GAMEBALL and JOKER ==> ROCKIES at GIANTS 08/30

Back again, this time it was Work, Illness, and going to Ballgames……I got to figure out this whole independently wealthy thing soon….hell I would settle for dependently wealthy if you know any rich cougars looking for some Merkin Love……but enough about me……

Was a perfect night for the Giants to make a move…..unfortunately the only movement they would have involved the 9th inning and their bowels……yes with all the playoff rivals losing, and Jonathan twirling a good ol' 1-0 gem, the Giants found a way to squander 9th inning lead at home…..the 2nd such loss on the homestand the first being last week's comeback from 10-1…and these exceptional last innings losses have just been the start of the inventive ways the Giants have lost this year…..I swear I must have thought at least 4 different times that we had just suffered our worst loss of the season……I swear I am still pissed off about Cuzzi's bonecrusher…..these are losses that PENNANT winners WIN NOT LOSE……..

GAMEBALL and JOKER ==> ROCKIES at GIANTS 08/30

GAMEBALL

SANCHEZ

Good god…..that game was the reason we keep him and the reason we want to trade him all rolled into one……masterful with nasty stuff all night…..but in the end, when the pressure is on he unraveled……after getting a quick 0-2 on Fowler……4 straight balls, of which the first 3 weren't even close…..and they way Sanchez wasn't throwing strikes and the way he doesn't hold runners, he forced his way out of the game……

TIP OF THE CAP :
HUFF
Couple walks a run scored…..and a deep drive to left in the 9th that might been out of here during the heatwave last week

POSEY
Had some ugly swings at offspeed pitches……but was able to come up with the only RBI of the night…..

JOKER

ROSS

I am just at a loss for words…..I want to defend and make excuses for Ross…..but I can't, that is simply a ball you must catch…..yes, it was hard hit…..yes, it was a broken bat ball that sailed……but you simply must catch that ball……yes, my first thought was it was falling in front of him, but I am watching on TV……and he is the professional….and the ball was ENTIRELY catchable…….add to that a MISERABLE night at the plate with 2 strikeouts and the only ball in play a Double Play that killed the only Giants rally of the night…….and our newcomer is the joker……..but I still rather see him play RF over the Sloth that is Guillen…….

SMACK OF THE STICK :
F SNACHEZ
Couple errors to bring his season total to 4…….and the game blowing error in the 9th with a 47 hopper that rolled it's way into Gonzales and out of play……he makes that throw on a line and they got him by 5 feet…….

WILSON
He got over in time, but was WAY too close to back up that play……you got to be further away from third than that, BECAUSE of the unexpected bounces……all you have to do is knock it down……you knock it down, Car Go ain't going anywhere, and we can go ahead and lose in 14th instead……


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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 ==> REDS at GIANTS 08/24

What the hell is all this about….double digit runs in back to back games…… the Giants left St Louis with the offense tucked between their legs…..now back to the shores of the bay somehow they are transformed into the goddamn New York Yankees…..this was the first back to back double digit games since May 2006 in Houston and…… according to my searching at Baseball Reference the first time ever Double Digit runs scored in back to back games at ATT/ SBC/ Pac Bell Parks and last time the Giants did it at home it was 1973…….man, that’s hard to believe……and although we know this team is not the New York Yankees, lets hope they can stay hot through September……that is as long as Pat Burrell doesn't start dating Kate Hudson……

GAMEBALL and JOKER ==> REDS at GIANTS 08/24

GAMEBALL

PABLO

Could go 15 different ways with this pick, but I will send some love the Panda's way….struggling from the Right side for most of the season smoked a 2 run single over the leaping shortstop to plate 2 in the first…..then after a hard hit out to the gap in left, he turned around to the left side and crushed an RBI Double and then scored on a Juan Uribe Homer to turn back a surging Reds team…..but he wasn't done…..in laugher time, Pablo his a BOMB OVER triples alley…..he rounded up the night with a whiff, but again more evidence that the Panda is back……sure, I have said it before……but I really want to believe it……Torres, Huff, Posey, Panda…….with a little Sanchez Ross Burrell and Uribe……suddenly, a lineup 8 hitters deep that can do some damage…..

