MLBlogger: Lauren, "Random Thoughts About the San Francisco Giants"
Signup date: April 30, 2009
1. Why do you blog?
I love sharing my random thoughts/stories about my favorite team! :) I also use this blog to share (hopefully useful) information with other Giants fans.
2. What was your favorite post?
3. Strangest blogging experience?
Ummm... I don't really have one... lol
4. What is your favorite blog, including at least one MLBlog?
5. What would you be doing if you weren't blogging?
I don't actually blog that much anyway, so the same thing I'm doing now?
6. Where do you think the blogosphere is going?
Uhhh... I don't know...
7. Favorite team and why?
San Francisco Giants! I was born and raised in San Francisco, and my dad and grandma are pretty big Giants fans. I just kind of followed along. :)
8. What is one thing most people don't know about you?
Wow... I don't know. I'm a pretty open person, I think most people who know me know most things about me. lol. I guess people who only know me online would not know that I love to eat and that I can eat more than a lot of people even though I'm pretty small.
9. Happiness is...
EVERYWHERE! Sometimes you have to look harder for it than other times, but it's always there somewhere. :)
10. Who is your #1 favorite baseball team?
Isn't this a little redundant? (See question 7)
11. Who was the manager when you began watching?
Dusty Baker, during the 2002 World Series!
12. Who is your favorite player(s) of all time from the team that is no longer with the team?
Hmmm... I don't know... I think I'll have to go with J.T. Snow. :)
13. Who is your favorite player on your team, only picking one?
That's easy, Andres Torres!! <3
14. Have you ever met any members of your team?
I met every single player who played for the 2009 Giants at any point in the season, if you count "meeting" as getting a picture or autograph from them. :) Plus, I've met the manager, general manager, all the beat writers, and various other people who work for the Giants. I've also met a bunch of players who used to play for the Giants in previous years, including Giants greats like Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Orlando Cepeda, and Gaylord Perry.
In terms of like REALLY meeting them to a point where they recognize me and say hi to me when they see me, Andres Torres does that and Bruce Bochy even knows my name! LOL
15. What relief pitcher is your favorite on your team?
Sergiooooooo!! (Romo)
16. What is the furthest you ever traveled to see your team play?
Los Angeles or San Diego, whichever's further. :/ I'm going to Arizona to watch them play this year for Spring Training, though. :)
17. Are you happy with your team's offseason moves so far?
I'm not really happy, but I'm not blaming the team for it. I think this year's free agent pool sucks. So, with that perspective, I guess I'm happy considering what's available.
18. Who is your team's center fielder?
Aaron Rowand, though I wish it were Andres Torres.
19. Who is the first pitcher in your team's starting rotation?
Tim Lincecum, duh! :P
20. Have you ever seen your team on Opening Day before?
21. Do you know the name of your team's mascot?
Lou Seal. And the name of the person underneath the costume is Joel Zimei ;)
22. What is your team's home run song?
23. Do you own any jerseys of your team?
I used to own a real, authentic home jersey (with no name or number), but I lost it. :( However, I have a Jason Schmidt road pullover jersey that I got for free at some season ticket holder thing in 2006. I also own 2 Giants jackets, 2 Giants sweatshirts, a long-sleeve Giants shirt, and 19 Giants t-shirts (including 3 player shirts - Barry Bonds, Tim Lincecum, and Andres Torres)
24. What team inside your own division would you not mind winning the division if your team can't?
Wow, this is a tough question. In general, it would be preferable if any team besides the Dodgers wins the division, but when it comes to the end of the season and another team besides us has won the division (whether it's the Dodgers or not) I just really hate that team anyway. So I can't really say I "wouldn't mind" them winning the division, because any team besides the Giants winning the division is never OK.
25. Think of the team inside your own division you dislike the most. What member of the team based on skill would you want on your team?
Well, obviously the Dodgers are the team in my division that I dislike the most. Ugh, I don't know what player I would want from that team... I don't even remember who was really good from the Dodgers. It was like Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier, James Loney, and Russell Martin, right? bleh. I always wanted Juan Pierre since he was on the Marlins because he's fast, and I LOVE fast guys. But he's not even on the Dodgers anymore, right? Does he count?
26. Now think about that team again. What player would you just like to see leave baseball altogether?
Oh, that's easy. Manny Ramirez!
27. Back to your team, finally! What player on your team would make a great manager one day?
Uhhh... I dunno. lol
28. What is your least favorite team for your boys to face and why?
I hate when we play the Cubs at home because there are so many Cubs fans they often drown out the Giants fans which is really, really annoying. I also don't like facing the Cardinals and Albert Pujols.
