Tagged: AL West
My 100th Blog Happens To Land On My B-Day!
Okay well I just wanted to start off by letting everyone know that this is my 100th blog that I have posted, and today is also my B-day. It’s like a double shot of love. lol That’s was a reality show on MTV incase you didn’t get that. lol I wasn’t sure what to really write about for my 100th blog. I know my Giants play tonight against the Brewers and we have Randy Johnson on the mound. That game starts at 7:15, so I know no matter what I’m doing I will be by a TV at that time. I was really planning on taking it easy tonight, cause tomorrow I’m going out to dinner/drinks then going to the Tank to see the Sharks game.
Well since no one really knows much about the people’s blogs they read. I have decided to tell you guys a little about me. It all started when I was a twinkle in my dad’s eyes. lol jk Okay well here is something about me. I love
to watch/talk about sports. I love my Warriors, Sharks and Giants. I follow the A’s but can’t say I love them. They messed that up by sweeping us in the 89 World Series. lol I play softball on a tournament team. We do a little traveling but nothing to far from home unless it’s a big tourney. Softball/baseball is my passion. I love being out there on the field and at the plate taking my swings. Well I don’t play baseball anymore. Ever since my community college stint ended, so did my baseball career. I do play softball on Friday nights in a league and tourney’s like twice a month. I know when people think of softball they think it’s so easy and blah blah, but it’s really not. We play in a competitive league/tourney’s. Pitchers are trying to fake you out before they even pitch. This past weekend I played in Manteca Ca. at a place called Big League Dreams. I have played there a ton of times, but just thought I would share it with you guys incase you haven’t heard of it. Each field is a replica of a major league field. Our first game was the Fenway Park replica. Guys were hitting it off the Monster.
I started this blog because I love to talk Baseball and don’t always have someone to talk about it with. None of my friends love the game as much as I do. I can sit with a complete stranger and talk about any team. I love my Giants, but I follow every team. Not just the Giants. I really wish I would have went to school to do something with baseball. Anyways I found this blog on MLB.com and decided to try it out. Then I started to read other blogs and have little conversations here and there with other people posting blogs. That’s why I decided to keep it going and look where I am…. #100 blog. lol
I think I have pretty much been rambling during this whole blog. Just wanted to share with people who I am, so I’m just not a title you see “King of Cali”. I do plan to keep this blog going for a little while longer, so I will share some photos and thoughts about baseball/ Giants baseball throughout the baseball season.
~ King of Cali (Steven)
All Systems Go For Opening Day!
Today is Opening Day for most teams, and it’s obvious excitement is in the air. I have logged on to MLBlogs and seen so many new blogs in the most recent activity area. I have seen blogs that I never seen before. Everyone is pumped and wants to write about it. Today is the day that every team is still in it and has a chance to be #1. I really wanted to take today off to watch some games, but I decided to work today. I’m going to be off work tomorrow, so I can watch the Giants Opening Day against the Brewers.
As a Giants fan I was pretty damn happy watching the Braves game last night. It was nice because the season was finally starting. Just seeing how good Derek Lowe looked. That must make all Giants fans happy to see him pitching like that for any team other than the Dodgers. =) I can’t believe the Dodgers didn’t even try to get him back. Something else must have been going on. It was not even a question if he will return to the Dodgers once he became a free agent. Everyone knew he was going to end up pitching somewhere else.
Since I’m also playing Fantasy Baseball this year. I did have some other interest in the Braves game. I have Brian McCann as a player on one of my teams and he did hit a 2 run home run. My other player is Shane Victorino. He didn’t do anything last night, so thanks for nothing Shane! lol
Well all I can do today is check scores and highlights from teams playing. I might watch the A’s and Angels game tonight. Just getting myself pumped and ready for Lincecum and the Giants tomorrow. I heard there is chance of rain tomorrow. This game better not get cancelled cause then I might have to take another day off to see their first game. =) I get Lincecum tomorrow, Johnson on wed. ( my b-day) and then I’m going to the Sharks game Thursday night. Talk about a very nice week for me. =)
~ King of Cali
Giants Lineup Has Homegrown Talent – Today In Baseball History
After watching the Giants and A’s game last night. I’m ready for the season to start now. Just seeing them play at AT&T Park. Now it feels like some real baseball. Tim Lincecum out there blowing it by A’s hitters. Seeing Pablo Sandoval hit a RBI double off the right field wall. Everything is just starting to click to get me excited about the season. I know were not the Yankees or anything like that. We have some good young guys that will make the game exciting. Giants fans know the Giants always traded for guys or signed free agents. Now here is some proof that things are starting to change in Giants land.
