The San Francisco Giants are bringing torture back: Playoff Primer
It's hard to remember now, but way back in the day, before everything was rainbows and roses and big hits from Posey, being a San Francisco Giants fan was, in a word, "torture."
Those were the innocent days of 2010, when team broadcaster Duane Kuiper eloquently dubbed the club's inability to score runs - yet still win close games - as "Giants Baseball: Torture."
Well, six years later, after we grew accustomed to World Series titles every other year beginning in that 2010 season, torture is back.
This time, however, it involves the Giants bullpen and there is nothing cute about it.
Tuesday night, the Giants blew their sixth save in September, and 27th of the season, coughing up a three-run ninth-inning lead to the fourth-place San Diego Padres and losing, 6-4. That dropped their second half record to a major league worst 20-34.
Of all the late-inning pratfalls, this one might have been the most soul-crushing for Giants fans. Tuesday's save opportunity was the second consecutive chance afforded young Hunter Strickland, after he closed Sunday's game at Arizona, continuing a merciful pivot away from Santiago Casilla, the veteran that manager Bruce Bochy let hold down the closer role through eight blown saves.
It takes a lot for Bochy to move on from one of his old reliables - nothing short of a felony, usually - so the move to closer by committee and then Strickland and his 100-mph fastball was a significant pivot. And a proper one, at least as of 10 p.m. Pacific time Tuesday evening.
Any notion that Strickland would take the ball and run with it through another raucous October lasted, oh, 10 minutes.
In between, Strickland gave up three singles and a walk, the latter coming with the bases loaded. Appropriately unnerved, Shea went to the lefty Okert to get the final out against Ryan Schimpf, the 5-9, 180-pounder who does nothing except hit home runs.
Now, he also makes history.
The blown save, technically, went to Okert. The culpability was 99% Strickland's.
And so it goes for the Giants, who are now in serious trouble. They still hold the No. 1 wild card, but by just a half-game over the Mets, and are now just a game ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals for the second slot. Yes, the team with the best record at the break - and an eight-game lead in late June - is now on the verge of slipping out of playoff position.
And the Cardinals head to San Francisco on Thursday, a four-game series in which the Giants have three of their best pitchers - Johnny Cueto, Matt Moore and Jeff Samardzija - aligned to start.
It doesn't matter how well they pitch, however, if getting the 27th out proves more elusive than affordable Bay Area housing. So forgive the Giants fan in your life if they feel a bit fatalistic until the ninth.
And remember that it's merely a return to the good old days.
Playoff Primer
Days left in season: 20
Tuesday's big mover: Baltimore. Always nice when your task is right in front of you, and the Orioles slammed three home runs at Fenway Park to gain back a game on the Red Sox. They can pull within a game of first place in the rubber game tonight, and have pulled even with the stumbling Blue Jays for the top wild card spot.
Tuesday's big loser: Houston. The Texas Rangers can't beat them with one hand tied behind their backs - but they can hit home runs off one knee. And also rally for two ninth-inning runs off Ken Giles, who more often than not is talking loud, but saying nothing.
Oh oh, it's magic: The Rangers reduced to eight their magic number for winning the AL West. The Washington Nationals' NL East number remains nine, while the Indians lost but saw their AL Central magic number dip to 13 thanks to a Royals loss.
Today's can't miss game: Cubs at Cardinals, 1:45 ET. The Cubs can't clinch at Busch Stadium, but they can set things up for a Wrigley Field party by slicing their magic number to one. And the pitching matchup - Jon Lester vs. Carlos Martinez - is Game 1-playoff worthy.