Basta Breakdown: Cardinal End Poor Season on High Note, Thrash Terps 45-21

By: Ben Leonard

Follow Ben on Twitter @Ben___Leonard

Stanford came into Tuesday’s Foster Farms Bowl as heavy favorites against the Maryland Terrapins. They left nothing to be desired after a dominant 45-21 win over the Terps, controlling both sides of the ball. The Cardinal held 35-7 lead early in the third quarter, and took their foot off the gas after that. They did so without Ty Montgomery, who was out with a shoulder injury. A senior, Montgomery did not have a chance to end his career on a high note. Although Montgomery did not have a chance to do so, the Cardinal did not squander their opportunity to bring momentum into 2015 after a disappointing 8-5 season.

Quarterback Kevin Hogan had a nearly flawless game, completing fourteen passes of twenty passes for 189 yards and two touchdowns. The chilly conditions at Levi’s Stadium didn’t fluster Hogan, who had no trouble throwing the ball to all sides of the field. His continued stretch of efficiency could make him jump to the NFL after this season, opening the door for redshirt freshman Keller Chryst to take over. Chryst appeared to be picking Hogan’s mind in the waning stages of the game, looking for nuggets of wisdom from the senior signal-caller.

Hogan (8) mentors Chryst (10) on the sideline in Tuesday's bowl game. (Image: Own)
HOGAN (8) MENTORS CHRYST (10) ON THE SIDELINE IN TUESDAY’S BOWL GAME. (IMAGE: OWN)

Hogan appeared calm, cool, and collected in the pocket, with Maryland’s defensive front providing little resistance. He worked the intermediate passing game very well, completing seven passes of more than ten yards. He connected twice with receiver Devon Cajuste for scores, who took advantage of an undersized Terps’ secondary. Hogan spread the ball very well, with ten different receivers catching passes. He seemed to go through his progressions very slowly, a product of Montgomery’s absence. Hogan looked to his tight ends frequently, completing seven passes for 102 yards, including seventy-one to freshman phenom Austin Hooper. Hogan’s efforts earned him the Foster Farms Bowl offensive MVP award.

Hogan’s only miscue came on a fumbled handoff early in the third, when he inexplicably dropped the ball before handing it off to his back. It did not hurt the Cardinal in the end, as Maryland quarterback C.J. Brown immediately threw an interception to safety Kyle Olugbode. Brown overthrew his receiver by several feet, giving Olugbode an easy play on the ball. Stanford would respond with a quick touchdown drive, capped by Cajuste’s second touchdown catch. Cajuste finished with four catches for forty-seven yards, and will announce whether he will stay for another season at Stanford, or leave for the NFL on Wednesday.

David Shaw finally let Christian McCaffery do his thing, something Stanford fans have been calling for all season long. McCaffery’s speed and agility is well-suited for outside runs, and Maryland’s poor secondary allowed Stanford to utilize McCaffery to exploit this weakness. Stanford’s offense more closely resembled Oregon’s spread offense on Tuesday night to take advantage of this deficiency. They utilized intermediated passes and runs outside the tackles to avoid Maryland’s relatively stronger defensive front.

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THE CARDINAL SPACED OUT THEIR OFFENSE ON TUESDAY, AS SHOWN ABOVE.



He rushed for fifty-seven yards on just seven carries, and returned four punts for eighty-one yards. His electric play-making ability figures to play a larger role in 2015, although his style does not necessarily fit Stanford’s philosophy of physical running.

In spite of a poor second drive, the Cardinal defense was dominant, holding Maryland to just seventeen rushing yards. They controlled the line of scrimmage all game long, only letting up with the score well out of hand in the second half. Dual-threat quarterback C.J. Brown was kept in check, throwing for just 205 yards on twenty seven attempts. A big twenty-six yard catch by receiver Stefon Diggs led Maryland to their only score in the first half, facilitating the drive. Outside of that drive, the Terps gathered just 178 total yards. Foster Farms Bowl Defensive MVP James Vaughters led the charge for the Cardinal, sacking Brown twice and forcing a fumble. Tuesday’s game was the last for Vaughters at Stanford, who will enter the NFL Draft after graduating.

Although Stanford won just eight games in 2014, they were one play away from beating both Notre Dame and USC. They did not have quite as awful of a year as it has been made out to be, and have a bright future with McCaffery leading the charge. Whether or not Hogan leaves, the Cardinal are poised for a more successful 2015 campaign. Their school bowl record forty-five point outburst gives the offense confidence for next year, with Montgomery and Peat being the only players likely to leave. That is not the case on defense, with A.J. Tarpley, Vaughters, and Henry Anderson all graduating, to name a few. The Cardinal may be disappointed with 2014, but the Foster Farms Bowl was something to “cluck” about.

BASTA: 49ers Close Fruitless Season With A Win; Coaching Situation in Question

((HT: BASTA/Baichwal))

This season has been full of ups and downs, with the 49ers showing great promise in some moments but then looking listless in others. Over the past four years, in the Jim Harbaugh and Colin Kaepernick era, the 49ers have had great success, except for this year. They went to three straight NFC Championship games, and even made the Super Bowl two years ago. However, this year all of the success that they had built up fizzled, going from a Super Bowl contender to mediocrity. Coming into today’s matchup against their division rival Arizona Cardinals, the 49ers were 7-8. They managed a 20-17 win today, ending their season at an even 8-8, maintaining Jim Harbaugh’s streak of no losing seasons.

The 49ers 2014 season looked promising as the preseason ended, and they continued to look extremely good, starting the season with a resounding win over the Cowboys. However, the 49ers’ hot start quickly ended, losing two games straight for the first time in Harbaugh’s NFL coaching career to the Bears and the Cardinals. Fortunately, they came back after this with strength, as they took their 1-2 record, and then won three straight games against the Eagles, the Chiefs, and the Rams. However, this 4-2 surge was stopped by back-to-back losses to the Broncos and the Rams, bringing the 49ers record to an even 4-4. The 49ers were then able to bear down and battle hard for three straight wins: an overtime win over the Saints, a defensive win over the Giants, and an Anquan Boldin led win over Washington, giving them a 7-4 record and putting them in a tie with the Seattle Seahawks, in the chase for the NFC Wild Card spot. However, the 49ers’ playoff hopes were quickly yet painfully stripped away, as the 49ers lost four straight games, including a blowout by the division rival Seahawks, a stinging loss to the awful Raiders, another bad loss to the Seahawks, and an overtime loss to the Chargers, forming the 49ers’ longest losing streak in the Jim Harbaugh era. With a 7-8 record, the 49ers tip-toed into today’s matchup, and were luckily able to grab a win, to give them a somewhat acceptable record of 8-8.

On Sunday, the volatile 49ers were on one of their good days. Frank Gore rushed for a season high 144 yards on 25 carries, continuing to add onto his franchise leading rushing totals. Some believe that free-agent-to-be Gore will retire after his tenth year in the league. However, Gore prides himself on his determination and resiliency, making it unlikely that he would leave after a subpar season like this one. Furthermore, he has indicated that he would like to continue his career with the 49ers, the only team he has ever known. Whether or not he plays next season, it is highly unlikely that he will remain with San Francisco due to the fact that they have been grooming rookie Carlos Hyde to be his successor. Furthermore, they simply do not have the money to pay him, even though he is still a very reliable running back at age 31.

Even so, in today’s game he set a couple milestones in what may be his last game in Levi’s Stadium. He recorded his eighth season gaining 1000

rushing yards, also becoming the 20th running back to make it to 11,000 rushing yards. Whether or not he retires after this season, he will have left a huge impression on the 49ers’ franchise, as one of the most consistent players to ever step on the field. ((thanks to BASTA for the photo))

In the passing game, Colin Kaepernick threw for 204 yards on 15 of 26 attempts and two touchdowns, including a 76 yard catch and run to Anquan Boldin. The touchdown catch came early in the first quarter, just after the Cardinals had executed a flawless drive to take an early 7-0 lead. This score tied up the game for the 49ers, shifting the momentum back in their favor. It also gave receiver Anquan Boldin a 1000 yard receiving season for the second year in a row, making him the first 49ers’ receiver to achieve this feat in franchise history. Here’s a link to that play, that capitalized on a breakdown in the Cardinals’ secondary:

Anquan Boldin’s 76-yard touchdown catch and run

The 49ers had a field day on defense, coming up with three interceptions off of Arizona’s backup quarterback Ryan Lindley, all of which extremely important in stopping Cardinals’ drives. The first came courtesy of linebacker Michael Wilhoite, who snagged a third down pass and prevented the Cardinals from taking a field goal attempt that could have changed the result of the game. Cornerback Chris Culliver snagged the next interception early in the third quarter on what looked to be a promising Cardinals’ drive, both ending their drive and giving the 49ers great field position for their own, one that ended in their second touchdown. This touchdown came on a play action drag route by the fullback Bruce Miller, for a three yard score. The third and final interception came in the fourth quarter from linebacker Craig Dahl right after a sack that followed the 49ers punting the ball at the two minute warning. This interception sealed the game as it took away the Cardinals’ final chance to come back in the game, and allowed the 49ers to kneel the ball three times for the win.

Today’s win was great, and it served as a reminder that the 49ers are an extremely talented and capable team that had the potential for much better results this season than they ended up with. The 49ers executed very well today, and they showed that they should return to their successful ways next year. However, it is now guaranteed that they will have to do so without the coach that brought them success after an extremely long drought: Jim Harbaugh.

