tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10466291918116555252024-03-05T01:58:47.249-08:00Ranting On: A San Francisco Giants BlogCELEBRATING THE 2010 WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS (can you believe it?)..........http://www.blogger.com/profile/12824426626172194768noreply@blogger.comBlogger113125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046629191811655525.post-42779100760811181572011-03-03T16:19:00.000-08:002012-08-06T15:19:57.226-07:00Epilogue
I stayed away for almost four months. After the Giants' improbable run I wanted to allow the "Holy Crap!" moment to subside, to allow some time to pass so that I could gain some real perspective on the 2010 season. After all, it's only appropriate that something so monumental be given the opportunity to simmer; the ingredients blending into a fine stew.
Only with proper distance can you look ..........http://www.blogger.com/profile/12824426626172194768noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046629191811655525.post-84391582951930750802010-11-10T13:13:00.000-08:002011-01-25T14:23:23.549-08:00Ich bin Ein Giants FansThe rally at San Francisco's City Hall wasn't exactly the fall of the Berlin Wall, but there was no shortage of emotion. Thousands upon thousands of smiling faces, all there sharing a common thought. There was no talk of race or gender or religion. On this day, we were all Giants Fans.
And what a party it was. There was an excitement permeating the air -- along with enough of ..........http://www.blogger.com/profile/12824426626172194768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046629191811655525.post-48621198813097858252010-11-02T12:38:00.000-07:002011-01-25T16:06:45.974-08:00"Next Year" Has Finally ArrivedStatement of fact: The best collection of players did not win the 2010 World Series. The best TEAM did.
Led by a stringy-haired hippy hurler and an aging vet who found one final drop in the fountain of youth, the San Francisco Giants did the unthinkable. Fifty-six years of frustration ended with an absolute destruction of the Texas Rangers, and the Giants laid claim the ultimate prize.
The San..........http://www.blogger.com/profile/12824426626172194768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046629191811655525.post-1982426671224159032010-11-01T13:37:00.001-07:002012-03-05T11:04:14.292-08:00Lord, I ApologizeHeavenly Father,
It always seemed rather silly to me to try to involve you in a sporting contest, but after 40 years wandering in the proverbial desert I'm looking to hedge my bet. So, if there's any way you can throw a blessing or two toward Tim Lincecum and the Giants tonight, I promise to be a very good boy.
Moses also wandered for 40 years, and he died within sight of the Promised Land. I ..........http://www.blogger.com/profile/12824426626172194768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046629191811655525.post-6754693570811765592010-11-01T12:16:00.000-07:002011-01-11T15:33:52.647-08:00Youth is Served as Giants Near End of QuestWow. Just........wow!
Funny how the mind works. Midway through Game Four I thought of a high school baseball tournament in Las Vegas several years ago. The team I was chaperoning was very deep in pitching. Playing a team from the LA area well into the tourney, our side tossed a kid out there who normally played shortstop but, truthfully, was also an accomplished hurler.
Five ..........http://www.blogger.com/profile/12824426626172194768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046629191811655525.post-39142322185547789382010-10-30T22:30:00.000-07:002011-01-11T15:36:45.472-08:00Sanchez Spits the Bit (again); Giants FallThat foul stench arising from Arlington? It's Jonathan Sanchez.
The Giants' 4-2 loss in Game Three of the World Series highlighted the problem. There is no doubt that Sanchez is part of the reason the Giants are where they are. It's equally clear that, should they fail to capitalize, it's going to be on his head.
The mental midget returned. For the second time in three post-season starts, ..........http://www.blogger.com/profile/12824426626172194768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046629191811655525.post-25957253330793094412010-10-29T22:58:00.000-07:002011-01-11T15:39:14.164-08:00Panda Captures DH Job. Mistake?One of the quirks of World Series play is the off-again, on-again relationship with the designated hitter. Being a postseason DH is kinda like being engaged to J-Lo: first you are, then you aren't then you are again.
Now personally, I don't like the DH. Baseball is nine guys. Ten is slowpitch softball. Unless they plan to put a keg behind second base, I ain't buying. But since Bud the Dud won't ..........http://www.blogger.com/profile/12824426626172194768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046629191811655525.post-61187732117657648542010-10-29T11:17:00.000-07:002011-01-11T15:49:50.915-08:00Is This Heaven?"There comes a time when all the cosmic tumblers have clicked into place and the universe opens itself up for a few seconds to show you what's possible." -- Ray Kinsella (Field of Dreams.)
Ian Kinsler, meet your fate.
