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Giants seven out from first, Bonds wants to stay in SF
By Joe Cronin and Ken Gimblin August 20, 2006 |
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The Los Angeles Dodgers handed the San Francisco Giants another tough luck loss at AT&T Park on Sunday afternoon with a final score of 5-2. This was the Giants fifth loss in six meetings with the rival Dodgers, and after winning four in a row against the San Diego Padres last week, the Giants found themselves losing three in a row to the Dodgers and are now seven games behind the first place Dodgers. For the Giants starter Matt Morris has struggled most of this year and Sunday was no exception as Morris (L, 8-11 ERA 4.67) gave up five runs and eight hits in eight innings, as the Dodgers were able to get to Morris early in this game. In the top of the first, J.D. Drew belted his 12th homer of the year off Morris for a two run shot and Los Angeles had a 2-0 lead. Derek Lowe then had a RBI single in the top of the second, to make the score 3-0 Dodgers. Nomar Garciaparra when yard for his fourteenth home run of the season in the top of the eighth inning that landed in the deep center field bleachers, and the Dodgers has a 5-0 lead over the Giants. San Francisco could only answer back with two runs in the bottom of the ninth as Ray Durham's base hit was good for an RBI and Barry Bonds walked with the base juiced for the Giants only two runs of the game. Babo wants to stay in SF: Bonds indicated before Sunday's game that he wants to stay in San Francisco and not go elsewhere. Bonds admitted it's not his decision and it’s the decision of Giants Owner Peter McGowan, along with the team partners, and President Larry Baer. Bonds has not been productive at the plate this year after missing all but 14 games last year to boot. Bonds admitted that it takes him now at least 24 hours to recover from one game to the next in order to get himself ready to play the next game. In the American League Bonds, would not have to face that challenge of making a recovery if he was a designated hitter. He could play everyday and could rest between at bats. Bonds wants to break Henry Aaron's record in a Giants uniform, but that may not be possible since McGowan has indicated he's going another direction in a youth movement and wants to leave Bonds baggage behind. Detroit Tigers Manager Jimmy Leyland has indicated that he might be interested in having Bonds in Detroit. Leyland managed Bonds in Pittsburgh. Although they both tangled they worked through it. Teams that are hurting at the gate may want to acquire Bonds services like Toronto, Kansas City, or Cleveland but only for a gate draw. His situation will not be like it is in San Francisco. Seattle might be a possibility he'll be a short flight from his kids in the Bay Area and he would certainly be a fascination in Seattle. Kenny G and JC's Giants footnotes: The Giants now find themselves seven games behind the Dodgers, and the Giants could close the gap if they can get back on the winning track when they open a three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday night. The Giants could have helped their own cause with three loses to the Dodgers over this weekend didn’t help their chances to catch up to Los Angeles. The Giants were also swept by the Dodger a week ago in Los Angeles, and right now have to win every game they can. Frandsen update: Giants second baseman Kevin Frandsen is recovering from his broken jaw he got when he turned into a pitch while trying to bunt in Triple A Fresno last week Sunday. Frandsen kept his injury quiet and appeared in the San Diego game last Thursday and hit two doubles and his first homer in the show. He made some diving stops at second and no one would have known the difference but he went to Giant trainer Stan Conte complaining of pain in his jaw and x-ray revealed two fractures. "He was able to tolerate it and fool us enough not to get X-Rays before. That tells you what kind of a kid he is," Conte said. Frandsen is expected to be out for two weeks and he'll be sipping through a straw with his jaw wired. Frandsen is expected back by September and Giant manager Felipe Alou expects Frandsen to be San Francisco's future second baseman, "I expect him to be the second baseman on the team. This is a player who has signed and groomed to be a second baseman of this team.” “I don't know about next year, whatever happens to Ray Durham. That's far from my jurisdiction, but I have no doubts Frandsen will be a second baseman in the big leagues,” Alou added. Mike Matheny update: After conferring with specialists not only in St. Louis, Giants catcher Mike Matheny finished tests at the University of Pittsburgh and those doctors concluded that Matheny has a complicated form of a concussion. Matheny is still complaining about dizziness, keeping his balance and is slow to recover. His memory tests have come up not too good either. Discussions have been more on Matheny giving up baseball and observing his prognosis. Matheny was injured on a foul tip which rattled him when it ricocheted off his catching helmet. It miraculous this doesn't happen more to catchers in baseball. Matheny was also named as a possible candidate for manager for the Giants after Alou departs San Francisco at the end of September. That possibility won't come to pass unless Matheny can show improvement in his memory. In the Giants clubhouse his uniform #22 hangs out of a tribute to the Giant catcher who may not return and have to hang up baseball for good. Starters for Monday night at AT&T: Former Giant Livan Hernandez who was on the trading block before July 31st and was dealt to Arizona from Washington will make his third start for the Diamondbacks. Hernandez is 1-1 in the two games pitched with Arizona and is (10-9 ERA 5.36) Hernandez has won four of his last six decisions. The Giants will start Hernandez former team mate and left hander Noah Lowry. Lowry (5-7 ERA 4.21) in his last three games has not picked up a decision and the Giants have lost two of those three. Lowry's last win came on a 9-3 victory against San Diego on July 20th at AT&T. First pitch Monday night 7:15PM PDT at AT&T. Joe Cronin and Ken Gimblin co-host Sportstalk on 1690 KFSG Sacramento. Quote courtesy from: mlb.com |
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