|
As pointed out in numerous places down the stretch, the Giants were the best team in baseball until the ASB and then suddenly the worst from mid-July until mid-September.
They did manage to pick it up a bit over the final two weeks -- closing with an 8-4 record including their final four to stay ahead of the Cardinals -- but probably not enough to put a lot of CAHNfidence into their sense of even-year inevitability.
So what happened to them?
C - Posey’s still good but this year has been the worst OPS (full) season of his career, down around 50 points from his norm and more than 150 from his MVP peak back in 2012
1B - Brandon Belt got a big contract to start the year but then tailed badly in the second half after starting hot. Not a ton of pop for a 1st sacker but does get on base a lot (.394 OBA)
2B - Joe Panik is another guy who regressed from his ‘where did this guy come from?’ rookie and second seasons, down 70 points of BA from last year.
SS - Brandon Crawford had a now typical top season for him: 772 OPS and GG-level glove. Anyone would take that from their SS
3B - This has really been their biggest lineup hole. Matt Duffy lost 100 points of OPS following his out-of-nowhere 2015 so they dealt him at the deadline for pitching (Matt Moore). They then traded for Eduardo Nunez as a replacement but they, like the Yanquis before them, found out he fields the position like he’s wearing oven mitts which caused them to panic (not Panik) and make a deal w/Atlanta in the final week of the season so that Gordon Beckham could alternate playing 3rd with Conor Gillaspie over the final six days of the season. Beckham, who never recorded a hit as a Giant, won’t be eligible for post-season so I guess it’ll be Gillaspie & Nunez unless they have some peanut vendor they want to try.
OF - Pagan, Denard Span, and Hunter Pence make up a good OF even if not exactly a slugging one and a trio that, at ages 34, 32, and 33, are a bit past their collective primes. Pence missed about 1/3 of the season but they oddly played well while he was out then hit the skids almost immediately upon his return.
Their pitching depth is a problem but of course that doesn’t really matter in a one-game series.
But the back of their pen just might though as they blew more late inning leads than any team this year. Santiago Casilla was drop-kicked from his closer’s spot after his meltdowns prompted Bochy into declaring a Def-Con 1 alert. They briefly tried Hunter Strickland before turning to former closer Sergio Romo less than two weeks ago. Romo had been their main man back in their 2012 WS run before being demoted to set-up duties two years ago in favor of Casilla. Given a new lease, he wound up closing out six wins in six straight outings allowing no runs on just 4 hits over the final 12 games just as it looked like the Giants were going to be the ones on the outside looking in.
We went 4-3 against them during the season … Duh, that’s why the game is in our building and THEY are the ones flying cross-country!
RS/RA = 39 - 35
This will be our third time seeing Bumgarner this season.
Apr 29 - NYM bats smoke Jake Peavy, Matz tosses 7 scoreless
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes ... 4290.shtml
Apr 30 - Mets jump out to 4-0 lead vs Matt Cain, hold on for 6-5 win
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes ... 4300.shtml
May 1 - Syndergaard (4 runs on 5 Hits in 5.2) gets out-pitched by Bumgarner (6 scoreless on 6 hits + 3 BBs). They had their chances but left 12 on base!!
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes ... 4300.shtml
Aug 18 - We get to Bumgarner (4 runs in the 4th) but deGrom gives it all back and more. An unexpected 10-7 final.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes ... 8180.shtml
Aug 19 - Low water mark of the season record-wise after getting stifled by Cueto
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes ... 8190.shtml
Aug 20 - The turn-around begins by hitting starter Matt Moore hard and reliever Jake Peavy harder
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes ... 8200.shtml
Aug 21 - Sydergaard = 2 hits over 8, Cespedes 2R HR off Samardzija is all the scoring in the game.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes ... 8210.shtml
| 
