It's A Wrap

Congratulations to the San Francisco Giant  fans who proved that even with a horrible World Series hangover they could party giving Barry Zito an unforgettable thank you  and  the other players a tremendous send off for the fall and winter.  It is really truly amazing the fan base the Giants have developed in recent years with with a very efficient marketing department and K & K on television continually showing fans having fun at the the ball park. 

It is hard to determine one major thing that went wrong with the Giants plans this year since there were many but I  would consider the collapse of starting pitching as one of the main reasons which led to an over worked bull pen and eventually to the collapse of the relief staff.

The following are my thoughts on what I think the Giants will do or should do.  I have not read about a Giant cap for next year which will determine how much they can do this this off season..

Pitching:  The starters will be anchored by Cain and Bumgarner.  Gaudin and Petit have earned a shot in spring training for their work this year.  The Giants do not want to sign Vogelsong for 6.5 million.  If they can negotiate a new contract he will be back with a chance to earn the number 5 spot in the order.  The Giants will make every effort to acquire a number 3 starter.    If money was not an issue I would say resign Lincecum but it is a big issue.  I just don't believe 'Timmy' is worth some 16 million.  You can sign a couple very good major league players who could help the team with that type of money.  The Giants have signed too many players on emotion in recent years and have paid the price.

Relief Pitching:    Who is left?  Romo and then who?  Casilla and Affeldt will probably be back and the rookie Hembree pitched well in September to warrant a good look next spring.  The Giants will lose Lopez to a team like the Dodgers or the Rangers who either need pitching or have money. Some of the remaining staff I am sure will be asked to spring training with a chance to make the team.  I really don't know if the staff was lousy or just over worked so some of them should be given an opportunity in the spring.

Catcher:  Giant fans I am sure were at least mildly shocked at Posey's end of the season slump.  This should be warning next year to give him some breaks from catching every day.  Sanchez finished strong and lets hope he learned his lesson and will  report next February in shape and ready to play.

1st base:  The Giants know they need another batter that hits with some authority in the lineup every day.  They have surveyed the world and discovered that there are a few first basemen that might be available so Belt  has already been approached about playing left field next year.  Belt has finally emerged a very good consistent hitter which means he should hit in.300 range with 20 or so home runs.

2nd base:  The Orange and Black have many  problems and do not want to add 2nd base to the list.  Scutaro is under contract for the next two years and at the age 38 will be the regular 2nd baseman although he has  limited range and had a very poor year in the field.    He led the team in hitting this year playing 127 with .297 average and 31 rbi's.  Last year in 61 games with the Giants he hit .362 with 44 rbi's.   The Giants really like Abreu's bat and he will get plenty of chances to play.   

Third base:  I believe Pablo Sandoval will be back next year although there are a number of  'experts' that think differently.  Pablo got plenty of press for losing some 25 lbs in recent weeks although he looked like he  gained most of it back.  I believe Sabean will put  out some feelers regarding Pablo and see what type of offers he receives.

Shortstop:   Crawford had the same exact batting average .248 this year as he did last although he hit nine home runs to just four last year.  He really tailed off the last part of the season which might have been due to an injury.  At the start of the season we heard about Crawford being all star material but he tied other regular shortstops for the most errors with 15.  Adrianza who was brought up in September has definitely impressed and if he does well in Fresno next year Crawford should not rest on his laurels.

Utility:  Noonan made some nice plays in September and got a couple hits which will get him to Scottsdale next February.  If Arias is signed he should start at short at least against left handed pitchers and could be another option at 2nd base and has proven to be a very good relief for Sandoval at third.

Outfield:  Pence got all the money and he will be in right field for the next few years and Pagan will be leading off in center field  since the Giants win more often then when he doesn't play.  If Belt isn't at first base he will be the left fielder.   If not, the Giant fans expect a new face in left next year.  Perez certainly earned a shot    playing relatively few games for the Giant but still led the  outfielders with eight assists proving that he has a great arm.  Will there be room for Blanco and Pill?  That's what spring training is all about.

This will be the last sports related blog for the next few months.

Homer Sweeney 

 

The Not So Surprising A's!

Jim Kosimor of Michigan State fame congratulated the Oakland A's for winning the America League West on his Yahoo Talk show the other night.  He mentioned at the time that all the experts that visit his show were talking about the Angels and Rangers and no one thought the A's could do it.  Wrong!  Look at my blog at the start of the season and I picked the A's to win the AL West by 7 games.  They cinched the other night with a 7 1/2 game lead.  They win because they believe in Earl Weaver strategy of the three run homer.

I also said that the Giants would not repeat but was wrong in predicting  the Padres to win the NL West.  At that time I didn't realized that the Dodgers would bring up a player named Puig who set the league on fire.  He even woke all those over priced Dodgers who up to that time were just going through the motions in between  their trips to the stock exchange.  The rest is history showing that 220 million can buy a championship.  The Dodgers will be  taxed $7 million this year for exceeding baseball salary cap.  The Yankees will  be taxed some 29 million because they are repeat offenders.  With a higher tax hanging over their heads the Dodgers may not be quite so free with their money with the salary cap set at some $189 million for next year.

Have your noticed the silence?  For weeks we heard how Pablo had lost 25 lbs.  Now I look on television  and he looks like he gained most of that weight back.  If he has gained the weight back you can tell  Pablo "bye 'bye baby!

Homer Sweeney

Bochy Makes Another Stupid Move!

Why did Barry Zito pitch against the Dodgers at AT&T last night?  One reason was to say good-bye to the fans.  Then Bochy lifts Zito after five innings for a pinch hitter and Barry heads to the clubhouse..  This has not been a good year for the Giants and last night was another example of a stupid  move.  Barry was far from great for the Giants in his many years with the team except that the Giants would have never won either the National League or the World Series in 2012 without him.  That makes up for a lot of sins.  Hopefully Sunday the fans will start yelling Barry! Barry! so he can come out for a final curtain call that he deserves.

Homer Sweeney

Cain Loses Again

There were some starling comments made after the Giants 2-1 loss to the Dodgers.  Manager Bruce Bochy said that the bats are cold now.  It seems to me they never thawed all year.  Then there was all the praise for Matt Cain in pitching the Giants to another loss.  He gave up two home runs and that's the reason the orange and black lost.  Cain drilled Puig and the young Cuban for the second time this season embarrassed the Giant multimillionaire by hitting a home run the next time he came to the plate and that was the difference in the game.

Homer Sweeney

New York New York

The rookies were heroes today as the Giants beat the Yankees 2-1 to salvage the last game of their three game series and gain a split in their six games in New York.  Adrianza the switch hitting rookie shortstop hit his first home run which was the first hit of the game for the Giants off of the retiring nearly 50 year old pitcher Andy Pettitte.  Abreu got a key double to put the Giants ahead and Perez threw out Cano from left field on a single to preserve the Giants lead in the eighth inning.

Juan Perez returned to his home in the Bronx and continue to open the eyes of the Giants brass.  Perez was one of four Giant rookies I picked out in spring training to watch this year because  he hit a home run at a game in Goodyear, AZ that just exploded off his bat.  When he was called up in June he failed to hit but made sensational catches and throws in the outfield.  Perez was part of the September call up and now seems to have gained some much needed confidence with the bat getting a number of hits against the Mets earlier in the week and just missing a home run by about two feet Friday night at Yankee Stadium.  He certainly has made the best of his opportunity and will be a strong candidate to make the squad next February  when the Giants head to Scottsdale for spring raining.

World Series Prediction --  A Silver Anniversary == 1988 repeat Oakland A's vs the Los Angeles Dodgers 

The 49ers  --  Like I said for the last six months, do not lose a Super Bowl game!

Homer Sweeney

Weekend Comments

The Giants series win over the Dodgers preventing the big blue from cinching the NL West in front of the World Champions which made the Giant players very happy.  Pence was the hero with five home runs bringing  up the question, how much will  it now take the Giants to resign him?  Vogelsong was fair in his start and it was probably enough for the Giants to pickup his option since there are not many other good pitchers available at that price.

Regarding the 49ers loss to Seattle ---  I will  repeat what I have said for months, Do not lose the Super Bowl  game!  I happened to see part of Ohio State - Cal game with the Buckeyes whirl wind start.  I give the Bears credit for coming back because they could easily just folded in the first quarter.  Since I do not get Pac 12 Sports, I listened to most of the USC game and the greatest part of the game is the fact it was played in less then three hours compared to many college games today that approach the four hours mark. 

Homer Sweeney

The Return of Frank Robinson

Frank Robinson returned to the Giants last night not in body but in strategy.  The Giants had two on and none out in the eighth inning and Bochy had Belt the #3 hitter in the lineup bunt successfully.  Then the Dodgers naturally walked #4 hitter Posey to load the basses that set up the double play.  The Giants did not score since they  failed to allow their two best hitters to even swing the bat.  This was a Frank Robinson type strategy and the main reason I believe he is the worst manager in San Francisco Giants history.

The Giants played tonight like the 2013 Giants.  In the second inning Scurato dropped another short pop fly in right field but this time was able to force the runner at second.  Nobody every taught Scurado to use two hands.  The next batter hit a double play ball back to Cain who threw the ball into center field which has been done many times this year by Giant pitchers.  I would suggest in spring training the Giant pitchers spend twenty minutes every morning working on the pitcher to second to first double play.

