Interesting tidbit -- tonight, after Matt Cain struck out 10 batters en route to a win, the Giants, for the first time since they moved out to the Bay Area, have three pitchers to record 100 strikeouts before the All Star Break. Joining Cain are Tim Lincecum and Jonathan Sanchez.Sanchez, who was named the National League Player of the Week on Monday, said he and Lincecum made a friendly bet as to who would have more strikeouts at the end of the season. Sanchez said it was more of a joke, but now it appears a dark horse has entered the race with Cain on the verge of getting his 100th strikeout.Again, quite a shame that the Giants didn't have the foresight to, you know, not raid Shady Acres for the rest of the roster; they could actually be pretty freaking good if they had some offense (-43 run differential).
"We're all having fun," Sanchez said. "[Lincecum] strikes out a lot of people, but I'm close. I have to strike out 12 more, but he's going to start again before me."
Still though, they're somehow only five games back (I know, right??) of the lead in the NL West and as long as they have pitching this stout, it's kind of hard to count them out of it. Then you remember that they employ Barry Zito. And you start to count them out. Fun story though.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-13-2008 @ 6:40PM
Ron Carroll said...
The Giants lack of planning is a mystery. They've must of known that Bonds wasn't going to play forever and even still Bonds couldn't deliver a World Championship on his own. It must be the money. When the Giants had a winning team in the late 90's and early 2000's, why didn't they put more money into scouting and building a farm system that was going to be ready to step in when the vets got older?
Instead it looks as if the Giants were dreaming of a one time championship, a la, Florida Marlins, and then scrap this bunch and build for the furture while keeping the seats sold. Didn't happen. Fans knew this wasn't going to happen when the Giants designated Ray Durham their clean up hitter in '06 and '07. Gone are the days of the thump and run with the likes of a Mitchell, Clark and Williams, or Bonds, Kent and Santiago.
This Giants team and the the teams of the past three season couldn't scare a bird resting on the pitcher's mound. What are they to do? Unfortunately not much. They've chewed up too much money in a pitcher that's clearly lost it and a lot in "has-beens" and mediocre talent.
Perhaps the Giants harking back to the days of the Dodgers of the 60's. They were all pitching and very little hitting and yet won pennants in '59, '63, '65 and '66. The Giants in the meantime won one pennant after eliminating a Dodgers team in a three game playoff.
It could happen as early as next year if, and that's a big if, the youngsters can mature a bit more and Bochy or whomever the manager is, will just play them. Shed the team of these hapless veterans that look so miserable sulking down the base line trying to beat out a double play.
With Lincecum clearly the staff ace, and Cain and Sanchez in tow, the Giants need to pick up a solid fourth man and who knows with Zito, but a I can see a Bowker getting better with Lewis and Burris and Molina. This might not be a bad team with a big third basemen and someone to play second. But if they insist on running out the Aurillias, the Vizquel, the Durhams and the Rowlands, then the years will continue to mount for a team that clearly is going to go 55 seasons without a World Championship
Reply