All through the post season I've been waiting for that one moment that made the hair stand up on the back of my neck, something that would cause me to finally believe that ..........http://www.blogger.com/profile/12824426626172194768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046629191811655525.post-78578508864322064172010-10-28T14:41:00.000-07:002011-01-11T15:53:28.588-08:00The Castoffs Strike FirstIf anyone was gonna take out Cliff Lee, it wasn't going to be these guys.
You know, you can predict just about anything. People make big bucks telling you who is going to win elections,which stocks will go up, and just how bad the weather is going to spoil the family picnic. But nobody can tell you with an certainty what will happen in a baseball game.
Cliff Lee is unbeatable in the postseason..........http://www.blogger.com/profile/12824426626172194768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046629191811655525.post-18692165766898003132010-10-27T13:26:00.000-07:002011-01-11T16:23:19.401-08:00Reverse KharmaFrom reader drbgiantsfan:
Maybe this blog has been reverse karma for the Giants this year? If so, keep up the great work! What you are missing about the talent level on this team (don't worry, almost everybody misses it) is the pitching. The '89 and '02 teams had much better hitting, but neither team had anything at all resembling the pitching this team has. Anything can happen in a 7 game ..........http://www.blogger.com/profile/12824426626172194768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046629191811655525.post-44812985108300494232010-10-23T23:50:00.000-07:002010-10-27T11:35:00.409-07:00The Neighborhood is SafeIn 2002, as David Bell skidded home to send San Francisco to the World Series, I heard a resounding "boom." What I initially thought was a fellow Giants fan setting off an impromptu celebration was, in fact, a home on the cul de sac behind my residence bursting into flame -- the victim of a bad fumigation effort.
On this night, no fireworks. The neighborhood survived. My wits, not so ..........http://www.blogger.com/profile/12824426626172194768noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046629191811655525.post-21547917494921653282010-10-22T12:18:00.000-07:002011-01-11T16:31:31.483-08:00Mistake-prone Giants Surrender Momentum, Home TurfAbout that "Kharama" chick.
In Game Four of the NLCS, she clearly smiled at the Giants and all was right with the world. In Game Five, the witch walked to the center of the diamond and purposefully gave all of us who bleed orange and black The Finger.
Tim Lincecum was masterful, the offense non existent, and the defense woeful. As a result, the Giants blew their one opportunity to clinch the ..........http://www.blogger.com/profile/12824426626172194768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046629191811655525.post-80069260096798197402010-10-21T11:01:00.000-07:002011-01-11T16:46:53.104-08:00Finally, A Chance to Phinish the PhilliesKharma is a beautiful thing when it's on your side.
On two separate occasions it appeared fate and poor umpiring (not to mention Santiago Casilla) were conspiring to rob the Giants of a win in this most crucial of contests. Then kharma, the fickle and sometimes brutal muse that she is, looked upon the Orange and Black... and she smiled.
Game Four of the NLCS went into the plus ..........http://www.blogger.com/profile/12824426626172194768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046629191811655525.post-3669286300106158082010-10-20T14:14:00.000-07:002011-01-12T14:35:09.661-08:00Hurri-Cain Ross Blows Past PhilliesUp is down. Black is white. Republicans are, well, they're still lost. And the San Francisco Giants are two wins away from a trip the World Series.
Unbelieveable. I wrote earlier that the Giants would go only as far as pitching and luck would take them. Right now they're getting copious amounts of both. Aubrey Huff told Sports Illustrated that he had sense of calm during a critical AB ..........http://www.blogger.com/profile/12824426626172194768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046629191811655525.post-60305051633235891932010-10-17T21:41:00.000-07:002011-01-11T17:14:06.488-08:00Errors: Yes. Comedy: Not So MuchWhat a difference 24 hours makes. A day ago I was flying high and so were the Giants. Now, pure disgust. If the Giants intend to advance any farther in the postseason derby, their effort on Game Two cannot be repeated.
If going into this series you had told me it would be 1-1 heading back to The Big Phone, I'd have taken it. But to have the opportunity to go up 2-0 and put a foot firmly on..........http://www.blogger.com/profile/12824426626172194768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046629191811655525.post-27621582217708459802010-10-16T22:00:00.000-07:002011-01-12T14:49:43.978-08:00Cody Ross: SuperstarDear Santa,
Forget everything on my previous Christmas list. Please send me a defibrulator.
It was a battle of aces that didn't live up to the hype. Giants fans are just fine with it. Two long balls from an unlikely source, a nice night from the situational lefty, and a typical nail-biter from the closer has the Giants up 1-0 on Philly in the NLCS. Three wins separate the Giants from the World ..........http://www.blogger.com/profile/12824426626172194768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046629191811655525.post-22491777938653973922010-10-15T23:59:00.000-07:002011-01-12T14:52:28.824-08:00Who Are These Guys?It has been four days, four glorious days, since the Giants vanquished the Braves. And for four days I've been waiting for Ed Hochuli to emerge from under the hood and take it away. But, upon further review, the Giants are still in the National League Championship Series.
