Beat LA

Hasta la Vista

2009-06-03T19:27:00.001-07:00

This blog has officially disbanded.
Go to great blogs like Aria Corporation, Garbanzo Enterprises, and Basketball Addicts's blog and www.calvinandhobbes5.blogspot.com

Lincecum Screws Up

2007-05-06T16:18:00.000-07:00

On the only Giants game on ESPN, too... Oh well. There's always tomorrow.

Finally...Eliezer

2007-05-05T22:35:00.000-07:00

Bruce Bochy displayed his managerial stupidity once again. Why would you bring in Alfonzo to pinch-hit in a pivotal situation when you have Sweeney and Niekro? Well, either way, it worked, and Bochy has been bailed out.

There Are Some Who Call Him...Tim

2007-05-04T20:15:00.000-07:00

Tim Lincecum is being called up. That makes me very happy. DO you know why? If not, let me throw the number .29 at you. That was his ERA at AAA.

Warriors!

2007-05-03T22:11:00.000-07:00

The Warriors won! Words cannot describe my ecstasy*!

*Actually they can, but I'm too lazy to use words.

At Municipal Stadium

2007-05-02T21:52:00.000-07:00

I was at Municipal Stadium today for the SJ Giants game, courtesy of the miracle of free tickets at Costco. While there, I noticed two things.

They raised ticket prices. Not that that matters, seeing as though they're still cheap and my tickets were free anyway.
Antoan Richardson is amazing. With his speed, he created a run singlehandedly in the 5th inning. I have seen personally why he is such a great prospect, and now I have been converted to the Richardson side.

I Hate You, Bullpen

2007-05-01T22:32:00.000-07:00

Once again, the bullpen lets us down. I thought it was doing a fairly good job of not sucking this year, but it still is the bullpen, the Giants' weakest spot. Of course, there's also the hitting, but that's a different story.

Errors Killed the Rockies

2007-04-30T22:52:00.000-07:00

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

That's a Sweep

2007-04-29T21:05:00.000-07:00

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

This is Why We Hate Ourselves

2007-04-28T23:49:00.000-07:00

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

2007-04-27T22:07:00.000-07:00

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

Out of the Hat!

2007-04-26T23:41:00.000-07:00

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

2007-04-25T23:24:00.001-07:00

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

Beat LA!

2007-04-25T23:24:00.000-07:00

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!

2007-04-23T19:12:00.000-07:00

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

Warriors (and Giants) Win!

2007-04-22T22:53:00.000-07:00

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?

2007-04-21T21:21:00.000-07:00

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

2007-04-20T23:25:00.000-07:00

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

2007-04-19T12:30:00.000-07:00

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

2007-04-18T23:15:00.000-07:00

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!

2007-04-17T10:38:00.000-07:00

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

2007-04-16T12:27:00.000-07:00

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

2007-04-15T23:08:00.000-07:00

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

2007-04-14T22:45:00.000-07:00

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!

2007-04-13T20:19:00.000-07:00

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

2007-04-12T23:54:00.000-07:00

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

2007-04-11T22:45:00.000-07:00

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

Masters in Augusta

2007-04-10T20:26:00.000-07:00

[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

2007-04-09T21:35:00.000-07:00

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!

2007-04-08T22:27:00.000-07:00

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

2007-04-07T21:57:00.000-07:00

Two consecutive series losses. What next?

Bullschmidt!

2007-04-06T23:34:00.000-07:00

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

2007-04-05T17:31:00.000-07:00

Is it good, or what?

AAARRRGGGHHH!!!

2007-04-04T22:12:00.000-07:00

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

2007-04-03T22:22:00.000-07:00

Wow, that game was terrible. The good:

Opening Day!!
Bonds

The bad:

Offense
Bullpen
Everything else

Who is Travis Blackley?

2007-04-02T16:08:00.000-07:00

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

Who exactly is this pitcher?
Do I think he can rebound from the injury?
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!

2007-04-01T22:04:00.000-07:00

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

Scoring Bug

2007-03-31T23:00:00.000-07:00

Did anyone else notice the new scoring bug at the top of the screen for today's game on KTVU? I think it looks hideous. I liked the old box better than the new banner . It seems like now, ESPN is the only place that still uses a nice-looking box for baseball. When will they switch to a banner?

Note: I just relized ESPN already switched. That just goes to prove my point.

