My 2012 MLB All Star Ballot(and please, please please draft Dion Waiters)

Via a combination of WARP(Davenport) and WAR(B-Ref)

34 players per league, 20 position players, 14 pitchers, 10 starters/4 relievers.  Each club has a representative.

We're a little short of 81 games, but due to scheduling purposes, this is the last build.  These are my All Star Rosters. 

(I'll edit in the actual selections)

American League Starters
C Matt Wieters Balt(Mike Napoli)
1B Paul Konerko CWS(Prince Fielder)
2B Robinson Cano NYY(Cano)
SS Asdrubal Cabrera Cle(The Late Derek Jeter)
3B Brett Lawrie Tor(Adrian Beltre)
LF Josh Hamilton Tex(Hamilton)
CF Mike Trout LAA(Curtis Granderson)
RF Jose Bautista Tor(Bautista)
DH Miguel Cabrera Det(David Ortiz)
P Justin Verlander (MVP/Cy)(Verlander)
 
American League Reserves
C Joe Mauer Min(Mauer, Matt Wieters)
1B Albert Pujols LAA(Adam Dunn, Paul Konerko)
2B Jason Kipnis Cle(Ian Kinsler)
SS Elvis Andrus Tex(Andrus, Asdrubal Cabrera)
3B Mike Moustakas KC
OF Adam Jones Balt(Jones)
OF Austin Jackson Det
OF Josh Reddick Oak(Mike Trout)
OF Alex Rios CWS(Mark Trumbo)
PH David Ortiz Bos(Miguel Cabrera)
PH Edwin Encarnacion Tor(Billy Butler)

P Chris Sale CWS(Sale)
P Jake Peavy CWS
P David Price TB(Price)
P CJ Wilson LAA(Wilson)
P Jason Hammel Balt
P Hiroki Kuroda NYY(CC Sabathia)
P Matt Harrison Tex(Harrison)
P Jared Weaver LAA(Weaver)
P Felix Hernandez Sea(Hernandez)

RP Fernando Rodney TB(Rodney)
RP Jim Johnson Balt(Johnson)
RP Rafael Soriano NYY(Ryan Cook, Joe Nathan)
RP Jonathan Broxton KC(Chris Perez)

National League Starters 
C Carlos Ruiz Phi(Buster Posey)
1B Joey Votto Cin (MVP)(Votto)
2B Jose Altuve Hou(Dan Uggla)
SS Jed Lowrie Hou(Rafael Furcal)
3B David Wright NYM(Pablo Sandoval)
LF Ryan Braun Mil (Melky Cabrera)
CF Andrew McCutcheon Pit(Matt Kemp)
RF Carlos Beltran StL(Beltran)
DH Melky Cabrera SFG(Braun)
SP RA Dickey NYM(Cy)(Dickey)


National League Reserves
C Yadier Molina StL(Molina)
C AJ Ellis LAD(Carlos Ruiz)
1B Adam LaRoche Wash(Bryan LaHair)
2B Aaron Hill Ari(Jose Altuve)
2B Darwin Barney Chi
SS Starlin Castro Chi(Castro, Ian Desmond)
3B Chase Headley SD(David Wright)
OF Michael Bourn Atl(Andrew McCutcheon)
OF Martin Prado Atl(Carlos Gonzalez)
OF Giancarlo Stanton Mia(Stanton)
OF Jay Bruce Cin(Bruce)


P Wade Miley Ari(Miley)
P Johnny Cueto Cin
P Matt Cain SFG(Cain)
P Stephen Strasburg Wash(Strasburg)
P Zack Greinke Mil
P Ryan Vogelsong SFG(Lance Lynn)
P Cole Hamels Phi(Hamels)
P James McDonald Pit(Gio Gonzalez)
P Clayton KershawLAD(Kershaw)

RP Aroldis Chapman Cin(Chapman)
RP Craig Kimbrel Atl(Kimbrel)
RP Kenley Jansen LAD(Jonathan Papelbon)
RP Rafael Betancourt Col(Huston Street, Joel Hanrahan)

Here's the current most likely playoff scenario.

