By Chris Estrada
After starting out hot with a 21-14 record through the first 35 games, the San Jose Giants have only won 13 of the their last 35 overall.
Injuries to key players was a factor, relying on backups, the team looked in need of rest and the All-Star Break couldn’t have come come at a better time.
While most of the team got a few days off to relax, Logan Webb, Sandro Cabrera, Jalen Miller, Wander Franco, and Johneshwy Fargas were selected to represent the Giants in the California League All- Star Game in Lancaster Tuesday.
Pitchers Webb and Cabrera each threw a scoreless inning. Second baseman Miller had a hit and RBI, centerfielder Fargas had two hits and Franco was 0-for-3 while starting at third base.
During the season, there have been big offensive games.
On April 11, first baseman Gio Brusa and Miller each hit for the cycle in an 18-6 win over the Lancaster Jethawks.
The Giants have had six walk-off wins which began on April 14th when Miller hit a walk-off home run and Brusa followed suit with his own walk-off home run the following day.
Brusa joined a short list June 10th by becoming only the fourth all-time San Jose Giant to homer three times in the same game.
Pitching
The pitching carried the team early on in the season, but started to falter in the second part of the first half. Halfway through the season, San Jose finished with a 3.79 team ERA and six shutouts. Webb has a 2.30 ERA in 43 innings and Cabrera is 10th in the league with a 3.49 ERA.
Mac Marshall has been very efficient on the mound only allowing three earned runs in 21 innings of work.
The Giants continue to struggle giving away free bases. They lead the league with 287 walks allowed and three of their starters are in the top seven in the Cal league in walks allowed.
Three pitchers were promoted to Double-A Richmond. Closer Patrick Ruotolo got the call on May 21 after going 3-0 with six saves and a 1.47 ERA in 18.1 innings of work. With 151 strikeouts in 103 career minor league innings, this is a name fans will want to remember if he can produce at a higher level,
Conner Menez went 2-5 with a 4.83 ERA in 11 starts with the Giants. After allowing only one total run in four April starts, Menez only had one start after where he gave up less than three runs. In his double-A debut on June 16th, Menez threw six shutout innings.
Reliever Dylan Rheault , who held a 2.30 ERA through 19 appearances will begin the second half with Richmond.
Hitting
The Giants currently are third in the league with a team batting average of .259.
Miller was atop the team in offensive categories. His .305 average leads the team and is good for seventh in the league. He is second in the league with 81 hits and his seven home runs is tied for second among the team.
Brusa ended the first half with a .259 batting average, 11 home runs and 39 RBIs. In his last 12 games he hit six home runs with 12 RBIs.
There were four players with hitting streaks of 10 or more games. Franco and outfielder Heath Quinn carry hit streaks into the second half.
Franco with a 12-game hit streak while Quinn has a 13-game hit streak. Catcher Matt Winn had a 16-game hit streak and Miller has has had two 10-game hit streaks this season.
Second-half hopes
San Jose will begin the second half on the road in Visalia. The Giants are 5-11 in June and 8-12 in their last 20 games. The standings reset and 70 games are left to determine if they get to play on in September for playoffs. With the recent promotions, the pitching staff will have to step up in their place. Key players are returning from injuries, if the team can regain their from from early on in the season, they will be competing until the very end.
Follow Chris on Twitter @estradadotc