San Francisco Giants Look Nothing Like World Champions
By Eric He
Jun 17, 2013; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Barry Zito (75) hands the ball to manager Bruce Bochy (15) after being taken against the San Diego Padres during the sixth inning at AT
It’s hard to imagine the thoughts that are going through Bruce Bochy’s head at the moment.
Mired in a six-game losing streak — their worst in three seasons — the San Francisco Giants look lost at the plate, in the field, and on the mound.
They have lost eight of their last nine games, starting with a dismal home series against the MLB-worst Marlins that saw Miami take three games out of four.
Then, a sweep at the hands of the surging Los Angeles Dodgers, who are suddenly just a game back of the Giants in the NL West. The Dodgers frustrated the Giants throughout the series, from Matt Kemp’s game-saving catch to spoiling Tim Lincecum’s solid outing in the final game with a three-run six inning.
Now, two more losses in Colorado against the Rockies, with yet another disappointment on Saturday when Matt Cain’s spectacular pitching performance was wasted when the offense couldn’t figure out how to score more than one run in the liveliest ballpark in baseball.
This Giants team looks nothing like the team that paraded down Market Street just eight months ago, fresh off a dominant sweep of the Detroit Tigers to win their second World Series title in three years.
Their pitching, which, to say the least, is their backbone to success, has uncharacteristically struggled in 2013. A 4.05 team ERA can attest to that. Not a single starter has been consistent thus far, and their bullpen looks taxed and worn out as a result.
Their defense has not helped out either, as the Giants are tied for the second-lowest fielding percentage in the NL. They have committed 58 errors, tied with the Cubs for third-most.
Their hitting, which has been one of their bright spots overall this season, has suddenly quit on them.
Leadoff hitter Angel Pagan will be out until September after undergoing surgery to repair his hamstring tendon. Pablo Sandoval, since returning from injury, looks even more overweight and is hitting like it as well. Hunter Pence is playing like he was last season, swinging at everything and anything. Gregor Blanco, filling in for Pagan at leadoff, has cooled off considerably and now looks like the career utility player that he is. Even Marco Scutaro, Mr. Consistency, recently hurt his finger and has just three hits in his last 20 at-bats.
It’s hard to believe that these Giants, with a record of 38-42, are the defending World Series champions, who took on the heavily-favorited Tigers in the Fall Classic in 2012 and out-played them in nearly every single facet of the game.
While most of the roster returned from last year, it would be hard-pressed to find many similarities between this year’s team and last year’s championship squad.
The Giants are not playing with the “championship swagger” that they should have, and even teams like the Marlins are relishing in defeating the World Champs.
“World Champs”…that just sounds strange, because right now, the Giants look nothing like World Champs.