GAMEBALL and JOKE 06/24 GIANTS at ATHLETICS

GAMEBALL and JOKE
06/24 GIANTS at ATHLETICS

GAMEBALL

JOHNSON

Randy was out of sync early giving up three hard hit balls in the span of 4 hitters……but then Randy got his groove back, and after back to back strikeouts to end the inning Randy was on cruise control….with the A's barely threatening the rest of the game…..What was that theory about getting 300 would relax the big man???? who knows if that’s true or not, but since Win 300?
2-1 with a 3.65 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 7.3 K/9, and 1.1 BB/9
Not bad from a #3/#4 Starter…….

TIP OF THE CAP :
NATE
Hey…..Nates out there against a leftie…..well, looks like Bochy finally looked at Randy's record vs Lefties this year and figured that Nate might stand a better chance…..and Nate did a little more than stand a chance, as he answered the A's early run with a 2 run line drive off the wall in right for a Homer….yes a homer off the wall, you see playing at the Coliseum is a lot like playing wiffle ball in the backyard….where if it hits the garage above the window it’s a homer…..whereas in Oakland, if it hits the advertising its gone…..but I digress….Nate, added an line drive to right to start the 4th inning that would end Gio's night…and looks to be entrenching himself in right…which means he plays until he takes the next 0 for….and then back to the bench

ROWAND
Two more hits……keep it up, I won't get tired of typing you in here….hell you do this all season and I will even do one of those thin little goatees

RENTERIA
What the hell was that……did someone wake you? I swear I saw Edgar range up the middle and make a nice play……honest…..

DOMINGUEZ
Welcome to the organization……and belated congrats on the being named BA 1st team All American at 3rd Hey cut me some slack, I was reading the print version……

JOKER

89*

Wow….what a difference 20 years later…….after a feel good, well executed reunion at AT&T celebrating the team that brought the pennant back to San Francisco after 37 years, we get this Bizzaro world flip side celebration for the team that actually WON the World Series……. First, you had a celebration/ reunion with limited participation from the team with 12 players showing up …and Hell if Gallego and Lansford weren't working in the park at the time, they would barely have enough guys to field a team…and if that wasn't enough, in between spankings from Lincecum and Johnson, the war of words began…….Lansford and Stewart basically calling Canseco a Selfish Bastard, and then Canseco replying something about ME ME ME ME ME….screw YOU…..ME ME ME…….wow….what a feel good time that was……and I look at this now….and sure we would have LOVED the ring, but it sure is nice to look at that 1989 team with fond memories……whereas all the memories of 89 for Oakland aren't as wonderful as they should be……they would have been better served, just to let the flag fly with that "1989 World Champs" on it……rather than try to dig up and celebrate memories that have turned a bit sour……

PS Rickey was heard saying" What about Rickey? Rickey was the selfish one! Canseco was never as selfish as Rickey, why isn't everyone talking about Rickey!"

SMACK OF THE STICK :
A's MITTS
Holliday's kick of the ball gave the Giants run #3, and Gio's miscue cost a DP, and lead to runs #4, #5, and #6…..final score…..6-3…….

HOWRY
You couldn't go more than a couple outings without getting your name in print again……

RICH
2 hits = 1 more month on roster…..good work

SAVE RULE
How many people know the save rule……ok Marco does……but who else……well looks like Bochy does as well…..the 3 run rule only works with 1 or more innings pitched……less than 1 inning, its 2 runs…….1 out to go…..Giants up by 3, 1 man on……yup……subtract all inherited runners from the lead 3-1= 2 + 1 out = Save……if Wilson comes in with bases empty and a 3 run lead with 2 out in the 9th…no save……I swear this rule drives me nuts, especially when it dictates usage of your closer, which it almost invariably does…….

SPAIN
I really don't know shit about Soccer…..All I know is Landon Donavan is a pussy, and there is likely Rioting in Spain right about now……


SHARE VIA FACEBOOK

SHARE VIA TWITTER

SHARE, AND BUZZ UP THE BLOG


by merkin
Wenesday 06/24 Gameball goes to Randy and Joker goes to A's 89* , click for the detailshttp://tinyurl.com/lv6lpu #sfgiants

Pics from Sat 06/20 300 Win Ceremony

Pics from Sat 06/20 300 Win Ceremony for RJ + Game uploaded

PICS CLICK HERE
Please have high bandwidth or patience.....

