Two Keys to the Second Half

I think we can all agree the Giants first half was breathtaking both in the quantity and quality of their winning and in the death struggle with the forces of evil, AKA the Dodgers.  If you are like me, you have more than a little angst about the second half.  Is it all a mirage?  Is the big collapse coming?  There were two events in the week leading up to the All-Star break that give me serious optimism going forward.  For all the struggles of the bullpen, I believe the biggest vulnerability is in the starting rotation, but that concern was abated by performances by Alex Wood LHP and Logan Webb RHP.  

Wood struggled with his command for much of June but seemed to be getting it back against the A's and D'Backs on 6/26/ and 7/2.  Then on 7/7 against the Cardinals he dropped a line of 7 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 6 's.  His cumulative line over his last 3 starts was 17.1 IP, 11 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 6 BB, 22 K's.  ERA= 2.08.  This bodes well for his second half with a major boost to the rotation as the rotation was starting to look like Gausman, DeSclafani and 3 bullpen games.

The other development was Logan Webb's 3 inning start coming of the IL.  3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K's.  Webb's stuff was still electric and he showed no signs of rust from the layoff.  There was a scare when he was scratched from a minor league start over the break but it turns out he's fine and the Giants just had a change in plans with Webb penciled in as the 5'th SP for the second half.  It's not clear if Johnny Cueto RHP  or Sammy Long LHP is the odd man out.  Most likely Long either goes back to Sacramento for more seasoning or becomes the long man in the bullpen.  LOL long man!  If Logan Webb is healthy and dealing, he is no 5'th SP.  He's an ace in the making and would also be a huge boost to the rotation.

Alex Wood's and Logan Webb's final appearances of the first half are the keys to the second have and the future is looking bright!