Beards: 2 Clean Shaven: 0
So who had the Giants scoring 20 runs in the first two games? The computer contest is likely over, I just don’t know who had the highest number. I am the worst computer contest contestant of all time, I think I went with 18 runs or something like that……
Is THIS the best the AL has to offer? Their pitching is atrocious. Maybe things turn around for them when they get back to wherever the Hell Arlington is but they’ve been soundly beaten in every facet of the game so far. Psychologically, I think they HAVE to be questioning themselves.
As Bee-Weeeezy said the other day, “Around here, we’re all about the beard.” That sums up the season nicely, doesn’t it? I’m not down with jinxes but I’m *down with the sickness* so I care one whit about typing these words: This series is over, we win……..
Nice to see some old friends show up on the blog last night. Don’t be strangers, this is OUR time right now……..
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
You Texas bashers are missing an opportunity. The Giants will enjoy perfect baseball weather in Dallas (essentially where they’ll be) this weekend. If the season ends there, under southern stars, so be it. Put the Rangers and their mediocre bullpen out of their misery like so many earmarked steers herded into the stadium for the slaughter, while the local fans watch in awe. Lard knows the Rangers don’t ever want to face SF in SF again.
Oh, and, Hey, Guillen? Hit the highway, asshole.
Stranding inherited runners is an important if underappreciated part of relievers’ work. For two Series games, the Rangers’ bullpen has inherited 10 runners, and all 10 have scored. That included seven in this game.
Lowe has a 67.16 ERA for the Series. Then there is Holland, who has the dreaded “Buzz Lightyear ERA of infinity.” I find it mind blowing that Washington hasn’t used closer Neftali Feliz to stop the bleeding.
Alright then. Let’s get two.
THE RANGERS ARE NOT WHO I THOUGHT THEY WERE…nor ESPN nor any other sports media outlet.
Sad to say, a Giants World Series game was actually boring. There was no doubt in my mind when Renteria hit it out, we would win the game.. Cain is the stud of studs on this staff. I think half of country just said Matt who last night…
And listen up ESPN and the rest of you “experts,” just imagine these words for the next 5-6 years…Lincecum-Sanchez-Cain-Bumgarner-Wheeler.
We will make mincemeat of that Braves rotation in the 90s…
“down with the sickness”
NICE FLAV!
I gotta get out to cafeteria duty and show off my Tim Lincecum costume—Haad jersey, eye black, black wig with hair tucked behind the ears, lid.
take a picture……
Perhaps now the national media will start taking the G men seriously and stop asking themselves how the hell these guys got here.
All this talk of the series being over makes me squirm. I wish you guys would hold off until we *do* win the thing. Great first two games, but they are just that: two games.
Flav, cool video of the best park in the majors right before the season started. If you had said the G’s would win it all, I really would have been impressed. 😀 Your daughter is getting the best kind of upbringing, raised on the Orange & Black!
We are watching Matt Cain reach his full potential as a pitcher, and it’s a blast to see. I am just so impressed with everything about his game; his composure, his talent, the way he stays within himself, his absolute mastery of his craft. I love Timmy, but Cain is the best pitcher on that staff right now. The epitome of consistency. What a performance last night.
About the only national media guy I can stomach right now is John Kruk. He is pretty much the only one giving the G’s their props, and he did pick them to win it. The rest of these bozos are a joke. Even in the face of two dominant performances, they are making excuses for the Strangers instead of giving the Giants credit. Screw them.
On to Tex-ass they go. Sanchy will come up with the goods tomorrow night and we *will* touch up Colby Lewis. We’ve already beat their two best pitchers. To hell with winning at home, I WANT THE SWEEP!
What a ride this has been!!! Pure magic!!!
GO GIANTS!!!
“The rest of these bozos are a joke.” JBat, I wasn’t anywhere near those fuckwads.
LOL! Funny thing, I thought about throwing in a disclaimer there. 😀 Fuckwads indeed.
Sarge, I heard one guy last night (I think on ESPN) say something like – I don’t want to talk about what the Giants are doing, I want to talk about what Texas isn’t doing.
And, Fox going on and on about Ron Washington last night. I was just waiting for one of those guys to say – Yeah, well the Texas batboy could kick the Giants batboy’s ass.
This from Rangers co-owner Chuck Greenberg.
