The other 24 guys -- yes, 2006 GIANTS BASEBALL

Friendships born in SCU dorm live on
NASH, WINN KEEPING UP TIES TO EX-TEAMMATES
By Chris Haft
Mercury News

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - With his long hair and MVP aura, Phoenix Suns guard Steve Nash was the center of attention when he walked into an Arizona Diamondbacks game last September. The stares grew more intense as he jumped from his seat to cheer a home run by the Giants' Randy Winn.

Recalling the glares and stares, Nash said, ``I had to explain to everybody that this is my buddy.''

Nash, 32, and Winn, 31, bonded almost instantly upon entering Santa Clara University in 1992. ``He was one of my first friends when I moved in the dorm,'' Nash said.

Without this relationship, their shared roots as Broncos would be mere coincidence. With it, their story grows beyond that.

``I guess the best part of it is he hasn't changed,'' Winn said recently. ``We were sitting around two nights ago telling stories, and it's like we're right back in school.''

Nash and Winn were part of a core of seven freshman basketball players who, finding themselves in a new world, gravitated toward one another for companionship. This group included Adam Anderson, Phil Von Buchwaldt, Jason Sedlock, Drew Zurek and Kevin Dunne, Winn's close friend from San Ramon Valley High School.

``In essence, we were a fraternity,'' Zurek said. ``We'd all go to the cafeteria and the library together. It was kind of comical, but we were all good buddies.''

``That was probably as close a group as we've had since I've been here,'' said Dick Davey, SCU's head coach since 1992.

Thanksgiving of their freshman year went a long way toward cementing the friendships. Since the basketball schedule gave players scant time to return to their respective homes, the Winns and Dunnes, who lived in Danville, hosted a holiday meal for those who couldn't be with their families. ``We had known each other for only two or three months and they opened up their homes,'' Zurek said.

As a freshman, Nash played 31 games and helped the Broncos stun second-seeded Arizona in the 1993 NCAA tournament by sinking six free throws in the final 49 seconds. He became a full-time starter as a sophomore. By contrast, Winn remained a reserve, averaging 6.3 minutes and 1.5 points in 22 games as a freshman and sophomore. Before the 1994-95 season, Winn committed full-time to baseball.

``After my senior year in high school, I was playing in some summer league and a scout said, `If you keep after this, you might be able to make some money doing this.' So I knew I'd choose baseball,'' said Winn, who signed a three-year, $23.25 million contract extension last month.

``He would have been a good college basketball player if he had stuck with it,'' Nash said. ``Everything he did was quick. He was one fast-twitch muscle.''

``Randy could flat-out defend you,'' Davey said. ``He was right up there with the best on our team.''

Dropping basketball didn't change Winn's social circle. He, Nash and four of their friends moved into a three-bedroom house for their junior year.

``I only went in there one time, and that was enough,'' Davey said. ``It was a real pigpen. But they seemed to enjoy it.''

``The place was a mess,'' Dunne conceded. ``But we definitely had some good parties and good times. Lots of lazy Sunday afternoons after games Saturday nights.''

As is the case with any group of college friends, graduating, building careers and raising families have separated Nash, Winn and their mates. But not too much. When Nash played in Dallas for the Mavericks, they would gather there once a year. Last spring, when Nash rejoined the Suns, the mini-reunion moved to the Phoenix area. Several of the friends convened again late last month, before Winn left to join Team USA for the World Baseball Classic. ``Boys' weekend,'' Winn called it.

``We've all kind of matured,'' said Zurek, who asked Winn to be godfather to his two children. ``Other than that, it's still the same. No one comes with airs.''

Winn sounded anything but conceited as he considered the career paths he and Nash have traveled since they were at SCU.

``If somebody came up to us and said, `Ten years from now, you'll both be professional athletes in different sports; one guy will be a multiple All-Star and MVP and the other guy will be an All-Star and a starter,' we would have said you're crazy,'' Winn said. ``We never would have thought that in a million years.''

Imagining themselves as lasting friends, however, would have been easy.

:D

It's ludicrous marketing. Every league must be its own special snowflake. You'll occasionally hear references to "the old first division", which invariably means the division that is now the Premiership.

Spring Training 2006

Ray Durham (34 y/o, $7.2M)
.375/.444/.450

Kevin Frandsen (23 y/o, ?)
.369/.408/.615 (up from .364/.500/.364 last year)

Derin McMains (26 y/o, ?)
.365/.417/1.333

                                   IP   H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR
  SAN FRANCISCO
 M Cain (L,1-3)                     5   4   5   5   1   7   3
 J Fassero                          1   2   2   2   1   1   0
 T Worrell                          1   4   3   3   0   2   0
 A Benitez                          1   3   4   4   2   0   0

vs. Jake Peavy

line drive ground-rule double to center (at PetCo mind you).

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/etienne_saint/crybarry.jpg

On June 17, 2005, Walker made history against the Detroit Tigers. He entered the game in the 9th inning with the bases loaded, and struck out the side on 9 straight pitches for the save. This is the first time any pitcher had done so in the recorded history of saves, which began in 1969.

