GAMEBALL and JOKER ==> GIANTS at RANGERS 11/01 WORLD SERIES GAME 5

World Motherfucking Champions my friends….been waiting a fucking LONG TIME for this…..all those years of futility and heartbreak….all those cold nights at Candlestick and Pac Bell Park….. all those games listened to on the radio, watched on TV and in person….…..all the box scores poured over, the stats and scouting reports read….all the hundreds and thousands of dollars spend on gear and tickets and travel…..all TIME spent working the Giants into our lives day in and day out for most of the year every fucking year……all the disrespect from the media and rival fanbases……all the ghosts of the past that haunted us…..all of the emotional investment that you have put into this team…..well my friends….it was all worth it……everything you put into this team has been paid back tonight……so dear rest of the Baseball World…..Kiss My Ass and Suck My Dick…..the San Franfuckingcisco Giants are WORLD CHAMPIONS……and THE only trophy that really means anything is FINALLY coming home…….

GAMEBALL and JOKER ==> GIANTS at RANGERS 11/01 WORLD SERIES GAME 5

GAMEBALL

RENTERIA

Edgar fucking Renteria…..World Series MVP…..it doesn't matter that he had back to back overpaid subpar years anymore….when we look back years from now at Edgar in a Giants uniform, all you can say is World Series MVP…..he could ride down that Market Street Parade fondling himself screaming racial epithets and he would still of a fucknig Hero…..just Maldonado and Jose Cruz's are victims of forgotten regular seasons over post season mishaps……Edgar will benefit from being THE MAN with his 2 Homers in 2 separate World Series game to give the Giants a lead then would not relinquish……good job Edgar, and don't be surprised if we don't see Edgar back in a Giants uniform next year…..and no matter how he plays during the regular season, we can always fall back on that whole Clutch thing…..just get him to the playoffs……

TIP OF THE CAP :
LINCECUM
Within a batter, I knew Timmy was on and the Rangers had a uphill battle….he looked as sharp as the Shutout versus the Braves…..and how can you not love this kid…..Athletic with the long hair and free spirit (code word for likes to smoke pot)……he's everything that Nor Cal cool is all about….I can't see this kid in any other uniform, and lets hope he feels the same

WILSON
Yes, was nails all postseason…..and tonight did something neither Nen nor Beck ever did…..get the ULTIMATE out of the season…..

ROSS and URIBE
Back to Back singles set up the game winner

HUFF
Laid down a nice sacrifice bunt…..his FIRST of his career…..and in a World Series Clincher…..and man was it a beaut….

HARMON and SUE BURNS
For helping save the Giants from the move, wish you could be here with us and hope you are watching…..

McGowan
Catches a lot of flak, but was a major part of keeping this team here and by extension making this day possible

SABEAN and STAFF
Taken their share of flak….and maybe Sabean isn't making those calls in the draft…..but someone in that office picked Cain JSanchez Wilson Posey Bumgarner Linceceum Romo Runzler and obtained Huff Pat Ross FSanchez Uribe and now we can put Renteria on that list,…..yeah, they have made a couple bonehead moves, but when you bring home that Trophy, all that shit fades in importance……

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS FANS
We got a KICK ASS Fanbase…..smart, loyal, tenacious, stubborn…and there are a FUCKING SHIT LOAD of us…..man, I am proud to be one of you and call myself a Giants Fan….. we don't get enough love from the rest of baseball, and it don't fucking matter…now we got our fucking Trophy and no Media Expert can take that away from us…..

TJ
Got Will Clark Auto, Got to see the Giants Win it all…..and even got Torres Champagne goggles as a souvenir…

JOKER

DODGERS

Dodgers??? What the hell??? Why you talking about the Dodgers…..I will tell you ……when I was a kid the Giants broke my heart…..the year was 1987…..I was still young so I figured that if it wasn't 1987, then 1988 was certainly our year…..most of the same team coming back and hell we didn't find out stride until the second half anyway…..yup was going to be 1988…well…..lets just say 1988 isn't famous for a Giants Victory…..and I was not only crushed my Giants weren't back in the postseason…..I got to watch the storybook Dodgers take the fucking title….Mickey Fucking Hatcher….no speed, no bat, no power, no defense….what the FUCK……well I tell you what…..as bad as I felt on that day…….I have to imagine that's what those Dodger fucks are feeling right now……looking at how their year when to SHIT….how their owner screwed them over and how the Giants have THEIR STORYBOOK team ride into October all the way to the promised land……Hey Call me a Sore Winner if you will, but part of being on top of the mountain is rubbing it into the faces of those less fortunate….

