Back to Back Wins

Ok I'm going to start this post off talking about the Giants recent flaying at the hands of our good friends across the bay. The final game of that series was possibly the most embarassing game I've ever witnessed so starting now, I'm going to forget it ever existed. Ok. The Giant's season now started 2 games ago against the Diamondbacks and now they're 2-0. The "game that shall not be mentioned" will act as a turning point for this season. The last two games a different Giants team has taken the field compared to the one who showed up through the first few games. Today they came away with a 4-2 victory over the Diamondbacks as a result of timely hitting, a solid start, and clutch relief pitching. Ok reality check here. I'm going to be honest here and admit that I havent been able to say that about the Giants in almost a month and now finally i can. The last two games though all the elements have been there which has been their main problem this year. Schmidt got the ball rolling and now let's hope it doesn't stop. Personally I expected a typical 3 inning 10 run outing from Woody but today he pitched like the player who won 16 games in '98 and 15 in '97. Now we have Schmidt and Rueter both on track, and tonight the bullpen tossed 4 scoreless innings. The one issue that still has me queezy is the Giant's defense. Today they made another 2 errors but with the pending firesale maybe Durham won't be a problem anymore.


Speaking of Firesale...

So rumors have been a-flying and Giants fans everywhere are jumping ship. There recently was an article in the SF Chronicle talking about which Giants are likely to be traded and among them were Schmidt, Matheny, Vizquel, Durham, Alfonzo, and a pair of shoes. In my opinion this is all rumors without much truth behind it. Sabean has enough of a head on him where he won't sell off players for prospects without a second thought. It's against everything Sabean's nature as a general manager to trade away certain experienced players coughschmidtcough for minor leaguers. The past two seasons there has been at least one team that's made a turnaround after a horrific first half and now the first 3 months of the season are almost over and we're approaching the halfway mark. A couple years ago it was the Marlins. Last year, it was the Astros. And both times it was a result of a managerial change. So how about stopping all this talk about dumping our ace pitcher, and let's send Felipe Alou off to a remote island is the middle of the Pacific. Schmidt isn't the problem here. The problem is the elder Alou has no clue how to handle a bullpen without working them into the ground. The Giants have talented arms in the bullpen. The only problem is that more often than not misused or used in situations where they're not necessary at all. An example: The first game of the 4 game set at home against the Diamondbacks. Giants are leading 4-0 going into the 9th inning. Up until now, Jason Schmidt has tossed 8 innings of scoreless baseball. First hitter in the 9th gets a hit, and Alou decides to yank Schmitty. Alou takes him out to a flurry of boos from the hometown faithfuls, my own among the rest. They end up using 2 more pitchers who are already overworked on a regular basis. Yes, they end up winning but Schmidt didn't get the complete game, and the bullpen was used in an unneccessary situation. Food for thought.


Tomko to the Bullpen

Is this a hint of things to come for Tomko? Rumors are floating around that he may be traded along with everybody who lives in the Sunset District. The Giants don't need a firesale right now. What they need is a change in team dynamic that will start with a new manager. Tomko isn't the problem. Good starting pitching is contagious. I have the utmost confidence in Brett's ability to turn things around on the dime based on what he did the 2nd half last season.


In short, the Giants may be starting to turn things around, Felipe Alou should be sacked, Schmidt shouldnt be traded, and Tomko should be in the rotation. American League All-Star post coming next.

My National League All-Stars

Ok so MLB.com just posted the National League All-Star voting results to date, and personally I'm disgusted with the All-Star voters. So as a simple solution I will name who I think deserves to be starting the All-Star game. Here's the NL:

National League:

Catcher:
Current Vote Leader:

• Mike Piazza, Mets *.264, 8 HR, 31 RBI

My Pick:

• Mike Matheny, Giants *.241, 8 HR, 34 RBI

Analysis: Yes, Mike Matheny is on the sad excuse for a team that we call the Giants but right now he's tied for 1st among NL catchers in HR and RBI's and let's face it, the Giants have to send someone to the Midsummer Classic.

First Base:
Current Vote Leader:

• Albert Pujols, Cardinals *.337, 20 HR, 64 RBI, .421 OBP, .605 SLG

My Pick:

• Derek Lee *.386, 25 HR, 67 RBI, .466 OBP, .719 SLG

Analysis: This one's close, but Derek Lee is simply having the better all-around season. Pujols is a great player but he can't compare to Lee right now. Even with all the hype surrounding Lee and his run for the Triple Crown, I personally don't see it happening. But I will put my money on him winning the MVP. When you look at Pujols OBP and SLG, they're considerably better than the league average. Then you look at Lee's OBP and SLG and he's in a completely different stratosphere. Unless your name is Barry Bonds, you won't see a lot of people with SLG up around .720.

