Nationals will have their hands full with opposing Giants

By the Numbers

A look at the team numbers might tell you that the Giants aren’t really a great team. Their pitching has been middle of the pack at best, ranking 7^th or lower in ERA, ERA+ and FIP. They have, however, managed to keep from hurting themselves with walks (2^nd in WHIP and 3^rd in K/BB).

The offense is just as hard to get a read on. They’ve managed to hit 132 home runs over the course of the season, good for 7^th in the NL. Their OPS ranks 6^th in the league, but their OPS+ (when adjusted for ballpark) is good enough for 4^th. In other words, they haven’t been the most consistent offense, but they still have their weapons. Just ask the Pirates.

Coming into the series, the Giants certainly can’t be ignored. They just took down one of the hottest teams in the National League, and they carry more than enough experience (two World Series titles in the last four years; 7-0 in elimination games) to pose a serious threat. The Nationals will need to use their own momentum if they want a chance to move on to the next stage of October.

Who’s Hot

Buster Posey – In the month of September, Posey hit .393 and slugged .607 with four homers and eighteen driven in. He’s the big bat in the Giants lineup, and easily the one the Nats have to be most wary of.
Jake Peavy – Having surrendered only five earned runs in his past five starts (31.1 innings), Peavy is the favorite to start Game 1 opposite Strasburg.
Brandon Belt – Belt’s swing is apparently back: in the last series of the season against the Padres, he hit .500 while slugging .917. That being said, it was against the Padres.

Who’s Not

Hunter Pence – September was not kind to Pence, who managed a pathetic .165 in 100 plate appearances. Washington will certainly try to keep that cold streak going, as Pence can be dangerous on the base paths.
Gregor Blanco – As Nationals fans can certainly attest, it’s frustrating when your lead-off hitter can’t hit. Blanco is that problem for the Giants; he’s hitting just .213 from the number one spot this season.

Head-to-Head

The teams will always tell you that they don’t care who they play, but of all the possible matchups that could have materialized from the postseason race, the one against the Giants would appear – by the numbers, at least – to be the most appealing for Washington. In seven head-to-head meetings over the course of the season, the Nationals went 5-2 against the Giants and outscored them by eleven runs.