I Can See The Top Of The Mountain But It’s Different This Time
I’m trying to imagine what this would be like if we hadn’t had 2010, 2012, and 2014. We would all be descending into madness. But because of the 3 beauties it feels like we’re mostly grounded, taking all this in stride. In some ways that’s good I guess. Back then I was running with my daughter, sockless, through the rainy streets of Palo Alto. Damn, in so many ways that feels like another lifetime ago….
I had to scroll way down into the archives for this one but it’s worth the read:
Maybe I’m wrong and you’re all going insane about this improbable run. After 3 World Series WINS as the decided underdog it is weird to be pummeling the league with 105 wins while LA weeps at our feet. And yet here we are? I’m weirdly emotionless about it all. You?
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
The difference between those runs especially in ‘10 and ‘12 I would have been awake until the last out and watched nearly every game of the season and every inning down the stretch. Now I am watching the highlights the next morning. I did manage to roll over in bed at 2 am and look at my phone (another thing would never have done 11 years ago).
And see the Late Night Wade heroics.
If people remember my ‘12 story while my oldest kid was at bball practice I was at a bar to watch game 3 in Cincy and to switch up the mojo on a potential close out game I switched to drinking a White Russian in the top of the 9th inning. Mojo worked and had a White Russian for every game except for one game in St. Louis when I ran out of Kahlua at home. Looking back at those last three games against the Cards, do you all remember that the Cards only scored once (once!!!) in the last three games to that series and then it was a smash up of the Cards and Panda three homer game one!!!
And of course we lost that we me game without a White Russian. Corrected my error and never missed another that WS run.
GH… You share a great bond with “The Dude&Eddie Murphy “ with the White Russian mojo!
Love the Dude
One day you look at a crucifix and all you see is a man dying on a cross…
-Father Frank Jr. (Saturday Night Fever)
I may not be completely over the top this magic year, but I’m still invested enough to stay up some nights until 1AM watching these fucking guys (last night was 1:30). It probably has more to do with not believing what I’m seeing than being jaded from the 3 championship years.
I’m wondering if this is how Cubs fans felt in 2016?
Flav, are you up to go after some worms or something this AM? Plus, I love the story of you and your daughter running in the rain as champions, and that photo of Coit Tower lit up orange.
That was a great pull from the archives, Flav. I am not going to lie…that made me misty-eyed, brother.
I remember that night vividly. Gail was competing in an agility event that weekend in Pleasanton. We were staying in a hotel there. I googled “sports bars near me” and we found the perfect place that was packed with rabid Giants fans.
I remember after that last out, Gail and I hugged. Our daughters were calling us at the same time, and I was running around the local tables hugging and high-fiving total strangers. It was magic that I had never experienced before as a Giants fan.
Now? The emotions are intense for me. Especially during the games like the last two where we seal the deal late and pray our bullpen does their magic, again.
Fuck it…this is our time…Let’s Roll!
Ha, fun thread. DelMar (NO Whitey) Ted wisco flav and pawlie setting up to see WS game, Dirt’s b-day.
This season could still unravel at any point, but no question where Giants are, a good place. Good for Wade, getting hit off LHP and for 2 shutdown innings by Rogers.
I don’t know of another player under pressure like Wade.The guy is cool as a cucumber when it comes to clutch 9th inning pressure.La ninth you know will produce its uncanny..
And even when he’s slumping a bit he produces like when he laid that bunt down and moved the runner to 3rd with one out and Bryant knocked him in with a SacFly as they win 1-0.Thats winning baseball just doing the little things…
Just like in those WS years I still have to shut my eyes at times waiting for the axe to fall. How many more miracles do we have left in that bag?
This season is no longer found money.
The team plays like it expects to win and they know they didn’t get here by some fluke.
It would hurt for it to end badly…
This is completely different than 2010 for me.
Just getting to the division win on the last Sunday after that Padre collapse was torturous as hell, but delicious.
