by
Greek Giant
Tim Flannery is a legend among Giants coaches. His eight year run as the Giants third base coach and Bruce Bochy’s right-hand man, beginning in 2008 and concluding after the 2014 season, was a runaway success. Flannery is that rare phenomenon in the world, a person who excelled as a player and coach, and who is now excelling as a singer and songwriter with his band Tim Flannery and the Lunatic Fringe. His tours are huge successes and 100% of the proceeds earned from his musical career goes towards charitable causes.
He is also founder of the Love Harder Project, a non-profit dedicated to assisting victims of violence. Through the Love Harder Project and with the aid of former players and coaches including Jeremy Affeldt and Will Clark, Tim Flannery raised nearly $100,000 for Bryan Stow, the Giants fan who was assaulted on opening day in 2011 in the Dodger Stadium parking lot.
Flannery is also a part time commentator on the MLB Network and has retained a strong following among Giants fans, even after his retirement from baseball.
Throughout his career, in and out of baseball, Flannery has developed a reputation as a hard-working and yet easy-going professional with a unique dedication to his crafts. He is beloved by former players and coaches alike.
This interview was conducted over email and has been modified to fit your screen. It is rated “TF” for mature Giants fans only.
Together We’re Giants: How are you handling life after baseball? Do you miss it? Are you enjoying your free time away from the rigors of the game? Do you prefer being a musician to a baseball coach?
Tim Flannery: I don’t miss the whole enchilada, bits and pieces, but the game doesn’t allow that, I’ve been a musician my whole life, the great thing about life is you can be and become anything you are. You don’t have to be held back because of any thought process. One thing for certain, I promise you will see, it’s never too late to be the person you were meant to be. I’m proud of being a Three-time World Champion with 15 records out. I’m proud of the non-profit Love Harder Project I created to help others… I’m still growing and evolving, living… I love it.. I’m so blessed…
TWG: Your band, Tim Flannery and the Lunatic Fringe, have toured with many dates sold out. How has the experience been for you? Do you find a similar camaraderie among your bandmates that you shared with teammates and ballplayers during your days as a player and coach with the Padres and Giants?
TF: I love my band there are some similarities, but I have artists in my band, women, crazies..” The lunatic fringe” is it.. I’m the only normal one, think about that? It’s somewhat different.. unless you’re a left-handed pitcher. I have always kept them separated so baseball wouldn’t hold back the music, and the music couldn’t be an excuse to fire me with the shallow thought that you have to follow one or another. I want everyone here and now to make a choice: “You want water, or air?” I need them both!
TWG: You’ve been called a “two sport star for your music and baseball careers” by Garth Brooks. Can you share with us the demands of both pursuits? How are they similar as challenges and how do they diverge?
TF: It’s preparation, feel, controlling adrenalin, breath, but both only come with reps…good old hard elbow grease …as a coach you spend lots of time hoping, prepare the player then hope. In music if you suck , it’s your own fault… I like that.
TWG: You have also found a niche as a guest commentator on the MLB network during the baseball season. Your work has been highly praised by players and coaches alike. What do you enjoy most about this newfound career?
TF: I’m under contract to do 40 appearances the next two years with MLB, and 70 with Comcast Sports Net for Giants games..I love it.. from a safe distance.
TWG: What are your thoughts about the Giants 2014 postseason?
TF: That was a great year, amazing.. but personally the hardest year of my life… It’s not as easy as it looks out there on that schedule, in that life.. The key is when knowing to tap out, after 35 years I made it out alive… so to speak.
TWG: Has it been difficult for you to walk away from your career as Giants third base coach? What do you miss most from it? What don’t you miss?
TF: I miss 4 o’clock with the pitchers and bunters before the ballpark is open…special time, I’m like their dad. They could tell me everything. They were the age of my son but with 100 million dollars… Better find a way to get through to them, or they will get another coach.. But it was not difficult leaving… I have many facets to my life.
TWG: Does Bruce Bochy ring you up often to discuss strategy and get your opinion on things? Did he contact you and recruit you as his therapist during the Giants second half struggles in 2016?
TF: I run and hide…. I didn’t retire from the pain, to keep feeling the pain, and not get paid….I have been to 5 World Series 4 all star games with Boch … We had a hell of a run!
TWG: During your years with the Giants what are some of your favorite experiences and memories?
TF: The fans, friends, history we created in San Francisco…greatest 8 years of my life. In history books forever …thank you people, you loved me..I’m honored to have found a home.
TWG: Would you say that decisions on whether or not to send runners in close plays is about the situation (score, the runner, the opposing defense, location of the hit ball) or instinct and judgement (location of the baserunner, etc) Or both?
TF: We don’t have time to give you a one sentence answer on the toughest job there could be. I did it 20 years, come out early we can walk up and down the line, talk positions, reasons, odds, you’d be drinking ten minutes into it… Ha!
TWG: Should the Royals third base coach have sent Alex Gordon?
TF: No, the runner didn’t run out of the box, but no one except us 3rd base coaches watch the runners and the ball..
TWG: What was going on in your mind when you learned of the Giants parting ways with Roberto Kelly and Billy Hayes?
TF: I’ve been fired, I’ve won 3 World Championships. It’s a motherfucker…the magnitude has killed people, I’ve buried best friends, watch lives get destroyed. It’s a charmed life, a blessed life, but getting fired, well most in the game have been fired. I’ve changed fiddlers before. Didn’t do it because the fiddler ain’t great, I did it to change the sound of what I needed….metaphor for you folks…
TWG: Your Love Harder Project has raised over $100,000 for Bryan Stow and advocates against violence in general. Can you tell us a bit about the creation of this worthy endeavor and the response from friends and the public?
TF: We need support, I put every cent in it from music, shows, donations, my donations, and have given it to domestic violence refugees, anti-bullying projects, and the Bryan Stow foundation. We fund homeless children’s Summer camps. We are in need of support. Check out Loveharderproject.org.
TWG: What do you have lined up for the next few years?
TF: To live tomorrow the best I can…
TWG: Thank You and good luck with your future endeavors!
Great “get”! Can I see your credentials again? (kidding!)
I watched the nlcs game 6 yesterday. Thanks for the link. What a game! Definitely up there among the best moments of all 3 runs was beating Philly. Uribe’s hr and the fans reactions were priceless. Seeing Madbum at 19….wow. What the hell was Bochy doing leaving a 19yr old lefty in there with a runner at 3rd and 2 RHB’s due up? He had Casilla warming and still had Romo Lincecum ….So much for the vet bias eh?
Speaking of Flan, what the heck happened in the 3rd with Torres? He was out by plenty. I had forgotten about that play. Guess it shows it can happen to the best.
It shows we, as fans, have short memories, little sense of context, and tend to judge from our experience base as LL or College ballplayers. IMO, that’s sort of like a house painter criticizing Picasso.
Wow, great job, George. That was AWESOME!
I wonder if somehow bochy’s bad performance this last year as opposed to 2010-4 was related to flannery leaving? Something was different…
Yes…at least, that’s what I’ve felt all along. Flann wasn’t afraid to tell Bochy he was crazy. I get the sense the remaining guys are way more Yes Men
You thought so too? I never heard anyone else suggest this. Not in terms of tactics but general strategy. The whole idea of constant changes based on matchups, bochy must have set a record last year, it wad crazy.
I tweeted Flann last season saying something along the lines of ” he’s the best ever but he misses your courage to tell him when he’s wrong…”
He upvoted it. Or “liked” it…or whatever the Twitter term is
Still it is all about this: No, Wotus and Flan were both capable of saying anything at anytime. I know you’ve played and “been down on the field during high level baseball competition so I am just gonna say it again: In pro baseball had the guys who Bochy called on actually….executed their pitches, had they executed their “tasks” we would not be having this conversation. Players win and lose games.
his patterns changed dramatically this year…you are totally correct in your assessment of the players owning results. But, I think Flann’s absence has resulted in a changing pattern for Bruce that had some pimples pop up
No, Wotus and Flan were both capable of saying anything at anytime. I know you’ve played and “been down on the field during high level baseball competition so I am just gonna say it again: In pro baseball had the guys who Bochy called on actually….executed their pitches, had they executed their “tasks” we would not be having this conversation. Players win and lose games….
How do you have any idea what conversations go on between these guys? The answer is that you don’t.
Wait you ask a question and then attempt to answer it? We’ve been down this block before but you have tunnel vision. You have connections within the SJPD Force and I have connections within the Giants. Wotus is a “different type of Flannery”. You just glossed over several of the most important quotes in Flannerys interview with GG:
TWG: Did Bochy call you up….”
TF: I run and hide…. I didn’t retire from the pain, to keep feeling the pain……”
TF: I’ve been fired, I’ve won 3 World Championships. It’s a motherker…the magnitude has killed people, I’ve buried best friends, watch lives get destroyed. It’s a charmed life, a blessed life, but getting fired, well most in the game have been fired….I’ve changed fiddlers before. Didn’t do it because the fiddler ain’t great, I did it to change the sound of what I needed….…”
Flannery’s quotes have absolutely nothing to do with whatever conversations go on between Bochy and Wotus, or the fact that you don’t have any idea what they say to each other. Comparing your supposed connections to the Giants to the connections I have at a place I actually work makes no sense at all. You don’t work for the Giants. You know a guy on the grounds crew? I don’t often see those guys sitting between Bochy and Wotus in the dugout.
You are so bitter and set in your ways. Had you been a fan of the SJPD since 1958 you would know even more people now ….
I will put them in order of how long I have known them…
Mike Murphy
Jim and Gary Davenport
Bob Bolin
Billy O’Dell
David Loewenstein (Al Rosen’s step son)
Groundskeeper
Mark Sagrafena – visitors clubhouse
Brian and Colin Sabean
Greg Marinec
Executive Assistant Carolyn Uroz
James Uroz Clubhouse Attendent
Yo Miyamoto
Lisa Pantages
Jorge Costa
Greg Marinec
Jack Hiatt
Jim Moorehead (retired)
Tori Burns and Trina Burns Dean
Staci Slaughter
Shana Daum
Sue Peterson
Nice try oh and by the way “DomNVinsDad” knows the same people. We both grew up in – around and outside of Candlestick Park.
Nice try Malloy – but also sad…..Keanu try.
And which of those people is sitting with Bochy and Wotus? Al Rosen’s step son?
You can be as relentless as you care to be but by doing so you are also reckless.
No, Wotus and Flan were both capable of saying anything at anytime. I know you’ve played and “been down on the field during high level baseball competition so I am just gonna say it again: In pro baseball had the guys who Bochy called on actually….executed their pitches, had they executed their “tasks” we would not be having this conversation. Players win and lose games.
Tres upvotes !
If bochy had called on smith and gearrin–by far the best relievers down the stretch– in high-leverage situations in the postseason, the giants might well have won the world series. Or just left moore in in the 9th inning of game 4 of the nlds. Instead of doing the same thing again and again and again and expecting a different result. It’s hard to square such managing with what he did in 2010-4.
Bochy had a really bad year.
Moore almost did not pitch the 8th. He and Rags had a long talk and then Rags reported to Bochy. Gearrin was not on the SF-CHI series roster. Smith may or may not have done what you said. We have no way of knowing. Players win and lose games. A lot of times “higher-ups” get way too much credit when winning or when losing.
So then Bochy deserves no credit for the Giants’ past success?
