Giants (4) at Angels (5)

Once again, the same scenario played itself out today. Most of the Giants pitching staff had a great game.......but Ramon Ortiz comes into the game....throws 2 innings.......and gives it up. In this case Ortiz followed Tim Lincecum and Merkin Valdez into the game in the 5th inning. He entered a no hit, shutout with the Giants leading 2-0. He left after 1.2 innings having given up 3 runs on 4 hits and a hit batsman. The (almost) funny thing is..........Ortiz actually LOWERED his ERA to 19.29. I will say this again.....why sign a guy like this to even a Minor League contract? A 5.82 ERA in the Japanese League is not exactly a sterling entry to have on your resume. Why would you want a 35 year old (soon to be 36) taking up a spot that should be taken by a youngster......at any level?

On this day, Ortiz needed an accomplice to lose the game. After the Giants came from behind to take a 4-3 lead in the top of the 9th on a Ryan Rohlinger HR, Billy Sadler came into the game to attempt a save. It has been a struggle for Billy to even get the ball over the plate all spring. Today.......that was not the problem. Sadler gave up a double and a HR to the only 2 batters he faced to blow the save and lose the game. These were the only 2 extra-base hits the Angels had all day. Billy Sadler now has a worse ERA than Ortiz at 27.00.

The other 4 pitchers did a great job. Collectively, they threw 6.1 innings and gave up exactly 1 single and 1 walk. As a matter of fact, even though Sadler and Ortiz did their best to fatten the Angels' batting averages, the Giants outhit the Angels 10-7 and had more extra basehits 3-2. But, as has been a problem with the Giants for a few years now........they also left more men on base than the Angels 6-2.

I will post a few photos with some more coments as the evening goes on.