Dear Brahma...

I've recieved the following correspondence from two of our members from New York City...

From: Bongo Johnny (Original Message) Sent: 10/29/2002 4:19 PM

Dear Brahma. I don't understand that if Art Howe is so good, why can the A's let him leave in the middle of a contract and not ask for compensation as Seattle did with Piniella. You are out there. What goes on and do you think that Howe can do anything with the Mets? Let's here from ya pal.

From: Leslie. in response to Message 1 Sent: 10/30/2002 10:31 AM

That's the question Brahma... although not a Mets fan ( I don't hate them) , I do follow them from a distance. Howe has been getting somewhat negative press here -- probably cause the media wanted Sweet Lou ( lots of news. Steinbrenner stuff, firey guy, successfull everywhere. ( he even picked up one of my clients , whose a good friend,in a bar and slept with her in the 80's)

They crucified him for pitching Zito in the last reg season game to clinch home field advantage at the expense of having him go two games in the division series. I don't think that was a dumb thing when you've got the depth of starter he has. That move didn't blow it for them -- hell , they just got beat.

I see a guy who wins 100 games after lossing Giambi -- motivates his players ( it appears). Yeah Steinbrenner would get rid of him for not closing the deal and obviusly Beane is the same way. Hey they called Torre clueless joe in the NY press when he took over from Buck.

So... was there lack of respect, legitimate grips with the guys ability to win and lead??

Howe You Do...

Art Howe is a great every day manager. Imagine a team that loses it's top hitter in every catogory, (Giambi), it's lead-off hitter and great defensive CF,(Johnny Damon), and closer,(Isringhausen)...and does better! That would be the 2002 Oakland A's, and Art Howe made it work. He is a major improvement over Bobby Valentine. Although it's a lot easier with the pitching staff he had to work with!

HOWEver, it's questionable whether he carries that same confidence into the post season. Before meeting the Yankees, he was quoted saying stupid things that the Yanks could use for incentive (if it was needed). This year he went with the 3 man rotation, starting with a righty when Minn. had trouble with lefties...he overused Billy Koch the last 6 weeks of the season, making him almost ineffective.
Then he uses him again in game 5 to give up three 9th inning runs, making the 3 run bottom of the 9th moot.
That bottom of the 9th was total chaos in the A's dugout...they almost sent up the wrong guy to bat to end the game!

As for Bongo Johnny's question, asking why did Beane let him go so easily.....Howe was in place before Beane took over and from what I've read, they won't miss each other. Beane is fond of the guy he named , Ken Macha, so much so that he refused teams that wanted to interview him for that position last year.

As far as I can tell from here, he was well liked and respected by the players. But I don't know if he'll be able to handle the N.Y. press on a daily basis. Look for a meltdown around the 3rd week of August.

Thanks for writing guys....good to hear from you!
~the Brahma~

 

Game 7...The Final Frontier

Game 7's always evoke thoughts of close fought series with the inevitable tragic outcome for an otherwise deserving team. While there have been some great game 7's, (last year, for instance), the most incredible world series games in recent history were game 6's.
The Carlton Fisk 12th inning HR game vs. the Reds was a game 6, as was the Bill Buckner game vs. the Mets! I'm not saying (although I am implying..) that this year's game 6 was in that league, with it's incredible facing elimination, come from behind victory..... but game 7 was a big let-down...the Giants roll-over at least partly, if not entirely to blame.

There was enough time allowed for the Giants to set their pitching rotation to their desire. For some unknown (to me) reason, Dusty Baker chose to have Livan Hernandez pitch a possible 7th game. He did have a great post season record, so it may not be that odd a choice, although he was the 4th starter....but it was still correctable! Kirk Reuter was the only starter to last 6 innings for the Giants and could have gone on three days rest (as did Lackey).

Dusty likes to show confidence in his players (and his decisions!) and gave the start to Livan. However, as in all 7th games, he declared every pitcher besides Ortiz would be ready for service. From the opening batter, Eckstein's solid single, he should have had Reuter loosening up. When the Giants drew first blood, I thought Livan might shake it off and we might see a game....

