Bay Bridge Series:
Oakland erupts in 10th inning to even three-game set with 9-2 win at AT&T Park.
Opening Day comes this week, and the Giants’ home opener isn’t until April 3 (against their grand traditional rival, the Seattle Mariners), but Monday was the unofficial start of the Giants baseball season.
The annual Play Ball luncheon was held at the Fairmont Hotel. Afterward the team bused across town for the first game back at AT&T Park since Oct. 1, when the Giants capped their miserable season with win No. 64. For the newcomers like Evan Longoria, Austin Jackson and Andrew McCutchen, Monday was their first chance to play in the new ballpark. To settle into their new lockers (McCutchen in the corner near Hunter Pence, Longoria near what used to be “Country Corner.”)
Some observations from this unofficial baseball beginning:
Biggest cheer at the Play Ball luncheon: for Dusty Baker, who is returning to the franchise as a special assistant to CEO Larry Baer.
Biggest cheer for an active player at the luncheon: for Gregor Blanco, the popular outfielder who was an important part of two World Series teams.
Biggest eye roll of the day: from virtually every person in the Giants’ front office over the parking stunt pulled by A’s President Dave Kaval, who said he would charge Giants fans $50 to park at A’s games, while A’s fans would pay $30.
The Giants’ official response?
“We welcome all baseball fans and provide fair and equitable treatment for all of them,” said executive vice president Staci Slaughter.
Unofficially? The Giants’ response can be summarized as: Are you kidding with that bush-league stunt? Which appeared to backfire because there were far fewer fans at Sunday’s game in Oakland than a Bay Bridge Series would normally draw.
(The Giants also wanted to point out that Kaval’s statement about the Giants charging $75 parking is incorrect: while parking for Opening Day is higher, regular pricing for AT&T is $40).
There’s plenty besides a parking war for the Giants to be concerned about, but Monday was a day of optimism. Despite what you might think, the Giants didn’t rush out to extend an olive branch to Baker in order to distract from Madison Bumgarner’s injury. The agreement was reached about three weeks ago, according to Brian Sabean.
But it was a feel-good moment, bringing back a man who has meant so much to the franchise.
“It’s cool,” Baker said, with a big grin.
It’s well known that Baker did not depart from the Giants on the best of terms and that there was tension between him and former managing partner Peter Magowan. But all of that is in the past, almost 16 years ago.
“Life’s short,” Baer said. “The reality is, we talked about that. We feel like it’s time for closure.
“It’s always tough when someone leaves an organization. I can’t imagine anyone doing a better job for the Giants, on and off the field, than Dusty did during those years.”
Baker will fit his duties around his son Darren’s blooming baseball career: Darren has Cal baseball games this spring and the Cape Cod league in the summer. Baker also has an alternative energy company in Sacramento that will require his attention.
But his location in Granite Bay means Baker is close to the Giants’ Triple-A team in Sacramento. He will stop in with other affiliates when he’s on the road. As a beloved part of Giants history and ambassador for the game, he will be involved in appearances and with the team’s 60th anniversary celebrations. And he’ll spend some time around the big-league club — Baker was Johnny Cueto’s manager when Cueto’s career took off in Cincinnati.
Baker said he wanted to check with Bruce Bochy to make sure his presence was OK.
“I didn’t want to be a distraction or make anyone feel uncomfortable,” he said.
Bochy is not a man threatened by the presence of others. He told Baker that he welcomed him with open arms.
“I’m excited to have Dusty, to have another friend and a manager who can add to what we’re hoping to do here,” Bochy said. “Dusty is a guy I’ve always revered and respected. He did a lot here for the Giants.”
Things around the Giants weren’t as gloomy as you might expect in the wake of Bumgarner’s injury news. Eleven months ago the loss of Bumgarner in a dirt-bike accident was a gut punch that left the team reeling. The broken bone in his left hand is different: it was in the line of duty, not a reckless mistake. Last year the team was already struggling; this time the season hasn’t started.
An unintended consequence of bringing in veterans is that they have a battle-tested mindset. They aren’t going to lose faith, like the team seemed to last year when Bumgarner went down.
“It’s hard to prepare for something like that, but I think we’re better prepared,” shortstop Brandon Crawford said. “Because with this lineup we can score more runs. We feel confident in our lineup.”
It was the unofficial opener. No losses on the books yet.
And all the fans at the luncheon who listened to broadcaster Mike Krukow proclaim, “This team will make a stand for this summer, this team will make a stand for you this fall,” would likely swear the Giants will go 162-0.