Asterisks – Baseball – and Birthdays
We had the earthquake in ’89 and the Cubbies had Bartman in 2003. Baseball had the strike in 1994 and then the steroids era. Frick and Maris had the asterisk. Soon to come will be a live demonstration of the new duple duel of the Wild Card. Also at the end of this season is the re-alignment of the NL West.
NOW, we have the Evil Empire West. The EEW (© flapper world 2012), also known as dem bums, dogers, boyz in blue and the Los Angeles Dodgers. The EEW (© flapper world 2012) is right now, it is in our face, too close to home, a portend of the end of the world or, at least, of baseball as we know it: on a level playing field.
Don’t deny it, you LQTY as the McCourt mess took some of the edge off a bitter rival team. And now we wring our hands at not only what the current trades might mean but, what financial voodoo the “magic” team will produce in the future. (it was quite hard not to type ‘Lakers’ after the thought of magic!)
Magnus covered the current trade in a brilliant topic yesterday and I did not comment because, permission to speak frankly here, it exhausts me. I think most baseball fans love the _game_ as it is played on the field and tend to lose attention with much of the off-field stuff. Before I list the three items from the topic’s title an aside:
Blade continues his masterful march for the Broken Headed-Rich Aurilia Bobblehead. Pussy and the Bombers bounce back and forth for third while Pawlie vies for the coveted top half finish. Go Flappers!
Asterisks – Baseball – and Birthdays
1) I would vote for Bonds, into the hall, full stop. Will he get a silent asterisk from many of those who vote? Probably. Baseball writer David Martinez said: “The steroid era happened, records were broken, and no asterisk can change it.”
Unfortunately, after having been quiet for a period, steroids are back, especially in Bay Area baseball. That makes me sad. Nipper?
2) EEW (© flapper world 2012) – baseball (this should almost be a poll) has survived worse. the AL East and the TB Rays have proven money can’t buy you championships, but it might rent them for a while. I say: not this season. And that is what I care about; today’s game, this season, what we can/will do to make our team playoff regulars. We have a picturesque park, fabulous fans, healthy history, Bruce Bochy and freakin’ Dave Righetti , how cool is that!
3 I know I have posted this twice before, but next to baseball I love my kids and it is his birthday today and he is a Giants fan. Happy Birthday, Aren. I remember that day better than any baseball moment.
eddacker 29 August
Happy Birthday, Aren #3 son
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
The point about the *Evil Empire West* is a great one. It has instantly made the Giant’s the *good guys* to the rest of the baseball fans in the world. I don’t think the Dodgers were hated by anyone but Giants fans until the new ownership group took over. Now? Hey, it’s EASY to hate this elitist “one percenter” act that they’ve got going in LA.
Hey— if you missed it, I have added a new “Flapper Photo Bucket” page to the right– send me any pic you’d like to share. Bummed I didn’t do this a while ago.
A big happy, Go Giants, birthday to ed’s #3 son Aren.
How’s Issac treatin’ ya?
Flav, we’re good here. It hit the Gulf coast on it’s way inland. Most of my friends in New Orleans are without power. Like Irene was for us, it’s a slow mover and the constant high winds can really take a toll on the nerves. I just hope NOLA doesn’t get the flood surge we did when the hurricane finally passed.
Yeah the Dodgers have a better lineup no question. Lots of power. Giants still have the pitching. It always comes down to that.
I got my coffee made and no Willie!
sorry about the willy. Brit humour
Asterisks are an abomination!
************
Flav & others, Issac is a gulf coast event, not Atlantic coast this time. And probably no worse place, in a clown’s eye view, than his beloved nola.
I no longer care whether Bonds gets in the Hall of Fame or not, but I do care that if Bonds doesn’t make it into the Hall then Clemens should not make it either. If Clemens goes in and Bonds doesn’t, then that makes the sportswriters look pretty bad, with the issue of race being front and center.
No Bonds, then no Clemens, either.
I don’t either but at least he should get his statue at ATT.
I don’t know about SF being the good guys—the bust of Melk and the re-up of Mota, regardless of whether the league supports his cough syrup story, brings some hate from the national media.
I don’t see how bonds can be denied, but I really do believe ths whole Clemens return has something to do with delaying his HOF vote if he can get into a game again.
Interesting too is the fact that Sosa is not exactly a hero in the DR either. This is another guy who was always grandstanding and making a public ass of himself and embarrassing his own people. In the Eastern Stars book (he’s from San Pedro de Macoris) there is a story about a shopping center he built with his name all over it. The place is basically empty, but it was set up as a tax dodge that saved him and family members big bucks.
The pic is cool Edd. Me and Count Basie celebrated one of those b-days a week ago.
