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Follow the Giants news year round as we add our insightful comments. Much more insightful than those meatheads at ESPN. If you want to contribute, Contact Us.

Reflections of Marvin
By Stewart
Mavin is one of my all-time favorites. His middle name was Larry. Marvin Larry Benard, the 5 footer from Nicaragua that played big league ball. My brother and I were at the game he walked-off the Dodgers. We watched the post game interview from the upper deck, and Marvin kept interrupting the questions with double-fist-pump "yeahs" and high leg kicks toward the cheering fans behind the dugout. It was great. Quick Marvin related tale: In December 2005, I was traveling through central America. We stopped to watch a winter league ballgame in Chinandega, Nicaragua. Imagine the thrill when I learned that Marvin was playing for the visiting team. The excitement was quickly tempered by the fact that he was not in the starting lineup. Alas, along with about 300 other fans, we still had a great time, and I patiently awaited his pinch-hit appearance. My patience was not to be rewarded as the game was called in the sixth due diminished visibility despite the fact that it was early afternoon. A nearby volcano had erupted, and the falling ash made seeing the outfield scoreboard all but impossible.

Marvin Benard Selected for Giant's Wall of Fame
By Scott Bowers
Hello Marvin Benard Fan Club,

After tireless efforts, petitions, t-shirts, and personal lobbying to Bruce Bochy, Tim Flannery, Matt Cain, John Shea, and Giant's executives, we can finally declare victory in our goal to overthrow Ghadaf... er, to watch Marvin Benard take his rightful place on the Giants Wall of Fame!

Our man on the inside, Kevin Mark has this to say about the ceremony...

Hi Scott,

You are welcome, and congratulations! Yes, I have found this out from the Promotions Dept.:

"The ceremony is scheduled for 3:30 on Saturday, out on King Street. Marvin and his family will be there."

Hope that give you a headstart!

Thanks, and enjoy the fruits of your labor and accomplishment!

Kevin

>Kevin,

>We are feeling very proud that our efforts have landed >Marvin Benard on >the

>Wall of Fame. Kudos to you for getting the message to the >higher-ups!

>Any info on the pregame ceremony? Is Marvin going to be >there? >The entire Marvin Benard Fan Club is excited to cheer on >Marvin in this historic moment.

>Thanks, >Scott Bowers

Marvin Benard Wall of Fame Case in News
By Scott Bowers
A few days ago, John Shea of the Chronic wrote about Jeff Kent's addition to the Giants Wall of Fame. Jon took the opportunity to write to Shea about Marvin's exclusion from the wall. I followed up with a letter of me own. Lo and behold, Shea responded to our outrage by doing an entire article about Marvin and the Wall. Link to John Shea article about Marvin Benard

Marvin Benard Blackballed
By Scott Bowers
In a recent development, it has been discovered that Marvin Benard has been blackballed from the new Giants Wall of Fame.

Marvin's statistics clearly show that he meets the 9 year criteria spelled out by Peter Magowan.

The Marvin Benard Fan Club invites the public to share their outrage over this slight by signing the Put Marvin On The Wall Online Petition

Alternately, on the same page, you can sign the Keep Marvin Off The Wall Petition.

It has been rumored that Peter Magowan used his relationship with George W. Bush and Karl Rove to keep Marvin from his rightful place in history.

