Baseball Has Returned
…..and man do I need it. This Winter was rough. The losses I took in my life were great. I had been lucky enough to live most of my life without experiencing much death. I know it’s corny to say this but time really does make things a little better.
And one thing I am genuinely excited about is the return of baseball.
It isn’t even the hope I’m feeling about the team this season. I’m just excited to have the game back. This is the first morning I’ve woken up and felt happy and positive in….I don’t remember how long lol.
I no longer take this feeling for granted. I embrace it and will try to string days like today together. Baseball can fix anything, gents. Even a sad Big Flavor.
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
we attended a memorial service old neighbors from 10 years ago. Son probably OD’d on College at 21. He was a little tiny kid when we knew him. First child of a friend of ours to have passed. Very sad so baseball is well timed!!! Go Gigantes…
Opening day is a reminder that a tough quarter and a long cold winter are coming to an end! I’m just as excited as you are, Biggy. LFG!
Opening day always one of the most hopeful days of the year and not just because we want the Giants to do well. More than than just the Ws and Ls. All about renewal and good times. Go Giants
Flavor, I agree with the comments expressed by you and others this morning. Opening day symbolically represents a fresh start, a renewal, a reaffirmation of warmer days and increasing daylight ahead.
Personal losses (whether family, close friend, pet) are difficult any time of year but I think more so in winter. I’m late to the party but from a thread you sent week or so ago my condolences on the loss of your beloved cat. I still miss Tennyson, our great English Setter.
On to baseball. I’m interested in how optimistic Flavor Nation is on Giants’ chances this year. I surprised my son other day by suggesting 88 +/- win season and wild card spot attainable. I have good vibes on Lee, Chapman and Hicks (perhaps one of best off-season under the radar acquisitions). I question how Solar will adapt to Oracle Park and Snell’s long-term durability but return of Cobb and hopefully Ray and possible emergence of Harrison could make for strong rotation.
Hope spring eternal. Go Giants.
Soler last year hit 16 of his 36 HRs at home in spacious Marlins park. don’t think the O will bother him. Giants were 9th NL for HRs and 14th for runs. New guys added and some welcome subtractions should help that along and Giants should score more runs per game even if they have to scratch them out.
Pitching, which was good last year, should be even better (and handled better by Melvin and Price) and improvement at few critical spots defensively should account for fewer runs allowed. Looking forward to Camilo refining talents and closing things out more effectively. First series w Padres in packed house should be great.
Dean, I don’t think this is any kind of world-beating team by any stretch. But at least we have a semblance of a set lineup and a manager that isn’t as match-up driven as Kapler.
My whole bitch this offseason was the team wouldn’t get much better simply by changing managers, but they did slowly build a stronger lineup and better pitching staff.
Not sold on the bullpen yet.
Luciano and Matos to Sac per MLBTR.
disappointing. But, they will be back
Bart is still here, plus Roupp and Miller. Cobb to 15 day IL. Slush had said Yaz could go on paternity leave as soon as Friday, w Matos taking his spot. No word on Fitz…
I guess Pavs etc. on X would have updates.
Looks like Fitzgerald made it after all 14 position players 12 pitchers.
Had to fill the quota of Tylers…
Yeah I like just 12 pitchers right now. Looks like they’re keeping Bart ( 3rd C/PH) &Fitzgerald super utility role that can play all infield positions as well as OF and adds SPEED!!
Yeah Yaz could end up on maternity leavening a spot for Matos soon? Even pitcher Black could get called up for a 5th spot start, lots of options, though Slater holds on again with his lucky charms that are magically delicious!
Happy Opening Day !
This team is obviously better than last year’s team.
But, this opening day outfield leaves much to be desired. Maybe once they do what they’re going to do with Bart after the league’s rosters are set, they can bring up Matos. Lee is definitely an OF upgrade. But, perennial injured list denizens Yaz and Slater are just not at the level you need in the OF to go far in the post season.
Wins projection: 87, with a wild card appearance.
My prediction: they’ll start terribly, recover, and then the IL will determine their fate.
Clearing sky and a god damned robin looking at me out back. Spring. Ok. 90 win WC season, if the rotation does what it’s capable of doing. Wildly optimistic, I know.
Trade talks for Bart have stalled yet again? Something like that. No interest out there for Slater? Matos and Luciano need to be up.
Play ball!
Flavor- I had a terrible year with deaths also. Three within a six month period I am still not over it. Baseball will make it better. Playball.
Matos should be on the roster now he had again great ST, added 15 lbs of muscle and it showed with added power he didn’t have last year.Luciano had a somewhat rough spring due to hamstring issue and lack of AB’s and was Striking out at 35% I’m sure the Giants just want him to cut down on that total and just get consistent AB’s at ST before they call him back up.
Im ok right now with SS Amaed he’s a solid glove next to Chapman even if he struggles with the bat.And Fitzgerald is capable also.Luciano will get his chance soon. But they reall need Matos with this suspect OF except for Lee..
Was it TF who coined the phrase Murdered Row to describe a weak line-up? Classic.
no music in it.
