The Flap Bracket Contest
If this goes anything like setting up my ESPN fantasy league this should take about 3 days to complete…..
I’m doing a Flap Fantasy Bracket Contest–bragging rights and a spot to the right honoring your genius over the rest of us is the prize.
Here’s the link to the cbssports group I created. Click the link and it SHOULD take you to a place where you can sign up. The password is: worldbfree
Try to use a name that I will recognize, I don’t want random lurkers in on this. Once you’re set up you can click under “options”>>>*personal* and hide your email address and change your *name* to whatever you want. But like I said, have it be something I recognize…….
Here’s the link: http://flapmad.mayhem.cbssports.com/e
A quick video of my baby doll rockin’ out and playing a video game on the computer Twin game me…..
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
I have this contest in the bag…home was good! Beautiful Santa Cruz…
by the way, if anyone didn’t think Nate is our starting right fielder going into the season, this article seems to confirm it…….
http://www.mercurynews.com/giants/ci_20157748/giants-schierholtz-confident-but-must-stay-healthy
This is the first time I’ve seen an article where Bochy went beyond saying that Nate had the job “going in”, or that he was the front runner, or that it was his to lose. When camp opened Bochy said :
“Bochy said Angel Pagan will be his primary leadoff hitter and center fielder, with Melky Cabrera getting everyday time in left field. He prefaced his thoughts on right field by saying he was “staying open minded,” but he declared Nate Schierholtz the clear frontrunner.” Bochy, as I’ve said,was not committed to Nate as the RFer going into camp.
http://www.csnbayarea.com/blog/giants-talk/post/Bochy-details-plan-for-Pagan-Cabrera-Sch?blockID=657482
it could be that the headline guy or C-Stew didn’t get this right. I’m actually serious. It said “Bochy had no problem awarding the job the job to Schierholtz based on what he saw last year.” The article also used the word “annointed” but not in a quote from Bochy.
Anyway, no quotes directly giving him the job. But the article does go on to quote Bochy with a *Nate’s the man* kind of quote right afterward.
Anyway, this is the assumption I took when I wrote the thread the other day about Belt vs Huff at first base. Though I think Nate on the bench with Belt in the OF is the best thing for the team, I really only see him having a chance to start at first base, if anywhere…….
Assuming you are now a believer that Bochy has given Nate the RF job, do you have an opinion on what Belt would have to hit this Spring to send Huff to the bench on OD? I’m seriously not looking for a fight, just to see if this article changes your opinion about “Nate will start opening day. PERIOD!”
Go ahead and fight…..you guys do it so well!
Come on Twin give your full effort!
lqtm (small letters no less).
There’s no reason to fight- Bochy clearly did NOT award him the job when camp opened, his words were not ambiguous. Based on the article and barring injury it does seem he’s giving him the job now. So- what does that do to the Belt/Huff battle ? First, Craig knows that it would not be decided on just batting average, I would refuse to answer on that basis alone ( as Craig would if I neglected OBP, OPS, defense, and another dozen or so barometers of performance.)
With that said, I’m not a fucking dunce-if the outfield is indeed set ( we all know nothing *ever* changes as camp progresses ;-), this gives a bigger edge to Huff. It is absolutely not possible to put numbers to what Belt would have to do, I would only say that now he would have to clearly out perform him in all facets- since Bochy has stupidly closed the door on both of them starting…
I have far less problem with Huff getting the first base job than Nate getting RF. Even last year, his best, offensively he was a well below average RFer. I think Huff will have a big year, I’ve said that from the get go. But he and Belt should both start. Nate is a nice 4th OFer. Really, the team would benefit much more by trading him for a catcher who can hit if they won’t keep Hector..
I hope all you guys sign up for the Flap bracket thing. I know it’s not the same without Twinner offering up those unreal prizes but it can still be fun.
Twin, everyone who ever won anything in those deals appreciates how fortunate they were that year you decided to do that.
