Giants 1, Rockies 0 (10 inn.): These days, when a Giant batter hits a leadoff double I instantly think Maybe, just maybe, the pitcher will throw two consecutive wild pitches.
I'm grumpy to say so during such a great run, I know. The Giants have won all five of their home series, and the starting pitchers have been absolutely filthy save for Matt Cain's rough patch Saturday. Today was Barry Zito's turn, and we have to ask if this is for real. Is this Zito going to show up more often than not the rest of the year? A real test comes Friday night in Los Angeles, the opening night of a weekend series against the Dodgers. His three great outings have all come at home, and let's be honest, he's gotten tons of help from his defense. Round 2 against L.A., away from home, and with them having seen him two weeks previously: If he throws well, I'll be more convinced.
With Elbo as my witness as I sat on his couch this afternoon, once the count to Aurilia got to 0-2, I mumbled that Corpas would try a couple sinkers then go back outside with a slider. "And he's going to hang it," I announced.
Whaddya know. I was thinking back to a similar situation last July with Richie hitting against Washington reliever Luis Ayala. Ayala has similar stuff to Corpas, hard sinker/hard slider, and got way out in front then hung a slider. Aurilia lined it into the gap for a game-winning two-run double.
This is the happy face of veteran savvy. The unhappy face is represented by Randy Winn, who couldn't get a runner home from third these days if he were a military escort. I've got to think Winn is nursing and hiding a worse injury than the Giants are letting on. Remember his subpar 2006? Turns out he had serious leg or foot problems that year.
The bright note with Winn and Fred Lewis's slumps is more playing time for Nate Schierholtz, who has impressed more on defense than with the bat so far. Considering Winn's ugly career numbers against Monday's Cub starter Ryan Dempster, I expect Schierholtz to take his spot for at least another game.
Player of the week: Pablo Sandoval. He not only did the team's best offensive work -- which isn't saying much -- he played a stellar third base. On the radio side today Dave Flemming guessed Sandoval made at least five great plays in two days. I have to give two other shout-outs, though: Manny Burriss is finally getting hits from the left side, and suddenly his OBP is above .300. Big whoop, sure, but if he can get it into the mid-.300 range and continue to play strong D, he'll be contributing. Another goes to Steve Holm, who got his first action this year and merely caught a 10-inning shut-out, singled, laid down a sac bunt, and walked to key the winning rally. I'll overlook the brutal backhand he tried to use to stop a Brian Wilson slider, which went for a K-wild pitch and put the potential winning run on base in the ninth.
Pitcher of the week: Barry Zito. If Casey Blake hadn't homered off Zito Monday night, he probably would have notched 14 shutout innings this week.
