SF Giants 2010 Opening Day!

The Opening Day for the Giants in San Francisco is as much about fashion and food as baseball. In orange and black outfits, and panda costumes aka Pablo 'Panda' Sandoval, it's a day for fans to dress as sporting glitterati.

And while the city have just named every Monday 'Vegetarian Day,' they might just as well call this 'Giants' Sick Day!' Alongside the ballpark, with just under two hours to go to the Opening Pitch, fans crowded onto outside tables at the newly-opened Mejita restaurant. There, the first request for a pic set the scene, being met with concerned and hasty denial.

'No! 'I'm playing hooky and I don't want anyone to see me!' said a lady, as she tucked into a plate of Mexican food with three friends.

Around the corner, people were streaming onto the Willie Mays Plaza, and staff were doing a great job in ushering what would be almost 43,000 fans through the massive, dark-green gates, including carrying out bag searches. Free calendars were being handed out, too, at the entrances.

Inside the teeming ballpark, Sara, though, had no such qualms of 'sick day!' as she sported a panda hat and number 48 shirt of Pablo Sandoval.

'I'm partial to his number. We sit just past third base so we get to see him close up,' she said. But she's also a huge fan of him apart from his number. 'He's a great guy! We've spoken to him and he's signed autographs for us,' she said.

A born and bred San Franciscan, she's a third generation Giants' fan.

On John's head was a shiny history of the Giants encapsulated in the badges pinned to his cap. Covering the years from 1988, they are mostly of opening days, but two specials are Barry Bonds' 500th home run and the 2002 World Series.

'I love it, this is my 24th consecutive opening day,' he said. A fan since 1951, and living 70 miles south of the city, he has high hopes.

'I think we may see a play-off for this year,' he said.

Such was Michelle's enthusiasm to be there, she had    flown in overnight from Indiana, leaving at 3.30 am ET and half-an-hour past midnight, San Francisco time.

'I had heard about the 10th Anniversary and I'm going to all three games in the series,' she said.

Strings of orange beads matched her carefully-teamed outfit. 'I'm a huge fan, ever since this ballpark opened up,' she said.

Ken has been a fan for much longer, with memories going back to Candlestick Park from where the Giants moved ten years ago.

'I remember when I was younger and in school and summer school, and we would go on trips to the ballpark,' he said.

The difference between the AT & T Park and Candlestick?

'Less windy!' he said.

The official celebrations for the 10th Anniversary of the opening of the AT & T Park take place on Sunday with a reunion with some of the 2000 National League West Division Championship team, including Barry Bonds - pic of team displayed on jumbotron

Bobby, from San Francisco, was orange and black from head to toe.  On his seventh Opening Day extravaganza, he had brought his four-year-old son with him for his first!

Confident about the Giants making the play-offs, he was hopeful of a place in the World Series and his favourite player is Tim Lincecum.

Will he be buying a newly-designed Lincecum wig with its trademark long black hair?

He will. His orange and black wig is soon to be consigned to history.
'This one is three years old and I'm going to update it!' he said.

SF Giants Opening Day in San Francisco!

It's been the sickest - discreet cough! - and one of the happiest days in San Francisco. 'High fives' were finally raised in jubilation as the Giants won their opening home game against the Atlanta Braves after an epic 13 innings in a record-breaking near four-and-a-quarter hours.

It was a tier-hanger of a game in front of a sell-out 42,940 crowd, with the winning score achieved by Aaron Rowand's batting and a sprawling dive-for-life onto first base, and a home-run by Juan Uribe. It gave the Giants a 5-4 victory, played out in glorious sunshine and temperatures in the 70s.

The ceremonial opening pitch, a well-kept secret, was thrown by 49er and Hall of Famer Jerry Rice to his former team mate and fellow Hall of Famer, Steve Young.

But the game hung perilously in the balance several times over. With the clock ticking to 4.45 pm, the Braves had the bases loaded. On their feet, Giants fans noisily willed on their pitchers, first Brian Wilson - 'shut this guy down Wilson!' - and then Sergio Romo. The danger passed with John Bowker catching out a Braves player.