About 48 hours left to add a playoff eligible player…
Will be interesting to see if Sabes and crew pull off anything…
I bet they do…
Well, I don’t think there should be any asterisks on any of the records that were accomplished during the “steriod era.” The use was so rampant by both pitchers and hitters, who is to say what was and was not a level playing field. It is something that happened in the game, same as when “greenies” were prevalent (we’ve all heard about the “leaded” and “unleaded” coffee pots in the club houses) back in the day.
And on that note, I do believe Bonds belongs in the hall. Yeah, I don’t have a vote, but as a life-long baseball fan, I do have an opinion…and that one is mine.
Agree Zume – if Bonds does NOT get in, then neither should Clemens.
Great game last night. I don’t know the numbers, but it is a rare treat this year to see the boys in Orange and Black rally for the win when trailing in the late innings.
And I really have zero focus on “the trade.” Who knows long-term how it will impact the NL West. Right now, 0-3 after taking on that 260 mil-plus. How’s that feel Dodger fans (oh yeah…I forgot…you’re sucking on a big one, so you can’t talk)…
Arizona sure went down the drain in a hurry. I was concerned about them. Now their 9 back in the LC…
Yeah, another team that really took a dump is the Bucs, but then they seem to have that late season fade down to a science…
Anyone read Kawakami’s piece today (on Giant’s tolerance for PED use)? Just curious as to the perspective if you have read it:
http://tinyurl.com/987nnh2
I’m disappointed Mota is back. And I agree with all of Kawakami’s points. Mostly though, I just don’t think the possible reward will be even close to the risk—and I’m not talking about the risk on the field, I just thinks the message this sends publicly makes us look like we don’t care that our players cheat.
And this cough syrup bullshit is the worst in terms of them thinking we are actually buying this. I still don’t understand how MLB suspends him for 100 games if they *accepted* his appeal for what he *actually* did. Isn’t that what the appeal was for? Otherwise, why use cough syrup as the excuse if they knew it wouldn’t matter either way?
Pro sports is all about performance. It’s the same reason Dez Bryant has the Cowboys tripping all over themselves to *support him*— he’s a great wide receiver. If he was a middling wide receiver he would have been immediately waived…..
A 39 year old steroid-less Mota bring brought back just to fill a long relief roll just doesn’t seem worth it to me……….
Good point, Chi, about Mota serving his time. I’m on the fence over Mota’s return. I’m not real crazy about it, feeling the Giants should distance themselves from a PEDer. However, their long relief is such a mess right now, it can’t hurt to bring Mota aboard and see if he can help.
By the way Edd, what’s the #3 stand for? Chronology or favorite? 🙂
yep, they are my three boys, aren is the baby.
Surprised by Az, too. Thought they had a run in them. Cardinals did come back from 10 down last yr, but, think you can bury Gibby and the boys. Would like to see Pitts get to the playoffs however and keep Stl LA out.
G’s have a little mo now with 5 games against Hous/Chi. Good op to open up on the Bums while Kemp is out and they scramble to come together. Will they add Ozwalt, Rooster?
Nice post, Edd. Where’s that pic taken?
Petco before a game a few weeks ago. Someone asked him who that was and he replied: “that’s a $120M hand on my shoulder.”
Should Bonds get in? Yes. Clements as well. Based on the fact that they were both HOFers before the apparent juicing. But they are pretty much tied at the waist. they both go in, or they both don’t.
Clements pitching thing is nothing but a lame-ass attempt to distance himself from Bonds. They both retired in 2007, so they are on the swame schedule, so to speak. Anyone who doesn’t see through that is blind. He may give it up right now, but what other reason is there for trying this? Curiosity? No. he doesn’t want to be mentioned in the same breath as BB when the HOF voting starts.
BTW, if the Giants are going to build a statue for Bonds, it should be a literal (and figurative) island out in McCovey Cove.
Make sure you spell his name right on the ballot, Skippy…
Sorry, I’ve spent too much time roasting Nate Clements on my Niner blog. . . .
I guess I have a different perspective than BF on the Mota deal. Regardless of the cough syrup story, and who bought it/didn’t, he was suspended 100 games. He served his time. He should be able to go play ball without any stipulation (did the crime and served the time). I also trust the Giant’s brain trust in evaluating a player. The team had Mota in Arizona checking him out. He even made some appearances in Fresno. Obviously they saw enough that they believe he can help the team, now. I have mentioned the bullpen several times over the past couple of weeks. Some agree that the bullpen needs some help while others have said they feel it is fine as is. I still feel that for the stretch run (and potentially the playoffs) that the bullpen could stand to be bolstered. And if Sabean, Evans, Tidrow, Raggs, etc. feel Mota can be of service (and we already have him under contract), what’s not to like about the move. Just a different perspective.