Bochy deserves credit but not the adulation and adoration that fans give the players who actually play the game. For example in football most QB’s get to much credit and also get too much blame for wins and losses.
The names below were mentioned in mlbtraderumors.com article regarding the Yankees and the number of OF/1B/DH guys available via free agency.
Carlos Beltran, Brandon Moss, Mike Napoli, Steve Pearce, Matt Holliday, Trevor Plouffe, Mitch Moreland, Adam Lind, Logan Morrison and Justin Morneau.
The Giants sign Mark Melancon (hypothetically) and their free agent budget is getting low.
You are Bobby Evans for a day and you decided that you needed to pick up one of these guys to play LF (with Mac or Parker); subbing them out defensively late in the game (ala Ishi, Burrell, and Morse). This player would also DH in AL parks. Which player above are you choosing? No substituting 🙂
Matt or Steve – although I am inclined to call him Nez Perce.
But I’d say hitting this FA market is secondary after Evs kicks the tires the trade routes along the Eastern corridor. I hear the beaver trapping market is on the up.
Wally Pipp.
No substituting! 🙂
He’s everywhere old, worn out ballplayers congregate.
Steve Pearce might not be a bad option. Probably not too expensive
“If you suck, it’s your own fault”.
Quote of the Century
That’s what an unhappy wife says…..
Ba-dum-dum.
I’m here all week, tip your servers….
Robin Williams also said that.
Not a strong farm system:
http://www.minorleagueball.com/2016/11/21/13708310/kansas-city-royals-top-20-prospects-for-2017
Giants system is probably a smidge ahead of the Royals, who should probably consider selling given the thinness of their rotation. Dealing Cain and Davis would certainly help. Will Dayton Moore make the kind of move that maintains a competitive team while bolstering the young talent in the org? It’s possible.
Speaking of trading star to super star talent from lower payroll or closing window of opportunity ballclubs, some teams who would possibly/probably consider moving elite talent for prospect hauls in spite of the assumption that “you don’t trade your stars”:
Detroit Tigers: Miggy, Verlie
Reds: Votto
Rays: Longo
White Sox: Sale-o
Pirates: Cutch?
Is it a struggle to just write the given name of a baseball player?
Yes. We strive for efficiency with a modicum of silliness.
Then we can expect zipcode next?
Going postal for the denouement of our times.
It becomes a style statement. But sometimes, no one has a clue what you’re getting at. Also, if you spell it out, the odd reader may actually look things up and research them, especially if you spell out a name.
When do you think the Angels should give serious consideration to trading MVP Mike Trout?
Ever? Next year?
Stamps are now 49-47 cents so be careful
McCutcheon could draw interest if buyers believe that Aug/Sept Cutch is what they will be getting, and not April-July Cutch. Plus getting him for two years makes this the best time to deal.
Since CC, politely asked me to spell things out, I have to make as polite a correction as possible: McCutchen, aka “Cutch”, @TheCUTCH22 (he’s got a little Joseph Heller in him).
His 2nd half OPS was pretty solid, but it was still a hair below .800 and he’d never had an OPS < .800 in any professional season. It's very possible that injuries have caught up to him and he'll never recover the bat speed he once had and that an OPS between .750 and .800 may be the new norm for him the next few years.
This winter may not be happening, but if the Buccos are out of it by July, Cutch could be dealt at the deadline as prospect Austin Meadows is ready to join Marte and Polanco in the outfield.
Did you ever read Heller’s “Something Happened”? I was obsessed as a curious teen. It ranked up there with “Dark Side” in my brain development
It’s on the shelf at my parents’ house. I always stared at the spine but picking it up never happened.
I did. Loved Heller – but it was disturbing.
Made ya think, didn’t it?! Powerful stuff
Indeed it did, Mateo. I think Heller’s life mirrored the book, irrc.
Ever read Henderson, The Rain King, by Bellow? It has a modern derivative in music.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izeDRfkyMAQ
Nope…thanks for the tip! I’m on it!
It was #1 in voting, but #2 in the Pulitzer. Advise and consent won that year. LOL, a book with current application and meaning.
While you’re at it, take a look at Something of Value by Robert Ruark.
The CBA needs to get signed so the hot stove heats up. When are the Winter meetings? This snooz-a-palooza has got to end.
Flans in my HOF for turning to the KC fan who was bellowing “we want Bumgarner” – and telling that fan “YOU got ’em NOW mother-for-you”.
Classic Tim Flannery
Source? Video? I would love to see or read more about this.
He said this in a CSN interview. Perhaps it was a 2014 WS type of show. I’ve heard this too from Flannery. It was pretty funny…
Flan mentioned it on Comcast Sportscenter sans the MF word….it was in the SF Chronicle….on Flan’s FB page and ran BIG on his twitter account. One person on GE/Baggs said Flan never should have said what he did to the fan. I disagree with that person.
Flannery: “The next night, it was 1-1, and they’re yelling, ‘Give us Bumgarner!’ Then we go ahead 2-1, and I know he’s coming in. … All of a sudden the gate opens up and I was like, ‘Here he comes mother—.You got him now!’ … I’d had enough.”
-sfgate.com
Awesome!!
Flan is the best
If Mets sign Cespedes, they may have to trade Bruce.
Yoenis Cespedes to the New York Yankees makes sense for the New York Mets.
They already have that clusterfuggle of outfielders. I still believe Michael Conforto will come back strong – a la Joe Panik !
I read the story about having to trade Bruce and thought “hmmmmm…”
He checks the 20+ HRs and strong OF arm boxes, but he’s a lefty; which the Giants have a lot of.
The Giants do not have any left handed power hitters that punch 20 regularly. The Righties are Pence and Posey.
The important issue is hitting lefties. That’s what the giants lack.
Span – Lefty
Panik – Lefty
Belt – Lefty
Posey – Righty
Pence – Righty
Crawford – Lefty
Nunez – Righty
I agree that Bruce adds power to the lineup, but the consensus has been that the Giants need to add a RH power bat. They already have 4 LH batters in their starting lineup.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremony is happening now with Vin Scully and others. Good TV.
Per Bleacher Bob
http://ktla.com/2016/11/22/vin-scully-kareem-abdul-jabbar-to-be-given-presidential-medal-of-freedom-at-white-house-ceremony-tuesday/
Wish I had DVRd it. Wow. Best awards show ever.
They have it ALL on line already.
Still got it. The mechanics are sound. I’ve been throwing oranges that are approximately 5 oz. 120 feet towards or into tipster bins on a relative low arch. I do a little stretch, and windmill, then let it fly at 60%. The ol’ rubber arm is itchin’…
Go Slow and then carry that big stick
Per the the big Italian, Anti-Lasodra:
CBA deadline to get the deal done (boom) is December 1st.
Baseball Winter Meetings are December 5-8th in Maryland. That’s when shit will get frenetic.
If I could find an onomatopoetic expression for a Gatling gun, I’d put it right here ( _____ !!!).
Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat!!!
Here’s a groove for you – get out your tele!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64liF2VuLxI
shoulda posted Onomatopoeia by rundgren
Boom!
I stared long enough to see a dinosaur in the middle
Tatasaurous overdous.
That was the small belt.
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/john-f-kennedy-assassinated
Like all of you (except those not born yet) I remember every nano-moment of every minute. Home from grammar school that day with *flu like symptoms” – and mom comes into the room and says: “Come watch the TV” and then https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBMs8JlYcgQ
It was 2nd grade, Mrs. Og my teacher comes in crying after lunch. She says “The President has been shot, school is dismissed”. We did not return to school for a week. I was sitting there thinking before she said anything, the president has been shot. I must have heard it in the background. All these years later I can still see her face crying. I can’t remember if I took my meds this morning but I remember most details of that day like they just happened.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/d164fff59a919c5c8ec8760b49425aef2a81887093d7c269d3c1281a156bbdc1.jpg
Another great post. This blog is exceeding all expectations. Way to go GG!
Speaking of Andrew McCutchen and rumors about his availability, here’s an article that mentions the Giants among potential suitors:
http://rumbunter.com/2016/11/22/pittsburgh-pirates-rumors-insiders-list-suitors-for-andrew-mccutchen/
I believe Clint and those that run the Pirates know that Cutch retires as a Bucco.
I have the strong feeling that he’s washed up.
Not a chance. He’s a beast.
MLBN analysts did a breakdown of Cutch’s swing from his past big success and his struggles last year, and it was all messed up. I don’t think he’s done!
It goes back to the injury he suffered last year.
It doesn’t happen that fast. There was a reason.
Dennis Rodman sighting. He’s loose on CA freeways again. https://www.buzzfeed.com/jimdalrympleii/dennis-rodman-charged-with-hit-and-run-faces-up-to-two-years?utm_term=.bl3Z5jdrw#.wwaR58wKx
“Wrong way Dennis”
GG:
This is just another outstanding post in a series your doing. All I can say is thank you.
Twins sign Castro Valley and Stanford’s Jason Castro.
3 years, 24.5 mil.
https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/801198849004015617
A pretty cool image from today at Medal of Freedom presentation.
http://cdn0.dailydot.com/cache/a1/1e/a11e0bb5ed5816a8528c1a1ef400d2ea.jpg
That is sooo 2015….
Pre tatasaurous.
Unfortunately the kids don’t think so and the image is constantly being used over and over and over again in social media. Snooooze.
MJ is one of my guys. Best ever.
Wow, the Notre Dame football team has been put on probation, and the wins from 2012 and 2013 have been vacated.
http://www.wndu.com/content/news/Notre-Dame-football-team-placed-on-academic-probation-wins-vacated-402478815.html
So let me get this straight. Notre Dame had 5-8 players cheat–assisted by a paid staff member–to remain academically eligible, and their punishment is to vacate wins from 3-4 years ago. So basically…nothing.
USC had one player, Reggie Bush, accept some goodies from a sleazy agent for his parents. There never was any hard evidence that any of the coaching staff even knew that it had happened. And they had wins and a national championship vacated, two years of bowl bans, and three years of major scholarship reductions.
So regardless of one’s feelings about either school–call them School A and School B–was this equitable treatment?
LOL, you have an interesting sense of outrage.
You’re deflecting and you didn’t answer my question. It’s a reasonable one. Is it equitable?
You don’t need to answer it. It is not. Joe Paterno, who I trust is burning in hell now, let Jerry Sandusky molest children in the Penn State locker room for DECADES, and THEY ended up with a less harsh penalty than USC did after the NCAA backed down in the face of lawsuits.
The USC assistant coach who had his life ruined in the Reggie Bush deal DID file a lawsuit, and the trial record is clear. The NCAA committee, seeded with strong SEC backers, decided to give USC 20-to-life for jaywalking. That is just one of many reasons why I despise the SEC. And the NCAA is crooked and political, but we all know that.
As an alum, it changed my life not at all, but what really always bothered me was this: A bunch of college kids who were in junior high when Reggie Bush played for USC were the ones who paid the price for all of that. And that’s just wrong.
I’m woefully short of ethical outrage about football in general.
Don’t start with me. t.u. never get caught with anything, even when dead to rights (rental cars, phone bills, etc.), we sneeze on a recruits paperwork and its an unsanctioned nutritional benefit.
I know how SMU alums feel. (even if the did get what they really deserved)
When the State governor is aware of your use of a sorority as call girls for the football team, you do develop a sense of invincibility. That SMU scandal was only really superficially revealed publicly.
