When the giants stranded 20 + runners in scoring position in Atlanta two weekends ago I wanted to take a bat to something.  I was angry enough to hit my TV for a sac fly...if only the giants could hit a few.  Then came a strangely depressing series against the Cubs where anything less than a four game sweep felt like failure.  Finally, the Padres arrived and I don’t even want to think about them ever again.  It felt like the losing streaks of this year or the G-men of ‘09.  A solid team that just can’t get it done.  The same tape plays in my head: “Yeah maybe the Giants make the playoffs, but even if they do they can’t compete with the Braves or the Phils or the Cards.”

 But this team IS different…and I can prove it.  Or I can at least try.

 Try to channel your disposition and emotion from some point last year or the year before.

 I imagine game after game in which the pitching was magnificent and the batters hit hundreds of double plays with astonishing efficiency. I’d like to focus on batting, because the pitching has been stellar again this year—although big-time Timmy-Jim is starting to scare everyone. Just ask the players, they’ll tell you that this staff gives them the opportunity to go out everyday and expect a win.  Aubrey Huff said something like:  “Heck, look at our number five on the rotation: Madison Bumgarner.  He’s a number one spot on a lot of teams.”

 I’ll avoid stats like batting average, RBIs, and home runs because only ESPN gets to do that and if you do it on a blog you get eaten alive. 

 So all I have are memories.  Lets look at this year:

• Sweeping the first three games of the season even if it was against the Astros felt wondrous.  Coming from behind to beat Atlanta in the home opener and coming from behind wins where the “old” Giants would have laid down and taken it.

• Taking series against the tops of the league (Cards and Phils) and beating the aces of the opponents: Josh Johnson, Roy Halladay, Ubaldo Jimenez, Wainwright and Carpenter.

• Walk-off wins.

• A winning record on the road and shot at the playoffs that are legitimate and realistic—unlike last year where even the commercials couldn’t believe it (Hey Giants fans we’re in this thing).

• The addition of young talent such as Posey and Bumgarner even though they still sign old fatties like Uribe, Renteria and Molina.

 This year is different.  This year is fun.  This is the best season to be a Giants fan in the last 7 years. 

 Nonetheless, some differences aren’t so great:

• In 2009 the Dodgers dominated the Giants.  This year the teams are currently split at 6-6, but the Giants finally look like the better team.

• In 2010, the Giants have been absolutely dominated by the Padres.  A miserable 2-9 record against them, when they are the only team the Giants truly need to beat this year.  They have 7 more chances to beat the Padres, but after the last series at home things appear bleak—especially after some embarrassing comments from Jonathan Sanchez.

This last series was incredibly disappointing.  Despite the fact that this year has been different so far, there is enough time left for their season to go either way into the doom of the past or the glory of the future. 

I refuse to make any predictions now, as the Giants are about to field an extremely difficult schedule against Phils, St. Louis and Cincy.  However, the team has done well against those squads this season and right now any team that isn’t the Padres is a beatable team. 

This day forward marks the true beginning of the Giants’ season.  What will be said about this team for years to come will all come down to their achievements from this point on.  All these observations are just moments of a season, ultimately, moments of a much larger part.  

However, this season, moments make all the difference. 

After blowing a seven-point lead a few weeks ago against the Marlins there was no doubt in my mind that the Giants were going to win.  The same feeling in my core was there when they blew the lead against the Cubs last Thursday, while I suffered in the bleachers: “There is no way the Giants are going to lose this game.” When the bases were loaded for Pat Burrel didn’t even the most pessimistic of fans feel in their gut that he was going to hit one out.

The difference is that this year success truly feels possible.  In fact, I’m almost ready to believe.

Before the 2009 season, ESPN quietly named Pablo Sandoval as the next break out player in the Giants clubhouse and future fan favorite.  His batting earned him the respect of the fans and his nickname coined by Barry Zito launched him into their hearts and wallets.  Kung Fu Panda’s final stat sheet for the season read 90 RBI’s, 25 home runs, and a .330-387-.-.556 slash line. His demeanor in the clubhouse made him even more of a fan favorite; the jolly youngster was always joking and establishing relationships with everyone on the squad.

This season has fared differently for the Venezuelan slugger.

It started with an off-season debacle called operation panda, an attempt to combat his increasing body weight.  Ultimately the attempt would only draw more attention to his failure to drop weight. Sandoval opened the season batting fourth and by April he was consistently hitting, or rather striking out in the six and seventh spots in the order.

Announcers called it the sophomore slump.  Many were careful to explain that the sophomore slump isn’t really a slump at all it just means the league has figured out your weaknesses and learned to exploit them. Before Pablo’s rise to popularity, the writers did note that he had a tendency to swing freely.  This was true all along, as the little big man loved to swing at anything no matter where it landed in relation to the strike zone. 

