Brian Wilson signs with Dodgers - McCovey Chronicles

Well, really couldn't see that one coming, could we? The Beard becomes the Dodgers next bitch.

As only Grant Brisbee at the McCovey Chronicles can put it.

from McCovey Chronicles:
Brian Wilson signs with Dodgers - McCovey Chronicles:

Gross.

That's the only possible reaction. Gross. Well, there's also rage and sadness and disbelief. Help yourself to any of those. I'm sticking with gross. This is your mom getting drunk and making out with Tommy Chong, but with more hair.

If you want to take the analogy further, this move during this season is like your mom making out with Chong in the back of the court while you're getting arraigned for larceny. It's awful, unspeakably awful, and then you have to look in the back and see that?

Gross.

'via Blog this'

For me personally, this is Mark Bavaro in a Philadelphia Eagles uniform bad.

It is just so wrong. WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!!!

How wrong is it?

It is so wrong that, as much as I don't wish harm on anybody -- First pitch, grab the elbow, career ending injury.

Or even better. First pitch, someone lines one right back up the box, goes right through that hideous beard and sticks him right in the neck.  Turns his Adam's Apple into applesauce.

Playing with some seriously bad karma here Beard. Hope you know what you're doing.

Dodgers In Lead For Brian Wilson: MLB Rumors

Wow!! You really think you know a closer. Then this hits your e-mail box like a "Dear John" letter to a GI.

from MLBTradeRumors.com
Dodgers In Lead For Brian Wilson: MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com:

The Pirates and Giants are both "serious suitors" for Wilson, who appears close to signing soon, according to Scott Miller of CBS Sports. Miller adds that the Diamondbacks and Dodgers have some level of interest as well, and he notes that Wilson "has an affinity for Los Angeles." The Phillies were also thought to have interest prior to the six-game skid that has pushed them firmly into their stance as sellers.

'via Blog this'

Brian Wilson!!! Do you care to explain this "affinity" for Los Angeles?

After all we've been through? I suppose all those 171 saves meant nothing to you Brian?

Remember 2006 when you first broke in with the Giants? We had nothing then. Hell, Felipe Alou was the manager. You only saved one game and we only won 76 games overall, but hell, we were still a team and it meant something.

Then Bochy came in and things started to turn around. You had success, the team had success and we made it to the mountain top in 2010.

Then you blow out your elbow and the team wins another ring, almost without you and all of a sudden, it's like we're not good enough for you anymore. Nobody can make Brian happy. It became all about Brian. You just shut yourself off and rehabbed your elbow.

With Ms. Los Angeles I'll bet. Did she help you with your rehab Brian? Did she do the  Throwers 10 Exercises with you Brian?

I mean, don't get me wrong Brian, I knew things were bad. I suspected something when Sergio Romo went from serial photo-bomber to real-life closer. But this Brian???  The Dodgers??

So, how long have you had these "affinities" for Los Angeles, Brian?

Did you have these "affinities" while you were closing games with the Giants, Brian?

Well, DID YOU? You filthy pig!!!!

How many other cities did you have an "affinity" for, Brian?

Pittsburgh? Arizona?

How many of our other division rivals have you had an "affinity" for Brian Wilson? How many?

Do you like my sister too, Brian? Does that turn your "affinity" on?

Do you like Philadelphia too, Brian?

Ph-ing Philadelphia for Ph-ing crying out loud?

What do they have that San Francisco doesn't?

Cheese steaks?

Well Phreak you and Phreak your Philly cheese steaks Brian Wilson, You suck!!!

I don't care where you end up, but don't end up here no more, 'cause we're through!!!

I mean, I don't know what kind of a fan you think I am Brian Wilson, but it was all fine when it was just you, me and the Giants.

But now?!? The Dodgers??? And the Diamondbacks?!?  

Uh no, sorry Brian but, Homey don't play that!!!

The Readers Digest version:


and the extended Homey D. Clown version:


Hopefully, this is all a big misunderstanding and Brian Wilson comes crawling back to the Giants.

SFG + BW + CS = < 3 

Giants fade into obscurity / oblivion continues

Is this the type of spark the Giants need? Shouldn't be that way really, the whole pride thing. 