And on a similar note (and I know this one is probably not popular with most Flappers), I am open to the possibility (if the team made the playoffs and got deep enough) to have Melky re-join the club (yeah…I can feel the wrath on this one, already). Again, at that point, he will have “done his time” and will still be under contract with the team. Someone mentioned yesterday that the difference in the Mota and Melky situations is how he did not address the team (or the fake website situation). Who the hell really knows what went down, what was or wasn’t said, etc. And really, I could give a rat’s ass. If he does the time, management wants him back (and feel he adds value), and his teammates welcome him back…I say giddy-up.
Okay…I am ready for the barrage of flaming arrows and poison darts, now. 😉
I’d take the batting champ back the day he’s available…
Melky is finished here- and, drugless, he’s finished as an elite ballplayer.
He’s gone!
This is San Francisco-we will always be good guys in Europe–but never “in the baseball world”, which is, after all, redder than Mississippi….
I’m done with the trade and done with caring who gets into Hall- how many are in it in? OK- total 289 according to Baseball Almanac ( which actually lists “Players” and “Negro Leagues” seperately. Maybe they mean “dem guys”?)…Anyway, best guess is about half deserve to be there on merit and if we throw out all them dirty bastard cheaters and neer-do-wells, we’re down to 50… I say Let Barry into Augusta National…the Hall is not a club worth
joining. At Augusta, at least he can play with Condy, who I rate as one of the better GILFs…
A very Happy Birthday to Aren, Edd…
I agree with Craig about Mota- I posted before that the team should distance themselves as far away as possible from any PED users, And I don’t even give a hoot that he used- baseball does, and right ot wrong- we’re the Poster team for the era.
Craig. I sent ya some pics from the Atl game on the 25th . . .
I was about fifteen feet away from the spectacular Pablo to Crawford catch…I immediately stood up as the high pop up was heading in my direction…No I didn’t pull a DeNiro from The Fan and knock my kid out of the way…However I can say without hesitation, that was the greatest play I have ever seen in person.
My over under on how long the not quite yet 4 year old would go was 5 innings…He lasted till the conclusion of take me out to the ballgame during the stretch…Made it home in just enough time to see the Giants win it….Tonight Iam taking the office with me.
Yeah, I was surprised that Mota was welcomed back. Mistake or not, 2 positive tests means there’s more to this than cough syrup. Gimme a frigging break. It’s this kind of stuff that tells me the league isn’t really serious about testing. The fans don’t care at all.
Melky may be looked at differently now, but he’ll be in the same boat come playoff time. At least that’s my take since they said Mota’s cool. Unless he comes back looking like Panda, there’s no reason to think they won’t bring him back.
Melky’s “associates” website elevates his situation far beyond that of Mota or almost every other user, IMO. I don’t see them taking him back under any circumstances. They might as well just by stock in PED labs for the mesesage it would send. I don’t think the Giants would allow Melky into Northern California if they had the power to keep him out. Of course that just my usual vanilla opinion 😉
I agree, the Giants need to just take two Giants steps back from Roid users. IMO, the roid users do not get to pass go and collect $200! Baseball is still too easy on them. So Chi, let me ask you, If some invester stole all your money in a stock market scandal was busted, did his time, then came back to you, you would once again give him your money to invest?
Come on Kevin…that’s comparing fucking apples and oranges. Look, all I am saying is that baseball has come up with penalties for using PEDs…whether or not you agree with them, they are the current rules. Once a player satisfies the penalty…they should be allowed to play. Now, I understand that some of you are saying that the team should not take on these players (Mota, Melky, etc.).
Baseball is a business, and I trust the management group of the Giants (Sabean, Tidrow, Evans, etc.) to make sound decisions on how to manage the team (including whether or not to entertain bringing back someone who used PEDs).
This is a topic on which we will have to agree to disagree. I knew my take would not be popular, but it is still my opinion.
Well, I have to agree to disagree, The way I look at this is the Giants have invested money in these players. The player has cheated, so now the Giants are getting nothing in return. Now when/If the player returns, the Giants have to play a wait and see if the player is going to return to form. And they have to pay him the rest of his salary.
Link to right- Zombie Pizza Girls are coming to get you!
On January 23, 1979, Mays was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. He garnered 409 of the 432 ballots cast (roughly 95 percent); referring to the other 23 voters, acerbic New York Daily News columnist Dick Young wrote, “If Jesus Christ were to show up with his old baseball glove, some guys wouldn’t vote for him. He dropped the cross three times, didn’t he?”
Consequently, I could give a rat’s ass about the Hall of Fame, especially after the aforementioned sin of Willie getting in on less than 100% ballots cast.
Ed, great thread and thank you for the Flap League props . . . My team is slumping right now and I’m trying to hang on. By the by, I am hoping you take the headless Aurelia bobble head denoting 1st place, if I choke. 🙂
Last, but not least – I was WOWED AND FLOORED by what you said about your child, Aren. I hope he is able to see your thread today, as well as the posts here. It’s quite obvious that your love for him is boundless and unconditional.
