Dancing with the Giants

by Justin Cheng


Since the San Francisco Giants are bound for a long offseason, it looks like we have two frontrunners for the next powerhouse on Dancing With The Stars.

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The Bayless Babbles is a sports blog is co-authored by UC Merced/ USC alumnus Justin Cheng and UC San Diego alumnus Brent Lee.

For EVERYTHING about The Bayless Babbles, check out our blog page (HERE!)

Bayless Babbles: San Francisco Giants Guide to August & September

by Justin Cheng

With under two months left in the 2013 schedule, the reigning world champions are currently dead last in the NL West. Only the most hardcore of fans realize that August and September will be the biggest test of loyalty since MTV aired 30 episodes of the X Effect. 

For the Facebook bandwagoners that will reappear next October, 13 games under .500 and 15 games from first place doesn't mean that these last games mean nothing. The last two months of the season serves as an evaluation tool, where potential free-agent veterans can prove being worthy of landing a multi-million dollar contract and young stars will try to make a name for themselves to begin a career in the big leagues. 

In the City by the Bay, you will more than likely hear the fair share of baseball talk, whether its at a dive establishment like Chug Pub or during a casual stroll down the Financial District. Don't oust yourself from a fruitful Giant debate or else you'll find yourself conversing about your job, which is probably something that you don't have, considering that you're reading this blog. Here is a quick guide to understanding the last two months of the Giants' season.

For the lady bandwagoners: The only thing that turns on a guy more than knowing great deal about sports is....well, nothing really. This will assuredly score you the man of your dreams, like so...













For the male bandwagoners: You need this. Badly. The Giants are the most popular team in the Bay Area --sorry, Oakland fans-- and being completely oblivious about them will be met with a reaction similar to seeing one with leprosy.

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1) Goodbye Pitching Rotation

With Barry Zito, Tim Lincecum, and Chad Gaudin set to be free agents at the end of this year, the future of Giants' starting pitching is starting to look bleak. Zito will be a long gone memory in 2014, as has fallen out of the rotation with a 5.40 ERA and has not pitched well in two relief appearances. 

Lincecum (of late) and Gaudin (all season) have been pitching well and will command large contracts in the open market if their August and September performances remain steady. Giants loyalists should hope that these two will not price themselves out of the Giants' pay range, or else we will be seeing a lot more of Mike Kickham and Eric Surkamp. 



2) Empty Farm

For those of you hopeful that the Giants have prospects bursting out of their farm system, well, we don't. Each one of our high prospects has been shot down (figuratively...well, not really). San Jose and Fresno have yet to send up a valuable player since Buster Posey. Players such as Gary Brown (OF) , Heath Hembree (RHP), Kyle Crick (RHP), Chris Stratton (RHP), and Joe Panik (SS) have been mentioned being the highest rated prospects within the organization, but considering that they haven't been called up when the Giants have been hit with injuries, do not appear to be major league-ready.


3) No Giancarlo

Sorry ladies, but Giancarlo Stanton will not be a San Francisco Giant anytime soon. The Miami Marlins have been known to conduct a Black Friday sale or two. However, they have always demanded promising prospects in return for their stars. Considering the last point, the Giants may not have enough firepower to even please Jeffrey Loria, the penny-pinching owner of the Marlins. 




4) 99 Free Agency Problems But Hov Ain't One

Don't get any crazy ideas that we will get the best player on the market, Robinson Cano. Jay-Z has recently gotten into the agent game and will be looking to make a huge splash with his first big client and will command a contract upwards of $100 million. Jay-Z has the potential to be a Daniel Hardman in a firm ruled by Harvey Specter a.k.a. General Manager Brian Sabean. Sabean likes to get the biggest bang for his buck. Look for him to sign players like Corey Hart, Matt Garza, Phil Hughes, and Shin Soo-Choo.



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The Bayless Babbles is a sports blog is co-authored by UC Merced/ USC alumnus Justin Cheng and UC San Diego alumnus Brent Lee.

For EVERYTHING about The Bayless Babbles, check out our blog page (HERE!)

Happy Trails BWilly

Don't Despair Over Brian Wilson
by Justin Cheng

The bearded one is not going to be a San Francisco Giant.  

