One. More. Win.
Two years ago, in this same spot, I was a blubbery mess. Here’s what I wrote the day we won the world series in 2010:
“I woke up this morning, rolled out of bed and noticed something unusual:
I was at the top of Mount Everest. I took off my goggles, looked around….It’s the biggest world I’ve ever seen. I would worry about sun blindness except for the fact that all the light is radiating from me, not towards me. So I’m just sitting here, quietly, writing the words that you’re reading now, atop this goddamn mountain. As a Giants fan, I’ve been Sisyphus. And yet this morning, here I sit next to my boulder at the top of Mount Everest, unsure of what to do next. If any of you have any ideas, I’d love to hear them……..”
This year, I’m feeling none of that. There’s no mountain or sun blindness or metro-sexual *Sisyphus* references. There is just me making my coffee in the dark this morning and mumbling to myself about how freaking easy it is to beat this fat Detroit team.
And maybe this year I’ve just got too much perspective for my own good. I find myself focusing less on this impending accomplishment and more on my anger towards the national media. I’m not going to mention any names because it would be an indirect acknowledgment of their human existence and since I don’t think they deserve that I’m not going to go there. I have tweeted out my displeasure recently for at least one internet-media-whore.
I know why no one ever gives the Giants any credit. It’s for 2 key reasons.
1) Barry Bonds. There are countless writers and media people who will never let Barry Bonds stop them from carrying a personal bias against San Francisco. And they continue to punish the current team for their feelings about Barry Bonds. That makes no sense.
2) The Giants don’t have a bunch of players with standout saberstats. No one loves new numbers more than me. But the saber-stat world is not immune to a pendulum swing and that’s where we are right now. We’ve got lots of math-guys trying to force us into buying into every saber-stat out there. Go read articles at fangraphs for an hour and you’ll see countless examples of it. You feel stupid if you don’t just shrug and go, “Yeah boy, that x-FIP number really jumps out at you. That pitcher is SOOOOO much worse than his 15 wins were this year.”
Except for the fact that an xFIP number, just like almost every saber stat, has nothing to do with how many wins your team actually gets or how your team actually plays together. Saber-stats are good for one thing: possibly identifying a player who is either more or less valuable than the general population thinks he is based off the obvious stats that casual fans know about–HR’s, RBI’s, wins, ERA, stuff like that. This is very important in fantasy baseball and can make or break your season based on decisions you make to add/drop/trade/keep certain players. But in the real baseball world, saber-stats aren’t as important as wins or how a player will perform on a given day. The Giants don’t have too many fantasy studs on their team. And this concludes my second point for why the Giants so consistently get shit on by the national media.
The Chronicle published an article by Al Saracevic, who I suppose must be a writer in Detroit. It was a brilliant article that I read twice and it covers perfectly why we won last night, why we have won this post season and why we will be winning the 2012 world series. Here it is:
http://www.sfgate.com/giants/article/Ballgame-s-little-moments-equal-a-win-3987749.php
And you don’t need a calculator to figure out how the Giants are doing this. Just use your eyes. Momentum, confidence, cohesiveness, karma and a team performing successfully under pressure are the main reasons we are on the cusp of this great accomplishment.
I missed the parade in 2010.
I will not miss it this year.
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
Told you all we were gonna get to Scherzer!!!
James….Think Posey is fine now!!!
Hey Ed, my man . . . This is in regard to your 6:35pm post that I thought you might find funny. A younger friend of mine, Jeremy, met me for coffee the other day. This dude has been going through a separation with his wife, but had been working on getting back together. She is absolutely gorgeous and is model material, but unfortunately, she thinks her shit doesn’t stink.
Anywho, while I was in California, his reconciliation with his wife went south. They were getting along and going to counseling and things seemed fine. However, she had an affair while he was working in Glenwood Springs (almost a couple of hundred miles away). She was quite cruel to him while he was gone on this work trip, i.e., ignoring his messages, phone calls and even stood him up for dinner when he got back from the trip. He finally sat down with her to discuss the last few weeks and he asked her point blank, “Are you having an affair?” She admitted that she was seeing someone.
Here’s the kicker . . . He is a professional baseball player in Italy. Apparently, his wife thinks that’s a big deal and is impressed by this . . .
Hey, I don’t know for sure, but I would imagine playing professional baseball in Italy is comparable to being the night shift janitor at a hotel. Oh, he’s also 31 (which is like being almost eligible for social security in baseball terms). In short, this guy has no prospects.
You had to be there, but both Jeremy and I were cracking up so much, that I almost spewed my coffee through my nose when he told me this story. Anywho, he has moved on and is trying to figure out the financial split with her.
Playing professional baseball in Italy? Sounds like a dream job to me, especially if you can afford to line your cellar with Barolos and Brunellos.
That story totally went over your head . . . Go to Italy and play baseball James. I’m certain that you’ll be in MLB in no time.
Blade, I got the story. Sorry for the orthogonal post.
De nada . . . I don’t imbibe anymore, so wouldn’t be a biggie for me. 🙂
I’m telling you right now- there’s a dog, a cat, and 7,000 fleas who can tell you I called that HR..not going for it? I’ll get a note as soon as I teach one of them to write…
Buster’s.
Ha, sit down fat man — here’s hoping Trout wins the MVP!
tough luck losing a wife, nothing he will not get over. I have been to Glenwood springs, lovely area.