AL East - NYY(95 wins)
AL Central -Det(84 wins)
AL West - Texas (98 wins)
WC1-LAA (87)
WC2-TB(86)

NL East -Wash(88)
NL Cen- StLouis(89)
NL West-SFG(89)
WC1-Cincinnati(89)
WC2-Atl(86)

GSW picks 7th.  Please, Please, Please draft this guy:




And if Quincy Miller's available at the end of the 1st, please draft him.  Thanks.

My Emmy Ballot

 

Emmy nominations (and All Star game balloting) are announced this week.  Here are my selections. Not predictions, this is my ballot.

Drama:
1. Mad Men
2. Breaking Bad
3. Homeland

Actor:
1. Jon Hamm
2. Bryan Cranston
3. Damian Lewis
4. Kelsey Grammer
5. Steve Buscemi

Actress:
1. Claire Danes
2. Elisabeth Moss
3. Emmy Rossum
4. Mireille Enos

Comedy:
1. 30 Rock
2. Curb Your Enthusiasm
3. Parks & Recreation
4. Girls
5. Louie
(there are a ton of good sitcoms; I could go five more without breathing hard)

Actor:
1. Alec Baldwin
2. Louis CK
3. Danny McBride
4. Don Cheadle
5. Jim Parsons

Actress:
1. Julia Louis-Dreyfus
2. Amy Poehler
3. Mary Louise Parker
4. Zooey Deschanel
5. Tina Fey

Movie:
1. Game Change (all I saw was Game Change)

Actor:
1. Woody Harrelson (all I saw was Game Change)

Actress:
1. Julianne Moore (all I saw was Game Change)

Drama Supporting Actor:
1. Aaron Paul
2. Giancarlo Esposito
3. Walt Goggins
4. Mandy Patinkin
5. Joel Kinnaman

Drama Supporting Actress:
1. Megan Hilty 
2. Anna Gunn
3. Christina Hendricks
4. Kelly Macdonald
5. Kiernan Shipka

Comedy Supporting Actor:
1. Nick Offerman
2. Max Greenfield
3. Charlie Day
4. Neil Patrick Harris
5. Ty Burrell

Comedy Supporting Actress
1. Kristen Wiig
2. Maya Rudolph
3. Kaitlin Olson
4. Casey Wilson
5. Busy Philipps

Movie Supporting Actress:
1. Sarah Paulson (all I saw was Game Change.  Geez.)

Reality Competition:
1. The Glee Project
2. Project Runway
3. Top Chef
4. Survivor
5. The Next Food Network Star

Reality Host:
1. Jeff Probst
2. Padma Lakshmi
3. Heidi Klum

Comedy Variety:
1. Colbert Report
2. Daily Show
3. Portlandia
4. Watch What Happens Live
5. The Soup

Comedy Guest Actor:
1. Michael J Fox
2. Paul Rudd
3. Will Arnett
4. Will Ferrell
5. Justin Long

Comedy Guest Actress:
1. Melissa McCarthy
2. Elizabeth Banks
3. Mary Steenburgen
4. Idina Menzel
5. Megan Mullally

The Weekly Tendown June 17-23 2012 (Onedown)

132 was here. This is Tendown 133

Dear Internet:

That's a sign on the window of a Whole Foods in Phoenix.

I'm at the midpoint in my two week training for the new gig; it's a brand new life around the bend, mainly phone calls, email and webinars. Ideally, 20 years from now I'm looking at this as the turn that took me to my greatest professional success.

But for right now - how I'll remember this week is a sign in a Whole Foods that said "don't take pictures."

Naturally, I took a picture of it.  If that strikes you as emblematic of how I approach rules in general and might more broadly reflect how I'd view entering a new organization, making this picture from a Phoenix Whole Foods not just a throwaway Tendown that I'm writing on the company laptop in the Residence Inn but instead provides a clear snapshot of who I am at age 501 months...then...you know...sweet.

1. Some 4 star matches I've seen since Last We Spoke

Evolve may fox v Callihan. 4

Zero1 may marufuji/ishimori v tanaka/hidaka 4 1/4
Tna angle/aj v kaZarian/Daniels 4 june
Evolve may ricochet v generico 4
Evolve generico v Callihan 4 1/2 may
Evolve fox v gargano 4 1/4

That's all for this time.  I'll be back next time...if there is a next time...

