Post-game thread: Giants shut down by Tim Hudson

This series is really getting me excited for that potential first-round playoff series against Atlanta, how about you?

Matt Cain was cained, thoroughly and without mercy. He knew better than to allow a run. Tim Hudson pitched a great game, and there wasn't a lot of offense coming from any part of the order. It would be ridiculous to blame a single player, which makes it the perfect place to put something like this:

Aaron Rowand is one of the worst hitters against right-handed pitching in the game. Every effort should be made to sit him against any and all right-handed starting pitchers.

It wasn't all his fault the Giants didn't score today -- he didn't help, and he did a lot to hurt the offense, but he wasn't the sole reason the Giants lost today. So on a day when the entire team is shut down, it's worth it to take a step back and calmly evaluate all of the little things that added up to a dismal offensive performance.

Love that K/BB ratio. He has value to a team as an extra outfielder. I really do believe that. But the Giants have to realize that there are ways to maximize his value, and ways to maximize his struggles. Sometimes pitchers gonna pitch. Tim Hudson's having a great year. And it's not as if the replacement for Rowand -- either Nate Schierholtz or Travis Ishikawa -- is some great talent who is unfairly banished to the bench. But every little improvement to the lineup can help against a pitcher like Hudson. Hopefully, the Giants will come around on this.

Now that I've got the calm, measured response out of the way, I would just like to write this: poop, poop, fuzzy barnacles, poop, dang it, son of a horror country.  Remember, with subscription to McCovey Chronicles Premium, you also get a subscription to McCovey Chronicles After Dark, where I let it all hang out just like that, every night!