Drought Contest
I mentioned in a recent post that I had received two Honorable Mention awards from the state for my ideas on how to save water. I was informed recently by a blog member that everyone who submitted an idea got an award. In other words I got one of those feel good participation awards. Good things the two picture frames I bought a Aaron Brothers were on sale. In case you might have forgotten my one idea was to cut back on the amount of ice cubes used in drink and the second was to use a lighter bourbon so not as much water would needed for a bourbon and water cocktail. The winning idea was to pray for rain which was thrown out because of the separation of church and state regulations. So the second place finisher idea to build more reservoirs won the gold. The idea to build a water tube in the middle of Highway 5 from the state of Washington to California was awarded second place. The bronze medal went to the idea not to allow water to be bottled in California for public sale.
Curry Knows His Golf
Earlier this summer Steph Curry the Warrior great participated in a celebrity golf tournament at Lake Tahoe. One of our blog memebers was in atteandance and saw Curry hit a ball into Lake Tahoe. Because of laws against polluting the Lake that was an automatic three stroke penalty. Curry complained saying that the rules had changed and took his case to Judge Newsom. Curry's attorney pointed out that there is no longer be a penalty stroke for hitting a ball out of bounds or into the water such as Lake Tahoe. The PGA, the LPGA, the USGA, the R&A after a private meeting with FBI Director Comey, have recommended that your opponent must prove that you intended to hit the ball in the hazard in order for there to be a penalty. The Judge ruled for Curry meaning he had no intent to hit the ball in the Lake and later the judge received a thank you note from Curry and Charles Barkley plus two season tickets to the Warriors games estimated to be worth over $50,000 and over 2 million on the secondary market.
The NBA
The Warriors recently announced their home schedule for the upcoming year. The excitement out of Oakland was tremendous when it was learned that the Warriors will open at home against the Spurs. This is a big game and we will really see how Durant plays with Curry and Thompson. I am sure the secondary market will bring over $2,000 a ticket. That's Warriors PR or is BS a better description. The game means absolutely nothing. Its one of 84 games and just as long as the Warriors win about 43 of them there is no worry they are in the playoffs then the season begins. The Warriors peaked in November last year and they got home court advantage. A lot of good it did them.
Blog member Pat O complains about Sacramento giving the Kings 385 parcels of land "not worth much anyway" to the Kings for their new arena. Parking fees will play for 385 million over the next fifty years. The new ownership of the Warriors announced years ago that they would be moving to San Francisco. Why Oakland didn't offer the Kings Oracle Arena on the spot is a mystery to me. The Warriors could have used Kezar Pavilion or the Cow Palace while the new Mission Bay arena is being built.
It was announced that the Warriors will be leaving KNBR after 40 years of basketball announcing through both lean and good years. An FM station that doesn't reach San Jose will carry the games. The new ownership gets a lot of credit for the success of the organization. One thing they are not is loyal to their fans in the East Bay or their radio station. Looks like they are great back stabbers although you can't argue with their success. Oh, they wanted more publicity between seasons. I heard so much about the Warriors during the summer that with the new season approaching I am already sick and tired of them.
49ers Impressive
I was impressed with the 49ers in their first pre season game against Houston. I overlooked the second half because they ran plays just to evaluate personnel. If you over look a couple crucial fumbles the team looked like they could win a couple game this year especially early in the season before the injuries mount up. All the team needed was a distraction like the National Anthem controversy and now their chances of winning at all are slim. #7 gets his revenge.!
College Football
I have lost my contact with USC football so I cannot provide any inside information. All I know is that they are preparing the Trojan faithful for a letdown and a 7-5 season First they let them know that the Trojans have the toughest football schedule in America since all but one team was in a bowl game last year. Actually its hard to schedule any team that wasn't in a bowl. Then they have a choice of quarterbacks. Once a coach shows he can't make up his mind it means that both are mediocre at best. The team does have some great athletes who could break any game open but their defensive line has not played one college down. If they keep the loss to Alabama this Saturday to under 20 points they should be thrilled and encouraged about the season.
Swearing
I might have lost my contacts with the Trojans but still have a few in Santa Clara observing the 49ers. It was reported to me that one of my contacts was walking by York 's office and all he could hear was why didn't we get rid of that s o b ba.....d when we had the opportunity. I have no idea who they were talking about.
The Giants
My time has been very limited due primarily to my wife's illness so I am not able to comment on the Giants more regularly. About two weeks ago the Giants blew a 7th inning lead of 7-1 lead to the Orioles. Usually when a team loses a lead there are bloop hits, errors, umpire mistakes that keep the rally going. I know most of my readers were settling in their seats at Levi Stadium anxiously awaiting the 49er game so they missed an explosive rally by Baltimore. Krukow commented on television that the first hit was the hardest he had seen in years. This is no surprise because the Giants don't have hitters with too much sock in their bats. Then Trumbo hits a monstrous home run. I read that he is leading the AL in home runs. I remember when Trout and Trumbo were in the Angels outfield and I thought the team from south of Los Angeles had it made for years.
During the series the Giants wore orange jerseys on Friday night and black on Saturday. The Orioles did just the opposite wearing black on Friday and orange on Saturday. I thought for sure the National Association for People Who Can't Read would have sued the teams for trying to confuse their members. So far a law suit has not been filed.
The Dodgers took two out of three from the Cubs last weekend. That was bad news for the Giants because I thought the Dodgers won the West with that series victory. Then the Dodgers go to Colorado and lose 2 of 3. That's September baseball. Records mean nothing.The Giants can only hope that the Cubs play as sloppy in Chicago this weekend during their four game series as they did last weekend in Los Angeles. The Giants should be thrilled with a split. The Giants are 2 games behind the Dodgers starting the final stretch drive. There will be a lot of swearing and mashing of teeth during the month. But Bochy will have over 36 players at his disposal and that's when he manages best. I wouldn't be surprise if he uses 18 pitchers in one game. The Giants are far from a perfect team but their rivals aren't flawless either.
Windows 10
One of our newer blog members KB of Irvine complained to me that her computer is now all loused up since she switched to Windows 10. I might remind our blog member that we warned everyone about Windows 10 in our July 15th post.
Monday Night Pool
A number of you participated in the Monday Night Football Pool last year. You should have received the information for this coming year. If you wish to participate I will attempt to forward the information from Mike Willis in a separate email.
Wednesday, August 31, 2016
Wednesday, August 10, 2016
Eight Games . . .The Distant Past
The Olympics
I really don't have much interest in the Olympics but since I was in Dublin on Friday night I watched the opening ceremonies. I was bored. Turned it off after the American team enter the stadium. Wanted to make sure they showed up. The global warning section was typical NBC and all I can say is that 'they don't have a clue'. As far as I am concerned the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics is tops for creativity at the opening ceremonies. Who can ever forget all those white pianos in the Coliseum. Have to admit I never heard of some of the countries that strolled in the parade. Some of the countries weren't as big as the state of Delaware. Perhaps to make it fare and balanced which is the battle cry today, the USA team should be broken into fifty smaller states. Hey, come to think of it, that's not a bad idea!
Sunday night I was in my motel room in the middle of the San Joaquin Valley on my way home and turned on the games. NBC wanted to draw a big audience so it was easy to understand why they featured Women Diving Springboard Synchronized as the lead in sport. What was shocking to me is that the USA could not qualify a team for the sport. I thought it over for a moment and everything became clearer. Many of you are probably not old enough to remember motels with pools had diving boards. Diving boards were also common in many back yard pools. The cost of insurance eliminated them and it also destroyed diving and you wonder why the USA could not qualify a team. So you can blame insurance if the USA doesn't win the medal count.
Congratulations to the women's gymnastics team for winning the gold. It takes years of hard work and the honor is well deserved. Could only observe that the competition looked very weak. What ever happen to those great Eastern European gymnasts? Guess Muslins girls aren't that interested.
Michael Phelps keeps winning the gold one Olympics after another. Great achievement. When you can make millions swimming the Olympics every four why go to work. He is a prime example of why I lost interest in the games. Back many decades it was fun to see all new amateurs appear on the scene which I though made the games interesting and exciting. . . The USA basketball team is having it harder then one might expect. I saw the other day that they were tied after the first quarter. Things are really tough. . . My wife Barbara can hardly wait until golf starts.
NFL
I read while I was on the road that the NFL had to cancel the Hall of Fame Game because they used the wrong paint on the field. I pointed out last year the many mistakes the NFL made only proving you don't have to be smart to make it in this world. The NFL is proof that many dummies do!
To appease the people who get too hot at the 49er games that this Sundays opening pre season game will start at 4 o'clock probably the hottest part of the day. But it will cool off if they are lucky. I am assuming that the bathrooms at Levi will be open to either sex to appease York. Jed better be careful he is not caught going into a women's marked restroom. The security cameras will be watching.
I see that the 49ers practiced at Kezar Stadium on Wednesday. I remember in 1946 attending the first 49er game at Kezar a pre-season game against the Chicago Rockets who were led by the great Elroy "Crazy Legs" Hirsch who later became an NFL star. Kezar was a unique stadium because Mary Kezar donated the property to the city but insisted that the field run east and west instead of north and south which because of the wind direction led to many record punts. The 49ers played there until 1970 when they were forced out because of safety reasons caused by the hippies who took over the Height Ashbury District of San Francisco forcing the team to move to a baseball stadium at Candlestick Point
The Giants
Now they are tied! What ever happen to that 8 game lead? Listen and everybody has an opinion which includes, pitching, fielding and hitting. It's that simple!
For a long period this year the relief pitching was the culprit. Now it has come around with Law gaining more confidence and Strickland pitching well. Even Lopez is starting to get a few people out. They have to keep it up. Casilla continues to get criticized but he gets the job done most of the time. Remember a guy named Brian Wilson who took the Dodgers for 10 million made Giant fans sweat plenty!
Starting pitching has faltered a little. Bumgarner gives up one run and they keep losing The new lefthander Moore looks like he will help. Samardzija pitched well today for a change and lets hope it continues. Cueto always gives it everything and Cain has been looking much better. Give the starters a few runs and they will be okay. That's easier said then done!
Some experts on the Giants keep repeating that the Giants score enough runs. I don't buy it. Earlier in the season the team won 8 out of 9 and the batting average during those games was .190. That luck could not continue. Here is my thoughts on the players:
Sans - Have you ever seen a leadoff man ground to second to start a game so often
Pagan - Good season but lacks pop in his bat
Belt - it will be hard to reach 20 homeruns for the season
Posey - Has his little slumps but still hits but lacks the power he once had.
Crawford - best clutch hitter on the team
Pence - Currently looks horrible at the plate. If it continues the Giants have no chance
Panic - solid in the field but a big disappointment at the plate.
Duffy - traded for a pitcher. Injury hurt plus his .240 batting average. Great fielder gone.
Gillaspie - good potential hitter at the plate but a poor fielder.
Nunez - Great potential at the plate but currently a stupid hitter and poor fielder.
Blanco - He has gone 0 for the summer before but in those years he did the job in the World Series
Brown - a good solid backup catcher
Mac Williamson - improving with lots of potential but makes too many mistakes.
Parker - blew his chance.
The Giants promote good pitching and solid defense for their success. Is this still true?
A Gift win. Remember last week the Yankee manager gave us a game well in my opinion my old friend Mattingly now manager of the Marlins gave us a game. With two outs in the 14th inning Crawford was at the plate having already 6 hits in the game. He pitched to him and he gets his 7th hit of the game driving in the winning run. Why didn't he walk him with slump ridden Pence coming up. He had one hit on an inside pitch but anything over the plate or outside he missed by a mile. Sometimes I wonder if managers even watch the game. Maybe he was being interviewed for television which I think is bush league. But anyway Thank you!
Will the Giants make the playoffs? The odds are against them unless somebody like Pence picks up a bat.
Latest update: The Dodgers lost so the Giants are back on top by 1 game!
