Baseball Superstitions
We’ve all seen them. Players go out of their way not to touch the foul line. A pitcher has a no-no going late in the game? Players don’t dare talk or sit next to them in the dugout. These are just a few of the most common ones. How about some of the more eccentric even borderline pathological superstitions that baseball has given us.
Most know of Wade Boggs and his obsession of eating chicken prior to every game. Former NL reliever Turk Wendell had to have exactly four pieces of black licorice in his mouth while he pitched. Then Wendell proceeded to spit them out and brush his teeth each time he returned to the dugout. Larry Walker had a thing with the #3. Besides wearing #33 his entire career, Larry would always set his alarm clock to 33 minutes past the hour. Walker even went so far as to get married at, you guessed it, 3:33 PM.
Then there was the strange case of former Indian outfielder Kevin Rhomberg. Rhomberg only played a total of 41 games for the Tribe back in the early ‘80’s, but he used that short time to make a name for himself. Kevin “Touch Me, Touch Me” Rhomberg was his nickname. When touched or tagged on or off the field of play, Rhomberg felt compelled to touch the other person in return. This led to players playing mean-spirited tricks on Kevin. Former teammate Rick Sutcliffe once touched his foot underneath a bathroom stall causing Rhomberg to touch everyone in the clubhouse having not known the culprit.
Now, I’ve made it known that I’m a superstitious person myself. Not Kevin Rhomberg superstitious, but I have my quirks and slight oddities. Just the other day when Flav spoke glowingly about my Flap fantasy team I knew I was doomed. I purposely had said nary a word for weeks as not to squelch their good fortune. I told Flav that morning thanks for jinxing them. Sure enough, later that night my Pussies had dropped a full 5 pts. in the Flap fantasy standings. Was it just a harmless coincidence? Maybe so, but my Pussy sure was sore the next morning.
What do you think about ballplayers and their superstitions? Are you Superstitious (IRE) [by Bluebird out of Stellar Empress] yourself? Did I just jinx our red-hot first place Giants and their current 36 IP scoreless streak by broaching this subject? You’ll know who to blame if we’re on the short end of an 11-1 thumping tonight. [no jinx]
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
Great post Dennis but I’m sure your pussy hurts all the time. All. The. Time. I know what you mean about FL. Flav’s kiss of death knocked me down to 7th in less than a week.
Unbelievable. You can actually write in complete sentences. 🙂
Like Dirt said, we’re not done with that pussy yet, so lubricate that hole bitch.
Seriously, great job Dennis! Now go check your Flap Fantasy League trade file . . . Got one in the hopper for you.
Dennis – excellent thread. In regards to those dropped five points and your pussy hurting, I guess there is a reason they call him “Big” Flavor. 😉
I tell myself all the time that I am not superstitious, but the one time I find myself subsiding is when a pitcher has a no-no going. Prime example was on the 13th (nah, not superstitious about that number) when Cain was on the way to his perfect game.
While the game was progressing, friends were texting me, etc., and there was no way in hell I was going to comment on the situation.
So me, superstitious? Nah, but I do like to think I did my part in helping Matt pitch that perfecto. 😉
Weatherproof games: Angels at Blue Jays, Phillies at Marlins, Tigers at Rays, Diamondbacks at Brewers, Red Sox at Mariners. It’s way too hot to just be outside in some cities, let alone play baseball. Four cities are expected to top 100 degrees, with St. Louis outdoing Baltimore, Arlington and Atlanta with an expected high of 105. Morning thunderstorms will likely do little to alleviate the oppressive heat in New York, Chicago and Denver. Minnesota will barely avoid reaching 90 degrees. Los Angeles will be a nice and comfortable 80 degrees. San Francisco is forecast to be in the upper 60s with low clouds ruling the day.
Go Pussies!
Great piece Dennis. Superstitious? To an extent. I have a collection of Giants caps and I set aside 6 caps that I wear for the season. I draw numbers out of another hat to determine which one I will wear at the start of the season. As long as the Giamts keep winning, I wear the same hat that started the winning streak. A loss and I switch to the next hat. So on and so on.
I also have to read every Giants article from The Chron, Merc News, CSN Bay Area and sfgiants.com prior to the Giants next game.
If that isn’t enough, I’ll go JaBoo ( from the “Major League” movie) and sacrifice a chicken.
hahahahahahahaha
And I have been around for some of those sacrafices! That is some DAMN FINE yard bird!
When I leave the room or go to sleep during big leads enjoyed by our opponents, I, me myself moi, ensure a Giants dramatic win. Superstition? Fact! BTW, Hart Seely has a whole book on this: “The JuJu Rules: How to Win Ballgames from Your Couch.” He is a local Yankees fan who wrote an awesome Syracuse news story on my book, “Baseball’s Starry Night.” Hart Seely years ago came up with a very clever collection of Phil Rizzuto quips and comments and turned them into a best-selling poetry collection. (He also did it with Donald Rumsfeld, not as successful in sales.) I called Hart recently and asked for some juju for Timmy. I guess I better thank him.
You have a book out?
