Bruce Bochy - Hall of Famer?

Don't laugh... Bruce Bochy already has a pretty amazing resume as a manager. If he wins 4 more games as a manager this year, it might be time to start whispering his name around Cooperstown.

Don't believe me?
Well first of all he has already padded his resume with some solid credentials.

He took over a Padres team after the 1994/1995 strike/lockout.

Remember the Padres were a team lost in the woods after the 1984 pennant. They went through managers (Larry Bowa... Jack McKeon... Steve Boros... Jim Riggleman) and philosophies (We're all about our deep farm... no wait, we're all about signing free agents like Bruce Hurst and Jack Clark... no we're keeping our prospects... no we're trading them for Joe Carter... no we're trading Joe Carter and Robbie Alomar away...)

In his second season (1996) and just three years removed from the 1993 101 loss firesale debacle, Bruce Bochy had the Padres back in the post season as National League West Champions, beating the defending Division Champion Dodgers on the last day of the season.

We won manager of the year that year.

In his fourth season, 1998, he beat out two 100 win teams in the post season (the Astros and the Braves) and stormed into the second World Series in the history of the franchise. Granted, beating the 114 win Yankees was a BIT too much to ask, but he became a World Series manager.

The Padres dismantled again, running off 5 straight losing seasons and making Bochy's future uncertain. But the Padres and Bochy stuck together and by 2004 they were winners again.

By 2005 he had the Padres back in the playoffs (granted with the single worst post season team I have EVER seen). In 2006 they were legit and had home field advantage in the Division Series as back to back champs.

Only Trevor Hoffman played on all four division winners for Bochy. The turnover of talent from 1996 to 1998 was tremendous... as was the turn over from 2005 to 2006. Bochy remained the steady force.

He came over to the Giants, a team whose philosophy seemed to be "Hey! People are showing up to see Barry... so why bother putting a good team on the field?"

He had nothing to work with, especially after Bonds retired after 2007. But by 2009 they were winners again... and now, counting his two rebuildings in San Diego, has built his third division champion from the ground up.

Manager of the year... turns teams around... multiple playoff trips... pennants with two different franchises...

That sounds like a GREAT manager's resume.
All he is missing is the ring.

If he wins a World Series title this year... and do what teams featuring Mays, McCovey, Marichal, Perry and Bonds could never do... and do it with a cut and paste line up... do it defeating the much heralded Phillies... then what else does he have to prove?

Yes you can point to a sub .500 career record. But also remember that he managed the Padres who had firesales under his watch... and took over a rudderless Giants team that was looking to shake off their Bonds identity.

Bochy could be giving them the identity they've been seeking since they played at Seals Stadium: World Series Champion.

And then the consideration for Cooperstown will need some good long thought.

BIGGEST POST SEASON SERIES UPSETS OF WILD CARD ERA - Updated to include 2010 NLCS

Last Friday I wrote a blog post about the biggest post season upsets in the Wild Card Era.

And I implied that if the Giants somehow could beat the mighty Phillies that they would have to be included in that list of upsets.

Well guess what?
The Giants did... and they SHOULD be included.

Want to read something creepy?
When proposing that the Giants COULD pull off the upset in the NLCS, I tried to make a comparison with the end of the 2006 NLCS with Carlos Beltran taking strike three.

I wrote:
"Maybe one of the Giants pitchers will get Ryan Howard looking to end the series!"

Eeerie!

BIGGEST POST SEASON UPSETS OF WILD CARD ERA


1997 ALCS
INDIANS defeat ORIOLES

The Orioles led wire to wire and won 98 games. The Indians won only 86 games and barely squeaked past the Yankees in the Division Series.

IT LOOKED BAD WHEN:
The Orioles shut out the Indians in Game 1 and had a 2 run lead in the 8th inning of Game 2.

THINGS TURNED AROUND WHEN:
Marquis Grissom hit a 3 run shot off of Armando Benitez in Game 2. Then the Indians won in 12 for Game 3 and finished Game 4 with a walk off win.

THE DAGGER
The Indians overcame a brilliant Mike Mussina outing in Game 6 to win in 11 innings and stunned Baltimore.

