Haven't We Been Here Before?

One game out, and a key matchup with San Diego on the horizon. Talk about a sense of deja vu all over again.

The Giants have won three straight, with smoke and mirrors as the primary ingredients for success. So I sit here at the keyboard wondering, do I get excited about the prospects of the Giants actually winning the division, or am I simply setting myself up for the same heartbreak that has seemed to come at the end of each of my 40 seasons of fandom?

Quite honestly, I've been neglecting my writing because I have no clue what to say. I had resigned myself to the season being pretty much done. San Diego had a commanding lead, the Giants were playing poorly, and wildcard chances were also slipping slowly into the abyss. I'd written the G-men off.

Well, the Orange and Black still aren't doing anythig to set my toes a tappin', and that isn't so much as smile on my face as it is a pained grimmace. But who would have throught the Padres would unravel like a GOP economic plan?

One game out. Unthinkable.

I want to be excited. Heck, I want to dance on Tommy Lasorda's fat and balding head. But I just can't get worked up about this team. The offense only emerges from witness protection only sporadically. The defense is sometimes spectacular but at other times horrific. The bullpen scares the blazes out of me. Jonathan Sanchez is the ultimate chicken-or-feathers arm.

The opener at Arizona raised more questions than it answered, the least of which was "how is this team is in the race?" At one point the Diamondbacks' ace of the day (translation: anyone who faces the Giants' anemic offense) retired 14 in a row. The streak was broken by a walk to Pat Burrell, who gave way to pinch runner Nate Schierholtz, who was promptly picked off base.

Aubrey Huff (zero for his last eight with RISP) had a chance to end the drama in the ninth with one out and men at the corners but managed only a weak pop-up, an event made even more disconcerting since that was the first time in the game the Giants had managed to place a runner in scoring position. Nine innings to even sniff the possibility of a run, and nada.

Nate redeemed himself with the game-winner in the 11th, but how often can you count on the opposition to remain inert and trip over its own shoeleaces until you can luck into a tally or two?

On the flip side, the Giants received good starts the last time through the rotation, and both Sanchez and Madison Bumgarner threw their best games of the year. Santaigo Casilla still has less command than Custer at Little Big Horn, but Bruce Bochy appears wedded to the guy so no point in further flogging that bullpen horse except to say I am concerned with the numbers game.

Bochy went through relievers on Monday like I go through Jolly Ranchers. I cringed when Mark Grace (I was watching the D-backs broadcast) commented that it was September so, with call-ups, both teams could run pitchers out there all day. Uh, not so fast, Gracie.

The Giants reactivated Mota but only called up infielders Burriss and Velez. Although they have 40 spots available they've filled just 32 of them, and none with extra pitchers. No Pucetas. No Sosa. No nothing. Now, Brian Sabean and Bochy can argue that they don't want to throw an untested arm into a pennat race. Fair enough, but after watching Zito's between-starts debacle against Cincy (and his subsequent drubbing in his next start), they need someone, anyone with a pulse, at the end of the bench just in case disaster looms. Heck, I'd put John Montefusco down there if he were available. Anything to avoid another Zito-like incident. Better to trust luck for one game than give away two.

But even if the pitching revival is real and not a mirage, do they have enough offense? Right now it seems only Buster Posey is hitting. Burrell at least makes pitchers work. Everyone else? Coin flip.

I have to take exception to the Giants' approach at the plate. Three hitting coaches in the last four years haven't been able to turn around this death march between plate and dugout. Either they need a better approach or better players. Yesterday was a perfect example of how poorly the Giants seem to understand the basics.

Arizona's weakness is its pen. Their starter threw his 80th pitch with one out in the eighth. Sanchez is usually there by the fourth inning.  Why? Beacuse hitters are patient with Sanchez, who is known for bouts of wildness. The Giants should have been working Ian Kennedy like the McCourts worked the IRS. Insted there were countless times where at-bats went three pitches or less, and a lot of those were one-pitch ABs. Hey, you rip at that pitch if it's in your zone, but judging from the result there were more reaches than rips. Too many fat hitters as opposed to fat pitches -- sorry Panda.

But, I guess it matters not how the Giants got here, they're here. One game out. The last time the Giants anticipated a showdown with San Diego, they laid an egg in the preceding series and pretty much let the air out of their own sails. Now it's the Friars who are sucking wind.  Can the Giants take advantage?

At this point the goal has to be observing the Hipocratic Oath: first do no damage. It's two more with Arizona, then four at Sea World. The Giants return home for another three-game go-around with The Hated Dodgers and Giants MVP Jonathan Broxton, three with the cominc book Brewers, and then rodies at Chicago and Colorado.

The goal through all of that has to be this: Come home from Colorado in no worse shape than they are now.

Make those last three games of the season, hosting the Padres at The Big Phone, matter. Anyting better is gravy.

I'll put The Count on speed dial.

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