Absolute Hilarity

2007-03-30T15:59:00.000-07:00

The Rockies lost to their farm team in Colorado Springs by the count of 5-3. Now, if that had happened to me as a Giants fan, I would be going off my rocker.

Exhibition Games

2007-03-29T15:54:00.000-07:00

I'm getting tense now. These exhibition games at the very end of March really kill me.

Do you know how to add?

2007-03-28T19:19:00.000-07:00

If not, this table is for you.

A's, Giants unlikely to be in playoffs

2007-03-27T20:15:00.000-07:00

Now, everyone is ripping this article by Carl Steward. I don't see why. It's a fact that they're getting worse. Now, I'll let my comment talk:

What's the problem? Everyone ripping this article because their beloved A's aren't going to do as well this year? Look, I'm not any happier as a Giants fan. Yet I recognize the truth (even if I don't acknowledge it)—neither Bay Area team is going to be this good this year. Both have had prolonged success over the past few years, so it's only natural for them to crash sometime, and this is it. Live with it, folks. Denial of the facts won't change them.

1 Week

2007-03-26T16:20:00.000-07:00

Opening Day is now, at last, a tangible reality! My spine is tingling from the excitement of another year of 3rd Place!

Remembering Ed Bailey

2007-03-25T08:35:00.000-07:00

Ed Bailey, who died Friday, made his name in Cincinnati, but near the tail end of his career, he spent 4 seasons by the Bay, being named to the All-Star team twice. He platooned with Tom Haller on the '62 squad, and went 1-14 with a home run in that year's Series. He was a fairly potent slugger, knocking 51 balls out of the park between '61 and '63. His career was cut short by Tom Haller's taking his job, but for some years, he was among the elite catchers of the National League.

Juan Pierre

2007-03-24T22:43:00.000-07:00

I'm glad the Giants didn't pick him up, seeing as how the Dodgers paid that kind of sum to him. Clearly, Colletti has gone insane. There is no way he would have made that move in San Francisco.

Nightmare

2007-03-23T23:20:00.000-07:00

...and I wake up in a cold sweat, and it hits me like a sack of bricks that Pedro Feliz is still our 3rd baseman.

.500

2007-03-22T22:23:00.000-07:00

Currently, the Giants are 12-12 in Spring Training, at .500. Looks like a good preview of the regular season to me.

Ortiz

2007-03-21T19:05:00.000-07:00

Ortiz has all but won the 5th starter's spot. Expect him to implode in May.

Opening Day

2007-03-20T20:22:00.000-07:00

Here's a good one for a slow Tuesday—why does Opening Day always take place on a Tuesday? Why not Monday, like almost every other team?

Scottsdale Screw-up

2007-03-19T22:24:00.000-07:00

Fred Lewis is being left off the Giants roster for the regular season. I just don't know how you defend that. This makes Linden and Ellison (who, incidentally, went to Lewis & Clark State in Idaho) the 4th and 5th outfielders. Don't get me wrong: I think Ellison and Linden both deserve to be there. Lewis does too, though, and there has to be a way to fit him in. Now Lewis will likely languish in Fresno until Armageddon.

Cricket, Anyone?

2007-03-18T16:13:00.000-07:00

In the United States, baseball casts a heavy shadow over cricket, a sport whiuch I enjoy almost as much as baseball. I am avidly following the World Cup, where my team (Bangladesh) has just defeated India! Hooray!

¡Béisbol!

2007-03-17T22:00:00.000-07:00

Only two short weeks until Opening Day! Rejoice, my friends, rejoice at the sight of a meaningful game!

Projected Opening Day Lineup

2007-03-16T23:55:00.000-07:00

CF Roberts
SS Vizquel
LF Bonds
2B Durham
RF Winn
1B Aurilia
3B Feliz
C Molina
P Zito

Tournament Time!

2007-03-15T15:53:00.000-07:00

Though I don't follow basketball avidly, and I don't care about the NBA outside of what the Warriors do, I do follow NCAA basketball sporadically, and March Madness is really what turns me on. I don't have a particular rooting interest, but it's always fun to see all those teams out there, going against one another. As for their classwork...

Good News on Mando

2007-03-14T17:50:00.000-07:00

I heard that some scouts were looking on as Benitez pitched a few days ago. They seemed impressed. I guess they have heard of the phrase "don't judge a pitcher by his weight". Most Giants fans have learned the irony of this phrase. SO DO JUDGE A PITCHER BY HIS WEIGHT. Hopefully a team can pick up Benitez, and learn this lesson the hard way.

