3jack

Watermellon Wheat is really good. Just ditch the watermellon slice as soon as you get it and your cool.....

Giants partial season ticket holder here with some recomendations for your stay in the City. If possible stay at or around Union Square to get a good feel for the City. It has all types of shoping and some really cool hang outs. If you are going for the first series it will be mid week and Union Square it really jumping mid week. Close to some pretty good restauraunts and some really cool pubs. When we stay in the City we ususlly use expedia or priceline to get a good rate.....it won' t be cheap but mid week should be doabe. If you stay in Union Square (or not) a must visit is Lefty O'Douls.....classis pub with tons of Bay Area baseball history.....this is a must visit. Back in it' heyday it was a hangout for Giants, visiting players as well as media folk. I was there last summer and saw a few Padres as well as their TV crew late night....Just OK food, but great spirits and memorabilia.... From Union Square you can walk to the Yard, but a cab ride is only about $5.....if you go early, I would suggest walking to the game and cabbing back to the hotel....Pretty easy walk with many good bars along the way..... I would highly recommend stopping at the 21st Amendment Restauraunt and Bar.....it is a great hang out, they brew their own beer which is really good and have really good eats on the cheap (relatively speaking) This is the place I visit about 15 times a season and have never, ever been disapointed! It is about 3 blocks up from the 2nd street (left field) enterence...... Gordon Biersch on the embarcadero is pretty good as well, a bit of a further walk to the park but pretty accessable....it's right under the Bay Bridge and looks out onto the bay.....good brew and good eats, but a bit more upscale than the 21A. If you go to GB make sure to stop at Red's Java House on your walk to the park and pick up a dog and a beer for $5! Can't beat it! MOMO's is right across from the Yard and is pretty good, but really trendy......and spendy. I stay away from MOMO's, but if you need a quick pop befor the game it's ok.....pretty young and hip if your into that......It's always jumpin' though. If your looking for a cool little sports bar with no frills, there is Zeeks Sports Bar (voted best sports bar in the City a few years ago) It's on 3rd and Brannan just 2 blocks up from the park.....not very big, but pretty cool, working class joint.....lots of TV's and beers on tap. Another cool little and I mean little dive bar is a place called Daves Bar on 3rd right after Mission (this is a good one to stop off at on the way to the park if you walk) They offer buy one get one free (beer) with that day's ticket stubb......always stop in the way to the park and on the way home for the 2-1 Sierra Nevada..... If you are looking for pizza, there is Amichicis (sp) right across the street from the park.....they make a great pie and also sell it by the slice on the sidewalk (2 slices $4) and you can take it into the park.....I do this sometimes to avoid the lines and prices inside.....Really good pizza and pretty affroadable.... As for tickets.....any seat is a good one and believe me I have had seats all over the yard (my tickets are by the Giants pen, but have not had a bad seat since they opened.....if your going for more than one game may I suggest a game in the bleachers (giants fans are pretty mellow out there as long your not wearing a dodger hat on a friday night) and one game in the View Reserve.....great senic views on either side. 1st base side offers great view of the city and Bay Bridge, 3rd base side offers great views of the bay and the Oakland Hills... Little tip for great viewing spot.....walk from left field to behind home plate on the field level concourse and stop by the Gilroy Garlic Fries concession area (get some fries......a must at AT&T) then find the rail located between the press box and the lower reserve and hang out. It's like having seats right behind the dish....if you don't mind standing. You have a great view, can see the in game broadcast as well as listen on the radio.....and they won't ask you to leave.....it's really a great place if you don't mind standing for a while..... If you can't get tickets (which never happens) wander out to the portwalk and view from under the #1 and #2 archways.....it is free and It's just like being on the field.....they have the radio brodcast going on so you can follow the action that way as well.....it is really cool. In review: Stay at Union Square Go to Lefty O'douls Go to the 21A Get to the yard early and enjoy the scenery...... If you have any questions please ask and I'll respond! Hope that helps!!!! Coach Winton

A friend yes. Actually his H.S. baseball coach. Obviously I have seen him play many times and have nothing but good things to say. Great kid that comes from a great family from a small town.....was an absolute beast in HS....worked at about 89-92 then and at about 91-94 in JC. He was drafted from our place in 2003 (27th round) as a draft and follow by the Giants. Played at Merced JC and was really highly touted there. The Giants made a big push to sign him before he entered the draft the next year but he didn't sign.....they (Giants) again drafted him in the 8th and really low-balled him with their offer because they knew he really didn't want to go back to school. I think they kinda balckballed him, putting out the word that he wanted $1M+ when that wasn't the case. He went back to Merced JC and had arm problems which is why his stock dropped so much. I really feel the Brewers got a steal in the 30th round or whatever.....had Tommy John, rehabed and is back to full strength. He looks really good now. I know that some people have voiced some concern about his physical make up, but I can tell you that he is built like a stinkin' bull. I made the comparason to Zambrano the other day not realizing that Zambrano was 6'5....Omar is about 6'0 or so and really built like a power pitcher. Funny thing about the Zambrano thing, when Omar was back at the Player Development Seminar a couple weeks ago in Washington, he ran across a Cubs fan that thought he was Zambrano and was asking him to sign a bunch of Cubs stuff.....didn't do it but a funny story. Since the Arizona Fall League he has been working out at Merced College and he comes to our place once a week or so and throws and works out with our club and looks really good.... He's a great guy (I am obviously a lot biased given the situation) He has that "it quality" about him. He's a real people person that teammates have always gravitated too......He really likes the organization and has nothing but good things to say about the people in the organization and the people of Milwaukee (he was at the fan fest last weekend) I wish him and the Brewers (my adopted team....I'm from California and a rabid Giants fan) all the success in the World this next season! Coach Winton

Cool. Nice response. That's what I would have said. I have a feeling Aguilar is going to go off this year.

If not Pena then who closes for Nashville?

Not that an inch or two makes any difference (in most cases!) but I would be inclined to say he is closer to the 6' mark......either way the guy can deal and has filthy stuff. By the way, the Brewers have him as a RH thrower and a RH hitter....he swings it from the left side.

He said looks like Zambrano, and yes he may not be a tall as Zambrano but definately has the same physical characteristics. Definately not height-challeneged.Go see for yourself, he'll be in town this weekend for the On Deck FanFest. I also can't wait to see what he does in Arizona this spring.....He looks to be in pretty good shape to me.....

It's not you. He is a lot like Carlos Zambrano, without all of the antics and bravado. Built the same though. Great call.