Make A Play, You Meat-Bag.

Matt Cain has always been the Giants hard-luck pitcher (ever since he came up to the bigs five years ago at least). Today was no different. In the second game of the Bay Bridge Series (the Giants lost the first too, big surprise) Shotgun Cain gave up one - get this - UNEARNED run and pitched a complete game. What does he have to show for it? A loss. The game ended 1-0 with the A's on top. Not even a no decision! He gets a loss. If there was ever anyone less deserving of a loss. My goodness. The Giants offense is laughable right now. The pitcher for the A's, who hadn't had a good year so far, sat down 21 straight Giants and one point. This is feeling ridiculously like the 2009 season, and I don't like it. They need a spark in their offense, and they need it fast.

Another thing that's concerning me is injuries. I feel like last year the team was lucky to not be plagued with too many guys on the DL. This year I feel like someone new is being added every day. No team can last very long when it's not healthy. Hopefully the trainers can get these guys back on the field asap.

I'm starting an Ubaldo Jimenez watch - the Rockies' ace is pitching out of his mind this season. So far he's 8-1 (8-1!!!) with 58 strikeouts and a 0.99 ERA (0.99!!!). (That 58 SO number isn't anything to brag about, btdub. Tim's wracked up 75 so far this season, which leads the majors. So there.)

Timmy Naps Then Strikes You Out

After a 4+ hour rain delay yesterday, during which Tim worked in some "Golden Tee" and a nap, the Freak took the mound for the rubber-match with the Atlanta Braves (yes, the Giants lost a game, looks like it's going to be 161-1 after all). He had a slight hiccup in the first, giving up a 2-run shot to Brian McCann, but after that he was virtually unhittable. Timmy K'd 10 Braves, all swinging through his change-up. Bengie Molina later told reporters that the pitch McCann hit out was a fastball, and that they were trying to mix pitches. Yeah, I'd stick with the money pitch, Tim.

Pablo Sandoval roped a home run to deep right field in the bottom of the eighth through winds gusting straight in to increase the Giants' lead to four runs. Sandoval was 3-4 with 2RBI and just a double short of the cycle. Hopefully this kicks him back into gear as the baseball-crushing Panda we all know he is.

I heard that late in the game Jeremy Affeldt got a rare at bat, and bailed on breaking ball that ended up being a strike. I also heard that the video was playing on a loop in the clubhouse before today's game. Didn't see the at-bat myself, but I wish I had.

Right now the Giants are up 6-2 on the Pirates in the 7th inning. Keep the streak alive, boys.

Go Giants. kthxbye.

John Bowker Hit A HR Because I Told Him To

Wow has this season been great so far. The boys of summer are back, and after three games they are looking great. I'm feeling a 162-0 season. Really.

It all started on Monday with Timmy the Kid throwing 7 innings of shutout ball with 7 Ks and no walks. That's right, NO WALKS. Obviously Timmy's awesome, but his main problem has always been fighting his pitch count and walking too many guys. No bases on balls is a good way to kick off the season. Not to mention that he's had a history of not doing so hot in big ticket games, where his adrenaline usually gets the best of him (opening day '09 or the all-start game ring a bell?). Does anyone feel a three-peat coming...? (Acutally, I'm pulling for Matt Cain for the Cy Young this year. Just so you know.)

Tuesday's game had everyone wondering how the 126 million dollar man was going to start out the season. Barry Zito has not made the best impression with Giants fans in the three years that he's been here, especially not in the first half of the season. BZ gave an interesting interview the morning before his first start with quotes about how he'd lost his appetite for the game and gotten too into the business side of things. Personally I'd have to say that Zito over thinks and analyzes things too much for my taste, and I'd rather he stop talking and just go out and play good baseball. So I was pleasantly surprised when he blanked the Astros over 6 innings, giving Giants starters 13 shutout innings to start the season.

Matty Cain took the ball Wednesday, and went 6 and 2/3 strong innings and pitched well, but unfortunately didn't get a decision. Between the top three starters there was only one walk, by BZ. The G-Men pulled it out, though, beating the 'Stros 10-4.

I don't have time and I can't remember all the stats off the top of my head, but the boys have been great offensively, too. After starting the season 0-10 Aaron Rowand has turned things around, and Edgar Renteria has been tearing it up. Let's hope the slugging continues.

Go Giants. kthxbye.

In Old Country, Every Day Is Opening Day

I know that technically opening day for Major League Baseball was yesterday, because the Yanks played the Red Sox (BoSox won 9-7), but nobody cares about them. (Don't worry, I know that those are probably the two most cared-about franchises in MLB. By nobody cares, I mean I don't care.) For baseball that actually matters, today is opening day! I could not be more excited. Okay I could probably be more excited if say, the Giants were in the World Series. That's beside the point. Today Tim Lincecum is pitching against Roy Oswalt and the Houston Astros, in a game that actually means something! Baseball is back and that is the way it should be.

