In Appreciation of Willie Mays...
by Grant Brisbee on May 6, 2011 8:37 AM PDT
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PrintYou know what joke never gets old? Pretending that Buster Posey and/or Tim Lincecum are some variety of comic book or mythological hero. At least, I hope it’s not getting old. I use it once a week. I’m sure it’s perfectly fresh!
And, yes, Lincecum and Posey are fan favorites for good reasons. They’re award-winning, homegrown players who arrived with six tons of hype and then built on it. They were the battery for the first World Series winning game in the city’s history.
That’s our benchmark. That’s what it’s like for us to be in awe of a Giants player. It’s hard to imagine it getting any better.
Sometimes, when I’m feeling especially nerdy, I just stare at the Willie Mays page at Baseball Reference. If he had put up those hitting numbers while playing left field like Pat Burrell, he’d still be an inner-circle Hall of Famer. But he didn’t. He played a better defensive center field than anyone we’ve ever watched. We’ve marveled at the range of Andres Torres, but Mays would have pushed Torres to left, and it wouldn’t have been a debate
Mays was always among the fastest players in the league. Think Darren Ford ... with Albert Pujols’s bat. That’s the only way I can think of it, really. Even though Ford can’t hit, you can tell he’s different from most of the other players when he runs or fields. Now give him Albert Pujols’s bat. Oh, and a plus arm.
That was Willie Mays. I think, at least. The only way I can imagine him is to take the best features from the best hitters, base runners, and fielders and mash them all together. Yet I know it still doesn’t do him justice. It’s like describing the Beatles as "Buddy Holly meets Radiohead" -- it not only completely misses the point, it’s useless in describing what the experience is really like, no matter how earnestly you try to find a comparison.
There are a lot of things that make me proud to be a Giants fan. A beautiful ballpark. The legacy of Hall-of-Famers. A rich history. Not being the Dodgers. But the thing that makes me most proud is that Willie Mays is ours. He still shows up at the park. He messes with the rookies in the clubhouse. It’s hard to watch a lot of Giants baseball without constantly remembering that that guy used to play for the team.
Once this flux capacitor is working, my Delorean’s first stop is at the Polo Grounds to watch him play. And after about 18 years, I’ll take it back in time to watch him do it again. Happy 80th birthday, Willie Mays. I can only imagine what it was like to watch him play, and I'll always regret that.
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Fun Fact
Going off of bb-ref’s WAR, Willie should have won 11 MVP awards.
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
I call him gerald. he’s a pristine white handkerchief, though? nediB eoJ Joe Biden ‽ Joe Biden.
I forget who said it, but when referring to a NL MVP winner during that time frame they called it “the NL MVP award, the non-Willie Mays division”
Wise words by wcw: "Nobody cares about your Pokemon."
"There’s a new celebrity inside the organization, and it’s a three-foot inanimate object," - Larry Baer, my adopted son.
I looked at his fangrapjs page yesterday for the first time
im still scraping my brains off the ceiling. God damn.
Extremely proud adoptive parent of Paul E. Stanley, WORLD CHAMPION SAN FRANCISCO GIANT
Thanks to roger
I've never been happier to have Crabs
11/1/10
Did he get hosed by Terry Pendleton’s Godfather?
Proud parent of SD-born Shane Loux.
If Cain is with us, who can be against us? - atxgiantsfan
Recall he was playing against some guys you may have heard of: Aaron, Musial, Koufax, Clemente, et al. I looked through his non-MVP years and for the most part, there were some guys who put up better numbers than him. Oddly, sometimes those guys finished BELOW Willie (1966 Mays 3rd, Dick Allen 4th). But the following three years I think he got screwed:
1955 – 123 Rs, 51 HRs, 127 RBIs, 24 SBs, .319/.400/.659 – 4th place!
One could argue for Duke Snider (2nd) this year but we all know he was a bum. However Campanella (another bum) who finished 1st and Banks (3rd) were below Mays in EVERY offensive category.
1962 – 130 Rs, 49 HRs, 141 RBIs, 18 SBs, .304/.384/.615, GG – 2nd place
Maury Wills (what’s with the bums?) finished with 104 SBs and that’s about it. 6 HRs and .373 SLG aren’t MVP numbers.
1964 – 121 Rs, 47 HRs, 111 RBIs, 19 SBs, .296/.383/.607, GG – 6th place!
I wish I had some context from this year because this ballot looks criminal. Of the people who finished ahead of him, here’s where Mays ranked in the major categories: 1st Rs (by 18!), 1st HRs (by 16!), 2nd RBIs (off 8), 2nd SBs (off 4), 4th BA, 2nd OBP, 1st SLG, 1st OPS. Mays’ WAR, at 10.2 (that’s not a typo) was 4.6 greater than the MVP, Ken Boyer!
Holy crap
A fun fact that’s actually kind of fun.
Proud member of the cesspool of ethical bankruptcy known as the McC.
Proud adoptive parent of Brett Bochy, he's my boy now Bruce!
by Giant Torture on May 9, 2011 11:06 AM PDT up reply actions
Read this too quickly the first time
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
I call him gerald. he’s a pristine white handkerchief, though? nediB eoJ Joe Biden ‽ Joe Biden.
Once this flux capacitor is working, my Delorean’s first stop is at the Polo Grounds to watch him play.
Only noticed the last part of the sentence, and thought it was a “LOL DELOREAN IS OLD” joke.
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
I call him gerald. he’s a pristine white handkerchief, though? nediB eoJ Joe Biden ‽ Joe Biden.
Thanks for the SL
"He knocks a stake through the heart of the Cardinals! The Cardinals are dead! The Giants are going to the World Series!!!" -Jon Miller
t's Posey time!!
My Adopted Giant: Heath Hembree
jesus tapdancing…
Proud papa to: Bill Schlough, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, aka the IT guy.
Your mom's a girl
SAY HEY!!
Brian Sabean strongly encourages you to disregard the drudgery of your employment responsibilities and join him in the consumption of spirituous libations.
by satyricrash on May 6, 2011 8:42 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Happy Birthday Willie
"He knocks a stake through the heart of the Cardinals! The Cardinals are dead! The Giants are going to the World Series!!!" -Jon Miller
t's Posey time!!
My Adopted Giant: Heath Hembree
by sanfrankid on May 6, 2011 8:43 AM PDT reply actions 17 recs
Also, what I would give to be able to watch him play one game while he was in his prime…jeez
"He knocks a stake through the heart of the Cardinals! The Cardinals are dead! The Giants are going to the World Series!!!" -Jon Miller
t's Posey time!!
My Adopted Giant: Heath Hembree
What a great image. Rec’d
I never realized that the five verticle panels there are a hitters backdrop and not really part of the wall.
Giants 2010 in review: One Jerry Garcia bobblehead, one world championship. Questions?
Hey, good point
Me neither. I always thought it was a high wall.
"The two worst things in football are: 1) They think that a 30-year old professional athlete has to be locked up in a hotel room, with a curfew, the night before a qame; and 2) They're right."
- Cowboy safety Cliff Harris
Auto-wreck
"Today, it's as if McCovey's line drive finally went through. And the earthquake didn't happen. And Spiezio struck out. And Snow was safe."
Vroom. Walks. Five positions. Justin Christian
It’s weird that someone with Darren Ford speed only stole 20+ bases seven times. His caught-stealing % numbers aren’t that hot, either. I thought JT said that he was supposed to be a great baserunner!
I AM CONFUSED
Jonathan Sanchez: Often maddening to watch, but capable of perfection on a moment's notice---just like his adoptive father.
I guess he lead the league in SB a few times, so I guess dudes just didn’t run a lot then?
Jonathan Sanchez: Often maddening to watch, but capable of perfection on a moment's notice---just like his adoptive father.
Shawon Dunston says:
Stealing is cheating the game!
"A foghorn blowing out wild and cold." -Dire Straits
correct
The SB was more or less an art that went out with Ty Cobb before the Negro Leaguers came along.
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 8:48 AM PDT up reply actions
Maybe he’s pretty good at running the bases just not a good base stealer.
"He knocks a stake through the heart of the Cardinals! The Cardinals are dead! The Giants are going to the World Series!!!" -Jon Miller
t's Posey time!!
My Adopted Giant: Heath Hembree
Oh nevermind I didn’t see how you started your sentence, thought you were talking about Ford.
"He knocks a stake through the heart of the Cardinals! The Cardinals are dead! The Giants are going to the World Series!!!" -Jon Miller
t's Posey time!!
My Adopted Giant: Heath Hembree
he has been asked about this
in various forms, and the answer is always “hey, had I known those stats would be important I’d have done it a lot more”.
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 8:48 AM PDT up reply actions
I’ve also heard that he just focused more on hitting for power and cut his stealing down since stealing bases take a pretty large toll on the body.
by GuyWhiteyCorngood on May 6, 2011 9:10 AM PDT up reply actions
He also batted in front of some very good hitters in the course of his career; it may not be coincidental that the last time he led the league in stolen bases was 1959. Stealing second just opens up a extra base for Willie McCovey, which, as we have recently learned, could have disastrous consequences.
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
lol
Jonathan Sanchez: Often maddening to watch, but capable of perfection on a moment's notice---just like his adoptive father.
He also hit less doubles because of McCovey. There were times where he would stop at first on easy doubles, knowing the opposing manager would walk McCovey if he proceeded to second.
Buster Posey: Let's enjoy him before he goes to the Yankees because he wants to win the World Series. Wait, what???
^5
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
This has never really struck me as a good idea.
Isn’t 1st and 2nd better than man on 1st w/ McCovey up? I am fairly certain that in the long run the first option will score more runs.
Back on the market.
by positiveuphemism on May 6, 2011 10:27 AM PDT up reply actions
It depends on the quality of the hitter behind McCovey.
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
Mays and McCovey
They were so good, just plain old winning baseball games bored them into screwing around to try to challenge themselves.
Seth Rosin can hit the side of a barn with a baseball. From space.
Giants baseball: We're stupid enough to WIN that (TM)
different managers would give him different orders depending on the year.
One year it was “bat leadoff and get on base”, others it would be “bat cleanup and drive in runs”. Good to have a player that can actually do all those things, bad that those were the kinds of directions he got.
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 9:43 AM PDT up reply actions
Should have been
“Hey, Willie, can you go out and just win the game?” I think that would have worked out pretty well.
Seth Rosin can hit the side of a barn with a baseball. From space.
Giants baseball: We're stupid enough to WIN that (TM)
“Strawberry, hit a home run!”
“You got it, skip.”
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
If Ricky Henderson had WIllie McCovey and Cepada hitting after him
I don’t think he would have stole 100 bases ever either.
Time to repeat in '11!
by Myemail21479 on May 6, 2011 11:32 AM PDT up reply actions
Happy Birthday "Say Hey" Kid
If only I’d been able to see you play in your prime. It’s my loss.
"I could hear the angry MCC cacophany in my head."--Oldjacket, 7/4/10
by Kitspool on May 6, 2011 8:46 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Happy birthday indeed
I’m reading his bio currently and am enjoying every page. (Candlestick just opened.)
Many happy returns.
Giants 2010 in review: One Jerry Garcia bobblehead, one world championship. Questions?
Beautifully put, Grant. Happy birthday to one of the finest men to have played the game.
LIVE EDT
Tape-delayed for the West Coast
by TheLetter2 on May 6, 2011 8:48 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
I hope you’re OK with being only the second coolest Alabamian that we talk about today.
Jonathan Sanchez: Often maddening to watch, but capable of perfection on a moment's notice---just like his adoptive father.
And Mr. Aaron. Your state contributed 2/3 of the OF for eleventy billion NL All-Star teams.
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 8:52 AM PDT up reply actions
’Tis true. His boyhood home in Mobile opened as a museum last year.
Alabama has a rich baseball legacy that stretches to the present, with Jake Peavy, Tim Hudson, Josh Willingham, Craig Kimbrel and our own Matt Cain.
LIVE EDT
Tape-delayed for the West Coast
AND WILLIE McCOVEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My mind ain't nuthin' but a total blank, I think I'll just stay here and draaank - Merle Haggard
Which election? Mayor of Cmydddfm?
Jonathan Sanchez: Often maddening to watch, but capable of perfection on a moment's notice---just like his adoptive father.
We had a referendum on changing the voting system (which looks like it failed utterly)
Local elections in England and elections in the Welsh and Scottish regional governments.
Huh. And I see that Nick Clegg did not do well.
Jonathan Sanchez: Often maddening to watch, but capable of perfection on a moment's notice---just like his adoptive father.
He is pretty much the least liked person in all of UK politics
Which is the polar opposite to this time last year.
I wish the Tories had got more of a kicking though.
So
kinda like Sarah Palin?
Jose Flores: .831 OPS in High-A last year, 23 years old. This is his year.
Co-dad of Ryan Scoma with waelwulf, because we're progressive like that.
by free f.p. #14 on May 6, 2011 10:18 AM PDT up reply actions
Riots stopped: 0
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 9:00 AM PDT up reply actions
SAY HEY HEY!
My dad grew up watching him play in the Polo Grounds, would love to hitch a ride with you in the DeLorean to check out a game with my pops.
"A foghorn blowing out wild and cold." -Dire Straits
I don't like statisticalmulationings reducing Dr. Mays to numbers, but...
just for fun, the Baseball Reference “Similar batters”:
1. Frank Robinson (830) *
2. Ken Griffey (804)
3. Hank Aaron (783) *
4. Mel Ott (775) *
5. Barry Bonds (762)
6. Rafael Palmeiro (748)
7. Stan Musial (745) *
8. Dave Winfield (738) *
9. Eddie Murray (718) *
10. Alex Rodriguez (697)
- - Signifies Hall of Famer
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
Is there any doubt?
2010 World Series Champions!
Adopted 'nephew' to the ever avuncular and always awesome Jon Miller
by Johnny Disaster on May 6, 2011 8:58 AM PDT up reply actions
why are you even asking?
It’s a number on a website, that should be plenty.
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 9:00 AM PDT up reply actions
those aren’t very good similarity scores.
that seems to happen for the really, really good players. they are unique.
Proud papa to: Bill Schlough, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, aka the IT guy.
Your mom's a girl
better writers than I
have said the same thing about the Willie Mays Hall of Fame.
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 9:31 AM PDT up reply actions
A terrific article. Thanks for sharing.
Is a girl.
by gallo del cielo on May 6, 2011 12:08 PM PDT up reply actions
Good to see you posting.
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 12:18 PM PDT up reply actions
No serious knife until Monday.
Is a girl.
by gallo del cielo on May 6, 2011 2:52 PM PDT up reply actions
I like how half of the (four) comments are people complaining about Posnanski saying that Mays was better than Mantle. Congratulations on missing the point, nerbs!
A great read, though.
