Dave Stewart - SJ Mercury - Ben Margot

This last week the Giants and A’s celebrated the 20th anniversary of the 1989 World Series.  They both were in it that year, and that was the same year as the big earthquake up here .  They had a reunion for the players which included such greats as Dave Stewart and Carney Lansford. 

I read a great article (click here) though on how two players were obviously missing.  That would be Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco.  The two former “Bash Brothers” have essentially been black listed from public functions due to their ties to steriods.  Jose Canseco has openly said that he did it, but he hasn’t been welcomed back.  (In fact most of his teammates are so mad at him still that they don’t even consider him part of the original team.)  Mark McGwire has stayed silent and sadly has allowed everyone to make their assumptions that he did do steriods.  His silence only seems to confirm those suspecisions.

It leads to an interesting discussion as to what baseball is going to do in the future with these steriod users.  You have a growing number of athletes who were involved in fantastic fan memories of great games, but now they are fading away like ghosts.  Barry Bonds is that way even though up here in SF they still invite him back to certain events.  Manny Ramirez will also be that way eventually.  Perhaps once everyone is exposed and steriods are cleaned up, then forgiveness can be granted, but not yet.  Not for certain players. 

It’s funny how all the teams are involved now, because just about every team has had some player who is associated with drugs.  It is sad because in some ways you want to honor the former greats…but their legacy is tarnished, and thus they can’t be invited back.

On a lighter note, I had an interesting discussion with a Giants fan this week as to whether the Giants would win the Wild Card, or if the Rockies would catch them.   It’s an interesting debate.  I think the Rockies have more offense, whereas the Giants have more pitching.  Minus Matt Holliday, the Rockies are a similar team to the team that went to the World Series a couple of years ago.  I give the edge to the Rockies, even though I have a weird hunch on the Cardinals.  I think they may squeak in yet.

What’s your thoughts, Giants or Rockies.? Till next week for Spy Game.  Go Blue.  (And yes, I’m really glad to be past the White Sox and Mariners…)

Bay Bridge - Lance Iversen - SF Chronicle

The Giants chatter up here slowed down a little this week. I think with Randy Johnson getting his 300 wins that people kind of settled back into reality of where the team is really at. ..way behind the Dodgers.

Actually the talk this last week was that the A’s won 7 in a row with just about all rookie pitchers. They seem to have recharged their bats, so maybe the A’s are off to something. The rumors still persist that the A’s are still too far back, and will try to trade off Matt Holliday before the trade deadline.

The buzz yesterday morning though for the Giants was that they are only 1/2 game out of the wild card race. They are playing pretty good ball, are above .500, and are in the race. The radio announcers were attributing it to a more lose clubhouse. They team is getting along, and apparently Pable Sandoval really keeps things loose.  More and more I think we are going to keep hearing his name.  He can really play.

They made a comment that the Giants haven’t been this loose in the clubhouse in years. Ironically, I recently wrote a post on how the Dodgers are now the same way. Can you already see where I’m going with this? There was only one common denominator between the teams in the last 10 years…Jeff Kent. He was a great competitor, but it sure seems like he made every clubhouse he was in – tense. He did with the Giants and Barry Bonds, and he did it with the Dodgers in the last few years.

It’s a harsh generalization, but I wonder if there is some truth to it. I do wonder how Jeff Kent feels this year with the Dodgers playing so well. He did want to win with the blue.

The Giants play the A’s at AT&T park this weekend. Rumor on the street is that this series will be attended by more A’s fans than Giants fans. Pretty sad for Giants fans in their own parks.  It does make sense though.  The bridge shown in the picture is how the fans in Oakland get to San Francisco, and it is definitely closer than Anaheim to L.A.

Until next week. What do you think – will the Giants snag the wild card?  I think that only happens if they trade for a bat in the next month.  We’ll see.

