Like Morse, just enjoy the ride

There's really something to be said for being able to totally relax and enjoy what's going on around you. It's the way you feel on vacation, the way you feel when you gaze out at something beautiful with nowhere to be; your phone only making an appearance to take a picture because there's no service anyway.


It's an odd feeling-- almost surreal when it happens. But it just feels right.


That's the way I'm feeling when watching the Giants these days-- like I don't have a friggin care in the world and nowhere to be.

That's how good they've been.



Hell, even ESPN has noticed. That's how good they've been.

It's been awhile since my last post, partly because there's been no controversy, barely any conflict or poor decisions being made. It almost seems... do I dare say... easy.


In that last post, I wrote that the Giants would be alright without Brandon Belt. Not only have they been alright, they've hit some sort of zone, that can only be enhanced by Belty's return in a couple weeks.


It's difficult to even imagine that they'll be regaining another bat with superb defense when the current lineup has been so successful.


So much of that success can be attributed to Mike Morse and everything he does. He's played an admirable first base and left field, has absolutely raked the ball, and you can just tell, has had a huge impact on the Giants' clubhouse. He's having fun playing baseball and I'm having fun watching him.


It's unfortunate that he's only on a one year deal, because whatever magic Mike has brought to the clubhouse (see what I did there?) and to the lineup, I don't want it to end. Pay the man immediately.


Currently Morse ranks in the top 20 in all of MLB in HR, RBI, Slugging %, and OPS-- something this team has needed for years and years. Curiously though, for you Saberjerks, Morse is only a 0.9 WAR.


See, this is why I have a problem with that stat. It's not an end all be all, and there's exceptions to the rule. I won't go off on a huge tangent, but to say that Mike Morse has only been worth one extra win to this team is beyond absurd. He's been a shot of adrenaline into this lineup and a shot of tequila in the clubhouse. Plus he did this on Stan Lee / Superheroes Night. Hulk status.

 

There of course have been others that have been amazing additions this season-- most notably the ageless Tim Hudson, who has pitched like a Cy Young candidate. However, there's one other guy that has essentially been an addition that I'd like to talk about.

Ryan Vogelsong.

Is he an addition? You betcha. Yah. *Fargo voice*

He may not be a new face around these parts, but Vogey's resurgence to an effective, chainsaw-angry member of the rotation has been huge, especially due to Cain's uneven season and Lincecum, well... being Lincecum.

Vogey currently sports a 3.39 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, with 7 of his 12 starts have been "quality".

His starts have been such a far cry from what we all expected from him, that's it's just gravy. I can't say for sure that he'll be able to keep this up all season, but his efforts have been absolutely huge so far. You could even argue he's been more helpful to the cause than Matt Cain, which is crazy. If Vogey keeps this up, even remotely close to what he's done thus far, the Giants' rotation will outperform expectations all season.

Outperforming expectations has been the name of the game so far, and it's just been plain fun to watch. Posey and Panda have hit rough patches this year at different times, but they've evened out. The Giants keep winning. Pence had a rough start. They win anyway. Belt goes down? No problem. Cain on the DL? Whatever. Buster and Pagan need days off? Oh well, they win without them. Blanco gets some starts? He's a catalyst all the sudden.

It's just insanity.

It's remarkable too how Bruce Bochy has been able to work guys in and out of the lineup lately without much consequence in the win column. It all just works out... and believe me, I've noticed.

Right after Lincecum gave up that first HR to Granderson:

That brings me back to my opening paragraph. You just need to sit back and enjoy the scenery. 21 games over .500 on June 8th is crazy, and it been thoroughly fun.

Part of my ability to just sit back and enjoy this is because we have those two big trophies from 2010 and 2012. Just as the second trophy validated the first, this great start is on its way to validating those other years.

When we won that 2nd World Series, it felt different than the first one. The first one was insane... even with a commanding series lead over Texas, it was gut-wrenching and nail-biting until that final out. With the second one, a feeling a confidence swept over me after we won the first two games. Because even if something bad happened and they blew it, we'd always have 2010. I was able to drink and joke with people against the Tigers without having to get a referral to a cardiologist. It was just plain more fun.