Rich Aurila guest commentator on the pre game show was asked how to  pitch Dodger sensation Puig.  Never throw the first pitch over the plate related Rich because he is hitting .565 on first pitch hitting.  So what does Cain do in the seventh inning with the leading run on second he throws the first pitch   right over the plate and Puig hits a ringing double to give the Dodgers a 2-1 lead.  Cain made a mistake.  That's all I have heard all year.  I am getting sick and tired of a $20 million dollar a year player making one mistake after another. 

To add insult to injury is the fact that ex-Giant Brian Wilson turned out to be the winning pitcher.  Before the game it was mentioned how strange it will be to see Wilson in Dodger blue and white.  I firmly believe that even if Wilson did not get injured he would not be with the Giants.  They cannot afford to pay all of their stars gigantic salaries and he would been the odd man out.  I am more upset seeing Urbie in blue and white.  The Giants have been fortunate that he has been injured the last two years but this year he is doing the same thing for the Dodgers as he did in leading the Giants to 2010 World Series title.

How can a last place club like the Giants keep their best infielder Arias on the bench?

Homer Sweeney

It's Been Almost Four Months

Yes, it's been that long since the Giants won more games then they lost on a home stand. The Giants come from behind win over the Rockies today not only won the game but gave them the season series and broke a long losing steak of home stand losses. 

Pence and Vogelsong are two Giants in the news.  Has Pence late season surge priced himself out of the Giants budget?  Has Vogelsong's failure in his last two games priced himself out of getting an additional year?

Tuesday night's over four hour nine inning game was one the worst baseball games I have ever watched.  In fact it was so bad I tuned the tv off after the seventh inning.  K & K the Giants tv announcers kept complaining about the slowness of the game. They timed the starting Rockies pitcher a big winner on their staff as taking 47 seconds between pitches.  They also commented that since Vogelsong has returned from the DL he has become much slower.  These pitching coaches all take Baseball Psychology 202 each winter in Florida which teaches pitchers how to rub up the ball for minutes, walk around the mound, then step off call the catcher out for a conference, pick up the rosin bag, scrape the mound with their cleats, comb their hair, clean their glasses, turn around and discuss dinner with an infielder and by that time the batter is so disgusted he swings at anything which is the purpose of all the delays.    How to ruin a great sport!  The big winner however are the concessions stands whose sale boom during four hours games.

Homer Sweeney

A Big Sunday

Three games on the Bay plus the America's Cup made for a busy Sunday afternoon in the Bay Area.  It took the Giants eleven innings but they pulled it out.  After the game the Giants media crew were discussing how surprised they were that Pagan did not bunt in the 11th inning with two on and none out.  Fleming mentioned that almost every other major league manager would have bunted in that situation.  I would like to tell Fleming that the reason is they all have taken the same course Baseball 101 offered in Florida every winter.  Bochy has learned to get a runner to third with less then two out does not guarantee a run.  Instead they allow Pagan to swing the bat and get the hit to win the game.

The 49ers got a great victory over the Packers because Green Bay has been planning six months for this game.  Happen to see a few moments of the Atlanta - New Orleans game.  Payton the Saints coach who was suspended one year for paying players to hurt opposing quarterbacks was back  The Atlanta QB goes into a slide and whack get hit right in his ribs which was called a 15 yard penalty.  The Saints #23 must has been disappointed when Ryan remained in the game otherwise he might have gotten a little bonus in his pay check.

Tokoyo was awarded to host the 2020 Olympic Games.  Don't plan on saving to go because the games will never be played.

USC football is in trouble because they play old fashion football with slow footed quarterbacks who can't pass.  Very poor recruiting.

Homer Sweeney

Will Heads Roll?

Yusmeiro Petit pitched one of the best games in Giants history last night.  He missed a perfect game by a few inches and one strike.  He only threw 95 pitches while  his pitching opponent Corbin  threw 114 or so in a game that took just 12 minutes over 2 hours to complete.  This was perfect example of how baseball should be played.  Yusmerio who we wrote about last week hit the corners with every type of pitch in really a classic example of how to pitch.  I must remind you that he had been cut twice by the Giants during the season to make room for who we are not sure but I am sure they must be great.  If I was Larry Baer I would be asking some pointed questions on who evaluates pitching in the Giants organization.  I think heads need to roll.. . .  Until Petit pitched such a great game this blog was going to be about a stupid play.  Petit was up at the plate bases loaded and one out.  Instead of just striking out and giving Pagan a chance to knock in a couple of runs he swings and hits into a double play,  

Homer Sweeney

Spring Training Follow Up and Arias

After watching the Giants play a few games in Arizona last spring I picked out four minor legue players to watch that wern't necessary on the Giants top 20 list.  Both Juan Perez and Johnny Monell had good enough seasons with Fresno to be part of the September call up.  Adam Duvall played 105 games mostly at thrd base for Richmond and hit .252 with 17 home runs.  Rudy Oropesa a very big first baseman split the season between San Jose and Richmond hitting .201 for the Squirrels and .295 for the San Jose Giants.

Is this a warning?  The Giants now have Pagan back leading off, Sandoval has lost 25 pounds and Belt has learned to be a very consistent hitter and they are still losing. . .   I can't believe that a last place team like the Giants can keep Joaquin Arias on the bench.  He has proven when he plays he hits and did you see how quickly he turned the double plays against the Padres playing second base for one of the few times in his career.  Krukow mentioned last night n TV  that it was good to see Scurato back in the lineup replacing Arias who only had three hits the previous night.  The Giants play favorites especially at second and short and it will really hurt when they lose Arias to free agency.

Homer Sweeney

Giants Lose Series Have Losing Road Trip

After losing Tuesday night when Pagan led off three innings by getting on base and didn't score once the Giants began to wonder how do you score runs.  It was nothing new they have been doing it all year.  This afternoon they changed their approach by hitting six home runs including three by Pablo as they salvaged the last game of a three game series with the Padres.  They lost five out of nine of their three city road trip.  Now they return to AT&T the park that can destroy anybodies confidence in hitting.  It is a glorious park but very unfair to hitters which is one of the major reasons the Giants don't hit.  Move in the fences and eliminate triples alley.

There have been a number of players brought up from the minors with an golden opportunity  to show what they can do.  They sure have, Nothing!  Although the comments after the game were favorable for Lincecum  I thought he pitched lousy.  Too many 3-2 pitches that weren't even near the plate.  Dump him!

A quick note on the Bay Bridge.  The pictures who the new part looking beautiful but it still takes just as long to get across the bridge.  Now I read where the cronies are not satisfied with their billions they ripped off from the taxpayers of California and they now want to work on improving the west side of the bridge.  I am sure they will get their way with legislators who have never heard of the eighth commandment of God.

Homer Sweeney

Kuiper Can Hardly Wait

Duane Kuiper remarked yesterday during the Giants lack luster loss to the Padres that he can hardly wait until Friday when he can drive across the new east end of the Bay Bridge.  The Chronicle headlines had the guts to say the bridge opened ahead of schedule.  For nearly twenty five years commuters have been risking their lives daily driving over the dangerous old Bay Bridge.  People are going to love it!  Well we know those cronies of the politicians who ripped off the tax payers big time for this project are already enjoying their gold.  The cost was four times the original estimate proposed by liars and agreed to by even worst liars. Even Governor Brown didn't want to be associated with the opening most likely concluding that pictures taken at the event could be used against him if he decides to run again for governor..  If  they built bridges in 1930's like they do almost hundred years later, Marin County would be the dairy capital of the world.  Hey, Duane celebrate by having a glass of milk on the way over to AT&T.

Homer Sweeney

Who is Yusmeiro Petit?

How does Sabean finds these guys?  What a genius!  The latest Giant find is pitcher Yusmerio Petit pronounced like small not like the fifty year old  Yankee and ex Astro pitcher.  Petit pitched very well for six innings during this last week in leading the Giants to two victories..  How do the Giants find these guys?  Desperation!  Petit impressed the Giants in spring training earning him a spot on the Fresno staff.  I don't how many Fresno pitchers were called up to rescue a faltering Giants staff before they called Petit.  They needed innings.  Sure enough he got his chance in the third inning of a game kept the opposition to a run or two for five innings and then got sent out for assignment.  The other team scouts are as bad as the Giants and he was not claimed so he signed again with Fresno. Finally more panic set in with their almost billion dollar pitching staff in ruins he got his opportunity and everybody is wondering how do the Giants do it. You be the judge. 

Homer Sweeney

Who Will Return?

The Giants took off from Phoenix after taking the series from the DBacks 2 game to 1 and on the mind of many of the players is the question, who will return next February to Scottsdale?  That's the question that will be answered over the next few month by Sabean and his crew.  Many feel Sandoval will be  traded since this is his contract year and even though he has lost nearly 25 lbs they can't trust him.  Even with the less poundage he hasn't really hit like the 'old' Panda.  I believe the Panda and Pence will be back along with the infield.  Changes will definitely be made in the pitching staff and the Giants would certainly want a new look in left field.  Many Giant farm hands are being given the opportunity to fill the void in left field but so far all have failed.

Will Lincecum return?  That's really the biggest question this fall.  If Lincecum pitches like he did Friday in Phoenix in the Giants 1-0 win he will be in demand and at least a couple to teams will offer him more then the Giants feel he is worth.  So in one sense you don't want him to be the old great Lincecum  in September.  If on the other hand he gets belted during the final month his demand will be low and perhaps even the Giants will lose interest.  So we don't want him to be too lousy either.  Lincecum will  return to Giants only if he has a mediocre so so month of September like he has pitched most of the season in which many teams lose interest and the Giants can fit him him in their budget.

