Classic MLB Baseball is airing game 6 of the 2002 World Series between the San Francisco Giants and the then Anaheim Angels. I haven't watched nary a highlight from that series since it ended with the Angels hoisting the trophy.
Still riding the high of my Raiders victory I figgahed, what the hell, why not, I'm Good. I was fascinated at first to see the old familiar faces of that last dominating Giants team. The faces of Russ Ortiz, Jeff Kent, Benito Santiago, J T Snow and of course Barry, gave me a fun nostalgic feel.
So I'm flipping back and fourth between the Sunday Night football game featuring Minnesota against Carolina and the MLB channel when by accident I see the full game trailer below. It read as follows:
5:30-9p
HD, San Francisco at Anaheim in Game 6 of the 2002 World Series. The Angels rallied for a 6-5 victory after trailing 5-0 in the seventh inning. (Baseball)
Immediately after reading this trailer my heart sank and my body slumped as memories of the Giants choke in game 6 began burning in my chest like a heavy meal at a New York City Italian restaurant. All of a sudden instead of reminiscing about the great players we had I began cursing everything that game deprived us Giants fans of. For those non-baseball fans let me surmise:
The Giants moved from New York to San Francisco in 1958. They'd won the World Series in 1954 against the Cleveland Indians. It would be their last. They've only made it to three World Series after arriving in San Francisco, (1962, 1989, 2002) and have lost all three. in 62 they came back to force a game 7 only to leave men in scoring position on a heartbreaking third out ball hit hard, but not hard enough, by Willie McCovey. In 1989 the Bay Bridge World Series was interrupted in game three by the Loma Prieta Earthquake and their cross-bay opponent recovered quicker than the Giants to sweep the series 4-0. Then there's this 2002 gem of a series. The Giants went into game 6 leading the series 3-2 and a win would make them World Champions, finally. Pitcher Russ Ortiz was throwing shutout ball with a 5-0 lead when in the seventh with one out, Giants manager Dusty Baker pulled Ortiz for relief pitcher Felix Rodriguez. And the rest, as they say, is history.
As I peer back to the MLB Baseball replay it is 0-0 top of the fourth with two outs. I know the Giants meltdown is three innings away, but after typing this post and fighting off more heartburn, I give my fallen baseball heroes a final salute, snatch up the remote and presto, Sunday Night Football, no more heartburn.
I'm not sure when if ever I'll be able to watch any parts of that sorrowful World Series. 2002-03 season turned out just as bad for my Raiders as their season culminated in the debacle at San Diego. Oops, there goes the heartburn again. I can't watch anything from that championship game either. Hopefully one day when the Giants are hoisting the World Series trophy or the Raiders the Lombardi trophy, I'll be able to look back and appreciate these high achieving team's lowest moments in history. Unfortunately, today is not that day. No my friend, Not Today.
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