That’s cool, Pawlie…too bad Hart is a Yank-Mee fan.
Thanks are in order. And tell him you need some more juju…Timmy will be on the bump in D.C., and you boys back on the Right Coast now how hot and humid it can get there.
Nice work Big D!! I know you must probably go thru some anxiety and other shit just thinking about writing one of these post ,but you did great!
Go Pussies! Go Giants!
As June Cleaver said to Ward….You were alittle hard on the Beaver last night!!!
What a freakin awesome time to be a Giants fan right now.This team is rolling, every starter is clicking,there are all feeding off every other guys start,no one wants to be the guy to give up a run.Of course the BP guys,same thing.
Oh and BTW..Fuck LA!!!! their will be looking up are Asses from behind the rest of.the way!
Alleykat beat me (beat me?) to the Beaver joke. Good thing I usually read this shit before I post.
Funny stuff and good topic Dennis. I *am* superstitious in so many, many ways. F’rinstance. I watch the Channel 2 News every morning before going to work. Mainly, to see if Claudine Wong has a story or is co-anchoring. This reflects how my day will go. Now, this morning, there was an extra bonus. Claudine was doing a story on a shooting in Antioch. Usually, you only see her from middrift up. Today, she was on location pointing out something of evidence, bent over, and provided a fine “ass shot”.
A first!!!
The only question..is this a good omen or bad. We;ll find out
I vote it as a good omen!
I do exactly the same thing!!
😀
I forgot one other bit of superstition on my part (fuck, I guess I really AM superstitious!).
During the Giants World Series run (damn, that still sounds SOOOO sweet), I have a “Steal Your Face” Giant shirt (Dead Heads will relate) and I would not wash it as long as the Giants kept winning. Yeah, that was one ripe mother by the time they won the series.
I am glad you weren’t wearing that bad boy when I met you!! ha ha ;0)
I had read a few years back about being a fan. It was said a majority of fans think they can influence the outcome of a game. Just by being there or by yelling at the radio/tv or even by texting. In European football the fans have songs they will sing in unison appropriate to the needs of their team. In basketball the fans can be referred to as the sixth man. I am not sure about NASCAR, but I know in horse racing standing with your ticket in your outstretched hand while yelling your horse’s number definitely makes that horse run faster. In American football athelets pray together for a blessed game/performance.
The world’s #2 men’s tennis player always does things just so. His drinks bottles are lined up in a straight line and certain order with all lables facing forward. He has several other “habits” he observes during a game. Yesterday he was knocked out of Wimbledon by a player ranked closer to 200 than 2.
When I played sports I cannot remember having any; as a fan I fall into the cheering/praying group. I quite often yell at the telly. In my daily life I am the “throw up in my helmet” with fear each morning before I start my day type. During the day I will come nowhere near stepping on a crack, I avoid ladders and mirrors while never picking up a penny that is face down.
Don’t forget about slapping your track program on your rear end mimicking the jockey using his whip as they come down the stretch. That always works for me. It gives me a red ass anyway.
The stable boys are working it. Another great topic, penned by a great FB leader.
Thanks, DelMar
Actually im superstitious when it comes to that weather gal on Kron 4 Jaqueline Bennett.Whith her beautiful looks and perky tits,it could be a tornado,hurricane,Tsunami,out.there in the bay area and im fine with it just watching her.spin the story.
Dennis, In all seriousness. Great thread.
My biggest thing when it comes to Giants games is how I start following the game. If I am listening on the radio and they’re doing well I don’t switch to TV ance vice versa. I was following the Sanchez no hitter on the radio and no way was I going to jinx that. Then there are times when I just can’t watch. Game 6 in ’02 for example. Once Baker pulled Ortiz and tossed him the ‘game ball’ I just had the worst feeling and couldn’t watch. I kept leaving the room or going outside. I was living in Long Beach at that time and the reaction from our neighbors in the apartment complex was all the information I needed.
That was one depressing game, series. that still hurts to think about.
Oh, one more thing, the Giants are in first place all by themselves!! the way it should be
I think baseball is the worst or most obvious for this stuff from players. As a kid I can remember reading these books about youth baseball in new mexico, star’s name was pitcher bronc burnett or something like that, and there was one whole book about superstitions bringing bad luck to the team, esp striking out the first batter.
Pablo and his pre-bat routine aren’t much worse than what a lot of guys do to feel comfortable and confident–i”m sure if you took that away guys would feel messed up and edgy. Nomar, Hargrove….
I cracked up watching blanco and pablo sharing the “shark” move after the triple, and the look on blanco’s face. If I never saw or heard from Amy g ever again it wouldn’t bother me one iota—spend the time she takes up pushing her latest twitter feature or some other useless pablum on pablo in the dugout and you’d have a helluva show.
You’re right, Willie. Amy’s real sweet but enough already…
My little Giants following on Twitter aren’t big Amy G. fans to say the least. One female the other night called her a choad. Girls can be so mean to one another.
