GAMEBALL and JOKER--> DBACKS at GIANTS 9/30

Wow, finally over…well not over…..but officially eliminated from contention….so what can we expect in 2010??? More of the same, as the pitching staff has matured light years faster than the position players…..Much like 5th grade when all the girls were maturing 100x faster than the guys, the pitching staff has already seen that whole "You are Growing Up" film when the hitters were running around in the field trying to give each other wedgies and falling off the monkey bars into the tambark (do they still use tambark?)…..and much like the 5th grade, no real sparks can happen until the hitters catch up with the pitchers…..well, hitters never TRULY catch up with the pitchers as we are always just big boys in men's bodies….or so my GF tells me…….

GAMEBALL and JOKER--> DBACKS at GIANTS 9/30

GAMEBALL

THE MONSTER

I swear this guy is 2 bolts and a forehead scar away from staring in the next remake by Rob Zombie….which is fitting cause this guy looks like a goddamn monster on the mound and he terrorized the DBacks for a complete game including a HBP and K on Upton in the same at bat, and a second hit DBack on a play that resulted in the only run allowed…..when he wasn't dominating the Dbacks and only walking 1, he was coming off the mound roaring at frustration at the single run allowed…..good job you big scary fuck….and any room in that Rob Zombie Movie for Nate Schierholtz….. Bochy says Nate does a great Invisible Man impression…...Claude Raines, eat your heart out…..

TIP OF THE CAP :
WHITESIDE
Posey Playing in Class AAA, Molina gone as Class A Free Agent…your 2010 starting catcher….Eli Whiteside……don't laugh, just might happen….lets just hope Mulvey is pitching,…..but seriously, 3 hits with a bomb is 3 hits with a bomb…..nice night……

JOKER

WILD CARD

I am for the Wild Card and I am against the Wild Card…..it depends on how the Giants benefit….and since the G men are out of it, I am against the Wild Card for 1 reason….If there were no Wild Card, the Col @ LA series would be for a Playoff berth for the winner, and a trip home for the loser…..as it stands, the only way something would happen in LA is if the Rockies win tomorrow, and then win all their games in LA….that would result in a division title for the Rockies and a Wild Card for the Dodgers….any other outcome would result in the opposite due to LA's season series lead……

SMACK OF THE STICK :
GREG PAPA
I hate him, and the reason I put him here is just because he is SERIOUSLY talking about the Giants wild card chances in the pregame…..dude, even Jim Jones. ain't serving up THAT KOOL AIDE……

FINAL THOUGHTS:
Is there such a thing as too much pitching???? Well, not too much pitching per se, but an imbalance of talent such as the Giants are maintaining makes no sense to a organization during the regular season and especially a organization wanting to go DEEP into the post season…..First of all, having very good 4th and 5th starters is a luxury, and by luxury I mean it is nice but not vital….the Giants could trade a couple pitchers and then go bargain basement looking for value in the 4th or 5th spots…..you could sign a few vets on the down swing and put them in the last 2 spot of the rotation and last 2 spots of the bullpen and hope for the best…..baseball is full of pitchers who can be signed as free agents or traded for cheaply that do a pretty good job for a year or two……and if they blow chunks, you can shift them to the pen and then try the next pitcher….this also works in the post season where the 4th starter's work is limited and the 5th starter is unneeded with the offdays between games and between series…..now, obviously giving up pitching for nothing makes no sense… you would trade your in house wealth for hitters that would take the pressure off your pitchers and help you in the postseason…..Unless you get lucky with a reclamation project the hitters the Giants need are usually not available as free agents, and if they are they will be expensive and likely sign elsewhere…..no, these hitters are usually drafted, or traded for……..so I am saying it makes sense to trade Sanchez and perhaps even Bumgarner, sign Penny and a few other vets and get some hitters in here……yes, the danger is if Cain or Tim gets hurt we would be fucked, but hell we would be fucked if that happened anyway….and this way you get a hitter or two in here that could actually do some damage and not overpriced non-factor free agents like Rowand and Renteria……..

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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 though 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 in when he gets inducted to Cooperstown..)