Now, back in an even year, those first two trophies are the Fort Knox full of gold bars that backs up this 2014 currency. I'm able to enjoy it more because I still feel like we're playing with house money. And that my friends, is priceless.

We're almost there: It's ours to lose

This just keeps getting better and better.

Before it's all said and done, it's about to get sweeter than any of us could have imagined back in April.

Back in April, Rowand started over Torres, Posey was in Fresno, Wellemeyer was our 5th starter, Burrell was DH'ing in St. Petersburg, and Madison Bumgarner was... a concern to say the least.

Remember? He had a terrible Spring, was throwing 85, and everyone was freaking out! Some people thought he was injured. Some thought we were dumb not to trade him while his stock as a prospect was high. More thought he had gone all Rick Ankiel on us and would never recover.

I was one of those freaking out... thinking he'd been rushed; thinking he'd need more seasoning and time to iron out his mechanical problems. I feared the worst. I prayed to God I didn't see anything at the bottom of my screen mentioning Madison and the most feared words in the Baseball Language: Dr. James Andrews.

Thank God none of that ever happened. Sure enough, after a couple months in Fresno, slowly but surely, Bumgarner came back around. His velocity increased back to respectability, and his stock slowly began to rise again.

Bumgarner's was not quite the odyssey of an Aubrey Huff or a Rick Ankiel, but within the framework of one season, it mirrors the Giants' season as a whole. It is quite possible that if you were to choose just one Giant's season that best represented the "hero cycle" that is the 2010 San Francisco Giants, it would be Madison Bumgarner.

As it turned out, in one of the biggest games of our lifetimes, this 21 year-old country boy with ice water in his veins shut down one of the best lineups assembled in the last 20 years. He threw mostly fastballs that varied in speed from 89-94, and kept professional hitters off balance all night. He can barely buy a beer, and he made Vladimir Guerrero, who drove in 115 runs in '10, look like a confused old lady.

Bumgarner, who I refer to as "The Carolina Kid", seems like he has "it". We said that about Timmy in '07. Remember?

His demeanor and mentality lead me to believe he would be an excellent military sniper. One of the most skilled jobs in all the world, a sniper must be silent, patient, alert, steady, and strong. You can't blink. You can't make a sound, and if you so much as shake an iota, your shot misses by 10 feet. Madison Bumgarner has a steady trigger finger.

As it were, The Carolina Kid and his steady trigger finger, at all of 21 years old, has led our beloved baseball team to within one win of a World Series title.

HurriCAIN Matt & Company 2 games away...

I cannot say enough about Matt Cain. He shut down a team, that on paper is totally "unshutdownable". Just look how they managed to make a game of it on Wednesday after they'd been left for dead.

Cain was a steady hand on the wheel, guiding the Giants to within two measly games of their first title in San Francisco.

He isn't flashy. His biggest quirks are his high socks, funny puffball of a haircut, and his subtle Southern drawl. He is a blue chip talent with a blue collar attitude and work ethic. That is a set of qualities to be desired in any setting.

Cain has been steady all season long, a guy we could rely on when Sanchez, Timmy and Zito had their ups and downs. Without him, we are definitely not standing where we are today... two games away.

Thoughts & Observations

-- CJ Wilson pitched pretty damn well. Other than that HR he allowed to Renteria, he basically shut us down. He didn't have his best stuff, but still made it work. Impressive start.

-- Edgar Renteria may have earned $6MM of his $8MM dollar salary in the past two games. Hell, maybe all $8MM. His defense has been flawless (save for a mishandled throw on a steal attempt by Andrus), and he was the catalyst for a blowout of a Game 2 win. It really proves that you can't teach "clutch", and playoff heroes like him are still capable of doing it late into their careers.

-- Ron Washington was badly outmanaged by Bruce Bochy tonight. I know, it doesn't sound like something anyone would say... but it's true. Bochy made all the right moves, and Washington, well... uh...

Washington made his biggest mistakes with his bullpen. With Cody Ross coaxing an impressive walk out of starter CJ Wilson, Washington went to his veteran lefty Darren Oliver to face Aubrey Huff. Sure I get it, lefty on lefty. Okay. Oliver got Huff to ground out.

