[lex24]

So we go out and commit an additional $400 million to free agent talent. We get two of Boras' best (Chapman and Cy Young winner Snell), we get a prior Cy Young winner (Ray), we get the best-ever player from Korea (Lee). We get former Gold Glove winner Nick Ahmed. We get 30 HR hitter Soler. We get Tom Murphy, a solid backup catcher, and Curt Casali returns as another backup catcher. We get Jordan Hicks who, at worst, will be a capable long reliever (and has turned into an excellent starter). We were supposed to have All-Star Cobb back. We get Stanford's Erik Miller. We get Mr. Rodriguez. We deep-six the former manager and get the manager that almost everyone wants, former Giant/Old Blue Bob Melvin. We get former Giant stud at 3BC, Matt Williams. We get former manager Pierce as pitching coach. We get former 1st overall pick Pat Burrell as hitting coach. 

That sounds like a lot of good news.

Last year at this time, we were +11, 44-33. This year, we're -5 at 36-41, the third worst record in the NL and 2.5 games behind the last wild card slot. That's an eight game outcome swing over the first 77 games. That's, um...hard to do, even if you're not trying hard. And we know they're trying hard.

Before the Giants signed $400 mms. worth of talent, I thought they would win 75.  With all that talent, I thought they could win more than 90.  Not looking too good. There's 85 games left for them to turn it around. It can happen, but they need to get going NOW.

Well, to quote Herb Caen “ The Giants look good this year on paper.  Too bad they play on grass.”

---

So we go out and commit an additional $400 million to free agent talent. We get two of Boras' best (Chapman and Cy Young winner Snell), we get a prior Cy Young winner (Ray), we get the best-ever player from Korea (Lee). We get former Gold Glove winner Nick Ahmed. We get 30 HR hitter Soler. We get Tom Murphy, a solid backup catcher, and Curt Casali returns as another backup catcher. We get Jordan Hicks who, at worst, will be a capable long reliever (and has turned into an excellent starter). We were supposed to have All-Star Cobb back. We get Stanford's Erik Miller. We get Mr. Rodriguez. We deep-six the former manager and get the manager that almost everyone wants, former Giant/Old Blue Bob Melvin. We get former Giant stud at 3BC, Matt Williams. We get former manager Pierce as pitching coach. We get former 1st overall pick Pat Burrell as hitting coach. 

That sounds like a lot of good news.

Last year at this time, we were +11, 44-33. This year, we're -5 at 36-41, the third worst record in the NL and 2.5 games behind the last wild card slot. That's an eight game outcome swing over the first 77 games. That's, um...hard to do, even if you're not trying hard. And we know they're trying hard.

Before the Giants signed $400 mms. worth of talent, I thought they would win 75.  With all that talent, I thought they could win more than 90.  Not looking too good. There's 85 games left for them to turn it around. It can happen, but they need to get going NOW.

IMO, the problem can be summed up thusly - SS has been a black hole, starting pitching has been awful and the bullpen has been worked to exhaustion.  That equals a .500 club (at best).  

The good news - the long term prognosis is still very good.  Ramos has been a revelation, I still have high hopes for Luciano (if they can find a position for him to play), the pitching depth in the farm system looks very promising and the bullpen should be fine (if the starters don’t cause them to be overworked).

2B hasn't done us any favor. Our collective 2B WAR (24th in MLB) is actually worse than SS (22nd in MLB). Relief pitching (24th in MLB) is bad, starting pitching is worse (27th in MLB WAR) and overall pitching is 28th in WAR. Giants pitching is 25th in runs per game allowed, but 10th in FIP, so...limited good news.

 You left out that the  Giants are last in the league in stolen bases and also last in number of stolen bases given up. The differential between the two is something around 60. Teams are running wild on the Giants. That falls on Melvin and his coaching staff. At least the stolen bases against. The team has no speed so it’s understandable why they don’t run.

