by
Greek Giant
Happy San Francisco Giants 2010 World Series Champions Day everyone! Six years ago today our heroes became World Series champions for the first time since the New Yorkers moved San Francisco. It was a glorious moment in my life and I remember it well. I have always believed that the World Series is the hardest championship to win in team sports. I have zero data to back that up. I have no logical or mathematical evidence for you. I just have experience watching many team sports over 40 years. There is something about baseball, the equality between teams, the unknown factors that go into every game. The sheer unpredictability of a baseball contest is part of its charm.
For the Giants, that unpredictability worked against them in October for 55 years. The last time the Giants had won a title was in 1954 when Willie Mays was king and our team was still playing at the Polog Grounds. Then 2010 happened! It was the year of Timmy, the Horse, MadBum, Buster and Cody Ross. Everything came together magically to give the Giants the title. Bit players played like stars. Sabean and Co. made phenomenal moves in the middle of the season to craft a champion. Remember that Javy Lopez, Freddy Sanchez, Cody Ross and Pat Burrell were all acquired around the same time during the 2010 season. It was a remarkable move of front office creativity to strengthen the team so convincingly without sacrificing any starting players or pitchers.
Bruce Bochy guided the newcomers and rookies alike with a deft hand and created a winning atmosphere that laid the ghosts of 1962 and 2002 to rest for good.
Now let’s get to the game: Timmy was sensation. In the biggest game of his life he was close to perfect, allowing only a Nelson Cruz solo homer to do damage in going 8 innings and giving up that lone run. He was the man who delivered a ring to San Francisco and became an instant legend. His fastball was darting corner to corner. His change up was devastating and his slider/curve was going in and out, up and down with great effectiveness.
Then there is Edgar Renteria. The aging veteran shortstop hit the biggest home run in SF Giants history in the 7th inning with two on and two out. Pat Burrell had just struck out with runners on second and third. Things were looking bleak and then on an 2-0 pitch, as Cliff Lee was tiring, Renteria lined a high fastball over the left-center field wall in that fateful at bat that will live forever in Giants lore.
I remember watching the game with my parents. My dad had recently recovered from a quadruple bypass and times were intense in our family. Though my parents were not Giants fans at the time, the excitement of the Giants run and the history behind their futility heightened their interest. I knew once the Giants beat the Phillies they were going to win it all. I just had a feeling. I knew nobody was going to beat Timmy and Cain in a best of 7. When Brian Wilson’s high slider fooled Nelson Cruz for strike three and the final out of the game, the party was on.
The rest is history. Enjoy the memories.
The Game
Breckeroni laughed.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/the-rock-was-pikachu-for-halloween-and-his-daughter-wouldnt-let-him-stop-dancing_us_581889c9e4b0990edc3352ad
Yeah, Texas being favored in that series was truly unbelievable. I remember talking to my dad after winning the NLCS and being shocked when he said he thought the Rangers would win. I said, you think we’re gonna beat Philly and LOSE to Texas? You’re outta your mind. And then just two years later, the oddsmakers had Detroit as substantial favorites, which made even less sense to me. I bet the series and bet us in Game One vs Verlander. I think they were -180 or something ridiculous in that first game.
I remember Sabean being a little miffed about that. The Giants won more games that season than the Rangers did. And like you said, they’d already beaten the Phillies, who at the time were two-time defending NL champions.
There are an abundance of “Great Moments in Giants Post Season History”
This is THE greatest in my lifetime and cannot ever be surpassed…
And……..yet those with short memories forgot that prior to 10-12 and 14 we grimaced over 89 and 2002. We got “fire Bochy” and all the muckEmuck.
A nice thing about Halloween here vs. the city- the trick or treaters aren’t packing heat.
Game 5 final Umpire Pitch data
Final pitch f/x numbers for World Series Gm 5 HP Umpire Tony Randazzo:
94/97 Balls + 50/57 Strikes = 144/154 = 93.5%. +0 Neutral.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/430b61904c1bba7f96e31f589f2685b0847f4d01da900e04aa5ebf8950ceb2da.jpg
There is a seam spec too.
Country Joe has the dish tonight….ought to be tons of fun
Joe runs the show and he leaves no doubt about it. I like him. His line in the sand is the essential Joe West.
His strike zone is too high
Hitters need to adjust, as they should with any umpire. Beats Robo umps.
IN MY OPINION.
HOW PETER OF YOU!
I agree, but it’s tough for pitchers like Tomlin to adjust. He’s a dukey low ball pitcher by nature
Just like his pants. He can’t bend over.
Kiss your kids when you get home even if they are already asleep and in bed.
They grow up fast https://www.instagram.com/p/BMRbUP_Blm9/
They get the real Buster Hugs
Wonder why Baggs was shocked that Panik was a finalist?
http://www.mercurynews.com/2016/10/27/giants-net-three-gold-glove-finalists-brandon-crawford-buster-posey-and-a-surprising-third-name/
Joe missed a lot of playing time this season. I’m happy he found his stroke before the end of the season, so that he hasn’t got that to worry about all winter.
He had a bad year. I’m sure it will be on his mind, regardless of how the last few games went.
The Baez hype is over. Fangraph illustrates why, beyond he has sucked at the plate on the biggest stage, by laying it out AB by miserable AB.
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/javier-baez-has-muted-his-own-hype/
He’s 23 years old he has played one full season, during which he hit .273 with 14 HRs.. He has amazing talent. The hype isn’t close to being over.
I think it may be from him, for at least a while. He even embarrassed a lot of Cubs fans, and that takes some doing, especially this year. There’s a rumor someone started little packs of mustard in his locker in the clubhouse.
As a prelude to the offseason, a good look at scouting directors across the MLb scene.
https://i.imgur.com/CPSK7ib.png
http://www.hardballtimes.com/scouting-the-scouting-directors-part-1/
Is Alvise Contarini doing “OK” in Italy. Footage last night was bleak. The Vatican was 100 miles away and yet they were worried.
Has he checked in?
He was here this morning and even showed photos of some of the damage. I don’t think it was in/near Venice where he is, though.
Thanks
He said a few days ago that Venice is built on soft soils, not the rocky bits that are shaking. He seemed totally unconcerned for his own city, and I reckon he knows what’s what.
Great, thanks!
He must not be a believer in surface liquefaction. That was the killer in the San Francisco earthquakes.
See above. It’s already liquid.
No, actually it’s not, at least the substructure isn’t. Shake hard, things sink still hold true.
