Strikeouts For Troops

I was fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to attend "Barry Zito's Strikeouts For Troops Giants Jam Fundraiser" this week and it was one of the coolest events I have ever been to. All the proceeds from the event went to the Strikeouts for Troops project which helps aid war wounded troops in their recovery and rehabilitation. Barry Zito put on an excellent show as he played his guitar for his sister's band and even sang in a few songs. I was not able to make it in time to see Omar Vizquel's performance, but other than that, I don't have any complaints. One of the highlights of the event was the auction, in which a few Giants' players jerseys were auctioned off, and the auctioneer was none other than Mr. Barry Bonds. Even Bonds didn't disappoint when he got the microphone in his hand. Among a few of the players I had a chance to speak with were Noah Lowry, Mark Sweeney and Russ Ortiz. I must say, Mark Sweeney is one of the coolest ballplayers that I have had a chance to meet. I also had a chance to meet Fox Sports Net Warriors' sideline reporter, Matt Steinmetz. I hope to soon have link up with a spot where you can donate to the cause if you would like.

I wish I could keep the positive vibe going throughout this whole post, but the Giants happened to suffer another heartbreaking loss to Rockies late on Friday night. It was almost identical to the one that they coughed up back in Denver about a month ago, and it was Matt Cain who was victimized both times. However, the Giants didn't deserve to win the game Friday night. If you take away that Bengie Molina pop-up that Todd Helton lost in the wind, the Giants would have scored 2 runs. It's frustrating when the offense does so little vs. a team like the Rockies, who have the worst pitching in National League. Matt Cain was also shaky all night, and I am very surprised it took until the 7th inning for the Rockies to finally get to him. Until Cain can start using his pitch count more effectively, he isn't going to put himself on that next level of the elite starters in the league. His stuff is awesome, and if he just stays in the zone, he is very difficult to deal with. When he starts walking people, and he gets to 3 ball counts with every other batter, he gets himself in trouble. That being said, he's only 22 years old, so I expect to see some inconsistency in him. Even when he doesn't have his command, he has proven that he is still a tough assignment for opposing hitters. If he's this good without his command, imagine what he'll be like when he gets a consistent release on the ball?