San Francisco Giants Link Dump, 8/20

You'll never believe this, but I found the end of last night's game unbearably stupid. And now I shall take to the Internet to voice my displeasure. This will certainly effect change in baseball.

The NL Wild card race: less-than-inspiring
I applaud the statement all these teams are making about how the second wild card is stupid. I know there are many admirers of the current playoff structure, but it is clear to me that the Giants, Cardinals, Braves, and Pirates have all decided that having a third of MLB make the playoffs is excessive, so they are lodging a protest the only way they can: by showing the league office the absurdity of the sport's rules. I admire their intellectual honesty and wish them all the best in their endeavor.

Diamondbacks Plan To Retain Kirk Gibson For 2015
I can't decide if this is funnier or sadder. Admittedly, Tony La Russa has denied the report, which he would do regardless of its veracity, but if it is true, it's like the blackjack dealer is showing a seven and the Diamondbacks just doubled down on two Magic cards.

South Carolina Circuit Court judge rules in favor of Project Jackson in North Augusta
The Greenjackets, low-A farm team for the Giants, are looking to build a new stadium, I guess. My assumption is that it will be a $5.7 billion facility that rivals Epcot Center, the Great Wall of China, and Brazil as a tourist destination. People will come from all over the globe just to see this stadium. Obviously, the city of Augusta will have to chip in for some of the costs, but isn't it worth it to keep an institution like the Greenjackets around? Is $5.3 billion and the generational debt that will go along with it really such a high price to pay? Not to me. Not for sports.

The beauty (in the eye of the beholder) of the Strikeout Era
Sam Miller has heard the Crash Davises of the world bemoan increased strikeouts for too long, and he's here to make the case that they're a good thing. Well, not here, specifically, as this is a website, which not a physical location that a person can inhabit, and he's actually on the site that the orange words up above link to, but if I knew what my point was I'm sure I would consider it made.

Youngest Child Ever? Jonah Is Just 3 Years Old
What an extraordinary human.