Another Notch on the Bay Area Belt Buckle of Dominance
Still living the dream. The Bay Area dream. The center of the sports universe. Too much? I don’t think so. Three World Series wins in 5 years. A Super Bowl appearance 3 years ago. Last night, an NBA championship. And the Sharks are in San Jose, I think…..
I do think an NBA championship is the hardest one to win. There’s no luck in winning that thing.
The Golden State Warriors are champions of the NBA. If you’ve lived in the Bay Area your entire life, you know how weird that sounds……
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
Yeah, that is really cool for bay area b-ball fans who suffered through so many years of plain awfulness—bad trades, drafts, coaches, owners, yada yada. This is a talented deep team with a great mix of emerging young players and vets and an excellent coaching staff and front office.
@Zum—I think Jerry West has a lot to do with it. He’s still incredibly sharp evaluator of talent. Part of Jackson’s problem was unwillingness to listen to/add strong voices to coaching staff. Kerr is complete opposite, willing to learn observe and try different things. He did a great job of coaching all season.
@Chi–You are completely right, it’s unfair to judge Parker after a handful of ABs. But I doubt he gets more run at this level til September, even if Pence remains out a while. I take minors stats with large grain of salt—too many giants hitters come out of Coast League and get embarrassed at ml level. Perez is in that category (the one with Pill Kieschnick, Downs, Bowker gang) too, a guy with solid numbers in minors that is made to look foolish by ml pitchers. Potential, sure, so we’ll see if he can figure some things out.
WillieD – I also take minor leagues stats with a grain of salt, but that does not change the fact that a guy needs at least a couple of hunderd ABs before you can get a true read on their abilities at the ML level as a hitter. Some say 500 is the threshold.
He’s probably gone before the week is over.
And that is fine if that is what happens, Michael. A few were persucuting Parker on a previous thread, and I was simply making the point about him needing more ABs at the major level to get a true read on his abilities.
The Posey’s of the world get the time to find their stride, the Parkers usually have to impress right away.
Congrats to the WARRIORS!!
Best team in the league all year!!!
Great day in the bay, Giants break a 9 game skid, last won a home game with Steph Curry in the house, had to be a good omen!!
Meanwhile Giants won too with a getaway day type of LU with Belt in LF and Aoki in RF, Susac/Posey.
Susac had hit and a walk, Pagan drove in a run after a day he broke 0-21 skid with 2 hits, even McG had pinch hit rbi 2 run double. 9 hits 4 walks, everyone got on base at least once.
Pence is still hurting I guess and needs more time off, bad news. Pagan got tossed out of game yesterday and I’ve seen him walk away frustrated with umpiring a few other times this year. Hope he can calm down and stay focused…just wonder if he is really 100% healthy or not.
Didn’t see or listen to anything, but storyline seemed to be Lincecum was sailing along with the lead and then ran into trouble with hits and walks, left with couple on and Kontos picked him up along with Lopez Romo Casilla. Pen got last 10 outs with zero baserunners.
Susac made 4th error (a throw?), which seems like a lot for how little he has played…noticed that Decker is asst. hitting coach and will be at 3b while Kelly is away on death in family. Hope Decker can help Susac improve his D.
Bum and King Felix in his home yard, should be a good one, esp if Giants can get him a run or 2.
I think we’ll see more of this lineup. At least until the White Shark returns.
The club is short players and Pagan gets himself tossed? Bush league on his part imo.
I see your point, but it was a really bad call on strike one. Clearly outside, and then strike two was borderline. After Pagan got tossed, the next two Giants walked, starting a rally. Pagan, rightly or wrongly, is probably feeling like he helped those next two Giants hitters get some calls.
lulz, yeah. I could see Pagan thinking that.
The Warriors winning is pretty amazing. More than anything I am happy for the Oakland fans who have supported the team for so long. They get to see a championship before whatever is going to happen with the move across the bay happens.
And a great champion for NBA basketball. An entertaining team, that wins as a team. The NBA needed this.
