There are two ways to look at the San Francisco Giants in 2014.
No. 1: Entering play Tuesday, the Giants trail the hated Los Angeles Dodgers by just 3.5 games in the National League West, and they lead the Atlanta Braves by one game for the second wild-card slot. They’re in it, in other words.
No. 2: After building a 9.5-game lead over the Dodgers on June 8, the Giants have imploded, and their chances of being a factor have diminished with each gut-wrenching defeat.
If you’re in the second camp, you probably need some cheering up. And if you’re in the first camp, you probably need a little support.
Either way, as we accelerate into the stretch run, let’s look at the biggest factors that could get San Francisco’s once-promising season back on track.