In a surprise development yesterday, John Bowker was named as the right field starter for the Giants over Nate Schierholtz, who everyone expected to win the job. I love Nate, but you can't argue with Bowker's spring. He hit .312 with 6 HR and led the team with 23 RBIs. Plus I love his short little T-Rex arms. :) More tomorrow after the first game of the 2010 season plays out.

I just wanted to share a fun, little-known fact because I'm so excited about opening day. Marc Merica of Cleveland Ohio is the current World Record holder for R.B.I. Baseball 3, with a 45 run win. Happy Opening Day.

Go Giants. kthxbye.

Yummm.

This isn't any sort of professional blog at all, so I feel okay about posting this. Buster Posey, besides being incredibly gifted at baseball, both offensively and at most defensive positions even at the young age of 23, is insanely good looking. See for yourself.


Bring Buster to San Francisco.
Go Giants. kthxbye.

I Will Quit Everything If I Ever See Bengie Molina on Dancing With the Stars

By this time next week, the Giants will have played game one of the 2010 season, and all will be right with the world.

There's something about this season...exciting things are going to happen. Good things are going to happen. There's plenty of debate over how much clubhouse chemistry plays a part in how good a team is, but I am a firm believer that it makes a difference. I mean it doesn't matter if the whole team goes to dinner together every night if they all stink at baseball. But these guys all made it to the big leagues, they're all plenty talented. And I think if you have a talented team, clubhouse chemistry can be something that pushes them over the top. I think the Giants are in a position this year to do something great. They won 88 games last year, and I think they're a better team this year.

The Giants pitching is rock solid. I was sad to see Brad Penny go, but with a starting four of Lincecum, Zito, Cain, and Sanchez at their best, there's no break in a series. The fifth starter will probably be Todd Wellemeyer, who I don't know much about, but he's had a great spring. With Brian Wilson locking things down in the ninth and plenty of great arms to choose from (one of the best, Jeremy Affeldt among them) to bridge the gap, it seems the only thing that could hold them back is the offense.

I'm confident the offensive woes of last year are passed, though. I'm not saying they're going to score the most runs in the league, no even close. But the front office has made some smart moves on offense. Probably the smartest has been hiring a new hitting coach - Hensly "Bam Bam" Muelens. I'm sure Carney Lansford is a great hitting coach, he's just not the right fit in San Francisco. The Giants also made trades for first basemen Mark DeRosa and outfielder Aubry Huff, which I think definitely gives them a better chance offensively. If Pablo Sandoval is being his usual self he can almost single-handedly carry the team. My point is, I have great expectations for the G-Men this year.

I almost forgot! Big Money is back! After saying a bittersweet goodbye to Bengie Molina at the end of last season, he and the Giants surprised us all with a one-year, 4.5 million dollar deal. The only other offer he got was from the Mets, for $500,000 more, but I mean, who wouldn't choose to stay with the Giants? :P Anyway, personally I'm very happy he's back. Buster Posey is seriously a prodigy (no joke, he's incredible), but I feel more comfortable with a seasoned veteran handling this amazing pitching staff from behind the dish. Not the mention the fact that he had the most offense for the Giants last year aside from the Panda. Point is, Big Money Molina is back and it's a great thing!

This is long, but lastly I just wanted to plug one of my favorite procrastination sites, firejoemorgan.com. The guys stopped posting about a year and a half ago, but seriously it's some of the funniest stuff I've ever read. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I just wanted to point it out. :)

7 days and counting!!!!
Go Giants. kthxbye.

Wrapping up, Messing up, and Keeping up

Ok, it's been a very very long time. Here's how it went down. The Giants lost momentum at the end of the season and fell to third in the Wild Card race and in their division. They finished the season with an 88-74 record and way more impressively, with a 52-29 home record, which was the best in the National League. Only the Yankees and the Red Sox were better at home. Though it was obviously disappointing to run out of gas at the end like that, this season went a TON better than was expected. Before the season started people were saying how they'd be happy if the Giants could just be at .500, and they definitely surpassed that. Now to the off season. (by the way, the Yankees ended up beating the defending champ Phils in the World Series)

First I'll just briefly mention an incident that went down with everyone's favorite ace as he was driving through Oregon on his way to Washington. He got pulled over for speeding, and ended up being cited for possession of marijuana and a pipe. Smooth move, kid. Hopefully he's learned his lesson and understands the fact that he is a celebrity and should be setting a better example. Hopefully...

A few weeks later, though, Lincecum surprised us all (or at least me) by winning his second Cy Young award in as many years. He's the first pitcher in major league history to go back-to-back in his first two fulls seasons in the bigs. It's remarkable. I didn't expect it. At all. He didn't get the most first place votes - he had 11 to Adam Wainwright's 12 - but he did get the most points. And even though I didn't expect it, I do think he deserved it. I don't know how he's going to top it this season, but I do know it'll be exciting to watch.