The Giants 2015 Season: Wrestling With A Million Emotions Like A Crazy Person

Any kind of sports fandom is truly maddening. It took me a long time to acknowledge that, but damn, is it true. Despite this reality, baseball fandom is my life. Giants fandom is in my blood. It's easy to forget about the maddening part during blissful moments, but it's there, always lurking. Right now I'd describe my Giants fandom as just that: maddening.

Last night's Giants game left me with only one question: "What is baseball?" I asked this due to the fact that the Giants should not have won last night's game. The lineup made no sense whatsoever to anyone who knows a lick about baseball. It was a Nicholas Cage movie made within at least the last decade. It was ridiculous. Chris Heston threw a ton of pitches, but somehow amassed a lot of strikeouts and was effectively wild. Ehire Adrianza walked three (!?!?!?!) times. Buster Posey was not in the lineup. Angel Pagan homered. But last night made me love this stupid Giants team in what can really only be articulated as a stupid season.

I had figured that by late September, the Giants would be so far out of the division that the end of the season would be, dare I say, pleasant. At least it wouldn't be stressful, or, as previously mentioned, maddening. It wouldn't be the most dangerous possibility of all: hopeful. Here we are, with 13 games left, and the Giants are 6 back of the Dodgers in the NL West. As for the Wild Card, I wouldn't even want the Giants to get mixed up in that, because it's too good as is. Plus, the Giants are stupid behind in that race; they see the dust cloud and know that bus is never coming back. But (but!!) the NL West division remains a hail-mary long shot. I wish I could stop believing. I want nothing more than to close the door on this silly Giants season and move on. But hope will not allow me to, my fandom will not lay dormant. Here are a few reasons why the Giants might (but definitely, probably WILL NOT) tie things up in the NL West:

Exhibit A: The Dodgers have hit a speed bump lately. They lost a series to the Pirates and Kershaw lost at home. Now they are, at best, about to lose a series to the Diamondbacks. I'm pretty sure this hasn't happened all season, as the Giants are the only team in the NL West to lead a season series against the Dodgers. Granted, sometimes the Dodgers starting pitching beyond Kershaw and Greinke looks about as great as the Giants, but still. Paul Goldschmidt was a darling and decided to save his home runs for LA and not San Francisco. He is doing good work, that annoyingly amazing man. But I digress. Greinke was just listed as being scratched tonight with calf soreness. The Dodgers other starting options are not great, which means Arizona could possibly sweep. This would help.

Exhibit B: The Giants schedule is favorable, including a series against the A's. The A's could help the Giants get within 4 games of the division by the time the Dodgers come to town. That would make the Dodger series more meaningful, and possibly, at the very least, not allow the Dodgers to clinch the NL West in San Francisco. Until the Dodgers recent troubles, that was all I'd asked for.

Exhibit C: The Giants have the ability to go on an inexplicable hot streak. Yes, the Dodgers would also have to continue their struggles, but I've seen far weirder things than that. If the Giants can win a World Series without Angel Pagan and Matt Cain while having Travis Ishikawa as their left fielder, anything is possible. Hell, that's the kind of thing that makes me believe in unicorns. With all that said, it wouldn't be easy for the Giants to do this, but still, remotely possible.

I'm guessing that Dodger fans feel about the Giants how Mets fans feel about the Nationals: you know a different outcome than what's predicted is highly unlikely, but you're still worried. You're still looking over your shoulder, wondering, even if logic says otherwise. So I'm hoping against logic and predictability, because the Giants have had a stupid season, damn it. And the stupidest way of all to end it would be to win the NL West. The Giants (and hope in sports teams) are like a bag of Skittles you find under your car seat; you know they're probably bad, but you just love Skittles so much, you can't help but have some.

The Giants = Family Healing

I've been a fan of the Giants going as far back as I can remember. It's in my blood. Despite this, I came to my current rabid fandom only within the last ten years or so. I was living out of state during the horrors of the 2002 World Series, keeping up with it, but thankful that I did not have cable at the time. Everyone in my family is a Giants fan except one of my two brothers. He was never a sports guy, and if he enjoyed any sport at all, it was hockey. Certainly not baseball.

My feelings about the Giants aren't necessarily unique, but proof that sports can be healing. Championships can make the unbearable seem survivable, if only for a few weeks. My brother, the non-Giants/sports fan, died in 2009 from metastatic melanoma at 34. I was living in Los Angeles at the time of his diagnosis, and spent a lot of time driving back and forth between there and home to be with him. At that time I didn't have cable and other than the internet (I wasn't on Twitter at that point), my main source of baseball information was the sports section of the Sunday edition of the LA Times. Suffice to say, at that point, baseball was the furthest thing from my mind. The seven months between my brother's diagnosis and this death were the worst seven months of my life.  I was certain for at least an entire year that I could never feel any kind of joy again. For anything. 

While the first half of the 2010 Giants season was a bit of a blur (my life was a blur at that point), I remember the second half pretty well. If the Giants had won their first World Series title in San Francisco during 2009, I wouldn't have been able to really enjoy or appreciate it. It would've been too soon. But this was 2010, when we all needed something positive to hold onto. I can't properly explain what the Giants meant to my family in 2010, even if most of us couldn't verbalize it. When the Giants won the NL West division in September, it was the first time I'd felt alive in a long time, which had to do both with my brother's death and other things from the last few years. 

What's odd about 2010 is that what I remember most, besides the last out of the NLCS (which I got to experience with a fellow Giant fan) and the World Series, is Thanksgiving a few weeks after the World Series was over. My family had something positive to talk about, something great bringing us together. If my brother had been a Giants fan, I would've perhaps felt guilty that he wasn't there to see it. It would've been bittersweet somehow. But he wasn't a Giants fan, and yet I felt in some small way that he had something to do with the Giants finally winning a World Series in San Francisco that year. Like he was looking out for us in some weird way. I know that makes sense to no one but me, but it's the things you tell yourself when you go through something like that. It's the only way to make sense of the absurd.

