My San Francisco Giants have had the pleasure of going most of the season without me penning at least 10 end-of-the-world columns in which I disparage this player or that, take Brian Sabean’s name in vain, and curse Bruce Bochy for his … being him.
Football has been on my mind, as you can tell. Along with Tim, we’ve been on football nonstop since two months ago. Last month, we wrote 22 football posts. That’s crazy. (Also, I think it’s the most we’ve ever written in the blog in one month. Chalk half of it up to our Super Bowl predictions, which are getting crazier every day.) But now I’ve got to focus in on what’s important: The National League Wildcard race.
(Yes, the start of the NFL season is going to be my No. 1 and I’ve still got two more fantasy football drafts to go, but I have to take into consideration a viable playoff chance for one of my favorite teams. Get off my back already!)
With Brad Penny riding in on a white horse, the Giants beat up on the defending World Series champions 4-0 Wednesday afternoon to edge the Giants closer to payday. He put in eight innings of bliss, making me still wonder — no, believe — that the Giants have the best five-man rotation in all of baseball and bats be damned, the team’s pitchers are going to will them into October.
It’s the only way.
The Giants have to get beyond the fact that guys like Nate Schierholtz, Fred Lewis and Emmanuel Burris are never gonna bat in the .300′s. And if they do, which I thought was plausible for Mr. Lewis, they can still very well be a detriment to the team as a fielder.
And yet, guys like Randy Winn just keep on plugging. Bengie Molina just keeps managing his pitchers well and Pablo Sandoval quietly continues to murder white leather balls. It’s been a pasty dry offense, keeping the Giants in the chase but constantly fighting its way out of mediocrity. Enter Freddy Sanchez to help, Buster Posey and [insert name here].
I’m tired of that argument. Let’s fight with what we have, because damn it, it’s all we’ve got and all we’re gonna get.
At 73-60 with 29 games to go, and the Colorado Rockies (74-59) ahead by 1 game, this could very well go down to the last series of the season. This is by far, no lame home run stretch. This is for the big show. Scott Ostler, SF Chronicle columnist, said as much as well. This September is no throw away:
Managing general partner Bill Neukom, in a recent radio interview, referred to this as a “rebuilding season.” No! Look at the standings, sir. It started out as a rebuilding season, but when you steam into September with a sweet shot at the playoffs, you have forfeited your right to play the “rebuilding” card. You must, within reason, go for it, even if the price of the next dice roll is $2 million.
You owe it to your fans and your players. And to the Big Giant in the Sky.
You hear that Neukom! Look at the standings:
National League Wildcard race as of Sept. 2, 2009.
We could very well waltz into October, so long as the Rockies start remembering who’s the boss. The Giants would have to cut through the Dodgers in two series, once through the Rockies, tackle the Brewers and off the Cubs and Diamonbacks. (I’m not even gonna mention the lowly Padres, those bastards.) That’s not too tough, but considering the team has been inconsistent all year long, don’t hold your breath.
So yeah, it’s do-or-die for the G-men. But there’s still hope and that’s really all that matters.
