Rewind: Cain, Giants make the wrong kind of MLB history

Share

SAN FRANCISCO — Bruce Bochy is not the type to publicly discuss big changes before they happen, but there are times when it’s not hard to read between the lines.

After Matt Cain’s start in New York, Bochy was asked about the struggles of the back end of the rotation. He frowned and shook his head as the question was asked.

“No, no. I have too much confidence in these two guys,” Bochy said of Jake Peavy and Cain on Saturday.

On Thursday, Bochy was again asked about Peavy and Cain, the four and five starters who have given up 56 earned runs in 60 innings. He wasn’t as adamant five days later.

“I mean, that’s what we’ll have to talk about,” Bochy said. “But we’re staying behind these guys.”

[PAVLOVIC: Instant Replay: Giants destroyed in fifth, crumble vs Rockies]

The discussion will be a difficult one, and one without an easy conclusion. The Giants don’t feel comfortable promoting their pitchers in Triple-A, and they don't feel that Chris Heston and Clayton Blackburn — both of whom have gotten off to slow starts — are clear upgrades at this moment. Tim Lincecum’s showcase is a cloud over all of this, but he doesn’t throw until Friday, the Giants don’t know how many bidders there will be, and they don’t know how quickly Lincecum might be ready to help a rotation even if a match is made. The trade market in May is barren, and if you want a back-of-the-rotation starter this early you’re going to pay like you would in July for an ace.

San Francisco Giants

Find the latest San Francisco Giants news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Bay Area and California.

Krukow shares why Giants believe Eldridge's bat is MLB-ready

Giants Talk: How different spring training will look under Posey

The Giants keep running Peavy and Cain out there because they don’t see a clear alternative, and at times, Bochy said, they see flashes. 

“It’s encouraging at times,” he said. “But at the same time we know they have to get better there.”

Thursday was a step backward for Cain, who recorded just 12 outs and kickstarted a 13-run Rockies explosion in the fifth. He gave up two homers and failed to record a strikeout in a start for the first time in nine years. 

Cain said he left too many balls up in the zone. He said Trevor Story’s homer in the fifth just kind of sent him spinning. The longest-tenured Giant was on his way off the mound before Bochy could even reach him, but Cain said he is handling this stretch as well as possible.

“It’s definitely not easy,” he said. “It’s frustrating.”

Peavy is dealing with that same frustration. These two were two of the best pitchers in baseball at one time, and now the Giants struggle to stay competitive in their starts. Cain has talked to Peavy about their current situation, but it wasn’t anything dramatic.

“We’re both just trying to figure out what can benefit us and find a way to help the rotation like we should be,” he said. 

The only place to go is up after a stretch that has been historic in the wrong way. Peavy was on the mound last week in New York when the Giants gave up 12 runs in an inning. Throw that game in with this one and the Giants just became the first team in MLB history to allow a dozen runs in an inning twice in a seven-game span. 

“It’s hard to believe lightning hit us twice here in about a week,” Bochy said.

Contact Us