Giants Bats, Season Quietly Dissapearing

Well, I would apologize for the 4 day absence from posting (been out of town and can't doing posts on my 2005 laptop), but there simply hasn't been anything exciting to even talk about. The Giants have fallen to a desperate 9.5 games out of first and have all but been eliminated in the West, and are playing like it.

Bruce Bochy has started the full on youth movement, going with Brett Pill at first and Brandon Belt in left field now on most days, and who can blame him. In an offensive nightmare that has been the last 6 weeks, these youngsters have at least breathed some fresh air of life into this offense, but it's been too little too late, and the injury to Wilson was basically the tell-tale of the season. At that point, you pretty much new things weren't good, even though the Giants were still very much alive when he did get hurt. Again though, Bruce Bochy is handling this thing the right way. It's not like he's throwing in the towel and playing all rookies, if you hit, you play at this point, and it doesn't matter about salary anymore. Right now it's all about figuring out who's going to be a part of your 25-man roster in 2012 and that's why I think the Giants ought to be doing with Hector Sanchez what they're doing with Pill and Belt. Each starter only has a few starts left so it's not like it's going to be a hardship on the pitching staff to have a rook back there, and the Giants owe it to him cause they're out of it and he earned it with his play in the minors this season. If he could be a nice offensive backup to Posey next season, that would be great. I've had about all I can take of Eli Whiteside and Chris Stewart.

My other big question for Bochy right now is why not play Darren Ford? I guess they either really don't think he'll ever hit enough to be a factor at this level, or there's something physically wrong with him, cause he's looked good up here in his brief time and would be much more exciting to watch in center than Justin Christian out there each night. Ford must still be hurt because I think the Giants would rather be using him in some of these situations that they aren't, even though he's on the active roster. Play Ford! It just goes to show you how brutal this offense really is because Jeff Keppinger's hitting, and Beltran is starting to hit and they're still not scoring. They're starting to use Brandon Crawford out at short more and giving Eric Surkamp the 5th rotation spot, and it looks like the only vets who are guaranteed time now are Beltran, Sandoval and Kepp and that's the way it should be. The Giants will have big decisions coming this winter on Keppinger and Beltran and they need to see them play. So far, I really would like to see Kepp back as the utility guy/insurance for Freddy/possible shortstop. He's been a rock since coming over from Houston and fits really well in with this ball club I think.

By the way, I know I continue to say it, but I really like Surkamp and can't wait to see him throw vs. the Padres Monday night. He's going against the rejuvenated Aaron Harang, so he'll have a tough match-up, I see him doing well in his 3rd career start. My prediction: 6 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 5 K. I know it's been just 2 starts, but I think the Giants have finally found a 2nd reliable lefty to pair into their rotation with Madison! He was a college guy and has done well at every level, why not?