1997 NLCS
MARLINS defeat BRAVES

The Braves had won 4 of the last 5 pennants. With a 101 win season, a 5th pennant in 6 years looked all but assured. The Marlins won 92 games and the wild card, but they were playing the varsity team and looked over matched.

IT LOOKED BAD WHEN:
The Marlins won a pair early but the Braves tied the series when Denny Neagle threw a complete game shutout in Game 4. With Maddux and Glavine looming in Games 5 and 6, it looked bleak for Florida.

THINGS TURNED AROUND WHEN:
The late Eric Gregg called any pitch that Livan Hernandez threw a strike as long as it didn't hit the ground. He struck out 15, giving the Marlins the lead.

THE DAGGER
Tom Glavine imploded in the first inning of Game 6, letting the first four batters read base and having them all score before the Braves even came to bat. It would be all Kevin Brown would need to clinch the pennant.

2002 American League Division Series
ANGELS defeat YANKEES

The Yankees were in full dynasty mode. The Angels had never won a post season series and looked like a bunch of inexperienced kids heading into Yankee Stadium. No doubt this would be a forgettable series much like the Yankees manhandling the Rangers all of those years.

IT LOOKED BAD WHEN:
The Yankees rallied to win game 1 in the 8th and took a lead late into Game 2. It was going to be a sweep a la the Yankees/Texas series of the past.

THINGS TURNED AROUND WHEN:
Garret Anderson and Troy Glaus hit back to back 8th inning homers off of El Duque to take the lead in Game 2. Then in Game 3, the Yankees blow an early 6-1 lead and the Angels break the tie with a Tim Salmon home run in the 8th.

THE DAGGER
David Wells melts down in the 5th inning of Game 4 as the Angels score 8 times and go on to win their first ever playoff series.

2002 American League Division Series
TWINS defeat A'S

Thanks to a 20 game winning streak, an MVP season from Miguel Tejada, a Cy Young season from Barry Zito and 103 wins, the A's looked poised to stampede into the ALCS. The Twins, who were rumored to be contracted just the year before, were just happy to be there.

IT LOOKED BAD WHEN:
A series of Twins blunders gave the A's a 5-1 lead in Game 1, making it clear that this series was Men versus Boys. Later, the A's were up 2-1 with Hudson and Mulder ready for games 4 and 5.

THINGS TURNED AROUND WHEN:
The Twins came back to win that Game 1 and scored 11 unanswered runs in Game 4.

THE DAGGER
A. J. Pierzynski's homer and David Ortiz's double broke open a tense Game 5 in the 9th. The Twins would need every run as Mark Ellis homered to bring the A's to within 1 but Ray Durham, the potential series winning run, popped up to give the upstart Twins a most unlikely series win.

2006 American League Division Series
TIGERS defeat YANKEES

The Tigers slumped badly down the stretch and went from a lock for the Division title, home field in the Division Series and playing the A's to claiming the Wild Card and going to New York to face a stacked and eager to wipe away 2004 from their memories Yankee team. They were no match.

IT LOOKED BAD WHEN:
The Yankees torched Nate Robertson for 5 runs in the third and cruised to an 8-4 Game 1 win. Then Johnny Damon hit a three run shot in Game 2 and it looked like the sweep was on.

THINGS TURNED AROUND WHEN:
Carlos Guillen hit a game tying homer off of Mike Mussina but Curtis Granderson drove the Yankees crazy. He got a run scoring sacrifice fly in Game 2 and gave the Tigers the lead with an RBI triple. In Game 3, former Yankee Kenny Rogers out pitched Randy Johnson in what turned out to be the Big Unit's final game for New York.

THE DAGGER
Joe Torre dropped the slumping Alex Rodriguez to 8th in the fourth game and gave the starting assignment to Jaret Wright. He was bombed and the Tigers finished the Yankees in 4.

2006 NLCS

CARDINALS defeat METS

With the Yankees eliminated in the Division Series, the Mets looked poised to capture the city's baseball heart. Neither American League team (the Tigers nor the A's) looked dominating and all they had to do for the pennant was beat an injured and underachieving Cardinals team who won only 83 games.

IT LOOKED BAD WHEN:
The Mets shut out the Cardinals in Game 1, scored 3 in the first of Game 2 and were tied going into the 9th of Game 2. The Mets were clearly in control.

