Retro-Time: What Have They Done Since?
The Winter is long. It’s especially long when it hasn’t even gotten here yet and we can’t start counting down the days left in winter. Haiku’s pass the time but they’re usually reserved for the darkest days of January. The threads don’t come easy in the off season no matter how hotly the stove burns.
So to break up the monotony of baseball-less days, me and The UnStable’s will be bringing you a “What Have they Done Since?” feature at the blog.
Just to kick it off, I thought I’d do two former players today. I recognize that all of this info is readily available on Wikipedia and other public sites but you might find that some of the post-baseball careers of former Giants are quite interesting.
1) Terry Whitfield:
What I remember most about Whitfield was his weird-ass batting stance. He played nearly 10 years in the big leagues in a career that spanned from ’74 to ’86 (he spent 4 year’s in between playing in Japan).
from wiki:
“After his playing career, he opened Future Pro Baseball, a batting cage in Burlingame, California, where he also offers private batting instruction. Whitfield also runs a youth baseball camp and is the inventor of a soft-toss machine called the “Terry-Toss” which can be found at his batting cage and as a fan attraction at professional stadiums such as AT&T Park in San Francisco. He previously was the head baseball coach at Burlingame High School. He has four kids. His son Eric Whitfield hit four homeruns in one game in an early-round game of a district All-Star Little League tournament.”
2) Darrell Evans:
He had a much more distinguished career than Whitfield. A lot of Giants fans didn’t like Evans and I don’t know why. It could be just because he was on so many horrible Giants teams. He used to hit towering home runs. He played 21 year’s in the bigs, 8 with the Giants, banging out 414 home runs. His rookie year was 1969 and his final year was 1989. According to baseball-reference.com he made a little over 5 million dollars in his career (though most of player’s salary’s in the 70’s doesn’t get recorded at that website.
per wiki:
“Evans worked for a time as the manager for the Long Beach Armada, a team in the independent Golden Baseball League for which José Canseco once played. He managed the Armada to the GBL championship series in his final year with the team in 2007. On November 25, 2008, Evans became the first manager and director of player personnel for the expansion Victoria Seals of the Golden Baseball League. The team began play in April 2009, On March 3, 2010 Evans was fired as the Manager of the Victoria Seals. Evans currently manages the St. George RoadRunners in the Golden Baseball League.
In 2009 Evans managed the Palm Springs Chill in the California Winter League. He is currently the commissioner of the league.
Evans was born in in Pasadena, California, and is a consultant for Netamin Communication Corporation, ensuring accuracy as the gaming company develops Ultimate Baseball Online 2007, the first-ever Massively Multiplayer Online Sports Game”
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And that conclude’s the first Flap “What Have they Done Since?” Installment of what will probably be many this off season……..
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
Great idea BF, and I already have ideas on a number of players to highlight. I remember Whitfield (77 was my first year here, and my first year of following the Giants). Not one of those players that just jumps out at you (at least not for me). Ended his career with the Bums – oh well, we all have our faults. Good stuff. Evans – you got it…what I remember about him are his monster HRs, and he was a fairly decent 3rd baseman.
Possibly snow this evening and through Saturday morning in my neck of the woods, so I may have to put the knitting aside (just kidding) and work on a couple of haikus.
Make it a kick-ass Friday, Flappers!
It’s great to hear these guys stayed in the game and got into coaching. I’m sure Whit had a very positive affect on kids and their hitting and it’s neat he has actually developed a product to do same. Same for Evans and all his work in independent/rookie type leagues. I like the whole idea of the thread…just no woody and the shed updates, tho i bet it’s rockin times back there.
I’ve posted this before, but I once looked up a b-ball player I liked, Freeman Williams, on wiki. He had led the country in scoring at Portland St. and had a few decent years with the Clips (might have been SD rockets in those days), but there was a link to an interview a Portland station had done with him. Turns out the guy had been living with his dad in south central and was practically homeless. You just kind of shake your head at that stuff, guys just completely unprepared for life after their playing days are over. It’s like they never grow up.