From the Desk of Brian Sabean
By Brian Sabean (via jon fast)
Dear Jon, With three weeks until the pitchers and catchers report to Scottsdale for the start of the 2008 season, I want to take this opportunity to give you a state of the Giants message. This off-season has been an exercise in patience, both on your part as our loyal fans and from the club’s standpoint in acquiring the right type of impact players who will help the Giants not only in 2008 but into the future. In recent years, you have become accustomed to us building our teams with an influx of veteran players, in many cases on a one-year basis. Moving forward, we are looking to build our teams with solid all-around players from within our system and supplementing them with high-integrity, impact players who will play major roles on our club for years to come. We have seen this formula work for clubs such as the Atlanta Braves of the early-1990s -- whose strength much like the Giants was strong starting pitching -- and we all know that they went on to win an unprecedented 14 consecutive division titles. One of those players who will make a huge impact not only on the 2008 team, but over the next five years is our new Gold Glove center fielder Aaron Rowand. As we stress pitching, speed and defense in the new era of Giants baseball, the 30-year-old All-Star embodies those three attributes while also coming off the finest offensive season of his career in 2007. Perhaps his most marketable trait to us as we look to change the culture around our team is his “all-or-nothing” attitude once he takes the field. When Rowand takes the field, he will be roaming center field at AT&T Park behind one of the top starting rotations in the National League. This winter our assumptions that Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum are two of the top arms in the game today were confirmed by all of the teams which wanted to acquire them. While off-season acquisitions often make headlines, I think our best moves have been the ones we did not make. In holding onto Cain and Lincecum, they combine with Barry Zito and Noah Lowry to be the foundation for a very strong rotation for years to come. While the game starts on the mound, having a solid defense is crucial especially if you have to manufacture runs. The baseball axiom of having a strong defense up the middle applies with this team, as Rowand combines with catcher Bengie Molina and shortstop Omar Vizquel for 14 Gold Gloves. Our outfield defense will be much improved this year, as we could possibly have three center fielders covering the gaps at AT&T Park this season in Rowand, Dave Roberts and Randy Winn. That trio, along with youngsters Rajai Davis, Fred Lewis and Nate Schierholtz, will be an asset to our pitching staff as their speed will allow them to cover a lot of ground and hold runners from taking extra bases as they have in the past. In turn, that will keep the doubleplay in effect and help lessen pitch counts for our pitchers, allowing them to work deeper into games. While pitching and defense will be key ingredients in our formula for success in 2008, we are also going to have to execute effectively at the plate and use a speed game to drive our offense. Bruce Bochy wants to instill an aggressive, selfless style in 2008 in which each player will be asked to do the little things and play for one run in an inning. The Giants have traditionally been a team that has relied on power, but this year’s edition will be one that will need to execute the fundamentals and use aggressive baserunning to thrive. Going into Spring Training, we are definitely going to give our younger players a chance to compete for significant playing time this season. Daniel Ortmeier and Kevin Frandsen embody the type of players who play an all-out brand of baseball. To not give a fair shot to players like them, who seem ready to play on a regular basis after what they showed down the stretch last season, would be counterproductive to getting our club on the right track. One of our major downfalls last year was losing close games, as we played the most games in the majors decided by two runs or less (39-55). We expect to close the gap in those tight contests with an improved outfield defense, better situational hitting and a bullpen with young arms who have another year of experience. I’m heartened to know that we have three viable candidates to close games in Brian Wilson, Brad Hennessey and Tyler Walker. As we all saw in September, Wilson has made great strides and appears to be ready to take the next step towards being an extremely valuable man in the late innings. Hennessey is a valuable commodity for us, as his versatility really give Bruce and Dave Righetti many options on how to use him -- starting, middle, setup or closing. Remember, he led our club with 19 saves last year. I am definitely intrigued by the return of Tyler Walker from Tommy John surgery at the end of last season. With even more time for his arm to recover, I look forward to seeing him help us close out victories with his late inning efforts. Even with Spring Training just around the corner, I assure you that we are not standing pat with our club. We are always looking to strengthen our team for both the present and the future. With that said, it is quite possible that the team that reports to Scottsdale in three weeks will not be the same team that opens the season March 31 at Dodger Stadium. Not only are we taking a new tact on the field, but we also made three major new additions to the front office to help supplement our baseball operations staff. To add the baseball knowledge of former White Sox GM Ron Schueler, longtime Dodgers’ scout John Barr and former Pirates scouting director Ed Creech to the decision making process can only strengthen our personnel moves, both on the major- and minor-league levels. As we enter a new era in Giants baseball, I think that you will enjoy watching a core of energetic players who will leave everything on the field in pursuit of victories when you come to AT&T Park. Like any time there is change, there is the potential for growing pains, but watching a group of young players grow into established major leaguers that lead a winning team can be even more rewarding. I look forward to seeing you at AT&T Park this season to watch the dawning of a new era in Giants baseball. Sincerely, Brian R. Sabean Senior Vice President and General Manager

Bonds Did Steroids?
By Scott Bowers
Everyone in the media is very excited to find out that Barry Bonds has been indicted for lying about steroids.

I am surprised that all the columnists are tooting A-rod's horn now. They want him to break the home run record ASAP because he is just so pure and good and also has seen Derek Jeter naked. But, really, it is naive to think that any player is definitely clean of steroids. I would not be surprised in the least to find out that Rodriguez has/does use steroids or HGH or some secret alien potion. Bonds is only one of many.