Again, excellent thread!
The only difference between Melky, Mota and hundreds of others is that they got caught. If you get away with murder you’re still a murderer. As far as PEDS in sports, they’re all guilty till proven innocent as far as I’m concerned.
That’s not the American way!
I used to care about ‘roids, and was tough on Bonds and the Giants for it. I’ve mellowed on it, as more info has come out on how rampant the use was. No doubt in my mind there are many users now of PEDs, in whatever form, still in MLB and will be as long as the drug testing program is under MLB/Player Union control. My point? I don’t care much about it now, everybody is under suspicion. So, I don’t reserve special ire for Melky other than he was probably stooopid to get caught. Pujols has always been under suspicion. David Wright, a good year after a bad year last year? Who knows? If they’re PEDers, but don’t get caught, they’re not morally any better than guys that get caught, just smarter and have better PED management. I called the Mota return many weeks ago, there was no doubt in my mind he was on the return train. Why should the Giants reject players under the discipline program any more than any other teams? Melky will find a home next year. Lower price, but he’ll find one. Might as well be SF, if the teammates get over his situation — some of them may be using right now. The testosterone didn’t impact much his speed and ability to catch, if at all. I still see no diff between Mota, a two time loser with a cough, and Melky, a one time loser with bad representatives. They both cheated to get money, and got caught. The uncaught cheaters are less stooopid, but just as worthy of opprobrium or a shrug, whichever floats your boat…
Chi, there’s NO doubt Melky will play again. Someone WILL sign him next year. That isn’t the point. The point is, should the GIANTS be the ones to take him back? I say no, but I think the fact that they welcomed Mota back muddies the issue some. Melky tried to weasel his way to an excuse, but Mota used an excuse (cough syrup) as well. Besides, it’s his SECOND bust that he didn’t even bother to fight it. Which to me calls bullshit on his excuse.
I’d like to think that if they get that far without him, they don’t need him, but what if Pagan gets hurt in the playoffs and they need an OFer? Do they shine Melky on then? I don;t think so.
What if Buster tested dirty?
After all, there’s no guarantee whatever that he’s not on something to help with returning from his injury.
Would the Giants welcome him back?…
I would, but then, I have already pointed out that I am down with the Mota return, and if and when the time comes (playoffs 5 or 6 games deep), I would welcome Cabrera back, too.
With a 4 game lead on the Bums, and with Kemp out for who knows how long, the Giants have a lot less pressure but a great opportunity to put some air between them and the riff raff. Zito can also make some folks happy by stepping up in Houston. this could be a keystone week for us so let’s hope we can take advantage.
I find it hard to believe that some don’t think the fake website issue doesn’t make Melky’s situation different. To answer Snarkk’s question in that light- if Buster through his “associates” pulled that, would he be welcomed back? Never…
I don’t see any difference, except maybe degree, of the faux website defense and the faux cough syrup defense. Both were set up as a ruse, a dodge, an escape hatch. One being more elaborate than another makes no real difference to me, the principle is the same. I could contend Mota’s is worse, he claimed it was his daughter’s medicine, and that’s pretty lame to bring your daughter into the moral mess, however indirectly it is. We don’t know Melky’s involvement in the website ruse, I have no clue, but I’d guess he wasn’t in on the instigation of that bright idea, nor the details…
There’s a huge difference- the test revealed what Mota took and the notion that he lied about where it came from is only an allegation. The fake website is fact and has beeen referred to the feds- the difference here is rather like saying “the dog ate my homework” and hiring someone to do it for you…
Then we disagree. I see little difference in intent to deceive. Mota’s cough syrup claim is an age old user’s dodge, and laughable. MLB supposedly agreed with him, but suspended him anyway, so the claim wasn’t believable enough to win an appeal. Result: he’s dirty, and for a second time. Melky was found dirty just once, in my view he’s less dirty than Mota. I don’t care what the US Attorney’s office does or doesn’t do with this stuff, it’s all discretionary and political. In my book, a busted ballplayer under the MLB testing regime has objectively violated the Fed Controlled Substances Act, for whatever schedule of drug is at issue. So, every one of those busted could be prosecuted for possession, maybe distribution, but they aren’t. Ask the Justice Department why that is…
Everyone’s entitled to a little opprobrium every now and then…
i think if Jeter tested positive the world would end.
Loo …..you and the roaches would survive.