Good post, DMD , and good job jinxing the Dodgers by awarding them the division. I’m going to take the page about my MRI down, thanks to those of you who wished me well. This had been the most nervous making one- if the tumor had recurred,it would have become a matter of time, and not a long time…
A note from the last thread- I commented on a lie by the author of the hatchet job on DiMaggio- Cramer had alleged
that Joe dumped his lifelong friend Reno Barsocchini ( a well known SF restaurant and bar owner) and then didn’t even attend his funeral. I noted that I asked a mutual friend who had been at the funeral about the claim ( I knew Reno pretty well )- he told me Joe was there- and was in fact a pall bearer . Zumie doubted this, citing Joe’s health. So I did some research ( I’ve always been meticulous about fact checking, maybe Romney should hire me, a lesson on what the Supreme Court’s function is would be helpful to him) and Ron Fimrite, the SI writer, was also at the funeral and confirms that Joe, and his brother Dom, were indeed there and served as pall bearers .
Flagrant lies like this one definitely cast doubt on other claims by Cramer..
The mere fact that Romney *should* hire you–means he won’t
Romney doesn’t hire, he fires…
Thanks for all the kind and supportive words this morning fellas. My therapist and I thank you.
How much does your therapist charge per hour? You could buy us all a round, and probably come out on the positive end (both mentally and financially). Where should we send the bill? 😉
Seriously, great thread, and some awesome posts by The Flappers.
back in the days when the braves were the shits and losing 90 plus (pre glavine smoltz) my buddies and I used to watch them on Superstation and make jokes about the “curse of the pitching coach.” Two guys on, nobody out, cox sends the p-c out to the mound (“throw strikes but don’t give him anything to hit”), and then eric davis hits a 3 run HR.
Btw, check out the batting helmet on miguel cairo who I swear I watched play 20 yrs ago—it looks like something hockey guys used for target practice on the slapshot from the blueline. Do guys get new ones every year?
That’s hilarious. I remember years ago (this probably in that same time-frame), and the Falcons sucked, too. I was watching a Niner-Falcon game being played in Atlanta, and a fan in the stands had a sign that read “Go Falcons – And Take the Braves With You!” Laughed my ass off on that one!
Back in the 80s, a bar in the French Quarter (Molly’s at the Market) had a sign on their TV. It said “If you want to see a Saints game, go somewhere else. We only watch NFL football here”. That was just cold man.
I’ve always thought if you believed in a jinx then it was real. Miller doesn’t believe he’ll jinx a no no by talking about it, so it didn’t. If Kruk would have said something about it, I think it would have jinxed it. I turn my cap backwards for a rally, but will only do it from the 7th on. A buddy of mine had some red rope encased in plastic that worked pretty good in 02, until that monkey got a hold of it. To this day I believe that if the Giants trot out Val Diamond something very bad is about to happen (89 WS, the losing streak when they opened Pac Bell, a couple of playoff games). But I will tell you this, I would never, I mean NEVER, waste a shot of rum for someone named Jobu.
Miller talks about an ongoing no-hitter because he’d be unprofessional and doing a gross disservice to the listening fans if he didn’t…
Not sure about unprofessional but Jon Miller did say “I feel like I have a responsibility to my audience, to the station, to the network, to say what’s going on,”
But he completed that thought by saying “Plus, I want to maximize my audience. If someone hears from me about a no-hitter, he might call others or text or email and that helps my audience get larger. Some guys use all kinds of euphemisms, talking about ‘no runs, nothing at all,’ they make a game of it. I just think, if it’s a big story, mention it. But it’s a quaint old baseball thing. I don’t blame anybody for doing a game any way they want.”
You don;t have to actually CARRY the casket to be a pall bearer. Some you can roll to the altar.
Ah, good point.
I couldn’t help but laugh when Amy G brought up (hyuk) snot rockets with Bumgarner last night.
Superstitions? I used to have them when watching games at home, but at the park? Naah. Too much going on anyway to keep track. Rally hat late is about it. Plus, it just got too tiring to figure how how I was supposed to do things to keep things rolling. Most of my reactions were to losing streaks, and ways to break them. I will say, though, that when my wife and I first started dating and going to games, we drove our friends nuts by kissing all the time. So we worked out a system. When the Giants were pitching, I’d kiss her on the strikes. And she would kiss me on the . . .
I’m here all week . . .
(rimshot)–(literally)
Hwey. we didn’t get THAT frisky in the stands . . .
Actually that strikes and balls quote was uttered by Halsey Hall, during a boring Twins’ night game, referring to a young couple in the near empty stands… Don’t know that he originated it, but he did say it on the air.
I thought it was a vaudeville thing.
Like I said, I don’t claim he originated it , just that he said it on the air. I heard it.
I’m not doubting your veracity, just stating that I thought it came from farther back in the past.
From what I’ve just looked at, 3 or 4 sites attribute it to Dizzy Dean. This being the internet, who knows?
If saying the banned words jinxed it, we would never have had a no-hitter in the history of the game. We all know, or should, that refraining is a courtesy extended fans of the team whose pitcher is throwing the no-hitter. So while I will freely utter the no-no words at home, I would never dream of doing it here. Splash trolls commonly do it as provocation- saying the words to Giants’ fans during Matt or MadBum’s games is simply impolite, and Mr. Mannners disapproves.
