Speaking of Walking Stix…..
Well, in case you missed it, the Giants gave minor league deals to Mike Morse and Justin Ruggiano. I actually thought both of those dudes had retired. But whatever, come on down I guess.
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#freestix RPOTD
Jeeze. Here i am politely attempting to lurk and here’s this talk about “canes”, walking-sticks and suchlike while i’m sposta be the goddam expert on the subject, probably having carved a good four-five dozen over the course of years. Not really talking canes, though, as they are just for the geezer trade and i’m not there yet. It’s more like staffs, both ornamental and practical as well as various lengths of walking-sticks, wands and whatnots ~ that’s totally aside from the sculptural stuff in Wizard Willow.
You talking stix, gang, you talking to me. Michael, i prolly owe you one by now for all you have contributed to the blog and Craig, soons i get into the mood to take up that cudgel again, that One-Flap Down sculpture is yours. My carving is intuitive, instinctive and spermathemoment, so can’t just say it’s gonna be that one today and i mean to finish it before supper. It doesn’t work that way. So there are twenty-odd unfinished pieces around the house, nearly half of them not being strictly art/sculptural. Meanwhile, in various residencies of storage there are dozens of finished pieces.
So Twin, what is your preferred length, strength and presumed fortitude of a Wizard Willow stick? I AM talking sticks so get your collective craniums outta the gutter. Tripods? There is a finished one on hand but it’s only about 3.5′ long, kinda hefty, though. Staffs? A few long, tall Sallies, ranging up to 7′ or more. Standard walking sticks? Generally in the 5-6′ range. Some have lottsa diamonds. Every one is singular, original, unique and one of a kind. Though found from Paris, to Maine , to various burgs around ManySnowta, my Wizard Willow sticks are collectively, sometimes individually, the best on the planet.
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
Based on the “ZiPS projections,” the Giants seem to be fine as they now stand. These two statements (one for the position players and one for the pitching staff) stand out:
“Overall, the position-player side of things appears well suited to avoiding the awful. If an area of weakness remains, it’s in left field, where Jarrett Parker (449, 1.4) and Mac Williamson (389, 0.6) are expected to form a platoon. Even that combination, though, appears capable of providing wins at a league-average rate.”
“The average rotation produced roughly 12 wins in 2016. The Giants are in position nearly to reach that mark by means of just their top-two starters, Madison Bumgarner (211.2 IP, 5.5 zWAR) and Johnny Cueto (207.2, 4.7).”
Here’s the link . . . http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/2017-zips-projections-san-francisco-giants/
I also like this Projected WAR chart for our first string and bullpen. http://cdn.fangraphs.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Giants-Depth.png
Morse is back? Haha, can Ishi be far behind? And Ruggiano — this guy hit a grand slam off MadBum last season.
When I was talking about getting some power, Morse was not on the shopping list. This has to be a Spring Training fill out the camp invitation…
Snarkk..Giants just can’t have closure on any old vet they use to have.Since they can’t develop a farm system with decent power number guys they just keep kicking the tires on the retreads..
Stix continues to dazzle…
I will wait to see who is on the 40 man before making comments on any of the old farts that may or may not be on the team. With that said MERRY CHRISTMAS 🎁 🎄 everyone, have a great day! Be safe!
I will chime in on praise for George Winston, too. He’s a cool piano player, but it’s really in his musical arrangements where his greatness shines. Great music isn’t just the notes that are played, but also the notes that AREN’T played.
His Montana album is my favorite. Every track is beautiful and interesting.
The two new MLB Network documentaries, about Rickey Henderson, and Reggie Jackson, are pretty interesting. MLB Network has done some good docs in the last couple of years.
Derek Carr may be hurt bad…
Bummer for the Raiders; Carr goes down with severe foot injury.
Winston’s Doors covers album is a great one. I’ve listened to it many times.
Carr’s injury looked like Posey’s injury. I hope it’s not as bad.
It’s being confirmed that Carr’s injury is a broken leg. Probably very similar to what happened to Posey. Leg gets twisted as the foot is pinned down.
Sucks for the Raiders and Carr, I actually feel badly for them. Though they wouldn’t reciprocate with their cross bay neighbors. Speaking of their cross bay neighbors, they can’t even tank right.
Carr&Mariota both broken fibula’s,rough day for QB’s and to go under the knife on Christmas Day really has to suck!!😭
Woke up wondering if Pete Falcone ever pitched for the Giants. Remember the name well, but couldn’t remember his career. He didn’t. Do you guys ever have random guys pop into your head and go look at their stats? Why do I remember Pete Falcone as a Giant when he clearly never had anything to do with them?
Totally sucks for the Raiders. Just when things were getting ramped up around here for some playoff football.