I, of course, couldn’t win shit. He felt sorry for my dumbass and gave me a computer after we won the WS. That whole computer giveaway thing is still one of the most generous, random things I’ve seen someone do…….
Question Flav – do you already have to have an account with CBS? I have the password, but what is the ID?
Thanks . . .
the ID is either the password or the name which is Flapper Nation.
Still doesn’t work.
They haven’t blown up yet?
As indicated by my last post, not yet . . . However, it may be a time-release thingy like you told Chuck (or someone who also won a pc . . . can’t remember who).
Nope. Katie is rocking out to some song on it right now while she’s playing a game. Multi tasking.
Randy Moss in an SF jersey. That is something I wouldn’t have dreamed about with someone else’s dreams. Insane.
But I like the idea. Now figure out a way to draft a WR and we might start looking like a team that has a legit NFL WR core….
I really don’t wan’t to see Kyle Williams ever again, even on tv in someone else’s uniform. It would just be too…..lame.
Within the context of your post Flav, that makes Alex’s season even more amazing when you consider he didn’t really have a legit wide out to throw to.
It also makes sense why Moss would sign here in a nano second. He’s got a chance to have a very nice year if they add another guy…..
And the postseason is even more impressive considering that VD was his only viable target. BTW, take a look at the game winner against NO- you absolutely cannot throw a better ( or gutsier, some would say foolish) pass than that. It was both absolutely perfect and at the same time frightenly close to interception material- it barely clears the hands of two defenders and Davis is covered. It took one throw-the perfect throw..and catch
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-fantasy/09000d5d82600724/QB-Smith-to-TE-Davis-14-yd-pass-TD
Another thing I noticed- like Edgar with his game winner against Texas- Smith is the coolest guy on the field after the score. A brief pat on someone’s rump and then he just walks away. He appears to have a word or two with some Saints..
Moss thinks Harbaugh is the QB going to throw him those sideline deep routes he was catching today.
He’s going to be surprised…
Sabean seems to place value on defense at first and Belt is the better defender. If he continues to tear it up in AZ then he should break camp with the club and start at first. Huff seems to do fine in LF. Just stick him out there with the pride of Danville coming off the bench.
First part I agree with Dirt . . . I hope Belt starts at first. However, Huff in left would be a complete disaster in my mind. If he hits in spring training, yeah, give Huff the job on merit. If he doesn’t hit, I hope Bochy doesn’t make a “legacy” decision and put him at first anyway. I want Nate, Melky, and Pagan in the outfield.
Huff played well in LF, I thought. It was RF that he massacred.
Twin, I just posted a video of Katie on the main thread. It’s pretty precious. As I said, she’s enjoying herself on your computer 🙂
Me? I like the maniacal Flav laugh at the end. HEHEHEHE . . .
Thanks. That’s very cool. She’ll probably be teaching you about your PC before long. Children are much more intutitive than we are.
Anyone feel like rehashing Timmy’s contract? My thoughts going in was that I’d be happy with a 1,3,4,5,6, or 7 year deal. All I asked is that they wouldn’t sign him for two years and piss all of their leverage away. I would have even been ok with going through the arbitration process. Yeah, yeah, I know—he’s a risky candidate for a long term deal etc, but I would have been fine with throwing huge money at him. A home grown ace on track for an HOF career is a special thing. Even if he were to break down I could deal with it–at least Tim has delivered the goods in an SF uni.
ps My picks are in for the NCAA pool under the moniker “The Great Mephisto”
ps 2 -What tune is that Katie is singing?
SanDiggityDawg— Good to see you, my man.
She’s singing a song by The Band Perry. Here’s their video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdhnGsbJRIo&feature=related
Something like 5 yrs/$100 million seems fair for both Lincecum and Cain, in my opinion. No more than 5 years.
dude and if I haven’t said it lately, I fucking LOVE that you are keeping *The Great Mephisto* nickname going. I’d like someone to show up here at the blog with that handle. Sounds like a guy who knows his shit………
In my opinion, Lincecum and Cain are the co-MVPs of the team. They’re the foundation on which it’s all built. Get those two guys locked in contracts, set the Giants up to be a playoff team for the next 5 to 6 years for sure.
