Last night was the 126th game for our beloved and beleaguered club. That means seven innings of the season have been played (7 x 18 = 126). There are two more innings (36 games) left in the season. The first third of the season saw the Giants put out a respectable 10-8, 10-8, and 9-9 for a 29-25 record on May 31st. The Giants were in second place (1/2 game out) to the Diamondbacks at that point. They improved to 10-8, 11-7, and 11-7 to go 32-22 and sit at 61-47 on July 31st. The team was two games up on Arizona, having held as much as a 4-1/2 game lead. The wheels started to come off at the end of the sixth when the Giants were swept in Cincinnati. The seventh inning has been a disaster (6-12) and included losing three of four to two potential playoff opponents. It was capped by a truly wretched effort in Houston last night. The Astros are playing .328 ball!! They are the WORST TEAM IN AMERICA!! Starter Ryan Vogeslong was a little shaky (four walks, two-out RBI hit to the pitcher) but deserved better. Of course "deserved better" is Matt Cain's career motto, and one that Tim Lincecum is learning more about every day.
Injuries have finally taken their toll on the team. That's the bad news. The good news is that there is still time to right the ship. The D-backs are only up by 2-1/2 and the Giants see them six more times. There are 21 home games left on the schedule. A little good health, a little good luck, they could finish strong and win the West. The current version of the team is not going to do anything. They've got to get Sergio Romo, Brian Wilson, and Jonathan Sanchez back. They'll need contributions from the likes of Carlos Beltran, Cody Ross, and Aubrey Huff. They'll have to figure out how to score a few more runs. You do actually have to score SOME RUNS to win in baseball. The outstanding pitching means you don't have to score a lot--just some. If the Giants do make the playoffs with this "offense" they will be the lowest-scoring team ever to do so. Regardless of baseball history, Pythagorean records, or personal belief in the importance of run scoring vs. run prevention, one thing is certain: no team ever won by being shut out.
--M.C.
2 comments:
I forgot to mention the tireless work of young Madison Bumgarner, who has received the least run support of any of the starters this season.
Time for the rest of the team to step up and do their part. It doesn't take a world-beating effort--just a competent one. The Giants don't have to slug it out with anyone, but they have to create some chances and convert them with enough frequency to give the team a chance. The arms are holding up their end. The rest have to get off their asses and perform like major-leaguers and defending champs.
Hi, I'm back from Europe. Apparently the suckiness that the Giants were displaying before I left has basically continued without me.
I will have my beer sampling report soon. I kept some notes. My grand total is 16 varieties of beer. I know, that wasn't trying hard enough. There were 2 days I consumed no beer whatsoever, just wine.
(And Bumgarner just handed the ball to Bochy.)
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