I really don't have much interest in the Olympics but since I was in Dublin on Friday night I watched the opening ceremonies. I was bored. Turned it off after the American team enter the stadium. Wanted to make sure they showed up. The global warning section was typical NBC and all I can say is that 'they don't have a clue'. As far as I am concerned the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics is tops for creativity at the opening ceremonies. Who can ever forget all those white pianos in the Coliseum. Have to admit I never heard of some of the countries that strolled in the parade. Some of the countries weren't as big as the state of Delaware. Perhaps to make it fare and balanced which is the battle cry today, the USA team should be broken into fifty smaller states. Hey, come to think of it, that's not a bad idea!
Sunday night I was in my motel room in the middle of the San Joaquin Valley on my way home and turned on the games. NBC wanted to draw a big audience so it was easy to understand why they featured Women Diving Springboard Synchronized as the lead in sport. What was shocking to me is that the USA could not qualify a team for the sport. I thought it over for a moment and everything became clearer. Many of you are probably not old enough to remember motels with pools had diving boards. Diving boards were also common in many back yard pools. The cost of insurance eliminated them and it also destroyed diving and you wonder why the USA could not qualify a team. So you can blame insurance if the USA doesn't win the medal count.
Congratulations to the women's gymnastics team for winning the gold. It takes years of hard work and the honor is well deserved. Could only observe that the competition looked very weak. What ever happen to those great Eastern European gymnasts? Guess Muslins girls aren't that interested.
Michael Phelps keeps winning the gold one Olympics after another. Great achievement. When you can make millions swimming the Olympics every four why go to work. He is a prime example of why I lost interest in the games. Back many decades it was fun to see all new amateurs appear on the scene which I though made the games interesting and exciting. . . The USA basketball team is having it harder then one might expect. I saw the other day that they were tied after the first quarter. Things are really tough. . . My wife Barbara can hardly wait until golf starts.
NFL
I read while I was on the road that the NFL had to cancel the Hall of Fame Game because they used the wrong paint on the field. I pointed out last year the many mistakes the NFL made only proving you don't have to be smart to make it in this world. The NFL is proof that many dummies do!
To appease the people who get too hot at the 49er games that this Sundays opening pre season game will start at 4 o'clock probably the hottest part of the day. But it will cool off if they are lucky. I am assuming that the bathrooms at Levi will be open to either sex to appease York. Jed better be careful he is not caught going into a women's marked restroom. The security cameras will be watching.
I see that the 49ers practiced at Kezar Stadium on Wednesday. I remember in 1946 attending the first 49er game at Kezar a pre-season game against the Chicago Rockets who were led by the great Elroy "Crazy Legs" Hirsch who later became an NFL star. Kezar was a unique stadium because Mary Kezar donated the property to the city but insisted that the field run east and west instead of north and south which because of the wind direction led to many record punts. The 49ers played there until 1970 when they were forced out because of safety reasons caused by the hippies who took over the Height Ashbury District of San Francisco forcing the team to move to a baseball stadium at Candlestick Point
The Giants
Now they are tied! What ever happen to that 8 game lead? Listen and everybody has an opinion which includes, pitching, fielding and hitting. It's that simple!
For a long period this year the relief pitching was the culprit. Now it has come around with Law gaining more confidence and Strickland pitching well. Even Lopez is starting to get a few people out. They have to keep it up. Casilla continues to get criticized but he gets the job done most of the time. Remember a guy named Brian Wilson who took the Dodgers for 10 million made Giant fans sweat plenty!
Starting pitching has faltered a little. Bumgarner gives up one run and they keep losing The new lefthander Moore looks like he will help. Samardzija pitched well today for a change and lets hope it continues. Cueto always gives it everything and Cain has been looking much better. Give the starters a few runs and they will be okay. That's easier said then done!
Some experts on the Giants keep repeating that the Giants score enough runs. I don't buy it. Earlier in the season the team won 8 out of 9 and the batting average during those games was .190. That luck could not continue. Here is my thoughts on the players:
Sans - Have you ever seen a leadoff man ground to second to start a game so often
Pagan - Good season but lacks pop in his bat
Belt - it will be hard to reach 20 homeruns for the season
Posey - Has his little slumps but still hits but lacks the power he once had.
Crawford - best clutch hitter on the team
Pence - Currently looks horrible at the plate. If it continues the Giants have no chance
Panic - solid in the field but a big disappointment at the plate.
Duffy - traded for a pitcher. Injury hurt plus his .240 batting average. Great fielder gone.
Gillaspie - good potential hitter at the plate but a poor fielder.
Nunez - Great potential at the plate but currently a stupid hitter and poor fielder.
Blanco - He has gone 0 for the summer before but in those years he did the job in the World Series
Brown - a good solid backup catcher
Mac Williamson - improving with lots of potential but makes too many mistakes.
Parker - blew his chance.
The Giants promote good pitching and solid defense for their success. Is this still true?
A Gift win. Remember last week the Yankee manager gave us a game well in my opinion my old friend Mattingly now manager of the Marlins gave us a game. With two outs in the 14th inning Crawford was at the plate having already 6 hits in the game. He pitched to him and he gets his 7th hit of the game driving in the winning run. Why didn't he walk him with slump ridden Pence coming up. He had one hit on an inside pitch but anything over the plate or outside he missed by a mile. Sometimes I wonder if managers even watch the game. Maybe he was being interviewed for television which I think is bush league. But anyway Thank you!
Will the Giants make the playoffs? The odds are against them unless somebody like Pence picks up a bat.
Latest update: The Dodgers lost so the Giants are back on top by 1 game!
Sunday, July 24, 2016
The July Swoon
Baseball
It really is ironic. The New York Times writes a beautiful article about Brandon Crawford being the best defensive player in baseball on the day he arrives in New York and then he makes three errors in one game at Yankee Stadium. Brandon Belt after being the final player elected to the All Star game goes on an eight game hitting slump losing close to 30 points on his batting average bringing back memories of the Brandon we use to know. It all started in the first game at San Diego. I believe Belt struck out four and maybe five times in the game. Two of the K's were called strikes that were nowhere near the plate frustrating Belt who got tossed from the game for the first time in his career.
This is the reason I have opposed instant replay. More mistakes are made on balls and strikes then on plays at first base. The game isn't perfect and calls missed on the bases weren't worth contacting New York to the brandy drinking umpires. That was before I began to realize that five or six calls were being overturned by replay not just one or two a game. So I have changed my mind. I would certainly change the system that had to have been developed by Ivy League grads. Hire three trained college kids at $15. an hour to watch a monitor in the press box. They watch the replay and make a decision with 45 seconds. Calls that look different from five or six angles are time consuming an if a play is that close and it can't be determined immediately on the monitor go with the umpire's call. I understand the purpose of replay from the beginning was to correct the obvious errors.
Giants
Injuries are part of the game and there are other teams worse off then the Giants. The loss of Duffy at third and Panic at second really shows defensively when they don't play. Plays that they make look routine aren't always made by others. Pence is missed because he is a threat at the plate. Pagan, Blanco and Span don't scare any pitcher. In fact the scout that recommended the Giants sign Span should be fired. Months ago I wrote that Span had shown me nothing. He still hasn't either at the plate or in the field.
The Giants had come from an eight run deficit against Boston and looked like they would take the lead when they loaded the bases with none out. Mac Williamson who had already hit a 3-run homer in the game was due up. But heaven forbid a right hander was brought into pitch. Can't have Williamson face a right hander. So Bochy decides to have left hand hitting Blanco bat for Williamson. He hits into a double play first to home that kills the rally and denies the Giants any chance for a historic comeback. After the game Bochy was asked why he bated Blanco and he answers because he is our best pinch hitter. The question really was why did you pinch hit in the firstplace. Michael Urban on CSBA talk show after the game trying to defend Bochy said that he probably looked at Williamson's .229 batting average like Blanco .247 was earth shattering.
The Giants were very lucky to win one game on the trip. They have to thank the Yankee manager for the victory. He reminded me of Frank Robinson when he managed the Giants. Its the last of the 10th inning and the Yankees have runners on first and second with none out. He has Ellsbury one of the better hitters on team bunt the runners along. Then the Giants walk Beltran the best hitter on the team. The Yankees took the bat right out of the hands of their two best hitters. Bases loaded and the Yankees .230 hitting clean up man pops to left and the number 5 batters flies to right. No runs. Giants eventually win in 12 innings thanks to Mac Williamson timely hit. Frank Robinson used a similar strategy. The number 4 and 5 hitters get on base with none out. The #6 batter bunts them along and #7 batter is walked to load the bases with one out Who batted 8th for the Giants? If you been around you remember it was Johnny LeMaster who was a great fielder but got about two hits a week and then the pitcher was an easy out. Frank used to have his #3 batter bunt after the two leadoff men got on base that forced the bat out the cleanup hitter hands which normally led to the #5 hitting into a double play. If you read my blogs in the past you know that I have called Frank Robinson the worst manager in Giants history. Those that read this page know I am death against giving a team an out to get a runner to third with one out.
Is Pence ready to come back? I think his leg is so fragile that even when he comes back he won't last long. Hate to say but that's the way I see it. I would start Pence in right, Pagan in center and Williamson in left. It won't happen. The Giants have too much invested in Span to bench him and Pagan would have a tantrum if benched. So Williamson sits, Parker is sent to Sacramento and the Giants continue to struggle.
Will the Giants trade Parker to get a pitcher like they traded Duvall to the Reds for a pitcher last year and he ends up in the homerun hitting contest?
Tim Lincecum gave up 8 earned runs yesterday in 1.1 innings raising his ERA to 8.70 for the season. But once a Giant always a Giant. My neighbor attended an Angel game recently in which Timmy started. Angel Stadium is usually a sea of red but he told me that orange and black could be seen through out the crowd.
The NBA
The NBA has moved the All Star Game thanks to a new law that discriminates against men who want to go into little girl bathrooms. Steph Curry was participating in a celebrity golf tournament in Tahoe and was contacted by CSBA for his reaction. Curry said he was disappointed with the decision. They were hoping he say that the law is wrong the game should be moved. But he didn't If I was Curry I would have excused my self and said I have to go to the bathroom. We spend millions of our tax dollars on the Secret Service to protect a guy who tells us what bathrooms we can use. Oh what a country!
Olympics
Warriors players Durant, Thompson and Green are practicing for the Olympics. Take a break play golf instead. Curry is the smart one. Lets hope the games are not known as the Zika Games. They could be known as the Toilet Games because they don't work in the Olympic Village, or the Drug Games because of the Russian athletes or maybe the Sex Games since three times more condoms were ordered for this year then the last games.
49ers
Jed York did take the lead against No Carolina by sending a letter to the governor. I was hoping he would say that the Niners would forfeit the game to the Panthers because of the bill. It would be a lot easier to forfeit the game then lose 50-0.
I see the 49er fans are still complaining about the heat. The new Miami Stadium has the same problem and now they are adding a canopy over the stadium.. Niner fans according to an article are asking for the same thing. If your a season ticket holder don't sell your $250. ticket on Stub Hub for $5. because someone will show up. Just don't show or sell your tickets so the stadium is half empty.
Las Vegas has the 49ers an underdog in every game they play. They are honest because money is involved. Do you really think the Niners can go 0-16? Or is 3-13 more realistic?
I noticed one of the voices of the 49ers was fired because of age according to the suit. It says York wants to have young appearance around the offices. If this is true it helps explains why the Niners are so screwed up from top to bottom and why a friend of mine who had not missed a home game since 1951 wasn't even offered tickets to the New Orleans Super Bowl.
The Giants 8 game lead has now been cut to 3.
Friday, July 15, 2016
The Parades Are Over!
The June Disappointments
It s been over two months since I sent a blog. For those that missed it I apologize but time is very precious these days because of my wife's health condition. Even had a hard time remembering my password.
Parade lovers were certainly disappointed when the planned San Jose and Oakland celebrations were cancelled with both the Sharks and Warriors losing in the finals. They didn't have to wait long with many parades on the 4th of July but for the Warrior and Shark fans its a long 12 months.