Most Valuable Giants—Explanation

2007-03-13T16:53:00.000-07:00

The Giants have had a long history of good players. So, I decided to investigate, and based solely on stats, I compiled my list. It proves what I thought it would: the best players on good teams are better than the best players on bad teams (most of the time). For proof, look at Orlando Cepeda and Dan Gladden. Both are one-time winners. Which strikes the ear better, Cepeda or Gladden? Exactly. I will look at the careers of each player, with one every few days.

Most Valuable Giants—The List

2007-03-12T21:07:00.000-07:00

By Season:
1958—Willie Mays
1959—Willie Mays
1960—Willie Mays
1961—Orlando Cepeda
1962—Willie Mays
1963—Willie Mays
1964—Willie Mays
1965—Willie Mays
1966—Willie McCovey
1967—Willie McCovey
1968—Willie McCovey
1969—Willie McCovey
1970—Bobby Bonds
1971—Bobby Bonds
1972—Dave Kingman
1973—Bobby Bonds
1974—Gary Matthews
1975—Von Joshua
1976—Bobby Murcer
1977—Willie McCovey
1978—Jack Clark
1979—Mike Ivie
1980—Jack Clark
1981—Jack Clark
1982—Joe Morgan
1983—Darrell Evans
1984—Dan Gladden
1985—Chris Brown
1986—Chris Brown
1987—Will Clark
1988—Brett Butler
1989—Will Clark
1990—Kevin Mitchell
1991—Will Clark
1992—Will Clark
1993—Barry Bonds
1994—Barry Bonds
1995—Matt Williams
1996—Barry Bonds
1997—Barry Bonds
1998—Barry Bonds
1999—Jeff Kent
2000—Jeff Kent
2001—Barry Bonds
2002—Barry Bonds
2003—Barry Bonds
2004—Barry Bonds
2005—Moises Alou
2006—Ray Durham

By Most Seasons Won:
9—Barry Bonds (1992-1994, 1996-1998, 2001-2004)
7—Willie Mays (1958-1960, 1962-1965)
5—Willie McCovey (1966-1969, 1977)
4—Will Clark (1987, 1989, 1991-1992)
3—Jack Clark (1978, 1980-1981)
3—Bobby Bonds (1970-1971, 1973)
2—Chris Brown (1985-1986)
2—Jeff Kent (1999-2000)
1—Orlando Cepeda (1961)
1—Dave Kingman (1972)
1—Gary Matthews (1974)
1—Von Joshua (1975)
1—Bobby Murcer (1976)
1—Mike Ivie (1979)
1—Joe Morgan (1982)
1—Darrell Evans (1983)
1—Dan Gladden (1984)
1—Brett Butler (1988)
1—Kevin Mitchell (1990)
1—Matt Williams (1995)
1—Moises Alou (2005)
1—Ray Durham (2006)

A Plea to Benitez

2007-03-11T11:18:00.000-07:00

Please, please, let us feel just a little bit of security with three-run lead going into the 9th. I'm not even asking for 1- or 2-run leads, just 3. Is this too much for me to ask?

Caught This While Listening to the Game on KNBR

2007-03-10T14:34:00.000-08:00

Dave Flemming and Jon Miller were talking about the Iliad around the 7th or 8th inning. They were talking about it for at least half an hour, and there were many interesting parts, such as Flemming comparing Achilles to a modern athlete. However, the funniest joke of all was from Miller, who said of the Iliad, "I could never really trust the author, because I heard he was a homer." I knew Jon Miller had a lot of talents, but I didn't realize one of them was cracking jokes on the spot.

Bonds Update

2007-03-09T21:13:00.000-08:00

He hit a home ruun today. Of course, that doesn't prove anything, but it's nice to see him do it.

Spring Training Blog

2007-03-08T15:30:00.000-08:00

Go to Giants Jottings for Giantsfan9's great sring training photos and analysis.

Split Squad

2007-03-07T23:41:00.000-08:00

What exactly is the purpose of a split squad? It never made much sense to me why on earth you would need to have your team playing in two different palces at the same time. Answers, anyone?

Nothing Else to Say

2007-03-06T20:03:00.000-08:00

Arizona

2007-03-05T16:04:00.000-08:00

I realize this is just Spring Training, but how do you allow 7 runs in an inning to these scabs? How do you only get 4 hits off guys like Enrique Gonzalez? These are definitely the Giants of '05 and '06, repackaged.

