Some FRESNO GRIZZLY tidbits

When it comes to bringing up someone deemed to make an impact, it's all hit or miss. Some times you get lucky, and other times you aren't so fortuitous in your thinking. Here's a rundown of the players currently performing at an enhanced level- for Triple A Fresno- without the 'roids.

Geno Espinelli- a relief pitcher, is considered an under-the-radar southpaw coming off an All-Star campaign in the Eastern League. Years of Age (YOA): 25.

Alex Hinshaw- a power lefty with impressive strikeout rate making his Triple A debut with Fresno. YOA: 25

Brian Horwitz- Cal product has hit everywhere he's been, as .322 career average attests.
YOA: 25.

Giants' fans are somewhat familiar with Pat Misch, the lefty sent to Fresno to get some work as well as Nate Schierholtz, the outfielder who was caught up in the numbers game. He still had some options while others players did not, so it was Nate who got the bus ticket to Fresno. Nate's 24-YOA, and Pat Misch is 26 YOA.

Julio Cordido is 27-YOA, but a very valuable utility player who has jumped out of the gates early this season. Looking at the box scores it seems like the Venezuelan always has 2 hits.

I'll be keeping an eye and ear on Double A and Single A clubs. Hopefully I can gather enough information to pass along.


Kevin Marquez

Good Pitching Needs Some Help

The past three (3) games, all of which were won by the Giants, have been outstanding pitching performances by starters Tim Lincecum, Jonathan Sanchez, Kevin Correia and clutch bullpen contributions. The Giants have received very little clutch hitting, with the exception of the aforemention pitcher's battery mate, Benjito Molina.

Which goes to show, good defense and stellar pitching will win you its share of games. Provided, of course, you have enough offense to generate more runs than the opponent.

It appears Brad Hennessey is finding his form as he began the season on shaky grounds. But the one guy who just doesn't seem to have found his comfort zone is Brian "Wouldn't it Be Nice" Wilson. I'm waiting for the day I can change the somewhat cynical label 'Wouldn't it Be Nice' to a more confident Brian Don't Worry Baby Wilson.

And believe it or not there are still a few Giants' fans who are holding out hope that Brian Sabean will do something to bolster the hardly intimidating eight playing the field for the orange and black. That maybe he can come to some kind of agreement with #25... I kid you not!

Now if Barry Zito can come around and consistently give his team a solid outing of at least 6 innings the idea of manufacturing runs may not be something fans used to the home run prefer but if the wins keep coming the fans will have no problem adjusting. Winning does cure all ills in the sporting world, that much is certain.

Let's go back to the 1965 major league baseball season. The Los Angeles Dodgers had a W-97 L-65 season and defeated the Minnesota Twins in the best of seven, 4 games to 3, World Series.

This Dodger team was flawless afield with the glove but not much with the bat.
Maury Wills led the team batting .286 and stealing 94 bases (thrown out 31 times). Ron Fairly led the team with 70 RBI. Lou Johnson and Jim Lefebvre tied for the team lead with 12 home runs. But they had Don Drysdale and Sandy Koufax.

Sandy Koufax was W-26 L-8 with 27 complete games and 8 shutouts.
Don Drysdale was W-23 L-12 with 20 complete games and 7 shutouts. AND on an anemic hitting team double D hit 7 homers while batting .300!
Claude Osteen posted a W-15 and L-15 record.

In the World Series they were facing the Minnesota Twins. A powerful lineup that featured Harmon Killebrew, Jimmie Hall, Bobby Allison and Don Mincher (all hitting at least 20 homers).
The American League MVP that year was the Twins shortstop, Zoilo Versalles (who also hit 19 homers) and sweet swinging Tony Oliva was coming off a .321 season at the plate with 16-HRs of his own.