THINGS TURNED AROUND WHEN:
So Taguchi hit a go ahead 9th inning homer off of Billy Wagner to give the Cardinals a Game 2 win. Then, behind Jeff Suppan and Jeff Weaver, took a 3-2 series lead back to Shea.

THE DAGGER
The Mets forced a Game 7 which was an all time classic. Endy Chavez preserved a tie with a mindboggling catch that turned a go ahead homer into an inning ending double play. Yadier Molina homered in the 9th to give St. Louis the win and rookie Adam Wainwright got Carlos Beltran to strikeout looking with the bases loaded in the 9th to win the pennant. The Mets have never recovered.

2010 NLCS
GIANTS defeat PHILLIES

The 2 time defending National League Champion Phillies had the best record in baseball and steamrolled over the Reds in the Division Series. Roy Halladay threw a no hitter, Cole Hamels pitched a complete game shutout to clinch the series and Roy Oswalt was no slouch. The Giants, saddled with a stagnant offense, barely squeaked by a Braves team that was battered with injuries.

IT LOOKED BAD WHEN:
The Phillies responded from a Game 1 loss with an offensive explosion in the 7th inning of Game 2. The Phillies bats were back and they knew Roy Halladay wasn't losing twice!

THINGS TURNED AROUND WHEN:
Matt Cain out dueled Cole Hamels in Game 3 and Juan Uribe won Game 4 with a walk off sacrifice fly.

THE DAGGER:
Uribe again was the hero, this time with an 8th inning home run to give the Giants the lead in Game 6. And with the tying and winning runs on base, Brian Wilson struck out Ryan Howard looking to win the pennant.



There is no great favorite in this World Series, ergo no chance of an upset as large as any chronicled here.

Just goes to show you... you never know which team lead by cast off from Florida and Tampa can derail a potential dynasty.

GIGANTIC!

Oh there is lots to write about... but I am so happy for the Giants and for my dad.

So let's go Giants... 4 more wins and there will be no more grumbling about Dusty Baker handing the game ball to Russ Ortiz!

HUM BABY!

Giants fans... this glass is HALF FULL

Before Giants fans go all nuts about losing that game the other day, let's pull a Superman and spin the world backwards and go back in time.

Let's spin in alllllll the way back ONE WEEK!

If I told you as the NLCS was about to start that the Giants would be still alive after 5 games, I am guessing you would have ALL TAKEN THAT, right?

Most experts, including me, had the Giants losing in 5 games. So being ALIVE after 5 should be feeling pretty good.

If I told you the Giants would only need to win ONE game in Philadelphia, you'd all take that too.

If I told you Sanchez and Cain would be on full rest, you'd take that in a heart beat.

And if I told you that Roy Halladay would not be starting EITHER of the last 2 games, you'd probably thought your soul was sold.

The Giants are AHEAD of schedule.
Nobody, and I mean NOBODY, thought the Giants would be up 3-1 in this series.

Keep proper perspective. The Giants, if they win, will have pulled off one of the great upsets in recent baseball history. Don't act upset that it could take longer then 5 games to pull it off!

Of COURSE you couldn't make this easy, Giants!

We all thought it, didn't we? When Halladay was taken out for Ross Gload and he lined into a double play, everyone watching the game thought "This is the turning point... 1 run game... Halladay is out... the middle relief can be exposed... this is going to be the night!"

And when Lidge came in... admit it you thought "Oh man... he can blow it can't he?"

So now they have to go to Philadelphia and win 1 game... Let's hope there best chance didn't slip away today.

Torture indeed.

There's at least ONE family in the Bay Area not excited about tonight

The Giants are on the verge of clinching the National League pennant in what would have to be considered one of the greatest upsets in the Wild Card era.

The Bay Area is going nuts and is partially in shock as Tim Lincecum will take the mound with a chance to not only win the Pennant, but set up the rotation while the Rangers and Yankees will battle deep into the weekend.

You would think that the whole Bay Area, which hasn't seen a pro champion since the 49ers beat the Chargers in the 1995 Super Bowl, would be thrilled.

Ahhh... you forget the power of venom.
Lest we forget the Oakland A's fans. And when you think A's fans, you SHOULD be thinking of Don Marquez, friend to Sully Baseball, author of the wonderful book Generation A's Fans and part of a gigantic family of rabid Oakland fans.