….and Notre Dame is upset because it’s ” too harsh”
That program is so obnoxious.
That is the advantage of having God on their side
Touchdown Jesus
If you thought Trump was the end of the world, imagine what a baseball lockout would do.
http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/labor-peace-lockout-collective-bargaining-agreement-owners-players-baseball-112216
Can the world end twice for you?
More from today’s White House event.
https://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/6fZ5NRTNCfUf6k-RK86012nKEbI=/0x0:3000×2000/920×613/filters:focal(0x0:3000×2000)/cdn1.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/51965765/GettyImages-625100412.0.jpeg
Next year’s Medal of Freedom recipients to be headed by Ted Nugent, Jon Voight and Hulk Hogan.
I got one question for you, brother:
What ya going to do brother when these 24 inch pythons get ahold of you?
Mmmmm yeah….. Mmmmm yeah… Macho Man’s coming for you Hollywood…..
I hope that all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving . Merna and I are thankful for family , friends, and that Haggis is not a holiday tradition. And I thank all of you for some great talk about the game we all love- Competition Shuffleboard.
Happy eating!
715 here already. Put on the Pot O Coffee Footy…
Is the Stove Hot Yet?
Fangraphs blog noting that ‘Brandon Belt is just about the weirdest offensive player in the game today’ (http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/2016-hitter-contact-quality-report-nl-first-basemen/). Can’t argue with that. He literally hits more line drives than ground balls.
And I believe he walked more than he hit last year.
check that: he walked 108 times last year and had 83 singles, 41 doubles, 8 triples, and 17 HRs.
The ratio was pretty close int he 2nd half though: 57 hits, 51 walks.
As ClutchUp implies, the Hot Stove League this year is pretty much last year’s burned out ashes at the bottom of the old pot belly. As far as I can tell, Giants action so far has consisted of some conversation with closer free agents, and naming some guys to the 40 man (including taking a flyer on Orlando Calixte). As usual, not too much talk from inside the team, who likes to surprise us all in the process of keeping the other GMs in the dark. Ah, well, it was easier to master Calixte than Samardzija.
Thanksgiving week is an unlikely time for any announcements, so we’ll just have to stuff ourselves silly, while waiting for
Dec 2, tender date for arbitration eligible players
Dec 5-8, winter meetings.
Dec 25, Santa puts Lorenzo Cain or Andrew McCutchen in mine and Scout’s stocking?
Giants free agents: Pagan, Peavy, Romo, Casilla, Lopez, Blanco, and also Jose Dominguez, Joe Nathan, Miguel Olivo, Ruben Tejada, Gordon Beckham. (Did GG give Jake Peavy his laudatory good bye yet?)
Giants eligible for arbitration, and MLBTR’s guesstimates for each:
Nunez, 4.4 million smackers
Gillaspie, 0.9
Kontos, 1.7
Gearrin, 1.1
Adrianza, 0.5
I don’t pay much attention to the salary details but I would have guessed that for as long as Gillaspie has been around he’d at least crack a million.
He still can. And maybe Giants will do him right.
The hot stove is broken and in need of repair. Yes, a little bit a gas burps out from the regulator now and then, but going to have call in the plumbing union for repair, and the owners are just going to have resolve disputes from the last round of repairs and settle on a fair price.
I read the link you posted about the labor issues. That international piece is quite a dilemma, I always thought it was nuts that foreign players could jump immediately to huge money while the domestic players have to wait but it’s obviously more complicated than I thought. Any thoughts on a sensible solution?
Not I. It sounds contentious. No comment from the players union. But there was that line from a source about the owners wanting to amend the compensatory pick which affects about 20 players total in exchange for that draft which affects 30-50% of all players.
Grant Brisbee agrees with me: What about the outfield?!
http://www.mccoveychronicles.com/2016/11/22/13717068/sf-giants-free-agency-outfield-bullpen
Not trying to get under Ryan’s skin here but I think they need to make Span earn it. If he’s an expensive back up then he’s an expensive back up but they need to go with the most productive players not the most expensive ones. I do think that Pence will bounce back.
That “Wins Above Average” stat that Grant posted was a new one for me (I guess I hadn’t been paying attention), but by that stat, Span was 14th among CFs in the NL. Pagan had the exact same WAA number but was #8, so I guess the LF crop is worse than the CF crop.
Sign Fowler for CF and leadoff. Install Mac in LF, give him a shot. If both of those moves work out, you’ve upgraded both outfield defense and added power (with Mac). You’ve also upgraded the leadoff spot, which was a big problem this year:
Fowler
Panik
Posey
Pence
Belt
Crawford
Williamson
Nunez
Not bad–could tweak the order, but that’s good LH/RH balance too.
Fowler crushes Kershaw. I want Fowler to get us some Kershaw.
If Span’s first half and second half were flipped and if he wasn’t such a clutch performer in the final series of season and the NLDS, then maybe there would be a case.
He can hit. He can track balls. His shoulder has serious issues. But he’s the Giants CF until he can’t hit for a prolonged stretch.
I agree he’ll be the CF because that’s how the Giants roll once they’ve thrown money at a guy. (In fact, I’m going to be stunned if Cain isn’t the fifth starter, no matter what Alex thinks. Stunned in a good way.)
But he overall had a bad year. This WAA stat is one metric. The defensive metrics are not kind to him at all. His production at the plate was well below his career norms. And for all his “I’m a second-half guy” talk, he was flat-out awful in September.
The “got hot in the playoffs” argument is not a thing, unless you also want to argue that Joe Panik had a great year (well, he DID win a Gold Glove; that was cool) and that Conor Gillaspie should be the starting 3B.
Don’t get me wrong–I want to see Span be terrific next year. I’m just not expecting it. Sadly, I’m not expecting it from Pence anymore, either.
I believe Michael Scott pointed out that Span’s negative DRS occurred in the first half, and that he was neutral in the 2nd half. It seemed in the first half he was having trouble going back on balls and this was likely hip related.
Overall in the 2nd half, he hit .287.
I don’t know how to look up DRS splits. It makes sense that the hip surgery would make him lose a step. I don’t know if the eye test says he looked better at that in the second half, but I remember him completely clanking a ball in Colorado in September that cost Bumgarner a win and sent the game into 12-13 innings (that was another Casilla yak, too).
Span’s batting numbers in Sept./Oct were .213./300/.326/.626. He was being benched vs. lefties by the second half of September (Gorkys started instead). Not sure what that all means going forward; I guess we’ll see.
I would need to dig up the interview with Evans in which he talked about Blach vs. Cain as 5th starter but my reading of what Bobby said seemed to be in line with what Alex said in his Q&A that it’s Blach’s to lose. Of course that could be because this is my wish.
I can’t find much to inspire with Span and Pence out there. Which one will be injured first? Will they be out at the same time? Will this create the necessity/opportunity for Mac and Parker?
There was a 20-minute podcast where Alex interviewed Bobby a couple of weeks ago, and in my opinion, Evans clearly implied that Blach is the frontrunner for the fifth starter spot. He described Cain as “Blach’s stiffest competition” because of his experience but then went on to give a long list of things Cain needed to “show/prove” (that he can command his stuff, keep the ball in the park, avoid big innings) in spring training–in a dubious tone of voice (in my opinion).
Cain’s last start in 2016 was around the third week of August. That was the dreadful Wednesday afternoon game where he was given an early 4-0 lead and was sailing along and then completely disintegrated in the fifth inning, giving up six runs (while Bochy was…sipping a gin and tonic? In the bathroom?). He barely pitched again after that. Anyway, I’m sure that start (or the eight runs at Fenway in July, or the Cinco de Mayo Massacre–13 runs in one inning) is what Evans had in mind.
All that said, I’m still from Missouri. I’ll believe the Giants make a $20 mil. pitcher, the longest-tenured player, a franchise hero, and a clubhouse leader fight with rookies in spring training for a rotation spot when I see it.
Thanks Lefty. I will look up the podcast.
The part about Blach and Cain starts at around 11:00.
Nice podcast & Cain (sad trombone) season recap. Talk is cheap, especially coming from Bochy, Sabean, and Baer so I agree with you. But, Evans seems to be less opaque than his compatriots, time will tell.
I got 1 name for you – Aaron Rowand.
I’m going to disagree.
Imagine you’re a starter that lost your quality pitched win…or an everyday player that busted his ass to tie/take a lead in a game…only to lose all that effort because of 30 regular season blown saves. Fast forward to 2017 and the front office hasn’t gone out and obtained a proven closer to ficx that gaping water leak. Instead, they want to hope/pray that someone that was in the bullpen in 2016…is now going to be the closer. Would that give you confidence as a starter or every day player?
The Giants have been bandaiding the OF for years and won 3 WS in that mode. I don’t like it and I’ve been calling for a power-hitting LF for years here…but having a confidence that any lead is going to be a “W”…is worth continuing an OF bandaid solution. Martinez would be great in LF….and (insert broken record here) I’d be happy with Holliday instead of staying pat…but the Giants will not sniff the WS without a bonafide closer.
The Giants WILL get a closer. The optics for the fans are just too awful if they don’t.
But we’re kidding ourselves if we thinking a 40-man roster with only five outfielders, three of whom barely have any major league experience (Hernandez, Parker, and Williamson) and the other two of whom are aging rapidly (Span and Pence) is going to be adequate. Bandaiding is fine, but unless they really love Austin Slater, Hunter Cole, and Steven Duggar as “depth,” they’d better not stand pat here.
I will agree with you about OF depth. My only disagreement was about the OF being more of an issue than closer; which was the article’s headline. The Giants will get OF depth somehow.
The depth is going to be fine once Evans finds LFer.
Added to the 40 man is the athletic Calixte that played over 30 games in CF at AAA.
Not on the 40 man but readily moved to the 40 are the likes of Austin Slater, Hunter, Cole, and potentially Steven Duggar.
No real problem with depth. Belt and Tomlinson can also field an outfield position on demand.
Finally got around to reading the Flann interview. Nice work GG. I love everything that Flann stands for. I missed him when he and his band came through Rocklin over the summer and hope he comes back through the Sacramento region soon. I miss him as a 3rd base coach, and I really think he would’ve made a difference this year by not hesitating to send runners home, unlike Kelly.
We all can love harder too.
Giant Cockroaches never die!
Baseball writer Wendy Thurm is on it! Actually I think activism is her first passion.
https://twitter.com/hangingsliders/status/800789584867037184?lang=en
She announced a couple weeks ago on Twitter that she’s getting completely out of baseball writing in favor of political/social writing.
Good on her. She has the skills and training to make a difference.
Yes, she had a high-powered legal career herself and her husband is a very influential trial attorney. Her husband was on the legal team for the Prop 8 case when it went before the Supreme Court.
She can be a part of the team that helps build a legal wall around California.
#Calexit
Are you sure you want the California legislative body to manage more tax revenues?
See Sac Bee article:
http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2013/03/state-auditor-california-net-worth-at-negative-127-billion.html
March 28, 2013 ??
Just would like to see any and all efforts to thwart racist and bigoted agendas and to make all efforts to salvage what is left of the environment.
Red ink versus a wasteland? I’ll take the red ink.
That was the most recent audit and reported one. And from a news source I trust.
Really, if we are going to go into debt let’s do it for the things that keep us alive (clean air, water, soil) not more military.
