Sellers

The All-Star break is nearing, and many believe it ridiculous that the last-place Giants have 3 All-Stars in the game. What's more ridiculous? The Giants' belief that they should be buyers at the trade deadline. They should not.

Let's start with the obvious. The Gants suck right now. They just got swept by the 4th place Mets. They've lost 16 of their last 19 games. Brandon Belt can't hit, Matt Cain can't pitch, and Jeremy Affeldt just admitted that right now, he stinks. Injuries have caused this team to crumble. Ever since Ryan Vogelsong went down, it's been a spiral of injuries, with extended absences from Angel Pagan and Pablo Sandoval as well. Right now, the team we're putting out on the field feels very much like a minor league team, having seen the likes of Juan Perez, Cole Gillespie, Jake Dunning, Mike Kickham, Nick Noonan, and Tony Abreu all get significant playing time as the starters succumb to the injury bug. The Giants are in reverse right now, and there's no stopping it until Sandoval, Pence, and Belt get out of their slumps and Zito, Lincecum, and Cain get back on track. By the time everything starts clicking again, the Giants will probably be out of the running for the NL West crown. Which is why I'm advocating selling.

Home-Field Advantage?

Unfortunately, I have been super busy the last few weeks and haven't been able to post frequently. But now, the NFL season is well into gear and the MLB Playoffs are underway. Stay tuned for frequent posts.

Now, for the real reason behind this post: why on earth do the lower seeded teams in the MLB Playoffs get the first 2 games of the division series at home!?!?!?!?!?!? It makes no sense. The team with the higher record is supposed to "home-field advantage." This year, it's more like home field disadvantage!!!

The Giants got lucky. As the 3rd seed in the NL, they get to play the first two games of the series at home, which if your team plays at AT&T Park, is definitely an advantage. However, after losing last night's game, the series is going to be very tough to win.

Dear Melky Cabrera,

You let us down. Big time. You were the heart and soul of this team for literally every game this season.

You captured the hearts of Giants fans everywhere. We changed your first name into all sorts of nicknames in your praise. We dressed up as Melk Men in honor of you. We cheered you on for every game, every at-bat, every moment. We repeatedly checked the stats to make sure your batting average and hits total were still among the league leaders.

We watched as you created many memories for us this season. Most hits in the month of May for a San Francisco Giant. The homer in the All-Star Game that gave you the All-Star Game MVP and capped a historic San Francisco Giant All-Star performance. The numerous multi-hit games that you gave us, day in and day out.

You were the MVP of our team for 117 games. And now, we will miss you for the remaining 45.

Trade Deadline Verdict

The MLB trade deadline officially came to a close today, marking the end of a frenzied period of wheeling and dealing that took over baseball for the last week and a half. And it's time to determine which NL West rival, Giants or Dodgers, made the better moves.

The Dodgers certainly made the bigger splash, acquiring 3B/SS Hanley Ramirez, OF Shane Victorino, and P Brandon League. League is an excellent addition to their bullpen, an area that has been mediocre as far as the Dodgers games that I've seen. Hanley is an excellent upgrade for the left side of the infield, where the Dodgers had not been getting much production out of. And Victorino is a good outfielder, although he's past his prime.

The Giants did not make as big a splash but they did acquire OF Hunter Pence and INF Marco Scutaro. Scutaro represents a nice substitute for Sandoval during Panda's current DL stint. And then, when Pablo returns, Scutaro and Crawford can alternate depending on whether the pitcher is a righty or lefty. Furthermore, Scutaro could be the answer in the leadoff spot, where Blanco and Pagan have struggled to get on base.

Throwback Unis

I'm watching the Giants-Nationals game right now and I'm thinking off turning it off because of the hideous throwbacks.

Just kidding, I would never turn off a Giants game. But the uniforms are terrible. The red socks that are a part of the Giants' ensemble clash with the overall gray appearance of the rest of the uni. Furthermore, the white cap shines in stark contrast with the rest of the dull jersey. I don't understand it.

The Nats' jerseys are even worse. They seem totally devoid of color, like they've been bleached or something. the only lettering on the uni is a capital 'W' in what is quite possibly the most boring font ever.

