"Despite Struggling, Giants Winning"
"Despite Winning, Giants Struggling"
Which one is more accurate?
The Giants reach the All Star Break 12 games over .500 and 3 games ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks atop the NL West.
The Giants also reach the All Star Break with its best player out for the season with a devastating injury. Their $11 million first baseman has homered in only 5 of his first 90 games. According to John Shea, the 2011 Giants have provided the lowest amount of run support since the 1902 New York Giants. And that team finished 53.5 games out of first place. Up until last week, the Giants had gone the entire 2011 season without scoring more than 5 runs in a home game. Then they scored 6. According to Mike Krukow (who can count nano-seconds in his head), the 2011 Giants are the first team in franchise history to go an entire first half without scoring more than 6 runs in a home game.
And yet, they are 28-16 at home this season.
So which is it? Are you amazed that in spite of the injuries and horrendous offense, the Giant are still in first place? Or are you amazed that in spite of incredible pitching and clutch hitting, the Giants still look like a team that could go out and lose 15 of its first 20 after the break?