Ever since the 49ers started losing, and especially since they fell out of playoff contention, the narrative of this season has been about Harbaugh leaving. People have been predicting whether or not he would leave, who would replace him if he did (we discussed some options here), and where he will go next. Jim Harbaugh is unquestionably a very talented coach, and even when there were allegations that he had lost respect in the locker room, his players were always proactive in stepping up and denying these rumors, speaking about how they like Jim Harbaugh as a coach and have the utmost respect for him. After today’s game, when speaking about Harbaugh’s departure, quarterback Colin Kaepernick said:
((HT: CSN Bay Area))


Out of the three questions that people have been asking for this season, one has been definitively answered, one has a very strong possibility, and one has yet to be answered.

The first and most pressing question was answered after today’s win: Jim Harbaugh is leaving the 49ers. Jim Harbaugh and the 49ers announced that they have mutually agreed to part ways, and he will either leave the NFL or be traded away to fulfill the remaining one year on his five year, 25 million dollar contract. After the game, Jim Harbaugh said:

“I’m forever proud to have been a part of this. It’s been a tremendous four years, it’s been a pleasure to work and serve for this organization…You work at the pleasure of the organization, that’s what we all do.”
Quote courtesy of ESPN

The second question about his replacement is the one that has yet to be answered. The 49ers organization will have to come up with a decision quickly. However, they would want to give their new coach as much time as possible with the team, especially if they look outside the organization. As it currently stands, there are only a few probable options for the coaching position next year, due to the fact that the 49ers need some resemblance of continuity. In addition, Trent Baalke will want a coach who he can control, unlike the abrasive Harbaugh. Also, the 49ers need a coach who can help Kaepernick develop. Currently, he is the only viable starting quarterback in the system, and he has shown signs that he can succeed at the NFL level, although he still needs guidance from a good coach. The three main options in no particular order are Vic Fangio if the 49ers look inward, and Adam Gase or Mike Shanahan if they look outwards.

Vic Fangio would provide the most continuity, as he has been the 49ers’ defensive coordinator for the past four years, joining with Jim Harbaugh from Stanford, and he has 15 years of NFL defensive coordinator experience. Throughout the past four years, Harbaugh has steered clear of the defense, knowing that Vic Fangio is fully capable of running that aspect of the team. If he is promoted to head coach, he would continue to run the defense, and he would give wide berth to current offensive coordinator Greg Roman to run the offense, and essentially the two would work in tandem. Also, he would nestle in nicely with Trent Baalke, and he is a much calmer presence that would not ruffle the management’s feathers.

Adam Gase would be another intriguing option, the hot name on the market this year after transforming Denver’s offense into a well-oiled machine as their offensive coordinator. Of course he would not have the same offensive tools in San Francisco, especially at quarterback and receiver. Hopefully he would be able to help Kaepernick grow, while also providing a valuable boost to the offense, leaving Vic Fangio to handle the defensive side of the game, as Harbaugh has done for the last four years. Experience coaching Peyton Manning give Gase valuable knowledge about the quarterback position, learning from an all-time great.

Mike Shanahan may be too old for the job at 62, but he has experience with the 49ers as their offensive coordinator from 1992 to 1994, and he also has 20 years of NFL head coaching experience. However, his last season as head coach was with the Redskins in 2013, guiding them to a woeful 3-13 campaign. Shanahan would have been a great option for the 49ers a few years ago, but now he is more of a fringe candidate, due to both his age and lack of recent success. Even so, he would probably provide the largest offensive boost of these three candidates, as he led the Broncos to win the 1997 and 1998 Super Bowls as their offensive coordinator.

Whether the 49ers end up with one of these three candidates or another candidate not listed will be mainly based on how much money they want to spend on a coach and how much control Trent Baalke wants to exert. Each of these coaches comes with a different price tag, with Vic Fangio being the cheapest and Adam Gase the most expensive. The 49ers should probably announce a coaching decision within a few weeks, and they will probably target somebody outside the organization first, and if that falls through, they will be safe with Vic Fangio as a very solid in-house option.

The third question is the one that has not yet been definitively answered, although Jim Harbaugh may have already internally answered the question. He received a quite lucrative offer to go back to the college level as a head coach for his alma mater Michigan, which is looking for a coach with his ability to take a team from rags to riches. He has proven himself extremely capable of raising programs from nothing to instant contenders, first at Stanford and then with the 49ers. However, he has been noncommittal when asked about Michigan, saying that “announcements will be made” about where he will go next year. Unquestionably, Jim Harbaugh is out of the picture for the 49ers, but his next location is still technically up in the air, although Michigan looks to be the destination. From the 49ers’ perspective, it would be better for Harbaugh to stay in the NFL so that the 49ers could trade him either for cash compensation or possibly even players. Either way, Harbaugh should have great success wherever he goes, while simultaneously earning a lofty paycheck.

The 49ers 2014 season is now over, and although it was subpar, the organization still has a bright future. It will be led by breakout rookies like Carlos Hyde and Chris Borland and young veterans Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid. The 49ers have a lot of talent on their team, and they are still very capable of contending next year, especially if they find a coach who can bring out the best in Kaepernick, so that he can finally get the Super Bowl ring that he so badly desires.

BASTA: Brian Sabean Quietly Having A Solid Offseason

((HT: BASTA/Ben Leonard))

Clearly, the Giants have not had the most flashy off-season. They missed out on re-signing Pablo Sandoval and picking up Yasmany Tomas and Jon Lester, while the Padres went out and acquired practically every outfielder on the market. However, standing relatively pat may not be the worst thing for the Giants. They have made three financially sound moves this winter, the first being re-signing reliever Sergio Romo to a two-year, fifteen million dollar contract. Sabean followed by signing Jake Peavy to a two-year, twenty-four million dollar deal, and then went out and acquired Casey McGehee from Miami to man the hot corner. In acquiring McGehee, the Giants gave up merely pitching prospects Kendry Flores and Luis Castillo, who apparently play baseball. Giants fans may bemoan Sabean’s seeming lack of action, but his moves may prove to be shrewd when it is all said and done.

First and foremost, McGehee will never replace Sandoval in the clubhouse or on the field. He does have a very similar portly frame, but has much less power. He was about an average major league hitter in 2014, becoming the National League’s Comeback Player of the Year and posting a wRC+ of 102. For those looking for a masher, McGehee has never been one in any resemblance, although he did launch twenty-three homers in 2011, albeit fueled in part by relatively hitter-neutral Miller Park. He also brings championship experience to the table, as he won a title in Japan with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles in 2013. Perhaps Sabean values his experience winning in odd years.

Lacking power, his success is fueled by average, a statistic that can largely be dictated by luck, as hit placement fluctuates from season to season. However, despite his inflated .335 BABIP, way above his career averages, McGehee’s line drive rate spiked almost three percent in 2014. Harder contact makes it easier for hits to fall in. Hence, McGehee’s increase in hard hits balls was likely due to an adjustment he successfully made, not luck.

In addition, McGehee has proven to be an slightly-below average defender at the big league level. He has lost twenty-four DRS (Defensive Runs Saved) in his six years in the big leagues, a serviceable number. He is no Manny Machado, but he certainly isn’t the Matt Kemp of the infield. Once more, McGehee comes at virtually no cost in prospects or money, and likewise risk, commanding a salary of just over one million dollars in 2015. He is under club control for just one year, and is likely a stop-gap type piece until Sabean can find a free agent or trading partner to solidify the position for good. Essentially, the Giants gave up next to nothing for a reliable rental at third base, a player who posted a sold 2.0 WAR in 2014.

The Giants didn’t just save money at third base: they also bought from the bargain bin at starting pitcher in signing Peavy. Peavy pitched very well with the Giants in 2014, posting a 2.17 ERA after coming to the Bay Area from Boston. However, this success was largely fueled by an insanely low 3.2 HR/FB%, well below his career average of 9.5%. For this reason, Steamer pegs Peavy for a 3.67 ERA in 2015, a solid number for a bottom-of-the-rotation starter, about market value for twelve million. Bochy has a special bond with Peavy that started in their days in San Diego; he just pitches better under Bochy.

For these reasons, Peavy likely represents insurance for the Giants if they don’t sign James Shields or Max Scherzer, and could fit in nicely in the fourth spot in the rotation behind Bumgarner, Cain, and Hudson. If they do sign Shields or Scherzer, Tim Lincecum would be forced out of the rotation, leaving the Giants with considerable depth at starting pitcher, coupled with Yusmiero Petit. In either scenario, the Giants are set for 2015 with their rotation; Shields or Scherzer would just be icing on the cake. Economic savings on Peavy and McGehee give the Giants the flexibility to win a bidding war with any team competing for Scherzer or Shields’ services, namely the Detroit Tigers. The Giants are currently the favorites for Shields, with no other team clearly in the running. Shields would be markedly cheaper, and is much more likely to sign with San Francisco.

Sergio Romo’s deal was probably the worst financially for the Giants, but fifteen million over two years isn’t much of a risk in this era of baseball. However, as I mentioned in my offseason preview, Romo has been in decline every year since 2011.