GAMEBALL and JOKER--> DBACKS at GIANTS 9/29

Remember back in 2005 when the Giants would say something about only playing a "handful of meaningless games 2000-2004"….Well by their definition of meaningless being "a mathematical possibility of the postseason," tonight was a "Meaningful" game..but you couldn't tell by the number of fans in attendance….Late September, and the kids both big and small are back in school ….. with the smallish crowd and slight chill in the air, you bet there were more than the normal share of diehards in the stands this evening, making it feel a little like Candlestick with albeit more expensive with better public transportation options…..
I got this strange feeling this year….I really can't wait for the season to end….usually I dread of the end of Giants baseball… a dark offseason looming where I must face the fact that I do not possess a life stares me squarely in the face without the daily distraction of a childs game…..but this year has been a tiring grind with the Giants teasing on the verge of contention with so many obvious flaws.......but before I finish this thought, lets go ahead and get the rest out of the way……

GAMEBALL and JOKER--> DBACKS at GIANTS 9/29

GAMEBALL

PANDA

After a brief scuffle at the beginning of the year, Pablo found his stroke and then a couple months later Pablo found his power, at least until September…..where Pablo had posted his lowest monthly OPS…..little tired perhaps? Sure, but after a cool breeze and day off Pablo was back at it with 4 hits and 2 homers, which increased his September total from 1 Homer to 3 Homers…..and September isn't over and Pablo doesn't look like he sitting anytime soon…. keep hacking my furry friend, and sorry to hear about the transient that hopped the fence at the Zoo to hang out with your cousins, and glad no one was hurt….

TIP OF THE CAP :
MOLINA
Speaking of rejuvenation, the cool breeze and off day did wonders for Bengie as well…..posting his 19th and 20th Homers of the year and collecting 4 hits in all……

GARKO
In a rare start, notched 2 hits and a walk…of course a good night at first means you get pulled from the game later, that's the Bochy way…..

RUZLER
Does this kid understand this isn't spring training?....has ice cold blood and a red hot fastball….a deadly combination…..

ROMO
Shut down the 9th barely a whimper…..this time……

MURPH
Guess the Murph is a master of glove work…. nice to hear we have such a craftsman on site….invaluable cog in the Giants Org

PUMPKIN
You da man…..you know why…..

TORRESS
Wasn't able to convert that catch….don't know what the umpires wanted….sure it hit the wall, but Barmes' ball on Sunday hit the ground and he was granted the out….

JOKER

BOCHY

Bochy's been watching too many " WE'RE IN THIS!!!" commercials….how else can you explain him not only starting the PROVEN VETS ™ Rowand and Winn and even Molina…but also letting them play the WHOLE GODDAMN DAME..Yes, I understand Doug Davis is a Leftie…..but Bowker and Schierholtz and even Lewis could benefit from facing Lefties…and it IS possible for Lefties to hit Lefties (see Montero v Sanchez x2)…..and beyond that, Davis was OUT of the game after the 4th, and you had a DEEP ASS Bench full of guys in need of experience……you drive me nuts…..

SMACK OF THE STICK :
SANCHEZ
Shook Bengie off twice and then planted a slow ball on the inner half that was CRUSHED into the water by Montero…..way to make Sportscenter……

DODGERS
Who woulda thunk it….If the Rockies can win 2 and Dodgers lose 1, the Division title will come down to the final series in LA….well of course if it DOES come down the that the Dodgers should be able to handle the Rockies, but there is a small chance that the season ending series could take on a whole new flavor……

FINAL THOUGHTS:
Despite the disappointing ending to the year, I must say something very strange happened to me recently…..I think I have started to get over 2002…2003…..(no, 2004 was a long shot, so that doesn't hurt nearly as much…BTW fuck you Dodger fans for over estimating yourselves)……I spent the offseasons after 2002 and 2003 in a strange depression, thinking if they could have won it all, my life would be so much better…..I buried myself in work and withdrew from all things not related to Baseball or Work…..but following Cain's arrival and the drafting of Lincecum things started to feel better….and now the arrival of Pablo and the performances from various members of the Major and Minor league clubs, I feel I don't have to bury myself in baseball nearly as much….I would still love the game with a passion, but I feel that passion and love is well placed and I feel…..fulfillment……yeah, goofy I know but the Giants have warmed my heart, made me optimistic about the future….yes, flawed team for sure, but there are pieces in place and a future to look forward to…..so, yes I look forward to the offseason and have more time for other pursuits…..and recharging my baseball batteries for 2010…….and I say this now….but of course 2 weeks after the season ends, I will be going through withdrawls…..when does free agent signing period begin???

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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 though 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 in when he gets inducted to Cooperstown..)

GAMEBALL and JOKER--> CUBS at GIANTS 9/27

Wow, this is strange to be back at this again…. must admit I feel kinda rusty….

