Bay Area Buzz 9/29: Pence Rewarded, A’s Don’t Need Home Field, Cardinal Roll
By FanSided
Sep 14, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants right fielder Hunter Pence (8) hits a single RBI against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Pence Rewarded For Not Being Brian Wilson?
"Why do this now as opposed to waiting a few weeks to see what the market turns out to be? Why jump out ahead of the Andre Ethier standard — 5 years, $85M — when there wasn’t a huge immediate incentive to do it?I’m saying there was an immediate incentive for the Giants to do it, and it probably started when Wilson berated CEO Larry Baer the other night in full public view.That’s when I think Baer got personally involved in this, which put it all on the fast track, and gee, what would’ve driven that?To me it’s fascinating that Baer was in the middle of this so publicly (post-game discussion with Pence last night, in full view of reporters) right after he was berated by Wilson for some dumb thing relating to a 2012 World Series ring the Giants have been trying to get to Wilson for weeks.– Tim Kawikami, San Jose Mercury News"
A’s Don’t Need Home Field Advantage
"For the majority of teams in MLB the road isn’t that big of a deal. As a matter of fact some players are actually able to focus more on the game itself when they are on the road. The A’s have a winning record on the road second only to the Red Sox road record by one game. If they are going to win a playoff series, home field will not matter. If they are going to lose one, it also won’t matter.The idea that home field matters to most teams in baseball is way overblown anyway. In a five game series each team is guaranteed a game or two in their home park. Even if they are down two going back home in a best of five, they will have the games at home to pull even if it actually matters. Really there is one team that it matters more for than any other and they are not even in the American League. Home field advantage or not, the Athletics will be a handful for anyone they face.– David Miller, Rant Sports"
"Kevin Hogan picked apart Washington State, throwing for 286 yards and three touchdowns, and No. 5 Stanford won its 12th straight with a 55-17 rout of the Cougars on Saturday night.Hogan connected with Devon Cajuste on touchdowns of 57 and 33 yards in the first half then found Michael Rector on a 45-yard TD during a third-quarter blitz where the Cardinal scored 21 points as part of a stretch where they ran just two offensive plays.– Associated Press"