The San Francisco Giants were World Series winners in 2010, 2012 and 2014. At the All-Star break, just past the 2016 season midpoint, the Giants were on their way to another even-numbered year championship. They led their division by ten games over the second-place Dodgers, with a record of 57 wins and 33 losses.
Then they traded away third baseman Matt Duffy. After trading Duffy, the Giants compiled a record of 30 and 42, clinching a wild-card playoff spot on the last day of the season. Coincidence? I think not.
The Matt Duffy curse continues in 2017. The Giants are battling the Philadelphia Phillies for the worst team in Major League Baseball. Their record since the 2016 All-Star game through the end of July is 70 wins, 109 losses. Giants pitcher from another century, Hall-of-Famer Christy Mathewson, once said, “You can learn little from victory. You can learn everything from defeat.” The Giants are amassing a huge storehouse of knowledge.
The 2014 World Series ended with Giants third-baseman Pablo Sandoval catching a pop-up foul ball and the Giants claimed their third championship in five years. Affectionately known to fans as “The Panda,” Sandoval, a free agent, returned the love, stating that he wanted to be back with the Giants in 2015. A month later, he signed a five-year, $90 million contract with the Boston Red Sox.
After some trial and error at the position the following year, the Giants finally decided at the end of May that Matt Duffy was their third-baseman. He quickly became a favorite of the fans with clutch hitting, stellar fielding and all-around hustle. He also led the team in dirty uniforms.
Sandoval reported to the Red Sox in his usual overweight condition and went on to the worst season of his career. He was out most of the 2016 season due to shoulder surgery. He won his position back in 2017, but after performing poorly, the Red Sox released him in July.
The Giants made a trade with the Minnesota Twins for Eduardo Núñez to replace Duffy. A year later they traded Núñez, one of the few bright spots in their lineup, to the Red Sox. In his second game with Boston, Núñez hit two home runs and drove in the winning run in the 10th inning to beat the Kansas City Royals.
Why trade Núñez? To make room for Sandoval, of course, whom the Giants signed after his release from the Red Sox.
And Matt Duffy? A month after being traded to the Tampa Bay Rays, he underwent surgery on his Achilles. He has yet to play in 2017.
After retiring from playing, with 373 wins, and a stint managing the Cincinnati Reds, Mathewson joined the U.S. Army during World War I and was sent to France, where he was accidentally gassed during a training exercise. The resultant tuberculosis eventually caused his death in 1925 at age 45.
Really enjoyed your essay. I’ve given up on the Giants this year. Looking forward to next season. The Panda return is ludicrous.