IN HONOR OF KENNY LOFTON

The well traveled veteran who made a memorable cameo with the Giants in 2002...

A man who played in 11 post seasons in his 16+ big league seasons but somehow never won a ring...

The lead off man who homered in the Giants Game 1 victory in the 2002 NLCS over St. Louis...

But he saved his most heroic moment for last when he singled home David Bell in the bottom of the 9th to end Game 5 and clinch the pennant, sending San Francisco into delirium...

In his honor we announce

THE MAGIC NUMBER IS 1!!!!

IN HONOR OF BRETT BUTLER

The man who was one of the best lead off hitters during the 1980s and 1990s...

The man who had to fill Chili Davis' shoes after the 1987 season and did so admirably...

The man who led the National League in runs in his first year with the Giants and led the NL in hits in 1990...

The man who led off Game 1 of the 1989 NLCS with a single and scored in the first off of Greg Maddux to send the Giants on their way...

A solid all around player who amased 2,375 hits in his career...

And a solid man who beat a form of cancer while with the Dodgers to return the same season he received treatments...

And did NOT star in Grace Under Fire...

In his honor we announce

THE GIANTS MAGIC NUMBER IS 2!

IN HONOR OF BILL TERRY

The greatest first baseman the Giants ever had before moving to San Francisco...

The man who in 1930 batted .401, had an OPS of 1.071, hit 23 homers with 129 RBI while striking out only 33 times. A good guy to have on your fantasy team...

The man who had the unenviable job of replacing John McGraw as Giants manager...

In his first full season as manager he led the Giants to the 1933 World Series, which they won against Washington 4 games to 1. Not a bad start...

He would later manage the Giants to the 1936 and 1937 National League pennants...

He ran a car dealership and a minor league franchise when he hung up his spikes...

The Hall of Famer and the last National Leaguer to hit over .400 has his number retired at AT&T Park...

In his honor I announce

THE GIANTS MAGIC NUMBER IS 3.

IN HONOR OF MEL OTT

The first National Leaguer to hit 500 homers...

A devastating power hitter despite his small 5'9" frame...

Would be the envy of Sabrmetric fans because along with his homers, he also constantly was among the league leaders in walks...

Posted a 1.222 OPS, hit .389 with 2 homers in 1933 World Series win for the Giants...

One of those homers came in the top of the 10th of Game 5 that put the Giants ahead in the clinching game...

And has his number retired in San Francisco despite never having played in the city...

In his honor...
THE MAGIC NUMBER IS 4!

IN HONOR OF KEVIN MITCHELL

The man who scored on The Wild Pitch in Game 6 for the Mets and was dealt away the next off season to San Diego...

The man who arrived in San Francisco midway through the 1987 season (with Dave Dravecky and Craig Lefferts) and fit into the Giants team like a glove...

The man who famously didn't NEED a glove when he made that amazing bare handed catch in St. Louis...

The man whose barehanded catch led to a euphemism of unprotected sex (I'm not kidding)...

The man who led the league in homers, RBI and OPS in 1989 helping the Giants win the pennant and picking up an MVP along the way...

And had this unfortunate poster made to cash in on Bat Mania in 1989...

THE GIANTS MAGIC NUMBER IS 7

A SULLY BASEBALL VIDEO - Red Sox fans... do the math

IN HONOR OF MATT WILLIAMS...

The Carson Crusher...
The man who had an amazing NLCS in 1989, including a game winning homer in Game 4...
The man who looked like he was going to make a run at Roger Maris when the strike hit in 1994...
The man whose trade to Cleveland was KILLED by everyone. Who was Jeff Kent anyway?

In HIS honor we will say...

THE GIANTS MAGIC NUMBER IS 9!

IN HONOR OF JOHNNY LeMASTER...

The man drafted #6 over all in 1973 (waaaay ahead of Fred Lynn and Eddie Murray)...
The man whose fielding was so dreadful that it became legendary...
The man who tried to defuse the hostile fans by wearing the name "BOO" on his uniform...
The man who basically personified the frustrating late 1970s of the Giants...

THE MAGIC NUMBER IS 10!

IN HONOR OF JIM DAVENPORT

A terrific fielding and hitting third baseman...

A member of the original 1958 San Francisco Giants...

An All Star in 1962 when he batted a career high .297 with a Gold Glove...

Helped win the first pennant in San Francisco that year and played all 13 seasons of his career by the Bay...

Briefly a manager and still with the front office...

In his Honor we announce

THE GIANTS MAGIC NUMBER IS 12

Keep chipping away, Giants.

IN HONOR OF EDGARDO ALFONZO

The man who took over for Jeff Kent and had a dynamic second half of the 2003 season...

The man who crushed a grand slam off of Kerry Wood on July 30th, 2003 to power the Giants to victory...

The man who batted .529 with an OPS of 1.320 in the 2003 Division Series against Florida...

And the first player in New York or San Francisco Giants history to wear such an unlucky uniform on his back..

THE MAGIC NUMBER IS 13!

Let's see the Giants stay in first place for more than a few days.

IN HONOR OF BOB BRENLY...

In 1987, my first year living in the Bay Area, I went to the last regular season Giants game on October 4, with my friend Tim Brislin.

The Giants were tuning up for their first playoff appearance since 1971 and Candlestick, possibly the worst place in the history of humanity, was rocking.

In the bottom of the 10th, it truly rocked to its foundation when their former All Star catcher and all around good guy ended the regular season with a walk off homer.

Bob Brenly also homered in Game 4 of the 1987 NLCS and helped get the Giants ohhhh so close to the pennant.

He later became the manager of the Diamondbacks, won a World Series with them and oddly hasn't been rehired.

It is in Brenly's honor that for Giants fans I point out...
THE MAGIC NUMBER IS 15!!!

IN HONOR OF HARRY SPILMAN

... The pinch hitter specialist from the 1987 NL West Division Winners... a left handed hitter who hit over .400 in two different months that year... the man who homered in the 9th inning of Game 3 of the 1987 NLCS to pull the Giants to within one of St. Louis... the man who wore #16 that year...

THE MAGIC NUMBER FOR THE GIANTS IS

16.

I'm pumped for Red Sox and Rays! Oh who am I kidding...

For God's sake, the Red Sox are in third place. Not just for the Division but in the Wild Card hunt. The White Sox leap frogged the Red Sox this weekend.

My team is 8 games back in the loss column on Labor Day. And last time I checked, the Rays aren't the Padres and won't be dropping 10 games any time soon.

It's time to play for pride and count down our TRAGIC number.

So in honor of Fred Lynn, the Red Sox tragic number is 19.

Any combination of Red Sox losses and Rays wins that equal 19 will put this season out of its misery.

(Which means a sweep by the Rays will make the number 13!)

Then again a Red Sox sweep will put the Sox 5 games back in the loss column with 23 to play.

That's it. I AM pumped for this series!

Let's go Lester! Go for win #16!

Giants fans, In Honor of Rich Aurilla

The Magic Number to Clinch a Playoff Spot is 35.

It's late August and if the playoffs started today, the Giants would be in.
OK, they are tied in the loss column with the Phillies.
(The Giants should send a fruit basket to the Astros, Pirates and Nationals for making the Phillies and Cardinals go a combined 1-7 this week.)

Stay focused Giants... there's October baseball in those hills, but don't let the Diamondbacks relish the role of spoiler.

It's magic number time.
Don't blow it.