April 18, 2011
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Giants and Sharks, Are Ya Kiddin’ Me Man?
The Daily News
1 I am thoroughly convinced that a UFO kidnapped the Giants and the Sharks this weekend and replaced them with the Keystone Cops.
2 The A’s somehow managed a gem by Trevor Cahill, which their own website deemed “uneventful”. Huh? Nine strikeouts?
3 I didn’t realize how much Bay Area sports dominate my moods untiI I saw about three Facebook posts in which people asked, “Where’d my weekend go?”
4 Once I see two, I automatically make it three, because I felt the same exact way.
5 The conspiracy guy in me assumed the only explanation for the play of both the Giants and the Sharks was Saucers.
6 I sat around all yesterday wondering what to do. I got into a sort of funk, because most of what I have to do is going to happen this week and the following Spring Break.
7 But I did go into a bit of a tailspin, especially when I turned the Sharks’ game on a little late, only to find they were already down by two. But that’s because UFO’s kidnapped the real Sharks. No question about it.
8 It’s the only explanation.
9 Argh.
10 And yesterday I thought to myself, “It’s okay. At least we still have the Giants!”
11
12 After having watched Zito fall on his ass the other night, and Mota somehow managing to keep the team together, I felt a little better yesterday. Then I saw Madison Bumgarner give up around six thousand hits, and the Giants bumble about eight thousand plays, and I had to begin to wonder. Zito’s injury is a mid-foot sprain, which I’m told happens only to football players and ballerinas.
13 The reality of the Giants is beginning to hit me. They peaked last year at the exact right time, but really? What I have seen so far this year is a .500 team at best, and a whole bunch of them with the dropsies. Darren Ford, arguably the fastest guy on the planet not on steroids, couldn’t beat out a simple bunt yesterday.
14 And they’re barely scraping by with Aaron Rowand hitting in the mid 300′s. Yeah, like THAT’S going to continue. Brandon Belt clearly shouldn’t be up, and I’m wondering about Madison Bumgarner too. Zito is out, which we managed last year, and Tejada looks like an old guy with a load in his pants. Andres Torres is in worse shape than anyone is letting on. And Boch, it’s time for a come-ta-JAYzuss with every one of ‘em. You can’t be giving games to the worst team in the worst division in baseball. It just makes last year look like a fluke. I don’t think it was, but yeesh!
15 And the Sharks. Oy.
16 I’m hoping that one game was an anomaly. Even the Giants last year had a game or two in the playoffs that brought us back to their mid-season torture. Happens. But Sharks. Every single year?
17 With the Sharks, it’s critical mass time. They have a goalie. They need to realize that they are the Sharks, and somehow in the playoffs. I’m thinking the other night was just a brain drain. You can’t skate with a hangover. That’s what it looked like, I swear.
18 So I figure this. UFO’s and Keystone Cops had little to do with my weird weekend. Getting behind two teams who looked horrific did have a little to do with it.
19 Usually it is the weekends when I attempt to re-group. Right now I’m actually looking forward to going back to work. I’m pretty fortunate that I not only like my job, but that it remains my passion to this very minute.
20 And it’s a LOT more entertaining than watching teams that should be WAY better not losing games like that. With the Sharks, I think it was just one game. They get away from you every once in a while.
21 With the Giants, it is clear that they got a bit too full of themselves, and that they probably danced through Spring training on cockiness and celebrity. It’s time for that team to begin concentrating on details. There have been WAY too many bobbled balls for it to be a coincidence. Someone sloughed off during pre-season, and I think it’s a WHOLE bunch of them.
22 You can’t do that and remain on top, especially when every team in baseball is gunning for you.
23 They should maintain the swagger; it’s not altogether a bad thing.
24 But they had better step up the concentration, especially defensively.
25 Their recently storied pitching staff has enormous gaps right now. Bumgarner and Zito are almost out of it.
26 It’s too early to tell, but right now we’re looking at .500 if somebody doesn’t step up. And it can’t be Aaron Rowand, because he’s going through what probably will be his only streak of the season.
27 Ah, as I said, it’s early.
28 In fact, it’s 4:30 a.m.
29 I’m gonna go in today ready and detailed, and be on my game.
30 I’d be interested in seeing younger guys stepping up like that.
31 Need a little sleep.
32 See you. It’s Monday. Fly low, but maintain your game.
33 And keep your eyes peeled for UFO’s and Saucers.
34 Peace.
~H~