All year long I have complained about Scurado bunting every time a batter leads off an inning with a double.  He did it again last Friday in the first inning.  This time however Belt hit a fly deep enough in center to score Payton from third for the only run of the game.  So look for Scurado in the future to continue the practice of bunting with a man on second and none out.  I have always maintained its the batter's responsibilty to knock in the run not just move the runner over to third were many times he dies as anyone who has watches baseball regularly can attest.

Homer Sweeney

What Will The Giants Do?

In the coming weeks there will all kinds of speculation on what the Giants will do for next year.  My thoughts as of late August follow:

-  They will keep Pence because if they don't then they will need two outfielders and it's hard enough trying to find one.

-  Torres is gone and Blanco might be back for a spring tryout if he gets a few hits in September.

-  Most people like myself say the Giants first need is a left fielder.   They are giving almost everyone in  the organization a shot at playing that position.  This is not however the Giants top priority which is obtaining a very good starting pitcher.  They want this pitcher to be number 3 behind Cain and Bumgarner.  If Lincecum comes back he will either be # 4 or a relief pitcher and Vogelsong # 5.

- Relief pitching took a big hit this year.  The injuries to Affeldt and Casilla really hurt because it forced other relief pitchers to adopt new roles which turned out to be a disaster.  They will love to resign Lopez but the Dodgers will offer him 10 million which the Giants will not want to match.  Competition for relief pitchers will be fierce in the free agency market making it very difficult to put a very solid staff together.

-  The infield is signed except for Arias who they could lose to free agency.  Scurato's age and back has been a bigger problem then expected.  According to the Giant 'experts' when Scurato's back is bothering him his bat speed slows.  Pablo is the key if he can continue to lose weight and avoid injuries the Giants can challenge almost anyone in the National League.  We look for Belt and Crawford to continue to develop and catching to be great with Posey and Sanchez who hopefully learned his lesson this year.

In summary the Giants will pursue a first class starting pitcher, try to find an outfielder that can hit with some authority and work to develop a solid releif staff.  That's easier said then done.

Homer Sweeney

Giants, Golf and the 49ers

Pablo's bat came to life during the last two games and as we know when he hits the Giants win.  Vogelsong just might have pitched himself to a 6.5 million contract for next year by shutting down the Pirates for eight innings. . . In the middle of the game Belt was on second with one out and Sandoval hit a blooper for a single.  Belt only advanced to third because he wasn't sure if the ball  would be caught.  In that situation I want the runner heading for home immediately.  Worse thing that can happen is a double play.  As it turned out today the Giants ended up with runners on first and third and bingo the next batter grounds into a DP.  No runs! .  .Golf gave us a preview of baseball proposed instant replay system today.  Tiger Woods hit a ball that he wanted relief  because it didn't land where he could hit it to the green. .  A golf official was called over and then he gets on the phone to call PGA HQ in Palm Beach Gardens, FL to an official who is watching tv, similar to the plan for baseball. The official relays back a message to the golf course telling the official to tell Tiger that he hit the ball to that location so it's his problem. . . Extra police were called to the 49er game because a number of fans were running on the field interrupting play since they  know the judge will let them off  free proving again today their are no consequences for actions.  By the end of the season it will very dangerous to go to Candlestick just like when Kezar was closing almost fifty years ago and bottles were flying and hitting people on the head

Homer Sweeney

The World of Sports

The Red Sox were in town this week and most everyone was most impressed with the team from Boston's improvement from worst to almost best in one year.  A number of factors were discussed but the one they forgot was fact that they fired manager Bobby Valentine who in one year almost destroyed a franchise. . .  Brian Sabean on TV the other day said what was obvious that all eight Giant players that participated in the World Baseball Tournament were effected negatively. . . The Lakers announced that they would wear black jerseys for some games this year which is a perfect fit for their funeral. . . Speaking of the NBA the Warriors signed Curry's brother who played at Duke but was not drafted.  They hope they can sneak him into a game when they want to give their star named Curry the day off.  Not a bad idea! . . .Remember Giant fans do not lose hope the lower the  team finishes the higher the draft choice and the Orange Black need some new talent. . . I have been disagreeing with those that say Sabean will dismantle the team after this season.  After the last two games I starting to change my mind. . . Antonio Smith of Houston got suspended for three games  for hitting a Miami player with the Dolphins helmet.  I would added to the penalty by saying that Smith had to play the rest of the season without a helmet. . .  Vida Blue was comparing the Pirates batting averages with the Giants the other night and noticed that the Giants were actually hitter at a higher average.  The only problem Vida is the Pirates hit with power and Giants hit singles. . .  I would play Pill in left field for two weeks straight against all types of pitching and then evaluate his play.  Pill was given a chance in left field in 2011 until he let a fly ball go over his head at hit the base of the wall.  That was the last time he played in the field.  Hope Bochy gives him a little more of an opportunity this time around.

Same Headline ---Stupid Play

The Giants lost two out of three to the Red Sox in a series that wasn't that close.  The Giants won Tuesday evening on a walk off walk by Scutaro.  Everybody was waiting for  the the last pitch  to be called a strike since it seemed to hit the corner.  But no it was a ball and even instant replay could have saved the Sox because you will not be able to challenge balls and strikes. . . The final game was horrible led by Scutaro's continual poor play at second base. . .If I didn't know better I would say Scutaro had a clause written in his contract that he gets to play any day he wants. . .  I still believe Arias should be playing everyday someplace in the infield.  When he plays regularly he hits. . . Scutaro slid into first base head first the other night and was out.  When you look at the replay you see how he slows down when his belly hits the dirt. It is a stupid play because it easy to get hurt and it  is not faster then running across the bag.  On Sunday Sandoval was out when he dove head first into first causing bodies of the pitcher and the first baseman  to go flying all over first base.  A video on the Giants website mentioned that Pablo got spiked on the play.  He probably did but he also hurt his back.  This has caused Sandoval to miss three more games because he made a stupid play.  The suggested cause of the back problem  has been the long 5 1/2 hour flight home from Florida.  I can't believe Sandoval sat the entire trip.  I read that Sandoval has hired his brother as his private chief and the results are showing since Pablo has reportedly lost 22 pounds since the All Star break..  I like to see how much the brother weighs. 

Homer Sweeney

The 49ers

I am loyal and rapid 49er fan and have been since they began in 1946.  However I am afraid they are going to learn a real lesson this season.  Don 't lose the Super Bowl!  For the last  fifty years the Super Bowl loser  has not returned to the game the next year. . .  The 49ers have had outstanding  teams in the last couple years built on excellent drafts and solid free agency signings.  How could they blow the 2012 draft?  I wrote last year along with many others that they knew that their first  round draft choice Jenkens was a bust and he proved it.  Now he has been traded.  James the second round choice is an over rated back.  He has trouble picking up blocking assignments and has had a strong tendency to put the ball on the ground.   Hunter whose injury last year was a big blow to the team is a much more reliable back and if he returns to full strength should play ahead of James.

Homer Sweeney

Stupid Baseball!

The Giants lost Sunday to split the season series with the Marlins three games each.  The Orange and Black played stupid baseball Sunday.  Their relief staff is shaky at best and cannot hold a one run lead. With the score tied in the 6th inning the Giants got the first two men on base.  Instead of trying to break the game open they played for one run and gave the Marlins an out by having Arias bunt the runners to second and third.  Up steps Scurtaro bad back and all as a pinch hitter and he pops up and then Blanco makes the last out.  No runs.  Another loss!

Looking back to last April . . .  We mentioned at the start of the season that Sanchez should be sent to Fresno to learn to hit again.  It took the Giants about six weeks but they finally did it and now he is back  hitting the ball with authority. . .   We also said from the beginning that Belt should bat third.  He has earned it recently with his new bat grip but he is now hit less in the last two games. . . Right from the start we thought Crawford should bat higher in the lineup especially against right handed pitchers.  He looks like an excellent # 2 hitter. . . We mentioned that when Sandoval goes on the DL it is not just 15 days but weeks you lose his bat because it takes him so long to get his swing back.   His slump this year was even longer and it is pretty clear when Sandoval doesn't hit the Giants lose. . . Last year I worried about Blanco because he went 0 for two months after the Giants lost Melky.  He had the same slump this year . . .  Pill started the season with the Giants and was sent to Fresno because he was not playing or hitting.  He returned a few weeks ago  after having a very good season at Fresno.  Giant management said this time he was going to play.  Sure he will.  He ran for Sanchez last night. . . The Marlin starting pitcher Koehler threw over the first base eight times trying to pick Blanco off.  Blanco was not the potential winning run in the eighth inning but the first batter of the game.  This is a prime example of why baseball games are long and drawn out.  But no two teams will take a back seat to the Red Sox and the Yankees who took over four hours to complete their nine inning game Sunday night.  Alex Rodriquez was hit by a pitch Sunday.  It took Dempster four tries but he finally nailed him.  The umpire Brian O'Nora warned both benches which sent Yankee manager Joe Girardi into a complete frenzy.  After  the game the ESPN 'baseball experts' commented that they were surprise that the Yankees did not retaliate.  The 'experts' missed the retaliation.  During the middle game ex-Giant and Yankee catcher Chris Steward happen to miss a fast ball that plunked the umpire right in upper part of the chest.  Was the catcher crossed up by the pitcher?  Sure he was! . . . Justin Miller, 35 former Giant and major league pitcher died recently in Florida.  Baseball  made him wear long sleeves because he had so many tattoos distracted the batter.  It was known as the Justin Miller Rule.  I still trying to find out if they have discovered the cause.  If it was blood poisoning do you  think they would announced it and send many athletes into a death fearing sweat.

Homer Sweeney

Who Will Be The Giants TV Coach?