2007 Opening Day Starting Lineup
1. Dave Roberts
2. Omar Vizquel
3. Barry Bonds
4. Ray Durham
5. Rich Aurilia
6. Pedro Feliz
7. Bengie Molina
8. Randy Winn
9. Barry Zito
We only had one homegrown player from the Giants minor league in the 2007 starting lineup. That player was Pedro (Feloser!) Feliz. The Giants have finally decided to grow some homegrown talent and have put a lot of money into scouting/developing players. This year our opening Day line up will have 5 homegrown players in that lineup. One of them is pitcher Tim Lincecum, but the other 4 are everyday players.
2009 Opening Day Lineup
1. Randy Winn
2. Edgar Renteria
3. Fred Lewis
4. Bengie Molina
5. Pablo Sandoval
6. Travis Ishikawa
7. Aaron Rowand
8. Emmanuel Burriss
9. Tim Lincecum
The 4 everyday players are Fred Lewis, Pablo Sandoval, Travis Ishikawa and Emmanuel Burriss. These 4 guys should be really exciting to watch. The Giants really like Lewis and want him in the 3 spot this year. Were hoping he can hit around 20 home runs. Lewis has a lot of speed and should get a lot of triples with his speed and the large gaps at AT&T Park.
Now Pablo Sandoval is my favorite of the 4 everyday players. This guy can flat out rake! He had 3 hits in the game last night against the A’s. He had a double of the right field wall and had a triple in the gap. He can run pretty good for a big guy. This guy looked foolish on two change ups outside and then rakes a ball off the wall on the next pitch. Don’t look at Sandoval to walk much. He’s a free swinger at the plate. He should be able to drive in a lot of runs in the 5th spot of the lineup. He also will set up the lower part of the lineup by being on base a lot. I’m sure he’s going to hit over .300 this year. I’m thinking he might hit about .320.
The next guy is Travis Ishikawa. The Giants gave him the 1st base job at the beginning of Spring Training without seeing what other guys would step up for the job. We never really got a chance to see what Ishikawa could do yet, but his spring stats helped Giants fans feel comfortable with him getting the job. Ishikawa led the Giants in home runs this spring by hitting 7. The Giants love him for his defense at 1st base, but they think he will also be able to give them some power. Ishikawa says he’s not a power hitter, but it seems to look like he might have more power than he wants to admit.
The 4th player is Emmanuel Burriss who beat out Kevin Frandsen for the 2nd base job. The Giants really love Burriss and think he can be a really good player. He has speed and has had a really good bat this spring. I’m sure he’s going to be a fine player this season.
These are just the players that are starting this season. The Giants have some other hot prospects that I’m sure will make their debut this season and might even make it to the starting lineup for next year’s opening day.
Today In Baseball History
1985 – The owners proposal of expanding the 1985 League Championship Series from the best-of-five games to best-of-sevin is agreed to by the Players Association.
~ King of Cali
2007 Home Run Derby Pictures…
I have never posted a blog about this, but I did go to the Home Run Derby when it was at AT&T Park. I just wish I would have took more pictures. The battery died on the camera so I knew I only had a few pictures in it. It really was a cool experience to see all the booths and stuff they had set up outside of the stadium. Right when I walked in the stadium I went straight to the field. The National League team was having batting practice and the American League team was starting to stretch out in front of me. I got a couple pictures of some of them up close. It was just really cool to see all these players from different teams up close. These players seemed so loose and were just joking around. You knew they were all having a blast.
Here is a couple of pictures from my seat view. I never sat this high before but these were the only tickets I could find for the Home Run Derby.
