GAMEBALL and JOKER ==> DBACKS at GIANTS 09/28

Man, its been a while… work is finally lightening up some, got my head above water and the brain is still functioning late in the day……but you don't want to hear about that……you want to hear about the GODDAMN GIANTS……Fucking Amazin…..right when the Padres and Rockies pitching staffs have gone south, the Giants staff has found its form and hung around long enough to peak their nose past the Padres as they close on the finish line…….that's 5 games left people, and I think I finally smell a Division Title and a Postseason in San Francisco…

GAMEBALL and JOKER ==> PADRES at GIANTS 09/28

GAMEBALL

NATE

Man, hell of a year for Nate…..all last offseason he was penciled in as the starting Right Fielder only to be beat out by Bowker in spring…..getting shots to play here and there he never put together a big enough hot streak to convince the brass he was the answer in right…..he has take up residence in Ishikawavilla by being reduced to Jose Guillen's caddy and pinch hitter…..and much like Ishikawa, he hasn't bitched or moaned, just gone out and made the best of his role…..and tonight Nate came up with THE hit of the night with a pinch hit 2 out RBI single to Left Center to plate the lead run that would prove to be the game winner……Bit hit on a big night, and way to keep your head in the game kid…..

TIP OF THE CAP :
FAN IN RIGHT
Fucking hilarious…..Cole Gillespie falls into the stands and drops the catch….the fan grabs the ball and pops up to show the Umpire no catch as the surrounding fans lobby for the call……of course Jose grounds out a couple pitches later….but that was a couple more pitches in the inning the Giants took the lead and chased Lopez from the game…..

TORRES
A welcome sight at the top of the order and flying around center field…..Got the Giants on the board with a Triple in the 3rd to get that 1st run of the game, always the hardest run to get…..

URIBE
Big Fly tied the game in the 4th to tie his career high with 23 dingers….not bad for a offseason afterthough "reserve" infielder

PABLO
Suddenly looks good with a pair of hard hit doubles…..don't think, just swing……

RAMIREZ
Came in with a dominant inning after the Giants took the lead

WILSON
with one of those throw back saves…..man this guy is a horse…..can we talk about him in the same breath as Nen and Beck yet? I think so……

SANCHEZ
Was a bit shaky at times, but he has at least gotten better at avoiding implosion….and that’s a BIG deal for a starter……

JOKER

LATOS

Man, the Ace of the Padres has lead the retreat in September……Big Bad Fucking Latos ….with his 15 straight starts with 2 runs or less allowed came into the Game versus the Giants in San Diego and got his streak broken and tagged with the loss…..the first of his new streak of 4 losses in a row……and during that time he has given up 20 runs in 4 games just when the Padres needed him most……and now Latos is lined up for one more start of the season…….the Final Day of the regular season in San Francisco…..and if that game is still relevant, is there any reason to believe that Latos will break that new streak, or will just continue the meltdown?......well either way, lets hope they clinch before Sunday and get a little rest before October…..

SMACK OF THE STICK :
COLE GILLESPIE
Looked like he might have had that Torres Triple gloved and looked like he had that Guillen foul gloved….and both times had the ball pop out of the mitt……dude, hire a professional to form that pocket for you, you got fucking skillet hands out there……

ROCKIES
Wow…..after a hard late charge…..with Tulowitski and CarGo in the middle of the lineup,…with Ubaldo leading the staff……with Street and De La Rosa back from injury to bolster the staff…..everyone thought that the Rockies were going to be there at the end……well, they pulled up lame around the last turn and were mathematically eliminated from contention tonight…..and that’s a good thing…..a hot Rockies team would have been feared in the NL Playoffs……now, if the Giants make it the only team to fear is the Phillies……I take my chances with anyone else right about now

PS
On a final note, not only did the Giants catch the Padres in the standings…..the Giants have now pulled into a tie with the Padres for the league lead for fewest runs allowed……all square at 571…….

