Buster Posey

San Francisco Giants: Are Bruce Bochy and Brian Sabean Given Too Much Credit?

This article was originally published on Golden Gate Sports.

After winning two World Series titles in the past three years, the San Francisco Giants are having a disappointing 2013 season. The Giants are seeing why it is so difficult for reigning World Series champions to win the World Series again the next year.

In 2011, the Giants had an excuse for why they weren’t able to repeat as champions. Buster Posey suffered a gruesome left ankle injury in May of 2011 and was out for the rest of the season.

This season though, the Giants have an almost identical roster as last season’s championship team. Yes, there have been some injuries to key players such as Angel Pagan and Ryan Vogelsong, but this isn’t the main reason why the Giants are struggling.

Jul 23, 2013; San Francisco, CA, USA; Giants infield players watch as San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Sergio Romo (54) warms up during the eighth inning in the second game of a doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds at AT

The Giants have been inconsistent all season. Right now, they are consistently bad. They are a season-high 12 games below .500 and have a 46-58 record. They also are 10 games out of first place and fifth in the NL West.

So have Bruce Bochy and Brian Sabean been given too much credit for constructing and developing this team that’s played so horrible this season?

The simple answer is no. Despite the team’s struggles this season, Bochy and Sabean have found the winning formula. The team just hasn’t displayed it this season.

The Giants have done so well in the past few seasons because they have followed the general formula for success in baseball: pitching wins championships. The Giants have had stellar starting pitching and relief pitching the past few seasons.

With quality pitching, it takes some pressure off the offense, because it allows hitters to play more naturally and not grind too hard to get hits. If the starting pitcher is struggling, players feel more pressure on defense too to limit the damage the starter caused.

The Giants haven’t been known for their high-powered offense in the past couple seasons, so their starting pitching carried them. If the Giants were only able to score a run or two, they knew they could still win the game behind a quality outing from their starter.

This hasn’t been the case for the Giants this season though. Bochy and Sabean brought back the same starting rotation from last season’s World Series run: Matt Cain, Madison Bumgarner, Tim Lincecum, Barry Zito, and Vogelsong.

Cain has struggled with command all season, and he’s supposedly not dealing with any hidden injuries. Bumgarner has been the most consistent starter. Lincecum, despite throwing a no-hitter recently, has also been inconsistent, even though he has been pitching better in the past couple months. Zito has been good at home, but, on the road, he is a completely different pitcher with a sky-high ERA. Vogelsong has been out with a right hand injury since May, but he started to show improvements in his command in the start where he got injured.

There’s no way that Bochy and Sabean could’ve predicted these types of struggles. In fact, no one predicted that Cain would be as inconsistent as he’s been. Lincecum and Zito’s struggles might have been predictable, but Bochy and Sabean weren’t going to trade them or demote them after some incredible pitching performances in last season’s playoffs. Of course, Vogelsong’s injury couldn’t have been predicted either.

Because of the inconsistent starting pitching, the Giants’ offense has felt more pressure to score more runs, especially recently. In the month of July, the Giants are hitting .230, which ranks last in the NL. Posey has had a fantastic season so far, but as of now, he hasn’t gotten a hit in his last 18 at-bats.

Apr 27, 2013; San Diego, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy (15) prior to the game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Defensively, the Giants are one of the worst teams in the league, which probably can be connected to the team’s poor starting pitching, as mentioned before. The Giants have 76 errors so far this season, which ranks second-to-last in all of MLB.

Given all these problems, some fans have criticized Sabean for not being active enough at the trade deadline. Right now, with the Giants struggling as much as they are, they don’t even really have the option to be buyers. The Giants haven’t been playing well enough to be able to score a deal (other teams could be wary of the Giants’ struggles or raise the price due to their desperation).

Some fans say that the Giants need to be sellers at the trade deadline. This past homestand was a key part of the Giants’ schedule, and they went 3-7. This might be the time that Sabean should concede the season and starting building for next season.

With Lincecum and Zito becoming free agents at the end of this season (Vogelsong has a team option for next season), the Giants need to address their need for a starting pitcher soon. The Giants don’t have many starting pitching prospects in AAA, so perhaps they can start selling some players, such as Hunter Pence or Javier Lopez, in order to start re-building their starting pitching rotation.

