December 23, 2013 -- Candlestick Park Pictures

Here's a pictorial on some photos we took at the last game at Candlestick Park on Monday, December 23rd, 2013.

Top 10 Moments at Candlestick Park

Here it is, our list of the Top 10 moments in Candlestick Park history. Unlike other lists, we've combined the top moments for the Giants and 49ers.

10. Dave Dravecky's Comeback Game: His first start after recovering from cancer surgery, August 10, 1989

9. Brian Johnson's Home Run: A walk-off game winning home run against the Dodgers, September 18, 1997

8. One-Flap Down: Jeff Leonard's home run trot: 1987 NLCS Game 3,  October 9, 1987

7. Morgan's Home Run: Joe Morgan's home run to knock out the Dodgers from the playoffs, October 3, 1982

6. Garrison Heart's Stiff Arm: Game winning touchdown in overtime vs. NY Jets, September 6, 1998

5. The Catch III: 2012 NFC Divisional Game, January 14, 2012

4. The Comeback: 2002 NFC Wild Card Game, January 5, 2003

Video

3. The Catch II: 1999 NFC Wild Card Game, January 3, 1999

2. The Thrill: Will Clark's game winning hit in 1989 NLCS Game 5, October 9, 1989

1. The Catch: 1982 NFC Conference Championship Game, January 10, 1982

Our Proposed SF Giants Batting Lineup for 2014

After the Mike Morse signing, we were thinking on how the 2014 lineup might shape out, and we developed the lineup listed below. Yes, we know that we predicted the 2014 opening day lineup on our Sept. 30, 2013 blog post, but we're calling an audible … in the words of Colin Kaepernick, "kill, kill, kill, kill, kill."

Our philosophy is that the best hitter on the team should bat third. The strategy is based on the fact that the third batter gets up to the plate in the first inning, and he'll get at least four at-bats. However, more importantly, in the case of the Giants, opponents will be forced to pitch to the third hitter if they want to avoid the big bats that are stacked up behind him. So in this case, Posey bats third in our lineup, followed by Pence, Sandoval, Morse, Belt, and Crawford. In the three hole, Posey's career numbers includes a .346 batting average compared to .298 in the cleanup spot. He also bats .325 (with 11 HR, 68 RBI) when he appears in the first inning versus batting .302 (5 HR, 10 RBI) in the second inning. So in theory, Pence, Sandoval and Morse will also force pitchers to pitch them to avoid going to the next big bat.

We know that a lot of fans want Brandon Belt to bat third, but in this case he's not the best hitter on the team nor does he intimidate the opposition in the same way that Posey would. Assuming everyone stays healthy (knock on wood), several Giants are in for a career year - especially Pablo. This could be an exciting team to watch at the plate, maybe, just maybe this lineup could be a modern-day version of Murderer's Row ala the 1927 New York Yankees.

1. Angel Pagan, CF
2. Marco Scutaro, 2B
3. Buster Posey, C
4. Hunter Pence, RF
5. Pablo Sandoval, 3B
6. Mike Morse, LF
7. Brandon Belt, 1B
8. Brandon Crawford, SS

Murderer's Row - 1927 New York Yankees

Michael Morse by the Numbers

Well, we woke up to some pleasant news this morning when Bobby Evans announced that the club has agreed to terms (1-year deal) with Mike Morse to be our new left fielder. Morse was on our short list of free agents that the club should pursue, and we think he'll be a great fit for the club. A classic slugger, he reminds us of Giants alum - Jack Clark, he stands at 6'5 and 245 lbs and should serve as the power right-handed bat we have desperately been seeking.

Morse's best season as a big leaguer was in 2011 when he belted 31 home runs, 95 RBI, and batted .303 for the Washington Nationals. The fact that he's played in the National League will serve as a  significant bonus for the Giants. One interesting note about Morse, he's hit the majority of his career home runs after an 0-1 count (40 HR, 131 RBI)

Here are some interesting stats associated with Morse ...

