Gotham Club - SF Giants New Moneymaker

Recently, the SF Giants invited chartered seat members to a new social club (Gotham Club) that will be based in three locations within AT&T Park. The club is named after the original name of the franchise (Gothams), and is slated to be open this year.

The club will allow members game day access to three venues called The Clubhouse, The Game Room, and The Bullpen. The Clubhouse which is scheduled to open in 2014, will be based behind the out of town scoreboard and will offer views of the field and McCovey Cove and will hold a private bar and dining room. The Game Room which will open this year, is located somewhere on the club level behind the 3rd base dugout. The features of this space include a lounge, bowling lanes, and other parlor games. Finally, The Bullpen which will also open this year, will be located on the field level near the corner of the right field section and will allow individuals to watch batting practice and will hold a bar as well.

In addition to having access to these venues on game days, membership to the club will also allow individuals to participate in the following:


Club Socials (monthly events):

• Batting Practice in the Giants' batting tunnel
• Bowling Nights
• Beer, Wine & Spirits Tastings
• Movie Nights
• Game Nights in the Game Room and throughout AT&T Park

Exclusive Events - Members will enjoy access to premiere no‑host events throughout the year that may include:

• On-Field Dinners
• Baseball Road Trips
• Elite Speaker Series
• Sporting Events
• Concerts
• Celebrity chef dinners
• Bay cruises

And now for the big finish ... individual membership begins with an initiation fee of $2,500 with annual dues at $1,750 (or $1,250 on a three-year plan). Corporate membership has two levels, "Founding Five" will cost $10,000 for initiation and $5,000 for annual dues; "Founding Ten"will cost $20,000 for initiation and $10,000 for annual dues. Both levels require a three year commitment.

So there you have it ... the new Gotham Club. 

The Map of the Gotham Club Venue Locations

Artist Rendition of the Game Room (with Bowling Lanes)

Artist Rendition of the Game Room with Pool Table

Artist Rendition of The Bullpen

Artist Rendition of The Clubhouse

The Curse of Dawg?

We're trying to get a handle on what has become a dismal season for the defending World Champs, and while injuries have forced the club's hands on starting players that were never part of the master plan, something else is amiss.

We've been thinking what could it possibly be? Then the moment dawned us, the epiphany struck us like a bolt of lightning. It was after the Giants home game on May 12. You remember the moment. The Giants were up 5-0 against the Atlanta Braves, and Marco Scutaro stroked one to the left field wall and Justin Upton was trailing the flight of the ball to the wall getting ready to make an attempt to catch it. When out of nowhere a glove appeared from the stands and took a stab at the ball and interfering with the play.

It turned out the self-proclaimed mayor of left field, aka Dawg, was the individual that was involved in the play. A fixture at all Giants home games, and even some road games, the Dawg interfered with another ball and the Giants had enough. So the days immediately following the incident, he was banished from sitting in the front row, and was told he could sit in one of the higher rows for the rest of the season. He was going to have none of that, and basically said screw it, I'm done for the year.

Since then, the Giants have a record of 22-38, and have dropped out of first place to now own fourth place with little possibility on seeing the postseason. Could this be our Billy the Goat moment? Perhaps it's time to reinstate Dawg to his regular post because last night's thrashing by the Reds was enough for us.

The "Dawg"

World Series Hangover?

Perhaps a blog post will stir some good vibes for the Giants. After last night's extra innings lost to the Mets, we couldn't help but think about the 2011 season and the disappointment the fan base had when the team failed to play in the postseason. As you may recall, the 2011 club finished in 2nd place in the NL West with a record of 86-76, and that's with the absence of Buster Posey. So we thought it be interesting to see how the 2013 club compares to the 2011 club as of today. On July 9, 2011, the team had a 51-40 record. Compared to the club's current record (40-48), the differential in the win column is 11 games.

Is the 2013 a total loss? It's still too early to tell, but there is no doubt the team needs it's full roster healthy and injury-free.

Etiquette Guide for Fans Visiting AT&T Park

Every now and then, we all need a refresher on how to conduct ourselves at the ballpark. So without further ado, here we go ...

1. Please be in your seats by first pitch. Kinda of a no brainer.
2. Check the section and row of your seat before you venture into a section. "Ummm, which section is this?" There are plenty of signs indicating section numbers, and each row is numbered.
3. As a courtesy to other fans, please wait 'til the end of the half inning to head to the concession stands or restrooms.
4. Fans seated in the front rows of the left field and right fields lines ... DO NOT TOUCH A BALL THAT'S IN PLAY. We repeat, DO NOT TOUCH A BALL THAT'S IN PLAY. We have already seen three instances this year where fans were grabbing balls that were in play. STOP IT! If you want a ball so badly, we'll give you the $10 to buy one at Sports Authority.
5. For guys over the age of 25 ... if you catch a foul ball, give it to a kid seated near you. It will mean more to them than it will for you. Plus, you'll probably end up losing it once you start your bar crawl after the game ... House of Shields and Mr. Bings are popular spots to lose your stuff.
6. DO NOT DO THE WAVE ... EVER! AT&T Park is a wave-free zone.
7. Bring a good attitude ... everyone is there to have a good time and to watch the Giants win. If you're a trouble maker, you will be escorted out of the park. We have seen this happen many times ... we even witnessed two guys get kicked out during the national anthem two years ago for causing a ruckus in the left field bleachers.
8. Avoid using profanity. We know, this can be tough ... but, there are so many kids that attend games and we know many parents that cringe when someone next to them is cursing like a drunken sailor.
9. If you catch a home run ball from the visiting team, throw it back. The exception to this rule is if you catch a milestone home run (i.e. first career HR, 100th HR, 200th HR, etc.).

Pablo in 2011 and 2013

Great to see Giants baseball back on today, but we noticed something that was alarming and that's Pablo's weight. There is no question that he gained weight, but the amount that he's gained is the most alarming thing. We were able to see a photo of Pablo in 2011 and most recently in 2013. See the comparison photo below and see the difference.