Since I left last week, the Giants have been nothing but a tease…they had jumped back into relevance with 2 wins versus the Rockies, only to lay an egg in LA falling to 4 back in the loss column…. the Giants then took 2 of 3 in the desert to pull within 3 1/2 games, and on Thursday the Giants came within 1 strike of cutting the lead to 2 games with 9 to play…..2 back with 9 to play is anyone's ball game, especially when the Rockies play their last 3 in LA, where they are 1-5 this season (and 3-12 overall vs Dodgers)…and as crazy as it seems the hope was still alive the next day, as Lincecum was on the mound trading Zero's with Zambrano and the Cards tied up the Rockies in the 7th…..but the Rockies won with a walk off and the Cubs got through to Lincecum and 3 hit the Giants and the last embers were extinguished

Can't get too upset though…it has been a great season and this team broke their streak of 4 losing seasons. They got great performances from Lincecum, Cain, Pablo, and the Bullpen… solid second 1/2 surges from Zito, Velez, and Uribe…. but you really can't blame Giants fans from being frustrated and wanting more…..
1st base , 2nd base, and Left Field were in flux all year long…..And the Vets manning Center Field, Right Field, and Shortstop each turned in their WORST full season in the Majors….and their Cleanup hitter, the ageless Bengie Molina had his worst offensive season since 2002, but at least that year he won a Gold Glove and some Jewelry to go with it…..

GAMEBALL and JOKER--> CUBS at GIANTS 9/27

GAMEBALL

CAIN

Cain had a personal 3 game losing streak going, which culminated in a spanking in Arizona so bad that it made my ass sore….Was Cain gassed from the strain of the year? Was the league catching up with him? After going 10-2 in the first half, and stat heads pointing to BABIP, Strand Rates, and Partial Differential Equations claiming it was all luck, Cain seemed to be proving them right with a return to the High 3 ERA and a record of 3-5….it was 2007-08 all over again ….so despite the lack of a postseason hope, this was a big game for Matty. It would set a career high in Wins, give him a chance at 15 Wins, and perhaps more importantly… Allow him to gain confidence and something to build on going into next year…..and Cain responded with his best start since July, going 8 shutout innings, with 8 K's and 3 hits and just 2 walks and 2 sac bunts for good measure…..Good job Matty…….

TIP OF THE CAP :
ISHKAWA/ WHITESIDE
It was the Travis and Eli show there for a moment as Ishkawa twice lead off innings with Singles, and Whiteside twice drove him in with Doubles….I swear I remember when a lineup had a top a middle and the bottom, and any runs you got from the bottom were gravy and you did your damage in the 1-5 spots……well this team is one big bottom of the lineup, and ANY runs are gravy…..

VELEZ
Lead off the game with a single, and after failing in a previous attempt to get Whiteside home from 3rd with 1 out, he got a second chance and got it done with a basehit….

JOKER

WILSON

Its only been 72 hours, but it feels like a month ago…..Wilson has had his detractors but he has really turned it on down the stretch…. since the debacle in Milwaukee in July he only had two blown saves, and both were times he was brought in during the 8th inning with the bases already juiced…..so despite a leadoff walk, when Wilson got to that last strike on some Rockie reject named Jeff Baker, everyone was chalking this up in the win column……but it wasn't to be…..as after throwing a tight slider off the edge of the plate for a Swinging strike, Baker took two sloppy sliders that weren't close…..and then with Whiteside setup on the inside corner at the knees, Wilson delivered a belt high strike that leaked towards the middle of the plate, a perfect pitch to jerk and elevate, and that’s just what Baker did…..

SMACK OF THE STICK :
ROWAND
And after THAT debacle, came the next one….with one out Winn legged out a single and Travis ground out a full count walk to put runners on 2nd and 3rd….and then our Gamer came to the plate….. Taking two called strikes down the middle before chasing a slider nowhere near the plate…..I haven't seen an at bat that bad since little league……and that was from one of those kids who didn't want to be there, but had to because "Daddy made them"…..well, pretty sure Rowand didn't want to be there either, but if he doesn't show up for work, he won't be able to buy another Aston Martin or four……

ROMO/ AFFELDT (with assist from Everitt)
Couldn't bring it home with a 5 run lead….

