Once Again Presenting, YOUR World Champions, The San Francisco Giants
Today is a day to celebrate. Don’t ever take a flag raising ceremony for granted. They’ll be flying long after we’re gone but only some get to see the short journey up the string for the first time. Today is a day to let go of all the bullshit in your life, about the team—all of it. Just enjoy.
I don’t think you could ever top the Brian Wilson flag raising ceremony. For so many reasons, that one will always be the best. How should they do it this year? Normally, I would say anything not directly spot lighting Bumgarner would be a travesty. But the dude is so understated, he probably just wants to watch.
I’m not frettin’ about the 3-4 start or the injuries or Crawford’s 1-13 in San Diego. None of it. Today is a day for the fans of this great franchise to embrace the team and salute their outrageous 2014 accomplishment.
The wind is blowing out today at a pretty healthy 15mph. Normally, that has me thinking about what it’s going to do to an airborne baseball. Today, all I can think about is how it’s going to make those three beauties dance….flutter….fly.
Forever.
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
the two flag pics on the right of the blog were taken by 2 different friends. I know a couple of people going today and the third flag pic will come from one of them. There’s something personal about those flags and it would seem wrong to just snatch one off the internet.
And once I find a good pic from the ring ceremony on Sat I’ll upload it to the placeholder pic at the top right of the blog.
I’m going to the ring ceremony game, I’ll do my best to get a good pic, but I bought the 6 pack and ended up with a pretty crappy seat.
that’s awesome. Crappy seat or not, you’re going to have a blast.
I’m sure I will, I’m super excited.
Kinda funny how everyone in West is bunched together.
DBax beat Kershaw after Giants nailed them, Pads responded by beating Bum after losing 3 of first 4, Dodgers first road trip underwhelming in losing a series to AZ. Each of contenders had some variety of disappointment on road. LaTroy Hawkins blows save and loses another one as Rox drop 2 of 3 to Cubs. Does he get AARP discount on union dues?
Bask mode again, and then it’s game on. Stuff’s nice but I’m sure guys just want to play ball. Nice headline.
Any thoughts on Rox 3 SPs? I have no idea who these guys are.
Blade can probably give you the Colorado view of these 3 P’s
Hopefully.
I have feeling Rox aren’t that far away and in way better shape than AZ.
Sure, if you’ve still got Hawkins trying to close out games you’re way short of a full deck of ml pitchers, but they have some promising young hitters and Arenado is GG caliber 3b.
‘Twill be a glorious day at the old yard, with happy memories of earlier triumphs urging on the celebration of this one:
Once again, the finest park in all of baseball will be on display for all to see:
GO GIANTS!
A few things to know about the Sherpas . . .
The pitching is going to be WORSE this season then it was last season. Count on it. Kyle Kendrick is their ace and just that statement tells you volumes. This weekend series with the Cubs is what it is likely going to look like for the Rocks throughout the season at Coors. Walks by the starters, a host of errors by the defense and some poorly executed pitches from the closer cost the Colorado Rockies all weekend. They hope their offense out scores the opposition.
Despite the offense putting five runs on the board in each of the team’s three games against the visiting Cubs, the Rockies boarded a plane to SF with a bad taste in their mouths following a 6-5 defeat that was punctuated with a game-deciding, two-run homer off the bat of former Sherpa, Dexter Fowler. LaTroy Hawkins, who blew his second save in as many opportunities this season, deserves much of the blame . . . But not all of it.
The Rockies walked a lot of batters over the weekend. That was a problem on Friday for Tyler Matzek, who threw 44 of his 84 pitches for balls and surrendered three free passes. Fortunately, the wildness didn’t hurt the Rockies on that day.
It certainly did on Saturday, though. Kendrick gave up five walks in five innings. Eight hits — including three homers — didn’t help either.
