I'm still in San Francisco, so I'm paying more-than-normal attention to the Giants. I'm sure that will end soon.
Rajai Davis
After attending the game Friday night, I mentioned he was the most exciting player on the field. The Giants gave another dismal performance in the first game of the double-header last night, and just when it looked like they'd be swept by the Pirates in a five game series(!), Davis woke them up.
He made one of the best catches of the year to ignite the spark. Then he led off the top of the inning with a single to center...wait, no, a double. Nate McLouth took his time getting to the ball and Davis took second. I don't know if he'll stick in the majors, but the guy is a disrupter.
The casual McLouth, by the way, is the guy who made the electric Davis expendable. Davis couldn't get any PT, despite McLouth putting up a .700 OPS in 244 games with Pittsburgh. McLouth looks like he's running in water compared to Davis, not because of raw speed, but because of attitude.
As I said, do the Pirates know something about Davis we don't? Is Davis smoking crack, or is Pirates GM Dave Littlefield?
Barry and Hank
The Giants are on their way to San Francisco to play the Braves at Turner Field. The address at Turner Field is 755 Hank Aaron Drive. Both Barry and Hank have said, essentially, "if we run into each other, then we'll talk." There's no formal meeting planned.
A lot of praise has been heaped on Aaron for the videotaped message played after Barry's 756th. It was a nice message, but as I mentioned before, it seemed a little too formal. The more I see it, the more I think it was a bit hollow.
Aaron has always been a nice guy. An under-the-radar guy. When I saw pre-756th quotes about Aaron not attending the game, I just assumed it was part of Hank's personality to stay out of the spotlight. I didn't buy the media story that he was somehow boycotting Bonds because of the steroids scandal. I thought, after all Aaron went through when he set the record, why would he find a way to make it tougher on Barry?
However, if Aaron does not try to find Barry to congratulate him when Barry is in Atlanta, where Aaron has an office, which is located at Turner Field, then my opinion of Aaron is going to sink a little. If he really means "I'm as happy for him as anybody," he can at least come downstairs and say "Congratulations."