It was the first trip to the Stanley Cup for the Sharks. Lets hope it doesn't take another 25 years for the next one. Hockey is hard to figure. Making the one right trade and getting hot late in the season seems to be the success formula which is not easy to achieve. The Sharks were beaten by a better team.
The Warriors are a different story. They were the first team in NBA history to blow a 3-1 series lead and lose. The possible reasons are still making big news in the Bay Area. The team peaked in November. The continued press about how the Warriors were lucky to win in 2015 was a big incentive to roll through the league. They all but killed themselves to break the NBA season record of 73 wins. The players said at the time if they didn't win the championship it meant nothing. Kerr won't let it happen again. Face value for final game tickets I understand ran $800. for not the best seat in the house. Wait until they move to San Francisco. That price will be a daily occurrence.
Teams in any sport that blow a championship series like the Warriors did never recover. Look at the 49ers after blowing their Super Bowl game. The Warriors are different. They will have many new players next year including All Pro Durant which makes them odds on favorite to win it all. Don't go to Vegas yet! I don't believe they are as good as the 2016 team especially when they have one or two key injuries.
If I was Kerr, after winning 42 pre-playoff games which is enough to make the playoffs I would not play a starter over 28 minutes in any game. If possible I would limit the starters to six games in any two week period. All I heard last year was home court advantage. A lot of good it did the Warriors when they were hurt and tired. I would rather play the final game on the road anytime with a healthy fresh team.
The USA Olympic basketball team will have a lot of familiar names including Green if he is not in jail, Thompson, Durant and now former Warrior Barnes. Hard to figure how he made the squad. The
squad will also have Carmelo Anthony who will ruin the team. If Thompson passes the ball to him he will never see it back. If the USA doesn't bring back the gold it most likely can be blamed on Anthony. He ruined the Knicks.
Laughing all the way to the bank is Barnes. He turned down 16 million from the Warriors last year and then has a so so season and that's being very kind and now he will earn 24 million playing for Dallas.
I was fortunate enough to get a sneak preview of the Warrior uniforms that will be used when they move to San Francisco in 2023. You have seen the Warriors' 'the City' uniforms with the Golden Gate Bridge on the jersey. Then in recent years they featured the new Bay Bridge since the team plays in Oakland. The 2023 jerseys will feature the Wall of China for obvious reasons.
El Nino vs High Pressure
This war ended about a month ago with high pressure winning big time in southern California. El Nino only scored two touchdowns the entire winter. They needed at least eight to win. The draught is not noticeable in Irvine because we use re-cycled water to keep everything pretty green. It was tough keeping toilet flushes to three during a 24 hour period. Have to admit I cheated a few times and went to the local gas station. I did win two honorable mentions awards from the state for ideas on how to save water. Especially with her illness, my wife loves her bourbon and water before dinner so we changed to a lighter Canadian whiskey so we could cut back on the water needed. I also like to use 10 -11 cubes of ice in my drinks and to do my part I cut back to between 8 and 9.
Giants
If you look back on my blog a couple months you will discover that everything I said about the Giants is true. I said they would have the best record in the league at the All Star break and would leading the NL West by at least 6 games. Its an election year so I though I would join the crowd and lie like the rest of them.
Giant fans are worried about the relief staff. They should be. However getting Romo back to be an effective 8th inning reliever is a giant step. I continually hear about the inconsistency of the young relievers. That is true but Konkos, Lopez and Strickland are not the pitchers they have been in past years. They need to get Guerin back and acquire a left handed reliever if at possible.
Although Bumgarner, Cueto and Belt are having outstanding seasons, the team's MVP to date is Crawford. Besides being an absolute magician in the field he is leading the team in RBI's and if you follow the Giants closely you know he has come through time and time again. Most of the players can't get a runner in from third with none out and Crawford has bailed them out many times. Consider he was batting 7th at the start of the season. An RBI from that spot is a bonus. Then Pence got hurt and they moved Crawford to 5th and he has delivered like an All Start he should have been.
Around 2008 I proposed a change in the All Star game voting. If they had adopted my system Crawford most likely would have been on the team this year. If you missed it I will repeat the idea. It is patterned after the electoral college. I would divide the county into five areas, West, South, Midwest, East and Northeast. Players winning the election in each of those areas would receive 5 points with 3 point for second and 1 point for third. The players and the media would also have their voting section making a total of seven separate counts.. This would eliminate the Cub fans from stuffing the ballot box like this year because the Cub players would only receive 5 points for winning their area. Ties would be broken by total popular vote. I understand politics got into the picture. There is a move in this country led by the current governor of California to eliminate electoral college and have the President elected by popular vote so they can more easily count votes from Mexico.
In San Francisco one keeps hearing about the injuries on the Giants. Believe me they are a healthy team compared to many others like the Angels and Dodgers. Imagine if the Giants lost their top four starters. Where would they be? That's what happen to the Angels.
I don't remember growing up a baseball fan with so many injuries. Perhaps I missed that detail but now we live in a time of Sports Medicine and everybody gets hurt. The press glows at the fact that players come to spring training in shape and that they worked out all winter. Then they still get injured. Perhaps going back to the old days where the players drank beer all winter and came to spring training 10 lbs. over weight and used the spring to get in shape. That might be the best way!
I noticed that the National Organization for Father's Day the NOFD got their wish from major league baseball and teams wore special uniforms liked like they did on Mothers Day. Threatening a discrimination law suit helped. The color used for Mothers Day was a pink and feminine blue was used for Fathers Day. I thought the Giants uniforms on those days were horrible. Ivy League grads know how to answer SAT questions but designing uniforms is not one of their strengths
I have been using a newcomputer for the past few months. Just want to let you know that Windows 10 is the sh__s. Excuse the French. I didn't listen to my daughter who urged me to get a Mac.
Thought and Prayers
Our loyal Texas blog member Russ J wife Susie suffered a very severe stroke a couple of months ago. The doctors at the Dallas hospital were amazed that they saved her life. Recovery is slow but I understand progress is being made. Our thought and prayers are with them during this time. The success of the Rangers this year I am sure has helped make some days a little brighter.
Many of you knew Jim Breslin who was blog member and a trusted and wonderful friend for the past sixty years who passed away a couple of weeks ago. He will be missed by many. Our prayers and thoughts go to his wife Bridgit and his family. May his souls and all the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen
It s been over two months since I sent a blog. For those that missed it I apologize but time is very precious these days because of my wife's health condition. Even had a hard time remembering my password.
Parade lovers were certainly disappointed when the planned San Jose and Oakland celebrations were cancelled with both the Sharks and Warriors losing in the finals. They didn't have to wait long with many parades on the 4th of July but for the Warrior and Shark fans its a long 12 months.
It was the first trip to the Stanley Cup for the Sharks. Lets hope it doesn't take another 25 years for the next one. Hockey is hard to figure. Making the one right trade and getting hot late in the season seems to be the success formula which is not easy to achieve. The Sharks were beaten by a better team.
The Warriors are a different story. They were the first team in NBA history to blow a 3-1 series lead and lose. The possible reasons are still making big news in the Bay Area. The team peaked in November. The continued press about how the Warriors were lucky to win in 2015 was a big incentive to roll through the league. They all but killed themselves to break the NBA season record of 73 wins. The players said at the time if they didn't win the championship it meant nothing. Kerr won't let it happen again. Face value for final game tickets I understand ran $800. for not the best seat in the house. Wait until they move to San Francisco. That price will be a daily occurrence.
Teams in any sport that blow a championship series like the Warriors did never recover. Look at the 49ers after blowing their Super Bowl game. The Warriors are different. They will have many new players next year including All Pro Durant which makes them odds on favorite to win it all. Don't go to Vegas yet! I don't believe they are as good as the 2016 team especially when they have one or two key injuries.
If I was Kerr, after winning 42 pre-playoff games which is enough to make the playoffs I would not play a starter over 28 minutes in any game. If possible I would limit the starters to six games in any two week period. All I heard last year was home court advantage. A lot of good it did the Warriors when they were hurt and tired. I would rather play the final game on the road anytime with a healthy fresh team.
The USA Olympic basketball team will have a lot of familiar names including Green if he is not in jail, Thompson, Durant and now former Warrior Barnes. Hard to figure how he made the squad. The
squad will also have Carmelo Anthony who will ruin the team. If Thompson passes the ball to him he will never see it back. If the USA doesn't bring back the gold it most likely can be blamed on Anthony. He ruined the Knicks.
Laughing all the way to the bank is Barnes. He turned down 16 million from the Warriors last year and then has a so so season and that's being very kind and now he will earn 24 million playing for Dallas.
I was fortunate enough to get a sneak preview of the Warrior uniforms that will be used when they move to San Francisco in 2023. You have seen the Warriors' 'the City' uniforms with the Golden Gate Bridge on the jersey. Then in recent years they featured the new Bay Bridge since the team plays in Oakland. The 2023 jerseys will feature the Wall of China for obvious reasons.
El Nino vs High Pressure
This war ended about a month ago with high pressure winning big time in southern California. El Nino only scored two touchdowns the entire winter. They needed at least eight to win. The draught is not noticeable in Irvine because we use re-cycled water to keep everything pretty green. It was tough keeping toilet flushes to three during a 24 hour period. Have to admit I cheated a few times and went to the local gas station. I did win two honorable mentions awards from the state for ideas on how to save water. Especially with her illness, my wife loves her bourbon and water before dinner so we changed to a lighter Canadian whiskey so we could cut back on the water needed. I also like to use 10 -11 cubes of ice in my drinks and to do my part I cut back to between 8 and 9.
Giants
If you look back on my blog a couple months you will discover that everything I said about the Giants is true. I said they would have the best record in the league at the All Star break and would leading the NL West by at least 6 games. Its an election year so I though I would join the crowd and lie like the rest of them.
Giant fans are worried about the relief staff. They should be. However getting Romo back to be an effective 8th inning reliever is a giant step. I continually hear about the inconsistency of the young relievers. That is true but Konkos, Lopez and Strickland are not the pitchers they have been in past years. They need to get Guerin back and acquire a left handed reliever if at possible.
Although Bumgarner, Cueto and Belt are having outstanding seasons, the team's MVP to date is Crawford. Besides being an absolute magician in the field he is leading the team in RBI's and if you follow the Giants closely you know he has come through time and time again. Most of the players can't get a runner in from third with none out and Crawford has bailed them out many times. Consider he was batting 7th at the start of the season. An RBI from that spot is a bonus. Then Pence got hurt and they moved Crawford to 5th and he has delivered like an All Start he should have been.
Around 2008 I proposed a change in the All Star game voting. If they had adopted my system Crawford most likely would have been on the team this year. If you missed it I will repeat the idea. It is patterned after the electoral college. I would divide the county into five areas, West, South, Midwest, East and Northeast. Players winning the election in each of those areas would receive 5 points with 3 point for second and 1 point for third. The players and the media would also have their voting section making a total of seven separate counts.. This would eliminate the Cub fans from stuffing the ballot box like this year because the Cub players would only receive 5 points for winning their area. Ties would be broken by total popular vote. I understand politics got into the picture. There is a move in this country led by the current governor of California to eliminate electoral college and have the President elected by popular vote so they can more easily count votes from Mexico.
In San Francisco one keeps hearing about the injuries on the Giants. Believe me they are a healthy team compared to many others like the Angels and Dodgers. Imagine if the Giants lost their top four starters. Where would they be? That's what happen to the Angels.
I don't remember growing up a baseball fan with so many injuries. Perhaps I missed that detail but now we live in a time of Sports Medicine and everybody gets hurt. The press glows at the fact that players come to spring training in shape and that they worked out all winter. Then they still get injured. Perhaps going back to the old days where the players drank beer all winter and came to spring training 10 lbs. over weight and used the spring to get in shape. That might be the best way!
