Perfection
It’s been a while…..
I remember a morning back in the mid 70’s and my dad brought the Sporting Green over to the breakfast table. He sat down with a big smile showed me a similar standings. It went something like…
Giants
Reds
Dodgers
Astros
Braves
Padres
…something like that. Remember when that’s what the NL West looked like? I don’t. But I remember him showing me the standings that day like it was yesterday. Our reign did not last long I think we slipped down the next game.
Cueto is trotting his lumpy ass out there today. It’ll be tough to match the magic of yesterday. I’m really looking forward to the ring ceremony on Sat. What an exciting, momentous achievement that ceremony will honor…..
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
I loved your idea yesterday of having the Giants standing on the rail of the dugout polishing their 3 rings during the ring ceremony. That really would be awesome to have Posey, Bum, Sandoval, Bochy and Wotus (who else am I missing) wearing all three of those beautiful, gaudy ass rings, giving two shits to the Bums on the field acccepting their participation jewlery.
Come on Baer, make it happen. It would be great for the rivalry and great for baseball.
Your right about yesterday being a good day. It was my first time playing Draft Kings since the season ended. I bet $15 in total tourney entries and ended up winning $136. Included in that was a first place victory in a $2 late night slate. Nice way to start the season all the way around!
nice! I didn’t place in the evening slate but I only had 2 teams. Good day overall tho.
FYI, the MLB extra innings package is free the first week of the season.
How often do you think Kent, Bonds, or Snow wear their ’02 NL “championship” ring? I’m guessing never.
I’m guessing lots of Dodgers will never wear their’s again after the ceremony.
Giants ’89 ring. Sweet. Nothing takes the sting off that World Series loss like this ring.
Someone be sure and ask Will Clark how much he treasures his ’89 ring.
BOOM! POW!! BAM!!!
Giants don’t Panik, and give bums opening day Blach eye!
Great start!
Humm Baby! Let’s Do It Again!
Yeah, I’m so hoping at least one guy on the Giants has all three rings on at the ‘ceremony.’ I just think it’s funny as fuck tha they are doing this ceremony in front of the Giants. As if it’s some kind of burn. If I’m Buster, every Dodger that comes up to the plate, I’d say “You call that a ring? HERE’S a fucking ring. Here’s 3 of them!!” We should wear our WS gold lettering jerseys just for fun as well.
Must say though the ’89 ring looks pretty cool.
If that ring is all you got, I’m sure they like the rings. A guy I worked with (bussing tables and schlepping soup) years ago when I was a ski bum was the 3rd string fullback for the ’82 Nebraska team that lost the Orange bowl to someone (Miami?). He wore the shit out of that ring.
love it
Yeah, that ’89 ring is nice. It just makes me chuckle a little at how big the letters are on “CHAMPIONS.”
Per my friend Mike (Rain Man) – first Giants 1-0 win on opening day in 136 years! 👊🏼
Giants
Reds
Dodgers
Astros
Braves
Padres
Those were the NL West teams from 1969-1992, I think. The Rockies were added in ’93, just in time to help the Braves win the division that year, by losing every one of their games with the Braves. And the Padres helped, of course, by giving the Braves McGriff in the middle of that season.
’94 was the big strike year, and then division realignment came in ’95 with the addition of a Wild Card. It was always goofy that Atlanta was in the NL West. The same in the NFL for many years.
There was a time in the ’70s and early ’80s when Dodger fans sniffed their noses at Giants fans and pooh-poohed any talk of a Giant/Dodger rivalry. We were “too far beneath them to be rivals.” The Reds were their real rivals now. By the late ’80s that changed, and then especially when Bonds arrived. Plus the Reds and Braves were eventually gone from the division, and the focus on the Giant/Dodger rivalry and history was back fully engaged. Then the Giants started winning World Series championships…..
The ’89 Giants believe the A’s World Series ring should have the depiction of a syringe on it.
How about the ’93 Braves losing in the playoffs to the Phillies? The Giants owned the Phils in the regular season that year, with a record like 5-1. That could have been a wild World Series with the Giants vs. Blue Jays.
Or the ’87 Giants playing the Twins in the dome with the garbage bag wall. Would have been fun.
The 3 in 5 made everything beautiful, though. 🙂
That ’87 NLCS loss crushed me. I needed it for personal reasons…
That was a rough one. First playoff appearance in 16 years. And that Cardinal team was so unlikable.
