Category: Baseball

Tim Lincecum: Not a Hair Out Of Place

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Photo: Lea Suzuki, The San Francisco Chronicle
Photo: Lea Suzuki, The San Francisco Chronicle

The news is out. San Francisco Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum underwent a shocking — SHOCKING — transformation in the offseason.

Adios Seattle skater dude… Hola Mormon missionary. The 2013 Timmy is all short hair, tortoise-shell glasses and cashmere sweaters.

(Was that a cardigan he was wearing at Friday’s media day, or a pashmina? I know it was BROWN. Not so long ago, Timmy was strictly a black/gray guy.)

My friends and family are well aware of my love for Timmy, and I was pretty amused by how many people immediately reached out to me for my reaction to his new ‘do.  Even my parents in Cleveland knew about his haircut in time for our usual Sunday morning chat, and stood ready to console in case I didn’t like it.

Please, people!  My devotion to this man is not based on superficialities.  Don’t cheapen it!  It was never about his hair – which on almost anyone else I would have dismissed as much too hippy.  It’s about the shy, skinny, freakishly bendable, freakishly talented guy underneath.

But allow me to put your minds at ease; I think Timmy looks dreamy.

My Mom asked if I was sad he wears glasses. No way!  His new look is so… brainy.  Depending on his prescription, maybe we could share a pair someday. Just like Carrie Bradshaw and Mr. Big did in the first Sex In the City movie.

Please just tell me he really needs specs, and hasn’t gone all Dwyane Wade on me, OK?  Ann Killion of the San Francisco Chronicle called them “faux glasses”, which I’m going to just pretend I never read.  That really would break my heart.

The downside of this whole transformation is… given its magnitude, there’s got to be a woman behind it.  Probably a really pretty, tall, blonde one.  (Although if those glasses are phony, there’s also a whiff of Barry Zito, wearer of fedoras and bad mustaches.)

Several years ago, Tim Keown of ESPN Magazine wrote about Lincecum, “He showers intermittently and makes no apology.”

“I might go three days,” he says with a shrug. “If it feels right, I go with it.”

He went from showering bi-weekly and twice-a-year haircuts to being coiffed – with product!  Friends, that kind of sudden interest in grooming doesn’t just come out of nowhere.

Tim tried to downplay the change.  “It’s nice to have something to upkeep. To take care of yourself.” Yeah, right.

You know what?  Short hair or long, real glasses or faux — what I really care about is how Timmy pitches this season.  He’s supposedly been eating right, training hard, and he seems to have his old fire and confidence back.

It’s a contract year for him, so by next season it doesn’t matter what he’s wearing… as long as he’s still wearing our jersey.  And maybe a third World Series ring.  That would be OK too.

If You Like It, Then You Should Have Put A Ring On It

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Pat Burrell's Paw
Pat Burrell’s Paw

Thanks to Turner Classic Movies’ 31 Days of Oscar film lineup, I’ve been recording a ton of movies lately. DVR space is running out, so last week I made a tough decision: My oldest recordings would have to go. That included the broadcast of the 2010 World Series Ring Ceremony featuring the San Francisco Giants.

Before I deleted it, I bid it a fond farewell by re-watching it – twice. I was in the stands at AT&T Park that April night, shivering, sporting more layers than a compost heap. Seeing the ceremony again nearly two years later brought feelings of joy, excitement and pride rushing back. I could have happily watched the Giants get their rings 10 more times – even though I still haven’t gotten around to viewing my recording of the 2012 World Series Parade. Why is that?

You have to understand, I grew up just outside Cleveland, Ohio – a city that is passionate about sports, and its sports teams – no matter how many times they break our hearts. (The Indians, the Browns… and the Cavaliers. Oh, the Cavs.) None of my teams had won a championship in my lifetime… until the Giants did it in 2010. That first time was pretty special.

The first thing that struck me as I re-watched the ceremony was how few in the 2010 lineup still play for the Giants. With the exception of Buster Posey and Pablo, the only guys from the 2010 team still on the roster are pitchers.

I laughed at how young the players and coaches looked. Manager Bruce Bochy was sporting a lot more pepper than salt in his beard back then, while baby-faced Madison Bumgarner looked too boyish to even own a razor. Pablo Sandoval looked trim and fit.