This is a statement that will get some taking getting used to, with Brian Wilson signing a one-year deal with the team-that-will-not-be-named-on-this-blog-for-personal-indifference. The iconic reliever reportedly passed on an opportunity to rejoin his old team, who, themselves, passed on an opportunity to keep him for a $8.5 million fee.

Should we bring out our Wilson jerseys and burn them along with the Cleveland Lebron jerseys and post Twitter rants, crucifying our former closer?

The simple answer is no. 

While Wilson has not pitched in the major leagues since April 12, 2012, Giants and in-denial Texas Rangers fans must remember that he was on the mound when capturing our first championship since moving to San Francisco in 1958. He gave his arm, endangering the longevity of his own career, for us to live in memories that would last a lifetime. For that, we, as a fanbase, are in debt of his efforts.

Having said that, Wilson is an attention-freak, who is willing to do anything bizarre thing to gain the spotlight. It started off with the neon orange All-Star game spikes, which turned into a chin forest, penguin suit, sailor outfit, and $10,000 sneakers. These exploits made him a household name, one that baseball had embraced as one of the most marketable faces in all of sports.

Even then, Wilson never seemed to fit in with the culture of the Giants, an organization that headlines solemn superstars like Buster Posey, Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, and Madison Bumgarner. Wilson seemed intent on being the star of the show and class clown, a role that manager Bruce Bochy backed by stating, "He (Wilson) is good for baseball."

Eccentric figures, especially in baseball, have often been condemned for their celebratory mantras, whether it's Hanley Ramirez making four eyes or Nyger Morgan doing anything Nyger Morgan would do. 

In his case, Wilson was never hated by his opponents, and his former teammates seem to adore him, but his actions charaded a me-first attitude, rather than team-first. When he was at his best, he was the premier closer in all of baseball, but at his worst, he was erratic and was the poster child of the Giants' brand of torture. With questions regarding his ability to perform like before and in consideration of the Giants' mounting struggles this season, Wilson's self-promoting antics would not have been tolerated for long and would eventually gone to another team.

So here's to you, Brian Wilson. We hope that you find happiness with the team-that-will-not-be-named-on-this-blog-for-personal-indifference, but we are the reigning WORLD CHAMPIONS. We have our own bearded closer, and we will move on.

--UPDATE--

Thank you to the fans in San Francisco. It was an honor to pitch in front of you for all those years....
— Brian Wilson (@BrianWilson38) July 30, 2013

Even though I'll be wearing a different color your impact in my life will never be forgotten.
— Brian Wilson (@BrianWilson38) July 30, 2013

The Bayless Babbles is a sports blog is co-authored by UC Merced/ USC alumnus Justin Cheng and UC San Diego alumnus Brent Lee.

For EVERYTHING about The Bayless Babbles, check out our blog page (HERE!)

The New Face of Torture

Giant Questions for 2013 and Beyond
by Justin Cheng 

Torture in 2010 looked a lot different than its current state. Following a three-game sweep at the hands of the Chicago Cubs, the feel-good memories of the 2012 playoffs and World Series are more than long gone. The world champions do not remotely look close to the team that swept the Detroit Tigers and face three huge questions for this season and beyond.


1)  Why are the Giants losing?

In the past three years, the Giants have masked their ineptitude on offense by playing stellar defense. In comparison, the 2013 Giants are 23rd in runs scored in all of baseball, and to boot, have made the most errors of any team in the National League. The Giants have had signature wins in each of their past three seasons and have had enormous amounts of momentum going into the stretch run. Brandon Belt's Bill Buckner impersonation on Friday night was just a summarization of how the Giants have been playing all year; earlier in the year when the Giants were scoring in bunches, the starting pitching did not play up to par, and now when the pitching has seen a glimmer of improvement, errors have absolutely destroyed any hope of putting together a series of wins.

2) What is up with the starting rotation?

The rise and fall of the Giants has been tied to their starting pitching. Aside from Madison Bumgarner and Chad Gaudin, the starting pitching has yet to find its groove and has not had a consistent bullpen to match. Coming off his first season in $127 million contract, staff ace, Matt Cain, has strung some good outings but will have the occasional six-run smashing, including a 0.2 inning performance against the Mets. Coming into this season, the Giants knew what to expect from Lincecum and Zito, but with Cain struggling and Vogelsong out since May, the Giants rotation has yet to fully recover, and they have a record that shows for it.