I noticed that the National Organization for Father's Day the NOFD got their wish from major league baseball and teams wore special uniforms liked like they did on Mothers Day. Threatening a discrimination law suit helped. The color used for Mothers Day was a pink and feminine blue was used for Fathers Day. I thought the Giants uniforms on those days were horrible. Ivy League grads know how to answer SAT questions but designing uniforms is not one of their strengths
I have been using a newcomputer for the past few months. Just want to let you know that Windows 10 is the sh__s. Excuse the French. I didn't listen to my daughter who urged me to get a Mac.
Thought and Prayers
Our loyal Texas blog member Russ J wife Susie suffered a very severe stroke a couple of months ago. The doctors at the Dallas hospital were amazed that they saved her life. Recovery is slow but I understand progress is being made. Our thought and prayers are with them during this time. The success of the Rangers this year I am sure has helped make some days a little brighter.
Many of you knew Jim Breslin who was blog member and a trusted and wonderful friend for the past sixty years who passed away a couple of weeks ago. He will be missed by many. Our prayers and thoughts go to his wife Bridgit and his family. May his souls and all the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen
Thursday, May 5, 2016
Exciting Times
Question for the day
Those who read this blog regularly know that I am not a great supporter of law makers whose priority is paying off their cronies. Did you know in California that you cannot take a picture of a man with a wooden leg. Rationale at the end of the post. (Thanks to Tony G for the info.)
Everyone is in the news --- the 49ers, the Sharks, the Warriors and the Giants
The 49ers
What usually turns out to be the most exciting weekend of the NFL season -- the annual draft --- was held last weekend in Chicago to the disappointment of the SF Giants who were in the drafts usual location New York hoping to take in this historic event.
As one draftee said it just like school.-- every move and team is graded by 'experts' just like school with a letter grade from A-F. I always wondered why these professors of the draft don't work for an NFL team since they know so much. Its not like school since the grades are given before the final exam, which is actually contributing on the field. But most of the draftees are use to this for many of them received A's in their courses before opening a classroom door if they even got that far.
Those of us who follow the 49ers know they need players in just about every position. The team has been depleted in the last couple years by lack of leadership, retirements, free agency, injuries, and drafting that deserved a gift letter grade of 'D'. We have been a big 49er fan for 70 years and even though we have been disgusted with the team since they blew the Super Bowl a few years ago we're hoping the draft turns out to be a solid 'A'. I just wish that the lineman they drafted from Oregon this year is better then the one last year who was a complete bust. And I have confidence that the offensive guard from Stanford has talent and was not made to look good because they had a #5 running behind him.
Television
News from the television side of the NFL. . . I was surprised to see that Mike Tirico is leaving ESPN and ABC to work for NBC. Oh well, one atheist company to another. . . Even bigger news was the fact that Michael Strahan who is on the Sunday Fox NFL Show is leaving his part time job with Kelly Ripa. The move got plenty of publicity especially when Kelly said she was blind sided. But she knew that Michael who had already left two wives, could not be counted upon to stay for a long period to time. Its his MO! It must be said however that he did get 'Father of the Year' award from Parade magazine for treating his kids real well when he sees them once or twice a year. Isn't this a great world? I think some would call it 'enlightenment'. Do whatever you want. The hell with responsibility. . . Ex- 49er Dana Stubblefield denies raping a disabled women if what could possibly be a set up. Dana did the pre and post 49er show on CSBA until the station hired ex Notre Dame running back Ricky Waters last year to team with Denis Brown.. . On the lighter side of television, my daughter and blog member Katie S will be interviewed on the food channel on May 6th and repeated on May 11. The show is called Diner, Drive Ins and Dives and her segment is 'From the Heart' from Carlsbad, CA. On the 6th the show is scheduled for 6:30 pm and on the 11th 4 pm in the afternoon. Times could vary in other parts of the county.
Ice Hockey
My interest in ice hockey pre dates the 49ers by a couple of years. I can remember in the 1940s Bucky Buchanan scoring many goals for the San Francisco Shamrocks at Winterland. Imagine a San Francisco sports team having the name Shamrocks today. Oh how things have changed. Once the baseball Seals were taken over by the Giants hockey teams picked up the name. They were the San Francisco Seals of the Western Hockey League playing at the Cow Palace, and the California Seals and then Oakland Seals of the NHL playing their games at the Oakland Coliseum. The hockey Seals were never as successful as the baseball San Francisco Seals of the old Pacific Coast League.
I have not followed the Sharks too closely in recent years. Like the Warriors they have great fan base in San Jose. They have had many playoff teams but seem to peak too early and are worn out by playoff time. This year the team seems to be peaking at the right time. Lets hope the San Jose Sharks join the other two California NHL hockey teams the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings and gain their first Stanley Cup.
The Warriors
What's left to be said? Thousands of words have been written about the amazing NBA team based out of Oakland. I guess the only real question is can the Warriors win the title without Curry. It would be hard to say they can't based on their playoff record to date. The feeling is now that Curry will play Game 3 in Portland so we can only speculate on the answer. Before the injuries to Curry and the Clipper stars, I thought the LA team was the only team that would have a chance ever so slight of upsetting the basketball wonders.
The Giants
The Giants just finished losing the final game of their series with Cincinnati. They are one game over .500 team in a division that one win over .500 or 82 wins could put that team in the playoffs.
The Giants were one of only three teams that did not start the season with a player on the DL. That didn't last long and the loss of Romo and Kontos were devastating. The relief staff is filled with many unfamiliar faces and resembles a staff you would expect to see in August which brings up the question who will they have left in August.
The big three of the starting staff looks like they will do everything expected of them. Its the fourth and fifth starters Peavy and Cain that remain the big questions. Peavy got belted again today. I don't know if its age that has finally caught up with him or he is pitching hurt. I am sure he will be on the DL very soon with Blackburn who doesn't impress me, being called up from the River Cats. I keep hearing how well Cain is pitching. Every time I look he is getting belted.
The loss of Adrianza was another real blow to the team. He finally was playing well enough that the team felt confident he could spell Crawford regularly. It was Flannery on the post game Giants show who has said on a number of occasions that Crawford is a much better player when he periodically gets a few games off
The Giants need one more player with some pop in his bat. Neither Pagan or Sans have any pop at all like last years late season addition Myrun Bird. Pagan has given it his all this year but now is out with a level 1 hamstring pull. Pagan has been troubled the last few years with leg injuries so this has to be considered serious. I had mentioned before that I was not impressed with Sans at the plate and now in the field. He is a horrible centerfielder. He cannot go back on ball without getting all turned around. Mac Williamson got two hits today that prevented him from catching a Greyhound to Sacramento when the Giants plane landed at SFO.
Greg Papa on the pre game show the other day mentioned that he could not wait for the matchup between Cueto and the speedy Reds centerfielder Hamilton. Well it wasn't even close. Hamilton got on second with one out and kept bluffing about going to third. Cueto threw back to second a few times besides bluffing throws. The end result was a walk to the batter that led to a home run and a 6 run inning. Hamilton cleaned Cueto's clock.
Kruk and Kuip on the Giants broadcast will always say when a batter grounds out and moves a runner to third with one that he did his job. Baloney! The batter was suppose to get a hit not make an out. All he does is put the pressure on the next hitter. Remember a few weeks ago the Giants won one game in Los Angeles. The Dodgers were trailing 2-1 in the 9th inning and their first batter led off with a double. Hernandez was the next Dodger batter. He had been killing the Giants at the plate. He attempts to bunt on the first pitch. I could not believe it. He took the bat right out of the hands of his hottest hitter. Then on the next pitch he grounds to third getting the runner to third just like a bunt. So now a runner on third with one out. The next batter pops out and final batter flies to left and the Giants win. That's why I am so happy the Dodgers hired Roberts as their manager and it is the reason they are not currently leading the NL West. How many times has a Giant led off an inning at AT&T with a triple and died on third. So many in fact that the cemetery is sold out. What was Cueto so worried about. Having Hamilton on third with one out is not disastrous. Just consecrate on striking out the next batter.
I am sick and tired of instant replay. How many did we see on the just concluded Giants trip. I lost count and as K & K said they didn't get it right half the time after looking at the replay. Its becoming a joke because who knows how many brandy's those umpires in New York have had and what is there to lose. I know the Giants wonder.
Rationale
You can't take a picture with a wooden leg. You will need a camera!
Those who read this blog regularly know that I am not a great supporter of law makers whose priority is paying off their cronies. Did you know in California that you cannot take a picture of a man with a wooden leg. Rationale at the end of the post. (Thanks to Tony G for the info.)
Everyone is in the news --- the 49ers, the Sharks, the Warriors and the Giants
The 49ers
What usually turns out to be the most exciting weekend of the NFL season -- the annual draft --- was held last weekend in Chicago to the disappointment of the SF Giants who were in the drafts usual location New York hoping to take in this historic event.
As one draftee said it just like school.-- every move and team is graded by 'experts' just like school with a letter grade from A-F. I always wondered why these professors of the draft don't work for an NFL team since they know so much. Its not like school since the grades are given before the final exam, which is actually contributing on the field. But most of the draftees are use to this for many of them received A's in their courses before opening a classroom door if they even got that far.
Those of us who follow the 49ers know they need players in just about every position. The team has been depleted in the last couple years by lack of leadership, retirements, free agency, injuries, and drafting that deserved a gift letter grade of 'D'. We have been a big 49er fan for 70 years and even though we have been disgusted with the team since they blew the Super Bowl a few years ago we're hoping the draft turns out to be a solid 'A'. I just wish that the lineman they drafted from Oregon this year is better then the one last year who was a complete bust. And I have confidence that the offensive guard from Stanford has talent and was not made to look good because they had a #5 running behind him.
Television
News from the television side of the NFL. . . I was surprised to see that Mike Tirico is leaving ESPN and ABC to work for NBC. Oh well, one atheist company to another. . . Even bigger news was the fact that Michael Strahan who is on the Sunday Fox NFL Show is leaving his part time job with Kelly Ripa. The move got plenty of publicity especially when Kelly said she was blind sided. But she knew that Michael who had already left two wives, could not be counted upon to stay for a long period to time. Its his MO! It must be said however that he did get 'Father of the Year' award from Parade magazine for treating his kids real well when he sees them once or twice a year. Isn't this a great world? I think some would call it 'enlightenment'. Do whatever you want. The hell with responsibility. . . Ex- 49er Dana Stubblefield denies raping a disabled women if what could possibly be a set up. Dana did the pre and post 49er show on CSBA until the station hired ex Notre Dame running back Ricky Waters last year to team with Denis Brown.. . On the lighter side of television, my daughter and blog member Katie S will be interviewed on the food channel on May 6th and repeated on May 11. The show is called Diner, Drive Ins and Dives and her segment is 'From the Heart' from Carlsbad, CA. On the 6th the show is scheduled for 6:30 pm and on the 11th 4 pm in the afternoon. Times could vary in other parts of the county.
Ice Hockey
 |
| A Seal with a hockey stick not a bat |
I have not followed the Sharks too closely in recent years. Like the Warriors they have great fan base in San Jose. They have had many playoff teams but seem to peak too early and are worn out by playoff time. This year the team seems to be peaking at the right time. Lets hope the San Jose Sharks join the other two California NHL hockey teams the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings and gain their first Stanley Cup.
The Warriors
What's left to be said? Thousands of words have been written about the amazing NBA team based out of Oakland. I guess the only real question is can the Warriors win the title without Curry. It would be hard to say they can't based on their playoff record to date. The feeling is now that Curry will play Game 3 in Portland so we can only speculate on the answer. Before the injuries to Curry and the Clipper stars, I thought the LA team was the only team that would have a chance ever so slight of upsetting the basketball wonders.
The Giants
The Giants just finished losing the final game of their series with Cincinnati. They are one game over .500 team in a division that one win over .500 or 82 wins could put that team in the playoffs.
The Giants were one of only three teams that did not start the season with a player on the DL. That didn't last long and the loss of Romo and Kontos were devastating. The relief staff is filled with many unfamiliar faces and resembles a staff you would expect to see in August which brings up the question who will they have left in August.