They are A's fans and Giants HATERS.

(It is safe to say that NONE of them own one of those Half A's Half Giants hats that made the rounds in 1989.

And one thing Don and his family seem to love is the fact that the World Series title count in the Bay Area is A's 4 and Giants 0.

(4 to 0 was also the result when the A's and Giants squared off in the 1989 World Series.)

In the book he describes how he and some members of his family went to AT&T Park and asked security where they kept the World Series trophies for the San Francisco Giants.

Good solid venom.

And now he is feeling like that ultimate bragging right could be slipping away.

And he isn't happy about it.

Hang in there Don.

I guess it is the same as if you were a Yankee fan in 2004, realizing the days of chanting 19-18 were coming to a close.

He laments upon this potentially dark day in Athletics Nation today.

It is worth a read.

So is his book.

Off sync with the Giants and my parents

I called my parents the second Juan Uribe won the game for the Giants last night to get their thoughts on the Giants somehow taking a 3-1 lead.



SULLY:
Some game! Up 3-1!

SULLY'S DAD:
I love it.

SULLY'S MOM:
It's great but watching it out of sync is driving me crazy.

SULLY:
(As confused as you)
Wait. Are you watching it live or on DVR? Do you not know how it ends?

SULLY'S MOM:
Oh we watched the ending. But it's all out of sync because Poppy has the radio on.


SULLY'S DAD:
I have to hear Kruk and Kuip.

(Kruk and Kuip refer to Mike Krukow and Duane Kuiper, the wonderful Giants announcers on KNBR.)

SULLY:
But dad... if you are listening to the radio, you are hearing it before you are seeing it.

SULLY'S DAD:
The delay isn't bad.

SULLY'S MOM:
It's AWFUL. It's 30 seconds.

SULLY'S DAD:
It's NOT 30 seconds. It's about 11 seconds.

SULLY:
11 seconds? It might as well be a minute! You could be hearing "Long drive and it is GONE!" while the visual is the pitcher picking up the rosin bag.

SULLY'S MOM:
It drives me crazy.

SULLY'S DAD:
I just can't take Joe Buck and Tim McCarver.

SULLY:
I know it is rough. I had to hear them call two Red Sox World Series titles. But you've got to bite the bullet on this and watch it live.

SULLY'S MOM:
Thank you!

SULLY'S DAD:
But baseball is basically a lot of talk and a highlight here and there. So most of the time it is fine to be out of sync. It only affects it on the big plays.

SULLY'S MOM:
Yeah, it only is annoying at the most exciting moments of the game.

SULLY:
Dad. Why don't you go into the living room and listen to KNBR and let mom watch the game without her feeling like she is watching a Godzilla movie?

SULLY'S DAD:
Maybe I will.


Today I found out that my dad "figured out how to get the radio in sync with the TV." I am sure it will work fine.

So Poppy... if you want to see the end of the game with the KNBR guys in SYNC... CLICK HERE.

And if you want to share my mom's experience, watch this movie:

A mystery that will perplex scientists and historians for generations to come

Why the hell did Roy Oswalt throw Juan Uribe an off speed pitch?
Seriously... the guy has a busted wrist and looked overpowered on the first few pitches. He wasn't going to get around on one of those fastballs.

And oh yeah, the winning run was on third with less than 2 outs.
I would call that a situation where you needed a strikeout.

Off speed pitch... deep fly to left... and somehow the Giants with the makeshift lineup consisting of guys with torn biceps, hurt wrists and the 16th caller on KNBR are one win away from the World Series.

Seriously?
An off speed pitch?

You are damn right Giants fans should cheer Barry Bonds

Barry threw out the first pitch yesterday afternoon in San Francisco, and no doubt people will fret over it... wondering what message it will send the kids.

Funny, the other night when Andy Pettitte pitched a wonderful game against Cliff Lee, I don't remember people saying how disgusting it was that he was playing.

He used the stuff.

He followed Clemens from New York to Houston and back again.

He denied it at first, and then after getting caught was hailed as a great man for saying "Yeah I used it... like one time. The fact that I was crossing country back and forth with Clemens was a complete coincidence."

