Giants Win West. Div. -- Host Braves

Time to switch the focus for a moment from theology and politics to baseball!   I am a life long Giant fan, going back to the days of Marichal, Mays, and McCovey.  I've seen the worst of times and the best of times.  I got to go to the 89 World Series and agonized as the Giants let the ring slip from their fingers in 2002 -- if only Rob Nenn's shoulder had held out.  I've rooted for Will Clark, Robbie Thompson,  and yes Barry Bonds.  But then in the post Bond's era, we've not had much to cheer about, until yesterday.  Yes, the Giants made the playoffs for the first time in seven long years.  

Yesterday, in typical Giants fashion, they closed things out after letting the Padres back into the hunt.  They went into this weekend needing only one win to clinch the playoff berth, but the Padres are the one team that has had the Giants' goat this year, and so Matt Cain couldn't nail it down, and neither could Barry Zito.  So, yesterday, facing a one game elimination series in San Diego, Jonathan Sanchez took things into his own hands and hit a triple, and then scored on a Freddie Sanchez single.  After that he and the bull pen closed things down, and the Giants celebrated.  

So, to the Braves -- welcome to San Francisco.  We're ready to do battle!  

Kudos then go to such figures as Tim "the Freak" Lincecum, Matt Cain, Jonathan Sanchez, Madison Baumgartner (rookie pitcher), Buster "rookie of the year" Posey, Aubrey Huff, Juan Uribe (not to be confused with earlier Giant shortstop Jose Uribe), and Pat Burrell -- just to name a few.  Oh, and I can't forget a stellar Bull Pen led by Brian (not the Beach Boy) Wilson.

Congratulations!!