Giants hit HR's, they score...if they don't, not so much

Since the August 23-25th series against the Reds at San Francisco, the Giants offense has been almost exclusively dependent on the HR to score runs.

In that series, the scored 11-16-11 R's and slugged 2-4-1 HR's, with the HR's producing 3-6-3 Runs.

Since that time the Giants have played 21 Games.

In 12 of those games, they failed to hit a HR and scored a total of 20 Runs.

An average of 1.82 RPG.

Nine of those were scored in one game. In the other eleven games, eleven runs scored.

So lately, one can conclude the if the Giants do not hit a HR, the will only score 1-2 runs.

Did I mention they have been shut out in four of those games? Seems like a lot.

In the nine games in which they did hit HR's, the Gigantes scored a total of 46 runs

An average of 5.11 RPG.

Embedded within those games are an additional 18 runs produced without the benefit of the HR.

An average of 2.0 RPG produced even on days when they are ON.

Manager Bochy comments after a recent loss:

“I do think we’re trying to do too much, overswinging a little bit,” Bochy said. “We’ve got to calm down a little bit. I know they all want to be the guy.”

The Giants had regained the top spot in the division with a 10-2 rout of the rival Dodgers on Thursday, but have managed only one run in two games since against the non-contending Brewers (69-78).

“We’re a funny team that way,” Bochy said. “We put big runs up or we get shut down.”

Not funny really. Actually quite predictable.

The Giants are a one-dimensional, predictable offense that is over-reliant on the HR to produce runs. An old-fashioned AL offense.

The last 6 games the Giants have not produced a HR, they have scored 1-0-2-0-0-1 Runs.
In the 2 games they produced a HR, they scored 10-6 Runs.

They are overly reliant on the pitcher making a mistake, which they will punish. On days the pitcher minimizes mistakes, NO HR's = Few Runs Scored.

The line on HR's from 9/18 to 8/27 (21 G's) games runs as follows:

0-0-3-0-0-1-0-0-2-1-3-0-1-4-0-0-1-0-0-1-0

So they are not even consistent in their ability to hit HR's, which indicates they will struggle against other teams 1-2 starters (better pitching) and "feast" (comparatively speaking) against the 3-4 starters.

Unfortunately -- even if they make the playoffs at this rate -- you only face 1-2-3 starters in the playoffs. This does not bode well.

The offense is overly dependent on pitchers making mistakes rather on having any capacity at all on the offensive side to force mistakes. The off-season focus should be on bringing in hitters who have some diversity in their games as well as more plate discipline.