Errors Killed the Rockies

And we finally got off the schneid. I'm definitely happy.

That's a Sweep

Just when we thought things were going well. At least Tim Lincecum is pitching ungodly well in Fresno.

This is Why We Hate Ourselves

Two losses in a row. This one was especially painful. I don't have to say why.

All Good Things Must Come to an End

Yes, it was a great streak. Oh well. Look where it has put the Giants.

Out of the Hat!

The Giants pulled a game today out of the hat. By no means did they deserve that win, after the frst two innings, but they got it anyway, thanks to that winning-streak magic they had going. Fortunately, Mando pitched a drama-less ninth. 8 in a row! Let's keep it going!

WE SWEPT THE DODGERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nice Article to Complement a Nice Win

Go on, click on the title of this post. That's all you need.

Beat LA!

That's what this blog is named for, and that's what the Giants did! 6 in a row! The good times keep coming!

Here's to Optimism!

5 straight! If they can keep reeling off W's, then the future is looking up!

Warriors (and Giants) Win!

The Warriors won in the playoffs for the first time in 13 years, defeating the Mavericks 99-87 in Dallas in Game 1. Davis scored 33 and was 2 assists shy of a triple-double, while Jackson chipped in 23.

Halfway around the continent, Bonds homered again, as did Feliz, and Cain pitched another gem to win 2-1. Great day!

Robb, Oh Robb! Wherefore Art Thou?

So, Mando proves onnce again that win or lose, he's never going to be Nen. On the bright side, both Barys did well, and even though the offense was apathetic, great pitchinng bailes us out. Finally, we are at .500! Maybe this team isn't quite as bad as it looked 1½ weeks ago!

Ortiz' Revenge

Russ Ortiz wreaked his cruel vegeance on Arizona for cutting him. They also pay his salary, but that's a different story.

Anyway, it was a nice win all around, #3 in a row. Ortiz provided the pitching, Mando provided the tension, and the offense provided the runs. Hooray!

Cardinals at Giants Live Thoughts

Pregame

So, here we go. Lets hope the Giants win.
Dave Flemming just called Eliezer Alfonzo "Ellie".

1st Inning

Top

Nice play by Rich Aurilia. Could Feliz have done that?
1 Out
Let's see if Lowry can do well today.
2 Outs
Wow! Feliz did something on defense! To retire Pujols, no less!
3 Outs

Bottom

Yes! Good job, Roberts. That's a little thing called a Texas Leaguer, kiddies.
Vizquel can hit. I'm expecting him to deliver now. Too bad he can't hit a non-wind-assisted home run.
Wow. Another foul ball by Vizquel? That'll work the pitch count.
That's what a baserunner is supposed to do, distract the pitcher. Why do you pitchout 2-2?
Oh gosh. DP? That's not good.
2 Outs
This is the time when it would be nice to have Bonds up in the #3 hole. Well, at least Richie's not too bad.
That inning could have been big. Oh well.
3 Outs

2nd Inning

Top

Wow, these ad breaks are short when you're trying to fiddle with the HTML code of a blog post.
Why is everyone getting food poisoning?
Come on, Noah. Throw strikes.
Finally got Gameday to load. Now let's see if Lowry can do anything both on the radio and on my computer.
Omar works his Vizquelian magic.
1 Out
Yadier Molina looks nothing like Bengie.
Now Dave Flemming is giving a weather forecast, or at least pretending to. That forecast is for Denver.
Under his glove? Come on Durham, you're turning into Bill Buckner!
Note: That's bad.
Now that's what I'm talking about!
2 Outs
Durham, you have atoned for your misdeeds.
3 Outs

Bottom

Why the heck is Durham bunting?
This game is 112% luck. That hit by Durham wasn't really a hit.
Whoa. They're shifting for Klesko and he shows bunt. That kills the shift.
Don't strike out, Klesko!
1 Out
That's all. I'm burned.

What a Win

There's no way I can put it better than everyone at McCovey Chronicles (including me) did, so I'm providing you with a link. Click on the post title above, and be transported to a magical world of wonder.

Da Gigantes!

It looks like Ray Durham is the best Giant. Barry Zito had a good outing and the Giants have won two in a row. Not too bad eh?

List of Terms I Don't Like

• Closer: Closers are unnecessary. Look at the pre-closer era. Unless you have a guy like Hoffman or Nen, bullpen by committee works much better.
• Juiced: Everyone was juiced. The term has no meaning.
• Stathead: Statistics are the salvation of baseball. I say that with a straight face.
• Steroid era: They still use steroids in baseball. In half a century, this will all be forgotten.
• Tainted: If Barry Bonds' records are tainted, what about those of Ruth and Cobb? They played in an era without some of the best players in the game—blacks. If that's not tainted, what is?

Postponed, Part Deux, and Other Thoughts

Another two games rained out. That gives one game in four days. When the equivalent of this happened last year (the first Houston series), I was in a state of panic. This time around, though, I'm fairly nonchalant. I guess the blog is helping me kick my baseball addiction by overexposing me to baseball.