I was up late last night, but obviously not as late as snarkk. One topic had been the qualifying offer, and whether the Giants made the right move or not by not offering one to Pagan. I had said that I think the Giants chose not to offer the QO, as I think Pagan would have accepted.
snarkk said “I dunno Chi. From some quarters, the Giants were questioned about not making the qualifying to Pagan, because he likely would NOT have accepted, since he’s going to be a hot item for a multi-year deal. Effectively, the criticism is they could have had a no-risk move to get a draft pick if they can’t sign him…”
I get that he wants a multi-year deal, and my guess he probably gets one more to his liking from someone the likes of the Reds or Philles (length and coin) than the Giants. But the dude made 4.85 this year. 13.3 is almost a three-fold raise. Sure, accepting the one-year deal would have been rolling the dice (as he would now be in another contract year, and would have to perform to warrant that next big multi-year contract…that and he will be a year older). But I still think he may have accepted.
I don’t know that I feel the Giants made a mistake here or not. I can maybe see the logic of those who think that way…it is hard to know what is running around old Crazy Horse’s brain right now.
The other thing you have to think about is this. If payroll stays the same next year, the Giants have approximately 53 mil in desposable income to sign FAs and the guys they offer arbitration.
Pence is guaranteed to eat-up 13-14 of that in arbitration. The other AE guys who I think the team will offer arbitration (the dollar amounts based on the link from MLBTR I posted yesterday) and their estimated coin are: Posey 5.9, Blanco 1.3, Arias .8, Romo 3.6, Mijares 1.6, and Casilla 5.4. Hensley has already declined an assignment and is a FA. I do not think the team offers Wilson arbitration. This totals another 18.6 mil.
So, with this and Pence, you have about 32 mil going to AE guys. You still have to try and sign Crazy Horse, Scoots (I am guessing 2 at 16 or so), and Affeldt (and I know…most of you think he is already gone).
With all of this said, what do you Flappers think about it? Should the Giants have offered the 13.3 mil qualifying offer?
I thought the $13 mil was in regards to Pence and not Pagan. Reports from the mlbtr stories seemed to indicate Pagan was going to net 3/30, which is a tough call. Sabes said he was going to offer arb to Pence as I remember, and planned a contract offer before nov. 30 if I read it correctly. Unless you get a big rebound, I don’t think Pence is worth near that much, but maybe 1 yr deal and then see what he gives you.
But someone is going to have to play CF.
Pence will be offered arbitration and is expected to land about 13-14 mil. The Giants also have the option of making a “qualifying offer” (as Twin explained last night average of the top 125 salaries) to their free agents. This year’s QO number is 13.3. IF the Giants had made the offer, and he walked, the Giants would have got a compensatory pick.
I’m sick of you guys beating me to the punch. I’m going to sulk all weekend. Or maybe I’ll hire a really hot typist. Wonder if she’d work for food?
Sorry Twin…not meaning to steal your thunder…
I like your Moxie, though (hire a really hot typist who will potentially work for food). 😉
The 13.3 million was in regard to Pagan, that is the amount of a qualfying offer to a FA if the team wants a compensentory draft pick (between rounds 1 and 2) should the player refuse the qualifying offer. The decision to not offer that to Pagan has been criticised.
On the subject of minor leaguers, from the end of last night’s thread. I don’t know who’s been all excited about Pill and Bond, they’ve never been considered prospects. Pill deserved a chance to prove that assessment wrong, as I posted last Spring and when he made the team- predictibly, he didn’t.Bond is 26 and I’m not sure if he’s ever been invited to camp.
They are hardly the same as Gary Brown, a legit prospect, and a kid with a decent chance to make the team and start in LF or CF if they lose Pagan and/or don’t add otherwise. BTW,don’t expect Bochy to declare that Brown might make the team. As Snarkk said last spring, there was no way Hector would make it because Bochy said he wouldn’t. Well, he did, young guys *can* force their way onto the team,happens all the time. Brown’s performance in the fall league and ST plus who else is in the running for spots will determine whether he makes it. Right now, the only other OFers pretty certain to be in camp are Pence, Blanco, Kieschnick, and Peguero. At any rate, if anyone really is all fired up about rookies making the team, cool those embers. If Scutaro or Theriot are not signed Noonan or Gillaspie *might* have a chance at a utilty spot. There might be 2 relief spots open, Hembree would have a *very* outside shot at one of them. Then there’s Otero, Machi, Runzler also competing depending whether they add from ourside and what happens with Affeldt. Brett Bochy could be a possibilty but I don’t know his health status.
I think there will be one relief spot open, I think Affeldt will be resigned. I also think Scooter and Theriot will be back, so no rookies get an infield reserve spot. IMO, all of this.
BTW, according to MLBTR the Giants are getting a lot of calls about Belt.No word whether they’re listening.
