Ok what the heck was that?

Alright, I have officially been absent for a month. I'm sure you haven't missed me too much, but I've missed writing. I'm going to try to get back on track. There have been two issues that have kept me away from the keyboard lately. 1. I have been working really hard at work, and by the end of the day I barely have enough brain power to keep the kitchen from burning down during dinner. 2. The Giants have not been rocking my world lately.

So I figure the best time to reignite my love for this team is during the rivalry series with the Dodgers, which took place over the last few days. I spent those few days on the edge of my couch and work chair (day game yesterday) with tension and nausea. Yes that is what this team does to me, creates sickness. Alright, that could be an exaggeration. I really thought this team would not want to be swept at home and would really pull through yesterday. I wore orange and black to work and tuned into KNBR to listen to the game. My poor office mate, a former Dodgers fan, had to endure my cursing for the duration of the game; there weren't many moments for applause or celebration.

Pitcher Jonathon Sanchez was called for a balk during the first inning, which probably happens all the time, but I immediately began thinking this is not good. Maybe it's my fault they didn't do better. It's very bad to mention a no-hitter while one is in progress, maybe you shouldn't think about how bad it is going to be to lose during the first inning. Since most of the people who read this are Giants fans I don't think I really need to delve into the details of the game with the exception of this. How great was it for Aaron Rowand to hit a home run off Padilla. Oh and this as well, come the 9th inning I really tried to find some optimism; we only needed 7 runs. And they started a little rally. I was really on the edge of my seat by this point. "I said office mate come share this moment with me, we are coming back." He said "I really admire your positive attitude at this moment." Then Eli Whiteside crushed my dreams and struck out swinging.

It was harsh to say the least. So I dealt with it and then later in the evening I hear that we've traded Bengie Molina for a freaking pitcher from Houston. What the heck? I know he is slow but he has been a great team player and blah, blah, blah. We don't need another pitcher. And the pitcher Molina was traded for has a career ERA of 4.01. I don't even know what to say. I don't get it. I liked watching Molina and I will miss him on the team.

Let's hope we get a win tonight.

Under Pressure

For me, the end of the spring season causes a sense sadness. Maybe it's because I know those of us who dwell in the Central Valley are facing intensely hot summer days. This in between season is a time for graduations, final performances and in the world of baseball, a time when we really get to see what a team is all about. There is a commercial, I believe it promotes the MLB network, that asks which month is the most important in baseball? I want to say April because like spring, it tends to be a time when everything is fresh and new on the ball field. We are almost in June now and for the Giants at least, those good fresh times have slowed down. There are a lot of games remaining in the 2010 season, which for Giants fans is a blessing and torture. I think this is the time many fans give up, I am guilty of this to some extent. We come back when the heat is on in September; the summer is a struggle.

When two-time Cy Young award winner Tim Lincecum is pitching, we expect to win. Simple as that. In Lincecum's last two starts, he has given up 11 runs. His current ERA (earned run average-mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. Calculated by dividing the number of runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine) is 2.91. According to the Giants website, he has never ended a season with an ERA above 2.62. Giants fans are up in arms. They are cursing Lincecum across the web. I can't blame them, I was cursing too while following last night's game. Is it fair for us to feel like that? When you prove yourself to be one of the best pitchers in the MLB, you set your self up to be expected to be perfect. But who can really claim perfection in anything, especially baseball? On the other hand, it is very scary when your ace isn't performing. Here is to an excellent start tomorrow against Ubaldo Jimenez.

Because the Giants have been playing great (though they have won the last 5 games I believe), there has been talk about what the problem is. Some are saying the players are too heavy, not fast enough to steal bases. There have been hitting slumps and some bad plays. I've been wondering if players pay attention to what people are saying about them. Does it affect how they play? Should we as fans and commentators be a liberty to judge? Are off days/weeks acceptable? What do you think readers?

I started this entry last week before the Giants started playing like rock-stars again. On the Giants twitter feed people were threatening to quit watching altogether this season. I think it is a little premature for that, but it is true that Giants baseball equals torture a lot of the time. Hang in there fans, it's only May.

PS. I've been absent from this blog for a few weeks now. I plan to get back on track totally when I get back from Washington DC. I've been reading some interesting books and articles lately so I definitely have something to say.