Who would win if Armageddon comes and only NRA members and Mormons are left, i.e., gun nuts or people with the food caches? 🙂
The smart ones…that would be the gun owners who also have the food caches…
Chi, we had this Mormon family that lived down the street from us. They adhered to the one year supply of food, no smoking, no caffeine, no alcohol, etc. That’s the argument we always used against them . . . If the world ended, everyone knew where they lived, so no need for us to save food for Armageddon – just go over there with our guns and . . . Well, ya know what they say about survival of the fittest, smartest, etc., right? 🙂
We allow people to do far more dangerous things than play football or baseball while using steroids. We allow people to bungee-jump, smoke, drink alcohol, to ski on advanced slopes, to cliff dive. To eat marbled meat or ice cream pie every day if they want. I don’t think we want to go down a path in which we restrict and even criminalize behaviors just because they have health risks. And steroids are so low on the list of drugs or diets that cause serious harm I don’t understand why we would start there.
Consequently, I would like to see the facade of drug testing and rules prohibiting PEDs be dropped immediately. It’s a waste of time and money. Athletes are in a position to make a decision about what behavior is in their best interest, to weigh the risks and benefits according to their own values. Pandora is out of the box, so it would be much easier to eliminate the anti-doping rules than to eliminate doping.
Also, did anyone catch Brian Cashman’s comments in regard to Melky and Colon? What a hypocrite and ass wipe . . . “When we traded him to Atlanta we had him as a low-end, everyday regular or an excellent fourth outfielder,” Cashman said of Cabrera. “And that’s how we show where we thought his ceiling was. As you know, he was starting for us in the World Series, but we had him as a low-end, everyday guy, not a National League MVP candidate. So I wasn’t surprised. In Bartolo’s case, as well as he has done last year as well through this year, at his age, after coming back from that surgery, makes you scratch your head.”
Sounds to me like he is covering his ass insofar as trading Melky and releasing Colon.
MLB and the Players Union are not serious about PED testing.
If they were, they would take testing away from control by themselves, interested parties, and give it to an independent agency like the USADA, the one that has been yapping at Lance Armstrong for years. Those guys would actually test to the current state of the art standards, and there’d be none of this UPS defense stuff, ala Ryan Braun.
That won’t happen, because more players, and big name players, would be caught if strict testing protocols and methods were used…
I’ve been clear many times that PED use should never have been anything but a health issue- Selig only gives a shit because it became a PR disaster. PEDs are, arguably, simply a *better* performance enhancer than previous and legal ones. My issue with Melky is that he’s a fucking moron for
A.Getting caught using a substance that’s easy to avoid detecting
B. Screwing the team in the middle of a pennant race
C. The website ruse ( nah, he didn’t know, and Romney has no knowledge of what’s in his blind trusts )
D. Not having the spine to face his his teammates
Selig should release the names of the 200+ known users who have remained anonymous, give everybody amnesty, and since we know PED use will never end, appoint a panel of medical professionals to create a list of acceptable substances. from that point on, some military justice is in order- don’t punish the offender- hit the team. 10 game loss in the standings ought to ensure that the user sleeps with one eye open…
I agree whole-heartedly Steve on ending the ban on the use of PEDs. Not sure I could argue it any better myself.
And on the Mota / Melky thing (should the Giants use them or not), there is not a right or wrong…only differences of opinions.
A ban on the ban?
I don’t have a big problem anymore with whatever they use. The issue to me is an uneven playing field, whatever they’re using. The problem is, at root, that these substances are blatantly illegal to possess and distribute without the proper medical administration and rationale. Mere possession is a violation of the federal criminal code. We can argue whether that’s the way it should be, but that’s the way it is. So, not just for PR, but for realistic and practical reasons, MLB no longer can condone their use or at least wink wink and do nothing about it. MLB allowing the unfettered use of some or all illegal PEDs is simply not a realistic option. So, this fairly loosey goosey testing program is what they use…
Pffft! So much for the Rockies drawing a line in the sand against the Dodgers . . . Bums up 6-0, with HanRam just going yard.
Well the Dodgers have a fine line-up so they’re bound to hit a bit and win now and then. It happens.
Damn I’m sick of the Giants pop-gun attack.
Yeah, we should be signing players that know the ins and outs of drug testing, not amateurs like Melky. 🙂
Nothing is worse than a dumb drug taker.
Ryan Braun, come on down!…
“Yeah, we should be signing players that know the ins and outs of drug testing, not amateurs like Melky.” Good stuff, Steve. There’s some truth in it, though. Stupidity did cost him millions of dollars and he’s not out of the woods on facing criminal charges if the federal investigation shows he had a part in the website scam. So yeah, I do prefer a smart cheater 😉
Yeah, I read that, Blade. What a truckload of shit that was. ‘Oh, yeah. We knew they were dirty, so we passed ’em on to the next team . . ‘
Kinda like the Catholic church and their pedophile priests . . .
I can proudly state I was never an altar boy.
That being said, Twin, A through D won’t keep the Giants from bringing Melky back if the situation warrants it.
Melky will never play in SF again and his drug busting would be secondary to the main reason—he bailed on his teammates, didn’t even say good bye or address them after this came out. No way the Giant’s brass risks ruining the newly developing chemistry of the guys who survived this debacle and did all the work to ultimately get them to the playoffs.
