If You Counted The Giants Out Last Week…
Credit: ESPN.
All the stupid fans on Twitter and all the commentators on Baseball Tonight said it was the beginning of the end for the San Francisco Giants after Ryan Spilborghs hit a walk-off in extra innings.
Well, fuck you. Yes, that game probably damaged some morale on the Giants, after Barry Zito pitched incredibly well and watched his decision fly away as the bullpen ruined it for him. But, whoever said that the wild-card was the Rockies’ to lose, fuck you.
I was gleeful when I found out the Giants had tied up the wild-card lead yesterday on the ESPN scoreboard, with an Edgar Renteria grand slam, no less. With Freddy Sanchez who was supposed to improve the offense by leaps and bounds with his mid-season acquisition, on the DL, the Giants’ offense is still anemic. But their starters realize that, and are trying to make as few mistakes as possible to preserve 1-0 or 2-1 wins. Randy Johnson is thinking of heading back to AT&T Park as a reliever, which is wonderfully enigmatic, since there’s no clue whether or not he could be effective in that way, and it’s not positive that he’s fully healthy. In other aspects, however, getting back the Big Unit would help the confidence and focus of the team, as he’s been in post-season runs many times before.
Two things need to happen for the public to be able to buy a “San Francisco Giants – NL Wild-Card Champions” t-shirt: the Giants starters need to keep doing what they’re doing (especially you, Zito), and the Giants offense needs to help out their pitchers. You can’t expect the whole rotation to pitch shutout games and depend on some Juan Uribe bloop single to push home the winning run. Start being more conservative at the plate. Start drawing walks. The Giants are 15th in the NL in OBP and OPS. You’re like a team of Jack Custs. I need you to be a team of Kevin Youkilis(es?). Make it fucking happen.
The Giants and Rockies have a three-game series starting September 14th. This could very well decide which will make it to the postseason, and which one will be watching on TV, incredibly frustrated that their breakout season didn’t make it to fruition.
Top the Rockies, okay?
