whew. now that was a nutty trade deadline.

I was sitting with a Dodgers fan at Perry’s and he had a watch that kept going off with an alert about fifteen seconds before my phone’s alert so he started giving me the heads up (lol, fifteen seconds!). Good Dodgers fan though, knowledgeable, was in town on a job, not for the games. We were watching that flurry of action together. He was palpably relieved when the rumored deal to get Scherzer and Turner from the Nats was done. Then it was Baez to the Mets. I was sweating.

He predicted we’d have Bryant before the day was out. But I had no idea. I texted my friends, “It’s a half hour to the deadline and Farhan has done NOTHING.” I had no fingernails left.

Then, like an elegant surgeon showing up to wrap up a job he has done a dozen times, Mr. Zaidi picked up Kris Bryant and Tony Watson. It was smooth.

The addition of Tony Watson is of particular interest to fans who liked him a lot when he was with us last time. Dave Flemming is among those who welcomed back the veteran with fond memories of his demeanor and performances in 2018 and ’19 in the orange-and-black. He’s 36, tough, well-traveled, experienced. Our young ‘pen needed someone exactly like this to settle them down and provide stability.

Tony Watson is Major League Baseball’s all-time leader in “holds” with 232. It’s a subcategory of middle relief like the LOOGY – “A hold occurs when a relief pitcher enters the game in a save situation and maintains his team’s lead for the next relief pitcher, while recording at least one out.”

This is the specific circumstance that has bitten the Giants all season.

Wow, what a logical and smart pick-up.

And, at last, Kris Bryant is in the orange-and-black. This is something many of us wished for over the last several years. AlPav gushed with its inevitability, to him. I was thrilled, too. Kris Bryant can play center field, first base or third base very effectively. He is experienced at all three. It isn’t like he did one of them years ago in college – he is a true utility All-Star.

Way to go Farhan! Best trade deadline since Scutaro, The Blockbuster!

I think I see a

Post Season Lineup:

LaMonte Wade, Jr., Mike Yastrzemski, Brandon Crawford, Kris Bryant, Evan Longoria, Buster Posey/Curt Casali, Brandon Belt, Tommy LaStella, Wilmer Flores, Donovan Solano, Darin Ruf, Steven Duggar, Austin Slater

Starting Pitching:

Kevin Gausman, Anthony DeSclafani, Johnny Cueto, Alex Wood/Logan Webb

Relievers:

Tony Watson, Jay Jackson, Tyler Rogers, Jarlin Garcia, Jake McGee, Dominic Leone and either of the rookies, Sammy Long or Camilo Doval (who, btw, was clocked throwing a 104.5mph fastball this week!).

That’s 26 guys.