Sports Radio Service


		Michael Duca on A's and Giants By Michael Duca September 23, 2011

	Sportstalk: The Giants set up for a big series in Arizona, while it's unlikely to catch the Diamondbacks for the division what do you see as their chances of catching the Braves or Cards for a wild card chance? Slim, and slimmer. It's going to be really tough to pass two teams in the final 6 games; not impossible, but they need so much cooperation from both teams - especially Atlanta, which won Friday, and only needs to win twice more to eliminate the Giants Sportstalk: Giants pitcher Tin Lincecum has said that he would be interested in a two year contract with a two year arbitration attached or a year to year deal but he was not interested in a long term deal. The Giants certainly would offer him whatever he'd like but the bidding process will start after the season ends as other teams will be offering Timmy some big dough. Where does Lincecum end up, in San Francisco or elsewhere and will it be on a short term deal? Oh, there's no question where he will be. The team owns and controls him for two more seasons. The discussion is whether he is willing to give up any free agency years to a deal now, and whether the team can make the deal sweet enough for him to take it. Remember, Walter Alston had something like 26 consecutive 1-year contracts to manage the Dodgers. Some people prefer to "earn their stripes" each year. Sportstalk: In the movie Moneyball did you have a part? And as the public at large is aware of your official scorekeeping duties, were you around during production and how much time did you see A's General Manager Billy Beane and Brad Pitt around the pressbox during that time? Well, how do I answer that without seeming petty and self-serving? They did not hire any real official scorers or writers to be in the press box for background shots -- not even those of us who are registered with local casting agencies and have movie experience. And, they made certain we were nowhere near the shooting as it occurred -- which is understandable, since any kind of background sound, even an inadvertent guffaw at hearing Phillip Seymour Hoffman was playing Art Howe, would have spoiled a shot.