Jeff Fletcher | June 21, 2009

It looks like the folks in Hollywood should have followed my advice about how to make “Moneyball” a more interesting movie. Instead, they just canned the thing. Production was to have begun on Monday, but Sony Pictures gave the project the axe.

According to the story, the latest version of the script didn’t sit well with the studio boss who approved the project in the first place. Brad Pitt and his people were reportedly going to try to find another studio to finance the movie. Pitt was scheduled to play Billy Beane.

Gotta say, I’m not surprised. I’d always wondered how such a seamhead story could be interesting to the mainstream movie-going public. Not nearly enough sex or violence.

Category: A's | 2 Comments »
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Jeff Fletcher | June 19, 2009

I’ve got a review of MLB.com’s At-Bat 2009 app for the iPhone over at FanHouse. Overall I think it’s a pretty darn neat app, for only 10 bucks. I’d certainly recommend it, although I wouldn’t suggest watching a whole three-hour game on it. The picture is also much better if you are connected via WiFi, rather than the 3G network.

See…

(more…)

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Jeff Fletcher | June 16, 2009

For those of you who haven’t abandoned me because of my technical problems, I’m sorry. I finally figured out what the problem was (it only affected users of Explorer 7), and I believe I’ve fixed it.

By the way, you ought to use Firefox. It’s way better.

Category: A's, Giants | 4 Comments »
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Jeff Fletcher | June 16, 2009

Got a piece over at FanHouse today on why I think it’s much more likely the A’s will trade Matt Holliday than keep him and take the compensation draft picks when he leaves. This isn’t exactly a revolutionary thought. Most smart baseball fans probably realized this was what was going to happen, but I’ve got a few specific reasons in there for why a trade makes more sense.

Category: A's | 3 Comments »
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Jeff Fletcher | June 16, 2009

Since I’m sure there are a few of you out there from Sonoma County who followed me from my days at the Press Democrat, I’ve got a little Brandon Morrow tidbit for you.

Morrow (Rancho Cotate High, Cal) is now back in the Mariners rotation, instead of the bullpen, as you know. Today I talked to a scout who sees a lot of the Mariners, and he said that the Mariners had planned to send Morrow back to Triple-A to become a starter, but the injury to Erik Bedard forced them to put him in the big league rotation.

It’s been a crazy couple years in the big leagues for Morrow, who has bounced several times between starting and relieving.

“They need to pick a spot and leave him alone,” the scout said. “I think it’s been really hard for him to go back and forth. I think they know that. In my own opinion a short role is better for him. He can blow it out and get in and out. He labors on all his best pitches. To me that screams a bullpen short role. They may know something I don’t. Maybe he doesn’t recover.”

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Jeff Fletcher | June 15, 2009

Next time you run into J.T. Snow somewhere in the Bay Area, try this: “Hey, J.T. nice job hitting .407 in the 2002 World Series.”

The Giants and playing the Angels, which means there will be inevitable replays of what has become Snow’s most memorable moment: saving little Darren Baker from possible annihilation by scooping him up as he ran out during play to grab a bat during Game 5 of the ’02 Series.

Yes, it’s a cute little moment. There’s certainly nothing bad about being remembered for that. (Bill Buckner wouldn’t mind it.) Snow’s issue, which I’ve discussed with him a few times, is that it seems that’s all people remember him for from that series. Snow hit .407 — best average by anyone other than Barry Bonds — and he had a hit in all seven games. He also won six Gold Gloves and played 15 seasons in the majors (not counting last year’s “cameo.”

That’s a pretty impressive resume to be overshadowed by one moment of babysitting.

So if you want to get on Snow’s good side, don’t mention it.

Category: Giants | 2 Comments »
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Jeff Fletcher | June 15, 2009

Plucked this from colleague Ed Price’s always-informative Sunday Brunch at FanHouse.

In the Giants’ effort to add a hitter, “All they’re doing is dangling [Jonathan] Sanchez out there,” said an official from another team. “Nobody wants Sanchez, and if Sanchez was pitching the way he could, [San Francisco] wouldn’t be talking about him either.” Sanchez has 43 walks in 57 2/3 innings.

As the loyal readers of my blog know, I have been a Sanchez cynic for a long time. The Giants should have traded him a long time ago, when some people still might have believed that he’d be able to make the most of all that “stuff.” Now they’re stuck with him.

That said, Sanchez is a fine option as a fifth starter. He’s better than most team’s No. 5 starter because he’s still got a chance to pitch a really good game every once in a while. He just is never (in my opinion) going to be consistent enough ever to be more than a No. 5.

Category: Giants | 7 Comments »
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