SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.The Giants didnt have a hit into theseventh inning Thursday night, and you couldnt blame 56-year-old manager BruceBochy if he felt like picking up a bat.
The opposing pitcher was 49-year-old Jamie Moyer, after all.
Moyer pitched like he was hustling to get home in time forMatlock. He faced 12 hitters and set down each of them, needing just 45pitches to complete four innings. Not a one topped 78 mph.
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The Giants also made four errors (by four different players)in a 7-0 loss to the Colorado Rockies at Salt River Field.
We were embarrassed tonight, Bochy said. I dont carethat its spring training. Were leaving here in about 10 days and thats nowhow you want to look at this point.
Bochy paused a moment. As bad as it looked, it wasnt theend of the world.
Its one game, Bochy said. Youve got to keep it inperspective. Theyve been playing some good ball. Still, its amazing how offwe were. It started off bad and gradually got worse.
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Moyer had a hand in that. Bidding to make the Rockies astheir No.5 starter, his first outing with Colorado could come when the Giantsplay the second series of the season April 9-12 at Coors Field.
The Giants decided to hide Tim Lincecum in a minor leaguegame instead of pitching against the Rockies. Clearly, Colorado had no suchconcerns with Moyeras much as the Giants hitters might have preferredotherwise.
It screws up your whole week, first baseman Aubrey Huffsaid. Their last guy was throwing 93 and I shattered my bat because Im soused to waiting all day.At least in (batting practice) its 45 feet away, soit gets there quicker.
Huff was quick to congratulate Moyer for just getting out ofbed in the morning, let alone taking the mound.
Id never want to do it, Huff said. Good for him, though.I dont know if Ill be able to walk at that age. Of course, hes been astarting pitcher all his life. Hes only worked one out of every five days.
The Giants everyday guys didnt look so fresh. JoaquinArias, whose defense is the main reason hes under consideration for a finalroster spot, tried a shovel pass on a double-play grounder that got by secondbaseman Mike Fontenot in the first inning. Left-hander Brian Burres had asituation he didnt deserverunners at the corners and no outsand did wellto retire Carlos Gonzalez, Troy Tulowitzki and Todd Helton in order to keep theRockies off the board.
Burres wasnt as skillful in the second inning, after thirdbaseman Pablo Sandoval threw away a potential double-play ball. Marco Scutarothreaded a two-run double; an inning later, Michael Cuddyer hit a two-run homer his first with the Rockies.
Left fielder Melky Cabrera committed another error, and Huffwas charged with one when the ball popped out of his glove as he tried to tagGonzalez running down the line.
Hoo boy, Bochy said. That is about as ugly as you canhave it. The bats, the defense, it was jut an awful game tonight. Give Moyercredit. He carved us up. He made it look easy. (Angel) Pagan had a decent at-batleading off. After that, I dont think there was a decent swing off him.
Until Sandovals double in the seventh off Esmil Rogers, theGiants were in danger of getting no-hit. They havent been involved in a springtraining no-no since the Angels did it to them in 1996. (Shawn Boskie startedthat day, and Mark Eichhorn finished it off.)
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Bochy was groping for a positive after the game, so hementioned Dan Otero. Thats a good place to start. Otero threw a 1-2-3 ninthinning to lower his spring ERA to 1.50. Hes a strike thrower (no walks in six innings)and he finds a way to post zeroes everywhere hes been. Those are the kinds ofpitchers that managers like to call up when they face an innings shortage.
I think well see Otero sometime during the season, now thathes on the roster. He might have moved ahead of Steve Edlefsen, who also hashad a good spring, yielding just two hits in 6.2 innings.