Sports Radio Service


		Michael Duca's A's and Giants Q&A By Michael Duca October 5, 2009

	Sportsradio: Miguel it looked for a moment that the Giants would have made a run at the Rockies but things didn't pan out the way manager Bruce Bochy expected. There was that critical game in L.A. that Brad Penny pitched in and lost, then there was the series with the Cubs where the Giants needed to win a few of those but nearly got swept. As far as catching Colorado would you say those were the two crucial series in the race? I think what can be learned is that every game is important. The Seth Smith home run to take a "won" game away from the Giants in extra innings was a two-game swing; it, alone, was crucial to both the Rockies and Giants eventual fates. Certainly, it would have made a big difference to take three of four from Chicago, instead of vice-versa. But, truly, the season turned on the San Diego Padres. The Giants were unable to win a game at Petco Park until the final series of the season -- ironically, after the Padres established themselves as the Oakland A's of the NL West, playing the best baseball of any team in the month of September. Sportstradio: Giant pitcher Tim Lincecum 15-7 ERA 2.48 came close to closing in on the coveted Cy Young Award for the second straight year but with Cardinals pitchers Chris Carpenter 17-4 ERA 2.24 and Adam Wainwright 19-8 ERA 2.63 it looks like they're in a race of their own for the award. Talk about Timmy's effort to get the award and who will finally win the award this season? Don't count Timmy out. He leads in more categories than any other pitcher, 7, while Carpenter and Wainwright each lead in 6. The possibility exists that writers won't want to put Carpenter and Wainwright 1-2 on their ballots, and that Timmy may get enough second place votes to beat out both of the Cardinals' aces, who may split the votes. Stranger things have happened (see: John Hickey, my friend, completely forgetting to put Alex Rodriguez on his ballot and costing A-Rod the closest AL MVP election ever). Sportsradio: A's General Manager Billy Beane has made a little noise exiting the 2009 season as the A's in September went 16-8 and looked for a while like they were chasing after a flag or something. In October they haven't found a way to win but September shows that the A's have some eggs to hatch next spring? More than just September. The A's were 12 below .500 at the break, and are 12 below .500 today. That means they played .500 ball in the second half of the season. Their pitching staff finished 3rd overall in the American League, and their bullpen is flat-out nails. This is a team to be reckoned with next year, if the young players continue to improve.