In yet another collosal meltdown, the San Francisco Giants blew a one run lead in the bottom of the ninth, and were swept by the lowely San Diego Padres at Petco Park.

This loss was particularly painful, as the Giants wasted their third quality start in a row, this time a seven inning gem by Tim Lincecum.

With thier chance to avoid the embarassing sweep in hand, the Giants turned to their closer Brian Wilson, who has been a shadow of his former self lately.  In fact, he entered the contest with a two game losing streak.

The streak continues.  Wilson walked two, hit a batter and gave up two hits, yielding two runs and the game to the Padres.

It was painful to watch Wilson on the mound, as he routinely got ahead of batters with hard fastballs and sliders down in the zone.  However, each time he had two strikes, he began nibbling at the outside corner of the plate, missing badly several times.  This resulted in walks for both Tony Gwinn Jr. (who is hitting .150 this season), and Brian Giles (who was 0-4 in the game, hitting .166). He had Giles 0-2.

After loading the bases this way, Wilson hit Eckstein with the first pitch, tying the game.  Harriston won it with a solid single to the outfield.

This game demonstrated the lack of heart this Giants team has.  Every team goes through slumps, but the Giants aren't slumping, they're afraid.

Wilson has one of the hardest fastballs in the game.  He has great stuff.  Yet he is afraid to come into the game and challenge hitters, especially with two strikes. The result is far too many walks, which affects his pitches to subsequent hitters, because he has no room to put them on base.

When San Diego's closer Heath Bell enters a game, he goes right after hitters with his 94 mph fastball.  He challenges hitters, because that what closers do.  They control the action, not the hitter.  Closers don't try to "set up" the strikeout, they blow the ball by guys for three pitch k's.  Wilson gets ahead 0-2, then throws 4 straight curveballs off the outside corner.

Wilson is scared.  He was scared to challenge Brian Giles, a slumping veteran batting .166.  He was afraid to challenge Tony Gwinn Jr. an upstart rookie batting .150.  Scared closers are overpaid and overrated relief pitchers.  Just ask Byun-Hyun Kim, formerly of the D-Backs.  He pitched scared when he had overpowering stuff.  It almost cost his team a world series, and it ruined his career.

The Giants offense is scared too.  There's not one guy in the Giants line-up that is tough, and that can get his teamates fired up.  Pablo Sandoval will be that type of player, but he's too young to do it for this team at just 22 yrs. old.  Aaron Rowand isn't tough.  Bengie Molina isn't tough.  He's a big ole teddy bear, and I've never seen him do anything that resembles agression since he's joined this team.

Thats why Giants hitters pop up with runners on 2nd and 3rd with one out.  Thats why they hit so many weak grounders back to the mound.  Its why they have no home runs.  The Giants are soft, and they're playing scared.

I'm ashamed of any team that represents my home, yet plays with such fear and weakness.  Sometimes I feel cursed to be a Bay Area sports fan.

ECJ