“It’s a long season”  Marty Lurie

I can’t believe that almost a quarter of this season is gone, and that it’s time to start looking forward to the next 120 games. It’s also unbelievable that I haven’t written any blogs until now.  But I have an excuse. This year I can go to as many games as I want to due to a well-timed retirement, but that doesn’t leave time for much else. I didn’t expect to have an attendance average hovering at .800, but I couldn’t help myself.  Can you blame me?

Anticipation is the aphrodisiac that excites fans preparing for a new season. As Marty Lurie reminds us before the first game: There’s a lot of baseball to play . . . When the season starts, everyone’s in first place . . . It’s an open book . . . With those phrases running through my mind, I dove into the 2015 season.

The first official event was the Play Ball Luncheon on April 3, coordinated by the Giants Community Fund to honor the Junior Giants. (More about this great program later)

Hector, Tim, Yusmeiro and Santiago

The reception with players is a highlight of the luncheon.  I love the opportunity to look squarely in their eyes and just say “Thank you.” And you know what I usually get back? A heartfelt “Oh no, thank YOU!” accompanied by a genuine smile and a handshake. I pride myself in making Andes Torres shed a tear after the 2010 World Series victory, and although I haven’t quite achieved that again, I have come close.

George Kontos & Hunter Pence

Less-known players can be overlooked when they’re at a table with the likes of Hunter Pence. Most fans go right to the big name, and miss talking to players like George Kontos or Yusmeiro Petit. But that leaves time for the rest of us to find out what makes these other guys tick. And it’s a great chance to thank them for the role they played in getting that third trophy.

See the gallery for more pictures from the Play Ball luncheon.

The luncheon got me warmed up for baseball, and 2 days later I attended Marty Gras, a dinner hosted by Marty Lurie.  I took a picture with the trophy, and saw many familiar faces: McCovey Cove Dave, Mary from the Public House Patio, my friend Julia, and Mario Alioto, Executive VP of the Giants. When I told him I’d had season tickets since 1985, we reminisced about the ’85 season when the Giants lost 100 games, a record that will hopefully never be broken.  The following year, Bob Brenly made 4 errors in one inning in a game that he miraculoysly saved later with 4 RBI, the last coming in the bottom of the 9^th with 2 out. I was there for both of those games, and remember the Candlestick cold.  I recounted a game I’d attended with friends, and

Marty & Mario

none of us brought much money. We had to share 2 hot chocolates between the 5 of us. I think of that night often when I go for my 6^th inning hot chocolate at AT&T. Some traditions don’t die easily.

Since the Giants started the season this year on the road, I had time to prepare for the first home stand: finding just the right shirt for each game, confirming which friends were going to which games, and anticipating meeting up with the other fans, ushers, and staff who are my extended baseball family.

Joan and Jane celebrating Opening Day with the Field of Dreams quote

The first game always brings excitement, joy, hugs, and a sense of relief that baseball is finally back in everyone’s life. My personal pre-game ceremonies include meeting friends for breakfast; acknowledging those who taught me about the Good Book of Baseball – my father, uncles and mother who are immortalized in commemorative bricks around the park; and the high noon reading of the Field of Dreams quote.

And finally, the raising of yet another World Series flag means the season has officially started. The first chapters in the blank book of the 2015 season can now begin.

Opening Day ceremonies are mere hours away, and although I’m extremely excited about all the possibilities that a new season brings, I’m holding back that enthusiasm a little so that I can honor one of the great voices of my lifetime, Lon Simmons.

Baseball was one of the first games I remember playing as a child. I didn’t understand the game’s complexities very much because it was pared down for little kids to be able to play, but it was always fun, and something we did as a family. My brother, parents, and extended family could always pick up a bat, or ball, or glove, and play.

Helping Dad in the yard, Giants game on the radio in the background.

Then magic happened, and Major League Baseball came to town. My father had grown up with the San Francisco Seals, and talked often about local stars like the DiMaggio Brothers. But with the Giants it was a whole new, well, ballgame. I started listening to games while helping Dad in the yard. Back then, everyone had a radio on so the games were in stereo, coming from all directions in the neighborhood. The voices of Russ Hodges and Lon Simmons became an important piece in the background music of my childhood.

