SacBee: Update- Giants off road, home for 22 of 30
Steven Chan, quoting Nick Peters of The Sacramento Bee
Giants Update:
Giants off road,
home for 22 of 30
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By Nick Peters
Bee Staff Writer
The Sacramento Bee
Thursday May 28, 1998
CINCINNATI -- Following a difficult trip that included 38 innings over
three games in St. Louis, the travel-weary Giants hope to be
rejuvenated by playing 22 of their next 30 games at home, plus a
two-game "trip" to Oakland.
The Giants, who have a 14-7 home record and have played 11 more games
on the road (16-16), host expansion Arizona for the first time when a
four-game series begins tonight. Manager Dusty Baker doesn't
anticipate a letdown.
"We'll be playing at a low-energy level, and you have to guard against
being too comfortable or you can crash right after a trip," Baker
said. "It's nice to be home, but I don't expect a letdown. Nobody is
easy in this league."
Not even the lowly Diamondbacks?
"They've won 8 of 12 playing good teams like San Diego and Los
Angeles," Baker said before the Diamondbacks lost 6-4 to San Diego
Wednesday night. "They've been together awhile, so they're more
settled and feeling like a team now.
"It's great to have a lot of home games, but you can't overlook
anyone. We learned that in '93. The Cubs and the Pirates weren't very
good, but we lost eight in a row while playing them. Every team out
there is professional."
He was asked if having 18 home games in June suggests the Giants are
primed for a move to catch the front-running Padres. "We don't have to
make up ground, but it would help," Baker said. "But half of those
games are interleague play and we don't know much about them."
Welcome, Matt --
Arizona's Matt Williams will return to his old baseball stamping
ground at 3Com Park. He leads Arizona with 10 home runs and 28 RBI. He
missed two starts with a bruised palm before returning to the lineup
Wednesday.
"Matty probably will feel a little different coming back," Baker said
of Williams. "A lot of people are coming to see Matty. He was very
popular."
The series also will be a homecoming of sorts for Sacramento's Andy
Fox, who has been on a tear since becoming Arizona's leadoff batter.
The Christian Brothers graduate, who didn't start Wednesday vs. San
Diego, has hit .333 (15 for 45) in 11 games in the leadoff spot.
Et cetera --
First baseman J.T. Snow said he's almost ready to play after missing
the Cincinnati series with shoulder inflammation. Baker, however,
indicated he wouldn't start Snow until Sunday. "The doctor told me it
would take about three days when he first examined me," Snow said.
"I've noticed the improvement. I could have played (Wednesday) if I
had to."
After working three consecutive games -- including a 22/3-inning,
50-pitch performance Sunday -- Robb Nen didn't volunteer to pitch
against the Reds on Wednesday. "Yeah, I'm a little tired, and it's a
long season," said Nen, who is 4-1 with 12 saves and a 1.36 earned-run
average.
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