We admit it: We've jumped on the San Francisco Giants bandwagon. Really, though, what choice do we have? We still love the Mets, but staring at an empty Citi Field wouldn't satisfy our baseball cravings during the fall-classic period. And we certainly can't root for the Texas Rangers. For one thing, they're from Texas. More importantly, they are the team formerly owned and presumably beloved by former President W. You know how we feel about him.
Interesting baseball tidbit: San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom played baseball in high school. Apparently, he was a good enough pitcher to get scouted by none other than--you guessed it--the Texas Rangers. Sadly, for those of us who enjoy our history served with a dollop of irony, the team that scouted this ultra-liberal, gay-marriage defending, sanctuary-city promoting future mayor of Moscow-on-the-Pacific was not yet owned by "compassionate (hyrrk!) conservative" future-President Beavis at the time of his scouting.
What is it with failed baseball players pursuing dreams of socialist utopias, anyway? Fidel Castro, Gavin Newsom. . . . Y'know, Kim Jong-il isn't getting any younger, and the Dodgers have this kid washing out in double-A. We're just saying. . . .
At any rate, there are other reasons to root for the Giants. Along with the A's, they are the "home team" for us now, and we read somewhere that it's incumbent upon one to root root root for those folks. Moreover, there's the slogan. The '73 Mets had "You Gotta Believe!" The 2004 Red Sox had "Cowboy Up!" And the 2010 Giants?
"Torture!"
That's not some kind of war-cry. It's meant to represent what the Giants have put their fans through over the course of this season. For San Francisco, you see, has made it this far on excellent pitching and, as far as we can tell, spackle. Their offensive star is a rookie catcher who wasn't even with the team on opening day (and whose name is "Buster Posey"--you can't make this stuff up). They tend to win (or lose) games by one run, and this is only because it is physically impossible to win or lose by less, which they would no doubt prefer. Sadistic bastards.
Tonight's World Series opener provides as good an illustration as any. Facing the heretofore unbeatable Cliff Lee, the Giants managed to open up a six-run lead midway through the game. They scored a total of 11 runs, and held a seven-run lead going into the ninth. Not wanting the assembled fans to leave disappointed, the team promptly gave up three runs and allowed another baserunner before finally ending the game. We fear to think what the rest of the series will hold, but we plan to enjoy the ride.
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