S.F. is left dreaming as Stanton rips 43rd
MIAMI — The ball left Ty Blach’s left hand and almost immediately took off for the bullpen beyond the wall in left field.
During that brief moment, as the ball exited the bat at 95 mph and took its 382-foot journey, perhaps a Giants fan or a thousand imagined what it would be like if their team had Giancarlo Stanton.
The Giants continued their way to obscurity Monday night with an 8-3 loss to the Marlins while getting buried by the greatness of Stanton, the likes of which hasn’t been seen in a Giants uniform since the Barry Bonds administration.
Stanton’s two-run homer off Blach was his 43rd of the season, breaking Gary Sheffield’s team record. Stanton has homered in five straight games. He has 10 homers in 11 games, 22 in 33, and 10 in August, two fewer than the Giants.
Sunday, Stanton became the sixth-fastest in history to 250 homers, in his 941st game.
“He’s a hot hitter,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “I mean, not just a hot hitter. We’re talking en fuego with the long
ball.”
In a dream world, Stanton is the answer to the Giants’ biggest woe, a legitimate power hitter who would fit wonderfully in the heart of the order, taking pressure off Buster Posey and everyone else who would benefit from the type of protection Stanton provides.
In a realistic world, the man has a $325 million contract. Over 13 years. Through 2027. When he’ll be 37. He’ll make as much as $32 million a season. With a 2028 option for $25 million. Or a $10 million buyout.
So, yes, it’s a long shot. Longer than long. Not to mention the contract includes a no-trade clause that he’d need to waive before he could leave Miami. Why would he want to play in San Francisco, where his homer rate likely would drop? But, still ... The Giants have made inquiries on Stanton in the past and certainly will when Derek Jeter’s ownership takes over. Why not? They’d be silly not to check the waiver wire in case the big fella is dangled.
Asked what Stanton can do for a lineup, Blach said, “He just adds that ability to change the score of the game with one swing. He goes up there and takes aggressive hacks. He’s gotten a lot better hitting offspeed pitches and using the whole field.”
Blach said he tried to throw inside because Stanton had been extending and using all fields. The first at-bat, Blach threw three fastballs in. Two for balls, one that was crushed.
Next time up, Stanton flied to deep center. Then singled home a run on an 0-2 curve that Blach tried to bounce but didn’t. Then drew an intentional walk. In his final at-bat, Stanton had to duck from a Kyle Crick breaking pitch before striking out.
“This is the beauty of this game, these great hitters or power hitters getting on these rolls,” Bochy said, “and they’re fun to watch. Unfortunately, he’s on the other team. So it’s up to us to try to slow things down.”
The Marlins pounded Blach for six runs on nine hits — Marcell Ozuna also homered — in six innings, a rare clunker for the lefthander, who has been pitching his way into the rotation for 2018.
Speaking of which, it’ll be an intriguing offseason. The Giants need to figure out their rotation, bullpen, outfield, third base. Interest is down. Attendance is down. Can they afford Stanton? Absolutely. The real question is whether they’ll keep pushing the payroll over the luxury-tax threshold.
The Marlins drew 17,096 Monday, and only two teams (A’s and Rays) have worse attendance. If Jeter and new majority owner Bruce Sherman want to move Stanton’s money off the books, and if Stanton is game, they’d start by talking to any team willing to take most, if not all, of the contract.
Then again, the new ownership might want to build around a major star moving forward, as the Giants’ new ownership did with Bonds when taking over in 1993.
If Stanton were to waive his no-trade clause, it could be for the Dodgers, who have loads of top prospects and are freer spenders than the Giants. He graduated from high school in Sherman Oaks.
But Giants fans can still dream. This season, that’s all they can do.