What the Balk?

While watching the Giants/Padres game last night (seriously Giants we need to beat this team), I got to see one example of a pitching infraction known as a balk. Thankfully this particular example was displayed by Padres pitcher Clayton Richard and not our own Matt Cain. I am proud to say that to some extent I knew what the umpire was referring to when he slapped his leg and called balk!

My latest read is Watching Baseball Smarter: A professional fan's guide for beginners, semi-experts and deeply serious geeks by Zack Hample. I had to pick this one up when I saw the title, of I course I need to know how to watch baseball smarter I thought to myself; especially if I plan to teach anyone else something. The book has been a true wealth of knowledge, and I plan a full review entry as soon as I finish it. In the chapter on pitchers, the balk is defined as an illegal movement by the pitcher that deceives a runner. Basically, if the pitcher stops his delivery mid-motion and there are runners on base, a balk will be called and all runners are allowed to advance one base.

My mom and I were just talking about the balk because I mentioned to her that I had just read about all the ways the pitcher can be charged with the infraction. She mentioned that it is very hard to see one when it happens, and that is the truth. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any video of what I saw last night, but here is an example involving Pedro Martinez when he pitched for the Mets.

http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=2872078

A balk would not be called if there were no runners on base. Pay attention to the pitcher next time you are watching a game and see if this happens. They might even get away with it.

Even though we didn't win the game last night, it was fun to watch. I'm digging Andres Torres right now. Here is a link to the video of his amazing catch that took him into the crowd. Notice that when he recovers and shows that he has caught the ball, he looks cool about it. I think he wanted to jump up and down a little bit. Later in the game he made a great diving underhanded catch with the same cool look afterward. Watch that clip here. I like how he tosses the ball from his glove to his hand like what he has just done is no great task. Another reason I dig watching him is that he is small. I know weird right.

So there you have it, what the balk?

Mother's Day in Baseball

Happy Mother's Day to all the awesome wonderful moms out there. And a very special happy Mother's Day to my mom, an amazing and wonderful woman who inspires me everyday. I think I have mentioned in previous posts that my mom is one of if not the biggest Giants fan in the world. Unfortunately we weren't able to go to a Giants game today, so we did the next best thing by spending the afternoon at Chuckchansi Park watching the Grizzlies. 

The afternoon began with the Singing Hands choir performing the National Anthem, which was actually pretty cool. 

We were lucky enough to watch future Giants catcher Buster Posey at the plate today. My brother predicts we will be seeing him at AT&T Park by the All-Star break. 

We also got to see Posey hit a home-run. I hope we'll be seeing the same great work when he gets to the Giants. 

In a strange turn of events, my mom pitched a great inning and many of the Grizzlies players gave her congratulatory hugs. While we were screwing around here we missed 4 runs. 

Toward the seventh inning the sky started to turn dark gray and ominous looking clouds formed over head. My sister Joanna kept us informed on the scary yellow storm shown on the radar. 

Even though it got colder, we still had smiles on our faces. 

The team made it to the top of the 9th inning 12-4, and then it started to pour. A few fans stuck it out in their seats. Most people stood under cover and stayed to watch the end of the game. You could hear people saying two more outs, two more outs. I almost think the Salt Lake Bees (used to be the Salt Lake Buzz, which is a little more edgy. In fact a long conversation was held between Joanna and Andy about edgy and hardcore sounding sports team names.) let themselves be struck out to get out of the storm. The game ended and we won. 

Before they could leave for the day, the grounds crew pulled the tarp over the field. 

It was a perfect and slightly adventurous Mother's Day at the ballpark. I am so lucky to have a mom who appreciates the game even when it is pouring. I am also glad to have spent the day with my whole family. One of the themes I keep finding in my research and thinking about this blog is how baseball brings people together, especially families. That is a wonderful thing. 

MSNBC

A special congratulations goes out to Oakland A's pitcher Dallas Braden, who threw a perfect game today against the Tampa Bay Rays. There have only been 19 perfect games in MLB history, what an amazing accomplishment. While at the Grizzlies game today, my mom and I went into the gift store where they were showing highlights from that game on TV. We met a young diehard A's fan who was so happy, it was fun to share the excitement of a great game with him. 