As to Miller, he should honor the taboo, IMO.
Actually tI think it’s kinda cool that Miller doesn’t honor the superstition. Kruk and Kuip played, so they feel honor-bound to the superstition, but Miller didn’t and is therefore free of the constraints.
Or some shit like that.
Miller is trying to show he’s not a homer. That’s fine, better than the ridiculous lengths Krukow goes to in awarding 90% of the close calls to the opposition.
Nice job, DMD. If you were really that superstitious, you wouldn’t have written the thread. 😉
My favorite/lucky number is 4. Stretch’s number was 44. In Japan, the number 4 is assiduously avoided because due to similar pronunciations, it is associated with “death”. Meanwhile, little ceramic and cloth-type waiving cat dolls are big time good luck over there, some particularly for girls. While in Tokyo some years ago, I bought one of those cat dolls and a ceramic cat bank for the Snarkettes. So far, so good. I also had the pleasure of viewing the great, giant “Golden Turd”, a piece of art on the Asahi beer hall. http://tinyurl.com/y9u3c48. Maybe that’s considered “good luck”?…
Huh. If the number 4 is so taboo in Japan, you’d think they’d try to avoid the homerun
You’re confusing Japan with the Giants…
“The 300-ton stainless steel sculpture designed by French architect Philippe Stark was meant to look like foam rising from a beer mug. Ah, well.” LMAO…foam from a beer mug? WTF…That IS a GIANT golden turd!
Hmmm….missed that one during my trip to Tokyo a few years back.
The piss-gold building next to that is the Asahi building. It is supposed to look like a beer mug
Well that was a fucking swing and a miss if I ever saw one!
ChiP, I had one day off between meetings. So, I charted out places to see in the city. The Palace, Tsukiji Fish Market (friggin’ amazing), Ginza and Shinjuku districts at night, a bit of shopping and the big temple of Sensoji in the Asakusa district. The big turd is not far from the temple, so I walked over to take a look…
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3004.html
Yeah, I visited the Sensoji. Also visited the Kinkakuji in Kyoto. I dated a young Japanese lady while she was here on a work detail, and visited her in Japan. We spent a week in Tokyo (where she lived) and also a week in Kyoto.
We visited many temples. One of the favorite parts of my trip was after dinner one night, we came out of the restaurant, and I hear a slide guitar or dobro, and someone is singing Robert Johnson’s “Come On in My Kitchen.” We round the corner and there is this small Japanese dude playing a dobro and his voice was “hauntingly” close to that of Robert Johnson. I was blown away to see/hear this in the middle of Tokyo.
And what does all this have to do with baseball? Not a fucking thing…but was some good memories! 😉
Or hitting to 2nd base . . .
I hadn’t seen Bauer’s routine. No commment on that. Then the guy throws his souvenir first pitch in the bigs- to
the wrong dugout.
Yeah,. I saw that last night. 480′ long tosses (foul pole to foul pole), then he pulls a muscle in the 4th.
I’d think they’d want to limit the long tossing to something like 300′.
If I’m the manager (or pitching coach), I’d have a fricking heart attack it I saw my starting pitcher throwing the ball 500′ . . . .
I’m sure he’s nice to his mother.
Wasn’t Bauer pitching in college this time last year?
TF, I appreciate your research on what Cramer said in his book about DiMaggio not attending that funeral, and I’m not saying that Cramer couldn’t have made mistakes in the book; but it doesn’t invalidate the book, IMO. The guy did win a Pulitzer Prize in journalism earlier in his career, and the notes at the back of the book are very extensive on sources and research done. He spent several years writing the book, and was attempting to write a big definitive biography of DiMaggio. If he made some mistakes, that’s unfortunate, but I wouldn’t consider the book a “hatchet job.” The parts of the book describing Joe’s relentless drive playing baseball, playing through injuries, and willing his team on to victories and championships are a very positive description of Joe in that regard.
My superstition? It’s a new one, i.e., I want Dennis to write the opening monologue EVERY DAY . . . Dow is up over 230+ and he is making me a bundle today.
He can have Saturday and Sunday off, along with holidays, since the markets are all closed. 🙂
A lot of people who were close to Dimaggio did consider it a hatchet job. But I hope you understand that nothing I said was meant to take issue with you. This funeral thing just happened to be something that grabbed me because I knew Reno and others who knew Reno, and I had never heard from anywhere else the allegation that Cramer made.
funny, though, I probably drank at Reno’s dozens of times and never saw Joe there, although I think he was co-owner. Another note: Reno’s restaurant was AWFUL but being in the Financial district, you couldn’t serve food bad enough to keep you from being jammed for lunch. Conversely you could shoot a cannon through the area at night, nobody ate in the district afer dark.
There’s some kind of fine line between superstitious behavior and obsessive behavior. That Cubs guy that chewed on the licorice and brushed his teeth between innings- that’s pretty bizarre. It seems like the kind of thing that Cubs fans would find quaint and folksy.
What a nice week of baseball…how’s the blog???
