Giants lose to Mets, 9-5

SAN FRANCISCO — The sun was oppressive, the lemonade was expensive, and the Giants were poopy on this late summer day, with the Mets and Yoenis Cespedes clubbing their way to a 9-5 win.

This was a game of simple hopes and honest queries.

"Can I have a cotton candy?", one of my daughters asked, it doesn’t matter which one. No, I responded. No. Stop asking.

"Can you pitch better than this?" I asked, it doesn’t matter how pathetically I whimpered. No, Matt Moore responded. No. Stop asking.

"Can I have a cotton candy?", one of my daughters asked, it doesn’t matter which one. No, I responded. No. Stop asking.

"Can you pitch better than this?" I asked, it doesn’t matter how pathetically I whimpered. No, Matt Moore responded. No. Stop asking.

When Moore kept saying no, I pulled the ol’ switcheroo and asked Jake Peavy instead. Classic trick. But Peavy was with the program, and he also refused. My daughters turned to me, both fists filled with cotton candy, and told me it would be okay.

But there was a part of me that knew it wouldn’t be okay. It was all my fault. I remember when I bought the tickets.

I couldn’t really afford it, but we had to get to the park at least once this year. And if you’re going to go with the family just once, why wouldn’t you spring for slightly better seats? And then slightly better seats than that? And then ... well, I’m weak.

Oh. Well, when you put it like that ... wait, that’s not a real thing. That’s not a real thing! I’ve seen the Giants win plenty of times. Don’t shame me.

Because it’s baseball! Sunshine. A packed house. I asked my daughter how many palm trees there were in the front plaza, and she told me "24." My heart melted. I don’t remember telling her that, but I must have. Unless it was just buried inside her brain through osmosis. Which is probably even cooler.

I know, but I’m already a man-child with enough video games to last a lifetime. There are, like, 18 different GameCube games that I could get for $5 that would keep me occupied for the next two years. Why do I need the newest system? Baseball is more important than this.

Even if I’m personally responsible for the Giants losing.

Which ... dammit.

I know. I know. I know. It’s just that tomorrow is the ESPN game, and it’s a school night, and I was tired last night, and ... ugh.

I’m still okay with the idea of Matt Moore for the next two years instead of Yordano Ventura or Andrew Cashner for $70 million more. I’m still excited about Friday night’s game. I’m still assuming that because the Giants have won two out of their last three games, that they’re pointing in the right direction.

But that game stunk. And it was all my fault. That doesn’t mean it wasn’t fun! In your best Marty Lurie voice, say something like, "It’s baseball at the yard, a beautiful day, where would you rather be?"

At the same time, I’m so, so, so sorry. Those confirmation warnings are very specific, and I didn’t care. I’ll make it up to you one of these years.