Giants on Hot Streak (sort of)

In repsonse to my post "So Why Am I Not Happy?", DrBGiantsfan said...

"Still feel the same way after the last 3 games in Arizona? "


Yep, now more than ever. Hey, a win is a win is a win, and if you did nothing but look at the wins and losses, you'd think the Giants were on a roll of epic proportions. You'd be dead wrong. They needed a hot streak. What they got was a confluence of good pitching, poor competition and enemy generosity that occurs with about the same frequency that the Mayan calendar and Roland Emmerich films predict the end of the world.

The old joke is that there are lies, damn lies and statistics. In the Giants case, a weekend series with the Diamondbacks presented the prefect example of how the Win / Loss column doesn't tell the whole story. For three of the four games the Giants offense didn't show up. Arizona gave away one game with errors and refused the gift when the Giants tried to similarly surrender the series finale.

For awhile it seemed the Giants were going to leave Matt "Hard Luck" Cain high and dry again in Game One, but a couple of late runs made it a bit easier for Cain to pick up his eighth win. In 17 innings against the D-backs this year, Cain has allowed just four hits, three walks and zero runs. Add in a long ball and some great defense from Torres, and the Giants pop-gun offense proved to be just enough.

I'm starting to soften on Torres. It still could just be the story of an average player having a great year, but I'm now willing to say that this isn't just a streak. Mike Krukow made note of how Torres has revamped his game. I'm willing to believe he's figured something out -- I just pray the great Satan, uh, Sabean, doesn't offer him an outlandish deal in the off season a la Randy Winn. I can see that one coming. They'll re-up Torres and Huff at insane and ill-advised raises, much as they did Uribe this season, and the Giants will once again find themselves unable (or unwilling) to pursue the remedies for their current ills.

You had to know that at some point the bullpen's high wire act was going to lead to disaster. While Game Two had never seemed safe thanks due to Jonathan Sanchez being, well, himself, the implosion of the relief corps was both unfortunate and very predictable. The Giants can't continue to depend on the kindness of strangers (and opposing defenses) for wins. Edwin Jackson can only fire so many bunt attempts into right field (and the way the Giants were weilding the sticks I'm surprised someone didn't swing and miss at those errant throws).

I was listening to the Arizona announcers talk about how stingy the Giants relievers had been since mid June. They didn't mention a lack of quality opposition or the low number of innings they'd pitched over that span, and they totally ignored the number near-death experiences they've made us endure.

You can tell any story you want with a small sample size. Hey, last Friday I was undoubtedly the most attractive man in my office between 3:50 pm and 4:45 pm. I was also the smartest. And the youngest. And the only. But hey, I've got the stats to back up my claims.

There's been something about Santaigo Casilla that bugged me that I just couldn't put a finger on until Friday's outing, I mean something besides his incredible lack of poise or talent or control. Have you ever seen those computer simulations where they take a guy's motion and reduce it to a wire frame? Remove the identifying physical factors and look at his delivery. We've had this guy before -- when his name was Tyler Walker. Sucked then, sucks now. Same kind of motion --  hard, violent and totally out of control. Any strike thrown is the result of pure chance, not command.

Of course, Casilla fit right in after watching Sanchez exhibit the same level of control Evel Knievel showed at the Cow Palace. And the Giants won't trade this guy? His act hasn't changed one lick in his entire Major League career. He's outstanding in one start, abysmal the next, and the third start is anyone's guess. I'd much prefer a hurler who went out every fifth day and gave up three runs over six. That guy won't win a Cy Young but neither will he send fans searching for the nearest bottle of Jose Cuervo by the fourth inning. Plus, the bat he might bring could just help those three runs stand up.

Speaking of the battery, can someone please enlighten me on the value of Whiteside always catching Sanchez? I mean, I could buy it if it was making a difference in Sanchez's outings but there's plenty of evidence to the contrary. A march on Selma doesn't include this many walkers, and Sanchez is routinely hitting triple-digits pitch counts by the fifth inning. Whiteside contributes little offensively. The only threats the Giants have in the current line-up are Posey and Huff, so sitting half of that tandem on a night where you gotta figure you're gonna need runs makes about a much sense as inviting Ghandi over for barbecue.

