Giants @ Padres Preview

Game 1

Madison Bumgarner   vs.      Aaron Harang

(0-0, 0.00 ERA)           (0-0 0.00 ERA)

Game 2

Tim Lincecum      vs.   Tim Stauffer

(0-1, 0.00 ERA)          (0-0, 3.00 ERA)

Last season, the Giants never looked forward to this series. Facing the dreaded Padres in Petco Park was an inevitable losing sweep.

For some reason, the Giants couldn't hit their good to mediocre pitchers. Their starting 5 right now are an injured Mat Latos, Tim Stauffer, Clayton Richard, Dustin Moseley and an aging Aaron Harang (a career 4.33 ERA and a 5.32 ERA last season).

The Giants scored an average of 2.89 runs per game at Petco Park last season, giving up an average of 2.67 runs against. You may be thinking that we were better because we scored more total runs. Well, true, but what was even worse was when we played this team at home, a park we typically thrive playing in with our pitching.

The Giants scored 2.22 runs per game against the Padres at home, while giving up 3.56 runs against, losing 7 out of 8 games (the one win was the clincher, game No. 162).

It is evident that we hardly score enough runs in San Diego (or even in San Francisco), thus creating a frustrated locker room after each defeating blow the Giants received.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the Giants and Padres have re-amped and re-energized this division rivalry.

From Mat Latos complaining once being eliminated from the playoffs last season, to that same frustrating pitcher throwing a ball through our beloved announcer, Dave Flemming's moon roof. The blood is boiling between these two teams.

Prediction- Low scoring, pitcher battles in both games, and torture.