This is their rotation: 1. K. Kendrick 2. J. Lyles 3. T. Matzek 4. C. Bergman 5. E. Butler
In my opinion, they all suck, but Butler probably sucks less. Despite him being their #5, he is a damn good prospect . . . but nevertheless he is a rookie. Fucker will probably be shell shocked after a season at Coors. 🙂
So, figuratively and literally, this team is snake bitten. I do not jest. The Rockies placed John Axford on the family medical emergency list Sunday to allow him to take some time off to tend to his son, who was bitten by a rattlesnake last month in Arizona.
Oh yeah, Colorado actually went a respectable 5-4 last season at the Phone Park, but is 48-87 all-time there. So, my prediction is last place with 70-75 wins, with an outside chance of them beating out the Snakes for 4th.
Yeah you right, Flav. Our day, a day to celebrate. I went to the first flag raising and it was awesome. Whoever goes today, enjoy the hell out of it. I might be 3,000 miles away but I’ll still be eating a few Polish dogs, tipping a few Sierras and watching the game with a huge ass smile on my face. Now if I can just get a knowing dude head nod from one of my pups…
Go Giants.
Glad I watched very little of t he last three games in SD….home opener baby!
McGehee injury status? I am hoping Duffy grabs that third base position and runs with it. We need Cain back and strong as an ox…
One other thing about this series with the Sherpas . . . The Giants have lost three games in a row coming into this series, so I know they want to win badly. Similarly, Colorado is pissed about what happened over the weekend in general against the Cubs, but particularly yesterday. Eddie Butler will get his second start of the season today. Their bullpen is already a bit taxed from the Tyler Matzek and Kyle Kendrick starts on Friday and Saturday. Add in Jorge De La Rosa needing to make one more rehab start on Tuesday and Christian Bergman taking his place tomorrow, and their bullpen could be in a world of hurt by the end of this series if things don’t go well. In short, the Giants need to bury them. Psychologically, this is ALREADY A BIG SERIES FOR THE ROCKS.
I wish I could see the flag-raising ceremony at it unfolds, but I’ll probably have to catch a video of it sometime later tonight. Can’t wait to see the 2014 flag join those two beauties on the right. And I never take this for granted. A couple co-workers are at the Mets home opener today, and probably the only thing being raised at Citi Field is the price of beer.
The Giants really need to beat the crap out of the Rox this year. As Blade mentioned, 4-5 last year at home, including that unfathomable midseason sweep that sent the Giants into their long tailspin. Heston on the hill, Flag Day, home opener — Let’s Go Giants!
If Heston wasn’t nervous last week, and he was, today is going to be a major butterfly session.
As with last week, just get through the first and he should settle down.
These injuries early are alarming, but at least we are getting them out of the way early. I don’t really know McHeehee’s injury past but we need his power on the field, not the bench.
Apropos of nothing, one of Heston’ a comments raised my eyebrows. He mentioned the team telling him he needs to get stronger. He said he took his offseason seriously this time (!at 26?!?) and worked out. Call me jaundiced but this always rings of getting on the juice.
I know Major League Baseball doesn’t give a rat’s ass about what I think (get in line), but shouldn’t the World Champs Home Opener be televised on the MLB channel? They should Include all the ceremonies and make it an all day special in the Champion’s home town, just my opinion.
Nope? Okay, back to your regularly scheduled program of Milwaukee in St. Louis.
Here, here. That being said if the Giants could have made it a 1:05 start time it would be on the MLb network. The 30 minute difference screws up their schedule.
Excellent observation John. Typical disrespect by MLB.
Couldn’t agree more. Yet another area where MLB is behind the NFL, which makes sure the spotlight is on the previous season’s Super Bowl champs by putting them on the Thursday night season opener — at home.
Had this been NY, Bos, or even STL I think there would be non stop coverage. Not that it even matters, because when we look out in right field and see those three orange flags flapping proudly in the wind we’ll give ourselves a knowing dude head nod, and know that whatever they think or say it won’t matter. they’ll never be able to take away 3 in 5.