I agree with you Michael RE: Affeldt being back (and have stated that a number of times, contrary to what many others have said…them basing their thoughts on Affeldt’s post-parade comments). I also think Scoots and Theriot are both back, too.
I think Brown is a long-shot out of ST, but as you say, young guys, if they perform, can force the issue (and this all becomes more true if the Giants lose-out on Pagan). Speaking of, I expect Crazy Horse to be rocking different colors next year. There are a lot of teams who I think will offer in excess of three years, and probably more per year than the Giants want to pay.
I shared a number of links yesterday. Cannot recall reading about Belt via MLBTR, but I did read this yesterday, and cannot recall if I shared…so going to post it (again?). Four Giant players who might be on the move (Belt is one that is discussed).
http://tinyurl.com/bvsvf5k
I definitely think the Giants made a mistake in not making an offer to Pagan. It’s is almost guaranteed that he’s going to get 3 years from someone, maybe 4 or 5. Now, if the Giants are certain that they’re going to re-sign him maybe Sabes just figured there was no point in making the 1 year offer. But how could he be certain of that?
Making 3 times your salary in the following year is certainly a nice raise but almost everyone thinks he’s going to get a minimum of 3 years/30 million— and you don’t leave that type of scratch on the table……
A lot of people agree with you, for the reasons you state. I see Saabes is still saying he expects to sign him. I don’t put a lot of trust in what he’s saying, somebody might give Pagan the Rowand deal. Someone mentioned 3 years 10 million per. I’d do that if possible.
I would do 3 at 10 per, but I think he will get in excess in years, and possibly even in $$ per year. My gut is that he is gone, but I am waiting (and hoping) to be pleasantly surprised.
All true, Flav, but I still think he (Crazy Horse) would have thought long and hard about a 13.3 qualifying offer, and could have potentially accepted it. None of us will ever know. I don’t have a problem with them not making the offer. I suppose I just trust Sabes to know what the hell he is doing (hey, I’m just another one-of-many cowboy/armchair GMs that likes to play with the numbers and possibilities, in theory…).
I would be a littlebit, not a lottabit, surprised if they trade Belt. They’ve screwed with him so much, maybe they’re just tired of dealing with him. I hope they don’t. The kid has now just reached enough major league ABs to start to figure things out at the plate, and could be a very good hitter for average the next decade — a solid gap guy with 20 or so HRs, with Gold Glove action at 1b. He’s got decent speed for a big guy, so he’ll have a good .slg even without 30 bombs a year. They just won a WSeries where he didn’t hit worth crap the first half of the season. In a ballpark with a regular right and center field, he may turn into a stud, because at ATT he’s obviously tried to gear his swing to left center a lot. A lot of guys don’t develop their power swings until the 26-28 age range, and he’s got a while to go there yet. Until/unless they decide Posey is going to 1b for good, I don’t like a trade of Belt. I agree with that BR article that in order to get value for Belt, they’ll have to package him with some other decent player to get a really good, proven player. If it’s a one for one deal, I think Belt’s unproven nature as a hitter right now means they won’t get a very good veteran, or some guy with only one year left on his contract. Belt is no Pill or Damon Minor, the kid can play…
I agree whole-heartedly with what you say, snarkk. And I agree, that unless they package him with one of their young hot catching prospects, or a pitching prospect, the return will be dismal, and in no way worth the effort. Oveall, want to see him stick and would love to see him at 1st base for the forseeable future.
DEvans hit one of the longest home runs that I was in attendance for. We were sitting just inside fair territory in the upper deck in RF, about 15 rows back. The place was packed, so naturally it was a Dodger game. Those seats you felt like you were about a mile away frm the plate. He mashed a ball, and it was hooking a little, but it just kept getting closer and closer and closer. I thought holy shit, it’s coming up here! A guy 3 rows in front of me caught it. I could not believe it.
well Chi, I don’t think he would have given it a second thought. He’s getting 3 years, minimum, unless he falls down a flight of stairs.
Thoughts on Pierre if Pagan signs with the Reds?
I’d go 1 year, 2mil for Pierre as a back up.
Pagan to Pierre is a drop off bigger than this upcoming fiscal cliff…
Yes, a drop from Crazy Horse. He (Pierre) made 800k last year. I would be down with him for a year at 1.5 or so. Hard to say what the market will bear for a guy like him (age and skills)…
I actually meant a drop more in terms of talent and production than the money. But, that’s true, too.
