There are different ways of standing out.
Hopefully, he can stop standing out by being the worst pitcher on the staff. The last start was encouraging.
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Posts Tagged ‘Brian Wilson’
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I have no idea why I’m making ‘Cricket’ one of the tags over there. Just in case. I mean, there’s gotta be a place for a good cricket storyline, right?
Seriously, there’s a part of me that wonders if this whole Brian Wilson tantrum thing was as calculated as everything else he does. If he got back into the dugout, saw the camera on him, and decided he needed to do something wild and crazy, and take the focus off the onfield torture. Improvised, yet planned.
Brian Wilson could have done that.
I have to admit, yesterday’s soccer game got pretty exciting when it came down to penalty kicks.
There are a lot of flaws with a home run derby finisher, though. First of all, do you allow one team to pitch to the other, or does a team get to have their own pitcher serve up batting practice fastballs?
(In that case, hey, we found a use for Barry Zito!)
I may be open to this idea only after a day of taking in 16 innings of baseball in Augusta, right after taking a red-eye out to Georgia, and being dead tired. But I have to admit, it would be fun.
A good glare is worth a lot, but I’m not sure I want it coming out from under the cap of a garden gnome…
Don’t expect the animation thing to become a regular deal…boy, this one was a lot of work for both of us!
Oh, and congrats to the Florida Marlins getting Jose Reyes. If they get Pujols as well, they might get to average about 2000 fans a game. That’s going to be worth $250 million in commitments, right?
That’s right, Giants fans. Coming soon to the location formerly known as Borders right across from AT&T Park, is a new upscale Bowling Alley called Lucky Strike.
By the way, if you don’t get this strip, but down the internet right now. Go do whatever it is that you do to watch older movies, and go get The Big Lebowski. Just trust me. No less than six underrated actors of our era in hilarious roles. Oh, and Tara Reid’s in it, too. (Sorry, Tara.) And just look for John Turturro. A couple of times.
Those more-traveled us may know the place from several high-profile locations, such as Manhattan, Boston, Chicago, Miami, Hollywood, and Bellevue, Washington. (Wait, Bellevue got one before San Francisco did? That’s just not right.) It’s meant to be an upscale answer to bowling alleys the same way that Dave & Buster’s is supposed to be an upscale arcade for adults, complete with fancy food menus.
(Sure, referencing the Big Lebowski doesn’t exactly bring up a ‘high-class’ bowling establishment…but does anything make bowling look high-class?)
It also apparently has a ban on ‘athletic wear of any kind including….jerseys…and hoodies’. It does indicate that there are ‘Game Day exceptions’ that should be called ahead for, but seriously. If they don’t want jerseys or sportswear there, they had better be prepared for empty lanes from April through October. On game nights, King Street is pretty much exclusively there for Giants fans, who love to wear their gear. Despite their reputation, Giants fans don’t wear hipster clothing to games…
I’m sure Lucky Strike will be reasonable. There’s no way they’re coming into this without knowing just what this particular corner of San Francisco brings. Still, this may be an entirely different kind of crowd than they’re used to.
But we’re San Francisco. Deal with it.
Obviously, I’d heard LMFAO on the radio. But after their Super Bowl cameo, I had to pull out Vevo and see their music videos…
…
There are some things that I just will never unsee. And I hope they never inspire Brian Wilson.
On an entirely separate note, only three more days before our drawing for the three free collectibles. You have to be following us at Midnight PST on Monday morning. You get one entry for each of the three networks you follow us on (Facebook, Twitter and Google+), so if you don’t follow us on all three, now’s the time. Go to this post for all the details!
Boy, Pitcher & Catchers can’t get to Scottsdale fast enough.
Life Is A Contact Sport But Baseball Isn’t Anymore
on February 20, 2012 at 12:01 am- 2012 »
- Comic »
- Spring Training
Yesterday, the news came out: Giants manager Bruce Bochy had ordered catcher Buster Posey to not block the plate anymore.
Honestly, there’s a baseball traditionalist who is a little sad about that. I admit it: I like things like ‘gritty’ and ‘scrappy’ play. Baseball’s not often a physical game, but I like those moments that it is. A collision at home plate is exciting. And I say that as someone who played catcher long ago on school playgrounds, and got involved in a few from some over-eager bullies.
But on the other hand: more Buster Posey. What happened last year ended the season. Sure, the team was in first for a few months after it, but everyone felt the loss of Posey. It killed the team. Everyone knew it. So, yea, in the name of keeping the star hitter healthy, no more plate blocking.
But Buster’s the kind of guy I am. I’m pretty damn sure that, during a pennant chase or the playoffs, if the game’s on the line, Buster’s going to get in someone’s way.
I’m not worried about the San Francisco Giants’ ability to survive without Brian Wilson. At least, not too much.
It’s not like losing Wilson isn’t a blow. This guy is one of the top closers in baseball. For all the crap he takes, for all the torture he induces, he does go out there and get saves time after time. He has more saves than any other closer in baseball since he got the regular job, and that’s despite missing some time at the end of last year.
