jonnylons Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 Barry Bonds. That is the focus most teams take to beating the Giants. They figure, if they walk him, and dont let him hit - they can win. Problem is, that does not seem to work, much like the Haq-a-Shaq strategy has not worked. No, what you have to do is keep the guys in FRONT of Bonds off base, and pitch to Bonds. Challenge him. Very few challenge him, and if they do, they try too hard and make a slight mistake. That is all it takes with Bonds - he is a great player. But here is the lineup they most used during the season: 1 Durham 2 Snow * 3 Grissom * 4 Bonds 5 Alfonzo (and Santiago) 6 Santiago (Aurilia) 7 Alfonzo (and Cruz, Jr) 8 Cruz, Jr (and Torrealba) * Aurilia has gotten a lot of PA in these slots, 142, 240 respectively. So we are looking at a combination of Durham, Snow, Grissom, Aurilia in front of Bonds. Here are their stats (for season): Durham OBP .364 AVG .284 Snow .388, .272 Grissom .322, .300 (20HR) Aurilia .325, .277 Compared to us: Pierre .361, .305 Castillo .381, .314 Pudge .369, .297 You can see, our hitters actually have higher averages and higher OPS. In fact, I would say that it is NOT as formidable as it may seem to keep the top 3 of the Giants off base. It seems that the bottom half of the lineup of the Giants is more productive than the top. Alfonzo 12 HR .718 OPS Santiago 11, .753 Cruz 20, .780 Alfonzo K'd only 40 times in 512 ABs. That means he is going to put the ball in play. If only Barry is on base, that is ok because Bonds does not have the speed he once did. But if you pitch to Bonds - and keep those in front off the bases - he hits a solo home run or gets out. It seems the key is to keep the top of the lineup off the base and force Bonds and the bottom half to set the table - by doing that you keep from having the big inning ignited. And you keep their offense at bay, no pun intended. HEY - LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU ALL THINK... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miami15 Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 i think if we can pull it off tommorow with a big Beckett game, we will win the series Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DurableTear Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 i think if we can pull it off tommorow with a big Beckett game, we will win the series agreed... Game one sets the tone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miami15 Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 Who the hell are you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyMo4Life Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 Well... I for one am a Marlins Fan for the month of October 2003. :marlins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 He's a Cardinals fan who stops by once in awhile, Mr. Rude. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miami15 Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 Well, if he is a STL fan, why he is coming here and saying he is fan of the month? The month didn't even start yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wild Card Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 Well, if he is a STL fan, why he is coming here and saying he is fan of the month? The month didn't even start yet. He wants us to win, jackass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 He said fan FOR a month, not OF the month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramp Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 Who the hell are you? arent we a douchebag tonight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyMo4Life Posted September 30, 2003 Share Posted September 30, 2003 Who the hell are you? As Admin said I am a Cardinal fan. I usually post over here when the Marlins play the Cards or our Central Division rivals. I'm not a Marlins fan, and have never rooted for the Marlins until NOW. I'll be rooting for the Marlins throughout the month of October, because I've actually grown to like the team. I've gained a lot of respect for the Marlins from watching them the few times I have this year. I have absolutly no respect for the Braves, Giants, or Cubs. Luckily there is one team that I can root for this month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KJC Posted September 30, 2003 Share Posted September 30, 2003 may i please check your tickets for the bandwagon? lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonnylons Posted September 30, 2003 Author Share Posted September 30, 2003 Hey, I just wanted this thread to be dedicated to trying to figure out how we can beat the Giants...what the hell? So what if someone wants to root for our team now, and so what about bandwagoners - this is the kind of thing we need for our team to be successful! I have been saying it all along, bandwagoners are good for our team - and besides, eventually some of these become die hards. Chill...and stay focused on beating the Giants men! :banghead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FishFan24 Posted September 30, 2003 Share Posted September 30, 2003 Unfortunately this team could use all the bandwagon jumpers it can get. So even if its for a month, we are glad to have you on board. Anyway I think that if Beckett can have a good game and the offense somehow comes up big, then we can pull off game one. For game two, same rules apply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamrock Posted September 30, 2003 Share Posted September 30, 2003 Welcome Matty Mo! Nice analysis jonny. I'll just make a blanket statement because I have to go to class! I give their pitching a slight edge and our hitting a moderate edge. We are going to crush Reuter (LHP) so it will come down to whether Red/Willis