and trades on draft have played a huge role in Golden State's long run of incompetent front offices. But considering how many times they have been in the lottery (and that they seem to always been the fifth or sixth-worst team), you'd think that the basketball gods would smile on them at least once a decade.
It's difficult to imagine that missing out on Wall (as well as Evan Turner, DeMarcus Cousins, Derrick Favors and probably even Wesley Johnson) could result in the Warriors acquiring an impact player in the draft. Obviously, a trade up isn't an impossible scenario, even for the number two pick.
But most likely Golden State will have to settle for a choice of players who either haven't reached the levels of college success expected of them (Al-Farouq Aminu, Greg Monroe) or don't have the ever-coveted "high-upside" (Cole Aldrich, Patrick Patterson). These players would improve the team, but when the Thunder get the number eight seed in the West, the Warriors need a star to go with Curry.
Even without injuries, it's doubtful that Golden State would have fared much better than the dreaded mediocre mid-to-low-lottery last season. And without a Curry-like find in this year's draft, even Anthony Randolph's return won't magically create a new We Believe team. Of course, even if the Warriors could somehow acquire Evan Turner in a trade, the resources needed to get him would have been unnecessary if the ping pong balls had bounced favorably.
The best teams are generally those who got a lucky bounce in the draft lottery: Cleveland with LeBron (the number one spot was by no means guaranteed), Orlando with Dwight Howard, etc. Even teams that haven't drafted especially well, such as Atlanta (Sheldon Williams, Marvin Williams, Josh Childress, Acie Law), have found solid contributors (Al Horford) from the lottery. If a team accumulates many top-five picks over the years, it's difficult to miss over and over again. Of the Warriors' four top-five picks since 1995, two (Joe Smith and Mike Dunleavy) have been busts, but two (Vince Carter and Jason Richardson) turned out well.
Of course, as all Warriors fans know, drafting a good player doesn't mean the front office won't mess up anyway (J-Rich being the latest causality). But while missing out on a top pick is always bad for the team, this year at least, a lost opportunity could end up being beneficial in the short term.
Warriors owner Chris Cohan has been trying to sell the team for months now, and was seeking a huge haul for a team that has faithful followers, but little success over the years. Now that bids have been submitted, it seems like the $400 million plus figure sought by Cohan will not be met, even by Larry Ellison. Ellison and the other bidders have amassed their great wealth mostly through shrewd business deals. They no-doubt low-balled Cohan.
But until last night, Cohan had one last possible card to play. If a superstar like Wall was within Golden State's grasp, the owner could have claimed (legitimately) that the value of the franchise had just risen dramatically (due to the accompanying increased media attention, marketing opportunities, etc). If the draft was a buzz-kill to Warriors faithful, it probably also decreased the value of the franchise slightly, not increased it.
The sooner the Warriors change ownership, the sooner the front-office purge can begin.
And while it's probably too late for this year's draft, expectations are lowered anyway due to the fall in the lottery. If the process of fixing the unbalanced roster and targeting free agents can begin as soon as possible, however, there might be a (small) silver lining in the whole mess.
And that's probably the best Warriors fans can hope for, at this point. After years of mostly unbroken failure, however, a few more months of waiting for change doesn't seem all that bad.
And while this years' draft lottery featured John Wall trying to avoid the Eli Manning/Ricky Rubio Draft Day Face, and a win by a team that probably deserved good luck after the Gilbert Arenas fiasco, ESPN would no doubt have has a better story to print if the Nets had won the lottery.
Of course, for a Warriors fan, the lottery is an epic annual event that usually is the only ray of hope in an otherwise depressing season. It has also played a large role in ensuring that future seasons would be equally depressing. Of course, disastrous picks and trades on draft have played a huge role in Golden State's long run of incompetent front offices. But considering how many times they have been in the lottery (and that they seem to always been the fifth or sixth-worst team), you'd think that the basketball gods would smile on them at least once a decade.
It's difficult to imagine that missing out on Wall (as well as Evan Turner, DeMarcus Cousins, Derrick Favors and probably even Wesley Johnson) could result in the Warriors acquiring an impact player in the draft. Obviously, a trade up isn't an impossible scenario, even for the number two pick.
