Old Baseball post for archive. Also for beehive. Best not to read while you handjive

NO! No! Don’t trust them Indians! The Friars are evil! Just look at those haircuts.

It will come down to these 10 games. Following Jonathan Sanchez‘s comments that the Giants would sweep the Padres and win the West, the Giants clubhouse seemed to bristle a little bit. Comments like these made from an under performing walk machine of a pitcher following a terrible outing are kinda frowned upon. The terrifying monster that is opposing team bulletin board material was thrown around in the media all week. I’m gonna take the opposite side of this. Do the Padres really need a reason to be motivated to beat a team that is nipping at their playoff heals? You certainly wouldn’t think so. Bulletin board material seems like a silly movie ploy where Pacino or Micky get up in the team/players face to get them pumped.

Furthermore, the Giants weren’t exactly sacking the city of San Diego with their play against the Friars previously. So what is the harm in changing things up with a few inflammatory comments? That said, Sanchez better bring it or book himself a ticket to the “Aubrey-Huff-stuffs-your-head-in-a Pablo-used–toilet-after-the-game-train”.

Also, Tebow+Friar haicut x (sex with women)/lack of arm strength= another reason to dislike the Padres. That’s baseball math.

Players to watch: Ryan Ludwick, Miguel Tejada. I hate that the Padres acquired two major league starters, while the Giants decided their currently decomposing middle infield needed no work. Yes, the waiver acquisition of Mike FonteOHNO will help. But the thought that Renteria was the answer before and after the trade deadline kinda makes me fish sandwich queasy. Ludwick and Tejada meanwhile provide a veteran leadership the Padres semi-lacked. All the while adding depth to a team that already performs with assembly line efficiency. Dear god the Padres have become self aware.

Storylines to watch: These 10 games against the Padres will decide how the West was won. That isn’t really going out on a limb there, but it’s what matters most. All of the remaining Giants/Padres match ups are weekend affairs. Which makes for stronger crowds, except for in San Diego where the city will begin gearing up for football season soon and completely forget it has a baseball team in the playoff hunt. In the same vein as a four game series these ten games will be determined by the health and effectiveness of the starting pitching. Can Tim Lincecum find his release point again? Can Matt Latos and Madison K. Bumgarner stay strong while throwing more innings than ever? Can Barry Zito stay Barry Zito and not morph into the evil Bzito (Bad Zito) again? Can Matt Cain continue doing what is best in life?Impress your friends: You want a reason to reeeeeally hate the Padres? Troy Aikman is a minority owner. Yes, that Troy Aikman. Destroyer of Bay Area football teams, and all around terrible announcer. And worst of all, friend to the devil himself, Joe Buck.