Help!

Oh, how quickly things change!

In my last post, I was cautiously optimistic about where this young Giants team was headed. While I don't think it's time to panic (yet), there have been some major concerns that have become apparent in the last few weeks. The young guys who were going to provide some great defense in exchance for .225 batting averages have held up their end of the bargain offensively. Crawford and Burris have added some speed to the basepaths and have even provided the occasional spark at the plate. However, the questionable defense needs to end here. I loved that Bochy kept Crawford in at short even after his horrific defense game in LA. Boch was right, Crawford needs to learn to deal with games like that because they happen to everyone. Now Crawford needs to show us he can and will bounce back from that. Fewer mistakes need to happen up the middle.

There's not much to say after a lack-luster effort like tonight's game against St. Louis, but what I'm mostly hoping for in the next week is just consistency. Right now the Giants have a good problem (to me, anyway): too many young guys. They have young talent coming up everywhere for almost every position. They've run into a wall, however, trying to figure out exactly how good these guys can all be. For that to happen, there needs to be consistency. Bochy needs to pick a line-up (Blanco or Schierholtz, Belt or Pill, Posey or Sanchez, Arias or Burriss) and put those guys out there day in and day out. Let them show us what they can do when they know they have a spot. And if and when they slump, let them show if they can work their way out of it. Let's see some great defense by guys who are comfortable because they have played the same position every day.

I know there will be some days when guys need time off, or righty-lefty pitching match-ups that call for adjustment (although, with this offense, I'd probably just stick with whoever is hitting anything), but it's tough enough for guys to play on a major league level, without having to wonder every day whether or not their name is going to be on that line-up card.

Fingers crossed that, whetever happens, the Giants can take a couple from the reigning World Series champs this weekend.