The available games, dates, and the 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.
The Deals Over the last Two Weeks that were Made and were Not Made.
The G-Men did almost nothing over the All-Star break. Ohtani is still an Angel and Judge is still a Yankee. Frankly, not much happened in terms of major trades this year. The Giants are standing pat with the talent they have, which isn’t too shabby. There were no big bats available and the pitchers that were available (such as Justin Verlander) weren’t as attractive as the talent the Giants have stocked at Sacramento, especially Kyle Harrison, currently tearing it up for the River Cats with 94 K’s to date and due up in September for sure, and maybe in August depending on what happens in the next two series against the Rangers and the Rays.
The rookies are performing well defensively. While Schmitt got sent down last week to work on his batting (his defense was a thing of beauty), he will be back up in September without a doubt. Matos is a stud and a terrific defensive player with range and an arm, Sabol is playing over his head at every position they put him at, and Luciano in his short time up showed that he belongs in the show. However, the story of the season is Patrick Bailey, the second coming of Buster Posey. Bailey looks like he will stay behind the plate for some time. He has a cannon for an arm, pops up out of his stance in record time (less than 1.5 seconds) and throws out runners who take too long a lead at first or try to steal second. The league is learning about him quickly, and his offense is also Posey like (.717 OPS and .417 slugging percentage). He is the player you build a team around.
My take is that if the G-Men couldn’t get Ohtani, staying pat with the rookies was the right call by the brain trust. BTW: remember that Joey Bart is still at Sacramento waiting for his chance to show what he can do (he has a .690 OPS with the River Cats).
What the Team looks like Going into August
This is where the fans get tested. The G-men are the 2nd best defensive team in MLB (.993 on defensive plays made versus .997 for the Twins, the number one defensive team). It’s the bats that are the problem. Wade, Davis, Flores, and Estrada (just back from the DL) are hitting well but hits with runners in scoring position are just not there (except for the Monday game against the Angels where the boys scored 6 9th-inning runs in a come from behind win). Yaz has been hurt, Crawford (a clutch hitter at 35 if there ever was one) is still barely off the interstate, Conforto isn’t batting his weight and timely hits aren’t there.
With all this, it’s a surprise that the Giants are 10 games over .500, in second place in the NL West behind the team that shall not be named, and in the slot for the wild card if the playoffs started today. Why are they as good as they are? My take is that the G-Men are a team jelling. The rookies are supplying energy to the veterans, the pitching staff is working hard, and the coaching is top-notch. The pitching key seems to be the use of two real starters – Webb and Cobb - and a laundry list of relievers pitching as “openers” followed by inning eaters and culminating in the Rogers twins and shutting the door with Dovel – simply the best closer in baseball and for sure All-Star. It works and is another reason the defense is so good (the Giants get more ground ball outs than any other team in baseball).
The problem is that defense doesn’t substitute for hitting. Every game is tense and close (maybe that’s a good thing but I’d love a few blow outs and fewer losses to teams like the A’s).
Playing the Best Teams in Baseball at Home – The Rangers and the Rays
The last series at home after the All-Star break featured a full (30,000 plus) Oracle Park. The fans are in full throated roar and that is great and tells you how exciting this team is to watch nail-biter after nail-biter. This next home series will not get any easier, the crowds will be large, the promenade will be jammed, and the crab sandwich lines will be long.
The Bruce Bochy coached Texas Rangers come in on Friday. The AL West league leading team is 68 and 46, features Max Scherzer and Corey Seager (remember them?) and is out for blood. Boch knows the Giants and will be welcomed back with cheers right up to the point where the Rangers bats start to light up the ballpark. These are the games where defense is what it will be all about. Bochy knows how to manage this park and the Rangers will be a force to be reckoned with.
Following the Rangers, the 69 and 46 (better record than the Rangers) AL East Tampa Bay Rays come into town. The Rays are another big bopping team behind Yandy Diaz, Issac Peredes, and Wander Franco. The pitching is just as clutch behind Zach Elfin and Shane McClanahan.
If the G-Men can take these two series the rest of baseball will wake up and start to look over their shoulders. These series are that important a test against playoff caliber ( and world series worthy) teams.
On the board and ready to be picked up are:
MON 8/14– Rays [6:45] - 2 – Bruce Lee Night
TUES 8/15 – Rays [6:45] – 3 – Jewish Heritage Night (I’m going)
WED 8/16 – Rays [12:45] - 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 22 foul balls myself over 23 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!
