SF Giants Slumping - Fact or Fiction?

By Kalen Patrick

The San Francisco Giants have been in their biggest slump of the year and look to continue that tonight (Top of the 5th down 5-0 to the Pirates currently). So when or where did this slump come from? It's easy to point to adding Beltran and Cabrera and look at the Giants record since they joined and blame them. I however would strongly disagree with that theory. The Giants slump started right after their great series in Philly taking 2 of 3 games. Since then the Giants have gone 2-8 and things don't look to be getting better. So what has happened?

GIANTS PITCHERS GOTTA START PITCHING UP TO THEIR HIGH EXPECTATIONS

Well, its the pitching. The Giants even with the additions of Beltran, Keppinger and Cabrera, are still built to be a scrappy team that wins games 4-2 and 3-1 and the always fun 1-0 games. Since the Giants left Philly, the pitching staff has given up 4,7,9,5,6,3,9,2 and 5 so far tonight. Of course the Giants pitchers like any team will have off days, but to have that many high scoring games in such a short space of time is very rare for this pitching staff. Let's not put all the blame on the pitching though, these hitters get paid to hit, and they haven't been producing runs at all.

In the 10 game slump the Giants have scored a total of 21 runs (Average 2.1 runs/game) which is pathetic. Also the Giants have been shut out twice, 8 of the 21 runs came in 1 game. You take that game out and they have 13 runs in 9 games and that equals less than 1.5 runs/game. Even more pathetic. I don't care how good your pitching staff is. Can't win if you don't score.

CARLOS BELTRAN MUST START BEING EXTREMELY PRODUCTIVE

Only when the Giants pitching staff get it together again (and I'm very confident they will) then will they start winning consistently. Also they really need a much bigger contribution from Beltran. Overall Keppinger has been a much better addition and even Cabrera when you factor in what the Giants had to give up for each player.

Only time will tell, luckily the D-Backs are also in a bit of a slump too. But the Giants have to turn it around soon or else they won't be seeing the playoffs this year.