The big three of the starting staff looks like they will do everything expected of them. Its the fourth and fifth starters Peavy and Cain that remain the big questions. Peavy got belted again today. I don't know if its age that has finally caught up with him or he is pitching hurt. I am sure he will be on the DL very soon with Blackburn who doesn't impress me, being called up from the River Cats. I keep hearing how well Cain is pitching. Every time I look he is getting belted.
The loss of Adrianza was another real blow to the team. He finally was playing well enough that the team felt confident he could spell Crawford regularly. It was Flannery on the post game Giants show who has said on a number of occasions that Crawford is a much better player when he periodically gets a few games off
The Giants need one more player with some pop in his bat. Neither Pagan or Sans have any pop at all like last years late season addition Myrun Bird. Pagan has given it his all this year but now is out with a level 1 hamstring pull. Pagan has been troubled the last few years with leg injuries so this has to be considered serious. I had mentioned before that I was not impressed with Sans at the plate and now in the field. He is a horrible centerfielder. He cannot go back on ball without getting all turned around. Mac Williamson got two hits today that prevented him from catching a Greyhound to Sacramento when the Giants plane landed at SFO.
Greg Papa on the pre game show the other day mentioned that he could not wait for the matchup between Cueto and the speedy Reds centerfielder Hamilton. Well it wasn't even close. Hamilton got on second with one out and kept bluffing about going to third. Cueto threw back to second a few times besides bluffing throws. The end result was a walk to the batter that led to a home run and a 6 run inning. Hamilton cleaned Cueto's clock.
Kruk and Kuip on the Giants broadcast will always say when a batter grounds out and moves a runner to third with one that he did his job. Baloney! The batter was suppose to get a hit not make an out. All he does is put the pressure on the next hitter. Remember a few weeks ago the Giants won one game in Los Angeles. The Dodgers were trailing 2-1 in the 9th inning and their first batter led off with a double. Hernandez was the next Dodger batter. He had been killing the Giants at the plate. He attempts to bunt on the first pitch. I could not believe it. He took the bat right out of the hands of his hottest hitter. Then on the next pitch he grounds to third getting the runner to third just like a bunt. So now a runner on third with one out. The next batter pops out and final batter flies to left and the Giants win. That's why I am so happy the Dodgers hired Roberts as their manager and it is the reason they are not currently leading the NL West. How many times has a Giant led off an inning at AT&T with a triple and died on third. So many in fact that the cemetery is sold out. What was Cueto so worried about. Having Hamilton on third with one out is not disastrous. Just consecrate on striking out the next batter.
I am sick and tired of instant replay. How many did we see on the just concluded Giants trip. I lost count and as K & K said they didn't get it right half the time after looking at the replay. Its becoming a joke because who knows how many brandy's those umpires in New York have had and what is there to lose. I know the Giants wonder.
Rationale
You can't take a picture with a wooden leg. You will need a camera!
Monday, April 11, 2016
The First and the Last
The Giants just completed their first week of the 2016 season while the Warriors wrap up their regular season on Wednesday.
The Warriors
If the Warriors win Wednesday they will break the all time NBA record for regular season wins. If they don't it will be one of the biggest upsets of the NBA season after the future San Francisco team went all out to successfully beat the San Antonio Spurs twice. These wins prove to me that the team can turn it on if need be a concern I have had during the last few weeks of the season. The big question still remains, will they be able to do it for two more months.
The Giants
The Giants won five of their seven games to take a one game lead over the Dodgers in the NL West. Ironically they could have easily won all of their games. They blew numerous opportunities against the Brewers in their one loss to Milwaukee and Tomlinson misplaying a double play ball in the 9th inning in the mud at AT&T cost the Giants Saturday's game against the Dodgers.
Eleven different Giants hit 14 home runs in the first week of the season. They are currently on a pace to hit over 360 round trippers for the season. Even the great home run hitting New York Giant teams of the late 1940s were only able to hit around 220. Last year the 'g' men hit 135. The Giants got home runs from every position except center field. Last week I wrote that Span did not show me anything. He made that statement look foolish by driving in 5 runs in the opener at Milwaukee all with two strikes and two outs. Now that showed me something! He is however off to a very slow start and I am not sure if his injury from last year is still bothering him.
Bochy batted the pitcher 8th about five times during the week. It hurt Sunday when Cueto came up with two on two out and was an easy out. In the season opener, Pagan batting 9th got on to lead off an inning. He then stole second and scored on a single by Span. A classic run.
One major goal of the Giants this year was to cut down on the use of the bull pen by having their starters go more innings. If the first week of the season is any indication that goal will not be achieved and the relief staff will be worn out by June. Just about everyone repeated the party line that spring training was too long except the restaurants and hotels in Arizona and pitching coach Dave Righetti who indicated that the starters could have used another week. Its really not fair to judge the staff after just one week. Lets give them a couple more starts then make a judgment. Its a long season that won't be over until the 2016-17 'World Champion' Warriors start practice.
The Masters
Although the play of the golfers this year left something to be desired, it is always a pleasure to watch this classic event. Brings back memories of how people use to be courteous. You might have noticed that they don't even have volunteers raising their hand to keep everyone quiet when a golfer is hitting the ball. Not needed at the Masters'!
Television
The Dodgers series was blacked out in Los Angeles by Time Warner. We were only able to see Saturday's game which was on national television. I believe the people at Time Warner must have been Dodgers fans to award them so much money for their rights. This is the reason the Dodgers can start the season with $114 million in salary being paid to players that did not start the season on the 25 man squad. In contrast the payroll for the entire Milwaukee team is $50 million for this year.
The Warriors
If the Warriors win Wednesday they will break the all time NBA record for regular season wins. If they don't it will be one of the biggest upsets of the NBA season after the future San Francisco team went all out to successfully beat the San Antonio Spurs twice. These wins prove to me that the team can turn it on if need be a concern I have had during the last few weeks of the season. The big question still remains, will they be able to do it for two more months.
The Giants
The Giants won five of their seven games to take a one game lead over the Dodgers in the NL West. Ironically they could have easily won all of their games. They blew numerous opportunities against the Brewers in their one loss to Milwaukee and Tomlinson misplaying a double play ball in the 9th inning in the mud at AT&T cost the Giants Saturday's game against the Dodgers.
Eleven different Giants hit 14 home runs in the first week of the season. They are currently on a pace to hit over 360 round trippers for the season. Even the great home run hitting New York Giant teams of the late 1940s were only able to hit around 220. Last year the 'g' men hit 135. The Giants got home runs from every position except center field. Last week I wrote that Span did not show me anything. He made that statement look foolish by driving in 5 runs in the opener at Milwaukee all with two strikes and two outs. Now that showed me something! He is however off to a very slow start and I am not sure if his injury from last year is still bothering him.
Bochy batted the pitcher 8th about five times during the week. It hurt Sunday when Cueto came up with two on two out and was an easy out. In the season opener, Pagan batting 9th got on to lead off an inning. He then stole second and scored on a single by Span. A classic run.
One major goal of the Giants this year was to cut down on the use of the bull pen by having their starters go more innings. If the first week of the season is any indication that goal will not be achieved and the relief staff will be worn out by June. Just about everyone repeated the party line that spring training was too long except the restaurants and hotels in Arizona and pitching coach Dave Righetti who indicated that the starters could have used another week. Its really not fair to judge the staff after just one week. Lets give them a couple more starts then make a judgment. Its a long season that won't be over until the 2016-17 'World Champion' Warriors start practice.
The Masters
Although the play of the golfers this year left something to be desired, it is always a pleasure to watch this classic event. Brings back memories of how people use to be courteous. You might have noticed that they don't even have volunteers raising their hand to keep everyone quiet when a golfer is hitting the ball. Not needed at the Masters'!
Television
The Dodgers series was blacked out in Los Angeles by Time Warner. We were only able to see Saturday's game which was on national television. I believe the people at Time Warner must have been Dodgers fans to award them so much money for their rights. This is the reason the Dodgers can start the season with $114 million in salary being paid to players that did not start the season on the 25 man squad. In contrast the payroll for the entire Milwaukee team is $50 million for this year.
Friday, April 1, 2016
Good-bye to Arizona
The Giants
The weather was spectacular, restaurants fabulous, crowds enormous, prices like home, the Orange and Black games scary with so many bombings but Giant fans had a ball in the land of the sun. Now its time for the real games.
The Giants stole my thunder by announcing their opening 25 man roster early but I still have a few comments by position.
Infield
Belt at first was best described by Shawn Estes this spring when he said he was the streakiest hitter he had ever seen. One week he hits homers the next week he strikes out. Don't look for him to ever change.
Panic at second looks as stable as ever. Back problem has been cured. Just a solid player who knows how to play the game.
Duffy is under pressure to continue to perform at a high level and if the spring is any indication he will.
Crawford was an All Star last year at short. Can he repeat? It really depends on his health. Nagging injuries in the past has hurt his production
Adrianza and Tomilson kept their jobs over some impressive non roster invites.
Arroyo the high touted rookie is the real thing. If any of the three infielders falter look for him to be with the Giants in August.
Outfield
Pagan had a surprising good spring to win the left field job. Can he keep it up?
The centerfielder Span did not impress me
Pence in right looked great most of the spring until his last at bat in Arizona when swung at a pitch that only went 40 feet and struck out.
Blanco is the fourth outfielder although he was not overly impressive in the spring.
Parker, Hernandez and Mac Williamson will provide the Sacramento River Cats with a very solid outfield. It won't be long before one will be up with the Giants. Parker hit a couple of homers in the spring but disappointed me by striking out too much. Hernandez may be a better player then Blanco and Williamson looks like he could be the power hitting left fielder of the near future.
Posey and Brown will be the catchers with Suzac in the wings hoping his wrist heals allowing him to show his power that will be his ticket back to AT&T.
Pitchers
As we mentioned in an earlier post the Giants would start Bumgarner, Cueto, Samardzija, Peavy and Cain regardless of their efforts in the spring which for the most part left a lot to be desired. There was marked improvement in the final games in Arizona but will it be enough to prevent from getting the roof blown off with Brewer bombs at Miller field in their first three games of the season. Don't look for rookie Blackburn to be the savior. He's a nibbler. Won't throw a strike when things get tough.
Relief staff looks adequate not great. Osich is too wild and shows me nothing. Casilla is still the closer. Can he last?
Overall
This is an even year so the Giants are a cinch to win the World Series. Don't we all wish. If they do they will have to be wild card team like they have been in the past. (Thank you, Bud!) If spring training means anything, the D'Backs look like a runaway winner in the NL West.
Pitcher Batting 8th
You can never be wrong in figuring out a Giants lineup. Bochy has averaged over 125 different lineups every year. This year he plans to bat the pitcher 8th on some occasions. In the A's game last night at AT&T Duffy had hit into a double play leaving a runner at third with two outs. Crawford the number 7 hitter got a single to knock in a run. Then the pitcher Samardzija batting 8th struck out. If Melvin the A's manager understood NL baseball he would have walked Crawford and the Giants most likely would not have scored. See the problem of batting the pitcher 8th?
Other Observations
The Giants are still hoping they will get some return from Cain's $20 million a year contract. In the last two years he has four wins meaning that each win costs the Giants $10 million. However things could be worse. Remember they offered Sandoval $95 million and Pablo is now a bench warmer for the Red Sox. Oh yes, then there is Tim Lincecum. They wanted him to sign for five years but Timmy decided he would sign for two and then make a big killing later. We're still waiting for Tim to showcase major league scouts which was originally scheduled for January and its now April. Remember that's the plan Brian Wilson used successfully to take millions from the Dodgers. Speaking of beards Romo has grown a beard almost the size of Wilson's and would somebody in San Francisco please tell him its ugly!
Box Score Trash
Last night AT&T must had felt like Candlestick although that swear word was never mentioned. The pitchers looked great because the batter were too cold to swing the bats. At the wrap up after the game Kuiper mentioned that Pagan and Duffy were the hitting heroes with two hits a piece. Baloney! Pagan got two hits alright but he grounded out with two outs and two men in scoring position. Duffy batted sixth last night and with two on and none out ruined a rally by hitting into a double play. Duffy hits too many potential double play grounders to bat sixth. Duffy and Pagan were the goats not the heroes.