As Shepherd Smith said today on his Fox news show the seven hour Red Sox Yankees games are here. He was commenting on the fact that instant replay would be expanded next year for major league baseball.  Leave it to Bud Selig to make the games slower and longer.  Most responses I heard support instant replay.   Get the call right that's all that matters.  But you do not get to challenge balls and strikes just were most games are decided by the umpire.  Each manager will get three challenges.  Can you imagine the new TV coach sitting in the clubhouse watching the game sending messages to the manager on whether to challenge the call.  Managers will not challenge until they get the approval of the TV coach. So the runner who thinks he beats a throw to first will stumble fake an injury and cry on the shoulder of the coach until the TV coach has a chance to review the replay.  Players make errors, umpires make mistakes and have done it for years.  That's the game.  We don't live in a perfect world!

Look what is  done for football.  Isn't it great.  Nobody knows what a completed pass is anymore.

Homer Sweeney

Hooray For Hector!

Hector Sanchez the injured, over weight and out of shape second string catcher who has spent months in Arizona and Fresno has finally arrive in shape and ready to hit again.  Wednesday night in the ninth inning Pence hit sure game winning double that was caught and  instead ended the game.  Sanchez watching from  the dugout knew the only one way to prevent it from happening it again was to to hit it out of the park.  It was Sanchez first major league homer of the season a three run shot that gave the Giants a 4-3 victory there only win in the three game series.  The Giants elimination number from the NL West  is now 16.

Friday Night Prediction:  KC Chiefs 24 SF Forty Niners 6.

What Has Bochy Said All Year?

I read were Bruce Bochy said that Chris Davis home run  Saturday was one of hardest hit balls he had seen.  No kidding!  I guess he forgets about the 2010 spring training hit Davis got against the Giants up in Surprise, AZ.  I remembered it. . . . The Giants are getting pretty good starting pitching lately only to find they are still losing meaning that they need more hitting and a revised relief corp. . .Bochy has said all year long, 'are bats need to come alive'.  Time is running out.  Sabean, are you listening?  The Giants are currently 15 games behind in last place in the NL West.  They  need to win 34 out of their remaining 52 games even to have a chance to tie in  the West.  The 1951 Giants won something 37 or their final  45 to tie the Dodgers. . . . I noticed over the years when a player in almost any sport returns from an injury his second game not his first is the most important.  It will be interesting to see how Vogelsong does this week in his second start.

Homer Sweeney  

A Few Observations

The Giants blew a big opportunity in the ninth inning that would have won last night's game against the Orioles.  Brandon Belt looks like a great hitter.  Is he fooling us again?  He has hit well at times in the past then quickly slips into a tantrum at the plate that lasts for weeks. . . I thought Vogelsong looked confident and relaxed on the mound which is good sign for the future. . . Rookie Roger Kieschnick was up with a chance to win it in the ninth.  Watching on Baltimore TV he was thrown the same pitch six times all way below the strike zone and he swung and missed at three of them. He is not the answer because he does hit the ball with authority. . . I wrote recently that I thought Chris Davis of the Orioles was the most impressive player at the All Star game. I guess Bochy did not see what I saw since he intentionally walked a batter last night to get to Davis in the 10th inning who promptly hit the ball 400 feet for a game winning double.  It was more lefty righty BS.

Homer Sweeney

Belt the Hero! and NFL Friday Night Football

Brandon Belt hit a three run homer in the first inning enabling the Giants to hold on and beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-1.  We said back in April that this season Belt would have fewer slumps and they would be shorter.  Wrong!  There have been more and they are longer.  Belt has been a big disappointment.  How about Pill who they brought up  and said  that he will play this time.  I think he got something like eight hits in his first three games and has hardly played recently. .

The NFL Thursday Night Football started tonight.  Very seldom if ever does one  see an NFL game or even an NCAA game of significance on a Friday night.  That night is reserved for the high schools.  But schools have changed and Friday is now a goof off day so many games are played on Thursday night in competition with the both the NFL and NCAA.  Both the NFL and the NCAA have complained that high school football is cutting into their TV revenue and they should stop scheduling games on a night that students should be studying.    Is the next step NFL Friday Night Football? Why not?  The high schools would not have an argument.

Homer Sweeney

Some Thoughts

Yesterday I received an email informing me that the Giants won thanks to poor umpiring and a horrible Milwaukee defense.  The pitcher for the Brewers had an 0-9 record this year in the minor leagues and the Giants were lucky to win. . . . Last year following the All Star break Scurado had 44 rbi's.  In fact I called him an rbi machine.  This year after a couple weeks following the break he is yet to have one rbi. . .. I heard that starting a week before the All Star game Pablo Sandoval has lost 19 lbs.  My wife watching the games on TV even noticed.  Pablo is proving  that weight makes no difference.

Homer Sweeney

The Barry Bonds Hangover!

The long awaited over blown baseball PED suspensions were announced today and absent from the list were Melky Cabrera and Bartolo Colon because they had paid for their crime last year.  The Giants with the impression that they were the drug kings of baseball and that the Barry Bonds  scandal was still fresh in many minds refused to even consider signing Melky Carbrera this year even though they were in desperate need of a left fielder.  Did they over react?  Colon got the same penalty for the same crime, served his time, returns to A's and got invited the All Star game an nobody said a word. . . Remember when Barry Bonds set baseball's home run  record there were those who said don't worry a real clean  player Alex Rodriquez would soon over take Bonds and baseball will have well respected worthy all time home run  king.  Sure we will! . . One fact that was clear with all the comments about this scandal is that players are rarely tested.

Homer Sweeney

Three Wins!

Just when you began to think the Giants would never win again they turned around and won three games on their just concluded road trip beating the Phillies twice and Tampa Bay once.  Their Elimination number is now 18.  Eighteen more Giant losses and it will be impossible for them to win the NL West which means they would have to play .650 baseball in the remaining weeks.  The way the Dodgers are playing even if the Giants win all of their 52 remaining games they might not be able to catch LA.

Some thoughts. . . Did you see Francoeur throw a Phillies runner out at the plate on a single to deep left field.  Very impressive.  Now if he could only hit even left handers! . . . Kieschnick will have to learn not to slide spikes flying which I think went out with 'Pepper' Martin in the 1930's.   Poor Brandon Belt paid for it by getting beaned in the helmet. . .   It took them months but the Giants are not having Pence bat behind Posey which we said should have been done in April.  It would not have made a big difference anyway. . .   Duane Kuiper said Sunday that the Giants need a player who can hit a home run at least once in awhile.  Where have I heard that before? . . . These next seven weeks will be like a try out for next year for many veterans and rookies. . . I would like to see the Giants  bring back Perez to play center field for a few weeks.  He was solid in the field and showed he has a great arm.  Major league pitching was a little too much the first time through but perhaps he has learned to adapt. . . Bochy admitted today that he thought the World Baseball Congress effected Vogelsong.  No kidding!  Remember he pitched an additional month in 2012.

Homer Sweeney

Plan B

It is always good to have a backup plan.  After watching the last two games of the Cub series it would seem to me that Giants would not go too wrong by implementing my Plan B.  It is a very simple plan. Make us an offer we can't refuse!

Homer Sweeney

My Plan for the Giants

When new ownership took over the Dodgers and pledged unlimited resources to win the Giants ignored it saying we have to run our own team.  They better not ignore it anymore and take a good look at their budget.  That's the first step.

How the Giants won last year with out much power is still a mystery to me other then the fact great pitching covers many sins.  The great pitching is gone meaning that the Giants top two needs are pitching and power hitting.

The needs are easy to determine but fixing them is another story and may be impossible at least for a couple of years. However, I would not dismantle the team and would build from the strengths they do have.  These suggestions I believe are reasonable.

The number one needs is a power hitting left fielder.  The answer this year was signing Torres.  They need a left fielder that can scare people.  Vida Blue has said on a number of occasions in the pre-game show that the Giants lineup does not scare him.  A power hitter in the lineup makes everybody better.  Then you can afford to have a first baseman that hits only ten home runs

A power hitter makes Pence a better hitter.  He has always hit well when he has good hitters around him.  He wants to play with the Giants so I think they can sign him for the future  even though some teams may out bid them.  Pagan has been signed for years to play center field and his absence from the lineup has hurt the team this year.

Next years pitching staff has Cain and Bumgardner to anchor them.  Hopefully Vogelsong and Goudain can pitch adequately.  Zito will be gone and so will Lincecum most likely.  They will need to obtain a fifth starter and up grade their relief staff.  

The infield is under contract so will probably remain the same.  Belt has been a big disappointment but there only choice is to move Sandoval or Posey to first full time.  Pill proved that he is not the answer.  Scudaro with a bad back will be at second, Crawford at short even though his play has dropped off in recent weeks.  Arias will most likely be signed by another team to be a shortstop.  I am not sure if Arias  played everyday that he would be better then Crawford. 

When Sandoval hits the Giants are a different team.  They need him.  He has to be told how he has let the team down this year by being out of shape which has caused injuries, poor fielding and lack of power hitting. We knew this year he  would be out of shape because he was the MVP of the World Series even though he was way over weight.  Major league teams have to take chances and the Giants will need to continue to take a chance with Sandoval.

Posey will continue to be the catcher and one of the best players in the league and perhaps Sanchez has learned his lesson and will report in shape this year and not turn into another Sandoval.

