Giants v. Mets

The G-Men are now 39 and 45 and 4 ½ games back in the NL West  This is one of the saddest blogs that I’ve written in a long time.  I’m currently watching the first game of the Dodger’s series at home following the season’s second road trip from hell, this one even worse than the earlier one.  The G-Men were 1 win and 9 losses in the last 10 games, are 15-30 on the road and over the last two months have been the worst team in the major leagues after being swept by the Dodgers in LA, losing 2 out of 3 to the Rockies in Denver and losing 3 out of 4 to the Reds in Cincinnati.  The only reason they didn’t lose 4 out of 4 was because the 4th of July game was rained out (we count that as a victory of sorts). It’s hard to be upbeat when Matt Cain can’t even make it through the 3rd inning and the Dodgers are celebrating an early 8 to 1 lead, which is the current situation.

The Positives

The only positives that I know of is that the Giants are only 4 ½ games out, Buster Posey continues to hit like the All-Star and the MVP he is and Bumgarner (the pride of North Carolina) is pretty much solid as a rock (although some run support would be helpful).

Everything else pretty much sucks.  Except for Posey, the core hitters (Scutero, Blanco, Sandoval, Crawford, Pence and Torres) are 6 for 127 over the last ten games.  That is pathetic. Blanco even struck out hacking at a pitch that bounced 2 feet in front of the plate. That’s how anxious and out of sorts the hitters are. I’d talk about tonight being the first time in 15 games that the Giants had a first inning run but that pales beside the utter failure to hit with men in scoring position.

The headlines asked if the G-Men had hit rock bottom after being no-hit by Bailey in Cincinnati: no, it’s getting worse and watching the Dodger’s high-five each other is worse.

The pitchers can’t hit their spots, the hitters are the worst they have been probably since 1985 (remember, when the Giants lost 100 games before Will Clark came up in 1986), the bullpen is worn out and the defense is making errors (physical and mental). I’d talk about power numbers but there aren’t any: home runs have been few and far between. It’s depressing.

The Negatives

First, see above.

We should mention injuries because the G-Men are about as beat up as a team can be.  Crawford’s hand, Scutero’s back, Arias’s hamstring, Pagan’s hamstring (which is so bad he’s probably out for the season), Vogelsong’s hand, Gaudin’s hand, Casilla’s oblique and Zito’s inability to pitch anywhere else than AT&T (that would be a mental injury). If there is any team that needs a serious break it’s the Gigantes.

Of all the injuries Pagan’s might be the one that most affected the team. He was the top of the order hitter and the sparkplug.  It seems like the air went out of the team when he went down (on his game-ending walk off inside the park home run – I was there; maybe the high point of this season).

What Can the Giants do?  Is there any hope?

We are only half-way through the season and 4 and ½ games out.  In 1951 the Giants came from 13 ½  games down on August 15th to tie the Dodgers and get into the World Series.  In 1962 the Giants of Mays, McCovey, Marichal and Perry were 4 games down with 6 to play and pulled even on the last day of the season and won a three game playoff with the Dodgers.  So, is it over?  No, as Pence pointed out in Animal House, was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?  NO.  Think about the playoff’s last year. On cold nights always remember the Buster Posey Grand Slam against Mat Latos.

Of course you all understand that I’m reviewing history because we have to believe, and we do. We came through Candlestick, the Earthquake series, the 100 loss season, the crushing loss to the Monkey-rally Angels in 2002 and having the Dodger’s knock us out of the playoff’s in 2004 on Steve Finlay’s 9th inning walk-off grand slam following a Cody Ransom error that would have been the third out and a playoff qualifying victory (I was there for that also – in LA).  It’s not time to wear paper bags over our head yet.

My suggestion is that we trade for Alex Rios (we need another outfielder, one that can hit with power) and a starting pitcher; maybe Nolasco or even Jake Peavy, all with large contracts and available for next year (might as well think about that).  Then we send Lincecum to the bullpen where I think that he will thrive (think John Smoltz), Panda to the bench until he loses some weight and stop thinking about the post-season (we may not be there but we can certainly play better ball then we are right  now).