Game One at Metropolitan Stadium the Twins won 8-2.
Game Two at Metropolitan Stadium the Twins won 5-1.
Game Three at Dodger Stadium the Dodgers won 4-0. Claude Osteen pitched the shutout.
Game Four at Dodger Stadium the Dodgers won 7-2.
Game Five at Dodger Stadium the Dodgers won 7-0. Sandy Koufax pitched the shutout.
Game Six at Metropolitan Stadium the Twins won 5-1.
Game Seven at Metropolitan Stadium the Dodgers won on a 2-0 shutout by Sandy Koufax.

Three (3) shutouts in the World Series and that is why the anemic hitting Dodgers won the 1965 World Series championship. Smooth fielding, timely hitting and superb pitching.

Something Giants' fans can only hope will happen with the 2008 San Francisco Giants. Hey, it's still early enough for hope to spring eternal, right?

Kevin Marquez

What I'm Picking Up on the Dial

Last night, when it was apparent the Giants would NOT be on television I had to reach for my radio dial in hopes of tuning in the San Francisco Giants/San Diego Padre game.

While the Giants on 680KNBR was coming in fuzzy I was able to get the Padres, a crystal clear connection on 1090AM, or as the broadcasters refer to it, "double XX." (Also fuzzy was the Dodger game but it wasn't my intention to listen to the dreaded Dodgers.)

To start the game the first broadcaster I heard was former Yankee star Jerry Coleman. He has some good insight that cannot be taken for granted. For instance, in the 10th inning, Eugenio Velez led off the inning with a single and promptly stole second base. It was Coleman's contention that had Velez slid in feet first he'd have been able to advance to third rather easily (on a ball that got away from the fielder attempting to tag Velez out). But because he goes in face first he gets some dirt in his face and can't really see what's happening around him. Then, as fate would have it, with Velez on second the batter Randy Winn hit a sharp grounder that Adrian Gonzalez was able to spear, step on first and without hesitation he threw a one-hopper to Kevin Kouzmanoff who received the throw and easily tagged out the head first sliding Velez by using his leg to block the bag. Again, Coleman emphasized that had Velez went in feet first he would have gotten over the leg of Kouzmanoff and probably been safe at third.

In a year where the Giants have to be doing the little things this is yet another example of them NOT doing those things to help them win ballgames -not to mention- overcome their lack of home run power.

The announcer who did the brunt of the work was Ted Leitner. This guy really has a flair, almost a Bill Murray like "here we are at Augusta" quality that I swear if I was still in the accompaniment of a bong would have been laughing hysterically. It sure was enjoyable listening to him carry on and it wasn't like he was a homer of the Monte Moore ilk (although Monte is on a plane all by himself in that regard). I mean, if there were two guys named Enrique Rojas, one on each team, you would know which one was the Padre.

Leitner brought up an excellent point. With Scott Hairston batting there was a close pitch Hairston asked the home plate umpire, Tim Timmons, about and the umpire tossed him from the game. Leitner's voice lilted exclamatorily, "you can no longer ask some umpires where that pitch missed. Why? And if you use the wrong tone of voice, what's that? It's see ya!"

I wholeheartedly concur, Mr. Leitner. It's almost as if the umpire being questioned is questioning his own ability to make the call, so he sure doesn't what you questioning him, know what I mean?

Kevin Marquez

Zero Tolerance for Bush League Behavior

Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz are still holding their own on the mound.
Maddux (W-348 L-214); Glavine (W-303 L-199) and Smoltz (W-208 L-145..with a 4 year span from 2001 thru 2004 when he collected 154 Saves).

All three are good for at least 6 innings, can field their positions, move the runner over when they are up to bat and rarely miss a start. All are Hall of Famers and it's a pleasure watching these masters of their craft when it's their turn to pitch.

Yesterday's home opener was a beautiful day with all of its pageantry, saluting 50 years of San Francisco Giants baseball under clear blue skies and when it's time to "play ball" the fans witnessed a home plate umpire (Jim Reynolds) misinterpret the rulebook's diagram and definition of a strike zone.