And here is the updated graph…..





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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--> PHILLIES at GIANTS 04/28

Ok suck it up and write something kid, the peoples be waiting…..

Oh man, bad afternoon all the way around…. man I feel like crap…….what seemed like a good day at first quickly deteriorated into a Giants loss and then work took a turn south as well, as I was painted into a corner by a pissed off customer for something that I really don't know who said what to whom…. all I know is I am the bad guy and any attempt to try to correct the perception is either going to throw someone else under a bus and/ or make the customer feel attacked…..I didn't see that one coming…..all I can tell myself is that's why I get paid the big buck (singular) to be the Taco Bell Day Shift Manager……too bad my cashiers aren't nearly as attractive as the commercials… that is unless you like women that bear a striking resemblance to Bengie Molina….without the big boobs…..

GAMEBALL and JOKER--> PHILLIES at GIANTS 04/28

GAMEBALL

NATE

Once night after just missing a gameball, Nate did everything he could not only to keep the Giants in the game, but to cement that Pinnacle of All Giants Honors, the GAMEBALL…..Nate went crazy at the plate today going a perfect 5 for 5 with a walk….2 of those hits were doubles and he scored 3 runs and knocked in a run early and late….. ahead, tied, or behind…righty or lefty….Nate just kept on hitting…. man, what does it take to get out of that 8 hole Bochy???? Nate the Great is ready for some primetime action!

TIP OF THE CAP :
LINCECUM
What can you say, Tim was a sharp blade slicing through the Phillies lineup.. through 8 he had just the Howard Homer on the negative side of the ledger….Season High 11 strikeouts, no walks and a 3 run lead…….the came the 9th…..after getting Dobbs to ground out, Timmy made his biggest mistake of the day….giving Bochy a reason to lift him with a 4 pitch walk to Victorino….

TORRES
Tied the game with a double in the 5th, bases loaded walk for the go ahead run in the 6th…and then tied the game again with a single in the 10th….too bad he ran out of magic in the 11th……do we REALLY have to take Rowand back?

RENTERIA
2 out 2 rbi single of Hammels to make it 4-1 in the 6th…..

MOLINA
First Multiwalk game since August 2009

SCHULMAN
Hey, howya doing…..so what's your screenname? I am guessing its Nine Buck? Either way, thanks for the traffic =)


JOKER

VELEZ

Man, not sure WHAT happened there…..usually when you see someone make a flub like that either A) Sun/ lights got in their eyes or B) They took their eye off the ball to make a play…..well with two outs and no sun or lights to be found…..Eugenio watches the ball all the way into a CLANK of the glove…..what the fuck? I could have made that catch with both hands behind my back….. What to do with Eugenio??? All the physical tools you want from a ball player….. but somehow the ghost of Jose Cruz haunts him……and if that wasn't enough, Eugenio gets a shot at redemption on a silver platter…..tying run at 3rd with 1 out….2-0 curveball gets chopped right into the dirt to Howard who proceeds to gun down the tying run…..nope, no redemption for Eugenio…..and the only positive thing you did was keep Wilson from being the JOKER…….

SMACK OF THE STICK :
HUFF
0-4….3 K's with men in scoring position, only a lineout in the 7th avoided the Golden Sombero…..

BOCHY
Maybe you agreed with him maybe you didn't…..but either way in the end the Manager is responsible of the decisions made….we KNOW Wilson blows that game, maybe Timmy nails it down? He certainly had gas in the tank, but with the rested Wilson cranking it up, Bochy was thinking it was the no brainer there….of course we all know now that it was the wrong move…..

WILSON
Sure, Werth was a lucky bounce…..but that's why you want a strikeout pitcher at the end of the game…..why leave a win to change of a ball bouncing fair…..and the Howard walk setup that play, as did Utley hard grounder……Wilson blew an easy one here….

