When Brian Sabean signed Edgar Renteria to a 2-year, $18 million contract, it showed how highly Sabean thought of this team. To the cynical (and include me among that group), it seemed too cocky. How are you going to prepare for the playoffs when you haven’t been there for years? It was the type of signing you make if you’re already a championship team, not a team that hasn’t been close to a title since 2002.
As it turned out, Sabean’s best-case-scenario was on full display tonight. Well, not just tonight, but the entire postseason. We wondered whether Renteria would even make the roster, but if you know this team and Renteria’s history, it was never a question.
It seems expensive to spend all that money for a special weapon that can only be used in October (and November), but let’s give Sabean the benefit of the doubt. Why not, at this point. He KNEW that he had a ridiculous pitching staff. He KNEW he’d be able to fill in the power deficiency with underrated American League sluggers like Aubrey Huff, Juan Uribe and Pat Burrell, guys who were taken for granted because supposedly the American League is so freakin’ awesome.
The years of the American League dominating are over. But the years of Renteria dominating the playoffs will never end. Renteria will always be mentioned alongside Gehrig, Dimaggio and Berra. See, sometimes it’s cool to talk about the Yankees. Tough to be bitter about pinstripes when you’re busy thinking about Wednesday parades and World Series trophies, huh?
Renteria is an absolute thug. Not in the Tupac sense, but in the sense of taking control of a situation and letting everyone know that he was the one who would seize control and never let go. Aaron Rowand was nice enough to wear the microphone for Fox tonight, and his mic caught Andres Torres making a quote that will forever be etched in Giants history.
“He told Andres he was going to hit one and he did it,” outfielder Aaron Rowand said. “He Babe Ruth-ed it, I guess.”
Renteria was asked several times if this was his last game, and he didn’t want to answer. No wonder. He doesn’t want to retire. The Major League Baseball season is necessary for most players, but Renteria is magic in these types of situations. Why can’t he be held as one of the guys on the 40-man roster for situations like these, now that the Giants know their pitching staff is pure Plutonium?