I really enjoyed listening to games and the pictures that Russ and Lon painted of the action. Lon’s voice was so soothing, and I loved hearing him say, ‘And you can tell it good-bye!’ I’ll never forget  him calling the ‘bye-bye-baby bonanza!’ when Mays hit his 600th home run. As a young girl, just the phrase ‘Bye, Bye Baby!’ was fun to say and so descriptive. As an adult, I still appreciate it for the same reasons. When the Giants hit a home run now, and the classic ‘Bye Bye Baby’ song is played at AT&T Park, my neighbor Joan and I rise from our seats and sing it as loudly and as enthusiastically as we can, even when they turn the song off before the last verse is played. We just keep going, and will continue as long as we have voices.

Meeting Lon in 2010

This year our singing will have special meaning with Lon’s passing. It will be our way of honoring him, and his great skills in calling games and painting pictures of the action. I’ve heard that he mentored Duane Kuiper throughout the years, and I’m so glad that Kuip is carrying on Lon’s tradition. We’ve been lucky to have both of them as part of the Giants family.

So rest in peace, Lon. Know that you’ve left an amazing legacy to Giants fans everywhere, and we’ll never forget you. On Opening Day this year, we’ll honor you with a moment of silence but your memory will live on. Thank you.

“As you get older, you realize what the word ‘teammate’ is. When I walk away from this game, that’s what I want to be said about me. . . this guy came in prepared, he got his work done, and he was one of the best teammates I’ve ever had.” – Jake Peavy

I went to Girl Scout camps back in the days when ‘camp’ meant you were sleeping out under the stars, getting dirty and smokey-smelling while sitting around the fire telling scary stories. Nowadays, ‘camp’ can mean that you’re gone for a few hours to learn about basketball or how to be a fairy princess or a magician.

Whatever meaning the word holds for you, ‘camp’ is a time to forge deep, intense  friendships while you’re communing with nature or learning how to make your brother disappear. My mother usually cried when I left to get on the bus, and I usually cried when I got off and had to leave the new best friends I’d made over the week away, other kids who had shared multiple moments in a fun, intense, and sometimes challenging environment.

So I can’t imagine what it’s like to be a baseball player on a great team full of low-ego guys, after an amazingly successful year, and to leave all that behind and to go live with another group of guys in another city. There’s supposed to be no crying in baseball, but is there crying when a player has to move on?

Pretty soon, pitchers and catchers will report for Spring Training, joining up with old familiar faces, new faces, and the ghosts of missing faces. I can’t imagine how it feels to have an empty space that a player like Michael Morse filled.  I experienced it to a very tiny degree when I left camp every year, but those other girls and I hadn’t spent 9 months together, aiming for and reaching an incredible prize while spending intense hours and days to achieve it.

Duane Kuiper summed this up after the 2012 season. “After the parade is over, these guys will have their last picture together on the field, will gather up their stuff, and then *poof* — that’s it.” The team would never be together again, although the experiences and feelings for each other will no doubt last their entire lives.

Michael Morse shows his heart

Many of the ‘new’ Giants of 2014 expressed how much they wanted to be here at the start of the season.  Michael Morse had a classic interview with MLB.com in February. He was excited to be called a Giant, and to be among the other low-ego players. I heard him described as another Hunter Pence, but crazier. I wasn’t sure that was possible at the start of the season, but the bro-mance that developed between the 2 of them seemed to play out that way. Now that he’s gone, I hope Hunter will be able to find another BFF with as much spark and energy.

Veterans Jake Peavy and Tim Hudson were happy to be a part of such an amazing group, and they came through for the team as the Giants headed to the big prize. Everything worked because, as Bruce Bochy described the team, they were 25 unselfish guys. “It’s amazing what that can do.”

Fans give Morse a standing O for his double double.

Now we’re on the verge of a new season, with a few new guys and the ghosts of familiar faces who are missing. I know as a fan, the one I’ll miss the most is Michael Morse and his enthusiasm while rounding the bases. One of my favorite moments in 2014 was his double-double game.  As he reached second base for the second time, the crowd erupted with a huge cheer. When the scoreboard showed him smiling and looking around at the fans, it brought everyone to their their feet, cheering even louder. The smile on Mike’s face grew and at that point, I think he realized how much he meant to the 43,000 people who fill the seats and the thousands more who watch and listen from home. As Duane Kuiper said, ‘He was a good Giant.’ And he’ll be missed.