FINAL THOUGHTS:
Back from Chase Field…..overall a fun time, but a weird park…its fucking HUGE and I don't know how many rows are in the upper deck, but there were a ton…like Monkey posted elsewhere, the air conditioning was weird….night games, so the roof was open, but it was 95+ outside….every so often the air would shut off for 5-10 minutes and you would get a BLAST of warm air likely rushing in from the "windows" in center field…..not sure what effect this would have on flyballs, but I am sure if they wanted to the DBacks could figure out the effect and use it to their advantage……
Lots of Giants fans in attendance, and Dbacks fans did their best to keep their pride in the presence of so much orange and black…..I actually got a "Going home already" remark during the Cain start, of course I was just leaving my seats to get myself a Kosher Dog……and funny thing was, the Dbacks fans were the one's leaving early even when they had the lead…….
Arizona must be a mixed bag for players, as there were many autograph seekers who were pretty obviously going to be selling the shit….Arizona must be a haven for these leeches, with Spring Training, Minor League Camps, and the Arizona Fall and Summer Leagues……There was one really creepy guy in a Will Clark Jersey, who didn't strike me as a Giants fan, and another who got a response of "DIDN'T I SIGN FOR YOU YESTERDAY?"….of course he said it was going to his nieces and nephews……
Then again, this is a homecoming for many players with their families in attendance or nearby, as Arizona is a popular offseason home for Baseball players with its warm winters and lack of state income tax……

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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 though 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 in when he gets inducted to Cooperstown..)

GAMEBALL and JOKER--> ROCKIES at GIANTS 9/16

Giants failed to complete the sweep which would have cut the Rockies lead to 1 in the loss column and put a big spectre of doubt in their minds….. instead the Rockies 3 up in the loss column with 16 to play….and leave town feeling like they dodged a bullet…..Giants wrap up a losing home stand, but after shellacking the Rockies in back to back games and then giving them a scare they are actually feeling pretty emboldened as they head down to Los Angeles….and if you factor is the miscues from the Rockies and the shakiness of sudden lack of depth in their pen, it would be easy for the seeds of doubt to start to creep in… of course, last time the Rockies left town they proceeded to go 10-1 so who knows what will happen, all I know is I paid my Playoff bill so for better or for worse, I guess I am in….. and the Giants players certainly won't have a hard time getting motivated in the smog bowl that is September in Chavez Ravine…….

GAMEBALL and JOKER--> ROCKIES at GIANTS 9/16

GAMEBALL

BULLPEN

Didn't seem relevant at the time, but after the near miss in the 9th the dominating performances from Ruzler, Affeldt, and Romo were HUGE….shutting down the potent Rockie attack and keeping the Giants "close" with 3 innings of 1 hit ball with 5 K's….and Affeldt and Romo are looking like they will be on top of their games down the stretch shortening the game by 1-2 innings, and RUnzler is suddenly a major player with his high-90's heat from the left side…..Good job kids, keep shutting them down….if the Giants make a run in the seasons final 2 weeks, you know these 3 will be major players…..

TIP OF THE CAP :
URIBE
Wasn't as big a game , but was on base all day with a hit a walk and a HBP….throw in a groundball thrown away by Tulowitski and Uribe was everywhere…even had the presence of mind no to charge the mound after getting a fastball in the side
JOKER

RENTERIA

The highlight of Renteria's night was either calling De La Rosa out, or the linedrive at em ball in the at bat immediately following the shouting match……otherwise Renteria was useless and his return to the lineup, catalyzed the shuffle that weakened the defense and …..had runners on all 4 times at the plate and failed in each appearance including a Double Play in the 2nd and of course the weak ass pop out in the 9th…..Sure no one would complain if Uribe and Sandoval manned the left side of the infield the rest of the year……

SMACK OF THE STICK :
TORRES
Struck out with 2nd and 3rd and nobody out, but the reason he is here is the fucked up double play….leading off second with 1 out……got caught leaning towards 3rd on a hard ground ball to Short….first of all, knowing Tulowitski's arm he should have been breaking back to the bag once the ball was basically hit AT him….second, once he was caught leaning, all you can go is get into a run down…..make Tulo either run you down or make a throw to third…hesitation was the worst play possible…..

MEDDERS
Shoulda just nailed Tulo….you got nothing to lose... Giants pen is deep, game looked out of hand at the moment…and if Tulo charges the mound you both likely get suspensions….and that’s the best thing the Giants could hope for……

SANCHEZ
Lead off the 9th with a single, but otherwise looked foolish at plate swinging over De La Rosa's slider all night……The more I watch this guy, the more I consider him a curiosity…..either he is hitting the ball on the screws all night, or he is flailing at air….When Krukow says something like, "I don't think he is picking up the rotation on the slider" what he means is "Why the fuck does he keep swinging at that"…its almost like he was traded from the AL or something….DUDE, the PIRATES are the NL…..you HAVE seen these guys before, haven’t you???? (fyi, before tonight Sanchez WAS 6 for 11 off De La Rosa)

ROWAND
If Sanchez looks like he is lost some nights…well, you are looking lost almost every night…..dropping a sure catch was the highpoint of the night…..the low point was when BOCHY actually had seen enough and pulled you for a PH in the 9th…..stings don't it……wonder if you will do some Zitoesque soul searching this offseason…..