Get a Free SF Giants Beanie

Peet's Coffee & Tea will start a special promotion starting on April 1st and ending on September 30th. Individuals that have a SF Giants ticket (it must be a season ticket) and purchase a pound of coffee beans at select Peet's retail stores (see below) will receive a free SF Giants beanie that has the 2012 World Champions logo on it.

Only five locations will offer this promotion and they are:

• 370 Fourth Street
• 692 Mission Street
• Ferry Building
• 595 Market Street
• 555 9th Street

According to the promotion, supplies will be replenished throughout the season. Sounds good to us!

In order to redeem the SF Giants beanie, you must have a SF Giants season ticket that has the promo (pictured above) on the back of the ticket.

2013 SF Giants Season Tickets Design

Our 2013 season tickets arrived today via FedEx, and we're pleasantly surprised with the design used for this season. As you will notice from our pictures, the overall design is similar to the 2011 tickets. A few things to note ... the tagline "Together We're Giant" is used on all of the tickets, and texting information for security "Foul" and guest services "Fair" are on the bottom of each picture. As far as the players are concerned, five players are pictured throughout the tickets, they are: Pablo Sandoval, Sergio Romo, Buster Posey, Matt Cain, and Madison Bumgarner.

Opening Day Ticket

Buster Posey NL MVP Game Ticket

Ring Presentation Game Ticket

Pablo Sandoval

Sergio Romo

Buster Posey

Matt Cain

Madison Bumgarner

National TV Schedule for SF Giants

At the moment, the SF Giants will appear on national television eight times in 2013. Seven with FOX Sports, and one with ESPN Sunday Night Baseball. ESPN also has the right to schedule last minute Sunday games for the second half of the season, so depending how the Giants are playing, we might see an extra game or two of the Giants on ESPN.

National TV Schedule:
Saturday, April 6 (Cardinals @ Giants) FOX Sports
Saturday, April 13 (Giants @ Chicago Cubs) FOX Sports
Saturday, May 4 (Dodgers @ Giants) FOX Sports
Sunday, May 5 (Dodgers @ Giants) ESPN
Saturday, June 1 (Giants @ Cardinals) FOX Sports
Saturday, July 6 (Dodgers @ Giants) FOX Sports
Saturday, August 10 (Orioles @ Giants) FOX Sports
Saturday, August 17 (Giants @ Marlins) FOX Sports

2013 SF Giants Batting Practice Cap by New Era

Hey, baseball is a major business, and one of their revenue streams is merchandising. So it shouldn't be to anyones surprise that a new batting practice cap will debut during spring training this year. According to New Era, the BP caps will have a more structured look - similar to the regular season caps. However, they're also lighter and have a breathable material unlike the regular season caps. Caps should be made available for sale in late February, so get your wallets ready!

The 2013 SF Giants Batting Practice Cap

Ranking the 2013 SF Giants Stadium Giveaways (SGA)

First, let us extend our kudos to the Giants brass for FINALLY increasing the quantity amount for the bobblehead giveaways. Not sure what took so long, but those long lines where fans would lineup hours in advance were uncalled for and absolutely ridiculous, especially for those that had little young ones inline too.

Okay, by now the true die-hards have already reviewed the 2013 Giants promotional schedule, and I'm sure most of them have even penciled in their calendar which games they must attend. So, as we did last year we're gonna rank the ones that will probably have the most appeal and demand.


The Must-Haves: Put anything with Posey's name on it, and fans will want it! A replica World Series ring will also be in high-demand, the LA Kings recently had a replica ring giveaway and those are selling on eBay for around $100!!! Yup, the rings will be huge! A snow globe in April?! Slap on the World Champions logo, and those will be in demand especially when only 20K are available. Gnomes?  Those were probably more popular last year than the bobbleheads - expect long lines for the Romo and Lincecum gnome giveaways. And for the giveaway that started all of the hype related to promo events, the bobbleheads will always be popular. Especially for first-timer Ryan Vogelsong ... Zito will have his second Giants bobblehead (first one was in 2007) hard to believe that it's taken six years for his second bobble head, but he did have a rough start with the club, but after last year's NLCS game 5 performance he's a legend now. Kudos to Zito!

• Buster Posey NL MVP Bobblehead, First 40,000 fans (Saturday, April 6 v. Cardinals)
• Giants World Series Replica Ring, First 40,000 fans (Sunday, April 7 v. Cardinals)
• Giants World Champions Snow Globe, First 20,000 fans (Tuesday, April 9 v. Colorado)
• Sergio Romo Gnome, First 20,000 fans (Sunday, May 5 v. Los Angeles)
• Giants Announcers Bottle Stopper, First 20,000 fans (Saturday, May 11 v. Atlanta)
• Barry Zito Bobblehead, First 40,000 fans (Sunday, May 26 v. Colorado)
• Ryan Vogelsong Bobblehead, First 40,000 fans (Saturday, June 22 v. Florida)
• Tim Lincecum Gnome, First 20,000 fans (Saturday, Sept. 7 v. Arizona)

Cool, I want one: These items feature some of the standard items, shirts, towels, fedora and banner. However, a few new ones are on the schedule too, such as the license plate frame, headphones, and sombrero. Again, anything with the World Champs logo will be in demand, and then the intrigue of some new giveaways will also increase demand.

