When the Giants Come to Town, It's Bye-Bye Baby

03.11.2008
Diversions

A spring record of a few wins and piles of ugly losses; weird injuries; the worst batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage in the Cactus League; Barry Zito’s new delivery; an ad campaign devised with the help of Bruce Jenkins.  

I need a break. How about here?

I love the desert in the spring. Wait a second. Desert. Spring. Cactuses. Cactus League. Royals 16, Giants 5.

Better stay away. How about here?

Lovely town, Wellington. No finer spot when it’s a cracker ferra waddle, ey? But I hear that accent and — Kiwis forgive me — I can’t help think of Aussie Damian Moss, who came to the Giants with Merkin Valdez, who is pitching well this spring after missing last year to surgery, perhaps well enough to make the team, which of course means he’s going to be released or traded so that Steve Kline has a roster spot.

 Trouble and bother! What better place to clear the mind than Hawaii?

Big Island, brah, where geckos chill on the banana tree and don’t try to sell haoles no car insurance. Ah, Hawaii, home of Jerome Williams, who just a few short years ago was part of a pitching trio that was going to lead the Giants to Valhalla. It seems like he went from can’t-miss to can’t-find-him in the blink of an eye. That’s what happens when you stake your hopes on young pitchers, just like…

Sigh. I think I’ll just go to the roof with my martini and watch the sunset. The floor is open: When the Giants got you down, what’s your favorite way to escape?



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[March 11, 2008 5:30 PM]  |  link  |  reply
Buddy Ackerman said

I watch my video of the 1989 NLCS. I put it in the VCR (yes I still own a VCR). I watch the first inning and then fast-forward to the fourth inning. I tell my 8-year-old son about Will Clark and the Giants of the late 80s. I pretend that for just a moment that my favorite baseball team is very good again.

[March 11, 2008 7:37 PM]  |  link  |  reply
Jonathan said

It's going to be a long year. Nice view--are you in the Inner Sunset?

[March 11, 2008 8:35 PM]  |  link  |  reply
ELM replied to Jonathan

Wow -- good call. How could you tell?

[March 12, 2008 1:24 AM]  |  link  |  reply
Jonathan replied to ELM

Not too far away myself.

[March 11, 2008 9:34 PM]  |  link  |  reply
the gene hackman said

1. fantasy baseball makes everything ok. unless it makes everything worse. which it can.

2. Music. Surprised that i liked the Kraus/Plant collaboration project until i learned that T-Bone produced it. that dude's got ear's o gold.

3. fine blogs such as ELMo(a lot of people think this means 'el lefy malo'... we older folks know it means electric light maneuvers in the orchestra) and the McCoven. Misery loves giants fans.

4. that picture you posted of the wiener dog. if that doesn't cheer you up, it means your brain probably has a scorpion's nest in it.

5. weed, which, i just found out, is now a mortal sin. thanks for the buzzkill, Benedicktus... nugs vobiscum.

[March 11, 2008 10:36 PM]  |  link  |  reply
bigO said

will U B at Thursday's game in Peoria? See you there.

[March 11, 2008 11:05 PM]  |  link  |  reply
ELM replied to bigO

I won't be at any of the spring training games, BigO. Wish I were, but day job and Monkeypants keep me close to home these days. Send pix!!

[March 12, 2008 8:22 PM]  |  link  |  reply
Zo said

I'm just south of there myself. Looks very much like Sunday's sunset, I think I was also photographing it. During cocktail hour. Plymouth gin, just enough vermouth to wet the glass, shaken, olive and tomolive, drop of Peychaud. The Giants have driven me to drink.

[March 13, 2008 11:43 AM]  |  link  |  reply
ELM said

When I'm in need of a lift I also like dropping the virtual needle on the Skatalites. I've had The Guns of Navarone cued up in the Pod for the past couple weeks and it never fails to lighten me up.

[March 16, 2008 8:43 PM]  |  link  |  reply
Zo said

Skatalites are very fine. Why did it take me a while to figure out Guns of Navarone? Of course, the Specials before them.