ROMO/AFFELDT
Sure the starting pitching gets all the press, but I will say it again…..this bullpen is what really sets this pitching staff apart from the others in the NL…..Deep and talented pitchers with swing through stuff from closer to mop up……welll they got their share of whiffs tonigh, but Affeldt didn't know where his pitches were going, and Romo didn't fool enough people with his benders…..

MERKIN
Apparently, he didn't learn his lesson during the Cardinals series…after calling out Pujols, Albert proceeded to pound Giants pitching preventing the sweep…..well, I guess our newly minted $125 million man is an avid reader of GiantsBoard.com as well….and he obviously reacted to what was written with a solo shot, the hustle on what looked like a likely fair ball to tie the game and then a clutch defensive play in the 11th……so if Pujols didn't convince you that Major Stars read Gameball and Jerk… then Howard is even more proof…..


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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..)




by merkin

Giants Outfielders 2010.....GAMER or HEADCASE Part 1

Looks like it's time to shake the offseason cobwebs out and start figuring out what I am going to type up this year. So let's start this thing like the other billion goddamn Giants websites out there and give you a Season Outlook for the Giants…. This should give me a chance to round out into my regular season form at least as well as Freddy Sanchez……

OK, so lets play a little game I call… GAMER orrrrrrr HEADCASE……

OK lets start in the outfield

OF/ IF Mark DeRosa
Well one think I learned this offseason, is that this guy is a slick mother fucker. If he hits like he interviews, the fanbase will love this guy. I was never convinced about this guy as a hitter, I mean who breaks through as a fulltime player at 31 years old? Well DeRosa broke through with 3 solid seasons with the Rangers and Cubs, and even a very solid 1/2 season with the Indians before crashing and burning with the Cardinals. Wrist injury? Sure, I will buy that. Was the breakout real? I think so, hard to fluke 3 1/2 years worth of stats, especially when you see gains in pitches per at bat and associated BB% per PA. So what do we expect this year? I would lock him down for 400-500+ AB's with 10-15 HR and .270-.280 BA and .340-.360 OBP, but the part that is really cool about this signing is he can play decent defense at 3 positions giving the Giants flexibility for inevitable failures of others…… You can slide him into 3rd and Panda over to 1st, so really the battle at 1st is Huff v Ishi v the 4th OF. Or lets says Renteria sucking air again, and Sanchez still brittle? Go with Uribe and DeRosa up the middle…. He's not going to dazzle anyone at any of these positions, but he can't be that bad??? and Please Please Please keep this guy out of Right Field…….VERDICT: GAMER

OF Aaron Rowand
Lost 10 pound, best shape of his life, back to the basics, blah blah fucking blah… I don't buy any of that shit. This guy has always run hot and cold, and these days its more like Teppid and Artic….the only story I want to read about Rowand in the offseason is how his ridiculous contract has expired and he has to pick up part time work as a speedbump. Throw our that career year that proceeded his contract with the Giants (sound familiar?) He has established a .260-270 BA with .320-340 OBP and 10-15 HR. hey, at least he wasn't an embarrassment in Center Field…..
So expect another mediocre season at all star prices, with clichés about Gamerness and Gamerocity ……..VERDICT: HEADCASE

OF Nate Schierholtz
Hard not to cheer for Nate, local boy who has all the tools to be a prototypical AT&T Right Fielder….going into the season looked like Nate was finally going to get his shot…sure Nate has about 500 AB's in the bigs with some modicum of success to show for it….. but as he entered Spring Training the Right Field job was his too lose….and looks like he may have just gone ahead and lost it with 14 K's with 4 BB in 59 PA, that's 24% Strikeouts…He even got the Sabean "Player's wont' read this" Treatment as he described Schierholtz battling demons to Baggs…In Nate defense, the Giants were looking for more power, and although he only has 1 HR, he does have 9 Extra Base hits to go with those 14 K's…...Nate is one of the wildcards for the 2010 Giants. I think 0.280 BA .320 OBP and 15 HR is about the most we could hope for, but I don't think he gets anywhere close to that….Seems that he is having doubts about himself and the path that he and Bam Bam have taken this offseason… Sure, I am just some random asshole on the internets, but to me that looks like someone too worried about the mechanics of his swing than the pitcher trying to get him out…..It's a tough game Nate, keep your nose down and your eye on the ball. Until then, I have to call em like I see em, and right now….VERDICT: HEADCASE

