Giants & Orioles Celebrate Halloween In June
I’m not sure what I was more fascinated with last night. The fact that the Giants blasted off 10 runs or the fact that the Baltimore Orioles are 17 and 47. Yea, that’s right – 17-47. I knew the O’s were bad, but I didn’t know they were that bad. They have a pretty nice chunk of young talent and boost a payroll of over 82 million. As many sticks and stones that I throw on Sabean and Bochy, it could be worse – so much worse. Like comparing a bad cough to chlamydia.
Anyway, as for the game – perfect. Dirty Sanchez was pure money. He had his crazy sinker/slider/transgender-ish wanna-be whatever he calls it working extra tight and was making some of the O’s look downright foolish. The lumber sticks were slugging all night and the G-men won their 4th in a row, easily. A nice change from the dramatics in the last six games or so.
In other news, so far so good on the dumb luck signing of Pat Burrell, who blasted his second dinger of the season last night – a no doubt shot into left center. Pat the Bat is now hitting .407 with 5 RBI in 10 games with the Giants.
The lineup was free of Molina and Rowand last night, a welcome change to many – maybe even those in the clubhouse, though they’d never say it. The offense clicked fluidly, runners weren’t continually stranded, and the Giants weren’t forced to play station to station baseball. I’ve got it on good authority though that the pitching machine struck out Rowand on three straight sliders.
It’s pretty clear that the Giants are a better team without either of them force fed into the lineup. Neither need to be left for dead, but the Giants play better as a team without them in the starting lineup in my opinion. And my opinion is worth gold I tell you – GOLD.
As for tonight, Joe Martinez makes his return to the big leagues and will start in place of Todd Wellemeyer. Martinez took a rocket off his skull early last year causing him to miss the majority of the season. He did return late in the year, but, it was evident he wasn’t the same pitcher and understandably so. After fine tuning his mechanics and becoming comfortable on the mound again in AAA earlier this season, Martinez is back and ready to go.
One last note – I love having Kruk and Kuip as the Giants broadcast team. One of the best in baseball. Krukow dropped another gem on the post gamer last evening when he compared the Giants defense to the “Wild Kingdom” – a panda at third, a gazelle in center, and two water buffaloes in left and right.