The Giants desperately need a number five starter, and have apparently filled that void with today's waiver acquisition of former Dodger and Marlin Brad Penny. After a brief stint in Boston, Penny was released after 24 starts, and cleared waivers. The Giants were one of at least six teams interested in the one-time all-star; who won 16 games in back-to-back seasons with the Dodgers in '06 and '07.
Penny posted a 7-and-8 record and a 5.61 ERA (1.53 WHIP) with the Red Sox this season. Penny spent four-plus seasons in L.A. following a six-player trade in 2004, that sent him West from the Florida Marlins for Paul LoDuca and Guillermo Mota. Penny was once a part of the same rotation as Josh Beckett and A.J. Burnett in South Florida - what were the fish thinking in breaking up that trio?
San Francisco has got to do something short of going to a four-man rotation. The combination of Joe Martinez and Ryan Sadowski has not been the answer. Too bad things have gone so terribly wrong for Noah Lowry - remember him? I was kind of hoping to see Lowry eventually return from injury (as well as some legal allegations made against the Giants' medical staff), and grab that number five slot.
What about Madison Bumgartner? The kid has thrown a lot of innings between Single-A and Double-A, and it makes sense NOT to throw him into such a pressure-cooker at this point of the season. Bumgartner, who was a combined 12-and-2 with an ERA under two; just recently turned twenty August 1st. He will likely pitch most of next year at the Triple-A level before getting called to the Giants.
San Francisco has 31 games remaining on the schedule and find themselves in a flat-footed tie with the Rockies atop the N.L. Wild Card standings. The Giants came up huge with the weekend sweep of Colorado, who have suddenly lost five games in a row. Let's hope Freddy Sanchez will be ready to go sometime in the Philadelphia series which starts Tuesday. And who knows, maybe Penny will get the start in the number five spot as soon as Wednesday against the Phils. Jonathan Sanchez (the number four starter) is scheduled to go tomorrow. Are you BACK IN!
One more thought on a great weekend at the yard -- starting with Lincecum's gem on Friday night. I never thought I would see standing ovations and curtain calls for both Barry Zito and Edgar Renteria after what they have gone through. But that's exactly what happened this weekend after Zito's dazzling 8 and one-thirds-innings in Saturday night's win, and Renteria's grand slam and five clutch RBI's to pick-up Matt Cain on Sunday. Let's be honest...Edgar has been really disappointing at the plate...and has not earned his nine-million-dollar salary. Sunday's blast may have made up for that just a little.
Keywords: A.J. Burnett, Barry Zito, Boston Red Sox, Brad Penny, Edgar Renteria, Florida Marlins, Guillermo Mota, Joe Martinez, Jonathan Sanchez, Josh Beckett, Los Angeles Dodgers, Madison Bumgartner, Noah Lowry, Paul LoDuca, Ryan Sadowski, San Francisco Giants
