So I’m reading Andrew Baggarly’s game story in the Mercury News and I come across this passage:
In that same vein:
- Will children continue to eat delicious chocolate cake at birthday parties, or will they turn to leek soup? That’s a terrific question.
- Will young lovers’ romantic nights on the town continue to end in passionate love making, or will they turn to coming home to do laundry and balance the checkbook? That’s a terrific question.
- Will Craig continue to watch “It’s a Wonderful Life” every Christmas Eve while enjoying a cocktail and reflecting on the past year of his life, or will he instead watch the entire run of “According to Jim” episodes on DVD while repeatedly hitting himself in the stones with a rubber mallet? That’s a terrific question.
In September and October -- when the Giants were in a playoff race, mind you -- Madison Bumgarner started five games. In those games he pitched 32 innings. In those innings he struck out 32 men, walked only four and posted an ERA of 1.13. Last night, in a clinching playoff game, on the road, he threw six effective innings.
In contrast, Barry Zito started six games, and lasted only 29 innings in September and October. He struck out 28 men during that period and walked 18 with an ERA of 4.66. If you throw in his seventh start that number goes up to 6.06. In his last start of the season -- a game which could have clinched the NL West -- he twice walked men with the bases loaded and left to a chorus of boos. For his efforts, he was left of the Division Series roster.
If there’s anyone out there who thinks “will Bumgarner or Zito start Game 4" is a “terrific question,” I’d truly like to meet them. I’d like to ask them about the world they live in and whether it’s anything like our own.