NL Central

Top 12 Moments of The Year of the Bay Area Sports Renaissance

With the New Year just hours away, we can finally say it without fear of a buzzer-beating jinx: 2012 marks The Year of the Bay Area Sports Renaissance. These things tend to come in cycles. The Bay's Age of Terrible Sports was a long, cold winter. Game Six in '02 was the first snow, and the blizzar ... More >>

"Jack Reacher": Tom Cruise Scores

Puck Yeah: Taking the Ice with the S.F. Bulls

The Dapper Diner Eats His Way Through ANZU's 25th Anniversary Menu

1987 was an interesting year -- gas was under a dollar, the world population was nearing five billion, the stock market crashed, a storm of hurricane-like power hit Southern England killing two dozen, The Simpsons started airing as shorts on The Tracey Ullman Show, Baby Jessica fell down a well, the ... More >>

"You Goin' to Jail Now!": Behind the Giants' Battle Cry

"And I told the guys on this team I was gonna do this so I can't let them down," Ryan Vogelsong said, as he stood at the podium on the steps of city hall, 1 million Giants fans before him. "We have one little battle cry that nobody really knows about and I'm gonna break it out right now. And you gu ... More >>

World Series: For the Giants, It's the Illusion of Magic

Ah, the old "ball hits the base and bounces away from the defense" trick. It's been a dependable offensive weapon for the Giants this postseason. They pulled it out last night, just like they did in Barry Zito's previous start, in game five against the Cardinals. With two outs, nobody on, and the ... More >>

World Series: St. Louis Media Praises Giants Fans, Detroit Columnist Bemoans "Wimpy" Gourmets

In the latest iteration of a tired tradition, a newspaper from the country's heartland has dispatched a writer playing the part of "Unfrozen Caveman Sports Columnist" to San Francisco. Once arrived on our decadent shores, he's labeled our fans as a bunch of gourmet-munching softies, used coded langu ... More >>

San Francisco Giants 2012 World Series Drinking Game

Seeing-eye singles, elimination games, Madison Bumgarner. In Giants baseball, before the joy comes the anguish and anxiety. If San Francisco wins the World Series, you already know it'll be a teeth-grinding, knee-shaking, hair-pulling operation. If the Giants lose, it'll just suck. See also: 10 Way ... More >>

Let's All Laugh at How Terrible These St. Louis Cardinals Fan Songs Are

[Editor's note: SF Weekly's sister paper in St. Louis recently put together a list of eight rather hilariously unflattering fan-made tributes to the St. Louis Cardinals. Obviously, they originally meant it with some affection. But given that our beloved Giants are currently battling the Cards for th ... More >>

The San Franciscan's Guide to St. Louis

Tomorrow, the San Francisco Giants play in St. Louis for game three of the NLCS. Roaming bands of Giants Nation will surely join them at Busch Stadium. Of course, San Franciscans leaving the safety of our peninsular nook to visit The Lou this week may initially find themselves in a deep state of d ... More >>

Rocket Full of Posey

In a truly amazing comeback effort, the Giants beat the Reds 6-4 today to win the National League Division Series. Down two to zero in games after leaving San Francisco, the Giants became the only team in baseball history to win 3 straight games on the road in postseason play to win it.Buster Posey' ... More >>

Tim Lincecum Helps Really Sweet Elderly Dog Find a New Home

While Tim Lincecum's pitching hasn't been much help to the Giants as of late, he's managed to be a help to at least one member of the canine persuasion.You might have watched the game last week when Lincecum appeared on field before the first-pitch against the Cincinnati Reds, with Timmy -- an elder ... More >>

San Francisco Giants: Shutout Streak's Infinitesimal Odds

Everyone who's come up a bit short has heard the old adage "You can't win them all." A lesser-known corollary is that "you certainly can lose them all." Simply put, failure is easier than success. So, when unbridled successes begin to stack atop one another -- as is the case for the San Francisco Gi ... More >>

Matt Cain's Perfect Game: Individual, Different, and Timeless

In Monty Python's Life of Brian, a moment of hilarity is achieved when a massive crowd chants, in unison, "We are all individuals. We are all different."This has always been a favorite comedic theme. But, watching Matt Cain putting the finishing touches on a perfect game last night, it suddenly didn ... More >>

Off The Grid Hits The Ballpark at Off The Cove

1st Annual Off The Cove Where: AT&T Park When: Wednesday, June 13, 4:30 p.m. until end of game Cost: Free to attend Off The Cove; $19-107 for game package Rundown: Street food tailgate! Take in 14 food truck vendors from Off The Grid (including Sam's Chowder Mobile, An The Go, and Pacific Puffs) ... More >>

