While tootling around the backwoods Sunday with my ladies in tow, I could only imagine what horrors were unfolding at Mays Field. After Friday and Saturday night, I kept crafting various headlines for this post, all to do with disaster.
Getting home late, I exhaled and pushed those thoughts aside for the moment. In fact, Sunday's win, as untidy as it was, made me realize the Giants were fortunate to be where they are: five back of San Diego, 1 1/2 behind the Phillies for the wild card. Even though with wins tonight and tomorrow the Giants can turn in a .500 August, it's been a dismal month because the foundation upon which the Giants are built has developed significant cracks. Starting pitching: It's our belief system, and the last month has made even the most faithful squirm with doubt.
In the comments to my post Friday, some of you pointed out that the Giants and their five above-average starting pitchers are far more blessed than most teams. On paper, yes, and in the long-term, yes. But for this stretch run, the sainted are looking mortal, and the sinners are falling back to their sinnin' ways. Hallelujah the Panda revival and all that, but this team can't outslug its opponents 9-7 two out of every three games.
It's been two weeks since the Padres took two of three at Mays Field to take a 3 1/2 game division lead, after which I asked the Giants to gain a game on San Diego every two weeks. Apparently they've decided not to spread the gains evenly across the rest of the season. Such drama queens. They're making the upcoming four-game series Sept. 9-12 in San Diego all the more crucial. I'm curious what you think: by how much do the Giants need to cut San Diego's lead by Sept. 9 to have a shot at the division?
Pitcher of the week: Matt Cain. Position player of the week: Aubrey Huff, Pablo Sandoval and Andres Torres all had fine weeks, but Freddy Sanchez gets the nod for getting on base in 16 of 25 plate appearances, and hitting with as much power as we've seen from him all year (four doubles, one home run).
Getting home late, I exhaled and pushed those thoughts aside for the moment. In fact, Sunday's win, as untidy as it was, made me realize the Giants were fortunate to be where they are: five back of San Diego, 1 1/2 behind the Phillies for the wild card. Even though with wins tonight and tomorrow the Giants can turn in a .500 August, it's been a dismal month because the foundation upon which the Giants are built has developed significant cracks. Starting pitching: It's our belief system, and the last month has made even the most faithful squirm with doubt.
In the comments to my post Friday, some of you pointed out that the Giants and their five above-average starting pitchers are far more blessed than most teams. On paper, yes, and in the long-term, yes. But for this stretch run, the sainted are looking mortal, and the sinners are falling back to their sinnin' ways. Hallelujah the Panda revival and all that, but this team can't outslug its opponents 9-7 two out of every three games.
It's been two weeks since the Padres took two of three at Mays Field to take a 3 1/2 game division lead, after which I asked the Giants to gain a game on San Diego every two weeks. Apparently they've decided not to spread the gains evenly across the rest of the season. Such drama queens. They're making the upcoming four-game series Sept. 9-12 in San Diego all the more crucial. I'm curious what you think: by how much do the Giants need to cut San Diego's lead by Sept. 9 to have a shot at the division?
Pitcher of the week: Matt Cain. Position player of the week: Aubrey Huff, Pablo Sandoval and Andres Torres all had fine weeks, but Freddy Sanchez gets the nod for getting on base in 16 of 25 plate appearances, and hitting with as much power as we've seen from him all year (four doubles, one home run).
