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While Cardinals Nation says goodbye to a beautiful, frustrating season following the Red Birds' 9-0 loss to the San Francisco Giants Monday night in Game 7 of the NLCS, Grant Bisbee of SB Nation blog McCovey Chronicles celebrates the Giants winning the pennant.
The Giants' second World Series trip in three seasons wasn't predicted by many, especially after being down 3-1 to the un-killable Cardinals and down 2-0 in the first round to the darling Nationals. But that's where we are, and Bisbee writes just how improbable the trip has been:
"Brandon Crawford had to time a last-second leap against a Kyle Lohse liner floating over his head; the Cardinals had to field like they were using their glove hand to fish a set of keys out of their back pocket and say is that a baseball coming this way?; Chris Carpenter had to make a miraculous recovery from a serious injury and not have his best stuff; the Giants had to pitch through their two best pitchers leaving their best stuff in August; they were down 2-0 in the first round of the playoffs, and 3-1 in the second round.
"Barry Zito laid down an RBI bunt single."
If it doesn't make much sense to any despondent Cardinals fans out there, don't worry. It doesn't make much sense to this Giants fan, either:
"Nonsense. It's all nonsense. And it's beautiful nonsense. Ryan Vogelsong is going to pitch in a World Series. Zito will likely start Game 1. Buster Posey and Hunter Pence didn't hit a lick, but it didn't matter. To get to the World Series, a team needs to have things go their way. They have to be good, too. It has to be the perfect amalgam of talent and nonsense."
As far as looking forward to the Giants' World Series opponent, there will be time for that. Now is the time to celebrate:
"We can worry about Justin Verlander tomorrow, and there will be some worrying. But tonight is for sitting back and wondering what in the heck just happened. I have no idea. The Giants just won the National League pennant for the second time in three years."