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
someone else
(I thought it was you!) posted the link a couple weeks ago, I’ve never read him regularly and more’s the pity for me.
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 12:19 PM PDT up reply actions
The only JoPo I’ve linked is the article in my sig. But I think Baggs put it best this morning:
Made me happy to read this. JoePos is the Mays of sportswriting.
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
Made me happy to read this. JoePos is the Mays of sportswriting.
Except that if Mays took as long to get to the ball as Pos takes to say what he wants to say, Mays would have had to be a DH.
Not saying Pos isn’t great; you just have to have some significant spare time to sit down and read his articles.
by GuyWhiteyCorngood on May 6, 2011 1:02 PM PDT up reply actions
I definitely reposted it once. I’ll never hesitate to post either a Pos or elcroata article, even when it’s not relevant.
Adopted father of Chris Lincecum, without whom (quite literally) Timmy would not exist.
elcroata?
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
Poster over at Athletics Nation, I believe.
Jose Flores: .831 OPS in High-A last year, 23 years old. This is his year.
Co-dad of Ryan Scoma with waelwulf, because we're progressive like that.
by free f.p. #14 on May 6, 2011 12:59 PM PDT up reply actions
Yes. And because you asked, I was going to plug some of his work. As it turns out, the front page post at AN this very day is a post by him. So hop over and check him out, because he’s stylistically similar to JoePos, and a must-read every time.
Adopted father of Chris Lincecum, without whom (quite literally) Timmy would not exist.
I know I recognized the name, but couldn't place it.
The “God on a Mountain” piece is the only thing of his but I’ve read, but yeah. Good stuff.
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
Yeah, that was the one that I was going to link. Even his posts are often awesome. He had this one where it was a super longwinded story that had an awesome moral-of-the-story to it, where it was basically: it’s ok to be wrong, and it’s ok to be loud, but don’t be both at the same time.
Adopted father of Chris Lincecum, without whom (quite literally) Timmy would not exist.
Someone should email that to Bob Costas re: steroids and the Hall of Fame.
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
probably you, I get all you “s” people mixed up.
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 1:01 PM PDT up reply actions
I’ve never heard of any of these dudes! I’m pretty sure “Mel Ott” is a made up name.
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
Making French toast
On the list of things that seem hard to do but is reality is not
The Golden Bear is ever watching
2011 Giants Adoptee: Brian Lawrence
San Francisco Giants Won the 2010 World Series: Not a Typo
you just dip the bread in egg and then brown it, right?
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
I call him gerald. he’s a pristine white handkerchief, though? nediB eoJ Joe Biden ‽ Joe Biden.
Pretty much
You also need:
1) Vanilla/honey
2) Good day-old bread (challah is the best but I don’t have any)
3) Half and Half
The Golden Bear is ever watching
2011 Giants Adoptee: Brian Lawrence
San Francisco Giants Won the 2010 World Series: Not a Typo
I like brioche for this. Also, a shot of bourbon.
by wcw on May 6, 2011 8:59 AM PDT up reply actions
mmmm, I love challah
The San Francisco Giants: 2010 World Series Champions
I'M A GIRL
by Prussian Creole on May 6, 2011 9:30 AM PDT up reply actions
It’s best to use stale-ish bread and let it soak for a while.
2010 World Series Champions!
Adopted 'nephew' to the ever avuncular and always awesome Jon Miller
by Johnny Disaster on May 6, 2011 8:57 AM PDT up reply actions
Here it depends on what kind of bread, and how stale. Day old challah or brioche, which I would say are best, are still pretty spongy. No more than a minute per side there. Three-day-old Acme sourdough, which is not ideal but still ends up okay, really needs a good dunk.
by wcw on May 6, 2011 9:00 AM PDT up reply actions
sourdough seems odd to me for french toast. Actually, a good baguette or french bread also works well.
The Golden Bear is ever watching
2011 Giants Adoptee: Brian Lawrence
San Francisco Giants Won the 2010 World Series: Not a Typo
Sourdough, especially a good chewy one like Acme, is odd. It really doesn’t work: it turns into egg-soaked, fried bread. Still good, but not pain perdu, where the bread soaks up the batter just so and turns into something new.
Oh, and drop a little flour in your batter. You’ll thank me.
by wcw on May 6, 2011 9:02 AM PDT up reply actions
It needs to be thinly-slice, or moreso, and extra stale.
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 9:32 AM PDT up reply actions
Chewy bread, you mean. Brioche wants to be an inch thick or even a hint more.
by wcw on May 6, 2011 9:33 AM PDT up reply actions
I've always thought
that in the way school kids are made to read ‘The Classics’, young baseball fans should be instructed to learn about Mays (and, perhaps, a select other few). No one has ever really embodied the game as well as he did.
If Willie Mays was so good,
how come he never led the league in RBIs…?
Can't spell "Colletti" without LOL.
Ryan Howard's contract is worth every penny!
The Golden Bear is ever watching
2011 Giants Adoptee: Brian Lawrence
San Francisco Giants Won the 2010 World Series: Not a Typo
Ugh, I hate it when people start talking about going to a relegation system in MLB.
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
I call him gerald. he’s a pristine white handkerchief, though? nediB eoJ Joe Biden ‽ Joe Biden.
What does that mean?
Jonathan Sanchez: Often maddening to watch, but capable of perfection on a moment's notice---just like his adoptive father.
For some reason, there are people who think that if MLB teams were treated more like European Soccer teams are, all of MLB’s competitive balance problems would be solved.
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
I call him gerald. he’s a pristine white handkerchief, though? nediB eoJ Joe Biden ‽ Joe Biden.
/looks at wikipedia
So the idea is that divisions would be created based on the strength of the team?
Jonathan Sanchez: Often maddening to watch, but capable of perfection on a moment's notice---just like his adoptive father.
The idea would be that you would have a tiered leagues.
For example:
Top 20 teams would be in one league with the reminder in the other. The bottom five teams of the higher league and the top 5 of the lower league would flip division at the end of the year
The Golden Bear is ever watching
2011 Giants Adoptee: Brian Lawrence
San Francisco Giants Won the 2010 World Series: Not a Typo
It could be fairly straightforward, with a “reserve league” for each of the AL and NL. The top 8 from the previous few years would remain in the league, and the 7 with the fewest wins would go in the “reserve”. Then while the World Series is going on (or the 8-team playoff Selig extravaganza), there’s a double-elimination tournament among the worst 2 teams in the upper league and the top 2 teams in the lower league. The 2 “winners” move up, and the 2 “losers” move down.
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 9:05 AM PDT up reply actions
And, what, exactly is the benefit of this?
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
I call him gerald. he’s a pristine white handkerchief, though? nediB eoJ Joe Biden ‽ Joe Biden.
Keeps interest in the lower teams. Consolation round
The Golden Bear is ever watching
2011 Giants Adoptee: Brian Lawrence
San Francisco Giants Won the 2010 World Series: Not a Typo
The lower teams already have almost no fan interest. That would just kill it further.
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
I call him gerald. he’s a pristine white handkerchief, though? nediB eoJ Joe Biden ‽ Joe Biden.
This.
Why would I spend my money on a years worth of Pirates-Royals and Orioles-Diamondback’s tilts? Playing for a chance to spend another year getting shit on by the Yankees and Red Sox doesn’t sound like much of a consolation prize, to say nothing of what it would do to free agency.
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
It would allow lower tier team to decide what they want to be, a MLB team or a AAAA team. Costs and payrolls would be lower for those teams.
The Golden Bear is ever watching
2011 Giants Adoptee: Brian Lawrence
San Francisco Giants Won the 2010 World Series: Not a Typo
Look at the NBA. What teams sell the best? The Lakers, the Celtics, and the Heat (formerly the Cavs, for obvious reasons). People want to see the best of the best. And if owners wanted to run a minor league franchise, they wouldn’t have bought a major league franchise.
Major league teams make more money, and a premiere league is just an argument for contraction by starvation.
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
if
you can assume there’s a universe where regular season games will be allowed to matter, and you believe that competitive play is better than lopsided losses, Pirates fans can watch their team battle the Astros to the death rather than get mashed by the Phillies and Braves.
I’m not really going to argue for this, it’s never going to happen and doesn’t solve the inequities you pointed out. It just makes “irrelevant” late-season games “relevant” by having the laggards play for their lives against the top teams in the bottom division.
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 9:36 AM PDT up reply actions
I guess people talk about irrelevant late season games all the time and, yeah, they’re irrelevant to the playoff picture a lot of the time, but I don’t really mind it? I mean, that’s what’s going to happen with a 162 game season. But there’s still a lot going on with almost every team even into the dog days of August and even if they’re not contending.
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
I call him gerald. he’s a pristine white handkerchief, though? nediB eoJ Joe Biden ‽ Joe Biden.
Absolutely! Killing the pennant races is what makes games irrelevant, not lousy teams. If the Reds and Giants and Braves and Padres were all in the same pennant race, every team they played in the last month would be playing meaningful baseball, with a chance to affect the pennant race.
The Cubs and Diamondbacks were doing that last August.
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 9:47 AM PDT up reply actions
I just find one or two winners from each league unnecessarily punitive to every other team that had a good season. Even with four teams in the race at the end, you’re still relegating most of the league to playing spoiler for half the season.
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
get rid of the wild card.
go to 8 divisions.
it is interesting with the wild card. that team is often thought of as being lesser than the division winners. frequently, they are a better team than at least one of the division teams.
Proud papa to: Bill Schlough, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, aka the IT guy.
Your mom's a girl
And that division winner is usually from the AL or NL Central.
I don’t think we should coddle teams; I like the current division format and size of the playoffs. I used to support the extra wild card more, if only because if would put a premium on winning the division, but I’ve kind of moved away from that. There’s enough room to give every team a shot at being competitive without letting the whole lot in like we see in the NBA.
And if we were to go the other way, back to a league-wide or two-division format, I think you’d see teams lose money. The fact that more than half the games in a season are played in (or near) my time zone means that I can watch more games. If the Giants play the same number of games against the Mets as they do against the Dodgers, that’s fewer games that I can watch because they’re played while I’m still at work, and fewer games that the Mets fans can watch because they start at 10 PM.
Pass.
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
go to 8 divisions.
There’re only 30 teams.
I have Croix de Candlesticks older than you.
goldengatebeerbars.com
by troymccluresf on May 6, 2011 10:11 AM PDT up reply actions
Inter-divisional wild card playoff lottery challenge!
Done.
Better to be a Giants fan than an Athletic supporter!
it's not punitive at all
Win games. Win pennant. Lose games, go home.
“relegating teams to playing spoiler” is a commentary on the competitive balance between the teams. Not every season features a runaway winner, and moving the bar down to allow more teams into the playoffs makes games for the top teams less relevant. Games that should be win-or-die become “let’s rest the starters for the Sweet 16”.
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 9:59 AM PDT up reply actions
No matter how you slice it, there are going to be boring September games. Win-or-go-home just means that there is more “go home,” and probably hurts parity overall. Having a Padres season where you spring to to life and claw down the stretch for a playoff spot is a more realistic goal than saying, “We’re going to jump from 12th to 1st!”
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
I’m still not sure whether I care if the Padres can win the pennant or not, unless they can field a competitive ballclub. If they can’t do that, the problem is with the parity of the league and letting 80-win teams into the playoffs doesn’t make those teams play better baseball. If they choose not to do that (Pirates), again, that’s their problem.
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 10:20 AM PDT up reply actions
I’d sooner contract two teams to better distribute the talent pool than restructure the divisions and playoff format. That said, 80-win teams very rarely make the playoffs. I don’t think that the standard of 88-92 wins being the target zone being any sort of problem right now.
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
I’d do virtually anything before contracting a team.
Jonathan Sanchez: Often maddening to watch, but capable of perfection on a moment's notice---just like his adoptive father.
I thought “MLBPA rep”, but same I guess.
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 10:30 AM PDT up reply actions
All of the teams are making money. It’s easy to sit on a hill and say to folks in Pittsburgh or Kansas City that their team should be contracted, but no one is talking about taking away YOUR team.
Jonathan Sanchez: Often maddening to watch, but capable of perfection on a moment's notice---just like his adoptive father.
just kidding you know
It’s the idea of getting rid of the Pirates that really makes me not seriously support those proposals. If a team that old can’t make it, maybe something’s wrong elsewhere.
I think the answer is a time machine to cut off the Marlins and Rays before they were formed, but that may be slightly less feasible than contraction.
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 10:34 AM PDT up reply actions
I’m not a fan of contraction, but I sometimes wonder whether we’re past the saturation point when you look at how the markets are distributed. And the only reason I would be really in favor it is because in theory you are removing the fifty worst major leaguers, which in turn brings the quality of play up.
On the other hand, I suppose one could make the argument (as I believe JC Bradbury has) that the best preying upon the worst raises the bar in its own way. Just a different flavor.
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
I agree
I do not like this idea one bit.
Even worse is the fact teams in the bottom would take 2 years to win a championship. The whole Padres run last year would have been for naught. Reds anyone?
Teams like the Yankees and Red Sox would have additional natural advantages.
And, what happens to the DH? I would hate if it was universally adopted.
Time to repeat in '11!
by Myemail21479 on May 6, 2011 12:01 PM PDT up reply actions
I don’t think it’s a worse idea than some of the other brainstorms like putting all the western teams in one division/league.
It wouldn’t solve competitive balance problems, but it would acknowledge the reality of the way the system is working. And of course that is why it won’t come to pass. Any more than contracting 2 or more teams will.
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 9:03 AM PDT up reply actions
In football
Teams generally ping up and down between the Premier League and first division anyway, while the same few teams win over and over, baseball is much more competitive.
I guess most people think of it as more of a way to get crappy teams to spend their revenue sharing money, but even that (the idea of a salary floor) is dumb.
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
I call him gerald. he’s a pristine white handkerchief, though? nediB eoJ Joe Biden ‽ Joe Biden.
my plan
if a team does not have a winning record even once in 10 years, the owner is summarily executed.
Proud papa to: Bill Schlough, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, aka the IT guy.
Your mom's a girl
I like this!
Dearest, Susan - The Patron Saint of Patience
by Lars The Wanderer on May 6, 2011 9:07 AM PDT up reply actions
It’s almost like you’re saying that if you need crappy workarounds to “fix” a system that doesn’t work, there’s something wrong with the system.
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 9:07 AM PDT up reply actions
I guess I don’t really see the MLB system as being particularly broken.
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
I call him gerald. he’s a pristine white handkerchief, though? nediB eoJ Joe Biden ‽ Joe Biden.
I think if they just stop the revenue sharing system from encouraging people to not spend money and do away with unbalanced schedules, it would be about as close to perfect as you can get.
by GuyWhiteyCorngood on May 6, 2011 9:17 AM PDT up reply actions
We’ve seen that small and mid market teams with limited payrolls (Padres, A’s, Marlins, Twins) can be competitive, and that big market teams with large payrolls (Cubs, Tigers, Mets) can be completely futile.