Congrats to the Golden State Warriors for and fabulous, historic season!! GO DUBS!!!
Man, did I call the Warriors win or what? Yup, I called it right after reading about it this morning.
Congrats to them for this epic win and to the fans that stuck with them. That is huge for all y’all.
Bask away, Baysters.
Damn! Pawlie, you took the words right outta my mouth. Great day for the Coasters. Now let’s get back to the real sport ~ baseball and our Giants.
I’ve been getting into the writing of Dave Zirin. Cool and insightful stuff. Here’s a recent post from him on his blog, a brilliant essay that, on the surface, is about the death of a professional wrestler, but goes much deeper than that, getting into economic divisions in society. Nice piece of writing, although if you’re politically Conservative, you probably wouldn’t like it:
http://www.thenation.com/blog/209793/irresistible-realness-dusty-rhodes#
* There is entirely too much levity around here. If you can’t undertand that baseball is a deadly serious topic of conversation then perhaps you’d be better off going to a blog where humor is encouraged, like the 7th Bush for President blog.
* OK- LeBronski said that some of their guys were in suits for the playoffs.. maybe that explains it. Ever try to drive to the basket in your mauve prom suit?
* Ishi just texted Iggy, Miggy and Uncle Wiggily to offer congratulations..
* McGeeeeHeee hit a two run double yesterday and it seems that he was seen cursing at the fans afterwards. The guy gets a big hit and no one will give him a Cha-Cha Bowl ? Who wouldn’t be pissed?
*Timmy is now 7 and 3 and some folks think he’s been lucky. These folks must not have played ball. There’s an art to coaxing a line drive shot directly towards your left fielder.
*One of the kittens is presently traisping about my work station ( It’s really my fun station but i like to pretend I’m that I’m making money back here)
*Pagan was tossed from the game yesterday because he wouldn’t stop jawing at the ump, Great, now he has a tight jaw. That ought to be worth 60 days.
*Finally- the kitty is now sleeping on the wireless router. It’s scewing up the connection to the T and A website in the attic.
Not sure I get the dig at Pagan, other than you have a history of not liking him.
But, hey, we all have players we have a dislike of.
Like all the comments in my post, it was all in fun. But yeah, I don’t like him much. And i do make fun of guys I love. Like the Sox airplane pilot asking Pablo to move to a another seat to balance the load.
Twin, you think you got pussy problems? Hah! Wait till you awaken right around dawn and hafta piss like a racehorse and there’s 3 of them on top of the covers, right on your shoulders, purring and cuddling like there’s no tomorrow. That’s life in a cathouse.
Congrats to the Warriors. Here is a link where the Giants congratulated their cross-bay brothers.
http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/san-francisco-giants-congratulate-golden-state-warriors-on-nba-title-061715
The Giants also posted a very cool graphic congratulating the Warriors on FB.
I have said throughout the playoffs that the Warrior’s depth would be the thing that got it done for them. That and teamwork that is rare in this day and age.
So happy that Iguodala won the MVP, and so rightfully so! Dude has been a starter for all of his career, and he came off the bench for Kerr this year. Consumate team guy.
Kudos to the voters for kind of going outside the box on that one. People were thinking it was between LeBron and Curry, and the voters made a really bold and cool choice.
I do not know the process, but a number of the talking heads were saying that Iguodala had the inside edge on the MVP, even going back a few games. Whatever the process, I think they got it right. The dude was KEY in the Warriors winning this championship.
Blade – a few threads back you mentioned “Cadillac Desert.” I am in the middle of reading it now. Compelling stuff (especially if you live in California). Finished Elizabeth Warren’s “A Fighting Chance” right before this. Also a great read.
And Bochy’s little book “A Book of Walks” was great. Recommended read.
