Forever Giants: 2006 San Francisco Giants Year 49 (124)

2005 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.

2006 76-85

C Eliezer Alfonzo 1.15

1B Shea Hillenbrand -.45

2B Ray Durham 3.55 

SS Omar Vizquel 2.9 

3B Pedro Feliz 1.8

LF Barry Bonds 4.35

CF Steve Finley 1.1

RF Randy Winn 2.1

RF Moises Alou 2.15 

1B Mark Sweeney .1

1B Lance Niekro -.1

C Mike Matheny -.1 

C Todd Greene .4

SS Jose Vizcaino -.7

2B Kevin Frandsen -.35

SP Jason Schmidt 4.1 (22.6) Last Season

SP Matt Morris 1.2

SP Matt Cain 2.8

SP Noah Lowry 1.5 

SP Jamey Wright .75

-Another sub 80 pythag; 41 year old Bonds is the Giants best position player and passes Mays as the most valuable San Francisco Giant ever; he won't catch him for overall WAR, he does catch Babe Ruth, moving to #2 in career homers. Felipe Alou fired at season's end, replaced by Bruce Bochy.  Jason Schmidt finishes up. Sanchez and Wilson join Cain on the squad.

Forever Giants: 2005 San Francisco Giants Year 48 (123)

2004 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.

2005 71-91

C Mike Matheny .75

1B JT Snow .5 

2B Ray Durham 1.85

SS Omar Vizquel 1.95

3B Edgardo Alfonzo -.75

LF Pedro Feliz .75 

CF Jason Ellison .35

RF Michael Tucker -.55 

LF Moises Alou 3.55

1B Lance Niekro .6

CF Randy Winn 3.5

2B Deivi Cruz -.25

RF Todd Linden -.25

CF Marquis Grissom -1.7 

SP Noah Lowry 4.6

SP Brett Tomko 1.75 

SP Jason Schmidt 1.3

SP Brad Hennessey 1.25

SP Kirk Rueter -.75 

SP Matt Cain 1.4

RP Scott Eyre 1.95

-Timber.  Worst club since '96 as Bonds only plays in 14 games, that's still enough to catch Mays for San Francisco WAR.  The Giants win their 10,000th game in July.  The next generation of Giants becomes visible when Matt Cain joins the staff.

Forever Giants
1. Willie Mays CF 151 (40.25 NY, 109.75 SFG)
2. Christy Mathewson SP 103.35
3. Mel Ott RF 101.7 
4. Carl Hubbell SP 67.05
5. Juan Marichal SP 63.35
6. Willie McCovey 1B 61.65

7. Roger Connor 1B 56.9
8. Bill Terry 1B 53.05
9. Amos Rusie P 52.95
10. Travis Jackson SS 47.25

11. Art Fletcher SS 45.3
12. George Davis SS 44.15

13. Mike Tiernan RF 42.1
14. Mickey Welch P 41.55

15. Buck Ewing C 40.9
16. Will Clark 1B 40.85
17. Larry Doyle 2B 37.15

18. Frankie Frisch 2B 36.8
19. Hal Schumacher SP 36.6
20. Bobby Bonds RF 36.4

21. Gaylord Perry SP 36.1
22. Jeff Kent 2B 35.95
23. Robby Thompson 2B 34.5
24. Matt Williams 3B 33.5
25. Johnny Antonelli SP 33.35 (22.3 NY, 10.05 SFG)
26. Orlando Cepeda LF 33.2
27. George Burns LF 31.1
28. Art Devlin 3B 30.7
29. Joe McGinnity P 29.35

30. Tim Keefe P 29.05 

31. Johnny Mize 1B 28.85
32. Freddie Fitzsimmons P 28.6
33. Jack Clark RF 28.5
34. Dick Bartell SS 27
35. Jim Barr P 26.45
36. Roger Bresnahan C 26
37. Greg Minton RP 25.75
38. High Pockets Kelly 1B 25.5
39. Alvin Dark SS 25.25

40. Ross Youngs RF 25.25

41. Chris Speier SS 24.9 

42. Jeff Tesreau SP 24.4
43. Jouett Meekin P 24.25
44. Darrell Evans 3B 24.1
45. Hooks Wiltse P 23.95
46. Hank Thompson 3B 23.75
47. Sal Maglie P 23.45
48. Freddie Lindstrom 3B 23
49. Gary Lavelle RP 23.3
50. Jim Ray Hart 3B 22.6 

51. George Van Haltren CF 22.1

52. Bobby Thomson CF 21.75
53. Kevin Mitchell LF 21.1
54. Chief Meyers C 20.85

2015 National League Preview (The Second Build)

The AL is here.

