In this midweek review our charlatans update their predictions of the Giants final record, whether they'll make the playoffs, and how long the dream rotation will last. Later they get down to trade talk. Who can be traded for for prospects? Who would be worth getting for selling the farm?

In the lightning round Matthew goes fishing, Ben enjoys some music, and the greatest closer in Minnesota Twins history is discussed.

On the cocktail side of things Ben is drinking a Ben's Stiggy while Matthew is drinking a Maple Old Fashioned. Recipes below.

Ben's Stiggy

• 2 oz Plantation Stiggins Pineapple Rum
• 1 oz Banane du Bresil
• 4-5 oz Sprite

Add all ingredients to highball with ice. Stir gently. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Maple Old Fashioned

• 2 oz Bourbon
• 1/4 oz Maple Syrup
• 3-4 dashes Black Walnut Bitters
• Garnish with cherry and orange twist

Add ingredients to mixing glass with ice. Stir 30 seconds or until well-chilled. Strain into a rock glass with fresh ice. Add garnish.

It's time for the second "half"! But first our mathematicians are taking the time to take stock of the first "half". They review the 97 games so far by reviewing their Opening Day predictions. Then they get touchy-feely and talk about how they feel about the 2024 San Francisco Giants, but first the let Farhan Zaidi have his say.

On the cocktail side of things Matthew is drinking a Big Missile while Ben is drinking a Fryer Tom. Recipes below.

Big Missile

• 2 oz White Rum
• 1/2 oz Peach Liqueur
• 1 oz Lime Juice
• 3/4 oz Strawberry Syrup
• 2 dashes Cherry Bitters

Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake for 10-15 seconds, until well-chilled. Double strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a lime wheel.

Fryer Tom

• 1 1/2 oz Old Tom Gin
• 1/2 oz Benedictine
• 1 oz Lime Juice
• 1/2 oz of Simple Syrup

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake until chilled. Strain into a stemmed cocktail glass and garnish with a lime wheel.

The Giants are finally younger and more athletic. It only took half a season. In this mid-week review our modernists discuss the departures of Austin Slater and Nick Ahmed, what it means for Luis Matos, Brett Wisely, and Tyler Fitzgerald. They also rejoice in the first good game from Mr. Second Half, Blake Snell.

In the lightning round Ben talks to his food, Matthew makes drunken trade suggestions, and they irrationally predict the All-Star game.

On the cocktail side of things Ben phones it in with a Coke & Rye while Matthew presents an original the Giant Splash. Recipes below.

Coke & Rye

• Coca-Cola or some other cane sugar cola
• 100 proof Rye Whiskey
• All of your gumption

Fill a highball with ice, add as much rye as your gumption will allow, top with cola.

Splash Hit

• 2 oz Aquavit
• 1 oz Cinnamon Simple Syrup
• 1/2 oz Lemon Juice
• 1/2 oz Cointreau

Chili Davis has company! In this episode our astronauts celeberate the Giants TWO All-Star selections Logan Webb and Heliot Ramos, ask if Patrick Bailey was snubbed (obviously!), and discuss if the returns Harrison, Snell, and Ray has come soon enough.

On the cocktail side of things Ben is drinking a Drunken Gnome while Matthew is drinking a Kentucky River--a small part of one anyway. Recipes below.

Drunken Gnome

• 2 oz Tequila
• 1 oz Ginger Syrup
• 1 oz Lime Juice
• 3 rings of Serrano
• Garnish: Candied Ginger and Serrano chili tip (careful, spicy!)

Muddle the Serrano rings with a splash of the ginger syrup in a shaker. Add ice and the remaining ingredients to the shaker and shake until chilled. Double strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice. Add two pieces of candied ginger to a cocktail pick and at the tip of a Serrano to the end of the pick. Place garnish tip side up directly in glass with tip perched on the side of the glass.

Kentucky River

• 2 oz Bourbon (Buffalo Trace)
• 1/2 oz Creme de Cacao
• 3 Dashes Peach Bitters
• Garnish: Lemon Peel

Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice. Stir until well-chilled. Strain into a chilled rocks glass over a large chunk of ice. Garnish with a lemon peel.