If there’s a problem, it’s that there are not significant enough disincentives for over-spending. The revenue sharing and luxury taxes have proven they do not stop teams from spending well north of $150 million, and those “perennial players” – the Yankees, Red Sox, Phillies, Angels, Mets – continue to inflate the value of a win, which makes it that much harder for the small market teams to stay competitive.
If I had a say in things, I’d start taking away draft picks past a certain payroll level, and I’m not talking about back end filler picks.
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
Yeah, I really think better ways of reigning in the top spending teams would do more than punishing the low spending/performing teams.
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
I call him gerald. he’s a pristine white handkerchief, though? nediB eoJ Joe Biden ‽ Joe Biden.
The top spending teams already have tons of pressure from their fans to stay competitive. The lower spending teams don’t.
The Golden Bear is ever watching
2011 Giants Adoptee: Brian Lawrence
San Francisco Giants Won the 2010 World Series: Not a Typo
This isn’t going to add any pressure, it’s just going to keep people from caring in any way whatsoever.
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
I call him gerald. he’s a pristine white handkerchief, though? nediB eoJ Joe Biden ‽ Joe Biden.
can you imagine the outcry if the Mets were facing relegation this year?
The Golden Bear is ever watching
2011 Giants Adoptee: Brian Lawrence
San Francisco Giants Won the 2010 World Series: Not a Typo
yes but
the small market teams in the lower league would have only slightly better attendance than AAA teams.
Sharlon Schoop - honkbalspeler extraordinaire.
Trolls are like cockroach Nazis. Sure, you CAN try to reason with them, but they won't listen, and if you respond to them, they invade your Sudetenland.
Or something.
That metaphor got away from me.
They can adjust their costs/payroll accordingly. A tiered system simply acknowledges the reality of sports rather than pretend that everything is okay.
I can’t believe I’m arguing for this. I’m usually the socialist one.
The Golden Bear is ever watching
2011 Giants Adoptee: Brian Lawrence
San Francisco Giants Won the 2010 World Series: Not a Typo
They can adjust their costs/payroll accordingly. A tiered system simplyacknowledges the reality of sports rather than pretend that everything is okaymakes most teams irrelevant and unprofitable.
There. Fixed.
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
That would be different than now how?
The Golden Bear is ever watching
2011 Giants Adoptee: Brian Lawrence
San Francisco Giants Won the 2010 World Series: Not a Typo
All teams are profitable
Most are relevant. For proof, see: 2010 TGWTWS
by GuyWhiteyCorngood on May 6, 2011 9:44 AM PDT up reply actions
the thing is though
parity in baseball is way better than most sports. The small market teams do contend, often, based on success in the draft, largely. Because of that, those teams usually only have a few years where they can operate at a high level. If you force them to have 2 years of sustained success to even make the playoffs, all you’re going to do is hurt parity.
Sharlon Schoop - honkbalspeler extraordinaire.
Trolls are like cockroach Nazis. Sure, you CAN try to reason with them, but they won't listen, and if you respond to them, they invade your Sudetenland.
Or something.
That metaphor got away from me.
in the past 3 years
over half the teams in MLB have been to the playoffs.
Sharlon Schoop - honkbalspeler extraordinaire.
Trolls are like cockroach Nazis. Sure, you CAN try to reason with them, but they won't listen, and if you respond to them, they invade your Sudetenland.
Or something.
That metaphor got away from me.
I say this a lot, but baseball’s parody is way better than the NBA. Only 8 franchises have won a title in the last 30 years.
Brandon Crawford: Your SF Giants 2012 Opening Day starting SS?
and that's even
with half the goddamn league making the playoffs every year
Sharlon Schoop - honkbalspeler extraordinaire.
Trolls are like cockroach Nazis. Sure, you CAN try to reason with them, but they won't listen, and if you respond to them, they invade your Sudetenland.
Or something.
That metaphor got away from me.
I think
the NBA is a fine parody as is.
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 10:29 AM PDT up reply actions
Yeah but over that time PHX, Portland, Sacramento, Dallas, NJ, NY, Seattle, Utah, Orlando, and Cleveland have all been legitimate title contenders in multiple years. Also the Celtics, Lakers, Bulls, Rockets, Heat, Pistons, Sixers, and Spurs have had some terrible teams. So I think the lack of parody argument is a bit overstated. That said, I wouldn’t mind if the Lakers were terrible for the next 50 years.
WWRWD?
you guys do know it’s parity, right?
Proud papa to: Bill Schlough, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, aka the IT guy.
Your mom's a girl
Fundamentalist!
Dearest, Susan - The Patron Saint of Patience
by Lars The Wanderer on May 6, 2011 10:38 AM PDT up reply actions
On the other hand, half of all the titles have been won by either the Celtics or Lakers, in 52 appearances between them. The closest teams to that are the Jordan years Bulls with 6 titles, and the 76ers with 9 Finals appearances. In many respects, it’s an extremely top-heavy league.
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
Lakers or Celtics won 16 out of the first 23 titles. It’s been better since then. The Celtics were irrelevant for what 15 years post -Bird?
WWRWD?
And during that period the Bulls, Spurs, and Lakers dominated the vast majority of the playoffs, with assorted futility by most of the other good teams.
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
Has it? You know only 8 organizations have won the last 30 NBA championships? That includes two 1-timers (one of whom could add to that total this year), one 2-timer (a repeat), two 3-timers, one 4-timer, one six-timer, and one 10-timer.
In fact, only 16 franchises have ever won an NBA championship.
MY DAD WAS WRONG!
MY BOY NEEDS TO THROW HARDER!
The semi-interesting thing is it hadn’t always been like this. There were 8 franchises to win a championship in the 1970’s, and there’s been 8 since.
Brandon Crawford: Your SF Giants 2012 Opening Day starting SS?
I think a big part of it
is that having one superstar in the NBA pretty much guarantees you’ll be competitive. The same is not true in baseball or football
Sharlon Schoop - honkbalspeler extraordinaire.
Trolls are like cockroach Nazis. Sure, you CAN try to reason with them, but they won't listen, and if you respond to them, they invade your Sudetenland.
Or something.
That metaphor got away from me.
That should give the crappy franchises hope then. All you have to do is luck into a Tim Duncan or LeBron and you go from being the Warriors to a contender.
WWRWD?
exactly
however, the flipside of that is that there aren’t very many superstars
Sharlon Schoop - honkbalspeler extraordinaire.
Trolls are like cockroach Nazis. Sure, you CAN try to reason with them, but they won't listen, and if you respond to them, they invade your Sudetenland.
Or something.
That metaphor got away from me.
See my comment above.
Over that 30 year stretch at least 18 teams have been legitimate title contenders (including the 8 winners), while the 8 teams who have won titles have also had stretches of being terrible.
I mean, even though Portland, Dallas, PHX and Sac (for example) haven’t won a title I wouldn’t say thoses seasons in which they were close were meaningless.
WWRWD?
Even so, that means that there have been 12 teams that have been pointless for 30 years.
Brandon Crawford: Your SF Giants 2012 Opening Day starting SS?
The 2007 Warriors weren’t a title contender but I wouldn’t call them pointless. Same for the Webber teams and the Run TMC era before that. And I just listed those 18 teams off the top of my head, there are probably more.
WWRWD?
I would file a first round upset as an 8 seed under “playing spoiler.” No 42-40 has a legitimate shot at winning a title in the NBA.
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
The only reason the Warriors of 2007 wasn’t pointless was because they hadn’t been in the play offs in over a decade. It’s all relative. If that were the Lakers who did it, no one would have remembered it.
Brandon Crawford: Your SF Giants 2012 Opening Day starting SS?
Sadly
The Lakers going in as the 8th seed would be like baseball in 2008: “That year the Yankees didn’t make the playoffs.”
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
They were pointless.
2010 World Series Champions!
Adopted 'nephew' to the ever avuncular and always awesome Jon Miller
by Johnny Disaster on May 6, 2011 11:47 AM PDT up reply actions
NY teams are important for interest and would be important for teams in the lower division to have on the schedule.
And LOL MLB™ allowing them to be relegated. Nevar.
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 9:39 AM PDT up reply actions
I also think it will create lots of NYY/KC Athletics relationships.
Kickham where it hurts
by say hey nation on May 6, 2011 9:39 AM PDT up reply actions
you mean "Oakland Athletics"
Nick Swisher, Jason Giambi, Eric Chavez, Catfish Hunter, Reggie Jackson, and Rickey Henderson say hi!
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 10:40 AM PDT up reply actions
To be fair
Chavez barely counts. He signed a minor league deal, its not like he left during the peak of his career.
Jose Flores: .831 OPS in High-A last year, 23 years old. This is his year.
Co-dad of Ryan Scoma with waelwulf, because we're progressive like that.
by free f.p. #14 on May 6, 2011 10:50 AM PDT up reply actions
just kidding around
I think SHN was referring to Del Webb pushing the franchise to his sockpuppet Arnold Johnson, but still. Farm clubs are fun! The Giants need one.
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 10:53 AM PDT up reply actions
or
“sharing the wealth”. LOL communism!
I think all these things are mostly a fools’ errand in a game whose history and conduct has been dominated by NY teams since the beginning.
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 9:38 AM PDT up reply actions
…and most recently, one of those who have fled New York.
Giants 2010 in review: One Jerry Garcia bobblehead, one world championship. Questions?
I didn't mean that
I meant owners’ meetings and votes and such, especially in the 50’s.
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 9:48 AM PDT up reply actions
Which is crazy
because aren’t there just like 4 good soccer teams that dominate every year?
by GuyWhiteyCorngood on May 6, 2011 9:15 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Wouldn't work for baseball.
NBA, however, needs to do it. Just a 2 tier system would work fine.
I'm still waiting for John Johnstone to come off the DL.
by yankeessuck8991 on May 6, 2011 12:51 PM PDT up reply actions
What would could solve a lot of Basketball’s problems at the NBA and NCAA levels would be NCAA only awarding scholarships with a minimum 3 year commitment.
Any HS senior is eligible for the NBA draft but must go to the D-League for at least one year if they come straight out of HS.
Any NCAA player could be drafted at any time but the team must pay back the used portion of his schollarship and keep him in D league until he is at least three years removed from HS.
D League salaries would have limits on them comparble to the top end of NCAA scholarships, 30-40K per year.
That ends up being very similar to what baseball does. It would make the DLeague more interesting creating a better ecosystem of talent in the D League. It would commit most HS players to at least 3 years of college. Only the most elite would choose the HS to DLeague route.
Under this scenario, kids who aren’t interested in academics go to the DLeague and kids who want to be prepared for alternative careers go to college. Ofcourse there will be some who choose college because they feel it would be better development than DLeague but that becomes a choice of the player.
Relief! I Thank you for your Lefferts.
I like it.
The Golden Bear is ever watching
2011 Giants Adoptee: Brian Lawrence
San Francisco Giants Won the 2010 World Series: Not a Typo
Why?
It makes absolutely no sense and would require a complete and total reworking of the entire MLB.
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
I call him gerald. he’s a pristine white handkerchief, though? nediB eoJ Joe Biden ‽ Joe Biden.
Aside from being insane, it will never, ever, ever happen, so it not worth discussing. My preferred playoff format (two divisions perleague, 7-game division series, 9-game WS) will happen first, and that will never, ever happen.
by wcw on May 6, 2011 9:04 AM PDT up reply actions
I agree with you in that it will never happen (I mean can you imagine the Mets or Phillies being relegated)
but I like the idea in preventing teams from having low payrolls just to make money.
The Golden Bear is ever watching
2011 Giants Adoptee: Brian Lawrence
San Francisco Giants Won the 2010 World Series: Not a Typo
So you think it’s better for teams to be forced to overpay for mediocre free agents in order to reach a salary floor?
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
I call him gerald. he’s a pristine white handkerchief, though? nediB eoJ Joe Biden ‽ Joe Biden.
No. That’s how it work in the current system. There is nothing prevent a well run team like the Rays to stay competitive without having a big payroll
The Golden Bear is ever watching
2011 Giants Adoptee: Brian Lawrence
San Francisco Giants Won the 2010 World Series: Not a Typo
What?
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
I call him gerald. he’s a pristine white handkerchief, though? nediB eoJ Joe Biden ‽ Joe Biden.
A tiered system would impose a salary floor. It would just make it financially beneficial for a team/owner to stay competitive. If a team could do it cheaply (i.e. the Rays) it’s fine. But it would help prevent teams like the Marlins and Royal from having consistent low payrolls to make money.
The Golden Bear is ever watching
2011 Giants Adoptee: Brian Lawrence
San Francisco Giants Won the 2010 World Series: Not a Typo
So, the salary floor only exists if the team is not good? That still leads to the same end, with teams like the Royals having a ton of great prospects in the pipeline, but forced to overspend for veterans to reach the salary floor and potentially blocking those prospects.
And, why are you including the Marlins in that?
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
I call him gerald. he’s a pristine white handkerchief, though? nediB eoJ Joe Biden ‽ Joe Biden.
sorry
I mean wouldn’t impose a salary floor.
The Golden Bear is ever watching
2011 Giants Adoptee: Brian Lawrence
San Francisco Giants Won the 2010 World Series: Not a Typo
How do you force teams not to have a low payroll if you don’t have a salary floor?
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
I call him gerald. he’s a pristine white handkerchief, though? nediB eoJ Joe Biden ‽ Joe Biden.
They would be relegated to a “lower tier” which would 1) cause embarrassment to the owner/team and 2) be financially challenging.
The tiered system acknowledges the fact that the Royals, A’s, Marlins, Rays, Pirates, and some other teams don’t have the financial resources to go up against the Yankees. If the team is ran well, it can be in the top league. Otherwise, it simply acknowledges reality.
The Golden Bear is ever watching
2011 Giants Adoptee: Brian Lawrence
San Francisco Giants Won the 2010 World Series: Not a Typo
Would a team in the lower tier have no shot at the playoffs for the year they’re there?
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
I call him gerald. he’s a pristine white handkerchief, though? nediB eoJ Joe Biden ‽ Joe Biden.
Of course they would. Like the Rays last year and the Marlins this year.
The Golden Bear is ever watching
2011 Giants Adoptee: Brian Lawrence
San Francisco Giants Won the 2010 World Series: Not a Typo
The Rays would have been in the lower tier last year after two straight years of competitive performance?
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
I call him gerald. he’s a pristine white handkerchief, though? nediB eoJ Joe Biden ‽ Joe Biden.
Also
if they can make the playoffs from there, then what does being in the lower tier actually entail?
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
I call him gerald. he’s a pristine white handkerchief, though? nediB eoJ Joe Biden ‽ Joe Biden.
sorry
I am having serious reading failure this morning
No, a lower team league would not qualify for the playoffs for the World Series. They would get the chance to move up to the top tier.