But it’s time to move on. I have my tickets for the Miami series so I can cheer for Mike one more time. If we played Boston this year in inter league play, I’d wear my Panda hat. Instead, I’ll look for a nice Panik shirt and will cheer on Huddy for possibly his last season in baseball.

They’re all good teammates. Both Hunter and Buster have said they play for each other and not themselves. Bochy is a great leader to bring them together. And we fans, a huge part of the success, are thrilled to be part of the team.

It’s getting to be that time when I start the countdown to Opening Day. Officially it’s the first game of the season but the most anticipated date will be the first game at AT&T Park when the 2014 World Series Championship flag will be raised.  That’s less than 120 days from now. But who’s counting?

I am. And so are my baseball friends. It’s time.

The desire to return to the sights, sounds and smells of my second home hasn’t been as intense as in previous years. Having a month of post season play helps. I also did a good job of distracting myself with a 12-day trip to Maui. I brought some baseball with me: a Mad Bum t-shirt and my orange Giants hat, and pictures on my phone. I saw little kids with Posey or Lincecum shirts, and a fair number of Giants shirts walking on the beach. Shane Victorino, former Phillies star most recently with the Red Sox, was on the island interacting with a youth group. I was happy to talk to anyone who was more interested in the World Series than whether the surf was good that day, but there weren’t very many of them. Surfing is king in Hawaii.

Now that I’m home, I’m slowly gearing up for the big wave of anticipation that should hit around the second week of January. Right now, I’m trying to find just the perfect shirt to wear for my picture with the THREE World Series Trophies scheduled next weekend. Yes, that’s three trophies. That never gets old. I’m getting used to these championships in a way, but the first one in SF in 2010 will always be my favorite.

Mom at a game

The other night I watched ‘Legends 2010′ and relived that season and the selfless team that would go on to win 2 more championships in only 5 years. I found myself choking up as the emotion of 2010 came tumbling back. My mother had passed away in January, and we’d gone to many games together over the years. Watching the Giants win in 2010 was difficult not having her to share it with, but I’m sure their win was due partly to her heavenly intervention. Her memory was with me at many games that season, along with her hat and favorite Giants aloha shirt.

The emotions of 2010 also included my father, who taught me about baseball and would share the previous night’s game results with me every morning as I was growing up. He and my 4 uncles taught all of us cousins what it meant to love baseball and to be Giants fans. (See Baseball Dads) The 2010 championship was bittersweet for those of us whose parents were intertwined with our love of the game. Baseball is definitely handed down through families.

Those emotions carried through to 2011. At the Junior Giants lunch, I got to look into the eyes of about 12 players and coaches and just say ‘Thank you.’ It was hard to do without choking up, so I came prepared with a note explaining how I felt. It came in handy with Andres Torres. I looked into his eyes and tried to thank him, but couldn’t talk so I handed him my note. He looked at it quizzically and asked, ‘Do you want me to sign it?’ I replied, ‘No, just read it.’ When he looked up from the paper, he had tears in his eyes. He grabbed both my hands and simply said ‘Thank you” back to me. I’ll always treasure that moment.

Some of my favorites from 2010, with my thank you note in front of them.

I think of the emotions of 2010, and of the teamwork and joy from the 2012 and 2014 seasons, and I know that I’m getting closer to missing baseball. Hopefully those 120 days before Opening Day will go very fast.

People ask me what I do in winter when there’s no baseball. I’ll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring. ~Rogers Hornsby

Life is finally settling down to what it is when there isn’t baseball. There have been some noticeable withdrawal symptoms, like checking the TV schedule as soon as I get home to find out what time the game is on, turning on KNBR on the weekend and wondering when Marty’s show will start,  and trying to decide which Giants shirt I’ll be wearing tomorrow. Then a flash of reality hits, and I think, “Oh yah, they’re done for now. No more games for a while.”

The parade is over and the last replays are done. Madison was on Jimmy Fallon promoting his Mad Bum undies, and showing off the third trophy in 5 years. He also wondered where his new MVP truck is. I haven’t noticed any player-sightings in the news, so Hunter must have taken his scooter back to Texas. And all the talk is about next season and whether Pablo will be with us or not.

