Well, just as it was in 1993, the Giants can't depend on the Colorado Rockies to help them in their drive for a playoff spot. Tuesday night, after the Giants held on for a 7-5 win over San Diego, the G-Men rushed into the clubhouse to catch the final inning of the Rockies-Dodgers game in Los Angeles. The Rockies held a 4-0 lead in the ninth only to let the Dodgers score five in the bottom of inning to pull out a 5-4 win.
It's reminiscent of the 1993 pennant race. With the Dodgers facing the Giants in a four-game set on the last weekend of the season, the Rockies were facing Atlanta in a four-game series. One Colorado win and the Giants would have tied Atlanta for the Western Division crown. Instead, the Rockies folded like a tent, getting swept, forcing the Giants to sweep L.A. Didn't happen and the Giant lost the pennant by a game, despite having 103 wins. Ouch.
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Something needs to be done about MLB's hit-by-pitch ruling after the league handed down a three-game suspension to Giants' closer Dustin Hermanson for hitting Houston's Jeff Kent. Astro pitchers had plunked three Giants and brushed back three or four more during their series last week, yet when Hermanson hit Kent, he gets suspended? The way it stands now, if a pitcher hits a batter intentionally, the umpire warns both benches and the next pitcher to hit a batter is then ejected. How is this fair? In the past, it was tit-for-tat. A pitcher hits your guy, your pitcher hits their guy, it ends there. Now, after the first hit batter, the ump gives a warning and the other team can't retaliate. The league needs to allow both teams one plunking a game. Issue the warning and ejections after that. Very rarely does a game get into a beanball war. Let each team get theirs and move one.
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Is it just me or does San Francisco 49ers coach Dennis Erickson look dazed and confused on the Niners' sideline? Gone is the swagger Erickson had when he coached at Washington State and University of Miami. Heck, he looked more confident coaching Oregon State. He is a perfect example of a college coach unable to make the jump to the pros.
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The Lounge still likes Ken Dorsey as the Niners' quarterback. The guy lost a total of four games in his high school and college careers, combined. He's now 0-2 as a pro but give the kid some time before you ask for his head on a platter. To coin a phrase from across the Bay, he just wins, baby.
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How much are the Niners hurting? Look at the waiver wire on any given day. The team is picking up other team's trash and sticking them in the starting lineup. Only three weeks into the season and the Niners have been decimated by injuries. An already long year will get longer if they don't get healthy in hurry.
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Despite the Raiders drubbing of Tampa Bay Sunday night, the Lounge still isn't sure if this in the team that went to the Super Bowl in 2002 or the squad that imploded during a 4-12 season last year. The Bucs, who have problems of their own, are nowhere near that Super Bowl team that dismantled Oakland in the Super Bowl. Give it a couple more weeks to see the real identity of the Raiders.
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And speaking of the Raiders, they once again needed help from television to get the game aired locally. As is usually the case, the Raiders did not sell out the Coliseum by the deadline set by the NFL and were in danger of not having the game broadcast in the Bay Area. Channel 2 or ESPN (not sure which) bought up the remaining tickets to ensure a sell out and lift the blackout. Hey Raider fans, for all your hype about what great fans you are, you still can't seem to buy your tickets in time. If you're planning on going to the game, don't wait until Sunday to get your tickets. You can actually walk up to the ticket window during the week to get your ducats. Let the rest of the Bay Area decide if they want to watch the game on television. Right now, you don't give them the option. Personally, I'd rather watch any pro game at home. Best seat in the house, no line to get food or go to the bathroom and I only have to deal with one drunk fan - myself.
Despite the Raiders drubbing of Tampa Bay Sunday night, the Lounge still isn't sure if this in the team that went to the Super Bowl in 2002 or the squad that imploded during a 4-12 season last year. The Bucs, who have problems of their own, are nowhere near that Super Bowl team that dismantled Oakland in the Super Bowl. Give it a couple more weeks to see the real identity of the Raiders.
***
And speaking of the Raiders, they once again needed help from television to get the game aired locally. As is usually the case, the Raiders did not sell out the Coliseum by the deadline set by the NFL and were in danger of not having the game broadcast in the Bay Area. Channel 2 or ESPN (not sure which) bought up the remaining tickets to ensure a sell out and lift the blackout. Hey Raider fans, for all your hype about what great fans you are, you still can't seem to buy your tickets in time. If you're planning on going to the game, don't wait until Sunday to get your tickets. You can actually walk up to the ticket window during the week to get your ducats. Let the rest of the Bay Area decide if they want to watch the game on television. Right now, you don't give them the option. Personally, I'd rather watch any pro game at home. Best seat in the house, no line to get food or go to the bathroom and I only have to deal with one drunk fan - myself.
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
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