Flavor, sent you a H2H invite.
done
some Flap vets seem to be having trouble registering. There are 3 ways to sign in: wordpress, twitter and facebook. Unfortunately, I don’t know why those who can’t get in are having trouble. If you’;re having trouble registering with wordpress my advice would be to open up a facebook or twitter account. Give it bare info needed to register and then just use it to sign in with the Flap. Use whatever name you want. The only thing that all 3 of those sites will have in common is that you will need a valid email address to be confirmed. And since everyone has that, it shouldn’t be a problem, right?
“the only thing being raised at Citi Field is the price of beer.”
lqtm.
I agree, Blade, the Rockies motivation will be high. They’ve looked relevant after one week, and they want to stay relevant. They don’t want their one week of Cinderella turning into pumpkins and rats already. They want to believe that things are going to be different this season.
Plus, weird things tend to happen in Giants/Rockies games that often favor the Rockies for some reason.
not at the game, but getting to watch this ceremony get under way at Comcast. This is so rad. It never gets old.
I have never seen one of these (WS) opening days and am watching it now. Yes, RAAAAAADDDDD!!!!
The Nats’ AWESOME pitching staff is getting ripped a new one again.
Bryce Harper predicted he’s going to win a ring this season because of that pitching staff.
You better hit some HRs, Bryce.
if you aren’t watching this, the ceremony opened with Timmy, Bochy and Buster emerging from CF wall each holding one of the trophies. The entire team trailed behind them. They mounted the trophies in the infield. People are going crazy.
they’re now announcing the coaching staff
El Presidente just got announced to a smattering of applause. That dude is living the dream, isn’t he?
Thinking the same thing. No idea he was with us again.
Eli? Wow! Glad he got a job with us.
Players announced, Hunter first. Chaotic applause.
Hector still knows his name, he doffed his cap when his name was announced….
I probably shouldn’t laugh at that, but I did.
the applause isn’t stopping for Bumgarner and he just waved his arms along as if to say, “let’s move this along.” He was smiling though, something I’ve never seen him do
Ishikawa announced, not there though. That guy can’t catch a break at these ceremonies
Aoki seems to be enjoying all of this
Prerty special seeing those 3 flags and 3 trophies. The magnitude of it still floors me.
Great play by play, Flavor. I am listening on MLB.com and they’re not covering it. It’s not even the free game of the day!. W.T.F.
That is a bummer for Ishikawa.
now showing all the people lost in the Giants family over the last year. Wendell Kim got a nice ovation. So did AL Rosen and finally…Lon
National Anthem with fly over. Marshall Tucker Band doing anthem. No idea who they are.
doing a Lon video tribute right now.
Lon’s daughters are throwing out first pitch. They are quite emotional
Man, I haven’t seen Cindy Hardeman in years (Lon’s daughter). Tears after this tribute to Lon.
Cops on horses. 2 of them are holding flags.
MadBum emerging from dugout
Man, that would be awesome if he mounts a horse and takes the flag out there.
Bochy and Bum are walking on to the field, rest of the team trailing behind
Bochy just took the 3rd Flag from the cops and handed it to BUm. He’s now mounting a horse with the flag held high above his head and he’s slowing riding around the outfield wall periphery
Bum handed the flag to several Giants in the center field stands.
that group of players is now walking through the crowd, high fiving the fans. Affeldt has flag. What a freaking moment it must be for those fans who are high fiving the players
We are the Champions is playing in the background. Affeldt and Romo are stringing the flag up
and up it goes!!!!
YES!
Wilson’s was still the best but this one was better than 2012
I’m not gonna lie, that ceremony from start to finish was quite emotional……
Picked my boy up from school and getting ready to watch from a buffalo wild wings. Unfortunately we got the Rockies telecast and they obviously are not showing pregame ceremonies…bum rode a horse with the flag? Who here called that?
