Our special guest from AT&T Park in San Francisco is Brewers manager Craig Counsell.
Counsell talked to The Sports Virus about Ryan Braun since the PED suspension in 2013: … “he’s the same guy. He’s a really smart baseball player, he’s a smart guy just in general. He’s seen this organization go through a lot. The thing I’m most thankful for is that he’s really embraced what we went through this winter especially and kind of last season. We traded a lot of talent for some unknown talent and he’s really been behind that and understood that’s what we have to do to get to a level that we want to get to again.”
Giants reliever George Kontos joined us Wednesday before the game against the Red Sox.
Kontos took The Sports Virus inside the Giants bullpen: “We trust in one another like we have in the past, although guys are being used a little bit differently, a little bit more match-up style I would say this year. When one guy comes out with his runs on base you trust that the next guy is going to come in and do his job to pick each other up as well. That’s what I think has made us so successful over the past 5 or 6 years. Everyone goes out there and you pitch for one another, you do your job and that’s how we’ve come on top in those close games that we’ve become so accustomed to being on top of.”
Kelby Tomlinson of the Giants joined us before Wednesday’s game against the Red Sox.
Tomlinson talked to The Sports Virus about his approach at the plate: “… If you can swing at the right pitches and lay off the pitches you can’t hit and you can do that during the course of every at bat the whole season, you’re still going to have little ups and downs but they’re going to be little and you will avoid big slumps.”
Our special guests tonight from AT&T Park in San Francisco are Giants broadcaster Jon Miller and former SF CF Chili Davis who is currently the hitting coach for the visiting Boston Red Sox.
Miller talked to The Sports Virus about injuries hurting the San Francisco lineup: … “the Giants are looking for somebody to step up and do something big. Otherwise, the lineup looks pretty thin right now and if you’re Madison Bumgarner you’re going to have to pitch a tremendous game to have a chance to win.”
Davis talked to The Sports Virus about the 1987 Giants: … “great memories all year. Very sad memory in the way we ended the year losing game 7 (NLCS) in St. Louis. I thought we had a better team than the Cardinals did. Definitely a better offensive team. That year was special because I was here when we lost 100 games in ’85. Being able to get to the playoffs in ’87 after we came real close in ’86 and watched Houston clinch it with a no-hitter against us just made us more determined to get back there…..I’ve got three (World Series rings), but I always wanted one with the Giants.”
Today we hear from Giants prospect Chris Shaw who is currently playing 1B for the San Jose Giants.
Shaw talked about using the whole field: … “when I was younger I was pretty much strictly an opposite way approach type hitter and I kind of got pull happy at the beginning of college (Boston College) when I started to come into my power. Once I understood that the power is still going to be there when I’m thinking that opposite way approach I got back to that approach. Ultimately I think it helped round me into a better player. It allows me to see balls deeper, lay off bad pitchers and be more consistent.”
Giants outfielder Angel Pagan joined us during the last home stand.
The Sports Virus asked Pagan how often he looks at his statistics during the season: “… Never…Right now I don’t even know how many at bats I have, how many hits, anything. Even though they put it up on the board, I don’t see it because that can get in your head. It’s not about numbers, it’s about going out there and trying to do something productive for the team every day. After that if you do something every day, at the end of the day your bag is going to be full so you don’t have to worry about that.”
We set you up for the Giants series in Atlanta with Braves broadcaster and former Major League pitcher Paul Byrd.
Byrd tells The Sports Virus about new Braves manager Brian Snitker: … “he started coaching in 1981. He’s paid his dues. Everybody’s so happy for him, 62 years old, finally gets his shot. All of the players are rallying around that because he’s coached so many of the prospects in the minor leagues. He’s a player’s guy and everybody likes him.”
San Francisco Chronicle Columnist John Shea joined us for our on-site podcast from Keeble and Shuchat Photography in Palo Alto in Part 2 of our conversation.
Shea talked to The Sports Virus about Tim Lincecum: … “The mechanics are back, the hip is fixed. There were hip issues last year. It messed with his long stride and step. He was pointing his toe one way and if he pointed it the other way he would have been back in stride, but he just couldn’t close out the windup like he normally used to. Basically, he had no command. He had little velocity. At the showcase he reached 92 mph. You never saw 92 last year, you saw 86, 88, 89. He’s not over the hill. He’s 31. A lot of guys are performing at a high level in their mid to late 30’s.”
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.”
We talk about the Giants and go around the Major Leagues with Matt Vasgersian from MLB Network and Fox Sports.
Vasgersian talked to The Sports Virus about Jake Peavy: … “he’s older, he’s had major physical problems. For him to come back after a detached lat, after a surgery that had never been performed on a Major League pitcher before, and pitch at the high level he’s pitched at for the last four or five years since that surgery, it’s been pretty amazing. I like the guy so much as a competitor and as a guy that he’s so easy to root for. He knows that he’s got to re-craft himself whether that’s as a starter or as a long guy. His heart is huge. His want is big enough that if he has another bad start, if something changes in the rotation, he’s going to try and help the team any way he can.”
Come back TUESDAY our “on-site” podcast at Keeble and Shuchat Photography with SF Chronicle Columnist John Shea. We’ll be giving away free t-shirts from The Sports Virus so join us at 11 am at 290 California Ave. in Palo Alto!
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