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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