Screeeeee! THONK, THONK! This Thing On? Time for 2015 World Series Stretch Run!

27 Monday Jul 2015

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Welcome Back to Giants Baseball Corner, I’m MTK. In case you don’t know us, here‘s the way you might, mine’s the first voice you hear in that episode.

Another roller-coaster first half but this year ending with a sweet streak that runs well into July. Buster being Buster leads the G-men in HRs, RBIs and average. But the thrilling surprise is the sustained excellent play of Matt Duffy, Joe Panik and Brandon Crawford – particularly at the plate in light of the loss of Aoki and Pence for weeks.

Our starting five pitchers, with Cain and Peavy back, show intense potential – only Hudson’s wear-and-tear cause concern. Chris Heston just keeps rolling. The rookie no-no hasn’t been seen for the Giants since way back in the last century and he shows consistent command.  The idea of Petit, Vogey and Lincecum as long relief is just laughably great.

The bullpen was rocky but we discovered Josh Osich amidst that, too – a big lefty who is cool under pressure, his debut start – first batter! – was Bryce Harper with runners on in the 8th inning and he and Susac popped him up. (Go Beavers!)

I HAVE A DREAM

Actually …

I HAVE SEVERAL DREAMS

My first dream is

That the bats and defense just mentally decide that they are going to win all the rest of Madison Bumgarner’s starts, helping him to go 21-5.

Then we would demand they give him the NL Cy Young because he is the most feared pitcher in all of baseball and it’s the only award he doesn’t have yet.

My second dream is

That the San Francisco Giants end the season with FIVE guys hitting over .300

At the moment Aoki, Posey, Panik, Pence, Crawford and Pagan are in the mix.

My third dream is

We Seize The Division from the nemesis and avoid the play-in game.

I figure if we go 44-20 from here out and especially sweep the brew crew this week, we can get ahold of first in the NL West and never let go.

You may say I’m a dreamer … but I’m not the only one.

Let’s Go Giants

#SweepTheBrewCrew #MopUpTheBeer #SeizeTheDivision #BeatLA

In Praise of Ryan Vogelsong, a GREAT Giant

01 Monday Jun 2015

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I haven’t written on the blog since we won the World Series, but right now, I gotta give massive praise to Ryan Vogelsong.

You had the best month of May in the majors. #Vogelstrong

and, you have signed with us as a free agent over and over again throughout all this madness; always fighting;  integral to the 2nd and 3rd Championships.

I love the tough, persistent focus; used to call you Mr. Quality Control – Mr. QC – back in ’12 because of that amazing run of 16 consecutive quality starts.

MrQC

Thank you, my man.

Folks, what Vogey has done in the last few weeks has been very much like back in ’12. This year’s start and last year, given that he is agreeing to play because he is “part of the thing,” deserves SPECIAL COMMENDATION. I am sure he could have gone elsewhere. It’s like a noble secret.

Ryan, you have been killing it for us since 2011. For us to be successful, we need to compete against the Dodgers’ salary with sensible players willing to be a part of the team. No one on this team exemplifies this more than you.

MrQC2

and right now, wow! Ryan Vogelsong! Thank you! Thank you so much! I stand and applaud, man. You are a GREAT Giant!

#RallyVogey #rallyenchiladas #rallyspaghetti

Oh yeah, and I caught this nice smile back in the 2012 parade

DSCN2033 … you should smile more often, homey. #MrQC Here’s to Ryan Vogelsong, a GREAT Giant.

Incredible Season, Relentless Team, Hall of Fame Manager

30 Thursday Oct 2014

Posted by in Commentary, World Series

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Bruce Bochy, I’d like to shake your hand.

I want to thank you, congratulate you and apologize for doubting you from time to time. What you have done with a number of different players over the last five years is testimony to your brilliance and inspiration.

You finally brought a championship to San Francisco, and not just one, now, but three – and you did it with an ever-changing array of players, overcoming injuries and incredible odds.

Your staff – Righetti, Meulens, Wotus, Kelly, Flannery and the others take their lead from you and have all been superb. Your team and staff management is a thing of greatness. In my opinion, sir, you have earned a place in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Yet you always give it up to the guys and wow, what a group of guys. Without Matt Cain and without Angel Pagan and without Michael Morse in the regular lineup for much of it; without Buster hitting the way he usually does – likely from sheer exhaustion – they fought and never quit.