I particularly remember that last game triple by Slingin Johnny Sanchez. Crazy.
This run has been more of an incredulous feeling, particularly post AS break. These guys just refuse to lose, they get it done somehow, mostly with brute HR strength from a broad mix of bats, but not always, as the last few weeks show as the HR parade has cooled off a bit.
2010 had its Misfits, IDK what we should call these guys. If we had a name that worked, it would already be decided I suppose.
Maybe no name is best, because there have been so many players on the 2021 Giants stage and it’s hard to explain the blowout success that has happened — yet here it is. All I want is that they seal the deal and win the Division. I am “gobsmacked” by the level of success; 105+ wins is “mind blowing” – sorry, Loo…
Speaking of 2010.
I wonder what the team win total would be if you put the 2010 pitching staff together with the position players on this team that have torn the cover off the ball and bludgeoned the oppo all season? 120 wins? I’m sure some statistician could come up with a projection. Lincecum, Cain and Bum would probably have all won 20+ …
I agree it would hurt if this ends badly. And by ending badly I mean sliding into the playoff and losing to the Cards. I can’t stand the Cardinals and that scenario would totally suck.
I do get what Flav is saying though. Sometimes I still have to ask myself if we really won the World Series three times in 5 years? So many years of heartbreak and being seriously afraid we would never win one in my lifetime, I still have to pinch myself to grasp we finally won it–let alone 3.
Same thing with this season. 105 freaking wins with more games to play!! With Scott Kazmir starting crucial games down the stretch?? I listened to the first inning or so last night and thought ok, we’re actually gonna get our ass kicked this time, and I can deal with that. Went to sleep, woke up around midnight, fired up the no spoiler MLB highlight package (which I love) and couldn’t believe we pulled it off again.
It is almost too much for me to comprehend.
And what is with the Stanford guy Slater being the common denominator on all of these bungled outfield plays??
No excuse for not calling off Solano (!) and catching that ball, none. Doesn’t act like take charge CF at all.
Slater can go back on a ball as good as anyone, but man coming in on one and taking charge he’s comatose…
Slush last night on twitter after game: “They haven’t lost a game since Belt was injured.”
One of lessons of 2010, reinforced 2019, is that any WC can win it all. As Snarkk said, 2010 Giants didn’t even get in until very last day of season and upset everybody else along the way.
Nats had to take down Dogs in Division series, swept Cards for NLCS and beat Stros 4-3 in WS.
Anyone who gets in this year, same thing and only one team is going home happy.
Just seems like SF is 2 years ahead of everything predicted. FO, manager and coaching staff, draft and development, all going strong right now instead of 2023, and prospects that go back to previous admin still lined up in minors. Whatever happens this year is still found money to me, and indicates they should be competitive and compelling to watch going forward, even with inevitable churn of roster.
As the past few games show, SF will miss Belt most on defense. Offensively, less. Ruf and Wade and Flores as a group can fill that offensive gap pretty well over there. And, no guarantee Belt would not have suddenly gone ice cold at the plate, like he often does…
MLBTR says Pads bringing up AAA guy Pedro Avila, RHP, to start tonight. Has 5 innings total of ML experience from one start for them back in 2019. After his start Pads sent him back to minors and eventually he needed TJS.
That’s the kind of wild card dude the Giants have trouble with…
first thought came to my mind.
Continue to roll over Padres, the Giants don’t need any help wrapping up the division..
btw racing returns to left coast today at Santa Anita.
Joel Rosario has some mounts along with usual suspects, and John Velasquez and Mike Smith
In second race #4 horse is morning line 9-5 favorite–You’re My Boy Kat, ridden by Abel Cedillo for trainer Doug O’Neill..
You’re my boy Kat a definite winner!
Winner Winner Chicken Dinner as Kat smokes the field..
I still think there is a good chance the Brewers are gonna win one. All teams like to play the spoiler and the Dodgers would be a pretty good one to spoil.
I keep thinking what makes this team so good and it just comes down to a never say die attitude and playing in the moment. I don’t think anything really makes then nervous.
