I got a call from my "season ticket account manager" yesterday, asking if I wanted help with anything.  I know they've been pushing this relationship thing this year, but seriously, what help is there to give?  I asked her that, "What sort of requests do you get?"  She didn't have much.

But I did ask her how seating priority would be handled if there's a new stadium.  She said that since there's a new configuration, the seat locations don't map so clearly, so they plan to let everyone pick in order of seniority.

Frankly, I do not like that answer.  We bought our seats on the open market, paying a pretty penny for location.  Now I'll have to get in line behind someone who's had to work his way up from the end zone.

I realize that any solution isn't going to make everyone happy, but naturally I prefer those that favor me.

Giants fans might be interested in the following auction of Giants memorabilia this Saturday.  Rocket Dog is a great non-profit that saves dogs from kill situations (often shelters) and places them in good homes.

I happen to know the way they get the Giants stuff is that one of the benefactors is cousins with the Giants' equipment manager Mike Murphy, so the Giants donate these items and Mike acquires the autographs himself.  As such, there is no authentication procedure or documentation, but I personally believe them to be legit.

Come on down if you're interested in this stuff.  Usually these are only attended by fewer than 50 people, so there isn't that much competition.


______________________________________________________________________
SPECIAL AUCTION OF SIGNED SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS’ COLLECTIBLES!

Join Rocket Dog Rescue for a fun-filled evening this Saturday to raise funds and and help us continue saving innocent dogs. Our silent auction starts at 6:30pm. Come on out and bid on signed baseballs, caps and bats by these great San Francisco Giants players:

Pablo Sandoval
Tim Lincecum
Matt Cain
Bengie Molina
Barry Zito
Johnny “No-Hit” Sanchez
Juan Uribe
Brian Wilson
Aaron Rowand
Plus Former Giant & Future Hall of Famer Omar Vizquel!

All proceeds benefit: Rocket Dog Rescue of San Francisco, Every dollar goes to help the dogs! Every auction item is a true Giants’ collectible!! Come early to avoid disappointment.

DATE: Saturday, October 17, 2009
TIME: 6:30 to 9:30pm
LOCATION: Terra Mia Studio
ADDRESS:1314 Castro Street (at 24th Street) San Francisco, CA 94114
INFORMATION:(415) 370-6900
www.rocketdogrescue.org

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There is a lot of considered thought and consensus fan will on this site that seems to me should be heard by Giants ownership.  Today's entry on what Bengie represents is a good example.  Those are some good points that a rational person would be nuts to not even bother reading.

We joke all the time about what crazy wackadoo perspectives the fellas in charge must have, but I'm suggesting we do the opposite.  We know that Bill Neukom has been a Giants fan longer than most of us, has enough brains to amass a significant personal fortune, and seems to genuinely care what happens to the team.  Let's assume that he's open to hearing intelligent perspectives from his customers, and that he doesn't have the time to personally follow this site.

What then would be an effective means of influencing the future of the Giants?

Continue reading this post »

I am amused by the sheer volume and energy of tangents taken in the conversations on this blog.  Without actively trying to do so, Grant and the other mods have built this site into a genuine virtual community.

I'm curious about the significance of that community to everyone.  Just because I've been into this sort of thing since 1986 and I'm always interested in how it works.  Please answer the poll below, ranking McCovey Chronicles in your personal heirarchy.   (Note that I'm interested in your answer with regard to the community aspect - online conversation - separate it if possible from the attraction of the stand-alone blog post writing.)

Every time I see Eli Whiteside wearing #22, I think about how wrong that is.  Jack Clark and Will Clark were the faces of their teams.  Both of them were Giant All-Stars on the strength of their bats, while adding good defense as a bonus.  Giving Jack's number to Will, while obvious enough to not be genius, was the absolutely right thing to do.  Seeing it now on someone else, regardless of whether or not either of them made the Hall of Fame, strikes me as wrong.

Some of you will say that only HOF numbers get retired and that's that, but when I see the numbers at the stadium, I think of the Giants through the ages.  With this one number, you bridge the sad gap of the mid-70's to early 90's.  The Giants did a great thing when they gave Barry Bonds his dad's #25.  They should honor #22 by retiring it.

It figures that *this* is the season that Sabean decides to run out ahead of 
the pack and sign free agents early.  This, the year of plummeting free agent prices.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=3783423&name=olney_buster

Sabean's got to go.  He's had his chance to prove he had something going on without 
Barry Bonds, and he's proved that he doesn't.  I'm happy that he used to be
good.  But he's not any more.

Francisco Liriano was sent back down to the minors following both Tommy John surgery and an 11.32 ERA start.  "He could be there for awhile."

http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins/18220564.html

All of a sudden I'm feeling like the worst trade ever could turn out to be simply a normal just bad one.  Nathan and Bonser for Pierzynski doesn't look that horrid given their performances since the trade.

The parts that make it bad are that AJP didn't play that way for *us* and that Nathan's success as a closer had a lot of uncertainty considering he wasn't even tried that way before.

We've all read about how A-Rod's now the favorite to get Barry's career HR record.  But in addition to the fact that he'll have to age as "well" as Barry did, I just looked up this interesting fact:

Over the last three seasons, A-Rod got 27 intentional walks.  From 2002-2004 Barry got 249. I still think A-Rod can't get the career HR title without some serious longevity, durability, and more cooperation from the opposing pitchers than Barry got.

I just got back from the celebration down at Justin Herman.  Very nice day, and a good party.

First:  Opening band - Whitebread 5 or something like that.  Did decent cover tunes ("Don't Stop Believin', Disco Inferno") to get the crowd warmed up.

Second:  Replay of all the video tributes from sports notables to Barry.  Not sure if they all aired before... Joe Montana, Wayne Gretzky, Lou Brock, Ernie Banks, Willie Mays, someone I didn't recognize, and Hank, of course.

Third:  Introductions by hostess Renel... Kruk and Flem, Barbieri, Willie Brown, Gavin Newsom, Bochy, Magowan and Baer, Omar and Richie, a whole passel of other politicians, Mays and McCovey, Barry and his family including his mom.

Fourth:  Speakers

Kruk - "I might be nervous because I played at Candlestick and we're not used to big crowds."

Ralph Barbieri - "Barry's good with kids.  When he first met my boy, he grabbed him from my arms and said, 'Give him to me, I know how to handle kids.'"

Flem - Glad to witness all the history.

Magowan - Pander pander pander, pat self on back.
Baer/Bochy/Sabean - Present Barry with home plate from 8/7.

Omar - "He's fun to talk to in the dugout about cartoons and whatever.  He's just a regular guy.  How many guys can say he took a shower with Barry Bonds?"

Richie - Usual "great to be on the field for 73 and 756."

Gavin - As always, the best speaker of the lot.  "I can't get that image of Omar and Barry in the shower out of my head.  Omar, if you want to say anything, now's the time.  Hey, it's San Francisco.  It's all good."  "Barry, here's the key to the city."

Barry - "All San Franciscans have always had the key."  Thanked everybody in sight.

Yowza yowza yowza!  Well it was fun to be rallied.  I took some cell phone pictures but I can't get 'em off the phone.