We admit it; it's our fault they were swept. The boys break down the dismal offense, the good pitching and the outstanding play of Heliot Ramos in the Twins series. Then they declare that its "Not Early Anymore" and take overdue stands on the first base situation, the Birdsong and Harrison miss-use, and the closer controversy. (Wait, I thought Ben said there isn't a closer controversy?)

Our new cocktail podcast, The Perfect Sip, is on hiatus but new episodes are in production. (Yeah, it's taking a long time ... life, you know?) If you haven't listened yet, you can catch up here: https://the-perfect-sip.captivate.fm/listen

Speaking of cocktails, today Ben is drinking a Big Mama Osa's Magical Elixr while Matthew is drinking a Negroni to pay for his Cardinals/Goldschmitt jersey crime. Recipes below.

• 3 oz Orange Juice
• 3 oz Sparkling White Wine
• 1 shot vodka (or whiskey, rum, gin, brandy, moonshine, etc.)
• Add spirit to a champagne flute. Top with chilled orange juice. Top with chilled sparkling white wine. Imagine a world where you don’t have to cook dinner or pick up dirty socks. Wouldn’t that be nice.

• 1 oz London Dry Gin
• 1 oz Campari
• 1 oz Sweet Vermouth
• Large Orange Twist for garnish
• Combine gin, Campari and sweet vermouth in a mixing glass with ice. Stir until just chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over a large single chunk of ice. Express orange twist over glass and put twist in glass. Good luck.

#doitforginny

Subtitle: Giants Tame the Cubs; No Cubs Were Harmed During the Playing of the Baseball ... Except for Ryan Pressly who was definitely psychologically traumatized. Our zoologists revel in the series victory over the Cubs including Tuesday's historic Verlandering. And Matthew tries to get Ben to admit that the Giants are just good. No buts, no regressing to the mean, no Outs Above Average.

Our new cocktail podcast, The Perfect Sip, is on hiatus but new episodes are in production. (Yeah, it's taking a long time ... life, you know?) If you haven't listened yet, you can catch up here: https://the-perfect-sip.captivate.fm/listen

Speaking of cocktails, today Matthew is drinking an Alabazam while Ben is drinking a Spiced Bourbon Ginger Highball Recipes below.

• 1 1/2 oz Cognac
• 1/2 oz Cointreau
• 3/4 oz Lemon Juice
• 1/2 oz Semi-Rich Simple Syrup
• 1 barspoonful of Angostura Bitters
• Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake 10-12 seconds. Double strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

• 1 1/2 - 2 oz Spice Bourbon (Bourbon steeped with spices of your choice for 8-24 hour)
• 3-5 oz Ginger Beer
• Add spiced bourbon to a highball glass and fill with ice. Top with chilled Ginger Beer.

#doitforginny

The Willy vibes have been great but this is even better. Our mountaineers break down the Rockies series including the continuing rise of Willy Adames and the surge of ... checks notes ... Luis Matos?! They also discuss the position player depth problem and what can be done about it mid season; Trades? Call ups? Or is it just "hope they get better"? Oh no. It's the last one, isn't it?

Our new cocktail podcast, The Perfect Sip, is on hiatus but new episodes are in production. (Yeah, it's taking a long time ... life, you know?) If you haven't listened yet, you can catch up here: https://the-perfect-sip.captivate.fm/listen

Speaking of cocktails, today Ben is drinking a Bantha Milk Margarita while Matthew is drinking a Binary Sunset. Recipes below.

• 2 oz Tequila
• 1/4 oz blue Curacao
• 1/2 oz Cream of Coconut
• 1/2 oz lime juice
• 1/2 oz pineapple juice
• Combine all of the ingredients in shaker with ice and shake until chilled. Strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice. Garnish with pineapple fronds.

• 1 1/2 oz Reposado Tequila
• 3/4 oz Aperol
• 1/2 oz Cinnamon Syrup
• 1/2 oz Lime Juice
• 1/4 oz Grand Marnier
• 1/4 tsp Grenadine
• Prepare chilled cocktail glass by adding Grenadine to bottom of glass. Add remaining ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake for 10-12 seconds. Double strain into a cocktail shaker with ice. Garnish with a lime wheel and orange wheel.

#doitforginny

Well, that was a dose of reality. Our chagrined hosts reluctantly review the Padres series the good, the bad and the inadequate. Then they turn their gaze to the starting pitchers. Have the boys been too hard on them? No. But it might not be anyone's fault.

Our new cocktail podcast, The Perfect Sip, is on hiatus but new episodes are in production. (Yeah, it's taking a long time ... life, you know?) If you haven't listened yet, you can catch up here: https://the-perfect-sip.captivate.fm/listen

Speaking of cocktails, today Matthew is drinking a Hotel Room Old Fashioned while Ben is drinking a San Diego Margarita Recipes below.

• 1 Airplane bottle of bourbon
• 2-3 packs of sugar from the hotel room coffee
• Splash of strong hotel coffee
• Brew hotel coffee with a small amount of water to make coffee extra strong. Combine with sugar to make syrup. Add to a glass with ice and add bourbon. Stir for 30 seconds and drink quickly. (Ben's addition: maybe pinch your nose while you drink?)

• 2 oz Blanco Tequila
• 1/2 oz Curacao
• 3/4 oz Lime Juice
• Shake it. Strain it. Rocks glass, fresh ice. No Salt. Because San Diego has nothing to be salty about.

#doitforginny

Well that was fun! The brothers try to catch their breaths after Heliot Ramos' wild run around the bases as they break down the Rangers series. Later they reflect on the first 1/6th of the season (I'm not calling it a month, no matter what Ben says); what went well, what could be better and what it means for the rest of the season.