That’s a very good team as Giants saw earlier, Braves too with solid SPs (Ian Anderson won clincher last night) and a lot of power up and down lineup. NL Playoffs should be fascinating.
yeah I agree. The NL have some really good teams.
Joel Rosario takes Grade 2 Chandelier aboard Ain’t Easy, second winner of day already.
1. LaMonte Wade Jr. (L) RF
2. Darin Ruf (R) LF
3. Buster Posey (R) C
4. Brandon Crawford (L) SS
5. Wilmer Flores (R) 1B
6. Mike Yastrzemski (L) CF
7. Evan Longoria (R) 3B
8. Donovan Solano (R) 2B
9. Anthony DeSclafani (R) P
Strange to see only 3 lefty hitters in starting lineup vs. RHP…
Ruf NEEDS to be in there. He’s our shining star right now. Bryant I’m glad is getting a day offf.
This season is still just a huge mystery to me. It all has such an unreal feel to it. Like, how the fuck are they doing this? You, me, all the flappers, and the guy next door may not be pros at predicting shit, but NO ONE anywhere on God’s greenish earth had an inkling of an idea of a clue that this team would do anything close to what it is doing. It does bring to mind 1981 and the 49ers. Those of us embedded in all things 49ers though, hey, it they had a defense that could stop someone once in a while, they could do some damage. The rest if the football world? Nope. We were still the running joke with the bookish weirdo high-falutin’ Stanford guy as our head coach. The Niners staggered out to a 1-2 record after getting beat by the Falcons and Lions, and it was like, damn. Maybe we REALLY get it together next year. One more year of seasoning and we can compete with the big boys.
Then Walsh pulled off the steal of the century in trading for Fred Dean from the Chargers. The Niners then beat the Redskins, and destroyed the Cowboys twice on their way to the Catch, the Silverdome, and the Championship.
This Giants team? There is no shining moment of rapture to look back on and say THIS is when the magic started. But there are about 5,000 moments that have galvanized this team into what it is. A resilient bunch of guys who don’t give up even as they drop like flies. Tauchman’s gave-saving robbery of Fat Bastard’s near-home run to beat the dreaded Dodgers being a huge one. He pulled another one off a week later vs the Nats. Lamonte Wade has 15 9th inning heroics of his own. Gasman’s sac fly, Bryant’s sac fly, Crawfish’s excellent defense all year, 3/4 of the team hitting the IR and the team weathering it, stellar starting pitching, even from a guy like Scott Kazmir, plus the hitting all across the board, it all feels so unreal because it is a cast of thousands trading the hero crown game after game night after day, day after night.
And yeah, without the 3 previous championships, I’d be in much direr straits. 2010 was SOOOO special because of how bad 2002 hurt. 3 in the bank is ginormous. Pick a team not named the Yankees and count back to their last 3 and most teams haven’t even gotten there.
Dodgers? 1981 (1965 if you don’t count the *60* game season)
Cubs? 1907!
Yanks even. 1999
St Looie? 1982
Big Red Machine? 1975
Even the A’s you go back to 1972
There are others, but there are 16 teams, even non-expansion era teams like the Phillies and Indians, have only 2.
One more would be spectacular and by far in ANY sport, the most surprising result in history.
Nice piece, Chuck.
Is your train stuck or something?
My main goal going into this season was hoping we could unload the Brandons and Cueto at the deadline.
Goal #2 was that the nickname Grave Duggar would catch on…
That’s pretty much what I was going for. Except the gravedigger psrt
Thx
Epic post…
And that 2010 thread is like diving into the rabbit hole and peering into the looking glass.
Crazy stuff!
I really don’t feel good about it but I just did a $100 2 team parlay SF/MILW tonight. Fine if it doesn’t work out. Tomorrow was supposed to be the day anyway
I’m with Krukow. Frazier sac bunts, in the first inning? Didn’t he have 4 hits off them one of previous games?
