Giants Win Zito-Blanton Showdown, Extend Lead To 5.5 Games

In 2006, when I was just a young pup sifting my way through the trials of puberty, I sat a couple rows up from first base to watch the Giants and the Dodgers. It’s probably more than a little redundant to say the 2006 Giants were out of the playoff picture. The only thing capturing anybody’s attention was the chance at a Joe Morgan type moment during that series, because the Dodgers were one win away from clinching the division, and having happy time on the Giants pitchers mound. I was an innocent child, that thought “hey maybe Todd Linden or Eliezer Alfonzo are the next Joe Morgan! I am excited to be close to this baseball game!”

The only problem with that plan was:

Batting	BA	OPS
Todd Linden LF	.284	.842
Omar Vizquel SS	.297	.753
Lance Niekro 1B	.247	.676
Ray Durham 2B	.294	.900
Moises Alou RF	.299	.920
Steve Finley CF	.246	.714
Pedro Feliz 3B	.244	.709
Eliezer Alfonzo C	.266	.767
Matt Cain P	.140	.331

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

That was the actual lineup card, written out and everything. Still can’t believe that Linden, Vizquel, Niekro trifecta didn’t work out. Take a minute to marvel at that graphic. Ray Durham had a .900 OPS once. So that's cool. The rest of the box score is filled with funny stuff. Filled with it. 

In case you were one of the lucky ones that forgot, the Dodgers won that game, and clinched a playoff berth at AT&T Park. Takashi Saito and Russell Martin had about a 30 minute embrace on the pitchers mound. Tommy Lasorda was a couple rows down from me, and boy he was just the happiest lil fella! There were Dodger fans everywhere that jumped around with Tommy! Jeff Kent, then the most hated man alive and still 6 years away from repairing his image on Survivor, grinned from ear to ear. His mustache smiled too. The house that Bonds built, this beautiful ballpark right on the bay, was overridden with Dodger blue and J.D. Drew. And I got to witness it 2 rows from the field.

That was what it felt like to get stepped on the throat. I remember that feeling, even if it was during the days when my biggest issues was deciding between boxers or briefs. It’s still a tough decision. But I just remember how dark and hopeless that feeling was watching Lance Niekro strike out on the last play of the game, then seeing Dodger Blue erupt into a passionate celebration. Passionate.

I didn’t mean to spend the first 361 words of this piece reminiscing about Tommy Lasorda gleefully jumping around. Here, this will help you get over it. But that’s what it feels like to have your soul crushed. The Giants didn’t clinch a playoff berth today, and there still a long way from doing so. But tell me Clayton Kershaw, how is the mood in Dodger nation?

Sorry I didn't catch that.

How do you feel about puppies Clayton Kershaw?

So that's pretty much what the Giants did. This was a win that buried the Dodgers into a hole that’s going to be really difficult for them to climb out of. If the Giants finish the season 11-11, the Dodgers would have to go 15-6 the rest of the way.

Look anything can happen. The Giants play their last 3 games in L.A., so if the Dodgers cut the lead to 3 by then it’s toe nail bitting time. But the Dodgers play the Cardinals, Reds and National all on the road coming up next. The Giants play the Rockies, Padres and Diamondbacks. We've come this far, don't get weird on me now baseball.

The Giants didn’t extinguish the Dodgers from the division, and unlike the 2006 Giants, the Dodgers have a real chance at winning the 7^th wild card spot. Tonight however was deflating. The game could have gone two ways, the Dodgers win and there is still hope for the division, they lose and it’s a huge missed opportunity that all but buries them. Yippy that it was the second one!

I remember what it feels like to have your hopes flattened in one game, against your bitter rival. Tonight, the Giants did the hope flattening to the Dodgers. That is a wonderful feeling.

*****

Clayton Kershaw has thrown 37 perfect games against the Giants in his career. Joe Blanton has thrown like Joe Blanton. This game was more about the dominance of Barry Zito then the struggles of Joe Blanton, who wasn’t exactly such an extreme version of Joe Blanton tonight. However, if Clayton Kershaw pitched in this game, it would still be going on in the 57^th inning in a 0-0 tie with Brett Pill and Juan Uribe pitching. So I’m thankful for that.

Speaking of Barry Zito, this year feels different. The stats indicate it hasn't been that different, and that's probably true. His 4.51 ERA is not even close to his best as a Giant. But as McCovey Chronicle notes, there hasn't been a season where he's received more standing ovations as a Giant. I'm guessing it's because he's had a lot more extreme starts this year, where he gives up 7 runs won day then turns around and throws a complete game shutout at Coors Field It's still more the former than the latter, but that doesn't make it any less nice when he throws a gem like tonight. And considering the circumstances, tonight's start was one of his most memorable as a Giant.

*****

Buster Posey has a legitimate chance at winning the 2012 MVP. Excuse while I read that 2,000 times.