“In this paper we present the geological effects induced by the 2012
Emilia seismic sequence in the Po plain. Extensive liquefaction
phenomena were observed over an area of ~1200 km2 following the May 20,
Ml 5.9 and May 29, Ml 5.8 mainshocks, both occurred on about E-W
trending, S dipping blind thrust faults. We collected the coseismic
geological evidence through field and aerial surveys, reports from local
people and web-based survey. On the basis of their morphologic and
structural characteristics we grouped the 1362 effects surveyed into
three main categories: liquefaction (485), fractures with liquefaction
(768), fractures (109). We show that the quite uneven distribution of
liquefaction effects, that appear concentrated and aligned, is mostly
controlled by the presence of paleo-river beds, out-flow channels and
fans of the main rivers crossing the area; these terrains are
characterized by the pervasive presence of sandy layers in the uppermost
5 m, a local feature that, along with the presence of a high water
table, greatly favours liquefaction. We also find that the maximum
distance of observed liquefaction from the earthquake epicentre is ~30
km, in agreement with the regional empirical relations available for the
Italian Peninsula. Finally, we observe that the contour of the
liquefaction observations has an elongated shape almost coinciding with
the aftershock area, the InSAR deformation area, and the I≥6 EMS area.
This observation confirms the control of the earthquake source on the
liquefaction distribution, and provides useful hints in the perspective
of the characterization of the seismogenic source responsible for
historical and pre-historical liquefactions.”
Liquefaction phenomena associated with the Emilia earthquake sequence of May-June 2012 (Northern Italy)
Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences (NHESS) 2013.
What a blog this is. From baseball specifications to this treatise. The Kobe earthquake involved liquefaction if I remember right, and did more damage than they’d thought possible. But Alvise did seem pretty casual about Venice’s situation.
The dugout calls a challenge on big words and complex topics.
The preceding is a transcript from the replay room in New York…..
“The call stands”
It was BAPAH.
Buzz Kill. I was just trying to be humorous since there’s so much water. My point was how does one liquify a liquid.
No need to worry about liquefaction if the city is already sitting in liquid.
You are being extremely anti social lately. Get your ass back in this room and stay awhile.
No Bap’s right Mateo.
Anyway, he’s probably up in the Dolomites. He posted an awesome video two days ago.
An OLD trip to Venice
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/3543923cc9057a56c63f630753383a99cd3cb5cd41630f7bbf8e7d3996a71e25.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/cd7b62a2ac9a76767590e2d6ff83145b9683c2b9e9f14e83ee45da0e768650dc.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/71ab028ee32df22a24d67f519eda4610862531073f9a3cc3d817cd7d837e1737.jpg
Congrats to the Tomlinsons on the safe arrival of little Huck. He’ll have playmates with other 2016 Giants boys Mack Stratton and Braxton Crawford.
https://twitter.com/kelby_tomlinson/status/793572728275996675
That is a true middle infielder!
What a ‘pen’.
That’s a very Giants player baby name. Go, Huck!
Huck?
I know.
Wait. What is this child’s name?
Huck McCoy Tomlinson.
It REALLY needed to be Huck Sawyer Tomlinson
God, I love it when the Dr. gets my corny lit humor
I took a whole graduate course on Twain…love him. Love American lit in general.
Little mini-thread on a friend’s FB page today, re best American author: Hemingway or Steinbeck? I went Steinbeck, but *real* tough call.
At some point, Gresham. Cussler, Irving deserve to be a part of this discussion. Book sales matter.
Clancy, too.
Yep. I remember not sleeping one night, too scared while reading The Shining. Best American author? Lets broaden the scope of the question.
Had the same feeling when I read The Exorcist. Major page-turner.
Classic American literature, Star Trek science officer – nice choice.
Joe Buck is pissed that Kelby took this first.
And thank YOU, Dr. Lefty, aka our social media mama bear, for keeping us in the loop on our Giants’ family fun and exciting news. I’m sure you’ll have inside pics from Hunter and Lexi’s Big Fat Greek Wedding! Can’t wait!!
It’s sad that the Giants aren’t in the World Series, but it’s nice that Crawford got to take his little ones trick-or-treating, Hunter and Lexi had the best costumes, and Kelby got to be there for the birth of his child.
There’s no doubt that Crawford is a wonderful Daddy and Hubby, but the boys are gonna ROAST him for going all-in on Jalynne’s costume direction.
Last year, there was a dad that came to the door with his wife and two kids. They all had this walking-doughnut thing going….he had that “I’ve been castrated” look
LOL!!
Who’s the little White Altuve singing the anthem?
Drunk Pete Rose remains entertaining
Freak is on our Day of the Dead altar, just to make it interesting:
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/3e919131db436c40a7cf79d7912e3f19f48e61d097298972ea3151c71bd5115b.jpg
(p.s. Gracias, Walt, who sent me the bobblehead!) :o)
Awwww, Big Time Timmy Jim. He was so amazing that night.
And beautiful Snorkel
The spirit of our beloved Snorkel lives on! Maybe Paul can grace us with one of those great pix of “OurGuy”!
This is one of my favorites, which I posted recently – he’s sitting in my lap in the cab of a 26′ Penske when we moved back to Calif. in 2005:
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/5fe3665b07b5bd7dc1755da15a51a2f5cbe570de023451f016f9e13cebafee40.jpg
Love it!
Napoli makes the difference tonight.
Why am I nervous? I’m not a fan of either team.
I love baseball
Joe West calling balls and strikes in a World Series Elimination game??? Gimme a break MLB
November 1, 2010. Our first World Series Championship. In my 50th season as a diehard Giants fan, we were the Champions! I’m not embarrassed to say I cried. For more than a couple of minutes, I was a puddle. Then I cheered, I jumped for joy, I hugged my wife and called my lifelong, fellow 50-year Giants fan best buddy! It was 4:00 AM EDT before I could even think about sleep. For almost three weeks I would call my buddy and just say “bro…we’re World Series Champions!”
I’ve watched this game at least 10 times, and at the end–when FOX showed every player celebrating after strike three, I cry again. Every. Single. Time. I’ve always said nothing will ever be as sweet as the first one.
I was in such shock that I almost took that win for granted at that point. For moi, 2014 was the best because it was so unexpected, and ended so dramatically.
Then again, there was the sweep in 2012… :o)
That was the only year we did not play any elimination games. In 2014 we played only two: the first one, and the last one.
Bad 0-2 pitch
That was a base hit in the 1st Joe. Not unusual. Easy does it.
Russell gets a 3B error and goes wild on third.
I reckon they can’t ‘act like you’ve been here before’…
Zobrist was hot-dogging on first, unnecessarily blew up the catcher (who’d already dropped the ball, which was easily visible), and was screaming and fist-pumping after scoring on an ERROR. What a tool. I wonder if he learned to be such a jerk when he was on the Royals or if he’s always been that way?
Yup. Zobrist went all roid rage after bowling over the catcher. Take that stuff to the dugout
He was drooling around home plate.
Just think…on November 1, 2022 when Croatian Cub does a new post on We Finally Did It about “Great Moments in Cubs Post Season History” with a link to game 6 of the 2016 World Series…..
We finally found a team with a worse CF than the Giants. Naquin was -18 on Defensive Runs Saved this year. That’s like 2015 Angel Pagan bad. That was just brutal what he did out there.
Game changer. Also blame Chisenhall some…he cut in front of him with no intent to catch the ball. Chisenhall has been shaky all World Series. STILL, the CF has to take charge there.
Yep, they were both bad, but it’s the CF’s responsibility. That should have been a routine fly ball, inning over. I feel bad for Tomlin.