• Giants World Champions Banner, First 20,000 fans (Sunday, April 21 v. San Diego)
• Giants World Champions License Plate Frame, First 20,000 fans (Saturday, May 4 v. Los Angeles)
• Giants World Champions Beach Towel, First 20,000 fans (Sunday, June 23 v. Florida)
• Giants Headphones, First 20,000 fans (Saturday, July 20 v. Arizona)
• Angel Pagan Knit Beanie, First 20,000 fans (Saturday, July 27 v. Chicago)
• Marco Scutaro T-Shirts, First 20,000 fans (Sunday, July 28 v. Chicago)
• Giants Plaid Fedora, First 20,000 fans (Saturday, Aug. 24 v. Pittsburgh)
• Giants Orange Sombrero, First 20,000 fans (Saturday, Sept. 7 v. Arizona)

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, cards and drawstring backpack. The umbrella sounds cool, but it's probably one of those small ones that will fall apart with one strong wind gust. The charm necklace ... ehh, not for us either.

• Opening Day Calendars, First 40,000 fans (Friday, April 5 v. St. Louis)
• Magnet Schedule, First 20,000 fans (Monday, April 8 v. Colorado)
• Giants World Champions Umbrella, First 20,000 fans (Saturday, April 20 v. San Diego)
• Giants World Champions Charm Necklace, First 20,000 fans (Sunday, May 12 v. Atlanta)
• Giants World Champions Cap, First 20,000 fans (Saturday, May 25 v. Colorado)
• Drawstring Backpack, First 25,000 fans (Saturday, July 6 v. Los Angeles)
• Giants Trading Cards, First 20,000 fans (Sunday, July 7 v. Los Angeles)
• Virgin America 2-for-1 Flight Voucher, First 40,000 fans (Saturday, Aug. 10 v. Baltimore)

So there you have it ... the 2013 Giants promo schedule. We were hoping they would list another statue giveaway ... it should be Juan's turn on getting one of those. Anyways, if they're any items that seem of interest to you ... get your tickets ASAP. If 2011 was any indication, tickets will be hard to come by so don't wait to get your tickets!!

Where Are They Now: Kurt Ainsworth (2001-03)

As much as we love baseball, there are times when baseball can show it's cruel side. The cruel side is when a player with a lot of talent is unable to compete because of injuries - we this happen every season. And without question, the Giants have had their share of players that showed flashes of brilliance only to be curtailed by nagging injuries. In our view, Kurt Ainsworth is on top of that list. Kurt was drafted by the club in 1999 amateur draft in the first round (24th pick) after playing collegiately at Louisiana State University. After signing, Kurt spent the '99 season with the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes of the Class A Northwest League, where he started 10 games and accumulated a record of 3-3 and an ERA of 1.61.

In the 2000 season, Kurt played for the Shreveport Captains (AA) of the Texas League where he went 10-9 with an ERA of 3.30 and 130 strikeouts in 158 innings. The following year, he started with Class AAA Fresno Grizzlies of the Pacific Coast League where he went 10-9, with an ERA of 5.07 in 27 games. Later that season, Kurt was called up to the Big Club and made two relief appearances.

The following year is when Kurt's physical ailment started impacting his performance. He started the season in the starting rotation and went 5-4 in 11 stars with a 3.82 ERA, but started experience inflammation in his shoulder. He was placed on the DL on June 3, and made a rehab start on June 15 but was pulled after two innings. It was later determined that his shoulder blade was broken. As the Giants were making another run to the playoffs following their disappointing World Series performance, the club traded Kurt and Damian Moss to Baltimore for Sidney Ponson. At the time of the trade, Ponson was having a Cy Young Award year, he had a record of 14-6 with a 3.77 ERA. He appeared to be the strong arm the club needed at the time, but once he arrived to the City he floundered by posting a record of 3-6 in 10 starts.

Kurt didn't fare any better once he was in Baltimore, he made only 10 appearances in a two-year span before finally retiring from the game. His last Major League appearance was on May 10, 2004 after having a heralded amateur and minor league career. What we liked about Kurt was his competitiveness on the mound, he reminded us of Orel Hershiser. Clearly, he had the stuff to succeed on the Major League level, but his body simply wouldn't allow him to compete. Several other pitchers (Jesse Foppert, Noah Lowry) from the 2003 Giants club also suffered physically that limited their careers.

Where is he now? Though Kurt is no longer playing, he's still involved with the game. In 2002, Kurt was co-founder of Marucci Sports, and has maintained a leadership position with the company following his retirement. Marucci is manufacturer of premium baseball equipment, most notably metal and wood bats. Their wooden bats with the iconic slanted "M" logo is one of the most popular bats used by Major Leaguers today. In fact, several current Giants use Marucci, and Ryan Vogelsong often wears their hat during postgame interviews.

Marucci Sports: CBS This Morning Interview

Kurt Ainsworth: 2000 Bowman Rookie Card

Kurt Ainsworth pitching at AT&T Park

Network Baseball Theme Music

The other day, we saw a replay of the 1989 NLCS featuring our beloved SF Giants and the Chicago Cubs. In 1989, the NLCS was aired on NBC Sports, and for years they had a baseball theme music that started and ended every broadcast. Growing up, whenever we heard that music, we knew a baseball game was about to start on the television set ... it was baseball's version of Pavlov's dogs. When NBC lost their rights to broadcast Major League games, we grew up listening to the baseball theme music of other networks. 

Some of the other theme music were pretty good, but for our money the NBC baseball theme will always resonate with us as being the best. Listed below are the respective network baseball theme music ... take a listen, which one is your favorite?

NBC Sports - Baseball Theme

ABC Sports - Baseball Theme

CBS Sports - Baseball Theme

FOX Sports - Baseball Theme

ESPN - Baseball Theme

This Week in Baseball - Baseball Theme

CSN Bay Area - Giants/A's Theme

SF Giants and Football

On the eve of the NFC Divisional game featuring our hometown Niners v. Packers, we thought about past Giants that had a close link to football. We thought of one player in particular ... can you name the former Giant that played quarterback for his college football team?

Answer is available here.

2011 Blackout: Steelers v. 49ers

Matt Kemp Loves San Francisco

So as we wait for the NFC Divisional game (49ers v. Packers) that's slated for this Saturday, we couldn't help notice that the one and only Matt Kemp of the Los Angeles Dodgers is a die-hard SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS fan.

