How Many Puns Cain We Think Of?

Yesterday was exactly the kind of game the pre-All Star game Giants would have lost: an afternoon contest (already a warning sign) that followed an ugly, high-scoring loss the night before. Actually, you might just say the outlook was grim because the Giants were playing the Rockies, against whom they have had difficulty this season. While Cain's performance last night (and as of late) was spectacular, the biggest difference in the past few weeks is the confidence. This team expects to take rubber matches and win these three-game series.

But the rest of the rotation is full of question marks, from Schmidt's back to a recovering Lowry and to just Morris himself. Although Jonathan Sanchez was not tagged with the loss on Tuesday, he has shown similar inconsistency that can't make Felipe Alou's job any easier. With 16 games remaining, these are the kinds of issues that should more or less be ironed out by now. That's one mark of a bonafide playoff contender.

For those who can't get enough of the NL Wild Card implications of the coming weekend, Ray Ratto breaks it down for you. The conclusion: either the Dodgers or the Padres needs to sweep. The implied conclusion, as always, is the Giants need to win.