These are great days we’re living, bros. We are jolly green giants, walking the Earth with guns.
Is it a jinx to say after this week that the Giants are going to win the Pennant???
Peter Gammons picked the Giants to be in the World Series in his preseason predictions. That prediction is looking better these days than it did a few weeks ago. Obviously, many miles to go and rivers to cross. Just like the old cliche- take it one game at a time. Cainer tonight, Friday night, scoreless streak going, fans dressed in orange and going crazy, Giants in firstplace. Good stuff.
This isn’t a superstion or anything, just a very funny moment on “House”, which I like for some reason..anyway, the patient is in the OR and three of House’s underlings are at the patient’s side. Some kind of bells or something go off and Dr. Moron number 1 exclaims “OMG, it’s the lungs! House was RIGHT!” No shit, pal. He’s been right like 364 straight times and you idiots have been wrongo 364 straight times..
I’ll keep you all posted on violent spurtings of blood from the mouth, a staple here…
And remember the hapless Hamilton Burger vs. Mason? I guess they did let Burger win once, if I remember correctly. Wow, I just realized the guy’s name was Ham Burger. I had actually never thought of that before.
Zumiee, deep in thought about 50s television.
😀
The 2002 team reunion this weekend will be a lot more fun for fans because of 2010 than it would have been otherwise.
and I just got my tickets for the Tuesday game to see the Giants and the whole family is going to the July 4th game, first time going to the ballpark with all 7 of us…probably will be 115 degrees by first pitch, but thankfully they are going first pitch at 11 am here…that is right, you will be watching Giants baseball at 8 am back home on July 4th, what a better way for you all to celebrate…
GH – Not sure where I’m sitting on the 3rd and 5th but on the 4th I’ll be (all the way) down the RF line in section 236 row F
I’ll be primed and ready for the 8:05 first pitch. Need to decide whether it will be eggs benedict and romos fizzes or buckwheat/blueberry pancakes and bloody marys to prime the pump. Either way…I’ll be ready.
But, before we get there, I believe Timmy will be on the bump for Los Gigantes on Tuesday. 115 and 200 percent humidity does not bode well for him. But, I’m ready for him to put together back-to-back wins!
It is a kick-ass time to be a Giant fan. Loving it!
I love the reunions- and seeing the “little guys” is the best part.
maybe they will have the shutout streak in place as they get to DC….
there is no reason they couldn’t: our pitchers, our park
Dennis, great thread and thread idea. As you know, I don’t subscribe to any superstitions– I’m with Tolbert on that one who says “if you believe that you can jinx a no-hitter by talking about it out loud then you also believe in the Boogie Man.” I don’t know why I find that funny, but I do…..
You used to be superstitous, like when we rode by that house to the Circus Club and you said to pay it proper respect. I didn’t and we crashed our bikes on the way home after passing that house and broke the forks to your bike.
Have not seen this posted, if it has been, well just shoot me now
Having outscored the opposition by an 18-0 margin during the winning streak, the Giants, who are 4-0 on a seven-game homestand, have the NL’s best record in June at 17-9.
Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/06/29/4599497/stretching-the-field-giants-rotation.html#storylink=cpy
It was pretty gloomy after the the Angel’s series. I wouldn’t get too giddy about this, either.
DC weather next week predicted to be hot, but down to low 90s from the brutal 100s going on now. I lived back there for a coupla years; when it’s brutal, it’s brutal. Don’t know if I’ve ever heard of an MLB game start at 11 am. I guess that would help, because around 3-6 pm in DC on really bad summer days, that is absolutely rough being outside, let alone doing a physical activity. Sitting in that sun with that high humidity can lead to heat stroke, so fans are definitely at risk, too…
I think they are also trying to get the baseball crowd out before the fireworks crowd come in. Not sure, but I think that’s why the game is scheduled so early.
Makes sense. We were back there last July 4 and the combo of the Mall fireworks show and some local festival going on resulted in a huge number of bodies on the Mall and then crashing the Metro afterwards…
I used to think, when the Giants were leading, and I turned on the game they would start losing. Then my dad told me about the tooth fairy and at the end of summer I started first grade.
We all know God loves baseball because the Bible starts with, “In the big inning” . .
Now that’s funny
(grin)
That is some funny shit, ed…
Up there with “Hark, Harold Angel sings . . .”
I am thinking independence day in Washington, DC there must be A LOT going on.
Sure Cain thought about Jinxes,Supersitions, when the oblivious Rook Brandon Belt was sitting in his space in the dugout and had to give him the death stare.
Damm Rookie!!!!
I doubt that Matt was as disturbed as imagined.
I don’t have anything against Dusty except having his 3-year old son in the dugout in the World Series. Anyone here think that if you took your 3-year old to work it wouldn’t be a bit distracting to you and your co-workers?
Well, there are similarities between a dugout and a day care center…
The Snow play saving the runt turned out to be the highlight of the series..
Unfortunately, yes.
Would anyone here feel differently about Dusty if Nen, Worrell, and Felix hadn’t blown the 6th game lead?