We can't wait to hear Matt Kemp utter the words, "It's the San Francisco 49ers show so far."

Matt Kemp at a Phoenix Suns Game Last Year

Matt Kemp - San Francisco 49ers Die Hard

Where Are They Now: Joe Strain (SF Giants 1979-80)

Yeah we know ... Joe who? Joe Strain is not often mentioned in the same sentence as Jack Clark, Darrell Evans, Mike Ivie, et al from the 1979 and 1980 seasons, but for some odd reason his name has always resonated with us. Strain only played for three seasons, two of which with the Giants, and one with the Chicago Cubs. He was strictly a role player that played second base backing up Rennie Stennett, and his offensive numbers are not going to dazzle you by any stretch. In his two years with the Giants, Strain had one home run, 28 RBI, batted. 260 in 446 at-bats.

After the 1980 season, Strain was traded to the Cubs for Jerry Martin and Jesus Figueroa. Strain started the 1981 season as the Cubs second baseman, but his year in Chicago ended up with him being released on June 2, 1981.

One of the interesting tidbits about Strain is that he was in a punk-rock band with two other San Francisco players, and they were called the "Giants Prospects."  John Tamargo was on drums, Greg Johnston on bass, and Strain on vocals and guitar. From what we can gather, they weren't very good ... just a good way to blow off some steam on the road in the minors. A copy of their band flyer is included below, made to depict a baseball card.

It's unclear what Strain did after being released in '81, but he returned to the Giants organization and became the manager of the short-season class A team in the Northwest League in Everett, Washington from 1984 to 1990.

Currently, Strain resides in Colorado and is the West Coast Scouting Supervisor for the Giants and had a lot to do with putting together the 2010 and 2012 World Championship teams. In fact, he was the scout that signed Sergio Romo!

Strain Running the Bases During Spring Training

The Punk Rock Band - "Giants Prospects"

Where Are They Now: Marc Hill (SF Giants 1975-79)

Marc who? Yeah, you're not gonna find Marc Hill's plaque on the Giants Wall of Fame on the exterior wall of AT&T Park on King Street. However, he's one of those obscure players that we remember fondly while growing up following the Giants. Maybe its because of his 1979 Topps baseball card  (see below). We don't know where that photo was taken, but that field needs a huge John Deere lawn mower for a good cut.

Hill arrived to the Giants via a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals in October 1974 for Ken Rudolph (C) and Elias Sosa (RHP). Sosa actually ended up having a 12-year career as a middle reliever and had some solid seasons playing for the Dodgers and Expos.

Hill played six years for the Giants and usually split catching duties with Mike Sadek and or Milt May. His best year was in 1977 where he belted nine home runs and 50 RBI while batting .250. In 1980, he was purchased by the Seattle Mariners and played sparingly. After that year, as a free agent he signed with the Chicago White Sox, and would spend the next six years with the Southsiders as a backup catcher. He retired after the 1986 season.

In the subsequent years, Hill managed and coached at the following clubs and locations:

1987 - manager of White Sox's minor league team in Daytona Beach
1988 - coach with Houston Astros
1989-1991 - bullpen coach for New York Yankees
1992 - manager of New Port News (White Sox minor league club)
1993-1994 - manager of Seattle Mariners AA team
1995-1997 - manager of Carolina Mudcats (Pittsburgh Pirates minor league club)
1998-2002 - roving catching instructor for Pittsburgh Pirates
2003 - manager of the River City Rascals

After the 2003 season, Hill officially retired from the game and currently resides in Elsberry, Illinois. Hill lists Tony LaRussa and Dave Duncan as close friends, most notably because he played for LaRussa when he played in Chicago.

Marc Hill's 1979 Topps Card

Marc Hill Taking BP at Dodger Stadium

In Memoriam: Gary Carter, Pedro Borbon, Alexis Busch

This past year will go down as one of the all-time great seasons for the SF Giants ... that happens when you win the World Series. Who would have ever thought we would have two World Championships in a three-year span? We are still amazed. However, while we enjoy the fruits of this past season, it's important to remember those that were a part of the club at one time or another that are no longer with us. In our view, any one that puts on a Giants uniform will always be remembered, so with that, we honor three individuals that past away in 2012.

Gary Carter  - Catcher (SF Giants: 1990)

Pedro Borbon - RH Reliever (SF Giants: 1979)

Alexis Busch - Bat Girl (SF Giants: 1999-2002)

SF Giants Players Music Choices and Stadium Music List

We often receive inquiries from fans on a player's walk up music. Typically, they just want to know who sings it. So, with a little research we have compiled the music of choice for 2012 SF Giants, plus we gathered the songs that are typically played at the yard in between innings.

Enjoy!

Angel Pagan: Blue by Gemini
Aubrey Huff: Superstar by Saliva
Barry Zito: Doo Rags by Nas
Brandon Crawford: Writer's Block by Royce Da 5'9; Lord Knows by Drake
Brett Pill: I'm Broken by Pantera
Brian Wilson: Jump Around by House of Pain
Buster Posey: Hell on Wheels by Brantley Gilbert
Clay Hensley: Wherever I May Roam by Metallica
Dan Otero: Stop Science
Eli Whiteside: The Ocean by Led Zeppelin
Emanuel Burriss: Function by E40; Faded by Tyga; Untouchable by Rick Ross; Up! by Loverance
Freddy Sanchez: Black and Orange by Bailey
Gregor Blanco: Welcome to Jamrock by Damian Marley; Blue by Gemini
Hector Sanchez: Corazones by Daddy Yankee
Hunter Pence: A Warrior's Call by Volbeat
Javier Lopez: Coastin' by Zion I
Jeremy Affeldt: Fireproof by Pilar
Jose Milares: Lovumba by Daddy Yankee
Madison Bumgarner: Bad Company by Five Finger Death Punch
Marco Scutaro: Danza Kuduro by Don Omar
Matt Cain: Whistlin' Dixie by Randy Houser
Melky Cabrera: Crazy People by Pitbull; Right Above It by Lil Wayne
Pablo Sandoval: Dance by Big Sean; N**** in Paris by Jay Z and Kanye West; Wild Boy by MGK; The Motto by Drake
Ryan Theriot: I Wanna Rock by Luther Campbell; Push It by Salt-N-Pepa
Ryan Vogelsong: Metalingus by Alter Bridge
Santiago Casilla: Mi Roca Y Mi Castillo by Entre Mar Y Cordillera
Sergio Romo: El Mechon by Banda MS; Wherever I May Roam by Metallica
Tim Lincecum: Loud by Mac Miller

