Twice

[sfgdood]

Maybe my memory fails but I can't remember there ever being a time when a Giants manager had to twice in one week defend removing a starting pitcher that had thrown fewer than 80 pitches. It seems pretty clear the stats geek is calling the shots on the field now. I don't care what the numbers say...this is not good for the game.

[rog]

Randy, Randy, Randy. Is is possible that Bruce is simply growing in how he views the game?

I think if Jeff were still the old Jeff, he likely would have left him in the game. But since his injury last season, he's just not the same pitcher. Yet he and the Giants have found a way to make it work thus far.

I originally posted that I was surprised the Giants took him out, but once the facts were available, it was rather obvious that even though Tony Watson didn't hold up his end of the bargain, the decision was a wise one. And it has since come to light that the Giants likely knew they had some "free" innings available from Ty Blach as he fills in until Tyler Beede make's Derek Holland's next start.

As I posted elsewhere, you seem to interpret things not as the facts might indicate but rather to fit your agenda, Randy. Try taking a more objective, analytical and reasoned approach and see how it works. You won't have as much to complain about, but I think you'll enjoy yourself more.

[rog]

As for starters pitching shorter stints not being good for the game, are you saying that not utilizing a team's assets to their best use would be better? One can argue the enjoyment factor, since generally speaking more scoring is more enjoyable for more fans, but in terms of the game's being played at its highest level, it's growing by leaps and bounds.

[Islandboagie]

Rog- I think if Jeff were still the old Jeff, he likely would have left him in the game.

Boagie- If Jeff were the old Jeff he would have likely given up 6 runs by the 4th inning and been chased from the game.

These last 5 or 6 starts from Samardjiza is the best he's pitched in a Giants uniform.

[rog]

These last 5 or 6 starts from Samardjiza is the best he's pitched in a Giants uniform.


Rog -- Jeff has pitched pretty well this season, and it's hard to argue with the results. He has a 2.53 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP in his six games this season, including no earned runs in his first, third and sixth starts. Perhaps the biggest factor in his results is that he has limited his hone run rate to just 0.8/9.

But to say this is the best he's pitched in a Giants uniform certainly has at least two challenges:

. In 2017, Jeff posted a 2.50 ERA over an 8-game stretch, coupled with a 1.01 WHIP and a home run rate of just 0.5. Jeff also averaged 6 2/3 innings per outing over that stretch, quite a bit better than the 5 1/3 innings he's averaged in 2019.

. In his first season with the Giants, Jeff put up a five-game stretch in which his ERA was 1.41 and his WHIP was 0.89. He again limited his homers to just half a homer per nine innings. He averaged an impressive 7 2/3 innings per game.

So, no, Jeff probably hasn't done his best Giants pitching so far this year -- not that I'm complaining!

Here is how I analyze Jeff thus far:

. He's been used more wisely. Shorter outings have allowed him not to overuse his recovering arm.

. He's had better luck than usual. While clearly there is a night-and-day difference between Jeff's injury-destroyed 2018 season and this year, he's actually pitched to about the same level as in 2016 and 2017. Statcast says based on how he's been hit this year, he should have yielded a .241 batting average, .418 SLG and .312 weighted On Base Average. That's very similar to his calculated .254/.419/.312 in 2016 and a few ticks off his .248/.429/.304 when Jeff exhibited the best control of his career in 2017.

It appears that more balls have found gloves this season for Jeff. That makes sense. The Giants' defense this year has been some of the best they've ever played. It also appears more balls have died short of the fence rather than crossing it into home run territory.

As you know, I try to be objective about Jeff. The best compliment I can give him is that he's perhaps been a better PITCHER this year. He's throwing even fewer fastballs and mixing up his pitches better, resulting in positive results from his fastball, slider and cutter. But more than anything, he may have been lucky. His 48% hard-hit rate this season is half again as high as its ever been before.

I think we're seeing a DIFFERENT Jeff, as he compensates for his loss of velocity, but more than anything I believe he's benefited from luck and excellent Giants defense. And being handled astutely by Bruce Bochy and Chris Young.




Read more: sfgiantsmessageboard.proboards.com/thread/5260/twice#ixzz5mnLq0yRY