Career Numbers at NL West ballparks:
AT&T Park: 1 HR, 4 RBI, .316 BA
Dodger Stadium: 1 HR, 4 RBI, .261 BA
Petco Park: 1 HR, 5 RBI, .333 BA
Chase Field: 3 HR, 9 RBI, .275 BA
Coors Field: 2 HR, 11 RBI, .500 BA

One last thing, Morse's walk-up music is "Take On Me" by A-Ha, and fans are involved in singing the song when it's played. Do you think this will catch on at AT&T Park?

Ranking the 2014 SF Giants Stadium Giveaways (SGA)

Not sure where to start, but this has to be the worst promotional schedule that we’ve seen released by the Giants in years! The list is uninspiring, and only a few giveaways are must-haves that will create buzz among the faithful. Not sure what the thinking was by the Giants marketing group, but this is embarrassing. We guess missing the playoffs does that - create a promo schedule that lacks any excitement. So, as in year’s past, we’ve taken the liberty to rank the promo giveaways based on appeal and estimated demand. Here we go ...

The Must-Haves: Is the bobblehead giveaway slowly going away? Usually, the Giants are good for at least six or seven giveaways each year, but 2014 only lists four bobbleheads - only three are current players. Hunter Pence, Brandon Belt, and Brandon Crawford will be featured in ’14, along with Duane Kuiper. We’re surprised that Angel Pagan wasn’t included, but perhaps his stint on the DL in 2013 might have been a factor - he just didn’t play. Continuing the trend set last season, bobbleheads will be given away to the first 40,000 fans, so at least the club maintained that.

• Hunter Pence Bobblehead, First 40,000 fans (Wednesday, April 8 vs. Arizona)
• 1954 Giants World Series Replica Ring, First 20,000 fans (Saturday, April 26 v. Cleveland)
• MadBum Camo Cap, First 20,000 fans (Saturday, June 14 vs. Colorado)
• Brandon Belt or Brandon Crawford Bobblehead, First 40,000 fans (Saturday, June 28 vs. Cincinnati)

Cool, I want one: These items feature some of the standard items, shirts, towels, and fedora.

• Giants Scarf, First 20,000 fans (Thursday, April 10 vs. Arizona)
• Duane Kuiper Bobblehead, First 40,000 fans (Friday, April 25 vs. Cleveland)
• Tim Lincecum Orange Friday Jersey T-Shirt, First 20,000 fans (Friday, May 16 vs. Florida)
• Giants Fedora, First 20,000 fans (Saturday, May 17 vs. Florida)
• Hello Kitty Giants Plush, First 20,000 fans (Sunday, June 8 vs. New York) *we’re not fond of this giveaway, but a certain demographic is extremely excited for this giveaway.

Eh, I'll take one, but I won't wait in line for it: These items are standard on almost every promo schedule, the calendar, magnet schedule, adjustable cap, etc.

• Opening Day Calendars, First 40,000 fans (Tuesday, April 8 vs. Arizona)
• Sports Bag, First 20,000 (Saturday, April 12 vs. Colorado)
• Magnet Schedule, First 20,000 fans (Monday, April 8 vs. Colorado)
• Giants Cap, First 20,000 fans (Saturday, May 24 vs. Minnesota)
• Giants BBQ Apron, First 20,000 fans (Sunday, May 25 vs. Minnesota)
• Giants Beach Towel, First 20,000 fans (Monday, May 26 vs. Minnesota)
• Giants Father’s Day Necktie, First 20,000 fans (Sunday, June 15 vs. Colorado)

So there you have it ... the 2014 Giants promo schedule - it's bland and boring, and we can only hope that the club will add some more creative items before the season starts.

Our Holiday Wish to SF Giants Fans

This holiday we want the lonely to find company; sick to gain health; sad to find levity, unemployed to find work; broken-hearted to endure; and another San Francisco Giants World Championship parade down Market Street in 2014.

Happy Holidays to you and yours. Go Giants!

The Sons of Johnnie LeMaster

Potential LF Candidates for SF Giants

Major League Baseball's Winter Meetings starts today and its no secret what the SF Giants need to do … obtain a left field that can hit. With that said, we don't expect the Giants to open up the war chest or risk losing a draft pick to one of the high-profile outfielders that are currently available. So don't expect the club to go after Shin-Soo Choo or Nelson Cruz, especially after the Jacoby Ellsbury signing.

