September 2006 Archives

There's been much banter and some confusion about next year's Giant payroll. To get it out of the comments and into the clear light of day, here is my best whack at who's signed for next year and how much...
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At the start of every Giants season, the first imperative is to make the playoffs and win it all. If the first imperative cannot be achieved, the second imperative is to finish ahead of the Dodgers. This year, the Giants...
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A few sun-drenched lazy-day notes from the yard: * So THIS is what spring training feels like. I've never been to Arizona in March, but today's day game -- lots of rooks on the field, plenty of sunshine, a backpack...
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The 2006 Giants are trying hard to make us think about the future. I don't blame them. If I weren't a clinically obsessed Giants fan, I'd regard this home-stretch flameout as a harbinger of dark days ahead, indeed, and I'd...
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I'll ignore the sordid events of the weekend for the time being and divert our attention with a pleasant quiz: Of the first 25 "splash hits" -- home runs by a Giant that landed directly in McCovey Cove -- how...
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The first personnel move the Giants should make this winter is counterintuitive to the youth movement everyone is advocating: re-sign Mike Stanton. Hell, do it now before the season ends. Hold on, pal. The last thing we need is more...
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Matt Morris's performance the past month, in the Giants' most crucial run of games all year, has been pathetic. Today was the topper: nine runs in four-plus innings with a little pork fat thrown on the campfire by Jamey Wright....
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Jason Schmidt takes the mound in a few minutes to try to stop the Coor-o-sel from spinning. The best news of the day is the call-up of Patrick Misch, a.k.a. Lowry Lite, a soft-tossing lefty who has been lights out...
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I won't gnash my teeth over last night's 20-8 debacle. Before the game, the Giants needed a small miracle to reach the playoffs. After the game, which only counts for one loss, they'll need a slightly larger miracle. Instead, I'll...
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Two blowouts and a rainout. It sounds like the punch line to a slightly dirty joke, but it's not quite what I wanted for my wedding present. Note to Peter Magowan: I'll settle for a George Foreman indoor grill --...
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Unless you're Francisco Liriano. The state of Minnesota is holding its breath. It doesn't look good. "The last two pitches I threw, I felt a pop and it really hurts," Liriano said. After this post, I'm sworn to radio silence...
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As suspected, the Giants have bumped Brad Hennessey back to the bullpen. Looks like the rotation down the stretch is Cain, Schmidt, Morris, Sanchez and Lowry. It's not surprising. As the fifth starter, his job was to give the Giants...
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One quick question for today, then back to the wedding planning: Do we dare seat my mother-in-law next to her sister-in-law and risk a family meltdown? Sorry, wrong question. If Armando Benitez knees don't allow him to pitch much in...
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Coulda been a sweep...mmm, not really with the way Woody Williams pitched tonight. Those two runs were squeak-jobs, and Williams did strong work keeping other run-scoring opportunities off the board. Still, I was hopping mad when Felipe let Morris stay...
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Dear Theo, I usually call on the cell phone, but I'm taking a few minutes to write because I want to thank you for all you've done for me this year. No, we didn't make any trades, though I still...
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From a profile of Eliezer Alfonzo in today's Chronicle: Instead, Eliezer was best buds with Tony Armas Jr., "my brother," whose father, Tony, was an outfielder with the A's and Red Sox, among others. "I asked him a lot of...
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ERA isn't the best gauge of a pitcher's performance. It's heavily dependent on the defensive skills of his teammates. Swift outfielders will prevent pop-ups from falling in; slow infielders will let soft ground balls squirm through holes. Still, it's a...
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What do Tom Cruise and Barry Bonds have in common? Not prescription drugs, that's for sure. Let Cruise in the Giant clubhouse, and within minutes he'd be jumping up and down on Barry's recliner, ranting about the evils of ibuprofen...
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That's from the latest take-down of Joe Morgan over at Fire Joe Morgan, a site dedicated to exposing the blathering foibles of baseball commentators. If you insist that Morgan is an insightful presence on ESPN's Sunday night broadcasts, please read...
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