L/R alternating obviously but a tv graphic just showed 2023 BAs too. The LU is set so that those BAs descend exactly from highest to lowest. Although I’m not sure where Lee’s came from. I just noticed the pattern.
Slater was terrible in his last Spring Training AB. Completely over-matched.
He only got in 89 games last year, 185 ABs. In the year of SBs, he stole 2 and got caught twice. High OB (.348), but seems like weakest OF link. I could see Conforto having bounce back year not worrying about being PH for and in better shape, and in contract year looking for next deal.
Play Ball!
A dog, some beers and opening day, now we’re talking.
Darvish didn’t look all that good in the first. Highlight for the Giants was Soler laying off a couple off sinking FBs just below the zone. Oh man.
I really wish Matos and Luciano were given starting jobs to start the year. Would give them confidence.
86 wins for me…
I don’t know about Luciano GH had a high strikeout rate in ST I think the Giants want that cut down before he’s called up.
Yeah the Usual Opening Day on the road (Pads/Doghairs)courtesy of Larry Baer I’m so sick of that PÓS!!
lots of rain the sf forecast for tomorrow and Sat.
Well, lookee there.
The new SS gets the first Giants RBI…
Ahmed just proved a little why he’s at SS right now.
Luciano’s glove just isn’t yet ready for prime time. He’s got a real issue going to his right in the hole. I assume after 5 years in the minors, he’s gotten a million ground ball drills, so it concerns me he’s not better with the leather, and situational smarts in infield defensive plays…
Chapman plays deep and to his left. Still covers the line etc cz he’s so brilliant. May help.
87 wins for me and a W/C spot!
Ahh Spring brings out the optimism but I like the makeup of this team especially after the last 2 years of terrible baseball!
Hey look at that Conforto&Ahmed double up for the lead! 1-0
Giants, Hot Dogs 🌭 and Beer 🍺 life is good 👍
So much of folks worried about Webb’s ST ( I for one was never worried he’s that good)lol 😂 dude is on fire 🔥
Unproductive out by Yaz there (K, his 2d of the day) with 2 on.
Dude really needs this season to cut down on the Ks, and get contact up…
Why is Yaz batting 5th and Conforto 7th?
Lee with his first hit!!
(5 seconds later)
Lee picked off 1st!
I said after last year that if Yaz and (S)Later were still in the roster, they didn’t do their job.
agree on slater. Stripling too. I’m pissed about slater. But Yaz plays a great RF. Fine in CF LF He’ll be off on paternity leave soon enough. He’d be a good fourth OF.
Yeah, I’m not as down on Yaz as I am on Slater but he goes through stretches where he’s just a whiff machine.
Didn’t that happen to Yaz on his 1st hit?
Must be a tradition for Rooks to get picked off on their 1st hit..
Still waiting for that first really good home-grown outfielder since Chili Davis. Maybe it’s Matos, but we won’t know a lot if he’s in Sac…
Yeah Snarkk besides a home grown stud outfielder how about getting 2 years of the same Left Fielder? 18 straight years unbelievable, 19 after Conforto checks out next year…
Yeah, Kat I heard that.
Crazy stat. In a bad way crazy…
bunch of bad breaks for Webb. But D!
PH for Wade who had good AB’s but let Yaz hit who’s been sucking!
Outraged Machado tries to break his bat on his thigh and fails. “Only Chili Davis could do that.” ”Well, Bo Jackson too. Though I’m not sure he used his leg.” Kruk and Kuip still have their moments, don’t they?
Miller and Fleming on radio still? Might have to catch some of weekend games there.
Ahmed with RBI #2!
Great job by bottom of order.
Nice, but what is Ahmed doing?
Yeah,that was dumb by Ahmed, he had a Ruben Rivera brain freeze.. Are as Jon Miller would say:”That was the worst base running in the history of the game!”
Bunting on opening day, I like it.
Not crazy bout the pen.
Wheeeeee! Bailey sure seems to think he should make every throw. His stellar defense faded last year.
I just upgraded my tv. Maybe the time delay btwn radio and cable isn’t as bad as it was? Have to check. Those Friday Apple broadcasts with the local radio synced were almost worth the money.
Game 1 and first DL coming up already with No Action Jackson book it!
Geez same old Giants choking late with the BP..
Not pretty.
Really not crazy about the pen.
Love it when Kruk says, “Walker really doesn’t have to give him anything” as he serves up a meatball that Cronenworth smokes to the wall.
You called it earlier.
Desolation Row, but for Conforto.
They can easily move on from Luke Jackson with another young pitcher he is a junk yard dog now who will not last a season, much less a few months..
He should’ve stayed in the clubhouse and ate 50 eggs…
Well you know how it is. Small town. Not much to do in the evening.
Such a great answer…
Good stuff! This video is something I’ve never seen. Amazing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ae_9yBM3rBo&ab_channel=kittyliveson1
Anybody hear from Stix lately?
been about a year
i got an email from him yesterday about an RFK presidential announcement. I never open any attachments he sends me (for many reasons). So either that was a spam email representing him or it was him. Don’t know. But the email addy was accurate
wow, there might be 2000 fans at the A’s game tonight?
Hey, it’s opening day.
Glad baseball is back and so is the Flap!