We were no less confounded by the two World Series titles the Giants have won since 2010 when we got together for those Thanksgivings. We might be baffled by different players, but the song is the same. The Giants are in some way responsible for my family being able to survive the worst experience of our lives and I will be forever grateful to them for that. And flat-out bewildered. 

I Have No Idea What The Giants Should Do This Offseason (And Neither Do You)

It takes a team like the San Francisco Giants to remind you that you don't know much about a particular sport. At least you don't as far as acquisitions and trades are concerned. I have read countless articles since the World Series ended (I still can't comprehend that the Giants won it AGAIN) about what kind of offseason moves the Giants should make, will make, etc. and I can see any one of the possibilities mentioned happening; I can also need none of the possibilities happening. Writers with experience covering the Giants should know better than anyone that you simply cannot anticipate what Brian Sabean and company will do. And last year's World Series title further proves that there is no formula or pattern that works for this team.

Here are some obvious holes the Giants need to address (or have in weird ways):

Third Base: I can't even talk about Pablo Sandoval going to Boston because it's too soon. I can't even decide what to do with the garden gnome made in his likeness that's still sitting in our sunroom. Sigh. But the Giants have traded for Casey McGehee for some reason, so that's taken care of. How well it will actually work remains to be seen, but it's better than Matt Duffy/Juaqin Arias/whoever. And McGehee is a free agent after 2015, so not much harm is done. It's an even year this season though, so our new third basemen could play out in any number of ways. *shrugs*

Starting Pitching: Now that the Giants have re-signed Jake Peavy (yay!) I would think re-signing Ryan Vogelsong would be just down the road. Maybe they try to get a James Shields too? After being snubbed by Jon Lester, I don't know how good the Giants chances are of getting a decent free agent pitcher. If Matt Cain is healthy this season (that's a BIG if, obviously) and even if the Giants don't sign any other starting pitcher, the idea of a rotation with Bumgarner, Cain, Peavy, Hudson and Lincecum isn't the worst ever. But which Tim Lincecum are we going to get? That big question mark should motivate the Giants to sign at least one of other reliable starter but only Larry Baer and Brian Sabean know who that will be. Also, no one knows how well Tim Hudson will hold up in the final year of his contract (and most likely, his last year in baseball) so an added starter would help alleviate any potential problems he might have.

Left Field: Not surprisingly (though I'm still a bit bummed) Michael Morse did not re-sign with the Giants and instead went to the Marlins. I wasn't really expecting the Giants to re-sign him, but he sure made an impact in 2014, despite his injuries during most of the second half of the season. I'll miss the big fella, but the Giants do need someone to platoon with Gregor Blanco who is not just Juan Perez/Gary Brown/whoever. Yes, 2015 is an even year, so if you're going to try that silly idea out, it might as well be now…but do you NEED to? I'm still holding out hope for Ben Zobrist, though honestly I'm more into his cool name than him as a player. And much like the starting rotation being unsettled with Matt Cain coming back from injury, we won't know how the outfield will look until Angel Pagan is really back in action. Mr. Zobrist looks like the most viable candidate right now and his name has been linked to the Giants for awhile, so who knows. Just leave Andrew Susac out of it, Mr. Sabean. Please.

All that having been said, January is a dark time for fans of any baseball team. You've gotten through December, but Spring Training still feels a long way off. And, if you're like me, you feel clobbered by college sports. Sigh.

Why Clayton Kershaw Being NL MVP Makes Total Sense

Clayton Kershaw winning the NL MVP award this year is the definition of a dilemma for me. It truly is. I'm straddling the fence with my feelings about it, constantly going back and forth, mostly between what I know (statistics and who the MVP award is for) and what I feel (who he plays for, why I love the sport, etc.). This is where a For/Against list comes in handy to explain myself, though I'm not sure I will end up feeling much better about this afterward, but I might. Let's try it. It's a process, people.

FOR/AGAINST = WHAT I KNOW

FOR CLAYTON KERSHAW WINNING NL MVP

The Dodgers were 23-4 in games he started this season
The Dodgers won the last 21 games of the season in which he pitched
His ERA was under 2 (!?!?!?!?!?)
His WHIP was under 1 (!?!?!?!?!)
The remainder of the Dodgers rotation pitched to a team ERA of over 4
198 innings pitched is A LOT for a pitcher who missed at least 4 weeks of the season
Hitters were 0-4 with the bases loaded against him THE ENTIRE SEASON
I can't think of any other player on the Dodgers more valuable than he was this season
I can't think of any other pitcher on any other team more valuable than he was this season
He faced more batters than Giancarlo Stanton or Andrew McCutchen had plate appearances (though if neither of them had been hurt this year this wouldn't been made the list)

AGAINST CLAYTON KERSHAW WINNING NL MVP

He missed 4 weeks of the season, only throwing 198 innings
His missing 4 weeks gave him more stamina at the end of the season
He pitched every fifth day

FOR/AGAINST = WHAT I FEEL

FOR CLAYTON KERSHAW WINNING NL MVP

He's the single greatest pitcher I've ever seen in my life
He's one of the reasons I love baseball and pitching specifically
His curveball is the equivalent of baseball porn to me
He's a model athlete: talented, humble, hard-working, fun-loving, not a jerk

AGAINST CLAYTON KERSHAW WINNING NL MVP

He pitches for the Dodgers, duh
Pitchers shouldn't win regular season MVP awards
The Dodgers had Sandy Koufax and Orel Hershiser, they don't need more damn pitching awards
Dodger fans shoving it in Giants fans faces endlessly
Hearing the Justin Verlander comparisons on winning MVP/Cy Young in same season

That might not be much to look at, but the end result helps reiterate why I'm so conflicted on Kershaw winning the MVP award. He's so unbelievably, ridiculously good and plays for a team that I hate with the passion of 1000 suns. Ugh. Just ugh. BUT HOLY CRAP I LOVE WATCHING HIM PITCH SO GOD DAMN MUCH IT HURTS.

National League Wild Card Game: Embrace The Barfiness!

