Is Jake Peavy the New Marco Scutaro for the Giants?

Jake Peavy has been the sparkplug for this San Francisco Giants team in the final months of the 2014 MLB season.

Ever since he was acquired by the Giants, he has provided them with exactly what they needed when they acquired him. He provides them with stability in the starting rotation, he provides veteran leadership and playoff experience, and he provides energy. Also, his fierce loyalty to his teammates is unmatched.

Peavy has given the Giants the boost that they needed to make it into the postseason.

He has had a similar effect on this Giants team to another Giants player that was acquired at the trade deadline a couple years ago.

Oct 23, 2012; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants second baseman Marco Scutaro (19) during practice the day before game one of the 2012 World Series against the Detroit Tigers at AT&T Park. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

In 2012, the Giants made a splash at the MLB trade deadline, as they acquired Hunter Pence. However, they also made an under-the-radar type of move by acquiring Marco Scutaro, who actually impacted the Giants more during the regular season than Pence did.

After being traded from the Colorado Rockies to the Giants in 2012, Scutaro hit .362 with three home runs and 44 RBI in 61 games. His ability to put the ball in play (even with two strikes), to use the whole field, and to have a patient approach at the plate fit in perfectly in the second spot in the Giants’ lineup.

In the 2012 postseason, he hit .328 with eight RBI in 16 games. Of course, he was also named the NLCS MVP.

Given his immense success as the number two hitter behind Angel Pagan in 2012, Scutaro was given the nickname “Blockbuster” by his teammates.

Sergio Romo explained the nickname to Chris Haft of MLB.com after the Giants won the World Series in 2012.

"“He’s ‘Blockbuster’ for a reason,” Romo said of Scutaro, the second baseman who hit .362 with the Giants, including .400 (28-for-70) with runners in scoring position. “He had gotten so many big hits for us up to that point. It’s hard to lack faith in a man like that.”"

Peavy hasn’t received a nickname yet from his teammates, but he certainly has provided the Giants with a similar spark to the one that Scutaro provided in 2012.

The Giants’ trade for Peavy was somewhat under the radar (just like the trade for Scutaro), given the fact that other teams were acquiring bigger name pitchers at the trade deadline, such as the Oakland Athletics acquiring Jon Lester or the Detroit Tigers acquiring David Price.

The trade might have been “under the radar,” but Peavy, as mentioned before, provided the Giants with more depth and consistency in the starting rotation, which was much-needed.

Obviously, Peavy impacts the Giants differently as a starting pitcher than Scutaro did as a second baseman, but Peavy has certainly made a statement during his time donning the orange and black.

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Since being acquired from the Boston Red Sox, Peavy has posted a 2.17 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP along with 58 strikeouts and just 17 walks in 78.2 innings and 12 starts for the Giants this season. He also has a 2.1 WAR as a Giant.

In his start in Game 1 of the NLDS against the Washington Nationals on Friday, Peavy continued his dominance as a Giant. In 5.2 innings, Peavy gave up just two hits and no earned runs to a very talented Nationals starting lineup.

On the field, both Peavy and Scutaro have greatly contributed to the Giants’ success over the past few years. Peavy and Sctuaro dominate in different ways though.

Scutaro has a calm demeanor on and off the field. He has a goofy side to him and he got along with his teammates well, but when he’s on the field or in the batter’s box, he’s calm and collected.

Peavy, on the other hand, is a very emotional, intense player. He’s not afraid to scream at himself or the umpire, and he’s not afraid to scream with passion and excitement after a big strikeout or a big play. He has a bit of a temper, but he also brings a lot of energy in his starts.

Peavy and Scutaro go about their business differently, but both of these players have proven that they can come into a new situation with a new team and succeed. They can lead their team to success with their dominance on the field and their presence in the dugout.

The Peavy trade has proven to be another “blockbuster” trade for the Giants. Scutaro led the Giants to a World Series title in 2012. Can Peavy do the same for the Giants in 2014?

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