Normally linksharing between blogs is pretty common and not really worth noting, but I’m not too jaded to admit I was flattered to get some love from a senior writer at the Worldwide Leader.
Rob Neyer is an interesting guy, and that’s not just because he looks like a combination of Greg Kinnear and that dude from Wings. He’s actually a Kansas City Royals fan and admits as much, which is pretty rare. I also respect him because he has no problem coming on KNBR and regularly letting everyone know how little he thinks of the San Francisco Giants on their flagship station. He likes stats, and you’ll never hear him get overly sentimental about baseball like some of his peers.
On the radio Neyer’s very straightforward and efficient with his thoughts, almost as if he has so much knowledge in that Baseball Encyclopedia he calls his brain, he wants to make sure he expresses every point he had planned to say. And since he’s been with ESPN for about 40 years or so, I would have never imagined we’d interact, unless you consider listening to someone talk on the radio interacting.
And of course — and it’s funny since I resisted its pull like the last Strawberry Mochi from Trader Joe’s in the freezer for so long — it’s Twitter I have to thank for Neyer’s hyperlink love. On his blog he’s more relaxed than his appearances on the radio, and on Twitter even more so. Yesterday he threw out there that he thinks Buster Posey looks like Wally Cleaver, and I responded back saying I think Posey looks like Napoleon Dynamite. He put the comparison out there at the end of this morning’s blog post, asking his readers to decide. And I have to admit, it’s a close race.
Quit stalling and talk about yesterday’s game, already
— And of course we’re all talking about Posey because he suddenly became the best No. 2 hitter in baseball yesterday. Is it the best idea to hit somebody second not because they’d thrive in that spot, but because there’s nobody else who would be able to do it? Damn you, Freddy Sanchez and your hidden injury that you may or may not (still) have.
— I know he was kind of an afterthought in the Bengie Molina trade, to the point where Chris Ray’s nickname could be “gravy,” but it’s still hard to watch a reliever keep getting chances who’s been untrustworthy from the beginning. Couldn’t the Giants at least try to find out if guys like Steve Edlefsen or Geno Espinelli have what it takes after solid seasons in Fresno?
— Here’s the new “Panda Watch”: when will Pablo Sandoval get traded to an AL team so he can DH full time? My guess is two years at this rate. MIX IN A SALAD.
— Mike Fontenot…yikes.
— Yesterday proved beyond a shadow what the Giants need to be successful….and it’s not “starting pitchers who earn wins,” the catchphrase of the week. It’s unwavering patience at the plate. Whatever you think of Jose Guillen’s footspeed or attitude, he definitely looked like a bat who was helping the team last night, but the Giants still only scored 3 runs in a hitter-friendly park. That’s because the rest of the team needs to be consistently patient. Don’t be selective when they feel like it, make it standard practice.
— That’s one reason why Edgar Renteria would start every game in the postseason if the Giants make it there: not only is he the only pure shortstop on the team, he’s also one of the only non-Posey/Huff players who can be counted on to average more than three pitches per plate appearance. With Huff and Burrell uncertain to return and Renteria certainly not returning after his injury-plagued stint here, the Giants go into next season with only one player under contract next season who can be counted on to take a pitch or two: Napoleon “Wally” Dynamite.
