Almost 2000 innings pitched. Over 300 starts. Twelve seasons in orange-and-black. First-round pick out of high school. Youngest player in the bigs on his debut. A brace of rings. 31 career WAR. Three-time All-Star. A perfect game, the only one in franchise history. He's done it all, the big fella has, and now he'll fight for a spot in the rotation. Rookie phenom Ty Blach might send the man they used to call The Horse to the bullpen. The ravages of time have not been kind to our original stud, as we know 32 years of age is old in baseball.
So raise a glass to the lad from Tennessee, the first brick in the House of Champions. After Matty came Timmy and Buster and Madison and the rest, but Matty was first, and he was the one I picked as my favorite. He didn't disappoint!
First Spring Training workout tomorrow.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
p.s. Nice piece from Andrew Baggarly about Cain.