But most likely Golden State will have to settle for a choice of players who either haven't reached the levels of college success expected of them (Al-Farouq Aminu, Greg Monroe) or don't have the ever-coveted "high-upside" (Cole Aldrich, Patrick Patterson). These players would improve the team, but when the Thunder get the number eight seed in the West, the Warriors need a star to go with Curry.
Even without injuries, it's doubtful that Golden State would have fared much better than the dreaded mediocre mid-to-low-lottery last season. And without a Curry-like find in this year's draft, even Anthony Randolph's return won't magically create a new We Believe team. Of course, even if the Warriors could somehow acquire Evan Turner in a trade, the resources needed to get him would have been unnecessary if the ping pong balls had bounced favorably.
The best teams are generally those who got a lucky bounce in the draft lottery: Cleveland with LeBron (the number one spot was by no means guaranteed), Orlando with Dwight Howard, etc. Even teams that haven't drafted especially well, such as Atlanta (Sheldon Williams, Marvin Williams, Josh Childress, Acie Law), have found solid contributors (Al Horford) from the lottery. If a team accumulates many top-five picks over the years, it's difficult to miss over and over again. Of the Warriors' four top-five picks since 1995, two (Joe Smith and Mike Dunleavy) have been busts, but two (Vince Carter and Jason Richardson) turned out well.
Of course, as all Warriors fans know, drafting a good player doesn't mean the front office won't mess up anyway (J-Rich being the latest causality). But while missing out on a top pick is always bad for the team, this year at least, a lost opportunity could end up being beneficial in the short term.
Warriors owner Chris Cohan has been trying to sell the team for months now, and was seeking a huge haul for a team that has faithful followers, but little success over the years. Now that bids have been submitted, it seems like the $400 million plus figure sought by Cohan will not be met, even by Larry Ellison. Ellison and the other bidders have amassed their great wealth mostly through shrewd business deals. They no-doubt low-balled Cohan.
But until last night, Cohan had one last possible card to play. If a superstar like Wall was within Golden State's grasp, the owner could have claimed (legitimately) that the value of the franchise had just risen dramatically (due to the accompanying increased media attention, marketing opportunities, etc). If the draft was a buzz-kill to Warriors faithful, it probably also decreased the value of the franchise slightly, not increased it.
The sooner the Warriors change ownership, the sooner the front-office purge can begin.
And while it's probably too late for this year's draft, expectations are lowered anyway due to the fall in the lottery. If the process of fixing the unbalanced roster and targeting free agents can begin as soon as possible, however, there might be a (small) silver lining in the whole mess.
And that's probably the best Warriors fans can hope for, at this point. After years of mostly unbroken failure, however, a few more months of waiting for change doesn't seem all that bad.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Buster Posey Officially Promoted To AAA Fresno
The Fresno Grizzlies' website has confirmed that Buster Posey, a former top pick of the San Francisco Giants, has been promoted to join the team, skipping AA Connecticut.
The Fresno Bee is reporting that Posey will be with the team when they begin a road trip in Colorado Springs on Thursday.
In his first year at A-level San Jose, Posey hit .326, with twenty-three doubles and thirteen home runs.
Buster was ranked the number two prospect in the San Francisco organization by Baseball America, and the nineteenth overall prospect in the minors by MLB.com.
Posey joins Steve Holm and Nestor Rojas on Grizzlies roster. and it is unknown whether he will start immediately.
The Fresno Bee is reporting that Posey will be with the team when they begin a road trip in Colorado Springs on Thursday.
In his first year at A-level San Jose, Posey hit .326, with twenty-three doubles and thirteen home runs.
Buster was ranked the number two prospect in the San Francisco organization by Baseball America, and the nineteenth overall prospect in the minors by MLB.com.
Posey joins Steve Holm and Nestor Rojas on Grizzlies roster. and it is unknown whether he will start immediately.
A.L. All-Star Lineup Features Few All-Time Greats, But Is Still Dangerous
Considering that the franchise has the most players in the Hall-of-Famers, it is no surprise that numerous Giants have been involved in the All-Star game over the years. In 1965, Juan Marichal and Willie Mays stole the show in a game that featured fifteen other future Hall-of-Famers.
