San Francisco Giants Month in Review: July 2019

Following their first winning month of 2019 and closing the book on June having played their best ball of the season, the San Francisco Giants would see their winning ways continue into the month of July. And if a 14-13 win-loss record in June was any indication of things to come, Giants fans would be hard pressed to believe the streak that would follow, given their ability or lack thereof to win games early on in the season. However, a streak of 17 wins in 20 games which hadn't been done by a Giants team since 2001, would be just as surprising as it was impressive, especially considering they stood 12 games under .500 in late-June.

Kicking things off with a three-game set in San Diego at Petco Park, a stadium that has been none too kind to the Giants the last few seasons compared to years past, skipper Bruce Bochy would witness his club score double-digit runs at Petco for the first time in their last 52 visits as the Giants ran away with a 13-2 victory in the opener. Those hot bats would continue into Game 2 as San Francisco tallied another 10-runs in a 10-4 win, marking the team's third consecutive game with double-digit runs, a feat that hadn't been accomplished by a Giants team since August 23-25, 2010. And though the Giants saw their double-digit streak end in the series finale, they did manage to sweep the series with a 7-5 victory as Evan Longoria and Alex Dickerson teamed up to hit the Giants' first set of back-to-back homers this year. It would be a memorable series for Longo who clubbed home runs in all three games of the series, including two in Game 2, becoming only the third player to hit four HR's in a series at Petco Park since the yard opened in 2004.

Returning home to host the St. Louis Cardinals for three games before the All-Star break, Giants ace Madison Bumgarner would take the ball in Game 2. After tying his friend and former teammate Tim Lincecum for the 2nd most strikeouts in SF Giants history, MadBum would surpass his old pitching mate with a punchout in the first inning. But Bumgarner would see his night cut short after taking a line-drive off his left forearm just two batters into the game. And while he would stick around for two innings, the swelling eventually got the best of him, forcing him to leave the game. It wouldn't be anything the bullpen couldn't handle as the Giants went on to win the game and take the series the following day, two games to one. Winners of six of their last seven games, the Giants suddenly found themselves playing their best ball of the season entering the All-Star break and any fear of the their recent hot-streak fizzling out following the four days off would be put to rest rather quickly as they picked up right where they left off and struck for double-digit runs in their first game back. Hitting the road to face the Milwaukee Brewers, the Giants opened a thrilling series against the Brew Crew with a 10-7 win in extras, clubbing five homers for the first time since 2014, en route to the victory thanks to a grand slam by Buster Posey in the 10th inning. And though Milwaukee would avenge the loss with a walk-off win the following day, it was the Giants who got the last laugh as they escaped Miller Park with the series win by taking the rubber-match, 8-3.

Continuing their road trip in Colorado against the Rockies, the Giants would begin a double-header by exploding for 19-runs, the third most runs scored in San Francisco Giants history and the franchises most runs ever scored at Coors Field in its 26 year existence. Following the 19-run outburst, the Giants' 94 runs scored over their last 11 games marked the most runs scored in an 11-game span since the club moved to the Bay Area in 1958. Leading the way in the big win was shortstop Brandon Crawford who became the first shortstop in MLB history to have five hits and a career-high 8 RBI in a single game. Not to mention he became just the third Giant to ever record 8 RBI in a single game and first since 1961, joining some elite company and a pair of Hall of Famers in Willie Mays and Orlando Cepeda. Setting the bar rather high with another game to be played just hours later, the Giants would only muster a measly 2-runs in Game 2, but still managed to sweep the double-header with a 2-1 triumph. With wins of 8-4 and 11-8 in the next two, the Giants completed the four-game sweep of the Rockies before returning home for a seven-game homestand. Out of the cellar and no longer in last place in the NL West, the Giants were unable to duplicate the same run production at home that they saw on the road, but still managed to claim three of four games against the visiting Mets to take the series, with all three wins coming in walk-off fashion.

Better late than Never - Reaching the .500 mark for the first time this season at 49-49 thanks to a season-best seven-game winning streak following Game 2, the Giants hadn't reached .500 for the first time this late in a season since August 6, 1982. And helping the Giants get there on offense was outfielder Mike Yastrzemski who put an exclamation point on the series with an opposite-field home run to help his team walk-off with a 3-2 win. The grandson of Red Sox Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski who had 14 career walk-off RBI's, little Yaz became the first Giants rookie to hit a walk-off homer since Al Gallagher in 1970 and helped the Giants move into sole possession of 2nd place in the division. Next on the list would be the first-place Chicago Cubs who the Giants claimed the first two games against before falling in the series finale. After a come-from-behind win that saw the Giants rally in the 8th inning of the series-opener and improve over .500 for the first time since August 14, 2018, the Giants pulled off their fourth walk-off win in six games, this time a solo home run in the 13th inning off the bat of Pablo Sandoval who connected for his fourth career walk-off dinger.

Beginning a 9-game road trip against the Padres, Phillies and Rockies, including the final series in San Diego under manager Bruce Bochy, the Giants looked to finish the month strong. And while the Friars awarded their former skipper with several farewell gifts, the Giants awarded him with another series victory as they took two of three from their division rivals. With another extra-inning home run by Sandoval, this time in the 11th inning of the series-opener, the Giants collected their MLB-leading 11th win in extra-inning affairs and became the first team in the live-ball era to win six extra-inning games in a 10-game span. With an off-day before traveling east to face Bryce Harper and the Phillies, lots of uncertainty surrounded the Giants regarding the July 31 trade deadline and what direction they'd go in after showing new life with their red-hot July. After dropping the series-opener, the Giants came out on top, 5-1 on the day of the deadline. And instead of trading away their two most coveted assets in starter Madison Bumgarner and All-Star closer Will Smith, Giants brain trust Farhan Zaidi did make a number of moves, but none involving the two names that had garnered the most attention.

While hanging onto both Bumgarner and Smith in hopes of a chasing a Wild Card berth, the Giants dealt a number of other arms and jettisoned a few unwanted contracts while fetching several prospects Zaidi hopes can soon contribute in the big leagues. Sending right-handed reliever Sam Dyson to the first-place Minnesota Twins, San Francisco received a pair of pitchers and an outfielder in return (RHP Prelander Berroa, RHP Kai Wei Teng and OF Jaylin Davis). Washing their hands of Mark Melancon and his hefty contract, Zaidi sent the inconsistent ex-closer to Atlanta in exchange for righties Daniel Winkler and Tristan Beck. Freeing themselves of the $18 Million still owed to Melancon thru the 2020 season is enough to deem the deadline a success for Zaidi and the Giants, but perhaps the best return of the day by Zaidi was the score of Minor League infielder and Sacramento native Mauricio Dubon who the Giants fetched from the Milwaukee Brewers (No. 3 prospect) for two troubled relievers in lefty Drew Pomeranz and RHP Ray Black. Finishing off the busy day and his first trade deadline at the helm of the Giants, Zaidi acquired 2018 All-Star second baseman Scooter Gennett and cash considerations from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for a player to be named later or cash.

Another notable transaction that was made in the days leading up to the deadline was the dealing of Derek Holland who was sent to the Chicago Cubs for cash considerations. Spending only a season and a half in a Giants uniform, Holland had an up and down tenure with the club, but proved to be one a fan favorite and a good-energy guy for the Giants clubhouse as he even went out of his way to thank the organization and the fans before his departure.

Entering the dog days of August, the Giants who have now pulled within striking distance for a Wild Card spot and currently trail a handful of clubs by 2.5 games, are in prime position to either bolster or hurt their postseason hopes as they'll face a number of teams jockeying for position in the Wild Card race in the first few weeks. And after their MLB-best run of 19-wins and 6-losses in July, if Bruce Bochy's guys can continue their torrid streak into the month of August, we could be in store for some late season magic before bidding their skipper a final farewell.