“We saw the fans here in San Francisco; they were excited,” Greenberg said. “But it’s nothing like what the Giants are going to see when they come to Texas. They better buckle up.”
Please. The guy’s clearly never been to Philadelphia.
The only ranger that wasn’t surprised by that pitching performance was Nolan Ryan. I seem to remember him giving Cain props a year ago or so. What a win by Cain. It seems like yesterday that he was getting pulled from the rotation and having starts skipped. Except that was years ago. He’s a full blown big time arm. The gods reached down and put a thunderbolt in his arm and a million dollar head. Can’t say enough about that pitching performance last night.
I lived in Texas for 3+years. Other than good BBQ, eminently forgetable. Natives are friendly, women are pretty ( I married a transplanted one, y’all), but the natives tend to think that outside of their republic, nobody else knows shit. So, other than Austin, it ain’t much to write home about — unless you like relentless humidity, some small towns that smell like oil, scorpions, whackjob religious and political radio, and football, football, football. Go Giants, one game at a time…
I worked as a rough neck in the desert oil fields near Midland/Odessa one winter. Like a trip to hell — sulfur in the air being the finishing touch. (Came back to Calif. that spring and helped a friend sail a 28 ft sloop from Santa Cruz to Vancouver. Cleared my head nicely.) But hell, Tx is a huge state. There’s all kind of stuff there. The range is as great as Calif.
Jayson Stark and John Kruk were the only 2 that I’ve heard give the Giants any props. I don’t know why I even care about what these assholes have to say but it just bothers me to hear the bile spewing from the mouths of the talking heads. Kruk actually gave a warning to everybody before the season was over that if we got into the playoffs we could be a very dangerous team.
Sarge, don’t let it bug you man. The media never gave this club a chance and look where they are. 2 more Ws is all that matters
Yeah, Kruk has been behind them, most of the way, excpet for when they were playing Philly.
Jose Guillen was just implicated in steroid shipments to his wife . . .
Saw that too Chuck. Considering his performance with SF maybe he should have tried flack seed oil instead.
BF, I was going use that as a Denzel quote from the movie “Remember the Titans”. In the championship game he gathers them around and says “this is OUR time. Lets go!!
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
(phew)
Sorry. Just had to get that out
Which game is W throwing out the first pitch?
The game in Hell?
Ostler makes a good point, in the midst of his manic attempt to spray zingers this morning: the Giants suffered their share of injuries etc. this season (starting with DeRosa, peaking with Torres, still ailing with Renteria’s right arm, and those are only the low points), but very little of that physical grief showed up in the starting staff or bullpen. The staff, in general, has possessed the physical health and strength and resilience necessary to get this thing done. Combine that physical power with the confidence those guys have and with the mastery Bochy has for handling them, and a full portrait of the Giants’ dominant pitching develops. It’s not just a few great guys who are dominant and some other guys who aren’t (like Tx or Philly). It’s fully half the goddamned team that’s completely dominant.
Seems like Uribe has played through injuries all year.
Matt Cain, you’re a star after last night. A lot more folks know about you now.
“Sad to say, a Giants World Series game was actually boring.”
Don’t know what game you were watching GH. Pretty damn exciting here up until the 8th inning.
G’s offense has been amazing with 2 outs.
Good point from Schulmann; if you’re a SF cop, you don’t want a sweep. Halloween and a G’s victory on the same night?
I would sort of like to see them win it at AT&T. We’ve waited this long…
So…..on to Game 3. What kind of performance will we get from Sanchez? Who knows? I’m thinking Bochy will have the quick hook ready, like that last game against the Phillies. The bullpen is pretty well rested. Sanchez needs to give the team a chance to win that game. It kind of bugs me that we’re still having to question his mental frame of mind.
And yet we all know that Sanchez can go out there and pitch a gem, and just totally baffle the Rangers.
Somebody made a comment about Renteria finding a fountain of youth….he looked 10 years younger out there. With him performing well, that totally solidifies the infield lineup. The big question left for Bochy is who to DH. I guess it comes down to Panda vs. Ishi. I was leaning Panda, but I’m starting to see the Ishi side of things, too. Play Ishi at first, and put Huff at DH, a role I’m sure he’s done before. And it upgrades the infield defense, too. (Although Huff has been just fine at first, overall.)
