Keys to the Game: Giants Vs. Padres, September 7, 2011

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The San Francisco Giants will need to practically win out their remaining 20 games if they hope to overcome Arizona’s six game divisional lead. Completing a three game sweep of the Padres would certainly help to keep their postseason contention alive. This afternoon the Giant’s Matt Cain (11-9, 2.85) will seek his first win of the season against the Padres. Cain is 0-1 with a 4.05 ERA in three starts versus San Diego. The Friars will counter with their Giant slayer, Aaron Harang (12-5, 3.86 ERA), who is 1-0 with a 0.69 ERA against San Francisco in two starts this season. Compare this afternoon’s starters.

ERs Allowed (Blue), Strikeouts (Orange) & Walks (Green)

The Giant’s late season acquisition, Carlos Beltran, is finally offensively producing as expect. Beltran has been on an extraordinary tear so far this September, batting .765,  with 6 RBIs and a colossal 2.098 OPS!  Check out Beltran’s September numbers.

Hits (Blue), RBIs (Orange) & Total Bases (Green)

Can Cain complete the sweep at Petco Park today and help to spark a repeated San Francisco September surge into the playoffs?

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Should the Giants Go with a Four Man Rotation?

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The defending World Series Champions have lost 10 out of their last 13 games and have relinquished first place in the NL West to the Arizona Diamondbacks.  While the Giants have one of the best pitching staff in the Majors, second in team ERA (3.20) and WHIP (1.22) and first in K/9 (8.20), they can’t seem to find a reliable 5th starter.  Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Madison Bumgarner and Ryan Vogelsong are a combined 35-30 with an average ERA of 2.95.  Johnathan Sanchez and Barry Zito have been consistently unreliable in 2011.  Since returning from the DL, Sanchez has a ERA of 9.64 and Zito has given up nine Home Runs in just nine starts.  Check out each Starter’s ERA and WHIP.  See the number of Earned Runs and Home Runs each starter has allowed: (keep in mind Sanchez has started 18 games, compared to Lincecum’s, Cain’s and Bumgarner’s 24 and Zito has only started 9)

ERs (Blue) & HRs (Orange)

The Giants are averaging 3.77 runs per game in 2011 (29th in the Majors) and only 2.08 in their past 13 games.  With such a struggling offense and in the middle of a heated pennant race, how much longer can the Giants afford to send an inadequate arm to the mound every fifth game?

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Do the Giants Deserve Four All-Stars?

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Four San Francisco Giants pitchers have been selected to participate in 2011 All-Star Game this coming Tuesday in Phoenix.  The Giants, who have won more games over .500 (9) then their run differential (+7), have heavily relied on their pitching to stay atop the NL West.   The Giants’ pitching staff as a whole has recorded impressive numbers, as they are fifth in the league in ERA and third in quality starts. Brain Wilson is leading the National League in saves so his selection is solid; however, a few statistics for the Giants’ All-Star starting pitchers raises some doubt about their selection.

View the current Giant pitching ERA

Lincecum’s 3.22 and Cain’s 3.216 ERA are very respectable but are higher than Philadelphia’s All-Star trio of Hamles (2.40), Halladay (.244) and Lee (2.92).  More interesting though, is that the fans were able to look past Lincecum’s and Cain’s Win-Loss record.

  

Lincecum has a losing record and Matt Cain is only 7-5.  Both hurlers have worse ERAs and records than NL All-Star snubs Tommy Hanson (10-4 with a 2.52 ERA) of Atlanta and Kyle Lohse (8-5 with a 2.97 ERA) of St Louis.  Vogelsong’s team leading 2.221 ERA and 6-1 record appears to merit an All-Star selection but he is only in National League dugout at the behest of this year’s NL Manger, Bruce Bochy.

So are the fans rewarding Lincecum and Cain for their 2010 post-season success or just compensating for the Giant’s almost non-existent bats?

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