SF Giants: Can Things Get Worse?
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by user Trecole696
Tuesday's loss marked the 6th in a row for the Giants, and their June fell to a pathetic 5-13. Things have gotten so bad that the Giants are not only 12 games out of first place, they are trailing the Rockies by 6 games and are in the NL West cellar. Say what you want about the average age of this team and yes they have one of the worst bullpens in the NL, but based on their starting pitching alone, this team is underachieving. Coming into this season,
I, like a lot of people, expected the Giants to be a team that would hover around the .500 mark for most of the year. I thought that maybe in the open NL West, and NL in general, they would be in position at the deadline to possibly add a bat and a reliever to make a push for a playoff spot. I knew there were holes in this team, but I didn't think that they were this blatant. The fact is, the Giants are and will continue to be the team you are currently watching. I hate to say it, but there isn't going to be a turnaround. Sure, the team may string together 5 or 6 wins and restore some hope and life back into AT&T Park, but I highly doubt this team will come within striking distance of first place again. Omar Vizquel's and Rich Aurilia's bats falling off the face of the earth, and the starting pitching is now starting to return to earth. The Giants were a bad team when all their starters where pitching terrifically, now look what they are when they get average pitching. One of their top hitters (Bonds, Durham, Klesko) are always injured and never in the lineup together. If they are, they're hurting. And I don't even want to mention the bullpen today.
There have been some ups and downs from the Giants' rookie class this season. One of the only bright spots on the team as of late has been Nate Shierholtz. Shierholtz came up for Daniel Ortmeier over a week ago, and has really seen the ball well up at the big league level in his small sample of time here. He has 7 hits in only 18 at-bats and has hit safely in all but one game he's taken an at-bat in. A very small sample, yes, but with this bunch these days, a small positive gets magnified, and Shierholtz has been that small positive.
I am looking forward to seeing Freddy Lewis returning from injury and seeing watching when he and Shierholtz are both in the lineup along with Kevin Frandsen. If the Giants are still 10 or more out in July, which is looking more and more probable by the day, why not play the youngsters the rest of the way? At least Giants fans would be getting a glimpse at people who could help turn this around in the future, rather than the guys who are sinking the franchise into the cellar.
The San Francisco Giants Blog-http://giantsbaseballblog.blogspot.com/
