Thursday, July 8, 2010

Sweeeeeeep!

Your 2010 Giants: score 34 runs in 10 games against the Red Sox, Dodgers, and Rockies; then score 36 runs in 4 games against the Brewers. Today, Barry Zito walked 6 guys in 4-2/3 and left the game when it was 7-2 Giants. And people wonder why I'm perplexed about this team. Who are we? Pretenders? Wannabes who can't put a whole season together? A deeply flawed club with enough starting pitching to stay in the hunt? A tough, resilient bunch just on the verge of finding all the right pieces for a stretch run? Sheesh. I want a team that plays .600 ball and struts into the playoffs with justifiable swagger, not some pesky dark horse who--if the breaks fall--has a shot at the post-season. My deepest fear is that The Organization™ is content with this "just winning enough" approach. That they think 85-89 wins is good business. I get these sinking feelings all the time. I don't know what's wrong with me, but I'm increasingly convinced that "pretty good" is good enough for Nuke, LarryB, & The Sabe-ster. When you reach for The Big Prize and fail, the fall is damn hard. My nightmare is that we'll no longer reach because the fall will hurt too goddamn much. (Someone--anyone--convince me I'm crazy! Tell me I'm wrong!!)

The Jonathan Sanchez-for-Corey Hart rumor seems to have died down, which is fine by me. At this point, being "buyers" means getting fleeced--giving up too much for what you get in return. Sellers don't have to sell, but the buyers feel like they have to buy, so they overspend. The Giants, if they make a move, will likely give away too much for a marginal improvement. Last year it was so ridiculous we got a guy who couldn't suit up. I'll admit FSanchez is having a good year, but we got him last year, and he couldn't help us at all when we needed a fresh bat in the lineup. That sort of thing doesn't exactly generate confidence in the GM and the rest of the suits.

The Giants take on Mr. Phenom Stephen Strasburg in D.C. tomorrow. It is Matt Cain's turn, and that strikes me as fitting. After all, the last four starters got, on average, 9 runs of support apiece. Cain gets to face a guy that has only given up 12 runs in 6 starts. And we all know that Matt has the worst run support of any pitcher in the bigs. Dig deep, buddy.

And keep rakin', Buster.

--M.C.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Why does it say a pitcher TBA will face Strasburg? Where's Cain? Not in NJ, I checked.

M.C. O'Connor said...

I noticed that on the Giants website and I don't know why--maybe the web dude is on vacation!

The ESPN team site says it will be Cain v. Strasburg.

Anonymous said...

OK, now it's-NJ-fine. Matt Cain will be pitching against Strasburg. It can go either way; 50/50.

JoeG said...

The only pitcher I would be willing to give up is Zito. Moving any of the others would be counter productive. A four game sweep and all of those runs against a week team, no doubt, is deceptive(a couple of DP balls turned into runs sure helps). But, I have a lot of faith in Torrez, Sanchez, Posey and Huff. If Uribe heals and returns to form, this lineup can score enough to win, as long as Sandoval bats no higher than sixth.
Very interesting to see the production from Ishi. An occasional start at first could keep him hungry enough to produce. If he were to turn into a reliable bat, we solve our first base problem and keep Huff in the outfield, which seems fine now with Burrel and an occasional start from Rowand. Long term, we needs a real shortstop! Uribe and Sandoval could platoon at third.
Would love to see Nate be the third outfielder, but he continues to disappoint at the plate.
The recent trade gives this team a big boost with Posey becoming "The Manchild" and Rey looking like a real stopper. Would it be nice to see Cory Hart stepping up to the plate for us? No doubt about it!!! But ya can't always get what ya want, and if our starting pitching produces like we know it can, we may just have what we need.
It will all comes down to beating the Puds, Dredgers, and Rockies with the guys we have. I think they can do it, but they may drive me crazy too!!!
We might all feel better with six runs and a Cain victory tonight! Go Giants!!!!!!!!

Zo said...

Check out what the owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers said after LeBron James decided he wanted to be a Wadeboy rather than a king:
"I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER ‘KING’ WINS ONE"

I think is is what MOC wants - soothing.

M.C. O'Connor said...

I do.

I want the corporate fucks who own the team to say "we are working our hardest to achieve at the highest level and bring home a World Series title for our devoted fans."

Is that so hard?

You see, if they don't, I'll be convinced that they don't give a shit about winning, and only give a shit about turnstiles turning and $14.00 fecking hot dogs.