Yup. Sucked all the energy out of the park and changed the game. Should be 1-0
Replays have improved baseball.
Looks like the CY Arrieta tonight (through 2).
Watching Arrieta through 2 innings is like watching Brady carve up a defense in the 1st quarter. Translation: this could get boring in a hurry.
Hey, Footy Scout’s wish finally came true! The Giants signed Josh Johnson to a minor league deal.
Is he a pitcher? Can’t remember.
He was a very good starting pitcher for the Marlins 5-6 years ago. He’s been horribly injury-prone, and I think he’s had two(?) TJ surgeries.
Oh yeah – gracias!
Facebook Live looks to be a great advance in human development….
I’m already tired of it. Getting notifications that some FB acquaintance is doing some live thing I don’t care about.
Ughh….Zuckerberg is ruining human communication.
And he’s censoring news. Nice boy.
Word. Actually got one last week: “here I am raking the leaves”. Ugh.
Maybe I should do one from “the throne” and see how many likes I get.
Cialis too
Naquin looks terrible out there.
Good grief, Naquin. Go away. Tito should put Miller in the outfield. He does everything else.
Is he going to be the Cubs version of Bartman?
The last time the Cubs won the World Series, they didn’t earn it, either–they only won because of Merkle’s Boner. It would be funny if they finally win another one and don’t deserve it.
All I know is Kluber better get a good night sleep.
How would they not deserve it? Because the other team made an error?
Well, the grand slam made it moot, but let’s say they won 3-2, and the outfielders muffing a routine fly ball allowed two of the runs to score. That would be Merkel-esque.
Any Merkle’s Boner reference deserves multiple stars!
You must know Merkle pretty well.
I learned about baseball from a 1950’s digest that was laying around the house. Bonehead Merkle, Sal Maglie. Larry Sherry.
We have a kid in the Chicago office named Chris Merkle…guess what I say when he messes something up? Only the true baseball fans get it
Looking forward to when Showalter defines the Zach Britton rule.
It’s early in game 6, but this world series is oddly reminiscent of last year’s NBA finals…
Fix?
Did Napoli smack Schwarber’s boys?
3-1 lead, closely contested game 5, blowout in game 6 (yet to be seen), classic game 7 comeback (yet to be seen)
There’s your blowout in Game 6.
ssssshhhhhhhhuuuuuuussssshhhhhhhhh they might pull a Giants…
Tomlin had nothing for the LHH.
And in the immortal words of the late Jack Buck, “…and we’ll see you, tomorrow night.”
And Junior blows a hammy on the GS call. Game Seven here we come.
Cubs are really full of themselves. Over the top, IMHO.
Cant stand them. They are very talented but I really want to see them lose.
Things are look promissing tonight
That couple had a “these tickets cost a lot” looks on their faces
I was thinking the EXACT same thing.
Dontcha love this blog?!
I do. I really do.
Wellll…the Warriors/Portland game will hopefully be entertaining…
See?! Kontos isn’t so bad…
Huh. Been wondering what Dan Otero’s been up to.
As an exGiant, he’s getting even for being traded to the A’s.
That was the most obnoxious run around the bases that I’ve ever seen
They really are easy to hate.
Comeon, they’re kids.
young kids at that. they are not old and stale needing to shake things up like the Giants….
Zobrist is 35. He HAS kids, but he isn’t one.
Cherry picker. Russell is who got your goat.
I actually think Russel might be the most mature player they have. He doesn’t fit on that team
Generally speaking, the young Giants have a more muted reaction. Not all of them…but I think these young Cubs are a bit overly animated…that can be annoying
Young Giants do not produce to get exited. 🙂
Mmmmmright
Giants youngest starting position player was 25 the next youngest was 28. The cubs have 6 starters in todays game at 26 or younger.
You talking 2016? Our “kids” won 3 titles during those youth years…
Actually only 1 of your starting kids won 3 titles. 3 if you count pitchers.
So the 2 that Belt and Crawford have count, too. My point remains…”our kids won 3 titles…”
Your kids are not there yet.
lol
young and Giants do not go together. Youngest starter is Panik at 25. Then Belt at 28. The Cubs have 5 starters 25 or younger starting tonight. That is something to get exited about. The Cubs starters enter their prime when the Giants Core is retiring.
Oh, come on. Bumgarner and Posey were 21 and 23 in 2010. Lincecum and Cain were 26. Sandoval was 23. Belt was 24 in 2012 and Crawford was 25. Panik was 23 when the Giants won in 2014.
I could’ve sworn I just watched a game on youtube yesterday where Joe Buck is telling me that Bumgarner and Posey are the youngest World Series Battery in MLB history.
The Cubs have an aging, declining rotation. Lackey will be 38 next season, Lester 33, Arrieta 31. The Giants’ rotation, if it includes Blach, will be 32 (Samardzija), 31 (Cueto), Moore (27), Bumgarner (27), and Blach (26). They’re in their prime while the Cubs’ core is headed for the nursing home.
You make the Cubs starters sound so old yet they shut down the Giants this year. The Giants starting rotation was an average age of 30.6 this year to start the season. That is not far off from the Cubs 31.6. Even with Moore the late acquisition, the Giants staff including Cain was 29.6 years old. That rotation at the end of the year in which Blach is included will be 28.6 next year.
What it shows you is that any team that wants to swallow $20-$40M in dead weight money (Cain and Peavey this year)and spend $220M for 2 older starters under long term contracts can suddenly turn their rotation younger and quickly. In another 2 years though they become the old players driving up that age right back to 31.
To the point though is it is not age rather mileage and breakdowns. The Cubs starting 5 was 31.6 including the ancient 1 Lackey. Not a single starter had an ERA above 4. In fact the Cubs starters ERA for the Cubs was under 3.00 as a team this year. Not to shabby for playing in a hitters park . That ERA was that was 0.75 runs lower per game than the Giants starters who pitch in a pitchers park. Lackey the ancient one under contract for 1 more year by the way a 3.35 ERA this year.
So the Cubs have 1 long term pitchers contract in Lester. The Giants will have 3 long term very expensive contracts if they want to keep Bumgarner. That boy should break the bank and command $30M a year or what his entire last deal was. Will the Giants add 4 or 5 more years at $30M per year? Lester got a 6 year deal with 2 peak years at $27.5M a year if you are looking for comps.
To that point, the Cubs rotation is as good if not better than the Giants staff for the net 2 to 3 years baring injuries. Neither Pen is that good outside of Chapman. So the Cubs just need to solve the reliever role, the Giants? They need to solve why they suck at scoring runs. They have an old outfield and an aging and unproductive infield which is aparent by my initial post of the age of the starters on the Giants vs the Cubs.
Enjoy the game, the Giants have very good starting pitching. I would have prefered the Cubs not to play them but as it goes to show, the Cubs had the better pitching staff through the season and in the playoffs. It will be interesting how the Giants create more offense and build a Pen that can be reliable and work. As I noted over and over, the amount of 1 run games that the Giants Pen was forced to hold for 3 or more innings was rediculous. They need to score more.
