Journey Back Into the Wilderness

When I first starting chronicling my adventures at the Mos Eisley Cantina I talked about the journey into the wilderness that is Jonathon Sanchez. Well after this month long hell the Giants have been in I realized that following any team in contention is a journey into the wilderness. You don't know what direction you're headed or if you're going to be safe.

After another day with the Giants only scoring 1, against the worst team in baseball no less with a pitcher on the mound who was throwing after 3 days of rest, Giants beat writer Andrew Baggarly finally took Giants manager Bruce Bochy to task about playing certain players while sitting certain players. He also said it's time for Bochy to shake up the lineup because right now nothing is working.

Well Bochy shook up the lineup alright, but the lineup he produced on Friday night is downright vomit inducing. The infield looked like this; Tejada, 3B, Orlando Cabrera SS, Jeff Keppinger 2B, and Mark DeRosa 1B. That lineup is like shaking up a bottle of soda and then immediately opening the seal only to have all the soda fizz right out.

I keep telling myself though the Giants have to do better than normal. JA Happ is pitching! Then I remembered. The crappiest pitcher can look like Roy Halladay. So this game will be like any other Giants game. The Giants will get guys on base, but they will be left on base. The Giants pitcher, tonight it's Madison Bumgarner, will pitch well give up a couple of runs and still lose. It's the story of the 2011 San Francisco Giants.

Time for the Colonel and I to journey back into the wilderness that is known as the San Francisco Giants.

The Colonel and I convened at the Mos Eisley Cantina for a burger and beer. We're drinking Mendocino Red Tail Ale's tonight because we need a strong beer to drown out our sorrow. The Bandit has joined us tonight at the bar in a packed house. The Giants game is on the big screen and on the bar TVs. Time to become depressed!


"Did you guys see Bochy "shook up" the lineup by benching Huff for DeRosa?" I ask the Colonel and Bandit. "Isn't that like trading a negative for a negative?"

"It wouldn't have been so bad if Panda was playing tonight," says the Colonel. "The infield tonight is just dreadful. Keppinger is probably the best hitter out of the group which is not what the Giants need."

"Cabrera is also hitting lead-off again," says the Bandit. "A guy with an OBP below .300 hitting leadoff. You'd think Bochy would have learned by now that the lead-off position requires a guy to you know actually reach base by any means possible."

"I agree the lineup needs a shake up," I say. "The Giants need to get Andres Torres back and Nate Schierholtz healthy for they can play in the outfield with Belt at 1st, Fontenot at shortstop, and the Huff/Cabrera pu-pu platter on the bench. I fear though that Bochy will never do this unless forced."

"Unfortantely," says the Colonel. "You're probably right. This so called lineup shakeup is probably just a one night deal. Huff definitely plays tomorrow night."

The game is in the fourth inning and it is already turning into a typical Giants game. Giants are getting men on base and leaving them there. There has been two double plays already hit by the Giants and a wasted opportunity with the bases loaded.

Now mind you the Giants are facing JA Happ. Not Halladay or Lee or Greinke. JA Happ. The same JA Happ with a 6 ERA, 4.82 FIP, 3.22 BABIP, and he's giving up almost a home run and a half every game. The Giants offense can't even score against JA Happ. That tells you right there how bad this offense is. How bad their pitch selection has been. How they're gripping their bats so hard they are turning into sawdust.

"What pisses me off about this team is their plate approach," states the Colonel. "They swing at pitches that are balls and take pitches that are strikes. I have no idea what approach Bochy and Bam Bam (The Giants hitting coach) are telling the players to take at the plate, but it's a horrendous plan."

"I hear ya," says the Bandit. "It's especially frustrating when a pitcher isn't getting called strikes and the hitters are still swinging at pitches when they know the umpire is going to call them balls. That's what makes me bang my head against a wall."

"Nothing pisses me off more than Bochy saying Belt needs to be more aggressive at the plate," I say. "This team doesn't take walks at all and here you have this kid that actually had a great plate approach and Bochy is saying he needs to be more aggressive. Have you heard something more idiotic?"

"I'm sure Bochy also thinks Beane wrote Moneyball," says the Colonel which elicits laughter from the three of us.

Jeff Keppinger actually hit a double with two men on base to give the Giants a 2-0 lead. Since we knew the Giants would probably not score again the rest of the night, we decided to stop watching the game from that point on. Might as well leave on a high note, right?