If they make it can you imagine telling the team “Hey guys, that lying stupid fuck who didn’t give you the courtesy of a goodbye is back and ready to take over left field for a couple of games. How’s that sound???!!!!” Melky proved to be fake on many different levels. His teammates would spit at the idea of his arrival 6 games into the playoffs and Sabean knows this.
No fucking way the Giants ever even sniff the idea of bringing this guy back, this year or next year……
I was away for several minutes before I posted my 1:49… I agree with Craig.
What situation would warrant it? My math could be wrong, but the only way he could return this year would be if they advance to the NLCS ( presuming they win the wn the division, not the WC. If they won the WC, he could return for the 5th game of the NLDS or early in the NLCS). I see no way they would take him back having gone that far without him. Talk about team chemistry, his return would burn down the lab, it would be disastrous.IMHO
Meth lab burn? News at Six.
October’s a loooong way off, Flav. It could happen.
I don’t think you’re appreciating the team dynamics that are going in to this whole thing but if he shows up 6th game of the playoffs to take over the LF job then I will salute you on that call.
I’d take him back, but doubt the team would at that point. Then again, this is brand new territory. There aren’t any rules yet…
What Twin, Flav, Snarkk, Chuck, Chi, other Flappers have said about him screwing us in the middle of a pennant race is what pisses me off too. We all know that other players are using PEDs and they are getting away with it. I can almost forgive him for being stupid (i.e., getting caught).
But the lame written apology – his frickin’ agent wrote – I will never forgive him for. Minimally, he should have had a closed locker room meeting with his team mates, coaches, GM, and ownership – apologizing unequivocally, without excuse or “yeah buts.” Then he should have had a news conference and done the same thing for all Giants fans. As you guys have indicated, him bailing out on his team and us was beyond pathetic.
In no way do I advocate it or anything, I just think that if he came back all apologetic and shit, he’d be welcomed back. Did he bail on his teammates? Sure. Mota gave his mea culpa after his daughter’s cough syrup hosed him (gimme a fucking break), and he seems to be well-liked in the clubhouse, but if Bonds taught us anything, folks can put up with a lot of shit if you can produce.
I an’t sweating it either way, just that I wouldn’t be as surprised as some of you if he comes back.
“I an’t sweating it either way, just that I wouldn’t be as surprised as some of you if he comes back.”
True. Shit, Nixon came back after his lame “Checkers” dog story speech. Same thing with Clinton, after Monica gave him a blow job. Who’d of thunk?
I’m with Chuck on this. I wouldn’t turn off the Melky switch for next year yet, whatever Baggs says. This season, yeah, but not next, not yet. I don’t remember/know the details of the Mota thing. Did he tell the guys as he was walking out “Sorry dudes, I grabbed the wrong cough syrup”, and all was forgiven? A SECOND time? He crapped on the team 1/3 through the season, is that better than 2/3 through? I just don’t get the comparative fault here, where some see Mota, a two time loser, as more stand up than Melky. Bogus cough syrup is more truthful than a bogus website? So, if Mota had bought the “cough syrup” from his agent’s bogus website, then he would NOT be forgiven in the clubhouse? Come on…
Well, at least Dubya ain’t comin’ back. Is he even within 1000 miles of the convention? For a two term Prez, his own party has basically deep-sixed him from their history like the Soviet communists used to do to top party functionaries that embarrassed the party…
So Mitch Williams is the latest sports personality to go off on Skip Bayless. Bayless is an even more annoying version of Glen Dickey, if that is possible. I think someone on the Flap a while back said Bayless is the kind of person you try your hardest to avoid at a dinner party. You get cornered at a dinner party, and the guy is telling you about the misunderstood genius of Garner Ted Armstrong.
THE WORLD TOMORROW.
Wow, GTA, that’s a blast from the past. He was kinda boring though, in a Ted Baxter kinda way.
Now, Gene Scott. There’s an interesting dude. You could kick back with a beer and actually get some entertainment out of his diatribes. Two beers and you could start connecting the dots on his whiteboard to paradise, or Israel, or hell, or somewhere. His young “widow” preacher isn’t too bad herself, especially with those Web rumors of a sorta sordid past in rather, shall we say, avant garde films…
Snarkk clued to his TV!
Reverend Gene Scott was the bomb. He’d somehow tie the Egyptian pyramids byzantine labyrinths led directly to the fact he needed money to fix the transmission in his Caddy. His diagrams were epic.
I spent more than a few sleepless night digging on the rev. . .
An unidentified club claimed Red Sox left-hander Felix Doubront on waivers Tuesday, according to FOX Sports. Any idea which team?
The Dogs STILL ain;t done bailing out the Red Sox?