Your pal,

Jim

Athlete of the Month - June, 2012

May is here.

 
LeBron James.  Runners-up: Rafael Nadal, Matt Cain, RA Dickey

The year's half over and we now have a leader in the clubhouse.

The Weekly Tendown June 10-16 2012 (Perfectdown!)

Dear Internet:

I'm in Phoenix.

I'm not in Phoenix; I'm at my desk, but by the time this posts on Sunday; I'll be in Phoenix training for my new job for the next two weeks, encompassing three Sundays. Tendownfree Sundays.

Thursday I woke up at 5:30 for my last day at a job I've had for 8 and a half years and watched Matt Cain throw the only perfect game in the 130 year franchise history of the Giants.

There won't ever be a way to separate those two occurrences, perhaps you have something similar in your life.  20 years ago, I started what was my most significant relationship of my life to that point on the same day that Magic announced he had HIV.  As long as I remember one, I'll remember the other.

That's how this will work too.  It's the longest time I've ever worked anywhere; I taught as much as 48 weeks a year, with up to 7 classroom classes running at a time, with as many as 50 students in a class.  I gave the school almost every good idea I had in my thirties.  They sliced my vacation in half, and when corporate profits dropped they took away my health insurance.  The way the right wing would like me to react to that is to direct my anger at some tenured instructor at a state school.  "Look at what those government workers get!  Why do they deserve so much more than you?"

They don't.  But it doesn't mean their deal is too good; it means mine wasn't good enough.

The right hates class warfare, believes that talking about inequality is just "envy" - but whether it's "look at those immigrants" or "look at those welfare cheats" or "look at those government workers" - the right message of misdirection - that we should look at anyone except at who actually has a greater and greater share of the wealth - is predicated upon envy.

And all of those things are frozen in my mind along with this:

I left my job on June 14.  I flew to Phoenix on June 17.  Which is today.  Except its not.

131 is here. This is Tendown 132.

1. Inning by Inning

Here's the breakdown of Cain's 125 pitch, 14 strikeout, perfect game.

2. Blanco

Given the spot - one of the great catches in baseball history.

3. The five minute version.

Via MLB - a 5 minute version of the game.

4. The final Out

5. The Greatest Game Ever Pitched?

Cain's game score is tied for the second best in baseball history.

6. The Other 21.



Here's every perfect game in baseball history.

7. No Longer Unlikely

The distance between Cain's advanced metrics and his career win-loss record led some to call him the unluckiest pitcher in baseball history.



8. Headlines.  

9. The Boxscore.




At 5-0 in the third, our expected win percentage was 94%

10. The Rubber





That's all for this time.  I'll be back next time....if there is a next time...

Your pal,

Jim

130 Years of Giants Baseball.

One perfect game.

The Weekly Tendown: June 3-9 2012

Dear Internet:



He's lonely.  He's Virgil.  He's Lonely Virgil. It's why the internet was created.

Here's 130. This is Tendown 131.

1. The Thing I Learned This Week That I Did Not Know Before This Week
Ricotta? Not a cheese.

2. The Thing I Would Have Guessed Before This Week That Now I Know.
It's really hot.

Four major heat records fell in a stunning new climate report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on Thursday. The lower 48 states set temperature records for the warmest spring, largest seasonal departure from average, warmest year-to-date, and warmest 12-month period, all new marks since records began in 1895. While the globe has been tracking slightly cooler than recent years — thanks in part to the influence of now dissipated La Nina conditions in the tropical Pacific — the U.S. has been sizzling. 


3. What's Killing US Soldiers at the Rate of 1 Per Day?
Suicide.


4. Would You Like to See the Intros For the First 25 Real World Seasons?
Well, you can.


5. The Book I Read on My Phone.



It's taken me all of a month with my new phone to have been relieved of my "books must be on paper" paradigm.  I've changed teams.  My apologies.


