A pinch-hit, 2-run double by Wilmer Flores in the 7'th inning saved another scintillating pitching performance by Logan Webb from waste. Key Lines:
Wilmer Flores PH- 1 for 1, 2B, 2 RBI. BA= .256. This time bunting two runners over with no outs worked exactly like Melvin drew it up because he had Wilmer on the bench who PH for Christian Koss, who BTW had one of the Giants 4 other hits on the day. Wilmer got to two strikes but finally found a pitch he could handle and sent it down the 3B line into the corner to drive in the runners from 3'rd and 2'nd. That was the difference in the game.
Logan Webb RHP- 7 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 9 K's, 6/1 GO/AO. ERA= 2.49. This is the 8'th start for Webb in which he went at least 7 innings and allowed 2 runs or less. He has 4 other Quality Starts. He's on track for what could be his career season and he's already had some very good ones.
Camilo Doval RHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, Save(11). ERA= 1.59. No torture today as Randy Rodriguez RHP and Doval shut it down over the final two innings.
Wilmer's heroics notwithstanding, this lineup looks completely lost. To my eye, they take hittable pitches, swing at unhittable ones, consistently foul off fat pitches. Whatever hitting disease it is, rather than Rafael Devers fixing it, it's spread to him! Not sure what the answer is. I will bring up Willy Adames again. I'm no hitting coach but it looks to me like his front shoulder flies open on every swing. I remember once upon a time the Giants had a young slugger names Matt Williams who had not completely performed up to his potential. They got a first base coach named Bobby Bonds who made a motion of tucking his chin into his front shoulder before every pitch when Williams was batting to remind him to keep his shoulder tucked. And it worked! Williams turned into an absolute monster at the plate.
The Boston Red Sox are coming to town for what should be an inneresting series. Hayden Birdsong RHP faces Hunter Dobbins RHP in the opener tomorrow evening.
Perhaps it's again time for Kruk and Kuip to comment about hitting to the opposite field as a cure for hitting woes.
ReplyDeleteTop of the lineup:
ReplyDeleteYtY, Adames, Devers, Ramos, Smith: 1-16
Bottom of the line up:
Schmitt, Lee, Bailey, Koss: 3-9
Pinch hitter:
Flores: 1-1
To his credit, Devers did get the only hit by the first 5 batters in the lineup. He also got a walk.
Forever Giant Jakob Junis got 3 outs on 4 pitches to 2 batters.
Things will improve when Devers starts playing 1B. Flores can go back to being the regular DH and Smith can take a depth role. And there was a report that Luciano’s bat is showing signs of life … maybe try him as a platoon partner for Yaz? It couldn’t hurt at this point …
ReplyDelete