Giants Continue to Struggle With Runners in Scoring Position

It should go without saying, but the Giants are terrible with runners on base, let alone with runners in scoring position. They can get runners on base, they just can’t get them across the plate, which is the goal, right? 

Some teams can rely on the long ball to put runs on the board, simply because those teams have the personnel to think home run. We’re talking about the Yankees, Rangers, and Blue Jays, not the Giants who have only hit 62 home runs this season, ahead of just the Dodgers for the worst mark in the National league. To their credit, playing 81 games at the spacious AT&T Park won’t help their chances, either. But plain and simple, don’t be expecting the San Francisco bombers to be making an appearance anytime soon. 

Without power, though, there’s just a couple alternatives--- consistent hitting with runners in scoring position, and using small ball tactics to manufacture runs. Unfortunately, the Giants do neither, at least consistently. They are hitting just .232/.312/.342 with RISP, and .188/.287/.283 with RISP and two outs this season. Even with an improvement in the speed department (Angel Pagan, Gregor Blanco, and Melky Cabrera), manufacturing runs has been a rarity as well and don’t think for one second that the Skipper, Bruce Bochy hasn’t taken any heat some heat for not using the tactic more often in tight games too.  

Let’s take Saturday’s game against the Dodgers for example. Buster Posey leads of the second inning with a double, and at that point, the game was just 2-0.  Sure, it’s the middle of the order and bunting isn’t particularly logical, but with that said, it’s expected of the middle of the order guys to a least make productive outs. 

So the number five batter, Angel Pagan follows Posey by flying out to shallow left field on the first pitch he sees.  Productive? No, not at all and with Pablo Sandoval out of the lineup, someone like Brandon Belt or Brandon Crawford has to come through with a hit. Granted, both Belt and Crawford have both had their moments of glory (Crawford’s walk off on Wednesday and Belt’s game tying two-run double on Friday), it can’t be expected of them to be clutch. 

However, the most important thing going to waste, is the fact that their pitching staff practically always keeps them in games. It’s a waste of chances, and as the stretch run looms, hitting with RISP is going to be the Giants biggest area to improve upon. 

Posted in: angel pagan,Brandon Belt,Brandon Crawford,buster posey,pablo sandoval,San Francisco Giants