Fantasy Baseball

2007-03-04T18:02:00.000-08:00

I have nothing to write about, so I will just say that fantasy baseball is strange.

Brewers, Part II

2007-03-03T23:37:00.000-08:00

It's all very weird. First you lose by 19 runs at home to a split squad, then the next day you visit the full squad and beat them. Can anyone make head or tail of this?

Blowout

2007-03-02T17:26:00.000-08:00

Justin Knoedler scored the first run for the Gigantes by getting a sixth-inning RBI single, which was before Steve Holm's run-scoring double two innings later. Bonds went 0-for-2, grounding out and striking out, in his first spring appearance. Matt Cain sailed through the first inning before giving away, thanks to Mike Rivera's double on a catchable ball that Bonds dropped. Ryan Meaux, a non-roster invitee relieved Cain and allowed six runs in one-third of an inning.

The First Win

2007-03-01T15:38:00.000-08:00

Today the Giants won, 9-2. Barry Zito may have gotten the W, but the real story was Russ Ortiz and his performance. Ortiz threw three hitless innings. This really should help him win the 5th rotation spot.

Mando

2007-02-28T15:19:00.000-08:00

Today, using my handy Spanish-English dictionary, I found out that in Spanish, mando means "command". In the spirit of mando, I command Fatmando to either pitch miracoulously well the whole season, or stink it up the whole season in Florida after stinking it up so badly in Scottsdale that he got traded.

A passage for Benitez

2007-02-27T18:46:00.000-08:00

Facing hitters on Wednesday for the first time since last Sept. 2, Our friend, Armando Benitez said that he is "80-85 percent" healthy, which left him feeling optimistic about pitching half-decent this season.

Last week, Benitez said that he tried to return too quickly from right hamstring surgery in 2005, after months of thinking. He never was at full strength last season, cause he's too old, fat and ugly. He blew eight of 25 save chances before his knee died.

This time, Benitez said that he felt no pain, tightness or soreness,(unfortunately), although huge ice packs were wrapped around his flaming knee.

"I want to hurry," said Benitez, who ranks seventh among fattest pitchers with 280 saves. "I wanna be ready. ... Right now, so far so good, of course thanks to my luck I'll never help the team" he said with a frown.

Benitez threw live batting practice to Rich Aurilia, Barry Bonds, Dave Roberts and Randy Winn. The hitters rarely swung, because the pitches hit every player at least once.

But Benitez provided the day's highlight because he threw a strike. "This proves I'm getting better," said Benitez, ecstatically. "I've never thrown a strike while with the Giants."

Note to Readers: This passage is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to a chubby pitcher is purely coincidence.

Non-Expert Projections

2007-02-26T16:17:00.000-08:00

ALDS: Minnesota over Anaheim, Detroit over New York
NLDS: San Francisco over Cincinnati, New York over Houston
ALCS: Minnesota over Detroit
NLCS: New York over San Francisco
WS: Minnesota over New York

1962

2007-02-25T18:25:00.000-08:00

Why couldn't McCovey have hit the ball just two feet higher?

--Charlie Brown

That Other Post By El Person

2007-02-24T09:25:00.000-08:00

How long do you spend making these posts?

"Chasing the Demon Sphere"

2007-02-23T13:16:00.000-08:00

Normally, I don't do dissections of articles—there are other sites who do that a lot better than I do, but this Patrick Hruby article on ESPN.com about the gyroball was so utterly stupid I just had to rip it apart.

First of all, the article is actually a series of "e-mail dispatches" from Hruby to the "Assignment Editor, E-ticket". That format is obviously fake. So fake, in fact, that it makes the rest of the article inherently funny^[1]. Next, the very premise of the article is flawed: the subtitle reads "Is the gyroball real? Will the pitch revolutionize baseball? Patrick Hruby searches for the sport's Loch Ness monster". The gyroball is nothing like the Loch Ness monster^[2]. Everyone knows that the gyroball is real. We saw it with our own eyes at the WBC.

The article itself gets off to a bad start, after all that hilarity. The fist two sentences are "You sound skeptical. Don't be." Why would the mythical "Assignment Editor" be skeptical about a pitch that everyone on Earth^[3] already knew about?