--Opinion--
The Giants' best Triple A arms, Mike Kickham and Eric Surkamp, have been blasted in their starts, and don't look ready to be reliable major league players. The Giants may have to look externally for some pitching help if they are going to salvage this season.    

3) Will Hunter Pence and Tim Lincecum be traded?

The Giants are in dire need of starting pitching with Zito, Lincecum, Gaudin, and Vogelsong ($6.5 million team option for 2014) not being under contract for next year. Pence and Lincecum both will become free agents and the end of the season, and their names have been thrown out in trade rumors for the better half of the last month. GM Brian Sabean has denied his willingness to trade either of these players, but these two are the biggest trade chips to potentially re-up for next season.

--Opinion--
Pence is the ultimate optimist and has said that he wants to stay with the club. It is not often that you find guys that can hit 20+ home runs with 100 RBIs, especially for the Giants. The farm system has not produced a good position player since Buster Posey and Pablo Sandoval. I say that the Giants take a chance on his impending free-agency, banking that he stays true to his word. For goodness sake, he played on the Astros for four seasons. If anybody can stay with them for more than a week, I am going to bet my house that they are undyingly loyal.

Lincecum, on the other hand, may not have the same trade market value, seeing as he has struggled on his command for the past two seasons. However, there should be some teams that will fall in love with his résumé and attempt to convert him into a reliever. The Freak, albeit a very intricate part of the team, has not appeared to be able to live up to the expectations that he set for himself earlier in his career. If the Giants are able to get a big name prospect in return for Lincecum, it may be time to turn the page.

The Bayless Babbles is a sports blog is co-authored by UC Merced/ USC alumnus Justin Cheng and UC San Diego alumnus Brent Lee.

For EVERYTHING about The Bayless Babbles, check out our blog page (HERE!)

Pablo Poundoval

Is the Giants' Third Baseman to Blame?
By Justin Cheng

Giants fans have long adorned this jovial figure, who has amazed us with his cannon arm and ability to hit any pitch within the area code. Panda hats are a must-have at AT&T Park, all thanks to the Kung Fu Panda. His three homeruns during Game 1 of the World Series were a historic and marvelous sight.

But what happens when these memories fade and we clearly see him for who he is?

A rough two-week stretch has the reigning champions in last place, and everyone outside of Buster Posey and Madison Bumgarner has been less than stellar. While Sandoval isn't the only one who has been struggling, it's time to revoke the courteous pass that he has been allotted. 

The Kung Fu Panda has been more Panda than martial artist and is batting a forgetful .128 in his last ten games, with two RBIs in the last 19 contests. The routine groundball out has turned into a magnificent event and the free-swinging has turned into swinging at balls five feet in front of home plate.

This is when I feel like jamming some Lean Pockets in Pablo's face. I don't think I've ever seen a professional athlete with such disregard for his body. He might not be out destroying his liver on the eve of the Eastern Conference Semifinals with Rihanna -- yeah, I'm looking at you, J.R. Smith -- or snorting white lines like Dwight Gooden. What he does seem to get the idea that his body is the vessel for his career, much like a surgeon requires steady hands or a sniper requires good eyesight. 

For me, it's tiresome watching a talented athlete that lacks so the drive to perform better. His four seasons with the Giants have had glimpses of his elite-level talent, but never has he cracked into that discussion due to the mass of injuries that he has accumulated in the past two seasons.     

It's undeniable that Pablo is one of the game's best hitters when he is right, but it's time for him to treat his body as a temple rather than preparing for winter hibernation. Giants fans also need to wake up from the illusion that our "star" third-baseman has such a status and is currently average at best at the current pace. If he doesn't get this right quickly, Willy Wonka -- or in this case, Brian Sabean -- will soon call his oompa loompas to roll him back to Fresno.

The Bayless Babbles is a sports blog is co-authored by UC Merced/ USC alumnus Justin Cheng and UC San Diego alumnus Brent Lee.

For EVERYTHING about The Bayless Babbles, check out our blog page (HERE!)

The Perfect Pickup

By Justin Cheng & Brent Lee

June 13, 2012 -- Matt Cain hurls the 22nd perfect game in MLB history -- which easily becomes one of the greatest moments of my life, as I was sitting in the bleachers watching this masterpiece unfold with my co-author Brent Lee. San Francisco has since celebrated the victory of our second World Series championship in the last three years with a triumphant parade down Market Street and a classic speech by the rambunctious Mayor Ed Lee holding the golden broom to the city.