That said, the Giants have a bullpen that’s playoff tested. Sergio Romo was one of the best non-closer relievers in baseball last season. Santiago Casilla filled in admirably when Wilson went down last year. Jeremy Affeldt may brainfart like no one else can at times, but other times he comes in and shuts down the Phillies for innings in the NLCS when the starter gets himself taken out barely after he’s warmed up. And Javier Lopez can absolutely knock ‘em down.
These guys can do what Wilson does on the field. Maybe not as well, but close enough. It’s what Wilson does off the field that I’m worried about.
Wilson is the lightning rod of the Giants. Make no doubt about it. He wanted the role, and went out and took it like it was his birthright. And unlike almost anyone in any public field, he handles it with more grace and intelligence than I’ve ever seen. Forget baseball, he outclasses celebrities and political figures. He absolutely never responds to the haters. He never seems to be down. He also never gets himself in trouble off the field. No fights, no drugs, no gossip. None. It’s the most amazing thing about him, that with all he does, he’s not a self-destructing mess like Dennis Rodman.
These Giants succeed without the pressures many east coast players have. Sure, part of that is the lack of the east coast media mentality, but another part is that few Giants stars face the level of scrutiny that even other Giants players have faced. When the general media wants a quote, they want Wilson. When players need to deflect, they can deflect to Wilson. When the media needs to talk about anything Giants, you damn well bet they’ll start by talking about backup shortstops, and still somehow end up talking about Wilson. And that’s not Wilson stealing the spotlight, that’s the media doing it themselves.
Without Wilson, other players will get a bigger share of being the face of the team. That’s not an enviable position. Who knows how they might react? Some players take the pressure on the field. Others get into off-field issues. I’m not sure I trust Lincecum with that, especially the way things are right now.
No one can handle the media like Wilson. I hope he’s taught some of the guys a few of his tricks.
Oh, and as for Wilson’s on-the-field comeback? I have absolutely no doubt. Even if he comes back with less velocity, or the mandate to stop throwing sliders, or anything else, I feel confident the player can adapt. You may have heard this in the past, but I’ll say it again: Wilson is the smartest man in any room. Period. He understands a lot more than he lets on. If anyone can think his way out of limited stuff and find ways to continue hounding hitters, I believe he can.
PS – The roll call above goes like this from left to right: Lopez rocking the Captain’s outfit; Casilla with the wrong jersey coloring in his shoes (Why does he have the wrong jersey on? Because of this, obviously!); Affeldt, extending his mohawk from the chin to the top of his head; and Romo, preening his beard.
PPS – If the ‘Committee’ lasts more than three weeks before Bochy settles on a regular guy finishing games, I’ll be shocked. Committees suck.
Why is it always Barry Zito? Sorry Zeets, but if you keep this up a couple more months, you’ll stop being the butt of the good-natured jokes. I promise.
Seriously, though, I’m very worried about Lincecum right now. Krukow was talking all rainbows and happy puppies the last two nights, but it’s not happy until Lincecum starts pitching well. Good luck.
The Giants bullpen has been a strength since Armando Benitez was exorcised. It had moments of doubt here and there, sure. But it’s been strength.
This is probably just one of those moments. But geeze, this thing doesn’t look good.
It kills me to say that about Steve Edlefsen. I like him. A lot. He had been a consistent ground ball machine. That slider wasn’t a Romo-esque think of beauty, but in the minors it was a 2001-Felix Rodriguez-esque thing of consistency. But then last year, something happened. It happened mostly in Fresno, but a bit in the majors. This spring, there was a tease that he was back. Nope. I still believe in Edlefsen…but it’s time for him to go to Fresno and find his mojo.
There is hope. His name is George Kontos. Remember him? No? He was who Sabean got for Chris Stewart. A third catcher, at the end of spring training. And Sabean got a guy who, frankly, looks good. 1.71 ERA in Fresno, 26 strikeouts and 7 walks in 31 2/3 IP over 23 appearances. And he’s on the 40-man roster! His name is Kontos. Why isn’t he up?
In the meantime, I would love to see Schierholtz take a shot at the mound. But part of me would honestly be afraid for Posey’s safety. Maybe not the umpire’s, but definitely Posey’s.
On a separate note, I want to dedicate this comic to Alex_Lewis. He was a poster over at McCovey Chronicles, one of the great online communities I’ve ever seen on any topic. I didn’t get to interact with him much, since I don’t spend much time over there, but from what I knew of him, he was a fun-loving guy with a good sense of humor. He passed away suddenly earlier this week at his father’s home, at the age of 27.
Some people wonder why I’ve included a computer as a character almost unto itself in this comic from time to time. It’s because it’s an indispensable part of many communities these days, and in some ways, especially for Giants fans. It’s a way for us to come together and celebrate what we love, and get to know new people, even if we never actually ‘meet’ them. Grant from McCovey Chronicles is far more eloquent than I, and I don’t recommend reading that link unless you’re in a place where you aren’t ashamed to shed a tear. But the friends we have online, even if they’re ‘only’ online, are real friends. And he will be missed. Stay strong, Gallo. You and your family are in my thoughts, and I hope in all of ours.