The overused phrase ‘if the playoffs started today’ applies here in the sense that the Giants would be a playoff team at this very moment. Despite the second half trundle in the standings, they are still slated for October. To say that a potential playoff team is done on September 15th would be a bit premature.
Outside of the American League East, the National League West has the closest division race going. There are currently divisional leads of eight, 10 and 17 games going on right now in baseball. The Dodgers currently have a five game lead with six games left head-to-head with the Giants. How many other teams in baseball would just love to have that type of chance this late in the season? It’s all about perception, too. If you reversed the Giants’ first half record with that of the second and had them currently going on a run with just five games out, there would be a much more fervent fan base rather than cause for distress.
Another big factor in all of this is trust. Do you trust Bruce Bochy to make the right moves down the stretch? Of course. He’s the man that has skippered the Giants to three titles in his Giants tenure. He didn’t forget how to be a Hall of Fame manager overnight. Yes, some players are not hitting their career averages, for various reasons, but the team has a winning pedigree with a lot of proud veterans on the team.
With the current schedule lining up the way it is, winning three of four over the Cardinals can turn the season on a dime. Even a split keeps you alive, especially when three of your four pitches in the series are Johnny Cueto, Matt Moore & Jeff Samardzija. If the Giants lose three out of four to the Cardinals, call me on Monday and tell me, KNBR or not, ‘you’re crazy the Giants suck.’
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