The Giants offense was a lumbering, sputtering, defeated group of gents today. For seven innings anyway.
But when it counted, the heart of the order stepped up their game and gave us all kinds of seeing-eyeness and no-swing-itis, and it pretty much worked out. Scoring three runs behind a grit-tastic no-decision from Ryan Vogelsong is probably frustrating for Ryan, but we’ll take it. How gritty was Vogey’s performance? Here are his results facings guys with runners on base:
-Pop-up
-Soft grounder (pokes through for a run)
-Pop-up
-Soft grounder
-Soft grounder
-Fielder’s choice
Grit.
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Kicking off the obligatory Melky Cabrera section with a depressing/enthralling/cantankerous(?) stat:
Cabrera-Posey-Pagan today: 7-11
Everyone else: 0-18
The walks from the rest of the lineup were just swell, but the production is coming from the heart of the order. Spotlight: the man with 50 hits in May. I would prefer 50 hits in September, nay, October, but May is how you get there. This season hasn’t exactly gone as the Giants planned. Freddy was supposed to be ready. Pablo was supposed to be out of hamate bones. Brandon Belt was supposed to tear the cover off the ball and move Aubrey Huff to the outfield waivers. Tim Lincecum was supposed to be the ace. None of these things happened. The Giants should be under .500. But Melky.
I can’t remember the last Giant that was so quickly embraced by the fans. Tying records previously held by Willie Mays will do that, though. The statue is up by the All-Star break.
**
Yesterday’s outing was the first time Santiago Casilla had given up two hits in the same inning all season. I’ll take the over on a 200 ERA+ for 2012, which would make it his third consecutive season hitting that mark.
**
Brandon Watch:
Belt: Didn’t start due to the handedness of “Bazooka†Joe Saunders (the nickname is true I looked it up), but we caught him taking some reps with Hensley Muelens early in the day. A little off the tee, a little BP-style. Clearly the Giants are still working on his swing. Upon entering the game in the 6th, Belt took two walks. BB=Brandon Belt.
Crawford: A normalized BABIP (.301) and a .230 batting average? Sure, as long as the glove holds up.
F-Utility Player of the Day:
Joaquin Arias. The man came up with the bases loaded three times today. He made four outs. Get this man a drink.
Stats of the Day:
-.376: The Melk Man delivering to the tune of this gaudy batting average
-30: Batters faced by Ryan Vogelsong
-18: First-pitch strikes by Ryan Vogelsong
-9: Outings by Ryan Vogelsong this season
-8: Quality starts by Ryan Vogelsong this season
-0: Quality starts by Jonathan O. Sanchez this season
Bonus Stat of the Day: Danny and I watched Will Clark, Shawon Dunston, and JT Snow pantomime and discuss Hector Sanchez’s swing. 10/10.