In the next "dispatch", Hruby says, "Right now, the gyroball is akin to Keyser Soze. A mystery. One report claims the pitch breaks twice. Another says it bends like a screwball. Most big leaguers haven't even heard of the thing. So if we find the truth? We'll have captured the Loch Ness Monster, beating everyone else to the sports story of the year. The decade, even." I guess most big leaguers are stupid. Very stupid. The rest of the article goes on in the same stupid way, with people denying the existence of the gyroball left and right. It is so stupid, this post is starting to bore me, so I will cut it short right here.

^[1]If the people at ESPN wanted this to be funny, kudos to them. They did a great job on it. However, judging from the way the article takes itself seriously, I don't think that's quite what they had in mind.
^[2]For a analogy, gyroball:Loch Ness Monster::the fact that Iraq had no WMDs:Sidd Finch.
^[3]Okay, not everyone on Earth. I'll amend that to anyone on Earth who follows baseball and has the vocal capacity to say the word "gyroball".

Adam Cowart

2007-02-22T14:12:00.000-08:00

Cowart was the best 35th round pick the Giants could have possibly made in last year's draft. The stats don't lie: 10-1, 1.08 ERA, 0.71 WHIP. His complete dominance was probably the reason the Volcanoes won the Northwest League title last year. The closest comparison I can think of is a Juan Marichal in a league full of Damian Mosses. I wonder why he didn't get the call up to San Jose and he's not the non-roster invitee to spring training, when he's done far more than Tim Lincecum. I hope it's not a fluke—the big promotion he's sure to get this year may tell us if it is. If not, he could be really, really good. As Casey Stengel may have once said about Billy Martin (I don't remember whether it was him), "I don't care if he did it in Timbuktu, he's a real ballplayer."

Bonds Update

2007-02-21T19:16:00.000-08:00

He hit a huge homer off Matt Cain in BP today. Not that that means anything, but today's a pretty slow news day.

Zito's New Delivery

2007-02-20T12:32:00.000-08:00

I completely pilfered this idea from Grant at McCovey Chronicles, so thank him, not me.

Next Big Things

2007-02-19T08:51:00.000-08:00

Matt Cain is 3½ months younger than Tim Lincecum. Meanwhile, Tim played great in A+ ball last year, while Cain played great in the bigs last year. College really does make a difference, but not always a good one.

Our Favorite 3rd Baseman

2007-02-18T13:58:00.000-08:00

It just makes you wonder why the heck he's back at 3rd for the Giants this year.

Zito's New Delivery

2007-02-17T00:04:00.000-08:00

He used it in college. Now, though I can't pull up his college stats right now, but I think that whatever he did must have worked, since the A's drafted him #9 overall. Also, early on, he was a strikeout pitcher. Over the years, he has evolved into a finesse pitcher. That has become a bad thing, since it has made him one-dimensional and he only has one good pitch, the curve. Now, if this new motion can help him regain some of that long lost juice. However, the thing that has stuck to me most was a comment Ted Robinson made on KNBR yesterday. He said something to the general effect of that the journalists had nothing to write about, so they took a tiny little change and blew it up into something huge, because everyone wants to hear about a $128 signing more than Russ Ortiz battling for the 5th starter's spot, which will probably have a much greater impact of the Gigantes. Well said, Ted. Well said.

It's Official: Bonds Is A Giant

2007-02-16T15:31:00.000-08:00

The Giants and Barry Bonds finally agreed to terms on a 1 year, $15.8 million contract. Suprisingly enough, (at least to me) Bud Selig agreed to it. I think this is the first time Eddie Gaedel has ever meant something beyond his publicity stunt. After that game, Commissioner Ford C. Frick ruled that all contracts had to be approved by the commisioner. That never mattered until now. I half thought that Selig would adamantly refuse to approve any Bonds contract. Now, here's a haiku for you about Selig:

I don't like Selig
Because he abuses "best
interests of the game"

Tsuyoshi Shinjo

2007-02-15T10:12:00.000-08:00

Remember Tsuyoshi? The Japanese guy who played center field for the Giants and would always (to me, at least) throw the ball sidearm? About 10 months ago, he retired. I thought he retired after the 2003 season, you say? Well actually, he went to Japan to play for the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters. (What's a "Ham Fighter"?) Now, he's a model. How many American baseball players have retired to take up modeling? None that I know of.