STADIUM SELECTIONS
Song 2 by Blur
Bye Bye Baby
300 Violins by Jorge Quintero
Don't Stop Believing by Journey
Lights by Journey
Twist & Shout by Isley Brothers
Summer Wind by Frank Sinatra
I Left My Heart in San Francisco by Tony Bennett
You Dropped a Bomb On Me by Gap Band
Fist Pump Song by HardKnox

Our Holiday Wish to SF Giants Nation

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 2013.

Happy Holidays to you and yours. Go Giants!

The Sons of Johnnie LeMaster

Our Wish List of 2013 SF Giants Promo Items

Each season the SF Giants compiles a promotional calendar to entice the masses to attend a game and walk away with a nifty souvenir (aka the stadium giveaway) to take home compliments of (fill in the name of any sponsor). In recent years, the bobbleheads have been all the rage, and this past season the gnome giveaways leapt over the bobbleheads as the must-have giveaway items.

Now with the club fresh off a 2012 World Championship, it's safe to say we'll have a 2013 promo calendar themed around the World Championship. Sure, we'll get the good old standard giveaways: calendar, schedule magnet, cap, baseball cards, and few bobbleheads tossed in. But how about something different?

Here's our list of giveaway items that we would schedule if we were in charge of the promo schedule ...

• Inflatable replica of the Commissioner's Trophy ... fans could bring this to every home and ROAD games - especially down in LA. We could remind all opponents who the defending champs are!
• Replica National League MVP trophy - let's celebrate with Buster by having a replica trophy can we can hang on to.
• Continuing on the trophy theme ... have a replica World Series MVP trophy day in honor of Pablo.
• Again, with the trophy theme ... have a replica National League Championship Series MVP trophy day in honor of MARCOOOOOOOO ... SCUTARO!
• World Championship themed FatHead stickers that we can take to Kinko's and put on cardboard stock to bring them to the games.
• Juan Marichal replica statue ... you know this is gonna happen.
• Cow bells with the World Championship logo ... can you imagine the bleachers ringing the cow bells when Matt Holliday is playing LF!? "Holllllliday!" 
• Plastic batting helmet with the World Champs logo ... what happened to those plastic helmets?! They use to give them out a the 'Stick! Maybe some fans actually used them as a batting helmet in a game :-/
• Wrist bands with the caricature of Buster Posey, Mr. MVP! Remember when ball players had wrist bands with their likeness on them?!
• SF Giants World Champs Twitter themed shirt with #RallyZito #RallyVogey #RallyBum #RallyCain #RallyEnchiladas
• Another SF Giants shirt that says, "It's the San Francisco Giants show so far!" @therealmattkemp
• Hat clips with World Champs logo
• And finallllly ... World Champs logo thongs for the ladies (and for Aubrey Huff)!!!!

Whatcha all think? Awesome, right!? We should work for the promo department.

Our Fearless Offseason Predictions for the SF Giants

Well, it appears we have Jeremy Affeldt back into the fold after hearing that he had agreed to terms (3yrs for $18M) with the club. That's the market for middle relievers folks ... nice work if you can get it.

But we digress ... so how will the rest of the roster look heading into spring training of next year.

So here's the list of SF Giants that are either free agents or arbitration eligible:

FREE AGENTS:

• Melky Cabrera: He earned $6M this past season, but the club wants no part of this act or circus for 2013 ... he'll sign with another club for 2-yr deal worth around $8-10.
• Freddy Sanchez: He earned $6M this past season to essentially work out in Phoenix and then fly up to SF for some postseason games to watch from the dugout. Freddy, thanks for 2010, but adios!
• Angel Pagan: we think he's looking for "Aaron Rowand money" <gasp> ... we got chills just typing that. But coming off a World Championship he's looking to cash in ... we think he'll sign elsewhere for a three-year deal.
• Ryan Theriot: the man that Marco Scutaro replaced. I'm sure he's looking for a starting job somewhere, and SF doesn't appear to be a fit. If he's willing to return as a backup, the Giants will sign him, but that seems unlikely.
• Guillermo Mota: he earned $1M this past season ... even though he was suspended, he still has value as low cost alternative. Our guess the Giants will sign to another one-year deal just under $1.5M.
• Marco Scutaro: we expect the club to resign him to a two-year $17M deal, with a club option for a third year.

ARBITRATION ELIGIBLE:

• Brian Wilson, last year of arbitration: our guess is that BWeezy will be wearing a new uniform next season. He earned $8.5M in 2012, and take only a slight pay cut for 2013. The risk is too great for the Giants to resign him ... they'll let him walk.
• We expect the following guys to have some raises next season ... Santiago Casilla, Sergio Romo, Buster Posey, and Gregor Blanco.

FEARLESS AND BOLD HOT STOVE MOVES

• We expect the Giants to get a CF via trade, so this is our forecast ... drum roll please ... the Giants will trade Tim Lincecum to Boston for Jacoby Ellsbury.
• LF will be platooned by Blanco and Gary Brown.
• The club will look for an inexpensive fifth starter, think Jason Marquis or a return of Kevin Correia.
• The team will look for another middle reliever, think Joe Rauch on a two-year deal worth around $6-7M.
• A trade of one of the two Brandons will take place to bolster either the 1B or SS position.