TIP OF THE CAP :
SANCHEZ
Back to back 4 hit nights….first time in a career that includes……wait for it……a batting title and 3 all star appearances…..and what the hell is with the Homer??? man it musta been a hot night….but come on, that road trip through St Louis and Philly was hotter…..maybe ATT park is a bandbox after all…..just needs a little global warming….

URIBE
With the Reds knocking Sanchez out of the game and cutting that Giants lead down to two……Uribe followed Pablos double in the 5th with a soaring shot into the left field bleachers to give the Giants a 10 spot for the night

POSEY
Three run shot really sealed the deal…..and got Posey on the board…..

NATE
Got something in there somewhere…..its all a blur…..

BURRELL
Had no hits, but that 1st inning walk was instrumental in getting on the board early…..

ROSS
I like this kid……DL Guillen until healthy…..play Ross in right…with that range and a little pop…..Nate and Huff/ Ishikawa can spell him now and then……and he looked good tonight with a big 2 out RBI single to get first blood in the opening frame,….and then lead off the decisive 5th inning with a chop hit to 3rd…..

BULLPEN
Wasn't pretty at times, but allowed no runs to the Reds in 4 2/3rd innings of work……

ARAS
Our visitor from Korea is 2-0 and when he is here we average like 27 runs a game…..

JOKER

HOWARD

The Wild Card Leading Phillies….got Howard back and ready to pull away….well….ok, not just yet……..Oh Man……that's a tough night……0 for 7 with 5 k's…….and best of all got ejected in the 14th on back to back check swings called strikes by a Minor League Umpire…..in all fairness…..from the replays I have seen, pretty sure he got jobbed there…..and yeah, I probably woulda wanted to kick that Fucking Vacation Replacement umpire all the way back to Indianapolis……but still, with the Phillies out of position players, the move put the Phillies in a bad spot…..and then came up with an L in 16 innings at home versus the lowly Astros…….and tied with the Giants for the Wild Card Lead…..

SMACK OF THE STICK :
SANCHEZ
with 7 runs of support, got knocked out before he could qualify for the win…..

BAKER
Gotta tip your cap to Dusty for competing with this Reds team no one expected to contend……and doing it with pitching……and even more astounding, he has actually backed off his starters a little….2010 he has 21 games with pitch counts over 110…..36 in 2009….44 in 2008…..


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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 ==> REDS at GIANTS 08/23

Back from the dead…..much like the Giants on this last road trip, I was beaten up and tired over the last week…..I won't go into details, but my day job requires that I be a very (self) important man with lots of important responsibilities….but being a super genius, this comes with the territory ….. so enough whining and back to work……at least back to my real job, and that’s entertaining you shlubs…..

GAMEBALL and JOKER ==> REDS at GIANTS 08/23

GAMEBALL

SANCHIE

Today's 4 hit game was a nice reprive for our resident "Former All Star Former Batting Champ" ™ who is in the midst of his worst year of his career….coming of surgery he has posted a career low .261 batting average with a career low OPS of .642…..but tonight he was able to lace a big 2 run double down the left field line, collect a pair of singles only to get gunned down on a pair of failed sacrifices…..

TIP OF THE CAP :
HUFF
I think we can say for certain that mini-slump is done, with tonight's effort that is 2 homers 7 hits 4 walks and 5 RBI in the last 4 games…..Huff got the Giants on the board in the 1st, and then helped add on with a BOMB to the part of the Arcade reserved for the Big Boys….tough choice to miss the gameball, but had to give it to Sanchie with the 4 hits…..maybe if Huff makes one of the two missed great plays it would swing it back to Huff…..but something tells me that Huff still has a few more Gameballs coming this year

TORRES
A pair of walks in the 1st inning, and a two run tater in the bottom of the 3rd inning to answer the Reds 2 spot in the top half and to send this into laugher territory…….

SANDOVAL
The two leading men of 2009 have had a hard time following up their performances….and while Timmy's struggles seem to mount…..Pablo looks like he is starting to break through…..yeah, we have said it before, but I really mean it this time…..