This game by itself may have been enough turn me from a buyer to a seller. Not so much because of the score as much as the sense of urgency or lack thereof. Are we defending a title this year or what? Perhaps it is fortunate that I am not the Giants GM. On many levels.

from Yahoo Sports:
Arroyo blanks Giants for 100th win as a Red - Yahoo! Sports:

Giants LHP Barry Zito will pitch the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader, during which San Francisco will be wearing its road grays. Something will have to give, as the veteran left-hander has been great at home this season (4-1 with a 2.45 ERA in 11 starts) but terrible in his road uniform (0-6 with a 9.89 ERA in eight starts). ...

'via Blog this'

Watching this team, as painful as that has become, I'm increasingly unsure if the team's slide is more correctly stated as as headed towards oblivion or obscurity. Maybe equal parts of both?

ob·liv·i·on  

/əˈblivēən/

Noun The state of being unaware or unconscious of what is happening. The state of being forgotten, esp. by the public.

ob·scu·ri·ty  

/əbˈskyo͝oritē/

Noun The state of being unknown, inconspicuous, or unimportant. The quality of being difficult to understand.

Let's see how much the return of LHP Eric Surkamp from Tommy John surgery and Barry Zito pitching "on the road" in his own home ball park helps the Giants but.....looking for the dump button as we speak.

This team has the same feel as the 2011 Giants did after winning the World Series in 2010. A tepid defense of the title seems to be the best we can muster. Little or no life. Little or no spark. Almost a laissez faire  approach to baseball.

( The phrase laissez-faire is French and literally means "let [them] do", but it broadly implies "let it be," "let them do as they will," or "leave it alone" )

Something has to give or management is going to be left with no other option but to break up the band.

Speaking of which, there is a pitcher who once was known as "The Beard" who I understand might be available. May be just what the doctor ordered for this team. As of right now, there is nothing to fear on this ball club.

Except the fade into Bolivian.

Romo Photobombs Reporter....We need a return of "The Machine"

All right, there's photo-bombing and then there's photo-bombing. This team is missing something. I can't quite put my finger on it but, I think this team misses Brian Wilson!!

from Bleacher Report:
Romo Photobombs Reporter:

CSN Bay Area's Amy Gutierrez went live from the Giants' dugout, and closer Sergio Romo had to think fast. So he grabbed a catcher's mask and a bat and ... well, he did his best.

'via Blog this'

Brian Wilson - Cheap Seats Interview - "The Machine" Revealed

Still some hope for a Brian Wilson return to the Giants

from sfgiantsbaseball.net: 
San Francisco Giants Baseball (SF Giants Rumors):

Bobby Evans, the VP of Baseball Operations for the San Francisco Giants was on KNBR today with Larry Krueger. Evans said the Giants are still over seeing Brian Wilson‘s rehab, and will continue to do so until he’s healthy or signs elsewhere. Evans also pointed out that there is still an open door for some discussions with Wilson about returning to the Giants. However, they’re still keeping their eyes open for another bullpen arm.

'via Blog this'

Giants Non-Tender Brian Wilson: MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com

It would really blow to see The Beard in LA-LA land. Red Sox, not so much. Another year with the Giants, defend the title, post some stats to get some big time cheese is still the hope and expectation.

Giants Non-Tender Brian Wilson: MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com:

"Although re-signing with the Giants remain possible, recent speculation indicated Wilson could also have interest in pitching for the Dodgers or Red Sox. He makes his offseason home in Los Angeles and grew up in New Hampshire rooting for the Sox. If Ryan Madson's contract is any indication, Wilson is looking at a one-year, low-base salary, incentive-laden contract for next year."

'via Blog this'

--



from BayCityBall.com
On non-tendering Brian Wilson:

The Giants don’t want to pay Brian Wilson $7-8M. In most contexts that seems fair for a pitcher coming back from a fairly serious injury. However, the problem with Wilson and the Giants is complicated by the contractual system in baseball. The Giants can’t pay Wilson less than 80-percent of what he made in 2012 ($8.5M) and if they try to non-tender him and bring him back at a lower salary, there’s no guarantee that he will agree to come back; at that point, he’s able to negotiate with any club that might be interested in his services.

In Wilson’s case, his 2011 was full of warning signs that he was probably hurting: these graphs do a pretty good job of telling that story. Lower strikeouts. Rising walk-rate. Decline in velocity. Those are the classic red flags of arm injuries. In hindsight, the Giants clearly knew something was up. The team often hid Wilson this past Spring Training, making him throw on back fields and keeping his appearances away from reporters.

