San Francisco Giants Link Dump, 4/24

I don't like Coors Field and am glad the Giants are done playing there this year.

What do you mean "two more series"?

Pebble Hunting: Every Manager's Face: The New Guys
One of the secret joys of baseball for Knowledgeable Fans like you and me is watching the exasperated faces of managers after their teams screw something up. Brad Ausmus is obviously the star here, though Rick Renteria's faked enthusiasm is entertaining in its own way. The one disappointment to me is Bryan Price. Maybe if I had a greater appreciation of the art form, I could understand his subtle genius, but to me, a philistine, he's just not that good.

Diamondbacks in trouble if they want to replace Kirk Gibson, Kevin Towers, rival execs say
Maybe you've heard that the Diamondbacks aren't having the most inspiring start to their season, and you're wondering if there are going to be any front-office or coaching shakeups as a result. Well, obviously if grit is the most important part of a winning ballclub, what you need is grittier people in charge of your organization. So short of finding a sentient piece of sandpaper, you can see why Arizona doubts a change would be an upgrade.

9 incredible facts about Albert Pujols
Pujols hasn't gotten the press that other members of the 500-home run club did when they joined. Grant blames Viagra. I blame Steve Finley, because that's my default position about everything.

"Respect the Game?" Phooey
I've often thought that most baseball players don't respect The Game enough. After all, his feud with G-Unit wa-

/sighs
/shakes head
/calls self "hack" forty times
/scratches that out

I like it when players "disrespect the game." I think pirouetting after a home run is fantastic: it's fun to watch, it shows that the player really cares, and it occasionally makes the other team really mad, which makes for a more interesting game, because then maybe the other team will stare down the pitcher after they homer, and then we can get announcers saying "These two teams really don't like each other," which, let's be honest, is the entire reason anyone watches sports.

Introducing the Lasorda Dog
This is a "food" item that is an affront to every principle of civilized existence. It is the very apotheosis of America's obesity epidemic, a stain on the American flag, and, frankly, a moral outrage.

It is named after the right person.