Guest Author For Game 3….
“STIX” posted this last night (see below). I thought it was too good for the POTD so I am putting it here. I read it several times. It reminded me of why I love this team so much. The history, the players—over all these years they’ve helped form indelible moments in my memory. Stix was out here in ’89, I was up in Portland, Oregon going to school. Our passions for this team were rock solid then as they are now. Now he’s living a million miles away and I’m back in the bay Area–still with a passion for this team that couldn’t be extinguished with any known element. His post made me wonder where all of you were in ’89. And here it is, 2010, and we’ve found a space to share our passion for our team with something other than the walls of the room we watch the games in….
The players from ’89 are gone, and as he suggested, Will Clark et al ain’t coming into that clubhouse to save them. And who would want them to? THESE our the guys who created this magical year– The Bat, Dirrrrrty, Panda, Timmy, Cain, Bee-Weeezy, Long-thong (I just made that up), Torres, Rent, Uribe, etc–THIS is your team. And you always support your team (unless you’re Jose Guillen). I really have no idea or feeling of what’s going to happen with the rest of this series. But I’m not going to spend a second ‘doomin it up or second guessing what Bochy might have done or what the unknown outcome of that fantasy move would have been. I’m enjoying every second of this and when it’s all over, win or lose, the bond and connection I have to this team and it’s history will be at it’s peak……..
Let’s go back 21 years. Twenty-one is legal for most anything, isn’t it? I was still out there in and outta the System doing antiques road shows, mostly at shopping malls, sometimes lahdedah paid admission shows where i usually wore a camelhair sportjacket, suitable headwear and a late 50′s Zuni turquoise, silver and bearclaw bolo. Last Giants game i took in personally was on a mid-summer chilly, leatherjacket evening at the Stick. In a couple days i’d be set up at an exhibition at the Cow Palace.
1989. Watched the Giants lose to the Phillies and Terry Mulholland. Mid September somewhere. Stuck in the craw a bit as Philadelphia had got him via a trade with SF, recently enough that bodies were still warm. Can’t honestly remember who took the mound for the hometeam that night. But i do think the final was something like 4-2. Giants recovered from that setback and featuring pitchers like Big Daddy Rick Reuschel and Caveman Don along with Will the Thrill and a pretty decent supporting cast; remained Best in the West, went on to cop the Pennant and headed into the World Series.
By then i was down the road, doing a spate of shows in SoCal and then heading back to the Northwoods of Minnesota, where my connexion to the game was by way of radio.
Earthquake.
Imagine that tomorrow night at the ChopShop accessed by the busiest air terminal in the country, Reuschel or Robinson or perhaps Livan Hernandez of 8 years ago was on the mound for the Giants facing Tim Hudson……or maybe even a certain former rotation-mate from their days across the Bay would have had the call against Atlanta’s starter. Not a very pretty prospect in my estimation ~~ unless the Giants lineup contained some of the guys from the ’89 and ’02 squads who had magically walked into a time machine back in the day and emerged at #24 Willie Mays Plaza in uniform and ready to have at their 93-model tormentors.
Well, that ain’t gonna happen. It’s a fantasy. What is real is more a matter of who is real. Scheduled starter for San Francisco has earned himself the nickname of “Dirrrty”. There is some argument over the number of “r”s in the appellation, but general agreement around the league is that the snappy loogie has gone from a great stuff prospect with a ways to go, to an emerging ace who gives up fewer base hits per inning than any other hurler in The Show. Name is Sanchez. Jonathan Sanchez. Sanchez of the Padres bulletin board. The pitcher who won the wild, wild West.
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
So you wanted Sanchez/Glaus? Look, you fucks would be ballistic if Dirty gave it up after that effort. Strategy was fine, results not.
Exactly Michael . . . Strategy was spot on (except for armchair quarterbacks or whatever the baseball equivalent is).
Al Michaels uses the word FABULOUS to describe San Francisco, without any sense of irony.
I think everyone here said that this has to be the year Sanchez turns it around, if fact over on the splash they wanted to trade him for a bat. But boy has he turned it around!! The Giants quite possibly have the best 3 starters in MLB. To bad the bull pen faltered on Friday this series could have been over.
Sanchee has really matured the last half of the season. He doesn’t get upset by fielder miscues and walks as much as before. I think Posey is good for him, too. I figured they’d trade him in the offseason 1/2 through this year. Now, there’s no way. He’s turned a corner, finally….
Pulling Sanchez for Romo was exactly the right move. I thought he should have thought about a lefty coming in once Hinske replaced Glaus as the pinch-hitter, but Affeldt was not up and I thought Lopez was ready, but I am not griping. Fate may be in our hands this year for once..