I gag at the thought of Pierre. I think I have a better arm than he does…
I don’t think Belt’s going anywhere. They’d be crazy to trade him. And I think since they traded catcher Tommy Joseph (no Shondells) in the Pence trade, they no longer have the option of putting Jospeh at catcher and Posey at 1st.
Unless they want to roll with Sanchez catching and Posey at 1st. Which I don’t see at all.
That might be a plan if this Susac kid turns out to be any good, and eventually could back up Hector. Meanwhile Hector needs to learn from Scutaro and Posey how to work an AB a little bit, he should be doing some of that in the offseason…
Yep. I don’t really see a point in trading Belt now. Whoever you get, the 1b defense is degraded. And, Belt should be hitting more consistently next year, even more so if he ignores Meulens…
They also have Susac (played at SJ this past year)…but he is a ways away. Joseph was at AA Richmond last year before the trade. I think even if he was around, it would have been a stretch that he was anywhere near ready this coming year.
But I agree…I don’t want to see Belt moved. I like him at 1st and Posey behind the dish (and if you listen to Buster – that is where he wants to be).
I really hope they sign Scutaro. Again, I don’t like his age, and his skills could erode quickly, so it’s a risk. But, he seems like a very good influence in the clubhouse and an onfield mentor/teacher to young guys on how to play the game, how to approach hitting, especially situational hitting. That is gold right there…
Agree. I think he will be back. Actually, I will be VERY surprised if he is not. I think Theriot is brought back, too. Missed you comment on Susac earlier…I tagged on that conversation, too.
To be clear, I just noted what was said on MLBTR about Belt. I’m not for it. Well, I’m not for it without knowing what might be offered for him. If Posey went to first and Hector became the catcher, it’s a sizable downgrade overall so they’d need to get a LOT for him…
Susac isn’t close to the majors, BTW.He only had a couple hundred at bats in college, and didn’t do terribly well at San Jose, in a hitter’s league. Scout.Com notes:
“Susac is prone to a low batting average, plenty of strikeouts and prolonged slumps. Still, the upside is definitely there”
If they did move Posey to first either Jackson Williams would the second catcher for now or they’d have to get one.
Yeah, I think all the ducks are not in a row yet for a Posey move out of the C position. But, I think it could happen as early as 2014. If they keep Belt next year, his progress will be key to when that Buster move might happen. Eventually, IMO unless Posey’s skills at the plate fall off a cliff, he’ll be moved to another position because he’s too valuable a hitter to keep playing as the C …
Yeah, I definitely see why other teams would be interested. He’s young, he’s shown power, he’s far above average defensively. Especially after all those other teams saw what went on with him last season
I’m sure it’s all just fishing by GMs to see if they can low-ball (or mid-range) a trade for him. I don’t see it happnening.
Buster did not do well at the plate in the post season overall. Obviously the slam in Cincy and the HR in game #4 in Detroit were keys to the title, but I’m talking overall. I think he was tired. Anybody else think he looked thin? I dunno, but his neck and face looked kinda gaunt, like the season had really sapped him, despite the platoon thing at 1b, and he was running on fumes. His ABs in the playoffs were often uncharacteristically wild and chasing stuff, and often more pull-oriented than when he’s really “right” at the plate. His D was still fine, I still remember that throw to 3b after that wild pitch in Cincy to nail the runner (can’t remember runner’s name) trying to go first to third. That was a HUGE play in that series…
I wouldn’t be surprised if the biggest move the Giants make this off season is to buy out the rest of Buster’s arb years and give him *Mauer Money*.
He’s proven beyond doubt that the ankle is not an issue for the foreseeable future. Mauer money? Eh, could be. Or, maybe a Bumgarner take-me-out of arb years deal at higher rates than the Bum deal, or maybe something in between the Mauer and Bum ends of the spectrum?…
Maybe it wouldn’t be 185 mil like Mauer got but it will be a hell of a lot more than that country BUMgarner ended up taking. Nice team-friendly deal, I’m not complaining. I could see something like 7 years/130 mil, something like that.
the hot stove shit is so totally annoying sometimes. As Twin already said, Heyman is saying the Giants are getting lots of calls about Belt. How does he know? Is he picking up the phone at Giants headquarters? Sabean plays things pretty close to the vest and hates doing interviews, I’d be surprised if he’s telling Heyman about all these calls he’s getting about Belt.