WINN/ SCHIERHOLTZ
Both failed to bring home the tying run…and both had pitches to hit……

BOCHY
GODDAMNN IT….The Infield of Uribe at Short, Sandoval at 3rd, Sanchez at 2nd and Ishikawa at 1st was working……Sandoval is way more comfortable at 3rd than 1st…..Uribe is more comfortable in the middle than at 3rd, and Ishikawa is our best defensive 1st baseman….Yes, I understand that De La Rosa is a lefthander, but if you can start Nate, why can't you give Ishikawa a chance…..it's not like he has stunk it up versus lefties at the major league level sure, only 44 PA, but a .300 AVE and .364 OBP….looking at his minor league numbers, he has a weakness against Lefthanders, but then again Renteria has a weakness against Major League Pitching…and Ishikawa has been your goddamn lucky charm with the Giants going 10-2 in his last 12 starts…..hell, I hear some players don't change their underwear if they are on a hot streak…..its like your NEED to platoon is a genetic condition…. probably a side effect of the Elephantitis that boated your skull……

FINAL THOUGHTS
All that being said, I had a strange feeling in the 9th inning….something I haven't felt since 2003…..butterflys in the stomach, cold sweat on the palms…..sure we have had many "must win" games this year, and the word "playoff atmosphere" has been thrown around more often then batteries at a Candlestick Dodger game…but tonight was actually the first time I had the real feeling of a playoff…..sure we came out on the wrong side of this one, but there are a little over two weeks left and it is likely to come down to that final weekend….and really winning 2 of 3 was enough to keep us alive as we not only cut 1 game from the lead and gained a little momentum…but we assured that if the season comes down to a 1 game playoff, it will be at AT&T Park by virtue of the new head to head tiebreaker system……

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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 though 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 in when he gets inducted to Cooperstown..)

GAMEBALL and JOKER--> ROCKIES at GIANTS 9/14

With their playoff hopes on life support, and historians pulling out examples of miraculous finishes in order to keep the fan base hopes up…. tonight was a HUGE win…..sure it helped keep the Giants alive in the Wild Card, but a HUGE win for my pocket book as the Playoff Payments are dues on Wednesday… a loss tonight and you can bet the number of season ticket holders willing to fork over thousands of dollars would have dropped off dramatically…. so with their 2009 revenue dollars at stake, the Giants responded with a clutch win……

GAMEBALL and JOKER--> ROCKIES at GIANTS 9/14

GAMEBALL

TIM

Man, they don't call this kid the Franchise for nothing, as this Franchise would be fucked without him….well the Franchise is back and looking strong again…..and Timmy wasn't really sharp, but his stuff was fucking NASTY as his changeup with falling off the table, his Curveball was a hard biting downer, and his Fastball broke a couple of Molina's fingers…..Man, seems like forever since Timmy pitched, and his electric stuff looks even better after not seeing it for 9 days…and his presence on the mound was a shot of adrenaline to the fans and most importantly to his team…..good god, you know the Giants are watching him work thanking god they don't have to try to hit that shit…..Welcome back Tim, we missed you……and good job on the bunt to set up the sac fly for run #3

TIP OF THE CAP :
MOLINA
Moved down to the 5th hole, and responded with a bloop single to lead off the 2nd inning rally…. and crushed a solo shot in the 3rd…so fearsome he was intentionally walked in the 8th…OK it was to set up a force, but still…..

ROWAND
Men on base, and 0 out….Mr Triple Play found a hole with his grounder to put out the rist 2 runs of the game…….

VELEZ
Sac Fly in the 2nd was big, and he aborted his home run trot and legged out a base clearing triple……

URIBE
2 Hits 2 K's…..no homers…….

AFFELDT
Kept the ball rolling when the game was still sorta close…..1 scoreless, with 2 K's and a walk…..and give Chuck Meriwether the assist, the Ump had a good looking fist pump on the Atikins K, making any celebration by Affedlt redundant…..

PENNY
What the FUCK was this guy doing….With Timmy mid batter on the mound, the camera shows Penny making a kiss face towards the mound, followed by a big grin, and then a air fist bump…..is there something about your relationship with Tim that we don't know about????

