The Giants Are Bad - But Not Little League Bad
All this week, the Giants have been in a virtual tie with the Pirates for worst record in the league. Only Tampa Bay has a worse record. This has been a truly awful season for the Giants, with an exception of one area. They've been bad, but not Little League bad.
I've experienced Bay Area baseball since 1970, and have endured some really bad Giants and A's teams. The late 70's A's and mid 80's Giants were especially horrid. And there's something that all really bad teams usually have in common that isn't present this year. This year's team lacks the mindless, brain failure level of play. Sure, forget gasoline, the bullpen is rocket fuel to the fire. The lineup is anemic. They don't score for Matt Cain.
But they don't end up in a double play because three runners find themselves on the same base and two of them are tagged out. Runners aren't passing each other on the base paths or running the wrong way. The other team's bunt to move the runners over hasn't turned into a little league home run because there were three throwing errors on the same play, two by the same player. Wild pitches aren't scoring runners from first base with the batter reaching third because it was ball four. Three players aren't colliding trying to catch the ball with extra bases taken because there are no infielders left to cover the bases. Armando Benitez did have a few reality checks, but he's gone now. We're simply stuck with veterans who can no longer play.
I've experienced Bay Area baseball since 1970, and have endured some really bad Giants and A's teams. The late 70's A's and mid 80's Giants were especially horrid. And there's something that all really bad teams usually have in common that isn't present this year. This year's team lacks the mindless, brain failure level of play. Sure, forget gasoline, the bullpen is rocket fuel to the fire. The lineup is anemic. They don't score for Matt Cain.
But they don't end up in a double play because three runners find themselves on the same base and two of them are tagged out. Runners aren't passing each other on the base paths or running the wrong way. The other team's bunt to move the runners over hasn't turned into a little league home run because there were three throwing errors on the same play, two by the same player. Wild pitches aren't scoring runners from first base with the batter reaching third because it was ball four. Three players aren't colliding trying to catch the ball with extra bases taken because there are no infielders left to cover the bases. Armando Benitez did have a few reality checks, but he's gone now. We're simply stuck with veterans who can no longer play.
Labels: Giants
posted by Steve Scott at 10:47 PM
1 Comments:
Oh it hurts how bad they are this year. If my memory has it correct, the Giants were really bad in the mid 80's but then by '87 they were league winners. We can only hope (and we should probally pray) that this year is a stepping stone for a great year soon to come. We do feel better now that Armando is gone.
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