Buster Posey showed off some incredible reflexes to corral a ball in the dirt and throw out a runner | MLB.com

It cannot be repeated often enough, "You cannot run on Buster Posey!!" Even when you think you should be able to run on Buster Posey, you should not run on Buster Posey!! He's like a cat going after a mouse corralling that loose ball.



from MLB.com

Buster Posey showed off some incredible reflexes to corral a ball in the dirt and throw out a runner | MLB.com:

Buster Posey has been great his entire Major League career. He has a Rookie of the Year Award and an MVP Award. He's a five-time All-Star and has won the Silver Slugger Award four times. He's been so good for so long, it didn't seem possible for him to surprise us with his ability on the field.

On Sunday, however, Posey proved that greatness always finds a way to impress. With two outs in the ninth inning of the Giants' 9-5 win over the Rockies, a pitch in the dirt looked like it was going to get away from the Giants' catcher and allow Trevor Story to advance. Let's just say that it didn't quite work out that way:

'via Blog this'

OK, so this we know. What do we not know? We really don't know what we have with the 2018 Gigantes due to all the injuries and this game puts us at .500 through 48 games at 24-24. This game wasn't a "must game", but it was a game the Giants had to have. You cannot let the Rockies come in to your house and take three out of four. So, mission accomplished there.

We're all waiting for the wounded to return. Adding Bumgarner, Cueto, Panik, Williamson, Hanson and to a lesser degree Pence and Melancon will help. But how much?

If the returnees elevate the team from a .500 team to a .600 team, when do they need to start playing like one?

Now would be the immediate answer. A .600 pace the rest of the way, with 114 games left, gets you to 92-70. Playoffs!! Can you say Playoffs?

Even waiting another 7 games to get a kick from some of the returnees would take you from 31-31 to 91-71 in the remaining 100 games. Cool, not much of a decrease in our chances.

How about if we wait until the halfway mark? Play 41-41 for the first 82 games and then turn on the jets and win 49 of the next 82 gets you to 90 wins. Still a probable playoff spot, but not by much, right?

Somehow I feel as if the All-Star break is when you see the team that has to pull the train into the station, regular lineup in place and healthy. No turning back at that point, since 45-45 through the first 90 leads you to 88-74 with a .600 pace the rest of the way. That's not likely to make the playoffs, but it is possible.

Let's see what happens, but at least using math plus reasonable assumptions and past history as a guide as to probability of advancement, we shouldn't need to even consider panicking (What who me?? Panik??)

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No puede repetirse con la suficiente frecuencia, "¡No puedes correr en Buster Posey!" ¡¡Incluso cuando creas que deberías poder correr en Buster Posey, no deberías correr en Buster Posey !! Es como un gato que persigue a un ratón acorralando esa bola suelta.

OK, entonces esto lo sabemos. ¿Qué no sabemos? Realmente no sabemos lo que tenemos con los 2018 Gigantes debido a todas las lesiones y este juego nos pone en .500 a través de 48 juegos en 24-24. Este juego no era un "juego obligatorio", pero era un juego que los Gigantes tenían que tener. No puedes permitir que los Rockies entren a tu casa y tomen tres de cuatro. Entonces, misión cumplida allí.

Todos estamos esperando que los heridos regresen. Agregando Bumgarner, Cueto, Panik, Williamson, Hanson y en menor grado Pence y Melancon ayudarán. ¿Pero cuanto?

Si los repatriados elevan al equipo de un equipo de .500 a un equipo de .600, ¿cuándo deben comenzar a jugar como uno?

Ahora sería la respuesta inmediata. Un ritmo de .600 el resto del camino, con 114 juegos restantes, te lleva a 92-70. ¡Playoffs! ¿Puedes decir Playoffs?

Incluso esperar otros 7 juegos para obtener una patada de algunos de los retornados te llevaría de 31-31 a 91-71 en los restantes 100 juegos. Genial, no hay una gran disminución en nuestras posibilidades.

¿Qué tal si esperamos hasta la mitad del camino? Juega 41-41 para los primeros 82 juegos y luego enciende los jets y gana 49 de los siguientes 82 que te llevan a 90 victorias. Todavía es un lugar probable para los playoffs, pero no por mucho, ¿verdad?

De alguna manera siento como si el receso del Juego de las Estrellas fuera cuando ves al equipo que tiene que tirar del tren a la estación, alineación regular en su lugar y saludable. No hay vuelta atrás en ese punto, ya que 45-45 a través de los primeros 90 te lleva a 88-74 con un ritmo de .600 el resto del camino. No es probable que llegue a los playoffs, pero es posible.