Of course, we can't talk Shinjo without the belt-buckle incident. After watching this video, you may not ever look at Tsuyoshi (which I usually spell wrong) the same way again.

Valentine's Day!

2007-02-14T19:04:00.000-08:00

Actually I hate this holiday, but I have heard worse news. Fatmando Blownitez, or simply "El Gordo", is coming back and will probably dash our hopes of making the playoffs. If Bochy benches Fatmando or Blownitez is miraculously traded to the suckers better known as the Florida Marlins, than we shall win the division. If not, then...well...we'll see.

What the Giants Infield Should Look Like in 10 Years, Part 4

2007-02-13T18:40:00.000-08:00

SS: Shortstop is the trickiest position of all. Even though my gut tells me it should be Eugenio Velez, just because of his great season for Augusta last year (.315/.369/.557). However, it has been pointed out, and rightfully so, that at 24, he is old for Class A. Another concern is the fact that he has played 4 seasons in the minor leagues, but had never played more than 67 games in a season until last year. These concerns will all probably be answered next year, though. Seeing as that he is on San Francisco's 40-man roster, he is likely in for a big promotion for 2007, which he desperately needs. If he has a good season in AA for Connecticut or another huge season in A+ for San Jose, he will be on the fast track to the big leagues. If he has anything less, though, his age will hold him back and he will become just another Eliezer Alfonzo drifting around the minors.

A safer bet is Tim Hutting. Splitting time between A+ San Jose and AAA Fresno, he put up a mostly average line (.266/.338/.353). Howver, he is the same age as Velez and playing at a higher level then Velez. The Baseball Cube tells us that he is a great fielder and has power, even though he only hit 5 home runs last year.

So, who will it be: Velez, Hutting, or someone else? The coming years will tell.

New Feature

2007-02-12T18:38:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I added a ticker. Comment on whether you like it.

Updated Pitching Chart

2007-02-11T14:56:00.000-08:00

This is my new, better pitching chart, based on the one I did yesterday. Why is it better? It's better because this time I used data from players who pitched their last game in 2003, enlarging the sample size from 8 to 69. I think that's better, don't you? The findings were somewhat inconclusive, but surprising: I never knew there were so many players who hung around the minors but never got a real shot at the big leagues (the cluster at the bottom of the chart). Did you?

Pitching Chart

2007-02-10T13:01:00.000-08:00

This chart shows the correlation between Minor League and Major League innings pitched for non-active pitchers who played their last game during the 2004 season or later. Draw your own conclusions.

NL West Projections

2007-02-09T19:55:00.000-08:00

Giants
Padres
Diamondbacks
Dodgers
Rockies

Starting Rotation Projections

2007-02-08T15:17:00.000-08:00

Barry Zito: 15-13, 4.15 ERA
Matt Cain: 14-8, 3.89 ERA
Noah Lowry: 12-12, 4.38 ERA
Matt Morris: 10-11, 4.52 ERA
Russ Ortiz: 3-8, 5.62 ERA
Jonathan Sanchez: 3-3, 4.41 ERA

What the Giants Infield Should Look Like in 10 Years, Part 3

2007-02-07T16:14:00.000-08:00

3B: Do you know who Villalona is? If not, you need to get your Gigantory system checked. However, I'll run it down foir you.

He is the biggest sign out of Latin America for the Giants since Orlando Cepeda. I would say that Cepeda turned out fairly well for the Giants, wouldn't you?
He turned down more money (more than $2.1 million?) to sign with the Giants. That's devotion.
In front of scouts, he hit a 400-foot shot at the age of 13. How many 13-year-olds have scouts looking at them?
He's 16. He's great already, and he won't hit his prime for 10 more years. Behold the wonder.

It's Almost Time to Crawl Out of Your Hole!

2007-02-06T16:14:00.000-08:00

Just a few days left until pitchers and Molinas report to camp. Can you wait? I sure can't!

Comments, Anyone?

2007-02-05T16:02:00.000-08:00

My counter tells me I get 5-10 hits a day, but I've only gotten 8 comments so far. That means 1 in 15 visitors leave a comment. Blogging can get kind of depressing unless you see your audience. Telll me what you think about the Giants! Tell me what you think about this site! Just leave a comment! Please?

Why I Dislike PECOTA

2007-02-04T12:27:00.000-08:00

PECOTA is not very good at predicting what pitchers will do.
PECOTA has the Giants finishing in 2nd place this year. Can't have that, can we?

