Tuesday, January 27, 2004

 

More Pepper

There's just over 3 weeks to go until spring training. Can't wait for it to get here.

Scott Boras is really earning his fees this off-season, isn't he? I'd love to hear what Pudge Rodriguez and Greg Maddux are saying about the guy right about now. In my dreams, Maddux signs a one-year, "F you" contract with the Giants for about $8 million, most of it deferred, and then goes 20-6 with a 3.20 ERA. More realistically, he signs that deal with the Cubs and fires Boras.

I think Pudge ends up back in Florida after May 1, and fires his agent as well.

The Seattle Mariners got really lucky when Kazuhiro Sasaki decided to ditch the last year of his contract, thus saving them over $9 million. I don't care how good you are--a guy who pitches only about 5% of a team's innings is just not worth 10%, 12%, 15% of a team's payroll. (Sorry, Robb.)

I haven't heard a peep from, or about, Rickey Henderson all off-season. I'm thinking he's finally done. If so, this is the biggest retirement that no one's been talking about. To me, Rickey epitomized everything that was fun about watching baseball. I already miss him.

How about those Angels and Bad Vlad? The AL West is going to be a lot of fun to watch next year. Anaheim's gotten a lot better; the A's have improved; Seattle...well, never mind them. A's and Angels should be a terrific race.

A personal message to Marvin Benard--lay off the high heat, take care of the knee. Make a splash with the White Sox and show everyone what being a Fighting Hydrant is all about. You won a permanent place on my heroes list the day you beat the Dodgers with an extra-inning home run. You, Brian Johnson, Joe Morgan, and Bobby Thomson, among others, are all in the Official Skaldheim Hall of Giants Who Made Dodger Fans Cry.

Last, but not least: are you not absolutely, positively, crawling-out-of-your-skin stoked at the possibility of watching Barry Bonds face Roger Clemens in Tenrun Park during the first series of the year? If not, check your pulse. You probably need CPR.

Jefferson 12:47 PM

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Sunday, January 25, 2004

 

Miniatures Pics Experiment

At long last, I'm taking some digital photos of the miniatures I'm working on. Taking good photos of things 1 inch tall is an art unto itself. I have a few dozen pics to sort through; I'll post the better ones in the coming days. For now, have a gander at Theoden, who is nearly finished. Remember, in real life, the figure is about one inch tall, from base to top of the head.

It's certainly interesting seeing my painting "up close" like this. When I hold the fig in my hand, the dark shadow near his mouth isn't nearly so prominent....

Jefferson 3:01 PM

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Friday, January 23, 2004

 

Pepper

Some quick hits, covering baseball stuff that has happened while I was away:

Pete Rose: Thanks for the admission, but we knew that already. Please, go away.

I saw the year's first Baseball Tonight on ESPN the other night. I can't tell you how great it was to see it on the air again. I'm going to miss Bobby Valentine, though; he really added a lot to the show last year. Best of luck to him at his new managing gig in Japan.

A-Rod for Manny, aka The Trade That Would Not Die. I have no idea why the Rangers would want to make this deal, if they're trying to improve their team. It makes no baseball sense. I strongly suspect that A-Rod's passive-aggressive pushing to get out of Texas drove Hicks over the edge. Frankly, they deserve each other, but I'd love to see A-Rod in Boston, because I love watching titanic monoliths rampaging through major cities.

Pac Bell, er, SBC Park. The "S" stands for "soulless." Not because they changed the name--they can call it whatever they want for $30 million. because they evidently have no clue that "SBC" is a name that is as dull as accounting, while "Pacific Bell" was one of those rare corporate names that was both evocative and descriptive of the company's services. What does SBC stand for? Nothing. Just letters. Thanks for the cash, guys, but give yourselves more credit and take back the better name for the company.

Lunch break is over. Time to put the bat away and...oh wait, I could use this bat to fix these computers, couldn't I? Hehehe.

Jefferson 1:34 PM

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Monday, January 19, 2004

 

The Waiting Is The Hardest Part

I do have an excellent excuse for being gone for a month. Work, and getting married. Okay, that's two excuses. But between them, there's at least one really good one for not updating. (Okay, there's also Final Fantasy XI, but that probably doesn't count as a good excuse in anyone's book.)

I have developed an inner peace regarding the Giants' offseason moves. Deep breathing, meditation, and a deep fear of being branded a lunatic, have reshaped my thinking.

Everything's just fine.

My first revelation: the odds that this roster, as presently constructed, will remain unchanged until October are approximately zero. Brian Sabean said that he will be looking to make more moves during spring training. It doesn't sound to me like he's totally satisfied with the 25 guys either (though moreso than us lunatics). Furthermore, when's the last time Sabean let the trading deadline pass without improving the roster?

It is hard to imagine this roster winning a World Series. It is fairly reasonable to imagine them leading the division most of the season, and being very much in the thick of things come midsummer. At that point, the Giants will have a great idea what they need to become a force in the postseason. Making adjustments mid-season will cost less, in terms of overall payroll, than trying to make them now.

My second revelation: The Giants don't need to be better right now. Right now, can you point to another team in the NL West who will run away with things? I can't. I don't see the Giants buried by the trading deadline. I can see them in second place, needing some help. But this roster will get them through the early part of the season, and give Sabean some more time to work his magic.

This squad won't win 100 games. It won't need to. It will hang in there, if not lead the division, usual caveats of injuries notwithstanding. I really would have liked to see some better talent come in via free agency, but it didn't. I'm going to be satisfied that it's good enough, for now, and hope for more Sabean magic as the pages of the calendar turn.

Jefferson 5:18 PM

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