We’re probably not going to see Romo facing any lefties in crucial situations for a while.
And what is the point of Affeldt being on the roster if Bochy has so little faith in him? They could have had Ford on the roster, to pinch run, instead of Affeldt taking a spot.
I will let Twin verify, but I dont think they could have put Ford on the playoff roster because he was not on the 25-man as of August 30th…
You can’t change the pitcher twice there. Once Romo was in, he had to pitch to whoever came up.
Exactly, that’s what I thought. He has to face one batter, and Bochy can’t do anything about it.
Sanchez is now untouchable…even for Uggla at this point. We have the 4 nastiest starters in baseball for the next few years..
National media does not like the outcome of the game, it would appear. AP’s Paul Newberry based his coverage on Conrad’s errata and got all weepy about key injuries which have infested that team this season. Karma for ’93 by way of mulcting Crime Dog away from the Padres. Dagos paid for their sins a week ago today and the Rox, who haplessly could not win ONE game from friggen Atlanta that year also paid their dues at last in their final series facing the best Rotation in baseball. Otherwise, the Giants would have been the Champs in ’93.
Braves were big winners in the 90’s based on some masterful starters. They STILL don’t deserve to be winners. When one team wins too often and too regularly (think Evil Empire) baseball gets boring to those who love the game.
Yahoo Sports baseball coverage has Hinske as their cover-art for the game. Sure, he hit a dramatic HR against a pitcher who proved he is not up to dealing with 8th inning pressure in a critical game. But game photo should have featured a Giant, as we won. Of course the pic needed to be the pitcher with the lowest batting average against in all of MLB. This series has been all about pitching, after all. Giants starters are totally dominant and Drrrty Sanchez made that abundantly clear once again.
National media has a known Eastcoast bias and disrespects the Giants. Maybe its cussnonaccounta the team is made up offensively of various rejects, retards (Uribe’s riding on fumes in the series to date with an .097 BA), hackers, has-beens (but Guillen did not show for his cheerleading role and will not wear an SF uniform again) and the presumptive ROY. No big bopper. No homerun headliner. Hey! Giants been there. Done that. So who gets picked on by the friggen feds and got kinda unofficially banned from MLB? Does it have anything to do with his uppity Jack Johnson attitude and his skin color? Inquiring minds want to know.
Well, the national media has a bit of a learning curve ahead of them. It’s as easy as A-B-C. A= Timmy, the Freak; B= Matt the Horse and C= just plain down, deep and Drrrrrrrrrrrrrty. If that ain’t enough you can add another developing Ace ready to pluck some peaches outta his Baumgarten (imagine a team with a full hand of aces in this day and age ~howdja like those odds Denny?) Still not enough?
Add a no longer so wild Joker to close out their masterpieces for the quartet of Aces and whaddya get? An orange and black October. After the accustomed torture the Halloween Machine is back on a roll.
You’re on fire, Stix!
you are indeed hot, Stix Maximus
Michael said it earlier about Sanchez becoming a star today, if he already wasn’t one after the “lights out” final game of the season he had last week. No doubt now.
Not going to get too full of myself, but we really have an opportunity to make some “noise” this post season. Frankly, I’m not certain about the hitting. Next year, I am hoping we get one impact hitter to go along with our 4 nasty (apt description GH) starters.
Blade and others, do we sit Uribe? He is not doing anything…I would like to see Renteria get a start to be honest with you.
Who are the Braves going with tomorrow?
I’m with you GH. If Rent can throw, give him a shot at SS. He takes good ABs. Uribe is near Panda territory in swinging at shit. He could use a day off…
FUCK the ECoast media. They don’t know anything about the Giants, other than maybe Lincecum has long hair. Posey is totally outplaying Heyward this series, they’re probably going to excuse that for some reason. That’s why IF the Giants made it to the WS, I would LOVE to play the Yankees so we could rub their noses in some WCoast baseball….
If Frank Gore played for the Giants, he’d run straight to second base after he hit the ball outta habit.
If Cox wanted Glaus against Sanchez, why didn’t he start? Let’s see if he does against Bum, with Conrad sitting…I agree with Baggs, Dirty shudda stayed in…all’s well that ends well.
No Uribe tomorrow. Font- 3rd, Rent- short, Twitchy- 2nd.
Bochy confirmed Font at 3B, didn’t see no Uribe. Is that a fact or just a wish?
RE: GHead @ 6:09PM: By rule, Romo has to face a batter so there was no turning back once Hinske was announced.
ahhh…has that always been the rule?
seems like when I was a kid, they would make that double pitcher switch…if the pitcher is locked in to face at least one hitter, then shouldn’t the rules force a hitter to face a pitcher once he is announced???? Seems equitable that a manager should have the ability to bring in a pitcher whenever he feels like it…
It’s been the rule as far back as I can remember. It’s probably a good rule.