Numb nutts. Typical Cubs fan, ignorant as hell.
If you haven’t known that since he first showed up, then . . .
because Giants did not have to endure a century of losing seasons.
only half a century.
56 years is nothing to sneeze at.
Nor have I seen 22-year-old Lindor making a spectacle of himself, and he’s had an excellent World Series.
So Josh Johnson hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2013 and has had THREE Tommy John surgeries. Even the Kyle Blanks re-signing is more compelling than THAT.
It’s the lightning in a bottle strategy.
…If the bottle is already in jagged shards.
These Cubs are the new Giants. You have to put them away immediately or they will comeback. They won’t give up. Now the favorites are the Cubs. Warriors Cavs all over again.
I wouldn’t call them favorites, Kluber in game 7.
But they have the momentum. Is over. Cleveland is choking.
The Giants lost Game 6 10-0 in 2014 and had to play Game 7 on the road with Tim Hudson starting. How’d that momentum turn out for the Royals?
And I was JUST thinking THAT!
I like the Cubs but I want Cleveland to win. Can’t stand the media treating them like the best team ever.
I’ll drink 2 that!
Captain Puig.
Did anyone notice how the Cubs’ players are breathing? In, out, in, out….so arrogant and annoying.
Not as annoying as you!
But pretty close.
Yes those chest beatings and primal screams are more in line with Tarzan movies.
Was worried that Francona riding Kluber, Tomlin and Miller so hard might come back to bite him. He has one more game to prove his strategy right. If Kluber falters after having such a fabulous post season, it only proves even more that Bumgarner is a man among boys….
Hey Larry Baer regarding Bum :
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/01fc4b8f5d097607ca2cab3a3f1337439f2d5ca0743e15902223b02e6be438b3.jpg
The good news is that after tomorrow, hopefully, everyone can move on from the Bruce Springsteen “Glory Days” theme and start arguing about the future.
I’ll bet you concentrate on the Niners and Curry.
Both are current.
All I know is that if I were Merkle, I’d be pretty proud that people were still talking about my boner decades later.
Knowledgeable fans would still scoff at you.
He’s the Ron Jeremy of baseball
:On September 23, 1908, while playing for the New York Giants in a game against the Chicago Cubs, while he was 19 years old (the youngest player in the National League), Merkle committed a baserunning error that became known as “Merkle’s Boner” and earned him the nickname “Bonehead.”
In the bottom of the 9th inning, Merkle came to bat with two outs, and the score tied 1–1. At the time, Moose McCormick was on first base. Merkle singled and McCormick advanced to third. Al Bridwell, the next batter, followed with a single of his own. McCormick trotted to home plate, apparently scoring the winning run. The fans in attendance, under the impression that the game was over, ran onto the field to celebrate.
Meanwhile, Merkle ran to the Giants’ clubhouse without touching second base. Cubs second baseman Johnny Evers noticed this, and after retrieving a ball and touching second base he appealed to umpire Hank O’Day, who would later manage the Cubs, to call Merkle out. Since Merkle had not touched the base, the umpire called him out on a force play, meaning that McCormick’s run did not count.
The run was therefore nullified, the Giants’ victory erased, and the score of the game remained tied. Unfortunately, the thousands of fans on the field (as well as the growing darkness in the days before large electric light rigs made night games possible) prevented resumption of the game, and the game was declared a tie. The Giants and the Cubs ended the season tied for first place and had a rematch at the Polo Grounds, on October 8. The Cubs won this makeup game, 4–2, and thus the National League pennant.:
Accounts vary, but most if not all agree Evers did not retrieve the ball that was in play. Including the baseball Gods, as the Cubs have not won a World Series since.
So, it’s really a Boner Curse?
No comment.
The curse of bad baserunning transcends decades, as it should.
It was commonplace at the time. No one had ever been called out for that before. Evers tried it with the same ump a couple of weeks before and the ump wouldn’t have it.
The goat guy stole it
Arrieta is semi hard…a couple homers and we may have Arrieta’s Boner
(Sorry…this thread is full of dumb guy humor)
Only if you were me would you have to apologize for silly boner statements. No need when you’re a guy!
Props to Lefty for introducing Merkle’s boner into the TWG vernacular.
What’s next, Pesky’s Pole?
That term got blocked on the old blog. Meatheads.
I know. Sorry…nice new avatar!
Naquin is showing quite well tonight…
Why not pinch hit for that scrub.
Melon hea….wait, I mean Francona shoulda, coulda…oh, brother.
I guess he didn’t think Rajai would do any better
If I was Cleveland’s GM I would release Naquin immediately after the game.
But about all you get right is unscheduled bowel movements.
Lefty is gonna LOVE what Bow tie said about Russell.
Lebron decided it for me.
Go Cubs
He looks like he pets himself while he’s straightening his jacket.
Wow, if the Cubs can hold this lead and win tonight, tomorrow’s game will be the biggest game ever played in the history of the Chicago Cubs. What a chance for the goat to bleat.
Steph still making careless turnovers…maddening
E tu, Doughnut?
Ya. Gm6 is ova
2 run homer here and Chicago may have to burn Chapman…
I think they may burn him anyway. Must win
I didn’t watch a Game 6 blowout to the end even when the Giants were playing in it. Tomorrow’s another day.
I’ve been using a mantra on the Fast Break blog: give him and the Dubs 20 games to get it together…new teammates and rotations on both ends. They still have amazing talent
Steph’s been doing it his whole life so I don’t expect it to stop now. Fair enough on the team as a whole. Durant is incredible.
Well, the 2 time MVP is human, brother…I’ll take the tiny bad with unbelievable good
Definitely
Kipnis!
Gets Chapman in the game!
One of my more idiotic travel stories involves Portland and the Moda Center. A few years ago I went there for two back-to-back conferences, 8 days total. I flew to Portland on a Saturday night, and for reasons I can’t explain even now, decided I’d take the light rail from the airport instead of a cab. (I could have expensed the cab and we can afford it, anyway.) I got off the light rail at the correct stop but must have walked the wrong way.
It was dark and drizzling, and I was schlepping a roller bag, a smaller bag, a computer backpack, and my purse. I kept trying to use the Google Maps app on my phone to find out where the hell my hotel was, but I couldn’t figure it out. I walked and walked–past Voodoo Donuts and the long line, through Skid Row and all the missions to the homeless, and finally hiked up/over this long bridge to cross the river. I wandered for the better part of an hour, and all I kept thinking was “[Mr. Lefty] would KILL me if he could see me right now.”
Finally, on the other end of the bridge, there was a large arena–the Moda Center. The Blazers weren’t playing that night, but miraculously, there was a lone cab idling in front of the building, so I had him drive me to my hotel (which by then was quite a ways away).
I had to promise my husband that I would never, ever do anything like that again, and if anyone goes to Portland and is wondering how to get to the Moda Center, I know where it is now.
I hate trying to use Google maps when I walk, and it doesn’t move fast enough, and a few blocks along I find I’m going the wrong direction, and I’m too stupid to figure out which direction is correct….
