Thursday, June 23, 2016

Game Wrap 6/23/2016: Giants 5 Pirates 3

Joe Panik drove in 3 runs with a bases-clearing triple and Mac Williamson had a breakout game including a mammoth HR while Albert Suarez and the bullpen held the Pirates offense in check.  Key Lines:

Joe Panik- 1 for 4, 3B.  BA= .259.  Panik hit just .188 on the 7 game road trip, but made the most of it with 10 RBI's and 5 Runs scored.  He had 4 game-winning hits on the trip which did not include this 3 run triple.

Mac Williamson RF- 3 for 4, HR(2).  BA= .243.  Mac has been on base 7 of 9 PA since his most recent callup.  He drove in Panik from 3B on a single and then hit a mammoth HR with an exit velocity of 108 MPH.  No disrespect to Jarrett Parker, but I think it's only a matter of time before Mac is the Giants starting LF and for a long time.  It's downright scary to think of what this lineup could do with Big Mac's power added to the mix.

Ramiro Pena- 2 for 4.  BA= .471.  Pena spelled Crawford on getaway day and got 2 more hits.

Jarrett Parker- 1 for 3, BB.  BA= .273.  Parker continues to make significant contributions.  I see him as more of a 4'th OF in the future.

Albert Suarez- 5 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K's.  ERA= 3.68.  Suarez has been amazingly consistent. In 4 starts, he has gone 5 IP with 3 R, 6.1 IP with 3 R, 2 ER, 4.2 IP with 3 R and 5 IP with 3 R, 2 ER.  He also has a relief appearance with 3 R in 5 IP and another with 2 R in 4.2 IP.  You can't have a rotation of his type of pitcher, but as a 5'th starter, it's good enough, at least until Cain can get back healthy.

Bullpen- 4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K's.  Another shutdown job by the bullpen with 4 pitchers contributing, Kontos, Strickland, Gearrin and Casilla with Casilla earning his 16'th Save and striking out the side in the 9'th inning.

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The Giants complete a 7 game road trip with a 6-1 record.  They have won 11 of their last 12 games.  The Giants also have as many Wins as the Cubs although the Cubbies have 3 fewer losses.  The Giants also gain 0.5 games on the Dodgers in the NL West and now lead the division by 6 games.

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I am sure the flight home was a happy one.  The Giants start a weekend home series against the Phillies with Jake Peavy facing Zack Eflin.

5 comments:

  1. I think it is highly likely that Suarez throws significantly more innings than Cain this season. Further, Suarez will have a better ERA, a lower WHIP, strike out more hitters and win more games. Matt Cain has been a great Giant. He was a true workhorse, but the arm is not responding, and now he has chronic hamstring trouble.

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    1. Not saying you are wrong about the innings, but Cain's arm was doing just fine for about 4 games prior to the hammy strain.

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    2. Yeah Scott, it's clear as day that Cain's problems are now not the arm. He's got a case of the Pagans as I call it. Without legs pitchers have nothing. Suarez proves there is no other system in MLB that scouts and builds up a pitcher better than ours.

      Dr B. I feel everyone is falling in love too much with MacWill (he'll get a nickname soon enough). I get that people love power but I still feel that Parker is the better player. Day to day Parker is more of the player this team needs which is gap-to-gap. Since our yard is so hard to hit bombs yet 2B & triples more prominent, Parker seems to more fit for AT&T hitting. Both guys need to get better at defense but Parker to me has more sneaky power and can jack them just as easy as MacWill.

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    3. Righthanded power plays better in AT&R plus the rest of the lineup is lefty heavy. I also believe Mac's power ceiling is higher(30+ HR/season) vs Parker's(about 20 HR/season). Mac strikes out a lot but his K rate is about 10% less than Parker's which to mean gives him a higher BA ceiling too.

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