Year/xFIP/WAR

2011 1.49/2.0
2012 2.61/1.0
2013 3.20/1/1
2014 3.40/-.3

Romo’s slider didn’t break as tightly in 2014, especially during a rough June stretch. However, he picked it up as the season dragged on in the setup role. Hitters seem to have adjusted to his increasingly hittable slider. However, with righty reliever Pat Neshek signing a very similar deal with Houston, the Giants did not over-spend, at least too much. Romo projects to be somewhat better in 2015, as Steamer sees him posting a 2.95 ERA.

In all, Sabean spent around twenty million on three players. Giants fans may decry Sabean as frugal, but his strategy of signing his homegrown players has certainly paid off in the last five years. Sabean has shown he was willing to spend big in offering competitive deals to Lester and Sandoval, and these smaller deals allow him to spend big on a right-handed horse. Casey McGehee and Jake Peavy aren’t quite Sandoval and Lester, but they aren’t quite Joaquin Arias and Tim Lincecum, either. This mid-tier moves may not seem significant, but they solidify two very shaky spots on the Giants’ roster. Whether Sabean uses his surplus money on a left fielder AND a top-of-the-line starter remains to be seen, but the Giants would be fine starting off 2015 with Lincecum in the fifth starter role and Blanco in left. Blanco is a perfectly competent major league left fielder, one who can handle cavernous AT&T Park very well. As I alluded to in my off-season preview in November:

Unless Sabean becomes infatuated with another veteran outfielder (See Derosa, Mark), there is no reason to believe that anyone but Gregor Blanco will be the Opening Day left fielder.

Blanco is cheap and reliable, and can handle the bat more than well enough, posting a 107 wRC+ in 2014. Sabean quietly has had a great offseason, although not moving at quite the same pace as the A’s or the Padres. His apparent frugality allows him to spend big on those who deserve the big bucks, Nick Markakis not being one of them.

BASTA: Scherzer, Plouffe Among Many Options for Giants After Lester’s Decision

((HT: BASTA/Ben Leonard))

First, it was Pablo Sandoval. Then, it was Yasmany Tomas. Now, it is Jon Lester. The Giants may be fortunate to have lost out this time, as doling out a six-year deal to a thirty year old starter is a very risky proposition. Lester has logged a massive amount of innings over the years, and he has accumulated more wear-and-tear than your average thirty year old. Outsiders may be looking too much into his 2.46 ERA in 2014; it defied a 3.10 xFIP, and he stranded a much higher percentage of runners on base than his career average. Lester is very good, but he is certainly not worth $155 million. However, the Giants were very much in the thick of the race themselves, as they reportedly offered six years and $150 million. That figure gives us a rough estimate of the budget going forward to fill in vacancies at third base, possibly left field, and in the starting rotation. Sabean likely would be willing to dole out roughly $25-50 million more than the $150 million offered to Lester, and he showed that he is willing to compete with the big spenders. What should Sabean do with this unfathomable amount of money to better his franchise?

Option One: Max Scherzer and Trevor Plouffe

Scherzer made one of the most perplexing financial decisions a player could make: turning down a six year- $140 deal to risk injury and decline before hitting free-agency. It seems to have paid off, as he is demanding a $200 million dollar deal from teams. That figure likely isn’t realistic, as no pitcher besides Clayton Kershaw has cleared the $200 million threshold; however, he has been remarkably consistent, and even more valuable than Lester.

Season/GS/IP/K-9/BB-9/HR-9/BABIP/LOB%/GB%/HR-FB/ERA/FIP/xFIP/WAR

2012 32 187.2 11.08 2.88 1.10 0.333 76.5% 36.5% 11.6% 3.74 3.27 3.23 4.5
2013 32 214.1 10.08 2.35 0.76 0.259 74.4% 36.3% 7.6% 2.90 2.74 3.16 6.4
2014 33 220.1 10.29 2.57 0.74 0.315 77.2% 36.7% 7.5% 3.15 2.85 3.12 5.6

His only “subpar” season was in 2012, as a result of an inflated BABIP and HR/FB ratio, despite similar peripherals. The Giants would kill to have Scherzer at the top of their rotation, along with Bumgarner and Cain. His price tag would be the only question mark. It remains to be seen if Sabean will go over $200 million for a free agent, given his tendencies to only lock up his own players. If the Giants do in fact break the bank to sign Scherzer, Sabean will need to go searching for third base options in the bargain bin. As a speculative pick, Trevor Plouffe would be a great option for both the Giants and the Twins.

The Twins do not have much of a need at third base, as they are still rebuilding, and have prized hot corner prospect Miguel Sano coming up in the next few years. They are not primed to win now, and Plouffe is unlikely to fit in the Twins’ long-term plan because of Sano. However, the Giants would need to part with a prospect from an already-thin farm system to do so. Andrew Susac, Kyle Crick or Gary Brown likely could get a deal done with Minnesota, at a very minimal cost. Plouffe earned just $2.4 million in 2014, while posting a .335 wOBA along with a solid 3.5 WAR, better than Pablo Sandoval’s. He is a solid all-around player, as his 7.8 defensive component of FanGraphs’ WAR was seventh best among third basemen last year. Plouffe and Scherzer would likely be the best option for the Giants, albeit not the cheapest. Gregor Blanco is a perfectly competent everyday left fielder, as all Giants fans should come to recognize, and there is no dire need to replace him.

Option Two: Justin Upton, Chris Johnson, Brandon McCarthy

The Braves are suddenly in rebuilding mode, as they traded away star outfielder Jason Heyward to the Cardinals. Atlanta is looking ahead to their new ballpark in 2017, and their front office is willing to part with present stars to help their future. The Giants could fill their “hole” in left with the talented Upton, and provide a fill-in at thrid base for Sandoval, all in one trade.

However, Upton is a rather overrated asset, mostly because of his power. He is a weak defender, and would not fit in well at AT&T Park. As you can see, his value is inflated by his power, but his defense holds him back. In addition, he would be only a rental type player, as his contract expires after this season.

Chris Johnson would become the Giants’ everyday third baseman, which is not a very safe proposition. His value relies on batting average, which is not very consistent. Random placement of batted balls varies immensely from season to season, and without much power in his game, his value fluctuates rapidly from year to year. He hit .321 in 2013, but it was fueled by an absurd .394 BABIP, which predictably fell back to earth in 2014, creating a massive dip in wRC+ (127 to 82). Johnson is also a below-average defender, which cannot counteract his inconsistency at the plate.

The Giants would likely need to part with some combination of Susac, Crick, and Brown (and maybe a major leaguer) to acquire Upton and Johnson, who would be somewhat ill-suited for San Francisco. It would be considerably cheaper, but more of a bandage-type move than a long term replacement.

To fill the void at starting pitcher, the Giants could plug in Brandon McCarthy. McCarthy would be relatively cheap, somewhere around twelve to fifteen million per year for three to four years. He posted an inflated 4.05 ERA, fueled by an unusually high HR/FB rate, and he underachieved mightily relative to his xFIP (2.87). AT&T Park would rationalize these numbers, and likely drop his ERA into the low three range. McCarthy would be a steal for the Giants, and he would make the lackluster additions of Upton and Johnson somewhat palatable.

Season/BB%/K%/ISO/BABIP/AVG/OBP/SLUG/wOBA/wRC+/BsR/OFF/DEF/WAR

2013 11.7% 25.0% 0.201 0.321 0.263 0.354 0.464 0.357 128 5.6 26.0 -16.3 3.1
2014 9.4% 26.7% 0.221 0.332 0.270 0.342 0.491 0.363 133 0.6 24.4 -7.7 3.9

Option Three: Brandon McCarthy, Chase Headley, and Jonny Gomes

Chase Headley and Scherzer would likely be unattainable together, as it would simply cost too much. Headley has an offer on the table for four years and sixty-five million from an unknown team. Coupled with Scherzer’s high demands, it would be too much over budget. However, if you replace Scherzer with McCarthy, it gives the Giants a lot more wiggle room to sign Headley. As I mentioned a few weeks ago, Headley has quietly become the best defensive third baseman in the game. Despite his MLB-best 21.6 defensive component of Fangraphs’ WAR, Headley lost out on the Gold Glove, partly because he switched leagues (traded from Padres to Yankees). The switch-hitting third baseman was better than Sandoval in terms of WAR last season (4.4-2.7), despite a somewhat subpar offensive year. After the trade to New York, he did post a 121 wRC+ after a wRC+ of just 90 with San Diego. Headley would bring veteran leadership to San Francisco, along with Gold Glove-caliber defense at third. He also brings breakout offensive potential. In 2012, Headley hit thirty-one home runs and posted a 145 wRC+ , despite playing his home games in the cavernous Petco Park.

Jonny Gomes is a speculative add, given the Giants’ stated desire to add a platoon bat to pair with Gregor Blanco in left. He would come very cheap, likely on a one or two year deal for minimal money. He rakes against left handed pitching, and would complement Blanco perfectly in a platoon, even though Blanco is adept in left. He has posted a .861 OPS against lefties in his career, along with a 133 wRC+. The Giants could stomach his relatively poor defense, as he would not be a full-time player.

Option Four: Cole Hamels (UPDATE)

The Giants are reportedly in on the Phillies’ Cole Hamels. However, this seems to be a long-shot, as the Giants don’t have the major league or minor league talent to compete with the Dodgers or Red Sox in potential trade offers.

