Keith Olbermann - CHEATER!!! Candidate for worst person in the world?

THIS I AM CERTAIN OF - ONE OF THE MOST HATEFUL, BIASED, HYPOCRITES IN THE MEDIA

So, this does not surprise me at all. Basically, he has cheated his "profession". Unless you believe as I do that Keith's chosen profession is actually "the worlds oldest profession" rather than that of journalist.

Anyone who believed that this guy was an objective, ethical journalist should have had their heads examined a long time ago. I understand that a relatively low-level, national network did hire him as such. But that says more about their competence and intelligence. Nice work NBC.

Here is a rather simplistic definition of the ethics and standards these guys are supposed to adhere to. The problem is almost none of them do nowadays.

Wikipedia - Journalism ethics and standards:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Journalism_ethics_and_standards

Journalism ethics and standards comprise principles of ethics and of good practice as applicable to the specific challenges faced by journalists. Historically and currently, this subset of media ethics is widely known to journalists as their professional "code of ethics" or the "canons of journalism".[1] The basic codes and canons commonly appear in statements drafted by both professional journalism associations and individual print, broadcast, and online news organizations.

“ Every news organization has only its credibility and reputation to rely on. ”
-Tony Burman, ex-editor-in-chief of CBC News[2]

While various existing codes have some differences, most share common elements including the principles of — truthfulness, accuracy, objectivity, impartiality, fairness and public accountability — as these apply to the acquisition of newsworthy information and its subsequent dissemination to the public.[3][4][5][6]

Like many broader ethical systems, journalism ethics include the principle of "limitation of harm." This often involves the withholding of certain details from reports such as the names of minor children, crime victims' names or information not materially related to particular news reports release of which might, for example, harm someone's reputation.[7][8]

The principles of Journalistic codes of ethics are designed as guides through numerous difficulties, such as conflicts of interest, to assist journalists in dealing with ethical dilemmas.

It's time to stop complaining about the fact that the 'horses have left the barn' and go out and round up the horses and put them back in the barn.

NBC not only crapped all over what passes for a news division over there, but they allowed this 'part-time sportscaster' to defecate all over their usually fine NFL broadcasts. By virtue of his presence alone (although at times seasoned with noxious doses of Bob Costas), the broadcast has become unbearable to watch for many.

For the love of Edward R. Murrow. David Brinkley and Chet Huntley must be spinning in their respective graves. Thank God Walter Cronkite's legacy has been spared the indignity as well.

This guy has masqueraded for years as a sportscaster, then many more years as 'serious journalist'. Now the charade is finally and officially -- OVER.

From theblaze.com

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/olbermann-suspended-indefinitely-for-political-contributions/

OLBERMANN SUSPENDED INDEFINITELY FOR POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS

According to a statement from MSNBC president Phil Griffin, host Keith Olbermann has been suspended indefinitely without pay for political contributions he made to Democratic candidates.

“I became aware of Keith’s political contributions late last night,” Griffin said. “Mindful of NBC News policy and standards, I have suspended him indefinitely without pay.”

Why would any of this be surprising to learn about little Keith-y? I had him pegged as a bed wetter a long time ago. No surprise here. Move along.

Keith Olbermann Is A Poopy Pants?

http://mrssatan.blogspot.com/2009/07/keith-oblermann-is-poopy-pants.html

It appears Keith Olberwiener is a poopy/pee-pee pants. He suffers from incontinence, a malady that makes it difficult for one to control their bladder and bowel movements. Of course, this must be a very unpleasant experience for the person suffering from it as well as how it affects those around said person.

From Jacksonville.com:
"Mr. Keith has a bladder and bowel control problem. He has been known to not only pee in his pants while on the air but he has also poo-pooed."

From NewsVine:
"Olbermann's incontinence problem is well known in media circles."

While I would never make fun of a medical affliction, Olberwiener proves the exception to the rule.

If Olbermann is incontinent, it couldn't happen to a more deserving person. His insides are so toxically loaded with urine and feces he can't control himself. In other words, he's chock-full of sh*t and pi$$. Not that we didn't already know this.

No wonder his past girlfriends say he's a dud in the sack.

I know deep down inside that taking delight in another person's misfortune is the definition of schadenfreude. And yet, in this case, I do it with an inner smile on my face anyway.

Now all of Keith's commentaries and political pontifications -- both past and future -- will be tainted -- or asterisked if you will -- by the of putrid scent of BIAS.

Sorry Keith, looks like you've been busted by the Karma Police. Now you run your little panty-waisted behind home and go curl up in the fetal position and cry. You little pansy.

I Love a Parade...

Tim Lincecum after bringing it home to San Fran

Brian Sabean gets to rightfully bask in the glow of victory.

The Giants President Larry Baer's quote about sums it up. A dream fulfilled.

from espn.com
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs/2010/news/story?id=5760521

Giants president Larry Baer captured the fans' long anticipation for a victory after decades of game attendance at Candlestick Park and at the new home stadium, AT&T Park. "The triumph of this team allows us to flash back and connect to our past, to experience the beauty of our memories and shared experiences with unbridled joy," Baer said.

"This day is a blessed reminder of a dream fulfilled for all of us," he said.

Buster Posey has quite the fan club

Even the police horses are stoked

Willie Mays - The Greatest Player Ever

Edgar Renteria - World Series MVP

Matt Cain - Future Ace

Posey with the Trophy

Cable Car - A San Francisco Treat

The Cody Ross Experience continues

Wilson, Lincecum and Cain

Future Giants fans - destined to never have to suffer than same fate as their older brethren in Gigante Nation

The Past, Present and future in Politics

The election results are in. There are still votes to be counted and races to be decided, but maybe now is a time to step back, take a deep breath, distance ourselves from the white-hot rhetoric of campaigning and take a look at what has been presented to us. We are at a very important crossroads here in the good old USA.

Take a look at the passion of a Tea Partier, the cool logic and wisdom of a Thomas Sowell, a sobering video from Citizens Against Government Waste and an inspirational acceptance speech by a person who is helping to change the face of the Republican Party, Marco Rubio.

And my other personal favorite Lt. Col. Allen West did win in Florida. He understands the Constitution when it says that the government should "promote the general welfare" not "provide welfare". Therein lies one of the fundamental differences we face today. Listen to this man and tell me you would not line-up beside him or follow him into battle.

GOD BLESS THIS MAN AND GOD BLESS AMERICA!!

