Off Season Predictions …

A few of the big heavy weights have signed and soon a cascade of free agent signings should happen. For the SF Giants, we all know that starting pitching and outfield help are in desperate need. So here is our “fearless” prediction.

The Yankees need a second baseman, and they need one desperately. One scenario that could be viable is a trade involving Joe Panik and Brandon Belt for Brett Gardner and Andrew Miller. For the Giants, we would obtain a left fielder that could spell Angel Pagan in center when he gets hurt – and he will get hurt at some point, plus we would have a legit closer option with Miller or at the very least a solid replacement for Jeremy Affeldt. In regard to first base, this trade could signal the signing of Chris Davis, who’s been closely linked to SF or we can move Buster Posey to first base full time – because eventually, THAT WILL HAPPEN. 

As far as second base is concerned, the job would be open to Kelby Tomlinson – he demonstrated in 2015 that he can play second base, and hit for consistency. Plus, this trade would save us from trading away Brandon Arroyo, a guy that truly will make it to the Major Leagues and will provide insurance if any of our middle infielders go down with a significant injury.

For the Yankees, they would fill the void of second base, and have a DH for 2016 with the first base job open for Belt after Mark Teixeira’s contract expires after next season.

What are your fearless offseason predictions?

2015 Sons of Johnnie LeMaster Shirt Giveaway

For our 2015 shirt, we're going to do something different. We're going to giveaway the bulk of shirts during Marty Lurie's KNBR pre-game show at the Public House's patio on Saturday, May 2. Unlike previous years, we're not going to ship any shirts - quite frankly, we spend a good chunk of change on the shirts, and the shipping costs and time spent packaging the shirts were becoming a pass in the ass.

Soooo, if you want a 2015 shirt, head over to the patio on Saturday, May 2, and Marty will decide who receives one of our coveted tees for this year. We plan on having 30+ shirts to giveaway, so odds are good if you're there you might receive one.

On Friday, May 1, we'll post what the design of the shirt looks like - from the initial reaction of our focus group, this tee is going to be one of our all time greats.

UPDATED: Attendance Records at AT&T Park

We were checking the season ending attendance (tickets sold) record for AT&T Park last year, and surprisingly it only ranked fourth-fifth-best in the park's history. While we expect the tickets sold number to easily surpass 3.3 million for this season, the numbers from the turnstiles will reflect differently.


Ranked attendance records

1. 2011: 3,387,703 (avg: 41,823)
2. 2012: 3,377,371 (avg: 41,695) WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON
3. 2015: 3,375,882 (avg. 41,678)
4. 2013: 3,369,106 (avg: 41,593)
5. 2014: 3,368,697 (avg. 41,589) WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON
6. 2000: 3,318,800 (avg: 40,973)
7. 2001: 3,311,958 (avg: 40,888)
8. 2003: 3,264,898 (avg: 40,307) DIVISIONAL SERIES APPEARANCE
9. 2004: 3,256,854 (avg: 40,208)
10. 2002: 3,253,203 (avg: 40,163) WORLD SERIES APPEARANCE
11. 2007: 3,223,215 (avg: 39,793)
12. 2005: 3,181,023 (avg: 39,272)
13. 2006: 3,130,023 (avg: 38,646)
14. 2010: 3,037,443 (avg: 37,499) WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON
15. 2008: 2,863,837 (avg: 35,356)

Bobby Evans, Who Are You? Who, Who ... Who, Who.

The first two weeks of a season is never a bell weather for what's to come, but it shouldn't be ignored either. A 3-6 record is never going to appease the faithful, especially as the defending champs. We all know that the window for the Giants to win another crown is officially on the clock.

When the season started without Pablo Sandoval and Mike Morse, we knew this could be a trying year. Coupled with Hunter Pence on the DL only magnified how myopic this offense was going to be.

So the question begs to be asked, what will the newly promoted general manager Bobby Evans do if the slide continues? Does Bobby have carte blanche authority or will Sabey Sabes continue to enforce his opinion, will and approval on any roster moves? We think it's the latter. Can't picture Bobby pulling a gutsy trade like Sabes did back in 1996, when home grown favorite Matt Williams was traded to the Indians. The trade did yield future MVP and All Star, Jeff Kent, Julian Tavarez and "Jose Vizcaino" (in our best Harry Kalas voice).

