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Hello and happy Wednesday.
Everything with baseball feels like a mess. Players are testing positive for the coronavirus (including two players on the San Francisco Giants, plus two other members of the organization). Stars are considering opting out of the season (including Buster Posey). Teams are cancelling workouts because they haven’t received results from tests taken three days prior (including the Giants).
It’s all ugly. But if you’re still excited about the Giants playing baseball — no matter how conflicted you may be — that’s perfectly understandable. The Giants are scheduled to open the season in just 15 days, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t giddy, even though I think MLB should cancel the season and none of this should happen.
Anyway, if you’re also excited about baseball, then I’ve got a whopping one minute of Giants baseball for you. There hasn’t been a lot of video emerging from Summer Camp for obvious reasons, but the Giants and their radio partner, KNBR, shared a teaser for the season in the form of one whole minute of glorious Giants baseball.
Behold Brandon Crawford fielding grounders and Buster Posey sauntering. Behold Hunter Pence making awkward throws and Johnny Cueto doing squats in the stands. And behold one absolutely beautiful Marco Luciano swing.
Soon. pic.twitter.com/XuL3V9up4Z
— KNBR (@KNBR) July 7, 2020
It’s beautiful, even when it’s conflicting.
Did Barry Bonds hit a home run today?
Oh yes.
July 8, 1993: Against the Philadelphia Phillies, Bonds hit a pair of home runs. A 3-run shot in the 5th inning off of Danny Jackson scored Steve Scarsone and Will Clark, and gave the Giants a 10-1 lead. Willie McGee made it back-to-back dingers. A solo blast in the 7th inning off of Jose DeLeon made it a 12-1 lead, and the Giants would win 13-2. They were his 23rd and 24th homers of the year.
July 8, 1994: Against the Philadelphia Phillies, Bonds hit a solo home run in the 6th inning off of Fernando Valenzuela. It tied the game 2-2, and Matt Williams would make it back-to-back homers to give the Giants a 3-2 lead, which was the final score. It was his 23rd homer of the year.
Giants links
- Kerry Crowley on how Marco Luciano is showing off his power (Mercury News)
- Alex Pavlovic breaks down the outfield options (NBC Sports Bay Area)
- Dalton Johnson on Gabe Kapler not ruling out an Heliot Ramos debut in 2020 (NBC Sports Bay Area)
- Andrew Baggarly on the cancelled workouts, and how the Giants didn’t expect things to be easy (The Athletic, subscription required)
- Alex Pavlovic on why Gabe Kapler isn’t concerned about the workout cancellation (NBC Sports Bay Area)
- Dalton Johnson on Marco Luciano impressing Gabe Kapler (NBC Sports Bay Area)
- Dan Szymborski lists his breakdown candidates for 2020 (Fangraphs)
Have a wonderful Wednesday, everybody!