San Francisco Giants shut out by Diamondbacks for second game in a row

Sep 19, 2015; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Mike Leake (13) pitches the ball against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning at AT&T Park. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

The San Francisco Giants‒for whatever reason‒can’t seem to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks. Not even in the friendly confines of AT&T Park. And the Giants don’t simply lose to the Diamondbacks. We’re talking shut-out. Even manager Bruce Bochy is at a loss to explain it.

Saturday, for the second game in a row, the Giants were shut-out by the Diamondbacks. It boggles the mind.

Bruised. Bloody. Beaten. And that describes the Giants that are on the field, never mind the overtaxed, overburdened and overloaded DL. And the hits just keep on coming. Brandon Belt was placed on the DL Saturday after leaving Friday’s game with concussion symptoms.

Think about it, though, we almost have more of our All-Star caliber players on the DL than we do on the field. Never mind getting to the second layer of our depth chart, some of the guys that are starting for the Giants haven’t even made it to the depth chart. We’re fielding September call-ups to start these oh-so-important down-the-stretch games.

Maybe it sounds like I’m making excuses, but let’s face it our DL looks like our World Series winning lineup: Nori Aoki, Gregor Blanco, Belt, Tim Lincecum, Joe Panik, Hunter Pence, Hector Sanchez, Andrew Susac and until recently it included Brandon Crawford.

I’m tired. You’re probably tired. The broadcasters said they’re tired. I’m willing to bet our guys are tired too…who can blame them? It would be crazy to expect the guys who are doing all the heavy lifting to not be tired. Some of them were already home, with the minor league season over. They were only too happy to throw their mitt and bat in a bag and hightail it to the big team, but physically they might be on their last leg.

So let’s look on the bright side. Sure, we’re made up of lots of AA and AAA minor leaguers, rookies and a few veterans. And they are playing‒for the most part‒good baseball. They’re just snakebit. Literally. The Diamondbacks started scoring in the first inning on Saturday and they never stopped.

Mike Leake was on the mound for the Giants. He pitched three innings, allowing three runs on eight hits and a walk. The bullpen took over and Yusmeiro Petit, Matt Cain and Cody Hall each gave up another run.

For some reason, whatever it may be, the Giants couldn’t get a toehold. The final score was: Giants 0, Diamondbacks 6

The number of fans who are giving up is rising at an astonishingly rapid rate. In other words, they’re like rats jumping off a sinking ship. I know you’re not going to believe this (sarcasm)‒but I’m not one of them.

As long as the Giants think they stand a chance, I stand with them. Call me crazy, but when I said I believe, I meant it. I believe. And I’ll keep right on believing as long as the Giants‒however remote‒still have a chance. And they do. Until they are removed from contention by mathematical elimination, I’m going to stick right by them. I’m going down swinging‒just like the Giants.

It ain’t over til it’s over and it ain’t over yet. I still believe.

Go ahead. Call me crazy. I’ll wear it like a badge of honor.