Since it appears to be such a major issue, check the tape of West's acceptance speech as the camera pans the crowd around the 7:45 mark. Check out the racial composition of the crowd and then look again at Allen West. West is a product of the Tea Party. Then tell me if the truth fed to you by some of these knuckleheads in the media isn't just some sort of artifice to divide people rather than bring them together. Oh, and please, just one of you haters from the left please refer to Lt. Col. Allen West as an Uncle Tom or an Oreo. And please do it to his face. And please, Oh God, please let me be there to see it.

Anyway, roll the tapes. Somewhere down the line of this post, I do believe you will be looking at the next President of the United States. God willing, sooner rather than later.

It may have helped to have some of this information before voting but I was a little bit distracted by the Giants recently.

WOW!! THESE PEOPLE SEEM MORE CONCERNED AND PASSIONATE ABOUT THEIR COUNTRY THAN A DANGER TO IT.



http://thedebtweowe.com/a-stunning-rendition-of-the-fourth-verse-of-the-star-spangled-banner

Political correctness dominates America today and we have lost many of the principles that this nation was founded on. If the pilgrims were still alive today, they would be trying to run away from America.

One year, in school we recited this version. For what reason, I don't recall. So I do know the words to this verse by heart. You probably could not recite this version...in a public school today. And there is something fundamentally wrong with that.

And please don't start any of that "I don't see any people of color in that video" nonsense. To that I can only ask one question.

"WELL, WHY NOT?"

A similar variation of the same question crossed my mind around the 7:50 mark of the Allen West acceptance speech video. Some things need to change. Very soon.

I'll let Thomas Sowell explain one of the other "big issues" that some of the "enlightened" ones pretend they understand better than the rest of us.

They spent a good part of the last week or so trying to catch Christine O' Donnell in a Palin-like "gotcha" moment that backfired. It simply displayed either their ignorance of the Constitution or their utter contempt for same, take your pick.

http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/251250/forgetting-constitution-thomas-sowell

Forgetting the Constitution

The assurance that “separation of church and state” is in the Constitution shows our elites’ ignorance.

Politics is not the only place where some pretty brassy statements have been made and repeated so often that some people have accepted these brassy statements as being as good as gold.

One of the brassiest of the brass oldies is the notion that the Constitution creates a “wall of separation” between church and state. This false notion has been so widely accepted that people who tell the truth get laughed at and mocked.

A recent New York Times piece said that it was “a flub of the first order” when Christine O’Donnell, Republican candidate for senator in Delaware, asked a law school audience, “Where in the Constitution is the separation of church and state?” According to the New York Times, “The question draw gasps and laughter” from this audience of professors and law students who are elites-in-waiting.

The New York Times writer joined in the mocking response to Ms. O’Donnell’s question, though admitting in passing that “in the strictest sense” the “actual words ‘separation of church and state’ do not appear in the text of the Constitution.” Either the separation of church and state is there or it is not there. It is not a question of some “strictest” technicality.

The First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States begins, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.” There is absolutely nothing in the Constitution about a “wall of separation” between church and state, either directly or indirectly.

For more than a century, no one thought that the First Amendment meant that religious symbols were forbidden on government property. Prayers were offered in Congress and in the Supreme Court. Chaplains served in the military and presidents took their oath of office on the Bible.

But, in our own times, judges have latched onto Jefferson’s phrase and run with it. It has been repeated so often in their decisions that it has become one of the brassiest of the brass oldies that get confused with golden oldies.

As fundamentally important as the First Amendment is, what is even more important is the question whether judges are to take it upon themselves to “interpret” the law to mean whatever they want it to mean, rather than what it plainly says.

This is part of a larger question, as to whether this country is to be a self-governing nation, controlled by “we the people,” as the Constitution put it, or whether arrogant elites shall take it upon themselves to find ways to impose what they want on the rest of us, by circumventing the Constitution.

Judges circumvent the Constitution by reading their own meaning into its words, regardless of how plain and unequivocal its words are.

The Constitution cannot protect us and our freedoms as a self-governing people unless we protect the Constitution. That means zero tolerance at election time for people who circumvent the letter and the spirit of the Constitution. Freedom is too precious to give it up in exchange for brassy words from arrogant elites.

NOW THAT'S DANGEROUS. WE HAVE FOLKS IN THE HIGHEST POSITIONS OF POWER IN THIS COUNTRY WHO ARE EITHER IGNORANT OR DERISIVE OF THE CONSTITUTION.

This is the looming danger we face as a nation and all these folks that seek to pit one group against another are diverting our attention from a problem that will fundamentally change our country and make our way of life and our standard of living unrecognizable and unreachable for future generations.

from Citizens Against Government Waste:



The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender. - Proverbs 22:7

And now, since it is becoming increasingly apparent that the whole "Hope & Change 1.0" thing was nothing more than a pile of rhetoric, I give you some real hope for some real change looming on the horizon.

MARCO RUBIO ACCEPTANCE SPEECH:




LT. COL. ALLEN WEST, "THE REVOLUTION" SPEECH:



LT. COL. ALLEN WEST ACCEPTANCE SPEECH:

Next stop the Hot Stove League. So Soon?

It is a bad sign of the time when we are even discussing such matters before the Giants even have a chance to nurse their World Series hangover and before the San Francisco city parade. Can fans at least take a breath from the end of one season to savor, enjoy and take stock of the season past before turning to the business side of the next season? Shouldn't we allow to fans to riot, burn stuff in their neighborhood and tip over a car or two before we move on? Is that too much to ask?

And seriously Frisco fans are you people congenitally stupid or what? The best day in the history of sports for your city and you act like this when you have lived under the fecal stain that is Nancy Pelosi FOR YEARS with nary a whimper? You people ought to be ashamed of yourselves. I'm ashamed to be associated with you as a fellow Giants fan. Both for pillaging your own neighborhood and for harboring Pelosi. Act like you have the brains you were born with people.

All sports seem to go here with this sort of problem. So it's not exclusive to baseball.

In hockey, it seemed like even before the Chicago Blackhawks Dustin Byfueglin had time to capitalize or bask in the glory of being a Stanley Cup icon, the team had to literally dismantle said champion to get under the onerous salary cap rules.

There almost needs to be a "to the victor, goes the spoils" exception, similar to the Larry Bird or franchise exceptions of the past, whereby you can sign your franchise icons -- even if you go over the cap -- if your team wins it all. What could be more "fan-friendly" than that?