After reading Flav’s play by play, I am so fucking pissed for not flying out for opening day. I saw nosebleeds we’re going for just $100 this morning. That’s like 1/10 of what they were selling for in the World Series.
Awesome play-by-play, Flav. Better than the beat guys on Twitter.
Thanks for that Mr. Flavor
Hopefully it won’t come to this: “LaTroy Hawkins is being moved out of Colorado’s closer role for the time being, though manager Walt Weiss isn’t ruling out the right-hander returning to ninth-inning duties. Weiss expected to use Rafael Betancourt in a save situation Monday against the San Francisco Giants.”
Mac, the talk in Colorado is that ultimately, Axford will have the role (perhaps, as soon as he returns from his personal leave regarding his son).
Yeah, I saw that story about Axford’s son last week, what a terrible situation for him.
His son is doing better, but will have another operation to remove necrotic tissue from his foot. Ironically, Weiss has been very helpful and understanding to Axford – due to Weiss having a similar “life or death” situation with his own son when Walt was playing in the 90s.
Hesto….
Heston looky legit.
If you check the Giants FB page you’ll see the video of Bumgarner on the horse.
The Giants are leaving runs on the field every inning so far.
Looks like the offence has taken up where it left off in SD.
Nice posts, BF.
Marshall Tucker Band had a few hits in the ’70s. The biggest one was probably “Fire In The Mountain.”
I think the chorus went:
“There’s fire in the mountain
Lightning in the air
There’s gold in them hills
And it’s waiting for me there.”
This one was a big hit, too:
Actually the song your probably most familiar with is “Can’t you see”, which has been used in numerous movies and commercials thru the years.
Oh yeah, forgot about that one. In fact, I would have guessed that one was by the Little River Band.
Better to see Marshall Tucker at a Giants game than Michael Tucker.
Went to rogue brewery on union st for lunch (and get my growler filled) and got there in time to see bummie mount the horse and ride along the fence and see the flag go up. Great stuff! Great play by play, Flav.
Lon’s got nothing on you.!
Green grass and high tides was a big hit for Marshall tucker group.
That was the Outlaws.
Really?
Really?
Been a while.
This LOB shit is pissing me off
Definitely the Outlaws
Is Tomorrowland about Anaheim’s Disneyland?
Nice effort from Heston today.
On a team that could hit, it might have gotten him a win.
Well, the club has been getting hits and had opportunities today. They just haven’t cashed in. Sometimes basebally things happen. Right in the middle of a baseball game even. Crazy, I know.
When you’ve Joaquin Arias coming off the bench, anything can happen.
Come on, let’s get something going here. Anything . . .
Any word on McGeehee’s coming back? Heard he has a bone bruise, but not anything on his return.
This team left 11 on base?
Congrats on using the personal possessive properly with a gerund.
The Fresno Bee is waiting for your glory holes of the southwest travelogue, skippy.
Wotus thinks he’ll miss the next 5 games (at least that’s he said on Gary and Larry this morning)
Thx.
Some people can’t take criticism. Others can’t even handle compliments.
Then theres you. A complete waste of time.
Tough loss.
I’m trying to sweat this loss but it’s not working. What did that starting pitcher do? 1K and 6bb’s? And no runs? Absurd. But then I see those flags flying and I stop caring about one game.
Like Unca and Dirt said, they left 11 men on base . . . Hard to expect any other outcome when they shoot themselves in the foot. Get after them tomorrow. Oh, by the way, that dude was probably their best pitcher at the moment. Carry on.
the dickless pussy from Soquel is still trying hard to get a post in here. Now that he has to use an actual legitimate email address, it’s slim pickins for his dumb ass. In case anyone is interested, here are the 2 he’s used so far and he’s still landing quietly in my spam filter:
littletampico@gmail.com
maggiescout2@yahoo.com
Me personally, I’m not wasting my time on him. Yet. Still gathering info on him…….
and here’s his facebook page. Wasn’t there some “Maggie” that used to post on the Splash? Am I imagining that? Loo would know this in a second. Anyway, this is the fucking dude that posts as ODB
https://www.facebook.com/brian.mont.5
You’re right. He’s a loser.
