No longer sleeping Giants

Did you notice the Giants are 9-2 since the All Star Break?

Chances are if you said "Yes" to that, you are my dad.
But for the rest of you... the Giants are suddenly for real and if the playoffs started today, they would be playing the Atlanta Braves in the Division Series.

Now they could probably use another bat, but with Buster Posey making his own case for Rookie of the Year, it might not have to be a huge impact bat.

That being said, as the unpredictable Marlins come to San Francisco, Giants fans need to do something unpleasant:

You need to root for the Dodgers this week.

I know it is hard for you all, but trust me it is for the best.

The Giants are 4 back in the loss column of San Diego and they've been winning with smoke and mirrors all season. A nice losing streak by the Friars could land the Giants in first place and the possibility of being on top of the standings is worth a few Dodger wins.

Trust me on this one.

No NL Team has more wins than the Giants

It looks strange when you see that sentence typed out, doesn't it?

I mean the Giants were supposed to be better this year... but here we are in August and the Giants have as many wins as any NL team (and that team they are tied with is the Padres, which is even stranger.)

I mean weren't the Phillies supposed to be the powerhouse of the NL?

Even with the divorce woes, weren't the Dodgers supposed to be in this?

How about the Rockies or Cardinals? They were destined for 90+ wins this year.

Nope... Los Gigantes are better than all of them.

And it brings up a very interesting scenario for the many Giant fans who read Sully Baseball. If the Giants pass the Padres in the standings (and they are only 2 back in the loss column) and finish the season with the best record in the NL... then they would have home field advantage in the Division Series... in the NLCS... and the World Series.

That's what is at stake in the NL. For the first time since 2001, the National League team will host Game 1 of the World Series (and potentially a Game 7.)

Let's take a look at each American League team since 2001 who finished the season with the best record and how they did in the post season:

2002 - Yankees (Lost in Division Series)

2003 - Yankees (Lost in World Series)

2004 - Yankees (Lost in ALCS)

2005 - White Sox (Won World Series)

2006 - Yankees (Lost in Division Series)

2007 - Red Sox (Won World Series)

2008 - Angels (Lost in Dvision Series)

2009 - Yankees (Won World Series.)

OK, it isn't a lock for anything... but in those 8 years there were 4 pennant winners and 3 World Series winners.

It's a small sample, but half of the teams that home field advantage since the All Star Game determined which league would host the World Series opener went on to win the pennant.

Can you picture it Giants fans?

Can you imagine how 2002 could have been different if Games 6 and 7 were by China Basin?

The Giants have the pitching, the hitting is coming around and the Padres have lost 3 of their last 4 games.

Could this be the year the Giants fans have been waiting for?

Just keep winning and it is there for the taking.