Are the Giants screwed tomorrow? Probably! But let's talk about it because talking is fun. Now is as good a time as any to just get real, especially when it comes to a one-game, do-or-die Wild Card scenario. Most fans probably think their team is screwed and statistically speaking, most of those fans are 50% right. But those fans are also 50% wrong.

Normally, I love to have all kinds of stats to back up my sports-related arguments, especially when it comes to baseball. I don't need BABIP (cool anagram, though) or FIP, but ERA, WHIP, OBP, these stats mean something. Regarding tomorrow's National League Wild Card game though, I can only rely on previous performance and gut instincts. Neither of these factors make me feel very good about the Giants chances against the Pirates, but I don't think my team is necessarily doomed. Here are my "Keys To The Game":

1. PITCHING PITCHING PITCHING: This is a key for both teams and in pretty equal measure. The Giants are facing the "new" Edinson Volquez tomorrow, but even if he is better now than he used to be, he's still the preferred pitcher for the Giants to face over Gerrit Cole or Francisco Liriano. He's the least of all evils, if you will. If Madison Bumgarner pitches as well tomorrow as he's pitched on the road lately, the Pirates could be in a big trouble. He is the guy the Giants want out there and despite loving what Jake Peavy has done for the Giants this second half of the season, Bumgarner is who you want. Bumgarner just has to pound the strike zone (no nibbling or junk pitches!), hope the Pirates swing and miss (close your eyes when McCutchen or Harrison come up) and for God's sake, don't walk anybody. Also, the bullpens for both these teams have been scary good this year, so that's fun.

2. DEFENSE DEFENSE DEFENSE (and DEFENSE!): As with pitching, both the Giants and Pirates are great teams defensively. A one-game playoff will likely be determined by a key defensive play, and I think both teams are ready for that, though perhaps the Pirates slightly more than the Giants. Why? Because the Pirates have won (and lost) a lot of games this season by one or two runs and they know how to win games by that small of a margin. In addition, the Giants are taking a bit of a gamble by putting Travis Ishikawa in left field, which while a better bet than Morse, still might not pay off. So, in that regard, the Pirates have the slight edge. But Ishikawa can hit, so the risk must be taken.

3. KEEP DOING WHAT WORKS: Sounds simple enough, right? Well, maybe. Maybe not. What works for the Giants is solid pitching (giving up 2 runs or fewer), excellent defense and not trying too hard at the plate. Whatever Gregor Blanco has been doing in the second half of the season really works, so hopefully that continues tomorrow. Giants fans also have to hope that Hunter Pence starts hitting again NOW and that good things continue to happen with Joe Panik and Buster Posey. Oh, and Brandon Belt not striking out in key situations would be helpful too. Patience, my good boy. Patience!

4. HOPE MOMENTUM IS REALLY A THING: Is momentum real? An illusion? Who knows, but right now, the Giants definitely have it over the Pirates, for whatever that's worth. The Pirates saw their division crown hopes go up in flames by losing the final series of their season to the Reds, and on a grand slam by a non-power hitter, no less. The Pirates' previously great bullpen made just a few bad pitches, so they lost their chance at the division tie-breaker game against the Cardinals. On the flip side, the Pirates are looking for redemption. Pirates = redemption, Giants = continue momentum. Which is more dangerous to be facing? It's a toss-up.

5. REMEMBER YOUR POSTSEASON EXPERIENCE: This is really where the advantage lies for the Giants over the Pirates. And that advantage does count for something, especially when you consider how many 2012 World Series players are still with the Giants now: Crawford, Belt, Posey, Blanco, Pence, Sandoval. Yes, this is a road game for the Giants, but it's not like they haven't been in elimination scenarios before; they OWNED elimination scenarios in 2012. They are as ready for this game as they've been all season.

6. STOP PRETENDING YOU KNOW HOW THIS WILL TURN OUT: This is perhaps the most important key to the game tomorrow. None of us really know how this will go down. We can assume that because of the pitching on both sides that it will be a low-scoring, defense-heavy game. But no one assumed the Giants would do anything in 2010 and 2012, and they have two World Series titles to show for it. Yet it could also be a blowout for either team. Anything could happen at any moment.

It's terrifying. It's exciting. It's vomit-inducing. But it's SO FUN, isn't it? At the very least, isn't it better than the alternative? Because no fan wants a postseason-less year. Or whatever. Go get 'em, boys!

Petit threw a gem and now I kind of believe

After Yusmeiro Petit's near-perfect game against the Diamondbacks last year (it still stings), it seemed feasible he could do something similar in another start against them. This was a Diamondbacks team without Paul Goldschmidt, after all. Save giving up a home run to Ender Inciarte (not a real name, by the way), Petit almost did it again. A complete game on 84 pitches seems impossible, except when you consider who Petit threw it against. Even factoring in the opponent, Petit's performance and Joe Panik's five-hit night makes you believe this team is capable of real greatness. Panik is reminding me so much of Marco Scutaro and Freddy Sanchez that I'm starting to worry, but that's neither here nor there. I won't start to really Panik (get it? hah) until the postseason. While not always consistent, considering what Petit has had to do and in the manner he's had to do it in, he's been fantastic for the Giants. Looking back at the whole season, I consider him one of the most underrated components of the team.

The Giants have a remaining schedule that, except for six games against the Dodgers, makes for a real race in the NL West up until the final day of the regular season. Granted, the Dodgers have an equally "easy" schedule, but they also lost a series to the Cubs this year, and Yasiel Puig is going through a slump. What do we have to do to ensure that that slump lasts through the end of the month? On paper the Dodgers are clearly the better team, but they have the same depth issues the Giants do, just with a crapload more money in their bank account. The Dodgers actually claimed Roberto Hernandez (or Fausto Carmona, whichever you prefer) for some reason and he has been pretty terrible, Josh Beckett probably won't pitch again and Dan Haren is, well, Dan Haren. Relying that heavily on already worn-out pitchers like Kershaw, Greinke (which autocorrected to Grinch! so perfect!) and Ryu might not work out the way they want it in the end. It is the offense you really have to worry about with the Dodgers, especially since Adrian Gonzalez is on a tear again and so is Carl Crawford, kind of. But who can say how long it will last.