Second Base:
Current Vote Leader:

• Jeff Kent, Dodgers *.297, 15 HR, 58 RBI *.377 OBP

My Pick:

• Jeff Kent, Dodgers *.297, 15 HR, 58 RBI *.377 OBP

Analysis:As much as I don't like Jeff Kent, he's the best NL second baseman right now and I can't deny that. I've never been much of a Kent fan so when I say he should start the All-Star game at 2nd, I mean it. His .377 OBP leads all 2nd basemen and ranks him up there with the NL leaders.

3rd Base:
Current Vote Leader:

• Scott Rolen, Cardinals *.248, 5 HR, 20 RBI *.343 OBP

My Pick:

• Morgan Ensberg, Astros *.286, 21 HR, 52 RBI *.383 OBP, .580 SLG
  

Analysis: How in the name of all that is holy did Scott Rolen get enough votes to get into first place in voting? For a guy playing on a team with an anemic offense, the kind of numbers Ensberg is putting up are astounding, even if he does play in hitter's ballpark. Ensberg strikes out quite a bit with 62 K's in 269 AB, but he also can take his share of walks (41 BB), which would account for his high OBP.

Shortstop:
Current Vote Leader:

• Cesar Izturis, Dodgers *.275, 1 HR, 20 RBI, 5 SB *.322 OBP

My Pick:

• Felipe Lopez, Reds *.321, 14 HR, 48 RBI *.364 OBP, .565 SLG

Analysis:I have no clue how Izturis is 1st in voting. Lopez came out of nowhere this year and now he's the best shortstop in the National League. The only thing keeping him out of the All-Star game is the fact that he plays for the Reds. He's lost in the shuffle between big name hitters such as Adam Dunn and Griffey Jr. He doesn't take a whole lot of walks, but he still manages to get on base, hit for average, and hit a good amount of homers.

Outfield:
Current Leaders:

• Bobby Abreu, Phillies *.314, 17 HR, 52 RBI, 20 SB, .432 OBP, .541 SLG
  
• Jim Edmonds, Cardinals *.292, 14 HR, 46 RBI
• Carlos Beltran, Mets *.262, 9 HR, 37 RBI, 1 SB

My Picks:

• Andruw Jones, Braves *.280, 24 HR, 54 RBI, .596 SLG
• Carlos Lee, Brewers *.274, 22 HR, 72 RBI, 8 SB, .341 OBP, .561 SLG
• Bobby Abreu, Phillies *.314, 17 HR, 52 RBI, 20 SB, .432 OBP

Analysis:
Beltran was going to be an All-Star before he even picked up a bat this season, namely because of who he is, not what he does. For the monster contract that he was signed for, he's been a huge disappointment.
Abreu, is putting together yet another solid season and this year he's finally getting some recogition. He's always been a 5 tool player; he's just slipped beneath the radar in previous seasons. His .432 OBP is above-average, and his strikeout to walk ratio is almost 1:1; an impressive stat considering most power hitters strike out a lot and don't walk. He has 59 walks and 57 K's.
Jim Edmonds isn't having a terrible season, but he's definitely not having an All-Star season. The reasons he's tops in voting right now is because he plays for the Cards and all of their players are getting votes from the hometown loyals.
Andruw Jones has been red hot in June, and his numbers show it. With Chipper Jones down with an injury (what else is new) the other Jones has stepped up and now he has the spotlight.
Carlos Lee is 14th in voting for outfielders. That's absolutely disgraceful for the Major League leader in RBI's. His 20 homers make him one of the elite power hitting outfielders in the NL, although his .274 BA is respectable, but nothing to be jacked up about.


American League All-Star picks and analysis coming soon.

Time to Wake Up

"Ok. Starting now, the Giants are going to turn it around and start winning again." You have no idea how many times I've said that in the last month and half. Well now instead of talking, the Giants need to show fans that they are committed to winning this season, or home games will start resembling Expo's games. Right now, there is nothing left to lose. At this point, it's act now or it's a lost season. The Giants need to wake up and realize how much their current roster is not working. Sabean needs to get on the phone, and shake up the roster. Trade some "key" players. Ship out Alfonzo, Durham, and/or Snow. Now, looking at the current market, the best option for the Giants right now, however unlikely, seems to be Todd Helton of the Rockies. Odds are, the Rockies aren't going to take any combination of Alfonzo and company. The other option to acquire Helton would be to ship out some minor leaguers while throwing in a middle infielder (Alfonzo, Durham or even Deivi Cruz). Just a little sidenote about the Rockies, their Rookie of the Year candidate shortstop, Clint Barmes is out for possibly the whole season with an injury. This means that they are in need of a middle infielder to finish the season. Here are some Giants Minor Leaguers that might wet the Rockies appetite:

Postion Players:

(3B, AAA) Mike Cervenak: .300-7-51 (.370 OBP) 28 years old, is ready to play for a club that will let him come up the Majors, and the Rockies could be his chance.
(OF/1B, AAA) Tony Torcato: MLB Career: 14 hits in 47 AB's, .298 BA, .346 OBP
(OF, AA) Carlos Valderamma: .322-3-27 (.375 OBP, 10 SB) Has raw speed, and gets on base. Could help fill the hole left by the absence of Aaron Miles
(OF, AA) Fred Lewis: .224-2-11 (11 SB) If Valderamma doesn't work out, then throw Lewis into a deal
(IF, AAA) Mickey Lopez: .281-4-24 (.340 OBP, 12 SB) 31 years old. Another player left by Sabean to rot in the Minor Leagues. Versatile player able to play just about any infield position.