Clearly we need to fortify this roster, but will Bobby have the intestinal fortitude to pull the trigger? Time will tell. Bobby, you're on the clock.

We Will Never Bad Mouth Pablo Sandoval

Two weeks into the 2015 season, and we get to see Casey McGehee and Matt Duffy play third base for the Gmen. Across the country in Boston, we see Pablo Sandoval suiting up for the Red Sox in Fenway Park. In recent weeks, a lot has been said about Pablo from San Francisco fans, most of it has been negative. Perhaps some of the ill will is of Pablo's doing based on several media reports indicating he planned on leaving the Giants regardless of the offers and overtures made in the off season. 

Regardless, we cannot and will not ever speak poorly of Pablo. How can we? You must first understand, we endured seasons with Rennie Stennett, Champ Summers, Tracy Jones, Mike Ivie, Enos Cabell, Al Oliver, Manny Trillo, Chris Brown, Mike Bengamin, Edgardo Alfonzo, Jose Castillo, and Brian Bocock in the lineup. 

For the longest time, we never thought we would ever a single world championship in San Francisco ever happen. Then the magical season of the 2010 graced us, followed by an incredible 2012 season, matched only by an improbable 2014 season. Pablo was a key member of the club of all of those three seasons, and for that, he has immunity in our book - that means no booing or bad comments. Some day, he'll return to AT&T Park, and when he does, we'll stand cheering for him loudly because he delivered three world championships that we thought we would ever see.

2010 Upper Deck Portraits

2015 SF Giants Season Tickets (photos)

Earlier this week, we received our 2015 SF Giants season tickets. This is always a special moment for season ticket holders because it signifies that the new season is near. One of the interesting parts of obtaining the tickets is to see which player photos have been selected to appear on the ticket itself. Unlike past years, the Giants used different photos for the first ten games at AT&T Park (including the two exhibition games against Oakland). Starting with the April 22 game, the team used the photos of the same five players throughout the season.

So this is how the tickets appear in the booklet:

• April 2 game vs. Oakland: Tim Lincecum's no-hitter
• April 3 game vs. Oakland: Yusmeiro Petit consecutive batters retired
• April 13 game Opening Day: Field photo with American flag
• April 14 game vs Colorado: Madison Bumgarner from the parade
• April 15 game vs. Colorado: Team photo from the parade
• April 16 game vs. Arizona: Travis Ishikawa walk-off home run in game 5 of the NLCS
• April 17 game vs. Arizona: Brandon Crawford grand slam in the Wild Card game
• April 18 game vs. Arizona: Bruce Bochy from the parade
• April 19 game vs. Arizona: "Buster Hug" with Bumgarner from game 7 of the World Series
• April 21 game vs. Dodgers: Brandon Belt home run in game 2 of the NLDS
• The remaining tickets feature the following players in this sequence:
• Matt Cain
• Buster Posey
• Madison Bumgarner
• Hunter Pence
• Santiago Casilla

What To Do With The Jersey When They Leave

What do you do when one of your homegrown guys leaves for another team? Truth be told, we stopped getting attached to any of our guys since February 1985, when Jack Clark was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals. We'll never forget it, Jack Clark and his then wife were being interviewed at the old Lyon's restaurant on El Camino Real in Millbrae by KRON-TV after the trade was made. We were crushed to see the only true star of the team going to St. Louis. It was a simpler time back then, we only had his baseball cards, and none of the countless number of apparel and souvenir items that exist today.

Fast forward to 2009, and this up and comer by the name of Pablo Sandoval came on the scene and became our starting third baseman. We liked what we saw in him, the guy could hit and field his position. He was Vladimir Guerrero all over again, his strike zone was from the laces to the bill of the cap, and he could square up his bat out of the zone. We remember watching him at Petco Park in San Diego at the end of the 2009 regular season and seeing him launch his 25th home run in an extra inning game to win a meaningless matchup. This is our guy, that's what we said ... he's gonna be with us for awhile and will be a cornerstone in our lineup. So we invested … we invested in an authentic road jersey with his name and number. The same one they wore in 2009, and even had the "Burns" memorial patch stitched to the sleeve too.

