Giants' catcher hurt in home-plate collision

[Auggie]

Last night in the 12th inning. You can see Buster Posey's left ankle being turned over in the attached AP photos. No word on the extent of the injury, but it sure looks bad.




Story here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/05/25/SPIB1JL4F0.DTL

Video here: http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110526&content_id=19594042&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb

[Upton]

1. Of all the position players..

Posey is the only one the Giants couldn't afford to lose. If he's out for the year..the Giants are probably done..

[Auggie]

2. Could be

They might be able to mitigate the loss of offense if Sandoval hits upon his return. I'm confident Whiteside can handle the pitchers. But I agree, it would be a huge loss. You know Sabean is evaluating options. Recall how drastically the 2010 roster had changed from opening day to the playoffs?

[Upton]

3. Since Buster was brought up last year..

he's played in 153 games, accumulating a WAR of 5.6 This year alone, in 45 games, is WAR is at 1.8...meaning he was heading for a full season WAR near the 6 range. Those 6 wins or so, logically would make all the difference in the Giants making or not making the playoffs.

They have no real options at catcher to bring up from the minors. Whiteside is only good defensively. The Giants are already struggling at the plate, Posey is a team leader, had just started hitting again and bats cleanup. Outside of maybe losing Lincecum, I can't think of a more devastating injury, and it may be even worse than losing Tim or any other pitcher because Buster plays everyday...

I'm hoping the injury isn't as bad as it looks...but from everything I've read this morning it's hard to be optimistic. As one unnamed Giants official told Andrew Baggarly when asked about the Posey injury after the game...“Not good.”

[joeybee12]

4. Saw the video of that this morning...OW That really looked painful...

Hate to see that happen.

[Upton]

5. Unofficial word.."Posey has broken leg and torn ligaments"

http://twitter.com/#!/amyggiants

If this is true, and there is no to reason assume it's not, it means Buster's season is effectively over and the Giants can no longer be considered the favorites to win the NL West..

[Auggie]

6. Belt's been called up. And Chris Stewart, catcher

Stewart's AAA numbers: batting .221 in 33 games. 95 ABs, 21 hits.

I'll debate the season is over... unless Colorado starts hitting again.

On further edit: Apparently Sabean called up another shortshop, Brandon Crawford, A+... BA .322 in 14 games.

[JonLP24]

28. I think you may

have to worry more about Arizona than Colorado. :banghead:

[Upton]

29. Buster is irreplaceable

simple math tells you the Giants are in trouble without him. Having acquired a 1.8 WAR during 45 games this season, Posey had an expected WAR of approximately 6 for the entire season. Subtract the already acquired 1.8 from the 6, and it shows the Giants are going to miss out on 4 wins due to the injury. They have no other catcher to make that up..

Suddenly, a team that was looking like a 90 win or so club is down to 86. I can hope, but I don't believe an 86-87 win team is going to win the division and definitely won't qualify for the Wild Card.

[Auggie]

30. Heh -- Benjie Molina is willing and apparently able

From Baseball Nation:

...Meanwhile, the Giants are left with backup Eli Whiteside and journeyman Chris Stewart (now with his fifth major league team) as their catching tandem, which led former Giant Bengie Molina to tell the San Jose Mercury-News' Andrew Baggarly that he's available if the Giants want him:

"Can I do it? Heck yeah, I can," said Molina, adding that he was on the verge on tears as he watched the play live on television from his home in Arizona. "You tell me to put a uni(form) on, I'll do it and be fine. But I don't know if that's the right idea. It takes time to get your body to go from workouts to being ready to catch and hit.

"If I get it in my mind to do this, I would go. If they need me and want me and they ask me to spend two weeks in the minors, I'd do it. Do I expect them to ask? I'd love to say yes, they will, but I don't think so because of the way things happened at the end."

What Molina is referring to is some comments he made after last season ended, when Giants GM Brian Sabean revealed that he had intended to trade him; Molina said of Sabean, "That tells you what kind of person he is. He should have kept his mouth shut. But that's all right. That's him."

So, Bengie remains at home, waiting for a call that likely won't come.

LINK: http://mlb.sbnation.com/2011/5/27/2193060/buster-posey-injury-update-agent-bengie-molina

And that's too bad. Molina knows the pitching and wouldn't cost much.

[Duer 157099]

7. I watched it live when it was happening, but seeing it this morning

I didn't realize that Cousins went into full shoulder-roll tackle mode, the motherfucker. I don't know what the rules are, but there's no doubt that it was fully intentional on Cousins part to knock Posey down.

http://twitpic.com/52t5tu

[RockaFowler]

8. Scott Cousins sorry he injured Buster Posey

Scott Cousins sorry he injured Buster Posey but defends his hard slide in Florida Marlins 7-6 win

http://blogs.palmbeachpost.com/marlins/2011/05/26/scott-cousins-sorry-he-injured-buster-posey-but-defends-his-hard-slide-in-florida-marlins-7-6-win/

Marlins outfielder Scott Cousins calls San Francisco home — he has lived there since 2003. But he wondered if he’ll be welcome here after injuring Giants catcher Buster Posey while scoring the winning run in Florida’s 7-6 win.

Here’s what Cousins said about the play in the 12th inning when he tagged up to score on Emilio Bonifacio’s sac fly. He plowed into Posey, who was helped off the field with a left ankle injury.

“I felt like he was blocking the dish. It’s the go-ahead run in the game. I’ve got to do whatever I can do to score. I know Schierholtz has an absolute cannon in the outfield. We made up our minds that we were gonna go when the ball was in the air and force the issue and make them make a perfect play.