CAIN
After a little hiccup in the 3rd, bared down and retired 57 in a row or something……and after 2 failed bunts, was able to get that 3rd one down……avoiding the Pink Sambero…..which is 3 failed sacrifice bunts…..and yes, I just invented that……

LOPEZ
Just for the 0-2 pitch on Votto that looked made him look like Jean Van De Velde hacking at the grass in 1999

SABEAN
For a team that still has its best days ahead of it, didn't break up the core in the majors or minors, and even kept basically every prospect of value……while adding spare parts in Burrell, Ross, Guillen, Lopez, Fontenot and Ramirez……

JOKER

ROWAND

Well, despite a decent performance in a reserve role, you have gone from a nice spare part to a complete waste of a roster spot….Ross is a better hitter, can play all 3 outfield positions, and is right handed…….basically making Rowand completely obsolete…….he's not even the spare tire in the trunk…..more like the shredded tire with steel belts exposed that is too beaten up to even be used as a tire swing……nope all this tire is good for, is costing you that damn recycling fee at the local dump……

SMACK OF THE STICK :
ROSS
Well, good news is he has a job……bad news…..lost a mostly full time gig, and was traded for nothing…….and I can't help but think back to your days as a Dodger……and your last play as a Dodger….When Omar turned a kick ass DP….and you were traded for PTBNL within a week……

MOTA
Got the Grissom Treatment…..DL'ed for a phantom injury…..and this time that injury was something called TI Syndrome…..apparently it means you are Butt Hurt…..sounds like the same injury Molina had when he didn't get a fat contract this offseason……

0-FER-RIBE
Well, someone had to take the collar…..and that was Juan, left out of the party and taking a big O fer

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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 PHILS 08/17

After a disappointing series versus the Padres, the Giants get a 6 Game Roadie into fellow Wild Card hopefuls St Louis and Philly……Hoping for 4-2, could live with 3-3, but really just hoping we can avoid a sweep in either city…..

GAMEBALL and JOKER ==> GIANTS at PHILS 08/17

GAMEBALL

GUILLEN

Well, that bat looked pretty nice tonight, with line drive out to Right, a smash single to lef, and a BOMB that answered the Phillies 2 run 6th and pulled the Giants to within a run…… what a random collection the Giants have put together on offense……The Phenom behind the plate, a struggling Panda at 3rd…….and a bunch of vets on the wrong side of 30 that resembles the the Island of Misfit Toys more than a playoff lineup…and with what we saw tonight, looks like Jose's bat will be a perfect fit with the Giants despite the square wheels on his caboose…..

TIP OF THE CAP :
BURRELL
Got off to a quick start with a solo shot in the first to give the Giants a 2 run margin

POSEY
2 hits including a single that setup the Giants first run

CASILLA
With Runzler and Affeldt on the mend, Casilla is making a strong case for keeping a roster spot….and tonight he kept the Giants in the game getting out of the 6th with a runner on 2nd and no one out…..don't look now but that’s his 10th appearance in a row without giving up a run…..15 innings, 5 hits, 4 walks, 10 k's…….

BOBBY THOMPSON
What can you say, the biggest most famous Home Run in baseball history……and it beat the Dodgers….

JOKER

RAY

Ouch…..so THAT'S the bad Ray…..Chris saw his ERA fatten up quicker that a Retired Tony Gwynn….going from from 3.28 to 4.05 in 1 appearance……and he was hit pretty hard…..a couple hard hit balls through the right side. a walk with Victorino dancing of 1st, and then a Double by Ruiz that hit a wall harder than Tom Cruise's career

SMACK OF THE STICK :
RAMIREZ
Dind't do Ray any favors allowing all of Ray's inherited runners to score……and soon, Ramon might have a chance to show one his most valuable attributes…….he has options available (Marco, feel free to double check me, I am doing rules by memory)….and when Runzler and Affeldt return, the Giants are going to need this roster spot….

ZITO
Got an early lead, but wasn't able to hold it…..the big stat of the night is 0 K's……if Zito isn't missing bats, it's not going to be a good night…and he got 4 swings and misses in 91 pitches….4 swings and misses?

URIBE
4 swings and misses…that was an average At Bat for Uribe tonight

PABLO
2 boot in 2 games….

FART IN NOTE
0 for 3 with a boot

HUFF
And the Water Buffalo that stirs the drink……opened up about himself and Pat in the Merc…..and then proceeded to go 0 for 4 with 0 for 2 and a DP with runners in scoring position….