My biggest memory from that series was Dravecky’s great pitching in Game 6. The 1-0 loss. He got Cained before Cain.
I read a thing that said Kershaw’s fastball velocity was down overall last night. And he had that weird moment when his leg seemed to buckle under him.
Something to watch for on his next start.
Sooner or later all pitchers lose some velocity, of course, but it’ll be interesting to see how Kershaw adjusts when that eventually happens.
So much for that 0.00 ERA in spring training, even if he only gave up 1 run.
And lots of baserunners.
Obviously, his fastball is important (like with most pitchers). However, his best pitch is a slider, with his second best pitch his curve. He developed the slider after his 1st or 2nd season. It’s devastating. Or, at least it has been devastating. This explains it all (or you can ask Rooster) . . .
“The curveball was working well, but it wasn’t a pitch you could call,” said Mark Sweeney, a member of the 2008 Dodgers. “It was so nasty, it was a swing-and-miss pitch, but you couldn’t drop it in for a strike. It had so much depth to it, but it had that arc to it where you weren’t going to get the call. And a lot of hitters tried to stay off it because they couldn’t do much with it. The slider really was the separator. That took him to a different level.”
According to kruk he just started using his slider this spring
Sorry you are taking about Kershaw i thought you meant strick
What a cool story from last night, local accountant is an emergency fill-in at goalie for the Blackhawks in their win over Winnipeg.
https://www.today.com/news/chicago-accountant-becomes-blackhawks-goalie-one-night-gets-win-t126167
That is awesome. What a cool story to tell the grandkids
Can’t think offhand of anything close to this in MLB.
Legendary stuff.
Wouldn’t happen in MLB due to the roster rules, etc…
Yogi had 10 championship rings.
He probably gave away to a kid a pennant winner ring.
Yeah, I really would love to see Posey, Bum and the other dudes flash their champ rings on fingers as they hold their hands on the dugout railing. That would be a real rivalry move. In the old days, clubs would do shit like that, if the other rival was doing shit like the Dodgers are doing. I don’t remember — did any of the 3 in 5 Giants ring or WS flag raising ceremonies come in front of LA?…
Yes….I’m pretty sure. I’ll have to check.
Nope.
2011- in front of the Cardinals
2013- Cardinals again (LOL)
2015- Rockies
Thanks. Then this LA ceremony in front of the Giants is not even legitimized by some payback…
I remember when the standings had no Padres, no divisions…
Yeah, the ‘89 ring is awesome. I kinda wish the Giants would go back to that lettering. It will always be my favorite…Taking my son to the Astros replica World Series ring giveaway next Saturday. I think the Giants did similar promotions for each of their 3 rings. I will give mine to his little brother.
Hey WJ when are the Astros yes the real champions having their ring ceremony?
This Tuesday, the day after their home opener.
Flav mentioned use of a slider by Strick, above (Blade’s post). I always felt that if Strickland added another pitch or two that he could consistently throw for strikes, that he could be really good. We’ll see how his off-season work with Smoltz translates.
That slider was fairly shitty. Think a bad Romo frisbee slider hanging over the plate. I think the Dogs were shocked to see it, and were fooled by the fact that he even threw it. He needs to throw in in better locations. As in down. It was consistently up in the zone.
Span and Duffy defeated Nunie the All Knowing in a Giants AL East match yesterday. What will today bring?
You can’t be a closer with one pitch being a straight fastball, not even a sinker, and the rest of ’em throwaways that the batter spits at. Supposedly in the offseason and in ST, Musclehead finally got a good slider together because he spent a morning with Smolz or something. After a handful of closer appearances this month we should know if that’s hype…
Anybody seen any articles on how Curt Young is doing as new pitching guru? How has his style, his emphases differing from Rags, and how is that going down so far?…
The Giants beat writers will be on it!
(Spoiler alert: they won’t be on it.)
😂😂😂
Gearrin also got away with a few hanging sliders, especially strike three to Taylor.
Taylor had an awesome expression on his face: “I can’t believe that just happened.”
That pitch was up, but Taylor was clearly looking for something else. Completely fooled, a la Miguel Cabrera to close out the 2012 Series. 85 mph right down Broadway locked him up like a bank vault. If you ain’t looking for it, it’s pretty hard to hit. Beautiful.
