[Mick]

Here's a trivia question: AL Champion Texas Rangers, NL Champion Arizona Diamondbacks, San Francisco Giants. Which of the three teams had the best ERA? The best ERA+? The best FIP?

Why your San Francisco Giants, of course. In all three cases. In fact, their FIP was fourth best in MLB, which means if they had any kind of fielding at all, they would've been a much more dangerous team. So it's not like they suck on the pitching end, they're pretty darned good. It's the fielding and the hitting that needs fixing.

That said, I agree with you. They need another starting pitcher.

I really, really like 4/5ths of this rotation. Love Webb, of course. brobdingnagian fan of Harrison and Winn. And for me, worst case, Hicks will do great until he flames out midseason because of the strain on his arm. I don't buy that he never accomplished anything, he had a 132 ERA+ last year, and if he'd pitched enough innings, his ERA would be in the top 10 in MLB. As for HRs, his WORST season would have been better than anyone on the Giants staff last year. He's a groundball pitcher with a filthy sinker. Worst case, he goes back to the bullpen and continues to destroy. But he was a starter in HS and low minors and wants to continue. At Oracle, I think he'll do really, really well.

Which brings ups to Stripling. 0-5 last year in 11 starts, 5.36 ERA, first guy to whine about Kapler when Stripling was a lousy pitcher. He was an All-Star in 2018 for the Dodgers when he went 8-6. He went 10-4 for Toronto in 2022, which is why we overpaid for him. He's going to be 34. I didn't like the deal back then, I don't like it now. He's the weak link, like Snell (who turned down 5 years/$150 mms. from the Yankees, no idea why) and he'll turn his one good year into his last big contract.

[Mick]

Here's a trivia question: AL Champion Texas Rangers, NL Champion Arizona Diamondbacks, San Francisco Giants. Which of the three teams had the best ERA? The best ERA+? The best FIP?

Why your San Francisco Giants, of course. In all three cases. In fact, their FIP was fourth best in MLB, which means if they had any kind of fielding at all, they would've been a much more dangerous team. So it's not like they suck on the pitching end, they're pretty darned good. It's the fielding and the hitting that needs fixing.

That said, I agree with you. They need another starting pitcher.

I really, really like 4/5ths of this rotation. Love Webb, of course. brobdingnagian fan of Harrison and Winn. And for me, worst case, Hicks will do great until he flames out midseason because of the strain on his arm. I don't buy that he never accomplished anything, he had a 132 ERA+ last year, and if he'd pitched enough innings, his ERA would be in the top 10 in MLB. As for HRs, his WORST season would have been better than anyone on the Giants staff last year. He's a groundball pitcher with a filthy sinker. Worst case, he goes back to the bullpen and continues to destroy. But he was a starter in HS and low minors and wants to continue. At Oracle, I think he'll do really, really well.

Which brings ups to Stripling. 0-5 last year in 11 starts, 5.36 ERA, first guy to whine about Kapler when Stripling was a lousy pitcher. He was an All-Star in 2018 for the Dodgers when he went 8-6. He went 10-4 for Toronto in 2022, which is why we overpaid for him. He's going to be 34. I didn't like the deal back then, I don't like it now. He's the weak link, like Snell (who turned down 5 years/$150 mms. from the Yankees, no idea why) and he'll turn his one good year into his last big contract.