The grittiness, stick-to-it-iveness, toughness, persistence and grind-it-out effort were a thing of beauty. The 18 inning game was one of the most impressive efforts I have ever seen made by men in Giants uniforms.

Guys, I am so very proud of you all and our team spirit. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for another world championship. I feel truly blessed.

Sincerely,

M.T. Karthik

in Giants Baseball Corner

Your World Series Champion San Francisco Giants

29 Wednesday Oct 2014

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Your World Series Champion SF Giants

Thank you Brandon Belt

Thank you

Thank you

Thank you

Thank you

Thank you

Thank you

Thank you

Thank you and family of Huddy Thank you Huddy.

Thank you Bruce Bochy(HoF)

Thank You Brian Sabean

Thank you

Thank you

Thank you Michael Morse

Thank you Juan Perez

Thank you

Thank You

Thank you Yusmeiro Petit! Seriously!

Thank you (and )

Thank you Travis Ishikawa.

Thank you Matt Duffy 

Thank you Hunter Strickland

Thank you George Kontos

Thank you Brandon Hicks.

Thank you Dave Righetti.

Thank you SIR Bam-Bam Muelens.

Thank you Ron Wotus.

Thank you Roberto Kelly.

Thank you Tim Flannery.

Thank you Thank you

Thanks to all #25GuysOneCommonGoal

Your World Series Champion  #sfgiants

If You’re a Giants Fan, This is for You. Game 7 World Series 2014

29 Wednesday Oct 2014

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I saw last night coming in the exact same way I saw us “losing one of three at home” to these guys. I saw it because unlike Texas and Detroit on this stage, these guys are hungry, fierce and fast as lightning.

There are no balls that runaway from them in their park.

These guys are GOOD.

If, before I go on, you’re in an argumentative mood or feel like trolling, do not continue reading here until you have at least read Grant Brisbee, whose piece “Giants, Jake Peavy force Game 7,” is the single best piece on the internet on the matter.

It cuts to the points and covers most of the major issues. It is the single piece capable of getting our immense and highly emotional fan base into a sharper, more receptive mode today for what is to come tonight. It crosses generations and media.

For years, Brisbee does what newsprint can’t, what radio is incapable of, and has been what Comcast longs to be, but can never be because of how obscenely, filthy rich they are thanks to our team, and our fans, and who, thus, run things.

Brisbee does what bloggers long to do better than most of them can dream, and so they jealously put him down. I will pick up where he left off.

Jake Peavy, the new guy, went into that game without our trademark humility and cool. He let his kids talk about how they were going to buy a cable car when we won and, being new to our way of doing things from a media town like Boston, he acted way too cool pre-game in general (hugs with Big Papi … uh, why?).

I tried not to be negative before the game:  this was as confident as I could possibly be about the guy after what I saw on media day.

The play where he is yelling at Belt to throw it home was the ultimate in blowing your cool. I was disappointed, but I understood it must be incredible pressure.

I only wish Brandon had the quick presence of mind to flip that to Joe – what the hell, though, it was happening pretty fast.

But honestly, thank you, Jake. The pressure was enormous on you this season coming over to our team and you rocked!

It was a rough outing and a terrible context to be thrown into. Add to the situation the death of Tavares and the young emotional man on the mound, Ventura, dedicating his performance to his recently departed friend, and you have a nightmare situation.

Thank you for the game against the Nationals and your earnest, competitive fire.

This season, Jake Peavy did good things, and in some cases great things, coming in as a quick replacement for the sudden departure of our Big Horse, Matt Cain. But I refuse to agree with those who demand we blindly say, “we wouldn’t be here without him.”

He would not be here without us, is more appropriate.

He is a guy Brian Sabean chose on short notice to replace one of the best right-handers in the game, a guy our whole starting pitching rotation was begun with, and he did an admirable job.

Thank you Jake, again. Forgive me for being impatient. I cannot wait for Matt Cain’s elbow chips business to be completely healed.

As I said yesterday morning:

The AL is a different animal though and you have to stay crisp, sharp and on top of it against these hustling Royals. Their speed is crazy and they can hit. They haven’t been hitting, but they can hit. Which makes ‘em even more dangerous. Backs against the wall and due.

