Post by Islandboagie on Jan 29, 2013 12:28:54 GMT -5
I hate to change the subject from bickering about players who have long since retired and died...But spring training begins in about a month and my mind is starting to shift to the 2013 season.
There's some question as to who the team to beat in the NL West is. The Dodgers are certainly better than they were going into last season, but what about the Giants?
Let's compare the 2012 Giants out of spring training with the team we'll expect to see in 2013.
The starting 5 are going to be the same 5 guys. The difference will be in whether Timmy can rebound from his awful 2012 season. Another question mark is whether Barry will decline after a very solid season. I believe it's worth mentioning that the last we saw both of them, Timmy was pitching like the old Timmy, and Barry was pitching better than he ever has in a Giants uniform.
But, overall, Tim had a bad year, and Barry had a good year. Which brings me to an interesting question going into this spring training...What's more likely, Tim to improve, or Barry to decline?
I'll be honest, going into the 2012 post season I'd have probably guessed that Barry declining would be the more likely scenario because we faced some good hitting teams, but as we all know Barry and Tim BOTH got better.
Unless you're Boly, It's very unlikely to assume that a pitcher with Tim's talent would continue to decline. Tim, afterall, was absolutely horrible during the first half and went on to correct that during the second half. So, logic would say that Tim will almost certainly improve from last season.
Barry on the other hand had a very solid season in 2012. Logic would say that he would almost certainly decline. Or would it?
Rog seems to think last year was not Barry's best year in a Giants uniform, I disagree. Rog also said that Barry would decline during the second half of last year and compared the 2010 stats to prove his point. Rog wasn't totally off base, because it did happen before. I guess it's just one of those things you can't explain, but I saw a different guy out there. Perhaps Barry's stats weren't the best in a Giants uniform, but his demeanor and attitude were something I had never seen from Barry. Barry himself admits that last year was the first year he really started listening to Righetti, and claims it was a big reason for his success. Barry did in fact become the pitcher the Giants were hoping to get..A veteran, big game pitcher.
So again I ask, what's more likely, Barry to have turned a corner in his career and learned to be a crafty lefty..or that a two time Cy Young award winner has completely lost his ability to pitch (unless it's in the post season against some of the best hitting teams) at the age of 28?
I think I would put my money on Tim improving. I'd also put my money on Barry staying the same, or not noticeably declining. But, I'd likely put more money on Tim's success.
I think Cain and Vogelsong will stay about the same.
I still feel Bumgarner could have a breakout year, he could be the difference maker.
Overall, improvement from our starting pitching seems more likely than a decline.
The Bullpen is another story. Nobody had a down year. Which would make it reasonable to assume that they will decline.
...That is if Kontos didn't develop into a good relief pitcher, and we didn't land Mijares late in the season. With these two we're better than we were last season.
Mijares gives Affedt and Lopez alot more slack which makes them both better.
Romo and Casilla proved they could fit in the closer role and do a good job.
The question is who will be in the final bullpen spot?
There's talk of Brandon Lyon, I'm not sure I agree with that, but I'm not totally against it either.
As Rog and I have both suggested, a super reliever would be a VERY nice weapon to have.
I think instead of signing Lyon, I'd invite a few starting pitchers to spring training with a shot at a "super reliever" role. Jonathan Sanchez being one.
There's some question as to who the team to beat in the NL West is. The Dodgers are certainly better than they were going into last season, but what about the Giants?
Let's compare the 2012 Giants out of spring training with the team we'll expect to see in 2013.
The starting 5 are going to be the same 5 guys. The difference will be in whether Timmy can rebound from his awful 2012 season. Another question mark is whether Barry will decline after a very solid season. I believe it's worth mentioning that the last we saw both of them, Timmy was pitching like the old Timmy, and Barry was pitching better than he ever has in a Giants uniform.
But, overall, Tim had a bad year, and Barry had a good year. Which brings me to an interesting question going into this spring training...What's more likely, Tim to improve, or Barry to decline?
I'll be honest, going into the 2012 post season I'd have probably guessed that Barry declining would be the more likely scenario because we faced some good hitting teams, but as we all know Barry and Tim BOTH got better.
Unless you're Boly, It's very unlikely to assume that a pitcher with Tim's talent would continue to decline. Tim, afterall, was absolutely horrible during the first half and went on to correct that during the second half. So, logic would say that Tim will almost certainly improve from last season.
Barry on the other hand had a very solid season in 2012. Logic would say that he would almost certainly decline. Or would it?
Rog seems to think last year was not Barry's best year in a Giants uniform, I disagree. Rog also said that Barry would decline during the second half of last year and compared the 2010 stats to prove his point. Rog wasn't totally off base, because it did happen before. I guess it's just one of those things you can't explain, but I saw a different guy out there. Perhaps Barry's stats weren't the best in a Giants uniform, but his demeanor and attitude were something I had never seen from Barry. Barry himself admits that last year was the first year he really started listening to Righetti, and claims it was a big reason for his success. Barry did in fact become the pitcher the Giants were hoping to get..A veteran, big game pitcher.
So again I ask, what's more likely, Barry to have turned a corner in his career and learned to be a crafty lefty..or that a two time Cy Young award winner has completely lost his ability to pitch (unless it's in the post season against some of the best hitting teams) at the age of 28?
I think I would put my money on Tim improving. I'd also put my money on Barry staying the same, or not noticeably declining. But, I'd likely put more money on Tim's success.
I think Cain and Vogelsong will stay about the same.
I still feel Bumgarner could have a breakout year, he could be the difference maker.
Overall, improvement from our starting pitching seems more likely than a decline.
The Bullpen is another story. Nobody had a down year. Which would make it reasonable to assume that they will decline.
...That is if Kontos didn't develop into a good relief pitcher, and we didn't land Mijares late in the season. With these two we're better than we were last season.
Mijares gives Affedt and Lopez alot more slack which makes them both better.
Romo and Casilla proved they could fit in the closer role and do a good job.
The question is who will be in the final bullpen spot?
There's talk of Brandon Lyon, I'm not sure I agree with that, but I'm not totally against it either.
As Rog and I have both suggested, a super reliever would be a VERY nice weapon to have.
I think instead of signing Lyon, I'd invite a few starting pitchers to spring training with a shot at a "super reliever" role. Jonathan Sanchez being one.