I’m less inclined towards the “start Nate in RF, and DH Burrell.” Although, Burrell ain’t hitting well anyway lately, so what could it hurt to just DH him. And it upgrades the outfield D. Bur I just like Panda or Ishi ahead of Nate on this issue. More power to pop one out.
A couple posts yesterday mentioned that the Kinsler ball was the biggest sign of all that things are truly going our way. That reminded me of Game 1 in the 2000 Series when Todd Zeile hit one that bounced off the top of the LF wall at Yankee Stadium and back into play. Right then and there, the Mets never had a chance. It also didn’t help that Timo Perez got thrown out at home after stylin’ on the bases thinking the ball was a HR, and the Mets eventually lost in extra innings on a Jose Vizcaino single.
Man, what a blast these two games have been. And how great to see Cain pitch like that on the biggest stage of all. It’s lookin’ good, real, real good. But there’s still work to be done in Texas. Two to go.
Too early obviously to talk MVP after two games but I will anyway: smidge of an edge thus far to Juan over Edgar and Fruckie. If they wrap it up with Lincecum winning in 5, could be Timmy stiill. But of course there’s time for any player on EITHER team to step up…Rangers don’t project a lot of confidence though , a little too much talk of home cooking and not of cranking up the fire. The pundits are right on this: Wash has been passive, no way he shouldn’t have had Perez up when Holland entered, and he only ran when down TWO, ferchrissakes: worked, but bad risk move ( the ball Edgar dropped)… thing is, for all the talk of AL superiority, AL ball is bad ball.. WE are taking pitches, going the other way, playing defense….Rangers are waiting for the ball to bounce over the wall… BTW: doesn’t matter how off y’all are, there WILL be a winner. If it ends in Texas, front runners are Kat,Blade, Kristen, Chuckles, and Dennis. SanDog is a preevie so he would get the certificate if he won. If it gets back too SF, Kat is almost a lock at 27.
Is there a post somewhere that lists all of the entrants for the contest?
Also–anyone know Flav’s email address? Does he ever list one on here?
Tough to sit Edgar now but I’d like to see Travis and Panda both in the LU against Lewis. Ishi can clean up the bad throws, Huff DH. But I imagine Panda does DH, and shit, Edgar slams or something insane like that. NO Whitey could play SS now, Bonehead is on a roll….
Hardly slept, watched the game again, watched highlights again. watched Law and Order, watched some chefs, watched Mondo lose out on Project Runway ( had that recorded). I’ll watch again today, watch the Warrors tonight… then maybe the game Mota saved in LA… NO part of me wants this back to SF except for a parade. Do it in four and come home to our loving arms. If these guys do it I plan on being at the 50 year reununion.. be there or be square…
I can be both
MrmrBill 20,5,10
Zumie 21,8,8
GiantHead 17,4,7
Ted 21,7,13
Sarge 20,6,11
Kristen 25,8,7
Blade 26,5,8
Bozo 19, 7,6
JBat 20,5,8
Kevin 18,6,8
Craig 21,6,8
Max 16,5,5
Stix 22,7,9
3Bagger 17,4,9
Peter SanDog 29,9,11
Macdog ( JBush) 21,7,6
Denny 24,6,6
DeCap 21,5,8
Chuckles 24,6,8
Ewisco 19,4,9
Ray 23,7,12
Swick 23,7,8
AlleyKat 27,8,9
8 of us are either already at the run mark or already missed it. 5 of us will be out, including me, probably tomorrow. And yet the numbers looked reasonable when they were first posted.
Weird series. But worth it.
I’m rooting for SanDog to win this thing now. I’d need a 1-0, 2-1 sweep of the Rangers to win it. And I don’t think my heart can take that.
“It kind of bugs me that we’re still having to question his mental frame of mind.”
I’d say you don’t *have* to question Sanchez’s frame of mind. He’ll either have enough command to get the Rangers to chase or he won’t. He put up several games statistically very similar to Lincecum’s WS game 2 performance over the year, but with more walks and fewer hits. He has wriggled out of tight spots more than a few times this season to deliver a 5 1/3 inning, 4 run performance. I didn’t see the “meltdown” everyone else did in game 6 because Bochy didn’t wait to find out if it would happen or not. And his game 2 NLCS performance was actually quite good.
burrell looks bad at the plate. he’s been watching strikes and swinging at balls and now looks like he’s just hoping to get a walk. I keep expecting him to burst out but maybe it’s time to give nate a shot, huff dh or left and ishi first if huff dh’s. neither nate nor ish should have a problem hitting it out in arlington.