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Angels Honor Skaggs with Epic No-Hitter

Something amazing happened in Friday's game between the hosting Los Angeles Angels and the visiting Seattle Mariners. On the night the Angels honored the late Tyler Skaggs who was found dead in his hotel room on July 1 during the team's recent road trip in Texas against the Rangers, the Halos did something fit for a movie script. In the team's first home game at Angels Stadium since the loss of their teammate, two Angels pitchers combined to throw a no-hitter just hours before what would've been Skaggs' 28th birthday. And given the circumstances in what's been an emotional two weeks for the club and community, it will go down as one of the most made-for-Hollywood storybook endings to occur on a baseball diamond. Factor in some of the stats in the game and you might be left with goosebumps.

With fans creating a makeshift shrine outside of the ballpark with flowers and signs to remember the 27 year old California native, inside the ballpark the team unveiled a mural in left-center field featuring an image of Skaggs delivering a pitch alongside his name and jersey No. 45. Following a video tribute and an emotional 45-seconds of silence in memory of Skaggs, his mother Debbie was called on to throw out the ceremonial first pitch as she delivered a perfect strike that helped set the tone for what would ultimately be a historic and memorable night that both Angels and baseball fans alike will one day be sure to tell their grand kids about. With Halos manager Brad Ausmus electing to go with an opener to begin the game, Taylor Cole who threw the first two innings before handing the ball off to Felix Pena for the final seven frames on a mound that was painted with Skaggs' number. With the entire team donning Skaggs' name and jersey No. 45 on the back of their uniforms to pay tribute to their fallen teammate, a decision green-lighted by MLB, the two pitchers logged eight combined strikeouts and the only blemish in their way of tossing a perfect game was a fifth inning walk by Omar Narvaez who proved to be the lone base runner on the night for Seattle.

Before out No. 27 sealed the 11th no-hitter in Angels franchise history, the Halos wasted little time pouncing on their opponent as they jumped out to an early 7-0 lead in the first inning alone. And leading the charge was none other than 2-time MVP Mike Trout who was a close friend of the late pitcher and was drafted by the Angels alongside Skaggs in the 2009 MLB Draft. Now for the eerie part. During their first inning onslaught, Trout who had a monster night finishing 3-for-4 with 6 RBI's, launched a 2-run home run that measured 454-feet, eerily similar to Skaggs' uniform number. Those 7 runs in the first inning would jump start a 13-run night for the Halo offense and coincidentally, Skaggs was born on 7-13-91. Still not creeped out yet? Try this; Skaggs was born on the same day that marked the last time a combined no-hitter was recorded in the state of California when the Baltimore Orioles tossed one against the Oakland A's. Facing just one batter more than the 27-batter minimum, Angels pitching faced 28 batters just less than two hours before what would've been Skaggs' 28th birthday. And finally, Friday's game marked the 11th no-hitter in Angels franchise history and oddly enough, Skaggs' old Santa Monica High School jersey number was No. 11, a jersey Tyler's brother Garrett was seen wearing during the pregame ceremony.

But perhaps the most special event that took place on Friday night was how the team honored their fallen member one last time once the game concluded. After sharing a much deserved celebration following the final out with many players pointing towards the sky, the team gave one final salute to Skaggs as each player removed their No. 45 jersey and placed it on the pitchers mound. With plans to keep his clubhouse locker in tact both at home and on the road for the remainder of the season, the Angels couldn't have drawn up a better way to bid Skaggs a farewell. The Angels are no stranger to mid-season tragedies as 2019 marks the 10-year anniversary after losing Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart who was tragically killed in a car accident just hours after pitching in a game on April 9, 2009. And as hard as these type of things are for both the team and the organization, the Angels as a whole did a fabulous job at paying tribute to one of their very own, proving once again that baseball is more than just a game.

Noteworthy: Friday's no-hitter was the Angels' first since Jared Weaver twirled one against the Minnesota Twins on May 2, 2012 and marked the fourth time the Mariners have been no-hit in their franchise history. The 13-0 win is tied for the largest run-differential in an AL no-hitter (13 runs) since at least 1908 (1938 Yankees vs Cleveland).

Rest in Peace, Tyler Skaggs (July 13, 1991 - July 1, 2019)

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San Francisco Giants Month in Review: June 2019

As temperatures across the country begin to increase and offensive numbers begin to soar, the San Francisco Giants entered the month of June hoping the same could be said for their win total. Or at the very least, an improvement from their dismal May in which the team's pitching woes led to a sub-par record of 10-16. And with three-straight wins against the Baltimore Orioles and New York Mets to start the month, things finally began to look up for Bruce Bochy's ball club, even if it was short-lived. Making his fourth big league start, pitcher Shaun Anderson would kick things off with a stellar outing as he earned his first career win after pitching 7 innings of 2-run ball as the Giants beat the Orioles, 8-2. Needing 105-pitches to get the job done, Anderson who had never tossed more than 102-pitches in a game at any level of his career, college included, became the first Giants starter to go seven innings or more since Madison Bumgarner back on April 13. Anderson's seven frames ended an SF era record and snapped a streak of 40 consecutive games in which a Giants starter failed to go seven innings deep, the longest such streak in over 100 years for the Giants franchise and longest streak in the MLB this year.

But it would be a blessing and a curse as Buster Posey who hit his third homer of the season in the 8-2 win, left the game with a hamstring injury. Thanks to another strong outing the following day by Jeff Samardzija (6 innings pitched, 3 hits, 1 earned run, 0 walks and 6 strikeouts), the Giants managed to take 2 of 3 from the Orioles to claim their first series victory since May 17-19 at Arizona. And with a 9-3 extra-inning win over the New York Mets in their next ballgame, skipper Bruce Bochy in his 13th year with the club, etched his name into the record books by becoming just the second Giants manager in franchise history (138 years) to win 1,000 games. One of only 25 managers in MLB history to have won 1,000 games with one team, Bochy who had won another 951 games at the helm of the Padres, is the most winningest manager in SF Giants history. And even if you combined the two records from Bochy's time with the Giants and Padres, he would still fall shy of the Giants' all-time leader in wins held by John McGraw who owns the club record with 2,583 wins as skipper of the New York Giants from 1902-1932. Unfortunately, Bochy's milestone would be the only positive during the Giants' trip to Queens as the Mets claimed the next two games to take the series.

Looking to put a forgettable month of May behind him in which he boasted an ERA of 19.16, starter Drew Pomeranz bounced back with five shutout frames over the Dodgers. And though he didn't factor in the decision, the Giants were able to pull off the 2-1 win and hand ace Clayton Kershaw his first loss in nearly a year (July 21, 2018), a span of 22 starts and snapping L.A.'s streak of 17 consecutive wins in games started by Kershaw. However, for the second consecutive series, the Giants would take Game 1 only to lose the next two and drop the series. With a day off before their next series, a short two-gamer against the San Diego Padres, the Giants would pull off the two-game sweep of their division rivals to claim their first home series victory since May 1. And with saves in each game, closer Will Smith improved to a perfect 16-for-16 in save opportunities to start the year, surpassing former Giant Craig Lefferts for the most consecutive saves to start a season among left-handers in franchise history; a record Smith would only add to. And with the Milwaukee Brewers coming into town for a three-game set, the Giants would see their longest winning-streak of the season reach four-games as San Francisco took the first two against the Brew Crew before losing in the finale.