Willie Mac Award Winner
Lamonte Mr.9th Wade!!
No more deserving winner then this guy, Congrats 🎉🍾🎊
Are you shittin’ me?
I thought Crawford was a mortal lock…
He’s got couple doesn’t he?
What a shot!
And what a grab by the kid out there!
Yeah that was a great catch by that little whippersnapper that ball was smoked bravo kid nice play..
And the Giants take the lead, always sounds good!
Darin Ruf line shot bomb 1-0!!
That just make that kids life!! Awesome catch.
A thing of beauty by Yaz!
Dave Grohl warming up in the Pads pen
That was a thang.
Kuip calls Longoria’s current 3 for 29 with 16 Ks “a bit of a funk”.
More like Grand Funk!
LMAO…Loved that band in the 70s…
I’m your captain!!
So much for “the rookie that the Giants haven’t seen shutting them down” theory.
Kershaw taken out in the 2nd inning. Go Brew Crew.
Kershaw gave up 5 hits in an inning and 2/3 tonight. Dogs SPs have been straining lately and Kershaw left after visit from trainer.
As Zum said a few nights ago: “Yay ballpark!”
4th start in a row for Posey?
yes, and through the weekend if necessary. Baggarly tweeted earlier today, and I think he’s right, this is exactly why Buster had his regular 1/3 rest days all season long.
Yeah, it’s a Bad Time for Longo to be in a slump.
Long000
Thank you Fernando!
Wow. WTF did I just see? The only play was home. Longo saves a run.
Now that was a crazy assed play, gotta love it.
for as much talent as he has, man Tatis does some of the stupidest shit.
Yes there going to ride him till they win these damm division, I think Posey wants to be out there when they do along with the rest of the BC..
Barrelled up.
Longoria and Bryant are just getting their bad stretch out of the way now, once the Playoffs starts they will come thru..
Mr. 6th Inning!
middle and late game nicely done.
Mr.Clutch does it again!
Second coming of the Original Mr.October Reggie Jackson..
Read an article on The Athletic about Giants being worst club in regards to productive outs. Interesting read. And we got one this inning. And Go BrewCrew!
Dodgers twitter guy Plunkett seems pretty doomed about Kershaw. Faced 10 batters and gave up 5 high velo hits. Also someone noted he took ball with him as he left the mound…
Noah Lowry sent a tweet in thread wishing well for him too.
Leone creates some of his own drama lately. Myers crushed his fastball and first AZ guy he faced other night doubled off hanging slider.
In real time, Yaz’s play at the wall looked clumsy and confused. In replay slo-mo it turned into a masterwork. He brilliantly saved a run. Luckily, he doesn’t seem hurt by the collision.
bums sure do hit a lot of HRs these days
Jesus. Fucking Dodgers are nit going quietly into that good night.
Cue up the Beatles “It don’t come easy, you know it don’t come easy”
Freaking Turner has knocked it all 5 runs with a solo and a slam to tie it..
Ringo solo.
Almost a clean inning but hey I’ll take it
Here comes the stiff who got lit up by the Bums.
Dogs take the lead . Beatty hr.
StreMin the Gia ya on the computer and have the Dodger game on the phone
Come on kid!
Throwing smoke
Dovall = the Closer.
Dude is friggin’ nails !!!! …
Fuck yeah! And fuck the bums and whatever they do. We’ll just keep winning and make what they do inconsequential!
1!
That’ll do it.
106 and counting …
YES! Shutout win for #105! Down to one.
Ooops, #106!
Doval is a Bad Motherfucker. He needs Samuel L’s (Tarantino’s) wallet.
Doval just Filthy!!!
Closer fit the playoffs no doubt!
Ballgame win number 106!!
Let’s wrap this bitch up!!
One more win and I’ll have undershot my projected Giants Ws for the season by a mere 30 games.
Absolutely incredible stuff going on here. Nothing like it in my 55+ years of being a Giants fan…
Just amazing.