So who are the Giants going to sign then? We don't expect a trade either, we just don't have a surplus of prospects to trade away, and the guys we do have are just a year or two away from making the club. So here's a list of free agents that could be had for a decent contract … some may be considered as high risk, but with a low base salary plus an incentive based deal, one of these guys could make sense to join the club.

• Corey Hart: He didn't play in 2013 due to knee surgeries, yes surgeries. Both knees went under the knife this past year, so his health will be the primary concern for any club looking to sign him. But earlier indications are that he's good to go, and is moving well in off season workouts. He'll turn 32 by the time opening day starts, but his career stats can't be ignored. His yearly career average is 26 HR, 87 RBI, .276 BA. In his final year with the Brewers he earned $10M, he should expect a considerable cut in salary if he wants a multi-year deal.

• Mike Morse: Injuries have impacted Morse throughout his career, but IF he can stay healthy, he can flat out put some monster numbers - see his 2011 season: 31 HR, 95 RBI, .303 BA. So that will be the big question, can he stay healthy? This is a situation where Sabean will need to conduct his "due diligence." In 2013, Morse earned $6.75M, so he will be affordable by club standards.

• Tyler Colvin: A former first-round pick, Colvin has two solid seasons where he showcased why he was picked so early, but back injuries has dropped him off the Rockies. If he's healthy, he's worth signing to a minor league deal … talent never goes away, and he has plenty of it. In 2013, he earned $2.75M playing for Colorado.

• Brennan Boesch: A 2006 third-round pick by the Detroit Tigers, he was released by Detroit in 2012, and then signed a free agent contract with the New York Yankees in 2013. He was released in July due to a bad shoulder, but has recovered nicely since then. As an everyday outfielder for three years in Detroit, he averaged 14 HR, 58 RBI. He's currently playing for Leones del Escogido in the Dominican Republic in winter ball, and his Major League salary was for $1.5M.

• Grady Sizemore: Last, but not least is Grady Sizemore. Yes, we know he hasn't played since 2011, but he's intriguing because we all know what he can do. The relative question is if he's finally healthy enough to compete for a Major League job. If his medical records check out, he's worth a look and a low-end deal.

Former SF Giants in the Postseason

It's always interesting to note which former Giants make it to the postseason with their new or current teams. So, with that said, we digged around and identified these former Giants that are or were in the 2013 MLB Postseason.

• Carlos Beltran (Cardinals), SF Giants in 2011
• Mike Matheny (Cardinals - Manager), SF Giants in 2005-06
• Bengie Molina (Cardinals - Asst. Hitting Coach), SF Giants in 2007-10
• Mike Aldrete (Cardinals - Bench Coach), SF Giants in 1986-88
• Brian Wilson (Dodgers), SF Giants in 2006-12
• Juan Uribe (Dodgers), SF Giants in 2009-10
• Bob Melvin (A's - Manager), SF Giants in 1986-88
• Chili Davis (A's - Hitting Coach), SF Giants in 1981-87
• Jamey Wright (Rays), SF Giants in 2006
• Dave Martinez (Rays - Bench Coach), SF Giants in 1993-94

We didn't located anyone from the Pirates, Red Sox, Tigers, and Braves rosters that formerly played for San Francisco. For those of you that might mention Jason Grilli of the Pirates, he played in the Giants farm system, but never made it to the big club.

2014 Opening Day Starting Lineup - Prediction

Here's it goes, our starting lineup for Opening Day in 2014. We feel it's unlikely that Belt will be moved to LF to accommodate another first baseman that hits for power. However, scanning the list of available free agents that play the outfield, we like Michael Morse. He's a legit power bat that could protect Posey and Pence in the middle of the lineup, and would probably come cheaper than Ellsbury or Choo - the other players also mentioned with the Giants.

