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Oracle Park is now open for baseball (no restrictions) but we all hope that everyone is vaccinated and covid free.
Let us not forget the 2021 Team, or the Umpire that ended the season on a bad call
The 2021 Giants won 107 games and took the LA team down to the last strike in the last game of the divisional playoff series before losing the game on a terrible called third strike (with a man on first) by Gabe Morales, a first base umpire who shall always live in infamy. The 2021 Giants was a good team and had the best record in baseball. The 2022 version of the G-Men will be even better.
The Expected Performers in 2022 – the Entire Team
The G-Men lost 3 important players in the off-season, Buster Posey (to retirement), Kevin Gausman and Kris Bryant. Gausman has been replaced by Carlos Rodon (an All-Star with the White Sox) and Bryant has been replaced by the slugging outfielder Joc Pederson, formerly of the LA Team but who can play all three outfield positions and has the same kind of versatility that Bryant demonstrated before he opted to accept $182 million to stand in the outfield at Mile High Stadium looking pretty.
In addition, the team has picked Alex Cobb as more pitching depth, and has strengthened the bullpen by the return of a confident Jake McGee, Tyler Rodgers and Octovio Dotel (he of the 104-mph fastball) for the late innings and Dominic Leone for the middle innings. Look for Logan Webb to have a career year, and for the rest of the rotation (Cobb, DeSclafini and Wood) to be nails. This is a very good pitching staff.
Buster will be replaced behind the dish by Joey Bart, who looks ready after a fine spring to hit for power and handle the pitching staff with Curt Casali providing experienced backup.
Across the outfield will be Yaz, Slater and LaMonte Wade (probably out for a week at the start of the season so supersub Dugger will get a start). In the infield will be Belt at first (with occasional starts from Darren Ruf), La Stella at second (with Dubon as backup), the ever-reliable Crawford at short and Longoria at Third (with Flores as the backup if Longo can’t go on opening day).
This will be Gabe Kapler’s third season and he has proved to be a worthy successor to Bochy. The team won 107 games last year and wants to do better this year. This is a very good, very balanced, team from whom we all expect a great season.
The Enemy Awaits – the NL West
As usual, public enemy number one is the LA team, who choked in the playoffs in 2021 after getting in on a bad call. However, all the teams in the NL West have improved, including the Rockies, Padres and Dodgers. The Dodgers are, once again, picked to finish first because they picked up a new closer (Craig Kimbrel). The Padres are picked to finish 3rd because of a new manager (but the same players – including Tatis), the Rockies are picked to finish 4th (even with Kris Bryant in the outfield) and the Diamondbacks have disappeared off everyone’s screen.
The First Six Games of the New Season are at home against the Marlins and the Padres
Starting against the Marlins should be welcome before turning to the first NL West series against the Padres. The Marlins are a work in progress and a good team for the Gigantes to start against. They have a lot of flashy players (including Jazz Chisholm), solid pitching, and a reputation as a grind it out team. The Padres are a question mark. They have solid pitching, a core of good hitters and a new manager (Bob Melvin from the A’s). This series will be our first look at them and should tell a lot about how they will fare in the NL West.
On the board ready to be picked up are:
SAT: [4/9 at 1:05] Marlins – 3 – Captain’s Hat Day. I’m going
SUN: [4/10 at 1:05] Marlins – 4 – Kids Arm Sleeve day
MON: [4/11 at 6:45] Padres – 3. I’m going
TUES: [4/12 at 6:45] Padres - 4
WED: [4/13 at 12:45] Padres – 4
Let the torture commence.
Ciao, and GO GIANTS!
The Czar
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THE PROTOCOL: the firm has four seats in Section 118 (Premium Lower Boxes), Rows 25 and 26. These are awesome seats directly below the press box and 25 rows behind home plate on the left side behind the screen. It is foul ball territory for left-handed batters so bring your glove – I have collected 19 foul balls myself over 20 years, am looking for more and caught my latest ball at the Cards game on July 5th [film available!]. If we don’t use all the tickets ourselves (or clients and friends of the firm don't claim them by calling me and reserving a game), then my next step is to give the tickets TO THE FIRST PERSON WHO GETS BACK TO ME PROVIDED THAT THEY ARE SERIOUS. If you ask for the tickets and don't use them, you will be taken off the list unless there is a seriously good reason. There will be a wait list.
When there are four seats available (we split up a lot of games) we will allocate the tickets two and two if the first people back just want two tickets. You can also go for four and might get them. I'm the Czar, my call.