[Mick]

Craig never had great starting pitching for Giants. Bochy did. That’s why Bochy won WS and Craig didn’t.

I used to cringe when the Giants would grab guys off the scrap heap and put them in their rotation. Rick Reuchel, Don Robinson, and John Burkett were not Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, or Mad Bum by a long shot.

Rick Reuschel was far from the “scrap heap”. He won 215 games.  Started ‘89 AS game.  Although Bo greeted him with about a 475 foot HR to straight away CF.

Robinson was also a solid Giant.  Burkett won 22 games in 93 for Dusty.  Came through the system. Not off the scrap heap. 

Giants had third best team ERA in baseball in ‘89.

They had the third best team ERA in baseball in 1986, Craig's first year managing, then they had the best ERA in MLB in 1987 at 3.68, just ahead of the Dodgers' 3.72. Downs, Hammaker, LaCoss, Garrelts, Krukow, Dravecky, and a cast of thousands. Of the 20 pitchers who pitched for the Giants that year, only one had an ERA over 4.50 (Krukow, at 4.80). For the rest of Craig's tenure, they were 5th, 6th, then 19th, 18th, and 11th in his final season.

IIRC, Roger Craig was a pitching guru who mastered instruction of the sinker.

Incidentally, he managed seven seasons for the Giants. He came in on the heels of the Giants' worst season ever, 62-100, then improved the record by 21 wins to 83-79. His first five full seasons were all winning seasons, with two playoffs seasons in 1987 and 1989...which was the first Giants' pennant in 27 years.

[Mick]

Craig never had great starting pitching for Giants. Bochy did. That’s why Bochy won WS and Craig didn’t.

I used to cringe when the Giants would grab guys off the scrap heap and put them in their rotation. Rick Reuchel, Don Robinson, and John Burkett were not Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, or Mad Bum by a long shot.

Rick Reuschel was far from the “scrap heap”. He won 215 games.  Started ‘89 AS game.  Although Bo greeted him with about a 475 foot HR to straight away CF.

Robinson was also a solid Giant.  Burkett won 22 games in 93 for Dusty.  Came through the system. Not off the scrap heap. 

Giants had third best team ERA in baseball in ‘89.

They had the third best team ERA in baseball in 1986, Craig's first year managing, then they had the best ERA in MLB in 1987 at 3.68, just ahead of the Dodgers' 3.72. Downs, Hammaker, LaCoss, Garrelts, Krukow, Dravecky, and a cast of thousands. Of the 20 pitchers who pitched for the Giants that year, only one had an ERA over 4.50 (Krukow, at 4.80). For the rest of Craig's tenure, they were 5th, 6th, then 19th, 18th, and 11th in his final season.

IIRC, Roger Craig was a pitching guru who mastered instruction of the sinker.

Incidentally, he managed seven seasons for the Giants. He came in on the heels of the Giants' worst season ever, 62-100, then improved the record by 21 wins to 83-79. His first five full seasons were all winning seasons, with two playoffs seasons in 1987 and 1989...which was the first Giants' pennant in 27 years.