Baseball’s month of August was meant to deceive. Dead-tired players experience the “dog days” before their autumnal rebirth. Half-baked teams get blinding hot before meeting the meteor’s fate. Sometimes it’s difficult to completely trust what you’re seeing.
What the Giants have seen this month is no mirage. There’s a powerhouse division in the National League, and they are no match for it.
Whatever happens in September, when intradivision play is the rule, the Giants and their fans will have troubling visions of Andrew McCutchen, Yadier Molina and a Chicago team that looks entirely serious about October.