I also watched 3 four star matches this week:


May ROH Richards v. Steen 4 1/4
May DDT Ibushi v. Generico 4 1/4
June ROH Richards v. Edwards 4(the best TV match of the year)
June Chikara Young Bucks v. Taylor/Gargano 4




6. Moratorium

No more body switching movies.  Even the not terrible ones are terrible.


Also, don't say "bucket list."  You don't really have one.  


7. I Made a Ton of Posts This Week
As I wind down with the current job and ready to move immediately into the next I've had a little more time than has been usual.


Here's every player who only played one game as a San Francisco Giant.


Here are my changes to the 50 Greatest NBA players of all time.

And here are my updated predictions and All Star rosters with 100 games to go in the MLB season.

8. For Your Netflix Queue



Consider Submarine.  


9. Do You Like Listening to TV Writers Talk Shop As Much as I Do?
You might enjoy this podcast.






10. In Case I'm Not Around For a Few Weeks...

Next Sunday I go to Phoenix for a two week training for the new gig.  Just a couple of weeks later I go to Utah for a week for a seminar.  So, if I'm largely dark for a month - y'all get some rest.  


That's all for this time.  I'll be back next time...if there is a next time....


Your pal,


Jim

100 Games to Go - 2012 MLB All Star Rosters

Via a combination of WARP(Davenport) and WAR(B-Ref)

34 players per league, 20 position players, 14 pitchers, 10 starters/4 relievers.  Each club has a representative.

Final build will come at the 80 game mark.


American League Starters
C M. Wieters  Balt
1B P. Konerko CWS
2B K. Johnson Tor
SS A. Cabrera Cle
3B B. Lawrie Tor
LF J. Willingham Min
CF J. Hamilton Tex
RF J. Reddick Oak
DH E.Encarnacion Tor  
SP J. Verlander Det

American League Reserves
2B J. Kipnis Cle

2B R. Cano NYY
SS JJ Hardy Balt
3B M. Moustakas KC
OF M. Joyce TB

OF A. Jones Balt
OF A. Jackson Det
DH D. Ortiz Bos
OF M. Trout LAA
3B K. Seager Sea
C C.Santana Cle

P D.Price Tor
   C. Sale CWS
   J. Peavy CWS
   J.Hammel Balt
   CJ Wilson LAA
   CC Sabathia NYY
   B. McCarthy Oak
   F. Paulino KC
   B. Morrow Tor

RP P. Strop Bal
      J. Johnson Bal
      F. Rodney TB
      J. Nathan Tex

National League Starters
C C. Ruiz Phi
1B J. Votto Cin
2B J. Altuve Hou
SS J. Lowrie Hou
3B D. Wright NYM
LF M. Cabrera SFG
CF M. Bourn Atl
RF G. Stanton Mia
DH R. Braun Mil
SP RA Dickey NYM

National League Reserves
C Y. Molina StL
C AJ Ellis LAD
1B P. Goldschmidt Ari
2B D. Barney Chi
2B D. Uggla Atl
SS S. Castro Chi
3B C. Headley SD
OF M. Prado Atl
OF A. McCutcheon Pit
OF M. Kemp LA
OF J. Bruce Cin

P G. Gonzalez Was
   M.Cain SFG
   C. Hamels Phi
   J. Zimmerman Was
   C. Zambrano Mia
   B. Beachy Atl
   S. Strasburg Was
   C. Kershaw LA
   J. McDonald Pit

RP A. Chapman Cin
      R. Betancourt Col
      C. Kimbrel Atl
      K. Jansen LA
   
Here's the current most likely playoff scenario.

AL East - NYY
AL Central - CWS
AL West - Texas (best record)
WC1-TB
WC2-Bos

NL East - Atl
NL Cen- Cincinnati(best record)
NL West-LA
WC1-StL
WC2-SFG

The New Top 50 NBA Players Ever

In 1996 the NBA named its 50 greatest players of all time.


It's 2012.  The '96 list is here and at the bottom - my updated list of the 50 greatest NBA players of all time.  

