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

GAMEBALL and JOKER ==> BREWERS at GIANTS 09/18

Pathetic, just fucking pathetic…..just when I thought the Giants offense might be back on track, we get this….. back to back nothing efforts versus the Brewers….the pitching has been brilliant and we aren't asking for 10 runs a night, but good god when the Giants scored their 1st run it was almost as if the heavens opened and angels decended to serenaded us with the Hallelujah Chorus ……..of course if the Giants had scored a second run a wild pack of rabid badgers would have flown out of my fucking ass…..and now, no one wanted to see that…….

GAMEBALL and JOKER ==> BREWERS at GIANTS 09/18

GAMEBALL

PEN

The bright spot of the night was the pen getting some work in and keeping the Giants in the game…..Ramirez, Ruzler, Romo, and Wilson all put in good efforts…….in my opinion right now this pitching staff from top to bottom is the best in baseball and that’s going to keep the Giants in the race even if the offense continues its slump……

TIP OF THE CAP :
BOCHY
For pulling Timmy after 5, was the right move for a team desperate for runs


JOKER

PABLO

Sure if the Giants could score some goddamn runs, maybe this wouldn't even be on teh radar.....and maybe you don't even agree, but there is no way Pablo made the right play in the 4th……now I have seen this a few times this year, and I am sure you have as well…..on every fucking pitch you got to think the situation…..in this case if it’s slow hit check home and go to first…..if its medium hit or hard hit away from the bag then go home…….but on a sharp hit ball 1 step from the bag, shuffle step and plant on the bag and fire to first…..I don't fucking care of Carl Lewis is running, on that ball you HAD TIME to shuffle and throw…..the mental error wasn't making the wrong choice, the mental error was not thinking BEFORE the play…..you don't have time to think after the ball is in your mitt, you react……and Pablo at times has no idea what he is doing out there……

SMACK OF THE STICK :
URIBE
Stranded runners at 3rd in two straight at bats
BUCKNER
One pitch doesn't make a game…..but that strike zone was moving all day…..and hell, by my count that looked like ball 5, not strike 2…….

BOCHY
For putting Uribe in the 2 hole and Ross in the 8th…somehow that seems upside down, and probably to them as well…..

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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 08/09

GAMEBALL and JOKER ==> CUBS at GIANTS 08/09

GAMEBALL

BULLPEN

6 Pitchers 5 1/3 innings, 2 hits, 1 walk, 8 K's…..and off course the BIG W…..The bullpen was simply kick ass after a shortish outing by Bumgarner…..Bowker Martinez and Turpen was a cheap price to pay for a couple middling arms that seem to have gelled the pen…..and throw in the trade of Molina for Ray and Micheal Main…you basically traded some spare parts for a bullpen depth and a prospect upgrade (Turpen to Main)……so the Giants get help NOW, and the prospect core is intact…..hell even the more fringe prospects are intact……anyway you slice it, that’s fucking good stuff……

TIP OF THE CAP :
POSEY
A couple early line drive outs, but then got the big double got the offense started for the Giants

TORRES
made up for his earlier K with the bases juiced, with a seeing eye single through the left side to tie the game

BURRELL
I am sure he was fuming when Trammel walked Posey to set up the game winner…..he was swinging at that first pitch and he was swinging hard…...yeah, you're right….. he always swings hard…..

RENT
Looks old on defense, but got 2 hits including the leadoff single to start the game winning rally…..

BUMGARNER
Punched dugout with his non-pitching hand……now that’s veteran savvy right there…..

COMMERCIALIZING the DEAD
You know what, I am ok with this……deadheads have long been Hippie Entrepreneurs with their selling of illict and non illict substances to fund following the band…..you can't blame the Giants for cashing in on a good thing……

JOKER

DEADHEADS

OK, Fucking crunchy hippes have every much right to be at a ballgame and cheer for the Giants as anyone……but a few things bother me…..first of all I fucking HATE Patchooli…..good god, Patchooli does not take the place of soap…..instead of BO, you just smell like Patchooli and BO…….second, I don't want to buy your vegan falafel pita, go peddle that shit somewhere else……third, quit huffing so much nitrous…..affectionately nicknamed Hippie Crack in my youth, that shit is straight up brain cell repellant…….and for the women….shave your pits……I mean good god, this isn't France…..fucking nasty…..like 10x nastier than hair legs……makes me cringe just thinking about it…….and lastly, you are not a hardcore Giants fan…sorry, if you have no idea where you left your Hacky Sack, let alone who Sergio Romo is, you are just not hardcore……

SMACK OF THE STICK :
FLANNERY
Tough one……after that bobble, with 2 outs….with Renteria coming up…..I think you have to take a chance and send him and hope for an errant throw…..was a lot closer than I thought it would be……but in the end he had no chance…..

