Post by Commissioner Erick on Oct 6, 2023 19:40:51 GMT -5
Philadelphia Phillies (13-15) @ San Francisco Giants (14-14)
PHI: Kevin Gibson (2-1, 3.42)
SF: Mekhi Lias (0-4, 7.03)
Phillies 3 Key Stats
6.31: Philadelphia’s walk rate: The Phillies haven’t been drawing walks early in the season, a key reason why the team is underperforming. The team is fifth in homers, but only ninth in runs. Only two players have a walk rate above league average and more than 50 plate appearances—Arturo Reineri and Alex Agurre. Seth Beer has been the biggest surprise. His career low walk rate before the year was 13.1. It’s currently 6.2. Beer has seven homers and seven doubles, punishing some of the strike throwing tendencies pitchers have taken with him this year, but he's only hitting .245. Philadelphia may need Beer to turn things around before they really take off.
6: Steals allowed in six tries by Kevin Gibson: Gibson had a bit of a tough season last year with a 7.27 ERA. He appeared in 28 games, started in five, and had trouble with homers, yielding 12 in 43.1 innings. Thus far this year, his strikeout numbers have been cut, but he’s reduced his homers to four in 26.1 innings, resulting in a wholly acceptable 3.42 ERA. Fewer home runs and fewer strikeouts opens up the running game as a strategy though, and Gibson has had trouble holding runners. He allowed four steals in four attempts last year, and all six theft attempts have been successful thus far. The Giants are only 12th in steals, but could turn to the running game to jump start their offense.
-0.2: Anderson Franco’s WAR: Philadelphia’s DH has only had three seasons in a career stretching back to 2020 where he’s played more than 88 games. That’s with good reason—only one has he produced more than 1.0 WAR in a year. He’ll hit homers when he gets playing time, but he strikes out a bunch, rarely walks, and doesn’t hit many doubles. He also weirdly doesn’t have platoon splits, hitting worse against lefties than righties. He played well in St. Louis’ minors last year, but injuries to Allen Whitmore and Stud Morales have put him in the lineup. With Morales largely healed from a strained rib cage, expect Franco to not see many starts for awhile.
Giants 3 Key Stats
10: Giants wins in their last 12 games. After a depressing 4-12 start, San Francisco has righted the ship, feasting on a very weak slate to get back to .500, even inching over .500 before leaving 10 on base in a one-run loss to Washington on Sunday. The team’s offense has come alive, scoring at least five runs in all 10 of their recent wins, and two runs in their pair of losses. Kevin Gibson has been pitching well so this will be a tougher opponent to produce against.
7.03: Mekhi Lias’ ERA: Tripod has been shaky in the early going, with an 0-4 record and an unsightly ERA. He has 16 walks versus 14 strikeouts in only 24.1 innings. He’s had some extenuating circumstances with a pair of short rest starts that saw him allow nine runs in 7 innings. He’s been better of late, with only two runs allowed, but in only 9.2 innings. Walks have been Tripod’s biggest issue, allowing 10 over his last two starts after getting hit hard prior. Lias may be compensating and trying a new style after posting an ERA 4.84 or higher going back to 2028. Nibbling and allowing walks at the expense of hard hits may be who Lias needs to be in order to pitch successfully.
24: Games played last year for Andres Gimenez: Gimenez missed nearly all of 2030 after tearing a flexor tendon skipping stones. It was an embarrassing injury, and no doubt hurt the Giants in their quest to repeat after winning the 2029 title. Gimenez hit well upon returning last year, with a .318 average, but his 2031 results have not been promising. He’s hitting .286, but with only a paltry 0.57 ISO, easily the lowest of his concern. Worse, he says he’s been dealing with a sore elbow since early in the year that stubbornly hasn’t healed. He may be dealing with the aftereffects of the flexor tendon surgery affecting how he grips and throws the ball. If he’s not right, it will once again hurt San Francisco’s chance of repeating in a cutthroat National League.
Questions for the GMs:
For Matt Grubs, Anderson Franco has struggled in his role as starter. Will he have a role now that Stud Morales is healthy?
Your team’s not drawing any walks. Is that just a blip or is there anything you can do to get more guys on base?
Speaking of walks, Gerardo Diaz hasn’t allowed a homer and he’s whiffed more than a batter an inning. However, he’s allowed seven walks in 7.2 innings, leading to a 7.04 ERA. Can you live with his wildness?
For Vic Black, Andres Gimenez hasn’t been playing great and his elbow isn’t healing. Will he see any time on the IL?
Mekhi Lias hasn’t won a game all year and even in his last two starts, he was very wild. How much patience will you have with him as a starter?
Your bullpen is last in the NL in ERA. Do you think it’s an early season blip or do you feel you need to upgrade the unit?
TRIVIA: Andres Gimenez has a Platinum Stick in his career and is seventh all time in sac bunts. The all time leader in sac bunts also has a Platinum Stick. Who is the all time leader in sac bunts?
