The 1993 National League West Pennant Race

        Tuesday, August 24, 1993

        The San Francisco Giants are in first place in the National League 
        West Division. They lead the two-time defending NL champion
        Atlanta Braves by six and one-half games, with 37 games left to play.
        The Braves are in town right now, facing the Giants in a three-game
        series that will prove crucial in deciding who actually wins this thing
        six weeks from now.

        Atlanta won the first game of the series last night, 5-3, as Giant
        starter Trevor Wilson got into trouble early. He was later diagnosed
        as having an inflamed shoulder, and was placed on the disabled list for
        the third time this season. Rookie Salomon Torres, the most
        outstanding pitcher in the Pacific Coast League this season, has been
        called up to replace him and will make his major-league debut later
        this week.

        The Giants are coming off a rousing three-game series against the
        expansion Florida Marlins over the weekend. The Marlins have played
        the Giants tough all year, and the teams had split the first two games of
        the series. Then the Giants, down by 6-2 in Sunday's game, mounted a
        magnificent rally, culminating in Robbie Thompson's dramatic, two-out
        two-strike game-winning home run in the bottom of the ninth, which
        brought the Candlestick crowd to its feet and emptied the Giant dugout
        in joyous celebration. It was the kind of victory that pennant-winning
        teams pull off in August, and it sent the Giants into this Atlanta
        series on a confident, winning note.

        Certainly this three-game stand is far more critical to the Braves than
        to the Giants. Atlanta has been the hottest team in baseball since the
        All-Star break, but the Giants have been nearly as hot. The Braves have
        made up only two games in the standings since mid-July. Atlanta really
        needs a sweep of this series to make things uncomfortable for the
        Giants, who have not been swept in any series, home or away, all
        season. In fact, the Giants have made it a point to avoid losing streaks
        in '93, period: only 17 of their major-league-low 42 losses have come
        in consecutive games. This is a team that knows how to bounce back
        quickly.

        Indeed, the Giants have been eerily, calmly dominant all season. This
        is not like the carnival-style 1987 campaign, nor the late-inning-rally
        year of 1989. San Francisco has clearly been the best team in baseball
        since April. Although Philadelphia was hot early in the year, and
        the Braves are torrid now, only the Giants have played at this
        stratospheric .667 level consistently. They are on pace to win 107
        games, and Atlanta, the two-time defending N.L. champion, could find
        itself the first team since the 1954 New York Yankees to win 100 games
        and still not win the pennant. With both Bill Swift and John Burkett
        chasing twenty wins and the Cy Young Award, with Barry Bonds on
        pace for a third MVP season and a possible Triple Crown, with the
        resurgence of Matt Williams as a power-and-RBI man, with Robbie
        (.330) Thompson having his career year, with the bottom of the order
        sparking rally after rally, with as good a one-two bullpen punch as any
         team in themajors, these Giants have been overwhelmingly dominant.
        Therefore it was inspiring to watch the emotional reaction to Robbie's
        blast on Sunday. That may stand, when all is said and done, as one of
        the signal moments in a historic year for the San Francisco Giants.

        Two games remain against the Braves this week, and the teams meet
        again, for the last time, in a three-game set at Atlanta next week. Will
        the NL West pennant be decided in the Giants' favor by September 2?
        No way-- but unless the Braves sweep both here and there, they will
        have blown their last chance to even the race. Soon we will know
        whether it will be a fight to the finish, or simply a numbers game.

        The pennant chase is underway, and the Giants are the team to beat.
        Here We Go!



        GIANTS    83-42              Haven't been swept in a series yet.
         Atlanta   77-49   6 1/2 GB    Glad not to be scoreboard-watching.

        Last night
        Atlanta beat the Giants, 5-3.

        Today's game
        Giants host Atlanta. 1:05 PM start out at the 'Stick.
        Lefty Bryan Hickerson goes against Tom Glavine, who has
        pitched well against every team in the league this year
        except the Giants.

        Last night's game
        A sellout, record-setting crowd at Candlestick saw
        Trevor Wilson nickeled-and-dimed to death by the
        Braves early; even pitcher Steve Avery got into the
        act with a RBI double. Lone Giant hero was Robbie
        Thompson, whose fourth homer in as many games made
        it close. Avery was not overpowering, but he was
        effective. Wilson left after 4; he was diagnosed
        afterward as having another shoulder inflammation and
        immediately joined Bud Black on the DL. It's likely
        both will remain there until the doctors figure out
        the source of their chronic injuries. The Giants'
        rotation now looks like "Burkett and Swift... and
        pray for the earth to shift."



        Wednesday, August 25

        GIANTS   83-43                  They're leaving too many men on base. 
        Atlanta    78-49   5 1/2 GB   It's their game: strong starting pitching.

        Yesterday
        Atlanta beat the Giants again, 6-4.

        Today
        Giants host Atlanta, 1:05 PM start. Giants' ace Bill Swift (17-5)
        goes against Greg Maddux. It is not exaggeration to say that this
        is the biggest game of the year, by far. The pennant race has arrived.

        Yesterday's game
        Giants had men on base but hit into three double plays
        as crafty Tom Glavine survived seven innings. Bryan
        Hickerson was not so resilient: he served up three
        gopher balls in six innings. Robbie Thompson continued
        his amazing tear, with his fifth homer in five days,
        but it wasn't enough. The hits did not fall, and when
        they don't, this team's shallow starting rotation is
        exposed for all to see. A great deal is riding on
        today's game, as the Giants send Swift out there to
        stop this little skid, avoid the sweep Atlanta needs,
        and set things right once more. The Braves are making
        their move right now, and who better than Swift, the
        unflappable one, to slow them down.




        Thursday, August 26

        GIANTS    83-44              They'll get three more chances next week.
        Atlanta   79-49   4 1/2 GB   Might red-hot Braves cool off at home?

        Yesterday
        Atlanta crushed Giants, 9-1, to sweep the series.

        Today
        Both teams have the day off, and both fly South and East. Atlanta
        returns home, while Giants go to Miami for start of ten-day road trip.

        Yesterday's game
        Braves came out swinging early and Swift had no answer
        for them. Atlanta hit six homers; Fred McGriff and
        David Justice went back-to-back twice. Meanwhile,
        Greg Maddux scattered six hits over eight innings.
        155,000 people saw the three-game series, setting S.F.
        attendance records both for series and season.
        The Braves have done it; their sweep has created a
        pennant race. Now the fun starts.

        Notes
        Clark limped off the field after re-injuring his left knee, and
        has been placed on the DL. It's the only way to force him to rest
        that knee. No roster replacement yet; Todd Benzinger will assume
        first-base duties for now... Getting away from home may benefit
        Giants, but the upcoming road trip is critical. They play three
        teams that have given them trouble this year: Florida, Atlanta,
        and St Louis. Five wins in nine games, including one win in
        Atlanta, would rate the trip a success.




        Monday, August 30

        GIANTS    84-45              Well, the pitching staff has a new look.
        Atlanta   81-50   4 GB       Season on the line this week.

        Yesterday
        Giants pounded Florida, 9-3.
        Atlanta beat the Cubs, 8-2.

        Today
        Giants finish up at Miami; 4:35 start (PDT). Scott Sanderson
        goes against Jack Armstrong, the All-American Boy.
        Atlanta has the day off; they host Giants beginning tomorrow.

        Yesterday's game
        Rookie Salomon Torres went seven strong innings in his
        big-league debut, scattering five hits and striking
        out six. Giants reverted to their familiar style of
        scoring early and piling it on later. It was the
        team's best performance since the Pittsburgh series
        ten days ago.