One of the facts that seems to upset the media is that Bonds had his best power years at a late point in his career. This, of course, is proof that Bonds used steroids as a magic potion and that he would be hitting .220 for the Newark Bears otherwise. Barry, impossibly, had his best year for home runs when he set the single season record at the age of 37. What is never mentioned or even considered is that Hank Aaron also had his best year for home runs at age 37 (with 47 in 1971). Does that mean that Hank Aaron took steroids? The International Olympic Council banned the use of steroids in 1967, so they were certainly around back then. Also, why are all the other steroid users in baseball failing to go on power surges when they turn 37. Mark McGuire, the good-guy steroid user was retired at age 37. Sammy Sosa was also retired at age 37 before he returned last year to hit 21 home runs. Raphael Palmeiro had his last great season at age 38. Steroids should have kept those guys hitting home runs into their 40's, right?

Anyway, I am not saying that I think Hank Aaron took steroids. I am not saying that I think Bonds did not take steroids. What I am saying is that I don't really care all that much whether they did or not. I was entertained by Bonds and his home runs.

Now, on to the conspiracy.
  • Why did the feds wait until after Bonds was financially useful to baseball to bust him on this?
  • Why are they going so hard after Bonds while professional football is the obvious target here?
  • Did GW Bush know about the steroids being used by Texas Rangers players?

2nd Half LiveChat with Brian Sabean
By jon fast
Dateline: Oct 1, 2008

Gang,

Here is the second half of the Brian Sabean LiveChat, you can read the first half in the posting just below this one. Here's wishing 2007 goes away quickly and we can think about 2008 now!

sfgiantsschmidt:
3:40 pm What would you consider the biggest dissapointment of 2007?

briansabean:
3:40 pm Not winning more games at home and not winning more games against division rivals.

Steinbeck:
3:41 pm The top 4 starters seem pretty obvious for next year. What are the plans for the #5 guy? Are you looking to give Correia or Hennessey that spot or maybe aquire another arm?

briansabean:
3:41 pm Correia and Sanchez will be given that opportunity.

natomas33:
3:42 pm Are Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum "untouchable" as far as possible trades in the offseason?

briansabean:
3:42 pm Probably.

Sabes:
3:44 pm With a thin market...do you see the Giants venturing into free agency once again?

briansabean:
3:45 pm From early analysis, the free agent class will not be as strong as it has been in the past, with only a few "difference makers" potentially available. With that said, we're obviously going to look at all avenues to improve the club.

Herkie:
3:45 pm What is the status of Nate Schierholtz for next season? He seems to have all the tools to be a fixture in left field going forward.

briansabean:
3:46 pm Nate will play in the Arizona Fall League this offseason and gain more at-bats against quality prospect pitching.

briansabean:
3:47 pm He obviously played well enough at the big league level this year to be in the mix for playing time next year.

Dogbone111:
3:49 pm Speed and defense are essential. However, don't you need power next year to compete in the small ballparks?

briansabean:
3:50 pm Frankly, the parks in our division are considered pitchers' parks. The only club in our division that has bonafide power is Colorado. As Bruce has said on occasion this season, "speed doesn't slump."

merizobeach:
3:52 pm Sir, how happy are you with the Davis-Morris trade?

briansabean:
3:52 pm VERY HAPPY.

armandosdad:
3:55 pm Brian - in the press conference announcing the team's decision to part with Barry Bonds, it was noted that Bonds' deferred salary will count towards the team's future payroll. May I ask how much is deferred and for how many years?

briansabean:
3:55 pm Bonds has deferred monies coming to him over the next few seasons, which will count in our player payroll.

giraffe22:
3:56 pm What is our draft position and who are you eyeing? Hitting, pitching?

briansabean:
3:57 pm We pick fifth. In that position, you expect to get the highest profile player, pitcher or hitter.

54wasgood:
3:59 pm What is the off season homework for Eugenio Velez?

briansabean:
3:59 pm Velez will participate in the Arizona Fall League, playing mostly second base.

NextTime:
4:00 pm What were positives this year?

briansabean:
4:01 pm Unquestionably, our starting pitching and the emergence of Wilson, Walker and Hennessey at the end of the game.

