Sunday, May 27, 2012

M.C. squared

A little uncharacteristic for Matt Cain today, with high walks (three) and low strikeouts (four). He seemed to run out of gas in the 7th, also uncharacteristic for the big fella. It was interesting that Ol' Boch came and got him after Jose Reyes made it 3-2 and did not let him finish the inning even though he had two outs. We've seen the skipper push the envelope a bit with his starters lately, the tactic sometimes working and sometimes not. This time the call went to Sergio Romo and he was up to the task and struck out Omar Infante. The second run was ruled unearned as an extra base was gained on the no-excuse-for-it Angel Pagan error. Our new center fielder is a package deal--he made a real nice play to take away a hit earlier in the game, and also made a good adjustment on a tricky high fly by Giancarlo Stanton to end a threat the inning before. The Giants kept Stanton in the yard and were lucky to get hurt no worse than two walks and a run scored. It was another great job (Game Score 59) by Matty against a potent lineup. After ten starts in 2012, Cain's average line is 7.1 IP, 5.3 H, 2.3 R, 0.6 HR, 1.2 BB, 6.0 K, with an Average Game Score of 63 (his career average is 57). I like it. Speaking of what I like, how about Melky Cabrera? Four hits including a homer, two steals, and all three of the team's runs scored. He was ninety feet from a fourth run in the 8th but Buster Posey couldn't get the two-out knock. He also made a couple of nice plays in left field. That's one hell of an M.C. 1-2 punch. Great relief pitching preserved the win for Cainer, his fifth. Santiago Casilla showed some moxie with a four-out save. In close games, moxie is sometimes the difference, don't you think?

--M.C.


p.s. Boch made another unusual move today, trying a suicide squeeze in the 9th with one out and getting burned on a pitch-out. He doesn't use that play very much. Brandon Belt, the previous batter, needed to get the RBI and took a called third strike. That's a situation where you have to swing the bat and put the ball in play. He's still young--it was only his 101st big league game today and his 320th PA.


5 comments:

Shankbone said...

I was cautiously optimistic about both OF trades this offseason, and expressed it that way. So much was made of Melky's BABIP being 330 versus his career line of 298. Well now, how bout THESE apples? Both are looking like huge wins, and the guys snickering that Dayton Moore was selling high on Melk and calling Dirty Sanchez a premium talent...

Bochy gets ragged on for some moves, I generally agree he gives the starters too much rope but sometimes he needs to push them or give them the nod for confidence. Fans are just here to get mad when it doesn't work a lot of times. I've noticed when Bochy wants a win he will go agro on the micromanage the pen. Lopez doesn't get to face righties in those situations, and everybody has a quick hook. And Romo gets stretched out.

Bochy is better than a lot of managers, not perfect. I would point out he's stumbled into a winning formula with pushing Melky and Pagan down the lineup. Young Brandon Crawford is holding his own, for the most part. The latest on Bochy and Belt cracks me up. Better PR now than before is all I can say with the latest on adjustments to the stance. What a headache that must be for all involved.

But hey! Enough about all the rooks and FNGs. Here's what I came to say: inching closer to that mythical over .500 W/L record for Matthew Thomas Cain. Is the party when he reaches .500 or when he breaks .500, cuz thats gonna be a helluva party.

M.C. O'Connor said...

I will definitely party the day Matt Cain gets past .500!!

Brother Bob said...

Melky's performance sort of reminds of the debut month of Randy Winn back in '05. Winn put on a Giants uniform and for week after week he could do no wrong. It was love at first sight. Then he "regressed to his mean" as we like to say, and pretty much sucked for the next couple of years. I don't expect that result from Da Melkman, but it's still the honeymoon phase.

M.C. O'Connor said...

Winn's an interesting comparison, lifetime .284/.343/.416, which is just about league average. He had two good years as a Giant, 07-08, and had a superb glove. Played every day, hit 2Bs more than HRs, versatile, speedy. Melky's career line is .281/.335/.408 and he has a similar profile. Melky is younger, though. He'll be 28 in August and it seems that we are getting him while he's peaking. Winn was 31 when he became a Giant. Interestingly, his best seasons were 2002 when he was 28 and his split season, 2005, when he came over from Seattle, at age 31.

Shankbone said...

Winn and Rowand are the most natural contract comps right? 4/30MM won't get it done most likely though and 5/60MM is a lot of years. Its going to be an interesting negotiation. Melky might be the 2nd best OF to hit FA after Josh Hamilton, so there will be demand for his services. I like the fact they can at least get draft picks for him walking, I am curious how far they will go to retain him. I would jump at the Randy Winn size contract (3/30 or 4/40 and shy away from the 5/60 although Melky keeps on proving doubters wrong, so its a tough call).