The winner of the 2007 Home Rub Derby was big, bad Vladimir Guerrero from the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
~ King of Cali
My 2nd Fantasy Baseball Team
Last Friday I did my 2nd Fantasy Draft. I had the 6th pick in the draft. My #1 pick of the draft was Josh Hamilton. I have never played Fantasy Baseball before so I’m still not to sure how everything works. I know I have two guys on this team that are injured. I decided to get Alex Rodriguez since I figured he would be back in May. I also got Troy Glaus. I had no idea he was injured. I think I seen on MLB. com today that he won’t be back till June. Grrrrrrreat (not Tony The Tiger Grrrrrrreat) now I need to figure something out. lol Well here is my 2nd Fantasy team. Let me know what you think and any suggestions would be nice. =)
Team – King of Cali
C Brian McCann
1B Pablo Sandoval
2B Howie Kendrick
3B Alex Rodriguez
SS Rafael Furcal
OF Josh Hamilton
OF Alfonso Soriano
OF Corey Hart
Util Andre Ethier
Util Jim Thome
BN Delmon Young
BN Orlando Hudson
BN Troy Glaus
BN Fred Lewis
SP Jon Lester
SP Matt Cain
RP George Sherrill
RP Chad Qualls
P John Danks
P Ryan Dempster
P Jered Weaver
~ King of Cali
Giants vs. Rangers (game 2) Recap – Today In Baseball History!
The Giants get an early 2 nothing lead on a 2 run double by catcher Steve Holm. Scoring on the hit was Uribe and Horwitz. The Giants end up with a 5 run 2nd inning. Pablo Sandoval gets a 2 run single to knock the starter Matt Harrison out of the game. Burriss and Velez scored on Sandoval’s single.
Josh Hamilton (on my 2nd fantasy team) hit a home run off of Zito in the bottom of the 3rd inning. The score after 3 innings is Giants 5 and the Rangers 3.
Torres hit a solo home run off of Jennings in the 6th inning to give the Giants a 6-3 lead.
Giants have runners on the corners for Pablo Sandoval. He hits a RBI stand up double off the fence. Burriss scores from the 3rd and Aurilia moves to 3rd base on the hit. Going into the bottom of the 7th it’s the Giants 7 and the Rangers 3.
Giants score more in the top of the 8th. Torres scores on a RBI single by Wald. The Giants get another run on a RBI single by Velez. Aurilia follows up with another RBI single scoring Burriss. The score is now Giants 10 and the Rangers 3.
Totals
Giants win on 10 runs, 14 hits and 0 errors. Rangers get 3 runs, 6 hits and 2 errors.
Multi Hit Game
The Giants have 4 players to have a multi hit game.
- Emmanuel Burriss went 2-5 scoring 3 runs.
- Rich Aurilia went 3-4 with 2 RBI’s.
- Pablo Sandoval went 2-5 with 3 RBI’s.
- Andres Torres went 2-5 with 1 RBI and scored 2 runs.
Pitching Highlights
Barry Zito had a very solid game. Zito went 7 strong innings. He gave up 6 hits, 3 runs, 2 strike outs and a solo home run to Josh Hamilton.
Giants two new relievers Howry and Affeldt both pitched a perfect 8th and 9th inning.
Giants pitching Zito, Howry and Affeldt sat down the last 12 Rangers in order.
Giants Side Notes
One week from today the Giants will have their opening day with the Brewers.
Fred Lewis is only going to play Left Field this year. Lewis has heard a lot of stuff yelled at him while playing Left Field. Last season at Wrigley Field and Dodgers Stadium he heard. “Hey Barry, you look skinny.” Lewis said “I got that one all the time. I’m not Barry. I’m Fred Lewis. The name and the number on the back say it all.”
Today In Baseball History
1961 – The Pacific Coast League’s proposal to use a designated hitter for the pitcher is rejected by the Professional Baseball Rules Committee by a vote of 8-1. The first use of the DH will occur in the American League in 1973.
~ King of Cali
Rangers vs Giants (new style) Recap – Today In Baseball History!
Today I decided to listen to the Giants and Rangers but not recap it like I usually do. Just thought I would point out a few highlights from the game. Just figure readers get bored of reading plays from every inning if nothing exciting really happens. Let me know what you guys think of my recap this way.
Texas scored 7 runs, 10 hits and 0 errors. Giants scored 5 runs, 10 hits and 1 error.