Right?! I’m squinting at it in the dark, through the rain, hoping no one mugs me for the phone. I’m directionally challenged and map challenged under the best of circumstances. This was pre-Uber. You can bet I’d call an Uber now if I had it to do over. But I won’t because I’ll be in a cab, just as I promised!
I did the same thing in Chicago once. Took light rail from the airport, having been assured there’s light rail right near where I’m staying. Turns out the light rail near my hotel is some completely different private system from the regular city light rail. Got out where I thought I should, wandered around like you, not really skid row though, finally hailed a cab who drove about 10 minutes to my hotel, lol.
Yuk. You were lucky to not get rolled.
So, Joe has decided that Lester is his new closer tomorrow, I guess.
This seems a bit Mr. Cool Overmanager
Carl Edwards!
Right, in a game 7. On the road. Instead of saving Chapman.
Pedro Strop!
His GM, some dude named Scout , traded him for a random Lug Nut
Eddie Vedder!
Slim Whitman!
What is he doing? Bringing in a different reliever to face each hitter?
I hear that works really well!
It’s a HOF move.
Muy interesante!
If Chapman is hurt, Jobu just peed on Maddon’s candle
That’s a cool camera shot at 1st
That’s a cool camera shot in the water in the JBL ad!
Some unconventional managing this postseason. Really surprised to see Chapman again in the 7th with a 5 run lead.
Both teams have been dping this with their closers. Really odd.
I don’t the Chapman move is any smarter than some of the Bochyisms we witnessed this year. On the other hand, I like that baseball seems to be getting away from the idea that pitchers are so delicate.
Maybe there is something about this strategy stuff you haven’t quite got a handle on yet?
You’re right. Is still don’t have a handle on the brilliance of one pitcher per batter and Casilla facing Lamb. It somehow eludes me.
In the playoffs .. with lots of off days and sometimes with pitchers who might be on other teams next year so why not burn them out?
Francona managed this like Ron Washington did- as if this was an 11 game series, Maddon played it if was Game 7 of a 7 game series. That’s how it’s done.
Is your comment a product placement for 7-11?
I love your comment Surf, even though I don’t get it. It sounds like a good one.
Sorry, it was pretty out there.
The Chapman move was a necessity and worked wonderfully as he only had 20 pitches. Wilson used to throw 30 or more in an inning and come back the next day. The Cubs BP outside of Chapman has given up lots of runs to the Indians. At that point, you needed to shut the door and not give the Indians hope by scoring a few runs making it a 2 or 3 run game with 2 innings left.
Tito managed this as if he was conceding Game 6.Tomlin had NOTHING and Francona waited to yank him until it would only take one pitch to blow it open. Even a single would have made it 5-0 and no way they were to come back from that tonight. This is the World Series, pal. Every game is game 7, Maddon played it right, Don’t let it get to where you have to use your closer- close it out NOW.
Cmon Joe, vote for Pedro Strop.
Tomorrow it is. Cub fan will sleep well tonight. They’ll worry about Kluber and Perez tomorrow.
Cory Kluber gonna be looking like Mickey Lolich and Madison Bumgarner mañana.
Bye bye, cubettes! El Snorkel
Didn’t los Gigantes lose Game Six 10-0, or something like that, in 2014?
Yes.
That’s some good recall, gentlemen. I had kind of blocked that out of my memory, just remembered that it was a blowout. Peavy started that game, went 1.1 innings, 5 runs. Bochy emptied his bench in that game, saved everybody for Game 7. Even Susac got in, caught the 7th and 8th.
Yeah showed how bad the starting pitching was outside of Bumgarner who had a hand in 3 of the 4 wins. If Kluber wins, he one ups Bumgarner. If he loses, I can live with that……..
I’ve learned that Maddon has trust issues with his pen.
He also watched that 2-3 mph drop of velocity on Chapman’s fastball, and remembered what the Giants did to Chapman when he tired in the NLDS.
Maddon just rang Joe West’s bell, LOL.
This iron-man relief trend can’t carry into the regular season, but it dissuades the Giants from thinking about carrying 14 pitchers next year, it will be a good thing.
We can only hope. Not that they put much of a bench together.
Bull pen by committee next year. The Giants carry 15 pitchers on the opening day roster.
Warriors are gelling tonight. Curry with his first flurry all season.
Shorthand: Steph Flurry
College Football predictions.
http://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2016-college-football-predictions/
Game 7 tomorrow night. Gonna be great!!!
Dubs are killing it in Portland, but poor Klay is now something like 3-for-27 on 3’s…read that again. Ouch
Imagine when he starts hitting…which he will
https://twitter.com/AaronGleeman/status/792936885744050176
Giants just signed Josh Johnson to a minor league deal. Here’s a photo of the signing. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/a6fb2f77a99e06e19f027cb0d4191dfcd8f2bb229f0bc43932f8fa57f3497a3d.jpg
POTD.
Sabean did his best work dumpster diving. Maybe he taught Evans the trick.
The Giants aren’t the Pirates. I remember Willis, Romero, Hanson et al. Only Vogey has made an impact or seen big league service time with a signing like this.
Don’t forget VINCE MAZZARO!
Good One.
I haven’t read the in game comments tonight but I’d guess that they were not the feel good comments of the year. Francona showed some chinks in his armor.
Now he has to count on Kluber to be lights out for a third time. I’d guess plan is Kluber for 5 or 6 and Miller for as long as he can go.
Lose this and Tito gets the rare double – blew a huge regular season lead and and the World Series, all in one decade and with 2 different teams. It would help matters if his CFer knew his ass from a hole in the ground.
Both of these teams celebrate every hit as if were a walk off HR. i guess that happens when you haven’t won a WS since apes had tails.
Hate to nominate my own comment for an award, but that last sentence is the SOTD.I think I’d better hit the hay while I’m ahead. I am ahead, aren’t I? Huh? Same to you, pal.
Indeed, SOTD.
Turned on game 6 just to check the score and what I got was the announcers verbally splooging all over the Cubs. I quickly shut it off. Buck is making this series such s goo fest. Hopefully Kluber can sit them all down in order tonight.
I guess we can’t play 2, just the 1 left. Go Cubs Go!!
Good luck tonight
Bobby Evans doing a nice job of building the Sacramento squad early. Gonna have a big bopper in the middle of the lineup, Kyle Blanks, playing some 1B and maybe some LF. Josh Johnson is another big guy and it will be fun to monitor what he can do in the pen and what he has in the rusted tank. Minimal risk, potential for some reward, but who doesn’t love a comeback story?
What else?
Jeurys Familia is a “bad hambre” ?
Greg Holland to have a showcase sometime in the next week or so. Scott Boras representin’.
Ian Desmond has switched agencies looking for a big deal.
David Robertson, former Yankee reliever, current White Sox closer, getting some knee surgery done. Maybe at some point he’s a trade target for bullpen help if necessity arise for Giants.
Raj Davis looking pretty spry for a 36 year old, if you know what I’m saying (free agent, cough, cough…).
