I don't have the time to post 12 a paragraph thread tonight like I did for last night's game, but I do have the time to post why I like Bumgarner tonight.
Bumgarner is the league's best LHP not named Kershaw, and is an elite LHP.
Nobody is discounting what Volquez did down the stretch for the Pirates, and he was 8-0 in those last 11 starts he has made since 8/1, I am being constantly reminded of that stat, but let's not get carried away with that, and if you break those 11 starts down, it is true Volquez was 8-0, however he did beat a hapless Brave team that packed it in on July 4, and weak 'Zona team, and the Marlins.
However 3 of those 11 starts come attached with a ND-L next to his name, where he escaped the loss, but the team did not, and one of those were against the Phils.
Let's not lose sight of the fact EV had the ninth poorest walk ratio, and also led the league in wild pitches.
Up until June of this year, Volquez was a ham and egger, a gas can, with a career ERA of 4.5 and a WH/IP of 1.45
Those are poor career numbers.
Bumgarner is as consistent as they come, he was an 18 game winner this year, rock solid 2.98 ERA and rock solid 1.07 WH/IP, and those are not fluke numbers, they mimic Bumgarners career numbers, and like I said, he is what he is, an elite LHP.
I can go on and break it down further as to why Bumgarner is clearly the better starter, but I have a couple of things to do. But Bummy is.
On offense, as a whole, Pirates are a soft hitting team against better LHP.
The power numbers are awful versus LHP
They are, the numbers don't lie, I love McCutchen, he's the NL Mike Trout, but I would fear him more tonight against an average RHP, Mercer hits second tonight, and he scared nobody.
SF Giants have what I call the three 'P's in their lineup, Panda, Pence and Posey, Panda and Posey owns Volquez, Pence not so much (.197) but Hunter is a magician with the bat, hit and runs, moves runners up, steals bases, gold glove caliber defense, yadda yadda yadda.
Don't overlook Brandon Belt, he smahes Endison as well.
I respect the Pirate fans, I respect the Pirates spunk, no one is disrepecting anything that is Pirate black or the Jolly Roger, I don't like, nor dislike the Giants or the Pirates, but from a baseball and stat and numbers junkie looking at this game from a level headed, neutral point of view, the Pirates are in a difficult spot here excluding the home field advantage.
SF has the clear cut better starter, the SF Giant line up has hurt Volquez in the past, even the SF manager Bochy is the anti-Yost, Bochy is a master technician in handling the bullpen, and so is his pitching coach Rags.
I got to run for now, but on paper, besides the home field, pretty much everything points to a 4-2 Giant win.
3* Giants -107 reduced juice at 5D
If you are tracking my post season plays, it's 1-0 with a 2* Royal win last night.
(It's in post 1 of last nights thread)
Good luck to the Pirate fans though, I know how you love your team, no disrespect here.
Bumgarner is the league's best LHP not named Kershaw, and is an elite LHP.
Nobody is discounting what Volquez did down the stretch for the Pirates, and he was 8-0 in those last 11 starts he has made since 8/1, I am being constantly reminded of that stat, but let's not get carried away with that, and if you break those 11 starts down, it is true Volquez was 8-0, however he did beat a hapless Brave team that packed it in on July 4, and weak 'Zona team, and the Marlins.
However 3 of those 11 starts come attached with a ND-L next to his name, where he escaped the loss, but the team did not, and one of those were against the Phils.
Let's not lose sight of the fact EV had the ninth poorest walk ratio, and also led the league in wild pitches.
Up until June of this year, Volquez was a ham and egger, a gas can, with a career ERA of 4.5 and a WH/IP of 1.45
Those are poor career numbers.
Bumgarner is as consistent as they come, he was an 18 game winner this year, rock solid 2.98 ERA and rock solid 1.07 WH/IP, and those are not fluke numbers, they mimic Bumgarners career numbers, and like I said, he is what he is, an elite LHP.
I can go on and break it down further as to why Bumgarner is clearly the better starter, but I have a couple of things to do. But Bummy is.
On offense, as a whole, Pirates are a soft hitting team against better LHP.
The power numbers are awful versus LHP
They are, the numbers don't lie, I love McCutchen, he's the NL Mike Trout, but I would fear him more tonight against an average RHP, Mercer hits second tonight, and he scared nobody.
SF Giants have what I call the three 'P's in their lineup, Panda, Pence and Posey, Panda and Posey owns Volquez, Pence not so much (.197) but Hunter is a magician with the bat, hit and runs, moves runners up, steals bases, gold glove caliber defense, yadda yadda yadda.
Don't overlook Brandon Belt, he smahes Endison as well.
I respect the Pirate fans, I respect the Pirates spunk, no one is disrepecting anything that is Pirate black or the Jolly Roger, I don't like, nor dislike the Giants or the Pirates, but from a baseball and stat and numbers junkie looking at this game from a level headed, neutral point of view, the Pirates are in a difficult spot here excluding the home field advantage.
SF has the clear cut better starter, the SF Giant line up has hurt Volquez in the past, even the SF manager Bochy is the anti-Yost, Bochy is a master technician in handling the bullpen, and so is his pitching coach Rags.
I got to run for now, but on paper, besides the home field, pretty much everything points to a 4-2 Giant win.
3* Giants -107 reduced juice at 5D
If you are tracking my post season plays, it's 1-0 with a 2* Royal win last night.
(It's in post 1 of last nights thread)
Good luck to the Pirate fans though, I know how you love your team, no disrespect here.
Steve Levy 