The system would encourage sustained success rather than one year wonders and fire sales.
The Golden Bear is ever watching
2011 Giants Adoptee: Brian Lawrence
San Francisco Giants Won the 2010 World Series: Not a Typo
Actually, I think one year wonders and fire sales would be exactly what it could encourage. I’m in the bottom tier, I need to get out to start making money, throw a bunch of money at a 1 or 2 year success plan to get myself out of this tier, then worry about tomorrow when it comes.
by GuyWhiteyCorngood on May 6, 2011 9:28 AM PDT up reply actions
Yeah but if you need to be good at least two years to even be in the real playoffs.
The Golden Bear is ever watching
2011 Giants Adoptee: Brian Lawrence
San Francisco Giants Won the 2010 World Series: Not a Typo
I guess we could debate hypotheticals
but really, the best evidence we have is to just look at the English football/soccer league and see that it doesn’t work.
by GuyWhiteyCorngood on May 6, 2011 9:31 AM PDT up reply actions
So the Rays with 97 wins in 2008 would have no shot at the playoffs? The Indians this year would have no shot at anything?
Hell, the Giants last year would have had no shot at the WS?
Systems that encourage ‘sustained success’ seem like it would just lead to exactly what happens in the Premier League, where only four teams ever actually win anything. What’s wrong with one-year wonders?
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
I call him gerald. he’s a pristine white handkerchief, though? nediB eoJ Joe Biden ‽ Joe Biden.
Fire sales and pretty much suckiness for the other years.
The Golden Bear is ever watching
2011 Giants Adoptee: Brian Lawrence
San Francisco Giants Won the 2010 World Series: Not a Typo
I feel like the Marlins are the only team that’s actually true for.
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
I call him gerald. he’s a pristine white handkerchief, though? nediB eoJ Joe Biden ‽ Joe Biden.
The Padres did it once too, what was it, 98?
by GuyWhiteyCorngood on May 6, 2011 9:33 AM PDT up reply actions
They’ve also been doing it for the last few years.
The Golden Bear is ever watching
2011 Giants Adoptee: Brian Lawrence
San Francisco Giants Won the 2010 World Series: Not a Typo
Huh, it’s almost like they can’t stay competitive because they cost for players has gotten beyond a reasonable level for half of the teams.
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
It really seems like all this would actually do
is further widen the gap between the haves and the have nots.
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
I call him gerald. he’s a pristine white handkerchief, though? nediB eoJ Joe Biden ‽ Joe Biden.
but is that gap ever going to get better?
You can also set up a system where the top two teams in the lower tier play each other at the end of the year for a WC spot in the real playoffs
The Golden Bear is ever watching
2011 Giants Adoptee: Brian Lawrence
San Francisco Giants Won the 2010 World Series: Not a Typo
It might, but I really have yet to see any argument as to how a relegation system like the one you’re talking about would do anything whatsoever to fix it.
Besides, I think the issue is with bad management more so than spending.
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
I call him gerald. he’s a pristine white handkerchief, though? nediB eoJ Joe Biden ‽ Joe Biden.
sure
Put another team each in Boston and New York. Maybe two.
by wcw on May 6, 2011 9:36 AM PDT up reply actions
that'd still take probably 20 years
for those teams to have a big fan base.
Sharlon Schoop - honkbalspeler extraordinaire.
Trolls are like cockroach Nazis. Sure, you CAN try to reason with them, but they won't listen, and if you respond to them, they invade your Sudetenland.
Or something.
That metaphor got away from me.
Give them an unusually advantageous expension draft, then. Everyone loves a winner.
by wcw on May 6, 2011 9:39 AM PDT up reply actions
even then
Yankees and SAWX have a pretty entrenched fan base. You’d pretty much have to wait until people who grow up fans of those teams get old enough to spend money on them.
Sharlon Schoop - honkbalspeler extraordinaire.
Trolls are like cockroach Nazis. Sure, you CAN try to reason with them, but they won't listen, and if you respond to them, they invade your Sudetenland.
Or something.
That metaphor got away from me.
they don't have to be as big a draw as the mets
in order to start having an impact.
Proud papa to: Bill Schlough, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, aka the IT guy.
Your mom's a girl
This is exactly how you sell the move to those teams owners.
by wcw on May 6, 2011 9:44 AM PDT up reply actions
It’s better to attack untapped market. The Rockies are the best example of this in recent history (no spring training nearby to muck things up).
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
yeah
Portland would probably be a good option
Sharlon Schoop - honkbalspeler extraordinaire.
Trolls are like cockroach Nazis. Sure, you CAN try to reason with them, but they won't listen, and if you respond to them, they invade your Sudetenland.
Or something.
That metaphor got away from me.
I’m discouraged by the fact that they moved the AAA team again because the locals wouldn’t pay for a baseball-only stadium. Maybe the timing was wrong because of the economy, but I question whether Portland is viable because of its size and the fact that it’s pinned between the Giants and Mariners (yes, the Giants market actually creeps well up into Oregon).
Portland is a great city, but it may just be best-suited to support a minor league team, like Reno.
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
I only thought of it
because of how much support there is for their basketball team.
Sharlon Schoop - honkbalspeler extraordinaire.
Trolls are like cockroach Nazis. Sure, you CAN try to reason with them, but they won't listen, and if you respond to them, they invade your Sudetenland.
Or something.
That metaphor got away from me.
my understanding
from PDX baseball nerbs is that there’s just no political will anywhere to build a facility. Which is sad (but then again if all those proposals involve millionaire stadium welfare I don’t blame them).
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 10:01 AM PDT up reply actions
There would be support for it. People cite that the AAA numbers were bad as a reason why no one would support MLB, but that’s like saying someone wouldn’t eat steak because they hate hamburgers. There would be most certainly be rabid support.
But the thing about Portland is it doesn’t really, what’s the best word here, strive for things for which other cities strive. Portland’s identity really isn’t wrapped up in the notion that you’re not a great city of you don’t have sports teams. I kinda like that. But at the same time, San Francisco is ten hours away, it would be nice to walk to a yard here downtown and see a big league game. Oh well.
Brian Sabean strongly encourages you to disregard the drudgery of your employment responsibilities and join him in the consumption of spirituous libations.
not big enough.
Proud papa to: Bill Schlough, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, aka the IT guy.
Your mom's a girl
Not true.
Brian Sabean strongly encourages you to disregard the drudgery of your employment responsibilities and join him in the consumption of spirituous libations.
it might take 20 years
for lots of things to happen.
not exactly an argument against.
Proud papa to: Bill Schlough, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, aka the IT guy.
Your mom's a girl
all I'm saying
is that it wouldn’t be a quick fix
Sharlon Schoop - honkbalspeler extraordinaire.
Trolls are like cockroach Nazis. Sure, you CAN try to reason with them, but they won't listen, and if you respond to them, they invade your Sudetenland.
Or something.
That metaphor got away from me.
I disagree
Sure, put an indifferent ownership group in place with little support, and that’ll happen. Put some institutional oomph behind it, things can change.
Winning works. Marketing works.
I'm not sure a quick fix is needed
long term steps are ok.
If you split the NY MSA into halves, each half is about the same size as the Chicago MSA. Which is split itself between two teams.
I don’t think it’s going to happen. I just think it should happen.
Proud papa to: Bill Schlough, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, aka the IT guy.
Your mom's a girl
oh the area could definitely support it
especially considering it was able to support 3 teams 60 years ago
Sharlon Schoop - honkbalspeler extraordinaire.
Trolls are like cockroach Nazis. Sure, you CAN try to reason with them, but they won't listen, and if you respond to them, they invade your Sudetenland.
Or something.
That metaphor got away from me.
the numbers really pile up
if you look at the Arbitron radio markets, which split out NYC from Nassau, Somerset, Monmouth, etc. Gigantic market is gigantic.
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 10:32 AM PDT up reply actions
I think the area could support it, but I don’t think it really deserves it, and things will still be extremely lopsided. I mean, did you see the stands during the Mets series? Even the Yankees aren’t putting the expected number of butts in seats right now.
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
Even NY will refuse to pay outrageous prices for tickets. It’s the media revenue anyway, that’s like the Pac-10 basketball tourney playing to crickets in LA.
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 10:37 AM PDT up reply actions
Fair. But I don’t know how you squeeze another team into the NY market with YES sitting on everything.
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
The Yankees and Mets would never allow it anyway, it’s no more likely than any of my other realignbation fantasies in this thread.
I think NJ or CT would have interesting effects on the Yankees and Red Nex, eventually, if they got teams.
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 10:42 AM PDT up reply actions
Not to mention the Phillies. South Jersey is rectumface territory.
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
them too
I found Devils fans very annoying once upon a time, and I bet Jersey Spirit would really rally around a team of their own.
I mean, I think the Atlantic League’s entire survival depends on NYY/NYM keeping everyone out.
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 10:47 AM PDT up reply actions
Fair point; I still kinda cringe at the thought of the Phillies, Mets, Yankees, Nationals, Oriorles, and another team all playing within that same tiny area.
The East Coast makes no sense to me.
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
I remain to be convinced that the Nats and Orioles make sense, but hard to tell until one becomes regularly good again.
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 10:51 AM PDT up reply actions
Balt/Wash is bigger than SF/Oakland
Jonathan Sanchez: Often maddening to watch, but capable of perfection on a moment's notice---just like his adoptive father.
so?
One of those areas has two baseball teams, and the other has a team and a tarp.
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 10:53 AM PDT up reply actions
Yes, but it’s like SF/OAK and LAD/LAA with major league teams in Fresno and Santa Barbara along the way.
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
Oh, you were replying to nat, not me. Moving on.
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
my reply
sounded overly combative, I think, when I just meant to make fun of the tarp. Sorry roto.
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 10:56 AM PDT up reply actions
Newark Nabobs!
2010 World Series Champions!
Adopted 'nephew' to the ever avuncular and always awesome Jon Miller
by Johnny Disaster on May 6, 2011 11:36 AM PDT up reply actions
Kearny Karjackers!
Giants 2010 in review: One Jerry Garcia bobblehead, one world championship. Questions?
Philadelphia Athletics! No, wait…
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 12:20 PM PDT up reply actions
but is that gap ever going to get better?
http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/MLB/1989-standings.shtml
by GuyWhiteyCorngood on May 6, 2011 9:38 AM PDT up reply actions
Trying to fix the gap is better than throwing the Astros out with the bathwater.
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
So would making revenue sharing earnings be based on something like, oh, actual revenue, instead of team payroll.
by GuyWhiteyCorngood on May 6, 2011 9:20 AM PDT up reply actions
take revenue
divide by 30. Stop whining, rich people who like to pocket salary sharing or ticket sales.
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 9:41 AM PDT up reply actions
BUT IT WORKED FOR NASCAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kickham where it hurts
by say hey nation on May 6, 2011 9:43 AM PDT up reply actions
I think if a baseball team has 5 or more consecutive under .500 seasons
Their uniforms should include red rubber noses and ruffled collars.
Dearest, Susan - The Patron Saint of Patience
by Lars The Wanderer on May 6, 2011 9:05 AM PDT up reply actions
Would the noses light up?
The Golden Bear is ever watching
2011 Giants Adoptee: Brian Lawrence
San Francisco Giants Won the 2010 World Series: Not a Typo
LOL 70's
/rainbow unis
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 9:07 AM PDT up reply actions
Please please please please please
Brian Sabean strongly encourages you to disregard the drudgery of your employment responsibilities and join him in the consumption of spirituous libations.
Lets just let Willie chose.
Kickham where it hurts
by say hey nation on May 6, 2011 9:36 AM PDT up reply actions
I think when no one is watching
Away from the prying eyes of and ridiculous pocket protectors of bloggers, Willie will sometimes go up to a current Giant and challenge them.
“Hey Andres, I’ll race you to the CF fence and back”
“Hey Pablo, I bet I can hit more balls into the cove then you can”
And then, he wins those challenges because he kicks ass.
He is Willie Mays.
Dearest, Susan - The Patron Saint of Patience
by Lars The Wanderer on May 6, 2011 8:59 AM PDT reply actions 4 recs
Happy Birthday Willie Mays
The Greatest.
by freesia39 on May 6, 2011 8:59 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
These are great. Those 60s uniforms will always be what baseball players should wear, as far as I’m concerned. Also, the shots of Mays wearing hipster clothes of the various eras are something else. And his wife (of the time) Marguerite… Although the ones with him in a Mets outfit are unfortunate.
by Comrade Conrad on May 6, 2011 4:13 PM PDT up reply actions
I love the story Kruk told about him on KNBR this morning
Some reporter asked him how much he thinks he’d be making if he were playing today, and he says about $300,000. They asked why he thought that, when there’s players making tens of millions of dollars. He says “Well, I’m 80 years old”.
by apistat on May 6, 2011 9:15 AM PDT reply actions 13 recs
LOL! Love it!
The San Francisco Giants: 2010 World Series Champions
I'M A GIRL
by Prussian Creole on May 6, 2011 9:26 AM PDT up reply actions
Willie loves that joke. <3
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
LOL Willie :)
"He knocks a stake through the heart of the Cardinals! The Cardinals are dead! The Giants are going to the World Series!!!" -Jon Miller
t's Posey time!!
My Adopted Giant: Heath Hembree
Best. He has an awesome sense of humor.
Supporting San Francisco Dugout since 2005 and Manny Burriss since 2006. Bringing you all your California League and New York-Penn League needs since 2009.
by BaronVonCurrentEvents on May 6, 2011 11:23 AM PDT up reply actions
makes me laugh every time
Just imagining Willie and the way he would say it…
Thank you Edgar Renteria, for hitting the ball three feet higher.
I liked this short one from Gary.
When asked what he thought of Jose Canseco being the first 40-40 player. Willie replied laughingly, “If I knew it was such a big deal back then I would have done it 10 times.”
by IRONxMIKE on May 6, 2011 9:20 AM PDT reply actions 6 recs
Happy Birthday, Willie!
I can only imagine what it was like to watch him play, and I’ll always regret that.
There’s really nothing to say beyond that.
The San Francisco Giants: 2010 World Series Champions
I'M A GIRL
Why doesn’t Comcast get access to a couple of Willie’s games (there has to be footage of some of them) and broadcast them so we can at least see what he was like in the flow of a game?
Hey Sandoval, mix in a salad. Everyone else, mix in a walk.
Because MLB won't sell them the rights.
MLB needs to hold onto them despite the many inquirers willing to pay because MLB needs to, um, well, I have no idea why they wouldn’t.
Better to be a Giants fan than an Athletic supporter!