The players acted like little boys on Christmas morning. (Imagine Ralphie’s face when he gets his Official Red Ryder BB gun in A Christmas Story.) NLCS MVP Cody Ross got so excited, he nearly forgot to pick up his ring after all the handshakes. When he finally saw it he gushed, “Ah, it’s beautiful!” Tim Lincecum also beamed. “It’s gorgeous”, he said.

Travis Ishikawa was on hand, looking a little mopey in his jersey and jeans. He was purportedly bitter to have been designated for assignment during 2011 spring training, and I’m not sure he wanted to be there. Assuming Brian Wilson does not return to the team in 2013 (the most likely outcome at this point), I wonder how he’ll participate in the ring ceremony in April?

I’m not the only one with profound feelings of nostalgia about the 2010 San Francisco Giants. On February 6, I saw Bruch Bochy speak at the Commonwealth Club of California, where he was asked how he’ll manage to wear two World Series rings. Boch got very wistful, and explained that while he has yet to see his 2012 hardware, he’ll always be partial to his 2010 ring. He kept staring down at it, like it was still a shock to see it on his finger.

I don’t yet have a ticket for San Francisco’s 2013 home opener or ring ceremony. My DVR is poised and ready but I still plan to be there in person. Rather than snapping up one of the nosebleed seats the Giants are offering, I will be throwing myself on the mercy of the secondary market. It could get ugly. It’ll definitely be costly.

Let the bidding begin!

Jack Hannahan Gets a Stocking Full Of Kryptonite

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IMG_2850I am sad that Jack Hannahan — a.k.a. Cleveland Indians third baseman Supermannahan — has not been tendered a contract by the Tribe for 2013. There had been rumors about this for a while; The team wanted to make way for Lonnie Chisenhall at third.

Jack Hannahan batted .244 with four homers last season. Chisenhall played less than half as many games, and batted .268 with five homers.

Hannahan was gracious, as always.  “The writing is on the wall as far as Lonnie getting a chance to play every day,” he told MLB.com. “I’m excited for him to get that opportunity to showcase what he can do.”

“I had two great years in Cleveland.  I love playing in Cleveland. I love the fans of Cleveland… I really believe in what they’re doing there as far as getting a team that can contend and play in October.”

From your lips to the baseball gods’ ears, Jack.

Hannahan is renowned for being a great teammate in the clubhouse.  Fans will remember the story of Indians players passing the hat to pay for a private plane, so that he could be on hand for the premature birth of his son in August 2011.  He will be missed.

Tribe pitcher Vinnie Pestano reacted on Twitter; “Upsetting news about Hanny. Part of the business but he’s the best teammate I’ve ever had. Not gonna find anyone who cares more for his guys.”

Over the first 30 games of 2012, before being sidelined by a back injury, Hannahan batted .287 with three homers.  Here’s hoping he lands well, and can do it again.

Enjoy some of my favorite Supermannahan photos, taken when the Indians played the Giants in June 2011, and last season when they took on the Oakland A’s.  Wonder if Jack would fancy northern California?  The weather that day in Oakland was unreal.

He wouldn’t be the first to be bitten by the Bay Area bug…

With World Series Parades, I Win Some, I Lose Some

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Pat Burrell
Pat Burrell

How do I put this?  I went to the World Series Parade in San Francisco today, and was a bit underwhelmed.

Winning the World Series for the second time in three years feels amazing, and is cause for great celebration in the Bay Area.  I come from a city (Cleveland) that is positively starved for a national championship of any kind, so I feel a bit guilty for nit-picking about the parade.

I don’t want to be THAT PERSON: The one who whines about some ridiculous non-hardship, as if I’m really put out.  And I really don’t want to be labeled a humble braggart.

You are familiar with the term humble braggart, right?  They are those falsely modest folks who say stuff like…

  • Bummer, the limo that drove me to my appearance on Letterman hit a pothole, and I spilled my glass of Swarovski-studded limited edition luxury vodka all over my Vera Wang dress.  I hate it when that happens!
  • I never gain weight, no matter how much ice cream I eat.  It’s really frustrating.
  • My husband and I braved Hurricane Sandy in our Greenwich Village brownstone.  It was terrifying.  I mean, I had to move my red carpet gowns to a different closet because of a leak!  (A real celebrity made this statement today. I’m not kidding.)
  • Why aren’t OUR World Series parades that good anymore?

