Welcome to the 7th Czar’s blog of 2015 celebrating our World Champion San Francisco Giants!
The question of the day - - Will the G-Men win another series at home?
It really hurts to lose 9 out of the last 10 games at home (does anyone remember what Tony Bennett sounds like?). Somewhat balancing that disaster the G-Men currently possess the best road record in the NL. What goes here? We take 2 out of three from the Dodgers and then get swept by the Snakes and the Pirates? It is a strange season for sure. Up and down is putting it mildly. This is like a roller coaster. Last year the G-Men had an outstanding May and went into the tank in June but even then (at June 22) they were 45-30 as versus today’s 38-33. That’s a shot of perspective. The G-Men really need to get it on.
The question is which direction are we going in? I say we maintain the momentum, start hitting at home (it’s hard to win when you don’t score runs), get our pitching back and start a winning streak.
To break the home losing streak I also suggest that the Giants keep the team in a hotel on this home stand – I’m just saying that if they play that well on the road maybe we should pretend they are still the away team. I think another team somewhere did just that it break a home losing streak but I can’t recall who or where (any idea out there?)
Certainly injuries are taking their toll, the worst being Pence’s wrist. The most current information is that Pence will most likely be out until after the All-Star game. We need his energy, badly. The latest injury is Aoki’s leg bruise. He’s not on the DL but we also need him (certainly he’s the best off-season acquisition the Giants have made since Cody Ross in 2010) leading off and batting..317, with 33 runs, 19 RBI’s and 12 stolen bases. This does give Pagan some shot at lead off again and he thrives there.
It is also true that the stars of tomorrow are playing for the Giants today. I’ll take Panik, Duffy, Crawford and Posey any day over a Bryce Harper or Mike Trout. We will be telling our grandchildren that we saw this infield. Panik and Crawford deserve to be All-Stars, Posey already is, and I wonder if Duffy will be eligible for rookie of the year.
So, bottom line, all is not lost and we are looking for a good week at home.
Right now Maxwell is in for the duration at right field, McGeehee is on the bench as a pinch hitter (where he has been surprisingly effective as long as there are no men on first base so that he can hit into a double play) and Blanco is showing what he can do with more playing time (a lot because he isn’t worn down yet).
On a side note, the G-Men resigned Marco Scutaro so that he could retire as a Giant. That was an incredibly classy move. No one will ever forget the arms to the heaven in the rain moment at the end of the 2012 NLCS. The only thing that I wish for is a snow globe of Scutaro at that moment for my bobblehead wall.
Anyone for a six-man rotation?
Cain and Peavy are almost ready to come back. A healthy Cain is a number one or two guy, a healthy Peavy is maybe a number three guy, at best. The book right now is that Lincecum goes to the pen (lasting an inning an half yesterday might have sealed it, although he still has a better ERA than Hudson, Vogelsong and Peavy). That would be because Timmy has shown in the playoff’s that he can be effective out of the pen. My prediction is that either Vogelsong also goes in the pen and Strickland and Broadway (I love that name) go to Sacramento or that Strickland stays and Hudson comes down with a mysterious (but not serious) 39 year old muscle pull somewhere that is enough to place him on the DL for a month.
Lining up after the All-Star break (probably) will be Bum, Cain, Heston, Peavy and Hudson. No need to talk about the pen because they have been nails, and Strickland does look like the real thing as the closer of the future. Does anyone else see his resemblance to Robb Nen? He has Nen’s fastball and Wilson’s attitude.
The Upcoming Series against the Padres and the Rockies
Winning at home is the goal over the next six games against the NL West where the Giants are 9 and 17 against NL West teams not named the Dodgers. Unfortunately the 9 and 17 record is mostly against the Padres and the Rockies. Everyone knows by now how tough those two teams are and what a dog fight the next six games will be – I want to see it and I want the G-Men to win. We are a game and half behind the Dodgers and it’s time to start pulling away.
It’s time for baseball!
Ciao, and GO GIANTS!
The Czar