Baseball Post-Season 2010

[Damien]

Congratulations, Bog on Joey Votto being named MVP. I know from Barry Bonds and Jeff Kent that it's a great feeling when one of your guys takes the award. And he would have been my choice, too. (Though I do have to admit that I was surprised that my beloved Dusty Baker came so close to being named Manager of the Year -- I think Bud Black far and away deserved that award.)

[Damien]

The MLB network had live coverage of the parade and City Hall ceremony -- it was awesome, and I even started crying at times. And to have George Moscone's widow there was such class. (Where was Feinstein, by the way?) Loved Aubrey Huff's bit with the thong, and that the Latino players got to address the crowd in Spanish. This is a great organization.

The celebration also helped numb the election results yesterday.

Thanks for the photos, Rain -- even though my Dad's heart was reaking when that parade took place.

[danfrank]

Thanks for the great photos, Rain Bard. Don't worry about not being a devout fan. Personally I welcome all comers who want to root for the Orange and Black, even if momentarily, or who just like to get caught up in the celebration. My partner just called me from the parade route. He said it was absolute mayhem in the city with an enormous turnout. Folks were late to work today because the freeways and BART trains were jammed with people trying to get there. I taped it on TV and will watch later, but got to watch a few minutes streaming live on the internet. I got to see Mays and McCovey, ever-loyal to the Giants, ride by in convertibles. Good stuff.

[rain Bard]

I must confess I'm not a true baseball fan (that is, not one who watches games very often, or even understands much of the lingo thrown around, pitching being a particularly mysterious art to me) or much of a sports fan at all, but I do enjoy following standings and counting magic numbers, and of course I root for the Giants every year, no matter how far they end up going (including 1989- never been much of an A's fan). I watched the 2002 playoffs and World Series and found the latter rather heartbreaking. That may be part of why I didn't watch the games this year (the other part is that I've just been incredibly busy with other concerns the last couple weeks- our haunted house was a big success by the way, with 1150 attendees, only 50 fewer than the previous two years when there wasn't a local sports team in the midst of a championship run). But I have really enjoyed reading the posts in this thread, have worn a lot of orange and black (albeit not official team merch) in the past week, and I did finally watch the last few innings of that last game in a local sports bar, getting to see Rentería's homer and both Lincecum and Wilson pitch a scoreless inning apiece amidst loudly cheering fans. It felt sweet.

I really appreciate getting mentioned in the congratulations in this thread, even though I don't feel I deserve the fan reward of victory a fraction as much as those who sacrifice their time and emotional stability to be truly devout. But I'm happy for my city, for my friends who are true fans, and, heck, for my team (I think I can say that without being a bandwagon-hopper).

And I don't mean to brag, but I WILL get to go to the celebrations tomorrow. I work in a building right across from city hall, and my lunch break should fall right when the parade hits civic center plaza. I'm excited and have already picked out a black dress shirt and bright orange tie to wear. Damien, danfrank, or anyone else who wants me to keep a particular eye out for something and report back to the board, just let me know and I'll do my best.

In the meantime, here's a few links to photos from the San Francisco Public Library archive, of the parade route used in April 1958 when the team first was welcomed into San Francisco. This is the route that will finally be reused tomorrow.

photo 1
photo 2
photo 3
photo 4
photo 5

[danfrank]

Dan are you going to the parade? How I'd love to be there. I started rooting for the Giants in 1962 and saw my first game that year -- although my parents went to one of the games in the 1954 World Series when my Mom was pregnant with me, so I guess I was there, too, to see Dusty Rhodes.

It's killing me, but it looks like I won't be able to get out of work tomorrow. My partner and some of my friends are going. I'll ask them to take lots of video.

It's very cool, Damien, that your fetal self was at the 1954 World Series!

[dws1982]

Eli Whiteside's first cousin is a co-worker of mine. The cousin is a very nice guy, and they look somewhat alike. (Although my co-worker is several inches taller.)

