On a San Francisco High

The first week of June has been outstanding for the San Francisco Giants. They have won six of their last seven games, and becoming the first team in the National League to have two, seven win pitchers, Madison Bumgarner and Matt Cain.

The Giants are now one of the top five pitching staffs within the National League thanks to everyone on the mound except 2x Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum, who has the second worst record in the NL (2-6) and the second highest ERA in the NL (5.83). Lincecum went 0-4 for the month of May and received a no decision in his last start against the San Diego Padres.

Thankfully the other four starters top the National League in almost every category. Ryan Vogelsong is tied for fifth in the NL with a career low 2.38 ERA, and ranks in the top 30 in most pitching categories. Barry Zito has finally started to perform this year with an ERA under 3, and 5 wins, giving him his highest winning percentage since 2002. Madison Bumgarner also ranks within the top 30 for every category in the national league with a 3.26 ERA (26th), 1.15 WHIP (22nd), 62 SO (25th) and 7 wins (tied for 5th). They alone would be a great pitching staff, but there is one more that stands above the rest in “The City.”

Matt Cain has proved his dominance and has become one of the top five pitchers within the National league this year. Cain leads the National League with a 0.94 WHIP, he ranks third with 82 SO, and his worst statistic is his 2.41 ERA, which is seventh in the league.

The Giants would be leading the majors with a 2.76 ERA and possibly lead the NL West if they did not have Lincecum in the line up. Lincecum had a 13-14 record last year mainly because of no run support, but despite his record he finished the season with an ERA below 2.75 and 200 plus strikeouts. There is no word on Lincecum’s future with the Giants. His contract ends in 2013 and if he cannot get it together he will have to accept much less than the 40 million dollars he will receive for this year and the next or go to the open market and test the waters of free agency.

Lincecum has reached a career high seven straight games without a win. After the Padres game on 6/5 he said, “As a starter, you've got to put your team in a position to win, I haven't been doing that up until now. That's got to be my focus point with however many months we have left. That's what everybody's goal is when they show up: Put any issue aside and win. That's what we're here for.” He did not go into what is bothering him off the field, maybe Lincecum is focusing too much on the numbers and not seeing the big picture, which he stated, is winning games.

If Timmy can turn it around, and the rest of the team continues to perform as they have been, than this pitching staff can arguably be one of the best staffs in Giants history.


- Taylor Corzine