Senor Octubre

The name of today’s post should read “Señor Octubre”, but the basic package I get from

WordPress apparently doesn’t include tildes in the title section.  I will not be daunted by

this blatant attempt to crush my creativity, however, because I’m a fan on a mission.

 

And that mission is to tell you that my beloved San Francisco Giants are in the midst of

a post-season run that seems almost magical.  First, they lose the first two games of a

best-of-five divisional championship series at home, then go to Cincinnati to sweep the

Reds.

 

Next, in the best-of-seven league championship series, they fall behind three games to one

to the defending World Series champs St. Louis Cardinals.  Barry Zito, who has done little to

deserve his huge contract, pitches 7.2 innings of shutout ball, then Ryan Vogelsong and

Matt “Mister Perfect” Cain turn in terrific performances to complete the comeback.

 

Because the Giants needed seven games to advance to the World Series, and because the

Detroit Tigers needed the minimum four to vanquish the New York Yankees, the Tigers

were well-rested and were able to start their ace Justin Verlander in the Series opener.

 

The sages at ESPN and elsewhere in the baseball world basically said that the Giants might

just as well forfeit that game.  The Giants chose to show up anyway, and lit up Verlander

for five runs in four innings, cruising to an 8 – 3 victory.  Zito, who was left off the roster in

the Giants 2010 championship run, got the win.

 

Last night the guys won 2 – 0, thanks to a stellar pitching performance by Madison Bumgarner,

who had been struggling mightily for months.

 

Baseball is a humbling game.  The best of teams will lose 50+ games a season.  Detroit is an

explosive team that could well win the next four games to take the Series.  No matter how it

plays out, this is a remarkable experience for San Francisco fans.

 

Nearly every ball that’s taken a weird bounce has helped the Giants and hurt their opponents.

Last night, Gregor Blanco’s bunt stayed fair — defying physical law it seemed — and set up the

game-winning run, which scored on a double play.

 

The night before, Pablo Sandoval, who hit only 12 home runs in an injury-shortened season,

hit three, two off the “unhittable” Verlander.  Only Babe Ruth, Albert Pujols and “Mister October”

Reggie Jackson have done that in the World Series.

 

Elsewhere in the world, Mitt Romney is changing his position on yet another issue, and some

other Republican is saying something incredibly insensitive about rape.  But I’m shutting them

out and choosing to go with this wonderful feeling, because I know it won’t last long.

 

I do, however, have to go get a flu shot.