Monthly Archives: October 2011
Panda, Beltran nominated for Gold Gloves
Carlos Beltran and Pablo Sandoval have been nominated as potential 2011 Gold Glove award winners, according to a tweet from the San Francisco Giants. Beltran is no stranger to the annual award, given to the best defensive player in the league ...
I hate you, Tony LaRussa. But, um, congratulations and good luck
Tony LaRussa is retiring from baseball. Two thoughts come right to mind: Good luck and good riddance. Those of you who have followed this blog for awhile know how I feel about LaRussa. I've always thought of him as a punk. A ...
Giants re-sign Loux to minor league deal
The San Francisco Giants have signed right-hander Shane Loux to a minor league deal. The 32-year old journeyman confirmed the deal with a tweet saying, "I re-signed with the SF Giants today. By far one of the most classy orgs ...
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With the free agent market doors opening over the weekend, it's still too early to gauge just how well the San Francisco Giants will do in terms of finding another bat or two to support their top-notch starting rotation. With that ...
On this date in Giants history — Oct. 31
(All entries courtesy nationalpastime.com) 2010: For the first time in major league history, two former presidents attend the same World Series game when George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush are both at Rangers Ballpark for Game 4 of the Fall ...
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Red Sox join Beltran love parade
Add the Boston Red Sox to the ever-growing list of teams interested in the services of free agent outfielder Carlos Beltran. Last week, we told you here that the New York Yankees were discussing Beltran behind closed doors. The Giants have already ...
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Giants ink Lopez, Affeldt
According to the Associated Press, left-hander Javier Lopez has agreed to a new two-year, $8.5 million contract to stay with the Giants. He will earn $4.25 million in 2012 and 2013. Lopez has been one of the Giants' most reliable relievers over ...
Arizona Fall League update (part 2)
My "on-the-scene reporter" (faithful New York Mets fan and Grubby Glove blogger Michael Jawitz) was kind enough to send me a few emails detailing his first-hand account of three of the San Francisco Giants (Brandon Crawford, Gary Brown and Joe ...
Stow’s attorney snaps back at Dodgers
The attorney for Bryan Stow has responded to the claims by the Los Angeles Dodgers that Stow was partially responsible for the vicious attack that occurred at Dodger Stadium on Mar. 31. In court documents obtained last week by ESPN LA, Dodgers attorney ...
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On this date in Giants history — Oct. 30
(All entries courtesy nationalpastime.com) 2010: Defeating San Francisco, the Rangers win their first World Series game in franchise history, 4-2. With the Astros being swept by the White Sox in 2005, the victory is also the first by any Texas team ...
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On this date in Giants history — Oct. 29
(All entries courtesy nationalpastime.com) 1928: The Giants trade Lefty O'Doul to the Phillies in exchange for an outfielder named Freddy Leach. O'Doul, who started his career as a left-handed pitcher, will lead the league in hitting with a .398 batting average ...
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Giants’ 2012 spring training schedule released
The San Francisco Giants have released their tentative schedule for the 2012 Cactus League. They will begin spring training action against the Colorado Rockies on Saturday, Mar. 3 and continue play through Apr. 4. The Giants will then travel up to the ...
Dodgers lawyer on Bryan Stow: “It takes two to tango”
Just when you think the Los Angeles Dodgers couldn't stoop any lower, this happens. Yesterday, it was revealed that an attorney for the Dodgers has seemingly placed at least some of the blame on San Francisco Giants fan Bryan Stow, who ...
On this date in Giants history — Oct. 28
(All entries courtesy nationalpastime.com) 2001: With his seventh inning, three-run shot off New York's Andy Pettitte, Matt Williams becomes the first player in World Series history to hit home runs with three different teams. The Diamondbacks third baseman homered in the ...
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Comcast SportsNet Bay Area's Mychael Urban tracked down Giants general manager Brian Sabean (who is in Arizona attending organizational meetings) and did a fantastic interview with him. Following are some of the highlights of the phone call, which can be ...
Giants’ Gary Brown wins MiLBY for top Class-A hitter
Top Giants prospect Gary Brown was honored Thursday with the MiLBY for Best Class A Advanced Hitter. The San Jose Giant's leadoff man finished among the Cal League's top three leaders in numerous offensive categories, including batting (.336), runs (115), hits ...
Yankees targeting Beltran?
The New York Yankees are targeting free agent outfielder Carlos Beltran, according to ESPN New York. "[Beltran] is on our list," a team official said. "But we have to make a decision on [current right fielder Nick Swisher] first." The Yankees have a ...
