Results tagged ‘ Matt Downs ’
Can We Call for a Do-Over?
This is gettin’ ugly, folks. We’re not even a full week into the second half of the season and we’re already now 9 1/2 games behind the Dodgers and still a half game behind the Rockies in the Wild Card standings. What’s going on with us here? It’s not like we’re facing the cream of the crop, hell, we’re gettin’ squirreled by the bottom of the barrel.
Losing 2 of 3 to Pittsburgh was bad enough, but now the Braves are making us look like….well, you know the word I’m looking for here. We’ve dropped the first two and can only hope for a split in the series. That is, of course, if we can eke out a pair of wins before we have to deal with the surging Rockies.
We’ve got Tim Lincecum going for us today, but after seeing what our offense has looked like since the Break, I don’t know if little Timmy can do it all on his own. Remember the gem he tossed the first game back from the Break. The only thing that him starting that day meant that the Pirates needed a few extra innings to kick us to the curb. It’s downright embarrassing. Especially for a team who says they don’t need another bat and they don’t want to screw up their team chemistry. Give me a break!
The season doesn’t end until the 4th of October this year (Thanksgiving and the World Series at my house this year!) and we’ve got a long long way to go. It’s obvious that we can’t rely on our own hitters for consistency, so let’s get some damed help in here! Not to mention, we’re also dealing with some bumps and bruises and the depth that we have is atrocious.
Aaron Rowand is banged up so Andres Torres is filling in with his equally punchless bat — ok, Torres has been solid so far, but is that really who we want to lean on when we need a clutch hit? We’re also dealing with throwing that useless meat sack Rich Aurilia on the DL and who do we have to fill in? Kevin Frandsen just got shipped back out so we can bring up the .196-hitting Matt Downs? Yuck! Bengie Molina and Pablo Sandoval are carrying far too much weight (literal, not proverbial) to not start breaking down, Edgar Renteria is moving up in years, and we’re still testing out whether or not John Bowker can be a major leaguer?
And we’re worried about clubhouse chemistry???
I don’t even know what to say anymore. It’s just awful to watch a team with so much potential unravel while it’s management sits idle and does nothing to help. We’ve lost 4 of our first 5 in the second half and we need to do something to stop the bleeding. You folks know what I want…..I know what you want……someone needs to get this team onto our page and it needs to be done fast.
Unless someone just lets me call a do-over…..
Mid-Season Reports Cards — Batters
So we’ve made it to the All Star Break, and I have to admit, things are looking pretty good right now. That’s not to say that we don’t need a whole lot of fixing still or that we should be totally satisfied with where we’re at, but, in my opinion, we’ve definitely exceeded expectations. I don’t think there was an expert out there who could claim that he predicted the Giants to be 10 games above .500 and the current leader in the Wild Card standings. Not one. Not even me.
And you have to admit, we didn’t start off in the best of ways either. We may have taken 2 of 3 from Milwaukee to open the season, but do you remember how Tim Lincecum looked out there? And how about that atrocious 0-6 road trip to SoCal that made us look like a bunch of chumps? We were a team built on pitching and our hitters couldn’t get anything going. As a matter of fact, it probably wasn’t until the beginning of June that we pulled ourselves out of the league basement in runs scored. We may have been winning some nice close games, but offensively, we were in the toilet.
So how did we do it? How did we end up where we’re at today? Well, overall, I’d say it was our pitching that did the majority of it for us, but there have also been a few shining stars on our offense too. Today, we’ll grade the hitters. Tomorrow we’ll take care of the arms.
My grades are based on quite a number of things. Besides offensive production, I’m also including things like defense, attitude, and general affect on the team. I’ll try to be as objective as possible, and although I’ve really grown to love this team as my own, I’m going to be hard on them too. We’ve got a long way to go before we should be thinking about the playoffs, but atleast we’re on the right path.