FOR THE GOOD OF THE GAME
Obviously any links in the above post are probably NSFW
The baseball gods do not always punish the wicked but they will not just allow people to spit in their faces -- Joe Posnanski
Kudos, You are a sick, sick man, but you are very good at it -- wcw
Because most games were not broadcast, little footage besides newsreel coverage of the World Series exists.
Brian Sabean strongly encourages you to disregard the drudgery of your employment responsibilities and join him in the consumption of spirituous libations.
I hope Barry’s there tonight.
Brian Sabean strongly encourages you to disregard the drudgery of your employment responsibilities and join him in the consumption of spirituous libations.
I guarantee it
My mind ain't nuthin' but a total blank, I think I'll just stay here and draaank - Merle Haggard
by NuschlerFace on May 6, 2011 10:01 AM PDT up reply actions
My dad still tells me Mays stories
Says his favorite Mays memory was when he hit a 3-run home run at a game he attended with his father in the early 60’s.
Yes my dad is LOL OLD
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!
And MLB really dropped the ball on this one. We should have been playing a team that meant something to Willie (Mets would have been PERFECT!)
Kickham where it hurts
Say Hey Day!
Happy 80th to Willie Mays, the greatest all-around baseball player ever!
Unofficial SF Giants Designs
I don't make a buck off my poster designs. I do it for the love of the SF Giants, passion for design and for my fellow SF Giants fans!
by jaewong on May 6, 2011 9:39 AM PDT reply actions 7 recs
Happy Birthday, Willie
My dad took me to my first three Giants games in 1965.
The first game we just watched and ate and ate and watched.
The second game he taught me how to keep score.
The third game dad specifically got us tickets behind the opponent’s dugout. Dad instructed me to watch Willie for the entire game. When he was in the field, at the plate, in the dugout. “Don’t take your eyes of Willie. By the end of the day, you will know everything that you need to know about baseball.” Damned if the old man wasn’t right.
Thanks, Willie. And thanks, dad.
SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!
by section214 on May 6, 2011 9:46 AM PDT reply actions 8 recs
OH C'MON CHARLES
Fast Forward to #1 if you want the LOLs Seriously this man won an olympic gold medal for his athletics achievements.
Obviously any links in the above post are probably NSFW
The baseball gods do not always punish the wicked but they will not just allow people to spit in their faces -- Joe Posnanski
Kudos, You are a sick, sick man, but you are very good at it -- wcw
This is great.
JPosnanski Joe Posnanski
Thoughts on Willie Mays turning 80 today. http://wp.me/pVBCv-1Ud
Adopted Father of Marc Kroon. He better make the roster.
by bruddah on May 6, 2011 9:52 AM PDT reply actions 5 recs
This pretty much sums it up:
Bottom of the 5th. Giants leading Dodgers 4-1.
– Willie Mays walk
– Jack Hiatt single to RF (Mays scores)
That’s it. That’s the whole masterpiece. Mays walks. Mays scores on follow-up single. What? How? Here’s the most amazing part of all: Mays had by 1967 done these sorts of minor-miracles so many times, that the witnesses did not even feel the need to explain it anymore. There was an Associated Press photograph that appeared in papers the next day of Mays sliding under Jeff Torborg’s glove on the play. But even the cutline, even the accompanying stories, did not explain HOW Willie Mays scored from first on a single. He had to be moving on the pitch. He had to notice the way the outfielder was turned. He had to see how the cutoff man was set up. He had to …
Nothing. The only thing that papers said was that Willie Mays was at it again. That was enough. Heck, the night before he had scored from second on a wild pitch. Later that game he mashed a 400-plus foot home run. Yep, Willie Mays was at it again. Claude Debussy is the musician who said that music is the silence between the notes. Mays’ genius was the silence within the scorecards
The San Francisco Giants: 2010 World Series Champions
I'M A GIRL
by Prussian Creole on May 6, 2011 9:55 AM PDT up reply actions 3 recs
Honestly, who scores from 1st on a single?!?
We’re all marveling at Darren Ford VROOM, but I don’t think for one second Ford could do that.
The San Francisco Giants: 2010 World Series Champions
I'M A GIRL
by Prussian Creole on May 6, 2011 9:56 AM PDT up reply actions
Maybe it was Bengie who got the "single"
The Golden Bear is ever watching
2011 Giants Adoptee: Brian Lawrence
San Francisco Giants Won the 2010 World Series: Not a Typo
Mays was probably running on the play, and it was a long single. With that said, it’s still awesome.
Brandon Crawford: Your SF Giants 2012 Opening Day starting SS?
yeah Jack Hiatt was a catcher
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
I call him gerald. he’s a pristine white handkerchief, though? nediB eoJ Joe Biden ‽ Joe Biden.
I saw him do it.
Not this game I don’t think. But I saw him play a lot when I was a kid, and he did do this. He’d go to third, and then if the outfielder was a little slow getting the ball into second, Willie would just . . . go. His cap would fly off, and he’d just take off. I always tried to talk my Dad into getting first base box seats, because the sight of Willie taking his turn after a single was so amazing; you know he’d take second if there was a chance.
Thing is, i never got to see him play in San Francisco. My Dad was an opera singer, and he’d take me along to gigs, and if the Giants were in town in whatever city we were in, I’d go to the ballgame, in Chicago, Cincinatti, New York, Pittsburgh.
Fulfilling your Gus Benusa needs since 2009!
by Giantsfan4life on May 6, 2011 1:34 PM PDT up reply actions
Todd Linden scored from first on a single
I saw it on TV, so I think he wasn’t running on it, but I can’t be sure.
Basically, it was one of those long singles that get cut off in the gap, so he was about halfway to third about the time the OF gloved it.
"The two worst things in football are: 1) They think that a 30-year old professional athlete has to be locked up in a hotel room, with a curfew, the night before a qame; and 2) They're right."
- Cowboy safety Cliff Harris
Fantastic
Obviously any links in the above post are probably NSFW
The baseball gods do not always punish the wicked but they will not just allow people to spit in their faces -- Joe Posnanski
Kudos, You are a sick, sick man, but you are very good at it -- wcw
Every Giants fan needs to read this, especially the young 'uns and bandwagoners who will be permanently joining our ranks.
Read the whole thing. NOW.
/“READ [some other guy’s] BLOG!!!!” ?
Better to be a Giants fan than an Athletic supporter!
I wasn’t there for Willie Mays. But I can see that smile. I can see the years behind the smile — all the times he raced home when no one expected it, all the times he caught fly balls nobody thought he could reach, all the times he looked utterly helpless and baffled at the plate only to turn on the next pitch.
That post inexplicably made it rather dusty in here.
"Today, it's as if McCovey's line drive finally went through. And the earthquake didn't happen. And Spiezio struck out. And Snow was safe."
Vroom. Walks. Five positions. Justin Christian
Hate waiting for a call for a job
It’s like waiting for college admission letters.
Haven’t gotten rejected but haven’t gotten accepted.
The Golden Bear is ever watching
2011 Giants Adoptee: Brian Lawrence
San Francisco Giants Won the 2010 World Series: Not a Typo
LOL Bruno Sammartino!!!
I met him once. Not the friendliest guy.
Buster Posey: Let's enjoy him before he goes to the Yankees because he wants to win the World Series. Wait, what???
I doubt many of you remember wrestling great Bruno Sanmartino. Now that was when wrestling was wrestling.
Giants 2010 in review: One Jerry Garcia bobblehead, one world championship. Questions?
Don’t remember him—was he a wrestler?
Giants 2010 in review: One Jerry Garcia bobblehead, one world championship. Questions?
It’s true. Do I get some cred back for Pedro Morales? Toro Tanaka and Mr Fuji? Chief Jay Strongbow? Haystack Calhoun? That’s all I got.
Giants 2010 in review: One Jerry Garcia bobblehead, one world championship. Questions?
my favorite
I wore those shirts as a teenager, and worked out for hours trying to get muscles like that. Didn’t know anything about roids!
Buster Posey: Let's enjoy him before he goes to the Yankees because he wants to win the World Series. Wait, what???
PEPPER GOMEZ
2010 World Series Champions!
Adopted 'nephew' to the ever avuncular and always awesome Jon Miller
by Johnny Disaster on May 6, 2011 11:39 AM PDT up reply actions
I doubt many of you remember wrestling great Bruno Sanmartino. Now that was when wrestling was wrestling. horseshit.
My mind ain't nuthin' but a total blank, I think I'll just stay here and draaank - Merle Haggard
by NuschlerFace on May 6, 2011 10:24 AM PDT up reply actions
HORSE HUMPER
Dearest, Susan - The Patron Saint of Patience
by Lars The Wanderer on May 6, 2011 10:24 AM PDT up reply actions
FERRET FISTER
My mind ain't nuthin' but a total blank, I think I'll just stay here and draaank - Merle Haggard
by NuschlerFace on May 6, 2011 10:50 AM PDT up reply actions
VOLE VIOLATOR
Giants 2010 in review: One Jerry Garcia bobblehead, one world championship. Questions?
LOL at the halo
Kickham where it hurts
by say hey nation on May 6, 2011 10:13 AM PDT up reply actions
HA HA
Brian Sabean strongly encourages you to disregard the drudgery of your employment responsibilities and join him in the consumption of spirituous libations.
Were the guys in the pic chanting "Haters gonna Hate!" ?
Time to repeat in '11!
by Myemail21479 on May 6, 2011 12:16 PM PDT up reply actions
Tejada
A more personal perspective of Tejada’s struggles from Marcos Breton of the Sacramento Bee “It hurts to see Tejada batting below .200”:
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/05/06/3606317/marcos-breton-it-hurts-to-see.html#mi_rss=San%20Francisco%20Giants
It’s interesting how he fails to mention that DeRosa could easily supplant Tejada if he stays healthy. Even if DeRosa has issues with his wrist time from time, he can still be the primary 3rd baseman until Pablo comes back.
yeah, but Bochy would probably then return Tejada to short. Fontenot isn’t going to keep hitting like this.
Buster Posey: Let's enjoy him before he goes to the Yankees because he wants to win the World Series. Wait, what???
I don’t think it’s Bochy’s decision then. I mean, if Tejada was performing, would Fontenot be playing short at all? Fontenot did play third for the team last season.
by Grant_ME_MERCY on May 6, 2011 10:10 AM PDT up reply actions
Tejada returns to short, Bochy takes Fontenot to Isengard
Obviously any links in the above post are probably NSFW
The baseball gods do not always punish the wicked but they will not just allow people to spit in their faces -- Joe Posnanski
Kudos, You are a sick, sick man, but you are very good at it -- wcw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uE-1RPDqJAY
Sharlon Schoop - honkbalspeler extraordinaire.
Trolls are like cockroach Nazis. Sure, you CAN try to reason with them, but they won't listen, and if you respond to them, they invade your Sudetenland.
Or something.
That metaphor got away from me.
you mean Number 3 Hitter Mike Fontenot
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
I call him gerald. he’s a pristine white handkerchief, though? nediB eoJ Joe Biden ‽ Joe Biden.
by jponry on May 6, 2011 10:17 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Probably
Tejada is older after all
Time to repeat in '11!
by Myemail21479 on May 6, 2011 12:17 PM PDT up reply actions
I'm a little skeptical about people saying this tbh
Bochy is playing Fontenot at short over Tejada.
Bochy is having Fontenot hit 3rd and Tejada 8th.
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
I call him gerald. he’s a pristine white handkerchief, though? nediB eoJ Joe Biden ‽ Joe Biden.
Except when he bats Tejada 5th. Or 2nd.
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUU
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
Fontenot is hitting well, but it won’t continue. When he slumps, especially if Tejada shows some signs of life, who do you think is going to get benched?
Buster Posey: Let's enjoy him before he goes to the Yankees because he wants to win the World Series. Wait, what???
Fontenot and Renteria effectively pushed Pablo to the bench in September due to defensive issues. I think Mike has more of a chance at sticking at SS than you want to give him credit for.
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
How dare you bring up Tejada on this historic occasion!
Brian Sabean strongly encourages you to disregard the drudgery of your employment responsibilities and join him in the consumption of spirituous libations.
TEJADA FOR MAYS!
If we’re going to get the same results, I think I’d rather get Mays out of retirement…
Better to be a Giants fan than an Athletic supporter!
Fun fact: If you stick Mays’ career in the run scoring environment of the 2000 Rockies, he hits 869 career home runs while batting .359/.447/.662. If you place him in an extremely low run scoring environment (such as the ‘68 Dodgers) he still hits 453 home runs. That’s amazing.
Ask me about my blog.
by xanthan on May 6, 2011 10:09 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
How did you figure that out?
Jonathan Sanchez: Often maddening to watch, but capable of perfection on a moment's notice---just like his adoptive father.
not a table?
The Golden Bear is ever watching
2011 Giants Adoptee: Brian Lawrence
San Francisco Giants Won the 2010 World Series: Not a Typo
The graph was sitting on a table.
2010 World Series Champions!
Adopted 'nephew' to the ever avuncular and always awesome Jon Miller
by Johnny Disaster on May 6, 2011 11:40 AM PDT up reply actions
BB-Ref’s neutralized batting tool
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mayswi01-bat.shtml
It’s a bunch of fun to play around with (TWSS!)
Run Bonds’ numbers through it sometime, it will impress you.
Ask me about my blog.
That's just graphy!
Dearest, Susan - The Patron Saint of Patience
by Lars The Wanderer on May 6, 2011 10:12 AM PDT up reply actions
LOL 100 home runs!!!
Jonathan Sanchez: Often maddening to watch, but capable of perfection on a moment's notice---just like his adoptive father.
1,046 career home runs! I especially liked the year when he bats .458
Ask me about my blog.
by xanthan on May 6, 2011 10:18 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
did you also
adjust for 2 years playing baseball in the Army?
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 10:14 AM PDT up reply actions
Super-quick painting I did this morning
I wanted to do an action pose but was feeling lazy.
by Natto on May 6, 2011 10:19 AM PDT reply actions 12 recs
I wish my "hours of focused attempt" came close to your "lazy, super-quick efforts."
Well done, sir.
Better to be a Giants fan than an Athletic supporter!
Video of Cain on the Today Show
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/#42913583
That was a cold shot putting him on the spot at the end there.
So, I’ll take this opportunity to retell one of my favorite Giants and my Dad stories.
In 1969, Mays began the year with 587 HRs and was expected to whiz past 600. But injuries, and apparently the onset of his decline, suddenly set in, and late in the year, Willie was still stuck on 599, as he had been for a considerable amount of time. Coincidentally, my Dad had been to only 5 games that season, but had seen Mays hit a HR on each and ever occassion, nearly half of Mays entire output on the season.
So as he had a Kiwanis business trip to San Diego that coincided with a Giants series, he decided that he would attend a game and put an end to the waiting. And on arriving at the stadium that day he took out his program and wrote a note to Lon Simmons guaranteeing that Mays would finally hit his 600th on that day, because his good luck charm was in attendance.