OF John Bowker
What a difference a year makes. Bowker relegated to the Minors after spending most of 2008 on the big club, sucked it up and went ahead and beat the snot out of the PCL posting a league leading .342 BA and 1.047 OPS… he rolled that momentum right into Spring Training with a 1.009 OPS in the desert…..when he was languishing you didn't read about him getting a bad break, or being mistreated by the organization (cough Frandsen, cough cough), you just saw the stats come rolling in quietly week after week. Sure stats don't tell the whole story, but we are talking about a guy with a short compact stroke that would play well in the Majors…… I do have hoep for 2010, after about 400AB's in the show, Major League pitchers have exposed his weakness with slow stuff down and in….. If he can just adjust to that pitch he should be able to put up something in the range.270 BA .340 OBP and 15+ HR…. and although he won't win any gold gloves anytime soon, he has enough speed and smarts to play RF in AT&T……and maybe he won't cover as much ground as Winn did, but he certainly has a better arm…..VERDICT: GAMER

OF Andres Torres
What's not to like about this guy, former prospect turned savvy veteran. Switch hits, runs down balls in the gap wearing bling almost as big as him. Hey, sit me start me, I am just happy to be pulling down the major league minimum. riding charter jets, and staying in 1st rate hotels… Rowand better not get hurt, because if we got to see this guy play center for an extended period we would get spoiled…. and god know he would probably not only out glove but out hit Rowand as well……VERDICT: GAMER

OF Freddie Lewis
Oh god, I feel bad piling on this guy…. I think it he was typing this up himself it would label himself a headcase….. Heck, I heard he was in the same support group as Brett Tomko, Ricky Ledee, and Wayne Gomes…… After some success at the major league level he was anointed the Giants best chance for a homegrown impact position player by not only Management, but the Lord hisselfs (#25, for the unlearned)……Lewis has a major case of the Yips at the plate and in the field... nothing short of a trade or maybe electroshock therapy is going to snap him out of it…….lets hope for Lewis case the Giants choose trade…. VERDICT: HEADCASE

Eugenio Velez
The Pharaoh is about as gifted a athlete as there is, electric bat and lightning in his legs……too bad he has hands of stone on the infield and the instincts of a platypus in the outfield…..he will make an outstanding play, only to back it up with a booted grounder or a bad first move in the outfield……a converted infielder, he probably turns more routine flyballs into great plays with his bad routes in the field….he has been playing outfield long enough that you figure he would start to get it…..but he hasn't……when everything is clicking he is one of the best position players on the team….but when it starts to go south, get him out of there before he crushes his own psyche….nope, despite the glimpses of ballplayer he shows the VERDICT: HEADCASE…..

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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 07/02 GIANTS at CARDINALS

After turning in a pitiful performance last night, the Giants decided to top it (or would it be bottom) with a absolute steaming pile to wrap up the road trip. If you missed the game make sure you scroll all the way down….I summarized in a quick visual representation…….

