Giants and Rockies - Take 2

Let's focus on the future shall we?  If I dwell on last night any more, my head asplode for sure. 

The Giants are in town for the first time in 2009.  They have only played two games since we last saw them, so there's no a lot new to say.  Frisco just finished a split with the Cubs at Wrigley, which means they have gone six straight series without losing one.  Their 11-7 record over that stretch isn't otherworldly, but I'd take some series wins.

San Francisco Giants (13-12, W1, 2nd) 

Wednesday-Thursday : 2-game series at Coors Field

The 13 runs the Giants have scored in the five games since the last Giants profile haven't changed a whole lot.  They are still dead last in runs scored.  Their wOBA dropped four slots to 29th.  Get the picture?  Bad offense. Couple that with a dominant Rockies staff of late (1.96 ERA since Friday), and well...things look good on paper.

Despite being one of two teams (Arizona) that has yet to reach 100 runs, the Gnats have hung in with their pitching staff.  They are the only team still in double-figures for runs allowed, ranking them #1 overall.  

The Giants are just 3-8 away from AT&T Park, with two of those wins coming at Arizona and one at Chicago yesterday.

Probable Pitchers:

Tonight, 6:40 MDT

The rematch:

Randy Johnson has won every start he has made against the Rockies (not in his career, though it may seem like it) since September 22, 2004.  And he allowed just one run in 7 IP in getting outdueled by Shawn Estes.  He is 19-7 with a 2.23 ERA in his career against the Rox, but Johnson has yet to string two good starts together in 2009.

Ubaldo's numbers don't look pretty, but they still make him one of the top six valuable starters in the pitching-rich division.  He allowed 3 runs in 7 innings last Friday in decidedly a step forward.  That actually raised his career ERA vs the Giants to 2.65, so maybe Ubaldo can tame the the Giants again.

Thursday, May 7, 1:10 MDT

The rematch, part deux:

Sure, Matt Cain's ERA looks good, but quite frankly, that's lucky.  His FIP is actually 5.21 - that's 68% higher.  His K- rate and HR rate (thanks to the Rox Saturday) are higher than any year in his career...and his BABIP against is lower than his career numbers.  All of that means he has been barely as valuable as Franklin Morales in terms of RAR.

Jason for Cy Young!  Well maybe not, but he has been very impressive.  He has pitched 7+ IP and given up 3 or less runs in four of five starts.  He is 2-0 with a 3.13 ERA at Coors this year.  But also note his FIP is a full run higher as well, and his BABIP against is sitting at 22 points below his career best.

Pablo Sandoval (7-for-18, 1 HR), Emmanuel Burriss (8-for-17) and Edgar Renteria (8-for-24) have been hitting well in the past week.  Justin Miller has pitched four scoreless innings since his callup Friday.

Aaron Rowand (2-for-23) has been ice cold the past week, and Randy Winn (3-for-13), Travis Ishikawa (2-for-13) and Fred Lewis (4-for-19) haven't been much better.

Relief pitcher Joe Martinez was placed on the 15 day DL last Friday after a concussion and was replaced by Justin Miller.