A Giant Headache

The unraveling of the Giants continues unabated. This was the first season in ages before which there wasn’t constant chatter about the weakness of the starting pitching. It was looking so good at the end of last season that no one questioned whether it was a mirage.

With Schmidt looking more hittable with each outing, Kirk Reuter looks like the staff stopper rather than the weak link. Schmidt did not make it out of the 4th yesterday, and now has an ERA of 4.71 and a WHIP of 1.571. Last year’s Cy Young Award contender is downright mediocre. It’s a reminder that you can never count on starting pitching, particularly from season to season.

With Tomko enduring his usual early season volatility, Lowry looking Little League hittable in one inning during every outing, and Jerome apparently completely lost down in Fresno, we can start to expect the revolving door to begin spinning for the prospects on the farm. Is there any question that we will see Matt Cain sooner than later? Certainly we’ll get Hennessey again, and presumably Foppert if he gets over his blister problems. It’s just stunning how the starting pitching, in fact all of the pitching, has just turned to crap. Meanwhile, the Giants are leading the league in runs without Mr. IBB. Now that’s the way I like my irony buttered.

Yesterday's Closer du Jour was Jeremy Accardo, up this past week from AA, and his first shot at a save was not auspicious. He opened with a 4 ball walk to Jeffrey Hammonds who shockingly has found a job in the majors. One wild pitch later he was in scoring position, and soon enough he was sitting in the Nats’ dugout as the tying run. And then the wheels came off.

There is no doubt, since Mr. Leaguer now has him, that Matt Herges is going to get his chance. There is talk that the Giants may give a shot to Brett Tomko, who can throw 95. That would certainly be good for the Pickled Ones, who have him with a 6X contract at only $5. That’s the best idea I’ve heard yet short of actually going out there and trading for a better answer. The answer is not in the bullpen now, and does not appear to be in the minors either, where we probably can expect to see Mr. Accardo any minute.

There was an interesting letter to the Sporting Green today making the point that Armando Benitez got injured because he was out of shape. He did look like his body had taken on a Beck-like profile. Do you think he works out his legs and stretches them before coming in? I couldn’t agree with the letter-writer more. That was one great contract drive he put on last year with the Marlins.

And yet, in the NL West, they can keep hanging around. And we’ll just keep waiting for Barry, which feels more like waiting for Godot. But, like the Busch Leaguers languishing in 11th place, it’s not the hitting. Ain’t predicting pitching a bitch?