Hitting the road to renew rivalries with the Dodgers once again, San Francisco would see another one of their young hurlers record career win No. 1 as Tyler Beede was next to answer the call. Holding L.A.'s menacing lineup to only 1-run over 6 stout innings, Beede pitched around five walks and struck out seven Dodger hitters to become just the fourth Giants pitcher during the SF era to record career win No. 1 at Dodger Stadium and the first since Shawn Estes on July 13, 1996. But yet again, the Dodgers would drop the first game only to storm back the rest of the way to take the series, three games to one. But a visit to the desert for a three-game series against the Diamondbacks would help the Giants get back on track as they took two of three from the snakes. And in Game 1 of that series, an 11-5 win, the Giants received a big game from one of their newest members in outfielder Alex Dickerson. Acquired via trade just 11 days earlier from the San Diego Padres, Dickerson made his Giants debut a memorable one as he collected a career-high 6 RBI's after going 3-for-5 at the plate, one of those hits being a 458-foot grand slam, the longest home run hit by a Giants player this season. With the grand salami, Dickerson became one of only three players in franchise history to hit a grand slam in his Giants debut, joining only Bobby Bonds (June 25, 1968) and Brandon Crawford (May 27, 2011).

Returning home to begin a seven-game homestand, Pomeranz took the mound against the Colorado Rockies, logging a 5 inning, 11 strikeout performance to tie a career-high in K's. It would be the most punchouts by a Giants pitcher in an outing of five or fewer innings since the current mound distance was established in 1893 and the first double-digit strikeout performance by a Giants pitcher since April of last year (Johnny Cueto). But unfortunately for him, his offense failed to show up as the Giants were blanked, 2-0. The team would get another strong outing the following day, this time by Madison Bumgarner (6 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 11 K) who rebounded from his worst start of the season after allowing six earned runs in just 3 2/3 innings against the Dodgers. But Colorado would dust off the loss with a 6-3 win in the rubber-match to take the series, two games to one. Hosting the Dbacks for a four-game stint before turning the calendar to July, the Giants would get a "vintage" performance from their ace as Bochy put it. Following his first double-digit strikeout performance since April 2, 2017 against the Rockies, MadBum dazzled again to the tune of seven strong innings in which he allowed only one run on four hits, no walks and struck out nine Arizona hitters to tie his old teammate Tim Lincecum to become the franchises second leading strikeout leader. With 1,704 career K's, all in a San Francisco uniform, Bumgarner trails only Hall of Famer Juan Marichal for the most strikeouts in San Francisco Giants history.

Fading deeper and deeper into the abyss that is the NL Western Division standings heading into July, the Giants find themselves 19 games behind the first-place Dodgers despite June being their first winning month of the season. At 14-wins and 13-losses to bring their overall record to 36-47 at the halfway point of the MLB season, San Francisco will look to gain some momentum before entering the All-Star break. With a chance for the team to rest for a few days in anticipation for the second part of the season, one Giant who won't be missing out on the festivities is closer Will Smith. Named to his first career All-Star Game after logging a perfect 21-for-21 in save opportunities, the most saves before the All-Star break by a Giants lefty, Smith is the franchises first southpaw reliever to be named to the Midsummer Classic since Gary Lavelle in 1983. And his 21 consecutive saves to start a season are the most since Rod Beck converted 28 straight back in 1994. Having held opposing batters to the second-lowest on-base percentage (.218) and fourth-lowest OPS (.494) in the league among relievers, the 29-year old closer ranks 3rd in the National League in saves. And since taking over as the team's full-time closer in June of 2018, a role Smith was none too familiar with prior to being traded from the Milwaukee Brewers in 2016 as he had only one career save prior, Smith has run away with the job since becoming Bochy's ninth inning guy. Along with Bumgarner who's helped raise his stock with consecutive strong outings, Smith, the Giants' lone representative in this year's All-Star Game, could also have his days with the ball club numbered as we inch closer to the trade deadline and both players begin gaining attention from playoff contenders.

June would also see the Giants enter their first MLB Draft under new general manager Farhan Zaidi. Owning the 10th overall pick, the Giants would select outfielder Hunter Bishop out of Arizona State University. With many MLB scouts and analysts calling him a perennial All-Star, something the Giants have long been in need of in the outfield, Bishop compared himself to a mix between Cody Bellinger and Christian Yelich when asked who he'd most liken his skill set to. And we all remember the last time an ASU outfielder batted lefty and manned the outfield for the Giants, just some guy named Barry Bonds. Coincidentally, the Bay Area native even went to the same High School as Bonds. The last two times the Giants held the No. 10 overall pick, they selected a pair of guys named Tim Lincecum (2006) and Madison Bumgarner (2007). Giants brass and fans alike are hoping to complete the trifecta with the recent selection of Bishop.


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Lakers pull trigger, Trade for Anthony Davis

For the second straight season, the Los Angeles Lakers have made a major splash during the NBA offseason by reaching an agreement to acquire the most coveted piece available on the market. While it was the acquisition of LeBron James that took the league by storm and shook the landscape of the league's signature franchise last season via free-agency, this time around it was a move made by trade that enabled the Lakers to acquire their newest member just days after the conclusion of the NBA Finals. Joining James and company in Tinseltown for the upcoming 2019-20 NBA season will be six-time All-Star and former first overall pick Anthony Davis who was acquired over the weekend from the New Orleans Pelicans. Though pairing LeBron with the talented 26-year old big man is the latest step in the Lakers' efforts to end their longest postseason drought in franchise history, it didn't come cheap as they certainly paid a hefty price in return.

In exchange for the three-time All-NBA swingman, the Lakers sent a package deal to the Big Easy that included PG Lonzo Ball, SF Brandon Ingram, SG Josh Hart and three first round picks, including the No. 4 pick in next week's Draft. Add those names and picks to a roster that already includes former Laker Julius Randle and All-Star guard Jrue Holiday and will soon add Duke sensation and consensus No. 1 overall pick Zion Williamson, and the Pelicans appear to have themselves a nice little squad of their own. The deal which can't be made official until July 6, is a major win for a Pelicans franchise that would've seen Davis walk via free-agency following the 2019-20 season otherwise. While the Lakers did ship off many of their young assets, they did however manage to hang onto forward Kyle Kuzma who has easily been the most productive player among L.A.'s young core over the past two seasons and was initially believed to be one of the main pieces the Pelicans were asking for in the package deal. And as if the Lakers weren't already in win now mode given the window is closing more rapidly than ever for James who will be entering his age 35 season and the second year of his 4-year, $153.3 Million dollar pact with the team, the addition of Davis coupled with a pair of key injuries suffered by the Warriors' Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson could result in a major shift in power out West.

While the race for Anthony Davis appeared to be only a three-team race between the Lakers, Boston Celtics and New York Knicks, L.A. proved to be the only team with enough ammunition willing to pull the trigger. While the Knicks simply didn't have enough assets to garner the Pelicans' attention, Boston's unwillingness to include the promising young talent of Jayson Tatum made the Lakers' offer the most attractive as they eventually came out as the winners in the Anthony Davis sweepstakes. However, the Lakers' reloading phase won't stop there as they'll now focus their attention on acquiring another possible max-contract player with such names as Kemba Walker and Kyrie Irving leading the charge. Or could it be someone who's slipped under the radar like Jimmie Butler? While it remains uncertain who will be joining LeBron and Davis in the purple & gold for the upcoming season, one thing that is certain is that newly hired head coach Frank Vogel's Lakers team saw their stock rise just moments after the trade news broke, as they currently sit as the odds on favorite to win the NBA title next season at 7-2 according to the Caesars Sportsbook in Las Vegas.

But for now, the trade serves as some long awaited good news for Lakerland following a tumultuous season both on and off the court for the once proud Lakers organization that has had its fair share of bumps and bruises and has been rather out of wack over the past 6 months. From the botched trade to land A.D. down the stretch before the NBA trade deadline that sent the team into a downward spiral, to the firing of head coach Luke Walton, to the very publicized rocky relationship between front-office officials which ultimately led to Magic Johnson stepping down and resigning from his position as the team's president of basketball operations, and everything in between.


