[OutsiderFan]

Longoria back on the IL. Time to thank him and release him.

He has earned the right to finish out the year.  I suspect he will call it a career after this season.  Regardless, it is his last with SF.  

Following this season, I would wish Belt the best as well.  That would leave Crawford as the last man standing from the bunch that won multi-championships.

Agree.  Giants get swept by the evil machine and still are only a game out of 6th. 

Today is on Kapler. He plays lip service to defense, but doesn’t truly value.  Platoons.  Puts Mercedes in left, DH Wynn.  If he puts Pederson in left and Mercedes DH, maybe they don’t lose. Pederson easily catches that ball. Mercedes isn’t an outfielder.  Which he showed. Why Wynn? Just because he’s a righty and they are facing Kershaw. He’s not a threat. He’s not a good hitter. Just a poor managerial decision.  Managing by computer only takes you so far.

Defense is KILLING this team. Yet, Mercedes in left……

How would you re-arrange who is sitting in what deck chairs?  This is like complaining about the play calling when your team has the worst roster in the NFL. Admittedly, the Giants are not a 100-loss team, but they are not a contender either and shouldn't be judged as if they are.

On a related note, if there is one thing this season is demonstrating it is the folly of expanding the Wild Card from 2 teams to 3. There simply are not 3 teams worthy of Wild Card opportunity in either league. If they didn't expand the WC, the Giants would be 5 GB of the Padres for the #2 spot, and everyone would know they are selling. Instead, they are 2 GB for the #3 WC spot, and likely fooling themselves they are a marginal player or two away from nabbing the #3 WC spot, in denial they are too flawed to pose any playoff threat should they miraculously earn the #6 seed.

Actually this shows MLB’s wisdom in expanding.  More teams in race means more interest in more cities come September.

All of the teams competing for WC are flawed.  Giants probably more so.  But they can help themselves with incremental pickups - a left handed reliever and perhaps a MIF or outfielder that can add some defense/ athleticism.  

Part of the defensive issue is speed (lack thereof) showing lack of range.   Part is playing people out of position. Sometimes out of necessity. Mercedes is an obvious example.  He’d played OF once ot twice pre-SF. Kapler should only be using him as DH and perhaps 1B as he has played there some.  Pederson is limited defensively, as he’s slow.  But he at least takes decent routes and is an actual OF. 

Kapler gives lip service to defense.  But when you plug a guy like Mercedes in left so you can get Austin Wynns’ “bat” into the game, you show your true colors.  Were I a pitcher I wouldn’t be too happy about it.

Finally, were  Giants to sneak in Webb and Rodon at top of rotation could pose trouble.  Stuff happens in playoffs.  Get in and take your chances. Giants were lowest rated team in ‘14 playoffs.  In either league.  That one worked out pretty well….

Your points are certainly valid about the business reasons for playoff expansion.

As for the '22 Giants, MLB being a game driven by doing what the odds say is most likely, lends itself to it being silly to expend resources building onto a structure with a flimsy foundation vs. investing them into a new one with a more solid foundation. The 2014 Giants had a solid foundation.

[OutsiderFan]

Longoria back on the IL. Time to thank him and release him.

He has earned the right to finish out the year.  I suspect he will call it a career after this season.  Regardless, it is his last with SF.  

Following this season, I would wish Belt the best as well.  That would leave Crawford as the last man standing from the bunch that won multi-championships.

Agree.  Giants get swept by the evil machine and still are only a game out of 6th. 

Today is on Kapler. He plays lip service to defense, but doesn’t truly value.  Platoons.  Puts Mercedes in left, DH Wynn.  If he puts Pederson in left and Mercedes DH, maybe they don’t lose. Pederson easily catches that ball. Mercedes isn’t an outfielder.  Which he showed. Why Wynn? Just because he’s a righty and they are facing Kershaw. He’s not a threat. He’s not a good hitter. Just a poor managerial decision.  Managing by computer only takes you so far.

Defense is KILLING this team. Yet, Mercedes in left……

How would you re-arrange who is sitting in what deck chairs?  This is like complaining about the play calling when your team has the worst roster in the NFL. Admittedly, the Giants are not a 100-loss team, but they are not a contender either and shouldn't be judged as if they are.

On a related note, if there is one thing this season is demonstrating it is the folly of expanding the Wild Card from 2 teams to 3. There simply are not 3 teams worthy of Wild Card opportunity in either league. If they didn't expand the WC, the Giants would be 5 GB of the Padres for the #2 spot, and everyone would know they are selling. Instead, they are 2 GB for the #3 WC spot, and likely fooling themselves they are a marginal player or two away from nabbing the #3 WC spot, in denial they are too flawed to pose any playoff threat should they miraculously earn the #6 seed.

Actually this shows MLB’s wisdom in expanding.  More teams in race means more interest in more cities come September.

All of the teams competing for WC are flawed.  Giants probably more so.  But they can help themselves with incremental pickups - a left handed reliever and perhaps a MIF or outfielder that can add some defense/ athleticism.  

Part of the defensive issue is speed (lack thereof) showing lack of range.   Part is playing people out of position. Sometimes out of necessity. Mercedes is an obvious example.  He’d played OF once ot twice pre-SF. Kapler should only be using him as DH and perhaps 1B as he has played there some.  Pederson is limited defensively, as he’s slow.  But he at least takes decent routes and is an actual OF. 

Kapler gives lip service to defense.  But when you plug a guy like Mercedes in left so you can get Austin Wynns’ “bat” into the game, you show your true colors.  Were I a pitcher I wouldn’t be too happy about it.

Finally, were  Giants to sneak in Webb and Rodon at top of rotation could pose trouble.  Stuff happens in playoffs.  Get in and take your chances. Giants were lowest rated team in ‘14 playoffs.  In either league.  That one worked out pretty well….

Your points are certainly valid about the business reasons for playoff expansion.

As for the '22 Giants, MLB being a game driven by doing what the odds say is most likely, lends itself to it being silly to expend resources building onto a structure with a flimsy foundation vs. investing them into a new one with a more solid foundation. The 2014 Giants had a solid foundation.