Thank god, the Giants come home licking their wounds after a 5-5 trip, which could have conceivably been 7-3 considering they lost 2 in the last at bat. Heck what's 5-5? If I told you 5-5 at the start of the trip you would have been elated, but things have changed and expectations have changed. These Giants have showed us when the bats are hot, the pitchers are dealing, and the fielding is tight they could be a force in the National League. Time will tell if it was just a tease, or signs of something better to come…..So now comes a 10 game home stand that will be more challenging that it looks…. both the Marlins and the Astros trail the Giants in the standings, but don't be fooled …… since the beginning of June both teams are 18-11, compared to the Giants 17-12.. The Astros are doing it with pitching, allowing 3.59 per while scoring 4.21….while the Marlins are doing it with the bats scoring 4.69 vs 4.24 allowed…..And then the Giants finish up the 1st half with a 4 game set versus the Padres…..who are without Young and Peavy, but still have Gonzales and a of course Hairston fresh from the DL…..hell at least they are playing at AT&T where the Giants stand a chance……So Chin up G-Fans, despite the horrors of the last two games in St Louis we get to start anew… and hey, the Cardinals should consider themselves lucky, the rotation worked out so they missed our most dominant starter….Sadowski and his 0.00 ERA…….too bad Ryan didn't get to showcase his skills to LaRussa ….coulda helped his all star chances

GAMEBALL and JOKE
07/02 GIANTS at CARDINALS

GAMEBALL

NATE

Hard hit pinch hit single to get the only Giants rally started…..put this fucker back in the lineup, bat him somewhere near Rowand and Sandoval, and quick fucking around……He's shown the bat, he's shown the glove, he's shown the legs, and he has a cannon for an arm…..play him until you either trade for something better or he falls flat on his face….Lewis has had his shot, this is NATE'S TIME……..fuck……do I have to spell it out for you?

TIP OF THE CAP :
WINN
Couple hits and a line drive to short…..and didn't fuck anything up…..at least when I was paying attention……

MOLINA
Couple hits including one that brought the tying run the plate in the 8th…..for Lewis

BULLPEN
Did the best they could, allowing Zito's runner at 3rd and 1 out to score, but other than that put zeros up on the board…..

ROWAND
Hey……doesn't completely suck…..2 K's 2 Hits with a HR…..I'll take it……

JOKER

BOCHY

Man, I could go 100 ways with the Joker today……so I will go to Bochy for putting this team out there in the first place……Man, Nate goes hitless a couple of days and suddenly Lewis is back out there…..and if Mr Barry Head Case didn't need something to think about, Freddy takes his goofy route to a catchable ball and then falls to the turf trying to recover…..add Uribe getting a rare start at SS kicking a ball into left and then the predictable 5th inning meltdown THEN pull Zito and I have to think Bochy is the jerkiest of them all……and hey, here is an idea….Miller is actually one of your better relievers…..why don't you give him Howry's job……

SMACK OF THE STICK :
ZITO
But I can't put everything on melonhead……Zito was just as guilty……even if we grant him the lack of support, you still have the based loaded walk to score a run, the missing of the bag to score a run, and the belt high changeup to Ryan to set up the 2 runs in the 5th…..

LEWIS
Good god, that was ugly……this kid is regressing…….clearly another headcase with tools…..and when he actually make a play it just looks like he's trying to play it cool walking back to his position….."had it all the way"……yeah right…….oh yeah….did I mention the big 0 fer 4…2x to lead off innings and 2x with men on base……

URIBE
Bah……whatever……he was throwing the ball before he had it….woulda been close, but he woulda been out at 3rd…..at least in my mind

ISHI
Another K to the pile, and a bobble on a ball that coulda been at out at home…..so much for that gold glove

SANDOVAL
2 for 16 with 5 K's and a fumble on Wednesday……but hey, 2 walks……pretty sure LaRussa wasn't impressed by the walks……

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I like to call this…..Fall, Kick, and Slip…..your 2009 Giants…..