The future is mediocre, but that's a good thing! In this midweek review our prognosticators ponder the future near and far. Who will be the Giants All-Stars? Are we seeing 2/3 of next year's outfield in Matos & Ramos? Can Hayden Birdsong hold out until reinforcements arrive? Then they look to the second half of the season. Will those reinforcements be enough to outshine the middle place offense?

Also in the lightning round Ben eats other people's pizza, Matthew hedges his bets, and lightning strikes twice.

On the cocktail side of things Ben is drinking an Orange You Glad .... while Matthew is drinking a Heartfelt Confession. Recipes Below.

Orange You Glad ....

• 1 oz White rum
• 1/2 oz Passionfruit liqueur
• 1/2 oz Apricot liqueur
• 2 oz Pineapple juice
• Club Soda

Box (pour back and forth between two containers) the rum, liqueurs and pineapple juice and pour into a highball filled with ice. Top with club soda. Stir once to distribute the bubbles.

Heartfelt Confession

• 1.5 oz London Dry Gin
• 1/2 oz Yellow Chartreuse
• 1/2 oz Lemon Juice
• 1/2 oz Simple Syrup
• 2 Dashes Cherry Bitters
• Absinthe for rinse

Rinse chilled coupe glass with absinthe. Add gin, chartreuse, lemon juice, simple syrup, and cherry bitters to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until well chilled. Strain into absinthe-rinsed glass. Garnish with a lemon juice.

Dodgers suck! In this episode the our hosts relish in the long overdue series victory over the Evil Empire, give out mid-season awards, call out some under performers and celebrate the life and career of Giants legend and Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda.

On the cocktail side of things Matthew is drinking an Elder Fashioned while Ben is drinking a Giant Banana. Recipes below.

Elder Fashioned

• 2 oz Gin (Plymouth preferred)
• 1/2 oz St. Germain
• 2 dashes Orange Bitters

Build in a rocks glass filled with ice. Garnish with a Grapefruit twist.

Giant Banana

• 1 oz Gin
• 1 oz Sweet Vermouth
• 1/2 oz Campari
• 1/2 oz Banana Liqueur

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir to desired dilution. Strain into a rocks glass with a large chunk of ice.

The sweet relief of a solid debut. In today's episode our ornithologists sing the praises of Hayden Birdsong and his major league debut. They also celebrate the 3 game winning streak with some ridiculous trade talk. Also in the lightning round Matthew makes Ben accept boredom, they debate who will hit 29 home runs this year, and then put unreasonable expectations on Hayden Birdsong.

On the cocktail side of things Ben is drinking a Martinez while Matthew is drinking a Youra Banana. Recipes below.

Martinez

• 1 1/2 oz Gin
• 1 1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth
• 1/4 oz Marischino Liqueur
• 2 dashes Angostura Bitters

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir to desired dilution. Strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with 3 Luxardo Cherries.

Youra Banana

• 1 1/2 oz Cognac
• 3/4 oz Banana Liqueur
• 1/2 oz Crème de Cacao
• 1/4 oz Averna
• 1 dash chocolate bitters

Stir all ingredients for 30 seconds in a mixing glass with ice. Strain into a Nick and Nora glass. Garnish with with a banana slice and a brandied cherry.

Yes! Probably. Well, maybe. Today our investigators decide if the Giants are a good baseball team or a bad baseball team. They identify every flaw and discover difficult truths. But they also find signs that there is a stirring in the ashes. Maybe the Giants can still be mediocre, and maybe that's enough.

On the cocktail side of things Mathew is drinking a Dancing Naranja while Ben is drinking a Blood and Sand. Recipes Below.

Dancing Naranja

• 1 1/2 oz White Rum
• 1/2 Cognac
• 1/2 oz Orange Liqueur (Grand Marnier)
• 1/2 oz Strawberry Syrup
• 3/4 oz Lime Juice
• 2 Dashes Peychaud’s Bitters

Add, shake and strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a lime wheel and/or strawberry slice.

Blood and Sand

• 1 oz Blended Scotch
• 1 oz Cherry Heering Liqueur
• 1 oz Sweet Vermouth
• 1 oz Orange Juice

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake until chilled. Double strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with 3 Luxardo cherries.