If you want a sign that the Dodgers are not that secure with their division lead, look no further than the pitching lineup they have for BOTH of their remaining series against the Giants: Ryu, Grienke, Kershaw. Rinse and repeat. Save Hernandez and Haren for the Padres and Cubs, I suppose. In fact, that's pretty much been their pitching rotation against the Giants most of the season and in light of it, the Giants have done pretty well against their rivals this year. The last series of the year for the Giants is the Padres, which should ring some bells for even more recent Giants fans. It will be a fun second half of the month and if the Giants have more games like last night, they can make a run for it; another NL West title is in their grasp. Will Lincecum pitch against the Padres the last week of September? GOD I HOPE SO!

Cespedes/Lester Trade: Good for Business, Bad for Morale

While the Giants are definitely my team in baseball, I've always liked the A's, especially the last 3 years. Back in May, I discovered there was a weekend September series where the A's were playing the Astros. I was excited about going to the game, mostly because I always wanted to see Jose Altuve in person, but also because I wanted to see Yoenis Cespedes in person. He was one of the main reasons I'd enjoyed the A's so much during the last two years. Despite his short service time, he quickly became "The Face of the Franchise" and probably the only player most baseball fans could name on the A's, or at least those fans who didn't follow the team.

Fast forward to now, September 2014, and the A's are a team down their only Cuban. Giants fans know better than most that pitching wins World Series titles, but it's safe to say that everyone in the baseball world was surprised when Billy Beane traded Cespedes to the Red Sox for postseason pitching king Jon Lester. Even without Lester, the A's pitching staff looked pretty solid, what with the acquisition of Cubs ace Jeff Samardzija before the July 31st deadline. And yes, the A's pitching staff looked far better with Lester on it. That is obvious.

Here is the problem with all of this: at its core, baseball is a business. That fact cannot be denied. It simply is. Billy Beane made a business decision in trading Cespedes and from that standpoint, it was brilliant. Cespedes had one year left on his contract before free agency and Beane traded him when his value was at its highest, in order to gain the highest value back, which he did (despite Lester being a two month rental). The A's would not have been able to keep Cespedes once his contract was done and everyone knew that, so Cespedes departing the A's at some point was inevitable. However, from a morale standpoint, there was nothing good about this trade. Part of the reason the A's had done so well in the last few years, much like the Giants at their peak, was team chemistry. They had the same group of players, no superstars, no divas. Were it not for Justin Verlander, the A's certainly would have gone to the World Series at least twice in the last three years.

So, a month removed from the Cespedes/Lester trade, where are the A's now? Oh, just five games back in the AL West, when prior to the trade they were either first or tied for first. After a short adjustment period, Cespedes seems to be settling in well in Boston, with 24 RBIs in his first 30 games with his new team. If the Red Sox can rebuild next season, he will be a big reason for their likely future success. Of course, timing is everything; Cespedes was traded at a time when many A's players were "coming back down to earth", as many position players do this time of the season. Were the A's struggling before the trade? At times they were, but not to this extent and not at such a crucial time.

Can the A's recover from this mammoth transaction? They seem to think that acquiring Adam Dunn as an end-of-the-season push was an answer to that question, but I'm not so sure. With the pitching that Dunn is likely to see in the postseason, he might not be. But then again, this is the A's, who are experts at turning around seemingly average players into heroes. Who knows.

All of that said, I still don't like the trade. Not one bit.

Sometimes Brian Sabean does know what he's doing...

Everyone has problems with their team's general managers from time to time. It's no big deal. The bigger, more die-hard fan you are, chances are, you'll have gripes with your team's general manager. It is what it is. With Giants' GM Brian Sabean, I've had my fair share of problems over the years. I mean, I'm still bitter about him trading Joe Nathan to the Twins and that was ten years ago. Two World Series titles later, you'd think I would have forgotten or stopped caring - but I haven't. We all have our issues.

Then there are times when Sabean does things that make me want to kiss him; trading Andres Torres for Angel Pagan, or Charlie Culberson for Marco Scutaro. Neither of those trades, by the way, held especially high hopes for me at the time. Scutaro wasn't a young guy anymore and West Coast fans knew little about Pagan. Plus, Giants fans are all about nostalgia and many were nostalgic for Torres' contributions to the 2010 World Series (and for his general cuteness and hustle). Without trying to sound like a biased fan, I think both Pagan and Scutaro needed a change of scenery and a change of fan base. It's amazing what support from your fans can do, and both players seemed to feed off of that in more ways than one in 2012. And on one last note from 2012, even though Hunter Pence was only with the Phillies for one season prior to being a Giant, fans still mourn his loss, along with Pagan's for Mets fans (though more quietly). 

Moving forward to the 2013 offseason, my hopes were only slightly higher for the two players the Giants signed: Tim Hudson and Michael Morse. The market for outfielders last year was pretty dire and the chances of finding a good one were about 50/50. Those odds were even lower for Morse who had a recent history of injuries. His low sticker price eased those fears, but it was still a risk. I'm guessing that Giants management looked at Morse's breakout year in 2011 and thought if there was even a chance he could re-produce that for another team, he was worth signing. As for Tim Hudson, a recent major injury and his age caused some to question a two-year deal for the veteran pitcher. Worst case scenario, I thought Hudson could bring much needed wisdom to the pitching staff, and if healthy, do pretty well. A guy who has never (NEVER, EVER) had a losing season after more than 10 years is probably worth something.

