Sports Radio Service


		Michael Duca on A's and Giants By Michael Duca May 3, 2010

	Sportstalk: The Giants are getting great pitching out of Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, and Jonathan Sanchez, after handling the Rockies over the weekend and now set for Florida how confident can the team be going on this trip to take first and get a few games up on San Diego with the pitching that they've had? The good news: The Giants took 2 of 3 from the Phillies (NL Champs), the Cardinals (NL Central Champs) and the Rockies (NL Wild Card). The bad news: they had an opportunity to sweep each of them, and lost the final game of each series, which kind of dilutes the "ownage" factor. Also, losing the final game to the Cardinals when Timmy was on the mound in the 9th with a 4-1 lead was like drowning in castor oil. But, if they can't be confident when sporting a team ERA around 2.75 AND the best fielding percentage in the NL, then when can they be? They aren't allowing earned runs, and they aren't allowing unearned runs, so they don't have to score a ton of runs to win games. Florida has some young stud pitchers, but they will miss Jason Johnson, the ace of that staff, so things are falling for them. They should be very confident. Sportstalk: Aaron Rowand's activation after missing 16 days after being beaned by the Dodgers Vicente Padilla says that being hit was all part of the game and he's not afraid to get back in there again. He said he would not wear any special protection. Miguel Rowand in the line up does something for that team, when he was out they went on a brief five game losing streak. With him in it's certain that the team will be electrified again. What does Rowand mean to the Giants? Swagger. Toughness. Not caving in to excuses or feeling sorry when things go wrong, as they always do in a long season. Rowand plays the game hard, every series, every day, every pitch. He helps set a tone for the team. Sportstalk: The A's brass won't talk about it but the talk is back again about a possible A's stadium built at Jack London Square, after going over there it would seem that could be a good fit for the A's, Oakland, and it's fans, do you see Lew Wolf even considering such a project or for now it's San Jose or bust? Let's see. Lew Wolf is an experienced developer, so he certainly knows that politics count. The economy is still in a tough way, and banks aren't running out on the sidewalk begging people to take loans, so, a fully privately-financed park where Lew has to acquire the land might be a tough row to hoe right now. public money? In California? The NFL has PROMISED a Super Bowl to Santa Clara to try to bribe the electorate there. It doesn't seem that Lew is very excited by Oakland -- Fremont captivated him for a long while -- San Jose has captured his eye now, although the location they are talking about has zero parking and zero land to build any -- but Jack London Square is a really good idea, a really good location, and in an area that already has a lot of charm and amenities, plus water, but could use an anchor like, say, a ball park. Which is why it will never happen. It makes too much sense.