After the Giants got shut out for the third time in a week on Saturday, Matt Cain's record fell to 2-7. In April, If you would have told me that Matt Cain would be 2-7, while sporting a 3.15 era through June, I would have said you were crazy. But here we are, June 16 and Cain is looking like the best 2-7 pitcher I've ever seen. Cain has gotten back on track over his last couple of starts. He's cut back on his walks and his pitch count has been helped because of it. I can't recall exactly how many times Cain has lost a game due to lack of run support or because of the bullpen blowing it, but there have been far to many. The bats seem like they're already tired, and were barely halfway through June. The only players who are performing at or above league average at their respective positions are Bengie Molina, Barry Bonds and Randy Winn. Both Molina and Winn have cooled off a little after tearing it up during the month of May and Bonds just seems like he hasn't been right at the plate in over a month. It isn't out of the realm of possibility that this home run chase will be living for a while. Some of the blame has to go to the hitters protecting him because they've done nothing to force pitchers to give into Bonds. If he keeps at the pace he's been at over the last month, he will not break the record this season. I don't think Barry is done, but I know he's not 100% physically, and it may be time to seriously consider sitting him down for 2 weeks, just to give his legs a mid-season rest. If the Giants are going to even have dreams of resurfacing in the NL West race, they are going to need Bonds at 90-100%.
After the Giants got shut out for the third time in a week on Saturday, Matt Cain's record fell to 2-7. In April, If you would have told me that Matt Cain would be 2-7, while sporting a 3.15 era through June, I would have said you were crazy. But here we are, June 16 and Cain is looking like the best 2-7 pitcher I've ever seen. Cain has gotten back on track over his last couple of starts. He's cut back on his walks and his pitch count has been helped because of it. I can't recall exactly how many times Cain has lost a game due to lack of run support or because of the bullpen blowing it, but there have been far to many. The bats seem like they're already tired, and were barely halfway through June. The only players who are performing at or above league average at their respective positions are Bengie Molina, Barry Bonds and Randy Winn. Both Molina and Winn have cooled off a little after tearing it up during the month of May and Bonds just seems like he hasn't been right at the plate in over a month. It isn't out of the realm of possibility that this home run chase will be living for a while. Some of the blame has to go to the hitters protecting him because they've done nothing to force pitchers to give into Bonds. If he keeps at the pace he's been at over the last month, he will not break the record this season. I don't think Barry is done, but I know he's not 100% physically, and it may be time to seriously consider sitting him down for 2 weeks, just to give his legs a mid-season rest. If the Giants are going to even have dreams of resurfacing in the NL West race, they are going to need Bonds at 90-100%.
Comments
Sabean may do exactly that: "infuse this lineup with young talent badly"