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Tiny Archibald

Paul Arizin

Charles Barkley

Rick Barry

Elgin Baylor

Dave Bing

Larry Bird

Wilt Chamberlain

Bob Cousy

Dave Cowens

Billy Cunningham

Dave DeBusschere

Clyde Drexler

Julius Erving

Patrick Ewing

Walt Frazier

George Gervin

Hal Greer

John Havlicek

Elvin Hayes

Magic Johnson

Sam Jones

Michael Jordan

Jerry Lucas

Karl Malone

Moses Malone

Pete Maravich

Kevin McHale

George Mikan

Earl Monroe

Shaquille O'Neal

Hakeem Olajuwon

Robert Parish

Bob Pettit

Scottie Pippen

Willis Reed

Oscar Robertson

David Robinson

Bill Russell

Dolph Schayes

Bill Sharman

John Stockton

Isiah Thomas

Nate Thurmond

Wes Unseld

Bill Walton

Jerry West

Lenny Wilkens

James Worthy

The New List - 2012
Centers
Kareem Abdul Jabbar
Wilt Chamberlain
Tim Duncan 

Shaquille O’Neal
Hakeem Olajuwon

Bill Russell
David Robinson
George Mikan
Moses Malone
Artis Gilmore
Robert Parish
Walt Bellamy
Patrick Ewing
Dolph Schayes
Wes Unseld 




Forwards
Karl Malone
Dirk Nowitzki
Charles Barkley
Bob Pettit
Kevin Garnett
Larry Bird
LeBron James
Paul Pierce
Bailey Howell
Kevin McHale
Julius Erving
John Havlicek
Elvin Hayes
Rick Barry 
Scottie Pippen
Dominique Wilkins
Elgin Baylor
Horace Grant


Guards
Oscar Robertson
John Stockton
Michael Jordan
Jerry West
Magic Johnson 
Walt Frazier 
Kobe Bryant
Reggie Miller
Steve Nash
Chauncey Billups 
Chet Walker
Adrian Dantley
Jason Kidd
Gary Payton
Clyde Drexler
Ray Allen 
Dwyane Wade

Moonlight (Graham) by the Bay

It took more than half a century, but in 2010 the San Francisco Giants won the World Series.  This week if happened again.  I wanted to offer thoughts; the Giants are my longest enduring daily relationship of my life - I don't know if there's been a single day over the past 35 years that the organization didn't cross my mind at least once - but when you start winning titles it becomes hard to be more than just appreciative; hard to have an approach that doesn't replicate a dozen other pieces.

So - I'm not going to discuss triumph.  I'm not going to discuss tragedy.  I'm going to stay in my lane.

Moonlight Graham, as you know from Field of Dreams, played one game in his major league career, for the New York Giants in 1905.

8 men (with the usual caveat that I may have missed someone) have played only one game (through 2013) as San Francisco Giants.  For some it was the only game in their major league careers, but this list is a little bigger than that - my interest here is those who played only one game as San Francisco Giants, with a bonus if it turned out to be their only MLB game.   It's the Moonlight by the Bay Club.

Nick Testa : 4-23-58 - that's just a couple of weeks into our existence; at home against the Cards an 11 year organizational soldier Testa pinch ran for Ray Jablonski in the 8^th, then caught the 9th, gave up a stolen base, made an error on a foul pop and less than a month later was out of the league forever.  This was his only major league game.

John Fitzgerald: 9-28-58 - five months later, also against St Louis, it happened again; Fitzgerald, a lefty, started his only MLB game, got Musial to hit into a DP in the first, which was probably the highlight of his life, then struck out the side in the second, gave up a homer in the third and left after 3, with a 3-1 lead in a game we’d go onto win. 

Marshall Renfroe 9-27-59 - as was the case with Fitzgerald a year before, our being eliminated from possible postseason games meant giving a prospect, in this case Renfroe a lefty, a start against the Cards in what would turn out to be his only major league game. He wasn't as successful. Renfroe gave up a homer to Musial in the first, then didn’t get anyone out in the third, left with the score 4-4, his two baserunners both scored, so he retired with an ERA of 27.00.  

