Start Kip Wells against the Giants?

[LCBOY]

The Giants offense is also only average at best. Other than Bonds, there really isn't any top notch hitters in that lineup. To add to that, two of their better hitters, Durham and Aurilia, are out with injuries. All you have to do is walk Bonds every time, and you're in business.

Why do people keep saying that the Giant's offense is "average at best". This assertion is completely groundless. People need to look at the facts and not one's own subjective opinion. THe Giants offense is 6th in the league is runs scrored

1. Atl 632
2. Col 628
3. StL 624
4. Hou 537
5. Phil 535
6. GIANTS 528

If you break it down by runs per game, this is what you get

Atl 5.69
Stl 5.66
Col 5.47
Hou 4.84
Phil 4.82
GIANTS 4.76

So you have the Brave and Cardinals out there by themselves scoring tons of runs with both on pace to score over 900 runs. Now 900 runs is a lot however not a huge number. In 2000 the Giants scored 959 runs. The Astros, Philies and Giants are basically scoring at the same pace. So to say that the Giants offense is mediocre at best is not accurate since they have outscored TEN other NL teams.

Now, let's look at runs allowed. This tells the rest of the story

1. LA 367
2. Phil 434
3. GIANTS 453
5. Hou 464
9. Atl 532
11. StL 560

It is obvious that Atl and StL have terrible "defenses", i.e. pitching. The Dodgers are unbelievable allowing only 367. If they had the Giants' "medicore" offense they would have a W-L record of 73-37 based on this run differential. OK, I am done with my rant.

[jdh]

If the Giants offense is ranked 6th out of 16 NL teams, that makes it an average, middle of the pack offense. Coupled with the fact that they play in the best pitcher's park in the majors and don't have any real huge threats other than Bonds, I don't think it's the type of team you'd want to automatically bench a pitcher against like the Cards or Braves.

[MyAddidas]

I think it just matters what you are looking for. I say it is about 75/25 that Wells has a quality start tonite, but I say it is only about 30/70 that he gets a win. I look for about 5-6 runs total in this game. Just my opinion.