Crying Uncle

I made it out to the Giants-Marlins getaway game on Sunday. The best thing I can say was that it was a beautiful day, and I got to sit in a great seat (FC 119, Row H behind the screen) thanks to my buddy Ray. From that vantage point I watched the Giants move to 13 under .500 in a game they never really looked like they would win despite the relatively close score of 4-1.

Correia gave up only five hits in 6-1/3 innings, but 3 of those hits were no-doubter jimmy jacks. The second was the best hit ball of the day, by winning pitcher AJ Burnett, and absolute blast 20 rows deep into the left field bleachers. This was only Burnett’s 4th hit of the season, and I suspect was the best he ever hit a ball in his life. It was a classic Tomko-like, Lowry-like moment, with Correia dominating except for a few isolated moments which just wrecks a team ERA. Of course, it was a much better effort than Hennessey gave us on Saturday (4.1 IP, 9H, 4BB, 8 ER) or renewed starter Rueter gave us following Hennessey on Saturday (3.1IP, 8H, 3BB, 7 ER), so I guess Correia’s kept his spot in the rotation for the moment.

So they are 13 under .500, but they are only 7 games out of 1st. What an ugly division. Despite it all, with the trade deadline bearing down on us, let me make this clear to Brian Sabean (I’m sure he’s a regular here at Sour Grapes): the team sucks. Sell. Sell it all. Alfonso. Durham. Tomko. There are buyers out there for them. Let’s try again next year.

Yes, it’s official. I’m crying uncle. I can’t take it anymore, and I refuse to consider them a legitimate contender, no matter how many more games the Padres lose this week. They can’t hit, they can’t pitch, they can’t run. OK, they’ve got a great fielding shortstop, but when you stick Alex Sanchez out in centerfield, it’s obvious the team doesn’t care much about defense. Keep Schmidt and Alou for next year, and trade anyone else over the age of 27 that any team will take. Bring the kids up from AAA (Cain and Linden) and AA (Valdez, he of the 32 ERA in the majors) and let’s at least get some entertainment (plus let’s make their owners activate them this year, heh, heh.

It’s not all about Barry. What an incredible overestimation of this team. The starting rotation has sucked enough that you’ve got to figure Rags is at big-time risk. Everyone thought that the starters looked so good last September that all focus could be on improving the rest of the team. Didn’t exactly work that way. Remember how Tomko was just mowing them down last fall? The way Lowry was getting called third strikes on his change-up? The way Rueter didn’t give up 7 runs in 3 innings every time out? The way Schmidt’s average fastball was 95 and how he could muscle up to 97? How fast it all changed.

Forget about Benitez’s injury. How many times has Tyler Walker blown a save? Yeah, a few, but would you be surprised to know that he has the 4th best ERA on the team of any pitcher that has pitched for the Giants this year? The reality is Benitez wasn’t pitching all that well, but even if he was, the Giants aren’t putting the ball in the closer’s hand often enough, thanks primarily to the starting staff.

And what a bunch of weenie hitters. Mike Matheny is 2nd on the team in RBI’s. That’s not a good thing. Noah Lowry is 6th in Batting Average. Remember when Felipe showed up and they added Alfonso and Durham and the plan was they were going to load the bases with base runners? We need a little more Earl Weaver.

At the game, I find myself looking to see how the A’s are doing. What a great story. They are now tied for the wild card. Billy Beane, who gave away his secrets, still proves that it’s all about judging talent. Do you think he’d ever have Marquis Grissom (yeah, great clubhouse guy) on his team? Or Michael Tucker? I just wish they didn’t have a DH.

Speaking of DH, I’ve got two things for you. First, what the hell happened to Jason Giambi? Is this turn around for real? Didn’t we all write him off? Didn’t we think it was all due to steroids? Maybe he actually has some talent after all.

And finally, for you reality TV fans out there, Jose Canseco is living in the house on the Surreal Life on VH1. So far he looks to be about the only semi-normal guy in a house of assholes. And I’ve learned that taking steroids has not helped his bowling.