Results:

6-2 W @ SD; 6-1 W @ SD; 11-3 L @ SD; 4-3 W @ SD

Short week due to the All-Star Break…four games against the Padres turned out to not be so bad (even with Zito laying an egg on Saturday). Couple of games that could have ended in typical Padre disaster turned out ok, thanks to Aubrey Huff and a suicide squeeze. This team comes out of the gate, post-break proving that walking the razor’s edge is just how it’s going to be in 2011.

Hitter of the Week:

Once again, props to Panda and Nate the Great for being lights in the midst of so much darkness. Hitter of the short week honors, though, go to Andres Torres who is showing signs of coming around. Over the last two weeks he is hitting .333 with 7 runs scored and 4 stolen bases. I’ve said this before, but the Giants can make any number of huge trades but an offensive resurgence has to begin with some players they already have getting it together and none of those players is more important as Torres. If he keeps this up the Giants have a pretty decent outfield (defensively as well as offensively) with Cody Ross, Nate, and Andres. It would also mean focusing on the middle infield in the trade market. Stay hot Andres!

Pitcher of the Week:

Madison Bumgarner. His line on Thursday wasn’t dominant (6 IP, 1 ER, 7 H, 4 K), but it was really good and a big second half from MadBum will go a long way to not only helping the Giants win this division but solidify the rotation for the postseason as well. It’s pretty clear that now is the time for Madison to establish himself as the no-doubt #3 in the Giants rotation.

Looking Ahead:

The Giants enter an interesting stretch. 3 with the Dodgers (where they catch Billingsly and Kershaw, never an easy task), then lots of contenders: Brewers, Phillies, Reds, D-Backs, Phillies again, and the Pirates. All but six of those games are at home, which is extremely helpful. Nonetheless, this is an important time of the season. The Giants have the potential to put some distance between them and the rest of the division and it would be great to see them do it, although it would be entirely out of character with how they do everything else. For the time being, though, BEAT LA!

(-SB)