Probably. I think Kat nailed it…they win, and you completely forget about Dusty taking the ball from Ortiz. I’m so over 2002. Fuck it…our boys in 2010 brought it home! Now I am hungry for another!
I liked Dusty. Still do. I was more pissed at him for starting Livan in game 7 than anything else. I think he’s a good, not great, manager. I think he does better with younger players than Bochy, but he’s not as good with the Pens…
A little. I liked him at the time. I don;t have a problem with him now. The Angels admitted to not even noticing the ball deal until after the game. Besides, Dusty did what had worked the entire season, so it’s hard to give him grief over that. He went to the well one too many times.
And yeah, I didn’t have a very good feeling either with Livan going in game 7. In other words, what Snarkk said.
You could have a dickhead manager,a total idiot manager or whoever,but if he helps you win a W/S Championship Ring,he’s the greatest manager atleast for that year.
So that’s a “yes”?
Yeah, for me it is a yes. But to hell with Dusty.
He’s rocking Red and Black now…and he’s the enemy.
As I said earlier…I am over 2002 (mostly because the Orange and Black finally won one for the City of San Francisco)…
Most people don’t understand that strategy is a miniscule part of what makes a good manager. I think a very good office manager, construction foreman, any man (or woman, for that matter) who knows how get the most out his charges, could be a good baseball manager if he/she did what any successful leader does- surround himself with bright people. I know I’m the minority but I think Dusty is a very good manager..
Actually I’m in a agreement with you twin. I don’t think I’ve ever read about any players that have played for Johnnie B ever complaining. Even Kent said one of the reasons he left SF was the uncertainty about replacing Dusty.
I am not saying I did not like Dusty as a manager. I did, and still think he is a good manager. Great? Not sure.
The whole way he took the ball and flipped it to Ortiz just bothered me.
I was lucky to have met Dusty at a Sac Kings game (he frequents them pretty regularly) and met his dad too (before he passed). Class all the way around.
But again…he is the enemy now…take no prisoners.
Dusty is the best in my book . . . My mom has a picture taken of them both at an SF event and more important, she said he treated everyone equally and was very polite. In short, he got them to the show and it didn’t work out. I still respect and like him.
Dusty’s problem is that managing in the post season in completely different than managing during the season. he does a fine job during the season. in the PS, it’s all about winning THIS game NOW. nothing else. Joe Torre was great at doing both. Bochy did it in ’10 with the benching of zito and essentially rowand. Dusty is too much of a player’s manager to permit him to do that. he worries about hurting their feelings etc. you can’t worry about that. you win THIS game NOW. if that takes two innings from your closer (JT did this with Rivera a bunch), if it takes sitting someone who’s just not producing, you do it. I also wonder how Dusty could not have kninow about Nen. We didn’t know so we didn’t think as much about pulling Ortiz as we would if we did know. The guy’s pitching a gem, your closer may not be available, you ride that starter. you win THIS GAME NOW.
Very good synopsis, Eric. Agree.
The Mark Gardner AB in the 2000 playoffs would be Exhibit A in that theory.
Yeah,that’s a yes Twin.Dusty was a solid Big League Manager and still is.The ownership failed to support him and railroaded him out of town.
Always he was good with the players IMO,and his special art with a toothpick was always hilarious to me.
Does anyone else find it weird that a guy who retired is still going to manage the NL All Star team?
Yeah, I think it a bit strange. First time?
Maybe so…..Johnny Keane had mysteriously jumped to the Yankees in 1965 (replacing Berra) after defeating them in the 1964 WS. Neither managed in the 1965 ASG.
Do you recall how they decided who *would* manage the game that year? I see it was Al Lopez (AL) and Gene Mauch(NL) but how’d they get the gig?
They both finished 2nd in ’64, Ted although looking it up, I see the Phils were actually tied with the Reds for 2nd in ’64. Coin flip? Odd finger? Eeny meeny?
Thanks, Loo
The fans quickly turned the page on Dusty because of the great start the 2003 team got under Felipe. Didn’t the Giants start off something like 17-1 that year? One of the rare times the SF Giants were in firstplace for a whole season. And then laid that colossal egg in the ’03 playoffs. MAN, we deserved that 2010 title!!
Not to be greedy or anything…but I think it time for another!
Definitely. (grin)
The all-time greedsters- Bill Russell 11 championships in 13 seasons, I think. DiMaggio 9 championships in 13 season. The Babe won “only” four titles with the Yankees, and at least 1 with the Red Sox.
Some good comments about Dusty, I’m surprised that so many agree that he was a good manager.What I find interesting about our managerial hires is that we don’t do the good cop/bad cop routine that so many teams do. They fire the “player’s manager” and replace him with the ass kicker-on and on it goes. We pretty much hire the same kind of guy- the man’s man type who expects his players to be the same. Sure, they all have had their styles- but not too many spread flippers, Mauch-ian tacticians, and the like. Maybe we’ll talk managers on Sunday.
As to game 6, I don’t know any fan who had even the slightest doubt that we’d win when Ortiz left. Even after Felix gave up the HR, very little doubt existed.. then the torture started…
Very little doubt after Felix gave up the HR??????? Are you kidding???
