SAN FRANCISCO–In a season that has been filled with season-long slumps, a broken sellout streak, a multitude of lineup shuffles, a dirt-bike crash and a whole lot more, it’s fair to assume that the Giants and their fans won’t be too sad to put 2017 in the past.
But even in a season in which the Giants have been eliminated from National League West contention in August, players in the clubhouse aren’t in a hurry to get the season over with. There’s pride at stake and plenty left to prove over the final 35 games of the season for an organization that hasn’t been in this bad of a position in well over a decade.
Monday night had the Giants facing off against the Milwaukee Brewers, who came into the series-opener sporting a 65-60 record, in the thick of the wild card race and only two games back of the National League Central leading Chicago Cubs.
“I’ve said this so many times. I don’t like being in this role,” Bochy said prior to Monday’s game. “I’d rather be on the other side.”
That’s not where the Giants find themselves, though. The Brewers had Zach Davies on the mound, who entered Monday with a perfect 7-0 record on the road. On the other side, San Francisco was giving Chris Stratton his fourth start of the season as it explores potential future options. The Giants’ only All-Star, Buster Posey, had the night off at AT&T Park, which had a large quantity of empty seats throughout the ballpark.
The pregame equation favored Milwaukee. Yet, it was Stratton who had it working on the mound, Davies who slipped-up in the fourth inning, and the Giants who came away with the 2-0 win in the first of a three-game set over the Brewers.
“[Stratton] really settled down and pitched well,” Bochy said after the game. “He goes out there and does his job.”
While the Giants may not be in the hunt for the postseason, Monday night showcased how the players taking the field still have a lot to play for.
Start with Stratton, who threw six shutout innings on the night before departing with a 2-0 lead, which the bullpen held onto just a day after letting a 2-1 lead slip away from Madison Bumgarner. The 26-year-old has spent parts of six seasons in the minor leagues as he tries to solidify his spot on the big league roster. Monday’s start helps his case, especially following the 6.2 shutout innings he threw in Washington in his last start.
“If you go out there and execute your pitches, it doesn’t really matter who you’re facing,” Stratton said. “I’m just going out there and trying to have fun.”
Brandon Crawford entered the season with high expectations, but his performance at the plate has experienced a gradual decline throughout the season, with June 20th being the last time the Giants shortstop had his batting average above .250. On Monday, Crawford opened the scoring with an RBI double smoked down the right field line, the sixth straight game in which he has recorded a hit. Time will tell if he can continue his turnaround the rest of the way and show that he can still be discussed as one of the better shortstops in the league.
It doesn’t stop with Stratton and Crawford. Veteran outfielders Denard Span and Hunter Pence are out to show that they can still be everyday options next season. Younger players like Kelby Tomlinson, Jarrett Parker and Ryder Jones hope to enter the offseason knowing that they can stick around at the big league level for good. Pablo Sandoval wants to justify the organization’s decision to give him a second chance. Matt Moore is out to finish strong to prove that the Giants should exercise his option in 2018. Madison Bumgarner wants to prove that he is still the dominant ace that he has been throughout the years. The list doesn’t stop there, either.
There’s nothing that can be done to eliminate the first 127 games of a season in which the Giants as a team have disappointed on a number of levels. There is plenty of time left over the final 35 games on the schedule, however, for the players in the clubhouse to rekindle the success they have achieved in the past to put themselves in a position to maintain it moving forward.