The Warriors
The future San Francisco team continues to amaze just about everyone. I really thought they would lose to the Jazz the other night. Arriving at 3 am after a game in Oakland they beat a hot Utah team in overtime. As Joe Lacob the owner says they are light years ahead of teams in the NBA. Who is to argue? As far ahead as the Warriors are in the NBA the 49ers are light years behind other teams in the NFL.
March Madness
On the morning of the tournament I turned on my computer and the first thing I saw was that Yale had upset Baylor killing my bracket. However my final prediction of North Carolina State beating Oklahoma in the finals is still possible. I never understood why a second bracket with the "Sweet 16" isn't started after the end of first weekend to keep interest alive in the tournament.
Surprise of the Summer --- Sharks win the Stanley Cup Playoffs!
The NFL
The NFL is always looking for new horizons and with their current philosophy I have a suggestion for them. Play a game in hell which would break all attendance records and also provide a realistic picture of their future.
Breaking News
April 1, 2016. The Giants just announced that they signed Tim Lincecum to a two year $25 million contract. Tim will start the season in Sacramento but is expected to be called up by early May.
The weather was spectacular, restaurants fabulous, crowds enormous, prices like home, the Orange and Black games scary with so many bombings but Giant fans had a ball in the land of the sun. Now its time for the real games.
The Giants stole my thunder by announcing their opening 25 man roster early but I still have a few comments by position.
Infield
Belt at first was best described by Shawn Estes this spring when he said he was the streakiest hitter he had ever seen. One week he hits homers the next week he strikes out. Don't look for him to ever change.
Panic at second looks as stable as ever. Back problem has been cured. Just a solid player who knows how to play the game.
Duffy is under pressure to continue to perform at a high level and if the spring is any indication he will.
Crawford was an All Star last year at short. Can he repeat? It really depends on his health. Nagging injuries in the past has hurt his production
Adrianza and Tomilson kept their jobs over some impressive non roster invites.
Arroyo the high touted rookie is the real thing. If any of the three infielders falter look for him to be with the Giants in August.
Outfield
Pagan had a surprising good spring to win the left field job. Can he keep it up?
The centerfielder Span did not impress me
Pence in right looked great most of the spring until his last at bat in Arizona when swung at a pitch that only went 40 feet and struck out.
Blanco is the fourth outfielder although he was not overly impressive in the spring.
Parker, Hernandez and Mac Williamson will provide the Sacramento River Cats with a very solid outfield. It won't be long before one will be up with the Giants. Parker hit a couple of homers in the spring but disappointed me by striking out too much. Hernandez may be a better player then Blanco and Williamson looks like he could be the power hitting left fielder of the near future.
Posey and Brown will be the catchers with Suzac in the wings hoping his wrist heals allowing him to show his power that will be his ticket back to AT&T.
Pitchers
As we mentioned in an earlier post the Giants would start Bumgarner, Cueto, Samardzija, Peavy and Cain regardless of their efforts in the spring which for the most part left a lot to be desired. There was marked improvement in the final games in Arizona but will it be enough to prevent from getting the roof blown off with Brewer bombs at Miller field in their first three games of the season. Don't look for rookie Blackburn to be the savior. He's a nibbler. Won't throw a strike when things get tough.
Relief staff looks adequate not great. Osich is too wild and shows me nothing. Casilla is still the closer. Can he last?
Overall
This is an even year so the Giants are a cinch to win the World Series. Don't we all wish. If they do they will have to be wild card team like they have been in the past. (Thank you, Bud!) If spring training means anything, the D'Backs look like a runaway winner in the NL West.
Pitcher Batting 8th
You can never be wrong in figuring out a Giants lineup. Bochy has averaged over 125 different lineups every year. This year he plans to bat the pitcher 8th on some occasions. In the A's game last night at AT&T Duffy had hit into a double play leaving a runner at third with two outs. Crawford the number 7 hitter got a single to knock in a run. Then the pitcher Samardzija batting 8th struck out. If Melvin the A's manager understood NL baseball he would have walked Crawford and the Giants most likely would not have scored. See the problem of batting the pitcher 8th?
Other Observations
The Giants are still hoping they will get some return from Cain's $20 million a year contract. In the last two years he has four wins meaning that each win costs the Giants $10 million. However things could be worse. Remember they offered Sandoval $95 million and Pablo is now a bench warmer for the Red Sox. Oh yes, then there is Tim Lincecum. They wanted him to sign for five years but Timmy decided he would sign for two and then make a big killing later. We're still waiting for Tim to showcase major league scouts which was originally scheduled for January and its now April. Remember that's the plan Brian Wilson used successfully to take millions from the Dodgers. Speaking of beards Romo has grown a beard almost the size of Wilson's and would somebody in San Francisco please tell him its ugly!
Box Score Trash
Last night AT&T must had felt like Candlestick although that swear word was never mentioned. The pitchers looked great because the batter were too cold to swing the bats. At the wrap up after the game Kuiper mentioned that Pagan and Duffy were the hitting heroes with two hits a piece. Baloney! Pagan got two hits alright but he grounded out with two outs and two men in scoring position. Duffy batted sixth last night and with two on and none out ruined a rally by hitting into a double play. Duffy hits too many potential double play grounders to bat sixth. Duffy and Pagan were the goats not the heroes.
The Warriors
The future San Francisco team continues to amaze just about everyone. I really thought they would lose to the Jazz the other night. Arriving at 3 am after a game in Oakland they beat a hot Utah team in overtime. As Joe Lacob the owner says they are light years ahead of teams in the NBA. Who is to argue? As far ahead as the Warriors are in the NBA the 49ers are light years behind other teams in the NFL.
March Madness
On the morning of the tournament I turned on my computer and the first thing I saw was that Yale had upset Baylor killing my bracket. However my final prediction of North Carolina State beating Oklahoma in the finals is still possible. I never understood why a second bracket with the "Sweet 16" isn't started after the end of first weekend to keep interest alive in the tournament.
Surprise of the Summer --- Sharks win the Stanley Cup Playoffs!
The NFL
The NFL is always looking for new horizons and with their current philosophy I have a suggestion for them. Play a game in hell which would break all attendance records and also provide a realistic picture of their future.
Breaking News
April 1, 2016. The Giants just announced that they signed Tim Lincecum to a two year $25 million contract. Tim will start the season in Sacramento but is expected to be called up by early May.
Thursday, March 17, 2016
Happy Saint Patrick's Day
HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY
When you think of the Irish in San Francisco you also have to think of the Buena Vista Café better known as the BV. It is well known even in Ireland for Irish Coffee. Just wondering if they still sell for 60 cents a drink and if they serve them on St. Patrick's Day with green colored cream. In my bar hoping days it was a tourist attraction as well as being a great hangout for San Franciscans and if you stopped in at midnight on weekend with elbows to elbow standing room crowds and didn't meet anyone you knew, you were out of the loop.
St Patrick as we know kicked the snakes out of Ireland which makes it doubly tough to celebrate this year because the snakes have returned. Please come back St Patrick, Ireland needs you desperately and so do we.
A special St. Patrick's Day birthday greeting to blog member Sue R of Irvine.
THE WARRIORS
The Warriors and Curry continue to amaze even when they play below their capabilities. Can they repeat as champions or will they be worn out? Well Warrior fans only 3 more months and we will know the answer to this question which everyone seems to be asking. I know the NBA ends before the World Series but I am not sure if it is before or after the 49ers first pre-season game.
THE GIANTS
Starting pitching which was suppose to be the strength of the team has to be a major concern. Grant it is still spring, pitchers are getting their arms in shape and the Arizona air isn't always polite to some pitchers. Having said that lets look at the facts about the scheduled five Giants starters.
Bumgarner will miss his next two starts. Don't worry his injuries are minor one described as a foot ailment neuroma and the other perhaps a pull muscle in his rib area. Thanks to the efforts of Lowell Cohn of the Press Democrat the foot injury could be serious. He did a column this week and some of his readers who have had the same problem responded by saying that it is very painful and could require surgery. But don't worry fans! Haven't we heard that song before?
Cueto -- Started a little late this spring because he has thrown about 10,000 pitches in his major league career. He allowed 5 runs in one inning in his first game and then he got hit in the head with a line drive to start his secod game. He's fine! That's what they said last year about Blanco only to find out a week later that he had a concussion and was out for the season.
Samardzija -- Had a 5-0 lead over Seattle yesterday then got bombed for three homers. Although the reports in the press for his first two outings have been rather positive in reality he has gotten hit pretty hard. Maybe last season with the White Sox was no fluke as one of our blog members Leo O of Moraga keeps trying to tell me.
Peavy -- It's early and we know Peavy can get hit. He is improving however since he started the season giving up 3 runs an inning it's now down to 2.
Cain -- Hurt again. He will throw his first pitches of the spring tomorrow.
Comments on the rest of the team will follow near the start of the season.
NCAA BRACKETS
Its called March Madness that excites a nation awards mediocrity and makes the NCAA millions of dollars. What could be better? Even though I did not even see a college basketball game on television or in person this season I filled out my bracket. It took me about five minutes because I knew I didn't have time like the President of the United States to study all 68 teams. The tournament has always been known for its surprises and upsets but normally in the end talent rises to the top. With this in mind I picked North Carolina to beat Oklahoma in the championship game because the Tar Heels are a basketball school and the Sooners are known more for their football glories.
THANK YOU
Thank you for the get well greetings I have received during the last couple of days. Most of you probably don't know that I fell in Woodbridge Village Shopping Center parking lot last week tripping over one of those cement parking blocks. Could not believe after the fall that I could actually get up with blood covering my hand and clothing. Nothing was broken but the pain has been terrific and offered for the conversion of poor souls for the first few days but I can now say that I am about 70% back to normal whatever that is at my age. I apologize to those who have been missing my emails. I will try and catch up next week.
When you think of the Irish in San Francisco you also have to think of the Buena Vista Café better known as the BV. It is well known even in Ireland for Irish Coffee. Just wondering if they still sell for 60 cents a drink and if they serve them on St. Patrick's Day with green colored cream. In my bar hoping days it was a tourist attraction as well as being a great hangout for San Franciscans and if you stopped in at midnight on weekend with elbows to elbow standing room crowds and didn't meet anyone you knew, you were out of the loop.
St Patrick as we know kicked the snakes out of Ireland which makes it doubly tough to celebrate this year because the snakes have returned. Please come back St Patrick, Ireland needs you desperately and so do we.
A special St. Patrick's Day birthday greeting to blog member Sue R of Irvine.
THE WARRIORS
The Warriors and Curry continue to amaze even when they play below their capabilities. Can they repeat as champions or will they be worn out? Well Warrior fans only 3 more months and we will know the answer to this question which everyone seems to be asking. I know the NBA ends before the World Series but I am not sure if it is before or after the 49ers first pre-season game.
THE GIANTS
Starting pitching which was suppose to be the strength of the team has to be a major concern. Grant it is still spring, pitchers are getting their arms in shape and the Arizona air isn't always polite to some pitchers. Having said that lets look at the facts about the scheduled five Giants starters.
 |
| Celebrating St Pats Day Phoenix 2010 |
Cueto -- Started a little late this spring because he has thrown about 10,000 pitches in his major league career. He allowed 5 runs in one inning in his first game and then he got hit in the head with a line drive to start his secod game. He's fine! That's what they said last year about Blanco only to find out a week later that he had a concussion and was out for the season.
Samardzija -- Had a 5-0 lead over Seattle yesterday then got bombed for three homers. Although the reports in the press for his first two outings have been rather positive in reality he has gotten hit pretty hard. Maybe last season with the White Sox was no fluke as one of our blog members Leo O of Moraga keeps trying to tell me.
