SAN FRANCISCO – It’s Father’s Day, it’s Tim Lincecum’s 30th birthday and it’s also going to be Closer-By-Committee Day if the Giants have a save situation in the ninth inning.
That’s not a reflection on Sergio Romo’s two blown saves the previous two games. It’s because Romo has thrown on three consecutive days, and Bruce Bochy almost never pushes one of his relievers for a fourth.
Bochy said he would talk to Romo prior to the first pitch, probably to send that exact message: It’s not a performance-related rest.
Even if Romo hadn’t appeared in the previous three, though, it might be a good idea to set him aside with the Rockies still in town.
In six games against the Rockies, Romo has a 19.80 ERA, has allowed 12 hits in five innings and has one save out of four tries. In 24 games against the rest of baseball, Romo has a 1.93 ERA, has allowed nine hits in 23.1 innings and is 19 for 20 in save tries.
The Rockies’ right-handed hitters are diving over the plate at his slider. Brandon Barnes’ inside-the-park home run, which beat the Giants in Saturday, came on a slider that started on the black and ended up off the plate.
Romo might have to make an adjustment and start backing some of those Rockies hitters off the plate.
The Giants don’t have Santiago Casilla available to pitch, but they will soon. He was sharp in his two-inning stint for Single-A San Jose on Saturday, allowing one walk while throwing 27 pitches in two hitless innings.
The club plans to activate Casilla after Sunday’s game and announce the second half of that move. Someone isn’t getting on the charter to Chicago. It’ll be a big-time personal bummer if it’s George Kontos, the only reliever who has an option. Kontos is from Chicago and has quite a large cheering section when he pitches there.
Finally, the club made a late scratch from Sunday’s lineup. Angel Pagan has lower back stiffness so Gregor Blanco is in center field batting first and Tyler Colvin is in left field batting sixth. I’ll have more on Pagan after the game, I’m sure.
They’re giving out Father’s Day ties at the ballpark today and I’m seeing a lot of dads and sons finding their seats together. Here’s to fathers and everyone who is a father figure – and that includes single moms. You deserve a second day.
