Your 2018 Giants: His Name is Blach, Ty Blach

Ty Blach outduels Clayton Edward Kershow, as the Giants win 1-0 on a Joe Panik homer that sneaks past the homerun side of the foul pole, and relievers save the game - with Watson, after zero strikeouts in nearly 9 innings of spring baseball, striking out the side - and Strickland, the new interim closer, until Melancon comes back (whenever that may be), getting the save.


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The Ballad of Ty Blach

Many Giants fans knew of Ty's dominance of the Dodgers, but to believe that he could do it on Opening Day, in Dodger Stadium, in front of his family, who flew out to see him get another opening day start (apparently that's been a thing for him, the Mercury wrote an article on that), well, after all that has happened in the past week, would be too much to hope for.  And yet, here we are, in Ty's World.

I mean, he did throw that shutout when we needed it to make the playoffs in 2016, 8 innings of 3-hit ball, no runs, 6 K/1 BB.  Had a 2.33 ERA in his career.  Yet, only 2-2 against them in his career.

Up against the Giants Killer Kershaw, he of 22-9 record and stupendous career ERA of only 1.60 ERA.  And Ty hangs #10 on Kershaw today, pushing his record to 3-2, by shutting out the Dodgers in 5 innings.

Giants Beat on Non-Kershaws

I've been aware that during our golden era since 2010 that the Giants have been pretty good against the Dodgers, 79-70, with double digit wins in 5 of the 8 seasons, but while looking at Kershaw's dominance over the Giants, I realized that the Giants have beat up on the Dodgers when Kershaw was not in on the decision. 

Taking out his record from the past 8 seasons, which happens to also been the full seasons that Kershaw has pitched for the Dodgers, he made the majors the same time, roughly, as Bumgarner, the Giants have been 70-48 against the Dodgers when Kershaw did not get a decision in the game.  Even last season, when the Giants were down in the dumps, while Kershaw went 4-1 against the Giants, the rest of LA went only 7-7 against the Giants.  And from 2010-2017, the Giants have not yet had a losing record against the Dodgers when Kershaw did not get a decision in the game.

And his teammates reflected that vulnerability, as while Kershaw was 22-9 against the Giants, the Dodgers have been a good, but not as good, 25-14 in Kershaw starts, going 3-6 in his no decisions.  And in non-Kershaw LA games, the Giants have been 68-45, which is still roughly a .600 record.  Which, if we can keep up in the next three games, would mean the Giants go 2-1, for a 3-1 record to start the season.

Non-Blach Starters

IF they can keep it up.  Obviously, Holland, having spent his career in the AL, hasn't had much of a record.  His one and only start was back in 2009, in his first season in the majors, and he got bombed in a start in Texas.  As I've been noting, he's been good early on the past few seasons, so hopefully he can keep it up.

Cueto, being a vet, has had 17 starts, and a 6-8 record, but a great 3.44 ERA.  In Dodger Stadium, 4-5 record but 2.67 ERA there.  He'll be facing Alex Wood, 2-2, 5.35 ERA career record against the Giants, but last season, he had 18.0 IP with 18 K/2 BB, so he was dominating, though not enough as he only had a 4.00 ERA against us.  Should be a good game, but could go either way, though if Cueto can get close to 2.67 and Wood gets close to 4.00, the Giants should win.

Holland faces Maeda.  Maeda in 5 starts has a 5.56 ERA, but 3-1 record, in the past two seasons.  He did all his damage to us in 2016, but only recorded one appearance last season, giving up 4 runs in 3 innings, but escaped a loss.  He did have two good, one okay, and one bad start in 2016, but still, the Giants have beat him up in his last two starts.  Let's see if they make it three in a row, especially if Holland throws a good game.

Stratton gets to face the vet Rich Hill.  Stratton has a 6.75 ERA against the Dodgers, but 1-1 record in 2 starts, one relief appearance.  Hill has a 2.43 ERA over his long career, and it was even better the past two seasons with the Dodgers, especially in Dodger Stadium.  Stratton will have his hands full, so he will need to pitch like he did late last season and at times during spring, in order to beat Hill.  Hopefully the Giants can get him to throw enough pitches, and get enough hits, to get him out early, as the Dodgers have a very short leash with him, taking him out once he gets past 18 batters, and then take on their bullpen.

Go Giants!