20,001 Rafael Deverses were in attendance at Oracle Park Saturday evening.
As they dispersed around the field, many of their heads nodded along, some appeared to shake their heads, others ambiguously bobbed, unsure and unconvinced. What were they doing here? Was this a fiesta or a sham? Were they — these mass-produced, cheaply-cast ceramic figurines — mementos of hopeful celebration, or unmet expectation?
The late-evening sun dropped beyond the stadium’s battlements, shadow crept out past the mound
as the bobbleheads bobbled in unanimous disharmony. The only still head of the 20,001 Rafael Devers heads in the park was the Rafael Devers head looking out from home plate, locked on Bryce Elder’s 2-2 4-seam fastball destined for the upper pocket of the zone. It was an uninspiring pitch that Devers is paid millions of dollars to disrespect. Results in a Giants uniform have been inconsistent and inconclusive — but in this instant, there was little doubt, just awe as Devers lifted the baseball out of the shadows and into the light. And in that moment, the 20,000 bobbleheads all finished their swings, all tilted their heads up to watch that ball in flight, and all started to nod in unison as it landed in the visiting bullpen beyond the center field wall.
Next ups came in the 3rd. The Giants were up 2-0. There were two-on, two-out, and again, Elder had put Devers in a two-strike hole. After taking a first pitch slider, he fought off a pair of cutters and a sinker. No 4-seamers this time. Instead Elder spun another slider dropping below the zone, and Devers clocked it. He didn’t have his lower half in the swing, nor did he need it. Again 20,001 Devers heads watched the ball go. They leaned with it, counteracting its curl to the right until it collided with the yellow pole in right.
Last Sunday in Miami, a frustrated Devers dodged a diplomatic pat from bench coach Jayce Tingler. He wasn’t in the mood. That moment rocked the Giants world. The butt-pat not heard ’round the world.
On Saturday though, an over-the-moon Devers flaunted it. He showed off dat cheese, and happily ran the butt-pat gauntlet twice, letting everyone get a piece. Some even came back for seconds (none for Tingler though!)
Now back to the game…
The other integral part of San Francisco’s 5-0 win was Logan Webb, as steady as Devers is capricious. Since his return from the injured list in late-May, the homegrown right-hander has been the best we’ve seen him in as a Giant. Though he snapped his three-game streak of pitching 8 innings, Saturday’s performance over 7 scoreless was impressive as ever.
Webb allowed just three baserunners in the outing on two walks and a hit, while striking out 6. It was just the second time in his career, and second time this month, that Webb allowed 1 hit while throwing at least 7 shutout innings. After giving up a hustle double to Mauricio Dubón and walking Mike Yastrzemski (both former teammates) in the 2nd, Webb entered his rhythmic groove state, retiring the last 16 hitters he faced. A Braves player didn’t touch first until Ha-Seong Kim worked a 2-out walk in the 8th off reliever Ryan Walker. Dubón’s knock was the only one on the night for Atlanta.
Since May 29th, opponents are managing just a .153 average off of Webb with a .181 wOBA. His 0.85 ERA is a hair above Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski’s 0.77 for lowest in the Majors — though the Miz has started one less game and thrown 7.1 innings fewer than Webb.
Saturday’s game was a vision. Exactly how Grand POBO Buster Posey imagined it. Webb and Devers taking charge, pulling the game into their orbit. Two cheeks of an irresistible and undeniable moon.