Sabean has been questioned for some trades in the past, but in the past few years, he’s made several key trades that have allowed the Giants to be as successful as they have been. In 2010, he brought in players such as Aubrey Huff, Pat Burrell, Cody Ross, Andres Torres, Juan Uribe, and Lopez. Even though these players were outcasts and misfits, Bochy believed in them and put them in a position to succeed.

In 2012, Sabean brought in Hunter Pence and Marco Scutaro. Bochy again made it possible for his players to succeed by putting them in new roles and constantly encouraging and believing in them. For example, he made Sergio Romo the closer, used Lincecum out of the bullpen, and stuck by his young players, Brandon Belt and Brandon Crawford, despite some struggles at the plate.

Even though the Giants have had a disappointing season, it does not mean that Bochy and Sabean have been given too much credit for this team’s past success. They were the two masterminds behind constructing teams who won two World Series titles. The Giants have won two World Series titles in three years for a reason, and both Bochy and Sabean have played key roles.

San Francisco Giants: The Evolution of Tim Lincecum

This article was originally published on Golden Gate Sports.

During his career with the San Francisco Giants, Tim Lincecum has experienced many highs and lows. Lincecum is a two-time Cy Young Award winner, a four-time All-Star, three-time NL strikeout champion and a two-time World Series champion. He’s certainly accomplished a lot since he made his major-league debut with the Giants in 2007.

(Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle)

However, despite his pure dominance during his first few years in the major leagues, Lincecum has struggled in the past couple years. He showed his first signs of struggling in August 2010 when he had a 7.82 ERA. In 2012, Lincecum struggled all year with his command and finished with a 5.18 ERA. However, in the postseason last year, he reverted back to his dominant ways as a reliever.

He came into this season with a new attitude and wanted a fresh start. He’s seemed more focused and has had to make several adjustments to his pitching, given his recent struggles.

The biggest adjustment Lincecum has had to make is becoming more of a cerebral pitcher, since he’s no longer the same power pitcher he used to be. He’s more of a complete pitcher now who can locate his pitches and pitch according to who he faces. He’s not just an incredible athlete anymore who can solely rely on his freaky delivery and pitches to get hitters out.

Back in his Cy Young Award days, Lincecum dominated using his fastball and his split, or his changeup. His mid-90s MPH fastball, his mid-80s MPH change-up and his freakish delivery were enough to confuse and baffle his opponents.

His fastball is now 89-92 MPH, and his change-up is about the same speed as it was before. Given this smaller speed differential, players are now able to hit his fastball more, which is one of the reasons why he struggled so much in 2012. Players had figured out his funky delivery, and he wasn’t as unpredictable and hard to hit.

Because of the adjustment that hitters have made against him, Lincecum now uses and executes four pitches: fastball, change-up, curveball, and slider. Lincecum has found a way to still dominate without the mid-90’s fastball he used to have, but his high strikeout totals still show signs of the power pitcher he used to be.

“I’m evolving as a pitcher,” Lincecum said. “…I’m not necessarily throwing fastball-split like I used to. I’m learning how to pitch with what I’ve got. That might mean more change-ups or sliders that day or curveballs. I think I’ve got to get back to trusting what I have that day and that’s been kind of a turning point to getting out of these bad innings. That’s the key. It’s a real mental, mental game.”


San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Tim Lincecum stymied the Texas Rangers offense, giving up only one run over 8 innings to earn the win in Game 5 of the 2010 World Series. © Ron Vesely/MLB Photos

In order to become more of a cerebral pitcher, Lincecum has also learned more about the importance of situational pitching, scouting reports, and finding a rhythm with a catcher. Lincecum used to just throw the pitches that he trusted the most that night, not necessarily what pitch was right for the situation. He’s learned the importance of scouting reports and not just focusing on executing his pitches. He also knows to discuss this scouting report with his catcher so they can be on the same page throughout the game.

