Jason Schmidt gave up ten earned runs in his start yesterday. When Schmidt gave up ten runs last season, there was only one word to describe it: May. He also gave up less than ten runs in June. The need this team has for both Schmidt and Barry Bonds isn't something a little methadone is going to help, so there are some red flags to be hoisted when Schmidt says he has command over "half a pitch". Next off-season, the Giants would be best served putting both Bonds and Schmidt in a protective bubble, letting them argue if Spain was indeed conquered by the Moops.
Now, on to some brazen theft. At John Sickels' great Minor League Ball, he's projecting the years of selected players and asking his readers to follow suit with their own projections. Here on McCovey Chronicles, our very own kenshin1 started a diary in the same mold. New ideas take effort, and effort is so '98, so I'm stealing the idea. I'll try and get through one or two players a day, getting the roster done by Opening Day. First:
Mike Matheny
This projection is as sexy as Julian Tavarez in a thong, but we should probably get it out of the way.
AB: 426
HR: 7
AVG: .257
OBP: .315
SLG: . 379
Yep. I'm predicting a career year for Mikey. That actually would be a career year for him, and that fact makes me want to eat glass. It would be to everyone's advantage if Yorvit Torrealba had a flukish first 60 at-bats, and hit .400, or something. That way, there is a clear delineation between the two. One would be the "defense" guy, and one would be the "offense" guy, which conveniently forgets Yorvit's acumen as a defensive catcher, but serves our goal to get him some more at-bats.
This is the part where you chime in with your own projections.