JOKER

BOCHY

Winn batting 3rd again???? This gives Winn 164 PA in the 3 hole this year,…ok, he got on base twice but this is driving me nutz……So Finally Bochy has the balls to move Molina from the cleanup spot….and where does he move him…..#5… statistically the most likely spot in the batting order to lead off the 2nd……You wouldn't bat Molina Leadoff would you??? Well Molina did lead off the 2nd tonight….and lucky enough, he came through with a single which catalyzed the rally…..hell, maybe Bochy is the genius and I am the idiot….well, he is making millons of dollars in the game of baseball, but then again, I guess I don't do so badly…I just got promoted from cutting the potatoes to the running the French Fryer =)

SMACK OF THE STICK :
SANDOVAL
Well, our new cleanup hitter looks like he is putting too much pressure on himself with 2 K's in a 0 for 4 night…but I will give him some props….on a slow hit ball from Yorvit, he went to the barehand trying to make the play…..he missed the ball, but I will take a physical mistake over a mental mistake anyday……

RENTERIA
The Giants went back to back games with their strongest defensive infield…and you weren't in the mix….sorry Edgar……

PANDA EXPRESS
Finally, the Giants were able to sell a natural sponsorship opportunity, with the Panda Cam brought to you by Panda Express……but, they aren't stopping there….I hear a few more deals in the work……The Hacker of the Game brought to you by Phillip Morris, the Horse Shit Call of the Game brought to you by Mirical Grow Fertilizer, and lastly the Bochy's Lineup brought to you by In 'n' Out………

FINAL THOUGHTS
The Matchup of Lincecum v Hammels may look like a win on paper, but Lincecum had the uncertainty of coming off an injury and Hammels turned in 5 solid versus the Giants last time the Rocks were in town….a solid win to be sure, but tomorrow will be another big game tomorrow, and this time the Giants need to see if they can keep their hot bats going versus the sizzling fastball of Ubaldo Jimenez….come on G's let's keep this thing rolling……

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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 though 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 in when he gets inducted to Cooperstown..)

GAMEBALL and JOKER--> DODGERS at GIANTS 9/13

Well that was a relief….the Giants got on the board early and then despite a Frustrating 4th and 5th inning, were able to break through with a big inning in the 6th and give the Dodgers a taste of their own medicine….Add that to a Rockies loss and the Giants playoff hopes refuse to be extinguished…..The Trio that performed the sweep of the Rockies last month are back for an encore…..Lets hope Lincecum, Zito, and Cain are up the challenge….and maybe Renteria has another slam in him…..BTW, Did you notice that the Padres have taken 2 of 3 from the Dodgers, Giants, and Rockies in sucession??? and the first two series were on the road……

GAMEBALL and JOKER--> DODGERS at GIANTS 9/13

GAMEBALL

PENNY

The Giants have found their late season shot in arm from a man who is two bolts in the neck and a forehead scar away from a Halloween costume. Got some early support with a 2 run shot in the second, but got in and out of trouble in the 4th… the Giants offense put up a single run while failing to break through with a crooked number in the frustrating 4th and 5th…..but Penny was able to keep the potent Dodgers offense in check in a game that could have easily have swung to the Dodgers at any point…..It wasn’t until the Giants broke through with a 4 spot in the 6th that you could take a deep breath and have some confidence we wouldn't see a repeat of the first two days……Penny was even able to make it all the way through seven which means we would only see the best the Giants bullpen had to offer….Good job Pinhead, the only way you could have improved the performance would be to bean Blake and then run over to the 3rd base coaches box and sucker punch Bowa…..

TIP OF THE CAP :
URIBE
Tempted to give it to The UUUUUU…….but with the shellacking the Giants pichers have taken at the hands of the Dodgers, I had to give it to the pitcher…..The UUUUUUU used his full body swing to get the Giants on the board with a 2 run shot. in the 2nd, was in the middle of the 1 run "rally" in the 4th, and then singled to lead off the 4 run 6th…..

ISHI
Looked good at the plate and in the field…. kid is swinging a hot stick…and I am still digging the play he made on the foul ball grounder…..you know he was reminding Bochy that he catches EVERYTHING

WINN
3 Hole, not good….. 2 hits and making me shut up? VERY good…..

THE REST OF THE BATS
I could list everyone, but I will just say that the bats had life today and were abel to sustain the rally through the pitching changes,….