Time to take a deep breath and do some laundry.

Kale-loving tortoise

People often ask if I’ve traveled with the team, or if I go to every game. I always say that there comes a time when I have to do my laundry. Translated, that means getting down to the other interests and responsibilities I have. Without children of my own, I don’t have to worry about feeding and clothing anyone but me. I suspect that if I did have kids, they’d be on their own for meals at various times between April and October. God help them if they’d experienced a growth spurt and needed new clothes during that time!

Instead, I’m keeping a closer eye on the 2 cats and centenarian tortoise who live with me.  Grandpa the tortoise loves Kale – Hunter would be so proud! The cats are always hungry even when they have to tolerate a tortoise who thinks the kitchen is a good place for a nap. They’re all Giants fans of course. The cats wear their orange every day, and have to endure many inconveniences during the season like the quickly-served dinner they get as I rush off to games. But at least they can prepare by checking the game schedule near their bowls on the frig. And Gramps likes to sit on my lap to watch early morning away games on Sundays. At least I think he likes it. He doesn’t talk much.

I’ve kept busy being in touch with the friends who share my tickets or sit near me, and we’re all suffering a little. We text to see how everyone is doing during this withdrawal period. We’ll probably get together in January to debrief the season and maybe watch the World Series DVD when it comes out.  I’ve swapped out my license plate holders, retiring the 2010 one that was up front and replacing it with 2012, which was on the back. My new 2014 holder is now on the back for all to see. If they keep winning — and believe me, I’m all for that — I may need another car.

For me though, this isn’t as bad as other off seasons have been. I’m finally almost caught up on my sleep. I’m sorting through my huge collection of Giants apparel and figuring out what I should keep.  I’m keeping busy with other projects. And of course, I’m basking in the glow of the team’s success. I know that as a dedicated fan I was part of that success, and that should help me get through the rest of No Baseball season.

Jane stressing out

I was all set to write about the marathon of games we’ve been through this post-season, explaining the twists and turns of each and describing some of the things that happened along the way. They’ve been very exciting, but extremely stressful to watch both from home and in the stadium. The fans who sit near me have endured frustration, ecstasy, stressful innings, joyous innings and now, complete fatigue. We’ve discussed having oxygen, a defibrillator, sedatives, and adult beverages nearby, along with our very own paramedic to monitor our hearts and stress levels. We’ve kept in touch via text and email when the team was out of town, and reminded each other to ‘stay calm and breathe’. During home games we’ve monitored each other’s breathing, worried looks, and ability to stay upright.

Rally cap time!

We’re all exhausted, and we weren’t the ones running around on the field. The guys probably have it much easier than us – they have some control over what’s happening, while all we can do is watch and wait, and hope they perform like we know they can.

But all of that just went away around 9 pm Wednesday. Game 7 was a game for the ages, going down to the last out in the ninth inning and with a number of twists along the way, most notably regarding the pitching. The starting pitchers all had short leashes, and both were gone by the top of the fourth. The ace of the Giants staff, starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner, entered the game in the fifth and stayed until the end even though he threw a 117 pitch shutout only 3 days ago. As they say, you don’t manage in the post season like you do during the 162 games of the regular season, and both managers demonstarted that.

In the end, it’s the Giants who are bringing home their third World Series trophy in 5 years, and farm-boy Madison Bumgarner, as the MVP of the series, goes home with a new Chevy truck. The team worked hard to win this trophy, but so did the fans. We’re all going back to our ‘normal’ lives in the morning, totally spent from those last few weeks of extra baseball games, but extremely happy that Orange October is ours once again.

When Baseball Season starts, I often go to 4 or 5 of the first 6 games. It’s crazy, but after a long No Baseball Season, I can’t wait to get back to the park. During the season I’ll sometimes make it to 3 games in a week, which is a grind while working full time and having to drive more than an hour to get to games.

So I figured, what could be that hard about 3 playoff games in a row? I didn’t know how much longer baseball would last so like a bear eating for hibernation, I was going to every game possible. It can be a long winter with No Baseball.

What I didn’t figure on was the intensity, exhilaration, frustration, joy, stress, exhaustion and utter joy from seeing my team progress through the post-season. After three of these games in 3 days, I was so tired I had to take a nap on my office floor on Friday. It helped.

