It still sounds weird. I've had a week to digest all the glory that comes with your team bringing home a title. Still, the words that come to mind the most are "I can't believe it". The Giants won the World Series? That kind of thing just does not happen. But it did. I'm just not used to it.
Now that the season is over, I have my life back. Trust me, though. I'd be happy to make that sacrifice every October. I'm still reading most every word of coverage of the Giants, but there isn't as much anymore. Moreover, I no longer have to revolve my schedule around baseball games. Anyway, here are a few more of my thoughts on the team/season.
Admittedly, I doubted this team the whole season. Like many Giants fans, I was worried that with the wretched offense, another historic pitching staff (which has been championship-caliber for 2 years now) would be wasted. Even when the offense proved to be surprisingly average, I wasn't convinced. It seemed like whenever the offense picked up, the pitching would falter, and vis-versa. Around the end of June I was saying "Yes, this is a good team, but this is not a team that can rip off a 10-game winning streak, or win 20 of 30. This is a team whose offense is carried by Aubrey Huff and Juan Uribe" (no disrespect meant to those guys. They were just being miscast). Then in July they went like 20-8 or something. So I had some hope. Then August came around, and it was the pitching that looked surprisingly average. How Giants-y of them to get my hopes up and then rip the rug out. But then the Padres lost 10 in a row, Aubrey Huff put on his Rally Thong, and the rest is history. Beautiful, wonderful history.
[Side note: Looking back, my answer for "turning point of the season" was when Buster Posey moved to catcher. Not when he was first called up, but when Bengie was dealt to make room behind the plate. That's when the team assumed its new identity.]
For the past couple years, most of what has been written about the Giants has revolved in some way around "if they can just get to the playoffs, they could be dangerous because of their pitching". I can't believe how true it was, on the first try, no less. The fact is, the Giants dominated. Yes, they did catch a few breaks as is always necessary for a title run. But no team would have beaten them in the World Series. Not a sliver of doubt in my mind. To be fair, this is hindsight, but that doesn't change the facts. Lincecum outpitched Cliff Lee. Twice. (By the way, how much money do you think free agent Cliff Lee cost himself this World Series? $40 million?). And he wasn't the only supposed immortal they handed a loss to in the post-season. Halladay, Hammels, Oswalt, Lowe, Hudson. It's all in the books. Beautiful, wonderful history.
And so, while I will continue to bask in the glory of a perpetual good mood, there is one question. And that question is, what now? I feel a bit like Inigo Montoya at the end of "The Princess Bride". After heroically avenging his father's murder, he explains, "it's very strange. I have been in the revenge business so long, now that it's over, I don't know what to do with the rest of my life." If witnessing the Giants win a World Series is my equivalent of his revenge, that puts us in the same boat. Anyone that knows me knows that the Giants are a big part of who I am. Baseball is my religion, AT$T Park is my church, and Barry Bonds (the best Giant of all time) is my savior. Right in the description of this very blog it says it would be impossible for someone to want the Giants to win a World Series more than I do. But now that they've won, does it change anything? This is actually something I've thought of before, even when the Giants were not good. If/When the Giants do win a World Series, will I become less of a fan, because my thirst has been quenched? I don't really see that happening, but I do think there will be less urgency. The key is to remain focused on the new goal: become the team everyone hates. Win a string of titles so that everyone outside of San Francisco rants about us "hippy faggots" out of jealousy. That would be sweet. Until then, I'll be satisfied with the one. That beautiful, wonderful history made last Monday night.
Remember remember the 1st of November
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