I was going to post in one of the other threads, but I know not everyone reads the fantasy threads.

Anyway, I watched the Giants home opener and I am excited this year. There is finally proof the Giants are on the upswing of a bad stretch. They still won't make the playoffs, but I can see them being very good 2-3 years from now when some of their top prospects have come up through the minors. Plus, the attitude of the team is youthful and fun. Especially guys like Lincecum, Brian Wilson (who looks like he has a mowhawk?), Pablo Sandoval and Emmanuel Burris. Mix in some quality veteran personalites like Rowand, Aurilia and Molina and I think it's going to be a fun year. It's such a drastic, and welcomed, change from the serious atmosphere of the Bonds era.

Anyway, talk about anything baseball here.

I agree with you, Blibble, that the Giants are one of the most fun teams to watch. They may not beready for the rigors of a major league season, but they are creating their own identity.

I caught some of the game too. We always get the MLB Extra Inning package, and have TV access to all the games. There's nothing more relaxing than listening to Vin Scully call a Dodger game at midnight.

That's how I feel about Jon Miller doing the radio games for the Giants. Everyone here would know him as Joe Morgan's partner for ESPN Sunday night games, but I'm lucky to hear him on the radio for all Giants games, except Sunday. Relaxing is the perfect way to describe it Kly.

In fact I've tried to explain that to my girlfriend before and she doesn't get it, mainly because she is not a sports fan. But I tell her sometimes I zone out and don't actually hear what they are saying, but the sound of great announcers voices that I've been listening to for years is very soothing and comforting. It makes me a happier person. Duane Kuiper has that same effect on me who has to be one of the best former athlete's turned play-by-play guys out there (as opposed to color commentators like most former athlete's).

i think that if the injury bug or choking bug doesnt chatch up to the cubs they could make it for a long play off run or hell even the world series.

My mom really loves listening on the radio, and she'll even choose that over TV sometimes. Our two new guys that took over when Milo Hamilton started doing only home games are funny and nice to listen to.

My favorite guys are our TV announcers, Bill Brown and Jim Deshaies, but it's that same feeling like you guys mention, where it's just soothing to listen to them talk. Especially in the long summer stretch, when we sometimes get into a bad funk and only the extreme baseball loyalists are paying any attention, it's fun to hear them chat about random trivia or just make corny jokes with each other. They'll point things out that make me remember why I love watching the game.

I met Jon Miller in Baltimore in 1996. That was the last of many years he was the Orioles play by play guy.

Harry Kalas has been calling Phillie games longer than I've been a fan. He has a rich, resonant voice that captures the excitement of a good game. He was paired with Whitey Ashburn, whom Philadelphians loved more than cheesesteaks, soft pretzels and jeering. During the Phillies' postseason run, I had to listen to their broadcast of the game. My favorite Kalas call was Schmidt's 500th homerun.

I bet DeShaies is entertaining. He was quite a character when he played. Relievers aren't wired the same way the rest of us are. Larry Andersen, one of the Phillies' color guys, was a wacky reliever, and he has a deadpan, caustic sense of humor. When he was told during a telecast early last year when Paul LoDuca was batting for the Nationals that Loduca couldn't understand why the Philly fans were booing him so lustily, Andersen dryly said, "If he has a free hour, I'd be happy to tell him."

Andersen sounds like an entertaining guy, too.

I wish I could've seen DeShaies pitch, but I enjoy hearing his stories about the guys he played with and some of his experiences.

There was another Astro reliever back then, named Charlie Kerfelds. He was a real character. He wore #37 and each contract he signed had a salary that ended with $37.37, and included 37 boxes of Jello.

Larry Andersen pitched for the Astros too. He is known in Houston as the guy the Astros traded to the Red Sox for minor leaguer, Jeff Bagwell.

I lived in Houston when Jim Deshaies pitched. In fact, I met him and Mike Scott while I was visiting my sister where she was working at Sharpstown mall (which, I hear, is either out-of-business or has become a real dump). Anyway, I didn't really meet them because I was too young and too shy to say anything, but my sister was able to get their autographs for me.

This is horrible. Anaheim Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart was killed in a car accident this morning. How tragic.

http://blogs.ocweekly.com/navelgazing/a-clockwork-orange/angels-pitcher-nick-adenhart-k/

http://www.tmz.com/2009/04/09/angels-starting-pitcher-killed-after-ball-game/

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=...sp&c_id=mlb

was it last year that a cardinals pitcher was killed in a car accident?

What a tragedy! My goodness. How sad.

He was only 22, and one of the brightest prospects in baseball, probably the #1 pitching prospect. He had just pitched 6 scoreless innings that evening against the A's, and a few hours later he's killed by a hit and run driver, who ran a red light or stop sign.

