Posey's home run caps Giant rally in 9-8 victory - Yahoo Sports

Good start for my Giants - Rays World Series prediction for the year. Posey just golfed this ball off the D-Backs scoreboard, one of the best RH swings in baseball right now.

MLB.com replay:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mgx61QTErkE

from Yahoo Sports:
Posey's home run caps Giant rally in 9-8 victory - Yahoo Sports:

Posey's star turn didn't surprise Giants starter Madison Bumgarner, who left after giving up four unearned runs in four innings.

''He's on a different level, man,'' Bumgarner said. ''He's so good and he's been that good since day one. It's fun to watch him play every day.''

'via Blog this'

DEAD GOAT HUNG AT WRIGLEY FIELD

http://www.nbcchicago.com/sports/baseball/cubs/Dead-Goat-Hung-at-Wrigley-Field.html

A dead goat was found hanging on a statute of Harry Caray outside Wrigley Field early Monday on the North Side, and it's not the first time.

A similar incident occurred in 2007, police said.

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The Slav's Baseball Blog has in it's possession the following composite sketch of the person authorities believe to be responsible for both incidents. The person aka "Three" or "3" for short is apparently a well-known community agitator.

The composite sketch was obtained from four visually impaired eyewitness. Police would not comment on reports that the four eyewitnesses were the umpiring crew for the Cubs home opener.


SKETCH OF SUSPECT TAUNTING POLICE BEFORE CRIME

When reached for comment, the suspect said "Those coppers can't pin anything on me. Who believes in curses anyway? Why don't those bums just get some better ballplayers and then these local goats can rest in peace, no pun intended"

Currently, the suspect remains at large, the goat's remains remain dead and police are expected to make arrests shortly.

WELCOME TO OPENING DAY IN CHICAGO!!!

OPENING DAY NOTES

"There is no sports event like Opening Day of baseball, the sense of beating back the forces of darkness and the National Football League." — George Vecsey

"Time begins on Opening Day . . . (when) we know that something fine, almost wonderful, is about to happen" - Thomas Boswell.

I can't put it in much better words than that so I won't even try. Everyone begins with a 0-0 record and hopes are renewed that last years failures will evolve into this years successes. And when there is snow on the ground in places like Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland and the Northeast cities, this give us more hope for the arrival of spring than Puxatawnee Phil could ever do.

Who will be this years Rays or Phillies?

Who will be the next Jay Bruce or Tim Lincecum?

You guess is as good as mine. But since it's my blog, here goes:

Rookies to Watch
David Price, LHP Tampa Bay
Matt Wieters, C Baltimore
Tommy Hanson, RHP Atlanta
Pablo Sandoval, 3B San Francisco
Colby Rasmus, OF St. Louis
Andre McCutcheon, OF Pittsburgh
Cameron Maybin, OF Marlins
Dexter Fowler, OF Colorado
Matt LaPorta, OF Cleveland
Travis Snider, OF Toronto

Teams to Watch:
1) Rays - it will be interesting to see how they handle the switch from the hunter to the hunted - my guess is pretty well, they are loaded.

2) Cubs - hey, they're due. Peavy would have been nice.

3) Brewers - will the loss of C.C. mean a return to mediocrity?

4) Dodgers - Manny's schizophrenic personality guarantees intrigue.

5) Yankees - New stadium, stratospheric ticket prices in a declining economy means results will matter.

6) Mets - Is this a crossroads year for the Minaya regime? Owners lost a lot of money in Madoff scandal maybe some gains on the field provide a diversion. Another wasted year with a bloated payroll could be too much to handle. Also added Manny-lite candidate in Gary Sheffield.

7) Giants - JK, I have to keep an eye on them. Not many others will is my guess.

OPENING DAY NOTES

The Cubs did it the right way, opening their season by dedicating a statue to the eternally optimistic Ernie Banks. Not only the face of the franchise, his eternally optimistic and positive outlook and approach to the game of baseball personifies Cub Nation. His sunny disposition beamed through the dismal Midwest weather and was almost enough to motivate the Cubs to an Opening Day victory. Kusome Fukudome laid the first brick to his building a cult status around Chicago with a game-tying, three run home-run off the shadow of Eric Gagne. Fukudome is going to be a cross between the elegance of Ichiro and the raw power of Matsui. The Cubs will gladly take both in one package and inserting him amongst a healthy Derrek Lee, Alphonso Soriano and Aramis Ramirez will make Lou Piniella's job of making out the lineup card a daily joy instead of a chore.

Now if Kerry Wood could close.....and if I could only stop hearing C.C.R.'s "Who'll stop the Rain" from running through my head.....


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THIS WILL BE A RECURRING FEELING FOR GIANTS FANS THIS YEAR


One hundred and eighty degrees removed from the Cubs, Barry Zito began the post-Barry Bonds era for Giants fans by getting clubbed like a baby seal by the Dodgers. With the Dodgers showing off new manager Joe Torre and celebrating their rich franchise history, you could almost feel and see these two franchises moving in opposite directions yesterday. Peter Magowan sat in the stands taking notes (NOT) and I couldn't help but wondering, like many Giants fans perhaps, why it wasn't Magowan getting clubbed like a baby seal. Ah, perchance to dream.......


BARRY ZITO, ESTIMATING WHAT HE THINKS HIS E.R.A. WILL BE THIS SEASON
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A NEW DAY IN TAMPA BAY?? SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEET

The Rays opened their post "Devil" era with a victory over the Orioles (still counts) as Scott Shields took over Opening Day chores from injured ace Scott Kazmir. This will be the team to watch, if they start strong from the gate. A plus .500 April is a MUST for this team. Anything less and you'll will be able to feel a cloud of "same old Rays" rain on their parade.
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The White Sox announcers were in mid-season form, bitching about the umpire's calls last night in a loss to the Indians. A ??? call at first base on a pulled foot by the Indians 1B goes against them. Crede looked safe on a phantom tag by Indians catcher Kelly Shoppach. Orlando Cabrerra interfered with the SS on a double play and got correctly rung up, along with the batter. The announcers put forth the argument that "his foot was able to touch the base, so he should be able to go after the IF" but just because that call doesn't get made as often as it should, doesn't mean you got hosed. Try arguing your way out of a plus-eight-or-nine-miles-per-hour-over-the-speed limit-speeding-ticket in court with the argument that "nobody writes a ticket for that" and see how sympathetic the judge is. HAHAHAHAHA. The other two, based on replay, the calls went against them, but it's Opening Day for the umpires too I guess.

How soon they forget that the W-Sox World Series victory might have never happened but for an umpire screw-up (A.J. and the phantom dropped third strike ring a bell??). So I'd say on balance, your still way ahead. Shut up and play, or announce, or spectate.....