I am excited we’re starting Tim Hudson tonight. I trust Huddy and I dream of a storybook ending to his long and successful career as a starting pitcher in the major leagues. He has survived and indeed thrived to become the winningest pitcher active by exhibiting exquisite command and a level head under pressure.

A silver lining is our lineup got to go through that game last night as an ice breaker and I believe we will all be far more prepared for the atmosphere at KC tonight.

If we really want to be considered a Dynasty, if we really believe we have a right to elect Bruce Bochy to the Hall of Fame, tonight is when it should happen. We need to get the mental toughness, have the confidence to play our game and win it.

We have the better squad. Their pitcher is hittable. Victory can be ours.

Victory should be ours.

I honestly hope we play our best ball, because if we do, I am sure they cannot beat us. They rely on speed and hustle to ensure they make few mistakes. They capitalize on getting ahead before the 6th so they can shut it down.

We have the weapons to defeat that philosophy.

I honestly believe Tim Hudson could have the game of his life tonight and I wish him and his family all the best in the world win-or-lose.

The Bay Area loves you, Tim, and we believe in you because you have earned our trust.

In fact we admire you a great deal: your efficiency on the mound this season has been at times stunning.

This game in particular … You were one pitch from a complete game with ten pitches an inning. Wow, just, wow.

You and your family have been a welcome addition to our locker room and stadium and community. Thank you.

Good luck.

M.T.

in Giants Baseball Corner

Thoughts on Jake Peavy Before Game Six of the 2014 World Series

28 Tuesday Oct 2014

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Jake Peavy joined the Giants and went 6-4 with a 2.17 ERA in 12 starts.

He only gave up three home runs. He threw 58 strikeouts and 17 walks, for a 3.41 strikeout-to-walks ratio.

He gave up 65 hits and 24 runs, 19 of them earned.

Jake was particularly good in August when other starters were struggling. In his 13th season, Peavy is returning to play for the manager whom he entered the league under, Bruce Bochy, who managed the Padres when Jake debuted.

At the age of 33, he is the only player on either team in this year’s World Series who is a current World Series Champion, having won with Boston last year. In that way he reminds me of Ryan Theriot who won with the Giants in 2012 after having won with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2011. “The Riot” scored the winning run that completed our sweep of the Detroit Tigers and he remains a part of SF Giants lore.

But, Peavy got no decision in his only World Series appearance with the Red Sox and he took the loss in Game Two of this Series. In fact, in the post season he has more often than not, suffered defeat.

He made three postseason starts in 2013 and the Red Sox lost two of them. So despite good numbers in the regular season, against the stiff competition of the playoffs, Peavy has not induced confidence. In eight postseason starts, including this year, Peavy’s ERA is more than seven.

Two of those starts were “flaming disasters.” Tim Brown has written about that and more  today here.

There is no doubt Peavy wants to win and is a competitor. But the atmosphere in Kansas City tonight is going to be intense. The Royals, with their backs against the wall, against their own walls, are sure to be a formidable team. There are going to be no easy outs in this one. It’s the American League park, so a DH adds to the certainty of that.

Jake Peavy ended the 2014 season smoking hot. He was rolling along so well, I pushed hard for the Giants to use him rather than Madison Bumgarner in the Play-In Game against the Pirates. A lot of people teased me for my massive spamming in favor of starting Peavy. I was concerned we wouldn’t have Bumgarner available twice against the Nationals.

But Bochy, the Master, brushed off any such suggestion, started Bumgarner and we won it to advance, leaving Peavy to start Game One of the NLDS against Washington’s Nationals.

And he had one of his best Post Season starts ever.

Peavy didn’t allow a hit until the fifth inning and exited with three walks and three strikeouts in that one, an unqualified success. He was pulled after a two-out walk to Jayson Werth in the sixth, but kept the Nationals scoreless on only two hits.

The AL is a different animal and you have to stay crisp, sharp and on top of it against these hustling Royals. Their speed is crazy and they can hit. They haven’t been hitting, but they can hit. Which makes ’em even more dangerous. Backs against the wall and due. Here’s hoping Jake can #GetPeaved and the Giants can make this happen.

Giants in SIX.

M.T.

