I bought a pack of Topps baseball cards, for $3, to bring me back to 1972 when Andy Dieden and I would ride our bikes ten minutes into the Saratoga Village to get the same 10 cards plus gum for ten cents. I shot a photo of that dip in the road or dale but then deleted it. (Seemed bigger when I was 8).

I got a Lincecum in that pack, so the money was well spent. I might have gone as high as $10 just for that card. Is it his last?

One bright spot I noticed: the stats on the back say that in 2014, Timmy’s eighth season, he walked 63 batters in 33 appearances. That’s a career low! His ERA was a hideous 4.74 but his walks ratio was best ever. Ratio to games or innings, not K’s.

And yes sir, I was there that proud Wednesday afternoon in June when he got his no-no. I was on my bike heading back to Oak Creek when I noticed fans congregating on the CalTrain platform. I said “who’s pitching?” and when I heard I trucked back to Terry’s to dump the bike and grab a cap and the rest is his story and my story, too! I watched every pitch from right field landing, standing room and sometimes think I can see myself in photos or the broadcast.

Never thought I’d see, even remotely 3 Giants World Series champions — all 3 of them, I’m not too proud to admit, snuck up o me. I did not catch many other games, if any, during those seasons, I shrugged off their chances (in none of those seasons, did they lead the NL in wins). Terry still thinks it weird that I watched Mad Bum 7 from Fred’s dive bar then ducked out for most of that to eat ramen at DoHatSuTen.