First, a lesson for all would-be Giants game attenders:

I went to the game on Saturday after a long dry spell. A friend came up to the city and we walked over to the park and decided to buy from scalpers. After lengthy deliberations with an upstanding young fellow, we exchanged 80$ cash for two tickets in section 208. Now, this was not the first time I've bought tickets from a scalper and I've learned a few lessons along the way. I learned a new one Saturday night and I thought I would share it with you all. I'm sure you all know to check the date - these guys can be sneaky trying to sell you yesterday's game. But what this guy did was show us two tickets in section 208 - argue w/ us about the price, and then finally "give in". In the process what he did was switch the two in section 208 for one in 208 and one in 237.

We didn't notice until later (and it turned out to not be a problem, we just sat in 208 anyway) but the fucker sold us two individual tickets 'cause he didn't want to break up his pair for that price (he originally showed us the pair, for $100). Lesson learned, check the tickets  (section, date, seat #'s) AGAIN as you are handing over cash.

So anyway - yesterday's game:

After having my guts torn out and pissed on by Bruce Bochy via. Tyler Walker on Saturday, I was pretty burnt out on Giants baseball. I haven't missed many games on either TV or radio this season, but I elected to skip out on the Dodger series because I just didn't think I could handle it. I made it about 1 hour.

I was over at the neighbors, talkin' S and drinking Jeager when I just had to check the score on my cellphone. 7-0? What? This is the Giants, right... I didn't accidentally click on the Red Sox v. Mariners or something? (As you may know, finding a score other than Red Sox or Yankees on MLB.com via cellphone is a daunting challenge in of itself).

And a Correia start, nonetheless? Alright, fuckit - I decided (with my jeager imbibing neighbors) to go in and watch the game.

Well, I'll admit - I did it. No sooner had we sat down and I had commented on how it was amazing Correia was 1 hitting the Dodgers - the wheels started to come off.

Between Jose Castillo trying to throw the runner out @ the 1st base coach and, well, Jose Castillo forgetting he was supposed to cover 1st on a bunt (You guys ripped Velez for being clueless out there...) I was about to pull my damn hair out. Not only were the Giants going to lose this fucking game - but Correia was having a excellent effort (for which he is long overdue) ripped out from under him by a little league infield.

I think Correia did a pretty good job, however - given that his defense gave the other team 2 or 3 (Omar probably should have gotten that one) extra outs. The fact that he didn't walk anyone, kept the ball in the yard, and was pitching to contact (with a goddamn 7 run lead that is what you are supposed to do) was great. I would like to figure out what his FIP for that game was. I like Kevin again.

I also like that Walker came out to pitch the 7th. He's a good pitcher, sometimes. He has been effective more than he has been ineffective - it's just that when he's bad - he's really bad.The Kent HR-in-any-other-part-of-the-yard flyball non withstanding, I think he had a good performance. I don't blame Walker for Saturday's disaster.

I also loved Wilson. I was a little nervous (I'm not going to lie) after Saturday's game that the impending implosion of Brian Wilson would coincide with the apparent implosion with the rest of the team. The fact that he then proceeded to retire the side in order w/ 14 pitches (10 of which were strikes, catching Berroa looking and Jones swinging) gave me a glimpse of what a dominant closer Wilson can be if he can get his walks down. Most players just can't hit his fastball: Paul Ozuna didn't even look like he even wanted to swing up there.

Lastly, I want to talk about Bruce Bochy and god damn Tyler Walker. Tyler Walker is about as bipolar of a pitcher as I have seen in a while. He is either pretty good, or REALLY bad. I think Ralph missed the point (imagine that) when he went on his 4 hour tirade yesterday in that the fuckup on Saturday's game was not pulling Lincecum (there are plenty of good reasons for that, altho I also think leaving him in would have been acceptable) but it was failing to pull Walker. Walker doesn't walk guys (very often, 3.19 BB/9). However, in order to accomplish this, I belive that when his control suffers he compensates by coming into the zone w/ meatballs.

That's good - I prefer that to walking guys any day. Meatballs go for outs infinitely more often than walks do. However - when Walker gives up hits (especially line drives) it is a clear indication that he is not locating his out pitches the way he wants to, and is compensating by coming into the zone w/ fastballs.

If it's a close game, that is NOT GOOD. GET HIM THE FUCK OUT OF THERE. Give him a slap on that prodigious ass and say "you don't have your best stuff today kid, it's okay - we'll get 'em tomorrow" and send him back to the bench.

Leaving him out there after a leadoff double (of the line drive variety) and then a defensive fuckup (oh Bowker, could you please pick a less meaningful time to remind us you haven't ever played first base before?) is essentially garaunteeing the outcome that we got.

Is it too much to ask for Bochy to understand this about his pitcher, and to warm someone up WITH him in close games? If Walker goes out there, struggles in the count, and gives up a leadoff line drive - it's probably a good idea to put Hinshaw/Romo/Matos/Espinelli/ etc out to clean things up.

One last thing: Has anyone else noticed that Lincecum throws the ball about 100 miles an hour on his pickoff moves? I appreciate that you want to get the guy out - but Tim, If he's picked off, he's picked off - and getting the ball there a split second faster isn't likely to make much difference. However, when you throw a 100 mph sinking fastball in the dirt to first, it makes it much more difficult on your converted RF first baseman than is probably necessary.

So, please share nuggets of wisdom re: Scalpers, hatred for Jose Castillo's defense @ 2nd, celebration of Correia, Manlove for Brian Wilson, and most of all - frustration and dissapointment in Bochy's mismanagement of our limited bullpen assets.

75 75 75.

Whew. My fingers are tired.

Oh yeah, Casey Blake: You're a tool. In the National League, when you swing at a pitch and miss - that's called a strike. Get used to it.