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