San Francisco Giants Link Dump, 10/27

You know what would be a good look right now? If Giants fans everywhere started assuming their team would win en masse. Just treat it as a fait accompli. Be a bunch of derrieres. It'll be très fun!

Bumgarner in World Series class of his own
Madison Bumgarner is good. No, the word "good" doesn't really do enough to communicate his dominance, or the aura that seems to surround him in the postseason, or the feeling of confidence he gives you when he's on the mound with even a one run lead. No, I need something stronger than just "good" to really describe him; this is Bumgarner and his ethereal presence, Bumgarner and his implacable demeanor, Bumgarner and his ascent into the legends of the game. Here's what I came up with:

Madison Bumgarner is really good.

MLB Diet Diary: George Kontos of the San Francisco Giants
George Kontos isn't on the World Series roster, but we haven't forgotten about him, or his widely appreciated butt. In this interview, he talks about his favorite foods and restaurants, and gives the more stalking-minded among us ideas of where to find him in Chicago, New York, and, yes, San Francisco. So have at it, weirdos!*

*This statement not endorsed by George Kontos

I kayaked in McCovey Cove for a World Series game, and it was awesome
The Giants like to play their analytics pretty close to the vest, so only recently has it gotten out there that the biggest factor in having a winning sports team is number of fans who attend games in kayaks. As every team is always looking for an advantage, I'd expect copycats to pop up real soon. In fact, if the fountains in Kaufmann aren't filled with kayakers on Tuesday, I will be shocked. Shocked!

Brian Sabean, in Front Office, Is a Giant Among Giants
Maybe you'll read this and feel stupid about all the jokes that you've made about Brian Sabean not liking analytics or listening solely to scouts whose only exposure to computers has been watching Captain Kirk blow up a robot by saying "This statement is a lie," but consider this: You've been helping all along. The front office loves that perception. They've made moves based on everyone in baseball believing in it. In your own small way, your dumb jokes have contributed to the World Series titles by helping the team acquire the players that have won them. Did you deserve your own cable car in the parades? Probably. But you'll have to live without accolades, with only the knowledge that you alone are responsible for the Giants' success over the past few years. It's a burden, but I bet you're up to it.

Oscar Taveras: 1992 – 2014
We all heard the terrible news yesterday about Oscar Taveras, and we all had trouble making sense of it. Jeff Sullivan probably did too, and he wrote a nice piece about it that's worth your time.

Or, if you prefer to pay tribute through videos of dingers, Cespedes Family BBQ has you covered there too. No judgments.

Juan Perez delivers key hit after learning his good friend Oscar Taveras died
And for a little more on Taveras and his close friend Juan Perez, here's Jeff Passan with a fantastic story. Sorry about the dust in wherever you're reading it.