        The Weekend
        Braves picked up a half-game on the Giants with their win
        Saturday, while S.F. was idled due to the Miami Dolphins'
        exhibition football game at Joe Robbie Stadium. Friday
        night, Giants blew a golden opportunity to gain a game as
        Braves lost to Cubs; Burkett, handed two-run early lead,
        was nicked for three cheap ones before Orestes Destrade
        took him downtown with a three-run blast in the sixth.
        After early scores, Giants reverted to unhappy recent
        plate pattern: ten men left on base plus three GIDP.

        Notes
        Giants GM Bob Quinn swung the best deal he could on Saturday,
        trading for veteran lefthander Jim Deshaies of Minnesota, a
        former Houston Astro. It cost the Giants three medium-grade
        minor-leaguers, including Greg Brummett, who did not distinguish
        himself during his short stay with the big club. Deshaies joins
        Sanderson and young Torres as the Giants' emergency-crew starting
        corps. He may get his first start as a Giant on Wednesday against
        the Braves.




        Tuesday, August 31

        GIANTS    85-45              Once again, they're on a 'Florida roll'.
        Atlanta   81-50   4 1/2 GB   It's Maddux, then Smoltz, and then Avery.

        Yesterday
        Giants beat Florida, 5-1.
        Atlanta was idle.

        Today
        Giants arrive in Atlanta as this epic three-game series begins.
        Tonight (4:40 PDT), Bill Swift looks to redeem himself (and to
        get his 18th win) against the Braves' tough Greg Maddux.

        Yesterday's game
        Two unlikely heroes sparked the Giants. Veteran Scott
        Sanderson, who wasn't even on the roster a month ago,
        pitched six of the guttiest innings you'll ever see,
        tying the Marlins in knots despite being without his
        good stuff. Meanwhile, Todd Benzinger, filling in ably
        for Will Clark, continued his hot hitting streak with
        two more homers, the second of which put the game out
        of reach. Burba, Jackson, and Beck finished up for Sanderson.




        Wednesday, September 1

        GIANTS    85-46              Must be glad to have August behind them.
        Atlanta   82-50   3 1/2 GB   Can they continue this incredible pace?

        Yesterday
        Atlanta pounded the Giants again, 8-2.

        Today
        Giants at Atlanta; 4:40 PM PDT. Bryan Hickerson tries to stop
        the bleeding; he's matched against John Smoltz. Gulp.

        Yesterday's game
        For three innings, Swift was unhittable and heroic,
        slicing through the Braves' lineup with the greatest
        of ease. Then the wheels fell off, and suddenly it
        was last Wednesday all over again. Braves put five
        across in the fourth, the big hits coming from David
        Justice (bases-loaded single) and Mark Lemke (two-run
        opposite-field double, the killer). Justice added a
        two-run homer in the fifth off Dave (Serve-'Em-Up)
        Righetti. Barry Bonds went 4-for-4 with his 39th
        homer, but the rest of the gang had no clue against
        Greg Maddux, who, like Swiftie, basically duplicated
        last week's performance. The Braves are playing so
        well right now it's easy to lose perspective; easy to
        forget that 29 games remain after this series, none
        against Atlanta. These past four games have been more
        an indication of the Braves' sudden brilliance than of
        Giant weakness, and Atlanta knows they must keep up
        this pace to win it. They are 32-11 (.744) since the
        All-Star break. If they stay on that pace, they'll
        finish with 104 wins. The Giants could go 20-11 (.645)
        and still beat them. No, there is no reason to panic;
        this is simply the Braves' moment right now. And one
        Giant win in this series would change everything back
        again.




        Thursday, September 2

        GIANTS    86-46              Has the season just turned around again?
        Atlanta   82-51   4 1/2 GB   All of a sudden, they GOTTA win tonight.

        Yesterday
        Giants defeated Atlanta, 3-2, thereby gaining a game on
        the Braves for the first time in ten days.

        Today
        Giants finish up season series with Braves; 4:40 (PDT) start in
        Atlanta. John Burkett (19-6) against Steve Avery (15-4).

        Yesterday's game
        It wasn't a big win, it was a huge win, a thrilling,
        dramatic example of just how good, how satisfying,
        baseball can be. It was a tense, playoff-style
        atmosphere last night, and for the first time in
        these two series we had a game to match it. Atlanta
        scored first; the Giants tied it up. The Braves broke
        the tie; again the Giants evened it. Bryan Hickerson
        gave the Giants the steady five-plus innings they
        needed, and then lefty Kevin Rogers came in and got
        five big outs, in order, through the heart of the
        Atlanta lineup in the sixth and seventh. The Braves'
        John Smoltz pitched a heroic game himself through
        seven, but after 115 pitches in a tie game, he left
        for a pinch-hitter. And the Braves are a different
        team, one not nearly so intimidating, once their
        starters have departed. In the ninth, John Patterson,
        just called up that day from Phoenix, broke the tie
        with his first major-league home run, and Rod Beck
        shut 'em down in order, fanning Dave Justice with a
        flourish to close it out. They just don't make 'em any
        better than this. An added fillip was TV Channel 36's
        failure to show the game as it was supposed to; thus we
        heard it on the radio, driving around town with our
        baby boy. And now the pressure's all on the Braves again.




        Friday, September 3

        GIANTS    86-47              Now the stretch drive begins.
        Atlanta   83-51   3 1/2 GB   The team that refuses to die, lives on.

        Yesterday
        Atlanta rallied to beat the Giants, 5-3.

        Today
        Giants at St Louis; 5 PM PDT. Jim Deshaies gets his first start
        as a Giant, opposing Allen Watson.
        Atlanta hosts San Diego.

        Yesterday's game
        You've got to hand it to the Braves. They are a tough,
        determined ballclub, and they won't go down easy, if
        at all. The Giants were three innings away from
        delivering a knockout blow, a win that would have left
        Atlanta five and a half back. Instead, the Braves
        sucked it up and broke through for three runs in the
        seventh inning.

        The key plays: Otis Nixon's balls-out steal of third;
        Ron Gant's epochal at-bat against Dave Burba, which 
        ended with Gant's 60-foot single off Burba's backside
        and Nixon's desperate-but-successful dash for home with
        the go-ahead run; and a classic duel between Fred McGriff
        and young Kevin Rogers, won by McGriff when he hit a good,
        snapping curveball into center field for the third run
        of the inning.

        Until that dramatic seventh, it was the Giants' game all
        the way. They cuffed Steve Avery around for three-plus
        innings, Barry Bonds connecting for his 40th homer in
        the process, until John Burkett's RBI single brought
        Bobby Cox to the mound and sent Avery to an early
        shower. At that point, with Burkett up 3-0 and
        pitching well, and the Braves' shaky bullpen taking
        center stage, it looked like the worm had turned for
        the last time. Even the tomahawk-chopping fans had
        fallen silent.

        But then Dusty Baker, whom we're loath to
        criticize, pulled Burkett after six--claiming he was
        tired--and turned the lead over to Jeff Brantley.
        Disaster ensued. Brantley recorded exactly one out,
        while surrendering two hits and a walk and leaving a
        bases-loaded mess for Burba and Rogers, who didn't do
        too badly, given the circumstances. We can't help but
        say that it was a weak move to take Burkett out; he'd
        allowed five hits and two runs in six innings, and was
        on the way to his 19th win. He should've started the
        seventh. As for Brantley, he should be released before
        he does any more damage. Whether or not this game serves
        as a milestone in Atlanta's epic comeback story or merely
        postpones the inevitable, the Giants can't afford to
        entrust Brantley with another lead. The stakes are just
        too high. The Braves' much-maligned 'pen, by comparison,
        held the fort after Avery's departure. The Giants did not
        score past the fourth, getting only two hits over the last
        five innings against four Atlanta relievers.




