MLB, Team News / Analysis, Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers
Since the All-star break, Posey has become the top player in baseball. Not only is he superb behind the plate for a unique starting staff, his offense has ballooned over the last month of play. His numbers since the break are staggering: .464 batting average, 8 homeruns and 30 RBI. He is also riding an 11-game hit streak. This recent stretch has boosted his overall batting average to .328 while he leads the team with 18 homeruns (matching his career high) and 73 RBI. Yes, the Dodgers have Matt Kemp on the opposite end, but he, nor anyone else in the MLB for that matter, is hitting like Buster currently is. He has homered in five of his last six games and if he is to continue at this pace, the Giants have absolutely nothing to worry about.
One other factor is the current absence of Pablo Sandoval in the Giants lineup as he is attempting to return this weekend from a strained hamstring. Once he returns, this lineup will be that much more potent. With Melky Cabrera leading the MLB in hits and ranking second in batting average, the Giants have the capability of getting on base unlike in years past, which will allow them to compete in any game.
The one question is the survival of the bullpen. Without closer Brian Wilson, Santiago Casilla has struggled to hold down the fort. After beginning the season as one of the top closers in baseball, he has since struggled, blowing four out of seven saves in July while posting a 6.23 ERA. The Giants have elected to go with a closer-by-committee now with Casilla resting a blister on his throwing hand. Jeremy Affeldt and Sergio Romo will handle the closing duties depending on the matchup.
Tim Lincecum has also regained some semblance of his game recently, pitching three quality starts in his last four outings. In his last three wins, he has given up only four runs over the span of 20 innings. If he returns from a forgettable first half, this team will be unstoppable as the rest of the pitching staff has held up their end all season.
8/15/12 | ML31 | 3529 respect
BTW... Count me as someone who does not think 6 innings and 3 runs is "quality". To me, a quality start is 7 innings and 2 or less runs. 6 & 3 is merely adequate.
8/15/12 | ML31 | 3529 respect
No. Cheating is running from 1st to 3rd via the pitchers mound. Cheating is framing a pitch trying to get an umpire to call a strike what you KNOW is a ball. Cheating is knowing you trapped the ball and then acting like you caught it on the fly, hoping to fake out the umpire. But testosterone? That's not cheating any more than drinking a 5 hour energy drink is. Is Red Bull on the banned substance list, too?
But you are correct on one thing... This team is not deep and needs ALL players contributing to be good. At least on offense. Without Melky... It doesn't look good.
8/15/12 | derms33 | 17300 respect
Cabrera is a CHEATER....SF going nowhere!
8/12/12 | jaysinw | 4677 respect
But from the get-go it was the Dodgers to lose?! I cant agree with that...just because they came charging out of the gates and had the best record in baseball after 40 games doesnt mean it was their division to lose. Arizona took it last season...and the Giants were playing without Buster Posey for the year after they took the Series the year prior.
And yes, Posey is the best player in baseball over the last month -- and a true MVP candidate. The Dodgers and Giants will most likely fight to the finish - but the Dodgers also have a tougher schedule remaining and the Giants are anticipating the return of the Kung Fu Panda will only add to their recent offensive surge.
I agree nowadays people fans and players lower the standards for what a quality start is. Yes Crawford has shown why and I would stand by him for the runs and hits he saves during a game. Lincecum has pitched better of late not the quality starts you would be looking from him, his pitched count is high and goes deep into the count. Still he has gotten better.
It was not just Posey being out for the season on why the D-backs won the West last season, I will give it to the Giants they played like a team and hit and defense came alive when they won it in 2010. The Dodgers came out playing the same way this season and then started to tailor off a little but they still have enough for the season. So it is theirs to lose more then the Giants to me.
I am saying I am not sure Posey will stay hot to the end of the season and with the NL West being so weak it will be a fight to the finish between the Dodgers and Giants.
Kung Fu Panda issue has been every year his weight so we do not know what shape he will be in when he gets back. When he is on no deny he is good but if the weight is there he is no where close to the same player. We will see how all this plays out.
8/10/12 |
AJ_88
|
147 respect
Buster is up there still he may not be able to keep it up, having the hottest hitter does mean you are going to win a division or even say it is yours to lose, (Ask Ichrio when he was on top, how many they one) The West is really a weak division and from the get go it ways the Dodgers to lose.
The defense has picked up lately...Crawford especially is continuing to show why he starts at shortstop despite his .239 batting average. The definition of a quality start nowadays is six innings while giving up three runs or less...and Lincecum has been able to do that 3/4 starts. Timmy is beginning to look like the guy everyone expects to see when he hits the mound...beginning to look like - not completely just yet.
But from the get-go it was the Dodgers to lose?! I cant agree with that...just because they came charging out of the gates and had the best record in baseball after 40 games doesnt mean it was their division to lose. Arizona took it last season...and the Giants were playing without Buster Posey for the year after they took the Series the year prior.
And yes, Posey is the best player in baseball over the last month -- and a true MVP candidate. The Dodgers and Giants will most likely fight to the finish - but the Dodgers also have a tougher schedule remaining and the Giants are anticipating the return of the Kung Fu Panda will only add to their recent offensive surge.
8/9/12 | jaysinw | 4677 respect
I would not say Lincecum had 3 out of four quality starts seeing how he made it only to the 7thinning twice. I know we are in an age where people want 5 good innings and 6 is great, but really giving up 4 fours in 20 innings while giving up 21 hits and 8 walks is not really a quality start. Yes he had 16 strike outs, for those games he is throwing a lot of pitches. Lets give the defense some credit for playing really good behind him, they save more runs.
Buster is up there still he may not be able to keep it up, having the hottest hitter does mean you are going to win a division or even say it is yours to lose, (Ask Ichrio when he was on top, how many they one) The West is really a weak division and from the get go it ways the Dodgers to lose.