White Shark Resurfaces
He’s back. Sorta. On a minor league deal. As Twin used to say, “Relax, it’s just a minor league deal.”
Having said that, it looks like the 3rd/4th/5th OF spot is going to be uninspiring at best. And that’s giving the benefit of the doubt to Pence as the “inspiring” #2.
Boch might be forced to play some of the younger guys this year in the OF. Of course he could just check back in on the blinder Upton bro and see if his wrist has healed up.
This morning I realized why I published all those Twinfan emails. It’s kinda been like having him back again. I know that’s a bit morbid with him being dead. But don’t Beatles fans get all jazzed up when previously unreleased songs get released? Does that happen with them? I don’t know.
Anyway, for a couple of days it felt like that crusty ol’ son of a gun was back. Hope you guys enjoyed it as much as I did….
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
It was pretty lame when Evans said the other day that the Giants aren’t treating the luxury tax as a hard cap. Clearly they are, so why say what he did? It just insults everyone’s intelligence. All the teams have decided to treat it as a hard cap. It’s a type of collusion, if only an informal collusion.
No it’s not. Collusion requires “concerted” activity–action according to a plan. The owners don’t have to go that far. They don’t need to conspire. The CBTax term the union negotiated in the new CBA gives owners financial incentive, and for high-rolling teams like the Giants even some bargaining leverage, for the next few years. The teams are just exploiting the terms of their contract. Apparently the union traded short-term pain in return for getting rid of the CBTax altogether in three years, when the current CBA expires.
actually, after re-reading the CBTax terms in the CBA, I’m not sure what the union’s motivation was in negotiating it. The new provisions clearly are designed to penalize very high payroll teams–dodgers, yankees. (Teams that go $40 million over the cap not only pay high tax, they also get punished in the draft.) Most teams, of course, aren’t even close to the cap, so those teams can’t be accused of using the cap to collude, can they?
But Xoot I think all owners are trying to stop the huge 5-6 deals. Not many teams are near the cap so why are there not many more teams not in on JD Martinez??? I suggest it is because the owners are in fact trying to set the market and limit the terms of length for players “unofficially” by “conspiring” to limit contract lengths now for mid-tier players before the bonanza for the top tier players who will be free agents next year.
I think owners are fine with the superstars getting crazy 10-year contracts but they don’t want the 10 year deals that Harper and Machado will get to then drive up the contracts for average players to 5-6 year deals like what Werth and others got a few years ago.
Collusion by any other name..
there’s no doubt that the high rolling teams are lookiing forward to next off season’s FAs. That’s why they want to get under the tax threshold for one year–to reset the tax calcs. How is that planned, “concerted activity”? It’s identical response to financial incentives created by the weak FA market and the CBA. That’s the way capitalism works. Does that suck? Oh, gee.
and “collusion” is a defined term. Just as Amazon knows how to skirt the antitrust laws, mlb knows how to skirt the definition of “collusion” in the CBA. I think. Again, is it reprehensible, does it suck? Yes, I’d say so.
Yesterday F/G had column about Giants disregarding pitching while filling up the OF in off season.
Blach is very underwhelming, and I’d hoped Beede (taking his nitwit bride) would be playing for Marlins or maybe another team farther away. Heston?? Loogys? Health of FLR and Melancon?
Funny thing is, for all the inactivity, relievers went first.
Haven’t seen too much talk about Longoria. I think you guys will like him. Steady, clutch, with a good glove. I know it is sacrilegious, but the player he reminds me most of is Posey.
OSF (Ex-Tampa Bay resident and still cursed to be a Bucs fan)
I’m house sitting all week and went back and read the thread Loo posted, lot of fun. 2018 and we’re still talking LF, and Blanco is still in the mix.
Sabes not only picked up Casey Mac at that time (good guy, uninspiring player ultimately) but signed Aoki off KC for LF. Gad I couldn’t stand to watch him hit, and LF was an adventure. The Japanese pro teams are relentless about practicing fundamentals, even schedule workouts after games. I could never figure out why a guy like Aoki who grew up there was such a crummy OF with such terrible routes to the ball.
