Giants Win the West With Youthful Pitching

Greetings Everyone. Fresh from a sabbatical to the playground known as the Internet, I have returned just in time celebrate the San Franciso Giants first division title since 2003. In a roller coaster season whose team has been "torture" to both its fans and its players, the Giants prevailed on the final day of the season, defeating the second place Padres to secure the National League West crown.

In the words of Jeremy Affeldt, "It was awesome." The Giants came into the series with a three game lead over the Padres and needed to win just one game in the series. The Padres have had the Giants' number all year, and the first two games were no exception. By Sunday they had trimmed the Giants' lead to just one game. In the end, pitching and timely hitting finally came together as the Giants blanked the Padres 3-0.

In all honesty, I was a confident and happy fan on Friday, but by Sunday morning I was irritable and discontent. I worried that the impossible might happen and that the agonizing years of waiting for the post-season would continue. At one o'clock sharp I next door with Grannie C, nervously chewing on pistachios, and feeling my pulse in my throat with every pitch. Not only was I fan of the team, but I had a vested interest in the rookie pitcher starting the game. Unlike me, Amari was as calm as ever, effortlessly throwing five shutout innings and ultimately earning the victory in the most important game of her young career. 

Amari B Dominates the Padres

The Padres couldn't figure her out. They were patient as ever at the plate, earned a few walks, but Amari always managed to pitch her way out of the jams. She also hit a triple and scored the game's first run. During the post-game champagne celebration, when Mike Krukow asked her to describe the feeling of carrying this team into the post-season, Amari calmly replied, "Bah," then tried to grab his tie and chew on it. 

In reality, Amari sat calmly on the floor at Granny C's, kissing dogs and and being occasionally frightened by loud cheers and illy performed high fives. Towards the end of the game, she was used to both and even offered her own round of applause when Buster Posey gave the Giants an insurance run in the eighth. When Brian Wilson pitched the final strike, tying Rob Nen's record of forty-nine save, Amari was fast asleep in my arms, preventing me from doing the very silly happy dance I'd been planning for the past seven years. As the Giants celebrated on the infield, a flicker of a smile crossed Amari's lips, and I can only imagine what she must have been dreaming...

G'night everyone...and Go Giants.