2010 MLB Baseball thread..

[troutman]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...MNQ41G5FTO.DTL

The Giants' victory parade will start at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Montgomery and Washington streets and go southbound on Montgomery to Market Street before continuing west on Market to Civic Center Plaza.

After the parade, Mayor Gavin Newsom will present the team with the key to the city on the steps of City Hall.

The parade will replicate the route taken by the team when they came to San Francisco from New York in 1958.

[GirlySports]

Congrats to the Giants. That's as dominant a pitching performance as I can remember in a World Series.

[burn_baby_burn]

You really have to feel good for Giants fans everywhere. Its been a long time coming.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by burn_baby_burn

You really have to feel good for Giants fans everywhere. Its been a long time coming.

Suck it Dodgers!

[transplant99]

Sparky Anderson on his last legs...

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=5759008

[troutman]

Thousands of people are already lining the streets of downtown San Francisco in anticipation of the Giants' World Series victory parade, which begins at 11 a.m.

People began staking out prime viewing spots along Market Street before dawn. By the height of the morning commute, Giants orange was as common a sight as business attire on BART and Caltrain.


Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...#ixzz14Ew8WMXv

[Clever_Iggy]

CalTrain is offering free use until noon because they cannot keep up with demand for tickets. BART is backed up throughout the Bay Area because of the numbers of people heading in to watch the parade. There was a sea of orange and black walking to the BART at 7:00am this morning as I walked to work. Nuts.

[squiggs96]

Originally Posted by habernac

Hang in there, MQS. Your team played hard and got to the big game. It stings that they didn't win but man, 30 other teams would love to have been there in that position.

Congrats to the Giants! I hope they all tell Barry Bonds to kiss their asses.

You obviously don't understand anything about the Giants. As someone who has watched them since 1987, most games since 2000 and haven't missed one in the last three years, we love Bonds. What he has done for that franchise is amazing. He loves the fans there and we love him back. When he came out for the first pitch before game three against Philly, you could hear the cheers from blocks away. He did everything he could to help the Giants win a World Series and they came so close in 2002. Barry is happy the team finally won in SF and wishes he could have been on the field, but that's sports.

This new team is built the opposite way with outstanding, home grown pitching and enough bats to do damage. A few years ago I predicted they'd make the playoffs this year or in 2011 and if they ever got in would be a force, as they could go with three starters if need be. With the starters all having their contracts controlled by the team for the next four years, Posey's emergence and some contracts about to come off the books, they are poised to be a force for the next while.

[troutman]

Watch parade here:

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/livenow?id=7759671

[Clever_Iggy]

Originally Posted by squiggs96

This new team is built the opposite way with outstanding, home grown pitching and enough bats to do damage. A few years ago I predicted they'd make the playoffs this year or in 2011 and if they ever got in would be a force, as they could go with three starters if need be. With the starters all having their contracts controlled by the team for the next four years, Posey's emergence and some contracts about to come off the books, they are poised to be a force for the next while.

While I initially agreed with you, the Giants have some significant salary issues coming down the road for them. The good news is that they are in the NL West which is far from competitive next year. The bad news, they have a lot of money tied up in bad players (Rowand and Zito) and not enough financial flexibility to really improve the line up.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/201...son/index.html

While their pitching will always make them a very difficult team in a 5-7 game series, their hitting could get worse. I like the sounds of this prospect Belt, but he might be another May call up. If they can somehow shed either Zito or Rowand, they could make a chase for Werth or dangle Jonathan Sanchez for a corner outfielder with power.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by squiggs96

You obviously don't understand anything about the Giants. As someone who has watched them since 1987, most games since 2000 and haven't missed one in the last three years, we love Bonds. What he has done for that franchise is amazing. He loves the fans there and we love him back. When he came out for the first pitch before game three against Philly, you could hear the cheers from blocks away. He did everything he could to help the Giants win a World Series and they came so close in 2002. Barry is happy the team finally won in SF and wishes he could have been on the field, but that's sports.

I'm a Giants fan since the early 1980s, and I had to hold my nose during the Bonds era. Now, finally, the Giants are a team I can be proud of.

Bonds was a cheater and a jerk. The ends did not justify the means.

I'm not naive enough to think there are no "cheaters" on the current Giants, but Bonds was the poster boy.

[CaptainCrunch]

It was very weird seeing Bonds in the stands cheering on the former team and team mates who just didn't like him.

And the guy looked happy.

[squiggs96]

Originally Posted by troutman

I'm a Giants fan since the early 1980s, and I had to hold my nose during the Bonds era. Now, finally, the Giants are a team I can be proud of.

Bonds was a cheater and a jerk. The ends did not justify the means.

I'm not naive enough to think there are no "cheaters" on the current Giants, but Bonds was the poster boy.

You had to hold your nose? Come on. You chose to. I didn't know that you chose baseball players based on their personalities. Not everyone can be as awesome of a person/player/captain as Iggy, but there have been jerks all over the place. Ruth, Mantle, Cobb, Rose, Kent, Bonds, Henderson, etc. etc. You can wish all the Giants were like Mays and McCovey, but few players are. Bonds helped that team and city be succesful and stay in SF, instead of moving to Tampa Bay. I haven't liked every Giant, but there hasn't been one in my lifetime who has been as amazing as Bonds.

