For as long as I've been a Giants fan (since 2000, give or take), there have been four main depressing games that stick out in my mind: Game 7 of the 2002 World Series (with Game 6 lingering in every Giants fan's head), the Jose Cruz Jr. Dropped Catch Game in the 2003 NLDS, the Ryan Spilborghs Game in 2009, and the Assassination of Buster Posey by the Coward Scott Cousins last season. There have been plenty of other depressing games/moments in that 12-year span but those four games are on the top shelf of depression.
Yesterday's game joined that shelf but for reasons mostly dealing with off-field events, which makes this game much more unique than the other four.
I started out the day in a great mood. For my internship with KNBR, I had an event to work at AT&T Park. The event was sponsored by Supercuts where about a dozen guys won the chance to hit in a batting competition before the game. They were separated into teams with captains Tom Tolbert and Brian Murphy (who are KNBR talk show hosts, for those who don't know). There was a point system that rewarded higher points the further the guys hit the baseball. My job was simply to shag the balls they hit. Nothing else. Oh, and I got a free Standing Room Only ticket for the game after we were done. Pretty ideal day.
As me and the other two interns I was working with left the field and went to find seats, fellow intern Zack showed me the front page of ESPN.com on his phone. And so the depression began.
It took a few minutes for everything to sink in, thoughts swirling through my head. Melky Cabrera is out for the year because of PEDs. Melky Cabrera, Major League hits leader, second-leading MLB hitter in batting average, arguably the Giants' MVP, is done. The PED part of the story was the hardest part to fathom. Posey's freak injury last year was worse than this Melky saga because it was earlier in the year and because the Giants had fewer competent hitters, but injuries are much more common ways for a season to end than failed drug tests. Posey's injury happened in a split second when he had no time to dodge the incoming collision and ACL tear. He didn't choose to get hurt, it just happened and there was was nothing he could've done to stop it without hindsight. Horrible, but unavoidable. Melky would still be playing for Giants these next 44 games if he simply made the choice to not take PEDs. Instead, we got a player who had an amazing 117 games that we can't look at with admiration anymore.
On top of all the thoughts about how the Melky was saw this whole season was illegally enhanced was the fact that one of the most valuable players in the NL this season is going to have to be replaced. I started thinking about the Giants options. Blanco is the obvious replacement. Belt's played left field before; maybe occasionally play him there, put Posey at first and then have Sanchez catch, or even put Pablo at first and move Scutaro, Arias, Crawford, and Theriot around between third, short, and second depending on the matchup. This line of thinking just made me feel worse because none of these options can replace Melky's (tainted) bat.
At this point, the game was just about to start. Awesome, Lincecum against this Nats' lineup, Strasburg against this Melky-less lineup. Thank God this ticket was free. Linceum proceeded to give up two runs in the first-inning, which was bad enough in-and-of-itself until you remember that the three Nats' hits in that inning were softly hit. Crawford's two-run single made us Giants' fans hopeful for a second, but Lincecum's pitch count continued to increase as the Nats started hitting the ball on the screws (How the hell is Danny Espinosa only hitting .255?!). Once Espinosa hit his nuclear-powered rocket of a home run, you knew the game was over. The baseball gods are cruel to teams on the day they lose one of their best hitters to a failed drug test. At least that's what I've heard.
As depressed as yesterday made me, I was able to find some silver linings:
1) Melky might've struggled down the stretch, so replacing him with someone like Blanco might not be that much of a downgrade. In fact, even if Melky continued to rake, his numbers would only be worth about one win above replacement anyway (a possibly important win, but not a drastic number).
2) It felt like the Giants were going to sign Melky to a Rowand-esque contract (5 years, $60 million) at some point before next season, so that contract might've ended up being even worse than Rowand's had Melky gone off the juice and regressed and whatnot.
3) The Giants are one game back of the Dodgers right now. If Pence starts hitting, Pablo keeps doing what he did when healthy, Posey and Belt stay hot, the pitching staff avoids starts like Monday and Wednesday, and the bullpen does alright, they can win this division.
4) Think about how many things have gone wrong for the Giants this season (Wilson's injury, Pablo's frequent DL journeys, Lincecum, the offensive production from middle of the infield). If they can overcome all that and still be near first place at this point of the season, it wouldn't be surprising if they get hot these next 44 games. I'm prepared for anything but it's not like the Dodgers are the Nationals.
5) The Giants are currently only a half-game out of the second Wild Card spot right now, although let's be honest, crazy things don't happen in baseball playoff races in August or September. If you have a Wild Card lead with a month left, there's no way any team can catch you. Sorry, Giants, you're not catching the Dodgers, Pirates, or Cardinals no matter how close you are to them right now.
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