The guys to watch are Buster Posey, who will have a monster second half and may carry the team by himself and Brandon Belt who is very close to being the big bopper that the G-Men thought he could be. Look for Gaudin to be a solid fourth or fifth starter, look for Cain to get his head on straight after the All-Star break and look for Vogelsong to stabilize the pitchers when he comes back.

The Series to come

The Dodgers are glorying in their rookie, Puig, who has singlehandedly turned their season around in a month (I personally find it offensive that the LA papers think that Puig should go to the All-Star game after a month in the majors - but that is very LA). Tomorrow Bumgarner pitches and Sunday it will be Gaudin against Kershaw.  It would be very nice to take the next two games, although the current 10 to 2 shellacking that the Dodgers are putting on the Giants is no fun. Other than that I really do not want to talk about the Dodgers.  They are the best team that money can buy and as full of themselves as the Yankees of old.  Remember that we are only half way through the season.

The question is whether or not we can get healthy on the Mets before the desperately needed All-Star break. The Mets are in 4th place in the NL East, 12 games out and seemingly counting the days until the break, although they just got Ike Davis back and are currently wiping up the floor with the Brewers (12 to 5).  We will be seeing David Wright, a lock for the All-Star game with a .305 BA and a great attitude and, if the Mets rotation holds, we will see Zach Wheeler (who we lost in the Beltran trade) pitching on Wednesday. It will be a “what could have been” moment.

Ciao, and GO GIANTS!