I love the current team, as I love pitching. I've supported them for many years and the only thing I really, really wish that was different, was the Bonds would have gotten his ring. He deserved it.

[habernac]

Originally Posted by troutman

I'm a Giants fan since the early 1980s, and I had to hold my nose during the Bonds era. Now, finally, the Giants are a team I can be proud of.

Bonds was a cheater and a jerk. The ends did not justify the means.

I'm not naive enough to think there are no "cheaters" on the current Giants, but Bonds was the poster boy.

Trout gets it.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by squiggs96

You had to hold your nose? Come on. You chose to. I didn't know that you chose baseball players based on their personalities. Not everyone can be as awesome of a person/player/captain as Iggy, but there have been jerks all over the place. Ruth, Mantle, Cobb, Rose, Kent, Bonds, Henderson, etc. etc. You can wish all the Giants were like Mays and McCovey, but few players are. Bonds helped that team and city be succesful and stay in SF, instead of moving to Tampa Bay. I haven't liked every Giant, but there hasn't been one in my lifetime who has been as amazing as Bonds.

Just my opinion, but I took no joy in the 2002 playoff run. It felt tainted to me.

[habernac]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

It was very weird seeing Bonds in the stands cheering on the former team and team mates who just didn't like him.

And the guy looked happy.

That was the funniest thing I've ever seen in my life. Barry, jumping around, etc. After being a miserable prick to everyone for years, they're suddenly going to think he's Mr Nice Guy.

He's putting on the appearance so he has a snowball's chance to get a hitting coach's job somewhere.

[squiggs96]

Originally Posted by Clever_Iggy

While I initially agreed with you, the Giants have some significant salary issues coming down the road for them. The good news is that they are in the NL West which is far from competitive next year. The bad news, they have a lot of money tied up in bad players (Rowand and Zito) and not enough financial flexibility to really improve the line up.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/201...son/index.html

While their pitching will always make them a very difficult team in a 5-7 game series, their hitting could get worse. I like the sounds of this prospect Belt, but he might be another May call up. If they can somehow shed either Zito or Rowand, they could make a chase for Werth or dangle Jonathan Sanchez for a corner outfielder with power.

The disaster that is Zito's contract is over in three years. The Giants will likely buy out the 8th year for $7M instead of expercising the $18M option for the 2014 season. Luckily there is no salary cap so they aren't too hampered by it, but the Giants are also fiscally responsible, so they won't overpay for a Jeter and/or Werth type player/money.


Rowand's contract still has two years. I liked his contract originally until I found out it was $12M per year instead of $12M over five years. Then I really hated it. I think they'll try and trade him, but they won't find any takers. They might release him with the emergence of Torres and how they want to resign Cody Ross. They'll likely have to get rid of Nate, as there are just too many outfielders. I know they'd like to bring back Burrell, but I don't expect to see him in an SF uniform again.

Hopefully DeRosa is able to come back healthy. I think they bring back Huff for a two year contract and Uribe for one as a backup or utility infielder. Freddy Sanchez is fantastic and I can't wait for Fontenot to leave. Belt will be up later in the year but I think they need to find their bat and shortstop in one package.

I'd resign Whiteside and most of the bullpen. There isn't anyone I want gone such as years past of Howry, Medders, Benitez, etc.

[squiggs96]

Originally Posted by habernac

That was the funniest thing I've ever seen in my life. Barry, jumping around, etc. After being a miserable prick to everyone for years, they're suddenly going to think he's Mr Nice Guy.

He's putting on the appearance so he has a snowball's chance to get a hitting coach's job somewhere.

No way Bonds wants a hitting coach job. He'll do consulting and such like he did with Ryan Howard, but he doesn't want to have to commit six months a year to the grind of the ball season. He enjoys his time off and hanging with his buddies. He doesn't need money and is welcome at the park any time he wants.

My personal belief is he really just loves this team, like so many others do. After they clinched you could see JT Snow, Will Clark, Kruk, Kuip and others in the locker room enjoying it too. Maybe he realized he could be a little less of a jerk or has mellowed in his old age. Bonds did and still does love the fans and the fans still love him. I'd put a lot of money on never seeing him as a full time coach in his life. If I'm wrong I'd love to see it, but it won't happen.

[habernac]

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slu...s-bondsreturns

Bonds talked briefly just after leaving the Giants clubhouse about a half-hour before the game. When asked if he’d like to do more than just cheer on his former team, Bonds said he would be interested in becoming a hitting coach in the future like Mark McGwire is doing in St. Louis.
“I have a gift and sooner or later I have to give it away,” Bonds said. “I have to share it. Hopefully I’ll get the opportunity here.”

[Clever_Iggy]

Originally Posted by squiggs96

No way Bonds wants a hitting coach job.

As habernac showed you, yes he does. But there's not a snowball's chance in hell the Giants give him that opportunity. The Giants have so much good stuff going on and Bonds brings so much mad mojo. He may be beloved by a certain percentage of the Giants faithful (far from the numbers you describe) but the organization keeps him at a safe distance.