Some members of the San Francisco Giants just couldn’t watch the rest of the postseason after the painful Game 4 loss to the Cubs. A few said they did catch the World Series, especially the all-time classic Game 7 between the Cubs and Indians. It had to hurt.
They say time heals all wounds. In sports, that’s not always the case. Some losses stay with you forever. You can only win some more to make it better.
It’s especially tough when you have never ended the postseason with a loss. Guys like Buster Posey and Madison Bumgarner, for example. It’s tough knowing they went toe-to-toe with the Cubs, knowing they were playing much better toward the end of the season and knowing they had the talent and experience to extend the season to the very end.
However, they also know that if you play baseball long enough, you’re going to have failure in the postseason. You appreciate those opportunities and use each experience as fuel. They also know you have to move on, not only for your sanity but in order to focus on the upcoming season.
During Saturday’s KNBR-Giants FanFest, Rod Brooks and I asked Brandon Belt, Brandon Crawford, and Joe Panik about the way last season ended. Belt said, “last year, knowing it was in our grasp and we lost it, that was tough.” Crawford said it was “probably the toughest loss I’ve had in my big league career,” and Panik said it was a bitter ending to the year.
Panik added, however, “you’re never able to move forward if you’re looking backward.”
So the calendar turns, the snow melts, and the planes, trains and trucks are pointed toward Scottsdale. Spring training is especially welcome this year. The good news for the Giants: baseball didn’t stop forever in 2016 and they’ve addressed the most glaring flaw in their roster by signing closer Mark Melancon.
That was Job One for General Manager Bobby Evans and company in the offseason. The Giants lost too many games in the late innings last season. They also failed to win a single game when trailing after 8 innings.
The Giants were 0-62 in the regular season when trailing after eight. That speaks to a weak bench, but even with a weak bench that number is an outlier. They only hit four pinch-hit home runs, third worst in the National League.
So they’re hoping guys like Nick Hundley, Conor Gillaspie, Kelby Tomlinson, or Justin Ruggiano can provide a bigger threat. Old friend Michael Morse and veteran infielder Jimmy Rollins are also in camp, along with Korean signee Jae-gyun Hwang and Gordon Beckham made a big impression in the clubhouse during his cup of coffee last year. He’ll try to make an impression on the field this spring.
The Core Four are gone. Javier Lopez and Jeremy Affeldt are retired. They’ll be on the air this year for some Giants games. Some of those games might involve Sergio Romo, now a Dodger, and Santiago Casilla, now with the Athletics. It’s time for a different crop of bullpen arms to make their mark and give Manager Bruce Bochy a chance to once again manipulate a ‘pen like a Stradivarius.
Some of the strings on that fiddle broke last year — not all Bochy’s fault. He had to use duct tape to keep the strings attached for much of last year. He might’ve broken a Fitbit with the mound visits he made. He’s anticipating less wear on the cleats in 2017.
Left field and the #5 starter (Matt Cain, Ty Blach, or someone else?) are the remaining big questions. Mac Williamson and Jarrett Parker are going to get perhaps a couple hundred at-bats to audition before the Giants make the next move in left. If it works out they’ll provide more pop than Angel Pagan and hopefully more consistent defense, although Pagan had a decent 2016. If it doesn’t work out, then they’ll promote or trade some farm pieces to plug the hole by the trade deadline.
If the closer spot is stabilized, however, those other questions should not be enough to turn this team into the Gitanic. They took on water but somehow stayed afloat after the All-Star Break. Even at 30-42 after the Break, even with inconsistent hitting, they had every reason to expect a better result with a merely mediocre bullpen.
This team believes it can win the NL West and go deep into the postseason. With good health and a decent bullpen, that could very well happen. The hurt of last October will fade somewhat as they are immersed in the 2017 pennant race, but success this October is the only way to make the pain go away completely.
I saw the Westgate Las Vegas book had the Giants as 14-1 to win it all. Not a bad value, that. But I’m not here to lead you down the road to degradation (I’m sure you’re capable of doing that by yourself). Let’s just say, I may or may not have bought a ticket.