‪As San Francisco Giants fans, we all felt that undeniable potential in those ’08-’09 seasons like soft, distant whispers that had enough legs to run into our baseball dreams.  It was the sequel to the 80’s movement of “You Gotta Like These Kids,” but heavier on the pitching side with the likes of Matt Cain, Tim Lincecum, Jonathan Sanchez, Brian Wilson, and Madison Bumgarner.  Then in ’10 they did something that no Giants team in San Francisco could ever do – win a World Series.

Mays, McCovey, Cepeda, Marichal, Perry couldn’t do it.

Clark, Williams, Thompson, Mitchell couldn’t do it.

Bonds, Kent, Snow, Aurilia, Nen couldn’t do it.

Then a bunch of kids mixed with a few scrappy veterans that no one in the world gave a chance actually pulled it off.  As the marketing engine of that season stated – it was magic inside.

Those early whispers years prior became a loud reality, emphatically putting San Francisco’s stamp on baseball that they were at the top of the mountain and weren’t going anywhere.  All of a sudden the Giants were feared; they owned the yard and had a chance to do so for a 5-6 year window.  Maybe even more.

Still against all odds and predictions, the Giants won two more in ’12 and ’14, creating a baseball dynasty.  Three in five years, and competed in ’16 in the playoffs.  What a time to be alive, right?

Two and a half months into ’17 – dead last with the deepest hole to dig out of in recent memory and no apparent hope in sight – it sadly looks and feels like this window is now all but closed.

‪And so, here comes the what could likely be a fire sale and the reset button. Shake things up, even greater than last season, and maybe even rattle the cages.  Posey, Bumgarner, Crawford, Panik, Bochy, and Righetti should remain in the untouchable section (at least from my own opinion).  And if I have a Giants uniform on that doesn’t have those names stitched on my back – I probably wouldn’t get too comfortable at this point.‬

‘San Francisco Giants’ will remain on the front and the sleeves, but the changes in names and numbers on the back will always rip your heart out.  Yet, baseball remains a beautiful thing, even when you truly understand and accept that heartbreak is inevitable.

For those who care for the game and this team, I sincerely hope you enjoyed this era of Giants Baseball as much as I did.  Baseball will continue to evolve – that is its right.

And ours?  We have a right to evolve with it, and we have a right to share and pass on the stories it created and left for us.

Stories of a Freak.  A Beard.   A Horse.  A Phenom.  A baseball god dressed as a catcher.  A Genius.   A Giraffe.  A Panda.  A Gazelle.  A Boss.   A Shark.  A White Shark.  A Hunter.  An Angel.   A band of misfits.  A collection of champions.

Giants.