All that said, 2012 parade organizers made some changes that I didn’t really consider enhancements.

This year, players rode in convertibles rather than motorized trolley cars.  I’m not sure why.  To be fair, there is a downside to trolleys; a player can only be seen well from one side of the street as they pass.  In 2010 Matt Cain was on the “wrong” side of the trolley for me, and I was disappointed not to get a good look at him.

But the upside of a trolley is the riders are elevated, making them much easier to see if they are facing you.  While I didn’t see Matt Cain in 2010, I saw Tim Lincecum, Brian Wilson, Freddy Sanchez and others very well, even though I was pretty far back in the crowd.   I got some fantastic photos that day, which set the bar pretty high.

This year, I waited for more than two hours but barely saw any players for more than one or two seconds, because fans standing in front of me blocked my view.  Also, the cars drove by pretty fast.  I think they were running a little late.

Big surprise: Pat “The Bat” Burrell provided the best photo-op of the day!  He was riding in the scouts’ trolley.

Organizers also chose to intersperse players’ cars, and slower moving trolleys carrying family members and Giants staff.   There were sizeable gaps between vehicles, which made the parade feel kind of long.   Besides, while I’m sure members of the Baer family are very nice I’m not really all that interested in them, even if they are throwing Halloween candy in my direction.   Next time, let’s put THEM in the cars that zip by at 20 mph.

Starting tomorrow, baseball will be 100%, officially over for 2012.  No more crowds wearing orange and black, streaming towards Third and King Streets.  No more detours, or street closures, or parades.  No more ballpark bratwurst, or trips to the dugout store.  (I can’t promise this last one.  It’s aspirational.)

It’s NBA season now, and time to turn my attention to the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors.  Sadly, I don’t think either team stands to fare as well as the Giants did this year.

So I guess it may also be time to start planning my trip to 2013 spring training.

 

How Many Games To Skin The Cats?

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This year’s Giants have the knack

They win… from two or three games back

They pitch with grit and take their hacks

Delighting fans of orange and black.

Opponent one: The dreaded Reds

San Francisco’s bats looked dead

Fans’ hopes were hanging by a thread

But…lose?  No way!  They won instead.

Next up: Matt Holliday and the Cards

Three straight losses left them jarred

But doubters they paid no regard

And won game seven in our yard.

Now they are World Series bound

With game one played right here in town

Barry Zito’s on the mound

Skin the cats, they’ll get the crown.

Let’s go Giants!

The Width and Breath

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Me at Game 2, NLDS
The key to surviving the NLDS Game 2 (Giants vs. Reds) was to take shallow breaths. Waving a rally towel? That was out of the question, thanks to the width of the gentlemen on either side…

Weekend On The Rocks, Part I

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George Kontos
George Kontos

It was a Big Weekend in San Francisco.  Some might say, it was the Bermuda Triangle of weekends, as more than one million visitors paid a visit to our fine city to take in sporting events (San Francisco Giants and 49ers, the America’s Cup), the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, and Fleet Week.

For the first time I can recall, I’m actually thrilled that tomorrow is Monday.  All these people will have gone home by then, right?

The most vexing parts of my weekend were two packed and plodding Muni bus rides to AT&T Park, followed by two miserable performances by the Giants.  For now I will focus on Saturday’s game, because quite honestly… I am too depressed to process tonight’s loss, let alone write about it.

I had planned to watch game one of the NLDS from my couch, but an amazing seat near the visitor’s dugout popped up on StubHub. It was out of my price range, but I decided to stalk it for a while.  As game time approached, the price dropped precipitously.  Forty-five minutes before Matt Cain’s first pitch, I made my move.

When I got to the park in the bottom of the 2nd inning (thanks again, Muni), the previous owner of the ticket was sitting next to me.  He immediately pointed out what a great deal I’d gotten.  He paid more than twice what he got from me.  Awkward!

The guy was pretty nice, all things considered.  I nearly bought him a beer, since I figured he was feeling a little light in the wallet, but by the 3rd inning it seemed like he’d already had plenty.

I wish I had a slew of photos of great Giants at-bats and base running, but alas I’m a photographer not an abstract artist.  Or a magician.