However, as he was calling an usher over to send the note up to the press box, starting lineups were announced and, alas, Mays was resting that day. So my father irritably waved off the usher and sat back down. But of course, Mays came up as a PH in the 6th or 7th inning of that very game and did, indeed, hit his 600th HR. And that program with my Dad’s scribbled note to Lon sat in our home as a hallowed bit of memorabilia for all the years that I lived there.
MY DAD WAS WRONG!
MY BOY NEEDS TO THROW HARDER!
by Roger on May 6, 2011 10:20 AM PDT reply actions 6 recs
Here’s the video of that homer with Lon calling it:
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=14387235
Barry Bonds always seemed to hit a home run near me everytime I would sit in the bleachers.
by Grant_ME_MERCY on May 6, 2011 11:00 AM PDT up reply actions
Thanks for the awesome memory
My mom had ordered me to bed for the night (10 year olds need their rest!), so I listened to that game with my AM radio under my pillow. Laying in the bottom bunk, I clocked myself on the upper rails when Mays hit #600. Your recount had me both smiling and rubbing the top of my forehead.
SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!
As a ten year old in ‘62, I would never fail to listen on KMJ to every word of the post-game show, even on school nights. The parents just gave up after a while. I don’t think I ever just fell asleep anyway in the middle.
Is a girl.
by gallo del cielo on May 6, 2011 1:38 PM PDT up reply actions
Happy 80th Birthday Willie Mays !!
I saw Willie play his last Game as a Giant at Candlestick Park in early May of 1972. I was ten. He hit the ball hard and made a great catch in centerfield(I swear his feet never touched the ground).
In 1971 he said he would steal 24 bases…He stole 23.
Check out his last Topps baseball card ; http://cgi.ebay.com/WILLIE-MAYS-METS-1973-Topps-305-EX-/130385278398?pt=US_Baseball&hash=item1e5b9175be#ht_1150wt_846
What a forearm!
"There have been only two geniuses in the world. Willie Mays and Willie Shakespeare." - Actress Tallulah Bankhead (1962)
by iloveddickdietz on May 6, 2011 10:25 AM PDT reply actions
I SLAPPED TOGETHER SOMETHING TOO!!
WHAT I GOTTA MAKE A WIN NOW ON TOPPA THIS??
Brian Sabean strongly encourages you to disregard the drudgery of your employment responsibilities and join him in the consumption of spirituous libations.
by satyricrash on May 6, 2011 10:34 AM PDT reply actions 13 recs
SAY HEY NOW!!!!
Jonathan Sanchez: Often maddening to watch, but capable of perfection on a moment's notice---just like his adoptive father.
WHAT I GOTTA MAKE A WIN NOW ON TOPPA THIS??
Duh.
Anagram of "SF Giants World Series Champs" = SHARP, ORGASMIC, ENDLESS SWIFT
by Stuttering John Tamargo on May 6, 2011 10:45 AM PDT up reply actions
A man just going to work…
"/>
"I've decided to forgive all my enemies. Why? To give my vengeance the element of surprise." -Rat (Pearls before Swine)
by Joshiga on May 6, 2011 10:39 AM PDT reply actions 3 recs
MAYS AT SS!
"He knocks a stake through the heart of the Cardinals! The Cardinals are dead! The Giants are going to the World Series!!!" -Jon Miller
t's Posey time!!
My Adopted Giant: Heath Hembree
INSTANT UPGRADE
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 10:42 AM PDT up reply actions
Pardon the crappy image quality
But Mays and McCovey sit on my work desk year round!
Ask me about my blog.
It looks like they are jetting around on one of those Back to the Future hoverboards
Dearest, Susan - The Patron Saint of Patience
by Lars The Wanderer on May 6, 2011 10:44 AM PDT up reply actions
Looks like he’s holding a bow in his left hand.
Brandon Crawford: Your SF Giants 2012 Opening Day starting SS?
And this is why I’m not a videographer. I didn’t even notice that until you mentioned it.
LIVE EDT
Tape-delayed for the West Coast
I donno, I think it's pretty bad ass.
Brandon Crawford: Your SF Giants 2012 Opening Day starting SS?
agreed
Supporting San Francisco Dugout since 2005 and Manny Burriss since 2006. Bringing you all your California League and New York-Penn League needs since 2009.
by BaronVonCurrentEvents on May 6, 2011 11:30 AM PDT up reply actions
What I probably liked least about the Ken Burns baseball doc
Mario Cuomo’s playing career got more coverage than Mays’ did.
Anagram of "SF Giants World Series Champs" = SHARP, ORGASMIC, ENDLESS SWIFT
by Stuttering John Tamargo on May 6, 2011 10:46 AM PDT reply actions
Murph
this morning said that Lincecum and Mays in his prime had the same height and playing weight!
"There have been only two geniuses in the world. Willie Mays and Willie Shakespeare." - Actress Tallulah Bankhead (1962)
by iloveddickdietz on May 6, 2011 10:48 AM PDT reply actions
based on
Giants website numbers. Bengie Molina= #225
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 10:52 AM PDT up reply actions
________________
My mind ain't nuthin' but a total blank, I think I'll just stay here and draaank - Merle Haggard
by NuschlerFace on May 6, 2011 10:53 AM PDT up reply actions 9 recs
“In my day, we didn’t have the sticky, green skunk…”
Giants 2010 in review: One Jerry Garcia bobblehead, one world championship. Questions?
Seriously. If any fan of any team would like to submit a “then and now” photo that compares with, or tops this one, I will consider it with an open mind.
Giants 2010 in review: One Jerry Garcia bobblehead, one world championship. Questions?
I saw an incredible photo last year of Wes Parker and Jason Repko. It gave me chills.
My mind ain't nuthin' but a total blank, I think I'll just stay here and draaank - Merle Haggard
by NuschlerFace on May 6, 2011 11:22 AM PDT up reply actions
Needs to be green'd!
Also, adorable. Eeeeeee!
"Today, it's as if McCovey's line drive finally went through. And the earthquake didn't happen. And Spiezio struck out. And Snow was safe."
Vroom. Walks. Five positions. Justin Christian
This is the best picture ever.
Supporting San Francisco Dugout since 2005 and Manny Burriss since 2006. Bringing you all your California League and New York-Penn League needs since 2009.
by BaronVonCurrentEvents on May 6, 2011 11:27 AM PDT up reply actions
Mays was listed at 180 for most of his career. It was probably a little higher toward the end. I doubt Timmy will ever weigh 180, but maybe.
Is a girl.
by gallo del cielo on May 6, 2011 1:42 PM PDT up reply actions
apparently
He is Allan Rivera Manuel, a 26-year-old airport worker and father of one from Houston, and he bears such an uncanny resemblance to the Pacman that he has turned an appreciation for a modern legend into a profession.
why oh why the haircut
he looks like a bearded middle aged lesbian
Honorary parent of Duane Kuiper, beloved solar powered broadcaster and power hitting coach for the Giants.
by Giant Voodoo on May 6, 2011 12:52 PM PDT up reply actions
Love this one
My mind ain't nuthin' but a total blank, I think I'll just stay here and draaank - Merle Haggard
by NuschlerFace on May 6, 2011 11:01 AM PDT reply actions 3 recs
awesome
Supporting San Francisco Dugout since 2005 and Manny Burriss since 2006. Bringing you all your California League and New York-Penn League needs since 2009.
by BaronVonCurrentEvents on May 6, 2011 11:30 AM PDT up reply actions
Shift - A: I have rec'd way too many posts in this thread.
Happy birthday, Willie!
"Today, it's as if McCovey's line drive finally went through. And the earthquake didn't happen. And Spiezio struck out. And Snow was safe."
Vroom. Walks. Five positions. Justin Christian
by Ceora on May 6, 2011 11:02 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
REC'D!
My mind ain't nuthin' but a total blank, I think I'll just stay here and draaank - Merle Haggard
by NuschlerFace on May 6, 2011 11:23 AM PDT up reply actions
Willie Mays
He probably wasn’t ever the “best” at any one aspect of the game, but he’s the only one who among the best at every aspect.
Giants fans are privileged to have had two of the best players of all time wear our uniform proudly. Happy birthday Willie!
Gigante. Campeón. Pumpkin. Andrés Torres.
Dursh nerf darsh narf. Poop.
This makes me smile
A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way. - SLC
I can’t see it. :(
"Today, it's as if McCovey's line drive finally went through. And the earthquake didn't happen. And Spiezio struck out. And Snow was safe."
Vroom. Walks. Five positions. Justin Christian
Neither can I…not sure what happened.
A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way. - SLC
In Chrome you can right click it and open it in a new tab.
Jonathan Sanchez: Often maddening to watch, but capable of perfection on a moment's notice---just like his adoptive father.
Thanks! I never knew that about Chrome. I finally dumped Firefox and went to Chrome.
Supporting San Francisco Dugout since 2005 and Manny Burriss since 2006. Bringing you all your California League and New York-Penn League needs since 2009.
by BaronVonCurrentEvents on May 6, 2011 11:32 AM PDT up reply actions
The Howard Bryant piece on ESPN is decent, but the last line is brilliant
Later in the day, the Colorado Rockies will come to town to a sold-out stadium. The Giants will be handing out birthday hats and mini-replicas of the towering Mays statue that stands in front of AT&T Park. There will be cake and legends and cheering. It is Willie Mays night, which given a little bit of thought, sounds redundant. It’s been Willie Mays night for 60 years.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=bryant_howard&id=6493309
Gigante. Campeón. Pumpkin. Andrés Torres.
Dursh nerf darsh narf. Poop.
by GiantPain on May 6, 2011 11:17 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Howard Bryant is the guy on ESPN.com
whose articles all make me scream “JUST GET TO THE DAMN POINT!”
It’s like reading Henry James’ thoughts on the Royals.
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
Happy 80th Bday to Willie Mays -Thank you for helping me understand the honor & privilege it is to play for the #SFGiants -Buster Posey
SFGiants 6 mins
more retweet favorite reply
"Today, it's as if McCovey's line drive finally went through. And the earthquake didn't happen. And Spiezio struck out. And Snow was safe."
Vroom. Walks. Five positions. Justin Christian
by Ceora on May 6, 2011 11:27 AM PDT reply actions 7 recs
Woah. Messy quote is messy. Sorry.
"Today, it's as if McCovey's line drive finally went through. And the earthquake didn't happen. And Spiezio struck out. And Snow was safe."
Vroom. Walks. Five positions. Justin Christian
Messy? Yes. Epic? Hell yes!
Giants 2010 in review: One Jerry Garcia bobblehead, one world championship. Questions?
TWSS!
Dearest, Susan - The Patron Saint of Patience
by Lars The Wanderer on May 6, 2011 11:56 AM PDT up reply actions
I didn’t think it was possible to love Buster Posey more.
Supporting San Francisco Dugout since 2005 and Manny Burriss since 2006. Bringing you all your California League and New York-Penn League needs since 2009.
by BaronVonCurrentEvents on May 6, 2011 11:28 AM PDT up reply actions
Is there anybody classier than Buster on our entire team?
by mrs. owlcroft on May 6, 2011 11:42 AM PDT up reply actions
FIFY
Is there anybody classier than Busteron our entire team?
"Today, it's as if McCovey's line drive finally went through. And the earthquake didn't happen. And Spiezio struck out. And Snow was safe."
Vroom. Walks. Five positions. Justin Christian
I would have went with:
Is there anybody classier than Buster on our entireteamplanet?
Brandon Crawford: Your SF Giants 2012 Opening Day starting SS?
Maybe Cain. If they ran against each other for Class President I would probably have to vote for Cain. However, a Cain/Posey ticket would win in a landslide.
Proud parent of SD-born Shane Loux.
If Cain is with us, who can be against us? - atxgiantsfan
Class President?
How about they run for President of the country?
by mrs. owlcroft on May 6, 2011 3:27 PM PDT up reply actions
There aren’t too many eminently classy players in all of baseball. Buster Posey was as a rookie.
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
as I said in the other thread, all Giants’ players should wear number 24 tonight as a tribute to Willie Mays turning 80. We can honor a Dodger once a year, but not a Giant one time?
Buster Posey: Let's enjoy him before he goes to the Yankees because he wants to win the World Series. Wait, what???
by rxmeister on May 6, 2011 11:28 AM PDT reply actions 12 recs
That would be perfect.
Supporting San Francisco Dugout since 2005 and Manny Burriss since 2006. Bringing you all your California League and New York-Penn League needs since 2009.
by BaronVonCurrentEvents on May 6, 2011 11:30 AM PDT up reply actions
Forecast update: More green.
Giants 2010 in review: One Jerry Garcia bobblehead, one world championship. Questions?
Clear skies, followed by scattered afternoon rec’ing. Heat advisory in effect for the greater Bay Area. Highs expected to reach a sweltering 60.
LIVE EDT
Tape-delayed for the West Coast
IF YOU DON'T LIKE THAT KINDA HEAT, YOU SHOOT MOVE TO TORONTO AND ROOT FOR THE JAYS
Adopted father of Chris Lincecum, without whom (quite literally) Timmy would not exist.
Gusting rec rates up to 109.
Proud parent of SD-born Shane Loux.
If Cain is with us, who can be against us? - atxgiantsfan
LOLcraft advisory in effect for McCovey Cove,. Might want to take along a “wearable blanket” if you’re headed out tonight. TWSS-storms possible, with a good chance of STFDs after 7:00 p.m. High strikeout rates will be experienced in the vicinity of Matt Cain, with the possibility of a single rain cloud over Ubaldo Jiminez.
LIVE EDT
Tape-delayed for the West Coast
High strikeout rates will be experienced in the vicinity of Matt Cain
Because he’s sitting next to Giants hitters, right?
Adopted father of Chris Lincecum, without whom (quite literally) Timmy would not exist.
Fuckin' A!
My mind ain't nuthin' but a total blank, I think I'll just stay here and draaank - Merle Haggard
Reply Flail
My mind ain't nuthin' but a total blank, I think I'll just stay here and draaank - Merle Haggard
by NuschlerFace on May 6, 2011 11:30 AM PDT up reply actions
Nah, they have Yonder Alonso to fill in at first.
Brandon Crawford: Your SF Giants 2012 Opening Day starting SS?
Willie Mays is also credited as the first African-American player to be instantly popular with every color of baseball fan.
I told my Dodgers-loving girlfriend that Willie Mays is the Michael Jordan of baseball.