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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 ==> PADS at GIANTS 08/15

What the hell was THAT…..out team that is supposedly in the race, with new reinforcements, with the momentum from the night before……with our ace against the end of their rotation…..we get our asses handed to us….I mean we have gotten kinda used to losing to the Padres this year with our 2-8 record against South LA…but each of those ten games have been ones that could go either way and you weren't left with a feeling of defeat so much as frustration that the Padres stole another one…..in those 10 games the average margin of victory has been 1.5 runs and the largest margin of victory has been 3 runs…..so when you suddenly get down 8-2 and your ace is knocked out…..well, it makes for a drag of a game…and that’s a major understatement….

GAMEBALL and JOKER ==> PADS at GIANTS 08/15

GAMEBALL

POSEY

What can you say….the lone bright spot of the day….3 of the Giants 4 hits on the day including a 2 run shot that accounted for all the Giants runs…..what more can I say, this kid is gold……

TIP OF THE CAP :
URIBE
For the whiff on the Tip of the Cap yesterday for the walk off single

HUFF
No Hits, but had two defensive highlights on bases loaded home to first DP to keep the Giants in the game for a moment……and then on a diving snag of a Tony Gwynn smash that was ticketed for the Right Field Corner…..

JOKER

TIMMY

RED ALERT, WOOP WOOP WOOP, RED ALERT
OK You finally got me worried a little….. control still seems to be the big issue, and although he wasn't hit hard today….. I am finally able to admit that his velocity is a tick down……through injury, mechanics, or just wear and tear, who knows……but after breaking in averaging 91-95mph on the fastball……and then spending last year averaging 92-94mph…his velocity seemed in line with what I would expect….but over the last 6 starts, after the complete game shut out against the Mets…..his velocity has dipped back down and I think we have enough data points to call it a trend……see the velocity by game below with the green dot being the average and the grey bar the range……The start after the Shutout his fastball average dipped below 90mph for the first time in his career, and since then he hasn't been better than 92.5mph average…..these last 6 starts aren't the start of the pattern, but are the longest extended stretch of low 90's we have seen and really stand out as red flag, especially since there is a magical red box around those starts……
BTW, thx to Fangraphs for the graphic, but I had to update the last 3 starts myself….although not as clean as their graph……


SMACK OF THE STICK :
BATS sans POSEY
1 hit…..Wade Fucking LeBlanc?? Good god, this guy should be pitching in the PCL and you get 1 goddamn hit????

MOTA
Well, when Runzler and/ or Affeldt get healthy, there will be a roster crunch…..and I don't think you helped your chances today

PABLO
Airmailed a throw to score a run, add pitches to Timmy's count and help bury the Giants

GUILLEN
Down by 4 in the 4th, and the Giants got their only non-Buster hit…..a drive into the gap that had triple written all over it…..and about halfway to 2nd, Guillen found another gear…..the ground his clutch and stalled ….man, somewhere towards 2nd he slowed down big time……looked like me chugging out there……my bet is Guillen wasn't doing a whole lot of working out in the 10 days since he was DFA's…….


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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 ==> PADS at GIANTS 08/14

Great day at the yard, and there was something cathartic about today's win…… today was a day of frustration for the Padres, squandering the lead, hitting into a pair of double plays and going 2-18 with runners in scoring position….. but the Giants battled to the last out and the GIANTS were the team that did little things that win games and the PADRES were the team coughing up 90 FEET too many times……and tomorrow's game is very large…..not so much in the standings, but in the Psyche of the Giants……if they can bring home a series win against the Pads……well, that breeds confidence and well……don't make any plans for October that you can't change……so delay that trip to Hawaii to November….I got a feeling October could get interesting……

GAMEBALL and JOKER ==> PADS at GIANTS 08/14

GAMEBALL

POSEY

Posey was overmatched most of the day, with a soft single to left and a hotshot grounder being his best efforts at the plate……but he was the hero in the 11th, turning a comeback chopper up the middle into a leadoff double and scored the winning run…….I swear, this guy is fucking Midas, everything he touches turns to gold…….Jeter/Varitek hybrid? Well, That WAS his college coach talking…..but maybe he had something there…….