Tim Lincecum won't face a lineup of Harmon Killebrew, Brooks Robinson, Al Kaline, Micky Mantle, and Carl Yastremski. Then again, the 2009 National League team doesn't feature Mays, Hank Aaron, Roberto Clemente, Pete Rose, Ernie Banks, Wille Stargell, and Billy Williams, either. And Bob Gibson, Sandy Koufax, and Don Drysdale aren't competing for Lincecum's starting spot.
Still, there are plenty of potential pitfalls in the 2009 A.L. Lineup. Many of the starters are great contact hitters, and two have averages over .350. And there is plenty of power in the middle of order.
Lincecum will likely only face the following starters (note Evan Longoria has withdrawn from the game and will be replaced by Chone Figgins. Michael Young will start for Longoria):
Ichiro Suzuki
2009 first-half stats: .362, 6 Home Runs, .393 On-Base Percentage
As usual, Ichiro's unique batting style has produced a very average, and his speed has allowed him to continue racking up extra-base hits and steals. He recently slumped to a 6-of-34 line in series against Baltimore and Boston, but hit .439 in June and .417 in May.
Ichiro rebounded in his last series before the Break, tallying eight hits (including two doubles) and two RBI against Texas. His averages against left and right-handed pitchers are nearly identical, although his slugging and OPS are a slightly higher against lefties.
Suzuki has never faced Lincecum, but hit a home run in the 2007 All-Star game.
Derek Jeter:
2009 first-half stats: .321, 10 HR, .396 OBP
Jeter is hitting .400 in July, and is on pace to hit roughly twenty home runs, his highest output in five years.
Jeter owns a career .474 batting average in the All-Star game, including two three-for-three efforts and a home run.
Derek has never played against Lincecum, but is batting only .276 against right-handers.
Joe Mauer
2009 first-half stats: .373, 15 HR, .447 OBP
Mauer is having an incredible year, setting a career-high in home runs half-way through the season. Although his monthly averages have dropped as the first-half progressed, Joe could be one of the toughest outs for Lincecum, who he has never faced.
Joe hits nearly fifty points higher against right-handed pitching (.391), but has only one hit in his last twelve at-bats overall.
Mauer is one-for-three in All-Star games.
Mark Teixeira
2009 first-half stats: .275, 21 HR, 63 RBI
Teixeira's contract was debatable, but he produced to the tone of twenty-one home runs at the Break. After a streaky first two months as a Yankee, Mark settled down. His July average matches his overall average. Although Mauer has definitly shown power this year, Teixeira is the first true "masher" in the A.L.'s lineup, appropriately batting clean-up.
Teixeira, who played in Atlanta, faced Lincecum in one game in 2007. He collect an RBI on a fielder's choice, then struck out. Mark bats only .257 against right-handed batters, although sixteen of his home runs have come off them.
Jason Bay
2009 first-half stats: .260, 20 HR, 72 RBI
After raising his average over .300 in April, Bay's average has consistently declined to within .010 of his career-low. However, his twenty home runs are on pace for a career-high, and his average with runners in scoring position is over seventy points higher. Bay hits .255 against right-handers.
Bay, a former Pirate, has three career plate appearances against Lincecum. Jason, who is susceptible to the strikeout, K'd twice while also reaching on a single.
Bay is also one-for-three with a strikeout in the All-Star game.
Josh Hamilton
2009 first-half stats: .243, 6 HR, 24 RBI
Hamilton was selected to the All-Star game despite an injury-filled and sub-par first-half.
He is batting .236 vs. righties, but showed last year that he can hit them, as evidenced by a .313 average and twenty-four homers.
Hamilton went one-for-three with a strikeout and a stolen base in last year's All-Star game, after hitting dozens of home runs in the Derby. He has never batted against Lincecum.
Michael Young (replacing Evan Longoria - see top)
2009 first-half stats: .308, 11 HR, .852 OPS
Young is near or at career-highs in OBP, OPS, and slugging. Although he averaging under .250 in his last seven games, his average against right-handers in over .300, also a career-high.
Michael is three-for-nine with a double, a triple and three RBI in previous All-Star appearances.