On the other hand, here is this Newsweek article published yesterday: http://www.newsweek.com/robert-reich-california-trumpland-nemesis-524127.
It points out that California does everything “wrong”–high taxes, high regulations, high wages–according to conservative thinking, yet is in a much better economic situation than states like Kansas and Texas who supposedly do everything “right.”
Now, the author IS a professor at Berkeley, so…
Actually it’s written by Reich, who was in the Ford, Carter, and Clinton administrations. He is well respected and I read the article. What I read from article is there is no correlation between tax, wage and regulations and economic success. Agreed, it’s how you invest the tax dollars that counts. He makes a great point about the university systems in each of the states and which state has prospered from investment.
He also hints at diversity in industry in each state. If your high tech company do you want to be among the wheat fields of Kansas or near SF. There is much more that goes into an economy than taxes and wages.
My point and he alludes to some of the problems i would refer to as examples, such as California public school funding, is the state mismanages it’s tax revenues. I am not sure they would do better with additional ones.
The question I would like answered is how much tax revenue does California provide to the Feds and how much benefit do we receive.
Last I saw CA was getting about $.6 for every $1 of Federal tax paid (sorry no source).
Thanks, there maybe some extra there.
Calexit?
I’m all for it, but we both know there will be a lot of death associated with it because the powers that be won’t let us go (even if we bribed them). Lucky for me (and my family) I have dual citizenship so if we can get to that small island nation in the pacific we might be ok. I will have some survival guilt, but my family will survive. Baseball doesn’t seem quite as important anymore.
that small island in the pacific may just get swallowed by the ocean :-
I believe in the time loop theory of consciousness and that we all circle back and relive the human condition over and over. Yeah, reincarnation and all that stuff. The Hindu had it, and from there, the Buddhists. I’m sure Grok had some notion of deja vu upon stepping outside his cave…
OOOOOK then. That has what to do with Calexit? It is ok if people die fighting for Calexit because they will be reincarnated?
Die fighting for Calexit? This is getting serious. Rebel yell !!
Yeah, death ain’t so permanent and heaven and hell are right here on earth 🙂
Try the Beautiful Bones for another POV.
On November 9th. I wish Wendy would reconsider and write about baseball and politics. George Will has found a way.
Thanks. Now I know to unfollow her feed.
Maybe she’ll migrate over to 538, that would be a novel addition, someone who can actually write.
It’s interesting reading.
There’s a book you may be interested in. Tom Friedman’s latest book: “Thank You for Being Late: An Optimist’s Guide to Thriving in the Age of Accelerations.” There’s a lot apparently in there on climate change. I didn’t know anything about the book until I saw Tom on Charlie Rose the other evening (Nov 21). I think you would like listening to that interview as well. It was Tom Friedman who asked Trump the question about climate change in the meeting with the NYT yesterday.
thank you.
btw – Elizabeth Kolbert and Jared Diamond are probably more up my alley on these eschatological matters.
Speaking of Joe Panik and his Gold Glove and bad year at the plate, now might be a great time for the Giants to extend him. He’s getting married any day now, too. A little security….
I wonder if extending Joe is the plan after extending Madison…
I would do Moore next. Then Panik
Take advantage of his life situation hey? He’s getting married and he needs the money so let’s catch him off guard lol! I’m down for that Dr!
It’s funny how we view a guy making a 1/2 million a year as needing a salary bump because he’s getting married. LOL
I don’t think there’s any rush to extend a guy who didn’t hit .240 last season and isn’t eligible for free agency until 2021.
He’ll be eligible for arbitration after next season. The down season at the plate would be the reason to extend him now–he’d likely do so for a reasonable price tag. If he hits .320 next year and wins another Gold Glove–and both of those things could happen–different conversation.
I think they’d like to make sure 2016 was an aberration before they think about an extension.
I’m just saying–sometimes a little early risk pays off big time. Look at Bumgarner–they extended him after the 2011 season, a year in which he started off 0-6 and ended up 13-13. Now that looks like one of the smartest contracts in the history of baseball.
The Giants are pretty happy that the Rays locked in Matt Moore a few years ago, too. The Rays got to pay for his Tommy John surgery and rehab. The Giants–hopefully–get to benefit from a healthy, talented guy in his prime at a very reasonable price tag.
I’m thinking they already sure it was an aberration….
It must be, because Panik is so lovable.
And Arroyo is waiting in the wings.
An aside for your scrapbook… http://www.statesman.com/news/local/burnet-county-judge-social-media-response-san-antonio-cop-slaying-time-for-tree-and-rope/tFzXUHIkBYnnOO7TlWpxUJ/
Jim Bowden on ESPN puts his Carmot hat on and claims the Pale Hose have to trade Chris “Fire” Sale. I want some of that action. What would you be willing to put in a deal for Sale?
sounds like your own tin-foil hat is on.
Shhh… Ignore all the glasses of water on the tables.
I confess, I don’t get get this reference.
But I think you are full well aware the Giants are not in the market for starting pitching and that Sale is well out of their league.
Besides, Sale would refuse to wear the Chewbacca-themed uniforms on Star Wars day and ruin the clubhouse chemistry…
Sale in Dodger Blue is in the realm of possibility.
Q the music of the Empire.
Won’t happen. My expert “friends” on MLB Radio say that the Dodgers are only willing to part with young (very young) prospects and none of their closer-to-the-show prospects. They say that the White Sox will be unwilling to trade such a huge commodity on prospects that are so far away…and so much could happen between now and if/when they ever make it to the major leagues. They mention the Rangers, Red Sox, Braves (maybe), and the cubs as clubs that can meet the White Sox needs, but they would *never* trade Sale to the Cubs.
I want Sale to be traded to the Diamondbacks really, really badly. Imagine those fugly uniforms and Sale’s skill with a pair of scissors. Endless entertainment!
I wonder what Keith Law thinks?
OK, that is a finalist for the Together We’re Giants Clio in the humor category
Merril, Swing Away….
Trader Scout just criticized a crazy trade idea????
Scout knows more than anyone else, including actual baseball people, so none of his trade ideas can be considered crazy.
The world has gone mad indeed, or the coffee is too strong in the hill country.
Here you go…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4N3N1MlvVc4
Underrated pitcher who might also be available is Jose Quintana. I like the way he pitches..he is very savvy and not a household name. He might be available too..hope the bums dont land him.
I think his underrated status is out the door and has become a household name. He is number 17 on the Bill James starting pitcher rankings.
I’d argue Bill James pitcher rankings are not household but among people that follow baseball he is well known and he can really pitch. Another lefty that could give Giants problems
I’d say to that he has probably been overshadowed by Sale and that there is some obscurity playing for the South Siders.
But to your point, Dodgers are going to make life as difficult as possible for the Giants. It’s going to be real interesting because they have multiple sizable holes to fill. Anticipate a top tier pitcher as you suggest. Then a couple of bullpen adds. Then some sort of impact bat if not Justin Turner.
Would be very pleased if the Dodgers didn’t resign Justin Turner…he is a tough and dangerous hitter. Interested to see if the dodgers continue to try and shed payroll.
One rumored happening is the Dodgers going big on a trade with the White Sox – netting Sale, Frazier, and reliever Robertson. I would think that would tap them out of trades and they would then either bring back Jansen or sign Chapman, or Melancon. Hopefully they’d be done after that.
What would they have to give up for that? Sale is ridiculously talented. They would probably have the two nastiest pitchers in the game stuff wise if they got Sale. Would rather they had Frazier than Turner
I’ve read this interview three times now. The questions are clear. Some of Tim’s responses are riddles.
Thats very Flanman…..
Of course Bochy and Tim talked throughout the year…
It was an email exchange. Certain immediacy and spontaneity is lost with that format.
Pretty cool for Tim Flannery to take the time to do the interview for TWG.
Yes it was. Tim’s always been a pretty easy going kinda guy.
Like Lurie and all the others who we mock – at times – there is NObody else standing in the wings to do it any better.
I read it about four times….
That is pure Flannery for you/us.
Sounds like the Nats may have Hot Stove Natitude.
http://nypost.com/2016/11/22/nationals-poised-to-blow-up-baseballs-hot-stove/
Nothing new under the sun.
and the sun is eclipsed by the moon
And here you go…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CS_FCbQ-okM
Looks like the Harby Harbs family suffers another low blow. Ft Worth drops his BroLaw’s team Indiana ranked #3. Harbys’ sisters Hubby. Mr. Shoe polish hair.
Who is ‘Harby Harbs”?
Ralph Branca dead at 90.
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/nov/23/ralph-branca-dies-shot-heard-around-the-world-baseball
Best known as the guy who served up Bobby Thomson’s “Shot Heard Round the World” in 1951, but also a wonderful man who was among the first to stand up for Jackie Robinson as a Dodger teammate in 1947.
I just want to take a moment to wish everyone here on TWG a Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families and to give blessings to those who are less fortunate.
We have the greatest fans to go along with the team we endear ourselves to, and I am thankful for the 3 WS titles in 5 years. I am also thankful for GG having put this site together.
Cheers. Pitchers and catchers report in 78 days!
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/f178cc1fb445af22b44a822bfa9283d06486febd89d370afdc9213cd54de4997.png
Love it. Will probably run on the treadmill Friday morning.
Nice article running down this year’s HOF candidates and their odds of getting voted in:
http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/209394010/baseball-hall-of-fame-ballot-2016?partnerId=ed-11009768-658620023
The PED crowd once again doubtful, but I think Bonds may squeak in once he is on his 10th and final year of eligibility 4 years from now. I hope Trevor Hoffman gets in this year.. that guy was a machine.
Top Rule 5 OFers available.
https://i.imgur.com/WyUGRZ8.png
Other positions.
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/katohs-guide-to-the-2016-rule-5-draft/
When was the last time the Giants selected a Rule V player?
99% sure it’s not in the cards this year either.
Pretty sure the 40 man is plugged, or plugged to the extent that 2 players can be added via free agency.
That’s at least as fertile a field as your caffeine driven prognostications. They actually have metric driven estimates of value as opposed to coin flips attached to their names. 😉
Okay, so I’ll play. How about Kyle Wren? Makes contact, can draw a walk. With absence of power and 20 SBs in half a season, I’d venture he can play CF.
Gee, that could be right up the Giants alley, if the the Giants wished to pursue a Rule V player – however, they’d be drafting at the back end.
And what about Mike “Yaz” Yaztremsky? Nice bloodline!
What’s wrong/right with Wynton Bernard, who they own already?
LOL – that’s good. Any relation to Denard Span?
Don’t troll, answer. I really don’t know. And, I suspect, a casual association/comp discounting means you don’t either.
Don’t troll? Excuse me?
They do not own Wynton Bernard. This is an error.
You don’t have to apologize if you don’t want. I don’t care.
Come on fella, inquiring minds want to listen. Sure you care, your keystroke count here proves it. Puts some meat on the bone, I don’t see these guys in the Giants system, so pretty much what I know is what the few here, like you, tell me about them.
This is all know. Here’s the meat on the drumstick, pal.
http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?player_id=592144#/career/R/hitting/2016/ALL
Alright. I looked him up. He is on the Sacramento Rivercats roster. He got there somehow this fall. Last in the Detroit Tigers org. Some speed to his game. He’ll probably survive the draft and play in Sacramento.
