What a year.

I’m reviving the blog.

Ironically, I’m doing so after the Giants have finished their season. I guess I have a lot more free time now that I’m not screaming at my television or begging the Giants to score some runs. I kid. But really, this blog has been very neglected and I’m ready to change that.

The first post I’ve written since June is going to be an important one. It’s my post to thank the people who’ve supported me this season whether it be in person at the Public House, the people who follow me on Twitter, the loyal readers of Bay Area Sports Guy, or the people who called in or listened to me babble about the sport I love on KNBR. Without you, I’m just a rambling cat lady with too much time on her hands. Your support means the world to me.

After the World Series win last year, I was brimming with love for the team I’ve grown up rooting for. More so, I felt a connection with the community that logs on to Twitter every night to talk about baseball. Whether it was NLDS Game 2 (where I tweeted that I had probably eaten my last garlic fry of the season) or when the confetti was raining down on us on Market Street, you guys have always been there, making baseball FUN. And that’s what it’s supposed to be, right? FUN (and also, frustrating).

This is the year I told myself I would nut up and stop being intimidated by all the intelligent baseball people I follow on a daily basis. Sabermetricians. Bloggers I’ve been reading for years. Beat writers who are the authors of the newspapers I have framed and hanging on my wall at home. And just really SMART fans that really know what they are talking about. And that’s the reason I started writing this year as opposed to years ago. Too scared to put my voice out there and be judged and tested for my knowledge of the game. 

Sure I get some weird, mean comments sometimes – my favorite of the year was being called a #Skankzilla – that one was awesome. But I can’t tell you how fun it’s been making GIFs and laughing about them with everyone online. I don’t think I could go back to not using Twitter while watching a game or not doing GIF roundups every week. It’s become as crucial to me as balls and strikes are to the game of baseball. Without all of that, it just wouldn’t work.

This year has been incredible for me as both a writer and a fan. As a fan, I had the opportunity to hug Andres Torres and thank him for 2010.  I got to give Barry Zito a standing ovation at his last game as a Giant. I got to experience the joy of a Tim Lincecum no-hitter. Feel the exuberance of an inside-the-park home run from Angel Pagan. And I even got to give Dave Flemming a giant gangsterized version of his own head.

As a writer, I’ve had the opportunity to speak to some of the top prospects down in San Jose who will probably be the next generation of farm-grown stars. I got to interview Nicole Vogelsong about one of my favorite Giants of all time — and got to know a wonderful friend at the same time. My proudest moment of all had to have been when my Machi/Mijares fart GIF was on Sports Illustrated, USA Today, Deadspin, and a handful of other publications I know and love. I mean, if that wasn’t worth a college education, I don’t know what would is. Aside from that, I think I’ve finally processed how to spell Brandon Belt’s hometown with googling it (NACOGDOCHES). All in all, this season has been pretty great for me personally.

So to wave goodbye to the Giants 2013 season and to say hello to the revival of this blog, here are some pictures I took from the 32 games I attended this year.

Brandon Belt takes a stretch during spring training

Madison Bumgarner at Spring Training through a fish-eye lens

 Cody Ross in a Diamondbacks uniform gets a warm welcome from Giants fans in Scottsdale

Angel Pagan and Santiago Casilla face off in the World Baseball Classic

Raising the 2013 Championship Flag

2012 MVP Buster Posey tips his hat to the crowd

The most perfect family. ‘MERICA.

Sergio Romo loving his new 2012 World Series Ring

The spectacle that was Opening Weekend

The Seagulls are a huge part of the season. Here they are getting very bold.

Brandon Crawford

Brandon Belt takes a breather in the Big Apple

George Kontos warming up at Citifield

Hunter Pence chats with a young fan on my favorite Sunday tradition at AT&T

The infielders hanging out while the bullpen warms up

Barry Zito takes the mound for the last time as a Giant

More pictures of Barry Zito’s last Giants appearance

Barry Zito takes a well-deserved curtain call

More of Barry Zito’s Curtain Call

I love how happy Zito looks here

The infielders watching Blanco get carried off the field after a scary collision with Angel Pagan

Barry Zito thanks the fans

I had a ton of photos but tried to pick a good variety. Hopefully this is a good way to get back into writing on this thing. Keep checking back for more content. I’ll also still be writing at Bay Area Sports Guy so let’s make this offseason go by quickly together.