Despite recording twelve at-bats in the inter-league series this year against the Giants, Young has never been in the box against Lincecum.
Aaron Hill
2009 first-half stats: .292, 20 HR, 60 RBI
When Vernon Wells has been a disappointment in Toronto, Hill has been an extremely pleasant surprise, with carrer-highs in almost every category.
Aaron is more effective against lefties, but still hits a respectable .285 against right-handers.
Hill is the only A.L. starter to have drawn a walk against Lincecum, and struck in his only other at-bat against him in 2007. Aaron is hitting only .204 in July, and has gone hit-less in half of his games this month. Of his ten July hits, however, four have been for extra bases.
Roy Halladay
Halladay might be a great pitcher, but as a career American-Leaguer, his batting is awful.
Roy has never had an All-Star at-bat, and has never faced Lincecum. In a strange coincidence, two out of Halladay's three career hits came in a single game against former Giant Jason Schmidt.
Halladay struck out in his only at-bat this year.
The All-Star Game has not always been kind to Giants. In 1983, Atlee Hammaker gave up the only grand slam in Mid-Summer Classic history. And even if Lincecum pitches well, he will throw only two innings, limiting the potential for a decision. But if Albert Pujols and company can produce a run or two in the first or second inning, Tim could very well be the winning pitcher in a game that breaks the American League's twelve-game unbeaten streak.
Tim Lincecum won't face a lineup of Harmon Killebrew, Brooks Robinson, Al Kaline, Micky Mantle, and Carl Yastremski. Then again, the 2009 National League team doesn't feature Mays, Hank Aaron, Roberto Clemente, Pete Rose, Ernie Banks, Wille Stargell, and Billy Williams, either. And Bob Gibson, Sandy Koufax, and Don Drysdale aren't competing for Lincecum's starting spot.
Still, there are plenty of potential pitfalls in the 2009 A.L. Lineup. Many of the starters are great contact hitters, and two have averages over .350. And there is plenty of power in the middle of order.
Lincecum will likely only face the following starters (note Evan Longoria has withdrawn from the game and will be replaced by Chone Figgins. Michael Young will start for Longoria):
Ichiro Suzuki
2009 first-half stats: .362, 6 Home Runs, .393 On-Base Percentage
As usual, Ichiro's unique batting style has produced a very average, and his speed has allowed him to continue racking up extra-base hits and steals. He recently slumped to a 6-of-34 line in series against Baltimore and Boston, but hit .439 in June and .417 in May.
Ichiro rebounded in his last series before the Break, tallying eight hits (including two doubles) and two RBI against Texas. His averages against left and right-handed pitchers are nearly identical, although his slugging and OPS are a slightly higher against lefties.
Suzuki has never faced Lincecum, but hit a home run in the 2007 All-Star game.
Derek Jeter:
2009 first-half stats: .321, 10 HR, .396 OBP
Jeter is hitting .400 in July, and is on pace to hit roughly twenty home runs, his highest output in five years.
Jeter owns a career .474 batting average in the All-Star game, including two three-for-three efforts and a home run.
Derek has never played against Lincecum, but is batting only .276 against right-handers.
Joe Mauer
2009 first-half stats: .373, 15 HR, .447 OBP
Mauer is having an incredible year, setting a career-high in home runs half-way through the season. Although his monthly averages have dropped as the first-half progressed, Joe could be one of the toughest outs for Lincecum, who he has never faced.
Joe hits nearly fifty points higher against right-handed pitching (.391), but has only one hit in his last twelve at-bats overall.
Mauer is one-for-three in All-Star games.
Mark Teixeira
2009 first-half stats: .275, 21 HR, 63 RBI
Teixeira's contract was debatable, but he produced to the tone of twenty-one home runs at the Break. After a streaky first two months as a Yankee, Mark settled down. His July average matches his overall average. Although Mauer has definitly shown power this year, Teixeira is the first true "masher" in the A.L.'s lineup, appropriately batting clean-up.
Teixeira, who played in Atlanta, faced Lincecum in one game in 2007. He collect an RBI on a fielder's choice, then struck out. Mark bats only .257 against right-handed batters, although sixteen of his home runs have come off them.
