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Hello, happy Wednesday. I hope it’s a good one.
We’re rewatching Game 5 of the 2012 NLDS tonight, so if you’re a fan of the San Francisco Giants, or a fan of Buster Posey, or a fan of not Mat Latos, swing by around 6 p.m. PT.
Now, onto some sports news.
On Tuesday, ESPN announced that they would continue with the 2020 ESPYs, the awards show that honor the best in just about everything sports-related. But without seasons to compare, judge, and award, the show obviously won’t be the same. So for this year, they’re shifting the show to highlight humanitarian efforts around the world. From ESPN’s press release:
Details of the show continue to evolve with production underway, but the two-hour produced program will underscore sport’s continued role in bringing us together, encouraging resilience, providing joy, and inspiring hope. The 2020 ESPYS will preserve several core elements of the annual show, including the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage, the Pat Tillman Award for Service, and the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance. Additionally, the show will include the Sports Humanitarian Awards, sponsored by Bristol Myers Squibb, with several key awards including the Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award and the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award, among others.
The Giants haven’t won an ESPY in ... /checks notes ... a really long time, and that won’t be changing this year. But this is a nice angle for ESPN to be taking, given that the coronavirus has mostly taken away sports.
Did Barry Bonds hit a home run today?
Totally.
May 6, 1998: Against the Florida Marlins, Bonds hit a 2-run home run in the 5th inning off of Livan Hernandez, scoring Bill Mueller. It pulled the Giants to within 3-2, and they would win 10-9. It was his 8th home run of the year.
May 6, 2003: Against the Florida Marlins, Bonds hit a solo home run in the 6th inning off of Carl Pavano. It tied the game 1-1, and the Giants would win 4-2. It was his 10th home run of the year.
Giants links
- Steve Berman does a power ranking of the best current Bay Area athletes (The Athletic, subscription required)
- Podcast: Grant Brisbee and Andrew Baggarly discuss underrated Giants home runs (The Athletic, free)
- Bed Badler with 13 lower-level breakout candidates, including a pair of Giants (Baseball America, subscription required)
- Dan Szymborski with ZiPS projections for the KBO (Fangraphs)
- Podcast: Austin Slater talks with Alex Pavlovic and Kelli Johnson about Spring Training, and MLB games without fans (NBC Sports Bay Area)
- Maria Guardado ranks the best center fielders in franchise history (MLB)
- Alex Pavlovic on how Gabe Kapler is helping the Junior Giants learn baseball from home (NBC Sports Bay Area)
- Jim Bowden on how NL teams would do with a designated hitter (The Athletic, subscription required)
- Grant Brisbee on how the Giants specifically would do if there’s a DH in 2020 (The Athletic, subscription required)
Have a wonderful, wonderful Wednesday.