Glad you are enjoying it. Have you gotten to the part where Floyd E. Dominy, Commissioner,
Bureau of Reclamation, 1959 – 1969, would visit Dams (such as Hoover and Shasta, the latter where I worked) and the Area Manager for the Dam he was visiting, would tell his women employees to stay at home because Dominy would flirt and sexually abuse them? Dude was quite a jerk and infamous as a womanizer. See this . . . http://alterdestiny.blogspot.com/2007/01/tuesday-forgotten-american-blogging_30.html
Have not got there…only about 50 pages in (part talking about Powell and his thoughts and vision on expansion in the West). Great read so far.
Yesterday, or a couple of theads back, it was mentioned that Sabes and crew were in Chitown scouting the Red’s Cueto and Leake.
I had asked if the Giants should seriously consider persuing one of these guys. Many thought so.
So, question is, if the Giants do get serious about a trade for either, who would you be willing to trade to get either one of them?
Here are their career splits, home/away:
Cueto: Home – 2.91 ERA/1.082 WHIP. Away – 3.55 ERA/1.260 WHIP.
Leake: Home – 4.36 ERA/1.334 WHIP. Away – 3.55 ERA/1.249 WHIP.
Both are FAs at year’s end. No way I would swing a deal without being able to sign the player to a 2-3 year deal with a team option. (Of course, each will probably want 4-5 years.)
I’d steer clear of Cueto for two reasons. 1. He’s had general shoulder & elbow issues this season. 2. Asking price will be too high.
Leake is a very Sabesy type of deal. He’ll probably overpay for him but he would be an improvement on the Vogelsong/Hudson option.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Sabevans stand pat or maybe just shore up the bench. It all depends on Cain I guess.
Well, they both are set to make around 10 mil this year. Cueto coming to the end of a four-year deal that paid him 27 mil. Leake has made about 19 mil over that four years, mainly through offers from the team that allowed them to aviod arbitration. So, Cueto may demand a bit more coin. But given that Leake is a few years younger (27 vs. 29), and has had no serious injuries, I would lean towards him, too.
So Dirt, if you did do a deal for Leake or Cueto, who would you package?
I wouldn’t go for Cueto at all but I wouldn’t give up much as I don’t think you’ll see a sign and trade type deal for players so close to the open market. The Giants’ system is stocked with arms. I don’t know who they consider untouchable other than Crick and Beede. Maybe add a position player. I could see Susac departing.
I don’t think Crick is untouchable. Dude has had control issues…no guarantee that he will ever pan out as a front line starter as many think (hope). And I do not see Susac going anywhere. A freind went to the River Cat game the other night and he said Hector is awful. Susac is the only viable back-up at this point, IMO, and I truly think he will be the catcher of the future when Posey moves to another position.
You may be right on a sign and trade deal, but no way I would entertain either without the ability to lock them up for a couple of years.
I can’t even remember the last time a significant player was moved in a sign and trade. I don’t see that happening. At all.
I think they’ll give Crick more time. Like I said about Leake and Cueto. I wouldn’t give up much for them. Not even the guys I mentioned.
I’m with Dirt on Cueto, more of a gamble breaking down then Leake.
I would make the move for Leake, since are starting rotation has a lot of leakage this year, and the uncertainty of Cain& Peavy, Never enough arms with this aging staff..
The problem competing for pitchers is that some teams, like the Dodgers, have more to offer. Even Susac’s stock is probably a little down now.
A Wednesday, and no day games on the schedule. That’s a big flub by MLB, IMO.
you wanna talk about a guy who deserved it last night. this guy deserved it.
https://twitter.com/uograd66
Yeah, he does a great job.
He’s no Jerry Reynolds, though. (kidding)
And who doesn’t like free stuff? The NPR website is streaming the new Richard Thompson album for free for a few days. I’m liking it. Of course, he can practically do no wrong, in my book.
Thompson is awesome. Will check it out, Zumiee…thanks for the heads-up. Love Thompson’s “1952 Vincent Black Lightning”…one of my favorite tunes. Dude can pick-it like nobody’s business.