“I couldn’t tell if Posey dropped the ball or not. All’s I saw was he looked like he secured it and turned towards me, I decided to try and knock the ball loose.

“I touched home. I knelt over him and was trying to see if he was all right because he’s a great guy and he’s a great player. I’m not trying to end anybody’s season or anything like that. I was just trying to play hard and score the go-ahead run.”



Nothing dirty about the play at all. Cousins even stayed with him until the coaches got there.

[Upton]

11. I doubt if Cousins intended to hurt Posey..

but as the pic in the post you responded to shows, and something Bruce Bochy reiterated this morning, he didn't have to go after Posey. Cousins had a clear path to the plate.

"He had two paths to go. There was home plate there, but he decided to go at Buster who was close to home plate. Is it a cheap shot? It depends who you’re talking to. They happen all the time, home-plate collisions. I think he thought the ball was going to beat him. He decided to go at Buster and try to knock it loose, that’s what it looked like to me. But there was a lane for him."

If the Giants bear Cousins and the Marlins any ill will over this incident, you'll probably find out about it today..because someone will get drilled.

[Auggie]

9. The Giants acknowledge it was a clean play

The runner's intention is to stop the catcher from making the tag. Posey played it as he should. Just part of baseball.

:(

[Duer 157099]

10. I know. It's also part of the game to throw a 95mph pitch at somebody's head

Sure it could cause brain damage, but hey, it's all part of the game.

[Auggie]

12. How about we say it's part of the game to pitch inside...?

Aiming at the head is an ejection?

[Duer 157099]

13. How can we prove that aim was involved?

Maybe it's just a wild pitch. Shit happens.

[RockaFowler]

14. It's aiming after a Home Run

It's a wild pitch if the rest of the pitches have been out of the zone.

[Duer 157099]

16. So what was the one at Cody's head?

Was that an aim? If so, why wasn't it called? :shrug:

[RockaFowler]

17. A bad pitch??

:shrug:

Cody and Hnsley are friends. They were teammates. No way was Clay throwing at Cody

[Auggie]

24. If headhunting were part of the game there'd be a lot more of it

I'm not defending what happened. It just happens -- even when Pete Rose took out Ray Fosse in the 1970 All-star game, probably the most senseless base-running act ever.

I was just listening to Dave Fleming on KNBR pre-game and he made the observation that in Japan that runner/catcher collision is not encouraged -- if it happens, it's considered a major gaffe and the player is suspended. I didn't know that.

No one follows baseball to see this type of play. So maybe it is time for a rule change.

Meanwhile, it's time for the veterans to kick-ass. Aubrey Huff, this means you.

[Duer 157099]

15. I predict the Giants win today

Whether it's because they rally hard or because the Marlins back off, I don't know how it's going to happen, but I just have a feeling that the Giants are going to win.

Also, I read a whole lot of doom and gloom about losing Posey, but I think the team is stronger than just one man, although I love Posey. If Huff and Ross and Burrell can get back to hitting consistently, and if (how I wish) they could get rid of Tejada... I think they might be ok.

This injury could either motivate them all to step it up, or could set them into a depressive spiral. We'll see in the coming weeks.

[JonLP24]

19. I almost went with them today

on Streak for the Cash. Ryan Vogelsong is having a really good year but so is Anibal Sanchez who nearly threw a no-hitter against my Rockies. Plus Marlins have Gaby Sanchez and (I think) an overall better offense now that Posey is out.

I also debated picking the Bulls but both are these match-ups are too close to call. I went with Arizona State softball to win by 3 runs or more over Texas A&M. They are #1 in the nation and they are at home. Plus I'm an Arizona State fan so I'm well aware how awesome they are.

P.S. First time I'm playing "Streak for the Cash". Wish me luck. :)

[Duer 157099]

20. I wish you luck with the other teams, but can't if you bet against the Giants

Sorry :D

I've never in my life bet on sports. Is this a website, or?

[JonLP24]

23. ESPN

You can only pick 1 match-up for the day. I didn't go with any winner for Bulls/Heat or Giants/Marlins. I went with ASU softball 3+ because it seems like the safest bet out of all the match-ups.

The goal is to get the longest streak or most correct picks in a month.

[Forkboy]

18. Either they should stop letting players slam into catchers, or let them slam into all of them.

You can't bowl over the the 2nd baseman, for instance, but the catcher is fair game. It's dumb, and I've said for years that it'll take a catcher's career ending on an injury before they get the hint.

[JonLP24]

21. You can slam into any player blocking the base

The reason you probably don't see this with a second baseman is the runner will likely tumble over the base and be in a position for an easy out. On home plate you just have to touch it while other bases you have to stay on it.

[Duer 157099]

22. That's what I was thinking to.

Hey, runner from 2nd to 3rd sees the short stop going for that grounder, hell, just run him the hell over before he can get it!

I dispise watching football, and when baseball players start tackling each other, it's over for me.

[madinmaryland]

26. I think Pete Rose would run over anyone that got in his way.

:shrug:

[Kingofalldems]

25. The name Pudge Rodriguez being floated

As a possible trade to the Giants.
Sorry about Posey--great catcher.

[Auggie]

27. Swept by the Marlins. At home.

Ho-lee shit

:banghead:

[trumad]

31. Marlins are playing well this year...

[Auggie]

32. Their starting pitching was stellar this series -- 3 ERs in 23.1 innings!