It was a familar scene in the Tampa Bay area as Robbie Ray LHP made a Quality Start but the Giants lineup was shut out for the 7'th time in 32 games this season. In case you wonder if that's a lot of shut outs, they are on a pace to set some sort of all time season record for being on the receiving end of shut outs. How's that? Shane McClanahan LHP scattered 6 hits and was helped by two GIDP's and another coaching error at 3B by Hector Borg who this time erred on the side of aggressiveness and got Luis Arraez 2B thrown out trying to stretch his double. The Giants once again drew no walks so 4 Rays pitchers faced just 3 batters over the minimum.
As we enter the second month of the season, not only is there no end in sight to the hitting futility, the cracks are starting to show in the clubhouse. A frustrated Robbie Ray said maybe there needs to be more of a sense of urgency. Tony Vitello came to the defense of his hitters by saying there is urgency behind the scenes but Robbie Ray is not in those meetings, but he understands where Robbie is coming from. Vitello used the old barbed wire analogy about how when you are caught in it, urgency can pull you in the wrong direction(I hadn't heard that one before but he does have a point).
I'm like Tony Vitello in that I am running out of fixes to propose. When half the lineup is routinely failing to register 4 PA's, it's hard to say a different batting order or replacing one or two players is going to make a significant difference. One thing that seems clear to me is some of this is by design and the barbed wire analogy does fit. The Giants are overcompensating for last years strikeouts by swinging at more pitches earlier in counts and the cost is fewer walks and less power.
There is a reason why OPS became THE stat of the Moneyball Era. Yes, I know there are other, newer stats but for all practical purposes it's the best predictor of run production out there. And yes, I know Oracle Park plays different than other parks but if you are going to try to win with a high contact approach, you must have great pitching, cannot make mistakes, must steal some bases and must successfully play some "small ball".
Landen Roupp RHP tries to stop the 4-game losing streak today facing Griffin Jax RHP who comes in with a 6.35 ERA.
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