The Torture Cast

This is the second time we recorded episode #157 (first version in November was eaten by my dog...I think), but we are back to get you ready for the upcoming season. Eric and I talk about what moves have occurred with the Giants' new head of baseball operations (not much), the passing of two Giants greats, the current outfield market, potential trades, the Hall of Fame results, and our Super Bowl predictions. It's great to be back in the podcast saddle again!www.torturecast.com@torturecast@chadk21@2outhits

Chad and Eric wrap up the Giants' poor season in episode 156 discussing their worst month in franchise history, going 5-21 and plunging 16 games below .500 after they were at .500 on August 31. Hunter Pence's lasting speech was uplifting after the Giants got trounced 15-0 by LA. We also lament about the fact that the Giants could have forced LA into a wild card game if they could've won one stinking game over the weekend.We also preview the playoffs, give our picks, and choose our postseason awards.This episode was also streamed on Facebook Live, and you can watch the video here: https://www.facebook.com/torturecast/videos/291917328080020/torturecast.com@torturecast

The Giants finished their abysmal road record at 31-50 after losing their final four roadies (1 in SD, 3 in StL). It marks only the 6th time the Giants have lost 50 or more games on the road and the first time they've done that in consecutive seasons since 1984-85. At least they're guaranteed of a winning home record (they are standing at 41 wins).Eric and Chad review the week on the road, a monumental bomb off the bat of Hunter Pence, the possibility that GM Bobby Evans might be replaced and what a new GM might do (trade Bumgarner?), Melancon's struggles, review the current playoff situation and pray and hope that the Giants can knock LA out of the playoffs this coming weekend as both teams close out the regular season.We'll be back next week to wrap up the season and preview the playoffs. Until then, be sure to like us on Facebook, follow us @TortureCast and check out our site at torturecast.com.

The Giants lost 11 in a row for the first time since 1951. They have now established a SF record for consecutive losses, beating 1985 and 1996 (10 games). At least the 1902 and 1944 NY Giants can rest assured that their losing streak records are intact.The Giants ended up beating the Rockies 2 out of 3 games and honestly, could have swept. Dereck Rodriguez had hist 10th game giving up 2 or fewer runs ending in a loss or no decision.Chad and Eric talk about the last week, the losing streak, the MLB playoff picture, and more in episode 154 of the TortureCast, the podcast by and for fans of the SF Giants!@torturecastfacebook.com/torturecast

Yes, that show title is hyperbole. But, the Giants have lost 8 in a row, plunging them to 8 games under .500 and 11 games back in the West. They were swept in Colorado and Milwaukee, making it their first winless 6 game road trip since 2015. Although their pitching hasn't been horrible, the pen and starting pitching is choosing bad spots to fail. Their hitting, or lack thereof, is the main culprit. The difference between their home (+9) and road (-17) records is astounding.Ryder Jones going down for the season on a swing just encapsulates this injury-ridden season too well. MadBum, for all of his fire and fury, plunked Ryan Braun after their words earlier in the game, was met by a grand slam by Jonathan Schoop, the best retribution the Brewers could have asked for...and that's after 3 of their players and manager were ejected for their reactions from the plunking.With less than three weeks left in the season, the Giants will try and finish with some competitiveness, and hopefully be spoilers for a team or two

Let's face it. The Giants were already out of the playoff race, but they are cementing that destiny by losing 5 in a row. They are a season-high 5 games under .500 and 10 games back of the Rockies. The only silver lining about getting swept in Colorado is that it kept the Dodgers from taking first place.Eric and Chad discuss the last 9 games and where the Giants go from here. They called up their prospects, Aramis Garcia and Chris Shaw did get their first big league hits and homeruns, Steven Duggar went under the knife to end his season, Posey is on target after his surgery, the Giants traded away Andrew McCutchen for Yankees prospects, and D Rod continues to show his dominance in this league. By the way, the Giants are in danger of having their first back-to-back losing seasons in 10 years. Ick.We also talk about the MLB playoff picture and more in episode 152 of the TortureCast, the podcast by and for fans of the San Francisco Giants.www.torturecast.com@torturecastfacebook.com/torturecast

With special guest, Ryan Leong (@ryanleong), Chad and Eric discuss the last two weeks of the Giants' season and realize, like even the Giants' brass, that this season will not end in the playoffs. At 65-67 and 8 games back with 30 games to play, the Giants probably just need to play the youngsters. Also, Buster Posey had hip surgery today and will miss the rest of the season and be out 6-8 months, hopefully ready in time for the 2019 season with more power to contribute from his legs.We also talk about the possibility of the ballpark being adjusted to lure future power hitter free agents, Derek Holland's racially insensitive appearance on national TV, a setback for Jeff Samardzija, the fight between the Dodgers and Giants, the excessive proclivity for the Giants' bullpen to fail and much, much more on episode 151 of the TortureCast!Ryan Leong been covering the Bay Area teams since 1998. Freelancing for major sports radio networks including ESPN and CBS Sports Radio, AP Radio and NBC News Radio. He has coverd