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San Francisco Giants Month in Review: May 2019

After opening the month of May with a series-finale win over the archrival Dodgers to take the rubber-match, the San Francisco Giants took to the road to visit two of the more unforgiving ballparks in the league to a pitcher in Cincinnati's Great American Ballpark and Colorado's Coors Field. And after falling behind early to the Reds who jumped out to an eight-run lead by the third inning, the Giants appeared to be in store for a long evening in the Queen City. Instead, San Francisco managed to tie their largest comeback in franchise history after storming back to erase the eight-run deficit with crooked numbers in the 4th, 6th and 8th innings before a solo home run off the bat of Stephen Vogt with 2-outs in the 9th inning, tied things up at 11-all. In his first game in a Giants uniform and first game at the big league level since recovering from a right shoulder injury that kept him out of baseball for nearly two years, Vogt finished the game a triple shy of the cycle and was the hero of the game until Evan Longoria stole the spotlight with a solo home run that decided the outcome in the 11th inning. It would be a rather fitting win for San Francisco who had to pull a rabbit from their hat to log their first win in Cincy in three years, having previously lost seven straight at Great American Ballpark while being outscored by 43 runs.

The franchise-tying 8-run comeback that had happened on four other occasions, coincidentally, have all occurred on the road, with the last taking place on Sept. 4, 1989 also against the Reds. After notching a season-high 17-hits in the opener, the Giants were held to only 5-hits in Game 2 as the Reds avenged the series-opening loss with a 9-2 victory. Game 3 would witness another comeback for the Giants, but this time after being down only 4-runs as San Francisco matched Cincinnati's 4-run first inning with a 4-run 6th before Brandon Crawford's pinch-hit 2-run home run capped the win. The Giants would only manage a split of the four-game series as Cincinnati proved to be too much for the Giants in the first inning, outscoring San Francisco 13-0 in the opening frame as well as clubbing 15 home runs in the series which tied a club record for the most HR's hit in a single series. Another rare feat that was accomplished in Cincy was one by super utilityman Pablo Sandoval who's been used by skipper Bruce Bochy in a variety of roles this season, including off the bench and on the mound. In the series finale, Sandoval became the first player in 114 years to homer, steal a base and pitch a scoreless inning in a single game since Giants Hall of Famer Christy Mathewson achieved the feat against the Reds on May 23, 1905.

Off to Denver, the Giants would call-up the hot-hitting Mac Williamson who's red-hot bat at the Triple-A level would catch the attention of the Giants front-office in time for their series with the Rockies. After clubbing three homers the night before with Triple-A Sacramento, Williamson would continue his torrid streak by launching a home run in his second at-bat of the season to go along with 4 RBI's which helped propel the Giants to a 14-4 win in the opener. Unfortunately, it would be only Williamson's only shining moment after the call-up as he would be designated for assignment and later elect free agency following a 6-for-51 drought at the plate. With inclement weather postponing Game 2 to a makeup date in July, the Giants would partake in their coldest game since 1997 as snow flurries began in the 2nd inning of Game 3. The 39 degree temperature at first-pitch would be the lowest that the Giants would play in since an affair on the north side of Chicago on April 13, 2013 against the Cubs. Seeking his first home run of the season, Tyler Austin would record his fourth career multi-homer game with a pair of long balls, including a 441-foot tape-measure shot, the furthest by a Giant this year. Austin's powerful bat would help the Giants erase an early 7-run deficit, but the San Francisco bullpen would fail to contain the Rockies' formidable lineup which escaped with the 12-11 win.

Returning home to face the Reds again, the Giants would run into more of the same issues as Cincy continued to put up runs in the first inning. And after receiving a no-decision a week earlier in Cincinnati, Reds starter Luis Castillo was out for revenge. Having established himself as one of the better pitchers through the first month with a record of 4-1 and a 1.76 ERA to show for, Castillo backed his claim with another stellar outing by tossing six scoreless innings of 2-hit ball and striking-out 11 batters to tie a career-high. After allowing a combined 5-runs scored in the first inning of the next two games, the Giants were once again forced to play catch up, managing to do so after falling behind three different times before eventually salvaging the series-finale with a win on Mother's Day to avoid the sweep. Another short two-game set against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays would allow players and fans alike to see a team they're not used to seeing as the two clubs would square off in a rematch after the Giants completed the two-game sweep north of the border in Toronto a month earlier. Only this time, the Blue Jays would have reinforcements with them as baseball's top-hitting prospect in Vlad Guerrero Jr. was not yet with the club when the two clubs last met in late April. The son of Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero displayed his power by blasting the first two homers of his career to help give Toronto the 7-3 victory.

From one top prospect to another, the Giants would see the debut of their top pitching prospect as Shaun Anderson made his debut in Game 2 against the Jays. The 24-year old righty who was acquired from the Boston Red Sox in the trade that sent Eduardo Nunez to Bean Town in 2017, tossed 5 innings while allowing a pair of runs on 2 hits and 3 walks. Anderson who struck out five Blue Jays on the afternoon, wouldn't factor into the decision as the Giants won 4-3, but his manager and teammates liked what they saw in the young farmhand. He would also dazzle at the plate, connecting for a pair of hits to become the first Giants pitcher since 1908 to have a multi-hit game in his MLB debut. In a short three-game road trip to the desert to face the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Giants would be blanked by Dbacks pitching in the opener before ace Madison Bumgarner helped right the ship with an 8-5 win in Game 2. The Giants would need heroics on both offense and defense in order to return home with the series victory, as Brandon Crawford delivered with his glove to throw-out Adam Jones with a close play at first base that nearly sent the Dbacks home with a walk-off victory in the 9th. Meanwhile, Pablo Sandoval delivered at the plate as his opposite-field home run in the 10th helped the Giants take 2 of 3 from their division rivals.

Hoping their winning ways would follow them home to the Bay Area, the Giants would begin a 7-game homestand against the Braves and Dbacks that the team would much rather forget. After dropping Game 1 of 4 against Atlanta, the Giants went into the 9th inning of Game 2 trailing 3-1, but rallied with 3-runs in the inning to walk-off against the Braves, capped by Joe Panik's second career walk-off hit and the third by the Giants this season. But it would be the only highlight of the series as Atlanta won each of the next two to take three of four. After being swept in San Diego by the Padres in which the Dbacks mustered only five runs in the series, Arizona held a team meeting in hopes of putting an end to a slump that saw them lose 12 of their last 17 games entering their series versus San Francisco. Whatever was said in that meeting definitely worked as the Diamondbacks showed no mercy in the series-opener, tying a team record for the second-most runs scored in a game in franchise history as well as the most ever scored by a visiting team at Oracle Park as they ran away with the 18-2 victory. Believe it or not, the Giants would actually hold a 2-1 lead in the game before the Arizona bats really got going, smacking four homers in total. The offensive outburst would be no fluke as the Diamondbacks continued their run-scoring prowess in Games 2 & 3 by winning those meetings, 10-4 and 6-2 respectively, to complete the sweep. With 34 runs in the series, Arizona set a franchise record for the most runs in a three-game road series.

Hitting the road to face two of the three worst teams in all of baseball, the Giants would head to Miami and Baltimore to face the Marlins and Orioles to close out the month of May. But after dropping the first two in Miami, the Giants were on the verge of being swept by the only team in the National League with a worse record than their own. But after being called back up to the Majors to make his first appearance since May 14, pitcher Tyler Beede would help his team stave off the sweep by logging his best outing in the Majors yet. Though he would receive a no-decision, Beede held the Marlins to only 1 run on 5 hits, while waking 3 and striking out 4. With Beede still in search of his first win at the MLB level, one player who did record career firsts was outfielder Mike Yastrzemski who after logging his first hit in the previous series against the Dbacks, tallied his first big league RBI with a game-tying RBI single that scored Brandon Crawford in the 7th inning. Crawford would put his team ahead with a 2-run double as the Giants salvaged the finale to avoid being swept. Visiting Baltimore's Camden Yards for the first time since 2004, the Giants and Orioles would exchange in a rather odd first inning which saw the GMen jump out to an early 5-0 lead before the O's stormed back with a 6-spot of their own. The wild first inning would mark the first time since 2012 that two teams would score at least five first-inning runs in the same game.

