One of my pet peeves about the media is that they bias their writing, which either influences the audience to feel a certain way, and/or caters to that stance. As usual, the Giants offense is good boy that gets punished.
One reporter notes, "Given eight innings against one of the league's worst bullpens, the Giants couldn't overcome a deficit..." It was 8-0 and they scored 5 runs in 8 innings. Even Murderer's Row Yankees rarely overcame an 8-0 deficit, though (had to count them) they had an amazing 35 games out of 152 where they scored 9 or more runs (not going to check how many 8 run deficits are overcome by a team). And that's a 5.63 ERA on the part of the bullpen, not exactly stellar.
Another newspaper similarly headlined that the Giants couldn't overcome Barry Zito's start, like that is the offense's fault.
They scored 5 runs, which is plenty enough to win most games. There aren't any team today that can regularly overcome an 8-0 deficit. Even the best offense would have trouble scoring 9 runs, while down 8 runs. The offense did well to do what they did. The headline should have been more about Zito's poor start exacerbated by poor defense, not about the offense not overcoming an 8-0 deficit.
The biggest comeback win this season was 6 runs in the NL. Only 47 of the 706 games played in the NL this season even had one team score 9 runs, let alone come back from an 8-0 deficit. The Giants offense did a great job coming back. At least the Chronicle acknowledged that, noting "never-say-die" spirit.
Giants Showing More Offensive Fight
That's what I've been saying since Matt Cained the D-backs with his 2-run double and broke up that doubleplay, the Giants have been showing a lot more fight, either winning the games or at least coming back despite being behind, though there have been plenty of games where they overcame deficits to win. Cain showed the offense how it's done, and he has won his last two starts because of the offense, not in spite of it, as he hasn't been quite the Cain we know and love.
This is the spirit a team needs to win their division and go deep into the playoffs. I'm still hoping that the May 12th game was the turning point for our team. So far, it has been.
I've seen a lot of fight since 2009. The 2011 team falling apart at the end was really sad, but despite the pop gun offense the 2009-11 teams have really competed.
ReplyDeleteI am enjoying Melky and Pagan. They play hard every inning. Hopefully Pagan's defensive woes will iron out, and hopefully Melky's bABIp will not iron out!
The mainstream media is incredibly slow at changing the status quo story. Almost defiantly so. The story is "terrible offense" so they'll fit the game recap to match that. I myself am very struck by the improvement in the offense. It's much much better. Scoring 5 runs in 8 innings is not freak occurrence, this team has it in them to do that.
ReplyDeleteAnd anyway, as I've posted here before, at this point in the season I look more at individual players than game-by-game. Every day is not the 7th game of the World Series, things will even out over time. Good signs in today's boxscore are exactly that, regardless of the final score.
And not to loop around, but the media attitude is clearly reflected in the Clemens trial. Syringes and cotton balls kept mixed up in a beer can for ten years? Seriously? This is valid evidence? Doesn't matter whether Clemens used or not, the pure farce is completely unacknowledged in the media. Because... it fits the dogged mindlessness of the steroid scare. They will embrace total absurdity rather than change the party line.
I too have been impressed with the offense. I dont see alot of power but the speed and contact is impressive. We also seem to have found a legit prototype leadoff man for at least the rest of the season in Blanco. His OBP has been as good as advertised. The problems that I have with the team has got to be the pitching/defense. I cant believe all of the errors and Timmy. I expected the Wilson injury, but I also see holes in the BP. Hopefully some good players will shake lose at the deadline and we'll improve the team. 2Bseems to be the first problem and 1B if Belt doesnt come aroung (I'm off the Huff wagon officially).
ReplyDeleteOGC - stumbled across a funny little stat while looking at Jonathon Mayo's blog... Here is the list of the latest a team has ever drafted in the draft, he brought it up because of the Angels this year:
ReplyDelete1) San Francisco – 132 in 2005
2) Tampa Bay – 132 in 1998
3) Seattle – 116 in 2000
4) L.A. Angels — 114 in 2012
5) Houston – 111 in 2007
6) NY Yankees – 105 in 1988
7) Arizona – 103 in 1998
8) Boston – 102 in 1978
9) St. Louis – 102 in 2002
10) NY Yankees – 99 in 1980
11) Baltimore – 99 in 1985
12) Kansas City – 98 in 1990
13) NY Yankees – 93 in 1983
14) Seattle – 93 in 2004
15) L.A. Dodgers – 91 in 1991
16) Detroit – 91 in 2012
Now the Angels signed the best player (supposed, its not looking good early) in the game, and CJ Wilson. The Giants in that draft took Omar Visquel early, Mike Matheney on an overbid, and Benitiez to boot. I'm sorry, it just outrages me every time I look at it, because the 2005 draft is legendary.
I promise I'll stop talking about it in 2015. Ten years and it becomes ancient history. That is no way to run a ballclub.
Link:http://minors.mlblogs.com/