Saturday, October 19, 2002
Lofton driving Giants toward championship
The Associated Press
ANAHEIM, Calif. — After all he's done for the San Francisco Giants in less than three months, Kenny Lofton is sure he can do much more.
Lofton hit a homer in his first at-bat with the Giants two days after a trade rescued him from the White Sox. Earlier this week, he got the hit that sent San Francisco to its first World Series in 13 years.
Lofton's ninth-inning single in Game 5 of the NL championship series drove home David Bell with the winning run, but it was only the last in a series of big and small contributions by the rejuvenated center fielder.
“I'd like to put up better numbers, but sometimes the numbers don't mean anything,” said the 35-year-old Lofton, in the playoffs for the seventh time in the last eight seasons. “I feel young in this situation. I feel like I'm 25 again.”
On July 28, San Francisco acquired him from Chicago to add another talented veteran and, at long last, a leadoff hitter to a lineup that was stumbling into the playoff stretch.
After starting quickly but stumbling horribly in his first season with the White Sox, Lofton hit .267 in 47 games for San Francisco. Though his contributions haven't been consistent, it's clear Lofton was just what the Giants needed.
“Ever since he came over here, we've been a different team,” shortstop Rich Aurilia said. “Just having that guy in your lineup every day forces teams to approach us differently. We're not the fastest team, and we don't hit for the greatest average except for Barry (Bonds), but Kenny makes us a threat in just about every inning.”
In short, Lofton gave San Francisco's opponents something to think about besides Bonds and Jeff Kent. With Lofton reaching base more regularly than the Giants' poor excuses for leadoff hitters earlier in the season, pitchers couldn't concentrate their energies on pitching around Bonds and dealing with the rest of the Giants' unremarkable lineup.
“He made us tougher, more versatile,” Kent said. “It's always great to have a veteran guy on top of the lineup.”
As the Giants fought off Los Angeles to win the NL wild card in September, Lofton got hits in 15 of his final 18 games. He hit .350 in San Francisco's division series win over Atlanta.
Lofton homered in Game 1 of the NLCS against St. Louis, and was brushed back in his next at-bat. His reaction — or his overreaction, some might say — brought both teams onto the field for a shouting match, and Lofton went into an 0-for-16 slump.
But Lofton snapped out of it in the clincher, getting hits in his final three at-bats after Matt Morris plunked him. With a single to right on the only pitch by Cardinals reliever Steve Kline, he sent San Francisco to the World Series.
“He was clutch for us when we needed him the most,” Bonds said. ”(Morris) definitely hit him on purpose, and he's probably sorry now. He got the first laugh, and Kenny got the last laugh.”
Lofton had 50 games of postseason experience before this fall — most of it with Cleveland, where he played for nine seasons. He's hitting .293 in the playoffs for San Francisco, and he's been in the center of several important plays.
”(The playoffs) never get old. They only get better,” Lofton said. “Every time, you're grateful for the chance, because a lot of players never get here. I've been fortunate to be on a lot of good teams. Some guys aren't so fortunate.”
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Lofton driving Giants toward championship 