Looks like a OBP/speed/defense kind of guy. .360 career OBP in the minors and doesn’t strike out much (Giants kind of guy). Has played mostly CF/LF and has a good fielding percentage. 7 OF assists in 2016. Over 40 SBs in two different seasons, 125 SBs in the minors. So maybe Gorkys 2.0?
Or Ryan Lollis/Robbie Garvey ?
I’ve never even heard of him!
Me either, but truthfully, I chose him as an example because we ought to if someone is going to wax eloquent about trades or purchases of young players. Lord knows there has been a surplus of bellyaching over MiLB trades as to being good or bad when prior to the trade we knew next to nothing about a player. You and Scout seem to follow some of these guys. But a 1-2-3 WAR player by KATOH being exposed is interesting.
I hated it when they lost Joe Biagini in the Rule 5 Draft last year. Now I was especially aware of him because he’d played for UCD, but I also was aware he’d had a great season for Richmond–in fact, I think he started the Eastern League All-Star Game that season. Considering how things turned out, the front office missed it with protecting guys like Crick (who’s looking like a total bust at this point) and Black (who can’t stay healthy for five minutes, so who cares if he throws 102?). They also protected a guy, Jake Smith, whom they ended up DFA’ing with a couple of months.
Duvall is a different story because they traded him for something they needed (Leake), but in both cases, the front office undervalued one of their own players whom they’d developed. Now, I’m sure this happens all the time on every time, but I hope some lessons were learned.
I suspect it occurs because of at least a few reasons. Winning seasons in succession limit to value of multiple draft crops, Giants MiLB player evaluation is poor, when a player does perform beyond expectations it really sticks and is visible amongst the mediocrity usually on display, Duvall is over valued because he fits a need many suppose he could have fulfilled here.
On November 18, 2016 the Giants signed CF Wynton Bernard, 26, to a minor league contract. On November 19, Bernard was assigned to the Sacramento River Cats. Here go the Giants making quiet moves for depth in the outfield?
http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?player_id=592144#/career/R/hitting/2016/ALL
All that’s news to me. Is this a finesse, or are they hiding him, or offering to someone…. or is he just a dud?
Closer to dud than stud, but consider Gorkys Hernandez – maybe part II.
I read an article a while ago about how the Cubs built their minor league system up 3-4 years ago. It started with Rule 5 claims/releases as a means of small upgrades in their minor league system. They had no intention of these guys moving to the big club, but instead had them targeted for trade for other minor league players to gradually upgrade the minor league club where it did contain legitimate potential major league talent. At the same time, their metric evaluation system was good enough to find guys in A or AA ball that had significant upside who could be obtained for a good AAA player, if you could polish him up enough. It turned out pretty good for them, I’d say.
Sounds like one way to operate if Rule V is your game, which usually consists of teams clawing out of the cellar or in the middle of the pack that can afford to put a Rule V player on the roster and keep him there.
Toronto is certainly an exception. Teams needing an extra bullpen arm can follow their lead (Biagini).
I’d be interested to hear the names involved on the Cubs side. Most of their WAR came through premium draft slots, a tremendous trade with Baltimore, and luring some free agents with the promise of ending the curse.
It wasn’t so much their game, as an important part of it in the beginning. Iwish I could find that article, but it was during the time Epstein had just come, maybe end of his first year at the helm. As I recall, many were puzzled what he was up to.
Here’s a snapshot of the 2015 Rule V players. Note, 11 teams participated with the Phillies, Reds, Angels, Brewers, and Padres double-dipping:
http://m.mlb.com/news/article/159262782/2015-rule-5-draft-results/
No idea. I noticed that Bernard was added to the Sacramento River Cats roster, which I have bookmarked. I figured you guys already knew this.
how about perhaps just a body to fill a need?
Thank you. Under the radar indeed.
#FreeWladimirBalentien
Adding to Greek Giants Flan interview with my Flan File of memories
Flan: I’m on the flight home it’s 3:30 in the morning, we just won the World Championship for the 3rd year, I’m not sleeping tonight, I’m drinking all the red wine I can, and just came from the back of the plane where my favorite young men hang, just happens to be the seats I sat in for many, many years. I want to say a few things. I know I get crazy through the year, when it comes to folks not close to the engine,like we are, giving us advice on all sorts of coaching,and road rules. Now that makes me smile. I forgive you all for that, if you forgive me? I’ve been out here 32 years. I forgive the clown at the red light last week that told me I don’t know what I’m doing at 3rd, sending Buster, though Buster scored to take the lead the night before.
We don’t always hit, sometimes you have to gamble. I would have gotten out of the car and showed you (him) one of my ” love harder” moves if my wife wasn’t with me. I forgive all of you who act out of passion, like I do almost everyday. 8 years ago I came with Boch up here for a last ride, It’s not over yet, but I believe I held up my end of the deal.
I want to just say Thank You for all your amazing support, your beautiful words, thank you for knowing my personality when I get nutty, and for understanding, I’ve given you everything I have, and I’m so humbled, and honored to be part of the best Giant baseball in history, ever. God has blessed me, my family, to have been part of these teams, this time, these amazing men. I thought I might have had enough, but tonight ,Buster, Hunter told me they need me, so I guess I got another season in me. That’s not neither here nor there, that’s not the point of this post.
I just want to say, I can’t thank you all enough for loving me, loving me with 8 months of road wear all over me, I metamorphose from a fragile singer songwriter, into a crazy, calloused 3rd base coach. I take it personal, I bite, I cry, I get down, I overreact, I’m emotional, I’m complicated, I’ve been told.
God seems to show me even when my heart gets ” broken wide open”, ” that lets the light shine in”. Once again tonight I found we aren’t in charge, tonight I’m humbled, in quiet tears, and prayer.
Thank you for loving me for who I am, thank you for supporting our team, our music, our causes. Ok, I’m ordering more wine, singing from the bottom of my soul, got amazing stories, see you at the Parade, and at the shows that start next week….after all this is a music site. All you *couch coaches*, experts, and people that made it a point to forget what this page is all about. You better come to a show, buy a record, be part of the music, or you might get bit across the nose…haha…love to all, thank you, ” nurse, more wine”. ” love harder”. You all have been my teacher…God Bless. Tim A time in history we all shared together ….never forget it, pass the story down, love , teamwork, believing , and The Mad Man, you win every time……” Fire on the mountain”.
More Tim Flannery:
Over the last 26 years in the big leagues, 4 World Series ( and what it takes to even get there) and mostly losing seasons, because Ted Williams, never got to play in one playoff game, it isn’t easy, a game of failure, a game of uncertainty…, this game kills people, ( Iv’e buried them), This game beats down the strongest of men. I’ve put them in rehab,and I might not be far behind.
The divorce rate, only 4 percent of marriages in baseball work out . if you don’t produce, it gets heavy. it’s a get it done every night mother-f-ker. No easy way through it, if it felt like you were gonna puke tonight, congratulations, your still breathing, and alive.
If your gonna hindsight tell us what pitch to take, what pitch to throw, or who to bring in to pitch, you obviously haven’t been watching till now. If your not so proud of the effort this team gave tonight, go take a shower, smudge yourself with sage, purify your body with Sweet Grass, and either come all in, no matter what, as a Giant supporter the next 3 days, because we need everyone of you) no matter what happens, or wear red…and fly south when it’s over.
This team has overachieved, and tonight in a loud hostile venue, they fought to the bitter end. Im so proud of them. ” The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band” all in, or go home, this is not the place for the weary kind. If you got no skin in the fight, don’t post. Instead Light a prayer candle, cause these Cards are a great team that are like us a lot , every game will be like this. If you cant take it, turn to the cooking channel.
Peace. “lets go Giants” I hear this “together were Giants” are we???? – or when it gets tough you have to become a dose of negativity? – his team never was to even be here, guess what, the misfits crashed the party….we need everyone on board…..and Tuesday, do not miss the anthem.
The Grateful Dead boys Bobby and Phil are forgiving and coming back together to sing with their favorite Lunatic 3rd base coach. Ok..Im going to bed, did 100 push-ups, ate healthy, and did all the right things…how bout you? – anyway stay up too late playing music, celebrating the sacred life? ha…how dare you…..the garden weasel is ready to weed…be careful…love flan
http://www.buschleaguesports.com/index.php/tim-flannery-says-goodbye-to-baseball/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKVuLGAvUWU&app=desktop
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nI2q0upjVv4
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/7e6d3dff553d270dc39db8fd9894510d49667c760c1cace910d398fc445a679f.jpg
Thanks Clutch. This is amazing stuff!
Tim Flannery is a forever member of the Great Giants TWG Hall of Fame
Colon getting serious about Atlanta…. now down to one slice. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/50e39819c894abc3634d990337d50bfff4e374284da5dae0feb616de4a09a58e.jpg
Rumor that the Giants are looking to invite Wilford “Spicey-Hot” Footskie Ryan tos spring training. Spicey as he is known by his teammates throws the infamous Visalia Eepheus Pitch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGHvD2kZwgY
Where is Sir Paul in PV. I have a few laughs for him
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/c0ed4c4bf36a8f1c05278b2b78c25940a18167e560932646f60a725125317c26.jpg
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/a48e67199003584b9a901d7b41c8a237b903bb60298e0e934c88023049a7d69c.jpg
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/8b45a338d01b99b1484b5107bd334fc2e0a34fcf5f671828ea84342024b15d65.jpg
Ohio State-Michigan, one of a kind. http://www.mediaite.com/online/the-letter-m-has-been-removed-from-ohio-states-campus-in-advance-of-showdown-with-ichigan/
Given the number of ballplayers having Lasik surgery (Sandoval for instance), it could pose a serious problem . Visual side effects that may just be annoying for a ‘civilian’ could be career threatening for a ballplayer.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2016/11/23/many-lasik-patients-may-wind-up-with-glare-halos-or-other-visual-symptoms-study-suggests/?hpid=hp_hp-more-top-stories_lasik-1115am%3Ahomepage%2Fstory
Scary link between asthma attacks and thunderstorms. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2016/11/23/many-lasik-patients-may-wind-up-with-glare-halos-or-other-visual-symptoms-study-suggests/?hpid=hp_hp-more-top-stories_lasik-1115am%3Ahomepage%2Fstory
I don’t see the fit but their crazy horse owner does have the $
http://m.mlb.com/news/article/209066296/marlins-interested-in-free-agent-kenley-jansen/
Ralph Branca, Bobby Thompson’s victim, passed this week.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2016/11/23/many-lasik-patients-may-wind-up-with-glare-halos-or-other-visual-symptoms-study-suggests/?hpid=hp_hp-more-top-stories_lasik-1115am%3Ahomepage%2Fstory
In lieu of his passing of Mr. Branca – all the boys here are reminiscing and looking through Mr. Branca’s book https://www.amazon.com/Moment-Time-American-Baseball-Heartbreak/dp/1451636873
Also Gwen Ifill has not had a minute to herself since here entrance as thousands and thousands gathered to greet her.
https://www.amazon.com/Breakthrough-Politics-Race-Age-Obama/dp/0767928903
Mr. Leon Russell has provided much needed music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37dw2r45Xzg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0H7qFT8U5uo
I didn’t hear much about this, not on Alex’s twitter or sfgiants.com:
https://twitter.com/jonmorosi/status/801168202692698116
Anyone know anything about Neil Ramirez? From Baseball Reference he’s 27, had a pretty good year in 2014 but nothing exciting after that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOFcBiBBBuI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwjupSCBIJw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zG6gDOhAAyc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcbV5tkxG4k
92 K’s in 81.2 career IP, so the stuff seems to be there. New project for Tidrow and the minor league coaches. Maybe a low risk high reward type move. At the least some Giant’s baseball news 🙂
Tidrow likes his frame maybe @ 6′ 4″ – 190 lbs
PLEASE people – enough already – good freaking god:
Wayne State University officer dies from gunshot wound
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/detroit-police-wayne-state-officer-shot-on-duty-has-died/ar-AAkDHWB?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=mailsignout
I am sorry to hear about the death of another officer. While these get press coverage all the time, they are relatively rare at 40-50 deaths a year
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/the-history-of-u-s-police-deaths-in-the-line-of-duty/
I am more sorry to hear about the nearly 1,000 people killed a year by police in the U.S. of which 134 of these deaths at the hands of police were unarmed.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2015/jun/01/the-counted-police-killings-us-database
While the deaths are abhorent, I do firmly believe that all out wars are what sparks true dialogue and corrective actions and not the lip service given that we have today. Hail Kaerpernick.
