by
Greek Giant
This was one of my favorite moments in the 2010 World Series. The Giants had taken Games 1 and 2 in San Francisco. The Series moved to Arlington where the Giants would lose game 3. Suddenly Giants nation was nervous. What if that two game lead were erased as quickly as it arrived?
We had good reason to be nervous going into game 4: a rookie named Madison Bumgarner was going to pitch in his first World Series, on the road against the might Rangers no less! Still traumatized by game 6 in 2002, Giants fans were beginning to let those creepy doubts enter into their heads. It turns out fate and Aubrey Huff were on our side this time around, Thank Mays!
Game 4 was scoreless till the top of the third inning when 2010 Giants MPV Aubrey Huff stepped up to the plate with a man on:
That was a tape-measure blast my friends! It was crushed. Some argue it was a cut fastball. Watching the video again, it appears the pitch was a slider that did not slide… Huff managed to get inside the pitch with power and keep it fair.
Aubrey Huff will forever be a here to Giants fans everywhere for the rally thong, this home run, and his excellent 2010 season. He was the perfect veteran compliment to a team full of young and inexperienced talent exemplified by the likes of Buster and Timmy, Panda and Madbum.
The veteran – youth blend on the 2010 team was perfect and an elemental component of the team’s first championship in San Francisco. Huff’s game 4 home run gave the Giants a lead they would never relinquish in what was one of the most important games of the series.
All Hail Aubrey Huff!
That makes a slow cut FB. 😉
Must C Clutch was fun!
Huff Daddy!!
And people complain about the shape Pablo was in. Puff Daddy was chain smokin, beer chuggin out of shape mental case when he came back under his new contract. What a waste of a contract. Atleast Pablo produced and played and did not go AWOL
Huff is white so he had a much longer leash than Pablo in what fans both expected and complained about.
Look at the Melky situation, he was discarded faster then you can blink and eye, a guy who has been relatively quiet and good teammate all his career AND produced everywhere he played. Do you think that same would have happened if he was white?
All hail? Not so much.
Great moment in Giants history, but Huff was an ass in his post-career gig at 95.7. His arrogance towards Giants fans “I won you a championship…you’re welcome” didn’t sit right with me. Giants pulled him off the scrap heap and gave him an opportunity. It wasn’t schtick.
Wrong again, he had a .300, 30 HR, 100 RBI season in 2008 , just like that Friday October 1st 1993 game at Dodgers stadium, where the Giants won 8 to 7 and Barry Bonds went 3 for 3 with 2 HRs a double and a IBB, and 7 RBI, pretty good for a guy that did nothing to you in that series on the Will Clark Hall of Fame post .
You Are Our Daddy
Huff disclosed in a recent interview–I think it was Chris Haft of MLB.com–that he was abusing Adderall and alcohol from 2009-2012, including a stint in rehab shortly after the 2010 World Series. He finally went off the Adderall before the 2012 season when his wife filed for divorce, and he attributes the panic attack breakdown in NY (when he went AWOL from the team and flew home to Florida) to his sudden, unsupervised withdrawal.
So whether or not that makes him a jerk is a matter of opinion, but he certainly was a messed-up guy during that period of time.
We all have to be responsible for our actions…even in “abusing” situations. I’m happy for his part in the 2010 World Series, but regardless of his challenges…be thankful for your opportunities and don’t be an ass towards the people that cheered you on.
My own view is that he acted dishonorably by signing a new two-year deal with the Giants knowing that he was in such a bad way that he was going into rehab for substance abuse. Those two events happened very close in time. He knew he wasn’t healthy and he basically stole their money for the next two years. I can appreciate that the temptation to cash in on that big year in 2010 was pretty strong, but it’s still wrong.
I think he admitted he did not come into camp in shape the next year and never got back into playing shape. Drugs ect. took their toll but I agree with you he took the money knowing it was his last pay day.
Baggarly said that he’s never seen someone quit on the team the way Huff did in 2011-12. I thought he was being too harsh, but it’s worth remembering that beat writers know a lot more than we do, due to their exposure and contacts. They can’t always say what they know, either. Not to say that beat writers, being human, don’t still have their biases, but in this case, he was right.