JOKER

AT&T PARK

There is a unfortunate side effect to having a Jewel of a Ballpark in the Most Scenic City on the West Coast…..Dodger Fans……first of all the park is beautiful with great amenities and site lines…..it has become a mecca for baseball fans of all teams, just to be able to experience a game from the shores of McCovey Cove…..second, the location inside the city is conducive to tourism, you can take in a ball game, go out for dinner, go site seeing and all that without much travel….. If you don't believe me, head up to Coit tower right after a ball game, I guarantee you are going to see Giants hats and often the caps of whatever visiting team is in town…well, except for the 12 Padres "Fans" in the world.…….And lastly and most importantly……AT&T Park is safe for Dodger Fans….in stark contrast to the Candlestick days where Beer flowed free and you would see a burning LA Cap at least as often as you see the Grounds Crew drag the infield….With the popularity of the park, many of the fans who could go to Candlestick and have 7 beers, aren't getting to as many games at AT&T Park….and if they do have 7 beers and get Rowdy, often times they would be kicked out as to not upset the sensibilities of the more affluent clientel…..So Dodger fans in droves are making vacation plans around AT&T Park and flood into our city in greater and greater numbers…..really there is only one thing I can think of to do…..make AT&T less friendly to these Fuckers……I will be seeking donations to help fund a charity that benefits the underprivileged…..This charity will help fund tickets to Dodger games for Giants fans, as well as some pocket money and a map to the liquor store closest to AT&T…..to qualify, you must be a "Rehabilitating" offender, you must be a diehard Giants fan with a SF Tattoo as proof…. once we get the ball rolling on this, we should not only make these fans lives a little better, but will likely make AT&T a little less friendly

SMACK OF THE STICK :
WHITESIDE
Bloop hit aside, this guy is useless at the plate and was prone to mental mistakes behind the plate…..The Catchers interference and the dropped "pass ball" on the fake pickoff to 2nd threatened to derail Penny's day…..Penny was able to work through it…..but at this point I can't believe that Posey wouldn't be am improvement….

LONEY
Dude, you missed the ball and then slammed into the Ump….Ump unfazed, while you laid on the ground in pain….good god, is the umpire that much tougher that you????

EXTRA STUFF:
Today was strike out violence day….and seriously, if you ever hit a woman or kid, you are sick fuck……seek help now…..
But anyways, they had Jonathan Sanchez as a figure head….yes, as I joked about the "Ho Hitter"….they ACTUALLY Used it…..Sanchez No Hitter on the Field, you No Hit Her at home…….corny, but I will give them some credit for trying to tie it into baseball….They Really should have had Rowand out there……I can see him now "Giants fans…You hate it when I choke on the field, well… I hate it when you choke at home"…..sheer genious, I shoulda been in marketing…..

EXTRA STUFF II
ok, so I am sitting there and these Boobs walk by….I mean, they had their own zip code and were sticking STRAIGHT out…these suckers woulda poked your eyes out if you got too close.….…..they were attached to a very attractive blonde, who was accompanied by a man with a closely shaved Mohawk……HEY THAT’S COUTURE!!....no, that’s not right……oh yeah, that’s CHUCK LIDELL!!!.... Chuck was a sport signing Autographs, posing for pictures, kissing babies….hell I think he even signed a few babies……nice guy, was cool with the interruptions all game long…..and sorry if my description of your significant other was off color…that’s what the people want….don't hurt me, hurt THEM…and no, I wasn't about to ask the blonde to pose….



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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 though 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 in when he gets inducted to Cooperstown..)

GAMEBALL and JOKER--> DODGERS at GIANTS 9/12

Its Déjà vu all over again…Once again the Giants failed to show up on either side of the ball, and the feelings of frustration are quickly turning into apathy….hell, I got to finish the shelves in the garage, so I can pull my car back in before a Dodger fan busts my window to steal my car stereo…….
So The Giants tragic number stands at 15 with the Rockies in extras (another blown save by Bell)….add that to a Win by the fish and the Giants are now tied for 2nd place in the wild card chase….

GAMEBALL and JOKER--> DODGERS at GIANTS 9/12

GAMEBALL

FOOTBALL

Don't get me wrong, Baseball is my first love….. Hell, baseball is probably my second and third love as well….but Football is pretty fucking cool and a nice diversion when baseball goes south and then goes away altogether…..If you aren't a football fan, I highly recommend it as a baseball substitute….you can yell and cheer and all that shit….. sure its not the same, but I still find it enjoyable…… I have the added benefit of being neither a 49er or Raider fan, which means I don't have to suffer like all you fucks when your team sucks…..I grew up a Raiders fan, but they moved…..Oh they came BACK you say????.... Fuck em…..if your Wife left you and then 10 years later knocks on the door and says "Honey I'm HOME!"….what do you think you would say…..exactly…. slam the door and fuck em…….So No, I don't have a team…. I get my kicks with Fantasy Football, Football pools, and occasional wagering….

TIP OF THE CAP :
NATE
Made the most of his limited time with 2 knocks in two AB's….looks like the Veteran Savvy hasn't set in yet…..

