IN THE SHADOW OF BONDS

RED SOX 5 - GIANTS 1

I can't help but have the feeling that this season is slipping away.  The offense is just not doing the job.  Yesterday all the Giants could manage was 5 singles off John Lester.   Make no mistake that Lester is a good pitcher but this marks yet another game when all of the Giants hits are singles.  This just doesn't get the job done unless you can pound out 16 of them.

This team can't help out their starters when they struggle like Lincecum did yesterday.  In fact, there have been too many times already this season when they couldn't help their pitchers when they have pitched well.

I know still early in the season but the offensive challenges of this team have been going on for a few years now.  given the power issue and the fact that John Bowker has hit 9 homeruns in 90 ABs in Fresno.  Now he did only hit 3 HRs in 82 ABs with a .207 average in his first stint with the Giants this season but those 82 ABs were spread out over 41 games.  His 90 ABs in Fresno have come in just 22 games.  This means that Bowker, like most guys, needs to play every day in order to do what he can do.   I think that given the Giants need for power they need to just stick Bowker out there every day for 2 weeks and see what happens.  It can't be any worse than 5 singles like they did yesterday.

One positive note from this series is that the bullpen has pitched extremely well.  They held the Sox to 2 runs in 11 2/3 innings over the weekend.  Now maybe it's because they have been getting so much work lately, but it is never a bad thing when your pen is throwing good.

Nate watch:

I can't believe it but Nate actually got a start!  I wish he did more with it than go 0 for 3.  the only way he is going to get any regular playing time is if he is able to hit well on the days he gets the rare start.  I expect him to go right back to the bench after this since the only reason Boch played him was because he was giving Burrell and Uribe days off. 

One last note.  If the Giants do miraculously give John Bowker a 2 week look I will end the Nate watch.  As a matter of fact after today it will be the Nate - Bowker watch since I can at least post some stats for Bowker!