TIP OF THE CAP :
SANDOVAL
Just for the 1 At Bat……crushing a shoulder high 1-2 fastball over the wall in right and getting the Giants on the board and in the game…..

HUFF
Huff had the Hard Hit Out off Adams today…….and today he took his frustrations out on the other half of the untouchable Padres Setup men……Gregerson had held the Giants scoreless 47 consecutive innings (I think it was 47)……but apparently Huff didn't read the press notes, CRUSHING a slider off the wall in right sending Fontenot to 3rd and setting up the tie…..

BURRELL
0 hits…..and I think I actually considered a gameball…….after looking overmatched on the first few pitches from Gregerson, he took a high outside fastball to the right side for a game tying groundout……and take note of the 27 pitches seen in 5 AB's…..

BUMGARNER
Wasn't the sharpest, but got out of trouble all day holding the Padres to 2 runs over 7

BULLPEN
Large again with 4 scoreless and the win…..

FONTENOT
First inning double gave the Giants a early chance…..and the groundball single through the right side setup the win

JIM WOLF
In Film and Theater, when an actor turns and addresses the audience, it is called Breaking the Fourth Wall Well Jim pulled one on me today…..after we were all over the home plate umpire on a high pitch in the 1st……Jim was looking into the stands…..and always eager to engage the actors…..I said "Hey Jim"……of course he responded with a "Was that you giving my partner a hard time?"……I admitted guilt, but insisted the ball was high and that I would check my Tivo later…….he smiled, and I seemed to agree with my opinion and told me to "Tell my friends": By which I really don't know what he meant……as the game went on, we had a varied discourse covering the culinary arts, modern hairstyles, group psychology, waste management, and of course baseball…..he certainly likes to talk, likes to laugh, and I think was brilliant to engage the local loudmouth as to disarm any heckles I might have had in store for him…….

JOKER

LATOS

Yes, Latos……he pitched a great game, but he's the Joker for two important reasons….First, I don't like him, he's a fucking little bitch…..and second, he can't hurt us on Sunday, and I don't want the Joker Jinx to bite us in the rubber match on Sunday…….
The kid has tremendous stuff and a good idea of what to do with it…..and he was dominant again today……spotting his mid 90's fastball and throwing strikes with the slider and mixing in a change that made hitters look foolish…….but he's a little bitch out there….moaning and groaning about umpires calls and on National TV pouting about the pitch that Pablo put over the wall……shut yer yap you big fucking baby…..you got great stuff and shit happens, just pitch and forget the rest…….and stay the fuck away from my car……jackass…..

SMACK OF THE STICK :
ISHIKAWA
0 for 4 didn’t help his chances of retaining AB's with Guillen's arrival

MERKIN
OK, on TV it looked bad…..like a gross misjudgment of the ball as it hit off my forearm…..but first of all, the ball landed a good 10 feet from me and I DID NOT expect it to bounce my direction…….second, the ball was coming off a bounce from BEHIND me…..third, I was pretty much pinned in, without room to adjust and I thought the ball was coming down on my left shoulder......…..end result, it trickled away a couple feet and I picked it up off the ground……and yes, I gave it to the girl........and yes, it looks pretty fucking dumb on video…….

HEADLEY
Little bitch #2…….don't like em…….and his errant throw didn't result in runs…..but it sure pissed off Latos, and ran his pitch count up a little…..

J HAIRSTON
Got a little leather on Posey's ball in the 11th……and then didn't persue the ball as it trickled to the left fielder….. could he have chased that ball down? Maybe not, but it might have made Posey think twice…….instead Posey made a read on a ball just rolling into no mans land…….


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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 ==> PADS at GIANTS 08/13

I know that when you heard about the trade for Guillen and Cash for a Player to be named later, the first thing that popped into your head was……"What does Merkin think about this all"….well, I will keep you in suspense no longer…….I am in the HEY, OK….I can deal with it… sure he's played for 10 teams so far…..but that’s just 10 teams that wanted him…….and still just 34 years old, low risk move…..and as far as bad clubhouse guy…..well…..he's played for A LOT of shitty teams….and we heard the same thing about Huff and Burrell….well ok, maybe not AS MUCH bad stuff as we have heard about Guillen…..but I am willing to give him a chance……and really, it likely means AB's taken from the Right Handed Rowand more than anyone…..although he could impact Ishikawa some as well…….and the real wildcard is the PTBNL……if somehow we can just send Guillen back as the PTBNL and keep the Cash……well, THAT’S a GOOD TRADE……..

