October Collision Course

Two teams had walk off wins today that were thrilling and made me really hope they face off, for many different reasons.

The Giants won this afternoon thanks to a pair of home runs by Pat Burrell, a shot by Sandoval and a walk off by Torres.

I guess all of my begging and pleading for the Giants to sign Johnny Damon wasn't necessary. Torres has done the job just fine.

And Pat Burrell has turned into the best mid season pick up for the Giants that I can remember since Rick Reuschel in 1987.

Meanwhile, across the country, the Giants arch rival Dodgers had their season basically end in a disastrous 9th inning that was partially caused by the spell and hexes cast onto the the L.A. Bullpen from this young Phillies fan.

As gruesome as the 9th inning was for Los Angeles and it seemingly will put a nail in the coffin of the Joe Torre era in Chavez Ravine, it also shows that the Phillies are peaking at a very advantageous time.

Any time you are down 9-2 in the 8th inning and can pull off the win, against a team with a winning record no less, it is time to pay attention.

I think the Phillies and Giants are on a collision course that will meet in October.

Now there is one problem with that prediction... as of this writing, both teams are in second place. The Giants and Phillies are tied in the loss column for the Wild Card.

Maybe that is where the collision will be.

Imagine a Wild Card play in game with Tim Lincecum versus Roy Halladay or Roy Oswalt.

But truth be told, I think both teams are making the post season. It will be only a matter of time before the Phillies leap frog the Braves.

And we'll see what happens with the Giants after this weekend's series with San Diego.

But Holy Cats, I want to see the Giants and the Phillies square off for meaningful games in October.

Not only will there be the intrigue of two teams with multiple aces...

Not only will there be the return of Pat Burrell to Philadelphia...

Not only will there be two passionate fan bases playing in new beautiful ballparks...

But my dad is a huge Giants fan.

And his brother, my uncle Don is a huge Phillies fan.

The potential fireworks between the brothers with meaningful games in October is too wonderful to avoid.

Now a potential Giants/Phillies showdown was thwarted before... in 1993 when the Giants won 103 games and missed the postseason because they were inexplicably in the same geographical division as the Braves.

So once again the Braves could stand in the way of a Giants-Phillies showdown.

Let's go Giants and let's go Phillies... if the Red Sox can't make it in October, I had better experience some other family fireworks!!!

Red Sox vs. Giants was fun... let's do it again in October

Lester came to the rescue today, but Heaven forbid the Red Sox have a game without an injury!!!

So with Dustin Pedroia, Clay Buchholz and Victor Martinez banged up, the Sox leave San Francisco with 2 wins.

I am glad about that... and I will root for the Giants in EVERY game for the rest of the season.

They are my National League team.

I went to high school in the Bay Area and I rooted for Los Gigantes in the 1987 and 1989 post season.

I would cut class from time to time and drive up to Candlestick Park and see Will Clark, Kevin Mitchell, Matt Williams and Big Daddy Reuschel play for the great Hum Baby teams of Roger Craig.

And I also have seen many games with Barry Bonds at both the Stick and on China Basin.

And then there is the matter of my dad and my son.

My dad is the single biggest Giants fan I have ever met in my life.

He is up listening to the post game show when the Giants are 20 games out.

He is the first to call me when a big Giants prospect has been called up.

He was a Giants fan way back when they were in the Polo Grounds and he has cheered them from Coogan's Bluff to Seal's Stadium to Candlestick Point to China Basin.

And his grandson, my son Aidan, whose middle name is also my dad's name, loves his grandpa (or Poppy as he is known) so much that with no prompting he has claimed the Giants as HIS team.

He doesn't know the players yet... but when asked what his favorite team is, with great pride he says "The GIANTS!"

So for the generation before and after me, I hope the Giants go all the way to the World Series.

And I hope the Red Sox are there too.

And I hope the Sox SWEEP!

(Love for family can only go so far)