[h2]We're not going to see Mark DeRosa for a long time, plus the Romo issue[/h2]
Here is the link to my
final game story for the paper, with quotes and details on the game. I thought I'd blog with some more info.
1. Brian Wilson gave all of Giants-dom a scare, but he's fine. He turned his ankle when he stepped in a divot on the mound and jarred himself. He not only refused to come out of the game, he wouldn't even tell manager Bruce Bochy what was wrong, at first.
2. Aaron Rowand jammed his back leaping onto first base in the ninth on that grounder (he was safe, by the way). I don't know if he'll play tomorrow, but Bochy noted that Rowand has done this before and come back quickly.
3. The sadder story -- and yes, it is sad, even if he didn't have a hit in 23 at-bats -- was Mark DeRosa. He barely moved his hands at a Clayton Kershaw curveball in the dirt. I wouldn't even call it a checked swing. But he reinjured his left wrist. After two surgeries, a bout of inflammation and now this, this wrist thing looks like it will be DeRosa's Waterloo.
Bochy said DeRosa would return to San Francisco a day early to be examined and will be out "for a long time." As we left Bochy's office, he was going to call GM Brian Sabean to discuss a replacement from the minors.
I'd guess Ryan Rohlinger, who would be allowed to return before his requisite 10 days at Fresno because of an injury exception. I know you all want to see Brandon Belt, but the Giants night a left-side infielder. In my Giants Beat, which is
linked here, Aubrey Huff says he would be willing to move to third base so that Belt could play first. But he also said he'd need a week of practice first to get his arm ready for the throws.
I knew I was going to get Tweets celebrating DeRosa's injury. Thankfully, I know that those pathetic idiots are but a tiny minority of my followers. You never celebrate an injury. DeRosa was a good player when healthy and a good teammate when hurt last year. He counseled a lot of players who did contribute to the championship. To those happy to see him hurt, look in the mirror and think for a minute what it must be like for him.
I do want to address an issue that I've meant to write about. A lot of folks have asked if Sergio Romo is in Bochy's doghouse because he rarely gets used, and when he is used, it's usually for a batter or two.
The short answer is no. Bochy believes Romo is a valuable weapon against right-handed hitters. What's changed from last year is the presence of Javier Lopez. Lopez is so good against left-handed hitters (who are 4-for-32 against him this year), Bochy has changed the way he looks at the eighth inning.
If the Giants have a lead and the opposing team has a good left-handed hitter due up in the eighth, Bochy wants to ensure that Lopez faces him. So Bochy plays the matchups. If a right-handed hitter starts the inning, Bochy will let the starter stay in to face him, as he did tonight with Matt Cain, or let Ramon Ramirez face the righty if Ramirez was still in the game after pitching in the seventh.
Bochy then counts on Romo to get the subsequent right-handers, as he did tonight. After Lopez struck out Ethier, Bochy had Romo face Matt Kemp. That is faith, my friends.
When Kemp singled, Bochy immediately removed Romo, who clearly was angry. You don't cover your face with your glove to say, "Gee, I'd like an ice cream cone."
Bochy's explanation for that move: "I hadn't used Willie the whole road trip. I didn't want something to happen with him not in there."In other words, you win with your best and, if you have to, you lose with your best. That's why Lopez faces the big lefties in the eighth, and why Wilson was called to face Uribe.
