SF Giants Press Clips Saturday, July 15, 2017 San Francisco Chronicle A’s Alonso, Giants’ Posey opine on game’s record pace for homers, strikeouts John Shea If there was any doubt the emphasis in baseball is on home runs and strikeouts, records will be set on both fronts when the 2017 season ends. The homers record of 5,693 set in 2000, a loosey-goosey time of steroid use, will fall — we’re on pace for 6,126. And strikeout records are being set every year — we’re at an all-time high of 16.489 K’s per nine innings. In related news, the average time of nine-inning games is longest in history: 3 hours, 5 minutes. Homers and K’s are time-consuming, after all. Commissioner Rob Manfred addressed all three areas during the All-Star break in a Q&A with the Baseball Writers’ Association of America and defended baseball’s drug-testing policy, his way of suggesting PEDs aren’t the reason for overpowering pitchers and batters. Here’s a player’s view: “The game has changed,” A’s All-Star first baseman Yonder Alonso said. “The pitcher is going for the strikeout just like the hitter is going for the homer. It’s evolved into a heavyweight game, 1 the one-punch knockout. “It’s not so much the featherweight game where you’re going to jab, you’re going to make sure you get the runner over. “No, the game has changed. You’re expecting to win games by hitting a two-run homer or hitting a couple of two-run homers. “You’re not going to see Pacquiao and Mayweather going at each other. You’re going to see Tyson and Holyfield.” Manfred swears the balls aren’t juiced and meet specifications, though the specification range — as suggested in studies by websites FiveThirtyEight and The Ringer — is large enough to result in a wide variety of outcomes, from a warning-track fly ball to a homer well into the bleachers. The spike in homers began in mid-2015, and some pitchers said they’ve noticed baseballs that are harder, smaller and with less of a seam, which they relate to the increase in blisters for pitchers. The latest example: the Giants’ Johnny Cueto, who’s having blister issues for the first time in his career and said after Friday’s abbreviated start he believes the balls are wound tighter. Manfred said MLB is beginning to look at the composition of bats as a reason for all the homers, but the discussion of the ball being altered, either on purpose or because of a loose manufacturing process, isn’t going away. Union chief Tony Clark said it’s being addressed. As for the time of game, it’s longer than ever despite attempts by Manfred and Co. to shorten it. A 20-second pitch clock is coming. Count on it, as early as Opening Day 2018. Alonso said he hasn’t noticed a difference in bats and balls as much as approaches and game plans. 2 “All I know is, I’m noticing guys swinging a lot harder. I’m noticing fewer fastballs,” he said. “You’re seeing guys throwing more breaking balls. You’re seeing more fly balls. “You’re going to see longer games because guys are not getting ahead in the count. Guys are going more for the strikeout so you’ll see their best pitch early and often.” Similarly, the other Bay Area All-Star, Giants catcher Buster Posey, has noticed more aggressive mindsets from players emerging from the minors. “A lot of younger players are coming up and not necessarily concerned with strikeouts,” Posey said, “so they’re taking a more aggressive hack with two strikes, which is going to lead to more balls hit harder.” It’ll also lead to more strikeouts. With the emphasis on home runs, along with launch angles and exit velocities, pitchers are happy to expose holes in hitters’ swings. Posey, noting pitchers are throwing harder and perhaps some aren’t as concerned with location, is a believer in things being cyclical. “I feel like it wasn’t too long ago we were talking about how home runs were down,” he said. In June 2014, 711 home runs were hit. This past June, 1,101 homers were hit, the most in any month in history. Manfred knows homers and strikeouts can get fans excited and actually said, “Our research suggests that the home run actually is a popular play in baseball.” He added fans tend to like strikeouts, too. Sounds like baseball sees it more of an asset than a problem. Until further notice, expect more big swings. And more big swings and misses. 3 San Francisco Chronicle Giants win, but blister issues for Cueto, who says baseball different this year John Shea SAN DIEGO — Johnny Cueto stood at his locker with tape covering the tips of the index finger, middle finger and thumb on his right hand. His pitching hand. “It feels like they’re cut,” the Giants’ pitcher said. For the first time, after lasting just four innings and 82 pitches in Friday night’s 5-4 victory over the Padres, Cueto acknowledged what others in the game have been suggesting: Baseballs are different this year. “I think so. Probably,” Cueto said through interpreter Erwin Higueros. “I feel the ball tight. This is the first time I’ve had blisters in my career.” Throughout the majors, with home runs being hit at a record pace, pitchers have said they’ve noticed changes in the ball, that it’s smaller and more tightly wound, with lower seams. Toronto’s Marcus Stroman said it’s a reason for the spate of blisters. In the first half, Cueto had blister issues on two fingers. Friday, he had issues with his thumb, too. “Hot spots,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “They’re not blisters yet, but they feel like blisters, like the last time.” Either way, it appears Cueto will miss his next start, a blow to the Giants for multiple reasons, including the possibility he might be trade bait leading to the July 31 trade deadline. “I think the best thing for me to do is take some time off,” Cueto said. “I can’t tell you whether or not I’m going to skip (my next start). It depends on how I feel. Right now, it feels bad.” Cueto told Bochy after four innings that he couldn’t finish his pitches. It was his quickest hook in two seasons as a Giant. 4 “We’ll evaluate him tomorrow,” Bochy said. “I know he’s frustrated with it. If we need to skip him, we’ll skip him.” Cueto gave up six hits, issued three walks and exited trailing 3-2. The Giants rallied for two runs in the sixth inning and topped off their scoring with Buster Posey’s 429-foot homer in the seventh, breaking a four-game losing streak that earned them a 34-56 record before the All-Star break. Gorkys Hernandez collected a career-high four hits, and third baseman Eduardo Nuñez made two superb defensive plays in his first game since June 19. After Cueto sported a 4.51 ERA in the first half, the Giants were hoping he’d open the second half pitching in top form as he did in 2016. But he walked his second batter and never found a groove. A reason the Giants would trade Cueto is his contractual power to opt out after the season and become a free agent. Now his status is up in the air, and Matt Cain could return to the rotation. Cain was removed to clear room for Madison Bumgarner, who’ll come off the disabled list and start Saturday. So much for that 1-2 punch of Bumgarner and Cueto. Sam Dyson, the closer for as long as Mark Melancon remains on the DL, gave up a run on three hits in the ninth but earned his fourth save as a Giant. Dyson gave up singles to Manuel Margot and Wil Myers, and Jose Pirela’s high chopper turned into an RBI single as shortstop Brandon Crawford was unable to make a play. Dyson plunked Cory Spangenberg to load the bases before retiring Jabari Blash on a fly to right to end the game. 5 San Francisco Chronicle Nunez back with Giants, but for how long? John Shea SAN DIEGO — Third baseman Eduardo Nuñez is back with the Giants, but for how long? A free agent after the season, Nuñez said he wants to remain in San Francisco through the season and beyond, but the team is expected to be active before the July 31 trade deadline and could use him as a chip. “I want to win at some point,” said Nuñez, who was on playoff teams in New York in 2011 and 2012. “I was close a couple times with the Yankees, and we didn’t make it. I think this is the best place to be to win a championship.” Nuñez, who missed 18 games with a left hamstring strain, hit .299 with 17 steals in the first half, a rare bright spot for a team that went 34-56. “We’re better than that,” Nuñez said. “We haven’t played well at all. In the second half, we’re hoping everything comes together and we play better for the fans and for the organization.” Manager Bruce Bochy , happy to have his third baseman back, said, “We missed him. He’s a catalyst on this club with the athleticism he brings and the speed and energy.