JOKER

FANS

Nice pic eh? Yup, that’s the rivalry cap to be given away tomorrow to the 1st 20,000 fans….. yeah, we're in…..suckered into believing this severely flawed team had a chance…..no not flawed….. and this isn't even a team…..there are some very nice pieces, but this is like a Dry Aged Juicy New York Strip with Dogshit crumbled on top……sure you can point to that nice hunk of beef, but you can't enjoy it because of all the shit you have to swallow



SMACK OF THE STICK :
BATS
The Giants swing the bats like a blindfolded 12 year old Blindfolded Kid Taking wacks at his Birthday Pinata….although that might be an improvement…the kid eventually makes solid contact, we wouldn't have to pay him millions of dollars, and I am pretty sure he has better pitch recognition…..but take heed Giants fans, I hear that Sabean is mulling hiring a new hitting coach…..he might look familiar……


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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 though 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 in when he gets inducted to Cooperstown..)

GAMEBALL and JOKER--> DODGERS at GIANTS 9/11

Well that sucked… a Giants team needing to get hot at home got slapped around like a $20 Mission Street Whore, and their play was just as ugly…... But today isn't they day to shovel dirt on the Giants…as much as it seems like this is the end, we learned a few weeks ago in Colorado that there is another game tomorrow…of course those days are growing short as the Rockies came back for a "routine" 4 spot in the 9th to beat the Padres 4-1 and reduce the Giants Tragic Number to 16…… And as bad as it seems, and as frustrating as it this season has become the Giants haven't gone in the tank so much as they have watched the Rockies rush right past them…..Since August 1st the Giants are 20-18, where the Dodgers are 20-19….both teams basically just going sideways…..But the Rockies are 26-13 including 10-1 in September…..

GAMEBALL and JOKER--> DODGERS at GIANTS 9/11

GAMEBALL

POSEY

Well, one thing you can say is the kid is a quick study, as he responded to the adulation of the Giants fan base with a check swing strike three on a ball low and away….musta been Lansford's influence….. Buster failed to live up to Will Clarks Giants Golden Spike Winner debut by failing to Homer off Nolan Ryan… a check swing strikeout to Hiroki Kuroda just doesn't have the stuff folklore is made off….but Buster is the greatest Giant on the roster right now…. not because of what he has accomplished or will accomplish, but what he represents, which is hope for a brighter future where Giants hitters have an idea of the strike zone….

TIP OF THE CAP :
BOWKER
Actually hit a ball hard and broke up Kuroda's streak of 107 Giants batters in a row that sucked…..

URIBE
Got his 7th extra base hit of the month… to go with his 6 singles and 5 Strikeouts…..the only surprise if those stats is how low the Strikeouts are with that hack…..

MOLINA
Hard hit single, and came around to score…..and I finally understand what "Lumber" because when Molina was "Lumbering" around second he was running almost as fast as a Log…….

FRANDSEN
Wow… that musta felt good…..I heard when you pulled into second, instead of pointing to the sky, you flipped the bird in the general direction of Sabean's Luxury Box…just a rumor……couldn't confirm…….

JOKER

GIANTS

OK, enough oh well pussy bull shit….this team has no business getting the Wild Card….the Wild Card is meant for teams that actually step up to the late season challenge, and win games in bunches down the stretch….this team can barely get out of its own way at the plate, and the wear and tear of the season is showing on the pitching staff…..Still with life in the wild card and with the hated rival in town, they pulled down their pants and dropped a deuce right on the field…..no fight, no spark, no life, no chance…….

SMACK OF THE STICK :
SANCHEZ
If hitting is contagious, then bad hitting is a fucking pandemic running through the Giants clubhouse infecting congenital brain dead hackers and "Former Batting Champions" alike…and I swear the next person who mentions Freddy Sanchez and "Former Batting Champion" in the same sentence is going to get brained by a D Cell Battery…..

ROWAND
Long ago when the Giants were still in the game, Rowand got jammed with the tying run on 3rd and 1 out….. and the sad part isn't how many more years and how much money…..its the fact we got NOTHING as far as viable short term center field candidates in the minors……man Rajai Davis is looking pretty damn good right about now but that would involve given a chance to someone that wasn’t a proven vet……

FINAL THOUGHTS
The Giants are drifting out of contention, but that doesn't mean this is over…..we still have 5 games versus the Dodgers, and if the Giants have ANY fight left it them they need to play hard and see if they can BEAT LA……honestly, if we can take the season series from the Dodgers and perhaps spoil their division hopes ……and the bitter irony is we likely won't be faced with the question about who we cheer for the final weekend when the Dodgers face the Rockies…..pretty sure Giants fans pulling for a Dodger win is one of the signs of the apocalypse…..

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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 though 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 in when he gets inducted to Cooperstown..)