RIP To An All Time Great
Usually don’t miss news like this but just saw that Fernando died at 63 years old. Damn, that’s young. I remember when he came on to the scene and even as a young kid I thought to myself “this guy’s gonna be a problem.” Gotta think this boosts LA’s chances a little at least from a karma standpoint.
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
I got into a Twitter debate with Bill James over his KARMA stat. I’d found a flaw in his complex equation. For some reason, he blocked me.
Bill James has become a miserable, MAGA adjacent prick, though I don’t know why he would block you. Since Elmo took over, pompous sounding rage bots have the run of the roost. You would probably pass muster with him unless you tried to make a case that Omar the Wife Beater was a better SS than Ozzie Smith.
He blocked my primary account late last year after asking who would be a better president in 2024, Trump or Biden. I responded, “That’s as dumb a question as asking who would make a better first baseman for the 1924 Yankees, Hal Chase or Wally Pipp”. You have to have read or written his article on the notorious grifter to get the dig. Someone should download it for you.
I’m real sure one of us might have missed Xoot’s point, SOAD…
what do YOU think his point is?
If you have to ask . . .
It isn’t about the president. Yogi, citing stats like pitcher wins doesn’t help make your case vs. Bill James. Far too often writers gave awards like Cy (and put guys in HOF like Kirby Puckett) to undeserving guys from teams who won the pennant, and/or were seen as more writer friendly and likeable than others, like say Lou Whitaker.
1998 there was more deserving guy for NL Cy with better ERA (2.22 vs. 2.47) but fewer wins (18 vs. 20) than Tom Glavine on his own team–Greg Maddux.
Didn’t help the Giants chances of making playoffs when Willie Mays died as they fell apart in the W/C race a patch on your jersey doesn’t mean squat as a tribute if you can’t win games..
Sure the Doghairs and the media will make a big deal over Fernando’s death building up to the first game, but once Flaherty gets lit up by Yankees nobody will give a shit except Whiny Dodgers fans/ gangbangers stuck in a illusional world of winning a real championship since COVID will always be an asterisk..Still RIP Fernando 63 was to young , those eyes when you pitched will always be looking at heaven..
Basketball..First game and former Warriors Bust James Wiseman already pulls up lame with a non-contact calf injury..Dude is Mr.Glass ala Freddy Sanchez..
And, Cepeda whose death just a short time after Mays didn’t get much attention.
Incredibly similar to Elston Howard dying a few days after John Lennon. You didn’t hear squat about it…
Yeah, Mays passing seemed to fuck us up. Then Cepeda died. And we went with them.
Don’t know how this helps the Dogs win games. Irregardless of the grand wazoo’s karma effect. Win one for El Cuerdo?
All about LA’s pitching. Can’t see them shutting down the Yanks. But they’ve gotten this far.
what about other side of equation? Surprised hell out of me Dogs even got past Padres but they did by shutting them out for what, 24 innings?
We blew up over Doval who blew 5 saves but Clay Holmes had 13 blown saves for Yanks, worst in all baseball. Dodgers Daniel Hudson had 7, tied with bunch of guys for 7th worst. Yanks pen struggling to put games away vs. light hitting Guards was not good look. LA has far better hitters and more of them.
Often in WS a random guy like Gene Tenace winds up being difference maker…ala Enrique Hernandez vs. Mets.
Well, that’s what i said.
I think it’s Dodgers offense that gets it done. They scored 8 9 and 10 (twice) vs. Mets team that was middle of NL for runs against and allowed fewest hits and 3rd fewest HRs. Yanks lineup is Soto Judge and not much else.
Noticed Gleyber Torres is FA…he hit 49 HRs for Yanks 2022 and 2023 with .450 slugging but only hit 15 this season and OPS dropped from .800 to .709. wonder what they do with him coming off $14 million salary.
All the time off allows Freeman to return to lineup too. Really not looking forward to WS.
If I had to choose, I’d go with the Yanks to win — they’re a tiny bit less loathesome an organization than the Doghairs. But, maybe the series can be rained out or snowed out in full, and the Series will have to be cancelled. Neither wins.
That would work.
BTW, waiting 5 days or whatever it is to start the WS is ridiculous. Does Manfred WANT people to forget it’s happening?
Starting it on Oct 24 is just two-three weeks too late. Like in the old days, it should start early October. Go back to 156 regular games and it’s probably doable …
If I’m the Giants I would go after Torres aggressively as their 2B guy.Giants were the worst in baseball hitting .220 at the position with terrible defense their! That’s a major spot they need to upgrade along with SS( Fitz on a daily basis stunk it up with like 11 errors in 100 games?)so go hard after SS Willy Adames and add 2 RH power bats and Fitz just a super utility guy at multiple positions including some outfield.. And hell go after Alonso for 1B/DH with Wade could work out great as well,Eldridge is the future but he just turned 20? and really Posey doesn’t need to rush him yet, and he needs a ton of work at 1B he made like 18 errors their last year..