        Tuesday, September 7

        GIANTS    89-48              "Ain't it good to be back home again..."
        Atlanta   86-52   3 1/2 GB   Goes to show what one loss can do.

        Yesterday
        Giants defeated Pittsburgh, 4-1, while Atlanta lost to the
        Dodgers, 2-1.

        Weekend series
        Giants took two of three in St Louis (6-1, 3-1, 6-7).
        Braves swept San Diego in Atlanta and--briefly--closed
        the gap to two and one-half games.

        Today
        Giants host Pittsburgh, 7:35. Bryan Hickerson starts in place
        of John Burkett, scratched due to elbow 'soreness'. He will
        miss this start and go again Sunday. Pirates counter with
        Steve Cooke (2-1, 4.50 ERA in 3 starts against Giants this
        year).
        Atlanta plays Dodgers down the coast in LA; Avery against
        Pedro Astacio.

        Yesterday's game
        Scott Sanderson really came through, with six innings
        of two-hit ball. This patchwork rotation--with
        Sanderson, Salomon Torres, and Jim Deshaies the star
        pitchers--is somehow keeping things afloat. Neither
        Burkett nor Swift has won a decision since August 11,
        but Giants are treading water with 12-10 mark (11-5
        against everyone but Atlanta) since then.

        The Weekend
        Giants got solid back-to-back efforts from Deshaies, in
        his S.F. debut, and Torres as they took first two from
        Cards. Deshaies, as is his wont, allowed one mighty blast,
        a solo shot from Brian Jordan, but was fine otherwise. He
        should definitely get starts in the Astrodome and Dodger
        Stadium later this month, and will probably fare well at
        'Stick, too. Torres was aided by rookie J.R. Phillips, who
        tripled in his first big-league at-bat and homered in his
        second.

        But on Sunday, Bill Swift again ran out of gas in
        the sixth, surrendering a seemingly solid 5-2 lead. After
        Matt Williams' homer tied it up, Dave Burba couldn't hold
        the Cards in the ninth. Rod Beck gave up a bases-loaded
        single to end it, and the Giants had finally lost a Sunday
        road game after ten straight wins. Atlanta finished its
        sweep of San Diego that same afternoon, and the Braves thus
        chopped another game off the lead.

        What should have been a successful road trip--they won five
        of nine--somehow was not enough. But the Giants bounced back
        yesterday, as they always do, and, as if in reward, the
        baseball gods let LA rally late to beat the Braves and put
        that one game back on the lead. Atlanta's loss underscores
        their tenuous position these days: every lost game really
        hurts them. But, on the other hand, they've really nothing
        to lose, since the race seemed over long ago. Even if they
        fail now, the Braves have accomplished a lot, and that
        explains how they remain so loose and unconcerned amid the
        pennant-race pressure.




        Wednesday, September 8

        GIANTS    89-49              Win-one-lose-one riff ain't gonna make it.
        Atlanta   87-52   2 1/2 GB   When was last time they lost 2 straight?

        Yesterday
        Pittsburgh beat the Giants, 4-3.
        Atlanta defeated the Dodgers, 1-0.

        Today
        Giants have the day off.
        Atlanta plays at LA again, with Tom Glavine going for the
        Braves against Ramon Martinez.

        Yesterday's game
        Only 17,000 struggled out to the 'Stick to watch the
        Giants fumble away a game they should have won. Two
        fielding mishaps allowed Pittsburgh two early runs
        off Bryan Hickerson, who pitched well. After Matt
        Williams went deep (#31) to tie it, and Royce Clayton
        followed with a blast to untie it, the bullpen gave it
        away again. Mike Jackson walked Dave (Who?) Clark,
        then gave up the game-winning homer to Don Slaught.
        Meanwhile, Atlanta squeezed out a 1-0 win over the
        Dodgers, behind Steve (16-4) Avery.

        Notes
        Mark Whiten of St Louis hit four home runs in a game yesterday,
        tying the major-league record. He also tied the record for most
        RBI in one game, with 12. No one had ever done both in the same
        game before. Since this was the second game of a doubleheader,
        he also tied the record for most RBI in a doubleheader (13).
        It was the first multi-homer game of Whiten's career.




        Thursday, September 9

        GIANTS    89-49              Have won 4 of last 8, 6 of last 14.
        Atlanta   88-52   2  GB      Have won 6 of last 7, 12 of last 15.

        Yesterday
        Giants were idle.
        Atlanta beat the Dodgers, 8-2.

        Today
        Giants host Cardinals in first of four-game weekend set. Jim
        Deshaies will start tonight against Rene Arocha (7:35).
        Atlanta visits the Padres in San Diego this weekend.




        Friday, September 10

        GIANTS    89-50              Okay, let's admit it: they're in trouble.
        Atlanta   89-52   1  GB      Can they really keep it going all month?

        Yesterday
        Giants lost to St Louis, 9-4.
        Atlanta defeated San Diego, 1-0.

        Today
        Giants v. Cardinals tonight at the 'Stick, 7:35 PM start. Giants'
        latest ace, Salomon Torres, will start against fellow rookie
        Joe Urbani.
        Atlanta's at San Diego again, with Maddux pitching.

        Yesterday's game
        Not only did they lose, they lost ugly. Big-time
        ugly. Deshaies failed to complete the second inning,
        giving up four straight hits and a walk to the
        pitcher. After Cardinal errors then let the Giants
        creep within 3-2, good ol' Jeff Brantley came on to
        kick it away in the sixth. He left a nice mess for
        rookie Terry Bross, who surrendered a grand slam, and
        that was it. Meanwhile, Atlanta won yet another 1-0
        game. This time, the Braves trotted out Kent Mercker,
        who's been a reliever his whole career, and he no-hit
        the Padres for six innings. Are those guys for real?
        And can they keep playing like this for three more
        weeks?

        Notes
        Baseball owners took a big step toward realigning both leagues
        yesterday. The proposal calls for three divisions in each league,
        along the lines of the NFL's setup. The American League divisions
        make perfect geographic sense, but in the NL Florida wound up in
        the Central Division, with Pittsburgh in the East. Weird. One
        wild-card team from each league would qualify for a new round
        of playoffs. Since such a change was inevitable, at least they
        have set it up almost right, although legitimate fears remain
        that more wild-card teams could be added to a further-expanded 
        postseason in the years ahead. The owners also sensibly scrapped
        the idea of regular-season interleague play.

        But it's hardly all good news; in fact, the bad news is downright
        awful. First, the season has not been shortened, nor have more
        doubleheaders been required. This could extend the World Series
        into November! Thus baseball will no doubt be faced one day with
        the prospect of snow or sleet during a World Series game. Great.
        Plus, the owners' slavish kowtowing to the TV networks leaves
        us with no postseason day games; instead everything will have to
        be in 'prime time'. That is downright criminal, especially for
        kids. The greed-fest rages on, unabated.





        Monday, September 13

        Atlanta   91-53              Dare we hope the .800 streak has ended?
        GIANTS    89-53   1  GB      Stumbling around in a daze right now.

        Yesterday
        Giants lost to St Louis, 4-2.
        Atlanta lost to San Diego, 5-4.

        Weekend series
        Giants lost all three games to Cards, while Braves took
        two of three in San Diego. Saturday's results saw
        Atlanta finally take over first place in the division.

