game after Tuesday’s workout, before the A’s and Royals spun for 12
innings in the American League game, but the choices made by general
manager Brian Sabean and manager Bruce Bochy almost seem like a reaction
to Tuesday’s game.
The Giants carried 10 pitchers, including starters Madison Bumgarner, Jake Peavy and Yusmeiro Petit, and essentially a fourth with Tim Lincecum, to anticipate extra innings or an early exit for Bumgarner. Middle relievers became a casualty, with George Kontos and Juan Gutierrez excluded.
The Giants also took Gary Brown and Juan Perez on the theory that a team cannot have enough speed late in the game, which proved invaluable for the Royals in their 9-8 victory.
Michael Morse was not the roster, although he said he felt “ready” after testing his oblique in the batting cage, and Bochy said Morse would be activated if the Giants advanced.
“I haven’t played,” Morse said. “It would be stupid for me to take a spot from somebody who’s played.”
Lincecum helped himself with a much-improved look during his relief appearances in the final days of the regular season.
“There was not question about him being on this roster,” Bochy said. “I think his versatility brings a lot to this bullpen. He can be a long guy. He can help in middle relief, maybe get a big out late in the ballgame or if this thing happens to go extra innings. He’s a guy who could give us some innings.”
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Pirates manager Clint Hurdle watched the first six innings of Monday night’s barnburner between the A’s and Royals.
“My wife watched 11. She took notes for me,” said Hurdle, who had a strong rooting interest. He came up with the Royals as an outfielder in 1977 as a first-round draft pick.
Asked if he tried to strategize along with Bob Melvin and Ned Yost through the maze of moves made in the Royals’ 9-8 victory, Hurdle said, “I watched the game as a fan. The last thing I’m going to do is get into the managers’ heads in a wild-card game. There are plenty enough other people who are going to do that.
“I watched as a fan because I came up as a Kansas City Royal way back when. There’s a part of me that’s always going to be a Kansas City Royal. A small little part of my heart has been pulling for that organization for years.”
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Odds and ends:
The Giants carried 10 pitchers, including starters Madison Bumgarner, Jake Peavy and Yusmeiro Petit, and essentially a fourth with Tim Lincecum, to anticipate extra innings or an early exit for Bumgarner. Middle relievers became a casualty, with George Kontos and Juan Gutierrez excluded.
The Giants also took Gary Brown and Juan Perez on the theory that a team cannot have enough speed late in the game, which proved invaluable for the Royals in their 9-8 victory.
Michael Morse was not the roster, although he said he felt “ready” after testing his oblique in the batting cage, and Bochy said Morse would be activated if the Giants advanced.
“I haven’t played,” Morse said. “It would be stupid for me to take a spot from somebody who’s played.”
Lincecum helped himself with a much-improved look during his relief appearances in the final days of the regular season.
“There was not question about him being on this roster,” Bochy said. “I think his versatility brings a lot to this bullpen. He can be a long guy. He can help in middle relief, maybe get a big out late in the ballgame or if this thing happens to go extra innings. He’s a guy who could give us some innings.”
XXXXXXXXXX
Pirates manager Clint Hurdle watched the first six innings of Monday night’s barnburner between the A’s and Royals.
“My wife watched 11. She took notes for me,” said Hurdle, who had a strong rooting interest. He came up with the Royals as an outfielder in 1977 as a first-round draft pick.
Asked if he tried to strategize along with Bob Melvin and Ned Yost through the maze of moves made in the Royals’ 9-8 victory, Hurdle said, “I watched the game as a fan. The last thing I’m going to do is get into the managers’ heads in a wild-card game. There are plenty enough other people who are going to do that.
“I watched as a fan because I came up as a Kansas City Royal way back when. There’s a part of me that’s always going to be a Kansas City Royal. A small little part of my heart has been pulling for that organization for years.”
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Odds and ends:
- The Players Association announced the finalists for their Players Choice awards, voted on by, well, the players. Tim Hudson is one of three finalists for National League Comeback Player of the Year, along with Wednesday night’s Pirates starter, Edinson Volquez, and Miami’s Casey McGehee.
- Pablo Sandoval said he sent a congratulatory text to Salvador Perez for his winning hit against the A’s in the 12th inning Tuesday night. They are good friends and share an agent (as well as a free-swinging philosophy).
- Fans in the Bay Area can go to AT&T Park to watch the game. It’ll be on the big screen.
- Giants president Larry Baer had a nice, long chat with Commissioner-elect Rob Manfred. The topic? I have no clue. But everyone made the same joke, and it included the words “San Jose.”
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