The Even Year Magic Is Not Quite Over Yet, by Chuck Strom

Madison Bumgarner
Madison Bumgarner
The San Francisco Giants, as they did in 2014, managed to slip into the very last available postseason spot and earn themselves a road trip for a do-or-die playoff. With five wins out of their last six games, they are looking better of late than for most of the season since the All-Star Break. Even with Madison Bumgarner taking the ball on Wednesday, though, the Giants are decided underdogs against the New York Mets, who have torched the league for most of the last month and will start Noah Syndergaard opposite Bumgarner. After seeing Syndergaard’s 98-mph fastballs and 95-mph sliders back in August, Bumgarner, for all of his previous post-season heroics, seems decidedly mortal in comparison.

Noah Syndergaard
Noah Syndergaard
If the Giants make it out of New York, however, they would be a much more confident club than when they dropped three of four close games to the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley in September. They could give the 103-win Cubs all they could handle.

Can’t wait for Wednesday. I’m not ready for the season to be done yet.

Chuck Strom