So that's it! This is what we guess will pan out in the weeks and months to come. How close will we be, who knows, but you'll know changes are a coming. What are your guesses on what might happen in the offseason?

SF Giants Championship Parade Tips

Anyone else still in disbelief that we won our second World Championship in three years?! It's as if the baseball gods have parted the clouds, and said San Francisco it's now your turn to shine on the big stage. We are still speechless and in awe on what has happened in the past month. No one will ever forget this postseason run. Now, we get to all enjoy this great season by celebrating with World Championship parade ... this never gets old. So having said that, here are some parade tips for those of you that plan on attending the parade.

1. Time, time, time ... build in extra travel time to your schedule. We cannot stress this enough. In 2010, approximately 1 million fans lined the parade route, so get up early and arrive to the city as soon as possible.
2. Weather ... this time around it's going to be a bit chilly, so dress accordingly.
3. Shoes ... this sounds like a no-brainer, but please wear comfortable WALKING shoes, you will be on your feet all day. If you have a pair of running/walking shoes, wear those!
4. Pack a bag ... it's going to be difficult to navigate getting from one place to another once the parade starts. So bring a backpack that includes some drinks and snacks. Every Walgreens is going to be packed ... so don't rely on getting in and out of there in a few minutes.
5. If you live really far away ... we would even suggest getting a hotel room in the city for tonight. Sounds crazy, but it's totally worth it ... it will save you a lot of time and headaches.
6. Festive ... it's a time to celebrate, so bring a good attitude and a lot of patience, the city is going to be packed for everyone.
7. Have fun ... we hope there are more championships parades in our future, but enjoy this one!

Last add, for those of you that attended the parade in 2010, the parade route for this year has changed. They are NOT going down Montgomery Street like they did in 2010. Instead they will start at the foot of Market and Steuart streets (see map below).

Courtesy of the San Francisco Chronicle

World Series Game 4 - A Day of Reflection

Today has the chance of being a magical day for all SF Giants around the world, and while we wait for Game 4 to start. We can't help but reflect on those great SF Giants that are no longer around to enjoy what can be a tremendous day. So we ask that you take a moment and think about those Giants that tried valiantly to help us win a World Championship, but came up just a bit short. We can only hope they have a front row seats with the rest of the baseball gods.

Rod Beck
Jose Uribe
Miguel Del Toro
Chris Brown
Matty Alou
Alex Busch
Sue and Harmon Burns

NLCS Game Dates and Times

GAME DATE LOCATION TIME
NLCS Game 1 Sunday, October 14th AT&T Park 5:15 p.m. PT
NLCS Game 2 Monday, October 15th AT&T Park 5:07 p.m. PT
NLCS Game 3 Wednesday, October 17th @ STL 1:07 p.m. PT
NLCS Game 4 Thursday, October 18th @ STL 5:07 p.m. PT
NLCS Game 5* Friday, October 19th @ STL 5:07 p.m. PT
NLCS Game 6* Sunday, October 21st AT&T Park 1:45 p.m. PT
NLCS Game 7* Monday, October 22nd AT&T Park 5:07 p.m. PT 

61 Years Ago Today, The World Saw the Original Walk-Off Home Run

Perfect Storm: Planning Your Postseason Trip to AT&T Park

**UPDATED**

San Francisco will be the nexus of the "perfect storm" of sporting events, concerts, and other annual events this weekend as the Giants march towards the 2012 postseason.

As the number 3 seed, the San Francisco Giants will host the Cincinnati Reds for games 1 and 2 of the non-wild card National League Divisional Series, this weekiend on October 6-7. On the surface of things, that sounds great, two games over a weekend ... there is one problem, err, several other problems. It's also the same weekend of the following other events and activities scheduled in or around the city:

• AC World Series Regatta (Oct. 2-7) SF Bay
• Fleet Week (Oct. 4-8) SF Bay
• Hardly Strictly Bluegrass (Oct. 5-7) at Golden Gate Park
• Arizona v. Stanford football (Oct. 6 at noon) at Stanford Stadium
• UCLA v. Cal football (Oct. 6 at 7 p.m.) at Memorial Stadium
• Justin Bieber concert (Oct. 6 at 7 p.m.) at Oracle Arena
• Madonna concert (Oct. 6 at 8 p.m.) at HP Pavilion
• Bills v. 49ers  (Oct. 7 at 1:15 p.m.) at Candlestick Park
• Castro Street Fair (Oct. 7) at Castro District
• Italian Heritage Parade (Oct. 7) Fisherman's Wharf to North Beach
• Madonna concert (Oct. 7 at 8 p.m.) at HP Pavilion

Sooo, if you have tickets to the Divisional Series ... plan ahead, allow for extra time for travel. We encourage everyone to use BART, SF Muni, and other means of public transportation. It's gonna be a crazy weekend, so save yourself a headache and leave early! GO GIANTS!

Predict Which Game the SF Giants Clinch the NL West

Okay, we're gonna have a little contest here. The first individual to correctly guess which game the Giants clinch the NL West title will receive one of our coveted limited-edition shirts in 2013.

So, go ahead and guess ... when are the Giants gonna clinch the NL West?

2012 World Series Logo

We always find it interesting to see how the World Series logo changes year-to-year, and this year's logo still maintains the fall leaves that were included in last year's logo, but the abundant use of green hues are gone. Nevertheless, we think it still would look kinda cool on a SF Giants lid (crossing our fingers!).

Duane Kuiper's Home Run Anniversary

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.


* A hat tip to one of our Twitter followers, @txbtxb, for reminding us of Duane's anniversary. Thanks!

