The waiting game on Angel Pagan is getting old. After the Giants decided not to put their center fielder on the disabled list 12 days ago Pagan has not played a lick, as he is out of Bruce Bochy’s lineup for the 11th straight game. The Giants’ bench has been down a man, and was for a short time down two because of a foot injury to Pablo Sandoval that kept him out for three games. I know the Giants have played this injury safe, but wouldn’t the safe call have been to give him the two weeks anyway and make a roster move? Perplexing.
Speaking of Sandoval and his foot injury, the third baseman will bat fifth for the first time this season. In fact, tonight’s game will mark the first of Sandoval’s 2013 starts where he wasn’t the No. 3 hitter. A mainstay at that spot, Sandoval has taken almost 60 percent of his career plate appearances there. Panda’ recent struggles — 6 for his last 37 — coupled with Hunter Pence’s consistent season-long slash line of .290/.335/.494 made the move inevitable.
Andres Torres will hit leadoff for the fifth time this season, a nod to the fact that he has been much better recently than Gregor Blanco. The White Shark has had 10 cracks at the leadoff spot but has not produced, compiling a .267 OBP in those games. Torres has a season OBP of .315, lower than Blanco’s .320 season number. But Torres has posted a .342 mark since Pagan went down with an injury two Saturdays ago.
It was (wisely) pointed out by a commenter that Bochy plays the platoon matchup with Torres and Blanco in the leadoff spot based on the handedness of the opposing starting pitcher. When lefties like Patrick Corbin are on the mound, Torres gets to switch-hit himself on over to the right side of the plate. Blanco typically gets to face right handers. Torres’ recent success makes the platoon more advantageous.
Here’s the Giants’ lineup against LHP Patrick Corbin (9-0, 2.06 ERA):
LF Torres
2B Scutaro
RF Pence
C Posey
3B Sandoval
1B Belt
SS Crawford
CF Blanco
RHP Cain (4-3, 5.45 ERA)
Torres leading off is NOT a nod to his recent productivity.
With both Blanco and Torres playing, Bochy will and has always gone with the correct platoon at leadoff – – in this case Torres (switch hitter batting right) against the lefty Corbin. So you are incorrect!
It would be notable ONLY if Bochy had Torres leading off and batting left handed against a right handed pitcher which hasn’t happened yet!
I’m surprised at the lack of knowledge of your post considering you have a blog devoted to the Giants.
This is my first visit her, but dang! Cmon, man!
Clealry you (and Bruce Bochy) are smarter than me. I’ll keep an eye on this in the future. Thanks for reading, we aim to get better.
Bruce almost had the lineup right but I’d go
1-Torres
2-Scutaro
3-Posey
4-Pence
5-Sandoval
6-Crawford
7-Belt
8-Blanco
I think this order has the most chance for success, at least until Pagan returns…
Crawford and Belt seem interchangeable at this point. They both hit lots of doubles, but strike out a bit too much to be higher in the order. I think it does wonders for Belt’s confidence to be higher, Crawford never seems to lack self-esteem on the field or off.