SMACK OF THE STICK :
A'S FANS
Plenty of room on the bandwagon, come on over…..and hey, after the A's move your kids will grow up to be Giants fans anyway….its what's best for your family

ARLINGTON
Hey, look at the bright side…..at least you won't have to watch your home team lose the Super Bowl too


OK Folks…..honestly this whole thing is still a little surreal……headed into the City right after the last out ….we flipped over a Couple Zip Cars and set fire to a Segway…..but it still hasn't settled in…..just watched the Trophy Ceremony and it is starting to set in…..maybe tonight when I close my eyes….maybe Wednesday when we are at the Parade…..maybe come spring when we are back at the park…..not sure how I will finally react……the only thing I DO know is we are no longer that cursed franchise striving to someday reach the top…..no, this changes everything……we CAN get there, and now we are just like a bunch of other teams that know the taste of victory……was convinced it would never happen in my lifetime……now it has…..and, well……maybe I can stop being such a cynical fuck….well, for at least a few months.,……

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(The fine print: There will be cussing and bad taste. This is written with the heat of the moment feel you may have during the game, with rational thought sprinkled in now and then. This is entertainment folks, sure there is a lot of truth and I am a genius, but this is all about having a laugh and enjoying the ride…….now lets go heckle Jeff Kent when he gets inducted to Cooperstown..)



by merkin

GAMEBALL and JOKER ==> GIANTS at RANGERS 10/31 WORLD SERIES GAME 4

It was a night of celebration for San Francisco Giants fans…. everyone texting, phoning, and emailing each other in anticipation of the Giants first World Championship in San Francisco…..but as excited as we all are…..just something to remember…the Last Time the Giants were up 3-1 in the World Series….umm…errr….well.. It was 1933 and Carl Hubbell just Finished pitching an 11 inning complete game in a Series the Giants would win….well, that doesn't really illustrate my point….my point is, as Giants Fans we all know it ain't over until its over and no game is as important as the next game…..so yes, be happy and enjoy the moment, but until that last out is made you keep the pressure on…..and DESPITE having tickets in hand for Games 6 and 7…..I hope the Giants finish this thing off tomorrow and those tickets remain unused oddball keepsake of games never played…..

GAMEBALL and JOKER ==> GIANTS at RANGERS 10/31 WORLD SERIES GAME 4

GAMEBALL

BUMGARNER

Man, what they heck can you say about this kid….his crossfire slingshot 94mph hitting the inside corner to righthanders…..his offspeed pitches on the outside breaking down hitters…..his awshucks demeanor with the press….Electric Stuff and Cool Head….and the kid was just straight up Money tonight going 8 strong and dominating the vaunted Rangers offense in their own backyard……all at the tender age of 21……I mean what were YOU doing when you were 21?....hell what was Timmy, Matty, and Sanchez doing when THEY were 21……hell, even Mozart was a late bloomer compared to Madison……Ahhh to be Young, Talented, and on the Verge of a Championship…….

TIP OF THE CAP :
HUFF
Huff into the DH role which is easier that it sounds, but Aubrey was up the task Hammering a Curveball from Hunter into the Texas night for the Giants first runs of the night

SANCHEZ
Hitless on the night, and failed to advance Torres from second twice with no one out….but that didn't matter tonight, as Sanchez was the man with leather tonight, with great play after play … a snag and turn on a Hamilton hot shot….a vertical leap and snag on a Francoeur liner….and shot hop and tag on Hamilton's Stolen Base Attempt…..a catch on the deflected ball and tag on Hamiltons grounder…..and then starting a DP with a quick feed on the 6th…..man, Freddy was about as game changing as you can get from an infielder on defense…….


TORRES
Was all over the bases tonight, single and a Stolen Base…..and a pair of Doubles, including driving home the 3rd run of the night……Andres has found his stroke again just in time for the series, and it sure is a beautiful thing…..

WILSON
What…..1-2-3??? guess it doesn't ALWAYS need to be torture……

POSEY
Hit a Fucking Titleist Golf Ball to Center Field and that thing just carried……but the most BEAUTIFUL DEFENSIVE PLAY I have seen in a while is the SEED it throws to Second to a Sanchez Shorthop tag on Hamitlon….I swear I have been watching that thing over and over, and am just sit there in disbelief…..man, that is fucking BADASS…….