GAMEBALL and JOKE 06/26 GIANTS at BREWERS

GAMEBALL and JOKE
06/26 GIANTS at BREWERS

GAMEBALL

NATE

Good old Nate is showing Giants fans that despite his pedree,. he might just be more than a AAAA player…..he fits the stereotype of Giants hitter a bit long in the tooth after spending at least a couple years in AAA….that alumni includes…..Linden, Ellison, Niekro, Ortmeier, Ransom, Torcato, and Minor….these are the Giants suspects that have passed through San Francisco the past few years, so you can forgive us if we look at "youngsters" with a suspicious eye…..heck even Nate's teammates, Lewis and Ishikawa look like they could join this peanut gallery of over the hill wannabe's…….but Nate is refusing to fall into that group, with two more hits today, including showing off his wheels on a hustle single….. You can't help but cheer for this kid…..High socks, no gloves, great wheels, a cannon for an arm, shoulders that look they were stolen from a linebacker, and all from a local high school, and college with parents who are unabashed Giants fans…..good work Nate, and everyone is hoping you can break the curse of the 25+ year old Giants "hitting prospect"

TIP OF THE CAP :
SANDOVAL
Oppo shot in the 1st inning, this kid is special….and the major reason the Giants are above .500, let alone sniffing a playoff spot……I would say he is already the 3rd best Giants hitter this decade…only behind Bonds and Kent……

SAUSAGE
Besides Pablo's homer, the sausage provided the only smile, as they almost trampled Molina to death…..that woulda looked good on a death certificate……trampled to death by processed meat…..

ELIEZER
Hey…..can't help but have a soft spot for marginal major league ex-giants….and there are a lot of them…..just noticed that Eliezer is wearing the tools of ignorance for the Pads….


JOKER

GLOVES

Sloppy sloppy….It started with Winn's misplay the 1st batter of the game, it went downhill from there…..Sandoval getting confused on the bunt, Winn not being prepared for a tag up from third, Uribe showing off his limited range in the hole, and then Uribe dropping a throw that woulda nailed Cameron……The Brewers offense didn't need any help, and when you throw this kinda shit out on the field you better have the offense to make up for it…..which of course…..is not your 2009 Giants

SMACK OF THE STICK :
BATS
Good pitching beats good hitting….right? Well, that’s not exactly what happened tonight….was more of a situation where good pitching slipped something into bad hitting's drink, then took bad hitting into a dark alley behind a dive bar, beat them with a sock full of quarters, kicked them repeatedly in the ribs, took their shoes and their wallet, and left them huddled gasping for air in a damp musty corner behind a dumpster……Good pitching did think about taking bad hitting's kidneys too, but filling a bathtub full of ice just takes took much work…….

CAIN
Good pitching beats good hitting…….but what happens when good pitching has an off day and runs into GREAT hitting……Cain was charged with the 1st game of a tough road trip versus our new Wild Card rival, the 2009 version of the Harvey's Wallbangers….. and when they weren't banging them off the wall and over the wall, they were getting walked, hitting grounders in the hole, and beating out bunt hits……

ISHI
The K watch continues…..this time they were GOOD K's at least….fooled on curves, instead of swinging through fastballs….but still 2K in 4AB ain't going to save your job

DOWNS
Midnight already???? Looks like Downs is our newest pumpkin….with an 0 fer that included a K with 2 runners in scoring position, less than 2 out, and the game in the balamce……NEXT!!!

BOCHY
Wow….hit and run with1 out and the pitcher on deck…..is Downs THAT much of a DP risk???? Lucky that Uribe was able to steal the bad, but I am sure that extra strike certainly didn't help Downs avoid the strike out

COFFEY
First of all, quit stealing Lefferts bit, second off pitchers have to run enough already….instead of sprinting to the mound, you should demand they bring back the bullpen car, one of the first emission free vehicles…and hell you can always get your running by volunteering to be a sausage

Hell that looks like one sweet ride…..no that’s not a picture of David Wells……and David, I think the slimming effect of Pinstripes has a 350 pound limit…..


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GAMEBALL and JOKE 06/20 RANGERS at GIANTS

Wow……cool game…….just got back and gonna do a quicky before I crash….