Hot hitting Jesus Guzman hit a Pinch Hit home run in the bottom of the 9th inning to tie the game and send it to extra innings.
Giants #3 starting pitcher Matt Cain pitched 7 innings. He gave up 4 hits, 4 runs, 1 walk and 8 strike outs. Cain at one point sat down 11 Rangers in a row.
Pablo Sandoval who seems to always have a multi hit game let us down today. He only got 1 hit today. His off day is still a 1-3 day at the plate. =)
7 Home Runs in the game. 4 home runs for the Rangers and 3 for the Giants.
Multi Hit Game
The Giants only had 2 players that had a multi hit game. Fred Lewis went 2-4. Juan Uribe went 2-5, 3 RBI’s, 2 runs and hit a 2 run home run in the 3rd inning off of Kris Benson.
Giants Side Notes
Buster Posey has finally left the Giants spring training camp. He will be playing for the San Jose Giants this year. They want him to get a year of catching under his belt in the minors. He will most likely be brought up in Sept. If Molina gets traded you may see Posey up sooner. Posey looks like he’s ready to play in the Majors now, but when you have Molina there you want to make sure Posey isn’t rushed. They want him to get comfortable behind the plate.
Randy Johnson is pleased with his 7 inning performance against their minor league team. Johnson wasn’t overwhelming but was glad he got his work in. Johnson will make his first start of the season on my B-day April 8th! He’s the Giants #2 starter this year.
Giants have 2 more games in Arizona before coming back to San Francisco to face the A’s Thursday night.
Rangers Side Notes
The ex-Giant Omar Vizquel gets a start at 2nd base today for the Rangers.
Catalanotto and Andruw Jones are battling for the final roster spot for the Rangers.
Today In Baseball History
1992 – The White Sox trade Sammy Sosa and pitcher Ken Patterson to the cross-town rival Cubs for slugger George Bell. Sossa will pass Erni Banks as the franchise’s all-time home run leader.
~ King of Cali
Earthquake Shook This Blog Out Of Me!
As I was thinking about what I would like to blog about today. I feel the ground shake a bit and think it’s someone walking by then it shakes a little more and it turns out we just had a little earthquake. This made me think back to our big earthquake in 1989. I was 9 years old and my dad had just dropped off my sister and I at home. We were just about to watch the start of game 3 of the World Series. It was the San Francisco Giants vs. Oakland A’s. The Bay Bridge Series. Well I know I didn’t care about the game once the earthquake hit. I remember the day October 17th 5:04pm. It was 6.9 on the moment magnitude scale (surface-wave magnitude 7.1). We ducked and got under the table and I just remember the ground was rolling under us. I would hate to have another one like that. I remember watching the news and seeing the Bay Bridge had a piece of the upper deck fall. I remember seeing players from both teams standing on the field. The Giants got swept by the A’s in that World Series and I just blame that on the earthquake. I need to have something to blame it on and that’s the only thing that makes me feel okay about that World Series loss. =) Our earthquake today was reported as 4.4. I think it’s the Baseball Gods trying to shake everything up for the NL West. Go Giants!
Here is a picture of the Bay Bridge.
The Day The World Series Stopped.
Picture of Candlestick Park right after the earthquake.
~ King of Cali
Mariners vs. Giants quick recap – Today in Baseball History
Randy Johnson gets the start for the Giants. He gets the Mariners in order in the first inning. In the bottom of the first Pablo Sandoval hit a ball to right field that hasn’t even landed yet. After 1 inning it’s the Giants 1 and the Mariners nothing. In the top of the 2nd inning Balentien hit a home run off of Johnson to tie the game at 1. The Mariners would add another run in the top of the 3rd. On a RBI double by Bentancourt. Molina then throws out Bentancourt trying to steal 3rd base to end the inning. Tim Lincecum came in to pitch in the top of the 4th inning. No runs for either team till the top of the 7th inning. Balentien hits a sacrifice fly to get an RBI in the 7th off of Tim Lincecum. The score is now Mariners 3 and the Giants 1. The Mariners get another run in the top of the 8th. Moving into the bottom of the 9th. It’s the Mariners 5 and the Giants 1. No real excitement for the Giants in today’s game. They still couldn’t get anything going in the 9th inning.
