Halfway done, playing for pride
PITTSBURGH — If only the Giants could bottle the feeling they had Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday when they swept the Rockies, not so much the wins but the positivity, the fun and the belief that something good is about to happen.
In other words, everything that was missing before Monday.
While the Giants ride into PNC Park rightfully energized, a harsh reality remains. Halfway through their schedule they are 30-51. If the first 81 games were a test, imagine the final 81 for a team that has virtually no chance to see October.
Starting pitcher Jeff Samardzija need not imagine it. He lived it with the 2011-13 Cubs, who lost 91, 101 and 96 games in the midst of a massive rebuild that led to a World Series championship two years after he was traded to Oakland.
Samardzija knows a clubhouse playing out the string can go south if the players are not committed to pushing their performance north.
“True colors come out in these situations,” Samardzija said. “If there’s a silver lining to it all, you get to see what people are made of, which ones care about this game, which ones have pride in themselves and respect their teammates and coaches enough to play every day.
“I think it’s really easy to sabotage your season and not care when maybe you’re not making a playoff run. But no matter what the situation is, no matter where you’re at, you play every game like it’s a playin game. When it’s all said and done, you look at where the chips fell.” Easier said than done? “It’s definitely a lot easier when you’re fighting to get into the playoffs,” center fielder Denard Span said. “I’ve been on both sides of the spectrum. I think the main thing is, we just have to try to stay positive and stick together and just try to have as much fun as possible, and realize we’re all blessed to be here and to be playing this game.”
Earlier this week, the Giants laughed off a bullpen-stretching kerfuffle. Disagreements will arise even on winning teams. The challenge is to prevent a clubhouse from becoming toxic when frustration on the field spills inside.
This is where a manager earns his money. While Bruce Bochy will be remembered for three World Series championships in San Francisco, he had to endure a lot of losing in San Diego.
Some of the onus falls on team leaders such as Buster Posey, Madison Bumgarner when he returns, Matt Cain and others who need to set an example for younger players who could benefit from seeing this side of major-league ball.
“I think I learned to be a professional in this game being in those situations,” Samardzija said. “In ’08, ’09, ’10, we had a veteran team and we were good. I don’t think I really learned too much just because I was able to come to the park and throw, and I had a lot of older guys doing the majority of the leg work.
“I didn’t really understand that concept of being a professional every day, regardless of the situation,” until the down years.
Winning helps no matter a team’s record. The sweep against the Rockies demonstrated the Giants have it within them. The Giants also benefit from large crowds that generally stand behind them. Boos have been sparser than they would be elsewhere.
Last Friday night, the Giants were losing 10-1 to the Mets before they rallied for three runs in an 11-4 New York victory. The crowd was as loud as one would expect in the ninth inning of a close game.
“We notice that,” second baseman Joe Panik said. “The stadium is still packed. The fans still support us. We appreciate that. Obviously we want to be better for them.”
The tests should come in a predictable pattern.
The trade season has begun and players will be looking over their shoulders, although team sources insist the Giants are not planning a fire sale because the front office still believes it can win with this core in 2018.
Bumgarner’s expected midJuly return could provide an emotional lift, but then comes August — the dog days — which are so named for a reason.
There are potential benefits. Young players could get more playing time and fight for jobs next year. The fans appear ready to see that. Others will be playing for contracts. The challenge is ensuring they do not just play for stats, which creates the kind of clubhouse resentment can be magnified toward the end of a trying year.
Samardzija has seen that, too.
“I don’t think that’s always the case,” he said. “I think smart guys that get it understand that winning games is what gets you more playing time and gets you paid more in the end anyway. I think when you go out and try to win every game and play hard, that’s what goes on your resume, no doubt.”
Giants players are saying the right things about playing for their teammates, their coaches, the owners, the fans and pride.
If they actually follow through, the next 81 games might not be a three-month bout of calandar-watching.