We Are Down 4-2 and Petit just Got On in the Bottom of the 4th

25 Saturday Oct 2014

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That’s only his second hit all year, he’s 1 for 25 (heh,heh,heh) – Joe Buck

and I am posting this just to mark the moment.

(a few days later …)

Wow. Using nine different guys in the 9-spot, Bruce Bochy evoked a flurry of hits; singles and doubles and not a single home run, to score 9 unanswered runs and cruise to an 11-4 victory in game 5.

Madison Bumgarner gave up only 4 hits and was stellar. His 0.29 ERA over three World Series’ is the best ever in World Series play. Shutdown performances. His name is now in the ranks of WS pitching alongside Koufax and Gibson.

The team has flown back to KC for the daunting task of playing games 6 and 7 on the Royals’ field with their insanely inspired and loud fans in attendance.

I fear we’d lose Game 7 there and hope we finish it in Game 6, which of course, is what I predicted when this all began: Giants in SIX.

The anticipation is massive.

More SF Giants Hashtags, Nicknames and Errata for the Dictionary

22 Wednesday Oct 2014

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Alex Pavlovic recently had the temerity to create a Giants World Series Dictionary. Picking up on his work, I thought I would add these notes on Giants Culture:

  • We have one thing of grave importance left on our list and that is to beat the New York Yankees in the World Series for, that is to say, on behalf of, Willie McCovey.
  • #25GuysOneCommonGoal comes from the sign in the dugout before you walk onto the field which reads “25 Guys One Common Goal: Win Today” in all 90’s, cheesy MS-Word style and looks like this 25guys
  • Jean Machi should NEVER be called “Mean Jean Machi” because his name isn’t pronounced “Gene.” It is pronounced the French way “Jzawn” like Jean Valjean. The preferred nickname for Jean Machi is #TheGasman
  • Santiago Casilla may be referred to as “#Cadillac” or “#CasillaLater”
  • Sergio Romo is known as “#ElMechon,”which means “The Lock” because his job is to lock it down.
  • Javier Lopez our #LOOGY (which means Lefty One Out GuY) has a mantra when under stress. He says he is “focused on the relentless flow of the positive river.” … which is awesome.
  • #ChampionshipBlood #ChampsBlood or #ChampionBlood are all acceptable hashtags for what the San Francisco Giants have.
  • #MadBum is a nickname I actually believe  I coined in the summer of 2010, when I said it on KNBR early, early, early on. (I have the tape) I regretted it almost immediately … ’cause this kid is no Bum. But it stuck. Madison Bumgarner may also be referred to as #BigCountry ’cause he is a big, ol’ country boy man.
  • When Bochy makes decisions  on-the-fly about whom to use situationally out of the bullpen we call it “Relief by Committee.”
  • Hunter Pence may be called #Underpants because Krukow’s grandkids thought that was his name when he first joined the team.
  • Also, when Pence first joined the Giants, he began with a hitless streak for several games. Finally, at the top of the dugout before going out for an at-bat, he told Bruce Bochy, “You know, I have gotten a hit in this league.” He then went out and eeked a single from a smash infield hit on pure, crazy, gangly hustle.
  • HoF Baseball Announcer Jon Miller is known as #TheBigKahuna
  • It was Barry Zito who named Pablo Sandoval “The Kung-Fu Panda”
  • #KungFuPanda should start trending … that would be good.
  • Ryan Vogelsong used to consistently eat Chicken Enchiladas and told us as much after we won the first world series. Now he apparently likes Burgers and Spaghetti.
  • This. Team. Doesn’t Quit.

The following #hashtags have been submitted by Candlestick Will

#TogetherWeAreBrandon – this amalgam of the Together meme and the Brandons took full force when we fielded three Brandons in the infield Crawford, Hicks and Belt

#ChampionsBlood- in a speech Bochy gave to this team, he told them they have Champions Blood from being tested in the playoffs for several years now and coming out on top.

#RallyIshi self explanatory

#RallySnotRockets Madison Bumgarner fires snot rockets. It’s just a thing he does.

#RallyPeavy #RallyHuddy #VogelStrong #FreeTimmy #JavyStrut are for some of our hurlers

#RallyScud when some of those same pitchers decide the game ought to be played more like cricket they fire scuds.

#RallyBalls #HunterPenceSigns #MagicWondoo #AirPence #ShutdownInning #BambinoTimeare I will let @CandlestickWill explain.

