4, 2, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 0, 6, 0, 6, 10, 3, 4, 4, 1, 5, 5, 0.
Those are the total runs scored by the Giants in each game they’ve played since the beginning of June. Before today’s game the Giants were averaging 4.01 runs per game, which is just below the league average of 4.17. They had an OPS+ of 101, and had managed to scrape together a perfectly cromulent offense. Weird.
Except that when you look at the numbers above, it’s not like they’ve been spacing out their runs very well. There have been blowouts, and there have been stinkers. Not many in between. So every now and then, when the Giants drop a goose egg like they did tonight, it’s not a huge surprise. Plus, Jered Weaver is really good, and the Angels bullpen is freakishly incredible.
So what can we take out of a 4-hit shutout?
Ryan Theriot continues to perform when others do not, and his caught stealing was only the result of a fantastic throw. Gregor Blanco is slumping, which is inevitably going to bring up some questions of “was he ever really this good?”, but get out of my face with that garbage after a few bad days.
***
Ryan Vogelsong also continues to pitch like a co-co-Ace. Tonight was his tenth time in 13 starts this year that he’s gone at least seven innings, and his 12th Quality Start. Even tonight, when he struggled against some of the Angels’ hitters, he managed to sneak out of danger and only gave up runs on a Alberto Callaspo dinger and a seeing-eye ground ball. Remember when Ryan Vogelsong had a 4.91 ERA in AAA Lehigh Valley, two years ago? Yeah, I know this point has been made ad nauseam, but geez.
***
As far as I’m concerned, everything that happened afterward was just junk time. Sorry about your ERA, C.H. Loux. Still luv ya.
***
Thank you, A’s.
***
Brandon Watch 2012
Today was a very good day for Brandons, especially compared to everyone else.
Crawford: A hit and great defense, especially on Pujols’ line shot in the 7th inning.Tha’ll do, Stamos.
Belt: Extended his hitting streak to 9 games, and he would’ve had even more if it weren’t for stupid Albert Pujols early on. Nice to see him coming into his own, especially given the slumps coming from Gregor Blanco and some down weeks from other hitters.
Stats of the Day:
5: Giants starters who did not reach base today.
4: The number of runs Ryan Vogelsong gave up in his only non-Quality Start.
3: Total runs given up by Ryan Vogelsong today, in seven innings.
3: Total runs given up by Shane Loux today, in one inning.
2: Angels starters who did not reach base today.
1: Good, healthy on the Dodgers. I don’t get how they keep winning.
0: Number of times Albert Pujols reached base today.
Jon Miller/Mike Krukow Banter of the Day:
Miller: “Dave Flemming and I went to the beach yesterday, Newport Beach. Beautiful beach. Lot of people, on the beach. Beautiful weather.”
Krukow: “Any beach balls?”
Miller: “No! I don’t think they’re actually beach balls. They’re just baseball park balls down here. People only use them if they go to a game, Dodger Stadium or Anaheim Stadium.”