The $7M question is which Brian Wilson will the Giants get in 2013? The version that was struggling to crack 90 mph in 2012 or some amalgamation of his past self. Wilson’s rise to success isn’t lost on me. He was the first legitimate closer the Giants had since Robb Nen and he closed the books on names like Herges, Walker, and Benitez. His dominant run from 2009-2010 is one of the best among franchise history. He’s been a really, really successful pitcher. But, as we know, pitchers are fragile things, held together by tape and string and bits of Velcro.

'via Blog this'

San Francisco Giants Baseball (SF Giants Rumors)

There has to be room enough in the bullpen for two beards.

Keep Wilson and Romo, save on razors.

San Francisco Giants Baseball (SF Giants Rumors):

"It’s going to be a big decision for them to decide if Brian Wilson should be offered arbitration or non-tender him. Wilson made $8.5 million in 2012. The Giants could be considering a deal that doesn’t guarantee as much for 2013 but can be loaded with incentives. It’s a big risk to offer arbitration and risk him getting paid another $8.5 million or so and not be able to pitch in 2013.
Since 2010, Sergio Romo has the lowest WHIP (0.85) in the Major Leagues. Romo was the Giants closer as the season starting winding down and the entire 2012 playoffs."

'via Blog this'

After waiting for opportunity to shine, Romo grabs his defining moment | Giants Extra

Finally, a Romo who is clutch!! Sergio Romo that is. The Bruce AB was epic stuff. With each pitch the advantage shifts more and more towards the hitter, so I was not feeling good when it reached double digits.

The Mini-Beard did his job and had to have made his mentor proud.

from Mercurynews.com
After waiting for opportunity to shine, Romo grabs his defining moment | Giants Extra:

"As his teammates doused the clubhouse in champagne, Sergio Romo stood in a corner, hands on bent knees, eyes welled with tears. The magnitude of the moment hit him: The Giants had just become the first team in MLB history to wipe out a two-game deficit in a best-of-five series by winning three straight on the road, and Romo had sealed the deal.

 He got four outs, including a flyout to end an epic 12-pitch battle with Jay Bruce, who represented the winning run in the ninth inning.

“I’m just very proud to be the guy they asked to get that last out,” Romo said quietly. “I couldn’t let them down. It’s easy to be emotional about things like this because it’s good emotion.”"

'via Blog this'

Giants closer Brian Wilson likely needs surgery - Yahoo! Sports

First Lincecum's struggles, now this. Bullpen by committee until Heath Hembree is ready. UGH!!!
I should have known that the Giants leading the NL in runs scored out of the gate was bad karma.

Giants closer Brian Wilson likely needs surgery - Yahoo! Sports:

"SAN FRANCISCO (AP) Giants closer Brian Wilson is likely headed for surgery on his right elbow after an MRI showed structural damage and an issue with the ligament, and his season could be in jeopardy."

San Francisco Giants claim Heath Bell of San Diego Padres on waivers - ESPN

This would be something if it turns out. I can't see the Padres helping the Giants out.
Would the bullpen be big enough for both Brian Wilson and Heath Bell? The Giants would lead the league in goof balls.

San Francisco Giants claim Heath Bell of San Diego Padres on waivers, sources say - ESPN:

"The San Francisco Giants have claimed San Diego Padres closer Heath Bell on waivers, baseball sources told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney.



Bell will become a member of the Giants' bullpen if San Francisco and San Diego can agree to terms on a trade. If the teams can't agree to a deal then the Padres likely will pull Bell off waivers."

The Giants train wreck of August continues

First losing a series to the suddenly resurgent (sarcasm alert) AAA-Astros. And now we lose our closer to an already fully stocked DL. What next?

The Giants are now looking more and more like a .500 team heading into September. The Phillies are better. The really resurgent Brewers are looking better. The Braves are battling the own injury bug in better fashion. The D-Backs are better. And perhaps even the Cardinals are doing a better job of holding on for dear life entering the home stretch.

That has the Giants looking like the sixth best team in a system that allows only four into the playoffs.

NOT GOOD!!!


Brian Wilson of San Francisco Giants on DL due to ailing elbow - ESPN:

The San Francisco Giants placed closer Brian Wilson, who hasn't pitched since Aug. 15, on the 15-day disabled list Sunday with an inflamed right elbow.


