A Season of Misery Begins Proper for San Francisco Giants: Was '85 Any Better?

Have you got that feeling? The feeling that you've been kicked in the head?  Well, it probably won't go away any time soon.

The San Francisco Giants are a miserable 1-and-6 following their home-opening loss. Despite the upbeat feeling I get from watching Eugenio Velez fly around the bases, I think there are more bad times than good in store for us in the final 155 games.

The best moment for me was when the Giants announced that this awful 8-to-4 drubbing at the hands of Greg Maddux and the Padres was the highest attended game of all time at AT&T Park.

42,861 people came by to see the worst Giants team constructed since the 1985 squad.

To be fair, in the ninth inning—when I managed to stop weeping—there were nowhere near 42,000 people in the stands.

But it made me wonder, who would I take in a seven game series? The 1985 Giants (the first team that I really followed as a kid), or the 2008 Giants with their mismatched assortment of youth and age.

At first base, you've got Rich Aurillia or David Green. I'll take Aurillia only because he is the lesser of two evils. Frankly, I'd prefer a 17-year-old Angel Villalona.

At second base, take your pick: Ray Durham or Manny Trillo. I'll take Trillo. Not because he's better, but only because he'll play every day.

The glass-man, Ray Durham, will probably not make it through a whole season. My final choice in this matter will be the totally unproven Eugenio Velez.

On the hot corner you can have either Jose Castillo or Chris Brown. Well, .270 with 16 home runs doesn't sound that bad. Brown is a no-brainer.  Rest in peace, Chris.

At shortstop, choose between Brian Bocock and Jose Uribe. Granted, Omar Vizquel will get the call most days for the 2008 Giants, but for our purposes, I'll leave you with only the two choices. And out of reverence for the dead, I'll take Uribe.

Behind the plate, you have Bengie Molina or Bob Brenly. Brenly's 1985 performance was pathetic beyond words. He hit an anemic .220 that year, so I have to go with Molina here.

In left, we have Dave Roberts or Jeff Leonard. The Hack-Man struck out 107 times in 507 at-bats in the 1985 season. I'll let you do the math.

Just the same, no one draws my ire the way Dave Roberts does. I'll take Leonard.

In center, take your pick: Aaron Rowand or Dan Gladden.

In 1985 I was a middling little league center fielder, so I have a soft spot for Gladden, who stole 32 bags for the Giants that year. But Rowand is probably the better pick here. 

Out in right, it's either Randy Winn or Chili Davis.

Davis led the 1985 Giants with a .270 batting average.

This is kind of a crap shoot, but I don't see the Giants retaining Winn's services all year. I think he'll get flipped to the Mets when Moises Alou returns, and then is immediately hurt again. So I'll take Davis.

On the hill, from the right side, Matt Cain or Mike Krukow.

If you're a Giants fan who watches games on television, you know that you are stuck with both guys. I'll take Cain. 

From the left side, Barry Zito or Atlee Hammaker. The choice, of course, is Hammaker.

And in the pen, Brian Wilson or Scott Garrelts. Garrelts had a great season in 1985, one that Wilson will most certainly not duplicate. Taking hitting trends of their respective eras into account, I'll take Garrelts.

In the dugout, you can take one of three men.  They are Bruce Bochy, Jim Davenport, or Roger Craig.

Bochy, in 2008, and Davenport, in 1985, will be remembered for losing 100 games in a season.

Craig only managed a few games in 1985, but because of the splitter and the way he taught it to everyone in the NL West, I have to go with the Humm Baby.

In reviewing my list, it seems as though I prefer the 1985 Giants to the 2008 Giants.

Wow, that is so sad. 100 losses here we come.