Yastrzemski, grandson of Boston Red Sox legend Carl Yastrzemski, spent 703 games in the Minors prior to being called up last week, serving 663 of those games in Baltimore's farm system before being traded to San Francisco during the spring. Little Yaz is the latest Giant to join the revolving door that is left-field which has now seen ten different players man the position in 2019. And though he never got the chance to play a big league game in an Orioles uniform at Camden Yards, he certainly made up for it by homering in his second at-bat of the game to record his first career dinger which tied the game at 6 in the 2nd inning. But the O's would one-up San Francisco again in the bottom half of the inning by scoring a pair of runs and take a lead that they wouldn't relinquish a second time as Giants starter Drew Pomeranz was hit hard and failed to make it through the second inning even after his team gifted him with a 5-run first inning, their most runs scored in the opening frame all year. The Giants ended up dropping the game by a final of 9-6 which dropped them to 10-16 in the month of May and 22-34 overall, 15.5 games behind the first-place Dodgers.

It was a rough one for the Giants pitching staff in the month of May as their league-worst 7.32 ERA was the poorest combined earned-run average in a full month for any Giants team in the history of the franchise. And no pitcher has struggled more than the aforementioned Pomeranz who after allowing a career-high eight earned runs in Baltimore, has seen his ERA climb to 8.08 on the year over 10 starts as he's registered only one quality start this season. With what appears to be a resurgence from both Tyler Beede and Dereck Rodriguez who pitched in relief for Pomeranz in Baltimore after being sent down to the Minors following his own struggles, it's likely Pomeranz has seen his last start in the rotation at least for now. And things won't get any easier following their current road trip which concludes against the Mets in New York as the Giants return home to host the archrival Dodgers who own the best record in the National League at 39-19.


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San Francisco Giants Month in Review: April 2019

Beginning their 2019 campaign and final season under skipper Bruce Bochy with an aging roster and a new general manager in Farhan Zaidi, the San Francisco Giants would open the year with a 7-game road trip against division rivals San Diego and Los Angeles. Expected to take a leap forward and improve upon their 2018 season, the Padres welcomed the Giants into town by taking 3 of 4 from San Francisco to kick start their best start to a season since 2012 as Bruce Bochy's ball club was asleep at the wheel on offense and was held to a whopping 5-runs in the four-game set. San Diego managed to quiet the Giants' bats and set a new franchise record for the most consecutive scoreless innings to begin a season with 17, before a solo home run in the ninth inning by third baseman Evan Longoria stopped the bleeding and finally put San Francisco on the board nearly two full games in.

To put their woes and inexperience into perspective, Bochy's Opening Day outfield which consisted of rookie Connor Joe in left field, Steven Duggar in center and Michael Reed playing in right, the starting pitcher for that day -- Madison Bumgarner, began the season with 15 more career home runs than the trio of outfielders combined. The Giants ace would add another long ball to his career total (18) in the series against the Dodgers with his 18th career dinger which moved him into 20th on the all-time home runs list among pitchers. However, the Giants would suffer a similar fate during their first trip to Chavez Ravine, claiming the series-opener against the hated Dodgers, before dropping the next two. In the series-opener, the lone game of the series that the Giants would reign victorious, both Brandon Crawford and Brandon Belt notched career double No. 200. The team would also make one of their first moves of the season by acquiring outfielder and defensive wiz Kevin Pillar from Toronto via trade in exchange for right-handed pitchers Juan De Paula, Derek Law and infielder Alen Hanson. Pillar, who grew up just a stones throw away from Dodger Stadium in nearby West Hills, California, and was the longest tenured Blue Jay at the time of his trade at 6+ years, would make his presence felt in the Giants' first home stand.

After dropping 2 of 3 in the Giants' home-opening series against the Tampa Bay Rays, Pillar smashed his first career grand slam in the team's next series against the Padres. It would also mark the first grand slam for the Giants since April 7, 2017 as they went all of last season without one. Unfortunately, the grand salami which gave the Giants a 5-0 lead, wouldn't be enough to fend off a Padres comeback, even with Bumgarner on the mound as the Friars stormed back to steal the victory, 6-5. In the same game, Bumgarner moved up the ranks and surpassed Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry for the 7th spot on the franchise's all-time strikeout leader board with 1,607. The Giants would redeem themselves the following day with a 7-2 win aided by another 4 RBI day for the recently acquired Pillar. With back to back games with 4 RBI's, Pillar would continue to make an immediate impact and joined some elite company by becoming the first Giant since Barry Bonds to drive in 4+ runs in consecutive games. But after losing the rubber-match to the Padres the following day, the Giants' dismal start would mark the first time in 36 years that they dropped each of their first four series to begin a season.

Better results would come in their next series as San Francisco played host to a four-game set against the Colorado Rockies. Taking each of the first three games, including an 18-inning marathon that finished with a walk-off celebration, the Giants failed to complete the sweep, but were satisfied with their first series victory. In the 18-inning win, the first for the Giants since 1933 when they still called New York home, both teams saw a combined 501 pitches thrown as the Giants set a franchise record with the most combined strikeouts in a game with 24, surpassing the previous mark of 22 K's during a 23 inning affair on the road against the Mets in 1964. Backup catcher Erik Kratz who caught all 18 innings, served up the deciding blow by driving in Brandon Belt with a bases loaded fielders-choice and becoming the first catcher to catch at least 18 innings and deliver the game-winning RBI in the same game since Bob Boone of the Angels on April 13, 1982 against Seattle. The game also tied the longest game in Oracle Park history, an 18-inning match against the Arizona Diamondbacks back on May 29, 2001. The team's first road trip out east, would see stops in the nation's capital and the Steel City before heading up north to Canada for a visit with the Blue Jays. The Giants were able to bookend their meetings against the Nats and Bucs with wins. And in the first of which, a 7-3 victory in Washington D.C., the Giants clubbed three homers off of Nats All-Star Stephen Strasburg, a rare feat as the former number one overall pick had only allowed three homers in a game on two other occasions in his 209 previous starts.

Dropping the next two against the Nationals, the Giants began play in rainy Pittsburgh where the Pirates handed the Giants another pair of losses, including a rain-shortened game that was called after only five innings played and a 3 hour rain delay. San Francisco would avoid being swept in Pittsburgh for the first time since 2008 with a win on Easter Sunday behind pitcher Dereck Rodriguez who improved to 3-0 on the road thanks to a 3-run homer to center field by Buster Posey which ended a homer-less drought that would span 236 at-bats and marked his first HR since June 19, 2018 vs Miami. The homer that came in the fifth inning would also be the first of Posey's career hit against the Pirates. A short two-game stop in Toronto saw the return of fan favorite Kevin Pillar in front of a Blue Jays fan base that serenaded him with a standing ovation. The Giants bats would awake for four homers in the first game, before Drew Pomeranz pitched a shutout as the G-Men pulled off the two-game sweep. A return home to host the New York Yankees for only the second time in Oracle Park history, the Giants were rudely greeted by a banged up Bronx Bombers team that still managed to pull off the three-game sweep. However, one positive would be that the Giants would finally put an end to their dubious National League record of 25 games without a first inning run to start a season, second in baseball history to only the American League's 1948 Chicago White Sox who went 28 consecutive games to start a season without. With a sacrifice-fly in the first inning to drive in Tyler Austin, Buster Posey would put a dagger in the unwanted distinction.