Veamos qué pasa, pero al menos usando matemáticas más suposiciones razonables e historia pasada como guía en cuanto a la probabilidad de avance, no deberíamos siquiera tener que considerar entrar en pánico (¿Qué me di ?? Panik?)

Giants pitcher Johnny Cueto diagnosed with elbow sprain — no surgery needed - SFGate

This is a big relief for the Giants. TJS for Cueto would have been a serious blow to the team's chances to stay competitive for a playoff spot. They have a lot of guys that have to get healthy in short order. To put another "ace" on the shelf long-term would not have been good. Phew!!

from sfgate.com

Giants pitcher Johnny Cueto diagnosed with elbow sprain — no surgery needed - SFGate:

PHILADELPHIA — The Giants on Monday split an odd sort of doubleheader that unfolded in two cities.

In the morning, they got a win of sorts in Pensacola, Fla., where one of the nation’s most renowned orthopedic surgeons told Johnny Cueto that he did not need Tommy John elbow reconstruction surgery.

At night, in Philadelphia, the Phillies hit four homers good for 10 runs and routed the Giants 11-0 to end San Francisco’s winning streak at four.

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Johnny Cueto lowers ERA to 0.35 in Giants' win

Cueto's dominance should not be lost in Belt's AB. Cueto, and to a lesser extent Chris Stratton, have been keeping the ship somewhat steady as it takes on water. Now that Samardzija is back, and finally when Bumgarner returns, the Giants should be able to count on consistent starting pitching, which should help the stretched out bullpen.

The mention from the mlb.com article,that this was the first series the Giants have won this season is almost as amazing in a negative way as Belt's AB was in the positive. The Giants, as currently constituted, appear to be, at best, a .500 team (81-81). At worst, you could make the argument that they are what they consistently do, which is lose three game sets (1-2). That's a (54-108) record. If you say, maybe somewhere in the middle, be careful what you wish for because that's (67.5 - 94.5) i.e. last year's team.

They have to show signs of life, especially the offense, before Bumgarner returns, or the rebuild (not retool) has to begin.

from mlb.com
https://www.mlb.com/news/johnny-cueto-lowers-era-to-035-in-giants-win/c-273384986

Cueto lowers ERA to 0.35 as Giants top Halos

Righty takes no-hit bid into sixth; Belt homers for fourth straight game

Apr. 22nd, 2018

ANAHEIM -- It took three-plus weeks, a determined outing from Johnny Cueto and an epic day from Brandon Belt, but the Giants finally won their first series this season.

Belt's historic 21-pitch at-bat in the first inning Sunday was the conversation piece, but his fifth-inning home run helped fuel a 4-2 victory over the Angels.

Cueto contributed his fair share as well, holding the Angels to no runs on two hits after carrying a no-hitter into the sixth inning. He lowered his ERA to 0.35 after four starts.

"It's great to get a series," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "You hate to wait this long to get one, but on the road against a club that has really been playing well this year, Johnny came through for us. What a great effort he gave us and we hung on."

The Giants won two of the three games at Anaheim, in a rematch of the thrilling 2002 World Series won by the Angels.

Cueto, who missed a recent start with an ankle sprain, pitched through some discomfort, even getting a visit from the trainer at one point. He did not give up a base hit until Ian Kinsler singled to lead off the sixth inning.

He closed the sixth by loading the bases but getting Luis Valbuena to hit into a 3-6-1 double play to end the threat. Cueto did a spin and made a fist pump after recording the out at first base, which ended up being the final out of his outing.

"Based on the situation I had to celebrate it," Cueto said.

"It was a hard-fought game, but no question it's good to head home with a series under our belt," Bochy said.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Cueto spun around like a top in celebration after working his way out of a bases-loaded situation in the sixth inning. After loading the bases with one out, Cueto got Valbuena to hit a ground ball to Belt at first base. Belt started a nifty 3-6-1 double play, with Cueto combining a spin with a pump of his fist following the last out of his outing.

SOUND SMART
Cueto's 0.35 ERA is the lowest for a Giants pitcher after four starts since Ray Sadecki had a 0.25 mark in 1968. Cueto has given up one run over 26 innings so far this season, firing scoreless outings at the Dodgers, Diamondbacks and now the Angels.

Doug Padilla is a contributor to MLB.com.

Read more: San Francisco Giants

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Giants 2017 Starters

This is it, save for a couple of forgettable Chris Stratton starts. If the Giants knew how bad the season was going to be, do you think they would have DFA'd Clayton Blackburn? I sure would have liked to have seen him in extended meaningful action, I think he'd have developed into a keeper like Ty Blach seems to be doing. 