Jeff Stember 8-5-80 - we drafted Stember a righty, right out of high school in '76, so he was still 22 when he started against St Louis (okay, it was Houston, 20 years after Renfroe we decided not to resume our weird Cardinal tradition) on his first major league pitch he gave up a homer to Terry Puhl.  I'll say it again - on his first major league pitch he gave up a home run. Jeff Stember is bizarro Kaz Matsui. He later balked in the same inning.  I don't know how many pitchers gave up homers on their first ever big league pitch - but I'm willing to say only Stember did that - and also balked - in his first ever big league inning in what would turn out to be his only ever big league game.  He later gave up a two run triple to Jose Cruz in the 3^rd – Stember finished the inning (missing Bruce Bochy pinch hitting for the Astros an inning later) and that was his career. Next time someone asks for your favorite ever SFG - say Bonds, of course, but then give a nod to Stember.  

Tim Layana 7-26-93, - a righty, is the first guy on the list who had a prior (two seasons in Cincinnati) career other than his only SFG appearance. Bryan Hickerson got bombed by the Dodgers and Layana replaced him in the third, getting out of the inning. He put a couple guys on and gave up two stolen bases in the 4^th, but no runs.  Then came the end of his career - Layana gave up 5 runs on 6 hits in the 5^th including a two run homer to Henry Rodriguez.  We lost to LA 15-1 and never saw him again.  Retired with a WAR (B-Ref version) of 0.0

Kent Bottenfield, 8-6-94 - probably the only guy on the list you know, Bottenfield was 25 in '94, had already done stints with the Expos and Rockies when he pitched his only game for SFG. He came on in the 7^th for Rich Monteleone, with SFG down 6-4 to the Astros. In the 8^th he gave up a 2 run homer to Milt Thompson and didn’t get out of the inning. He had five teams left to pitch for; orange and black weren't his last colors.

John Roper 9-11-95, - Roper pitched heavily for the Reds in '93 and '94, then came over to SFG in that Deion Sanders trade in '95. In his only Giants appearance he came on in middle of a 10-1 beating by the Cards, threw one inning and gave up two walks, two hits and three earned runs and never saw the big leagues again.

Brian Powell 7-10-03 - He got a start in Coors when we were 20 games over .500,  gave up one in the second...then a 3 run homer to Preston Wilson in the 3^rd... then two more bombs, including a second by Wilson in the 5^th – he didn’t make it out of the inning and was in the Phillies organization by month’s end. 

The Weekly Tendown May 27-June 3 2012

Dear Internet:

If Obama had done this it would be viewed by Fox as evidence of his not really being American and the talking point "gaffe or emblematic of larger issue" would have made its way into "legitimate" debate.  I'd be hearing from students for years that Obama's the guy whose campaign misspelled America.

Instead - it's Romney and we forget it (as we should) as soon as it happens.

129 is here. This is Tendown 130.

1. Reverse Telemarketing
My best idea this week was going to neighbors houses, in the way that I get visits from salespeople (religious and commercial) to ask if I can buy anything from them.

"Hi, I'm Jim - would you like to spend a few minutes telling me about your religion?"

"Hi, I'm Jim, do you have any old magazines I could buy?"

"Hi, I'm Jim.  Here's my debit card, can you make a recurring charge every month while I eat some of your leftover feta?"

2. Cliving.
 

As I don't have to tell you, Clive and Tanisha are getting married.

You know how you'll sometimes catch people grooving in public?  Say you're at the grocery store and someone's obliviously singing Boys 2 Men as they check out the eggs?  Or dancing to some private jam they have playing in their brain?  From now on - call that Cliving.  I'm expressing no current opinion if singing in one's car at the red light should be folded into that definition.

3. Edna


I heard a child's name this week - the name was Emma, and I guessed that not because I understood it, but instead because I knew the other option was Edna and kids aren't named Edna anymore.

In the way that African-Americans, really since the late 60s, have disproportionately chosen child names that
reflected their culture, I'd like to reflect the culture of the New Deal.  We need dramatic, sweeping government programs that look to remove the stranglehold of corporate power.  And we need more people less willing to accommodate that power.  Between 1880-1900 35,000 Americans were killed on the job and another half million were injured each and every year.  That number didn't decrease because of corporate largesse, that number decreased because regular Americans agitated, organized, unionized, and voted for candidates who used the mechanism of government to make sure it changed.  If it's up to the right wing, we'll be China.  We'll be Wal Mart.  We need more Ednas to stand up like they did a hundred years ago.