The Giants would get a chance to redeem themselves as the Dodgers came into town for a three-game set. And in a hard-fought Game 1, the Giants rallied against their archrivals as Evan Longoria connected with his biggest hit in a Giants uniform, a bases-clearing double in the 7th inning that led to the 3-2 come-from-behind victory. After the Dodgers slugged their way to a 10-3 victory in Game 2, the Giants took two of three from their bitter rivals as Buster Posey supplied the game-winning hit with an RBI single that scored Steven Duggar from second base and lifted San Francisco over the Dodgers in walk-off fashion. For the Giants, the walk-off victory was the second of the season for Posey and company and was the eighth of Buster's career, third against Los Angeles which tied him with Matt Williams for the most walk-off hits as a Giant against the Dodgers since both teams relocated from New York to California. And though ace Madison Bumgarner received a no-decision in the win, the outing which saw him toss 6 innings of 1 run ball and strikeout 8, was a welcoming sight considering he was coming off a bad start against the Yankees in which he surrendered a career-high 11-hits.

Following their series-victory over L.A., the Giants improved to 13-18 on the year, but remain in last place in the NL West. The first week of May is likely to be a tough one for the Giants who begin a 7-game road trip with four games in Cincinnati before heading to the Mile High City to face the Rockies. And while the Reds are also cellar dwellers in their respective division at 12-17 entering the month of May, we all know how unfriendly the Reds' home of Great American Ballpark can be to opposing pitchers and the same could be said for the high altitude at Colorado's Coors Field. The Giants will look to turn things around in both places as they try to right the ship.


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49ers Look to Rebound following Draft, Free Agency

San Francisco 49er fans are excited for the 2019 NFL season, and rightfully so after the deals their team dished out in free-agency and the picks they made in this year's Draft. The glaring weakness the Niners faced entering the offseason was at defensive-end as San Francisco's defense saw very little production overall in 2018, most notably at the edge position. Aside from a few bright spots in defensive stalwart DeForest Buckner, newcomer Richard Sherman and rookie linebacker Fred Warner, there wasn't a whole lot to cheer for on a lackluster 49er defense during last year's 4-12 campaign. And after a season in which their team finished in the bottom third of the league in generated sacks (37), general manager John Lynch & head coach Kyle Shanahan who are entering their third year at the helm of the franchise, made pass rush their biggest point of emphasis during the offseason.

Following a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs to acquire Pro Bowl defensive-end Dee Ford who led the league with 8 forced fumble sacks, three more than San Francisco's entire defensive unit last season, and 13 total sacks, the 49er brain trust knew they weren't finished bolstering the position, especially when Ohio State's Nick Bosa was still on the board at pick No. 2. Regarded as the best overall player entering the draft, Bosa was passed on by division rivals Arizona who possessed the first overall pick and chose to go in a different direction by selecting a quarterback. The decision to select Bosa was an easy one for the 49er front-office as he was the guy they had coveted all along, but were afraid wouldn't be available beyond pick No. 1. It just so happened that Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury's love for Oklahoma QB Kyler Murray worked out perfectly for San Francisco and allowed Bosa to fall into their lap. Having missed nearly all of his Junior year while battling injury and undergoing core muscle surgery, the Niners will depend on Bosa to stay healthy in order for their new-look defense to produce to its full potential. If the Niners can steer clear of the injury bug in 2019, their first two picks of this year's draft should make as big an immediate impact as any in the league.

Another department of need entering the offseason was at the receiver position and the 49ers made sure to add to their receiving corps with back to back picks in the second and third rounds during day 2 of the NFL Draft, selecting Deebo Samuel, second round, 36th overall out of South Carolina and Jalen Hurd, third round, 67th overall out of Baylor. Samuel, who's known for his play-making ability both in and out of the slot as well as returning kicks, was one of the top receivers in the draft after tallying an 11-touchdown, 62-reception season last year for the Gamecocks and made an instant fan out of coach Shanahan during the Senior Bowl which was partly coached by the 49ers staff. The two became quite familiar with one another and look to build on that relationship in the pros. But like most players the 49ers have acquired since the end of last season, Samuel has also had his fair share of injuries in the past, which seemed to be a theme for many of their additions this offseason. And while Samuel doesn't resemble the big bodied receiver that the Niners have been seeking for quite some time now, their third round selection certainly fits the bill. Hurd, a former running back at the University of Tennessee, stands at 6-foot-5 with 226 pounds and is an interesting specimen who provides plenty of versatility, but will likely be a project for Shanahan considering his raw talent. Either way, I don't think there's a receiver that Shanahan has drafted in his three years with the team that he hasn't liked in the NFL.

One of the more questionable picks in the draft, was who the Niners took in the 4th round, 110th overall. Needing a punter with Bradley Pinion now a member of the Buccaneers, Lynch & Shanahan got themselves a good one in Utah's Mitch Wishnowsky, but seemed to have reached for him considering the round they took him in. Recipient of the Ray Guy Award during his sophomore year in 2016, an award given to the best punter in college, the Aussie native will try to make pundits forget about his draft position and duplicate the success the 49ers had on special-teams when Andy Lee was punching his ticket to the Pro Bowl every other year. Hoping to strike gold at the linebacker position like they did with Warner in last year's draft, San Francisco selected Dre Greenlaw 148th overall out of Arkansas in the 5th round. With a trio of picks in round 6, Kaden Smith (176th), tight-end out of Stanford, Justin Skule (183rd), offensive-tackle out of Vanderbilt, and Tim Harris (198th), cornerback from Virginia, rounded out the 49ers' 2019 Draft class. Considering how needy San Francisco was for a defensive back, holding off until their final pick in the draft to select one came as a surprise to many.

Like Bosa and Samuel, Hurd, Greenlaw and Harris have all had a history of injuries during their collegiate careers, but the fun doesn't stop there. Free-agent acquisitions Kwon Alexander, a linebacker formerly with Tampa Bay and Jason Verrett a former Charger, are both coming off of season-ending injuries. Alexander who agreed to a hefty four-year, $54 Million deal, suffered a torn ACL in Week 7 with the Bucs last year and Verrett who signed a one-year contract for a modest $3.6 Million, was plagued with a torn Achilles tendon on the first day of training camp last year to go along with the myriad of other injuries he's had since entering the league as a 1st round pick in 2014. With both players having made the Pro Bowl -- Alexander in 2017 and Verrett in 2015, staying on the field would pay dividends for their new team, but will be a huge challenge, especially for Verrett who missed 43 of the last 48 games while a member of the Chargers with just about every injury under the sun. However, the signing remains a low-risk, high-reward deal for San Francisco hence the one year offer and figures of the contract.

Another piece the 49ers added this offseason via free-agency and a guy who was drafted by coach Shanahan during his time in Atlanta, is former Falcons running back Tevin Coleman who agreed to a 2-year deal worth $10 Million. Formerly one half of the 1-2 punch the Falcons featured at running back alongside Devonta Freeman, Coleman brings his familiarity with Shanahan's system to the Bay Area and also adds depth to the position that also includes running backs Matt Breida, Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson and the return of Jerick McKinnon who missed all of last season with a knee injury. Wide receiver Jordan Matthews was also signed to strengthen the wide-out position and looks to find the spark he had during his first two seasons in Philadelphia when he tallied a combined 16 touchdowns and was on the doorstep of the 1,000 yards receiving plateau in his sophomore season when he fell just three yards shy. While the Niners decided to bring back a pair of former first round picks in free safety Jimmie Ward and defensive end Arik Armstead, some weren't as lucky as the team would bid farewells to OT Garry Gilliam, DE Cassius Marsh and LB Brock Coyle who were all released.