Through the following years, we saw him peak and fall back, but he was still our guy. After a dismal 2010 season, he regained his form and delivered in the subsequent years and was a key figure in the 2012 and 2014 World Championship clubs. And now he's gone.

His jersey sits quietly in our closet, and we won't wear it again in the foreseeable future. In all honestly, we may not wear again until we travel to Boston in 2016 to see the Giants play the Red Sox in inter league. After that, we won't wear it again until he retires and returns to San Francisco as a hero that helped us win three World Championships.

So long Pablo, we hope the baseball gods will grace you with some good luck and fortune in Bean Town.

Our Pablo Jersey

2015 SF Giants Stadium Giveaway Ideas

So we were thinking about the stadium giveaway (SGA) items for next year, and thought the items below should be on the SGA schedule, in addition to the standard items that are always on the schedule. What do you think? What items do you want to see added to the 2015 SGA lineup?

1. Hunter Pence right field splat catch in the NLDS bobblehead
2. Joe Panik dive to start a double play in the World Series bobblehead
3. Travis Ishikawa walk-off HR to win the pennant bobblehead
4. Madison Bumgarner NLCS and World Series MVP bobblehead
5. Inflatable World Series trophy
6. Cow bells with World Series Champions logo
7. T-shirt with all three championship flags on the back

Introducing our 2014 Limited Edition World Champions Shirt

What does one ponder when your team captures their third world championship in five years? A limited edition shirt! To celebrate the third crown in San Francisco Giants history, we created a shirt that honors the three championships.

On the back of the shirt, we have MLB's digital rendition of the Commissioner's Trophy and the years of the world championships. The front of the shirt has our standard branded graphic. The one unique aspect of the shirt is that it's the first v-neck shirt we've used. The v-neck was chosen to symbolize victory, a subtle change that we hope you'll like.

As usual, none of our shirts are for sale. We give them away for free to other die-hard fans. Good luck!

2015 SF Giants 25-man Roster Prediction

From the after-glow of a third world championship, the Giants front office face a difficult off season with plenty of questions to ask. Can they afford to resign Pablo Sandoval? What will the starting rotation look like next season? Who will be their regular left fielder? Is it time to move Buster Posey from behind the plate to first base?

The upside is that the core group of players (Posey, Hunter Pence, Madison Bumgarner, Joe Panik, Brandon Crawford) will be with the club for at least four more years. The possibility of winning at least two more world championships in the next five years is possible. So with that said, now is not the time for the Giants to stand pat. They must strike while the iron is hot, and fill some missing gaps that will ensure their return to the postseason.

First, we do not foresee the Giants resigning Pablo Sandoval. The dollars and years that the Yankees and Red Sox are ready to offer him will be simply too much for the Giants. Especially after a red hot postseason, Pablo has ensured himself of a big pay day. We expect Matt Duffy getting the nod as a temporary third base replacement.

Second, the starting pitching is a big concern. Will they resign Ryan Vogelsong? We don't see that happening. The Giants has squeezed every possible result from Vogey, and with an aging staff, they have to go younger and cheaper. Plus, Yusmeiro Petit has earned every right to become a starting pitcher for the Giants.

Third, Michael Morse is better suited to the American League as a part-time outfielder and full-time DH. We don't expect Travis Ishikawa to be on the club next season, nor do we expect Gregor Blanco being anointed the regular left fielder. Here, we see the Giants making the biggest play in the off season. Our prediction is that the Giants will trade for Yoenis Cespedes. The blockbuster trade will see Brandon Belt being shipped up to Boston and Cespedes returning to the Bay. By making this trade, the Giants solve their left field position, and have someone replace the lovable Panda.

Fourth, with Belt traded to Boston, now is the perfect time for Posey to play first base full time. The Giants simply cannot risk Posey getting injured from catching. The foul tips to the mask was too frequent in 2014, and they can't have another Matheny-like incident happening to them. Plus, the numbers prove that Posey is better hitter when playing first base. In addition, we all saw what catching a full season did to Posey in the World Series - he was a non-factor at the plate.

