San Francisco Giants: My Giants Wish for Matt Cain

Keeping up with the Holiday’s we are going to do a San Francisco Giants themed “Twelve Days of Christmas.” This series will include everything from wishes, to reflections, historical remembrances. Enjoy!

On the Eighth Day of Christmas, I’d like to share with all of the San Francisco Giants fans out there my Giants wish for the new year. As we approach 2017, it is important to look forward and hope for a better tomorrow.

For me, I wish that San Francisco Giants starter Matt Cain has a healthy 2017.

Matt Cain began his career in 2005 as a 20 year old and quickly established himself as a part of the Giants future. From 2006-2012, Matt Cain was one of the most underappreciated Giants pitchers in team history.

Everything came together for Cain in 2012. He became the team’s best pitcher that season, going 16-5 with a 2.79 ERA and 1.040 WHIP. He led the Giants in nearly every pitching category, started and won the All-Star game and threw a perfect game. He led the staff to the 2012 World Series and pitched in every deciding game that post-season. San Francisco’s first two World Series trophies had Cain’s fingerprints all over them.

Matt Cain’s perfect game

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However, since 2013, Cain has not had a healthy season. After finishing 2013 with 30 starts, he only started 49 games over the next three years. After averaging over 200 innings pitched a season, he hasn’t hit 100 innings in any of the last three seasons.

Whether Cain wins the 5th starter job or becomes the team’s long man relief pitcher, my Giants wish is that he doesn’t make a single trip to the disabled list in 2017.

If that happens, it is likely that Cain will produce. When he has been healthy, he has been one of the strongest pitchers the team has ever had. However, with how often Cain has had setbacks since 2013, it is hard to expect a healthy season from Matt Cain.

And that is why, for 2017, my Giants wish is for Matt Cain to be healthy.

Next: On the Seventh Day of a Giants Christmas

Be sure to check out all 12 Days of a Giants Christmas at Around the Foghorn. Happy Holidays!