Buster Posey and Aubrey Huff have led the Giants to the best record in the Majors (16-6) since July 1.
Three games back of the Padres for first place in the West, and a game and a half lead in the Wild Card on the Reds, with the most runs in the month of July.
All’s good, right?
Hold on, right there. Take a better look at what they have done.
Who have they played?
The Rockies (Team ERA: 4.12, 17th in MLB), Brewers (4.87, 26th), Nationals (4.22, 20th), Mets (3.75, sixth), Dodgers (4.06, 15th), and the D-Backs (5.30, 30th).
Through all of the recent success of the Giants, they have gotten fat off of the worst pitching in baseball (except the Mets). The offense has started to play better, but I do not want to completely throw my heart and soul into this team…yet.
Part of me wants to say what I have seen is fool’s gold.
There is only one way to prove me wrong (and I hope I’m wrong): The August schedule will be the test for the Giants.
During the month of August, 21 of the Giants’ 28 games are against teams with records over .500. They will face all three division leaders and all four of their divisional foes, not to mention the second place Reds.
The Giants still need to prove themselves against their own division. Remember, the Padres own a 8-1 record against the Giants this season, with three more in San Francisco starting on the 13th.
The Cardinals (3.30, second), Reds (4.13, 18th), and Braves (3.65, fourth) are going to give the Giants all they can handle.
Juan Uribe, despite his grand slam on Saturday, has seen his average slip almost 40 points since mid-June. Freddy Sanchez has played superb defense, but has not had a productive offensive game in a couple of weeks.
This pitching staff still leads the majors in walks. It’s a miracle they have not allowed more runs.
Sometimes I think Brian Wilson walks batters just to entertain himself, but that’s a different article for a different time.
A bad stretch here could place them in the same position they were in last season: outside looking in.
The X-factor is, as many have said, Pablo Sandoval. If Sandoval begins to hit more consistently, say .280-.290, the Giants will be there in September.
However, if they hit the same funk they went into right before the All-Star Break, August could be the end for the Giants.
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