Giants spring training packages go on sale today
Faster than you can say, "Game 6 of the World Series is cancelled because of wintry weather," the SF Giants have released their annual spring training packages. These are the all-inclusive packages that include hotel, car rental, breakfast and dinner, optional ...
Kemp, Bautista win BBA’s 2011 Stan Musial Awards
There were some outstanding performances this year in Major League Baseball. However, one clearly stood out from the pack. Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp was named the National League Stan Musial Award winner for 2011 in voting held by the ...
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Bay Area artist’s painting of Brian Wilson on display in Indy museum
The National Art Museum of Sport in Indianapolis will host a reception tonight featuring 59 of the best artworks in the world depicting sport art. Why should you care? Well, a local artist named Lesley Van Dalsem has won an award in ...
On this date in Giants history — Oct. 27
(All entries courtesy nationalpastime.com) 2006: After leading the Padres to two consecutive NL West titles, Bruce Bochy, with a year left on his contract, leaves San Diego to become the manager of the division rival San Francisco Giants. The 51-year-old skipper, ...
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Phillies fan will face Lincecum in batter’s box
A 20-year old man from Philadelphia will get a chance to step in the batter's box and face pitcher Tim Lincecum after he won a contest duplicating the Giants ace's famous delivery. Lance Lempert was one of hundreds of people who ...
Vogelsong up for NL Comeback Player of the Year award
As expected, San Francisco Giants righthander Ryan Vogelsong has been nominated for the MLB "Player's Choice" version of the 2011 National League Comeback Player of the Year. Vogey lost out to Cardinals outfielder Lance Berkman for both the MLB.com and The ...
Torres nominated for “Heart & Hustle” award
San Francisco Giants outfielder Andres Torres has been nominated for the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association's 2011 Heart & Hustle Award. The honor is voted on by Major League alumni and active players and is presented annually to the player who ...
VIDEO: Andres Torres talks to SF crowd about ADHD
If you're like me, you're easily touched by stories that explore the human condition. Especially those that have a happy ending. Giants centerfielder Andres Torres' story of how he made it to the big leagues in spite of an attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder ...
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On this date in Giants history — Oct. 26
(All entries courtesy nationalpastime.com) 2002: When Russ Ortiz, who is tossing a 5-0 shutout, strikes out Garret Anderson to begin the seventh inning of Game 6, the Giants appeared destined to win their first World Series since 1954. The Angels, however, ...
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Brian Wilson stars in new campaign video for SF mayor Ed Lee
This time, Brian Wilson didn't go all black ops on a chalupa, or stroke his leopard skin while you stare at his shorts. But the wild and wooly Giants closer has popped up again on YouTube. His latest appearance is in ...
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An update from the Arizona Fall League
Just got an update from Michael Jawitz on how things are going in the Arizona Fall League for a few of the Giants players down there. Michael runs a blog called Grubby Glove and kindly accepted my request for a first-hand ...
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On this date in Giants history — Oct. 25
(All entries courtesy nationalpastime.com) 2009: Yusei Kikuchi decides not to entertain offers from American major league teams, opting instead to start his professional career in his native Japan. The 18-year-old left-handed flamethrower, who had interested scouts from the Yankees, Mets, Dodgers, ...
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On this date in Giants history — Oct. 24
(All entries courtesy nationalpastime.com) 2003: In Game 5 of the World Series, the Giants annihilate the Angels 16-4 at Pac Bell. Jeff Kent leads the attack with two home runs, four RBI, and ties a Fall Classic record by scoring four ...
On this date in Giants history — Oct. 23
(All entries courtesy nationalpastime.com) 2002: In Game 4 of the World Series, Barry Bonds is walked intentionally three times, setting a new record for a Fall Classic game. Angels starting pitcher John Lackey, who issues all three free passes to the ...
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On this date in Giants history — Oct. 22
(All entries courtesy nationalpastime.com) 1974: Two very well-known outfielders are traded for one another as the Giants send Bobby Bonds to the Yankees for Bobby Murcer. Considered to be the biggest one-for-one trade in baseball history, the swap of "the next ...
Cecil Fielder predicts son may set in San Francisco
The sun always sets in the west and -- if Cecil Fielder's crystal ball is correct -- his son, free agent slugger Prince Fielder of the Milwaukee Brewers, may end up in the NL West as a San Francisco Giant. The ...
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On this date in Giants history — Oct. 21
(All entries courtesy nationalpastime.com) 1957: With Major League Baseball coming to the Bay Area, the Giants buy the single-A minor league team in Arizona for the purpose of moving the San Francisco Seals to the nearby desert. Their new farm team ...
