Giants Struggle as Holes Appear

The fact the San Francisco Giants managed to sneak into the playoffs last year came down more to luck than judgement. After a strong first half of the regular season, the Giants’ year went almost completely off the boil. Following the All-Star Break, the team mustered a very modest .417 winning percentage. Now, however, that looks like a relatively successful run of form, with the Giants stumbling through the opening stages of the 2017 campaign with a dismal .357 winning record. It might still be early days in the new season, but the signs aren’t at all promising for Bruce Bochy‘s men.

Much of the issues appear to stem from the fact that this 2017 roster isn’t that dissimilar from the one that struggled so much last season. Even at this early stage in the year, it’s clear that there are more than a few holes in this roster, and the franchise’s best players simply haven’t got going yet this season. Let’s take a closer look at this Giants outfit and just why they are struggling so badly; their odds are as long as +1400 with the latest MLB betting odds to top the National League. 

Starting Pitchers: With a 4.43 ERA after three turns of the starting rotation – 22nd in the league – it’s clear that the Giants starting rotation hasn’t been at the races yet this year. The spine of Madison Bumgarner and Matt Cain have proven their quality on numerous occasions, including three World Series wins, but neither have been able to drag San Fran out of the mire this season. 

Bullpen: For a team that rely on having a strong bullpen, the Giants won’t be feeling overly confident about their options this season after a very underwhelming start to the year. With eight Giants pitchers registering 40 appearances last season, Bochy will be hoping his bullpen can start proving they can be counted on when it matters this year. 

Hitters: Their hitters have been one of the Giants’ stronger aspects this season. With the likes of Joe Panik, Brandon Crawford and Hunter Pence all looking in decent form at the plate this year, San Francisco know their offense could be their one saving grace this season. As long as they can maintain their form with the bat, this might yet not be such a disappointing campaign. 

Defense: The real surprise for Giants fans over the past year has been the complete loss of form of their team’s defense – an area of the team that had been one of the strongest in the MLB over the years. From the issues on the mound to basic errors in the outfield, the defense really needs to pick up their level of performance.  

Overall: Considering just how poor the Giants are performing in all areas of the field, it’s not hard to see just why it’s been such a tough start to the season. While there is still time for the team to turn things around, they need to start putting together a run of wins relatively soon.

Tweets by SFGiants_Rumors

Technorati Tags: Brandon Crawford, Bruce Bochy, Hunter Pence, Joe Panik, Madison Bumgarner, Matt Cain, San Francisco Giants