11th in Batting Average
11th in Runs Scored
15th in Home Runs
12th in RBIs
15th in Slugging %

13th in WHIP
14th in ERA
16th in Strikeouts
15th in Walks Allowed

...so of course they're in first place in the West.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/stats/rpi?sortColumn=sos

.507 is 12th toughest SOS of yet.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/060429/ids_photos_sp/r1265974734.jpg

Tampa Bay
  	IP 	H 	R 	ER 	BB 	K 	HR 	Season ERA 
D. Waechter 	5.1 	3 	3 	3 	4 	3 	1 	5.95 	
T. Harper (BS, 1) 	0.1 	3 	1 	1 	0 	1 	0 	3.60 	
R. Lugo 	2.1 	1 	1 	1 	0 	1 	0 	4.32 	
T. Walker (L, 0-1; BS, 1) 	0.1 	2 	4 	4 	3 	1 	0 	27.00 	
D. Miceli 	0.2 	1 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	5.23 	

Steve phillips on BBTN just suggested that if Barry Bonds were in left field, [Bonds] woul PROBABLY not make that play...

The ball hit by Eric Byrnes in that Randy Winn pic probably would have hit the top of the sign and bounced back into the field of play. The play before that (Winn coming out of left field to make a sliding catch in left-center) was as great as that one. It's nice to have 2 CFs this year (as opposed to zero for the majority of last year).

Well... I mean, our pitching has been way better than I expected. The weak link, shockingly, has been Jake Peavy.

The offense, though... yeesh. Pretty ugly stuff.

Greene scraped up in jarring collision with Fielder
May 4, 2006

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- San Francisco Giants catcher Todd Greene was knocked out of the game Thursday after a jarring home-plate collision with Prince Fielder in the first inning.

Greene was treated on the ground for about five minutes by Giants trainer Stan Conte, but was able to walk off the field on his own. He had scrapes on the left side of his face, but could be seen sitting in the Giants' dugout during the next inning. He was replaced by Mike Matheny.

Fielder, the NL's rookie of the month for April, was barreling toward home on Corey Koskie's double to right when Greene caught the ball and stepped left into the basepath. Fielder, built like a linebacker at 6-feet, 260 pounds, kept right on going and slammed into Greene, knocking him to the ground.

Greene landed on his side and then rolled over onto his back, clutching his face. He didn't appear to be bleeding.

Koskie tried to score while umpires and Greene's teammates were gathered around Greene, but one of the Giants noticed and pitcher Brad Hennessey tagged him out.

VS:

Joe Nathan 2004-2006:
IP: 160 1/3
Record: 11-6
Saves: 93 (8 blown saves)
ERA: 2.13
WHIP: 0.96
K/9: 11.73
K/BB: 4.47 (209:47)

Francisco Liriano 2005-2006:
IP: 62
Record: 4-2
1 Save, 1 Hold, 0 blown saves
ERA: 3.48
WHIP: 1.16
K/9: 11.61
K/BB: 4.21 (80:19)

Boof Bonser 2006:
IP: 18
Record: 1-1
ERA: 4.50
WHIP: 1.22
K/9: 9.00
K/BB: 4.50 (18:4)

Shea is not the answer.

I'm actually disappointed that they're in "contention," as I was (and am still) hoping that they can move Schmidt for prospects.

You're our closer now Armando
Every inning every fastball seems to go right down the chute
We are so afraid Armando
We were young and full of life and we all held our heads up high
And we're not ashamed to say
The work of Beck and Robb Nen almost made us cry

You were choking in the ninth that night
You're such a fright, Armando
There was Jeffrey Maier and Grissom too
You piece of poo, Armando
Ev'ry time you pitch you always lose
We will regret
Now it's time to blow the game again
You suck, get bent, Armando

What've you got to say Armando?
And since many years I haven't seen you throw a 1-2-3
Can't you beat the Bums Armando?
Do you still recall the other night we pulled out all our hair?
I can see it in your eyes
How pissed you were that Omar stood right over there

There was nothing in your arm that night
Try as you might, Armando
In the playoffs leads evaporate
You're not so great, Armando
You'll come up with some stupid excuse
I'd surely bet
Then you'll just say something lame again
Go count to ten, Armando

You were choking in the ninth that night
You're such a fright, Armando
There was Jeffrey Maier and Grissom too
You piece of poo, Armando
Ev'ry time you pitch you always lose
We will regret
Now it's time to blow the game again
You suck, get bent, Armando
Yes, now it's time to blow the game again
You suck, get bent, Armando

4-0, 36.2 IP, 2 Runs (1 Earned), 35K:9BB, 0.76 WHIP, 0.25 ERA

Not even Johan Santana is pitching this well.

See, by putting more runners on, Cain knows how to get batters out when it counts without letting them score.

Anyway I just checked Defensive Efficiency (because I was curious) and the Giants are 4th in the league (2nd in the NL) and the Twins are 22nd (9th in the AL.) Which isn't to fault Cain for using his good defense at all, but lets get serious here, he's pitching very well, but really he's a little lucky here and even over the last five games once you take into account like things like park factors, league factors and record of the teams they are facing, Santana is pitching better.

The good news:
they're not losing ground in the WC race (if LA loses).

The 2007 Giants: LINDEN & THE LIVER SPOTS

how much are the Giants gonna love that trip back to STL ... they'll lose just to be spiteful.

http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/3637/dsc03807no5.jpg

Joshua Prager
The Echoing Green: The Untold Story of Bobby Thomson, Ralph Branca and
the Shot Heard Round the World

Relive the "shot heard round the world" with Josh Prager, the writer who broke the story of its secret. To baseball fans, October 3, 1951, is a pivotal date, when Bobby Thomson of the New York Giants hit a homerun off Ralph Branca of the Brooklyn Dodgers to secure a miraculous comeback victory for his team and win the pennant. Prager will be in conversation with Roy Eisenhardt, former President of the Oakland Athletics. Please note: This event will take place at the Jewish Community Center, 3200 California Street at Presidio. Admission is $8 for members, $10 for non-members. For reservations and more information, please call 292-1233 or email [email protected].

Stage #1: Felipe Alou released