Great Story MId-Way Through NLCS
Great Cody Ross Story
Many of you guys have seen some posts from “bird dog”–he’s one of my few friends, maybe my only 3-D friend, who posts on the blog more than once a year. Anyway, ‘Bird lives in Portland and decided last night to take his son, who’s a huge Giants fan, to the game today—a few clicks at stubhub and some frequent flier miles later, they are sitting in the arcade for today’s game.
‘Bird, I hope someday Clayton understands what a kick ass dad you are…..
Anyway, the 6th inning is about to start, Ross is warming up and as he’s setting up to throw the ball into the stands he makes eye contact with ‘Bird who points to his son, Ross nods reassuringly, and throws the ball to Clayton. The ball is flying through the air, Clayton holds his glove up the same way he’s done a thousand times in Little League, a fantastic moment is about to unfold! One problem: Ross throws the ball about 4 feet over Clayton’s head into the hands of a fortunate fan who ran off into the afternoon sun with his found prize…..
buzkill……..
Inning starts, Polanco grounds out to 2nd. Howard grounds out to 2nd…Werth flies out to ROSS in right…..Inning over but Ross, still cognizant of his gaffe, turns to ‘Bird and makes eye contact with him and nods his head a few times finally tossing the ball to Clayton (for a second attempt). ‘Bird doesn’t wait for it to happen this time, he jumps up and snags the ball from Ross immediately handing it to his son who beamed with a smile that stretched from the SF to Portland…….
Cody Ross is one cool fucking dude……..
The last out ended and ‘Bird made a bee-line to a stand that sold Cody Ross jerseys. No luck, there weren’t any. I’m positive that right now as I type this he’s sitting in the Oakland airport trying to buy one online……..
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
Ah a difference a year makes. Cody Ross is just another dud. The Giants offense was MIA.
In the same vein as Nip, all the 2010 highlight reel stuff on Ross post season makes you wonder about 2011, and of course 2012. What do you do with this guy?
If no one is added to the current OF set up (minus Beltran let’s assume), is he fighting uphill vs. belt/huff for LF? Backing up Torres in CF? Off to greener (in more ways than one considering contract) pastures?
As they used to say on the old quiz show, will the real Cody ross please stand up…..and what can that guy do for the club?
What happened in the Phils and Giants games?
Well, I’ll tell ya.
10/19/10 – Pac Bell
Game 3 of the series, tied at one each. Cain versus Hamels. Bottom of the 4th Ross drives in Rent from second, Huff drives in the Bat. Giants up 2-0. As he did in the fourth, Cain gets out of jams in the 5th (also the 7th).
Bottom of the 5th Rowand doubles and Freddy hits a ball off the Phils 2B. Giants 3-0
8th, Loogy Lopez makes Howard look sick.
9th, Wilson K then double play.
Giants up 2-1 in the series.
I’m really looking forward to game 4.
Ross has always been streaky- he was one of the guys leading the September charge. I think they should pursue him- it’s not like we’re loaded with OFers. Most likely group right now is probably Huff/Crisp/Nate… leaving Ross and Torres as the 4/5 or maybe even eventually winning starting spots..I list Crisp because I think they’ll get him, not that I want him. I’d rather have Andres and Ross keep the spot warm for Brown..
Our Fall league kids : Panik 2 for 15, Crawford 5 for 16, Brown 5 for 21. Crawford has two triples, no HR for any of them.
Nice to see Crawford attaining some success at AFL level. Now that he’s had a taste of The Show, i reckon he’s hungry for more and wants to prove his mettle and also that those who have denigrated his skills may have something to learn about his will. Hope so, anyway. No panic on Joe. He’s coming from short-season NWL at Salem-Keizer. Brown isn’t showing much. Yet.
No one has denigrated in his skills, they’ve reported them accurately. He’s 5 for fucking 16 and you’re acting like he’s made his case as a big league hitter. Stix- he has never hit at any level above A ball, pointing that out is not denigrating him, it’s fact. Let’s just hold off a bit before we go ga-ga..
Tejada and then Cabrera struggled so badly that any kid would have gained the cult following that Crawford did, but the clamor for the guy is way out of proportion to what he’s shown or even shown promise of being. Frankly, it’s absolutely ridiculous. I’ve seen posts that say he should start if he could hit .220… no, he shouldn’t. He’s good in the field, but he needs to be Ozzie to carry that BA. If they don’t get a FA SS, I expect they’ll retain Keppinger and unless Crawford just destroys the Cactus League, Kepp would open as the SS..
Facts are pesky things for sure.
Twin, where have you seen any evidence SF envisions Kepp as everday SS? Sabes referred to him as “a luxury..” they may not even be able to afford. Don’t you think he might have played there this past season if they thought he was open to it/up to the task, given how bad above mentioned were?
