San Francisco Giants Link Dump, 8/13

Hello, I am some guy on the Internet. Won't you please join me as I ignore recent Giants history and complain about the team?

Step up to the… mound? (A review of position players pitching)
We've all noticed and been delighted by the position players pitching in the major leagues this year, but what about the minors? Well, the trend's taken hold there, with position players toeing the rubber in assorted cities for more than 144 innings. The most prolific of them, of course, has been Jeff Francoeur, and I'm not singling him out just because I have some weird Frenchy obsession. it's not weird! You're weird! YOUR FACE is weird!

I think I handled that well.

South Korea's Biggest Royals Fan Finally Goes To Kansas City
So there's a guy in South Korea who, for a long time, watched American sports in order to learn English. And alas, somewhere along the way, he became a Royals fan. But wait! This isn't a tale of tragedy and woe. For not only are the Royals good this year, but Royals fans bought his way to Kansas City to watch his team and even throw out the first pitch. Truly, things are looking up for him, baseball-wise, which must be nice. I'm not bitter; I'm just saying it must be nice. Good for him, you know?

Good for him.

Hitting Wins Championships: Why the Chicago Cubs’ Inverted Rebuilding Strategy Is Starting to Look Brilliant
Defying common wisdom (and erstwhile Giants strategy) that says that you should build your team around pitching, the Cubs have stockpiled scores of weapons-grade hitting prospects, and are ready to unleash them upon the world over the next several years, or whenever they're ready, or if they never get ready that's okay too because there are enough that some can flame out, but the Cubs would like them to do well, because then they would have lots of good cheap hitting and hey, good for them, though I personally am still not bitter at all even one bit that other teams have smart plans that allow good things to happen, because that's neat. For them.

Ninth Circuit Court Leans Toward MLB In Dispute Over Antitrust Exemption
In court yesterday, both sides made arguments in the ongoing lawsuit between San Jose and MLB over whether the A's can move into the Giants' territory. Yeah, sure, A's, you already have the advantage in player development and this year's playoff odds, and now you want territory too? What would be enough for you? Gawd, the A's are trying to take San Jose away, just because it would help them be "economically viable" and "not play in a stadium they have to share with a possum" and . . .

Uh, maybe my bitterness thing isn't quite working out for this one.

Ralph Wiggum's Finest Moments
What's a diorama?