Randy Johnson - Ben Margot - SJ Mercury

SF Dodgerfan is in the process of moving. Not web addresses, but addresses where I write these posts. Moving and blogging doesn’t really mix, so the posts have definitely been delayed.

One of the good things about living up here is that I get first hand information about the Giants. Not that I care more about them than the Dodgers, but I do like to know what the opposition is up to and if it will affect the Dodgers.

Here’s my report this week, and I hope to keep this as a weekly column.

First, the Giants are at a fork in the road regarding their season. They either trade for a bat, or truly just get through the season and go for a big off-season pickup. Here’s a good article (Click Here) on the people they are considering, but they definitely like the idea of a power hitting first baseman since Travis Ishikawa hasn’t panned out. It’s funny that Matt Holiday’s name keeps coming up. He would be a short rental and it would be funny to see him go from one Bay Area team (The A’s) to another.  The other name that Dodger fans will catch is Adrian Beltre.  He has never been the MVP with the Mariners as he was with the Dodgers, but he’s still solid at third base with some pop.  I bet Dodger fans would have no problem booing him if he went to the Giants.  The Giants need a bigger name though for the fans, so I doubt he would really turn their season around.

There was also a great article today (Click Here) on the lack of interest in Randy Johnson’s 300th win.  Dodger fan or not, the fact that he is going for win 299 again this week is something to keep track of.  Yet, because he’s been with 7 teams and now with the Giants who aren’t doing as well, there isn’t a lot of interest in it.  If he can’t do it on the road trip, and has a chance to do in San Francisco, I may try and go see it.  There’s a lot of wonder if there will ever be another 300 game winner in baseball, so it would be worth the trip.

Well that’s it from here.  Bottom line, the Dodgers are way out in front, and the Giants are way back.  Fine with me.

Rafael Furcal from MLB.com

So Furcal rejected the A’s offer of 4 years last week, but at a lower per year salary. Now, the A’s are talking to him again. I know Rafael came to Oakland and since I live in the Bay Area, I really wonder what that was like. Here’s the deal…the area around Oakland stadium is a rough area. Flat out…it can be a dangerous area. Even more, the stadium is old and is shared with the Raiders. Definitely not Dodger Stadium up on the hill. I’m sure Billy Beane pitched the new stadium, but it may still move locations and still be 4 years out. There are some nice parts of Oakland in the hills, but the stadium is old and the area around it is rough. If I’m Furcal looking at a new home, that would definitely affect me.

Now, if the A’s can up the ante with 4 years…Furcal might just come…but probably not live in Oakland.

I wonder what Matt Holliday thought of the stadium area….

Rafael Furcal from MLB.com

So the Rafael Furcal rumors are really starting to grow up here. Twice in 2 days I heard either on the radio, internet or newspaper that the Giants and even the A’s are pursuing Rafael Furcal. Here’s the article on the Giant’s interest. Funny, I don’t hear as much about the Dodgers doing it.

It’s a tough situation.  He was great for the Dodgers…when he played.  He is a huge liability who is asking for 4 years.  My guess is that he will play 2 solid years.  That may not be 2 full seasons, just the equivalent of 2-162 game seasons over 4 years.  I know he had surgery and feels good, but he just kept breaking down, so I think it will continue..  He is a catalyst though.  He can drive an offense and everyone knows it.

If the A’s get him, that would really change the team especially with Holliday.  If the Giant’s get him, that is just salt in the wound.  I can’t stand hearing the rumors that the Giants are going after Manny Ramirez and Furcal.  Not so much that it wouldn’t help them…just that it would be horrible to see them in a Giant’s uniform.  I believe either of those signings would serve to heighten the rivalry with the Dodgers.   There have only been a handful of players that switched between the teams and rarely is it pretty.

We’ll see the outcome, but I do hope the Giants don’t get Furcal.  If they do though – it may work out ok.  He may be injured and they’ll pay the bill.  Even though the Dodgers lost Schmidt…at least the Dodgers don’t have the albatross of Barry Zito the Giants are trying to live down.