April 2005 Archives

Some of the best pitches I've ever seen Brett Tomko throw came in the last two innings of the game the Giants just won, 3-2. Change-ups on the outside corner; sharp sliders down and away; well-placed fastballs. This is the...
# continue reading

Martin Lee, a.k.a., the Biased Giants Fanatic, has some provocative thoughts about the Giants' closer situation. Schmidt as the next Smoltz? How about Tomko? Bring Cain up as a reliever? Re-sign Felix, who's apparently on the outs in the Bronx?...
# continue reading

Armando Benitez will be out for at least four months after tests revealed he tore tendons in his hamstring. My first reaction: [.....]. My second reaction: Wow. My third reaction: Ugueth Urbina. Brian Sabean says the position will be filled...
# continue reading

Just as Benitez was really hitting a groove...uh, scratch that. Just as the groove was hitting Benitez, or more accurately, hitting his hanging slider into the bleachers, the big guy pulls a redwood-sized hammy and lands on the 15-day DL....
# continue reading

Or, as they're often called once they reach San Francisco, "People who swing at first pitches and produce weak ground balls and pop-ups." The final installment of the spring roundtable discussion is on Fogball. A couple notes from last night's...
# continue reading

We all know the adage that April and May should be spent assessing a team, June and July spent making necessary changes, and August and September chasing the pennant. Given how infrequently teams run away and hide in the first...
# continue reading

Part 5: Matt Cain. Note: This discussion was recorded before the start of the season. So far at AAA Fresno, the 20-year-old Cain has started two games and pitched very well: 13 IP, 13 Ks, 6 BBs 2 HRs, and...
# continue reading

* Oh please, sir, may I have more Rockies? It's awfully cold and damp here by this gray lonely body of water, and my polyester doubleknits do so frightfully little to keep me warm. The dreadful Messrs. Peavy and Odalis...
# continue reading

Part four of the bloggers' discussion of Giants prospects has been posted at Westwood Blues. The enigmatic Merkin Valdez draws our scrutiny this time....
# continue reading

While the Giants were doing exactly what they needed to do this weekend -- win two of three in the Mile High Shop of Horrors -- I was at 6,200 feet, on the south shore of Lake Tahoe, on the...
# continue reading

McCovey Chronicles has posted part three of our bloggers' roundtable discussion of Giants prospects. Subject: Pat Misch. Promoted this spring to Fresno, Misch is left-handed, crafty (of course), had a great year pitching in AA last year, and is only...
# continue reading

Someone chastised me recently for making fun of the Pope's nasal tube the day of the Pontiff's demise. "Tacky" was the reprimand. Fair enough. If I may pile onto myself: it was also too easy. Which is why I limit...
# continue reading

This is part two of a roundtable discussion about several top Giants' prospects. If you like to geek out on prospects, it gets no better than this. The participants: Tom and Rob (Fogball), Steve (Giants News Diary), Martin (Biased Giants...
# continue reading

What in God's name is going on here? And here? Who woke up one day this winter and said, "We haven't had much luck with uniforms in the past, but I know just the thing to turn this franchise around:...
# continue reading

Hello, my name is Scott, and I am a recovering fastball hurler. When I was young and headstrong, I thought my fastball was the greatest thing since Jesus Jones's "Right Here Right Now." Man, that song rocked. And so did...
# continue reading

I almost forgot! Tomorrow the Maysfieldians will be quaffing suds, jeering the phone company, and doing their best Barry Bonds impressions at the Brickhouse (426 Brannan, btwn 3rd and 4th). If you're going to the game, stop by afterwards. If...
# continue reading

No matter what Brett Tomko did last night, the Giants were going to lose. As Marty noted last night, you can't win when you can't score a run off Jeff Spicoli, er, Weaver. But what Tomko did was interesting, in...
# continue reading

I didn't get to a TV until it was 7-1 and the game effectively over tonight. But I have some questions: - Kirk Rueter pulled after five innings and 83 pitches...and four strikeouts? Sounds like he was pitching well enough...
# continue reading

I just got back from the faux-brick yard, where Schmidt and Lowe pitched to a draw until the Dodger defense got their silly mitts all over everything. Two late-inning errors, two late runs for the Giants, and we were rewarded...
# continue reading

It's opening day (except for the Giants and a few others). To celebrate it, as well as National Poetry Month, let's hear from David Lehman: April 3 It's one thing to rage against decrepit old age it's another thing to...
# continue reading

The Giants have whittled, pared, sliced, diced, julienned and scrimshawed the roster down to the requisite 25 strapping menfolk. I'll put the list in the handy-dandy right-hand margin. Below, a couple comments: * Jeff Fassero on the roster was as...
# continue reading

Malo Quiz time! Pencils ready? Which of these things is *not* an April Fool's gag: BP Braintrust Predicts Giants to Win NL Pennant, World Series Waiting in Bunker, Fassero Just A Heartbeat Away From Giants' Bullpen Google Gulp Westwood Blues...
# continue reading