SB Nation User Blog: tobias

Giants Batting Stances - please vote

tobias — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 00:01:56 -0000

It's Election Day, but rather than wasting your time voting on trivial, meaningless things such as judges, assemblypeople and eminent domain, why not vote on something that really matters?

Of course I'm referring to seeing to it that the Giants are represented on the website featuring favorite batting stances (past and present) of all 30 MLB teams.

So far, 14 of 16 teams are represented on the site...but not the Giants?? It's a travesty that needs to be corrected right away. The Giants need to be next up. The world needs to experience the glory and wonder of some of the greatest hitters of all time: Mays! McCovey! Bonds! LeMaster! Every day that goes by without Giants batting stances up and available for public viewing is a day where wars will continue to rage, pestilence will continue to spread and children will continue to suffer.

But Giants batting stances can change all of that! Won't you act today? For the children?

Please go to this site right now, and vote for the Giants. Take you about 5 seconds.

If you have time, I'd also encourage you to list 5 or 10 Giants that you'd like to see done by the Batting Stance Guy. Here's who I requested:

1. Barry Bonds
2. Bobby Bonds
3. Willie Mays
4. Willie McCovey
5. Johnnie LeMaster
6. Aaron Rowand
7. Rich Aurilia
8. Dave Kingman
9. Tito Fuentes (Not sure if you remember this one. Definitely an all-time classic, complete with the bat-handle-bounce-flip-and-catch-off-home-plate)
10. Jack Clark
11. Will Clark
12. Matt Williams
13. Jeff Kent
14. Robby Thompson
15. Andres Galarraga
16. Darrell Evans
17. Randy Winn (left-handed)
18. Marvin Benard
19. Jeffrey Leonard
20. Jose Uribe

Others... Tsuyoshi Shinjo, Benito Santiago, J.T. Snow, Chili Davis, Chris Speier, Orlando Cepeda, Jesus Alou, Felipe Alou, Bengie Molina, Juan Marichal (batting against Roseboro?... sorry, my bad taste knows almost no bounds).

Giants Batting Stances

tobias — Tue, 27 May 2008 17:40:55 -0000

They say that everyone has a gift. Well, I have a friend whose gift is mimicking major leaguers' batting stances. Over the past couple years, he's been posting short videos of his interpretations of different major leaguers' batting stances and swings, up on YouTube. I'll admit to maybe being a little biased, but I think the guy...well, I already said it. He's gifted. The impressions are pretty much dead-on, and many of them are hilarious.

Most of the videos feature maybe15-20 different hitters (past and present) from one Major League team. Each video is about three minutes in length, although there's one that features players of the 1980's that runs about four minutes. That one has both Jack Clark and Will Clark (check out the Nuschler Face on Will!). The Red Sox and Braves videos are also favorites of mine.

He's got ten teams up so far, and plans on doing all 30 teams. Yes, even the Rays. There's one thing that bugs me though: No Giants team video yet! This is an especially egregious oversight, for two reasons:

1) He's a Giants fan.

2) He's already done the D@#&?$!!!!111!?

So I'd like to ask a favor of everyone. First, check out a video or two on his YouTube link. Second, send him an email asking him to do a Giants video before he does one for any of the other meaningless, inconsequential teams that are rumored to be in the Major Leagues. Please be nice when you email. Don't swear at him for his already having done the Dodgers. I've forgiven him and you can too. But do request any Giants hitters that you'd like to see him mimic, past or present. He asked me for my Top 20, so here's my list of faves I sent him (along with a few extras):

What's the 2008 SF Giants Theme Song?

tobias — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 23:52:12 -0000

I'd like to hear your ideas for songs that could best represent the 2008 Giants.

All I keep thinking of while watching the Giants fritter another one away to the Dodgers, is the timeless line from "Synchronicity II":

"...And every single meeting with his so-called superior, is a humiliating kick in the crotch."

...So mine's "Synchronicity II.

Spring Training Really Meaningless?

tobias — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 16:09:05 -0000

Apparently, Bruce Bochy is attaching some meaning to the goings-on in and around Scottsdale this spring. In this John Shea piece from this morning's sfgate, it's beginning to look as if the "Warrior Spirit" t-shirts aren't working as well as we had hoped.

The 2008 Giants are looking more and more like a team that is incapable of winning baseball games on any kind of consistent basis (such as, say, two games in a row). Pitching and defense, supposedly strengths of this team are looking ragged. Speed is pretty good, second in the NL in stolen bases (although they lead the NL in being caught stealing--12 times in 42 attempts). The hitting, to no one's surprise, except maybe one or two on this board, has been atrocious.

Bruce Bochy says the team isn't doing the "little things", but they aren't doing the big things either. Take hitting the ball and catching the ball. The Giants aren't doing those two things. On base percentage and slugging percentage are both next-to-last in the NL. The team ERA is 7.11, worst in MLB by far. And that's their pitching, the Giants' supposed strong suit. The team's Defensive Efficiency Rating (from ESPN--it's sort of like fielding percentage, but wonkier) is the worst in MLB by far. Again, another supposed strong suit. Sure, there are lots of players in the mix who won't be heading north with the team. But that's true of every club.