Believe it or not, the core problem is not here. Samardzija has to keep the ball in the yard and get finer with the strike zone. He's discovering the difference between control (throwing strikes) and command (throwing strikes with stuff and proper location). It just can't be anywhere in the strike zone. We tell twelve and thirteen year-olds with "stuff" to just throw it down the middle and dare them to hit it. That doesn't work in the show. The other guys is getting paid big bucks too.  

Nothing stops Bumgarner, except dirt-bikes and lack of run support. Not worried about him. PAY THE MAN!!

Blach pitches to contact and keeps the ball in the yard and on the ground. So he may get hit but he can get a DP limit damage. Talk to Samardzija.

Cueto has to get it back. He got exposed a little after Bumgarner went down. I don't think he's a pure #1 anymore. He needs some cover. Keep Bummer away from dirt bikes.

Matt Moore is truly vexing. I think a lot of it is between his ears. When he threw the WP and forgot to cover home recently, I though Posey should have drilled him with it. It might have knocked some sense back into him. He seems to forget how to compete when things go wrong. When the wheels come off for him, they don't go back on easily, like for Blach and Bummer. He supposedly has 3-4 pitches, none of which he can really command. Which means he really doesn't have any pitches.

Matt Cain. Hey, thanks for the memories. Here's your $7M buyout for next year. The old-timers game is in June, you think you can give us a couple of innings? Maybe get some guys out there? What do they say, if you have two Matt's in your rotation, you really don't have any? TRUTH!!

Moore has to figure it out quickly or, as long as we're into bringing back the old guard, let's just offer him back to the Rays for Matt Duffy, if he ever gets off the DL. He plays left, Parker goes to RF and Pence, IDK about Pence. He makes a lot of money so.......yeah. That's why we can never have a nice team around here.

Giants introduce Johnny Cueto | sfgiants.com

Cueto introduced to the Giants faithful and it looks like he knocked it out of the park. He shouild fit right in to this locker room. I liked his following quote about his new team, Giants, Team of Champions. That's going to really endear him to his new teammates and it has a nice, catchy ring to it. Almost like Wheaties, Breakfast of Champions, Giants, Team of Champions. I like it!!

The Giants wouldn’t have won three World Series in five years without Lincecum. The even-year pattern was part of what appealed to Cueto.

“I like the team,” Cueto said. “This is a team of champions.”

from mlb..com
http://m.giants.mlb.com/news/article/159853688?partnerId=ed-9948544-859936193

Giants introduce Johnny Cueto

• Hot Stove Tracker
"We've added two significant workhorses," Giants general manager Bobby Evans said. "[It] addresses an area that we really struggled with last year. This gives us a lot of hope looking at 2016 and beyond."

The Giants graced their starting staff with considerable potential for durability -- a quality it has lacked in recent years. They accomplished this through free agency, which might strike some observers as less appealing than relying on homegrown pitchers drafted and developed within the organization such as Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain and Madison Bumgarner. But Lincecum's a free agent striving to overcome hip surgery and the injury-plagued Cain is no longer a given to work 200 innings, leaving Bumgarner as San Francisco's lone starter who began and ended last year in the rotation without interruption due to injury.
Adding Cueto completed the rotation's makeover.
"I feel it's already a great rotation," he said through translator Erwin Higueros. "I just came over here to complement the rest of the guys."

It's an even year and I'm ready to roll. Glad to be on board. Vamos!
— Johnny Cueto (@JohnnyCueto) 10:17 PM - 16 Dec 2015