A couple of samples

GAMEBALL and JOKE 06/04 GIANTS at NATS x2

DOUBLEHEADER EDITION

RAINOUT GRAPH from FANGRAPHS.com


Just wanted to include this because of the rainout
Most Valuable
Cain +15.6% Rain +14.5%
Don't worry, I'm not going post graph thing everyday…..


GAMEBALL and JOKE
06/04 GIANTS at NATS x2

GAMEBALL

El Rato Grande

Randy Johnson, 300 Wins…blah blah blah
Well, that's not cool give the man his props…..300 wins is one hellova milestone……hell, ask Blyleven what he would give for another shot at it……
By now, you have read 100x about Randy's accomplishment and his "solitary" road to 300…..which got me thinking…..300 wins has GOT to be one of the loneliest milestones in baseball…..a stat which relies heavily on team performance, ends up being a near solo performance by the time you get to 300……
Lets look as some of the recent 300 game winners.
Randy is the 10th player to reach 300 wins since Perry in 1982 (before that it was Early Wynn in 1963)
Here is the list, with total wins, most wins with 1 team, and 300 win team

Only 1 player won his 300th game with the team he won a plurality (more than others) of his games…and even Carlton spent a good chunk of his early career with the Cardinals and played for 6 different teams
So by the time a pitcher gets to 300 games, he is more or less a hired gun either rounding out the end of a staff or brought in for PR…..so really Randy is the norm, not the exception…….
You see Gaylord Perry on that list? After wearing 8 different uniforms and winning most of his games away from the orange and black, many people don't see Perry as a Giant. For me, if it wasn't for the retired number, the in park ceremonies, and the bobblehead I see Perry in a Rangers uniform, just because that’s when I first remember knowing who he was……
And in a way, I think this puts him in a special position to understand Randy's career…..
Now what could a Fireballing Leftie have in common with a spitballing Righthander……
Well there is some interesting symmetry…..
Gaylord is identified with San Francisco(134 wins), and won his 300 with Seattle
Randy is identified with Seattle (130 wins), and won his 300 with San Francisco
Both players won less than 50% of their games with one team
Both pitchers won 100 games in the AL and NL
Gaylord took 21 years and 7 teams to win 300
Randy took 22 years and 6 team to win 300
Both pitchers won the Cy Young their first year away from "home"
Randy with Arizona, Perry with Cleveland
So for the Journeyman Randy, today is a day to recognize your accomplishment……a truly individual milestone with a team stat in a team game…..quite a feat to be sure….. and here's hoping Gaylord gives you a call of congratulations….as only he could possibly understand the road you traveled

TIP OF THE CAP :
CAIN
7-1…..hard luck loser got the late support from the Offense right before the rain came down……xERA, BPV, LOB%, BABIP, FIP, YMCA???? Who gives a shit…for all the bad luck this kid has put up with the past few years, he deserves any "luck" he is getting now
and BTW statheads…..K/9 went from 6.24 to 6.69 in 1 game..feeling better about that K rate?

RAIN
Hey…..I'll take it…..as the Giants slip away into the rainy night with their 3rd road series win of the year……and the pen is rested up for the rest of the roadtrip

ROWAND
Wasn't exactly as hot as the past week, but converted hits in both games…..and that’s a 13 games hit streak with 12 runs and 9 RBI……including the tying RBI and winning Run in the rain shortened game…..

SCHIERHOLTZ
Did that hit count? if so, that’s every single starter with a hit in 5+ innings of game 2……

JOKER

WILSON

Good god twitter boy…. you trying to give Randy a heart attack????
After gnawing at the bit all day yesterday and through the delay today, you came awfully fucking close to blowing 300 for the Unit….called on to get 1 out in the 8th, Wilson walked Zimmerman to load the bases…..which means THROW STRIKES to the Dunn…and with the count full you got bailed out by a strike 3 call, that was borderline at best…..and something tells me that the last thing the Umpire wanted was a tie game…….Good thing the Giants scored in the bottom 1/2 of the 8th…..cause nobody wanted to see what could happen if you needed 3 more outs….