[lex24]

So we go out and commit an additional $400 million to free agent talent. We get two of Boras' best (Chapman and Cy Young winner Snell), we get a prior Cy Young winner (Ray), we get the best-ever player from Korea (Lee). We get former Gold Glove winner Nick Ahmed. We get 30 HR hitter Soler. We get Tom Murphy, a solid backup catcher, and Curt Casali returns as another backup catcher. We get Jordan Hicks who, at worst, will be a capable long reliever (and has turned into an excellent starter). We were supposed to have All-Star Cobb back. We get Stanford's Erik Miller. We get Mr. Rodriguez. We deep-six the former manager and get the manager that almost everyone wants, former Giant/Old Blue Bob Melvin. We get former Giant stud at 3BC, Matt Williams. We get former manager Pierce as pitching coach. We get former 1st overall pick Pat Burrell as hitting coach. 

That sounds like a lot of good news.

Last year at this time, we were +11, 44-33. This year, we're -5 at 36-41, the third worst record in the NL and 2.5 games behind the last wild card slot. That's an eight game outcome swing over the first 77 games. That's, um...hard to do, even if you're not trying hard. And we know they're trying hard.

Before the Giants signed $400 mms. worth of talent, I thought they would win 75.  With all that talent, I thought they could win more than 90.  Not looking too good. There's 85 games left for them to turn it around. It can happen, but they need to get going NOW.

Well, to quote Herb Caen “ The Giants look good this year on paper.  Too bad they play on grass.”

---

So we go out and commit an additional $400 million to free agent talent. We get two of Boras' best (Chapman and Cy Young winner Snell), we get a prior Cy Young winner (Ray), we get the best-ever player from Korea (Lee). We get former Gold Glove winner Nick Ahmed. We get 30 HR hitter Soler. We get Tom Murphy, a solid backup catcher, and Curt Casali returns as another backup catcher. We get Jordan Hicks who, at worst, will be a capable long reliever (and has turned into an excellent starter). We were supposed to have All-Star Cobb back. We get Stanford's Erik Miller. We get Mr. Rodriguez. We deep-six the former manager and get the manager that almost everyone wants, former Giant/Old Blue Bob Melvin. We get former Giant stud at 3BC, Matt Williams. We get former manager Pierce as pitching coach. We get former 1st overall pick Pat Burrell as hitting coach. 

That sounds like a lot of good news.

Last year at this time, we were +11, 44-33. This year, we're -5 at 36-41, the third worst record in the NL and 2.5 games behind the last wild card slot. That's an eight game outcome swing over the first 77 games. That's, um...hard to do, even if you're not trying hard. And we know they're trying hard.

Before the Giants signed $400 mms. worth of talent, I thought they would win 75.  With all that talent, I thought they could win more than 90.  Not looking too good. There's 85 games left for them to turn it around. It can happen, but they need to get going NOW.

IMO, the problem can be summed up thusly - SS has been a black hole, starting pitching has been awful and the bullpen has been worked to exhaustion.  That equals a .500 club (at best).  

The good news - the long term prognosis is still very good.  Ramos has been a revelation, I still have high hopes for Luciano (if they can find a position for him to play), the pitching depth in the farm system looks very promising and the bullpen should be fine (if the starters don’t cause them to be overworked).

2B hasn't done us any favor. Our collective 2B WAR (24th in MLB) is actually worse than SS (22nd in MLB). Relief pitching (24th in MLB) is bad, starting pitching is worse (27th in MLB WAR) and overall pitching is 28th in WAR. Giants pitching is 25th in runs per game allowed, but 10th in FIP, so...limited good news.

 You left out that the  Giants are last in the league in stolen bases and also last in number of stolen bases given up. The differential between the two is something around 60. Teams are running wild on the Giants. That falls on Melvin and his coaching staff. At least the stolen bases against. The team has no speed so it’s understandable why they don’t run.