Wild Thing Timmy

At 9:17, I sent this.

At 9:17 and 2 seconds Timmy hit Uribe

At 9:17 and 5 seconds I sent this

I have no issues whatsoever in plunking Uribe. 

Bochy came out and gave Timmy one more batter, Timmy got Uribe to go 0-2 right away, but the next two pitches Uribe destroyed foul, and 2 pitches after that, Timmy could nip at the corners -- gassed.  So, he took a piece of Uribe.  Either that or walk him. 

He chose to plunk him.

Timmy is destined to be a badass in the "pitches that sail" department: I for one applaud him.  Timmy's got to eventually shed this happy-go-lucky kid thing, a surly, quasi-wild thing headhunter image may get him through the next five years.  After all, he's lost a few MPH's on his fastball already, a 93 MPH fastball looks a lot faster when you think it might be coming at your batting gloves.

Oh yeah, and way to go on celebrating a Dodger at AT&T Park -- I so don't think that's cool.  I don't care if it's Willie Mays: we do not approve of Dodgers being celebrated on our field.

Game 8: Another walk off hit, Torres leaves the game with Achilles strain, Giants win 3-2

The Boys certainly have a flare for the dramatic. 

First in an hour long ring ceremony pregame where they literally ran aps around the ballpark, called out every player, trainer, coach, clubouse staff worker and concessionaire onto the field to get a ring.

Then, in a 2 1/2 hour game that I watched completely from My Floating Red Couch, I watched the giants squander almostevery single opportunity until the very last pitch of the game, a 3-2, 2-out slider that Ryan Franklin hung to Miguel Tejada that Tejada slapped to deep left center.  The score was 2-1 Cards, and the Gians had Posey on 2nd, Belt on 1st (pinch running for Burrell).

And even then it looked like Card centerfielder Ramus or leftfielder Johnny John "JJ" Jay might have had a beat on it.  Then the ball hit Rasmus' glove and slowly rolled out.

Ballgame (the home town official scorer called it a "double").

Cain did well.  He went 7, gave up his first two runs of the season in 6 and 7, but kept the chomping-at-the-bit Cardinals at bay.  No decision, but he didn'tdeserve a loss.

Cardspitcher Jaime Garcia was good, perfect the first time through the lineup.  9 Ks in 6 IP, pulled for offensive reasons.  Ryan Franklin is going to cost him wins this year, he might be an early new-guy-in-the-running-for-a-Cy-Young favorite.

Matt Holliday comes back today, Giants got Zito going.  But they've got two in their pocket, so a win today would be a little extra gravy.

Torres left early, hurt.  Rowand can fill in for him, but he's our only speed and  hope he's not out long.

World Series Last Batter

In these last few moments of relevence before the long ass season begins

Hank Aaron likes the Giants

Though he may be the grumpiest retiree in the universe, Hank Aaron (and his opinion) demands as much respect as any curmudgeon's who has lived, breathed, struggled, and survived. 

Perhaps the last great hero of the civil right movement, Aaron has played in the negro leagues, experienced baseball's stubborn and painfully slow integration, and survived racially charged death threats for years as he moved to unseat baseball's most epic legend and in the process turned baseball's classical age into an official era-gone-by.

And Aaron likes the Giants to get to the World Series again (although, I suspect he thinks the Bosox would win).

I'll tell you, a Giants-Red Sox series would be about the only thing with a shot to surpass last year's fantastical amplitude of boner-inducing explendianza [sic].

A good ol' 6 or 7 game series, 2 or three well pitched, 2 or three offensive purgings, 1 or two close ones that fall somewhere in between. 

Oooh, a pile of gray jerseys at Fenway.



I just love this video.