Pathetic Giants Face Padres Before All-Star Break

I don’t think there is any team in the Major Leagues who needs the All-Star break more than the San Francisco Giants.

Why? Because they are downright awful, and perhaps they could use a recharging of the batteries and wipe a clean slate to start a new half.

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The Giants have lost 15 of their last 17 of their games, and have only won a single game so far in the month of July against the Dodgers.

They’re coming into a new series with the Padres, after making the 40-48, fourth place NL East New York Mets look like the class of the Major Leagues, getting swept in blowout fashion in the last two games. They lost 3-4, 6-10, and 2-7 respectively.

Surprisingly, starting pitching hasn’t been too much of the issue. Tim Lincecum went 7 solid innings in the first game of the Mets series, striking out 11 and walking only 1 despite giving up 3 earned runs. The game ended up being a 16 inning marathon with the Giants unable to score. George Kontos gave up the winning run although on an error by Brandon Crawford.

The bullpen has struggled but, Kontos and Jeremy Affeldt namely, have been really struggling.

Affeldt gave up 3 earned runs as a result of the 1 hit and 2 walks that turned into the grandslam off Jake Dunning in the 6-10 loss to the Mets.

The one bright spot in that series was rookie Kensuke Tanaka who has been a bit of a spark, at least for the fans. Especially when he robbed a homerun and got his first career hit in game 2 against the Mets.

The Giants will look to string some wins together against the NL West fourth place Padres, who they can jump in the standings during this series. The Padres are on a skid themselves, losing their last 11 of 12.

The first game will feature the Padres Jason Marquis against Madison Bumgarner

Bumgarner pitched marvelously in his last outing and the Giants lone July victory, going 7 innings and striking out 9. He only gave up 2 runs on 3 hits. Mad-Bum throwing in the first game, SHOULD be a huge help for the Giants to get out of the starting gate on a good note. Although Marquis has has the same win total as Bumgarner at 9.

Sean O’Sullivan will go at Chad Gaudin in the second game. Gaudin has pitched very will in the last few starts but he’s in the news for some other unsavory reasons. Details came to light that the other day, that Gaudin was arrested for lewd acts in Las Vegas back in January, for drunkenly groping a woman on a gurney in a hospital. We’ll see if that’ll be a distraction in his start.

Lincecum will be back in action after his previously mentioned solid outing, against Edinson Volquez.

Volquez was beat up by the Rockies in his last start, giving up 4 runs on 8 hits. The Giants will look to pounce on him as well in that game.

Barry Zito will try to rebound from his last start, which wasn’t a good one. He gave up 5 runs in his 6 inning stint. He’ll square off against the 7-7 Eric Stults.

Who’s Hot?:

Buster Posey is the one consistent Giant. He’s batting .364 the last 7 days which include 2 HRs.

Brandon Crawford is suprisingly hitting well himself the last 7 days, batting .381, logging 8 hits in 24 plate appearances.