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Saturday, April 2, 2011

San Francisco Giants...Tim Lincecum traded? Belt homer dazzles! Losing streak persists!








Last night a local news outlet reported that Tim Lincecum was being traded to the Dodgers!

In response, shocked fans sat on the edge of their seats, as they waited to catch the scoop after the commercial break.

Although the "exclusive" report was being broadcast late in the day, it turned out to be an April Fool's Day joke just the same.

Gotcha!

Some joked - after catching their breath - that after yesterday's sloppy defense (and the victory in favor of the Dodgers on their own turf) that the "freak" was ripe (and ready) to jump ship!

Yup!

The Giants' losing streak hasn't run out of steam yet, as a loss of morale - in the locker room and in the front office - appears to be threatening to wreck havoc in the psyche of the ballplayers (and ultimately) spoil a short at the World Championship.

Most of the fans and sports writers are in agreement.

The party is over for the Giants!

The table was set in one inning yesterday, for instance, but - the once-charismatic boy wonders - were unable to make a meal of it.

Why?

The Giants couldn't get any hits!

Well, with one notable exception, of course.

In one brief shining moment, the spanking-new kid on the block belted a fast ball which sailed over the fence.

That dazzling hit was worth calling home about.

Needless to say, the hitter - Brandon Belt - had his doubts at first.

"It felt like a wall-scraper from where I was," he mused.

When the ball soared above and beyond and guaranteed a homer, Belt confided that there was a surreal aspect to the whole experience which resonated in every fibre of his being on the field.

"It was an unreal feeling, like when you're a kid, and you hit your first home run of your entire life."

Just betcha, there are a few more big hits down the road like that, once Belt's potential is fully realized.

"He's an athlete. But, he's also big and strong," one sports writer excitedly gushed to his side-kick on one sports show.

"That's what it's all about. His mechanics are great, too!"

Curiously, one TV poll conducted last night, voted Tim Lincecum the No. 1 player fans were anxious to catch in action on the field this season.

I expect that in lieu of Belt's dazzling performance last night, he may zoom ahead of the "freak" in that regard soon.

"Great eye and discipline, and he hasn't been rattled by any of the pitchers he's faced so far," raved hitting coach Hensley Meulens.

In spite of the momentary break in the storm clouds hovering over the Giants of late - during the sixth inning - two glaring goofs caused one local San Francisco journalist to refer to the Giants as the "Bad News Bears".

Ouch!

Meanwhile, from all quarters, every delicious - and foul-tasting play (the nasty slip-ups especially) was thoroughly examined with a fine tooth comb.

The laments went something like this.

"Should have."

"Could have."

But, in the final analysis?

"Didn't!"

With a big "D" for defeat!

And, they weren't too kind to Buster, either.

"Posey was having an off night suffering a case of opening season jitters," they sniped sarcastically.

But, one pundit was downright stinging in his critique of Sanchez's performance.

"The good, the bad, and the ugly!"

On the sidelines, even Manager Bruce Bochy - when cornered by a posse of reporters - was a shadow of himself.

A beaten man?

The awkward silences during the course of a press interviews spoke volumes in my estimation.

When a quote was extracted, it turned out to be a downer, go figure!

"We're shooting ourselves in the foot. It's a tough way to lose close ballgames," he summed up wearily.

One seasoned pro noted that if the Giants were going to rely on sharp pitching, they better catch the ball.

Tighten up the gloves, fellas.

And, pull together as a team, pronto!

5 errors in two games at the beginning of the season doesn't bode well for the chumps - um - champs!

See 'ya at the ballpark, eh?



Dodger Stadium

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