The first inning was the Lincecumest inning of the season. The rally started with a bloop hit. Then there was an infield hit and a walk. With the bases loaded, Jayson Werth lunged at a slider with two strikes and dunked a two-run single into left. Lincecum then hit Danny Espinosa to load the bases again, and goddammit Melky Cabrera dammit so much.
Lincecum got out of the inning with a strikeout. Of course he did. He can still strike people out. He finished the next inning with a strikeout, too. The weird business with him out of the stretch isn't completely gone, but those splits aren't nearly as pronounced as they used to be, and Melky you stabbed us in the heart dammit dammit so much.
And then Lincecum allowed a long dinger and worked deep counts to every hitter because that's what he does now, I suppose, but aw Melky why why why why why no no no no arrrrgggggggh.
Then the Giants couldn't hit Stephen Strasburg, as expected, but at least they put together one rally against him son of a bitch Melky nooooooooo.
I could go on. But there's no sense pretending this was a normal game. This is the third one of these games in the last 15 months -- Giants get crushing news, Giants follow it up with a moribund performance at home. Nothing will compare to the first one. The day after Posey was hurt, I didn't draw my shades. That was a different kind of pain and fear. But today was more upsetting than the Pablo hand injury from earlier in the year. It slots neatly between the two.
At least it wasn't the Marlins in town. Still, why did the Melky news have to come on the same day as another bum Lincecum outing? That's a little over the top, baseball gods. That's like showing the broken limb during the Steven Seagal fight scene. You might think it's cool, and the kids might think it's cool, but it's not cool, man.
For a second -- for a brief second -- Brandon Crawford hit a two-run single to tie the game, and I forgot about Melky. Just watchin' a game in the summertime -- not a care in the world. That was the best part of the day, that moment of willful ignorance.
What now? This, for one. There will also be all sorts of horrible rumors passed around. Carlos Lee probably cleared waivers, everybody. Jeff Francoeur is quite athletic, you know.
There will be Pill. Or maybe Todd Linden. That'd be pretty funny. Could be Justin Christian platooning with Gregor Blanco. Nothing's palatable. There isn't a good option inside or outside the organization. The deadline is over. And even if you wanted Alfonso Soriano, he doesn't want you.
We were so close. So close to that good lineup we've been pining for since 2010. It was around for a day. That was a good day. The Giants won, and they scored a few runs. I'll remember it fondly.
8/14/12 -- NEVER FORGET
It's a nice day. Get out of here. Why not walk to a bar if you're going to drink it away? The walking is good for your mind and body before you completely eliminate the memory of today.