can hold em' down. This series will be decided in 5 games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotcorner Posted September 30, 2003 Share Posted September 30, 2003 i think if they can pull out a win tonight (and i expect it to be a pitcher's duel) then can win it in 4 games. maybe ponson comes back & wins game 2, but for game 3, the Marlins kill lefties and they whipped Rueter last time they faced him, plus they'll be back at home. then we go to game 4 when SF would probably trot Schmidt back out there facing elimination, except he'd be going on 3 days rest & Dontrelle has stepped up in big-time games this year. i hope beckett can stay within himself tonight & pitch deep into the game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonnylons Posted September 30, 2003 Author Share Posted September 30, 2003 Well, Aurilia worked from an 0-2 count to walk. (Well, he didnt really work it, so much as Beckett all of a sudden couldnt throw a strike). Result - Aurilia scored. Bonds, with 2 outs, is intentionally walked. I said it then, I will say it now - that is precisely the situation you want to pitch to Bonds. You dont issue free runs, and we did when we walked him. We should have pitched to him, because at worst we give up a run, at best, we get that 3rd out and go to bat in the 9th with only 1 run defecit. I dont like this backing down strategy - it has not worked at all for teams facing the Giants. Scrap it. Take that, the prevent defense, and the Haq-a-Shaq and scrap em all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Juanky Posted September 30, 2003 Share Posted September 30, 2003 I heard alot about Reuter maybe pitching tomorrow. If he does, that would be awesome for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonnylons Posted October 1, 2003 Author Share Posted October 1, 2003 Alou is smart to make it ambiguous as to who is going to start today. I think it is a little 'ungentlemanly', if that is an adjective. But it is par for the course - and I think setting your rotation publicly allows the other team more of an opportunity t prepare. Either way, this is a must win for the Marlins. With a win today, we gain the upper hand and come to JRS with 2 games left to win. I think we have a better chance if we can get to winning at home. Also, I think the Giants just had everything going for them yesterday and we didnt. Give the dog his day... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonnylons Posted October 1, 2003 Author Share Posted October 1, 2003 Like I said, keep the guys in front of Bonds off base, and we have a shot at winning. The funny thing is, statistically, those hitters are not all that hard to keep off base. Yet, we dont seem to be able to do it and struggle to throw strikes at times. Not good...I dont like the way this series is being managed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Das Texan Posted October 1, 2003 Share Posted October 1, 2003 thanks mattymo. gotta keep the heat turned up and dont let up. and oh yeah...some of us are a**holes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geemoney Posted October 2, 2003 Share Posted October 2, 2003 Like I said, keep the guys in front of Bonds off base, and we have a shot at winning. The funny thing is, statistically, those hitters are not all that hard to keep off base. Yet, we dont seem to be able to do it and struggle to throw strikes at times. Not good...I dont like the way this series is being managed. Neither do the ESPN announcers. Today, they were second-guessing every McKeon move (leaving Willis out there after pitching to Bonds, putting in Looper, not running Pierre, not pitching to Bonds). You'd have thought we lost 9-5 listening to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Juanky Posted October 2, 2003 Share Posted October 2, 2003 Oh yeah, and it was all excitement for the Giants. When Barry made the sliding catch, they were yelling and shouting. When Juan Encarnacion hit the homer to tie the game, it was just a sigh from the announcers. No bias at all, trust me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonnylons Posted October 2, 2003 Author Share Posted October 2, 2003 Gee, we got the win. But it was somewhat ugly - but all that matters is getting a W. This is the postseason - the best of the best. It basically breaks down to who makes the fewest mistakes and takes advantage of when the other team blinks. I think at times today, McKeon was too nervous to make any mistakes. The game was tight, but not that tight. I agree with the ESPN dudes that telling Penny to pitch carefully robbed him of his rhythm and confidence. Bonds is not going to hit a homerun EVERY time, and yes, he will probably get a hit out of every three times at bat. The key is not to walk the guy every time - putting a guy on base only backfires. But keep the guys off base in front of him so that way you minimize the damage. The Giants are a one-pony team - all Bonds. After him, they are mediocre. Position by position, I will take anyone on our team over theirs except LF, of course. But if you noticed when we were aggressive what happened. We got that inning in the (7th?) that we blew the game open because Guillen was aggressive and sent Conine home and got us a man on third. Later, he sent Harris which ended the inning, but even that was good because we were challenging the Giants to beat us. That is how you win. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Juanky Posted October 2, 2003 Share Posted October 2, 2003 Lenny should have either not gone or barreled thourgh Benito. I mean come on it would be like Benito going into the tree all over again :lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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