With righty O'Day ready in the bullpen, Washington opted to keep Oliver in the game to face Juan Uribe. This was the first head scratcher of many. I get that O'Day allowed that HR to Uribe on Wednesday, but he's a better option than Oliver, who immediately gave up an RBI double to Uribe.

Fast forward an inning.

O'Day gets two quick outs and allowed a single to Buster Posey. With Schierholtz on deck, Washington, burned by not playing lefty/righty matchups in the previous inning, decided to go with 24 year-old Derek Holland to face Schierholtz.

Holland couldn't find the zone and walked 3 consecutive Giants, including Cody Ross, who hit directly after Nate. Where was Ogundo? Where was Mark Lowe then? I didn't get any of it, and neither did Krukow and Kuiper.

Holland may be rendered useless now after being hung out to dry like that. It was reminded me of Brooks Conrad in the NLDS.

And hell, Bruce Bochy burned Mike Fontenot as a pinch hitter in order to get Rowand in there for a better matchup against the new lefty. And look how that worked out. Rowand hit a triple. That sealed the game as a real laugher.

Ron Washington just seemed totally overwhelmed and it looked like he second-guessed himself throughout the entire game. He didn't have guys ready to go with the bullpen, and seemed totally rattled by previous backfires.

He will rebound by Game 3, but it might already be too late.

-- Javier Lopez is an absolute monster. I did not come up with this nickname, but "The Silent Assassin" fits him well. He's like a biological weapon-- mustard gas or something... or carbon monoxide. The enemy knows we have him, but they don't realize they're choking to death and dying until it's too late.

Boom. Sit down Josh Hamilton. Love Javier Lopez.

-- Some sweet stats here:

-- The Giants have now scored 50 runs, 30 of which have come with two outs
-- Of those 50 runs, 20 have been scored in the first two games of the World Series
-- The 4 consecutive walks by Holland and Mark Lowe set a World Series record
-- Matt Cain has now thrown 21.1 innings in the playoffs and has yet to allow a run
-- Opponents are hitting .171 off of Cain this post season

Game 3

-- Jonathan Sanchez and Colby Lewis go head to head in Game 3. This game has to favor Texas, because Lewis has been pitching very well, while Sanchez, has been... well... "Bad Sanchez". I expect him to be on a VERY short leash.

In addition to a rabid crowd, the Rangers have a serious home field advantage. They've got their short porches, and their DH, as well as their comfort zone. The sheer confidence boost the Rangers will get from being at home will be significant.

Look at Ian Kinsler. That ball he hit in Game 2 would've been a HR in Arlington. He got A&T'd, and it gets guys down in the dumps when they think no matter how hard they hit the ball, they have no chance at a round tripper.

As for the DH, I've already opined that it should be Sandoval. There simply is no way around it. Burrell doesn't like it, and he will be replaced defensively anyway. With righties Colby Lewis and Tommy Hunter going in Games 3 & 4, Panda looks like a good bet to me, unless Bochy gets a wild hair up his nose and DH's Aubrey Huff in favor of the defensive Ishikawa at first.

Also, Vladdy Guerrero gets a chance to redeem himself doing what he does best... hit.

-- So now we finally hear why there was no Jose Guillen on the playoff roster. Apparently, Guillen has been linked to some sort of HGH/Performance Enhancing Drug investigation and the Giants were ordered by the commissioner's office to exclude the right fielder.

Although Guillen and HGH go hand in hand, it is fairly shocking that MLB would basically find a way to suspend a guy before he's been formally charged. The Player's Union I'm sure will have something to say about that.

As it turned out, the Giants didn't need him at all, although he would make a swell DH in Arlington. Just imagine if Guillen WAS included on the roster. He'd possibly have stolen at bats from Cody "Boss" Ross. God only knows what would've happened.

Although he was a good late season addition and we only gave up Kevin Pucetas, I cannot say anyone misses him, and Cody Ross did more in his spot than anyone else could have.

Too good: Dallas Reporter Smells Weed

This guy is hilarious. I you can't see these two videos, click here. It's truly hilarious.