I would agree with Baggarly. Huff could have been one of the most beloved Giants but he blew it. Oh well I always remember 2010 Huff, the inside the park HR, the HR noted above and getting down his first sac bunt of the season when they need it most.
But he had a great spring.
I don’t suppose he came to grips with his issues then.
He was suffering from poor mental health. Do you know any people who have mental disorders or psychiatric disorders? It’s an illness, too many people don’t seem to grasp that.
I am well-aware of poor mental health…yet I’m not convinced that Huff’s claim is factual.
If you heard the incidents that I heard..in addition to others not mentioned…it sounded more like an arrogant former athlete trying to re-inforce his relevance; not words coming from a person that had any mental health problems. Yes…I’m not a doctor, but I know what I heard.
What? No one has ever exaggerated or made up stuff to sell a book?
Let’s not forget that athletes have been caught cheating on their spouses and then claimed to have a sexual addition. SMH…
I agree, thought Huff was just an average player that caught lightning in a bottle that ONE year with Giants. His career numbers, or lack thereof tell you the story.
I also think it’s lame of Giants fans that think the team is so clean and then laugh at other team’s players and their issues, as if all the players that have been part of Giant Nation as a boy scout outfit.
He had several good seasons before he came here, He hit 242 HRs, and had a.806 OPS in his career. It’s rather amazing how many fans have little knowledge of the guys that play here.
I got in late on the TEAM Dress up Banishment but I support Noce’s POV but that does NOT mean I don’t respect Lefty’s or dgg’s point of view – thus you don’t have to spend much energy refuting my POV
https://twitter.com/AP_Sports/status/808507985400053760/photo/1
So much of my POV is relegated to simpleton chatter like “you’d have to have been there and experienced it”. When people have not they usually historically ask others “how was it back when that happened”?
To say it is a workplace is literally correct but there are about 15 Giants who dip on the road even though ATT has banned it in their park.
I believe in my heart that 99% of baseball players (like Dallas Braden or http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2016/12/13/current-past-baseball-players-criticize-hazing-restrictions/95400094/) – know if and when there is a line not to be crossed.
When I had the ultimate learning curve moment playing for Noce (No not our Noce) we did something stupid as a team (alcohol etc) and were not prepared to beat a team we should have – he, Noce made us run back to the hotel in our socks. I know this is not the same as MLB cross dressing,,,but he drove his truck slow about 40 yards a head of us. When we had our College World Series – either 7 games of best of 5 or 3 – we dressed up in festive attire vs our exact uniforms. When Jan came around for hell week we ran at 6 am in sometimes as little clothing as allowed. On the HS level one player wore a Hello Kitty Back Pack with out team treats for that week. The Hello Kitty teammate was the one who lost a quickly formed tournament of Rocks Paper Scissors at the end of each week or the start of the new week.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/7cbcb6a0fa7fb99607953207da71ddb41ddc72f1917ec0f425f6ad4f5654a999.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/ffb54fa8b7bfaccc847335911def4f9f51c298e2fc72a50fea6058c96fa54fa4.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/70bcfd74802b4e08c18f25023bfbf3832e90c166f65749250277a5625aa44365.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/9b975193dfb87fd950ba4c7d5ab94e8fc93ef5212ff8f323a34516c18683214b.jpg
In closing I believe Jeremy Affeldt and Javy Lopez have left behind a Cheat Sheet Crib Notes on how to move on from this banishment. Matt Cain will adhere to the new rule but at the same time I do not believe this team bonding gizmo is going to go away.
Again, I believe the decision was made not so much because of “offending” anyone, and it doesn’t really matter who among us agrees or disagrees with it. There are laws and legal precedents, and if employees are complaining about being bullied, MLB could get sued or the union could file a grievance. I assure you, that is ALL that this is about. MLB didn’t suddenly get sensitive.
As we talked about in our initial conversation, social media definitely played a role in the much-deserved ban. MLB Vice President Paul Misfud said: “social media unfortunately publicized a lot of the dressing up of the players … those kind of things which in our view were insensitive and potentially offensive to a number of groups.”