Homer Sweeney

One Game Out

The Giants are now only one game out of last place in the NL West thanks to another loss this time to the Chicago Cubs in the ninth inning.  Belt was the goat both on the base paths and in the field.  It was just a bad game.  No it wasn't! Belt has been playing lousy for quite awhile dropping relay throws forgetting to get his cut off  position in addition to not hitting much with power.  The magic elimination number is now 21.   Twenty-one more losses in the next sixty games and it will be  impossible for the Giants to win the West.

More Porn!

We can't escape it - - -porn is everywhere.  Since Chronicle Live has been replaced by a Yahoo show it has gone down hill reflecting the Yahoo mind set.  Yesterday the show publicized Karri Walsh and the upcoming beach volleyball season showing her poising nude for ESPN a leading porn magazine.. We all have seen scenes of women playing beach volleyball and I remember very well Kelly Rippa when she was with Regis saying on their show that the required beach volleyball attire was certainly the work of 'dirty old men.'  A Catholic prophecy from the 16th century said that in the 20th century woman would lose their modesty.

Homer Sweeney 

Now It's 22!

It was almost a miracle that the Giants were able to take one game out of seven from the Cincinnati Reds this season.  It was a slaughter!  The Giants elimination number is now 22 and it really might be a low as 18 the way the Dodgers continue to win.

Other Sports:  Kent Brazemore had a little fun with ESPN during the Summer League Championship game by writing 499 on his shoes which represents the fact that ESPN rated him number 499 out 500 players in the NBA.  Brazemore stared last summer and played well when asked this year for the Warriors proving again why ESPN has to deal in porn to stay in business.  Their knowledge of  sports is over rated big time!

I read that the 49ers opened practice.  What have they been doing all year?

Homer Sweeney

Elimination Number Now 24

Let's be honest neither the DBacks nor the Giants looked like world beaters this past weekend in a three game series won by the Giants 2 games to 1.  The Dodgers won three more and if they keep it up the NL West will be over before any trade is made making the Giants elimination number more like 10 then 24. . ..  If Pablo is still with the Giants next year the team plans on changing his number from 48 to 02 to better reflect his count at the plate. . . The Giant announcers K & K made a very interesting comment in the game Sunday.  They cannot believe how many hitters take the 2-0 pitch instead like in the past taking a good cut  at what should be a pretty good pitch to hit.  This is just another reason the games are so long trying to get the pitch count up on the opposing pitcher. . . Jeremy Affeldt got hurt again and this time he will be out probably to the end of the season.  That's a real blow since the Giants relief staff has been very weak.  At least Jeremy will have more time to promote his book. . . Thanks to ESPN we again get to see the Red Sox and Yankees on national TV.  The miracle is the fact that it is not raining in Boston.

Homer Sweeney  

Becoming a Giant Fan

The 1951 New York Giants the National League champions were 13 1/2 games behind the Brooklyn Dodgers with 45 games to play.  The 2013 team finds themselves 5 1/2 games out with 67 to play. There is still time for the '13 Giants since history has shown that anything can happen in a pennant race. The Giants elimination number for this season is 25 while in 1951 it was 8.  The Giants won 37 of those last 45 games to tie Brooklyn on the last day that led to the playoffs with Bobby Thompson hitting the famous home run  heard around the world.  I remember being at Kezar Stadium waiting for the start of a 49er game and updates of Giant game were being spread among the crowd until finally the word came that the Giants had won and tied  Brooklyn for first place.  The Giants excited San Franciscan's even before they moved west.  From that point on I was a Giant fan.

Homer Sweeney

Further Thoughts Following the All Star Game

I was most impressed with Chris Davis of the Orioles the way he handled the home run derby and batted during the All Star game.  I remember well when he was with Texas a home run he hit in an Arizona spring training  game that was crushed over the center field wall . . .  TV didn't show it but the internet has the teen age kid running on the field at the All Star game.  The Mets ground crew really nailed him with a beautiful tackle.  Now the idiot faces one year in jail  and $6,000 fine.  If it happened in SF the judge would probably would leave him off easy since his lawyer would tell the judge the poor kid  thinks he has four fathers and five mothers. . . Thanks to Bud Selig baseball  instant replay is a joke and everybody knows it.  Umpires running under the stands to view a hit to see if it is a home run or not with the score already 10-0.  Baseball games are not won or lost by a missed play at first or second or a home run call.  Most games are decided by the home plate umpire on the two strike pitch.  The batter hands are tied when the ump call a ball low an outside strike two and it happens in many games. . .  ESPN EPSY Awards were given out this week in sports answer to being just as phoney as everyone else.  The best team was the Miami Heat.  Are you kidding me,!  The Miami Heat was a a team with one player a guy named James that won the NBA title for them.  The San Francisco Giants should have been the award winner  of the year because they didn't have the best players but showed tremendous spirit and desire a mark of a great team.  Colin Kaepernick also won an ESPY.  You think the 49ers won the Super Bowl instead of Kaepernick loosing it!  Now they need to get him a new helmet two sizes larger so it will fit. . . . Just when I thought ESPN could not sink any lower they hire back Keith Olbermann  an Ivy League graduate  that lets everybody know he is smarter then everyone else.  Too bad he sounds like an idiot and that's why he has been fired so many times. A lesson for parent's  if you wish your children to grow up and learn to get fired send them to an Ivy League school  Teaching attitude is not their strong point.  That's why most of their graduates end up working for the US Government a noble organization that very few trusts. Today's news is a perfect example.  Remember during the Obama Care discussions it was said by the President and the head of HHS plus others  that everyone could keep their health insurance and doctor.  Now HHS is saying maybe one can keep their doctor and insurance.. . Just returned from viewing the traveling Vietnam War Memorial which is in Irvine this week.  That war is another prime example of how not to trust the US Government that many learned the hard way.

Homer Sweeney

The All Star Game

The 2013 All  Star game honored our servicemen and women who have given so much for this country.  The game also honored Mariano Rivera for his achievements during his great career.  Bruce Bochy must have thought he was managing the Giants with the National League managing only three hits in their 3-0 loss.  Jim Leyland managed to win so that the AL could have the home field advantage in the World Series.  He hopes he was doing it for his Tigers but I am afraid it will the Oakland A's that will be representing the AL in the series.  In recent years ever since Tony La Russa introduced the idea one inning only for pitchers the game has been dominated by pitching. Tonight it was even more difficult for the hitters with a very pitcher friendly umpire calling the strikes.   Was all that voting really worth it?

Homer Sweeney

1946 A Great All Star Game

The year 1946 saw the return of all of our servicemen and women  who risked their lives to destroy one tyrant but unfortunately by their efforts assisted in the advancement of another.  The baseball players returned and the year 1946 from the majors to the San Francisco Seals was great. The Seals drew over 700,000 people for the season featuring two future major league all stars Ferris Fain and Larry Jansen.

The 1946 All Star game was exciting for me because the game was broadcast by Mel Allen on the radio direct from Fenway Park sponsored by Gillette Blue Blades.  Ted Williams the great Red Sox slugger was the story.  In the last of the eighth inning he hit one of Rip Sewell's  'Eephus pitch' well into the bleachers sending the crowd into a frenzy. The 'eephjus pitch' looked like a pitch one would see in a slow pitch softball game.

Today it is hard to imagine:

- that  one of the starters from tonight's game in New York even playing the eighth inning.  Most of them by that time will be on a plane. 

-  that Gillette would sponsor major league baseball today with so many player looking like complete slobs one trying to out do the other.

-  that there will ever be another all star like Ted Williams. Ted hit .406 in 1941 and then missed the next three seasons in the prime of his career fighting World War II as a Captain in the Marine Corp.  He played  six games in 1952 before being called to fight the Korean War to help stop the tyrant of Word War II the US supported who was getting too powerful  and then he  finally returned to the Red Sox for the last month in 1953 season.  

Homer Sweeney

      

My Opinions

These are strictly my opinion and I know they cross generation lines but so what!

ESPN did a horrible job of covering the home run derby.  They played favorites which was obvious.  Poor Alvarez of the Pirates hardly got a tumble.  When he was up they were interviewing other people and hardly even mentioned him.  Poor Pittsburgh still doesn't get any respect.  I guess he wouldn't pose in the nude for ESPN's pron sports magazine.  The winner Cepedes from the A's is hitting.225 this year a real surprise and disappointment.   I thought he would tear the league a part.  Harper reminds me of the guy in the commercial getting a haircut an the gal leaves her job in the middle of the haircut.  That's what his hair looks like.  In this day of no opinions I am sure his team mates with the Nationals make him feel good  by saying how 'cute' his hair looks.  The Giants nomination for the derby Tanaka was not chosen.

It was easy to tell the derby was being played in New York.  The Mets play at Citi Field which should really be called Taxpayer Field for the bailouts the bank received from the taxpayer compliments  of our elected representatives who love to take money from the citizens to give to their cronies.  Then last night the winner of the derby got a GM Truck.  Another taxpayer bailout.  I believe at last count the taxpayers have lost about 11 billion dollars on the deal.  By the way have you noticed how the price of all new cars have soared every since the US Government got involved.  The fix is in. 

The Giants have a little over 40% of their schedule remaining and cannot afford to lose more then 25 games.  We know that they have been a disappointment to date and here is my opinion on some of the players.

What happen to the starting pitching?  It is obvious that the longer season,  the short off season and  the World Baseball Congress all did not help.  The failure of the starters led to demise of the relief staff because they had to pitch too much.  And just maybe their arms have had it. NFL running backs can take only so many hits while major league pitchers only have so many split fingers in their arms.

1st base -  I have been a supporter of Belt since he joined the Giants.  Now I believe he is the Looney of the Giants.  He will hit around.250 with 12 home runs win a few games but over all not be good enough to play his position in the majors  Looney was a failure as  the first baseman for Dodgers until Tampa Bay took a gamble on him. 