….
Who is the MVP if the Cubs win tonight?
Well, IF the Cubs win tonight, I would probably go with Bryant. His HR in Game 5 started the comeback and he carried it over into Game 6.
Of course IF the Indians win it tonight, I’m going with Lindor and Kluber as co-MVP’s.
Josh Johnson would’ve been a great pick-up about 3 or 4 years ago. Time will tell; especially after a third TJ.
Holland represented by Boras? No thanks. Sabes didn’t like dealing with him. I’m sure Evans knows this too.
Span is a Boras client. When they signed Span, it was the first Boras guy since Zito back in 2007. I remember Boras being up on the stage at the press conference for Span–first time I can recall an agent up there with his guy.
Since Span didn’t turn out to be the greatest signing, either, I’m not sure whether he represents a thaw in the Boras freeze for the Giants–or more evidence to stay away.
I guess that explains why Evans got muscled into a third year. 2 years and maybe an option on the 3rd would have been ideal for a player coming off hip surgery – then we’d only have to hear one more year of complaining about Span, even if he hits .280.
I won’t complain about a guy hitting .280, but I’ll still wish for a competent CF. The Giants haven’t had one since one year of Torres in 2010, and it’s odd considering what a big outfield they have. You’d think that would be a priority. The gift of Gary Brown just keeps on giving, I guess.
You hear that, Denard? Hit .280 and you get a free pass from the gallery.
It would help if Bochy would replace him in late innings for defense with Gorkys (or next year’s version of Gorkys).
She doesn’t speak for me. His broken wing gets no pass
Down the stretch, when he had some huge hits, some wouldn’t even mention his name.
Well, I’ll be pulling the rope hard for him, and it’s nice having you at the anchor. We’re gonna pull that gallery right into the mud!
I know that you and TF62 ( and others) didn’t like hearing about numbers after the ASB, but Span was healthier in the second half and his DRS reflected that- +1 in the second half. As far his arm- like many CFers, he doesn’t throw runners out at the plate , but that rarely comes into play- where the CFers arms most often come into play is preventing the runner getting that extra base-Span is very good at because he gets to ball quickly and gets rid of it quickly. That is quite easy to see.
It seemed to me that Crawford kept having to go back and back for the relay from Span as the season progressed.
No, someone mentioned that it happened on one particular play and it caught on like wildfire. It was smart for Crawford to go into short center and it was smart for Span to throw it there instead of throwing it to a base, any base,as our former CFer was wont to do.Span compensated for his relatively weak arm by being a smart player-as he always has been.
I can remember at least 3-4 times that a not-deep single into left or right CF turned into a double due to Span’s weak arm. The league knew it and ran on him every chance they had. He covers a lot of ground, but his arm is among the worst of the pie-throwing CFs, IMHO.
I also remember the 1-for-30 stretch in September, and how Bochy stubbornly kept him at the top of the order. When he was finally dropped to 8th/9th for a few games Span was obviously not happy about it.
Let’s all hope he’s healthier in 2017 and can give us a better all-around year.
I could rebut your comment line by line but that would keep the line moving, so to speak. It’s bullshit when Span gets thrown into the mix when the World Series is the story now. Well, some of actually enjoy the games.
Your eyes deceive you. If he made a good play in the field it was unusual, and a reminder of what the Gints need out there every day. He’s an over-the-hill pie-thrower, and will only become more of a liability in CF as this contract goes on.
You have been listening to the wrong people. And my eyes are just fine, but thanks for your concern, Paul.
I watch the games, and make my own opinions, just like you, gracias.
I don’t recall questioning *your* eyesight, Paul. My “eye test” ( and the numbers) saw him getting better as the year went on. And even when I don’t like a player, I can acknowledge when he does do well in a game or a series. Unfortunately, that is not in the ”skill set” of many here.
I would say Span is competent but I wish for more than that. I want a good to great defensive center fielder for Willie Mays Field. Span was not a bust but he was just ok. He added a little offensive production at the second half and his defense, as Scott below mentions, was much better. I like him as a player but my biggest qualm is we don’t need any more left-handed hitting singles hitters. That was and still is my biggest complaint when we signed him.
The farm offers no saviors. Any Dream Boat Annie wishes for CF acquired via trade?
Find a way to get a guy like Michael Taylor, under-utilized by the Walgreens…
My upvote is about how Evans got muscled into a third year by Boras. What were Evans other choices for CF in 2016 besides Pagan and Blanco?
Slim, none, and paying a lot for Dexter Fowler. Ian Desmond would have been an outside the box candidate that would have worked well. Or something on the trade market that could only speculate about the possibility of said player being available.
True. I forgot Span-I-am is a Boras client.
chapman for cubs, klubes or miller for tribe MVP
Can’t wait. Two strong CY candidates going head to head. Cleveland with their pen ready to go, Chicago with some not too minor question marks in their pen. Will Joe expend every last drop out of Chapman, or just save him for 3 outs in the 9th? Will that be moot because Cleveland will have the lead?
if cleveland gets the lead early, and they can get 5 or 6 out of klubes, the goat wins..
there is nothing like a game 7. if a team has a one run lead in the 9th, with a runner on 3rd, and paul bunyan on the mound, it will be as good as 2 years ago..
Joe Buck.
I thought he was a Cardinals fan given his family history. So it’s quite confusing to hear about him gushing over the Cubs.
For me, he has become a punch line, a la George McGovern. And for you youngin’s that is a Hollywood Squares, Paul Lynde, reference.
and that, right there in a nutshell, is why i love this blog. a hollywood squares, paul lynde reference? priceless. nice job sg
Paul Lynde’s best ever in Hollywood Squares:
“What’s an ‘innuendo’?”
“It’s the Italian word for a suppository”
My favorite Paul Lynde on Hollywood Squares:
Paul was obviously gay, long before it was acceptable to be openly so. One question went as follows:
Q: True or False: in ancient Greece, during battles between armies, soldiers fought in the nude?
A: (from Lynde)…”then who said ‘war is hell’ ?
More gems from Paul Lynde:
Q: “The great writer George Bernard Shaw once wrote, ‘It’s such a wonderful thing, what a crime to waste it on children.’ What is it?”
Lynde: “A whipping.”
Q: “Paul, any good boat enthusiast should know that when a man falls out of your boat and into the water, you should yell ‘Man overboard!’ Now what should you yell if a woman falls overboard?”
Lynde: “Full speed ahead!”
Courtesy of his Wikipedia Page
It’s simply a production decision where they decided the majority of fans are rooting for Chicago and they want the broadcast to reflect what they think the audience wants.
I actually think Buck is doing OK. I think…he’s got a tough gig. He is going extra-octave on Cubs things, but…
Zackly, Ackly. Thank you.
Carl Steward was commenting on Twitter last night that the broadcasters need to stop with the shrill hysteria–singles being called like they’re walkoff homers. So we’re not just being haters here if veteran journalists are observing the same thing.
The *players*-on both teams-are acting with “shrill hysteria” with singles being celebrated like they’re walk-off homers. I noted that last night. I guess it’s contagious.
