Kryptonite for the 2017 San Francisco Giants

Home plate umpire, Doug Eddings, it was announced by David B. Fleming, is second among major league umpires in calling strikes. It led Dave to to speculate that this made Eddings a "pitcher's umpire."

Listening to the entire broadcast I have a few ideas of my own about Dougie behind the plate. This season, when you listen to a Giants' broadcast you can expect a lack of execution AND the occasional brain fart because it's what this collection of talent does more often than not. 

In this game, on July 20, there were two incidents that immediately come to mind. One was Eduardo Nunez's stealing of third base only he could not control his slide with the "oven" mitt he wore on his hand for protection. This mitt has no fingers! So rather than having Noony on third base with one out there was nobody on base with two outs. 

The second was when there was a runner on third base with less than two out and Brandon Belt at the plate. The Padres defense was playing back willing to concede a run in exchange for an out. This was genius by the San Diego manager (Green) because this type of opportunity is kryptonite for the 2017 San Francisco Giants. Belt would take a called third strike. The words of Duane Kuiper, 'Right down the middle.'

Back to Eddings. He may call the second most strikes in the majors but he has the kind of strike zone that doesn't favor anyone. Both the pitcher and the hitter have no idea what to expect. It is inconsistency at its worst when the umpire isn't even sure when the pitch is a strike. Are you kidding me? The sudden arm pump, convulsion if you will, (by Eddings) as if he were in the middle of an epileptic seizure, is why it appears he himself doesn't know it's a strike.

Unpredictability is a batter and pitcher's nightmare and I'm sure the umpire isn't comfortable with the knee-jerk reaction himself. But his job isn't in jeopardy like the man throwing the ball and especially the man attempting to hit it with someone behind him saying 'STRIKE' unexpectedly.  


Kevin J. Marquez

Should We Look at the Panda?

Should we look at the Panda? If he is in shape, why not?  The man helped us win two World Championships. We owe it to ourselves to give him another chance. The Giants would only have to pay him the league minimum. Who knows, he may only deliver the goods wearing orange and black.

He may forever have his face carved into pumpkins in the city by the bay. And that image is just scary enough to be effective. When orange is how you are identified, by the fans that root for your team, why not etch his countenance into the gourd that recognizes the departed every October 31st ?

I can still hear Jon Miller's call of his third World Series homer in the same game...'looking like the Babe himself as he rounds the bases!'

We know he made a mistake leaving us. And that it would be different for him in Beantown. But we all have to find out for ourselves how things materialize and he too needed to know how things would work out. Live and learn.

This is not a Shame on You thing. Where if they fool you once, shame on you but if they fool you twice it's shame on me. The guy was sensitive over the comments made about is expanding girth and he had to find out for himself that it was no different wherever he went. If you don't produce the hecklers will form a line to assuage their own disappointment by ridiculing your performance. But all in all the San Francisco Giant's fans loved them some Pablo. And allowing him the opportunity to tryout for them may be what get's the Giants going again.


Kevin J. Marquez