        Today
        Giants host Cubs; 7:35 start. Scott Sanderson against Greg
        Hibbard (1-2, 6.43, 26 baserunners in 14 innings against Giants
        this year).
        Atlanta is idle.

        The Weekend
        Giants were swept in a four-game series for the first time
        all year, and at home, no less. Their current losing streak
        is five, the longest of the season. Braves are 5-1 in same
        stretch. Giants got quality starts from all three pitchers
        over the weekend-- Torres, Swift, Burkett-- but in each case
        the Cardinals' starter-- Urbani, Tewksbury, Cormier-- was
        just a little better. Giant hitters have been swinging at
        the first pitch, popping up, and grounding into double
        plays far too often: no Giant has drawn a base on balls
        since Friday night. The hitters were making the pitchers
        look great earlier in the year, but clearly this team is
        pressing at the plate now. Even Clark's return (they were
        6-6 with him on DL) hasn't helped. A victory by Atlanta
        on Sunday could have ended this bizarre 'race'; strange as
        it sounds, a 2-game lead might have been just too much for
        the Giants to overcome. But one game-- anyone can overcome
        a one-game lead. To keep it from getting any bigger, the
        Giants must recapture the assertive, take-charge spirit
        which built the seemingly-insurmountable lead that is now
        only a memory.




        Tuesday, September 14

        Atlanta   91-53              Will Dame Fortune accompany them home?
        GIANTS    89-54   1 1/2 GB   There's a serious problem here.

        Yesterday
        Giants lost to Chicago, 6-5.
        Atlanta was idle.

        Today
        Giants face Cubs again at the 'Stick; 7:35 P.M. start. Jim
        Deshaies will give it a whirl.
        Atlanta is at home against Cincinnati; Glavine's pitching.

        Yesterday's game
        The losing streak reached six as the Giants fumbled
        away another one. They had ten hits, but grounded
        into four double plays. Lone standout was Robbie
        Thompson, with two more homers, both solo shots. At
        least three big-inning opportunities were wasted via
        pickoffs, caught-stealing, and GIDP. Only 16,000 hardy
        souls made it out to Candlestick; the bandwagon is
        noticeably lighter these days.





        Wednesday, September 15

        Atlanta   92-53              They don't even HAVE to win these days.
        GIANTS    89-55   2 1/2 GB   Will upcoming road trip help?

        Yesterday
        Giants lost to Chicago again, 8-1.
        Atlanta blasted Cincinnati, 10-3.

        Today
        Giants finish up against Cubs. 1:05 start at the 'Stick, with
        Salomon Torres carrying the tattered banner against Mike Morgan.
        Morgan's had two terrible outings against the Giants this year.
        Atlanta hosts the Reds (and Jose Rijo).

        Yesterday's game
        Have they been playing too many night games? The
        Giants' road record is now better than their home
        record. They haven't won at Candlestick since Labor
        Day. Last night was another dreary, can't-hit affair,
        enlivened in the late innings by some truly awful
        'relief' pitching (Righetti and Brantley, natch). It's
        hard to say, in retrospect, which has been the bigger
        surprise: the team's meteoric four-month rise, or
        this grotesque, last-minute collapse. Well, it's not
        over yet, anyway (is that good or bad?). Perhaps a
        road trip to Cincinnati and Houston will help: the
        Giants now have a better record on artificial turf
        than they do on grass.




        Thursday, September 16

        Atlanta   93-53              They've played .800 ball for 6 weeks now.
        GIANTS    89-56   3 1/2 GB   Even a 17-0 finish might not be enough.

        Yesterday
        Giants lost to Chicago yet again, 3-1.
        Atlanta defeated Cincinnati, 7-6, scoring five runs in the
        bottom of the ninth. Jesus Christ.

        Today
        Giants are idle; they fly to Cincinnati to begin short road trip.
        Atlanta finishes up at home against the Reds.

        Yesterday's game
        Just like all the others on this Homestand From Hell.
        The good news was that 25,000 people showed up,
        because it was a day game. Best crowd since Sunday.
        Salomon Torres pitched pretty well, but the Giants
        made Mike Morgan look like Christy Mathewson, picking
        up three feeble hits and not scoring until the ninth.
        Plus, both Matt Williams and Willie McGee left the
        field limping, and both are day-to-day. Thus concludes
        the Giants' worst homestand since 1972. And to top it
        off, the Braves rallied from 6-2 down in the ninth to
        win it on Ron Gant's three-run homer. Gant has to be
        considered a MVP candidate, along with Bonds and
        Philadelphia's Len Dykstra.





        Friday, September 17

        Atlanta   94-53              They Could! Go! All! The! Way!
        GIANTS    89-56   4  GB      Are they the '78 Sox... or the '64 Phils?

        Yesterday
        Giants were idle.
        Atlanta defeated Cincinnati, 3-2, in twelve innings.

        Today
        Giants at Cincinnati; 4:40 PM (PDT) start. Bill Swift pitching.
        Giants have lost eight straight, the Reds six; something's got
        to give.
        Atlanta, with Steve Avery, hosts the Mets, with Sid Fernandez.




        Monday, September 20

        Atlanta   96-54              On to Montreal, Philly, and--we hope--doom.
        GIANTS    92-56   3  GB      'Turf terrors' invade the Astrodome.

        Yesterday
        Giants defeated Cincinnati, 7-3.
        Atlanta routed the Mets, 11-2.

        Weekend series
        Giants awakened from their coma, sweeping Reds three
        straight in grand fashion (13-0, 6-1, 7-3).
        Braves took two of three from Mets, but Saturday's loss
        cut a game off their lead.

        Today
        Giants at Houston; 5:05 start (PDT). Jim Deshaies, long a good
        'Dome pitcher during his Astro tenure, gets what amounts to his
        last chance as a Giant starter. 'Stros counter with Greg
        Swindell (10-12 overall; 1-1, 6.88 in 3 starts against Giants).
        Atlanta is idle. They open in Montreal tomorrow night.

        The Weekend
        Giants exploded for thirteen runs Friday night as Bill
        Swift cruised to his 18th win with a superb, 85-pitch
        complete-game effort. Saturday it was John Burkett's turn
        to receive ample support; Todd Benzinger's two homers and
        4 RBI set things up early. And yesterday Matt Williams'
        three-run shot held Scott Sanderson up through five; when
        things got close later, Matt hit a second, two-run blast
        to ice it.

        Just as quickly and mysteriously as that awful
        two-week malaise descended upon the Giants, so too did it
        leave. This weekend series followed the same pattern as the
        team's first 120 games: the early lead, the solid,
        economical starting pitching, a late flurry if needed, and
        an impenetrable bullpen. The Giants have once again shown
        sterling character; the question is, now that they know
        they can win again, can Atlanta lose? The Braves are off to
        Montreal and Philadelphia, where they'll face two desperate
        teams fighting for the East title. This week, with four in
        Houston and four at home against San Diego, is the Giants'
        big chance. All they have to do is win and hope events take
        care of themselves. Soon we'll see if that dreadful losing
        streak was simply a short, dark interlude in an otherwise
        shining season--or the untimely collapse that made the
        fatal difference.

