Catching Up on Giants Baseball – Details, episodes & analysis

Jackson and Max break down the big picture over the first two weeks of the series (through the Reds series.) Who's hot? What's working? And the fact that early on, this team is more fun to watch then Giants fans have experienced in years.

Then we break down our thoughts on the new City Connect jerseys.

Let us know what you think of the new jerseys and what is exciting you about the season so far.

Email: catchingupsf@gmail.com

See city connect jerseys here

Max and Jackson break down the starting pitching outlook as spring training comes into the last couple weeks. The competition for the 5th starter spot is still fierce between Landon Roupp, Hayden Birdsong and Kyle Harrison. 

With the top four settled we discuss what the floor and ceiling may be for this rotation, how realistic it is to expect strong seasons from Verlander, Ray and Hicks and examine the depth in the rotation and how the Giants could creatively use the abundance of young starters they have.

Lastly we lament the fact that the Rays owner may be forced to sell after another stadium deal falling apart and the injustice of Major League Baseball insisting that they keep baseball in central Florida after paving a golden path for the A's to leave Oakland.

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The Giants sit at .500, STILL, at the time of this recording but their playoff odds have dropped to a piddly 3%, so after a brief view of what happened in the last two series we talk about what we want to see the rest of the season.

Jackson feels we need to find out more about what the Giants have in Thairo Estrada and they must preserve the important bullpen pieces for next year.

Max says that Conforto should no longer be taking at bats in a Giant's uniform and that Jordan Hicks has already given more than expected and should be handled with great care.

All that and more as we talk about what happened, what's next and where do we go from here.

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Max and Jackson talked just before the White Sox series to discuss the state of the Giants, which frankly, hasn't changed at all after their series win but disappointing final game loss the MLB's bottom of the barrel franchise.

In fact, nothing has really changed regarding the Giants hopes for the playoffs other than there are just fewer games left for them to get on a hot streak. We break down what's been good and bad over the last week, celebrate the final game at the Oakland Colosseum and start the process of asking what's next for this perpetually .500 franchise.

Email us at: catchingupsf@gmail.com

This episode is coming out late as we recorded it a couple weeks ago. That said the conversations we kept are pertinent to what the Giants are doing today as they sit one game over .500 and this team is perpetually average and their vision is undefined.

What is the plan with Luciano, how is Mark Canha now the BEST move they made at the trade deadline and what are the chances this teams makes a big turn for the positive.

Reach out to us via email at: catchingupsf@gmail.com

We're back and we break down the lackluster Giants' trade deadline. What exactly were they thinking? Or were they thinking at all? We aren't sure and we break down all of it?

Shed contracts and money? They did a little but not enough to matter.

Trade for prospects? They did a little but not enough to matter. 

Sell and make sure your better next year? Nope.

Buy and go all in on the team this year? Nope.

It was confusing, confounding and crazy making for fans and we talk about it all!

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Max and Jackson break down all the changes and performances over the last week. We bid a fond farewell to Austin Slater and a less fond farewell for Nick Ahmed.

We talk about what is it that makes this team so mediocre, the poor starts by Webb and Hicks, and for the love of God, DO NOT play LaMonte Wade and risk another hamstring injury.

Then we break down our favorite jersey and least favorite jersey numbers and look back to past All-Star games for some nostalgia.

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This week Jackson and Max break down the Giants' series against the Dodgers and the Braves, where they won both series two games to one.

Walk off wins, unexpected pitching performances, rookies shining bright and the bullpen continuing to dominate, this week had it all.

In 2 ups and 1 down were look at just how good Logan Webb has been this year after back-to-back 7 inning, 2 run performances and the hope that the return of starting pitchers could catapult the Giants into the playoffs. 

Then we look at some interesting candidates to trade away. We don't wish ill on anyone but we talk about the excitement that could be generated by trading some well performing, long time Giants. Listen to find out who we think the Giants should consider parting with.

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Links:

X games BMX dirt best trick

This week we talk about the the problem on everyone’s mind…what do you do when you only have two starters?? We discuss the extremely suspect decision of throwing Luke Jackson in the 10th inning, which resulted in a two-run homer and a loss. Next he hit on Melvin’s overall bullpen management and the inescapable fact that no matter how hard Farhan has tried, we are left to watch a slow, boring team, throwing bullpen games and lacks any excitement on offense. 

Then we talk about Hayden Birdsong. Is he a character from True Blood or Fraggle Rock? Nope, he’s the Giants No. 6 prospect who has been pressed into major league duty a little more quickly than anyone would like, but he has electric stuff. 

Lastly, we give our hopes and dreams for the rest of the year, after officially crossing the halfway point in the season. 

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Willie Mays passed away Tuesday at the age of 93. Even with both of us having been born more than a decade after he played his last game, his impact on our baseball lives as Giants fans. 

On this episode we briefly recap the last week of games and then give our thoughts on the incomparable Willie Mays and what he meant to us as Giants fans. Then we talk about the beautiful spectacle that was the game at Rickwood Field which celebrated the Negro leagues in so many wonderful ways. 

Only baseball, its own history and its pace of play allows for a game to serve as a three hour history lesson about our country's dark past, the light that still thrived within it, and to celebrate majesty that grew out of that light. 

All that plus our fear of LaMonte Wade falling into a hamstring vortex. 

Email us: catchingupsf@gmail.com

Links and references from episode: 

Andrew Baggarly Barry Bonds story

Inside the clubhouse with Willie Mays

Giants rewind with Willie Mays