Sam_K_:
4:02 pm how important is situational hitting to the Giants new direction? can this be taught?

briansabean:
4:03 pm Situational hitting is one of the fundamentals that we will strongly emphasize in Spring Training.

briansabean:
4:06 pm Thanks, everyone, for your time. I'm sorry if I didn't get a chance to answer your question, but I would have been here until Spring Training answering the more than 1,000 questions that were submitted!

briansabean:
4:07 pm It's always a pleasure to interact with our fans who have hung in there with us despite our unacceptable results over the last three years.'

briansabean:
4:08 pm I assure you that the baseball operations department will be working diligently to turn this around. Again, thanks for your time and support.

LiveChat with Brian Sabean
By jon fast
Dateline: Oct 1, 2008

Gang,

This year didn't turn out like we had hoped, that's for sure. Here's a LiveChat that our GM Brian Sabean held today. I asked three questions, none of which were addressed. Most of these are softballs, and have Sabean's trademark vague answers where he states the obvious, but provides zero insight.

Here is the first part of the chat, for your thrilling enjoyment.

chatmod:
3:01 pm Thank you for participating in today's chat. The chat will be starting in a few minutes so please keep submitting your questions.

briansabean:
3:05 pm Thank you all for joining us today. Obviously, we wish we were in the position of the nine other teams that are in still in play today. Unfortunately this season did not go the way any of us wanted it to.

briansabean:
3:06 pm Thank you for your continued support this year, and I'm looking forward to answering your questions.

aquila49:
3:06 pm I'm really excited about next year's rotation. What are the organization's plans for Tim Lincecum this Winter in preparation for 2008?

briansabean:
3:07 pm Timmy will not participate in winter ball, but will work with our training staff on a strength and conditioning program.

DannyN:
3:07 pm Are you going to offer Omar Vizquel a contract?

briansabean:
3:08 pm Omar's situation will be addressed shortly, as we're considering his talent vs. the free agent field. But we still think he can contribute on the field and in the clubhouse for our organization.

Chip54:
3:09 pm Brian, are there any changes planned for the player development staff or draft strategy to maybe emphasize offensive players? The other teams in our division are overflowing with young home grown impact hitters.

briansabean:
3:09 pm We are in the process of reviewing all our baseball operations departments, player development, scouting and international, and there will be some personnel changes as well as policy changes.

giraffe22:
3:10 pm Who are you looking at in terms of a middle of the order impact type hitter now that Bonds is gone?

briansabean:
3:12 pm In moving forward without Barry Bonds, we understand that we will need to address the need for a middle of the order presence. We'll thoroughly explore the trade and free agent markets, knowing that our pitching depth may engage us in trade talks for such a player.

Michael24: 3:13 pm For 2008, do you envision Kevin Frandsen as the every day 2B, SS, or utility player?

briansabean:
3:13 pm Kevin will probably be given a chance to be an everyday player with a position to be determined.

SF_Fan_21:
3:15 pm When current contracts expire for the '07 season, what is the team's payroll, and what is our 2008 projected payroll?

briansabean:
3:16 pm In terms of payroll for 2008, we've budgeted roughly the same amount that we did for 2007. Bear in mind that while we have money to address our needs, there are many players under contract due for raises.

briansabean:
3:17 pm However, we will have the wherewithal to fill the holes we need to fill this winter.

Thanatos:
3:19 pm After a tough season, how much blame do you put on Bruce Bochy? is his job secure for next season?

briansabean:
3:20 pm Bruce is under contract and will return next season. In my estimation, he did a very good job under trying circumstances.

Steinbeck:
3:21 pm In your opinion, who was the Giants' 2007 MVP?

briansabean:
3:21 pm Bengie Molina.

Raldoo:
3:22 pm I do not mind rebuilding. The Giants method that has lead to tough years had previously lead to years of success. Is there anything we can learn from Diamondbacks success or is that a case of freak chemistry?

briansabean:
3:23 pm Producing homegrown players is going to be one of our main goals in the future. Of the 35 players on the big league roster at the conclusion of the season, 18 were products of the Giants farm system.

briansabean:
3:24 pm Two of our minor league clubs won their league championships in 2007, while five of the six teams posted winning marks. In fact, only the Yankees farm teams have a better winning percentage over the last three seasons than the Giants.

Yargmada:
3:25 pm Have the Giants named the second player from the Matt Morris trade? Is Nyjer Morgan on the list of potentials he seems like he might be a good fit.

briansabean:
3:25 pm We completed the Matt Morris trade by acquiring right-handed pitcher Stephen Macfarland. He's a reliever who spent last season at Pittsburgh's Single-A club in the Sally League.

