GAMEBALL and JOKER 08/02 PHILLIES at GIANTS

What a glorious day at the yard, going for the series win versus the Phillies, Giants fans were out in full force . The slightly overcast misty morning gave way to a warm cool sunny Sunday unique to summers at AT&T Park. The Pablo shirt giveaway went without a hitch and 22 of the 25 seats were occupied. We had some fun cheering the home team and jeering the visitors, put a few names to faces and called each other by pseudo embarrassing screen names in public……

GAMEBALL and JOKER 08/02 PHILLIES at GIANTS

GAMEBALL

SANCHEZ

The newly minted 2nd baseman and #2 hitter overcame an early miscue and came up with the hit of the game, a 2 out 2 run double that tied the game and set the Giants offense in motion…. Sanchez looked as good as advertised in his Giants debut and lets hope that magic wand of his is working down the stretch……20 more doubles, yes I think that would make me happy.……

TIP OF THE CAP :
VELEZ
Freddy has been a welcome addition, but the best trade deadline move was when we sent Matt Downs to Fresno for Eugenio Velez. this kid has been playing all over the diamond and hitting every time he has been given the chance…recalled at the beginning of the homestand and with a hit in every game since…..thats .461 with 7 RBI, 5 Runs, and 3 BB…..if this kid keeps it going, the Giants are going to be tough to beat down the stretch…..

ZITO
I think we learned a little about Zito today…..first of all he twice had the chance to melt down and stayed with em….in the 4th following the Home Run and Error, and in the 5th following back to back hits and the take of 2nd on a throw to the plate that shorthopped Whiteside to allow a runner to advance…..in fact, after each miscue I almost expected Zito to melt down…..but he held fast and not only got out of trouble he started the game changing 2 out rally with a single up the middle and then after the Giants took the lead…..came back out for a shutdown 1-2-3 inning with 2 K's……Zito might have been able to go another inning or two, if it wasn't for a bases loaded no out situation knocking him out in the bottom of the 6th……

BULLPEN
Romo, Affeldt, Medders, and Howry were able to keep the Phillies bats at bay with 4 solid innings

ROWAND
Got the Giants on the board with a 0 out triple that woulda been out of about 29 other parks…..

RENTERIA
Love those doubles down the line and a nice 1 hop snag in the 9th

JOAQUIN
Welcome to the show, although only the interwebbing baseball geeks even know you are on the roster

BOCHY
Belated kudos for yesterday….pulling Timmy after 118 with a shutout through 8….visions of that 138 pitch outing in my head……

JOKER

MANUEL

So how many all stars does it take to take a series from the Giants at home???? Well obviously more than the Phillies could muster as they got humbled by every Giants starter not named Sadowski…… but really that’s not why I have him here……and, not its not about the all star nepotism…. for me the Phillies have been a team that has won DESPITE Charlie….. loaded with talent for years, 2008 was going to happen sooner or later…….So what influence does a manager have on his team? Well handing the pitching staff is at the top of the list, and using your pitchers wisely and keeping them healthy is paramount……So here we have Phenom Cole Hamels, who at one point was considered the equal or even superior to Lincecum as far as rising young pitching star.….but after Hammels was after being ridden all year 2008 is struggling to maintain league average numbers….…..Well at least they got a ring out of Hamels' arm……. But the one move that drives me nuts to this day is when he took Opening Day starter and Staff Ace Brett Myers and shifted him to the Pen as the Closer after 3 starts in 2007…..what the fuck, your best starter is now a reliever???? Well guess what happened……Myers went down 2 months with a sore elbow and hasn't been the same pitcher since……FUCKING GENIUS MANUEL…..

SMACK OF THE STICK :
VICTORINO
Poor little Shane…..went down with a "bruised knee" on Wednesday and expects to return as soon as the Phillies leave San Francisco……depriving Giants fans from getting a good heckle on your sorry ass…….don't worry we won't forget……

GARKO
OOooo boy, be careful Ryan, first impressions can stay with you a long time….better walk carefully around those reporters and stick the "Bull Durham" script….happy the team won, just taking it day to day, all that shit…..cause if you ain't hitting and ain't scooping, you have better get used to those AT&T Wind popups really quick, especially when your Right Side Partner is also a new comer to the winds and is just as likely to yell "YOU GOT IT" as "I HAVE IT"……..

HOWARD
Looking horrible at the plate and in the field...... K's whiffing on a 86 MPH fastball, K's watching a 0-2 curve down the pipe, and his "overlobbing" Hammels plated the go ahead run....... Howard, you can be MY all star anyday....

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