        Notes
        Deshaies has been ripped in his last two starts, and if he can't
        pitch well tonight in the 'Dome--his home field for many years
        and a good fly-ball pitcher's park--the team might as well cut
        him loose and go with Hickerson as the fifth starter (or adopt
        a four-man rotation). They're all big games now, but tonight's
        is really big... Todd Benzinger is playing so well at first base
        that he's keeping Will Clark on the bench. Admittedly, Will is
        still hampered by that bad knee, but it's likely he'll get all
        the rest he needs as long as Benzinger stays hot... Matt Williams
        now has 37 homers and a team-leading 105 RBI to go with his .303
        average. He is being mentioned in the MVP talk, which centers
        around Bonds (despite his September slump), Ron Gant, and Len
        Dykstra... Burkett and Swift each have a good chance to get
        twenty wins. Swift pitches Wednesday night and Burkett Thursday
        in the 'Dome; each will get one start on the season's final
        homestand (against San Diego and Colorado), and as things stand
        now, they will start the final two games of the season
        back-to-back in Dodger Stadium.




        Tuesday, September 21

        Atlanta   96-54              Roughest stretch of schedule awaits.
        GIANTS    93-56   2 1/2  GB  Unbeaten in the 'Dome this year.

        Yesterday
        Giants defeated Houston, 7-2.
        Atlanta was idle.

        Today
        Giants v. Astros in the 'Dome again, 5:05. Salomon Torres faces
        Mark Portugal, he of Giant-killer fame. Giants are 4-0 in Houston
        and 23-11 overall on artificial turf.
        Atlanta's at Montreal, with Smoltz going against Ken Hill. Expos
        trail Phillies by four and a half.

        Yesterday's game
        Jim Deshaies did what was needed: he gave the Giants
        five solid innings, allowing six hits but only one
        unearned run (Clayton dropped a pickoff throw and the
        runner later scored). Darren Lewis' two-out
        bases-loaded double in the top of the sixth, which
        broke open a 2-1 game, may yet stand as one of the big
        clutch hits of this season. Barry Bonds showed signs
        of life as well: three hits, two walks, two runs, two RBI.




        Wednesday, September 22

        Atlanta   97-54              Magic number: 9.
        GIANTS    93-57   3 1/2  GB  Can't catch anybody by losing.

        Yesterday
        Giants lost to Houston, 6-0.
        Atlanta blasted Montreal, 18-5.

        Today
        Giants v. Astros in the 'Dome again, 5:05. Bill Swift goes for
        his 19th win, against Pete Harnisch (0-1, 5.25 in two starts
        against SF this year, with 11 Ks in 12 innings). It is no
        exaggeration to say this is literally a 'must-win' game for the
        Giants.
        Atlanta's at Montreal again. Expos are going to fall out of
        contention unless they win a couple of these games.

        Yesterday's game
        Mark Portugal owns the Giants. It's that simple. His
        complete-game three-hit shutout made Salomon Torres'
        disappointing effort rather moot. Looking on the
        bright side, Giant pitchers might as well have their
        worst starts against Portugal, since the team can't
        beat him anyway. He's a free agent after this season;
        the Giants should do whatever they can to sign him.





        Thursday, September 23

        Atlanta   97-55              Now's the time to lose a couple in a row.
        GIANTS    94-57   2 1/2  GB  Last time they won this many was in '65.

        Yesterday
        Giants defeated Houston, 1-0.
        Atlanta lost to Montreal, 6-1.

        Today
        Giants finish up at the friendly Astrodome; 5:05. John Burkett
        will try to become the first Giant pitcher since Mike Krukow in
        1986 to win 20 games. 'Stros counter with Doug Drabek (9-16
        overall, a 5-0 loser with 8 hits and 4 runs allowed in 6 innings
        here on June 18, his only start against the Giants this season).
        Atlanta sends Maddux up against Dennis Martinez in their Montreal
        finale.

        Yesterday's game
        It was probably the greatest performance of Bill
        Swift's career: eight innings of 4-hit, shutout ball
        with ten strikeouts, making a 1-0 lead hold up in
        the heat of a pennant race. Houston's Pete Harnisch
        was almost as impressive, striking out 10 himself
        through eight, but two of his seven hits allowed were
        Willie McGee's 7th-inning drag bunt and Kirt
        Manwaring's clutch run-scoring double. Swift pitched
        through pain in the seventh, when his lower back 'went
        out' (it was subsequently realigned by trainer Mark
        Letendre). Rod Beck closed it out with his 42nd save,
        and a few minutes later the final came in from
        Montreal: the Braves had lost.





        Friday, September 24

        Atlanta   98-55              Can they manage to lose two in Philly?
        GIANTS    95-57   2 1/2  GB  Clinging like a barnacle to a rock.

        Yesterday
        Giants shut out Houston again, 7-0, as John Burkett won his
        twentieth game.
        Atlanta beat Montreal, 6-3, scoring five in the fifth off
        Dennis Martinez, the man who refused to be traded to them.

        Today
        Giants return home and open the season's final homestand: four
        games against San Diego and two with Colorado. Tonight, Scott
        Sanderson makes perhaps his final start of the season, against
        the Padres and Scott Sanders (that's no misprint); 7:35.
        Atlanta moves on to Philadelphia, where they face a team on the
        verge of clinching its division. The Phils' magic number is down
        to 5, and let's hope they reduce it further this weekend. Tom
        Glavine starts for Atlanta against Philly ace Tommie Greene.

        Yesterday's game
        Not to be outdone by teammate Swift, John Burkett
        became the Giants' first 20-game winner in seven years
        (and only their third since Juan Marichal's departure)
        with a brilliant, dominating performance against the
        Astros. Kevin Rogers got the save; Giant pitchers are
        working on a 19-inning scoreless streak right now.
        As has been their custom most of the year, Burkett's
        teammates gave him plenty of support, especially Barry
        Bonds (3 doubles in 5 at-bats, 2 runs, 2 RBI) and
        Will Clark, who returned to the lineup with two hits.

        Notes
        Giants finished their 'turf tour' with a 25-12 record on the
        plastic stuff... Dusty Baker announced his rotation for the
        season's final ten games: Swifty, Burkett, and Torres the core
        starters, with Sanderson starting tonight and Hickerson starting
        next week against Colorado and in the season-ending series at
        LA... The switch to a 4-man rotation means Swift and Burkett
        will open the Dodger series, and Torres will close it... Giants
        very badly need Atlanta to stumble this weekend against Philly
        and lose at least two: Braves finish at home against punchless
        'Stros and pitching-poor Rockies.




        Monday, September 27

        Atlanta  100-56              Any chance they'll lose just one more?
        GIANTS    98-57   1 1/2  GB  The team that refuses to die, lives on.

        Yesterday
        Giants defeated San Diego, 5-2, as Bill Swift won his
        twentieth game.
        Atlanta defeated Philadelphia, 7-2.

        Weekend series
        Giants took three from Padres (4-3, 3-1, 5-2) to run
        their latest winning streak to five (they've won nine
        of ten as well).
        Atlanta took two of three in Philly, losing the opener
        and a game off their lead.

        Today
        Giants finish up against Padres at the 'Stick; 7:35 start. John
        Burkett goes against Andy Benes, by all odds San Diego's best
        pitcher. He pitched brilliantly at Candlestick on June 22, his
        only start against the Giants this year.
        Atlanta's off today; they return home to finish it out. This
        will get that half-game off the lead.

        The Weekend
        It was balls-to-the-wall all three days for the Giants,
        and they responded in brilliant, inspiring fashion. Friday
        night, with Atlanta losing, they were locked in a tight
        battle, trailing 3-2 in the eighth. Then Robbie Thompson,
        leaning over the plate on a 0-2 count, was hit square in
        the face by a pitch. He staggered to his feet after several
        anxious moments and was taken to Stanford Hospital with a
        fractured cheekbone. In the shaky moments that followed,
        Will Clark stepped up. His clutch single sent Robbie's
        replacement, Mike Benjamin, around to third. Benjamin then
        scored the tying run on Matt Williams' fly ball.