Rings for what, NL champs? BFD. Rooster is going to be crying in his Cheerios. Houston thumping the Dog-ears in game 7 was one of the best baseball moments since the 2014 season. NL champs. LOL
I guess somebody has to do it but personally I have no confidence in Strickland as the closer. Happy to be proven wrong but he’s consistently failed in high presssure situations.
Strick’s got to get the slider down to be effective. It wasn’t down yesterday. If he could spot his fastball up and in he’d be dynamite with a slider away.
The same exact Giants lineup that scored one run against a tough lefty gets to go against another tough lefty.
Sometimes one is enough.
nice Jack Black reference.
Lurker I’m saying the same thing about NL&AL championships rings BFD!!
Any big league player wants that W/S ring nobody remembers 2nd best..
It’s like a championship beer league softball game and you lose it and they still want to give you a cheesy runner up trophy that no one gives a rats ass about..
That’s why it’s funny that they’re having a big ring ceremony on Saturday, like they’re rubbing it in the Giants faces or something. The joke’s on them.
I’m not bailing on any of these guys until they give me good reason to. Let the season play out a bit before calling for heads. The pen did a great job last night, so kudos. The wheels may come off tonight, who knows. They beat Opie on opening day. Good start.
Pitching for the Pirates today, Kontos knocked the homeplate ump out of the game.
Hit him in the head, so maybe longer than just today’s game.
Maybe the catcher got crossed up.
Bill Plaschke and some of the Dodgers fans are already in PANIC mode. Hilarious.
http://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgers/la-sp-dodgers-opener-plaschke-20180329-story.html
. . . and some Bum fans stressing out:
1. “Is Kershaw in a fade pattern? Velocity is dropping, gave up two hits to open the game……..”
2. “Just waiting for some of the faux LAD fans to start posting how the season is over. Team can’t hit. We’ll never score without JT in the lineup. Blew their chance to ever win a WS last year, etc., etc., etc. There’s almost certainly going to be at least one poster who bemoans Kershaw’s effort and “how in the world do you give up a HR to Panik, blah blah blah.”
Just….wait….for…it. The comments are coming”
3. “Think either of Stanton’s homers could have helped Kershaw today?”
and this one really cracked me up . . .
4. Hi everybody, and a VERY pleasant good eveing to you where ever you may be. Tonight’s tale of woe: cry if you must, laugh along with me if you will:
GIANTS 1 @dudger$ 0
Ahhhhh, hah hah hah hah hah!!!
_______
The fantasy – GIANTS are old, can’t win without Bumgarner & Samardzija, will finish 40 games or more out & of course what dudger fandom hogwash would be complete sans the requisite ‘this is our year!’
The reality – Blach OWNS the dudger$ and claytin-man (‘he sill has no heart’)… the GIANTS fifth starter ($500,000 per year) totally out-pitched and outclassed the dudger$ great overhype ($35.5 MILLION per year.)
Those claims national media that, result injuries and age, GIANTS season is over before it even begins, and the dudger$ are the favorites to win the World Series, are as funny today as they have been these last 30 years.
Bullwinkle: “Hey Rocky, watch me pull a World Championship out of my *** – er, hat!”
Rocky: “But that trick never works!”
Bullwinkle: “This time for sure!!!” – PRESTO!!!!!
Epilogue nee epitaph: R.I.P. 2018 dudger$
Goodnight everybody, and…
Wait till next year
Part 2019
Verse 31
1988
It’d be nice to leverage a good Cueto outing into a win, anytime you beat Kershaw it’s a big boost towards a series win, especially on the road…
Hopefully that stench in Chavez Latrine before the opener resonates throughout their whole season…
Those Dodger fans need to buck up. A 30 year championship drought is nothing compared to a 56 year drought!
bookmark if you’re down with exit vel
https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/gamefeed?game_pk=529421&type=exit_velocity&chart_view=pitch&chart_type=sbp&inning=&count=&batter_hand=&pitcher_hand=&filter=
there’s a saying about something like this but it’s not coming to me…..
“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”
From this [ Opening ] day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remember’d;
We few, we happy few, we band of [Giants]…
“Sometimes nothin can be a real cool hand.”
a winner knows when to quit. That was it….from Let it Ride
Utley at 2b tonight instead of Hernandez is the only Dodger change.
good numbers v Cueto
Our new righties, Jax, Cutch, and Longo, need to step up tonight.
i predict Longo has a great deal of time getting going this year. Bad foot, getting to know a new league, etc. He could have a very very slow April
This is wild
Jarret Parker released after clearing waivers.