Re Melk. Think BF and twin are right about why he won’t. My question is, even if the G’s considered bringing him back during the playoffs, how does he get ready? Minors end soon. Wouldn’t he need some live games to get his stroke down? I dunno. Maybe he could spend a week with Roger and the Skeeters.
Fuck. The Dogs almost blew a 9 run lead. They won 10-8 over the Rox.
It’s at least good to hear their pitching almost blew a 9 run lead. That’s 26 runs over 3 games.
I’m hoping the Dodgers don’t work out a claim for Mauer. Now THAT would be a big blow.
I don’t think you can compare Mota and Melky. Mota was on the WS team, he’d been here with ties to team. Plus, I think a lot of people just saw Mota as a guy trying to hang on at his most effective production before he wandered away into retirement. Plus, the long guy put of the pen can’t be compared to Melky this year or what he was doing for the team– then to find it was all fake? And bailing without addressing the team was just a second gut punch to the guys he had supposedly going to battle with day in and day out.
Also, I never heard anything about Mota dropping everything and never speaking to anyone again.
Thanks for the pics fellas, I’ll add them to the pic widget when I get home tonight
A CBS Sports endorsement of Gary Brown . . .
“Gary Brown, OF, Giants: So far, the Giants have resisted the temptation to promote their top hitting prospect in the wake of Melky Cabrera’s 50-game suspension, but now that the Dodgers have added Adrian Gonzalez to their lineup — after already out-maneuvering the Giants by adding Hanley Ramirez and Shane Victorino at the trade deadline — the Giants might see the need to upgrade from Gregor Blanco. Granted, Brown would be making the jump from Double-A, where he’s batting .281 with a .739 OPS, but those numbers are a little misleading. Since the beginning of June, Brown is batting .305 with six homers and 14 steals. Still not impressed? Look, no one’s saying he’s Mike Trout, but with good speed and a high contact rate, he’s clearly the team’s leadoff hitter of the future. And if his recent move from center to left field is any indication, that future may not be so far off.”
That’s a nice take but I’m 100% off bringing up Brown this year– maybe in Sept just for the experience and as a PR. I think he’s got an awful long way to go to be a competitive hitter up here– MLB pitching would make him look foolish up there (IMO)
Ditto Craig . . . He still strikes out way too much. Couple that with the pressure of coming up in a pennant race, the organization would be taking a big chance in him regressing big time (insofar as confidence in his ability to succeed at this level). Sure, bring him up if we fall flat on our face in the next couple of weeks (quite doubtful). Otherwise, it’s spring training where he will be given an opportunity to make his mark . . . and hopefully, the roster.
Only reason I posted this is because of the nice compliment toward him.
Now that’s a nice start.
Bozo I want an update on how you’re doing vs Issac!
by the way, that last post was a joke. I hadn’t stopped to check the path until earlier today I had just assumed it would come Bozo’s way. It’s no where near him. I had posted a couple other posts checking in on him. And hey who could blame me? The Clown has been a magnet for some weird shit the last several years……..
Dude, thanks for telling me it was a joke because I’ve answered a few times. Hey even Ed answered it today. Anyway, thanks for asking. It is hurricane season and I do live on the hurricane path so valid questions. Janice (or whatever the J named storm was) dissipated, so now we’re keeping our eyes on Kirk. If he hits us, beam me Scotty.
The echos in this ballpark kinda reminds me of the Stick on a Thursday night.
that’s a fucking fantastic call……
I’ve been down on Pence big time since he came to the Giants . . . Quite nice seeing him go yard (I’m hoping I can say I was completely wrong about him at the end of the season).
I was totally against the trade for Pence if it were Brown we were giving up. Pence is a decent 20/15 guy if everything breaks his way. Not bad, but not game changing. When it turned out to be Joseph I supported it. And after Melky went down Pence has almost been invaluable. Think about it. Yes he went through a recent stretch where he didn’t do anything for 50 at bats or so but all ball players go through that. Including tonight, he’s got 19 rbi’s in 103 at bats for us. That is good run production no matter how you slice it. Without Melky, Pence has been invaluable since the day he got here to our offense. Pagan couldn’t have played all 3 outfield positions…..
You will Blade.Yeah Pence has been pressing,but he still drives in runs and plays the game hard with his all out hustle.Alittle home beating of his old pathetic team doesnt hurt as well.I say he really gets going on this road trip and makes road kill on the Astros and Cubby Bears.
Like I said, I hope I am wrong and you both are right.
I definitely saw why you didn’t like him. And most of his offensive stats have been horrible. I was just pointing that despite his ugly look since he arrived, he’s been a pretty darn good run producer
I once went to a rodeo at the Astrodome and the rats running around were so big, they could have been ridden. Kinda turned me off to rodeos.
Hate to say I called Pence’s shot, but when the catcher set up inside I said ‘gone.’ Thus impressing my son and my wife.