You don’t bench a player with an 872 OPS, without whom you don’t even make the playoffs. Uribe had looked terrible over many games until the 3 run jack. The continued intermittent questioning of Huff and Burrell is kinda amazing. They were the Giants 2 best offensive players this year.
But he looks lost NOW. and the point of the post season is that you have to win NOW. not later, not saving ego’s. NOW. Everyone has been very complimentary of Bochy’s urgency and rightfully so. It’s something that, having lived in NY/NJ for many years, I watched Joe Torres do so well. Dusty, on the other hand, doesn’t get it.
Rowand has had contributions, zito contributed. it’s not about what you contributed during the season, it’s what you can contribute NOW.
Cohn seemed to think Sanchez hit Utley on purpose to get out of the game because he didn’t have the heart for it. I’ll confess to thinking Dirty didn’t look too displeased to be pulled and that is a bit troubling. But as I posted, I think Bochy’s plan was to try to get up 2-0 before Texas ( well, duh, but I mean NAIL 2-0). That’s why he didn’t split Matt and Tim, he wanted Dirty up two when he took the hill. He’s on, the series is OVER, nobody hits him. Never have. The Rangers will probably be HARD on him from the dugout trying to get in his head and he gets squeezed more than any pitcher in the game. I look for a performance similar to the clincher against San Diego: 5 and then the pen. 6-3 SF…
He certainly looked pretty bummed out in the dugout. So, according to Cohn Sanchez manufactured his removal and then perhaps simulated a meltdown?! Wow, that’s more complex than a fucking Greek tragedy!
Thank God for baseball-reference.com . . . .
Baseball writer for Yahoo Sports Jeff Passan has come to the conclusion that the Giants winning ways are the product of the “Supernatural”. He kinda gets it, but not quite. He does cite the Black and Orange colors. He even once references the machine. Fact he interviews RentMAN, asking him how this ‘craziness’ could be happening and deadpan Edgar answers “it’s Halloween”.
Chronicle writer says the Curse of Candlestick is now over and no longer is all the BAD luck going the Giants way. Another quotes Bochy along the lines of many of these guys being “280, 290 and even 300 hitters”. Something about the postseason got them outta their collective funk and caused them to gel. It’s a good team. The pundits, prognosticators and Poobahs are gonna hafta learn that. One might even say that Giants hitters were an uncoordinated, disjointed bunch ~until they got to the Postseason in general and the World Series in particular.
But in the end, the name of the game is pitching. Matt Cain, the Horse, has joined the ranks of Christy Mathewson, Carl Hubbell and a couple non-Giants pitchers, as the creme de la creme of PostSeason hurlers, having not given up a single earned run in more than 21 IP. Giants have the best pitching in baseball. Hitters are finally catching up to their teammates. This one is a team for the ages: The HALLOWEEN MACHINE, rocking and rolling their way through a Black and Orange October.
Then Passan stole it from you Stix . . . You’ve been the one pushing the Halloween angle from the start. You should sue Passan for “intellectual” copyright infringement.
I won’t lie to ya’ll. I felt pretty bad for Holland last night. It was painful to watch
Yeah, sure, and you probably averted your eyes when a bounding ball sped toward RF in the first game.
Yes. I couldn’t bear the sight
I must have been next in line behind the Tin Man when they were passing out hearts.
I felt nothing. Ball 12.
I felt nothing either. But it sounds like everyone who watched it on TV felt bad. I need to watch it tonight.
” NO Whitey could play SS now, Bonehead is on a roll….”
Even I couldn’t bash that move. Sumbitch is on a roll. It’s your move, skipper. I’m just a tickled to death onlooker.
I don’t know if they showed it on TV but some time around the 7th inning, they played “Lights” by Journey at the park. The game was still hanging in the balance and everyone was quite tense. When the song started up, every single person – young and old – in the stands sang along with the ode to the greatest city in the world. The little kid in front of us. The hardened 20-somethings behind us who cursed at the fans behind them for half the game. The old ladies to the right of us. The drunk guy next to me who spent more time getting beer than watching the game. Every single person singing in what felt like perfect unison.