How many pitching changes can a person sit through?
I already informed “The Fucking Idiot” of that.
Not certain about Uribe . . . He was 4 for 10 through the last 3 games of the season and since then (playoffs), he is 2 for 11 (with one double). Conversely, Renteria is 1-2 . . . He hasn’t had a “good” game since the GMen played the Dodgers on Sept. 16th, where he went 4 for 5, with a triple. After that, he only played two games and went hitless (0 for 7).
In short, I have no idea who they should play.
Uribe is showing Panda discipline at the plate…he swung at one his last at bat that may have hit the plate…
Heard the game off and on while drivin’ on the Jersey Turnpike. Then arrived in Philly to watch from the 7th on. Pacing. A brick in my stomach when Hinske hit his bomb. Morose. Hopeless. Less hope, except for a sliver of hope — the kind of sliver of hope (or faith) that Anne Sexton describes in “Small Wire,” the kind a spider depends on to traverse the web, the kind a Giants fan balances with a lifetime of — well, you all know. Let’s not say it, or “doom” it. But a sliver. Enough. Enough is abundance. Wow and wow and then wow again. So happy for the Giants. All of ’em. And you all. And us. Both Sanchezes. Huff. Ishi. Nate. Posey. Wilson. Bochy. All. Everyone. Man! I was so amped up I needed a meeting and found my way to one, a block and a half away in Philly. Rittenhouse Square: Tortured Giants Fans Anonymous (TGFA). Whew. What a day!
Paulie, I drink to you finding a meeting….
Surely the Niners will win a game this year, right?
At this pt I’m rooting for the first pick in the draft: ride “sing’s” bulkshit coaching out for the rest of the yr, draft Luck #1, give harbaugh whatever the fuck he wants: super bowl win in 3 yrs or less
Cincy has only a few more outs left in their season. Game is getting on. They haven’t been able to touch Hamels. Phils have only a couple runs, but those tallies loom huge. Wouldda preferred the Reds in the NLCS. Oh well. The Beast from the East has those three good starters, but their BP does not begin to compare with those of the Dagos, the Bravos, or the Gigantes, for that matter.
NLCS is a full 7-game series. Two out. Three in. Two out. Some discipline on the part of Giants hitters could do wonders against a talented but thin staff.
Yes, Uribe should sit tomorrow. He’s been running on fumes, like i noted. Doesn’t mean he should sit for the Postseason ~ just tomorrow ~ that is, unless known clutch hitter Edgar Renteria decides on one last hurrah. Would be fitting for a team known for whacking and hacking. RentMan + pair of Runts = many happy returns. Could just be.
Biggest shocker was Fruckie’s AB. The way he started that AB, I gave him zero chance.
By the way, Bob Brenly still sucks.
As a broadcaster, his comment that Wilson has more guts than stuff is just unforgivable. Where did he come up with that conclusion?
Twin- totally agree. Those first 2 swings were abominable. Then, somehow, he fights his way back from the dead to get that hit. He’s POTG based on the situation and the fact that I gave him a 1% chance of getting a hit after those first 2 absurd swings. Ps: gore is pissing me off
Isn’t the Braves shortstop the same guy that made a big error for the Cubs in the infamous Bartman inning?
Somebody shoot Alex Smith and put that poor bastard out of his misery.
yes please, is there a sniper in the stands??
Not going well for Dusty at the moment. And Dusty was part of the Bartman inning, too. Left Prior in too long.
The 49ers are a goddamn embarrassment. The Giants are literally saving the Niners with their magical run. If it were not for the Giants, all the focus would be on them and heads would have rolled by now.
It is Marie Antoinette time.
Michael said, on October 10, 2010 at 7:02 pm
I already informed “The Fucking Idiot” of that.
——————————————————————————
Hey! I resemble that remark!
Well, that was as bad a play as possible, Alex. The season and Smith are both done. Lots of blame for that but Alex had his chance this year and couldn’t deliver. Blow it up.
Haha, yeah, David carr is gonna win this. Singletary built this ship— jimy raye, smith, the no-threat carr as a back up. Jimmy raye is gone, smith is hitting the bench, here comes carr…. Sorry but sing has no where else to point the gun. Time to put it at your temple….
Out of sheer obstinance Sing abandoned the only offense that worked for them last year. That’s no apologia for Alex but we’ve seen repeatedly that he operates best in an open offense. Make me eat my words. Alex. Great drive.