RENT
3 hit night for the Kid, and 2 of those were truly blistered……and solid D in the field…..never seen Rent play this well in a Giants uniform for this long…..

URIBE
Took at 0 For, and did blow an exchange on a grounder……but he has been SOLID at 3rd and since Bochy has been running him out there, he has looked more and more comfortable….

TJ
For representing Giantsboard deep in the heart of Texas…..and for giving me the Vlad line I will use in a moment…..

JOKER

VLAD

Choose your own punchline
1) I hear Wash has petitioned Major League Baseball to play National League rules in Texas in Game 5……
2) I hear Vlad decided to go as Pat Burrell for Halloween…
Man, Vlad is piling onto the Brian Sabean redemption tour with his play in Right Field added to his embarrassment at the plate……not looking like a quarter of the Player he was in Montreal…..sure, we wanted him back in 2004 and that Angels contract expired last year…..but just hearing his name makes you think of that whole lunatic fringe quote and the shit Sabean took over the years….but enough about that……I;m going on my Tivo and watching Vlad crack a hamate bone trying to check swing on a change up one more time before bed……just fucking awesome…….

SMACK OF THE STICK :
OGANDO
Biggest stage, and with the Rangers still in the game….with its offense just itching to put up a crooked number…Big chance to make a name for yourself….…and you blow out a ribcage muscle……http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ETfiuc7hqg#t1m55s>We know Brian Wilson says you go warrior here

HUNTER
Looks like Sidney Ponson, sweats like Tyler Walker, gets beat like a Drum…..

RANGERS FAN
Got Posey's HR and then gives it up for a simple Auto Ball….shit dude, you coulda got Catchers gear…bats…..maybe some World Series tickets…..hell, if you played your cards right you mighta gotten something you woulda really loved…..Super Bowl Tickets…….and you are pretty much guaranteed not to watch your home team lose that one……


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(The fine print: There will be cussing and bad taste. This is written with the heat of the moment feel you may have during the game, with rational thought sprinkled in now and then. This is entertainment folks, sure there is a lot of truth and I am a genius, but this is all about having a laugh and enjoying the ride…….now lets go heckle Jeff Kent when he gets inducted to Cooperstown..)



by merkin

GAMEBALL and JOKER ==> RANGERS at GIANTS 10/28 WORLD SERIES GAME 2

Holy Fuck…..what a night…… traded in my infield season seats for 3 front row bleachers…..was able to bring my girl and my Dad to the game…..and what a fucking game……last time my Dad and I were in the World Series…..well, first I cried tears of joy that I could share a World Series with my Dad….a real life Field of Dreams moment for me…..well, that sweet day in 2002 turned bitter sweet with the result of the game…..it was Game 3 and the Angels handed us our heads on a platter…….
Fast forward to tonight's crushing of the Rangers …..man….this fucking game reversed any scars I had from that Game 3…..hell my Dad was there tonight AND there for the walk off win in Game 4 of the NLCS and I got to tell you…..he has had one hell of a postseason……

So here I am, voice completely spent to the point that I can't even talk…..up 2-0 with our work still cut out for us as we travel to Texas…..and I tell you what, even though I have tickets for Game 6 and 7……I really fucking hope they close the deal on the road…..sure I would LOVE to celebrate on the field…..but I ain't taking any fucking chances……too many years that ended in misery…..when you are this close to promise land, you don't take the scenic route….you hop on the fucking expressway and you put the pedal to the floor……it takes 4 wins to take home the trophy…..we got 2…..now lets concentrate on getting that 3rd win before we even think of a 4th…….

GAMEBALL and JOKER ==> RANGERS at GIANTS 10/28 WORLD SERIES GAME 2

GAMEBALL

CAIN

Now Statsheads and sabermetrics is all good with me…..but it is also a dangerous thing when people don't understand what they are talking about…..Stats are NOT the game, Stats DESCRIBE the game…..and Stats in the wrong hands make idiots sound intelligent……I bring this up because if you have been following the Giants closely the last few years, you have likely heard how Cain wasn't GOOD, he was just LUCKY……and lucky…..and lucky……and man, looks like Cain has been lucky for another year and right into the postseason.;……you know what, take your theories and suck my left nut sack……cause I know what I see, and this guy is a FUCKING STUD……now I may use the F Bomb more than most, but I cannot emphasis this point enough….CAIN IS A MOTHERFUCKING GODDAMN FUCKING STUD…..there, I think that did it….move along…….

