I am going to Kyoto for a meeting next week and will be in Osaka for one night (July 28). I checked and the Tigers are in town that night. I really would love to catch a game, but getting info about how to get tickets is not easy (in English). Anyone out there ever been to a Tigers game and have advice? Do I need to get tickets in advance? Where should I sit? Any other important things to do or not do? Do I wear my Giants hat?

Following up on bgunn's post from earlier today, I also have tickets to tonight's game and would love to find them a good home. They are in 119 row L and I can email them on a first-come-first-served basis. I have 4 seats together and they are on the aisle.

I also have two seats for the Weds (30th) game as well. Just reply to this post and let me know about either game.

I am just back from my first ever Spring Training and thought about writing one of those 5000 word fanposts that would appeal to pretty much nobody. So instead, I will just say that I had a phenomenal time. I felt like a 9 year old again and left Scottsdale as excited and optimistic about the Giants as I ever have been. I took a bunch of pictures, and since I am now flush with time after getting my grant submitted, I spent an hour or so playing on Picknik. Here are the results....

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In 25 years, our kids will enjoy reading all this, so even though none of us will ever forget where we were, I thought it would be nice to compile a scrapbook of sorts for all the future Giants fans. So have at it. Mine after the jump...

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Dear Manager Bochy,

 I wanted to take this moment to offer you a sincere apology. Over the past few years (and particularly this year), I have said some pretty horrible things about you. I have thought even worse thoughts. I sometimes wondered if you had the cognitive skills of a four year old. You made moves that made me so angry that I could have choked my own child. I did not like you. I did not trust you.

Over the last month or so of the season, things began to change. Sure, winning will make urine taste like a 1982 Latour, but something really did change. You began to actually play the players who gave you the best chance of winning. You made moves that made sense. You showed me that you were capable of a two or even three-step process. Were you perfect? Not at all. You certainly had your kryptonite (hint first name sounds like “Nosay” and last name sounds like “Deeyen”. But since the playoffs started you have gotten consistently better. Again, it has not been perfect. I for one would not have double-switched Edgar only to pinch-hit for him the next inning. I would not have gone back to Sergio in game 2. I would probably have started Pablo in Game 6. I would not have had Timmy pitch in Game 6 of the NLCS, but these are the exceptions. The rule has been that you have made smart move after smart move. Maybe it is because the guy you were managing against has only 41 chromosomes, but you really have been managing like a genius. And not that it means anything to you, but I actually like you now. I saw you in heading into the interview room after Game 4 on Weds and I wanted to hug you. I really am growing to like you. Scratch that, I really do like you and could learn to love you. Moreover, I am confident that you will make the right moves, and most importantly I trust you. I feel really good about having you as the manager of the Giants in the World Series, and this is not just because you are managing against an opponent who has no idea how to manage in a National League park. I just feel good. So while the ecstasy lingers a little bit longer, I just wanted to take this moment to say that I am sorry for saying what I said about you and thinking what I thought. I am happy that you are the manager of the San Francisco Giants and I hope you will forgive me.

Most Sincerely,

Capn

P.S., I reserve the right to revoke this at any time and particurly when  or if I see a player wearing the numbers 6 or 8 in a San Francisco Giants uniform in the next 10 days.

Over on the OT Fanpost about how this place is too OT, a small sub-thread evolved regarding the origins of MCC usernames. Well, the truth is that someone said that my name reminded them of Captain Crunch cereal and I responded by saying that the true origins of my name were quite complicated and that someday I would do a Fanpost on it. Well today is that day. I will go on and on now for a few paragraphs (maybe more?) about how I got my name. It will be interesting to pretty much nobody, but then I hope there is a long discussion of how other MCC users got their names. I am particularly interested in this "Grant" one.
 

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Last night, we had a retirement party for the Chief Administrator for my department. Academic administrators are generally viewed as somewhere between lawyers/dentists and white supremacists. I had one tell me once that "nobody likes a their manager." Anyway, this woman who retired was the exception. She was adored by everyone. I have spent a lot of time trying to understand the leadership qualities and characteristics that made her so special. There are many, but here is my take:

1)    She cared passionately about the organization and its success

2)    She was a fierce advocate for the people who worked for her, but she did not tolerate or reward incompetence

3)    She inspired people to want to do better

4)    She was fair

5)    She understood how to balance the needs of the organization with the happiness and satisfaction of her employees

6)    She was an unbelievable communicator

7)    She was always honest even if it meant saying what people did not want to hear

8)    She did not panic, and she did not over-react

I am not convinced Sabean has any of these maybe with the exception of #1. Bochy's problems are many, but I think the biggest is #2. He is seen as a player's manager because of his loyalty, but he is utterly incompetent in mentoring young players. The old days are gone. Young people actually need to be inspired and motivated and yes, they often need to have their hands held. You can say that 23 year old boys with $6MM signing bonuses should be capable of taking care of themselves, but that is so stupid. What should be said is, "Hey we just invested a lot of money in this guy. We should work really hard to support him in whatever way possible, and we should work to facilitate his success and not obstruct it."

If you look at the really successful companies in history, most are defined by great leaders. What do you guys think defines great leadership?

Have you had a boss you respect and admire? Why?

Following the theme of favorite things and given that the Kentucky Derby is this weekend, I thought it would be nice to get a sense of what people think is their favorite Sporting Event. I do not mean specific games. I mean special events that happen once a year or less.

Events I have been to:

I have had the great fortune of going to many great events. I have been to four World Series in 5 cities. I have been to 2 ML All Star Games, The Masters, The Preakness (several times), The Stanley Cup Finals, several NFL Conference Championships (but no Superbowl), and the Women's World Cup Semifinals in 1999.

Events I would like to go to:

I would like to go to a Superbowl and reading this morning's Chron, it sounds like I may get that chance... I want to go to the Derby, Indy500, Wimbledon, The College WS, The Rose Bowl, The World Cup, and The Winter Olympics.

Events I would not waste my money on:

I do not particularly want to go to the Daytona 500, The NBA Finals, The Final 4, The Summer Olympics, any Marathon, The US Open (Tennis)

Of the events I have been to, the most memorable and meaningful was probably my first World Series (1977) even though it was the Yankees and I hated them. I saw Reggie's three-homer game. It was pretty amazing for an 8 year old. The other event that sticks out for me was the 1977 AFC Divisional Playoff game between the Baltimore Colts and the Raiders. It ended in double overtime with the Snake hitting Caspar on the "Ghost to the Post". The Masters was a blast, and in terms of parties, nothing beat the Preakness.

I know the Cain for Fielder horse has been pretty much eviscerated, but in addition to having effectively one starting pitcher, the Brau have an almost 42 year-old closer. His numbers this year are much better than I would have predicted, but he is hardly someone they can count on forever. With Wilson, they could move him to an eighth inning role and this would make for a rather formidable back end of the bullpen. The A's have shown that moving these younger closers can be quite fruitful and that they are generally pretty replaceable. Two questions:

1) Would they even consider Wilson for Fielder straight-up or would it require a solid prospect in addition?

2) If the answer to # 1 is yes, should Sabes jump?