We don’t have to pretend anymore.
All that wishful thinking and scoreboard-watching can stop right now.
The Giants disqualified themselves from playoff contention on Wednesday.
Not officially disqualified, of course — the team entered Thursday 3.5 games back of the third and final wild card spot in the National League with a month-plus of games to play — but spiritually, and irrevocably.
You cannot lose to the Chicago White Sox and be treated like a serious ball club.