Our new cocktail podcast, The Perfect Sip, is on hiatus but new episodes are in production. (Yeah, it's taking a long time ... life, you know?) If you haven't listened yet, you can catch up here: https://the-perfect-sip.captivate.fm/listen

Speaking of cocktails, today Ben is drinking The Texas Abyss while Matthew is drinking a Chocolate Old Fashioned. Recipes below.

• 4 oz Dark Rum
• 1 oz Lemonhart 151 Rum
• 3/4 oz Mr. Black’s
• 4 dashes chocolate bitters
• Combine all ingredients in mixing glass with ice. Stir well to desired dilution. (A lot, you want a lot.) Strain into a rocks glass with a single large chunk of ice. Garnish with an orange twist.

• 2 oz Bourbon or Rye
• 1/2 oz Creme de Cacao
• 1/4 oz Demerara Gum Syrup
• 2 Dashes Chocolate Bitters
• 2 Dashes Angostura Bitters
• Orange Peel for Garnish
• Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice. Stir for 30 seconds. Strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice (preferably a large block). Express orange peel oils over drink and drop peel into the glass.

#doitforginny

There is no closer controversy! Our worrywarts break down the Brewers series (Birdsong! Doval! WILMER! Adames? Hicks? WALKER?!) and then ask the questions:

• Are the Giants fielding their best roster?
• What will it take for young starters like Hayden Birdsong, Kyle Harrison and Carson Wisenhunt to get a shot?
• Why are the Giants using Sean Hjelle to dominate washed up AAAA players?
• Will Christian Koss become our new closer? (OK, maybe not that one.)

Our new cocktail podcast, The Perfect Sip, is on hiatus but new episodes are in production. (Yeah, it's taking a long time ... life, you know?) If you haven't listened yet, you can catch up here: https://the-perfect-sip.captivate.fm/listen

Speaking of cocktails, today Matthew is drinking a Wounded Tiki while Ben is drinking a Nasty Brew. Recipes below.

• 1 oz Aged Rum
• 1/2 oz Reposado Tequila
• 1/4 oz Allspice Dram
• 1/2 oz Cointreau
• 3/4 oz Lime Juice
• 1/2 oz Orgeat
• Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake for 12-15 seconds. Strain into a tiki or Collin’s glass with crushed ice. Garnish with mint and a lime wheel.

• 1 oz Blanco Tequila
• 1 oz Benedictine
• 3-4 oz Ginger Beer or Club Soda
• Combine the tequila and benedictine in a highball glass with no ice. Stir well to combine. Add ice and top with the ginger beer or soda. (Don't use the ginger beer, it's too sweet.)

#doitforginny

Well, that sucked. The brothers gamely break down the Angels series including the resurgence of the starting rotation, the return of David Villar, and Ryan Walker's first blown save. They then take a deep breath and look at the big picture by breaking down the the strengths, weaknesses and unknowns of the 2025 Giants.

Our new cocktail podcast, The Perfect Sip, is on hiatus but new episodes are in production. (Yeah, it's taking a long time ... life, you know?) If you haven't listened yet, you can catch up here: https://the-perfect-sip.captivate.fm/listen

Speaking of cocktails, today Ben is drinking a Fruit Punch to the Nuts while Matthew is drinking a Bitter End (aka Limelight). Recipes below.

• 1 part Cognac
• 1/2 part Banana Liqueur
• 1/2 part Amaretto
• 2 parts Pineapple Juice
• 1/2 part Lime Juice
• Ginger ale for splashing
• Combine cognac, banana liqueur, Amaretto, pineapple juice and lime juice in a container and stir aggressively. Chill until cold. Serve over ice and provide ginger ale for an optional splash on top.

• 2 oz Bourbon
• 1/2 oz Lime Juice
• 3/4 oz Simple Syrup
• 3/4 oz Pineapple Juice
• 3 Dashes Orange Bitters
• 1 oz Campari
• Pinch of Ground Cinnamon for Garnish
• Add all ingredients but the Campari and cinnamon to a cocktail shaker with ice. Meanwhile, prepare a rocks glass by pouring in the Campari and then adding ice. Next, shake the cocktail shaker for 10-12 seconds. Strain into the prepared glass by pouring it over a bar spoon to float it on top. Add pinch of Cinnamon. Enjoy.

#doitforginny

t.fitzgerald has joined the chat. Our mods discuss the offensive outburst of Tyler Fitzgerald as they break down the first 3 games of the Phillies series. Then it's a lightning round! Is the starting rotation OK? Is Randy Rodriguez's arm going to fall off? Is Ben getting a new tattoo? Has anyone seen Luis Matos, Christian Koss or Sam Huff? All that and of course a Wilmer Flores fact. See you inside.

Our new cocktail podcast, The Perfect Sip, is on hiatus but new episodes are in production. (Yeah, it's taking a long time ... life, you know?) If you haven't listened yet, you can catch up here: https://the-perfect-sip.captivate.fm/listen

Speaking of cocktails, today Matthew is drinking a Bailey Sour while Ben is drinking a Rusty Banana. Recipes below.

• 1 1/2 oz Fireball Whiskey
• 1/2 oz Bourbon
• 3/4 oz Lemon Juice
• 1/2 oz Cinnamon Simple Syrup
• 1 Dash Orange Bitters
• Optional: Egg White
• Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker. If using the egg white, shake all of the ingredients without ice for 10 seconds. Add ice and then shake for another 10 seconds. Double strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.

• 1 oz Stiggin’s Fancy Pineapple
• 1 oz Rye Whiskey
• 1 oz Banana Liqueur
• Combine all three ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir until well chilled. Strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice. Garnish it with a banana peel or something more appropriate. Pineapple probably.
• Oh, it's called a Rusty Banana because it's a riff on the Rusty Nail. Ben forgot to say that in the show.