FROM THE SUBLIME TO THE RIDICULOUS / SF GIANTS DYNASTY UNRAVELS WITH A WHIMPER

The Dynasty is over for the 2016 Giants who won the world Championship in 2010, 2012 and 2014 and were three outs from another playoff elimination game win over the Chicago Cubs on October 11th, a day after a sublime come from behind win against the Cubs. Then the piano fell on their collective heads as manager Bruce Bochy obviously over managed his team, killing the momentum by replacing Matt Moore for the ninth inning after pitching a two hitter for eight innings and opened the door for the Cubs to pummel the Giant's Achilles heel ~ a carousel of tired and shaky bullpen pitchers for four runs and then finally crush them to a whimper with Chapman's 100 mile an hour heat in relief. Thus the SF Giants went in one day from the sublime to the ridiculous with a humiliating six to five loss ~ which could have been avoided or perhaps postponed if Moore had been allowed to finish his pitching gem: Allen L Roland, PhD     

 

I'm an avid Giant baseball fan ever since I heard the shot heard around the world on October 3rd, 1951 when Bobby Thompson hit a homerun in the 9th inning to beat the Brooklyn Dodgers and win the Pennant. See video ~ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrI7dVj90zs

 

I was 17 years old at that time and living in Boston, Massachusetts but the Giants captured my young and exuberant heart.

 

I also remember well in 1962 when Willy McCovey smashed a bullet line drive into the Yankee's 2nd base Bobby Richardson's glove with two outs in the ninth inning of the World Series and the winning run at 2nd base. Over 50,000 fans fell into a shocked hushed silence including myself ~ I was 28 years old at that time, an active duty Navy carrier pilot and my beloved Giants had just moved to the West Coast. See video ~ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bD1TPzwIG9I

 

Now I'm 82 years old and have celebrated and watched the Giants win the World Series in 2010, 2012 and 2014 under the brilliant guidance of Manager Bruce Botchy and now in 2016, they were seemingly on the verge of another playoff victory against the Chicago Cubs on October 11th at AT&T park.

On the mound was a determined Matt Moore who held the Cubs to two runs and two hits in eight innings, retiring his final nine batters.

 

He had thrown 120 pitches but he had thrown 133 pitches on August 25th when he one hit the Dodgers and he still felt strong ~ as confirmed by Buster Posey.

 

I was watching on TV and screamed to Bochy to leave Moore in along with thousands of Giant fans at the game "Don't take him out ."

 

Moore deserved at the very least a one batter curtain call for his incredible pitching effort ~ but it was not to be. The decision had already been made and it soon became a disaster.

 

The bubble burst when Moore walked into the dugout after the eighth inning, according to Steve Kroner, SF Chronicle , " I just went and talked to pitching coach Dave Righetti and he said, "that's it for tonight"  and after the TV commercial break ~ there was Derek Law on the mound ready to face Chicago in the ninth ~ the Cubs could smell the blood in the water and Giant fans, including myself, braced ourselves for the unknown ~ the feeding frenzy soon began and it was over in a few minutes.

Reliever Sergio Romo openly laughing into his glove after being relieved by Bochy in the tense ninth inning did not go unnoticed by many and speaks of player disunity in the Giant Bullpen. In mid-September, Romo was seen laughing after Bochy pulled him, showing up the manager, and Bochy said they met afterward ~ but this was totally inexcusable behavior considering the circumstances.

 

Bruce Jenkins ,SF Chronicle describes the carnage, ~ " On one of the most disastrous evenings in Giants franchise history, a 5-2 ninth inning lead became a four-run Chicago rally in what seemed like an instant.

Relievers came and went, desperation filled the air, and the Cubs were ruthless in their execution. Free of Matt Moore, the Giants left hander who pitched the game of his life ~ they were feasting without mercy."

As the seagulls settled into AT&T park ~ also feasting without mercy ~ the Achilles heel of the San Francisco giants had been fully exposed to a nationwide TV audience.

 

The Giants shaky and suspect bullpen had a disastrous roll call in the ninth inning of a must win game but it would have eventually been revealed later in the playoffs but hopefully not at the expense of a magnificent effort by Matt Moore that foggy and damp night in San Francisco ~ or in the eyes of thousands of fans, including myself, who trusted that moment in the ninth inning and screamed  "Don't take him out."  

 

Most certainly it still dwells in the mind of Bruce Bochy who was oblivious to the crowd's chant as well as the genuine optimism and momentum of his team, and instead played mix and match with his suspect Bullpen after he ignored the dominating performance of Moore, who was obviously his best pitching choice in that situation, and who also fully deserved the accolades of the crowd as well as his moment in Giant history ~ before they headed to Chicago for a decisive game five….. thus it was not meant to be, and only the Seagulls and Cub fans rejoiced at AT&T … but the CURSE awaits the Cubbies in Chicago versus Kershaw and the Dodgers.

 

Love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good, too. Yogi Berra

 

Allen L Roland, PhD

http://allenlrolandsweblog.blogspot.com/2016/10/from-sublime-to-ridiculous-sf-giants.html

Heart centered spiritual consultant and advisor Allen L Roland can be contacted at allen@allenroland.com Allen is also a lecturer and writer who shares a weekly political and social commentary on his web log and website allenroland.com. He is also featured columnist on Veterans Today and is a featured guest on many radio and Television programs

KC vs SF / A WORLD SERIES TO RELISH

The Royals are tasting success for the first time in decades while the Giants are reveling in success / Reuters

 

Buckle your seat belts because this years world series will be a thing of beauty with two supermotivated wild card teams battling for the gold ring.This series could be decided on the base paths where the Royals are the fastest in baseball along with their stellar late inning bull pen but this could possibly be counter balanced by the moves of wily future Hall of fame manager Bruce Bochy and an experienced Giants team who have been here before ~ winning in both 2010 and 2012. Two evenly matched teams but the difference maker could well be Royal's budding super star Lorenzo Cain: Allen L Roland, Ph.D  

 

“It’s great to see small-market teams get in there and play the big boys, and see what they can do.”  former KC manager Jack McKeon

 

The Giants have the sixth-highest payroll ($148 million) in baseball, and play in the fourth-largest media market, compared to the Royals, which was No. 18 in payroll ($91 million) and competes in the No. 34 market. San Francisco appears to play with the same winning swagger after years of success under their wily manager Bruce Bochy ~ while Kansas City seems to have relished the underdog role under Ned Yost, who is still unproven regarding World Series pressure. See article ~ http://www.ibtimes.com/world-series-2014-kansas-city-royals-vs-san-francisco-giants-matchup-good-baseball-1707189

Travis Ishikawa's walk off home run in the ninth for the Giants to beat the Cardinals 6-3 was indeed electrifying ~ but nowhere close to the excitement generated by Bobby Thompson's shot heard round the world to beat the Dodgers in the playoffs in 1951.

Let me set the stage for those of you who may not have been around 63 years ago.

 I will never forget that afternoon of October 3,1951 ~ it's emblazoned into my soul for the sheer emotion and excitement lifted me to unparalled bliss, if not ecstacy. Yes, it was the day I became a Giant fan forever.

It was a crisp typical late fall afternoon in Western Massachusetts ~ I had just finished football practice and was sitting on the stairs of the Mount Hermon Prep School Fieldhouse listening to the radio play by play of the last game of the New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers National League playoff.

The Giants had won 37 of their last 44 games to force this three game playoff with the powerful Brooklyn Dodgers. The Giants had won the first game at home 4 to1 but had lost the second 10 to 0 in Brooklyn and were now trailing 4 to1 going into the last of the ninth of the final and decisive game at the Polo Grounds ~ with the fearsome Don Newcombe on the mound for the Dodgers.

Things looked very grim indeed for the Giants ~ but Newcombe was showing the effects of overuse from the season's final days. Pitching on only two days' rest and tiring badly, he attempted to take himself out of the game, only to have Jacky Robinson talk him into trying to finish the ninth inning.

Giants shortstop Alvin Dark singled to start the ninth inning rally. Then Don Mueller singled to right, which sent Dark from first to third base. Monte Irvin followed, with a chance to drive in a run, but he chased the first pitch and popped out. Whitey Lockman followed with a double down the left-field line, scoring Dark and advancing Mueller to third. Mueller slid awkwardly into the bag and broke his ankle, forcing the Giants to send in Clint Hartung to pinch-run for him.

Charlie Dressen, the Brooklyn manager, finally pulled the obviously drained Newcombe and sent Ralph Branca into the game. (That move has bewildered baseball historians to this day ) Branca had pitched and lost Game 1 of the series and had given up several home runs that year to Thomson, who had hit 31 during the season. However, in Dressen's defense, he had no well-rested pitchers available; in the last regular-season game alone the Dodgers had sent seven men to the mound . Besides that , Willie Mays was on deck behind Thomson ~ so he couldn't pitch around Thomson. During the pitching change, Giant manager Leo Durocher reportedly implored Thomson ~ " If you ever hit one, hit one now ! "

So the stage was set and I was frantic in anticipation ~ Branca's first pitch was a fastball down the middle for a strike. His second pitch was a fastball up and in to Thomson, intended as a setup for his planned next pitch, a breaking ball down and away ~ which never happened. For Thomson pounced on that fast ball and drove it down the left-field line, a rising shot toward the invitingly close outfield fence, and into the third row of a frenzied mass of Giants fans who went stark raving mad ~ including myself as I screamed with broadcaster Russ Hodges ~ The Giants win the Pennant, The Giants win the pennant ...

 

This Oct. 3, 1951, file photo shows Bobby Thomson of the New York Giants hitting a home run, to win the national League pennant against the Brooklyn Dodgers, in the ninth ining of a baseball game at the Polo Grounds in New York. AP Photo/File)

So here is that moment frozen in time on youtube ~ this treasured memory was indelibly implanted in my young mind for it was etched in total joy and delight ~ forever associated with the late Bobby Thomson who died in 2010 at 86 years old. Two minute video ~
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrI7dVj90zs

 

Courtesy New York Times 10/18/34

 
My prediction: Kansas City is much faster on the base paths than SF and it's bull pen is rock solid in the late innings ~ but the Giant's 10th man is their indomitable manager and master strategist Bruce Bochy and he will not be denied his Hall of Fame worthy third World Series victory in five years. See article ~ http://www.veteranstoday.com/2014/10/10/sf-giants-bochy-heading-for-hall-of-fame/

 

"Baseball is like church. Many attend, few understand” ~ Leo Durocher

 

Allen L Roland. Ph.D
http://allenlrolandsweblog.blogspot.com/2014/10/kc-vs-sf-world-series-to-relish.html


Freelance Alternative Press Online columnist and transformational counselor Allen L Roland is available for comments, interviews, speaking engagements and private Skype consultations allen@allenroland.com

 

Allen L Roland is also a lecturer who also shares a daily political and social commentary on his web log and website allenroland.com He also guest hosts a monthly national radio show TRUTHTALK on www.conscioustalk.net

 

SF GIANT'S BOCHY HEADING FOR HALL OF FAME

The wily fox and super motivator Bruce Bochy ponders his next move as his SF Giants won their eighth consecutive postseason elimination game over the Washington Nationals and set the stage for perhaps another World Series appearance ~ but most certainly an early and well deserved baseball Hall of Fame selection.

 

In this time of growing wars, conspiracies, epidemics and other uncertainties, there are some sure things to savor and one is Bruce Bochy's SF Giants making another run for the World Series championship: Allen L Roland. Ph.D

 

To understand why the San Francisco Giants won the World Series in 2010 and 2012 and are now a strong contender to win again in 2014 ~ you must first realize that the Giants are a reflection of their indomitable skipper Bruce Bochy who commands their immense respect and fuels their inner fire ~ especially in October with his shrewd moves and savvy baseball sense. But Bochy has leadership traits that others can also learn from.

Chester Spell, an associate professor of management at San Jose State University, says Bochy epitomizes what management consultant Jim Collins calls a "level-five leader," someone who can transform a company from good to great through a "paradoxical combination of personal humility plus professional will."

Byron Deeter is a partner at Bessemer Venture Partners, was also part of four national championship rugby teams at UC Berkeley under renowned coach Jack Clark, and he also speaks highly of Bochy.