SMACK OF THE STICK :
NATIONALS "FANS"
Really?
You kidding me right….sure it was a Wet day and an unplanned double header, but when you got more people on the field than in the stands, something is wrong…..
And looks like "Nationals Park" already lost that new park appeal with 20K average attendance comes in just ahead of Pittsburg, Oakland, and Florida……I don't think is what MLB had in mind when they moved the team from Montreal…….Just get it over with and contract Florida and Washington already…..and while you are at it, we will take Zimmerman and Hanley off your hands…..

GROUNDS CREW
Wet track around 3rd almost killed a few Giants today….from Fred Lewis slipping and sliding, to Randy Winn looking like he was going to break an ankle, to Panda doing a face plant ……hey, when you are throwing down the turface…..make sure you get some around the cut of the grass near third……..

GAMEBALL and JOKE 5/27 BRAVES at GIANTS

GAMEBALL and JOKE
5/27 BRAVES at GIANTS

GAMEBALL

BIG RAT

299…you got to give him the gameball….but better yet….looks like RJ might have found a little consistency with back to back solid outings following the THRASHING by the Mets…..
Velocity? Check
Release Point? Check
Control? Check
Wow, looks like 1 hell of a #5 starter…..and heck if Sanchez, Zito, and Johnson all keep it up, this team could just stay in the race with this middling offense….

TIP OF THE CAP :
BATS
But it wasn't middling tonight, taking advantage of a less than sharp Kawakami….
The Giants were 2 for 6 with runners in scoring position which was good for 1 RBI (Molina gunned down)…..the Giants proceeded to go 4 for the next 4 chances before ending the game at 6 for 12…..
And contributions came from the whole lineup with 9 players getting hits, 5 players with RBI's and 5 players with Runs Scored……
And the timing was perfect, as every run the Braves scored was answered by the offense the following 1/2 inning, never allowing the Braves any momentum…..
I know there have been more runs scored by the Giants but I would have to say this was my favorite offensive game of the year ….especially after that road trip drought….
And that’s 16-8 at home, and heck if we cant make the playoffs…..I think you have 3 goals
1) Finish above .500
2) Dominate at home
3) Beat the freaking Dodgers
That should keep the fans satiated and the team thinking positive as we build to 2010…….


BURRISS
Mr Slappy made a little error leading to a Braves rally…..but I will go ahead and over look that as a error of youth…and instead look at the bright side
You see that play he made on that Diaz Foul???? LOVE that RANGE…..
And then with the bat….PULLED a ball through the hole to right……nailed a single just to the right of Center, and then smoked one over the head of Francouer to the wall in right……and all of that LEFTHANDED……the kid is growing up before our eyes…..and by the way after a mini slump he's back up to.a .271 average

RESERVE OF's
Schierholtz and Torres looks like they both are making a case for Lewis' AB's……
I especially LOVE Torres's range in CF….if Rowand was still slumping, I would be lobbying for some CF time for Torres….and nice snag in the corner and clutch hitting in a relief role for Nate

MERKIN
It's ok if I have a man crush on my namesake, right?
When Merkin is ON, nobody in the pen has better stuff…….
If you get Merkin, Affeldt, and Wilson going at the same time, you got yourself a bullpen you can build a championship team with…….well…..I know…..that's a very big "IF"

JOKER

LARRY

Freaking Larry……
Now perhaps the chat of "He's a bum" is worn, but it does seem to impress visitors just for coordination (of course, Yankees' fans actually rehearse their chants, but I digress)….but of all the stupid Bleacher Creature taunts I have heard, one sticks in my memory…….from when Chipper was in LF a few years back…..
"HEY LARRY……YOUR MOM CALLED FROM THE PAY PHONE……SHE SAYS THANKS FOR THE TRAILER"……classic stuff…….
And in a conversation I was lucky enough to have with an unnamed overly friendly Giant player at Momo's…..the discussion was about how Chipper lets fans get under his skin…..even more classic……
But if the fans didn't get under his skin, this 3 game set certainly got into his noggin…..
Picture yourself in his shoes, coming off a injury……it's cold, night game, and moist…..deep fence in Right……pinching hitting against a slightly wild high 90's Wilson….then coming back the next night to get schooled by the reigning Cy Young winner…..and THEN the next night, getting 3 K's from the old man Randy….topped off with a 97+ MPH moving fastball from Merkin……..
1 for 9 with 6 strikeouts…..and you are lucky you got one hit….