  1. Passage of Title Based Sales – Is it Right for You?
  2. BARS AND NIGHTCLUBS BEWARE! THE DRUG TESTING REGIME STARTS ON JULY 1ST AND YOU MUST BE READY!
  3. Strategic Exit Planning: Positioning Your Alcohol Beverage Business for Successful Acquisition or Investment
  4. New California Alcohol Laws for 2024 – a Mixed Bag of Privileges, Punishments, Clarifications, and Politics
  5. TTB Speaks up on Social Media
  6. Alcohol Trade Practices Update
  7. President Biden just made a big cannabis announcement... what does it mean?
  8. The Uniform Law Commission – Encouraging Consistent State by State Definitions, Protocols and Procedures
  9. San Francisco to the Governor - Review the RBS Program and Delay Implementation. Problems must be Corrected.
  10. TTB and Consignment Sales – Is There a Disconnect Between Policy Development and Business Reality?
  11. RBS ADDENDUM – THE LATEST FROM THE ABC AS THE AGENCY PROVIDES MORE INFORMATION ON THE CALIFORNIA ABC’S MANDATORY RESPONSIBLE BEVERAGE SERVER PROGRAM
  12. THE STATE OF TO-GO BOOZE IN CALIFORNIA
  13. BOOZE RULES SPECIAL EDITION – THE RESPONSIBLE BEVERAGE SERVICE PROGRAM FACTS AND REQUIREMENTS
  14. Competition in the Beverage Alcohol Industry Continues Under the Microscope – Part 3
  15. Competition in the Beverage Alcohol Industry Under the Microscope – Part 2
  16. Competition in the Beverage Alcohol Industry Now Under the Microscope
  17. Alcohol Marketplaces 2.0 Part 5: Looking Ahead
  18. It’s Time for a Regulatory Check-Up: Privacy Policies for email marketing and websites
  19. Alcohol Marketplaces 2.0 Part 4: Who’s responsible for ensuring legal drinking age?
  20. Alcohol Marketplaces 2.0 Part 3: Follow the Money
  21. BOOZE RULES 2021 – NEW CONTAINER SIZES APPROVED FOR ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES: KEEPING TRACK OF THE TTB’S ATTEMPTS TO REGULATE CONTANER SIZES
  22. Alcohol Marketplaces 2.0 Part 2: Collect sales tax from marketplaces or comply with alcohol guidance?
  23. Alcohol Marketplaces 2.0 Part 1: Solicitation of sales by unlicensed third-party providers
  24. Federal Cannabis Legalization Fortune-Telling
  25. BOOZE RULES – THE DIRECT SHIPPING WARS
  26. California ABC provides additional Covid guidance on virtual events and charitable promotions
  27. Hot Topics for Alcohol Delivery 2020
  28. California Reopening Roadmap is Now a Blueprint for a Safer Economy
  29. The Hospitality Reopening Roadmap to Success
  30. Salads Not A Meal in California, Says ABC
  31. Delivery Personnel Beware – The ABC is Coming for You and for the Licensees Hiring You to Deliver Alcoholic Beverages - This Time Its Justified
  32. Licensees Beware – the Harsh New ABC Enforcement Rules Are Effective Right Now
  33. Part 2: LEGAL FAQS ON REOPENING CA RESTAURANTS, BREWPUBS, BARS AND TASTING ROOMS
  34. John Hinman’s May 22, 2020 interview with Wine Industry Advisor on the ABC COVID-19 Regulatory Relief initiatives and the ABC “emergency rule” proposals
  35. Booze Rules May 21 - The Latest on the ABC Emergency Rules
  36. Part 1: Legal FAQs on Reopening CA Restaurants, Brewpubs, Bars and Tasting Rooms
  37. The ABC’s Fourth Round of Regulatory Relief - Expanded License Footprints Through Temporary COVID-19 Catering Authorizations, and Expanded Privileges for Club Licensees
  38. BOOZE RULES – May 17, 2020 Special Edition
  39. ABC ENFORCEMENT - ALIVE, ACTIVE AND OUT IN THE COMMUNITY
  40. Frequently Asked Questions about ABC’s Guidance on Virtual Wine Tastings
  41. ABC Keeps California Hospitality Industry Essential
  42. ABC REGULATORY RELIEF – ROUND TWO – WHAT IT MEANS
  43. Essential Businesses Corona Virus Signage Requirement Every Essential Business in San Francisco Must Post Sign by Friday, April 3rd
  44. Promotions Compliance: Balancing Risk and Reward
  45. The March 25, 2020 ABC Guidance: Enforcement Continues; Charitable Giving Remains Subject to ABC Rules; and More – What Does it all Mean?
  46. Restaurant and Bar Best Practices – Surviving Covid 19, Stay at Home and Shelter in Place Under the New ABC Waivers
  47. Economically Surviving the Covid Crisis and the Shelter in Place Orders: A Primer on Regulatory interpretations and Options
  48. Booze Rules – Hinman & Carmichael LLP and the Corona Virus
  49. Booze Rules: 2020 and the Decade to Come – Great Expectations (with apologies to Charles Dickens)
  50. The RBS Chronicles: If Your Business serves Alcoholic Beverages YOU NEED TO READ THIS AND TAKE ACTION!
  51. RESPONSIBLE BEVERAGE SERVICE ACT HEARING – OCTOBER 11TH IN SACRAMENTO – BE THERE!
  52. WHEN THE INVESTIGATOR COMES CALLING – BEST PRACTICES.