Verdict:

The first trio, McCarthy/Headley/Gomes would be the most financially sound, along with being more future-proof than the Upton/Johnson/McCarthy deal. The Upton deal is unlikely at this point, but it does accomplish most of the Giants’ goals in one fell swoop. The Scherzer/Plouffe option would be the best on the field for the Giants, but money could be an issue. In the end, some combination of these will likely be employed by Sabean. The Giants will sign a starting pitcher; the front office has made this very clear. The Giants need someone to fill in for the weak Petit/Lincecum spot, and to provide insurance in case of injury or lack of production, whether that be McCarthy, Scherzer, or even Ervin Santana.

Stats and info courtesy of FanGraphs, Baseball Reference

BASTA: A Way Too Early Look at the Foster Farms Bowl

((HT: BASTA/Ben Leonard))

Stanford was officially given a berth in the Foster Farms Bowl on Sunday, which has previously been dubbed the Emerald Bowl, the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl, and the Fight Hunger Bowl. It was held at AT&T Park for all of its previous existence, and now is being moved to Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. The bowl will remain at the venue for at least the next six years, after the Big Ten and Pac-12 Conferences signed a pact for the aforementioned time. The game will pit the Cardinal and the Maryland Terrapins on December 30th, a foe that Stanford has never played.

Both teams come into the bowl game with identical 7-5 records, although they can not be treated as equal. Maryland, for some reason, is geographically “close enough” to fellow Big Ten schools to become affiliated with the inferior conference. Some of their marquee victories include Syracuse, Penn State, and Iowa, not exactly world-beaters. Stanford would be the clear favorite in this matchup, independent from the fact that the bowl amounts to a home game.

The Cardinal will come into the game with tremendous confidence, after blowing out Cal and #9 UCLA in consecutive weeks. They also are much more physically talented than their record indicates, as 2014 was a season of gross underachievement for a team with one of the best defenses in the country. Maryland is particularly weak running the ball, as they are 106th in the nation in rushing yards per game. They are comparatively not as terrible through the air, but are still a modest 74th in the country in passing yards per game. Stanford should be able to bottle up the Terp’s poor rushing, and key in on shifty quarterback C.J. Brown. Brown is somewhat of a dual-threat quarterback, who has been mediocre through the air, but excels at running the ball and improvising. He is a sixth-year senior, stemming from a medical redshirt that he obtained after tearing his ACL in 2012, and brings experience to the table for the Terps. Despite Brown’s experience, the Cardinal defense will likely be too much for an underwhelming Maryland offense.

Stanford’s offense also holds a major advantage over Maryland’s defense. Maryland has been dreadful against the run, allowing over two hundred yards on the ground per game. Their secondary has been similarly mediocre, 80th in the nation in allowing 236.5 yards per game through the air. Quarterback Kevin Hogan and Stanford’s offense finally found its stride last Saturday against UCLA, a lethal combination of accurate passing and establishing the running game. Stanford controlled the game so well that Hogan only had to throw three passes in the second half. UCLA’s defense was no joke, second in the Pac-12 in total defense heading into the game, yet Stanford had their best game of the season against the unit. Once a weakness, Stanford’s offense should now be considered a strength, if Hogan continues to play at a high level. Stanford fans should hope that he does, which would help both in the short and the long term. Hogan has one more year of eligibility remaining, but could elect to spurn Palo Alto for the NFL with a quality performance in the Foster Farms Bowl. Stanford fans would certainly welcome his departure, as highly-touted recruits Keller Chryst and Ryan Burns would get to duke it out for the starting job.

Defense Strong and Anquan Boldin Stronger As The 49ers Grab A Win

((HT: BASTA Bay Area/Baichwal))

The 49ers came out strong today, in their usual style, with a strong defensive performance coupled with a solid offense. The entire team seemed to click, especially the defense, as they went out and began the game by forcing a three and out then scoring a touchdown. This three and out involved a nine yard sack by Aldon Smith, on the second play of the game, proving that he is unquestionably back to football and ready to return to his form and play amazingly. He seemed extra quick on the field, working extremely well with his fellow Smith, tackle Justin Smith, to basically hassle Washington quarterback Robert Griffin III through the game. In total, he finished with two huge sacks today, giving him two sacks in his first two games of the season. He looked great on the field, and fortunately seemed to work well with Ahmad Brooks, who was benched for the second half of last week’s win over the Giants, because he felt that his playing time was being cut into too much by the returning Smith. Today, however, both players managed ample field time, and they were both strong points in the 49ers’s overall stellar defense.

After Aldon Smith’s sack and Washington’s three and out on the drive, the 49ers picked up the ball with great field position on their own 41 yard line. From there, Kaepernick looked stellar leading the offense, as he managed to get the 49ers into the end zone with only five plays: three passing and two rushing. On this drive Kaepernick connected with Anquan Boldin twice, for 18 yards and then a beautiful 30 yard score to give the 49ers a 7-0 lead. This touchdown came on a gorgeous corner route, where Kaepernick perfectly landed the ball in Boldin’s hands for the easy score. You can view this touchdown below:

Anquan Boldin’s 30-Yard Touchdown Catch

After this score, the game was quiet for a while, as neither team scored until the second quarter. Until Washington’s score, the 49ers defense was perfect, as they forced RGIII and the ‘Skins to punt to end all four of their offensive drives. Unfortunately, this perfection had to come to an end, as the defense allowed Washington’s rushing attack to get going, allowing a one-yard rushing touchdown to tie the game 7-7.

The 49ers looked like they might lose the game momentum with this score, but they were extremely efficient to end the first half. With 5:33 to go in the half, they began a long drive from their own seven yard line that eventually resulted in a field goal. They ran twelve plays to pick up 70 yards, including six pass plays, four rush plays, and one sack. The highlight of this drive came on fourth and two at Washington’s 48 yard line. Vernon Davis was only able to pick up 12 yards on the previous play, even though the 49ers needed 14 for the first down after the sack. However, in his usually aggressive style, coach Jim Harbaugh decided to go for it on fourth and two, with only eleven seconds remaining. Kaepernick executed another brilliant pass on this play, this time a 25 harder to Michael Crabtree for the first down at the Washington 23. In a beautiful feat of athleticism, Crabtree rose up, snagged the ball, and managed to land both feet barely inbounds before tumbling to the ground out of bounds, keeping possession of the ball all the way. This play may have been the highlight of the game, due to both its importance and sheer athletic beauty. You can watch the brilliant catch below, beginning at 1:10 in this highlights video:

Game Highlights (Michael Crabtree’s 25-Yard Catch)

Going into halftime, the 49ers had now regained the momentum, and the lead, with a 10-7 score. Unfortunately, as has been the theme this whole year, they came out of halftime looking a whole lot worse than they did going in. The 49ers were held scoreless in the third quarter, with three rather ugly possessions. The 49ers were forced to punt twice, the first on a three-and-out, and Kaepernick threw an interception on a questionable pass intended for Boldin. To his credit, Washington had just put a rookie cornerback into the game, so Kaepernick wanted to test him, and see if Boldin could power through him for easy yards. However, he overthrew this specific ball to Boldin, allowing the rookie defensive back to come up with his first career interception. Also, on a side note, this interception was Kaepernick’s first in 129 passing attempts, as he has been really good as of late at not making errant throws. Hopefully, this one interception can be chalked up to a little bit of overeagerness in going after the rookie, and it should be a single mistake that is not repeated, as Kaepernick has made great strides in his control this year.

To begin the fourth quarter, this trend of fruitless offense continued, as the 49ers almost immediately punted again on a three and out. On the next offensive drive, Frank Gore actually fumbled the ball, in an incredibly unexpected moment. This is Gore’s second fumble of the season, with his first happening last week against the Giants. Once again this fumble was very unusual, as Gore is usually a very sure-handed back, and all of the laudatory comments made last week about the veteran still apply. Last week, I wrote:

“[Frank Gore’s] fumble was his first of the season, and it is very possible that it will be his last, simply because he has averaged 2.5 fumbles per season in his last four. Frank the Tank is called a tank for a reason: he is strong and sturdy. So, the 49ers coaches and their fans should put this fumble behind them if they have not already, as Gore is still a stellar running back and the workhorse for the 49ers.”

Obviously, Frank Gore just fumbled again today, therefore he did fumble again this season, but he is still Frank the Tank, and he is still an extremely strong and sturdy running back, and one of the most reliable in the league.

Gore’s fumble today, was also the 49ers’ second fumble of the game, as Carlos Hyde had one on the first play in the second quarter. Both running backs fumbled today, but Hyde’s fumble is the only one that deserves any worry, as he is a rookie running back and each and every one of his moves needs to be scrutinized, to make sure he can really be the future franchise rusher for the 49ers. Fortunately, this fumble was Hyde’s first of the season, so there is no need to worry about his fumble either. Overall, neither of these fumbles were very noteworthy, as neither Gore nor Hyde’s playing time will be affected, and the 49ers still managed to come away with a win.

Also, on a positive note, Washington were extremely inept at capitalizing on the three turnovers they forced. Simply the fact that they forced three turnovers off the 49ers was surprising, for two reasons, however. Firstly, this is the largest number of turnovers the ‘Skins have forced this season. Secondly, the 49ers were +10 in their turnover differential coming into today’s game, and only +8 leaving it, due to the fact that they gave up three turnovers, and only earned one of their own. Hopefully this sloppiness was just a fact of today, as the 49ers prey on turnovers, and their season is made or broken based on this statistic. Back to the positive note, Washington only managed three points total off of their three turnovers. More specifically, they only earned one field goal that came after a long drive following Gore’s fumble. So, although the turnovers hurt the 49ers statistically, they were not too big of an issue in the game, especially seeing as the Niners still came away with the win.

