The Giants Are Sweating!

The Giants are not sweating from the Arizona sun but are really sweating blood waiting for word on Pablo Sandoval's elbow.  They are hoping rest is the cure but with nerves involved it could be very serious. If he needs surgery the chances of repeating in the NL West are slim at best and as Lon Simmons Hall of Fame Giant broadcaster use to say, "Tell it good-bye".

Pablo has won the fattest major league player by default!  I was watching Pablo's main competition C.C. Sabathia pitch for the Yankees yesterday and I did not recognize him.  He must have lost 50 lbs.  I don't know how he did it but Giants better find out and put Pablo through the same routine.

Best Idea :  Andy Dolich on Chronicle Live recently suggested that instead of building a new football stadium in downtown LA that they build a new Dodger Stadium in that location and then use the site of current Dodger Stadium for football which makes economic sense.

Homer Sweeney

Rumors About the NBA Draft

It's only rumor but it is growing stronger as the NCAA Championship games continues.  Players drafted in the first  round of the NBA draft receive guarantee money.  Most teams are now trying to trade their first  round picks because of the lack of talent.  The NBA might just skip the draft this year and let every college and foreign player sign with any team for whatever price they can get.  Remember you heard it here first!

Homer Sweeney

Why I Am Not A Fan of College Basketball

Here are a few examples from the weekend NCAA games of why I am not a fan of college basketball:

1)  The 2 for 3 rule - You see this strategy applied in almost every game.  The team leading is fouled over and over and the parade to the free throw line is endless. It use to be the team that got fouled had the advantage but not any more.  The team fouled gets two foul shots while their opponents who did the fouling get the ball and the opportunity to score three points. 

2)  In the last few seconds of Butler-Marquette game Marquette was being pressed as the Butler tried to implement the 2 for 3 rule since they were behind.  The Golden Eagles got a quick pass to center court  and the player quickly relayed the ball into the front court where a Marquette player was all alone and could have dribble out the time or taken an easy two point lay-in.  The Butler player did hit the Marquette at center court but it was a good second or two after he had  released the ball.  Still the ref called the foul stopping the clock giving the advantage to the team fouling  and allowing Butler to implement the 2 for 3 rule.  Either that ref was told by the NCAA to keep the games exciting for TV purposes, his bracket had Butler or he doesn't know the first thing about the game of basketball.  As it turned Butler almost was able to pull the game out because of this botched call.

3)  Ohio State hit a last second three point basket to beat Iowa State.  The ball went through the basket with the clock showing .2 seconds remaing.  The ref reviewed the play putting .3 seconds back on the clock.  In other words they stopped the clock before the ball even went through the hoop.  I believe you have to have control of the ball to call a time out.  During the game a basket is made and the team calls time out at the time they usually catch the ball after it goes through the basket and the officials do not  put .3 seconds back on the clock.  Anything to make the game more exciting.

4)  There were a total of 60  free throws in California-Syracuse game.  Enough said!

I wonder if the NCAA uses graduates of Ivy League schools to make up their rules? It sure looks like it!

Homer Sweeney

NCAA Brackets

I saw that Obama had completed his bracket so I thought I should also complete one.  My interest in college basketball this year on a scale of 0-10 being high was about 1.  I discovered timing is key to completing the brackets when I realized that I should have waited until the end of the first round  to make my choices.  If anyone is interested I picked Florida Community College to win it all then I discovered the school name was Florida Golf Coast so I changed my pick to Louisville.

I attempted to watch some of the games last night.  The quality of  play was very poor. Last year I recommended to the AD of Notre Dame that he fire their coach.  After seeing them play in their underwear I have the same advise this year.  If I was a USC Alumnus I would be writing the UCLA AD  reminding him what a great job Holland does bringing in all those recruits.  If I was a Bruin alumnus I would say fire him!  I was in the waiting room of a doctors office a couple of weeks ago and happen to see an old Sports Illusrated that had a feature artice on Bruin basketball.  I had heard about the artice but never had read it.  After reading it I don't understand how Holland still had a job when they hoped that players would stay off drugs at least during the season.  I use to beleive college today is the first step to hell now I believe it is the last step.

Homer Sweeney

Spring Training 2013

Larry Baer Greeting the fans

We attended two games at Surprise and one in Goodyear during our too short of  a stay in Arizona.  The weather was beautiful and the hospitality of the people of Arizona was exceptional.  My wife suffers from COPD which effects her breathing and at both parks they made sure she had a wheelchair to and from her seat..  Monday afternoon crowds at Surprise are usually around 5,000 but when the Giants came with their varsity players, the big boss Larry Baer  and Orange and Black dressed fans the stadium was filled to a capacity of 10,025.  Surprise continues to be one of my favorite and unique major league ball parks in Arizona since they do not charge for parking, programs are half the price of other parks and all seats between 1st and 3rd base are in the shade during afternoon games as shown in above picture.  A stay in Arizona would not be complete without a delicious prime rib dinner at Don & Charlies in Scottsdale.  The restaurant is complete with baseball memorabilia and attracts many celebrities.  While we were waiting  for our table, incidentally the same one we had two years ago,  we happened to see a picture of the Giants broadcasting crew of Miller, Fleming, K and K on the wall while Milwaukee Brewers comedian and broadcaster Bob Uecker came through.

The Players insisted on a window

Missing from our hotel this years were members of the Cleveland Indians.  The price of the hotel rooms have doubled in the last three years which has become too high for the Indian farm hands. We discovered that many of the Indian minor leaguers are living in what is being called Wigwam City which is located off of McDowell Street  in Goodyear. 

After watching a couple games, seeing a few games on TV  and observing the Giants during the spring here are my up to date comments on the team.

Pitching:   Leading candidate for the long relief job Chad Gaudin does not impress me.  Dan Runzler looks like a keeper this year

Nick Noonan at Goodyear Park

Infield:  Theriot's spot on the roster is still open.  I personally thought Nick Noonan with some power hitting might get the job but  he was optioned to Fresno.  The other candidates have not impressed.

Outfield:  The fifth outfield job is between Cole Gillespie and Francisco Pequero.  Pequero has really improved over last season since he has learned to hit to right field and has had a very good spring.  The Giants hopes Gillespie gets enough hits to make the team so Pequero can be optioned to Fresno and play everyday.  If he continues to hit in AAA then bring him up in May or June.

Catcher:  Sanchez the big surprise last year had had a horrible spring with injuries which may open a spot on the roster.  Johnny Monell has hit the cover off the ball but he is very weak defensively.  There is an outside chance he could make the team as a third string catcher and pinch hitter deluxe.

Prospects :  I believe the Giants have a number of promising prospects.   I would send Adam Duvall to Richmond and also see if he can play some outfield in addition to third base.  Rudy Oropesa and Juan Perez also showed some pop in their bats and will prove interesting to watch in the coming months. Gary Brown played just a couple of innings I did not get a chance of form an opinion.

Homer Sweeney
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