BigBeaver:
3:26 pm What are your thoughts on Zito and what will we see from him in 2008?

briansabean:
3:27 pm We all have to be encouraged by the second half -- quite simply, finishing the season on a winning note. We expect him to be more consistent throughout the season next year.

SerraPad03:
3:27 pm the closer position has been a huge hole in the giants bullpen the last couple of years, do you think Brian Wilson and maybe Jonathan sanchez have a chance to be the new closer for next year or are you going to look in the free agency pool?

briansabean:
3:29 pm From what we saw from Brian Wilson, Tyler Walker and Brad Hennessey over the last month of the season, we feel like we have the building blocks for the start of our 2008 bullpen.

briansabean:
3:30 pm We realize the bullpen will be a vital part of our success in the future. The Giants played the most games decided by two runs or less in the Majors this season (94). Many of these contests were decided late in the game and with an improved bullpen, we can turn those numbers around.

PaulInLV:
3:31 pm What should Giants fans expectations be next year in order to be realistic? Given that quite a few players are under contract, will the team really be that different or should we postpone our hopes until 2009 and beyond?

briansabean:
3:32 pm While we did finish in last place, this team didn't necessarily play like a last-place team. As I mentioned before about the games decided by two runs or less, we were competitive throughout the season.

briansabean:
3:33 pm Parity is rampant in Major League Baseball this year, with no teams posting a .600 or better winning percentage and no team having a sub-.400 mark for the first time since 2000. There have been seven different world champions since the turn of the century, and for the eighth straight year, there won't be a repeat champion.

davetheaddick:
3:34 pm This season was obviously disappointing for all the ballclub and fans alike. Do you think that it will be wholesale changes for next season or minor tweaks to strengthen a few key positions?

briansabean:
3:35 pm We're definitely looking to build this team around pitching, speed and defense, all attributes that are suited to both AT&T Park and the style of play in the National League West.

briansabean:
3:36 pm Our starting pitching is among the best in the game, and there are a lot of clubs that would like to be able to say that. Again, we realize that we have to upgrade our offense and our bullpen.

kidsplay08:
3:37 pm What is your view on potentially keeping Ortmeier at first? The kid has the build at 6'4"/215, the agility, and has been showing he can give decent production to be a first baseman.

briansabean:
3:38 pm Danny has impressed everybody with how quickly he's been able to pick up the first base position. Hopefully he'll develop the power desired from a corner infielder.

GIANTS TO MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT BARRY BONDS
By Peter Magowan
ed.. Following is the message that we received from Peter Magowan. This is a much sadder day than even when the Giants declined to re-sign Marvin Benard.

SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco Giants will not bring all-time home run king Barry Bonds back for the 2008 season, the club announced today. He will conclude his 15-year career with the Giants during this week’s final homestand and next weekend’s final series in Los Angeles.

“No one is more aware of what Barry has meant to the Giants and San Francisco than I am,” said club President and Managing General Partner Peter Magowan. “He gave our ownership group instant credibility when we bought the team in 1993 and he helped transform the Giants into a consistent winner. For the first 11 years that he was here, the Giants had the third best record in baseball and Barry was a huge part of that success. Most importantly, Barry helped San Francisco become a baseball town again. I will forever be grateful for all of the success, excitement and memories that he created for our fans. However, all good things must come to an end and now seems like the right time to move on.”

“There’s no question about what Barry has meant to this organization and to our success over the past 15 years. He is the greatest player of his generation and one of the very best of all time,” said Giants Senior Vice President and General Manager Brian Sabean. “Barry has been the cornerstone of our franchise and his amazing contributions will be sorely missed.”

From hitting a home run in his first at bat as a Giant at Candlestick Park in 1993 to becoming the game’s all-time home run leader on August 7, the future Hall of Famer has delivered many indelible moments over his 15 seasons with his boyhood team. Bonds won five of his unprecedented seven MVPs with San Francisco, while helping the club produce one of its most successful runs in franchise history from 1997-2004 that included three National League West titles and the 2002 National League pennant.

One of the greatest players to ever play the game, the 13-time All-Star, 8-time Gold Glove winner, two-time winner of the National League batting title and lone member of baseball’s 500 homer-500 steal club holds Major League Baseball’s all-time records for home runs (762) and walks (2,558). Bonds also ranks among the game’s best for RBI (tied for second - 1,996), extra-base hits (second - 1,440), runs (third - 2,227), total bases (fourth - 5,976), on-base percentage (sixth - .444), slugging percentage (sixth - .607), doubles (14th - 601) and stolen bases (32nd - 514).