Also, congrats to the Giants who did well on the last road series and come home 4-2. 

Does Baseball Matter?

The March/April 2010 issue of Legacy had very interesting article on the relationship between baseball and mill/factory work in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The article Baseball: Why it Connects to Our American Story, by Chuck Anring, discusses how baseball was used as a method of bringing a town and team of factory/mill workers together. I had actually read the article before I began my research for the rivalry post, and while I was reading about how people from Brooklyn found the Dodgers to provide a sense of pride, I kept thinking of the similarities to Anring's article. Baseball can provide a way connect people to where they live and perhaps more importantly, to each other. 

The article begins with a description of Big Bill Haywood's trial for the planned assassination of Governor Frank Steunenberg. At that time Haywood was the secretary/treasurer for two miners' rights groups. The trial took place in Boise in 1907 and brought a good deal of attention to the area from media across the west. During this period in Idaho a new Sunday Closing Law meant there would be no forms of entertainment available on Sundays with one exception, baseball. Arning mentions how "every Sunday and on holidays as well, stands throughout the Snake River Valley were packed with spectators watching their town's nine..." Reporters who were covering the Haywood trial noted that on Sundays towns seemed to be "denuded of their male inhabitants." 

Bill Haywood

During the early part of the 20th century baseball fields could be found in mill towns across the country. Anring notes that the baseball field was as important to the landscape as the church, store and homes. He let's us ask why, then provides this answer "baseball was America." Like the fans of Brooklyn and Manhattan, citizens of each of the towns would gather at the field to cheer on their team. The town of the winning team was viewed as having strong character and good community. 

Anring also asks us to consider what working in a mill, factory or mine might be like. The work was dangerous, dirty and meant long hours in a too hot or too cold and dark environment. The worker was judged by their productivity and speed. Good teamwork was a necessity. Owners of the mills and factories looked to baseball as a method of bringing workers together and showing them how to work well together, meaning more efficiency in the mill or factory. Baseball was also thought to be useful to civilize and Americanize new immigrants. 

Later the article addresses the idea of time in the mill and time on the field. Workers were expected to work hard and fast with little time for rest. "Baseball was different. Each inning consisted of six outs, three per side; however long it took to get those outs was the length of an inning. There was no time limit." This is one of my favorite things about a baseball game. While it is nice for the opposing team to go out 1,2,3, sometimes a 20-inning game is a beautiful thing. The fact that there isn't a time limit leaves open lots of possibilities for the outcome. For the team and the fans it was time to relax and enjoy the sights, sounds, smells and feelings of the baseball field. 

Walter Schuster and Hall of Fame baseball team

When I finished the article, I was slightly confused about the relevance of the Haywood trial. Throughout the article Anring tries to really show the contrast between working life and the moments of recreational life. Whether it be the juxtaposition of the ball field and the gray starkness of the mill or the timelessness of the game compared to the pace required for work; baseball was the way to escape if only for a little while on a Sunday afternoon. 

I think it was brilliant for the owners to use the game of baseball in the ways they did at this point in our history. It was a very positive way to bring people together around something truly American. This fan is watching a game on this Sunday afternoon, and I imagine a similar scenario is occurring in homes across the country. Clearly baseball matters. 

Read Baseball: Why it Connects to our American Story here. 

Frontier Justice

Last weekend's series with the LA Dodgers caused some serious migraines and nausea for Giants fans. The Dodgers took the series 2-1, put Aaron Rowand on the DL and put Manny Ramirez, who hadn't played a moment during the rest of the series, in as a pinch hitter during the 3rd game 8th inning. The series was exciting and frankly a bit crazy; a perfect example of what to expect when watching two of baseball's greatest rival teams. 

   

I've spent a lot of time listening to KNBR and following the #sfgiants twitter feed. Giants fans are pissed, there is some serious raw emotion tied around the way things went down. During game one of the series, Dodger's pitcher Vicente Padilla, threw a pitch so high and inside that it hit Giants outfielder Aaron Rowand in the face. It was terrible to watch. Rowand dropped to his knees immediately, the Dodgers catcher looked worried and Padilla didn't seem to be fazed at all. I've heard that he is known as the "head hunter." A pinch runner was brought and Rowand walked off the field. No warnings were issued; I guess the ump thought the hit was unintentional. Watch the video and judge for yourself.