Nobody seems upset that Alex Rodriguez has been playing this post season... another guy who used it and denied it left and right until he was cornered.

Those guys are playing in the PLAYOFFS.

Is anyone upset that Mark McGwire, the man who could have done so much good if he were honest but decided to not talk about the past, is a hitting coach for a contending Cardinals team and giving players tips? Maybe some pointers... like one to inject into your butt.

Bonds got applause from the fans and threw a ceremonial first pitch.

And the fans know, as I wrote earlier, that Bonds saved baseball in San Francisco... BEFORE his body ballooned up.

The fans were sitting in beautiful AT&T Park, instead of miserable Candlestick Park... or Tropicana Field, because of the excitement that Bonds brought to San Francisco starting in 1993... the year after they almost moved to St. Pete.

Let's not get carried away over a first pitch, shall we?

For Christsake, they had someone dressed as Captain Morgan throw out the first pitch at some games! It's not a big deal!

Show of hands, Giants fans...

If I told you at the beginning of the NLCS that the Giants would beat Roy Halladay AND Cole Hamels, raise your hand if your would take it.

That if in Game 4, the Giants would face Joe Blanton, who hasn't pitched in nearly a month, and throw Madison Bumgarner, raise your hand if you'd take that.

Now how about if I told you that if EVERYTHING goes wrong in Game 4... they lose 20-0 and are no hit... they would still be tied 2-2 with Tim Lincecum on the mound at home? Show of hands if you would take it.

I expect to see a LOT of hands in the air.

I thought the Phillies were winning in 5.
They've got to run the table to win in 6.

And tomorrow is the ONE TIME the Giants aren't going to face a former Cy Young winner or NLCS MVP on the mound.

Blanton is a decent pitcher with a big heart.
Bumgarner is a solid pitcher with great stuff.

You'd have to favor the home team in that match up.

Hands up if you'd take that.

I know Giant fans shouldn't get ahead of themselves... but isn't cool to be in a situation where they SHOULDN'T get ahead of themselves?

Win tomorrow... then start getting giddy.
The Giants are half way there.

Hands up if you were expecting THAT?
(Mine would NOT be up.)

The Giants leave a special message for Tim Lincecum

But whatever wins the game is fine.

A silver lining for Giants fans

Hey!
It wasn't a one run game!

They've had 6 post season games and the first 5 were one run games. At least with this one Giants fans don't have to grumble about that one play or that one bad break.

Yeah it was close most of the game... but 6-1 is 6-1.

The Giants got out of Philadelphia was a split.
Move on.

Nothing to grind your teeth over with this one.

Anything happen in baseball while I was away?

I went to Big Bear Lake this weekend with the family...

Went on walks, went kayaking, and reconnected to nature just like Emile Hirsch in Into The Wild.

Anything happen in baseball?

Oh nothing... except the very balance of the post season was thrown into disarray.

The Rangers? Well they made the ALCS a best of 5 series with Cliff Lee pitching in 2 of the remaining 5 games on full strength.

Like I said before, the Yankees rotation is insane... they will be facing Cliff Lee twice and be throwing A. J. Burnett once.

Um... that's 3 wins THERE, isn't it?

And the Giants? Well let me put it this way:

The supposedly lousy San Francisco attack got INFINITELY more hits and runs off of Roy Halladay than the feared Cincinnati offense.

Could it be a Rangers/Giants World Series?

That would mean my fish was correct AGAIN.

So not much happened I guess.

By the way, the movie Into The Wild was overrated... just my point of view.

The Don of the Phillies

I am rooting for the Giants as is my dad in the NLCS. But I have a soft spot in my heart for the Phillies because of my many relatives who lived most of their lives in the Philadelphia area.

This series is going to be an interesting one because my Uncle Don, my dad’s brother, is the biggest Phillies fan of them all. I wonder what their correspondence will be like during the NLCS.

Now my Uncle Don has had some ups and downs health wise, but I am happy to hear he is doing a lot better now.

I am thinking about you, Uncle Don, and I can’t wait to breakdown the Phillies roster piece by piece and compare them to the 1980 team.

I am no cardiologist, but I always think watching your team in a thrilling October playoff match up is the best thing for your health.

Keep getting better.
And PLAY BALL.