What’s the start time for tomorrow, 4:37?
Being a Minnesotan i could care less about the Niners. Nuff said there. Giants are my primary sports interest. Knew the Twins did not have the pitching to compete with the Evil Empire, so i parked the thought of worrying about it.
You know who’s worried now? Braves. They cannot win it in Atlanta for the foam rubber tomahawk-wielding, death chant moaning homeboyz. They can lose at home, like tomorrow night. But they could only win it at McCovey Cove. From what i just noted on Yahoo Baseball coverage is that now the predicted starter for Atlanta is Derek Lowe ~ on three days rest. Venters should be pretty much on fumes now. That kid from Kaintuck found he wasn’t invincible either. Giants have seen Lowe ~ recently. They should know what he’s got by now.
As long as its not Romo pitching in the eighth, struggling to protect a narrow lead, my read is that with the Atlanta pitchers a bit used up right now, Bumgarner has no worse than a fifty-fifty chance of nailing it down right there at the ChopShop.
Bobby Cox admitted in a postgame interview that the Braves are not the best team in baseball. So let him retire in peace. Soonest.
On Freddy’s hit, a better right fielder would’ve had it and a better throw would-ve, etc. etc. Gutsy to send Ishi home and score.
I happy.
Talk funny.
Pawlie, that was Huff’s hit. Freddy hit a grounder up the middle.
I don’t really have a problem with smith. He does some things well. I just think singletary isn’t a guy with the skill set to do this job. And I supported the offer/signing at the time. I was totally wrong…
Nice kick return!
Well, now what? Under the cirumstances, pretty fucking gutty comeback from Alex with all of SF screaming for his head.
Thing is there are just enough good things going on that they don’t appear hopeless, and the division is pretty lame. But a lot of poor D coverage and tackling, and too much dropping the football.
Exciting game, not done yet. Davis is a beast, get him the fucking football.
Wow, highlights of the game are just atrocious. Hardly a word on Sanchez carrying a no-no into the 6th and striking out 11. Just dwelling on that sorry saps 12 errors that he made. I’m really beginning to despise ESPN.
I’m watching the whole game again now. Sanchez was every bit as good as Tim for 7. But my goodness, questioning removing him is insane. And you just do not understand this game at all if you thhink Bochy should have bailed on Romo after one poor outing. Sergio was almost unhittable the last month (.097 BA against). Ramirez had been every bit as good but he kinda did give up a two thousand foot HR just the other night. The choice was Romo or Wilson for another long save outing. Hey, maybe it was destined: Hinske got the HR hitting for Glaus so Bobby couldn’t move Infante to second base this time…
Late to the party … not that anyone cares. The emotional highlights:
My goodness, J. Sanchez has climbed the respect ladder with two huge, key, clutch performances. Is anything more obvious? But I still had to say it.
Ishi and Nate … so much respect for these guys accepting a role and excelling at the damned thing. Impressive, and huge again. Nate didn’t drill it, but he didn’t roll one of the ground either, did he? Or K.
Finally, Wilson, as expected, with no ill effects of a tough-luck blown save.
Now, I WILL say, my first guess at the time was that I preferred Sanchez facing Glaus over Romo vs. Hinske. It didn’t even seem like a close call unless there was something about Sanchez I couldn’t know. That hiiter, in THAT park made Romo seem l ike a bigger risk to me. You’ll have to trust me, it was a first guess.
Not that anyone cares.
I’ll take the Giants -1500 with Bum and Tim.
One thing I’d like to see is our LOOGY not being restricted to that just one batter. Say he comes in to face Heyward again and does his job, let him stay to face Lee. McCann and Cabrera mostly likely follow next, so we’re set there. I know his numbers vs the right-handers might suggest otherwise, but I recall Lopez pitching a full inning maybe even an inning and a third a time or two. It’s not etched in stone he’s allowed only one guy, ride the hot hand thus eliminating any further trials and tribulations from others.
This concludes the peanut gallery suggestion for the hour.
Managers go by the book because it’s a good book, Dennis… As I’ve pointed out before, the fat ass couch potato second guessers always have the advantage-their move always works. Dirty K’s Glaus every fucking time in the FACP world. Romo was the call. Move along, he won’t pitch tomorrow..
I’d be extremely surprised if Juan sits tomorow, BTW. Probably same LU unless Rowand starts for Ross. Wouldn’t hurt my feelings if Edgar started but Juan in the deepest of slumps is still a long ball threat every AB…
Romo might have been the call for Glaus, but when Cox countered with Hinske, where was the double counter with our LOOGY to go lefty on lefty? Baggs in is notebook is quoted as saying Cox sprung the trap, and “outfoxed” Bochy.
