Opening Day is finally here

Monday: Opening Day.

We know, we know. There were games, actual live these-things-count games, on Sunday. But the Giants sat the day out, probably because the headliner gets to go on last. 

At least the wait won’t be long thanks to the glory of day games and time zones, with San Francisco kicking things off in Milwaukee shortly after 11 am here on the left coast.

Four rings in six years? These are the guys with the assignment.

It’s an even-numbered year so we know the expectations. After wandering in the proverbial desert since 1958, this fan base has gotten downright cozy in the Promised Land. We’ve taken up semi-permanent residency with titles each of the last three times the year didn’t end in an odd digit; and we have tentative plans to renew the lease.

The Giants will go forward with some of the same faces that have already collected three rings, starting with unquestioned ace Madison Bumgarner on the hill. But this is a far different team than the group that first climbed the mountain in 2010.

If you take the time to look back to the start of what has already been an incredible run, you can see how the team has been able to adapt. Management learned a hard lesson in 2011, choosing to stand pat with a winner and finding out it’s true that you can’t tread water. You’re paddling or you’re floating downstream, and eventually the current will get everyone.

There from the beginning has been Buster Posey, arguably the game’s best catcher -- and the people arguing against that claim are idiots. Matt Cain, Sergio Romo and Santiago Casilla have been there from the start, and it seems like Hunter Pence, Angel Pagan and Gregor Blanco should have been on that list. were on that list.

BTW, how weird is it that Cain is the longest-tenured Giant? The man is ageless, looking like the cross between a J. Crew model and Barney Rubble. No, we’re not jealous.

But the Giants also moved on from the Bill Neukom era when loyalty was worth more than a player’s ability to produce. GM Bobby Evans regressed into that mode to a measure last year but came out swinging in 2016. If the Giants renew their magic, it’ll be with a new cast.

In truth, a lot of the pieces were in place a year ago, only to have karma drop an Acme anvil on the effort Wile E. Coyote style. Now get to see that team, and its construction has been fun to watch.

The infield is all home grown and, with the exception of Bandon Belt, under team control for the immediate future. That allowed the Giants to pursue proven talent to fill the obvious needs.

They reshaped the rotation with two high-priced toys, then found new life atop the order by securing a new center fielder while retaining the value of the old one. All the while, the underrated farm system is feeding in new blood and filling up the minors with guys we're starting to really like.

It's a good time to be a Giants fan. Eventually this window will close. They all do. Then we'll look back with fondness and realize that this, right now, is the Golden Age of San Francisco Giants Baseball.

Enjoy the games.