Game Three was a nail-biter until late when the Arizona bullpen melted down like they were wearing orange and black. But to me the story of the game was one Madison Bumgarner. He was a massive disappointment this spring, but somewhere along the line he flipped the switch. You ask one thing from a pitcher, give your team a chance to win. Mission accomplished.

Since his call-up, MadBum has been sent to the hill six times. He's averaging a shade under seven innings per start with a 2.43 ERA and a solid 1.11 WH/IP. He's 4-2, and with numbers like that you gotta wonder how he lost two (although Matt Cain can offer a few suggstions). He's a keeper, in fact he's much better than a number five. So tell me again why they can't trade Sanchez?

Game Four threatened to follow a disturbing trend. With a chance to sweep, the Giants were flatter than my college girlfriend. Fortunately Buser Posey can hit, Tim Lincecum had the rabbit's foot working, and Sergio Romo's disappearing / reappearing slider returned at just the right moment.

Posey threatens to blow Sabean's rather impressive streak of 147 years and counting without developing a single decent positon player.  Finally a Giants prospect who doesn't fit into the Linden-Minor-Ransom category (meaning he's actually good). A 4-for-5 day at the plate with a pair of doubles was pretty much the only offensive highlight in an otherwise unproductive day, and of course Bochy even tried to screw that up.

Whiteside ran for Posey why, exactly? Really, how many plays do you anticipate on which Posey can't score but Whiteside can? Bochy was just a Travis Ishikawa single away from having to explain why he'd put his best stick on the bench in a tied extra-inning affair while leaving Whiteside batting cleanup. Just say it. "Batting clean-up, Eli Whiteside!" I have auditory haliculations of Kruk and Kuip fighting back the gag reflex. Bochy over manages. He's as in love with the double switch and one-inning relievers as I am with Klondike bars and Cheez-Its, and none is particularly healthy.

Kudos to Ishikawa for saving us from that horror.  Here's yet another of the young kids who can't seem to get a chance to play regularly. Now I can admit that he's maddening at times. He'll look positively lost at the plate, then square something up -- and often those moments occur during the same at bat. He's also a slick fielder, and the Giants need to build up their defense since they certainly aren't helping pitchers with their sitcks.

The subject of defense brings me to my favorite target. Can we now agree that Edgar Renteria has to go? While Lincecum bears responsiblity for surrendering a two-out, two-run two-bagger to the pitcher, that inning was extended by Renta-a-Wreck's inexplicable coverage of second base on a hit and run moments earlier.

Now I understand someone has to cover the bag, but you also have to be mindful of the ball being put in play. Renteria failed to get back to his position because HE NEVER LOOKED as the ball was grounded into the hole he'd just vacated. Nice piece of hitting there, but also clearly evident on replay was the number of steps Renteria took toward the bag before reversing his field on a ball hit behind him. They say the reflexes are the second thing to go (I forget what goes first). Renteria's left about three years ago. His lack of range (which contributed to a pair of singles on Sunday) is maddening enough without adding felony stupid to the equation.

And despite all their warts, the Giants are 56-43, a season-high 13 games over .500, and would be in the post-season if the campaign were to end today. I find that both exciting and troubling. A flawed unit can make a nice run against teams like Arizona, New York, LA and Milwaukee which are poor, struggling or both. But as the Giants prepare for the 100th game of the season, they need help if they intend to take on division leaders San Diego, St. Louis or Atlanta -- against whom the Giants are a combined 5-9. And the thought of a World Series game coming down to Mariano Rivera versus Eli Whiteside is the stuff of which Wes Craven films are made.

The Giants ARE in position. I'm thrilled they're winning. I'm also being realistic. Just because the hot chick agreed to let me buy her a drink doesn't mean she's gonna put out. There's still a lot of work to do, and with the trading deadline coming up Saturday, time is running out.

The G-men return home tonight hoping to fry some fish, with Zito on the hill. He's a much better pitcher at The Big Phone than on the road, and the offense owes him one afer they laid down and died in his last start at LA.

Can we get a new shortstop there by game time?