Cueto's record suggests that he'll serve as more than just a complement. He's a proven winner, sporting a 96-70 record in eight seasons, including the first 7 1/2 of those years with the Cincinnati Reds. Cueto also has exceeded 200 innings in three of the past four seasons. Samardzija has topped that figure three years in a row.
Thus, in Bumgarner, Cueto and Samardzija, the Giants have three legitimate "innings eaters" in the rotation, which in turn will strengthen the bullpen. San Francisco's last trio of starters to amass at least 200 innings apiece did so in 2011. The group consisted of Cain (221 2/3), Lincecum (217) and Bumgarner (204 2/3).
And if either Cain or fellow starter Jake Peavy regains enough effectiveness to approach or reach 200 innings this year, so much the better. No Giants rotation has boasted four 200-inning starters since 1973, when Ron Bryant (270), Jim Barr (231 1/3), Tom Bradley (224) and Hall of Famer Juan Marichal (207 1/3) formed the quartet.
That happened to be Marichal's final Giants season. Cueto, who hails from the Dominican Republic, said that he has never met Marichal, who remains that country's patron saint of pitching. Based on the testimony of Jeff Brantley, the former Giants right-hander who scrutinized Cueto as a Reds broadcasting commentator, Cueto works ceaselessly to match the achievements of Marichal and other greats.
"He's a high-end competitor," Brantley said.
Don't be fooled by Cueto's thick frame, Brantley advised.
"If you take a look behind the scenes and watch his workout regimen, it's about as professsional as you can get," Brantley said. "There's not too many starting pitchers out there who run 'stadiums [up and down the aisles of an entire ballpark].' He runs them until he's blue in the face."
As for Cueto's pitching, Brantley predicted that Cueto will do a "spectacular" job for the Giants. He added, "The only way you're going to get to Cueto is to hit the ball out of the ballpark, because it's really difficult to string three hits together against him."

Moreover, the apparently fun-loving Cueto -- "I'm one of those guys who likes to fool around," he said -- should feel at home in the Giants' clubhouse. Brantley said that Mike Leake, the ex-Red and free-agent right-hander who joined the Giants last season at the non-waiver Trade Deadline, raved about the atmosphere surrounding the club.
"He said that everyone was not concerned about themselves, but about the team," Brantley said. "I think that's going to benefit Johnny. I think Johnny is going to help a lot of guys."
Cueto's contract calls for him to earn $15 million in 2016 and $21 million annually from 2017-21. He'll receive $1 million per year during that span to account for a $5 million bonus. The Giants hold a $22 million option on his services for 2022, with a $5 million buyout that he'll still receive if he exercises an opt-out clause after the 2017 season.

Chris Haft is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Haft-Baked Ideas, follow him on Twitter at @sfgiantsbeat and listen to his podcast. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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12/14/15, 5:20 PM Johnny Cueto last season vs NL: 2.30 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 5.6 K/BB vs AL: 4.42 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 2.8 K/BB

Thank God he'll be pitching in the NL for the most part.

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Giants add Cueto

It very likely means bye-bye Mike Leake. OK.

It very likely means bye-bye Timmy. OK.

It very likely means bye-bye to an impact bat in LF. OK.

Because it also means the Gigantes are serious contenders for the NL West title, the NL title along withe the Mets, Cubs,Cards, D-Backs and Dodgers.

If you had told me Samardzjia AND Cueto prior to the of Fun-season. I would have said "don't you mean OR?"

I may have preferred Price and/ or Zimmerman, but I like this mix as well. Cain and Peavy in the 4/5 slots and Heston in reserve?

 That sounds really good to me.

Here's to Cueto's good health.

Ed Zurga / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Giants land Cueto with 6-year, $130M deal

Greg WarrenDec 14 2015, 4:26 PM

The National League West got even stronger Monday, as one of its clubs landed the top pitcher still available on the free-agent market.

The San Francisco Giants have agreed to a six-year deal with right-hander Johnny Cueto, pending a physical.

ESPN's Jerry Crasnick reports the deal is worth $130 million, and Cueto can opt out after the second year. There's also a club option for a seventh year.

San Francisco signed righty Jeff Samardzija to a five-year, $90-million pact earlier this month, and now features one of the better starting rotations in baseball.

PROJECTED 2016 ROTATION - 2015 STATS

PLAYER	IP	W-L	ERA	WHIP	SO9
Madison Bumgarner	218.1	18-9	2.93	1.00	9.6
Johnny Cueto	212	11-13	3.44	1.13	7.5
Jeff Samardzija	214	11-13	4.96	1.29	6.9
Matt Cain	60.2	2-4	5.79	1.50	6.1
Jake Peavy	110.2	8-6	3.58	1.12	6.3

The Giants needed to address their pitching needs this fall after losing Tim Lincecum and Ryan Vogelsong to free agency, and following Tim Hudson's retirement.

Cueto reportedly rejected a six-year, $120-million offer from the Arizona Diamondbacks earlier this fall, and his agent publicly statedhis client also had interest in joining the Boston Red Sox. Arizona countered by signing Zack Greinke to a six-year, $206.5-million deal, and Boston landed southpaw David Price with a seven-year, $217-million pact.

Pitching at spacious AT&T Park should benefit Cueto for years to come, as should a return to the NL after a brief stint with the World Series champion Kansas City Royals. The 29-year-old hurler is 96-70 with a 3.30 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in 226 career starts.

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