There’s not much to figure out.  He swings anyway, so put it where he can’t get it and watch him whiff.

Another thing I notice this year is the amount of one pitch at bats he has.   It is an incredibly unsatisfying and hollow experience to watch a one pitch pop up.  I imagine it feels like the pitcher just stole your wallet when in reality you left it on home plate and walked away.

Even his bubble looks sad.

So the 2010 Sandoval boasts a bigger waistline, a slower step and a .263 average with only 6 home runs in nearly 400 at bats.  He also leads the major’s in double plays. It hurts to say this about such a loveable guy but calling him a disappointment this season is fitting compared to last season and his expectations.One angry blogger wrote a bashing article in which he proclaimed Pablo was a fluke and he would never reach his previous success again. I just can’t imagine how it’s possible for a guy to hit 25 fluke home runs in a season in the majors.

Divorce rumors surfaced and were validated when Sandoval skipped two games to attend to “personal matters” in his native Venezuela. Various outlets have since confirmed that he indeed is going through a messy divorce but KNBR and his teammates are quick to confirm that he’s still unfazed and his jolly old self.

However, at times he does look like a different man. His body language is different from the jolly panda of last year.  When he gets on base and points skyward to thank the big guy upstairs, the sense of relief and anxiety in his demeanor are glaringly visible. 

He will take whatever he can get.

Another quiet point is that Sandoval was discovered to have a slight astigmatism in an eye exam in the off-season.  He has tooled around with glasses and contacts despite insisting his vision of the ball is normal.  Also, Bochy assures that this type of tweaking is normal for all slumping hitters.

Many fans and broadcasters comment on Pablo as if he will come out of his funk this season and propel the team to the post-season.  However, the story of the slumping panda has faded slightly as the team is making splashes all over the league. At one game out of first place in the N.L. West, a monstrous July and the surge of Torres, Huff, and Posey, it appears as if the commentators are happy to just assume that Pablo’s woes are not as much of a problem right now.

So what really is the matter with Pablo Sandoval?  The pressures of being asked to carry a team, a divorce, lack of discipline at the plate, the rest of the league having his number?

 It’s puzzling. Did he descend? Or was he never on top at all?

Of course more discipline at the plate would help and I find it inconceivable that a professional ball player would be unable to adapt.  But truthfully plate discipline is not that simple, and some even believe it can’t be taught.  

Trying to predict what will happen with Pablo is difficult.  My feeling is he will regain his old form.   Although, mine is a gut feeling, grounded more in emotion and desire than facts or statistics.  

However…so is baseball. 

It’s a strange and finicky game, and even the hottest and the coldest can flip their own scripts.  Pablo is now on the hottest team in the game and some of the pressure will be gone.  I think the team is electric and its energy is bound to flow throughout the clubhouse. 

I think we are going to see that man again,  I just hope its soon.

Did anyone else notice that when Pablo went to do his postgame personal handshakes with his teammates, Renteria and Franchez looked pissed? They were very reluctant as if they were just trying not to be rude?  It almost looked like Freddy was telling him off.  

Anybody?

maybe they are having a competition for which underachieving hitter will start hitting better.

They could also be having a battle for which underachieving hitter is performing better in the field.

Franchez: You're blowing bubbles while I'm making game changing grabs, I bet you I make web gems tonight...fatty.

just kidding

he didn't though.

While most of last year and quite a bit of this season the Giants were dismal on the road.  This current squad (The July Giants) is on fire.  Furthermore, the way the club is swinging the bat, some more hitter friendly fields should be exciting for the lineup and a good challenge for the pitching staff.

Take tonight for example.  Three Giants jacks in one game.  Mmmm gimme some. I got my Aubrey Huff Snarl on right now.

Oh and by the way, The Giants are only 1 game out of first place in the NL west.

so how bout them apples.

I almost felt sorry for the Rockies hurlers tonight until I remembered tomorrow brings Jimenez.  They faired decently against him last time if I recall.  Something about an Ishikawa grand slam shnarf shnarf.  I'll keep em crossed though because I always expect a loss.  I'm just a tortured soul.

Did anyone else notice that at the end of the game when Pablo went to do his personal handshakes with his teammates that Renteria and Franchez looked pissed and were very reluctant almost as if they were just trying not to be rude.  It almost looked like Freddy was telling Pablo off for a play he made.   Anybody see that?

finally I must note that the day Posey's streak ended a little streak of my own had just begun.  This is some playoff superstition type stuff so I'm going keep it a secret until it accumulates some more results.  

But just know if it keeps up, these giants will be fine.