CHEMISTRY

"It's not about having the BEST players; it's about having the RIGHT players".
Herb Brooks, 1980
Coach, Team USA Hockey


"I was shocked when Jerry (Coleman)came up to me when I was a rookie and told me to meet him on the diamond. He wanted to teach me all he knew about playing 2nd base. I couldn't understand why the guy who's job I was trying to take was helping me take his job. Jerry told me that it's more important for the Yankees to win no matter who's playing 2nd base. If he got injured, it was Jerry's responsibility to have prepared me to step in and play 2nd base. It's just the Yankee way".

Billy Martin,
2nd Baseman, New York Yankees 1950-1957

The above quotes are from winners on historical championship teams.

"If I have to teach someone else how to catch in the major leagues; I'll retire".

Bengie Molina
Catcher, San Francisco Giants

"Apparently Edgar Renteria went into Bruce Bochy's office this morning and asked him why he wasn't in the line up. Bochy told him and Renteria turned and walked out without saying a word".

F.P. Santangelo
S.F. Giants Post game commentator.

The GIANTS DROPPED THEIR SECOND GAME IN TORONTO 3-0.

I've been saying for a week now that all is not one big group hug in the GIANTS clubhouse. I'm only speculating as I haven't actually been in the clubhouse; but with perennial starters coming back off the DL while their replacements have "Grabbed the Bull by the Horn" (to quote F.P.) you can tell on the road that there is tension in the air. You can tell by the bobbled grounders that infielders are hearing footsteps over their locker.

This is what happens when you have a situation like the GIANTS are now experiencing. As childish as it sounds (see the Molina statement) players sitting are wishing negative thoughts (eg, errors, injury etc...) on the guy who's playing his position, while the starter is watching his step, worried about making errors and trying to "over-produce" at the plate. (often leading to popups, flyouts and of course swinging strike-outs)

This is not a productive culture. This is not a Championship culture. A Championship culture is when all 25 guys in the stadium want to do what is right for the team. As long as you have players putting their egos before the team, you don't have a team. You certainly don't have a Championship team.

The post game commentators had me laughing when they said they were frustrated because of how the GIANTS couldn't score runs in Toronto after having a successful home stand. Ummmm Edgar Renteria returned to the roster on 6/16. Molina vs. Posey is not a heavy weight boxing match. (although one of them would qualify) And you've got outfielders being displaced because Sabean won't waive Molina. So Posey (the golden Spikes award winner) is forced to play out of position at 1b, while Huff, the GIANTS 1b (at best) takes up an outfield billet. Andres Torres is the only GIANT who deserves to be a GIANT outfielder, while DH Pat Burrell fills in where ever needed and occasional bonus PT is divided up amongst Nate Shierholts, Aaron Rowand and even a recovering Mark DeRosa.

Nothing kills moral faster than having to compete with your teammates as well as another team. At home, the tension between Posey and Molina was only at the park. When Renteria came back, he didn't play so the team seemed loose. Being on the road is like living with the attitudes and emotions. Teams need to be like family when they're on the road. The GIANTS are acting more like contestants on "Survivor". Each one of them (except Aubrey Huff) are wondering who is going to get voted off the Island. I can think of about 6 that could be DFA, including one in the bullpen.

Ace out