by
Greek Giant
I like to joke around as the next guy/gal. When someone posted a link to this story on our blog yesterday I was sure it was an April Fool’s joke. Only when I realized it was February did I start to get concerned. After a bit more research I have realized that it’s no joke and Major League Baseball is actually toying with the idea of starting extra inning games with a runner on second base each inning past the ninth.
It will be very difficult for me to describe how much I loathe this idea. The rule will be enacted this summer in the Gulf Coast and Arizona Leagues, the lowest levels of the minors. The idea behind this lunacy is to speed up the pace of play and reduce the total time of ballgames. Let me begin with the stupidity of this attempt at a rationalization for this stupid idea: Extra inning games are what make baseball special. Nothing beats the drama of an extra inning game and the ensuing strategies managers are faced with.
Extra inning games are not the problem with baseball. The “problem” with baseball’s pace of play, for those with short attention spans and video game temporal frames of reference, are the never-ending pitching changes (I’m looking at you Bochy) and managers who over-manage and over-think individual pitching match-ups. Throw in batters who are constantly taking too much time between pitches to fiddle with their privates and other body parts and you have the occasional laborious inning. If Major League Baseball were serious about addressing these issues they could think of a million better ways to change the rules without sacrificing the integrity of this great game and turning into a beer league softball exhibition.
For starters, pitching changes can be limited to no more than 2 per inning, unless there were an injury. This would force managers to think about the macro as much as the micro when it came to an individual game and it would prevent the endless interruptions to the flow of a game, particularly in postseason contests.
How about calling strikes on batters who take too long to get into the box? How about enforcing the strike zone so a pitch at or near the letters is actually called a strike? What about expanding the rosters to 27 players so bullpens won’t be as taxed? I’m only getting started.
I respect Joe Torre. I appreciate his accomplishments as a player and as a manager. What he did with the Yankees is legendary. But this rule change idea needs to be destroyed, shot down, snuffed out, exterminated, eliminated, macerated, obliterated, mutilated and then buried for good under 257 tons of concrete in the New Jersey Turnpike. The idea is idiocy. The so-called logic behind it is absurd. Only some social misfit perpetually making love to his smartphone could think of this. Only someone with no respect for history and for baseball’s unique place within the American consciousness would allow this.
I have written many times before that baseball is a game that transcends sports and is part of American culture and its historical legacy. The beauty of baseball is its essential perfection of rules and the lack of any game clock. The timelessness and consistency of the game over more than 150 years is what makes it so special and the king of all team sports. The history of its players and statistical accomplishments mean so much precisely because the rules and integrity of the game have not been overly F*((&RY*(*U(*(*&KED with thorough the years. Contrast baseball with the NFL or the NBA, two leagues constantly tweaking rules and changing their games to adapt to television and with nowhere near the same sense of history as baseball.
Can you tell I’m furious?
If you are against this horrible, disgraceful proposal, write Joe Torre and tell him. Here is his official twitter page. Tell him Greek Giant sent you!
I’m totally with you GG.
Having said that, pitchers and catchers report in 3 days; so says “The Shiek”. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/5a057269914e84e7b6cdcb67a861ea257500279c798ebec53330a4f90b58d5c4.jpg
???
Mike Sadek … I stretched my screen to read it.
Thanks
Time to start countdown to position players reporting.
Are you going to try to see a pre-ST game practice session?
probably. Thinking about going down (over) next week.
I really like that idea and I want to hear what you think if you make it. I enjoy the atmosphere of ST but $40 for bleacher seats is bugging me right now. I did it to be with my two sons for a special trip but evert year would be too much for me.
Last year when I went down to ST, tickets for the Giants/Cubs game in Scottsdale were going as high as $90 for grandstand seats. For an exhibition game.
Maybe this relates to our $$$$ talk this AM.
How did the other sports get a salary cap?
It’s MORE this year. I gulped and bought the tickets because I’d also had to prepay for the hotel, in November, so we were going, regardless. But my goodness, it’s gotten expensive.
I hate to ask how much the tickets are this year. More often than enough, we try to go see the Giants play “away” games as the tix are much cheaper than at Scottsdale Stadium.
I’m not that interested in ST games. I want to watch practices. That’s just me though. Just an old coach at heart and practices are what I use to evaluate players. It’s also where you discover what guys are all about.
BTW, if anyone can tell me where to find the practice schedules, I’d appreciate it.
Well you put the question out there and TWG will respond.
I forget who mentioned they go to the practices but maybe they will see this and answer you. Good luck; I like the coaching point of view better than the games too but like I said, I will enjoy the family time above all anyway. I also have 22 hours in the car with my #2 son on top of that … minus the Tag Team driving naps.
You need credentials to get into the “back fields”.
@DavinciCodes
Sorry about the picture being small.
No problem … I love keeping Old Giants on our minds.
No need to apologize, crawnik. You’ve found and posted a terrific countdown series.
One of the more “famous” of the unheralded Giants. You know, when you want to throw out the name of a guy you know about, but nearly every other baseball fan (and even some Giants fans) will say “who!?”
Sadek gets remembered warmly in D’Acquisto’s book.
He ain’t no Iron Shiek though.
I can’t wait for the pic you’ll use for when THE DAY is here.
I’m rooting for Hac Man
You might want to check sp.
Well said, GG. I’m thinking a simple tweet to Torre like “what GG said” might be heard.
I’ll go ahead and take the contrarian view here and say that I don’t mind MLB trying to experiment with things. Sure, this proposed rule sounds kind of stupid, but i’ll keep an open mind and let things play out. This whole rigid, “its been that way for 150 years don’t change it!” is one of the reasons we still have ridiculous issues with things as simple as instant replay in the year 2017. Or why we still have horrible umps calling balls and strikes. Times change, people change, and technology changes, and I don’t mind sports leagues tinkering with things to keep up.
Keep up with what? It doesn’t sound like you played much. Commercials take the damned time. Let’s speed them up.
“Follow the Money”. …top 10 truths of life.
Flexibility. Charge more. Cut down minutes. Instant acceleration.
I’m also not in favor of these outrageous salaries. MLB is too much about money and not baseball. $20 million and more per year is just insane. Greed is slowing the game. Cut down on ads and everything settles down. Look at the ads we have to see just inside the ballpark.
Even going way back to when Barry was signed I remember commuting he was getting $7,000 per AB. Now it is even more ridiculous. But the Free Market is also a fair way to go. Force a salary cap and the players union goes ape (not to impugn your old friends).
While I agree with you 100%, the problem of greed transcends baseball and is an existential one afflicting all of humanity. It is particularly virulent in the USA.
OK. Then we accept that and the interminable time between half innings and stop bitching about it. MLB has brought on the delays. They should now decide what’s more important.
Well said.
The Giants do not have a problem filling their seats but I go to less games due to the ticket prices. So again, Follow The Money, if the “slow pace” costs them income by losing the Younger Fan then they will change whatever rules they want in the end.
Well, MLB is a business, and a business’s goal is to make $$$. So saying we should do away with commercials isn’t really feasible. But if I have a super computer in my pocket, maybe we could figure out how to accurately call balls and strikes?
How about it is under the area of parental motivational speeches like, “Don’t make me come back there…” Torre is using this to make the teams apply the existing rules as GG stated and not force this into Bizzaro World baseball.