I’m not saying this isn’t possible, but I’ve never heard any mention of this from anyone beside yourself, and I don’t recall hearing Kepp at SS from anyone in the org. Just seems unlikely it ever happens, imo.
So who do you envision? The Mendoza line Crawford? I’ve said that I rather like the Tigers’ FA SS/2B Santiago, what I’ve said is that if they don’t get a FA, what are the choices? Applying common sense, those choices are Crawford or Keppinger. If you’re giving it to Crawford unchalenged, good luck and God Speed.
So if you’re accurate about what I’ve said, it’s not that I think Kepp will be the SS but that if they don’t get one from outside the organization, they either give the job to Crawford hoping he hits and pigs fly or it’s Keppinger. I suppose you could suggest Fontenot or Gillaspie, but I wouldn’t.
Forget my posts on this. You’re right, they never mention Kepp. So if they don’t get someone by trade or fee agency, they have to go with Crawford even if he hits .120. I don’t know what I was thinking.
Link to the right to talk about “Dad”. Craig’s great story made me think that some might want to share other stories about being a dad, being a son or daughter, whatever strikes your fancy..
Most likely will do, eventually. Almost too hard. Don’t know where to start [yes I do] or where to stop.
Wringing every bit of bask out of the 2010 vintage year of Basque Harveste Pinot Merlot Arriviste Bravo Extremo.
If the WS really comes down to the way it’s headed — StL and TEX, will that become known as the “Clash of the Overmanaged”?
IMO, it becomes the “Clash of the Who Gives A Fuck About Either of These Teams”
Fuck Stl. I wanted ’em to beat the Phillies, but not the Brewers.
LaRussa again? Gaaaaah. It’ll be another bunt-fest.
BLEEP ALL BUNTS!
Did you all see that “collision” at homeplate in the Texas/Detroit game last night? It was a love-tap compared to what happen to Posey. It’s amazing how quickly the scab can be ripped off that wound. I heard one of the broadcasters refer to that play last night as a “collision,” and it really annoyed me. Scott Cousins launched himself, full speed, at a totally exposed and vulnerable Posey, in a way that defensive backs are no longer allowed to do in the NFL. But, hey, it’s still perfectly legal in MLB. It’s laughable to call that play last night a “collision.”
Even more laughable are the wienies defending what Cousins did, acting like baseball is a contact sport and blowing up a defenseless player is part of the game. Thhe best suggestion I’ve seen is the spiked chest protector…or maybe the catcher could be outfitted something like this:
Now we’re talking.
A BF and Twin fight apparel?
It’s an urban myth, I don’t fight with anyone.
At least in one of the games, Joe “I.B. Monotone” Buck remarked how stellar the Giants’ pitching was in last year’s postseason.
The way I’m seeing it: Texas goes all the way. The team has improved, benefited from last year’s experience, is loose, has just enough pitching (terrific closer; I thought so even in the WS last year), and has plenty of hitting, as it did last year. So, despite Ronnie, I think they go all the way. A prediction, not a preference.
Twin, I don’t envision anyone as Giants SS 2012, outside of the usual current suspects. I’d prefer Reyes over Rollins, but I highly doubt either one comes here. The fact that Kepp didn’t play one inning there this season for them I don’t think bodes well for him winding up with the job in April. Either he didn’t feel like doing it, or they didn’t think highly enough of him there/his replacement at 2b would be my pure speculation. I asked if you had heard of anyone in the org/beat writers mention Kepp as an everyday SS…I haven’t seen it, so right now it’s the brainchild of you and Loo.
Which leaves SF with Font and Crawford, underwhelming as that may be.
SS could easily be a full thread type of discussion…I honestly don’t have any idea where Sabes is leaning, or if he intends to do anything at all outside the org. what do you value the most: speed, OB, d-range? What would be minimum a guy has to hit to stay in the LU? Could you get by with #8 hitter if you pick up someone to hit in the middle of the order to drive in runs, or a solid leadoff guy?
Actually willieD, I envision SOMONE coming in (as I noted in Twin’s new SS blog), but have no idea who that will be. Book it. The position has been a carousel since Vizquel left. Absolutely no one is immediately available – that the Giants are confident about – in the minors (as Twin astutely pointed out). Crawford? Pfffft! He hasn’t shown jack shit to date, so I have no expectations from him.
We miss Omar!!
Forget my posts on this. You’re right, they never mention Kepp. So if they don’t get someone by trade or fee agency, they have to go with Crawford even if he hits .120. I don’t know what I was thinking.