        Into extra innings it went. San Diego put two on with none out
        in the tenth, and Dusty Baker immediately summoned Rod Beck. An
        attempted bunt was popped into the air, but Beck muffed the
        sure double-play ball and kicked it into foul ground. Then
        Clark, racing across the diamond, grabbed the ball and
        fired it to third for one. Williams' peg to second got
        another, and suddenly the rally had been killed. As if on
        cue, Will then led off the bottom of the tenth. He smacked
        a high, soaring drive to left that carried up and over the
        fence to win the ballgame, and suddenly it was 1989 all
        over again and Will Clark, after a season of nagging injury
        and personal frustration, stood tall once more. His mates
        carried him off the field after he crossed the plate.
       
        Saturday, the team got word that Robbie, though hurting,
        was not seriously injured and might be back for the L.A.
        series. Then Salomon Torres took the mound and blew the
        Padres away. He was nearly unhittable, allowing only three
        singles, although his heat caused some uncharacteristic
        wildness as he walked six. But Barry Bonds, looming large
        once again as MVP candidate, hit two more homers (his 42nd
        and 43rd; he'd also gone deep Friday night) to settle the
        issue. And yesterday it was Bill Swift joining teammate
        Burkett in the 20-win club with a typical performance-- 90
        pitches, three hits, see you later. Bonds added number 44,
        his fourth blast in three days.

        Notes
        It's looking more and more like the Giants must go undefeated to
        win this thing. The way Atlanta's playing, even that might not
        do it, of course. But the Braves simply have to lose one, just
        one, out of their last six. If the Giants then go 7-0, there will
        be a one-game playoff next Monday night at Candlestick Park. The
        venue was decided by a coin flip several days ago. If it comes
        down to that, Swift will probably get the start... Even though
        they lost two of three at home to the Braves, the Phillies moved
        closer to clinching their own division as Montreal lost twice to
        the Mets... This is the first year since 1966, with Juan Marichal
        and Gaylord Perry, that the Giants have had two 20-game-winning
        pitchers. That too was a great team, one that led the league most
        of the season, then fell behind the red-hot Dodgers late and,
        despite final-weekend heroics, finished second by a game and a half.





        Tuesday, September 28

        Atlanta  100-56              It has come down to this, the final week
        GIANTS    99-57   1  GB      of the season, with nothing held back.

        Yesterday
        Giants defeated San Diego, 8-4, completing a four-game sweep.
        Atlanta was idle.

        Today
        Giants host the Colorado Rockies; 7:35 at the 'Stick. Bryan
        Hickerson takes a turn.
        Atlanta opens a three-game set at home against Houston. 'Stros
        have Pete Harnisch tonight--but Braves counter with Greg Maddux.

        Yesterday's game
        Matt Williams launched a two-run homer in the first
        inning against Andy Benes, and the Giants never
        trailed. Burkett was brilliant through six, retiring
        twenty in a row at one point, but lost it abruptly in
        the eighth. Then Jackson struggled, so out came Beck
        for No. 44. The Giants, though clearly not at their
        best, simply would not be denied: San Diego scored
        twice in the seventh, twice more in the eighth, and
        each time the Giants responded with two of their own.
        They have been relentless on this six-game winning
        streak, and now the Braves are on notice that they'd
        best stay relentless themselves. A one-game lead with
        six to play? Anything can happen.




        Wednesday, September 29

        GIANTS   100-57              Whoa, Nellie--look at this!
        Atlanta  100-57   ...

        Yesterday
        Giants defeated Colorado, 6-4.
        Atlanta lost to Houston, 5-2.

        Today
        Giants finish up with Colorado; 1:05 PM. Salomon Torres will
        start. It's the Giants' regular-season 'Stick finale.
        Atlanta hosts Houston again, with Tom Glavine facing the Astros'
        Doug Drabek. 4:35 PM PDT, broadcast nationwide on ESPN.

        Yesterday's game
        Before a rocking, rolling, playoff-tense Candlestick
        crowd, the Giants took an early 5-0 lead and held on
        to win. Fans arrived early and watched the Atlanta
        game on the Jumbotron screen, cheering as the 'Stros
        beat Greg Maddux. Just as that game ended, this one
        began, and the Giants knew they were playing for first
        place. Bryan Hickerson struggled courageously into the
        sixth, but yielded three straight singles to open the
        frame, the last a line drive off his own chest that
        knocked him out. On came Dave Burba, with the bases
        loaded and nobody out. He shut 'em down cold and left
        the mound to a standing ovation. But Don Baylor's team
        broke through against Burba in the eighth on ex-Giant
        Charlie Hayes' three-run dinger, and it was up to Mike
        Jackson, Kevin Rogers (who's emerging as a strong set-up
        man from the left side) and finally Rod Beck (#45). It
        really doesn't get any better than this: we're all
        tied up with five games to play.




        Thursday, September 30

        Atlanta  101-57              Everything right is wrong again.
        GIANTS 100-58   1 GB

        Yesterday
        Giants lost to Colorado, 5-3.
        Atlanta defeated Houston, 6-3.

        Today
        Giants move on to L.A. to complete the season with a four-game
        series in Dodger Stadium. Tonight, it's Bill Swift against Tom
        Candiotti. Candiotti has probably been the Giants' toughest
        opponent this year, except Mark Portugal, of course.
        Atlanta finishes up with Houston. John Smoltz against Darryl
        Kile.

        Yesterday's game
        Almost 40,000 people showed up for the regular-season
        'Stick finale. but it wasn't enough. For one game, at
        least, Giants reverted to that nightmarish pattern of
        early September: gopher balls and lots of men left on
        base. Salomon Torres served up two early solo homers,
        then walked three men in the third, all of whom later
        scored. Giants twice left the bases loaded without
        scoring: a called strike on what should have been ball
        four in the fifth was followed by Matt Williams' GIDP
        that settled the issue, more or less. It was basically
        a reversal of Tuesday night's game.

        Notes
        Will Clark received a standing ovation from the crowd. He becomes
        a free agent at season's end, and we can only hope management
        realizes his importance and works to re-sign him. Yesterday's
        well-wishers took no such chances as they serenaded Will for his
        being the heart and soul of this ballclub since 1987... Dusty
        Baker admitted his end-of-season rotation, with the slightly
        injured Hickerson and the suddenly-vulnerable Torres set to start
        the last two games, may be subject to change... Giants set an
        all-time franchise attendance record with over 2,600,000 fans,
        up over a million from '92... Astros sounded like they'd caught
        'Giants disease' in their loss last night, leaving the bases
        loaded twice, including the ninth inning when they had Braves
        reliever Greg McMichael on the ropes... Philadelphia clinched
        the East two days ago and will host the first NLCS playoff game
        next Wednesday night.




        Friday, October 1

        GIANTS   101-58              It's all tied up... again.
        Atlanta  101-58   ...        First-place air hard to breathe, ain't it?

        Yesterday
        Giants defeated Los Angeles, 3-1.
        Atlanta lost to Houston, 10-8.

        Today
        Giants at L.A.; 7:35 start. John Burkett goes for his 22nd win;
        Ramon Martinez pitches for the Dodgers. Martinez has not faced
        the Giants this year.
        Atlanta hosts Colorado in the first of three; Steve Avery against
        Greg Harris, the expatriate Padre.