The Bruce Bochy Era of SF Giants Baseball

20 Monday Oct 2014

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(all photos: me)

The last few days have been good for serious reflection on what the San Francisco Giants and their fans have experienced over the last five years, which has been historic and secures this period of SF Giants history as belonging to one man more than any other, Manager Bruce Bochy.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

The Barry Bonds Era of SF Giants baseball ended in 2007.

When you think about it, it must have been an incredible burden for first-year Giant coach Bruce Bochy to have to steward the team through the amazing individual accomplishment of Barry Lamar.

Imagine walking into the managing job with that level of pressure on the team, on Bonds. Not to mention Bonds’ attitude as a player in the clubhouse – famously self-contained. Bochy had to quietly endure all that attention – much of which was incredibly negative – and yet try to manage the team … as a team.

Then Barry Lamar was done and we were left with a very young staff of home grown talent, no real MVP’s except maybe a Freak with crazy delivery. But within two seasons, the Giants were back in the hunt.

I was at the game in Mid-September back in 2009 when we were just starting to smell the playoffs for the first time under Boch. We had scrapped and fought our way into second place in the division and had beat the Rockies twice in a three game series to pull within two games back of Division-leading Colorado.

It was my son’s first MLB game, his first Giant game. Randy Johnson was in the ‘pen.

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Note the absent WS pennants in LF, seems weird now!

Matt Cain was on the mound. Though we didn’t call it this back then, Matt got #Cained that night as we lost 4-3; couldn’t drive home the winning runs waiting at second and third base with two outs. It was as close as we would get to the playoffs that season (remember this is when Wild Cards didn’t exist), another season in San Francisco in the books without satisfaction. But already the Bruce Bochy effect was evident. We were fighting hard … as a team.

2009 to the present is The Bruce Bochy Era of SF Giants baseball.

In the five years since, this team has played some of the grittiest, gutsiest, most intensely-focused, never-say-die baseball I’ve ever seen.

We’ve won our first two World Series Championships in San Francisco and three of the last five National League Pennants.

We’ve seen talent squeezed out of Cody Ross and Aubrey Huff and Pat Burrell and Marco Scutaro at the end of their careers. I’ll never forget the post World Series interview with Bochy when asked about Aubrey Huff’s bunt in the only World Series game ever played in November. He told Krukow he’d asked Huff to start practicing bunting two months earlier! Huff hadn’t dropped and wouldn’t drop a bunt all season long, but Boch was concerned he would need it in a given circumstance and so he was ready in the last game of the World Series.

Wow.

Under Bochy we’ve witnessed a perfect game, a near-perfect game, three no-hitters, an inside-the-park-walkoff, Scutaro in the rain, Pablo’s three homers in a WS game (and off Verlander saying “Wow”), Madison Bumgarner, Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Ryan Vogelsong and even, finally Barry Zito dominance for redemption. What Bruce Bochy has done in this time period has been nothing short of brilliant.

Bruce Bochy, I have criticized and cajoled and even mocked moves you’ve made. I have been upset by things you do, patterns that seem exclusive to you and outside of my own reasoning about how games ought to be managed mid-season. Yet you’ve consistently proven me wrong and over the course of a season, of several seasons, have shown how much more you know about what to do with this group of guys.

For all our complaining, the man responsible for hiring Bruce Bochy deserves credit. Really early in the morning before the 2012 World Series parade, I was passing by Brian Sabean who was talking to a couple of people while waiting to get into the convertible he would ride in the festivities. I waited til there was a pause in their conversation and then called out, “Mr. Sabean!” He looked over at me and I held up my camera and raised my eyebrows implying I would like a shot. He acknowledged me, paused, looked down, spat, then slowly raised his hand and signaled as he looked directly at my lens:

Brian Sabean MTK2012

I only wish that damn trunk had been closed. But the point is, even then, Mr. Sabean was being clear we weren’t finished, that this team wasn’t finished. Look at him – that’s a face that says, “We aren’t done yet.”

Sabean feels and, I think we have all felt it, that there is something historically special about this group of guys … and it starts with coaching.

Rags, Wotus, Bam-Bam, Flan, Will the Thrill and even Barry Lamar have been important figures in this staff, critical cogs in the system. Bochy has allowed them all not just to thrive but to excel.