2nd base - Scurato is in the the All Star game.  He had  an all star part of the season last year with the Giants and that is the reason he was chosen by Bochy this year.  His batting average is still  good but his clutch hitting has not been like his amazing season last year.  His fielding has been very poor  at second base.  Secretly the Giants which they could play Abreau everyday to see if he can handle the job.

3rd base -  Over weight out of shape and often injured.  It happens every year but when he hits the Giants win when he doesn't they don 't.  It's that simple.  Pablo is a  major disappointment.  He is very immature and I am not sure he will every grow up.

Shorstop -  Crawford slumped recently partly because of his injured hand but overall has done a very good job for the Giants.  The Giants should consider playing Arias against some left handed pitchers.

Outfield -  The loss of Pagan made a poor outfield worse.  The Giants refuse to pay for a left fielder that can scare a few people like Cuddyer who they probably could have had as a free agent. Pence started great but has slumped. He supports other hitters very well but he slumps when the team slumps. 

Catcher - Posey has done the job but he can't carry the team himself.  Sanchez ruined his season by not reporting to spring training in shape and 'Q' has done an adequate job filling in.

The foundation is still there but a serious reevaluation of the team is needed now.  My recommendations will follow in the near future. I am sure Brian Sabean would wish I would hurry.

Homer Sweeney

Back To Reality

Tim Lincecum pitched a no hitter Saturday night to highlight the Giants series win  over the San Diego Padres.  The questions still remain regarding Lincecum.  Is he a starter, a reliever or should the Giants  trade him?  Will he be able to pitch effectively again this year after throwing 148 pitches Saturday?  Speaking of not pitching I did not hear one word about Cain.  Does he have a bad arm and the Giants aren't talking?  We should hear Friday after the All Star game break.  The real lesson is don't give long term contracts to players unless you are going to have an unlimited budget like the Yankees and Dodgers.

Do the Giants still have a chance to win the NL West?  Yes, but is it reality? Baseball experts feel you need 90 wins at least to win a division.  But it can be done with 86.   To win 86 games the Giants would have to win 43 of their remaining 68 games playing at .630 clip to accomplish the goal.  To keep track draw a poster with numbers 1 to 25 and when the Giants lose a game cross out a number starting with 25 and work backwards.

The Padres tied a major league record by having four different uniforms for a four game series.

Homer Sweeney

Sellers, Stupid, Porn and Dairy Farms

It was great while it lasted!  It's now time for the Giants to begin retooling for next year.  Three more losses this time to the Mets should have been the final blow.  Who will the Giants dump?  Stay tuned to find out. One piece of advice is make sure that the Giants  get a solid prospect or player in return.

The Zack Wheeler trade came back to haunt the Giants today.  It was mentioned that if Posey did not get hurt in 2011 they may have never made the trade for Beltran because they might not have needed that additional bat that had been lacking during the season.  Isn't it ironic that Giants did not sign Beltran at the end of that season and now he the starting all star for the National League.

The Giants continue to play stupid baseball.  Scutaro was batting third for Giants Tuesday and he came up to the plate with two on and none out.  He bunts!  Why?  The number three batter is suppose to knock in runs.  Sandoval eventually grounded out bringing in one run but the chance to score a few runs was again wasted.  If I was Bochey I would inform Scurado not to bunt unless he is told to do so if he wants to play regularly.

Colin Kaerpernick the spoiled 49er QB has been in the news lately poising for the leading sports porn magazine ESPN and then got caught wearing a Miami Dolphins hat.  You think he won the Super Bowl instead of blowing it!

The Warriors continue to wheel and deal and make headlines.  Did they make the right decisions?  I hope their logo is not a sign.  Today when I did my daily walk around the nearby lake I wore an old 'The City' 't'  shirt with probably the most famous bridge in the world , the Golden Gate Bridge across the front.  Now they have the  new Bay Bridge tower as an emblem representing one the biggest fiascoes of all time.  The 1989 earthquake happened almost 25 years ago and  the span was determined to be unsafe.  Twenty-five years later still no new bridge.  If they built bridges in the 1930's like they do today Marin County would still be full of dairy farms.

Homer Sweeney

The Giants, the All Stars, the NBA and Fantasy Football

The first game of the Dodger series was a night mare. Urbie who hit 24 homers for the Giants in 2010 and when he left for the Dodgers  with a 3 year 21 million dollar contact I feared the worst.  The Giants were paying him around 2 million. It didn't happened until last Friday when Juan  had 7 rbi's and killed the Giants. . .The big story Saturday was that the Giants hit out of order in the first inning costing them a run.  Vince Scully told a story that in 1950 the Cubs were playing the Dodgers and a Cub hit bases loaded double in the ninth inning to win the game.  The Dodgers waited until the ninth inning to complain to the umpire that the Cubs were hitting out of order. What timing!   

Vince Scully also mentioned that he did not recognize Sandoval because he had gained so much weight  and  he  describes Pablo as wobbling down to first base.  The Giants told us that  he was losing weight during his DL stint.  The Giants sound like the US Government -- one lie after another.

The Giants lost a tough game Sunday to lose the series proving again that they need some type of hitter with some pop.  The baseball world keeps referring to the Giants miracle win in the playoffs last year.  Maybe   the entire season was a miracle.

The American and National League have chosen most of their All  Star squads of 34 players to play one game.  All they need is nineteen.  I would  rather see the Giant players get  rest but  Scurado deserves to go on his great play last year and his good play this year when his 37 year old back is not acting up.  The recent slump by the team even turned off the Giant all star voters.  The game is being played at Citi Field home of the New York Mets that should really be named Taxpayer Field for obvious reasons.

The Dodger shortstop Hanley Ramirez is on a terror.  Years ago when he started with the Florida Marlins most people said that if they had to start a new team he would be their first choice.  He did everything.  Then he slumped for years and was finally delt  to the Dodgers were he has not been that great either.  But now he is hitting the cover off the ball. Looks suspicious?  It does to me.

Both the Giants and Dodgers made bids for Miami pitcher Ricky Nolasco.  He was  traded to the Dodgers not because they had better minor league players to offer but they include $5 million the Giants did not have in their budget.  Remember when the Dodger new ownership took over and they announced that money was no object. The Giant brass responded by saying we can't worry about the Dodgers we have to run our own team.  We all would like to believe that you can't buy a championship.  The Dodgers may prove us wrong this year although I don't think they  have the pitching to win it all. 

Have the Warriors improved themselves?  The best good news is that they did not sign Dwight Howard who sounds great on ESPN radio but wait to his team loses a few games.  He's a bum!. The Warriors were thrilled to sign Andre Iguodala who played last year for Denver. They lost a couple players that never played much but also ended up losing Landry and Jack who as I remember were always playing late in the fourth quarter and were very instrumental in many the teams victories.  How are they going to make this up?  The Warriors are dreaming.  They look good on paper but injuries will prevent them from returning to the playoffs next year.

Many of my friends are frantically reviewing the players in the NFL to pick their fantasy teams.  Just a reminder to take into consideration how many games these players will not play because they might be in jail something that most experts do not take into consideration. 

Homer Sweeney


 

BART and Baggarly

Andrew Baggarly who does a great job covering the Giants mentioned this stat which  is astounding --- Crawford, Sandoval, Blanco 1 for 73 and add to this Pence 2 for 25.  Help!

Just heard that BART has called off their strike for 30 days.  This will make my daughter Jane very happy.  Her family together with friends are planning a  trip to SF to see the Giants over the July 20 weekend.  They normally fly Jet Blue out of Long Beach to Oakland, hop on Bart to SF and this time they are staying at the Embarcadero Hyatt Regency a few steps from BART and within walking distance for most people to AT&T.  Trip saved!  However if I was running BART I would not let the BART workers back until an agreement is reached.  The same problem will occur again in 30 days.   The George Soros led SEIU strike to hold daily passengers hostage failed.

Homer Sweeney

Rain Saves the 4th!

The rains came on the 4th of July preventing the Giants  from losing four straight to the Reds. Thanks to a two run homer by Abreau the Giants forced Cincinnati to go eleven inning to win the third game of the series which saw sixteen Giants strike outs. 

History Repeats:  Last year we wrote our concerns about Blanco when he went 0 for two months during the summer.   He's doing the same thing this year.  We also wrote at the beginning of this year that when Sandoval goes on the DL you not only lose him for those fifteen days but for the weeks following.  The ads are out for Giant fans to get ten new email addresses so they can jam the ballot box voting for the Panda to be the All Star third baseman for the National League.  Voting like this and not having a rule  that starters must play nine innings makes a mockery of game   We chronicled  last year how the votes should be counted similar to electoral votes so that one city cannot take control of the game.  The good news is that the Giants will have their best pitchers going against the surging Dodgers.. .

Baseball Fan:  Speaking of the Dodgers one of my daughters friends is an avid Los Angeles fan.  She  traveled back to New York to see the Dodgers play in Yankee Stadium.  The game was rained out and a friend had given her very good seats for a game in Philadelphia the next day.  No problem.  She attended the make up  game the next day at Yankee Stadium and then drove to Philadelphia and got to the game in the sixth inning.  Fortunately for her the game went 12 innings that made the trip more worthwhile before driving on to DC to see that Nationals play.  Now that's a fan!  She would have a ball in Arizona during spring training  Incidentally she thought Yankee Stadium was fantastic.

