Forever Giants: 2003 NL West Champion San Francisco Giants Year 46 (121)

2002 is here.

My WAR calculation is a combination of Baseball-reference and Clay Davenport; I believe it to be the "best" WAR number available for historical comparison. 8 WAR is an MVP quality season. The record is pythagorean adjusted for 162 games.

2003 93-69

C Benito Santiago 1.35 

1B JT Snow  2.1 

2B Ray Durham 3.9

SS Rich Aurilia 1.1 

3B Edgardo Alfonzo 1.05

LF Barry Bonds 9.6

CF Marquis Grissom 1.7

RF Jose Cruz 2.9

SS Neifi Perez 1.35

1B Andres Galarraga 1.1

C Yorvit Torrealba 1.45 

OF Jeffrey Hammonds .55

SP Jason Schmidt  6.4

SP Kirk Rueter  .6 

SP Jerome Williams 1.85

SP Damian Moss .4

SP Jesse Foppert -.9

RP Tim Worrell .55

RP Joe Nathan 2.35

-Back to back 90+ pythags for the first time since '86-7.  Another MVPQ for Bonds.  Felipe Alou took over as manager, the Giants won the West, but lost the NLDS to the Marlins, in the 11th inning of game 3 and then by a run in game 4. 

Forever Giants: 2002 National League Champion San Francisco Giants Year 45 (120)

2001 is here.

My WAR calculation is a combination of Baseball-reference and Clay Davenport; I believe it to be the "best" WAR number available for historical comparison. 8 WAR is an MVP quality season. The record is pythagorean adjusted for 162 games.

2002 – 98-64

C Benito Santiago 3

1B JT Snow -.05

2B Jeff Kent 7.95 (35.35) Last Season

SS Rich Aurilia .95 

3B David Bell 3.2

LF Barry Bonds 11.6  

CF Tsuyoshi Shinjo  1.6

RF Reggie Sanders 2.95

CF Kenny Lofton 1.45

1B Damon Minor .5

SS Ramon Martinez .7 

OF Tom Goodwin .7

C Yorvit Torrealba  1.15

3B Pedro Feliz -.2 

OF Shawon Dunston -1.6 

OF Marvin Benard .45 

SP Livan Hernandez 1.2 

SP Russ Ortiz 4.05 

SP Kirk Rueter 3.5 

SP Jason Schmidt 2.45 

SP Ryan Jensen 0

RP Robb Nen 4.1 (18.65) Last season
RP Tim Worrell 2

-The 120th year in Giants baseball: 98 pythagorean wins, just like '62 and '93; another MVPQ year for Bonds, his 8th (Mays had 11); he also passed 600 homers and broke the MLB record for on base percentage.  We won the Wild Card, beat the Braves and Cards in five games apiece, and then, with a 3-2 World Series lead and up 5-0 with 8 outs to go in Game 6, we lost.  San Francisco still yet to win a World Series.  This is it for both Dusty Baker and Jeff Kent and Robb Nen. Ortiz leaves but he'll be back.

2015 NCAA Hoops Brackets

I got brackets.  The seeding is really good this year; I can't recall it being better.

Midwest
Rnd One
Kentucky
Cincinnati (not with much confidence, but I have them in every build)
Buffalo
Valpo (I've got the two dogs here; not for good reason, both should lose, but upsets will happen)
Texas (also an upset, but Texas is better than Butler)
Notre Dame
Wichita St.
Kansas

West
Rnd One
Wisconsin
Oklahoma St (I'm a Pac 12 guy and this is a close game, but have OK St in every build)
Arkansas
UNC
Ole Miss (Xavier's better)
Baylor
Ohio St.
Arizona

East
Rnd One
Villanova
NC St (I don't know my deal with 8/9s this year, they're all real close but I haven't wavered)
Northern Iowa
Louisville
Boise/Dayton Winner (again, upsets)
Oklahoma
Michigan St.
Virginia

South
Rnd One
Duke
San Diego St.
Utah
Georgetown
UCLA (both here and the Davidson game, I'm picking the slightly worse side)
Iowa St.
Davidson
Gonzaga

Rnd of 32

Midwest
Kentucky
Valpo (Maryland is most likely in this spot)
NDame
Wichita St (I'm married to Wichita going over Kansas)

West
Wisconsin
UNC
Baylor
Arizona

East
Villanova
Northern Iowa (as with Wichita, I have them over Louisville in every build)
Oklahoma
Virginia

South
Duke
Utah
Iowa St.
Gonzaga

Sweet 16

Midwest
Kentucky
Notre Dame

West
Wisconsin
Arizona

East
Villanova
Virginia

South
Utah (Utah might lose in round one; if my bracket gets busted, that's where it happens)
Gonzaga

Elite 8

Kentucky (everyone has Kentucky coming out of the region)
Arizona
Villanova
Gonzaga (all three of those games are essentially jump balls)

Final Four
Arizona (look, Kentucky's the best team, but the difference between them and Arizona is smaller, say, that the difference between Manhattan and Hampton and Hampton led the whole way; there's distance between perception of Kentucky and Kentucky - but Kentucky is the best team)
Villanova (I'd enjoy an all west final, but instead am going with Nova)

Finals
Arizona (they beat Kentucky, after all - didn't you hear?)

Forever Giants: 2001 San Francisco Giants Year 44 (119)

2000 is here.

My WAR calculation is a combination of Baseball-reference and Clay Davenport; I believe it to be the "best" WAR number available for historical comparison. 8 WAR is an MVP quality season. The record is pythagorean adjusted for 162 games.

2001 86-76

C Benito Santiago .95

1B JT Snow .5 

2B Jeff Kent 6.4 

SS Rich Aurilia 7.1 

3B Ramon Martinez .35 

LF Barry Bonds 12.1 

CF Calvin Murray 1.2 

RF Armando Rios 1.35 

CF Marvin Benard .95 

3B Pedro Feliz  -1.6

OF Shawon Dunston 1.1

3B Russ Davis -.05

1B Andres Galarraga .15

RF Eric Davis -.55

RF John Vander Wal .5

C Edwards Guzman -.2

C Bobby Estallela .4

SP Livan Hernandez .15

SP Russ Ortiz 5.1

SP Kirk Rueter 1.85 

SP Shawn Estes 1.7 

RP Robb Nen 2.85 
RP F.Rodriguez 3.55

-Bonds has 12+ WAR; the greatest season in 119 years of Giants baseball.  He also broke the single season home run record (hitting 73) and passed 500 career homers.  He also goes by Hubbell into 4th all time.  

2015 Play in Game Picks

I'll have my brackets up tomorrow.  Here's my likely Final Four:

Kentucky, Arizona, Villanova, Gonzaga

Here are my first four picks:

Manhattan
BYU
Dayton
North Florida