Skip, you’re a “Master” of team management. There is no doubt in my mind now that you belong in the Hall of Fame – you’ve earned it.

Because of an illness in my family, I’ve been away from SF and haven’t had a lot of time to blog lately and don’t even have much today, so I will end it here.

I would like to offer my sincerest gratitude to all of you on the eve of the World Series – to the Giants, to our staff and management and to all the rest of you fans and journalists, for what has been an amazing ride during what I encourage all of us to name The Bruce Bochy Era of SF Giants Baseball, for the one man more responsible than anyone else for the amazing success.

Much love,

M.T. in Giants Baseball Corner

Summer Issue: Hot Joy! Plexus no. 26 #ALSIce BucketChallenge, Bats, Cicadas, Not as many TripDigit Days

29 Friday Aug 2014

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Hi Everybody and Welcome!

Home in San Antone is a netzine and blog named for the Fred Rose song popularized by Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys – video on our About Page.

My name is Karthik. I grew up on the Northwest side in the 1970’s and ’80’s: Locke-Hill Elementary (original and current); Hobby middle; Clark high (’85). I left to do my Bachelors at U.T. (’89), then went traveling, living outside of Texas for many years. I’ve returned to San Antonio at least once a year and often three or four times a year since I left.

I’ve dropped in and out of town, so I’ve observed the rampant development and growth like a skipping stone observes a lake.

This is massive change: people, places and things disappearing, some reappearing. Newness sprouting up everywhere.

Waste, violence, overcrowding and traffic are terrible byproducts of the era, but though San Antonio’s culture has been in tremendous flux, just a few years shy of her 300th birthday, she’s beginning to look pretty diverse, eclectic and vibrant.

Now I find a complex city bursting at the seams.

There are already a few excellent “hyper-local” blogs (Geekette, SAFlavor, Rivard, Dr. Denise Barkis-Richter’s)  in the blogroll. I will add links as I think of them (actually right now I’m going to go add Blue Star, which I witnessed born).

This blog’s just a slow-growing image of our town through my lens; a zine that reflects, documents, journals and archives with photographs and video from the present and past for the future.

I’ll be inviting others to provide content and setting themes for future issues, but for now, here’s Volume 1, Issue 1, of Home in San Antone.

See you ’round San Antone

Karthik aka MTK

@homeinsanantone

Victory Can Be Ours

26 Tuesday Aug 2014

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As we actually contemplate the possibility of elimination from the postseason, here’s a sober, long entry, with criticisms, boosterisms and serious motivation for our Giants to say:

Victory Can Be Ours. Victory Should Be Ours. and finally, Victory Shall be Ours.

Defending the Dynasty With Attitude

Many of the champions of this team which won the first two world series titles for the City of San Francisco, are, for better or worse due to injuries and age, still with our team. What that means is that we are a Championship Unit.

Whether Matt Cain plays or not, he needs to be an essential part of what it will take to win because he has “playoff experience.” The same applies to Marco Scutaro and, to some extent, Tim Lincecum and Javy and Jeremy. Some of you guys may not be playing up to par or at all, but you are an essential part of our attitude in the dugout and bullpen these next few weeks. It can’t just be “The Preacher” – Hunter needs others to step up and motivate – Gregor, Pablo, you guys, too.

You have to maintain a Champion’s attitude, a Championship mentality. This means an acuteness of focus, concentration and desire. This is not a time for the loosey-goosey attitude that has sometimes taken us to victory in the past. We cannot be looking for lucky breaks like Hunter’s triple-kiss or Brooks Conrad’s brain farts.

If we want our World Series wins to be considered legitimate dominance, we have to show a fierce willingness right now to fight; to compete all the way to the end and to make this happen this year through concentration and will.

Attitude is what that’s about and older players like Scutaro, Cain and Lincecum can and must help everybody on this staff to tighten up their game. It takes 25 guys with one common goal: WIN TODAY. everyday from here on out.

