Today we hear from Nationals Manager Dusty Baker, who also managed the Giants from 1993-2002. The Sports Virus Reporter Ryan Leong also joins us from AT&T Park in San Francisco.
The Sports Virus asked Baker if he thinks Barry Bonds will get in the Hall of Fame some day:
… “I hope so. He certainly deserves it…I think Jeff Kent should be in. He’s not getting much consideration at all. If it’s going by numbers, then his numbers are amongst the top second basemen of all time. If it’s going on popularity, then it shouldn’t be a popularity contest. I think Barry and Jeff should both be in.”
Baker on Daniel Murphy’s season:
… “He should be the MVP at this point. He’s had one of the best seasons I’ve ever seen (and) I’ve seen some good ones. Every time you think he’s going to slow down, he speeds back up again. This guy comes to play, he comes to play every day. He has a great idea of what he’s doing on the bases, in the field and at the plate especially. This guy’s a student. I see him over here studying all the time and he has a heck of an idea of what he’s looking for.”
Sergio Romo got back on a Major League mound again this month after missing almost 3 months with a forearm injury. Today he chats with The Sports Virus about his return and what he is focusing on for the rest of the season.
The Sports Virus asked Romo what he’s doing to improve against left-handed hitters:
… “a little bit of an adjustment. I was a little too predictable, one dimensional. Most people think I’m one dimensional against righties also. I kind of feel that I’m starting to change that a little bit. I’m trying to adjust to the game because the game is always adjusting to you.”
Our special guests from AT&T Park in San Francisco are Giants CF Denard Span and KPIX Sports Director Dennis O’Donnell.
Span talked to The Sports Virus about new Hall of Famer Ken Griffey, Jr.:
… “He’s one of the reasons why I played this game. He’s influenced this game so much. I think you could go around every clubhouse in Major League Baseball and I guarantee you probably 95% of the guys would say he was their favorite player growing up. Salute to him. Unbelievable career.”
O’Donnell talked to The Sports Virus about Bruce Bochy:
… “I think Bochy has done one of his best managing jobs since being a Giants manager. If you look at the first half they compiled the best record in baseball really without 30% of their lineup. If you miss that much talent and you have the best record, at some point you’re going to hit the skids. The 1-7 (to start the second half) doesn’t surprise me. They’re not a 1-7 team but I think this kind of streak was inevitable given the fact that so much talent is sidelined.”
Sacramento River Cats Play-By-Play announcer Johnny Doskow joined us Saturday to talk about the Giants Pacific Coast League affiliate.
Doskow was asked by The Sports Virus about Hunter Pence’s rehab assignment:
“ …There’s no reason to rush him. They are going to slow play it and I think it’s smart. You’d rather have a healthy Pence go in mid-August than rush him and have something else happen. Even watching him leg out a double, he’s obviously not 100 percent, but he’s gonna get there and I think the slower you play it the better.”
We talk about the state of the Giants bullpen with former Giants lefty Jeremy Affeldt who now serves as an analyst for Comcast SportsNet Bay Area.
The Sports Virus talked to Affeldt about late inning relief for the Giants this season:
… “Because of the youth of the pen you don’t know your identity. Are we going to get a shutdown game? Are we going to get a panic scenario?… It’s about walking out and knowing who you are and saying to yourself, ‘I’m a Major League bullpen backend guy. When I go out you’re not supposed to beat me.’ The game is supposed to be over. That’s why you throw your 7th, 8th, 9th inning guys because it IS over…These guys are just missing that because they lack the experience.”
Our special guest to talk about the All Star game and the Giants is USA Today Reporter Jorge Ortiz.
Ortiz talked to The Sports Virus about Santiago Casilla:
… “If they don’t pick up an elite closer he’s going to be a critical guy so (Bruce) Bochy needs to keep riding him because what are his options otherwise? You could go matchup, but Javier Lopez has not had a good year, (Sergio) Romo just came off the DL, (Josh) Osich is very young-sometimes good, sometimes not so great, Hunter Strickland throws gas but he is a home-run-giving machine.”
We talk about the second half of the season for the Giants as our regular guest SF Chronicle Columnist John Shea joins us from San Diego in part 2 of our conversation.
The Sports Virus talked to Shea about San Francisco bench players coming through this season:
… “When (Hunter) Pence was lost last year the Giants were done. It was over. They never recovered from that. This year they lose him and don’t miss a beat and just roll into the All Star break…I think (Bruce) Bochy has a lot to do with this. It’s one of his best managerial efforts.”
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.”
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