SANDOVAL
RBI Double ticked off the glove and the error on the double clutch and short hop throw to 1st……

MERKIN
I grew up in the Bay Area and went to 20-30 dead shows while I was in High School and College….The Greek, the Coliseum, Frost, and Cal Expo were the venues, and I can say I was a Poser….well, at least in the sense I never really was a big fan of the Dead……but many of my friends were….and I loved to party and have fun and really the whole scene was a blast…..the Chemicals, the Music, the People, even some of the Women….all that shit was pretty fucking cool and I had as much fun as one can have and still be alive….but somewhere along the line I got old, cut my hair, grew up and moved on…..

WELLEMEYER
Sent packing after 1 appearance in the bigs…….gotta love it, the org has a sense of urgency and with the addition of a couple bullpen arms, Todd became the odd man out……


But Seriously, it's San Francisco and that means that everyone can do whatever the fuck they want as long as they don't disturb the rights of others…..and not all Dead Heads meet the stereotypes I portrayed……but stereotyping is a lot more fun to read and get excited about……wouldn't be too entertaining if I just went along with their hippieselvesand …….I really REALLY hate Patchooli

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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

GAMEBALL and JOKER ==> RED SOX at GIANTS 06-27

OK folks not much time, so here it is quick

GAMEBALL and JOKER ==> RED SOX at GIANTS 06-27

GAMEBALL

PEN

Masterful performance kept the Giants in this game…..Runzler was ridiculous and Affeldt Mota and Bautista all put in solid performances….combining for 5 innings 4 hits 1 walk and 10 K's….only Romo continued his Gopher Ball ways with a first pitch fastball on the inside half…..with the depth of the Giants rotation the bullpen hasn't gotten as much work as the rest of the league….wtih the Giants in 2nd place in innings by Starters, only behind Arizona who are on pace to have the worst bullpen ERA is years…..but the pen is strong and needs work in games to stay sharp….and although the result of the game was not good, the guys in the pen, especially Runzler and Affeldt could use today to build on…..

TIP OF THE CAP :
TORRES
2 steal in 1 inning?? that’s a Giants record right?

RENTERIA?
Since he's come off the DL that’s 10 hits in 20 AB's with 4 walks and 3 doubles???.... that’s a .583 OBP…..and .650 SLG

JOKER

TIM

Giants ace in a Sunday rubber match versus the Red Sox….time for a 1 hitter right????
nope only got 3 innings…. what the fuck???.....And something a bit scarier then wildness happened…..he lost his fastball….

Today

Last Week


Now many it was too many pitches in too short of a time…..maybe it was the heat……but I am thinking something went very very wrong with his mechanics that nipped his fastball in the tail……someone get Chris Lincecum down here NOW…..last thing we want is Timmy to screwup his mechanics even more…

SMACK OF THE STICK :
BATS
Pretty sad performance all the way around…from Posey to Pandy…..from Sanchez to Schierholtz…..Giants got down early and just couldn’t come back…..

V MART
Ouch, bummer about that thumb……and this is a lesson for Posey…..he has a gun, soft hands and isn’t slow……3rd base? 1st Base? Right Field, Left Field…hell even SS…..but if you expect this guy to be one of the big offensive contributors to a team starving for offense,….well…….move his ass off Catcher…..

PS Fuck the Dodgers, Fuck them in their Stupid Asses….


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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

GAMEBALL and JOKER--> GIANTS at DBACKS 05/20

GAMEBALL and JOKER--> GIANTS at DBACKS 05/20

GAMEBALL

SANCHEZ

Well it wasn't exactly an all star performance tonight, but he looked pretty good out there making a nifty play at 2nd and chugging around to score from 1st on a bobbled double in the 1st……if he can provide some stability to the lineup, then welcome to the team…..and hey…..he made it through a whole game without having clandestine surgery….and that alone for glass Freddy is worth a GAMEBALL

TIP OF THE CAP :
URIBE/ BOWKER
Back to Back……got the Giants rolling back into the game…..and those weren't no cheapies…….

HUFF
Maybe not an "all star" like Freddy, but we may have a 1/2 way legitmate 1st baseman…..nahhhhhhhh

BOCHY
For chirping enough to get thrown out once in a while, and for actually trying something different and batting the pitcher 8th…..wow…..thats not old school…….