        Yesterday's game
        Bill Swift showed Cy Young form last night. Faced with
        almost insufferable pressure, pitching in a ballpark
        that's been a Giant graveyard, Swift was his usual
        cool, unflappable self. After walking two in the
        first, he threw darts the rest of the way. Meanwhile,
        the Giants took what they could get against Tom
        Candiotti and his flutterballs, which wasn't much, but
        they got plenty against the porous Dodger defense.
        The big plays came in the fourth, when Jose Offerman
        kicked a grounder to keep the inning alive, and Kirt
        Manwaring followed with a RBI single. When ex-Giant
        Cory Snyder heaved the relay into the Dodger dugout, a
        second run scored. Swift made it hold up, although LA
        got a run in the sixth on a Mike Benjamin error that
        was scored a hit. Kevin Rogers again made his case for
        setup-man status, getting two in the eighth after Matt
        Williams' triple and Willie McGee's infield hit scored
        the third run, and Rod Beck got the last four outs for
        his 46th save. And hanging over it all was the spectre
        of the Braves' wild, 10-8 loss at home to the Astros.
        Atlanta had not lost two of three since August 8, and
        they picked a fine time to do it. They are a very
        fallible 4-4 since September 21, when they led by
        three and a half games after Mark Portugal had beaten
        the Giants. Perhaps now is the time for them to lose
        a couple in a row, for the first time since God knows when.

        Notes
        Candiotti has a 0.84 ERA in four starts against the Giants this
        season--and a 1-1 record... Robbie Thompson, who at first expected
        to be back for this series, is out until the playoffs, if the
        Giants make it that far. He practiced yesterday for the first time
        since the injury, but is far from ready... Giants will not face
        Dodgers' hottest pitcher, Pedro Astacio, but Martinez and Hershiser
        back-to-back is quite enough, thanks all the same... Expect that
        Steve Scarsone, not Benjamin, will start at second the rest of
        the series... Rockies are 0-10 against Braves so far this year,
        but it only takes one, guys... Giants' next win will be a
        San Francisco regular-season record; they won 101 in 1962, then
        two more in the three-game playoff series. Needless to say, it
        would be most encouraging if they'd win all three remaining here,
        to set the definitive record!





        Monday, October 4 (End of Regular Season)

        Atlanta  104-58              *** BRAVES WIN IT ***
        GIANTS   103-59   1 GB       Won 14 of last 17... and finished second.

        Yesterday
        Los Angeles defeated the Giants, 12-1.
        Atlanta defeated Colorado, 5-3, to clinch their third
        straight NL West division title.

        Weekend series
        Giants took two of three from Dodgers, winning 8-7
        Friday night and 5-3 Saturday, but it wasn't enough.
        San Francisco still has never swept four straight at
        Dodger Stadium.
        Atlanta won all three against Colorado, keeping the
        pressure on the Giants all weekend--a tactic which
        finally proved effective.

        The Weekend
        Giants rose to the heights of glory and sank to the
        depths of despair in less than 72 hours, which is a fair
        summation of this magnificent and crazy season.

        Friday night's game was perhaps the greatest of the year. It
        was the night Barry Bonds locked up the MVP Award; it was also
        a night which seemed to confer destiny upon the Giants,
        to reassure us that this team would win, would surmount
        any and all obstacles in its way. John Burkett started the
        game without his good stuff and was immediately stung for
        three in the first and another in the second. With the
        Braves' win already a done deal, suddenly it seemed this
        frantic race might expire early.

        That's when Barry Bonds took center stage. He launched a
        towering drive to center field with two on in the third
        and the Giants down 4-1; Brett Butler kept going back and
        the ball kept going, going, over the fence to tie the game.
        Two innings later, after Will Clark had singled and Matt
        Williams doubled, Tommy Lasorda chose to pitch to Bonds with
        first base open. And this time Bonds launched it into the
        stratosphere, far over the right-field fence. It was a
        massive, unavoidable statement, and it carried the day.
        The Clark-Williams-Bonds axis went 10-for-13 in that game,
        with seven runs and 8 RBI. Burkett lasted five innings,
        good enough for his 22nd, and Rod Beck got his 47th save
        despite a sore hip and a weary arm. He gave up a two-run
        homer in the ninth to Dave Hansen, but nailed slugger Mike
        Piazza to end it.

        Then it was Saturday, with wily Orel Hershiser on the mound
        and Atlanta merrily clobbering the Rockies 3,000 miles away.
        Though Hershiser didn't have his best stuff, and was nicked
        for two runs early due to some typical Dodger defensive comedy,
        Bryan Hickerson himself ran out of gas soon for the Giants.
        He left the game in the third tied 2-2. And to hold the fort,
        Dusty Baker selected, of all people, Jeff Brantley! With
        Trevor Wilson, among others, rested and ready in the 'pen,
        Dusty went with the Squirming Lead-Blower. There was nothing to
        do but curse and pray. And Brantley put a sweet end to a sour
        season with four innings of one-hit ball, frustrating the
        Dodgers no end. Meanwhile, another overlooked Giant,
        Dave Martinez, starting in right due to Willie McGee's sore
        ribs, came up with a clutch double to right-center that
        scored Clark and the ubiquitous Bonds with two big runs to
        win the game. Will, playing his greatest baseball of the
        season, went 4-for-5 for the second straight game. And once
        again it was Beck, running on empty, defiantly shutting
        them down for his 48th save.

        This win, while sweet, was clearly less dramatic than Friday's;
        it seemed to be simply the set-up scene of the drama, the
        necessary interlude between the boffo beginning  and the fireworks
        finale. When the Braves-- solid, confident, relentless, implacable--
        dusted off Colorado for their 104th win Sunday, all the
        pieces were in place. The Atlanta players waited in their
        clubhouse, to see if they'd be flying out here later in the
        day. Dusty Baker penciled in the 21-year-old Salomon Torres
        as his starter, reasoning that only Torres had the stuff,
        if he was 'on', to shut down the Dodgers. Scott Sanderson,
        the veteran, was held in ready reserve. Sunday's NFL slate
        was completely disregarded; the tension hovered thick as
        the smog over L.A. and Dodger Stadium. Somehow, 103 wins
        were not enough; somehow, despite a record-setting season,
        despite having pulled themselves up from the brink of
        disaster, despite having forced the Braves to play
        desperately brilliant baseball--somehow the Giants would
        have to win one more.

        And they couldn't do it. Right away, LA starter Kevin Gross,
        who no-hit the Giants last August, showed command of his wide
        repertoire of pitches. The Giants had hammered Ramon Martinez
        and they'd bedeviled Hershiser, but they were off-balance
        against Gross and his mixed bag of tricks. For his part, Torres
        was strong, but wild. Once again, as against Colorado, the walks
        killed him. Patiently the Dodgers let Torres dig small holes for
        himself, and then they chipped their way to a 3-0 lead
        after three.

        In the fourth, Torres was pulled with two on and one out and
        Dave Hansen at the plate. Trevor Wilson was summoned to face
        the lefty, Lasorda countered by pinch-hitting Tim Wallach,
        and Wallach lined into a double play to end it. The Giants
        promptly got on the board in the top of the fifth, Royce Clayton
        scoring on Lewis' grounder after a key sacrifice by Wilson,
        but Dusty Baker then made a curious decision: he brought in
        Dave Burba to pitch the fifth. Now Sanderson was rested, and
        supposedly held in reserve. He was almost named to start. Bringing in
        Wilson for one batter had been wise; not only did it work,
        it got the red-hot Hansen out of the game. But Burba, who'd
        worked hard in the Colorado series, was clearly not ready,
        and while Sanderson stood in the bullpen, thinking God
        knows what, Burba turned a tight 3-1 game into a walkaway.
       
