Marty; The three most recent prescient articles written here were devoted to Bonds and the uncertainties inherent in predicting the future impact he has on the Giants’ fortunes. It is time to get beyond the Bonds situation and start talking baseball.

I took a look at what passed for prescience here, going back to words of wisdom passed along to unsuspecting readers as early as December. Much of the successful observations, to date, didn’t require a rocket scientist. Such cogent thoughts as “there remain uncertainties in the bullpen” or “Matt Cain has yet to prove himself” or that “Niekro will be given a chance to show he can hit both right and left-handed big league pitchers, (but) holding your breath would not be a good idea” may be repeated today, without much fear of contradiction.

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Marty: The season is thirty-two games old and Giant fans are wondering if this is going to be one long, unpleasant year. There are sufficient reasons to conclude just that. In last place, four losing games out of first. A bullpen with the worst ERA in the majors. A first baseman clearly overmatched by major league pitching, the dreary Bonds watch occupying much of the space in the press and on the tube.

Let’s deal with the Bonds story and leave the ball club’s woes for another day. In this past Sunday’s New York Times review of a book titled “Love Me, Hate Me; Barry Bonds and the Making of an Anti-hero” the reviewer comments that the author refers to Bonds as “baseball super-star, suspected drug cheat, possible perjuror and pariah”. The reviewer also mentions that a more appropriate title of the book would be “Hate Me, Hate Me”. To put the final nail in the coffin, the author of the book is quoted as concluding that “Bonds is a thoroughly miserable guy, the kind of person who throws sweat socks on the floor just to watch the clubhouse attendant stoop to pick them up.”

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Howie Kendrick Interview May 2, 2006

The Rookie talks about getting the call up to the Angels, his AA experience and about his start into the Majors. On April 24, The Angels recalled Kendrick from the minors. In only 70 at-bats at AAA, he was batting .386. Howie Kendrick will be a star. He is a very thoughtful young man as you will be able to tell right away as you listen to the interview.
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Inside Baseball with Marty Lurie & Shooty Babbitt – breaking down the A’s pitching rotation, The Divisions: AL East and the business of sports radio.

Segment one: Dave Feldman, Marty and Shooty.

Segment two: Dave Feldman, Robert Buan, Marty and Shooty.

Segment Three: Dave Feldman, Robert Buan, Bruce McGowan, Marty and Shooty.

Segment Four: Dave Feldman, Robert Buan, Marty and Shooty.

Segment Five: Dave Feldman, Robert Buan, Marty and Shooty.

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Last fall the White Sox swept through the World Series beating the Astros in four games.

Has the balance of power shifted in major league baseball from the East to the Central?

The last time the Central dominated the American League for any period of time you have to look back to the Kansas City Royals-Detroit Tiger battles of the 80’s.

In the senior circuit the last real dominance from teams comprising the current Central Division saw the Reds and Pirates battling through the 1970’s .

The Central Divisions in 2006 are strong.

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Rick Kaplan
Staff Writer

(OAKLAND, May 5) – Once upon a time, home runs were exciting.

There was Bobby Thomson’s sublime shot in 1951. Kirk Gibson’s unforgettable one-legged victory lap in 1988. Joe Carter’s World Series winner in 1992.

But now it’s like shooting fish in a barrel. They’re a dime-a-dozen. Ho-Hum Home Runs.

Chris Shelton, whoever that is, hits 9 in the first 14 games of the 2006 season, and Albert Pujols rings up 15 dingers in the first 28 games. Kevin Mensch homers in seven straight games.

And it’s just early May.

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Rex Hudler Interview May 1, 2006

Hud and Marty, in Anahiem, talk about getting beaned, the A’s pitching rotation, Angels’ baseball and body language. Hud is the television analyst for the Angels, one of the most unique and colorful guys in the game, I enjoy having him on the show.
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Willie Mays: An Original
by Glenn Dickey
May 03, 2006

WILLIE MAYS turns 75 on Saturday, which was noted by John Shea, who did a lengthy interview of Mays for this morning’s Chronicle. As one who saw Mays for all of his San Francisco Giants career – and who also had an illuminating interview with Mays for my Giants history book: “San Francisco Giants, 40 years” -–I’d like to share some of my memories.

Mays was simply the best all-round player I’ve ever seen, and everybody who watched him play felt the same. “When you talk to players from different eras,” said Alvin Dark, “there are always those who stand out for the guys who played with them. When I’ve talked to players from the ‘30s, Joe DiMaggio was that guy. For those in my era, Willie was the one.” Maybe even more than DiMaggio. Leonard Koppett was a friend of DiMaggio’s, but he always said Mays was the best he’d seen.

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Rick Kaplan
Staff Writer

(OAKLAND May 2) – Jae Seo (0.64 ERA, 14 inn., 7 hits) and Chan Ho Park (0.00 ERA, 10 1/3 inn., 7 hits) were ‘lights out’ pitching for Korea in the WBC. However, they’ve both cooled off, and the change has been like night and day for them since the opening of MLB.

Seo has a 7.64 ERA and Park is at 4.62.

Esteban Loaiza of the A’s had some modest success in the WBC, having a good start against Canada, but got knocked out by Japan and finished the Classic with an ERA of 5.0. And somewhere between the WBC and Opening Day of the regular season he mysteriously lost nearly 10 miles an hour off his fastball, just yesterday going on the DL with an ERA over 8.

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Barry Bonds: Still the Catalyst for Giants
by Glenn Dickey
May 02, 2006

BARRY BONDS will be a mixed blessing for the Giants this season.

Bonds now looks a lot like Frank Thomas with the A’s, but the A’s can use Thomas as a designated hitter and not have to play him in the field. The Giants have to put Bonds in left field and just hope that he doesn’t have to make any tough plays.

The Giants can put together a very good defensive outfield when Bonds doesn’t play, with Randy Winn in left field, Steve Finley in center and Moises Alou in right, with Jason Ellison in reserve. The versatile Winn is best in left field, and he made two sensational catches to save a win last weekend. At 41, Finley is still an outstanding defensive center fielder, though his bat isn’t what it was. Alou is off to his best start in years at the plate, and he does a good job in right field, too.

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