Tag: Brian Wilson (Page 3 of 4)

      Plenty of blame to go around for Giants’ collapse in Game 2 of NLDS

      October 9, 2010 /
      San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Brian Wilson (38) reacts to making an out in the 9th inning against the Atlanta Braves during Game 2 of their MLB National League Division Series baseball playoff game in San Francisco, California October 8, 2010. REUTERS/Robert Galbraith (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASEBALL)

      There’s no shortage of blame for the Giants’ collapse Friday night in Game 2 of the NLDS.

      Had Pat Burrell not turned Derrek Lee’s sixth inning single into a double by kicking the ball in left field, maybe the Braves don’t score on the next play to cut the Giants’ 4-0 lead to 4-1.

      Had Sergio Romo not allowed the only two batters he faced in the eighth to reach base, maybe Brian Wilson allow three runs to tie the game at 4-4.

      Had Pablo Sandoval honed his craft at third base during the regular season, he wouldn’t have helped Wilson give up those three runs by making a throwing error in that fatal eighth inning.

      Had Andres Torres played fundamental baseball and lifted a sac fly into the outfield instead of striking out with runners at first and third with one out in the seventh, the Giants would have finished with five runs instead of four.

      And had sensational rookie Buster Posey not grounded into a double play in the bottom of the 10th with bases loaded and only one out, the Giants would be up two-games-to-none in their best of seven series with the Braves.

      But alas, things didn’t go the Giants’ way last night and they only have themselves to blame for their 5-4 collapse. Like so many times throughout his career, they wasted another fine performance by Matt Cain and once again like so many times throughout the past couple of years, their offense couldn’t step up when the club needed it to.

      Give credit to the Braves, who never gave up despite trailing 4-0 after only two innings. Starter Tommy Hanson settled in after giving up a 3-run dinger to Burrell in the first and the bullpen was absolutely outstanding the entire night. Kyle Farnsworth stepped up enormously in extra innings when Billy Wagner went down, and got the double play in the bottom of the 10th that allowed Rick Ankiel to hit the game-winning homer in the 11th (which was an absolute moon shot into McCovey Cove).

      Now the series shifts to Atlanta for two games, where the Braves finished with a NL-best 56-25 home record. They’ve also seized all the momentum and can close out the series at home on Monday if they can scoop up two more wins.

      We’ll see what the Giants are made of over these next three days, because they’ve definitely put their backs against it.

      External Sports, MLB

      Brian McCann helps the National League finally end 13 years of misery

      July 14, 2010 /
      National League All-Star catcher Brian McCann (L) of the Atlanta Braves celebrates with relief pitcher Jonathan Broxton of the Los Angeles Dodgers after the National League won Major League Baseball's All-Star Game in Anaheim, California July 13, 2010. REUTERS/Robert Galbraith (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASEBALL)

      Down 1-0 heading into the seventh inning, you got the sense of “here we go again” for the National League in the All-Star Game. The pitching was excellent (the one run that the AL scored was unearned), but nobody was hitting and it appeared that the NL was destined to spend the rest of its existence in All-Star Game hell.

      Then Braves’ catcher Brian McCann came to the plate with bases loaded and promptly unloaded them with a double to give the NL a 3-1 lead. The Cardinals’ Adam Wainwright, the Giants’ Brian Wilson and the Dodgers’ Jonathan Broxton followed with scoreless innings in the seventh, eighth and ninth to give the NL its first ASG victory in 13 years.

      The pitching in most All-Star Games is usually good, but the NL’s staff was excellent on Tuesday night. They allowed just six hits and one earned run, while walking three batters and striking out eight. Roy Halladay had the most trouble in his 0.2 innings of work by allowing two hits, although neither run crossed home plate.

      The pitching for the AL was also solid outside of the Yankees’ Phil Hughes, who had decent stuff but was smacked around in the fatal seventh inning. In just 0.1 innings of work, he gave up two runs on two hits, including McCann’s double.

      Also noteworthy was how base running came into play late in the game for both sides. Down 1-0 in the seventh, Scott Rolen (who had reached on a single) took second and third on only a single by the Cardinals Matt Holliday because he read the ball off the bat perfectly. While he eventually scored on McCann’s double, Rolen’s savvy base running play was potentially huge because it put a runner at third with less then two outs and the NL down by one run.

      On the flip side, the AL was threatening in the bottom of the ninth when David Ortiz singled to right to start the inning and John Buck hit what looked to be another single two batters later. But Ortiz didn’t read the play well enough and while the ball dropped in front of outfielder Marlon Byrd, he still had enough time to pick it up and make a good throw to second to nail Ortiz for the force out.

