San Francisco Giants Archive

  • Lincecum, Hernandez Still Elite
    March 23, 2012

    Here are the top starting pitching options following Roy Halladay, Justin Verlander, Cliff Lee, Jared Weaver and Clayton Kershaw.

    6.  Felix Hernandez, Seattle Mariners:

    Hernandez unfortunately pitches for the team that scored the least runs in the league in 2011, so you can’t expect a lot of wins for King Felix.  Having said that, he typically pitches very deep into the game, racks up strikeouts and wins just about every time the Mariners put up any runs.

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  • Giants Looking to Rebound in N.L. West
    February 17, 2012

    After coming through and shocking the N.L. West on their way to the playoffs in 2011, the Arizona Diamondbacks are looking like the potential team to beat in the division once again this year, though the San Francisco Giants will likely have a say in the matter.  Though the Diamondbacks boast the top offense in the division, and one of the top in the National League, the Giants have the best pitching staff and should be getting healthy in the right spots to make another run at the postseason.  The Dodgers, over .500 in 2011, also have the talent in Matt Kemp and Clayton Kershaw, thought hey have to prove that they have the right surrounding pieces to turn into a winner in 2012.

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  • Player Spotlight: Tim Lincecum
    June 24, 2011

    It can be easy to take Tim Lincecum for granted.  The skinny guy with the bizarre delivery has been so good from the get-go in the big leagues that he often slides under the radar when talking about the game’s best pitchers.  While Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Felix Hernandez get their fair share of attention, Lincecum has more accolades than any of them.  On Thursday, Lincecum once again reminded everyone that he’s capable of being as dominant as anyone in the league.  Against the Twins, Lincecum went seven shutout innings, fanning 12 in the process and mainly looking un-hittable.  For Lincecum, it was mostly just business as usual.

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  • Best Bullpens
    May 10, 2011

    ESPN’s David Schoenfield lists the San Francisco Giants as the contender with the top bullpen in his opinion.  While it’s the starting rotation in the Bay that gets most of the attention, San Fran’s relief crew is an unheralded group.  “The unheralded secret weapon of last year’s champs, the bullpen has picked up where it left off, with Javier Lopez, Sergio Romo, Ramon Ramirez and Guillermo Mota throwing lights-out,” writes Schoenfield.  “Closer Brian Wilson blew his first save chance but has since converted 11 in a row, despite a little wildness.  The team has lefty-righty balance, with lefties Jeremy Affeldt and Dan Runzler adding solid depth.”

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  • Slow Starters
    May 3, 2011

    Sometimes it’s difficult to discern whether a player is regressing or simply having an early-season slump.  ESPN’s David Schoenfield examines a few names that have gotten off to sluggish starts in 2011 and their prospects for the remainder of this still young season.  One such player is San Francisco Giants first baseman Aubrey Huff, one of the biggest positive surprises in 2010.  Huff has always been inconsistent year-to-year, but this year it’s gotten bad.  “Huff’s numbers are down across the board from his big 2010: walk rate down slightly, strikeout rate up slightly, line-drive percentage down, ground ball percentage up,” Schoenfield writes.  “All the trends are negative and, at 34 years old, cause for major concern.  Brandon Belt has been playing the outfield in Triple-A, but he might want to keep his first-base glove close by.”  Doesn’t sound like Shoenfield has much confidence in Huff breaking out.

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  • Lincecum Fans 10 in Win Over Rockies
    April 19, 2011

    Tim Lincecum had a sub-par 2010 season by his standards, but it looks like he’ll be back in the hunt for a third Cy Young award in his young career in 2011.  Big Time Timmy Jim baffled the Rockies last night, going 7.2 innings, much of which was a no-hit bid, and fanning 10 batters along the way.  Lincecum didn’t give up a hit until Carlos Gonzalez singled off him in the 7th.  Lincecum’s teammates were well aware of the no-hit bid.  Outfielder Pat Burrell, who isn’t the flashiest with the leather, asked manager Bruce Bochy to take him out of the game.  “I went in and talked to Bochy and said, ‘Listen, I’d hate to be the guy that doesn’t get to a ball that somebody else might catch,’ ” Burrell told the media following the game.

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