This one went down like they drew it up as Logan Webb pitched 7 shut out innings and Rafael Devers drove in 4 runs with a pair of home runs. Key Lines:
Rafael Devers 1B- 2 for 3, 2 HR(14), 2 R, 4 RBI. BA= .240. Devers got the Giants scoring started with a solo HR in the 2'nd inning. Bryce Eldridge doubled and scored on Drew Gilbert's sac fly later in the inning. Devers came up again the very next inning with 2 outs and 2 runners on and delivered on the Earl Weaver formula for winning baseball with a 3-run HR. That was the end of the Giants scoring but it was more than enough to support the shut out pitching of Logan Webb and two relievers. Maybe it's just me but Devers seems to be playing with more focus since the dust up over the pinch runner last Sunday in Miami.
Logan Webb RHP- 7 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K's, 8/4 GO/AO. ERA= 3.09. Vintage Logan Webb. His season line is now well within his career norm. In fact, if he finishes the season with an ERA of 3.09 or lower, it will be his best season since 2022. His line for the month of June is 3-1, 0.71, 38 IP, 4 BB, 29 K.
Robbie Ray LHP tries for a series win this afternoon but has a daunting task as he faces Chris Sale LHP who comes in with an ERA of 2.14.
I watched a movie yesterday called Voice Mails for Isabelle. It's actually a very sad movie, especially for someone who lost the love of their life this year. But the movie is about San Francisco and at one point they play the Journey song When the Lights Go Down In the City. It brought back memories of another time when Steve Perry sang it during postseason games at AT&T Park and how it brought the team, the stadium, the song and the city together and created magical moments.
I then thought back to how in the years after Willie Mays and Juan Marichal were traded and soon retired, I started obsessively reading minor league stat lines in The Sporting News hoping to find the next Willie Mays or the next Juan Marichal. At one point I thought Chili Davis might be the next Mays. He was a good player but he wasn't Willie Mays. John "The Count" Montefusco was an exciting pitcher but he was not Juan Marichal. Neither was Matt Cain, Tim Lincecum or Madison Bumgarner. After many years, I came to the realization that while the Giants would have more great players wear the uniform, there would never be another Willie Mays and there definitely would never be another Juan Marichal.
I think sometimes many of us follow this team, even through crushingly disappointing seasons, hoping to bring back the magic of the Even Year Dynasty. I do believe there will again be good Giants teams. After all we had a great one in 2021. I believe that someday they will win another World Series but must remember it took 52 years of playing in San Francisco to win the first one. What won't happen again is 2010 or 2012 or 2014. Those were different teams run by different people and the city is different with different vibes and a different relationship to the team. 2010 was the first championship in San Francisco and there will never be another first one.
So we'll keep following this team with an eye on the farm system and the future. But the future, as good and exciting as it may be, will not bring back the past.
Good morning Doc. OMG >May I say what you wrote thunder struck me.
ReplyDeleteMe born in 51 joining my Dad following the Giants. What little TV coverage we could see of the..Giants was augmented by listening on my Dad's Hallicrafter radio listening to the Giants playing the Cards in St Louey and the Cubs in Chicago. This radio was great picking stations in the Midwest United States just below Manitoba where I was raised and still reside. Pouring over the Sporting news ignoring everything else but the baseball coverage. And yes I was searching for the next Mays or Marichal. Who as you so eloquently write will never happen again. Doc as mt Dad would have said you truly are a scholar and a gentleman. God bless you Air!
Richard in Winnipeg
Your comments about watching the movie and thinking of your dear beloved > moved me to tears.
I also remember the Giants during the 50s and 60s and the excitement of going to the City .there was a certain vibe then- I haven’t been back in years but I doubt it is the same. One thing that has remained the same (unfortunately) is incredibly bad trades. Cepeda/Sadecki, Foster/Duffy, Perry/Sudden Sam, Felipe Alou/?, and now Harrison/Devers. Willy Mays was and still is my favorite of all time , there will never be another like him.