It was fucking magical. It was goosebumps everywhere and chills-down-the-spine incredible.
I hope every one of you gets to experience a feeling like that at least once in your lifetimes.
Totally, totally diggin this from last night.
If you’re a Giants fan, a Journey fan, and a fan of one of the great cities of this planet, take a look. Unbelievable, this song is the song we dedicated to our younger daughter, it fit our situation to a T when she was born right after we returned “home” to the Bay Area from lost years in Texas. (Our older daughter’s “song” is Born on the Bayou from CCR, because she was).
Props to Baer, it is AWESOME. Caution, yield for spontaneous emotional outbursts…
(woman wiping tears at 1:15)
That’s great, I was just writing a post about this…
Note, there’s TWO video links above, you have to click on the first URL link to get to that one….
Thanks snarkk! I didn’t even think to look for video of this. One of the writers on ESPN wrote about “Livin’ on a Prayer” but didn’t mention “Lights”. The Bon Jovi song came after “Lights” and seemed like such a forced moment by comparison.
I think they’re contractually obligated to play the Bon Jovi thing. They’ve been doing it all year
Swicky, that is too cool that our posts on this were the exact same minute. There is some serious Giants mojo goin on everywhere….
Livin on a Prayer did have it’s moment though. With game two pretty much in the bag, “we’re half way there” never had so much meaning at a Giants game.
I’m with you, 3Bagger. It was a good moment, but not great like when they played “Lights”. Something about Bon Jovi being from Jersey just doesn’t quite click for me.
I was there in person last night and I just got the chills again.
I got the chills watching both videos, too.
there’s someone nearby who couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket.
Can’t let ’em back into this thing. Gotta stomp ’em to death tomorrow.
4th at Belmont today, #2 “Matt’s a Giant” was scratched.
I guess it’s only fitting, he just ran last night. Give the Big Horse a rest.
So after last night, no one has mentioned Rowand as DHing??
Against the right-handers? No way, no how and NO whitey.
Orson Welles will be our DH. In honor of the late James MacArthur, “You can book it, Danno!”
I think Rowand dedicated that opposite field shot to Snarkk.
Rip their fuckin’ throats out. Stuff ’em in your garbage compactor…
Damn right.
I was not endorsing Cohn’s view, just passing it on. Some of you may recall that I was one of the very very few to caution for YEARS that trading Sanchez could make the A.J. deal look like a bargain for the Giants…as much as any pitcher in the game today, a no-no is thinkable for Dirty everytime out…
Kevin: you don’t DH Rowand, you play him in center and DH Pat if an OFer is to DH. I do NOT buy he can’t do it… but I’d be shocked if it wasn’t Panda DHing….
Bochy’s pulled the right strings again. Sanchez starting with a 2-0 cushion has the potential to be much better than Sanchez starting with a 1-0 cushion.
As zumie pointed out yesterday, Bochy’s giving a non-answer on the subject of Pat the Bat DHing “If a guys not comfortable doing something, you don’t want him in that position. It doesn’t mean we won’t do it”
Bochy cracks me up. Ya gotta luv ‘im
I know you weren’t endorsing it, Michael.
POTD! Thanks Flav!
A lot has been made about the breaks, especially the crazy bounce last night- so we would have won 9-1.Texas has given zero indication yet that they have the skill and resolve to win this, with or without the breaks. Let’s not forget second and third, one out: Cruz and Kinsler: two weak pop ups… Hamilton, zero patience against Lopez…
Game 3 lineup:
CF–Yungo
2B–Fruckie
1B–Thong
.C–Jesus
LF–Machine
RF–Clown
3B–MVP
DH–Orson
SS–Ponce de León
SP–Dirrrty
For a guy who bashes our lineup on a daily basis, I kinda like that one. But I have over 24 hrs. to find something wrong with it. But I’ll be damned if “Blockhead” isn’t making it rough on me. Every move made by our skipper has turned into gold. Kind Midas has nothing Bochy.
“King” I’m assuming he was kind as well.
Do we have confirmation that Burrell is “The Machine”
The “Machine” has been outed.: http://tinyurl.com/2egro8a
TF, once the Giants score 6runs off their ace, it was like that took the wind right out of their sail. And then their bullpen couldn’t keep it together in either game. I am wondering how the coaching staff boosts there moral??