It turns out, Hudson and Morse have both been fantastic. Two months into the season (less than halfway, I realize), Hudson has an ERA of 1.92 and Morse just hit his 11th home run this week. Even factoring in that Hudson will get shelled in a few outings, he has given Giants fans NO reason to panic when that time comes. Morse proves that home runs (or dingers) are indeed contagious and, in large part because of him, the Giants are in the top 5 in baseball in home runs. That's more than ridiculous to any fan who has liked this team for more than five minutes. I can't even properly articulate how surreal that is. Will Morse go through slumps? Sure, but we know all about that. Pence and Posey are the kings of streaky hitting, so we are prepared. Sandoval couldn't pay enough to get a hit a month ago and in the span of two weeks, raised his batting average to almost .250 (from under .200). I refuse to believe that a player who had 31 home runs, 95 RBIs and hit .303 only three years ago couldn't somehow replicate something similar this season.

But then again, who knows. You can't get too excited because it's not even summer yet. What will Hudson's ERA be in July? How many home runs will Morse have hit by September? It's anybody's guess, but I'd wager that the team with the best record in baseball will be doing OK down the line.

Oh, and all this home run talk and I haven't even mentioned Brandon Hicks, who has had more home runs in two months as a Giant (8) than the second baseman he's replacing (Scutaro) has had in the past two seasons.  Regardless of what happens with Hicks, as long as he doesn't go the way of the the last two Giants second baseman (Freddy Sanchez, and, let's face it, Scutaro now too), everything will be fine. I'm just going to keep repeating that to myself until I believe it. His last name doesn't begin with an S, so perhaps we are safe. Let's hope so.

Around The Horn Round Up: May 16, 2014

Just some thoughts from yours truly about today's baseball happenings:

- Only a true Giants fan would think this, but the Dodgers playing the Diamondbacks as often as they do is simply unfair. Irrational on my part, but unfair nonetheless. Puig doesn't need help being Puig.

- We must live in Opposite World, because so far in tonight's Giants game Stanton is 0-4, but Dietrich and Yelich both have home runs. At AT&T Park, no less. Who orchestrated that madness?

- I miss Jarrod Saltalamacchia's curls. I hope he lets them grow throughout the season.

-  Max Scherzer is truly a beast. So is Sonny Gray, but in completely different ways.

- I identified Glen Perkins on TV tonight (closer for the Twins) without thinking about it. Obviously, I have problems. Lots of problems.

-  I dislike the Brewers for no particular reason, other than Ryan Braun. I really dislike them now because he's been hurt and yet they still manage to win. Ugh.

- Today was the first day in what felt like forever that there was no Red Sox or Yankees game on TV. Amazing.

- I was surprised to learn today that LaTroy Hawkins still has a job. With the Rockies. Where was I when this occurred?

- Miguel Tejada could be coming back to the majors this year. This confuses me for more reasons than I can count. Then again, Casey McGehee is back in the majors, which is doubly confusing.

- Zack Grienke is ridiculously good and I really wish he'd just stop. Like, once or three times. I'm not picky.

- My blog format wanted to correct my spelling of "Grienke" with "grinch." That's sort of awesome.

This concludes today's Around The Horn Round Up for May 16, 2014. Hope I'm still cool with y'all.

Madison Bumgarner is my spirit animal

Madison Bumgarner is the kind of person who makes me think back to what I was doing with my life at his age. He gets me thinking about these things, which is both good and bad. Not many players have made me think about that, because most baseball players are just players. Even some of the greats, even some of my favorites, are more or less just players. Of course, I have an inexplicable affinity for pitchers in particular, but that's not why Madison Bumgarner stands out to me. He has an unbelievable resume for a player who can't even legally rent a car in California yet. And recently, he yet again did something that most pitchers never do in their lifetimes: hit a grand slam. I personally think he was mad at himself for giving up a three run homer to Carlos Gonzalez and needed to let off some steam, which may or may not be why he hit that grand slam. But he hit a grand slam in a park that hasn't seen many grand slams, let alone by pitchers. Madison did not have his sharpest stuff on the mound that night, but he got through six innings and then gave his team the lead with his bat. He did his job.

So we know where Madison Bumgarner is now, in 2014, but what else has he done in his short career that's so impressive? Thrown multiple games with 10 strikeouts or more, pitched a 0.00 ERA in two World Series starts (14 innings of scoreless ball, y'all), been in the top 5 in WHIP in the National League for two seasons or more, pitched the most innings per start of pretty much any Giant since he's been one (200 innings or more in each of his three full seasons). And as far as I can tell, this was a guy who was drafted without much fanfare, out of high school. Matt Cain was the top dog when Bumgarner came along, both Southern boys drafted from nowhere high schools. Both turned out to be instrumental to the Giants winning two World Series titles in three years.

With better run support, Bumgarner would have a stellar win-loss record, but instead he has an average one, having won his 50th career start earlier this season. His Ks/9, ERA and WHIP stats tell a better story than his win-loss record. He has pitched some absolute gems that either ended in losses or no-decisions. While so many people have said that Matt Cain would be the next Giants next Cy Young winner, at this point, I'm more comfortable saying that Madison Bumgarner will be. And I'm not the only one. After just three full seasons, he is widely regarded as one of the best left handed pitchers in the National League, as well as in the Majors. Now that Matt Cain has thrown a perfect game and Tim Lincecum has thrown a no-hitter (past his prime, by the way), Bumgarner seems poised to do either one of these things, or more than likely, both.

Then there is Madison's personality to consider, which is one of the (many) things I like about him. He is a no nonsense, quiet young man who never seems to cave under pressure. He never makes excuses for his pitching, always points out his teammate's accomplishments, and is humble for someone who has accomplished so much at the age of 24. In his spare time, he tends to an entire ranch in his hometown of Hickory, North Carolina, where he ropes calves and is probably an above average horseman. When he lived with fellow lefty pitcher Jeremy Affeldt after first coming to the Giants, he was rumored to have roped his roommate's furniture when he was bored. He is not your average pitcher. And that is why Madison Bumgarner is my spirit animal. I can only imagine the other reasons for this as his career continues. The possibilities for him truly are endless.

Why I love and hate Spring Training...

Derek Law

Ah, it's that time of year again. The long Winter is starting to thaw (for most of us anyway), it's just about Spring, which means it's time for Spring Training. That most blessed and cursed of times for any baseball fan. It's the one time of year when baseball is TV and I'm not necessarily watching every minute of it (perish the thought!). I like to think of not watching as much baseball when it's on TV as fasting in preparation for a big meal, in order to enjoy what's to come. And there is so much to enjoy.