Embarrassing

The Giants were no hit and dropped into last place in the NL West.  They have had two hits in two games against the Reds one a double by a pitcher the other a home run by Belt that would have been an out in most major league parks.  The Orange and Black are being mentioned in many trade talks which I hope are to build the team for next year. A  Bleacher Report recently mentioned that the Giants do not have one player in the minors that is marked to have a future in the majors. Good luck Sabean!

Homer Sweeney

Rain Comes Late

It poured in Cincinnati tonight  after the Reds had taken a commanding 8-1 lead cancelling the games after six innings saving the Giants bull pen but if the rain had come two hours earlier it could have prevented another Giant loss.  Watching games at AT&T you regularly hear the statement that a long drive would have been a home run in most any stadium in the majors.  Tonight Belt hit a home run that would have been an out in most parks.

During the rain delay we watched part of the Mets DBacks game.  The Mets had the winning run on second in the ninth inning and a pitch got away from the catcher with runner advancing to third but the runner on first whose run meant nothing tried to go to second and was thrown out.  Inning over.  These players get paid hugh salaries and don't understand the game.  It's really amazing that one can be so stupid and still earn millions.  There's hope for everyone.  Just develop a skill whether it's hitting baseballs or fixing pipes.  P.S. In the 13th inning Gibson the Arizona manager intentionally walked the winning run on base and it cost him.

Homer Sweeney

Wimbleton

It's been 58 years since I attended Wimbledon to see American stars like Tony Trabert play but that's not the big news.  The puzzling question is where are today's American male tennis stars who were eliminated from the All England Championships by the end of the second round.  Just look around America and you'll see one soccer field after another and very few tennis courts.  Is that clue enough.  There playing soccer!  People are still taught and believe the propaganda  that the US won World War II. 

Homer Sweeney

Are the Warriors Stupid?

The Warriors  went ahead against my adivce and ended up purchasing a draft choice the other night.  They picked up well known Nemanja Nedovic  from Serbia.  'we like his sized for a point guard'.  But can he play?  The first step is to see how he does in the upcoming Las Vegas Summer League.  Ooops, sorry!  He is under contract in Europe.  So he will come to camp in September as a complete unknown.  The Warriors had another European player Ognjen Kuzmic from a previous draft that was suppose to show what he could do but they found out he cannot play this summer because he is injured.  Does any European drafted in the second round for the future ever make it?

The bigger news is that Dwight Howard is being interviewed by the Warriors Tuesday.  Now I know that the Warriors are stupid!  If you want a player who won't play if he doesn't like what the coach is doing, and if he has a foot fungus will beg out of the game then sign Howard.  Dwight has proven in the last couple of years that he can destroy team chemistry and turn cheering fans into boo birds.

Homer Sweeney

Giants Win! Back in the Race

It is really hard to believe but the Giants finally won one game  and moved within three games of the lead in the NL West.  That's the good news!  The bad news is that they are one game from being in last place.   The Rockies gave the final game of the the three game series to the Giants with some very sloppy defense.  Posey continues to hit home runs and Sandoval although he got a gift hit today struck out three times.  On to Cincinnati for four more games.

Homer Sweeney

Will the Giants Trade the Panda?

The Giants will not trade Sandoval because they will not be offered enough in  return that will keep the Orange and Black family happy.  It's a tough time for the Panda not hitting, not fielding, not in shape, way over weight and the Giants losing one game after another.  Last year The Giants won and Sandoval  got hot during the post season leaving little incentive to get in shape for this year.  Soon if he hasn't already happened his teammates are going to start to wonder out loud how this guy has let them down.  Will Pablo learn his lesson?  Lets hope he turns over a new leaf gets in shape during the off season and proves next year to the Giants and the fans that he is truly one of the most talented players in major league baseball.

Homer Sweeney  

The Three S's and Dummies

The Giants were Sloppy, Stupid and Swept by the Dodgers in the just concluded three game series. In the eighth inning of the second game Tuesday is one example of sloppy play.  The Dodgers had a runner on first.  The next batter hits a double play ball  to Crawford who flipped to Scutaro who could not get the ball out of this glove and was late on the throw to first.  The next batter hit a smash through the legs of Sandoval who at 280 lbs is having trouble at third for an error.  Then the next batter hit another double play ball to Crawford and this time the short stop bobble enough to prevent the Giants from getting a double play. 

In the top of ninth the Giants showed their only life of the series.  They got  four hits in a row.  Then Perez is given the bunt sign.  I have said before never  give a team an out when you have them on the ropes. That is what I call stupid baseball. Perez failed to bunt and ended up flying out but the  bat was taken out of his hand and the Giants went quietly.  Is there any wonder the Dodgers swept the Giants easily. 

I can't believe the Giants 'experts' I hear on television to bring up Gary Brown that's the solution.  Every since his first year in Class A he has flopped big time.  These same experts feel the Giants will  bonce back because they are World Champions.  Yes they are champs but now without pitching.  The Giants will battle Colorado for the honor to push up daisey's in the NL West.  They should be sellers and not buyers at the trade deadline because that is where you can get a good deal.  Four players the Giants should consider trading if they can can get real solid prospects in return are Zito, Lincecum and Arias because of contract issues and Sandoval because he will always be a problem

Football Notes:  The NCAA slapped Oregon on the wrist indicating again that it is all about money.   After the penalties given to USC any other penalty is really nothing.. . Was glad to see with all the changes in conferences that USC will continue to play Notre Dame through 2023 a rivalry that dates back to 1926... USC was granted complete control of the Coliseum.  Don't be dumb USC, tear the place down like Stanford did and build a new stadium. . . I recently mentioned the NFL new rules for entering the stadium.  I must add that you are allowed to bring in a cell phone because they can and probably will monitor all your calls, a radio with an electronic device that can set off a bomb and there are exceptions for medical reason which  means that those that who need marijuana for medical reasons will be able to smoke in the no smoking stadium.  The NFL better be careful  for Uncle Sam will be after them for allowing their fans to destroy the 'O' Zone. On occasion when I and my  wife lungs weren't as clear as they should be our doctor prescribed 'ProAir  an oral inhalation prescription.  One of my wife's friend recently told her that her insurance company would not pay for this medication in the future because after you inhale and breathe out you  destroy the "O" zone.  I am not kidding and either  are those pot smoking Ivy league dummies in Washington who know it all.  Speaking of dummies but this one from Stanford, Chelsea Clinton gave a talk saying that she wished Planned Parenthood was around when her grandmother gave birth to a illegitimate child.  She was really saying she should not have been born and come to think of it either should have her mother.  Maybe she not so dumb after all.   The NFL is receiving many complaints about eliminating cushions from being brought into the stadium.  The NFL is telling them you should have paid $30,000 for a seat license if you wanted to be comfortable.  Oh yes  did you see that it was a good day for the NFL yesterday when only two players got arrested for attempted murder.  The heroes of the modern age

NBA draft is tonight and every there was a year not to have a pick this is the year.  I keep hearing the Warriors may trade for a pick.  They  can't be that dumb!

Homer Sweeney

Giants Still Over .500

There's lots of good news . . . The Giants are still over five hundred. . .  They avoided  being swept again by winning one of the four games against the last place Marlins. . .  It's time to play another last place team the Dodgers.. .The young pitcher Dunning looked good on Sunday.  .  The Giants hit one home run during week.  Hey that's better than none. I lost count of how many the Padres and Marlins hit. . ..Jeremy Affeldt has to wise up.  He has failed in his latest attempts to relieve.  In two of the three games he hit a left hand batter.  In both cases the batter stepped into and did not try to avoid the pitch.  So next time a left hand hitter is up drill him in the ribs. . .  Pablo Sandoval is the Class A Player of the weekend and I don't believe the Giants when they say he lost weight since he has been on the DL. . . The ball dude for Friday nights game along the right field line was a Giants fan who lives in Florida and comes to AT&T  when the Marlins are in town. . . All the Marlin announcers talked about Friday night was the city the weather and Chinatown . . .  I wonder what US Government agency is monitoring the Marlins because they have so many white American players.  Somebody in Washington has to be complaining.  I could not believe so many Italian names playing the sport Joe DiMaggio made famous.  Thought they all were playing soccer.. .  . .   Why does Sunday Night Baseball always pick rain drenched cities for their games?  They are as bad as the PGA..

Homer Sweeney

Paying for Stadiums

For years the NFL has ripped off local taxpayers by threatening to leave in order to get cities to build even bigger and more exclusive stadiums to use ten days a year.  This is no different than what is happening in Brazil which has seen millions riot against government corruption and methods of paying for Word Cup Soccer and the 2016 Olympic Games stadiums.  The masses don 't want to  pay extra for a bus ride so millionaire soccer players and Olympians can earn even more  at their expense.  We now know that the US government as been black mailing people for years and has the capacity and the law behind them to black mail any citizen they wish.  Perhaps its too late for Americas to take to the street!

Homer Sweeney

Revenge and Perez

Revenge and Perez were the two big headlines during the Padres series just concluded.

Guzman the former Giant got his revenge when hit a hone run off of Bumgardner to give the Padres the lead Wednesday afternoon. The Giants felt Guzman had celebrated too much the night before after his home run so Bumgardner threw behind him in his first at bat Wednesday.  Romo made most Giant fans forget the embarrassment when he struck out Guzman in the ninth inning to help preserve the game and series for the Giants.  Is there much difference between Guzman celebration and what Romo does after he gets the final out to end a game ?  Just asking.  Guzman was a Giant a few years ago but he couldn't catch the ball.  If you have watched him  play for the Padres he still has not learned much defense.