SMACK OF THE STICK :
PRADO
What the fuck was that????
In the fourth inning, Prado turned the pivot on a 5-4-3 Double Play…..the bad part…..there were already 2 outs……so obviously he didn't have his head in the game…..and then the next inning a chopper by Lewis….and Martin catches the ball and proceeds to think to much…..you see, I could tell because he was blinking….you see him blink?
Look at the pictures….on the left he is thinking/ blinking, on the right he is relaxed

But I digress……
What I think happened, is he had no idea who was running, and he panicked when he saw Lewis flying down the line……he had no chance at a DP on a chopper like that, get the lead runner…..and heck, Lewis almost beat that sucker out after the double clutch……
Good god……you make Lewis look like a natural…….

LEWIS
Speaking of good old bumblefingers…..0 fer……with a K, but did grind out the walk….and of course a little bumble on a Double that cost the Giants nothing…but people will remember……

KUIP
Now, Kruk and Kuip (as if they knew RJ would be pulled after 79 pitches) were going on and on about pitch counts, and I am open minded……but when Kuiper made the analogy about training for the 100 yard dash and now we ask them to run the 140 yard dash, he won't be able to do it……
Ummm, that’s wrong on so many levels…….
Running is more or less and natural motion, and the beating your body takes from a 100 yard dash is nothing like the beating your body takes from the unnatural pitching motion……pitching breaks down muscle….the body needs to heal…..100 pitches may be arbitrary, but so are speed limits……do speed limits save lives? Yes…..do speed limits make sense for every situation they are used? No……..pitch limits are there to protect pitchers arms and the investment clubs have made in them……will they prevent all injuries? No……do they always make sense in every situation? No……do they prevent damage to pitchers arms in some cases? Yes…..just like speed limits they are a check against potential abuse…..now, if you have a coach/ manager that is better at determining pitchers limits than an arbitrary pitch count…great……but as we have seen with the crucifixion of Dusty Baker in Chicago, if that coach/ manager takes responsibility….and an injury occurs, then blood is on their hands……and do YOU wanna be that guy? and with the value of these players, who wants to even take a chance……
And as far as Nolan Ryan, I am glad he has the guts to challenge the status quo…..love to see how that works out……now if we can get a major league club to listen to Dr Mike Marshall now THAT would be worth watching……


Footnote
Home record and vs LA Record
2009: 16-8 at home 4-5 v LA
2008: 37-44 at home 9-9 v LA
2007: 39-42 at home 8-10 v LA
2006: 43-38 at home 6-13 v LA

GAMEBALL and JOKE 5/22 GIANTS at MARINERS

GAMEBALL and JOKE
5/22 GIANTS at MARINERS

GAMEBALL

RJ

Well there is hope after all……Randy came into Seattle off 3 straight horrible outings…..and using the his lowest arm slot of the year (a lot of crap on that here) was able to hold the Mariners at bay for 6+ innings before handing it over to the bullpen

TIP OF THE CAP :
AFFELDT/ MEDDERS/ MILLER
All looked pretty damn good…..if the Giants could only muster some offense

ROWAND
Good god, this leadoff thing really did work…showing a ballplayer psyche is a fragile thing……

SANDOVAL
When did he become the best defensive infielder on the field?

JOKER

GROUNDHOG

You ever get the feeling you are Bill Murray……staring at the TV…..watching the Giants pitching put in a good game, watching the Giants offense maybe scratch out a run……only to realize you just stared at the Television for 3 straight hours….and all you have to show for it is a 1 run loss????
Good god….I could have spent the last three hours spanking it to Baywatch and eating a bag full of Cheetos and it would have been more productive…..in fact…..I can't believe I am even commenting on this…..how many different ways can I say the same damn thing……
This is boring, this sucks, I hate hate hate HATE this team…….
The only moment I thought the Giants even had a chance was when Rowand stole 2nd…….
Other than that it would seem we needed an act of god to score a fucking run……
That’s it, I can't type anymore……
If you want to read more about today's game, I will refer you to yesterdays write up….and the day before that and the day before that and the day before that and the day before that and the day before that and the day before that and the day before that and the day before that and the day before that and the day before that and the day before that……

SMACK OF THE STICK :
BURRISS
One boot, one bad throw from his ass….and since his hot streak Mr Slappy is hitting a robust .132…..