It’s not meant to be fair, it’s meant to be entertaining. It’s a game based on tribal loyalties. Nobody gets excited by checkers games on TV.
Around the country I’m sure that most fans- if not nearly all-ARE rooting for the Cubs. Fox didn’t decide that they were. On our end, with our guys out of it, the Indians are just filling in for us.
But, is it the networks job to play into partisanship? I guess that’s my big question. As I said yesterday, I want the game and the series to tell the story, and I want equal coverage of both teams between pitches.
One of my big problems with all forms of media/entertainment of “live’ events is this method of playing to the “favored” side. I know you may not agree with that synopsis, but I truly feel this is done, and my few experiences in pre-production sessions tells it to be true
I know a fair amount about the Biz myself. Every big sports event has a “hook”. The network doing the game would be remiss in not making that a big part of the story line. That does not mean that they favor one team or another.
An interesting story about a game between the Packers and the Cowboys. My Dad and Jack Buck did the game. Half and half. Jack typically did Dallas games and Pop did most of the Packer games. Back then people wrote letters to the network when they had a beef with the coverage. Most letters from Packer fans thought that my Dad showed favoritism towards the Cowboys and the Cowboy fans thought that Jack favored the Pack.
You’re absolutely right. What’s more people think ‘in narratives’ not lists of facts. In any public broadcast of a sporting feeding a narrative is what makes it interesting, it’s just the content that disturbs fans. They’d like to see the POV of the hometown blog be dominate, imagine that. It’s a game folks.
Great story, Chef…I mentioned in a post yesterday that Buck is in an impossible situation.
You hate the Cubs, so you’re viewing/listening to the broadcasts through your own prism. Every year, fans on both sides get upset that the coverage is slanted against them.
No, I don’t.
I hate the Dodgers
I hate no one. Just can’t stand TO.
Where have all the Venice cat photos gone? Come on, you’ve been slacking.
Yes! More cats!!
Up yours, blocked
This is truly devastating news. I hope that somehow, over the course of the next few months or even years, I’m able to slowly start putting the pieces of my shattered life back together. I guess I’ll just have to look at my own cat more often.
Here ya go:
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/52c2724efc7b61e0666f97864f4bb550ff6b66e181ae82097afb455e03f7d540.jpg
Quit being a prick just because you know how.
They have played in on the political side, why not sports, too.
Company man.
Sac 1B? If Shaw can impress at the AA level he should be in Sac by June. He finished at Richmond with a 99 wRC+ but moved up three levels last year … lots of adjusting there.
Will they have a parade in Sacramento?
Bryzzo!
“Who is the MVP if the Cubs win tonight? No way to know yet.
“Raj Davis looking pretty spry for a 36 year old, if you know what I’m saying (free agent, cough, cough…).”
If you think that Span is bad in the field you will be happy to hear that Rajai is worse.
….
Guess, Schwarber.
I heard Fowler was supposed to be worse in the field, but by the metrics he did pretty good.
Any oldies but goodies you like?
Fowler isn’t worse in the field, what he does is just go brain dead from time to time. He throws behind the occasional runner, to the wrong base, etc. It’s like he day dreams out there.
Dexter was OK this year but he’s had a couple years that rival Angel’s 2015.
I used to wonder if Fowler was ADD it was so bad for a while.
Lonely Teardrops.
Interesting stuff coming out of the new CBA negotiations–things like a 154-game season and a 26-man roster. Apparently a close look is being given at the A’s and their status as receivers of revenue sharing. If that’s decreased or discontinued, it could lead to a change of ownership (which could be a good thing for that franchise).
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/11/latest-on-cba-negotiations-revenue-sharing-schedule-rosters.html
Seems I read something brief about them just rolling over the CBA – nothing to amend now, we’re good here, see you next year, let’s ink up some free agents…
A blizzard in Cleveland would of helped the 154-game cause. Maybe the injury load will help the players union want the shorter season and actiually give up something to get it?
I think the MLBPA does want the shorter season. No more red-eyes, some actual days off that aren’t spent on an airplane. I’m in favor of it. I love baseball and don’t like the idea of fewer games, but it doesn’t make sense to have players like zombies because of travel or pushing through injuries because they don’t get enough rest. Fans pay a lot of money for tickets and should get to see the best players at their best.
Why not just start the season 10 days earlier, finish earlier and add a few more off days? It’s not that complicated really. I am not in favor of fewer games. I am sure the owners will not change to a 154 game season. Revenue sharing on the other hand is different. Tams like the Marlins and A’s always abuse it and pocket that money. There should be a rule that it has to go into the payroll or operating of a team somehow. It doesn’t strike me as too difficult to enforce. The A’s need new owners who can build a stadium in Oakland. It would revitalize that city and be good for them and baseball.
I don’t think the owners will go for a 154-game season either, GG. In regards to starting the season 10 days earlier, that could be problematic for games in the Northeast and Canada, conditions such as snow and freezing rain. The A’s definitely need new owners and a new stadium. In regards to a 26-man roster, I’d say: about time.
The teams up north could start with 2 series road trips in the south and in domed stadiums. I also think Spring Training is way way too long. They could easily cut ten days from it and nobody would miss it or know the difference, except for the Spring training cities missing out on revenue.
I’m not sure the owners of Northern teams would take kindly to being told: You have to start every season on the road. The Giants like doing that, but not every team does. I agree Spring Training is too long, but I think that comes from my impatience for real baseball to start. The winters up here are long.
I think winters become
longer and longer
as one grows
older and older.
Everywhere.
From the “Collection of Hermetic Poetry”
Cicchetti Library, Venice 2016.
Alvise – did you read this?
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/02/17/old-man-3
Roger Angell has been writing about baseball for The New Yorker since 1944, and has published a number of great anthologies.
Great ! The 1st paragraph struck me out. I could have written it.
It’s very sad in parts, but wonderful reading.
Schedule a few doubleheaders. The greedy owners have eliminated doubleheaders because they don’t want to give up the second-game attendance revenue. Teams could charge maybe 25% more for the DH ticket, schedule between-games entertainment, and make it a fun day for a family to attend a ball game. Teams could call up two additional players from the 40-man for that one day.
If every team scheduled one DH each month, it would shorten the season by at least one week.
Yes, very good idea with double headers. They could allow roster manipulation for them so teams could add a couple pitchers or something along those lines.
First order of business is to keep Hockey and Basketball the hell out of the baseball season.
Umm March games in Cleveland, Chicago and Colorado could get interesting. We’ve had snow out for those in the past as well…..
Instead it’s 75 degrees in Cleveland in November. Global warming!
Please, as a small favor, label it climate change. Global warming is such a stupid term. Climate scientist just hate it because it completely confuses the issue and causes folks to confuse weather and climate.
It leaves me cold.
Glad I saw this, because I was going to post the same thing!
This whole deal is why they’re saying that John Fisher is getting a lot more involved in the stadium solution project.
Let’s see…eight fewer games to generate revenue and one more player with a big league salary. I’m sure the owners will love these ideas.
