A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball

Another pic this am from KNBR’s Brian Murphy. I’ve been enjoying their player interviews in the morning on my way into work. These guys, predictably, are pretty confident going into 2018.

Could you reasonably argue that our hitters, SP’s and BP are all better than last year? I think you could…..

Interesting website that details all of our players and their projections (see below). Loo was on the last thread down on the pitching. I’m definitely not there yet. Somehow Smargerine got ranked as the 18th best SP last year and I’m assuming that must be a fantasy website that’s value-heavy on his K’s. Cueto is the obvious question mark but he’s a crafty bastard. Don’t put anything past guys like that. His problems were mostly related to his blisters, if he can manage those this year I expect a solid season from him. After that we really only need to have Blach or Stratton meet expectations and we’re good to go. I really believe that. And by “good to go” I mean realistically compete for the WC’s all season. I would absolutely take that after last year’s 98 loss meltdown.

Anyway, check out the link, lots of stuff in here to take in.

https://www.rosterresource.com/mlb-san-francisco-giants

Brian Murphy tweeted out this average but still exciting pic of the sun rising at Scottsdale Stadium this morning. I’ve been out of the Bay Area a lot more than usual this year and to be honest Spring Training has kinda come out of nowhere and surprised me.

And to be honest, it still hasn’t moved me. Watching guys like Longoria and McCutchen hone their swings for nearly 2 months doesn’t really get me going. Maybe if I was there? I’ve never been to ST and that’s hilarious because my mom lives in The Boulders and I think that’s only 20 miles or so away.

So I suck for that. One day I hope to get there.

I’m turning 50 tomorrow. For some reason I used to always think I’d be bummed out about that. Who knows, still 24 hours to go. But as of right now, I feel great about it. There are reasons why I’m so positive but no reason to get into that in a baseball thread. Anyway, I will be in Reno/Tahoe for the rest of the week with people and probably won’t get to changing the thread. Unless something happens. But what’s going to happen? Likely, nothing. And I’ve got a second half century to start. So, later days.

Eric Hosmer: 8 years, 144 million. Did I read that right? In this discount market I’m having trouble wrapping my brain around why anyone would pay Hosmer that type of scratch. That move reeks of a move just to make a move. “Look depleted and apathetic fanbase, we did something!”

I’d be interested in hearing from my main man on the San Diggity scene. What is the pulse of Padre Nation as it relates to this signing? Did it move the needle? Or are the fans ready to unleash hell on ownership? Is it still a *nation* or is it more of a *province*?

A horse can get injured too, can’t it? That doesn’t stop you. C’mon, your Big Flavor and you think its a lock.
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Very true my man, but you’re getting 40-1, 80-1, sometimes north of 100-1 on Derby horse future bets. Those odds can be hard to turn down and are much tastier than the 11/10 odds you get watching your 6 month baseball bet trickle down…..

But as I said, I don’t do future bets anymore.

Having said that, I AM Big Flavor! I’m saddened you had to be the one to remind me. We’ll see what happens next week. Also, since I’ll be seeing you in Reno March 15/16 you could talk me into it in person. We could storm the teller, fists clenching hundos, a plan to unleash Hell…..

I am absolutely positive about this team right now. Until everyone gets hurt i think they are a lock to hover around 2nd place in the NL West. Hey, after losing 98 I will take that all day long…….

I don’t follow relievers too much but everyone is saying this Tony Watson pick up is  jizz worthy so who am I not to saran wrap up my furniture? It’s weird because Baggs, usually so reliable, basically said there was no chance of this happening 2 days ago. And yet here T-Dub is. I wonder if this takes the wind out of the return sails of TFLR? I guess you can never have enough reliable BP arms.

I’m thinking this is worth at least 2 wins so that should bump PECOTA and everyone else up to my prediction of 88 wins.

88. That was always a good lightning rod number for me and Twin to battle around….

And for no particular reason other than this picture is rad….