LEWIS
Now to be fair, Lewis isn't a bad defender with questionable instincts…..he is actually suffering from a very serious disease…..Tood Linden Syndrome
It hasn’t been easy to overcome this affliction, and perhaps if I take you through a typical day and you see his struggles you will have a better understanding and perhaps more compassion.
One day this past home stand his say started when his alarm clock rang….. he picked up the phone and after getting a dial tone he proceeded to the bathroom. After shaving with his television remote control, he proceeded to take a bath in the toilet. Once clean and ready for the day, he got into his car pulled out of his garage and then opened the garage door…..realizing he had done it in the wrong order, he pulled back into the garage and tried it again……Arriving at the park, he pulled into Lot A and paid the $30 parking fee, he then proceeded to the ticket window, which was closed……after about 3 hours of waiting the ticket window opened…..the ticket booth lady then reminded Fred that he didn’t need to buy a ticket to get into the park, and directed him to the employee entrance…….
Amazing isn't it?
He has to overcome all this adversity even before he steps on the field……
So next time Fred Lewis runs past a flyball like it wasn't there, or check swings at a ball off the plate for strike 3…….just reflect a moment on this touching human story before you unleash your boos…..

What's Wrong with RJ???

What's Wrong with RJ???

First of all, I would like to say that I am no expert and am not a baseball professional, just an over-zealous Giants fan with a love of numbers and logic..

When the Giants signed Randy this offseason, the perception was that suddenly the Giants had been transformed from a rebuilding team to a team on the fringes of contention. Added to the existing starting pitching was a ageless Randy coming off "strong" second half of 2008. Now healthy and showing dominance in spring, hopes were high. after a few shaky starts, Randy flashed the pitcher we expected for a few games…..and then for the last 3 starts he has got the shit kicked out of him…….

So what's wrong with RJ? Is ANYTHING wrong with RJ????
Since the Mets clubbed him like a baby seal last week, I have been pouring over the data seeing if there was anything of interest.
Velocity? No issue there, his Fastball and Slider are about the same as they were last year, and I can find no correlation between performance and fluctuation with velocity….
Strikeouts…..still good with 9.3K/ 9 IP……
Homeruns are up and Walks are up…..by about 1 per game each……
Lets Compare some data to 2008
Contact rate is slightly down 2.8% ......showing that the stuff looks to be there
Strike rate is down 4.8%, and first pitch strike rate is down 9.5% showing RJ is a little wild
Swing % is down 4.7%, matching the drop in Strike rate showing batters aren't chasing those extra balls out of the zone…..
Strand rates are down 10% and BABIP are up about 20 points, which most eggheads would say is bad luck…….
So a little unlucky, little gopheritis, and a little wild…..

So lets dig into Pitchfx and see if there is anything to be discovered……(some detail on pitchfx is found at the very bottom of this post) Using Bill James Game Score as a measure of performance, I ran as many variables as I can understand, I looked for any correlation….and interesting enough a couple things popped out……The first thing I noticed with the measured release point for the Fastball and the Slider being quite a bit different. The release point for the Fastball averaged about 7 inches difference from the Curve. Good god, is he tipping his pitches!?!....Well maybe, but this difference seems to be relatively consistent from the beginning of 2008 (as far back as I have data) so he was potentially "tipping" last year too. I compared this release point difference to game score and found no correlation, so this didn't seem to be the issue.

After looking at the correlation coefficient for a number of variables, two variables showed a decent correlation was the Horizontal component of release point for the Fastball AND the Slider. I threw out the 1st start of 2008, which seemed to be an outlier for both parameters, and found correlation coefficients of -0.37 for Fastball Vertical Release Point and -0.38 for Slider Vertical Release Point…..certainly not a strong correlation, but considering the inherent randomness of game score as a performance measure, it is worth more investigation.

What could cause the correlation…..I was thinking a higher arm angle could change the movement on pitch…a lefthanded side arm fastball would drop and drift back towards a leftie hitter, where a higher arm angle should result in less drop and less drift……a lefthanded sidearm slider would drop and drift away from a leftie, whereas a higher arm angle would result in more drop and left drift…….
So I looked at the movement values, and although there were possible trends, there was nothing solid to report in regards to correlation with game score or even release point…..