Not collusion…just a wink wink…but I failed to comment yesterday that your comment Flav of comparing Twin with Captain Queeg
(Sp?) was totally spot on.
I remembered a splash battle where Twin completely insanely tried to defend Fred Lewis’ defensive abilities when we could see with our own eyes how incompetent he was in the field. The obvious eye test was not good enough for him as you saw Lewis botch ball after ball.
Well Twin, Fred Lewis very short career won me that argument…hah!
Blanco likely means front office does shit about a savvy deal for Broxton. Blanco is insurance on Duggar flaming out as a starter is my guess. I think they are putting up way too much pressure on Duggar. He should get a mid-year call up as Posey and Panda got and let him to play loose.
Who’s winking? They’re all just lqt themselves. The top half-dozen payroll teams have financial incentive to get under the cap this year (thus bringing down taxes if they decide to go over until the tax is set to vanish in 2021), and the lower payroll teams meanwhile all have financial incentive to wait for the high flying FAs to bring their prices down. The more I look at it, the more strongly I feel that the union just screwed up.
My optimistic side says Drugger or Shaw or somebody surprising will light it up as a rookie. The surprises have happened in the past. Go back and look. People weren’t jazzing over Sandoval or Panik or Duffy before they came up. I saw Pablo in Binghamton, double AA, AS A CATCHER, a few days before his callup. I was with a Mets fan. We agreed: send Sandoval up and Daniel Murphy for the Mets. We were right as scouts. Not so right about Ryan Rohlinger, who also moved up to MLB. My point is: such minor, ahem, miracles happen.
Expecting miracles is no way to run a team.
And at this point we are a .500 team or a little better at best.
Glad Blanco is back. Always liked him. But he’s past his prime. Who isn’t on this team?
love the enthusiasm PK. Mildly agree with you.
Part of the problem with remaining FAs is they really won’t move the needle much for those out of contention type teams. In the NL, that’s half the league. why would the Phils Pads Mets etc, beside the teams like Braves Reds Pirates Marlins trying to save money, pony up $$$/multi year deals for Arrieta JD Hosmer Moustakas Darvish or an expensive reliever like Holland?
At their age and past history none of them seem like put you over the top deal breakers and they’re very expensive.
Hi all,
How ironic i missed 5 days because my computer crashed. Ironic because it is the computer Twin gave me for winning the 1st computer contest. At least i think it was the 1st. Total runs scored in the 2010 NLCS against Philly. When I miss some time I go back and scan the thread titles. I’m really glad i did. I just re looked at the Twin letters.
Complicated guy for sure. Mostly i thought he was an asshole, and mostly felt sorry for him. So much anger for a guy who was sick and slowly declining. The only time i didn’t check in at least 3-4 times a week was after the huge dustup he had with Craig ( I know which one?), and I stopped reading for a month or so, as the fight dominated nightly and got old fast. I’m here a lot, and feel like I know a lot of you guys ( welcome back clubber)..I get on late at night, and many times the thread is over, or nothing new to add.
I did appreciate his baseball insights, as will repost the letter he wrote that Craig reprinted, just in case any missed it. I read it twice. I remember it the 1st time he wrote it. Reminded me of listening to Giant games late at night with my little radio as a boy. Would the Count win it? Moon man get the save? When would Clark play more? ( my fav Giant till until Will, until Timmy.) and still to this day I wait and wonder every spring. My wife flew me up to Candlestick as a surprise and my whole family was at the game for my 30th Bday. My name in lights on the score board..game 6 in 2002, game 2 2010, Snow homer that i called out before inning started, watching games with my dad……. watching Craigs posted reaction to the WS win in 2010 after the last game..”Did that just happen????”
