...Stuff with a capital "STUFF"

I hope you're wearing Kevlar, because here come the bullets:

• The Giants followed a frustrating loss Wednesday with a frustrating win Thursday. Nothing undermines the desire to have confidence in your team after somehow losing a game in which you outhit your opponent by 8 hits and don't manage to score any runs (yes, I realize the Giants did score 1 run on Wednesday, but it was the most excuse-me run I've ever seen, as Mike Matheny took advantage in the 9th after a lazy throw into second from the outfield on a shallow fly ball. As soon as Matheny saw the throw, he ran in to score a meaningless run, unless of course one hates shutouts). The D-Backs got 3 hits, scored 2 runs, and walk away with a double-u.
  
• On Thursday the Giants won, but had to scratch and claw for runs again, somehow scoring the 3 runs needed to send the game into extra innings on only 2 hits. They added a few more hits in the 13th to score the winning run, but boy, this is so agonizing the watch.
  
• Oh, and before someone calls Deivi Cruz "clutch" for his game-winning single last night, remember -- the bases were loaded with nobody out. The odds weren't exactly against Deivi in that instance, and the Giants would've had to be Bad News Bears bad to not score the game-winning run in the 13th.
  
• We get Milwaukee, but we don't get Ben Sheets. I don't know whether to be upset that I don't get to see Sheets pitch, or happy-go-lucky the Giants don't have to face him. Hm, as I work both Saturday and Sunday and wouldn't have been able to see those two games anyway, I'll go with Option B.
  
• The Brewers aren't as bad as the Rockies, but they're on the road and they're bad enough. Giants need to take 2 of 3, at the least. Caveat? Kirk Rueter and Brett Tomko are starting 2 of the 3 games.
  
• After stumbling somewhat after my mention of my slump-breaking mojo, Ray Durham is back on the sauce, going 1 for 3 on Thursday while drawing 3 walks and scoring half of the Giants 4 runs. I'm waiting for his power numbers to catch up, but right now he's doing more than his share as a leadoff hitter -- despite hitting only .208, Durham's on-base percentage is a respectable .365. However, he's slugging only .250, so there is obviously plenty still to work on. My mojo will prevail, though, never you fear.

On another note, I've gone and messed with the sidebar again, throwing up a couple more links to my other fave club, the Kansas City on-their-way-to-another-100-loss-season Royals (just kidding, they'll only lose 95).

The first is Warning Track Power, and the second is The Daily Lancer.

Play like a supermarket cashier and check 'em out.

I've also taken a couple of links off, because I don't want the links to get out of control and become useless. If you see a link there now, it'll be because either: a) I like the site and visit it frequently, or b) because the site was kind enough to link me, and it's usually both A and B together.

Have a funky fresh weekend, and barring me slipping in an entry on the weekend, I'll be back on Monday with the Royals Recap and more Giants joy/agony.