Matt Cain: The Man

If the Giants need a great pitching performance, who you going to call? Matt Cain, obviously.

Then again, if you feel like a 1-0, put your unit in a meat grinder type offensive output, who you going to call? Matt Cain.

What is with the Giants offense when Matt Cain takes the hill? I’m pretty sure Ray Charles would just keep his blindness over watching the Giants swing chainsaws at the dish. The run support poor Cain gets is just downright awful. In fact, I’m pretty sure it’s in the negative numbers and I don’t even have to look that up because I’m that effin amazing.

Cain was filthy last night, even with the crappy Dodgers offense. There really isn’t much more you can say about his performance other than outstanding. He really bucked up, but that’s par for the course with him. He really doesn’t get the credit he deserves though.

As for the offense, gag me. Just awful, again. The lineup Bochy put out certainly didn’t help matters. It looked like a Spring Training game after all the regulars had been removed in the 4th. Velez. Really? Really? And the reasoning for the oddly timed start was because he hit a homerun versus the Blue’s in April? You’re serious? You’ve got to be shitting me. Velez, nothing against the guy – but he hasn’t seen live pitching since 1985 and you thrust him atop the lineup in a near must win situation. Some things I just wont ever understand.

It was nice to see Fontenot get a start, he’s played well and seems to always have a solid game even if the box score says differently. Which leads me to Pablo. Wow. It’s just not there. He made a couple, uh, solid…I guess picks at third base but nearly gave Huff two aneurysms with his throws. Thankfully Huff was able to dig them out, but yikes – get the ball across with some juice behind it. Had Huff missed even one of those throws, that game could have turned out much different. As for the Panda offensively, he’s swinging blindly up there. It’s an 0-2 hole nearly every situation. Watching him swing at a pitch about 3 inches above the dirt and a foot+ outside with the bases juiced last night (the first pitch of the at-bat!) was inexcusable. I love the guy, but, he’s just not getting it done. His defense is suspect at times and the offense just isn’t there. It’s hard for me to think a lineup with Fontenot at second, Sanchez at third, and Uribe at SS wouldn’t be better for the Giants. At least right now. Every game is crucial, and you can’t be throwing away games with poor AB’s or spotty defensive work.

Cody Ross did his job in CF again, but the stick is just terrible. Seems like a theme, no? He has GOT to start hitting. The opportunity is there…make use of it, Cody.

Hero of the night though goes to Ish for his 8th inning double which started the two run rally. Travis has had a wonderful season off the bench, coming up with big hit after big hit. You feel a bit sorry for the guy – he’s a very good defender and he’s done more than ample work with the wood this season in his starts. Combine that with the premier season he’s had off the bench, well, he deserves more time. He wont be getting it, but, at least he’s finding ways to contribute unlike many others…………………

Giants go for the series win against tough lefty Ted Lilly. Padres in St. Louis where they’ll oppose Jake Westbrook, who was part of the three team trade that brought Ryan Ludwick to San Diego. Nice little dramatic storyline there. The Braves have the day off having played one more game than San Fran, so a win from the Giants brings them officially even in the NL Wild Card race. And with six games left between ATL and Philly, the Giants look to have a little bit of an inside track at the Wild Card if all goes their way.