Wow, did anyone expect Jason Schmidt and the Giants to be able overcome Mike Bynum and the Pads? Bynum has allowed 13 homers now in just under 28 innings. That, my friends, is amazing. Right-handed hitters are slugging .741 against him this year. Southpaws, meantime, have a 563 OPS. Can you say, "situational lefty"?

Random thoughts on the Giant series thus far:

• I don’t remember Khalil Greene using that extremely relaxed, almost flat-footed stance at Elsinore last year. Then again, I’m not sure I ever saw him from the side when he batted. On the other hand, that stance produced his first big-league homer, so what the heck do I know?
• Monday night, Jay Witasick should have pitched to Barry Bonds with a two-run lead in the eighth and one on. I’m not second-guessing anyone; I was pretty vocal as it was happening. Just ask my television set.
• Jerome Williams looks tough. I’d heard good things about him, but he was even better than I expected him to be.
• Matt Vasgersian, whom I normally enjoy (aside from his silly rants about the 1997 Marlins; get over it already), was discussing Benito Santiago’s impending free agency the other night and said something that stuck with me. Vasgersian, noting the veteran catcher’s desire for a long-term contract, commented that in an ideal world, everyone would be on a one-year contract (or words to that effect). This got me to thinking: Ideal for whom? Certainly not the labor force. How about the fans? They shouldn’t be affected one way or another by the length of anyone’s contract. The employers? It might well benefit them, but when have baseball’s owners ever done anything to help themselves (in a constructive way; I’m not talking about Jeffrey Loria snagging all the Expos’ stuff and taking it with him to Florida)? The more I think about it, the more I can’t imagine Vasgersian’s vision being ideal for anyone. So why did he suggest it? I dunno, maybe he was having a bad day. I think his general point, though, was that an employee should have to prove his worth on an annual basis. Vasgersian, interestingly, is in the middle of a two-year contract.
• Have you noticed all those drives to deep right-center at PacBell? Petco is going to have a spot like that. Mark Kotsay and Phil Nevin hit the ball there a lot. With his speed, Kotsay may end up with a bunch of triples next year.
• Vasgersian and Mark Grant were noting how Todd Sears reminds them of hitting coach Dave Magadan. Personally, I think Sears more closely resembles John VanderWal.

Other Stuff

Sometimes folks send these in, sometimes I find ‘em on my own. Enjoy.

• Typophile: The Smaller Picture Be a part of the collective consciousness; flip a pixel or two and help create letters of the alphabet.
• Angle-Grinder Man He wears a blue leotard and cape. He removes wheel clamps from illegally parked cars. He lives in England.
• Brooke Adams for Governor "The current tax system is unfair. Rich people are soaked while others pay nothing." Right. Where’s Angle-Grinder Man when you need him?

That’s it; I’m wiped. More next time…