Sounds like Timmy’s *showcase* went ok. 90-92mph prolly not gonna get er done, tho. Theoretically, I guess he could keep that velocity for 20-25 pitches, maybe he could be a one inning guy now. Maybe.

His last good season was 2011. I remember very little about 2011.

Good luck to him wherever he chooses to walk the earth but let’s not have it be in SF. That path is traveled and worn. Time for a new one.

Well, we covered a lot yesterday. Howard Stern. P-Con. The issue of Smargarine and his rumored fatness. I’m gonna have to give him a gander again, I didn’t see that first time through. At least he got a great new nickname out of it (credit: Loo). We even had a Chris Castellani rant. He’s kinda worn on me. I feel bad for that kid. He’s got a lot of anger that he’s not really expelling effectively. I guess it’s better than bottling it up.

Anyway, Smargarine is fat? Like “Derek Law fat”? Does Law still have those titties? Just once I’d like to see the “Social Medials” come in with pipes flexed and their phones turned into Bochy at the door….

It’s February so these are the types of threads you get. There is a lot of gold in this clip and I already love McCutchen.

Seems like there’s a fair amount of optimism here.
Not from me. Look at that pitching staff…

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That’s where some of the optimism has to come in, my man. You have to believe that Bumgarner will stay healthy and return to form. You have to believe Cueto did a little cardio this off season and that he’s figured out how to throw a slider with those new balls without herpes breaking out all over his hand. You have to believe that Smarge has ditched some of his stubbornness that leads to him trying to strike everyone out with that tasty heater. You have to believe that getting rid of Matt Moore can only have the most positive effect on that beleaguered bullpen. And you have to believe in Stratton and Blach, or at least one of them. And truth be told everyone’s #5 smokes copious amounts of pole so one of those 2 guys is allowed to smoke a little…..

Oh, and that Fucking Lefty Reliever has to finally show up. Melancon, too. And Strickland has to stop being such a dumbass. Law and his social media cohorts have to put down their phones and start working out….

Ok, so that’s a lot to believe in. But it’s been a nice, mild winter with almost no rain and beautiful sunny days. I’m in.

Here’s my #1 rule if I’m a GM in the NFL: If you own an assault rifle I don’t want you on my team. Simple. Easy to understand. Nothing good for my football team will come from any of my players possessing assault rifles.

The Niners don’t have to make a snap decision on this because it’s the off season. They can certainly gather more facts. But this is a franchise that has simply had too many players fuck up in the eyes of the law. The message to the rest of the players and the fanbase has to be: “We will not tolerate players who commit domestic violence.”

It’s obviously the right stance to take. But the other piece to this is that we have too many good vibes with Jimmy G and the future. We don’t need players who so brazenly skirt the law. Good players will want to come here now because of what Lynch and Shanny are building around Jimmy G.

No assault rifle owners allowed…..

Fan fest has wrapped up. So have the Olympics, I think (hope).

Darvish to the Cubs is interesting mostly because the Dodgers failed to keep him due to lack of funds. The Art Dealers offer included the need to first shed themselves of salary. They’re going to have trouble competing in the art dealing industry if money has now become an issue.

Other news that I have stolen from mlbtraderumors.com is that Pence is embracing his move to left field. Sees it as an “exciting challenge.” This makes Angel Pagan look like more of an asshole, doesn’t it?

Close call on the Olympics yesterday. I was skimming through channels and accidentally hit the channel they were on (which I now know is NBC). I started to panic as I saw a screen of cheering somebodies but relaxed when I realized the screen was frozen! So unless I get a ruling otherwise I am not counting this as watching one second of this stuff….

Anyone going?

I’ve been a few times, as have many of you. It’s evolved over the years. 15 years ago it was like a weekend picnic at the park. Then those 3 beauties started rolling in and it turned into a rock concert.

Been there done that.