And we all know these guys are all about being fan friendly, right?

Yeah, Riiiiiiiight!!!

It is all about the Benjamin's. Franklin's that is, not Bernanke's.

Hey Edgar Renteria, you just won the World Series, what's next?

I'm going to Disney Wor....I mean, I'm going to free-agency?

This is the business end of the sport. At $10.5M with a body that was breaking down last year, the Giants will take a step back with Edgar and a step forward with Team Sabean & Bochy. And that makes sense.

As for the others:

Jose Guillen - GONE!! And take those DHL...er HGH packages with you. DANG FOOL!!!
Pat Burrell - Probably gone. Maybe back to the couch until May.
Jose Uribe - BACK
Aubrey Huff - BACK, BACK, BACK, BACK
Guillermo Mota - BACK, if you can afford him. Someone may overpay and promote him.

The arbs other than Fontenot and Chris Ray were significant pieces, keep 'em happy and see if they continue to develop.

But Sabean and Bochy know that. The rings are proof.

From mlbtraderumors.com

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/11/giants-notes-.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+MlbTradeRumors+(MLB+Trade+Rumors)

Giants Notes: Sabean, Bochy, Renteria

By Tim Dierkes [November 2, 2010 at 7:48am CST]

You just won the World Series. What are you doing next? A few notes from the Giants' celebration...

Giants president Larry Baer and owner Bill Neukom are expected to have discussions about extending the contracts of manager Bruce Bochy and GM Brian Sabean, writes Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News. Both are under contract through 2011 with club options for '12.

World Series MVP Edgar Renteria remains undecided about playing next year, reports Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Given the free agent market for shortstops, the 34-year-old would be able to find work. He's already filed for free agency; the team buying out his $10.5MM club option for $500K is a formality.

The Giants' other free agents, all of whom already filed: Jose Guillen, Pat Burrell, Juan Uribe, Aubrey Huff, and Guillermo Mota. They've got eight players eligible for arbitration: Andres Torres, Jonathan Sanchez, Ramon Ramirez, Mike Fontenot, Santiago Casilla, Cody Ross, Chris Ray, and Javier Lopez.

From the list of potential free agents out there, I like Jayson Werth of the Phillies as a good fit for a lot of reasons. He would bring the kind of pop that Pat Burrell gave the Giants, only more consistently. A side bonus, addition to the Giants while at the same time subtraction from the rival Phillies.

Bring on the Hot Stove League.

Wait a minute, what just happened here? I'm not sure how that picture got there. A virus perhaps? This is not the type of behavior we condone here at this blog even if it appears to be remotely linked to the subject at hand.

Clearly not appropriate or safe attire for the preparation of scalding hot food and food by-products. Is this what passes for culinary arts education in the public schools nowadays? What a scathing indictment of the system.

People, please if your cooking at home, or even if you're all by yourself....remember to wear a smock or an apron.

San Francisco Giants - 2010 World Series Champions!!!!

Brian Wilson ends World Series with 'most special' signal to dad

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Brian-Wilson-ends-World-Series-with-most-specia?urn=mlb-281783

Over the past few seasons, Brian Wilson has ended dozens of games the same way that he did on Monday night at Game 5 of the World Series.

It's a routine well-known to baseball fans. After recording the final out of a ballgame, the San Francisco Giants closer turns away from the plate, crosses his foreams in front of his chest and quickly looks toward the sky. It's a MMA signal that he says he adopted and adapted to honor both his late father — who passed away from cancer when Brian was only 17 — and his Christian faith.

After the celebration had calmed down somewhat, I asked the closer with the dyed beard he won't admit to if this signal meant more than the others he's made in the past.

His answer was not surprising.

"This one was the most special, sure" he said. "It showed that hard work really does pay off. That's what my dad always taught me."

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS - 2010 WORLD CHAMPIONS

Remember, you heard it here first.

http://slavieboy.blogspot.com/2010/04/pre-season-mlb-predictions-2010.html

NL Championship:

Giants stomp the daylights out of the Phillies, setting up, YES, my ultimate World Series for 2010. The Giants and the Rays.

In that match-up - the Giants sweep the Rays, four straight.

I didn't get the dream match up I wanted in the pre-season, I guess I will just have to settle for The Dream coming true.

The St. Pete Times columnist John Romano summed it up well, and I'm sure others will too. It was about the wait. The long excruciating wait. And getting off the futility list. As we watched the Red Sox, the White Sox and now, at last, the Giants.

San Francisco's crown has finally arrived
By John Romano, Times Sports Columnist

http://www.tampabay.com/sports/baseball/ml/san-francisco-giants-are-unlikely-world-series-champions/1131716

The past decade has been about reparations in Major League Baseball. It has been payback for millions of fans who endured losses, heartbreaks, curses, mismanagement and far too much bad luck for anyone to recall.

Red Sox fans? Their 86-year wait ended in 2004.

White Sox fans? Salvation came after 88 years in 2005.

And now Giants fans?

In their 53rd season in San Francisco, the Giants have finally won a World Series.

Giants President Larry Baer summed up the feeling of the franchise from the top down.

"It's for everybody who's ever worn a Giants uniform, for every fan that's ever frozen at Candlestick Park, for every person that's ever voted for a new ballpark, for every person who's listened to our games on the radio over the years. That's what this is for. The 2010 Giants delivered on behalf of those people.

"It's on behalf of 53 years of waiting."

This is true as well. Nobody believed in this team even up until the very end.

They are one of the most unlikely World Series champions in history. A team that seemed forever to be chasing someone else. They were behind the Padres in May, behind the Padres and Dodgers in June and behind the Padres, Dodgers and Rockies in July.

The knuckleheads on the local ESPN station were giddy announcing the Rangers plans to pitch Cliff Lee last night and bring him back on short rest to pitch Game 7, because as they put it, "There's no way the Giants can beat Cliff Lee two times". WRONG!!! On so many levels.

- The Giants had already defeated CLiff Lee once. Now twice, counting last night.
- They ignored the crucial question: How were the Rangers going to beat Tim Lincecum? JUST ONCE MAYBE.
- They ignored the question of how the Rangers were going to beat Matt Cain, in a potential Game Six.

And now they are left to cancel their flight plans for San Francisco, virtually guaranteed by new Rangers hot shot CEO Chuck Greenberg.

"This series: It is going back to San Francisco," Greenberg told the Ben & Skin Show on ESPN 103.3 FM in Dallas. "There's gonna be a Game 6. There's going to be a Game 7. Let's all hang in there and keep believing.

