The San Francisco Giants have been on a hot streak since being officially eliminated from the playoffs, but dropped Wednesday’s game and struck out 17 times in doing so. After the game, manager Bob Melvin expressed his frustration and desire to clean up the strikeouts moving forward.
“We got to put it in play a little bit more,” he began.
As a team. the Giants strikeout percentage is 23.9 percent, which is currently bottom eleven in all of baseball. Their 1,414 total is also bottom ten. It has become a real issue for the team and is something that Melvin wants to focus on going forward.
It could be fixed somewhat going into next year, though. A player like Jung Hoo Lee, who was noted for not striking out a lot coming from Korea, will be back at the top of the order. There could also be young players who take a step in the right direction in terms of plate discipline, which Melvin made sure to point out.
“Grant [McCray], I think, will make some strides. First time around, you know, he strikes out some to begin with. But, maybe, you know, knowing the league a little bit more, how he’s getting pitched, facing guys for the second time around and then maybe trying to shorten up at times a little bit next year,” he continued.
McCray has struggled with strikeouts, it’s true. In his first 23 Major League games, he has a 39.5 percent strikeout rate. In 97 minor league games, he struck out 121 times. It will have to be something he works on going forward.
Another rookie, Tyler Fitzgerald, also has a strikeout rate above 30 percent.
Those two players do have one thing in common though: they’re rookies. They are still adjusting to the Big Leagues. They can make the adjustments next season and go from there.
However, the rookies aren’t the only ones striking out. While no one else on the team has a strikeout rate north of 30 percent, the trend of high strikeout rates and low walk rates stands out. Among players with over 100 at-bats, only three San Francisco players have a walk rate at 10 percent or better.
Jorge Soler is one, but he is no longer on the team.
The Giants have had to utilize a lot of young players this season, and the strikeout problem may change when they get healthy and more experienced next season. But, Bob Melvin wants to make that a focus going forward.