Bonds’ impressive resume also includes baseball’s single-season records for home runs (73 in 2001), walks (232 in 2004), intentional walks (120 in 2004), on-base percentage (.609 in 2004), slugging percentage (,863 in 2001), home run ratio (6.52 in 2001) and home run percentage (12.06 in 2004). The 43-year old also holds Major League career records with 13-consecutive 30-home run seasons and 14 campaigns with 100-or-more walks.

Having grown up in the clubhouse at Candlestick Park as he accompanied his father the late Giant Bobby Bonds, it’s only fitting that younger Bonds dominates both the Giants franchise and San Francisco-era record books. He has established virtually every San Francisco-era offensive standard, holding the records for average (.312), home runs (586), RBI (1,440), runs (1,555), doubles (381) and is tied for first with his father with 263 stolen bases. Only his godfather Willie Mays has more home runs in a Giants uniform, clubbing 646 in both New York and San Francisco.

The eight-time Gold Glove winner is also fourth in franchise history with 1,975 games (third in SF annals), fifth with 6,260 at-bats (third for SF), third with 1,555 runs, fifth with 1,951 hits (third with SF), third with 381 doubles, third with 1,440 RBI, first with 1,947 walks, tied for ninth with 263 stolen bases and third with 4,172 total bases (second for SF).

Many of AT&T Park’s defining moments in its eight-year history have included Bonds’ milestone home runs. The slugger clubbed the team’s first clout in the inaugural game April 11, 2000, while adding his 500th career blast in 2001. He became the single-season home run champion in 2001 with his 71st, 72nd and 73rd roundtrippers coming on the Shores of McCovey Cove. Bonds connected for his 600th home run August 9, 2002 off his former team, the Pittsburgh Pirates. The two greatest Giants of all-time, Bonds and Mays, were tied at third on the all-time home run list when Bonds drilled his 660th clout during the 2004 home opener. He also added his 700th blast later that season off San Diego’s Jake Peavy and surpassed Babe Ruth for second on the all-time list May 28, 2006 off Colorado’s Byung-Hyun Kim. The new home run king reached the pinnacle of power on August 7, 2007 when he clubbed a solo, one-out clout off Washington’s Mike Bacsik.

Super Optimistic Prediction for 2007
By Scott Bowers
Hey Giant's fans, welcome to my 2007 predictions. We have all read in the San Francisco Chronic about how the Giants are going to suck this year because they did not sign Soriano or Carlos Lee or Gary Matthews Jr. and did re-sign Bonds and blah blah blah. I would like to start out this prediction by talking about Bonds. There is no way that it is a bad signing! Bonds was, by far, the best hitter on the Giants last year, and one of the best in the NL. Sure he only hit .270, but everyone forgets that he also had 115 walks... nearly one per game. And if you listened to your little league coach (in my case, pro football ref, Larry Nemmers), he said, "A walk is as good as a hit." All those walks lead to runs scored. I also scoff at those who claim that Bonds is costing the team with his range in left field. His range is average, at worst, and I saw him rob 3! home runs during games last year. At the very least, Bonds is entertaining. At the best, Bonds continues his performance of the last couple months last year when his knees seemed to have finally healed.

OK, now that Bonds is out of the way, lets look at some other positive news. Jason Schmidt aka Benedict Arnold is headed to the Dodgers. Schmidt is past his prime, and I would not be surprised if he spends half his time in LA on the disabled list. Alou has taken his gimpy legs to NY. Steve Finley will sign with whatever team lets him regrow his mullet. Jamey Wright will be giving up 10-run innings in Texas. I wish that the Giants had kept Hillenbrand and ditched Peter Happy, but at least Bochy will not give him "fellow countryman" favoritism. I predict that he will lose his starting job by June 1.

The Giants were portrayed by some media as losers in the offseason, but I disagree. They did not make any trades, but in the free-agent market, they signed the top starting pitcher, the top catcher, the top 2nd baseman, and Aurelia and Roberts who are both quality players. Also, they got Klesko, who hit .750 last year! The Giants will have a very deep bench in 2007.