So what could be the issue…..is the Release Point data mean ANYTHING????
Let me slice the data another way……
Fastball Vertical Release Point 6.10 feet and below Game Score Ave = 59.3
Fastball Vertical Release Point 6.13 feet and above Game Score Ave = 41.1
Slider Vertical Release Point 5.80 feet and below Game Score Ave = 61.5
Slider Vertical Release Point 5.81 feet and above Game Score Ave = 42.9
(Graphs of this data is included at the very end)
And in both cases, I sliced the data to give a very bad game on the borderline to the good side to try to even out any bias, and the averages are still quite a bit different…….
I think I AM onto something….but what…….
Lets go to the film

First lets look at the Mets game
In these two GIFs you see Fastball and Slider…..notice not just the arm angle, but the shoulder and the tilt of the head……
Fastball = higher arm angle, shoulders tilted, and head tilted…..
Slider = flat arm angle, shoulders level, and head level…..
pretty obvious slowed down 10x…….



OK, so lets look at 2008……again the Fastball and Slider……but look here…..a lower release point for both pitches seems to disguise the release point difference…….
2008 Fastball shoulders appear level, head upright……2008 Slider shoulders appear level, head upright……compare that to 2009 and it really looks quite a bit different.…..
too be fair, I had limited video to look at, and I chose games at Chase Field to try to get consistency with camera angles. These clips were selected because a fastball and slider was thrown to the same batter, but otherwise these were random clips.

I would like to make clear that I am only speculating...I intend on looking at this further and getting more data as it becomes available. I don’t know if he is tipping and if major league batters have noticed or could even make use of this information, I will leave it to you to interpret.

2008 09/18 FB VRP 5.97 SL VRP 5.69
2009 04/25 FB VRP 6.08 SL VRP 5.77



Here is one more vid of 2008
2008 8/22 FB VRP 6.01 SL VRP 5.73
The 13 K game highlights you can see here


And here are the charts





This last chart I did monthly averages…..Game score is the blue line, and FB Vertical release point is the red box……you can best visualize the correlation here….




Some notes on Pitchfx
1) Release point is measured in feet and calculated from ball location in relationship to ground 50 feet from the front of the plate.
2) Pitch recognition is based upon movement of pitch, and is inherently prone to error, especially when discerning the type of breaking pitch.
3) I believe that quite a few Sliders from 2008 were misclassified as other types of pitches. For sake of objectivity, I have just used the classifications as given to me from Pitchfx.
4) For purposes of this project I considered Pitchfx types of Fastball, Four Seam Fastball, and Two Seam Fastball to all fall within the same category.
5) Pitch movement is measured relative to a ball on the same trajectory moving straight under the influence of gravity

GAMEBALL and JOKE 5/16 METS at GIANTS

GAMEBALL and JOKE
5/16 METS at GIANTS

GAMEBALL

WHITE SHINJO

Bochy hinted at resting Aaron, but the outfield corps were too banged up???
Is that all it took to light a fire under your ass???
After doing his best Shinjo impression for most of 2009, Aaron actually PRODUCED at the PLATE....I know, I know, you don’t believe it.....but its true.....the day after being lynched on the WWW for leaving runners at 3rd twice in a close game Rowand suddly turned into Captain Clutch with a 2 run single and a shot into the left field stands.....
Good job jackass...lets hope Bochy threatens to bench you every game for the rest of the season

TIP OF THE CAP :
BATS
Holy shit, what are you doing this high in the write up.......
If ever there was a game primed for an offensive shut down, it was this one
With an offense so bad, you would think Alex Smith was the Quarterback, the Giants didn’t seem to have a prayer versus the best Non-Lincecum pitcher on the planet......
12 hits and 5 extra base hits, every position player had a hit, and even Aurilia got one off the bench.......


JOKER

RANDY

No Randy, sorry.....not pretty.........
No sir, you got beaten like a Miami hooker on a date with the Sham Wow guy
And sorry kids, slice the data any way you want, this has been a down year for RJ....he has been off more than on.....and when he is off ....you can forget staying in the game.....
The 3rd time in 8 games he gave up 7 runs, and 4th time out of 8 games he has given up 10 baserunners... not exactly what the Giants were expecting......and on a team built on pitching and defense... you can’t have two lefty crapshoots every 5 days.......
So Randy, put that scowl back on your face, and ditch the good guy just savoring his last days, cause that last day may come sooner than you think

SMACK OF THE STICK :
WILSON
Been a day, but my mind goes back.......much like Mando crushed the psyche of that 2006 team.....your performance the last two times out are deflating to fans and players.......I can live with a poor pitching performance or two....but when the mental bullshit plays are accompanied by that LOOK AT ME persona.....people start turning on you.........a full year of converting saves and an all star appearance don’t cut it... this is a “WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY” game.....so take that famous work ethic, work out the mental farts and start fine tuning that changeup....cause if you start performing........we can forget the bad, and all we be forgiven.....and perhaps you can be a worthy successor to the Beck/ Nen legacy.....