Most Euro/World players are like good college players, ex-mlb minor leaguers. They do not make as much money as Euro league basketball players, but Italy is nice and he should have enough money to get by. In the recent qualifying tournament Spain came in-between an Israeli v Germany final. hehe
Why the fuck do you throw anything over the plate to a guy with 20 walks?
pussy tigers, hitting with the wind. takes a real man; a giant to hit it out to left
Thinking the.same thing Edd.Real men like Posey smashes them out to LF.Pussy’s like Cabera&Young need to ride the wind.
bullpen battle, Detroit?
like I said
left field men
I didn’t catch if they said rain or snow there????
I got rain and 39F
Don’t get me wrong,cause i love and respect the military.
But Jesus fucking Christ,The Blue Knights were “Horrible” singing,God Bless America.
Yeah, unlike that Air Force woman that sang the other night, that was a horrible rendition.
It was those Chief Master Sargeants.
I liked that Irish SF Cop, he was manly man singer
Leylands an idiot to leave Dotel in to face Panda,with the lefty Coke ready to go.
unless panda hits it right at someone
Guess i am now,but Coke seemed liked the logical move.
Nasty pitching to Carbera and Fatso by Affeldt!!
Ks another fat ass!
The 3 piggies just got taken to market.
Heart of the order…no problem says Affeldt…K K K
Let’s end this facade right here. Base hit Pence!
Belt needs to belt one!
Coke is the deeroid reliever I worry about the most
Coke can sure bring the “Country Hardball”…Might have needed Roy Hobbs up there.
That was impressive. The 2-1 pitch to Belt was the one shot we had.
Was hoping the Giants would have a Coke and a Smile and tell the Tiggers to Shut the Fuck Up!
Affeldt is dealing.
Fuck. My heart stopped when Pagan was almost “circling” for that Peralta drive. No need to call 911 . . . this time. 🙂
Gail had the paddles ready….CLEAR!
Man that had see you tomorrow night swing by Peralta all over it.Great pitching by Affeldt!!!
Oooh, that sucker has broken wrist written all over it.Infante is hurting bigtime!
Let’s win this fucker in Extras and break their hearts!
Crap, if I never see Casilla pitch another game it won’t be soon enough!!
Extra innings…great, Chi or Blade can you reset the paddles?
Clear…Oh shit…I said Clear…..
End it Angel. You can do it.
Coke self destruct? We’ll take that too. Come on Gmen!
Give me a Scoots&Coke basehit please.
Serious BassBall
MARCO THE MAGNIFICENT!
Glad to see you’re still up Mac. 🙂
Fucken ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
that theriot for DH is working out
RIOT!
Scoots with the big hit again!
Fuck Yeah!!! A Scoots& Coke special!!!!!!!
Time to close this mother fucker out!!!
OH SHIT! If they win, do we have permission to call it a dynasty???????
Fuck ya all . . . Going to call it that anyway! 🙂
You betcha Blade!!! Fuck anybody back East that can’t admit it!!!!
Damn straight kat. With ya all the way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
just a little early off of second
Scoots hitting /700+ w/RISP. UN-fucking-BELIEVABLE!
will eddacker be able to get the celebratory brandy out?
will eddacker have a hangover monday morning?
will the parade be epic?
I WILL make the fucking parade this time!
Romo Time to wrap up.”OUR FUCKING 2nd WORLD SERIES in 3 YEARS”!!!!
Theriot another unsung hero!!!!!
We got those MOFOs were we want them.
Yeah baby…2 more outs!
Damn, soaking this shit in. Hot damn! One more out and we are World Champions again.
ONE more! Go Romo!
One more Baby,Romo dealing K’s
A strike out would really put the exclamation mark on this win.
our game did not leave us tonight, still in this.
too bad it had to be Omar, but let’s make sure the Tigers know we were in town
battered bruised broken and embarrassed
WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Flappers, we are the Champions again.
Giants rule the World once more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
TWO TIME World Champions in the last three years!
We Are The World Champions!!!!!
Nothing better!!!!
Dynasty!!!
Nobody has it better then us!!
Black&Orange Forever!!
Swept their Asses!!!!
Miguel meet Howard. Miquel meet Cruz,,,,
GLOAT – /GLOAT
BASKING FULLY ON
We score, we SWEEEEEEEEEEEP!
WORLD SERIES CHAMPS!
somebody had said the riot was gonna do something, dont remember who. Scuts with the GWRBI, nails.
I was waiting for romo to come in–unbelievable cojones.
GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT
GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT
GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT
GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT
Dynasty!!!!
campiones mundial…otra vez!
so nice to see theriot get some game action
romo-freakin-lights-out and I mean out
AWESOME to share it with you guys! I hope to see a number of you at the parade!
World Fucking Champions! AGAIN!!
flavor is somewhere quietly weeping with total knowing dude heart
God.this team is “Awesome”!!!
Thank you Bruce Bochy,Sabes,and every Giant player and Flapper,im in tears.of joy right now!!
Love all you guys/gals…And a Hollering out WOoooooHoooooooo! to you Ferrett!!!!!
Grab some pine triple crown chump
ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?
Every two years like clock work – Fuck you, all and GO GIANTS
Flavor is not the only one weeping…I am crying like a baby! So proud of this team. Six elimination games could not stop destiny!
Who is series MVP? Posey?
All you Flappers going to the city parade – HAVE A BLAST! Flav told me last night he is definitely going. Chi, have fun there buddy! Ted lives there, so he’s probably at the Civic Center watching all this. So happy for all of you actually being there and soaking this in. Wow! 50 plus years of futility and now 2 of these frickin’ World Series in the last 3 years. I wish my grandfather was here with me to see this. Unbelievable! 🙂
What a pitch by Romo, I wonder who called that? Posey,Bochy, or Romo??
It was a mistake down the middle of the plate!!!
Yeah, Steve…definitely going to the parade. You NEED TO come out for it, dude! Seriously!!!