Baseball Is Back San Francisco
Photo: Unsplash
It’s that time of the year San Francisco. Time to dust off those mitts, them croix de candlestick buttons and your best in Orange and Black. Baseball season is upon us today in the great city we call home. The smell of the grass, the dogs, the beers, the ‘he’s a bum’ chants, and meeting friends you never knew you had. Get ready for me section 138. It’s another season kicking off at Third and King and I’ll be rolling in with the Perry’s crew (of Perry’s Restaurant) holding down the bleachers for opening day.
Before I get to the real nerd stuff of the lineup, the bullpen, off-season additions, and our new manager Bo Mel. I’ll keep the casual reader afloat by throwing the ‘what’s new at the park for 2024’ virtual life preserver.
Get yur ‘BAS SF SPORTSBALL T’ here
First off, I would be remiss if I didn’t tip my hat to the legend Renel Brooks-Moon. This will be the first and most notable change at the ballpark. I came up listening to Renel on KMEL. She has been the public address announcer for three World Series championships, every record-breaking Barry Bonds homerun, and Matt Cain’s perfect game. She has been the only voice we have ever known at Pac Bell/Oracle Park. Thank you Renel, you are a legend and will be missed.
Ok, Ok. On to the food. The brats and Crazy Crab sandwiches are a staple. A right of passage if you will like a basket of Gilroy Garlic Fries. A Slice of North Beaches own Tony Gemignani’s signature pepperoni pizza might be the best deal at the yard for the buck. But there are some new kids in town starting with Chef Chang and his OG Chicken Sandwich. After serving up Sandos in the Bronx at Yankee Stadium David Chang is bringing his habanero-brined “Fuku” fried chicken sandwich to the West Coast.
It wouldn’t be San Francisco without Dungeness Crab. Cove Crab Noodles can be found with me in the bleachers. Green tea soba noodles with crab, shitake mushrooms and a spicy chile crunch will give the crab lover in all of us yet another option in section 142. Say what’s up to my man Joe for me who has been holding down Bay Side Brews for over a decade while you are out there. For those with the sweet tooth, a waffle cone sundae in the shape of a mitt will now fix that itch. Just don’t forget to save your souvenir baseball helmet cup.
Giants unveil new food items, features this season at Oracle Park
It doesn’t stop there. The Giants have renovated the lighting and sound system to feature fully programmable LED’s and spotlights. Can you imagine Robb Nen as he walked out to “Smoke on the Water” with a WWF spotlight focused on him like he was coming into the ring? Or how about all of us losing our minds after a few drinks deep dancing to “El Machon” when Sergio Romo takes the mound to a laser light show. Get ready San Francisco it’s coming.
Ok, the rest of you are officially dismissed. I’ll make this quick for the nerd stuff. By now most have heard of our big offseason signings, Jung Hoo Lee from the KBO, Matt Chapman, Jorge Soler and Blake Snell the reigning CY Young winner. Lee has proved clutch when hits are needed and has been a solid everyday centerfielder, a breath of fresh air vs. the platoons of old. Soler has been batting .280 with 3 RBI’s and 2 HR’s but more impressively has accounted for 7 runs scored.
Matt Chapman has been solid at 3rd and has shown some pop behind the plate but the standout thus far has been Michael Conforto. Conforto is currently leading the team in batting average .370, HR’s 3, and RBI’s with 9. This dude came into 2024 ready to play. Another head turner has been relief pitchers Ryan Walker and rookie Landen Roupp who have been absolutely solid out of the bullpen. There is a lot to be optimistic about Humm Baby fans.
Bo Mel is back in the Bay and seems to be bringing his old-school vibes to the dugout. A big change from Gabe Kaplar. This season is going to shape up to be a fun one, and I look forward to seeing you all at the yard. So let’s go food, let’s go chants and most importantly Let’s Go Giants! PSA we still don’t do the wave that remains the same.
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