After the ‘Skins field goal, they went up 13-10 on the 49ers. This score fortunately did not last long; however, as the 49ers scored on their next offensive drive. This drive was 75 yards long, and it took eight plays, four passing, three rushing, and a sack. This sack came on the first play of the drive setting the 49ers back six yards. An interesting statistic is that Colin Kaepernick has been sacked 15 times on first down this season, the most in the league. Although this number sounds menacing, its simply an interesting fact, and nothing to get too worried about. From here, the 49ers managed to create a slow and steady, but successful offensive drive, as they broke into the end zone on a Carlos Hyde four-yard touchdown run, in a little under five minutes. This score gave the 49ers a 17-13 lead, and the final score for the game.

After this touchdown drive, the 49ers defense was strong again, as it prevented the ‘Skins from scoring. They forced one punt, but unfortunately the offense was not able to completely drain the clock due to the fact that Washington had and used all three of its timeouts. However, they very quickly ended Washington’s final drive, with a resounding defensive play. Justin Smith sacked RGIII hard from the back, forcing him to cough up the ball, right into the waiting hands of Ahmad Brooks. Brooks caught the ball to recover the fumble at the Washington seven yard line, sealing the game for the 49ers. This play was huge as it gave the 49ers the win, but it also gave Brooks a large role in the win, showing that the 49ers administration still trusts him, even after his questionable sideline antics last game. This fumble was also a sack, and it was the fifth one that the 49ers managed on Griffin III, as they completely dominated the ‘Skins offensive line.

From a statistical point of view, the 49ers completely dominated the game today, except in turnovers and rushing. They managed 246 passing yards to Washington’s meager 77, and their offense was generally more fruitful. However, Washington’s star running back Alfred Morris had a field day as he picked up 125 rushing yards and a touchdown on 21 carries. Even so, if you add up all of the ‘Skins’ offensive yards, you only get to 213, as they were generally held in check.

Colin Kaepernick was pretty good today, and probably better than his stats show, as he finished the game 20 of 29 for 256 passing yards, a touchdown, and an interception. He also rushed for 14 yards on nine attempts, but the Washington secondary mainly kept his rushing game in check. Anquan Boldin was the favorite target of Colin Kaepernick today, as he was a monster on the field. He recorded 137 yards and a touchdown, catching nine of his twelve targets, including one where he took a helmet-to-helmet hit, where the safety fell down dazed, but kept running to pick up five more yards. Boldin is a monster, and almost super-human when he gets going, and today was one of those days as he put on a showcase on the field. Michael Crabtree also had a reasonably good day today, although it pales in the face of Boldin’s, as he caught five of seven targets for 58 yards, including his stellar one mentioned above. Fullback Bruce Miller also had a respectable day, working hard as the all-around player that he is, and picking up 40 passing yards while catching all three of his targets.

On the other hand, the rushing attack was rather weak today, as Frank Gore only picked up 36 yards on 13 carries, and Carlos Hyde had a similarly poor day with 16 yards on seven attempts. Add to the fact that they each fumbled the ball once, and you get to a really quite poor day for the rushing attack today. Hopefully, they can get back to running the ball well, without fumbling at all, as they will need their rushing attack to be strong this Thursday, for the Thanksgiving matchup against the division rival Seattle Seahawks.

The Seahawk’s beat another division foe, the Arizona Cardinals today, giving them the same 7-4 record as the 49ers. Currently as it stands this is the NFC West standings:

1 Arizona Cardinals 9-2

T-2 Seattle Seahawks 7-4

T-2 San Francisco 49ers 7-4

4 St. Louis Rams 4-7

The Rams are effectively out of the playoff chase, but all of the other NFC West teams have a legitimate chance at making it. Today, the Seahawks proved that even the Cardinals, who are tied for the best record in the NFL, are mortal, and they pushed them down to a still stellar 9-2 record. The Seahawks and the 49ers play this Thursday, and the winner of this game will most likely be in the lead for a wildcard spot in the NFC. Currently, both teams are tied for the second Wild Card spot, and it is very possible that three teams from the NFC West make the playoffs, with both Wild Cards in this division. Above all, it is imperative that the 49ers win this Thursday, as a loss will make the road to the playoffs exponentially harder. So, hopefully, they can win this Thanksgiving, to keep their playoff hopes alive, while also defeating the hated Seattle Seahawks.

NOTE: We will not be addressing the Washington football team by their current official name due to its highly offensive nature. We will instead by addressing them by their city or a nickname, until the organization changes its name. This move is part of a boycott effort that is being followed by many people and organizations, including entire television stations, like CBS, and ex-football legends. We respectfully ask that the Washington team changes its name, due to the fact that it is currently a racial slur against Native Americans.

Morning Wrap: BASTA Breakdown--49ers Down The Giants

49ers’ Defense Stellar As They Stymie The Giants

By: Apurv Baichwal

–NEW YORK

Today, playing in his home stadium in the Big Apple in front of a sellout crowd, Eli Manning was absolutely terrible. The 49ers, on the other hand, actually played rather well, as their defense was stellar and their offense was good enough to grant them the win. Today they won 16-10, although the game never truly felt that close, as seemed to be completely unable to get a solid drive going without Eli Manning throwing an interception. All together, on the day, he threw a whopping five interceptions, making the Giants’ offense pretty stagnant, and the 49ers’ defense exemplary.

This game opened up with a 49er drive where the offense looked extremely solid and well-balanced. With seven rushing plays and four passing plays, the 49ers were able to work their way all the way down the field to the New York 16 yard line. However, once they got there, the usually sure-handed Frank Gore actually fumbled the ball, losing the 49ers a chance for an easy score. Here’s a Vine of the pretty unusual fumble that involved a Frank Gore trip, slip, and fall:

Although this fumble did not end up costing the 49ers in the game, it was still a huge surprise, as Frank Gore almost never fumbles the ball. In fact, this fumble was his first of the season, and it is very possible that it will be his last, simply because he has averaged 2.5 fumbles per season in his last four. Frank the Tank is called a tank for a reason: he is strong and sturdy. So, the 49ers coaches and their fans should put this fumble behind them if they have not already, as Gore is still a stellar running back and the workhorse for the 49ers.

After the 49ers drive was stopped short on Gore’s fumble, the Giants scored their first and only touchdown of the day on a pretty beautiful drive. They drove down the field in five plays and finished with a touchdown pass to their tight end Larry Donnell. After this score, the Giants were up 7-0, and it looked like they were controlling the game. However, the 49ers quickly responded with a field goal on their next possession, after a similarly long drive that fortunately ended in points this time. The Niners then forced the Giants to punt to end the first quarter, going into the second down 7-3.

The second quarter, as opposed to the first, was an amazing quarter for the 49ers. The only issue for the 49ers this entire quarter was that they were not able to actually punch the ball into the end zone; they repeatedly settled for field goals, a theme of this game. However, back to the positive, the 49ers opened up the second quarter with a drive and a Phil Dawson 37-yard field goal. On the Giants next possession, the defense put a quick stop to the Giants’ offense, as rookie linebacker Chris Borland recorded his first career interception. This pick came when he jumped the ball on a short route, and he ran it back 12 yards until he was tackled. He has been stellar in his last two games for the 49ers, recorded eighteen and seventeen tackles in the last two games, respectively. Essentially, he has been a beast on the field filling in for the injured Patrick Willis, who will not be returning this season. Fortunately, as we said last week, he is a great fill in, and is currently playing at a Pro Bowl level. Below is a Vine of Borland’s interception of Eli Manning:

After this interception, the 49ers ran a short drive, but were once again unable to get the ball into the end zone, settling again for a field goal. However, with this score they did take a 9-7 lead. Then, in an episode of déjà-vu, Eli Manning threw his second interception on his next drive, this time a short pass to the right literally intended for nobody except 49ers’ linebacker Michael Wilhoite, who caught the ball and ran it back one yard. Here’s a vine of that pick:

After this interception, the 49ers were once again unsuccessful on offense, not gaining any points this time. They took their 9-7 lead into halftime with another fruitless possession by each team.

Finally, in the third quarter, the 49ers managed to get the ball in the end zone for their first and last time of the game.  On the third play of the drive, Kaepernick hit Michael Crabtree on a post route, which he ran 36 yards into the end zone for a huge touchdown. This touchdown, which you can watch below (albeit in a very low quality Vine), gave the 49ers a 16-7 lead, and all the points they would need to win the game.

Unfortunately for the 49ers, the Giants responded to their touchdown with a field goal, cutting the lead to 16-10, and meaning that a Giants touchdown would give them a win, with the extra point. In a surprise play, the Giants actually decided to kick an onside kick in the third quarter after this score. Even more surprisingly, they caught the 49ers off guard and were successful in regaining possession. This play looked like a huge momentum change, as the Giants had just earned a free possession. Fortunately for the 49ers, however, Eli Manning continued his awful play and threw a deep interception to second-year safety Eric Reid on another ball that really wasn’t intended for any receiver. In the stat books, this throw was supposedly intended for Reuben Randle, but there was an obvious miscommunication, and Eli Manning made a poor decision and still let the ball fly, resulting in a pick to end the drive. Here’s a link to that pick:

Eli Manning’s Third Interception

After another long 49ers offensive drive, they once again ended fruitless, this time because Andy Lee fumbled the snap on the field goal attempt, meaning that they could not get the kick off. Instead Lee tried to salvage the play by throwing the ball, but it was an incomplete pass, turning the ball over on downs. So, the score stayed 16-10, even after each side had an extremely promising drive.