In the negative department, I am still concerned about the presence of Armando Benitez. But, I think that the Giants will allow him to get healthy so that they can get more for him in trade. Here's hoping that happens during spring training. Now, I know some of you are thinking, "What about the Dodgers, they had the best offseason! We can never catch up to them. Whaaaaaa." Well, I can tell you now that they did not improve their team. Sure they got singles hitter Juan Pierre, unwanted Luis Gonzalez, and soon to be gimpy Jason Schmidt in the free agent market, but they lost Kenny Lofton, J.D. P.U., Greg Maddux, Julio Lugo, and Eric Gag-me among others. One player touted as a good signing by the Dodgers, Randy Wolf, had a 5.56 ERA last year and has fought injuries the past three seasons. Forget about the Dog Hairs, and of course, the Diamond Cracks and Colorado Rookies. The Giants will take first this year... passing San Diego in the final homestand! Word.

WBC No Hitter
By Scoop Joffe
Attention Giants fans: It might be time for another trip to Single A San Jose this season to see the The Prunepickers and hot new prospect Shairon Martis, who threw a no hitter in the World Baseball Classic on Friday. We haven't been down there since the infamous Juan Rapido bachelor outing when the rubber chicken was introduced as a Giants' totem. As we are all aware the chicken was quickly called up to the bigs and, if things conntinue at the pace Martis is setting, he will be joining the chicken in the majors (or at least Adam Shabala in Fresno) soon.

Below is "the excerpt" from the Chronicle about Martis and some bonus coverage of Merkin Valdez. It might be time to get Mr. Dinner to start desigining a "Merkin for President" T-shirt. We don't want to miss out on a lucrative merchandising market as we did with the chicken.

Respectfully yours,
Scoop Joffe


WBC no-hitter: With a 65-pitch limit, it's difficult to throw a no-hitter in the World Baseball Classic -- but 18-year-old Giants prospect Shairon Martis did it Friday as the Netherlands beat Panama, 10-0. The game was called by the mercy rule after seven innings, and Martis threw exactly 65 pitches.

Martis, a Curacao-born right-hander ticketed for Class A San Jose this year, faced Carlos Lee, Ruben Rivera and Olmedo Saenz, among others, in the Panama lineup.

"We saw him in a pickup game -- his dad was catching him in the bullpen," said Rick Ragazzo, the Giants' director of international operations. "After that, we gave him a workout. He's a good kid and knows how to pitch. A no-hitter is impressive at any level, especially for a kid that young against a lineup that good."

Briefly: Merkin Valdez pitched a scoreless inning for the third straight outing, "and he's been dominant every time," said manager Felipe Alou.

Steroid Scandal Rocks Local Ticket Group
By Adam Young
AP/UPI - San Francisco, CA
The Marvin Benard Fan Club Giants Ticket Group was stunned to discover this week that its founders have been guilty of abusing steroids. After several seasons of barely being capable of maintaining a spreadsheet and e-mail distribution list, Scott Bowers and Jon Fast emerged from their Winter off-season with a bulging and ripped new ticket group web site.

Experts have long known that steroid and human growth hormone use can increase cranial size, thereby allowing for increased brain activity. "This new web site is not quite a smoking gun, but next to a positive urine sample this is all the proof I need to see," claimed noted local expert Victor "Not Stan" Conte.

"There's no other way to explain this stunning leap of technology - it's got to be the juice," said a decidedly ambivalent Tim Carr. "I hate the fact that they've cheated, but I sure as hell am enjoying the results!" Mr. Carr said he had used the web site the previous morning to snatch up multiple coveted bleacher tickets.

A representative for Mr. Fast and Mr. Bowers claims the accusations of steroid abuse are unfounded. Spokesman Rusty Kuntz attributes the pair's sudden intellectual growth to their recent vows of celibacy. "Remember on 'Seinfeld' when George stopped pursuing sex and he suddenly was solving Rubix Cubes and quoting the masters of literature? Um . it's kind of like that," said Kuntz in a hastily assembled press conference.

Mr. Fast and Mr. Bowers had not responded to a request for comment at the time this story went to press.

Tim Carr Makes Prediction on 12/8/05
By Tim Carr
Timmy made this prediction on 12/8 to just Adam Young and Jon Fast. Little did he know his thoughts would be posted to the Marvin Benard Blog!
Read on...


Who wants to come to our clubhouse nowadays?

Bob Brenly will be our manager within a year of this email.

SBC Park Becomes AT&T Park
By From the Desk of Larry Baer
This is from an email sent to season ticket holders. I'll post these as we get them from Baer, Sabes, and our ticket rep Bob Murtagh.