Catchers
Bengie Molina – I think the high expectations have finally caught up with the big guy. He’s got 11 HR and 50 RBI keeping him on pace for last years totals, but that .264 average and horiffic .269 OBP need some work. Hard to fault a guy with minimal protection for not carrying the offense. Defensively, he’s about average but I think it’s passable for right now. He’s going to need some more rest from behind the dish to stay fresh for the stretch run. Grade: B
Eli Whiteside – 18 games and a .267 average. He’s nothing special offensively but he seems to call a good game behind the plate. Bonus points for catching Jonathan Sanchez’ no-hitter. People forget just how integral the catcher is to that feat. Grade: C+
Steve Holm – He looked like he’d be Barry Zito’s personal catcher for the season, but he fell victim to roster moves and found himself back in the minors. 4 games can’t rate, in my book. Grade: Incomplete
Infielders
Travis Ishikawa – Nearly absent for most of the first half, Ishikawa had a few good moments. Unfortunately, those moments rarely came at a necessary time. Sure, if you wanted a homer to extend a lead to 6 runs, he was there, but of his 7 home runs to date, maybe 2 of them really made a difference. Needs to learn that he’s not a power guy and needs to concentrate on spraying the ball around the outfield gaps. He’s ok with the glove but needs work on his scoop. Grade: C
Emmanuel Burriss – Thought he could be a huge asset at the top of the lineup with his speed, but he was nothing but a bust. Even his .238 average is misleading because it only increased over about a 2 week period before he started to tank again and got demoted to the minors. Now he’s got a broken foot and it doesn’t look like we’ll be seeing him anytime soon. Grade: F
Kevin Frandsen – Really? He was actually competing with Burriss during the spring? Another infield bust whose sub-.100 average isn’t going to get him any playing time soon. Grade: F
Matt Downs – Almost the answer to our second base woes, but he just didnt have it. Pretty decent with the glove although his range to his left seemed a little weak. Only got 12 games and was shipped back down with his .194 average. Close but no cigar. Grade: D
Juan Uribe – Slowly turning into a cult favorite at AT&T Park. “OOOOOH! REEEBAY!” Brought in originally to back up short and third, Uribe has taken over the duties at second base and has excelled. While his OBP could be a little higher, he is still hitting just over .300. He’s got mid-level pop, but his 4 HR have all been integral to a Giants victory. Seems to also be a good clubhouse presence. Grade: B+
Edgar Renteria – We brought him in for his veteran presence, his leadership and his glove. We also wanted him to slot as the #2 hitter and help set the table for our bigger hitters. It was super slow going in the beginning and Renteria even found himself hitting out of the 7 and 8 hole for a little while. Defensively he’s sound, but we need more from him at the plate. A .260 average and a .317 OBP aren’t going to cut it, especially if we’re going to rely on him down the stretch. Grade: C+
Pablo Sandoval – What more can I say about Kung Fu Panda? We asked him to play a new position and hit .300 or better as a rookie and he’s delivered every step of the way. He’s got only 7 errors which ranks him near the best at his position in the majors and he’s hitting .333 with 15 HR and 55 RBI. The team couldn’t ask for a better clubhouse presence either, as he just brings out the best in everyone. By far and away, our best player right now. Grade: A
Rich Aurilia — A bench guy hitting .212 is really all I can say here. He doesn’t do much at the plate and he doesn’t do much in the field. He’s definitely got his moments, but I’d like to see us have a bigger threat off the bench. Grade: D
Outfielders
Aaron Rowand – Was definitely on his way to a very poor grade here, but suddenly Bruce Bochy decided to try him in the leadoff spot and Rowand caught fire. A recent slump over the last 2 weeks knocked his average down to .288, but he has been a huge asset at the plate since the mid-May switch. He’s got 9 HR and 40 RBI which is more than solid for him, and defensively…? Genius. He’s always a staple on the highlight reel for his dynamic catches in centerfield. Grade: A-
Randy Winn – The old guy’s still got it…more or less. Winn plays a solid outfield, is a great veteran presence in the clubhouse, and is doing ok at the plate. He’s hitting .275 with a pair of home runs and 8 stolen bases. I really don;t see how we can/should expect much more out of him. Grade: B-
Fred Lewis – a .250 average with 4 HR and a gazillion drops in the outfield has turned Lewis into nothing more than a 4th outfielder these days. He’s been a disappointment all around this year but, while he’s lost his job, I don;t hear him mouthing off too much about it. So props to him for that. Unfortunately, every time I hear his name I immediately picture one of thos atrocious defensive lapses and I go cold. Sunglasses belong on your face, not the top of your hat. Grade: D-
Nate Schierholtz – Hitting .288 with 3 HR in 160 AB so far, plus a solid defensive outfielder has earned him the roster spot and the starting job. Originally slated as a reserve outfielder, Schierholtz bided his time and, when given the opportunity, excelled. His .320 OBP look spretty good right now, but I want to see how he holds up the rest of the way. But for now, so far, so good. Grade: B
Andres Torres – A sound defensive replacement in the later innings and a somewhat decent pinch hitter. He’s not the best option off the bench, but he seems to be doing just fine with the Giants. He’s got a nice OBP at .347 but I’d like to see him run a little more on the basepaths. He’s only got 4 steals and if the Giants really want to play small ball, they need to let him loose a little more. Grade: C+
Eugenio Velez – Another one with promise coming out of Spring Training. He was removed fromthe second base competition because the Giants wanted him as a 4th outfielder. He’s done nothing to earn that job. Grade: F
So that’s where we’re at right now, folks. We’ve got a decent foundation, but if we’re really going to compete….if we’re really going to make a legitimate run at the playoffs, then we need to make some improvements. Dare I say a big bat in the middle of the lineup could help things? I dare. But for right now, I like what I see.
Pitchers coming tomorrow, and you know how much fun that will be!!
Is It In the Cards?
Short and sweet today, kiddies. Short and sweet.