This Dallas reporter outside of AT&T is appalled at "people smokin' weed!" beyond McCovey Cove. Too funny.



And the followup:




Again, click here if you cannot see the videos.

Nice win, weird game

That was fairly amazing. I wish I could've been at the yard, but it doesn't matter. It didn't matter if you were with a group of friends, listening on the radio at work, or getting blind drunk with strangers at a bar... We won a World Series game, and we need to win three more. That right there is an absolute rush.

I said in my last post that if the Giants wanted to beat Cliff Lee, it was up to Tim Lincecum. No one could've predicted that Lee would've had such poor command with his fastball and that his offspeed pitches would've been non-existent. The Giants capitalized on Lee's lack of high quality stuff, as good teams do, and that was really the difference.

Lincecum on the other hand, has to be a cause for concern. Since his first start against the Braves in the NLDS, he's been pretty good, but certainly not great. He's been bailed out a couple times, including tonight. As I alluded to on Tuesday, if Cliff Lee is right, Lincecum giving up 4 runs is a near death sentence.



Obviously, you can never rule out these Giants-- we all know that. But without those 7 earned runs of Lee's and that monstrous dong by Uribe allowed by O'Day, the Rangers probably have the lead into the late innings.

I won't say we got lucky, but this is the first time that Cliff Lee has shown any semblance of humanity/mortality, and it was a rather big showing of vulnerability.

This does two things:

1) The Rangers, who have grown accustomed to Lee shutting down teams automatically, have had their noggins shaken up a bit. Their world has not been turned upside down, but it means something. I wouldn't expect Lee to do this again.

2) It gives the Giants a HUGE shot of confidence heading into Game 2 and beyond

Notes & Observations:

-- I said on Tuesday that one of the keys to success was Andres Torres and Freddy Sanchez doing a better job of getting on base and setting the table for the rest of the lineup. They did just that, especially Sanchez, who went 4-5 with 3 doubles.

-- Andres Torres & Freddy Sanchez went a combined 5-9 with 4 runs, 3 RBI, and one big HBP. These two did what I told them, and it was huge.

-- Another key I mentioned was Pat Burrell needing to get hot. He is on the ball... and by on the ball, I mean he is just off the ball. He is very close to getting a hold of a couple pitches and I believe big things should happening shortly. He still has a good eye and drew a huge walk off of Cliff Lee to prolong that big inning.

-- Good to see Santiago Casilla and Sergio Romo doing well. A 7 run lead is a great time to get your struggling relievers into the game. While Romo and Casilla came out of the game with a confidence boost, the same cannot be said for the totally lost Ramon Ramirez and the up and down Jeremy Affeldt.

-- Everyone knows about Vladimir Guerrero's declining mobility in the field; everyone but Ron Washington apparently. Guerrero is a future hall of famer and has always been one of the most unorthodox, exciting players in the league since he began with Montreal all those years ago.

Personally, I would not have played Guerrero in perhaps the most difficult right field in all of baseball. Vlad's arm is still stronger than hell, but he just can't move anymore. Those years of torment by playing on carpet-covered concrete in Montreal absolutely devastated this man's knees and he has no business playing out there anymore.

What happened out there in Game 1 was beneficial to the Giants, but to see Vlad struggle with routine plays and fumble the ball around was hard to watch. It is most difficult because he has been so good for so long, and his skills are eroding in front of the whole world. The man can still hit the hell out of the ball, but he shouldn't be out in the field. You know it. I know it. He knows it.

David Murphy should play in RF in Game 2. Murphy is an offensive downgrade, but not by a huge margin. He is a decent hitter that adds an element of speed and defense that is more conducive to the National League style of play. He hit .291/.358/.449 this season with 14 steals. You make the call.

-- Great to see Ishikawa and Nate Schierholtz getting big hits and making good plays on defense (other than Ishi's ugly throw).

-- Stay hot Cody Ross. He had a rather pedestrian game for his standards, but it was still 1-5 with a run and RBI. He will never have to buy a drink in this town again.

-- How huge is Juan Uribe? That guy is an amazing, funny little man and I love him. If he's not re-signed to a two year deal this offseason I will fill a mason jar with an unpleasant substance and FedEx it to Brian Sabean.

