You know, Bruce, can I call you Bruce? Your leadoff hitter is going to bat more than any other hitter in the game. So, in my humble opinion, you shouldn’t let Aaron Rowand do that, please.
Giants currently losing 6-0 in the 9th inning to a baseball team that is currently 40-84.
Quick edit: Since June 1st — not including tonight’s 0-4 two strikeout game — Aaron Rowand has hit .231/.266/.349, clearly he’s the man to hit leadoff, or hit at all in a major league lineup.
MAKE IT STOP! I can't handle this anymore. Can you track a new metric please - the LBR stat (Loses Below Replacement). I singluarly hold him responsible for losing last nights game to the Padres. 0-4. 4 terrible at bats. 4 (I will reiterate 4!) runners left in scoring position. Bring up Brown, ANYBODY! PLEASE SABEAN!
Where is Cinncinati Catcher, Ramon Hernandez, when we really need him? He would have been worth a Top Prospect, back in July....
He is being held hostage by the Reds. They are willing to cut off part of their nose to spite their face (they would rather lose him in order to not help the WS Champs).
I give Boche a lot of credit for keeping the team in contention with so many injuries and underperformers, and I understand that we have no option but to play some AAA-level players right now... but it's impossible to defend Boche's insistence on batting two of the team's worst hitters (Rowand/Torres + Huff) in the top 4 slots in the lineup ALL YEAR.
Leadoff Hitter? How about Mike Fontenot, Darren Ford, Brandon Belt, Orlando Cabrera, Coco Crisp, At least platoon Ross/Rowand.... Mark DeRosa batting second? Muah-ha-ha-ha!!!
By batting him leadoff it assures him 1 AB/game where Rowand can't hit into a double play.
Random thoughts from a disgruntled fan... Bochy's postgame comments will go something like, "we're all struggling", "we need our mojo back", "injuries", "good pitching"... blah blah blah, heard it all before. Granted, the Giants have been dealt a tough hand with regards to injuries this year, but the true measure of an organizations depth is measured by the quality of players on the end of the bench. In this area, the organization has failed to: 1) put together a competent group of professionals and 2)make a change to said group when the professionals have shown they are no longer capable of producing. I'm not looking forward to the remaining series versus the D-backs. Most are pointing to those 6 games saying the Giants still have a shot. Unless the Giants get healthy by then, or go on a pitching run that rivals last September's historic stretch, the D-backs will use those games to sow up first place.
I know this is a bit in the future but what do you think about this as an outfield: Nate in CF, Beltran in RF, and a Belt/Ross platoon in LF depending on whether it's a left or right handed pitcher. And here's a couple follow up Q's 1. Do you think Nate in CF and leading off will ever come into Bochy's mind? 2. When will the Aaron Rowand/Mark DeRosa/Orlando Cabrera experience end? 3. If he was a Giants announcer, do you think Bob Uecker would be drinking in the booth ala Major League 2 because of this last 3 week stretch?
Nate should be the starting RF for the rest of the season. He knows RF at AT&T better than anyone in the league. Check out his splits and it's clear that he hits much better when routinely starting in RF as well. At this point, it's worth also starting him against LHP: the upside benefit of having him know that he's expected to be the man every day in LF should pay off. At ~240 against LHP, he's on par with anyone else the team may put out there. btw, Beltran in left should work fine. rotate the others through CF