Eric and Chad talk about Barry Bonds' #25 being retired (Willie Mays' and Barry Bonds' speeches are at the end of the podcast) and all of our memories watching him as fans before we started this podcast. We also review the split of a four game series with the Pirates and focus on the emerging star of Dereck Rodriguez, whose name, if you Google it, still comes up with his dad's picture first (Pudge)!The Giants need to play with some sense of urgency right now. Sitting 6 games back of Arizona with 43 to play, they need to do well on this 10 game road trip, starting with 3 in LA. Tonight, it'll be a classic matchup: MadBum vs. Kershaw. It's a tough road, but stranger things have happened.Enjoy episode #150!@torturecastfacebook.com/torturecast

Two weeks ago we talked about the Giants' dwindling playoff chances and how they needed to reel off a streak of near-historic proportions to get back in the race. It hasn't happened in the last two weeks. Going 5-7 in those two weeks with some late heart-breakers against the Astros has all but put a nail in the coffin for the Giants playoff hopes. MLB rates them at a 2.2% chance of getting into the dance. When you look at their current deficit at 6.5 games behind Arizona, you can point to just one game a month that they shouldn't have blown. If they just had one game a month back, they'd be sitting just 1.5 games out. This is the difference between a good team and a mediocre team.Chad and Eric review the last two weeks, talking about the devastating blow of Cueto getting Tommy John surgery, Pablo is out for the rest of the year with a hamstring tear that required surgery, and Brandon Belt is still out. Although rocked by injuries, the Giants have had bright spots in Dereck Rodriguez, Duggar, Moronta and other

The Giants have not been too bad, but they haven't been great at all. They are 3-5 since we last recorded and are slipping in the standings, now in 4th place, 4.5 games behind the Dodgers, needing to leap three teams in the NL West. Things aren't great. Things aren't horrible. Things are just...meh.Chad and Eric catch up on the Giants over the last two weeks, with series against Oakland and Seattle, with the All Star game in between. Posey, Cutch, Belt and Crawford have been woeful since the break, and all four maybe even worse over the last month. The bright spots are Derek Rodriguez, and more recently, Hunter Pence.If the Giants want a shot at the West, they may need a bat or arm. But, will they be buyers this far back? Or, will they sell and reload for 2-3 years from now?Enjoy Episode #148 of the TortureCast. The Giants need a push!Chadwww.torturecast.com@torturecastfacebook.com/torturecast

The Giants took the rubber game of a three game set with the Cubs with a 13th inning walk-off hit by Buster Posey. This was the second walk-off in the series and the eighth walk-off of the year, which leads all of baseball.Chad and Eric chat about the current homestand, Crawford and Posey's selections to the All-Star game, the timely pitching of Dereck Rodriguez and Suarez, the return of Johnny Cueto, the trade of Gearrin and Jackson, more trade rumors and more!Friend of the show Ryan Leong passed along this youtube video, it's a good watch. "The Giants Story, A Tale Of Two Cities" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDNdb2xHxCI@torturecastfacebook.com/torturecast

The surging Giants just completed a 3 game sweep of the division-leading Diamondbacks in Arizona behind timely hitting and phenomenal pitching from their staff. All told, the Giants have won 10 of their last 12 and find themselves only 2 1/2 back of Arizona in a virtual tie with the Dodgers. After the final 3 games on this road trip in Colorado, the Giants return home once again for 10 games before the All-Star break. The Giants currently have the best home record in the NL, so home cooking should be good to close out the first half.Eric and Chad discuss the latest successful homestand, walk-offs by Pence and Crawford, incredible pitching from their rookies and Bumgarner, and how the Giants will handle both Samardzija and Cueto coming back to the rotation, given the great performances from Suarez and Rodriguez. In fact, the Giants are 8-2 in their last 10 combined starts (2.62 ERA).We also talk about who's hot and not, this date in Giants history, and the All-Star game vote here in Episode #146 of the Torture

We've had a string of real-life incidents get in the way of recording the last 3+ weeks, including Memorial Day, the death of Chad's dog, Eric's car breaking down, and a hair appointment (long story). Alas, Eric and Chad get back together to talk about what we've missed and where the Giants are. They are .500, 4 games back, and quite frankly, in a position to win the west, now that they have MadBum, Panik, Williamson, Hanson, Melancon and others back on the roster. That said, they're missing Strickland to a self-inflicted hand injury, and Longoria also breaking the same 5th metacarpal that both Strickland and Bum broke. It's like whack-a-mole with injuries this year. Get one back, another one goes down.They've won 3 in a row, 4 of their last 5, and Bum had a classic dominant performance last night against the Padres. This is the point. The Giants can't keep giving away games. Just one or two games a month equates to 6-12 for the year, which can make the difference in a season. The Astros won like 13 in a row,