-- Nice little tidbits here:

-- Heading into the World Series, the Giants have the lowest team ERA since the '01 Cardinals and '01 Diamondbacks.

-- The team that wins Game 1 of the Series wins 61% of the time

-- 6 of the last 7 and 11 of the last 13 Game 1 winners have won the series.

-- Cain against Wilson coming up Thursday night. I would expect our lineup to be the same, going against another lefty. For the Rangers, I would expect lefty David Murphy to play in place of Vlad and hit 7th.

-- It's gonna rain tomorrow. If you're lucky enough to go to the game, bring a poncho with a funny slogan on it. Hopefully that doesn't screw up our game.

You guys like my rally beard? I applied a second coat of Walt Frazier Just For Men. Looks delicious. ---->

Thoughts before Game 1

This is what we've all been waiting for... another chance to finally win a championship.

Not in a million years did anyone expect a Giants-Rangers World Series, and this series is as intriguing and unpredictable as the matchup itself. But, I will see what I can do...

-- Cliff Lee is the best pitcher in baseball right now. He's pitching better than Lincecum, Halladay, Cain, or anyone else that has participated in the playoffs. He is straight filth, and he is more likely to know the lyrics of a Justin Bieber song than he is to walk a guy. That means neither is likely.

Games 1 and 5 will be up to clutch late-inning hitting and Tim Lincecum. Lincecum cannot give up more than 3 runs in either start, because Lee will allow 2 or less. The way to beat Texas in games Lee starts is to A) Get lucky or B) wear him out, take pitches, and beat Texas's inferior bullpen.

-- Josh Hamilton will beat us at some point (or two). The key is to minimize the damage caused by their other two boppers, Nelson Cruz and Vlad Guerrero.

-- Keep the deer off the basepaths. If the speedy Elvis Andrus and the beastly Ian Kinsler draw walks, smack singles, and do their cute little antler thing, we've got problems.

-- Much has been made of Bengie Molina's presence in the Texas clubhouse. Sure he knows signs, tendencies, and our pitchers. It is an advantage for sure. But this is baseball, not the NFL. This isn't a Gruden with Tampa against the Raiders situation.

Molina knows Cain and Lincecum intimately but never really saw Timmy's slider. He doesn't know much about Madison Bumgarner, and was not on the team with Javier Lopez, Ramon Ramirez, Cody Ross, Mike Fontenot, and barely saw Buster Posey.

And another point that Chris Ray, the man Molina was traded for, is still on the team. He is not on the active roster, but that doesn't prevent him from sharing signs, tendencies, game plans, and tips on Josh Hamilton, Michael Young and company.

Another point is that everything is on HD video, and advanced scouting departments for each team do nothing but track tendencies.

The Giants will have changed their signs, and Bengie Molina's effect on the series will be minimal. He wont make Lincecum's changeup easier to hit or Brian Wilson's beard any less awesome.

-- Andres Torres and Freddy Sanchez need to do a better job of setting the table and Pat Burrell needs to heat up again. He is due.

-- Please God, stay hot Cody Ross...

-- Casilla, Romo, and Ramirez scare the hell out of me. Good thing Jeremy Affeldt appears to be back...

-- Jonathan Sanchez will once again pitch on the road. Homeboy needs to find his control. Another 3 inning meltdown will sink us.

-- The DH thing is a concern. While Vlad Guerrero will probably bumble around in the outfield during the first 2 games in San Francisco, the Gyros will have a dilemma on their hands in Arlington.

Cliff Lee and CJ Wilson are Texas's best pitchers, but both are lefties. Had Ron Washington opted to throw Colby Lewis in Game 2, the Giants would have had to really improvise with their DH situation.

With two righties in Lewis and Tommy Hunter going in Games 3 and 4, it creates an ideal situation for Pablo Sandoval to DH.

Yes, Sandoval is a full-blown retard, but hitting left-handed is his stronger side, and maybe the lack of stress of playing 3rd base will help him.

