July 10th, 2009
I haven’t said much about Pablo Sandoval not be selected for the All-Star game because this “last man vote” was great publicity for him (not that he wants it). Most of the baseball world was finally taking notice of what Giants fans have been watching all season: A portly but athletic, versatile, fun-loving, smart, high-effort guy who is a breath of fresh air because he plays the game the right way.
Despite the newfound publicity, it won’t be a big deal nationally if Sandoval doesn’t make the All-Star game as an injury replacement. While his numbers dwarf many other players on the team, it’s an East Coast media-driven country. Down the road, however, when Sandoval is getting the same type of respect as Albert Pujols (and he will, as we’ve made clear before), this slight will look moronic. Sandoval is going to consistently be one of the top five players in baseball in the next five years, while playing in a pitcher’s park. Historians will look back at his first full season and wonder why he wasn’t playing with baseball’s best in mid-July.
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Categories: San Francisco Giants |
Tags: 49ers, A's, Bill Neukom, Buster Posey, Charlie Manuel, Freddy Sanchez, Giants, Ian Kinsler, JaMarcus Russell, Jason Giambi, Jesse English, John Bowker, Kent Huskins, Madison Bumgarner, Pablo Sandoval, Raiders, Rickey Henderson, Rob Blake, Scott Hairston, Sharks, Stephen Curry, Steve McNair, Tim Alderson, Tim Lincecum, Warren Sapp | No Comments
July 8th, 2009
Maybe I’m not your typical spectator. When I go to games, I want to do everything I can, short of running on the field and stabbing Matt Kemp, to help my team win the game. I like starting or getting involved in the “Let’s Go Giants!” chants, and heckling opposing players… and playfully giving opposing fans a hard time as well. (It’s all fair game as long as your not using foul language.) Anyway, true fans like myself can’t fathom these other “fans” (there’s a reason I use the quotations) who go to games and think it’s a good idea to interfere with Randy Winn or balls in play that may cost the Giants run(s).\
In each of the last two Giants games, a stupid fan has interfered with a ball in play. Fortunately, for the Giants, the umpires intervened and made the right call in each instance, in the Giants favor. Still, what’s to stop these idiots, or idiots like them, to interfere with a ball in play that may cost the Giants in a future game this season. The umpires aren’t always going to make the right judgment call, as they have the last two nights.
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Categories: San Francisco Giants |
Tags: 49ers, A's, Amare Stoudemire, Barry Zito, Bengie Molina, Brian Wilson, Buster Posey, Cal, Chris Cohan, Dana Eveland, Fred Biletnikoff, Giants, JaMarcus Russell, Jeremy Affeldt, Matt Holliday, Nate Schierholtz, Pablo Sandoval, Raiders, Randy Johnson, Randy Winn, Ryan Sadowski, Scott Hairston, Sharks, Stanford, Steve McNair, Tom Cable, Venus Williams, Warriors, Willie McCovey | No Comments
July 7th, 2009
I’m not mad at Bruce Bochy and I don’t blame him solely for Randy Johnson’s shoulder strain, but I can’t figure out why he sent the Big Unit out for the fourth inning on Sunday. It was obvious to everyone in the ballpark, and particularly the Giants dugout, that Johnson hurt himself swinging the bat in the bottom of the third inning. A number of us watching the game on television were thinking that he wouldn’t pitch the rest of the game
There are a number of reasons he shouldn’t have been out there for the fourth inning. First of all, he’s 45! Why take any chances with a guy who’s obviously pitching on his last legs? Second, the bullpen was well rested considering Ryan Sadowski and Tim Lincecum were coming off consecutive seven-inning outings. If you factor in the long man, Jonathan Sanchez, had a day off Saturday and could have pitched 2-3 innings on Sunday, Bochy had more reasons to go to somebody other than Johnson. Finally, not only is the bullpen well-rested, but it’s an eight person bullpen. If you’re going to carry 13 pitchers (which you usually shouldn’t), than you have more reasons to go to the pen earlier than you would normally want to. Bochy clearly made a mistake considering Johnson’s velocity and command were way off in that fourth inning. (Not to mention the throwing error that ultimately sealed his fate.)
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Categories: San Francisco Giants |
Tags: 49ers, A's, Alex Rios, Armando Benitez, Bengie Molina, Bob Titchenal, Brett Anderson, Brian Sabean, Brian Wilson, Buster Posey, Emmanuel Burriss, Giants, Jed York, Jonathan Sanchez, Madison Bumgarner, Max Zhang, Nomar Garciaparra, Pablo Sandoval, Randy Johnson, Ryan Sadowski, Ryane Clowe, Scott Hairston, Sharks, Steve McNair, Tim Lincecum, Warriors | 1 Comment
