Baseball Lifer

The Giants open the road trip with a nice and easy 2-0 win over the Pirates at PNC Park in Pittsburgh. Eight shutout innings from Rodon; home runs by Gonzalez and Joc; and a 1-2-3 ninth inning by our flame-throwing all-star closer. Just how it was drawn up.

GAMEBALL:

Carlos Rodon

Carlos looked like the guy we signed at the beginning of the season. Eight shutout innings; just two hits; and eight strikeouts. That simple.

TIP OF THE CAP:

Luis Gonzalez: A massive motherfucking bomb to the back of the ballpark in right to start the game.

Joc: Another blast by Joc, his 14th of the year, made it 2-0 in the fourth.

Camilo Doval: 1-2-3 ninth for his 10th save, and his ERA is down to 2.54. He’s going to LA, folks!

Cubbies: For finally snapping the Braves’ 14-game winning streak, and the Cubs did so by snapping their own 10-game losing streak. How about that!

JERK/FLIP OF THE FINGER:

THE EVIL DOER

Rob Manfred is back in the news, because it now appears that the balls are changing every inning. The balls are slippery again, which is going to lead to more guys getting beaned. What could possibly go wrong?

I have no clue what goes on in this sick man’s rat maze brain, but this is just fucked up. This is utterly scandalous, and I feel in saner times would cost a commissioner his job. Or maybe that’s just me.

SMACK OF THE STICK:

MLBPA: DO SOMETHING ABOUT MANFRED AND THE BALLS!!!!!

Brandon Crawford: Brandon, just shorten your fucking swing! That’s it. Shorten your swing, and watch that batting average climb.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

The Giants are BACK, but over the next few days, there’s going to be a roster crunch, and this is going to coincide with a huge four-game series in Cobb Country against the surging Braves. I am a bit nervous about all of this, but if we can get through this road trip without being swept by the Braves, and without the upcoming roster moves rocking the clubhouse, things are going to keep getting better.

Stephen