1. Angel Pagan, CF
2. Marco Scutaro, 2B
3. Pablo Sandoval, 3B
4. Buster Posey, C
5. Hunter Pence, RF
6. Michael Morse, LF
7. Brandon Belt, 1B
8. Brandon Crawford, SS
9. Madison Bumgarner, P

The Last Weekend

Only three games remain on the 2013 schedule ... we could lament on the disappointing season, but we all know what went wrong, and where we need to improve. While we have been hard on some of the players throughout the year, now is the time to thank all of the players that wore the black and orange this season. With that said, it appears this will be the end of the line for several players, guys that will continue their professional baseball career with other clubs in 2014.

Our final good-byes:

• Barry Zito
• Andres Torres
• Gregor Blanco
• George Kontos
• Jose Mijares
• Tim Lincecum (we feel he will head home and join the Mariners)

Finnerty's Game Bus 2013 in Pictures

Phew, so we made it back to Cali on Sunday afternoon, and we may need a week's vacation to recover from what is THE best SF Giants road trip, the Finnerty's Game Bus event. To quickly recap, we took a redeye flight on Wednesday night, and arrived to New York on Thursday morning. We added three games to our agenda, starting with the Mets getaway game, and ending with the Saturday afternoon game versus the Yankees. So without further ado, here's the Finnerty's Game Bus 2013 trip in pictures ...

Finnerty's on 221 2nd Avenue

Pre-Game at Finnerty's before Mets game on Thursday

Each bus had one of these coolers filled with beer

The famous Shake Shack - lines were too long

A view of the field from the Finnerty's section (138)

Brian and Dieter, the two cats that own Finnerty's

Pre-game at Finnerty's on Friday before the Yankees game

A view from the Finnerty's section (434B)

The Finnerty's group on Friday night at Yankee Stadium

Pre-gaming at Finnerty's for Saturday's game

On the Saturday bus

View from Finnerty's section on Saturday

The bullpen and Monument Park off in the distance

Yankee Stadium behind home plate

The Finnerty's section

The SF Giants flag was flying above the Finnerty's section

Yankee Stadium from the CF bleachers

Another view of the Finnerty's section

Yankee fans starting the wave in the center field bleachers

The bar at Finnerty's

Finnerty's Game Bus 2013 shirt (front)

Finnerty's Game Bus 2013 shirt (back)

Hunter Pence Milestones

It's funny what a month can do for one's stats, and that's certainly the case for Hunter Pence. It wasn't too long ago that it appeared that Pence was going to end up with a disappointing season at the plate, but the month of September has changed all of that. In this month alone (thru 15 games), Pence has bashed nine home runs, 25 RBI, and 24 hits while batting .421. He's already tied his single career best of 25 home runs and is 12 RBI short of tying his career best 104 RBI production from just last year. The only question is how much more damage can he do at the plate with just 12 games remaining in the season. He's in New York this week as the club faces the Mets and Yankees, then club returns home for the final homestand of the year when they square off against the Dodgers and the Padres.

We're gonna bet that he ends the season with 30 home runs, and 107 RBI while batting around .310. Ambitious? Yes. But we're talking about Pence, and what a great way to end the season while negotiating a long term deal.

Hunter Pence Launching a Home Run Against the Dodgers

2013 World Series Logo

Yes, we know we're out of contention, but we still think it's kinda cool to see the 2013 World Series logo that Major League Baseball comes up with each year. So here it is ... what do you think?

UPDATED: Traveling Tips for New York

** Individuals reached out to us seeking a good place to grab some pizza in New York. So, we reached out to New York native, Jimmy P., once again for his local recommendations. See below for the go-to places for a good pie.

For those of you flying out to New York to see the Giants take on the Mets and Yankees next week, and have never been to the Big Apple, we wanted to list some tips that should make your trip more enjoyable.

We'll skip the airfare and hotel recommendations, since both are ridiculously expensive, and you probably have all of that squared away by now ... we hope.

GROUND TRANSPORTATION:
Fans flying into Newark, we strongly recommend taking the Newark Airport Shuttle bus to midtown. Buses departs every 15 minutes, and provide non-stop service to New York City with only three stops in Manhattan. One-way fare is $16, or roundtrip is $28. Tickets must be purchased online.