METS FANS
Good god, I sat in front of a pair of god-awful Mets fans the other night.....a couple flew in from New York (as she complained about flying all that way and not seeing Reyes)....and quite a couple they were......A VERY LARGE white female......maybe 5’6” 250+ and a smaller hispanic male....maybe 5’6” 150......and oh my god...they were vocal....but not like you think......it was some of the most high pitched, poorly enunciated, barely audible shouting I have ever heard.....backed by that New York City bravado......
1) The pitch of their voiced were perfectly matched, so I had to turn around to tell if it was a guy or girl trying to yell....dead serious
2) I would ask for the Giants fans around me not to yell, just so we could try to figure out what they were yelling.......2 rows behind me......
3) When they were yelling and clapping, you couldn’t hear them over their own clapping

It what turned into a miserable night watching the Mets steal 7 bases and beat the Giants late in the game, they provided endless amusement......
In a voice I could only describe as Frankie Valli with nasal congestion on his death bed, we heard such classics as....
“leh go betra” and “como dahid” and of course “leh go meh” and other non-senical noises in whiney whiney whiney voices
And the Bravdo......they would stay purposefully blocking views of pissed off Giants fans behind them.....and when I took a picture for the purposes of clowning them on this site....he was gracious enough to pose for me........pics pending......

GAMEBALL and JOKE 5/1 ROOKIES at GIANTS

(WARNING: the word PENIS is used in tonight's write up, if you won't want to read the word PENIS stop now, this warning is because some people may be offended by the word PENIS)


GAMEBALL and JOKE
5/1 ROOKIES at GIANTS


GAMEBALL

JOHNSON

297 and counting…..and the Unit still can GET IT UP there pretty fast and its STILL HARD enough …You see it is natural when a Man ages, his ABILITY TO PERFORM can be inconsistent…..and after handing out 7 free passes in his last outing the UNIT WAS PULLED OUT by Bochy…..but Randy was far from IMPOTENT tonight, as his imposing figure stood ERECT on the mound he used every TOOL at his disposal and BEAT OFF any offensive threats
So good Job Randy, although you were on the bench for the CLIMAX of the game, you deserved today's WIN and GAMEBALL

PS……PENIS, PENIS, PENIS, PENIS, PENIS, PENIS


TIP OF THE CAP :
ISHI
FINALLY!!! Ishi did some damage on this cold rainy night at the Stick……errr ATT in MAY…….with a run scoring DOUBLE that woulda cleared the fence most nights……nice to see aggressive hacks from the kid

WINN
Some FINE glove work in Right, and a KEY stolen base in the 3rd to get the Giants their 2nd run

SANDOVAL
2 hits including a Triple that was almost as slow as Molina

WILSON
Was taken to the limit tonight….bailing out Howry/ Affeldt with a torturous 4 out save…….thats 2 for 2 post twitter……

RENTERIA
Hey….couldn't get the outs, but just stopping the ball 2x kept the game in check

JOKER

SETUP MEN

Good job JOKERS…….a hard fought 3 run lead almost disappeared in less than an inning……the two "Veteran Saviors" of the bullpen, looked like the same old characters ….well actually I have no idea what it looked like….but it sounded like shit as they got smacked around the stadium……..
Good thing Wilson had your back……

SMACK OF THE STICK :
COMCAST
If I wanted to listen to a ballgame, I woulda been born in the 50's…..
No today we got Satalites, High Def, Extra Inning Packages….and pay out the ASS for it…….just so we can listen to our $2500 Television like it was a goddamn RCA RADIO…….

BOCHY
I hear your head got downgraded from a Planet to a Moon…..my condolences…..

PADRES
Goddamnit……0-0 game into the ninth……gave up 3 fucking hits all night……lose the game on a walk off based loaded walk…….thats almost as bad as ending the game on a Benitez Balk…..