Some of life’s best memories revolve around baseball for many of us, and this poem is just terrific…
RIP Michael Scott
“We’ve all come about our love for baseball in our own ways. I loved it as a boy and playing it made it even better. Then for many years it was a sometime diversion as my work took 12-16 hours of my day. I had season tickets for over 3 decades but my friends and customers went more than I did. Baseball as the National Pastime is a thing of the past- life is faster now, so much is available with a click and a tweet. I liken baseball to the foods of the Shaker women- the cuisine was in their heads and hearts, not put to paper. It was up to the food historians and writers like Ronald Johnson to find what was in their hearts and preserve it for today. And so it is up to those of us who remember the game of our youth, to pass along to a new generation the joy of baseball when it was the game that little boys dreamt of, when small towns were abuzz as the World Series approached and *everyone* wanted to see the powerful Yanks humbled.
Which brings me to today. I rediscovered the game when I grew older and my health deteriorated. I became a NUT, a FANBOY-and miraculously became a young boy again. I often dream of the game, I remember the players of my youth in Pittsburgh. For years I had remembered what we now call a “walk off”. A player named Johnny Powers hit one of his few home runs into the teeth of a strong wind and raised his arms high into the air as he soaked in the cheers. It wasn’t until many years later that I found out that it wasn’t Powers, it was Bob Skinner. And then I realized that it didn’t matter, what mattered was that it made me recall what the game once was and why I loved it as a boy and now again in my older years. It slows life down, it’s a game that you can savor as you savor a fine wine or a walk in the woods, a doze in a hammock, it’s a game that makes us realize that life is to be enjoyed slowly -as it passes by all too soon.”
great post. I think we’re about the same age so we have had a very similar baseball experience. btw I popped your post into the Flap HOF. #67 all time…
Yeah, I saw that when I was scanning old emails, and then I couldn’t find it. Thanks for posting that, dude. . .
good to have you back
…and yes game 6 in 2002 is listed as a great memory. NOT..but things happen for a reason, and 2010 was SOOO much better because of 2002. The cross we all had to bear. A test. The SF Giant fans who could take that and never lose faith were the ones who got the most joy out of 2010..Just my 2C
I love the last two paragraphs of your post Flav. Couldn’t agree more.
Man it was pretty funny to read all of those emails from Twin. I kinda took it as welcome to the crew when he jumped on my case about a story I relayed about Pablo. Sad that he passed, but it’s good that he’s not in pain anymore.
Why would anyone get excited about another version of a shitty Beatles song?
no doubt. Lockstep with you on this topic.
First story on MLBTR–Brewers designate Andrew Susac in order to clear roster spot for RHP Matt Albers.
Poor Susac, hit OK in limited action for SF, got hurt and just never got out of AAA. Career for SF .716 OPS, better than Hacktor the Prez Stewart (maybe not) yada yada.
Is Albers (from Nats) that really big guy Flav (in jest I believe but could be wrong) wanted Giants to get?
Fat Albers? Hell yes.
Susac gets invited to Giants camp.
Book it…
Twin has some good stuff in the Falp HOF link to the right. Check it out if you have the time
My latest essay/column/whatchamacallit: http://bit.ly/2DNXolz
22 essays/columns/whatchamacallits here: http://amzn.to/2kmJN8s
As usual, Krukow is onboard:
““With Gregor Blanco, there’s a left-handed outfielder that’s got range, that’s got experience, who can pinch hit. I think he’ll go to camp and if they think Duggar is overmatched, (Blanco) will fill that spot,” Krukow said. “I think even if he goes to camp and doesn’t make the team, Gregor may go down to the minor leagues and be the security blanket early on. I just think at this point when you have an established, older club like the Giants have, if you take a chance on a rookie, he has to perform, and perform right away. If it doesn’t look like he’s going to be able to do that, that’s what Gregor Blanco will do. I love that Gregor will accept that role and he’ll be good with it and he’ll help the kid too.””
i truly think that Kruk would be happier shining a hologram of a vet out there into CF than stomach watching an actual human rookie play out there
Return of Blanco is the usual “old shoe” in reserve MO by the Giants.
