as the hottest team in baseball with eight straight victories as they try to make a last ditch climb toward the Division title or Wild card. The attempt will run out of gas at the ravine as the Giants hopes will leave just as empty as the Union Station gas pumps.
How did this team that struggled so much in August to the tune of a 11 - 18 record get so hot? First off, that guy they traded for got healthy, and has gone into full Beltre contract mode with an OPS of 1.264 in Sept. The Giants have six players with a wOBA over.400 so far in Sept. Carlos Beltran, Brett Pill, Pablo Sandoval, Cody Ross, Mark DeRosa and ????????
1st Base - Aubrey Huff, Brandon Belt, Mark DeRosa, and Brett Pill have all seen time at 1st base in Sept, and they have an wOBA ranging from .331 to .496. Belt is not the rookie having the most impact, that role belongs to little heralded Brett Pill.
2nd Base - Jeff Keppinger is having an awful month putting up a line only Justin Sellers could hope to with a TSL of .182 / .233 / .236.
SS - Tejada was not answer, Crawford was not the answer, Orlando Cabrera was not the answer. So back to Crawford they went, and lo an behold he has been the answer in Sept with a TSL of .259 / .333 / .407. It ain't much but compared what they had been getting, it is plenty enough.
3rd - Pablo Sandoval is capping off his comeback season with a huge September with the fifth best wOBA in baseball at .491, derived from his Sept TSL of .364 / .413 / .836. He wouldn't be left off the 2011 starting playoff team if they somehow happen to make it.
C - Chris Stewart, Hector Sanchez, and Eli Whiteside are splitting time with Stewart providing some offense. This team could really use a Posey.
LF - Cody Ross is banging in Sept just like he did in the playoffs last year. Four home runs, and a .974 OPS in Sept attest to his resurgence.
CF - Dead Zone or in LA we call that the Uribe Zone
RF - No one is laughing at this trade now, it may be to late but Beltran has done his share of the heavy lifting. He's been the 3rd best hitter in baseball in Sept based on his wOBA of .523. Overall Beltran has now hit better as a Giant then he did as a Met and he was damn good as a Met.
Comeback player of the year, Beltran, Sandoval, or Matt Kemp?
Game One - Another classic matchup between Lincecum and Kershaw. I'm going to assume you all know all you need to know about them.
Game Two - Ryan Vogelsong against Dana Eveland - If you want offense this might be the game to see.
Game Threee - Bumgarner is already the GIants best pitcher, the talented lefthander will be dueling Kershaw for years to come but on the last home game of the year for the Dodgers he will get Kuroda.