According to Chris Haft, McGehee will DH tonight. If BBRef is to be trusted,and it usually is, McG has never hit into a DP in Safeco field and King Felix has never induced McG to hit into a DP. Of course, McG has never had an AB at Safeco and has never faced King Felix. But still, it looks like Bochy’s going with the numbers here.
I’ve been to Safeco ballpark a few times. It’s very nice; very similar in architectural design to AT&T, another ballpark that is a descendant of the Camden Yards retro look. Safeco is pitcher-friendly. The biggest difference between it and AT&T Park is that Safeco has a rightfield section of seats (no McCovey Cove, of course. 🙂 )
There are train tracks right next to the ballpark, so the occasional train going by contributes to the retro feel.
Buster, Bum, Crawford and Aoki look like All-Star shoo-ins. I would bet Bochy takes along Javier Lopez for sure.
Panik, Casilla and even Kontos deserve consideration…
I think he’ll take Casilla over Lopez. Casilla is due for some recognition. He’s iffy for this year’s numbers but since he’s been here in 2010 he has a 2.12 ERA and stranded 85% of inherited runners. The ERA is 6th among NL relievers since 2010.
Torre would’ve taken ’em all. And McGeehee…
The ball park at China Basin is actually built on part of what once was Southern Pacific’s Mission Bay rail yard. Kerouac writes about it in some of the Lonesome Traveler pieces, I think. By the time I started braking for SP, Mission Bay was nearly dead. I think I went to work there one time in ten years. Retro hadn’t happened yet.
Xoot, any idea how much of Mission Bay is land fill? I suspect all or much of it is. Consequently, if a large earthquake hits, liquefaction may level the area – actually, 1/4 of San Francisco is susceptible to this per this map . . . (click on it a number of times and it blows up to show Mission Bay clearly):
http://geomaps.wr.usgs.gov/sfgeo/liquefaction/susceptibility.html
Here’s an even better map . . . https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=z9-DUQh7sPGw.kYKR2DPosK5s&hl=en
Well, notice that all of downtown is on landfill, too. The little circular section to the north surrounded entirely by red fill is Telegraph Hill and Jackson Square–the only bedrock in that part of town. There are brick buildings in Jackson Sq. dating back to 1850. The 1906 quake didn’t shake em.
well, not exactly circular–it’s sort of an irregular pentagon I guess.
I suspect Kerouac would be pleased a ballpark is there. I recall reading in the Samuel Charters bio that he loved baseball and played a baseball card game he concocted. I invented one, too. Maybe we all did.
xoot and blade are scaring the phuck outta me . . . but very cool background info. Tike [how common a name is that?] is the Amtrak train engineer I met in ATL who shouted out my name in O.co. during Petit’s near-perfecto #strangebuttruetrainstories
That shot might’ve killed Giggles. Where would we be without Duffy?
Casey should be able to make a seamless transition from ballplayer to Ball Dude. Might as well get something out of him.
Without a third basemen?
Funny how bat sounds fool ya sometimes, cause Belt’s blast had HR sound, yet ended up barely making the warning track.,
Best thing McD can do there. Well done.
Great strikeout by McGehee, 1 outs better then 2…
Red Sox and this guy, not having a good season. The bold below is his tweet, I didn’t write any of that. Just a frustrated red sox fan
Panda is actually starting to heat up in June. Looks heavier than ever, though.
Thirsty? As in someone CRAWLING on a desert island? Whew. Brutal. And Panda looks as heavy as a sumo wrestler but not as graceful. (Someday, I want to go to a sumo match. Can’t explain why, exactly.)
M’s better get a cleaner hit than that tonite, or the official scorer is in deep you know what.
BS call by the official scorer.
Yeah it came up on crawdaddy, but it was right at him then the air-mail throw to SF, automatic 2 errors with most competent score keepers..
I mean, yeah, but debateable, in my view. I’d have to watch it a few more times.
doesn’t matter now
It’s a much easier play in slo-mo…
I wanted to ask Manny Burriss last night if he got to see fellow ring-bearer Andres Torres last July. I don’t think Torres ever played again. I saw him en route to the bus in his last days with the Pawsox. Manny was the Chiefs’ hero again today.