Now, that I could get behind! It seems like managers and players have largely shrugged off the pace of play changes, and umps have been hesitant to force their hands. Time for the hammer to fall.
Greek Giant gets political and takes a stand with a well-reasoned argument against the proposal and a link to voice your dissent. GG asks, “Can you tell I’m furious?” Yes, we can!
[This]”idea needs to be destroyed, shot down, snuffed out, exterminated,
eliminated, macerated, obliterated, mutilated and then buried for good
under 257 tons of concrete in the New Jersey Turnpike” Hmm, I’m starting to catch on…
What do you think his point was?
I didn’t understand the photo on top until I read this section.
I would have preferred Giants Stadium. J. Hoffa RIP
We know this idea wasn’t suggested by Dodger “fans”: they leave in the 7th inning.
I decide Joe Torre needed to read the whole piece, so I tweeted him the link to this blog post! I’ll let you know what he says. 😉
Resistance. Call to Action. I like it.
Ah… the Sixties.
Then and Now.
I’m too old to re-live those years. They were fun, though; really incredibly fun.
Boraxo was in full supply. The good ol’ days
That’s NOT the part I remember (given that I don’t remember all that much).
You know, Bapah, you could be a bit behind the times. We use GOJO. But if you insist on Boraxo, you can order “The Original Boraxo Powdered Hand Soap” in the shake dispenser from Ace Hardware or Walmart and have it shipped to the store for pick up.
Huh? What’s Boraxo?
I most certainly loved your Borax thread.
Recognize this guy?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9IcbVDTVls
He was the guy from Death Valley Days. Right?
Generally speaking, an electric personality.
OK, now I KNOW you’re really someone else.
One of the creepiest guys in Hollywood behind the scenes, and a below average “leader” of the free world?
Hang with Moises Alou. He and the Alou brothers subscribe to a holistic method of cleansing.
GOJO is not a dry powder, is it? Isn’t it a goop? I use them all. I prefer Boraxo over the kitchen sink and GOJO in the shop.
Actually, I prefer “waterless” in the shop. Works better on wood stains.
GOJO is a waterless goop.
I’m living in the now. Our family was deeply saddened and angered yesterday by the swift deportation of Guadalupe García de Rayos. She’s the mother of two who has lived here for two decades peacefully and responsibly. Her two children are in high school. I said to my husband, “Well, Trump has just deported his first big-time criminal and started ripping families apart.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2017/02/09/for-decades-immigration-authorities-gave-this-mother-a-pass-wednesday-when-she-checked-in-with-them-they-seized-her/?utm_term=.3502af27d96c
I’m predicting backlash, and the sooner the better. Truly sad.
García de Rayos has no recourse. Perhaps a hardship waiver, but that’s really uncertain. I’m waiting for Trump to tell us that this responsible mother of two is one of the “bad hombres” who needed to be urgently kicked out of our country for everyone’s safety. She came here from Mexico when she was 14 years old.
These are most certainly uncertain times. I am a big fan of your posts and your fighting spirit. I feel the Trump “disaster” has truly awakened a real sense of democracy in this country. Sleep walking will not do. My wife has been faxing our California Senators and local Representative daily. I sent faxes to both Senators last night and to our Representative this morning. We plan on keeping them coming and letting our voices be heard while their interns scan the faxes and make tallies on the points we want addressed.
Keep up the good fight, dgg.
How certain are you?
That was for you, Orange.
Approximately this certain:
http://140.110.201.35/djhuang/image/research/rixs/eq3.png
I’m afraid if I read it, it will change or just go away.
Wave function collapse? If I make a measurement on TO will he collaps?
I have to commend you on your first sentence. Outstanding opener for a Newbie here. Kudos.
If you only knew what the gnu knew.
Dude, that’s not new.
Footy?!?!?!
No doubt.
You should try this new email thing. Much easier than faxing.
Mmmm, funny you should suggest that. We use this online system to send 3 free faxes per email per day. Perhaps you should give it try. Got something on your mind that you want relayed to your representatives?
https://faxzero.com/fax_senate.php
Perhaps there’s something to an actual fax printed on the other end, rather than an email on a server.
Yes. It gives them three pieces of paper to immediately put in the recycling bin. I figured you were a small carbon footprint kind of guy.
“Foot”print. I like that. I am an energy miser indeed. Well I hope we are contributing to the tally before the sheets head to the reuse/recycle pile. At work I cut printouts and sheets into quarters and halves and use them for note paper and to jot my To Do lists on them. For all I know, they have a virtual facsimile on their end as well.
Your California Senators already agree with you. Save the trees.
My local congressman, Devin Nunes does not. I tailored a message about the harm labor shortages can do the local agriculture economy. Many of the farmers around here are of the “Make America Great” persuasion. At least that is what their signs said.
At any rate, I think it is important for the Senators who already support my voice see a tally on the issues that are most pressing – I think the tallies become a useful statistic in their office.
I appreciate your concern about the trees. In California there are over 100 million dead trees in the Sierra as a result of climate change.
even though you didn’t ask, my concern addressed to Feinstein and Harris is in regard to Native American sovereignty with respect to Dakota Access. Climate change dovetails with that as well.
Save paper? Make notes on your iPhone
And why all the name changes?
Enemy of the state.
I have no need to play coy, Roy. You are on the beat. Just wanted to say “hi”. Been on a break and wanted to drop a playful line to some of my friends. How are you?
I don’t think Mr. Heisenberg will last long, perhaps as long as an unstable isotope with a short half-life.
But should you see someone that goes by “Footy Scouthills Rye” or something like that, there is a high degree of certainty that it is I.
Cheers.
https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2017/02/spooky-action-at-a-distance/516201/
It is good to have a pseudonym. When I sign karaoke, I go under ‘Jack Spratt.’
I (Ryan) was thinking about you and Lefty when the Senators censored the Honorable Elizabeth Warren and her message from Coretta Scott King. Your anger must have been palpable, as was mine.
I wasn’t sure at first, but while I was outside sweeping fast-melting snow off the patio, I thought about your two comments and figured it out. It’s good to hear from you Ryan.
I had to create a new account because I wanted to give the thumbs up to some posts in recent days. I check things out from time to time. “Skyfall Scott” deserved some big up votes for his clean bill of brain “pudding”. Also would have liked to upvote your comment about the iron skillet 🙂 We need to keep on cooking and use the weapons we have at our disposal.
I’ve been reading a lot lately, chiefly because I renewed my subscription to The New Yorker, and there is a recent article about the battle with Isis in Iraq. It really tore me up, it was a very powerful portrayal of the war in these ancient cities such as Mosul that are essentially ruined. It was a powerful portrayal of the men fighting to reclaim turf that Isis has taken. I know that you know from your professional experience what men, and women, have gone through in war zones.
to clarify: it was about Iraqi forces, particularly, small, poorly armed SWAT teams.
Burriss Goldstein
I’ve been reading a lot lately too. The New Yorker has had many well-researched articles. I was at the gym yesterday when the news broke. I was watching CNN. I have never spent 75 minutes on the elliptical before!
God bless her.
Take a guess where I was in the late sixties?
The District?
855 Cole St., SF, CA.
“Heart of the Haight”
I could even walk to work at Park Emergency Hosp.
