The Giants magic has finally run out. It was a wild, torturous ride in 2010. It ended with a surprising World Series title and carried into the offseason and into the 2011 season. The Giants were the walk off win kings. The fun torture was still happening where things were always exciting and interesting and eventually ended in Giants handshakes around the mound. Then Buster Posey and Freddy Sanchez sustained season ending injuries and the vibe took a hit. Except, it didn't. They kept winning. They climbed to 17 games over .500. They sent 5 All-Stars to Arizona. Then they went to Philly, one of the most hyped up series of the year, a rematch of the NLCS to face the best team IN BASEBALL, and they took 2 of 3.
Then?
THUD.
The Giants traded for the centerpiece of the trade market in Carlos Beltran and have gone 11-21 since his arrival. Of course, Beltran immediately got injured upon becoming a Giant, fitting in nicely with his new teammates.
The Giants have put 18 players on the DL this season. None of the position players that had big years in 2010 to carry the team have come close to having even mediocre years. Huff has been awful. Ross has been awful. Torres has been awful. Burrell has been injured. Renteria is a Red and Uribe is a Dodger. Sandoval, who was not very good last year, has been the team's best hitter and the only beacon of light in an otherwise dreadful year offensively.
After the July 31st deadline came and went, no one expected that Jeff Keppinger, a career utility fielder who was having a nice year as a starter in Houston, would be Brian Sabean's best acquisition. Beltran has been a bust, hitting for a high (yet soft) average while wearing a Giants uni. He has 4 RBI as a Giant and tonight stranded 6 runners by himself. Even worse, he looks like he could care less out in the field and has routinely let gettable balls fall in for hits. And we haven't even discussed the mind boggling Thomas Neal for Orlando Cabrera trade. Cabrera was playing 2B for the Indians. And Sabean traded for him to be our SS. Nevermind that Brandon Crawford had been a magician at short with the glove and could actually have decent AB's (despite a low average). You see, the Giants don't like players that aren't aggressive at the plate and are quick to belittle "passive" hitters like Fred Lewis or Brandon Belt who actually look to take a walk every once in awhile. Cabrera has made a few decent plays at short but more often than not he has been shaky to awful and has actually cost the team runs. And if I have to hear how he's been on playoff teams the last several years I'll throw him. There's a reason those teams haven't brought him back. He's not good. And we gave up a pretty decent outfield prospect in Thomas Neal for him. You don't trade one of your better prospects for Orlando Cabrera. Especially after you gave up one of your top prospects for Beltran. The Cabrera trade didn't have to be made but Sabean felt like he had to get someone at shortstop so he did. We'll see in a couple of years whether or not that trade will go down as one of the real bad ones.
Wheeler was difficult to part with but at least Beltran was a valuable commodity. Cabrera? Let's just say the Giants could have signed him this winter on a minor league deal but instead wound up trading Thomas Neal for him later on. Sickening really.
The Giants have folded. The DBacks smell blood in the water (much like the Giants smelled Padre blood last season). They sit 6 back with 26 games left and while mathematically they're still alive AND have 6 games head to head against the Dbacks, no logical person could be watching this team and think they have any chance to actually reach October again.
Their body language is awful. The pitchers are finally reaching the breaking point in terms of frustration when it comes to the offense. And Wilson and Posey and the Sanchez's are all still out.
There was "magic inside" AT&T Park for a season and a half. But it finally has run out.
Last homestand? 3-7. This homestand against the absolute dregs of not just the NL but MLB? -3-5.
Time to grab those 2010 DVD's and throw them on. This season has unofficially ended.
Then?
THUD.
The Giants traded for the centerpiece of the trade market in Carlos Beltran and have gone 11-21 since his arrival. Of course, Beltran immediately got injured upon becoming a Giant, fitting in nicely with his new teammates.
The Giants have put 18 players on the DL this season. None of the position players that had big years in 2010 to carry the team have come close to having even mediocre years. Huff has been awful. Ross has been awful. Torres has been awful. Burrell has been injured. Renteria is a Red and Uribe is a Dodger. Sandoval, who was not very good last year, has been the team's best hitter and the only beacon of light in an otherwise dreadful year offensively.
After the July 31st deadline came and went, no one expected that Jeff Keppinger, a career utility fielder who was having a nice year as a starter in Houston, would be Brian Sabean's best acquisition. Beltran has been a bust, hitting for a high (yet soft) average while wearing a Giants uni. He has 4 RBI as a Giant and tonight stranded 6 runners by himself. Even worse, he looks like he could care less out in the field and has routinely let gettable balls fall in for hits. And we haven't even discussed the mind boggling Thomas Neal for Orlando Cabrera trade. Cabrera was playing 2B for the Indians. And Sabean traded for him to be our SS. Nevermind that Brandon Crawford had been a magician at short with the glove and could actually have decent AB's (despite a low average). You see, the Giants don't like players that aren't aggressive at the plate and are quick to belittle "passive" hitters like Fred Lewis or Brandon Belt who actually look to take a walk every once in awhile. Cabrera has made a few decent plays at short but more often than not he has been shaky to awful and has actually cost the team runs. And if I have to hear how he's been on playoff teams the last several years I'll throw him. There's a reason those teams haven't brought him back. He's not good. And we gave up a pretty decent outfield prospect in Thomas Neal for him. You don't trade one of your better prospects for Orlando Cabrera. Especially after you gave up one of your top prospects for Beltran. The Cabrera trade didn't have to be made but Sabean felt like he had to get someone at shortstop so he did. We'll see in a couple of years whether or not that trade will go down as one of the real bad ones.
Wheeler was difficult to part with but at least Beltran was a valuable commodity. Cabrera? Let's just say the Giants could have signed him this winter on a minor league deal but instead wound up trading Thomas Neal for him later on. Sickening really.
The Giants have folded. The DBacks smell blood in the water (much like the Giants smelled Padre blood last season). They sit 6 back with 26 games left and while mathematically they're still alive AND have 6 games head to head against the Dbacks, no logical person could be watching this team and think they have any chance to actually reach October again.
Their body language is awful. The pitchers are finally reaching the breaking point in terms of frustration when it comes to the offense. And Wilson and Posey and the Sanchez's are all still out.
There was "magic inside" AT&T Park for a season and a half. But it finally has run out.
Last homestand? 3-7. This homestand against the absolute dregs of not just the NL but MLB? -3-5.
Time to grab those 2010 DVD's and throw them on. This season has unofficially ended.
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