But when Hernandez let the Angels tie it right away, his season should have been over! Certainly, there is no way he should have stayed in to give up the big double that eventually beat the Giants. Eventually?...Hell, the Giants were beat right then! You could see it in the way they carried themselves in the field and to the plate. Barry was not swaggering into the batters box his last two times up...in fact, I dare say I noticed an uncharacteristic stoop to his shoulders!

It was just a matter of time...the Angels went on to win...and deservedly so. The Giants snatched defeat from the jaws of victory...
and Dusty Baker made an unconsiousable mistake in game 6...I will leave that for my series wrap-up posting.

 

Game 6...Wha Happened?

Well, here's my re-cap of game 6....The or' d'erves were exquisite, the celebration was emotional, and the meal...fabulous! I was able to watch the first half of the game before turning on the videotape, with the faint hope that I could remain ignorant of the final outcome.
I lstened on the radio as the Giants scored 3 runs. When I arrived, Erik asked me for the latest update. I reported the good news (always a pleasure..) then requested not to be informed of any more developements in the game. As the night progressed, various people would run up to report the score. I would try to cut them off in mid-sentence by repeating my request at a higher decibal, hoping against hope. During desert, (Fantastic!..5 different cakes!) someone, somewhere, informed the immediate crowd that the game was still in progress. Oh-oh...The Giants should have wrapped it up by now!....something's going horribly wrong!


I knew I was missing a great one now. Either a great comeback in the late innings, or a "tough-it-out" Giant victory! It wasn't long after, that the hostess of the event made the announcement to us, the table full of baseball fans. I have to shorten this up now, becauce Mellissa Etheredge just finished the National Anthym! I have a lot more to say, but it will have to wait till after the game....
Well......here's hoping for a true fall classic! Game 7! This is a special treat. But....I fear the Giants have an uphill battle before it even begins.....Livan ...the Giants need the game of your life!!!! Good luck Giant fans!......

 

Oy Vey! Let's go to the Videotape!

....As luck would have it, i'm going to miss the live broadcast of game 6 due to my requested presence at the Bar Mitvah of our friends son. Flashback to Sandy Koufax sitting out his scheduled world series start to observe the Jewish holiday.

I've been reading about how the T.V. ratings for this series is dreadfully low. Apparently, people aren't interested in a great match-up if their team isn't involved. This is a cryin' shame, as it reflects how baseball has lost it's title of "the national pastime". I have watched every world series for as long as I can remember, even during times I was barely coherent. I could go all year without watching a football game, but I'm still going to watch the superbowl! How do you not watch the series? It's inconcievable to me! The world series is a special time. It is the REAL end of summer...The seasons are changing, our part of the world starting it's winter dormancy...marking the true end to our year! The harvest is ending, as we prepare for the season of celebrations. This weekend, one team will start the celebrations early!

I'll be watching the action on videotape directly after the party....providing I can avoid the inevitable big mouth that just HAS to be the first to announce the outcome while we're still at the party....If that person is reading this weblog, I didn't mean YOU...

Either way, I'll be back here between the games...or after the celebration...whichever comes first! Mazel

 

Game 5-A Pounding!

Well, game 5 is history, except in the many taverns in San Francisco like Lefty O'Doul's and Paddy O'Shea's (old haunts of the Brahma...) where folks are still recalling the slaughter witnessed tonight in this city. At least for a few more minutes until last call.

My game 4 re-cap was a little rushed, as the next game was about to start. But I want to emphesize how big I thought Glaus's mistake on Lofton's bunt was. After the pathetic showing in game 3 and the similar beginning to game 4, it was starting to look pretty bad for the Giants until that play not only opened the door for them, but gave the Angels something to distract their focus. Their offense went flat for the rest of the game. Apparently, this effect lasted through game 5 as well!

So, I was wrong in my prediction that Troy Glaus would be ready for revenge.....he still seemed distracted, striking out twice and making a BIG error to open the floodgates! He has not been the same since THAT PLAY!
As long as I'm pointing out where I was wrong, let me point out that even though I forgot to write it last time (and wasn't obligated to point it out now) I thought the Giants would win, but because of a strong game from Jason Schmidt, (it wasn't his night!) not a total slugfest.