Jason Bay
2009 first-half stats: .260, 20 HR, 72 RBI
After raising his average over .300 in April, Bay's average has consistently declined to within .010 of his career-low. However, his twenty home runs are on pace for a career-high, and his average with runners in scoring position is over seventy points higher. Bay hits .255 against right-handers.
Bay, a former Pirate, has three career plate appearances against Lincecum. Jason, who is susceptible to the strikeout, K'd twice while also reaching on a single.
Bay is also one-for-three with a strikeout in the All-Star game.
Josh Hamilton
2009 first-half stats: .243, 6 HR, 24 RBI
Hamilton was selected to the All-Star game despite an injury-filled and sub-par first-half.
He is batting .236 vs. righties, but showed last year that he can hit them, as evidenced by a .313 average and twenty-four homers.
Hamilton went one-for-three with a strikeout and a stolen base in last year's All-Star game, after hitting dozens of home runs in the Derby. He has never batted against Lincecum.
Michael Young (replacing Evan Longoria - see top)
2009 first-half stats: .308, 11 HR, .852 OPS
Young is near or at career-highs in OBP, OPS, and slugging. Although he averaging under .250 in his last seven games, his average against right-handers in over .300, also a career-high.
Michael is three-for-nine with a double, a triple and three RBI in previous All-Star appearances.
Despite recording twelve at-bats in the inter-league series this year against the Giants, Young has never been in the box against Lincecum.
Aaron Hill
2009 first-half stats: .292, 20 HR, 60 RBI
When Vernon Wells has been a disappointment in Toronto, Hill has been an extremely pleasant surprise, with carrer-highs in almost every category.
Aaron is more effective against lefties, but still hits a respectable .285 against right-handers.
Hill is the only A.L. starter to have drawn a walk against Lincecum, and struck in his only other at-bat against him in 2007. Aaron is hitting only .204 in July, and has gone hit-less in half of his games this month. Of his ten July hits, however, four have been for extra bases.
Roy Halladay
Halladay might be a great pitcher, but as a career American-Leaguer, his batting is awful.
Roy has never had an All-Star at-bat, and has never faced Lincecum. In a strange coincidence, two out of Halladay's three career hits came in a single game against former Giant Jason Schmidt.
Halladay struck out in his only at-bat this year.
The All-Star Game has not always been kind to Giants. In 1983, Atlee Hammaker gave up the only grand slam in Mid-Summer Classic history. And even if Lincecum pitches well, he will throw only two innings, limiting the potential for a decision. But if Albert Pujols and company can produce a run or two in the first or second inning, Tim could very well be the winning pitcher in a game that breaks the American League's twelve-game unbeaten streak.
Monday, July 13, 2009
All-Star Tim Lincecum Will Start For The National League; Matt Cain Out
Tim Lincecum, the reigning National League Cy Young winner, will be the N.L.'s starter in tomorrow's All-Star game, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
Lincecum, who withdrew from last year's game due to illness, will attempt to win a game for the National League for the first time since John Smoltz led a 6-0 shutout in 1996.
Tim will face an American League lineup of Ichiro, Jeter, Mauer, Teixeira, Jason Bay, Josh Hamilton, Evan Longoria, Blue Jays second-baseman Aaron Hill. A.L. starter Roy Halladay (who says his probability of being traded is "50-50") will bat ninth, since the game will be played in St. Louis, a National League park.
Backing Lincecum is a Philly-heavy lineup that includes Hanley Ramirez, Chase Utley, Albert Pujols, Ryan Braun, Raul Ibanez, David Wright, and Shane Victorino (who beat out Pablo Sandoval in the final vote).
Just as he does in almost every start for the Giants, Lincecum will be throwing to a Molina. On Tuesday, however, it will be Bengie's younger brother Yadier behind the plate.
Matt Cain, the Giants' only other representative at the game, will not be on the team, but says his elbow is "good, just sore" after being hit by a line drive.
Lincecum, who withdrew from last year's game due to illness, will attempt to win a game for the National League for the first time since John Smoltz led a 6-0 shutout in 1996.
Tim will face an American League lineup of Ichiro, Jeter, Mauer, Teixeira, Jason Bay, Josh Hamilton, Evan Longoria, Blue Jays second-baseman Aaron Hill. A.L. starter Roy Halladay (who says his probability of being traded is "50-50") will bat ninth, since the game will be played in St. Louis, a National League park.