[Damien]

It still hasn't completely sunk in yet, but I'm definitely elated (and it will certainly hep to offset any bad election results).

The thing I would say to a Pat Burrell who had a miserable season or Barry Zito who was left off the roster is "Hey, guys, we wouldn't have made it here without you." Since the Giants didn't cllinch until the last day of the season, one miscue from either of them in a game any time during the season would have led to a different scenario. Burrell was a major contributor with his power and as a clubhouse leader, and Zito got off to a great start, though he got shaky as the season wore on. He also pitched better than his record would indicate -- the bullpen did let him down a few times.

On the MLB channel, after post-game interviews with the Giants, Al Leiter and Sean Casey marvelled that "they're all so nice." That's one thing I love about this current team -- no egos and great camaraderie. I mean I loved the Giants when Barry Bonds and Jeff Kent -- who hated each other --- were the face of the team, but this group is special.

ANd I teared up when Buck listed the names of past Giants greats who never won a World Series ring. Ahhh, John Montefusco!

Seeing my Giants cap and jacket, today a number of people on the streets of Manhattan and in the subway congratulated me -- even a guy wearing Yankee regalia.

Dan are you going to the parade? How I'd love to be there. I started rooting for the Giants in 1962 and saw my first game that year -- although my parents went to one of the games in the 1954 World Series when my Mom was pregnant with me, so I guess I was there, too, to see Dusty Rhodes.

[Mister Tee]

Tee, FYI: Brian Wilson makes that same gesture after every save. It's his way of honoring his father, who died of cancer when he was 17. It would have been especially weird for him not to do it after clinching the biggest game of his life.

Ah -- the perils of coming in late on a narrative. I never noticed after the other games, perhaps because I had no expectation of what he'd do at the end of a non-clinching game. I'm just so used to seeing the closer leap off the mound when the Series ends, the absence of the action was jarring.

Maybe the most wonderful aspect of having your team win the Series is tied in with this. Baseball is such a sprawling game that even the most devoted fans only follow one, maybe two teams with absolute fidelity. You glean what you can from national coverage (plenty of which is available, these days), but your intense knowledge is necessarily parochial. When your team, though, gets to, or, especially, wins the World Series, everyone else has to hop on your train. The narrative you've followed all season has become the narrative, for everyone, the one that goes in the books forever as the true story of the season. It's a very warming feeling.

[danfrank]

Thanks, guys. Like Damien, I'm stunned, but quite definitely happy!

When you closely follow and root for a team for decades, and that team never quite gets it done, a World Series championship seems like Shangri-La, that fantasy place that you'll never quite reach. Now that they've finally reached it I couldn't be more proud of my guys. As I get older I get attached to these players like they're my kids.

Bog, I agree with you that it's extremely gratifying to watch the homegrown pitchers make their way through the minor leagues and somehow reach their peek on the biggest stage of all.

Tee, FYI: Brian Wilson makes that same gesture after every save. It's his way of honoring his father, who died of cancer when he was 17. It would have been especially weird for him not to do it after clinching the biggest game of his life.

As I was driving to work this morning I was wondering what I'm going to do with myself until spring training rolls around, and then it dawned on me: I'm way behind on my movies!

[Bog]

Congrats Damien and danfrank and all other Giants fans around!!

I am glad to see the Giants pull it off and end the suffering of the move to San Fran...I have followed Timmy since he was drafted and had hope for big things. My favorite aspect of baseball is homegrown pitching reaching a pinnacle. I love it more than anything that baseball has to offer, and by no means am I saying that Lincecum, Cain, Bumgarner outpitched Cliff Lee just because he was rented for a few months on his long cross-country Seattle to NY trip...but something sure turned on its head to see Cliff Lee dominate the AL postseason and then have absolutely nothing to stop a borderline "awful" offensive squad with a pitcher in the lineup!

Go GIANTS and the NL!!

I'm going to lie, this is the hope I needed for my Reds...with the potential abundance of excellent young homegrown pitching prospects (Leake, Wood, LeCure, Bailey, Cueto) and a killer offense to boot.