  53. RESPONSIBLE BEVERAGE SERVICE ACT PROPOSED ABC RULES 160 TO 173 – WHY THE RUSH?
  54. The TTB Crusade Against Small Producers and the “Consignment Sale” Business Model
  55. TTB Protocols, Procedures, and Investigations
  56. Wine in a 250 ML can – the Mystery of the TTB packaging Regulations and Solving the Problem by Amending the Regulations
  57. The Passing of John Manfreda of the TTB: a Tragedy for his family and a Tragedy for the Industry he so Faithfully Served for so Long.
  58. Pride in a Job Well-done, or Blood Money? The Cost of Learning the Truth from the TTB about the Benefits to Investigators from Making Cases Against Industry Members
  59. How ADA Website Compliance Works – The Steps You Can Take to Protect Yourself, Your Website and Your Social Media from Liability
  60. Supplier and Distributor Promotional “Banks,” Third Party Promotion Companies and Inconsistent TTB Enforcement, Oh My!
  61. “A Wrong Without a Remedy – Not in My America” – The TTB Death Penalty for Not Reporting Deaths
  62. Is a 1935 Alcohol Beverage Federal Trade Practice Law Stifling Innovation?
  63. Decoding the BCC’s Guidance on Commercial Cannabis Activity.
  64. Prop 65 - Escaping a "Notice of Violation"
  65. TTB Consignment Sales Investigations - What is Behind the Curtain of the TTB Press Releases?
  66. Heads Up! The ABC Is Stepping Up Enforcement Against Licensees Located Near Universities
  67. Coming Soon: New Mandatory Training Requirements for over One Million “Alcohol Servers” In California – September 1, 2021 will be here quickly
  68. 2019 Legislative Changes for California Alcohol Producers – a Blessing or a Curse?
  69. A Picture (On Instagram) Is Worth A Thousand Words
  70. Playing by the Rules: California Cannabis Final Regulations Takeaways
  71. Hinman & Carmichael LLP Names Erin Kelleher Partner and Welcomes Gillian Garrett and Tsion “Sunshine” Lencho to the Firm
  72. Congress Makes History and Changes the CBD Game for Good
  73. Pernicious Practices (stuff we see that will get folks in trouble!) Today’s Rant – Bill & Hold
  74. CBD: An Exciting New Fall Schedule… or Not?
  75. MISSISSIPPI RISING - A VICTORY FOR LEGAL RETAILER TO CONSUMER SALES, AND PASSAGE OF TITLE UNDER THE UNIFORM COMMERCIAL CODE
  76. California ABC's Cannabis Advisory - Not Just for Stoners
  77. NEW CALIFORNIA WARNINGS FOR ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND CANNABIS PRODUCTS TAKE EFFECT AUGUST 30, 2018, NOW INCLUDING ADDENDUM REGARDING 2014 CONSENT AGREEMENT PARTIES AND PARTICIPANTS
  78. National Conference of State Liquor Administrators – The Alcohol Industry gathers in Hawaii to figure out how to enforce the US “Highly Archaic Regulatory Scheme.”
  79. Founder John Hinman Honored with the Raphael House Community Impact Award
  80. ROUTE TO MARKET AND MARKETING RESTRICTIONS - NAVIGATING REGULATORY SYSTEM CONSTRAINTS
  81. Alcohol and Cannabis Ventures: Top 5 Legal Considerations
  82. ATF and TTB: Is Another Divorce on the Horizon? What’s Going on with the Agency?
  83. STRIKE 3 - YOU REALLY ARE OUT! THE ABC'S STRICT APPLICATION OF PENALTIES FOR SALES TO MINORS
  84. TTB Temporarily Fixes Problem with Fulfillment Warehouse Tax Credits - an “Alternate Procedure” for Paying Taxes & Reporting
  85. CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE HAD ONE TOO MANY - THE FREE TRANSPORTATION DILEMMA
  86. The Renaissance of Federal Unfair Trade Practices - Current Issues and Strategies
  87. ‘Twas the week before New Year’s and the ABC is out in Force – Alerts for the Last Week of 2017, including the Limits on Free Rides
  88. Big Bottles, Caviar and a CA Wine Strong Silent Auction for the Holidays!
  89. The FDA and the Wine and Spirits Industry – Surprise inspections anyone?
  90. NORTHERN CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES: UPDATED REGULATORY AGENCY DISASTER RELIEF RESOURCES AT A GLANCE
  91. NORTHERN CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES: REGULATORY AGENCY DISASTER RELIEF RESOURCES AT A GLANCE
  92. Soon to come to your Local Supermarket– Instant Redeemable Coupons of the digital age!
  93. The License Piggyback Dilemma – If it Sounds Too Good to be True, it Probably is
  94. A timely message from our Florida colleagues on the tied house laws, the three-tier system and the need for reform
  95. ABC Declaratory Rulings – A Modest Proposal Whose Time has Come
  96. More on FDA Inspections - Breweries, Distilleries and Questions
  97. WHY THE FDA IS INSPECTING WINERIES
  98. Senate Bill 378—The Proposed Demise of Due Process for Alcohol Licensees
  99. ABC Enforcement - Trends and Predictions
  100. The Corruption Chronicles – Volume One: A New Hope