Welcome to the INSIDE CHINA BASIN Baseball Podcast
Updated once a week and celebrating its 11th season on TheSportsVirus.com!
Former Giants reliever George Kontos won two World Series rings with San Francisco, now he’s an analyst for NBC Sports Bay Area. On Monday he told us about his decision to retire and he reacted to the MLB coronavirus news, which led to two games being postponed.
We discussed the opening four games for the Giants in Los Angeles and how manager Gabe Kapler handled the pitching staff:“In these situations now where it’s kind of all hands on deck at any point in time, everyone doesn’t know what to expect quite yet…In order to give your pitchers the best chance to succeed, they have to have confidence going into these situations knowing their job and what’s expected of them…(Having a defined role in the bullpen) in my opinion is the best way that guys who are routine oriented like relievers are, function at their highest level.”
Kontos on Shaun Anderson:“He’s got a demeanor and a kind of presence on the mound that is a little bit for me Hunter Strickland like…You can see once he hones it in a little bit more, he’s already nasty, but he’s going to be really, really good. He’s not afraid and does not shy away from any situation.”
Welcome to the INSIDE CHINA BASIN Baseball Podcast
Updated once a week and celebrating its 11th season on TheSportsVirus.com!
NBC Sports Bay Area Emmy Award winning reporter Amy Gutierrez joins the Inside China Basin podcast to talk about the San Francisco Giants and Major League Baseball returning during the Coronavirus pandemic.
Amy G is heading into her 13th season covering San Francisco Giants games. This season, of course, will be very different than the previous 12. We chat about adjustments that will be made by players and the NBC crew as they try to stay safe during Covid-19. We also get her thoughts on new manager Gabe Kapler and get to hear about her favorite moments at the ballpark.
Amy G on the decision to play baseball during a pandemic:
“Is it worth it? If one person got it and died from it, was it worth it to play the baseball season? That’s an extremely hard question to answer because, of course not, and then you deal with this need to get back to normalcy and people have to do their jobs and support their families. So, it’s a really difficult question to pose and to try and answer.”
Welcome to the INSIDE CHINA BASIN Baseball Podcast
Updated twice a week on TheSportsVirus.com!
Once again we have a wide range of Giants guests as spring training continues in the Cactus League. Jeff Samardzija, Nick Hundley and Derek Law were interviewed at media day in San Francisco prior to Fan Fest. Javy Lopez joined us outside the Giants dugout at Scottsdale Stadium at the beginning of March.
Samardzija talked to The Sports Virus about his mindset after a difficult 2017 season for San Francisco: …“When you pitch through situations you become a stronger guy on the back end. Whether that’s a minor injury you pitch through or a rough patch you pitch through or a rough season that you go out and no luck is going your way and you keep pitching. When you do get a normal situation after that you kind of sit there and understand that hey, you don’t take it for granted. A healthy team, a strong team, a team that’s bonded together doesn’t happen all the time. It’s not the norm. It’s a special case when 25 guys come together and you have a nice long stretch. You appreciate certain situations a little more when you go through rough patches. Whatever that rough patch is when you come out on the other end usually you are a little stronger for it. For me, I’m just excited to go through that and then have a clean slate and start all over with great spirits and a team that’s ready to win..”
Welcome to the INSIDE CHINA BASIN Baseball Podcast
Updated 3 times a week on TheSportsVirus.com!
Giants RHP Jeff Samardzija and C Trevor Brown are our guests as we conclude our spring training podcasts.
Photos courtesy of William Yee and Jon Wells
Samardzija told The Sports Virus about working with Buster Posey behind the plate: …“Having conversations with Buster early in the year (2016) really made me realize that he wants us to do what we’re comfortable with. He’s throwing some suggestions down back there, but he’s very open to going to your strengths…To have both of those options is great, what you’re thinking and what he’s thinking.”
Brown told The Sports Virus his reaction to the Giants signing catcher Nick Hundley during the off season: …“It’s kind of a tough deal when they go out and sign (Hundley). It kind of makes you think was it I wasn’t playing good enough? But, then you reflect on it. I was happy with what I did last year. They’re going to go out and they’re going to get guys to put the best team out on the field.”