You’re not sorry.
Let me know the next time a cop walks up to an unsuspecting person and shoots them in the head.
Do you have any idea how much you just stressed Google?
great post and oh so true.
it looks like he’s playing one of those Gibson, Robert Johnson type modals … nice guitars
Good eye. I could make out Gibson in some alternative font, but I think you’re right. If I had possession over judgement day…
TWG’s first interview exclusive, Tyler Beede, apparently just popped the question to his lovely actress girlfriend. And all the young gamer babes sigh…
https://twitter.com/alliedeberry/status/801486264159576064
I read the average ballplayer is married 2.3 times in his life.
I wonder how that compares to the average person. It’s always struck me as a bit odd that baseball players seem to get married so young–they’re demographic outliers. I think the average age for American men these days is at least 28. It seems like at least 75% of MLB players are married (and fathers) long before that. Look at Crawford–not even 30 yet and already a father of three. It also seems to be different in other major sports. I know Steph Curry is a bit of an oddity in being a family man at such a young age.
We don’t really know how much of a “family man” any of these guys actually are.
Way to think positive!
I’m thinking realistically.
I’m sure you’re right about many of them, but I’m guessing Steph Curry doesn’t step out. He’s committed to his brand (and Ayesha’s). He’s also committed to the good works that he does, and his image is a big part of that.
As for Crawford, I figure with three kids under four, he can’t possibly have the energy to cheat.
You would be suprised. When you’re a ballplayer it isn’t that much work to get laid…they literally throw themselves at you at the team hotel. All you have to do is invite them upstairs.
Oh, I get it. Pretty much how it is for me every time I travel for work. Sometimes you just want put on your PJs and order room service, though.
Your fans are waiting for you at the hotel?
Photos to pose for, books to sign…oh, it’s tough being me.
it’s true clutch. i met the good doctor at yankee stadium, and she had to beat away her admirers with a bat..
Well you’re not in your 20s with a penis your in you’re late 20s with a bodacious set of tatas……. With your opposite gender, the little head tends to do a lot more of the thinking. Every indication is Brandon and Jalynne are incredibly happy and she often travels with him.
Despite your rockstar status, the other sometimes mean you do exactly what???!!! Goto the bar and grab a cocktail? Then there’s this cute groupie who is just flattering the heck out of you after a bad day….
Hopefully not.
Each and every player creates their very own “realistic”. Our conjecture is conjecture
That’s right before, I did not inhale, in words of wisdom.
As Cormac McCarthy pointed out, the road is a dangerous place. 😉
Road Beef!!!
Well, I was being technical. Wife + kids = family
Good point. Schilling turned out to be a louse.
“Modern Family”
In other sports, the getting married prior to fathering children seems to be less of a priority. I wonder if it has to do with the long season and grind of minor league baseball.
Or the reality that fathers are a big part of a baseball player’s development and a higher percentage of players come from intact families and have that expectation for themselves.
I’m guessing it is cultural–many Latin players who marry young and white Americans from the South who are from conservative religious backgrounds. But I think the minor league grind factors, too.
Efrain must be lurking
Military guys tend to marry young and have children way ahead of the rest of society.
I would guess that on the one hand baseball players generally come from a social class where in principle people think it’s good to get married young but in practice average people are afraid to because they aren’t economically established, but since baseball players (at least mlbers) make more than enough money to be economically stable, that issue is resolved.
4% !! Really ?
Clutch level creepy post.
I saw it on Twitter. I wasn’t spying on them. He’s a top Giants prospect and was interviewed for this blog, so I thought people might enjoy it. Lighten up. When celebrities put things on Twitter, that means they WANT people to see it.
Subject: Derek Law. Tyler Beede tweeted this photo of Law as part of his engagement announcement.
https://twitter.com/sfgiants/status/801504659206651904
It reminded me of Law going nuts in the dugout waving the rally towel in the epic Game 3 (the one the Giants won in extras) in the NLDS.
I liked that. The Giants desperately need more fire and enthusiasm. I hope Phil Nevin and “Agui” bring some of that, too.
You know Nevin will.
The Oracle’s gonna love this. Now Kaepernick is representing for Fidel Castro.
Kaepernick has officially crossed the line from obnoxious to bonafide weirdo. He and Kanye need to get a room.
http://thecomeback.com/nfl/colin-kaepernick-has-heated-conversation-with-miami-media-after-wearing-fidel-castro-shirt.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
A brain is a terrible thing to waste….
But he’s getting close to his former self- on the field. And to my knowledge he doesn’t beat up women or drive drunk . I’ll take weird.
Good point.
The girl friend drugged him. Id still rather have Kap over for dinner then Kayne
That’s not a great choice. And if Kim Kardashian’s in the deal, it’s a no-brainer. Pun intended.
Next week he’s breaking out the “Death to America” t-shirt.
On a tangential note, I can’t remember the last time I looked forward to a college football Saturday so much. Michigan-Ohio State at 9:00 for a playoff spot, Notre Dame-USC at 12:30, Colorado-Utah at 4:30 to decide the Pac 12 South (Colorado clinches it with a win; if they lose, USC wins it), other rivalry games, too. Stock up on the snacks and settle in.
It might not be Michigan’s day. The back-up QB may play and I don’t think their talent level has caught up to OSU yet. If they’d beaten Iowa, they probably would’ve clinched a playoff spot even if they lost this one.
I had dinner on Friday in San Diego with my editor from U of Michigan Press, a diehard fan. She was still gnashing her teeth over that Iowa game. Nonetheless, Harbaugh’s done a remarkable job with that program in only two years.
I can’t wait to see USU crush all the Maize and Blue crap from Harbaugh
You can’t wait to it?
It’s a tee shirt I think people are way too thin skinned.
If someone wears a tee shirt you don’t agree with at Davis, would you walk out on the lecture? No right?
Plus, F all those Cuban conservatives that run Miami and Florida politics, the very reason Trump won the state.
It was a very calcukated wearing of the shirt by CK, he knew it would ruffle feathers, as would I.
I had to come back to this because it struck a nerve. When one steps back from the tee shirt thing, which is nonsense to get so riled up about, CK is not saying anything erroneous:
http://www.sfgate.com/49ers/article/49ers-Kaepernick-pressed-on-perceived-support-10633694.php
Let’s not be hypocrites, while I’m not agreeing the fascist regime in Cuba is not guilty of political incarcerations and other offenses, the US does many of the same things only shrouded in Patriotism and the “law” which we all know benefits some parts of our society WAY more than others.
I’ve been to Cuba, and yes while people are not free, the education and literacy rate is impressive, so CK does have a point. Crime is very low in the nation (of course the whole fascist state thing does help with this lol), and it is a very beautiful place to visit as long as one has an open mind. But this argument is not about their government.
And I highly doubt CK wearing the shirt was solely a PRO CASTRO move, as he has always spoken and championed Malcolm X and I’ve seen similar images in Harlem NY. Do you think the young African American kids wearing the same tee on the streets of NYC are somehow championing Castro??!?! OF COURSE NOT!
Let’s not be ridiculous, just as Images of Che Guevara are sold on tees in such as Urban Outfitters and quite popular with HS and college kids of all races, including white kids. So are they pro CUBA and PRO FIDEL because of an image that has become a symbol for the counter culture and about speaking up against oppression? I think not.
But CK is smart and crafty, he knew wearing that shirt in Florida would cause a stir compared to say Arizona or Seattle, were no one would have even cared. And as I said in my other post to hell with the Cubans in Florida that side with the rich conservative white base in Florida and look down at Mexican immigrants and other Latinos in Florida. If history is correct they fled Cuba in rafts and started over in America much like any immigrant deserves to do so. To side with Trump in this election is beyond shameful in their part.
“People are not free” and “the whole fascist state thing”–those are not exactly minor issues!
In any case, I don’t really care what Kaepernick says or wears–I’m not a fan and I truly don’t care–I just thought others might be interested, since they talk about him a lot.
Not a minor issues, but that is their government, not really our business.
They don’t have homeless people and everyone has food and education. May not be the greatest place but have you ever seen the living conditions in a favela in Rio or the slums of Mexico city?I’ve never been to New Delhi but I seen documentaries and now friends that have been there. I’m sure the state police thing is awful, but you don;t see people being hurt or killed on the streets.
I happen to like that CK is speaking up, think it’s the biggest thing he has done, more important than any football stats or stardom. More athletes of color should without fear of retribution from the system. It’s akin to slaves fearing to speak out because they would get punished by their masters.
There is some F’d up shit in this society but predominant “culture” wants to sweep everything under a rug.
Time to wake up.
You’ve been to Cuba? That’s really cool. Did you see any ball games?
I would like to go to Cuba. We went to Key West once and stood at that point that’s just 90 miles from Cuba. I think it’s the southernmost point of the U.S.? (Or maybe the continental U.S.?)
I was in Cancun once. And you could almost spit and hit Cuba. The Spaniards probably landed right about there, direct from Cuba.
no I really wish I had but I may go back with my GF. I did spend some time in the Parque Central (main park in Havana) and they have an area called La Esquina Caliente (Hot Corner) were Cuban men gather every day and talk about everything baseball, the Cuban players and what they hear of MLB.
The Yankees of course are the favorite as most countries and they argue all day long about the best players, games, etc.
Obama and a group of MLB players went there last year, there are great images of older Cuban men crying because they got spend time with Puig and Kershaw and a group of other MLB players.
Dear Bobby,
I’ll get right to the point- have a Happy Thanksgiving, but please- we don’t want a Turkey for the holidays.
Yours truly,
Big Country Mike
Cooked today for tomorrow’s feast:
Chocolate-bourbon pecan pie
Bourbon-glazed carrots
See a theme emerging? Mr. Lefty helped by getting an extra bottle of bourbon so that we wouldn’t have a crisis.
Save a little Bourbon for after dinner with a fine Cuban cigar 😉
It always struck me as weird that despite all the whiskey made in Kentucky, it was dry. Weird enough for Kaepernick country.
Does the pie have a designated turkey to drive?
Jose Bautista?
Or Sarah Palin?
Women in Trumps cabinet-Nikki will do coffee, Betsy does the drink run.