Can you do that with the lottery or horse racing? Stocks?
Zits better calm this shit own in a hurry,.
Fuck.
May need 8 runs tonight.
Pretty quick hook….
like I said, he didn’t look that bad (though I’m a latecomer). Blanco might’ve caught the one to left. Peguero was understandably cautious.
Happy birthday, Aren. You and Zito look like brothers. What stadium again is that?
The Stros announcers said Zito got shelled. I just started watching this inning. Those were just hits that fell in, hardly “shelled” in my view.
Let’s kount on Kontos!!
Mostly ground balls that found holes. I’m guessing Bochy is not worried about scoring any pts. with Zito this year. I don’t get this Kontos thing either. Learning on the fly during a pennant race.
Has Kontos gotten anyone out this year?
Baseball Reference has his numbers.
As Kruk mentioned, he had had problems with inherited runners- 10 of 19 had scored. But overall, he’s been easliy the best of the long guys they’ve tried..
http://tinyurl.com/95884vo
about 234 more outs than Clay Hensley
Someone needs to work with Hensley on that look he gets when he gets shelled. He gets this nervous little smile of surprise that is not a good look. I’m sure he doesn’t know it but those things can get you in trouble.
I’d like to amend my early post of “Now that’s a nice start.”. I think I need to include “until Barry got the ball”.
Big games at stake tonight for the Rays and the Pirates.
Brett “I Look Like Tom Jones” Wallace has some ownage, boys and girls.
Not to mention the fact that Pence has had a shitload of balls get caught t the wall
so am I *on* tomorrow or Friday?
Edd was today, Twin is back in the Lu tomorrow and then we start over from the top. I’m on my ph so i can easily access the author list to the right.
I already wrote my post- and I have Pence as one of the guys to lead the September charge.
ok, then Friday; I saw the schedule, revised, but did not know if I should believe it, which now I do
I notice not much mention here of the other team in the bay area, but i sure would love to know where they find these guys who look like batting champs but no one has heard of them before. Haven’t enjoyed watching them in ages but it’s fun to see them banging the Yankees for four in a row and making morons on the TV talking heads who have laughed at them all year.
Probably the guys liking their run the least are Fisher, Wolfie, and Beane…
The other team in the Bay Area? Oh yeah, Petaluma did have a good run. The TV talking heads were bad mouthing those little guys? The Bastards.
Robbie, I lost interest in the A’s when their stadium got redesigned for more football seats, in the mid-1990s. I used to go to a few games a year, but after the redesign it was just such an ugly place to see a baseball game. It’s like watching a baseball game in some kind of concrete nightmare.
I know all of that but they are impressive this summer. And the names are coming out of nowhere. I haven’t been a fan and I understand that the guys twinfan mentions are hard to digest but I think it says a lot about the AL too. Overrated is what I think. Any team that takes four in a row from the Yankees is going to win me over. Not to mention embarrassing that other LA team, which also dumped a butt load of money.
I don’t think we can overestimate the importance of picking up Marco Scutaro. I do miss Theriot’s playing time, but Scutaro has been a real find.
It hit the roof? Mel Ott rolling in his grave.
Has the NLDS changed to 7 gms with Thr new playoff format? If it’s still 5 then we just go with Cain, Bum, Voggy, right? Timmy and Zito left off?
Sweet.
Martinez’ play is going to become a classic, thinking he catches it while it rolls to the corner. He is never going to live that down.
yeah, but he seems to play it like faking it will get an out call; what? it’s crazy
Arias comes through again. Sweeeeeeet. The LF Martinez is either an awful actor or he was goofy enough to think he caught it or he is delusional. Nice try, but the ball was NOT in your glove, dude.
If he keeps raking the Arias needs to play everyday. And Scutaro should have taken enough balls in LF by now to make this happen. Scutaro to LF, Arias to 2nd. The LF Black Hole Experiment needs to end—belt, Scutaro or fuck it, even Arias, need to get a shot out there
I’d guess they’ll give Nady at shot in LF, at least as part of a platoon.
Oh i know they will Twin.Bochy is gonna give Nady some starts in LF/Platoon hoping for a month of Pat Burrell pop.
With roughly 400 fans still there I am half way expecting us to hear a 1-man “Fla-vor NA-tion!!!!” chant to break out with some half-sauced office folk chiming away in the background
Now that would be epic.
This is why I didn’t like Mota activation– sell our rep a little further “out” for this shit.
Peguero is playing LF like ther’e a moat in front of him..
Bochy is now looking like a genius and I’m now a huge Kontos fan.
ugh, spoke too soon.
Real nice job by Kontos in relief of Zit boy.Mota alittle shaky,could end up “coughing” up a couple runs.Smart of Bochy to get him out there.OOPS maybe not fuckin Mijares.