The Giants open up a big 4 game series against the Cardinals in St. Louis today and there are a lot of pressing questions that this series might be able to answer. We’ve got our “big 3″ in the rotation going with Tim Lincecum getting things underway, followed by Randy Johnson and Matt Cain. But that little fact is neither a question nor an answer
Can Barry Zito pitch well enough to keep the Giants in the game on Thursday? Hell, forget Thursday….can he do it from now until the end of the season and (gulp!) the playoffs? And how about our fifth starter? Can Ryan Sadowski pitch well enough to squelch the cries for Tim Alderson and Madison Bumgarner? What’s up with Nate Schierholtz and Andres Torres? Is one of them going to be moved in a deal? How will Jonathan Sanchez react to his demotion? Will the Giants trade for a bat at some point? Is Matt Downs the answer at second base?
Phew! Now that’s a bunch of questions. None of which will we see answers to here in the first half of the season, I’m guessing. From my perspective it looks like the Giants will wait until the All Star Break to make the decisions, and if that’s the case, this series with the Cardinals has quite a lot riding on it.
Not only will the Giants need to use this series (and the one after against the Astros) to keep control of the Wild Card (I’m still laughing about talking about it so early), but this 4 game series is going to be like an open audition for the players mentioned above. Each one of them needs to step up their games this week and really show us what they’ve got.
Downs, Schierholtz, Torres and Sadowski have been solid, but can they maintain that level of play for an extended period of time? Sanchez already has one scoreless inning of relief under his belt, but can he continue to perform to show either A. the Giants, that he can return to the rotation or B. other teams that he has value they want to acquire in a deal?
Zito was much better in his last outing and has shown that the shellackings are coming a little less frequently, but will that hold through a grueling second half?
These questions….and probably a ton more….will hopefully be answered soon. The fun starts tonight in about an hour. Lincecum vs Brian Thompson.
Who?
Exactly.
Go Giants!
Rookie Sadowski Salvages Trip to Milwaukee
I have to admit it…between the 5-1 loss and then the blown victory last night, I was concerned with today’s game. Nothing sadder than losing on the road with the knowledge that you aren’t able to sleep it off in your own bed for atleast 5 more days. And that sadness could have gone two ways. It could have spread throughout the clubhouse thus handing a sweep over to the Brewers or it could light a fire under a team sitting 2 of its better hitters and relying on a 26 year old rookie to pick up the slack left by Jonathan Sanchez’ demotion to the bullpen. Good to see the Giants went with option B.
By no means was today’s victory some stellar display of baseball bravado on the Giants part. It was just a plain old win. It’s easy to get excited when a rookie pitcher comes in and shuts down the opposition, but we need to be realistic about this. Ryan Sadowski, as solid as he was today, is not the answer to the back of the rotation issue the Giants have. He’s a band-aid….granted a decent one today, but give other teams a better look at him….give them better scouting reports, and you’ll understand why Sadowski has a 4+ ERA at Triple-A Fresno.
But I don’t want to dwell on that. Let’s just appreciate today for what it was. It was a well played 7-0 victory that saw everyone get in on the action. Sadowski went 6 strong shutout innings inducing a crazy number of ground ball outs and every Giants starter had a hit. Nate Schierholtz smacked his third home run and our best second baseman since Jeff Kent (sorry Ray Durham), Matt Downs smacked his first career dinger. It was a great offensive display even with Bengie Molina and Aaron Rowand both getting the day off.
What I especially liked….and someone needs to get this to the Giants to read, is the success they had by really working the count against Jeff Suppan. Strangely enough, it was in the 2nd inning where they plated 3 runs, the most in any other inning today. 43 pitches, they saw. 43. Funny how not swinging at the first pitch can ease you into an at bat and allow you to wait on a pitch or two. Funny how not falling behind 0-2 on two pitches can affect your plate appearance. Funny how protecting the plate with 2 strikes forces the pitcher to change things up and eventually make a mistake. Your honor, I’d like to offer up Edgar Renteria’s and Randy Winn’s at bats in the second as evidence.
Both times, the hitter worked the count and protected the plate when there were two strikes. And both times, the hitter found success. Renteria knocked a run scoring, ground rule double to left on an 8 pitch at bat while Winn finally drew a bases loaded walk in his own 8 pitch at bat after fouling off the last 3 pitches to stay alive. Now that’s baseball. That’s the cat and mouse game that a pitcher and hitter should go through on a regular basis. That’s what charges you up as a fan — watching your guys work at it and being rewarded for their efforts.
And as the game went on, the Giants kept their foot on the gas, plating runs in the 5th, 6th, 8th and 9th innings. That’s what we want, and it was good to see them do this before heading into a 4 game set versus the Cardinals. At some point we’re going to need to deal with a legitimate 5th starter, but for now, we should simply ride this wave until it breaks. We still have another servicable arm or two in Fresno and there’s still Tim Alderson and Madison Bumgarner in Double-A. We’re playing some decent ball and there’s no need to rush things right now.
Let’s enjoy today for what it was and move on to St. Louis. Big test for our pitchers again with Albert Pujols leading the charge, but I think we can do it. Go Giants!
P.S. Big fan of sending Sanchez out there for mop up duty in the ninth. Maybe this is the lesson he needs to get his head straight and work on his game and mechanics.
mlblogsgiantsbuzz
Recent Comments