Pat Burrell makes sense as a DH (possibly in Game 5 against Lee) but the last time he tried that, he hit .211 with 2 HR and was fired by Tampa Bay. He hates it.

-- I know he wont read this, but I'd like to apologize to Bruce Bochy. At points this season, I declared him "unfit to lead". I even wanted him fired. I was wrong Boch.

I disagree and second guess more than half your lineups and in game moves, but you've gotten us to within 4 games of a championship. If you get this done, I will be forever in your debt...

Predictions: Giants will win in 6 games. The torture will continue, but so will the clutch performances at the plate and on the mound for San Francisco. The Rangers have the hottest pitcher on earth and a superior offense in every way. It only seems logical that they'd win.

Unfortunately for them, they've earned a chance to face the most illogical team ever assembled. The Giants aren't supposed to win, and that's precisely why they will.

PS: I dyed my beard jet black in honor of Brian Wilson. I am applying a second coat tomorrow before the game.

If you have not seen my "Giants Win the Pennant" video, you're missing out. In just over 48 hours, it's received nearly 1,200 hits. It's epic, and will get you fired up for the World Series even more than you already are!



The Giants Win the Pennant!
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They aren't misfits, they fit perfectly

Andy Baggarly was right when he said, "Isn't this whole torture thing a little played out?"

I for one, am a little sick of it myself. I cannot deny that these Giants have given me more mini heart attacks than any other team I've rooted for, but I'm fed up with the whole mantra. They play close games, that's their style. Do we really need to keep saying "torture" ad nauseum?

I feel the same way about the rest of these terms the Giants are being branded with.

"Misfits", "Bad News Bears", "Dirty Dozen", "Scrap Heap", "Lost & Found", "Motley Crew", bla, bla, frickin, bla.

Enough already.

As the National sports media discovers the World Series-bound 2010 San Francisco Giants for the first time this week, do not expect the tidal wave of ridiculous and unfair monikers to subside.

Yes, as Mat Latos pointed out, this team has gone through a lot of changes. And yes, Brian Sabean has acquired a ton of new players that were unwanted by their previous teams.

Players are always unwanted by their previous teams! This is the age of free agency, waiver wires, and "What have you done for me lately?"

I cannot deny that guys like Pat Burrell and Cody Ross were picked up for nothing, and have been huge this season. But isn't that what being a good GM and a good team is all about?

Why, when a player is bought at an all time low does that then make him a "misfit" or "castoff" or "salvaged"?

In addition, with those noted exceptions above, there is blue chip talent on this team. Matt Cain, Tim Lincecum, Buster Posey, and Madison Bumgarner are all high 1st round draft picks.

Brian Wilson and Serge Romo are also products of our farm system. Are they misfits because of their beards?

Freddy Sanchez is a former all-star and batting champion. Is he a castoff?

Because Andres Torres was a late bloomer and an undrafted free agent, does that somehow make his story infinitely less intriguing than Josh Hamilton's?

Juan Uribe has hit 20+ home runs in a season four times and has a World Series ring from his days with the White Sox. Because he's funny and pudgy, does that make him somehow less of a player than Texas SS Elvis Andrus, whom I expect to be drooled over by the media?

Because 29 other general managers were too stupid to give Aubrey Huff a chance and a contract, does that make him any less worthy than Michael Young to win a World Series?

The answer to all these unasked questions is a resounding "no" from where I'm sitting.

These Giants have exceeded all possible expectations, broken through all barriers, and doggedly persevered all season to get to this moment-- in the face of certain adversity. Padres, Braves, and Phillies fans alike have yet to concede that they could have possibly been beaten by a better team... calling the Giants "lucky".


Well I'll tell you something. You don't get to the World Series on luck. No one does.

This team has played the same style of baseball all season: great pitching, a door-slamming bullpen, scratched out runs, and timely big flies. It's not luck. It's a formula; and it works.

This is a classic example of a team's individual parts coming together to create something too special and valuable to deny.

This may not be the best team to ever put on a Giants uniform, it is definitely not the smoothest, or the prettiest, but each and every one of these guys deserves to be there, and when they hoist that trophy, no one will call them castoffs or misfits ever again.

They will simply be known as World Series Champions.