I sit with a dedicated bunch of fans who have grown close over the last couple of years. We know the game and players well and we moan, cry, laugh and cheer together. We encourage other fans to put on their rally caps, instruct the usher-of-the-day that their job is to high-five us at the right time, and make sure we know who will be at the next game. We keep in touch between games, especially the important ones.

Lincoln and Jane

It’s a motley group. To my left are Lincoln and Jane, originally from Chicago but die-hard Giants fans who keep score at every game and are not afraid to express their feelings or opinions. Lincoln worries a lot, and at times has looked like he was going to pass out. Jane gets just as emotional with an occasional expletive, appropriately placed.

To my right sits Joan, retired, originally from New York who was a fan before the team moved West. She worries as much as Lincoln, but gets quiet and has to remember to keep breathing while she chews on her rally rag.  She also does a lot of praying. Juanita and Lorraine sit in front of Joan — they appear to be sweet and innocent but have led Joan astray more than once with after-game martinis. I have a core group of friends who come to games with me, starting with Bob who has shared tickets with me since Candlestick.  Like all of us, he suffers through torturous games.

Bob went to Game 2 of the National League Championship in my seats while I sat elsewhere, and started this series of emails before Game 4:

Bob:  Really missed my place between you guys last night – what a game, even if the weirdness remains. Take care of business for us tonight, OK? Go GIANTS!!

Joan: It was beyond crazy. We’ll do our best tonight. Go Giants!

Carolyn: Who’s bringing the defibrillator? We may need it again.

Jane & Lincoln:  I will, with sedatives and oxygen.

Joan: Don’t forget the beer!

Bob: I thought it was martinis? [a reference to Joan's after-game escapades with Juanita and Lorraine]

Carolyn: So we’ve got oxygen, sedatives, a defibrillator, beer, martinis, prayers and as those guys behind us last night were saying, “Let Pablo Eat” - there’s ball park food! I also made more ‘YES!’ hands. Bob, get yourself a standing room only ticket and come stand behind us. 314 is apparently where all the fun will happen tonight.

Joan:  Yeah Bob. I’ll let you sit in my seat on and off too. Do it! It’s too much fun to miss. Heck. A bunch of the cooks came out and stood behind us last night.

Bob:  Sighhh… work commitment.

Carolyn: You can always get another job.

Then after the game . . .

Bob: Whose got it better than us? NOBODY!!!!!!    Whoo hoo!!! Thanks guys – perfect game. Hope you’re out doing something with all the stuff you had on hand.

Joan: Heading home. I’d have loved to party a bit, but folks have to work tomorrow and we’re flat exhausted from the last few days. Extra innings, come from behind victories, bottom of the ninth heroics. I’m going to sleep in tomorrow. See you at the Series.

Yes indeed. See you all at the Series! We’ll be ready.

Without a doubt, a Giants fan’s favorite holiday is Halloween. It’s the perfect time to stock up on all thing orange and black: cupcake liners to hold treats at games and parties, balloons for the next Opening Day, gift bags for your favorite fan, decorative bows for your hair, beads and colored twine for making bracelets and earrings that you may or may not ever get around to making, and my favorite — orange and black striped socks. Bonus points if you can find these items on sale after Halloween.

But October isn’t just for getting bargains in team colors. If you’re lucky — and that seems to be the case this year — the team will be in the post season. There’s something about playoff games that make a team respond differently than they do in the regular season. it could be that since the season of 162 game is so long, losing a few here or there doesn’t seem to be such a big deal while working your way through them. The ups and downs hopefully even out, and the end result is more wins than losses and more wins than your competitors.

Then the post season begins. This year, the 4 wild card teams had one game to prove their worthiness to proceed to the next level. In that win-or-go-home game, everything was on the line, and the teams played their hearts out. The Giants came out victorious against the scary Pirates. The other wildcard was between the A’s, a spunky team that had been on top during most of the season but fell apart at the end, and the Royals who hadn’t been in the playoffs for 29 years.  It was a close game, but the baseball gods didn’t smile favorably on the A’s, and they cleaned out their lockers the following day.