TIP OF THE CAP :
RENTERIA
Holy shit….I thought Edgar was supposed to be old and broken down…..well someone poured some Rocket Fuel into that old engine, cause Edgar has been solid on the D and CRUSHED a high fastball 10 rows deep for the first run of the game….chip in a single to break the game open in the 8th and he got some serious consideration for the Gameball……who knew….of the 16 starting position players, Edgar's 3 homers were less than EVERY SINGLE PLAYER IN EITHER LINEUP…..Hell, even Matt Mr Misty May Treanor had 7 Homers…….

ROSS
Nice play to 1) make Young think twice about being doubled off 2) keep Hamilton's ball in front of him……and battled a 10 pitch walk in the 7th and scored the BIG 2nd run of the game……and of course played his part in the 8th inning merry go round…..

NATE
Nice backhand stab in Triples Alley in the 7th….

URIBE
BIG RBI to plate the second run of the night and solid D on the left side once again…..

LOPEZ
Nursing a 2 run lead in the 8th, got Hamilton with a runner on 2nd and 2 down seemingly handing Wilson a 2 run lead to protect in the 9th……

JOKER

WASHINGTON

Man, I got to say that I was really confused by Washington's bullpen usage….Oliver was his guy to face Huff…..and then Uribe and Renteria???..... Well I'll take that matchup any day of the week…and it paid off for the Giants…..honestly I expected O'Day to get the call…...he has been your go to right handed setup guy, I think you HAVE to go back to him and maybe he doesn't hang a slider this time….But the real move….or lack of move was watching Holland be left out there to die….. now follow me if you will……starting from the time his first pitch missed the zone……the 65 second mark was the 1st walk…ok, just the first hitter……he will find the zone……his 6th straight ball comes at the 2:25 point, here maybe you get someone warm……3:40 mark his 8th straight ball and the pitching coach heads to the mound, here you HAVE to get someone warm……4:50 mark, another ball and finally SOMEONE starts to get warm….6:18 mark….finally a strike……6:37 mark, ball four run scores and he is out of the game……ok, now it took Lowe about 1:47 to get ready…..if you start him warming after 6 straight balls maybe he can come in before a run scores…..hell, if you start him warming during the coaches visit, you can stall for 30 more seconds and get him warm……and ALL THIS WITH AN OFF DAY tomorrow and IN THE FUCKING WORLD SERIES…..good god, Washington….this isn't a trip into Cleveland in June…..you USE what you GOT……you don't just hand this game over to the Giants……and when it was 2-0, they still had a shot….but as soon as it went 3-0 your odds went the wrong way really fucking quick…….now, it may be nit picking, but IN THE MOMENT as was just FLABERGASTED THAT NOBODY was IN THE PEN….hell, even just standing there READY TO START WARMING……….

SMACK OF THE STICK :
KINSLER
Yeah……that was a nice hit there…..your loss…..our gain…….

MOLINA
Watching the postgame interview yesterday, I got the feeling Molina wasn't that upset about the loss……sure, he's a competitor…..but we all know he is a big softy,…..and for some reason I get the feeling he wouldn't mind losing if it meant a ring for all his friends……I mean he DID spend 3 1/2 years here….his self described BEST YEARS OF HIS CAREER……and that warm welcome in Game 1 must have pulled at those heart strings……maybe I'm crazy, but something makes me believe this……maybe Molina ain't the Ranger secret weapon we thought after all…..I mean, hell he is hitting 350 in the postseason and Washington is still using Treanor as a "personal catcher" for Wilson….come on, think Eli Whiteside is going to catch Sanchez on Saturday????.....yeah, not fucking likely……


and yes, they are SMOKING WEED……not crack….and yes, its one hell of a fucking ballpark, thank you very much……


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(The fine print: There will be cussing and bad taste. This is written with the heat of the moment feel you may have during the game, with rational thought sprinkled in now and then. This is entertainment folks, sure there is a lot of truth and I am a genius, but this is all about having a laugh and enjoying the ride…….now lets go heckle Jeff Kent when he gets inducted to Cooperstown..)



by merkin

GAMEBALL and JOKER ==> RANGERS at GIANTS 10/27 WORLD SERIES GAME 1

Man, great fucking night…..still getting over a cold with a throat that really shouldn’t be doing any yelling….. got out of work in plenty of time to get to the game and settle into my seat 24 rows up into the bleachers…….so fucking surreal…..Giants caps and jackets with that World Series patch…. the media crawling everywhere and a whole alien world feeling to a ballpark I have frequented at least a couple hundred times the past 10 years……after a few innings it started to feel like a baseball game again….and then after the 5th inning it was just a tidal wave of emotion…..celebration…..and cheering…..and somewhere in the midst of all that yelling from that raw broken throat…..I tasted blood…..now some might think it was from that damaged esophagus of mine…..but I think it was the Blood of the Texas Rangers…..and much like a wounded animal, they are dangerous……so get them while they are off balance and do as much damage as possible before we get to Texas….a 7 game series is a long time and today we got a Big win versus their ace…..but it was just 1 win……you need 3 more to bring home a trophy…….