I’m still not really sure what happened in the ninth inning. Conrad’s third error?
Divine intervention is my best guess.
He can’t do that. Romo has to face Hinske. It’s called a RULE.
Well, I guess that’s what Baggs meant by getting “outfoxed.” Cox won that battle, but we won the war.
I can’t handle any more battles or wars, I’m running out of fingernails.
Postseason Hinske (before today) 1 for 6 1 HR
Glaus 25 for 75 9 HR
EZ call. Baggarly is wrong this time.
Michael,
I think you have it wrong. I still believe in Romo too, but Sanchez was dominating. When you take him out it gives the other team a lift. Was a bad move, always will be.
Well, dumb fuck, since your call can never be questioned, it’s always right.Everyone of you fucks are postal if Glaus beats Sanchez and you KNOW it. I’ve given you the facts, now shut the fuck up. It was the right call.
Tomorrow’s lineup? Has to be the same, it just has to be the same. Juan has very good numbers vs Lowe in a limited sample; 3 for 6 including a double, 3 RBI and 2 walks. He plays. Rowand for Ross? I’m sorry, I thought this was the Flap, not Twin’s Comedy Shop. 2 drink minimum? OK, just don’t water the shit down, and tell the chef this is low-grade dog food. I can still see the marks where the jockey was hitting the horse.
I’m watching the replay on MLB network of the Rangers/Rays game, and it’s a technicolor nightmare. Bad unis for both teams. Molina looks like Spiderman with that red uni and the blue catcher’s gear.
Dumbest move of the game was throwing Fruckie the slider. He couldn’t touch Kimbrel’s heater.
I was kind of surprised Cox didn’t make Venters the closer after Wagner went down. Very similar styles, and we all know how tough he’s been on us.
Someone needs to come up with the key, clutch hit early so we won’t have these late nail-biting cliffhangers. 1-10 w/ RISP and 11 LOB today. A little breathing room would be much appreciated on this end.
Texas is blowing their series. They’re kinda the AL team I’m pulling for in the playoffs.
Just saw Travis score again, not close with any throw.
I’m guessing that you strategically question every complete game ever where the starter allows his 3 base runner of the game.
Baseball is, and always will be a game of varying opinions, not fact. My opinion is you have a great mind for baseball, are occasionally wrong, and occasionally an asshole when peoples opinions differ from yours.
If I ever have the occasion to be wrong,I’ll admit it. Listen up:you have all the ammo, we know it didn’t work out with Romo. The question is whether Bochy put him in a position where his failure was likely or ven somewhat likely. Romo had been unscored on the last month, I showed you Glaus vs. Hinske post season, Sanchez was in territory he rarely is in-the 8th inning. Leave this to the cool heads, a HUGE part of the reason Bochy’s pen was nails is his faith in them even after a failure. Stick to board games, dude.
BTW, short fucking memory if the prospect of Glaus didn’t send a few chills. Glaus preferable to Hinske? That’s a fucking joke.
Fuck Texas. Bring me the head of Alex Gomez…
It’s a mess in the stands. Texas fans with a mish mash of red shirts/blue hats, blue shirts/red hats. Like the stands are filled with Ronald MacDonald clowns or something.
The conclusion you draw is that the Texas organization isn’t fully ready for Prime Time. They need to hone their act.
If we are going back to 2002 than prospect of a manager taking out a dominant starter for a reliever should also bring a few chills. That fact that you don’t factor the emotional lift that brought the Angels is the fucking joke…
You’re undoubtedly one of the assholes who put it all on Felix… dominating? Ortiz gave up two hits in the 7th and was DYING to get pulled, the pussy fuck. I don’t even wanna hear about Russ Ortiz…he wanted no part of it and he had a nice lead, the gutless scuzz.
Dude, you’re an idiot…
Anyway . Not ONE objection when Romo came in. Not one,then a couple dozen *immediately* after the HR. You second guessing fucks were right there and had no problem until after the fact. Emotional lift, bullshit. A bad pitch.
And I don’t wanna one peep from the shitheads who claim they told their buddies it was wrong. You’re lying. You did the same thing I did, and dude did, and Snarkklefuck did: you saw the change, got a beverage, rooted for Romo, went FUCK FUCK FUCK when he didn’t get him. You had ZERO problem until he gave it up.You’d be saying the same shit if Sanchez gave it up, Bochy fucked up.. Just admit it, scumbagos..
Here’s the thing a lot of people forget and if they’d just remember it, they’d stop second guessing Bochy.
See, when Bochy ponders a pitching change he follows one simple process. He asks himself…what would Jared do?
Good night, gentlemen (?)