Duane Kuiper

Matt Cain's Major League Debut Anniversary

On Aug. 29, 2005, Matt Cain made his first Major League start versus Colorado. Cainer gave up 3 hits and 2 runs in 5 innings of work and ended up being the losing pitcher of record.

2002 Bowman

2012 Postseason Ticket Pricing

In addition to the postseason schedule being released today by the Giants, they also released postseason ticket pricing for the entire postseason - should the Giants advance.

SF Giants Release Tentative Postseason Schedule

This afternoon, the Giants distributed an e-mail to all season ticketholders announcing the 2012 tentative postseason schedule and the pricing for the postseason ticket strips. All season ticketholders have until September 12 to make their full payment. At first glance, it's interesting to note that if the Giants make it to the postseason, there might be some games in which they would conflict as some of 49ers home games at the 'Stick.

 

 

Giants 2012 Postseason Tentative Schedule

(Dates are subject to change)

 

Wild Card

Friday October 5th NL Wild Card Game  

    

Divisional Series  

 NLDS A (Non-Wild Card Series)   

  Saturday October 6th NLDS Game 1    

  Sunday October 7th NLDS Game 2   

  Tuesday October 9th NLDS Game 3    

  Wednesday October 10th NLDS Game 4    

 Thursday October 11th NLDS Game 5     

NLDS B (Involves Wild Card)  

Sunday October 7th NLDS Game 1 

Monday October 8th NLDS Game 2  

Wednesday October 10th NLDS Game 3 

Thursday October 11th NLDS Game 4  

Friday October 12th NLDS Game 5 

Championship Series   

  Sunday October 14th NLCS Game 1  

  Monday October 15th NLCS Game 2  

  Wednesday October 17th NLCS Game 3  

  Thursday October 18th NLCS Game 4  

  Friday October 19th NLCS Game 5  

  Sunday October 21st NLCS Game 6  

  Monday October 22nd NLCS Game 7  

World Series  

  Wednesday October 24th AL at NL WS Game 1  

  Thursday October 25th AL at NL WS Game 2  

  Saturday October 27th NL at AL WS Game 3  

  Sunday October 28th NL at AL WS Game 4  

  Monday October 29th NL at AL WS Game 5  

  Wednesday October 31st AL at NL WS Game 6  

  Thursday November 1st AL at NL WS Game 7  

 

*Game and times will be announced once all Postseason standing has been determined

Melk's Expiration Date was Today

Where does one begin? We were disappointed when news broke of Melky's suspension from testing positive to testosterone. We like so many of the Giants faithful felt disbelief, heartache, and sadness. Having Melky admit and apologize for his use of PEDs probably brings to full circle why he even used PEDs in the first place. After his dismal 2010 season with the Atlanta Braves, he probably felt it was worth the risk to use PEDs and put up numbers that would revive his career and garner his first big-time contract.  We're not gonna lie, if we were in his shoes, we might consider the same thing - it's basic human nature, do what you can to survive. Was his decision right, no, of course not. However, desperate times call for desperate actions .... and that's what we have here.

Melky isn't the first player to be caught, and he certainly will not be the last ... others will follow form in due time - human behavior and instinct does not change. The question then becomes what will happen to the team now? The players, just like the fans are in shock, but they now control their own destiny. The season can easily fold this weekend in San Diego or they can rally amongst themselves and take the "us versus the world" mentality and go out fighting every single day. We guess, we'll find out on Friday which route they've chosen. If the team decides to continue the good fight, others must rise and take on greater responsibility and produce at a high level - this is the only way they can achieve their goals.

As for the future of Melky and the Giants - it's over. We do not envision the club trying to sign Melky once the season ends. The bridge has been destroyed and will not be rebuilt ... this hit the front office and coaches hard, and as the saying goes, "fool me once, shame on you ... fool me twice, shame on me." The Giants have too much to risk for them to resign Melky, you can bet he will be with another team next season.

For those of you that purchased Melky shirts, jerseys, caps, and every other merchandise item that had Melky on it ... we feel your pain. We even printed t-shirts to have him resigned ... lesson learned for us.

For now, we will continue supporting the club and the players that remain, they need the fans support more than ever, and that's what we plan to do when we attend the games this weekend in San Diego.

Go Giants!

Tips for Visiting Petco Park

It has come to our attention that a HUGE contingent of SF Giants fans are making the trek down to San Diego to attend the Giants series on August 17-19. Since a few of us here at the Sons of Johnnie LeMaster have attended games in San Diego, we thought we share some tips.

Travel: First and foremost, get a hotel room in the Gaslamp Quarter, preferably near the ballpark ... there are a ton of hotel properties to choose from. So avoid staying in Mission Valley, Mission Bay, La Jolla or anywhere else not in the Gaslamp. Trust us, it will be much easier for you to just walk to the ballpark from your hotel in the Gaslamp. If money is no object, we highly recommend the Hard Rock Hotel, which is exactly one block from Petco Park ... the rooms at HRH do not disappoint, plus the onsite bars are the place to be on the weekends - don't be surprised to see a few of the players there too. The other place we recommend is the Omni Hotel, which actually has an adjoining bridge to Petco Park. It's also the hotel the Giants have been staying on recent trips. Other name brand hotels are nearby and should be considered as well.

The Gaslamp Quarter is also very close to the airport, so just cab it to your hotel. There is no need to rent a car, plus parking costs are usually $30+ per night at  the hotels.

Restaurants & Bars: Another reason to have a hotel room in the Gaslamp is the abundant food and drink establishments all within walking distance. Some of our favorite restaurants include Acqua Al 2 Ristorante, Osteria Panevino, Lou & Mickeys, and Nobu (inside the Hard Rock Hotel). However, the Gaslamp is really known for some great drinking establishments and some of the best are right near the ballpark. Places to try are The Field, Nicky Rotten's Bar & Burger Joint, Dick's Last Resort,  The Tipsy Crow, and "207" in the Hard Rock Hotel.