Blech.

On Saturday Night, SF Giants Were One and Done

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Celebration!
Celebration!

The San Francisco media began its “magic number” countdown about a week ago — the magic number being the number of wins required to clinch a playoff spot, regardless how well/poorly the runner-up team (i.e. the LA Dodgers) performs.  By Thursday morning, the San Francisco Giants’ magic number was five.

Because I had tickets to both Saturday’s and Sunday’s games against the San Diego Padres, I did more math than is advisable for a history major, trying to pinpoint the likelihood I’d be at AT&T Park to see the Giants win the National League West.  It’s not really about statistical probability, of course.  Barring some kind of Red Sox-style collapse, it was only a matter of time before they clinched.  But how MUCH time would depend on how much torture the baseball gods chose to inflict.

The gods were merciful, and the Giants beat the Padres handily on Saturday night to win the division.  Nervous energy hung in the air like the Bay Area marine layer, but the team played like vets who had been there before.  No torture necessary.

When Angel Pagan caught Mark Kotsay’s pop up to end the game, the place went insane.  It’s hard to describe the electricity and elation in such an enormous venue, where everyone is pulling for the same thing (or, “on the same rope” as Zen master/GM Brian Sabean likes to say). Everywhere you looked, fans were smiling, high-fiving and hugging, and no one was rushing for the exits to beat the traffic.  I stuck around until Giants’ president and CEO Larry Baer got hold of the microphone, and began his shameless plug for playoff merchandise.

The fact that starters – including my particular favorite, Tim Lincecum – didn’t play on Sunday was a bit of a disappointment, although no one could begrudge them their day off.  It gave the rookies some valuable playing time.  It also allowed people like me, who have been laser-focused on the playoffs, to just relax in the stellar weather, unclench our jaws, put down our cameras…. and enjoy the game.

 

And Then, There Were Three…

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Pablo's three-run homer
Pablo’s three-run homer

Regular season baseball is winding down. If your team is out of contention, like the Cleveland Indians are, attendance is tapering off. My parents were at Progressive Field today, and the place was at least 2/3 empty. That makes me sad because Cleveland is such a great sports-loving town. Maybe next year will finally be the Tribe’s year.

Meanwhile on the west coast, the San Francisco Giants are three wins away from capturing the NL West. That is, three strikes and the Dodgers are OOUUUUT!

The magic number is particularly important to me. I have tickets to both Saturday’s and Sunday’s games against the San Diego Padres, and I want to be at AT&T Park to see the Giants clinch the division. The math has gotten ridiculously simple — the odds of at least attending a game where clinching is a possibility are clearly in my favor.

Pray for me?

I went to the game on Wednesday night. Matt Cain may not have been perfect, but he was awesome. In fact, thanks to my unwavering confidence in Matty and the Giants’ six-run lead, I headed home after the 7th inning stretch (my first early departure of 2012) to thaw out my extremities. It was the coldest game I’ve been to all season.

 

A Win-Win Weekend For The San Francisco Giants

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Buster Posey

It was a great weekend for San Francisco Giants baseball.  We didn’t sweep the L.A. Dodgers, but we took the series putting us 5 1/2 games out in front in the National League West.  Toward the end of Sunday’s shut-out, one of ESPN’s announcers speculated that the Dodgers now probably have a better shot at capturing a wild card spot than of winning the NL West.  Music to my ears.

I caught the first game of the series, going back on my solemn promise never to attend another Friday night Giants/Dodgers match-up, after several near-death experiences in past seasons.  I even sat near the visitor’s dugout, and while the inmates were restless… I survived without ever throwing a punch.

Four hecklers behind me were tossed pretty early on.  They were annoying, because two were Giants fans and two were Dodgers fans.  So it was nonstop screaming no matter which team was at bat.  These guys were particularly fond of the F-bomb — but apparently the police officers positioned nearby were not.

As I was leaving AT&T Park after the Giants’ 5-2 victory, the gentleman next to me summed it up nicely.  “WOW, what a game!  I have a feeling every game will be a dog fight like this one from here on out.”

I say, bring it!

I ended the night with more than 1,500 shots.  Here are some of the best, if I do say so myself.  Next up for me and my Canon… September 17 vs. the Colorado Rockies.

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