Sure he did – he came up with them – I’ll check
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/falcope01.shtml
no fucking shit! You’re right. I went back and looked. I missed his first season in pro ball. That was about the first season I became a baseball fan. Started with the box scores and articles in the sporting green and al michael’s voice on the radio. Glad to see my memory hasn’t completely eroded.
A Brooklyn boy, too…
He was tremendous, but man did I hate that sticky-fingered fuck and his gang…
thanks for setting me straight, Loo. I only gave his stats a passing glance before deciding he wasn’t ever a Giant. That woulda bugged the fuck out of me, seriously. You saved me from going to bed tonight wondering why my mind had tricked me into believing that Pete Falcone had played for the Giants.
it’s like a Christmas fucking miracle. lqtm
Falcone came up in 1975, the year you saw the Halicki no-no.
Jints had the makings of a nice young pitching staff, but Jesus, Matthews led the team in homers with 12!
http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/SFG/1975.shtml
And who the hell is Bruce Miller???
ZERO RECOLLECTION of a guy that had significant playing time…
“Horace Speed”….goddamn, with a name like that, how did he not turn into a HOFer?
Dusty Rhodes played for Gyros in the ’50s, including on the ’54 champ team…
Freddie was on the Raiders when I was a fan. Dude was short, stubby, but ran routes like a guru and didn’t drop the damn ball. Tough little muthah. He was Amendola and Edelman 40 years early…
thanks for posting that. So many great names. A dude like Dave Heaverlo is burned into my brain. And Tommy Toms? I don’t remember him but that name is so rad.
Twin was fascinated with guys like that. I think the mid-70’s was when I was most detached from the Giants.
I was way deep into horse racing and other shit plus the Giants seemed to always be 20 games out by Memorial Day…
Don’t hold back on the horse racing posts. I eat up every one of them.
Oh yeah I remember Pete Falcone,saw him pitch at the Stick in 75 as a rook.Thought the kid had good stuff, battled every start and I believe he won like 12 games that season, which was great for a rook. But Giants traded him for some dumbshit reason and I don’t even remember the trade,maybe St Louis in the dumb trade of the Ripper Jack Clark??
Crazy thing he was a high draft pick just getting his feet wet and they dumped him? Don’t remember if he was cocky and wore out his welcome that fast.
I remember the name, not much about him. I think he had a pretty good sweeper curve, somebody can correct me…
Ken Rietz. I liked him too, probably just because I’m being nostalgic.
Yeah, 3rd sacker. Came over from the Cards? It’s hazy. I’ve had a few Christman Eve glasses of Pinot…
What I remember most about Reitz was that he was a GIDP machine! Killed more rallies then even McGhee did..
I’m being called to put the topper on the Christmas Tree. Mrs. snarkk and the snarkettes do most of the tree decorating, usually over a week in fits and starts, due to school, homework, other things. Normally, I put on a few, and top the tree before Christmas Eve, but it’s happening that way this year. The Giants and Cal ornaments I already put in place. The tree looks great, the Rat Pack CD of Christmas songs is on, in between the CDs with the traditional songs, and yes, an Enya Christmas and Vince Guaraldi. Onto the tree, and a Pinot Christmas Eve. No, I’m not leaving any for Santa…
Merry Christmas, Flappers ! …
Merry Christmas, everybody. It was really great to meet a bunch of you guys this year.
great Central Park shots, tho’ clearly fall not Christmas….
Stuff like this is all you can get now on youtube. The Beatles, Doors and who knows what else have been removed…
Oh yeah btw Flappers Merry Christmas to all you knuckleheads!!
Going with the “Fred Flintstone yabba dabba do Prime Rib 4 bones ” tilting over the Flintstone Mobile for the old time Flap dudes who should remember that. Paired with a nice Cabernet 🍷from 2012 ( hey a W/S Championship year) So to all enjoy Christmas 🎄 and a Happy New Year as well🎉🍾
Christmas is not my favorite time of the year. It’s close but I love July 4th. But you guys and your Christmas posts get me every year. I’ll throw up a thread tomorrow and if you make it here, great. If not, Merry Christmas. I’ll be playing NBA DFS all day. lqtm.
Merry Christmas. Or as we said in old country: Mairy Kreeeezmahz.
Larry Herndon.
From that era.
Dude was an outfielder, and I remember him getting involved in a play at third, maybe a rundown. Had some good years with other clubs, maybe Tigers. Mentioned that to him in ’78 in clubhouse in Pitts.
Pete Falcone was a fave of mine. Like me, and like #40 today, I think he threw L batted R.
Best wishes for seasonal cheer and a blessed 2017.
It was a great 2016 here on the flap.
Kind regards to each and every one of you.