I remember the optimism when the Giants traded for Carlos Beltran on their way to a series win in Philadelphia. It's not like he was going to ride in on a white horse with a can of loss repellent, but it felt like a good team was getting better.
That feeling lasted three days. The Giants haven't looked that bad in a series since last June against the Dodgers. They've been swept thrice before this season -- once each by the Braves, Marlins, and A's -- but a lot of the games in those series were close. This one had everything: starters getting bludgeoned, hitters getting stymied, and fans getting apoplectic.
I will say that in the super-small sample of one game, Orlando Cabrera looked like a defensive plus at short. If he can not-hit just as well as Miguel Tejada, that choice is clear, but Cabrera should never start against right-handers. Still don't think he was worth the effort, but I guess it's time to shut up now.
Actually, it's just time to shut up. There's nothing more that needs to be said about this game. Barry Zito is out of the rotation for good, I'm guess, which means a heapin' helpin' of Jonathan Sanchez, who is currently busy walking every minor leaguer in the land. The Giants are still in first. Carlos Beltran is still a good player. Onward and upward. But that was a gross, gross series.
Now let's focus on the few minutes left in the trade deadline, which is followed by the slow trickle of deal confirmations. Will the Giants trade for Brian McCann and Elvis Andrus? Probably.