A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball

Just did a quick check of the spring training stats and I don’t want to overreact but my dude, The Donger, is hitting .333 and that would be good for 4th place in last year’s batting title race, only 15 points off the crowned champion…..

So let’s get to know this near-batting title holder. He’s 29 and hails from Seoul, South Korea which is a preferred place because it was Hawkeye and Trapper’s favorite weekend landing spot to unwind from the horrors of the front line back in the day. So there’s that.

But my even more favorite thing is that he’s finally started to consistently mash the ball out of the park. He hit 52 home runs over the last 2 seasons and I have no idea where that ranks in South Korean lore but it was a huge jump from the 4-7-12 he posted the previous 3 seasons. So ring the bell, it’s go-time.

He also bat flips like a motherfucker but that part of his game has been muzzled by the boring ass traditionalists of mlb. However, you can’t fully take the bat-flip out of a true bat flipper so I am hoping we see that bad boy fly high into the sky at some point this season…..

So to recap: he’s got the best nickname on the team, he’s a goddamn near batting title champion, his power is exploding and if I was GM I’d reacquire The Duffman just so I could trade his ass AGAIN for another stud pitcher and hand the 3rd base job to The Donger YESTERDAY.

The spring optimism is off the charts at The Flap today….

I found this ball in a box this morning. It’s feeling more and more like spring today.

I was only half way listening to the Cain start on Saturday as I drove up the 101 but was Mike Morse playing first base? Later that evening, a KNBR caller mentioned how statuesque Morse looked at first base as balls whizzed past him. But maybe the caller was referencing Morse going after balls down the line in LF? If any of you know, detail it in the comment section.

As much as I’m trying to muster some excitement about The Honger making a splash in spring training, there really doesn’t seem to be a place for him when the team breaks for SF. In fact, you could say that about pretty much every position on the team except possibly a left handed spot in the bullpen.

So gear up for a geared down Spring. I don’t see any new faces sticking around past March…

Another day upon us. Another day wondering how many dongs the 2nd greatest and 2nd most all-knowing Hwang will dong out of the park today.

Miller brought up an interesting point about Diggity’s main man Span yesterday—-he might not have ever fully recovered from his hip surgery from the previous off season. Said we might not have seen the true Span. Said he looks fantastic. Said this could be go-time.

Technically I now have two guys who are *mine*. Nunie and The Honger. But The Honger is actually my spring training guy. So that’s why I get two.

Who’s *your guy* in 2017? Spring training or otherwise?

Don’t say “Belt”…..

This new won’t matter to most of you guys, but KNBR fired Matt Kolsky and Vegas Joe Hughes yesterday in a stupid cost cutting move that preserved Gary Radnich and the laughing hyena known as John Lund. I know the cuts don’t directly correspond to those 2 idiots keeping their jobs but it’s just sad to see a couple of hard working younger guys get sacked while Radnich and The Laugher stay on.

I know it didn’t mean a thing but it was fun to hear Miller call the walk off yesterday. I am not a big Affeldt guy. Heard him enough on KNBR to know that all he is right now, at least when it comes to baseball, is quick sound bites and comments about the only thing he knows: relief pitching. But who knows, Kruk and Kuip got better. Remember what they were like when they first started?

http://m.giants.mlb.com/sf/video/v1225473483/cinsf-marrero-hits-threerun-walkoff-home-run

Giants play their first spring training game today. Larry Krueger on KNBR called this his favorite sports day of the year. That sounds a little over the top to me. But it’s still exciting to see the game we love starting up again.

Heard Phil Nevin and Tyler Beede interviewed this morning. Nevin comes off strong. I am leaning towards support for this change. Although really, could it have been any worse over there last year?

Young Beedah comes off polished, if not strong. Knows all the right things to say. He didn’t free style rap this time because he said the vets told him to tone that shit down. He’s got a new single out that’s not very good called “Top of the World.” You can google it if you’re interested.

During the ‘Beedah interview he said “I put on 30 pounds, developed a curve ball and increased my velocity.” Murph just goes “Hey, that sounds pretty good, pretty good.”

Yes it does…….

If I did a poll right now about who you’d rather have as the #5, Cain or Blach, I bet we’d vote 90% for Blach, right?

Why is that? Do we just not have the same intolerance for failure with Blach as we’ve got for Cain? It’s funny how failure (Cain) can grind on the fans. Blach has literally pitched one great game for us. And now we’re all behind him. Ctm.

TFLR should be fine. MRI should no damage, just inflammation. Normal spring aches and pains. I hope.

I still can’t get over the proposed changes possibly coming to baseball. Manfred is throwing the word *unilaterally* around and whenever I hear that I get a little nervous. Changing the game against the players wishes is not a road I want to go down…..

Anyway, after he sends out notice (1 year), Manfred is getting rid of the intentional 4 balls walk to first. Now the manager just *4 fingers* the batter over there. Manfred can’t be so dumb as to believe this is going to shave much time off a game. What’s that take, about 30 seconds? And it might happen once a game? I believe he’s doing this just to gauge how much outrage he’s going to have to sidestep when he gets to his larger, stupider, rule change: placing a runner at 2nd base to begin each extra inning.

