Well, Giants fans, the final homestand is upon us. Minnesota comes to Oracle Park September 21–23, followed by the Dodgers September 25–27. Six games. Two very different visiting teams. And one rather important question for the home club:

Who should still be wearing orange and black when this starts counting again next spring?

Well, Giants fans, we have officially reached September. Normally, that means pennant races, scoreboard watching, calculating magic numbers, and wondering whether the Dodgers are finally going to stumble.

This year, not so much.

The Anwer is simple – because its summer, the weather is gorgeous and Oracle is calling out with the sounds of summer, occasional fog (but mostly sunshine), the crack of a baseball bat, the taste of a crab sandwich and Ghirardelli sundae and the late inning arrival of the famous San Francisco seagulls (and, occasionally, the melodic sound of Tony Bennett and “I left my heart in San Francisco” when the G-Men win).  It’s that time of year!

Buster pretty much did exactly what we prognosticated in the last blog. He tore down the lineup in a net sell/retool with a few high-upside additions and a clear short‑term roster reset. He traded LHP Robbie Ray to the San Diego Padres and received pitching prospect Miguel Mendez and shortstop Joniel Hernandez in return. He acquired INF Marcelo Mayer from the Red Sox (Boston received LHP Erik Miller). Mayer is a former top prospect working back from injuries. Finally, the Giants and Braves completed a swap that sent Tyler Mahle to Atlanta and brought RHP Anthony Molina (depth/low‑risk arm) to SF. Then, 2 days ago, Arraez and Calin Killian were sent to the Phillies for 2 minor league pitchers. And, as a last word, Goodbye Heliot Ramos, we never really got to know you, but you certainly can hit, and I’m sure you are going to look great in Yankee pin stripes.

The Giants are 42-60, which is the kind of record that stops a season from being a season and starts it being a case study. They’re 22.5 games out, they’ve been outscored 481-417, and the standings have already said what everybody in the park knows: this thing is over.

So let the kids play, especially Elridge and Ramos.

Not because youth is a cure-all. It isn’t. But because the veteran version of this club has had its turn, and the results keep coming back with the same flat expression. At some point, you stop asking whether the season can be salvaged and start asking what the organization can still learn from it.