There was a recent report that another Angels' player was with him. I hope this is untrueas two others in Adenhart's car were killed, and one is in intensive care.

This was already a bad day for baseball with Adenhart dying, but did you guys see the clip of Giants pitcher Joe Martinez taking a line drive off of his right temple? The ball bounced at an angle back towards the fence. It was almost a direct hit.

I haven't seen any updates on him. I know he was coherent, but the reports are that there was a lot of bleeding, even after he was taken away. What does it mean to get hit in the temple and his nose bleeds? That's scary...

I have to give credit to Mike Cameron, the hitter, who looked as shaken up as possible. After seeing the replay on Baseball Tonight, it looked like he might have been crying with his face in his hands. Rowand gave him a pat on the back.

I'm going on and on more than I probably need to, but this is one of my boys! I was working while it happened so I had it on the radio. I had to picture it in my head what happened, and seeing it replayed on the highlights was even more scary.

Sixty feet, six inches is a frighteningly short distance. I hope the pitcher is okay. Frankly (knock on wood), I've always been surprised this hasn't occurred more frequently. Mike Mussina took a scary shot about 12 years ago and Bryce Florie had a career changing line drive.

lets not forget matt clement who just retired this week...took a line drive in the head never regained his career. also too mark prior who didnt get hit in the head, but in the elbow and he was never the same anymore either.

Kerfelds must've really liked his Jello. And not been willing to buy it himself with his salary, I guess?

CS, that's a nice story...that was sweet of your sister to get the autographs. It's been a while since I've had a chance to stand near the field and try to get a player to sign a ball, but when I have, I always go blank and don't know what to say. I'll probably never get over that star-struck anxiety!

It was so sad to hear about Adenhart. I first found out when my mom saw the article online, and it hit me just as much when I heard it discussed on Sportscenter. I don't know if it's how young he was, that he'd just pitched such a great game, or maybe the entire situation for him, but it's just horrible...it seems so bad when it's a ballplayer because it's like it's one of "our guys." He had such a future ahead of him.

Here is a link to the video and article of Joe Martinez getting hit in the head by the pitch. Sound sound is sickening and the slow motion closeup is even scarier...

http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/news/...jsp&c_id=sf

The worst shot I ever saw was back in the mid 70's when I was a kid. Mets' pitcher and current Rockies pitching coach Bob Apodaca took a line drive right between the eyes. He was out of action for a few months. I don't know how it didn't kill him.

Tony Conigliaro. August, 1967. Boston Red Sox outfielder.

Tony C. was one of the most promising players in many years (at that point he was the youngest man to ever reach 100 career home runs) when he was hit in the eye by a pitch. He missed the rest of the '67 season (in which the Red Sox went on to win the pennant against 100-1 odds). He was able to come back and play a little after that and had two decent seasons but never fully regained his prowess and sadly retired for good a few years later (due to eyesight issues as a result of being hit).

The Little League style of batting helmut was adopted by many major leaguers after that incident (prior to that the batting helmuts didn't include the ear/eye flap).

Even sadder, he died in 1990, at age 45.

To this day, I say that the 1967 Red Sox outfield was the best I've EVER seen. Carl Yastrzemski, Reggie Smith and Tony Conigliaro. It just doesn't get any better.

I remember that too. I'm guessing it was 1976, and I think the batter was Johnny Oates.

A promising career was cut short. Similarly, Dickie Thon was becoming a star when he was hit in the eye by a Mike Torrez pitch in '83 or '84. He eventually came back, but was never the same.

It's two years before I was born, but don't forget Herb Score. In 1957 he was a VERY promising pitcher with the Indians until he caught a Gil McDougald line drive straight in the eye. He became so shell-shocked that he shifted his pitching motion to avoid a similar injury. He was never the same, but he went on to become a Hall of Fame announcer for the Indians for more than 30 years.

What happened to Tony Conigliaro after baseball was downright tragic. He suffered his first heart attack at 36 years old and had a severe stroke shortly thereafter, which left him pretty much a vegetable until his death at 45.

I remember that one too.

So the Astros started out today leaving six on base through the first three innings, and I'm thinking we might end up losing by just a run or two because of our missed opportunities.

But nooo...instead, Pujols ends up with 7 RBI, helping the Cards completely embarrass us with an 11-2 beatdown.

Oh yeah. Whine Alert.

I sure am glad there are 157 chances left to make up for this game!

Sorry, normally when I pick a player in fantasy baseball he doesn't come through... put somehow poo-hole did...

...and you are now my scapegoat!

C'mon, now... how many years already has it all been MY fault!!