And in the 45th game of the season, the Giants treated us to a feckless, dull game. Perhaps the dullest and most feckless. Do you remember the Casey McGehee Era? I do. I remember it very fondly because of all the winning. I'm not sure what this crap is. You can claim it's just a coincidence, but when the Giants had McGehee, they won. Period. 'Nuff said. End of story.
This felt like the kind of game a team would play on a getaway day after 37 rain delays and a doubleheader the previous night. You probably shouldn't judge them, really. The pitcher who held the Giants in check was Chad Bettis. Don't Google him. Don't give him the satisfaction. He will make $507,500 this year, but a lot of that will go to the temp agency. He was drafted by the Brewers out of Guarnacal College back in '09. Kicked around in the Westerly Summer League for a bit, then went back to college to get his degree in hotel management. Then before the Rockies had a doubleheader, Dick Monfort sat on his phone and accidentally called him, one thing led to another, and here he was, almost shutting out the Giants.
That's okay. Can't even be mad. Just swept the Dodgers, and they never scored. Just split a series in Coors, which is a pretty solid result regardless of how good or lousy the Rockies are. After getting spoiled with success over the last two weeks, here is a turd of a baseball game. You should have expected at least one of these in Coors. Happens.
Just wish we didn't have to watch it. Technically we didn't have to watch it, but we've all made some choices in our life, and, well ...
★★★
Tim Hudson's career in Coors:
Date | Result | App,Dec | IP | H | R | BB | SO | HR |
2015-04-25 | W 5-4 | GS-7 | 7 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
2014-09-01 | L 9-10 | GS-6 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
2014-05-22 | W 4-2 | GS-3 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
2013-04-24 | L 5-6 | GS-6 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
2012-05-04 | W 9-8 | GS-6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 1 |
2011-07-20 | L 2-3 | GS-7 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
2010-08-23 | L 4-5 | GS-6 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
2006-09-22 | L 4-6 | GS-6, L | 5.1 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 1 |
2005-05-09 | L 6-7 | GS-4, L | 3.2 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
There's no point I'm trying to make by including that, really. Just thought it was fascinating. It's not as awful as we've been led to believe! How can you judge a pitcher -- a successful, perennial All-Star -- by what he does in Coors? You cannot. He doesn't like the place. Giants fans don't like the place. Seems like bad things happen there.
Still, he's probably the weakest link in the rotation, as long as Ryan Vogelsong is still grinding and Tim Lincecum is still getting ground balls. Starts like this don't advance the idea that the 2015 Giants are going to be better with him in the rotation, especially once Jake Peavy and Matt Cain come back. The sinker isn't sinking so much. It probably has to do with age and/or various infirmaries, but without that sinker, Hudson isn't the kind of pitcher who would be taken in the first 10 rounds of the Rule 4 draft. Not sure how long a major league team can stick with him.
He seems nice, though. He was really good for a while last year, too. Hoping I'm wrong ...
★★★
Jean Machi was the sacrificial reliever of the day, absorbing innings and even getting an at-bat. He struck out and got to run to first. Hooray, Jean Mach! He held onto the bat for about 30 percent of the run. Hooray, Jean Machi!
He's also clearly the worst reliever on the staff, and he's without whatever split-finger voodoo he had working over the last few years. The command isn't there. The control isn't there. His specialty pitch is deserting him. In the sixth inning, he threw 18 fastballs and one changeup. His fastball just isn't good enough to make that work.
Here I am, getting dour and mopey. The Giants have had a good week. If you have any positive thoughts about that game, please leave them in the comments section or tweet them at me or put them on Facebook.
★★★
The last Giants hitter to pitch in a blowout: Greg Litton.
Player | Date | Opp | Rslt | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
Greg Litton | 1991-07-04 | HOU | L 6-14 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
Dave Kingman | 1973-05-13 | LAD | L 3-15 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
Dave Kingman | 1973-04-15 | CIN | L 0-11 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
Matty Alou | 1965-08-26 | PIT | L 0-8 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
C'mon. Throw us a bone, Bochy. Throw us a bone. I get if you don't want to ruin Crawford or Belt, but Justin Maxwell is right there. C'mooooooonnnnnnn.