Don't get me wrong, usually I love throwbacks. I cherish the Broncos' yellow and brown uniforms and I do enjoy the Eagles' yellow and blue jerseys. But, there is a line when it comes to baseball throwbacks. And the Giants and Nationals have crossed it.

Perfection

"It was a team effort... and it turned out perfect."

In quite literally the best-pitched ballgame I have ever seen, Matt Cain threw the 1st ever perfect game in Giants franchise history on Wednesday night. It was so special. Right from the get go, Cain was rolling, and it slowly began to cross every Giants fan's mind, Cain was about to pull it off.

I have grown accustomed to the pitching prowess of the San Francisco Giants, so much so that as I watch the first inning game of every game unfold, I am always thinking no-hitter. Until the opposing team gets a hit, I'm thinking no-hitter. When Matt Cain pitched against the Pirates last month, I believe it was, in the game where the only hit he allowed was a single to opposing pitcher James Harrison, I was thinking no-hitter up until that point. Even in Tim Lincecum's starts this season,from the moment he steps on the mound until he gives up that single to the leadoff batter, I am always thinking no-hitter.

Never has my thought process paid off in such a grand manner.

Return of Buster Posey

With the Giants having reported to spring training, all eyes now fall on Buster Posey and his surgically-repaired left ankle. Reports have come out saying that, although he has spent less time behind the plate than would be expected of a catcher, he has shown that he can still bat and catch like the pre-injury Buster Posey. That in and of itself is more important to the success of the Giants than all of Brian Sabean's offseason moves put together.

Buster Posey is the single most important player on the Giants, without question. The pitching staff as a whole is very important, but if you take out any pitcher from the rotation or bullpen, there is another pitcher waiting to take his place straight out of the minors. Eric Surkamp showed last year that he can be a major league starter. Heath Hembree has been generating buzz this offseason and looks to be a key part of this year's bullpen. The pitching staff should still produce even if injuries pile up like last year.

The lineup is not so safe, however. Take Buster Posey out of the equation and our biggest bat becomes Brandon Belt, who only has one season of experience and struggled to hit during that season. This is our lineup without Buster Posey:

The A's, Giants, and San Jose

The Oakland A's have made it clear they want out of Oakland. They have refused to renovate the Coliseum at all. I went to an A's game two years ago and the stadium was terrible (I was able to see Ken Griffey Jr. pinch hit though). Furthermore, the A's have traded all their talent, just like Billy Beane does when his stars start to shine. Gio Gonzalez, Trevor Cahill, and Andrew Bailey are all out of Oakland. This is Oakland's way of protesting to MLB to let them move. Their obstacle: the San Francisco Giants.

The Giants own the territorial rights to San Jose, and as a result, the A's would have to make an agreement with  the Giants in order to play there. The Giants have a lot to lose, including their most valuable asset, the fans. However, here in the Bay Area, we feel like the Giants won the World Series yesterday. the Giants are the best show in town, not the Oakland A's. Giants fans outnumber A's fans approximately 10:1 based on my observations. And that is enough consolation, in my opinion, for the Giants to give up their territorial rights (for a fee), and let the A's move to San Jose.

Moneyball

Having watched the film Moneyball when it came out last year, I have wanted to read the book by Michael Lewis, which I had heard was quite good. And after finally reading it this weekend, I must say I have to agree.

The book was amazing. It was like a dive into the world of the sports executive. The ideas presented in the book were mind-blowing: the fact that players were being valued by how they looked playing the game rather than how they produced on the field, that baseball clubs were taking risks on high school players when they were largely unproven, that the disparity in riches in baseball did not make a huge difference as long as the poor teams used their money wisely. The scene that captivated me the most, both from the movie and book, was the scene where Oakland A's manager Billy Beane orchestrates a trade for Ricardo Rincon of the Cleveland Indians. Beane discovers that there is one more suitor for Rincon other than the A's, the Giants. Beane offers his own reliever, Mike Venafro, to the Giants to lower their interest in Rincon. At the same time, after realizing that he probably can't pay for Rincon, he lures the Mets into a trade where he receives enough cash to pay for Rincon for the remainder of the season.