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On this date in Giants history — Oct. 20
(All entries courtesy nationalpastime.com) 2002: Twenty-year old Venezuelan right-hander Francisco Rodriguez becomes the youngest pitcher ever to win a World Series game. With just 15 days of major league experience, K-Rod throws 37 pitches, retiring nine consecutive batters in three innings ...
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B-Weez bails out of golf tourney
Just saw this over at CSN Bay Area: According to Mychael Urban, Giants closer Brian Wilson has withdrawn from participating in the 40th Annual Children's Miracle Network Pro-Am in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. There's been no official word from B-Weez, who participated ...
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On this date in Giants history — Oct. 19
(All entries courtesy nationalpastime.com) 2002: At Edison International Field of Anaheim, the Giants edge the Angels in Game 1 of the Fall Classic, 4-3. It is the first time two wild card teams have faced one another in the World Series. 2000: ...
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On this date in Giants history — Oct. 18
New feature to help get us through the off-season. (All entries courtesy nationalpastime.com) 1913: In Cincinnati, the Giants and White Sox begin a five-month world-wide barnstorming trip that will include stops in Australia, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. The teams ...
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Kimbrel wins BBA’s 2011 Goose Gossage Award
Atlanta Braves closer Craig Kimbrel beat Milwaukee's John Axford by 13 points in the votes submitted by the National League voters of the Baseball Bloggers Alliance's 2011 Goose Gossage Award, handed out to the best reliever in the league. Kimbrel, who ...
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On this date in Giants history — Oct. 17
New feature to help get us through the off-season. (All entries courtesy nationalpastime.com) 1989: As the Giants and A's get ready to play Game 3 of the World Series, the Bay Area is hit by a massive earthquake. The game is ...
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On this date in Giants history — Oct. 16
New feature to help get us through the off-season. (All entries courtesy nationalpastime.com) 1962: With the tying and winning runs in scoring position at Candlestick Park, Willie McCovey's hard line drive is snagged by Yankees second baseman Bobby Richardson for the ...
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Krazy George’s “Wave” is not welcome at AT&T Park. Fact!
First of all, let it be known that I, Troy Nelson, did not invent the wave. Give that credit to Krazy George Henderson, who's more than happy to accept full responsibility for creating the stupidest fan interaction routine in the history ...
Bochy, Sandoval headed to Taiwan
Giants skipper Bruce Bochy will manage a team of MLB players heading to Taiwan next month to compete in the 2011 Taiwan All-Star Series. So far, only 19 players have been added to Bochy's roster, including his own third baseman, Pablo ...
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On this date in Giants history — Oct. 15
New feature to help get us through the off-season. (All entries courtesy nationalpastime.com) 1923: At the Polo Grounds, the visiting Yankees score five runs in the eighth inning beating the Giants in Game 6 of the Fall Classic, 6-4. The victory ...
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On this date in Giants history — Oct. 14
New feature to help get us through the off-season. (All entries courtesy nationalpastime.com) 2003: The Giants announced that Pac Bell Park will be renamed SBC Park. The new name will change once again after the 2005 season as a result of ...
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Hey Giants fans, call me!
One of my favorite non-baseball reads is Mashable, the social media and web news site that recently posted the story about a man in Texas who clocked his wife in the face for not liking his Facebook status. (You can ...
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Rollins to Giants rumors heat up
Shortstop Jimmy Rollins has played his entire career in Philadelphia. But the Oakland native, who's a free agent now, told reporters this week that he's a business man who's ready to become part of a bidding war to interested teams. One ...
Updates on Freddy, Pill and Vogey
Just a quick post to fill you in on some of the things going on in Giants baseball land over the past day or so... Amy Gutierrez reports that Freddy Sanchez (who dislocated his shoulder diving for a grounder on June ...
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On this date in Giants history — Oct. 13
New feature to help get us through the off-season. (All entries courtesy nationalpastime.com) 1921: In the first all-New York World Series, the Giants beat the Yankees at the Polo Grounds (the home for both New York teams), 1-0, to win the Fall ...
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Jim Riggleman interviews with Mets
Former Washington Nationals manager Jim Riggleman interviewed for the vacant bench coach job with the New York Mets earlier today. Riggleman, who drew national headlines when he abruptly walked out on the Nats over a contract dispute this past summer, was ...
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Bryan Stow released from hospital
According to the Associated Press, Bryan Stow, the Giants fan who was beaten outside Dodger Stadium back in March, has been released from San Francisco General Hospital (where he has been for the past seven months) and transferred to a ...
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Clothing company sues Giants for trademark infringement
According to a court document obtained by SF Weekly, a small Hayward-based clothing company has decided to go to bat against the San Francisco Giants by suing the baseball team for trademark infringement. The company in question is Gogo Sports Inc., ...