      While it was a tough play for Ortiz to read, the gaff killed any momentum that the AL had built in the ninth and Broxton was able to retire Ian Kinsler to give the NL its first victory in over a decade.

      External Sports, MLB

      2010 Fantasy Baseball Preview: Relief Pitchers

      March 12, 2010 /

      All 2010 Fantasy Articles | 2010 Position Rankings

      When it comes to drafting relief pitchers, keep in mind that the only thing you care about is saves. Sure, drafting a closer like Mariano Rivera, Jonathan Papelbon or Jonathan Broxton will also net you value in other categories such as ERA and/or WHIP, but if saves are your main objective than why overpay?

      Chances are, you’ll have the opportunity to draft a starter or decent bat (at least one that will contribute to your team on a regular basis) in the same rounds that Rivera, Papelbon and Broxton are selected in. If you’re head over heels for those guys and want a sure thing, then don’t let us stop you from drafting them. But in the end, we think you’ll get more value in passing on those top closers and targeting the guys that we have listed below. Just remember to nab another pitcher that will get you saves later in your draft or else you will regret not taking Rivera/Papelbon/Broxton when you had the chance.

      Heath Bell, Padres
      Bell pitches for a team that will be in a lot of close games and that plays in a spacious park. What’s not to like? The Padres also don’t have a quality set-up man to pitch in front of Bell, so owners can draft him in confidence knowing that San Diego will have to use him in later innings if they want wins.

      Joakim Soria, Royals
      Be careful with Soria, because he’s being overvalued on draft day. He’s a great closer, but he battled shoulder issues last season and he plays on a team that won’t offer him a ton of save opportunities. Draft him with confidence, but don’t reach for him.

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      Fantasy Baseball, MLB

      Is Matt Holliday the answer to the Giants’ offensive woes?

      June 24, 2009 /

      It’s been five years since the San Francisco Giants have made a postseason appearance, so you’ll have to pardon their fans if they’re overly optimistic about the chances of their club possibly making the playoffs this year despite a lineup that often employs Edgar Renteria as its two-hole hitter.

      The G-Men are currently 8.5 games back of the Dodgers in the NL West and with the PED Predator coming back from his suspension soon, L.A. is surely to stay well ahead of San Fran in the division. But the Giants are currently one game up on the Brewers for the NL Wild Card and if GM Brian Sabean could add a player or two before the July 31 trade deadline to help mask San Fran’s biggest flaw, then the five-year playoff drought could end.

      What’s the Giants’ biggest flaw you ask? Well if anyone can look at their lineup without doubling over in side-splitting laughter, then some kind of award is deserved.

      Continue reading »

      MLB

      Giants’ closer Wilson upset with Blake’s mocking gesture

      May 11, 2009 /

      Not all Giants players were ecstatic in the clubhouse following their 7-5 victory over the Dodgers in 13 innings on Sunday (and taking two of three from their most hated rivals in the process).

      Something ugly apparently happened after today’s 7-5, 13-inning win. Dodgers third baseman Casey Blake apparently insulted Brian Wilson with a gesture.

      One by one, the Giants visited Wilson in the clubhouse to console him after a friend sent to Wilson’s cell phone an image of Blake mocking the cross-armed gesture the closer makes after each save.

      Wilson’s gesture partly relates to his religious faith and partly to his late father. Wilson seemed very distraught about the incident. As Tim Lincecum was about to address reporters, a team employee interrupted and pulled Lincecum away, presumably to talk to Wilson.

      Wilson did not seem eager to discuss the incident. Asked if he might discuss it with Blake the next time they meet, Wilson stood silent while Jeremy Affeldt, standing in the next locker said, “Blake knew what he did.”

      Blake, who homered against Wilson in the 12th inning to deal the Giant his second blown save, had left the clubhouse when two San Francisco reporters sought his response.

      Baseball players are a little sensitive on a whole, but I could see why Wilson would be upset with Blake mocking a gesture that was created to honor his faith and his late father. It’s not like Wilson does it to show anyone up – he always turns his back while walking off the back of the mound and he never gestures to the opposing team while doing it. These situations have a tendency to blow over, but nevertheless, this could add another log in the fire to an already great Giants-Dodgers rivalry.

      Either way, Blake should worry more about his team losing three of four since losing Manny Ramirez for 50 games.

      MLB

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