 
Rowand gets nailed in the dome by a pitch from Padilla
Uploaded by 22gigantes. - Discover the latest sports and extreme videos. 

There was talk on the radio and online as to whether or not the Giants should have sought a little "frontier justice" and pitched a fast-ball into the ribs of say Andre Ethier or Matt Kemp. My initial take was absolutely not. Isn't classier to prove your better by winning a game, which is what the Giants did in a big bad way on Saturday thanks to Tim Lincecum's skills on the mound and in the batter's box. We aren't really on a battlefield right, baseball is just a game. I'm starting understand that even though it sounds crazy, sometimes retaliation is warranted. 

First of all you can't hit someone in the head. According to Damon Bruce of KNBR, "once you're above the shoulders, all bets are off." Accident or not, I think Padilla should have received a warning, especially with his history. Second if you do hit someone with a pitch above the shoulders, you absolutely should call them to check in. Padilla did not follow through with this custom and I think that is one of the reasons we were expecting a little retaliation later in the series. If you hit us, we'll hit you. But it never happened. 

Saturday's game was fantastic and Barry Zito pulled through on Sunday, which looked like a win until Sergio Romo was brought in from the bullpen during the 8th inning. Manny Ramirez drove a 1-2 pitch from Romo into the left field pavillion. Personally, I would have like to see Romo pitch one into Manny's ribs, but he did not. The series ended and the Giants were left with no justice for Rowand, who thankfully won't have surgery and should return to the field in mid-May. Readers, what do you think? Would you have been happier if a Dodger had been hit too? 

It's been a few days we've faced more losses, and there is still talk of why the Giants did not retaliate. Have we mistakenly said "it's ok to pitch really high and inside, you win the tough contest LA?" I wonder if there would have been a different outcome during the Padres series with the Giants that ended Wednesday if Rowand had not been hit, or if justice had been served. 

I am very curious about why fans are so wrapped up in this rivalry. What is it about these two teams that prevents people from being friends, causes fear of wearing the wrong colors in the wrong city or could actually bring people to blows. As I mentioned in my first post, I was born into a Giants family. I know the rules as they have been passed down to me, and I'll bet it is this way many every Dodgers/Giants family. I decided to research the history of this great rivalry and here is what I found. 

Both teams originated in New York. The Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants played their first unofficial game at the Polo Grounds as part of an exhibition World Series between the American Association and the National League. It was played on October 18, 1889 and the Dodgers won 12-10. In May 1890 the first official game between the franchises was played, after the Brooklyn Dodgers joined the National League. 

In January 1898, the city of Brooklyn became a borough of greater New York City. This transition was tough for Brooklynites, who still considered themselves residents of their own city and not a part of NYC. They saw themselves as working class underdogs in comparison to the wealthy successful individuals of Manhattan. Without much opportunity, the Dodgers became a source of pride for Brooklyn. Just the opposite was happening in Manhattan, where the Giants came to represent the higher social status of their fan base. In 1957, both teams moved to California. The Dodgers took up residence in LA and the Giants in San Francisco. Similar to the cultural and economic differences of Brooklyn and Manhattan, during this era LA embodied the Hollywood image while San Francisco sought to become the progressive capital of the West. The fan bases followed.  

During the pennant race of 1965, Giants pitcher Juan Marichal hit two batters. Later in that game Dodgers catcher John Roseboro buzzed Marichal's ear with a few return throws. The event escalated to Marichal hitting Roseboro over the head with a bat and then a bench clearing ball. That must have been something to see. 

Clearly Rowand's hit was not a new or even unusual event during a Dodgers/Giants game. I expect we are going to see a rowdy season in this rivalry. We still have 16 games to play, but unfortunately we have to wait until the end of July. Looking forward to it and I do hope we see some frontier justice. 

This baseball fan is signing out wearing her black and orange. I'm ready to watch Lincecum on the mound tonight against the St. Louis Cardinals. Let's go Giants!

PS. I am not done with this topic yet, more about this rivalry in future postings. 