29. What other team do you enjoy playing the most?
The Dodgers. That rivalry is so fun! Also, the A's on the road, because it's so close it's easy for me to go see those games too. :)
30. What pitcher makes you the most nervous when he warms up?
Brian Wilson. He always seems to have to put men on base before he can close it out.
31. Do you have his autograph?
Now this is a weird question. Do I have whose autograph? Brian Wilson's? Well, yes I do.
32. Do you have his jersey?
Nope.
33. Do you have his rookie card?
Nope.
34. How many games did you attend this year?
In 2009, 69 regular season Giants games (including 3 on the road in Oakland) and 3 Spring Training exhibition games (2 in SF, 1 in Oakland). The Giants were 44-25 in regular season games I went to. :)
35. What is your favorite position?
I don't really have a favorite position. I guess if I had to choose it would be pitcher.
36. Do you remember Harry Caray?
Nope.
37. Do you or did you collect baseball cards?
Nope. I think I have just one baseball card, a Tim Lincecum rookie card my friend gave me for Christmas 2008.
38. Beside your home team's ballpark, what's your favorite ballpark?
I guess I'd have to go with Petco.
39. Who's your all time favorite baseball player?
I don't know... I think I'd have to go with Andres Torres.
40. Do you know their middle name (if they have one)?
I'm pretty sure he doesn't have a middle name, but his friends back home call him Yungo. (I have no idea what that means or why they call him that, though.)
41. Is there a very young baseball player that you believe will become a big star in the future? If so, who?
Madison Bumgarner!
42. Do you have the MLB Network?
No, but I wish I did. :(
43. Have you ever caught a foul ball or a homerun ball at a baseball game?
Sadly, no. :(
44. How many baseball stadiums have you been to?
6 Major League ballparks and a Minor League ballpark. The Giants ballpark (of course), A's ballpark, Petco Park, Dodger Stadium, Shea Stadium, the old Yankee Stadium, and Municipal Stadium (home of the high Class-A San Jose Giants).
45. Do you have anything autographed by a baseball player?
omg, I have so much autographed stuff. lol and all of it was free. I'll name some of my favorites:
baseball signed by Willie Mays
baseball signed by Willie McCovey
baseball signed by Gaylord Perry
baseball signed by C.J. Wilson
5 baseballs, each signed by one of the original 5 Giants starting pitchers in 2009 (Tim Lincecum, Randy Johnson, Matt Cain, Jonathan Sanchez)
2009 Giants team ball (I tried to get an autograph from every player think it has 23 autographs of players who played for the Giants in 2009, plus Bruce Bochy - I'm missing like 10 people)
Andres Torres' bat
my ticket from Jonathan Sanchez's no-hitter, signed by Eli Whiteside on the back and Jonathan Sanchez on the front (he also wrote "7/10/2009 no-no")
About 40 signed pictures of me with a player
I've gotten an autograph from every player who played for the Giants in 2009 except for Jesus Guzman. I got a picture with him but I didn't have my stuff ready for him to sign. :( I am determined to get him next season! lol
46. When you hear the word "baseball", what mainly do you think of?
A lot of things.... the Giants, the ballpark, my friends. :)
47. Name a baseball player that just simply does not look like a baseball player. What does he look like instead?
Tim Lincecum looks like a bat boy!
48. Non Cubs fans--Don't you want to see the Cubs win a WS in the next 5 years?
The Cubs can do whatever they want as long as the Giants win the World Series first! It's bad enough being the team with the 3rd-longest World Series drought, no way would I want our team to have the 2nd-longest World Series drought!
49. What is your most valuable/important baseball possession?
The autographed bat Andres Torres gave me at the end of the 2009 season. <3
50. Best seats you have ever had in a baseball game?
The seats in section 121 row P (between home plate and the Giants dugout)
51. Would you ever go to a Pirates game?
Yes, I would! I've been to a bunch of Pirates vs Giants games already, and plus their ballpark looks pretty cool.
52. Do you think your team has a shot at the postseason next year?
Definitely!
53. You are up against Mariano Rivera and you can choose anyone to pitch hit against him down by 1 with runners on 2nd and 3rd, who do you choose from your team?
KUNG FU PANDA!
54. Is baseball your favorite sport (to watch or play)? Or does football or soccer or some other sport take precedent?
Yes, definitely! Baseball is pretty much the only sport I ever watch. :)
55. You see your FAVORITE player in the world at the grocery store- what do you do?
I think I would stare at him for a few seconds, then finish shopping and get out of there as quickly as possible without letting him see me. I'm pretty sure he would recognize me, and I wouldn't want him to think I was stalking him. ><