THAT one had better never fly at the mlb level. I’m not sitting around watching a tightly contested game, often tied in dramatic fashion in the 9th inning, only to watch the commissioner force *Arena Baseball* on us to start the 10th. I’ve never met a single person who is engaged and focused on a ballgame for 9 innings and then all of a sudden gets restless and stressed and has to get out of there because the game hits the 10th. Plopping a freebee runner on second base to start each inning would absolutely ruin the game.

That’s never really gonna happen, right?

RIGHT?

One of my all time favorite race horses. Finally, I have become him….

The Dodgers signed Franklin Gutierrez to a cheapie deal (1 year/2.6 mil) and I’m irritated the Giants didn’t pull the trigger on this guy. Instead of stuffing his face with wedding cake and shaking hands with Morse, Bobby Evans could have paid the measly sum the Dodgers paid and got himself a legit power bat for the bench that could mash lefties.

I don’t understand the Giants obsession with trying to *minor league contract* their way to filling out the bench. They didn’t have 2.6 mil lying around?

I guarantee you Gutierrez is going to hit some important HR’s vs lefties in 2017, and some of them will probably come against us.

_____________

And this Kyrie Irving thing has got to be a joke, right? He’s just screwing with the media, right?

Here’s a book my daughter read when she was like 8. She’s long since done with it. Maybe I should send it to Kyrie?

Aaron Hill, Just Ruggiano, Mike ReMorse, Jimmy Rollins, that Korean guy whose name I can’t remember…..

Bochy has got to look at that list and snap-order his wife to saran wrap their valuables. The Giants have recommitted themselves to their comfort zone. Vets, vets and more vets.

I really hope Aaron Hill has something left. For once I’d like to see a bat on the bench that’s not a wet noodle.

Maybe this has been reported elsewhere already but I was loling on the ride into work this morning listening to the KNBR morning guys retell how Morse got his deal.

He was at Hunter Pence’s wedding and was talking to Bobby Evans over cake. Evans asked him if he had anything left in the tank and Morse gave the thumbs up. They hand shook the deal. So I guess the advanced analytics were off the table for this signing.

Also: we have signed Aaron Hill to a minor league deal. I like this move a lot. Right handed power who crushes lefties. He could be a great utility guy or a PH who could, cover your ears, HIT A PINCH HIT BOMB TO WIN A GAME.

Ready for this?

The deal is done and he’s an Art Dealer now. I’d worry more about this if his career wasn’t nearly over. Those knees are closer to 53 than 33. The velocity dipped again last year on both the FB and the SL.

I’m predicting injury and/or ineffectiveness in 2017 for Romo thus further solidifying his greatness in Giants history….

Like many of you, I am still scratching my head at this Mike Morse thing. However, I’m scratching my head looking at his one season with us in the context of his entire career. This will be his 13th season at the mlb level, and outside of his one memorable season in SF he has had ONE year of full production: 2011 when he hit 31 bombs (I know no one here cares about those) in 146 games played. He played his second most games in 2014 for us (131). How do you last so long for going on 13 seasons with only TWO decent years? That’s remarkable.

He’ll be turning 35 in March and I just can’t imagine there’s anything left in the tank. But who knows, there didn’t look like much was in the tank when he arrived here the first time.

Nothing about this will change your reality or alter your day in any way. But just *because* your mood might improve. You just might walk the earth with a little more bounce in your step.

Pitchers and catchers report today.

Who is your key to the pitching staff this year? For me, even more than Melancon, it’s THAT FUCKING LEFTY RELIEVER. He has the chance to be Jeremy Affeldt in his prime–a stud who can get both lefty and righties out. I had given up on this guy until he emerged as probably our best reliever in September last year.

The Giants gave up a lot for TFLR and there were many questions about his worth. If he can step up and be THE GUY to hand the ball to Melancon our bullpen could take the most reliable shape we’ve seen since the days of The Core Four.

If he can’t, it’s gonna be *Oh!shit!andOkert* Time and I don’t think Bochy has it in him to go through another season like 2016.

Can you guess what these 3 numbers are?

$11,500,000

$12,000,000

$12,000,000

Hmmmmm….. there’s gotta be a better way to play this game.

Why don’t I just tell you?

That’s what MadBum makes across the next 3 (THREE!) seasons. Now it’s time to cue up all the outrage over why the Giants haven’t signed him to a new deal yet……

FanFest is in the books and Gary Radnich has mercifully put the mike down. This was the best thing I saw come out of yesterday:

I was looking for a list of players who “boycotted” the event but couldn’t find anything. Maybe I should just let that go.

I don’t go to this anymore because of the crowd size but I’m always interested in seeing who bails on it (besides Flavor). In the past, Angel Pagan has regularly snubbed it. Bumgarner doesn’t come to it either and he has less of an excuse.

But whatever, I don’t really care one way or the other since I’m not going to be there. The last time I went I marveled at the size of the lines to the players. I don’t do lines. I don’t understand the payoff when you consider the amount of time invested.

