On a warm San Francisco night
There are only five warm evenings per year in San Francisco — evenings where you can walk in shirtsleeves without fear, sit at a sidewalk cafe, or lounge in the stands at the ballgame. What are the chances that you actually have tickets to the ballgame on one of those five? What are the chances the Giants will even be playing a home game on one of those evenings?
Last night, all was aligned. An 80 degree evening, a nationally televised game, and tickets in section 311, row 5.
Bonds sat. But the national attention was rewarded with the debut of pitching phenom Tim Lincecum (LINsy - cum). Lincecum killed at the AAA level for the first month of the season, allowing one run in 31 innings as he went 4-0. The Giants were just itching for an excuse to bring him up. Russ Ortiz gave them the opportunity, melting down last Tuesday in a game against the Rockies. Ortiz, meet the disabled list. Lincecum, meet the major leages.
It was a good debut, but not one of those things people will be telling their kids (unlike the stoires we’ve heard in the last few weeks of the major league debut of Will Clark in, what, 1983). Lincecum allowed a hit up the middle to the first Phillies batter, and a home run to the next one, Shane Victorino (as my South Jersey friend Anna pointed out, a perfect name for a player for Philadephia, with a brother probably named Vinnie).* He took 26 pitches to get out of the first inning, and he allowed another two-run homer in the third. On the plus side, he struck out three batters in the first and five over 4 and a third innings. He got a no-decision once the Giants tied it after five. And the whole game was interesting. [Game log]
But the real memorable note was just the weather — a warm breeze blowing out to right; crystal clear views of the East Bay; a full ballpark, nachos and beer, “the premiere experience in major league baseball.” It was last night.
* Unfortuantely, Victorino was born in Hawaii.
And don’t forget Victorino’s nickname: the Flyin’ Hawaiian.
Lincecum will be fine. Not a spectacular debut, but he’ll be a permanent fixture soon enough.
I like the kid. Anyone who can hit 98, 99, 100 on the radar will have a spot on my starting 5–within a couple years, anyway.
And yes, the weather has been lovely. On days like this, San Franciscans get confused. We, for some unknown reason, head to the beach. Once there, we say “I think we’re supposed to lay down now and do this thing they call ‘tanning’”. Last night, the guys and I pulled the TV out to the backyard, BBQ’d, and watched the Warriors lose to Utah. Pride was hurt, money was lost, hamburgers were eaten, Anchor Steams were drunk, and good times were had.
Oh, and by the way, locals lounge at the sidewalk tables in our shirtsleeves regardless of the weather. 45 degrees and windy? No problem. We lend our coats to our Angeleno guests. =)