Don't get me wrong, there is plenty to like about Spring Training, just as there is an equal amount to hate about it. I like seeing minor leaguers who have worked their asses off get a chance to play in a Spring Training game and get to know "the next generation" (as it were) of young players. But let's not kid ourselves here: Spring Training doesn't mean anything. Whatsoever. Manager Bobby Cox said it best: "There are always a lot of Hank Aarons in Spring Training." I try to heed those wise words when I get too excited about certain players. For the most part, the only people to whom Spring Training really matters are the minor leaguers looking for a spot on their respective major league team. But sometimes I think that teams are simply bating certain players by letting them play in Spring Training games. Who am I referring to at the moment? Oh, I don't know, maybe former Giants outfielder Jeff Francoeur. Why would the Indians let him play in any of the games right now? He's competing for a spot in an already crowded outfield, with Michael Brantley, Michael Bourn, David Murphy and Ryan Rayburn already vying for the job. It just seems cruel. The Giants are also guilty of doing this, putting Roger Kieschnick in the outfield right now, like he will actually make the team come April. If he is the future of the Giants, count me out. Then again, look at the Dodgers; they too have a crowded outfield and it already looks like Carl Crawford is fielding his way out of a starting spot. But I digress.

Edwin Escobar

On the plus side, for the Giants at least, is the surplus of top-notch minor league pitching. For a team whose farm system has suffered in the past few years, they seem to have no problem churning out quality pitchers right now - Kyle Krick (love that name!), Edwin Escobar, Clayton Blackburn, Derek Law, Heath Hembree, Jake Dunning. It's a pitching bonanza! And considering the potential state of the Giants pitching rotation in the years to come, it's happening not a moment too soon. I'm never concerned about having too many pitchers, what with the Giants injuries last season. Bullpen depth, especially, is crucial for the Giants this season. It's too early to tell what the Opening Day lineup will look like for the Giants, but I'm definitely curious to find out. March may feel like as long a month as February did. Sigh.

Perspective can be a wonderful thing...

I won't delude myself or be in denial about this. I knew way back in June that the Giants season was more or less done; a wash, not happening, or what have you. I won't say it didn't take me a long time to accept reality, because it did. And straight out of a horror movie, the Dodgers have made an incredible mid-season turnaround and look poised to win it all, mostly thanks to a guy named Yasiel Puig. Don Mattingly went from being on the chopping block in early June to being heralded as a genius in August. To make matters worse for this diehard Giants fan, I actually like Don Mattingly. He seems like a good guy and he was a fantastic player. But I digress.

If this season has taught me anything, it is to have perspective. Perspective can be a wonderful thing, if applied properly. The pedestal that Giants fans have stood on after winning 2 World Series titles in 3 years is still sturdy enough to stand on, new enough that it's not rusting yet. Hell, Giants fans can even dance on it when they say to Dodger fans: "Hey! Over here! When you win 2 World Series titles in 3 years, call me! When you win a World Series title and your catcher is NL MVP and wins the NL Batting Title in that same year, call me! When you get 2 home runs off Justin Verlander in the World Series, call me!" Okay, okay, maybe that's a bit much. But guess what? It's ALL TRUE. The Giants HAVE won 2 World Series titles in 3 years, the first one only having been 3 years ago. And that is an incredible thing, something worth hanging onto when your best hope the following season is not to be dead last in your division.

For me, this season makes me appreciate 2011 more than I had last year. Considering we were without Buster Posey for most of that season, I think the Giants were pretty damn competitive. The pitching staff had one of the lowest ERAs in the National League that year. This year? Fairly catastrophic from where I'm standing: seemingly endless injuries, most occurring one after the other; a less-than-stellar starting rotation; iffy defense. The things that Giants fans took for granted for so long now are no longer a given, like an excellent farm system and amazing, non-injury ridden pitching. So I will take this time to have some perspective and think back to the previous 3 seasons. And try not to delete my recording of Tim Lincecum's no-hitter from this year so I have something to hang my hat on as a Giants fan in 2013. And hope that the Dodgers do not indeed win it all this year, because I'm still holding out for a Pirates/A's World Series. You never know.

Questionnaire for my research paper...

My topic for my english research paper is abolishing the designated hitter position from baseball. Yes, it's as fun a topic as it might sound, at least for me. However, I need help from you, my fellow baseball junkies: I need a sample size of 10 people to take this questionnaire so that I can use it in my research paper as my primary source. I would even accept 5 as a sample size at this point. Naturally, I have a LOT of secondary sources, but need one primary source. Help, please? E-mail your answers to me (abigail.dice@gmail.com) by Wednesday, December 5, so that I can incorporate the information into my research paper that is due on Thursday, December 6. Thanks very much!

DESIGNATED HITTER: YAY OR NAY?

1.      Which baseball league do you prefer?

a)      National League

b)      American League

  

2.      Do you think designated hitters should be in the running for MVP Awards?

a)      Yes

b)      No

c)      Don’t care

d)      It depends on their numbers/other factors

3.      Do you think designated hitters should be selected as All Stars?

a)      Yes

b)      No

c)      Don’t care

d)      It depends on their numbers/other factors

4.      Do you think it is fair that pitchers in the American League do not have to bat?

a)      Yes

b)      No

c)      Don’t care

d)      It depends on their numbers/other factors

5.      Do you think designated hitters are not as good all-around players as position players?

a)      Yes

b)      No

c)      Don’t care

6.      Do you think the designated hitter position gives an unfair advantage to the American League during the playoffs?

a)      Yes

b)      No

c)      Don’t care

7.      Do you think the designated hitter position should be abolished from baseball?

a)      Yes

b)      No

c)      Don’t Care

8.      Would the National League adding the designated hitter position make things more fair between the leagues?

a)      Yes

b)      No

c)      Don’t care

9.      Would the American League making pitchers bat make things more fair between the leagues?

a)      Yes

b)      No

c)      Don’t care

Baseball and Music: The Parallels

Does having a good memory make you a more impressive sports fan? It's an odd question, but possibly applicable in my case. I have a hard time explaining why I love baseball, but thanks to a good memory I can easily remember a player's name after only seeing it two or three times. Maybe it can't be boiled down to a good memory, but more to reading box scores religiously. Watching Baseball Tonight as much as some watch CNN doesn't hurt either.

