A lot of people are already writing the Giants off in the NL Wild Card race. They're offense seems to be getting worse as the season draws near the end, and it almost seems as if they're just playing out the year, rather than fighting for a playoff spot.
This post will be a little shorter than our normal posts here at the Giants Baseball Blog, just because it won't take a whole post to say what needs to be said. The Giants have Tim Lincecum going tonight, in his first start since September 3rd, and it's
anyones guess as to how his back will hold up throwing for the first time in 10 days. The Giants need him to be his dominant self though, as they'll need Matt Cain and Barry Zito to be as well. The Giants have it set up to where they'll have their three hottest arms going against the Rockies, and they're really in a great position to sweep this series if they can somehow manage to get the offense going early. One tip I'd have for Bochy is to give Andres Torres some more time in center field and at the top of the lineup for the time being. Eugenio Velez has gone into a slump in the leadoff spot, and it's really caused a ripple effect on the whole batting order, because the Giants rely so much on the top of their order. Torres has looked good at the plate in recent games and is a fine defensive centerfielder. In fact, here's the lineup I'd have for the these next three game vs. the Rockies, which some quick notes on it below:
1. CF Anders Torres 2. 2B Freddy Sanchez 3. RF Nate Schierholtz 4. 3B Pablo Sandoval 5. SS Juan Uribe 6. C Bengie Molina 7. 1B Travis Ishikawa 8. LF Randy Winn/Velez
*Bengie Molina has 3 RBI in September....Can no longer hit cleanup when in the order!
*Uribe should be moved to the middle of the lineup with the way he's swinging.
*Ishikawa at first is helps the defense, so I'd lean towards him there unless Sandy' needs to be.
*I'd limit PT for Renteria and Winn while they continue to stuggle, and throw Uribe at short and Lewis or Velez in left while letting Nate play full-time in rf.
This post will be a little shorter than our normal posts here at the Giants Baseball Blog, just because it won't take a whole post to say what needs to be said. The Giants have Tim Lincecum going tonight, in his first start since September 3rd, and it's
anyones guess as to how his back will hold up throwing for the first time in 10 days. The Giants need him to be his dominant self though, as they'll need Matt Cain and Barry Zito to be as well. The Giants have it set up to where they'll have their three hottest arms going against the Rockies, and they're really in a great position to sweep this series if they can somehow manage to get the offense going early. One tip I'd have for Bochy is to give Andres Torres some more time in center field and at the top of the lineup for the time being. Eugenio Velez has gone into a slump in the leadoff spot, and it's really caused a ripple effect on the whole batting order, because the Giants rely so much on the top of their order. Torres has looked good at the plate in recent games and is a fine defensive centerfielder. In fact, here's the lineup I'd have for the these next three game vs. the Rockies, which some quick notes on it below:1. CF Anders Torres 2. 2B Freddy Sanchez 3. RF Nate Schierholtz 4. 3B Pablo Sandoval 5. SS Juan Uribe 6. C Bengie Molina 7. 1B Travis Ishikawa 8. LF Randy Winn/Velez
*Bengie Molina has 3 RBI in September....Can no longer hit cleanup when in the order!
*Uribe should be moved to the middle of the lineup with the way he's swinging.
*Ishikawa at first is helps the defense, so I'd lean towards him there unless Sandy' needs to be.
*I'd limit PT for Renteria and Winn while they continue to stuggle, and throw Uribe at short and Lewis or Velez in left while letting Nate play full-time in rf.
Comments
Torres at #1 makes sense. At #2, how about a man with a career .366 OBP . . . Pablo Sandoval? He is, of course, not the prototypical #2 hitter, but as has been known for some years now, the old standard #3 type is best batted #2, for several reasons, and The Panda fits well. The best #3 right now is probably Buster Posey (can you say "snowball in Hell"?), with the sorely underused Garko at #4; if Bochy refuses to acknowledge that such a person as one Gerald Posey actually exists, then Garko #3 and Uribe #4, with Rowand, Schierholtz, Sanchez, and Whiteside where the chips may fall.
Torres at #1 makes sense. At #2, how about a man with a career .366 OBP . . . Pablo Sandoval? He is, of course, not the prototypical #2 hitter, but as has been known for some years now, the old standard #3 type is best batted #2, for several reasons, and The Panda fits well. The best #3 right now is probably Buster Posey (can you say "snowball in Hell"?), with the sorely underused Garko at #4; if Bochy refuses to acknowledge that such a person as one Gerald Posey actually exists, then Garko #3 and Uribe #4, with Rowand, Schierholtz, Sanchez, and Whiteside where the chips may fall.
Garko has been completely lost at the plate since coming to the NL, so I understand why they're holding him back in the playoff race here. He's also struggled defensively. I know Ishi isn't the greatest offensive first basemen, but he comes up with a clutch hit here and there, and also anchors down the infield defense.
Also, just two in the loss column heading to tonight. If the Giants get a win tonight, they will have stolen all of the momentum from the Rockies and in my mind they may be losing, but should be called the favorite to win the wild card. In other words, tonight is the biggest night for the Giants in the last couple of years.