Bryan Stow Will Be Cheering on the Giants Friday

It's been a long road for Giants fan Bryan Stow, who was savagely beaten into a coma after watching his home team play against the Dodgers in Los Angeles last year. And while the Giants would love nothing more than to kick off the 2012 season with Stow at the mound, it looks like the former paramedi ... More >>

Emily Luchetti Hawks Giants-Themed Cookies on Opening Day

The terms "baseball" and "baked goods" don't normally go together -- unless you're talking about Dock Ellis, the former Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher who managed to toss a no-hitter while high on acid. Well, San Francisco does take on Pittsburgh in Friday's home-opener. Ellis retired more than 30 years ... More >>

Giants' New Aircraft, Sandbox, and Beer Kiosk Won't Replace Matt Cain

​Giants fans are getting the Opening Day jitters, as they prepare to watch their favorite World Series team take on the Pittsburgh Pirates in San Francisco on April 13. And this year, fans have more than the return of a healthy Buster Posey to look forward to.

Lost Boys of Summer: Some Ex-Ballplayers Seek Help From MLB

Fans Ask 49ers to Make "It Gets Better" Video

​This summer, when San Francisco native Sean Chapin asked the Giants to make a video for Dan Savage's "It Gets Better" project, they complied -- and became trendsetters. Since then, seven other MLB teams -- including the Cubs, the Red Sox, and the Dodgers -- have made similar videos encouraging L ... More >>

The Franchise Episode Five Recap: The Agony of Defeat

jkorn//Flickr​The Franchise has been on a nice run lately, alternating Cliff's Notes of the team season with human-interest stories in the right balance. However, for all its successes, the producers have had a relatively easy time drumming up content. The Giants have been an absolutely stellar te ... More >>

The Franchise Episode 2 Recap: Hey Now, You're an All-Star

​I've written before that "The Franchise" is not really a show for Giants fans. In theory, it's a way for Major League Baseball to introduce some of the game's personalities to a broader audience at a time when they're finding it difficult to market most of their players. In its basic conception, ... More >>

Madison Bumgarner -- It Gets Better!

Keep smiling, champ​With Thursday's loss to the Cincinnati Reds, Giants starter Madison Bumgarner entered into the running for a most undesirable laurel. Is he the greatest 2-8 pitcher in Major League history? Despite the 21-year-old's lopsided record, his earned-run average just keeps getting low ... More >>

Giants Ask You to Lend a Hand By Donating a Glove

The children's future is in your hands​There has been a little too much beating up in baseball this season. So we suggest letting kindness take over for a change. At this Saturday's Giants game against the Cincinnati Reds, you can lend a hand by donating a glove. The Giants Community Fund, the tea ... More >>

Here Is Your Best Chance to Sleep with Buster Posey

If there was a chance ... ​SF Weekly spent a lot of not-so-free time deciding what is truly San Francisco's best ... including best bars, food, and yes, best chance to sleep with Giants heartthrob Buster Posey. Here is our best guess:The reigning Rookie of the Year is a married man, as the ladies ... More >>

The Franchise Recap: The Boys Are Back

AuntJuli/Flickr​Last night, Showtime aired the first installment of The Franchise: A Season with the San Francisco Giants, a look inside the lives and clubhouse of our defending World Series champions. The 30-minute premiere acted as preview for the series, which doesn't technically start until Ju ... More >>

"The Conspirator": Robert Redford's Snoozer of a Civil War Courtroom Drama

Giants Win -- Kick Ass!

The San Francisco Giants had their home opener on Friday, April 8, taking on the St. Louis Cardinals in front of a sold-out crowd at AT&T park.​ Find the full slide show of the Giants game here.

San Francisco Giants: a Season in the Sun

Year One commences ​The World Champion San Francisco Giants -- it never gets old -- moments ago executed a ninth-inning comeback to win the last game of the year that doesn't matter at all. Wednesday was the epitome of a gorgeous Northern California day. The ballpark looked the same as before, the ... More >>

It Takes a Lot of Balls

Jeffrey Leonard, Former Giant, Aims to Dance With the Stars

He's a dancing man...​Can HacMan become a dancing man? Jeffrey Leonard, a gent whose name induces palpable waves of San Francisco Giants nostalgia among the put-upon faithful, is looking to put a new spin on his legacy. And a swing. And a dip. The former outfielder, best remembered for his MVP per ... More >>

David Chiu Strategist Josh Pulliam Brawled with L.A. Dodgers

Two Kanye West Songs For The World Series-Winning SF Giants

In case you were in a soundproof panic room between 8 p.m. and roughly right now, the Giants won the World Series last night. To help you sort out the complex emotions you are no doubt feeling, here are two apropos songs by Kanye West, both from before the whole I'ma-tweet-about-letting-my-phoenix-f ... More >>

San Francisco Giants: How Low Can They Go?