GAMEBALL and JOKE
06/20 RANGERS at GIANTS

GAMEBALL

NATE

BIG NATE on the pine for the second night in a row, took advantage of his opportunity by going the other way for a leadoff double…..and then an important 90 feet being aggressive with the take of 3rd on a medium speed grounder to Omar…..and of course scoring the winnings run…….


TIP OF THE CAP :
CAIN
That Texas lineup is filled with pop, but Cain equal to the task going 8 strong

RJ
Good job on 300, and thanks for the poster

PABLO
2 hits…a walk…..and then the Bonds treatment in the 11th

WILSON
With the help of some nice defense, pitched 2 clean innings……and it was not a save opp

MR R
Had to go by work for a little while in the late afternoon……I mentioned I was thinking of heading to the game, but it was late and I might not get there in time……well….RA was all…..DUDE…..you can totally make it….you got an extra……I said I didn’t have tickets yet, so I invited him……we both ran home to change and then I scored SWEET seats on CL (I am watching myself on Tivo behind the plate right now) ……Got a good night at the yard, a walk off win and a killer deal on seats……and without MR R, I would just been sitting on my couch yelling at my TV…..and of course my power went out so I would missed about 4 innings (at least my Tivo missed 4 innings)……to be continued in Smack of Stick…..


JOKER

FAN INTEFERENCE

What the FUCK was THAT..Nate goes the other way with a ball that lands on the line heading for the corner….with Murphy a good 15-20 feet from the line…….That ball looks like it woulda hit the flat part of the wall, which means the bounce would not have been friendly and Mr Inside the Park mighta had a chance at a lead off Triple……..
Hope they took him out back and maimed him……

SMACK OF THE STICK :
ROCKET
Mr Clemens had a video tribute and got good round of boos from the crown……Mr Clemens SCREW YOU and YOUR VIDEO MESSAGE……Never liked that fucker, from even back in 1990 when he went to the mound wearing eye black and got ejected from game 4 of the ALCS in the 2nd inning…..to the time he threw the broke bat at Piazza……this guy is the biggest red ass in the game…..and now, a pariah who has gone from arguably the greatest pitcher of all time to the biggest cheating pitcher of all time……Hey….yeah, I'm a Bonds fan and have come to terms with drugs and baseball……but I just love a chance to boo Mr Red Sox….no Yankee red ass himself….

BOCHY
OK…….two issues……Even if we grant you Aurilia playing over Ishi because of the Leftie….where was Ishi once the Righthanders started coming out of the pen…..but the big one…..we KNOW Rowand can bunt…..sure his bat has been on fire, but get Nate to 3rd with one out and infield and outfield have to play in….its the percentage play…..


MR R
OK…..back to the story…….so I am rushing to the game, figure gonna miss the ceremony…but whatever Cain is pitching, Omar is back…..gonna be fun…..call MR R…..apparently on his way home he hits traffic and ain't coming to the game……"DUDE, we got tickets 2nd row, you HAVE to come"……so he agrees and I hang up…….get to the park and get to my seats right at 6PM…..just in time for the ceremony.....call up Mr R to see where he is at……just got out of the shower…..SHOWER???? WHAT THE HECK???? It's a ball game, not the prom……so whatever……ceremony goes long, figure it gives him time to get to the park…….Mr R Calls…..What exit???. .....Embarcadero??... Yeah, 5th street, Embarcadero, whatever, just look for the signs pointing you to AT&T…….time goes by……and he's somewhere like O'Farrell and Powell……"DUDE…YOU GOT A NAVIGATOR……HOW THE HECK????"so I tell him to set the navigator for Townsend and 2nd, and to park on Townsend between 2nd and 3rd…….innings go by…….now its like the 7th, and will call is going to close…….so I sneak out of the game and grab the ticket from Will Call……I call Mr R…..Dude, Lot B is full….."LOT B!!! what are you doing over there?"….so I talk him back to the park and jump in his car…..we find a spot on the street and get back to the game……back to the seats….and I only missed 1 inning!??!?! Mr R got the 8th, and the 9th, and the extra frames + a walk off win……Next time, I make sure I drive him to the game……….GLAD YOU MADE IT MR R.,……but you get a smack for the 1 hour + driving aimlessly around San Francisco……