I think he’s done some color work spelling Tito on the Spanish speaking broadcasts.
Spanish speaking people ought to know how to spell Tito…
Lqtm
No chance he can spell Fuentes..
A-
eeeeesh . . . at least we didn’t lose two outfielders from a collision #fallingapart
I’d like to know if anyone called for the ball out there. Pagan played that like he was about to get clothes-lined by Ronnie Lott…
How’s your feelings now for Pagan Twin? Getting more irritated..
Kruk the usual protection for a vet, well he heard Maxwell’s foot steps.. So what? Make the freakin play!!!
Whether it’s his injuries or his colitis he hasn’t been the same guy this year. Even his salutes lack their usual flair. And I don’t think he’s hit a HR since forever.
It’s over 550 PAs…
Cano has never been known for his baserunning resume.
M’s catcher Zunino hitting .160ish, but you wouldn’t know it between Monday’s game and now this one.
I think Maxwell’s a good athlete but a bad baseball player…
…unless the bases are loaded
CF is jefe supremo of the OF. Pagan calls that one loud and clear, Maxwell is only there to back him up.
That ball gets caught, might still be 0-0.
I’ve just had this feeling Bum might have run out of baseball gods favors.
Seems like he’s been facing a lot of the other team’s best pitchers.
In the old days they would try to avoid that, especially in doubleheaders…
The towering football stadium next door really mars the view out to centerfield of Safeco ballpark now. That’s too bad. It has a kind of Mount Davis look to it out there.
The two facilities are at the basic location where the Kingdome used to be, which was a very surreal place to see a baseball game. It was like being in a giant upside-down styrofoam bowl.
Furbush? There’s some rich and rewarding material there.
speaks for itself, doesn’t it?
Pretty much.
Furbush?
Giants hacking like they had a fur-ball stuck in their throat against him..
Well, that was a quick, quiet little ballgame.
ugh…….game over
Dodger game is on MLB Network; they’re behind 4-3 at the moment.
Cubs unloaded 17-0 on Cleveland. It’s been a rough 24 hours for Cleveland.
From Baggs: First non-Heston CG this year. Chris has 2.
Gnight, guys.
Loved Iggy getting MVP, he turned the series around.
Gnight Twin,
Good hearing from you tonight!
Agree about Izzy, as soon as Kerr started him in game 4, they were unstoppable winning 3 straight!!
He was the difference maker and deservingly the MVP..
Not much to comment on this one.
Madbum deserved better. He’s got zero, zero run support in the last two starts where he gave up 3 runs total, and he didn’t really deserve to give up 2 tonight.
Giants are in one of their usual hapless non-hitting streaks they seemingly have to go through every year. We can take it because they seem to come out of these to the tune of winning 3 of 5. Doesn’t mean I have to like it, or begin to freekin’ understand it….
POTD, Snarkk. I don’t usually say so but Bum definitely deserved better fate/help from his D. He and King Felix could have been Marichal and Spahn redux.
And I bet Bum would have said same thing, “If he’s still in there I ain’t coming out.”
Meanwhile, Friars not exactly playing like they were glad to be rid of Black.
Kimbrel takes an L in 9th as Eric Sogard drives in the winning run with a base hit off him top of 9th.
Last night, in the wrap around in Oaktown A;s put up 16 on Pads pitching staff. Game ended with Amarista the SS getting the final out as A’s scored 7 in the 8th. Maybe that was Black’s undoing, not moving the light hitting Amarista to the bullpen.
Duffy homered Tuesday at ATT, his 6th of the year. Matt Kemp also homered that night in SD…his 3rd.
Kemp is hitting .246 with an OPS of .632, over .200 points below last year which also must be Black’s fault.
Flav and others called this one from get.
Dodgers doing the LMAO on Pads new GM, even if they had to pay to dump him off.
I’ve seen this guy somewhere before. It’ll come to me . . .