Also go after Stud F/A pitcher Corbin Burnes and save a ton over trying to get Snell back.Burnes is a former CY young winner on his mantle and he devours innings like Webb which will help an overused BP as these 2 dudes give you 7+ innings most starts..They have tons of money coming off the books (Conforto,Snell,Estrada,Wilmer Flores( forever Giant but your done) and others..
Just saw this AK . . . Yes, to everything, particularly the Giants not blowing their wad on Snell. Thinking outside of the box about Fitz as super utility guy and I like your Torres idea to replace him. I’m down for all of this.
Like it a lot, Kat!
Get your points Willie, but the NY Yankee hitters are unbelievably hot at the moment (playoffs), e.g., Torres .832 OPS and .400 OBP, where he sets the table for Soto, Judge, and Stanton (whom you forgot to mention too, as he has been RED HOT). Ironically, the only “cold” bat has been Judge . . . but a big “but,” as he has contributed 7 walks. In fact, the Yankees have walked 49 times in the playoffs, led by Volpe with 8 BBs (he’s been very good too), Soto, Torres, and the already mentioned Judge.
Yankees are very, very patient at bat. Consequently, I see them destroying Bum pitching. In my mind, the Yankees only real weakness is their bullpen . . . See Clay Holmes, whom has blown more saves (13) in a single season than any other pitcher in the history of tracking blown saves. The irony is that in the playoffs thus far, he has been pretty good.
By the by, a big thank you on the 2 detailed emails regarding youth sports. Quite helpful.
Oh YW. I got sticker shock myself when I found out how much parents pay for 6 months worth of weekend rec ball. iirc when I was coaching HS ball 15-20 years ago, fee was less than $50 for uniform allowance or some such for season that lasted from November through February
. One of the Moms of 7th grade kid I coach told me she had to pay $150 to City where they live for son to play 10 League Games (and 2 practices a week) at local public school.
Yeah, and as you pointed out in your emails, that’s cheap compared to these “travel teams.”
Wow. It has gotten worse since my kids were doing that. My oldest was on a travelling fast-pitch softball team up until high school.
My bitch about it was 3 games a day. In the Summer. In Galt. Or Sacto. Or Rocklin. Some of those games were over 105 deg. My daughter was pitching/catching so she’d get wiped out.
ten fifteen years back my pre HS son was on a traveling baseball team. The fees were notable, the costs for gear and a weekly trainer were stunning. But what I hated most was the culture. The kid with a surgically repaired shoulder throwing harder than ever. The father getting tossed from the stands because he’d sent signals to his son on the mound.
on the other hand, parents bearing alcoholic beverages were welcome. Helped me through more than one of those meaningless games.
Gear too Xoot. Kids show up to practice with their own inside gym only ball and shoes. Those and practice jersey go inside gym only sports backpack, plus their own water bottle. $ sure adds up quickly.
oh yeah. I could’ve added that to the culture. Kids with a quiver of four $350 bats, back then.
I agree that late Oct WS games are inherently offensive. A long layoff after the pennant races are done makes it worse. Looks like mlb lucked out this year. Apart from the low forties temp for game three, the weather should be pretty good. I’d like to see both murderers rows unload a few times. I’d love to see the final game decided by a Muncy error. Yeah, I’m not really into it. At least yet.
New York sports talk seems extra Yankee crazed with Jets and Giants in the toilet…
MLBTR story on Mets headlined “Stearns: Mets need to add multiple SPs” after he met with media. They have bunch of potential FAs-Alonso Iglesias Winker Quintana Severino and Martinez plus Manaea will likely opt out. Cohen likely to spend at top of market, right? So If he loses out on some of above who else will he sign to replace them? AL East is tough.
Knicks welcome (lol) their trash talking buddies Pacers into Garden Friday. That should be good one.
What about Ray? Seen enough to give him a deal? He had some great starts and some miserable ones. He’s a pretty solid 160 inning guy. Which is above average for your average Snell. Why not? He won’t be too expensive, I guess.
Giants don’t have to give him a deal Chuck he was locked in with Mariners at 5/ 115 contract before the Giants dumped Disco&Haniger lol.Ray has an opt out this year but no way he’s opting out at 23M.He wouldn’t getting a better deal on on the open market. So Book it Robbie will be back imo..Still to me he can be good are really bad K’s a plus with his power arm, wildness is his issues, plus injuries concerns.He’s a back end of the rotation guy at 33 .Not bad for him 23M from your 5th starter..
Oh shit, I thought his deal was done. $23 mill? Welcome back.
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Kings open their season tonight. I’m not thrilled with Huerter in the starting lineup. The Kings needed to upgrade at the starting 2-guard. The Western Conference is so tough. You gotta start five quality players in the West.
I tell ya, Buddy Hield looks real nice in a Dubs uni.
Klay Thompson 22 points in 26 minutes in the Dallas win over, uh, San Antonio.