“I’ve been studying my hitters a little bit better,” Lincecum said. “That kind of alleviates any pressure to wonder if this is the pitch that they’re looking for. So I go out there with more of a clear mind and when you’re on the same page as your catcher, he kind of knows what you want to go to. So you’re not constantly wondering ‘is this what we want.’ You know that’s what you want and you’re just waiting for him to put it down.”

Lincecum has also struggled with his confidence over the years. In the early years of his career, he was confident with his pitches, his delivery, and his command.

His confidence looked shaken at several points during the 2012 season. Lincecum would start to fall apart in the fifth or sixth inning, partially due to him facing the opposing team’s lineup for the third time around, but also because he had trouble making adjustments to his approach. He hadn’t completed his conversion to more of a cerebral pitcher yet.

In 2013, he came into the season with a new attitude, and he’s looked much more confident in himself and more trusting of his pitches.

“I think you have to go back to trusting that those pitches are going to get outs, whether it’s your best pitch or not,” Lincecum said. “It’s just having that conviction in them alone helps turns a bad pitch into a better one. You finish it in your mind and not worry about the result.”

Through all of his struggles with his command and with his confidence, Lincecum has always maintained a good attitude. He’s never blamed his manager or teammates, and he’s always been grateful to the fans for believing in him.

“With the ups and downs, he’s had a good attitude,” Buster Posey said after Linecum’s no-hitter. “He’s continued to work hard. And this, I think, is a reward for it.”

This season, Lincecum had a horrendous May with a 6.37 ERA. However, he looked better in June, and, in the month of July, Lincecum has an impressive 2.53 ERA. Of course, he also threw a no-hitter on Saturday night against the Padres. Lincecum recorded 13 strikeouts, which is proof that he can still be a power pitcher at times.

(Photo: Christopher Hanewinckel, USA TODAY Sports)

He also threw 148 pitches in the no-hitter. Many MLB fans and analysts were baffled by how many pitches Lincecum had to throw, but if anyone could throw 148 pitches, it’s Lincecum. His athleticism allows him to throw high pitch counts. He’s called “The Freak” for a reason.

Bruce Bochy and Posey both said that Lincecum was so dominant in the no-hitter because he got stronger as the game went on, his delivery was getting better and he wasn’t trying to force his pitches to land in a certain spot. Instead, he let his pitches do the work. He also mixed his pitches well, and he had command of all of his pitches at different heights and on the corners.

After Lincecum pitched two times through the Padres lineup, every hitter except Carlos Quentin had struck out. He struck out six consecutive batters from the second to the fourth inning, which matched the longest streak of his career.

Lincecum induced 29 swings and misses, which tied Randy Johnson for the most in a no-hitter since 2000. He was able to keep hitters off balance, and he got batters to swing and miss on all of his pitches. This no-hitter was a special performance, given everything Lincecum has been through.

Lincecum is one of the greatest pitchers in Giants’ franchise history, and he’s certainly one of the most unique. He can still be unhittable at times, but not just because of his freaky delivery. Lincecum now has a different approach, and he’s truly evolved into a completely different type of dominant pitcher.

San Francisco Giants Midseason Grades: Offense, Defense and Pitching

This article was originally published on Golden Gate Sports.

Jul 13, 2013; San Diego, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Tim Lincecum (55) celebrates with teammates after throwing a no hitter against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. The Giants won 9-0. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

The 2013 season for the San Francisco Giants has certainly been a disappointment. After winning two World Series titles in three years, the Giants have looked tired this season and are now struggling just to get back to being a .500 team. Going into the All-Star break, the Giants have a 43-51 record, which puts them six and a half games back from the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL West standings.

One word to sum up the Giants’ season so far: inconsistent. Sometimes, this team looks unstoppable. When the Giants do what got them two World Series titles in the past three years, such as stellar starting pitching, perfect defense, and timely hitting, then they can win a lot of games.

Other times, this team’s effort is laughable. It all starts with the starting pitcher. If the starter gets off to a rough start and gives up some runs, it puts more pressure on the offense and defense, and many times, the Giants can’t recover.

The All-Star break couldn’t come soon enough for the Giants. They could use a break from the long road trips and the mental grind of the game.

Here are the Giants’ midseason grades:

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San Francisco Giants: Why Buster Posey is Thriving as the No. 3 Hitter

This article was originally published on Golden Gate Sports.