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On this date in Giants history — Oct. 12
New feature to help get us through the off-season. (All entries courtesy nationalpastime.com) 1923: In front of the largest crowd in baseball history, 62,430 fans are on hand to see Casey Stengel hit his second home run of the World Series. The ...
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Follow your favorite Giants in winter ball
Want to know how your favorite Giants players are doing in winter ball? Now you can with the links below, which will take you straight to the player's winter or fall team profile. I will be updating this page often ...
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Posey begins catching live bullpen sessions
According to Hank Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle, Giants catcher Buster Posey has begun catching live bullpen sessions for pitchers in the Fall Instructional League in Arizona. Trainer Dave Groeschner watched Posey catch a session that lasted about eight minutes. Posey had ...
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Astros pitcher rips Brian Wilson…then back pedals
There are two types of people in this world: Those who like Brian Wilson and those who have no sense of humor. Add Houston Astros pitcher Bud Norris to the list of Wilson haters. After seeing B-weez's latest commercial -- in which ...
On this date in Giants history — Oct. 11
New feature to help get us through the off-season. (All entries courtesy nationalpastime.com) 2010: With their 3-2 victory over the Braves in Game 4 of the NLDS series at Turner Field, San Francisco advances to the National League Championship Series to play Philadelphia. ...
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SF Giants’ 2012 free agents and arbitration-eligible players
Eighteen San Francisco Giants players are free agents or eligible for arbitration this winter. Below is the list, courtesy of Cots Contracts. LHP Jeremy Affeldt -- Giants can pay him $5 million in 2012 or buy him out for $500,000 and ...
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Matt Cain to Yankees? I think not
According to an article by New York Daily Post writer John Harper, the New York Yankees may try to convince the Giants to take catcher Jesus Montero in exchange for Matt Cain this offseason. Harper wrote: [Yankees GM Brian Cashman] will probably ...
Giants bloggers complete balloting for annual BBA awards
The Baseball Bloggers Alliance has concluded its balloting process for the 2011 baseball season awards and the official national results will be made available throughout the month of October. The BBA was formed in 2009 to encourage cooperation and collaboration between ...
Tim Lincecum sued for destroying his apartment
According to a report by The San Jose Mercury News, Giants starter Tim Lincecum is being sued for causing $200,000 worth of damage in a San Francisco apartment he rented over the summer. The suit, which was filed in San Francisco Superior ...
Giants CEO Larry Baer sent a letter out to season ticket holders yesterday and promised one goal: to compete for a world championship every single season. Frankly, which CEO in the Majors doesn't have that goal on his annual list? Still, it's ...
VIDEO: Brian Wilson’s new Taco Bell commercial
Another day, another Brian Wilson video. Man, this guy is everywhere. In case the NBA 2K Sports commercial released this week didn't tickle your funny bone enough, the San Francisco Giants closer is at it again in a brand new Taco Bell ...
2011 Arizona Fall League season begins
Former St. John's shortstop and San Francisco Giants prospect Joe Panik joined Brandon Crawford and Gary Brown as the Scottsdale Scorpions opened play today in the Arizona Fall League (they lost to the Surprise Saguaros, 10-1). Washington Nationals prospect Bryce Harper is also playing with ...
VIDEO: Brian Wilson on ’86 Celtics
A few days ago, I showed you a clip featuring Giants closer Brian Wilson from EA Sports' new promo for NBA 2K12, a sweet game by the way. B-Weez only appeared in the spot for about two seconds, long enough to ...
Belt heading to Dominican Republic to work on his swing
Giants first baseman (and converted outfielder) Brandon Belt is headed to the Dominican Republic to work on his swing in winter ball. Belt wrote on his blog that his swing became a complicated mess after making so many adjustments. Additionally, he ...
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Villalona drops lawsuit, rejoins Giants organization
According to The Associated Press, former Giants first base prospect Angel Villalona is now back to "current" status with the organization. Villalona, 21, was signed by the Giants for $2.1 million when he was just 16 years old, but fell into ...
Book review: “A Moment In Time” — Ralph Branca
OCT. 3 -- When Ralph Branca's new book A Moment In Time ($25, Amazon) arrived at my house last Thursday, my 7-year old son asked me, "Who's Ralph Branca, dad?" When I told him he was the fella who coughed up Bobby ...
When the folks at EA 2K Sports were sitting around the table brainstorming ideas for a new commercial to promote NBA 2K12, somebody must have asked the question, "Anybody know if Brian Wilson is a Celtics fan?" Oh, he's a Celts fan alright. Back ...
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