Absolutely not..they had a 2 run lead, nobody on. Of course, the fans I hung with weren’t the panic driven type.
Well they were either extremely naive or seriously drunk. Any veteran Giant fan had to be filled with dread…
I’m with Loo on that. I can hardly remember what happened after that homerun. It all became one nightmarish blur.
But I would never rip Dusty about picking Livan for game 7. The choice was Livan or Reuter, and although Reuter had pitched better than Livan in that series, I don’t think either one was an option I felt confident about. Dusty went with his gut feeling on that choice, and I’m fine with it.
I’ve been a fan since 1974- and I’m not naive nor was I drunk- you speak for yourself, Loo. And don’t insult my friends. Thank you.
TF, when you say “very little doubt existed,” you are just talking about you and your friends, because across Giants nation HUGE doubt existed.
Speaking of jinxes, I still think starting to drink shots of tequila in the 7th inning was the downfall.
But on 2002, that StL playoff was awesome.
There’s no being with Loo or with anybody else. There’s no correct way to have felt after the HR. It was when Eyre, then Worrell screwed up that we fretted.
Bozo, I have a friend who sort of half-jokingly will still insist the jinx was when he got a phone call from a telemarketer just as that inning was starting.
That 2002 playoff win over St. Louis was extra sweet because of the ’87 playoff loss to them. During one of the games, a friend and I were waiting in line at the Great American Music Hall for a Linda Thompson concert. He’s a Dodger fan, and so he didn’t care much, but I went into a nearby pub for a bit, to see some of the game, and saw an Aurelia homerun with a bunch of Giants fans. One of my few sports bar experiences ever.
Z, I did add that I was referring to my friends, all decades long fans. I have no doubt that there were people freaked even before the HR- Felix wasn’t a popular guy. I’m not a filled with dread kind of guy, and neither were the group I was with. We’d all seen enough baseball in our lives to think a two run lead with Worrell and Nen at the ready was just fine.
I loved Flex (that’s what we called Felix). But when he started going only fastballs, I was screaming just throw a hook in the dirt. True, no one else was able to stop the bleeding (I can’t give Nen shit, the dudes arm was so gone they didn’t even turn on the speed gun for him). Still, beating StL and La Russa was my WS that year.
That’s probably true. I know it’s true for me. That’s why the crappy feeling was even crappier than the crappy feeling would have been had I not been so sure.
Nice thread. One of my big superstitions is that I will never start a pitcher in fantasy baseball that is facing the Giants. I feel like that will jinx them & I wouldn’t feel good about the points I got at the expense of my team. Also, I have never had a Dodger on any of my teams because to me it would poison my whole roster.
In 2010, I wore my NL West Division Champions T-shirt everyday to work until they won it all (although I did wash it a few times.) I did have some fear of jinxing them when I bet a poor slob at work $100 on the series … but they still came through.
Pawlie – I gave your book to my dad for Father’s Day & he is really enjoying it.
And Pawlie- nice job on your blog describing your night at Turner Field. My wife is a Braves fan, and a trip to Turner Field is on our list of travel destinations in the future someday.
Wisco, if I recall correctly, Ortiz was more than ready to come out of that game. Dusty went with the formula that got him to that game. I don’t fault him for that very much. I do fault him for starting Livan when Reuter (I thought) would have been the better choice.
Then again, I’m still pissed he started Salomon Torres on the last day of the 1993 season.
I really don’t remember anything about Game 6 after Ortiz came out except for the bomb Spiezio hit. I think I blocked most of it out of my memory. I do remember thinking that game was over when Ortiz came out so I couldn’t ever question what Dusty did since I supported the move at the time.
Torres was a big gamble, but what were his other options? I don’t remember, but I remember that his options weren’t good.
Ell, I can’t tell you exactly who was available that day but that pitching staff was stacked with vets. Raggs was on that team I think. The reason Torres stood out as a ? was because he was so young and inexperienced. And then he pitched that game as if he’d shit his pants a few times in the bullpen warming up.
Zum, I think it was either Swift or Burkett on short rest (I don’t remember which) but that season, barring 2010, was in IMO the greatest that I’ve ever seen. I sat in Atl for the losses but was in Field seats when JP (John Patterson) hit that dinger to beat the Braves (we took one out of three at those games before Labor Day). And, JP stopped that fucking chop. I’ll remember that season probably as well as 2010. 103 wins in a regular season is a pretty damn good year (not as good as 104).
I’ve always wanted to have seen a Jack Morris kind of reaction when Dusty came to get Russ. Didn’t get it.
The ballplayers have rituals, but not all are necessarily superstitions, although the line can blur easily. When DiMaggio was playing, part of the back-up outfielder’s job was to light a cigarette as the Yankees defense was coming into the dugout, so Joe could have a quick smoke in the tunnel behind the dugout.
Which raises the question- Bumgarner’s snot rockets…..necessary ritual? Obsessive baseball player behavior? Superstition?
That seems like a medical condition or something– almost like maintenance on a chronic sinus infection. No human has ever naturally produce that much snot and just ignore it.
