Giants Opening Day – A Cause for Hope

Opening Day is looming large here in San Francisco. On Tuesday our beloved Giants will take the field the same as they have since 1883.  Good or bad, the throngs will turn out to revel in the pregame debauchery flooding into the myriad of local eateries and pubs surrounding that the park including: Acme Chophouse, Tres Agaves, 21st Amendment, Paragon and my favorite Momo’s (which by the way yours truly will be gracing and signing copies of my website).

Like many of the faithful (or if you work for the Giants Marketing team the “gamers”) look at this year with hope and trepidation.  Hope that we can finally turn the corner and trepidation that this will be a record 5 straight losing seasons.  Only twice in the clubs storied history have we endured 4 straight losing seasons once from 1899 to 1902 & again from 1974 to 1977 but never have we crossed the dreaded 5 straight losing season threshold.  With young stars like Pablo Sandoval, Travis Ishiwhatever, & Fred Lewis peppering our lineup there’s cause for hope and maybe even justification for optimism – I feel like I’m selling a bailout plan.

There’s something in the air this year.  Something is different about the Giants.  We’ve turned into a sexy pick, a mystical team that contains unknown quantities in Pablo Sandoval, Alex Hinshaw, Jonathan Sanchez and Travis Ishikawa.  A team that possess The Freak, The Big Unit, a solid, proven closer in Brian Wilson and the neverending Barry Zito saga.  By the way I’m sick of Zito.  I’m tired of being upset when I look at him.  You know that feeling you get when someone catches you picking your nose and wiping it on their chair – I’m sick of that. Let’s face it the Giants are interesting.  Now this could all change the moment they drop 5 straight but right now they’re as interesting as the Bears v. Broncos matchup this upcoming season.

Can we expect 20 wins this year? We’re going to need them.

Maybe that something in the air is the hope I hold for our Gyros to score more than two runs per outting and hope for Cain to finally get some run support. Hope that Benji’s knees can take 162 games. Hope for Barry Zito to finally earn that paycheck OR give some of it back in a free beer night (eh – you know that would solve all his problems and win him the undying love of many of the “gamers.”) Hope that the NL West continues to rule the roost as the worst division in the majors.  Hope that Man Ram finally blows up in LA and replicates his pathetic, childish antics that preceded his exit from Boston.

Maybe I’m optimistic because this year the Giants rank lucky number 13 in overall team salary with two mediocre pitchers collectively pulling in just under $30 million.  If these two, former, Cy Young Winners can manage to collectively win 25 games I will personally streak the length of the outfield in a George Costanza styled body suit.

The Giants now boast a legitimate #1 and possess some (admittedly I’m playing fast and loose with the word some) power in the lineup.  Don’t believe me? Check out Sandoval’s Youtube highlight below where he won the Venezuelan Home Run Derby.  He beat some guy name Miguel Cabera. Still don’t believe me?  Travis Ishikowa hit 7 dingers in Spring Training, then again so did two guys from Kansas City.  Better yet Zito, yeah him (sigh), looked decent this spring in Arizona.

So as our friends at GM say, “let’s put on our rally caps and dig in,” maybe the Giants can get a government bailout on Zito’s contract? You got a better place to spend Tuesday afternoon?

Here’s to the hope of a winning season…Humm Baby! Oh yeah and BEAT LA!