[SSW]

Thoughts on Game 6 coming up.

If both managers go w/their prior rotation as indicated, Game 6 is going to be a repeat of Game 2 with Peavy throwing against Ventura. Neither pitcher looked sharp in Game 2, both giving up 2 runs for a 2-2 tie through the 5th and both pitchers getting into trouble in the 6th.

Herrera was able to come in to save Ventura from a possible loss in the top of the 6th by getting the last 2 outs w/2 men still on base but Peavy, who ended up getting charged w/2 of 5 runs scored by the Royals in the bottom of the 6th, wasn't so lucky. The other 3 runs were charged to the inept bullpen pitchers -- Machi and Strickland -- who took over for Peavy. As it turned out, the 2 runs charged to Peavy were all the Royals needed to win the game BUT the recap of this inning should be instructive to Bochy.

Peavy is good for about 5-6 innings BUT definitely NO MORE than 2 full rotations through lineup. After that, he's vulnerable. I don't have the stats (they were posted on the MLB channel or by Fox) but there is a distinct difference in the BAA (batting average against) for Peavy before and after the opposing team has "seen him" 2 times through the line up and it doesn't get better for Peavy after the other team gets that 2nd look, it get's MUCH, MUCH worse.

Based on this knowledge, I think that Bochy should put in Petit to relieve Peavy BEFORE Peavy faces the Royals lineup for the 3rd time and he should let Peavy know that's what he's going to do. If Bochy had done that in the 6th inning of Game 2, it would probably still have been a tied game going into the 7th and the Giants would have had a chance to win that game and might be celebrating a WS win now. Doesn't matter that Peavy only threw 66 pitches when he was finally removed.

Petit only threw 33 pitches in 3 innings two days ago in Game 4 and threw 80 pitches in 6 innings during Game 2 of the NLDS. So, I don't think he'll have any problem coming in back in tomorrow on 3 days rest to pitch 30-50 pitches more, if he's needed to save Peavy's ass.

If Petit had started the 6th in Game 2 of the WS, we might have won that game and would have been 2-0 going back to SF where we only needed to win 2 out of 3 (which we did) to win the series. Because Bouchy didn't let Petit pitch in the 6th, the Giants lost that game and we have to go back to KC to try to win just one more game to win the series -- but it definitely will NOT be easy to do that.

Egos don't matter at this point. The Giants just need to win and if they have to yank Peavy early to do that, so be it. I just hope that Bochy agrees.

GO GIANTS!!!!