Just getting back to Earth.
Not really.
Tears, just watched “Lights.”
Man.
I had no doubt at all in 2002 even after Felix gave up the HR. I even thought Livan would come up big in 7…but you know, I saw more love in the dugout last night for “The Gamer” than I ever saw in 2002 or any other year here. Never under estimate the Power of Love…
You don’t need money, don’t take fame…
I was so, so happy for Gamer. Now I’m hoping for some similar Magic for Pandoval and even Whitey and anyone else who needs it.
Nice reference Twin. For some reason I have the urge to buy a Delorean.
And, Swickman, beautiful, perfect, poetic, spiritual post.
Magnus, the photo of you and me that you posted captures my euphoria and yours and ours and everyone’s, if may be so presumptuous. Great to meet you. And thanks again ever so much for The Flap. Truly.
I don’t know what happens after this pink [excuse me, wonderfully black and orange] cloud, but I’m flying high. In the purest, most exultant sense of the words. And no matter what happens, THIS is our moment. Deo gratias.
I would give my left nut to be able to be in the bay area right now and the other one to have been able to go to either one of those games.
I can’t even begin to imagine how electric the atmosphere was there. I was able to make it out to one game this season, it happened to be the Cody Ross bat flip game when he was still playing for Florida and Buster was in the midst of his hit streak and white hot July. Anyway, the atmosphere was high voltage then, I couldn’t even fathom what it must have been like in the PS
bigflavor77@gmail.com
Rangers fans have got to be wondering what the hell Washington is doing. Sitting Vlad and Molina? I could see one (Vlad) but not both. Then late in the game he doesn’t bunt the runners over. The guy played for LA and Houston so I assume he’s seen an NL game before. He just looks overmatched. That said, the rangers came back strong against Tampa and this series is still up for grabs.
Is Ozzy still touring? If not maybe RJ can give Sanchez a call and build him up a little.
Dirt, the Rangers never played from behind vs. the Rays. They did come back from an 0-1 deficit vs. the Yankees, though. This thing is far from over, but I’m counting on Sanchez being more relaxed with a 2 game lead. This next game means a lot more to the Rangers than it does to the Giants. Bochy’s also going to go with a short leash, considering his bullpen is well rested and ready to work.
Rays. Yankees. Whatever. All those beer league teams run together in my mind. Plus I haven’t had a beer yet to sober up from last night so I’m not thinking straight yet.
Ron acts like he’s managing a 21 game series…”ah, Derek will be OK in a day or two… just a blip”… blips lose short series’, Wash…
All 15 Rangers fans are really ripping him on their blog sites right now. He’s not the sole reason they’re out but he’s not making things easy for his team.
Exactly Twin. This is the WORLD FUCKING SERIES!!! I see no urgency in Washington, especially when he was already down a game and 0-2 in game two.
Little known fact: Jim Bouton’s book was originally titled “Derek Holland.”
Brilliant!!!!
Per Baggs, apparently that Ashkon dude that did the “Don’t Stop Believin” video caught a foul pop into the stands last night. Wow, this Giants mojo keeps goin and goin and goin….
Swick, I agree this game is important. I’m not too worried about Sanchez really
And thanks Dennis for the Machine story. Pretty funny to see Pat’s lighter side. (Not that I needed to see his backside)
Its a goddamn shame that Miller is not on the tv broadcast
Damn straight. It also sucks to see Kruk and Kuip interviewed after the game on CSNBA. If nothing else, at least Buck and McCarver have given K&K some truly gushing, almost sheepish, respect.
It killed me last night when Buck and McCarver went on and on about how Nolan Ryan came in and changed the organizations approach to pitching and how other orgs will model off of them.
Meanwhile, SF is shutting town ML’s top offense on the field behind a pitching staff with a historic run started in September that has not been seen since… Well I don’t know when.
To me it is these little things where MLB fails. Miller was inducted into the HOF this year and has been calling games on the national stage for a while now. Selig wants me to believe these two clowns are better? They aren’t qualified to fetch his coffee.
Yeah, but for me it makes the radio broadcasts a hell of a lot more enjoyable. Being in Hawaii, the games start around 2. So a lot of my game following has been by way of radio and hearing that familiar voice giving the Giants some love has really saved it for me. Joe Morgan really knows baseball, but a lot of the stuff he talks about is really dated.