The proposal specifically bans rituals that require, “dressing up as women or wearing costumes that may be offensive to individuals based on their race, sex, nationality, age, sexual orientation, gender identify or other characteristic.” It includes language that bans forcing rookies to drink alcohol or take drugs, encouraging taunting or excessive exercise, and coercing rookies to do things that are illegal or dangerous. The proposal also includes an anti-bullying clause that states: “Players may not engage in a pattern of verbal or physical conduct that is designed to demean, disgrace or cause mental or physical harm to a member of his club.”
I also heard that cross-dressers considered it insensitive *and* there was religious implications that some players weren’t comfortable with.
They can dress the rookies up as animals and move on. Better take a poll on any animal that may have religious implications.
Dressing up as naughty nurses, French maids, and the St. Pauli girl was getting stale anyhow.
Stale, boring, stupid, and demeaning. But let’s keep on doing it for the sake of time-honored tradition to haze rookies who will eventually take the place of veterans.
http://emojipedia-us.s3.amazonaws.com/cache/64/9a/649ad82ec5c8caff8d709dc12fa089f7.png
As I mentioned last night, there’s a pretty big contingent of very religious players, and cross-dressing is explicitly forbidden in the Bible. I can see how a player who’s a pastor’s kid or went to a Christian school could feel conflicted–being coerced to do something they were taught was wrong or not going along with the other guys. It’s not fair to put employees in that position.
Also–people discussing this keep calling it a “right of passage,” and the expression is actually a RITE of passage. I’m not just being a Spelling Nazi here–there’s a difference in meaning. Rites of passage are traditions enforced by older generations onto younger ones, and they’re not always all that wonderful. There’s a reason why many of them have quietly disappeared–we know better now.
You have several/many HOF posts but this is top 5 in the comedy central dept. The animals having religious implications almost got my brother and I kicked out of a quiet tavern due to my vociferous LOL.
As far at the cross dressers go I will email Ru Paul and double check.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/35767b777ada4ab1c06720cd3d8dfd91b099758f88954273332e1087d130ad56.jpg
Just saw the entirety of your post with the plenitude of photos 🙂
Yeah, there are other ways to “haze” or initiate rookies. There are other outfits. And can keep it out of the media’s eye. There were no cameras when varsity rookies had their jockstraps and underwear ripped out at the bottom of a scrum.
Or the cruel Atomic Bomb wrestling ointment in said supporter.
Stream of consciousness is definitely one commenting technique.
Hell yeah it is.
Speaking of a stream of consciousness ….
https://disqus.com/home/discussion/dfm-mercurynews/san_jose_with_new_personalities_taking_reins_will_police_feud_with_city_hall_ease/#comment-1685068288
Ha. What a stalker.
If the “Ha” was genuine then it was worth it.
BB9’s wife is driving around Nacogdoches in her new ride
https://twitter.com/DALLASBRADEN209/status/794691734521331712
That Audi Cream color is beautiful. Good tastes.
should be an A6, Bradon will not be able to fit in the front or back seats of an A3
Does she drive that car for real? How does Brandon Belt even get into that car?
I saw a photo recently of Brandon by a nice SUV. He’s always been a big truck guy, but the SUV looked more practical for the baby. I’m sure she drives something like that, and probably with Texas plates, since that’s where they live.
I remember Brandon explaining in his blog that he bought their home in Texas with his original draft bonus and then used his first World Series bonus to fix it up into their dream house. I thought that was awfully practical for such a young guy. He seems like a doofus sometimes, but you can tell from the way he writes that there’s a lot more to him. That post he wrote after he made the All-Star team, a tear-inducing tribute to many but mostly to Haylee, was quite memorable. And he’s funny as all get out.
No deeg – that was my sense of humor since peeps here always say that BB9 gets BABIP’d.
Those are the sorta new CAL license plates made new to look old school –
Regardless of what happened in 2011, there were a few players – Huff, Torres, and then later in the season, Burrell and Ross – whose veteran presence and experience helped change the team in 2010. Huff was the ringleader.
On the night that GG posted, it was truly the first moment I was allowing myself to believe it might happen. I recall Huff telling his teammates something along the lines of “I’ll show you how to DH” and he did.