Now on with business….
"Baseball is a game of inches" -Branch Rickey…..well, tonight was more like a game of 90 feet….given up and lost…..the Padres weren't the most talented team, they weren't the best hitting or pitching team…..but they were the BETTER team by a longer margin than that 3-2 score would show you……

GAMEBALL and JOKER ==> PADS at GIANTS 08/13

GAMEBALL

BULLPEN

After a dismal Thursday blowing the lead for Cain, the unit bounced back with a solid outing….The Good Casilla showed up tonight with runners on 1st and 2nd and down by 1 and got his nasty stuff over for strikes and got out of that inherited mess….Santiago then came back for a clean inning, followed by Ramirez who kept it together for an innings and a 1/3 before walking Denorfia on 4 pitches……Lopez came in for the LOOGY our, and then Ray capped it off the 4 1/3 scoreless 1 hit 1 walk innings that really gave the Giants a chance to get back into the game…..that is, if they could put wood on the ball…….

TIP OF THE CAP :
HUFF
Pretty much the only player to get wood on the ball against the Padres Bullpen…..he hit that Ball so hard, it sounded like KRod having a conversation with his Girl Friend's father…….

TORRES
Started the night with a bang, taking the walk, and then 180 feet before a Huff RBI Double…..

JOKER

SANCHEZ

Jonathan couldn't put his money where his mouth was……although he did look focused and had good stuff out there, he gave up leadoff runners in the first 3 innings, ….but the JOKER is really not for how he pitched….it was the 90 FEET he failed to gain in the 2nd inning……with the first 2 runners on base and nobody out, a SIMPLE BUNTto the 3rd baseman would have advanced the two runners…..instead GODDAMN COMEBACKER to the pitcher for an out at 3rd…..the bunt was so bad that the throw from third almost doubled up Sanchez at first……that was the last real threat of the night, as the Giants wouldn't get a runner past first for the rest of the game……Way to back it up big mouth, we had a perfect chance to get back the lead and change momentum in the game, which is HUGE when a team is in your heads……

SMACK OF THE STICK :
ROWAND
I take back anything positive I said about Rowand yesterday……just fucking stupid today…….first on the Headley drive to Center, Rowand goes all Chevy Chase on the ball and gives up an easy Triple…..a 90 FEET mistake that turned into a run….and then trying to hard to make up for the misplay and Sanchez's sad bunt, the complete WHIFF on a steal of third……these are LARGE mistakes when playing a team like the Padres…..and how many of you thing that Torres woulda caught that Headley ball……

PABLO
For 1 single play……you THROW that ball, don't chase his ass all the way to the plate……you were given a gift, and you don't persue that far to the ADVANCING bag, if you get into a foot race, make it BACK to the preceeding bag……and PUT THE BALL IN YOUR THROWING HAND, don't carry it in the glove…..come on, you have been playing this game since you were a fucking embryo, you KNOW this shit…....that cost the Giants 90 FEET on the TRAIL RUNNER and ended up being the mistake that lead to the go ahead run……and christ, you were 2 inches from getting NOBODY out……

FP
Tried to tag that on Posey talking about getting his shoulders turned……yeah, wasn't going to happen, Posey chased him hard, had the ball ready to throw and chased him to within a couple feet of Sandoval…if anything, Posey chased too far……wait for him to turn his shoulders? good god, he coulda run him to the Left Field Foul Pole and that wasn't happening…….





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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 in when he gets inducted to Cooperstown..)



by merkin

GAMEBALL and JOKER ==> CUBS at GIANTS 08/12

Another long long day, tired as hell….but I am putting together a rally…..