I hear ya. Given the choice I almost always listen on the radio and that is mainly because of Miller. Got to watch the WS though.
I know Morgan annoys a lot of people but I have always liked him. He and Miller make a good team.
a pleasure hearing Miller/Morgan last night driving from Rochester to Syracuse, fresh from my hajj to SF; had to pull in a CHICAGO station!!
Warming up with a 7 run lead in game One: Brian Wilson. Warming up for the Rangers down 2 8th inning in Game 2 : NO ONE…
Outmanaged.
“I thought he would correct himself,” Washington said of Holland. “I didn’t expect 12 balls in 13 pitches. But it happened.”
You beat me to it, bagger. I just read that like 10 minutes ago
“I thought it was gonna tip back over.”
–Edward John Smith; Captain, RMS Titanic.
Twin, I saw that too and was shocked.
This is too funny
http://twitter.com/BeardOfBrian
I think we’re both seeing just how good of a field manager Bochy is, and also how he’s putting to use his past playoff experience (and failures, for that matter). The guys is driven and smart, smarter than many thought or would give him credit for. He’s been awesome all year long, and right now this team is firing on all cylinders.
As for the idea that game 3 is more important to the Rangers than the Giants, screw that. The Giants *don’t* have games to give away, they need to keep the pedal to the metal, and finally get over that hump and do what they’ve never done before in San Francisco. They just beat the Rangers’ two best pitchers. Now it’s time to beat their third and fourth best. When you have them down, keep them down.
I also read something interesting in today’s paper. They were discussing the problems AL managers have shuffling DH staff when playing in NL parks, thus causing the Guerrero debacle Wednesday in right field. Nolan Ryan said “I’d like to see it standardized” referring also to regular season rules. And then, the president of an AL team, said “My preference would be to eliminate the DH. That’s just me personally but I’ve always felt that way.”
Now, I realize Ryan played in the NL with the Mets and Astros but I just thought it was odd to read that comment from a current AL team president. Not touting the party line, so to speak. Good ol’ Ryan Express
I had a friend text me from Dallas last night: “Nolan Ryan warming up….” I replied: [something like] “Warming up to the fact of LOSING.!”
One observation from standing in the free knothole viewing area for Gm 1: you are really on field level. I’m pretty sure you are literally at the same GPS whatever the feck topographical level. Not so for any — any! — actual seat in the house. You get a tremendous appreciation for how hard it is to play the outfield, any outfield, and in particular our RF. Just before Vlad made his first error, or afterward? it’s a blur, one of our crew yelled out, “Hey, Vlad, you’ll always be a Monteral Expo!” Ouch! Uncalled for, but I laughed.
make that Montreal
No no. I *like* Monteral
It shouldn’t surprise me, given what we know about ESPN’s bias- ESPN’s top 10 plays last night couldn’t find a play from the World Series to show. Not even the ball hitting on top the fence. They showed 6 (!) hockey highlights, a soccer highlight, and I think 3 NBA highlights.
Hockey? What’s hockey?
Some of the highlights weren’t even that good. Oh, the puck bounced off a couple of people and went in. Gee, that never happens.
Nolan Ryan to throw out the ceremonial first pitch in game 3. The way his team pitched last night, they should leave him out there to start.
Nolan wasn’t really a winner, there are dozens of guys I’d have handed the ball to in a big game before it would have been Ryan.
I always sort of thought that about Ryan too. Hard to argue with his number but if you’re in the show for 27 years (or whatever) you’re going to be all over the record book.
But give him 13 pitches, even at his age, and I still think he throws more than one strike.
Yerp. Had lots of 15-17 or so years.
G.H.W. and G.W. to throw out the first pitches in game 4. There has to be a punchline in this, but I can’t come up with a good one.
That’s a lot of Bush on the mound.
Thanks Dirt.
I don’t remember Ryan’s no-hitters much, but I remember him putting that headlock on Robin Ventura and punchin the crap outta him. Classic….
Apparently there’s a big picture of that in their clubhouse. So, who throws out the pitch for game 5 if it goes that far? Ryan’s the only one enshrined in the Hall of Fame as a Ranger. Bush and Shrub got the call. That leaves…Johnny Oates?
Maybe Nolan could put Dubya in a headlock…
Didn’t Ryan ring up The Ricky for his 5000th K?