Our special guest to talk about the All Star game and the Giants first half is Comcast SportsNet Bay Area Studio Host and Reporter Ahmed Fareed.
Fareed talked to The Sports Virus about Brandon Crawford not making the All Star team:
… “This is the shortstop that won the Silver Slugger and Gold Glove last year. It really is a very big oversight not to have him there. I don’t know how you can have Brandon Crawford in the prime, top defensive shortstop and a guy who’s knocking in runs every day (not on the team). He’s gotta be there. You’ve got to find a way to get him there. He’s an MVP candidate. I think he would be a top 5, top 6, 7 guy in the National League and you don’t have that guy on the All Star team?”
Our special guests from AT&T Park in San Francisco are Former Giants All Star shortstop Rich Aurilia and Rockies All Star third baseman Nolan Arenado.
Aurilia talked to The Sports Virus about Brandon Crawford having an All Star season, but not being named to the National League team today:
… “We get spoiled watching that guy play every day. A lot is being made of his offense the last two years and that’s not even the best part of his game. The defense is fun to watch. I think he has fun playing defense. He has a lot more All Star games ahead of him. So, if this doesn’t happen for him (could get added if there is an injury), good for him, he goes to get three or four days rest somewhere.”
Arenado also talked to The Sports Virus about the NL All Star roster, which includes him as a reserve:
… “It’s an honor just to be a part of it. Obviously you would like to start, but at the same time that’s the last thing that’s on my mind. I’m just happy I’m going. I know my parents are happy so that’s nice. It’s a big deal. If you had told me I’d be a ball boy at the All Star game I’d be just as happy.”
Dan Dibley from 95.7 The Game joins us in part 2 of our conversation from Looking Glass Photo in Berkeley
The Sports Virus asked Dibley about replay in baseball:
… “The real problem is nobody can handle getting screwed anymore. Even today with all of the video review that goes on there are still times that the call is wrong. So people are still getting screwed. We as American sports fans can’t handle that so we think the technology and instant replay is the cure-all and it’s not.”
Dan Dibley from 95.7 The Game joins us in part 1 of our conversation from Looking Glass Photo in Berkeley
The Sports Virus asked Dibley about the current state of the Giants:
… “You’ve got a nice lead. You’ve stolen games maybe you didn’t quote deserve to win because your offense has been extraordinary. (Brandon) Belt has been terrific, Buster Posey a likely all star again, (Brandon) Crawford took that next step. So many things have gone your way. The injury bug has hurt you and now the cross town rival is getting you, but you’re just one win away from righting the ship.”
Our special guests from AT&T Park in San Francisco are Giants Vice President and Assistant General Manager Jeremy Shelley and Giants Head Athletic Trainer Dave Groeschner.
Shelley talked to The Sports Virus about 2015 1st round draft pick RHP Phil Bickford:
… “He did a great job in Augusta. He’s a guy who’s got a swing and miss fastball. I think of those 13 strikeouts (in his recent Cal League debut), 12 were swinging. Hitters don’t seem to pick him up. He’s got good size, I think he’ll continue to add strength as he goes through our system and we think he’s got a bright future ahead of him.”
Groeschner talked to The Sports Virus about working with an anxious-to-return Hunter Pence:
… his enthusiasm to get back “is good and bad. It’s good because he wants to get back to help the team so badly and he’s going to do everything he can, but it’s our job to pull the reins in once in awhile so he doesn’t overdo it. We’ve been compromising here and there, but he’s getting a lot of work in. We’ve been able to temper him on certain days to let him recover as well.”
Giants outfielder Mac Williamson and Phillies Bench Coach Larry Bowa joined us Friday before the game against Philadelphia.
Williamson was asked by The Sports Virus about outfield competition with Jarrett Parker:
“We’re good friends. I don’t think we look at it like that. We’re not day in and day out trying to spite each other and stab each other in the back to earn a spot. We’re both going out there trying to do our best. If you’re good enough to play at this level you’re going to play. That goes for both of us. If we’re both good enough to play there will be a spot for us somewhere whether it’s now or later. If you add value to the team they’re going to want that.”
Bowa talked about the Giants double play combination, Brandon Crawford and Joe Panik:
“When that ball is hit to them with the bases loaded you can almost put your head down and say there’s a double play. It’s fun to watch guys like this because I saw Crawford when he first came up, he made a lot of errors. Now I’m looking at the finished product and he’s if not the best, he’s at the top as a shortstop. Panik is what you call a blue collar player and I love watching him.”
We talk about Tim Lincecum, Ichiro Suzuki and Will Clark’s issue with new rules as our regular guest SF Chronicle Columnist John Shea joins us in part 2 of our conversation.
The Sports Virus asked Shea if Tim Lincecum would have been a good reliever for the Giants: … “I kinda doubt it. (Starters) love their routines. Lincecum was a great reliever in the post season in ’12, but that was kind of a short term basis. He didn’t do it all year. He had the pitch count up to where he could throw one inning or five innings, it didn’t matter. The situation called for him to be a reliever at that time. He was dynamite. From there though, his career slipped quite a bit and now we’re at the point where his hip is not an issue anymore and his confidence is soaring.”
We talk about Giants recent winning ways with our regular guest SF Chronicle Columnist John Shea in part 1 of our conversation.
Shea talked to The Sports Virus about the possibility of Madison Bumgarner competing in the All Star home run derby: … “he hasn’t gotten hurt. He hasn’t had arm problems. He’s a big durable guy and if he wants to hit in the home run derby I think you just let him do it because he pretty much does that every day. He takes regular batting practice and it’s a show. He hits balls farther than anybody on that team except for maybe (Hunter) Pence and maybe (Brandon) Belt here and there. He’s a big, strong man and he hits the ball a long way and that’s a perfect addition to the home run derby.”
Today we hear from “Will The Thrill,” former Giants 1B Will Clark, who was a 6-time All Star while playing in the Major Leagues from 1986-2000, the first 8 of those seasons in San Francisco.
Clark talked to The Sports Virus about new rules protecting players at second base and home plate: … “They’re taking all of the contact out of the sport. They’re baby-fying the sport. It’s really bad to see. I understand with the salaries these guys are making they have to protect the players, but they’ve really baby-fied the sport and I don’t think it’s good for the sport at all….if you’re not allowed to at least make a little contact and disrupt the double play what’s the reason in me running down there to second base then.”
Giants bullpen coach Mark Gardner joined us before Tuesday’s game against the Brewers.
Gardner talked to The Sports Virus about Santiago Casilla getting over blown saves: “… It’s not a very good feeling. He feels terrible. The whole team is kind of let down. That’s the way they (closers) feel, they let their team down. They had a lead and they lost it. It’s very trying on them, but all the good closers that I’ve known from Robb Nen to many more guys, they have the knack to forget and move on. If you dwell on yesterday’s blown save it’s probably going to leak into today’s blown save. He does a good job of putting that aside and learning by his mistake and trying to right the ship the next day.”
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