Why do some umpires feel the need to improvise the basic fundamentals of a rule when their whole purpose is to see that the rule is adhered to? Whether you were a seasoned veteran of fandom or a rookie out at his/her first ballgame, you could not elucidate why Reynolds had such a difficult time determining what a strike was or why he was unable to show any kind of consistency. His grade for yesterday's performance is simply: 'T'row da bum out!'

Something happened yesterday that is simply inexcusable and quite frankly as a Giants' fan- and I hope other Giants' fans agree- was intolerable. On Randy Winn's game-ending flyout to the left fielder, some bush leaguer threw a souvenir baseball in the same area where the fielder had camped under the fly of the game ball in hopes the fielder would catch the souvenir ball instead. Well, even if the fielder did catch the wrong ball ALL FOUR UMPIRES would have called the batter out for fan interference.

Just as when a fan leans over the railing to try to catch a souvenir with the ball in play, these bush league acts only disrupt the game and hurt the home team. Let's leave all that is bush league to the Texas native, son of a former commander-in-chief, and current Republican President of the United States. A man who clearly doesn't care about treating persons of all classes in the same way but rather uses his power for those citizens entitled to vote who exercised their right to vote for him, however shadily that was handled.

Kevin Marquez

Sometimes I Gotta Wonder

I was reading a Sports Illustrated magazine (that's a few weeks old) I came across this article on steroid use-not only in sports- and in it was a reference to the made for television movie, A Body to Die For. I looked up the author's name and discovered it was Katie White. Then I tried to find out something about the author because I was intrigued by the name of the character played by Ben Affleck, Aaron Henry.

Nowhere does she mention anything about the choice of name for the main character in A Body to Die For as her way of paying tribute to one of baseball's greatest ballplayers ever. I told the architect of this blog that if he were to have a baby he should name him Henry Louis (if the child was to be a girl she could just as well be Henrietta Louise) because it might be just the thing to get the little guy/gal going if s/he was to fall in love with baseball. Two other noteworthy gentleman had the names Henry Louis (Gehrig) and (Aaron) and you would be hard-pressed to find two better all-around ballplayers than those two.

Henry Louis Aaron, "the Hammer," posted some extra special numbers while wearing the numbers 5 and 44. When he first came up in the Milwaukee Brave organization he was a second baseman and was issued the number 5, later changing it to the familiar #44.

He is the all-time leader in runs batted in with 2,297. Babe Ruth is second with 2,217.
Not only is Aaron second on the all-time home run leader board (755) he is also second in all-time at-bats(12,364). Babe Ruth had 8,398 at-bats which was 3,966 fewer than Aaron. He is third on the all-time leader board in hits (3771). In runs scored he is tied for 4th with Babe Ruth (2,174).

I list George Herman "Babe" Ruth's numbers because many consider him the greatest ballplayer ever. He lost some at-bats because he began his career as a pitcher and after he was converted into an outfielder he was issued an astounding number of walks. In fact, not until Barry Bonds reached immortality in the orange and black had any batter ever been walked so often as the Bambino.

Perhaps it is a mere coincidence that a character would bear the same name as one of the greatest all-time players in America's game. That when she finished typing the story and presented the finished work to whatever book company, for their approval, NO ONE did a double-take on the name of the character. Perhaps someone did and it raised a few eyebrows but not enough so that the author made mention of it.

Then again, it may be my own appreciation of Henry Louis Aaron's ability between the white lines and for my being weaned on baseball that I noticed it and responded the way I did. In other words, maybe it's me.

I did the exact same thing when I saw the word alkaline on my father's double-a (aa) batteries. I thought Eveready was paying homage to the great Detroit Tiger outfielder of the same name, Al Kaline.


Kevin Marquez

The 2008 season has begun... lots of slippage

Having a tough time scoring runs and not making the routine plays is what's happening on the field but having to absorb the constant criticism from fans who are beleaguerers-at best- is woe's biggest pain.

Most of us know this is going to be a long year but as with years past we are trying to find the best way to deal with these inadequacies. It's our way of giving the team the benefit of the doubt until further notice.

