Email  Print

Giants have their winning ways, Warriors hope to follow

Open field

 

While their offense struggles, their pitching continues to strive, and, with solid defensive support, dominate the opposition, the World Series champion San Francisco Giants remain in, or are always hovering around, first-place in the National League West. It’s going to be that way until they again claim their division and, hopefully, another pennant and WS title.

Sure it’s nerve-wracking and “torturous” to follow, but it’s also a heck of a lot of fun because the journey through the season is always an exciting trek, and proves that the Giants know how to win, which is such a comforting feeling.

Does it really matter that they’re not scoring a lot of runs? In the end, it’s the victory that matters and San Francisco has that knack of winning any way they can.

In sweeping the American League’s Cleveland Indians over the weekend, the Giants won back-to-back games on a sacrifice fly to an infielder for a one-run win, and then on a bases-loaded balk in a 1-0 victory.

Now, if you want to call those to bizarre-ending wins lucky, go ahead, because most championship teams need luck along the way to claim their crown.

But, remember, championship teams also create their luck by the way they perform, using talent, confidence and total commitment to achieve their success.

Of course it’s their strong pitching and defense making up for their lack of offense.

But, remember, different than last year when they were healthy for their World Series title run, this has been a season filled with injuries, especially hurting the offense – such as losing the recently returned Pablo Sandoval from the disabled list, where, so disappointingly, Buster Posey will reside for the rest of 2011, and Freddie Sanchez will be staying for a long time. And there are a lot more contributing players still hurting and not playing.

Still, despite these negatives, San Francisco continues to produce positives, because the Giants definitely know how to win.

So, enjoy the ride to the best that your fragile nerves will allow you to and you will be smiling plenty in late October – or early November, again?

 

•••

Are the Oakland/San Francisco/Golden State Warriors on track to win their first NBA championship since 1975?

With new ownership, management, coach, assistants, and everything else, it’s going to depend on that right mixture of players, which is going to make for an interesting journey, with a lot of questions to answer and answers to question. I do think they made an excellent draft pick with Klay Thompson out of Washington State.

Yes, it opens the doors to much speculation with Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry also being guards, but I say go for it because it could be another “Run TMC” trio for the loyal Warrior fans to enjoy. With the right combination of big guys down low, it could lead to the elusive playoffs and, hopefully, another championship.

Ciao!