Fans flying into JFK, if the thought of spending $50-75 for a cab ride is too steep. We would suggest taking the AirTrain connector to the MTA's "Jamaica" station and hop on a MTA subway train for a ride into Manhattan. It will require a transfer once you're on the island, but it's not a bad ride and much cheaper than getting a cab or a town car.

Once you're in the City, make sure to get a MTA Metro Card. Most likely, you're gonna use the subway a lot once you're in the city so load up your card. Base fares are $2.50, but if you purchase the 7-day Unlimited card it's only $30. Make sure not to lose your card since the system charges $1 for every new card issued. Therefore, just add $10-15 the first time around to get you started. Finally, familiarize yourself with the subway system map. Yes, it looks complicated and overwhelming, but it's quite simple. Also, download a NYC subway system app to your smartphone, several are available to choose from.

YOUR FIRST TIME IN NYC:
If this is your first visit to the Big Apple, by all means, do the touristy stuff while you're there. Go to Times Square, Broadway, Theatre District, Central Park, Guggenheim, National Museum, etc. Just get it out of your system and go visit these places. Be forewarned, you'll be surrounded by other like-minded tourists, and keep your wallets in your front pockets and keep your purses in front of you. These areas are high pick-pocket areas too, so be careful.

BEEN THERE, DONE THAT:
Okay, so this isn't your first rodeo, and you've been to NYC plenty of times and have seen all of the touristy things ... what next? First, check out the areas where the locals are. For this, we tapped the shoulder of our good friend, "Jimmy P.", a lifelong New York resident who currently resides in Manhattan. By far the best place to hangout for drinks and unpretentious food is the West Village. The list below represents Jimmy's recommendation, and the ones with an asterisk are places that we've visited too.

*Blind Tiger Ale House:  We've been here before, albeit it was six years ago, but this place is solid. Definitely the craft beer destination in the West Village. This place is really known for their beer selection. They serve food as well.

If you're looking for a typical bar establishment checkout: Half Pint, 3 Sheets, and Amity Hall. Think Pete's Tavern in San Francisco.

Wogies: A Philly sports bar known for their cheesesteaks.

Employees Only: Think Comstock Saloon in San Francisco, same kind of vibe.

Windsor: This is for high end / expensive sports bar with good looking crowd.

Wilfie & Nell, Kingswood, and Highlands: these establishments are known for their food, and are not a sports bar, but Jimmy tells us these are places are solid for great meal with good drinks.

WXOU Radio: If you're looking for a no-frills drinking establishment, this is it. A classic dive bar. Note, this is a CASH ONLY establishment.

White Horse, Corner Bistro: if you're in the mood for a great burger, Jimmy recommends these two spots. In fact, he tells us that Corner Bistro has the best burger in the City!

*Kettle of Fish: We've been here too, it's still weird to walk down some steps to a place that looks like a basement, but this place has a solid following. If you want just drinks, then this is the place. Be forewarned, this is a Green Bay Packers bar.

Please note, most bars in Manhattan closes at 4 a.m., so PACE YOURSELF.

OTHER THINGS TO DO:
If you haven't been to a play in NYC, then go ahead and check one out. You'll be surprised, they're actually really good. Another great spot that people are frequenting is Brooklyn. In fact, a number of folks in our group is staying out there. Two places that have been recommended are Fabbrica and Die Koelner Bierhalle. The former is kinda like a gastropub, and latter is a German themed beer hall. In fact, they start their Oktoberfest celebrations next week.

PIZZA:

John's on Bleecker Street: is good, probably a little overrated and usually a line to wait outside as it's fairly touristy but still good. Individual slices are not sold here, you must order the whole pie.

Keste: a nice sit-down pizzeria, and across the street from John's. A bit more upscale.

Numero 28 and Joe's (on Carmine): some of the best pizza in the city, and individual slices are available.

Shirts: Giants Roadtrip to New York & Finnerty's

For anyone attending the Giants games next week in New York thru the Finnerty's game bus program, if you want one of our limited edition shirts from previous years let us know. At the moment, we still have a handful of ladies tees in assorted sizes. We have one men's shirt is a size medium.

