Giants dodge a bullet and Bochy is the whipping boy

GIANTS 3 - BRAVES 2

The Giants looked destined for a 2-1 loss last night.  Then a couple of errors, a couple of walks, and a sacrifice fly later, the Giants were 3-2 winners in extra innings.  They had 4 hits all night and all of the scoring was done on an RBI groundout, a throwing error, and a sacrifice fly.

You might say the Giants were lucky.  Brian Wilson said:  "I don't feel fortunate, we won the game because we played the fundamentals of baseball and we lasted a little longer than they did. We're going to play like the stud ballclub we are."


I agree with Brian.


The Braves struck out 10 times last night against Barry Zito, who continued his excellent season on the mound, and 15 times total against the Giants pitchers.  The Giants were outhit 4 to 6, but six hits isn't all that much better than 4 until you realize that the extra two hits from the Braves were homeruns.  (By the way, all of the Braves runs in this series have scored via the longball)  The Giants drew 8 walks to the Braves 2.

The reason all of this is important is because, after a 90 minute rain delayed start to the game, the Braves spent a lot more time in the field when they got to the crucial 9th inning.  Because they had been putting the ball in play all night long rather than striking out, they had been putting pressure on the defense all night to make plays.  That pressure finally got to the Braves when it mattered most and the Giants, like the good stud ballclub they are, took advantage of it.

It seems like Bruce Bochy has come under more fire than ever before this week.  Lefty Malo was all over him, so was the Bleacher report, hell there even is a fire Bruce Bochy facebook page!  I have my problems with the guy like why is Juan Uribe still batting 5th instead of Pat Burrell?  But really, would the Giants be any better than 63-47 with any other manager at the helm?

We will never know.

Link of the day:

Saturday August 14th is Bruce Bochy Bobblehead day at AT&T park.  It makes me wonder how in touch with reality the Giants marketing department is.  I mean seriously, do they really think that kids will be begging their parents to take them to the ballpark so they can get a bobblehead of THE MANAGER?  Also, do they think that the fans actually like Bochy?

I don't know the answer to either of those questions but I have provided you with photographic proof that there is indeed a Bruce Bochy Bobblehead out there.

Oh and last but not least:

The game recap from the San Jose Mercury News  reports that the Giants did indeed put in a waiver claim on Adam Dunn.  They were blocked by a team with a worse record.  Who do you think that team was?  Well if you said the Dodgers then you would be correct.

I hate those guys.