By Art Spander
San Francisco Examiner
Looking for positives? Well, Wednesday was the 84th birthday of Willie Mays. He didn’t appear at AT&T Park, however. Neither did the Giants’ fine pitching.
“It was an off day for us,” manager Bruce Bochy said.
© 2015 The San Francisco Examiner
By Art Spander
San Francisco Examiner
He was the question mark, the pitcher who had everyone wondering or even doubting. Ryan Vogelsong hadn’t won a game this year, hadn’t looked very good. But on a chilly night at AT&T Park, it all changed.
Vogelsong, who gave up six runs a week ago to the Los Angeles Dodgers, didn’t give up a single run to the San Diego Padres in this one.
© 2015 The San Francisco Examiner
By Art Spander
San Francisco Examiner
A liner to left field by Justin Upton in the top of the seventh. A hit for the San Diego Padres. Their first hit Monday night. A gasp by the crowd at AT&T Park. Madison Bumgarner’s near perfection at an end, his dominance unending.
Two hits allowed on this evening by MadBum, but no runs. The Giants are back to .500 after a 2-0 win over the Padres, who came in as hot as the weather was cold. But at his best — and this was his best of the young season — Bumgarner chills them all.
© 2015 The San Francisco Examiner
By Art Spander
San Francisco Examiner
Bruce Bochy was alone at his desk, studying numbers that could only reinforce what he knew, what we knew — the Giants are a team in trouble. The scintilla of optimism that burst forth Saturday night like the reflection off the championship rings that had been awarded, and the victory that at last was achieved after eight straight defeats, had disappeared.
They’re not very good, these 2015 Giants, the defending World Series champions. They may in fact be very bad. The 5-1 victory by Arizona on Sunday set up what even Bochy, at his postgame news conference, agreed would be a critical few games against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
© 2015 The San Francisco Examiner
Brandon Belt, Bruce Bochy, Giants, Tim Hudson Email Article By Art Spander
San Francisco Examiner
The feeling is that of apprehension, Giants partisans watching their team stumble, falter and asking themselves, “Is what we’re in for this season?” And the answer is, it very well could be.
That eighth-inning video with Journey singing “Don’t Stop Believin’” might ease the gloom. It doesn’t change the results, which for five straight games away and home have been negative, the Giants on Tuesday night losing to the Colorado Rockies 4-1 at AT&T Park.
© 2015 The San Francisco Examiner