I have no idea who most of these guys are, because the front office assembled this team on Craigslist when Brian Sabean was supposed to be looking for a new boxspring. And yet they're off to Philadelphia to face down the best team in baseball.
So many of my Giants teams have been hitting first, pitching as we can. Most of the heroes among Giants fans in the last 25 years have been those guys: Kevin Mitchell, Will Clark, Barry Bonds, Matt Williams. The good pitchers (and mostly, they were good, rarely great) aren't really remembered except as furniture for the sluggers. Don Robinson? Russ Ortiz? Rod Beck? And now we've got these guys: Lincecum, Cain, Sanchez. Wilson. Heck, Zito is the number five man.
And for a post-season win -- other than the Dodgers -- there's not a team the Giants fans would rather beat than the Braves. Division be damned, no one hates the Rockies, after all. Despite that, there wasn't a doubt in my mind that the Giants were going to do for Bobby Cox what they did, when they did it. Not a locker room footnote, but they stopped to give the Braves fans -- and Bobby Cox -- what they -- and he -- deserved. A moment of due respect for a good man and a brilliant career. And everyone loves these guys because they're just a ball club. None of the Barry Bonds prima donna nonsense.
And everyone loves these guys because, despite the dramatics, the Giants are good.
Are they good enough to beat the Phillies? Geeze, I doubt it. And if they do, it's going to be in Game 7 after they've given up an unlikely lead and claw it back from the edge. But it's going to be fun.
So many of my Giants teams have been hitting first, pitching as we can. Most of the heroes among Giants fans in the last 25 years have been those guys: Kevin Mitchell, Will Clark, Barry Bonds, Matt Williams. The good pitchers (and mostly, they were good, rarely great) aren't really remembered except as furniture for the sluggers. Don Robinson? Russ Ortiz? Rod Beck? And now we've got these guys: Lincecum, Cain, Sanchez. Wilson. Heck, Zito is the number five man.
Mrs. Earthling and I have struggled to keep up with the hitters and without names on their home jerseys, it's taken a while. But Burrell and Posey and Cody Ross. Who the hell is Cody Ross? Doesn't matter. He was the hero yesterday and everyone loves him. And he'll be remember in twenty years by those of us who still love Candy Maldonado for one weird moment in the post season (i.e., coming out of the dug out to, er, confront Ozzie Smith after Smith kicked Will Clark). Everyone loves these guys because they're loveable.
And for a post-season win -- other than the Dodgers -- there's not a team the Giants fans would rather beat than the Braves. Division be damned, no one hates the Rockies, after all. Despite that, there wasn't a doubt in my mind that the Giants were going to do for Bobby Cox what they did, when they did it. Not a locker room footnote, but they stopped to give the Braves fans -- and Bobby Cox -- what they -- and he -- deserved. A moment of due respect for a good man and a brilliant career. And everyone loves these guys because they're just a ball club. None of the Barry Bonds prima donna nonsense.
And everyone loves these guys because, despite the dramatics, the Giants are good.
Are they good enough to beat the Phillies? Geeze, I doubt it. And if they do, it's going to be in Game 7 after they've given up an unlikely lead and claw it back from the edge. But it's going to be fun.
