1st inning: 7-11
2nd inning: 12-6
That's a nice turnaround for the team after a lackluster opening. The Giants had won 12 of 16 before the trip to Philadelphia but then ran into a Phillies buzz saw. Last night was an 11-0 thumping that featured three homers by the home club and 12 whiffs by the visitors. A 4-2 loss tonight featured 17 whiffs by the visitors and three homers by the home team. Ugly. That takes a little shine off the .750 stretch, but I ought not to complain. I want to see winning baseball and so far that's what we are getting. Overall the 19-17 record (.528) is the 15th best in baseball and good for third place in the division behind Colorado and Arizona. If they keep this up they'll finish with 85-86 wins.
Other than the recent stretch of series victories the Giants aren't doing anything particularly well. Both the pitching and hitting are roughly around league average. The Giants infield has turned 42 double plays which is the most in the majors. The team has committed 30 errors, the second-most behind Texas.
Brandon Belt is raking with a .300/.422/.536 slash line (1.3 f WAR, best on the club) and seems to be in the middle of all the rallies. His 33 hits ties Buster Posey for the most on the team and his 18 runs scored are second to Andrew McCutchen's 21. His six homers are second to Evan Longoria's seven and his six doubles are third behind Longoria (9) and Posey (7). His 22 walks are second to McCutchen's 23 but his 32 strikeouts tie for the team lead with Austin Jackson and Longoria. Speaking of Jackson he is a disaster with a .573 OPS which is about as bad as it gets. Steven Duggar has a .750 OPS in AAA, is it too early to consider a change?
The injury to Johnny Cueto is a brutal blow to a jury-rigged rotation. Jeff Samardzija is still in Spring Training and Derek Holland is, at this point, strictly at fifth-man level. The young studs (Stratton-Blach-Suarez) are holding the whole thing together with the help of a rejuvenated bullpen. Tony Watson has been excellent and Sam Dyson, Hunter Strickland, Reyes Moronta, and even Pierce Johnson have been solid. The 'pen is a big part of the team's winning record.
Chris Stratton tomorrow. Go Giants!
--M.C.
7 comments:
Yes, Jon, Longo is scary. The guy won a Gold Glove last year! Jackson is scary and Hanson is scary.
17 whiffs. Wow. That's barely more than one chance per inning. I guess 4 - 2 isn't so bad considering.
I think that the Giants need to score more than 5 runs in 3 games to beat the Phillies.
Swept!
Not yet--it's a 4-game series.
Oops, sometimes I'm glad to be wrong, and since we're now up 3-0 in game 4 chances are good I am wrong. Is Hanson really a great hitter or is he fluky so far?
Hanson was hitting over 400 in Sacramento. Still not sold on Gorky's, probably would rather have Slater in the lineup. Giants need to win the series in Pitt. Bochy needs to wake them up. Belt needs to take the low line drive hit to left down the line when they are giving it to him. If he takes it a bunch of times they will stop putting on the shift.
Giants are striking out at a record pace. They are swinging at pitches in the dirt, taking some very good pitches to hit, and also getting the brunt of too many badly called pitches, but this is the brunt of a team that has been getting the reputation for swinging at balls, and taking strikes. In addition to battling the opposition, they are battling the tenth man, and that is the guy who is calling the balls and strikes.
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