Having missed the playoffs for the past five seasons, 2019 will be a season in which the Niners will need to see major improvements on the field and in the win column before the seats of Shanahan & Lynch potentially begin to heat up, whether fair or not. A victim of overseeing a depleted roster due to countless injuries a season ago, coach Shanahan will be depending on a much healthier roster this upcoming season, most importantly at the quarterback position. And if QB Jimmy Garoppolo can make a full recovery and bounce back like all signs appear to indicate, then year three should be Shanahan's best yet at the helm of the 49ers. Though the hole at quarterback was a major concern a season ago with Jimmy G. out, it wasn't the only one as the woeful defense forced only seven takeaways in 2018, the fewest by a team in NFL history by a total, four fewer than the previous mark of 11 by the 1982 Baltimore Colts. San Francisco's new-look defense plans to throw that dubious record book out the window as they now feature one of the better pass rushing attacks in the league on paper with the additions of Bosa and Ford. The tandem should be a day and night difference from what they had a season ago alongside Pro Bowler DeForest Buckner.

With 49ers rookie mini-camp underway this week, full team training camp is slated to begin on July 25 for both rookies and veterans alike and will showcase plenty for us to keep an eye on as competitions are formed, guys get cut and roster spots are earned. The 49ers open the 2019 NFL regular season on the road against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.


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Bochy's Farewell

In what's been a rather dull offseason for Major League Baseball with the top two coveted players in Bryce Harper and Manny Machado still on the free-agent market less than a week before the start of Spring Training exhibition games, the news of San Francisco Giants skipper Bruce Bochy announcing his retirement following the 2019 season might be the biggest news yet this offseason. The 63 year old skipper who is already the oldest manager in the league, will celebrate his 64th birthday less than three weeks into the 2019 season. However, it's safe to say he'll be treated like everyday is his birthday for the entire season by his team, front-office and fans alike as he looks to hang it up following his 13-year tenure as manager of the Giants and his 25th season overall.

Basically a shoo-in for Cooperstown, the future Hall of Fame skipper announced from a dugout prior to Monday's Spring Training workout in Scottsdale, Arizona that the 2019 season would be his last at the helm of the team he managed to three World Series titles in 2010, 2012 and 2014 and helped create into a dynasty. "In my mind it's time," he told reporters before admitting his plans to stick around the game of baseball in some form or capacity. What position that'll be, we'll just have to wait and see, but my guess is that Giants brass will make him a Giant for life or for however long he's willing to man a position. The active leader in wins among all Major League managers, Bochy currently stands with 1,926 total wins during his combined time spent with the Giants and San Diego Padres which places him 11th on MLB's all-time wins list. A former Manager of the Year Award winner in 1996 with the Padres, Bochy would go on to lead San Diego to only their second World Series appearance just two years later before losing to New York during the Yankees' 1996-2000 dynasty. Relocating from San Diego to San Francisco in 2007, Bochy would become one of only five managers in MLB history to lead a team to three titles in a five-year span and is the only manager in the game's history with 900+ wins with multiple franchises.

Helping bring a trio of World Series championships to a city that had been starving of a title since the Giants followed the archrival Dodgers from New York to California in 1958, not many of the players he managed were as beloved as the manager himself during his time spent spent with the Giants which I'd say is pretty rare for a skipper these days considering how short we've seen some managerial careers last in certain places. As for the other nine managers before him to hoist the Commissioners Trophy at least three times, they've all been enshrined into Cooperstown which should make Bochy a lock to one day be able to say the same. Boasting a career record of 1,926-wins and 1,944-losses which equates to a .498 winning percentage, Bochy is 975-969 during his time with the Giants who will need to win at least 75 games in 2019 to ensure a winning record for their skipper of the last decade plus. But Bochy's team will try doing a lot more than that to help give him a proper sendoff, even if it means fighting off superior teams like the Dodgers and Rockies within the division. 82 wins shy of tying another Hall of Famer and World Series-winning manager with the Giants -- Leo Durocher, Bochy could move into the top 10 of all-time wins among managers. But we all know another miraculous postseason run and fourth World Series title is really what lies on the minds of Bochy and his team as they prepare for his final go-around.


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Lakers Back on Track in LeBron's Return

In his first season out west with the Los Angeles Lakers, 34-year old LeBron James has proven that he's still among the best players in the NBA if not still the top dog in a league that favors fresh legs and young talent. After helping turn around what's been a struggling Lakers franchise for the last five years and morphing them into a playoff caliber team in his first campaign with the Lake Show, a groin injury suffered in the Christmas showdown against the defending champion Golden State Warriors would sideline James for five weeks. Missing a whopping 17 games, the Lakers would log a record of 6-11 in James' absence while watching their stock plummet from being the fourth place team in the Western Conference to the ninth. But after returning from the longest hiatus of James' career due to injury, all things were suddenly right in the world again as L.A. who entered the night with a record of 26-25 on the season, picked up right where they left off before their team captain was bitten by the injury bug.

In his return, James who appeared rather hesitant at times and perfectly fine at others, shook off the cobwebs to score a game-high 24-points and amass 14-rebounds and 9-assists, falling one assist shy of a triple-double. Showing signs of rust early on, the deeper the game went on, the better LeBron looked in a game that he wasn't expected to play in and was initially ruled out of before arriving to the arena and expressing to both the coaching staff and medical staff how good he felt. Needing all the help his team could get as point-guard Lonzo Ball (ankle) and power-forward Kyle Kuzma (hip) have also recently missed time with injuries, Lakers head coach Luke Walton welcomed the thought of having James return to action and didn't hesitate to pencil him into the starting lineup just hours before tip-off. With ground to make up in the playoff race and facing a Clippers team that entered the day with a two-game cushion over the Lakers for sole possession of the No. 8 seed, Walton's team could ill-afford losing to the team they share a building with and are currently chasing.

What appeared to be an easy win for the Lakers who entered the fourth quarter with a 12-point lead, quickly shifted into a back and forth melee that saw the Clippers storm back to score seven unanswered-points in the final 1:49 of regulation to force the game into overtime. It would be in the extra period where LeBron took control of the game like the floor general he's been known to be, as all 11-points in OT were either scored by James or were scored off his play-making ability. LeBron who played a less than ideal 40-minutes in his first game back, would receive some help from Lance Stephenson who poured in 20-points off the bench, including five 3-pointers as the Lakers managed to escape with the 123-120 victory. A crucial five-game road trip is what lies ahead for the Lakers including their first test in the Bay Area on Saturday night against the Warriors who will be showing off their newest toy in DeMarcus Cousins who also recently returned from injury after missing the first three months of the season. With stops in Indiana, Boston, Philadelphia and Atlanta to follow, getting LeBron back couldn't have come at a better time, but the pressure will only increase for LeBron and company to rise to the occasion and make up for lost time as they look to reestablish their position in the playoff hunt with the All-Star break on the horizon and just 30 regular season games remaining.

As the February 7 NBA trade deadline approaches, we'll see whatever help if any the brain trust of Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka decide to acquire for LeBron and coach Walton. One name that has already hit the airwaves and has gained traction among Laker fans and officials alike, is Pelicans All-Star Anthony Davis who recently asked to be traded. Though he'll definitely require a hefty return if Lakers brass decide to pull the trigger for his services.

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Super Bowl 53 Preview & Prediction

With the AFC and NFC Conference Championships in the books, the table is officially set for Super Bowl 53 which will feature the New England Patriots and the Los Angeles Rams. Both teams punched their ticket to the big game by knocking off the number one seeds in their respective conferences. In what will be the ninth Super Bowl appearance of Patriots quarterback Tom Brady's career, his foe this time around will be a familiar one. Making it to the big dance for the first time since Super Bowl 36 when Brady jump-started his Hall of Fame career with a win over a St. Louis Rams team led by Canton alum Kurt Warner, this Rams team looks to avenge the loss suffered by their "Greatest Show on Turf" brethren and bring the city of Los Angeles its first Super Bowl title since 1983 when the Raiders were still calling SoCal home. With the help of a last-second field goal by kicker Adam Vinatieri, a young Brady helped the Patriots deny the Rams' plans of winning their second title in three years and ignite what would eventually be the start of a dynasty for New England.