Maybe he can get a free bag of nuts from the charter service for his troubles. No Game 6. No Game 7.

In the end, this may have been the difference between these two teams. The Giants franchise by virtue of their past, know full well the experience best described philosophically by FSU football coach Bobby Bowden, "Not Enough Wide Rights": "They haven't had enough 'wide rights' yet. You have to get kicked around enough in the big ones to learn how to win them."

The Giants franchise finally learned how to win the big one, instead of the kick sailing wide right. They've sure been kicked around enough in the past.

In the end, Romano sums it up pretty well. I don't want to compare and contrast heartache with anyone and I'm glad that, in this area, I no longer have to. But I feel the Cubs fans pain. And the Indians, and now the Rangers, who move up the list. And the Astros, who enter the back end of the list.

Their heartache was not as celebrated as Boston's, and their wait was not as long as Chicago's.

But that does not mean the path was any less painful for those who lived it.

For those who saw Game 7 of the 1962 World Series end when McCovey lined out to Bobby Richardson with two on and two out in the ninth inning of a 1-0 loss to the Yankees.

For those who lived through the earthquake and World Series sweep by Oakland in 1989, and those who saw the Giants come within five outs of winning the 2002 World Series in Game 6 before manager Dusty Baker prematurely pulled Russ Ortiz.

Peter Magowan, who was the leader of the ownership group that purchased the Giants in 1992 and kept Vince Naimoli from buying the franchise and moving it to Tropicana Field, walked through the clubhouse Monday night hugging player after player.

"For a lot of people in San Francisco, this is the happiest day of their lives," said Magowan, who is now Giants president emeritus.

Maybe the happiest day in their sports lives. But yes.

So who would have thought that this team -- of all Giants teams -- would be the one to win it? It's why we watch, and why we play the games, because you just never know.

After all of the close calls and all the losing seasons, the deed was finally done by a group of players who refer to themselves as the Dirty Dozen. They have an ace with long hair, and a closer with a dyed beard. They have a third baseman who looks like Kung Fu Panda, and a first baseman with lucky undergarments from Victoria's Secret.

They are misfits, runts and castoffs. Their highest-paid player did not even make the Series roster, and their cleanup hitter was acquired on waivers a couple of months ago.

"Those Giants teams with Willie Mays and McCovey had four Hall of Famers on those teams," outfielder Aaron Rowand said. "But it takes a lot of luck too."

So, in the end, devotion pays.

Sooner or later, faith is rewarded.

Eventually, hope is not in vain.

What a wonderful take away message. How wonderful a day it must be for Edgar Renteria who endured the criticisms from many corners, including this one, about the worthiness of the contract? Well, I won't question it any more. It was well worth it and I'm so happy for him. Redemption is a wonderful thing.

And for Brian Sabean, who endured the criticism from many corners, including this one, about some of the moves he made to get the team here. Unfortunately for Brian, I can't guarantee that they will not continue. It kind of goes with the territory. But for now, actually forever really, he only needs to point to whatever finger this World Series ring ends up on and he will forever hold the ultimate mute key. Dang it, Life is so not fair.

BTW, How cool a day is it for Giants equipment manager Mike Murphy? World Champions and he'll just be chatting about it with Willie Mays. How cool is that?

Mike Murphy was a batboy in old Seals Stadium when the Giants played their first game in San Francisco in 1958. That happened to be the day he met a future Hall of Famer named Willie Mays. Murphy would go on to work for the Giants for the next 52 years, and continues to run the clubhouse as the equipment manager.

"There's a whole potful of people who have never been through this," Murphy said. "I wish they all could see it. It's a great feeling. You feel like you're sitting on top of the world.

"As a matter of fact, I'm going to call Willie right now."

It is a great feeling.

You do feel like you are sitting on top of the world.

You do feel like anything is possible today because of what happened yesterday. It's silly really, but true.

As Giants fans, we knew coming down the stretch that this season was going to end in tears.

We just didn't know which type.
We know too well, from many prior years of disappointment, the bitter, stinging tears of defeat.
We know not well, the sweet, liberating tears of joy.
Well now we know....

HOW SWEET IT IS.

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS - 2010 WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS

Giants are on the brink

A cursory look at the SF morning papers reveals how awe-struck some veteran baseball people, both friend and foe, were last night after the gem for the ages pitched by Madison Bumgarner that has this franchise on the brink of a victory that will remove 'long suffering' as a prefix used to describe Giants fans.

From Brian Sabean, Bruce Bochy, Giants teammates and Rangers manager Ron Washington. All weighed in on the magnitude and the magnificence of the performance.

From Bruce Jenkins, The Giants past, present and future.

SF Giants' rookie turns in a gem for the ages

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/11/01/SP581G4NRA.DTL#ixzz141pYSUws

It's hard to believe the Giants' story can get any better, for it reached an otherworldly state in Game 4 of the World Series on Sunday night. It left manager Bruce Bochy chuckling to himself in amazement. It had players shaking their heads in admiration. General manager Brian Sabean was so stunned, he barely could speak.

Such was the residue of Madison Bumgarner's eight shutout innings in the Giants' 4-0 win, viewed by World Series history as the most efficient by a rookie pitcher in 62 years.

Manager Ron Washington marveled that Bumgarner never threw two consecutive pitches at the same speed, and that was the key. He was humming the fastball around 92-93 mph. A couple of proud hitters, Vladimir Guerrero and Michael Young, flailed so badly on changeups that they resembled men groping for a light switch in the dark.

"That kid, I can't say enough about what he did tonight," Bochy said. "I mean, a 21-year-old kid on that stage, pitching like that. He's a man. A very special talent, and we're grateful we have him."

"He's fearless, man," said Huff, who aided Bumgarner's case immeasurably with a massive two-run homer down the right-field line in the third inning. "He came to the yard today and you could see he was just chilling. Nothing really bothers him. Put on some David Allen Coe on the playlist and let him go to town.

"I'll tell you, with the young pitching this team has and Buster Posey behind the plate, this team has a chance to do something special for quite some time."

That's what had Sabean in a near-trance after the game, a state of blissful amazement as he pondered the impact of Bumgarner and Posey on the 2010 Giants. "Certain guys you draft, you can tell they're cut-above people," Sabean said. "But I've been around scouting and player development for a long time, and this is just very unusual. The strength, the inner courage ...I'm shocked. They've shocked all of us."