San Francisco Chronicle Columnist John Shea joined us for our on site podcast from Keeble and Shuchat Photography in Palo Alto in Part 1 of our conversation.
Shea talked to The Sports Virus about the Giants superb infield defense: “… You talk about gold glovers. The only one with one is (Brandon) Crawford, but there’s gonna be more. I put down the computer (on a) ground ball. It’s a must watch because they’re turning double plays, it’s so swift, it’s clean and the essence of defense and glove work. It’s beautiful to watch right now.”
During the last home stand at AT&T Park in San Francisco we talked to Giants pitcher Jeff Samardzija and Senior Vice President and General Manager Bobby Evans.
Samardzija tells The Sports Virus about his “twist” delivery: … “you’ve got to use your whole body, your legs and your core. For me it’s just a way of generating a little bit more velocity with a little less exertion. It feels comfortable for me. As long as I’m nice and slow and calm in my lift and my turn and not ahead of myself it usually works out alright.”
Evans tells The Sports Virus about the chances of Tim Lincecum being back in a Giants uniform: … “We’ve kept an open door. For him, he’s got to really evaluate opportunities and situations out there that are afforded to him in terms of a role. He’s particularly interested in starting. For us, we really see it more in the bullpen. That said, we understand what his options will be and he’ll have to make a decision here soon I think.”
Jim Kelch talked to The Sports Virus about Johnny Cueto’s creative deliveries: “… that evolution started back in 2012 in Los Angeles. Johnny had a problem falling off to the first base side. He came up with this to keep his shoulder closed to get a better part of the plate. He started improvising from there. No matter what he does, he is still always around the plate.”
Comcast Sportsnet Bay Area Giants Reporter Amy Gutierrez, is our guest to talk about how newcomers Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija are fitting in with the team as well as what Buster Posey does as leader of the team.
Amy G talked to The Sports Virus about Buster Posey’s leadership ability: “…I think Buster Posey has a demeanor in a game and with the fan base and then I think he has a different demeanor in the clubhouse. Posey is probably one of the most approachable teammates that you’re going to come across in the game.”
We conclude our spring training coverage from Scottsdale, AZ chatting with Yahoo! national baseball writer Tim Brown.
Brown tells The Sports Virus that Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija are the key for the Giants … “If those two guys are 190 to 210 innings and pitch the way you assume they are going to pitch, this is a really good team because they did score runs last year.”
We continue our coverage in Scottsdale, Arizona chatting with a pair of right handed pitchers: Jeff Samardzija, who signed with San Francisco as a free agent this off season,
and Tyler Beede, who was a 2014 first round draft choice out of Vanderbilt.
Former Giants reliever George Kontos won two World Series rings with San Francisco, now he’s an analyst for NBC Sports Bay Area. On Monday he told us about his decision to retire and he reacted to the MLB coronavirus news, which led to two games being postponed.
the Giants in Los Angeles and how manager Gabe Kapler handled the pitching staff: “In these situations now where it’s kind of all hands on deck at any point in time, everyone doesn’t know what to expect quite yet…In order to give your pitchers the best chance to succeed, they have to have confidence going into these situations knowing their job and what’s expected of them…(Having a defined role in the bullpen) in my opinion is the best way that guys who are routine oriented like relievers are, function at their highest level.”
Kontos on Shaun Anderson: “He’s got a demeanor and a kind of presence on the mound that is a little bit for me Hunter Strickland like…You can see once he hones it in a little bit more, he’s already nasty, but he’s going to be really, really good. He’s not afraid and does not shy away from any situation.”
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NBC Sports Bay Area Emmy Award winning reporter Amy Gutierrez joins the Inside China Basin podcast to talk about the San Francisco Giants and Major League Baseball returning during the Coronavirus pandemic.
season, of course, will be very different than the previous 12. We chat about adjustments that will be made by players and the NBC crew as they try to stay safe during Covid-19. We also get her thoughts on new manager Gabe Kapler and get to hear about her favorite moments at the ballpark.
“Is it worth it? If one person got it and died from it, was it worth it to play the baseball season? That’s an extremely hard question to answer because, of course not, and then you deal with this need to get back to normalcy and people have to do their jobs and support their families. So, it’s a really difficult question to pose and to try and answer.