I haven’t even looked at the Splash in years. But i recall that after Soph left or went on hiatus at Bryn Mar college or whatever (that college he said he went to was pure gold by the way) some new dude pretending to be a chick showed up named Maggie. Again, I could be totally off on this. Splash vets, kick down your 2 cents………
No FB friends, no photos, pretends to be a chick, trolls this site . . . IMO the next mass murderer we read about.
Yeah, the name Maggie does ring a bell….I did check out his Little Tampico restaurant on Yelp and damnit, now I’am craving mexican.
well, I highly doubt it’s his. He probably drinks there alone. And that email has already been deactivated. But he showed himself with the Maggie post and the contact info. Fucking loser idiot. Guys like that should just put a bullet in their head and be done with it.
It’s a strange world since Al Gore unleashed the Internet on us. Before the saturation of digital media I imagine chumps like this spent a lot of time writing letters to the editor that ended up on the mailroom floor. After meticulously pasting threatening notes to famous people using magazine headline cut outs of course.
fantastic point, Dirt
Great lead, great stuff here.
I submitted this to Bardball.com today. (Yeah, missing David Huff, Tyler Colvin, and a few others. So sue me.)
#3in5
From the late-night Belt
To the Ishikawa blast
(Leaving Matheny aghast)
From the Reverend Pence
Splat against the wall
Tongue lolling
To the champagne dance
We are LOLing
Champions together
#3in5
We might be Giants
Say Hey!
A three-ring cirque du soleil
With a dollop of brouillard
(That’s French for fog)
We go yard; we play hard
Olé
Cue Tonny Bennett
#3in5
We’ve got Brandons galore
(Crawford, Hicks, and Belt)
(And even a Dan — aaargh — Uggla)
An Angel-ic Pagán
And Morse Code tapping SOS and more!
Game-tying crash
Glove wizards Perez and Blanco
White Shark speeding, sailing, soaring
We are Champions
Hashtag World Series
Even years we adore
#3in5
We are Giants
Golden Gated
Manhattan-transplanted
By Bums we are hated
Eight titles, calculated
Add them, elated
(Three, belated)
Call them banners or flags
Call them rings
Making our heartstrings sing
Forevermore
Demons exorcised
Passions exercised
#3in5
It is the dawning
Of the Age of J. Arias
And LOOGY Lopez too
Lincecum and Cain and Machi
Stricken Strickland
Adrianza, Susac, and Sanchez, true
Don’t forget Romo of Sergio
Or long-man Petit
Nor Affeldt, rock-steady Jeremy
Or Duffy speeding homeward
And Posey, our Buster,
Batterymate anchor, aweigh
Awaiting The Hug
#3in5
We are guitar-pickin’, smart-pitchin’ Peavy
Gutsy Gutierrez, strong Vogelsong
Stoic saver Casilla
Cagey Hudson navigating age with grace
Madison Bumgarner, ace of aces
Big Country
Starter, saver, savior
Backed by The Flip
Panik to Crawford
Saving Game 7
Striking icons of history
Hoisting trophy and treasure
#3in5
Bochy the maestro
Baer and Sabean
Flannery, Kelly, Meulens
Righetti and Ron
And all the rest
Named and unnamed
We are Giants
Panda falling backward into eternity
Caught
Captured
Parading into paradise
#3in5
gold Pawlie. I’m not making it POTD because it would run too long on the page but I’m definitely sending it to the POTD-best of.
thanks; I worked on it for most of the day; not crowned with a home win, but as you said at the top, that’s fine; this kid Heston’s a keeper
I really liked how HestbyHest looked on the mound, especially early after all the pre-game drama. Looked like he’d been there a million years. Reminds me a little of John Burkett.