On this very night, we left the front door open so the kids could grab their candy and the parents could view the big screen for an update…a couple dads I didn’t even know came inside and watched for a bit. I was so effing giddy watching Huff’s drive soar down the line, then watching that kid from NC write his first truly big story.
Huff was a huge part of my Giants history being rewritten. I’m forever indebted.
Those 2010 guys showed those who were on the team in 2009 and moving past 2010 how to conduct themselves when they lost and why – and thus how to win eventually. Prior to Posey usurping Bengie, Huff carried the team on his shoulders.
Pat the Bat and Uribe also had big years, Burrell hit 18 HRs in 4 months and Uribe hit 24 HRs , and both of them were clutch .
True story.
Sure PJ there were many contributors. Prior to Pat joining the team – Huff did a big job.
I’ve re-watched that game a number of times because I love me some MadBum and that performance was So Freakin’ Amazing. So I’ve watched that Huff HR (and Posey’s first World Series HR later in the game) many times. I love the shot of Freddy Sanchez, who was having a fit because he didn’t come through after Torres’s leadoff double, open-mouthed when he saw that Huff blast.
Huff got the press, but Torres was the guy who started it all. When you factor in defense and base running, he was the best player on the team that year. Easily.
As Aubrey said (on “The Magic Inside” WS DVD): “what (Torres) did, having never played MLB everyday, taking over the leadoff spot and playing exceptional defense…we’re not here without him.”
Flemm’s call also lives in infamy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IE13fi_10_M
I think Baggs said he had a cold at the time…I felt bad for him. Dream call of a lifetime and it turned out like that. At the end of the day, though, we fans don’t care. It’s just part of a beloved, amazing memory.
i don’t agree doc. i think the fact that his voice broke when he yelled “gone!!” added to his call, and made it even more memorable. either way, he could have called that HR in sign language, and it would have been classic.
I like this call. –his most infamous call has to be Bonds HR 700? when the mic cord got pulled out or whatever.
Night Allen
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/76d5a6fbba2932e3600bf742af00e950a341a8c0f6f4a78197b1c93636f9459a.jpg
Reminds me of the end of the movie “Kelly’s Heroes”. Except Kilroy said something else.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joq3teY9f1U
An attempt to scout power in MiLB and predict it still being there in MLB.
http://www.hardballtimes.com/scouting-the-minors-pitch-by-pitch-power/
Since The Thrill, hard pressed to top the kind of production at 1B for the Giants that Huff had in 2010:
.290/.385/.506, 26 HRs, 86 RBIs, 100 R; 144 wRC+
JT Snow had a monster year in ’97 (28 HRs, 104 RBIs), but because of the juicers, his wRC+ was around 135. In ’04, he had a non-qualifying wRC+ of 153 when he hit .327 with OBP of .429 in just over 400 PAs.
Belt had a 138 wRC+ last year and 140 in ’13.
Belt who?
Wonder how you will respond when GG writes a post in 2027 entitled “Is Belt the HOF Lock We All Think He Is?”
HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAA
OMG Matthew thank you for that. I almost pee’d my pantalones.
The very mention of Belt in the same sentence as HOF is too much too digest right now.
The mention of Belt in the same conversation as the Thrill is funny enough.
HAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHHA
As intended, my brother!
He’s just gonna have to crush it in ’17 to silence the detractors.
.280/.380/.500, 23 HRs, 90 RBIs ?
Is that reasonable, Oracle?
Belt’s number isn’t far from Huff’s, and Huff’s production lasted just one season.
I get that too.
And Huff was abusing Adderall that year. But it WAS a great year.
He had several very good seasons prior to coming coming here.
I meant as a Giant.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7De_DDqBtc
WWE star twits a Christmas Tree pic, in his TV room. But he forgot to change his TV station from the porn he was watching.
http://www.dailydot.com/upstream/former-wwe-wrestler-forgets-to-crop-photo/
This Warriors-New Orleans game is wild. Not out of the third quarter and both teams over 90 points! Defense, schmefense.
Fun watch….
That was at least the third game in which Draymond’s made a monster defensive play to save a close win. I hope his impending fatherhood does, in fact, steady him because he’s one hell of a basketball player, and I’d hate to see him derailed by other issues.
