Monday, March 25, 2013

March 25- San Francisco Giants


I think we all knew this was going to come; so I might as well get it out of the way, right? Actually, you know what? I need to get a few things off of my chest before I really go into this post.

I’ve been fully aware for a long time that my attitude on certain situations that revolve around the San Francisco Giants have been less than adequate. I first need to apologize to two of the biggest fans the Giants have: Ally Williams and Ashley Chavez. Both Ally and Ashley were in the running for the MLB Fan Cave as I was when we first met. Ally I had talked to a few weeks prior tour meeting in Arizona last February while Ashley and I didn’t really get acquainted until the final night of the audition process. While only one of the two (Ashley) moved on to New York with me, I still made sure to keep in touch with Ally any chance I could. What I wasn’t expecting was that “any chance I could” time would be so limited on account of me

1. Never sleeping and always working on a project.

2. There really wasn’t that much “free” time to do anything.

One thing that I made my personal mission in the Fan Cave was interacting with anyone who hit me up on any form of social media. Even today, I still abide by that principle. The one thing that is to be known about being so social outgoing is that it can become very taxing on the mind and body; therefore, you tend to lose touch with the people who are physically in front of you. When Ally came and visited the Fan Cave in April, along with Tampa Bay Rays fan Megan Washington, I honestly lost sight of everything I had promised then in Arizona. I didn’t keep to my word in always being around and always being available. While we did go out and shave a few drinks together, I feel like I should have done more. To make things worse, I became a huge jerk once the playoffs came around in regard to the fan base of the Giants. While a few of the things I said had some lingering truth to them, at the end of the day it wasn’t my place to be so rude and insulting.

I’ve honestly never had a problem with the Giants or most of the fans. Hell, my first job in baseball was as a bat boy for a Giants minor league team, the Bakersfield Blaze. If anything I have been grateful to the organization for giving me a chance and allowing me to do bat boy duties at Pac Bell Park for a few games when it first opened. It’s only the jerks that really aggravate me, and for a few nights I crossed the line and became everything I disapprove about baseball fans. For that, to Ally, Ashley and everyone who follows me, I am truly sorry.

As for Ashley, I really screwed up things there. I need to start off by saying that I am genuinely proud of her for being crowned the ultimate Cave Dweller, and that things could not have panned out any better with her team winning the World Series in the end to boot. The last time I spoke to her, and every other Cave Dweller for that matter, came about two days before the 2012 All-Star Game in Kansas City. The only that I was ever selfish about during my time in and out of the Fan Cave was going to the All-Star Game, and all for the sake of having my photo taken with all the mascots I have tattooed on my body. When I saw everyone else enjoying this one thing that I wanted, I snapped. I made a few comments throughout the actual game that the other Cave Dwellers saw. Not a day goes by where I don’t regret what I said. As a result, Ashley, Ricardo Marquez and a few others still don’t speak to me. I really don’t blame them. I betrayed their trust and friendship by taking my battle with the Fan Cave to them, and I have felt horrible since. I am sincerely sorry for any grief that I may have caused.

Now, I have a hat to talk about.

This Giants hat was introduced for the 2010 season to be paired with the orange alternate jerseys the team has been wearing on into the 2012 season. The color concept has also been used for the teams’ batting practice gear; however, the BP gear features a mesh paneled and billed cap. From 1977-1982 the Giants had previously worn a similar cap. The primary difference between this and that style is the alignment of the “SF” in the center of the cap. The “SF” went through a few changes after 1977, but I won’t go into too much detail on those as I have the rest of the season to introduce them and write about them. Now that I think about it, I’m actually closer to owning every game style of Giants cap than I am with my Oakland Athletics. Son of a b…

Because the Giants have only worn this hat for the last three seasons it made my marks easy, but begrudging at the same.

#28- I hate to admit it, but Gerald Dempsey Posey III (and you have to say it like a real elitist) is one hell of a ballplayer. So much that the kid has pretty much take over ownership of the MLB logo created by Jerry Dior.

Buster Posey was taken by the Giants with the fifth overall pick in the 2008 amateur draft out of Florida State (a school I’ve routinely hated in football). Even though he played for seven games in 2009, Posey made his real entrance in 2010 playing 76 of his 108 games behind the dish. While his pick off numbers are less than stellar, the kid certainly makes up for with the bat. Not only did Posey with the National League Rookie of the Year award, he did it while hitting a modest .305 average, 18 home runs and 67 RBI, which were good enough for 11th place in the MVP voting. In 2012; however, Posey went off the hook!

After teammate Melky Cabrera got busted with performance enhancing drugs very few thought the Giants would regain their mental composure. Apparently Posey was out grabbing some garlic fries or a churro during this discussion because he kept at his craft. From August 15 on Posey was able to bring his batting average up a measly five points, and by that I of course mean he pushed it .336 which was good enough for his first of many batting titles to come.  Dude pal also clubbed 24 home runs and knocked 103 runners. There was very little to question Posey prowess at the plate. Even I gave him a vote (didn’t count) for MVP. He won it no problem, and I’m pretty sure my vote really made a big difference.

#38- It wouldn’t be right of me to not pay homage to the guy who I was dared to grow and beard like and maintain it for an entire season. Depending on whether you want to believe BaseballReference.com or Wikipedia, he apparently was born in two different towns in two different states. So far the sake of argument, the kid’s from New England.  Brian “Got HEEEEEEM!!!” Wilson was a 24th round draft pick for the Giants in 2003 out of LSU (yet another football school I hate). Wilson fell so low in the draft after having to undergo successful Tommy John surgery. He made his debut in 2006 and pitched in 31 games going 2-3 with a 5.40 ERA. The next year he did better, going 1-2 with a 2.28 ERA and six saves. In 2008 everything seemed to click for B-Weezy. As the team’s primary closer Wilson shut down 41 games in 47 attempts, 24 of which came consecutively which is the longest since Rob Nen’s streak of 28 in 2000. Wilson also made his first of three All-Star Game appearances that year. In 2009 Wilson finished in third for closers with 38 saves.

Wilson was quickly becoming one of the most dangerous arms in the game, and he was certainly becoming one of the most intimidating in physical appearance. Wilson saved a League leading 48 games in 2010 continued his dominance into the playoffs. The playoffs were also the site for his now infamous facial sweater. Wilson finished in seventh place for the NL Cy Young and 13th in the NL MVP vote. That year, and in 2011, Wilson made the All-Star Game, dazzling television audiences across the globe.

Well, I hope you enjoyed it. I can’t help but think I forgot to mention a few things. Hmmmmmm….

I…seem to remember something. Oh yah! In 2010 and 2012 the Giants took home the World Series; their first championships since 1954, but more important, their first titles since moving to the Bay from their humble days on the edge of Harlem, New York. And while I’m only slightly bitter about them winning two rings, the fact of the matter is that you guys are still two behind the A’s. But my father will still rub it in my face.

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