I predict a Matt Cain lockup on the 15th right in time for a “St Paddy day weekend”.
Tim would spit on a 5 year 20 million per year deal. And it’s said that Matt won’t sign for less than that 20 million per. Cain’s deal will probably get done but Tim will be looking for at least 25 if he stays healthy. Ta-ta.
we’ll be lucky to get Cain…….
I’d almost be bummed if we got them got at 5 years/100mil each. And I agree with Twin, neither of them will sign deals that team friendly.
But seriously, do you guys want to commit (even in that team friendly scenario) 200 million to 2 pitchers? One of them has a delivery that the scouts say is going to ruin him one day and the other one has loose bodies in his elbow.
Fuck that. I love ’em both, but giving BOTH of them long term deals would just about ruin us………..
The money’s there if the owners want to do it. Rowand/Zito/Huff are all coming off the books pretty soon. That’s about $42 million per year right there. Freddie’s $6 million is coming off the books, also. The Giants will be rolling in cash.
I know the dough is there. I just wouldn’t do it for the reasons I listed. And how much more dough would there be after those 2 deals? And it won’t be 200 mil over 5 it would be 250 at least
Rolling in cash, so let’s go get “drunk” again. LOL. I completely understand the argument for signing our own guys, but I hope we don’t let sentiment rule the day. I know in my heart, that Sabean had little or nothing to do with the Zito signing. Similarly, I hope someone like Brian is the voice of reason – when the suits are contemplating the decision to commit that much money to 2 players, especially Lincecum.
After 2 Cy Young awards and 62 wins in the last 4 years – Lincecum will finally make more than Zito this year. He absolutely deserves it.
However, it is indisputable there has been a decline in K’s and his velocity. Very similar to what started happening with Johan Santana in 2007 – his K/9 dropped for the 3rd straight year, and his BB/9 ratio rose for the 2nd straight year. The key to a rebound will be better FB control (less walks) and continue his ratio of sliders which he made an adjustment for last year, bumping that ratio up to 15.6% from 8.5% in 2010. As fangraphs.com pitch evaluation showed, bumping his sliders up and curveballs down, helped Timmy quite a bit.
Lincecum is becoming a better pitcher, but whether this translates to him deserving a 5 year/$100 million contract, no one can know for certain. I do know I am in the minority, when I say that the Giants should not extend him for that many years and that much money. Intuitively, I feel he wont perform to this type of deal and it would be best that the Giants “cut bait” when he is a free agent in 2 years (i.e., time a trade where the Giants are hopelessly out of the playoffs). The only other person on this blog I have seen that agrees with this approach, I think is Mike.
I stand corrected . . . Sounds like Flav feels the same way.
My reasoning would be that the team has an identity and should try to maintain that identity if it can. We know how the Giants can win the whole thing. We’ve seen it done. If it fails, it fails; but to lose those two guys creates a team in search of an identity again, and it’s not a pleasant thought.
Check out the position players coming up through the system. It’s how I’ve always hoped they’d do it— draft hitters who HAVE to play for us and sign the occasional FA pitcher who WANTS to play for us…
I thought “winning” was the goal, not maintaining an “identity.” By the by, if we lose, the only identify we will have is LOSER, regardless of who is on the roster. Just my opinion though . . .
Whoops. *identity (not identify . . . time for bed obviously).
The ‘identity’ IS ‘how are you going to win.’ It’s answering the question of what is your organization’s philosophy, and does that philosophy actually work. ‘Torture ball’ actually works pretty well for the Giants.
It would be very interesting to know what Cain is asking for. Any chance someone will leak that information at some point?
Man sometimes I think you guys trip to much on possibe breakdowns that don’t exist.When has Timmy broke down? He gets his 33-34 starts every year.Fuck stupid scouts that always think he’s to fragile.The only start I ever remember him missing was when they were coming back from a long road trip and his back stiffened up on the plane ride home and.that.was 2 years ago.