I'll take one more pass at the division winners, with win totals, just before opening day.

NL East
1. Washington
2. New York
3. Miami
4. Atlanta
5. Philadelphia

C d'Arnaud NYM
1B Freeman Atl
2B Utley Phi
SS Simmons Atl
3B Rendon Wash
LF Werth Wash
CF Span Wash
RF Stanton Mia
SP Scherzer Wash
RP Kimbrel Atl

NL Central
1. St Louis
2. Chicago-WC1
3. Milwaukee-WC2
4. Pittsburgh
5. Cincinnati

C Molina StL
1B Votto Cin
2B Walker Pit
SS Segura Mil
3B Bryant Chi
LF Holliday StL
CF McCutchen Pit
RF Heyward StL
SP Wainwright StL
RP Melancon Pit

NL West
1. Los Angeles
2. San Francisco
3. San Diego
4. Arizona
5. Colorado

C Posey SFG
1B Goldschmidt Ari
2B Hill Ari
SS Tulowtizki Col
3B Arenado Col
LF Upton SD
CF Myers SD
RF Puig LAD
SP Kershaw-LAD
RP Benoit SD

Playoffs
1, Wash
2. LA
3. StL
4. Chicago
5. Milwaukee

NL Champion - Washington
World Champion - Washington

C Posey SFG
1B Goldschmidt Ari
2B Utley Phi
SS Tulowitzki Col
3B Bryant Chi
LF Werth Wash
CF McCutchen Pit
RF Stanton Mia - MVP
SP Kershaw LAD - Cy
RP Kimbrel - Atl

All MLB Team
C Posey SFG
1B Cabrera Det
2B Cano Sea
SS Tulowitzki Col
3B Donaldson Tor
LF Gordon KC
CF Trout LAA
RF Stanton Mia
SP Kershaw LAD
RP Kimbrel Atl

2015 American League Preview (The Second Build)

I'll take one more pass at the division winners, with win totals, just before opening day.

AL East
1. Boston
2. Tampa
3. Baltimore
4. NYY
5. Toronto

C Martin Tor
1B Davis Balt
2B Pedroia Bos
SS Reyes Tor
3B Donaldson Tor
LF Ramirez Bos
CF Ellsbury NYY
RF Bautista Tor
DH Encarnacion Tor
SP Tanaka NYY
RP Uehara Bos

AL Central
1. Cleveland
2. Detroit
3. Chicago
4. Kansas City
5. Minnesota

C Gomes Cle
1B Cabrera Det
2B Kinsler Det
SS Ramirez CWS
3B Chisenhall Cle
LF Gordon KC
CF Eaton CWS
RF Moss Cle
DH Santana Cle
SP Price Det
RP Holland KC

AL West
1. Seattle
2. Los Angeles WC1
3. Oakland WC2
4. Houston
5. Texas

C Iannetta LAA
1B Pujols LAA
2B Cano Sea
SS Lowrie Hou
3B Seager Sea
LF Hamilton LAA
CF Trout LAA
RF Springer Hou
DH Butler Oak
SP Hernandez Sea
RP Doolittle Oak

Playoff Order
1. Boston
2. Seattle
3. Cleveland
4. LAA
5. Oakland

AL Champs - Boston

C Martin Tor
1B Cabrera Det
2B Cano Sea
SS Reyes Tor
3B Donaldson Tor
LF Gordon KC
CF Trout LAA - MVP
RF Bautista Tor
SP Hernandez Sea - Cy
RP Holland KC

Tendown March 22 2015

166 is here. This is Tendown 167.

1. What have been the 10 best television series so far this year?

2, My favorite stuff - a Pledge controversy.  Freedom apparently means guns for every right winger, health care only for a few, and never using a language other than English.

3. Jeb Lund on Tom Cotton being like every other Republican always.

4. Giants fans - here's the only bracket that matters.

5. So, how's your offseason going?

6. If Fox had a left wing equivalent, this would be pounded into the minds of the viewers on every program for months.



7. Starbucks made a curious choice.

8. Meanwhile, in Wisconsin....  I mean this completely - for almost every American, Republicans are of far more threat to your life that terrorists.  'Cause here's what's next.

9. Loved me the old paper ballots.

10. Wrestling is actually all about the wrestling.  But this is good nonetheless.



And one more...

11.

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

Your pal, Jim.