Peavy -- It's early and we know Peavy can get hit. He is improving however since he started the season giving up 3 runs an inning it's now down to 2.
Cain -- Hurt again. He will throw his first pitches of the spring tomorrow.
Comments on the rest of the team will follow near the start of the season.
NCAA BRACKETS
Its called March Madness that excites a nation awards mediocrity and makes the NCAA millions of dollars. What could be better? Even though I did not even see a college basketball game on television or in person this season I filled out my bracket. It took me about five minutes because I knew I didn't have time like the President of the United States to study all 68 teams. The tournament has always been known for its surprises and upsets but normally in the end talent rises to the top. With this in mind I picked North Carolina to beat Oklahoma in the championship game because the Tar Heels are a basketball school and the Sooners are known more for their football glories.
THANK YOU
Thank you for the get well greetings I have received during the last couple of days. Most of you probably don't know that I fell in Woodbridge Village Shopping Center parking lot last week tripping over one of those cement parking blocks. Could not believe after the fall that I could actually get up with blood covering my hand and clothing. Nothing was broken but the pain has been terrific and offered for the conversion of poor souls for the first few days but I can now say that I am about 70% back to normal whatever that is at my age. I apologize to those who have been missing my emails. I will try and catch up next week.
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
Trash and the Giants
SBL
SBL is over and my record of predicting the NFL this year is still perfect. I predicted the Panthers would win by 24 and they lost big time. I didn't pick one NFL game worth anything right all season. This is not the only reason I am completely turned off by the NFL. Maybe I have seen too many games in my lifetime or maybe it is the "messages" every year during the half time show. How many pills do those guys have to pop to keep jumping up and down like jack rabbits. Is the NFL trash?
Spring Training
To get me in the baseball mood, I just finished reading the book "The Rivalry Heard 'Round the World", a gift from Santa. It features primarily the Dodgers-Giant rivalry since they came west and one chapter at the start on the first sixty eight years in New York which featured the 1951 season one of the most exciting in baseball history. The Giants recently have had three World Series titles but since they came to San Francisco some teams have been good others bad and in fact so lousy they threatened to leave twice for Toronto and Tampa Bay since relatively few fans found their way to freezing Candlestick.
Other Giant teams through the decades have had high expectations but in the long run failed to produce. In 2016 they are definitely contenders since they added two starting pitchers Cueto and Samardzija. Management had done their job now the new pitchers have to produce. Last year they told us at the beginning they had seven starters then before the end of the first week they had called up Heston a rookie pitcher to start. It seems that management had too many 'old fashions' last year when reviewing the teams outlook. This year they stuck to Starbucks and the results have been much core realistic.
Outlook for 2106
Pitchers --- The starting five is all set with Bumgarner, Cueto, Peavy, Samardzija and Cain starting in that order regardless of their efforts this spring. Heston has to have a very good spring to make the staff. The relief corps is solid and made up of those pitchers that ended the 2015 season with the team. The key to a successful relief staff is to have a couple of pitchers ready to come up from the minors and get the job done.
Catchers --- Posey and Susac if he is recovered will start the season.
Infield --- The Giants infield is home grown which certainly is a tribute to the scouts. Main concern about the infield is health. Belt at first is a bad hop grounder hitting him in the face away from ending his career. Panic at second base is the glue of the team. Losing him would be a disaster. He is coming off a shortened season because of a bad back. We know about Tiger Woods and his back and Warriors coach Steve Kerr both of whom had surgery. To my knowledge Panic did not go under the knife and hopefully rest and what ever treatment they gave him has worked. If he isn't ready to start spring training on time start worrying because that will be a big red flag. Crawford returns after an all star season at short. His average would have even higher if he didn't have some nagging injuries in August. As ex-coach Tim Flannery has indicated that he needs a couple days off now and then during the season to play at his peak. Duffy the surprise of 2015 will return to third and hopefully be able to continue his stellar play and avoid the sophomore jinx that seems to affect many major leaguers. Adrianza will be the top utility man. Management has indicated that the last infield spot will go to a non roster invitee. This means Tomlinson who earned his stripes filling in for Panic last year will most likely start in Sacramento so that he can play daily.
Outfield --- Six players and only five spot. Most of the winter the media was filled with stories of how the Giants need a left fielder. No they didn't. They needed a centerfielder which they found in Span who will lead off. Pence is expected to return and be a fixture in right. He is coming off an injury filled season after going years hardly missing a game. Pagan is the favorite for 10 million reasons to start in left. The Giants need a power hitter in left and Pagan is not the answer. Hopefully Blanco has recovered and will return. He was having his best season at the plate. He is tagged to be the fourth outfielder and through the years has always come through for the Giants when called upon. The Giants signed Kyle Banks to be a right handed power hitter off the bench that Bruce Bochy loves to have on his team. For this reason it is his job to lose this spring. Then we have Parker who was a left handed hitting sensation in September after being brought up. Because of player and money considerations on the team he will have to hit the cover off the ball this spring like he did last fall to be considered for the team. And even then he may start the season in Sacramento but he will be back and be the leftfielder most to the season.
Lincecum --- I have to ask the question why do so many want to see Lincecum return. For the last two years he has been a big headache for the pitching coaches. Why do you want more problems? I read that Lincecum would have a tryout in January so scouts could observe him throwing. It is now getting close to the middle of February and still no work out. This is a big red flag. Krukow has mentioned that it is going to be tough to see Lincecum in a different uniform. Remember Mike that we saw Mays in a Mets uniform, McCovey in both Padres and A's uniform, we saw Cepeda in his prime in a Cardinals uniform and Marchial wearing Dodger blue. That's baseball! I would not be opposed to seeing Timmy back with the Giants if he signs with Sacramento and earn his way back to the majors.
DH --- A few know-it-all's in baseball don't like to see pitchers bat. There is now a big movement among these dummies to have the National League adopt the DH rule next year. Take the strategy right out of the game which makes it great. How could baseball elected such a dummy as commissioner?
Warriors --- So far they have met every challenge.
The Epic Battle --- You think the Denver defense pushed Cam Newton all over the field in the Super Bowl. The same can be said for High Pressure that is knocking down all El Nino has to offer in southern California. This is "rainy" February and today the temperature is suppose to hit about 86 in Irvine. The high will continue through the week with the possibility of a few clouds on Sunday then more high pressure next week. Its been a rout just like the Super Bowl. The rain totals for this part of California is about 1/2 of a normal year. The only good news from the weather reports on our local TV stations is that it snowed in the Sierras. Thank goodness!
SBL is over and my record of predicting the NFL this year is still perfect. I predicted the Panthers would win by 24 and they lost big time. I didn't pick one NFL game worth anything right all season. This is not the only reason I am completely turned off by the NFL. Maybe I have seen too many games in my lifetime or maybe it is the "messages" every year during the half time show. How many pills do those guys have to pop to keep jumping up and down like jack rabbits. Is the NFL trash?
Spring Training
 |
| Some 1951 Giants that would be welcome in 2016 |
Other Giant teams through the decades have had high expectations but in the long run failed to produce. In 2016 they are definitely contenders since they added two starting pitchers Cueto and Samardzija. Management had done their job now the new pitchers have to produce. Last year they told us at the beginning they had seven starters then before the end of the first week they had called up Heston a rookie pitcher to start. It seems that management had too many 'old fashions' last year when reviewing the teams outlook. This year they stuck to Starbucks and the results have been much core realistic.
Outlook for 2106
Pitchers --- The starting five is all set with Bumgarner, Cueto, Peavy, Samardzija and Cain starting in that order regardless of their efforts this spring. Heston has to have a very good spring to make the staff. The relief corps is solid and made up of those pitchers that ended the 2015 season with the team. The key to a successful relief staff is to have a couple of pitchers ready to come up from the minors and get the job done.
Catchers --- Posey and Susac if he is recovered will start the season.
Infield --- The Giants infield is home grown which certainly is a tribute to the scouts. Main concern about the infield is health. Belt at first is a bad hop grounder hitting him in the face away from ending his career. Panic at second base is the glue of the team. Losing him would be a disaster. He is coming off a shortened season because of a bad back. We know about Tiger Woods and his back and Warriors coach Steve Kerr both of whom had surgery. To my knowledge Panic did not go under the knife and hopefully rest and what ever treatment they gave him has worked. If he isn't ready to start spring training on time start worrying because that will be a big red flag. Crawford returns after an all star season at short. His average would have even higher if he didn't have some nagging injuries in August. As ex-coach Tim Flannery has indicated that he needs a couple days off now and then during the season to play at his peak. Duffy the surprise of 2015 will return to third and hopefully be able to continue his stellar play and avoid the sophomore jinx that seems to affect many major leaguers. Adrianza will be the top utility man. Management has indicated that the last infield spot will go to a non roster invitee. This means Tomlinson who earned his stripes filling in for Panic last year will most likely start in Sacramento so that he can play daily.
Outfield --- Six players and only five spot. Most of the winter the media was filled with stories of how the Giants need a left fielder. No they didn't. They needed a centerfielder which they found in Span who will lead off. Pence is expected to return and be a fixture in right. He is coming off an injury filled season after going years hardly missing a game. Pagan is the favorite for 10 million reasons to start in left. The Giants need a power hitter in left and Pagan is not the answer. Hopefully Blanco has recovered and will return. He was having his best season at the plate. He is tagged to be the fourth outfielder and through the years has always come through for the Giants when called upon. The Giants signed Kyle Banks to be a right handed power hitter off the bench that Bruce Bochy loves to have on his team. For this reason it is his job to lose this spring. Then we have Parker who was a left handed hitting sensation in September after being brought up. Because of player and money considerations on the team he will have to hit the cover off the ball this spring like he did last fall to be considered for the team. And even then he may start the season in Sacramento but he will be back and be the leftfielder most to the season.
Lincecum --- I have to ask the question why do so many want to see Lincecum return. For the last two years he has been a big headache for the pitching coaches. Why do you want more problems? I read that Lincecum would have a tryout in January so scouts could observe him throwing. It is now getting close to the middle of February and still no work out. This is a big red flag. Krukow has mentioned that it is going to be tough to see Lincecum in a different uniform. Remember Mike that we saw Mays in a Mets uniform, McCovey in both Padres and A's uniform, we saw Cepeda in his prime in a Cardinals uniform and Marchial wearing Dodger blue. That's baseball! I would not be opposed to seeing Timmy back with the Giants if he signs with Sacramento and earn his way back to the majors.
DH --- A few know-it-all's in baseball don't like to see pitchers bat. There is now a big movement among these dummies to have the National League adopt the DH rule next year. Take the strategy right out of the game which makes it great. How could baseball elected such a dummy as commissioner? Warriors --- So far they have met every challenge.
The Epic Battle --- You think the Denver defense pushed Cam Newton all over the field in the Super Bowl. The same can be said for High Pressure that is knocking down all El Nino has to offer in southern California. This is "rainy" February and today the temperature is suppose to hit about 86 in Irvine. The high will continue through the week with the possibility of a few clouds on Sunday then more high pressure next week. Its been a rout just like the Super Bowl. The rain totals for this part of California is about 1/2 of a normal year. The only good news from the weather reports on our local TV stations is that it snowed in the Sierras. Thank goodness!
Monday, February 1, 2016
SBL
Sanctuary City
Its Super Bowl 50 (SBL) week in the Bay Area which will attract thousands of visitors including the two escaped jail birds from Orange County. They were in San Francisco because they thought it would be safe since they understood it was a Sanctuary City and also more likely to enjoy SBL week since they were captured near Kezar Stadium site of many thrilling NFL games in the 20th Century that helped make the sport so popular. As one might imagine changes are being considered at the Orange County jail. One rumor on the street has it that the 'honor system' will be dropped and jail doors will be locked starting March 1, 2016.
SBL Prediction
I have had my worst year as NFL analyst. In the Monday Night pool some of you played I was in the bottom third which was my worst finish. In the league championship games I thought New England would beat the Broncos easily and I was wrong. I expected the Arizona-Carolina game to be very close and it was a rout. I believe the Panthers will win the Super Bowl Sunday by 24 points. I have given you plenty of warning not to rush off to Vegas to make a killing. You won't see me there.