GAMEBALL and JOKER ==> RANGERS at GIANTS 10/27 WORLD SERIES GAME 1

GAMEBALL

SANCHEZ

Man…..Sanchez was looking pretty dumb following the Timmy Brainfart inning getting his ass doubled off 2nd…….but he made up for it in spades with a double in the 3rd to knock in the Giants first run of the night and send the tying run to 3rd with 1 out…..and then again in the 5th doubling home the go ahead run….and just to put a cap on the night he knocked home in number 10 for one hell of a night……

TIP OF THE CAP :
URIBE
Of course the 3 run bomb…..but also a BIG DP in the 1st to bail Timmy out (glad Pablo wasn't out there) and then a scoot and throw on Micheal Young grounder……

RENTERIA
Solid D including gunning Ian Kinsler on a grounder that looked like it might be headed up the middle…. Uribe and Rent….may not the best range, but they make solid plays on everything they get to…..you gotta stay with this left side for the rest of the series……

TORRES
Double and a HBP and 2 runs scored…..

HUFF
3 hits and his bat is heating up

ROSS/POSEY
lone hits came in the middle of rallies…..

CASILLA
Restored order with a big strike out to bail out Timmy in the 6th…and then worked through a Huff error in the 7th

ROMO
Pitched through a chop hit to get it to the 9th……

WILSON
Meh…..we got the win

JOKER

LEE

The most popular question I have received the last few days was….."So like….uhh, what you think of Cliff Lee?"…….my response……he's a pitcher and last I saw he has an ERA above 0…….I was more worried about Halladay Hamels and Derek Lowe….sure, the Giants have more history against those pitchers…..but all three of those guys have better STUFF than Lee….now don't get me wrong, Lee is a great pitcher….but he can be had…..he lives off control and if he isn't hitting his spots, then he can be hit….now you can say that about a lot of pitchers….but with Lee he is hitting his spots like a Left Handed Greg Maddux…….and those off nights are few ……so good news is the Giants were able to lay off teasers and punish mistakes and get the W…..but just cause we got him here in SF doesn't mean he won't come out with a Gem in Arlington in game 5…..but then again, we have proven he is human after all….and that’s gotta help any future matchup……..

SMACK OF THE STICK :
TIMMY
About a big a brain fart as I have seen in a long time….that was so bad I actually.saw an infant in a stroller jump to his feet and utter his first words….."WHAT THE FUCK IS HE DOING??? THROW THE BALL DAMMIT…"….I don't suggest taking your youngster to a ballgame that young, they can be very impressionable…..

YOUNG
His bobble at 3rd seemed innocent enough….but was the start of the game winning rally……

KINSLER
What the hell…..does he make a habit of bonehead baserunning when his team trails late in a game??

BIG BAD VLAD
Man, this dude isn't a BAD fielder…..he is a LAZY fielder…..I don't think he has run more than 90 feet in a day, let alone an inning…..shit he made Jose Guillen seem mobile……

NATIONAL PRESS
Just shut the fuck up……shut it and open your goddamn eyes…..

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(The fine print: There will be cussing and bad taste. This is written with the heat of the moment feel you may have during the game, with rational thought sprinkled in now and then. This is entertainment folks, sure there is a lot of truth and I am a genius, but this is all about having a laugh and enjoying the ride…….now lets go heckle Jeff Kent when he gets inducted to Cooperstown..)



by merkin

GAMEBALL and JOKER ==> GIANTS at PHILLIES 10/23 NLCS Game 6

Man, the fantastic season just keeps on rolling….. looks like my rainy Game 5 with sardine train has resulted in a cold…..been sleeping all day……well, sleeping and rewatching that damn game over and over……. I don't have words to do this feeling justice……the Giants are pennant winners, and are on the doorstep of completing some unfinished business……and guess what…..looks like they are underdogs…..yeah, heard that one before…….this still is baseball my friends……..


