Game 4 News As It Comes Along

Hopefully most of you have recovered from your multiple heart attacks last night in time to feel somewhat back-to-normal for a game started by Barry Zito in another must-win game for the Giants. The Reds are on the path to starting Mike Leake, who nearly shut out the Giants in a complete game effort back in June. The side-by-side Zito-Leake comparisons look like this:

Of course, Leake and Zito’s stats don’t look very awesome and we know Zito has done alright of late, but Leake, outside of his 6 shutout innings at Pittsburgh to close the season really has given both teams a chance to win. Leake has a .373 wOBA against at home, and 17/26 HRA have come at GABP.

Other notes:

So, no surprise that there are players that have done well with against a pitcher that’s been in the NL as long as Zito has, that a Reds pitcher has had success against the Giants, and at least some Giants hitters have had goot AB vs. Leake. Keep in mind such small sample sizes shouldn’t have a whole lot of predictive stock put into them.

The lineups will be posted here once we see them, but I really don’t expect to see anything different because we haven’t heard anything that’s wrong with Pence or Phillips, and if you’re overreacting to Brandon Belt, calm down. If you’re overreacting to Pablo Sandoval though… (all of this was written before the lineups came out)

Giants lineup (with overreaction):

Reds lineup (with unforeseen lineup changes):

Not being critical, but I just find it interesting that Frazier and Navarro just replace Rolen and Hanigan in the same #6, and #7 spots in the lineup. Baker may have told Todd and Dioneer today would be a day they’d start, so we’ll wait to hear if they have come in because of a costly error (Rolen) and a passed ball (Hanigan).

The weather report kind of reflects the clearness the Giants and Reds will see today. Game starts at 4PM over there.

0% chance of precipitation for the rest of the night.

Game time is 1:07 PM PST, aired on TBS. The Cards-Nats game is on MLB Network, so there’s no chance of it being on TNT.