With one more victory, the Giants will have shocked the world. They have come too far to turn back now.

----------

From Henry Schulman, Bumgarner is money in the bank.

Madison Bumgarner pitches SF Giants to brink

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/11/01/SPS61G4NQ3.DTL

Cody Ross said everyone in the clubhouse "can feel it, taste it and smell it - all the senses." As pumped as they are, though, the Giants are forcing themselves to remember it takes four wins, not three, to get a parade.

The faithful back in San Francisco must be struggling with emotions that could not be more mixed. On one hand, the Giants are a win away. On the other hand, 55 seasons without a championship and the fresh memories of the 2002 Series can harden a person's skepticism.

Shortly after the game, special assistant Felipe Alou stood by the front door of the clubhouse and recalled the first time he saw Bumgarner in spring training. Alou did not have to stretch his mind to see him pitching eight shutout innings in Game 4 of the World Series.

"When I saw the mound presence and the poise, I said, 'Wow. How long has this guy been pitching?' " Alou recalled. "It's really something to own a lefty of that stature with that kind of stuff. That's a lot of money in the bank."

--------------------

From Scott Ostler, Huff still rocking The Rally Thong

SF Giants 1 win away from city's 1st championship

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/11/01/MNS61G4NQ4.DTL#ixzz141opLaKi


Huff's Rally Thong, by the way, is more than just media candy or a passing fad. When I asked Huff after the game, in the interests of journalism, if he was still rocking the lucky garment, he jumped on the question like a belt-high fastball.

"Yeah, it hasn't left my body since we started playing (good ball), since 30 games (before the end of) the regular season," he said. "It's something you get quite used to after a while. I always wondered how women do it, but it's really not a big deal anymore."

Game 4: Giants - Rangers or "A Night with a Tortured Giants Fan"

Today, I'll just write my thoughts as the game progresses. That should be entertaining. I'll try to filter the language for the young people. But hey, NO GUARANTEES.

Fox Pre-Game nonsense:

We can't even get to the first pitch before I'm ready to turn the sound off on these guys.

First, in pre-game Eric Karros makes me reach for something to throw at him by saying, 'Whoever wins this game, is going to win the series'. Maybe Mr. Karros doesn't read my blog, but it's Game Five that becomes the pivotal game and that's IF the Rangers win Game Four. Sheesh, and this guy played in the bigs, he should understand momentum.

Then Buck and McCarver do the pre-game happy talk and Buck says that Bochy doesn't want to go to Game Five versus Cliff Lee even up at two games apiece. Certainly not the preference, but correct me if I'm wrong here Bucky-beaver:
a) the Giants beat Cliff Lee and
b) the Giants will have Tim Lincecum on the mound, a guy who does a lot to inspire confidence in a manager.

My wife says they are just trying to build drama and interest for the casual fan, who if we believe the initial rating returns (second lowest rated WS game), are not watching anyway. But by doing that, they lose credibility in the eyes of the knowledgeable, hard-core baseball fans who certainly are viewing these early games. A delicate balancing act, I suppose.

I put the remote outside of my immediate reach, since I won't be flipping tonight, and these guys are under my skin already.

Burrell and Sandoval are on the pine, replaced by Nate Schierholz and Travis Ishakawa. Right now, the right thing to do. Burrell has been a windmill for most of the playoffs. Sandoval has been one for most of the season. All about the approach. Both are hot / cold, 'all or nothing' type hitters as a result. Burrell is more patient at times, so his recent demise is more surprising. Plus he has been in the World Series before. Kudos to Bochy for utilizing the bench when he needs it.

1st inning: I don't know what Posey is looking for up there, he seems to be taking some hittable pitches lately and putting himself into bad counts.

Both pitchers searching for the whereabouts of the strike zone. Can't say that either pitcher is at fault. Blue seems to be a little tight today. Maybe they're getting paid by the hour tonight.

2nd inning: Giants catch a break on the Ishakawa DP, not called on the 1B side. Out by a quarter stride, that call has to be made at this level.

Hamilton makes a great catch to save a run in CF. Both pitchers are struggling with the umpires tight strike zone so neither one may go more than six innings. Hopefully, that favors the good guys innings 7-9. Keep it close guys and steal it in the end.

Umpire opens it up (a little) in the second, he must be hearing it from both sides. He's not calling pitches on 'the black' or on the border of Foxies Pitch Tracker service. Nobody will bitch if you call that one. And you don't get graded as a miss, within the margin of error.

Bumgarner still pitching behind too much. That's going to come back to bite him. We'll see who gets an easy inning or two first. Top of the order in the third for the Gigantes, gotta make something happen.

3rd inning: Torres leads off with a double and I finally agree with the announcers, 'why is Sanchez bunting?' This isn't Lee - Lincecum dealing aces where one run is precious. Swing away, Boche!!

The Rangers scouting report on the Giants must be littered with 'sliders away'. And that would make it a decent report. Sanchez battling. Usually good things happen for hitters when you see > 5 pitches in an AB. Nope. He doesn't move the runner, pulls it to 3B and grounds out. Bad AB.

HUFF JOINS THE PARTY THE WAY WE LIKE!!! ALBEIT SANS THONG. CRUSH DADDY!!! GIANTS 2-0.

Posey looks at borderline strike three. Pitch Tracker confirms, outside by quite a bit. That's what happens when your approach is confused up there. You lose the benefit of the doubt. Not much doubt about that one though. I thought catchers usually get the benefit of the doubt. Maybe not in the bigs. Or maybe Buster's not smelling so nice back there today. ;) I wouldn't want to see Bumgarner and Posey get crossed up. Somebody could get hurt back there. Nah, stakes are too high to screw around here.

That's a Ball / Strike miss and a Bases miss so far. One in favor, one opposed. They even out long term, but short term - still BRUTAL.

Fox shows the classic Nolan Ryan - Robin Vetura bout which Ryan won by TKO. CLASSIC!! There are some things that never get old.

Bumgarner settling in. A breezy third inning.

4th Inning: Uribe just missed one. He didn't think so, he struck the pose before he left the batters box, but the wind may have knocked it down. Now Hudson breezing, a rocket grounder to the 2B, two quick outs. Rangers bullpen busy already. Can't take any chances tonight.

Renteria hits a long single, nice play by Cruz to hold him there. Had double written on it. Cruz got out his eraser. Could be a big play, that doesn't show up in the score book.