I've been upset for a long time that Brian Sabean had his contract extended. But the more I think about it, I'm almost glad that Sabean will be around this year to preside over and be held accountable for this mess.

Dodgertown: Baseball's Petting Zoo?

tobias — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 01:41:06 -0000

From ESPN.com, this AP article is about the closing of Dodgertown.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3298918

"In an era when spring training has become big business, [Dodgertown] was more like baseball's petting zoo, where players were encouraged to chat with fans and sign their balls."

I just want to know how someone who writes for a living, can come up with a sentence like that and not know something's wrong?

Who Will Lead the 2008 Giants in HRs?

tobias — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 19:16:01 -0000

Who will hit the most home runs for the Giants this year, and as a special bonus, how many will he hit?

3rd Base Solution? David Bell!!

tobias — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 04:20:33 -0000

I apologize if this is old news to the rest of you, but I just happened to see this for the first time...

Today I bought this week's USA Today Sports Weekly (and yes, quite frankly I am very much ashamed of myself for continuing to buy this publication), and I found this story in "The Buzz" (page 3, upper right corner) that reads exactly as follows:

"The San Francisco Giants, who are keeping a close eye on Chicago White Sox third baseman Joe Crede, have also talked about the possibility of bringing back David Bell to fill a void at third base, according to a high-ranking team official.

Bell, a 12-year veteran who last played in the major leagues in 2006, as been plagued by chronic back woes. He played on the Giants' 2002 National League pennant-winning team.

Still, the Giants official said their first choice is Crede, who is coming off back surgery. Giants center fielder Aaron Rowand, a former teammate of Crede's, said he gave Crede a glowing recommendation when the Giants front office asked questions about Crede's makeup.

The White Sox are listening to offers for Crede, Chicago general Kenny Williams says, because of the emergence of third baseman Josh Fields. Bob Nightengale

This whole story is so ridiculous, it can't possibly have even the remotest potential for coming to fruition, right? David Bell? Chronic back woes? Hasn't played since 2006?? I think Sabean is maybe trying to make the impending acquisition of Crede look awesome, by comparison.

Right?

Four Questions

tobias — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 04:08:13 -0000

Just a few things I'm wondering about as Spring Training approaches...

Who bats cleanup when Bengie sits? Bengie Molina is our cleanup hitter and that's a bummer. But Bengie played in just 134 games for the Giants last year, and that was a career high. Over his career, he generally has averaged around only 120 games a year. So, for those 40-or-so games that Bengie sits, does Bochy rearrange the lineup and maybe have Rowand bat 4th? Or does he just slide Guillermo Rodriguez or Eliezer Alfonzo into the 4-hole on those nights?
Who's the backup shortstop? Richie or Frandsen?
Any definitive word on how Vinnie Chulk is doing? He was shut down with circulatory issues due to his use of smokeless tobacco. This was the same thing that ended Kevin Rogers' career 14 years ago. Rogers was a very promising Giants pitcher who was dominant out of the bullpen in the '93 season. Early in '94, he began experiencing circulatory problems from his use of smokeless tobacco. He went on the DL then and there and never pitched again in the major leagues.
Why isn't Sabean adding some cheap, low-risk relief pitchers to the list of non-roster invitees? I've been reading about Arizona scouting and being close to signing Keith Foulke to a minor league contract. Boston has signed Dan Kolb and Dan Miceli to similar contracts. These are no-risk/high-reward opportunities for the Giants. With the Giants bullpen already suspect, it seems like having a few more bullpen options would be prudent, given how much the Giants are investing in their starting rotation. How many nights will Bochy go to pick up the phone to get someone loosened up, remember he's choosing between the likes of Randy Messenger, Jack Taschner and Steve Kline, and decide to leave Lincecum or Cain in a few batters longer?

Mark Whicker refuses to drink the Kool-Aid

tobias — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 20:06:56 -0000

Mark Whicker of the Orange County Register, writes what actually is a clear-eyed, reasoned and objective column in today's paper.

Based on what normally passes for sports journalism on Bonds, Whicker is frighteningly out of step with the appropriate doctrinaire thinking down here. In Southern California, this column borders on being a sort of professional death wish.

Whicker will undoubtedly be flooded with the kind of mail that will only underscore his point about the toxicity and lunacy of hatred. Hopefully, Whicker has his resume burnished and ready to go. Or at least he's good with early retirement.

http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/sports/columns/article_1758021.php

Sunday, July 8, 2007
Cloud of suspicion rains on Bonds
MARK WHICKER: Is it right for us fans to detest someone we hardly know?

MARK WHICKER
Register columnist
mwhicker@ocregister.com

SAN FRANCISCO - There have been killer hurricanes that didn't bring as much dread as the 755th home run by Barry Bonds. Let alone the 756th. Instead of commemorating the most glamorous record in sports, commissioner Bud Selig will try to find something better to do.

Bonds entertains AP's Janie McCauley

tobias — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 19:23:27 -0000

This article could be titled "Me 'N' Barry". Mostly a touchy-feely piece about what it's like to cover Barry on an ongoing basis.

Still, a pretty fair assessment. But I also think that asking Barry "Do you feel safe in your own stadium?" was a stupid question.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/03/30/state/n112338D33.DTL