I’m not saying he isn’t, it makes sense that he would be. But all these internet tweeting *insiders* are all trying to be the first to bust a story or the first to tweet out something that hasn’t been tweeted yet. It’s got a lot more to do with them trying to advance the number of *followers* they have then it has to do with broadcasting the truth out to the public……..
Here’s a link to an interesting article posing some alternative signing scenarios for Buster. Written in August, but I think the scenarios haven’t changed even with the WSeries, other than maybe the dollar numbers have risen a bit with Posey finishing the season in MVP style. http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/buster_posey/
If I were Buster, I’d do a deal to take me through the arb years + 1. He’d still be young enough at the end of that time to sign a deal to take him through the rest of his career. The arb years + 1 gives him plenty of dough for his next 10 reincarnations if something should happen to him physically during that period. And, it then leaves him open for a blockBuster payday when he’s around 30-31 if he’s healthy and has performed up to his standard…
I forget sometimes that Buster got $6M upfront for signing. It’s not like his tongue is hanging out ready to sign anything that has “millions” on the papers. He knows what he’s worth to the Giants. And, it’s not just on-field work. My unscientific polling of licensed uni wearing fans at NLCS game #1 showed the most frequent gear worn were unis of Buster and Timmy…
I too think there is a good chance they lock Buster up long-term and think that when it happens it will top 100 mil.
Actually, it’s more likely that Posey gets a deal similar to Mauer’s first deal, while he was still in his arbitration years, versus the $185 million deal he got after that. Specifically, Mauer signed a four-year, $33MM extension with the Twins before the 2007 season that covered his three arb years and his first free agent season.
Per Mark Polishuk (MLB Trade Rumors), “Mauer had a career line of .321/.399/.471 with 28 homers through his first 1284 plate appearances before signing his extension; Posey currently has a a 307/.369/.492 career line and 40 homers through 1054 plate appearances and should make up that gap in PAs by the end of the season. Mauer’s deal broke down as $20.5MM for his three arb years and $12.5MM for his first year of free agency. If we use $3MM as the baseline for Posey’s 2013 salary, I could see the Giants offering something like a five-year deal worth around $47MM for their star catcher. The salaries would break down as $3MM in 2013, $6MM in 2014, $9MM in 2015 and $12MM for 2016 to cover the arb years, and Posey would then earn $17MM for the 2017 season, which would’ve been his first free agent year. Posey will turn 31 years old in March 2018, so he’d still be young enough to net another big contract in free agency.
There’s also the possibility that Posey and agent Jeff Berry would look to go even longer-term in San Francisco. A seven-year deal — worth $17MM and $20MM, respectively, for 2018 and 2019 — would bring the total value to $84MM.”
In my mind, one of these two scenarios are more likely to occur.
I like this, where are they now thread idea. I’m looking forward to this.
OK a couple of questions to the group.
1) Would you trade Timmy?
2) What could it get us if we did?
I’m not really in favor of trading him (well, Andrew McCutchen and pitching prospects, like Cole and Wilson, would tempt me big time). Even with his off year, I think a team would have to back up the truck to get him.
I would not trade Lincecum this offseason unless I had a bird in the hand legit starter to replace him (they don’t); or got one in the trade that included a position player of some repute…
Got my WS gray sweatshirt. Kind of small for a large, kinda cheesy, but I am wearing it. My daughter said I look like the old Jewish father in the Fockers movie. “All you need is the sweat pants.” Ouch. That means she must be feeling better.
A public thanks to TedSpe for his generosity. He will understand.
According to Bob (I hate the Giants) Nightengale:
“The SFGiants are confident they will be resigning Jeremy Affeldt, likely to 3-year deal.
Affeldt, who is the best left reliever on the market, is coming off a three-year, $14 million deal. He just put up two fantastic — and damn nigh identical — seasons for San Francisco, so it makes sense they want him back.”
I didn’t think it would happen, but hey, am I ever right?
Hasn’t happened yet…
I love reading reactions, opinions, and columns from outside the bay area. Sort of like watching Fox News occasionally, to see if they ever venture outside their “bubble.” This is an opinion from the Denver Post sports writer, Patrick Saunders, who does a “Mail Bag” feature every other Tuesday:
“I watched the World Series game last night and I kept getting this recurring emotion. The Rockies should be envious of San Francisco. Why them and not us?
— Sully, Pueblo Colorado
Sully, there is a lot of that going around. Before I proceed, let me point out that the Rockies’ record vs. the Giants over the last two seasons is 9-27. Ouch!
