12 Memorable Giants Pennant Races
1993: BASEBALL’S LAST GREAT PENNANT RACE
September 1: The Giants owned the best record in baseball (85-46) and a 3.5-game lead in the NL West over surging Atlanta, which had won 17 of 20 behind the hot-hitting of trade deadline acquisition Fred McGriff.
The Stretch Run: Their division lead evaporated following an eight-game losing streak in early September, but the Giants responded by winning 12 of their next 14 to pull even with the Braves with three games to go. The teams remained tied on the final day of the regular season, with Atlanta hosting woeful Colorado and San Francisco looking to complete a four-game sweep at Dodger Stadium. After Tom Glavine shut down the Rockies, Giants rookie Salomon Torres took the mound in Los Angeles knowing that his team needed a win to force a one-game playoff the next day at Candlestick Park. They lost 12-1. Manager Dusty Baker had struggled with the decision of whether to go with Torres, who began the season at Double-A, or the more experienced Scott Sanderson or Jim Deshaies. Who’s to say whether they would have fared any better against a Dodgers team that, despite finishing 23 games out of first, was determined to keep its rival out of the postseason?
The Difference: Fred Freakin’ McGriff. The Giants enjoyed their largest division lead of the season – 10 games – shortly after the Braves acquired the Crime Dog from the Padres on July 18. With McGriff in the lineup, the Braves went an absurd 51-17 to become the first three-time champion in the National League since the 1942-44 St. Louis Cardinals.
Postscript: Atlanta lost the NLCS to the Phillies, 4 games to 2.
They Said It: “Losses; they’re all the same. All I know is I’m going to keep coming and coming. I’m going to be back every year, some way, somehow.” – Barry Bonds
They Wrote It: “The Giants ended their storybook year and found out the dog had eaten the last page. They pushed the car all the way up Pike’s Peak, then stopped with three feet to go to fix their socks. They won the lottery and lost the ticket.” (Ed. And isn’t it ironic, don’t you think?) – Ray Ratto
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By Scott on Tuesday, September 1st, 2009 at 10:00 am.
Tags: San Francisco Giants
September 1st, 2009 at 12:34 pm
You left out ‘71?! Marichal had to win the final game of the season to win the division and avoid yet another playoff-for-the-playoff game against the Dodgers.
September 13th, 2009 at 8:04 pm
[...] They’re In This Thing: OK, for real this time, this is the biggest series of the year. Colorado is in town for a 3-game set, the final meeting between the teams’ this season. With 19 games to go, the Giants trail the Rockies by 4.5 games in the wild card race. Stranger things have happened. [...]