And Durant!!!! OMG, what a revelation as a defensive player, a passer, a rebounder…
When Ajinca upset KD in the 3rd, I thought”game over”… It’s quite clear that you shouldn’t ignite his anger.
This team is loaded
And still they seem lost defensively at times, and are by no means a guarantee, as last season to win the title.
If anything, the team has never reached the defensive presence and determination of the team that won in all. That has been and can continue to be their achilles heel.
They can look as pretty as they want to look all season, won’t mean shit unless they win it all.
Dude, it’s Dec. 13, they’re 21-4, and they just went 4-1 on a grueling road trip. And half the team is new this year. They’re still figuring it all out, they’re super fun to watch, and, oh by the way, they have the best record in the NBA. So maybe hit the pause button on the negativity until March or so? I think it’s fair to give it time considering how new the team is at playing together. For now, I’m highly entertained.
(That said, they have WAY too many centers. Weird roster construction. May need some tweaking.)
The negativity pause button until March? You do realize that you are trying to ban Efrain entirely for three months, right? Negativity is all he knows.
I just don’t quite follow the logic that we can’t enjoy an entertaining game in mid-December because we won’t know until mid-June if it means anything (when they do or don’t win it all).
I don’t either, I just wrote the same thing above.
I for one am finding it a lot easier to get through the baseball offseason with Warriors games to distract me. I think I’m actually enjoying this season even more because the team is such an interesting work in progress.
Matt’s post was simply that it was a fun game to watch, and it was. That’s why most people watch, to be entertained. Even if they blow it again in June against the Cass (let’s face it, could there be any other possible match up?) It was still a fun game to watch last night, as are most of their games.
Glad you’re enjoying them
So you mean the Warriors “only kinda won”
Defense doesn’t take talent but some primmadonna’s that joined this year will need Mike Brown’s boot or Ron Adam’s shriek in order to have it become part of their dna.
Huff’s tremendous 2010 generated 5.8 WAR. But he was not team leader:
Andres Torres, behind some stellar UZR defensive metrics, had 6.3 fWAR. Offensively, he had a 125 wRC+ fueled by a .268/.343/.479 line, with 16 HRs and 26 SBs. Wow!
Others by wRC+:
Posey 134
Burrell 136
Uribe 102
Sanchez 104
Renteria 94
Sandoval 96
Schierholtz 83
Ross 126
Rowand 78
Whiteside 92
The turning point of that 2010 season was July. “Rally Thong” September and October get the attention, but the Giants went from a .500 fourth place team to in contention with a great July, fueled by Buster Posey (NL Rookie and Player of the Month)), Huff, and, yes, Andres Torres. All three of those guys had monster Julys, and that was the under-the-radar key to that championship season.
Torres–well, he was Mr. Everything. Sparkplug at the top of the lineup, real pop with the HRs and doubles, clutch hits (he had some ridiculous number of walk-off hits), and stellar D in CF. My heart goes out to him and his young children. This will be a very tough Christmas for them.
The turning point was the July road trip starting on the first- they lost the first two with MadBum and Timmy taking the losses.Then Ishi hit the slam off of Ubaldo, and they went on to have a great trip, winning 6 of the last 7. Travis had 11 RBIs in 10 games. We talked about that road trip before. Ishi was the unsung hero of the road trip that could have sunk them.
I have my own memory of that Ishi grand slam. We went on a three-week trip to Italy in June 2010 to celebrate our 50th birthdays. The Giants went in the tank on that trip, including a desultory sweep by the Dodgers at AT & T. For the last leg of that trip, we spent a night in NY. My brother texted me that night about how awful the Giants were playing, and I said “Don’t worry. We’ll be back in California tomorrow and will take charge.”
The next afternoon we got on our cross-country flight home and as we landed, I heard about Ishi’s slam off Ubaldo–so unlikely considering how dominant he was that first half and how badly the Giants were playing. I took full credit for having arrived back on home soil just in time!