Why them? The big reason is 60 feet, 6 inches from home plate. The Giants have good, sometimes even great pitching. Their 2012 ERA was 3.68, the Rockies’ was 5.22. And keep in mind that San Francisco’s AT&T Park is a pitcher’s paradise; a place where the Giants posted a 3.09 ERA. The Rockies’ ERA at Coors Field was 5.97.
Interestingly, the Giants didn’t pitch that much better on the road than the Rockies did. San Francisco’s road ERA was 4.29; the Rockies’ was 4.41.
The Giants also spend a lot more money. Their 2012 payroll was $131.1 million vs. the Rockies’ $81.1 million.
Of course it goes beyond pitching and big bucks.
The Giants are simply built to be more competitive and flexible than the Rockies. For example, while the Rockies hit .241 and scored 272 runs on the road (last in the National League in both categories); the Giants led the NL in both road average (.272) and runs scored (410).
And there’s more. From Pablo Sandoval to Buster Posey to Ryan Theriot to Sergio Romo to Marco Scutaro, the Giants have players who excel in the spotlight, instead of shrinking from it.
Finally, let’s give credit to manager Bruce Bochy. He might drive fans crazy with his constant trips to the mound, but the man with the gravely voice and dry wit has a Hall of Fame resume. Consider: Bochy
has 1,454 career victories, has won six division titles, won a National League pennant with the Padres in 1998 and has won two World Series with San Francisco.
His players love him and he knows the game.”
They also don’t hire managers (for one year, what confidence that shows) whose only actual managing experience includes one year of high school ball…
Not certain any Flapper knows this, but the local paper, Denver Post, is part owner of the Rockies. Yes, the fans disparage them almost daily in regard to this fact. I think it’s working because the Post is going to sell its percentage of the team.
The Rocky Mountain Daily News went kaput, didn’t it?
Yeah Chuck. They went broke. Only competition is in Boulder now (Daily Camera).
IT was a weird paper but I preferred it to the Post. Then again, I was mainly reading the Pitkin County Times . . .
Chuck, I alluded to Republicans living in a “bubble,” i.e., they only tune in to Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, Beck, Ingraham, etc. In short, their world view is limited and quite parochial.
Same thing with Denver, as you well know. For example, rarely is John Elway criticized. Similarly, you have idiots like Woody Page saying things like this, “The Broncos will go 16-0 this year” (only because they had won their first 4 games . . . by the by, they ended up 8-8 that year. LMFAO.). Same thing with the Rockies – it’s only been recently that the team has received any criticism. Not certain about this, but I believe the GM, Dan O’Dowd, has the most seniority in MLB, not named Cashman and Sabean. This idiot should have been fired after the Hampton and Neagle signings fiasco.
Steve, I think your “Buster Buyout” #s are more realistic than mine (100 mil). Love this piece you shared from the “Denver Post.”
And while everyone (well, most) had Affeldt already out the fucking door, I have been saying all along he’ll be back. And to borrow two of your words my friend, “Book It!”
Thanks bro . . . Regarding Affeldt, I really don’t have too much to base it on, other than a couple of sports scribes saying that Affeldt is a rare middle reliever and that the Giants would be making a big mistake letting him walk. I hope they figure out a way to keep him. He was really dominant in the World Series.
They drafted well, pure and simple. Don’t know why anyone would malign their minor league system or say why bother getting excited about farm hands when you look at what the Giants have produced. Giant’s fans should be paying close attention to their drafts and the kids progress with a track record that good. Gary Brown might be less than a year away and if they hadn’t traded him, Wheeler would be ready to replace Lincecum. Other org’s should be envious.
Are you DJ Loo’s son?
Chuck, there was a linebacker for the Cowboys named DD Lewis — back in the 70s and 80s — I’m sure you remember. Wiki says he played in a Cboy record 27 playoff games, and one of only 8 NFL players ever to play in 5 super bowls, with 2 rings. Pretty good, not great, player, as I remember…
There’s not much to get excited about for *this* year unless Brown does force his way onto the team.For our position players, the Eastern league seems to be the best testing ground.Often it’s where good prospects become non-prospects. Brown started very slowly in Richmond and finished strong- if they don’t acquire a LFer he could very well push Blanco for the spot, IMO.
Yeah, that names sounds familiar. 27 playoff games? Damn.
Doesn’t Charles Haley have 5 rings?