Oh, I see. You meant the other district.
Nevertheless, she persisted.
“I’m With Him”
(P.S. – Torre hasn’t lost his mind. He lost his spine….)
You knew Torre lost his spine when he let Chase Utley get away with what he did to Ruben Tejada in the 2015 playoffs. Scot free.
I’m all lathered up in anticipation of Ehire Adrianza being the FINAL pitchers and catchers report representative on TWG!!!!!
Have I got a surprise for you.
He’s on my “My Guy” list!!!
A few weeks ago I tried to compile a list of the changes in baseball, in response to some discussions about evaluating players in the steroid era. Probably I can’t recreate every notion I had, but it certainly must have contained
a) tactical changes, from trying to hit homers since the Babe came along, to relief pitchers in nearly every game,
b) lights, so that most games are played at night in new optical conditions,
c) and as Lefty duly chastized me for forgetting, allowing all players to participate, since Jackie Robinson’s time.
but one can certainly identify many others such as Tommy John surgery, lowering the mound after Gibson’s season, more running after Ricky Henderson, defensive shifts which are the current rage, new pitches like split-fingered fastballs, changes in off-season conditioning programs, as well as the mentioned the PED phase.
But by and large, the game has stayed the same, so you know Matthewson would have been a star had he come along in 2017, and that Crawford could have played back in 1880. The one change that I can think of which is a true assault on the game is the DH, which produced a sort of “player” who had no antecedent. Putting a player on 2nd to ruin the extra inning game is in the same catagory. You tell ’em, GG!
↑↑↑↑↑↑
Good post. Everything you mention is either a tactical change or a change to the locations of the game and its amenities, not rule changes, with the exception of the mound. I think the biggest two rule changes in the past forty years have to be the DH and the mound. This idea for extra innings is ludicrous and I don’t think it will come to fruition in my lifetime, at least I hope not.
I hope it doesn’t happen in the next generation’s lifetime either.
Or anyone’s lifetime
You’re right Surf. I should not have limited my response to only our generation and the next. Baseball is timeless and transcends generations.
The idea of starting extra innings with a runner on second base is not baseball anymore; the idea is that foreign.
Rather than make the game more “efficient”, the game would lose aspects of the heart, history, and continuous soul.
I think expanding teams to 27 players is a great idea to reflect specialization and increase player development.
Since we are talking about Torre….
It’s so abundantly, defiantly, condescending clear these days that league officials are willing to flat out lie. Flat out money grab. Flat out disregard fans. Flat out be empty suit politicians.
Perhaps it has always been this way. Perhaps I finally grew up and opened my eyes. Perhaps my naive belief that sports were pure lasted longer than it should have.
Whether it’s the insane denials by Goddell, the game fixing by Stern and then Silver, the big-market favoritism by Bettman (and all other Commisioners)…Torre is the most soulless, spineless, lying politician in the game of baseball. What a fall from grace since his glory days. Perhaps he sleeps at night, but it can’t be that comfortably.
Now, this absurd, ridiculous, indefensible idea floated out to one-up the NFL in the arena of “Stupid Overtime Rules”, in my best Vince Lombardi…What the hell is going on out there?!?!?!?
Perhaps, you need to take a moment and tell us how you really feel.
I had an extemporaneous moment…
Which games were fixed?
Kings-Lakers 2002
Dray suspension in hopes to extend series 2016
I’ll go thru the Donaghy chronicles to list more when my busy schedule allows!
Draymond Green forced the NBA to do something. They ignored it the first time it could’ve led to a suspension (Adams), but he just had to do it again. The Warriors and Green blew the Cleveland series on their own.
Is this directed at something specific that Torre did (other than this asinine rule change experiment)? I’m not really following this rant as it relates specifically to MLB and more specifically to Torre.
It was a tribute to the recent passing of Prof. Irwin Corey, The World’s Foremost Authority.
His recent history of random and arbitrary discipline that centers mostly on major market sympathies is one example….
Get down, dgg. Get down. :o)
Agree 99% … the only disagreement is that I don’t respect Joe Torre. He had made a serious of moronic statements since his playing days that demonstrate he has no appreciation or understanding of what makes baseball great. He was simply a good athlete and completely undeserving of this position. He was a losing manager when he didn’t have the highest payroll by a lot. But baseball is not a meritocracy … look at the GMs offering opt-out clauses and paying superpremium prices for closers, at the expense of their team’s competitive chances.
But you are correct that there are many, relatively simple ways to speed up the pace of the games. Most of them boil down to: get in the box, throw the ball, play the game instead of standing around. The one structural problem is the percentage of at bats that generate no real baseball action: walks, strike outs and HRs.
You are correct, the overall time of the game isn’t the problem, it is the lack of balls in play. The proposed idea doesn’t really address that problem, but it does make the situation very interesting by trying to neutralize the advantage that pitchers have been gaining over time (and thus create more action).
We’re getting close to spring training (yea!!), so soon all the talk here will be baseball (or so I hope, since it seems most have ignored GG’s request to keep politics off the blog).
So in that vein, I must get in a quick rant on the 49ers. Just read a MMQB (Peter King) overview of the 2017 NFL draft class. King opines that this year’s class is very deep with quality players. As one GM was quoted “do your job on scouting and evaluating, you can find starters in the fourth/fifth rounds”.
49ers: do the sensible thing and trade the #2 pick! If past drafts are an indication, you will still get a #1 pick, and if you do it right you could end up with four or five of the top 100 players coming into the NFL in 2017. This is an awful football team. No QB makes sense under any circumstances. High picks should be for defensive players (draft is deep there), and also focus on the offensive line in later rounds. It will take at least two years to correct the damage that Baalke did. Start now by restocking the roster with NFL-level talent.
I agree with you completely on trading the #2 pick. BUT that begs the question since there’s nobody worth taking at #2 what will teams be willing to offer to trade up for the #2 pick? I suppose maybe another team is really keen on one of the QBs, or there might be another player they really want who they fear would be selected by the teams with the 3/4 pick. But I worry about trading the pick for the sake of trading it if nobody is willing to give up enough to do it. I believe a trade, at the very least, would have to involve swapping picks with another team in the first round in which they give up an additional 2nd, 3rd and/or 4th round pick this year and a 1st round pick next year.
That’s not necessarily true, there are players worthy of a #2 like Lattimore, Allen, and Garrett to name a few. The issue is they are not positions that will make the 49ers any better on their own. The Niners should use the pick if they were able to get a true starting QB or a once in a decade type Offensive Lineman. But on this team a stud DB does not make much of a difference and they drafted a DL last year.
Makes more sense to trade the pick and get more picks in return. A team close to making a deep run in the PO and needing a stud in D would make sense. maybe a team covets Jared Allen that much. He should be a good one.
That’s what I am hoping will happen. Doesn’t even have to be a #1 next year. I’d settle for #2/#3. Short term goal has to be rebuild the roster. It’s a deep talent pool this year–get as many of the top 100 players as you can.
I’m grateful GG has given us latitude to talk about a wide range of topics, tf62. Civility goes a long way when talking about controversies. The 49ers, for example, seems to be a highly controversial topic!
I am right with your Greek. Terrible idea!
Happy Friday everybody.
