[ad_1]
SAN FRANCISCO – Just a few weeks ago, Bruce Bochy was regularly answering questions about his field defense, which, in his opinion, was perhaps the best he had ever seen in San Francisco. Friday's composition was different, with the Giants opting for power in the corners.
While Kevin Pillar needed a day off, Bochy moved Mac Williamson from the left field to the right and blocked Tyler Austin left for the fourth time. On paper, it made a lot of sense. Austin hit two homers Thursday and Williamson hit a three-tube bomb on Tuesday.
But the compromise proved to be expensive. Austin dropped a stolen ball with a withdrawal in the second, starting a four-point rally against Dereck Rodriguez, who awarded only the four points undeserved in five innings. The Giants lost 7-0 in home performance.
"He does not have much experience there," Bochy said. "You have a guy who beats like he is, you're trying to find time for him, but hey, we'll have work for him, it'll get better."
Before the match, Bochy had declared that he was comfortable with the alignment that, in theory, should have been changed. But tonight, that's not the case, as Austin and Williamson team up to score 0-8 with five strikeouts.
"Sometimes I'm going to do that to keep them all involved," Bochy said about the new look.
Austin, who was primarily a first baseman and DH before the trades last month, was supposed to be a regular on the left, but his development was blocked by unforeseen factors. Elbow pain prevented him from working regularly in the outdoor fields for several weeks, and the weather has not cooperated in recent days.
[[[[RELATED: Morse on the appearance of the different giants now]
Giants can certainly afford to continue experimenting. Their performance on Friday was a reminder that they were a different team at home, a team that needed an offensive shake. After scoring 49 points during a road trip of six games, they only managed four hits. Luis Castillo, a hope the Giants have already used for Casey McGehee – yuck – pulled 11 of his six innings, getting 24 shots.
While the Giants strive to add punch to the lineup, they may not have a big bat for the rest of the Reds series. Brandon Belt has a flaming knee and will pass an MRI, even if the Giants are optimistic, he will miss a day or two.
[ad_2]
Source link