FanFest is very cool for one reason: it means it’s almost here.

Baseball is almost here.

This isn’t really news anymore but I still marvel at how disrespected the home run has become. Between Chris Carter and Mark Trumbo they banged out 88 of those bad boys last year. That hard work got them a 1 year deal ($3 mil for Carter) and a 3 year deal (37 mil for Trumbo). I happen to still sit squarely in the camp that continues to respect the long ball.

Who’s gonna lead the Giants in HR’s this year? Belt? Posey? Will either hit 20?

Apparently, Brian Wilson hasn’t spoken to a single ex-teammate in the last year and nobody knew he was hatching this knuckleball plan. I think it’s awesome.  I’ve gotten past the ridiculous tantrum he threw in front of Baer and remember nothing but the best of things about him. Him standing on the hill and pointing to the sky. A fresh faced Buster racing on his horse to embrace him. Good times.

Now he wants to come back “tossing waffles” (his words). How great would it be if this actually worked? It took about 2 of his epic one liners in Brown’s column  at Yahoo before I was hooked on him again. Whoever he plays for, I would watch and root……

I’m not gonna lie, this “game” has boosted my competitive juices. I get beyond irritated when one of you instantly correctly pick out a guy from the mid freaking 80’s based on only seeing some teeth and part of one eye. I have been known to swear out loud. When my daughter is around I filter a bit and go full-McEnroe belting out a “you cannot be serious!!!!” She thinks I have mental problems.

So, believe me, I swell with pride on the rare occasion that I stump you and all your incorrect guesses end with a pathetic, shaky question mark.

Current pic:

___________________________________

I think this is the second time I got you…Bob Knepper is the other one……

Here is the pic that’s stumping you:

And here is a larger pic of this GREAT Giant. Can you get it now? Or is this still too hard little babies?!?!!?!? Muhuahahahaha!!!!!!

He even signed it for you if you’re still too fucking clueless to get it!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh my. What has happened to me? I don’t feel like myself anymore. Could be time to end the game. Let’s play the rest of today and call it tonight. Here are the current standings:

Loo 21

Blade 16

Wilco 13

Diggity 11

Kat 8

Chuck 5

MacDog 3

Clown 2

The Lonliest Number: WillieD

Here are the current standings:

Loo 20

Wilco 13

Diggity 10

Blade 9

Kat 6

Chuck 4

MacDog 3

Clown 2

The Lonliest Number: WillieD

And now we have to listen to how great Tom Brady is for literally the rest of our lives. Nobody wants to talk about how stupid Kyle Shanahan is. It’s 4th and 1 and you stick Ryan in the shotgun AND a five step drop? AND he fumbles? I’ll give Brady his due because he was given opportunity and he didn’t screw it up but that was the biggest choke job in the history of sports…..

We were running fast and furious here at the Flap last night. Lots of players picked. Some incomprehensibly missed. Hints were fired off with abandon. After the dust settled, this is what the scoreboard looks like:

Loo 12

Diggity 9

Wilco 9

Blade 6

Chuck 4

Kat 3

MacDog 2

The Solo Crowd: WillieD, Clown

And now for this morning’s Name THIS Giant:

(I’m off work today so expect this place to be riddled with “Tom Brady like” opportunity)

The angst on twitter from Giants fans about Romo leaving for the Dodgers is surprising me. Who cares? He did his job here and did it well. He directly contributed to three rings. The Giants didn’t offer him a deal. He’s obviously declining. He signed with his hometown team. It’s almost another win for us since I bet he sucks this year. Nobody could do the Dodgers the way the GREAT Jason Schmidt did them. But if we’re lucky, Romo could “Schmidt” them a little. At least “Schmidt-stain” them…..

Ok, as of 7:26am PST no one has gotten the current “Name this Giant” and so I’ll leave him up with a hint: He’s a pitcher. He pitched one year for us and one year for the Angels. No other mlb appearances. His name is well remembered by me but I’m insane that way so maybe this guy will stump everyone for once.

And here are the most current standings:

Loo 12

Diggity 7

Wilco 7

Chuck 3

Blade 2

Kat, That Fucking Clown, MacDog 1

Name THIS Giant:

I’ve abandoned the shackles and limits the 70’s was putting on me and will now be pulling “Name This Giant” from any time period. The rules are simple: You get one guess. As soon as someone gets it I’ll update the standings and upload another player.

Current Standings:

Loo 7

Chuck 3

Diggity 2

WilcoJoe 2

Blade 1

Kat 1

That Clown 1

Name THIS Giant

Current Standings:

Chuck: 3

Diggity: 1

Blade: 1

Kat: 1

Loo: 1

Everyone else: 0

I can’t fire the retro Stix posts back up because….I just can’t. And we obviously need something to get the blog through to P/C’s reporting. So from here on out we will play “Name That Giant”. First one correct wins the day, I’ll keep a running tab of who’s in the lead. This obviously favors the early birds. I made today’s fairly easy, depending on how quickly this guy gets guessed will impact future croppings.

First up: Who is this?