How many games can Buster Posey win by himself? How many more games?​Last night's minimalist, 1-0 San Francisco victory over the Chicago Cubs was the epitome of the team's largely self-applied slogan: "Giants Baseball: Torture." If last night is any indication, the 11 games remaining in the team's ... More >>

Tyler Colvin Impaled By Baseball Bat -- Is Barry Bonds to Blame?

Tyler Colvin reacts after being stabbed with a bat shard​With the mind-boggling success of Twilight and True Blood you could argue that America now has two national pastimes: baseball and vampires. In their resemblance, the twain do not often meet. And yet, this weekend, the Chicago Cubs' Tyler Co ... More >>

Padres Fans' Tortured Memories

We all have something to hide...​As the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres face off in Game 2 of The Big Series tonight, one could be excused for confusing the M.O. of the two teams. Both feature pitching that ranges from above average to stellar and, on the offensive side, a lineup full of ... More >>

Nyjer Morgan, S.F. Native, Triggers Massive Baseball Brawl (Video)

Nyjer Morgan does San Francisco proud...​Whatever you accuse Nyjer Morgan of, you can't say he's boring. He was born in San Francisco, followed a childhood craze for hockey (!) into a career as a young minor-leaguer in backwoods Canadian towns, and, finally, cracked a Major League Baseball roster ... More >>

Lou Piniella Didn't Leave His Heart in San Francisco

Sayonara! ​Chicago Cubs manager Lou Piniella, a legend in both the sports of baseball and temper tantrums, abruptly retired yesterday after a 16-5 drubbing by the Atlanta Braves. A number of articles will likely celebrate his virtuoso ability to get himself thrown out of a game -- and innovative u ... More >>

Kazoo Record Attempt at Tonight's Jerry Garcia-Themed Giants Game

Jerry Garcia says: 'Constantly choosing the lesser of two evils is still choosing evil.' So root for the Giants.​Sorry folks, the Jerry Garcia bobblehead is no longer available. But fans can keep on truckin' with a Guinness Record attempt for largest kazoo ensemble during tonight's festivities hon ... More >>

Brian Wilson's Orange Shoes, and Baseball's Worst Fashion Faux-Pas

Brian -- you shouldn't have! ​Yesterday, San Francisco Giants pitcher Brian Wilson -- a man with about three pounds worth of tattoo ink coursing through his veins and a haircut befitting a Blink-182 roadie -- came under fire from the league office. The objection: Wilson's traffic cone-orange shoes ... More >>

Team Spirits: Spooked Giants players check out of haunted hotel

Giants' Pablo Sandoval, Edgar Renteria Spooked; Check Out of 'Haunted' Hotel

Pablo! I have hitting tips for you! ​Giants confirm star players leave team hotel due to fear of ghosts after having "some experience" there last year. Juxtapose the words "baseball" and "ghosts" and most people will probably think of Kevin Costner building a diamond in his corn field and the spec ... More >>

Eric Byrnes' Next Gig After Baseball: Selling Sofas

This morning, we reported that former Oakland A's fan favorite Eric Byrnes, just days after being cut off the Seattle Mariners, was playing beer-league softball here in the Bay Area. But it hasn't been all play and no work for the young retiree. Byrnes was spotted hawking houseware at a San Carlos s ... More >>

Giants Allow One Hit, Lose: A Historically Frustrating Day for Jonathan Sanchez

Tough luck, kid. But you've got company...​Jonathan Sanchez' mother told him there'd be days like this. For the first time in the 52-year history of the San Francisco Giants, the team allowed one, stinkin' hit -- and lost the game. The team dropped a 1-0 contest last night at San Diego. Sanchez st ... More >>

Grabbin' Some Pine With Mike Krukow

​Back in 1987 your humble narrator's father had a breakthrough realization. If he managed to buy the cheapest and worst tickets for the National League Championship Series between the Giants and Cardinals, he discovered he could waltz right into the jury-rigged Candlestick Park media overflow sect ... More >>

Say-It-Ain't-So Joe

Why does Joe Morgan -- the best second baseman in history and a prominent TV broadcaster -- hate Moneyball? And Billy Beane and his Oakland A's? And you, too, if you think the statistical revolution that's overwhelmed Major League Baseball has any

The Sporting Life

Where to watch baseball and football on 16, 17, or 18 TVs

Bow to the King

Or, why we love Barry Bonds, even when he's a royal Jerk