Scott Ostler: Staying loose in tensest of times

“Well,” said Hudson, Game 3 starting pitcher, “we have a mascot on our team named Hunter Pence. I mean, that guy, he’s full of energy, man. I tell you what, he brings some excitement and some fire to your team that money just can’t buy."



If the Giants don’t achieve their ultimate dream — I’m assuming that dream has something to do with the World Series — it won’t be because they gagged under pressure.

Sure, things got a bit tense Wednesday night in Kansas City, when the Giants’ bullpen blew up, Hunter Strickland went all Dirty Harry and Brandon Belt misread his GPS between bases.

But the Giants spent half this season learning how to shrug off doom and disaster, and they seemed in full bounce-back mode at their informal workout Thursday on their home turf.

The Giants are simply honoring the old baseball axiom: “Never get too high or too low, unless you’re Hunter Pence.”

Here’s how tight the Giants are: It’s Game 5 of the NLCS in San Francisco, top of the ninth, score 3-3, Santiago Casilla pitching, bases loaded, two out. As the Giants go to the bullpen for Jeremy Affeldt, first baseman Belt jogs to the dugout, dropping his glove near the mound. I’ll let shortstop Brandon Crawford pick up the story.

http://www.sfgate.com/giants/ostler/article/Stayingloose-intensesttimes-5844270.php