The La Russa/Cardinals Precedent

In 2011, the year we ought to have had Buster and won our second WS, HoF Manager Tony La Russa faced a seriously uphill climb to the playoffs that ended in one of the most exciting last days in baseball in decades. From Wikipedia:

“At the beginning of [August] the Cardinals were 21⁄2 games behind the Brewers in the standings. However, they lost two of three to Milwaukee on the road Aug. 1–3, then did the same at home on Aug. 9–11, giving the Brewers a four-game lead in the NL Central. The team continued to stumble as the Brewers continued to win. Newly acquired shortstop Furcal hit only .240 for the month. The Cardinals went 2–4 on a six-game road trip to Pittsburgh and Chicago, then came home and were swept in three games by a bad Dodger team. After close of business on August 24, the day the Dodgers completed their sweep, St. Louis had fallen ten games behind Milwaukee in the NL Central standings and 101⁄2 games behind the Atlanta Braves (and in third place) in the NL Wild Card standings. Manager Tony La Russa said on the struggles: “I guarantee that the team you have seen the past few weeks is not the team we have, and I believe you will start to see our team tomorrow.” Chris Carpenter and other veterans called for a closed, player-only team meeting, which was held the day after the Dodgers series ended. St. Louis’ odds of making the playoffs stood at 1.3%.

We all know what happened next – one of the most epic collapses by Boston coinciding with a stunning final few weeks for the Cardinals and one of the greatest last days of a season anyone had ever experienced. I was watching four TVs that night, gripped – and the Giants weren’t even in it.

If we want to have that feeling over the next few weeks it’s time for a serious attitude adjustment.

So, I call on Hunter Pence, Matt Cain and Tim Hudson to call for a closed, player-only team meeting. It is time to charge this team up and get them to play with purpose, drive and meaning. We have to fight for the title. Nobody is just going to hand it to us, and it won’t happen at all if we maintain a lackadaisical attitude.

The Mistakes – admit them and fix them

It’s easy to say and hard to do and I wouldn’t be saying it if we hadn’t come out of the gate this season playing so well. We are wholly capable of great defense and turning double-plays consistently. We are designed as a shut down bullpen that follows starting pitching with command. We can do it. We just haven’t been doing it.

Fielding: There have been serious lapses in concentration in the field – Brandon Crawford, I’m talking to you and Panik and Duvall and the rest of the infield here. You have got to meditate, breathe, concentrate, organize yourselves. Realize we are in a fight from here on out. Tighten up guys. You have to cut down the mistakes and get back that easy flow that had you turning doubles.

Pitching/Catching: wild pitches galore! our once mighty bullpen looking like the wheels have fallen off. Again, the time has come to pause briefly, organize ourselves, take a deep breath and throw everything we’ve got at it. There is no time left for tweaking and experimentation. You have got to focus when the pressure is on.

Deny these batters. Shut these games down again. Buster, Andrew and Hector – we need you to take command of these games. George Kontos – this could be your redemption year. (Jeremy don’t worry about that last outing in Washington, blow it off – you had been having a great year and you are a great left handed reliever. Make. It. Happen.)

Hitting – Michael Morse, Buster Posey, Angel Pagan and Pablo Sandoval – you guys should be doing the heavy lifting at the plate. It needs to happen now. You have got to get back the mojo and do it quick. We need hits, runs, RBIs and homers. Come on guys, focus, take your time. Know your opponent. Study, research and own these opposing pitchers and get us some wins.

B-Craw, I just don’t understand what is happening with you at the plate. Sudden mad success against lefties and a bizarre collapse against righties? Seems like that’s a mental issue, not a physical one. I know you can concentrate, take some hitting practice with Wotus or Bam-Bam and get back your rhythm. We need you now, buddy.

Managing – Boch, your legacy is on the line here for better or worse. Many of us had/have issues with you leaving starters in so long and risking games with experimental lineups during the season. Then you won us two World Series and the second you achieved with masterful use of a bullpen by committee.

It is very important to note that Tony La Russa, in that 2011 season, became the first manager in the history of baseball to win a post-season playoff series in which the bullpen pitched more innings than the starters (50/49). This is significant because it represents how the game is changing and requires greater flexibility and a willingness to predict when a guy might fall apart. Can’t be leaving these guys in there to give up runs. It’s way past time of the season to start trusting the ‘pen and shuffling them more as necessary. Lincecum should be a great help in this. I know you can do it.

IMO, Boch, if you want finally to be considered a Hall of Fame manager, winning this year would seal the deal. But you are going to have to be even more flexible, even more adroit and hyper-attenuated to fading skills in our staff or players. It is going to require “GENIUS” level management to pull this off. Make it happen, Skip.