I have not been to fan fest for years, but tomorrow I am going with my daughter who is visiting from Australia where she goes to college( her summer break) Will be a nice mom daughter day:)
Have a great time GV!
Thanks!
We are 1st going to go watch our fav soccer team at sports bar, then we put our giants gear on and head over to ATT. Hehehe
Have a good time, but don’t expect to get a lot of autographs if you’re into that. You guys would have to get there very, very early.
Thanks. Yeah I know. We are not interested in autographs though, just want to be around GIANTS FANS and the ENERGY:)
Although I’m not a fan of Krukow, I’m sorry to hear that he’ll only be able to work 120 games. Hope he has a solid support group to get him through it.
Glad to hear Lopez and Affeldt will be back and in the broadcast booth! Those guys seem very outgoing, down-to-Earth and personable, and looking forward to hearing them broadcast games. The Giants could have done worse: they could have hired Kevin Fransden.
I really like Javy – but I admit I’m surprised that he’s been handed the broadcaster job already, with barely an audition. I think he’ll excel – but it reinforces the reality that baseball is really a ‘good old boys’ club. Maybe not a big deal, but just ask Cito Gaston or Chris Chambliss.
Off Topic
I just took a look at the PBS American Experience link that came in an email today. It’s a piece on the Oklahoma City bombing. View at your own risk.
http://www.pbs.org/video/2365951000/?utm_source=ott&utm_medium=email&utm_term=%20&utm_content=%20&utm_campaign=americanexperience_2017
This is real terrorism on US soil and it’s US bred and the worst in US history.
Columbine, Sandy Hook, Charleston Church…
Werner…you’re one smart dude.
And your point is…? All terrorists are equally bad. Those that live here have constitutional rights and can’t be kicked out of the country. That doesn’t mean that everything within reason shouldn’t be done to prevent those who do not live here from entering the country.
Hello again. I think my point may have a lot more to do with that cherished 2nd amendment right to bear assault rifles and high capacity magazines so that we can have a well regulated militia on our soil and that any Joe or Jane should have the means go to a gun show and get what they need. Catch my drift?
And goodbye. I hope you have a nice weekend. You may only see Werner one more time, which must disappoint you, but you’ll probably catch Scout Foothills Whatever sometime between here and opening day.
Thank you for so ardently participating in blog discussions.
Touché, Werner. paulito
This is what I wrote yesterday and got TO becoming furious with me. Truth hurts “minus habentes”.
Hey Alvise – What do you think the chances of Jimmy Rollins making the 25 man roster are?
Not more than 20% and only because Boch is the Boss. He loves oldies.
By Osmosis 300%
No fury at all. I laugh at you.
Worse than 9/11?
No, of course not. At the time it was.
Oh. Your comment seemed to be in the present tense.
I was poorly quoting a statement made by the producers in another piece.
In some ways, it was. That was us, not them. Maybe that is a false distinction?
I don’t consider McVeigh and his ilk any more “us” than the guys who flew the planes into the buildings.
How can you rate that kind of shit.
But it’s never referred to.
As soon as I read this on Wednesday, I emailed MLB:
” Kindly do not eff with the Game. Especially in these trying times of the Eff Up in the White House effing with every other effing thing. We need this Game. As is. Please. It’s all we effing got.
Respectfully Yours
JVF”
Eff yeah.
ditto from SM
“buried for good under 257 tons of concrete in the New Jersey Turnpike”
Finally the picture makes sense. Good post Greek.
With Hoffa.
Just because MLB baseball is saying it is “testing” and idea, I don’t think everyone should lose their collective heads about it.
How long have they been talking about the DH in the NL? I’d say at least 20 years and counting. Has it happened? No of course not. Will it happen? I actually doubt it. To many of the players, coaches, writers around baseball like that the leagues have a couple different nuances.
Do I think this extra inning rule change gets approved? Absolutely not. MLB will try a few other tweaks to the game before they do anything that drastic.
At the very least I do appreciate that MLB is thinking ahead instead of staying put. While I do agree with Greek that the beauty of the game is the reliance on rules and tradition and not timed event, MLB has to think how it will attract a younger audience. It has to to make more money and to keep fans from moving to other sports.
why must you always be the calm, understanding one?
Darn wish Efrain had said this earlier as my head is now gone;)
yep that’s me, the soft spoken, level headed one 😉
Tomorrow annual Giants FanFest. Hence let fest(a) be.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=080yUm5Kmz4
Alex posted an article about the three Giants players in the WBC. Arenado and Crawford are teaming up. Posey addresses fans’ concerns and shares his perspective, and talks about his preparation. Bochy expressed confidence in Leyland, and in Cueto’s capacity to pace himself.
Posey said, “It’s great for baseball. For me, I think that’s part of it as well, just trying to help grow the game if I can.” Gee, Posey sounds like GG.
http://www.csnbayarea.com/giants/giants-not-concerned-about-stars-playing-wbc
Alex Pavlovic 3hr ago:
No surprise, but Evans said Smith, Strickland and Law go into camp as front runners to pitch the 8th. Giants will set bullpen order early.
Deciding early on the bullpen order sounds good to me.
I find Bobby Evans’s quotes about Matt Cain incredibly discouraging, and I can’t imagine how Ty Blach and the other rotation hopefuls must feel about their GM saying “In a perfect world, Matt Cain would be Matt Cain…”–Yeah, “perfect world” unless your name happens to be Ty Blach.
We’ll see how it plays out, but I take this strong statement as (a) an early suggestion that, once again, Evans and Bochy are more interested in coddling veteran egos and recouping lost investments than they are in actually putting the best team on the field and (b) a very chilling message to young guys in the minors: “merit doesn’t matter. Only seniority does.”
Blach, Blackburn and Stratton have already spent two seasons in AAA. Blackburn was drafted in 2011, and Blach and Stratton in 2012. It’s 2017 now. “Wait your turn” sounds pretty insulting to guys who’ve already been “waiting” for 5-6 years.
http://www.csnbayarea.com/giants/giants-notes-giants-hopeful-cain-takes-rotation-spot
It is okay to be discouraged as a fan because of what BE said but if any of us on this blog were the GM/Skipper it is almost 90% sure that we’d be taking the same slant.
After THIS spring training – as to what he shows – we will know more about which Investors are helping to run the show.
Before Cains 789 set backs last year he was “getting hitters out the old Matt Cain way”. That one time he blew out his hammie – was unforgiving.
“we will know more about which Investors are helping to run the show”
Just curious…do you have a theory or something that makes you say this?
In my heart of hearts the daughters of Sue and Harmon Burns – Trina Burns Dean and Tori Burns make a lot of the *suggestions* about certain items and also certain players. Doubtful that it is Charles Johnson but some of those mentioned in this 2009 article seem to have more of the pulse of the team than others. Trina and Tori are also the closest to BLB25.
http://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/Giants-owner-Sue-Burns-1950-2009-3292010.php
Cain had a 5.64 ERA in 89 IP last year. When was he “getting hitters out the old Matt Cain way”? I remember, rather, the Cinco de Mayo game where he gave up a three-run HR to Arenado before the Giants even came to bat and then the Rockies scored 13 runs in one inning. And I also remember, because I was in Fenway myself at the time, how they rushed him back from the minors (after giving up 9 runs in A ball) and he had the Giants down 8-0 to the Red Sox by the third inning. Oh, and the game in August where he gave up six runs in the fourth inning after the team had staked him to a four-run lead.