[Big Magilla]

OK, here's my story.

I come from a family of devout Yankee fans.

In my mother's obituary, it was stated that she only had two real interests in life - her family and the N.Y. Yankees. It was true! Sometimes the Yankees came first as in the time she feigned illness not to attend one of her grandsons' birthday parties in order to stay home and watch the Yankees' old-timers game.

The cousin who was my roommate on my recent trip to Italy is an even bigger fan. He built a room (a shrine, really) to the Yankees in his basement.

So I downplay my local enthusiasm. When I called my brother in New Jersey to wish him a Happy Birthday this morning he never thought to even mention the win. He was more attuned to the playoffs when the Yankees met the Rangers in Arlington, which is just a stone's throw away from my sister in the Dallas suburbs.

In the early 80s when I had an office near Candlestick Park I used to go to Giants games, but the Giants teams back then were nothing special. They subsequently became more interesting, but the Barry Bonds scandal pretty much turned me off the team so I haven't been following them as closely as some of my friends. Having been disappointed for so long I couldn't get excited about their participation in the playoffs. I was happy for their early series wins but remained skeptical they could bring it off until yesterday, but now I've caught the spirit even if it's a bit late.

The jerks on the next block have been setting off fireworks the last couple of weeks. It wasn't until last night that it dawned on me that the explosions coincided with the Giants' wins.

I could go to the parade tomorrow, but having seen Yankees' series win parades in the 70s I've kind of been there, done that, so at best I will watch the live commercial free local TV coverage instead.



Edited By Big Magilla on 1288713727

[Sonic Youth]

Yes, congratulations also to Damien and rain Bard. I forgot about them last night. And also, I guess, to Magilla. I don't think you've ever demonstrated any interest in baseball but you do live in the area, so that qualifies.

I hope you all go out and get copies of the local newpapers as a keepsake.

[Mister Tee]

I was computer-blocked last night, so this is my first opportunity to congratulate the Giants and their devoted fans here, Damien & danfrank & rain bard. Still wish we'd had a better Series, though last night's game was maybe the best overall -- with the accumulating tension of zeroes inning after inning, finally broken with one swing (and just when you thought Lee was going to get out of it).

Anyway, my warmest wishes. I know I always feel great when my team ends up on top, and, having waited for that feeling your entire lifetime, I'm sure it couldn't be sweeter.

The TV folk of course had to make too much of the "ragtag" make-up of the team. It's not like this is a bunch of Triple-A players out there -- even though their probably-best-in-the-long-run player, Posey, is still endearingly green. And when Buck said "There are no all-stars on this team"...umm, I call a multi-Cy Young winner an all-star, don't rank Cain far behind, and, from all appearances, Bumgarner might fall into that category soon as well.

In fact, if I had to compare this team to any other, it might be the '69 Mets, who didn't have a celebrity line-up, either, but had three pitchers on the staff -- Seaver, Koosman & Ryan -- who ended up with over 800 wins combined.

EDITED TO ADD:

A few other notes:

Wilson's action at the final strikeout was (fitting, for him) a tad bizarre. Most pitchers are up in the air the second it happens. He instead turned around, as if to say, is this really happening to me? Really stange -- in a good way.

I saw this bizarre stat at some other site: Pat Burrell has two World Series rings and 1 World Series hit.

If there's any karmic consistency, I'm hoping the good vibe around San Francisco extends to its highest elected official retaining her position after tonight's balloting.



Edited By Mister Tee on 1288711605

[Damien]

Too numb to post. But it's a wonderful numbness.

[Sonic Youth]

MLB.com

Congratulations, danfrank! Congratulations, San Francisco!

It always kind of sucks when the victorious team doesn't win at home, but I'm sure no one truly minds, right? I wouldn't have been able to watch on Wednesday or Thursday anyway, so I'm glad they won tonight for selfish reasons. Even when you don't have much stake in either team, the final World Series game is still great fun to watch.

Now be careful a tipped police car doesn't get in your way.