The same applies to you, Rags and Wotus. We have all been together for a long, long time and the good times have been really, really sweet. This has been an incredible ride and it is so rare to keep a staff that is so good together for so long. What a blessing you have all been to us.

But right now, with this team still together, with all we have spent and given up to keep so many of these guys here, we need you to coach/manage your asses off. You have got to assess more harshly, be quicker with the rope if necessary, criticize, push, motivate like you have never done before. Tighten that shit up, guys. Get these hitters hitting, get these pitchers focused. Study the opposition down to the minutiae. Make. It. Happen.

This may be our last time together as a unit to challenge for the World Series and I really don’t want to go down like punks. I know you guys can do it – I’ve seen you do it! Focus, concentration, drive, motivation, a willingness to give it all for the team. Clean up the mistakes. Study the opponents. Get a hold of the greatness in us and let’s win this thing.

SF Giants World Series Champions 2010, 2012 and 2014.

Victory Can Be Ours. Victory Should Be Ours. and finally, Victory Shall be Ours.

Hills and Dales Regulars Take ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

25 Monday Aug 2014

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Hills and Dales Ice House is one place that’s been in our neighborhood longer’n us. This spot is definitively #HomeinSanAntone:

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I walked in yesterday at 101 (that’s degrees F, not hour of the day) planning to capture a little footage of this laid-back, easy-going watering hole on a Sunday. Come to find, a bunch of regulars were taking the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. So naturally, I filmed them instead!

Here’s Leroy Thompson, Dan Story, Ginger Toy, Brittney Barton and a reluctant Kenny Griffith doing their bit to raise awareness and money to fight the debilitating condition known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease:

If you don’t know about ALS – known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease because of what it did to one of our strongest athletes – do read up about it here: ALS Association and consider making a donation to fight this painful condition.

Tip o’ the hat to this old stand-by, Hills & Dales, an excellent place to hang out and enjoy refreshing cold beer from all over the world in a mellow, relaxed atmosphere, Home in San Antone, just off 1604 at Babcock, right by UTSA.

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Hearty Congrats to Hot Joy! Bon Appétit! Top 10 Best New

19 Tuesday Aug 2014

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(photo: OMM)

Heartiest congratulations to Hot Joy restaurant for being named by Bon Appétit one of the Ten Best New Restaurants of 2014.

Immediate Thoughts:

1. Wow! (PROUD)

2. cannot wait to come and dine!

3. assume reservations are going to be nutty for a while …

4. check site: yup.

(from Hot Joy’s site)

We stop taking same-day reservations at 3 p.m.

In an effort to keep things together, we only accept reservations via email: info@hotjoysa.com.

For dinner reservations, we accept requests up until 3pm of that day, but we do save half of our restaurant for walk-in customers, and the bar is always first come first serve. For lunch reservations, we accept requests up until 7pm the day before. Menu link

(click the menu link for the current menu at one of the best new restaurants in the nation)

But, Hot Joy! wow! well done! I will look at calendar and book a seat sooooooooon. cannot wait!

Home In San Antone bows.

Our First Visit to Freetail Brewery

16 Saturday Aug 2014

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Our first visit to Freetail was awesome! The views are stellar – 360 degrees Hill Country all the way down to the city skyline to the South East. This is my old neighborhood and I can remember looking back that way from up here since I was a little kid, so … there was some nostalgia in it. But gotta say: great spot.

This brewery is Scott Metzger’s long-term work in progress. Hey Scott, our entries are going to be sort of like those, too.

The intern shot video for a feature for the first time and was just getting used to it all so, this, our first visit, is sorta shaky and dark and clunky – weren’t really focused on getting footage since we were busy learning how to use the camera … oh and enjoying ourselves! Great menus – food and beverage!

I will be back to reshoot soon, but anyway, here you go:

What a Week’s Rest Can Do: Giants Crush Marlins, 9-1, in Opening Game of Second Half

19 Saturday Jul 2014

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What a delight to see the team working on all cylinders – even without Angel Pagan.

A badass homer from Crawford who worked an 11-pitch count and then owned it. Madison Bumgarner handling business, and Posey and Pablo getting RBIs galore.

Nice win for the Giants to start the second half. Here’s hoping Huddy feels primed from his rest to make it two tonight.