Pitchers:

(SP, AAA) Brad Hennessy: 2-2, 4.42 ERA, No HR's surrendered in AAA this year in 6 starts
(CL, AAA) Kevin Correia: 2003 MLB as SP: 3-1, 3.66 ERA. 2005 AAA as CL: 7.42 ERA, 7 Saves. Better suited for a starting role
(CL, AA) Alfredo Simon: 4.53 ERA, 7 Saves, 4 HR surrender in 47 2/3 innings. Came over to the Giants in the Felix Rodriguez for Ricky Ledee deal during the trading deadline last season. Has split time between starting and closing. 6 starts, and 11 relief appearances


The minor leaguers named are ones that will likely not make an impact for the Giants in the Major Leagues, and therefore are better suited to filling roles on a team, such as the Rockies, plagued by injuries to position players and pitchers alike. Who knows maybe dealing someone like Snow, Durham, or Alfonzo with a few minor leaguers will be a reality check for the Giants; a reality check that will show them that not producing will result in them getting shipped out to no man's land. Right now is crunch time for the Giants. They need to shape up before not only their record, but also their morale takes a dive for the worst. Sabean is not the type of general manager to sit around and watch his team lose. He is also not the type of general manager to look for solutions in the minor leagues, so when there's a problem, the solution is going to come from a different team. Right now is the likely the most important point in this short season. The Giant's win-loss record is teetering right at the point where it's dangerously close to spinning out of control to the point of no return. Make a move Sabean. Waiting until the deadline to turn this team around won't do it, especially considering last year's deadline was a bust. It's now or never Brian.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Your 2005 SF Giants!

They were supposed to win the division this year. They were supposed to win the pennant. They were supposed to be World Champions. This is a team built for winning the World Series right here and right now, and frankly they're not winning period. Contrary to what people might say though, the problem isn't a lack of Barry. The offense hasn't been the problem. The Giants are batting .272 as a team right now so thats definitely not an issue. The problem with our dear home team is that something is always wrong. At no point this season have the Giants had all their elements working for them. First, their offense has problems getting runs home. Once their offense starts hitting again, the bullpen blows 4 games in a row. Once the bullpen gets its act together, the starting pitchers cant make it out of the 4th inning on a regular basis. Then the starting pitching catches fire and the we're back to the offense slumping, and so on and so forth. Up until now, they just havent been firing all cylinders. Now, they're not firing on any cylinders. To be honest, there are no cylinders to fire on. This is a dead team right now. They are playing without flare, and without enthusiasm. Right when there's some sign of life with a 4 game winning streak, they hit a wall and lose 7 in a row. They win the first 2 against the Dodgers in a 3 game series, and have us Giants fans thinking sweep. Then they lose the last game and now we're thinking "ok 2 out of 3 isnt bad". Then they lose another one. And another. And another. And before we know it they're 9 games out of first in the cellar with the Rockies.

The Giant's real problem is Felipe Alou. There, I said it. Everyone in this city seems to think that he's the best manager we've ever seen and I'm the only person who seems to think that he's a Dusty Baker protege'. He hasn't been a good manager the last few years. Rather he's been given good teams to work with. This year his resources have been limited and he has not managed what little resources we do have. He won't let starters finish innings and he favors lefty-lefty and righty-righty matchups. In the 8th inning of 6-1 game against the Mets, Brett Tomko lets a couple runners get on with 2 outs, and Felipe decides that he'll bring in our overused bullpen. He's putting faith in a bullpen full of tired and ineffective arms when his faith should be with his starting pitchers. What does that say to a starter when his manager yanks him while he's trying to complete a game and focus on getting hitters out. He then has more to worry about than the man standing in the batter's box. Now he needs to worry about when his manager is going to take him out of the game on top of finishing an inning. When a pitcher gets the concept in his head that his manager doesn't think he can complete a game, he himself starts to think that too and then his confidence in his pitching ability is shaken too. Mike Krukow has it right when he says "Managers shouldn't put this 100 pitch standard on starters. Pitchers should be expected to go at least 120-130 pitches." You shouldn't expect that many complete games out of a pitcher if he's conditioned to go only 100 pitches a game. Livan Hernandez through 160 pitches in his last complete game, so pitchers and managers alike need to stop whining about not being able to go past 100.

It's getting to the point of no return for the Giants right now. They need to pick up their game and do it fast. Maybe Sabean can make those moves that we've been promised for 3 weeks now. This team needs a reality check, so maybe a trade is just the thing they need. Shake up the roster and see what happens. Seriously, they have nothing to lose seeing as they're already losing games.