Results:

3-3 (13-14 overall; 4.5 GB)

3-2 W @ Pittsburg; 2-0 L @ Pittsburg; 5-2 W @ Pittsburg; 3-0 L @ Washington; 2-1 W @ Washington; 5-2 L @ Washington

This week was actually an improvement over last, but the hitter and pitcher of the week will demonstrate just how bleak things are right now. How does one reasonably evaluate the first month of the season? If you had told me that by May 1st the Giants would have lost Ross, Wilson, Zito, Sandoval, DeRosa, Torres, and Casilla to the DL AND seen major slumps from Huff and Tejada AND watched Bumgarner come out of the gate slowly AND played some of the worst defense you will see outside of your local little league, I would have said that spelled certain doom.

4.5 back of first place. You get the sense that this could be much, much worse. You also get the sense that even with all the adversity and the injuries that this team can and should be much better. 3.7 runs a game is worse than the worst of the Giants recent offenses (averaged more runs per game in ’08 and ’09, the post-Bonds wasteland years).

So, maybe .500 is exactly perfect.

Hitter of the Week:

He keeps on knocking on the door and this week there really is no other choice, so give it up for Aaron Rowand!  So, yeah, enough said…

Pitcher of the Week:

Who to choose: Ryan Vogelsong for his strong start against the Pirates? MadBum for finally getting something going? Guillermo Mota for being an all around staff-saver during the month of April? Again, the reality that this is the discussion we are having this week is deeply troubling. How did the Giants even win 3 games in the last 7 days?

They need to figure something out soon. The team still has a chance to pull out a winning road trip, which, given the circumstances, would be huge. Plus the Rockies come to town as soon the Giants are back in SF and that is when things get really serious!

(-SB)