Giants Bullpen Woeful in Devestating Loss to Dodgers

Now this was the type of losing that I expected to see a lot of from the Giants this year.  Great starting pitching and then bullpen meltdowns.  Get used to it, Giants fans.

After a truly honorable showing by Matt Cain – who struggled mightily in a 38 pitch first inning, but showed a lot of spine hanging around for six innings – the bullpen fell to pieces in the eigth and ninth innings.

Dodgers starter Kershaw was just nasty for seven innings.  13 strikeouts!  And only one hit (a home run by Molina).

Then the Giants get a miraculous three-run homerun from Aaron Rowand in the top of the eighth to pull out a 4-2 lead.  By the way, Rowand’s still in the doghouse, but after meaningful homeruns on opening day and in this game, I’m open minded that perhaps this year he’ll earn his keep.

So in comes one of Sabean’s two offseason bullpen “acquisitions” – Bob Howry.  In one inning of work (that spanned the eighth and ninth innings), Howry proceeds to give up five hits, a walk and two runs.  Why Bochy brought him back out in the ninth after his incredibly shaky eighth is lost on me.

And then the icing on the cake?  A bases loaded walk from “closer” Brian Wilson.  Too bad being a great closer isn’t about how many tattoos you have, how freaky your hair is, or how “intense” you act out there.  Ok – I get that you inherited the bases loaded with none out.  But to walk the winning run in?  If you’re really a “closer,” you never give in like that.

A crushing loss.  The season is already having that “15 games below .500 before the All-Star break” feel.  In other words, the “Sabean effect.”  Nice offseason moves, buddy.  Renteria’s 0-4 and .138 overall average are really helping too.

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