PHI: Kevin Gibson (2-1, 3.42)
SF: Mekhi Lias (0-4, 7.03)
Phillies 3 Key Stats
6.31: Philadelphia’s walk rate: The Phillies haven’t been drawing walks early in the season, a key reason why the team is underperforming. The team is fifth in homers, but only ninth in runs. Only two players have a walk rate above league average and more than 50 plate appearances—Arturo Reineri and Alex Agurre. Seth Beer has been the biggest surprise. His career low walk rate before the year was 13.1. It’s currently 6.2. Beer has seven homers and seven doubles, punishing some of the strike throwing tendencies pitchers have taken with him this year, but he's only hitting .245. Philadelphia may need Beer to turn things around before they really take off.
6: Steals allowed in six tries by Kevin Gibson: Gibson had a bit of a tough season last year with a 7.27 ERA. He appeared in 28 games, started in five, and had trouble with homers, yielding 12 in 43.1 innings. Thus far this year, his strikeout numbers have been cut, but he’s reduced his homers to four in 26.1 innings, resulting in a wholly acceptable 3.42 ERA. Fewer home runs and fewer strikeouts opens up the running game as a strategy though, and Gibson has had trouble holding runners. He allowed four steals in four attempts last year, and all six theft attempts have been successful thus far. The Giants are only 12th in steals, but could turn to the running game to jump start their offense.
-0.2: Anderson Franco’s WAR: Philadelphia’s DH has only had three seasons in a career stretching back to 2020 where he’s played more than 88 games. That’s with good reason—only one has he produced more than 1.0 WAR in a year. He’ll hit homers when he gets playing time, but he strikes out a bunch, rarely walks, and doesn’t hit many doubles. He also weirdly doesn’t have platoon splits, hitting worse against lefties than righties. He played well in St. Louis’ minors last year, but injuries to Allen Whitmore and Stud Morales have put him in the lineup. With Morales largely healed from a strained rib cage, expect Franco to not see many starts for awhile.
Giants 3 Key Stats
10: Giants wins in their last 12 games. After a depressing 4-12 start, San Francisco has righted the ship, feasting on a very weak slate to get back to .500, even inching over .500 before leaving 10 on base in a one-run loss to Washington on Sunday. The team’s offense has come alive, scoring at least five runs in all 10 of their recent wins, and two runs in their pair of losses. Kevin Gibson has been pitching well so this will be a tougher opponent to produce against.
7.03: Mekhi Lias’ ERA: Tripod has been shaky in the early going, with an 0-4 record and an unsightly ERA. He has 16 walks versus 14 strikeouts in only 24.1 innings. He’s had some extenuating circumstances with a pair of short rest starts that saw him allow nine runs in 7 innings. He’s been better of late, with only two runs allowed, but in only 9.2 innings. Walks have been Tripod’s biggest issue, allowing 10 over his last two starts after getting hit hard prior. Lias may be compensating and trying a new style after posting an ERA 4.84 or higher going back to 2028. Nibbling and allowing walks at the expense of hard hits may be who Lias needs to be in order to pitch successfully.
24: Games played last year for Andres Gimenez: Gimenez missed nearly all of 2030 after tearing a flexor tendon skipping stones. It was an embarrassing injury, and no doubt hurt the Giants in their quest to repeat after winning the 2029 title. Gimenez hit well upon returning last year, with a .318 average, but his 2031 results have not been promising. He’s hitting .286, but with only a paltry 0.57 ISO, easily the lowest of his concern. Worse, he says he’s been dealing with a sore elbow since early in the year that stubbornly hasn’t healed. He may be dealing with the aftereffects of the flexor tendon surgery affecting how he grips and throws the ball. If he’s not right, it will once again hurt San Francisco’s chance of repeating in a cutthroat National League.
Questions for the GMs:
For Matt Grubs, Anderson Franco has struggled in his role as starter. Will he have a role now that Stud Morales is healthy?
Your team’s not drawing any walks. Is that just a blip or is there anything you can do to get more guys on base?
Speaking of walks, Gerardo Diaz hasn’t allowed a homer and he’s whiffed more than a batter an inning. However, he’s allowed seven walks in 7.2 innings, leading to a 7.04 ERA. Can you live with his wildness?
For Vic Black, Andres Gimenez hasn’t been playing great and his elbow isn’t healing. Will he see any time on the IL?
Mekhi Lias hasn’t won a game all year and even in his last two starts, he was very wild. How much patience will you have with him as a starter?
Your bullpen is last in the NL in ERA. Do you think it’s an early season blip or do you feel you need to upgrade the unit?
TRIVIA: Andres Gimenez has a Platinum Stick in his career and is seventh all time in sac bunts. The all time leader in sac bunts also has a Platinum Stick. Who is the all time leader in sac bunts?