Juan Perez was the other story of the series.  He got the game winning hit in game two and was robbed of a walk off winning hit in the opening game Monday.  He also thrilled fans by throwing runners out at both home and third making it four outfield assists in his first eight games.  With Pagan refusing surgery and taking an injection instead he is expected back in the next few days.  What will happen to Perez?  When the Giants have a choice between a rookie and a vet they always choose the vet especially if he is getting $10 million.  It will be long Greyhound ride to Fresno for the new Giant fan favorite Perez.

Homer Sweeney

Texas Jinked?

San Antonio missed two crucial free throws in last hectic minute which costs them game 6 of the NBA finals.  They were within one free throw of the NBA Championship.  In the 2011 World Series the Texas Rangers twice came within one strike of defeating the St Louis Cardinals for the World Series title.

Homer Sweeney

NFL Fans Are in Danger!

The NFL has finally admitted that fans who attend the NFL games are putting their lives in danger.  They almost eliminated everything bigger than a wallet from passing through security.  It worked well at Penn State, Michigan State and Michigan.  There was not one bombing at their games and fans got through the security gates on average about 12 seconds faster than at other stadiums.  If the NFL really cared about the lives of their fans they wouldn't allow any body to attend the games because they know from the Boston Marathon that security was not the issue.  It was the incompetence of the FBI.  Hell, even the Russians tipped them off and they were too politically correct to do anything.  If the NFL is really serious about protecting their fans they would forbid anyone from attending the games until the FBI  began to hire competent people.   Just think of it if they did this San Francisco would still be home of the 49ers.  They could  play the games at the relatively new  Kezar Stadium without a problem and Santa Clara could  rent their new stadium to Santa Clara University soccer and high school football.

Homer Sweeney

Golf and Baseball

If  you happen to watch any of the US Open Golf tourney on TV you probably saw many commercials pleading for golfers to speed up the game.  They realize if you have to wait six hours to play 18 holes your going to lose players.  I know at the course I play I have always said  that the pros could never be allowed to play because they take to long measuring how high the grass is on the green.

Baseball could take a lesson from golf and start to address the problem of long games.  Some of the Giants games have been very long and drawn out because the pitchers refuse to throw the ball over the plate.  Instead they throw to first base.  Then they step off the mound.  Then the batter backs out  and takes off his glove and puts it back on a couple of times..  Then the pitching coach comes out to stall so another pitcher can get warmed up.  Then he returns to the dugout and the the manager appears and we have a new pitcher Then there a pinch hitter who has to swing a few bats and take his batting glove off an on.  Some of the nine inning games recently have approached four hours.  If you watch the games from AT&T you have seen the birds swarming the outfield as early as the seventh inning.  They are trying to tell the players to speed it up or watch out.

When I grew up a baseball fan before batting gloves were discovered during the hey day of the Pacific Coast League in the 1940's  they played 184 games a year and had an eight man pitching staff.  I just did a random research of five old box scores from 1948 and the length of games were 2:03, 2:06, 2:21, 2:10 and 2:10 again.  I am sure you have heard Krukow comment that if they used the baseball definition of the strike zone almost every pitch would be a strike.  Maybe that's not a bad idea!

Homer Sweeney

Giants Lose Another Series

Atlanta shut out the Giants on Sunday Night baseball to win the series two games to one. The old battle cry last year was just win the series but this year it is don't get swept.  The NL West seems to be wide open with all of competition for the Giants having their own problems.

The Giant lead off men Blanco and Torres deserve special credit for their play Friday and Saturday.  Four times in a row they came up with two out and a man in scoring position and got a hit to drive  in a runner.  I remember how the over rated but considered  'great' Giant lead off men of the  past Bret Butler and Gary North very seldom if ever got a run scoring hit with two outs.

The Giants finally brought up and pitched Jake  Dunning tonight.  He was a 33rd round draft choice.  What ever happened to the twenty pitchers that were taken by the Giants in front of him in the draft? I know Torres has gotten a few key hits in the clutch but his play in the outfield continues to get worse.  How long will he last?

Homer Sweeney

Atlanta or Fresno

Pittsburgh International Airport was planning on starting direct flights to Fresno until they discovered it was the Giants who were sending players every day.  Those Giants who boarded the plane tonight for Atlanta certainly felt relieved and possibly had an extra drink during the flight.  The newest Giants Perez and Abreu got five hits between them on Tuesday night which earned them a trip to the bench which is at least better than Fresno.

Again the team avoided being swept by winning the last game of the series thanks to great pitching by Cain and some key hits in the clutch especially by Blanco.  The Giants rank near the bottom in quality starts and their relief staff is not reliable.  The weak hitting Pirates had batting practice on Monday and Tuesday nights. It's not losing the first three hitters in the batting order  that are causing the losses but pitching which is really embarrassment to the Orange and Black who put so much money and so many draft choices over the years into developing their staff.

At the start of the season we suggested three steps the Giants should make.
*  Do not bat Crawford eighth especially against right handers.  Tonight he hit second.
*  Send Sanchez to Fresno to get back in shape.  Tonight he was back with the Giants after 50 at bats and an average of .320 in Fresno.
*  Do not bat Pence behind Posey.  Pence has been a pleasant surprise returning  to his all star hitting form he had with the Astros and Phillies so this suggestion is no longer valid.

Homer Sweeney

Only 1 1/2 Games Out

It could have been 5 1/2 games but instead the Giants are only 1 1/2 games out of first place after taking two out of three from the Arizona DBacks.  The Giants had scored two runs Tuesday to beat Toronto then got shut out at AT&T with two hits the next day in the game we attended.  Then on to the Sun Belt and the Giants  manage to get one run before giving up a game losing three run homer to Arizona slugger Goldschmidt..  The bats came alive on both Saturday and Sunday to win two and now the Orange and Black are off to Pittsburgh for a three games.

Abreu only at bat in spring training at Surprise, AZ

Sunday marked the debut of Juan Perez who we ear marked as a player to follow after spring training along with Johnny Monell of Fresno, Rudy Oropesa and Adam Duvall of Richmond.  The top 20 prospects that appear on the Giants website are somebody's imagination.  Perez is number 20 on the list. We saw Perez hit a home run against Cincinnati at Goodyear in March and the ball  just jumped off his bat.  I took a second look and said who is this kid.  He was playing the outfield for the Giants then following my suggestions to play minor league players at more then one position they played Perez at both ss and 3rd at Fresno.  Who would ever think a player playing at third for Fresno and then three days later he is playing center field for the World Champions and crashes into the right center field wall to rob Arizona slugger Goldschmidt of extra bases.   Perez was pinch hit for later in game by Abreu who has had just forty three at bats in organized games and one in spring training in last four month. Since he is a switch hitter Bochey won the righty lefty battle but when Abreu hit into a double play to end the rally guess who had he last laugh!  I wanted to see the rookie hit!

Baseball Notes:  My wife Barbara needed assistance with a  wheelchair to and from her seat at AT&T.  The service was great and thanks to the Giant personnel for their assistance. . .  The Dodgers broke out a new star who became the Player of the Week in his inaugural starts.  The new star Yasiel Puig hit close to .500 with a number of key hits and home runs to earn the the major league baseball award.  His start reminded me of SF Seal Dino Restelli who in the late 1940's was sold to the Pittsburgh Pirates and immediately starting hitting home runs and making headlines through out the country.  Then the opposing pitchers discovered he couldn't hit a curve.  Well it was fun while it lasted! . . .  It's All Star balloting time again.  There is a big push to get out and vote for the Giants. Only vote for a Giant if you think he deserves to start.  The game is a farce as it is so don't make it any worse by making it a populatiry contest.  Years ago the Cincinnati Reds fans stuffed the ballot box and seven members of their team were voted on to the squad. Not all seven of the Reds were allowed to start. . .  Don't tell me Sandoval is going on the DL.  So what else is new?

Homer Sweeney

A Win

Last year the Giants made a habit of losing the last game of a series to  prevent them from earning a sweep.  It is different this year.  The Giants are now winning the last game of the series to avoid being swept.  Belt was a hero today with a pinch hit double to drive in a couple of runs.  After the game the discussion was about  Gaudin  and if he will  go back to relief or start in the rotation.  The fact is Gaudin is now the number one pitcher on the staff and he will make his next scheduled start.

The feeling about the Giants chances are not very good.  Everybody knows it.  The fun will  really start if they drop out of contention and become sellers rather then buyers at the  trade deadline.  The speculation will be heavy but sure to be at the top of the list are Zito, Lincecum, Pill, and Sandoval.  The Giants need to acquire some young talented pitchers for the future.  This might be their opportunity.

Homer Sweeney

A Win!

Oh how the Giants needed a win to escape the Oakland A's with some respectability.  Sandoval and Belt got the key hits and Zito somehow got out one jam after another. It wasn't long ago Giants pitchers were always getting quality starts and now they are few and far between.  The good news is that with all their problems the Giants are still only 1 1/2 games behind the DBacks in the west. The plan is to keep close and then take your chances.

K & K during their telecast today mentioned that the Giants led the league in walks and this is most likely one of the reasons the Giants defense has been so poor.  The players are falling asleep in the field.  I might add that the TV viewers at home are also dozing.   There have been some horrible long drawn out games lately.

The Giants and A's both wore their batting practice caps during the series  Major League baseball approved this alternative for inter league games.  The question is why.  Don't tell me it is sell more caps!

The Stanley Cup.  The Sharks do a great job qualifying  for the Stanley Cup almost every year only to disappoint and be eliminated.  It has to be embarrassing for the San Jose team  that they are the only California NHL team to have not won the prize cup.

Homer Sweeney