The 5th walk-off this year on Sunday was thrilling.  Anytime someone rounds the bases on errant throws from two major league infielders, it’s immediately labeled a “little league” home run. However, that conclusion minimizes from the focused attention that Ramos (and Matt Williams, the 3B coach) were demonstrating on the field. 5 walk-off wins are incredible anyway you look at it. That says something about the team. The Giants are 19 and 10 and leading the NL West (in a tie with the team from LA, without LA’s 700-million-dollar man) and heading into an important two-game series in San Diego against the second-place Padres.  

The question right now is who is having more fun, the players or the fans? And who is responsible?  The guys are playing like little boys, picking each other up when down, playing games in the dugout, helping each other to get better and looking like a cohesive unit, top to bottom. This is the culture of Buster Ball. 

The Giants had an excellent spring (best record in baseball at 21 and 6) and are not letting up as this season begins.  As of today (April 2), the Giants are 4-1 in the new season, having taken 2 out of 3 from the Reds and the first two games of the current Astros series.  The G-Men are, however, in the NL West, the toughest division in baseball. Both the LA team (7-0) and the Padres (6-0) are undefeated.  That won’t last but it’s emblematic of the challenges that 2025 will bring.

The Czar attended spring training in Scottsdale this year and watched a young, loose, team continue on a roll. The G-Men are in first place in the Cactus League with an 18 and 6 record and looks like they are clicking on all cylinders. Is it Buster Posey taking over baseball operations, Justin Verlander stabilizing the pitching staff (behind an awesome Logan Webb), Willy Adames looking very much like the shortstop with the power we needed, Matt Chapman playing like the All-Star he is, Patrick Bailey looking like Buster Posey in his playing days or the battles for the outfield and infield among a gifted group of young players including the hard-hitting and speedy Tyler Fitzgerald getting the nod at 2nd base, and Yaz holding down right field? Right now, it’s too early to tell but the team is looking good heading into the regular season (which opens at home on April 4th – there will be another post and tickets available before then for the opening series so make sure that you whitelist the blog).

It’s clear that the G-Men are using this September run of games to evaluate the talent that is going to form the core of the 2025 Giants.  Grant McCray is a rookie with awesome power, as witnessed by his dingers in the games at San Diego.  Fitzgerald is the shortstop of the future with a glove, an arm, and a power bat. We should have brought him up in May. Patrick Bailey may be worn down from a long season but the bat, the glove, and the baseball smarts are there, and Ramos is leading the teams with a .273 average. On the pitching side, Birdsong has had the yips now and then, but the talent is clearly there and he should be ready for the starting role in the rotation next year.