Cain was flat-out awful from beginning to end (or at least until Bochy finally pulled him from the rotation in August), and it will just be mind-blowing if they do the same damn thing this year that failed so miserably last year. Again, it will prove with 100% certainty that winning is not a priority for the manager or the front office.
He had a stellar few moments were his ball was doing what his mind wanted it to do and it was missing barrels – with easy – effortless delivery and then the injuries.
Emphasis on “few,” though.
To be specific:
Cain made 17 starts last year. In 8 of those 17, he gave up 4+ runs. In 5 of those, he gave up 6+ runs. He made four quality starts, one in April, and three in May before the hamstring injury. He had zero quality starts for the rest of the year.
Out of those 17 starts, he only made it through the sixth inning five times–3 starts of 6.0 innings, 1 start of 7.0 innings, 1 start of 8.0 innings. Again, none of those happened after May. In 8 starts–so more than half–he didn’t even get to the fifth inning.
There were “few” and then there were a “few times” where baseball eyes, people in both dugouts – knew that he was “back” for those few moments. Unfortunately IMO there were too many stop and starts for anybody to feel comfortable.
But based on baseball lineage and culture he deserves (only) what they are giving him this Spring Training. We know there are no perfect worlds thus Bobby is attempting to help turn back the hands of time. The so called others who we all say deserve – do – but they’ve proven themselves in totality on a far lesser scale. Is Blach getting hitters out on pure stuff – guile and newness or will he continue to stifle his opponents. In my opinion Suarez has off the wall stuff but does not carry into middle or later innings.
All due respect Clutch – yer dreamin.’
No harm taken – I learned to dream as a kid while playing baseball or coaching it.
Ask Snorkies 🙂
Okie dokie, Clutch.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/5f2002d4c502c1bc963a70eb0d20f6de32ff997afda6e61bb7a63efd8cad9f47.jpg
Snorks say, “Play ball!”
‘Stellar few moments.’
I tend to agree and disagree.
1) Caín is getting paid a kings ranson, I’m sure Giants ownership is asking the team to see what it can get out of the contract before moving on for good. But yes, you can only try so many times. They did the same song and dance with TL when he was basically done two years prior.
2) Blach pitched well in a short sample window last year, but all three are unproven. Add to that none of them are considered 1-3 rotation types.
3) The Giants have vet arms and injuries do happen, it’s good to have the trio as insurance.
4) I think the team makes a move in season for a big bat / LF. As teams fall out of contention by ASG, they could get package a couple for the player they can’t produce from the system.
5) the team needs to prepare for whatever happens with Cueto after next season
6) at no time when a player is drafted is there a contract that stipulates the team must di something like make them starters.
Timmy was 19-13 his last 2 years with the Giants, had a stretch in 2014 of only giving up 1 run in 30 innings, and in 2015 he pitched 5 shutout starts the 1st 2months of the season ., Cain has never been that good the last 4 years .
either way they were both done, whatever TL did for brief periods of time was never going to be sustainable.
Is he invited to a camp this season? How was his season last year? Nuff said.
Obviously Cain is under contract and he should get a fair shot to make the rotation in spring training. But that is all he deserves at this point. If he isn’t the best option at the end of camp, they need to make the hard decision and do what’s right for the team. Do you think the rest of the guys enjoyed being blown out every time Peavy and Cain pitched in April-May last year?
I also think Peavy and Cain’s awfulness hurt the top 3 guys–they felt they had to pitch 8-9 innings every start because the 4-5 spots were going to burn up the bullpen every time through. Samardzija hit a wall in June, and Bum and Cueto hit one in July. And you have to think it was a contributing factor in how terrible the bullpen was, too.
You and like minded fans can’t have it both ways. On this blog guys like Belichick are berated for being “cutthroat” and having no heart by cutting good guys when the team deems them “done.” At the same time folks on this blog love that the Giants are “a family oriented team” and “do right” for their vets.
Then complain about the very thing you love about the team?
As I said earlier, the Giants love to portray the family atmosphere of the team but in the end they are a big business. Cain has the big contract that they have to try to recoup as much from as possible. Guys like Blach have very little leverage to stand on.
It’s great to imagine a world where the 5th starter competition will actually go to the best starter, but in reality, if Cain can walk to the mound he will be the 5th starter even any of the other options out pitch him in ST (unless someone just blows everyone away from the jump).
Plus the Giants ARE NOT the type of team to make a raw decision to cut the cord and move on, even if it is the best for the team (yes, they screwed last year up). The question will be if they have the cojones to move on from Cain as soon as necessary.
What the Giants say PR wise and actually do are two different things, that’s just the way it is.
too many false projections to refute. We’re cool with the BS that Giants PR provides.
We’re cool with titles.
yep, as long as they are in the hunt, they can spew any story they want.
Absolutely. It’s astounding that team went 42-21 with those 2 in the rotation.
My comments from the previous thread that came after GG’s new story post.
Tweet: Bobby Evans said there will be competition for fifth starter, but “in a perfect world Matt Cain would be Matt Cain and take that spot.”
I get that the Giants are paying Matt Cain big bucks, but to continuously go down this “Matt Cain being Matt Cain” path. They thought he’d be a #2 in 2015…no. He struggled to be a #5 in 2016. 2017….let’s try again!
Cain is a FA after this season, so don’t be foolish and try and get ROI out of stubbornness. Ty Blach needs the experience and showed he could pitch, so how about showing him some support? Cain has been a great Giant, but after the last 4 seasons with 4.00, 4.18, 5.79, and 5.64 ERAs…do you actually think the 2012 guy (2.79) is still in there somewhere?
I seem to remember many here ecstatic that they signed Cain when they did. What did they think was going to happen as he aged?
Bravo!
I didn’t expect him to be washed up at age 28. The last time he was good was 2012, his age-27 season.
His arm got ballasted by too much money too soon.
Sheet.
I wasn’t as discouraged about what Evans said about Matt Cain because of the preface: “in a perfect world.” Perhaps I’m putting too much weight on his preface, Lefty, but it could be significant since a perfect world, it’s not. Matt Cain has not pitched anywhere near perfectly, which Evans knows everyone knows. I view what Bobby said more as a warning to Cain that the Giants need for him to be Matt Cain again, which is doubtful.
You’re probably right, but I still wish he hadn’t said it that way. I’d prefer, considering how bad Cain’s been for years now, and what a great job Blach did in AAA and with the Giants last year, that Evans couched it more as an open competition, not that there’s a preferred candidate. That seems more fair to Blach and others who have been “waiting their turns,” and it also signals to the fans that the Giants really do plan to pick the best possible candidate for the fifth spot.
I wish Evans hadn’t said it that way too, and I hope there will be a real open competition which Ty Blach wins.
Me too.
you have to know that in reality it will not be “best possible starter”. Not even close. As long as Cain comes out of ST healthy he will be thrown out there. Baseball is a business not some fantasy world.
He should’ve said, ‘Based on last season, it’s Blach’s job to lose. Hopefully Cain, Blackburn, and Stratton will have something to say about that.’