Yeah, 5 for 5. Only player in history to have 5 SB rings, I think (though others had more old NFL championships — Otto Graham, etc.). Plus, a rusted rim on Siefert’s car…
Where are they now?…..I read that Bowker was on the winning team in the Japanese World Series! For a team called the Giants, I think. I forgot the city.
Yomiuri Giants are in Tokyo…
Which reminds me of my pet peeve about the World Series. It’s NOT the “World” series, since it’s not a playoff of teams from other countries. It never has been. The “World Baseball Classic” is the real one. I guess you could argue it’s “world” in the sense that players from other countries play in MLB. But, that’s a stretch. What other name we could call it is for others to figure out. How about the “Super Series”?…
Non baseball . . . Anyone see the hammer that General Petraeus had an affair with? One word – HOT!
No. And why didn’t you post one doggie?
No idea how to post directly to the Flap. Moreover, I forgot her name, but I saw her on MSNBC. I think she was Petraeus’s biographer.
If you give the link, I’ll post it. I’ve tried to explain how to do it but it’s kind of complicated and I don’t seem to explain properly.
Thanks Mike. I forgot her name though (I saw her on TV). All I know is that she is his biographer (Frankly, she looks like his massage therapist or . . . umm, never mind).
I will try to narrow it down by doing a search.
Paula Broadwell.
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/11/09/15056607-petraeus-biographer-paula-broadwell-under-fbi-investigation-over-access-to-his-email-law-enforcement-officials-say?lite
Had to see what Crash McClain was up to when I saw the thread idea. According to Wiki he’s a scout for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp, where he played in 2009. The Cubs signed him to a minor league contract in 2010, but he never played. As we all know, he last played in the majors with the Giants at the end of 2008. He became the oldest player in MLB history to hit his first HR. Even if it was just in limited time (37 PA), his numbers for his sayonara season are ones he should be extremely proud of : .273 BA .368 OBP .853 OPS. I remember three at bats in particular- his first HR when he got one of the all-time best silent treatments, his second and last HR, a towering shot at home to left field that might still be going if the stands hadn’t stopped it. The other was a strike out- with 3 of the kind of swings that Kruk is always saying you want your power guys to take- the big guy never got cheated…
Her name is Paula Broadwell and here is a link to her images.
http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?_adv_prop=image&fr=chr-greentree_ff&sz=all&va=paula+broadwell
Be All That You Can Be!…
🙂
No wonder her book about the General was entitled “All In”.
Here’s a Daily Show video. Blade, looks like she works out…
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-january-25-2012/paula-broadwell
Unbelievably fit snarkk. She has ropes for arms . . . Yeah, I also caught the double entendres, “All In” and “Embedded.” HAHAHA.
And here she be:
Sharing a foxhole with her wouldn’t be too bad.
This is nothing new:
FDR had Lucy Mercer.
Ike had Kay Summersby.
JFK had…plenty.
Nixon had Kissinger…
guard the right flank! attention!
meowwwwwwwww
RIP Lee MacPhail.
As well as Herbert Carter (Tuskegee Airman) and James L. Stone (Medal of Honor).
and Carmen Basilio [maybe noted here yesterday], the Onion Farmer from Canastota, NY — the photo of him and Sugar Ray Robinson is one of the most famous in sports history
Basilio was one of my favorite fighters (even though I never saw him fight . . . I loved those old classic fights that ESPN and HBO use to show on TV. Basillio came to fight ALWAYS).
I saw two of the Basilio-Fulmer fights on TV- the one at the Cow Palace was one the great bouts ever. His battles won Ring magazine’s “Fight of the Year” 5 straight years.
Thanks for that video, Twin. I thought Basilio was gonna win it with one surprise punch. Was the announcer dubbed afterward or contemporaneous? I thought the Brit was superb. Incidentally, it was a common sight to see Carmen Basilio selling his sausages at the NY State Fair.
I had the sound off, so I had to wait until they passed the 12th round, where I figured out this was the 14 round KO by Fullmer in SF (that you saw personally Twin). What an unbelievable career Basilio had. He NEVER avoided anyone and I think it was Johnny Cunningham that he fought 4 times. In short, he took on all comers. He was also as honest as the day is long. RIP Carmen.
