GIANTS 7 - DIAMONDBACKS 4
Last year any time the Giants would fall behind you could pretty much write them off.
This season they are proving that coming from behind is something that they are capable of doing.
Now, one run down may not seem like an insurmountable lead but the way that the lead was given up, having blown a 3-1 lead, usually seemed to deflate last years team. Last night they actually answered Arizona's 3 spot in the 6th with a 3 spot of their own in the 7th. Granted it was fueled by some Arizona errors, but with the luck the Giants have been having with double plays and calls at home plate this season, it was time for a few things to go our way.
I can't help but think of Marvin Benard every time I hear someone proclaim Andres Torres as the "real deal" but I'm starting to become a believer. He has been so key to the Giants' success in the second half that I would have to rank him as the 3rd most important offensive player behind Buster and Huff. He hits homeruns, triples, and tracks down balls in the outfield that Rowand would just play off the wall, and say what you want about his offense but Rowand is a pretty good defender. Torres is really starting to become the feel good story of the season and I hope the Giants can make the playoffs in order to get this guy some national recognition.
What to say about Aubrey Huff?
I have always, for some reason, liked Aubrey Huff as a player. I remember thinking that the Giants should pick him up from the Devil Rays way back when Bonds was still with the team somewhere around 2003-04. I think there were even some rumors to that effect back then.
For whatever reason, Huff wound up with the Orioles and had the opportunity to play on a bunch of bad teams. Last season, after a late season trade to Detroit, Huff seemed like he might not have too much left in the tank.
Boy were we wrong.
The Giants were able to get Huff for what now looks like a steal of a deal at $3 million dollars for this season. He has 19 Homeruns and 3 multi homerun games counting last night. He is a scrapper and he is the heart of this Giants team. I believe the difference that this team does not fall on it's face when they are down is because they have assimilated Huff's attitude. I mean the guy went to a contender last season for the first time in his life and fell on his face by hitting .189 in 106 ABs for the Tigers. He wasn't offered a contract by the team at the end of the season and I don't think that many other teams were lining up to throw money at him.
Enter Sabean and the Giants.
Sabean made what has to have been the best free agent signing of his Giants career when he picked Huff up off the scrap heap. Huff has rewarded the team with his attitude, his bat and his quotes. he's another candidate for feel good story of the year.
Link of the day:
I was looking for an Aubrey Huff quote to use above but instead I found this story on him from 2007. This radio interview seems to be perfectly in line with his personality that he has shown in SF. He seems to be a guy who is just having fun but, like most of us clowns, can get management upset when the team is losing.
The article also points out that Huff sang on an MLB produced CD "OH SAY CAN YOU SING" that was produced way back in 2005 which I will now leave you with:
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