Final Totals
Mariners get 5 runs, 7 hits and 0 errors.
Giants get 1 run, 5 hits and 0 errors.
Highlights
Pablo Sandoval is the only Giants player to have a multi hit game. He had 3 of the Giants 5 hits. Sandoval went 3-4 with 1 RBI and scoring 1 run.
Randy Johnson went 3 innings giving up 3 hits, 2 runs and 1 home run.
Tim Lincecum went 6 innings giving up 4 hits, 3 runs and 1 strike out.
Side Notes
Andres Torres leads all of the National League in Avg this spring and Pablo Sandoval is right behind him.
Today in Baseball History
1990 – Howard Spira is arrested for extorting money from George Steinbrenner The Yankee owner paid Spira $40,000 in January.
I also wanted to add this one as well. I have never heard of this guy but seems like he would have been a great pitcher.
1963 – On the day he is fitted for his big-league Orioles uniform. Steve Dalkowski pitching in an exhibition against the Yankees feels something pop in his left elbow. The fireballer from New Britain, Connecticut, who once struck out 24 batters in minors, will never appear in a major league game.
~ King of Cali
Angels vs. Giants recap….Today in Baseball History…
Tim Lincecum is scratched from making the start. He has the flu, so Jeremy Affeldt gets the start. He’s not a starting pitcher. He’s going to be a reliever this season for the Giants. Figgins did lead the game off with a hit. Affeldt then struck out Kendrick. The next hitter is Matthews. Figgins then stole 2nd base and then stole 3rd base. Matthews then walks to make it 1st and 3rd with one out. Torii Hunter then hit a double to get 2 RBI’s. Kendry Morales (who also is on my fantasy team) then hit a double to get an RBI. Juan Rivera grounds out to end the inning. Eugenio Velez starts the Giants first off with a single. Rich Aurilia then walked setting up 1st and 2nd. Bengie Molina then hit a 2 run double. The guys on the radio said if anyone else would have been running for Molina it would have been an in the park home run. Everyone knows Bengie is the slowest guy in baseball. He still did his job driving runs in though. After 1 inning it’s the Angels 3 and the Giants 2. The 2nd inning was 3 up for the Angels and 3 up for the Giants.
No scoring in the 3rd inning for either team. The Angels also didn’t score in the top of the 4th. Nate Schierholtz strikes out swinging but gets to first on the wild pitch. Juan Uribe then gets an RBI double to tie the game at 3. Kevin Frandsen gets a RBI single up the middle to score Juan Uribe. This giving the Giants a 4-3 lead. The Angels answer right back in the top of the 5th by score 2 runs off of Bob Howry. Bengie Molina gets an RBI single in the bottom of the 5th inning to tie the game up at 5. Nothing exciting in the 6th inning offensively for either the Giants or Angels. No runs scored in the 7th inning either.
The Angels take the lead in the top of the 8th inning by scoring 2 runs. Then two wild pitches by Luis Perdomo scores another Angels player giving the Angels a 3 run lead. On Perdomo’s 2nd wild pitch he walked the batter and the batter ran all the way to 2nd base. Perdomo then tried to pick him off and threw it wild again. This allowing the runner to get to 3rd base. The Angels end up with 3 runs in the top of the 8th and the Giants have no answer back this time and go scoreless in the 8th. Now it’s the 9th inning. If we (Giants) were up. I would call this the Nenth inning. I always called it the Nenth inning for Rob Nen. Man this guy was a great Giant closer. Well the game is now over and the Giants wouldn’t get another run. Out of the last 9 Giants to bat there was 5 strike outs.
Angels get 8 runs, 10 hits and 1 error. Giants get 5 runs, 8 hits and 2 errors.
There was only two Giants players with multiple hits. Rich Aurilia went 2-2 with a walk and scored 1 run. Bengie Molina went 2-3 with 3 RBI’s.
Today In Baseball History
After watching Ty Cobb quarrel with a black grounds keeper and with teammate Charlie Schmidt, Tiger manager Hugh Jennings tries to deal him to the Indians for outfielder Elmer Flick. The Tribe’s manager Napoleon Lajoie turns down the deal for the ‘Georgia Peach’.
~ King of Cali
King of Cali 