I’ve always been superstitious about jumping off cliffs. The fall would be fun but the landing just seems harsh. Because of being too superstitious about this I have never made that jump.
That’s awesome and hilarious.
Thanks. The reason for my post was a parody on many of the superstitions. A lot of them have to do with safety. Like “Don’t walk under a ladder”, or “Don’t break a mirror”. I added “Don’t jump off a cliff”! It’s an old superstrition I just made up! Just rying to help people be safe.
I have the perfect designated jumper in mind just for you. No, not I said the cat. The cat is headed on down the street to the Antler’s for some prime rib. Talk to you guys in a few… [no jinx on my prime rib being out]
Blanco RF, Theriot 2B, Cabrera LF, Posey C, Pagan CF, Sandoval 3B, Belt 1B, Crawford SS, (Cain P)
Anyone note this yet: Penny up, Loux to DL
And Surkamp to the 60-day DL.
Can you say Surkamp=Noah Lowry now.
Well, would have been nice to get a 14 win season out of him first.
“Well, would have been nice to get a 14 win season out of him first.”
POTD for me.
Zumie…Your wife’s a Braves fan huh?
Ok I’ll give her a pass if she grew up out there, but please tell me she doesn’t force you to do that lame ass tomahawk chop salute at home.Like Clint Eastwood said “A man’s got to know his limitations”. (grin)
As I recall Baker didnt have much options but to pitch,either Torres or now in hindsight,an old crafty vet Scott Sanderson .Should of went with the vet,over a green “Deer in the headlights Rookie.”
Torres, as you know, went on to a pretty good career as a reliever- became a real iron man. .
Just curious what Brad Penny’s role is gonna be?
I know they had to bring him up now or lose him,but your not gonna use him as a spot starter,especially how their going right now.George Kontos is the long man IMO,though maybe Boch could alternate their roles.Or he just uses him occasionaly to give Romo or someone else a blow,or just matchups…..
long relief and then as an emergency starter.
Well there goes the Sbutout Streak,on the very 1st pitch of the game.Wow you never know in Baseball what’s gonna happen next.Still an impessive streak,congrats Giant Starters!!!!
I’m not going to point fingers but something sure as hell got jinxed.
Don’t hold back. Go ahead and say it: DMD jinxed the motherfuckers.
Hangin’s too good for me. Since it now summertime, I’m up for a little water boarding. What say you?
Beers or shots DMD. Since it is summertime, maybe a festive cocktail?
Man, Cain has got to be doing a slow burn right now knowing he’s the guy who gave it up. And he only needed to pitch a single inning of no run ball, lol.
Oh well, it was a great run
Blame it on Bumgarner the streak is over.He jinxed Matty by saying in the Chron.
“Don’t worry about it.There’s no pressure.All you’ve got to do is throw a shutout.”
I am the Lord thy God Jinx. Thou shall not have any false jinxes before me. Fuck me.
Oh well, at least the Antler’s still served me the rarest cut of roast beast they had left.
Bon Appétit
I find it odd,that the Reds only have 2 Left Handed hitters (Votto and Bruce) on their roster.Great players but know balance.Shit we have a ton of lefties and switchhitters for far more balance in matchups late in games.
a buddy of mine got laid off (layed off?) today so was out drinking a couple of beers. don’t remember dusty having lots of choices with torres and the kid had been good in spots. couldn’t handle the big stage at that point. not meant to be a knock, i don’t know that i would have handled it either. and my point about ortiz isn’t that the following pitchers didn’t fuck it all up, it’s that, knowing what we know now and what i assume dusty knew then, you have to ride that starter into the ground. that st. lou victory was really sweet. especially after ’87. i’ve gone on record that i hate st lou more than any team. hopefully la russa will drop over with short term piles or something. looking at the runs in the first inning tonight: irony, thy name is baseball.
I bet you feel better after posting that. I know I’m to the good for reading it.
Maybe Cain just wants to get Penny into the game and see what he has?
That’s my story and I’m stickin’ with it.
Sounds Right, even if it’s coming from a fucking Clown.(grin)
Damm Matt is shaky tonight.Might see Penny tonight early if this continues in a new role we havent seen in a loooong time a blowout role.Hopefully not, Let’s get are Shit together and rough up Leake.
Wisco, my only point is that if Ortiz wanted to stay in, he would have convinced Dusty he wanted to stay in. He didn’t put up much of a fight.
As far as hating the Cards? I’m with you 100% on that. Even before 87 and the fight in 88.
doubt you’ll see this but, yeah, the sucker punch in 88. the appropriately named bush stadium. I also concede ortiz should have put up a bigger fight. but is that related to “dusty has my back” syndrome?
Foul ball off the knee, no problem for the White Shark.
He tapped that ball to the short stop. I’m not sure how many of you guys catch Reds games, I catch a few now and again. Brandon Phillips is a human highlight reel. He does shit at 2nd base that I’ve NEVER seen anyone do……..
I don’t know, Flav. I’ve done shit at 2nd base that I actually got arrested for