Rivercats Promo Schedule
http://www.milb.com/promotions/index.jsp?sid=t105
YOU just know his teammates are gonna giggle with grief and say “that’s kind of Peter Pan-ish” – in a good way of course. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/e31eb6cd508131261e02b67bd3f5d3bf513bdcfd48e9e6a771ae81e43282c6e4.jpg
Needless to say. The Lawman is a tad different.
Fox says http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/san-francisco-giants-three-non-roster-invitees-to-watch-020917
Buster filmed a commercial with puppies. He said he meets way too many dogs named after him. “I never know if I should say thank you.”
*That Killion Gal*
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/9d497896123aa35b17d4632cfba9fff46246298b9724c72b35f4da131d918504.jpg
My neighbor’s lab puppy too!
I love Flans sarcasm
@TimFlannery2
Sure – Shorten the game , no extra innings, 2 strikes your out, 3 balls you walk…how about finding another sport to screw up…we love the game.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/e1bebbb2841e364276c5df82553e6fbb87e507e09b3a29293390dbef9cba3639.jpg
Well done Frank (now end your career in SF)
NFL players past & present gush about Frank Gore winning Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/bfcdb22c7ca3bd9c2bd29d0852878146f9fab132ce4cd7c40b6591e21e432fc2.jpg “There’s no better guy:”
From Schulman’s article:
Cain vs. Blach: Matt Cain is fully healthy ahead of spring training and the competition he faces for the fifth-starter job.
Bochy said he expects an open competition that includes Ty Blach, other young pitchers and swingman Albert Suarez, but the higher-ups are rooting for Cain in the final year of his contract.
“In a perfect world, Matty would be Matty and he’d take that spot,” general manager Bobby Evans said. “We have to give a nod to Matt relative to what he’s accomplished. But we can’t disregard what Ty Blach did last year (in the minors) and at the big-league level.”
————–
OK, I like the sound of “open competition” and I appreciate that Evans did at least acknowledge Blach. I still don’t like “the higher-ups rooting for Cain.” They don’t owe Cain anything–he’s been cashing checks and contributing almost nothing for four years (combined WAR of 1 from 2013-16). They owe Blach, Suarez, Blackburn, and Stratton just as much loyalty as they owe Cain at this point. I also think it might be time to look ahead to 2018, where, if Cueto leaves, they’ll have two rotation spots to fill.
It’s like an audition for the leading man…I mean, Jimmy Smits used to be the man. So, out of respect, Jimmy gets called in. And, they know they can spend a ton on CGI and photoshop…. and he’s a little thicker these days. A little Just For Men is needed…
Then, in walks James Franco.
Here’s your gold watch, Jimmy.
Jimmy’s on the new version of “24,” right? We haven’t watched it, but I saw him in the trailers. He was quite the thing back in the 80s/90s–“LA Law,” “The West Wing…” even Benjamin Bratt’s getting to be a little long in the tooth. Not that I’m anyone to talk, of course.
My teeth are like those rabbits where they grow all the way around their heads
Buy tougher carrots.
The new 24 is pretty good. Smiths so far only in a supporting role.
If you’d paid a lot of money for a really expensive car, you’d probably feel better being able to drive it than you would if it just sat in the garage and couldn’t move, even if you had a perfectly reliable ’98 Civic to get you to where you needed to go.
What if my really expensive car is going to break down and strand me on the road?
Maybe it’s a woman thing, but to me the most important characteristic in a car is if it gets me from Point A to Point B with no drama.
I don’t blame them for hoping that Cain wins the job, but it’ll be a problem if that hope obscures their objectivity.
You mean like the time he made a rehab start after close to two months on the DL and gave up 9 runs in 4 innings in A ball and they decided he was just fine to start against the Red Sox in Fenway five days later? That kind of obscured objectivity?
What if my expensive car wins the Cy Young? 🙂
He’s a Jag. Gonna short out. The English cars always have electrical problems.
I think he was built in Tennessee!
Sure you’d like to drive an expensive car IF it moved. But taking the expensive car out of the garage to have it break down on the expressway has to be as much of of a bummer of having it sit in the garage.
Which is why you drive it early without having to get through the critical rush hour just in case. Then you have time to get replaced and to work, Cain through June to the All Star game or later depending on how he does. That gives him 10 -15 starts. They will have an idea after 3-5 starts
Giants need to move on from Cain. He’s done. He been done for a long time. Move on.
D-O-N-E
Teams have eaten bigger contracts, right?
Way more than everything you ever wanted to know about pitch movement.
http://www.hardballtimes.com/a-symphony-of-pitches-in-four-movements/
Uh, that ‘someone’ wuz me, Greek.
Giants “Town Hall” (now called “Game Night”) begins at 7 p.m. Looks like it will stream on the Giants’ website. Players are interviewed by K & K and take a couple of audience questions (invited season ticket holders). It’s usually pretty fun to watch.
If this happens, welcome home Barry!
Clutch called it a few days ago: http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/18661627/san-francisco-giants-javier-lopez-instructor-perhaps-barry-bonds
Game night is pretty funny so far
I think there were some boos in there though when Boch got introduced.
That would be a disgrace.
Bochy has no regrets about how he handled the last inning of the season, to which I respond BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.
http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/02/10/giants-regret-lost-chance-to-oust-cubs-in-nlds/
As I said….
I agree that ninth inning was a disgrace.
I didn’t like it either and said so at the time. But playing Devil’s Advocate, he really needed only 1 guy to do his job and they win the game. The error didn’t exactly help either.
It’s incredible. That was the worst pitcher handling i have ever seen in such a game by far. It wasn’t just one mistake, it was multiple mistakes crammed into one inning. He shouldn’t gave pulled moore–he was pitching great. He shouldn’t have started with law or romo–they had both pitched 2 innings the night before.
It’s too bad that Sabean didn’t know that you were available to manage the team.
No, it was “Bruuuuuuuuuce”
Oh haha, that’s better. the volume on my ipad wasn’t high enough.
Same here, but you know they’re not booing Bochy in an event like that.
poop! The live feed went out before we could find out who would be amongst the players to land in Bochy’s doghouse.
That was kind of a weird question. Matt Cain on the list? I laughed at Strickland being #1, though.
I have seen games in Japan where they start runners on in extra innings. This being Japan, the first guy up sacrifices, and then you go from there. Not a good idea, and will totally change the way the game is played in those innings. Guy on second? Bunt, then sac fly.
Big Country “Skyfall” Mike is looking to be getting “right-er” and “right-er” ,almost by the hour.
This is one of those times that you desperately hope to be wrong and not right.
I really wasn’t referring to the missiles but to the collusion investigation. But I would be very worried about might happen if he thought that the jig was up.
So who is the Giants left fielder? Is it a battle between the two guys Bochy refused to play last year.
Yes. And the set up man will be a battle between guys bochy refused to use in important situations last year
Morse, Michael…..
This is an absolutely horrible idea. When people in israel ask why i don’t like soccer, the first thing i say is that games are decided by penalty kicks. This is bringing the same kond of thing to baseball
not even close
How is this not the same kind of thing?
Because your comparing something that has been and accepted as part of soccer for a long time worldwide. You may not like it but it does not make it any less relevant.
Ridiculous comparison to equate it to the rule change to baseball in question.
Both of them are attempts to speed up games by changing the rules in order to decide tie games. How is it ridiculous to compare them??
