Game Recap: SD 3, SF 2

Before beginning my fragmented, poorly thought out recap that will only touch on a few things from tonight (and do so in a very unsatisfactory manner), I have to mention the douche chills I am getting from the Mat Latos picture on the front page of the MLB section on ESPN.com. Since I hate everyone and want them to suffer as I have, here it is:


Just try and sleep tonight after one look at this tool. He's pitching tomorrow, by the way.

Tonight I want to talk about small ball. People will say that the Giants could have won tonight if they had properly played small ball. The 2nd inning comes to mind. Juan Uribe and Aaron Rowand both singled, and pitcher Jonathan Sanchez came up. He tried to bunt, and failed, causing Juan Uribe to be out at 3rd. Then Aaron Rowand was picked off of 2nd base. Within minutes, the Giants had gone from 2 men on and nobody out to 1 man on 1st and 2 out.

The bunt makes sense. It's actually the only situation where bunting makes sense, with 2 men on and the pitcher up. But why was Aaron Rowand running? He does not run well, and it was the 2nd inning. Is the 2nd inning the time for a team to play for 1 run? It's not that the Giants played small ball incorrectly, it's that they played it at all. Small ball is terrible. I really have nothing more to say about it. It sucks. Always play for the 3 run home run. Long live Earl Weaver.

I think Pablo Sandoval is really hurting this team at 3rd base. I worry that he can't even play 1st adequately. But I also worry about the mental aspect of his game. Today's rundown of Adrian Gonzalez between 3rd and home was a great example. It should have been executed like a normal rundown, back and forth until the out is made, because it will be made. Instead, Sandoval got the ball and decided it to dive for the tag. He barely got it, but in the process fell flat on his face and remained on the ground for what seemed like 5 minutes, allowing the other baserunner and batter to move to 3rd and 2nd. Awful mistake. Pablo may hustle, but he doesn't think quick enough when he's out there. It's like his batting. He feels such an immediate need to do everything, that he ends up hurting the team by not playing carefully. The Giants don't need to play small, they need to play smart.

PART OF PLAYING SMART IS NOT HITTING POSSIBLY YOUR WORST BATTER 2ND. I AM TALKING TO YOU BRUCE BOCHY AND I WON'T STOP SAYING THIS TILL THE LINEUP IS CORRECTED. THE EVIL, MORONIC, PERVERTED BASEBALL TRADITION OF GIVING YOUR BEST HITTERS LESS AT BATS ENDS TODAY. TORRES POSEY HUFF BURRELL. 1-4. IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE?