GIANTS going for 7th championship in 12 years

                                              Familiar Foes - A bet is a bet 

2 of the 7 Giants championships were against the Mets....with 4 other playoff victories against the Mets which shows much history between the two clubs over the years. The Mets taking a championship one year from the Giants.

Giant ace Mike Newsted 41yo took his usual position on the hill vs the Mets.....with a career playoff record vs the Mets 4-0.  A shocking leadoff homer had the Giants down against Steve Simmons with a career playoff record vs the Giants now 0-3.

Down 2-1 entering the 6th the Giants needed to wake the bats up against Simmons.....a hit batter  Jon Quintal reached first, then a Alan Gallagher walk lead to the heroics of League average hitter Devan Ahart lacing a 2 run triple to right center. Ahart would score on a past ball making the score 4-2.  League leader in RBI's Jesse Hernandez then followed with a mamoth blast off simmons to right that disappeared somewhere over the right field fence still not found....

The lead at 5-2 seemed to be enough for Newsted, but the Mets made it interesting putting 2 on in the 7th only to have Newsted carve the next 3 batters up.  Game over

Final stat line: Newsted 9k's / Ahart 3-3  2 doubles, 1 triple.  2 huge RBI's / Hernandez 2-3  db, Hr, 2 RBI's

Mr METS fund.....Broke 

As for the Orange Mets flag that is nicely hung for every game.... the Giants won that in a friendly playoff W bet back in 2017, again a playoff win in 2018 and 2019, and now in 2021....a bet is a bet, please get it ready for pick up 

A typical well played game that exhibits mutual respet toward each other when the Giants and Mets play

Next up : Redbirds

      Round 2 Giants go for 7th Championship

                              Redemption

Facing the Redbirds was an interesting game on a Saturday afternoon for a second year in a row.  The history of the teams goes as such.....Redbirds won the MABL chamionship in St Clair Shores 4 years in a row....The Giants at the same time won 4 straight MSBL Championshsips.... both teams somewhat being a mirror image of each other having multiple players wearing both jerseys over the years.  Until the MABL folded the Redbirds now became a member of the MSBL causing a couple interesting scenarios espescially the Redbirds for 2 years actively recruiting and continously trying to maneuver players from the Giants roster to theirs... even during the actual season the past 2 seasons. Really, you would think there would be a larger player pool for the Redbirds to pull from.  Losing a few players over the years has made the matchup more intriguing.  The season series has gone in the birds favor the past 2 seasons....leaving the playoffs something more to play for.....

With Giant bulldog Alan Gallagher on the mound versus his former team, Gallagher faced a challenge every inning allowing 2 runners on, twice bases loaded, at least a hit or 2 each inning....but to bear down and when it came down to it striking out 2 redbirds each inning for a total of 13 k's.  With the only 2 runs allowed one on a leadoff error and the other an earned run.

At the plate the Giants struck first with 3 in the first with league average leader Devan Ahart RBI Double, follwed by league leader in RBI's Jesse Hernandez 2 run Double.  the Giants tacked on another run in the 5th

The key moment in 2021 Semi came in the Bottom of the 6th with bases loaded for the Birds 1 out and Von son at the plate...the  irony of this moment reverts back to 2020 Semis against the Redbirds....with the Giants playing with 9 players for a playoff and 4 Giants out of normal positions up 2-1 in the Bottom of the 6th 1 out and Von Son at the plate, chief umpire Ricco Mayne made a call that has surfaced in mulitiple conversations over the past year....the previous batter reached base for a walk after a strike 3 call down the gut was missed badly, was followed by a hit batter, and then the infamous gounder to first throw home and back to first for an apparent double play in which Chief umpire Mayne stood not making a call as the Giants left the field. He believed the catchers foot was 3 inches off the plate on the catch and felt compelled to make a safe call tying the score at 2. next batter a bad hop slow grounder off the 2bs glove lead to 2 more runs and a Giants semi loss 4-2......Another scenario where an Ump feels compelled to take control of the game for his own highlight reel other than making the straight forward call...back to 2021...Von Son up same scenario same inning, bases loaded, except no Chief umpire Mayne, a grounder to first comes home the same catcher Bennett practically standing in the middle of the plate then throws to first to double up and end the inning Giants up 4-2.  Again the Giants playing with this time 3 players out of normal positions were shined on by the Baseball Gods and a gutsy display of Giant baseball to win this semi game 4-2 the same score as 2020's meeting where many of the Redbirds agreed the Giants got the shit end of a that game by the umpires late game calls. 

Overall Playoff record between Giants and Redbirds/7 former Giants 1-1, With the Redbirds yet to win a MSBL playoff Championship

Next up: Rockies 

                GIANTS going for 7th Championship

                                          Schools in Session

Like Mike Hart from Michigan said directing toward Michigan State,,,sometimes you let your little brother get excited let him get the lead, then when it matters you just come back, take it back and put him in his place....that was the Giants midset whenever playing the Rockies in the 2021 season.....