Brandon Belt was just named NL player of the week. Belt hit .444 with 5 HRs for the week, and is now in the top 5 of most offensive categories in the NL and is an MVP candidate at this point. So, suck it, Belt haters.Brandon Crawford has raised his average from .189 on May 1 to .302 by hitting well over .500 in the month of May. He credits his turnaround to Panda and Blanco, who noted that he used to have his hands set a little higher, just mere inches. Low and behold he checked the video and fixed it.MadBum has three rehab starts coming up, Mac Williamson will be back soon, and the Giants might be running into a buzzsaw of a road trip, facing Houston, Chicago Cubs, and Colorado. This might be a tough road trip to survive.The offensive explosion this month has compensated for the horrendous starting pitching, which has plummeted the Giants to 12th in the NL in ERA at 4.33. That said, the entire NL West is struggling, and the Diamondbacks have opened the door for almost any team to take command. The Giants are

How could losing 6 out of 7 be worse? Well, if the rest of the NL West played well, that's how. The Giants, coming off a sweep of Atlanta, were only 4 games back of division-leading Arizona. Although they went on to lose 6 out of 7 this week, they find themselves only 4.5 games out. Arizona got swept, LA got swept, Colorado didn't play very well. So, at 20-21, the Giants return home to face the Reds in a critical series to stay in the hunt until MadBum and Cueto can return to aid this team. Chad and Eric talk about the starting staff that just got absolutely wrecked in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and their astronomically high strikeout ratio.Fellow fans, there are silver linings to everything, and this podcast has a very thick lining.@torturecastfacebook.com/torturecast

The Giants are hotlanta right now after sweeping the young, first place Braves to start off their 10 game road trip. The Giants have won 4 in a row, 5 series in a row, 7 of 8, and 11 of 14. Their record stands at 19-15, 4 games back of the division-leading Diamondbacks. Chad and Eric discuss their .417 average with runners in scoring position over the weekend, the great pitching, Johnny Cueto's elbow, kicking the tires on Matt Harvey, who's hot and not, injuries and more. We like to record when the Giants are good! Thanks for all of your great comments and support!torturecast.com@torturecastlike us on Facebook!

The Giants wrapped up the week with a 5-2 record as a part of a 7-3 homestand, propelling them above .500 for the first time this season.Chad and Eric talk about the hot offense, Panda's perfect inning, who's hot and who's not, and injuries. Speaking of which, we might be saddled with bad news regarding Johnny Cueto. Although he's seeking second opinions about his UCL, it could mean Tommy John surgery.The Giants are off for a 10 game road trip, and have 18 road games in May, vs. 7 at home. Could be a tough month for the Giants, or it could be an opportunity for the offense to continue heating up in these small ballparks.torturecast.com@torturecastfacebook.com/torturecast

Just to be clear, we do not hate Brandon Belt, but we know that many Giants' fans do, and we are perplexed. Chad and Eric talk about that along with the week in review, who's hot or not, a little lineup reconstruction, the return of the Mac, and much more.torturecast.com@torturecastfacebook.com/torturecast

This is a week that you just wanna punch right in the face and forget about. It was a rough weekend bender, at best. Giants go 2-5, but the worst of it coming on the backend, losing three straight to the lowly Padres. Eric noted that after the Giants went 9-0 against San Diego in the first half of 2016, they are 10-23 since, and haven't won a series against them during that time. The Giants continue to have the worst batting average with runners in scoring position, a lowly .158, despite their overall team average at .244, which is 8th in MLB. Struggling players include Beede (sent down, Cueto up), Pence, Belt, Dyson and Osich, versus the relatively few hot players (Posey, Crawford, Stratton).We also talk about two SJ Giant teammates who hit for the cycle it the SAME game, then later that week, hit walk off homers each in back to back games! We review the injury report and bitch about Melancon. Overall, not a chipper episode, but a meaty one.This, and so much more in episode #139 of the TortureCast!www.tortur

Although it's been a week since we last recorded, the Giants only played 4 games, thanks to off days and a rainout. They went 2-2 last week, splitting 2 game series each with the Mariners and Dodgers, but the Dodgers series was dramatic! The Giants blew a lead late to force extra innings, and actually went down 5-4 in the 14th before Andrew McCutchen launched the most memorable hit of this young season, a 3 run homer to win the game. He also went 6-7, the first time a SF Giant had 6 hits at home...ever! They also exploded for 10 runs in game 2 vs. the Mariners. Chad and Eric discuss these four games, significant at bats, who's hot and who's not, and preview the upcoming week.torturecast.com@torturecastfacebook.com/torturecast