The Giants caould possibly trade Eddy Martinez-Esteve to the Orioles for Billy Rowell. EME won't ever help the Giants, being the prototypical AL player, and Rowell would give the Giants a young, versatile prospect with big upside.

Today was Jackie Robinson Day in baseball. Do you know what I think about Robinson, his day, and Barry Bonds' unsuccessful attempt to wear #42? #*@^!!! For details, read my previous post on the topic.

Postponed

So it's a little rain, eh? It better have been a lot, because I don't like seeing my baseball games get rained out. When I was a kid, we used to play Little League games in mid-March in pouring rain.

It's a Win!

The Giants finally showed they can put runs on the board, and in bunches, too. That was a nice game. Why couldn't they do this last year, when they lost the season series to Pittsburgh 6-1?

Tim the Enchanter

Lincecum struck out 9 in 7 innings for Fresno today. Already I have friends who tell me he should be up right now as the closer.

Wild Pitches

Tommy Lasorda holds the big-league record for wild pitches in an inning.

Masters in Augusta

[Insert name of golfer here] may have won the green jacket in Augusta last year (I don't follw golf, but the real masters are the GreenJackets, who are now 6-0. I don't knw how they're doing it, but it may have to do with the fact that they are a virtual reincarnation of last year's Northwest League champion Salem-Keizer Volcanoes. The GreenJackets aren't the only Giants farm team doing great, because they all are: San Jose is 5-0, Connecticut is 2-0, and Fresno is 4-1, with the only loss of any minor-league affiliate of the Giants. Do you know the way to San Jose? The future is looking up...

Abel and Cain

It's like the biblical story all over again, except that Abel (the offense) kills Cain, who made a better sacrifice to the baseball gods with his one-hitter than the braindead [insert ethnicity here] hitters hacking at slop nightly did.

Yet, sometimes I think it's Matt Cain who I really hate. Here I am, weaning myself off my baseball addiction with the help of a terrible Giants team, when Cain comes and reminds me why I love the game with his Cainly, one-hit magic. Then, he gets the loss. Situations like these prove how much of a microcosm of life baseball truly is—only life itself is as cruel.

Note to Dave Flemming: You jinxed Cain by referring to his no-hitter in the top of the 7th, after Duane Kuiper had carefully avoided doing that the previous inning. Don't jinx him again.

Sweep!

I'm frustrated. Barry Zito's not going to justify his contrct, but more importantly, the Giants can't score. What's going wrong?

An interesting aside: While driving through the Sunset District about an hour before gametime, I noticed an SUV that had "BEAT LA" written on the rear window. I'm going to pretend that that was someone giving me free publicity.

Pathetic

Two consecutive series losses. What next?

Bullschmidt!

Jason Schmidt is copping out. Yes, sirree. The turncoat, who signed with them to be an ace, is now their #3 pitcher, conveniently missing this three-game series. If he's going to be a traitor, he should at least take it as a man, like the even bigger traitor who spends his free time doing wheelies on his motorcycle. I want to boo him, of course. Every Giants fan should. What a load of Schmidt. If he had signed with the Mariners, like everyone wanted and expected him to, none of this would be happening and we would still love him here. Right?

New Logo

Is it good, or what?

AAARRRGGGHHH!!!

The Giants get so many more baserunners than the Padres (who did not have a single player in scoring position the whole game), it's not funny. Yet it's the Padres who come out on top, 5-3. I hate home runs.

All Our Base Are Belong To San Diego

Wow, that game was terrible. The good:

1. Opening Day!!
2. Bonds

The bad:

1. Offense
2. Bullpen
3. Everything else

Who is Travis Blackley?

Yesterday, the Giants traded Jason Ellison to the Mariners for Travis Blackley, who they promptly shipped to Fresno. Now some questions:

1. Who exactly is this pitcher?
   Blackley is a native of Melbourne. (Shouldn't he be playing cricket, then?) A few years back (2000, to be exact) he was signed by Seattle. He dominated his first two years, and slowed down a little after that, but still was able to make the big club by 2004. He also played in the 2003 Futures Game. The Futures Game displays the best young prospects. Liriano was one of the Giants farmhands who played in the game in recent years. However, Blackley blew out his shoulder. He missed all of 2005 due to the injury, and spent last season in AA.
2. Do I think he can rebound from the injury?
   Yes. Comebacks from injuries are much more common than 20 years ago. The injury derailed his career, but with a new team, he can get back on the right track.
3. Do I think it was a good trade?
To an extent. Jason Ellison wasn't going anywhere, simply taking a spot that can now be saved for Fred Lewis, and he now plays for his hometown team, where he can start anew. However, though Blackley shows promise, I think the Giants would have been better served getting an infielder. I fear Blackley will end up as just another talented pitcher hanging around in Fresno because the Giants don't have room for him in San Francisco. It happens a lot.

Bonds Hits 2 HR!

Rejoice, my friends, rejoice at the sight of Barry Bonds knocking two home runs in a meaningless game!