Starting pitchers:
Madison Bumgarner
Tim Hudson
Matt Cain
Yusmeiro Petit
Tim Lincecum

Relievers:
Santiago Casilla
Jeremy Affeldt
Javier Lopez
Hunter Strickland
Jean Machi
George Kontos
Erik Cordier

Infielders:
Joe Panik
Brandon Crawford
Matt Duffy
Buster Posey
Adam Duvall
Joaquin Arias

Catchers:
Andrew Susac
Hector Sanchez

Outfielders:
Hunter Pence
Angel Pagan
Yoenis Cespedes
Gregor Blanco
Juan Perez

Our World Series Prediction & Contest for our 2015 Shirt

To us, we see a repeat of the 2012 World Series happening this year. In '12, Detroit steam-rolled the New York Yankees in a four-game sweep of the ALCS, and then got blown away in the World Series against San Francisco. We see the same thing here, Kansas City ran away with the ALCS against Baltimore and scored 18 runs in the process.

This one is an easy one to call. The Giants win, and they win convincingly. We see the Giants winning the title in four games. Kansas City is a great team, but they have no idea what they're about to experience, and they'll be overwhelmed opening this series at home. Get ready to chill the bubbly and celebrate at 3rd and King streets on Saturday night.

What's your prediction? To make this interesting, the first two individuals that correctly predicts the three questions below will receive our 2015 Sons of Johnnie LeMaster shirt in March 2015.

The Rules:
Only answers left in the "comment" section of this post will count, and submissions must be made prior to first pitch of game one. Any submission made after first pitch will disqualified. Do not tweet your answers. (include your Twitter handle)

1. Which team will win the 2014 World Series?
2. How games in the series will be played when they win it?
3. Who will be the 2014 World Series MVP?

The End of the Line For Some

The next week and half could be the last time SF Giants fans see Ryan Vogelsong, Michael Morse, Sergio Romo, and Pablo Sandoval in a Giants uniform. All will be free agents once the World Series is completed.

Vogey is earning $5M this season, and all signs point that the Giants will not resign him, and quite honestly how could they possibly validate bringing him back. Aging pitchers do not get better and his year-by-year record since 2012 demonstrates that. In Morse, this was clearly a low-risk, high-reward one year signing, but he's clearly going to demand more than $6M a year and will probably seek a 3-5 year deal. The Giants won't go near that dollar amount or length of terms with him.

Romo who has become one of the more popular figures on the team will probably seek a closer role elsewhere. He earned $6.3M this year as a closer than being relegated to the setup role. He too will seek a higher per year dollar amount and probably a three-year deal … something along the lines of three years for $23-25M. Some team will probably pay him that, but it won't be San Francisco. Finally, the beloved "Panda" will probably be one of the most coveted free agents in the market, and one the Giants cannot afford. If we had to bet, we would count on the New York Yankees to land Pablo to play in the Bronx. They're in dire need of a third baseman, and with the short porch at Yankee Stadium, he could put up careers numbers in New York. Plus, they'll overpay just to land him.

This offseason, we expect the Giants to make a big trade to ensure they can make another run in October in 2015. So if you're going to any of the World Series games this week, be sure to cheer a little bit louder for the lads mentioned above because they may not be back next year.

SF Giants Lore Was Created Last Night

When all of us pass away, the night of October 16, 2014 will be discussed with future generations on what will be one of the top three moments in franchise history. Yes, winning World Series titles are huge, but you have to get there first, and last night Travis Ishikawa etched his name in Giants lore and launched the Giants to the World Series.

Baseball has a funny way on picking a hero, often its not the all star or highest paid player, but the guy earning the league minimum and getting a hit here and there. Somehow the baseball gods tapped Travis to be the hero and provide us with a moment none of us will ever forget. Oh by the way, Travis had a damned good series, batting .385 with seven RBI. Will we win the World Series next week? We don't know, but its looking good so far

Bobby Thomson - 1951

Kenny Lofton - 2002

Travis Ishikawa - 2014

Curtain Call Etiquette

So after game two of the NLCS, we thought it would be helpful to provide the St. Louis Cardinals with an outline on “curtain call” etiquette.

Rule number one, a home run in itself does not merit an automatic curtain call, especially in the middle of the game. The baseball gods do not appreciate such self-loathing and will put that in the old memory bank. Rule number two – if you’re going to take a curtain call, both your feet must be completely out of the dugout and on the field, don’t go half-ass by taking a few steps up the dugout. Rule number three – don’t be pressured by the fans to take a curtain call, be a pro.