The NFL
There is no other way to put it --- The NFL screwed the Raiders. . . Only 45,000 fans put up a $100. deposit to be on the LA Rams email list and have an opportunity to purchase tickets to the new stadium, around 2019. . . USC was allowed by contract to lease the stadium to the Rams. The contract was amended so that they could include a second NFL team as long as it was not the Raiders. Some LA Coliseum people have long memories dating back to the rowdy days of the Raiders playing at the Coliseum. . . All the city of San Diego has to do is build a 1 billion dollar stadium and the Charges will throw in a hundred million or so the problem is solved and the Chargers stay in San Diego and the Raiders can move to Inglewood in 2017.
Homeland Security
According to Miami Marlins President David Samson, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson told a group of major leagues owners that a stadium could be secure if additional steps were taken, such as prohibiting fans from bringing any bags and eliminating food and food service workers. Checking the trunks and the bottoms of cars entering parking lots outside ballparks could be another step. Too bad they don't do that at the border. He could also have suggested that homes of fans who bought tickets be searched in advance for weapons.
Power Ball
Like millions of Americans I played Power Ball twice with a chance to win around a billion dollars.
The question always comes up is what would you do with the winnings. Many have problems answering this question. I have a very simple answer. After paying the taxes I would buy a condo near AT&T Park for my visits to SF and if I had any money left I would go to dinner in the city. I though of the Washington Bar & Grill and found out it was closed. Then I remember the Iron Horse and old favorite of mine and discovered it was also closed. Then I though of Bills Place out near our family home in Richmond District and discovered it now has a Chinese flavor so then I remembered why not Lefty O'Doul's on Geary. Thought of being able to afford Warrior tickets was unrealistic.
The 2024 Olympics
We won't know until 2017 which city will host the 2024 Olympics Most of the competing cities from around the world are just like LA broke. So its anybody's guess. UCLA has been chosen as the Olympic Village and if it is like any of the recent games it will quickly become known as sex city which helps draw many of athletes away from their four and five star hotels. The Coliseum will host the track and field games. Dirt will be thrown over the first eight rows of seats to make the track. The cost is estimated at 270 million which is really more like 1 billion. It would be easier, cheaper and wiser to build a new stadium.
Golf
My golf partner has been sick so for the first time in a few months I went to Bixby Golf Club in Long Beach a few days before New Years to play a round. I was alone and was asked by three sloppy dressed men if I wanted to join them. I said okay. I learned that one was a Baptist minister, the second an Anglican priest visiting from England and a Catholic priest. They were discussing problems that they were having with bats. At first I thought they were talking baseball bats but quickly discovered it was bats that fly around. The Baptist said he got a shot gun and fired it all over the Church and didn't hit one of the bats and only put holes in the roof. The Anglican was able to buy Bat Spray, outlawed in the U.S. for political reasons, and he used it in the Church. He remarked it was just like the Clintons you thought they were gone only to have them reappear again. The Catholic priest said that he had no problem eliminating the bats in his Church. Obviously the protestants ministers were all ears. He said, "all I did was baptize them, confirms them and I haven't seen any of them since."
Warriors
They are just unbelievable.
Giants
My opinions of the Giants will appear next week once SBL is over.
T
Its Super Bowl 50 (SBL) week in the Bay Area which will attract thousands of visitors including the two escaped jail birds from Orange County. They were in San Francisco because they thought it would be safe since they understood it was a Sanctuary City and also more likely to enjoy SBL week since they were captured near Kezar Stadium site of many thrilling NFL games in the 20th Century that helped make the sport so popular. As one might imagine changes are being considered at the Orange County jail. One rumor on the street has it that the 'honor system' will be dropped and jail doors will be locked starting March 1, 2016.
SBL Prediction
I have had my worst year as NFL analyst. In the Monday Night pool some of you played I was in the bottom third which was my worst finish. In the league championship games I thought New England would beat the Broncos easily and I was wrong. I expected the Arizona-Carolina game to be very close and it was a rout. I believe the Panthers will win the Super Bowl Sunday by 24 points. I have given you plenty of warning not to rush off to Vegas to make a killing. You won't see me there.
The NFL
There is no other way to put it --- The NFL screwed the Raiders. . . Only 45,000 fans put up a $100. deposit to be on the LA Rams email list and have an opportunity to purchase tickets to the new stadium, around 2019. . . USC was allowed by contract to lease the stadium to the Rams. The contract was amended so that they could include a second NFL team as long as it was not the Raiders. Some LA Coliseum people have long memories dating back to the rowdy days of the Raiders playing at the Coliseum. . . All the city of San Diego has to do is build a 1 billion dollar stadium and the Charges will throw in a hundred million or so the problem is solved and the Chargers stay in San Diego and the Raiders can move to Inglewood in 2017.
Homeland Security
According to Miami Marlins President David Samson, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson told a group of major leagues owners that a stadium could be secure if additional steps were taken, such as prohibiting fans from bringing any bags and eliminating food and food service workers. Checking the trunks and the bottoms of cars entering parking lots outside ballparks could be another step. Too bad they don't do that at the border. He could also have suggested that homes of fans who bought tickets be searched in advance for weapons.
Power Ball
Like millions of Americans I played Power Ball twice with a chance to win around a billion dollars.
The question always comes up is what would you do with the winnings. Many have problems answering this question. I have a very simple answer. After paying the taxes I would buy a condo near AT&T Park for my visits to SF and if I had any money left I would go to dinner in the city. I though of the Washington Bar & Grill and found out it was closed. Then I remember the Iron Horse and old favorite of mine and discovered it was also closed. Then I though of Bills Place out near our family home in Richmond District and discovered it now has a Chinese flavor so then I remembered why not Lefty O'Doul's on Geary. Thought of being able to afford Warrior tickets was unrealistic.The 2024 Olympics
We won't know until 2017 which city will host the 2024 Olympics Most of the competing cities from around the world are just like LA broke. So its anybody's guess. UCLA has been chosen as the Olympic Village and if it is like any of the recent games it will quickly become known as sex city which helps draw many of athletes away from their four and five star hotels. The Coliseum will host the track and field games. Dirt will be thrown over the first eight rows of seats to make the track. The cost is estimated at 270 million which is really more like 1 billion. It would be easier, cheaper and wiser to build a new stadium.
Golf
My golf partner has been sick so for the first time in a few months I went to Bixby Golf Club in Long Beach a few days before New Years to play a round. I was alone and was asked by three sloppy dressed men if I wanted to join them. I said okay. I learned that one was a Baptist minister, the second an Anglican priest visiting from England and a Catholic priest. They were discussing problems that they were having with bats. At first I thought they were talking baseball bats but quickly discovered it was bats that fly around. The Baptist said he got a shot gun and fired it all over the Church and didn't hit one of the bats and only put holes in the roof. The Anglican was able to buy Bat Spray, outlawed in the U.S. for political reasons, and he used it in the Church. He remarked it was just like the Clintons you thought they were gone only to have them reappear again. The Catholic priest said that he had no problem eliminating the bats in his Church. Obviously the protestants ministers were all ears. He said, "all I did was baptize them, confirms them and I haven't seen any of them since."
Warriors
They are just unbelievable.
Giants
My opinions of the Giants will appear next week once SBL is over.
T
Monday, January 4, 2016
An Even Year
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| Special delivery from Santa |
New Years Resolution --- One of my New Years Resolutions was to cut the alcohol consumption. I just returned home from Church on New Years Day and my wife asked, "Can we have a silver fizz while we watch the Rose Parade?" The temptation was too great and I said, "yes". It reminded me of Adam and Eve. I know there are hundreds of theologians around the world that will tell you that it is just an old wise tale. I hate tell these pot smoking thinkers that the reality of Adam and Eve is repeated a million times a day.
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| Bush exchanges Masonic handshake |
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| Old # 98 T. Harmon in a 1939 photo |
Beards --- I am not a fan of having a beard so I admit I am prejudice when I say they look horrible. Recently there have been a rash of media and other personalities showing off new beards. They might be the smart ones. With the 4th Crusade coming the only way they might be able to defend themselves when they are attacked is to say "Don't shoot, we're one of you!"
NBA --- Mark Jackson the former Warrior coach and TV analyst made quite a few headlines when he said Curry was bad for basketball with kids shooting 30 foot shots. If we followed his lead basketball would still feature two handed push shot.
The Warriors --- The team only had 8 available players at the end of their last game. They are killing themselves in games that mean absolutely nothing. If they lose10 games during the season and the 8th place team who they would face losses 45 games, the Warriors get one more home game in the playoffs. Big deal!
The Giants ---It was no secret that the Giants needed to add two starting pitchers to their staff. They accomplished this goal by signing Cueto and Samardzija. I like the fact that they both pitch around 200 innings a season so perhaps the always over worked bullpen will get a little more rest this year. These signings makes the Giants' a legitimate contender. Remember this is an even year and the pressure is on. There is talk about signing an outfielder but I think that's all it is ...talk. I believe Parker can handle left field. One writer commented that after he hit three long homeruns against Oakland he went back to striking out. Baloney! In the last week of the season following his home run barrage he hit singles and doubles to raise his season average with the Giants to .347. He struck out 21 times in 21 games and average of one a game. . . Juan Perez signed with the Cubs farm system. Sorry to see him go and I wonder who will play centerfield for the Giants in September. . . The Giants have been warned by Homeland Security not to bring hair dryers on the plane since they look too much like guns.
The Bowl Games --- New Years Day use to be the big game day now it is New Years Eve. I guess the NCAA doesn't realize people have to work for a living but the elite who run colleges live in their own little world. TV ratings were way down. I predicted that Clemson would beat Oklahoma and if Michigan State could get two big turn overs they would upset Alabama. Turns out they would have needed about five defensive touchdowns. I have Clemson winning the title.. . Congratulations to Navy for winning the Military Bowl to complete a very successful season.
I also predicted that if Stanford could score 10 points they would beat Iowa. That didn't take long in their complete rout of the Big Ten runner up. It was the great play of Christian McCaffrey of Stanford that saved the bowl TV day from being a complete disaster. There is a lot of good running backs in college football who are exciting but they are all a notch below Stanford's #5 . . . I also thought Notre Dame had a chance against Ohio State because the Buckeyes couldn't win their big games this year. Wrong again!
The Pac 12 blew a big chance to gain tremendous recognition. That fell apart when Oregon blew a 30 point lead when their coaches started fooling around with weird decisions. Then Arizona State lost a tough game by one point on January 2. Earlier in the bowl season UCLA lost to a sub .500 mediocre Nebraska team and USC lost to Wisconsin. The Trojans barely prepared for the game practicing only seven times since they had already hired their coach. Guess there was nothing to play for. Big mistake! My thought that college football is made up of many stupid coaches was confirmed during the bowl season.
Black Monday --- There are so many lousy NFL teams that I thought that at least 15 coaches would get the ax on Black Monday. So far it hasn't happened. The first to go was Tomsula of the 49ers an hour or two after the Niners beat the Rams to lose any chance of getting the Cal QB in the draft. The 49er leak still exist. Thought the President of the 49ers the reported source of the leaks was fired. Guess not! Remember last year all the stories about Harbaugh setting him up to get fired. Then this year it seems all the football world knew that Tomsula would not be back on Friday except the coach himself and the 49er CSBA insider Matt Maiocco who was left out of the loop because he told the truth too often.
Forty Niners Job ---There are plenty of well known names in line for the Forty Niner head coaching job. Wonder how many will still be interested after being interviewed by Baalke and Jed York who all 49er fans know are the ones who should have been fired. Maybe the second best thing is to tell York to stay in Youngstown, OH and watch his team on Direct TV each week.
Just heard that the 49ers asked permission from the Bengels to interview Hue Jackson. He has been a phony from his days at UC and USC to the pros. If he is hired they will be calling for Tomsula to come back, in a hurry.
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