Sunday, July 17, 2011

Game Wrap 7/16/2011: Padres 11 Giants 3

This one was over before I had a chance to settle into my rocking chair to watch the game. It's disheartening to know your team has virtually no chance of winning from the first inning on, but in the bigger picture it's just one game. I'd rather have them lose a game like this once in awhile than lose 1-0. Now THAT is a game they need to win! Key Lines:

Miguel Tejada- 2 for 4, HR(4). BA= .243. Miggy T is hitting .361/.410/.583 in July. Crawford's D may not be enough to justify the current difference in offense.

Barry Zito- 3.2 IP, 7 H, 8 R, 4 BB, 3 K's. ERA= 4.78. I'll give Zito a mulligan here after the 3 games he gave us coming off the DL. The problem with Zeets is we all know he's perfectly capable of running off 4 or 5 starts in a row like this. After awhile, the fans and the team start to mentally check off his starts as losses which is never a good thing in so many ways. Looming issue: What to do when Sanchez comes off the DL.

Guillermo Mota- 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K's. ERA= 4.08. I know a lot of people consider Mota expendable, but this guy has saved the bullpen so many times, including one game where the Giants actually came back to win. I'm not sure where this team would be without that. Also not sure if dropping him to keep both Zito and Sanchez is the right call.

With the Loss, the Giants lead in the NL West shrunk to 3.5 games as the D'Backs edged the Dodgers 3-2 on a 3 run HR by recently called up Brandon Allen, the guy who probably should have been their starting first baseman from opening day. The Rockies lost to the BrewCrew 8-7 to remain 8.5 games back. The Dodgers loss kept them at 11.5 games off the pace while the Padres are 1 game less deep in the cellar at 13 games back.

Matt Cain takes the mound today facing Mat Latos. If Latos and his yap doesn't give this offense an incentive to unload, I don't know what would.

2 comments:

  1. Zito. Yes, he has some goodwill in the bank from those 3 previous starts. But it is just brutal being taken out of a game, completely and absolutely. It was a terrible effort for Zito. But, it happens.

    But what does not sit well with me is that Zito slowed up when covering first on the Maybin grounder, and Maybin was safe. Why?

    Barry, in case you're wondering what you're supposed to do, just watch what Mota did the next time Maybin was up. RUN to the bag, get an out.

    Seriously, can anyone explain why Zito slowed up? I know it's not an easy play. Was he afraid of contact with Maybin? Did he not know where the bag was?

    It just looked like he quit. I know it's just one play. Certainly not the determining play in the game. But, it just seems to sum Zito for me. Hard to get behind a guy who does that.

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  2. I have come to believe that Zito has lost just about all of his dignity. It is like when he is getting a whooping he just gives up. Just like yesterday and covering 1B and then Zito just goes through the motions.

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