Then it was the Giants' turn to be so near yet so far! Pablo Sandoval made it to third base but not beyond.

At 5.25 pm the Braves manager Bobby Cox, came out onto the pitch to argue with an umpire. 'Get him out!' booed the fans as the manager was ejected. Again the Braves made it to to third base, but pitcher Jeremy Affeldt saved the day.

Good pitching from Affeldt?

'Of course! No runs, it's beautiful!' said fan, Troy.

By mid-afternoon the Giants had been trailing 4-0. At around 3.30 pm, Jason - pic left - commented of their play, 'I'm a little disappointed for the home team but there's still plenty of time for us to win. Hope springs eternal on Opening Day!'

His words couldn't have been truer. Minutes later Rowand and Edgar Renteria made the first home runs of the 2010 season at the AT & T ballpark.

In the ninth inning, Renteria made a home-run and Velez also scored which caused the stadium to erupt and opened up opportunity with extra innings. The time was 4.20 pm.

For David - on right -  Man of the Match was 'the whole team of the Giants,' while Troy singled out Rowand.

Sitting next to me was Sharon - she didn't want her pic taken - whose favourite player is Rowand. He hadn't let her down, catching a player out  as well as his home-run.

'He was great!' she said. Sitting high up in the Arcade with our backs to McCovey Cove, we had bought the very last two tickets for the entire stadium late yesterday afternoon - not counting ticket 'scalpers'.

She works in LA - 'I've a co-worker who's a huge Braves fan!' - and was in town visiting family. Once a year she sees the the Giants, and this is her first opening game. She'd picked the ideal game.

17th Annual KNBR 680 Giants FanFest - 2

Fans of the San Francisco Giants today were celebrating the approach of the 2010 season at the 17th Annual KNBR 680 Giants FanFest - see previous blog

For infielder Pablo Sandoval as he sat in one of the autograph booths, he not only met a fan, but one who looks like him!

'I've been told left and right I look like Pablo,' said Adan of San Francisco as he waited in line. And sure enough, even as he neared the table, one of

the Giants' staff glanced at him and said, 'You look similar to Pablo!'

Adan seems to be making baseball look-alikes the story of his life. Before Pablo, it was catcher Bengie Molina. Perhaps he has simply grown to be like them as he has been a fan 'since I was a little tiny one.'

'I was a Barry Bonds fan for a long time,' he said.

pics also of  Ryan Rohlinger & Manny Burriss

Esther, from the Bay Area, is also a 'Panda Bear' Sandoval fan, though she hadn't yet collected his autograph.
She's been a Giants fan since she was little. Her hopes for the season are 'A lot of wins. Just like they say, "Win, Baby!"'

Ashlee of San Jose and Taryn of the Bay Area were waiting in expectation at an empty autograph table, not knowing who was about to fill it.

Ashlee named Kevin Frandsen as her favourite player 'because he's from the Bay Area. He's a great player,' while Taryn plumped for 'Timmy'.

And $13 million? 'He's worth every penny!' they chorused.

Minutes later, they were excitedly collecting autographs from Dan Runzler, Alex Hinshaw and Buster Posey. (Taryn lt, Ashlee rt)

Tickets were also on sale today, with an offer of selected seats for as low as $5.

'Baseball is the best bargain you can get - for sports tickets!' said Rich from Marin County. He was up on the second tier, trying out the seats he, his brother Wayne, of San Francisco and friend, Mike, of Vallejo, had purchased. 

A single ticket where he was sitting costs $34, but in front of him were seats on sale for $2,772 for the season.

Great value, considering there are over 160 games to a season, and compared to football at $100 a game, thought Rich.

Rich is originally from Baltimore and moved to San Francisco in 1974. But his roots with the Giants go back to the 1950s.

'I have always followed Willie Mays. Willie Mays made me a Giants fan,' he said.

His prediction for this season? '86 to 90 game wins. We won about 86 last year. I don't think there will be much difference from last year.'  pic: top, Wayne, lt, Mike, rt, & Rich

cont in next blog