When to take a curtain call

The curtain call in large part only happens after a dramatic or historic home run. For example, Reggie Jackson’s three home runs against the Dodgers in game six of the 1977 World Series; Brian Johnson’s walk-off home run against the Dodgers in 1997; Barry Bonds after reaching career home run milestone records; Pablo Sandoval’s three home runs in game one of the 2012 World Series; a future hall of famer’s last game as a professional Major Leaguer (i.e. Derek Jeter, Chipper Jones, Mariano Rivera, et al).

You get the picture … the curtain call is reserved only for the special and spectacular achievement. We can’t cheapen it with a solo home run in the sixth inning. This isn’t a Little League or AYSO game, this is the big leagues, and only the special moments deserve a curtain call.

Reggie Jackson - 1977 World Series

Brian Johnson - 1997 Beat LA

Pablo Sandoval - 2012 World Series

San Francisco versus St. Louis, beyond the stats

By now, you’ve read and heard every baseball pundit share why St. Louis or San Francisco will win the National League Championship Series. All have used some statistical data, whether its current or historical to support their position.

We’ve decided to look beyond the numbers on the field, and to compare the two cities and their respective attributes to determine who’s going to win the NLCS.

1.       Golden Gate Bridge v. The Arch: Both serve as iconic images for both cities … you mention San Francisco anywhere in the world and people will respond with Golden Gate Bridge, you mention St. Louis anywhere in the world and people will mention the Arch. Both are majestic and symbolize what is great about our country and people that call both cities home. To determine which one is better is like asking a parent, which kid do you love more? ADVANTAGE: PUSH

2.       Busch Stadium v. AT&T Park: Granted we have not attended a game in the new Busch Stadium, but folks we’ve talked to have raved about it. Especially The Village beyond centerfield. Downtown St. Louis has become an entertainment destination, which wasn’t the case with the old Busch Stadium. AT&T Park is a treasure – tucked away near the water, it has revitalized an area that was vacant for decades, and the cool features of the ballpark are second to none. The park symbolizes what baseball is all about. ADVANTAGE: SAN FRANCISCO

3. Toasted Ravioli v. Cioppino: Both menu items are the most associated with the respective cities. Yes, we know that each city could be associated with others, but these two items are consistently mentioned. The fried ravioli is awesome, we’re not gonna lie, it’s damn good – anything fried usually is. The cioppino is equally awesome, perfect for the cool climate of San Francisco. ADVANTAGE: ST. LOUIS

4. Forest Park v. Golden Gate Park: Forest Park is 1,293 acres and is considered one of the best public parks in the country. Golden Gate park is 1,017 acres and is home to Outside Lands and the Bay to Breakers. ADVANTAGE: ST. LOUIS.

5. Schlafly v. Anchor: Schlafly is a regional craft brewer based in St. Louis established in 1991 and offers some of the best crafted beers in the region. Unfortunately, their distribution is limited to the Midwest, so you won’t find anything out West. Anchor essentially invented craft beers and have been brewing their signature Steam beer since 1896. Even to this day, they have one of the best beers around. ADVANTAGE: SAN FRANCISCO

6. Metro St. Louis v. Muni: Public transportation is a bit rough in St. Louis, and their light rail system is a joke. It’s a car-dependent region and hardly anyone actually uses public transportation. Muni isn’t perfect, but the City is a place where you don’t need to own a car - public transportation is always readily available. ADVANTAGE: SAN FRANCISCO

7.  Stan Musial v. Willie Mays: Stan The Man is one of the all-time greats, and was beloved like no other in St. Louis. However, as Ted Williams once said, “they invented the All-Star Game for Willie Mays.” Mays is the best player to ever suit up in the Major Leagues, plain and simple. ADVANTAGE: SAN FRANCISCO

So there you have it, after tallying up a few categories for each city, San Francisco is destined to win the NLCS. It won’t be easy, but the Giants will come out on top! Enjoy the series.