The Baseball Project - Sometimes I Dream of Willie Mays
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dH47QguoHSc
Supporting San Francisco Dugout since 2005 and Manny Burriss since 2006. Bringing you all your California League and New York-Penn League needs since 2009.
by BaronVonCurrentEvents on May 6, 2011 11:40 AM PDT reply actions 2 recs
Love it
My mind ain't nuthin' but a total blank, I think I'll just stay here and draaank - Merle Haggard
by NuschlerFace on May 6, 2011 11:59 AM PDT up reply actions
From the J Pos article:
Then again, there is a day in 1956 — May 8 — when Mays scored from first on a single TWICE.
by ThePasswordisWillieMcgee on May 6, 2011 11:41 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
So, with all the celebration of Mays' birthday,
I hope to see his godson at the park as part of the event.
AGH
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
I thought arm action was the most important part of the change up.
Brandon Crawford: Your SF Giants 2012 Opening Day starting SS?
well, the important thing is that it looks like a fastball long enough that it confuses. So arm action is a big part of that. If it is too much slower, it becomes easier to distinguish it from a fastball
Proud papa to: Bill Schlough, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, aka the IT guy.
Your mom's a girl
wow, so I knew that the schedule was away heavy
before tonight’s game at home, the Giants have played 13 more games on the road than at home. Amazingly, this is not the widest this disparity will be this season. At the end of the next road trip, this will have become 14 (May 19). More amazingly, this isn’t the largest this disparity will be this season. After the June 2 game, the Giants will have played 36 road games to only 21 home, a 15 game difference.
They were even in home/away games on April 13. They won’t be again until game 116, August 8
Proud papa to: Bill Schlough, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, aka the IT guy.
Your mom's a girl
On the plus side, at least
We’ll be at home a ton right at the end. Which should be in front of a bunch of sold out crowds.
Gigante. Campeón. Pumpkin. Andrés Torres.
Dursh nerf darsh narf. Poop.
I’m wondering what kind of line I can get on the giants winning the division.
Proud papa to: Bill Schlough, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, aka the IT guy.
Your mom's a girl
Well, if you had them at a slightly above 50% winning rate before the season started....
….there are some here who will tell you it’s looking pretty bad right now.
Better to be a Giants fan than an Athletic supporter!
this is what I'm hoping for
possible good value
Proud papa to: Bill Schlough, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, aka the IT guy.
Your mom's a girl
I mean
You might be talking about me, being that I’ve pointed out the fact that the Giants slow start has made it less likely that they’ll make the playoffs.
But less likely doesn’t mean unlikely.
Gigante. Campeón. Pumpkin. Andrés Torres.
Dursh nerf darsh narf. Poop.
all I care about
is if there is sufficient separation between the perceived reduction in their chances and their actual chances.
Proud papa to: Bill Schlough, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, aka the IT guy.
Your mom's a girl
for purposes of wagering, I mean
if that were legal.
I care about their chances even more
Proud papa to: Bill Schlough, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, aka the IT guy.
Your mom's a girl
fun with end points
actually, it isn’t at the end when it gets made up. 12 of 25 in Sept are home, nearly an even split. July is also even 13-13 home/away.
June and August are home date heavy. Especially August. 19 of 29 at home.
They better have a good August.
Proud papa to: Bill Schlough, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, aka the IT guy.
Your mom's a girl
OT
An account of the Alabama tornadoes from a survivor:
http://blog.al.com/wire/2011/05/tuscaloosa_tornado_experience.html
Sharlon Schoop - honkbalspeler extraordinaire.
Trolls are like cockroach Nazis. Sure, you CAN try to reason with them, but they won't listen, and if you respond to them, they invade your Sudetenland.
Or something.
That metaphor got away from me.
Love it! I found that last summer. I read about Mays doing guest spots on TV shows in the 60s in his biography and I went looking for the Bewitched appearance.
Supporting San Francisco Dugout since 2005 and Manny Burriss since 2006. Bringing you all your California League and New York-Penn League needs since 2009.
by BaronVonCurrentEvents on May 6, 2011 12:16 PM PDT up reply actions
Barbara Eden!
Dearest, Susan - The Patron Saint of Patience
by Lars The Wanderer on May 6, 2011 12:18 PM PDT up reply actions
Montgomery is better.
Jonathan Sanchez: Often maddening to watch, but capable of perfection on a moment's notice---just like his adoptive father.
Except for the non-white people
The Golden Bear is ever watching
2011 Giants Adoptee: Brian Lawrence
San Francisco Giants Won the 2010 World Series: Not a Typo
you’re not serious. Eden >>>>>>>>>>> Montgomery
The Golden Bear is ever watching
2011 Giants Adoptee: Brian Lawrence
San Francisco Giants Won the 2010 World Series: Not a Typo
You are typically wrong about things, and this is no exception.
Jonathan Sanchez: Often maddening to watch, but capable of perfection on a moment's notice---just like his adoptive father.
by rotorueter on May 6, 2011 12:37 PM PDT up reply actions 3 recs
No. As stated below, Montgomery is a mom. Cool but not “hot”.
Eden is very hot.
The Golden Bear is ever watching
2011 Giants Adoptee: Brian Lawrence
San Francisco Giants Won the 2010 World Series: Not a Typo
Donna Reed show appearance, also.
Is a girl.
by gallo del cielo on May 6, 2011 1:49 PM PDT up reply actions
The entire reason she was attractive was her costume.
And “I Dream of Jeannie” is probably one of the worst sitcoms ever made. Even as a seven year old watching these reruns, I’d at least watch most of a Bewitched but never more than 30 seconds of that terrible show.
Which Dick did you prefer?
2010 World Series Champions!
Adopted 'nephew' to the ever avuncular and always awesome Jon Miller
by Johnny Disaster on May 6, 2011 12:23 PM PDT up reply actions
Quality of acting never really played a part in my crush
The entire reason she was attractive was her costume.
And you say this like it is a bad thing!
Dearest, Susan - The Patron Saint of Patience
by Lars The Wanderer on May 6, 2011 12:26 PM PDT up reply actions
She always looked like an old lady to me.
You were 7. I’m sure she did.
Dearest, Susan - The Patron Saint of Patience
by Lars The Wanderer on May 6, 2011 12:29 PM PDT up reply actions
Montgomery looked like a "mom" to me
Not that there is anything wrong with that. And I admit to an increased level of appreciation for that particular attribute now.
But Jeannie dressed in skimpy clothes and said “Yes, master”. SOLD!
Dearest, Susan - The Patron Saint of Patience
by Lars The Wanderer on May 6, 2011 12:34 PM PDT up reply actions
MILF v. GILF
2010 World Series Champions!
Adopted 'nephew' to the ever avuncular and always awesome Jon Miller
by Johnny Disaster on May 6, 2011 12:35 PM PDT up reply actions
This
Mary Ann v Ginger? (Ginger)
Betty v. Veronica? (Veronica)
The Golden Bear is ever watching
2011 Giants Adoptee: Brian Lawrence
San Francisco Giants Won the 2010 World Series: Not a Typo
VERONICA!!
BETTY IS A RUBE!
Brian Sabean strongly encourages you to disregard the drudgery of your employment responsibilities and join him in the consumption of spirituous libations.
Hah.
I was going to write upthread that Montgomery has a “mom vibe” that I didn’t feel when I had the little boy crush on her (my mom’s a brunette) but totally see now.
Still, Eden has those cat eyes that remind me of plastic surgery.
I didn't appreciate how pretty she was
Until I noticed her in a Twighlight Zone with Charles Bronson. Of course, she was smoking as a brunette.
Wise words by wcw: "Nobody cares about your Pokemon."
"There’s a new celebrity inside the organization, and it’s a three-foot inanimate object," - Larry Baer, my adopted son.
lol
Jonathan Sanchez: Often maddening to watch, but capable of perfection on a moment's notice---just like his adoptive father.
I didn't see this posted
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/05/03/SPQ81J9F05.DTL&ao=2
A good article on Mays, then and now. Talks about his life outside of baseball as a youth and as an old man. He loves his iPad for example.
Supporting San Francisco Dugout since 2005 and Manny Burriss since 2006. Bringing you all your California League and New York-Penn League needs since 2009.
by BaronVonCurrentEvents on May 6, 2011 12:25 PM PDT reply actions
Here comes the nerbs: “no USB, no Flash, too expensice, Android FTW…” :~)
Giants 2010 in review: One Jerry Garcia bobblehead, one world championship. Questions?
Android FTW!
Proud parent of SD-born Shane Loux.
If Cain is with us, who can be against us? - atxgiantsfan
Friday Morning Optimism
On April 20th, the Giants failed to sweep the Rockies in the final game of a three game series at Coors field, and left Colorado 3 games out of 1st place. The quality of play tailed, and the Giants lost 8 of their next 13 games.
Today, the Rockies come to Colorado, and the Giants have lost a whopping one game in the standings.
There’s still plenty of season left. Fuck the Rockies.
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
I was waiting for the Series preview thread, but I got impatient. Strike while the iron is hot, and all that.
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
via Deadspin
"For science. You monster."
by KINGofCRA5H on May 6, 2011 12:27 PM PDT reply actions 11 recs
Holy crap. Rec’d
Jose Flores: .831 OPS in High-A last year, 23 years old. This is his year.
Co-dad of Ryan Scoma with waelwulf, because we're progressive like that.
by free f.p. #14 on May 6, 2011 12:28 PM PDT up reply actions
is this what i think it is?
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
I call him gerald. he’s a pristine white handkerchief, though? nediB eoJ Joe Biden ‽ Joe Biden.
Yes, that is Willie Mays eating a pie in center field.
by Every6thDay on May 6, 2011 12:30 PM PDT up reply actions 2 recs
It looks pretty delicious!
Dearest, Susan - The Patron Saint of Patience
by Lars The Wanderer on May 6, 2011 12:30 PM PDT up reply actions
NOM NOM NOM
GOBBLE GOBBLE
Brian Sabean strongly encourages you to disregard the drudgery of your employment responsibilities and join him in the consumption of spirituous libations.
Cake
My mind ain't nuthin' but a total blank, I think I'll just stay here and draaank - Merle Haggard
The Catch
I'd never seen it from that angle before!!
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
I call him gerald. he’s a pristine white handkerchief, though? nediB eoJ Joe Biden ‽ Joe Biden.
In all seriousness, I imagine the person taking it was in the 2nd story of the center field clubhouse
Kickham where it hurts
by say hey nation on May 6, 2011 12:31 PM PDT up reply actions
How have I never seen this angle before?
Brandon Crawford: Your SF Giants 2012 Opening Day starting SS?
A pic of Willie and family in 1957
Supporting San Francisco Dugout since 2005 and Manny Burriss since 2006. Bringing you all your California League and New York-Penn League needs since 2009.
by BaronVonCurrentEvents on May 6, 2011 12:31 PM PDT reply actions 4 recs
That's Marguerite and their adopted son.
Is a girl.
by gallo del cielo on May 6, 2011 1:50 PM PDT up reply actions
Yep, I remember reading about them adopting Michael in Willie Mays: The Life, The Legend.
Supporting San Francisco Dugout since 2005 and Manny Burriss since 2006. Bringing you all your California League and New York-Penn League needs since 2009.
by BaronVonCurrentEvents on May 6, 2011 1:55 PM PDT up reply actions
I’m just finishing that. I’m going to create a post when I get home regarding the surprising things I found out in that book. And I’m old enough to have followed Our Willie for all but the New York part of his career.
Is a girl.
by gallo del cielo on May 6, 2011 2:36 PM PDT up reply actions
I was pretty shocked by the chapter on him trying to buy a house. I was probably more surprised than I should have been, but I guess I just expected better.
Also , the degree to which Jackie Robinson made him out to be an Uncle Tom on some level.
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
Yeah, I’m all done with the 42 worship.
And our deed has restrictive covenants in it, still, from an old common interest development from the 40s or 50s.
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 2:44 PM PDT up reply actions
I HEREBY REC THAT POST
just for the very idea of what it will contain. I might have to re-read that book and I only finished a couple months ago.
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 2:43 PM PDT up reply actions
Upon his Hall of Fame induction, Mays was asked who was the best player that he had seen during his career. Mays replied, “I don’t mean to be bashful, but I was.”
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
I call him gerald. he’s a pristine white handkerchief, though? nediB eoJ Joe Biden ‽ Joe Biden.
His cake today has to be twice as big as this one, right?
Supporting San Francisco Dugout since 2005 and Manny Burriss since 2006. Bringing you all your California League and New York-Penn League needs since 2009.
by BaronVonCurrentEvents on May 6, 2011 12:35 PM PDT reply actions 3 recs
From Jim Caple's weekly article on espn.com
(sent by a friend who now wants me to get him a ticket for the glove when he visits)
Whatever the Giants are Calling it These Days, San Francisco: There are only two negatives to this gorgeous ballpark. One, the Giants don’t sell tickets to sit in the big glove in left field, and that’s where I most want to sit so I can just lean back and take it all in. Two, it can get cramped walking around the stadium, but I forgive that because of the Giants’ old-school financing plan: They paid for it themselves. And because the Giants did, they were forced onto a small parcel of land.
And just like with Fenway and Wrigley, that small footprint was a beneficial one. It meant the park was pressed snugly up against the water, giving us McCovey Cove, splash hits and kayakers. It meant there are fabulous views of San Francisco Bay from the upper deck. And it meant you practically hop off the Muni and step into the batter’s box. There are also loving tributes to the past — the Willie Mays statue takes a swing in front of 24 palm trees — an exterior walkway that allows free peeks inside and, of course, the great aroma of garlic fries wafting throughout (among other smells).
The only way this ballpark could say “San Francisco” any better is if the players took the field by riding a bell-clanging cable car out of the fog. (Or perhaps a nice marijuana haze.)
Giants 2010 in review: One Jerry Garcia bobblehead, one world championship. Questions?
pic spamming
I love the pictures of Willie and Barry together. They love each other so much.
Supporting San Francisco Dugout since 2005 and Manny Burriss since 2006. Bringing you all your California League and New York-Penn League needs since 2009.
by BaronVonCurrentEvents on May 6, 2011 12:37 PM PDT reply actions 3 recs
SELFISH!!
Brian Sabean strongly encourages you to disregard the drudgery of your employment responsibilities and join him in the consumption of spirituous libations.
Renteria sighting!
The Golden Bear is ever watching
2011 Giants Adoptee: Brian Lawrence
San Francisco Giants Won the 2010 World Series: Not a Typo
Anyone else find it extremely cool that for the most part Willie Mays hasn’t directly led to our happiness (I.E. never met him, never saw him play) yet somehow has indirectly led to almost all our happiness (relating to the Giants)
Brandon Crawford: Your SF Giants 2012 Opening Day starting SS?
We should bring back players fan clubs
1962
After three days of test at Mt. Zion Hospital in San Francisco, Mays was pronounced healthy. The outfielder checked himself in to make sure his fainting spell two months earlier came from exhaustion and nothing more serious. The hospital’s Willie May Fan Club presents him with a cake before he checks out.
