I'll be honest with you, the only reason I'm writing this is because I'm bored as hell and because I haven't written a Giants article in a little less then an eon.
As I sit here and look at this team try to score runs, I cringe. They are dead last in the majors in home runs and are near the bottom in batting average and runs scored. They seem to get shut out in a few straight games and then erupt for 10 runs or more after a shutout stretch so it looks like it all evens out in cumulative numbers.
The players don't hit home runs, they don't hit in the clutch, and I wasn't far off when I proclaimed just after the opening-day loss to the Dodgers that, "This team won't score a run all season long."
I have seen teams struggle with the bat, but never before has a team had to come up with new ways of scoring runs than the Giants have this season.
Let's just look at some ways the Giants have scored runs this season:
1) A walk with the bases loaded;
2) A balk with a runner on third base;
3) A wild pick-off attempt at third base;
4) Striking out on a wild pitch intentionally with a runner on third base;
5) Finally (my favorite, courtesy Randy Winn), stealing second base and, as the throw nears, sticking your head in so the ball deflects off your face and into center field, so you can then round third base and score.
I'm sure there have been more drastic attempts to score that I just haven't seen, because living in New Jersey isn't the best place for a die-hard Giants fan.
I just sit here and think to myself, what if this team had an offense? Yes, the dreaded question that we all ask in one situation or another only to have our dreams dashed by an inconvenient truth (not an Al Gore reference).
What if the Giants had an offense?
What if Barry Bonds was still playing?
Well, put it this way: Iif either of those questions' answers were fulfilled, the Giants would be in first place, and maybe even running away with this division.
They are counting on Aaron Rowand and Bengie Molina to lead the team's offense when they are just complimentary players, perfect compliments to a big bat they don't have, like, dare I say it, Barry Bonds.
The pitching is the only reason to smile and—even though the experts say that, when it comes down to it, pitching wins championships in baseball—the pitching still needs an offense to go with it. That second half of the bargain is something I hope GM Brian Sabean will address in this offseason.
10 comments Last one added 11 months ago — Leave a Comment
Danny Penza 11 months ago
It wouldn't be any different with Bonds because they would just pitch around him just like what happened last season and the year before that. Then that would not allow Fred Lewis to play. That would start people complaining about him not getting playing time and then the whole youth movement talk would start again.
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Adam Miller 11 months ago
I'm ok with Bonds not being in the mix. There's always a dry spell after the team's superstar leaves. First they go through a youth movement and rebuild. Then those young players get better and a new superstar develops. The Giants should go back to being a decent team within 3-5 years. Until then, uh how about them Cubbies?
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yungCaucasoid ... 11 months ago
After how they treated Bonds, I hope this team sucks longer than the Red Sox's did during the Bambino curse...it'll be truly deserving.
Anyone who feels that this offense would suck to the same degree, if Bonds had been respected, does really and truly need their head examined.
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Danny Penza 11 months ago
You like such a Bonds homer it's crazy. Bonds had to go. If Bonds was so influential last year, why was the team just as bad last year as they are this year? Ponder that.
I bet you're a person who boos when Bonds is walked too huh?
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Greg Caggiano 11 months ago
The reason why the Giants were the same last season as this season because instead of surrounding Bonds with younger, talented players, they surrounded him with guys like Klesko and Durham. This season, he would have been surrounded by Rowand and Molina, and even John Bowker.
Winn (RF)
Burriss (2B)
Bonds (LF)
Rowand (CF)
Molina (C)
Bowker (1B)
Aurilia (3B)
Vizquel (SS)
Pitcher
Not the strongest lineup but Bonds makes it decent, and in that division, decent, not stellar, translates into a division winner.
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Yama Hazheer 11 months ago
Lincecum and Cain had a few losses because the team couldn't provide enough runs for them to secure the win.
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Dallas Wilson 11 months ago
I just saw on espn that they signed him
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yungCaucasoid ... 11 months ago
Daniel,
Bonds didn't have to go. It was a preview for what has happened this year, when they pulled that weak crap, on Bonds. Plus, bad pitching ----was really bad last year---- so, of course, they stunk. This year there is simply no offense, period, and that wasn't the case last year...whenever they dare pitch to Bonds.
And, of course, I boo when Bonds was intentionally walked. Didn't you? Thats not part of the spirit of the game of Baseball...to be that feared of a player, to where opponents don't give him the opportunity to do his thing. Mark "MacGwire" didn't get intentionally walked like that, they allowed him opportunities to do his thing and challenge the record books...I need not say why...therefore, no matter how you slice it, so...
No matter how you slice it or deceive it, they can't intentionally walk Bonds everytime, therefore he would've supplied Giants' offense which simply IS NOT there this year.
And, I repeat, I hope the Bonds treatment = the Giants' stay cursed with futility for many many many more seasons to come.
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Danny Penza 11 months ago
I didn't boo because I was there to watch the Giants, not Bonds. It meant a runner on base. Why boo when a team who can't score that gets a runner on base? Makes sense doesn't it?
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Ben Ernst 11 months ago
I thought everyone established that the Giants were most likely not going to win much this year, because of the horrible offense and shaky bullpen. This is what usually happens when a team goes into rebuilding mode, they are giving young players some experience so that in hopefully in the near future they can once again compete without revolving around Bonds. Signing Bonds would help the offense, but the Giants arent going to make the playoffs this year, so lets just all move on and put the issue to rest.
Bonds will not play left field for the Giants ever again.
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