The available games, dates and number of tickets will be shown at the end of the blog before the rules. Remember when you email me back to identify the game, the date, and the number of tickets you want. Please whitelist my email so you get the blog posts and ticket offers all season long.
Oracle Park is now open for baseball (no restrictions) but we all hope that everyone is vaccinated and covid free.
Will the Giants look better in 2023 than they have this year?
They should, but it will take some major moves to turn this team into a playoff contender again. Meanwhile we will watch the LA Team and the Padres fight it out for NL West dominance – and for the playoffs (which get less interesting all the time, unless the Yankees beat the Astros).
Last year everything went the Giants’ way. But this short-lived success gave the Giants’ ownership the feeling they could give Farhan the same budget to work with, and that the team would make the playoffs again. Farhan had hoped for 90-92 wins this year, and that didn’t seem unreasonable. Instead? The Giants fell off the cliff. There is plenty of blame to go around.
Since June 19th when they dropped a 4-3 decision at Pittsburgh, the G-Men have won only 24 of the next 67 games. Along the way we went from three games behind LA to 29.5 games behind as of today. As of early September, we have also lost 20 of 28 games decided by a single run. That is not a good sign of progress.
The takeaway? The Giants’ owners should give Farhan the resources he needs to rebuild the team in 2023 and hang onto whatever players can be built around in 2023. Buster Posey was the heart and soul of the Giants of the last decade. We need another Buster to step up (and not necessarily a catcher – remember Barry Bonds?).
There are only six or seven players on the Giants that must be kept. One is Carlos Rodon. Rodan has pitched nine games in which he has struck out ten or more batters this year (including on Opening Day), and he’d probably have 16 or 17 wins had it not been for a leaky bullpen or a weak offense that provided little support. Rodon will give the Giants a chance to sign him to a multi-year contract, but it will be costly because he will have a lot of teams coming after him. Rodon was scheduled to make 22.5 million dollars next year, but he is coming up on an option year and will want more.
The Giants will probably need to pay Rodan at least 25 million a year for about four to five years to keep him. San Francisco’s ownership needs to step up to the plate and make this move. As Jon Miller put it, “Rodon is ‘a bully’ on the mound and is the first pitcher since Madison Bumgarner to have that aura.” We need more bullies on the pitching staff.
As of early September, the Giants have drawn just eight sellout crowds, a far cry from the World Series winning teams of 8-12 years ago that routinely brought in packed houses. We need a guy like Rodon, and some real offensive firepower, to pump up attendance.
It’s a lock that Estrada, a good second basemen and a clutch hitter, and catcher Joey Bart will be back. Bart’s return to the Giants after a near month’s banishment to the minors did wonders as he appeared to regain his confidence and has not been striking out every other time since returning to the big club. Regardless, Joey is not Buster and may never be.
Besides Rodan, the other pitcher we want to see back is Logan Webb, who is not as dominating as he was in the second half of 2021 but has All-Star potential if he can shake off the inconsistency that has dogged him over the last month and a half.
Meanwhile, Wilmer Flores and Joc Pederson should be locks to stay. Flores has been the club’s most consistent everyday player. He can play three infield positions and if necessary, play shortstop if needed in an emergency. His walk off homer in the series against the Phillies gave the Giants a three-game sweep. Besides, where would we be without the theme from “Friends” played before every Flores at-bat? Pederson is a local, the Giants’ best power hitter, and an entertaining player who thrives as the DH.
As for the Brandon’s (the last players from the Glory years) Belt is probably finished because of recurring knee problems, but Crawford (an All-Star with a cannon for an arm – do not try to score on Craw when he takes a relay), while not hitting well, is still one of the best fielders in the game, and has another year on his contract so he will be with us in 2023 for sure.
We also have some good outfielders that can continue to platoon next year (until one of them grabs the starter mantle through performance); Austin Slater, rookie Luis Gonzalez, and if he solves his hitting problems, Mike Yastrzemski, one of best defensive outfielders on the team in years. Third baseman JD Davis looks good after a short introduction as does David Villar and the new guy Brinson – seldom have two new players looked quite so good in the Orange and Black. In the Czar’s view, the Giants need to add at least three veteran position players. Unfortunately, it looks like Longoria is done.
In the bullpen, except for Camilo Doval (and sometimes Tyler Rodgers), there are no real keepers. Farhan’s offseason focus should include major upgrades to the relievers.
Finally, there are rumors regarding a possible signing of free agent super-stud (and Barry Bonds lookalike) Aaron Judge. Bringing him aboard would be a game changer but the cost would be out of sight; probably 35 million plus a year for a six to seven year minimum. It would be a shock if the Giants snagged the northern California native, but they signed Barry Bonds back in 1993 (also a bay area native) and history could repeat itself. Are you listening Charlie Johnson?
Coming up next, the Braves, the Rockies, and the Snakes
Of the three series remaining, only two are against contending teams – the Braves and the Dodgers. The Dodgers games are already off the board but there are tickets available to the Braves games, and the Rockies and the Snakes will be fun because with both teams out of the running they will showcase all the young talent they have.
September promises to be exciting…
On the board ready to be picked up are:
TUES 9/13 – Braves [6:45] – 3 [I’m going to this game, my last because of travel]
WED 9/14 – Braves [12:45] - 4
TUES 9/27 – Rockies [6:45] – 4
WED 9/28 -Rockies [6:45] -4
SAT 10/1 – Snakes [1:05] -4
Let the torture continue.
Ciao, and GO GIANTS!
The Czar
We use mail chimp so give permission for the blog to arrive in your mailbox if you want to receive the blog and participate in the fun. Past blogs can be found at www.beveragelaw.com at the Czar’s blog archive.
THE PROTOCOL: the firm has four seats in Section 118 (Premium Lower Boxes), Rows 25 and 26. These are awesome seats directly below the press box and 25 rows behind home plate on the left side behind the screen. It is foul ball territory for left-handed batters so bring your glove – I have collected 19 foul balls myself over 22 years and am looking for more. If we don’t use all the tickets ourselves (or clients and friends of the firm don't claim them by calling me and reserving a game), then my next step is to give the tickets TO THE FIRST PERSON WHO GETS BACK TO ME PROVIDED THAT THEY ARE SERIOUS. If you ask for the tickets and don't use them, you will be taken off the list unless there is a seriously good reason. There will be a wait list.
When there are four seats available (we split up a lot of games) we will allocate the tickets two and two if the first people back just want two tickets. You can also go for four and might get them. I'm the Czar, my call.
Oh, and BTW, The Czar found the original Hinman & Carmichael brick from 2000 (after looking for it every year since 2000) and found H&C’s Gotham Club Founders Bat! If you are on the patio, or in the Club, look for the symbols of baseball!