Super Bowl Predictions

2007-02-03T17:07:00.000-08:00

I think that the Colts will steamroll the Bears. After grabbing a 10-0 lead by the end of the 1st quarter, and taking a 13-7 lead into the locker room at halftime, they'll never look back. This game will be remembered as Peyton Manning's defining game, and he'll be voted MVP.

Scoring Summary:

1st Quarter:
TD Colts; Colts lead 7-0
FG Colts; Colts lead 10-0
2nd Quarter:
FG Colts; Colts lead 13-0
TD Bears; Colts lead 13-7
3rd Quarter:
TD Colts; Colts lead 20-7
FG Bears; Colts lead 20-10
TD Colts; Colts lead 27-10
4th Quarter:
FG Colts; Colts lead 30-10
FG Colts; Colts lead 33-10
FG Bears; Colts lead 33-13
TD Bears; Colts lead 33-20

Apprehensiveness

2007-02-02T19:18:00.000-08:00

Will the Giants ever win the World Series? Will Felipe Alou ever get the HoF status he deserves? Will I ever kick my Giants addiction, get out of this leather armchair, and start doing something with my life? I'm apprehensive.

The thing I'm really apprehensive about is the first one. The Giants are the only team that was the product of expansion that has not won a WS in their current city: that's 1 out of 16. Only the Indians and Cubs have gone longer, and they both have cute little curses: Rocky Colavito and Billy Goat, respectively. The Giants are the quintessential 2nd place team: they'll make you into such optimists that you feel compelled to tear your heart out when they just come up short (2002). They are so 2nd place they don't even have a curse—they always bring it upon themselves somehow. What can I do about that, though?

The Bonds Contract

2007-02-01T15:50:00.000-08:00

Bonds has not filled out all the forms yet, and MLB rejected the contract. They really hate Bonds.

The Bonds Contract

2007-01-31T16:42:00.000-08:00

I do not care. Okay? Okay.

What the Giants Infield Should Look Like in 10 Years, Part 2

2007-01-30T15:56:00.000-08:00

2B: Are you kidding? The guy at the keystone sack for the future in Kevin Frandsen. Just look at his stats and tell me he's not worthy. He may not be a star, but he'll always be the guy to help with the little things, making that one nice catch, the heads-up defensive play, just like his childhood idol, Robbie Thompson. He also has a strange penchant for getting hit by pitches: he missed a significant amount of time near the tail end of the season after getting hit by a pitch in Fresno the day before being called up, and in his first five big league games, he was hit by four pitches.

Good Advice

2007-01-29T12:45:00.000-08:00

If you're ever in trouble, ask yourself, "What would Blownitez do?" Then do the opposite.

Jackie Robinson and Retired Numbers

2007-01-28T14:04:00.000-08:00

I think Jackie Robinson is evil. Are you all clear about that? OK, good to get that out of the way, just making sure your automatic "racist" ticker doesn't go off. In 1968, he called Willie Mays a "do-nothing Negro" for not "fulfilling his obligations to the black community". That's just the tip of the iceberg. In 1956, he was traded to the Giants and promptly retired. What is up with that? Marichal was dignified enopugh to acknowledge that he was going to be a Dodger near the tail end of his career. Vice versa for Robinson's old teammate, Snider. Then, years after his death, Selig decides to cruelly force the Giants to retire his number. Don't you think that blue 42 looks ugly up there next to all those other numbers at the Phone Booth? What's the problem with Monte Irvin? He was the 5th black in baseball (3rd in the 20th century), and a HoFer too. Speaking of which, what was so great about Jackie Robinson, anyway? He wasn't the first black in the bigs, not by 60 years. Why not retire Moses and Welday Walkers' numbers? I kow, they didn't have numbers. So? That hasn't stopped the Giants from retiring numbers. As an additional bonus, since the team the Walkers played for soon folded, reitiring their "numbers" wouldn't be glorifying any particular team, like the Dodgers are right now. If only Kirk Rueter could take up roster space forever, and the Giants would never have to retire his number 42.

On a somewhat related note, I remember reading that it was Giants team policy to not retire the numbers of non-HoFers. So then, why aren't all those HoFers from the New York Giants recognized? Some of them are. Of course, I realize that the Giants have more HoFers than any other team, and doing that would make Barry Zito's number the lowest on the team, but still, just the ones that wore a Giants cap on their plaques? Why not?