My baseball fandom is both the same and different than my music fandom. In music, there are fewer technical terms to learn (at least fewer that are essential) but many more names - and in place of a player's stats, I can name a band or singer's record label, which is only impressive due to how many more record labels there are now than even ten years ago. Additionally, the fact that I am a musician myself makes my love of music different than it would be for baseball. I've never been able to catch or throw well (though I'm a decent hitter) so I can't fully appreciate how amazing baseball players really are - but I'm in awe every time I hear Franz Nicolay's keyboard playing in a Hold Steady song. Hearing Tom Peloso play the trumpet in Modest Mouse makes me want to start playing it too, but watching Buster Posey hit home runs doesn't make me want to join a softball league. That doesn't make me any more of a music fan or any less of a baseball fan, it just changes one's perspective on that particular obsession.

I used to just consider myself a Giants fan (which is not easy to be right now, in light of Melky Cabrera's suspension) but somewhere along the way, the flood gates of my obsession opened and seemingly haven't stopped since. I've developed true yet inexplicable hatred for some players (Justin Verlander) and equally inexplicable love for others (Dan Haren). Of course that same hatred and love also applies for specific teams (beyond the Giants). Yet despite my love of the sport, some of the specifics that fascinate many baseball junkies just don't interest me. I like pitchers in particular, but don't ask me the difference between a fastball and a slider, because I couldn't tell you. A pitcher's ERA and WHIP are more important to me, and let's face it, their aesthetics. I don't particularly like looking at Joe Blanton so his stats less unfamiliar to me, but I know Gio Gonzalez has one of the best records in the National League. And so it is.

My whole long-winded point is that obsessions are so unique to each person, regardless of what that obsession is about. That fact is simeltaneously wonderful and isolating. It can be difficult to relate to other people with the same obsession as you (especially when it comes to music), yet it can also be quite satisfying to be obsessed with something (or someone) so specific. To get so much joy out of anything is (almost) always a good thing.

This idea may very well be one I have already hit on in previous entries, but it is also one worth bringing up again. And with that, go Giants!

It Is What It Is: 2012 Giants Spring Training

It's about time for break-down of the Giants recent spring training action and related developments. As much as I like to keep up with all baseball action, the Giants are my team. And I find myself with plenty to say, despite them just having started their spring training season.

I don't want to overemphasize Buster Posey's spring training debut yesterday; I really don't. Despite what expectations most everyone might have had, I agree with those who say they were just happy that it was uneventful. That mostly sums it up for me too. Let's keep in mind that Posey has never even played a full season of MLB yet. In fact, if you combine his 2010 season and what little he played in 2011, it barely encompassed an entire season. I think chances are good that he will be just fine as time goes on and that he has all the makings of an excellent catcher. But do I think that right now? No, not really.

I'm not going to lie and say I wasn't excited to see the pictures from his debut - I posted one on Facebook recently with the caption "LIKE A BOSS!!" (in reference to The Lonely Island song from an SNL sketch). However, as I've mentioned before, I'm being cautiously optimistic. I think that's the only way to be at this point. None of us know how things will change (or maybe not change) once opening day comes. And it seems like Posey has plenty of back-ups around for however this all turns out. But I admit, the other day was fun!

Most everyone knows by now that I adore Madison Bumgarner. And yes, I know he's young and still inexperienced, but when I heard about the one-year deal he signed with the Giants recently, I was pretty disturbed by it. A pitcher, who at 21, threw six scoreless innings in the World Series deserves a bit more than $750,000, at least in my book. But that's all he got. Is that really all he got? His spring training debut, however irrelevant it might be in the scheme of things, was brilliant. Tim Lincecum's, on the other hand, was the opposite. His first two starts were pretty bad, actually. Again, spring training starts aren't super important, I admit that - but Bumgarner's was really impressive, enough so that most of the sportscasters on KNBR said he could very well be this year's ace for the Giants. And I definitely trust those guys.

Let's face it, Lincecum is due for a mediocre year at some point. Maybe 2012 is it, maybe it's not. But either way, I think Bumgarner has more than enough great stuff to make this year a top one for himself. Say what you will about his record in 2011, but his low ERA coupled with a less-than-stellar win/loss record was quite unusual. He had one of the lowest ERAs in the National League, even by comparison with pitchers who had better win/loss records. I guess my long-winded point is that Bumgarner is really a pitcher to watch this year and maybe sooner rather than later the Giants will realize he's worth a bit more than $750,000. This fan can only hope so!

And we get to my current favorite, Matt Cain. The guy that everyone else in baseball is finally taking note of, after how many stellar seasons? I guess pitching over 20 scoreless innings in the postseason is something to talk about, right? In a way, as much as his under-the-radar-ness bothered me, it was also something that I liked about him. He was the strong and silent type on the Giants starting rotation. I still consider him that way, regardless of what he ends up doing in the future; I just hope he plans to stay with the Giants for the long-term. We need him a lot more than most people with the Giants think we do.

Speaking of the Giants starting rotation, Barry Zito still has time to prove that his very expensive contract wasn't a total fluke. He has a lot of people to convince, however. I was rooting for him when he came to the Giants. Despite the contract being quite large, my hopes were pretty high that he would succeed. Most of us know how that turned out, which was of course, not very well. It has been reported that Zito spent a lot of time this past off-season tweaking his delivery, changing his routine, and the like. And so far, he's 2-0 in spring training. But that's just spring training and it doesn't really mean much. Just like the Giants have the second best record in the Cactus League right now. Remember last year? Yeah, they had a great spring training record then, too. Ironically, the Giants didn't have such a great spring training season in 2010 and went onto win the World Series. Coincidence? I certainly hope so.