I might just stay home and watch the Olympics today…..

lqtm

I’ve been hearing murmurs about it so I finally googled “where and when are the Winter Olympics this year”. To my surprise, they start today. TODAY! That should be very exciting for some people. I am continuing to stick to my boycott of the Olympics, first prompted by San Dawg at least one, but possibly two, Olympics ago. The reason? No real reason. I guess I just don’t relate to any of the sports. Especially the winter nonsense. I still believe the Olympics are televised mostly for housewives who dig the 20 minute human interest story that precedes each 2 minute event.

My prediction is that North Korea does some crazy shit to disrupt something during this 3 week event. I’ll be in Reno for my 50th during the final week. Maybe I’ll find a way to bet on that….

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Fanfest is this weekend! No, I’m not going. Neither is Kruk. He was on the radio yesterday with Murph and Mac who were trying to hype fanfest. Kruk buzz killed that by saying he wasn’t going. Said he had a cold and didn’t want to get anyone sick. lol. He had all winter to come up with a better excuse than that.

JD Martinez is reportedly “fed up” with the Red Sox and their 5 year, 125 million dollar offer. Sounds like that’s as far as Boston wants to go. And he’s *fed up*….

Man, fuck JD Martinez. The dude is already 30, who in sound mind wants to give this guy more than 5 years? I think Boston is the perfect fit for him, he can pepper left field with moon shots for years. 20ish mil a year is a perfectly fine offer for someone of his age.

I’m trying to figure out what the players are going to strike over (if it comes to that). The CBA runs through 2021. Unless they can prove collusion, which this isn’t, I don’t understand what they target.

Flap Meeting with Macdog and Paul

I couldn’t care less about pre-season picks like this from Pecota, but here it is in case you do. Too many things change throughout the year to project how a team will do over the course of 162 with the guys they start with on Opening Day.

This market has gotten completely out of control. Two years, 17 mil for Todd Frazier? That’s literally peanuts. I would have signed him to that and just plugged him in anywhere–2nd base, first base, center field. That type of right handed pop, for 8.5 mil a season, would have been nice to have next season…

Where I come from if you pulled that grade down you’d be checking in with a D- and a possible trip to the principal’s office…

Good ol’ squeaky clean and perfectly terrific Tom Brady dropped his Super Bowl record to 5-3. And he could EASILY be 3-5 if it weren’t for some incredibly stupid coaching decisions on the part of the opposition.

But whatever, I appreciate he’s a great QB, due to his longevity he’s the most accomplished QB of all time. There. I said it.

But if I needed one win and I got to pick a QB in his prime there is no question who I go with. Joe. A thousand times Joe.

“Lii?” WTF is that? One of PaulinAsia’s new girlfriend’s? Just say 52. Jesus, 16 doesn’t seem that long ago, does it?

Very happy to not have any money on this game. I am obviously rooting for the Eagles despite their neanderthal fans because I am not down with Tom Brady. I met his sister once, she was hot. Hopefully she’s not anymore.

Anyway, the line opened at -6 and it’s slipped to -4.5. Lotta wise guys out there trying to find reasons to bet on Philly. I guess it could happen. But Lady Luck always seems to shine upon *Do No Wrong* Brady. He’ll probably end up with another MVP award. I’m not sure how many he’s won in the SB but you can make a case that another guy should have won at least a couple of them. For instance, you could have given one to the entire Falcons team last year and all of their coaches….

My best Super Bowl betting story is the one where I threw away the winning ticket on Carolina scoring exactly 29 points (2004). My main man Dave Anderson got the sportsbook to pay it out even without me producing the ticket. That was amazing.

Still bored. But still keeping it one hundo. Enjoy this video, it’s the funniest thing you will see all day. Watch till end…Tomorrow, Super Bowl chatter….

You think you’re bored this off season? Look at what this guy’s been doing:

He’s not an Astros fan. And he’s made a LOT of different 3D scenes….

I still haven’t gotten around to combing through the Room B emails. Maybe that’s a door better left unopened.