Despite injuries that are keeping key players like Ray Durham and J.T. Snow out, the Giants are doing just fine. It also doesn’t hurt that
Barry Bonds has found his stroke again, and that Edgardo Alfonzo, A.J. Pierzynski, and Michael Tucker, key bats in their lineup, are finally
starting to swing the bat. The Giants hope to explode offensively like
the fireworks on Saturday night in this series.
The bench has also given the Giants a lift, as Pedro Feliz has filled
in roles nicely with offensive production and solid fielding. Damon Minor had a great series finale against the Diamondbacks, and look for
Brian Dallimore, called up to replace Durham, to get some playing time
and at-bats.
To open the series against Colorado, the Giants will have Bretto Tomko
(1-3, 5.51) against former Giant, Shawn Estes (6-3, 6.32). The Giant
that has had the most at-bats against Estes is Neifi Perez, who has 11
hit in 40 at-bats against Estes with two doubles. Jeffrey Hammonds and
Alfonzo follow that with twenty-five and twenty-one at-bats against
Estes each. Hammonds has eight hits and Alfonzo has ten. On the other
side, Larry Walker has eight hits in twenty at-bats against Tomko, but
other than Walker, the rest of the Rockies have not had a good history
against Tomko, including Royce Clayton’s 4-19 and Jeromy Burnitz’s
3-17.
Following that game will be Jerome Williams (3-3, 4.25) on the mound
against Jeff Fassero (0-3, 5.55). The Giants who have faced him have
hit him well, with Bonds leading the way with nine hits, including a
homerun, in twenty-eight at-bats. Marquis Grissom has eight hits in
twenty-three at-bats also with a homerun. Williams has only faced two
Rockies, Vinny Castilla and Jeromy Burnitz. Castilla has one double in
three at-bats, and Burnitz is hitless in two at-bats.
The series finale will have Giant ace, Jason Schmidt (5-2, 2.78)
against the Rockies’ Joe Kennedy (4-2, 3.49). Kennedy has had limited
experience against the Giants, with Deivi Cruz having had the most at-
bats against him with eight. Dustan Mohr is 6-7 against Kennedy, and
Pierzynski is 4-6. The Rockies have had plenty of experience with
Schmidt, but, like most teams, have not been successful. Castilla has
eight hits in thirty-four at-bats, and Walker has ten hit and Charles Johnson has six hits in twenty-nine at-bats.
The Giants’ bullpen has been solid recently, with their closer, Matt Herges (1-2, 5.70) leading the way with fourteen saves and four blown
saves. Herges has done well against the Rockies, including Todd Helton’s 4-15 and Castilla’s 1-10. Colorado’s Shawn Chacon (0-1, 5.95)
has had decent success against the Giants, but Bonds does have two
homeruns off him.
Sara Kwan is a writer for SFDugout.com. Got a bone to pick? Just want
to say hi? Hit me up: kwanchino@alpha-q.net.
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