Farewell Season to Candlestick Park Starts Today

Love it or hate it, Candlestick Park will be missed. Was it perfect? Of course not. Did the traffic drive you mad? Of course it did. Regardless, it was our stadium - it was our family. New stadiums and the amenities they have to offer made the 'Stick even more irrelevant. But you can't deny the memories that old stadium has - it's priceless, it's timeless. The memories of historic moments for both the Giants and 49ers will live on forever, and for that reason we'll take a deep breadth as we enter the 'Stick today as the 49ers kickoff the 2013 season.

For you older fans, you'll remember that during this time of year, the baseball field would still be intact for a 49ers game. That ceased back in 2000, but that's one of the things we'll remember as we scan the field today.

Candlestick Park in Baseball and Football Formation

The Case for Yusmeiro Petit

Is it possible for someone that's been in professional baseball for 11 years to have finally "figured it out"? Are the baseball gods just merely toying with us by allowing Yusmeiro Petit throw an absolute gem on Friday night against Arizona? How can someone that's had his chance in the Bigs several times in his career, finally blossom at  the age of 28? In a season filled with disappointments, and with the Giants slowly marching to finish the 2013 season, we have been pleasantly surprised with the performance of Petit. In three starts, he has a 3-0 record, 2.05 ERA, 30 Ks, 0.911 WHIP, and has allowed only four walks. He's done this against some impressive lineups from Colorado and Arizona.

While looking ahead to 2014, and with the eventual departure of Barry Zito from the club and the uncertainty of Tim Lincecum's future with the club. Perhaps, Petit can be the one of the missing pieces for the starting rotation. Yes, we know, it's a huge jump in faith to hand over the keys to an 11-year journeymen, but you can't deny that he hasn't earned consideration.

Yusmeiro Petit

Is It Time to Shutdown the Pitching Staff?

So here's a question, should the Giants shutdown the starting pitching staff? With only 3.5 weeks left in the season, should the club consider on giving Cain, Bumgarner, and Lincecum the rest of the month off? At this point, what is there to gain on sending them out every fifth day with no hope of the postseason in sight? Clearly, the club has to get ready and focused for the 2014 season and perhaps giving some of the key starters an early vacation will have them ready for next season.

Perhaps a revamped starting pitching staff of Zito, Vogelson, Petit, Moscoso, and Kickham can finish the season. It's not pretty, we know that, but this season hasn't been pretty either.

Candlestick Park Memories with Steve Wilson and Jose Rijo

It's the summer of 1990, and Giants are a year removed from their World Series appearance with the Oakland A's. We're home for the summer after another year of higher education, and like most kids home for the summer, we attended a few games at the 'Stick. Back then, we opted for the cheap general admission seats beyond the left field wall. This is before they added the portable aluminum bleachers. It was the place where the visiting bullpen was located. If you got there early and grabbed a front row seat, you were within a few feet from the bullpen bench where the players sat.

So two memorable things happened that summer that involved Steve Wilson, then with the Cubs, and Jose Rijo, then with the Reds. During that time we would indulge in a little smokeless tobacco, aka dip,  and so did Wilson and Rijo. During one Giants v. Cubs game, while seated in the front row, we asked to bum a dip from Wilson. He obliged and handed us a tin of Hawken. Hawken was unlike Skoal or Copenhagen, the dip itself was like little nuggets not the fine cut stuff that Skoal or Cope made, and it had a sweet tang taste to it too. In any event, after bumming a dip, we asked Wilson if we could keep the tin since ballplayers back in the day had an endless supply of chew/dip. To our surprise, Wilson said sure and let us keep the tin. Our second encounter involved Rijo who was then a starting pitcher for the Reds. During the Reds batting practice, Rijo was running from foul pole to foul pole on the warning track, and as he approached the left field pole, we asked if we could bum a dip from him too! He reached in his back pocket and tossed us a tin of Hawken. After taking a dip, we were prepared to toss it back to him but he said, "keep it."

Needless to say, this would NEVER happen today. First, tobacco companies no longer supply chew/dip openly to players for free. The teams have to purchase it on their own and keep it out of sight in the dugout (i.e. don't show it on TV). Second, players would probably be scared to hand a tin to someone still in their teens. As Candlestick Park enters it's last season, this is one of the memories we will remember of the old 'Stick.