This scene blew my mind. Beane's character was so manipulative that he was able to implement his ideas and create a successful baseball team considering the amount of money that he had.

Ranking the All Star Games

With two pro sports All Star games occurring this coming weekend (NFL and NFL), I thought it would be appropriate to rank the 4 major sports league's all star festivities.

1) NHL All Star Weekend
The best part about the NHL all star game is the fantasy draft that occurred on Thursday. It has a playground style feel to it, with two team captains alternating picks. It is always interesting to see which player will be picked last (I regret to say that this year's was Logan Couture of our beloved Sharks) and which player will be picked first. One gripe I have with this format is that captains tend to pick their teammates first, which takes the prestige out of the first pick. However, it is still the most intriguing format for an all-star game.

Furthermore, the NHL skills challenge is also interesting. How fast is Zdeno Chara going to shoot this year? Find out in the hardest shot competition. What crazy stunt will be pulled off in the breakaway challenge in the absence of Alexander Ovechkin? The skills competitions are fun to watch and I look forward to them in the next couple of days.

Looking Back on 2011

As we wrap up the year, we truly understand what a monumental year 2011 was in sports. We saw Auburn, led by future #1 overall pick Cam Newton, win their second NCAA National Championship. Then we watched as one of the most historic teams in NFL history brought the Lombardi trophy right back to its hometown, Green Bay. The Bruins won the Stanley Cups finals, defeating the Vancouver Canucks and sparking riots in the streets of Vancouver. The Mavericks beat the "Dream Team" Miami Heat to claim their NBA championship, and the world was introduced to the backyard-style play of PG JJ Barea. Then, we endured a summer of NFL and NBA labor disputes, both of which were eventually resolved: the NFL's before the season and the NBA's just in time for Christmas. Among these labor messes, the St.Louis Cardinals won the 2011 World Series over the repeat AL-Champion Texas Rangers behind the heroics of breakout star David Freese, just before Tony La Russa retired and Albert Pujols took his talents to the City of Angels. The NFL season took an interesting turn, highlighted by the success of the most famous man in sports, Tim Tebow. The playoff picture is wrapping up in time for 2012. College football had its Game of the Century - #1 LSU vs #2 Alabama - and they will meet again for the national championship. Finally, the NBA season goes underway on Christmas and everyone's eyes are in LA, ....on the Clippers.

Now it's time for some annual awards - across all four major North American sports and college football:

Rookie of the Year: Craig Kimbrel, Atlanta Braves
This man was a phenomenal closer, breaking Neftali Feliz's save record and anchoring a strong Braves' bullpen.

MLB Playoff Predictions

With the regular season under wraps, it is time for The Sports Vibe's MLB playoff predictions:

ALDS:
Detroit Tigers vs. New York Yankees
Winner: Detroit Tigers
I'm picking the underdog for this one. Yes, the Yankees have the more potent offense, but the postseason is all about pitching. 2 of the last 3 World Series champions have gotten there by way of their pitching. In this era of baseball, pitching wins games. Looking at the probable pitching matchups in this series, Justin Verlander is better than CC Sabathia, Doug Fister (who's been lights out for the Tigers since the trade) trumps Ivan Nova, and Max Scherzer vs Freddy Garcia is a toss up. That's two very winnable games for the Tigers, who have a well rounded lineup to match their pitching staff with Miguel Cabrera, Jhonny Peralta, and Alex Avila. This series, In my mind, goes to Los Tigres.

Tampa Bay Rays vs. Texas Rangers
Winner: Texas Rangers
The Rays find themselves lucky to be in this position after the historic collapse of the Boston Red Sox. However, they will meet their match in the Texas Rangers, who possess one of the most well rounded teams in the postseason. Their lineup features the superhuman Josh Hamilton, Michael Young, Adrian Beltre, Ian Kinsler, and Elvis Andrus. Their rotation is solid as well, with starters CJ Wilson and Derek Holland leading the way. And with the trade deadline deals the Rangers pulled off this year, they are looking like the team to beat in the AL.

To my beloved San Francisco Giants...

I'm sorry. I'm sorry it didn't work out this year. This year was just not meant to be the year. You couldn't replicate last year's magical run. I'm sorry.