Because penalties are not a novice Idea, do some reasearch if you don’t know the history of soccer. You may not like soccer but don’t make assumptions you may not know much about.
(1) I assume you mean novel, not novice (check a dictionary).
(2) Of course, there has been a gradual process of adopting them since the 1950s, but at some point in time they were a novel idea (duh), they were done for the same reason, and in my opinion they made the game worse (and what we are talking about here is opinions). If your mind can’t handle something as abstract as a comparison between two sports at two different points in time, you should stick to simpler things.
Not more than 3-5 % of the games. Believe me.
Another thing they could do to speed is the games is already being done in rec softball leagues all across the country. Draw a line two thirds of the way down the third base line. Runners heading home have to keep going, they cannot turn around or get in a run down once they cross that line. Now I know softball does this for safety reasons but think about it, there is probably a run down play at least once a week for each MLb team. These runners are good, some can last in a rundown three or four seconds easy. I haven’t found the calculator in this tablet yet so I can’t the math but over the course of the season we have to be talking at least five or ten minutes saved and every minute counts, right? As our old friend Ryan would say, “Boom, get it done.”
Oh, Brother.
I am still going with the theory that this is Torre’s way of saying, “Don’t make me come back there.” to everyone involved (owners, players, coaches, umps) that already have enough tools to keep things more concise. Play the game; less farting around please … that will Get ‘er done.
I’m not convinced that catering to SASTs* is even needed. To me, it’s still much ado about very little.
*Short Attention Span Teenagers
Isn’t Matthew our MarketingGuy™?
If we Follow the Money, speeding things up must be about adding SASTs.
Every baseball fan probably averages one offspring that has become a fan.
So the ranks will be refilled but not grow. That is not a good business model in itself so MLB is looking for a way to add new fans and Attention Span is seen as the culprit.
It is just that Baseball was built for Spending Time at an art/skill, not rushing to an end.
So it will die as people change what they want, except for kids that enjoy it for what it really is.
We will have to accept that Owners & Players have to treat it as a business.
The DH was the Warning Shot and we knew more was coming.
I’ve always felt that calling the strike zone by the book would speed up games (and save pitcher arms).
You no like me mocking that new proposal?
It wasn’t obviously mocking.
I think your mocking detector battery needs to be replaced.
It was technically mocking-birdery.
The Dodgers have signed Chase Utley back and also signed OF Franklin Gutierrez, most recently with the Mariners.
I guess they had to counter our Gordon Beckham and Justin Ruggiano moves. Running scared, clearly. 😉
Pitchers and catchers report in 2 days!!! On my way to FanFest. Just might see this guy there. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/68ec0bda8866bdd902c184d1c31a4d35d70a310a04d1d14085685c5625c1c581.jpg
First clear day since the Bronze Age … enjoy yourself.
We will Haak. Thanks.
2005 Sept/oct
.439/.469/.862slg
11 hrs 18 rbi’s 13 2b’s 3 triples..
Others just for fun
Bonds Sept/oct 2001
.403 .607 1.078 slg
16 hrs 25 rbi 4 2b’s ..38 bb’s!
Hunter Pence Sept 2013
.293/..397/ .667
11 hrs 32 rbi ! 4 2b 0 3b
Posey’s Sept 2012
.364/.415/.607
5 hrs, 21 rbi’ 9 2b’s
Scutaro 2012
.402/421/.518
24rbi
One Mays stat that always sticks with me for clutch…
1965
Willie hit 17 HRs in September
That was a great month for him and our Giants. Clinched the MVP as well. Should have been his third, but misguided writers gave the 1962 MVP to Maury Wills. Wrong. Way wrong.
I was thinking as I watched one of those silly pharmaceutical advertisements on TV this morning (They talked about “blood thinners”) I’m sick of this constant dumbing of Americans. They are not blood thinners ! They don’t thin blood. They’re frigging anticoagulants. There are many more of these ads we see daily.
Are these attempts at making baseball more popular similar to these “dumbing down” ads?
I have a feeling that appealing to the lowest common denominator is a bad thing. Actually I don’t have a feeling; I know it is. Hence, my shirt seems more and more appropriate as time passes
Speaking of… I’m thinking about taking orders for shirts if anyone is interested.
OK, OK. I’ll stop saying I have “frozen shoulder” and say I have “adhesive capsulitis.” Happy now?
If you are.
I might advise a heating pad for either.
Heat is good. I’ve also had a cortisone shot and am getting regular massages on it.
Oh, and limiting computer time. But that’s awfully had to do in my line of work.
You maybe have Dragon Naturally Speaking in your future, huh.
Some gentle but focused yoga stretches might help overcome that – it takes time though.
The Wordsmith vs. The Scientist … When Titans Clash
If you had thin blood, I advise a transfusion.
Rare blood type. 🙁
AB neg.?
AB+
Equals C?
No, AB-AB+=0
You fool! That’s the nuclear code!!!
LOL
My Aggie wife feels for you, she had the same thing a couple of years ago and it took months to subside. She’s convinced her (ex) chiropractor caused the injury.
Ugh. I had it in the other shoulder nine years ago. It took nearly two years to get better. This time I caught it sooner and it’s not quite as bad.
Have you tried the ultrasound therapy used occasionally in bursitis?
I had it in physical therapy with my other frozen shoulder. Great stuff. This one hasn’t been as bad (caught it earlier), so I haven’t used my physical therapy referral yet. I was very lucky that I had 23 massages banked at Massage Envy on F Street and found a very good therapist there whom I see every week or two.
I’m rather fond of the TV ads about “possible side effects”. In fact I’m about to take a med that they say might lead to death like in about 4 seconds……………………………..
Whew. I’m still here.
How ’bout now?
Reminds me … does anyone still go to the SJMerc blog to check for any lost strays from our Herd? I think of Vegas as one possibility.
I just checked Baggarly’s posts from yesterday. There were three comments on one and two on the other–none of them from any current TWG regulars or former GE regulars.
Speaking of, that new SJMN platform is a nightmare. I can read it OK on my computer, but opening it on my iPad (which is when I’d usually read fun stuff like sports blogs) is incredibly frustrating. It loads, stops, freezes, kicks me back out–I have to open the link 2-3 times to read the article (on anything, including Warriors’ stuff).
Once again, I’m very grateful we have this space now. I think the SJMN blog would have made me crazy within days.
There is a song in that sentiment somewhere.
CSNBayArea does the same to me. Very annoying.
Yeah, I don’t seem to have the same problems with that site, but the Merc issues are very annoying. I like to read Anthony Slater’s postgame wraps on the Warriors, anything by Dan Brown or Carl Steward, and yeah, I still want to read Baggarly, too.
It’s pretty much a desert wasteland over there.
A tad drowsy is all. Blood seems thinner..
Hey, have you found anything to wash your hands with? I’d be willing to send you some bars of soap. Well, the partial bars that one usually throws away. You can pay me based on the percentage that is left.
I thought that this stuff was a pro-coagulant.
That would be called butterscotch pudding.
I’m still on leftovers that I weld together when they’re too small to use in the shower. You can squish together a bunch of the water-softened remnants to make usable bars. I’m good.
Put them in one of those loofah-type bags with a drawstring. Works great for us.
There are a lot of things that irritate you. Do I hear some kids running on your lawn?