Schierholz down quick two strikes. Now 2-2, not bad, making him work. Lazy fly ball ends the Giants half.

Young busts the no-no, not by much, great effort. Another great effort by Sanchez to get one on the tag of Young. Hamilton hit a rocket that Bumgarner deflects to Sanchez. One on, one out.
Vladdie tries to tie it with one swing. Bumgarner makes him chase. Good pitch. The change-up is so very underrated.

POSEY THROWS A SEED TO SECOND TO NAIL HAMILTON TRYING TO STEAL!!! NICE CATCH / TAG BY SANCHEZ.

If he's not the Rookie of the Year, a crime has been committed. I know the ballots must have been cast before all this happens, but how dumb do you have to feel now if you didn't vote for this kid and you see what he's doing in this environment. He didn't get demonstrably better overnight, right?

5th Inning: Ogando the new pitcher for Texas. Giants looking for a tack on or two. Torres hits a lazy fly. Sanchez up. Hey how many times do you see a guy make a great play in the field and bat second in the next half of the inning? OH, SHUT UP SLAVIK!!! No, I won't!!! Mathematically and in real-life it happens about as expected: about 11.1% or 1/9th of the time. In other words, it's a relatively random occurrence when the guys leads off, we just attach more weight or notice it more when it does happen, giving the impression that it happens more frequently than it actually does.

While I was typing that Stat 101 / human behavior / mind tricks primer, Huff struck out meekly, making Ogando look like an All-Star. Weak half inning offensively. TORTURE RETURNS!!

Speaking of which, I'm a bit torn here. I hope that isn't the only hit Bumgarner gives up but I don't want to see him get hit any further. Ross screws me up further with a great defensive play to rob Ian Kinsler. Way to screw me up further Cody!!! I love 'The Cody Ross Experience' And I kind of hate Kinsler. Maybe it's the hair. Or his demeanor. I'd like him if he played for us though, so don't go pissy on me Ranger fans.

Bungarner finishes the fifth economically. That helps. If he give six, all good, Seven and I might go all Chris Matthews and get a tingle up my leg. I'm sorry, that's just not something a man should say about another man. Don't remind me about some of my Buster Posey posts or things I've said in the past about Phil Simms, that's different. Simms won a Super Bowl, dude. So it's all good.

6th Inning: Speaking of Posey, weak grounder to third. They have a good report on him so far. Or kryptonite. Ross goes for the downs, on a ball in the dirt. These guys are starting to piss me off. Slider ends Ross. Good advance scouts these Rangers must have. Uribe hacks. Ogando throws a slider to Odessa. So wild he strained an oblique. Dude, a run of the mill slider usually sits Uribe. Just don't hang the sucker. Ogando leaves with a tummy ache. Hockey players worldwide ROTFLAO!!!! Me too. I just consulted my copy of the Rangers advance scouting report on Uribe and it says "pick a slider, any slider, even the cement mixer spinner - anywhere close, he'll hack". Rangers advance scouts worldwide Rolling On The Floor Puking. Not sure if ROTFP is a universally recognized acronym for that, but I have some time to kill while the Rangers reliever relieves himself, or warms up or whatever.

McCarver has a spider over his head, which a) I hope is real and poisonous and b) poised to strike if he says anything stupid, which he is due for. Darren Oliver in relief. Bad stuff happening, we're not capitalizing as Uribe skies weakly to Molina. Baseball gods will not be happy, are poised to strike Giants. You can just feel it. Bumgarner the only thing standing in the way.

Mitch Moreland has another great AB for a single. The Giants should tape his AB's and make their hitters watch it until their eyes bleed. Never mind the 'Tom Emansky: Teaching the Fundamentals of the Major League Swing'. Parts I or II. Just dial into the Moreland approach and good things will follow. Are you listening Hensley?

Another DP, looks like he may have beat that out, though. LOVE THE DP. Umpires best friend. No replay, must not have been as close as it looked. Oh no, here we go. OOPS, BLUE ANOTHER ONE!!! Dude is having a tough night over at first. Maybe that angle is not working out for him.....But,........he's the major league umpire and I'm not. Not to go all teenage girl on you but, 'Life is so not fair'. I wonder how Jacklyn is doing?

7th Inning:
Ishakawa 打席に弱い ( phonetically: Daseki ni yowai ) weak at bat in Japanese. Giants offense is as boring as it is torturous, so I was using some advanced Google features....oh look, Renteria gets another hit. Next game, he bats all times in the order. Schierholtz looks over a slider away, for a backwards-K. What a surprise, that these guys would pound sliders away against the Giants. What are they thinking? Ewwwwweeeee, Torres shoots the gap, double to knock in Renteria. Giants 3-0. And Sanchez taps back to Oliver to end the inning.

Nice rendition of God Bless America for the seventh inning stretch. Texas does patriotism right, we're really going to miss them if things gets worse in this country and they exercise their rights to secede. But I digress. As I often do.

O'Day warming up. He's the kind of pitcher that you love to see coming in and then he shuts you down. Bumgarner K's Michael Young, He's dealing. He got a break on one that Young didn't like, but Bumgarner is getting the benefit of the doubt. Young still had a chance to hit and Bumgarner threw one past him.

Hamilton gets sawed off and Uribe is so distressed, he boots it. That freaking hurt from here. E-Uribe. Bumgarner has to get tough here. He has Guerrero down 1-2.

Tries to make him fish again. No bite. 2-2. Big AB. Misses 3-2. Still just one pitch away.

GOT HIM WITH THE CHANGE!!! HAT TRICK VLADDIE!!!

Don't let up here. Cruz can hurt you. Base hit. Nice piece of hitting by Cruz. Shot it right up the middle

Kinsler brings the tying run to the plate. Strike One. Good pitch. Kinsler not happy. Lazy liner to Cosy Ross ends it. Now, Kinsler has a good reason to be not happy.

BUMGARNER, TOUGH AS NAILS!!!

Casilla warming up in the bullpen. Bummgarner starts the inning for me, somebody has to get on first. Maybe score a run. They may never get to Bummer. We'll see how Bochy handles it.

Eight Inning:
Oliver still in for Texas, Huff grounds weakly to 1B.

The Darren O'Day - Buster Posey match up Part II. Gosh, I hope Buster reads my blog. If he did, he would know exactly what to do.