Gotham Club (Part 2) - The Clubhouse

Earlier this season, we became members of the SF Giants’newest venture, the Gotham Club. A members only club where individuals can enjoy exclusive access to the park and some cool perks. At the time, only two of the three venues were open, the Bullpen and the Game Room. To be honest, those two venues were okay, the Bullpen is neat because you’re actually on the field during batting practice and you’re able to enter three hours before first pitch. Plus, they if there is a stadium giveaway, they have their own stash to pass out, so there’s no need to wait in long lines … score! The Game Room located on the Oracle suite club level is unique as well. The “GR” has two bowling lanes, billiards table, dart board and two bars to wet your whistle. Unfortunately, the “GR” has no direct view of the field, so if you want to watch the game, you’ll have to rely on the two big screen TVs. Also, depending on where your game seats are, it may take a while to get up there.

Last week, we received an e-mail from the Gotham Club, that the third venue, the Clubhouse was having a special sneak preview during the weekend series versus Arizona. The Clubhouse is the signature venue for the Gotham Club. It is situated behind the out of town scoreboard in right field. The team had to build a new second floor to create this unique space. And let us tell you, this is one helluva a space. The Clubhouse floor occupies the second arch way of right field all the way down to where the Coors Light party platform is. That’s how long this space is, and it has three unique sections.

The Sections

The first section nearest the right field pole is the bar. When you enter the Bullpen space, there is a staircase that leads up to the second floor. At the top of the stair case, you’ll enter a small seating area with leather chairs and a coffee table and big screen TV. Another element to the staircase will be the inclusion of baseball bats adorned along the walls. Each bat will have a Gotham Club member’s name inscribed on it (bats are on order now).

Once you make a quick right you enter the bar area, which is huge … our estimate is that there’s 25-30 seats at the bar, another 8-10 hightops (with four stools at each hightop), and a bunch of leather lounge chairs strategically placed between the bar and the out of town scoreboard. Oh yeah, the lads that run the out of town scoreboard are in here too, and they’re updating the scores and innings of the other games while you’re in there – very cool. Another great feature of the bar area are the windows behind the bar. The large windows provide a panoramic view of McCovey Cove, and you also have a clear view of the McCovey statue. At the end of the bar section, there are two booths that overlook the Triple Alley’s party area below, and the out of town scoreboard lads are stationed nearby as they have MLB.TV on their own private screen to catch scoring updates.

The second section, which was not opened during the sneak preview, is the lounge section. The plan is to have seating available for members and guests, while they enjoy a beverage and have a view of the game from the right-center field area.

The final section is the restaurant itself. This too was not open during the preview, but the restaurant will be located underneath the Coors Light party platform area up on the arcade. Also, the Giants built an elevator so members can access the Clubhouse area from the arcade level – that’s the new construction build out you see on the arcade section.

Final Thoughts

When we first joined Gotham Club, we thought the concept was cool, but didn’t think the two venues (Bullpen and Game Room) would generate much interest for others to join. However, after seeing the Clubhouse this past weekend, this is going to change the game. Once word spreads on how big, cool, and clever the space is, we can easily see the Giants reaching their membership capacity which is targeted at 1,000. This will be the place to be for pregaming, and having a drink and a bite to eat on those cold nights at the yard … the place to see and be seen. The Giants have hit a home run with this space, let’s hope the players on the field can keep up and hit a few more too.

 

Gotham Club - The Clubhouse is behind the out of town scoreboard

Staircase from the Bullpen to the Clubhouse

 

Up the stairs to the Clubhouse

 

Seating area in the Clubhouse next to stairs

 

 

View from the seating area to the bar

 

 

Out of town scoreboard

 

 

Close up view from out of town scoreboard peep hole

 

Other end of the bar looking back to the stairs

 

Majestic view of McCovey Cove from the bar

Another close up view from the out of town scoreboard

Numbers and inning indicators ready to go

Bar back area

Out of town scoreboard lads' command central

Bookend booths at the far end of the bar.

View from the booth over Triple Alley's party area

 

 

Second section of the Clubhouse

Yankee Doodle Dandy

On July 4th, 1983, Dave Righetti at the age of 24, threw a no-hitter against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium, and the Yankees won 4-0. Just a year later, the Yankees would convert Rags into a closer.

