Alex Cobb RHP was electric for 5 innings and the Giants took a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the 9'th inning which the Fox broadcast team said "felt insurmountable" only to suffer another bullpen failure and a crushing come-from-ahead loss in 10 innings.
Cobb's pitching line: 5 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 7 K's. ERA= 3.81. Cobb's ERA over his last 15 starts is 3.27. He is signed through next season which is looking like a great deal for the Giants.
The Giants offense mustered just 4 hits in the game with Joey Bart C having the only XBH. His double in the 5'th inning set up a SF by Tommy La Stella DH. It would have driven in a run but Austin Slater CF, who led off the inning with a walk got picked off 1B. Is it just me or have Giants baserunners been picked off a lot this season?
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Churn Watch:
Luis Gonzalez LF was recalled from AAA Sacramento before the game and Bryce Johnson OF was optioned back to AAA.
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We had a vigorous discussion after yesterday's Game Wrap which I greatly appreciate. Theseus mentioned that Zack Wheeler RHP is back on the IL and comped Alex Wood LHP's career favorably to Wheeler's. That reactivated a thought I have had for awhile now that in this day of "five and dive" starts, an "ace" pitcher might not have as much impact on team wins as we tend to think. I looked at the team W-L record for each of the Giants SP's this season. Here is what I found:
Carlos Rodon:
Pitcher W-L= 12-6. ERA= 2.81. 5.9 IP/Start. Team W-L= 12-13.
Logan Webb:
Pitcher W-L= 11-7. ERA= 3.33. 6.1 IP/Start. Team W-L= 14-12.
Alex Wood:
Pitcher W-L= 8-11. ERA= 5.00, 5.0 IP/Start. Team W-L= 12-13.
Alex Cobb:
Pitcher W-L= 4-6. ERA= 3.81. 5.2 IP/Start. Team W-L= 7-14.
Jake Junis:
Pitcher W-L= 4-3. ERA= 3.58. 5.1 IP/Start. Team W-L= 8-5.
Conclusion: It's nice to have a SP like Carlos Rodon but probably not worth a 7 figure contract. Bullpen depth is now the name of the game. FZ might be smarter to invest that money in upgrading the bullpen.
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Jake Junis RHP gets the start today as the Giants try to stave off a sweep facing former not-forever Giant Aaron Sanchez RHP.
Hi Doc, having become a fan in the era when most teams had their big 4 starters and the closer would often work 3 innings for a save this modern trend of the bullpen game has taken some getting used to, but I do see your point about the lack of cost effectiveness of the 7 figure starting pitcher. I do see one situation in which having an ace or aces would give a team an advantage and that is in the post season. When every game is pretty much a must win game it is a major advantage to have a pitcher who is a good bet to shut down the opponent and not have to rely on the offense and the bullpen. I think the teams that shell out the big bucks for a Scherzer or Verlander type are thinking about this even more so than the regular season performances.
ReplyDeleteAgree.
DeleteWhy not use WAR or a similar stat to answer this question?
ReplyDeleteNo reason. WAR is probably a better measure. I just thought this might be an interesting alternative way to look at it.
DeleteGonzales could have cost the Giants last night with atrocious base running (again) but Leone bailed him out.
ReplyDeleteThe 'pen gets the blame but the hitting is the shame:
Twice they get 3 runners on base in an inning and deliver with 1-out sac flies rather than putting a crooked number on the board.
Box score says 1-6 with RISP but the hit only moved the runner from 2nd to 3rd to set up the sac fly.
Two treats are thwarted by base running boo-boos. Slater didn't look like someone who went to Stanford by getting picked off flatfooted!
Not to let Doval and Leone off the hook, but is it any wonder that the 'pen gets burned when they have no margin?
Solution: Score some freakin' runs!
Agreed, It drives me crazy seeing some of these base running errors at the major league level. Agree, I saw somewhere that since the all star break, the Giants rank 4th from the bottom of the league in scoring. The pitchers have no margin for error every game.
Delete