I outlined it here:
http://slavieboy.blogspot.com/2010/10/moreland-explains-his-game-winning-hr.html

Buster Posey also had a disappointing key AB versus Darren O' Day. As soon as Washington brought him in I said I like the matchup, but it was clear O'day wanted to get him on the sidearm curve to the outside corner or darting off the black. Posey made no visible adjustment to his stance or position in the batters box to accommodate that pitch. The guy doesn't throw hard enough to break a pane of glass (easy for me to say, I know) so you crowd the plate more, dare him to fit one through a mail slot to hit the inside corner, at the same time Posey would be in better position to punish the outside corner. Not second guessing, I told my wife before the pitch, when Molina went out to talk, if he throws the curve to the outside corner, he'll get him, he's got to go the other way. And sure enough, he went there, and worse it seems as if Posey tried to pull it instead of going the other way (he may have been out front). Generally, if you try to pull an outside pitch, weak grounders to the pull side or popups ensue. Bad AB.

We shall see if he learned something. If he didn't, I'm going to be REALLY MAD!!! Not so much that he pissed away another AB, but that he doesn't read my blog. THAT WOULD REALLY PISS ME OFF, BUSTER!!!

1-2 pretty quick. No discernible change in approach so I can feel my pulse quicken. Fouls one off.

HOME RUN TO DEAD CENTER FOR BUSTER POSEY!!!!! OMG, MAYBE HE DOES READ MY BLOG!!!!

Or maybe he's just a major league hitter and I'm just a fan writing a blog. But who cares now, right? Giants up 4-0.

Cody Ross goes down, Uribe up. We got the tack on run we've been looking for. Uribe doesn't leave anything on the table with his swing. EVER!!! Have to take the good with the bad, I guess.

Uribe fouls to 1B to end it. Four up with six out left. I like our chances here.

Francoeur leads off against Bumgarner. 2-1 to start. Francoeur just misses leaving the yard to left. One out.

Bengie Molina up. Bumgarner dealing at 91. 1-1 to start. Misses outside 2-1. Still throwing hard. Molina hits an 'at 'em ball ' laser beam liner right at Cody Ross in LF for the second out.

Lopez and Wilson warming up in the bullpen. Bumgarner at 102 pitches. Moreland up for the Rangers. Good AB expected here. 1-2 count to start him. Moreland has him right where he wants him. MadBum misses 2-2 count. Misses in the dirt 3-2. I like this Moreland kids hitting approach a lot. Got him looking.

BUMGARNER IS NAILS!!!!

WE GO TO THE NINTH INNING - GIANTS 4, RANGERS 0!!!

9th Inning: Derek Holland in for the Rangers. Let's see if he can throw a strike. Starts 2-0. Maybe not.He throws a strike and the Rangers fans cheer. I'm detecting sarcasm. He walks Ishakawa. Now I sense building anger and disgust.

Strike one to Renteria. Throws one under his hands strike two swinging. Strike Three looking to Renteria. Looked good. Renteria didn't offer. No argument.

Schierholz up. Painted the black outside to Nate. He stays there he'll get him, lefty / lefty. Schierholz skies to center, two outs.

Torres from the right side. Torres even at 2-2. Fouls a 95 MPH heater off. Looking for a gapper here. Nope, grounds out third to second.

Here we go, onto the ninth, top of the order due up for the Rangers. I think Bumgarner starts the inning. This may be the last game he has to pitch this season. He's a little high in the pitch count, but with the adrenaline flowing, I think I let a batter tell me that he's done for the night, then go to Brian Wilson for the close. That's the Nolan Ryan approach to developing pitchers. Old School. I think I like it here for us too.

Nope. Brian Wilson opens the ninth. Great effort by Bumgarner. Beard don't fail us now.

Elvis Andrus lines to Schierholz in RF for the first out.

Michael Young. Strike One. Misses for a ball. Misses again. Strike Two. Got him with a half swing. Two outs.

Josh Hamilton steps in. Close the deal, Brian. Strike One. Swings at a slider inside, strike two. I think he has him. Got him on a half swing.

WILSON CLOSES!!! BUMGARNER GETS HIS DUE TONIGHT!!!

Giants are up 3-1 and look to close it out tomorrow.

We've been here before and closer actually.

So hopefully the boys take nothing for granted and close the deal.

Moreland explains his game winning HR and why the Giants are Boom or Bust

Mitch Moreland explains his approach to his game winning AB versus Jonathan Sanchez and by contrast demonstrates why the Giants tend to be boom or bust. IMO. Moreland may be on the verge of becoming the Rangers answer to The Cody Ross Experience. A folk hero in the making.

from espn.com
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs/2010/columns/story?columnist=crasnick_jerry&id=5748057

Moreland collected four hits in a mere 20 regular-season at-bats against lefties. But against Sanchez, he simply refused to be denied. After going up 2-0 in the count, he hit a long foul fly to right field. Then came a fastball for a called strike to even the count. Sanchez followed with four straight sliders and changeups, and Moreland fouled off all four to hang tough at 2-2.

"It was kind of down and in, and I just reacted. I'm not going to say if that's my sweet spot. I don't even know if I have a sweet spot."

Finally it came time for one more fastball, and Moreland didn't miss it. He drove the pitch into the right field seats to put Texas up 3-0 and give his hometown cause to bust its buttons with pride.

"I just wanted to stay short and get the barrel to it,'' Moreland said. "It was kind of down and in, and I just reacted. I'm not going to say if that's my sweet spot. I don't even know if I have a sweet spot.''

Moreland was willing to 'stay short' or shorten his swing to battle Sanchez. The Giants demonstrated in the ninth inning versus Neftali Perez, that they would rather go down flailing like windmills in overdrive than shorten up their swings to make contact. The pitcher is supplying the power, throwing 97-98 MPH. A screaming, line drive gapper in one of those spots would have worked just as well as a HR. And until you had at least one guy on base in the ninth, bringing the tying run to the plate, you have no business swinging from your heels. Just dumb, wasted, unproductive AB's. Not even a loud foul ball in the bunch.

Buster Posey also had a disappointing key AB versus Darren O' Day. As soon as Washington brought him in I said I like the matchup, but it was clear O'day wanted to get him on the sidearm curve to the outside corner or darting off the black. Posey made no visible adjustment to his stance or position in the batters box to accommodate that pitch. The guy doesn't throw hard enough to break a pane of glass (easy for me to say, I know) so you crowd the plate more, dare him to fit one through a mail slot to hit the inside corner, at the same time Posey would be in better position to punish the outside corner. Not second guessing, I told my wife before the pitch, when Molina went out to talk, if he throws the curve to the outside corner, he'll get him, he's got to go the other way. And sure enough, he went there, and worse it seems as if Posey tried to pull it instead of going the other way (he may have been out front). Generally, if you try to pull an outside pitch, weak grounders to the pull side or popups ensue. Bad AB.