Jose Rijo - Reds

Steve Wilson - Cubs

36th Anniversary of Duane Kuiper's Home Run

On August 29, 1977, Duane Kuiper belted his only career home run against the Chicago White Sox at the old Municipal Stadium in Cleveland. In fact, years later, Duane obtained the seat in which his home run ball hit when it went into the stands.

Duane Kuiper

The Newest SF Giants Fan Collectible: The Beer Cup

During a recent afternoon Saturday game, we couldn't help but notice that several fans had a "sleeve" of beer cups upon leaving the ballpark. Perhaps, spending $9.75 makes most of us feel that we need to take the cup home with us at the end of the game. Others might say that its useful to have some disposable cups for the summer barbecues or beach outings. Still, even others might even use them day-to-day at home or at work. In any event, we aren't the only ones to bring a beer cup home. At one point, we had over 50+ cups, but we've dwindled our haul to the ones pictured below. Do you have any beer cups from years past?

2012 World Series

2010 World Series

2002 World Series

2007 All Star Game

2008 50th Anniversary

2007 Barry Bonds 756th Home Run 

2006 Barry Bonds 715th Home Run

Time to Eliminate the Ball Dude Program

Some things are just meant to be phased out at AT&T Park. Take Rusty the mechanical man near the right field pole that lasted less than a season. Take the Build-a-Bear shack behind center field, it got the boot this past season. Take the concession kiosks that were near the line of sight to the field on the promenade level - doneski! Take the seats on the field level on the 1st base line that's been converted to the Corona Beach party area.

Now is the time to get rid of the Ball Dude program. We all know that these individuals have a hard fielding a soft grounder let alone a one-hop seed off the bat of Buster Posey. It's become a liability for the fans and players they are to suppose to help and protect. Case in point, just last week one of the Ball "Girls" tried catching a foul ball when three Giants were charging into foul territory to catch it! Thankfully, Joaquin Arias snatched it before we had a Steve Bartman moment at AT&T Park. We can understand why the club instituted the program at the 'Stick ... the foul territory was immense and the Ball Dudes pretty much stayed out of the way. But at AT&T Park where the foul territory is smaller we need individuals that can actually field and stay out of the way. In most other stadiums, they just have an extra set of bat boys deployed down the line or they recruit the local college softball players to do the same. Why can't the Giants move the program to have younger and capable individuals serve as Ball Dudes/Girls? It's just a matter of time before a major incident happens before the Giants are forced to alter the program - why wait for something like to happen?

An Accident Waiting to Happen

Ball Girl Going for Stephen Drew's Pop Up

SF Giants Attendance Records

As last night's game against Pittsburgh was wrapping up, we couldn't help but notice the number of empty seats at AT&T Park towards the later innings. It's understandable for fans to leave once the Bucs had a seven-run inning, but it had us thinking. How is this year's overall home attendance going to rank against other years at AT&T Park? As of date, AT&T Park has seen 2,665,441 fans enter the ballpark - in reality, it's tickets sold versus actual turnstile numbers. At that rate, the club will have way short on breaking the season record set in 2011. At best the club might see the overall attendance reach around the 3.3 million mark.


Ranked attendance records

1. 2011: 3,387,703 (avg: 41,823)
2. 2012: 3,377,371 (avg: 41,695) WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON
3. 2000: 3,318,800 (avg: 40,973)
4. 2001: 3,311,958 (avg: 40,888)
5. 2003: 3,264,898 (avg: 40,307) DIVISIONAL SERIES APPEARANCE
6. 2004: 3,256,854 (avg: 40,208)
7. 2002: 3,253,203 (avg: 40,163) WORLD SERIES APPEARANCE
8. 2007: 3,223,215 (avg: 39,793)
9. 2005: 3,181,023 (avg: 39,272)
10. 2006: 3,130,023 (avg: 38,646)
11. 2010: 3,037,443 (avg: 37,499) WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON
12. 2008: 2,863,837 (avg: 35,356)
13. 2009: 2,862,100 (avg: 35,335)

AT&T Park