No surprise on clearing waivers ( no team wants are rejects) when does any of are guys get claimed?
No shit, Kat.
DFA Gorkys and Blanco, and both also will clear. Back in Sac.
We have two guys on the 25 that nobody else would take basically for nothing…
Yeah Snarkk..They have a logjam in Sac right now,with Williamson,Duggar&Slater they sure didn’t need Parker and they certainly don’t need Blanco&The Gorkster as well so more DFA could &should be coming..
Agent 000 got the shit claimed out of him a few times…..
Dirt, this may be a different Strickland. In the past, he was a cocky fireballer. Last night he did not come across as cocky but instead exuded confidence. Was a different pitcher on the mound IMO. Flodgers were mystified with the high slider. The one base runner he gave up was Kemp and I actually think Posey made a bad pitch call. Was 2-2 amd Posey set up i side for a low-pitch which Kemp got around on. I thought he had him set up for the low slider on that pitch…
Fuck puig.
You guys see that older blonde behind home plate even with the A in Arco..
Dodger jacket/even older husband next to her.
Their at every game especially the Giants game they might be shareholders, well for sure their loaded..As I should be on a Friday night!!🥃🍺
so was that a great play be Pence or was he just completely flummoxed out there and made it look a lot harder than it needed to be?
Hershiser was saying some shit about the ball having a different spin versus balls hit to right. I think it was a good play, but he also made it more difficult than it possibly had to be. Only person who really knows is Pence. I think he is still trying to get a feel for the position.
Frickin’ safe
No doubt about it a 1B umpire take the most heat then anyone else.Clearly safe but that ump is probably steamed.They know they all get judged come playoff times on their reviews..
One of those older blondes behind the plate is Mary Hart of Entertainment Tonight fame. She was at the game last night too.
Cueto is pretty much dealing tonight.
Lasorda looks like shit. He can barely hold his head up any more.
I can relate…
lol
Wow! Three errors tonight for the la bumbos.
Nice reaction by Wood on the whiff.
I dig Cueto,he just knows how to pitch.Up &down in are out, shaving corners,quick pitch, shimmy, the guys amazing to watch.And just when you think it’s all low 90’s he will jack a 94 plus ..
This ump is inconsistent.
Pfffttt . . . figures. Hershiser was trying to jinx him since the 6th inning yapping about a perfect game. The last time the Giants no-hit the Dodgers was in 1915. Rube Marquard took the hill for John McGraw that day.
Way to jinx Cueto Kuip..
What a piece of Dodger poop 💩 basehit was that?
No shit. I said the same thing to myself. lol
Cubs and Marlins in the 15th inning.
Jesus, the Dodgers need to do a wide search for a new broadcasting team to replace Scully. Dodger play by play dude (I don’t know who it is) thought that Puig pop up was a bomb the way he announced it. I think Hershiser was embarrassed by it. His silence was deafening. lulz
Wow, just turned on the game. Cueto just barekly kept that last one on the park. Come on Specs!!!
or not.
Damn!!!
Just missed it.
Great “pitching duels” so far in this season’s infancy. Always like some pitching duels. But at some point soon, a few hits and runs would also be enjoyable.
Who wouldn’t love to see Bellinger come crashing back to earth this year.
He did LJ . . . during the playoffs last season. He absolutely sucked. The Astros handcuffed him with sliders in the World Series. He batted .143 and struck out 17 times in 28 at-bats.
As I said last week, Joe Panik, your starting NL All-Star 2B…
And a batting title I’ve called that for a couple years now.
Un fucking believable
Say it ain’t So Joe !!
Yeah Baby Panik looking at 162 HR’s babylll
Hey Joe!
Yeah baby!!
Yep, that’s what I’m talking about…. very enjoyable.
Jesus Forsyth’s makes Bob Brenly look good playing 3rd..
Holy crap, Dodgers with 4 errors, 2 for Forsythe.
Actually, 3 for Forsythe. Ouch.
Cutch was out…
That’s 2 blown calls for the ump at 1st. Your postseason chances are Now nonexistent,,
In ’71, approaching 40, Mays homered in first 4 games of the season.
I think…