Giants Flash Their Even-Year Magic, Win Wild Card
In hindsight, there was only one surprise in this game.
It's that power-hitting pitcher Madison Bumgarner didn't pop the bomb that knocked the New York Mets out of the playoffs.
Instead, the amazing big-game right-hander spun his third career post-season shutout and left the hitting heroics to yet another of San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy's role players.
That would be the unheralded Conor Gillaspie, putting paid to a 3-0 victory:
Credit Moneyball star Billy Beane for devising the core-four strategy that has propelled organizations like the St Louis Cardinals, Boston Red Sox, and San Francisco for perennial post-season success in recent times.
The Cardinals just missed October baseball by one game this year, ending a string of five consecutive appearances. The Red Sox are back after a season of re-loading its roster with perimeter players.
Then there's the Giants, baseball's biennial World Series champs:
- In 2010, they started the string by besting Texas, 4-1;
- In 2012, they swept the Detroit Tigers; and
- In 2014, they outlasted the Kansas City Royals in seven games.
This year, if they're to repeat, San Francisco will have to prevail in the ultimate clash of karmas.
It's crazy that the division series are only five games, which is not long enough to show the roster depth that made teams winners.
The exception is the Wild Card winner. In this case, Bumgarner will likely only get one start.
For a team that absolutely stink-stank-stunk in the season's second half, It's incredible the Giants are still playing.
But, it's an even-numbered year.