Marty Lurie Talks San Francisco Giants Baseball
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Former Big Leaguer Roy Thomas Gives His Perspective on Game One

Roy Thomas pitched in the major leagues for over ten years with the Houston Astros, St. Louis Cardinals, and Seattle Mariners from 1977 thru 1987. With a pitching style that intimidated the best hitters of his generation, Thomas was one of the feared relievers of his time. Thomas ended his career with a 20-11 mark, and when he retired he had the Seattle Mariners record for consecutive wins. Roy, whose insight is always on the mark, gives us his perspective on game one of the World Series.

Click “read more” and see the game through the eyes of a major leaguer.In retrospect, a strange game to watch. It felt almost surreal as the announcers never seemed to get excited. I am wondering if I am always so much swayed, or in need of the announcers high-pitched inflections to raise
my own sense of excitement to a fever pitch. Naw, I only seem to get excited
when the pitcher hangs one and the hitter comes out of his shoes trying to
break a windshield in the parking lot. The Giants have Bonds and I guess
Kent as stars, but the Angels are sporting journeymen pitchers and a windup
doll at short. Actually, I wish they would tout the shortstop for the Angels more, because the guy has defied HUGE odds to play in the major leagues. No small feat. Well, I am not sure how big his feet are, but his intestinal fortitude sack is full. I can only wonder how many front office people said, “yeah he is capable, but isn’t there someone else,” when discussing that guy playing shortstop. I mean, how many guys did they keep running out there trying to bury that kid, how many did they try to trade for, how many did they wish could do the job until they had to finally say, “he is the best we have.” And yet, he has proven to be a bona fide shortstop. I wish I could shake his hand. I don’t know how many guys with the great bodies and the can’t miss tools went home not even tasting the big leagues, and this little guy is kicking butt. In my gut I want him to be the catalyst that takes the Angels to the promised land, but without the A’s, Mariners, Yankees, or Dodgers in the finale, I just am not that interested.

Finding out WHERE all the managers will fall in two weeks is where the excitement is focused.

Funny, managers used to wait to get fired, now they quit and call their own shots. My how the game has changed. If I could have just one thing in the fall, it would be a mid-week day game, with fans waiting for the break between innings to run in from the car.

0 comments

1 marty { 10.20.02 at 11:03 am }

Roy, I thought game one set the stage for a very close series. The Angels are relentless in their approach. I think the Giants have their hands full tonight. The Giants need to hit some more doubles, and stop swinging for the fences. The Angels can score plenty of runs with some timely hitting. The Giant bull pen looked shaky in the eighth inning. Tim Worrell needed that game to get over his jitters, if he struggles again tonight the “rally monkey” might go nuts in the eighth inning. Baseball is a game ofbull pens, and both did their job last night. Angels can hit with anyone, this series is far from over. If I was the Giants, after watching las tnight’s game, I wouldn’t get too giddy. Eckstein is a pleasure to watch, I like your take on him. He isn’t intimidated at all. Russ Ortiz grew up an Angels fan, Kevin Appier grew up in the LA area, too (he was probably a Dodger fan), there will be some runs on the board in game two with these two on the mound.

I think the Angels even it up tonight. Thanks for your take on game one, if you can crank it up for game two, please let it fly.

Marty Lurie

2 Anonymous { 10.20.02 at 12:44 pm }

The Angels also looked like they were swinging for the fences last night. They could have used a little help from Erstad and Salmon. I think the pressure got to Washburn a little. He’s excused for giving up a homerun to Bonds(by the way the royal fanfare music Fox played was embarrassing) but not to Sanders and Snow. Angels bullpen was great-maybe that will quiet the “I’m going to be brutally honest” Ralph Barbieri. I wish the Fox tv announcers(too bad it’s not Morgan and Miller) would stop with the idiotic put downs of Ecstein(although he shouldn’t have dropped the line drive by Kent). Good game though. Hope there are six more close ones. As an A’s fan it’s nice being able to watch these games without screaming at the tv. S.

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