The saying “nothing lasts forever” has never been more true for the San Francisco Giants this season.
Following the Giants 5-3 defeat against the Indians and Matt Moore’s 10th loss on the year on Monday, manager Bruce Bochy reflected on an even bigger loss that occurred as San Francisco returned to AT&T Park for the first time since the All-Star Break. After a nearly seven-year run, the Giants’ official sellout streak was snapped at 530 regular season games.
“I don’t think any of us saw it quite unraveling as much as it has,” Bochy said. “It’s been a tough go, but the one constant has been our support. We can’t thank them (the fans) enough. It’s a shame we couldn’t hang in there to keep this thing going. They certainly did their part. They hung in their with us and we appreciate it. I know it’s been tough for them too.”
For a team that hasn’t been over .500 all season, it may be a little surprising the snap took this long in the year to occur. But the telltale signs foreshadowed the end was near — empty sections in the upper deck, barren left-field bleachers and vacant seats in the lower level all showcased an unavoidable end of MLB’s second longest sellout streak in history. And after the Giants emerged from the All-Star Break to lose a three-game series to the fourth-place Padres, the collapse of the streak was basically inevitable.
But even after a 2017 that has undoubtedly left Giants fans wanting to pound their heads against the wall, Bochy remained appreciative of their support and even a bit remorseful that times weren’t easier for for a fan base that’s grown accustomed to excellence.
“We’re disappointed we’re not in a better position for our fans because there’s not a place in baseball like what we have here,” Bochy said. “We thank them for hanging in there during these tough times.”
Matt Cain, the longest-tenured Giant, echoed Bochy’s remarks.
“It just shows how much this city has come together,” he said. “We’ve had a lot of guys want to come here and be a part of the winning.”
For the majority of seven seasons, the winning was plentiful. But every good thing comes to an end eventually. And unfortunately for the Giants, they haven’t rediscovered their winning ways since the second half began.