Though this might be the same Tom Brady who's made a habit out of winning ballgames only with a lot more mileage on him, these aren't those same Rams he claimed title No. 1 against for a variety of reasons. Obviously they've endured a name change since relocating from St. Louis back to Los Angeles in 2016, but this Rams team also showcases a much scarier defense than that of any Rams team of the past, appropriately nicknamed the "Mob Squad". And unless you're a Tom Brady fanboy, New England native or salty Saints fan, chances are you're rooting for the Rams in this one, much like myself. But let's start with a little background on how both teams got here.

For the Rams who finished the season tied with the Saints for the best record in football at 13-3 and entered the playoffs as a No. 2 seed, the mentality coming into the year was virtually Super Bowl or bust after a busy offseason which included the acquisitions of speedy receiver Brandin Cooks, defensive stalwart Ndamukong Suh and the duo of Pro Bowl cornerbacks Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters. Not to mention the mid-season acquisition of Dante Fowler and the big paydays given to running back Todd Gurley and defensive tackle Aaron Donald who agreed to contract extensions that would make them the highest-paid players at their respective positions. Getting off to an 8-0 start before falling to the Saints in New Orleans in Week 9, the Rams would be given a chance to avenge their first loss of the season with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line after taking care of the Dallas Cowboys in the Divisional round. In a rematch of the Week 9 shootout which saw the Saints walk away with the 45-35 win, the Rams would once again have to come from behind, only this time they would prevail and move on. After watching New Orleans jump out to an early 13-0 lead in the opening quarter, the Rams held Drew Brees and the Saints to only 10-points the rest of the way and received clutch field goals from kicker Greg Zuerlein from 48 and 57 yards to send the game into overtime and ultimately catapult the Rams to the Super Bowl with a 26-23 victory. And while the game lived up to the hype of an NFC Championship, it would be a forgetful day for the officiating crew calling the game as there were a handful of missed calls in this one, but none bigger than the pass interference call that wasn't.

With 1:41 remaining in regulation, Rams defensive back Nickell Robey-Coleman committed what appeared to be an obvious penalty on Tommylee Lewis when he prematurely ran into the Saints receiver without even turning for the ball. What could've resulted in a flag for either helmet to helmet or pass interference -- take your pick, instead was treated as a basic incompletion which sent Saints head coach Sean Payton into a tirade and left the Superdome faithful in a chorus of boo's. The penalty would've likely allowed the Saints to milk the clock before settling for a last-second field goal to punch their ticket to Atlanta. Speaking in front of the media post-game, Payton went on to say that the league office had contacted him after the game and admitted that the officiating crew made a mistake and missed the call. Some are calling it the worst no-call they've ever seen, while others have pointed to another missed call on a face-masking penalty that the Saints got away with while the Rams were in the red zone one possession earlier before having to settle for a field goal. Regardless, it's the Rams who will be advancing to try and get their hands on the franchise's second Lombardi Trophy. Meanwhile, the heartbreaking loss is the second in as many years for the Saints in which they've been sent packing in the playoffs after suffering freak occurrences if you will. You may remember how last year ended for them when the Vikings scored on a walk-off touchdown appropriately named the "Minneapolis Miracle" from Case Keenum to Stefon Diggs as time expired.

Now stop me when you've heard this story before, the New England Patriots have won the AFC title and are going to the Super Bowl. The Pats could miss the next ten Super Bowl's and we'd still be tired of seeing them there. However, they do make for some exciting, drama-filled games just about every year they've advanced to the big dance, so I'll give them that. But this was supposed to be the year that the Patriots fell off. This was supposed to be the year that father time caught up to the ageless wonder that is Tom Brady. And just when we began to think that their reign was coming to an end as Bill Belichick's Patriots began the season 1-2 following back to back losses to the lowly Jaguars and Lions, the phoenix rose from the ashes and finished the season 11-5, good enough for the AFC's No. 2 seed and a first round BYE. If we've ever had confidence in any team come playoff time over the last 20 or so years, it's been the Patriots. Regardless of how they get there, once they're in, it's smooth sailing unless you're the opposition. With a stout defense and a knack for playing better football on the road than at home, the Los Angeles Chargers at 12-4 on the year were supposed to be the team to go into Foxborough and upset the Patriots in the Divisional round. Instead, Brady and company dispatched Philip Rivers and the Chargers with ease, taking a 35-7 lead into the half before toying with them the rest of the way and allowing a pair of garbage time touchdowns in a 41-28 shellacking.

Then came the Chiefs who had vengeance on their mind and home-field advantage in their pocket. After suffering a 43-40 loss to New England in Week 6, their first and only loss until the Monday Night showdown with the Rams in Week 11, Andy Reid's Chiefs led by MVP favorite Patrick Mahomes, were thought to have enough firepower to overcome the 2-time defending AFC Champions. And though they would push New England to the brink and force the game into overtime, it was Brady and Belichick who would have their hand raised when the clock hit double-zero. With the Patriots opening the game with a 15-play drive that ate up over 8 minutes, things looked grim from the start for the Chiefs. More putrid officiating would come into play, again favoring the Patriots who benefited from a bogus roughing the passer penalty late in the fourth quarter on third down which eventually led to a touchdown-scoring drive. They would later dodge a bullet with a reversed call on what appeared to be a muffed punt by Julian Edelman and received a gift on a questionable catch by Chris Hogan that appeared to touch the ground but was ruled a catch upon further review. The Chiefs would rally in a fourth quarter that saw a combined 38-points scored between the two teams, but only to see their dreams come crashing down in OT as the Patriots won the coin-toss and marched down the field without giving Kansas City a chance which now has many people in and around football crying for a rule change that would give each team the ball at least once... As much as I was pulling for K.C. in that one, no thanks.

So instead of the Chiefs-Rams Monday Night rematch we were all salivating at and crossing our fingers for, we get Patriots-Rams. Sean McVay, arguably the best young coach in the league today will now go toe to toe with undoubtedly the greatest coach of all-time in Bill Belichick in a battle of new school versus old school. Quarterbacks Jared Goff who's young enough to be the son of his counterpart versus Tom Brady who has more Super Bowl appearances than any single team, two California natives from the Bay Area will square off. Running backs Todd Gurley versus Sony Michel, two former 1st round picks from the University of Georgia. If the match-ups don't catch your attention, perhaps the stats will. A win on Super Bowl Sunday would give the Patriots the most postseason wins in NFL history as they're currently tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers with 36. The Rams offense which ranks second in the league in both yards per game (421.1) and points per game (32.9), means the Patriots will have their hands full on defense once again and will need a repeat performance of what they were able to accomplish against Mahomes and the Chiefs.

One thing that's certain if the Rams want to reign victorious on Super Sunday is that they'll need a lot more help from star running back Todd Gurley. Despite the limited production against New Orleans, the Rams offense was able to get by with little to no assistance from Gurley (4 rushes, 10 yards, 1 touchdown), something I don't think they'll be able to do if they plan on taking down Brady and co. But ultimately, I think it'll be L.A.'s defense that makes the difference in this one, most notably the pass rush led by Donald and Suh. Then again the Pats offensive-line did a stellar job on Sunday by not allowing a single sack to the Chiefs who tied for the league lead in team sacks this season. With the opening line tabbing the Rams as 1-point favorites, it didn't take long for the big money to come flying in on New England who found themselves 1.5-point favorites just hours later. With all that said, I'm going Rams with the 26-20 win. Let's just hope the officiating or lack thereof doesn't play as big a role in this game as it did the previous two...


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