JOKER

BULLPEN

On a night when the Offense stepped it up…… the bullpen couldn't come through….. the Merkin proclaimed Bad Ass Bullpen got Torpedoed like a South Korean Warship in the Yellow Sea …..Romo and Runzler had their moments, but were quickly outclassed……then Mota and Affeldt were straight up hittable to cough up the lead and then some……if the Giants are going to sniff October they are going to need these JOKERS to live up to their billing….I don't care who the opposition…..yeah the DBacks are hot….. but if you ever want that ring you are going to have to get past an offense like the D Rays, or Yankees……

SMACK OF THE STICK :
TIMMY
A day after watching Wellemeyer get his ass handed to him, Timmy didn’t fare much better…..control wasn't there at all…..5 walks and way way too many balls left up in the zone…..it was Timmy's first real stinker of the year and he still almost got a W…….well….not really……

WEGNER
What a winey little bitch…..zone wasn't THAT bad, but this guy has a big time chip on his shoulder…..what the hell could have Big Head said to get you so riled up……

MERKIN
Getting formulaic with the write up….pick on some one…..compare them to news headlines…..tomorrow…..A's slam Zito like India got slammed by Cyclone Laila……and by the way……is it just me, why do I think Kim Jong Il is what Al Davis would be like if he ran a country…..and liked Kimchi…..

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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..)




by merkin

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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(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 JOKE 06/02 GIANTS at NATS

Win Probability Graph
From the Good Folks at Fangraphs.com


Big Winners?
+28.2% Rowand
+14.3% Uribe

Big Losers?
-42.4% Howry
-14.9% Molina

Big Pitches
-30.0% 8th inning Gonzalez Single off Howry to tie the game
+11.0 7th inning Kearns ends inning off Howry

Big AB's
+10.7% Rowand's walk, WP + Error scores 2
-7.5% Burriss Lineout in 5th, with 0 out and 2 men on


GAMEBALL and JOKE
06/02 GIANTS at NATS

GAMEBALL

ROWAND

What can you say, this is one streaky mutherfucker…..
After moving to the leadoff spot he has an 11 game hitting streak with 7 multihit games……while hitting .404 with 3 homers 10 runs and 8 RBIS…..yes 8 RBIS in 11 Games leading off…….
His batting average has gone from .246 to .294, and after a horrid start to May, once again has his batting line near what we would normally expect considering his historical averages…….Will he keep it up? Probably not, but its nice to think he might actually beat that .265-.275 with 10-15 HR line….when just a few weeks ago it didn't look like he would even get to THAT level……

By the way, everytime I look at this guy…..I think he's a pair of sideburns and a coke spoon necklace in the shape of a cross away from being in this movie….


TIP OF THE CAP :
URIBE
Hot with the stick to be sure…..say hello to your new starting 3rd baseman……lets just hope when he cools off to that ..238 hitter with sub .300 OBP, that Ishikawa will get another chance……hell a line like that would get Ishikawa DFA'ed……too bad he wasn't a proven veteran…….well anyway….in the meantime I will take the hot stick…….(insert Beavis Laugh)….hot stick…..sounds like Zito and Wilson pretending they have Unicorn horns…….

WINN
Unsung, underappreciated, overpaid…..two out or three ain't bad…..


JOKER

BULLPEN

What the FUCK was THAT……
After Wilson's blown save in San Diego, the bullpen has proceeded to go 25 innings of 1.44 ERA baseball with 19 K's and a WHIP of 1.08…but that bullpen was providing to relief tonight……from Affeldt's bouncing 59 foot curves to Molina, to Howry and Merkin giving it up like a drunk teenager in a motel on prom night……except this time the bullpen lost more than their cherries…..they lost the Win for the 500 K Phenom, and started the longest road trip of the year on a sour note……Good job jackasses…..hope you got that our of your system…..And Howry…..Misch called, he said Cutco is hiring Salespeople..….on second thought….maybe that’s not the job for you….you see Salespeople actually HAVE to PERFORM…….

SMACK OF THE STICK :
GLOVES
As much as the Giants have relied on their bullpen, they have also counted on the leather….And tonight a couple miscues set the stage for a close game……first on Uribe's misplay down the line and the Renteria's airmail relay to 1st……sure Uribe had a hot night with the stick and made a fabulous play with the glove…..but you NEED to make the routine plays too…….dumbasses…..

MOLINA
A trooper for sure behind the plate, but that 0 for 5 in the cleanup spot really stands out when the rest of the lineup has their hitting shoes on…..the Giants coulda have delivered a knock out blow a few times…..and that 0 for 5? it included a 0 for 4 with Runners in scoring position……