I still find it hard to believe. This team that can't find a cohesive offense, that doesn't have superstar to drive it, that ..........http://www.blogger.com/profile/12824426626172194768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046629191811655525.post-75013626869086275632010-10-14T14:35:00.000-07:002011-01-12T14:53:10.761-08:00Don't Stop Believin' by Ashkon: (Giants 2010 Anthem)
Now this guy is a fan, and a talented one at that.
Sit back, strap on your rally thong, light up a smoke with Timmy and enjoy!
...........http://www.blogger.com/profile/12824426626172194768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046629191811655525.post-70886772521575019432010-10-13T12:03:00.000-07:002010-10-13T21:42:34.734-07:00Random Thoughts (and I do mean random): NLDSGiven a few hours to catch my breath and look at the Braves series via the rear view mirror, here are some random musings:
-- Eleven runs in four games. That should have been the kiss of death. I "scored" more in high school. Heck, the highest single-game total for the Giants was four, and that's the game they lost! The series was won by four guys, Messers Lincecum, Cain, Sanchez and ..........http://www.blogger.com/profile/12824426626172194768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046629191811655525.post-75347353108502011802010-10-12T09:46:00.000-07:002011-01-12T15:01:10.883-08:00Let the Torture Continue!The paramedics just left. I'm feeling much better now.
Another heart-stopping finish from the Giants bullpen was in store, but after two consecutive meltdowns the pen came through in its third bite at the apple, and the Atlanta Braves are no more. A nail-biting 3-2 final at Turner Field has put the Giants into the NLCS.
Torture. Sweet, beautiful torture. Thanks to the last few weeks my ..........http://www.blogger.com/profile/12824426626172194768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046629191811655525.post-13726690836721025122010-10-11T15:37:00.000-07:002011-01-12T15:08:28.394-08:00NLDS: Presented by the United WayThere has been enough charity in this best-of-five between San Francisco and Atlanta to keep a PBS pledge drive happy for a millenium.
Let's face it, this National League Division Series hasn't been an artisitc masterpiece. The Giants have given away two games, and the only reason they find themselves up two games to one instead of down by that same count is because the Braves turned around and ..........http://www.blogger.com/profile/12824426626172194768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046629191811655525.post-86002869448967939492010-10-08T22:54:00.000-07:002011-01-12T15:24:34.859-08:00Series Squared as Giants Gag on OpportunityI've seen this movie before.
Set your wayback machine for 2003. The 100-win Giants took Game One of the NLDS from Florida behind a masterpeice from Jason Schmidt. Then a sloppy Game Two evened the series, the G-men flew to the East Coast, and when they next returned to San Francisco it was to clean out their lockers for the winter.
Same stuff, different year.
Handed a 4-1 lead and a clean..........http://www.blogger.com/profile/12824426626172194768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046629191811655525.post-71065719196754510692010-10-07T22:47:00.000-07:002010-10-07T22:47:04.959-07:00Big Time Timmy Jim Gets His Freak OnThis just in: that Lincecum Kid may turn out to be halfway decent.
The 2010 season is being billed as The Year of the Pitcher. Roy Halladay had certainly served notice that the postseason should expect no different. But did anyone anticipate this?
How many pundits did I read over the past three days who were convinved that Tim Lincecum would wilt in the harsh glare of the postseason. ..........http://www.blogger.com/profile/12824426626172194768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046629191811655525.post-89153117098970824322010-10-05T13:59:00.000-07:002011-01-12T15:32:14.742-08:00Let the Great 25-Man Debate Begin!At 10am on Thursday, someone is gonna be very unhappy.
When you look back at the list of players the Giants used during the season, the roster is only slightly less lengthy than Wilt Chamberlain's slate of conquests. The challenge: to trim the menagerie down to The Chosen 25 for the NLDS.
Now keep in mind that this list isn't set in stone: the victors can make alterations after each ..........http://www.blogger.com/profile/12824426626172194768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046629191811655525.post-71906407130920148572010-10-04T13:08:00.000-07:002011-01-12T15:40:32.000-08:00Armageddon!"And I looked, and beheld a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was ... Jonathan Sanchez? And playoffs followed with him. And power was given unto them over the San Diego part of the earth, to kill with slider, and with fastball, and with splitter, and with the unexpected three-bagger ripped to the seventh archway of the earth."
-- Revelation 8:8 (revised)
It's not a stretch to get into ..........http://www.blogger.com/profile/12824426626172194768noreply@blogger.com0