I have my own concerns about the pitching rotation beyond Zito being the fifth starter: Ryan Vogelsong is being conservative with his throwing because of a recent injury; Erik Surkamp is vying for the sixth spot in the rotation and has little to no experience; and Brian Wilson has had elbow problems lately. I don't mean to be so negative, necessarily, but if they all stay healthy, the Giants have a golden pitching rotation; it's their crown jewel. Also, the Giants have been incredibly lucky in recent years with the health of their pitchers, with virtually no problems until recently. Giants fans are allowed a certain level of paranoia at this point.

Being that I gravitate mostly towards pitchers in this game, I haven't touched on the Giants' offense at all. But I'm not worried about that, because as was said on KNBR recently, they couldn't really be worse this year than last year. The Giants can only go up with their hitting. Opening day seems to be both coming up too quickly and also taking forever to arrive. Such is the sport.

The final moments before Spring Training begins...

So it looks like Twins first baseman Justin Morneau could find himself in a Mike Matheny-type situation. He recently acknowledged that concussion symptoms could threaten his career. The circumstances might be different, but it's still a shame. When Morneau is healthy he is really excellent (he won the AL MVP award in 2006) and he has been the face of the Twins franchise for almost a decade now. To me what makes this situation the worst is that he's only 30. And like Joe Mauer (another face of the franchise the last few years), he's never played for anyone other than the Twins. I hope he can figure out a way to continue to play in the future. The Twins already lost Torii Hunter, Joe Nathan and Johan Santana to other teams in recent years (though Santana has also been injury-plagued) so they need this to work out more than just about anyone. I'm definitely rooting for them!

Speaking of Torii Hunter, it seems he has changed his mind on retirement, and wants to play two or three more seasons. He is currently heading into the final year of his contract with the Angels (the only other team he's played for besides the Twins) and wants to continue playing for them. Hunter has always been one of my favorite players, though more so when he was with the Twins. 


Besides being an excellent outfielder, I've always liked his attitude and the energy he brings to the game. I had the good fortune of seeing him play with the Angels in a few games when I lived in LA back in 2008 and I'm really glad I finally got to see him play in person. Despite his age, I think he has at least one or two more seasons in him beyond 2012. I also think the Angels would be foolish to let him go after this season (though that depends on how well he does). I consider Hunter to be one of the more quiet, under-the-radar-yet-excellent players around. 

It appears like the Cardinals were smart in agreeing to sign Yadier Molina to a contract extension of 5 years/$75 million. Much like Justin Morneau for the Twins, Yadier Molina has been the face of the Cardinals franchise for the past eight seasons. I had to remind myself that Yadier is only 29 because he's been with the Cardinals for so long (and now has 2 World Series rings, like both his brothers). Having Albert Pujols on your team for so long makes it easy for everyone else to get overshadowed, which was the case with Yadier. 


This extension means that he will be with the Cardinals for the long-term, which is important, given Pujols' recent departure. And while Yadier hasn't always been an offensive "powerhouse", his defensive abilities behind the plate have made him something of a Cardinals institution. I hope he can stay with the Cardinals for a long time. I might not be a huge Cardinals fan (though Mike Matheny being the new manager will help) but I've always admired Yadier as a catcher. 

I'm not sure exactly why so many players have recently retired, but one of the most recent ones to announce it was Bengie Molina. As a Giants fan, I naturally adore this guy. His coming to the Giants came at a time when Brian Sabean was in the midst of some bad decisions, player-wise, and signing Bengie was the first sign that he was headed in the right direction. These were the pre-Buster Posey days, after all. And it just so happened that Bengie was my favorite Molina brother (Yadier being second). When my dad and I went to an A's/Blue Jays game a few years ago during Bengie's brief time with the Blue Jays, I had no idea then that he would eventually be a Giant, or that his presence would mean so much to me as a fan. But it really did. 


Part of me feels like I should be conflicted, since his only World Series ring was with the Angels in the 2002 championship, and despite the Giants finally winning in 2010, the scars are still there from that fateful season. But it's Bengie, so I can't hold that against him. One of the many reasons I loved him was because he didn't look like any other catcher; he didn't run like any other catcher either, which I always found so charming. He reminded me of another of my all-time favorite Giants, J.T. Snow, who was also famous for being a slow baserunner but an amazing defensive player. 


Regardless of Bengie's slowness around the bases, no one ever questioned his abilities as a catcher. And he certainly deserved an honorary World Series ring in 2010 even though he went on to play for the Rangers later that year. That was really the only downside of the Giants winning it all in 2010; we were competing against Bengie. I never wanted the Giants to be in that position, and when Bengie would get hits against Giants pitchers in those final few games, I couldn't help but smile. Would I have preferred him to have retired as a Giant? Of course. Yet I don't think Bengie could have possibly done better as a Giant, and for the Giants, than he did in those few seasons he had. He was the best possible catcher for then-newbies Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain to have pitched with to start their careers. I will really miss him and always be thankful for his many contributions to the team. 

So the announcement has not been official yet, but reports seem to indicate that Edgar Renteria is indeed retiring this year. Obviously no Giants fan will forget what he did in the 2010 World Series, but what I find more amazing than anything, is how Renteria got there. As cheesy as it might sound, him being World Series MVP that year was a real redemption story and a real comeback story in baseball. And it was truly special in that no one really saw it coming. I'm happy for Renteria that he was able to go so above and beyond what anyone expected and part of me wishes he had retired after that. I'm sure I wasn't the only one asking why he didn't. I mean, what could be a better time to retire than after winning World Series MVP for a team that wasn't supposed to win the World Series? 


It was definitely a "lightning in a bottle" type situation; Renteria was there when his team needed him the most (much like Cody Ross in the NLCS) and he gave the Giants something they had never had before - a World Series title in San Francisco. He's a permanent hero in the eyes of Giants fans and I will always love him for that. Renteria came and went rather quickly, but he made a major impact; he made THE impact for the team.