Wilson
"We put him on the DL so we did not have the urge to push him," manager Bruce Bochy said, according to the San Jose Mercury News. "Or to have Willie go out there when he's not right. He wanted to try to get through it. Long term, it's the best thing for his career."

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

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

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.

Lincecum v. Halliday, need I say more?

The anticipation to this match-up is building to frothy levels. One of the most anticipated pitching match-ups in playoff history is how it is being billed.

They don't always match the build up, but the build up is merely to get eyeballs to the screen.

As far as pre-game build up, I liked the Gooden - Ryan 1986 match-up personally. The young gun versus the the older veteran. And it only made #7 on Fox's list:

http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpps/sports/top-10-playoff-pitching-matchups-dpgonc-km-20101016_10141775

7. 1986 NLCS, Game 5 -- Dwight Gooden (Mets) vs. Nolan Ryan (Astros)

This taut encounter featured two of the blazing-est fastballs anyone’s ever seen. The game went 12 innings (pretty notable until you consider that Game 6 went 16 innings), and Gooden went 10 of them. Ryan, however, worked “merely” nine frames. Combined they struck out 16, walked three and gave up two runs. Ryan was more dominant on the day (12 of those 16 Ks and just two hits allowed), but Gooden’s Mets won the game and eventually the series.

This is a much better list, but only #1 and #2 were really built up to this level.

http://blogs.delawareonline.com/philledin/2010/10/16/best-pitching-matchups-of-the-postseason/

2. 2003 ALCS, Game 7: Pedro Martinez vs. Roger Clemens

I’m a huge Cubs fan, and I was still working off the hangover of the blown NLCS against Florida, but this matchup managed to convince me to watch baseball again despite my depression. And if misery loves company, this game provided me with many Boston fans to share my pain. The Red Sox touched Clemens for three runs in the third inning to bounce him from the game while Pedro was solid through six. And then came the seventh. And Grady Little. And Pedro stayed in the game. And Aaron F’ing Boone.

1. 2001 World Series, Game 7: Roger Clemens vs. Curt Schilling

Roger Clemens’ numbers in 2001: 20-3 with a 3.51 ERA and a Cy Young Award.
Curt Schilling’s numbers in 2001: 22-6 with a 2.98 ERA and finished second in Cy Young balloting.

Schilling was starting on short rest after allowing just one run in seven innings in Game 4. Clemens had won Game 3 after allowing just three hits in seven innings. But Game 7 was for a World Series title, and the two lived up to the hype. Clemens struck out 10 and allowed just one run in 6.1 innings. Schilling threw 103 pitches and allowed just two runs and six hits in 7.1 innings. Neither ended up figuring in the decision as the Diamondbacks finally found a chink in Mariano Rivera’s armor in the ninth, and Randy Johnson ended up collecting the win after 1.1 innings of relief.

In the Giants corner, Lincecum historically does well against the Phillies and Halliday, surprisingly struggles against the Gigantes. At least according to fangraphs.com review:

http://www.fangraphs.com/

If this were the mainstream media, it would be so easy to say something semi-resolute and catchy about this matchup. Tim Lincecum has a 3.17 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP in seven career games against the Phillies. Roy Halladay has a 7.23 ERA and 1.61 WHIP in three games. OMGz! Don't count the Giants out! They have Halladay's number!

Hardly. Of course. Those numbers are career splits, and what do starts against other iterations of these lineups even mean? Diddly. And then, if we try to boil it down to splits in this season, we get one poor game for Halladay against the Giants (seven innings, ten hits, five runs, five strikeouts and no walks) and one excellent game for Lincecum (eight and a third innings, three hits, two runs, 11 strikeouts and one walk).

However, I concur with the authors citing of Grant's comment from The McCovey Chronicles as well.

"Every pitcher is Roy Halladay to the Giants. You know what kind of pitchers do well against the Giants? The ones with noses." - Grant, from the McCovey Chronicles in his post called "Sizing up the Phillies' starting rotation"

Here's hoping that the reality does not match the build up and the Giants strangely pile up enough early runs to drive Halliday from the mound. Lincecum gives six or seven strong innings and then hands it over to the bullpen and hope for the best.