GAMEBALL and JOKER ==> GIANTS at PHILLIES 10/23 NLCS Game 6

GAMEBALL

BULLPEN

The Giants might not have had the best top 3 pitchers heading into the playoffs, but few would dispute that this was the deepest staff in terms of quality arms….and that depth paid off with Affeldt coming in for 2 solid innings that really stemmed the Phillies offensive momentum…..and then Bumgarner's high wire act for two innings highlighted by a strikeout looking of Francisco with a runner on 3rd and 1 out……then Lopez retiring Polanco on a flu ball before once again schooling Utley and Howard…..and then Timmy and Wilson….well, hey neither was pretty but they put up goose eggs and that’s the bottom line…..


TIP OF THE CAP :
URIBE
That's the Uribe I have been waiting for…..well, no he wasn't patient at all….but he did make an adjustment…instead of trying to pull everything into the Left Field seats he actually shot the ball to Right Field for a single in the 2nd……and this approach would pay off in the 8th when he hit the go ahead Home Run about 7 angstroms over the right field wall sending the Giants fan base into a frenzy of celebration and then group chanting of counting down the outs while images of Phillies 3 run homers flashed before our eyes on every pitch……

TORRES
After swinging himself out of the lineup against Oswalt in game 2, Andres came back with a single to lead off the 1st….and then a DEEP shot that sailed over Victorino and then bobbled through his arms and off the wall…..for a single……still think he shoulda scored on that hit by Huff……didn't look like he was at full speed and Victorino made a nice charge and got a good bounce

SANCHEZ
Shooting singles all over the field…….but also the bunt that set up the Giants scoring opportunity in the 3rd…..

HUFF
Singled in a run and then a heads up play to score on the errant throw by Polanco…..

DEFENSE
Not spectacular, but solid all around……and with Ross playing balls quickly off the right field and the left center walls took away a couple 90 foot chunks from the Phillies….and that was a big deal in a close game…..

JOKER

SANCHEZ

Bochy has made the analogy about the 2010 Giants being the Baseball version of the Dirty Dozen…..well, if that’s so I think we found our Maggott as Sanchez lost his head and almost derailed our mission into enemy territory last night…..with no idea of a release point and continuing to use his mouth to write checks that his right arm couldn't cash……the best thing he did all night was to get his panties in a bunch and start bitching at Utley, unwittingly giving his replacement time to warm up……man, this guy is an enigma….so talented….looks so good at times, comes up big at times…..but man, what a meltdown…….honestly I think you start him in Game 2 and potentially Game 6 and let him have the friendly confines of San Francisco…he gets the bail out of the pitchers spot coming up…….and if he does blows it at home, you can use the pitchers spot with a pinch hitter…..and thereby gain a small offensive advantage…..as opposed to the DH park….

SMACK OF THE STICK :
PHILLIES HITTING
Now, if I were in the same position I might feel the same way…….but the Phillies didn't magically stop hitting……the finished 2nd in the league in runs scored….and were 2nd in the league in runs scored in September……they demolished the Reds…..and then all of a sudden they didn't show up versus the Giants??? Well that’s how some of the National Press sounds…..almost astounded they didn't steam roll Giants pitching…..and maybe so, but it also seems like there should be just as much if not more credit going to Giants pitching shutting down those very same Phillies Hitters that didn't "show up"….

PHILLIES DEFENSE
Now I don't watch many Phillies games that the Giants aren't involved in…..but I am under the impression that their defense is better than they played…..at least Rollins and Victorino played below my impressions……and THIS was the difference in the series……the Phillies kicked, bobbled, and airmailed their way out of the postseason……

CITIZENS BANK
Sorry, still a joke of a ballpark…..but I'm sure some hitters are thinking the same about ATT……and I will take it…..

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(The fine print: There will be cussing and bad taste. This is written with the heat of the moment feel you may have during the game, with rational thought sprinkled in now and then. This is entertainment folks, sure there is a lot of truth and I am a genius, but this is all about having a laugh and enjoying the ride…….now lets go heckle Jeff Kent when he gets inducted to Cooperstown..)