Rangers win MUST game as Giants revert back to BOOM or BUST

The Rangers won a game they HAD to win. The Giants lost a game it would have been nice to win. Any time an NFL game features a game where one team MUST win versus another team that would LIKE to win, I go with the team that MUST win. The old cornered rat thing. Or the boxer, backed into the corner. The only way out is to punch back. If you curl up and take the hits, it's not long before you are counted out.

And so the Rangers win 4-2. The Giants will not sweep the series. But who really thought they would? If you told me after three games, 'the Giants will be up 2-1' I would have taken it. The difference in the game: The Rangers 2 HR's were a 3-run blast and a solo versus the Giants 2 solo jobs. That's it.

Andres Torres gets his signature hit. The Cody Ross Experience continues with another HR, his fifth of the post season. Huffie laces a laser beam double. Burrell is struggling. PAINFULLY STRUGGLING.

The Rangers still have to run the table at home and get one in Frisco, so we're still in pretty good shape.

I like the match-up today MadBum versus Hunter. Both young pitchers so who knows which pitcher shows up. If Bumgarner settles in early, he can be tough as nails.

GO GIANTS!!!

"Oooo-ree-bay" - Cain is more than able - Redemption for Renteria and Rowand

I'm not sure you could ask for anything more from a game than what the Giants received yesterday. I sat in stunned silence towards the end of it, saying quietly to my wife, "It's as if everything that could go right for the Giants, has gone right". Scary right.

Matt Cain cements his reputation as a top of the rotation, big-time ace pitcher.
Juan Uribe continues to play out of his mind.
Edgar Renteria DOES discover the Marlins post-season magic.
Aaron Rowand delivers a line-drive laser dagger to the 421 sign in right-center.
Buster Posey continues to play Buster Posey like baseball.
The bullpen shows its incredible depth and versatility.

The earlier comparisons to the '69 Amazing NY Mets may not be too over the top. Superior pitching once again. Timely hitting and great defense. Role players coming through when asked. Even down to an opposition potential HR hitting the top of the wall and -- instead of bouncing over the wall the ball bounces back into the field of play, seemingly violating all laws of nature and/or physics. Brings back memories of the 1973 Mets and the "Ball on the Wall" play.

from ultimatemets.com
1973 Regular Season Game 153
September 20, 1973
Mets 4, Pirates 3

http://www.ultimatemets.com/gamedetail.php?gameno=1939&tabno=B

Karma? Magic? Catching lightning in a bottle? Team of destiny? I don't care, take your pick. Call it what you will. I just know its starting to feel real. I can only remember feeling like this about the '69 and to a lesser extent the '73 Mets. (A lesser extent because the '73 Mets lost the World Series, after being perhaps the least deserving team on paper to ever appear in a World Series). The Rangers have had everything go wrong for them short of having a black cat walk past their dugout.

METS V. CUBS 9/9/1969 - THE BLACK CAT GAME

I thought it very Tim McCarver like of Tim McCarver to deliver the stupidest line of the evening. Late in the game, after the Rangers bullpen blowout, he delivers a gem along the lines of "Well pitching is winning this game for the Giants, but not theirs". Is that right? Correct me if I'm wrong Timmy-boy but the score before the meltdown was 1-0. The Rangers ended the evening still stuck on 0. I think the Giants pitching did more than their fair share in winning this game for the Giants by virtue of the fact that -- by pitching a shutout - they guarantee that you don't lose. At worst, we would still be playing. Therefore, I think the Giants pitching did in fact win the game for the Giants, the Rangers pitching just made the game less artistic --something more akin to a Spring Training "B" game for the last couple of innings.

Granted the Giants caught a bit of a break when Wilson raised a blister, but that may be symptomatic of the problem the Rangers are facing. The scene from Hoosiers where the coach measures the height of the basket at the big time arena and tells his players "Same height as the basket you guys are used to". What got you here should be good enough to get you through. It seems as if perhaps the blister may have raised from squeezing the ball a little tighter, trying to get a little extra movement or a little extra break. In baseball, if you take care of the little things, the big things fall into place. The Rangers are feeling the effect in a negative sense.

Last night, the Rangers relievers had the same look of awe that the Hoosiers team did when they first walked into the big-time arena. Awe-struck and feeling out of place. We'll see if some home cooking set their minds right and puts the wheels back on the cart.

HOOSIERS. CLASSIC!!!

The same thing when the reliever threw 13-14 straight balls (I lost count). Then the deer in the headlights look. The 'WTF is going on?' countenance. The wheels came off and they couldn't put them back on. The next reliever did the same thing. Overcompensation.

I see this a lot in HS or PONY ball. A kid throws a pretty, picture-perfect breaking ball. Then the next one he tries to make it break even better than the last one. Better than perfect. And drives it into the dirt, or hangs it. Overcompensation. Instead of just repetition. Repeat. Lather, rinse, repeat. Over and over again. It's the root meaning of the word mechanics. To be machine-like, perform the same act -- over and over again, the same way each time, with mind-blowing repetition and efficiency.

Whatever it is, the Giants seems to have it and the Rangers don't.
At least for now.

Maybe it's because the Giants have had to play all season on a razor-thin margin of error due to the lack of offense. They've played 'playoff-like' baseball -- minus the playoff intensity -- all season. Now, it's just second nature. I noticed in the Matt Cain post game interview that the first thing Cain did was deflect credit from his own efforts to those of catcher Buster Posey. This is a trait that this team has demonstrated throughout the playoffs. The glory is shared and spread around liberally. Its a nice quality for a teammate to have.

The next game may be the first pitching match-up in a while where I don't think we have an advantage. And that's only because of Sanchez' last outing. Before that he was beginning to show signs of elevating to near the Cain / Lincecum level as a shut down starter. If he comes up big-time / lights out on the road, that will be the start he will be linked to for a long time. If it's anything near the meltdown versus Philadelphia, it will take him a while to shake the hit to his reputation. So Jonathan is -- fairly or unfairly -- facing a World Series opponent on the field as well as one between his ears. He has to contain his emotions and direct /focus them in a positive direction. If he does that, he can carry the franchise one step closer to the prize.

GO GIANTS!!!