ReplyDeleteI also watched Voice Mails for Isabelle yesterday. For the second time. Love all the San Francisco references.
ReplyDeleteIt's an OK movie. Quite long. Maybe tries to do too much in one movie. Extremely sad and maybe drags the grief part out too long. I really enjoyed the focus on San Francisco. Brought back a lot of memories.
DeleteWow, Doc, thanks for sharing these memories and condolences again for the loss of your beloved wife. I came onboard a little after you gents, having become a fan when I followed the 1971 postseason with my dad. That didn’t end well and as it were my Giants fandom kicked off with the really tough decade of 70’s Giants baseball. But you know, it was fun nevertheless. Back in those days the Giants offered a couple of free tickets to SFUSD students who maintained good grades. My wife works in a public school and I’m not sure a couple of free baseball tickets would motivate students now, but it was surely effective for me. And even though the Giants were wandering through the desert throughout most of the first decades of my fandom the essence of being a fan is staying with the team through the ups and downs. Like you I became enamored by the minor leagues and the prospects and of course the Giants were mostly wandering the desert in that area as well. But jumping to the present day l am genuinely optimistic about the current farm system, especially the young bats, and am really excited about the upcoming draft. I believe the Giants can both top off their minor league system with an elite hitter while also restocking with talented young pitchers with this deep draft class. Thank you Doc for providing this blog for us Giants lifers to both celebrate the past and hope for the future.
ReplyDeleteDoc,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this post.Coincidentally,, I too watched Voicemails for Isabelle this weekend while visiting my daughter in LA. Watching movies with the theme of death and dying always choke me up. We enjoy watching poignant movies like this and RomComs together. Locations of SF and Austin, Texas made the movie interesting as well.
We also caught the Angels play the A's in Anaheim. The Angels had three former Giants in the starting lineup; Wade Meckler, Donovan Walton and Jorge Soler which added to the game, which brings me to your nostalgic post. I have been a die hard Giants fan since I saw my first game (May 7, 1967 at Candlestick Park Gaylord Perry against Don Drysdale, Giants won 3–1 complete games by both pitchers). This year has been a very difficult year to watch and I was thinking last night how fortunate we were to have the there World Series wins. I am grateful for the WS wins looking back, but looking forward, there is some serious looking at themselves in the mirror that needs to be done. Even if I tried to, I won't be able to stop following the Giants. Too much history, too many ties to my family and friends and too much hope for the future that the team will pull themselves out of this hole they have dug. Hopefully, there will be a story of redemption coming somewhere down the road.
In a way, they do try to bring the past back by having advisors such as Bochy, Baker, Wotus, etc but I’m not sure how much impact they are having.
ReplyDeleteChallenging times in life and baseball tend to induce both sentiment and poetry in us.
ReplyDeleteYesterday was the first day of the 2nd half. Celebrate the win ,and SF has a chance to win the series today, 2-1.
ReplyDeleteSo, what if the Giants win 2 out of 3 in the 2nd half?
They would end up with 87 wins, and give them a chance for the playoffs!
87 wins did win the WS in 2000!
The Giants series with Arizona at the end of August has been changed so SF and AZ play a double header on Saturday, August 29th, allowing Sunday to be a travel day to get to Atlanta for the make-up game on Monday before starting a 3-game series in Pittsburgh.
ReplyDeleteDoc, thank you for posting wonderful memories from the past. Deepest condolences again to you for losing the love of your life. John Montefusco -saw him pitch his 1st AAA game with my dad in Hawaii He lost the game pitching 10 innings losing 2 to 1, striking out 10! I remember Rocky Bridges the manager very animated as 3rd base coach. Remember watching Jack Clark as a terrific young hitter. I'm just a life long Giants fan who enjoys baseball and following the Giants. And yes, there will be better days. I remember the hopeless feeling in 1985 after they lost 100 games, 2 years later they win the division. The fun thing about baseball is its unpredictable. We'll see what happens in 2026 2nd half.
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