Gee, I can’t top that. I just remember that they had lost 7 in a row before the Ishi game and with Timmy and MadBum dropping the 1st two in Colorado, and facing Jiménez in the third game- well, things didn’t look too good. What a season that was. The most exciting and torturous season I had ever seen. And I’ve seen quite a few. Now I’m outta here for awhile, keep these dunderheads in line for me.
You take care, Chef. I’ll hold down the fort.
I wish you a happy Brisket.
It was very nice to see members of the Giants come out to support Torres. Heavy hearts indeed.
To me, I think Buster’s GS in Milwaukee kick-started their push towards good things. Doesn’t hurt that San Diego lost 10 straight late in the season to help things out too.
Ishi also had a 94 .BTW, Torres led the team in xtra base hits, quite rare for a lead-off hitter.
Just stopping by to wish all of you the happiest of Holidays. See ya.
The same to you.
Right back at ya.
https://diamonddiariesdotnet.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/holliday.jpg
Note- try to be kind to those folks who have mental disorders. Most of us have a family member or friend who has suffered from a mental illness. I’m sure that you don’t blame them for it.
I don’t blame you.
We can all be your Pals!
Happy Holidays, Mike, to you and your family.
Say hi to Merna. We all still miss Zeke and the Kitty.
Saw mention of Emanuel Burris (sp?) earlier. It made me recall several years back when I ventured from Tallahassee to Augusta just to catch a weekend of Giants minor league ball. Friday night, Saturday, and DH Sunday. Burris was the SS, Eugenio Velez the 2B. They dazzled the entire weekend in the field, and sprayed line drives all over the park. I returned to Tallahassee comfortable that in a few short years the SF infield was in good hands. It taught me a lesson. I had not made a mistake by avoiding a big league scout’s career.
You know, the Giants scouts thought enough of Burriss to draft him 33rd overall in the 2006 draft.
Also, he had a nice rookie season in 2008: 274 plate appearances, hit .283 with .357 obp and with 13 stolen bases. He certainly had speed and could play up the middle, but had no power. You could say that Kelby Tomlinson has some Burriss to his game.
Yes on Tomlinson, but with hopefully more success. I want him or Slater patrolling CF before the season’s over. I’m not fond of CFers with no arm, or should I say a spam arm?
because of this piece about burris, that was on that showtime show, “the franchise”, they did in 2011, i’ll always remember what a good kid he is. just watch from about the 5 minute mark, and you’ll see what i mean..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPznCUtuQtE
Steve — Thanks for the link. I am now honored to have watched him in Augusta. A real man, that Emmannuel Burriss (despite his concentration of consonants). I’m a Burriss fan.
Happy 40th birthday to Emanuel Burris.
One of your MyGuys
Recently noticed the TWG thumbnail icon in the window tab for this web site – also shows up for smartphone shortcut icon. So congrats GG, and thanks for making this place Big Time!
Good mornin’ Scout. You’re obviously heading for the coffee pot. Here in France, it’s time for a modest Bordeaux. Joyeux Noel.
Good evening! I use the little espresso maker for one cup first thing after letting the dogs out to go to the bathroom. Salud.
Yes, good morning Scout. Only 61 days until pitchers and catchers report. Are you going to FanFest in February? If so, we’ll have to meet up.
That’s like 2 months. Doable. Pretty soon it will be January. The days until Xmas get shorter and fewer!
FanFest ain’t my cup of tea, but I hope you meet up with some other TWGers. I hear it is mayhem!
We’ll get you up here for a River Cats game sometime. Crawnik lives in this area, too.
I haven’t been to Fanfest since 2007. That was the first year they had it inside the park, and it was nuts. I listen to the radio coverage and watch the videos every year, but those kinds of crowds aren’t my style, either.
Before 2007, Fanfest was in an adjacent warehouse and much more manageable. It was at one of those where I got my signed Kincade print of the park during the 2002 World Series (he was there personally signing them) and also won a $500 Chevron gas card in a raffle! They had auditions for singing the National Anthem, and Mr. L and both girls tried out. The younger one, who was nine at the time, got the furthest in the competition. Anyway, we had lots of fun at that one, and I wish it was still like that.
Many moons ago they held a Fan Fest at Fort Mason. That one was fun! I can’t remember what year that was but Rich Aurilia autographed my jacket 🙂
We will have to catch a River Cats game this year as I am in the area now!