About halfway through the fourth quarter, Eli Manning threw his fourth interception of the game. This one came on a short pass to the left, as Eli Manning attempted the throw while being hit by Aaron Lynch. This time veteran cornerback Chris Culliver came up with the pick, falling on the ball to secure it. Here’s a link to Manning’s fourth pick of the game:

Eli Manning’s Fourth Interception

The 49ers were unsuccessful on offense after this pick, as was the theme through the game, and they punted the ball to the Giants. Here, however, the game got really interesting, as the Giants got extremely close to scoring. The Giants got the ball all the way down to the 49ers four yard line, and they and a first and goal from this spot. Fortunately for the 49ers, Eli Manning was still awful, and he threw three incomplete passes in a row. These three incompletions left the Giants with a decision to make on fourth and goal at the 49ers’ four yard line. With 4:50 to go and down by six, the Giants chose to go for the touchdown like most teams would. Oddly, the Giants’ coaches seemed not to learn from the four interceptions Manning had thrown, and the last three incomplete passes, and they put the ball in his hands to try to throw for the touchdown. Following the theme of the game, he tried to force the ball into a spot that simply was not open. This pass was intended for wide receiver and return specialist Preson Parker, but it was knocked away by cornerback Dontae Johnson. In a seriously lucky play, the tip went up, and rookie linebacker Chris Borland managed to get under the ball and snag it for his second interception of the day at the two-yard line. You can watch that pretty stellar pick below:

Together, Johnson and Borland saved the 49ers’ win, as that one play stopped the Giants drive, in a situation where they could have taken the lead. Each team had one possession after this, but neither did anything much, allowing the game to end with a 49ers win and a final score of 16-10.

On an interesting side note, Chris Borland is the second 49ers’ linebacker to record two interceptions in a single game in 40 years, with the company of Ken Norton Jr. from 1995. He is also the only 49ers rookie to ever grab two picks in one game. Finally, Chris Borland has 45 tackles on the season, including 13 today, which ties him for fifth among all rookies, but he has achieved this great number on only 200 snaps. Overall, Chris Borland has been amazing for the 49ers, filling in admirably for one of the best linebackers in the game. He’s a great rookie, and he should continue his development into a perennial Pro Bowl linebacker.

Now for some statistics from today:

The offense picked up 333 yards, a somewhat respectable number, but a low one all the same. Colin Kaepernick threw for 193 yards and one touchdown on 15 of 29 passes. He played pretty poorly, especially in the red zone, where he never managed to score a touchdown today. All together, the 49ers had four red zone trips: two of them resulted in field goals, and two of them resulted in no points. This number is unacceptable, and if the defense hadn’t carried the team with timely interceptions, the 49ers would have lost. They need to clean up their offense quickly, as they are in a good position to make the playoffs now, but they will need to capitalize on red zone opportunities and score in the future.

The rushing attack was actually pretty good today, as Frank Gore rushed for 95 yards on 19 carries, for a stellar 5.0 yards per carry clip. Those numbers are really good, and the only things that could have brightened his day would have been a touchdown or to have not fumbled. In the backup role, rookie running back Carlos Hyde had a pretty heavy workload of nine carries, but was only able to make 25 yards out of them including his longest run of the game of only seven yards. Finally, Kaepernick carried the ball eight times for 24 yards, but that number includes his long of sixteen yards. Together, however, the rushing attack was quite good, picking up 148 yards on 37 carries for a 4.0 yards per carry. One note for the total is it includes Vernon Davis’s one rushing attempt for four yards on a toss that was scored as a running play rather than a passing one.

Michael Crabtree was the only receiver who had a good game, as he finished with 85 yards and a touchdown on three receptions. His problem was that he was targeted eight times, so the completion rate was pretty awful. His day also only looks this good due to his 48 yard touchdown play. Anquan Boldin actually probably played better than Crabtree as he caught five of his six targets, but he only got 53 yards, as he mainly worked as a possession receiver. One good thing is that Kaepernick knows that he has a lot of weapons who can catch the ball, and he is really good at spreading the ball out to keep defenses guessing. For example, he attempted passes to nine different people today, meaning that defenses cannot target a single receiver and shut the offense down. The only issue is Kaepernick was rushing his throws today, and he was not very accurate, the main reason for his low completion rate of 15 for 29.

The offense needs to improve from this week, but the team still managed a win, which is all that matters at this point. The defense was stellar, although a lot of credit needs to be given to Eli Manning’s awful throws.

With this win, the 49ers’ record becomes 6-4. Also, with the reigning champion Seattle Seahawks struggling mightily this year, the 49ers are actually tied with them for second place in the NFC West. Currently, however, with the Arizona Cardinals leading the entire NFL with a 9-1 record, it is highly unlikely that the 49ers win the division. Even so, they could get into the playoffs from a wildcard spot if they just continue to win some games. Right now, they are a game back of both the Cowboys and the Packers in the wild card chase, but the 49ers have a better schedule ahead. Next Sunday, at 1:25 PST, the 49ers will take on the 3-7 Washington Redskins at home. This game should be an easy win for the 49ers, as long as they don’t completely forget how to play football. Hopefully, they can grab a win next week, because every game is going to count in the chase for playoff spots.

BASTA Breakdown:A Closer Look at 49ers OT Win at New Orleans

By: Apurv Baichwal

This game was, quite literally, the definition of a nail-biter. It went deep into overtime, after a closely-matched and hard-fought regulation period. The 49ers eventually ended the game victorious, with a score of 27-24, winning on Phil Dawson’s field goal in overtime. Both teams badly needed this win to maintain their playoff hopes, but the 49ers played just well enough to secure the win.

Following this season’s theme, the 49ers played extremely well in the first half, while falling off in the second half. They came out of the gates strong, scoring fourteen unanswered points. These points were made even better by the fact that they were both rushing touchdowns, as the 49ers went back to what makes them a great team, their rushing offense. As of late, they had attempted to pass the ball too much, and they weren’t allowing Frank Gore to run loose on their opponents. Today, the 49ers emphasized the run game, even though they had an even split with thirty-two pass and rush attempts each, and this rediscovered emphasis carried the Niners to the win. Frank Gore rushed for eighty-one yards and a touchdown on twenty-three carries, looking like the workhorse that 49ers fans were accustomed to seeing. This was a welcome change, as the 49ers have not scored a rushing touchdown in their last five games. Frank Gore had not scored a rushing touchdown since Week 2, and he had not topped 50 yards since Week 5. Essentially, the 49ers rushing offense has been lackluster as of late, and today’s revival on the ground showed that they are a more complete team offensively.

Frank Gore scored the first touchdown of that the game on a four yard run after an interception by veteran safety Antoine Bethea. Bethea picked off the Saints’ quarterback Drew Brees on their first drive, and after snagging the ball at midfield, he ran it back twenty-two yards to the nineteen. Frank Gore then carried the ball three times, scoring on the third play. The defense played really well today, especially through the first half, as they held a usually prolific offense, especially at the Super Dome, somewhat stagnant.

After forcing a punt on the Saint’s next offensive drive, the 49ers took the ball on a long, deep drive for another score. They started at their own 21 yard line then used eight rushing plays and five passing plays to drive the ball down the field and score. The rookie running back Carlos Hyde got the score this time, on a nine-yard run that he took outside to the left, giving him his first touchdown since Week 3. He has been a great complement to Frank Gore, allowing the veteran to take rests liberally, while also providing a more elusive and cut-back heavy style of running. The bruiser Frank Gore and the elusive Carlos Hyde have combined for some great results as they have torn defenses up together, providing two different looks and a strong extra dimension to the 49ers offense. Carlos Hyde is still quite obviously the backup, as Frank Gore always gets a much larger share of the touches than him, but Hyde has been quite efficient with his looks, helping the team wherever he can, as he also serves as the kick returner. Carlos Hyde finished today’s game with only four carries, but he still managed 36 yards and a touchdown, giving him a quite respectable showing for a backup.

After scoring 14 points straight to open up the first quarter, the 49ers regressed slightly as they allowed the Saints to score 10 points in response. Fortunately, the 49ers were able to tack another score onto their total, allowing them to go into the half up 21-10. This score came in the middle of the second quarter, after another long drive from the 49ers’ 20. This drive had a lot more passing involved, as Kaepernick passed for 68 yards on the drive. He also threw for the touchdown, on a beautiful 15 yard touchdown to the right side of the end zone that Anquan Boldin snagged while diving. You can see this great play below, one that showcases Kaepernick and Boldin’s connection:

Anquan Boldin’s 15-yard touchdown catch

After this score, both teams were quiet for the rest of the half, in addition to also being extremely sloppy. The 49ers’ defense made a great stop and forced the Saints to punt. The 49ers recovered this punt close to midfield, and with a 1:13 to go in the half, with one timeout, it looked like the 49ers could add onto their score. However, Kaepernick decided to hold onto the ball for too long instead of throwing it away, and he fumbled it as he was sacked. Now, the Saints won back the ball with even better field position. Fortunately for San Francisco, Chris Culliver caught an interception in the end zone, ending the Saints’ drive and preventing them from scoring.