Kids on the lawn isn’t stupidity. Other things are.
I know what you mean. Most people call the current MLB schedule as the “unbalanced schedule.” That has a negative connotation. It should be called the “weighted schedule.”
Only people or scales can be unbalanced
We see evidence of the former on TWG every day!
Speaking of “blood thinners,” a friend was thinking about going on them based on conversations with his doctor. A co-worker told him, “Just go on the pills. Then you can eat whatever you want.” LOL.
One of the giveaways that the Giants will have this season is a Buster Hugs Blanket, June 9:
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/0327abc3430fdd42f703f97bfcab8e195c3b48fbe47587fcb886a2b7aa12e70d.jpg
Aaaah! /marks calendar
I sent you a pic I wasn’t able to post here due to technical difficulties.
Awesome! Hilarious.
I’m waiting for the Post or Times to do it.
I’ve got it.
April 1, above the fold.
How about having an OT that starts with Rubén Rivera on first base ?
FanFest 2017 humanity, but we made it.
Any pics to share?
I tried to send one earlier, but I guess it was more than 5mb.
I never went to those. Is it like a real festival? You know, with piñatas and stuff?
Yes, exactly like that.
dodger pinatas?
You people need to stop going off on these wild tangents that are totally unrelated to baseball. Food, politics, personal hygiene, Please! … We should be talking about Buster Posey, the fight for the 5 spot, left field, who are the ten hottest baseball wives….
Baseball? You wrote baseball? What’s baseball?
I’ll check and get back to you.
To thank you here is a pic of a dish made by my wife yesterday, Brodetto alla veneziana. It’s a fish soup, made with scampi (the Norway lobster, also known as “Langoustine” or “Dublin Bay Prawns”), small cuttlefish and angler. My wife is a stellar cook (otherwise I wouldn’t have married her https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/c42b7ed744e555cfe80d01ba50ce91000954728478596d1aaaacf5164f9d6ad2.jpg ).
I have prepared Brodetto before but just with fin fish. We love soup main dishes.
I’m a soupy kind of guy too.
Buster Posey, 5 spot, hot wives, I’m in.
So 4 giants got hitched this winter. Can it help?
Every time I see Law’s pic, I think that guy is going to have a ‘yuge’ year.
He looks very promising, I just hope the elbow strain isn’t a recurrent problem. They have to take it easy on him.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/cc33ed60849189c95e92869e6d7b7a1c0730cd52cfafc8b569d7e5947b59230b.jpg
Panik, Crawford and Belt on the video.
Are you wearing a shirt that says “Crawnik?” Ray Woodson mentioned it on the radio.
That threesome, Crawford, Panik, to Belt could become The Combine. Pure poetry, IMO.
Um, no. I was rocking my Buster roadie with the 2012 WS champs patch.
ESPN doing their usual uber-hype nonsense with the Warriors/Thunder game tonight. Hannah Storm hosting the morning hour from OKC, Marty Smith, Ramona Shelburne and Screamin’ A. Smith with a big dose of his bloviating blather. Not much else happening, I guess. Overkill to say the least.
I know Kevin Durant will probably hear more boos than cheers, but I hope our great fans give him a standing ovation when introduced. He has earned that after eight years in OKC. I’m sure that whatever is going on between KD and Westbrook is mostly Westbrook. Sure wish he’d let it go and realize his friendship with Kevin is far more important.
Should be a great game. Thunder coming off a strong win vs. Cleveland. This just in: Warriors are *really* good.
that hyper nonsense sucked you in didn’t it?
The “Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth”
During and after the first 26 games I am wishing for a 12-12 record. Listening to Craw and Panik talking about how they’ve never played xxxx amount of innings as of (date) and then knowing that Buster and others are doing the WBC – it looks like:
Bochy is gonna need some left side infield and right side infield help PLUS bull pen help for those first 26.
@ DBacks 4
@ Padres 3
Home
DBacks 3
Rox 4
@ Royals 2
@ Rox 3
Home
LAD’s 4
Padres 3
On May 1st heading to LA – they better be at .500 or better
* New Bullpen acquisition (Melancon)
* New Bullpen roles for others
* Familiar former stabilizing faces from bullpen staff now gone
* Arenado (and company will have had 7 games already vs SF)
I’m hoping for the earliest out possible from this WBC nonsense.
I think that the WBC is the best thing that has ever happened to baseball .You better agree with me, chump.
Yes, Chef.
Something is very important this year- you all have to agree with everything I say. I mentioned the blog to my doctor and she said that it’s a good thing for me to do but only if there is absolutely no disagreement. She stressed that that was essential to my mental health. We did a test- I said that Span would make the All-Team this year and she replied that “he sucks- end of story” I fainted right away.
Thanks in advance. I love you guys.
Reminds me of that old joke where the doctor asks to speak privately to his patient’s wife. He explains to her that her husband is very ill and the only way to keep him alive is for her to prepare him three home-cooked healthy meals every single day.
The wife rejoins her husband and he asks anxiously, “So what did the doctor say?”
Tearfully she replied: “He says you’re gonna die!”
There’s a similar one where a guy gets bitten by a rattlesnake and the venom has to be sucked out. You can take it from there..
The bottom line: Never marry!
Except look at that great food Signora Alvise makes for you! I wish I could steal her to come cook for ME.
Gonna pack & send her, as soon as you pay the bill of lading, cash. Just kiddin’ of course.
Amico – my cousin is going to the Dolomites soon to ski – will there be any snow there for him? Grazie.
Very little. It snowed only once In two months and a half about 40 cm. But all the skyways are in good conditions. Ya know, artificial snow. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/0ea472d5f4370966e8ef3a927044ac7abd149b9b1ac75b4e62e9f48287fcf043.jpg
Mille grazie, Alvise! paulito
Or when he pulls the wife aside and tells her that her husband isn’t looking too good and she replies, “I know, but he’s a good father to the children.”
Folks are starting to say that Baseball GMs are already making decisions in payroll that reflect on next years FA class, when guys like Machado and Harper come out.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nationals/as-mlb-welcomes-spring-2018-free-agent-class-has-every-team-aiming-to-be-on-deck/2017/02/10/4e38e6d4-efc7-11e6-9662-6eedf1627882_story.html
that started way before…..
New post: http://fe0.84e.myftpupload.com/2017-giants-offseason-news/the-giants-have-invited-barry-bonds-back-to-spring-training-as-a-non-roster-invitee-to-compete-for-an-outfield-position/
Im in Austin — mixed reviews on the Giants fan fromt. Driver last night told me that he moved here from the East Bay. When I told him that I was a Giants fan he to,d me that he was a Dodgers fan having grown up in LA. Today however, meeting an expert in a case who told me that he grew up in LA, but was a Giants fan because of Willie Mays. Told me he was at the Roseboro– Marichal game.
Baseball returns this week!!
OKC fans coming up very, very small.
Much ado about nothing, it’s obvious who is the better team.
It’s what it is.
The rest is typical NBA PR to drum up as much buzz as possible.
ESPN has certainly gone all TMZ over this one. What I want to know is why it’s ANYONE’s business what the relationship between Durant and Westbrook is. I don’t think it is.
I just tuned in and saw some mid-age guy with a large cupcake painted on his very ample belly. Classy.