• Our friends over at Splashing Pumpkins were lucky (not in the sense that they were undeserving!) enough to attend Giants Media Day this week, and capture a candid video interview with Madison Bumgarner.  Among the topics discussed in this must-watch interview: the Verducci effect, the Giants’ new Showtime series, and his hitting prowess.

• At the beginning of the week, MiLB.com sat down for an interview with San Francisco Giants’ prospect – a fan favorite here at the Sombrero – Brandon Belt.  After just one year in the Minor Leagues, Belt was recently named the #26 prospect in baseball by MLB.com.  Considering how careful the Giants were with their development of Buster Posey, I really don’t know what to think of GM Brian Sabean’s claim that Belt could break camp with the parent club.

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#33 Kyle Drabek – Toronto Blue Jays

RHP

DOB: 12-8-87

ETA: 2011

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Let me start by saying congratulations to the Philadelphia Phillies for sneaking out of the bushes and assaulting the hopes and dreams of not one, but two franchises. My condolences to the Rangers, but nothing fills me with the Christmas spirit quite like seeing the Yankees fail. With that said, I’d like speak directly to the Phillies. Excuse me, dear reader, while I make a plea.

Dear Phillies,

Wow, Cliff Lee. Nice job. That means you’ve got the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner (Roy Halladay), a career 150-83 pitcher (Roy Oswalt), the ’08 NLCS and WS MVP (Cole Hamels), and now a man who had a 10.28 K/BB ratio last year (Lee). However, all that talent comes at a price. Those four alone will be raking in over 55 million dollars of your money next year (I think. My math is awful). But I have a cost-cutting solution that will benefit both of us…

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The Golden Sombrero presents Rookie Card Corner: Roy Halladay 1997 Bowman

Fun Fact: As a boy, Roy was an avid card collector.  His most treasured cards were Roger Clemens, Nolan Ryan, and Dale Murphy.

Stan Musial Award (MVP)

National League:
First Place Vote – Joey Votto (Cincinnati)
Second Place Vote – Carlos Gonzalez (Colorado)
Third Place Vote – Albert Pujols (St. Louis)
Fourth Place Vote – Adrian Gonzalez (San Diego)
Fifth Place Vote – Troy Tulowitzki (Colorado)
Sixth Place Vote – Aubrey Huff (San Francisco)
Seventh Place Vote – Jason Heyward (Atlanta)
Eighth Place Vote – Roy Halladay (Philadelphia)
Ninth Place Vote – Jay Bruce (Cincinnati)
Tenth Place Vote – Ryan Zimmerman (Washington)

American League:
First Place Vote – Josh Hamilton (Texas)
Second Place Vote – Miguel Cabrera (Detroit)
Third Place Vote – Evan Longoria (Tampa Bay)
Fourth Place Vote – Paul Konerko (Chicago)
Fifth Place Vote – Robinson Cano (New York)
Sixth Place Vote – Delmon Young (Minnesota)
Seventh Place Vote – Carl Crawford (Tampa Bay)
Eighth Place Vote – Jose Bautista (Toronto)
Ninth Place Vote – Joe Mauer (Minnesota)
Tenth Place Vote – Adrian Beltre (Boston)