Some of the great fights ever were shown on free TV “back in the day”. And the tragic as well. Remember the Emile Griffith-Benny “Kid” Paret fight? Griffith. who later came out as gay, had been taunted by Paret, who called him “maricon”…It was a brutal fight and in the 12th, Griffith gained the upper hand and pummeled Paret, who became trapped between the ropes, unable to fall to the canvas. Emile probably landed at least a dozen upper cuts while Paret was defenseless yet unable to go down. When Griffith was finally pulled away, Paret was unconcious, leaving on a stretcher to the hospital where he was give the last rites.”I hope he isn’t hurt,” Griffith said in his dressing room. “I pray to God—I say from my heart—he’s all right.” He wasn’t all right. Paret died shortly after midnight. The force of Griffith’s punches had driven blood backward toward the rear of the Kid’s skull, the brain reverberated against the skull causing many of Paret’s cranial blood vessels to break…doctors were unable to save him..
I remember that fight Mike. Very sad what happened. The ref quit boxing after that and I think Rockefeller created some sort of commission or investigation into the fight. Griffith had nightmares for years about that fight.
I remember the Griffith-Paret tragedy. Maybe in 7th grade. I think even the Vatican came out against boxing then. It really was a boxing era. I was maybe the only kid in my class to go for Ingmar Johannsen against Floyd Patterson. I don’t know why. Just to be different, I guess.
Pawlie, I think Patterson was maybe 185lbs wet. I was surprised that he fought Liston, since his manager Cus D’Amato didn’t want him to (with good reason). Liston destroyed him . . . Second time they fought, he knocked him out faster than the first time. When I think of those fights, I think of Michael Spinks against Mike Tyson.
That first Patterson-Johansson fight is the first I remember being on closed circuit. I went, too, Pawlie. It was humiliating for Patterson, going down 7 times- but I remember little of that. The lasting memory I have is from their second battle- Floyd sent Ingmar to the canvas with one of the great hooks ever- because of the glass jaw rep and his later torturing from Ali people often forget that Patterson had one of the best left hooks in the biz and this one left “Toonder” flat on his back with “his left foot twitching convulsively, and blood oozing from his mouth and nose as referee Arthur Mercante counted him out at 1:51 of the fifth round” Ingmar was unconcious for 15 minutes.. as many may know, the two men became great friends after their retirements.
I’ve always felt badly for Patterson, labeled an Uncle Tom, plagued with the glass jaw rep, he never gained much respect as a fighter even though he really was a light heavyweight fighting true heavyweights for much of his career.Some thought he might have become the greatest light heavyweight ever had he stayed in that class.
Tomorrow, I’m gonna do a thread of my 5 worst hitting giants– you guys can do the same. The rule though is that you can’t look up their stats till you come up with your 5— then look them up and see if you were right– or who you might have missed. I can tell you right now that EL Presidente will be one of my five and I’m gonna go all the way back to the mid 70’s and see what my brain remembers…..
cool; I already have two in my head
Ashley Judd says she may run against Mitch McConnell. Things are looking up in the Senate…
A modest proposal, published locally today by yours truly: http://bit.ly/RNHar6
Me? I like it. However, I still laughed my ass off with regard to the last two critical comments (sorry . . . 🙂 ).
haha, THE BEST!
Can you believe the dumb shit they wrote in those comments? People, people, it’s a joke. It was weird. I sent it in yesterday as a lark and found out it got in by a text this evening from a neighbor. I pitched it to the Huffington Post, but, hey, too late, girls.
it was brilliant in ways that most people would never understand. They should read the Flap this Winter and get their Haiku on and then might be able to have an *ah ha!* moment.
Pawlie, that was funny. The comments where they actually counted your words, fucking hilarious.
Haiku, gesundheit on Mr. Kokonuts.
As a side note, I’m amazed by the boxing knowledge you guys have. I have little. Wasn’t it the Friday Night Fights with Gillette, which also sponsored the World Series? Oddly, I have driven by the Int’l Boxing Hall of Fame many times but never went in. Oh. One more thing. I recall seeing Basilio at the Fair several years ago, at his famous sausage stand. When I, or maybe someone else, walked by, Carmen would do some moves, some shadow boxing. That is either humorous or tragic, depending on what Basilio meant by it. I’ll never know.
There were TV fights on Wednesdays and Fridays at one time. I think Don Dunphy did the Friday fights. I don’t recall who did the others. I doubt that any announcer ever has been more closely and nearly exclusively known for his coverage of one sport, even though he covered others. Dunphy was one of the greats, no one has ever come close as a boxing announcer, IMO. it was said that “Don Dunphy was not only the voice of boxing. Don Dunphy was boxing.”
New thread up but try to come up with your *5 worst Giants hitters* before you read it……….