By mlblogssfgiants1

No batting practice today so I have a little time to blog.

​I went to bed last night thinking about getting the ring today. I woke up thinking about it. I could hardly sleep, to be honest with you.

When we get that ring, then it’s official: We’re world champions. I know that raising the flag on Friday was kind of the official moment. It was awesome running out from center field and watching the video of the postseason highlights. I could watch that all day. Every time I see it Ithink, “How in the world did we pull that off?’’ I still don’t know. Winning six elimination games still blows my mind.

But the ring is the thing for me, the day I’ve really been waiting for all off-season. It’s something tangible for each one of us. Something we’ll have for the rest of our lives no matter how far from San Francisco or baseball we might get.

I think I’ll wear it two weeks in a row before I put it away. Then I’ll just wear it when I’m wearing nice clothes. I’m afraid I’ll leave it somewhere. I don’t plan on taking it to the ballpark or the gym or any place where I’d have totake it off. (Remember I left my wedding ring in the cup holder of my truck in Lufkin?) I don’t know where I’ll keep it but it will be somewhere very safe.

This season Haylee and I are living in San Francisco about a mile from the park. Probably less than a mile, actually. Madison and Ali were already living there and told us about it. We’re close enough to the park that I’m thinking about getting one of those stand-up electric scooters that Hunter has. Now Timmy and Sergio have them, too. I want to get one for Haylee, too, so we can ridearound the city together.

We loved Walnut Creek but some nights I’d get home so late that by the time I drove from the park, ate and wound down, it would be really late and I felt I wasn’t getting enough sleep. I am not a morning person at all, so I hope being in the city will allow me to have better sleeping habits.

I made it to Olive Garden at the Stonestown Mall the other night. It was awesome. I had the Tour of Italy like always and Alfredo sauce for the breadsticks. James our waiter was second to none. The whole staff knew we were coming because someone at Olive Garden had made the arrangements. So after dinner I took pictures with everyone who worked there and with fans, too. I’ll post them on twitter.

It was good for me to eat a lot because I lost 11 pounds while I was sick. I weighed 229 when I left Scottsdale and weighed 218 yesterday. I hardly ate for four or five days when I had that stomach bug and what I DID eat just came right back out. I feel like I have a lot more energy now.

And even though I don’t have a hit yet, I feel I’m swinging the bat well. Yesterday I hit two balls right on the nose but they didn’t fall in. Last year if this had happened, I wouldn’t have handled it as well. But now I know eventually the balls will drop in. I have a lot of confidencefrom playing a full season last year and having such a strong spring. I have the ability now to just breathe up there and slow the game down when things aren’t going my way.

Last night, Haylee and I walked down to the Embarcadero after dinner in San Bruno. We took a picture in front of the bridge. Then we stopped for a milkshake so I could load up on some more calories. I’m working out really hard, too. Haylee had to wait about an hour and a half after the game for me to finish up my postgame workout before going home. She was the very last person in the family room when I finally got out there. It’s not easy being the wife of a baseball player. But don’t tell her I said that.

I’m going to be miked for the ring ceremony for the Giants’ video crew. I don’t know why. I’m about the most boring person they could pick. I never say anything. And if I do, it’ll probably be something embarrassing.

Next time you hear from me, I’ll be the proud owner of an actual World Series ring. It’ll be awesome.’

Below: In the dugout before the ring ceremony.

-Brandon B.