For breakfast, there are only four place you need to know ... Cafe 222 (get there early), The Broken Yolk, Richard's Pancakes, and Mary Jane's. All are excellent, you will not be disappointed.

Tickets: Even if you're planning a last minute trip, you shouldn't have a problem getting tickets either from the Padres or secondary market. Plus, where ever you sit, you will be surrounded by Giants fans. Our favorite location is behind the Giants dugout in section 106 or 108, but in all honestly, there isn't a bad seat in the house. We are not joking when we say that Petco Park becomes AT&T Park South when the Giants are in town.

Meeting the Team: One of the great things about traveling to a Giants road game is that you will see members of the team walking around town. San Diego is perhaps the best example of that. If you want to get an autograph or photo, just hangout by the players entrance by the west side of the stadium (facing the Omni Hotel) and you will definitely see them and the broadcasters as they enter and leave the stadium.

Gaslamp Quarter

Hard Rock Hotel (Petco Park to the right) - our favorite SD hotel

Could It Be the Shoes and Hat?

We were wondering what was causing Lincecum's pitching woes for the last two seasons ... could it be confidence, mechanics, stamina, strength, conditioning, focus, or his comfort level with Posey? Perhaps it could be one or all of those things, but alas we might have identified the sources of his struggles. It's his shoes and baseball cap. Ever since he got called up to the Bigs, Lincecum wore Reebok cleats, than after the 2010 World Championship season Timmy switched over to Nike. The same applied to his cap, he wore the same cap from the day he got called up through the end of the 2010 season - Hank Schulman even wrote a short story regarding his cap too.

So our recommendation to Timmy ... go back to wearing Reebok cleats and find your old SF cap and wear that baby too!

Lincecum in 2010 with old cap.

Lincecum sporting his Reebok kicks.

Goodbye Nate, and Then There Were 11

So today the SF Giants upgraded their OF by acquiring Hunter Pence from the Phillies ... no question, it was a move that had to be made. However, one side story is the number of players that are currently on the 25-man roster that were on the 2010 World Championship team ... that number is now 11. Perhaps, it will drop to the 10 based on how Aubrey Huff left the field yesterday, he might have played his last game as a Giant too.

Say what you will about Nate, but he helped bring a World Championship to San Francisco, and for that we here at the Sons of Johnnie LeMaster will forever be grateful. Perhaps greener pastures await him in Philly and he'll flourish there.

The one thing that will always stick in our minds is the incredible defense Nate played at AT&T Park, and with that we present two videos for you to see (that we picked out on YouTube). So please raise your glasses, and toast Nate for helping us win a World Series, and hopefully he'll find success in Philly. Cheers to you Nate, 2010 World Champion.

Nate's incredible defense

Nate's diving catch in LA

Congrats to Melky Cabrera, All-Star Game MVP #SignMelky

So much for all of the criticism regarding all of the SF Giants starting for the National League at the All-Star Game. Fact is, the Giants flat out owned the All-Star Game, and Melky's two hits, one of which was a 2-run HR, was the difference maker.

So we here at the Sons of Johnnie LeMaster are raising our drinks in honor of Melky. Well done sir!

Oh, one more thing ... SIGN MELKY NOW!!!

Melky Cabrera - 2013 All-Star Game MVP

R.I.P Craig Appel aka The Rally Pumpkin

Sad news to report this morning. One of the most iconic SF Giants fans passed away earlier this week. His name was Craig Appel, but he was also known as The Rally Pumpkin. He was the larger than life figure that would dress up in all orange and attend games at AT&T Park or on the road rooting, cheering, and dancing for his beloved Giants.

His connection with the team went a bit further since he was also the team bus driver whenever they played games in Los Angeles and San Diego. Unfortunately, his stint as the team driver ended in 2010, but that didn't stop him from cheering for his Giants as they marched towards their first World Championship in San Francisco.

We here at the Sons of Johnnie LeMaster met Craig a number of times, and he was a die-hard SF Giants fan.

R.I.P Rally Pumpkin

The Rally Pumpkin

So Long Freddy, and Then There were 11

Yesterday, it was announced that Freddy Sanchez was having back surgery which essentially ended any hope - however slim - of him returning to the Giants lineup this year. As most of said, this just might be the end of the road for Freddy's career. His service time in the Bigs was just over eight years, most of which was spent with the Pittsburgh Pirates where he won a batting title and appeared in three All-Star Games.

He was traded to the Giants in 2009, for then hot pitching prospect, Tim Alderson. His tenure with the Giants was a short one, he appeared in 196 games over a 2.5 year span, but he will always be remembered as being one of the key players to the 2010 World Championship team. In 2010, we as fans witnessed what a healthly Freddy could do - provide clutch hits to any part of the field, and play a steady second base. In '10, Freddy ended the season batting .292 with seven home runs and 47 RBI. However, his greatest accomplishments were in the postseason ... there he saved the Giants in Game 3 of the NLDS by getting a clutch hit in the bottom of the ninth with two outs and two strikes against him. That hit sparked an incredible comeback win for the Giants, which led to a Game 4 win and a date with the Phillies in the NLCS. His other big moment in the postseason was in Game 1 of the World Series, where he knocked three doubles - setting a single game World Series record. He also played some great defense throughout the series which eventually led to a World Championship win.

What makes the news of Freddy's season ending surgery so interesting is that now we have only 11 players from the 2010 squad on the current 25-man roster. We know that Aubrey Huff and Dan Runzler are rehabbing and that Eli Whiteside is in AAA, but as of now, the club has only three position players from the 2010 season on the current team (Posey, Burriss, Schierholtz) and eight pitchers (Affeldt, Bumgarner, Cain, Casilla, Lincecum, Lopez, Romo, and Zito).

It's just hard to believe how quickly a team roster can turnover in just under two years after winning a World Championship.

Freddy Sanchez

Game 5 of the 2010 World Series