If the Giants absolutely, live or die, had to win just one game (say in a wild-card situation) wouldn’t manager Bruce Bochy have to put Ryan Vogelsong on the mound?
He’s the obvious choice to me.
Okay, Matt Cain has that perfect game under his belt. He’s also got a few really beautiful shutouts this season. Classic, gorgeous pitching. But Cain also labored in five terrible innings against the Mets, for crying out loud. I was there to see the very first pitch go over the wall.
I mean, if you are going to put the Giants starting pitchers in order of preference based on consistency, command and placement, I’d have to go: Vogelsong, Cain, Bumgarner, Lincecum and Zito. And Vogelsong really gets a lot less respect than he has earned.
I’m not a huge stats and numbers nerd, but his numbers are difficult to ignore. Sixteen consecutive games allowing three runs or fewer. This is the longest single-season streak in San Francisco Giants history (since 1958). Twenty games where Vogelsong has gone for six innings or more. In 19 starts, Ryan Vogelsong leads all of Major League Baseball with an ERA of 2.22. (H/T to SFGStats for their diligence.)
Is it possible to discuss the Cy Young Award and not bring up the name Ryan Vogelsong?
In all honesty, Vogelsong scares me a little. You can’t make eye contact or speak to him on game days, and even the day before he’s a bit squirrely. Vogelsong is 35 and his professional baseball story is an epic tale of a guy who just refused to stop believing in himself. I mean, it’s a stinking Kevin Costner movie.
So let’s just admit it: Vogey is the real ace. Timmy has the hair, Cainer has the perfect game, Bumgarner has that country drawl and Zito has the troops. Vogey has the fastball, and he used it 73 out of 98 times on Friday…and it was working.
See you at the ballpark.
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