This year has been a special one for San Francisco Giant fans.
It started out on a crisp day way back in Houston, with the Giants taking all three games from the Astros to start the season.
The Giants jumped out to an early division lead in April and for the first week or so, it looked like the Giants would be flirting with a top Power Ranking spot during the season.
As we all know, success is short-lived…or is it?
The Giants were not able to keep their division lead and at the All-Star break they were in fourth place, six games behind San Diego who was in first.
No one would have predicted that San Diego would perform like they did this season either, but it was obvious to many that the Padres success was built on a shaky foundation and required too many fine pieces to stay successful.
The team’s schedule was easy anyways, which meant even if they got to the playoffs, they would have faltered.
The Giants season was the definition of a roller coaster, if ever there was one. San Francisco finally caught up to the Padres after they hit a dry spell and lost ten games in a row.
The Padres success may have been built on shaky ground, but the Giants lived off their incredibly strong pitching staff. This was especially evident during the Postseason.
But without the offensive force of Buster Posey, the Giants would have been on the couch drinking beer and watching the World Series instead of pouring it over one another.
Posey finished the year batting .305 with 18 big flies and 67 RBI’s. His stats do look appealing, but they don’t account for the leadership he showed on and off the field as well.
After Bengie Molina was traded midway through the season, Posey was thrust into the fire. He became the full-time catcher after playing mostly first base during his call-up. His personality is impossible not to like unless you are a Dodger fan, and even then it must be hard. He is always humble and puts the team over his personal achievements.
Posey not only handled a hot bat that resulted in a 21 game hitting streak, but he also had to handle a pitching staff that was the best in the league. It’s not easy catching a freak, an erratic yet affective lefty, a 21-year-old rookie BUM, and a deep-voiced, curly haired Matt Cain who is hardened by the minimal run support he has received over the years.
Buster Posey was only one of the many pieces that brought the city of San Francisco their first championship, but he accounted for many wins both offensively and defensively.
It feels almost as good to finally have a home-grown offensive threat as it does to be World Champions.
Doesn’t it just make you wanna rage? Like, RIGHT NOW?
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