GAMEBALL and JOKER ==> CUBS at GIANTS 08/12

GAMEBALL

PAT

Damn Pat, I used up all my material yesterday……but when you are the front side of a back to back and throw in a slam for good measure, hard not to give you that game ball even if that lead was given up by the pen……not only has this move worked out to near perfection, but the way Pat came to the Giants with little expectation and with Huff and Rowand on the roster, has allowed him to slip seamlessly into the Clubhouse and into Giants fans affections…..if he signed a lucrative Free Agent contract before the 2009 season, I think things might not have gone as smoothly…… the back issues he had in 2009 could have happened here, and with the burden of a fat contract, the fans would have much less patience……and fans gone sour, and a less friendly clubhouse to an outspoken newcomer, the Giants coulda very well be the team that DFA'ed him in 2010……but as things worked out, he is the right guy at the right place at the right time, and keep it rolling cause the Giants are putting something special together this year…..something that is no guarantee to be here in 2011…..

TIP OF THE CAP :
ROWAND
I always figured Rowand would go full blown Molina on us if put in a part time roll…..and I gotta tell you….I think for the first time in a Giant uniform, I actually feel a little warmth towards him…..that slide into 2nd during the 5th inning was Keeanu-esque, with the tag following Rowand's arm that kept moving, while Rowand's lower body comes into the bag and then hooks Castro's ankle to prevent an overslid…..….and then the ill advised dive into 1st to lead off the 9th, he hit the dirt so hard, that he could crap some replica Etruscan Pottery in the morning……

TORRES
1 swing……..1 swing baby……..

SANCHEZ
Well, looks like Fontenot is paying dividends already……and Sanchie was 2 for 2 with a walk and a perfect sac bunt in the 9th…….

POSEY/ HUFF
0 hits, 4 walks, 2 runs scored……

PABLO
The Triple would been outta most parks….and the Homer was out of this one……

CAIN
Settled down after a rocky first, but the pitch count got him after 6


JOKER

DOGGIES

Nothing goes better with a Giants Win, then a Dodgers Loss…..A great pair, like Mays and McCovey, Peanut Butter and Jelly, Abbott and Costello, Lasorda and Slim Fast, Matt Kemp and Apathy, Casey Blake and his Wife Rosie Palm…….ahh but tonight, was not just any kind of loss….no this was a gourmet loss complete with blowing a lead for their best starter, a temper tantrum in the dugout, a key boot from the biggest redass on the team, a lecture from the wise manager right before the death blow to a closer with no confidence…..ummm, Broxton… your tears are so delicious……and on a side note, congrats to Kemp back in the lineup after being benched got 3 hits and 4 RBI's …and of course one of those hits was a single that woulda been a double if he was running hard…….and get this stat geeks…..Matt Kemp is got 19 HR's and 63 RBI's…..and actually has a NEGATIVE WPA….in other words, despite his tools and individual numbers, he is actually COSTING wins, not adding to wins…..in other words, he is doing his damage in low leverage situations, when the game is NOT on the line……

SMACK OF THE STICK :
RAY/ LOPEZ/ MOTA/ ROMO
Blowing the 4 run lead and the Cain W was a true team effort…..the lone run by Ray, and then the Lopez Mota Romo combo in the 8th…..none of them earned a Joker by themselves, but together they certainly deserve at least a smack of the stick……

NATE
K in his only AB, and might have had a chance on that Hill Double had he broke the right way off the bat……but if he coulda made it would have been one hell of a play…..maybe not a smack of the stick, perhaps just a nudge……



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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 in when he gets inducted to Cooperstown..)



by merkin

GAMEBALL and JOKER ==> CUBS at GIANTS 08/11

GAMEBALL and JOKER ==> CUBS at GIANTS 08/11

GAMEBALL

PAT

In the giddy days of Pat in a fresh new Giants Uni, I went on a short limb to claim 10-15 homers in a Giants uni with an OBP north of .375 Well wasn't looking too good when Pat was on the Pine but after his 8th ding of the year in the Creamscicle and Orange, I will go back and point out that I am a genius…….Man, the more I see this guy, the more I like him……Yes, he has that Uribesque swing hard in case you hit it style at the plate, even with 2 strikes……but unlike Uribe, he works counts with 4.10 Pitches per Plate Appearance leading the team just a tick ahead of Torres 4.06 Pitches per PA……And then when he isn't in the game, you see him in dugout acting like he is one of the coaches, making the rounds to players and coaches alike……but tonight, the big contribution was on the diamond……recovering on a ball to the wall to hit Uribe with a good throw to relay, and then in the 8th, taking some off speed jumk deep to left for the go ahead run that would win the game and drive the girls wild…..its good to be Pat…….Glory…..Money…..and all the MILF a guy could want…….