Rather than do what it takes to ride it out and break in a new shoe like Slater or Duggar for a month and a half of challenged ABs before the shoe starts to hit/feel good, they’ll shit can that new shoe that’s still a little uncomfortable after just two weeks of chafing, and trade out for the comfortable old shoe in back of the closet. The one that feels good right away, but starts to fall apart and do the usual-we’ve seen-this-crap-before 6 for 60 two-step from June to August. Oh, but the old shoe’s defense…
Odious Snarkk on poor White Shark . . . .
“The obvious eye test was not good enough for him as you saw Lewis botch ball after ball.” I was kinda amused that TF eventually came around on Freddle’s, whose handful of embarrassing gaffes probably totaled no more than half a dozen over his time with SF. His comments about FLew’s OF play were initially as hostile (and funny) as anybody’s. It’s really too bad the Splash comments were not archived.
i stupidly deleted the blogspot site I had for about a year before moving over to wordpress. There was some gold on that site.
I actually looked here https://web.archive.org/web/*/oneflapdown77.blogspot.com to see if there was a snapshot. Nope . . . .
The Kansas City Star is reporting the Chiefs are trading Alex Smith to the Redskins.
No shit. I figured as much. Esp after the last debacle in the playoffs. Although that’s more on Reid than Young Sir Alex.
Whither Cousins?…
Ahhh, the chron blogs were available for a few years after the split. The last one for blogspot was Posey’s first hit as a Giant, right?
The posts by Schulman are still available. The comments were collected in a separate piece of software that sfgate no longer uses. These were not standard web pages that could easily be captured in an archive.
Are those posts mostly of what he’s eating in the press box?…
Yeah no only did the Chiefs trade Alex, the Redskins just extended his contract for 4 years, wow…
djloo27 said, on January 3, 2018 at 8:50 pm (Edit)
Got a feeling Alex lands in Washington next season…
I can hear the “broken clock/blind squirrel” cracks from 3,000 miles away…
goddamn now THAT was a call. Well done.
Of course I won’t re-post my Pegasus wisdom…
I’ve watched some infuriating things on tv in my life but this KY Vanderbilt game tonight may be the worst. effing Cats. Come on.
Kirk Cousins will sign with the NewYork Jets ! Book it, that’s my prediction..1/30/18
For WillieD:
oh yeah. the CD I got has all 3 days in Boston live from 1970 before Green bailed and things went south and eventually strictly commercial. Black Magic woman as opener. Peter Green D Kirwan and J Spencer plus Mick and McVie. Good stuff.
Cousins to the Browns . . .
And into obscurity…
BF’s historic look backs had me looking at the Flap archives. I forgot about the “Room B”, and Oracle had the temporary power to “remove” posts to there from the main blog, ready to re-prove the axiom that absolute power corrupts absolutely:
snarkk said, on June 6, 2010 at 2:54 pm
As for the Room B bullshit, whatever. Oracle would put my posts in there if I quoted the Pledge of Allegiance…
I don’t think he ever got that ability. He wanted it, but I don’t think he ever figured out how to do it. It was sort of his holy grail quest, though.
BF was probably chuckling to himself the whole way on that one.
I never really understood TF’s attitude toward the blogs.
I’m pretty sure I saw a post of mine that had been listed as removed. And, Chuck and “PickledGringo” had gotten the heave ho, too. Maybe Chuck remembers…
Yep, there’s a time post of mine on this below date that had a note in its place that it had been removed. Apparently for odiousness. Later that day, apparently in reposte to my 2:54 comment on the Pledge of Allegiance:
twinfan said, on June 6, 2010 at 2:57 pm
Daddy-O, that would normally get you in Room B but as I’m still in the process of working up the guidelines, I’m going to give you a pass. The current residents of Room B are Chuckles and PickledGringo. Snarkk had a post moved there but only to demonstrate the awesome power that has been vested in me. He will remain in the main house but only because he’s out of options. When Chuckles and Gringo post, I will redirect the commenters to Room B if you choose to respond to them. Chuckles has the opportunity to get out but Gringo, alas, is a permanent resident.