BaseballFix David Nathan RT by robneyer
Say Hey! Harvey Kuenn on seeing #WillieMays make an over-the-shoulder catch: “I didn’t know whether to $#*! or go blind.”
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
lol! That was one of my grandmother’s sayings.
Supporting San Francisco Dugout since 2005 and Manny Burriss since 2006. Bringing you all your California League and New York-Penn League needs since 2009.
by BaronVonCurrentEvents on May 6, 2011 12:44 PM PDT up reply actions
Wow, Matt Garza is having a really strange statistical year so far. Striking out a ton of people, giving up a ton of hits, just gave up his 1st HR of the season and he doesn’t strand anyone.
Kickham where it hurts
LOL
Not Willie Mays related, but…
http://royals.kansascity.com/games/203/#ixzz1Lanc2F3z
A KC sportswriter who criticized a Royals player for not taking a HBP decides to see what it feels like to get hit by a major league speed pitch.
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
I call him gerald. he’s a pristine white handkerchief, though? nediB eoJ Joe Biden ‽ Joe Biden.
by jponry on May 6, 2011 12:44 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
That's actually pretty cool.
Rare to see writers back up their talk.
Brandon Crawford: Your SF Giants 2012 Opening Day starting SS?
Can Jenkins be next?
Dearest, Susan - The Patron Saint of Patience
by Lars The Wanderer on May 6, 2011 12:48 PM PDT up reply actions
Yeah, he seems like a good guy. Why do the Royals get all the good sportswriters?
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
I call him gerald. he’s a pristine white handkerchief, though? nediB eoJ Joe Biden ‽ Joe Biden.
I was thinking that.
Kickham where it hurts
by say hey nation on May 6, 2011 12:49 PM PDT up reply actions
Meh. I’ll take the better team with the best announcers.
Jonathan Sanchez: Often maddening to watch, but capable of perfection on a moment's notice---just like his adoptive father.
yay
although I always wonder how long they can keep all 4 together.
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 1:03 PM PDT up reply actions
I feel like Flem is the only one we’re in danger of losing any time soon.
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
I call him gerald. he’s a pristine white handkerchief, though? nediB eoJ Joe Biden ‽ Joe Biden.
The Giants are well aware how important their broadcasters are and have just done new contracts for K & K and Jon. I didn’t find anything on Flem, but I think he’s in the middle of a contract. The danger of losing Fleming might be if the Nationals woke up and offered VA native Fleming lots of money.
"It's too LATE to stop now!" - John Lee Hooker
He has lived here for awhile though, and being in the Bay Area makes it easier to call Stanford games.
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
I call him gerald. he’s a pristine white handkerchief, though? nediB eoJ Joe Biden ‽ Joe Biden.
I think that if we were to lose Flem, it would be to a national broadcast job. Given all the work he has done for the Giants, Stanford football, and western US NCAA basketball, he gets a ton of exposure.
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
Yeah, that wouldn't surprise me at all.
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
I call him gerald. he’s a pristine white handkerchief, though? nediB eoJ Joe Biden ‽ Joe Biden.
Well I wouldn't worry about Kruk and Kuip for a long while
And probably not Jon either, but I’d say he’d be more likely to leave before either of them.
Flem is like a superstar prospect right now, who knows where he may end up.
That is cray-z.
The fact that Jon lives in the Bay Area (and is from there) makes me think he’ll stick around for the rest of his career.
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
I call him gerald. he’s a pristine white handkerchief, though? nediB eoJ Joe Biden ‽ Joe Biden.
I worry least about Jon, he’s said many times it’s the only job he ever wanted and I think, freed of the gravitational pull of Joe Morgan’s yapper, it probably is his dream job.
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 1:12 PM PDT up reply actions
I honestly can’t fathom Kruk or Kuip leaving either. I guess shit happens, but they’re both folk heroes here, they obviously love the Giants and they both live relatively close by.
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
I call him gerald. he’s a pristine white handkerchief, though? nediB eoJ Joe Biden ‽ Joe Biden.
The greatest artists are always inspired by pain.
I'm as tall as Mel. Why can't I hit 500 home runs?
How emo was DaVinci?
2010 World Series Champions!
Adopted 'nephew' to the ever avuncular and always awesome Jon Miller
by Johnny Disaster on May 6, 2011 12:58 PM PDT up reply actions
Also, this brings up one of my biggest baseball pet peeves.
YOU HAVE TO ATTEMPT TO GET OUT OF THE WAY TO BE GIVEN 1B!!!!! Umps are to lenient when it comes to enforcing this rule.
Kickham where it hurts
by say hey nation on May 6, 2011 12:53 PM PDT up reply actions
Yes, this.
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
You know the ballplayers enjoyed that.
Proud parent of SD-born Shane Loux.
If Cain is with us, who can be against us? - atxgiantsfan
That reminds, me did anybody see the video of David Price hitting a home run in BP yesterday? It made me love him about 10 times more.
"That’s the sort of pitch that Lincecum throws several times a game — the sort of pitch that made Satchel Paige say: 'I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain’t been seen by this generation.' Lincecum threw 10 or 15 generation pitches on Thursday." -Joe Posnanski
Et tu, Ribe?
I feel like I should perform this stunt for All Things Considered.
LIVE EDT
Tape-delayed for the West Coast
It should work great for radio
The Golden Bear is ever watching
2011 Giants Adoptee: Brian Lawrence
San Francisco Giants Won the 2010 World Series: Not a Typo
We do all kinds of visual things for public radio. That’s why we put the video online.
LIVE EDT
Tape-delayed for the West Coast
radio killed the video star!
I fear I have been misled.
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 1:03 PM PDT up reply actions
This is my 25,000th comment on an SBNation blog. I wanted to make a huge fucking deal out of it, but I don’t want to take away from Willie’s birthday. But now I feel like I’m wasting the comment by trying not to talk about the comment. Still, 25,000 is a big deal. It means I’ve wasted a ton of time on here. I can’t help but think of all the things I could have done instead of being here.
I am what’s wrong with America.
And I hope I’m around for 25,000 more.
LIVE EDT
Tape-delayed for the West Coast
by TheLetter2 on May 6, 2011 12:52 PM PDT reply actions 6 recs
He highlighted every word, just like he had a hundred times before, and clicked “delete.” Maybe one day, but not today. He closed his laptop and turned off the bedside lamp. There was always tomorrow.
LIVE EDT
Tape-delayed for the West Coast
by TheLetter2 on May 6, 2011 12:58 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
How am I 2000 comments behind you? I need to get with it.
2010 World Series Champions!
Adopted 'nephew' to the ever avuncular and always awesome Jon Miller
by Johnny Disaster on May 6, 2011 1:00 PM PDT up reply actions
Man, I’m only at 17,400. I used to be ahead of most everybody and now I’m getting passed right and left. Good thing I was ahead when I was, because it enabled me to adopt Buster Posey. Right now I’d probably get someone like Brad Eldred. My drop in posts is due to no longer participating in game day threads, due to the fact that my computer is no longer in the same room as my best TV. I was padding my totals with brilliant posts like “Panda!!!”, Timmy!!!" and brilliant stuff like that. You guys are really missing out.
Buster Posey: Let's enjoy him before he goes to the Yankees because he wants to win the World Series. Wait, what???
I’m at 30268 comments and I haven’t been able to comment as much as I want. It’s been this way for a long time and it makes me sad.
Supporting San Francisco Dugout since 2005 and Manny Burriss since 2006. Bringing you all your California League and New York-Penn League needs since 2009.
by BaronVonCurrentEvents on May 6, 2011 1:13 PM PDT up reply actions
meanwhile, Natto and I
are going to hit 100K by the end of the season.
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
I call him gerald. he’s a pristine white handkerchief, though? nediB eoJ Joe Biden ‽ Joe Biden.
Do you get a gold watch then?
Wise words by wcw: "Nobody cares about your Pokemon."
"There’s a new celebrity inside the organization, and it’s a three-foot inanimate object," - Larry Baer, my adopted son.
Ever see Up In The Air?
100K posters get a silver card with their name engraved on the back.
Jose Flores: .831 OPS in High-A last year, 23 years old. This is his year.
Co-dad of Ryan Scoma with waelwulf, because we're progressive like that.
by free f.p. #14 on May 6, 2011 1:45 PM PDT up reply actions
Oh. I’m fucked then.
2010 World Series Champions!
Adopted 'nephew' to the ever avuncular and always awesome Jon Miller
by Johnny Disaster on May 6, 2011 1:13 PM PDT up reply actions
normally
I would make a snide remark about “quality over quantity”, but you’ve even made that impossible. Damn you and your polite good-natured humor.
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 1:07 PM PDT up reply actions
should we still be expecting you at the fuck shit piss humor dinner?
Honorary parent of Duane Kuiper, beloved solar powered broadcaster and power hitting coach for the Giants.
If George Carlin is coming, yes.
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 1:25 PM PDT up reply actions
so far
Carlin is just breathing heavy, but he will come in time.
Honorary parent of Duane Kuiper, beloved solar powered broadcaster and power hitting coach for the Giants.
Damn.
I’ve been here for 5 years and still only around 13K
Brandon Crawford: Your SF Giants 2012 Opening Day starting SS?
Verducci
Mays fun facts:
Ten players reached base more times than Mays — but only one of them exceeded Mays’ rate of scoring 43.03 percent of the time he reached base: Babe Ruth (43.07).
Mays hit home runs out of all nine spots in the lineup and every inning from one through 16, a record.
Some stuff about Timmy:
Last August, toward the end of the worst month of his baseball life, a pale, wan Tim Lincecum sat across from Giants manager Bruce Bochy and heard an alarm bell. Bochy reminded Lincecum that he needed to pay attention to his nutrition, conditioning and between-starts work. Lincecum promptly tweaked his workouts and began arriving earlier to the ballpark to make certain he had all the time he needed to keep up his strength.
That moment was the beginning of an important discovery for Lincecum that just might make him a better pitcher: He likes packing on some muscle. He continued training harder this offseason and spring, and now pitches at 178 pounds, up from “155 or 160 maybe,” he said.
“You know what? I found out I like putting in the work, I like the gym, I like the way I look and the way I feel,” Lincecum said Thursday after knocking Christy Mathewson from his 95-year stay in the Giants record book for most career 10-strikeout games (29). “And the more I work the more I need to eat.”
Lincecum is a notorious chow hound, or as he put it, “I eat what I like. I eat for taste. I’m not a guy who eats a whole lot of vegetables. I don’t like them. They don’t like me. It’s mutual.”
After this season, the Giants are looking at two more arbitration-eligible seasons for Lincecum, who already is working from a base salary of $14 million. It makes sense for the Giants to follow the industry trend and lock him up to a long-term deal that buys out not just arbitration years but some free-agent years. A more fit, stronger Lincecum, who turns 27 next month, can only make that long-term investment more attractive to the Giants.
The Golden Bear is ever watching
2011 Giants Adoptee: Brian Lawrence
San Francisco Giants Won the 2010 World Series: Not a Typo
/consoles the vegetables, who love Timmy as much as everyone else does
2010 World Series Champions!
Adopted 'nephew' to the ever avuncular and always awesome Jon Miller
by Johnny Disaster on May 6, 2011 1:15 PM PDT up reply actions
Maybe they make him farty. Dark leafy greens have sulfurous smell/taste to them. I don’t mind it, but I’ve found that most other people do.
Supporting San Francisco Dugout since 2005 and Manny Burriss since 2006. Bringing you all your California League and New York-Penn League needs since 2009.
by BaronVonCurrentEvents on May 6, 2011 1:19 PM PDT up reply actions
I meant that I don’t mind the sulfur taste/smell of the veggies themselves, but I don’t enjoy the farty aftermath. Haha.
Supporting San Francisco Dugout since 2005 and Manny Burriss since 2006. Bringing you all your California League and New York-Penn League needs since 2009.
by BaronVonCurrentEvents on May 6, 2011 1:21 PM PDT up reply actions
Now THAT’S interesting writing!
May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Bandwagons are fun- that's why people get on them in the first place.
by natteringnabob on May 6, 2011 1:25 PM PDT up reply actions
New thread doesn’t stand a chance against this content.
Giants 2010 in review: One Jerry Garcia bobblehead, one world championship. Questions?
According the Freakonomics-guy’s dad (who is a scientist in this field), men have higher volume and frequency but women tend to have the more intense aroma.
2010 World Series Champions!
Adopted 'nephew' to the ever avuncular and always awesome Jon Miller
by Johnny Disaster on May 6, 2011 2:07 PM PDT up reply actions
/vegetables weep inconsolately
2010 World Series Champions!
Adopted 'nephew' to the ever avuncular and always awesome Jon Miller
by Johnny Disaster on May 6, 2011 1:20 PM PDT up reply actions
Happy birthday Willie
I see you riding into the clubhouse on your bearded unicorn named SIRM, whispering words to Tejada and Huff, and then leading the charge out of the clubhouse. That is the day our hitting slump broke.
Honorary parent of Duane Kuiper, beloved solar powered broadcaster and power hitting coach for the Giants.
Happy Birthday, Willie
that Giant kid is GREAT!!!
Adopted Giant: Jacob Dunnington: 15 IP, 11 BB, 16 K, 1-1, 2.40 ERA, .160 BAA
M-M-M-M-Mad
Mad to the Bum
by TimLaser and MattyC on May 6, 2011 1:32 PM PDT reply actions
Happy 80th Birthday, Say Hey!
"That's no moon... That's a San Francisco Giants World Series trophy."
-Obi-Wan Kenobi
by Uribe nee Gonzalez on May 6, 2011 4:36 PM PDT reply actions
Happy Birthday, Willie!
I was born after Mays retired, but I did see him play in an old timer’s game in the late 80’s. He led the Giants comeback win over the Dodgers. Willie led off the last inning with a hit and then scored and was immediately up again (out of order!) and he drove in the winning run with a hit off of Tommy Lasorda. It was awesome. The crowd at the Stick went nuts. He was still a great performer even then.
"There was no torture in the end. Only rapture." - Mike Krukow
2010 Giants: World Series Champs
Neal before Zod!
Official Sponsor of the 1997 San Francisco Giants
by nostocksjustbonds on May 6, 2011 9:51 PM PDT reply actions
Remembering my first baseball game
It was 7/3/71, and here’s the Retrosheet.
Mays was playing first, Bonds played center, Henderson moved to right, and Bernie Williams got the start in left, therefore being the closest player to my LF reserved seats. The Cardinals started Steve Carlton, and Joe Torre was playing 3B. The only visual memory I have of Willie from that game was him leaping to catch a high throw at first. But the box score shows a hit, two walks, an SB, and two runs scored.
"The two worst things in football are: 1) They think that a 30-year old professional athlete has to be locked up in a hotel room, with a curfew, the night before a qame; and 2) They're right."
- Cowboy safety Cliff Harris
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