We talk about the Giants loss to the Dodgers in game 1 of their key series in LA with our regular guest SF Chronicle Columnist John Shea in part 1 of our conversation.
The Sports Virus talked to Shea about the Dodgers overtaking the Giants in the standings:
… “Everybody stepped up…What have they had, 12, 13 starters this year? They’ve done just well enough to pull this crazy thing off.”
Our special guest before the Giants open up their big 3-game series in LA is Jerry Hairston, Jr. from SportsNet LA. Jerry played for 9 teams in his 16-year career including 2012-13 with the Dodgers. He won a World Series in 2009 with the Yankees.
The Sports Virus talked to Hairston, Jr. about the Dodgers becoming a first place team:
… “The best thing that ever happened to the Dodgers is having Clayton Kershaw get hurt. It does sound weird. Obviously you never want to see the best pitcher on the planet injured by any means. But, it forced the Dodgers to get better as a team and not rely on one guy.”
In the dugout and on the field at AT&T Park this week we chatted with Giants Bench Coach Ron Wotus and ESPN anchor Chris Berman. Despite the Giants recent slide into 2nd place in the NL West, both men remain optimistic.
The Sports Virus talked to Giants bench coach Ron Wotus about the club’s terrible slide since the All Star Game:
… “We’ve really improved at the trade deadline…We’re going to win our share of games. I think we’re too good to continue in the malaise that we’ve been and I think this will turn around.”
ESPN’s Chris Berman told The Sports Virus that a winning streak will provide a snowball effect:
… “Once it starts, the core here is good enough and they understand winning and it will all fall in place. I know that sounds like a fairy tale, but we have to believe that…They have most of their lineup now and they really haven’t had it all year.”
Giants second baseman Joe Panik and Bay Area News Group Columnist Carl Steward join us from AT&T Park in San Francisco as the Giants try to hang on to first place in the NL West.
Panik told The Sports Virus:
… “I’m a very emotional player. People just don’t see it. I hold it in. I hide it in certain ways, but I care, I give a damn. Just because you might show that you’re even keel doesn’t mean that you don’t care.”
The Sports Virus asked Steward about Denard Span’s hold on the leadoff spot:
… “It’s classic (Bruce) Bochy. He believes this guy is eventually going to come around and deliver for this team. He hasn’t been horrible. He just hasn’t maybe lived up to the expectation a lot of people had for him.”
Our special guests before the Giants Monday night series opener against the Pirates are Giants LHP Matt Moore and Steve Bitker from KCBS in San Francisco.
Prior to his first home start as a Giant, Moore told The Sports Virus about the vibe he felt when he first joined the team:
… “Just getting in the clubhouse, you can feel the winning mentality. You can feel the presence of a lot of these guys.”
Bitker tells The Sports Virus that even though the Giants have been slumping, they have the edge over LA:
… “They’ve got too much talent. They’ve got too much experience. Post season experience and pennant-chasing experience. I don’t see the Dodgers still as a legitimate challenger to them. If you look at the starting rotations, even though the Giants rotation has had ups and downs, it’s infinitely more skilled than the Dodgers rotation…I just see the Dodgers wilting down the stretch.”
Today we get the scoop on the visiting Orioles with MASN Sports reporter Roch Kubatko, we chat with National Baseball Hall of Fame President Jeff Idelson and we hear from former Giants Hall all of Fame pitcher Gaylord Perry who had a statue unveiled at the ballpark on Saturday .
The Sports Virus talked to Kubatko about Orioles manager Buck Showalter:
… “Once the best things (the Orioles) have ever done was hiring Buck Showalter. Reversing a losing culture is one of the harding things to do in sports and he had a huge part in that. Really he is the face of the franchise. He hates hearing that, but when you think of the Orioles you think of Buck Showalter in the dugout.”
The Sports Virus talked to Idelson about Brandon Crawford donating his 7-hit bat to Cooperstown:
… “He wanted to give it up right away, I even asked him today if he wanted it back. He said, ‘No, I’m doing well with the next one.’ It came to Cooperstown a few days (after the 7-hit game).”
Gaylord Perry tells us about being checked for his famous “Spit Ball”:
… “I started 40 games every year and I probably got checked 30 games each year. They tried to get me and they didn’t get me.”
Major League Baseball Official Scorer Michael Duca joins us to analyze the Giants trade deadline moves and what they need to do to win the NL West.
The Sports Virus talked to Duca about the Giants acquiring Matt Moore from Tampa Bay:
… “When the Giants go shopping at the trade deadline, while everybody else heads off to Macy’s to see what’s available, the Giants go down and shop on Rodeo drive. They are only willing to look at young, proven talent that is under contract for an extended period of time or old guys who are cheap two month rentals. In Matt Moore’s case he’s under control for three more years at team prices or options that are very friendly.”
Our special guest to talk about the Giants upcoming series in Miami and Ichiro’s 3,000th base hit is Marlins Broadcaster Glenn Geffner.
A day after Ichiro Suzuki collected his 3,000th hit in the Major Leagues, Geffner talked to The Sports Virus about what makes him a special Marlin:
… “He’s such a professional. He’s such a great role model for these younger players. He works so hard and takes the game so seriously. He’s so structured, so regimented in how he prepares for every single game, every single at bat. It’s a marvel to watch this guy.”
We talk about the Giants bullpen and the return of Hunter Pence as our regular guest SF Chronicle Columnist John Shea joins us in part 2 of our conversation.
The Sports Virus talked to Shea about Jake Peavy moving to the bullpen:
… “You have to acknowledge he did it without a fight. On the other hand, is he suitable for that? I don’t know. (Barry) Zito wasn’t. (Tim) Hudson wasn’t. A lot of these guys at the end of the line are moved to the bullpen and everyone expects them to be in their prime again, like (Tim) Lincecum in 2012, just a super-duper reliever. It’s not that easy. It’s a whole different rhythm, a whole different timetable. You never know when you’re going to get called to pitch in a game…It’s a completely different lifestyle.”
Our special guest from AT&T Park in San Francisco is Giants OF Gregor Blanco.
Blanco told The Sports Virus about his relationship with fellow outfielder Mac Williamson:
… “His locker is right next to me and after the games we always chat about his game. I think he’s the future of this team. He’s got the ability to do it. I just try to help him and say this is the Major Leagues and you’re going to have ups and downs. All you need to do is always believe in yourself.”
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Come back MONDAY when former Major Leaguer Jerry Hairston, Jr. joins us to talk about the upcoming Giants/Dodgers series in Los Angeles. 
Giants Bench Coach RON WOTUS IANTS BENCH and CHRIS BERMAN from ESPN.