Ever since that momentous Wednesday in May where your star catcher, Buster Posey, was severely injured in a home plate collision, the future has looked bleak. But you hung on, sticking with your plan of great pitching and just enough hitting and were able to remain in the thick of things for a while. But now, I declare it over. There is no hope. Losing that series against the Diamondbacks was the final straw. You are 7 games out with 22 games left to play, and Arizona shows no signs of relenting.

Sometimes luck plays a huge part in determining a team's fate and that is the story this year. Injuries have devastated the roster. Posey suffered a season-ending leg injury. Freddy Sanchez, your most consistent hitter this season, dislocated his shoulder in June. Pablo Sandoval missed four weeks in April with a broken hamate bone. Barry Zito and Jonathan Sanchez both have gone through injury-plagued seasons, hurting the rotation's overall effectiveness. Carlos Beltran, the man who was supposed to save the season, felt the wrath of the Giants' injury curse as well, injuring his hand shortly after joining you and missing a couple weeks.

The Little League World Series and why we need to increase the pace of baseball

Over the last couple of weeks, I've been watching bits and pieces of the Little League World Series, and I've gotta say, it makes for great baseball. It's fun to watch the kids play and occasionally make a major-league-worthy catch that truly makes you say, "WOW!" Here is ESPN's compilation of the top 10 LLWS plays. My personal favorite is number 6: the outfielder for Kentucky takes a awkward route to a routine fly ball and then stretches for a dramatic snag of the ball to end the inning.

What really stood out for me from the tournament was not just the spectacular pitching and the amazing web gems. The reason that it was so fun to watch was because the pace of the game was rapid and exciting. There was no adjustment of batting gloves after every pitch, no endless series of pickoff attempts, no manager-umpire confrontations. I've always thought about it while watching professional baseball, but the LLWS really made me realize that MLB games are just too long.

In a 2005 ESPN study, they discovered that there is approximately 26.3 seconds between pitches in MLB. Why is that? Why does it take so long? To find the answer, you just have to watch one major-league at-bat. And since the Rangers-Angels game is on right now, I'm going to summarize the current at-bat of that game.

MLB Realignment

With all this talk about possible MLB realignment to try to balance out the two leagues, I thought I'd give it a try myself. Here are all my divisions, complete with an analysis for each:

Creatures League


Flying Things Division:
Houston Astros
Baltimore Orioles
Toronto Blue Jays
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
St. Louis Cardinals

This is one of the weaker divisions in my realignment, with three mediocre/slightly-above-average teams (Blue Jays, Angels, Cardinals) likely to compete for the Flying Things title the next couple of years. The Blue Jays and Orioles would be relieved to finally get out of that AL West and would resume their rivalry in a place where they are actually relevant. In the end, I think that this division would by won by the Cardinals, but as I said, the two other bird teams would be right in the thick of things.

4 Reasons Why the San Francisco Giants Will Win the NL West

1) The Giants have superior starting pitching.
The Giants' team ERA is currently 3.12, almost one whole run above the Dbacks' ERA, which is 4.03. Over the past 10 games, the Giants have allowed an average of 3.4 runs per game, compared to the Dbacks' average of 4.9 runs allowed. Lincecum in particular has shined, allowing just 2 runs over his last 3 starts. The Giants' pitching staff is doing their job, keeping their opponents' run totals low. The Giants just have to score more runs...

2) The Giants have impact players returning from the DL soon.
...and help for that is on the way. The Giants have unfortunately been caught in a slew of injuries. However, they have quite a few significant pieces of their offense returning to the field very soon. Carlos Beltran is expected to return next week and could possibly be the spark this offense needs. Pablo Sandoval is expected to return by next week as well, according to manager Bruce Bochy, and would likely carry this offense as he has for the majority of the season. Orlando Cabrera and Jeff Keppinger are also likely to return soon to help the Giants get back to their spot atop the division.

Not to mention Brian Wilson and Jonathan Sanchez, both of whom will eventually return and provide a boost to the already superb pitching staff.

Update: Bruce Bochy recently said that it is unlikely that Sanchez will be back this season.