Seeing SF Giants go to World Series will never get old

David J. Phillip, AP

Here are my thoughts about the National League champion Giants. It's a couple days late because I haven't been feeling too well. I don't get sick often so the timing was not ideal. I jotted down some things in my notebook as I lay curled on the couch and here's what rattled around my head.

What a sight it was to see Travis Ishikawa deliver the San Francisco Giants another National League pennant. To read what he's been through and now he'll be remembered forever. I had no idea he was thinking of retiring during the middle of the season. If it was reported, I totally missed it.

As long as they play Major League Baseball the name Travis Ishikawa will be remembered for sending his team to a World Series with a game-ending home run. Travis Ishikawa. Still blows my mind.

They screwed up the MVP choice. That's not to say that Madison Bumgarner wasn't deserving, he was a worthy choice, but Ishikawa had a line on it too even before the home run. That's on whoever runs the vote for MLB. Henry Schulman tweeted that votes were cast even before the game was over.


It's time to change that. They take 15 minutes to set the stage up. How hard would it be to give the writers some sort of window after the game ends to get their vote in? Is 5 minutes too short? 10 minutes maybe? It's an electronic day and age so there has to be a way to tabulate votes in a quick fashion. Something, anything.

That being said, Bumgarner was an absolute beast the other night. After allowing the second of two solo home runs in the top of the 4th inning he retired the next 13 straight Cardinals hitters. Amazingly only 3 of those were K's and 2 of those were pitcher Adam Wainwright. It just shows how much smarter of a pitcher Bumgarner has become.

Giving his team a chance to win has become what Bumagarner does. It's great to see him getting the national recognition now. He's in line to start Game 1 of the World Series in Kansas City. I'm glad he gets the reward of another Game 1. It will be Bumgarner's 5th start in the Giants 11th postseason game. Also in his favor is a streak of 26.2 straight scoreless innings on the road in the postseason. That includes 16.2 during this year's run.

Something I noticed while watching all the fun after the Giants clinched.



It's exactly what you want to hear from your players no matter which team you're rooting for. It's why I'm proud to be a Giants fan, and of this team in particular.

I did not have Joe Panik in the home run pool. Neither did you. If you missed it, Dave Tobener had a great story on West Coast Bias about that home run. Also, here's the CliffsNotes version.





That's a professional approach from a rookie. I think Joe Panik is going to be around for a while.

I have a ton to say about Bruce Bochy but I'm going to save it for a future piece. My favorite move from Game 5 was when he went out to get Santiago Casilla in the 9th inning. The man is not afraid.

I'll never take for granted a trip to the World Series. It's just stunning the way this team, this organization, conducts itself. I tip my cap to Brian Sabean for yet another National League flag.

I'll have a World Seires preview up Monday so I hope you'll be back to check that out. Thanks again for reading!

@2outhits on Twitter


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