SAN FRANCISCO -- When discussing Chris Heston's future, you must first start with this: He was never supposed to have this season.
The 31 starts, the no-hitter, the ups and downs, the eight-run outing in his finale? None of this went as planned. Heston was supposed to start opening night for the Sacramento River Cats but ended up in the rotation when Matt Cain came down with a sore flexor tendon. He ran with the job, just as so many young Giants have the last couple of seasons, and ended up in the history books.
The no-hitter was magical, but Heston's final start as a rookie was his worst as a big leaguer, an eight-run outing that left a hole the Giants couldn't climb out of in a lifeless 9-3 loss to the Rockies.