BF probably put a kibosh on that power pretty quickly; it’s so long ago I hadn’t even thought of this. Pretty amusing looking back on it, but I was probably PO’d then that my post got hijacked…
Oh, I didn’t remember that. It must not have lasted very long. I’m surprised BF even allowed it for a short time. Maybe BF was curious how insane TF could behave. It turns out: pretty insane.
It’s just sinking in that this blog has been going on since 2010. With a lot of the same dudes then, still here now, going strong. Amazing. There’s definitely more than just the Giants and baseball keeping us going here.
BTW, I miss Ted Spe’s posts…
And then thereafter whenever TF thought someone’s post was bad, he would sometimes call it a Room B post.
Yep, among other things…
This blog started, and then the Giants started winning multiple championships.
Coincidence?….. 🙂
I think he was just entertaining us – and himself…
Hell no. No coincidence there.
Bochy and the FO had to be reading it daily.
BTW, speaking of earlier days, I do miss the BBOTD. I looked forward to BF’s odd/miscellaneous photo begging for Flapper descriptions. Almost always some hilarious posts going on there…
Yeah, some of those photos were pretty rough.
Flapper descriptions were usually up to the task…
I’m going to have to go back thru the email archives again and familiarize myself with Room B. I have a hazy memory of giving twin that *room* to do as he likes. I don’t remember him pulling posts over there but I bet the emails will jar my memory. lol. When I have some time I’ll check it out. The links on the right hand side of the blog are titled “Room B and other outstanding stuff” and I do remember a Room B but not where Twin was dragging comments over there like some southerner would drag his kid out to the woodshed for a good whoopin’ lol
First time seeing 10 minutes (last 10 of exciting game with snake bitten Baylor) of the Okla kid T Young. He has Curry range and can get to the rim and finish inside.
44 last night and knocked down FTs, 16 of 19. Big 12 is a tough league, very impressive.
I gave Twin editor rights for all of 3 days on my blog before he abused the privilege and I yanked them. Room B led to the blogger code of conduct right? All i remember about room b was the pic of the guy with his dick up the tailpipe of a truck. Forgot about pickled gringo.
Didn’t The Flap start in 2009? or 2008? BTW, I have heard from TedSpe. He sent me a wonderful Christmas card; we exchanged a few texts. He obliquely referred to some challenges in 2017, but I believe he is basically ok.
Pawlie, I enjoyed your article you posted ealier. It was very Hoppe(sh). By that I mean either the son (Nick) or his late father (Art). Both great writers for the SF Chronicle.
THANKS SO MUCH.
Good news, re: Ted ….
Oscar Gamble has passed away. He had a long baseball career, and is also remembered for his glorious hair in the 1970s.
@super70’s loved that guy, he’s got to be devastated.
RIP. I loved me some Oscar Gamble. Great hair, great name, loved watching him hit.
Loved Oscar Gamble his fro reminded me of Link in the mod squad..
RIP Oscar you will be missed…
He may have had a nice ‘fro, but the original OG had nothing on his wife . . .
Damm in not sure if I can get my sand wedge open up enough to pop out of that fro😃
Not the most concise analysis of the CBA / dead FA market relationship, but not bad, especially from a player.
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/01/brandon-moss-slow-free-agency-offseason-cba.html
“Jon Morosi
@jonmorosi
Eric Hosmer’s camp has continued pushing for a contract of more than 7 years, source says.”
Yeah, good luck with that.
7 years is very biblical….
agreed…..
MLB is going to experiment with extra inning designated runners in Spring Training. One of the worst ideas ever.
This kind of stuff trivializes the game…