by

GreekGiant

Tonight’s Game: Rockies (73-84) Vs Giants (83-74) at Willie Mays Field, 7:15 pm
Tyler Chatwood (11-9, 4.08) vs Jeff Samardzija (12-10, 3.83)

It’s time to countdown to the final games of the regular season as the Giants face the Rockies in game 2 of their three game series tonight at Willie Mays Field. The Giants will send Jeff Samardzija to the mound against Tyler Chatwood. Chatwood rates among leaders in road winning percentage (7-1, .875) and road ERA (1.88) in Major League baseball. He already has beaten the Giants twice this year, once in San Francisco and on May 27,  in Denver, winning 5-2.

Jeff Samardzija Becomes a Dominant Force in the Starting Rotation

After last night’s offensive burst that resulted in 12 runs and an array of happy feelings, the Giants are hoping to generate some confidence and momentum in their battle for the Wild Card entry into the postseason. Jeff Samardzija has been a different pitcher since his adjustments to his mechanics. He now turns less and maintains a more compact delivery to the plate which makes his wind up easier to repeat. The athletic right-hander has mostly excellent in the second half, particularly in his last four starts where he has employed a new curve ball and change-up. The use of more off-speed pitches behind the count and more command of his fastball have together helped to turn his season around from an uneven campaign to a downright excellent inaugural year with the Giants.

Surf Maui and I are going to the Marlins – Mets game in Miami tonight so I am posting this preview earlier than usual. We will be cheering for the Marlins. I am going to have to hit the Clevelander early just to digest that last sentence!

Pennant race baseball makes for strange bedfellows indeed!

Some Questions

  1. Will the Giants bats stay hot after last night’s outburst?
  2. Who will play third base tonight for the Giants?
  3. How will Jeff Samardzija fare agains the top 4 batters of the Rockies’ potent lineup?
  4. When will Gordon Beckham make his Giants debut?
  5. Where will Joe Panik bat in the lineup?