August 2004 Archives

It's 8.40 pm Pacific time, twenty minutes before September 1 on the East Coast, and there's no sign that the Giants -- or anyone else for that matter -- have made a significant trade before post-season-eligible rosters must be set....
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I've never played baseball every day for five months, so I can only imagine what it's like trying to keep a fresh mind in Atlanta in late August when that ridiculous "ohh-ohh-ohh" chant is pounding in your head and large...
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Kudos to Brett Tomko Terrific, who indeed did a great Tom Seaver impression last night by throwing a four-hit shutout and getting stronger late in the game. He was throwing mid-90s in the 9th inning, well over 100 pitches into...
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That was a satisfying win tonight on several fronts. Lowry didn't have great stuff and forced the bullpen to enter early. Deivi Cruz's home run to bring the Giants back within a run boosted momentum that was immediately killed by...
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And its name is the Franklins of Wayne. Put some salve or poultice or moleskin on that groinage, Jason, and come back soon. We are like Princess Leia in a bad R2D2 video, beseeching you to save us from spending...
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Beloved and deceased SF Chronicle columnist Herb Caen had a soft spot for people whose funny names eerily matched their professions or other aspects of their lives, such as my friend Paul's stepfather, Les Plack. Yes, he's a dentist. And...
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Here's a short piece in the Merc on Noah Lowry, a.k.a. Lefty Malo Segundo, and his changeup. All you kids out there who are learning to pitch, pay attention: ``The problem hitters have with the change-up is not location, it's...
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It's just another Meatloaf Monday. One might argue that if it weren't for Dustan Mohr, the Giants could have swept the homestand. Mohr's baserunning blunder on Wednesday killed a late rally, although if Mohr had stayed put and not gotten...
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Dusty Baker and his team are one step away, one small phone call to Iowa away from whatever analogy you want to use to describe some dumb-ass who ends up with something that no one else wants, i.e., catching the...
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That's not a song-title reference, but if it were, believe you me, it would be to Aretha Franklin, not Motley Crue. Instead it's a reference to whomever drew up the Giants' schedule for the final 45 days of the season....
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MOQTADA AL-LEFTY? Bonds hit both homers off Expos starter Sun-woo Kim, the 408th pitcher to allow a Bonds homer but only the second from South Korea. The first pitch Bonds ever saw from Kim landed in the center-field seats. "It...
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...as Mike Krukow would say. In fact, the Giants put together a few of them in the 8th inning last night against a young pitcher, Chad Cordero, who sports pretty good numbers (lots of K's, not many hits), except for...
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"The wild card is the purgatory of the lost," Felipe Alou said. "It's a place souls go and wait millions of years until redemption....
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In 1945, giddy Americans ran into the streets and kissed strangers to celebrate the end of World War II. In 1984, happy Detroiters burned cars and looted stores to celebrate the Tigers' World Series victory. In 2004, Giants fans tuned...
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As we sort through the wreckage of the Giants' last two days in Pittsburgh (awful defense, anemic clutch hitting, ineffective bullpen, piñata starters), it's instructive to look back on this article by Henry Schulman in the Chronicle, dated January 14,...
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In his latest column, everyone's second-favorite ESPN Sunday Night Baseball broadcaster and Hall of Famer, Joe Morgan, has come up with a few more things that make you go Huh?: * The Phillies are fourth in the NL in runs...
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Here's an excerpt from King Kaufman, Salon.com sports columnist: I didn't mention [Greg] Maddux's achievement because I don't get as excited as most people seem to about counting milestones such as a 300th victory. Maddux is only the 22nd gent...
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News comes today that Phillies left fielder Pat Burrell is out for the year with a wrist injury and Philadelphia needs another outfielder. Maybe the Giants can trade Ricky Ledee for one of their relievers. But seriously, Josh from Hollywood...
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Doug of Westwood Blues has uncovered an interesting tidbit that could pertain to Giants' finances. He doesn't have permalinks, so if the Dude abides, I'll reprint here what he's written (and go visit him anyway): The financial statements of baseball...
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Wow, that well could have been the Giants' worst game of the year. Without Bonds, the offense was so listless, I wondered if Pedro Feliz, A.J. Pierzynski et. al. had snuck over to Japan in March to eat sushi with...
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That would be my bumpersticker of choice. If I had a car, that is. The Big Cat is back, and I hope he helps the Angels make it to the World Series....
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Despite a couple weeks of whispers that the Giants were considering Dustin Hermanson as a closer in place of the "embattled" Matt Herges (euphemistic descriptor courtesy of the Giants official Web site), both parties involved in the move, which happened...
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A few Giants are having career years, and a few questions about each that should help evaluate how the Giants build their roster for next year: Deivi Cruz is on pace for his highest OBP and SLG ever. Is it...
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