Backing Lincecum is a Philly-heavy lineup that includes Hanley Ramirez, Chase Utley, Albert Pujols, Ryan Braun, Raul Ibanez, David Wright, and Shane Victorino (who beat out Pablo Sandoval in the final vote).
Just as he does in almost every start for the Giants, Lincecum will be throwing to a Molina. On Tuesday, however, it will be Bengie's younger brother Yadier behind the plate.
Matt Cain, the Giants' only other representative at the game, will not be on the team, but says his elbow is "good, just sore" after being hit by a line drive.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Jonathan Sanchez's Gem: When Is Perfection Not A Perfect Game?
In a first half of mostly pleasant surprises for Giants fans, Jonathan Sanchez's no-hitter is by far the best story. Sanchez's struggles and demotion were all forgotten for nine magical innings, made much more special for Jonathan by the presence of his father, who joined his son in the dugout after the game against the San Diego Padres.
Sanchez was overpowering, striking out eleven batters while becoming the first Giant to throw a no-hitter since John Montefusco in 1976. Sanchez did make a mistake to Edgar Gonzalez, who hit a ball to the warning track with one out in the ninth. But Aaron Rowand's leaping grab against the wall preserved not only the no-hitter, but potentially the shutout as well, since Gonzalez would have been in scoring position with one out (the at-bat occurs in the video at about 1:30).
But the most compelling aspect of the game was not the presence of Sanchez's father, nor the fact that Eli Whiteside (a backup considered to be a placeholder until Buster Posey is ready) caught the game. Sanchez not only allowed no hits but also walked none, bringing him tantalizingly close to the eighteenth perfect game in baseball history.
The irony of Sanchez's feat wasn't only that he wasn't supposed to start, it was that he started in place of the injured Randy Johnson. Johnson's hall-of-fame career includes over 300 wins, as witnessed earlier this season, but also two no-hitters. Even more coincidentally, Johnson remains the last hurler to throw a perfect game.
According to the MLB rules, "An official perfect game occurs when a pitcher (or pitchers) retires each batter on the opposing team during the entire course of a game, which consists of at least nine innings. In a perfect game, no batter reaches any base during the course of the game. "
Juan Uribe's error on a sharply-hit ground ball in the eighth inning officially spoiled Sanchez's bid for an official perfect game. Sanchez is just the eighth pitcher to have a perfect game spoiled by one or more errors. However, in one of those games, Dick Bosman's no-hitter in 1974, the pitcher himself committed the error.
Either way, Sanchez is in elite company, even among those pitches who have no-hit their opponents. Even Nolan Ryan, whose dominance led to seven no-hitters, never came this close to perfection.
Should a pitcher be held accountable for mistakes his team-mates make? If a pitcher exits the game with two outs and a runner on first in a scoreless game and the closer serves up an RBI double on the next pitch, the run is charged to the pitcher in the dugout. And a boneheaded fielding play in foul territory that allows an inning to continue doesn't entitle the pitcher to an unearned run.
Part of the beauty of baseball is the unpredictable nature of the sport that goes beyond the box score. The best hitters in the history of the game still only got a hit roughly forty-percent of the time, and traditionally poor hitters can become legends with one postseason hit. Most non-Cubs fans probably remember the Bartman incident more than the meltdown that followed, even though there was no guarantee at the time that the foul ball would have any impact.
Everything has to go right for a perfect game bid to succeed, including defense. Most perfect and near-perfect games have included a lucky grab or two. And while the play that ended Sanchez's bid for a perfect game will no doubt stay in the minds of Giants fans for a while, in five years, the defensive play that defines the game will be Rowand's.
Baseball has a long tradition of changing long-held traditions. Ground-rule doubles used be home runs. The pitchers mound has been lowered. In 1887, a full count was 4-3 and walks were counted as hits. Minimum park dimensions were not established until 1959.
The definition of the perfect game has changed throughout the years, but it has only become more strict. For example, in 1991, MLB ruled that any pitcher who was flawless through nine innings but allowed a base-runner in extra innings should no longer be given credit for a perfect game.
