Thursday, July 2, 2009

Can The Giants Keep It Up?

One of the most surprising stories of the year thus far is the San Francisco Giants. Everyone knew they had good starters, Tim Lincecum won the Cy Young last year and Matt Cain has joined him as a top 10 major league pitcher. What we did not know was that the bullpen would be so solid, and that the Giants hitting would be buoyed by a smallish fatman named Pablo Sandoval.
The tubby switch hitter can play first and third (ideally first) and even spelled starting catcher Bengie Molina occasionally during day games after night games. His versatility is surpassed only by his uncanny ability to make contact with seemingly every pitch he swings at (and he swings at every pitch he sees). Sandoval loves donuts and candies, clearly, but he also seems to like hanging sliders and fastballs down the pipe. He led the National League with a .400 average in June, and while he ceratinly cannot keep that up, there is no reason to think he can't match the power he has shown thus far. He has 11 homers to date, leading the Giants. While the total itself is unimpressive, and the fact he is leading a below average offense in homers is also not bragworthy, the fact he has developed power in just his second year, to go along with his .330 average is certainly noteable. I see no reason why he cannot notch 20-25 jacks along with a 310 average. I do not think he can keep up this pace as far as BA goes. He doesnt lay off pitches, and he would seriously buck the norm to hit 330 while swinging at every pitch he sees.
The Giants still have a bottom 5 offense in baseball, and nothing will change that all year, unless they deal for a power hitting OF or corner IF. I expect this team to make a run at the wild card if they can get themselves a hitter. If they dont, I think they will fall short, though not too far. The pen is solid enough to hold it together, especially with the fact that Lincecum and Cain go 7-8 innings per start. Barry Zito is garbage, though slightly improved over last year. Randy Johnson is fine, and about a 6 inning pitcher. They need to settle the 5th starter's role, ideally getting a 6+ inning guy. Otherwise they will waste a solid pen by August.
I look for 83-85 wins from the Giants, will puts them very much in the wild card hunt. I think they will fall short in the end, losing out to the Mets, Phils, Braves, or Brewers.

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