He says managers can learn two lessons from Bochy. One is that "culture matters." Before games, you would see players jumping up and down in the dugout, just having fun. Instead of telling them to get serious for the big game ahead, "Bochy does the opposite; he allowed the team to be themselves. They really enjoy playing together and play better when they are loose and relaxed." In business, "helping establish a culture in whatever way is right for that company is time and money well spent. Team bonding activities may in some cases seem childish, like the pranks going on in the Giants' dugout," but they help when the going gets rough, he adds.

The other lesson is "team first," he says. "People joke about how baseball is an individual team sport .. Sports, like business, is full of prima donnas. But a good manager, through consistent actions, sends the message ~ we are all a unit, no one is above the team."

Deeter says Bochy's decisions not to reactivate left fielder Melky Cabrera after his drug suspension to preserve the team dynamic, and to transfer struggling starter Tim Lincecum to relief are good examples of his team first ethic. See article ~ http://www.sfgate.com/business/networth/article/What-business-can-learn-from-Bruce-Bochy-3991592.php

San Francisco's Bruce Bochy has won 1,594 games in 20 seasons, nearly 300 more than any other current manager. (Eric Risberg / Associated Press

 

"He speaks, people listen. He's a game changer," said pitcher Jake Peavy, who played for four other managers but has a special affection for Bochy.

Bochy's peers appear to agree ~ with a recent poll of NL managers selecting Bochy as the best in the league. Then there's what the numbers say, namely that he's a Hall of Fame manager in waiting.

Bochy has won 1,594 games in 20 seasons, more than Hall of Fame managers Dick Williams, Earl Weaver, Miller Huggins and Whitey Herzog and nearly 300 more than any other current manager. Barring another losing streak, he'll soon pass Tom Lasorda for 19th place on the all-time list for victories.

Of the 18 managers ahead of him on that list, 13 are in the Hall of Fame. And if the Giants win the NL pennant this season ~ they've won two of the last three ~ he'll become the 23nd manager to win more than three league championships.

The other 22 have plaques in Cooperstown.

"He's very quietly putting together a Hall of Fame career," said the Angels' Mike Scioscia, the second-winningest active manager. "When you talk about Joe Torre, about Tony La Russa, about Bobby Cox, about guys that have made it, Boch is going to be right there when it's all said and done."

But what makes Bochy special as a motivator ?

It's Bochy's no nonsense approach and rock solid temperament as well as his ability to adapt to the changing times and players.

Quite simply, Bochy cares about his players and his players know it. They play and are inspired to reach higher levels and win for him ~ and there is no better example than Hunter Pence.

 

 

 

The Giants’ Hunter Pence at the outfield wall, catching a ball hit by the Nationals’ Jayson Werth to save the game. Credit Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

His players love and respect Bochy and if he is indeed the wily old wizard making all the right moves, as he did in the 2012 World Series against the Tigers, than Hunter Pence is the driving soul force of the Giants making them believe in themselves by his heroics on the field and his passionate leadership in the dugout and locker room. Buster Posey is the steady anchor of the Giants but Pence is their passion and desire.

Pence and Bochy were meant for each other because Pence personifies Bochy's deep inner drive and leads on the field by example and completely believes in his skipper ~ "He's got a lot of poise. When your leader is a rock, it leaks into your team," said Pence, who has played for five managers during his career.

I may have given up on the Giants for a short time this year, especially after they blew a nine game lead in July and I indeed had a short term fling with the A's before Billy Beane sold their soul and team leader (Cespedes) to the Red Sox for Lester, but I never gave up on Bochy who continues to amaze me with his patient leadership and baseball acumen.

Make no mistake about it, the Giants are the team to beat this year and it won't be because of their talent ~ quite simply they are all paid extremely well and have won the gold in 2010 and 2012 ~ they are the team to beat because they want to win for their grizzly old father figure Bruce Bochy who has never given up on them ~ they want Bochy in the Hall of Fame.

You heard it here first.

Allen L Roland, Ph.D

http://allenlrolandsweblog.blogspot.com/2014/10/sf-giants-bochy-heading-for-hall-of-fame.html

Freelance Alternative Press Online columnist and heart centered spiritual counselor Allen L Roland is available for comments, interviews, speaking engagements and private Skype consultations at allen@allenroland.com

  Allen L Roland is also a lecturer and shares a weekly political and social commentary on his web log and website allenroland.com He also guest hosts a monthly national radio show TRUTHTALK on www.conscioustalk.net