Coming out of halftime, the 49ers looked just a little slower on both sides of the ball, as the Saints appeared to have the edge. The 49ers were held scoreless in the third quarter while the Saints picked up a touchdown, bringing the game to 21-17.

The 49ers have been woefully awful in the fourth quarter this season, and that theme continued today, although they still managed to score. In the middle of the fourth quarter, the 49ers gave up the lead for the first time, as they allowed Drew Brees to connect with this Pro-Bowl tight end, and arguably the best in the league, Jimmy Graham for a two yard touchdown. The 49ers were able to contain him up until this point, but Graham’s superior size and strength was too much for the 49ers cornerbacks on this play as he used his basketball history to box out Chris Culliver and grab the touchdown pass.



The game looked to be all but lost after this score, as the Saints maintained their 24-21 lead deep into the fourth quarter. Fortunately, after a long and sloppy drive, filled with countless dropped passes, Phil Dawson was able to hit a 45 yard field goal to tie the game. On this drive, the 49ers looked extremely desperate as they started from their 22-yard line then suffered from three dropped passes, the first two from Anquan Boldin, and the last from Michael Crabtree. With these drops, the 49ers were facing a fourth and ten situation where they had to go for the first down if they wanted to win the game. Kaepernick took the snap, rolled out right, waited for a seemingly huge amount of time for a receiver to get open, then eventually rocketed the ball 51 yards to Michael Crabtree, who secured the ball on the ground to extend the drive and put the 49ers in field goal range. You can view this marvelous, game-changing, season-saving play below:

Michael Crabtree’s 51-yard catch

On the subject of drops, all the 49ers receivers seemed to have butterfingers today, as they dropped an immense number of passes, hindering the 49ers offense. Both Michael Crabtree and Anquan Boldin are usually sure-handed receivers, but today they had four and two drops respectively. Boldin received 15 targets today, but was only able to catch six of them, a quite pathetic number for him. However, on the bright side, he was able to turn these six catches into 95 yards and a touchdown. Crabtree only caught three of his eight targets, and he finished with 62 yards, including his game-saving catch in the fourth quarter. Stevie Johnson was the only sure-handed receiver today, as he caught all three of his targets for 43 yards.

With Phil Dawson’s field goal, the 49ers tied the game 24-24 and took it into overtime. However, in another exhilarating play, Drew Brees actually completed a 47 yard touchdown pass to Jimmy Graham with the clock winding down. Fortunately for the 49ers’ this play was nullified by an offensive pass interference flag, that saved the 49ers. Since the clock ran out on this play, the game was taken to overtime, with the 49ers barely hanging on to the game.

New Orleans won the toss and chose to possess the ball first, but this decision was to no avail as the 49ers defense was extremely strong and managed to force them to punt. Unfortunately, the Saints’ defense was similarly good, as they returned the favor and forced San Francisco to punt as well. With the new rules to overtime, after the Saints had punted first, any score would win the game, and after the 49ers punt, the Saints could have won the game with any score. In the defensive battle of overtime, the 49ere were able to win on the next drive, however, as they completely stuffed Drew Brees and the Saints. They allowed one first down but then clamped down with a five yard sack to make it 2nd and 15. They then had arguably had the play of the game, as Ahmad Brooks came in for another sack on Drew Brees, in addition to a fumble, as he stripped the ball right out of Brees’ hand. Rookie linebacker Chris Borland, who is filling in for the injured Patrick Willis, fell on this fumble and recovered it giving the 49ers the ball only 17 yards away from the end zone.

Chris Borland is another story of this game, as he has been huge the last two games filling in for Patrick Willis. In today’s game he recorded a whopping 17 tackles in addition to the fumble recovery. Eleven of his tackles were solo tackles, and he also had two tackles for losses as he was all over the field making plays everywhere. He was also stellar in pass defense in an overall amazing day. Borland was drafted just this year out of Wisconsin by the 49ers, with the 77th pick, in the third round. He has proven himself mightily, as he had a stellar outing today, and an equally stellar outing last week against the Rams. Last week, he recorded 18 combined tackles, including 15 solo and three tackles for loss. He has been a great fill in for Patrick Willis, as he plays with the energy of a rookie and the smarts of a veteran.

Back to the game, Ahmad Brooks and Chris Borland earned the 49ers the ball on the 17 yard line with a fumble. The 49ers then decided to play it safe and immediately take a 35 yard field goal for the 27-24 win.

As stated before, this game was tight to the very end, with multiple shifts in the lead. The 49ers played well overall, with the rushing attack looking very strong, and Colin Kaepernick seeming to benefit from its strength. Kaepernick threw for 210 yards and a touchdown while completing 14 of 32 passes. All of these numbers could have been much better as well if his wide receivers had not dropped so many balls. Even with the sloppiness of the usually strong receiving corps, the 49ers still managed to provide enough offense to come away with the win. Going into next week’s away matchup against the middling New York Giants, the 49ers need to tighten up some of the sloppiness on the offensive side. Specifically, Kaepernick needs to continue his growth and realize that it is okay to throw the ball away when he does not have a play, rather than making an errant throw that could be picked off or taking a sack. Also, the receivers need to snap out of whatever funk they were in today, as there were many balls dropped that very clearly should have been caught. Essentially, their drops costed the 49ers about 100 yards of offense and a touchdown. Finally, the 49ers need to continue to use the rushing game like they did today, to allow both Frank Gore and Carlos Hyde to pound defenses and give the defense rest. The strong rushing attack should be the basis of their offense, and it should allow them to gain yards when needed and open up the passing attack for deep throws.

The 49ers move to 5-4 with this win, and  they maintain their playoff chances, although they are somewhat slim. They are currently third in the NFC West, behind the Cardinals and the Seahawks. They need to pick up a few more wins to raise themselves in the standings and give themselves a chance to earn a wildcard spot. Although the chances right now are slim, the 49ers looked better this week, and they should be able to use this game as an example and pick up more wins in the future.

CSNBayArea with some post game talk from Frank Gore:



Follow me on Twitter: @abaichwal

BASTA: Oregon Beats Stanford At Their Own Game

((HT: BASTA/Ben Leonard))

Despite a dominant start by Oregon that left the Cardinal down 14-3 mid-way through the first quarter, Stanford charged back and pulled within striking distance. However, the Ducks and Heisman Trophy favorite Marcus Mariota made plays when the Cardinal could not, making the game an absolute laugher. Oregon gave Stanford a dose of their own medicine, dominating them on the ground behind a healthy (finally) offensive front. The Ducks outrushed Stanford 267-131, and were too much for a usually-dominant unit. The Ducks did not let up with the score out of hand until midway through the fourth, clearly releasing two years of pent-up frustration in a 46-16 blowout. Oregon was the first team to score more than thirty points against Stanford since Arizona in 2012.

The Ducks took the ball on the opening kickoff, and wasted no time in marching down the field, going seventy-five yards in just over four minutes. Mariota burned Stanford on the ground and through the air, totaling twenty-seven yards rushing and capping the drive with a six-yard touchdown pass. Stanford’s depleted front seven offered little resistance, letting the star quarterback have his way. Stanford felt the absences of nose tackle David Parry and end Aziz Shittu, key parts of the previously first-ranked defense nationwide. This drive was a microcosm of the rest of the game; Oregon’s speed and physicality brutalized the Cardinal.

Kevin Hogan quite possibly had the best half of his career in the first half, completing thirteen of his seventeen attempts for 162 yards and a touchdown, but he could not finish drives, including the first drive of the game. He was not plagued many of his customary miscues, and was very accurate and collected. He wasted great field position stemming from a Ty Montgomery return, forcing Jordan Williamson into attempting a forty-seven yard field goal, which he nailed. Autzen Stadium has been kind to the fifth-year senior, who hit the redemptive game-winning field goal in 2012. Oregon answered with an even quicker score, taking just over two minutes to go seventy-five yards for the touchdown, a twenty-two yard run in which Mariota escaped pressure and ran in untouched to take the 14-3 lead. Hogan played better on the next drive, but the end result was the same, another field goal to cut the lead to 14-6. The early deficit left Stanford on its heels, forced to play catch-up against the high-tempo Ducks, not a position the Cardinal are built to succeed in.

The Cardinal’s defense let Mariota have all day to throw, and they paid for it, falling behind 24-6 midway into the second quarter. With their backs to the wall, Stanford mustered an excellent seventy-five yard drive for a touchdown, capped by a one-yard touchdown from Patrick Skov to cut the lead to 24-13. Hogan completed eight passes for fifty-five yards on the drive, utilizing screens and sideline passes to his speedy, physical receivers, including Devon Cajuste. Cajuste had a field day against the undersized Oregon secondary, snagging five catches for 115 yards. Stanford went into the half with a chance to steal a win from the Ducks despite only scoring one touchdown in four trips inside the thirty-five yard line.