So far, the post season has had a number of surprises. Kansas City rolled over the Angels, known as the best team in baseball this year, in three games.  The Orioles overcame the perpetually strong Tigers.  The Dodgers are not running away with their series against the Cardinals, and we’ll have to wait to see how it goes in the next few days.  I’m rooting for the Cards. And the Giants are once again showing that they’re a different team when the playoffs hit — they’ve taken the first 2 out of 3 games from the Nationals, a team that many thought would take it all. That may or may not happen, but at least they can tell their grandchildren that they made history with a post season double header game that was really only one — game 2 of the NLDS that lasted 18 innings. Watching that game was exhausting and I was starving part way through, especially after a friend sent me a text that she had finished off a can of pork and beans. When I asked if it was heated or cold, she said ‘room temperature.’ Oh, what we do for our team . . .

A few observations from the playoffs so far:

• All 4 California teams made the post season
• Both Missouri teams are playing
• The 2 teams from the Washington DC area are in the playoffs
• Of the 10 teams vying for the trophy, 5 have members of the coaching staff with links to the Giants: (1) A’s Manager Bob Melvin, former Giants catcher. (2) Cardinals Manager Mike Matheny, former Giants catcher. (3) Nationals Manager Matt Williams, former Giants third baseman. (4) VP of Medical Services Stan Conte and General Manager Nick Coletti of the Dodgers. (5) Detroit first base coach Omar Visquel, former Giants short stop. And there are probably more.

The Giants have an affinity for winning it all in even numbered years. I’ve had to get a new phone in 2010 and 2012, and happily I got new cases to go with each. Not knowing any techno-savvy 14 year olds, I couldn’t figure out how to take a picture of my current phone with my phone, so just imagine that you’re looking at a case with the 2012 championship logo on it. I’m due for a phone upgrade again, and would love to add to my collection of championship cases.

Depending on who makes to to the World Series, here’s what could happen:

• An all blue game, with Dodgers and Royals – that would be boring.  Update 10/7/14: there will NOT be an all blue World Series in 2014
• A  red, white and blue series with the Royals vs Cardinals or Nationals.  Update 10/7/14:  The Nationals will not be participating this year
• An all black and orange series with the Orioles and Giants.   Update 10/7/14: this continues to be a possibiility

Of course, you know which one I’m rooting for. Come on guys, I need a new phone and I have a lot of socks to wear.

I’ve been loading up on  baseball the past 2 weeks. After the last regular season game on Sunday, the Post Season starts with one more game in Pittsburgh. If the baseball gods look favorably on the Giants, we’ll be back in our seats on October 6th and 7th, depending on how the series with Washington goes. But there’s no guarantee.

So very soon, the long season of No Baseball will start. It’s one thing to be without the game and players we love, but there’s much more involved when the season ends. This weekend is a lot like the last day of a long, intense school year where there are good-byes, promises to keep in touch, reliving the memories of the season, and the thoughts of what to do now with all that freed-up time . . . being a fan can be terribly time consuming, but in a good way. Eventually, though, you have to do your laundry.

Marty Lurie shows his heart

The 2014 season has been a good one for the peripherals that go along with what’s happening on the field. Being a season ticket holder, I’m usually surrounded by the same cast of characters at games, and those other fans have become friends. We keep in touch even when we’re not at the park. We’ve talked about families, health, work, vacations, hopes and dreams. We’ve shared tips on food, where to go around the park for fun activities, and other important issues. And of course, we’ve discussed baseball – not only the Giants – from just about every angle imaginable. Every time I go to a game it’s like going to my second home, knowing that I’ll have needed support in weathering the inevitable ups and downs of a 162-game season.

With JT Snow

This year, I’ve added having breakfast with Marty Lurie on the Public House Patio before weekend games. We can’t always hear what he’s saying but he always interviews well-known baseball people, which is fun for us fans.  My friend Julia got to pat both Mike Krukow and Willie Mays on the back as they passed through the patio, and I shook JT Snow’s hand while telling him ‘hello’ for my neighbor who knows him.