The Key to a World Championship in 2014 is with Brandon Belt

Who wants to win another World Championship this year? Yeah, so do we. We know that the club has to pull all the stops if they want to hoist another Commissioner's Trophy in October. We also know that pitching wins championships. Since Brandon Belt was placed on the disabled list on May 10, the team has gone 11-5; and has a five-game lead on the Dodgers to own first place in the NL West, and owns the best record in the Major Leagues. Since Belt's absence, Michael Morse has demonstrated that he's a trusty worthy first baseman and an offensive threat late in the game. Since Belt's absence, Hector Sanchez has proven he can call and catch a great game and provide some clutch hitting. Since Belt's absence, Posey has been saved from catching on a regular basis and keeping his bat in the lineup on a daily basis. Since Belt's absence, we've seen the resurrection of Tyler Colvin - a talented hitter that lost his way, but has found his stroke in San Francisco.

All of this bears to ask, can this club improve, and where should we focus that improvement. If we agree that pitching wins championships, then we need another solid arm for our pitching staff. And in order to obtain any pitcher that can help us right away, we must be prepared to trade a young known commodity. There in lies where Brandon Belt can help us win another championship if we trade him and another prospect for another solid pitcher. Wouldn't you want Jeff Samardjiza from the Cubs? Wouldn't you want David Price from the Rays? Those type of arms could help win another title in October.

Another point is that Buster Posey is not going to play catcher forever, and we need to come to terms with that now. The opportunity to win championship will not come every year, and sometimes you need to give something in order to receive something - baseball's version of quid pro quo. It will be a tough pill to swallow if Belt is traded, but if that ensures another parade down Market Street in late October, we're all in.

Gotham Club (Part 1) - The Game Room

In the next few months, we'll post pictures of the different venues that make up the new Gotham Club at AT&T Park. Gotham Club is a members only club at the park that started late last year. We're told that only 1,000 memberships are available, and they're about 40-50% sold as of now. Last week, we ventured into the Gotham Club at  AT&T Park and took photos of the famed Game Room located at the Oracle Club Suite level. To enter this floor, you just need to show your Gotham Club card and you're in.

The entrance to the club is designated by a small Gotham Club logo on the door. Once inside, a hostess scans your card and you're off to enjoy the video games, billiards table, and two bowling lanes. In addition, they have a small bar and menu where you can order drinks and food and have it charged to your master account. Cash is not accepted here, items are charged to your master account or your credit card.

Here are some photos ...

Entrance to Gotham Club

Three Video Games

Billiards Table

The Hallway Looking from the Video Game/Billiards Room to the Bowling Alley

The Hostess Stand on Your Way Out

In Between the Main Entrance and Bowling Alley

Overlooking King Street from the Bowling Alley

Two Lanes of Bowling

Plastic Gotham Club Cup

Introducing our 2014 Sons of Johnnie LeMaster Shirt

Finally, the day has arrived. Today, we received shipment of our 2014 shirts. In years past, we created the "LeMaster" shirt, the "BOO" shirt, and an ill-fated "Sign Melky to a Contract" shirt. This year, we wanted to mix things up, and chose the legendary quote by Bruce Bochy when he informed Brandon Belt that he had made the 25-man roster in 2011. For those of you that don't remember, the scene was captured from the TV series, "The Franchise." In Bochy's office at AT&T Park, Bochy informed Belt that he made the team. Overcome with emotion, Belt started to get a bit watery-eyed and was lost for words. It was that moment, that Bochy said, "You need a beer? Grab a beer." Voila, TV gold was instantly made. So, to honor that moment, that quote is on the back of our 2014 shirts! Also new for this year is the shirt itself. In years past, we chose the Hanes 100% cotton tees, but this year we decided to support California-made tees, so we had them printed on American Apparel shirts. Slightly lighter, a bit more stylish, but still the cool Sons of Johnnie LeMaster shirt!

In accordance with our policy, NONE of our shirts are for sale. We simply give them away to deserving and like-minded diehard SF Giants fans. As usual, we have a limited supply of shirts since we flipped the bill for them, so we're gonna be picky on who gets one. Do you deserve a shirt? Tell us why? (at bare minimum, you should be following us on Twitter and Instagram)

Good Luck!

Close up of the back of the shirt

Back of the shirt

Front of the shirt