Keppinger last played SS somewhat regularly in 2008, he had 8 errors in 101 games and an above average range factor. He’s played a total of 178 games there. Font has played a total of 50 games there, 37 of them in 2011. As far as I can tell, they plan to evaluate Crawford in the AFL and get someone from outside the organization if he doesn’t hit. Personally, I’d be pretty reticent to go with Brandon based on the Fall League… and Fontenot hit .227 last year. That’s a pretty grim choice. Maybe one of the writers should ask about this.
You can weigh in on who you think the 2012 SS will be, link to the right.
I’m fine with it being Crawford since he has the rep of a great defender. I really don’t care if the ss hits as long as he picks. We need to improve our offense, they could really start anywhere but 3rd, C and 2nd. If it Ss fine, but I think it’d be easier to to find an OF who can hit.
Questionable move leaving Wolf in to bunt in the top of the 6th, with one out. The Brewers messed up their rally just to get another inning out of Wolf. That little faith in their bullpen?
Zumie, big props to you for watching these games. I haven’t watched baseball in a week. It’s probably part of the reason I’m re-running threads from last year. Gonna live back then, not today……
It’s not the most thrilling viewing in the world. I heard Rob Neier of ESPN the other day say that baseball has become almost totally local over the last several years. If a fan’s team is in the playoffs, the fan watches and is totally into it; but if their team is not in it, they hardly watch. He wasn’t being judgmental, he was just saying that’s the way it is. And it’s pretty true. There are entire baseball playoff series and World Series the last several years that I didn’t watch. But I always watch the Super Bowl, no matter who’s in it, and as much NFL playoff games as I can.
My theory is that it isn’t because fans don’t have as much love of baseball as they used to have; I actually think it’s because they have MORE love of baseball than they used to have. I just think fans are totally wrung out after a season if their team misses the playoffs, and the fans want to take a break. I think it has to do with all the games that are televised these days. Every game is televised! We live all summer with our favorite baseball teams. We’re exhausted of baseball when our team is done for the season. And that’s true of fans all over the nation.
I’m not saying that’s true of the non-fan general public, who can take or leave baseball. In the past, they had an interest in the World Series, just for cultural reasons. Nowadays, the non-fans have so many entertainment options, they totally ignore baseball playoffs.
Good observations about baseball being more and more (i’ll say regional instead of local but same meaning) .Also the TV factor and fan-burnout seem pretty apt. Being more a baseball fan than a sports fan, i pay precious little attention to the other stuff, Zumie. Another factor could be the change to the playoff series compounding divisional realignment. When it was the NL Champs vs the #1 Team from the Junior Circuit there was more true national interest.
Well, it worked out leaving Wolf in the bottom of the 6th. He gave up a lead-off double, but got out of it.
Losing Wolf is one of the factors that led to the Dodgers’ decline.
He usually pitches the Giants pretty tough.
I’ve always thought it’s the gambling that drives the NFL.If they could figure out how to get that kind of action on baseball, viewing would skyrocket.Except, of course, NFL has only 16 games and the playoffs. Maybe my double play breaker upper and spiked chest protector for the catcher would generate more interest.Have to keep the death count down, though..
As my TV’s not working, I’ve only seen parts of several games at the pub (Last time blasted the owner for being down on Phils’ Howard, claiming that without his 120 RBIs per year, they wouldn’t even be in the playoffs. Then I went home and looked it up; in his six full years, he’s averaged 153 games, 44 HRs and 133 RBIs per year, although admittedly tailing off the last two years. Those Phillie fans are phucked…)
Anyway, I have been listening to ESPN’s radio coverage of the DS and LCS. Boy, do they miss Jon Miller. Right now it’s tough pickings: for the AL games, Dan Shulman and Orel Hershiser, who fills EVERY spare moment. Some of it is decent, but its forced and he must think he’s being paid by the word. Shulman has taken to just screaming on homeruns so you can’t tell what’s happening. On the NL side, it’s Jon Sciambi with Bobby Valentine. They both have a kind of back-of-the-mouth Chewbacca sort of tone to their voices, and are remarkably hard to tell apart. Valentine often just explains what Sciambi just said. And they tweet too! Good Lord.
OK, got that off my chest. I think the games have been pretty entertaining. As Pawlie pointed out, Texas made key acquisitions for their weak spots, especially the bullpen. I was reminded what someone posted the other day about Boche managing these guys into the ground when Leyland pitched Benoit and Valverde up 5-2 in Game 3. I thought he should have gone without them so that they’d be available again–as they weren’t tonight.
Can’t handle Valentine. On a number of levels. 1) Even if he is intelligent, his commentary, ego and bias mask any sign of such quality. 2) His voice … reminds me how pleasant are the sounds of porcupines mating.
MrBill, you nailed it!