Jerry, Joan and Carol on the Patio

Mostly, though, I’ve gained a whole new group of friends, the Patio People, who enjoy hanging out with Marty as he does his pre-game show. It’s usually hard to find a seat, so my technique is to find an empty couple of chairs and ask if I can sit there. ‘You don’t even have to talk to us,’ I tell people, but invariably, we end up finding something in common to share besides baseball. After talking to one couple for about an hour, we discovered that they were old friends of my cousin Frank, and I passed on his phone number so they could reconnect. Mike and Barbara are usually there on Sundays, and will make room at their table if I show up with a friend. This weekend, I met Jerry and Carol from Turlock, and look forward to seeing them again next year. And there’s always Billie, the president of Marty’s fan club, who is good for a smile.

With Billie and Julia

In addition to fellow fans, I’ve gotten to know ushers, concession stand workers, people at the elevators and escalators, and many more. Saying ‘farewell’ to them at the end of the season is always hard, because I never know who will be back, and we’ve all become a part of each other’s lives. To paraphrase Hunter Pence in his now-famous speech of 2012, “I want one more game with all my Giants friends.” Hopefully the post season will go on a little longer. If not, I’ll really start missing the baseball experience around the end of November and it just gets worse until a few weeks before Spring Training in February.

It’s been said that the Giants organization isn’t just a franchise, it’s a family. For those of us who are part of that family, we agree whole-heartedly.

It was a bad night at the ball park last Saturday. My friends and I arrived with high hopes after the Giants beat the Dodgers 9 – 0 the night before. Could we take 2 out of 3? Maybe even sweep?? We were feeling pretty good.

Then the game started. Hudson just wasn’t on his game, and gave up 4 runs in the first inning. He didn’t do much better in the second, when he was replaced by the other Tim who was also having an off night. Another 4 runs scored. Fortunately there were no more Giants pitchers named ‘Tim’ who could go into the game. But it didn’t matter.

The fans groaned. The Dodgers racked up runs. There was some well-placed swearing. Jane, who sits to my left with her husband Lincoln, let out a yell at Pagan, one of her favorite players, to “wake the *bleep* up!” when he misjudged a ball that fell in front of him and led to a run. Fortunately we weren’t reported to the ‘text-foul-if-anyone-is-being-abusive’ number.  Those around us agreed with Jane.

As LA scored more runs, we discussed the mercy rule and wondered if it would apply here. By the 4th inning, the score was 9 – 0 like the previous night, but in the other direction. When it hit 10, Lincoln and Jane packed up and departed to the Public House to drown their sorrows. Joan, who sits to my right, left soon after. I went for an ice cream to see if it would perk me up. It didn’t. My friend and I headed downstairs to seek comfort at the bar.

And there, a plot was hatched. What could we, as fans, do to help the team refocus and get back on track? We discussed doing an exorcism, but nobody knew exactly how. Other suggestions would probably give us a taste of jail cuisine, a far cry from the ballpark food we’re used to. Not a good option. What could we do?

Ah-ha! We decided to go back to our roots, to the reason we love baseball, to that feeling that ties us all together. Lincoln and Jane started a custom on the first Opening Day at Pac Bell (now AT&T) Park, and are now joined by many other fans:  We read the Field of Dreams quote at high noon to get the season started right. So we decided that’s what we needed to do the next day.

We’d meet at 12:30, with enough time to get our positive energy out to the team. I sent an email to our section. Everyone told their friends. Before the official reading, we walked around the plaza and told everyone what we were going to do. We even welcomed the family of Dodger fans who were eating there.

Jane introduced our plan: “We’re going to read the quote, just like we do on Opening Day, to remind us of why we’re here, and why we love the game of baseball. Please join us.” Of course, the crowd of mostly Giants fans were hoping the game would go our way, and we read with gusto.

I assume that all true baseball fans have seen Field of Dreams, but if you’re one of the few who hasn’t, you need to. NOW! The quote we read reaffirms what the game is all about, not just what happens on the field, but what happens in the hearts of the fans and players. For me, baseball is the heart and soul of the American experience, uniting families, friends, and fans who become friends over the long season. That’s one reason for this blog.

Unfortunately, our efforts didn’t help that day. Marty Lurie often reminds us during the season that “there’s a lot of baseball left to play” but right now, we’re running out of time. With 10 games left, 3 against the Dodgers, almost anything can happen. Remember the year the Padres were on top and went into a 10-game losing tailspin? That’s not likely for the Dodgers this year, but it could happen.

It’s time to pull out your team-support kit, including your rally caps, and hope for the best. We owe it to the team, and to each other.