San Francisco Giants: Reviewing July Schedule, Previewing August

Both the beginning and the end of the July schedule for the San Francisco Giants were grim developments, to say the least.

The Giants opened the month by losing five of seven to the Nationals and the Pirates in an uncharacteristic run-surrendering fashion. They closed out the month in nearly the same way, by losing five of six, compounded by a sweep at the hands of the hated Dodgers at home (including back-to-back shutouts).

However, a rather impressive streak occurred between those regrettable stretches.

The G-Men reeled off five consecutive wins out of the All-Star break. More noteworthy were their four consecutive series victories, with two of them coming on the road against Atlanta and Philly.

Another important win came on the last day of the month via a vintage Tim Lincecum outing. His seven innings of one-run ball served as a much-needed rebound following a five-game losing streak (albeit against a free-falling Mets squad).

Despite posting a mediocre 12-12 record in July, the Giants salvaged what could have been a devastating stretch. They sit one game ahead of LA in the West entering the month of August.

With just 12 games in the friendly confines of AT&T Park and 17 taking place elsewhere, the Giants face a tough month ahead. The reassuring aspect to their road-heavy schedule is that six games are in last-place Colorado, three against a sorry Padres club and another series featuring the league-worst Astros, against whom Giants are 5-1 in 2012.

But road matchups have not been favorable to San Francisco. Its 24-26 record as opposed to its mark of 32-31 at home testifies to that assertion.

Moreover, the Giants play a tough four-game set in St. Louis, a place where they can expect hot, muggy conditions that have proven costly for them already this season.

Arguably the toughest portion of the Giants' schedule are three games against the first-place Nationals—the team that swept San Fran earlier this year—and three more in Chavez Ravine, where the rival Dodgers won a series back in May. The four-game series against the Wild Card-leading Braves should be included in this discussion as well.

Crucial to the winning mindset for the Giants is taking the next two (and the series) at home against the Mets before seven difficult games on the road. Both Matt Cain and Barry Zito need to get back on track after producing subpar outings during their last two starts.

The newly acquired Hunter Pence should solidify the No. 5 spot in the batting order. The trio of Melky Cabrera, Buster Posey and Pence is a formidable one-two-three punch in the middle of the lineup. As could be expected, they must produce at a much higher rate at AT&T Park.

Some other interesting things to watch are the pitching performances on the road versus home, and who will man the leadoff spot.

The Giants' pitching staff has a 4.55 ERA and .263 BAA on the road compared to a stellar 2.59 ERA and .217 BAA at home. They must improve their home-road splits.

Also, with Pence slated for right field, how will that affect Gregor Blanco, Angel Pagan and the leadoff position?

Pence is an undeniable upgrade offensively, but even with his rocket arm, Blanco is a better all-around right fielder, especially with this knowledge of AT&T. With Blanco out of the lineup, Pagan would then occupy the leadoff spot. He has shown that he is a much superior hitter out of the No. 5 hole (minus power numbers).

The Giants must also navigate the fairly arduous first part of their schedule without the services of Pablo Sandoval. Despite winning the majority of their games without him in May and early June (record of 21-13), it is still a significant absence in the lineup. It is up to Marco Scutaro to hold down third base and produce something offensively with the Panda on the DL.

With the Dodgers scoring big at the trade deadline and Arizona just 3.5 games back in the division, the Giants cannot afford to operate as a .500 team. It is crucial that they beat up on the lesser foes, while proving their worth against playoff-ready opponents.

Both the middle and back end of the bullpen must shore up its issues to ensure victories in those aforementioned matchups. As always, the offense must improve, with the starting rotation maintaining its winning ways.

The first nine games of the month are crucial to San Francisco’s second-half playoff run. Fans will know the standing of their team soon enough.

Add Joe on Twitter @jlevitt16