Reverts back to 2020 game that the Rockies and Giants played on what appeared a meaningless saturday matchup at Bishop Foley with the typical Saturday Giant lineup of 9 and no actual pitchers there at 10am.  The Rockies jumped to a 8-0 lead in the first off 8 walks and 3 errors. What also started to open up was their mouths and non respect of the game and to the older Giants prompting for an ugly morning game.  When a team is up 11-1 in the 6th as as the Rockies were against a Giant team that was playing with 8 beacause of an ejection to a player for standing up for the Rockies continuing to call out the catchers pitch selection,.. and the Rockies coach continously stealing 2nd, but not only stealing but just standing between 1st and 2nd not moving and a runner on 3rd trying to score more runs as if a 10 run lead wasnt enough. The Giant's Salah goes to coach third and asks the Rockies sixty/seventy year old coach which is outside his third base dugout, what are you trying to proove stealing guys and and your players not controlling their mouths,  you are up 12 runs now, this is how players unecessarily throw at each other ..... Rockies coach said arrogantly we are playing baseball and tryingto teach my players how to win. Giant manager proceeds calmly saying, you teach your players to disrespect a team as well as the game...ok thats how "you" play baseball... we will remember this when and if we play a game that actually matters.......the Rockies coach says very arrogantly "oh ya, we cant wait for that, we want that and we will be there and ready." First time ever meeting this guy and team... end of conversation and last and only time playing Rockies 2020

2021

Regular season Rockies won game one....game 2 Giants "Throttled" the Rockies 19-3 which lead to multiple Rockie players packing their gear and leaving before the game ended with one of the saying, "we are in your heads."   Whatever that means after your team got dismantled and flipped over.

Giant players at Championship - 13    -    Giant players from the 2020 game - 8

2021 Championship game 1

Giants longtime Co Ace Chris Yates threw a game that showed his experience and greatness. The Giant defense was stellar.  The Giants having only 13 at the game and missing 6 other key teamates especially league hitting leader Devan Ahart, another game changer Joe Killian, and 3 starting pitchers, the Giants continued its consistent playoff play!  The game started with league hits leader Rob Brenay scoring in the first, followed by the Giants scoring 6 in the second making the score 7-1.  Hits from, Barba, Hernandez, Meader, Gallagher, Yates, Morales, Bennett, Ford, Quintel, Hoyer, Brenay, all contributed to the 8 Giants runs....and "Way" to many runs to give Chris Yates a 49 year old former Pro ball player for Houston to seal the win! Yes Rockies, he is probably older than your parents.  The Rockies scrartched a couple runs off a couple of Giant errors.  The Giants final tally 8-4 not even close for Mr Yates to be concerned with, especially throwing the last 3 innings on a pulled hammy.  As Mr Yates said " the Rockies got a 2 piece and a biscuit out the door."  What they really got from Yates was a lesson learned on mental toughness and on how to be a professional....his actions were more than words.

Giants up 1-0.....1 win for another star 

             CHAMPIONSHIP GAME 2

"GIANTS taking the Rockies to the shed"

SWEEP ?? 

 Giants going for there 7th Championship in 12 seasons

Dedicated Championship to former teamate, the late #7 Joe "Legend" Pistono

The Giant beat down started with co league leader in wins, Ben Sniezek continued his fantastic season controlling the game from the start to the 7th only coming out because of a 4th hits batter rule! The Giant team started the game with a pistono shout then swarmed the Rockies in the first inning....not only the game but right from jump in game 1 inning one controlling the series. The entire Giant team controlled the game from the start going through the lineup batting 12 in the first scoring 8! Sounds like the 2020 regular season game first inning but this game actually matters... for the championship.  Every Giant registered a hit: Brenay, Barba, Hernandez, Meaders, Gallagher, Morales, Bennett, Ford, Quintal, Salah, Smith, Hoyer and Sniezek....and in the 7 slot of the order, #7 Joe Pistono.

With the Giants up 17-0 in the 6th the foot came off the gas, a 15 hit berating lead to the Giant runs....not meaningless stolen bases.  Sniezek gave up only 4 hits.....Ozzie Barba came in the 7th and stuck the fork in the over done Rockies striking out the last one looking. Satisfying close out of the game seeing Barba was thrown out of the previous 2020 game due to some bad Mexican slang thrown his way from the other side. Umpire Brian York which was a part of that 2020 game was behind the dish in this game 2....after the game he looked over and gave a big smile, saying good game. Even the umpire known for his quick trigger and self brashness knew the extra meaning of this series....

Season total runs head to head: Giants 47 Rockies 12

football season has started

want to give an additional ????exceptional work every game behind the dish Sean Bennett!!

Rockies highlites: not much....4 hits, 1 meaningless run given on a hbp, 2 allowed stolen bases in the 7th and a legit 2 out shot by Duqvet to score the runner.....they showed grit.....and for both games the Rockies manager had hanging out of his back pocket a bright red cloth that was an illustration they were out for blood? Ahhhh ya.....how old are we...that motivation tactic went as empty as the stands filled with Rockie fans that exited halfway through the second game.  Another Rockie moment appeared after the first inning of the Giant 8 run 1st, when there was no more unecessary sarcastic comments....more of a humbling!

The Rockies have alot of talent, and they have their youth to improve in many areas of their games.  Most of them will go on and play their college seasons out and hopefully succeed and improve.  The mental aspect and respect to others that play the game goes along with talent. As ball players we have all been on both sides....and after the Championship there was mutual respect when shaking hands! No ball player ever wants to be humiliated on the field, but when it happens to you, you actually finally get it.  Even the Rockies coach while shaking hands when asked if he remembers what was said to him in 2020 during that game, he sincerely said yes. Even Mike Hart admits he shouldnt have said what he did...

The 2021 18+ season had some of the best competition and teams the league has had in 33 years.  Hopefully the competitiveness continues. 

As for the Giants they will hold the newly anointed Joe Gorelski Championship trophy for 2021.  This trophy displays all of the previous MSBL Champions since its inception.

Giants 7th Championship, add another star! Pop the champagne ??