Too bad this guy couldn’t police the Internet . . .
I need to see that movie again, that was awesome.
Yeah, one of my all time favorites.
That was 3 football stadiums ago . . .
Craig, thanks for the play by play on the ceremony, it was great to read about it here. Heston looking like he may never leave the rotation (despite the loss). Splash…. I remember a Molly, not a Maggie. What annoyed me most about Molly was how good *she* was at almost sounding like a real Giants fan but the Splashers just couldn’t catch her negative sarcasm and they just kept responding and responding and responding… which of course is what trolls live for. Now, is Barryforever now Cumberland Gap? …… never will understand why anyone would spend somewhere (here) that no one even wants them to be….
Sorry, would spend time somewhere no one wants them to be….
Klay Thompson going offm scoring 18 consecutive points for Gs.
32 points with 3 minutes left in second quarter, during which he has 21 by himself.
Dubs up on Memphis by 20,
The April 13 New Yorker has a big article on Fan Duel, Draft Kings, etc., and a nice history on fantasy baseball. I believe my agent knows Daniel Okrent, one of fantasy’s founders, and in the Eighties I knew a lexicographer at Random House, David Grambs, who showed me the newsletters these Rotisserie players issued. Grambs may’ve been an original player in their league.
the daily game is the best thing that ever happened to sports (at least for me and millions of other people). It’s an exploding industry and I hope it keeps exploding. Love it.
Peter Lynch, investment guru, said, “Invest in what you know.” He also said, “Your investor’s edge is not something you get from Wall Street experts. It’s something you already have. You can outperform the experts if you use your edge by investing in companies or industries you already understand.”
If Fan Duel or Draft Kings ever go public – they are private concerns at the moment – I will be first in line at the public offering. Both companies have a license to print money. Fan Duel is already a billion dollar company and Draft Kings will be. As long as the government continues to look at fantasy sports as a “skill” and not gambling, then they will continue to flourish.
I remember Maggie, on both the Splash and Flap 1.0.
Linking Cumberland and Barryforever is interesting, though I wouldnt guess they are the same guy. Barry was a straight troll in my book and Cumberland actually makes a good point here and there imo.
Speaking of points, 42 for Klay T tonite, in 3 quarters.
sorry about rough day at the yard Sunday. I’m sure my godson was yukking it up. His stepdad up here messed with him after the first game when Pads forgot to score in 12 innings, but obviously kid had last laugh.
Funny ass family, whom I’ve known for 40 yrs: Godson grew up stone Giants fan, moved to SD and now hates them/loves Pads…reminded me of Warriors as your “mortal enemy.”
His Dad is an SD transplant who came up here to go to college at SF St. and never left–die hard Chargers fan.
Godson’s little brother, who lives up here, had Raider season tickets 2 yrs ago. He and godson both like them, to obvious consternation of Dad.
Mom is one of Andrew Luck’s biggest fans and has been since Stanford. She and son #2 went to Glendale AZ to watch him play the bowl game Shaw gave away vs. Okie St.
And Cal did get Ivan Rabb, 6-10 kid from Bishop O’Dowd, state Open Champs.
Now that they have Rabb, others could follow…
Dodgers defeated the Mariners 6-5, a real contrast in styles. The Dodgers were patient and worked the counts; the Mariners were up there hacking at everything. The NL has won 5 of the last 7 World Series, and it’s not a fluke. In this (mostly) post-steroid era, the NL plays better ball than the AL. A lot of the AL teams are still up there hacking away like it’s the steroid era.
Barry4ever — VogelscheiĂźe/heiner — Boo10 — Cumberland Gap plus a few other handles with dumb mocking references to SF players are very likely the same Blödian. Cumberland is taking BF’s “troll with a hint of intelligence” challenge seriously, so he’s been modulating his snark. And, look, he knows what a gerund is!