Giants Sweep the Dodgers, Tie For First, Most Wins in NL (This Is Real Life)

My favorite part is Chad Billingsley being out

             

               There are two parts to what a great day this is, the Giants-Dodger part and the Giants part. Yeah, lets start with the Dodger part. That was a good part.

               I've been to a lot of Giants-Dodgers games over the years, and I'm unofficially sure I've never seen the Giants win. All I remember seeing is Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier feasting on hanging curveballs, Casey Blake going full douche bag, Clayton Kershaw acting like he's a good pitcher or something weird like that, Rafael Furcal using cheat codes to bat everywhere in the lineup, Manny Ramirez and his hair, Russell Martin being Russell Martin, Jonathan Broxton scaring me etc. Did I cover everything? What about Casey Blake being a douche bag?

             Then of course, there's the actual Dodger fan inside AT&T Park. I'm no dummy, although I've been told differently, and I know there are plenty of Giants fans that do the same thing inside Dodger Stadium. These types of fans exist everywhere not just the Dodgers. But wow, do they irritate the crap out of me. A few thoughts I have when they are speaking:

"Really, I didn't notice Matt Kemp is a baseball player! Thanks for telling me Dodger fan!

"Wait, you are excited about the Dodgers scoring a run? I'm glad you are not using your indoor voice to say that!"

"Do you like beer?"

               Again, every fan base is like this. Still doesn't make it easy to take.

               On Friday I watched the Dodgers get shutout from section 310. I don't even know if there were Dodger fans at the game. Probably were trying to beat traffic or something like that. Andre Ethier was nowhere to be found. Matt Kemp was watching from the dugout. Manny Ramirez was sitting at his house, probably wearing a River Cats jersey, because that's what baseball players do. Casey Blake was trimming his beard somewhere not at a Major League Baseball park. The Giants also scored 8 runs. It was a beautiful sight for a Giants fan.

              A shutout series against any team is phenomenal, but when it comes against the Dodgers? Tying for first in the division is amazing, but when it comes against the Dodgers? Tim Lincecum righting the ship is great, but when it comes against the Dodgers? Grant Brisbee over at McCovey Chronicles wrote about how this could not have been scripted any better, and it's so so true. This was like eating one popsicle, then realizing you have another popsicle, and then realizing you're in a popsicle forest with raining gummy bears.
     
                The Giants just peaked through 77 games, and it came against the Dodgers. I am happy. 

*****

               The Giants are by no means a flawless team, but coming into this series if you were to point out their biggest flaws they would be:

1) Tim Lincecum pitching like Barry Zito

2) Barry Zito pitching like Barry Zito

              For one series, those concerns were settled. Eliminating everything you know about baseball small sample sizes, and all that crap, everything came together this series and the Giants are the best team in baseball. Each pitcher tossed 7 beautiful innings, carving up the Dodger lineup like a marble statue. This is where you start thinking, if the team can just keep this up...

              Then you remember it was just 3 games. 3 games against a lineup whose leadoff hitter has a .280 OBP. Bobby Abreu celebrated his 70th birthday was signed off the street, and is now batting fifth. Juan Rivera got lost and found himself somewhere between the third and fifth place in the lineup and decided to stay because of the free rent. Andre Ethier had one at bat in today's game against Lincecum. This was a horrific Dodger lineup. Not to limit the excitement, but I don't want to overrate the last 3 games. Zito will probably still be Zito some starts and Lincecum certainly wasn't lights out Lincecum. But it's pretty darn encouraging. 

               It is still June. Not even half way through the season. First place could change hands 500 times for all I know. But the Giants offense is the best its been in years, the defense has been extremely solid of late, and the pitching could finally be reaching that dominant level if this is the turning point for Lincecum. I've never felt better about a Giants team in my life. I've probably just doomed us all because of that.

              Related: The Giants shutout the Dodgers every game in a 3 game series for the first time ever.