The All-Star Game is today! That should be fun. And then two whole days of NOTHING. Come back, Giants. My day isn't complete without complaining about how you're playing.
2014 Home Run Derby Preview: Yoenis’ Quest to Defend His Title
You might think that now that Yoenis has completed the quest to defend his title, you don't need to read this preview. But does anyone ever really need to read a preview of a sporting event? Aren't they universally useless? So celebrate, I say. Read them after the fact, nod approvingly at the parts that are right, and chuckle at the parts that are wrong. Unless the preview was written by Ray Kurzweil, it's the best use you'll ever get out of it.
The Home Run Derby Myth
FiveThirtyEight takes a look at the myth that the home run derby causes participants to have worse second halves, and finds that it's probably not true. It turns out that when a player -- we'll this hypothetical guy Frodd Tazier -- matches his career high in home runs at the all-star break, he's likely to hit less after the break, whether or not he participates in a home run hitting contest. This is comforting to me because I know nothing about hitting mechanics and would like to dismiss the experts' opinions on them so I can make myself feel smarter.
Seven new events that could spice up All-Star weekend
This is not the only "How to fix the All-Star Break" article out there. There was one at Bluebird Banter, there was the one that Grant wrote, there was the one written by an entire land of Grants . . . it's a popular subject. But this is my favorite, mostly because it jokes about science fairs and has the best photoshops. Sorry, Grant.
Fresno Grizzlies’ future shaky amid affiliation, financial issues
Remember when the rumor was that the Giants and A's would end up switching AAA teams, with the Giants taking Sacramento and the A's getting Fresno? Well, it just got more complicated, with the rumor being that the Brewers will take Fresno and the A's will be left with Nashville. Because A's fans hate us anyway, let's get a fourth team involved and try to move them even farther away. Do you think there's a AAA team in Ulaanbaatar?
Giants' Hunter Pence plays with a style that's all his own
Pavs has a nice article about Hunter Pence, but let's be honest: The real star here is the comments. Not just the A's fans whining that a Giants beat writer would write a story about a Giants player in the All-Star Game either, but also the Giants fan who decides that the best way to handle the situation is to use the term "Chokeland". It's almost as if . . . even fans of the team I like can be idiots. No, no, that can't be it. Someday, science will figure this out.
Job Title: Dodgers Social Media Coordinator
I would certainly never suggest any of you apply for this job, tweet "ERIK CARROS SUX" from the official Dodgers account until it gets put into Twitter jail, and then quit. No. That would be petty.