Yeah, last night was the worst.
Pitchers:
Chris Heston 2 starts, 13 IP, 4 runs, 1 earned.
Tim Hudson 2 starts, 13.1 IP, 3 runs, 3 earned.
MadBum 3 starts, 17 IP, 10 runs, all earned.
Timmy 2 starts, 12 IP, 4 runs, 3 earned.
Jake Peavy 2 starts, 7+ IP, 8 runs, all earned.
Vogie 1 start, 10 IP, 14 runs, 12 earned.
Not much to complain about with Heston and Hudson. Madbum has not been his sharp self, a few more 7 inning games will make his 5+ inning average look better. But still, he has been giving up a lot of runs, especially for him. In that context, you could say that Timmy looks better. 1 earned run per 4 IP is better than 1 earned run per 1.7 innings pitched. I know that earned runs are not the best measurement, but they are not without meaning, and I don't feel like delving into total bases or some other number. Peavy and Vogie have really not been good. Coupled with a strong case of anemia offensivia, and some stumbles by the relief staff and we are seeing plenty of bad baseball. Yes, I know it is early and things are likely going to change. (I mean, they have to chalk up a victory some time, right?) Still, it looks to me like we have two fifths of a starting rotation to put on the field, an another two fifths of sub-par pitching for a team that relies on it. We need for a couple of starters to get sharper, and fast. Relying on an old guy and a rookie is not the best formula for success. Hopefully, Matt Cain.
I just wanted to get that off my chest. Also, Tuffy Gosewisch seems like the name of a cat. It doesn't help to see a line-up with a C next to his name.
11 comments:
Tuffy is indeed a hell of a moniker, like Champ or Boof. His real name is "James Benjamin Gosewich."
It's ugly, no denying that. They gotta win some games. After Thursday in extras I thought they were looking better, but last night was god-awful, maybe the worst they've looked yet. Collmenter is nothing special and he was doing his usual thing and the Giants looked like they were facing Kershaw. Who's coming to SF real soon, BTW.
Maybe when they get this 2014championship fol-de-rol over and done with they can get back to 2015. The rookie gets another shot today--he's been great. Like you say it's him and The Old Man so far. You know MadBum will get back on track, let's hope the rest do sooner rather than later.
And what's the word on Cain? Seems the team is eerily silent on that. I believe his DL stint ends Monday.
Wow, he's really sunk that far in people's eyes? Lincecum has been good in his two starts. He's great for a 5th starter, still fine for a middle rotation guy as well. So I would say three starters are feeling it, unless 12.0 IP (6 IP per start is OK), 10 hits, 3 ERA for 2.25 ERA, only 4 walks (good 3.0 BB/9) and 9 K's (OK 6.8 K/9), and 1 HR is not a good pitching line to have.
Here's the funny thing: the starting pitching was actually worse at the start of last season. Only Hudson was dealing, the other four else was stumbling and bumbling until late April, early May, when they got into a great streak that lasted to mid-to-late June. Lucky the offense was on fire for a long while, then the pitching came through once the hitting started fading.
But I guess it's relative too. Both Bumgarner and Vogie are a lot worse this season than last, from what I recall.
What I get from this bad stretch is how confidence is so important to players, and loss of confidence can spiral badly at the beginning of the season. I still think the Giants can contend and get to 90+ wins, I'm just waiting for the team to be healthy and ready.
Jim Streeter has heard rumblings of Tommy John surgery for Cain.
It's true, Timmy had one great start and one mediocre one. It just looks a lot worse in the context of a losing streak!
The measure of a championship team is how it deals with adversity. Last year the Giants were the best team in baseball, then the worst, then the best again. Craziest year I can remember. Right now they are among the worst. You have to figure they will be among the best again at some point.
TJS for Cain? Hmmm, haven't heard that one. Let's hope it's just rumblings. Then again, it would explain a lot, and guys actually come back from that one.
I am so rooting for Heston today. Not only do I want HIM to succeed, I want to see this Giants team pull things together.
Careful with the names stuff. lol. Baseball players always seem to have the best names ever. Prospects like Handsome Monica, Rock Shoulders, Fenway Parks, Seth Beer. Of course, early this season we had the MLB matchup of Abad- Odor. Huh, go figure. Cheers.
Also, are matte helmets a thing now? They look dirty.
There's this: http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2015/04/giants-peavy-injured-susac-recalled.html
Here: http://blogs.mercurynews.com/giants/2015/04/18/giants-notes-peavy-disabled-list-susac-recalled-kershaw-bumgarner-matchup-awaits/#more-19893 it says that Matt Cain has not begun throwing.
Heston another great game, giving him an ERA of .87. If Cain can defy rumors and start pitching again in another three weeks, his injury will have been a blessing for the Giants. He couldn't have done better than Heston has in his place, and the Giants and Heston now know what Heston can do, as they wouldn't have with a healthy Cain.
Good point about Cain's injury being a blessing in disguise! That reminds me of 2011, when Zito got into that car crash, tried to gut it out but eventually succumbed to his injuries, giving Vogelsong his chance.
But before we get too excited, I remember pitchers who did well in their first season (Falcone, Van Landingham) unheralded and they never did much after.
But it just goes to show how well the Giants know their personnel, for us on the outside looking it, it has been a curiosity why the Giants have mostly held onto him the past year or so with the roster crunch, especially after DFAing him a couple of years ago. Now we can see what they must have been seeing.
I also saw some rumblings of something more serious somewhere too, but for now, rather wait for any official word than to worry.
I'm hoping Petit gets put into the rotation in place of Peavy, maybe he'll get his chance like Heston, but I have a feeling it might be Vogelsong, for at least two starts. But he's been horrible in his appearances, part of me was wondering if the Giants might be DLing him soon as well.
There is one guy who looks very interesting to call up, Braulio Lara, SSS and all, but still. Problem is there is no other starting pitcher on the 40-man who we can call up, they are all relievers, so they would have to DFA someone to bring him up. Robert Coello too, again SSS, and both don't have the history of doing well, but suddenly good for the Giants this year.
So unless they want to risk losing another guy, they will have to go with either Petit or Vogie. Petit has earned it, he has been very good the past two seasons when actually placed into the rotation (for Zito, then Lincecum), but the way they have been using them, Vogie appears the guy they will go to.
However, given that seems the easy answer and Bochy refused to speculate on who the next starter might be, that suggests that he and Sabean (and probably Evans :^) will discuss the merits of prospects to be called up vs. Vogie, and who they might drop.
I was also surprised that they decided to call up Susac instead of Ishikawa, seems to not bode well for him right now coming back, unless there is something I'm missing.
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