San Francisco Giants Appear Destined To Become World Series Champs
Did you read the headline? Do you not agree? How else can you explain the run of success they’ve had over the last two weeks?
How else could you explain Pablo Sandoval having the best game of his life in game one of the World Series? How else could you explain Pablo Sandoval having the best game of his life in game one of the World Series facing Justin Verlander, hitting three home runs in his first three at bats, joining the same company as legends Babe Ruth, Reggie Jackson and Albert Pujols?
“We’re not known for our power,” Giants Manager Bruce Bochy said. Ya think? The Giants only hit 31 home runs at home in 81 games in the regular season, 16 fewer than the Padres, who came in 29th in that department. So Sandoval has three in one night against Verlander. How can you logically explain that?
Speaking of Verlander, how else but destiny could you explain Verlander allowing five earned runs when he only did that three times in his previous 36 starts this season. How does any of this make sense?
“Man, I still can’t believe it,” Sandoval said. Neither can we, Pablo. Except they’ve been doing it the entire postseason. How else could you explain the NLCS Marco Scutaro had, or the success Angel Pagan has had after being essentially discarded by the bottom-feeding Mets last season? How else could you explain the Giants winning 14 consecutive times Barry Zito, left for dead a while ago in baseball circles, has taken the mound? Sandoval tried to explain further: ”We played our last game only two days ago,” he said. “We’re still hot. We just came here and played our game.”
The thing is that they went 18-11 in August, 19-8 in September and good enough to get to the Fall Classic. So they’ve found a way to win games even without a powerful offense or a relatively stable starting rotation. The point is not how they’ve gotten to this point, but how they’ve performed when everyone left them for dead.
Call it the Zito Factor.
Down two games and facing elimination against Cincinnati? No problem. Down two games and facing elimination against the Cardinals? No problem, because the Giants have found a way to rally back and swing momentum in each series as the AT&T Park fans wave their orange towels to urge on their lovable bunch of misfits.
“Just the opportunity alone was mind-blowing. Me and my wife were dancing around when I heard,” Zito told the AP when he was told he’d start on Wednesday night. “And then the boys came out swinging and played great defense.”
“You have to keep working,” Sandoval said. “I’ve never lost faith to be here.” Sandoval is here. Zito is here. Scutaro and Pagan are here. Career journeyman Gregor Blanco is here making stunning defensive plays and killing opposing rallies.
Perhaps Bochy explained it best: ”Well, you know, it’s hard to figure this game sometimes,” he said. “You hear the old adage — ‘That’s baseball.’ These guys are human, and sometimes they’re not quite on top of their game.”
The Giants don’t seem to have that problem of not being on top of their game, and maybe it’s just because they’re destined to win this damn thing this season. How else could you explain all this?
Well written and thought out – its the truth, however, in everyones mind they are always the underdog – but to those on the west coast, it isnt as mind boggling as it is to the rest of the sports media/fan culture. The Giants have a resiliency that is unparalleled. The Cards have it too – the Giants are just better. I’d be lying if I said that I was not surprised by Pablo going yard 3 times in first 3 at-bats – but did I know he had the power and the capabilities? sure. He’s a great player, just not as flashy or well-known as some others.
Either way – destiny is a funny thing. They won it 2 years prior and most people called that destiny/luck/etc. Maybe theyre beginning to set a trend? Winning without dependence on the big fly (except for game one here, although they didc score 4 runs the conventional way as well) and depending upon very solid starting pitching and a stellar bullpen? Scutaro is doing what he did for two-and-a-half months after being acquired by the Giants mid-season. He hit above .330 in a Giants uni. Now the combination of him and the Panda hitting 2 and 3 has turned lethal at the right time.
Call it destiny, call it whatever, the fact is the Giants have heart. They never really believe they are out of it and that is their edge. Mentality is important. A never-say-die attitude goes a long way – coming back from 0-2 and 1-3 kind of way.