It wasn’t that long ago that you were 4.5 games up the the Dodgers. Now they are 1.5 games up on you as you face the Giants Cy Young candidate, Tim Lincecum tonight. It’s like you are learning to juggle and you keep dropping a ball. Just when the bullpen seemed to get its act together, the rotation began to be its own “Equal Opportunity Start Blowers.” Billy Beane is starting to look like a genius again, for trading Dan Haren, who some people have suspected (with some statistical support for the suspicions) of wilting late in the season. And Brandon Webb? I know a pitcher doesn’t have his “A” game every outing, but losing 3 in a row on the doorstep of 20 wins? Who’d a-thunk it. Now Randy Johnson had to skip a turn because of shoulder fatigue. I hope it is only this one start.

But you shoulda won last night, guys. Max Scherzer, who struck out 11 in 5+ innings, left on the winning side. But the defense got dicey. Two errors and an infield hit that could have been an error.

Ok, you still got 20 games to play so all is not lost…IF you play up to your capabilities. I have seen Yusmeiro Petit pitch well at AT&T Park so it is not like you are rolling over on Linecum, who struck out a career-high 13 of you last time you were here, and still LOST the game.

Sweep the Giants, please. They ARE 18 games under .500. You can do win just by playing up to snuff. No heroics involved unless Lincecum has the stuff to strike out 13 again. But you got to their bullpen when he did that, so…

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