San Francisco Giants Link Dump, 9/17

There aren't that many baseball games left this season, so my proposal is that the Giants not lose any more. Haven't they lost enough this year? I submit that they have.

Is Javier Baez's Rocket-Powered Swing Built To Last?
There are many, many, many aspects of baseball analysis that I'm no good at (Example A). But the one that I have no hope of ever understanding is analyzing mechanics. Sometimes there will be an article with before-and-after pictures, and I'll just blindly agree with the author. "Yes, his arm angle was slightly higher last year. That's probably why his arm flew out of its socket and merged with a computer and tried to take over the world only to be stopped by Jeff Goldblum giving it a computer virus. Of course!"

Orioles celebrate first division title in 17 years
I remember watching Mike Mussina's knuckle-curve in the 1997 ALCS and wondering how anyone could ever hit it. Since then, the Orioles have toyed around with luminaries like Daniel Cabrera, Sidney Ponson, and Robert Andino. So congratulations to them on winning the AL East while not being a team I can't stand, and congratulations also to the Washington Nationals, who clinched the NL East yesterday. If the Giants do get eliminated at some point, these are both teams I'd be happy to see win, which probably means they'll lose to the Angels or some crap.

Prospectus Review: 'That Foul Tip Had Better Have Hit Your Testicles'
There are all sorts of things you can learn from Jason Kendall, even beyond how to make people forget several years of greatness simply through being bad for a decade. And in order to impart all his wisdom upon the world, Kendall wrote a book about baseball, decrying the state of the game and calling for a return to the days of spiking guys at second base solely because you don't like them. Sounds like Kendall's learned the first rule of sportswriting: make sure your takes are as hot as magma.

Phillies give Tony Gwynn Jr. an emotional start in San Diego
I like to say mean things about the Phillies, because they deserve most of them and they're funny. But this is a genuinely kind gesture made by a team that didn't need to make it. Since I point out everything dumb they do, I should be [sigh] fair and draw your attention to this too.

Please Help The Community Affected By The Boles Fire
Weed isn't just a place whose name makes it susceptible to an easy joke, but a place that's on fire, which makes the joke twice as easy. Somehow, I will manage to avoid that joke. Think of it as a donation, though money would probably be more welcome.