Monday, November 1, 2010

The Torture is Over

Giants "torture" started for me in 2000 when the Mets ripped out our hearts in the division series. Many believed, myself included, that the Giants had the roster to win it all that season. I'll never forget Game 2 when JT Snow's 3-run homer in the bottom of the 9th against Armando Benitez tied up the game at 4. My girlfiend at the time, Sheila, (now my wife) were jumping up and down like a couple of little kids. We were in the lower deck and I could feel the concrete slab bounce like it was made of rubber. The Mets punched us in the gut by scoring in the 10th and held on for the win... I believe Bonds struck out to end that one.

Game 3 was a heartbreaker too... my wife and I watched the game from the Faultline bar in the Marina district of San Francisco... that game went 13 innings and lasted 5 hours and 20 minutes. Needless to say, we were thoroughly intoxicated (and depressed) by the time that game ended when Benny Agbayani hit a walk-off homer.

Then we all know what happened in Game 6 of the 2002 World Series against the Angels. I remember that like it was yesterday... still hard to believe the Giants blew a 5-0 lead with 8 outs to go. Sheila and I watched that from a friend's wedding... we snuck out of the reception hall to watch the game in a nearby bar. Sheila and I fought like mad on the way home... it was pretty obvious, even while it was happening, that we were expressing some frustation and disgust about what we just saw.

This year was just so bizarre on so many levels... Lincecum looked like he "lost it" in August (0-5, 7.82 ERA)... one-third of their playoff roster was comprised of players not even with the team on Opening Day. I could go on about how unlikely it was for this team to make the playoffs, let alone the World Series. I mean, Cody Ross? C'mon.

I had genuinely thought the Braves would beat them... the Phillies, for sure... and no way they'd be able to defeat a team that completely man-handled the Yankees.

So glad I was 0 for 3.

When you look back on some of the things that happened, you have to admit "luck", or whatever you wanna call it, played a part.

- Brooks Conrad... I mean, if Buster Posey's ball doesn't go through Conrad's legs (and other blunders) in Game 3, the Giants my not have got past the Braves.
- Billy Wagner's fluke injury certainly helped too.
- How about Kinsler's ball that hit the top of the fence in a scoreless tie in Game 2?
- And when Posey's double hit the top of the fence in Game 4, you started to wonder if the baseball gods rigged it for a Giants win.

This makes me think... as a poker player, I know it takes a lot of good fortune to win a large tourney... I guess it can't hurt for a baseball team to have the same to win it all.

Regardless, the torture is over!

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