TIP OF THE CAP :
ROWAND
I have to give a tip of the cap to Aaron….the Biggest red ass on the team, is all about team coming off the bench……and he has been contributing where he can, and tonight it was a go ahead homer in the 6th that gave the Giants a short lived lead…..

TORRES
Couple more hits, a walk and most importantly got the Giants started in the 1st inning with a single and steal

HUFF
Couple knocks to keep his average above .300……man, the bar has been raised for Aubrey……1 hit in 5 days and it’s a slump……hell for Rowand that’s a good week……

URIBE
Really made that play on the relay home, Dewitt had 4 steps past 3rd when the throw hit Uribe's glove…..quick release, strong arm, accurate throw, and Dewitt was out by 10 feet…….and extra thanks for accuracy, a little off target and it coulda been ugly…..a little high and it coulda been fatal…….

POSEY
Didn't do much with the bat…..but you gotta love this kid, seems to come out smelling like roses in every situation…..and the collision at home plate, stands firm but gives ground on a spin to help absorb the blow….and comes out the winner on the field, and in the clubhouse with Posey unscathed and Dewitt with a face full of catchers helmet…….

ROMO/ WILSON
This 1-2 punch is looking about as good as they have all year long…..

JOKER

BYRD

Marlon Byrd and Pat the Bat in the same game…..my mind drifts back to an afternoon in 2003…. a younger Merkin spent the afternoon in 1st row of Section 140 alternately heckling Byrd and Burrell……..Byrd was a rookie Centerfielder making the minimum and hitting around .300……Pat was playing his first season of a HUGE (back then) $50 Million contract and hitting about .200……you can imagine…….Hey Pat is this what they get for $50M????... Hey Marlon,.300 for minimum wage…….200 is $50 Million, quit trying so hard……and if you have been to a game with me before, you probably know I am a very very loud man……and I understand the importance of brevity and enunciation while heckling…well, Pat the Bat was the star that day hitting a game tying shot in the 8th, and a go ahead homer in the 10th to shut my ass up…….and Despite Byrd having a career year in 2010 and Pat clearing waivers earlier in the year…..Pat has racked up close to $70M in earnings compared with Marlons $9 Million…..Pat is still being paid MORE than Marlon for 2010…..and Pat overshadowed Marlon again today with a go ahead Homer in the 8th……some things never chance, Eh Marlon?


SMACK OF THE STICK :
DEWITT
Dumbass….goes into the catchers gear face first for the out…..fucking Dodger…

ZITO
For giving up a first pitch BOMB to a leftie on a curve…..and for giving proponents of the DH some lowlights with the bat

FONTENOT
Shades of the Sanchez trade last year where he just moved clubhouses…..of course this time it was DURING the series….and that’s gotta be weird….Mike is a play versus Lefties at your own risk, owning a career 0.235 BA and .348 SLG vs southpaws…..and his .284 in 2010 is almost exclusively versus righties….with only 7 Plate Appearances versus Lefties……but he did have 2 hits in those 7 chances……

FSANCHEZ
Big vote of confidence with the Fontenot acquisition…..and you can smell that platoon coming…..Freddy has traditionally Killed Lefties (.351) and held his own against Righties (.277)…..well this year, he is Killing Lefties (.350) and getting killed versus Righties (.232)…..even his solid glove work won't save him from a short side of a platoon if he cant get it going soon……

EVAN CRAWFORD
It took my brain about 5 seconds to register the trade of Infielder Evan Crawford as announced on KNBR….to recap my brain interpreting the announcement…..…."Fontenot for Crawford…..Evan, Evan….infielder?...they clearly said Evan….outfielder right? No they clearly said Evan…….that's the thin black dude in Arizona…..they wouldn't trade Brandon for Fontenot…..gotta be Evan….."

SAN DIEGO
One can't help but look forward to the series this weekend…..what are the chances I can get a BEAT south LA…BEAT south LA chant going?.....rolls off the tongue better than BEAT north Mexico…BEAT north Mexico……..

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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 in when he gets inducted to Cooperstown..)



by merkin