-- Fast forward one year --

Not to sound completely ungrateful, but the euphoria of winning another World Series, emergence of the Golden State Warriors as a legitimate threat in the Western Conference and Colin Kaepernick as the 49ers quarterback of the future have been withered by the recent struggles of the entire Giants rotation, Michael Crabtree tearing his Achilles tendon, and Andris Biedrins & Richard Jefferson stalling the franchise's growth (& are due to make higher salaries than Tim Duncan and Blake Griffin respectively).  

If you are reading this blog, I have come to the following conclusions.

1) You are taking your finals this week.
2) You have taken your finals because you are from Merced but nevertheless spend nine months out of the year in social purgatory.
3) You live with your parents because you don't have a job.
4) You don't have a job because you live with your parents.
5) You sincerely enjoy reading this blog and appreciate our stellar personalities.

If any of these applies, you are sure to have a depressing life or are simply an awful judge of character. Well, enough of the unpleasantries. Below are some feel-good videos from the past year for you Bay Area fanatics to reflect back on to pull you out of your dump of a life.

1) 27 Outs of Matt Cain's Perfect Game

2) 2012 NLDS Game 5 -- San Francisco Giants vs. Cincinnati Reds -- Buster Posey Grand Slam




















3) Draymond Green Game-Winner Against vs. Heat

4) Stephen Curry Gets OFF at Madison Square Garden

5) The Rise of Colin Kaepernick 

6) 2013 NFC Championship -- San Francisco 49ers vs. Atlanta Falcons

The Bayless Babbles is a sports blog is co-authored by UC Merced/ USC alumnus Justin Cheng and UC San Diego alumnus Brent Lee.

For more about the author and the blog (Click Here)

Email: baylessbabbles@gmail.com

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About Brent

SUP BABBLERS. The name is Brent Lee. For those of you not familiar with the name, you best remember it now. I am born and raised and currently residing in San Francisco. My fellow West Portal Lutheran buddy, Justin Alvin Cheng, begged me on his knees to start writing for Bayless Babbles. After countless weeks of nagging and nudging, I've finally succumbed to help the brother out. In all seriousness, Justin and I have teamed up since the 4th grade for our WPL basketball team and Bronco League baseball team, so this little mini reunion has been our fate all along. Let's make it clear now: I pitched; he caught. So now that my grandpa body has broken down, I've been relegated to writing about sports rather than playing them.

For me, my love for sports was instilled in me at a very young age by my father. He taught me to respect the game, which ever it may be. He was my basketball coach, my baseball coach, my life coach. In his eyes and now mine, sports are a microcosm of life. Practice, persistence, execution, team work, just to name a few, are all necessities on AND off the field. The analogous relationship between sports and life is just so beautiful. If there's anything my dad taught me about sports, it's that you should always root for the underdog UNLESS the underdog is playing your team. Because of that piece of knowledge, I have always and will always root for the Angels in the Outfield, the Rudy's, the Tim Tebows, the Charlotte Bobcats, and most importantly, mine and his hometown teams: Golden State Warriors, San Francisco Giants, and San Francisco 49ers. Unpredictability. The miracles. The last second heaves. The comeback kids. Daniel Larusso and Mr. Miyagi taking down Johnny Lawrence and the Cobra Kai dojo. These are the things about sports that I've personally grown to love.

 Most recently, I became a season ticket holder for my favorite team of all-time, the Golden State Warriors! I am blessed to live in one of the greatest sports cities in the world and to be able to attend Warriors games at Roaracle. The beers and dirty dogs are also an added bonus. You already know most of my pieces will be centered on basketball.

I look forward to blogging with my brother from another mother, Justin Cheng a.k.a. Porkboii, a.k.a. Earthquake, a.k.a. Chengbang. Let the games begin. West Portal Lutheran Wildcats for life! As Zac Efron said in High School Musical 3, "Once a wildcat, always a wildcat."