by merkin

NLCS Game 5 Aftermath

NLCS Game 5 Aftermath

The offday after the Game 5 loss……Gameball and Joker?....Well really not feeling it, and not really feeling the relevance the day after the Giants were dealt a big blow to their World Series aspirations. The Euphoria was building through the week and was just building into game time yesterday….. About noon yesterday I got a call from a friend that had front row on 3rd base…. now I already had my front row bleachers which I paid a pretty penny for…. but these were seats that some people consider once in a lifetime seats…… I have sat there many a time, but not for what could be a once in a lifetime game……so here I am, with two sets of tickets charged with the task of trying to recover as much cash as I can from the first pair, finish everything I needed to do at work in order to leave early, manage to dump my car at a BART station instead of driving in which is my norm, and getting to the game on time…..lets just say it was a mad scramble of a day…..finally get out of work a little later than I hoped, jumped out of the car and into the BART Train…….once we got to the city I realize I have lost my mitt that dates back to when I actually played baseball…..whatever…..maybe I left it in the car…….

Make it to the park with 20 minutes to game time and get into the MASSIVE Will Call line…….fuck……not going to make first pitch…….rain starts, but I could give a fuck, just need to get into the park……the line moves quickly (thank you Giants employees) and get the tickets without issue…..into the line at the front of the park……THAT moves quickly as well……rush through the park and into the seats just in time for first pitch……fucking awesome……gonna be a great goddamn day…….they might just put this away and I get to be in the middle of a supernova of euphoria…..and without a car, I can do whatever the fuck I want without worrying about traffic or a garage closing or anything……

Now these are sweet fucking seats….. I won't go into detail, but those that know me know where these seats are, and when I am bellowing from this distance I am hard to miss….so I lay into Halladay, but after about an inning I soon realize my voice peaked a couple days back….. still got the volume, but cannot sustain it for more than a few minutes without resting the voice a little…..good thing I some backup…(thx JK and Monkey)…….. heckling alternates from reading back radar guns readings back to Halladay and questioning his velocity, and chanting Cry Baby every time he starts flashing looks at the Ump….. the rain starts……but I could really give a shit……no cap, no jacket, short sleeves, doing my best to yell my ass off ….rain dripping off me, shirt soaked….still clapping and yelling best I can……

Man, they fucking HAD this game…Halladay was on fumes (now we find out injured)…...but a couple gaffe's from Pablo and Huff really open the door, but the Giants are keeping it close and they still got a shot to pull it out,…..yelling until the last out…..and reality set in…..there will be no storybook celebration at home with the streets surrounding 3rd and King pulsing with a euphoric mass of humanity…..no, nothing but a long couple packed train rides home to lick our wounds and return the next day to normality…….some 20 year old kid on the train decided he was the man, and had to impress the females….so he is leading the sardine train in a cheer when he guarantees a World Series…..the crowd responds……honestly, wanted to burst his ignorant bubble…..and this was a distinct possibility as I am NOT shy….and I AM loud (and again, those that know me…..)…..but hey, I am also NOT an asshole….so whatever, let him have his stupid fucking moment, and let the people pretend to rally……but the reality of the whole thing is….its a fucking game…..a goddamn fucking game……and I mean that, not to diminish its importance, but to illustrate that either team can win any night……the bounce of the ball here, a slip of a cleat there, a hard hit ball finding a glove, a bloop falling in, a couple calls by an ump and everything can change…….thats just the way it is……

So what's the point of all this, well…..my bubble has been popped and I have come to terms with the 2010 season…. the Giants hit the road still holding a 3-2 lead…..but based on past history of 1987 and 2002 I have been conditioned to expect the worst……so a part of me has already mourned this season and prepared for the end……Belief? Faith? No, sorry I don't believe in that shit no more…..and you know what…that's all OK……perfectly fine, because I don't play professional baseball for the San Francisco Giants Baseball Club….but I do know a group of 25 people that do, and I know that they could give a shit about Faith and Belief in anything but their abilities……

So tomorrow, we pick up the series in Philadelphia in what is NOT a must win game……yes, for the first time since October 1st, the Giants enter a game that is not a worn out cliché' ……yes, the Giants would do themselves a big favor by ending this tomorrow……but even if they DO lose, they are a team that has faced bone crushing losses all season, without any lasting effects…….this is NOT the 1987 Giants or the 2002 Giants who seemed to fold when the chips were down at the end…..this is the 2010 Giants who have suffered big losses only to bounce back the next day……and just to illustrate the resiliency of the team, think about Game 3 of the NLDS……with a 1 run lead in the 8th, the Giants give up a seeming game winner to Hinske…….but with two down in the 9th, the Giants come up with back to back hits to tie the game…….now I am not saying the Giants are always going to come back….but I tell you what, they are going to fight for every inning, every out, every pitch like professionals…….and as long as they can keep doing that, they just might actually be playing baseball in San Francisco next week……because baseball is just a fucking game, and anything can happen…….