I sensed a little bit of "fear of the moment" in Brian Wilson's eyes as he struggled to close out the series versus the Braves. If he goes all Robb Nen -- or worse, Armando Benitez -- on us, we are cooked.

GO GIANTS!!!

Giants win!! What a relief!!!

Jonathan Sanchez fulfilled his promise yesterday, not the verbal guarantee so much as the promise to be a top of the rotation, shut down starter. The bullpen continues its dominant run on a team where the total is truly greater than the sum of its parts. Truly the definition of team. The guys like Casilla, Romo, Ramirez, Lopez, Mota and Ray have allowed Brian Wilson to shine in the closer role. The bullpen as a unit may be the team's MVP, IMO. Everybody fills their role and nobody really has to overextend. The bullpen allows Bochy the flexibility and the confidence to not have to overuse the dominant starters.

Right now, this is a team that is clicking on almost all cylinders. Sabean gets kudos for piecing the roster together economically instead of making one big move. Bochy gets kudos for his patience and steady hand throughout the course of the season. Contract extensions for everybody.

In some ways, the path has been unconventional and at times frustrating. Failures and mistakes in some areas have led to successful moves. But for now the Giants are back in the playoffs and all is right with the world.

This is the Giants first trip back to the playoffs since 2003. That's a long time. This in some ways separates whatever frustrations and ghosts are leftover from the Bonds era and the memory of a Pudge Rodriguez holding onto the ball despite the efforts of a piano-hauling J.T. Snow.

I remember my wife chastising me severely for using some inappropriate language combinations after that game and she asked me why I felt I needed to act that way. It's probably not a good excuse, but I said that the opportunity to get to the World Series is precious and not to be squandered. You never know when you might get another opportunity.

Seven years is a long time to wait. I'm not sure how many more seven year periods I have left to invest in a franchise that already has squandered every other seven year period I have given them as a fan. It is a franchise that has not WON a World Series in my lifetime, although we've been to a couple of them. As Red Sox, White Sox, Cubs fans and Tom Petty well understand - The Waiting is the Hardest Part.

Oh baby don't it feel like heaven right now
Don't it feel like something from a dream
Yeah I've never known nothing quite like this
Don't it feel like tonight might never be again
We know better than to try and pretend
Baby no one coulda ever told me 'bout this
I said yeah yeah

The waiting is the hardest part
Every day you see one more card
You take it on faith, you take it to the heart
The waiting is the hardest part

I liked the following quotes after the game.

from Yahoo Sports

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-giantsclinch

The Padres lost for only the second time in nine games at AT&T Park this season. They went 12-6 against the Giants overall, winning the first eight meetings.

“We beat them 12 of 18 and that means they played seven games better against the rest of the league,” Gonzalez said. “They beat other teams and we didn’t.”

The important thing to note here is that after going 0-8 vs. the Padres in the first half, this means the Giants went 6-4 in the second half. The Giants, primarily Sabean, made the necessary adjustments and the Padres did not. Case closed.

“Versus the past, when we lived and died with one superstar player, there aren’t any superstars on this team. There might be a couple rising stars,” Sabean said. “Our organization is built on pitching. It’s old-school baseball. We’ve been marching toward this for a while, including holding onto (Jonathan) Sanchez.”

This is a good sign, hopefully it continues. I like old-school baseball.

“IT'S HARD TO DESCRIBE IT IN WORDS. I MEAN, IT'S A GREAT FEELING. BUT THERE ARE GUYS IN HERE THAT I WANTED IT MORE FOR THEM THAN FOR MYSELF.” - Buster Posey, on the Giants' road to the NL West championship

And this too is a solid quote, from a guy who I believe is going to be the cornerstone of this franchise for the next decade. The sense of selflessness and concern for his teammates speaks volumes about the type of leader this kid is going to be.

I like the Giants chances. For now, I see a Giants - Phillies NLCS and hopefully a Rays - Yankees ALCS. Those would be two very exciting, appealing match-ups. If we can have the season end with my predicted Giants - Rays World Series, that would be awesome.

But we shouldn't look too far ahead. The Braves are tough, their rotation of Lowe - Hudson - Hanson is for the most part playoff tested and the Giants rotation, except for Zito who likely will not start, is not. Both teams offenses are virtual mirror images in that they struggle at times to score, sometimes almost painfully. But one of them has to break out and score enough runs or we can't advance the season.

GO GIANTS !!!