        Dodger catcher Mike Piazza, the NL Rookie of the Year,
        swatted a homer to right-center. First baseman Eric Karros
        drew a walk. Cory Snyder, the former Giant, then delivered
        the death-blow, a thunderous drive, also to right-center,
        that cleared the fence for a 6-1 lead. It was all over. As
        well as Gross was pitching, a 3-1 or 4-1 lead would have
        been tough enough to overcome. There was no way the Giants
        were going to recover from 6-1. But just to make sure, the
        Dodgers took batting practice against Dave Righetti and Jim
        Deshaies, both certainly making their final appearances in
        Giant uniform, in the eighth. Piazza launched his second
        homer of the game, a three-run shot to left, off Righetti.
        After Karros tripled down the line, Deshaies came in to tee
        one up for that well-known slugger, Raul Mondesi, and the
        only thing left to wait for was Will Clark's perhaps-final
        at-bat as a Giant. It came in the ninth inning and Clark,
        still wearing the 'Nuschler face', stood in against the
        unflappable Gross and drilled one to deepest center. Will's
        old teammate Butler made a running catch at the wall, and
        soon it was official. The Braves will open the National
        League Championship Series against the Phillies in
        Philadelphia on Wednesday night, and the winner of that
        series will face either the Toronto Blue Jays or the
        Chicago White Sox in the World Series beginning October 16.







        FINAL N.L. WEST STANDINGS - 1993

        Atlanta  104- 58                   One of baseball's greatest stretch drives.
        GIANTS   103- 59   1 GB    Best 2nd-place team since at least 1954.
        Houston   85- 77  19 GB      Might win new NL Central next year.
        L.A.      81- 81  23 GB         Should step up with good young players.
        Colorado  67- 95  37 GB      Best September mark of any expansion team.
        San Diego 61-101  43 GB    No future, no future, no future for you!


        How then do we sum up the Giants' 1993 season? They are one of a bare
        handful of teams in major-league history to win 100 games and still
        finish second. Can they come back hard next year, as the team with
        something to prove, and not only dominate the revamped NL West but
        also scorch a trail through the playoffs and on into the Series? There
        is little doubt that, had the Giants finally prevailed in the West this
        season, they would have been favorites to win it all. This is a great
        team indeed. The question is, can it be great in 1994, or was this a
        one-shot deal?

        Perhaps we can take a look at what made the Giants' season such a
        success. First and foremost, this club consistently scored runs.
        Secondly, the starting pitching, while thin, rarely gave the game away
        early. If the team is scoring runs, it generally can do well with
        average starting pitching. And the Giants got outstanding pitching from
        Swifty and Burkett. While hitting well enough to win 80-85 games even
        with mediocre starters, the Giants got twenty extra wins because their
        two aces had Cy Young years. So what happens next?

        Let's look at the lineup. We saw, very late in the season, what can
        happen when Clark, Williams, and Bonds all get hot at the same time. It
        was spectacular. Will they get a chance to repeat it next year? The
        big questions concern the fates of Clark and Robbie Thompson, both of
        whom are now free agents, and both of whose new salaries, if they are
        to be re-signed, must fit under the new annual salary cap that the
        teams have imposed upon themselves. The conventional wisdom seems
        to be that one must stay while the other leaves, and most of the season it
        was Thompson who appeared the likeliest to stay. Robbie is a hero; we
        didn't mention that he gutted it out and played that final game of the
        year, nine days after being hit in the face with a pitch that could have
        killed him. Robbie also had his greatest year in '93, hitting .312
        with power to go along with his superb defense and leadership. By
        contrast, Clark had his second straight sub-par year. He has battled
        numerous small injuries to his legs, which he keeps quiet about but
        which affect his swing. Certainly his numbers of late do not compare
        with other NL first basemen such as Fred McGriff or Gregg Jefferies or
        John Kruk. And many have decided that Clark, therefore, is on the
        downhill side of his career at 29 and should be the one to go, if one
        must go. We disagree.

        Good as Robbie Thompson is, Clark is more valuable to this team. He
        showed in the final days that he is more than just a great hitter and a
        great competitor; he can truly raise his level of play when the
        situation calls for it. If there is any chance that he will be healthier
        next year than this year, he should be signed. If one of the two has to
        go, it should be Thompson. He very well may have just had his career
        year. He is a second baseman, and as such is prone to injury. He has a
        bad back, and misses twenty games a year minimum. He is a wonderful
        player, but he is no Clark. And Steve Scarsone is already a fine second
        baseman; the team can replace Robbie easier than it can Will. It's a
        harsh thing to say, but it is true.

        As long as Barry Bonds is healthy, the rest of the offense should be
        solid. Willie McGee, Royce Clayton, and Kirt Manwaring all benefited
        from Bonds' presence in the number-5 spot in the order. Singles hitters
        all, they nonetheless had plenty of RBI opportunities due to Bonds'
        league-leading walks total. Darren Lewis is an adequate leadoff man
        whose defense makes him invaluable. As for Bonds and Williams, there
        are not enough accolades. This team scored runs in 1993; it should
        score them in 1994.

        Starting pitching? Well, we begin with Swift and Burkett. With Swift,
        everything indicates that 1993 was no fluke. The man can pitch, and if
        he is managed carefully and limited to 100 pitches every fourth day, he
        can win twenty games. He's the one pitcher you can count on to do well
        even if the team does not score. Burkett inspires a bit less confidence
        only because he was the epitome of a solid .500 inning-eater up until
        this year, a good third or fourth starter but nothing more. The big
        question is, did he benefit solely from the Giants' run-scoring boost
        (5.4 runs per game in his starts), or did he simultaneously emerge as a
        complete, mature pitcher? I take nothing away from Burkett and his
        superb season, but it's still a question whether he can be as effective
        next year as he was in '93. Even if he is, the Giants' staff needs
        another top starter. Few teams in baseball have two pitchers of this
        caliber, but the Giants' task is to measure up to Atlanta, with their
        four outstanding starters, and by that yardstick the team is still
        lacking. It would be worth it to let, say, Robbie Thompson go, if it
        were then possible to sign someone like Mark Portugal or--even better--
        Jose Rijo. The Giants can most likely overcome LA, their only serious
        competition in the new NL West, without adding anybody. But the road
        to the Series will lead through Atlanta, and next year winning the
        division won't be enough.

        Salomon Torres is in the big leagues to stay, and we can expect that
        he and Trevor Wilson will be in Dusty Baker's April rotation. Torres
        simply needs experience; he's got the tools. Wilson remains haunted
        by the injury bug and by his own expectations; once again he faces a
        crossroads year. There won't be too many more. Beyond these two, the
        rotation is up for grabs. It's impossible to know whether Bud Black can 
        pitch again, and foolish to rely on him; if he comes back, it's a bonus. 
        Scott Sanderson may or may not remain, and Dave Burba may or may
        not get a shot at the rotation. Kevin Rogers, Mike Jackson, and the
        magnificent Rod Beck are the core of the bullpen.
       
        So the goal is crystal-clear: first the division, then the Braves, then
        the Series. As it stands now, this team can definitely accomplish the
        first, and have a hell of a run at the second. And the second may be
        tougher than the third. Dusty Baker and his staff will return next
        year intact, and this will be a team with an Attitude. They proved a
        lot in 1993; there's only one thing left to prove for '94. Go get 'em,
        Giants.







Copyright (c) 1993, 1999 by David Malbuff.  All rights reserved.