Source

http://www.dodgers-giants.com/ 

This Week in Baseball

This crazy project is going to be a lot harder than I thought. With 30 teams each playing several games per week, how can one keep up? I've been watching Sports Center whenever I can, so I've been catching some of the major highlights. In order to force myself to keep up with all the great catches, hits and plays I am going to start posting a "this week in baseball" entry every Sunday. So here is what's been happening this week in baseball.

Giants Trade Fred Lewis 

To the great delight of one Uncle Mark Wright of Fresno, CA, the Giants have traded Fred Lewis to the Toronto Blue Jays. Lewis replaced Barry Bonds in left field and played well in 2007 and 2008. The team had high expectations for him last season, but he did not perform well. 

"We appreciate everything Freddy did here," Bochy said, "Last year was a tough year. He got derailed with the bat and became a role player, and he got frustrated with that. A change of scenery might be good for him. And we wish him the best."

The Giants will receive cash or a player to be named later in the deal. The trade is that it leaves the Giants without an African American player on the active roster. The teams only player of African American Heritage is injured infielder Emmanuel Burriss.  I find this interesting to note during the same week that Jackie Robinson day was celebrated. 

Jackie Robinson Day

Each year April 15 is a celebrated and despised day in America. While many Americans are desperately trying to get their taxes finished, in baseball we honor the great Jackie Robinson. This April 15 marked the 63rd anniversary of Robinson's first game with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Robinson was the first African American player to openly take the field in the major leagues, breaking baseball's color barrier. It's hard to imagine what baseball might be like today without his legacy. 

Yankees closer Mariano Rivera is the last player to officially wear #42, which has been retired. On Thursday all players in the MLB wore #42 to celebrate a great player. 

Teams in the MLB wear #42

I'm very curious about Jackie Robinson's life and how he came to be the first African American to play in the major leagues. His story deserves a great deal of attention and I plan to do some more research for a future entry. 

Rockies Get First No-Hitter

Ubaldo Jimenez threw his first career no-hitter on Saturday in a 4-1 win against the Atlanta Braves. This was the first no-hitter in Colorado's 18 year 2,703 game history. According to the Associated Press, Jimenez had a tough time sleeping Saturday night with all the excitement surrounding his great accomplishment, but was able to clear his head after a 6-mile run through Atlanta Sunday morning. Jimenez's no-hitter is the first in the MLB since July 23, 2009, which was thrown by White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle. Giants pitcher Jonathan Sanchez threw a no-hitter just days before on July 10, 2009. 

Congrats Ubaldo Jimenez

Mets and Cardinals Play 20 Innings

On Saturday, the New York Mets and St. Louis Cardinals played a 20 inning game, which lasted 6 hours and 53 minutes. Interestingly this was not a first for either of the teams. In fact they played each other in the second longest game in baseball history, a 25 inning behemoth of a game. Jose Reyes of the Mets, hit a sacrifice fly to win the game.  

In doing my research for today's entry, I noticed the following question being posed across the board. Which is more news worthy, a no-hitter or 20 inning game? From what I can tell, Jimenez's no-hitter got more play in the media. What do you think readers?

Vin Scully Celebrates 60 Years With the Dodgers

I almost don't even want to include this as part of a great week in baseball, mostly because I am really depressed by the outcome of the Giants/Dodgers game today (more about that rivalry later). But I think Scully has accomplished a great feat, surviving the Dodgers for such a long time. Today marks his 60th anniversary announcing Dodgers games. Scully's first day on the job was in 1950 with the Brooklyn Dodgers, where he had to describe a 9-1 loss against the Philidelphia Phillies. Scully has won numerous awards and accomplished a lot during his broadcasting career, including being the youngest person ever to broadcast a World Series at age 25. 

Vin Scully

It was quite a week in baseball with many great accomplishments. Watching ESPN and listening to KNBR has been a great resource for my baseball education. It's fun to see other teams and players doing great things on the field. I think it's great that there is respect and awe for great baseball no matter what team it's coming from. 

Sources

http://bit.ly/bMkT3d

http://bit.ly/bMkT3d http://bit.ly/cDr008

http://bit.ly/bMkT3d http://bit.ly/cDr008 http://bit.ly/94MFxt

http://bit.ly/dCIZQE