SAN FRANCISCO – The San Francisco Giants have yet to produce the kind of run teams count on when they're in the playoff race. They have been downright lousy at home.
The thing is, the entire NL West faced its share of struggles in the season's first half.
And home run king Barry Bonds with his 762 clouts is nowhere to be seen in this division or any other.
The Giants are in third place with a 40-55 record at the All-Star break, trailing the leading Arizona Diamondbacks by seven games and second-place Los Angeles Dodgers by six.
Giants general manager Brian Sabean and manager Bruce Bochy both believe this team is capable of a nice winning streak soon.
“Whoever gets hot in the second half is going to be the team that takes off,” center fielder Aaron Rowand said. “We've been playing pretty good baseball. It's all about consistency. This division's up for grabs in the second half. It's whoever takes hold of it. It's going to be fun.”
Yet the Giants lost seven of 10 to end the first half and dropped a recent home series to the rival Dodgers. They own the majors' worst home record at 17-28 and have only four victories in the past 15 games at their waterfront ballpark. The Seattle Mariners at 19-27 are the only other team with fewer than 20 home victories.
San Francisco will have to find a way to have more success in their own park. The Giants haven't had a winning homestand since a 6-3 showing last Aug. 21-29. They haven't reached the playoffs since 2003.
The problems at home are perplexing to Bochy and everybody involved. And the club could have a tough decision to make later this month when veteran outfielder Dave Roberts returns from his rehab assignment in the minors after recovering from left knee surgery. Fred Lewis has been a reliable option in left field and has provided speed and a spark at the top of the batting order.
“All parties have a lot to be proud of,” Sabean said. “The veterans have stepped up and have been good with leadership. The kids have been given an opportunity and held their own and, in fact, excelled.
“The dilemma is how many at-bats they get at the end of the day. Some of these guys are going to have to go to winter ball because they are here and not playing every day and have to make up that time.”
Eleven players made their major league debuts for the Giants in the first half.
The team's pitching staff has been the most consistent, despite the major struggles of $126 million left-hander Barry Zito. The 2002 AL Cy Young Award winner has been a disappointment and is eager to get back on track after the break. He's 4-12 with a 5.62 ERA in 19 starts but has pitched only 97 2-3 innings.
Zito has been better of late, so the Giants see that as a positive sign.
Yet in a rotation missing injured left-hander Noah Lowry, Matt Cain, All-Star Tim Lincecum and Jonathan Sanchez each have 100-plus strikeouts – the first time in San Francisco history three pitchers have reached the mark before the All-Star break.
Closer Brian Wilson, the team's other All-Star along with Lincecum, has been solid, too. He was among the best in baseball in the ninth inning in the first half, converting an NL-best 25 saves in 28 opportunities.
“We're in this thing. We've got to get some consistency and get on a roll here,” Bochy said. “I think with the pitching, I'm very encouraged – where Barry Zito is, Matt Cain, Timmy, (Kevin) Correia. We have the rotation that can get us on a roll and we can run off a nice winning streak.”
The Giants certainly are hoping for more offensively from 41-year-old, 11-time Gold Glove shortstop Omar Vizquel. While he is having some better at-bats, Vizquel's late start to the season following knee surgery in spring training shows most glaringly in his .159 batting average (24-for-151) and Sabean might even field trade offers for Vizquel considering the emergence of rookie infielder Emmanuel Burriss.
Sabean isn't ready to say what he might do as the trading deadline approaches later this month.
“We still have to get to .500 and be more consistent, especially at home,” he said. “Effort's not the problem. We need to start the second half off running.”
Bochy insists he will fill out his lineup card with the players he feels are best each game.
“We know this is a critical stretch that could determine how the season goes. We'll keep throwing the guys out there and play the team that gives us the best chance to win that day,” he said. “We're here to win, that's how we want these guys playing. We tell them, 'Don't be afraid to make a mistake.'”
