The San Francisco Giants began their title defense today in the first game of Spring Training. I know it’s Spring Training and it doesn’t mean anything. I’m just happy to hear baseball on the radio again!
Tim Lincecum got the game started by giving up 3 runs in the first inning, including 4 hits in a row. Miguel Tejada struck out swinging in his first Spring Training at bat in a San Francisco Giants uniform. Should we start to worry, and hit the panic button? No way, it’s just Spring Training! Tejada did end up with an RBI single in his second at bat.
The Giants found a way to get the win. The final score was 7-6 Giants. Yes another torture win for the Orange and Black! Buster Posey was the only Giants player with 2 hits, and he also had 2 RBI’s.
The starting lineup was DH Andres Torres, 2B Mark DeRosa, SS Miguel Tejada, C Buster Posey, RF Cody Ross, LF Pat Burrell, 3B Pablo Sandoval, CF Aaron Rowand, 1B Travis Ishikawa and pitching was Tim Lincecum.
Baseball America’s number 6 top prospect in the San Francisco Giants organization is shortstop Brandon Crawford. Crawford tells SF Giants Rumors that he didn’t know Jeff Kent was going to be at the Giants camp until he showed up. Crawford says any tips he can get from Kent would be great.
“He was always a very good, consistent hitter, so it would be nice to be able to ask him about his approach and how he handled certain pitchers.”
SF Giants Rumors had a chance to catch up with Pat The Bat (Pat Burrell) at Media Day. Another reporter asked where the better restaurants and bars are between San Francisco and Philadelphia. Burrell said both of them have good restaurants and bars but picked San Francisco for both. Burrell is a Bay Area guy, so that may have been a wise choice to pick San Francisco. He doesn’t want to get the locals angry now does he? I asked Burrell what the difference was between winning the World Series in Philadelphia and San Francisco. Below is the video of Burrell answering the question.
I have another video for you from Media Day. In this video you can see all the players scattered around, and how easy the media can access any player at any time. Players seen in this video include Jeremy Affeldt, Emmanuel Burriss, Mike Fontenot, Javier Lopez, Darren Ford etc. This was an awesome experience to be able to pick their brains and I must admit some of the players were more nervous than I was. Check out the video below.
Side Notes
The baseball that Brian Wilson threw to strike out Nelson Cruz and clinch the first World Series championship in the San Francisco Giants’ 53 year history is in Wilson’s candy jar! Now that’s sweet!
“I figure I’m not going to lose it there,” said Wilson, “and that’s a delicious treat.”
At Media Day SF Giants Rumors had a chance to sit down with infielder Mike Fontenot. We were talking about the open backup shortstop position, and I asked Fontenot what he’s been working on during his offseason. Below is the video. Fontenot hit .282 in 28 games for the San Francisco Giants.
Here is a quick video of Giants reliever Jeremy Affeldt waiting for someone in the media to start chatting with him, as Matt Cain, Javier Lopez and Dan Runzler pass by. Can you tell that Shotgun Cain likes to have some fun even when nothing is really going on? This is definitely a sign of how loose the 2010 club house was. Good things happen when you’re having fun!
Friday February 4, 2011 was Media Day for the San Francisco Giants. The media got a chance to meet with the players/coaches, and ask questions. I will be uploading some pictures and videos (over the next couple days) from Media Day, and also from Giants Fan Fest. The first players to come out were Sergio Romo, Freddy Sanchez and Andres Torres. I was able to record a quick video of Pat Burrell and Madison Bumgarner making their way to their assigned seating area.
Sergio Romo was the only player out at this point that wasn’t in a suite. This video gives you an idea of what the area looked like and how easy it was to access the players.
There will be more video’s and pictures to follow, so don’t forget to check back soon! ~King of Cali
The San Francisco Giants open their 2011 season against the hated Los Angeles Dodgers at Chavez Ravine (Thursday March 31st). There’s a group of Giants fans that are trying to raise money to fly a banner 3 miles above Chavez Ravine that says, “Giants 2010 Champs: BEAT LA“. The banner will fly above the stadium for 20 minuets on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday in Los Angeles. Their goal is to raise $8,000, and they are currently at 64% of that goal. Click here to check out the site and make your donation. I know I would love to see this banner flying above Chavez Ravine. Let’s make it happen Giants fans!
San Francisco Giants closer Brian Wilson was on the Lopez Tonight show with George Lopez. It’s a must see interview if you haven’t already seen it. Wilson still has his beard, and talks about his offseason trip to Thailand. Wilson even brings out “The Machine” (toy). Below is the interview (1/27/11). I hope you enjoy it!
Now that the San Francisco Giants have won the World Series. I’m sure there are a few of you that wish you went back in time like Marty McFly and did some Sports Betting. The Giants are not having a loud offseasn. They are quietly trying to keep the core team together, and mix and match a few players. They succeeded in their top offseason priority and that was re-signing Aubrey Huff. He was a big piece of the Giants success. The Giants tried to bring back Juan Uribe, but he decided that he wanted to go down south to the hated Dodgers. The Giants were quick to sign Miguel Tejada to replace Uribe. Tejada is on the decline, but still a nice replacement for Uribe. Pat Burrell also re-signed for a hometown discount of $1 million. Now you ask what’s left that the Giants are trying to do? It’s find a backup shortstop. Yes, they have Mark DeRosa and Mike Fontenot. That’s just not going to cut it if Tejada goes down, so the Giants are hoping that Edgar Renteria will return in a backup role for $1 million. The 2011 lineup is starting off better than it did at the start of the 2010 season and they won the World Series. Only time will tell how the 2011 Giants finish.
The San Francisco Giants began their title defense today in the first game of Spring Training. I know it’s Spring Training and it doesn’t mean anything. I’m just happy to hear baseball on the radio again! 