4. The Billionaires Supporting Romney
From Rolling Stone.


In the primary season alone, Romney's rich friends invested $52 million in his Super PAC, Restore Our Future – a number that's expected to more than double in the coming months. This unprecedented infusion of money from America's monied elites underscores the radical transformation of the Republican Party, which has made defending the interests of 0.0001 percent the basis of its entire platform. "Money buys power," the Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman observed recently, "and the increasing wealth of a tiny minority has effectively bought the allegiance of one of our two major political parties." In short, the political polarization and gridlock in Washington are a direct result of the GOP's capitulation to Big Money.
That capitulation is evident in Romney's campaign. Most of the megadonors backing his candidacy are elderly billionaires: Their median age is 66, and their median wealth is $1 billion. Each is looking for a payoff that will benefit his business interests, and they will all profit from Romney's pledge to eliminate inheritance taxes, extend the Bush tax cuts for the superwealthy – and then slash the top tax rate by another 20 percent. Romney has firmly joined the ranks of the economic nutcases who spout the lie of trickle-down economics. "Support from billionaires has always been the main thing keeping those charlatans and cranks in business," Krugman noted. "And now the same people effectively own a whole political party."


5. The 20 Greatest SFGiants of all Time

I redid my statistical analysis of every season in San Francisco Giants history. Here, for career value, are the 20 greatest San Francisco Giants - the only 20 responsible for 20 wins above replacement in their San Francisco careers.  The best SFGiant ever is the one who currently wants a job with the club.

1.Barry Bonds 114

2.Willie Mays 106.25

3.Juan Marichal 68.6

4.Willie McCovey 63

5.Will Clark 39.3

6.Gaylord Perry 38.55

7.Jeff Kent 36.2

8.Robby Thompson 32.75

9.Orlando Cepeda 32.35

10.Matt Williams 30.8

11.Bobby Bonds 29.9

12.Jack Clark 28.2

13.Jim Barr 26.85

14.Matt Cain 25.2

15.Tim Lincecum 24.7

16.Chris Speier 24.25

17.Darrell Evans 23.05

18.Jim Ray Hart 21.8

19.Gary Lavelle 21.45

20.Jason Schmidt 20.05

That's through the 2011 season; given Cain's new contract, it's a reasonable prediction that he retires as, wait for it, the 5th greatest San Francisco Giant who ever lived.

Hopefully, our current third baseman winds up on that list one day and not this one.

6. On the Other Hand

Here's a piece about players who just appeared in one game.

7. What Else Can I Teach Online?
For multiple reasons, I'm wholly in favor of online education.

But massage therapy?

8. The best Piece This Week
If it were a Republican - we'd never stop screaming about the President's secret kill list.

In interviews with The New York Times, three dozen of his current and former advisers described Mr. Obama’s evolution since taking on the role, without precedent in presidential history, of personally overseeing the shadow war with Al Qaeda.

They describe a paradoxical leader who shunned the legislative deal-making required to close the detention facility at Guantánamo Bay in Cuba, but approves lethal action without hand-wringing. While he was adamant about narrowing the fight and improving relations with the Muslim world, he has followed the metastasizing enemy into new and dangerous lands. When he applies his lawyering skills to counterterrorism, it is usually to enable, not constrain, his ferocious campaign against Al Qaeda — even when it comes to killing an American cleric in Yemen, a decision that Mr. Obama told colleagues was “an easy one.”

9. Remember - it's the Christians who Are the Real Victims
Unless you're an adjunct at Texas A&M-San Antonio

10. But Now, He Doesn't.



My first thought - that's the end of this website.

That's all for this time.  I'll be back next time.  If there is a next time...

Your pal,

Jim

Five Decades of Giants - Each All Decade Team/All Time San Francisco Giants Team/Top 20 SFGiants of All Time

I've redone my look at every season in San Francisco Giants history, which you can access here.

Here are each of our all-decade rosters culminating in the all time SFG 25 man roster.