Who cares if Rajai Davis is making every pitcher look like Ray Milland in It Happens Every Spring? Or that Rich Aurilia may be the first of the veterans to bite the dust when it comes to being replaced. I mean, geez, he has warning track power, lost a step in his limited range, has never been known for being fleet of foot, is prone to injury and to state the obvious, his best years are behind him. He does have a great smile, but this isn't about who should do the next toothpaste commercial. It's about the San Francisco Giants and how Uncle Brian has done very little to help Bruce Bochy.

(Oh by the way, I'm hearing the feedback of someone who claims to be a Giants' fan and he pronounces the skipper's name as Botch-ey. Which as poetic justice would have it is another way of saying mismanage. As someone who grew up in the days when white out was a substance used to correct typos I had to be very creative when the white out was hardening to the point of not being able to use and would magically derive of things off of the Freudian slip. I was capable of turning the typo into a fresh approach for the topic.

Another thing, why do people like to refer to the word suck when they are expressing their utmost dislike of a team or player? The word means to devour, consume, ingest, and or swallow. These people are mistakenly referring to the antonyms of suck. Words like repel, spew, spit out, vomit, eject or discharge. When someone barks that another individual sucks he/she is really saying that the individual blows. This is not a Freudian slip, this is a sign of ignorance. Unless, of course, that person is speaking of someone in porn. Cat Stevens' lyrics to, get this, "Can't Keep it In," off the album Catch Bull at Four are quite apropos: You've got so much to say, say what you mean, mean what you're thinking and think anything. Why not? )

If Richie is the first to get the hook it may be at the expense of Brett Harper. A 6'4" first baseman who bats left and throws right who is out of the Mets organization. Last year at Double AA Binghamton he batted .296, with 24-HR and 88-RBI.

Some say Ray Durham is next on the list of replacing oldsters with youngsters. That may be and if so, Emmanuel Burriss, the Giants' 1st round pick of 2006 would probably get a good look.

I'm living in the not so bustling metropolis of Bass Lake, CA. The newspaper here is the Fresno Bee. This paper is dedicated to Fresno. Anything anyone needs to know about the current events of Fresno is in the Bee. There is access to knowledge of those up and coming stars for the Fresno Grizzlies, the San Francisco Giants' Triple AAA affiliate.

Never forget why you are a Giants' fan. Set the good example.

Kevin Marquez

Wiffle Ball

This is going to be a long season. So if I can borrow a story now and again to keep the interest of San Francisco Giants' fans, then that's just what I'll do.

First one I thought was a dandy was something out of ESPN magazine. In fact, if you have access to a computer you can check out the wiffle magic at espnthemag.com.

Joe Nord, a member of the New York Knights, Long Island's championship winner in Fast Plastic, the preeminent Wiffle ball organization in the country. (Nord won 64 straight in Fast Plastic tournament play.)

Nord gives some pointers on how to make pitches.

The Drop. Delivered sidearm with the holes facing skyward, the 12-to-6 curve has been known to dip thirty-six inches (36") as it travels the 48 feet to the 23-inch by 27-inch strike zone. To ensure that it isn't still on the table when it gets there, Nord says you should twist your wrist forward over the top of the ball as you let it fly.

The Screwball. Nord's out pitch. Thrown overhead, elbow by the ear, with the globe's holes facing left. It can be hard on the thrower's arm.

The Riser. With the holes down and your fingers along the seam, release this sidearm pitch at around hip level, snapping your wrist at the end. Nord's heater travels over 70mph and jumps to eye level at the plate, as it mows down Fast Plastic's 5-man lineups. Nordian tip: more rotations equals more movement.

The Slider. In Fast Plastic play, singles and doubles are determined by lines on the field, triples make it to the wall and home runs make it over. Up to three fielders chase down batted balls, but the down-and-away motion of Nord's overhand slider- holes to the right, a finger on the seam- often makes them superfluous.

Again, watch Nord demonstrate some WIFFLE magic at ESPNTHEMAG.COM.
Thanks to ESPN magazine for this slice of baseball life.

Kevin Marquez