Awesome–you’re on! There’s a contingent of us living up here now–Crawnik, Moooooooooose, SweetSwing22, and others. Welcome to the neighborhood!
EDIT: I’m sure I forgot & misspelled a couple names. Had my oral surgery yesterday. Still a bit drugged out. 🙂
I went there in 1998. Had my picture taken with Brian Johnson.
I was at the 2007 All-Star Game FanFest at Moscone Center. 3 floors of craziness, but you could move around without feeling cramped. Ran into Tom Tolbert too.
You and the Lefty Family are brave souls. I saw pictures of the long lines one year and said “no thanks”.
Do the River Cats have anything similar?
They do, and I think they draw 5000 people or so.
If you get/see a date for this, can you post it? Hopefully I’m in town. Thanks
Will do! Hey, you should come with a bunch of us to the R’Cats, too. Does Mrs. KIR like baseball?
Yep. We keep procrastinating about going to see the River Cats more. Between my Bay Area job and her RNing…syncing for a game can be a challenge.
When I get my tix and the schedule, I’ll try to find a date–probably a weekend–that would work for a bunch of us. I can turn in tickets for games we’re not going to for a bunch of tickets for another date if I plan ahead.
This could be a very interesting year for the River Cats. We could have the two top prospects–Beede and Arroyo–in town, among others.
Hey Craw, did you say you got Opening Day tickets? We’re going for the first time this year (well, first for Mr. L; my brother took me to Zito’s inauspicious debut in 2007). I got a Cyber Monday four-game package–giving a couple games away to family members as Christmas gifts, but keeping Opening Day for ourselves!
I noticed at Costco the other day that they actively sell Giants tickets. They have a video running of Giants highlights at table/kiosk that is pretty close to the front entrance.
I should check and see if we can get them through the Mr’s new work. They have this enormous “Perks at Work” website where you can buy just about everything–clothing, electronics (Mr. L is getting a new iPad for Christmas through that–sssshhh), travel agency, even a car-buying service! You get some rewards points for buying stuff through their site. Being such a huge firm, I guess their buying power is good. Family get memberships, too (obviously, since I have one).
Have not purchased Opening Day tix yet. The prices on Stubhub right now are crazy high. Will probably purchase them sometime in February. Will definitely let you know where Mrs. Crawnik and myself will be sitting. We usually go for either Club Level or Arcade.
Just noticed that too–I have the site bookmarked on the home page of my iPad, and the logo shows up there.
Well, I guess Happiest of “Hollidays” isn’t that funny. Not even a chuckle. Or perhaps it’s too soon.
At any rate, I suppose I’ll withdraw my application to the Shoebox division of Hallmark.
In the absence of this clue, it went right over my simple-minded head…
Uhhh, something tells me the physics professor’s head knows a thing or two about quantum theory and the geometry of the non-Euclidean variety. Far from simple, but thinking about the world in the most simplistic terms possible would seem to have calming benefits. There is no Trump. There is no Exxon Mobile CEO appointed to Secretary of State. There is no crisis in Syria or the beleaguered local downtown metropolis. The earth, the sky, ommmmmmmmmmmmm…
It often occurs to me that the real world and the quantum world are quite different, and that the former is the one that is much harder to understand. (present times being slam-dunk proof). But you always keep me on my toes, and heck, I do understand your stuff most of the time (not as well as Matthew does, I’m afraid). But I was absolutely stumped this morning because of not recognizing the player!
Jon Heyman @JonHeyman 4m4 minutes ago
#SFGiants feel ok at 3B but will look at utility types, including corner guys. plenty in that market.
Good morning my fellow power hungry friend. Can one of these corner guys swing a big stick?
http://www.madridlittleleagueschedule.com/uploads/6/8/5/4/6854455/5108165_orig.jpg
PS – this would not be good. He seems to have legitimate power and Lord Vader may be convincing enough.
https://twitter.com/jonmorosi/status/809075104705638400
Selfie ?
Dressing up like cavemen would be a pretty cool initiation event for rookies. And if one of them wanted to dress up like cave-woman, of his own volition, that should be okay.
