Bruce Bochy left as a hero - The 49ers are unbeaten - the new Chase Concert Hall Opens for basketball and the Sharks are Lousy
Sharks
Thought this year I would follow hockey a little closer since the Sharks always seem to have a good team and in most years a very good team. Not this year! The only good news is that it is a looonnng season. After losing 5 out of 6 in the pre season they dropped their first four league games, I thought they might be the first hockey team to go winless for the season. But surprise they beat the Blackhawks 5-4. What a relief! In both games against Vegas they gave up short handed goals. That's embarrassing!
49ers
I am not sure the Niners deserve to be unbeaten. Their game against the Steelers was comedy of errors but the Steelers gave the ball back to the Prune Pickers late the 4th quarter which led to the winning TD. The running game against Cleveland was exceptional. But injuries are starting to take hold with the two starting tackles and great blocking fullback out for awhile. This will make the game Sunday against the Rams a real challenge. Nick Bosa the #1 draft choice from Ohio State has been a terror on defense and made a good defense even better. A real strength!
In the last issue we mentioned Bob Fouts a 49er announcer during the early days. One of my blog members CG from the East Bay reminded me that he was famous for his spoonerisms and mangling names. There was great concern when the Niners drafted Tucker Fredrickson. I heard that Bob Fouts passed away recently. Some of you may remember Don Klien from Hawaii who also passed away. He was the radio announcer for the Seals after WW II. I believe he also did some 49er games.
Warriors and the NBA
Listen to Green, Curry and Thompson and the GS Warriors will be right on top at the end. This could be true if everyone stayed healthy. But the NBA is a long grueling season that is tough on all the players and especially those over 30. How healthy they stay will determine their season.
The new Chase Concert Center has now hosted two Warrior games. The Lakers blew out the city of blue baggers and then they bounced back against the Timberwolves with Curry having one of those great nights. Can Curry carry them the playoffs?
The NBA doing the work of the devil forced North Carolina to pull a bathroom piece of legislation under the threat of moving the All Star game. The socialist leaning NBA sees no problem with China and showed theirs true colors which aren't red, white and blue. Listening to tv reports it is Nike who controls the NBA.
The Giants
Larry Baer President of Giants sent out his end of the year letter which was very positive for next year. If I read the letter in August I would have agreed. But the Orange and Black played so poorly in September my initial thought was to get rid of the 40 players and start over again.
Bruce Bochy was a great manager because the players liked him and played for him.The key for any managers success today. I didn't always agree with Boch with his left - right strategy. In fact in a recent September game the Gains were leading 3-2 in the 9th with the bases loaded and one out. Boch brought in a left hander who I never heard of and threw four pitches striking out the batter looking very impressive. I never would have taken him out. Bochy had to bring a right hander and he quickly threw four pitches in the dirt forcing the tying run across the plate.
The Dodger players loved Dave Roberts for the same reason the Giants loved Bochy. That is until they lost to an very inferior Washington team. The big move was bringing in Clayton Kershaw in relief. A couple of quick homers and Dodgers were wondering what happened. I learned long ago that it was not good idea normally to use a starter in relief. I always remember Ralph Branca coming in to pitch for the Dodgers and giving up the hit 'heard around the world' to Bobby Thompson in 1951. But I also remember a guy named Bumgarner relieving for the Giants to win a World Series. His was little different since he came in the game early almost like he started it.
I don't know how many moves Zaidi will make. He made over 60 during the season wearing out 4 sets of tires on the Greyhound buses. I am assure it won't be the 40 suggested above but it could be substantial. It is impossible to predict what will happen. But my thoughts are:
Sign the Astro pitcher Gerrit Cole who is the brother-in-law Brandon Crawford forcing the Giants to keep him as their shortstop. This would anchor the starting staff of Bumgarner, Cueto, Samardzija and perhaps Beede. I would have released Beede years ago but he was a #1 draft choice so they kept him and he pitched some good games last year.
The relief staff would be Smith, Watson, Morona (if recovered from his injury) and Anderson. Anderson with that horrible hair seems like he has an attitude problem. He flopped as a starter but when Bochy put him in the 8th or 9th inning with the game on the line he looked like a different pitcher. Sign two veteran relievers and hope for the best. The submarine reliever Rogers looked impressive.
In the infield Mauricio Dubon showed enough during September to be the second baseman and Crawford will be at shortstop if the Giants sign his brother-in-law. I still think Longoria is a waste at third although he had a good six week period when the teams was winning. He is lucky to hit .260 and 20 homers. His contract will force the Giants to keep him. That probably the same reason they will have to keep a .230 hitter Belt at first. In a perfect world I would dump both Longoria and and Belt. I got so sick and tired of watching Belt walk back to the dugout after striking out.
Based on their play this year Pillar and Yastrzemski should be starters in the outfield. The third and fourth spots would be wide open. Dickerson started hot but after being on IL he never really recovered. A good spring and he would be the starting left fielder at least against right handers. Jaylin Davis the big minor league home run hitter can't hit a major league fast ball. Too bad because he is real athlete. That position is wide open although the catcher Vogt can play a decent left field as a fifth outfielder.
Dumping Buster Posey would be a pr nightmare so he and Vogt will most likely do most of the catching.
I am sure the 2020 Giants will not be anything like I mentioned above with Zaidi in charge.