The perfect game implies complete perfection from the pitcher as well as his defensive teammates. It should remain as the ultimate symbol of baseball excellence.
Is Sanchez's feat much more impressive than a nine-walk no-hitter? No doubt. Should he be credited with a perfect game? No.
But even though Sanchez's start won't join the highest circle of pitching accomplishments, Giants fans will remember how close he came, and just how impressively he pitched. No matter what happens this season or in the future, Jonathan Sanchez has given himself and baseball fans a career-defining moment to look back on.
Sanchez was overpowering, striking out eleven batters while becoming the first Giant to throw a no-hitter since John Montefusco in 1976. Sanchez did make a mistake to Edgar Gonzalez, who hit a ball to the warning track with one out in the ninth. But Aaron Rowand's leaping grab against the wall preserved not only the no-hitter, but potentially the shutout as well, since Gonzalez would have been in scoring position with one out (the at-bat occurs in the video at about 1:30).
But the most compelling aspect of the game was not the presence of Sanchez's father, nor the fact that Eli Whiteside (a backup considered to be a placeholder until Buster Posey is ready) caught the game. Sanchez not only allowed no hits but also walked none, bringing him tantalizingly close to the eighteenth perfect game in baseball history.
The irony of Sanchez's feat wasn't only that he wasn't supposed to start, it was that he started in place of the injured Randy Johnson. Johnson's hall-of-fame career includes over 300 wins, as witnessed earlier this season, but also two no-hitters. Even more coincidentally, Johnson remains the last hurler to throw a perfect game.
According to the MLB rules, "An official perfect game occurs when a pitcher (or pitchers) retires each batter on the opposing team during the entire course of a game, which consists of at least nine innings. In a perfect game, no batter reaches any base during the course of the game. "
Juan Uribe's error on a sharply-hit ground ball in the eighth inning officially spoiled Sanchez's bid for an official perfect game. Sanchez is just the eighth pitcher to have a perfect game spoiled by one or more errors. However, in one of those games, Dick Bosman's no-hitter in 1974, the pitcher himself committed the error.
Either way, Sanchez is in elite company, even among those pitches who have no-hit their opponents. Even Nolan Ryan, whose dominance led to seven no-hitters, never came this close to perfection.
Should a pitcher be held accountable for mistakes his team-mates make? If a pitcher exits the game with two outs and a runner on first in a scoreless game and the closer serves up an RBI double on the next pitch, the run is charged to the pitcher in the dugout. And a boneheaded fielding play in foul territory that allows an inning to continue doesn't entitle the pitcher to an unearned run.
Part of the beauty of baseball is the unpredictable nature of the sport that goes beyond the box score. The best hitters in the history of the game still only got a hit roughly forty-percent of the time, and traditionally poor hitters can become legends with one postseason hit. Most non-Cubs fans probably remember the Bartman incident more than the meltdown that followed, even though there was no guarantee at the time that the foul ball would have any impact.
Everything has to go right for a perfect game bid to succeed, including defense. Most perfect and near-perfect games have included a lucky grab or two. And while the play that ended Sanchez's bid for a perfect game will no doubt stay in the minds of Giants fans for a while, in five years, the defensive play that defines the game will be Rowand's.
Baseball has a long tradition of changing long-held traditions. Ground-rule doubles used be home runs. The pitchers mound has been lowered. In 1887, a full count was 4-3 and walks were counted as hits. Minimum park dimensions were not established until 1959.
The definition of the perfect game has changed throughout the years, but it has only become more strict. For example, in 1991, MLB ruled that any pitcher who was flawless through nine innings but allowed a base-runner in extra innings should no longer be given credit for a perfect game.
The perfect game implies complete perfection from the pitcher as well as his defensive teammates. It should remain as the ultimate symbol of baseball excellence.
Is Sanchez's feat much more impressive than a nine-walk no-hitter? No doubt. Should he be credited with a perfect game? No.
But even though Sanchez's start won't join the highest circle of pitching accomplishments, Giants fans will remember how close he came, and just how impressively he pitched. No matter what happens this season or in the future, Jonathan Sanchez has given himself and baseball fans a career-defining moment to look back on.
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