I bet they would if they killed the DH. I would give them 154 games and a 26th body to kill Charley Finley’s abomination….
Maybe they take the long view, Mr. Cynical. Less wear and tear on those rapidly depreciating assets.
“Young Giants Prepared to Fit Into the MLB Bullpen … Two Blown-Saves In One Game”
http://mlb.mlb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?gid=2016_11_01_scowin_gddwin_1&t=g_box&sid=l119
Ouch … Mizenko in mid-game and then a MyGuy™ Fav Ty Rogers gives up two in the ninth to lose.
Look elsewhere for good news today.
Dodgers prospects Bellinger and Calhoun may have done some of that damage… double OUCH!
Weird AFL contingent this year for the Giants. Neither Mizenko nor Rogers is on the top 30 prospects list, let alone that journeyman 29-year-old catcher, Eliezer Somebody. Stratton, Martinez, and Garcia are, but nowhere near the top. I don’t think Ryder Jones is in the top 30 anymore, either.
It seems like the Giants kind of punted the AFL this year. Slater’s playing winter ball somewhere–why isn’t he on the AFL team instead?
most likely so ashamed and embarrassed at their offerings, they figure keep them at home so that they don’t damage the team’s farm reputation more.
That way the fans can keep cheering about how good the system is and how Myguys are stars in waiting.
Clark Kent is a Dad! Kelby is now a father to little Huck. Congrats!
That’s a terrific name for a boy, Kelby.
Kelby joined Twitter on Sept 28 and now has 3 tweets.
If he tweets like he hits, he will be spraying some awesome liners all over the Twitterverse
The boy better have tough skin because there are many words that rhyme with Huck
Welcome to the Brave New World, child.
Dear Cory,
You can do this!
Sincerely,
Mickey L.
P.S… hard to believe it’s already been 48 years.
Dear Kyle,
You got this shit!
Sincerely,
Greg M.
🙂
Dear Greg,
To paraphrase my friend, the late, great Lloyd B., Bob Gibson was the opponent of mine in Game 7. I knew Bob Gibson. And Greg, Kyle is no Bob Gibson.
Sincerely,
Mickey L.
And that was on TWO days rest. Still just one day less than the regular rotation/rest of that era, but still…he beat Bob Gibson.
AND…all 3 wins were complete games.
But that short rest seriously impacted Lolich in the years that followed. He was only able to throw 376 innings in 1971.
The original horse. He averaged over 18 wins per season for the next 6 seasons. Very underrated pitching in the very large shadow (cast primarily by the 31 win season) of the overrated McLain.
Likely would never happen with today’s egos. Lolich was chosen over McLain on regular rest for that game
Schwarber will go deep tonight.
We’re not talking about that Merkle thing anymore, right?
Into the post game spread?
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/f7a11a226dbd6a18eec02ae466db80a87a102be8d9796f09faf6286078237cfe.jpg
A young Schwarber
He better ‘go early’, Kluber will probably only be in there for 3 or 4 innings.
Couple of JStreet and Diane tunes
https://www.reverbnation.com/jstreetslim
https://www.facebook.com/J-Street-Slim-1879594848932690/
It looks like Chicago orders to that props company that supplied LeBron’s Halloween party are on the rise.
I’m still rooting for Kluber to do his best Bumgarner.
If he throws another 90 pitches and goes 6 turning it over to Miller, Bum’s 2014 is still more impressive. 2 CGs, 1 shutout and 1 – 5 inning save.
The ratings go up when the games are good. Even mid-game, people tune in if they hear it’s gettin’ good.The networks hate a game like last night. Folks turn on Wheel of Fortune and scream at their kids instead of at Joe Buck.
Bottom line- they don’t give a hoot who wins, just that people watch.
Not true. They give two hoots.
I fool them- one TV on the game, two on PBS, They’re losing the rating game in the Scott house. And that troubles them deeply.
Though this post is dripping with irony, I think it’s worth your watch
http://thechive.com/2016/11/02/can-we-auto-correct-humanity-video/
Great post. Great reminder Brother.
I enjoyed that. Thanks for sharing. Good message.
Nailed it. Thanks Matthew. Gave me a reason to look up Prince Ea.
By popular demand, here are some pics of Italian Firemen (Vigili del Fuoco) saving kittens trapped under rubbles after earthquakes. And dogs too. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/d8ee80b756d76e7a70cc17826d81761ab16a23e0d00c63a813e2d7128df83f5c.jpg
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/810402b19311ffe3773f16ebf9cd1efd1627cab7cc4810e0cc6d55f6d3b079d5.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/3965687769e8e73e004de2ba500aa06670778eb03a2a398012bfbd32f6a7f56e.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/8ae083bb38eb77f931f3cb74b8d9b89489ad3812f513ff61f57761ce762f2326.jpg
Thanks for sharing AC!
Great photos, thank you!
παρακαλώ
The last selection. Italians, very normal people. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/c915d9c46e0f2b18a246c8122b387cde6609d04575d0e1b259768b9276689eee.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/be702781e75ff3012aad579fecd8ffad258509f5d4303f06db04556b7a605788.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/90711d0e7858ed876abd0e2241d150aedb7c1c263cdea1aa4a25178ffdacee3c.jpg
Cleveland won’t have far to go – IF they win game 7. The Cubs – if they win will obviously will be about 5 hours from getting home. Either way one team and their fan base will party all night long.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqAvFx3NxUM
Both fan bases will be calling in sick en masse tomorrow, regardless.
https://s3.amazonaws.com/lowres.cartoonstock.com/sport-major_league-baseball-baseball_players-athletes-athletics-jsh120423_low.jpg
If you are a Chi -Cleve police officer working tonight, do you want the other guy to win?
Anyone know when FA signings can occur after tonight’s game?
I think it’s after five days(?).
If we’re not in it, this is the perfect World Series Game Seven. 108 years. 68 years. There’s going to be some well-deserved celebration tonight!
For the superstitious, it’s been 108 years since the Cubs won a World Series, and there are 108 stitches in a Major League baseball’s cover.
I’m sure that many of you remember the ’91 series between the Twins and the Braves. It was a great series and the 7th game was a keeper. Smoltz went into the 8th. Morris went all 10. Gene Larkin won it it in the 10th. Tom Kelly went to pull Morris,in the 8th, I think, and Morris told him to get the hell out out of there.
Earlier in rhe series, Jack Buck had made one of the best bad calls when he called a runner “SAAAAFE, and in the same breath- OUUUUT! it was a perfect call, a bang-bang play and his call was perfect in capturing the moment.
The network showed the play often afterwards- but they edited out his safe call,( now it might have been that Buck’s call was out,then safe.but that is immaterial.the Network blew it,ruining Buck’s great “bad” call.
Probably the best World Series Game 7 ever!
Part Deux, the best scouting directors and the talent that made them that.
http://www.hardballtimes.com/scouting-the-scouting-directors-part-2/
New Post: http://fe0.84e.myftpupload.com/2016-postseason/so-theres-a-game-7-tonight/