Players will overcome this nonsense. They should take all the Times in Historys and dress like men in battle. Let Beede be George Washington with that hair piece.
Nice. And if someone wants to dress like Martha Washington or Sally Hemings, of their own volition, that should be okay too.
Probably to dress like Marth or Sally – they would be required to sign some kind of release form. Sigh….SMH. Dream BIG.
Can’t hit the curveball, vulnerable high and tight. Warning track power.
Giants Auction
http://link.mlblists.com/r/UJZFA0/N1LMD0/5C9DRIU/FX58KP6/BKUOA7/5Z/h?a=11049459&b=951044093
How many items are left on the “things that need to be banned” list before we’re positive that no one will ever have to go through the terrible trauma of being offended?
Bad breath?
Altoids?
Mock the Turtle.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/f991bff8401899ee7ec5191d55c41965908112ab2ea59d3b91ee0ef60a146052.png
But Alice doesn’t live here anymore.
I shall teleport you and others here for a few meals
http://www.blacksbbq.com/site/lockhart-menu
Cholesterol à gogo. Side dish: half a pound of statins.
A drill sergeant is no longer allowed to yell at…bully…or reprimand a recruit.
Seems to depend now a days on ones political bent, gender and religious beliefs as to whether “I am offended” – governs the day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5d3VDrcjOo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1o4s1KVJaVA
Orioles add some “Beef” behind the dish; Wellington style.
An exciting time for the hot stove.
Good thing he went to the Junior Circuit. He seemed to have his way with the Giants. Not all the time though.
James Harden or Denard Span?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0-efzEcFZI
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/two-old-ladies-take-down-carjacking-gang/ar-AAlxwSX?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=mailsignout
“I stood up and put the toe of my boot in a socially significant place,” Ben-Shalom told The Daily Beast. “I told him if he tried to move or do anything, he would walk very funny for the rest of his life and pee through a tube.
“I have to tell you, I meant every word,” she added.
Tim Federowicz ✔ @FedX19
Very excited about my new opportunity with the @SFGiants. Spring training can’t come soon enough.
Grant Brisbee’s article contains a Triple-A hitting comparison chart of Trevor Brown and Tim Federowicz, and this analysis:
“Last year was about as good as we can expect from Trevor Brown. He’s younger, sure, but nothing in his minor-league career suggests he can hit any better than a replacement-level backup catcher. He hit five homers last year, which almost doubled his career total, except three of those came in his first eight plate appearances of the season, in Coors. He hit .230/.278/.309 for the rest of the season, which is about right.”
http://www.mccoveychronicles.com/2016/12/14/13954998/giants-tim-federowicz-minor-league-deal
I’m on record not being in on Brown….
Down on Brown
I thought Alex Pavlovic was going on vacation. But he has a new podcast all about Melancon, which includes an interview with Mark.
http://www.csnbayarea.com/page/giants-insider-podcast-alex-pavlovic
Questo blog fa schifo! è peggio di un mortorio ormai.
Tu sai che è inverno in questo collo dei boschi, giusto Chef Boyardee?
I wish you could understand my language and the output of Google translator of your sentence ! You could die laughing.
Why would you need Google translator to understand my sentence?
You should need to understand italian and how Google translator translated your sentence from English to Italian. LMAO. Google translator sucks indeed. Got it now? Over.
P.s: This is the literal re- translation from italian into english of the sentence produced by GT:
“You know it’s winter in this neck of the woods”. LOL
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/e9dddd3c407ba275c8bec0d0dd75e5bfb7ec7bd9606c5eb6e9fc91a2ee566f1c.jpg
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/783a4dbdf10ecfe4a781eacd7746bb238672f6c4e82a90beb0b82fa55d60d777.jpg
Your kind of humor needs to be improved. Try it again, Lon.
OK Russ here we go http://www.italyheaven.co.uk/sicily/cefalu.html https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/d88c545277ad8b0246383f4c2cd451ada6160af0eeb6675fdde7305a48246c51.jpg
New Post: http://fe0.84e.myftpupload.com/giants-offseason-news/why-the-giants-should-not-platoon-mac-williamson-and-jarrett-parker/