But now as the barkeeps of Lefty's toss out the last revelers to finish the celebration by screaming "GIAAAANTS!" as they make their way home to bed and dreams of the championship......I will put in print what I think is the reality...

The Giants better go down there and finish 'em off in game 6 to win it. With Appier on the mound for the Angels, I think that it's entirely possible. But....if somehow the Angels are able to overcome what I believe is the "Appier disadvantage" and squeak out a win, they will wake up from their self impossed stupor to overwhelm the Giants in game 7 (to my dismay). Livan Hernandez is the X-factor....if he can pump it up for another BIG game.....then it's a toss-up!

Please, send me your opinions or comments! brahmasworld@hotmail.com

 

Game 4-Rings the Bell...

Game four turned into a true fall classic in the 5th inning when Kenny Lofton's bunt rolled foul right before Troy Glaus picked it up as it rolled back fair. AND, I was able to look like a baseball genius before it was all over! But let's start from the beginning.
Before the game Billy Crystal announced the "10 greatest moments in baseball", as voted by the fans. As usual, I disagreed with the average Joe Schmuck. I'm sorry, but Kirk Gibson's 9th inning HR in game 1 of the '88 series can not possibly be more important than Bill Mazeroski's 9th inning HR in game 7 in 1960 that won the championship! Or, my personal choice for #1...Bobby Thompson's "shot heard 'round the world" to wrap up the 1951 pennant play-off (when play-off games were a rare thing...) against the Dodgers. They came back from a 13 game defecit in August! Ripken's consecutive game record?....very nice...but number 1? Please. I guess the choices reflect a younger crowd with little sense of history.
On to the game. Our friend Weeb showed up in time to see the Giants load the bases in the 1st inning with 1 out, only to come up empty. When the Angel's walked Bonds intentionally to load the bases for Benito Santiago, I asked Weeb (a lifelong Giant fan and a San Francisco native) why they batted Santiago 5th, right after Bonds. I would walk Bonds to pitch to Santiago even when Benito was a pup, nevermind now! Weeb said when they put him 5th they started winning, that's why. But Santiago took an outside curveball and tried to pull it. Result; the predictable double play.

To make matters worse, The Angels scored first on a base hit by the pitcher, John Lackey, with his first major league hit! Next inning they had two more on another Troy Glaus HR. It was starting to look like a continuation of game three! When they walked Bonds to load the bases again for Santiago, I said to Weeb that I'd bat David Bell behind Bonds, instead of 8th like they have been doing, because I thought he was a clutch hitter. You can't always go by the numbers....when they get hits is more important than how many! Benito proceeded to do the exact same thing, with the exact same results as the last time!

Sometimes the game of baseball takes a turn on the smallest detail. That's what happened in the 5th inning, when the whole world wide audience watched Lofton's bunt creep down the third base line, seemingly rolling foul, but taking a sudden detour back to fair ground just as Glaus reached down to pick it up! Weeb and I both declared that was the break they needed to get back in the game. To his credit, when Bonds was passed this time to bring up Santiago, he swung at the same pitch that created two double plays earlier....but this time he didn't try to pull it, instead placing a base hit directly behind 2nd base to tie the game at 3 apiece!

It stayed that way into the 8th inning. The new Angel ace, Rodrigez was throwing darts as usual, shuting down the giant offense.
The Giants had Snow, Sanders and Bell due up. I actually said to Weeb...."If they can get a man on 2nd with one out for Bell, they'll score. As you all know by now...that's exactly what happened!

So, I've now been exposed as a baseball expert, a title I'll readily accept! Well, now let's get ready for game 5! The pre-game show is starting and I'm ready to go! I hope the Giants are as ready, because I'm sure the Angels will be. They had game 4 almost in hand
....until the fateful bunt (read mistake by Glaus!) I know he'll want retribution! I'll see you here again for the wrap up on game 5!
~the Brahma~

 

Baseball philosophy

The following is part of a correspondence I recieved from Bum's Rush:

Brush-backs, hitting a batter, while it goes against my ideals of pacifism, looking at muscle bound guys digging in at the plate, grooving their swings for a pitch slightly above the knees and no higher the the diaphram has gotten old. Raise the strike zone to the letters - that way a strike can be uncomfortably close to the batters chin. Lighten up those feet, that's what Mays said he had to do. Historically, baseball is not a sport for the muscle bound, you have to have strength, no doubt, but since Bo Jackson, baseball has been riding on great athletes rather than athletes with great skills. And for those who refuse to relinquish their style, well... I would have loved to see what Gibson or Drysdale, or any number of pitchers would have done to McQuire, or even Rickey ("I am the greatest") Henderson; McQwire planting all 6'5" ready for a grooved pitch (what would he have done with a high strike?) and Henderson swinging for the fences with that croutched up stance, waiting for a walk so that he could steal. I suspect someone would have separated his kneecap from the rest of the joint if he kept that stuff up. I miss small ball that required players to hit behind runners, the run and hit, the hit and run, bunting, pitching to spots and playing in position. The Angels do that well, and sadly, they may beat the Gigantes because of this (and that Kent chokes)

I, the Brahma, respond:

Raise the strike zone?....absolutely! Seperate the batters kneecap?...I still think that's chickenshit baseball....The batter's not supposed to "dig in" now? The pitcher takes that as a personal affront? What did the batter ever do to him...have the nerve to get a hit? The batter has no other form of retaliation! I would love to see a few bats "slip" out of their hands toward the mound. Particularly in the American League, where they hide in the dugout instead of being the target for any retribution! Yeah...that Clemons is a real tough guy!
Generally, I'd rather see a high scoring game than batters worried for their lives and livleyhoods. Besides....where are all these "grooved pitches" you speak of and why are they "grooving" them? Are they just too lazy to actually try to fool the batter?
Their only recourse is to throw at him?
Pitching inside....YES! neccesary for success! A liitle chin music? Sure..why not?
Ryne Durran would enter the game with his coke-bottle glasses, throw a couple of warm-up pitches wild to the backstop, and that was his intimidation factor. I don't recall him having a reputation for actually hitting guys.
If I'm watching two exceptional pitchers throw grat games, I love it. Particlarly when watching on T.V., where you get the best view of the strike zone. But to watch a low scoring game because the batters have much to lose, and then call that good pitching is absolute chickenshit! Great pitching is Sandy Kofax...Whitey Ford....
they never rellied on anything but their skills! I never understood why Bob Gibson took such pride in his reputation for hitting people.
Back when I started watching the game....(how old does THAT sound?)...They had a term for guys who rellied on hitting batters instead of their pitching skills....HEADHUNTERS! It was definately meant in a derogatory way!

 

Game 3 in S.F.

After two great games down in Anahiem, tonights game three was anti-climatic to say the least. We had friends over here that we don't get to see often enough. They are huge Giant fans....they came to watch the game with us and we invited them for dinner. The dinner was great but the Giants sucked. Everybody here in the Bay Area expected a win tonight, for on the mound was Livan Hernandez....a proven post season performer.
El Duque's brother didn't have the good mojo with him tonight. The Angels connected and the ball would find an alley. With the exception of another Bonds blast, the Giants best hit balls were right at someone. Their defense fully cooperated in insuring defeat.
By the time catcher, Benito Santiago, a sentimental favorite out here, muffed a sure double-play attempt the end was in sight.

On a brighter note, Andie's dinner of seafood pasta was fabulous! I just wish I could have shared the experience of a victory with great Giant fans such as Eric & Sharron. Or, at least the experience of a good game! Well, I do believe this will go all 7 games, so that would mean the next 2 games should go to the Giants.

But you should know...The Giants haven't won the series since they moved to San Francisco. I know, I know...the Angels never won it. But here in the Bay Area people are still trying to get over the 1962 loss to the Yankees! They constantly talk and write about that fateful line drive off the bat of Willie McCovey that would have won the world series, if not for the fortunate placement of Bobby Richardson at 2nd base.
To top it all off, I didn't see my friend, The Amazing Scotto, in the water outside the right field fence. But we'll keep looking as he'll be there for all three games. Look for a red kayak (there were many!), with a guy in a yellow helmet. And let's hope we can look at a better game tomorrow! I believe we will!

 

Wide World of Sports

Welcome to a new feature...The Brahma's take on sports (that he likes!).