GAMEBALL and JOKE 06/14 ATHLETICS at GIANTS

GAMEBALL and JOKE
06/14 ATHLETICS at GIANTS

GAMEBALL

SCHIERHOLTZ

Takes one hell of a day to oust the NL Win leader from the Gameball…..and Nate had a day just like that…….setting the crowd a light with not one, but two difference highlight reel plays……First with a rifle shot to nail Hannahan going for a double, and then with a towering flyball that plopped on the track over Cust's head…..Triple?, Hell no Nate is coming up on 3rd by the time Cust gets rid of the ball…..That was the ball game right there…5 run lead, all the momentum and your 8Game winner on the mound…..

TIP OF THE CAP :
CAIN
Damn,….after an early Cust HR, and a few hard hit balls, Cain found his groove and allowed no hits and no walks over the last 6 innings…..if it wasn't for a Burriss E, it would have been 6 perfect innings to end the game…….Stats of note…..0 BB for the game….and your first extra base hit of the year….

PANDA
HELL YEAH…. this kid don't hit cheapies….if he hits it out its long gone….and after the A's had seized the momentum with a Solo shot off Cain, the Giants answered immediately with a 3 run inning of their own, capped by a 2 run shot deep into the seats in right….

TORRES
Have I mentioned I love this kid??? Well, the love was well placed today with a 3 hit today including a Double to lead off the game and a Triple to cap the scoring in the 7th……but the best part, was a couple of long drives in the Right Center gap that he made easy plays on……Rowand probably makes those plays as well…..but maybe not as easy…..

MRS ISHIKAWA
HOLY SHIT…..So, here we are in pregame, watching a bunch of chicks frolic around on the field…..now, most of the ladies obviously have some athletic ability…and there are a few that look pretty lost…..and the ball is moving back and forth at a fairly slow pace be it hit or thrown…….until this chick in left wearing #10 gets ahold of the ball….Doing her best Rowand impression, she unleashes a ROCKET from Left trying to nail a runner at home……OK, so Now she can't surprise us, we saw that arm……I bet she can hit….and we aren't disappointed as she crushes a ball over everyone's head …..good job Giants Wives and GF……congrats on the win which set up the 4 game sweep…..

1989 TEAM
Good stuff….even Maldonado and Hammaker get cheers when they come back to the park……nice to see the guys again…..

JOKER

A'S FANS

Ouch….after winning 8 of your last 10……the A's came into the series feeling pretty good….but after running into the Buzzsaw that is the Giants pitching staff the A's have now dropped 5 of 6……so good luck in your series in LA…..and see you with a week with Johnson and Lincecum…..hey at least you might miss Cain……

BTW...happy 20 years since you actually won something.....

SMACK OF THE STICK :
ROCKIES
Francis down for the Count ….Corpas and Jimenez and Morales can't find the strike zone…..no Chance right??? Wrong
Marquis revives his sinker to give the Rockies 2 nasty Sinkerballers in Cook and Marquis….
Ubaldo Jimenez finds his form, and De La Rosa and Street are dealing and Colorado is making a hard charge…..Keep your eye on these guys…..if these pitchers keep dealing they could keep surprising…..

1989 FANS
Sorry guys.,…..the quake didn't lose that series…..we really didn't have much of a chance…..Forget the A's offense…..the A's pitching staff has us beat….And we only had to face Stewart and Moore…..Bob Welch….17-8 that year, and a career 19-4 vs the Giants didn't even get a start in that series…..….

LEWIS
WOOOOO……after this weekend's performance from TORRES and SCHIERHOLTZ….looks like you have gone right past #4 OF to #5 OF…..