Day One
Day One : Those were the words at the top of today’s workout schedule, posted on the bulletin board outside the Giants’ clubhouse.
Today was the first day that the full team worked out together. There was a closed-door team meeting at 10:30 this morning. It had been scheduled to start at 10, with workouts beginning at 10:30. But the field was covered with frost, so everything was pushed back to allow the sun time to warm up the grass.
A few notes from the clubhouse:
- Jeremy Affeldt will be starting a video blog called The Set-Up on the Giants’ website. He’s one of the funniest guys in baseball. Check out his video on Comcast SportsNet Bay Area from earlier this week. You’ll get a taste for what his vlog will be like when it starts sometime next month.
- Affeldt is a big believer in chemistry on a team. He says chemistry was the key to Colorado reaching the World Series when he played there in 2007 “This team is as close to Colorado as I’ve been on. We have a lot of fun together. Lots of inside jokes.” He said it helps the team’s chemistry when the main star of the team, Tim Lincecum, is a good guy. “It’s like Matt Holliday in Colorado. He was a good family man. Really humble. You always see Lincecum signing autographs. He has so much fun when he plays. Timmy brings that dynamic. He reminds you that the game is supposed to be fun.”
- Thomas Neal, the 22-year-old minor-leaguer, is here in his first major-league camp. But he is very familiar to manager Bruce Bochy. Neal played with Bochy’s son on a traveling team in Poway, in Southern California. The two young men are still good friends, and Neal has spent many an afternoon and evening at the Bochy home. ”(Bochy’s wife) and my mom are pretty good friends,” Neal says.
- Neal has another major-league connection: He went to his high school prom with Tony Gwynn’s daughter.
- On a day-to-day basis, no one – other than perhaps Pablo Sandoval – is happier in the clubhouse than reliever Sergio Romo. He couldn’t wait to get to camp and back on the field. “I have such an appreciation of where I’m at,” he said. “I do enjoy what I do.” He said he feels invincible when he stares in at a batter. When I’m out on the mound, it’s the only place I’m not 5 feet 10.”
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Anyone else having trouble viewing the videos? I’ve clicked on various videos and have received nada each time.
I’m running Windows XP and Firfox 3.5.8
I’ve got Windows XP and the video ran fine for me. I just clicked on it and it took less than a minute to buffer up and play. Good video by Jeremy Affeldt. He’s like a thinking man’s BeeWheezie… ;=]
Jeremy Affeldt is hilarious! I’m so excited to more of his video blogs.
I love that the Giants have such a great team chemistry, and I hope it gets even better this year! That is really cool that Thomas Neal has so many connections to major league players. I’m looking forward to him being an important part of our team in a few years. I love Sergio Romo’s enthusiasm and he always seems to be happy and in a good mood. I never realized he was that short! Thanks so much for the little tidbits about the Giants, I really enjoy reading this blog. 
–Lauren
Does anyone here wanna see Aurilia on Yankees? I am working out with him daily hoping he ******* the Yankees.