Buster Posey is an incredibly skilled hitter. No matter what spot he is in the lineup, he’s going to find a way to produce. After hitting in the cleanup spot for the majority of his career, Posey was moved into the third spot in the batting order. Bruce Bochy said this is a permanent change, because he wanted to tweak the traditional order to see if it would spark the offense. Because of this move, Posey has thrived.

Jun. 9, 2013; Phoenix, AZ, USA: San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey bats in the eighth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

When Posey hits third in the lineup this season, he has hit .435 with one home run, eight doubles, 15 RBI’s, a .478 OBP, and a .645 slugging percentage in 62 at-bats. In the cleanup spot, Posey has hit .267 with seven home runs, 12 doubles, 26 RBI’s, a .359 OBP, and a .455 slugging percentage in 176 at-bats this season.

The number three hitter is traditionally the best all-around hitter on the team. They’re not generally that fast, but they hit for a high batting average and find ways to get on base. They usually have high on-base percentages and slugging percentages, which is exactly what Posey has exhibited recently.

Some other number three hitters around the league are Albert Pujols, Joey Votto, Ryan Braun, and Miguel Cabrera. All of these players have power, but they are selective with their power. They don’t necessarily try to hit a home run every time, in order to maintain a high batting average. They all have great OPS percentages, on-base percentage plus slugging percentage.

The cleanup hitter, or the fourth hitter, is also one of the best hitters on the team, but this player generally hits for more power than the third hitter does. This hitter also generally takes a lot of walks.

Some examples of cleanup hitters around the league are Prince Fielder, Troy Tulowitzki, Brandon Phillips, and Evan Longoria. These players all have a lot of power and high slugging percentages. Posey definitely has some power, but it’s a little hard to judge how much power he could really have due to the difficulty of hitting home runs at AT&T Park.

The third and fourth hitter have very similar roles, but Posey has always seemed to be more of a number three hitter. Posey won the batting title last season after hitting .336, so he clearly can hit for average, and he finished with an admirable .905 OPS.

Posey is a versatile hitter who can hit to either side of the field, has power, can draw a walk, and doesn’t chase outside the strike zone much. He also knows how to work pitch counts, hit with two strikes, and adjust his swing in order to get a hit. Posey is the best all-around hitter on the Giants, so it gives the Giants an early advantage when he’s hitting third and comes up to hit in the first inning no matter what. Given his immense amount of skills on offense, Posey naturally fits into the third spot in the batting order.

June 18, 2013; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey (28, right) hits a RBI-single to score left fielder Gregor Blanco (7, not pictured) in front of San Diego Padres catcher Nick Hundley (4, left) during the first inning at AT

Another reason why he thrives in the number three spot is because the hitters around him have skillsets that are more suited to the cleanup spot or the fifth spot.

“He’s so good at getting on base, and we’ve been in a little rut,” Bochy said about Buster Posey. “We’ll hope something like this will spark them… Really, you could take those three and pull them out of a hat and be comfortable.”

Hunter Pence has tremendous power, which would make him the perfect cleanup hitter, but he also has a knack for driving in runs, whether that means getting a clean single, a home run, or just a groundout that scores a run. Pence could easily fit into the fourth or fifth spot in the lineup, given these characteristics.

Pablo Sandoval also has incredible power and has proven that he can hit for a high batting average too, when he’s healthy. This is why Bochy has normally put Sandoval in the third spot, but he could arguably hit in the third, fourth, or fifth spot.

Sandoval is currently out with a foot injury, so, in his absence, Bochy has been hitting Posey third and Pence fourth. When Sandoval comes back, it’s not clear how Bochy will order those three players in the lineup, but with Pence and Sandoval hitting behind him, Posey will for sure keep thriving in the third spot.

With two other stellar hitters around him that have power and can hit for average, it gives Bochy more flexibility in putting Posey in the third spot, his most natural spot in the lineup. It doesn’t really matter which spot Sandoval and Pence hit in, because Posey will most likely find a way to get on base for them. Posey is such a valuable hitter for the Giants, and he will continue to thrive in the number three spot in the lineup.