Stanford came out of the locker room energized, taking the ball all the way down to Oregon’s thirty-two yard line. Hogan ruined a seemingly promising drive with an ugly interception, throwing into double coverage on a pass intended for Devon Cajuste, handing the ball to the potential Heisman Trophy winner at his own one yard line. He had become overly reliant on Cajuste, and missed multiple open options shorter on the right side. Hogan’s blunder ultimately did not cost the Cardinal too much, as Alex Carter snagged an interception on the ensuing drive. Had Mariota thrown outside to his receiver, Carter would have had no play, but Mariota threw it right into Carter’s hands for an easy pick at Oregon’s forty yard-line.

Down 24-13, the ensuing drive could have been a defining moment for the embattled Hogan. Instead, it was just another typical Stanford drive, stalling in the red zone. A holding call against the undersized, overmatched center Graham Shuler contributed to this, leaving Stanford with a first and twenty at Oregon’s twenty-six yard line. Shaw also made a questionable decision on fourth and two at the eight, electing to take a field goal. Stanford needed a catalyst, and a first down would have been. A score would have cut the lead to four points, yet Shaw stayed with his conservative ways, destroying any potential momentum, despite cutting the lead to 24-16.

The end of the third and fourth quarters were another story for the Cardinal. After another Ducks’ touchdown, Kevin Hogan was stripped on an apparently promising drive, giving the Ducks the ball at the forty and the victory. Tony Washington stripped the ball from Hogan on a strong man’s play; ball security was not an issue for Hogan, but it killed any waning hope. Marcus Mariota took advantage of the field position, running in for two more touchdowns to make the game a rout. Mariota finished with 258 yards and two touchdowns through the air, and eighty-five yards and two scores on the ground.

Here's the highlights as proof...
((HT: Pac-12/FoxCFB))


Stanford’s ineptitude on both the offensive and defensive lines is concerning going forward. Oregon’s offensive line was a perceived weakness, yet there was no “Party in the Backfield,” as the Cardinal put almost no pressure on Mariota, and sacked him just once. With the loss, Stanford falls to 5-4 and loses all realistic hope for a Pac-12 North title (The Cardinal would have to win out and Oregon would have to lose out). The loss was their most lopsided since 2007, in which they went 1-11 and fell 41-3 to ASU. Oregon showed no weaknesses, and barring injuries, their path to the College Football Playoff should be relatively easy. They pushed the Cardinal around on both sides, imposing their will on a team that had previously established such an identity.

World Series Recap: Madison Bumgarner Wins The World Series

Giants Win World Series For Third Time In Five Years; Bumgarner Is MVP

By: Apurv Baichwal

The Giants have been known as the Torture since 2010. They always seem to string games and series out to the very end, and they possess an uncanny ability to put themselves in the worst positions yet still win. After being shutout and completely dominated 10-0 yesterday, the Giants came back strong to win this game, and the World Series, 3-2.

Simply making the World Series for the third time in five years proved the Giants’ skill, but winning the World Series for the third time in five years proves that they are a dominant team in baseball, and a perennial contender to win the Fall Classic. They also made themselves the second National League team to win three in five years, with only Stan Musial’s historic St. Louis Cardinals of the 40s. This year, they won in Game 7, after barely making the postseason from the wildcat position, but even so, they played amazingly in the postseason and showed everybody that they were meant to be there, and they were meant to win the World Series.

Madison Bumgarner was easily named World Series MVP, after having another stellar outing today. On only two day’s rest, Bumgarner entered the game in the fifth inning and pitched five stellar innings, and 68 pitches after his 117 on Monday, to earn himself a five inning save, the first save of his career, and give himself an ERA of .43 in this World Series. This relief appearance marked his first of the sorts since Game Six of the 2010 NLCS, and he made it a great appearance. In his five innings, he only allowed two hits, while recording four strikeouts in a stellar, almost perfect appearance. He finished the Fall Classic with a huge outing, and he cemented himself in World Series history with his great performance. He already had the record for the best career World Series ERA from his last outing, but he made this number almost visible, as he lowered it to .25, a number that looks more like a batting average than an ERA.

In this specific game, the pitching was really key, as Jeremy Affeldt and Madison Bumgarner combined for a 7.1 inning shutout. Affeldt pitched 2.1 innings, an extremely long outing for him, but he was great for the whole of it, as he only allowed one hit, although he did hit a batter. He picked up the Game Seven win with this stellar outing, although the MLB seemed confused about this fact, as they originally credited the win to Bumgarner. Fortunately, they corrected this mistake, as they properly assigned the win to Affeldt and the save to Bumgarner. After Affeldt’s great pitching, Bumgarner stole the show with his performance, as earlier noted, earning him the five inning save. Tim Hudson started this game, although he did not last long, and he was the only pitcher to struggle for the Giants. Although his outing was quite poor, he still earned himself a place in World Series history by being the oldest pitcher to ever start a World Series game at 39 years old. He also earned himself a more notorious spot, as his start was the shortest World Series Game Seven start in baseball since 1960, at only 1.2 innings. In these innings, Hudson gave up two runs on three hits and a walk, as he never really seemed to settle into the game. It is possible that he would have settled down later, but Bochy did not give him a chance, as he made the quick—and most likely correct— decision to go to the bullpen early.

Another smart Bochy decision was to start Juan Perez in left field instead of Travis Ishikawa. They both provide about the same offensive prowess, except that Ishikawa has been strong in clutch at bats, while Perez is a speedier runner. The main difference between the two is that Juan Perez is a much better left fielder, as he is actually an outfielder, unlike Ishikawa who is truly an infielder. This move paid off in multiple occurrences, especially when Perez made a catch running back towards the wall, that Ishikawa very probably would not have made. The other play was one where Perez sprinted to the left field line to catch a ball that would have dropped in fair if Ishikawa had been playing, due to the fact that he does not possess the same speed as Perez. So, Bochy’s managerial decisions were great today, both with his pitchers and his defense.

The scoring in this game all came early, and both offenses were quiet after the fourth inning, as the two bullpens, or really the Royals bullpen and Bumgarner, locked down the hitters. The Giants struck first in the top of a second with a strong rally, exactly what we predicted they would need to win the game today. Pablo Sandoval led off the inning by letting a pitch graze his elbow and give him a free pass to first base. Hunter Pence then followed with a single to left, advancing Sandoval to second, and Belt added a single of his own to load the bases. The Giants then scored two runs on two sacrifice flys, the first by Michael Morse and the second by Brandon Crawford. Although the Giants once again scored runs without a hit, they still managed to manufacture the runs, as both Morse and Crawford used their at bats well to knock in the runs.

Unfortunately for the Giants, the Royals responded in the bottom of the second with two runs of their own, chasing Tim Hudson from the game. This World Series Game Seven matchup remained tied until the fourth inning when the Giants added the decisive run in the game.

Back to the defense: in the third inning, Joe Panik converted a tremendous double play that went through a challenge process as Royals’ first baseman Eric Hosmer was originally ruled safe at first. This call was overruled after a long, long replay, and in addition to being a huge play, it was also a huge momentum boost, as the Giants really looked to have their “it” factor, something we predicted they would need to win before the World Series even started.

The situations in the second and the fourth inning were very similar, with the results being quite similar as well in an episode of deja vu. Pablo Sandoval once again led off the inning and got on base, although this time he did so with an infield single up the middle, that he managed to beat out because the second baseman slipped while trying to make the play. Hunter Pence then singled to center advancing Sandoval to second, in another eerily similar play. Brandon Belt, however, broke the pattern as he flew out to deep left field. This out was turned into a productive one, fortunately, as Sandoval realized that the Royals’ left fielder would be moving backwards to make the catch, and therefore in a poor position to make a throw. He used this knowledge as he tagged up from second and slid head-first into third ahead of the throw to get to third with one out. By advancing to third, he put himself in a great position, and that one base running play was the reason why the Giants scored. Right after this play, Michael Morse slapped a single to right field, easily scoring Sandoval and advancing Pence to third. Had Sandoval stayed at second on Belt’s flyout, the Giants very likely would have not scored the winning run. So, Sandoval’s base running, along with his hitting and fielding, was key to the Giants’ win.

In the bottom of the ninth, with two outs, and Bumgarner still pitching, the Giants added to the Torture. Royals’ left fielder Alex Gordon hit a single to center, which alone would not have been very torturous. However, Blanco over ran the ball and allowed the ball to bounce under his glove. It then rolled to the wall where Juan Perez slipped and eventually picked up the ball, giving Gordon more than enough time to make it to third base. 

From here, the Royals’ star catcher Salvador Perez, who was injured earlier in the game when Hudson hit him right above the knee with a pitch, came to bat with a man on third and two outs in the bottom of the ninth in Game Seven of the World Series. Fortunately, Bumgarne stayed calm and collected as he forced Perez to pop out foul of the third base line, where Sandoval caught the ball easily, then collapsed with joy.

Overall, the Giants came together today to put together rallies, produce runs, and most importantly win. The heart of the order was great, led by Sandoval who went three for three with two runs scored. Pence and Belt also had great nights at the plate each going two for four, while Pence added a run. Michael Morse also picked up two RBI on one hit and a sacrifice fly in three at bats.

Bumgarner was stellar today. Pablo Sandoval made a statement that will be important this offseason as he is a  now technically a free agent. Hopefully the Giants retain him, as he proved himself to be a great asset the whole season, and especially this series, but there will definitely be multiple teams vying for him. The Giants have won the Fall Classic today, for the third time in five years, and they proved themselves to truly be the best team in baseball.

Follow Apurv on Twitter: @abaichwal