Dear Jon

I wanted to share some news with you before it is released to the general public. Later this morning, we will announce that the name of the ballpark will change from SBC Park to AT&T Park effective March 1, 2006. The official press release is available for review below.

While our naming rights partner and the Giants did not anticipate another change to the ballpark’s name, we want you to know that we remain fully committed to ensuring that the ballpark's look, feel and experience remains at the highest levels you have come to expect and that fans around the globe have come to admire. The name of the ballpark is changing with SBC’s adoption of the AT&T brand, however the incredible and incomparable ballpark experience that you have helped us create is not.

Not only did AT&T play a key role in helping us keep Major League Baseball in San Francisco, but also was a critical partner in creating the best ballpark in America and an established city landmark. Our continued partnership with AT&T provides for many opportunities to enhance the ballpark experience for all of our fans. We look forward to the weeks and months ahead where we will share with you new ballpark innovations and season ticket holder opportunities as we prepare for the upcoming season and the 2007 season and All-Star Game festivities. Your loyalty and continued support of Your San Francisco Giants is much appreciated.

Click here to review the AT&T Press Release

Warm regards,


Larry Baer

Fan Fest 2006
By Mike Joffe
This is from the email sent by Mike Joffe on 1/23...

Hey Giants fans:

Tammy and I trudged out to the Fan Fest on Saturday and had a fabulous time soaking in the January optimism. All the young pitchers were there - Jack Taschner, Brad Hennessy, Kevin Coreia, Noah Lowry - and of course the announcers - Jon Miler and Flem. We met a Dave Flemming fan club of geeked out girls, one with a sweatshirt with "Flemming" across the back. Tammy signed up for their club. They meet every Tuesday at Starbucks and are excited about their plans to stalk the baby faced announcer.

The highlight of the day was Matt Morris. He brings a confidence and no bullshit attitude that is hard not to get excited about. He spoke about getting in the face of the young pitchers and telling them what's what (or something like that). Jack Taschner beamed in anticipation and you can tell by looking at him that this is the kind of tough love that Hennessy needs.

Other tidbits . . . Mark Sweeny seems solid - he appeared in tandem w/ Morris and said all the right things . . . We think we saw Luis Pujols signing autographs . . . Steve Finley is extremely tan . . . Ron Wotus took shit from Jon Miller for interviewing with the Dodgers . . . Larry Baer says expect a new stadium name, but nothing to really change - "the beers will still cost 8 bucks" was the quote, I think . . . Lou Seal threw out his furst thrust of the year . . .

And that's all I can remember for now.

Go Giants!

Ready for Spring Training
By Scott Bowers
1/31/2006 The Giants seem to have plugged the major holes in the offseason. They acquired a top pitcher in Matt Morris. They acquired a mop-up with Jaime Wright. Alfonso finally wore out his welcome even with me, so now we have Peter Happy as a full-timer. Vizcaino was signed as a backup, and he is a good pickup for that role. I am not sure how that translates to raising our bleacher seat prices by $2/game... I have my doubts about Niekro, Feliz, and Finley, but we can wait until the regular season before we impale anyone. As for all the traitors that signed with the Dodgers, I can't wait to see them starting on May 13... As for the tickets, we will be using this website to distribute them this year. Tickets will be opened to be claimed starting at 12 Noon on March 1, 2006. Pacific Time. I am hoping this new scheme will work out although it seems to be doing fine in limited tests. At any rate, I programmed this for free, so no complaining unless complaints are accompanied by cash. Please upload your photos to the Giants photo album.

Offseason Report
By Scott Bowers
After getting Matt Morris, the Giants have put themselves into a good position for next season. The two new bullpen arms, Tim Worrell via free agency and Steve Kline via trade, are more or less a wash compared to whom they are replacing, Eyre and Hawkins. Sweeney is an upgrade on offense over Snow, and he can play more positions. I would not be the least surprised if J.T. declines sharply in the next couple of years. Morris is a huge upgrade over Tomko, that is for sure. Now, the one thing left to do is to send Alfonso packing, and in return, the Giants need to get a utility infielder. I would like to see Nomar or Mueller in the Giants infield.

Above and beyond the personel changes, let's hope that the injuries do not crush us like they did last year.

Giants Website Launched
By Scott Bowers
Hello All, After lots of hard work, I have finished the Giant's ticket website for our tickets in the bleachers. Hope you enjoy.
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