Here's the SFG 25 Man Roster for the 50s/60s.
C Haller '67
    Haller '62
1B McCovey '69
     McCovey '66
2B Hunt '68
     Hunt '69
SS Spencer '58
      Lanier '67
3B Hart '66
      Hart '67
LF McCovey '63
     Cepeda '61
CF Mays '64
      Mays '65
RF Bonds '69 
    F.Alou '63
P Marichal '65
   Marichal '66
   Marichal '63
   Marichal '69
   Marichal '64
   Perry '69
   Marichal '68
Cl Linzy '65
    Linzy '67

1970s 25 Man Roster 
C Dietz '70
    Dietz '71
1B McCovey '70
     McCovey '73
2B Madlock '78
     Fuentes '73
SS Speier '72
     Speier '74
3B Evans '78
      Evans '79
LF Henderson '71
      Henderson '70
CF Mays '71
      Mays '70
RF Bonds '73
      Bonds '71
P Perry '70
   Montefusco '76
   Blue '78
   Knepper '78
   Barr '74   
   Halicki '77
   Montefusco '75
Cl Lavelle '77
     Lavelle '79

1980s 25 Man Roster
C Brenly '84
    Brenly '87
1B Clark '89
      Clark '88
2B Morgan '82
     Thompson '89
SS Uribe '87
      Uribe '86
3B Evans '80
      Mitchell '88
LF Mitchell '89
      Leonard '84
CF Butler '88
      Davis '84
RF Davis '86
      Clark '80
P Blue '80
   Hammaker '83
   Reuschel '88
   Laskey '82
   Krukow '86
   Alexander '81
   Krukow '85
Cl Minton '82
     Minton '80

25 Man Roster - The 90s
C Manwaring '92
    Manwaring '93
1B Clark '91
      Clark '92
2B Thompson '93
      Kent '98
SS Clayton '93 
     Aurilia '99
3B Williams '93
      Williams '94
LF Bonds '96
     Bonds '93
CF Butler '90
      McGee '91
RF Burks '99
      McGee '92
P Swift '93
   Swift '92
   Estes '96
   Rueter '97
   Wilson '91
    Burkett '93
    Leiter '95
Cl Nen '98
     Brantley '90

2000-09 SFG 25 Man Roster
C   Santiago '02
      Molina '08
1B Snow '04
      Snow '03
2B Kent '00
      Kent '02
SS Aurilia '01
      Aurilia '00
3B Sandoval '09
     Bell '02
LF Bonds '01
      Bonds '02
CF Winn '05
       Rowand '08
RF Burks '00
      Winn '08
P Lincecum '08
   Lincecum '09
   Schmidt '04
   Schmidt '03
   Cain '09
   Ortiz '01
   Lowry '05
Cl Nen '00
     Nen '02

So, here's the all time SFG Roster
C Dietz '70
   Brenly '84
1B Clark '89
      McCovey '70
2B Kent '00
      Kent '02
SS Aurilia '01
      Speier '72
3B Williams '93
      Hart '66
LF Bonds '01
     Bonds '02
CF Mays '64
      Mays '65
RF Bonds '73
      Bonds '71
P Marichal '65
   Marichal '66
   Marichal '63
   Marichal '69
   Lincecum '08
   Perry '70
   Lincecum '09
Cl Minton '82
    Nen '98

For Career Value - Here Are the 20 Greatest San Francisco Giants of All Time

1.       Bonds 114

2.       Mays 106.25

3.       Marichal 68.6

4.       McCovey 63

5.       WClark 39.3

6.       Perry 38.55

7.       Kent 36.2

8.       Thompson 32.75

9.       Cepeda 32.35

10.   Williams 30.8

11.   Bo Bonds 29.9

12.   J Clark 28.2

13.   Barr 26.85

14.   Cain 25.2

15.   Lincecum 24.7

16.   Speier 24.25

17.   Evans 23.05

18.   Hart 21.8

19.   Lavelle 21.45

20.   Schmidt 20.05

Those are the only 20 win SFGiants, this is as of the end of the 2011 season. Note the two active players on the list; given Cain's extension, he is on track to retire as the second greatest SFGiants pitcher of all time; we'll see what happens next with Lincecum.  We'll also see if Sandoval, Posey, and Bumgarner can crack this list one day.