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The Best Coast Bias

Why the Bay Area has the Best Fans

The West Coast Bias. How is it that we are neglected in the sports world? ESPN's fascination with the ever-irrelevant Tim Tebow and the next city in Dwight Howard's path of failed expectations is reminiscent of Lizzie McGuire's Ethan Kraft obsession. Win two World Series in three years? ESPN puts on a 10 minute segment on the Lakers' 0-8 preseason. Cities like Boston, New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago overshadow the diehards of Northern California. I hate to sound like a Gretchen Wieners rant on Caesar, but our fans are the most unique & live without the contingency of having to win a championship to appreciate our teams (yes, Laker Nation, that would be you). So while we play the role of Gordo, we will continue to root for our teams, with the realization that someone will and should take notice.

San Francisco Giants: WE ARE JUST BETTER LOOKING

Bearded men, according to a University of New South Wales study, are found to be more attractive than men with shaven faces. Don't believe me? Click here. You can't argue with science. Besides, how could you hate on breast cancer awareness? 

Oakland Athletics: WE HAVE AMAZING DANCE MOVES

No Trevor Cahill or Gio Gonzalez? We're just going to lean all the way to the first place in the AL West. Look, I've been to an Oakland A's game, it sucks. I've seen more people at the library on a Friday night than I have O.co Coliseum, but you can't hate on people having fun in such a janky stadium. Bernie away before Brad Pitt trades your star players to pay for more adopted children.

Oakland Raiders: GUYS CAN WEAR MAKEUP

I mean, I would really want to hide behind makeup after that Tuck Rule game if I was a Raider fan too. All seriousness aside, guy liner, spikes, and skulls are pretty badass. While the team itself isn't too intimidating, nobody in the right mind, outside of a non-medicated Ron Artest, would mess with. 

Golden State Warriors: Jessica Alba, Jessica Alba, & Jessica Alba

What team can brag that AskMen.com's #1 most desirable woman of 2006 roots for our team? Her appearance at the 2007 Playoffs had pre-adolescents, pimply teenagers, and grown men jumping for joy. Jessica Alba's one-time appearance trumps Jack Nicholson & Spike Lee's seasonal courtside seats any day. Thanks Honey Daniels, you're the best.

San Jose Sharks: DIVINE INTERVENTION

If Joseph Gordon-Levitt can win with just angels, imagine what we could do with a little bit of direct intervention. How could you possibly go wrong with him rooting for us? Let's just make sure we signal when we're in trouble. 

San Francisco 49ers: WE GOT THE HARDWARE

So we haven't won since 1994, but our five Superbowl championships are still tied for second among NFL franchises. Though we love winning, that doesn't deter the Niner Faithful from our unconditional support. The evidence? Post-Jeff Garcia quarterbacks: Tim Rattay, Ken Dorsey, Cody Pickett, Trent Dilfer, Shaun Hill, Chris Weinke, J.T. O'Sullivan, Troy Smith. Sure, we booed pre-Harbaugh Alex Smith, but who wouldn't have when Hellen Keller could've made a more accurate pass. While we are on the cusp of a sixth championship, expect our cheers to be even louder.

The Bayless Babbles is authored by UC Merced & USC Alumni Justin Cheng. 

Email: baylessbabbles@gmail.com 

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About Me

NEW KID ON THE BLOG

I am thrilled that you have gone this far and taken the time to read this post. Chances are that you have heard about this blog through your friends and/or Facebook, so welcome! For those of you who do not know me, my name is Justin Cheng. As a self-described sports addict and in-person viewer of 22nd perfect game in MLB history, I feel compelled to share my thoughts about the sports world. A little background about myself, I have been a strong Bay Area supporter since birth. My parents, who are immigrants from Hong Kong, have been (San Francisco) Giants and 49ers fans since moving to the United States in the 1970s. My first baseball game with my dad came on May 4, 1997 when Glenallen Hill got the game-winning hit off Jeff Brantley to beat the Reds in extra innings. Unfortunately I was not there to see it because my father desperately wanted to beat traffic, and I had to hear Lon Simmons' radio call from the muni. To me, sports are not "just a game;" it is a pedastal in which people of different backgrounds, rich or poor; tall or short; white, black, Latino or Asian can come under one forum to share a commonality. This is the world of sports as I see it from my eyes. The name of this blog, The Bayless Babbles, reflects my own willingness to say anything, whether it will be commonly accepted or downright (Skip) Bayless baffling. This blog will carry a variety of topics and will hope to bring a greater appreciation of sports and bring Babblers (yes, that is what you subscribers will be called) to share or disagree on a number of topics. 

Thanks broseph, much love. #ClutchGene

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