Pretty significant trade: Diamondbacks acquire Taijuan Walker and Ketel Marte for Jean Segura and two prospects.
That’s trading offense for young pitching in Arizona. Wheel sea how this works out.
Walker was a stud prospect who’s been hampered by injuries, yes?
Not quite hampered but not unblemished. Parallels with Shelby Miller, so I guess that’s ominous but this transaction cost is a mere fraction of that deal. Could be a real steal.
Segura was a great sparkplug at the top of that lineup. I won’t miss him.
The #Dbacks have acquired pitcher Taijuan Walker and infielder Ketel Marte from the Mariners for Jean Segura, Mitch Haniger and Zac Curtis. https://t.co/wi48xeYu7U
This looks like a very solid move for AZ. Really capitalized on Segura.
Ketel should wear uni number 1
At least 1 person got the joke.
It was a real “groaner” from the guy that probably has a deal marketing that product.
Chances of Diamondbacks trading Greinke on the rise. Yasmany Tomas another name that could be moved.
They should trade Greinke. I think Boston would be an excellent place for him. I’m tired of seeing him all the time.
New GM would probably like to put his stamp on things and demonstrate fiscal responsibility.
Wonder if their LF, Peralta, would be available.
Yasmany Tomas and Yoan Moncada…2 guys the Giants were rumored to be in a leading position to sign, then they go to other teams. I think Giants OF could use either one of them…
yea, because the DBacks really want to help the Giants right?? LOLZ
Was trading with the DBacks anywhere in my post? Uh…no.
The Giants were considered favorites for both players coming out of Cuba and couldn’t close the deal. Both players are now being discussed as valued commodities for trades by the teams that got them (Moncada could get Boston a Chris Sale)…and the Giants have neither one of them in a time their OF could really use them.
You can now return to your regularly scheduled behaviour of being critical of others.
Tomas is owed 56 mil over the next 4 seasons coming off a .272/.313/.508, 31 HR season. This is better than Adam Duvall! Sell high! Moncada still has that prospect status and is either the #1 or #2 overall prospect.
they just got a good starter in Walker from Seattle.
Pairing him up will Grienke and Miller could really improve them in the West this season.
Ummmmm…did you SEE Shelby Miller pitch last year?
Yes I did, but he still has talent. Could have just been a down year.
Think of it this way, he can’t be any worse, maybe a year in the dessert and he can start fresh. We are talking about a guy who was rated really high.
We’ll see. AZ isn’t a great place to pitch (ask Greinke), and Miller clearly felt the pressure of the huge trade they made to get him. None of that will change this year. I actually thought they might try to trade Miller to recoup some of their losses, but they would definitely be selling low at this point.
I seem to remember Randy Johnson having some good years, so no excuses about pitching in AZ.
More recently, Patrick Corbin had a very strong year in AZ.
Randy Johnson is a Hall of Famer. Shelby Miller—not.
the point is there are pitchers that have had success in Arizona, so it’s BS that it’s so tough.
Did somebody say “dessert”? Arizona thinks it would be sweet if Miller returned to form. Striking the mound with his knuckle early in the season really seemed to be the culprit of his mechanical breakdown. Chances are good that he rebounds to a respectable level of performance. Improving the defense behind him will help.
LOL I had my mind on that apple crumble later tonight;)
I checked his game logs. He scraped his fingers in his third start on April 16 (road game in San Diego). His first two starts were at home and he gave up 10 runs in 11 innings. So maybe there’s a cause-effect thing there–the mechanical breakdown caused the knuckle-dragging, not vice versa.
We’ve been down the road as Giants fans hoping that a former stud starter will bounce back after a bad year (Lincecum, Cain). Never happened. On the other hand, Justin Verlander (who WAS robbed–Kate was right).
Turkey dinner is too rich for your pets. But if you must give doggie a treat, and if you’ve trussed the bird- discard the string before carving- It can kill if ingested. The best thing for your pet is to cut up a little of the skinless breast the next day.
Gnite all.
The two players I’ve seen who make scoring look the most effortless are Durant and George Gervin.
The Warriors are ridiculous tonight. Ridiculous. I think the Lakers have their full attention this time.
Hopefully the repeat that effort in LA on Friday.
won’t mean anything if they fall on their face like last season.
OK, I get it. We won’t know that until June. I can enjoy a good game in November. You don’t have to say something negative for the next eight months. Point taken.
In the NBA it is just too obvious early in the season who will be the top 4 teams, so not really worth watching till playoffs. Everything the Dubs did last year, the emotional roller coaster, while impressive was all for naught.
I’m enjoying it because the Warriors are a new-look team. Obviously Durant, but half the team is new this year. So it’s interesting to see how it’s coming together. If it were the same team as last year, I probably wouldn’t be as interested right now. I’m watching things like how the defensive pieces are working, how the young guys like McCaw and Looney are coming along, and how JaVale McGee–who may ultimately be a big key to their success–is doing. And, of course, Draymond, who is just playing brilliantly this year. He’s everywhere.
There are 82 games, hardly any are truly relevant but it was a fun game, our team passed and shot well, it was mindless fun. I enjoyed it, Lefty and others enjoyed it, what’s wrong with that? The team was ultra entertaining last year, it would have been nice if they held off Cleveland but that is water under the bridge and not that important. It’s just entertainment.
So, is that what you expect?
I don’t. 15 games in, and they look imminently better on offense, and their defense has improved by a huge margin since the start of the season
No I’m not expecting anything as I built it up too much last year and was extremely let down.
When the Niners lost to the Ravens, I refused to watch the entire season after.
Right now I have not seen on game, will catch up by playoffs and hopefully they can finish the job. But last year wad they year that really meant something.
CLE won it
Dubs didn’t lose it
They had one of the worst let downs in American Sports history. They lost it with egg on their face.
The dubs lost it in the worst possible way.
ALL supposed upsets end in the *worst possible way* but there were some red flags. Dubs were down 3-1 to OKC and in facing the Cavaliers – who has the best player in the NBA playing for them….
Had OKC held on to win – it is doubtful Durant leaves OKC
Had the Warriors beat CLE – then they would have kept 95% of their roster intact.
Steph will win you over eventually, too.
Win me over? I’ve watched his entire career. I’ve said he’s the best shooter, ever. Durant is a better all around player and among the all time greats.
He’s much, much more than the best shooter.
I agree on Durant. We are incredibly fortunate to have him as a Warrior
He’s so good (well, both of them, but I’m specifically referring to KD here). They were talking about it on the broadcast–how he’s always been great, but ALL aspects of his game have come alive with the Warriors. There was one tremendous pass, I think to Igoudala, in the first half for an assist–he looked like Steph or Draymond as a passer. And the defense and the rebounding. He looks really happy, too. Good for him. He took a boatload of crap for exercising his right to play where he wants to. Then he went out and was the hero of the Olympic gold medal team. Everyone should just STFU and enjoy him and be happy for him.
We Thunder fans miss him terribly, but I’m really happy for him. He’s an outstanding basketball player, and a fine young man.
Gervin was a phenom, IMO. I wonder how his game would have played with the pseudo-defenses of today? I saw him score 50+ as I recall against the Rockets one night, during the Twin Towers era in Houston.
No differently.
Javale McGee needs more PT.
Play himtoo much and he’s not as useful imo.
Major events in the 2015 Hot Stove League:
Nov 17: Brandon Crawford extended
Nov 17: Kyle Banks (minor league deal)
Nov 18: Hak-ju Lee, minor league contract
Nov 18: Albert Suarez signed w/invitation to major league camp
Nov 19: Gorkys Hernandez signed to minor league deal
Nov 30: Grant Green, minor league deal
Dec 9: signed Jeff Samardzija (after Greinke went to Snakes)
Dec ?: Ramiro Pena, minor leagues
Dec 17: signed Johnny Cueto
Jan 7: signed Denard Span
Jan 19: George Kotteras, minor league deal
Feb 3: signed Conor Gillaspie to minor league deal
Apr 9: Brandon Belt extended
and this year, which is a dud so far:
Nov 11: Orlando Calixte, SS (minor league contract)
Nov 16: Ricky Romero, RHP (minor league contract)
Nov 18: Wynton Benard, OF (minor league contract)
(lists skip numerous deals involving players already in the organization)
And yesterday (I think) signed Neil Ramirez (RH relief pitcher) to a minor league deal with a spring training invite.
Yep Bobby Evans and company doing swell work so far
Happy Thanksgiving from WKRP in Cincinnati! “As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly.”
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mLwidmacaRA&feature=share
I hope everyone has a good and very yummy holiday! I’m going to go take a look for the wild turkeys that frequent the land behind the place I’m staying, before heading to family to eat the domestic sort. Is it well known that the birds we eat are from Mexico, via Spain, then England, and then back to North America?
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/23/science/turkey-domestication-mexico.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domesticated_turkey
Awesome. Good stuff. How could someone hate The Times and science? A week plus ago, I saw a guy at a concert wearing a shirt that said “Science is not a liberal conspiracy”. It was very topical at at the moment.
I’ve already posted some info on protecting your pets from unintentional illness from ingesting dinner treats. Here are some other hints to help make today safe for you and your loved ones. These tips are borrowed from LiveScience, a food safety website.
*If you have bought a frozen turkey- defrost with care, a temp of 41 degrees Fahrenheit or less is mandatory. Of course if you’ve already thawed it, you may be too late, so just pray that it will be alright.
* Don’t wash the bird- it actually spreads and aerosolizes the pathogens. Be sure to thoroughly disinfect cutting boards and utensils that have touched raw meat- they should be washed with soap and water and then sanitized.
* If you are stuffing the turkey NEVER stuff it the night before. If you’ve already done that- again- it it’s too late, of course.But there’s a decent chance that nobody will get horribly sick.
* It used to be thought that eating turkey was the main reason you feel sleepy after a Thanksgiving feast, But the stuffing, potatoes, and yams smothered in marshmallows — they are the true problem, according to medical experts. Basically, any big meal containing tryptophan and lots of carbohydrates can trigger sleepiness — not just turkey. And on Thanksgiving, many other factors contribute to feelings of tiredness, such as drinking too much alcohol. .So go ahead and take that nap.If you don’t wake up, at least you won’t have to do the dishes or listen to Cris Collinsworth.
Cheers!
I think you’d make a super Next Food Network star. Step aside Bobby, Big Country Mike is in da house.
I’d eat Bobby Flay for lunch….Uh, maybe I should rephrase that..
Slow roast him. Tastes like pork, I hear.
Now don’t go all PC on me, but actually white people taste like veal, Afro-Americans taste like pork. Or so I’m told.
Who’s the Pate remind you of?
Happy thanks-Giving y’all 🙏🙏🙏
Very Happy Thansgiving to my TWG family….
I feel very fortunate to have a diverse community of friends here. We have wildly inconsistent ideas and beliefs about life, but we tend to have a unity about the greatest baseball team in all of the land. I truly appreciate that we can have civil exchanges on All Things Life and Baseball
I hope each and every one of you have a Holiday filled with love, food, hope, food, family, food and pie.
Interesting times ahead for all of us, but I know that, at our core, together we are Giants fans.
Yeah, yeah..
Well said, Brother. Enjoy!
Barring prospect of more trades, DBacks bring to the table…
Greinke
Walker
Ray
Miller
Corbin
w/ De La Rosa, Bradley, and Shipley also competing for rotation.
