When the Giants Come to Town, It's Bye-Bye Baby

04.14.2008
Dreams of .500

In the post-game chatter yesterday, KNBR talk guy Michael Urban insisted the Giants have a shot at .500 this year. (Here’s what the Chronicle’s Gwen Knapp, in a fit of new-year optimism, wrote about that goal.)

Urban conceded he might have been inhaling fumes from the exciting victory Sunday — also known as drinking the Bowker-Aid — but defended himself with the 14 total runs the Giants scored Saturday and Sunday. He did not add that most of those runs were scored against journeymen Todd Wellemeyer and Joel Piniero.

Still, the Giants rotation looks capable of six strong innings every night, the bullpen, aside from Saturday’s meltdown, has been solid, and the young hitters haven’t looked overwhelmed. Their numbers on the whole aren’t good — particularly Ortmeier, Bocock, Davis and Velez — but they haven’t embarrassed themselves yet.

A truer test comes in the next 10 days. First, the D-Backs arrive with three strong starters. Randy Johnson, in his first game since back surgery, is a wild card, but Micah Owings and Brandon Webb follow. Then the Giants hit the road to St. Louis and Arizona, a much better gauge of the starting pitchers’ mettle. If they continue to throw well in hitters’ parks filled with hostile fans, I’ll be impressed.

Let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves. Tonight could be the team’s best chance to steal a win from Arizona. Here’s hoping Sanchez, whose bugaboo is not talent but focus and mechanics, can build on his great work last week. Two solid outings in a row would be a huge step forward.  

My projected lineup:

LF Davis
2B Velez
RF Winn
C Molina
CF Rowand
3B Castillo
1B Aurilia
SS Bocock
P Sanchez
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[April 15, 2008 2:49 AM]  |  link  |  reply
Cyrus said

Honestly, what is gained by not having Lewis and Bowker start against Johnson? Hopefully Aurilia's continued suckiness despite great career numbers against the unit is the last straw. Time to get Ort more playing time at 1B.