The Giants got two three-run homers, one in the 3rd from Wilmer Flores and one in the 7th from Austin Slater, and with another big start (6 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 9 K) from Carlos Rodón the A's were roundly defeated. The Giants move into first place by percentage points as the Dodgers lose in Arizona. Only the 14-5 Mets have a better record in MLB.
The team's slash line (.238/.312/.392) doesn't look like much but an OPS of .704 is well above MLB's .675 average. Yes, it's a slow year for offense. There's some suggestion that the new ball with its looser windings, designed to suppress homers, is working a little too well. Also all the teams are required to have humidors now and there's an idea that the balls shrink a bit in transit from the factory and then swell up again when moistened. The swelling isn't uniform and it raises the seams which helps pitchers. That's all speculation at this point. Maybe it's just the colder weather. Regardless, offense is way down across the game.
The Giants make the most of their attack and lead MLB with 91 runs scored. That's 5.06 rpg, just behind the Dodgers at 5.24 (they've played one less game). The Giants have allowed only 46 runs or 2.56 rpg. That's again second to LA (43R, 2.53 rpg). If you score twice as many runs as you allow, or perhaps it is better to say if you allow only half as many runs as you score, you are doing something right.
In nine "innings" of baseball last season the Giants went 13-5 only once and that was in the "ninth" or final 18-game stretch of the year. They have literally "picked up where they left off" in 2021!
I continue to be astonished by this team.
Sam Long is once again listed as the opener for tonight's game.
Go Giants!
--M.C.
4 comments:
Carlos Rodon has set a Giants record for strikeouts in his first 4 games with 38. That bests Tim Lincecum's 35 and Christy Matthewson's 32.
He's pitched really well. Let's hope it continues. He's had a hard time staying healthy in his career. The Giants seem to think they have a "secret sauce" for managing pitcher workloads and arm health, all I can say is "more power to 'em!"
Kind of a weird "record" don't you think? But MLB fetishizes such odd clusters of happenstance, and it does put Rodon in some elite company, so I suppose it's OK with me. The "personal record" I hope he sets this year is "most starts and IP in a season." He had 28 and 165 in 2016 as a 23-year old. If he gets to that this year things will be looking good for the club.
Yesterday was crazy. He kept pumping in fastballs at the top of the zone and the A's kept hacking at them and getting nowhere. Lots of of foul balls. Rodon misses the strike zone a lot, especially with his secondary stuff (slider/change) and racks up his pitch count. But his FB is some serious cheese. Subtle he ain't!!
Giants pick up a 25-year old corner infielder, Kevin Padlo, for cash from Seattle. Showed some pop in the upper minors. Cup of coffee in the bigs. From Murrieta, CA (near Riverside), drafted out of HS by the Rockies. He's a RH hitter.
They are doing it, and so far Ruf has not found his groove. Joc so far has more than replaced Alex Dickerson.
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