Pollock
Owings
Goldschmidt
Lamb
Tomas/Peralta
Drury
Castillo
Ahmed/Marte
But with little bullpen help and nothing reliable to close games out. For as much potential as the rotation and lineup have, .500ish is probably a good outcome. But trading Greinke and Tomas would seriously alter the algebra of their roster and give them a chance to construct a better bullpen. This might entail going strong after the Giants’ big target, Mark Melancon (see, I was going to come around to the Giants 🙂
Scout will like this and so will any other prospect-watchers. This is a Baseball America analysis of all the minor leaguers added to 40-man rosters last week and how they rank against each other, using the Wins Above Average calculation. Some major love for Giants’ corner infielder Miguel Gomez (ranked second on the corner IF/OF list) and some props for reliever Reyes Moronta.
http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/performance-analysis-40-man-roster-additions/#qjHAVoR6h6cIELCL.97
I notice the Giants have 2 guys among the bullpen arms.
Yes, Chase Johnson was the other. He began AA as a starter but ended up in the bullpen. Did OK, I think.
Happy Turkey Day Y’all. I have it easy since I do the Alton Brown method. Tastier too.
brine, roast, no stuffing, make stock, make dressing. Cuts time down in 1/2 today. Tasty too.
Nice to see the fellas mixing it up in the kitchen and doing the dirty bird. Mother-in-law has that taken care of along with most everything else, but we are bringing the cranberry relish that my wife did solo and the salad which I played a minor part in (grew the butternut squash, tended the pomegranate trees that yielded the pomegrantes, and extracted the arils for the topping and the juice for the vinaigrette). Now I need to get my own man juice flowing to combat the seasonal affective vibes and unleash the chainsaw on some fallen limbs and then get out the ax to process some firewood.
Meanwhile, reflect on that first Thanksgiving. What was it? The pilgrims in bad shape, going the way of Roanoke and then the friendly locals hooked them up with shellfish, fowl, meats, squash… something like that. There’s a good story in there somewhere.
Cheers and have a good one. I hear the Lions and Cowboys are playing today.
My sister’s husband is the primary chef in their household (that’s where we’re going today with all my bourbon-infused contributions). Here’s a photo my sister posted of the turkey, about to go in the oven.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/c5439e8cbb457a2274c5a50b1acd854c2f640865dab7b4e7a9298cf99807ab0b.jpg
The 3 b’s of man cooking, bacon, butter and more bacon.
Could be a SNL skit in there somewhere
Uhhh, that looks illegal.
You’re a man’s man, Foots. Lotsa respect from this corner. Me? I went soft from all that time behind the desk. Make my contributions elsewhere.
Happy Thanksgiving, brother.
Davey Crocket Foots
Talk about questionable mgr decision.
“Dodger mgr Dressen was an old-school manager who rode his pitchers hard, particularly that fall as the race was slipping away.
Branca was arguably gassed well before he served up Thomson’s shot; he pitched eight times in September, making six starts, and was hit hard, giving up seven homers and 27 runs in 33 innings.
Branca had already started Game 1 of the playoff and lost, allowing three runs and throwing 135 pitches over eight innings. He gave up two home runs in that game, one to Monte Irvin, and one to, yes, Thomson. That was October 1, which meant that Branca faced Thomson in Game 3 after having had had all of one day to recover from his 135-pitch start.”
Melon Head Dressen!
Well Branca was no MadBum…
And apparently threw the bullpen coach under the bus. 😉
Sukeforth resigned his position as bullpen coach in January 1952, after 19 years with the Dodgers. He denied that his role in the final inning of the Shot game had any bearing on his decision to leave.
Some historians have since speculated otherwise, based on Dressen’s post-game reply to why he brought in Branca: “Sukeforth said he was ready.
Wow. I knew the part about Branca having pitched eight innings and only one day’s rest, but I didn’t know about the 135 pitches or his bad September.
I’m still going with Casilla pitching to Lamb.
Rick and Ilsa will always have Paris. You’ll always have Casilla pitching to Lamb.
I think it’s the most wonderfully dumb and inexplicable single decision in the history of the game. It eclipsed Casilla blowing a save by falling off the mound as the most unforgettable moment of the season.
The “balk-silla” crap is old and dumb and stupid and doltish. His cleats got caught on the mound dirt. That blown save was just unfortunate,not his fault. There are plenty more to bitch about. They’re not as fun for those who flunked their GED.
That doesn’t change the fact that it was my single greatest Giants Extra moment, ever. The already embattled Casilla blows another one, this time because he can’t remain upright, which is immediately followed by Chris explaining how he and his beloved and recently deceased Mom were united in their hatred of Casilla. It will never be topped.
Chris was lying about his dear Mom.She would have told him that he was a hateful boy and to go to his room in the cellar.
He did call the election correctly.
So he said that his guy would win the election even though Clinton got more votes?
Such empathy
Yea he intended to do it….
See below
I’m going with letting Ishikawa hit in 2014 in the NLCS.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFKDsFYj3E4
Letting Wacha pitch on like 3 years rest wasn’t exactly Matheny’s brightest decision
For some reason, Bochy had Blanco at the top step with bat in his hand for Ishikawa, and pulled him back. The rest is history
They only needed a single and Gregor was more likely to do it. Bochy went with his gut.
Indeed he did.
Have you been a skipper?
Happy Thanksgiving everybody.
After GG excellent tributes to the core4, I’ve been thinking about the new4 of Osich Law Strickland and Smith their relative youth, and comparing their numbers to the core4 at the same age. Only Romo was really putting up solid numbers before age 28. Reason to believe with exp, these ‘kids’ could be even better.
In the category of ‘what were they thinking, NFL Football at 7,000 feet+.
https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2016/11/nfl-mexico-city/508682/
Football in Mexico City is a dumb and dangerous idea, One of those superbly conditioned 6’2″ 345 lb. linemen is gonna die.
I agree completely. One ex-ballplayer I knew called it, rather crudely, the jugbutts graveyard.
NFL careers are too short, which makes it hard for the players to strike, which makes it almost impossible to compel the owners to take a more serious view of player safety. There’s no way these guys should be playing on a Thursday after playing on Sunday, among many other things.
I agree, but they see their TV numbers down ~17%. They must feel desperate. I wonder how Kaepernick’ing plays in Mexico City. Even more, any US national anthem?
Colin should be fine- isn’t he an airhead?
I would think the general Mexican fan wouldn’t care if CK kneels or not, they are fans of the game not the stupid long winded US military paid for media time celebrations.
And while I never watch one of the games played in Mexico I would assume both anthems would be played as they are in international soccer games.
It;s about the game in the end, WGAF about the anthem played anyways. What is this incessant need for some to drag out some jingoistic traditions that bore most of the audience.
Watch a hug international sport, soccer, rugby, whatever. when do they drag out policemen, firemen and soldiers every damn game like its time of war. It’s so pathetic.
It’s outta control- Viking HC Mike Zimmer spiked his headset and did a moonwalk after his successful challenge.
That must be penalty worthy.
Great discussion of swing strike % across all levels of minor league baseball compared to MLB result. The only aging curve I’ve ever seen of that metric. Great piece of work.
http://www.hardballtimes.com/scouting-the-minors-pitch-by-pitch-swinging-strike/
I am most certainly not in the demographic targeted by NFL Halftime Lip Sync Pop Pablum.
Interesting ad choices for NFL on Thanksgiving day.
Apparently, Ryan Braun was almost a Dodger, and may be in the wind again, soon. http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2016/11/23/braun-waits-see-if-hell-remain-brewers/94291880/
That is also fodder for the dinner table. I certainly won’t be surprised if he’s in Dodger Blue, essentially taking Turner’s spot in the order should Big Red, or Simply Red skip town.
Look at the teams he is open to trade to on his no trade list.
Mali-Blue. Perfect for that guy.
I’ll drink to that, really don’t see him as value added. Hope they overpay. Will have to wait a bit as I promised myself I’d wait to open the wine until 4:00.
This is bound to get the dinner table conversation going:
Braves to sign Sean Rodriguez to 2 year, 11.5 mil deal.
Thought he might have been a good fit here, but as with most power hitters, SF not a pref destination.
Cold Stove League
He’s had one good year ever. If it was Rodriguez or Mac, I’d go with Mac, for sure. With decisions like this one, it’s no wonder that the Braves suck
Happy Thanksgiving! Look who found something to watch on TV!!https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/3272888a63e323702165e2e508893886a7a19d915bf583cf649ba5885cb9d1d8.jpg !
Was watching that myself.
Awfully early to have a Christmas tree up. Might get pretty dry by the end of December.
Merna wants to know why I made 18 deviled eggs. I told her not to worry, that I’d make some for her,too.
The devil made you do it.
MLBTR Chat today:
David
2:54 What do you see the Giants doing with their outfield?
Jeffrey Todd
2:55 I kinda like them to add a slugger who isn’t really a defensive gem. They did somehow stomach Michael Morse out in left.
KIR
5:00 Will the Giants sign Mark Melancon and Matt Holliday?
Jeff David Todd
Boom. It’s like you have seen the future. Enjoy the parade. #4in8
Thanks for the chuckle, this morning!
Any time. I just told the fridge: thanks for the pie, this morning.
I don’t know who else gets the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, clothing optional- but unless you want to see Betty White without her clothes on, you might want to stay with the PG broadcast.
It’s official: #SFGiants Pitchers and Catchers report in 81 days. And for that, #WeAreThankful.
Wishing you all a very #HappyThanksgiving!
Help catch those last two Fugitives TO!
The big sticking point in the ongoing MLB labor negotiations is the international draft. Words like lockout are starting to be said out loud. http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2016/11/24/mlb-collective-bargaining-agreement-international-draft-lockout/94381330/
There are always alarmists with these things. It will get done. IMO.
There’s no good reason why international prospects should be free agents while American kids have to go through a draft.
Go Nola
I showed up a little late and just missed out on a fight between my sister (anti-Trump) and her mother-in-law (pro-Trump). Bad timing.
Have moved on to the too much good food, too much good wine coma. Suppose I could pat myself on the back for a truly above average dinner, but that would require actual effort.
Just think, by this time next week Evans might actually sign someone. Please make it a closer.
Greek, I saw Flan posted a link to this article on his Facebook page. Can you tell how much traffic that drove here?
Flans twitter page is even larger….
Do normal people really do all that much shopping today? Just wondering why anyone would be that masochistic.
Did my 86th birthday yesterday and learned I have to do another 6 chemos. Oh well, it’s better than some alternatives.
I saw from Forbes that the Giants are the 10th most valuable sports franchise in the world. 49ers are 20th. Warriors are 29th.
This would appear to be the Flan model…
http://www.gibson.com/Products/Acoustic-Instruments/2017/L-00-Vintage.aspx
This would be Robert Johnson…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBIa-kYc1PI
This guy and Mr. Johnson …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOZkHOfrjZs
Together We’re Expensive
Anybody have any ideas how this will all work out, especially you arbitration minded people?
What does Bobby Evans think? Giants are not big gamblers in the international market, but it’s not like they don’t dabble.
http://www.minorleagueball.com/2016/11/25/13746990/minor-league-ball-community-discussion-what-to-do-about-international-draft
Why not incorporate it into the regular draft? It seems pretty unfair for some teams, as is. Just do away with it and make one draft for all new players.
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