Cain, Bullpen Clobbered by Pirates 10-3 as San Francisco Giants Lose Again

The San Francisco Giants continue to refuse to pitch well out of the rotation and bullpen, allowing 10 runs, while obviously scoring much less.

Meanwhile, Boston Red Sox scouts were in attendance figuring out what bag of pretzels, aka nobody prospect, can they give up to steal Eduardo Nunez to help them win a World Series.

Matt Cain got knocked around as the Pittsburgh Pirates clobbered the San Francisco Giants 10-3 at AT&T Park on Monday night.

It was more of the same nightmare for the Giants and even more in particular for Matt Cain. He barely lasted four innings and he can thank his manager that it wasn’t 1.2 innings.

Aside from his usual location misses, which were rampant from the very first pitch … of this season, Cain allowed the only part of the game beat him in which he ultimately controls — his mentality.

In the second, after exchanging dirty looks with the home plate umpire over the strike zone since the first inning, Cain gave up a three-run homer to Andrew McCutchen to extend the lead to 6-0.

Cain was visibly upset before the home run as he allowed two runs to score in the first inning off a fielders choice RBI from McCutchen, and a Josh Bell double off the bricks in right field to score Josh Harrison, who also doubled shortly before, resulting in a 2-0 lead after the first inning.

Matt Cain, a San Francisco Giants’ legend and longest tenured player has unfortunately shown that injury has gotten the best of his career. Luckily for him, the San Francisco Giants are not contending and this will allow for a bittersweet departure from the team without being designated for assignment to end his career, as they will surely go in a different direction.

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I’ll put it plain and simple, Matt Cain might actually want to start aiming for the middle of the plate every pitch he throws, since he can’t hit a spot anymore to save his life or ERA. Maybe then he’d actually live on the corners.

Cain was done after four, and in the bottom half of that inning the San Francisco Giants began to show some fight. Brandon Belt began the inning with a double, and later scored off Brandon Crawford’s single. Hunter Pence and Gorkys Hernandez would both walk to load the bases. Conor Gillaspie pinch hit for Cain and grounded out to second to end the threat and the inning as the score remained 6-1.

San Francisco Giants’ offense would attempt to keep the rally going in the bottom half of the fifth as Denard Span walked to lead off the inning and was moved over to second by Eduardo Nunez’ single. Buster Posey then singled to center to score Span and bring the score to 6-2.

Speaking of Nunez, there have been lots of rumors swirling around his trade market and according to Bob Nightengale, the Boston Red Sox had scouts in attendance to watch tonight’s game.

I’ll save my thoughts on Nunez’ trade market, and if the San Francisco Giants should trade him toward the end of the article, so keep reading for that, or just scroll down if you ‘re a cheater and can’t wait.

A positive for the San Francisco Giants was their new call up Albert Suarez, who threw two innings of relief for Cain and struck out three, while allowing two hits. He has gone scoreless in two appearances since being called back up, tossing two innings in his first appearance as well.

San Francisco Giants’ offense added another run in the seventh as Span walked and was moved over by Nunez’ single to left field. Posey cashed in the eventual RBI with a line-drive single to right making the score 6-3.

The Pirates would grow tired of the San Francisco Giants chipping their way back, and the hottest team in baseball would prove why they’re on the streak they are, as Jordy Mercer launched a three-run homer off of Josh Osich to extend the lead to 9-3. Pittsburgh continued the pounding as Starling Marte doubled home Jose Osuna who singled just prior for the final score of 10-3.

Notes from Game & Trade Thoughts:

Matt Cain is done in case fans somehow didn’t realize that after his third start of April. It’s one of the saddest stories if you’re a San Francisco Giants’ fan because this is all too familiar.

Fans just went through losing a franchise altering pitching icon in Tim Lincecum after his injuries, and are now witnessing it with an even longer tenured legend in Matt Cain.

So what’s going wrong? He sits routinely 88-90 but topped at 91 once tonight. Additionally, his spin rate is down on all of his pitches, and his average perceived velocity after his stride toward the plate(thus shortening the distance) is LESS than a full mile-per-hour of his actual velocity. That’s a terrible indication, and almost literally defies logic.

Mix that with the fact he can’t hit a spot to save his life, and it is pretty sad to watch.

Enjoy watching Matt Cain, this season will be a blessing in disguise years from now for sentimental fans, because had the San Francisco Giants been contending, there’s no way he’s pitching for this club past May.

Next: San Francisco Giants: 5 trades to make before Monday’s deadline

Instead, we get to watch him ride out the season and his career with the Giants until the end of September. The Matt Cain era is ending, lets enjoy and appreciate what he’s done as he drags himself across the finish line of the season.