He’s on the fast track for the HOF,with 2Cys.And WTF would anyone want to break up the Big 3 ever.Pitching wins Championships,just ask the Braves,who would never have won freakin 14 straight titles,if they had decided to dump any of their Big 3 of Maddux,Smoltz,or Glavine.
Amen Kat. Timmeh could break down tomorrow after today’s start. Or not for the next 9 years. Cain’s supposed to the horse, but he’s got bone chips floating around. Why they don’t clean that up in the offseason, I don’t know, I guess if it were a big deal, they would. He could pitch for a decade with no issues, or pop a ligament tomorrow. Who the hell knows? If anybody can afford these two guys, it’s the Giants. They’re pulling in cash hand over fist. Any team that sells out TWO seasons in a row, and sells the licensing shit they do; they are well on their way to that this season, has no financial worries as far as I’m concerned. The infamous “mortgage” payment, whatever that mysterious number really is, will be off supposedly in 2017. If they pay these two guys, they just need to get better and better at bringing up pitching and position players in the farm system. If they don’t want to pay these guys on LT deals, then fine — tell us what’s the alternative LT plan to keep the team in the playoffs on a regular basis?…
The Giants have as many titles as Atl in the past 30 years. ONE
I think the X-factor involved in the Cain and Lincecum negotiations could be that those two could possibly be tired of ‘torture ball.’ Who knows what they say amongst themselves. They won a championship ring with the Giants; now it’s time to get a big contract and see what it would be like to play with a team with a better offense. The only downside is they would be leaving the situation where they were very successful, team and ballpark, etc. How would Lincecum and Cain fare in the AL, in bandbox home ballparks? Well, it could be interesting to see how that unfolds.
They will leave or stay for the bucks… yeah, Tim has had it rough, he’s gotta get out of this place… 2 Cy’s and that ring, beautiful city… it’s been a brutal ride… as I said- it’s about money.
The Giants pitchers are absolutely awesome at not throwing the Giants hitters under the bus. They never badmouth those guys. The pitchers deserve all the credit in the world for that. And that helped the team chemistry a lot, and contributed to the championship.
There are examples of players not always taking the highest bid. It’s RARE, no doubt, but happens once in a while.
Why should Cain, Timmeh, Posey, hell. any player give the Giants ownership a hometown discount?
Is the billionaire’s club ownership giving season tix holders and the rest of us ticket payers a hometown discount?…
It’s been reported extensively that he wants 100 million. I’d have to presume that means 5 years. He’s not getting that much for fewer than 5. One of the two is going to walk, like it or not, and the other is going to get too long a deal. Chances are Timmy is the one to go, IMO, mainly because he’ll be looking for 25 minimum if he hasn’t already broken down or started working on a knuckle ball..
“When has Timmy broke down?” Once will do the trick, Kat.
It’s pretty funny that one of the few guys who has pretty much stayed healthy throughout a long term deal is our much beloved Crouching Pussycat…
“Chances are Timmy is the one to go, IMO, mainly because he’ll be looking for 25 minimum if he hasn’t already broken down or started working on a knuckle ball.”
Absolute bullshit Twin that you got rid of your funny bone . . . Still laughing about “. . . started working on a knuckle ball.”
Good Night. Speaking of knuckles, it’s been white knuckles all night. I promised to be nice(r)..
AK, Atl is a bad example, StL has staggered into 2 titles in 5 years. Atl dominated with pitching but won ONE WS.
Tim wants 8 years, Matt 5+. They can’t do that. 6/150 and 5/110? Hard to swallow both of those.
Whoever they re-up or don’t, for this year,. they are here this season. Giants need to make hay THIS season, while everybody is on board. No guarantee of health, obviously. But, with this staff, knock on wood, and looking like better scoring, now is the year to get into the playoffs again, and then see what happens. This will likely be the last full year of such an incredible overall pitching staff that we will see for at least a generation, if not two…