Welcome to the INSIDE CHINA BASIN Baseball Podcast
Updated twice a week on TheSportsVirus.com!
Ray Woodson joins us from an East Bay 
laundromat of all places as the Giants season continues to be stuck on the .500 spin cycle. Getting swept by the Astros left many fans blaming the Giants late-inning relievers, but the offense could only muster 2 runs in those 2 games. Joe and Ray contemplate 
who deserves playing time and have a discussion about the thickest beards in sports, providing a nice diversion during a rough start to the homestand. They also chat about the upcoming number retirement ceremony for Barry Bonds.
Joe thinks the lineup is a collective disappointment. Ray has optimism regarding center field but points out issues with run production:
“…The thing I do like is they’ve got Steven 
Duggar in centerfield. They’ve been leading him off. Get this guy at bats. That’s a guy that they’re going to hope can take to that role and be the guy to lead off and set things up. But, you also need guys to drive him in and nobody on the Giants has 50 runs batted in. What’s the date today? August 8th? And nobody on the Giants has 50 runs batted in. That’s pathetic.”
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Join us again Thursday when we podcast from AT&T Park.
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“…When he left the game I think he was all square with the Giants. Whatever disgrace (referring to Steve Bitker’s comment on Inside China Basin on Wednesday) he brought to the Giants he brought a lot of fans too and brought a lot of excitement. If you’re going to talk 
about the character clause, you might as well take half the people out of the Hall of Fame…Barry Bonds was going to be a Hall of Fame level player no matter what
the Cactus League. Dereck Rodriguez was a great find for the Giants after signing a minor league contract before the season. Now he’s a National League Rookie of the Year candidate. Duggar and Rodriguez join us from AT&T Park.
Plus, we get an update on the California League Giants prospects with the Voice of the San Jose Giants Joe Ritzo.
Duggar told The Sports Virus he’s trying to “find a way to check off a box a night, whether it’s a walk, a stolen base, a defensive play. Just one thing to help the team win a night.”
Famer Ivan Pudge Rodriguez: “Lately he’s been letting me do my own thing. I’m my own person. He had his career, it was a great career, Hall of Fame career. Now it’s my turn to show everybody what I got.”
Ray Woodson celebrates his birthday by joining us to talk Giants baseball! We chat about Tuesday’s Giants win in Seattle, Brandon Belt’s slump, Hunter Pence’s homer and what the club is thinking heading towards the trade deadline. We also discuss the impact of the younger players and how much 
playing time Austin Slater deserves. And, with the Brewers coming to town on Thursday, we guess what the AT&T Park reception will be like for Milwaukee reliever Josh Hader.
Brandon Crawford was the lone Giants player in the Midsummer Classic, so we discuss his performance and analyze the entire game. Brewers reliever and NL All Star Josh Hader took center stage after the game for all the wrong reasons so we discuss his actions. Plus, we 
examine the Giants outlook heading into the trade deadline and what the Dodgers acquisition of Manny Machado means in the division race.
leaguers and catch up with San Jose Giants 1B Gio Brusa and OF Heath Quinn. Brusa is one of the top home run hitters in the California League and Quinn has made a major improvement from 2017 to be the SJ Giants top hitter this season.
USA Today reporter Jorge Ortiz is our guest from Washington, DC 
prior to the 2018 All Star game. We chat about Brandon Crawford’s first half success that led to him getting the nod as the starting shortstop for the National League. Jorge recently did a piece on Crawford’s NL double play partner Javier Baez. We also discuss the impact of the young players for the Giants so far this season. After the All Star 
game, Ortiz is moving over to the news department at USA Today. He spent 31 years as a sportswriter and the Giants celebrated his time covering the team with a tribute that included a cake and jersey (courtesy of Giants Senior Director of Broadcast Services Maria Jacinto).
The Giants took game one of the Bay Bridge series Friday night with some contributions from the younger players. Joe and Ray discuss what the influx of minor leaguers has 
meant to the Giants chances of contending in the NL West. Also, what do the Giants need to do before the trade deadline? And, the pros and cons of pursuing impending free agent Bryce Harper.
Black is ecstatic about getting his shot in the Major Leagues after a long, injury-filled journey. The man with the 100+ mph fastball put his less-than-stellar debut behind him and pitched well Tuesday night agains the Cubs, retiring the side in order with 2 strikeouts. We also hear from Giants skipper Bruce Bochy before Wednesday’s game with the Cubs.
Giants All Star catcher Buster Posey tells The Sports Virus his thoughts on what’s happening right now with the Giants offense, the return of Madison Bumgarner/Johnny Cueto and the emergence of young pitchers Dereck Rodriguez and Andrew Suarez. LHP Derek Holland also joins the podcast as well as assistant hitting coach Rick Schu. Plus, we hear from Giants skipper Bruce Bochy from his daily chat with the media.