Go Giants!
merkin

PS if you find a beaten old Black Mizuno Fastback Infielders Glove on BART, let me know

GAMEBALL and JOKER ==> GIANTS at PHILLIES 10/20 NLCS Game 4

FUCK YEAH…. so many thoughts….so many things I want to say…..man it was a wonderful up and down night…..and just too much back and forth for my lungs to handle……by the time the 6th inning rolled around I had lost my voice and given myself a pounding headache from all the noise that I WAS making……but I was able to rally with some lozenges and tasty beverage…..and had enough in the gas tank to make it through yelling the rest of the game…..out of the ballpark……yelling all the way back to the car…..and when I dropped a buddy at the BART station….well there was some yelling there as well……hell I barely needed a car to get home……I just rode that wave of euphoria all the way home……

I have been 1 game from the series 3 times in my life…..in 1987, I was too young to know that we COULD lose…….in 2002….I believed the Giants were MORE talented than the Cardinals …but this is an entirely new feeling…this just doesn't seem real….and I don't think it will even sink in until the offseason……when the season began, we had hopes of a playoff MAYBE…..but the real horizon was 2011…..in mid-August, the Giants pitching swooned and the Padres pulled away and we thought MAYBE a wildcard…..and then now up against a superior Phillies team….it was a MAYBE …..a BIG MAYBE …..this is a team that isn't supposed to be here…..a collection of castoffs and role players augmented by a Stud Rookie Catcher and a Ungodly Good Pitching Staff……you look at the faces in that dugout and it’s a hodpodge of retreds…..you look in that Phillies dugout all I see are all stars…..man….this isn't happening…..this can't be happening…..I can't fucking process this……I swear to god, the more my brain soaks this in, the more my heart lumps up into my throat,…….just fucking typing this, I got fucking tears welling up in my eyes…..man, 1 fucking win,…….just one more fucking 1 and we can maybe….maybe make up for some unfinished goddamn fucking business……fuck……ok, I gotta stop and compose myself here……

OK, got my head on straight again……so lets not think to far ahead here…..the Death Blow is the hardest…..you saw the way the Padres suddenly came to life with the backs against the wall…..well the Phillies are MUCH better than the Padres….and if we lose the 1st one this time, the next two are in Philly……so GET THIS SHIT DONE TOMORROW WITH URGENCY……..you got them down, and you KEEP them down…..you get that Philly Offense rolling and you might not get it to stop again…….

GAMEBALL and JOKER ==> GIANTS at PHILLIES 10/20 NLCS Game 4

GAMEBALL

POSEY

I can't really say much….4 fucking hits…..play at the plate….and loved how he kept his hands back on the ball from Oswalt, something we see too infrequently from Giants hitters…..

TIP OF THE CAP :
URIBE
OUTSTANDING play in the hole, and of course the ball that ended it…..

HUFF
Was stroking it all over tonight….and looks like he may just have his swing back

CODY
This guy is just flat stupid good right now……I mean, playing above your head and you got the stadium chanting your name…..and you sting the ball time after time…..not only does everyone expect Cody to do something….Cody expects Cody to do something

PABLO
Yeah, hit into the DP…..but his swing is looking MUCH better and his WHOLE GAME is looking a lot better…..lets hope he has it back…….there is much work to be done….

WILSON
Got some outs, got the win….has a beard ……some shit like that

JOKER

NO ONE

Not a night to harp on anything or anyone Giants….and I won't dare tempt the baseball gods by singling out any Phillies……..lets just say, this will be a joker free night ……..

SMACK OF THE STICK :
CASILLA/ ROMO
Well……you saw…..I don't need to go into detail tonight


So not feeling me yet……..well, try watching this thing…..yes you have seen it before……but this time, its not about the past….this is about the fucking present……good night, sleep well and MAYBE next time we talk…..well…..lets just say........ MAYBE there will be tears of joy from all Giants fans……..

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GB and JK ARCHIVES AT THE GIANTS BOARD BLOG



(The fine print: There will be cussing and bad taste. This is written with the heat of the moment feel you may have during the game, with rational thought sprinkled in now and then. This is entertainment folks, sure there is a lot of truth and I am a genius, but this is all about having a laugh and enjoying the ride…….now lets go heckle Jeff Kent when he gets inducted to Cooperstown..)



by merkin