Where the Wild Things Are: Giants' Resiliency Unquestionable

We should've known better, but now we know.

Do not question this 2009-version of the San Francisco Giants. Sure, you'll be tempted to wave au revoir, but that's what they want you to do.

They dare you to. They wink at you. They almost want you to. 

Know this of these Giants, they knew that they could only go up after hitting a metaphoric rock-bottom last Monday night in Denver, Colo. 

Go up, they did, and in what unforgettable fashion.

A week of incessantly-dubbed "performances of the season" or "swings of the year" kept on going and going until Edgar Renteria made everyone forget about Travis Ishikawa's three-run jack against the Diamondbacks Tuesday night. 

Even Bengie Molina's best Kirk Gibson impression was made a fallacy come Sunday afternoon at AT&T Park. 

Yes, Tim Lincecum dropped a combo of 127 on the Rockies Friday night, handcuffing the Rockies for eight innings. 

Barry Zito continued his resurrection to relevancy and oft-dominance on Saturday. 

These, some usual suspects, some not, willed these Giants back into a race that they had no business attending before the first pitch of the season got underway. 

Now look at em'.

Renteria, a guy that is known to be as clutch as other guys named Ramirez, Pujols and Ortiz, put a firm stamp on his name in Giants lore for years to come with one swing of the bat. 

Duane Kuiper hasn't belted that loud since Barry Bonds was a regular guest in McCovey Cove. 

The grand slam elated the usually complacent and professional Renteria as he trotted down the first base line watching the 1-0 fastball soar into left field.

As he rounded first, he promptly raised a fist in the air as the camera shook on account of San Francisco going absolutely ape with euphoria. 

With the 9-5 come-from-behind win against Colorado—which completed the sweep—the Giants proved that this year's team that will be one that will forever rest in the hearts of those who glue themselves to the TV or those showing up to AT&T, praying that they get to see a 7-2 win, rather than a 1-0 squeaker. 

That's why this campaign is so special.

This team, with all of its famed and familiar flaws, is a personable one. A team that you live and die with on a daily basis. 

It's human nature to follow and support something deemed unfeasible. A classic case of the underdog. We root for the less-sexy, more-deserving one.

It's natural. 

They do have talent. They have arguably the best starting staff in the league. Offensively, they are often shackled to the bed—theoretically, of course. 

These Giants are the talk of baseball. They were completely written off a week ago after Ryan Spilborghs dashed around the bases and sprinted into the nightmares of San Francisco fans. 

"How do they respond?"

That was the question.

The heart, effort and determination was in question. Come Sunday afternoon, on the pine of Renteria's slugger and the belief of all those that dreamed the Giants would complete the sweep of their now playoff rival in grand fashion, everything else fell to the wayside. 

Now that these Giants have etched their name into official playoff contention with the brooming of the Rockies, it gets more interesting and challenging from here on out. 

First comes Philadelphia. Then Milwaukee. (The Padres, snooze). Then the Dodgers. Then back with those Rockies again. 

Now, as both San Francisco and Colorado sit at 72-59, all twisted, snarled and tangled into the race that is the National League Wild Card, the real fun begins.

The Rockies had their "Mile-High" moment thanks to a grand slam. The Giants returned the favor.

The addition of Brad Penny will help. He is, when channeled properly, a bulldog on the mound. He hates the Dodgers and is, as of right now, a tremendous upgrade at the No. 5 slot. 

The story of this season has had a plethora of storylines. Too many to rehash at this point. And that's the point. 

These Giants—the little giants that couldn't—are in the thick of things. The hungry vets are tasting October baseball at China Basin and the starry-eyed youngsters smell that cooking, too. 

31 games are left. 

31 different ways to break a heart. 

31 different ways to reach jubilation.

This past weekend was the story showing up. These Giants left us all in awe with their ability to show up.

Most specifically, Renteria, the previously-designated overpaid, underachieving vet, took flight and introduced these Giants to where the wild things are.

Let the wild rumpus start.